floth, the confummate impudence and confidence, the grofs ignorance and ftupidity, the great fickleness and inconftancy, the amazing timoroufnefs and fearfulness, the most abominable rudeness, intemperance and debauchery, the most vile diffimulation and falfhood, the terrible cruelty and barbarity, the great nigardliness and avarice, and other like exceffes, and extravagancies of others of our fpecies, it gives one fuch a difagreeable view of human nature, as almoft tempts one to think that man was defigned, and conftituted to answer the lowest, and worst of purposes. And befides thefe, there are a multitude of intermediate characters, if I may fo fpeak, which, with these, make up the whole of mankind. From whence then is this great variety, this contrariety of characters, which makes it look as if out of the fame fountain proceeded waters both bitter and fweet. This, furely, must be worth our enquiry. Ifhall not take upon me to give a full and complete account of this matter, but only, by way of effay, hint at fome of the grounds and causes of this great variety, this contrariety of characters which take place in, and amongst mankind.

The first and primary cause of all this, is man's agency. For, as man, is, in, and by his natural conftitution a free being, who has it in his power, and it is left to his option whether he will rightly use, neglect, or abuse the various abilities he is endowed with, and the various external things that are provided

for his ufe; and, as men have in fact more or lefs rightly used, neglected, or abused their own abilities, and thofe external things that have come within their power; and thereby have rightly used, or abused their natural liberty: fo from hence has followed, by a natural and unavoidable confequence, that great variety, and contrariety of characters as aforefaid.

But then, tho' man's agency has been the firft and chief caufe, of the various and different characters which have taken place amongst mankind; yet there have been a great number of fecondary caufes, if I may fo fpeak, which have contributed greatly thereto. Thus, the great variety and contrariety of. tempers and conftitutions which have taken place in and amongst men, by which one man is more ftrongly inclined to industry than to indolence, another is more ftrongly inclined to indolence than to industry; one man is more ftrongly inclined to benevolence than to a vicious felfishness, another is more strongly inclined to a vicious Jelfishness than to benevolence, and the like: Thefe have contributed greatly towards the forming mens characters as aforefaid.

This, I think, has been, most apparently, the cafe in fact. For, tho' it may well be fuppofed that the original pair were rightly conftituted; that is, that their conftitutions were fo poised or ballanced as that one part had not the afcendant over another, excepting that one part which was defigned to direct and govern the whole; I fay, tho' it may well

be fuppofed that this was the cafe of our first parents, when they came out of their Maker's hand; yet it could not well be expected that it would be the cafe, nor has it been fo in fact with their pofterity. The tempers and conftitutions even of our first parents were liable to be altered and changed, by thofe various and different circumftances that were liable to attend them. Thus, their living in different climates, or their using too much, or too little exercife, or their eating or drinking too much, or too little, or their feeding upon improper food, of which, perhaps, for want of experience they might not have been very good judges, and the like, might have impaired the health, and altered the tempers and conftitutions even of our firft parents themfelves. And, if this was, or might have been the cafe of the original pair, then, what changes, what variety and contrariety of tempers and conftitutions might justly have been expected would take place in their numberless pofterity; even fuch as experience and fact has fhewn them to be. For, as the circumftances of mankind in ral would of courfe be greatly different from that of our first parents; fo that difference of circumftances would introduce that great variety and contrariety of tempers and conftitutions as we fee at this day. And thefe have contributed much towards the introducing the different and contrary characters that have and do take place in and amongst mankind. But then, these are only fecond caufes, if they may

gene

be

be fo called; because, notwithstanding mens tempers and conftitutions every man has it in his power, and it is left to his option, with regard to his conduct, whether he will govern his natural inclinations, or be governed by them.

I have already obferved, that I do not intend to enter fully into this queftion, nor indeed do I think my felf capable of it; but only, by way of effay, to hint at fome of the grounds or reafons of that great variety and contrariety of characters that take place amongst men; and therefore, I fhall take notice but of one thing more which has contributed greatly towards the forming mens characters as aforefaid, and that is Religion. For, as nothing has been more different and contrary than mens religion; fo nothing has had more different and contrary influence upon mens affections and actions.

The word Religion is fometimes used in a restrained sense, and fignifies only those acts of piety and devotion by which men pay either their publick or their private acknowledgments to God; and in this fenfe of the word Religion men are faid to be more or less religious, as they more or lefs abound in the use of thefe acts of devotion, or as they are more or lefs zealous with regard to them. The word Religion is also sometimes used in a more extenfive fenfe, and is made to fignify all those things by which men, as men, propofe to obtain the divine favour; and by which men,

as

of men.

as finners, propofe to obtain God's mercy and the happiness of another world. And, whether the word Religion be taken in one sense or the other, as it is greatly different and contrary with respect to the opinions of the multitude of mankind; fo it has had a very different, and fometimes a contrary influence upon their affections and actions. Alas! religion has been of fuch weight in the prefent cafe, as that it has not only over-ruled and controuled the understandings, but alfo the ftrongest appetites and paffions, and the most tender affections It has extorted induftry from the most indolent, and cruelty from the most tender and compassionate. It has baffled the underftandings of the most difcerning, and made weak men mad. It has laid waste cities, overturned kingdoms, and turned whole countries into fields of blood. It would, perhaps, be not only an entertaining, but also a useful performance were I to give my reader a clear view of the great variety and contrariety of fentiments and practices with regard to religion which now take place in the feveral parts of the world, and which have taken place in all the feveral ages of it; and likewife fhew my reader what great variety and contrariety of effects religion has had upon the affections and actions of men, but this, it may well be fuppofed, is greatly above my ability to perform. All that I can do is only to remind my reader of what comes, in fome meafure, within his own notice and obfervation, and by which he

may