l^ff 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Theological Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 C«se,.rw.SrrC^. 0iv,.. ' _ _ 
 
 SheJf,.^.0^'^.. Secti-G 
 
 Book, Kft,...,. 
 
<r> 
 
 Z^ P ^ 
 
 7 
 
 
 /^/^T' 
 

 
 FROM 
 
 E FE LA T I ON, 
 
 NOT FROM 
 
 REASON OR NATURE. 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 The Origin and Obligation of 
 Religious Trutlis are demon- 
 firated : Arguments of Deifts, 
 Moralifts, 6V. proved to have 
 no Foundation in Nature or 
 Reafon. 
 
 The Inlets of Knowledge, 
 
 The Law of Nature, 
 
 The feveral Texts of Scripture 
 relating to this Subject, 
 
 The Works of Creation, 
 
 The Eternal Fitnefs and Reafon 
 of Things, 
 
 The Demonftrations of a Su- 
 preme Being, l:Sc. are fully con- 
 lidered and explained. 
 
 hhyo-i cf'ri K) TToXw )y jtaXov €;^sr, tots //Iv ots tts^ ^swv bZ 
 dv^PVTTois (I^ia.vor][ji.c(.ra. TTPcpra, o)? r iykvovrc^ cioi r iy'iy~ 
 vcvTO, ill oicL^ iJ.iTi^ii^(^ovro TT^^iigy ixn aarcl vouJj roh 
 
 trcj)^^o-{ Xiyi^aiy ijly\cI^s. (f/Kw?. Luculenta fand & magna ra- 
 
 tione innititur, quando primiim hemines de Diis cogitare coeperunt, 
 & quod effent, & quomodo, & quibus in rebus verfarentur; illasopi- 
 niones non ex Sapientum quidcm mente & fententia primiim ortas. 
 
 Plato Epinom. p. 988. 
 
 By a Gentleman oi Brazen-Nofe College,, Oxford-, 
 now of the Diocefe of Chejier. ^ ' 
 
 LONDON, 
 Printed by J. PFatts : And fold by 5. Dodnt the Bihle and Key 
 in Ave-Mary-Lane near Stationers-Hall, J.Fletcher at Oxford, 
 and y. Merrill at Cambridge, mdccxliii. 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The Enquiry flated, and Objeflions anfwered. 
 
 DIVINE Things what, and the different Methods 
 of knowing them. Page i 
 
 Only to be known from Revelation, P- 2, 3 
 
 That this may diflurb the Peace of Religion, p. 3 ift Objefl, 
 
 That this Account of things has been approved by mofi eminent Anfvv. 1. 
 Perfons, P- 3» 4 
 
 That to feek for Truth with Meeknefs, will never prejudice ^. 
 
 Religion, P* .^* 
 
 That this Procedure is confonant to the Ideas of God, ibid. 3. 
 
 That it befl agrees with the Intent and End of all Religion, 4. 
 
 as giving a better Syfiem of the Divine Nature and of Du- 
 ty, than mere Reafon ever did, for the manifold DefeSis of 
 which the Maintainers of Natural Religion are forced to 
 make large Apologies, p. 6 
 
 That it weakens the Arguments which have been fuccefsfully 2d Objcft, 
 urged againjf Infidelity, p. 8 
 
 Thefe very Arguments were drawn from Revelation, ibid. Anfw. i . 
 
 To make Reafon the Meafure of Truth is to pervert the Order 3. 
 
 df things, p. 9. 
 
 Moderns have mofl unreafonably exalted Reafon, p. i o 
 
 Infidelity hath joined iffuewith, and triumphed over them,'^. 1 1 
 
 Philofophy mixed with Religion always debafes it, p. 1 2 
 
 We may admire Reafon, but mufi adore Revelation^ p. 1 3 
 
 Man perfeSl in his kind, but not omnifcient, ibid. 
 
 Ancients always baffled in the Difcovery of Truths ibid. 
 
 Which ought to make us dijirufi Reafon y 
 
 A 2 
 
 p. 14 
 Plu- 
 
IV 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 V Plutarch and Ciceto confefs the ImpoJfibiUty of Reafon to find 
 out Truth ^ Page 14, 15 
 
 3d Objeft. That it is an Ajfault upon the CharaSler of ihofe excellent 
 Perfons tvho have defended Religion, by Arguments drawn 
 fro7n Nature and Reofon, P- 1 5 
 
 Anfw. I- -^^^ ^^^^^ Works are owing to the Light of Revelation : Why 
 elfe do they write 7nore clearly and conjijiently than the An- 
 cients ? ibid. 
 ^ Among the Philofophers no Knczvledge, every thing Opinion^ 
 
 p. 17- 
 
 y< This appears from the infinite Dijfenfions and ContradiSions 
 
 among them, ibid. 
 
 2. Jf Divine Truths are knowable by Reafon, why did they not 
 
 - attain them with Certainty ? p. 18. 
 
 Mtjlakes in Natural things do ?to harm, in Divine things 
 
 are fatal, " ibid. 
 
 They all lamented their Ignorance in Divine things, p. 1 9 
 
 Philofophy always wavering, never agreed on Firjl Principles, 
 
 p. 20 
 Pythagoras on this account changed the Najpe <9^ Wife to that 
 of Philofopher, p. 22 
 
 The greatejl Difference between Reafon in a State of Nature, 
 and under Revelation, p« 2 3 
 
 4. Objeftv That this throws an hnputation on the wifer Heathens, p. 24 
 Anfw. Their higheji Praife is, to have done all that was poffihle from 
 the Light they had, ibjd. 
 
 We muji examine them, to rejcSl Error, and fubfcribe to 
 Truth, P- 25 
 
 Plato, Ariftotle, t^c. had great Perfe6lions, hut as great 
 Faults, p. 25, 26 
 
 Jn religious Matters the Heathens did not confult Men, but the 
 Gods, P- 27 
 
 Their Ignorance confeffed by all, even of Plato hy Serranus, 
 
 p. 29 
 
 When Thalcs, l^c. imported fublimer Truths, the Greeks 
 
 comprehended thetn not, P- 3 o 
 
 Plato, though fo divine, recommends Idolatry and falfe Gods, 
 
 Which mufi he owing to his Ignorance of the true Nature of 
 
 things, ibid. 
 
 The Fear of Socrates'i Poifon, an unworthy Apology, and a 
 
 falfe one, ibid. 
 
 Theja}7ie Ignorance and Uncertainty in Cicero as in others ^ 
 
 p. 32 
 Theyfpake well as learned Men, but not as Divines, p- 3 3 
 
 The 
 
CONTENTS. V 
 
 The iVeaknefs of Reafon fo defcribed by Monf. Perrot, Mr. 
 Locke, and Dr. Clarke, as effeSiually to dejiroy the very 
 Suppofition of Natural Light, Page 34 
 
 The Te/iimony of Philofophers muft he admitted in favour ^Obferv. i,' 
 this Hy pot hefts, as fully as in the behalf of others, p. 38 
 
 No Philofophers who lived after Chriji, can with jujiice be Ohhv\,z. 
 appealed to, hecaife of the ama%ing Progrefs of Chrijlicnity , 
 and Inquifitivenefs of Philofophers, who didjludy the Scrip- 
 tures. Exa?nples of it in Ju^'myizvtyr, iifc. P* 39 
 
 Con'vert Heathens charged the Pagans with borrovfingfrom 
 the Gofpels, P* 4 1 
 
 This made them fct about the Reformation of Philofophyy 
 
 .P-42 
 Efpecially Ammonius ^f Alexandria, p. 43 
 
 The Advantages (t/" Alexandria yro^/z f 7;^ Jews, the Scptuagint 
 
 Verfion, and the Recourfe of the Learned of the Philofophers 
 
 in the Sacred Succeffion, P- 4 7 
 
 Their Views in blending Platonifrn zuith Chrijlianity, p. 4.6 
 They write fuhU?ner than their Predecejf or s, from having flu- 
 
 died in Chrifiian Schools, P- 47 \ 
 
 Modern Infidelity .^ like the Ancients, learns fro?n Scripture, 
 
 hut difowns it, p. 49 
 
 The great Fallacy in fuppofing that all the Arguments vje now 
 
 perceive the Certainty of, might have been urged with equal 
 
 flrength hy a mere Phi Icfopher, P- 50 
 
 77?/^ Mijlake ohferved in the Author of The Religion of 
 
 Nature Delineated, ibiJ. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the Inlets of Knowledge. 
 CT'O ccnfider Man as rational., and how he came to he fo, ift Point 
 
 Reafon even in this at a lofs, and knows not hoiu to define 
 Man, nor itfelf; ivhat the different Operations of the In* 
 telleSl are, p. !^^ 
 
 Men never agreed in any certain Rules to guide their Affent, 
 or form their fudgment, "'ibid. 
 
 To confider Man as a moral Creature ; this from his Freedo7n 2d Point. 
 and Choice of aSiing, , P- 5 7 
 
 From the IntelleSi being confcious of its Anions arifcs Confci- 
 ence, _ ^ ibif'. 
 
 Inlets of Knowledge, Reafon divided concerning them, how 
 
 many J and what they are, P- 5 8 
 
 A 3 Firjt, 
 
vi CONTENT S. 
 
 Flrjl^ Innate Ideas, their Abfurdiiy^ he. Page J'^ 
 
 Some Accounts given why the Ancients believed and taught 
 fuch Ideas, p. 60 
 
 Texts of Scripture on which fame would ground fuch Ideas 
 explained^ p. 62 
 
 The noivcti iP'.'oiai of the Heathen no ?mre than Tradi- 
 tional Notices of things, P« 65 
 So Socrates and Phtofeem to determine ; and what is 
 their Law of Fame, p. 66 
 Epicurus taught Innate Ideas to deceive the World, ^. 67 
 They are denied by all Learned Men, Pearfon, Puften- 
 dorf, Locke, ^c. p. 68 
 Secondly., Inftindls, Thefe no Inlets of real Kno<wledge ; and 
 the Reafons why, p. 80, 
 Ty^/r^^', benfation, The' Inlet of all Knowledge either imme- 
 diately by the Impreffinn of the Objeil, or mediately by the 
 TJfe of Language and hiflruBion, p. 84 
 Ko Materials in the Mind, but through the Senfcs ; 
 therefore no Ideas from Self-reflexion, p. 87 
 The Mind a large Storehoufe, but no Furniture till 
 brought into it^ P- ^9 
 No Ideas but of SenCation, p. 90 
 The Difference between Ideas and Notions, p- 92 
 No Ideas of Willing, Thinking, or the internal Ope- 
 , _ rations of the Mind, P- 93 
 No Ideas of God, orfpiritual Objects, but by Analogy, 
 from fenftbk Ideas, P- 95 
 inll.ru6lion, the only Inlet of Knowledge concerning God and 
 '"—-■ — -" Imtnaterial Beings, ibid. 
 This no Degradation of Reafon, p. 96 
 No Chain of Natural Caufes to know God by his Works, 
 
 P-97 
 They ivho maintain it, forced to admit Innate IReas^ 
 
 p 1O2 
 The Mind has an innate ASfivity, hut no innate Fur- 
 niture, ibid. 
 That Injlruciion is the only Inlet of Divine Kttcwledge, 
 proved from fcjeral Arguments, p- 103 
 Firjl, This Method alone is agreeable to the Proceedings of 
 God, P- 104 
 Language taught us by God, and Words nece[J'ary to 
 mcike us Rational, and to think, ibid. 
 God gave Man Language to inJlruH him in Truths not 
 cognizable by the Senfes, p. 1 06 
 Knowledge of God only from God j. fo all Antiquity 
 agrees, p. lO^ 
 
 Man 
 
t O N T E N T S. vli 
 
 Man could not give Names to imhiown invifihle Br- 
 ings, P^ge « 1 o , 
 Heathens held Divhie Names to be of Divine Injh- 
 tution, p. 112 
 zdh^ This Method is moji agreeable to the Condition of 
 Man, P- »I3 
 Heathens and Chrtfiians confefs Divine Kmwleage to bt -^ 
 
 from InflniBion^ P- n? 
 
 Education [o necejfary^ that tvithout it Man zvould not be 
 rational, P- ^ 1 9 
 
 ^dly. This alone is confflent luith Hiftory^ and the Ac- 
 count of things^ P-!^^ 
 All Learning from the Eaft, and from Mafers^ ivkc/j -■' 
 is eafily traced up to God^ • ibid. 
 i^thly^ This accoitnts for all the great and monfirous De- 
 ' feds in Pbilofophy, P- i 26 
 77?^ had the Names of things related to them, but not 
 the Meaning of thc?n, ibid. 
 The Ancients did not think Knoiuledge to be fpun out 
 cf the Brain, but travelled in fear ch of it ; and thefe 
 underpodthe Nature of things befi, p. 128 
 Fourthly, Self-reflexion, the Impoffibility of this being an In- _--- 
 let of Knowledge, (hewn through the preceding Differtatton,. 
 
 p. I 3 1 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the Law of Nature. 
 
 J AW of Nature, ivhat to be mderflood by it, vjith the 
 JL Definitions of it, _ . P"g|,'?^ 
 
 Mofi of our learned Divines fpeak of it as if its Prin- 
 ciples were innate, P- 'f 4? 
 Marks or Charaders of it ; it mufl be, ift, Umverfal, 
 2dly, Clear, z^\yfPerfe£f, P; H5 
 What Nature can do, mufl be judged from what it has 
 already done, \^^ 
 Maintainers of this Law make fuch Concejians as epc- 
 iually defiroy it, P- H^ 
 Author of Tiie Religion of Nature Delineated, con- - 
 fidered, ^_ P- ^^9 
 Many Obj eSf ions lie againfl the Religion or Laiu of Nature, as Objidt. .^ 
 now taught ; ift. The Law of Re af on cannot bt more ex- ,. 
 ten five than tht Faculty of Reafon, ^' ^11 
 ^ A 4 ^^ 
 
viii CONTENTS. 
 
 Object. 2. No Principles can be admitted in Religion but what are evi- 
 dent. Page 152 
 3 • Where Principles are clear, fo will the DoSfrines inferred 
 from them be, p. 153 
 
 4- JVo Principles can be allowed to be univerfal, but what Ex- 
 
 perience proves to be fo, p. 154 
 
 5- There can be no Law where there are no Motives to Obedi- 
 
 ence, ibid. 
 
 That Natural Religion is liable to all thefe Obje£lions, proved 
 
 from Tillotfon and C\zxkt, P- I55 
 
 Law ivhat^ and the different kinds of it, p. 1 62 
 
 Human Laws not ef themfelves obligatory, P- 163 
 
 Natural Law, the World not agreed in the Derivation 
 
 of it, ^ ibid. 
 
 1. Some derive, and would infer the Neceffity of it from 
 
 the Rights ef other Animals, ibid. 
 
 2. From the Cujloms of Nations, but the Mutability of thefe 
 
 prevent their having the Force of Law, p. 164 
 
 3. Others derive it frc?n the right ufe of Natural Reafon ; 
 
 this Jlated at large, p. 166 
 
 Reafon^ becaufe of its Uncertainty^ cannot be Law, 
 
 p. 169 
 But if ever fo confonant, could not be obligatory, p. 172 
 Neither on Individuals, who are equal, nor onfuch ccU 
 leSled into Society, ibid. 
 
 Nor lajlly, if formed into a regular Government, p. 174 
 4; Others derive it from the Authority of God; all Obli- 
 gation from the Will of a Superior, P- ^75 
 No Law, but the Will of one who has a jujl Right to 
 demand SubjeSi ion, ibid. 
 All San£lions of Law muji be from fuch Authority, 
 
 Actions being good or evil, depends on the Ordinance of 
 
 the Supreme Law-maker, p. 176, 180 
 
 This Choice of Duty and Obedience conjlitutes Moral 
 
 Goodnefs, p. 182 
 
 Heathens thought all Obligation of Law to be from the 
 
 Gods, ibid. 
 
 fews held the Precepts ©/"Noah to be the Natural Uni- 
 
 verfal Law, P* 185 
 
 Plato derives all Laws from Tradition j hence their 
 
 common Notions, &c. p. 186,187 
 
 All Heathens complained of wanting a better Light, 
 
 p. 189 
 RtaftH reeeivts no Degradation htreby, p- 191 
 
 Rea- 
 
CONTENTS. ix 
 
 Reafm Is the Faculty to receive, not d'lfc ever divine Know- ---.....^.^ 
 
 ledge, ^ ^ Page 192 
 
 Jts Ufein Human Learning, p. 193 
 
 /// ufe in Religion^ which is a reafonable Service, p. 19^ 
 
 It cannot add to the original Stock of invijible ObjeSts, 
 
 p. 196 
 But may judge whether DoSfrines he good and from 
 God, p. I gj 
 
 It can perceive Truth when propofed, but not find it out , » 
 
 p. 198 
 God, his Exiftence and being a Rewarder of them that feek 
 him, the Foundation of all Religion, p. 202 
 
 Of Faith, and what the Ancients thought metaphyfical or fu- 
 pernatural, p, 205 
 
 What Marks to ground our Faith or Belief of Revela- 
 tion en, p, 206 
 Where thofe are, to refufe our Affcnt Is unreajonable, 
 
 p. 207 
 
 "Nor is it any ObjeSilon, that we know not the whole of 
 
 what God reveals, p. 208 
 
 Of the Trinity, RefurreSiion, &c. p. 209 
 
 *ro disbelieve tvhat we cannot comprehend, the Ground of 
 
 all Infidelity, ibid.- , 
 
 T'he Laiu of Nature fupported by three Kinds of Argu- 
 ments, 1&., From Scripture ', zdly, Fro?n the Works x 
 of Creation ; sdly, Fro7n the Reafons cf Things. 
 Thefe to be feparately examined^ P- 213 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 Texts of Scripture relating to the Natural Law. 
 Of Natural Religion being learned from the 
 Works of Creation. The Knowledge of God 
 not to be had from the Contemplation of our 
 own Frame. The Deity not difcoverable from 
 the Fitnefs of Things. 
 
 TJlHat Scripture affirms cannot he disbelieved. Page 2 1 5 q^i^^ ^^^, 
 ''^ Rom. i, 20, ^c. A6ls xiv. Afts xvii. at large com- ^^^ 
 
 mented on, to P- 249 
 
 Rom. ii. 14. And Natural in the Senfe of the Jews, and of 
 
 the Hiathen being a Law to thgmf elves ^ p. 2 5 1 
 
 But 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 But we learn from Scripture feverat Particulars relating t» 
 the Heathens^ ifl. That they did not know God, Page 252 
 zdly, That they could not know him by the Light of Na- 
 ture^ p. 256 
 3dl\', That the Lofs of Divine Knowledge ivas owing 
 to their own vain ReafoningSy P- 257 
 Reafony nvhich is the Injlniment^ to be confidered as zvell as 
 the Means ^ p. 269 
 The Standard of it to he taken from the Bulk of Man- 
 kind, ibid. 
 TVhat Concluftons will thence neceffarily follow, P- 271 
 The Weaknefs of it, the common Jbilities of Men, and 
 of the Vulgar, p. 274 
 Difficulty of attaining Knowledge, even to the wife, 
 
 p. zZo 
 The Condition of Man in a State of Nature conjidered, 
 
 P- 295 
 Means of Natural Knowledge are faid to be, i ft. The con- 
 templating the Works of God in general, ibid. 
 2dly, The Frame of Man in particular, p. 297 
 Firjl, Heathens knew not God by his Works, i Cor. i. 21. 
 
 p. 3or 
 No one can fix the Age when they came at fuch natural 
 Knowledge, p. 303 
 
 Jf we know not fecond Caifes, the Works cannot lead 
 to the Workman, ibid. 
 
 The Greatiiefs of the Works made them conclude every 
 thing the Effect of vifihle Caufes, p. 304 
 
 N-O Tranfition from nothing to [omethiyig hut by Ofnnipo- 
 tence, . p. 307 
 
 Creation no natural Proof of the Divine Exiftence, none 
 knew it, p. 308 
 
 Hor ufed in Scripture to prove the Being, but only the 
 Greatnefs of God, P- 310 
 
 Several Texts of Scripture relating to this Subject confi- 
 dered, P- 3 1 1 
 No one ever thought Matter created ; therefore no Scale 
 of Beings to afcend to God, P* 3 ^ 7 
 Pfalm xix. and Rom. i. 20. explained, p. 318, 3 19 
 Vifthle Works of God led the World to Idolatry, p. 3 2 1 
 iLfpecially the Sun and Moon j whereby the fews alfo 
 were feduced, p. 323, 324 
 Plato did not allow that they led Men to the Knowledge 
 of God, P;4f'^ 
 What the Sun is to th( D if Comment ofVifibkSj that God 
 is to InvifibUs-i p. 325 
 
 Qui 
 r 
 
CONTENTS. xi 
 
 But tell Men there is a God, and the Works declare his 
 
 Greatnefs, Page 326 
 
 So Zaieucus, Ariftotle, and Cicero apply them, p. 327 
 No Proportion between God and his Works whereby he 
 
 can be known, P- 329 
 
 Second Means. Man knew not God from contemplating his 
 
 cwn Frame, P- 330 
 
 Could not know himfelfto be a Compound Being. Poffi- 
 
 donius'^ Sphere, P« 33^ 
 
 Csuld never difcover what Immateriality zuas, p. 334 
 Nor the Souli not account how it thinks or a£fs en the ■ 
 
 Body, p. 336 
 
 Nor the Soul's Immortality, P- 3 3 7 
 
 Nor the Difference between the Souls of Men andBeaJisy 
 
 P- 339 
 Ancients thought Beajls rational, p. 340 
 
 Different Sentitnents of the Moderns, p. J4 r /*. 
 
 Third General Argument. That Man could difcover God >,,\ 
 
 from the Fitnefs, &c. of Things. 
 The Syflem of things great, but what none ever pene- _„,■ 
 
 trated, p. 344 
 
 T7)e Study full cf Embarraffments, what nonplufs'd all 
 - the Aficicnts, p. 346 "~-^, 
 
 Variety of Phyfical Syfiems at prefent, therefore no Cer- 
 tainty, _ _ P- 347 
 Ancients greatly erred in the plainefl Matters, p. 34S 
 Grandeur of the Univerje made them worjhip it, p. 349 
 Matter thought Eternal. Long before a Mind was in- 
 troduced to order it, p. 350 
 Socrates and Cicero confefs the Impofftbiliiy cf knowing 
 Nature, p. 3^0, 351 
 Jcb xxviii. We cannot find out God by the Knowledge of 
 Nature, P- 35^ 
 But tvhen God is declared, the Fitnefs, $zc. of things 
 prove his Wifdom, &c.. P' 3 5 3 
 Law or Moral Duties not to be inferred from the Fitnefs of 
 things, ibid, 
 Do6lrine of Morality arifingfrointhe Fitnefs of things 
 Jlated, P- 354 
 The Reafon of things, nothing hut the Nature and Or~ 
 der vjhich God gave them, ?• 3 5 5 
 No Eternal Goodnefs but in God, P- 3 5 ^ 
 The Relations of created Beings not eternal, p 3 57 
 No Explanation of the Degr^fs^ T>ependence, or Rela- 
 tions of things y P- 35S 
 
 Many 
 
 • IP 
 
xli CONTENTS. 
 
 Many Exprejffions ufed in this Controverfy profane and 
 
 blafphcmous^ Page 360 
 
 Attributes of God ejfentially the fame. Will and Power not 
 
 different, 360 
 
 iChe Force cf Laiu not from the Nature cf things, but from 
 
 that JVill which gave the Nature, ?• 3^^ 
 
 If God made things by Nccejjity, he cannot be a Free Agent, 
 
 p. 362 
 
 Moral Dependence founded on Natural, and Natural on the 
 
 Ij^.. Will of God, _ _ ibid. 
 
 . If there be an Eternal Fitnefs of things, it mufi be antecedent 
 
 to or coeval with the Will cf God, P- 3^3 
 
 But this is i?npofftble and falfe, for the Will of God is the 
 
 Caufe of all things^ ibid. 
 
 The Truth of things is their Reafon, and the only Reafon cf 
 
 them is their being fo willed of God, P- 364 
 
 If thefe Reafons cxifled in God, they were nothing but the Ef- 
 
 I fence of the Divine Nature, p. 365 
 
 if different from God, fomething befides him was Eternal, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 Of Ideas, Exemplars, Archetypes, &c. which are no more 
 
 than Metaphyftcal Enthufafm, p. 366 
 
 ift Objedt againfl this Doctrine is, That God affirms the contrary, p. 368 
 
 2d Objeft. That the Immutability of Relations is inconfiflent with the 
 
 Divine Proceedings, p. 369 
 
 Relations have altered both in Angels and Men. State 
 
 of Fallen Angels conftdered, ibid. 
 
 Between Men and Men, Men and Beafls, Beafis zuith 
 
 Beafls, P- 374 
 
 Whence new Duties, fuch as Prayer, Repentance, he. 
 
 ^. ^ P- 375 
 
 3d Objeft. Ths Do£irine does not give us a true Account of Morality, 
 
 p. 376 
 The Law of Moral Goodnefs mufi he perfeff, but Rea- 
 fon is not, p. 377 
 Not Reafon, but the Will of God the Meafure of Good 
 and Evil, P- 3 7 ^ 
 Moral Goodnefs confifis in choofing an A£iion becatfe we 
 know it is our Duty, p. 379 
 
 4. Objeft. Fitnefs, &c. not a Means to arrive at the Knowledge of Di- 
 
 vine things^ P- 381 
 
 Becaufe Reafon could neither judge of fuch Fitnefs, nor cf 
 
 Good or Evil, P- 3^2 
 
 5. 0\>]^Si. Relations of things tuere never fuppofed to induce an Obliga- 
 
 tion, p- 386 
 
 All Law and Obligation mufi be from a fuperior Being, 
 
 p. 388 
 Latv, 
 
CONTENTS. xiii 
 
 Law^ whether Natural^ Moral^ or Pofitive^ has its 
 Goodnefs from the Will of God, Page 388 
 
 This acknowledged by the Jews and Heathens, Cicero, 
 &c. _ p. 3^9-392 
 
 Of common Notions, faid to be congruous to Nature, he. 
 all given by God. . P- 39^ 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 God not to be defined nor demonftrated j therefore 
 not difcoverable by Reafon. 
 
 JZNowledge is a fuitable Idea or Notion in the Mind qf the 
 ^^ Objea, Page 395 
 
 Firji, Therefore God not to be known, hecaufe not to be defined, 
 
 P- 397 
 
 Me is bejl knoiun by negative Defcriptions, P- 399 
 
 Secondly, There was no Name to inquire after God by, ibid. 
 
 Therefore Man muji Jet about comprehending he knoivs 
 not what, p. 400 
 
 Or what he knows to be incomprehenfible, p. 40 z 
 
 This made thePhilofophers afcribe Juch inconfijlent PrO" 
 perties to God, P-4'^5 
 
 Thales, Plato, (^c. confefs Divine things to be unintelli- 
 gible, _ p. 404 
 Thirdly, There is no afcending from EffeSls to the FirJi Caufe, . 
 
 .P->°^ 
 
 Heathens never could or did conceive an Incorporeity, ibid/ 
 
 Fourthly, There is no Likenefs or Analogy to pafs from Vifibles 
 to Invifiblcs, p. 407 
 
 The pretended intelleSfual Scale for the Mind to afctnd .-^ 
 
 by, unnnatural and vifionary, p. 408, 409 
 
 The atheijlical ObjeSfion anfwered, if all Knowledge be 
 from Senfation, every thing is fubjeSl to Senfe, p. 4 1 1 
 To a Man in a State of Nature, no Rule but that of Con- 
 traries, , p. 412 
 He muJi believe every thing contradidory to hts SenfeSy 
 
 ibid. 
 All Heathens acknowledged the Want of an InJlruSior, ^ 
 
 p. 414 ^ 
 Plato every where diffident, 415. His Refemblance of 
 the World to Men in a Cave, P- 4' 7 
 
 / ' 
 
 St 
 
xiv CONTENT S. 
 
 So were Simonides, Cicero, and all the Philofophen] 
 
 Page 41 9 
 
 Tljey knew not the Creator^ Beginnings Intenty or End 
 
 of Mnn, p. 420 
 
 NoDemonJirationofGod; the Reafons for it, p. 422 
 
 Except Moral Dcmonjlration^ P- 424 
 
 The Difadvantages in pretending to any other Certainty, 
 
 p. 427 
 
 The Embarrajftnents even of Moral Certainty, p. 428 
 
 Ofthoje who fay, Revelation is only a thing by the by, to 
 
 fave Labour and Trouble, p, 430 
 
 Reliance up9H Reafonhas in all Ages produced Error and 
 
 Atheifm, p. 432 
 
 Becaufe Reafon and all its Syjlems have eoer been fallible 
 
 andfalfe, p. 433 
 
 —- ^ ~ Tloe Immortality of the Soul not to be demonjirated; there- 
 
 '^ fore neither is Qody P • 435 
 
 Conclujion, P- 437 
 
 errata: 
 
 Page 78. line 4. for either xt^A their 
 
 Page 93. 1. 31. ior other rtdA our 
 
 Page 132. 1. 7. zfxer innate dele all " 
 
 Page 141. continue " to the End of the Paragraph 
 
 Page 191, 1. 7. for their T. its 
 
 Page 192. 1. 30. ddethat 
 
 Page 197. 1. 17. after Reafon infert does it fo/levt 
 
 Page 279. ]. 20. for him r. them 
 
 Page 297. 1. 19. zhcr Priq; at ion infert and 
 
 Page 333- 1. 19- after ai^zy not in(crt only 
 
 Page 379. 1. 10. dele *' to the end of the Paragraph 
 
 Page 382, 1. 8. for Manx. Men 
 
 Page 387. 1. 15. for renenv r . renounce 
 
 Page 396. 1. 33. for its r. his 
 
 INTRO- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 N thefe latter Ages, two Religions, that 
 of the Heathens, and that of Nature, 
 have been the Subjed of Contempla- 
 tion, in an equal, if not greater De- 
 gree than the Chriftian. 
 Concerning the former, Natalis Comes, Lord 
 Herbert, and others endeavoured to explain, and 
 drefs it up in a modern Fafhion, and exhibit it to 
 the World as a confident and rational Scheme of 
 Worfliip : And the Reafon why this happy Dif- 
 covery had not been made fooner, was, it feems, 
 becaufe no one before them had ever conftdered more ^^^ q^^^ 
 iha?i the Shell of the Fable \ mankind had taken it 
 in the grofs for an abfurd irrational Syftem, with- 
 out being able to difcern or unfold the fublime and 
 myfterious Doflrines contained in it : For Paganifm 
 is like a Diamond out of the Quarry,where ineilimable 
 Beauties and Riches are concealed from the igno- 
 rant Eye, under a rough and ufelefs exterior Coat. 
 This they undertook to polifh, to pare away the Su- 
 perfluities, and then fhew the internal Worth and 
 Excellency of the Gentile Religion, or at leaft 
 make it appear to be not altogether fo abfurd and 
 Jlupid, as had hitherto been generally imagined. 
 
 The firft thing to be done, in order to remove the 
 common prejudices conceived againfl it^ and to clear 
 
 away 
 
 ^•# 
 
xvi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 away the vaft heap of Rubbifh and Confufion, was 
 to provide a number of Clafles, into which the dif- 
 ferent Materials might be forted, that whatever 
 could not be juftly accounted for under one Head, 
 might bear a tolerable Conftru6lion in another ; 
 and be called either Myftical, Symbolical, Allego- 
 rical, Hiftorical, Poetical, Fabulous, Natural, Ci- 
 vil, Moral, Efoterical, Exoterical, or the Peculiar 
 Placit of the Legiflator, Theologift, Poet or Phi- 
 lofopher, as was moft agreeable to the Opinion, 
 Humour or Prejudice, or beft fuited the Turn of 
 the Interpreter and Mychologifl ; in which they had 
 a Right to ufe the moll unbounded Liberty : Becaufe 
 v/ithout fuch Latitude it would be impoffible to re- 
 move the Crowd of monftrous and ridiculous Fic- 
 tions, with which Truth was perplexed ; to account 
 for thofe cruel and horrid, thofe fhameful and im- 
 pure Rites, that made up fo great a Part of their 
 Religion j or to reconcile thofe Contradiftions 
 which fo manifeftly appear in the Theology of the 
 Ancients. 
 
 But after all this Labour in fcparating and d'lf- 
 tinguifhing, the moft notorious Articles in their 
 Faith and Pradice were fo villainous, extravagant, 
 and fuperftitious, as not to be reduced under any of 
 the former Heads, and yet without being proper- 
 ly difpofed of, muft have ruined the whole Defign: 
 Therefore for all thefe, that is,, for the Bulk of 
 Religion, they provided a common Storehoufe, 
 and called it Prieftcraft : For it feems whoever 
 were initiated into that Order, had but one common 
 Ld^Her- yjew, io impofe upon the fiupid Credulity of Man- 
 kind, who always gave the Characters of moji pro- 
 found Theologijis, to fuch as had mofi perverted them 
 from the Rules of Right Reafon ; and the poor 
 wretched Populace had neither Courage nor Will to 
 fufpe£i all this fuperjlition and juggling doings of the 
 
 Priejis 
 
 bert. 
 
INTRODUCTION. xvii 
 
 Priefis as adulterate, Jior to rejeci them ai fuch. 
 Nor ought it to feem ftrange, that the Priefts had 
 luch an Afcendency over the Minds of others •■> for in 
 Egypt, x\\e. mod ancient School of Learning and Re-Diod. Sic. 
 ligion, they were aJways chofenoiit of the Nobility, 
 employed in ftudying the liberal Arts and ScienccG, 
 and advanced to the higheft Offices and Places of 
 Preferment in the State. The foolifh Athenians 
 eftablifhed the fame Cuftom, for the better Go- 
 vernment (as they thought) of Religion and the 
 Commonwealth-, and A^2^;;z<3 imprudently fell into 
 the like Error, by making a Law, that nojie fhould 
 be elefted Priefts, but who were above fifry Years 
 of Age, and excelled others in Birth and Virtue. 
 Thefe were the Men, the greateft, the wiftft, and 
 the beft, who debauched the Minds, and intro- 
 duced fo many Profanations into the pure Religion 
 of the Heathens. 
 
 To fuch Shifts will the Defence of a bad Caufe 
 carry Men ; Prieftcraft is made an Anfwer to eve- 
 ry fliliing, a Charm to unty all thofe knotty Diffi- 
 culties, that Hiftory and avowed Fa6ls would other- 
 wife perplex them with. And however coarfe a 
 Compliment it may be to the reft of Mankind, 
 yet it has been found necelTary to maintain, that 
 for 2000 Years together, the Priefts impofed on all 
 the Inhabitants of the Earth •, that they could make the 
 whole World dance conftant Attendance to their 
 Temples and Oracles, at the Expence of numerous, 
 coftly, and impertinent Ceremonies ; could perfuade 
 Nations to leave their Country, and Kings and Prin- 
 ces as well as People, in fpite of all the Re- 
 luftancies of Nature, to facrifice their Sons and 
 their Daughters unto Devils, and think it merito- 
 rious to do fo -, and that all the Priefts fucceffively 
 •were fo much the fame, fo ftanch in Blood and 
 Secrecy, that in this vaft Tradt of Time, none 
 could find in their Hearts to relent or betray the 
 Impofturcj this fuperlative Craft was above the 
 
 a Reach 
 
xviii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Reach of Emperors, Statcfmen, or the wifefl Phi- 
 lofophers, that is, the whole World (except the 
 Priclb) was all this time perfectly befotced. 
 
 Another great Prejudice againfl: the Orthodoxy 
 of Heathenilm, was the Writings of the primi- 
 tive Chriftians, Men eminent for Learning and 
 Piety, mod of them Pagans by Birth as well as 
 Profcfiion, educated in all their Wifdom, and 
 thoroughly acquainted with their Faith and Prac- 
 tice: And fo it happened, thefe Fathers reprefented 
 Paganifm as an irrational and deteftabie Heap of 
 Iniquity, what had more of Phrenzy than of Piety 
 in it ; they charge the World with the utmoft Stu- 
 pidity and Idolatry, that they neither knew nor 
 worfiiipped the true God, but fuch as were no 
 Gods at all, the wickedeft and the word of Men ; 
 that they transferred divine Honours from the only 
 Supreme Being, to the Images of dead Carcafes, 
 to Natural Things, and the Works of their own 
 Hands ; that the Goda of the Nations were Devils, 
 and that there could be no Religion among tl|rm, 
 fince their very Gods were the Patrons of ail Im- 
 purity and Impiety : And fo intolerably bold were 
 thefe old Gentlemen, as to challenge their Enemies 
 to publick Difputes on thefe very Points ; to enter 
 their Appeals to the Emperors, Senate, and People ; 
 to difperfe their Apologies, and triumph in their 
 Vidories ; yet were never upbraided with reprefent- 
 ing Fleathenifm m a falfe Light, or oppofing 
 fuch Do(5lrines as the V/orld did not believe and 
 pradife. 
 
 To remove this Objedion, 'The Fathers of the 
 Ld. Her- Qjj^^j^^jj are /aid to be inveterate Enemies to the Hea- 
 thens, and to have reprefented the Matter quite other- 
 wife than it is-, for they pafs by the more certain 
 and orthodox Part of their Religion, {their Piety^ 
 Faith, Hope, and Love) in Silence, and from their 
 Sitperjlitions and Rites take an Occafon to utter fe- 
 ver e Jnve^ives againjl them, and reprefent them after 
 
 a moji 
 
INTRODUCTION. xix 
 
 a mojl ridiculous Manner, by ingenioujly expofing their 
 mad flier ed Rites ; for what the Priefts did as tf they 
 were in a Rapture and infpired with a divine Spirit, 
 they reprefented as the Effects of Lunacy and Dif- 
 tra5iion : As alfo, when they Utterly inveighed againft 
 them for worjhipping deified Men, they impofed on 
 their Readers, and miftook the Senfe of the Hea- 
 thens about the Word God, for thai a deified Man 
 fignifies no more among the Heathens, than a glori- 
 fied Saint does among the Chrifiians. That not- 
 withftanding the conftant Imputation of their vvor- 
 ihipping falfe Gods, by the Prophets under the 
 Old Teftamcnt, or the ApoflJes and Martyrs un- 
 der the New, yet this is the unjuftell Accuiation in 
 the World : For the ancient Religion was Sym= 
 bolical, and whatever Veneration they offered to the 
 Heaven, Sun, Moon, or Stars, it terminated in 
 the Worfiiip of the Supreme God, and diredlly 
 tended to the Advancement of his Glory ; and in 
 all their holy Rites there was a religious and 
 mj^dical Senfe couched under them, v/hich who- 
 ever will accurately examine, and dive into the 
 Scope and Defign of them, will eafily difcover, 
 and without this Interpretation the Heathens 
 would be the moft ridiculous and abfurd of Mor- 
 tals : Yet Dionyfius Halicarnaff. fays, This is a Wifdom 
 and Judgment which few are Majlers of. And how 
 does this lad Account agree with what the fame Au- 
 thors teach of the Impofture and Villany of Prieft- 
 craft, if there be nothing in Paganifm but what is 
 wonderful myfterious and divine? 
 
 We are alfo told, that the Fallity of the Accu- 
 fation proceeded from an original Miftake, in be- 
 lieving that the Heathens maintained a Plurality of 
 Gods, which they did not do (as being repugnant 
 to the Laws of Nature) but acknowledged one 
 only God. In the Contemplation however of this 
 one infinite Being, as they obferved his Virtue and 
 Power to be diffufed through every thing, fo, ac- 
 cording to the Variety of Effects, providential 
 
 a 2 Difpen- 
 
XX 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Difpenfations, and known Attributes, they gave dif- 
 ferent Names at fcveral Times and Piaces to thefe 
 Virtues^ whence it is interred as an undoubted 
 Truth, that all the Powers of the other Gods, 
 however difperfed through every Element, proceed 
 as io many Streams from the fame Fountain, 
 and terminate in one Jupiter^ which Jupiter is no 
 other than the true God; accordingly if they worfhip- 
 ped a Statue, the A6t of Religion was not directed 
 to the Statue, but the Hero it reprcfented ; if a He- 
 ro, not him, but the Star wliich bore the fame 
 Name, or into which he was tranflated ; if the 
 Stars, not them, but the God which prefided over 
 them, for othcrwife the Idolatry would be inexcufable. 
 Having thus prepared the Minds of Men for a 
 candid Reception of Paganifm, the Mask is taken 
 off, and the Sum of the Enquiry drawn up in a few 
 Conclufions. The firft is, that the Heathens agreed 
 with Chriftians, not only in worfhipping the fame 
 Supreme God, and common Father, but with the fame 
 Piety and Virtue, the fame moft principal and elien- 
 tiai kind of Worfhip ; and the Challenge o^ Celfus 
 is produced, to fhew what was in the Chriftian Re- 
 ligion that tended to the eftabli filing of Virtue, more 
 than what the Heathens had before acknowledged. 
 The Second is. That fincethe Heathens had by right 
 Reafon difcovered an univerfal Religion, with all the 
 proper Means to attain eternal Happinefs, it will 
 necelTarily follow, that Mankind did not (land in 
 need of any particular Revelation, or Inftruflion 
 from God, to that great End : For this is the whole 
 Drift of painting Heathenifm in thofe amiable Co- 
 lours, to (hew that no other Affillance is wanting, 
 than what Nature by theUfeof Reafon has afford- 
 ed us, to form a pure and perft6t Religion, fufHci- 
 ent to all the Ends of Virtue and Happinefs. It is 
 true indeed, that Guilt fometimes flies in the Face 
 of thefe Gentlemen, and they acknowledge it to be 
 impofribIe/(?f the Heathens to acqiui thevij elves of the 
 
 Suf^ 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 XXI 
 
 Sufpicion of Idolair}\ or even the Pra6lice of it \ but 
 even in this are they juftifiable : For vjhy jnigbt not Ld. Her- 
 tbey embrace the Faith, and thofe Rites they received ^^'■^• 
 fro7n their Ancejlors^ as well as we have done ? And 
 they afe not to he blamed fur approving thofe things^ 
 which had through fo long a "Tra^i of time been de^ 
 liver ed down to them. To omit the Blafphemy of 
 fuch Comparifons and Aflertions; how came it to 
 pafs that Reafon or Nature did not prevent the An- 
 cients from miftaking rank Idolatry for Reh'gion ; 
 or through fo many Ages could not fhew their 
 Pofterity the Folly and Impiety of it? Or is it a 
 Law of Nature, that theWorlhip of falfe Gods is a 
 proper and acceptable Service to the true One ? 
 
 But in the middle of the laft Century appeared a 
 far nobler School, which carried on a freer Enquiry 
 into the Law of Nature, than had ever yet been 
 done, and urged it with great Strength againft the 
 Scspticifm and Infidelity of the Times, by proving 
 the Agreeablenefs of revealed Religion to the unque- 
 flionable Didates of right Reafon ; and thereby re- 
 commended Chriffcianity with great Advantage, as 
 being a moft reafonable Service, and bed adapted to 
 all the Inclinations, Hopes, and Wilhes of a rational 
 Creature. 
 
 Had the Enquiry flopped here, it would have been 
 of the utmoft Service to the Caufe of Truth and 
 Virtue -, but it was gradually carried on to unwarran- 
 table Lengths ; the Religion and the Law of Na- 
 ture were fet up as independent of, and evdn in op- 
 pofition to Revelation : The Importance of Morali- 
 ty was extolled as fuperior to the Doctrines and Du- 
 ties of Chriftianity ; moral Duties were faid to have 
 a natural or eternal Obligation, but pofitive ones to 
 be mere arbitrary Commands, void of all internal 
 Excellency ; the Light of Reafon was cried up as 
 fufficient to the Difcovery of the Will of God, 
 and the whole Duty of Man, to a diftind Know- 
 ledge of Good and Evil, i, e. every thing that was 
 
 neceilary 
 
xx'n INTRODUCTION. 
 
 neceflary for him to do, or not to do, without any 
 fupernacural Afliftance. Thefe Studies happened to 
 fuit with the Genius, and took up the Attention of 
 the Age, and fince then have been the principal Sub- 
 jeds of Contemplation to our Univerfities, Pliilofo- 
 phers and Divines : The Prefs abounded with Trea- 
 tifes of Natural Divinity, Light of Nature, Law 
 of Nature, Natural Religion, Rational Theology, 
 Chriftian Theology compared with Platonifm : So 
 alfo, of Moral Theology, Moral Philofophy, Chri- 
 ftian Moral Philofophy, Chriitian Ethicks,and of all 
 the Duties which Men might know, and fliould be 
 obliged to pra^bife, were there no fuch thing as ex- 
 ternal Revelation. From the Pulpit, Morality has 
 been earnefily recommended, and Chriftianity but 
 coolly regarded -, much faid of the Light of Reafon, 
 the eternal Fitnefs, and immutable Obligation of 
 Things ; but little of the Gofpel Means of Salva- 
 tion, of Wifdom and Righteoufnefs, of Sanguifica- 
 tion and Redemption ; as if Chriftianity could not 
 be fupported but by the Law of Nature ; or the 
 Text of the Apoftle not become a Rule of Duty, till 
 proved to agree with the Opinion ofthePhilofopher. 
 So that the pious and judicious Laity have long com- 
 plained, that Revelation and Divinity arealmolt for- 
 got amongfl us. 
 
 And the Confequences of thefe Dodrines have at 
 laft appeared in a very fatal Manner. Firft, by 
 throwing fo much weight into the Scale of Reafon, 
 fo little into that of Revelation, as if every one had 
 a Right to model a Religion for himfelf ; the Liber- 
 tines of the Age have taken occafion to defpife the 
 Authority of Scripture, to look upon its Precepts 
 as fuperflitious or unneceflary, to remove all thofe 
 Terrors which brought any Reftraint upon their cor- 
 rupt fenfual Gratifications, and by lefTening the Ex- 
 pedtation of that Glory which flull be revealed, in- 
 dulge with greater Security their beloved Vices in the 
 prelent Enjoyment of Senfe ; by which Means the 
 
 great 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 great Motives of Religion (which are not to be de- 
 monftrated from mere Reafon) have loft their due and 
 proper Influence on the Minds of Men. And noc- 
 withftanding the loud Pretences to Morality, the End 
 of their Arguments and Practice is to teach us, that 
 there is no Neceffity talive fob erly^ right eoifjly, or god- 
 ly in this -prefent World. Secondly, we have lived to 
 fee Infidelity join ifllie in thefe ver/" Doctrines, and 
 from the avowed Tenets of modern Divines, raife 
 fuch Obje6lions againft the NecelTity or Expediency 
 of Revelation, as neither have been, nor upon thoi^ 
 Principles can be anfwered. 
 
 A thoroughConvicbion however,that this is the true 
 State of things amongft us, that Heathenifm and the 
 Law of Nature have been carried much farther than 
 Truth will bear, and that by this Means the Canon 
 of Faith hath been perverted, and many Errors and 
 Corruptions entred into the Church of God, was the 
 fole Reafon of putting the following Sheets together, 
 and is now the bell Apology for offering them to the 
 Publick ; and if by theHypothefis herein maintained. 
 Religion may be reftored to its Original Authority, 
 without any Debafement of Reafon ; if the Cavils 
 of Libertines are hereby totally enervated, and 
 the Obje6tions of Infidelity meet with a full andeafy 
 Solution : If throughout, it be confiftent with itfelf, 
 with all the known Laws of Nature and Reafon, and 
 above all with the Proceedings of Almighty God 
 with Man, it will deferve a ferious Confideration be- 
 fore it be fupercilioufly condemned, or magiftcrially 
 reje<5led. 
 
