1 6 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION; 



It is not wonderful, that thefe men of exalted 

 genius ihould in fome degree ridicule, in their 

 works, the two other pofitive religions, and thofe 

 gods on whom they were founded ; at the fame 

 time that they outwardly profefTed the eftablifh- 

 ed religion, in order to preferve the peace of 

 fociety, and to avoid the perfecutions of the 

 legidature, and the infults of the populace. For 

 in facl, was it poffible for them to believe the 

 pagan fables ? Mud they not forefee, that their 

 religion would one day give place to another, 

 while their own works would pafs with their 

 names to the lateft posterity ? And could they 

 fuffer the thought, that their reputation would 

 be tarnimed in the eyes of that poflerity, by 

 having it imagined they believed fuch idle tales 

 as were broached by the priefls of their times ? 

 Could Plato, Socrates, Seneca, and Cicero, be 

 unconcerned for their fame among future 

 generations, and future philofophers ? And 

 what mould we at this day have faid of thofe 

 great men, had they been fo political, or hypocri- 

 tical, as to have entirely concealed their fenti- 

 mtnts with regard to thefe matters ? 



III. The fecond religion was that of paganifm, 

 which was the eftablimed religion of all the an- 

 cient nations, except the Jews. This was the 

 doclrine that was taught by the priefts, and pro- 

 tected by the fovereigns. Its dogmas were de- 

 monftratively falfe, but not always fo abfurd as 

 may at firft appear, efpecially if we annex fas I 



think 



