ICO 



ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IL 



CHAP. VI. 



Of Religion, and the iiecejfity of it to conjlitute and carry on a good 

 polity. — The opinion of Mr David Hume upon this fitbjeSl^ 'very 

 different from that of Cicero. — Religion not knoivn to Man in his 

 natural Jlate, — nor in the firjl age of civility — This proved, firfi 

 by Reafon, and then by Fa£ts, — and fir ft as to Realon. — // fhoivs 

 that Man in the natural fate can have no ideas at all ; and, in the 

 beginning of civility, only ideas oj corporeal fubftajices, — but no ideas 

 of inviftble powers a^mg upon body, ivitbout -which there can be 

 no idea of God. — This idea only to be acquired in procefs of time 

 ajter the invention of different arts. — Secondly as to Fa<9:s ; it is 



■ proved by the example of the Orang Outang, — Peter the Wild Boy^ 

 — the Wild Girl in France, — the people of the Peleiv Iflands, — - 

 thofe of New Zealand — of Neiv Holland, and particularly of Bo- 

 tany Bay. — Obje^ion anftvered, from the example of the Indians 

 of North America, who have got the notion of a great fpirit. — 

 This they muff have got from a people further advanced in arts 

 and civility, -who are proved hy monuments fill exifiing to have 

 been once in that country. — That the idea of a God, is not an in- 

 nate idea; — no innate ideas of any kind. 



IN ihe preceding chapter I have treated of arts, which are abfo- 

 !utely neceffary, or of great conveniency in the civilifed life : 

 And I am next to fpeak of two things, which are of abfolute ne- 

 ceflity for conflituting and carrying on a regular polity. The two 

 things I n^ean are Religion and Gcveriiment ; and fiiftas to Religion. 

 " The fear of God," as our fcripture tells us, " is the beginning 



" of 