 It is very certain that the Importance of the Subjedt 
 lofes much of its Dignity from the Manner of treat- 
 ing it i butTruth will bear Examination in the plaineft 
 Drefs, and if by this Attempt Occafion be given to 
 excite fome abler Hand to bring it to duePerfeftion, 
 it will be of fervice to Religion, which is all I aim 
 at or can hope for. That there are many Defeats in 
 the enfuingTreaufe,the Pubiifher is very fenfibly con- 
 vinced, 
 
 XXlll 
 
xxlv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 vinced, which he would not have imputed to the Sub- 
 ject, but to the Di fad vantages he pcrlbnally la- 
 bours under. Such as, 
 
 i/?, Along Difufc to thofe Studies which accuftom 
 the Mind to a folid Method of Reafoning and Con- 
 cluding ; and which a Country Retirement, embar- 
 ralTed with the Cares of Life, almoll: neceffarily dif- 
 able it from exercifing •, and therefore is perfuadcd 
 that many of the Arguments are capable of being put 
 in a (Ironger Light, than that in which they are here 
 offered. 
 
 2dl}\ The being furniflied v;ich a moderate Num- 
 ber of Books (and too many of them Tranflations) 
 withoui- Opportunity of confulting publick Libraries 
 or Originals : U therefore fome fmall Miftakes may 
 have happened, he begs proper Allowances from the 
 Criticks for them -, but perfuades himfelf that there 
 are none that can any way affed the fubjed Matter 
 in Queftion. 
 
 But, ^dly^ A Senfc of thefe Di fad vantages, and 
 the Want of Guides to follow in this Inquiry (none 
 who profeffedly treat of it having fallen into his 
 Hands) determined him to make ufe of all the Helps 
 he could meet with from the bed Authors ; not only 
 to borrow Hints from them, but to tranfcribe their 
 Arguments and Words, when fuitableto his purpofe. 
 He is not therefore afraid of being thought a Plagia- 
 ry, but defires that if any thing valuable occurs, it 
 may be afcribed to them ; if any thing weak or im- 
 perfe6t, to himfelf. 
 
 Laftly^ As he has nothing in view but Truth, his 
 fincere Wifhesare, that whatever is built upon falfe 
 Principles, may foon come to nothing and be forgot. 
 Above all, as there is no Inflruftion or Knowledge 
 in Divine Truths, but from the only fure Rule of 
 Faith, the Word of God ; if any thing herein con- 
 tained be in the leafl contrary thereto, he revokes it, 
 difannuls it, and unfays it. 
 
 The 
 
The Knowledge of Divine Things 
 
 from RevelatioNj not from 
 
 Reason or Nature. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Tihe Enquiry Jiated^ and Obje^ions a?ifwered. 
 
 H E Perfedion of our Rational Nature 
 is true Wifdom, and the Perfeftion of 
 Wifdom is Religion, which confifts in 
 the Knowledge of God and of Ourfelves ; 
 in Virtue and Obedience, in a well- 
 arounded Peace of Mind, and the comfortable 
 Hopes of a blefled Immortality: And that fuch 
 Wifdom can only proceed from the Author of our 
 Beings, is a Fundamental both in Divinity and Phi- 
 lofophy. 
 
 But as God has in divers manners fpoken to us ; 
 an Enquiry arifes* by what Method he has vouch- 
 fafed to communicate to Mankind the Knowledge 
 of Divine Things^ or thofe which concern his Ex- 
 iftence. Nature, PerfecElions, and Will, and diredt 
 us to the Attainment of our final End, and ultimate 
 Happinefs. Therefore by Divine Things I under- 
 fland the great Principles of all Religion, which 
 may be comprized under the following Heads. The 
 B Exiftence 
 
 a 
 
^e Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Exiftence of a Deity, and his eflential Attributes. 
 That Worfhip which is becoming, and due to fuch 
 an infinite Being. The Immortality of the Soul. 
 And a State of Rewards and Punifhments after this 
 Life. 
 
 And allowing that fome Men, efpecially the moft: 
 wife and judicious in all Nations and Ages, have en- 
 tertain'd a Belief of thefe great Truths; yet the 
 Method by which they, received the firfl: Notices of 
 them, cannot by any dired or neceffary Confequence 
 be thence inferred. So that pious and learned Men 
 are not agreed by what Inlet or Means of Con- 
 veyance fuch Notions and Apprehenfions of remote, 
 invifible, and fpiritual Objedis entred the Minds of 
 Men. 
 
 Moft of the Opinions on this Subjeft, may be re- 
 duced to thefe three. 
 
 Firfi, That we come at this Knowledge by innate 
 Ideas i or having the Law and Rule of Life writ- 
 ten and engraven on our Hearts, in fuch plain vifi- 
 ble Charafters, that whoever looks into himfelf will 
 clearly difcern the great Principles and Duties of 
 Religion, and the feveral Obligations he thereby 
 lies under to Obedience : This the Lord Herbert, and 
 others have maintained. 
 
 Secondly, That Man by a due ufe of Reafon, and 
 contemplating the vifible Works of Creation and 
 Providence, may come at the Knowledge of God, 
 his Duty, &c. without any external Aid or In- 
 ftru6tion : which Opinion is defended, not only by 
 Deifts, but all thofe who teach a Religion and Law 
 of Nature, independent on, and attainable without 
 Revelation. 
 
 Thirdly, That the Knowledge of thefe fuperna- 
 tural Truths had no other Conveyance but that of 
 Revelation, or thofe Difcoveries which God has 
 made of his Nature and Will to Mankind, without 
 which they muft for ever have remained ignorant of 
 
 them. 
 
Revelatio?2y not from Keafon or Nature, 
 
 them. And that thofe Communications which God 
 made to Adam^ Noahy and the Patriarchs, were, by- 
 traditional Conveyance from one Generation to ano- 
 ther, the fole ground of divine Knowledge to the 
 heathen World ; and the Precepts thereof ftyled by 
 them. Right Reafon, the Natural, Common, and 
 Univerfal Law. 
 
 And this lafl Opinion feems to me mofl agreea- 
 ble to Scripture, Reafon, Hiftory, and Truth j and 
 what therefore I intend to explain and fupport ia 
 the following Treatife. But as I am fenfible it is a 
 Task of great Difficulty, and not hitherto profei^ 
 fedly treated of j as alfo liable to many Prejudices 
 from the Favourers of the fecond Hypothefis, at 
 prefent almofl univerfally eflablifhed : I fhall firft en- 
 deavour to remove fome Objedlions, which feem 
 moft naturally to lie againfl: it. 
 
 I. It may be faid, that it is introducing No- 
 velties into Religion, and thereby difturbing the 
 Peace of it. 
 
 II. That it is invalidating thole Arguments drawn 
 from Reafon and Nature, which have been urged 
 with fuch Succefs againft the Attacks of Scepticifm 
 and Infidelity. 
 
 III. That it is an Aflault upon the Chara6lers of 
 thofe many excellent Perfons, who have defended 
 Religion by Arguments deduced from the Religion 
 of Nature. . 
 
 IV. That it is depriving the Ancients of that 
 Praife, which through fo many Ages has been juftly 
 attributed to them, for thofe fublime Sentiments of 
 Virtue and refined Syftems of Morality they taught 
 the World. 
 
 From Imputations of the Firji kind it is natural 
 to feek for flielter under the Cover of fome great 
 Authorities; the Fathers, Councils, or the Judg- 
 ments of fome learned Men. I fhall content myfelf 
 at prefent with producing three or four Names 
 
 B JJ onlys 
 
4 ^he Knowledge of Dhine things from 
 
 only, but in weight equal to many. Thofe are GrO' 
 
 tins and Puffendorf abroad, Barrow and T'illotfon at 
 
 home. — The Firft, proving the Being of God from 
 
 Dc Veri- the Confent of all Nations, fays, " This can be 
 
 ut. &c. " from no other Caufe, than either a Declaration of 
 
 L.i.c. i.tc QqjJ himfelf, or a Tradition derived from the 
 
 " firft Parents of Mankind : If we admit the for- 
 
 *' mer, the thing in queftion is granted ; and if we 
 
 " affirm the latter, there can no good Reafon be 
 
 " given why we fliould believe thele Firft Parents 
 
 *' did deliver a Falfliood to their Pofterity, in a 
 
 " matter of the greateft moment.'* Puffendorf 
 
 Leg. Nat. fT^yg^ tt It is very probable that the chief Heads of 
 
 i'zo ^'^' ^'' Natural Law were exprefly deliver'd by God Al- 
 
 *' mighty to the firft Mortals, and were from them 
 
 *' communicated to others by Cuftom and Inftitu- 
 
 " tion." Dr. B arrow , among the feveral Proofs 
 
 for the Being of a God, urges this, " That it might, 
 
 f ol p " from fome common Fountain of Inftrudiion 
 
 116.. " (from one ancient Mafter, or one primitive Tra- 
 
 " dition) be conveyed, as from one common Head 
 
 " or Source, into many particular Conduits." And 
 
 the laft, fpeaking of the Unity of the Divine Na- 
 
 Y^j J ture, fays, " It is a Notion wherein the greateft and 
 
 Fol.* p". *' the wifeft Part of Mankind did always agree ; 
 
 568. " and therefore may reafonably be prefumed to be 
 
 " either natural, or to have fprung from fome ori- 
 
 " ginal Tradition delivered down to us from the 
 
 '' Firft Parents of Mankind." 
 
 So that in the opinion of Perfons eminent for 
 Judgment and Learning, thefe important Truths 
 might be conveyed by Tradition through fucceflive 
 Ages of the World ; and that according to the fe- 
 veral Degrees of Light Mankind received, they 
 would reafon concerning them with greater or Jels 
 Advantage : And confequently fuch Hypothefis may 
 be not only rational but probable, becoming the Di- 
 vine Attributes to have a<^ed by, confiftent with 
 
 all 
 
Renjelatlorty not from Reafofi or Nature. 
 
 all the known Laws of Reafon and Religion, and 
 the Caufe of Virtue be fo far from fuffering, that it 
 may receive many corroborative Proofs and Illuftra- 
 tions from it. 
 
 As to Chriflian Peace, the only Bond thereof is 
 the Unity of Faith ; and as Truth can be but one, 
 it is what all ought to fearch and pray for ; when 
 that is our fincere Aim, and carried on in a Spirit 
 of Meeknefs, the Endeavour, tho* unfuccefsful, will 
 not be condemned by the fober and judicious Part of 
 Mankind ; efpecially in an Enquiry, where there is 
 no breaking down the facred Inclofures, nor rooting 
 up ancient Foundations; but only a different Method 
 of inveftigating the fame thing, and intended to lead 
 us up to the lame Divine Original. The Laws of 
 Revelation and Nature, all Knowledge both in 
 Heaven and Earth, is from the fame Fountain of 
 Wifdom, the Father of Angels and Men, who al- 
 ways Ihines with a ftrong unchangeable Light : And 
 to afcribe the Informations we have of the Divine 
 Attributes and Will to his own immediate Mani- 
 feftations, cannot detrad from, but muft rather add 
 to the Characters of infinite Mercy, as well as 
 Glory. 
 
 All his Creatures are intended for Happinefs, and 
 muft have fufficient Means granted to attain it, which 
 if the Author of our Being has not done, by any 
 clear ImprefTion on our intellectual Faculty, nor gi- 
 ven us conftant and ordinary natural Abilities un- 
 erringly to do it : Then an immediate Revelation of 
 the Means and End muft be confonant to thofe Ideas 
 we neceflarily form of Infinite Goodnels, highly 
 agreeable to the Expectations and reafonable Defires 
 of his Creatures, and confequently fuitable, fit, and 
 proper to Divine Righteoufnefs and Wifdom, as 
 well as the Imperfections and the Wants of Men. 
 
 They who maintain the contrary muft fay, the 
 Jmpreflions on our Mind are fo ftrong, that no one, 
 
 B 3 without 
 
6 ^e Knowledge of Di'vine Things from 
 
 without fome natural Impediment, can be ignorant 
 or miftaken in his Duty ; whence this AbRirdity will 
 follow, that Man by Nature is more able to know 
 than he is to perform ; can make a Law, but not 
 fulfil it : Or that the Book of Creation is fo plain 
 and legible, as to diredl an ordinary Capacity, with 
 due Application, to Truth and Happinefs ; and un- 
 alTifted Reafon can inflrufb us in a Worfhip fuitable, 
 and well-pleafing to the Deity. Becaufe otherwife 
 Man would have an End, but not the Means, which 
 is contrary to all the Ideas we can conceive of God. 
 Both thefe Pofitions fhall be confidered ; and if it 
 appear, that Reafon never did furnifh Men with juft 
 Apprehenfions of Divine Things, nor exhibit a to- 
 lerable Body of Laws, as a Rule of Life, what 
 Mankind ought, or ought not to do ; we muft have 
 recourfe to fome fupernatural Means, for the obtain- 
 ing what Nature or Reafon could not afford them. 
 
 Another Argument in favour of this Hypothefis, 
 may be drawn from the Nature of Religion in ge- 
 neral, which confifts in juft Apprehenfions of the 
 true God, and the Performance of fuch Worfhip as 
 Bp. Wil- will procure his Favour and Acceptance. For the 
 km.- Being of God is the only Foundation of Morality 
 as well as Divinity ; and, according to the Appre- 
 henfions we have of his Excellencies and Perfeftions, 
 fuch will our Notions even of moral Duties be. For 
 the Obligation of all Religion, call it Natural, Mo- 
 ral, or Revealed, muft be deduced from theExiftence 
 of God ; and the Admirablenels of its Precepts, 
 from the Divine Nature and Perfedlions. Whence 
 it will undeniably follow, that whatever Syftem beft 
 inftruds us in the Being and Nature of God, his ef. 
 fential Attributes and Perfeftions, his Providence, 
 Works and Will, and eftablilhes them on the moft 
 folid Foundations, that is the furefl: Pillar of Mora- 
 lity as well as Faith, becaufe all their Duties, with 
 the Eternity, Necelfityj Fitnefs, and Relations of 
 
 thema 
 
Revelation, not from Reafin or Nature. j 
 
 them, muft be thence derived with a greater Truth 
 and Certainty. 
 
 But where has Reafbn given us any rational cohe- / 
 rent Syftem of the Divine Nature, his Self-Exift- \ 
 ence. Attributes, and Will, able to make Men good 
 here, or happy hereafter ? A Syftem in which there 
 is nothing inconfiftent with Truth or with itfelf, no 
 inextricable Difficulties and Abfurdities that fliock a 
 well-informed Mind, and overthrow that Being and 
 Providence it would eftablifh ? If Reafon has not 
 done diis, it could never teach a complete fteady 
 Rule of Moral Righteoufnefs. And becaufe it has 
 not done it, the ableft Defenders of Natural Reh- 
 gion are forc*d to make large Apologies for its many 
 Defeds and narrow Extent ; acknowledging that 
 Reafon is too glimmering a Light to make a full 
 Difcovery of facred Matters -, that it is a Guide, of 
 itfelf not able to direft or lead its Followers right, 
 but often plunges them fo deep in Error and Cor- 
 ruption, that they find an infuperable Difficulty to 
 extricate themfeives ; that it not only renders every 
 Step they take full of danger, but if they are not 
 very wary in ^o thick a Darknefs, moft certainly 
 proves deftruftive to them. Yet the fame Authors 
 allow, that whatever Senfe the Heathens had of God, 
 his Will, or their Duty, they had it from the Light 
 of Nature only j and to this are owing the manitold 
 Defeds of ancient Theology. 
 
 But is not this confeffing Reafon to be a blind 
 Guide, unable to dired us to Happinefs, and there- 
 fore it is Prudence to look out for another ? Is it not 
 to meafure the Moral Law of eternal Reditude, by 
 a broken, crooked, and unequal Rule, whilft we 
 have in our hands a plain unerring one, where- 
 by all the Doubts that confounded the Philolbphers, 
 vanifh and difappear, their Miftakes are correded, 
 and the abftrufe Notions which they could never re- 
 concile, plainly accounted for. And this done in 
 
 B 4 thac 
 
8 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 that ftrong convidive manner, as to fatisfy the 
 Mind, and engage our Belief to reft an eternal In- 
 tereft thereon. The Difficulty alio ftill remains, it 
 being impofTible to prove, the Heathens had the little 
 they knew of Divine Things from Reafon only j 
 it is what they abfolutely difavowcd •, nor ever ad- 
 mitted an Article ol Religion, but from a Perfua- 
 fion, that it was communicated to them by the Gods, 
 or the Sons of the Gods, who were beft able to give 
 an account of what related to themfelves, and it was 
 impious to difpute br deny what they declared. — 
 This is more than fome Chriftians will allow ; but 
 whether they will or not. Revelation has thefe two 
 Advantages ; that it is as capable of Proof as any other 
 Subjed, that is, as much as the Nature of the thing 
 will admit, and Reafon cannot demand more ; and 
 that when any thing is proved to be the Will of the 
 Supreme Being, Reafon is filenced, and Arguments 
 are at an end. It is the Awe of the latter, that 
 makes Infidelity cavil fo much at the former. 
 
 The Second Objection is, That this Hypo- 
 thefis invalidates thofe Arguments drawn from Rea- 
 fon and Nature, which have been urged with fuch 
 Succefs againfl Scepticifm and Infidelity. 
 
 To which I anfwer, That this is the very Subjedt 
 of Debate, whether fuch Arguments were drawn 
 from Reafon, or are not entirely owing to Revela- 
 tion : Therefore I fhall only obferve here, that the at- 
 tributing them to Revelation, does by no means ex- 
 clude all thofe Benefits of Reafon, which God and 
 Nature intended, or judge the Advantages thereof 
 iinnecefiary ; as to afcribe more to it, is neither ne- 
 cefTary nor rational. They are both the Gifts of the 
 Father of Lights, Rays of that all-glorious Sun, 
 who communicates his Beams of Brightnefs to every 
 Creature, according to its refpedbive Condition, and 
 ^he Nature of its Being : both intended to excel- 
 lent, but different Purpoies. The one lays the Foui^- 
 
 datioQ 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature', 
 
 dation of Obedience to the Deity, the other enforces 
 and defends it. Revelation exhibits the Principles 
 and Duties of Religion, and binds the Obligation 
 on our Souls, from the Confideration of God*s 
 Greatnefs, our own Immortality, and the Certainty 
 of a Future State, Motives which Reafon could not 
 fuggeft. Then Reafon, by its own ftrideft Rules 
 and Laws, can prove, that all thefe are highly a- 
 greeable to the Diftates of Nature, fit and becom- 
 ing all the Apprehenfions we can form of an eter- 
 nal infinite Bemg ; adapted to all the Ends of Pro- 
 vidence and Wifdom, bell calculated to our trued 
 Expe6tations and Willies of Happinels, whether 
 prefent or future, and that every thing in Religion 
 is amiable and perfective. This is the proper Em- 
 ployment of Reafon, and when ufed to tliefe Pur- 
 pofes, is of the greateft Seryice and Advantage to 
 Mankind. 
 
 But when it is made the Author and Foundation of 
 ReHgion, appealed to as an infallible Director and 
 Evidence, the Meafure and Judge of Truth both 
 Human and Divine, and nothing to be admitted 
 but what Ihe notifies and explains : This is pervert- 
 ing the Order of Things, and tranfgreffing thofe 
 Bounds which God and Nature have appointed to it. 
 For as the Supreme Being preferves and direfts all 
 his Works to the End for which he created them, 
 fo he does it by the wifeft Counfels and unalterable 
 Laws. There is a Line which no created Under- 
 Handing can pafs, and whatever Faculties are given 
 to a Being, muft necefTarily be confined within certain 
 Limits, and their Operations proportioned to their 
 ^ffential State, according to the Maxim in Philo- 
 fophy, that what is received is proportioned to the Ca- 
 pacity of the Suhje5i that receives it. The Angels 
 Nature is vaftly more intelleflual than ours, and yet 
 they veil their Faces, can neither know nor compre- 
 l>end the Glories of the Uncreated One. 
 
 Yet 
 
10 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Yet Men will not, in the Things of God, trufl: 
 to God's Authority ; they muft examine them by 
 Reafon, and try them by the Laws of Phiiofbphy^ 
 as the only Criterion to judge of Truth by: If they 
 don't anfwer this Scrutiny, if we cannot grafp the 
 Nature of them (tho* fuch as no human Sight can 
 pierce) or want Arguments ro eftablifh them, we 
 muft fufpend our Belief, or rejeft them. Whereas, 
 for Creatures of fuch confefled Ignorance, to pretend 
 themfelves able to difcover thefe Truths, is Arro- 
 gance ; to determine them by their own Reafon, is 
 profanenefs. In all fuch Cafes, we advance beyond 
 what is natural or lawful, and wantonly encroach 
 upon the Bounds of Immortality. 
 
 Reafon is in Man, what the lijbordinate minlfte- 
 rial Power is in well-regulated Governments, not to 
 enadl Laws, but fee fhe due Obfervance of them, 
 to prove their Excellency, explain the Ufes, and en- 
 force Obedience from the Rewards and Punilhments 
 infeparably annexed to them. But to rcfift the Au- 
 thority of the Supreme Power, difpute the Excel- 
 lency of Laws, or refufe Obedience to them, be- 
 caufe he was not the Enactor, or may not be able to 
 difcover the deep Counfels and Reafons on which 
 they are founded ; and put in an Appeal to an Infe- 
 rior Court of his own ereding, to try the Udlity or 
 Obligation of fuch Laws, is both Folly and Rebel- 
 lion. — Yet this Crime are they guilty of, who would 
 determine Divine Things by Reafon, Philofophy, 
 07 Natural Light. They appeal to an inferior, un- 
 commiflioned, and incompetent Judge, and can 
 never iliew their Right to fuch Claim, till they have 
 proved t\\t(t two Things ; That the Knowledge of 
 God can be limited, or the Mind of Man compre- 
 hend every thing. 
 
 Yet how far fuch Appeals have been carried of 
 late, let every one judge ; what Pains and Labour ta- 
 ken to reform Religion by Philofophy, (even to 
 
 make 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. il 
 
 make mathematical Calculations of the Degrees of 
 probability in the Principles of Religion) that if one 
 cannot be raifed to the Sublimity of the other, we 
 mull reduce Faith to the Standard of Reafon. In 
 the modern Language, Divinity and Natural Theolo- 
 gy pafs for equivalent Terms : The Light of Reafon 
 Hands for Faith and Revelation : Antiquity is repre- 
 fented, as in pofTefTion of all religious Truths, and 
 Chriftianity litde more, than a Republication of the 
 Law of Nature. Morality, eternal Fitneffes and 
 Relations of things are inculcated with great Vehe- 
 mence, whilft we feldom hear of Wifdorp, or Righ- 
 teoufnefs, or Sanftification, or Redemption. 
 
 And the Confequence has been, that Infidelity at 
 laft joined Iffue with them upon their own Princi- 
 ples, and from the ConcelTions they had made un- 
 dertook to fhew that Chriftianity was not neceflary, 
 and by this advantage obtained a Triumph over 
 them. For if Nature and Reafon can fo eafily dif- 
 cover the moft important Truths, it will follow, that 
 the chief Purpofes of Revelation are in a great mea- 
 fure ufelefs, if not altogether unneceflary, and their 
 own Arguments turned upon them, to root up the 
 Foundations of all Religion. The Enemies of the 
 Faith then aflerted boldly, that the Law of Nature, 
 or what the Light of Reafon didates, is the only 
 Law of Man. That it takes in every thing, that 
 is founded in the Reafon and Nature of things, and 
 therefore Revelation cannot be neceflary : That 
 God*s Will is fo clearly and fully manifefted in the 
 Book of Nature, that he who runs may read. And^^"^^f"*" 
 that he revealed his Will any way, befides the Light ^^^,° 2,* 
 of Nature, can only come under the head of Pro- 24. 
 bability : The Confequence of which they well know W. p.i6z, 
 muft be, that in proportion as Reafon is exalted, 
 and the Comprehenlion of human Minds enlarged 
 beyond their proper Limits, jufl; {o far will Re- 
 velation be depreciated and rendered ufekfs, till at 
 
 laa 
 
1 2 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 laft Reafon becomes abfolutely independent and 
 felf-fufficient. Thus a Zeal for Natural Theology- 
 had well nigh dellroyed all Religion, and Dr. Clarke 
 fell a facnfice to Tindal, by the very Weapons he 
 had put into his Hands. 
 
 Yet there is no Obfervation capable of fuller 
 Proof, than that Religion, through all Ages of 
 the Jewiili and Chriftian State, was more or left 
 pure according to the Alloy of Philofophy or hu- 
 man Reafon mix'd up with it. There was not an 
 Error or Herefy in the Primitive Church, that was 
 not imbibed from Plato's Academy, Zeno'^ Portico, 
 or fome vain Reafonings of the Pagan wife Men. 
 In latter Ages the Schoolmen rejedled Plato^ and 
 Tllenus exalted Ariftotk into the Chair of Chrifl", fays lilenus : 
 Syntagm. gfieemed him the God of Wifdom who could not 
 Difp."i6. ^^^- ■^"'^ ^^ Controverfy long fubfifted to which 
 Thef. 31. of them an Appeal lay for the Determination of 
 Truth •, fo that there was great Neceffity for the 
 Apoftle's Caution, Col. ii. 8. Beware left any Man 
 fpoil you^ through Philofophy and vain Deceit, after 
 the 'traditions of Men — which have always proved 
 highly injurious to the Purity of Religion, and the 
 great Objedls of Faith which are fupernaturally re- 
 vealed. Many fatal Inftances might be given of 
 this in Origen and others. It was the affected Title 
 of a Philofopher, and the fuperftitious Adoration 
 of Pythagoras and Plato, that made Julian an Apo- 
 ftate. This drove George Trapezuntius to the extra- 
 vagant Attempt of proving the Conformity between 
 the Dod:rine of Ariftotle and Scripture : And hur- 
 ried Hermolaus Barbarus, Patriarch of Aqiiileia, to 
 the deteflable Impiety of confulting the Devil for 
 the true Meaning of AriftotW^ 6-Pi{Ki-)^eia. And 
 Ramus for his Animadveriions on that Philofopher, 
 was affafiinated in Paris, his Corps dragged through 
 \.\\^ Streets, and whipped with Cords. So over- 
 heated have Ibme Mens Heads been, that they 
 
 looked 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 13 
 
 looked upon all as Infidels and Hereticks, who had 
 not the lame Veneration for the Philofophers, as 
 the Apoftles. In one Chriftian Country they have 
 taught that our Articles of Faith had been imper- 
 fe6t without Philofophy : And in another read 
 Ariflotk\ Ethicks on Sundays to the People inftead 
 of the Gofpels. Such is the vain Arrogance of hu- 
 man Reafon as to have puffed up fome in every 
 Age, to promile they would fliew us the Truth by 
 the mere Light of it, and maintain it as the only- 
 Rule of Faith. 
 
 On the contrary we may fafely affirm, that no 
 one ever looked for God and divine Truths by 
 Reafon only, but mifled both one and the other. 
 And furely we may in thefe Searches admire Rea- 
 fon, tho' we adore Revelation, and where we can- 
 not fix their exa6t Bounds, rather flop too foon in 
 our Determinations than too late ; not thinking of 
 our felves more highly than we ought to think. 
 For it is no Abafement of human Nature, to fay, 
 it is not Infallible, nor has all Truth under its View. 
 Man is furnifhed with every thing proper or ne- 
 ceffary to his Condition, and his Glory mufl be to 
 ad according to the Order and Perfedlion of his 
 Being ; but as he cannot exceed the Powers beflow- 
 ed on him, it is not Juflice but Preemption and 
 Error to afcribe Operations to him, which he never 
 could attain or fulfil — Man has a Law (as all other 
 Creatures of God have) which he is capable of 
 obeying, and it is highly unphilofophical, an arbi- 
 trary Affertion, to affirm he has performed Anions, 
 which no Principle, no effential Power, no Expe- 
 rience, has or can prove him capable of. 
 
 The ancient Times, in whatever Light we view 
 them, are a convincing Proof of this — The moft 
 exalted Capacities that foar'd as far as Reafon could 
 lead them without any fuperior Affiftance, always 
 found themfelves entangled in inextricable Difficul- 
 ties, 
 
1 4 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 ties, which not being able to folve, they pronounced 
 Incomprehenfible, and finding it impoflible to arrive 
 at clear Certainty or Knowledge, fell into the other 
 Extreme, and becaufe the Intelleft could not com- 
 prehend all Truth, concluded there was no Rule 
 or Meafure of it ; that becaufe all things are not 
 evident, nothing is. They fo far difcovered the 
 Weaknefs and Confufion of Reafon, that many af- 
 firmed there was no fuch thing as Science or Cer- 
 tainty, and that all our Wifdom never went beyond 
 Opinion and Probability. 
 
 This at Icaft may hint to us the unmeafurable 
 Diftance betwixt Man confined to the lowed Story 
 of the World, and that Light which dazzles the 
 Angels •, and that it is not fo eafy a matter to 
 pierce thoie Veils and Clouds which God has pla- 
 ced betv/een him and us, and difcover his Exiftence, 
 Nature, or Effence. It may teach us to diftruft fo 
 wavering a Light as that of Nature, and adhere 
 more clofely to the Revealed one, which will fup- 
 ply its Defedis, and leads us to Truths, which no 
 Laflant. philofophy ever did. " To find out Error, and 
 p. 73- 1 27" know a thing to be falfe, is Wifdom, but only 
 " human Wifdom ; beyond which no mortal Mind 
 Eufcb. " can reach." Bemocntiis was fo fenfible.of this, 
 Prsp.l.i4.that he affirmed, " He had rather difcover one true 
 c. 27. « Caufe of thmgs, than be Mafter of the Perjian 
 " Empire. " But to know the Truth is divine 
 Wifdom, which Man never can, nor was intend- 
 ed to attain, except he is taught by God. Hence 
 fo many falfe Religions of old, and they who con- 
 demned them, could not find out a better. This 
 was the utmoft Stretch of human Philofophy, to 
 difcover what was not true, but could not find out 
 or tell what was fo. 
 
 The Stoicks above all others were Boafters of 
 Wifdom, pretended to know all things and be de- 
 ceived in nothing. Yet Plutarch fays of them; 
 7 « That 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 15 
 
 «* That there neither had been, nor was a wifcRepug. 
 ** Man on the face of the Earth." Ccej^o derides ^^"^^ 
 their Pretence, and fays, " No Mortal ever attained In L^io, 
 ** what they call Wifdom." S^oid earn fapientiam 
 mterpretantur^ quam adhuc nemo mortalis eft confecu- 
 ills. He denies not, as fome did, the Truth of eve- 
 ry thing-, but affirms that Falihood is fo ciofely 
 joined with Truth, and fo hke it, that there can 
 be no fure Rule of judging or difcerning betwixt 
 them. He faw the Vanity of the publick Religi- 
 ons, but ftood in fufpenfe, not knowing what Path 
 to take : And in this Diftrefs of Mind uttered that 
 paffionate Wifh : " O I that I could difcover i^^'^anc. 
 *' Truth with the fame eafe that I can dete6l Falf- ^^' 
 *' hood." But this exce-eded his Strength, and thac 
 of every other Mortal. 
 
 The Third Objection is, that this Hypothefis 
 is an Affault upon thofe many excellent Perfbns, 
 who have defended Religion by Arguments drawn 
 from Natural Theology. 
 
 As to the many admirable Treatifes, wrote to 
 demonftrate the Exiftence and Attributes of the 
 Deity, with the great Duties of Religion thence to 
 be inferred, according to the different Relations 
 we ftand in to God, our Neighbour, or Ourfelves ; 
 they are worthy of all poffible Reverence and 
 Efteem, have been managed with the utmoil Strength 
 of Judgment and Perfpicuity of Reafon, ftrong and 
 conclulive Arguments, in a Method flridb and de- 
 monftrative, beyond what other Ages have produ- 
 ced. They are the Honour of the prefent, and 
 will ferve for the Inftrudion and Imitation of fu- 
 ture Times. But notwithftanding this, I can dare 
 to affirm that thefe Enquiries were carried on, thefe 
 Principles fo firmly eftablifhed, thefe Confequences 
 fo inconteftably demonftrated, not by the Strength 
 of Reafon or Light of Nature -, but by an af- 
 fiftance far fuperigr, the Light and Evidence of 
 
 Reve- 
 
1 6 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Revelation. It was under the Dire6lion of that un- 
 erring and eternal Truth, that clear and more in- 
 fallible Knowledge, than geometrical or metaphyfi- 
 cal Demonftration, that the exalted Reafon of thefe 
 excellent Perfons hath carried their Labours fo far 
 in the fervice of Religion —And if they had not had 
 the Gofpel in their Hands, they would have wrote 
 as loofely and incorreftly, as the Philofophers be- 
 fore them. Let them have Honour, but the Glory 
 of it be afcribed only to God. 
 
 If this be not the Caufe, let Ibme other be affign- 
 ed, why they write on divine Subjeds fo much 
 clearer and fuller, and more confiftendy than the 
 Ancients did ; or fliew, which of the wife Men did 
 it : For Nature and Reafon are ftill the fame ; the 
 intelledual Faculties were as ftrong then, as they 
 are now. But the Truth is, unafTilled Reafon was 
 not fufEcient for the Task, and the primeval Re- 
 velations were become fo obliterated and dark, that 
 they had little advantage from it, except retain- 
 ing the Names of Things. And Mankind look- 
 ing on it as a natural Right to argue for themfelves, 
 every one enquired after God in the fame manner 
 as they did after Natural Things, i. e. they fought 
 for him in their own Minds, and endeavoured by the 
 Athenag. Force of their own Wifdom to find him out ; but 
 p. 28. nQt- being able to do it, contented themfelves with 
 what feemed moft probable. And though every 
 one's Sentiment differed cflentially from another, yet 
 the Prejudice in favour of his own Underftanding, 
 made him zealous to maintain it ; fo there were as 
 many Opinions, or different Gods, taught and de- 
 fended, as there had been Philofophers in the 
 World. 
 
 Moft of them retained or picked up fome Truth, 
 
 but not being able to trace out the Caufes or Con- 
 
 Ladant. fequences of Things, or comprehend thp true End 
 
 p. 623, of Man, for which he was created (which not one 
 
 of 
 
Rcoelafiony not from Reafon or Nature. \j 
 
 of them ever did) could not produce proper Argu- 
 ments to fupport the very Truths, they were in po{^ 
 feffion of. And the Spirit ot Contradidion fo far 
 prevailed^ that when they v/ere in the Right, they 
 difputed themfelves out of it, and brought every 
 thing into Confufion. So that in Divine Thing?, Udant. 
 it is difficult, if not impoffible, to know what their '-SP-Soo* 
 real Thoughts were, or what it was they had a 
 mind to eltablifh. If men furmife, or guefs right, 
 yet have no certainty, it is Opinion, not Knowledge ; 
 they ftumble upon Truth, but do not find it \ nor 
 is it Truth to them, as not knowing, or being ca- Amob. 
 pable of proving it to be fb. p- 4^« 
 
 So that if Truth was in Philofophyj yet when di- 
 vided into fo many Seds, not one Point (except 
 Names) agreed on, there was Opinion, but no 
 Knowledge among them ; for Knowledge confifts La<^ant. 
 in Certainty, Opinion in what is doubtful. And^" 
 the only Conclufion to be drawn from fuch a varie- 
 ty of Teachers, Contradi<5lions, and Uncertainties, is 
 that none of them underfbood the Syitem of Virtue 
 or Religion fcientifically. In fuch a Diverfity then, 
 whom mufl we follow, or what believe .? Where 
 fhall Truth be placed ? If in one Sed, you deftroy 
 the reft 5 if in all, you deftroy Truth. For Truth 
 is but one, and always confiftentj the Philofo- 
 pher never confiftent with Truth or with himfelf. 
 Therefore fuch a party-coloured Scheme as they of- 
 fer'd muft be falfe, no fure Law or Rule of Life 
 to be extradled from it. For they had fome ex- 
 cellent Notions in the general, fuch as to purfue 
 Good, and avoid Evil : Yet the Difficulty lay in 
 applying them to particular Adions. They were 
 fenfible of this, and complained of it, as the Caufe 
 of all Evil to Mankind. T»to ^ l?l to airm toTj Epfflct. 
 
 av^pwTTOK 'oravTcov twv. Ha>tai)V, to Ta? wpoXn'-vLar -,^.1: . 
 ' f^ < ' /?' ^ '^ '? ~ , r, 'T Differt. 
 
 raj Koiva? /jtr) o'tuvaojccc i(5^a.D\j.o(^'i - tcu? stti juspsf. i^^. 
 
 They knew not what was Good or Evil, fo could 
 
 C not 
 
J The . Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 not apply the Rule to Pradice ; the Principle was 
 good, but the Conclufion generally Falfhood. And 
 what was Divine in Theory, became ufelefs in Life. 
 
 If it be -Dtherwife, and fupernatural Truths are fo 
 evident to the Light of Reafon, why did they not 
 with Eafe and Certainty arrive at the Knowledge 
 and Ufes of them ? Why not all agree in neceflary, 
 fit, congruous, eternal and unalterable Principles, fo 
 as to draw fure and fteady Confequences from them-, 
 without approving and condemning the fame thing, 
 in points of highelt importance, or confeffing them- 
 felves fo divided in Thought as not to know what 
 to determine? Which of the Philofophers, Plato^ 
 or Ariftotle^ or Cicero^ did this? Let him be named, 
 that we may know where to find this Body of 
 Ethicks, and complete Syflem of Moral Righte- 
 oufnels : One whofe Dodrines are fo confiftent, as 
 all of them to be juftifiable; for if any be allowed j 
 fo muft the whole, or the Man can be of no Au- 
 thority. For whoever is guilty of Con traditions, 
 or utters as much Falfliood as Truth (which is their 
 Cafe) deferves Credit on neither fide of the Queftion. 
 Becaufe there muft be an eternal Difpute in leparat- 
 ing things, what to admit, or rejed, fince the Ba- 
 lance is equal, and both have the fame Grounds for 
 AfTent \ and confequently neither Scale has power to 
 determine the Judgment. For if there had been 
 any fure Rule of coming at Truth in one Cafe, it. 
 muft alfo have directed in the other. If there was 
 not, a Propofition tho' true, was only Surmife, a 
 Leflbn learned by rote, not Certainty in him that 
 delivered it. 
 
 What Dependence then can there be on the An- 
 cients ? If we difagree, or are miftaken in natural 
 things, there is no harm ; to know them is little 
 Profit, to be ignorant of them little Difadvantage. 
 But in divine and moral ones, which are to dire(5t 
 us to our final Good, there is no room for Difagree- 
 
 ment 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 1 9 
 
 ment or Error ; Philofophy muft have but one Voice, 
 muft think and fpeak the fame thing, for here 
 Miftakes are fatal, and the End of Life deftroy'd. 
 To reft it therefore on the Confent or Pradice of 
 the Heathens, is to place it on the Winds and 
 Waves, which are not more uncertain than their 
 Faith or Morals were. Name any one Doftrine re- 
 lating to fpiritual Subjefts, and I will fliew an hun- 
 dred Contrarieties, an hundred incompatible No- 
 tions concerning it, among thefe fo much boailed 
 Ancients ; and amidft fo much Confufion, what can 
 be determined ? Our Idolatry exceeds theirs ; He- 
 roes were once deified for real Virtues, Philofophers 
 at prefent for imaginary ones, for what they abfo- 
 lutely difclaimed; and we muft not believe them, 
 left we hurt an Hypothefis that cannot be fupported. 
 without giving the Lye to what they affirm concern- 
 ing diemfelves. 
 
 Which of them does not conftantly lament the 
 Ignorance, Weaknefs, and Inability of Human 
 Nature for thefe Speculations ? I fhall have occafioxi 
 to produce them elfewhere, fo need mention but 
 one or two at prefent. Socrates, who ftands in the 
 foremoft rank, is full to this purpofe j The Vanity of 
 others in pretending to Wifdom, and the little 
 Truth or Solidity he found in the Learning of the 
 World, fully convinced him of what he fo often re- 
 peated -, That he knew but one thing with Certainty, 
 and that was his Ignorance of all things. Plato 
 over and over again reminds his Hearers, That in 
 thefe Subjeds they were not to expe6t Proof, but 
 only Probability for them. Arijiotle condemns Cic. Tufc. 
 his PredeceiTors as the moft fooiifli and vain-glorious Q^^- 3- 
 Perfons in the World, from a Conviftion of their ^' ^^* 
 Ignorance, and the Vanity of imagining that he 
 had carried PJiilofophy to the utmoft Perfeftion ic 
 was capable of. Though no one faid or believed Icfs 
 of divine Matters than he did. Jully, though fuch 
 
 C 2 an 
 
to ^^e Kitowkdge of Divine I'hings from 
 
 an Admirer of Philofophy, frequently complains 
 that among the Multitude of its Profelfors there ne- 
 ver had been one wife one That we are blind 
 
 in the Difcernment of Wifdom — That fome unac- 
 countable, we know not what Error, and miferable 
 Ignorance of the Truth, has got PofTeflion of us — - 
 Acad. Q^ which he accounts for in this manner. " That all 
 1. 4. n. 39. " Things are furrounded and concealed with fo 
 " thick a Darknefs, that no Strength of Mind can 
 Id. 1.4. tt penetrate them. — That Knowledge is hindered by 
 "■^' '* lb many Obilrudlions" — that the wifeft of the 
 Ancients did not without reafon diftruft their ever 
 Td. I. I. being able to find out what they defired — " That 
 n. 12. " this induced Socrates and all of them to confefe 
 " their Ignorance, and believe that nothing could 
 " be known, comprehended, or underftood: " 
 Not out of Obftinacy or Dogmaticalnefs, but from 
 the Narrownefs of their Senfes, the Weaknefs of 
 their Minds, the Shortnefs of Life, and Truth be- 
 ing hid as it were in a deep Well. Hence all things 
 were maintained from Opinion or Precept, not from 
 any fure Rule of Truth : For all things were invol- 
 ved in impenetrable Darknefs. 
 
 Who therefore would not diftruft fuch a Guide, 
 as Reafon or Nature, which the Heathens found fo 
 miferably blind and defeflive, and could receive no 
 Comfort or Satisfaction from ? Yet this was always 
 the Cafe. In things remote from Obfervation, and 
 lefs cognifable by the Senfes, Philofophy could ne- 
 ver go far, but being perpetually at a lofs, was for- 
 ced to give over the purfuit ; like one that knows 
 not the right Way, when he comes to a place where 
 the Road divides into different Paths, ftands in 
 fufpenfe, not daring to choofe any, and not able 
 to follow all. Such is the Condition of him who 
 has no certain Knowledge of the Truth, he wa- 
 vers in his Mind, changes his Opinion as often as 
 any fulpicious Objections come in his way, is in a 
 
 reftlefs 
 
Revehtion^ net from Reafon or Nature, 2 1 
 
 reftlefs Condition, and floating on Uncertainties. 
 This could proceed from nothing, but their Igno- 
 rance of Supernatural things, which furpaflfed the 
 Efforts of Human Underftanding, and what unat- 
 fifted Reafon could give them no Satisfaftion in. 
 They underftood not the general Propofitions, there- 
 fore could not pofTibly fee the Confequences which ne- 
 ceflarily flowed from them, and this made their Ar- 
 guments commonly to err fo wide from the Truth, 
 and be altogether inconclufive. 
 
 Of abfl:rad:ed invifible things they knew little, 
 and agreed lefs ; when they reafon'd on the Crea- 
 tion, and fxrfl: Principles out of which all things 
 were formed, they were fo divided, " That a Mind Cic.Acad. 
 *' of a divine Underfl:anding would be at a lofs, ^"l*^ 
 *' which Philofopher's Opinion to choofe," yet more ' 
 than one he could not, fuch were the Diflenfions 
 among thofe great Men : — " What feemed cer- Id. n," 40. 
 " tain to one, had fcarcely the appearance of Proba- 
 *' bility to another, fo equal are the Reafons even 
 " for contrary Opinions, that we can neither ima- 
 *' gine or knov/, whether this World was^ framed 
 " by divine Counfel, or not." — • When they ar- 
 gued on Providence, Zeno and the Stoicks tell 
 them, " That the iEther informed with a Mind, is I^i- J^- 4»« 
 " the greatefl: God, and governs all things j " Clean- 
 thes, his Difciple, " That the Sun ruled, and had 
 " the Diredlion ; " Thus by the differences of wife 
 Men, we know not what God to ferve, the ^Ether 
 or the Sun — " One will have us all Soul, and ano- Id. n. 45." 
 " ther all Body — Some placed moral Good and ^iog* 
 *' Evil in the Nature of Anions, and of Things ; ^*"^'' 
 *' others maintained that all Adlions were in their 
 «' Nature indiff'erent, and become Good or Evil 
 ** from Infl:itution only, as Law or Cufl:om had 
 " determined.'* — Every thing but Truth had its 
 Patron and Defender. Ask them the Reafon of this, 
 and they will tell you, " That each fupported his J^^^- Q*- 
 
 C3 «own^'4-"-^v 
 
- 22 The Kftowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 •" own Opinion, becaufe nothing better was of- 
 *' fered.** Or allowing that fome few (two or three 
 fays Dr. Clarke) by Travel, and Colledions from 
 foreign Schools, together with obferving the Works 
 oF Nature (the principal Subje6l of Philofophy) did 
 raife their Minds to jufter Contemplations of the 
 Deity •, yet their Notions of his Attributes and Will 
 were fo imperfcdl, that they could never frame fuch 
 a Conrexion of divine Truths and their Obliga- 
 tions, as to influence the Heart, reform the Man- 
 ners, or dire6t the Practice of themfelves or others. 
 
 Pythagoras on this account changed the Name of 
 wife [Vien into Lovers of Wifdom, as believing it 
 not to be attained by human Means. For if the 
 itudy of Philofophy, or Application, had been a 
 certain Path to it, it mufl: have been difcovered by 
 ibme of thofe exalted Spirits. But when through 
 fucceffive Ages fo many great and accurate Minds 
 were broke, and worn out in the Search of it, yet 
 all in vain : It fhews the wideft difference between 
 Philofophy and true Wifdom, and that its Pro- 
 fefibrs neither knew, what, or where the Truth was, 
 they fo ardently fought for, Cicero obferving this, 
 Tuic. Q^ jt niade him lay down the following Rule tor his 
 i-4-i^4- philofophical Enquiries: " That as Judgment was 
 " free, and every one at liberty to fupport his 
 " own Opinion, he would not tie himfelf down to 
 *' any Sed or School, but always adhere to that 
 " which was mod probable.'* — And yet what is 
 the Conclufion of all his Labours confecrated to the 
 Search of difinterefted Knowledge, beyond what 
 Jd. 1. I. any other uninfpired Perfon ever made ? " We only 
 " follow Probabilities, and are not able to go a 
 " Step further." 
 
