historicalgeogra00psal

,
1 JO A Defcnption of
Darknefs, and bound up to their Idolatrous Pra^
aices, that they can never hope to fee the glorious
Light of the Golpel, or feel the Power of it in
their Hearts and Lives, as might have been reasonably
expefted from them > For if they do fo
exa£tly obferve the Precepts
of their own Religion,
altho' it be uncertain and contrary to tlie
Divine Nature, altho' it enjoyn them fuch a horrible
and cruel praftice as to facrifice their own
Sons 5 with what Cheerfulnefs, Humility, and
Veneration, would they have perform'd the reafonable
Service and Obedience of Chriftianity
had they been enlighten'd with that heavenly
Doftrine in its Purity, and tafted the power of
it, in purging their Hearts, and reforming their
Lives?
Some perhaps may think that I have done too
much Honour to the Pagan Religion as it is pro*
fefs'd
in Formofa^ by giving fuch a long and particular
Explication of it, as if I were ftill perfuaded
of the truth of it, which God forbid :
And therefore I muft defire fuch Perfons to con-?
fider, that I was oblig'd to give an account of all
things relating to that Religion, as they are to
be found in Jarhabadiond^ which is our Scrip*
ture, tho' I am very far from believing them to
be true ^ nay, I am fully perfuaded that they are
falfe, by the following Reafons which I (hall
briefly mention.
'Tis a certain and infallible Argument of the
Falfhood of any Religion, that it commandeth
fuch things as are contrary to the Divine Nature,
and to thofe Notions which every one hath of
God's infinite Goodnefs : Such is thQ Command
in our Jarhabadiond^ which requires us to lacrifice
fo many thoufand innocent Babes every Year j
Vvhich is a thing fqcrud, and fo contrary to th^
tendernefs