"Certain it is, and this is a
great deal to say, that the generality, even of the meanest and most
vulgar and ignorant people, have truer and worthier notions of God more
just and right apprehensions concerning his attributes and perfections,
a deeper sense of the difference of good and evil, a greater regard to
moral obligations, and to the plain and most necessary duties of life,
and a more firm and universal expectation of a future state of rewards
and punishments, than in any heathen country any considerable number of
men were found to have had." (Clarke, Ev. Nat. Rel. p. 208. ed. v.)
After all, the value of Christianity is not to be appreciated by its
temporal effects. The object of revelation is to influence human conduct
in this life; but what is gained to happiness by that influence can only
be estimated by taking in the whole of human existence. Then, as hath
already been observed, there may be also great consequences of
Christianity which do not belong to it as a revelation. The effects upon
human salvation of the mission, of the death, of the present, of the
future agency of Christ, may be universal, though the religion be not
universally known.
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