 And whatever extraordinary things the Main- 
 tainers of the Law of Nature, in fupport of their 
 Arguments, have faid of the Ancients ; yet finding 
 them fo often at a lofs, perplexed, and entangled ; 
 
 in 
 
 n. 2. 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 1% 
 
 m their cooler Hours they fpeak of the Weaknefs 
 of Reafon (and of them) as the Philofophers did ; 
 and make fuch ConcefTions, as utterly invahdate its 
 Teftimony. I have a right to appeal to them, 
 which I Ihall frequently do, and thmk the Caufe 
 might be left to their Determination. 
 
 But from what has been faid, an Obfervation 
 arifes, which, being allowed on all hands, ought to 
 be carried through this Difpute, and that is, the 
 great difference between Reafon in a State of Nature, 
 or aflifted with very fmall Degrees of external 
 Light ; and Reafon guided by Revelation, or di- 
 rected by Grace \ both which have removed the 
 Doubts and Obfcurities of former Ages, plainly un- 
 folded the fublimeft Truths, the Exiftence and Ef- 
 fence of a Deity, the Means of Reconciliation, the 
 Immortality of the Soul, a future State of Rewards 
 and Punifhments, and declared in the plaineft man- 
 ner, the Will of the Supreme Being, as a Law and 
 Rule of Life to Men - — What was to one Opinion, 
 to the other is Evidence ; what the Eye of Reafon 
 could not difcover, that of Faith diftindly fees. 
 One argues from Doubts and Probabilities, the 
 other on firm eftablifhed Principles, between which 
 there can be no Proportion. And the former can 
 only come under this Confideration : Not what 
 Reafon is able to apprehend when propofed, nor 
 how far enlarge its Knowledge from the Advan- 
 tage of ampler Difcoveries, in diicerning the Evi- 
 dence of mzfriy Truths deducible from them, or Ar- 
 guments for their Confirmation : But only what 
 naked unaffifted Reafon could attain without any 
 other Light or Diredlion — On this footing only 
 the prefent Hypothefis is, or can be grounded j 
 and will (I doubt not) appear equally redounding 
 to the Honour of God, more confiftent with Scrip- 
 ture, Hiftory, Reafon, the Nature of Things, com- 
 
 C 4 mon 
 
24 *^^^ Knowledge of Divine things from 
 
 mon Obfervation, and liable to fewer Difficulties 
 than any other. 
 
 As to the Fourth Objection: This cannot 
 throw the lead Imputation on the wifer Heathens, 
 who by all Parties are allowed to have had a more 
 defedive L-ight, than what Jews did, or Chrifti- 
 ans do enjoy. To caft any Blemifh upon them 
 would be degrading human Nature, of which they 
 were aftonifliing and illuflrious Ornaments. They 
 feem to have a Dignity of Soul peculiar to them-, 
 felves, a Mind large and imperious, Thoughts man- 
 ly and noble, Searches after Truth quick and inde- 
 fatigable, Sentiments of Virtue in particular In- 
 ftances very fublimc, and carried human Wit and 
 Reafon to the utmofl: pitch it was capable of un- 
 der their Circumftances. They now Jive in their 
 Writing?, more than in their Marbles, muft be re- 
 verenc'd and efteem'd whilft Learning flourilhes in 
 the World, and will be Examples to all fucceeding 
 Generations. Their making fuch vaft Efforts is 
 truly admirable, and by what they have done, we 
 may judge what greater Things they would have 
 performed, had their Affiftances been equal to thole 
 of later Ages -, and to the want of them muft be 
 afcribed the many Errors and Imperfeftions they 
 inevitably fell into ; which to me feems the higheil 
 Encomium that can be given of them. 
 
 It is an amiable and noble Charadler to fay, they 
 did whatever was in their Power to benefit and in- 
 itrucl Mankind. As on the other hand, to fup- 
 •nofe them able to have given the World a com-r 
 plete Syftem of religious Virtue, yet did not, or would 
 not do it, is ftaining them with the blackeft Infa- 
 my and Reproach. Or to fay, a perfctfl Rule of 
 Life is difcovcrable by Reafon, yet no fuch Rule is to 
 be found in the colledlive Writings of all, much lels 
 ^,n any one of thofe uncommon Spirits (who, if ever 
 
 Meq 
 
Revelation, not fro jn "Reafon or Nature, 25 
 
 Men did, made a proper ufe of their lntel!e(5tuals, 
 by purfuing all the Means of Knowledge and In- 
 ftruftion) is to affirm and deny the fame thing, that 
 Nature can, and cannot do it ; for thefe Propofi- 
 tions, " No Man has been wife, and no Man can Ci'c. Nat.' 
 " be wife, are equivalent." And if it were a Task Deorum, 
 above their Capacities (as will be hereafter fully ma- 3-n- 32- 
 nifefted) it muft be fo to every Mortal, who has 
 no other Teacher j and there could be no fuch thing 
 as Natural Religion. 
 
 It is therefore an Ad: of Juftice we owe to Vir- 
 tue, to them, and to ourfelves, to examine their 
 Opinions, embrace what is good, reject the bad, 
 feparate the Ore from the Drofs, Truth from 
 Falfliood, admire their Merit without idolizing their 
 Authority, and praife their Virtues without fubfcrib- 
 ing to their Errors or Failings. Not to pay them 
 an implicit Faith, and worfhip them as Gods, with 
 Cicero : Plato, Deus ilk nojier. Nor choofe to err ^^ '^"'?^- 
 with a Mafter, rather than be in the right with^,"^'^ ^^^' 
 others : Errare tnalo cum Platone, quam cum ijlis TuVc. Q^, 
 vera /entire. Such was the Prejudice to Party rather 1. i.n. 17. 
 than to Truth ; or perhaps it is a Strength which 
 few Men can arrive at, to preferve the entire Pre- 
 rogative of Judgment, fo as never to be over-ruled 
 by falfe Reafon or incompetent Authority. Nay, 
 Plato, according to Ammonius, has given us a Rule 
 to judge by, in all fuch Cafes. " *i'^^''^^^J" is dear, j„ ^rlftot. 
 *' but Truth much dearer to us.'* And he puts Cacegor. * 
 into his Mafter*s Mouth the fame Advice to G'-P- 4- 
 mias and Cehes ; " Believe me only thus far as to 
 *' have a great Efteem for Truth, but very little q,^ '^' 
 *' for Socrates." Vv^e muft and ought to differ from 
 every one, fo far (and no further) as he differs from 
 Truth. This is the Privilege of Reafon, not to be 
 fettered down by the Opinions or Underftanding of 
 others ; and it is a real Greatnefs of Soul to pre- 
 ferve our Liberty entire, fo as to be able to aflert 
 
 the 
 
26 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 the one, and difcard the other, according to our 
 beft Light, and thejufleft Apprehenfions we have; 
 and in all philofophical Enquiries to proportion our 
 Affent to the different Degrees of Certitude, in 
 the Subjedl of Debate. 
 
 Flato indeed fpoke in a nobler Strain of the Dei- 
 ty, than any who went before him i yet delivers 
 numberlefs things inconfiftent with fuch a Being, 
 and talks, as the Poets and others did, of the On- 
 I gin. Nature, and Vices of the Gods. He has fome 
 inimitable Si^ntiments of Virtue, but at the fame 
 time defends many Principles produ6live of the 
 Vid. Ser- foulcft Errors. " No one had grander Ideas, or 
 rani Fiaef tc j-Qf^ higher in fublime Notions, nor did any fall 
 ini'jieb. n -j^j.^ more grievous and abominable Miftakes." 
 His ScholdiX Arijiotle is another Inftance of this ; a 
 Man of moft profound Judgment and Accuracy, called 
 the finifhing Stroke of Nature, the Meafure of hu- 
 man Underftanding, as knowing all that any Mor- 
 tal is capable of knowing : So that Averroes thought 
 Nature was not perfeft till he was born. Yet in 
 the Articles of greateft Importance, even concern- 
 ing God, he fpeaks contradicftory and inconfiftent 
 things: And fo perplexedly of the Souls Immor- 
 tality, that, inftead of clearing up Doubts, he rai- 
 fcd the utmoft Difficulties in the Minds of Men. 
 
 The fame may be faid of all the reft. If their 
 l*erfeftions were many, fo were their Faults \ their 
 Virtues were great, but fo were their Vices ; if 
 Rays of Light fhine forth in their Writings, it is 
 from the midft of a thick Darknefs •, and the Veins 
 of Gold which lie in them, are hid under a Mafs 
 of Fable and Error. When therefore we meet with 
 fome glittering Expreftions, and ftiining Sentences, 
 we need not be tranfported, and lay fo great a 
 Strels upon them, as if the whole of their Religion 
 was equally pure and orthodox. They are blend- 
 t^ with. Principles unworthy of a Deity and de- 
 
 ftru£live 
 
Revelalion, not from Reafoji or Nature. 27 
 
 ftruftive of Virtue ; and when examined will be 
 found to be loofe independent Periods, without any 
 Coherence to the Subject or one another. How 
 dazzhng foever they may be, their being mixed 
 with fo many falfe defedive Notions, mud con- 
 vince us, that their Opinions are but the Shadows 
 of Truth J and that no Rule of Duty can with fafe- 
 ty be extracted from them -, that Reafon was infuf- 
 ficient to Divine Knowledge, and therefore great 
 Caution fhould be ufed in torming our Judgments 
 from them. If the Heathens, from perceiving this 
 Imperfedion of Nature's Light, with freedom exa- 
 mined and condemned each other's Sentiments; to 
 deny the fame liberty to Chriftians would be an 
 unreafonable Impofition. Men of Parts and Lei- 
 fure may read the Philofophers as an ufeful Enter- 
 tainment of the Mind, and find many things truly 
 great and worthy their Admiration : But as a Rule 
 of Life, they are infinitely defeflive, and therefore 
 of no ule to the generality of Mankind, 
 
 Nor was this the Opinion of private Perfbns only, • 
 but of their wifefl and beft regulated States. When 
 they wanted diredion in religious Matters, they 
 did not imagine their own or the Philofbpher's Rea- 
 fon able to inftrud them, but that they were under 
 a neceffity of applying to the Gods for a Rule of 
 Devotion. Cicero inftances this of the Athenians^ 
 who fending to inquire of Apollo what Religion 
 they fhould profels and hold } The Oracle anfwered, 
 " That of their Forefathers." They again demand- 
 ed, fince the Religions of their Anceftors were va- 
 rious, which of them they fhould pitch upon } The 
 Oracle replied, " The befl." This fhews the Opi- 
 nion of the Heathens, that a Light fuperior to that 
 of Nature was wanted in divine Affairs ; The only 
 recourfe was to the Gods. And at the fame time 
 gives a View of the lamentable Ignorance they 
 were in concerning them, who had fuch Gods for 
 
 their 
 
iS The Knowledge ofDhine Things from 
 
 their CounfelJors, that could give no Defcription or 
 Charaders whereby true Rehgion was to be known, 
 but thofe of Tradition and Antiquity. The In- 
 tent of the Athenians was to embrace the beft, but 
 neither they nor the Pythian could tell what it was. 
 And it is amazing that Chriftians fhould refer 
 the Determination of any thing facred to a Na- 
 tion, where both Gods and Men fo avowedly con- 
 fefs their Ignorance, 
 
 I would from hence infer two Things ; Firfl, That 
 we ought not to reft implicitly on the Authority of 
 Philofophcrs j it being their peculiar Error, to be 
 Slaves to an Hypothecs, and never facriiice to 
 Truth: Nor judge of the Light of Nature by fen- 
 tentious Scraps pick'd out of them, but from com- 
 paring the whole of what they taught with Truth. 
 And Secondly, That if no better Light than that 
 of Reafon had been vouchfafed to Mankind, they 
 had ever been to feek in thefs Points of the higheft 
 Moment, what was the End of Man, and what 
 the fure Means of attaining it ; as the moft zealous 
 Defenders of Natural Religion allow — To which I 
 fhall add, that from the beginning of the World, 
 they would have remained in utter Ignorance of 
 God and all manner of Religion. 
 ' For Reafon cannot reach what is above it, without 
 fome afliftance befides its own. The Philofophers 
 knew more than others, but fell infinitely fhort of 
 Trufh. And their foaring fo high in feme things, then 
 immediately dropping into an Abyfs of Error and 
 Impiety, ought to humble human Reafon, and teach 
 us this at leaft, that the philofophical Light in its ut- 
 raoft Strength ftands in need of a Revealed one to 
 lupply its D^fefts \ which was the great Want and 
 Defideratum of the wifer Heathens — and at the fame 
 time makes us fufped, that in their loftieft Flights 
 they raifed themfelves on borrowed Pinions. For 
 ir. all Ages they wrecked their Brains to the ut^ 
 
 xnoft 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 29 
 
 moft about important Points in Divinity, yet were 
 forced to leave them undecided ; The Attempt was 
 at ImpoffibiJities, and Reafon ever found them out 
 of its Depth, and beyond its Limits. So that Duty, 
 Happinefs, and the true End of Man, were never 
 fixed or demonftrated by any one of them. 
 
 Nor let it be faid. The Accufation is carried too 
 far. Inquire of their profefled Admirers and Ad- 
 vocates, and they will tell us the fame thing : That 
 with the good Principles they had received, they 
 mixed the mofl ridiculous Trifles and Follies — Even P''^^- ^" 
 Serraniis can confefs it of his beloved Plato, who ^^^^* ^^* 
 from his almoft incredible Knowledge of fublime 
 Truths, God, the Soul, and a future Life, was call- 
 ed by Antiquity, the Homer and the God of Phi- A 
 lofophers : By Chriftians the wifeft, the beft, the 
 moft ufeful and holy, the moft venerable and di- 
 vine of all among them : Yet taught the moft pro- 
 digious Errors and abominable Vices. That he 
 wandered about the wide Sea of Knowledge, impa- 
 tient after Truth -, but having no certain Port to 
 ileer to, nor Pilot to dired: him, nor fufficient Light 
 from Heaven to make Obfervations by ; the Con- 
 fcioufnefs of his own Ignorance made him com- 
 plain that he was (xXuc/^wviJojusvor) tofled about like 
 the Waves, and acknowledge the want of a divine 
 Guide, and earneftly defire fjch afTiftance to arrive 
 at certain Truth— He was fenfible of the Depravity 
 of human Nature, that the utmoft force of Reafon 
 was weak and dull, opprefled by a grols earthly 
 Ignorance ; that the true and primitive Form of the 
 Mind, now polluted with innumerable Vices, could 
 not poffibly be difcerned. That great Diforders 
 were introduced into the Soul of Man, and that 
 we cannot judge thereof, by what we now perceive 
 of it, inclofed within the Body, and defiled with 
 many Evils. Like the Statue of the Sea-God G/^w-Repub.io. 
 cust we are ignorant of its former Beauty j fome P- 61 1. 
 
 Parts 
 
30 
 
 Pollticus, 
 p. 277. 
 
 Meno, 
 p. 71. 
 
 *The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Parts of it broke, others worn with the violence 
 of the Waves, ahnoft covered with Shells and 
 Weeds, and Stones growing over it, that it* retains 
 but little of its ancient Form — " That the Mind at 
 " prefent has but little folid Knowledge, knows 
 " things but as in a Dream, and in reality is igno- 
 " rant of every thing — And he was fo far from af- 
 *' cribing Perfedion to human Nature, that he af- 
 " firms he had never met with a Man who knew 
 *' what Virtue was.'* 
 
 But though the pure Light of original Wifdom 
 was, by Sin and the withdrawing of the divine Pre- 
 fence, exceedingly darkened in the Minds of Men, 
 yet was it not quite extinguifhed •, but by Convey- 
 ance of original Revelations, the Dire6lion of Pro- 
 vidence, and the conftant Praftice of religious Adls 
 in feme Parts of the World ; the >Lov:oJi mcian, com- 
 mon Notices of God, and his Worfhip, of Juftice, 
 and Society, were kept alive in the Hearts and 
 Confciences of Men •, by which means fome Appre- 
 henfions of a Deity and Worfiiip, however unbe- 
 coming, were retained in moft Nations of the Earth. 
 
 Thus in the midft of a Night of Ignorance, fome 
 Rays of Light Ihone forth, but the Darknefs com- 
 prehended them not. And when 'Thales, Plato, 
 and others fome Ages after imported into Greece 
 more noble Maxims and general Propofitions con- 
 cerning God, Virtue, Happinefs, and a future State ; 
 all that Philofophy could extrad from them., was 
 but mere Conjedure, the Inferences of little real 
 Ufe, and the Conclufions often intolerable — Inftead 
 of improving Faith, they difguifed it by their rea- 
 foning upon it, and mixing it up with their own 
 Fancies and Superftitions. Though the Principles 
 were good, yet the Arguments proved bad, from 
 their being entirely ignorant of the Manner and 
 Reafons of them. They had the Names, but not 
 the Senfe or Explanation; fo that their Words 
 7 often 
 
Revelatioriy not from Reafon or Nature. 3 1 
 
 often exprefled and fignified more, than they did 
 or could conceive in their Minds — This was the 
 Occafion of their Inconfiftency, neither the Terms, 
 or Connexion of them being underftood, made the 
 Deduftions irregular or monftrous -, and from the 
 Corruption of Truth did fo much Error abound in 
 the World. This made Plato^ who at fome times 
 difcourfes moft fidy of the Divine Nature, fo con- 
 ftantly lofe the Path he had entred on, and wan- 
 der back to his former State of Darknefs. Truths 
 to them, were like Lightning in a tempeftuous 
 Night to a loft Traveller, which dazzles for a Mo- 
 ment, but proves of no real fervice to diredl him. 
 Even Plato^ I fay, who was vaftly fuperior to all that 
 went before him in the Knowledge of divine Things, 
 and had learned enough to difcern the Vanity of 
 many prevailing Superftitions, could by the help of 
 Nature or Philofophy go no further. But amidil inTimso. 
 the Perfedlions he had conceived of the Deity, re- 
 commends the Worfhip of falfe Gods, and the fame ^ 
 Sacrifices as the People ofFer'd to their IdoJs. When 
 one would think him on the very brink of Truth, 
 he on a fudden turns back to all the Madnefs and 
 Folly of his Country. 
 
 Now if we try all Methods of accounting for 
 this, we fhall find none rational, or confiftent with 
 the Charader and Dignity of this great Man, fo im- 
 patient after Knowledge,who had treafured up fuch 
 noble Principles, and yet was able to make fo little 
 ufe of them j but that Theology was not a Sci- \ 
 ence ; they underftood not the Nature or Impor- 
 tance of it i neither what its Terms fignified, nor 
 what Confequences ought naturally to have been 
 made from them -, which they muft necefTarily have 
 done, if what they delivered of facred Matters had 
 been of their own Invention. I am aware of what 
 is always faid in Anfwer to this ; that the Fear of 
 Socrates^ Prifon was the Caufe of Plato and others 
 
 conceal- 
 
32 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 concealing their real Sentiments. But this is a Re- 
 fuge To bale and abjedl, as to render Philofophy and 
 its Teachers contemptible both to God and Man. 
 For if this Apology be true, it will follow, Firfl, 
 That we can never tell what their real Sentiments 
 were, and therefore they cannot be appealed to upon 
 any Occafion. Secondly, That they did not fuppole 
 there were any Obligations in Religion, fince it was 
 not attended with Hopes or Fear, Reverence or Obe- 
 dience J for if it had, among theThoufands who eve- 
 ry day ruflied upon Death, for the fake of their 
 Country, more than one muft have been found, 
 who dared to have facrificed themfelves for the fake 
 of Truth. This evidently appears on the preach- 
 ing the Gofpel, when the Convert Heathens no 
 fooner faw the Dependence of Religion on the Will of 
 the true God, but every one was a Socrates^ ready 
 to undergo Martyrdom for it. This Method there- 
 fore of accounting for the Defeats in Philofophy, 
 is falfe or unworthy. But it is an Apology be- 
 coming the Dignity of Plato ; it is a true one, to 
 fay, " That Grecian Wildom was the Spoil of 
 *t Egyptian and Oriental Schools, where ancient 
 *' Truths had been miferably mangled and defa- 
 «' ced, and the Light of natural Reafon was too 
 «« weak, to reftore them to their original Holi- 
 *' nefs and Purity." 
 
 The fime Obfervation will hold univerfally true, 
 even of Cicero, the greateft of them ; who in fo 
 many Places, efpecially his juftly admired Dream 
 of ScipiOy wherein he foars with that Majefty, teaches 
 us to defpife the World, propofes fuch glorious Re- 
 wards to Virtue, touches the Paflions with that 
 Delicacy, that they accompany him to the Stars 
 with a ravifhing Pleafure, feem to hear the Har- 
 mony he defcribes above, and the Mind almoll be- 
 lieves he is fhewing the way to a real Immorta- 
 lity, Yet Reafon is loft in the Clouds, his Wings 
 
 fiil 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 33 
 
 fail him, and he drops fafter dian he rofe before ; 
 j his mighty Genius could add nothing to what every 
 Pagan knew^ talks of the Deification oi R.omiiluSy the 
 Eternity of the Soul; from the old but falfe Argument 
 of its being the Principle of Motion, and a Self- 
 mover, and inftead of the Certainty of a future 
 State concludes with the ftale Fytbagorean Dodrine 
 jpf Tranfmigration. Thus Flato in \\\'i>'Tim(eus wan- 
 ders into all the Errors that the Philofophers or 
 Poets had done. 
 
 We fay not, there are no divine Truths among / 
 their Writings, but none fcientifically underftood/ 
 or proved. That the Philofophers fpake '^j^^ as 
 learned Men, v/ere Improvers of every Art and 
 Science, except Divinity, in human Studies carried 
 the Mind to its utmoft Pitch, and in their Obferva- 
 tionsand Inferences from natural Things even feem- 
 cd to furpafs it. But in facred Ones were ever at a 
 lofs, " They could not exceed the Powers of Nature^ 
 " nor fpeak Truth on thofe Subjeds, having never Ladant. 
 " learned it of him who could alone inftrud 1- 3- P- 
 *' them ; nor ever came fo near it, as when they ^'^' 
 *' confefled their Ignorance of it.*' Which may 
 teach us, that our only fure Retreat is to a fuperna- 
 tural Light, and to have no Confidence in vain 
 Philolbphy, left it deceive us to the Prejudice of 
 Religion : A Caution which the early Chnftians al- 
 ways ufed. St. Jerom does not ftick to fay, Et cum Epift ad 
 fuis Jiullus Plalo difcipulis -, Arijfoteli fiia argmienia Hehodo- 
 mn proderunt. And he imputes the Rife of all Herefy ^'^'"' 
 to Plato and the Platonijis. And Origen^ That ifCont. 
 one may dare to fpeak the Truth, the reading of ^'^1^- '• ^• 
 Plato*s elegant Works profited but very few, if it^" ^75- 
 profited at all — And what Poifon lurks, how many 
 Snares lie under the fpccious Words of Science filfly 
 ib called, appears from this Confeffion of Ficinus: 
 That . had it not been for the care of a learned 
 Friend, thefe his beloved Studies had led him into 
 
 . D the 
 
34 ^^^^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 the mod pernicious fundamental Errors. We muft 
 beware then, that an Admiration of their Opini- 
 ons beget not a Slavery to them. No aLro^ s:pa, 
 no Authority but that which is Divine, can be the 
 Meafure or Standard of Truth. The beft ot Phi- 
 Jofophers, though he indulged him.felf in it, con- 
 Cic. Nat. demned it in others — Apud quos tantum ■pr^judkata 
 ^' opinio poterat^ ut fine Ratione valeret Auteritas. 
 
 This may alfo fhew us the vain Pretenfions of mo- 
 dern Philofophy, that from the Clearnefs and Con- 
 nexion of ideas, Man may learn his Duty. Where- 
 as the greateft Heathens, notwithftanding their Sa- 
 gacity and Attention, had not clear Ideas of firft 
 Principles, nor faw the Connexion of one Duty up- 
 on them. As alfo of fuch other modern Dodrines: 
 ChriHia- " That they who never heard of any external Re- 
 "iTS " velation, yet if they knew from the Nature of 
 p 223. " Things,- what is fit for them do, they know all 
 " that God will, or can require of them.'*— Since 
 it appears that all thefc things were above the 
 Strength of human Minds; they neither underftood 
 the Nature of things, nor could afTign one Reafon 
 for them, nor faw what was fit to be done, nor 
 that it was the Will of God, nor their Obligation to 
 praftife it — And if they did not, it is Religion, not 
 Reafon, which teaches thefe Truths. 
 
 .What I fay is confirmed by the Judgment of 
 moft illuftrious Men, at home and abroad. Among 
 the latter, one of vaft Erudition (the famous Mon- 
 ficur Perrot) has thefe Words. " No one but a 
 " Novice in Philofophy, will think that all man- 
 •' ner of Queftions may be refolved by it i they 
 " who go further in the Knowledge of things, meet 
 " with greater Difficulties ; two contrary Opinions 
 •' are often equally probable ; and if they embrace 
 *' one of them, it is rather out of Inclination than 
 *^ Reafon. Man cannot judge certainly of any 
 " thing whatfoever, his Reafon deceives him as 
 
 well 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 35 
 
 « well as his Scnfesi we live among Errors and 
 « Doubts, and have no certain Truths here be- 
 «« low but thofe which God has revealed. Take a 
 •• fieht of all the Schools of Philofophy, confider 
 « what they do, and teach there : You will find 
 «' Prefumption in fome, Obftinacy in others, .^gno- 
 « ranee Error and Weaknefs in them all"— Since . 
 « then Reafon is fo weak, that the lead Difficulties 
 « puzzle it, is deceived and miftaken at every turn, 
 « let us be fure not to truft fo blind a Guide, nor 
 .«' g-round our Belief on fo weak a Foundation-- 
 « Not rely upon our Arguments, but upon him who 
 « made Heaven and Earth — Let us always remem- 
 " ber that we muft believe in God and not our- 
 «« felves and if we ufe our Reafon in what con- 
 ••« cerns divine Things, we only imitate the Cy nick, 
 « who not contented with the Light of the Sun, 
 ^ took a Candle at Noon-day to fearch for a good 
 «.« Man " To which his Commentator adds, " Tnat 
 «' a Perfuafion grounded upon the Light of Na- 
 , " ture, ought to be confidered in a Chriftian as 
 [ ^ Eloquence in a Philofopher, or Agreeablencfs in 
 ' « Hiftory, they are no eflential Parts, tne want ot 
 « them can be no Prejudice, though to enjoy them 
 ,« be no Difadvantage — But the Uncertainty of 
 «* Reafon and the Certainty of divine Faith mult 
 « difpofc us to be always ready to lofe Sight ot 
 « Philofophy, when it cannot be extended to the 
 « Doftrines that are above its reach, and beyond 
 « the Capacity of our Reafon." , , • • r 
 
 Mr Locke, who fo thoroughly faw the Limits ot 
 human Underftanding, and far from being preju- 
 diced in favour of this Hypothefis, could not help 
 remarkino- • « Whatever was the Caule, 'tis plain 
 « in Fa6h human Reafon unaffifted, fliiled Men in 
 " its great and proper Bufinefs of Morality. It 
 «' never, from unqueftionable Principles by ^their 
 «' D-dua:ions, made out an entire Body ox the 
 
 D 2 *' Law 
 
VOi. 2. 
 
 36 'The Knowledge of Divine 'Things from 
 
 " Law of Nature. And he that fhall colled all the 
 *' moral Rules of the Philofophers, and compare 
 *' them with thofe contained in the New Tcflament, 
 " will find them to come fhort of the Morality de- 
 " livered by our Saviour, and taught by his Apo- 
 " ftles •, a College made up for the moft part of 
 " ignorant but infpired Fifhermen." 
 
 To which I fhall add the Teftimony of that moil: 
 learned Philofopher and able Defender of Natural 
 ChrkeV; Religion, Dr. C/«/'/^^ ; " That notwithftanding the 
 ^erm. ^ original Fitnefs of Mens natural Faculties and 
 *' Capacities, to fearch after and apprehend God, 
 *' yet in fa<5t Men, without the AfTiftance of Reve- 
 *' lation, did not attain to a right Knowledge of 
 *' him in any confiderable Degree. — Of the Philofo- 
 " phers themfelves who fhould have correded the 
 " Errors of the vulgar, fome argued themfelves out 
 " of the Belief of the very Being of God, fomc 
 " by afcribing all things to Chance, others to ab- 
 " foiUte Fatality, equally fubverted all true Noti- 
 " ens of Religion, and made the Do(5lrine of the 
 " Refurreftion of the Dead, and of a future Judg- 
 " menr, needlcfs and impoflible. Moft of them 
 " allowed and encouraged the Worfhip of fuch falfe 
 *' Gods, as the Poets had firft feign'd like the moft 
 " wicked Men — Some profefted open Immorahty — 
 ** Others by fubtile Diftinclions patronized particu- 
 " lar Vices to which themfelves were moft addid:- 
 " ed — The better fort of them, who were the moft 
 " celebrated, and with the greatcft Realbn dif- 
 " courfed, yet with much Uncertainty and D3ubt- 
 *' fulnefs, concerning things of the higheft Impor- 
 " tance, the Providence of God in governing the 
 " "World, the Immortality of the Soul, and a fu- 
 " ture Judgment. And excepting two or three 
 '* very eminent Perfons, who appeared fingly in fo 
 " many different Ages of the World, as Lights 
 " raifed up by Providence, to ftiine in a djirk Place : 
 
 ** Excepting 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature. 37 
 
 " Excepting thefe, I fay, the generality of the Phi- 
 *' lofophers Difputes, even upon thefe moil inipor- 
 " tant Subje6ls, were managed in a way of Pride 
 *' and vain Giory, SubtiJty and Strife, ending iw 
 ** nothing but Words and empty Contention ; and 
 *' having httle or no Influence and Authority, to 
 ** amend and reform the Manners of a degenerate 
 " and corrupt World." 
 
 Is it poffible to give a more defponding rxcount 
 of the Light of Nature, than this ? That notwith- 
 ftanding the Fitnefs of Mens Capacities to fearch 
 after and apprehend God ; yet, in fad, without Re- 
 velation, they did attain no competent Knowledge 
 of him. That all the Teachers of Mankind, who 
 had no other Light to follow, were immoral Ido- 
 laters or Atheifts, except two or three, and they 
 raifed up by the fpecial Appointment of Provi- 
 dence. Muft not Nature be a miferable Inftrudor, 
 that, in fo many Ages, fuch diflant Parts of the 
 World, fo many Schools of Learning, with fuch 
 indefatigable Pains as were taken, could produce but 
 two or three, out of Millions of rational Creatures, 
 to have any tolerable Apprehenfions of the divine 
 Nature, their firil Caufe, and lall: End ^ And yet 
 thefe two or three, were fo fir from having any 
 clear Ideas of a Supreme Being, or a V/orfliip due 
 to him, that many of their Notions were incompa- 
 tible, and contradi6lcry to all the Perfeftions we 
 can conceive of him. 
 
 How then can Reafon be the Origin of Religion, 
 fmce it has neither Confent, nor Practice, nor a di- 
 red Knowledge of any one Truth ? Yet all ithcfe 
 Difficulties are removed, by allov/ing that divine 
 Things were originally taught by Revelation, the 
 Notices whereof palTing by Oral Tradition only, in 
 procefs of time became fo altered and obfcured, 
 that Mankind had loft the true Appi-ehenhons of 
 Things, and could not recover the clear Knowledge 
 
 D 3 of 
 
38 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 of them without a fupernatural Afliftance. And 
 that this cccafioned thofe lame impcrfedl Accounts 
 oi' God and Providence, the Souls ImmortaHty 
 and a future Scate : And was the Reafon, that the 
 World for two thoufand Years could not exhibit a 
 tolerable Syftem of Rehgion, draw up any regular 
 Tabic of Commands and Prohibitions, or adjuft the 
 Limits of moral Good and Evil. 
 
 To what has been already faid concerning the 
 PhiloJbphers, 1 lliall add two Obfervations, as re- 
 lating to the prefent Inquiry. 
 
 Firft, That their Teftimony may be allowed as 
 amply in favour of this Hypothefis as of any other. 
 
 Secondly, That none can with Juftice be appeal- 
 ed to, who lived after the Revelation of the GofpcL 
 And for the following Reafons. 
 
 Becaufe Chriftianity made fuch an amazing Pro- 
 grefs in the World; that as Pliny in a Letter to 
 Trajan fays, it had reached not only the Cities, but 
 the Villages and the Country, and that great Num- 
 bers of all Ages, SfK&^^ and Conditions had em- 
 Apol.c.36. braced it — As Tertullian afterwards boafted -, " We 
 *' have filled Vv'ith our Company all Places except 
 *' your Temples.'* And becaufe the learned Hca- 
 • thens having an inquifitive Curiofity after all new 
 things, J£ls xvii, 21. could not fail to inform them- 
 felves exa<5l:ly of its Do6lrines j from whence -they 
 received many and great Advantages, in adding a 
 large Stock of new Truths to their former Attain- 
 ments, in removing Difficulties which till then had 
 been unfurmoun table, fpiritualizing grofs and car- 
 nal Opinions, reconciling fecming Contrarieties till 
 then never underflood, clearing up obfcure Fables 
 and Traditions, and above all by engrafting fubli- 
 mer Notions into their ancient Theology. All this 
 they did very induftrioufly, at the fime time endea- 
 vouring by all pofllble means to diiguife and con- 
 ceal whence they borrowed them, that fuch Acqui- 
 
 fitions 
 
Rfivelation^ not from Keafon or Nature, 39 
 
 i fitions might pds upon the World for their own. 
 And as the later Platonifts above all others, were 
 engaged in this Undertaking, they can never be 
 appealed to as proper Witneiies, in behalf of natu- 
 ral Reiigion, having fo much altered what their 
 l^'atiicrs profefled, and made a thorough Reforma- 
 tion in Piiilofophy, by mixing fo much of Chrifti- 
 anity with it. 
 
 That they did (ludy the Scriptures with great di- 
 ligence, is evident froin the many Inftances in Ec- 
 cleriaitical Hiftory, of thofe who in fpite of their 
 beloved Philofbphy, and againft all the Prejudices 
 Men generally conceive for the Opinions they have 
 been educated in, after long and mature Delibera- 
 tion, being convinced of the fiiperior Wifdom and 
 Divinity of the Gofpel, became its fincere Difciples 
 and able Defenders. For nof the Multitude only, 
 but Perfons eminent in Station, diftinguilli*d for 
 Genius and Learning, Orators, Grammarians, Law- 
 yers, Phyficians, Philofophers, fuch as were skilled 
 in all the Literature and Wifdom of the World, the 
 moft judicious and inquifitive of Mankind, Men of 
 no eafy Faith, (as Trypho derided Jujiin) but con- 
 vinced by the Evidence of Truth, were added daily 
 jto the Church : Nor did they, till after a long and 
 diligent Inquiry, give up their former Perfualions, 
 and renounce a Catholick Religion eftabliihed fo 
 many Ages, and in whofe favour they were ftrongly 
 prejudiced. 
 
 In the earlieft days, the Proconful Sergius and 
 Diomjtus the Areofagite were of this Number. But 
 to omit many Inftances, I fhall only mention Jujiin 
 Martyr^ whofe account of himfelf (in the Dia- 
 logue with ^rypho) is very remarkable, and a moft 
 lively Reprefentation of the Third the Heathens 
 had for Knowledge, together with the little Satif- 
 fa<5tion they received from it. And his Relation 
 may deferve Credit, fince Antiquity mentions him 
 
 D 4 ^^ 
 
40 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 as one little behind the Apoftles either in Time or 
 Virtue. In him we fee the true Philoibpher, impatient 
 after Wifdom, laborioufly coUedting all the Learn- 
 ing of the Gentile World, yet unfatisfied in his moll 
 fehous Inquiries after Truth. He tirft betook him- 
 felf to the Stoicks, where finding no Solution to 
 his Doubts, he went to a Peripatetick, but foon 
 concluded that Truth did not dwell with him. 
 Thence to a Pythagorean, who requiring the Pre- 
 paratory Knov/jcdge of Mufick, Aftronomy, Geo- 
 metry, (^c. he deferted him, and gave himfelf up 
 to the Inilitution of an eminent Platonift, with 
 whofe- Intelleclual Faculties he was greatly taken, 
 ' and refolved for forge time to abandon himfelf to 
 Solitude and Contemplation. He ranfack*d all the 
 Wifdom of the World, in fearch of God and Hap- 
 pinefs, tired out, yet found no Peace or Comfort, 
 every Step added to his Anxiety and Defpair, but 
 brought no Relief to his Mind. Tilj in his Soli- 
 tude he met a venerable old Man, who fell into 
 Difcourfe with him on the Excellency of Philofo- 
 phy in general, and Platonifm in particular, and 
 foon convinced him of the Error of thofe, whom he 
 depended upon as the Bulwarks of Learning, and 
 thought nothing could efcape their Penetration. It 
 concerns me not, fays the blefled Guide, what Plato, 
 Pythagoras, or others maintained i he pafles them 
 by, and inftrudts him in the Nature of God, the 
 Soul, and its certain way to attain everlaiting Fe- 
 licity. He then directs him to the Prophets, and 
 the Scriptures, where true Wifdom only can be 
 learned, and here the Difciple found reft to his 
 Soul. I found this at laft, fays he, to be the only 
 P. 125. fure and profitable Philofophy. He immediately 
 divefts himfelf of all the human Learning he had 
 colleded from the different Schools, and even from 
 his beloved Plato; adores his infallible Mafter and 
 his Dodrine, and from the Force of heavenly 
 
 Truth, 
 
Revelation y not from Reafon or Nature, 41 
 
 Truth, learned what no Philofophy could teach any 
 of its Profeflbrs, to defpife the Sentence and the 
 Fate of Socrates, and become a Martyr for it. 
 They both fell by Poifon, but with vaftly different 
 Circumftances, one in Doubts, Uncertainty, and 
 Ignorance, the other with full Hopes and AlTurance 
 of a bleffed Immortality. Such were alio Tertul- 
 lian, Miniicius, Cyprian, Arnobius, &c. all Profef- 
 fors of Science among the Heathens, but by exa- 
 mining the Principles of the Gofpel became its 
 Proielytes and Advocates. And we may fafely 
 judge, the other learned Heathens, from being well 
 acquainted with the Scriptures, though they did 
 not become Converts, could not fail of making 
 great advantage by it. 
 
 This Plagiarifm the Convert Heathens exprefly 
 charge them with— " That as the Ancients had ^"^'^^^^ 
 "borrowed from thej Prophets, fo did the Mo-§^°'/' 
 *« derns from the Gofpels. " And Ter tullian , A^ol. c 
 « Which of your Poets, which of your Sophifters 47- 
 " have not drank from the Fountains of the Pro- 
 ** phets ? It is from thelc facred Sources likewife, 
 " that your Philofophers have refrefhed their thirfty 
 " Spirits; and if they found any thing in the holy 
 '* Scriptures, which might hit their Fancies, orfcrvc 
 " their Hypothefis, they took and turned it to a 
 <' Compliance with their own Curiofity, not confider- 
 " ing thefc Writings to be facred and unalterable, 
 " nor underftanding their Senfe. Every one inferring 
 " and reforming as his Fancy led him. Nor do I 
 " wonder the philofophick Wits play fuch foul 
 *' Pranks with the Old Teftamenr, when I find fome 
 " of the fame Generation among ourfelves, who have 
 " made as bold with the New, and compofed a dead- 
 *' ly Mixture of Gofpel and Opinion, as philofophi- 
 " fing Vanity led them."— So again, he taxes them^g ^„j. 
 with mixing their own Corruptions with the Truths mac. 2. 
 they borrowed from the Scriptures, turning them 
 
 ' quite 
 
i^2 The Knowledge of Divine Tilings from 
 
 quite another way, and making that iitde Truth a 
 Plea for the reft of their Errors. 
 
 It was from a Converfe with Chriflians, that Epic- 
 tetus learned to reform the Dodlrine, and abate the 
 Pride of the Stoical School. Philcjiratus wrote of 
 Apollonius to equal his Miracles with thofe of our 
 Saviour i as Eunapius did thofe of the Sophifts in 
 oppofition to the Primitive Chriftians. So Celfus 
 and Porphyry ftudied the Scriptures on purpofe to 
 contradid: them. 
 
 But hence proceeded another great Alteration in 
 the Schools of Philofophy. The World had been 
 overrun with Difputes, Con traditions, and finding 
 Faults with each other. There was no fuch thing 
 as a Catholick Philofophy or Religion, but every 
 one having a natural Right to reafon for themfelves, 
 pertinacioufly adhered to, and defended their own 
 Opinion. The Generality of Mankind, however, 
 were divided between the Schools of Plato and Ari' 
 fiotky and the Chriftians never failed to reproach 
 them with the Difagreement and Contrariety be- 
 twixt them : That both could not be in Pofleflion 
 of Truth, and probably neither. That in Philofo- 
 phy every thing was obfcure, dark, and inconfif- 
 tent i in Chriftianity every thing clear, rational, 
 and iatisfadtory : To which may be added another 
 Argument, that its ProfelTors lived above the moft 
 exalted Notions the World ever had conceived of 
 / Virtue. 
 
 They feeing this Objection, in the prefent Cir- 
 cumftances ot Philofophy, to be unanfwerable, im- 
 mediately endeavoured to make it more uniform, 
 enrich it with the Additions of more excellent 
 Truths, and reconcile the Principles of their Foun- 
 ders. It was the Attempt, and indefatigable Pains 
 of many. Porphyry^ Boethius^ &c. and among the 
 Ex Pho- reft of Hierocks, to fhew how their Opmions 
 tio, p. 3. might be demonftrated to have a perfed Harmony 
 
 and 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 43 
 
 and Agreement with each other. He indeed would 
 have the World believe, that whoever imagined there 
 was any difference between them, widely mifup.dcrr- 
 ftood the Senfe of both thefe great Men. He ho- - 
 ever confcfies, that fuch Irregularities continued 
 till the Learning of Ammonius flione forth upon the 
 World : Who, when he had purged the Opinions 
 of the ancient Philofophers, proved that Plato and 
 Arijiotk in moft material Points, were vaftly uni- 
 form and agreeable. Therefore he calls him ^fo- ^- 39» ^ 
 ^iJ^uxrcv, one inftruded of God, v/ho by defpifiiig 53- 
 the various Opinions which brought fuch Dilgruce 
 to Philofophy, and thoroughly underftanding both 
 Setts, had brought them to a Reconciliation, and 
 wrs enabled to give his Hearers an Hypothefis free 
 from all Contention and Difpute. 
 
 Hierodes alfo attempted to reconcile the ancient P. 47. 
 Oracles and prieflly Laws of Orpheus, Homer, and 
 all the Predeceffors of Plato in the fame manner; 
 which was a Task of infinite Difficulty, and v/hat 
 therefore he laid out all his Strength of Underltand- 
 ing on, to make their Dodlrines tally, and (as he de- 
 fcribes thofe o{ Socrates) to (land upright like a Die 
 whichever way they fall. His greateit Difficulty, 
 after having read the Scripture-Do6trine of the 
 Creation, was how to varnifh over that monftrous 
 Dodrine of two eternal independent Principles, 
 God and Matter, and reconcile thofe diflant Ideas 
 of a Creator and increated Creature. But Pbotius, 
 from whom we have this, fays, all his mighty Con- 
 trivance ended in meer Trifles. 
 
 It is fcarce then to be imagined, that the Philo- 
 fophers of the fecond Century, Marcus Antoninus, 
 Maximus 'Tyrius, and others were ignorant of the 
 Chriftian Dodrine. Though the Reformation of 
 Philofophy received the finifhing hand from Ammo- 
 nius who lived about the beginning of the third Cen- 
 tury, and prefidcd with great Honour over the Pla- 
 tonic 
 
The Knowledge cf Divine Things from 
 
 tonic School at Alexandria. A Man of fuch exqui- 
 fite Learning, that they thought him infpired, be- 
 Tng thoroughly inftruiled in all the Subtilties of 
 the Pao-an, and Myfteries of the Chriftian Religion. 
 "When fuch an one undertook to reform the ancient 
 Philofophy, to reconcile inveterate Feuds which fub- 
 fifted till that time between the Schools of Plato 
 and Arijiotky it is no wonder, that, with thefe 
 Qualifications, he was able to do it in an extraor- 
 dinary* manner ; by paring off Superfluities, rejefting 
 Falfhoods, abolilhing thofe Niceties and Cavils 
 which were a Difgrace to the Profeflion, and efpe- 
 cially by adding many noble Sentiments to it, and 
 thereby propound a more generous and regular. 
 Syftem than the World had yet known. 
 
 Porphyry for the Credit of his Religion affirms 
 him to have become an Heathen as foon as he llu- 
 died Philofophy, and Hierocles feems to have ac- 
 counted him fo J but Eufehius and Jerom deny it, 
 and teftify that he died a Chriftian. And tho* his 
 Scholars were of both Religions, as his Chair was 
 particularly devoted to Philofophical Leftures, yet 
 it is certain that he taught Divinity alfo, and had 
 among others the great Origen for his Difciple. 
 Nor is it eafy to conceive, that in an Age when the 
 Power of Godlinefs prevailed in the Minds of Men, 
 and an holy Zeal to inftrud the World made them 
 prefer Martyrdom to Silence: That fo great and 
 good a Man fliould not take all Opportunities of 
 making Profelytes to the Faith, and inftru6l his 
 Hearers m the Myfteries of the Gofpel, as well as 
 the Speculations oF Philofophy. 
 
 If we trace this Matter up a little higher, we fhall 
 (find that the Thirft after Knowledge had for feveral 
 { Ages carried Men to the moft diftant Perfons and 
 I Places, that made a Profeflion of Learning. Hence 
 Aibens and afterwards Rome became fo crouded 
 with the Literati, But no City enjoyed this Ho- 
 nour 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 45 
 
 nour with greater Advantages than Alexandria. Ma- 
 ny of the Jews who efcaped the Babylonijh Capti- 
 vity, fled to Egypt : And Multitudes of them, by 
 ^Alexander's Favour, fettled in this new Metropolis. 
 And as the Egyptia-as were naturally inquifitive after 
 their Myfteries, fo undoubtedly the Jews communi- 
 cated fome proper Parts of their Knowledge to 
 them, which afterward became fully opened in that 
 ineftimable Treafure, the Tranflation of the Scrip- 
 tures by the Seventy. 
 
 It grew famous alio for the noble Library found- 
 ed there by Philadelphus, under the Care of Deme- 
 trius Phalareus (to which Marc Anthony added that 
 of Pergamus) and the Encouragement its Princes 
 gave to learned Men. The Ptolemies invited all 
 the Philofophers of Eminence to fettle there, fo that 
 it might be faid, there were only Remains of Learn- 
 ing in other Parts of the World. 
 
 At the firft planting of Chriflianity, St. Mark. 
 founded here not only a Church, glorious in its Pa- 
 triarchs; but alfo a School which in time became 
 the greateft Nurfcry of Philofophy and the Sciences. 
 They who prefided over it, were the moft renown- 
 ed Perfons, admirably verfed in all Learning hu- 
 man and divine, in the Depths both of Pagan 
 and Chriftian Wifdom, fo that it has been called 
 the Univerfal School of the Church. Among 
 its Reftors, was Pantanus^ an excellent Stoick be- ^ 
 
 fore he became Chriftian, and, as Eufebius fays, well j"^"^ "^ ^^'' 
 skiird in human as well as divine Learning. He ' 
 was fucceeded by Clemens Alexandrinus, whole Wri- 
 tings fufficiently prove his extenfive Knowledge in 
 all Parts of Wifdom. In this number was the great 
 Ammonius, the head of Philofophers in his Age, 
 from whom all thofe P'.itonifts ftiled cm -f lipds 
 ysviaV, of the facred SuccefTion, derived their No- 
 tions. Such were Origen, Herennius, and Plotinus 
 the Preceptor o^ Porphjry^ as he again was of Jatn- 
 
 blichus. 
 
