; the bond which unites men eternally to to each other. Had it not been for felf-love, not a fingle art would have been invented nor a fociety, even of ten perfons, founded. This felf-love with which nature has inspired every animal, makes him pay a regard to that of others. The law directs this principle, and religion refines it. The Almighty indeed might, if he had thought proper, have formed creatures whofe only object should be the good of others. Had this been the cafe, merchants would have traded to the Indies merely from a principle of love; and the mafon would have fawed ftone, with no other view but to ferve his neighbour. But God has fettled things upon another foot; for which reafon we ought not to accufe the inftinct he has given us, but apply it to the feveral fes for which it is affigned by him. XII. The hidden fenfe of the prophecies could not lead men into error; and none but a people, whofe heart was fo entirely carnal, could have mistook the fenfe of them. For when an abundance of bleffings were promifed, could any thing but their lifts, which applied them to the good things of this world, have prevented their interpreting them as meant of true and folid bleffings? XII. WOULD it have been poffible for the moft fagacious people that ever lived to have understood them otherwife? They were flaves to the Romans; they expected a redeemer by whofe aid they should be victorious; and who would make Jerufalem formidable throughout the world. How was it poffible for them to fee with the eye of reafon, that conqueror and that monarch in Christ, whom they beheld with their bodily eyes poor and crucified? How could they understand, by the name of their chief city, a heavenly Jerufalem, fince the immortality of the foul is not once mentioned in the decalogue? How could a people, who adhered fo fcrupulously to their law, difcover (un-lefs enlightened from above) in the prophecies which were not their law, a God concealed beneath the form of a circumcifed Few; whofe new religion, has destroyed and fet in the most detestable light, circumcifion and the fabbath, the facred foundations on which the Jewish law is built? Had Pafchal been born a few, he would have fallen into the fame mistakes. Once again, let us worship God without attempting to pierce through the veil which hides his myfteries from us. XIII. The time of Chrift's first coming is foretold, but that of his fecond coming is not, and for this reafon, because the first was to be private, but the fecond must be so open and conSpicuous that even his enemies will be forc'd to acknowledge him. XIII. THE time of Chrift's fecond coming was foretold in a ftill clearer manner than the firft: In all probability it flipt Mr. Pafchal's memory, that Chrift, in chap xxi. of St. Luke, declares exprefly thus. "AND when ye' fhall fee Jerufalem encompaffed with armies, then know "that the defolation thereof is nigh.--And "there fhall be figns in the fun, and in "the moon, and in the ftars; and upon "the earth diftrefs of nations,, with per"plexity, the fea and the waves roaring. "For the powers of heaven will be "fhaken.--And then fhall they fee the fon "of man coming in a cloud with power "and great glory.” HAVE not we here a clear prophecy with regard to Chrift's fecond coming? but if this be an event that is yet to come, it would argue great prefumption in us to enquire of providence concerning it. XIV. The Meffias in the opinion of the carnal Jews, will be a powerful temporal prince: whereas the carnal Chriftians think he is come to exempt us from loving God, and to give us facraments which, without our concurrence, fhall operate all-powerfully upon us: but neither of thefe is the Christian or Jewish religion. XIV. THIS article is rather a fatyrical fling, than a Christian reflection. 'Tis plain that the Jefuits are leveled at here. But was any Jefuit ever known to affert, that Chrift came into the world to exempt us from loving God? The controverfy concerning loving God is a mere conteft about words, like most of these scientifical quarrels whence fuch strong animofities, fuch fatal calamities, have fprung. There is another defect alfo in this article: I mean the author's fuppofing that the expectation of a Meffias was confidered by the Jews as an article of their religion, whereas it was only a confolatory reflection which prevailed among them. The Jews hoped a redeemer would come; but then they were not obliged to believe this, as an article of faith. Their whole religion was comprized in the book of the law; law; and the prophets were never confidered by them as Lawgivers. XV. In order for a due examination of the prophets we must understand them: for, if we believe they have but one meaning, 'tis certain the Meffias is not yet come; but, if they have two meanings, be certainly came in Christ Jefus. XV. THE Chriftian religion is fo true, that it does not want the aid of doubtful proofs or evidences: but if any circumstance is capable of fhaking the foundations of that holy, that rational religion, 'tis this opinion of Mr. Pafchal. He afferts that every part of fcripture bears a double mean ing: but a perfon who should be fo unhappy as to be an unbeliever, might speak thus to him: any man who delivers himself in fuch terms, that his words may bear a double interpretation, intends to impofe upon mankind; and this double dealing is. always pun fhed by the laws. How can you therefore without blushing admit those very things in God, for which mankind are detefted and punished. Nay, in how contemptible a light do you confider, with what indignation do you treat, the oracles of the heathens, because they were always fufceptible L 2 |