20 A View of the DzisrTIcAL Writers. Let. 3.

js the caſe of the Chriſtian revelation. Thoſe therefore who are ſo circumſtanced as to have an opportunity of knowing it, ought io be very thankful to God on that account, and not refuſe or reject their own advantages and privileges, becauſe all others are not partakers of them as well as they. This would be a moſt abfurd and irrational conduct.

I fhall only further obſerve, that this author ſeems frequently to make it a great objection againſt what he calls Particular reli- gion, that it inſiſteth upon other things as neceſſary, beſides the religion of nature, as contained in theſe five articles Religion, according to him, is notitiarum communium ſymbolum a, a Creed containing common notions or truths: and theſe common no- tices he reduceth to the five above-mentioned. But will any man undertake to prove, that God cannot reveal any truths to mankind, but preciſely theſe five articles, or that all uſeful religious knowlege is wholly abſolved in them? May there not be truths which, though not preciſely the ſame with thoſe articles, may be of great uſe for clearing and confirming them, for inſtructing men in the fuller knowlege of God, and of his will, and of the methods of bis grace towards us, or for direct- ing us in our duty, and animating us to the practice of it? And muſt all theſe be diſcarded at once, as of no uſe in religion, becauſe they are diſtinct from the articles ſo often referred to? Or muſt a well-atteſted revelation be rejected, becauſe it con- taineth ſome things of this kind? Our noble author himſelf, tho' he ſuppoſes theſe articles to be abſolutely neceſſary, ſeems not to be quite fure that they are ſufficient. For he obſerves, that God's judgments and proceedings are not fully known to any man: and therefore he will not take upon him poſitively to pronounce, that theſe articles are fufficient. Quanm ob cau- fam neque eos fuficere Protinus qixerim b. But if they ſhould be

ſuppoſed to comprehend all that it is required from the heathens,

who never had the light of the Chriſtian revelation, it doth not follow that they are alſo alone ſufficient for thoſe to whom this oſing God to give an extra- toring religion when greatly in the way of ſalvation, nent in divine knowlege,

revelation is made known. For fu ordinary revelation of his will f

₰½

corrupted, and el arly directi and helping forward their impr

3 5.. 1 3. 1 1 d virtuous praGice, as it would be a ſignal

and in a holy a

advantage to thoſe to whom ſuch a revelation is given, ſo it

wlay them under additional obligations. Some )

muſt neceſſaril) would, in conſequence of it, be neceſſary to be believed,

things

and done, by thoſe to whom this revelation is made known,

92. 22 /1. De Relig. Gentil. P. 293 which

à 5 1 r 2 He Verlt. P