46 The Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 blichus. Origen was in fuch Reputation, that not 
 only Chriftians but Philofophers flockM to his Lec- 
 tures, wherein, fays Eufebius, he read the Mathc- 
 maticks, and other parts of Philofophy, as well as 
 
 the Scriptures- and where the mofl important 
 
 Truths were conftantly preached, and familiarly ex- 
 pounded, in their catechetical Exercifcs, it is impof. 
 fible but the Subject of them mufl: be univerfally 
 known. After Origen were Heradas^ Dionyjius, 
 Athenodorus^ Malchion, and Didymus who reach'd to 
 the Year 300. 
 
 It was in this School that Ammonius undertook 
 the Reformation of Philofophy, by blending Pla- 
 tonifm and Chriftianity together, which was after- 
 wards the principal Study of the Heathen Profef- 
 fors, fuch as Plotinus^ Amelius^ Porphyry^ Hierodes, 
 Syrianus, Produs, Marinus, Damafcius, and others 
 of the facred Succeflion. And he had feveral Views 
 therein. Firft, That whilft they profefTed an in- 
 veterate Oppofition to the Scriptures, they were at 
 liberty to feled: out whatever would fublimate and 
 refine their own Docflrines. Secondly, Thereby to 
 raife the Value of Plato's Philofophy. Thirdly, To 
 depreciate Chriftianity ; and Fourthly, Efpecially 
 to reform their natural Theology, and Dsemon- 
 Worfhip, by paring ofFgrofs Ablurdities (at which 
 the reafon of Mankind was then generally fliock'd) 
 giving new Interpretations to things, which their 
 Forefathers never thought of: And above all in 
 afferting one Supreme Deity, tho' they could not 
 agree in their Notions of him, either who, or 
 what he was. 
 
 This tampering however with Philofophy gave a 
 mortal Wound to Religion, its Beauty was fullied by 
 fuch impure Mixtures: And from that bitter and 
 poifonous Root, all the Errors andApoftafies fprang 
 up, which have iince befallen the Church of Chrift. 
 The Advantage however that redounded to Philo- ' 
 
 fophy, 
 
Revelaiioriy not from Reafon or Nature, 47 
 
 fophy, at the Expence of Ghriftianity, which they 
 plundered and adulterated, is evident from their 
 writing in fo much a fublimer Strain, than any of 
 their Predeceffors had done upon important Truths; 
 fuch as the Dtjgeneracy of Souls, and their Return to 
 God, the Origin of Evil which had fo miferably 
 perplexed the Ancients, of Providence, and efpcci- 
 ally of the Eternity of Matter, fo inconfiftent with 
 a Maker of the Univerfe. 
 
 For by advantage of the Scriptures, being come 
 to a certain Knowledge of facred Truths, which 
 none before had a Poffibility of doing, they 
 borrow from them v/hatever could improve, or be 
 reconciled with their own Syftems, which they al- 
 ter, difguife and blend in fuch a manner, as they 
 hoped no one could know whence they had them. 
 Upon this Stock they grow arrogant, and blame 
 their Fredeceflbrs in the School of Plato for deli- 
 vering fome Doftrines, and interpreting others con- 
 trary to the Sentiments of their Mafter; though 
 no fuch Arguments or Confequenccs arc to be 
 found in any of his Writings. Thefe new Acquifi- 
 tions they fet up, and boaft of as their own ; and 
 after altering, corrupting, and debafing the Truths 
 of Ghriftianity, pretend there is nothing worth 
 taking from it, at iht fame time they triumph in its 
 Spoils. But the Chriftians plainly faw the Theft, 
 indidt them as Plagiaries, and call fuch Proceedings 
 an adulterous Mixture of Divine Truths with hu- 
 man Inventions. Veritatis dogmata ad Philofophicas TcrtuI, 
 Sententias adulterare. That if Plato was charged Apol. p. 
 with purloining* his choiceft Doftrines from the3^^- 
 Prophets, they did the fame from the Apoftles; 
 and this made them fpeak in a Strain as much above 
 Plato, as the Apoftles did above the Prophets. All 
 their admirable Contemplations and Difcourfes were 
 not from Plato, but from Chriftian Mafters, and 
 their nobleft Flights took wing from the Gofpel. 
 
 From 
 
4 8 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 From the Notoriety of this it is, that learned 
 Men have oppofed Ibme Errors frequently urged 
 by thofe who are engaged in advancing Fhiiofophy 
 againft Divinity, which has of late been renewed 
 amongft us, by overvaluing Platonifm, as if it 
 equalled, or in fome of its Notions even outwent 
 that Revelation, from whence all its admirable Dif- 
 courfes were borrowed. As alfo others, who would 
 infinuate, that the Fathers of the Church corrupted 
 the primitive Purity of the Gofpel with Philofo- 
 phy, and obtruded Platonkk Euthufiafm upon the 
 World, for Faith, Myftery, and Revelation : Both 
 which oppofite Opinions are equally falfe andground- 
 lels, and only advanced by thofe who would de- 
 grade the Gofpel, by putting a philofophick Livery 
 upon it, or by confounding them together deltroy 
 all pofitive Religion. 
 
 The Application I would make is this ; ifRea- 
 fon be fo fharp-fighted, as to difcover all things 
 eflential to Natural Religion and Morality (as fo 
 called) How comes it to pafs, that thefe later 
 Philofophers reached a much higher Elevation, and 
 wrote in fo much diviner a Strain, than their Mafters 
 did, and excel Plato (who for fo many Ages was 
 the Deity of Reafon and Virtue) as far as he did 
 the moft fabulous Theologifts who went before him, 
 in their Difcourfes on the Supreme Being, his Attri- 
 butes, Creation, Providence, Nature, and the Immor- 
 tality of the Soul, ^c. .? They could not have it 
 from Pythagoras or Plato, who had made no fuch 
 clear Difcoveries ; nor had any rational or tolerable 
 Account till this time been giveif of them ; they 
 were Secrets to the Heathens, till they began to 
 lludy in the Schools of Chriftians, From whence 
 one of thefe Confequences will neceflarily follow : 
 Either that Reafon in its moft improved State, as 
 fuppofed in the Ancients (who are allowed to have 
 reached the very Extremity, and utmoft Limits of 
 
 human 
 
Hevelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 49 
 
 human Underftanding) was not able to attain a com- 
 petent Knowledge of divine Things, for they were 
 ignorant of them. It was a Point beyond Arijiotk^s 
 Logick, wherein Syllogifm and Dsmonitration al- 
 ways fail'dhim. And tho* they added new Light to 
 what they received from otiiers, yet Infelix operis 
 fumma^ nothing clear, rational, or confident was 
 delivered of God, the Soul, or Immortality -, no- 
 thing regularly determined on thefe Subjcds ; nor 
 was it poffible there fhould, having no diftind Ideas 
 of them, nor any one that could initruft them. 
 And Philoibphy without Evidence, is Knowledge 
 without Science, a Sound without a Meaning-— The p^^J"'^^ 
 ProfefTor was Glori^e Animal^ i^ popdaris aura vile j ai \ & de 
 Mancipium^ a Seeker of Renown, and a Slave to Anim. c. i.' 
 popular 'jAppIaufe. And his Profcffion was Fha- 
 lerata magis^ quam vera fapientia^ qua aliena quasrit ^"^'^^° * 
 cum fua nefciat ; cceli plagas fcrutatur, Deum ignorat 
 quern folum nojje deberet. A gilt Bunble, without So- 
 lidity or Uie, bufy in prying into the Heavens, yet 
 ignorant of God whom alone it ought to have been 
 acquainted with >— And the Charadler Trifmegijlus 
 gave of the Greek ihilolbphy, was 'E>v>.Lujcov (^i\o- 
 ffo^la, Xcyo^v ^oxQ^, nothing but a Jargon, and 
 Rattle of Words. 
 
 Or elfe they muft have been the worft and 
 wickedeft of Men, that knowing better would ftill 
 maintain fo many Errors and Impieties, and not 
 refcue the World from the miferable Bondage of 
 Ignorance, to religious Truth and moral Righte- 
 oufnefs. 
 
 Or laftly. Their SuccefTors muft have had fome 
 better Guide than Nature or Reafon to dired; them, 
 which was the Gofpel ; and therefore cannot be ad- 
 mitted as Witneffes m a Caufe, where Natural Re- 
 ligion is to be judged of. 
 
 I may add, that this is the very Cafe of modern 
 Infidelity. How comes it" to pals, that their Syf- 
 
 E tema 
 
^o *The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 terns are more regular, and their Dedu6lions of 
 Virtue clearer, whence are thole fubJimer Duties 
 and Notions, and Principles more Iblid, and better 
 eftablifhed, than appear among the Ancients? Are 
 they wjler than Socrates or Cicero^ is their Capacity 
 oT Mind greacer, their Study feverer, or their Know- 
 ledge more univerfal and extenfive ? Certainly the 
 very Reverfe, their Art is inferior, but the Mate- 
 rials they had to work upon were better, and there- 
 fore their Sacrilege the more notorious. They 
 learned thefe things in the Word of God, and then 
 difown their Benefactor ; they take a great deal of 
 pains to prove what no one denies, that the Exi- 
 llence and Idea of God, with the other great Truths 
 of Religion, are moft agreeable to the Faculties of 
 the Mind, to Reafon, and the Light of Nature ; 
 and thence draw an inconfequent Conclufion, that 
 they originally were, and flill may be, difcovered 
 by the meer Strength of human Nature, and thus 
 become the Oracles of their own unaffifted Reafon. 
 
 And this Fallacy (from a Suppofition that it 
 exalts the Dignity of human Nature) has been too 
 cafily admitted, and deceived many -, or rather is 
 the whole Support of Natural Religion, as oppos'd 
 to Revelation : That all thofe Truths and Argu- 
 ments we now perceive the Certainty and Force of, 
 mull: appear in the fame Light to, and therefore 
 might proceed from, a mere Philolopher, or Perfon 
 in a State of Nature. And (with great Submiffion 
 to the moft learned Author's Judgment) this Mif- 
 take runs through the whole Delineation of the 
 Religion of Nature; though in the Terms (or 
 even Doubts) that he propoles it, no Advantages 
 can accrue therefrom to the Enemies of Revelation, 
 Speaking of the Soul's being a Principle of Life, 
 P. an, he ufes the following Words — " Here I begin to 
 " be very fenfible how much I want a Guide ; but 
 " as the Religion of Nalurc is my Theme, I mufl; 
 
 at 
 
Hevelation, not from Reafon or Nature. r i 
 
 *' at prcfent content my feJf with that Light which 
 *' Nature affords ; my Bufinefs being, as it fcems, 
 *' only to ihew, what a Heathen Philofopher vvith- 
 " out any other help, and almofl o^ro^J^/o'^ajtl©', 
 " may be fuppofed to think. I hope that neither 
 *' the doing of this, nor any thing elfe contained 
 ** in this Delineation^ can be the leaft Prejudice to 
 '* any other true Religion. Whatever is immedi- 
 " ately revealed from God, mud, as well as any 
 " thing t\k, be treated of as being what it is : 
 *' Which cannot be, if it is not treated with the 
 " higheft regard, believed 2.wd obeyed. That there- 
 ** fore, which has been lb much infilled on by me, 
 ** and is as it were the Burden of my Song, is fo 
 " far from undermining true revealed Religion, that 
 *' it rather paves the way for its Reception." 
 
 I Ihall only obferve from this Paffage, that if no 
 other Arguments were intended to be offered, but 
 what an unaffifted Philofopher may be fuppofed to 
 think ; yet his Book is an entire Confutation of 
 any fuch Suppofition ; we can only know what they 
 could do by what they did do, except any vvill>\ 
 be fb ungenerous to fay, they did not do their bcft. 
 And no Philofopher ("notwithllanding their many 
 external Advantages) was able to difcern the Na- 
 ture or Meaning of thefe Truths, or did with any 
 Degree of Clearnefs fhew the Dependence of them 
 on the firft Caufe, their Connexion with each other, 
 or the Confequences dcducible from them, in any or 
 all of their Writings ; and this very Author did 
 not put Truth in the Light he has done, by the 
 Light of Nature, without any other help ; buC 
 (whether, or no, he faw or acknov/1 edged it) was 
 entirely beholden to Revelation. 
 
 On the whole, nothing is here faid, that can be 
 a Reflection on the Ancients, except their not being 
 able to perform Impoffibilities be one ; they were 
 Men of infatiable Thirft after Knowledge, and their 
 
 E 2 Attain- 
 
L.2 .n.72. 
 
 52 T^he Knowledge of Divine 'Things from 
 
 Laftant. Attainments in it prodigious. Their Learning and 
 ^' 3- P- Improvement of whatever was wichin their reach, 
 is admirable, it was every thing except Divine. 
 They difcovered many Truths, but not fuch as 
 were above the Attainment of mere Mortals. Their 
 Defires and Endeavours were laudable, but could 
 not have the wiih'd- for Efteft, to difcern what 
 Truth was, nor where, or by what means to be 
 found. For whatever they knew, they remained 
 ignorant of the true God, to know whom is the 
 only Wifdom. We may therefore and ought to 
 conclude them fallible, and rejed: their Errors, 
 without being apprehenfive that any Damage will 
 thereby enfue to Religion, for that cannot be the 
 ?^'r"\, Confequence by Cicero's own Rule. Nee verb {id 
 enim diligenter intelligi volo) fuperjiiiione tollenda^ Re- 
 ligio tollitur. 
 
 I fhall at prelent add but one Argument more 
 in favour of this Hypothefis. That as the only 
 fure Rule to judge what Reafon or Nature can do, 
 . is by what they have done, fo this muft be deter- 
 I mined by known Fa6ls, which is a fafer Method to 
 ^ guide our Enquiries, than any unwarrantable Pre- 
 fumptions or Suppofitions poflibly can be. And 
 fmce it is conftantly affirmed. That the Heathens 
 had no other Light to guide them but naked un- 
 aflifted Reafon, which is mere Suppofition and Pre- 
 fumption, becaufe they might receive their Know- 
 ledge another way, therefore the Affertion has a 
 Poffibility of being falfe, or in other "Words is a 
 real Uncertainty — I fhall therefore appeal to un- 
 , queflioned Fads, to Hiftory, and the Writings of 
 • -the earliefl: Philofophers ; all which unanimoufly 
 confefs, they had their Knowledge of divine Things 
 by Tradition, not Invention, delivered from their 
 Fathers, or borrowed from others ; and to fet 
 ;ifide the beft, the only Evidence to be had (un- 
 doubted Fads, with the ConfefTion of the Parties 
 
 concern*d) 
 
"Revelation y not from Renfon or Nature. 53 
 
 concerned) by Suppofitions and Surmifes, calculated 
 to fupport aiiy kvourite Syftem, is againft all the 
 Rules of Argumentation. 
 
 To clear up this Point is the principal Intent of 
 the following Treatife : For if the Ancients had 
 but a very weak imperfeft Knowledge o\ D'vine 
 Things, and the utmoil Certainty they coull at- 
 tain to in them, was extremely doubtful and pre- 
 carious; the Confequence (I fhall not fear) will 
 be, that Reafon and Nature are very inlufficient 
 Guides to Religion, to Duty, and to God. And 
 if it affcrv/ards fhall appear that they received all 
 their Knowledge by lnttru(5lion, it will be eafily 
 traced up, aiid by necellary Deduction follow, that 
 the firlt and only Inllrudlor of Mankind was 
 God ; and that all the Senfe the World ever had of 
 Religion, whether Pofitive, Natural, or Moral, 
 niuft be referred to, and entirely depend on Re- 
 velation. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the Inlets to Knowledge. 
 
 ^^' O W the firft Point to give us any Satisfac- 
 
 j»f 1?^; tion in this Inquiry, muft be to confider 
 the true Condition of Man, as he is a rea- 
 fonable Creature or intelligent Being ; and 
 how he comes to be fo. What the feveral Inlets 
 of Knowledge are, whereby the Mind is furnifhed 
 with Materials to think, judge, and exercife its fe- 
 veral Operations on ; that we may thereby fee the 
 Extent of its Views and Powers, and be the better 
 able to judge of the Queftion before us, viz. Whe- 
 ther the fole Light of Nature and Reafon were fuf- 
 E 3 ficien^ 
 
r^. The Knowledge of Divine things from 
 
 flcient to difcover, and inftrud the World in Di- 
 vine Truths ? 
 
 Tho', methinks, it may be fome Abafhment to 
 Reafon, and that vaft Perfedlion to which fome 
 would extol it, that it fcarce knows what Man or 
 ItfeU" is -, for were thefe Points evident and certain, 
 there could not have been fuch a Variety of Opi- 
 nions among wife Men concerning the true Defini- 
 tion of Man, his End, and Means of Know- 
 ledge. 
 
 Some, from obferving the wonderful Sagacity in 
 Brutes, fomething in them fo like Reafon, have 
 been induced to make Religion the diftinguifhing 
 Charadler of Man, there being a kind of natural 
 Propenfity to it, ^o omnes duce Naturd vehimur^ 
 fays ^ully. But this is contradicted by other Philo- 
 fophers, who make Brutes, efpecially Elephants, ca- 
 pable of Religion. 
 
 Some define Man to be a moral Agent, or a free 
 intelligent Being, as having a Power to ad:, or not 
 to a(5l, and thereby able to give an Account of his 
 Aflions, and be fubjed to Rewards and Punifh- 
 ments, which are the final End of Man. And 
 Lord Herlert was of this Opinion, That we are 
 more dillinguiihed from Brutes by Free-will, than 
 by Reafon. 
 
 Anaxagoras^ according to Ariftotk and Plutarch, 
 thought Man to be the wifeft Creature, becaufe he 
 had Hands. 
 
 The Peripateticks and Stoicks defined Man to 
 be a Compound of Body and Soul. The Plaionijls, 
 a divine Mind chain'd down in an earthly Prifon : 
 One made the Mind a Part, the others the Whole 
 of Man. 
 
 But the generally prevailing Definition is, That 
 Man is a Creature endued with Reafon -, that being 
 the Faculty which diflinguifhes him from others, 
 or conftitutes him what he is, an intelligent Being. 
 
 But 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, SS 
 
 But here again to prove how remote we are from 
 Pertcdt:on,'^ it need only be obfervM, That the' 
 Man evidently has this Faculty, and it is the pecu- 
 liar Excellence and Glory of his Nature, yet we 
 know not what it is, nor can Reafon, that afpircs 
 to define every thing, define itfelf: We can only 
 explain it by Etfeds and Operations; but how, 
 or in what manner they are produced, are not able 
 to conceive ; nor wherein the inward Operations of 
 the Mind confift i wjiat its Freedom. Power, and 
 Choice are i how we apprehe ■; ! or think ; or how 
 this thinking Being within us, by its free Adion, 
 can caufe and determine fuch voluntary Motions, 
 we are convinced that Thought alone produces 
 
 as 
 
 in us. 
 
 The principal Operations of this Faculty feem 
 
 Firjiy To perceive and apprehend what is of- 
 fered to it. , , ^ ,. 
 
 Secondly, To confider fuch Ohjed according to 
 the different Views or Circumllances it may appear 
 in, uniting, feparating, or comparing it with others 
 already known, reflefting on its Nature and Caufe, 
 its Tendency and Effects, 'till the Mind attain a 
 clear and dillind Knowledge of i^- ^ _ , 
 
 Thirdly, To examine the Connexion of one Truth 
 with others, and by Dedudion from thofe which 
 are known and evident, difcover the Certainty or 
 Probability of other Truths or Propofitions it did 
 not fo clearly perceive before. And thence, 
 
 Fourthly, To fix its Judgment, or Degrees ot 
 AffenL that ought to be given, which mull in all 
 Cafes vary according to the Evidence that appears. 
 Where the Connexion is clear, the Mind will ap- 
 prove and acquiefce in it, as Knowledge or Science, 
 whereof it can have no Diftruft. Where the Con- ^ 
 
 nexion is but probable, the AfTent will be lulpend- Oc A.a ,; 
 ed, becaufe the Inference is doubtful, and the Con- ^^^^' 
 £ 4 clufion 
 
^6 The Kjjowledge of Divine 'Things from 
 
 clufion on either Side no more than Opinion. If 
 there appears a Difagreemcnt in this Connexion, 
 then the Illation manitefls it to be a Falfhood, and 
 the Mind cannot but rcjcdl it. And the Perfedion 
 of our intellectual Faculties confifts in rightly ufing 
 the intermediate Steps, that may enable it to di- 
 itinguifli between Evidence and Opinion, Probabi- 
 Acad. Q. lity and Certainty. And the molt exalted Reafon 
 l-4.n-15.is no more than the Difcernment of Truth and 
 Fallliood. , 
 
 Yet if we come to examine the Rules by which 
 Mankind give their Aflent to many Proportions, 
 differing from and contradictory to each other, we 
 cannot think the Procedure of the Mind to be a 
 very eafy, or fure Performance. The Bounds of 
 Truth and FalJfhood have never yet been fettled; 
 one is affured of what another is diffident ; Evi- 
 dence in Egypi is but Probability at Athens. And 
 by all Experience and Hiitory, we find there has 
 been fo little Exa6triefs or Certainty in the Con- 
 clufions of Markind, that they feem to be the Re- 
 fult of Inattention, PafTion, or Intcreft, rather than 
 proceeding on any found Principles, or in any ra- 
 tional Method of Argumentation for the Difcovery 
 of Truth. 
 
 From whence fuch Perplexities and Errors, fuch 
 Millakes and F/ilffioods have been propagated in 
 the Minds of Men, fo much Mifchief done in the 
 Nat. D. "World by Reafon, that it was a Doubt to Cicero 
 1. 3. n. 37. whether it were a B'effing to Mankind or not : For 
 the great Misfortune has been, that Men took that 
 for light which was real Darknels j yet followed 
 it as bewildered Travellers do the Ignis FatuuSy 
 which leads them' to Precipices and Ruin. It has 
 been Reafon only that rendered Mankind in all 
 Ages fo fliamefully unreafonable ; and Philofo- 
 phy was .the Guide to all Errors under the Sun ; 
 and what Right Reafon, the fo much boafted 
 
 of 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. ^j 
 
 of ogOos- X^7©' is, remained a Queftion undeter- 
 mined. 
 
 II. Man was created to Pradife, as well as to 
 Know. He has a Law given him, the fulfilling of 
 ! which is the Perfe(5liGn and End of his Being; 
 1 and as he is a free Creature, has a Power to weigh, 
 I rejeft, or choofe the Means conducing thereto ; 
 I for in being at perfed liberty to a6l or not to ad:, 
 confifts the Freedom of Human Will, and fuch 
 ! Eledion makes an Adion his own, becaufe he 
 i wills and choofes it, is able to give Reafons for his 
 S Determinations, to declare the Cau{e or Motive 
 ! which influenced him to prefer one Counfe! or Ac- 
 ftion before another, and thereby becomes accounta- 
 ! ble to the Lawgiver, and liable to the Sandions 
 ' of the Law, Rewards or Punifliments. This Free- 
 dom of Will makes him a moral Agent ; to 
 \ choofe Means fit and proper to attain his End, is 
 I Moral Goodnefs ; to choofe fuch as are contrary to 
 the Law and perfedive End of his Being, is 
 Moral Evil: And thefe two Faculties, the Reafon 
 and Will, conftitute Man what he is, a Free Intel- 
 ligent Being. Virtus iota nojlra eji^ quia -pofita eft in 
 
 voluntate faciendi bona • Sicut Virius non eft^ ^^-Laftant. 
 
 num ac malum fcire '^ it a Virtus eji^ bonum faeere, ma-^- 6. p, 
 lum non facere. 5 H- 
 
 And as the Intelled is confcious of its own Ope- 
 rations, and from comparing the Adion with the 
 Law, perceives its Agreement or Difagreement 
 ! therewith ; from hence arifes another Power called 
 IConfcience, or the internal Judgment of a Man's 
 iown Mind, of the moral Rectitude or Pravity of 
 I what he has done ; and this fo effendal to, and in- 
 feparable'from the Mind, that it can never ceafe to 
 be fclf-confcious, 'till it ceafes to think. 
 
 The Sandions of this Internal Law and Judg- 
 ment are, either a fecret Pleafure from having; aded 
 according to the perfedive Principle of our Bejngs; 
 
 or 
 
r"8 The Knowledge of "Divine Things from 
 
 or having done what, as moral Agents and rational 
 Creatures, was fittelt for us to do : Or a Shame and 
 Reproach for having abufed the Freedom of Will, m 
 doing what, as Men, we ought not to have done, 
 and approving that which our own Mind condemns 
 and forbids. 
 
 For when Men have ufed the utmoft Means in 
 their Power to inform themfelves in the Nature of 
 Duty and of Sin, they are a Law, a Rule of Living 
 to themfelves. Their Confciences alfo (by judging 
 of the moral Tendency of their Actions) bearing 
 witnefs, and their Thoughts (or inward Reafonings) 
 mean while accufing or elfe excufing one another ; 
 acquitting or condemning them, according as they 
 have adted conformably to the greateft Light of 
 their Mind, and the Law of their Being. 
 
 Nor have the Thoughts and Opinions of Men 
 been lefs divided, concerning the Means whereby 
 the Intellect is fupplied with its Stores of Know- 
 ledge; what are the feveral Inlets of the Mmd, 
 whereby it is furnifhed with fuch Variety of Mate- 
 rials to think, rcfled:, or judge upon, and what its 
 different kinds of Notices are. One would imagine 
 that no Point could be more obvious to Reafon, 
 than to look into itfelf, and at once declare all its 
 real ways of coming at Knowledge; yet nothing 
 has embarrafied it more, than to find out the Doors 
 by which its own Furniture was brought in, as ap- 
 pears from the different Hypothefes, and many 
 Volumes which have been wrote upon this Subjedl. 
 And yet a right Determination of it, or a certain 
 Account of the Avenues and Ways whereby our 
 Underftandings come to attain thofe Degrees of 
 Knowledge we have, would be of the higheft Ser- 
 vice to Truth, and fhew us the Part which Man 
 bears in the intelledual World, more clearly than 
 any other Confiderations or Arguments whatfo- 
 ever. 
 
 Of' 
 
Revelation, not from Reajon or JSIature, 59 
 
 Of thefe different Inlets I Ihall mention Four, as 
 being the moft principal, and to which the others 
 j may be reduced. 
 
 1. Innate Ideas, or Principles flamped and en- 
 graven on the Soul immediately by God. 
 
 2. The Inftindts, or natural Propenfions. 
 
 3. Senfation, or Ideas of external Objedls con- 
 veyed by the Senles; under which, in a larger 
 Meaning, Inftrudion may be included, as compre- 
 hending all thofc Parts of Knowledge, which the 
 Mind receives from the information of others by 
 the help of the Senfes, in which confifrs the Dif- 
 ference between Inftrudtion and Illumination. 
 
 4. Reflexion, or the inward Operations of the 
 Mind. 
 
 I fhould fcarce have mentioned thefe Ideas, they 
 are fo unphilofophical, and void of all Foundation 
 in Reafon or Nature, did we not find them perpe- 
 tually lurking under this Debate, in the Exprclfions 
 of Knowledge connatural and coeval, common 
 Notions, clear ImpreiTions of God on the Con- 
 fcience, i^c. That the Ideas of Wifdom, Virtue, Cudworth 
 Vice, ^c. mufl needs fpring up from the a6livc tMorality, 
 Power and Fecundity of the Mind itfelf, becaule ^' ^' *^" ^' 
 the corporeal Objeds of Senfe can imprint no luch ^' 
 things upon it. Others are afraid that learned 
 Men have gone too far in their Difputes againft 
 thefe Ideas, for that nothing is meant by them, but 
 fuch a Senfe or Knowledge as Men may have with- 
 out any other Monitor but their own naked unaf^ 
 lifted Reafon, from a Confideration of the Works 
 of Creation, ^c. which is a different Means of 
 Knowledge, and the Argument an Equivocation, 
 in tacitly affirming and denying the fame thing. 
 
 The ftridt Maintainers of thefe Ideas fay. That 
 there are fome primary Notions and general Prin- 
 ciples of the Law of Nature, fo indelibly ftamped 
 and imprelVd on the Soul of Man, that it receives 
 
 them 
 
6o The Knowledge of Divme Things from j 
 
 them in its very firft Being, and brings them into ' 
 the World with it; fo that the Mind cannot but 
 necefTarily perceive, know, and aflent to them as 
 diftinft and actual Propofitions ; and readily exprclTes 
 and utters them as foon as it arrives at the Ufe of 
 Speech and Reafon, without further Inftrudiion or 
 Meditation. 
 
 But this Opinion is perplexed with fuch Difficul- 
 ties, fo contrary to Oblervation and Experience, 
 and utterly incapable of Proof, that it is almoft uni- 
 verfally given up by learned Men, both Divines 
 and Philofophers, as an unwarrantable Fidion, a 
 kind of Magick to ic\\'t all Doubts, and throw 
 down all Objedlions we know not why, nor how, 
 and introduced only to fupport Doctrines which 
 Men could not fcientifically account for. Before 
 any Principle is admitted, it ought to have all the j 
 Demonftration the Mind can require, and carry 
 fuch Marks of Truth and Certainty, that no rea- 
 fonable Objedtions lit againft it. Yet inbred No- 
 tions, occult Qjalities, and the like, are to ftand 
 inftead of Evidence, muft admit no Doubts or Ob- 
 jeftions, however liable to them ; muft flop every 
 Inquiry about them, as. Whether all Men receive 
 them with an univerfal and full Confent? Whe-^ 
 ther they are equally known and attainable by all ? 
 Upon what Arguments they are founded ; or. Whe- 
 ther they may not be come at by fome other Ope- 
 rations of tiie Underftanding, or Means of Know- 
 ledge? For any Propofition, call it innate, undoubt- 
 ed, univerlally acknowledged, or felf-evident, if lia- 
 ble to any of thefe Objections, is no Principle, but 
 the mtrre Effefl of Ignorance, and intended to fup- 
 prefs the ufe of Reafon. 
 
 The Original, however, of this Opinion was pro- 
 bably owing to fome ExprefTions ot the Ancients, 
 and Texts of Scripture, neither of which will bear 
 fuch Senfe or Interpretation. 
 
 I. Phrafes 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 6 1 
 
 I. Phrafes of this kind are common among the 
 Greeks : Thus Plato, aixrci <^ucnv tov vV-ov, the JLaiv Repub 5. 
 of Nature -y and lamblichus in latter Ages, 7r?|O^P- -^S^- 
 S^ecov \\x(^\no^ yvJotrif, an inbred Knowledge of the G:}ds,\^^.^^^^ 
 and (XTj-fj.(^Mro£ d\jrm yi.a.rcLVf<i\<my a Perception of them 
 born with us j and Chryfoftom^ jju^utov cLtoxcv) av- 
 S'pojTrois- fTT.'voiiXv, as alfo, axXiiv, 7rf^crj3yra7nv Xf^/ 
 S^swv ^uPysvA ; and Clemens Alexandrinus, @s» i/ji(pacriv 
 (puo-iK/iv. And among the Latins, to mention only 
 Cicero, Infitas eorum, vel potius innatas cogitationes Nat. D. 
 babemus ; and, Omnibus enim innatum eft, ^ in animo L- i- 
 quaji infculptum, ejfe Deos ; That the Belief oK the ^' '^' 
 Exiftence of the Gods was born with every one, 
 and as it were engraven on the Mind. 
 
 The Antiquity of this Perfuafion, and its being 
 coeval with our Souls, proceeded from feveral 
 Caufes or Miffakes. 
 
 I. The obferving that we did not come by this 
 Knowledge, as we do by other Parts of Learning ; 
 that it is fomething fuperior to the Mind of Man, 
 ancienter than our Judgment or our Will, prevents 
 Reafon and Demonilration, what we cannot prove 
 or difprove at our pleafure : And therefore not being 
 able to find out its true Source, they concluded it ef- 
 fential to, and coeval with our Beings. — Or, 2. Menproced. of 
 finding themfelves at a lofs to folve the Manner of Humaa 
 our conceiving immaterial and heavenly Things, Underft. 
 would not give way to fuch a Thought, as that we '^'^' ^' 
 iliould conceive them by the Help and Intervention 
 of any thing in this World, there appearing no 
 Congruity or Proportion between them ; and there- 
 fore had recourfe to innate Ideas for that purpofe, 
 which fliould be the Objed:s of the pure Intelled, 
 independent of all Scnfation, difcovering fome early 
 Notices in the Mind, which Plato fays they fucked 
 in with their Mothers Milk, and not knowing by 
 what Inlet they were received, concluded them cou- 
 nate and coeval. 3. They could not difcover it was 
 
 ever 
 
62 ^he Knowledge of Divine Tbifjgs from 
 
 ever originally delivered by any one Man to the 
 reft of Mankind, or who thofe were who firft in- 
 vented this Notion, That there is a God ; therefore 
 concluded it natural and innate. 4. This was a 
 Confequence of what they believed concerning the 
 Souls Original : That they were Portions of God, 
 according to Pythagoras^ of their very Divinity and 
 „. Mind, fays Cicero ; or with the Stoicks, of the 
 
 c ^^^^^ Mind univerfal and Soul of the World, which was 
 Diog. La- with them the Supreme Deity ; and pre-exifting from 
 ert. Vit. Eternity, enjoyed a fpiritual intelleftual Life, in 
 ^^'^°' converfing with the Gods and one another ; whence 
 their Knowledge grafped whatever is in the Nature 
 of Things, and what they could not lofe during 
 their feveral Tranfmigrations.— -And this is the 
 Ground of Plato's famous Do6lrine of Reminifcence : 
 Meno. " For, fays be. As the Soul is immortal, and fre- 
 p. 81. «t quently returns to Life, and fees whatever pafles 
 " in this World and the other, there is nothing 
 " which fhe has not learned. Whence it fhould 
 ** not feem ftrange, that fhe is able to call to mind 
 " what Ihe has formerly ken of Virtue and other 
 " things : And there being a Relation throughout 
 " Nature, and the Soul having learned every thing, 
 " nothing can hinder a Man who recalls but one 
 " thing to his Memory, which we call Learning, 
 " to find out every thing elfe, if he apply his 
 *' Mind to it ; for to inveftigate and learn, is no- 
 Phffidrus, " thing elfe but Reminifcence" And again, Know- 
 p, 249. ledge is the Reminifcence of thofe things the Soul 
 iaw when it was with God. — On thefe Confidera- 
 tions, the Heathens might conclude there were ori- 
 ginal Principles, or an innate Knowledge which the 
 Soul brings into the World with it. 
 
 II. There arealfo fome Texts of Scripture, where- 
 on, it is faid, thefe innate Ideas may be grounded, 
 as Romans i'l. 15. where St. PW mentions the Law 
 written in the Hearts of Men, even Heathens. 
 
 To 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 63 
 
 To which it is anfwered. That a principal Dif- 
 tindlion between the Jews and Gentiles was, that one 
 had a written Law, the other not : That before the 
 Ao^e of Mofes, the whole World was fubjed to the 
 lame general Law, as it had been given to Adarriy 
 Noah, tec. from God, and by them delivered to 
 their Pofterity, who were fubjed to the Sandions of 
 it, in Rewards and Punilhments, which in juftice 
 they could not have been, except it had the Force 
 of a Law, and received fufficient Promulgation. 
 Thus the Patriarchs were juitified in obeying, the 
 Sodomites and others condemned for difobeying the 
 Law delivered to them ; and After-ages had thefc 
 general Notions of Duty and Sin providentially con- 
 tinued down to them, to keep Confcience and the 
 inward Senfes of the Soul awake, and thereby ren- 
 der them excufable or inexcufable. — And all the 
 ancient Commentators underftood thefe Words oVav . 
 
 yap i^vn, for when the Gentiles, &c. Romans ii. 14. j^^^*^ ^ "* 
 of thofe who lived before the Law, as Melchifedeck, 
 Joby &c. or who repented as the Ninevites, or who 
 had learned the Worihip of the true God, as Cor- 
 nelius. This was their vo/jtos- aypa(|>cs-, unwritten 
 Law, for the Heathen World had no other : Draco*s 
 were the firft (and thofe chiefly political ones) com- 
 mitted to Writing in Greece, about 624 Years be- 
 fore Chrift ; and a Moral Syflem was not attempted, 
 till Socrates taught it, and Xenophon and Plato re- 
 corded his Sentiments. 
 
 But Secondly, The wifeft Writers on the Law of 
 Nature interpret thefe Texts as a figurative Expref- p^^^ , r 
 fion, and implying no more than a clear and certain Law of 
 Knowledge treafured up in the Memory, of which Nat. 
 the Perfons fpoken of are convided in their own ^- ^- ^' 3- 
 Confciences, by what Means foever thefe Notions ^ '^" 
 entered into their Thoughts. And to write in the 
 Mind, 6v rrj -^v^f^yj yox:p'.iv, ^ fcribere in animo, was 
 a Phrafe in common ufe with the Greeks and Latins , 
 
 as 
 
64 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 as well as the holy Penmen both of the Old and 
 New Teftament. — Solomon frequently ufes the Ex- 
 preflion, Prov. iii. 3. My Son^ write them upon the 
 Table of thy Heart. So again, vii. i. and Jer. xvii. i. 
 The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron, and 
 with the Point of a Diamond, it is graven upon the 
 Table of their Heart. Not that Sins were thus origi- 
 nally engraven, but were fo heinous that the Me- 
 mory of them could never be obliterated. So 
 Ezek. xiv. 3. They have fet up their Idols in their 
 Heart, to denote their inward Affedion for Idola- 
 try. — Thus St. Paul, Te are our Epifile written in our 
 Hearts^ known and read of all Men. And again, Te 
 are the Epifile of Chrifi, written not with Ink, but 
 with the Spirit of the Living God. And Heb. viii. 10. 
 / will write them in their Hearts. All which can 
 import no more, than any Truth's being made clear- 
 ly known to them, and the Law fo plainly taught, 
 as to be eafily perceived by them all, that when- 
 ever they tranfgreffed it, their Confciences fecretly 
 condemned them for it. 
 
 Thirdly, If we confider the Perfpicuity and Evi- 
 dence wherewith the almighty Framer of our Beings 
 could have imprefied and manifefted his perfe<5t 
 Law to the Minds of Men, and this had been the 
 only Method of difcovering his Nature and Will 
 to us •, then the frequent Revelations he afterwards 
 made, would have been ufeleis, or contrary to his 
 own Purpofe of Adting; and the Knowledge of 
 Divine Affairs would have been much more diftindt 
 and clear among the Gentiles, than it appears, to 
 have been, or is reprefented in the Holy Scriptures, 
 where their defedive Knowledge in thefe Truths is 
 defcribed, and in that very Chapter, Rom. ii. 19. 
 as blind as thofe who fit in Darknefs, as Children and 
 Babes. To remedy which, to rdlore and rulfil the 
 Law then become utterly depraved and corrupted, 
 { was one great Intent of the Golpel. Innate deas 
 I therefore 
 
Revelation^ not from Keafon or Nature. 6^ 
 
 therefore have no Foundation in thefe Texts, are re- 
 pugnant to innumerable PafTages in Scripture, con- 
 trary to Fa(5l and Experience, and the Proceedinp^s 
 of God with Men. Had their Light been clear 
 and perfeft, fuch would be the Obedience demanded 
 of them i but thefe were Times of Ignorance, and 
 God required it not ; and it would be inconfiftenc 
 with the Divine Equity to condemn his Creatures 
 for not obferving impoffible Conditions : But it was 
 the not doing what they might have done, the hoid- 
 ing Truth in Unrighteoufnefsj the not choofing Virtue 
 and avoiding Vice according to the Sufficiency of 
 Aid they had received, but committing thofe Ac- 
 tions which their Confciences condemned them for, 
 that render*d them totally inexcufabJe. 
 
 Fourthly, Therefore, the Ko;vai swotou, thofe com- 
 mon Notions or t-rinciples they had, were only tra- 
 ditional Notices of the Univerfal (and coniequently 
 Moral) Law, fcatter'd up and down among the 
 Gentiles, but were to them the Meafure of Good 
 and Evil ; for by realbn of thefe being fix*d in their 
 Confciences, they are faid to be a Law unto them- 
 felves^ as having this inward Rule to dire6t their 
 Adlions by. Thefe Zeno called xar-iXrl-vj^ar, Cmn- 
 frehenfions^ and Epicurus 7rpoX^'-4/?t?, which Cicero 
 renders Anticipations^ but may be called alfo Opinion, 
 or Perfuafion. Thefe were IvroXai di Kara v Vov n CI. Alex. 
 iL iroQ T8 voju.^. Precepts of Law, and before the Law,^^^°^- 7- 
 lor sTs ra; tt^j; voju» avoixm- eivcct, even thoje before 
 the Law, were not without a Law. 
 
 And in this Senie the wifeft Heathens feem to 
 have underftood it. Thus Xenophon reprefents the 
 Opinion of Socrates : That as to unwritten Laws, ^em.Ioc* 
 received over the whole Earth, which it was impof- ^^^^' ^' 
 fible that all Mankind (as being of different Lan- 
 guages, and could not be affembled in one Place) 
 ihould make, that thefe were given us by the Gods ; 
 and that no Man impunibly violates a Law eftab- 
 
 F iifhed 
 
66 ^he Knowledge of Divine 7'hingsfrom 
 
 liflied by the Gods •, That the Laws of Morality are 
 the Work of a more excellent Legiflator than Men ; 
 and whatever Force the Laws have, they receive it 
 from the Gods. And this was a Maxim which So- 
 crates always maintained. That Virtue ivas a Sciencey 
 i. e. not inbred^ but to be learned like any other. 
 Diog. La- So Plato defines the unwritten Law to be o xara 
 ert. Vit. vo,^ yivoa-:vcr, that lohich proceeded from Cujlom, i.e. 
 2g*g" Adiions conformable to the common Notions of 
 Mankind ; and this feems to be the true Meaning 
 of his ro rn^ (p»i/jtyif, the Law of Fame or Report ; 
 Vid.Gale. which, tho' by Serrajms and others interpreted of the 
 134. Power of Confcience, with him a kind of Daemon in 
 Men, plainly refers to thofe traditional Truths Oral 
 Fame had handed down to them, which he fo often 
 appeals to, and grounds all his Dodrines of Theo- 
 logy on i and not on any inward Signature or Im- 
 preffions. And he was one of thofe great Minds, 
 whom God in different Ages raifed up, by Travel 
 and Searches, to colledl the fcatter*d Fragments of 
 Truth, and become the Teachers and Inftru6lors of 
 Mankind. So that, amidft a general Corruption, 
 there was a Light that fhone in Darknefs, by a due 
 Attention to which they might have made a ftronger 
 Difcernment, and pafled a truer Judgment upon 
 Things. And their Crime was, the not obeying 
 Truth, according to the Aids of Knowledge af- 
 forded them, nor the Degrees of Convidlion they 
 were under. 
 
 Thefe adlive interna] Principles were the Law of 
 Mankind, not that which is written in Books, or 
 , engraven on Wood, but ^ix-^uxo^ cov laurw Xcycr, 
 adVrin-' ^'^'^ U'ving Reafon in every Man^s Hearty always alive 
 cip. In- and watchful together with it, and never fuffering 
 doa. the Mind to be without a Diretflor. And from a 
 Senfe of thefe (which v/ere univerfally extended to 
 fome more, to others lefs) and the fel f-refle(5live 
 Afts of the Mind, which are called Confcience, pro- 
 ceeded 
 
Revelation J noffrcjn Reafon or Nature. 67 
 
 ceeded thofe Stings and Remorfes, on committing 
 what they themfelves condemned. This haius in ^.j ^. 
 the Tragedy confefles : " Alexand! 
 
 y^// /i>^ things which you advife me^ I already knoWy 
 hut notwithftanding this Knowledge and Convi^tion^ Na- . 
 ture hurries me away. And Medea^ Y.aX ixav^dvca, ^dl.' 4 ' 
 (3'c. which Buchanan thus tranflates : p. 206! 
 
 Video^ue qjiantum perpetrahitur nefas^ 
 Sed peffimorum facinorum genitor furor ^ 
 Ratione major, me reirorfum dijtrahit. 
 And Ovid in Metamorph. 
 
 ■ " aliudque cupido, 
 
 Mens aliudfuadet : video meliora prohoque^ 
 Deteriora fequor.'— 
 
 All which are a full Comment and Explanation of 
 Rom. ii. 14, 15, ^c. * 
 
 Fifthly, Innate Ideas cannot prove the Truth of 
 any Propofition, becaufe every Man has as good a 
 Right to deny, as others to affirm them. And this 
 probably was the Reaibn why Epicurus appealed to 
 them, in order to deceive the World with a popular 
 Argument, ^nd leave the Exiftence of the Gods oa 
 a Footing which he knew could never be main- 
 tained. Cicero ftates it at large in the Senfe that 
 Epicurus underftood it 5 that without the Idea of Nat. Deor. 
 a thing we can neither conceive, fpeak of, nor dif-^- i- N. 
 pute about it. That all Men and Nations have an^^' ^' 
 Idea and Notion of the Gods, independent of Learn- 
 ing, is an Opinion not derived from Education, Cuf- 
 torn, or Human Law, but is the firm unanimous 
 Perfuafion of all Mankind. It is therefore from 
 Notions implanted in our Souls, or rather innate, 
 that we conceive there are Gods ; for that in which 
 F 2, the 
 
68 ^^^^ Knowledge of Divine Thifigs from 
 
 the Nature of all Men agrees, muft neceflarily be 
 true. Some have unwarrantably urged this Ar- 
 • gument under the Name and Authority of G'- 
 
 cero i tho' he only introduces it as the Opinion of a 
 particular Philofopher or Seft, and immediately de- 
 nies the Principle on which it is grounded, that of 
 Univerfal potifent : Eqiiidem arbitror mult as ejfe gentes 
 fie immanitate efferatas^ ut apud eos nulla Deorum fuf- 
 picio fit. He verily believed there were many Na- 
 tions fo favage as not to have the leaft Notion of a 
 God, And when he ufes it in any part of his Works, 
 it is not as a Proof, but to take the Exiftence of the 
 Gods as granted, which muft otherwife be perpetu- 
 ally proved. Si hoc non probas^ a Deo caufa ordienda 
 efi. 
 Creed, For thefe and many other Reafons, " The wife 
 
 p. 1 8. « and fober Men of all Parties {^fays our excellent 
 " Bijhop Pearfon) are agreed, that the Soul of Man 
 " has no connatural Knowledge at all, not even of 
 *' a Deity : No particular Notion of any thing in 
 *' it from the Beginning. But that as we can have 
 " no Aflurance of its Pre-exiftence, we may more 
 *' rationally judge it to receive the firfl Apprehen- 
 *' fions of Things by Senfc, and by them to make 
 " all rational Colled:ions." If then the Soul of 
 Man be at firfl like a fair fmooth Table, without 
 any aftual Charadlers of Knowledge imprinted on it ; 
 if all the Knowledge we have comes fucceffively by 
 Senfation, InftrucHiion, or rational Colledion ; then 
 muft we not refer the Apprehcnfion of a Deity to 
 any connate Notion or inbred Opinion ; at leafl wc 
 are afTurcd that God never charges us with the Know- 
 Jedge of him upon that account. 
 
