Chap. VI. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 53 



ation of the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father; — and of 

 his incarnation; — all fundamental dodrines of Chriftianity, (particu- 

 larly the dodtrine of the Trinity, without which we cannot, as I 

 have faid, comprehend how Jefus Chrift fliould be the Son of God,) 

 but which cannot be comprehended nor believed without lome know- 

 ledge of philofophy. It is for this reafon I have faid* that the 

 Chriftian religion is a philofophical reUgion, more than any religion 

 that ever was in the world. But it is a popular religion at the fame 

 time ; and I think I have fhown it to be the beft popular religion 

 that ever was. Now, though a man may not have cultivated his 

 intellecl enough, to underfland the philofophical part of the Chrif- 

 tian religion, yet if he believe that Jelus Chrift was the Son of 

 God, (though he may not be able to explain how he fliould be fo, 

 not underftanding the dodrine of the Trinity,) and that he came to 

 this world, and took upon him the human form in order to fave 

 man from his fallen ftate; — and if he like wife believe that, if he prac- 

 tices the precepts of the gofpel, particularly that precept which re- 

 commends to us the love of God and of man, as the fundamental du- 

 ty of a Chriftian, he fhall be happy in the next life, whereas, if he 

 lives a wicked and irreligious life he fhall be punifhed in the next 

 world ; — He may be reckoned a Chriftian, and will have his reward 

 in the next world; though, as our Saviour has told us, " That in his 

 " Father's houfe there are many manfions", I am perfuaded he will 

 not enjoy there fo much happinefs, as thofe who have cultiv;itcd their 

 intelligence to fuch a degree as to underftand thofe fundamental doc- 

 trines of Chriftianity which we call myjlerics^ and whofe pradice 

 of religion is fuitable to their underftanding of it. For as man is an 

 intelledual creature, and as intelligence is predominant and the go- 

 verning principle in his nature, it is evident that the perfedion of 

 his intelligence, particularly in matters of the moft fublimc fpecula- 

 tion, fuch as things divine, muft be the perfedion of his nature. 



CHAP. 



• Vol. 5. p. 189. 



