DET 
y, by fome gentlemen in France and Italy, who were 
delous of thus difguiting their oppofition to Chriftianity by 
a more honourable appellation than that of atheifts. Viret, 
an eminent reformer, mentions certain perfons in his epi‘tle 
i uction 
ne : refe, he tells us, profefled 
believe in God, but fhewed no regard to Jefus Chrift, and 
confidered the doGtrines of the apoftles and evangelitts as 
fables, He adds, that they laughed at all reli- 
gion, though they outwardly conformed to the religion of 
thofe with en they lived, or whom they wifhed to pleafe, 
or feared to o obferves, profeffed to believe 
the aoclty of the foul ; ae denied both this doctrine 
oo 
demirating their notions. See 
vol. v. or Leland’s View of the Deiftical Writers, vol. i 
The Deitts hold, that, confidering the multiplicity of belie 
gions, the numerous preterces to revelation, and the precari- 
ous ngien generally advanced in se thereof, the sia 
and fureft way is, to return to the fimplicity of natur 
and the “belief - one God ; which is ae only truth arid 
to by all natio 
hey ea aplin that the fr ae sf ae and eae 
ing is oppreffed under the of religion; and that the 
ean. by the cai im- 
i my d con 
ut what their reafon clearly conceives. 
The diftinguithing charaéter of modern Deifls is, that ae) 
rejet all revealed religion, and di {card all pretences to it, a 
the effets of impofture and enthufiafm. They profefs a 
regard for natural religion, though they are far from being 
agreed in their noti t. They are clafled 
by fome of their ow tal and immortal Deifts: 
the latter acknowledging a future, ftate, and the former 
denying it, or reprefenting it as very uncertain, Oracles of 
Reafon, p. 99. 
Dr. Clarke diftinguifhes four forts of Deifts. 1. Thofe 
h end to believe the exiftence of an eternal, infinite, 
fudependent intelligent Being, who made the world, without 
concerning himfelf in the government of it. 2. 'T hofe 
believe the being and natural providence of God, but deny 
fore they fuppofe that God With 
refpeét to both thefe pa oe ie aulcre that their opinion 
can car aur terminate in no but downright atheif 
ho havi pprehenfions concerning t 
nce of God, fee 
nature, bate. and all- ‘governing provide 
alfo to have fome notion of his moral perfections, teach 
they contider them as A oat es {uch in nature and 
Thofe who believe the apes oat perfe&tions, and ae 
of God, the e obligations of natural religion, an ate o 
Evidence on Nat. and Re Religion. p. 12,276 
The firft Deiftical writer of any that appeared in this 
country, was Herbert, baron of Cherbury. He lived and 
Vou, XI. 
DEL 
wrote in the r7thcentury. His book ‘ De Veritate” was 
firft publifhed at Paris in 1624. This together with his 
bo ok “ De Caufis Errorum,” and his Treatife «« De Reli- 
gione Laici,”” were afterwardes publithed in London. His 
celebrated ork “ De Religione Gentilium,”” was publifhed 
t Amfterdam i n 1663, in 4to, and in 5700 in Svo. and an 
Engl tranflaton of it was pu sara d 
as one of the firtt that 
are thefe: 1. That there is one fuprem Tha t hy 
is chiefly to be worfhipped. 3. That piety and ae are the 
principal part of - worfhip. 4. That we muft repent of 
our fins; and if we do fo, God will pardon acm: §. That 
there ae rewards for good men, and punifhments for bad men, 
both here and hereafter. 
lor 
7 
o riftianity have no reafon to regret 
the he and unreferved ate oe which their religion has un- 
dergone. Objetions hav ha and 
nt writers, 
who have illuftrated both the doGrines and vine of Chrif. 
manner that will ever reflea honour on their 
7 So fo) © 
ankind. 
cifte is faid to be daily increafing : 
England aay men of Lg a and letters are faid to in- 
oo that way ; and t of our 
freedom is allowed, men’s fentiments, on the fubje& of re- 
ligion, are more generally known. 
DEITY, Gonueap, a common appellation given to God; 
and alfo by the poets to the heathen gods and goddeffes. 
DEIVIRILE, a term in the {chool theology, fiznifying 
me divine and human at the fame time. See THean- 
DRI 
The word is a compound of Deus, God, and virilis, of vir, 
an. 
DEIZABAD, in Wane a town of Perfia in the pro- 
vince of Irak; go miles N. of Ifpahau. 
ELAGOA Bay. a oe on the ealt coaft of Africa, 
fituated in S, lat. 26°, E. long. °; and peas vificed 
by veflels employed in the fouthern whale fifhery. 
the chief rivers which enters the bay is the Mafumo ; and the 
natives on the northern and fouthern banks follow diftine 
oaanaar the men on the former wearing fingular helmets of 
w. On the fouthern fide are 14 chiefs, fubjeét to a king 
cai endure. whofe dominions extend about 209 miles in- 
land, and ‘about 100 on the fea-fhore, computed by the natives 
in days’ journies of 20 miles eac 
are ei t, and may be purchafed at a 
the favourite articles being blue linen, old loathe, brafs 
rings, copper wire, large igla afs beads, tobacco, pipes, &c.; 
the fith are numerous and excellent ; and turtle is taken in 
Zz Deer 