 The fame Judgment is pafTed on thcfc Ideas by 
 the wifeft Philofophers and greateft Mafters of Rea- 
 fon. Puffendorf Z,. 2. ^. 5. § 13. affirms fuch original 
 Characters to be no more than unwarrantable Fidi- 
 ons : That the Readinels which we fee in Children, 
 
 afid 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 69 
 
 and in the ignorant Multitude, to diftinguifh Right 
 from Wrong, is owing in a great meafure to Exer- 
 cife and Ufe, whilfl: from their early Years, and the 
 firft Opening of the Reafon, they obferve good 
 things to be approved of, and evil things to be ex- 
 ploded. As for the loweft Degree of Mortals, who 
 are acquainted with the Law of Nature, chiefly by 
 popular Information and by commonUfe, they ought 
 to require no further Proofs of its Certainty, than 
 that, I . The Exercife of it is maintained by their Su- 
 periors, by whofe Authority they arc to be guided. 
 And then, 2. That they themfelves cannot find any 
 probable Reafons, by which they might either con- 
 fute or weaken its Force. And, 3. Becaule they are 
 every day fenfible of its Ufefulnefs, and the Benefits 
 which it confers upon Mankind. And upon this 
 account, the Law of Nature appears to be fufficiently 
 promulgated j fo that no Perfon of competent 
 Years, and of found Underflanding, can by any 
 means plead invincible Ignorance of it. 
 
 Which is not only giving up thefe original Im- 
 prelTions, but at the lame time affirming the far 
 greatcfl Part of Mankind to be incapable of mak- 
 ing a due Ufe of their Reafon : That they mufl de- 
 pend upon others, to know what is right or wrong ; 
 and in the Matter of Duty and Sin be determin*d 
 by another's Judgment, not their own : For tho* 
 they have Reafon, yet not being able, through the ' ^ #u 
 
 Exercife of it, to arrive at Certainty, the fafeft *''• 
 
 Method of prefer ving tjiemfelves from Error and 
 Miflake, is to fubmit tQ Authority, and rely on In- 
 formation. 
 
 But he who has enquired with the greateft Accu- 
 racy into this Subje6b, and given fuch Realbns againft 
 admitting thefe Ideas, as yet remain (and I believe 
 ever will) unanfwercd, is the great Mr. Locke, in 
 the Beginning of his EJJay upon Human Underjianding, 
 which every one may confult that is defirous of a 
 
 F 3 thorough 
 
 ^^ 
 
no T'he Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 thorough Satisfadlion in this Point. I fliall only 
 mention the Heads of fome of his Arguments. 
 
 The Falfends of fuch Suppofition, he fays ^ fuffi- 
 ciently appears, by Ihewing how Men may arrive 
 at Certainty without any fuch original Notions or 
 Principles, it bemg unreafonable to attribute feveral 
 Truths to the ImprefTions of Nature and innate 
 Charafters, when we may obferve in ourfelves Fa- 
 culties fit to attain as certain and eafy Knowledge of 
 them, as if they were originally imprinted on the 
 Mind. He obfcrves. That the Argument drawn 
 from Univerfal Confenl, on which it principally is 
 founded, has this Misfortune in it, that if it were 
 true in matter of fad, that there were certain Truths 
 wherein all Mankind agreed, it would not prove 
 them innate, if any other way can be fhewn how 
 Men may come to that univerfal Agreement in the 
 Things they do confent in, which he prefumes may 
 be done. But the worlf is, this Argument feems a 
 Demonftration, that there are no fuch innate fpe- 
 culative Principles, becaufe there are none to which 
 Mankind give an univerfal Confent ; for if Chil- 
 dren and Idiots have not the leaft Apprehenfion or 
 Thought of them, it deftroys that univerfal Con- 
 ■mj^ fent, which muft needs be the neceflary Concomi- 
 tant of all innate Truths i it being a Contradidion 
 to fay there are Truths imprinted on the Soul, which 
 .S It perceives or underftands not : For if they are not 
 
 Notions naturally imprinted, how can they be in- 
 nate ? and if they are imprinted, how can they be 
 unknown } and if known, they muft be confcious of 
 them ; otherwife Truths may be imprinted on the 
 Mind, which it never did, nor ever ihall know, 
 which is to make this Impreffion nothing. Or if 
 the Capacity of Knowing be the natural Impreflion 
 contended for, then all the Truths a Man ever 
 comes to know will be innate, and it is only an im- 
 proper way of affirming what no one denies, that the 
 
 Mind 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. yi 
 
 Mind is capable of knowing feveral things-, the Capa- 
 city innate, the Knowledge acquired. But if Truths can 
 be imprinted on the Mind without being perceived, 
 or in theUnderftanding, and not be underftood, ic 
 is all one as to fay, any thing is, and is nor, in the 
 Mind or Underftanding. Nor will anfwering, that 
 Men know and aflent to them when they come to 
 the Ufe of Reafon ; prove them innate ; becaufe then 
 whatever Reafon certainly difcovered, would equally 
 be fo : And whatever general Truths require the Ufe of 
 Reafon for the Difcovery of them, cannot be in- 
 nate ; for Reafon is the Faculty of deducing un- 
 known Truths from Princioles or Propofitions al- 
 ready known, and can amount to no more than this, 
 that they are never known or taken notice of before 
 the Ufe of Reafon -, but whether they may be afTentcd 
 to after, or when, is uncertain : And fo may all other 
 knowable Truths, and confequently by this Note 
 none can be proved innate. Nor is the Time of 
 coming to the Ufe of Reafon, the precife Time 
 when they are firft taken notice of j but to aflent to 
 them is the Exercifc of Reafon, and therefore the 
 Suppofition falfe. Nor will their being aflented 
 to, as foon as propofed, prove them to be fuch -, it 
 may be a Mark of Self-Evidence, when Men, upon 
 firfl: hearing and underftanding the Terms, aflent un- 
 to them, as that one and two are equal to three, ^c. 
 which neverthelefs are not innate \ or if fuch AflTent 
 be a Mark of it, we muft allow Millions of Propo- 
 fitions in the Sciences to be fo, as many as Men 
 have diftind: Ideasof, or can make Propofitions where- 
 in different Ideas are denied of one another. The 
 moft univerfal Maxims not being known till they are 
 propofed, proves them not to be innate. Nor is 
 there a Propofition whofe Terms or Ideas were either 
 of them innate, and confequently nothing in any 
 Propofition that is fo. When Children are capable 
 of Thought, Knowledge, and AflTent, yet are they 
 ignorant of the moft general Truths, which they 
 
 F 4 could 
 
72 ^oe Knowledge of 'Divine 'Things from 
 
 could not be, if Nature had imprinted any fuch ; it 
 being not imaginable that they Ihould perceive the 
 ]mpreffion from Things without, and be at the fame 
 time ignorant of thofe Charaders which Nature it- 
 felf has taken care to ftamp within. Can they re- 
 ceive, and afifent to adventitious Notions, and be ig- 
 norant of thofe which are fuppofed woven into the 
 very Principle of their Beings, and imprinted there 
 in indelible Characters, to be the Foundation and 
 Guide of all their acquired Knowledge and future 
 RealLnings? This would make Nature take pains to 
 no purpofe, or at lead to write very ill, fmce its 
 Chara6lers could not be read by thofe Eyes, which 
 faw other things very well. It being impoffible that 
 any Truth which is innate, fhould be unknown to 
 one who knows any thing elfe ; fince if they are in- 
 nate Truths, they muft be inward Thoughts, there 
 being nothing aTruth in the Mind which it has never 
 thought on. Whereby it is evident, if there be any 
 innate Truths, they muft be neceflarily the firft that 
 appear there, the firft of any thought on. Nor can 
 fuch general Maxims be allowed innate, becaufe if 
 thefe Characters were native and original Impreflions, 
 they fliould appear faireft and cleareft in thofe Per- 
 fons, in whom yet we find no Footfteps of them : 
 For Children and illiterate People being of all others 
 the leaft corrupted by Cuftom or borrowed Opinions, 
 and nothing fuperinduced to confound thole Charac- 
 ters Nature had written, one might reafonably ima- 
 gine that in their Minds thofe innate Notions fhould 
 Jieopen fairly to every one's View, as*tis certain the 
 Thoughts of Children do. It might very well be 
 expeCled, that thefe Principles fhould be known to 
 Naturals, for being (as is fuppofed) ftamped immedi- 
 ately on the Soul, they can have no Dependence on 
 the Conftitution, or Organs of the Body, the only 
 confefTed Difterence betv/een' them and others. And 
 all thefe native Beams of Light fliould, in thofe who 
 hive no Arts of Concealment, fhine out in their full 
 
 Luftre, 
 
RevelatiofJ, not from Reafon or Nature. 73 
 
 Luftre, and leave us in no more Doubt of their be- 
 ing there, than we are of their Love of Pleafure 
 and Abhorrence of Pain. And yet there are no 
 general Maxims, no univerfal Principles of Know- 
 Jedge, to be found in the Thoughts of Children, or 
 any Impreffions of them on the Minds of Na- 
 turals. 
 
 And if fpeculative Principles have not an ac- 
 tual univerfal Confent from all Mankind, it is much 
 more vifible concerning practical Principles, there 
 being no Inftance of any one moral Rule which can 
 pretend to fo general and ready an Ailent, as the 
 former. The Reafoning and Exercife of the Mind 
 to difcover the Certainty of moral Principles, the 
 Ignorance wherein many are of them, and the 
 Slownefs of AiTent wherewith others receive them, 
 are manifefl: Proofs of their not being native Im- 
 prefiions, or fuch as offer themfelves to View with- 
 out fearching. Nor are there any moral Princi- 
 ples wherein all agree; no practical Truth univer- 
 tally received without doubt, or be;ing queflioned, 
 not even the moft extenfive Principle of Juflice 
 and keeping Contracts. And if it be faid, that 
 the tacit AfTent of their Minds agrees to what their 
 Pradice contradifts, it is anfwered, that Adions are 
 the beft Interpreters of Thoughts: And if fome 
 Men have queftioned and" denied thefe Principles, 
 it is impoffible to eftablifh an univerfal Confent; 
 and if pradical Principles terminate not in Ope- 
 ration, and produce Conformity of Aftion, they 
 are in vain diftinguifhcd from fpeculative Maxims ; 
 for if there were certain Charaders imprinted by 
 Nature on the Underftanding to regulate our Prac- 
 tice, we could not but perceive them conffantly 
 operate in us, as we do thofe others on the Will 
 and Appetite, which never ceafe to be the conftant 
 Springs and Motives of all our Anions, to which 
 we perpetually feel them ftrongly impelling us. 
 
 Ano- 
 
y4 *^ke Knowledge of Divine things from 
 
 Another Argument is, that all moral Rules 
 want a Proof; nor can one be propofed, whereof 
 a Man may not juftly demand a Reafon -, for their 
 Truth plainly depends upon fome antecedent to 
 them, and from which they mufl be deduced ; 
 which could not be, if either they were innate, or 
 fo much as felf-evident, which every innate Princi- 
 ple muft needs be, and not need any Proof to afcer- 
 tain its Truths nor want any Reafon to gain it Ap- 
 probation. And if a Reafon be asked of any 
 the moft undeniable Rule in Morality, Men will 
 give it according to the different Sorts of Happi- 
 nels they have a Profpe6l of, or propofe to them- 
 felves: An ancient Philofopher would give one 
 Reafon, a Chriftian another, an Atheift 4 third : 
 And hence naturally flows the great Variety of Opi- 
 nions concerning moral Rules, which could not be, 
 if they were imprinted on our Minds immediately 
 by the Hand of God. 
 
 And if we judge of Mens Thoughts by their Ani- 
 ons, we fliall find they have no fuch full Perfuafion of 
 the Certainty or Obligation of thefe Rules. Even the 
 great Principle of Morality, to do as one would be done 
 to, is more commended than praftifed. If Confcience 
 be urged as checking us for fuch Breaches, and fb 
 the internal Obligation and Eftablilhment of the 
 Rule preferved ♦, It is anfwer*d, that Men may, by 
 the fame way that they come to the Knowledge of 
 other things, come to alTent to feveral moral Rules, 
 and be convinced of their Obligation, without be- 
 ing written on their Hearts ; from Education, Com- 
 . pany, and Cuftoms of their Country ; which Per- 
 fuafion howibever got, will ferve to fet Confcience 
 on work, which is nothing elfe but our own Opi- 
 nion or Judgment of the moral Reftitude or Pra- 
 vity of our own A(5tions. How then can Men 
 tranfgrefs thefe moral Rules with Confidence and 
 Sercnit}", were they innate and ftampt upon their 
 
 Minds ? 
 
Rei^elation, not from Reafon or Nature, y^ 
 
 Minds? View but a Chriftian Army at thefacking 
 of a Town, and fee what Obfervation or Senfe of 
 rnoral Principles, or what Touch of Confcience for 
 all the Outrages they do: Robberies, Murders, 
 Rapes, are the Sports of Men fet at Liberty from 
 Punilhment and Cenfure. The greateft Enor- 
 mities and Inhumanities have been pra6lifed by 
 many Nations without Remorfe, without being 
 fcrupled or condemned : Where then are thefe in- 
 nate Principles of Chaftity, Juftice, and Piety, or 
 where that Univerfal Confent that affures us there 
 are fuch inbred Rules P And if Confcience be a 
 Proof of innate Principles, Contraries may be innate, 
 fince fome Men with the fame bent of Confcience 
 profecute what others avoid, and have Remorfe for 
 doing or omitting what others think they merit by: 
 That there is fcarce a Principle of Morality to be 
 named, or Rule of Virtue thought on, which is not 
 flighted and condemned by wholeSocieties of Men, go- 
 verned by pradiical Opinions, quite oppofite to others. 
 Whatever pracftical Principle is innate, can- 
 not but be known to every one, to be jufl: and 
 good, becaufe naturally imprinted on their Minds. 
 It is therefore litde lefs than a Contradidlion, it is 
 impoflible, that whole Nations of Men fhould pub- 
 lickly renounce, what every one of them certainly 
 and infallibly knew to be a Law, to be jufl, and 
 right, and good ; and what all Men they had to 
 do with, muft contemn and abhor them for : So 
 that whatever practical Rule is, in any Place, ge- 
 nerally and with allowance broken, cannot be fup- 
 pofed innate, becaufe it is not a Rule or Principle, 
 that does upon all Occafions excite and direct the 
 Actions of Men ; nor is it a Truth naturally im- 
 printed as a Duty, without fuppofing the Ideas of 
 God, Obligation, Punifhment, and a Life after this, 
 to be innate ; which they muft all be, if any 
 Thing as a Duty be fo j which they certainly arc 
 
 not j 
 
y6 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 not i it being impofllble that whole Nations fliould 
 ferenely, without Shame or Fear, break a Rule, 
 which they could not but evidently know that 
 God had fet up, and would certainly punifli the 
 Breach of. But the Difference among Men, in 
 their pradical Principles, utterly takes away this 
 Mark of general AfTent, to find out any moral 
 Rule by : They who maintain them, tell us not 
 -which they are ; and were there any fuch, there 
 would be no need to teach them : fuch Propofitions 
 ftamped on the Mind would be eafily diflinguifhed 
 from other Truths, and nothing could be more 
 eafy to know, what, and how many they were. 
 For were there any Difference, it would plainly evi- 
 dence there are none. 
 
 Lord Herbert has ventured to give a Catalogue of 
 them, but there are numberlefs Propofitions, that even 
 by his own Rules have as jufl a Pretence to fuch an 
 Original, as the five he mentions ♦, nor in each of them 
 are all his Marks of common Notions to be found. 
 In fome the Words are uncertain in their Signifi- 
 cation, and the Things they ftand for, difficult to 
 be known, and therefore an uncertain Rule for the 
 Condu<5t of Life, and unfit to be affigned as an innate 
 pradical Principle. Nor indeed can any be ima- 
 gined, or be of Ufe, unlefs the particular Mea- 
 iijres and Bounds of all Virtues and Vices were en- 
 graven on Mens Minds alfo, which no one pre- 
 tends to i and that God fhould engrave Principles 
 in Words of uncertain Signification, does not feem 
 pofTible. Nor will it be of any Moment to fay, 
 that by Education, Cuftom, and general Opinion, 
 they may be darkned, and at lafl quite worn out of 
 the Minds of Men. For this AfTertion quite takes 
 away the Argument of Univerfal AfTent. Nor is it 
 to be reconciled, that there (hould be fome Princi- 
 ples, which all Men do acknowledge and agree in ; 
 yet none of thofe Principles, which are not by de- 
 praved 
 
ReveJatiorty not from Reafon or Nature. 77 
 
 praved Cuftom and an ill Education blotted out : 
 which is to fay that all Men admit, yet many de- 
 ny and diflent from them. And if they are ca- 
 pable of being altered or loft, we fhall be as much 
 in the Dark and Uncertainty as if there were no 
 fuch Thing at all ; it being all one to have no Rule, 
 and one that will warp every way ; and amongft va- 
 rious and contrary Rules, not to know which is right. 
 
 Yet there are many Opinions received by 
 different Men, as unqueftionable Principles, whole 
 Truth is never doubted, which from their Ab- 
 furdity, and Oppolition to each other, it is im- 
 pofllble fhould be true. Nor is it wonderful, if 
 wc confider with what Veneration Men generally 
 fubmit to Notions, however falfe or fuperftitious, 
 which they firft entertained and have always been edu- 
 cated in, and being what they can find in themfelves 
 no Original of, conclude them innate, the Imprefs 
 of God and Nature. And as moft Men have fome 
 reverenced Principles, on which they found their 
 Reafonings, fo there are few, who are not expofed 
 by their Ignorance, Lazinels, Education, or Pre- 
 cipitancy to take them upon Truft. Many have 
 neither Leifure, Parts nor Will, to examine ferioully 
 their own Tenets, much lefs dare they venture 
 to diffent from the received Opinions of their 
 Country or Party ; and above all will be afraid to 
 queftion thofe Principles, which they think are 
 Standards fet up by God in their Minds, to be the 
 Rule and Touchftone of all other Opinions. 
 
 By thefe means it comes to pals that Men worlhip 
 the Idols they have fet up in their Minds, grow 
 fond of the Notions they have been long acquainted 
 with ; ftamp the Charaders of Divinity upon Ab- 
 furdities and Errors, and think no Gods but their own 
 are to be worfliipped. Wanting Time or true Helps 
 to penetrate into the Principles of Knowledge, and 
 trace Truth to its Fountain and Original, they take 
 
 up 
 
yS The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 lip with borrowed Principles, wliich never ventur- 
 ing to examine, they may take any Abfurdity for an 
 innate Principle, and (by long poring on the fame 
 Objedls) the Monfters lodged in either Brain, for the 
 Images of the Deity. 
 . Nor can there be any Principles innate, except 
 ' the Ideas which make up thofe Truths be innate 
 alfo ; for where the Ideas themfelves are not, there 
 can be no Knowledge or Aflent, no mental or ver- 
 bal Fropofitions about them. And it is certain 
 thefe are not born with Children, therefore there 
 was a time, when the Mind was v/ithout them, and 
 the Knowledge of fuch Fropofitions could not be 
 born with us. One may perceive how Ideas come 
 gradually into their Minds, and they get no more, 
 nor any other, than what Experience, and the Oh- 
 fervation of Things that come in their way, fur- 
 nifh them with. If there be any innate Principle, this 
 is certainly one, that it is impolTible for the fame 
 thing to be, and not to be : Yet the Ideas of Im- 
 poflibility and Identity are fo remote from the 
 Thoughts of Infancy and Childhood, that many 
 grown Perfons will, upon Examination, be found 
 to want them. And if fuch Ideas be a native Im- 
 prefuon, they will be fo clear and diftin<5i:, as to be 
 univerfally known, and naturally agreed on, or they 
 cannot be the Subject of univerfal and undoubted 
 Truths, but will be the unavoidable Occafion of per- 
 petual Uncertainty. 
 
 That God is to be worfnipped, is without doubt 
 as great a Truth as can enter into the Mind of 
 Man, and deferves the firfl: Place among all pradi- 
 cal Principles ; yet it can by no means be thought 
 Innate, unlefs the Ideas of God and Worlhip be 
 Innate. That the Idea, the Term Worfhip ftands 
 for, is not, in the Underftanding of Children, a 
 Charader fcamped on the Mind in its firft Origi- 
 nal, will be eafily granted by any one, that confi- 
 
 dcrs 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature] 79 
 
 ders how few grown Men have a clear and diftinft 
 Notion of it. And there cannot be any thing more 
 ridiculous, than to lay, that Children have this pra- 
 dical Principle innate, and yet know not what that 
 Worfhip is, which is their Duty. 
 
 But if any Idea can be imagin*d innate, the Idea 
 of God may, of all others, for many Reafons be 
 thought fo, fince it is hard to conceive, how there 
 ihould be innate mor^l Principles without an innate 
 Idea of a Deity. Without a Notion of a Law-ma- 
 ker, it is impoflible to have a Notion of a Law, 
 and an Obligation to obferve it : Yet there always 
 have been and ftill are Perfons and Nations who 
 have no Notion of a God, no Religion. Or had 
 all Mankind every where the Notion of a God, it 
 would not from thence follow, that the Idea of 
 him was innate : For tho' no Nation were to be 
 found, without a Name and fome few dark Notions 
 of him, yet that would not prove them to be natural 
 ImprelTions on the Mind, no more than the Names 
 of Fire or the Sun, do prove the Ideas they ftand for 
 to be innate, becaufe the Names of thefe things 
 and the Ideas of them are fo univerfally receiv*d 
 and known amongft Mankind : Since the Notion 
 of a God might be otherways difcovered, and the 
 Suitablenefs thereof to the Principles of common 
 Reafon *, and the Intereft Men will always have to 
 mention it often, muft neceflarily fpread it far and 
 wide, and continue it down to all Generations. But 
 if the general Acknowledgment of it be lufficient 
 to prove the Idea innate, it will alfo prove the 
 Idea of Fire to be fo, fince there is not a Perlbn 
 in the World, who has a Notion of God, who 
 has not alfo the Idea of Fire. If it be urged that 
 it is fuitable to the Goodnefs of God that all Men 
 fhould have an Idea of him, and therefore it is 
 naturally imprinted, the Argument will prove too 
 much. For if we may conclude that God hath 
 
 done 
 
8 o The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 done for Men, all that Men fliall judge belt for 
 them, it will follow, that he has not only imprint- 
 ed an Idea of himfelf, but all that Men ought to 
 know or believe of him ; all that they ought to do 
 in Obedience to his Will, and that he hath given 
 them a Will and Affedlions conformable to it. 
 This is better for Men, than that they fhould in the 
 dark grope after Knowledge -, as St. Pmil tells us, 
 all Nations did after God, J3s xvii. 27. than that 
 their Wills Ihould claih with their Underftanding, 
 and their Appetites crofs their Duty. Bat the 
 Goodnefs of God hath not been wanting to Man, 
 fince he hath furnifli'd him with other means to 
 attain the Knowledge of him, and the things that 
 concern him. And can it be thought that the Ideas 
 Men have of God, are the Characters and Marks 
 of himfelf, engraven in their Minds by his own 
 Finger ; when we fee that in the fame Country un- 
 der one and the fame Name, Men have far difFe- 
 f rent, nay often contrary and inconfiflent Ideas and 
 Conceptions of him ? Their agreeing in a Name 
 cr Sound, will prove no more, than that God im- 
 printed on the Minds of all Men, fpeaking the 
 fame Language, a Name for himfelf, but not any 
 Idea, fince thofe People who agreed in the Name, 
 had at the fame time far different Apprehenfions 
 about the thing fignified, which is an infallible Evi- 
 dence of their Ignorance, and that they had no 
 true Notion of him. If on the whole the Idea of 
 God be not innate, there can fcarce any other be 
 found, that can pretend to it. And our Minds 
 being at firft void of that Idea, which we are moll 
 concern*d to have, is a fcrong Prefumption that it 
 mull be fo of all others. 
 
 II. Some, and thofe very wife Men, to whole 
 Judgment I pay the greatell deference, make the 
 Inftinfts another Inlet of Knowledge to the Mind of 
 Man, which I muft confefs my felf unable to ap- 
 prehend ; 
 
' RevelafiofJi not from Reafon or Nature. Si 
 
 prehend ; and beg leave to diffent from them for 
 the following Reafons. 
 
 Firft, Becaufe the Inftinfls, or thofe inward Mo- 
 tions and Propenfions we find within us, are fo en- 
 grafted in the Nature of Man, that whatever Notion 
 or Idea they convey of themfelves, it mull be Innate, 
 and reduce us to acknowledge what is on all hands 
 confefs'd to be unphilofophical and abfurd. 
 
 Secondly^ The Appetites, fuch as Hunger or Thirfi", 
 Defire or Averfion, are only certain Modifications, 
 Motions, or Impulfe of Matter and Spirit, which 
 Impulfe we feel, but do not conceive nor can form 
 any Idea of it. And whatever Uneafinefs they create, 
 it feems confin'd to the Ideas of thofe Objed:s which 
 excite it, as Hunger is a Senfe of the Want of 
 Meat, and Thirft of Drink, i^c. And all Propen- 
 fions to alleviate them are confined to the Ideas of 
 thofe things which the Imagination fuppofes would 
 give the moft immediate Relief. So of Averfions 
 or Natural Antipathies, I cannot conceive any Idea 
 of them, till fome one will delineate the Pidure he 
 has in his Mind, at ftarting or fainting on the 
 Sight of a Cat, or a Piece of Cheefe, and fhew it 
 to be different from the Ideas of thofe very Ob- 
 jedls. Befides, the Inftindls are altogether involun- 
 tary, no way depending on the Will, nor have 
 any Relation to the rational Faculties, but wholly 
 to the Animal ones. No Reflexion can excite or 
 abate them ; it is impofllble for a full Stomach to 
 imagin* itfelf fafting ; and whether full or fading, 
 there is no Addition, Diminution, or Alteration, 
 made to the pure Intelledt. 
 
 Thirdly, If we join the Paflions with Inflin<5ls, 
 they are no more than the Effe6fc of a corrupted 
 Nature ; Commotions raifed in the Mind from a 
 violent Agitation of the Blood and Animal Spirits, 
 what the Philofophers called an irrational and pre- 
 ternatural Motion of the Soul, Traces-, aXoyo^ '^^X^i^ 
 
 G r.ivri7i: 
 
8i The Knowledge of Dhine things froTH 
 
 ;i'v/ifl-if kL xaP(5t (fucriv : And by Cicero, T'eriwhatio^ 
 Commotio animi, Appetitus vehementior^ i^c. And fb 
 far from being an Inlet to Reaibn, that they blind 
 and fhut it up, pervert and difturb its Operations, 
 bat never regulate them j and in the fame Degrees 
 that any Perfon is fubjeft to them, fo far is he de- 
 prived of Reafon. 
 
 Fourthly^ PalTions and Inftin6ls, tho* they are the 
 great L-aw of the Brute- Creation, for preferving 
 their Exiftence , and continuing their Species, 
 which at all times and without varying they obferve 
 and purfue, as the greatefl: Diredion to the End of 
 their Beings •, and whatever Rationality they have, 
 it never refills or perverts them : Yet in Man it 
 is far otherwife, they difturb his Freedom, bias his 
 Will, diftra6l his Reafon, miflcad his AfFedions ; 
 and are the Caufe of all moral Evil, either choofing 
 Means which have no Relation to his End, or are 
 deftruclive of it. And tho* to corred: and keep 
 them within proper Bounds and Regulation, affords 
 an ample Field for Reafon to exert it felf, and is 
 the proper Notion of Ethics or Morality -, and in 
 Societies has occafioned fo many Laws to reftrain 
 their Licentioufnels, and prevent the Diforders 
 which proceed from them -, yet they are no con- 
 ftituent Parts of Knowledge any more than Rob- 
 I bers or Pirates, againft whom we take proper Cau- 
 ; tion to defend Ourfelves. And fo far from being 
 an Inlet to Wifdom, that they are the Conveyors 
 of Ignorance and Error to the Mind, as they are 
 the greateft Caufe of all that Sin and Mifery which 
 overfpreads the World. 
 
 Fifthly^ An Idea muft be conformable to fome 
 real Exiftence ; but we are entirely ignorant of the 
 Eflence, Modes, Powers or Subfiftence of Inftindls 
 or Paffions j and can no more delcribe the Inftinfts 
 in Man, than we can that of the Needle to the 
 Loadftonej therefore no Idea can have any Con- 
 formity 
 
Revelation^ not from Re afon or Nature. 83 
 
 formity to them. A Tree has' a natural Power or 
 Inilind; to grov/ upwards, and a Stone to fall down- 
 wards i we know it is their Nature, the Will of 
 Jiim that form'd them ; but what that Nature is, we 
 cannot in the leaft declare. And if no Objed is 
 conveyed by them to the Intellcd, no Materials, 
 Ideas or Notions, added to the J magination, they 
 cannot be a Dud or Inlet to the Mind ; but a Man 
 would be as wife without, as with them. 
 
 That they are not a Cand for any clear imme- 
 diate Ideas, appears from the numberlefs Definiti- 
 ons or rather Defcriptions of them, no two Per- 
 fons agreeing in their Manner, Caufes, Appearances, 
 or Effe6ls; which could not happen, if any certain 
 determmate Ideas were affix'd to them. No one is 
 able to inform another, what Modifications pro- 
 duce, or what Scnfations accompany them. He 
 knows and feels there is an inward Commotion 
 (perhaps of the Blood and animal Spirits) but he 
 cannot by any Notes or Marks frame a diftinft 
 Conception of their Appearance or Exiftence in the 
 Mind, any further than as they are compounded of 
 Ideas from fuch fenfible things as excite them, in 
 Defire or Averfion, in Love, Hatred, Fear, ^c. 
 
 The Soul operates upon the Body, and fo do cer- 
 tain Objeds on the Imagination, but they are too 
 remote and fubtle for Apprehenfion. We cannot form 
 a Thought or Notion of them, nor how fuch 
 Force, Impulfe or Motion a6ls upon the Mind. 
 They are amongft thofe hidden Caufes, to which, as 
 being indifcernible, we cannot afEx any Ideas ; nor 
 are they to be colleded from the EfFeds, which vary 
 according to the Temperament and Conftitution of 
 Bodies. As for Inftance, a guilty Fear produces m 
 fome Tremblings, in others Faintings, in one a Red- 
 nefs, and in another a Falenefs ; and coniequently 
 there cannot be any immediate original Handing 
 Pattern or Idea of them. 
 
 G 2 Upon 
 
84 1'ke Knowledge of Divme mngs front 
 
 Upon the whole, Inftinfts are Natural, but what 
 Man, as a rational or moral Agent, has no clear 
 Difcernment of, nor Dominion over. He may cor- 
 re<5t, but can neither deftroy, nor prevent them : 
 They rife up without giving us notice, and fubfide 
 not, when, or how we pleafe, as depending on 
 neither of our Superior Faculties, the Reafon or the 
 Will ; but are merely animal Appetites or Incli- 
 n itions, as diftinfl from the Intelledt, as the Body 
 IS from the Soul. The lefs a Man has of them, 
 the better and wifer is he ; nor can they in any ex- 
 plicit Senfe be a Conduit to Truth, or Inlet of real 
 Knowledge to the Underftanding j fo the more he 
 has of them, the nearer is he to the Bead, and the 
 r further removed from all the intelledual Parts of 
 Nature. 
 
 III. The great Inlet of Knowledge to the Mind, 
 is by the Senfes : Either by the dircdt Impreffion 
 of external Obje6ts, when the Ideas conveyed are 
 immediate and adequate, fo that the Mind knows 
 the whole of them : Or mediately, by the Inter- 
 vention of fome other Agent, who inflru6ls it in 
 the Knowledge of thofe Beings and Things, which 
 are invifible, immaterial, and not cognifable by the 
 Senfes. Even this Information the Mind receives 
 by the help of the Senfes, yet cannot form any 
 idea of them (for becaufe of their Remoteneis, 
 Subtilty, and Undilcerniblencfs, it cannot know 
 them adequately, or in the whole) but only fome 
 Thojght, Notion, or Conception of them. And 
 thefe are the only natural Means of coming at 
 Kno.vledge ; for Illumination is fupernatural, when 
 the Mind is taught by an immediate A61 or 
 Communication of God himfelf, without any Inlet 
 or Ule of the Senfes. But by Inftrudion fhe learns 
 the Knowledge of divine abftradted Subjefts, with 
 the help of Language, whereby the Thoughts of 
 one Mind already informed of them, are commu- 
 nicated, 
 
Revelation J no f from Reafon or Nature. 85 
 
 nicated, through the Canal or Inlet of the Senfes, 
 to another Mind. 
 
 For if the Mind has no innate Knowledge, or 
 Original Impreflions (lamped upon it, but is as 
 white Paper without any Characters wrote thereon ; 
 then all the Objeds it becomes acquainted with, mull 
 be adventitious and extrinfecal, and there can be no 
 natural Inlet for them, but through the Senles. So 
 that ail its Notions or Ideas, whatever it perceives, 
 thinks of, or is employed about, that is, all its Ma- 
 terials of Reafon and Underllanding, are conveyed 
 to the Intelled through or by their Mediation. Nor 
 can it poflibly be furnifhed with them any other 
 way (except by Infpiration, which is fupernatural 
 and miraculous) but would always remain a perfect 
 Blank ; as the Soul in a Body originally deprived of 
 all its Senfes, mull neceffarily be. 
 
 Nor is this a modern Suppofition, but the com- 
 mon Do6lrine of the Ancients. Jrijlotk, that Prince 
 
 among Philofophers, fays, -the Mind without the^ . . 
 - ^ - -■ ' -^ De An ma 
 
 Xs;;^^e<a ysypajut/jt-jvov, like a Tablet on which riothing is ' 
 
 — ^ J ;, J ^ ^ T-» 
 
 Senfes is o^a-wio y^y,[X!J.a.Teiov co ixy\:Mv UTrdp^et svc/^s- 1 
 
 yet wrote, but capable of having all things written ; 
 which receptive Power is declared by the addition of 
 the word IvdWi^^aa, : and he elfewhere aflerts, that he 
 who is deprived of any Senfe, mull neceflarily want 
 the Knowledge of fome things. So Epicurus, -uras j^^"^.^ 
 "^ Xoy©^ diro rm ouc3'no"?cov npTYirou, all Reafon has 
 its beginning, or is taken, from the Senfes. And l 2 p. 
 Strabo^ ^ d^idvoia. cm tcov ouc^htcSv o-uvT/^yio-f rd. vonrd, 117.C. 
 the Underftanding forms all its Notions from what De fin. ]. 
 the Senfes offer. Cicero is full of this Doftrine, '•"• '^• 
 ^icquid animo cernimus, id omne oritur a fenfibus •' n 1 4 
 That whatever we dilcern in the Mind, took itsn. 7, lo. 
 Rife from the Senfes. And fpcaking of Reafon 12. 
 with its different Operations, which alone render us 
 more excellent than Brutes, nam Csf fenfibus eademDeheg, 
 G 3 omnia^' \ n 19. 
 
SH 
 
 S6 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 omnia comprehenduntiir^ all thefe things are compre- 
 hended from the Senfes. So again at the End of 
 his Tim^uSy he afcribes the Knowledge of the moft 
 excellent Things in Wifdom and Philolbphy, of 
 Nature and the Gods, to be owing to our Senfes. 
 Rerum enim optimarum cognitiones nobis oculi attule- 
 runt. And among the elder Chriftians, to mention 
 J ^ no more, La^antius has many Exprelfions to this 
 
 Purpoie. Scientia non ejl intus in nobis, fed ad nos 
 extrinfecus venit. Knowledge is not from within our 
 felves, but derived to us Irom without: which can 
 be only through the Senfes. 
 
 For (as a learned Author argues) our Senfes, 
 though common to us with Brutes, are the only 
 Source and Inlet of thofe Ideas, which are the en- 
 tire Ground-work of all our Knowledge both Hu- 
 man and Divine. Without Ideas of fome fort or 
 other, we could have no Knowledge at all ; for to 
 know a thing is to have fome Reprefentation of it 
 in the Mind ; but we cannot think, nor be confci- 
 ous of thinking, till we have fome Idea or Sem- 
 blance of an Objed: to think upon ; and without 
 our Senfes we could not have one Internal Idea or 
 Semblance of any thing without us. So that we 
 muft lay down that Maxim of the Schools as uni- 
 verfilly true, without anv Reftridion or Limitation; 
 Nihil cji in intelle^u, quod non prius fuit in fenfu. 
 
 The Imagination is a common Store-houie and 
 Receptacle of all thofe Images, which are tranf- 
 mitted through the Senfes j and till this is furnifiied 
 in fome degree, the Soul, while it is in the Body, 
 is a flill, unaftive Principle j and then only be- 
 gins to operate, and firft exert it felf, when it is 
 fupplied by Senfation with Materials to work up- 
 on. Thefe are the fole Foundation on which we 
 raife all otir whole Superftrudure of Knowledge ; 
 and all the Difcoveries we can make in things 
 
 temporal 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. Sj 
 
 temporal or fpiritual, together with the mofl re? 
 fined Notions of them in the Mind of Man, take 
 their Rife originally from Senfation. 
 
 At our Birth the Imagination is entirely a Tabula 
 rafa, or perfe6l Blank, without any Materials ei- 
 ther for a fimple View, or any other Operation of 
 the Intelled. We are not furnifhed with any In- 
 nate Ideas of things material, or immaterial ; nor 
 are we endued with a Faculty or Difpofition of 
 forming purely Intelledual Ideas or Conceptions 
 independent of all Senfation : Much lefs has tls^ 
 human Soul a Power of raifing up to it felf Ideas out 
 of nothing, which is a kind of Creation ; or of 
 attaining aiiy firft Principles exclufive of all Illa- 
 tion, or conlequential Dedu6lion from Ideas of ma- 
 terial Obje8:s ; without which the Mind of Man, 
 during its Union with the Body, could not have 
 arrived even to a Confcioufnefs of its own Operati- 
 ons or Exiftence. 
 
 Daily Experience fliews us, that as far as Peribns 
 are from their firll Infancy deprived of any of 
 their Senfes, they are fo far imperfed: in their In- 
 telleftuals. What a vaft Degree of Knowledge do 
 we find cut off together with that one Senfe of 
 Hearing ? Take away the Sight likewife, and con- 
 fider how limited and confined the Operations of 
 the Intellect muft be. If after this you remove 
 from a Man all Tafte and Smelling, and if he hath 
 no Ideas left for the Mind to work upon but thofe 
 of his Feeling ; how far would he differ from a 
 Senfitive Plant ? The Mind in fuch Cafe would not 
 be able to infer the bare Exiftence of any thing 
 external to it, but what was felt ; and if it were 
 poffible for the Man to have animal Life without 
 Feeling, he would be as utterly void of Know^ 
 ledge, as one in a Swoon or Apoplecftick Fit. 
 
 For there can be no Ideas in the Mind, before 
 Senfation, or the Senfes have conveyed them into 
 
 G 4 it. 
 
88 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 it, there being no other Intercourfe or Communi- 
 cation betwixt the Object and the Faculty. And 
 Thought and Reafon gradually improve, or the 
 Mind thinks more, as it has Matter to think on. 
 Bat whilll the Spirit is in Conjundlion with the 
 Body, if we remove from it all Ideas of Senfation, 
 the whole Superftufture of Knowledge falls to the 
 ground. For it is abfurd to fay, either that the 
 pure Intelledt can fupply it felf v/ith Ideas; or that 
 it can think, when it has nothing to think of. 
 L. 2. c. 1. This is alfo what Mr. Locke affirms on the fame • 
 5- 2. Subject : that the Mind of Man has all its endlefs 
 and various Materials of Reafon and Knowledge 
 from Experience : In that all our Knowledge is 
 founded, and from that it originally derives it 
 felf*, which is certainly true, as our Obfervation 
 is employed about external, fenfible Objedts. But 
 what he adds to thefe of Ideas of Reflexion, as if 
 any new Stock of Materials or Ideas were produ- 
 ced in the Imagination by its own A6fcings or 
 Operations, is contrary to Experience, to Reafon, 
 and Nature j it being impoffible that the Mind 
 fhould come at the Knowledge, Perception, Noti- 
 on, or Idea of any Being that has a real Exift- 
 ence, but through the Mediation of the Senfes. 
 
 The Mind has indeed a native Power of Self- 
 Reflexion and internal Operation : Like the Sto- 
 mach it can receive Food, and digclt it ; but it 
 mufl: be given to it, it cannot feed it felf. No more 
 can the Mind, by any Power it has, raife or create 
 new Objecls ; it can remember, compare, divide and 
 compound what it has received ; but not make the 
 leafi: Addition thereto. It can work upon, tranfpofe 
 and view them in diflerent Lights, the better to 
 form its Judgment •, but their Nature is not alter'd, 
 they are ftili the fame. View, review, and divide 
 Ideas of Senfation a thoufand times over, and they 
 will after all be no more than mere Ideas of Sen- 
 fation. 
 
"Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 89 
 
 fation. No Magick of Reflexion or Abftradlion 
 can make Invifibles out of VifibJes, or form im- 
 material Subftances out of material ones ; any more 
 than a Chymifl can extradt Gold from Mud, or a 
 Statuary cut a marble Image out of Wood. The 
 Statues of Phidias might be the moil beautiful in 
 the World, but he made them of the fame In- 
 gredients as others did, and which his Art could 
 not alter. And if their Form was Divine, though 
 he had not a Jupiter or Minerva to carve them by ; 
 yet was it no Creature of his own making, nor 
 would his Imagination have direded his Hands, if 
 it had not received thofe Impreffions from the dif- 
 ferent Objed:s he had before been converfanc with. 
 The A(5ts of the Mind are as regular and plain, as 
 of anyether Agent; and if we would but attend to 
 them, there could be no need of having recourfe to 
 Miracles for any Article of Knowledge we find it 
 in the PoffefTion of; it is eafy to know how we 
 came by it. But to fay it makes Ideas, or con- 
 tains what it never j-eceived, is juft as preternatural, 
 and as true, as that the Artificer makes the Mate- 
 rials he builds a Houfe with ; firft produces, and 
 then puts them together. 
 
 The Imagination is only a capacious Store- 
 Room, capable to receive a vaft quantity and va- 
 riety of Goods of every kind and from every place ; 
 but is quite empty till they are brought into it ; 
 the Merchant then ranges them in their feveral 
 Clafles and Orders, as is moil convenient for Ufe j 
 but cannot by any Alteration, Change, or Mix- 
 ture increafe his Stock, or produce a Subftance that 
 was never conveyed thither. The Intellefl does the 
 fame, it ranges its Ideas in their feveral Cells, fo 
 as to remember where to have recourfe to them, 
 but by no Operation of its own can add a freih 
 Stock or Supply; this, the Senfes and no other 
 Vehicle can bring. For to fay, the Mind can 
 
 furniih 
 
90 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 furnifh itfelf v/ith Ideas, is the fame Abfurdity, as 
 for Merchandife to grow up in the Store, or Fur- 
 niture in a Houfe without coming in at the Doors 
 or Windows. Nothing can be taken out o[ the 
 Imagination, that was not firfl: extriniecally lodged 
 there •, all that the Intelle6t can do, is to fort its 
 Materials, and work fome of them (as a Carver 
 may the fime Block) into a great Variety of Forms, 
 according to the Perfe6lion of its Skill. But the 
 Materials are ju ft the fame, no way effentially alter'd, 
 though the Form is ; nor by any Alembick or Art 
 can It diftil Spirit from Body, or extrad Incor- 
 poreity from what is Corporeal. 
 
 For the Truth of this we need only appeal to 
 every one's Experience ; Let him examine his 
 Thoughts, and try whether he has any original Ideas, 
 that are not the Objeds of his Senfes. Notwith- 
 ftanding all he has heard of Immateriality, let him, 
 if he is able, abftraft from all Senfation or Im- 
 prefTion of material Obje6ts, look inward, and fee 
 if he can find one fimple Idea independent of it, 
 for the Mind to exercife any of its Operations upon. 
 It is impofTible ; or if any fuch Inftance is pretended 
 to be offered, it will be eafy to fliew the neceflary 
 Connexion it hath with Senfation, and the De- 
 pendence it has upon it. 
 
 This, I fay, will plainly appear to any one that 
 will try the utmoft Extent of his Thought, whether 
 the moll: lively Imagination can form an Idea of any 
 thing, but upon the pre-exiftent ones of Senfation; 
 In the moft ficlitious Ideas, the Enira Rationis^ which 
 have no Exiflence but in the Underftanding, though 
 the Mind can compound many Ideas together, and 
 fo frame a Being which really never was in Nature ; 
 yet there are no new Ideas here, tho* the Compofi- 
 tion be fo •, for if they had not been all feparately 
 reprefented before, it could not have joined them to- 
 gether in its Apprehenfion. 
 
 The 
 
Revelation, mf from Reafon or Nature. 91 
 
 The Series is very natural and eafy ; we cannot 
 know a thing without perceiving it, nor perceive it 
 but by fome Idea or Refeiliblance of it •, nor can 
 the Mind have any Reprefentation of Objefls with- 
 out it, but through the Senfcs : Not of human 
 ones, but by Impreflions made on them ; nor of 
 divine ones, but by Ibme SimiHtude or Correfpon- 
 dence with them, which Reprefentations are con- 
 veyed to it by Inftrudlion through the Senfes : But 
 in no fenfe can the Intelled fet up a Mint of its 
 own, for the coining of new Ideas. 
 
 It has been prefumed, and with great Jufdce, 
 that the Power of raifing up to itfelf Ideas, with- 
 out the Prefence or Impreflion of any Objeft what- 
 foever, is perhaps a Privilege of the Divine Intel- 
 led alone ; anfwerable to the almighty Power of 
 Creation, or producing a Thing out of Nothing. 
 But the Power of the Mind in our little World, is 
 much the fame with that of Man in the greater 
 World. It is as impofTible for it to raife up to 
 itfelf any fimple Idea endrely new and independent 
 of all Senfadon, as it is for a Man to add one 
 Pardcle to the common Mafs of Matter : Though 
 it muft be confefled to have a wonderful Sagacity 
 in working upon what it finds already ftored up in 
 the Imagination. 
 
 As the Imaginadon then is the Store-houfe, (o are 
 the Senfes the only Window, Door, or Inlet, where- 
 by any Light or Furniture is admitted into it ♦, and 
 if thefe were from the firfl flopped up and clofed, 
 it would for ever remain a dark and empty Void : 
 Yet when we come to examine what is contained 
 in it, we fhall find a moft eflendal Difference be- 
 tween the Notices which are lodged there. If we 
 furvey the whole Syftem of Beings, we may divide 
 them into two kinds, Material and Immaterial, for 
 there is no middle Species. Of the firfl: of thefe, 
 which are the dired Objeds of Senfation, we may 
 
 behold 
 
92 'The Knowledge ofDivhie Things from 
 
 behold fall and exatt Reprefentations in the Mind> 
 like a finifhed Picflure, boldly and flrongly drawn, 
 and livelily reprefentin^ the Thing intended to be 
 ' defcribed. Becaufe we have a dire6l immediate 
 Perception of them, the Figure in the Mind is ade- 
 quate; and confentaneous to the Objedt without, and 
 the Mind has an Idea of it. 
 
