fent to them only, God's chofen people: for which reafon, even the apoftles were at firft doubtful. about preaching the gofpel to any but to the Jews (a). But the apoftles reflecting, that it was one great purpose of the miffion, to banish from the Jews their grovelling and impure notion of a tutelar deity, and to proclaim a ftate of future happiness to all who believe in Chrift, they proceeded to preach the gospel to all men: "Then "Peter opened his mouth and faid, Of a truth I

perceive, that God is no refpecter of perfons: "but in every nation, he that feareth him, and "worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with him (b).” The foregoing reafoning, however, did not fatisfy the Jews they could not digeft the opinion, that God fent his Meffiah to fave all nations, and that he was the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews. They formed against Paul in particular, for inculcating that doctrine (c).

Confidering that religion in its purity was eftablished by the gofpel, is it not amazing, that even Chriftians fell back to the worship of tutelar deities? They did not indeed adopt the abfurd opinion, that the fupreme Being was their tutelar deity: but they held, that there are divine perfons fubordinate to the Almighty, who take under their care nations, families, and even individuals; an opinion that differs not effentially from that of tutelar deities among the Heathens. That opinion, which flatters felf-love, took root in the fifth century, when the deification of faints was introduced, fimilar to the deification of heroes among the ancients. People are fond of friends to be their interceffors; and with regard to the Deity, deified faints were thought the propereft interceffors. Temples were built and dedicated to them; and folemn rites of worship inftituted

(a) See the 10th and 11th chapters of the A&s of the Apostles. (b) A&s of the Apostles, x. 34. (c) Acts of the Apoftles, chap. 13.

tuted to render them propitious. It was imagined, that the fouls of the deified faints are at liberty to roam where they lift, and that they love the places where their bodies are interred; which accordingly made the fepulchres of the faints a common rendezvous of fupplicants. What paved the way to notions so abfurd, was the grofs ignorance that clouded the Chriftian world, after the northern barbarians became mafters of Europe. In the feventh century, the bishops were fo illiterate, as to be indebted to others for the fhal low fermons they preached; and the very few of that order who had any learning, fatisfied themfelves with compofing infipid homilies, collected from the writings of Auguftin and Gregory. In the ninth century, matters grew worfe and worfe; for thefe faints, held at firft to be mediators for Christians in general, were now converted into tutelar deities in the ftricteft fenfe. An opinion prevailed, that fuch faints as are occupied about the fouls of Chriftians in general, have little time for individuals; which led every church, and every private Chriftian, to elect for themselves a particular faint, to be their patron or tutelar deity. That practice made it neceffary to deify faints without end, in order to furnish a tutelar deity to every individual. The dubbing of faints, became a new fource of abufes and frauds in the Chriftian world lying wonders were invented, and fabulous hiftories compofed, to celebrate exploits that never were performed, and to glorify perfons who never had a being. And thus religion among Chriftians, funk down to as low a ftate as it had been among Pagans.

There still remains upon hand, a capital branch of our history; and that is idolatry, which properly fignifies the worshipping visible objects as deities. But as idolatry evidently fprung from religious worship, corrupted by the ignorant and

brutish;

brutish; it will make its appearance with more advantage in the next chapter, of which religi, ous worship is the fubject.

We have thus traced with wary fteps, the gra dual progress of theology through many ftages, correfponding to the gradual openings and improvements of the human mind, But though that progress, in almost all countries, appears uniform with refpect to the order of fucceffion, it is far otherwife with refpect to the quickness of fucceffion: nations, like individuals, make a progress from infancy to maturity; but they advance not with an equal pace, fome making a rapid progrefs toward perfection in knowledge and religion, while others remain ignorant barbarians. The religion of Hindostan, if we credit history or tradition, had advanced to a confiderable degree of purity and refinement, at a very early period. The Hindoftan Bible, termed Chatahbhade or Shaftah, gives an account of the creation, lapfe of the angels, and creation of man; inftructs us in the unity of the Deity, but denies his prefcience, as being inconfiftent with free-will in man; all of them profound doctrines of an illuminated people, to establish which a long course of time must have been requifite, after wandering through er rors without number. Compared with the Hindows in theology," even the Greeks were mere favages. The Grecian gods were held to be little better than men, and their history as abovementioned, correfponds to the notion entertained of them.

In explaining the opinions of men with respect to Deity, I have confined my view to fuch opinions as are fuggefted by principles or biaffes that make a part of common nature; omitting many whimfical notions no better than dreams of a roving imagination. The plan delineated, fhows wanderful uniformity in the progrefs of religion through

through all nations. That irregular and whimfical notions are far otherwife is not wonderful. Take the following fpecimen. The Kamfkatkans are not fo ftupidly ignorant, as to be altogether void of curiofity. They fometimes think of natural appearances. Rain, fay they, is fome deity piffing upon them; and they imagine the rainbow to be a party-coloured garment, put on by him in preparing for that operation. They believe wind to be produced by a god fhaking with violence his long hair about his head. Such tales will scarce amufe children in the nursery. inhabitants of the island Celebes formerly acknowledged no gods but the fun and the moon, which were held to be eternal. Ambition for fuperiority made them fall out. The moon being wounded in flying from the fun, was delivered of the earth.

The

Hitherto of the gradual openings of the human mind with respect to Deity. I clofe this fection with an account of fome unfound notions concerning the conduct of Providence, and concerning fome fpeculative matters. I begin with the

former.

In days of ignorance, the conduct of Providence is very little understood. Far from having any notion, that the government of this world is carried on by general laws, which are inflexible because they are the beft poffible, every important event is attributed to an immediate interpofition of the Deity. As the Grecian gods were thought to have bodies like men, and like men to require nourishment; they were imagined to act like men, forming fhort-fighted plans of operation, and varying them from time to time, according to exigencies. Even the wife Athenians had an utter averfion at philofophers who attempted to account for effects by general laws: fuch doctrine they thought tended to fetter the gods, and to prevent them from governing events at their pleasure.

pleasure. An ecclipfe being held a prognoftic given by the gods of fome grievous calamity, Anaxagoras was accufed of Atheism for attempting to explain the eclipfe of the moon by natural caufes he was thrown into prifon, and with difficulty was relieved by the influence of Pericles. Protagoras was banished Athens for maintaining the fame doctrine. Procopius overflows with fignal interpofitions of Providence; and Agathias, beginning at the battle of Marathon, fagely maintains, that from that time downward, there was not a battle loft but by an immediate judgement of God, for the fins of the commander, or of his army, or of one perfon or other. Our Saviour's doctrine with refpect to those who fuffered by the fall of the tower of Siloam, ought to have opened their eyes; but fuperftitious eyes are never opened by inftruction. At the fame time, it is deplorable that fuch belief has no good influence on manners: on the contrary, never doth wickedness fo much abound as in dark times. A curious fact is related by Procopius (a) with refpect to that fort of fuperftition. When Rome was befieged by the Goths and in danger of deftruction, a part of the town-wall was in a tottering condition. Belifarius, propofing to fortify it, was opposed by the citizens, affirming, that it was guarded by St. Peter. Procopius obferves, that the event anfwered expectation; for that the Goths, during a tedious fiege, never once attempted that weak part. He adds, that the wall remained in the fame ruinous ftate at the time of his writing. Here is a curious conceit.-Peter created a tutelar deity, able and willing to counteract the laws by which God governs the material world. And for what mighty benefit to his votaries? Only to fave them five or fifty pounds in rebuilding the crazy part of the wall.

(a) Hiftoria Gothica, lib. 1.