Chap. III. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 261 



thofe of Rome, were now no more; and with them were gone the 

 arts and fciences of thefe two nations, which were in vain endea- 

 voured to be preferved among the Romans: And, indeed, it was 

 impoflible that they fhould have been preferved among a people 

 whofe governing paflion, as we are told by one of their own au- 

 • thors *, was the love of money, to be fpent in vice and folly. 



Jn this defperate ftate of mankind, decreafed and ftill decreafmg 

 in numbers, without health, without virtue, without arts and fci- 

 ences chat cculd make them better, and with a religion whicli had 

 a tendency to make them worfe and none at all to make them bet- 

 ter, and when even among the Jews, to whom the immortality of the 

 foul, and a future ftate of rewards and punifhments, were not then re- 

 vealed, there was no perfed: religion, it was proper, and, indeed, I 

 may fay, neceiTary, that a wife and good God ftiould let them know 

 that this ftate of man, which was always growing worfe and worfe, 

 could not continue very much longer, and that therefore they muft 

 prepare for another ftate. For this purpole our Saviour came to 

 this earth, who told them. That his k'mgdom was not of this ivorld ; 

 and that therefore his followers muft expedl no happinefs here : But, 

 If they had a mind to be happy, it muft be in another world; for which 

 they muft prepare themfelves by repentance and turning from their 

 evil ways, which alone could make them fit to enjoy a happier life 

 in a future ftate, and efcape thofe punifliments which otherwife they 

 muft fuffer in that ftate. 



If Jefus had appeared when the affairs of men were yet flourifli- 

 ing, while there was ftill health and ftrength among them, and they 

 were fulfilling the firft commandment, they got when they were 

 placed on this earth, of increafing and multiplying, fo much, that 

 the countries where they lived could not maiutuin them, while E- 



* See p. 182 of vol. 6. of Origin of Language^ 