 But of immaterial Things we have only a faint 
 languid Conception, a few Out-lines in a Picture, 
 but no full or proper Reprefentation of them. And 
 the Reafon is, becaufe they are too big for our 
 Mind, it could not contain them ; and therefore in 
 Proportion to our Capacities, fuch Information of 
 their Eflence, Nature and Properties is conveyed 
 to us, as our Nature can bear, or as is fufficient for 
 our prefent State ; not fo as to yield us any clear 
 Perception of them, but defcribing them by Me- 
 taphor, Analogy and fome Similitude to Objects 
 better known to us. Whence it is not poflible for 
 us to raife an Idea, but only an inadequate Thought 
 or Notion of them. And in the moft refined exalted 
 parts of Knowledge we are forced to make up thefe 
 abftrafted Notions from fenfible Things (having no 
 other Materials to compofe them of ) and whoever 
 "will refolve his moft complex Thoughts of fpiritual 
 Things into fimple Ideas, will find them to termi- 
 nate in thofe, and no other, which at firft took their 
 Rife from fenfible Obje6ts. By which Rule we may 
 eafily know of what kind the Notices in the In- 
 tellect are ; and then how we came by them, whe- 
 ther from Senfation or Inftru6tion. 
 
 And the not fufficiently attending to this Diftinc- 
 tion has, I am pcrfuaded, been the chief Ground 
 of all Confufion and Error in our Reafonings upon 
 this Subjed ; and proved a fatal Miftake to Mr. 
 Locke in founding the fublimeft Parts of Knowledge 
 upon Ideas, of Reflexion, or the Operations of the 
 Mind, which can neither give Ideas of them- 
 
 felves. 
 
Re-velatiofiy not from Reafon or Nature, 93 
 
 felvcs, nor of any other Objeds. For there can be 
 no Ideas but of fenfible things ; nothing is proper- 
 ly an Idea, but what ftands in the Mind for an ade- 
 quate Image or Reprefentation of fomething which 
 is not in it; the Thing muft be without us; 
 and becaufe it cannot itfelf enter, the Likenefs of it 
 only is conveyed through the Senfes to the Ima- 
 gination. 
 
 The Term Idea, therefore, can never be applied 
 to the Operations of the Mind, as we cannot pro- 
 perly fpeaking have any Idea of them ; we cannot 
 define what Thinking or Willing are, we know f 
 
 not their Power or Nature, nor can we form any jt 
 
 diftinft Idea of them, but only know that they are '^' 
 
 the Adings or Workings of the Intelled upon t 
 
 Ideas, firft lodged in the Imagination for that Pur- 
 pofe, and necelTarily to be confidered as antece- --^ y--' 
 
 dent to any fuch Operations j and without them .^ J J 
 
 the Mind could not have operated at all, nor have ^ ^ f 
 
 exerted one Adl of Thinking, without being pro- " "^ ^ *" 
 
 vided with fome of thefe to think upon ; nor even 
 have had a Confcioufnefs of it felf, or of its 
 own Being. For though we are certain that the 
 Mind does exert its Operations upon fenfible Ob- 
 jc6fcs, yet we cannot frame to our felves the lead 
 Idea or Refemblance of them, abflradleuly from 
 thofe Objeds on which they operate. 
 
 And this I obferve, to (hew there can be no 
 weight in the Objedion from the Logick of Port- 
 Royal and others againft this general Propofition, 
 that all other Ideas and Knowledge are derived from 
 and by the Senfes. Their Argument runs thus : 
 There is nothing that we conceive more diftindly 
 than our Thought itfelf, nor any Propofition more 
 clear than this ; / think^ therefore I am. Now 
 we could have no Certainty of this Propofition, 
 if we did not conceive diftinflly what it is to be, 
 and what it is to think. Therefore we have in us 
 
 the 
 
94 ^^^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 the Ideas of being and thinking, which neither en- 
 tered into our Minds by, nor do in any manner 
 derive their Origin from the Senfes. 
 
 But thefe Gentlemen are forced to add, " That 
 " we muft not be asked to explain thefe Terms, be- 
 " caufe they are of the Number of thofe which are 
 " fo well underflood by all the World, that endea- 
 " vouring to explain them would render them ob- 
 " fcure." But this is a mere Fallacy, for if it 
 Ireprefents Nothing, it is no Idea: If it has the 
 Semblance of any Thing, it may be explained. 
 We know that we do think, i. e. are confcious of 
 fuch Operation in the Mind, but are fo far from 
 having any diltind Conception, any dired: or ori- 
 ginal Idea of this or any other Operation in the 
 Mind, that all the Ideas or Notions we can form 
 of its Manner of Adting, and the Expreffions we ufe 
 for it, are borrowed from Senfation. It is no more 
 than a natural Power in the Soul, and what no 
 waking Man can prevent, any more than he can 
 the Beating of the Heart, or Circulation of the 
 Blood, which depend not on Ideas, but are neceffa- 
 ry involuntary Motions; and the Idea of Thinking 
 - -adds to a Man's Knowledge juft as much as the Idea 
 of Walking does to a Journey. But we have already 
 feen, that without Ideas of Senfation we could 
 not think at all ; and therefore have no Conception 
 of Exiftence, either of Ourfelves, or any other 
 Being. 
 
 Upon the whole, we cannot with the leaft Proprie- 
 ty fay we have an Idea of any Thing but what is 
 fenfible or material, becaufe nothing elfe can be 
 wholly or adequately known. For want of fuch a 
 diftindt and clear View of immaterial or fpiritual 
 Objeds, we can have no Ideas of them ; but our 
 whole Knowledge is confined to Notions and Con- 
 ceptions, it being impoflible for us to apprehend, 
 what their Nature, Powers, Properties, or Figure 
 
 are. 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 95 
 
 are. Nor can we frame thefe very Notions, but by 
 the Help and Reprefentations of fenfible Things. 
 As for Inftancc, when we would think of the Di- 
 vine Nature, the perfedeft Notion we perhaps can 
 frame, is by Ideas of txct^wt Light and dazzling 
 Splendour, though the moft extenfive Imagina- 
 tion cannot conceive any thing beyond the Bright- 
 nefs of the Sun. And when we would define or 
 defcribe God, it is by negative Exprefllons, fuch 
 as Infinite, Immaterial, Immortal, ^c. of which 
 we have no pofitive Conception or Idea, but by 
 Analogy to fenfible Things, that he is not Finite, 
 not Material, not Mortal, not Comprehenfible, (^c. 
 And this may convince us, that they could not 
 take their Rife from the Mind, or any internal 
 Operations or Reflexions, becaule then the Mind 
 would know them as they are. But it is not 
 poffible for it by any Abftraftions to frame Ideas 
 of immaterial Beings, without applying thofe of 
 Senfation to them, which ncverthelels have no 
 'Relation to or Dependence on them, but are as 
 ■different as Spirit and Matter, i. e. as two Objeds 
 in the Syftem of Things poffibly can be. It im- 
 plies a Contradidion to fay our Reafon can difcover 
 a Being, and yet have no Idea or Semblance of it, 
 for that is to difcover nothing : Or that we could 
 naturally come at the Knowledge of fomething whofe 
 Perfeftion, Effence, or Glory, our natural Faculties 
 are not able to bear the moit diftant Glimpfe of. 
 
 If it be asked then, Flow we come by the Know- 
 ledo-e of God, if it is not by internal Reflexions of 
 the*Tv[ind on the Ideas of Senfation ? The Anfwer 
 is eafy, that it is by Inftruaion. What was not 
 obvious to the Senfes, and therefore could not have 
 entred into the Mind to conceive, That the Author 
 of our Being has revealed and communicated to us, 
 'uiz. a full Afllirance of the Exigence of inviflble 
 Objeds, with fo much of their Nature, Attributes 
 
 and 
 
9 6 ^he Knowledge of Divine T'hings from 
 
 and Properties as is fiifficient for our prefent State." 
 So that being never manifefted to our Senfe or Ap- 
 prehenfion, but in ■part ^ as in a Glafs darkly, the lof- 
 tieft Conceptions we can form of them, fall infinite- 
 ly fliort of their real Natures ; nor can we raife any 
 Conception of them beyond thofe Metaphors and 
 Similitudes by vvhich they have been pictured out 
 and refembled to us. When the Eye of the Mind 
 would by the pureft Abftraftion view the Divine 
 Glory, it is forced to fubftitute by way of Refemb- 
 lance, the ftrongeft Light that is known to the 
 Eye of the Body. 
 
 This then is the Foundation whereon we are to 
 build all our abflrafted Knowledge of invifible im- 
 material Things. It is from Inftruftion alone that 
 the Mind takes this flight, advances to remote and 
 fublime Truths, which Senfe cannot difcern ; foars as 
 high as Heaven, and tours in thofe lofty Specula- 
 tions, wherein it takes a nearer View of all the Won- 
 ders of Eternity : Thofe Obje6bs of Faith which be- 
 ing not feen, are yet believed ; though we have no di- 
 rect Ideas or clear Perceptions, yet we have fufficient 
 - -Notices to confirm our Mind in their Exiftence, our 
 Knowledge in their Beauty and Goodnefs, our Affec- 
 tions to love and purfue, our Will and Paflions to 
 cleave infeparably to them ; till in another World 
 the Veil {hall be taken away, and we be admitted 
 to that perfedl Knowledge, which at prefent is nei- 
 ther needful nor pofilble. 
 
 Nor is this any Degradation of Man, that he was 
 not placed at the head of Intelledlual Beings, able 
 perhaps to contemplate fpiritual Truths with a kind 
 of Intuition : Yet was he created perfe6l in his Or- 
 der, and endued with all the Faculties fuitable to his 
 Condition ; as a mortal Creature placed among 
 Things vvhich are (ctw and temporal : As intended 
 for Immortality, inftrufled in things not feen and 
 eternal, in order to fix his Hopes on that blefled 
 
 Reward 
 
Revelation, not frojn Reafon or Nature. 97 
 
 Reward of being admitted into the City of God, to 
 fee clearly and enjoy fully the Glories of the heavenly 
 Kingdom, which is referved for his final and eternal 
 State. The Ideas of Senfe, or the Operations of 
 Realbn, were infufficient to teach him the Author, or 
 End of his Being, or the Objedts of divine Wif- 
 dom. A full View of them was not neceilary ; 
 therefore God exhibited them in fuch Degrees, as 
 would beft anfwer the Defigns of his Providence, and 
 all the Purpofes and Ends of Man : So that in the 
 moft excellent Gifts and Graces he has nothing 
 which he did not receive. No'U) if thou didji receive 
 it, why doft thou glory as if thou hadfi 7iot received it ? 
 But Knowledge is apt to puff a Man up, and make 
 him conceit himfelf wife above that which is written. n 
 
 Thefe things no way fall within i\\t Cognifance of 
 Senfe or Realon ; their moft exalted Faculties give 
 us not the leaft Notion of Subjeds above the Orb of 
 Matter, nor could have the remoteft View or Dit 
 cernment of an uncreated Nature, there being no 
 Proportion between the Faculty and the Objed, be- 
 tween Finite and Infinite, no Similitude or Likenefs 
 whereunto we could compare it ; and confcquently, 
 no intelle6tual Chain, or certain Deductions and 
 Conclufions, whereby we could have inferred it, or 
 raifed our Minds up to the Throne above. There- 
 fore God let himfelf down in Condefcenfion to our In- 
 firmities, and manifefted thofe real Natures which 
 were hid from us, thofe invifible Glories which we 
 could not fee and live, by fuch gradual Revelations 
 as the Wants of Men required, and he in his eternal 
 Wifdom and Jufticc faw fitting for us -, otherwife 
 they had remained for ever unknown and incompre- 
 henfible to us ; for Man could no more be felf-in- 
 ftruded in thefe Points, than he could be felf-cre- 
 ated. 
 
 The Author of ^he Religion of Nature Delineated, § 3. Prop; 
 fays, " That an intelligent Being muft have fome «. p. 4'« 
 
 H " imme- 
 
98 ^he Knowledge of Divine 'Things from 
 
 *' Immediate Objects of his Underftanding, or at 
 *' lealt a Capacity of having fuch •, for if there be 
 " no Object of his Intellefl, he is intelhgent of no- 
 " thing. He can neither think nor underftand. 
 *' Therefore Man, according to the Growth of his 
 *' Reafon, would have the Objeds of Senfe for the 
 ** Objedts of his Underftanding ; but by no abftradled 
 **" Contemplation of their Ideas could he difcover the 
 '* EfTence, Nature, or Idea of Objeds not evident 
 Prop. 3. <t JO Senfe ;*' becaufe, as he adds, " Thofe Ideas 
 " or Objeds will be adequately and truly known to 
 *' the Mind, whofe Ideas they are.'* But we can 
 have no adequate Knowledge of fupernatural Objeds; 
 therefore we can have no true Idea of them, be- 
 caufe we do not perceive them as they are. 
 
 Yet has he a Capacity of receiving fuch, or form- 
 ing Notions or Conceptions of them, according to 
 the Degrees of Perlpicuity whereby they are notified 
 to him ; and as fuch Notices are more or lefs diftind: 
 and clear, will his Images or Reprefentations of thofe 
 Originals be. But if they were naturally, or by any 
 demonftrable Inferences or Conclufions could be, the 
 immediate Objeds of thelntelled, their Ideas would 
 be truly and adequately known. But we neither 
 have, nor can have, fuch Ideas of them ; therefore 
 the Originals, neither by Nature nor Illation, are 
 the immediate Objeds of human Underftanding : 
 And confequently can be fo only mediately, through 
 the Senles, by Language and Inftrudion, which 
 muft be by the Intervention of another Agent, who 
 ultimately, in this Cafe, muft be God. And this Rule 
 will hold univerfally true in all the Parts of Divine 
 Knowledge, whereof we can have no dired Concep- 
 tion or adequate Idea. 
 
 That we have no natural Capacities to form an 
 Idea of God, is evident, becaufe we cannot define 
 him, (for what we know, we may define) or put 
 Bounds in our Minds to hisEfTence j but for a Finite 
 
 to 
 
Revelation, ?iof from Reaf on or Nature. 99 
 
 to contain an Infinite, is Contradidion and Abfur- 
 dity. And that we can by no rational Confequcnces 
 or Illations difcover him, is equally certain, becaufe 
 the intermediate Relations between a created EfFe6b 
 and a creative Caufe, are no way apparent or difcer- 
 nibleby us, as I Ihall hereafter more largely Ihew. But 
 in this kind of Proof, the Arguments always looked 
 upon as moH: clear and demonftrative, arc thofe ta- 
 ken from the Works of God, the Frame, Conftitu- 
 tion, Variety, and Order of the Univerfe. To 
 which I jfhall only obferve at prefent, that there is 
 no one Chain of Caufes and Effeds that can lead lYiO. 
 Mind from the Contemplation of the Creature to the 
 Knowledge of the Creator. They are Terms infi- 
 nitely diftant, what no created Underftanding could 
 unite and bring together \ it is an A6t of Omnipo- 
 tence ; and he that could prove it, could alio per- 
 form it. 
 
 Let us only hear what the lad mentioned excellent 
 Author fays on thisSubjed: : " That both the Begin- Rellg.Nat. 
 *' nings and the Ends of Things, the leaft and the I^^|;"^^t. 
 " greateft, all confpire to baffle us ; and which way ^' 
 ** ever we profecute our Enquiries, we ftill fall in with 
 *' frefh Subje6ls of Amazement, and frefh Reafons 
 *' to believe that there are indefinitely ftill more and 
 " more behind, that will for ever efcape our eager- 
 " eft Purfuits and deepeft Penetration. This mighty 
 " Building is not only thus grand, and the Appear- 
 *' ances ftupendous in it, but the manner in which 
 " things are effeded, is commonly unintelligible, 
 " and their Caufes too profound for us. There are 
 *' indeed many things in Nature which we know, 
 " and fome of which we feem to know the Caufes: 
 *' But, alas ! how few arc thele with refped: to the 
 *' whole Sum .? And the Caufes which we afTign, 
 " what are they } commonly fuch as can only be 
 *' exprefled in general Terms, whilft the Bottoms of 
 ^ Things remain unfathomable. Such as have 
 
 H 2 " been 
 
100 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 " been colIe6led from Experience, but could fcarcely 
 " be known before-hand by any Arguments a priori^ 
 " to be capable of fuch EIfe(5ls j and yet till Caufes 
 " are known after that manner, they are not tho- 
 " roughly underftood. It is impoflible for us to 
 " come at the true Principles of Things. The 
 •' Caufes that appear to us, are but EfFecfls of other 
 " Caufes. And as for the Subftances themfelvcs 
 " of all thefe things, and their internal Conftitution, 
 " they are hid from our Eyes. Our Philofophy 
 " dwells in the Surface of Nature." 
 
 To argue then upon this Author's Principles : 
 Thofe Ideas or Objedls which are immediate, will 
 be adequately and truly known to the Mind whofe 
 Ideas they are -, for Ideas can be no further the 
 Ideas of any Mind, than the Mind has a Percep- 
 tion of them. But the Icaft and the greatefl: of cre- 
 ated things baffie us, their Reafons efcape our eager- 
 eft Purfuits and deepefl: Penetration. The very 
 Subftances of things, and much more their internal 
 Conftitution are hid from our Eyes : Therefore we 
 can have no Idea or Perception of them (except 
 their outward Bulk, Figure, and fome few Proper- 
 tics.) All the Images we frame of them, their Laws, 
 Deftination, Power, Contrivance and Wifdom, are 
 but at beft falfe and imperfect Reprefentations, in- 
 capable of tranfmitting Ideas of Things as they are, 
 and confequently no more than Mifreprefentations 
 and Milconceptions of Things. 
 
 And if thele firft Relations or Refpedls of Things, 
 the neareft to our View, be fo unapparent, it will 
 not be poftible by the Intuition of any intermediate 
 or more diftant Relations, to difcover other things 
 with greater Certainty. There is no Certainty, and 
 can be no Demonftration ; for if the firft Propofition 
 be imperfc6t, or doubtful, or falfe, it will be always 
 fo, in all the Inftances and Ufes to which it is ap- 
 plicable : And therefore impoflible, from an imper- 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, i o i 
 
 fed Idea of the Work, to form a perfed Idea of 
 the Workman. 
 
 Neither can the Mind, by any Series of Depen- 
 dency, afcend by Effeds to the firft independent 
 Caufe. We indeed know by Revelation, what ^ri~ 
 ftotle and others could not by Realbn, That there is 
 a firji efficient Caufe of all Things ; and are thence 
 able to form Arguments, which may evince the 
 Abfurdity of thofe who maintain an Eternity of 
 Matter, a Multiplicity of firil Movers, or an infinite 
 Series and Progrefnon of Caufes ; by reducing them 
 to admit either a Progreis to Infinity, which is ab- 
 furd ; or grant fome firft pure Ad or Being, which 
 needs no other for its Aduation. 
 
 But we cannot afcend feriatim, by this Chain of 
 Caufes and Efi'eds, to the firft Infinite : Becaufe out 
 of the numberlefs Links there are fo few that we can 
 difcern, or trace out their Dependence on that a- 
 bovc it ; becaufe the manner in which things are ef- 
 feded is commonly unintelligible, and their Caufes 
 too profound for us. Wc cannot know a Caufe by 
 any Arguments a priori, to be capable of rendering 
 fuch or fuch Effeds, and yet till Caufes are known 
 after that manner, they are not throughly under- 
 ftood. " But it is impofTible for us to come at the 
 " true Principles of Things, or to fee into the Oe- P- ^^* 
 *' conomy of the fineft Part of Nature. And thofe 
 " which appear Caufes to us, are but Effeds of other 
 " Caufes which we difcern not : Thele remain un- 
 *' fathomable, hid from our Eyes, and our deepefl 
 "" Penetration reaches not beyond the Surface, i. e, 
 " We are ignorant of all the Caufes and Dcpen- 
 *' dencies in Nature, and therefore cannot from 
 *' them afcend through the vaft Space and Series 
 " of Caufes, to the firil incomprehenfible Caufa- 
 « lity." 
 
 Nor am I any way apprehenfivc of the terrifying 
 Objedion which fome make 5 That if we can have 
 
 H 3 no 
 
I02 ^he Knowledge of Divine ^hin^s from 
 
 no Idea or Notion, Conception or Thought, not 
 fome way fubjcd to, or conveyed by Senfe j then 
 we cannot have the leaft Evidence of any thing, but 
 from the fame : Therefore there being no corporeal 
 Senfe of a Deity, there can be no Evidence at all 
 of his Exiftence. But this Argument is utterly in- 
 conclufive j for no immaterial Beings can be Objedls 
 of corporeal Senfe •, therefore without afTiftance we 
 could not have known them : And for this very 
 Reafon did the Mind Infinite communicate them to 
 cur Minds through the Senfes, by the artificial In- 
 fcitution and Vehicle of Language. Which is fo far 
 from inferring, as Atheifts and others, from a wrong 
 flating of the Queftion, would, that therefore Know- 
 ledge is Senfe, or Senfe the Criterion of Truth ; 
 that it concludes direftly contrary, that neither 
 Senfe nor Reafon are the Meafure of Truth, but 
 God alone is •, and that Reafon could not any way 
 difcover them, as they are not Obje<5ls of the very 
 Intelled, till they are propofcd, and it becomes in- 
 llru6ted in them. 
 
 And this Method of accounting for our coming 
 
 at Divine Truths, is free from thofe Embarrafments 
 
 which fo far perplex the Maint^ners of a contrary 
 
 Opinion, that we find the greateft Authors con- 
 
 flantly forced to take fhelter under what they them- 
 
 felves condemn, the Ahfurdity of innate Ideas. Thus 
 
 , J ,; . Dr. Cudworth expreffes himfelf : " If the Soul be a 
 
 ^c. ' *' mere Tabula rafa, a naked and paflive Thing, 
 
 y. 288. *' v/hich has no innate Furniture of its own, nor any 
 
 *' thing at all in it, but what was impreffed upon it 
 
 *' from without, then there could be no fuch thing 
 
 " as Morality in the World. Very far other- 
 
 *' wife : There is an innate potential Faculty and 
 
 *' Adtivity, but no innate Furniture. And as the 
 
 '^ Being and Attributes of God are the firft Ori- 
 
 " ginal and Source of all things, the Ground and 
 
 *' Foundation of all Morality, yet not immediately 
 
 " dif- 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 103 
 
 " difcoverable by Reafon : Therefore the Infinite 
 *' Mind made fuch derivative Participations of 
 ** Knowledge, or Revelations of himfelf, to the 
 " Mind of Man, as might fuffice for Direction in 
 " all its Moral Conducft, and to its final End." 
 
 So to fay, " That thefe things muft needs id. L. 4. 
 " fpring up from the adlive Power and Fecundity p- '49- 
 " of the Mind itfelf, becaufe the corporeal Objedls ^^ 
 *' of Senfe can imprint no fuch things upon it, is 
 " an evafive begging of the Queftion ; and there 
 " is no more need for thefe things fpringing up in 
 " the Mind, than there is for Water fpringing up in 
 " a Veflel, becaufe we find it there : It had a Ca- 
 '* pacity to receive it, and it was conveyed by a 
 " proper Canal, or poured into it. Divine things 
 *' are not the corporeal nor incorporeal Objeds of 
 *' Senfe, yet may be, and are conveyed into the 
 *' Mind by the Inlet of the Senfes j neither are 
 *' they Ideas of Senfation, becaufe Senfe could im- 
 " print no fuch things, but they are vj^ixara, in- 
 *' telledual intelligible Truths, when the Mind is 
 " taught and inftruded in them, and then become 
 ** Objeds of its Apprehenfion, Contemplation and 
 *' Thought. But they muft be fown before they will 
 *' fpring up in the Mind : And if the Mind had 
 *' fuch a natural Power and Fecundity to produce 
 " them, it would neceflarily have an immediate 
 *' Idea and dired Knowledge of them. Which is 
 " fo far from being true, that the Shallownefs and 
 " Frailty of its Capacities is not able to receive or 
 ** bear the leaftGlimpfe of their real Natures or Ef- 
 " fence, nor conceive them, but darkly, as they arc 
 ** reprefented to us by Analogy to Ideas of Senla- 
 •' tion, which are the only immediate Objedls of 
 ** the Senfes, and confequently of the Intelled: ; 
 " therefore all others muft be fo mediately, by the 
 •' Intercourfc of fome other Power and Means." 
 
 H 4 And 
 
1 04 The Knowledge of Divine I'hings from 
 
 And this Method of coming at fupernatura] 
 Knowledge, is not only agreeable to Experience, or 
 the way our own Minds will tell us they became ac- 
 quainted with it ; but it is congruous to God's Pro- 
 ceedings with Man ; to the true Condition of Man 
 in this State, and what alone can account for the 
 Ignorance of the Philofophers, in thefe Points mod 
 important to be known -, and for that Blindnefs and 
 Stupidity which have covered fo many Millions of 
 rational Creatures in all Nations and Ages of the 
 World. 
 
 Firft, It is entirely congruous with the Almigh- 
 ty's Proceedings. God made Man an intelligent Be- 
 ing, or endowed him with a Capacity to receive and 
 know Truth ; and therefore gave him alfo the Fa- 
 culty of Speech, or Organs fit to frame articulate 
 Sounds, and furnifh'd him with Language to enable 
 him both to receive and give Inftrudtion ; that. 
 Words being the Signs of internal Conceptions, or 
 Marks for Ideas in the Mind, he might be capable 
 firft of being taught by God, and then to teach 
 others, or to convey the Thoughts of his own Mind 
 to another. 
 
 I think it would not be difficult to prove fand I 
 Ihall in other Parts of this Work endeavour to do it) 
 that the firft Language was taught by God : Or, 
 that Man could not of himfelf have difcovered the 
 Knowledge of fixing Sounds to fignify Objecfls, 
 Ideas, or Conceptions, fo as to be Signs of, and 
 ftand for the Reality of Things, for the Subjedt of 
 internal Operation in his own Mind, or make others 
 fo exactly underftand his Thoughts, that the Cor- 
 refpondcnce or leaft Difagreement of thefe invifible 
 Reprefentations of Things Ihould be immediately 
 known. Or, if this were poflible, that it muft have 
 been the Work of many Ages, during which time 
 Man had been neither an intelligent nor fociable 
 Creature, and fo fent into the World to no purpofe; 
 
 for 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 105 
 
 for tho' he had the Faculty of receiving Know- 
 ledge, and Organs adapted to form articulate 
 Sounds, yet without Language he could not have 
 received it; he could not have Thought, and his 
 feveral Noifes had been Sounds without Significa- 
 tion. For he that could not think, could never 
 fubftitute Sounds for things, or affix Senfe and 
 Meaning to Words, any more than Parrots can, 
 tho* they frame articulate Sounds, becaufe there is 
 no natural Connexion between Sounds and Ideas. 
 And confequently Language, the Inftrument of Ra- 
 tionality (lince without it our rational Faculties 
 had been ufelefs) muft be afcribed, not to Man, 
 but to God. 
 
 Words are necefFary for two of the moft impor- Vide 
 tant Purpofes of Life, Thought and Converfation. j ^^' 
 Firft, for the recording our own Thoughts, as they p, ^go. c. 
 fland for nothing but the Ideas or Conceptions in the 2. p. 235. 
 Mind of him that ufes them, they are Marks with 
 certain and proper Significations, by which he is able 
 to recolleftand remember -, and without them could 
 neither call things to his View, nor exercife his 
 Thought, nor fpeak intelligibly. For where there 
 is no Obje6t, or Mark of it in the Mind, a Man 
 is intelligent of nothing, has nothing to exercife 
 any internal Operation in compounding, feparating, 
 dividing, judging or reflefting; is only potentially 
 Rational, the Ufe of Reafon being lock'd up, and 
 of no benefit to him. And if Children were not 
 to hear others, they would never learn the Ufe of 
 Speech ; as Men without Language would rather be 
 a Species of Apes, than rational Creatures. 
 
 So eflential are Words to Reafon, that we can- 
 not think but by the help of Language. For 
 Thought is nothing but the Speech of the Mind, 
 which it ufes to it felf in all its Reflexions and 
 Contemplations: ro (^lavoii^ou \oyov, ov ovfrri "^po^pino, 
 towTjjv ^ •^'U^rj cAi;^sp;\;iToc<. So a great Author ar- 
 gues. 
 
lo6 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Relig.Nat.gues, that a mental A61 can fcarce be performed 
 delin. p. without Words, or fomething equivalent (1 believe, 
 **^* fays he, that even the Deaf and Dumb form to 
 themfelves fome kind of Language : I mean, fome- 
 thing which fupplies the room of Language.) For 
 Thoughts in their naked State, diverted of all 
 Words, and taken merely by themfelves, are fuch 
 fubtile fleeting things, as are fcarce capable of mak- 
 ing any Appearance in the Mind ; at leaft of be- 
 ing detained, compared together, and ranged into 
 Sentences. If a Sentence be fo made up of fenfi- 
 ble Ideas, as to fubfift in the Mind by the help of 
 thofe Images which remain in the Phantafy, after 
 the manner of a Sentence exprefTed in Pidures, 
 or by Hieroglyphics: Yet fuch a Sentence muft 
 be very imperfedl, through the want of Gramma- 
 tical Inflexions, Particles, and other Additions ne- 
 ceflary to modify and corred: the Ideas, of which 
 (Particles, ^c.) there can be no Images ; and in- 
 deed little more than a Set of disjointed Concepti- 
 ons, fcarce exhibiting any Senfe without the af- 
 fiftance of Language to fill up the Blanks. It is 
 by the help of Words, at leaft in great meafure, 
 that we even reafon and difcourfe within our felves, 
 as well as communicate our Thoughts and Difcourfe 
 with others : And if any one obferves himfelf well, 
 he will find that he thinks as well as he fpeaks in 
 Ibme Language, and that in thinking he fuppofes 
 and runs over filendy and habitually thofe Sounds, 
 which in fpeaking he adually makes. In Ihort, 
 Words feem to be as it were Bodies or Vehicles to 
 the Senfe or Meaning •, and which without the 
 other can hardly be fixed in the Mind. Let any 
 Man try ingenuoufly whether he can think over but 
 Alcib. 2. that (hort Prayer in Plato, Ta ixh l^\d, &c. ab- 
 ftraded quite from thofe and all other words, ^c. 
 
 So that Thinking is no other than a mental 
 Speaking ; as no Propofuion can be underftood or 
 
 confider*d 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 107 
 
 confider'd by the Mind without Words. They are 
 Signs by which it was at firft acquainted with 
 Things and all abftraded Truths, and by which 
 alone it is able to recal them for its Ule. And 
 on this account I doubt not but the Greeks expreC- 
 fed Reafon and Words by the fame Term \oy(^. 
 The (ingle Ideas of Senfation may be viewed by the 
 Mind without thinking : Yet we cannot unite leve- 
 ral together fo far as to form a Propofition upon 
 them, without Words and Language. 
 
 The fecond Ufe of Speech I need but mention, 
 no one denying its Neceflity for Communication, 
 that one Man might convey his Thoughts to ano- 
 ther, without which he could not have been a fo- 
 ciable Creature ; it is the Interpreter of the Mind, 
 whereby we can unfold the clear Meaning of our 
 moft fecret Thoughts and difcourfe fb as to be un- 
 derwood, which is the end of Speech. 
 
 God therefore created Man with intelle6lual Fa- 
 culties -, and to render them fubfervient to the great 
 Ends of his Being, he furniflies him with Lan- 
 guage ; for God immediately converfed with him, 
 as the Woman alfo as foon as formed did with Man. 
 And as Language confifts of Words or Names of 
 Things, God ordered him to give Names of every 
 Creature, which we may jufliy fuppofe to be of 
 Divine Appointment, fince their Names were ac- 
 cording to their Natures, it not being conceivable 
 that any human Mind (for the Reafons before given) 
 Ihould at the firfl: View do this, without a fuper- 
 natural Affiftance and Communication. 
 
 Whence it feems to appear that Language, or 
 the Signification of Words, and Connexion of them 
 with the firfl Ideas of Senfation, without which 
 Man could not have received any part of Know- 
 ledge, neither thought himfelf of fenfible Objefls, 
 or the Pi(5lures of them in his Mind, nor commu- 
 nicated 
 
lo8 I'he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 nicated them to others, was entirely owing to di- 
 vine Inftruftion. 
 
 So large a Stock of Materials might have per- 
 haps been fufficient for all the Purpofes of Man, as 
 an Inhabitant of this World only j but God in- 
 tended him for another invifible and inconceivable 
 State ; therefore revealed to him fo much of the 
 things belonging thereto, as was neceffary to pre- 
 pare and direct him thither. Man had a Capacity 
 to receive fpiritual and inteiledual Truths, and God 
 made fuch Difcoveries of them as plentifully to 
 furnifh the Mind with all the Means of Divine 
 Knowledge. But thefe Truths were the Secrets of 
 the moft high God, what Man by his Wit, Senfes, 
 or Endeavours could not have apprehended : There 
 would be but little Difference between the created 
 and uncreated Nature, if the Imagination of one 
 could find out the Infinite Perfections, Purpofes, 
 and Counfels of the other. It is equalling a Finite 
 to an Infinite, and Man could with as little Abfur- 
 dity and as much Eafe create himfelf, as difcover 
 the Natures, give Definitions, Names, and Ideas of 
 immaterial, incomprehenfible Objedts ; Beings of 
 whofe real Effence, Attributes, or Operations he 
 could not raife any Images in his Mind, and there- 
 fore could not poffibly fo much as think of 
 
 All the feveral Ranks of Beings and Relati- 
 ons, which the Senfes cannot difcover. Actions we 
 never heard, and Notions we cannot fee, are out 
 of the reach of their Teftimony, and mufl be \tt 
 into the Mind or come to be known fome other 
 way ; which could be only from a proper Inftruc- 
 tor, and in the Cafe before us, there was none but 
 God. 
 
 The whole Voice of Antiquity agrees in this, that 
 Plato the Knowledge of the to ov is ©swv Ik av^pwTrss- 
 Phiieb. c/^^o-jf, a Gift of the Gods to Men. And Plato 
 Theaet. fays, 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature, 109 
 
 fays, iTris-w'junj Science, is nothing but ou'^ncrtr, Sen- 
 fation, or that inward Judgment, which the Mind 
 palTes upon things conveyed to it through the Senfes. 
 Even Celfus concluded, " That a divine Spirit de- ©r'g.cont. 
 ** fcended to acquaint the ancient Sages with thofe ^^^*; ]• 7- 
 « divine Truths they taught the World." And^'^ 
 lamhlichiis afierts, " That our weak and frail Na-§,3 c. 18. 
 " ture poiTeiTes nothing of this Knowledge as na- 
 " tural to it, cru/jtvpurov 6\ ao'^ev jtsM-rnroa." 
 
 It will never be faid, that Man at his firfl Crea- 
 tion had a natural View of the immaterial World, 
 or an immediate Idea of God, becaufe fuch Ob- 
 jeds or Ideas are adequately known to the Mind 
 whofe Ideas they are ; but this God is not fubjed to, 
 therefore no immediate Objedl of the Mind, and 
 can be fo only mediately by the help of Language 
 and Information. Of material Things we form 
 exa6t Pidures, Impreffions or Ideas ; of divine 
 Things only Thoughts, Notions, or Conceptions, 
 and thofe by Analogy to Ideas of Senfation, which 
 are no juft Reprefentations of their real Nature, but 
 Reflexions oy odviyixari, dark and obfcure Refem- i Cor. xHi. 
 blances, therefore cannot be a Creature of the In- 12. 
 telle6t, or any Original Production of the Mind, 
 for then it would have been confentaneous to Na- 
 ture, a real Likenefs and Similitude of it. Again, 
 the Objefts of Senfe to one Man, are fo to every 
 Man that has his Senfes, and the Imprefllon is the 
 lame where the Organs are not vitiated ; fo that all 
 agree in the Proportions and Defcriptions of them. 
 It would be the fame in fpiritual Objedb, if the 
 natural Fecundity of the Mind produced them ; 
 there would be no Difference or Confufion in the Ap- 
 prehenfions of Men concerning God and fpiritual 
 Things -, but the Faculty which is alike in all, 
 would naturally afford the like Conceptions to all. 
 Yet the Thoughts of Men vary infinitely, fomc 
 have true, fame have falfe, fome have weak, and 
 
 others 
 
110 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 others no Conceptions at all of thefe Sabjedls. 
 "Whence comes this, but from the different manner of 
 Inftrudion? Where the Mind isjuftly inform'd, its 
 Thoughts and Realonings will (or ought to) be juft 
 and true •, but when all the folid Notices wherein 
 Mankind had been intruded became weak or oblite- 
 rated, fuch were their Apprehenfions : The Names 
 of Things continued, and Men reafoned on them ; 
 but they reafoned falfly, their Inftrudlion poifon'd 
 others, and fpread the mod deteftable Opinions of 
 the divine Nature through the World ; which could 
 not have happened if the Mind had a natural 
 Power to raife any direfl immediate Conceptions, 
 or attain a clear Difcernment of it. Whereas Men 
 1, differed in nothing more than their Opinions and 
 (/ Sentiments of God, in which every thing was fo 
 confufed and perplexed , dubious and uncertain, 
 that it was the Subjed of Difpute, not of Know- 
 ledge, and filled the World with Debate, Conten- 
 tion, and Strife : There is no accounting for this, 
 but by faying, that Natural Wifdom is not the Pro- 
 perty of Man, but of God ; it grows not in the 
 Faculty or Imagination ; that whatever Science a 
 Man has he receives it from without, it is conveyed 
 to the Mind through the Duds and Channel of the 
 Senfes. 
 
 To put this Argument in a yet ftronger Light: 
 As without Language Man could not have thought, 
 or difcourfed, or given Names to feniible things, it 
 is beyond all Stretch of Power or Imagination, that 
 even with Language he fhould be able to give 
 j Names to invifible incomprehenfible Beings, i. e. to 
 ■ exprels what is inexprefTible, what he could not 
 think of, whofe Effence was utterly unknown to 
 him, and therefore he could never invent Words to 
 ftand for Ideas, Conceptions, or real Natures that 
 he knew nothing of; and an Idea [of nothing is a 
 Contradidion. And what increafes the Difficulty 
 
 here 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 1 1 1 
 
 here is, that thele Names are exprefTive of their 
 Natures, and yet taken from fenfible things ; now 
 if Man had any clear adequate Knowledge of them, 
 he would have impofed Names proper and peculiar 
 to them, fo as to be diftinguifhed from all others, 
 and not borrowed them from inferior Natures; 
 which is a full Evidence that they were not of hu- 
 man Invention ; for as we conceive, fo fhould we 
 fpeak ; but given by one who had a full compre- 
 henfive View of them, yet reprefented thofe glo- 
 rious Objeds fo far tranfcending our Capacities, in 
 a manner fui table to our Apprehenfion of them, 
 which is not diredly or immediately, but by Sem- 
 blance to human Things, in order to help the Un- 
 derftanding towards conceiving what would other- 
 wife be for ever hidden from us. And for this 
 reafon we can neither think, conceive, nor exprefs 
 ourfelves concerning them, but in the manner where- 
 in they have been reprefented to us. 
 
 Thus the divine Nature, tho* in itfelf, by reafon of 
 its abfolute Simplicity and Infinitude, it can neither 
 be defined nor apprehended by us under any one 
 adequate Conception or Notion -, yet God has revealed 
 himfelf by various Names which lead us to the 
 Contemplation of his Nature and Attributes, and 
 yet fuited to our Capacities, or manner of appre- 
 hending divine Objeds. Thus Jehovah is the Name 
 of Eflence or Subftance ; El, of Force, Fortitude 
 and Power ; Shaddai, is All-fufficiency ; Adonai, the 
 Lord of the Univerfe ; Elohim, the moft High ; Sa- 
 haoth, the Lord of Hofts, t^c. hereby denoting 
 Eternity, Omnipotence, Independence, Self-Exift- 
 ence, the Creator of the World, the Giver and Pre- 
 ferver of Being to all his Creatures, ^c. which 
 no created Underftanding could have known or 
 explicated, without a Communication from him 
 who is the Author of Eflence, Exiftence, and all 
 Perfection. 
 
 So 
 
112 The Kmioledge of Divine Things from 
 
 So a Spirit, in the primary Signification, is 
 Breath, thereby alluding to its invifibile fubtile Na- 
 ture. Angel is a MeJJenger, denoting the Office of 
 thofe illuftrious Minifters who attend round the 
 Throne. Thefe and other Names of fpiritual Ob- 
 jedls, could not have been given but by one well ac- 
 quainted with the Secrets of Heaven, which neither 
 Adam nor any of his Pofterity poffibly could be, 
 without a Revelation from Heaven. 
 
 The Heathens, it is certain, did not hold divine 
 
 Vid. lam- Names to be of human Inftitution, but from the 
 
 bhch. de Qq^Jj^ ^^j w^at therefore could not be alter'd, as 
 
 c, r, not retaining the fime peculiar Force when tranf- 
 
 lated into any other Language, and (which is worth 
 
 obferving) that the Barbarous (/. e. the Jev/ifli or 
 
 Oriental) Names were more emphatical and brief, 
 
 and had the leaft Ambiguity and Variety of Didion. 
 
 So Plato, tho' he derives them originally from the 
 
 Gods, yet confefles the Greeks had them from the 
 
 Barbarians. 
 
 And thefe Revelations to Man had a double Ufe. 
 1. To enable him to fulfil the Ends of his Being ; 
 and, 2. To communicate and tranfmit them to 
 others, that there might be no neceffity of main- 
 taining a perpetual Intercourfe between Heaven and 
 Earth; to exercife the Duty of Faith, both as a 
 rational and a moral Agent. Nor is there any dan- 
 ger of miilake, for thefe Subjeds of divine Com- 
 munication are as eafily feparated, diftinguilhed and 
 known from all other Notices of the Mind, as the 
 different Ideas, convey'd by the feveral Senfes, are. 
 
 If a Man takes a Survey of his own Mind, and 
 enquires how he came by Ideas, or thofe perfed Re- 
 prefentations of material Beings he fees pidured 
 there, as of a Houfe, a Man, i^c. he will eafily per- 
 ceive, that it was by the Organ of Sight ; if of 
 Sounds, by Hearing ; and fo on. His Senfes, Un- 
 
 derftanding 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 113 
 
 derflanding, and Experience, are infallible WitnefTes 
 of it. 
 
 But if we come to ask fuch an one, whether he 
 has a clear Perception of Objeds above the fixed 
 Stars ? he will anfwer in die Negadve. If we de- 
 mand a Reafon why ? It is becaufe he never had a 
 near diftinft View of them. By what Notes or 
 Characters does he reprefent them in his Mind ^ By 
 the mod glorious Semblances of material Things. 
 Did he difcover thefe invifible immaterial Beings by 
 any internal Operations or Reflexions of his own ? 
 No Man that ever lived could anfwer in the Affir- 
 mative. By what means then did he come to have 
 a Notion of what he never faw nor heard, of the 
 Manfions in Heaven, the blefled Angels, the infinite 
 Creator of all Things, i^c. .? The Reply, without 
 hefitation, will be, that he was taught them, in- 
 ftru(5led in their Nature and Perfed:ions from Ana- 
 logy or Reprefentation to fenfible Things. V/he- 
 ther he could poflibly frame any other Conception 
 of them, or, by any Stretch of the Mind, raife new- 
 Ideas of immaterial Objefts, wherein he had never 
 been inllrudled .? It is impoffible he fhould. From 
 whom did he learn them ^ From his Parents or Maf- 
 ters. From whom did they receive their Know- 
 ledge ? From their Anceftors. Which will lead us 
 on till we come at the firft Parents of Mankind, who 
 were inftru6led by God himfelf. Hence comes that 
 univerfal Acceptation of the Word Learning ; All 
 fpiritual Knov/ledge is fuch, we learn'd it from our 
 Fathers, and they from God. 
 
 In the whole of this Procedure, there is nothing 
 but what is plain and natural, agreeable to the Ex- 
 perience and Teftimony of every Man's Confcience 
 and Underftanding, that will but confult them, and 
 fatisfy himfelf how he came by the Pofleffion of any 
 Truth. 
 
 I We 
 
114 -^"^^ Knowledge of Dknne Thi?2gs from 
 
 We indeed arc told by others of Ideas ofSenfation, 
 Ideas of Reflexion, Ideas of Self-confcioufnefs, Ideas 
 of Tiiinking, Willing, and all the internal Opera- 
 tions of the Mind, fimple Ideas and complex Ideas, 
 Ideas of fimple Modes, and Ideas of mixed Modes, 
 Ideas of primary and fecondary.Qjalities, Ideas of 
 Power, collective Ideas of Subltances, Ideas of 
 Caufes and Efreds, Ideas of Relations, and num- 
 berlefs others. By a due Combination, Abftraflion, 
 and Reflexion of which, we may by Illation infer 
 the Neceflity, Exifl:encc, Nature and Properties of 
 immaterial Beings, and thofe Relations we (land in 
 to them. 
 
 But miferable would be the Cafe of Man, were 
 he doom'd to learn his Duty, his Happinels, and 
 his God, from fuch unnatural infignificant Jumbles 
 of Words : For who then could be faved ? How 
 / few ever underftand tliem } How much fewer 
 would be able to go through the Labyrinth of thefe 
 feveral Operations ? And when they had, it would 
 help them bat litde in the Search of Truth, that 
 real and fubfl:antial Knowledge, which renders them 
 better, as well as wifer, to obey God here, and en- 
 joy him hereafter. 
 
 Befides, in all our Knowledge and Experience, 
 there is not the lead Ground for this Omnipotence 
 in the Mind. It cannot think or operate without 
 fome precedent Ideas to work upon. With the 
 Combination of all its Powers, it cannot produce 
 one new Idea without the Help of the Senfes \ or 
 Notions of Invifibilities, but by borrowing them 
 from Senfation. Let a Perfon of the greateft natu- 
 ral Sagacity, acquired Improvements, and exercifed 
 in metaphyfical abftrafted ' Reafonings, try it, and 
 he will not find one Idea in his Imagination, not a 
 fingle Picture in his Intellefl, that exhibits Things 
 quite removed from all Degreesrf)f Senfe : Nor can 
 he affix any precife determin'd Idea, that he fhall 
 
 fteadiiy 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon cr Nature. 115 
 
 fteadily annex to them, as often as he fhall happen 
 to revolve them in his Mind. 
 
