the doctrine of a providence carried into the regions of mind; and whoever believes that a superintending power watches over external nature, can hardly doubt that the same power extends its influence to the faculties of our souls. Indeed it may be questioned whether there could be any providence, if we were to exclude its influence from the intellectual world: for the assistance of providence seems generally to be rendered through the intervention of our minds; so that if all spiritual communications of this kind were destroyed, there could be little or no benefit derived to us from its exclusive operations on physical and external nature.

The accounts of all nations, whether savage or civilised, coincide in these views; for no nation has been destitute of some kind of worship addressed to the Supreme, and prayer is the dictate of nature, not less than the doctrine of grace. It is the involuntary language of a creature who feels his weakness, who confesses his wants, who is conscious that he is supported day after day by that power which originally made him,

and who feels impelled, by every sentiment of his mind, to betake himself to this power for refuge in his dangers and help in his difficulties.

But if these feelings of universal nature had not been deducible from facts, it would have been easy to collect the opinions of the wisest moralists and philosophers of antiquity, relative to the subject of spiritual assistance. Thus Cicero, in his book De Natura Deorum, having mentioned several of the most eminent individuals who had appeared in Greece and Rome, adds, that none of them would have obtained that height of virtue, “Nisi Deo juvante.' He then adds, "Nemo vir magnus sine aliquo afflatu divino unquam fuit." And Seneca. affirms repeatedly the same doctrine, nus vir sine Deo nemo est."-" Nulla sine Deo mens bona est." Epist. 41. and 73.

[See Notes and Illustrations, No. 26.]

"Bo

SECTION XXVII.

On the Supposition of any Revelation, is it not probable that it would confirm the natural Sentiments of Mankind respecting the Immortality of the Soul?

SINCE all the obligations of natural religion are founded on the belief of our existence in a state beyond the present, and since the native sentiments of mankind incline them to hope and expect such a state of future existence, it seems to be essential to any Revelation coming from God, that it should establish on clear and intelligible evidence the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and the continuance of our personal identity hereafter. For however probable these doctrines might appear to the eye of reason, and however necessary to complete the scheme of natural religion; yet it is plain that mankind were always in great doubt and anxiety respecting them. The corrup

*See Part II. Sect. 23.

tion and dissolution of the body made them hesitate respecting the preservation of the soul after death; and even of those who allowed its existence, yet many denied that it would be subject to rewards or punishments for the deeds done in that body from which they conceived it to be separated for

ever.

Supposing any Revelation, then, to be given by God to man, it would appear highly probable that some further information would be afforded us on these interesting subjects. There would be a reasonable prejudice, I think, against any such professing Revelation, if it had not contained some discoveries of this nature, whereas, on the contrary, if it should contain them, this prejudice ought not only to be removed, but a prepossession in favour of its truth should be substituted in its stead.

[See Notes and Illustrations, No. 27.]

SECTION XXVIII.

On the Supposition of any Revelation, is it not probable that it would be sanctioned by the Doctrine of Eternal Rewards and Punishments? *

SINCE in all laws, whether natural or civil, the hopes of reward and the apprehensions of punishment are the chief motives by which obedience is secured, it would appear highly probable, that if any revelation were to come to us in the form of a divine law, it would also be armed with similar means of enforcing its obligations. The whole of the providential government of nature being carried on through these channels of reward and punishment, there would be a strong presumption, that in any revealed dispensation addressed to man, the same method of influencing our moral and intellectual faculties would also be pursued.

But since a Revelation has an immediate

See Part II. Sect. 24 and 25.