As every enquiry, which regards religion, is of the utmostimportance, there are two questions in particular, which challengeour attention, to wit, that concerning its foundation in reason, andthat concerning its origin in human nature. Happily, the firstquestion, which is the most important, admits of the most obvious,at least, the clearest solution. The whole frame of nature bespeaksan intelligent author; and no rational enquirer can, after seriousreflection, suspend his belief a moment with regard to the primaryprinciples of genuine Theism and Religion. But the other question,concerning the origin of religion in human nature, is exposed tosome more difficulty. The belief of invisible, intelligent power hasbeen very generally diffused over the human race, in all places andin all ages; but it has neither perhaps been so universal as toadmit of no exception, nor has it been, in any degree, uniform inthe ideas, which it has suggested. Some nations have beendiscovered, who entertained no sentiments of Religion, if travellersand historians may be credited; and no two nations, and scarce anytwo men, have ever agreed precisely in the same sentiments
It would appear, therefore, that this preconception springs not from an original instinct or primary impression of nature, such as gives rise to self-love, affection between the sexes,
love of progeny,gratitude, resentment; since every instinct of this kind has beenfound absolutely universal in all nations and ages, and has always aprecise determinate object, which it inflexibly pursues. The firstreligious principles must be secondary; such as may easily beperverted by various accidents and causes, and whose operation too,in some cases, may, by an extraordinary concurrence ofcircumstances, be altogether prevented. What those principles are,which give rise to the original belief, and what those accidents andcauses are, which direct its operation, is the subject of our present enquiry.
love of progeny,gratitude, resentment; since every instinct of this kind has beenfound absolutely universal in all nations and ages, and has always aprecise determinate object, which it inflexibly pursues. The firstreligious principles must be secondary; such as may easily beperverted by various accidents and causes, and whose operation too,in some cases, may, by an extraordinary concurrence ofcircumstances, be altogether prevented. What those principles are,which give rise to the original belief, and what those accidents andcauses are, which direct its operation, is the subject of our present enquiry.It is a matter of fact incontestable, that about 1700 years agoall mankind were polytheists. The doubtful and sceptical principlesof a few philosophers, or the theism, and that too not entirelypure, of one or two nations, form no objection worth regarding.Behold then the clear testimony of history. The farther we mount upinto antiquity, the more do we find mankind plunged into polytheism.No marks, no symptoms of any more perfect religion. The most ancientrecords of human race still present us with that system as thepopular and established creed. The north, the south, the east, thewest, give their unanimous testimony to the same fact.