 Bat what alone may convince every impartial En- 
 quirer, that x^iit'it Truths could come from no other 
 Source than that of Revelation ; is the ImpoiTibiJity 
 of altering, enlarging, or diminifhing them. We 
 know them fo far as God has taught us, and no fur- 
 ther ;• we can neither difcover new Objeifls, nor con- 
 ceive thofe that have been revealed to us, otherwile 
 than as they were communicated, nor can know them 
 better by any Similitudes, Relations, or Oppofitions 
 we can frame : Nor have all the Self-reflexions or 
 Abrtradions of the mofl exalted Minds, from any 
 Combinations or Alterations of Ideas, been able, 
 amidiL their other prodigious Difcoveries, to add a 
 fmgle lota to one of thefe. Which could not have 
 been, if thefe Subjedts had been the Produft of 
 Reafon, Thinking, or human Enquiry. All other 
 Arts and Sciences have been gradual, and mod of 
 them yet fhort of Perfediion. But where God is the 
 Teacher, Reafon is at a Nonplus ; it Q.:si go no fur- 
 ther, nor add to his Determinations ; they are all of 
 that kind of firfl Principles, which give all Evi- 
 dence to, but receive no Evidence from our Conclu- 
 fionSo 
 
 Secondly, This Method of accounting for our at- 
 taining Knowledge by Inftruftion, is molt agreeable 
 to Experience, and the Condition of Mankind thro' 
 all Ages ; as in a good meafure appears from what 
 has been already laid : And it will, upon Exami- 
 nation, be found, that all our real and folid Know- 
 ledge is entirely owing to it.-, not from any private 
 internal Growth, but the Pains and Culture of others. 
 For without any Indignity to the imperial Faculty of 
 Reafon, (which is common to all, and the Capacity 
 of Learning much the fame) the apparent Diffe- 
 rence among Men, proceeds from Inftrud:ion or At- 
 tention. Ratio eft communis^ doolrina differens, difcendi Cic. Leg. 
 
 1 2 quidem^- N. i». 
 
Ii6 ^ke Knowledge of Divine 1" kings from 
 
 quidem facuUate par. And this explains the old Dif- 
 
 tindion, that Virtue is our own, but Wifdom is not, 
 
 becaufe we are obliged to the Inftru6lion of others 
 
 Laftant. for it. Virtus efi intus in nobis, fcientia ad nos extrin- 
 
 ^ ' ^' /ecus venit. Scientia igitur alieni beneficii eji, quia po- 
 
 ^* ^^'^" Jit a efi in audiendo. 
 
 No one denies that Men are, what Plato juftly calls 
 Repub. 7. theni, (pucrei \cjicrhoi, by Nature capable of Reafon, 
 ^' ^^ and Reafon of vaft Attainments in Knowledge : 
 But neither one nor the other could be without Lan- 
 o-uage, nor Language without Inftru(5lion, nor In- 
 Itrudion (in the Language of divine things at leafl) 
 but from God. Tiiis is the Order of Nature, the 
 Appointment of its Author, which there is no de- 
 viating from. As it alone folves thofe otherwife un- 
 accountable Difficulties, in the Savagenefs of Na- 
 tions, the Ignorance of Ages, the horrid Errors of 
 Philofophy, the gradual Advancement, Perfeftion, 
 or Decay of Religion, Arts, and Sciences : The on- 
 ly Difference was according to the Opportunity of 
 receiving Inftruftion. Greece was a thoufand Years 
 without the leaft Tindure of Philofophy, or Know- 
 ledge of Nature -, and when it appeared among them, 
 it was not of their own Manufadture, but the Spoils 
 o^ Egypt and the Eaft. Their Fathers were as well fit- 
 ted tor Improvement as their Defendants, but had 
 no Inftruftors, nor knew where to look for them : 
 And Socrates, in his Apology, tells the Athenians, 
 **" That they will fill into an irrecoverable State, 
 *' unlefs God fhall take care of them, and fend them 
 ** another Inftrudlor." So the Romans, and every 
 diftant Nation, were barbarous for want of Inter- 
 courfe i and on the fame account the New Guinea 
 Men are Savages to this Day. 
 
 For the Mind of every one being at firft a per- 
 fed Blank, if nothing were wrote upon it but the 
 Obfervations of naked unaflifled Reafon, it would 
 be little better than a Sheet of blotted Paper, filled 
 
 per- 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 1 17 
 
 perhaps with Charaftcrs, buc thofe deformed and 
 ufelefs, without one Note or Thought relating to 
 God, Eternity, or a future State. And notwith- 
 ftanding the Cenfures fome Moderns have pafs'd up- 
 on La^fantius and others, for alTerting that nothing 
 could be known of God but by Revelation : As if 
 they hereby attempted to difcredit human Reafon, 
 and we therefore ought to beware of them and their 
 Do6lrine ; becaufe whoever depreciate Reafon, we 
 may be aflured they have fome very unwarrantable 
 Paradoxes to advance, ^c. It may on the other hand j 
 be affirmed with equal Juftice, that no one exalts ' 
 Reafon above its proper Limits, as the Light of 
 Heaven, and the Oracle of God ; but with an intent { 
 to depreciate Revelation, and make Man the Mea- 
 fure of Truth. But Truth will fuflain itfeif ; and 
 no Article in it has a furer Foundation than this, that 
 nothing can be known of God but immediately from 
 God i nothing has a more concurrent Tellimony of 
 all Antiquity and learned Men in the World : To 
 which alfo may be added, that Man is not born 
 wife, but becomes fo by Teaching and Inftrudtion. 
 
 It muft be confefled, that in the firil Ages of 
 Philofophy, when every thing was under Litigation, 
 much ado was made about Virtue in Man, whether 
 it were by Acquifition or natural Infufion ; fome 
 held the latter, fome the former ; Plato is variable. 
 But tho' he and Socrates at fome times made Virtue 
 produced by ^ila ixo'tpa, a Divine Fate^ without a Meno, 
 Concurrence of the Mind ; yet Timaus Locrus, from P- ^9« 
 whom Plato borrowed fo many Notions, though he 
 taught the Principles of Virtue to be from Nature, 
 yet affirm'd the Middle and End (or the Com- 
 pletion) of them, to be from Diligence, by the 
 means of Inftitution and Philofophy, c/^ja TraK^j/afp^ j^. 
 }^ (pjXocro(p'af, which ftrengthen Virtue, as Exercife 
 does the Body. And Socrates who ftudied Virtue, 
 we know, found Inftrudion fo neceflary, that he 
 
 I 3 was 
 
ii8 
 
 Ethic. 1. 
 c. I. 
 
 J*latarcii. 
 de Lib. 
 Educand. 
 p. 4. 
 
 I'he Kn(Kvkc^ge of Divine Things from 
 
 was not afhanied to be taught by Women •, he call'J 
 Biotima his Millrcfs, and tor a long time frequented 
 Af^ofta. Arijloth divided Virtue into Rational and 
 
 ■ Moral : The firfl: he malces chiefly to proceed from, 
 and be perfc(5ted by Inftrudion -, the other, which 
 are Ethics^ to depend entirely on Cuftom or Man- 
 ners, from which they take their Name, and differ 
 very little. Several of the S:oicks held the Seeds of 
 Vn-tue to be in Nature ; as C'eanthes, that a good 
 Man was fuch cp-Jc-st Jt, fjt/i ^ian^ hy Nature^ not by 
 Liftituticn ', yet others of them taught dprr,v d^io'a.y,- 
 T)iv, that Virtue was teachable \ and even Zeno, in 
 •an Eoiftle to Antigonns, that an ingenuous Mind, 
 with the Affiftance of a Mafter and competent 
 Exercife, might eafily attain to perfect Virtue. 
 But the prevailing Opinion of the Ancients Vv^as, that 
 four Things (i|)ucrt?, Xoyo?, -Trcuo^iia.^ ly a.<Ty.Y\a-i;) Na- 
 turc^ Renfon^ I.iftruhlon^ and Applicalicn^ were as ne- 
 celTary to the attaining Virtue, and every Art, as a 
 rich Soil, proper Culture, a painful Husbandman, 
 and good Seed, are to a fruitful Harveft (and Plu- 
 tarch wrote a little V/ork to prove Virtue to be from 
 Indujiry) That good Education and Inftrudlion make 
 good Natures 5 and good Natures, from fuch Dif- 
 cipline, are made better than they were before -, for 
 
 I Men become good and wile, not trom Nature, but 
 
 ' Inftruflion and Care : That they who are leaft dif- 
 pofed to them by Nature, will by thefe means be 
 brought to pradlife every Branch of them -, as they 
 who by Nature are the fitteft, will become bad thro* 
 Sloth and Negligence ; and they look'd upon the 
 forming the Minds of Youths to be as much owing 
 to the Mailer, as the Fa(hion of the Clay is to the 
 Hands of the Potter : Therefore when Diogenes faw 
 a Lad behave indecently, he gave the Mafter a Blow, 
 and ask'd why he injiru£led his Scholar no better. In 
 Ihort, a good Education was efteem*d Tryiyn k^ pila. 
 
 y.oi}^o/.aya^ia^y the Fountain and Root of all well-doing. 
 
 And 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 1 19 
 
 And for the fame Reafons the Chriftians called 
 it (pcoricr/i/os- , becaufe it illuminates; the Mafter CI. Alex, 
 takes off the Cover, opens the Store of Learning Strom. 5. 
 and Wifdom, and thereby manifeus what before P' 57^- 
 was hid. 
 
 But when they fpeak of Divine Learning, it is in 
 another Strain, and the Gods are allowed to be thephiieb. 
 only Mafters. Plato treating of the Divine Nature, p- '7- 
 fays, " This Doftrine, tho' ilrange, the Gods (as 
 " they fay ) have thus delivcr'd to us to learn, 
 '• and teach it to others.** And ovec and ever 
 again, " That we could not learn thefe Truths but 
 *^ from the Gods, or the Sons of the Gods ; and 
 " that we cannot know their Will without a Pro- 
 " phet to reveal it to us." lamblichus fiw the 
 Force of this Truth, and was pofitive " That human 
 *' Nature can neither.fpeak of God, nor do any di- 
 *' vine Works without God.*' Cicero would go fur- 
 ther than his Mafier Plato ^ in faying, " That Phi- 
 " lofophy (under which he includes the whole of 
 " Religion) v/as not only the Gift, but the Inven- 
 " tion of the. Gods. Philofophia omnium 7nat€r ar-^^^c- Q^ 
 tium, ut Plato ait donum^ ut ego inventum Deorum.^'.^' 
 And Chriftians, till latter Ages, affirmed ^eoo-o^oroy piieodo- 
 co'^'iM^ that divine Wifdom, or the Knowledge of ret. Scrm. 
 divine Things was from God j and that Learning ' • p- ?• 
 and Knowledge are to be received from what we , „ 
 hear, and not from what we fee. 
 
 For thefe Reafons, the World has always laid fo 
 great a ftrefs upon Education, as if without it Man 
 would fcarce become a rational Creature -, or what- 
 ever Faculties he has, they would have remained ufe- 
 lefs to all the Purpofes of Knowledge, Society, and 
 Life. This is a Subject I may hereafter more large- 
 ly treat of ; and therefore at prefent Ihall only fpeak 
 the Sentiments of Plutarch^ as they will both Ihew 
 the NeceiTity of it for the reclaiming of Nature, 
 and what was the Opinion of the wifeft Ancients up- 
 on this Head. 
 
 I 4 He . 
 
1 20 T^he Kjiowkdge of Divine Things from 
 
 Dc Amore He obferves, That no Creature comes into the 
 Prohs. World under fo many Difadvantages as Man -, That 
 his Education is laborious, his Increafe (low, and 
 Virtue feated at fo great a diftance, that few Parents 
 live till their Sons can reach it. Hence Neocles did 
 not fee 'Thcmijlocks a Conqueror at Salamis \ nor Mil- 
 tiades the Triumphs of Cimon j Xantippus never 
 heard an Oration of PericleSy nor Arijlo the Philo- 
 fophy of Plato. 
 Adverf. That Life indeed we have from Parents, but to 
 Colot^vol. jjyg ^qW^ from Learning and Education, which are 
 *■ '^°' ■ as nccciTary to the Mind as the Nurfes Milk is to 
 the Body ; and he that wants it, will prove like a 
 Whelp brought up in an old Woman's Lap, ufelefs, 
 and good for nothing : For if Nature produce any 
 good Affedions, yet, like Trees unprun'd, they run 
 yirtutem -j^j.^ ^.^\^q Shoots, and unprofitable Wood. Men 
 poffe" vol. ^^^'^ pains to learn all other Arts, Reading, Rid- 
 2. 205. ing, Mafick, Dancing, nay even what is neceffary 
 for Meat and Drink, and Raiment ; not one of 
 which, without Learning, could they in any Inftance 
 do tolerably. And can any thing be more ridicu- 
 lous than to fee the common A6ls of Life want Di- 
 reftion, and yet conclude that Prudence and Wif- 
 dom, and the Art of living well, for the fake of 
 which all other things are provided, and the right 
 Ufe of our intelleflual Faculties, to which every 
 pranch of Knowledge is fubfervient, can be attain*d 
 .without Art and Care, and be owing entirely to 
 Chance ? Whoever denies that Virtue is owing to 
 inftruftion, denies there is any fuch thing as Vir- 
 tue ; for it proceeds from being taught, and he that 
 hinders the teaching of it, does what he can to root 
 it out of the World. 
 De Audi- Of all the Senfes therefore. Hearing is of the 
 tione, vol greatefc fervice to Virtue and Reafon : For Nature, 
 1- 'J5- without Teaching and Inftrudion, is blind, ■f^xh yd^ 
 educand. 9^^^^ ^"^" ixA^riaiO): rv^Xov j and he lays fuch ftrefs 
 p. 2. thereon, 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 121 
 
 thereon, that whereas Nature, Reafon, and Applir 
 cation, are neceflary Concurrents to Wifdom, yet he 
 will have Reafon to be nothing but Infl-rudion, xa- 
 \£ (/g Xcyov fjiEV, r/iv /jta^ncriv. For the Mind of 
 Children is like foft Wax, capable of ImprefTion, but 
 afterwards grows hard, and will not receive it. They 
 ftand in need therefore of Inftruftion and Care, as 
 much as Beads •, which Lycurgus intended to ih^s^, 
 by bringing up a Couple of Whelps, one to Sports 
 in the Field, the other fondled at home: That^^^°"' 
 proved fagacious and ufeful in its kind, this good for Lycurgus. 
 nothing but to lick a Trencher. He afterwards pro- 
 duced them in a full AfTembJy of Spartans^ to enforce 
 the Necefllty of Education; for the Difference did 
 not proceed from Nature, both having the lame Sire 
 and Dam, but from Education ; and that this form- 
 ed us to Virtue more than Nature. The Applica- 
 tion was, That Learning, Inftitution, and accuftom- 
 ing themfelves to do as Hercules did, would tend 
 more to their Glory, than the boafting of being de- 
 fcended from him. 
 
 It is Intercourfe and Commerce that improve the Aqua; & 
 Mind; and without them Man would have been the^gnis 
 moft favage and Ihamelefs Creature in the World, -°'^para* 
 
 Jv. And that to this alone did even Greece owe her 
 Literature and Politenefs, the Ufe of Wine, and 
 Corn, and Letters. 
 
 And the whole may be fummed up in this : That De Solert* 
 Man by Nature has Reafon ; but Reafon perfeded Animal, 
 and endowed with Virtue, is owing to Difcipline and P- 962. 
 Induftry. 
 
 This is fufficient to fhew how degraded the Con- 
 dition of Man, and his potential Reafon, would be 
 without Inftru(5lion ; a wild Savage, under no Re- 
 ftraint or Law, without Senfe to provide the com- 
 mon Neceflaries or Comforts of Life, without the 
 Knowledge of Manners, Letters, or Religion. So 
 
 many 
 
122 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 many always have been, and ftill are, with a Lan* 
 
 guage fcarce articulate, without Shelter or Raiment, 
 
 without Food but what Nature equally provides tor 
 
 them and Beaits, without any Apprehenfiohs of God 
 
 or another World ; and, in all rerped:s, approaching 
 
 nearer to the Brutal than the Rational Intellec- 
 
 Procera. 1. tual State. And if we believe Pliny^ Man without 
 
 7, Homi- jnftru6lion would neither fpeak, nor walk, nor eat. 
 
 niliH fine ^'^^ ^^^" ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ vvithout Inftruflion, the very 
 
 doftrina, Apprehenfion of Religion would be foon loft in 
 
 non far;, the World. 
 
 non ingre- Thirdly, This Account of coming at Knowledge 
 vcfci"°" agrees with all the Annals of Antiquity and Hifto- 
 ries in the Vv'orld. 
 
 Mofes has recorded the Settlements of the Firft 
 Parents of Mankind, where God in a more frequent 
 and immediate manner gave Revelations of his Will, 
 and comm.anded them to teach it to their Children, 
 and their Childrens Children. Hence, thofe firft 
 Colonies of the Eaft, PJocenicia^ Perjia, and E^jpt^ 
 continued the Oracles of Learning to the World 
 through all fucceeding Ages. The further Men dif- 
 'perfed from them, the more they became funk in 
 ! Barbarity, and divefted of Humanity. Reafon was 
 . like the Echo, where neareft to the Voice it was 
 J ftrong, but as it removed, gradually funk and died 
 away. And what not a little contributed to this 
 Prefervation of Knowledge in the Eaft, was God*s 
 continuing to reveal himfelf to the Jews ; fo that in 
 procels of time the little Spot of Jewry was the on- 
 ly Place where the true God was known and taught. 
 And fome Beams of this Divine Wifdom could not 
 but Ihine forth from time to time upon the 
 neighbouring People who converfed with them. 
 
 Accordingly, whenever we find a People begin to 
 revive in Literature, it was owing to one of thefe 
 Caufes ; either to fome Tranfmigrators from thofe 
 Parts coming and fetding among them, or elfe to 
 
 theis: 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 123 
 
 their going thither for Inftruftion. From thefe 
 Fountains they always had it, and at this Fire the 
 Nations of the World lighted their own. There 
 is no Inftance to be given to the contrary. Hi- 
 ther Athens, and afterwards Rome, came in quefl of 
 Knowledge and Indrudion. Thefe were theScliools 
 and Mafters to the World. And though our Ac- 
 counts of JJta are but fhort and defeflive, yet what 
 Remains there are, as alfo their Traditions even in 
 China, trace their Original and Oracles weftward ; | 
 which is the fulleft Confirmation of the Mofaick 
 Hiiiory, and of the Propagation of Knowledge by 
 Infcrudion only. 
 
 jidam no doubt had infufed Science, with a large 
 imperious Under {landing. He faw all his elded 
 Defendants before the Flood, except Noah -, and 
 unqueftionably did inftruft them both by Example 
 and Precept, in the Knowledge and Worfhip of 
 the true God, and what tremendous Crimes Apo- 
 ftacy and Difobedience were. This Noah (who had 
 converfed with many of the Antediluvian Patri- 
 archs) and Shem^ that Preacher of Righteoufnels, 
 did, after the Flood, inftrufting their Defcendants 
 in that true Theology, and moft excellent Philofo- 
 phy, they had received from their Fathers. From 
 whence the Eaftern Schools, efpecially the Jewijh 
 and Babylonian, became the moft famous in the 
 World, the Inventors of all ufeful Arts and Sci- 
 ences, and the Fountains from which all other Na- 
 tions received their Religion and Learning-, as the^"^-^"- 
 very Oracles of Apollo confefs. Abraham being ^ q '^^\' 
 thoroughly inftrufted in Geometry, Aftronomy, and 
 all the Literature of the Eaft, is fuppoied by many 
 to be the firft who tranfplanted them into Egypt, 
 and to have founded the School at Memphis, where 
 they fo affiduoufly applied themfelves to the Culture 
 and Increafe of Knowledge, that they were looked 
 upon by other Parts of the World to be the In- 
 ventors 
 
1 24 1'h^ Knowledge ofDivltie Tubings from 
 
 ventors of all the Arts they found pradlifed there ; 
 and Jofeph might inflruft them in other Parts of 
 Wifdom, fo that many look upon him as xhtApis^ 
 or great God of Egypt. Among the Jews the 
 Houies of the Patriarchs were the Schools of Re- 
 ligion and Learning; afterwards in the Cities of 
 the Levites the Youths were inftrufted in Know- 
 ledge and the Law of God. Samuel prefided over 
 the Naioth^ or College of Ramah: And in the 
 Schools of Jericho and Ramoth-Gilead^ the Difci- 
 ples were called the Sons of the Prophets. And 
 from thele Seminaries of Learning did Tholes^' 
 Plato^ and others in After-ages take all the Seeds 
 ol Knowledge, which they cultivated at home with 
 fuch Succels and Applaufe. 
 
 With this Account the ancient Authors agree. 
 
 iC V - Eupoktnus fpeaking of the Babylonijh Traditions, 
 
 L.o.c.iy/aySj tho, Egyptian Friers of Heliopolis \ea.mcd Aftro- 
 
 Id. c. 26. logy from Abraham. And that Mofes firft taught 
 
 the Ufe of Letters to the Jews, from whom the 
 
 Phoenicians received them, as the Greeks did from 
 
 the Phanicians. Artapanus relates much the fame 
 
 Thing, that Abraham firft taught Aftronomy to 
 
 Id. c. 18, the Phcenicians and Egyptians^ and fo do Melo and 
 
 19, 20. Philo. 
 
 The Truth is, that wherever there is Science, there 
 
 muft have been Difcipline -, and where there is Dif- 
 
 Vid. Cl cipline, there muft have been a Mafter ; and this 
 
 Alexandr. Mafter we may find if we inquire for him, where- 
 
 St/om. 6. gygj. j-j^g Regifters of Time have been preferved. 
 
 ^* ^^' As for inftance, Theophraftus learned of Arijlotle^ 
 
 Ariftotle of Plato^ Plato of Socrates^ Socrates of 
 
 Anaxagoras and Archelaus^ and (o on. If we go to 
 
 Thales and the firft wife Men, we muft again flop 
 
 and inquire who were their Maftcrs -, if it be faid, 
 
 the Egyptians, or Indians, Babylonians and Magi \ 
 
 they again we fee had their Teachers, till at length 
 
 wc come to the Origin of Mankind j and if w? 
 
 then 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 125 
 
 then ask who was the Teacher and Inflrudor, it 
 certainly could not be any Mortal. If it be faid, 
 the Angels were, this cannot be j for whatever Com- 
 munications they might make as Angels, or fpiri- 
 tual Beings, without the Organs of Voice, Man 
 could neither hear nor underftand them ; or if they 
 aflumed a human Voice and Language, this muit 
 have been by fpecial PermiiTion and Appointment. 
 But even Angels were but Learners of Truth, for 
 they had a beginning. We muft therefore afcend 
 above all Principalities and Powers among them, 
 till we come to one eternal uncreated Being, by 
 whom all things were made, the only God, who is 
 the Fountain of Truth -, and who at fundry times 
 and in divers manners, made Communications of 
 his Will to his rational Creatures, and to whom 
 all Knowledge and Wifdom is ultimately to be re- 
 ferred. And if Truth did not remain in its origi- 
 nal Purity, it was not owing to the Inftrudion or 
 the Teacher, but to the ungrateful Soil into which 
 it fell •, to the Sloth and Remiflhefs of Men, to the 
 Wickednefs of their Heart which continually add- 
 ed Inventions of their own to the Worfliip of God ; 
 to the Wiles of the great Deceiver, who fowed 
 Tares among it to choke and to corrupt it ; fo that 
 at lafl it became totally defaced, and gradually 
 wafted into Ignorance and Impiety ; and the World 
 could never redtify . things without beginning again, 
 enquiring for Mafters, and fearching for Inftruc- 
 tion. 
 
 And this, I think, every one muft be convinced 
 of, who examines how he came by any Parts of 
 Knowledge^ or obferves the Progrefs of Children in 
 Learning. What have they that they did not re- 
 ceive ? Either from Teachers, who again had their 
 Mafters, or what is the fame, by reading, which is 
 only an artificial Language and Method of Inftruc- 
 tion. 
 
 Fourthly^ 
 
126 The Knowledge of Divine Thi?2gs from 
 
 Fourthly, This accounts for the many Defedls and 
 ftrangc Ignorance which Philolbphy Jaboured under, 
 with refpeft to thefe important Points, in which 
 every thing was full of Error and Confufion. Men 
 affirmed, denied, or explained them as their Fancy 
 led, without any Rule to judge by. This was ow- 
 ing to the Depravation of original Truths, and 
 the Inability of Reafon either to difcover them, or 
 redlify Miftakes which crept into them 5 which 
 made their Religion fucl\ an heap of Abfurdities, 
 their Notions of God fo impious, and their A6ls of 
 Worfhip fo idolatrous and utterly unbecoming the 
 Divine Nature. For their endlefs and irreconcileable 
 Differences were not confined to the fpcculative 
 Points, but equally prevailed in the mofl impor- 
 tant Rules of Duty, what was lawful or unlaw- 
 ful, right or wrong, what was the chief End or 
 Good of Man, and what were the proper Means 
 for the Attainment of Happinefs. Nothing of 
 which could have happened, if divine Subje6ts were 
 either immediate Objefls of the Underftanding, or 
 had at fir ft proceeded from any A6ts of Reflexion 
 or Abftradion ; for then Men would either have 
 retained jufl Ideas, or at leafl: fuch worthy Ap- 
 prehenfions as Noah, Abraham, dcc, confeffediy 
 taught ; or elfe in the Courfe of fo many Ages and 
 fevere Application, would certainly have retrieved 
 them by the fame Operations of the Mind which 
 at firft difcover ed them. 
 
 But nothing of this appears, nor do we hear of 
 any means of Knowledge, but their Fathers relating 
 what they had received from their Anceflors. A 
 Relation of bare Names and Fafts without the Rea- 
 Ibns of them j for the true Notions and Reafons of 
 things became foon corrupted or loft after the Dif- 
 perfion. They had fome general Terms and Pro- 
 pofitions tranfmitted to them i but that they un- 
 derftood them not, is evident, becaufe they never 
 
 could 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 127 
 
 could give any tolerable account of them : For 
 whenever they attempted 'to give Reafons for their 
 Opinions, they perverted and depraved them, and 
 the more they commented upon Truth, the more 
 did they corrupt it. It was by their own vain Spe- 
 culations that they reafoned out of the World the 
 invifible things of God, which had been fome way 
 or other related to them, and changed thefe, with 
 the plain Narrations of Fad: and Hiftory, into Fa- 
 ble, Superftitions, Extravagancies, and a Lye. 
 
 Even Serranus can allow that Plato (pake many 
 things which he underflood not, drawn out of the 
 Fhcsnician or Syrian Theology. Thefe Plato fre- 
 quently mentions, and calls them aVopp/jlai, Ineffa- 
 ble and unintelligible. For as their Traditions 
 were of Hebrew Extraftion, and fuch as referred to 
 the Jewijh Myfteries and divine WorHiip ; it is no 
 wonder they were Unintelligible to the wifefl Hea- 
 thens. Therefore Plato calls them /jiu^or. Fables, 
 which in their philofophical Notion fignify fome 
 Myfteries handed down from the Ancients, the Rea- 
 fons whereof were hidden and unknown. The learn- 
 ed Julius Scaliger affirms the fame ; that Plato took Ex-erclt. 
 many things out of the Phosnician Theology which 61. 
 he underftood not; and meeting with m:iny JezviJJj 
 Records or Traditions concerning divine Myfte- 
 ries, without underftanding the Senfe or Import of 
 them, he called them Fables ; and truly made 
 fuch of them, notwithftanding the Aftiftance of Al- 
 legory or Mythology. 
 
 Thefe Traditions however furnifhed Plato\ Philo- 
 fophy with all the divine Truths in it. And becaufe 
 he could not clear or explain them, Ariftotle rejeded 
 them, and this whole Mode of Philofophy, becaufe 
 his Reafon could not comprehend them. He would 
 truft to no other Guide, but as SimpUcius obferves, 
 confining himfelf to the Sphere of his own Rea- 
 fon, would needs examine divine Matters by Na- 
 ture, 
 
2 8 7he Knowledge of Divine 7hi?2gi from 
 
 ture, and admit nothing but what he thought 
 was grounded on the Light of Nature, or his 
 own corrupt Reafon. Now if Plato underftood 
 them, furely he could have explained the Rea- 
 fons to the Capacity of his Scholar : Or if thefc 
 Truths were at firfb difcovered by the Opera- 
 tions of Reafon, it is altogether unconceivable that 
 fo profound and difcurfive a Mind as that of Ari- 
 ftotle fhould not difcern the Meaning and Reafons 
 of them ; but alfo fall into fo many erroneous 
 contrary Opinions •, that the World was Eternal, 
 governed by Nature or Chance, the Soul an Ad: of 
 the Body, i^c. He rejeded Truth, becaufe he 
 y could not prove it ; and undertook to prove what 
 was totally diftant from Truth, and therefore not 
 capable of Proof ; and fo becomes a moft pregnant 
 Argument, that no Reafon however elevated could 
 difcover divine Objedls ; fince it cannot rightly 
 judge of them when propofed to its Contemplati- 
 on, except it be inftruded in the Reafon and Na- 
 ture of them, and that by a Mafter more skilful 
 than Plato was. 
 
 To which may be added, that the wifefl Men 
 of old, never thought that divine Obje6ls were to 
 be fpun out of the Bowels of the Mind by Ideas of 
 Reflexion and Abftra6lion. They flay*d not at home 
 to confult their own Reafonings, but traverfed the 
 World, and fpent great part of their Lives in 
 fearching for Mailers and Inftru6tion. And it is 
 evident that they who converfed moll abroad, did 
 Ipeak far more agreeably to the true Account of 
 things, than fuch who only endeavoured by their 
 own Wits to improve or correft thofe Principles 
 which were delivered by others ; which mull be, 
 becaufe they did not depend upon Reafon, and that 
 the Univerfal Tradition of the firft Ages was prc- 
 ferved far better in the Eaft, than in Greece or 
 other Nations. But it was great Vanity or Igno- 
 rance 
 
Rev el at ion J not f7^omReafon or Nature. 129 
 
 ranee in Plato^ after fuch frequent Confeflions of the 
 Greeks receiving their Knowledge from the Barba- 
 rians^ to lay in his Epinomis, that they put it in a 
 better Fafhion ; whereas the moft ancient of them, 
 efpecially the Poets, fo disfigured Traditions by Con- 
 ceits of their own, that they never recovered their 
 priftine Form. And afterwards a Greek Drefs al- 
 v^ays ferved to difguife and conceal from whence 
 they had them. 
 
 And the Reafon why thefe indefatigable Purfuers 
 of Wifdom fucceeded no better in their laudable 
 Attempts, was, that tho' they fought for Inftruc- 
 tion, yet they could not find Mafters, but fuch who 
 were at the greatefi: lofs themfelves in thefe impor- 
 tant Points. The ancient Myfteries of God, Crea- 
 tion, Providence, ^c. were become broken inco- 
 herent Fragments, their Sublimity and Greatnels 
 not apprehended in any due Meafure ; they had 
 undergone ftrange Alterations according to the Va- 
 nity or Opinion of different Ages, fo that they 
 fcarce bore any Refemblance of their original Truth 
 and Beauty : And it was a Task too hard for hu- 
 man Minds to rectify them, pare off^ the Errors, fe- 
 parate Truth from Falfhood, reftore the true Mean- 
 ing, or fee the Reafons fo, as to give any tolerable 
 Account of them. 
 
 Byt nothing of this could have happened, if the 
 Mind were naturally capable of difccrning them, 
 or producing Ideas of them by any internal Opera- 
 tion, Abftradlion, or Reflexion. For to difcern a 
 thing, muft imply fome Refemblance of its Nature, 
 Truth, and Being, as it is ; and an Ability to explain, 
 or give fome Account of it to others. But this they 
 could not do, they had neither fufficient Knowledge 
 to fatisfy themfelves, nor the Reafons of them to 
 convince others. Therefore every Scholar took the 
 Liberty to difTent from his Mafter, nothing was 
 agreed or concluded on ; but the fublimeft Truths 
 
 K continued 
 
130 7ke Knowledge of Divine Ibwgs from 
 
 continued the Subjedls of Debate, Diflenfion, and 
 Contradi6tion, in all the Schools of Philofophy, as 
 long as they fubfifted in the World. 
 
 From whence alio another great Argument 
 might be inferred, to Ihew how entirely divine 
 Knowledge depends upon Inftrudtion -, and that is, 
 the Difference between a Chriftian and a Philofo- 
 pher : How inferior the Light of an Aiigufian K^^^ 
 in thefe Subjefts, was to that of a Child trained up 
 in the School of Chrift : A Topick v;hich the pri- 
 mitive Dod:ors never failed to boaft of: That their 
 Theodo- Farmers, Ditchers, and Herdfmen, knew more of 
 ret. Serm. the Nature of God, his Dealings with Men, his 
 5. p. 81. ^^g of Creation, Providence, i^c. than ever Plato 
 or Arijiotk did. 
 
 But this, and feveral other Points, T only touch 
 upon at prefcnt •, refervinga fuller Difcuffion of them, 
 for a more proper place in Ibme following part of 
 this Work. 
 
 The Sum is, that divine Truths are not imme- 
 diate Objedls of the Underftanding ; for then we 
 fliould be able to have a full Idea, Knowledge, or 
 Comprehenfion of them. But they are mediately 
 fo, by Communication, and what therefore we can 
 have no Apprehenfions or Notions of, but as they 
 are communicated, or reprefented to us. It is this 
 : gives A6t to that Capacity of the Mind, which was 
 ; only potential before : For as Objefls are vifible to 
 jthe natural Eye, but not without thelnterpofition of 
 'jLight •, fo neither are heavenly Objeds to the In- 
 )telle6b, but by the Intervention of fome Agent, 
 fwhich can be only God. 
 
 This the greateft of Philofophers (would we but 
 attend to him) plainly aflerts i 'Jhat Faith (the Be- 
 lief and Knowledge of heavenly Subjects, the only 
 Evidence of things not feen) cometh by Hearing 
 (through the Senles) and hearing by the Word of 
 Gody which is the Revelation of his Will. 
 
 If 
 
Revelatio7t, not from Reafon or Nature. 13 1 
 
 If then Senfation and Inflrudlion by the help of 
 Language (which is the Inflrument of Thought, 
 and Conveyor of Notices from one Mind to ano- ^ 
 ther) be the only inlets of Knowledge, whereby the 
 Mind can receive Information of any Object ex- 
 ternal to itfelf, whether vifible or invifible ; which 
 I think every impartial Inquirer into the Method 
 of his coming at Knowledge, muft allow ; and 
 no Ideas of Senfation can of themfelves create 
 or raife Conceptions of infenfible Things, which 
 they cannot poffibly take Cognifance of : Then it 
 muft follow, that all our Stock of fpiritual Know- 
 ledge, whereby we are enabled to contemplate, or 
 i^n any meafure apprehend the Natures, Attributes, 
 or Relations of invifible immaterial ObjeCls, muft 
 proceed wholly from Language and Inftrucflion. 
 Nothing therefore need be added concerning the 
 Fourth Inlet of Knowledge, or the Ideas of Re- 
 flexion : They having, throughout the precedent 
 Difcourfe, been proved abfurd and impoffible \ as 
 the Mind has no Power, by its own Operations, to 
 add the leaft Idea, or frefh Materials to its Store of 
 Knowledge. It can divide or compound them, 
 and thereby raife Monfters in the Imagination, the 
 feveral Parts of which, when duly feparated, will be 
 found no other than feveral Ideas of Senfation un- 
 naturally jumbled together. 
 
 And confequently an End might be here put to 
 any further Inquiry concerning the Rehgion or 
 Law of Nature. For if all Rehgion, Morahty, and 
 Law are founded on the divine Perfections ; and 
 unafTifted Reafon could never attain a Knowledge 
 of fpiritual Objefts and Truths, fuch as the divine 
 Nature and Will, the Immortality of the Soul, and 
 a future State ; it is utterly impofTible that it fhould 
 find out a fufRcient Rule of Life, to dired Man to 
 his final Happinefs and End. " For, as Mr. Locke L. i.e. 3,* 
 ■♦' argues, what Duty is, cannot be underftood without §12. 
 
 K 2 *' a 
 
J 2 2 7X'^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 " a Law ; nor a Law be known, or fuppofed vvith- 
 ^ " out a Law-maker, or without Reward and Pu- 
 m " nilhment. So that it is impofllble that any prac- 
 " tical Principle lliould be innate, i. e. be imprinted 
 " on the Mind as a Duty, without luppofing the 
 " Ideas of God, of Law, of Obligation, of Pu- 
 *' niil:imcnt, of a Life after this, Innate. But none 
 " of thefe, not even the Idea of God is innate, nor 
 *' to be attained by Reflexion on Ideas of Senfa- 
 *' tion : Therefore whatever way we come at the 
 " Knowledge of things themfelves, by that only 
 " can we know the Relations necefllirily flowing 
 " from, and depending on them ; if by Inftruc- 
 *' tion only we are acquainted with the Lawgiver, 
 " by the fame means alone muft we be acquainted 
 " with his Law, or the Rule of our Duty.** 
 
 For our greater Satisfaction however, 1 fhall pro- 
 ceed to examine what this Law or Religion of 
 Nature is; and what thofe Arguments are which 
 have fo univerfally perfuaded Mankind, that Rea- 
 fon or the Light of Nature is capable of fuch a Dif- 
 covery, as to form to itfelf a per fed Law, or Rule 
 of ading. 
 
 But here I cannot omit taking notice of a learned 
 and ingenious Effay upon the Inlets of human 
 Knowledge, publifhed fince the writing of the above 
 Sheets ; and between which there feems to be little 
 difi'erence, except in the Terms ufed of Language and 
 lnfl;ruftion, which certainly import the fame thing. 
 Therefore I made no Alteration in this Chapter ; 
 fmce I apprehend my Sentiments to be agreeable to, 
 if not perfedly the fame with thofe of that excellent 
 Author. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 133 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the Law of Nature, 
 
 P^^^ N the Inquiry into the Law of Nature, the 
 m ^ \r Qi^^io^^ ^s, whether Man be endued with 
 g^^S fuch natural Abihties, that by a due Ufe of 
 them he can attain the Knowledge of 
 whatever is requifite to the End and Perfedlion of 
 his Being ; or has Faculties, which, without the Aid 
 of Revelation, can difcover a fufficient Rule and 
 Law of Duty to inftrud and direct him in all things 
 needful to be known or done, for the Attainment 
 of his final Happinefs. 
 
 That the Point may be truly flated, we Ihall firft 
 fee what they underftand by the Law of Nature, 
 who affirm it is difcoverable by the bare Light of 
 Reafon. 
 
 From the Ancients, the Teftimony of Qcero may 
 fuffice, who abounds in this Subject, though he is 
 not always llridlly confident with himfelf. He de- 
 fines it to be. Vera ralio, nature congniens^ diffufa De Repub. 
 in omnes, conjians, fempiterna^ " That right Rea- i" ^^ag- 
 " fon, which is confonant to Nature, what all are"^^""'P* 
 " Partakers of, immutable and eternal. "And again, ^' 
 Eft enim lex nihil aliud niji re5ia i^ a numine Deorum phiiip. 1 1. 
 tra£ia ratio, imperans honefta, prohibens contraria, p. 5 29. 
 " The Law is nothing elfe but right Reafon de- 
 " rived from the Gods, commandmg Good, and 
 " forbidding Evil.'* And in numberlefs Places he 
 makes Univerfal Confent the diftinguifhing Charac- 
 ter of this Law. Omni in re confenfio omnium gen- Tufc. Q. 
 tium, lex nature putanda eft. " That whatever alU. i.n. 13. 
 " Nations confent to, muft be deemed as the Law 
 
 K 3 «' of 
 
134 '^f^^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Fragment. " of Nature. Nor is there any other Expounder 
 
 ut lupra. <£ Qj. Interpreter of this Law to be fought for j 
 
 " there will not be one Law at Romc^ and another 
 
 " at Athens ; one in this Age, another hereafter ; 
 
 *' but one immutable eternal Law obliges all Nati- 
 
 ■^ . T\ " ons' and Ages ; for what all confent to, mud ne- 
 
 1. i.n.'i;." ceffiu-ily be true." 
 
 Amongrt the Moderns we may be concluded by 
 the Authorities of Hooker, Grotius, Puffendorf, Wit- 
 kins, and Clarke. ■ ■ ■ 
 Eccl. Po- Thcjudicious Hooker thus exprefles himfelf : " The 
 ]t. I. I. <c natural Meafure whereby to judge of our Do- 
 ^' ' *' ings, is the Sentence of Reafon determining and 
 " fetting down what is good to be done, and 
 " therefore muft be done; and the Law of Rea- 
 " fon or human Nature is that which Men by diC- 
 " courle of natural Reafon have rightly found out 
 " themfelves to be all for ever bound to in their 
 " Adions •, which Laws are invedigable by Rea- 
 " fon, without the help of Revelation ; there being 
 " nothing m it, but what any Man (having natural 
 " Perfeftion of Wit and Ripenefs of Judgment^ 
 " may by labour and travel find out. Therefore 
 " the Law of Nature, or, as it may be termed 
 " more fitly, the Law of Reafon, comprehendeth 
 " all thofe things which Men by the Lij^ht of 
 " their Underflanding evidently know, or at lead 
 " wife Men may know, to be feeming or unfeem- 
 *' ing, virtuous or vicious, good or evil for them 
 *' to do. There are in it fome things which Hand 
 " as Principles; and out of thefe Principles, which 
 " are in themfelves evident, the greatefl moral 
 " Duties we owe towards God or Man, may with- 
 *' out any great Difficulty be concluded.*' 
 De Jur. Hugo Grotius defines the Law of Nature, " To 
 Bel. & tt be theDidate of right Reafon, fhewing the moral 
 Turpitude or moral Obligation of any A6tion, 
 from its Agreement or Difagreement with na- 
 7 " tural 
 
 Pac J. I 
 
 C. I. §. IC 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 1 3 5 
 
 « tural Reafon, and confequently that fuch A6lion 
 ** is commanded, or prohibited by God the Au- 
 " thor of Nature. '* 
 
 GuiL Grotius defines it, " To be the Law which ^^^ P^in- 
 ** God, as the Author of Nature, has implanted?,? •^"''" 
 «' in the Hearts of all Men, to difcern Virtue from^. j^ ,q_ 
 *' Vice, commanding the one, forbi(;iding the 
 « other." 
 
 Puffendorf (ays, " The Law of Nature is to be L. 2. c. 3. 
 " drawn from Man's Reafon,' flowing from the§- '3- 
 " true Current of the Faculty when unperverted, 
 " and without the extraordinary AlTiftance of 
 '* Revelation may be folidly found out and de- 
 *' monftrated by the bare force of Reafon, fuch as 
 " God firft implanted, and ftill preferves in Man- 
 « kind." 
 
 Bifliop Wilkins thus deduces it, " Religion is that Nat. Relig. 
 *' general Habit of Reverence towards the Divine 
 *' Nature, whereby we are enabled and inclined to 
 *' worfhip and ferve God after fuch a manner as we 
 ^' conceive moft agreeable to his Will, fo as to 
 '* procure his Favour and Blefllng. I call that 
 " Natural Religion which Men might know, and 
 *' fhould be obliged unto by the mere Principles of 
 *' Reafon, improved by Confideration and Expe- 
 " rience, without the help of Revelation. Thiscom- 
 ** prehends under it thefe three principal Things. 
 *' Firji^ A Belief and Acknowledgment of the Di- 
 " vine Nature and Exiflence. Secondly, Due Appre- 
 *' henfions of his Excellencies and Perfedions. 
 *' thirdly. Suitable AfFedions and Demeanour to- 
 *' wards him.'* 
 
 Dr. Clarke, " That the primary and original Vol. i. 
 " Law of God, is the Law of Nature; that eter-Serm. 13. 
 *' nal and unchangeable Law of Morality, which 
 *' neceflarily arifes from the Nature of Creatures, 
 *' and from their Relation to God, and each 
 •« other. And the Wifdom of this Law is the 
 
 K 4 " very 
 
 'i» 
 
136 TJje Knowledge of Divine things from 
 
 " very fame as the Wifdom of God*s Creation it- 
 " felf, being nothing elfe than the Univerfal Be- 
 '• nefit and Flappinefs of all reafonable Creatures, 
 " arifing from their adling according to that Na- 
 " ture which God has given them, and according to 
 " the refpedive Relations wherein they are placed 
 " thei-eby." 
 
 But we fliall more diflindly learn the Extent and 
 Obligation of this Law from the Explanation and 
 Defcriptions given of it by learned Men. 
 Id. L. 2. Thus Hooker: " The Law of Nature is an in- 
 § 8. it fallible Knowledge imprinted in the Minds of all 
 
 " the Children of Men, whereby both general Prin- 
 " ciples for directing of human Actions are compre- 
 " hended, and Conclufions derived from them ; 
 " and it diredls in fiJch fort, that we muft in all 
 L. 3. § 9. *' things for ever do according to it ; for thegene- 
 L. I. § 8. tc j.^^] ^nd perpetual Voice of Men is as the Sentence 
 '« of God himfelf : For that which all Men have at 
 *' all times learned, Nature herfelf muft needs have 
 " taught, and God being the Author of Nature, 
 " her Voice is but his Inftrument. By her, from 
 " him, we receive whatfoever in fuch fort we learn. 
 " Infinite Duties there are, the Goodnefs whereof is 
 " by this Rule fufficiently manifefted, altho' we had 
 *' no other Warrant befides to approve them. St. 
 *' Paul iky s concerning the Heathen, ihat they are a 
 '* Law unto themfelves ; his Meaning is, that by the 
 " force of the Light of Reafon, wherewith God illu- 
 *' minateth every one which cometh into the World, 
 " Men being enabled to knowTruth from Fallhood, 
 " and Good from Evil, do therefore learn in many 
 *« things what the Will of God is : Which Will 
 *' himfelf not revealing by any extraordinary means 
 " unto them, but they by natural Difcourfe attain- 
 ** ing the Knowledge thereof, feem the Makers of 
 L. I. § 8. <« thofe Laws, which indeed are his, and they but 
 *' only the Finders of them out j whether they im- 
 
 " port 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 137 
 
 ** port our Duty towards God or towards Man ; 
 " and by Degrees of Difcourfe the Minds even of 
 " mere natural Men have attain'd to know not on- 
 " ]y that there is a God, but alfo what Power, 
 " Force, Wifdom, and other Properties that God 
 «' hath, and how all things depend on him.** 
 
 Bilhop Stillingflcet fays, " That the Idea of God Orig. Sac. 
 " is really imprinted on the Minds of Men, by that I 3.C. i. 
 *' God whofe Idea it is : And this Idea is a natural ^^^• 
 " Refult from the free Ufe of our Reafon and Fa- * 
 " culties," (which, with fubmiflion to his Lord- 
 fhip, are as difl^erent Accounts for the fame thing 
 as in nature poflibly can be.) And again : " There , 
 " is an indelible Idea of a Deity on the Minds of ' ^' ^^' 
 " Men, deeply and univerfally planted ; and an in- id. 
 " delible Charader of himfelf printed by himfelf 
 " upon the Soul." 
 
