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244 ANTIF.NT METAPHYSICS. Book III. 



CHAP. XVIII. 



Of Religion and its comforts. — The grcatefl of thcfc a p}-ofpcB of bap- 

 piiicfs in a future fate, — The antient Phihfopbers not agreed in this 

 matter^ — fo7nc holding the immortality of the intellect ual mind^ others 

 denying it — even Plato'' s arguments not conch/Jive : — Its immortality 

 inferred from its nature and operations — alfo from the nature of 

 things. — Ihe author s opinion ivith rcfpe^l to our other two minds, 

 the animal and vegetable. The belief cf a future fate prevalent 

 in all nations, barbarous and civiliv:,ed ; — abfcrdity of doubting it, 

 independent of the Chrifiau revelation. — By that revelation the de- 

 feds of antient philofophy fupplied. — The Chriliian Religion, not 

 only theological, but phihfophical : — Of the conflations to be de- 

 rived from it both by young and old. — The pleajures of a future 

 fate purely iutcllcElual. — Reafons for doubting the eternity of the 

 punijloment of the wicked. — Every man as happy as his nature ivill 

 admit., all evil being of his 07vn creation.' — The remedy for evil is 

 the improvement of our intellefi in arts, fciences, and religion. — 

 The providence of God not only general but fpecial. — Tutelary ge- 

 niufes //c/ only of nations, but of families and particular perfous. — 

 The fyfcm in man evinces A fyfem in the univerfe. — His variety 

 and progrefs mfl wonderful. — Recapitulation of his inventions and 

 difcovcries in arts and fciences, — Of the pleafire derived from the 

 contemplation of the Beautiful ; — this the foundation of virtue. — 

 Agreement on this fubjccl betwixt the doBrines of Arifotle, Pytha- 

 goras, and St Paid. — Beauty the principle alfo of religion. 



EN in civil focicty are liable to fo many calamities, public, 

 private, and domeflic, and are fo much affeded by difeafes 

 and weaknefTes, botli of mind and body, and alfo by the vices and 



follies 



