V.

I should have least expected of any SECTION thing in the world: It would contradict all appearances, which argue a cold, grofs, and depreffed genius in religion; and befides I much doubt the poffibility of this pretended refinement*. So that on the whole it seems extremely queftionable, whether the body of this people practise any kind of devotion, except on the feafons, and in the manner, we have before obferved ‡.

SECT.

*There cannot be a more fatal delufion than to suppose that religion is nothing but a divine philosophy in the foul; and that the foregoing theopathetic affections may exist and flourish there, though they be not cultivated by devout exercises and expreffions." Hartley's Obfervations on Man, Vol. II, P. 331.

"If I fhould not (fays Mr. Wollafton) fay my prayers at fuch a certain hour, or in fuch a certain place and manner, this would not imply a denial of the existence of God, his providence, or my dependence upon him: nay, there may be reafons perhaps against that particular time, place, manner. But if I fhould never pray to him or worship him at all, fuch a total

E 4

SECTION

V.

Neglect of the
Bible.

SECTION VI.

BUT

UT their neglect of the volume containing the fum of their Reli¬ gion, and to which they ascribe Divine authority, is fingularly astonishing. The writings of Confucius, and the five volumes, are held by the most confiderable

part

a total omiffion would be equivalent to this affertion, There is no God who governs the world, to be adored: which, if there is fuch a Being, must be contrary to truth. Alfo generally and notoriously to neglect this duty (permit me to call it fo), though not quite always, will favour, if not directly proclaim the fame untruth. For certainly to worship GOD after this manner, is only to worship him ACCIDENTALLY, which is to declare it a great accident that he is worshipped at all, and this approaches as near as it is poffible to a TOTAL neglect. Befide, fuch a sparing and infrequent worshipper of the Deity betrays such an habitual difregard of him, as will render every religious act infignificant and null." Religion of Nat. Delin. p. 25. Octavo.

VI.

part of our Empire in the utmost vene- SECTION ration; they are studied, commented, and appealed to on all occafions; and are the ordinary road to reputation and power: And yet they are only looked upon as the productions of wife men. The Shafter of the Banians*, the Zen

davefta

The only way in China, fays Du Halde, that leads to riches, honours, and offices, is the ftudy of the canonical books, hiftory, the laws, and morality; and this he tells us has been a fundamental conftitution of the empire for above 4000 years. See Vol. III. p. 63, 64.

* See an account of this book in Mr. Lord's Difcovery of the Banian religion, in the fixth volume of Churchill's collection of voyages and travels. Shafter fignifies the book of the written word, and according to the opinion of the Banians, as related by Mr. Lord, was delivered by GOD to Bremaw, upon the occafion, and in the manner following:

1

"God knowing that there would be but evil government where there was not the establishment of his worship and fear; after the world was replenished anew, bethought himself of giving them laws to reftrain that evil in them that was the cause of the destruction of the former age."

SECTION davefta of the Perfees**, and the Koran of

VI.

✔ the Mohammedans, make indeed higher

pretenfions;

"Defcending therefore on the mountain Meropurbatee, he called Bremaw to him, and out of a dark and dusky cloud, with certain glimpses of his glory, he magnified himself to Bremaw, telling him that the cause why he brought deftruction on the former age, was because they did not observe the inftructions contained in the book delivered to Brammon. So delivering a book out of the cloud into the hand of Bremaw, commanded him to acquaint the people with thofe things contained therein, So Bremaw made known the fanctions and laws to the difperfed generations," See Chap, viii. in Mr. Lord.

I have quoted this ftory for the fake of its refemblance to the account of the delivery of the Law to Mofes on mount Sinai; from which it was probably derived.

** The Zendavesta, or Zend, fignifies the fire-kindler; implying, that all who duly meditated upon it might kindle in their minds a true love to God and his holy religion. This book Zoroafter feigned to have received from heaven; and it is ftill preferved in the old Perfian language and character; and in every oratory and fire-temple, even to this day, there is a copy of it kept, out of which, on certain ftated times, the priests read a portion to the people. It contains many things

VI.

pretenfions; but then they are treated SECTION with answerable deference. 'Tis here only, in this land of superior light and liberal thinking, I remark this abfurdity: A Volume presents itself, challenging a divine original, and proclaiming inconceivable and endless rewards and punishments, according to its reception. And what is the confequence? After an admiffion of its claim, and a formal confent with its conditions, it is negligently thrown afide, and abandoned a prey to vermin. I know this is frequently the cafe; for I have acted the intellectual fpy, have entered their houses, and have noted thefe antiquated records cast in some obfcure corner, defiled with

duft,

which apparently were copied from the Old Testament. See Prideaux's Connection, Vol. I. p. 223, to 226. Octavo, 1720. And Mr. Lord's Account of the Religion of the Perfees in the fixth volume of Churchill.