utmost compofure. But what was the confequence? his chofer chosen difciples, who revered the preacher, looked on his thefis as a mere paradox, a doctrine rejected by all mankind. Nor was their mafter convinced of its truth; his doubts were great, his certainty so little, that he was afraid of leading both himself, and them, into error; and concluded his famous apology with thefe remarkable words:" It is now time that I go hence to die, and you to live; but which is beft, no mortal, I think, can tell." -It is alfo generally afferted, that Secrates knew the true God. Of this we cannot judge better, than from his behaviour on this laft and most important event. Yet the true God is not fo much as mentioned, nor any of his incommunicable attributes, under which a dying finner would feek for refuge, his power, wisdom, or goodnefs; not a word of contrition or repentance, no fupplicating for pardon, no hopes or even a wish for mercy, at his hands who judgeth the earth. Yet he had great compunction of mind, and scruple of confcience; not about his future condition, but for not obeying the God of dreams: therefore during his long imprisonment, makes a serious preparation for death, by compofing verfes to the dæmon of Delphos, and translating Æfop's fables. And in the laft gafp, calls back, as it were, his departing foul, to order the discharge of a vow, by as stupid an act of idolatry as the most ignorant favage was ever guilty of.

Cicero affirms, that a pure mind, thinking, intelligent, and free from body, was altogether inconceivable. N. D. L. n. 10. Which, of all the philofophic opinions, is true; let fome God see to it: which most likely, is a question hard to be determined. Tufc. Q. L. 1. n. 11. It was what most argued vehemently againft; and every learned man defpifed it, Ib. n. 22, 31. He had often read and heard of it. De confolat. p. 563. and had the magna fpes, great hopes, but no affurance. Tufc. Q. L. 1. n. 41. When he carried philosophy to its utmost stretch, in an ecstatick rapture on the foul's permanence after death, "Oh glorious day," &c. Yet it ends in this; "if after all, I am mistaken in my belief of the foul's immortality, I am pleased with my error." De Senect. ult. The dream may be enchanting, but vanishes as foon as one wakes. "I have," fays he, "perufed Plato with the greatest diligence and exactnefs, over and over again: but know not how it is, whilft I read him, I am convinced; when I lay the book afide, and begin to confider by myfelf, of the foul's

immortality, all the conviction inftantly ceafes." Tufc. Q. L. 1.

n. II..

Dr. Clarke fays, "this cannot be observed without some pity and concern of mind." Boyle Lect. Difc. 2. A great deal one may believe; for, in reality, it destroys all that he, or others, have spoken of natural religion.

Cicero, indeed, thought common confent to be the strongest argument in favour of the foul's immortality. Tufc. Q. L. 1. n. 14. Yet immediately after affirms, "that Pherecydes was the first man, as evidently appears from his writings, who faid the fouls of men were immortal." Ib. n. 16. Which furely can imply no more than that, in his opinion, it was a doctrine so agreeable to the reafon and wishes of mankind, as must be affented to, whenever duly proposed. But will not prove that to be the voice of nature, which fo many millions of rational creatures in the western world never thought, or heard of, for above fifteen hundred years together. Some of our greatest moderns also tell us, that it must be a natural notion, because men hit upon it by chance, and agreed in it: so that their rational faculties had no part in the noble discovery; which is a contradiction to all their other schemes, and as great an infult upon reafon, as on true religion.

VOL. I.

THE RELIGION OF NATURE,

WHICH IS NOW SET UP IN OPPOSITION TO THE

WORD OF GOD,

PROVED TO BE A MERE IDOL FROM THE VERY TEXT THAT HAS BEEN SO OFTEN PRODUCED IN ITS FAVOUR.

IN A

SERMON

PREACHED in YORK-MINSTER, JULY 8, 1744; at the ASSIZES holden for the County of YORK,

Before the Honourable

THOMAS BURNET, Esq.

One of his Majefty's Juftices of his Court of COMMON-PLEAS;

AND

CHARLES CLARK, Esq.

One of the Barons of his Majesty's Court of EXCHEQUER: Published at the Request of the HIGH-SHERIFF, and the GENTLEMEN of the GRAND-JURY.

BY CHARLES WILLATS, M. A.

Rector of PLUMTREE, in NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.

NOW prefent you with the following Sermon, which

at your Request I have ventured to publish: I had defigned to have annexed to it a full Explication of another famous Text that is often cited in Favour of the Law of Nature. This has caufed fome little Alteration in the Form of my Difcourfe, as well as delayed the

Publication of it.

BUT