Page:Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness and faction.djvu/85

 superior to that of these ancient Commonwealths. The absolute Perfection and glorious Attributes of the Deity; the great Principle of universal Charity; the particular Duties of Man to Man, thence resulting; the Sanctions of future Reward and Punishment; all these tend to purify and exalt the Soul, far beyond the Rites of ancient Paganism: For This, even in its best Forms, was ever built on the History and Examples of deify'd Men, whose Lives had often been blotted with the most flagrant Crimes; and therefore, could never exalt the Heart of Man, beyond this weak Principle of Elevation.—But as the Power of a Religion depends, not only on its excellent Genius, but on its being effectually impressed on the Mind; so, no Consequence can be justly drawn, from the mere un-apply'd Excellence of its Nature.

3. That Self-Consistence, and perfect Unity of Parts which distinguished the Republic of, cannot be expected nor