t 24 ] 



ufurpcd power perfecutes, opprefies, and tor- 

 tures mankind beyond a degree of human fuf- 

 ferance, a door is left open for their efcape, 

 which Providence has denied to brutes. The 

 goodnefs of God to man is a myftery our 

 weaknefs can never unravel. We are all na- 

 turally tyrannical, and all fcek and endeavour 

 to gain power and dominion over each other. 

 We, with regret, fubmit to the fuperior power 

 of thofe ftronger or more powerful than our-^ 

 felves. Our compaéls with one another arife 

 from the mutual jealoufy and fufpicion each 

 one has of his neighbour's villainy. Should a 

 juft, fublime, and highly rational created be- 

 ing, far above the condition of man, conde- 

 fcend to give us a real hiftory of fome of our 

 greateft heroes, wifeft lawgivers, and canonized 

 faints, what Ihocking fcenes of lawlefs force, 

 brutal cruelty, cunning, circumvention, deceit, 

 vile hypocrify, and facrilegious frauds, would 

 fuch a faithful hiftory be filled with ! It would 

 cert^nly make men appear more infamoufly 

 v/lcked, than men have made infernal fpirits in 

 the aerial hiflories they have given of them. 



If 



