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 ENGLISH DEISM. 185 religion from Church dogma and blind historical faith, and to deduce it from natural knowledge. In so far as deism finds both the source and the test of true religion in rea- son, it is rationalism ; in so far as it appeals from the super- nal iral light of revelation and inspiration to the natural light of reason, it is naturalism ; in so far as revelation and its records are not only not allowed to restrict rational criticism, but are made the chief object of criticism, its adherents are freethinkers. The general principles of deism may be compressed into a few theses. There is a natural religion, whose essential content is morality ; this comprises not much more than the two maxims, Believe in God and Do your duty. Posi- tive religions are to be judged by this standard. The elements in them which are added to natural religion, or conflict with it, are superfluous and harmful additions, arbitrary decrees of men, the work of cunning rulers and deceitful priests. Christianity, which in its original form was the perfect expression of the true religion of rea- son, has experienced great corruptions in its ecclesiastical development, from which it must now be purified. These principles are supported by the following argu- ments : Truth is one and there is but one true religion. If the happiness of men depends on the fulfilment of her commands, these must be comprehensible to every man and must have been communicated to him ; and since a special revelation and legislation could not come to the knowledge of all, they can be no other than the laws of duty inscribed on the human heart. In order to salvation, then, we need only to know God as creator and judge, and to fulfill his commands, i, e., to live a moral life. The one true religion has been communicated to man in two forms, through the inner natural revelation of reason, and the outer historical revelation of the Gospel. Since both have come from God they cannot be contradictory. Accordingly natural religion and the true one among the positive religions do not differ in their content, but only in the manner of their promulgation. Reason tries his- torical religion by the standard furnished by natural reli- gion, and distinguishes actual from asserted revelation by