 Archbifhop Tillotfon is full of this Subjeft in all Vol. i. 
 his Works : " Religion, fays he, is a Property ofSerm. i; 
 " our Natures, and the Notion of a Deity intimate P- ^°' 
 *' to our Underftandings, and fticks clofe to them : 
 " And all Religion is founded in right Notions ofij. Serm: 
 " God and his Perfections, infomuch that Divine4i.p.48S' 
 ** Revelation itfelf does fuppofe thefe for its Foun- 
 *' dations ; and can fignify nothing to us, unlefs 
 *' they be firfl known and believed : So that the 
 " Principles of Natural Religion are the Foun- 
 " dation of that which is revealed ; and fuch Prin- 
 " ciples are thofe Apprehenfions which Men na-jj germ. 
 *' turally have of the Divine Being and Per-21. p.224. 
 " fe^tions (the Immortality of the Soul, and 
 *' future Rewards of this Life, Vol. 3. Serm. 170. 
 " p, 465) and the clear Notions' of Good and 
 " Evil, which are imprinted upon our Natures. 
 " For there is an intrinfecal Good and Evil in Voi. z. 
 *' Things, and the Reafons and Refpeds of moral Serm. 88, 
 *' Good and Evil, are fixed and immutable, eter-P-^^3- 
 ** nal and indilpenfable. Nor do they fpeak fafely, 
 
 *' who 
 
138 7 he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 " who make the Divine Will the Rule of moral 
 
 *' Good and Evil, as if there were nothing Good and 
 
 *' Evil in its own Nature antecedently to the Will of 
 
 *' God ; but that all Things are therefore Good 
 
 ** and Evil, becaufe God wills them to be fo. 
 
 Vol. 2. *' There is a Natural Knowledge of God, and of 
 
 Serm. 58. " the Duty we owe to him, which the Apoftle calls 
 
 p. 404. <6 that of God, which is obvious to be known by the 
 
 " Light of Nature, and is as much as is abfolutely 
 
 " neceffary for us to know. His Being andefiential 
 
 *' Perfedlions may be known, which he calls his eter- 
 
 *' nal Power and God- head : Thefe are clearly feen, he- 
 
 ** ing underjloodby the things which are made^ i. e. The 
 
 *' Creation of the World is a plain Demonftration to 
 
 «' Man of the Being and Power of God ; and if fo, 
 
 , , " then God is naturally known to Men ; and fuch 
 
 " natural Knowledge of him to be a Being of all 
 
 *< Perfe£bions, is the fureft and fafeft hold that Reli- 
 
 *« gioTn hath on human Nature." 
 
 Id. Serm. *' There needs nothing more to make any thing 
 
 48. p. 338." a Law, than a fufficient Declaration that it is the 
 
 " Will of God ; and this God hath fufficiently fig- 
 
 *' nified to Mankind by the very Frame of our Na- 
 
 " tures, and of thofe Principles and Faculties which 
 
 " he hath endued us withal : So that whenever we 
 
 *' a6l contrary to thefe, we plainly difobey the Will 
 
 *' of him that made us, and violate thofe Laws 
 
 Id. p.340. »c ^hich he hath enacted in our Natures, and writ- 
 
 " ten in our Hearts ; which all the World, except 
 
 57!p.^402." ^^he Jews, were guided by, being a Light which 
 
 " God fet up in every Man's Mind : And thefe Na- 
 
 I " tural Notions which all Men have of God, if they 
 
 I *' had in any meafure attended to them, and go- 
 
 1 *' verned themfelves by them, might have been fuf- 
 
 ' ** ficient to have preferved them trom difhonouring 
 
 " the Deity." 
 
 Id. Serm. " Natural Religion is Obedience to the natural 
 
 49. p. 346. *' Law, and the Performance of fuch Duties as 
 
 " natu- 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 139 
 
 ** natural Light, without any expreis and fuperna- 
 
 *' tural Revelation, doth didate to Men. Thefe 
 
 *' lie at the bottom of all Religion, and are the 
 
 " great fundamental Duties which God requires of 
 
 " all Mankind. Thefe are the fureft and moll Hicred 
 
 " of all other Laws ; thofe which God hath riveted 
 
 " in our Souls, and written upon our Hearts ; and g ""' 
 
 " thefe are what we call moral Duties, and mod va- id.Serm.* 
 
 " lued by God, •which are of eternal and perpetual 49- p- 
 
 " Obligation, becaufe they do naturally oblige with- 3^4- 
 
 " out any particular and exprefs Revelation from God ; ' ^'^"^ * 
 
 ** and thefe are the Foundation of revealed and infti- 
 
 " tuted Religion, and all revealed Religion does 
 
 " fuppofe them, and build upon them. And it is re- 
 
 " vealed Religion that calls Men to the Practice oi^^- 349* 
 
 " natural Duties.'* 
 
 " And no one and conftant Reafon can be given Vol. 3. 
 *' for Univerfal Confent to thefe, but from theSerm.170. 
 " Frame and Nature of Man's Mind and Under- P- 4^5- 
 *' Handing, which hath theNotion of a Deity (lamped 
 " upon it, or, which is all one, hath fuchan Under- 
 " ftanding, as will in its own free Ufe find out a 
 *' God : So God's reveahng or declaring fuch a 
 " thing to us, is no neceflary Argument that it is y t 
 «' fo, unlefs, antecedently to this Revelation, we be Serm. * 
 " pofleffed firmly with this Principle, t\\2Lt whatever s'^.'^-^oS. 
 *' God fays is true ; and whatever is known antece- 
 *' dently to Revelation, muji be known by natural Light ^ 
 ** and by Reafonings and Deductions from natural Prin- 
 ♦' ciples. Thefe natural Notions of God are the 
 *' only Standard and Meafure to judge of Divine 
 *' Revelations, and of the Difference of Moral 
 " Good and Evil." 
 
 Mr. Locke lays, " That God hath not left him-g^^ „ 
 *' felf without a Witnefs, fince we have Senfe, Per- Underft.' 
 " ception and Reafon, and cannot want a clear 1. 40. 10. 
 " Proof of him, as long as we carry ourfelves about § '• P- 
 
 " us. ^'^^' 
 
L. I. c. 4 
 
 i 12. p. 
 
 31- 
 
 L. I. c. 4. 
 
 * «7- P- 
 
 34- 
 
 L.4.C.10. 
 
 i.6. 
 
 P- 374- 
 
 Vol. 2. 
 
 p. 46. 
 
 140 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 " us. Nor can we juftly complain of onr Ignorance, 
 " fince he has (6 plentifully provided us with the 
 *' means to difcover and know him, fo far as is ne- 
 " ceflary to the End of our Being, and the great 
 " Concernment of Happinels ; for he hath furnifh- 
 " ed Man with thofe Faculties which will ferve to 
 " difcover all things requifite ; and the Knowledge 
 " of God is the moft natural Difcovery of human 
 " Reafon. It is within our reach? and we cannot 
 " mifs it, if we will but apply our Minds to that 
 " as we do to feveral other Enquiries.'* 
 
 Dr. Clarke : " That the Mind or rational Facul- 
 
 " ty can no otherways avoid perceiving the natural 
 
 *' Didates of Reafon with regard to tkings prefent, 
 
 " or its Judgment concerning what is paft, or its 
 
 " Apprehenfions of what is to come, but byforci- 
 
 *' bly withdrawing its Attention from this its pro- 
 
 " per Objeft, and fixing it entirely and habitually 
 
 " upon Matters of Senfe ; for by the Light of Na- 
 
 " ture, the Being and Attributes of God were cer- 
 
 *' tain and demonftrable ; the Probability of a fu- 
 
 *' ture State was great and undeniable ; the Expec- 
 
 " tation of God's dealing mercifully with Sinnens 
 
 Vid Difc. " was reafonable and hopeful; that the Law ofNa- 
 
 ^^ " ture is eternal, univerfal, and abfolutelyunchange- 
 
 contents. ^t able; for that certain moral Obligations, particu- 
 
 " larly of Piety towards God, Righteoufnefs to- 
 
 " wards one another, and Sobriety to ourfelves, na- 
 
 " turally and neceflfarily arife from the eternal and 
 
 *' neceflary Differences of things ; and that all ra- 
 
 *' tional Creatures are obliged to govern themfelves 
 
 *' in all their Aftions by the eternal Reafon of 
 
 *' things ; forafmuch as fuch eternal moral Obliga- 
 
 •* tions are antecedent in fome refpedf to the Con- 
 
 *' fideration of their being the "Will or Command of 
 
 " God himfelf " 
 
 Dr. Fid- Others teach, " That the Law of Reafon is that 
 
 des, vol. <t inward and true Light, whereby alone the proper 
 
 ^'^P-"- Bounds 
 
 Vol 
 P- 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, i\i 
 
 « Bounds ancTMeafures of Good and Evil are to be 
 " afcertained ; and that it is highly agreeable to the 
 « Goodnefs andWifdom of God, that he fliould afford P. 25, 
 « us fuch a Meafure of Light, as may be fufficient to 
 " direa us both in our Judgment and our Praftice : 
 " But if we will not attend to the Light, or follow 
 «' it the Fault is not to be charged upon any Defedt 
 « in it but on an inexeufable Abufeofour ownLi- 
 « berty and the Divine Goodnefs ; for antecedently 
 « to any pofitive Law or Declaration of God's Will, 
 « Man had this Rule given him, whereby he was to 
 
 " condua himfelf." ^ . t. r ir.iT.ei 
 
 The Reafons for this are affigned by feveral, Intellea. 
 and thus by Tir . Cudworth : " That the Divine j-yj^^^v 
 « Will, and Omnipotence itfelf hath no Imperiump^ ^^3^ 
 «' over the Divine Underftanding -, for if God uil- 
 " derftood only by Will, he would not underftand 
 « at all." And Laws depend not on theWill o^uq^^xi^j^ 
 the Commander, but on natural Juftice andc. z.p.iS. 
 Equity, which give to one the Right and Au- 
 thority of Commanding, and beget in another 
 Duty and Obligation to Obedience. Nor is it the id. 21. 
 meer Will and Pleafure of him that commandeth, 
 that obHgeth to do pofitive things commanded, but 
 the intelkaual Nature of him that is commanded. 
 For if even this were not morally good and juft in 
 its own Nature, before any pofitive Command Ox 
 God that God fhould be obeyed by his Crea- 
 tures', the bare Will of God himfelf could not be- i 
 get an Obligation upon any to do what he willed 
 and commanded, becaufe the Nature of Things doth 
 not depend upon Will, being not Things that 
 are arbitrarily made, but Things that are -and 
 every thing is what it is by Nature and not by Will. Id. ^h 
 For when Things exift, they are what they are^7. 'o- 
 this or that, abfolutely or relatively, not by WiU 
 or arbitrary Command, but by the Neceffity ot their 
 own Natures : There is no fuch thing as an arbi- 
 
 tranous 
 
142 T^he Knowledge of Divine things from 
 
 trarious Eflence, Mode or Relation ; for an arbl- 
 
 trarious Eflence is a Being without a Nature, a 
 
 Contradiction, and therefore a Non-Entity : The 
 
 Modes of all fubfiftent Beings, and the Relations 
 
 of Things to one another, are immutably and ne- 
 
 cefliirily what they are, and not arbitrary, being 
 
 Intcllcft. not by Will but by Nature ; Omnipotence or in- 
 
 Syft. Id. £j^jj.g pQ^ej. itfeif being determined hereby ; for 
 
 P-7'9- Power has no Dominion over Underftanding, Truth 
 
 and Knowledge: And even the Will of God with- 
 
 Morality, out Wifdom, is a plumbean flexible Rule. And tho* 
 
 «-3-P-35it be the Eflicient Caufe of all Things, yet it is 
 
 " ^' not the Formal Caufe of any Thing befides itfelf. 
 
 And it is impoflible that any Command of God 
 
 fhould oblige, otherwife than by virtue of that which 
 
 is naturally juft, &c. 
 
 The Authorities here cited are very great, and 
 perhaps which no one ought to diflfent trom with- 
 out a Difl:rufl: of his own Opinion ; yet every one's 
 Judgment, after having carefully and impartially 
 endeavoured to inform it, mufl: be his own Di- 
 re6lor. It is as impoflible to fubmit to the Didtates 
 of others, or embrace for Truth what the Mind 
 does not apprehend to be fuch, as it is to fee with 
 their Eyes, or hear with their Ears. And at the 
 fame time I may be convinced of the Error of one 
 Hypothefis, without being able to fuggefl: a better ; 
 or give fuch Arguments for the Certainty of what 
 I would fubflitute in its place, as the Principles 
 whereon it is founded may be capable of, and if 
 juflily ftated might fully efl:ablifli it. But to propofe 
 our Doubts with Caution and Modefty, in order to 
 have them cleared up to the Satisfaftion of our 
 felves and others, can never prejudice the Caufe of 
 Truth, if the Method we inquire for it in, equally 
 tends to the Eftablifliment of Religion, and leads 
 our Thoughts upwards to the Adoration of that Infi- 
 nite Majefly, whole Glory is the ultimate Aim of 
 
 all 
 
RevelafioNy not from Reafon or Nature. 143 
 
 ali human Adlions. No one will fay that the Di- 
 vine Wifdom could not have dire61:ed Mankind by 
 different ways to the fame End ; and as Obedience 
 to the Divine Will is the whole Duty and End of 
 Man, whether he difcovered his Will by Reafon or 
 Revelation, the knowing it to be fuch, makes it a 
 Law to us, and his Commands will have the lame 
 Force and Obligation. But by which of thefe Me- 
 thods he has been pleafed to communicate it, is the 
 Subject of the prefent Inquiry. 
 
 And here one cannot but obferve, that moll of 
 our great Divines exprefs themfelves on this Sub- 
 je6t, as if the Principles of Natural Religion were ' 
 really Innate, though they were convinced of the 
 Abfurdity of fuch Notion, and the Inconfiftency of 
 eftablilhing Rules which mull not be quellioned, 
 and cannot be proved, but admitted as the uner- 
 ring Deciders of Truth and Falfhood. What could 
 this proceed from but the Difficulties they met with, 
 in lifting up the dim Taper of Reafon to difcover 
 invifible Glories beyond the Stars ? This made 
 them fo often recoil, relinquifh Reafon, and be willing 
 the Controverfy fhould be determined by an Ora- 
 cle, or Judge, without any Authority but what they 
 invell him with. To all which there is one unan- 
 fwerable Obje<5lion, that were the Notion of God 
 llamped by himfelf on the Minds of Men, the Im- 
 prelTion would be a fair Tranfcript of his Nature ; 
 and it would be common to all Nations and Lan- 
 guages, as univerfal as our Senfes and Pallions, 
 what no Diftance of Time, or Difference of Edu- 
 cation could alter or deface. But their original Sup- 
 pofition of thefe inward ImprelTions, Ideas, Furni- 
 ture, ^c. being abfolutely falfe, therefore fuch mull 
 be all their Inferences from it. 
 
 I Ihall however underftand them in another Senle, 
 that the Duties of Natural Religion are fo clear and 
 evident to R?afon, that whoever duly exercifes thofe 
 
 rational 
 
144 ^^-^^ Knowledge of Divine 'Things from 
 
 rational Faculties wherewith every Man is endow- 
 ed, cannot be ignorant of them ; but may find out 
 fome Principles from which they are to be clearly 
 and folidly deduced, and thereby come at the 
 Knowledge of the whole Religion or Law of Na- 
 ture. 
 
 And from tlie above Defcription of it, we may 
 colle6t both what it is, and whence attainable. Firjfy 
 That all moral Obligations depend on the Excel- 
 lencies and Perfcdions of the divine Nature, confe- 
 quently that before any Man can comprehend what 
 they are, or can be obliged by them, he muft difco- 
 ver and eftablifh a firm Belief of the Divine Exi- 
 ftence and Attributes. And from this Knowledge 
 of God, which is the moft natural Difcovery of 
 human Reafon, we cannot mifs finding out (if we 
 will but apply our Minds to it) whatever is requifite 
 to the End of our Being, and the great Concern- 
 ment of Happinefs, i. e. whatever is feemly or un- 
 feemly, virtuous or vitious, good or evil, fit or 
 unfit for us to do, in all the Inftances of Duty we 
 owe to God or Man ; and fo it becomes a fufficient 
 Declaration of the Divine Will, or what God requires 
 of all Mankind. Natural Religion is nothing elfe 
 but Obedience to the Natural Law, and it is called 
 the Law of Nature, becaufe there is nothing in it 
 but what Man may find out, and be obliged unto 
 by the mere Principles of Reafon, without the Help 
 of Revelation. 
 
 Secondly, That tbefe Things are obvious to be 
 known by the Light of Nature, may be proved 
 from thefe three Arguments, i. The exprels 
 Teftimony of Scripture. 2. The Works of Crea- 
 tion. 3. The eternal Difi'erenee and Realbns of 
 Things ; from all v/hich thefe Obligations naturally 
 and necefiarily arile. Thefe feem to be the great 
 Foundations and Supports of Natural Religion, and 
 Hiall therefore be leparately examined. 
 
 But 
 
Re'velation, not from Reafon or Nature, 145 
 
 But, Firft^ We mufl confider whether the Law of 
 Nature be in fadl what it is reprefented to us: And 
 in doing this, there cannot be a more unexceptio- 
 nable Method, than to fix on fome certain Marks 
 and Characters, by which it is known and didin- 
 guifhed from others, or which conilitute it what it 
 is j and then examine, whether they can truly be 
 affirmed of it. Now we find that all the great 
 Maintainers of it agree in thefe three principal 
 Charaders. 
 
 Firrc,That it is univerfal, or attainable by all Men. 
 
 Secondly, That it is clear ; And 
 
 Thirdly, That it is perfedt. If it has an unex- 
 ceptionable Right to thefe Properties, we may rely 
 upon it, as a fate Guide to God and Happinefs : If it 
 fails in any, or all of theie, we may, and in juliice 
 ought to look out for another. 
 
 I. It muft be univerfal or attainable by all; for 
 the End of the Law being Obedience to what it re- 
 quires, it muft be dilcoverable by all thofe who are 
 to be diredfed by it ; and neither Law, nor any 
 thing elfe can be called natural, that may not be 
 equally affirmed of every Individual, not defe6five 
 in its kind. If therefore Man be the Workmanfhip 
 of God, and intended for Happinels ; it muft ne- 
 cefTarily follow, that every Man in every Age has 
 had fufficient Abilities, and proper Means granted 
 him for the Knowledge of it. Becaufe nothing can 
 be a Law, or have an obligatory Power, further than 
 it is capable of being apprehended, or known to 
 him who is to obey it. For if the San6tions of an 
 unknown Law were to take place, Punifliment would 
 be neceftary and unavoidable, which is not to be 
 reconciled with infinite Juftice and Mercy. 
 
 Secondly^ It muft be clear : So that whoever feri- 
 oufly endeavours to find out Truth, may not mifs 
 of, or avoid knowing it ; tor as nothing but a full 
 Convidion of its being true, can make us receive 
 
 L it 
 
146 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 it as the Law of our Beings j fo no Precept can be 
 clear, which after due Confideration and Attention 
 a Man does not difcern the Truth of. If it be 
 only probable, we mufl: fufpend our AlTent, becaufe 
 where Probabilities are equal, the Judgment cannot 
 fix its Choice. If it be doubtful, we muft refufe 
 our Aflenti for we cannot believe what we do not 
 know, nor know what we cannot tell whether it be 
 true or falfe : And from that of which we have no 
 clear or comprehenfive Notion, we can make no 
 clear or certain Inferences, and io can have no 
 certain Evidence that we are under Obligation to 
 Obedience. In fuch momentous Cafes therefore as 
 relate to the final End of Man, if the Law be not 
 perfpicuous, a Man may fall into Error, and yet 
 not be chargeable with a Fault -, the Rule was not 
 fufficient, and his Confcience will not accufe him for 
 doing what he was not able to avoid. For if 
 any thing we cannot know, or knowing cannot do, 
 be a Condition of Happinefs, we muft be under a 
 Neceffity of being unhappy j that being necelTary, 
 which cannot be otherwife. 
 
 'Thirdly^ It muft be perfeft, or contain whatever 
 is requifite to Knowledge or Praftice : And if all 
 Men are not by Nature able to know the whole of 
 their Duty, or whatever is neceflary to regulate 
 their A6lions towards God, themfelves, and one 
 another, the Law would be imperfed, or not fuffi- 
 cient to the End for which it was inftituted : a 
 Man cannot be obliged but by fome Law ; if that 
 be deficient, and yet he under Obligation, he muft 
 be unavoidably ignorant of his Duty, or compelled 
 to know, wdiat he had neither Means or Power 
 to come at the Knowledge of. And an imperfed 
 Law is a Rule, and no Rule ; or in other words, 
 a manifeft Contradidion. Befides, if the Negled: of 
 Duty fubjeds Offenders to Punifliment, and the 
 Particulars of Duty are not difcoverable, then Pu- 
 
 niftiment 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 1 47 
 
 nifliment would be inflicfled where no Fault has 
 been committed, which is Injultice. But as where 
 there is no Law, there is no Tranfgrefrion ; lb there 
 can be no Tranfgreffion, where the Law is not llif- 
 ficient for our Guidance and Direction. 
 
 That thele Properties muft belong to this uni- 
 verfal Law, is evident from the fundamental Princi- 
 ple of Nature, a Defire of Happinefs. Every Bdng 
 in Heaven and Earth afpires to its utmoft Perfedi- 
 on and Good •, and the Perfedlion of Man, as a 
 moral Agent, muft confift in the Practice of Vir- 
 tue and fhunning of Evil, and conforming himfelf 
 as far as he is able to the Divine Excellencies, 
 on which all Religion and Law depend. If Rea- 
 fon be not fufficient for this, if it is not able at all 
 times to inftru6l all -the Sons of Men in v/hat is 
 commanded or forbidden ; if it cannot explicitely 
 prove the Divine Exiftence, declare his Attributes, 
 manifeft his Will, and fhew how all moral Duties 
 derive their Obligation from them ; then Reafon 
 is not of it felfable to direct us to that Happinefs 
 "whereof we are capable, what we naturally defire, 
 and which conftitutes the Perfedion of our Beings ; 
 nor can any Law of its own Difcovery be perfed, 
 clear, or univerlal. 
 
 And let the Arguments to prove it fo, be never 
 fo fpecious, yet if the Conclufions be contrary to 
 known Fad, Experience, and the Obfervation of 
 Nature, they cannot be admitted 5 if Impoflibilities, 
 they muft be rejeded ; and to fay a thing is poffible 
 for a rational Agent to do, which no fuch Agent 
 with the utmoft Perfedion and Exercife of his Fa- 
 culties ever did do, is fcarce to be diftinguifhed 
 from an Impoffibility. Nature is regular in her 
 Actings, and fufFers not her Powers to lie ufelefs ; 
 never to do a thing, or not to have Power to 
 do it, are with her equivalent Terms ; and fuch are 
 Faculties never cxercifed, or Means that never 
 
 L 2 proved 
 
14^ The Knowledge of Divine Tbi Jigs from 
 
 proved effectual. And no Inflance can be given of 
 any Ferfon, Nation, or Age, wherein the above 
 Chara6ters can be affirmed of the Law of Nature, 
 that it was perfeft, clear, and univerfal. 
 
 Another Fallacy that lurks under all the Argu- 
 ments produced in favour of Natural Religion, is, 
 the taking it for granted, that the Heathen World 
 was utterly deftitute of all the Benefits accruing 
 from Revelation, which is abfolutely ground lefs and 
 falle ; or in concluding that what Knowledge the 
 ) wifer Pagans had of divine Matters, they got it by 
 ; the Light of Reafon only, without any other Af- 
 ] fifbance or Infl:ru6lion •, which is contrary to Fa6t, 
 ; Hiflory, and their own Confeffion : And if they 
 deferve Credit in any Cafe, it muft be in this ; 
 wherein Truth fo tar triumphed over that common. 
 Paffion of Men, to have the Difcoveries of impor- 
 tant Things pafs for their own, that they ingenu- 
 oufly tell us where and from whom they got the 
 Information of them. And the whole Iffue of this 
 Controverfy muft reft upon thefe fingle Points, 
 /'whether they had a competent or tolerable Know- 
 ledge of fupernatural Truths, and whether the 
 - ; Knowledge they had of them was from their own 
 Difcovery or Experience : For it is impoflible to do 
 ■ more by the I^ight of Reafon than they did. 
 
 The Appeal therefore muft be to them, as the 
 only Judges capable of determining it. And as 
 the Maintainers of the Natural Law conftantly re- 
 fer the Decifion to them, I readily fubmit thereto, 
 not doubting to make it appear, that in thofe Ages 
 when there was as much Reafon and profound Judg- 
 ment as in any other Period fince the Creation, 
 their Knowledge in thefe Matters was ftrangely 
 dark and defcftive, and the little Light they had 
 was a borrowed one, not their own : And that for 
 a long number of Centuries a barbarous Ignorance 
 covered the Face of the Earth, fcarce a Man (out 
 
 of 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 149 
 
 of the Jewijh Church) had ft) much as a Notion 
 of God (except the Idea of an Idol be fuch) the 
 Soul's Immortality, or a future State : And if fo, 
 Reafon muft be a very blind and infufficient Guide, 
 where out of fo many Millions of rational Crea- 
 tures, in diftant Ages and Countries, it could not 
 dired: above three or four to Truth and Happineis. 
 It will alio appear that wherever the traditio-) 
 nary Notices of revealed Things were almoft ■ 
 extinguiflied, Reafon could never reftore, or give 
 any Account of them ; even where the Names re-f 
 mained, the Explanation of them was abominable' 
 and ridiculous. Whereas had Reafon once difco- 
 vered thefe things, the fame Procedure of the Mind 
 would have been univerfally plain and obvious at 
 all Times and in all Nations, v/hich never was the 
 Cafe. This fhall be at large made out in the en- 
 fuing Parts of this Difcourfe. 
 
 And whoever will take a ferious View of the 
 Law of Nature in its true Light, the moft impor- 
 tant Duties quite obliterated in many Places of the 
 World, ftrangely mangled and deformed in others, 
 unable to influence or reform Mankind in any, 
 cannot but fufpeft, that far more glorious things 
 have been faid of it, than in Juftice can be granted 
 to it. And fuch Doubts mult be increafed, on ob- 
 ferving the many Exceptions its ableft Defenders 
 are obliged to make from their own general Rules, 
 and give up fuch Points as utterly deflroy the Per- 
 fe6tion and Univerfality of it. 
 
 I might inftance in one for all, from the cele- 
 brated Author of 'The Religion of Nature Delineated, 
 whofe very firft Words are thefe: " The Founda- r j^ 
 " tion of Religion lies in that Difference between 
 '* the A6ts of Men, which diftinguifhes them into 
 " good, evil, and indifferent ; for if there be fuch 
 " a Difference, • there muft be Religion, ^ contra, 
 " Upon this account it is that fuch a long and labo- 
 
 L 3 " rious 
 
I f o ^he Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 " rious Inquiry hath been made after fome general 
 " Idea, or fome Rule, by comparing the forelaid 
 *' A<5ls with which, it might appear to which kind 
 ** they rcfpedively belong. And tho' Men have not 
 " yet agreed upon any one, yet one there certainly 
 ** muft be. That which I am going to propofe, 
 " tfft." Now may we not from hence juftly argue, 
 / that if the Foundation of Religion lies in the Diffe- 
 I rence between human Adlionsi and that Difference 
 can only appear by comparing them with fome Rule ; 
 and yet from the Beginning of the World to this 
 Day, no fuch Rule of Moral Good and Evil has been 
 agreed upon, whereby Men might know to which 
 kind their Adions refpedlively belong, it is impof- 
 fible there fhould be any fuch thing as Natural Re- 
 ligion or Law, becaufe their very Eflence confifts in 
 enabling Men to diftinguifh their Adlions (and there- 
 by their Choice of aftmg) whether they are Virtues 
 or Crimes, morally good or evil j if they had no 
 Kule for tliis, they had no Law, and if no Law, 
 they could not have any Religion, which is nothing 
 but Obedience to Law : Or if they never agreed up- 
 on one, and without Agreement there cannot be a 
 'l Rule, then there is nothing in this Subjed obvious, 
 M clear, univerfal, or true -, but alJ the Definitions of 
 . it muft be Opinion or Falfliood, becaufe they had no 
 Rule or Method to frame them by. Or (fince a 
 Rule there certainly mult be) if Mr. Wollafion found 
 it out, then all the preceding Ages wanted it, there 
 was no fuch thing exifting, and it muft be Mr. 
 WoUqfton^s Religion, not Nature's. And if he 
 lirft made the Difcovery, how could it be ov/ing to 
 Reafon, fince the Light of that was as ftrong three 
 thoufand Years ago as it is now .? If it was not from 
 Realbn that he argued fo well, and traced out the 
 Lineaments of Law with fuch Order and Perfpicuity, 
 then it muft be from Revelation as a Chriftian, not 
 
 as 
 
Revelation^ not from Re af on or Nature. 151 
 
 as a Philofopher ; which is the whole Truth of the 
 Matter : And that fingle Paflage tears up the Foun- 
 dation of his whole Work, and is a Demonftration, 
 tliat whatever he lays after that, is not from Nature, 
 Reafon, Eternal Fitnefles, or Univerfal Confent, 
 but from the Gofpel ; and that he only transferred 
 to the Support of one School what he learned in 
 another. And however Ipecious a long Train of 
 Propofitions may appear to be, yet nor one is appli- 
 cable to the Intent of his Work, that Reafon could 
 delineate the Law of Nature ; fince by his own 
 Confeffion it appears, that Reafon never could find 
 out that Rule which is the Foundation of all Reh- 
 gion ; and confequently if Revelation had ijot dil^ 
 covered it, neither would Mr. Wollqjion^ nor any 
 greater Genius yet to come. 
 
 But befides, there are, in my Opinion, feveral Rea- 
 fbns why the above Marks and Characflers cannot 
 belong to the Law of Narure ; why we ought not to 
 fubfcribe to it as the mod facred of Laws, *'The^, ^." 
 " very Ground-work that Revelation fuppofes, and lo^fgn, 
 *' is built upon ; the very Bottom of all the Duties 
 *' which God requires of us : So that whatever God 
 " fhould reveal, would fignify nothing to us, unlels 
 *' they be firft known and believed." Were this 
 Suppofition true, I mud confels I do not fee what it 
 would fignify for God to reveal any thing that was 
 already well known and firmly believed ; Revelation 
 would certainly then be ufelefs, and it is the avowed 
 Intent of Natural Religion to make it fo. But be- 
 fides the Fallhood of this Suppofition, there are 
 many (and in my Opinion) ftrong and .undeniable 
 Objedlions againft it. 
 
 As, Firft, It muft be an unqueftionable Truth, 
 that the Law of Reafon cannot be ampler than Rea- 
 fon, nor any thing be allowed in its Religion, but ^ 
 what is difcoverable by the natural and ordinary Ufe 
 of it. The Bounds thereof muft be fixed to thofe 
 
 L 4 Prin- 
 
1^2 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Principles, which it can by its own Power clearly in- 
 velligate, and to fuch Knowledge as may with Cer- 
 tainty be deduced from them, becaufe no EfFedl can 
 be more extenfive than its Caufe : Therefore this 
 Definition of it muft be falfe, that it contains every 
 thing founded in theReafon and "Nature of things; 
 fince the largell: Underilandings are ignorant of the 
 Effence, Caufe, Qualities, and Operations even of 
 fenfible things, and much more of immaterial ones, 
 befides the infinite Relations that are in the Syftem 
 of the Univerfe : Therefore Truth, or the Law 
 founded on fuch Relations, is more extenfive than 
 Reafon, and what none but the Author ol Nature 
 can comprehend, or make known to others ; and 
 efpecially the Excellencies of his own Being, which 
 mult otherwifc have been for ever hid from us : For 
 can we know God but by his Attributes, and is there 
 one Attribute we do, or can know ? God is felf- 
 exiftent, but it is not poffibie for Man to form a 
 Notion of Being from itfelf, Ens afe -, nor of Eter- 
 nity in Commencement, Dura'. ion, or Succeffion ; 
 nor of Omniprefence, whether by Multiplication or 
 Extenfion of himfelf to every Ubi, or how a Spirit 
 can be extended : We are ignorant what this Omni- 
 prefence is, or how God is or can be fo. How then 
 could we know it, if he had not declared it ? That 
 Reafon ihould difcover a Nature, not one Attribute 
 of which it is able to comprehend, is truly incom- 
 prehenfible. It is finding out fomething without 
 knowing any thing of it. And without a clear 
 Knowledge of the Being we are to worlliip, all At- 
 tempts will be in vain to find out the Duties he re- 
 quires of us. 
 
 Secondly, Nothing can be admitted as Principles 
 in any Science, much lefs in Religion, but what car- 
 ry the higheft Marks of Self-Evidence with them, 
 what the Mind immediately apprehends and under- 
 (lands, or by feeing their Connexion with other un^ 
 
 doubted 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 1^3 
 
 doubted Trudis, affents to, as foon as duly propofcd : 
 For where there is Doubt or Obfcurity in Principles, 
 the Inferences drav/n from them muft be uncertain, 
 and Man be in a perpetual Hefitancy which way he 
 ought to aft •, and if moral Actions ought to be 
 uniform and confifiient, the Rule of them muft of 
 neceffity be fo •, for otherwife it will prove a Snare 
 inftead of a Law. That the Heathens had no fuch 
 clear Principles or fixed Rules Mr. ^oiiajtcn confcffcs^ 
 and that Sentiments of the moft important Points 
 v/ere wavering and doubtful, the whole World ac- 
 knowledges : And if they were furnirtied with 
 Means clearly to dilcern and underftand the Prin- 
 ciples of Natural Religion, and Realbn was that 
 Means, how could it happen that all Mankind fliould 
 be fo unreafonable as never to make a due Ule of it, 
 to know fo little, and perform much lefs ? And the 
 wifeil: of them to be fo divided in Opinion, and un- 
 able to determine in the moft obvious Cafes of Sin 
 and Duty, and fo conftandy to miftake the one for 
 the other ? 
 
 Thirdly, If there be any fuch clear and univerlal 
 Principles, the Doftrines deducible from them will 
 be equally perfpicuous and clear : For when Reafon 
 finds out Truth, its Procedure is by eftablifhing the 
 Evidence of one Propofition, and then another 
 which depends upon it, and fo by proper Gradations, 
 and the Ufe of intermediate Proofs, it arrives at 
 others : And let the Train of Arguments be never 
 fo long, yet if the Mind perceive a clear Connexion 
 between them, the Inference or Conclufion, which 
 is the Truth fought for, muft be as certain as any 
 of the intermediate ones : Whoever therefore dif- 
 cover Truth in this manner, are able to prove it, 
 and aflign Reafons for it, becaufe they can trace it 
 backwards, and fhew its Dependence upon fome firft 
 clear and univerfal Principles. But if Men fpeak 
 Truth, and yet can give no Reafons, nor account for ir, 
 
 they 
 
I ^i. The Kncivledge of Divine Things from 
 
 they may have heard, or (tumbled on it, but did not 
 dilcover it, as not perceiving liow the Evidence of 
 it arifes : For if they come at it by clear and inter- 
 mediate Steps, the Certainty of the Conclufion might 
 be proved to others, and rendred as perfpicuous as 
 the Truth and Connexion of the feveral Mediums. 
 But there was not one fpiritual Subjed that the Hea- 
 thens could prove, or give any tolerable Account of; 
 therefore whatever Knowledge they had of fuch 
 Truths, they did not difcover, or come at it by any 
 Operations of their own Reafon. 
 
 Fourthly, No Principles can be allowed as uni- 
 verfal, but what are proved fo by Facl and Experi- 
 
 ' ence ; Caufes mull be known by their EfFedls, and 
 Natural Powers by their Produftions : And to affirm, 
 that a Man, or Star, or Spirit, or Angel, is capable 
 of Adts which the moft piercing Judgment ne- 
 ver difcovered, is highly unwarrantable ; it is a 
 Falfhood, becaufe we are ignorant of it. If there 
 were then any fuch univerlal Principles, they muft 
 be fhevved from the Effeds : The fame Tree will not 
 produce Grapes this Year, and Figs the next. The 
 Religion of diftant Ages and Nations would have 
 been correfpondent, becaufe its Principles were na- 
 tural and univerfal. If it was various and contra- 
 didlory, there could be no univerfal Rule or Prin- 
 ciples to go by : Yet the Religions of the World 
 were different and oppofite, the moft facred with one 
 was abominable to another. Nor is a tolerable Sy- 
 Item of Natural Religion to be collefted out of any 
 or all their Writings and Pradice : Therefore no 
 Univerfal Principles could fubfift in the Minds of 
 Men. And to fay that Reafon could, but did not, 
 ■or would not do it, is only begging, not proving the 
 Qu eft ion. 
 
 Laftly, Both Law and Religion muft fuppofe not 
 
 , only Abilities in them who are required to obey, but 
 muft offer proper Motives to induce them to it ; 
 
 for 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 155 
 
 for where there is no Motive for doing or not doing 
 a thing, there can be no juft Ground either to per- 
 form it or negled it, it is quite indifferent. Now 
 the great Motives to the Obfervation of moral Du- 
 ties, confeffedly are the Immortality of the Soul, and 
 a future State of Rewards or Punifhments. But 
 not one in a Million believed any of thefe things ; 
 and the few wife Men were too doubtful and uncer- 
 tain about them, to let them have any due Influ- 
 ence upon their Anions : And therefore the Law of 
 Nature was highly deficient in this moil effential 
 Point, if it can be called a Law, that has not this 
 Sanftion, or lays us not under an Obligation to Re- 
 wards or Punifhments. 
 
 To prove that thefe Objections and the Infe- 
 rences drawn from them, are ftridlly applicable to 
 the Law of Nature, I need only appeal to the ableft 
 Defenders of it. Thus Tillotjon: '* As the Cor- ^ . 
 " ruption and Degeneracy of Mankind grew worfe, Serm.cr, 
 " fo the Light of Nature waxed dimmer and dim- p. 361. 
 *' mer, and the Rule of Good and Evil was more 
 *' doubtful and uncertain, and that in very confi- 
 " derable Inflances of our Duty. The Law of 
 *' Mofes was peculiar to the Jews: And even* 
 *' to them it did not give clear and perfect 
 " Light and Diredion as to moral Duties, and 
 *' thofe things which are of an eternal and im- 
 " mutable Reafon and Goodnefs. That the Jews 
 *' under the Law had fuch Apprehenfions of their 
 " own Immortahty, and of a future State of Hap- 
 ** pinels and Mifery after this Life, as natural 
 " Light fuggefted to them j which was in moil but 
 *' a wavering and uncertain Perfuafion, and confe- 
 " quendy of fmall Efficacy to engage Men to 
 " their Duty." Thus BiOiop Wilkins. 1.2. e.g. 
 " Notwithilanding all that can be faid of Natural 
 " Religion^ it cannot be denied, but in this dark 
 ** and degenerate State into which Mankind is funk, 
 
 " there 
 
'3^6 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 '.' there is great want of a clearer Light to difcover 
 *' our Duty to us with greater Certainty, and to 
 " put it beyond all doubt and difpute, what is 
 *' the good and acceptable Will of God : And all 
 " thefe Defeds are clearly fupplied by that clear 
 *' and perfect Revelation, which God hath made 
 *' to the World by our blefled Saviour." Can 
 ther^ be a ftronger Affirmation, that Nature and 
 Reafon are not able to inftru6t us in our Duty ? 
 
 Where then could be the Law or Religion of Na- 
 ture, where there were no plain or certain Rules and 
 Directions for a good Life -, no Rule of Good and 
 Evil, but Men were doubtful and uncertain in the 
 moft confiderable Inftances of Duty, and wanted 
 Light to dire6t them even in moral Duties, tho* 
 of eternal Reafon and Goodnefs-, or where was 
 the Authority or Force of Law, which could offer 
 no Motives to Obedience but fuch as were faint and 
 languid, wavering and uncertain Perfuafions, of 
 fiuall Effcacy to engage Men to their Duty ? Cer- 
 tainly there is nothing here that deferves the Name 
 of Religion or Law, not an Article that was clear, 
 or a Motive that could influence. 
 " And Dr. Clarke in his celebrated Difcourfes at 
 Dlfc II. ^^* -S'^y^'s Leflures, acknowledges, " There are 
 p. 156, ' " whole Nations, that feem to have very little No- 
 &c. " tion of God, and a very fmall Senle of the Obli- 
 
 " gations of Morality. That in all Ages Men 
 " had falfe and unworthy Notions of God, or fu- 
 " perftitious Apprehenfions concerning him, and 
 " fell into the moft abfurd Idolatry. That few 
 *' Men are able to difcover the principal Truths of 
 " Morality clearly and plainly for themfelves ; there- 
 *' fore want to be particularly taught and inftrudted 
 *' in their Duty. That in the Heathen World 
 *' there were but few (two or three) who ftudied 
 '* and pradifed the Duties of Natural Religion ; 
 " yet without any great Succefs, becaufe the Doc- 
 
 *' trine 
 
Revelation y not from Reafon or Nature. 157 
 
 " trine of moft Philofophers confifted in empty 
 " Words and Contention, but did not amend the 
 *' Manners, nor was fitted to reform the World ; 
 " and thofe few had no Knowledge of the whole 
 «' Scheme of Things, the Method of God's go- 
 *« verning the World, his Defign in creating Man- 
 " kind, ^c. Having no Knowledge of this, their 
 *« whole Attempt to difcover the Truth of Things, 
 " and to inftrudt others therein, was like wandring 
 *' in the wide Sea, not knowing whither they were 
 *' going, or which way to take, or having any 
 " Guide to condudt them ; for their natural Un- 
 " derftanding was as unqualified to find out and 
 «' apprehend thefe things, as the Eyes of Bats to 
 *« behold the Light of the Sun, not even the firft 
 *« and mod necelTary thing of all, the Nature and 
 *' Attributes of God himfelf ; thefe were very diffi- 
 *' cult to learn, and more difficult to explain. So, 
 «' of the Manner in which God might be accep- 
 " tably worfhipped, they were entirely and un- 
 *' avoidably ignorant ; for in what particular man- 
 ** ner, or with what kind of Service he will be 
 •' worfliipped, cannot be certainly difcovered by 
 " bare Reafon ; even Socrates fell lamentably into 
 " the Pradice of the moft foolifh Idolatry; nor 
 «' did they know how to reconcile and appeafe the 
 " Deity ; here Nature flops, and expeds with Im- 
 *' patience the Aid of fome particular Revelation. 
 *' They are alfo moft doubtful, uncertain, and un- 
 *' fteady about the moft neceffary Truths, the Im- 
 " mortality of the Soul, the Uncertainty of a fu- 
 " ture State, and the Rewards and Punifhments 
 " to be diftributed in a Life to come. Socrates an 
 " his Death, and Cicero^ knew not whether the 
 *' Soul was mortal or immortal ; which is moft pro- 
 •' bable, was a great Queftion ; but which Opinion 
 " true, God only knows; and what they were cer- 
 *' tain of, fuch as Obligations of Virtue, and the 
 
 *' Will 
 
1^8 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 " Will of God in Matters of Morality, they were 
 *' never able to prove and explain clearly and dil^ 
 *'• tin6lly; They rather made them Matter of En- 
 " tertainment, than proving the plain, necelTary 
 *' and indifpenfable Obligation of them : For as 
 " they were not able to frame any regular confident 
 " Scheme of Things, the Truths they taught were 
 ( " fingle and fcattered, accidental as it were, and 
 " hit upon by Chance, rather than by any Know- 
 «' ledge of the true State of Things ; therefore 
 *' could never make out upon what Principle Vir- 
 " tue was to be cholen, and perpetually difagreed, 
 *' and contradided one another upon that great 
 " Qiieftion, What was the chief Good, or final 
 *' Happinefs of Man. And thofe things they 
 " were able to prove, fuch as the mod obvious and 
 *' necelTary Duties of Life, they had not Autho- 
 " rity to enforce ; becaufe they feemed to want 
 *' weight, and to be but the Precepts of Men; 
 " And it has by Experience appeared to be alto- 
 " gether impoflible for Philofophy and bareReafon 
 " to reform Mankind effedually, without the At 
 •' fiftance of fome higher Principle. That extra- 
 *' ordinary and fupernatural Affiftance, without 
 " which the Philofophers themfelves were fenfible, 
 *' there could never be any truly great Man ; and 
 *' therefore a divine Revelation was plainly want- 
 " ing, and abfolutely neceffary to recover Mankind 
 *' out of their univerfal Corruption and Degene- 
 *' racy ; and their chief Lawgivers thought it not 
 •' a fufficient Recommendation of their Laws, 
 *' that they were agreeable to the Light of Nature, 
 " unlefsthey pretended alfo that they received them 
 " from God. 
 
 " The modern Deifts therefore have much departed 
 " from theSenfe of the ancient and wife Philofophers, 
 ** in contending that there was no want, no need 
 *' of Revelation ; that Philofophy and right Rea- 
 
 *' fon 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 159 
 
 *' fon was of itfelf fufficiently able to inftru6t and 
 ** preferve Men in the Pradice of their Duty ; and 
 '' that nothing was to be expedled from Revelation 5 
 *' for there are feveral Truths not poflible to be 
 «' difcovered with any Certainty by the Light of 
 *« Nature : and it is certain in fad, that the wifefl 
 ** Philofophers of old were never able to do it to 
 <« any effedual Purpofe. And as to the great Pre- 
 " tence of the modern Deifts, it is to be obferved, 
 •' that the cleared of moral Reafonings was much 
 " improved even in the Heathen Writers, after the 
 " Coming of Chrilt. And almoft all things which 
 ** are faid wifely and truly by modern Deifts, are 
 " plainly borrowed from that Revelation which 
 '* they refufe to embrace; and without which they 
 *' never could have been able to have faid the fame 
 " things. What ground have they to imagine, 
 *' had they lived without the Light of the Gofpel, 
 " that they fhould have been wifer than Socrates, 
 " Plato and Cicero^ or made fuch right Ufe of their 
 " Reafon, as to have difcovered the Truth exaftly, 
 " and not been involved in tliat Idolatry, which 
 *' overfpread the v/hole World ? 'Tis one thing 
 " to fee, that thofe Rules of Life, which are before 
 " hand plainly and particularly laid before us, are 
 " perfedly agreeable to Reafon : And another 
 *« thing to find out thefe Rules merely by the 
 " Light of Reafon, without their having firft been 
 " any otherwife made known. And after all, the 
 '* Truth at the Bottom is plainly this : All the 
 " great things the modern Deifts affed to fay of 
 " right Reafon, as to its Sufficiency in difcovering 
 " the Obligations and Motives of Morality, is on- 
 *My a Pretence to be made ufe of when they are 
 " oppofing Chriftianity. At other times and in 
 " reality, they have no hearty Regard for Mora- 
 " lity ; and however their Creed may pretend to 
 « be the Creed of Deifts, yet almoft always their 
 
 " Prac- 
 
i6o The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 " Praftice is the Pradlice of Atheifts : And their 
 *' Arguments againft Revelation and Chriftianity, 
 " in their not being univerfally owned and em- 
 " braced, and confequently no real want oi them, 
 " or ground to think any farther AiTidance necef- 
 *' fary to enable Men to anfwer all the Ends of 
 " their Creation, than the bare Light of Na- 
 *' tare, will hold equally good againft natural Re- 
 " ligion, that neither was that necefiary to enable 
 " Men to anfwer the Ends of their Creation; be- 
 <' caufe *tis evident all Men are not endued with 
 ** the fame Faculties and Capacities, nor have 
 " they all equally afforded to them the iame Means 
 '* of making that Difcovery : Many Nations being 
 " now ignorant and barbarous, and confequently 
 *' the Knowledge of Natural Religion being, in 
 " fad, by no means univerfal •, it will follow, that 
 " there is no great Neceflity even of that: But that 
 " Men may do very well without it, in perform- 
 *' ing the Fundions of animal Life, and directing 
 " themfelves wholly by the Inclinations of Senfe; 
 " and thus thefe Gentlemen muft at laft be forced 
 " to let go all moral Obligations, and to recur 
 *' unavoidably to abfolute Atheifm." 
 
 Can a more languid and defponding Chara£ter 
 be o;iven than this of the Law of Nature ? And are 
 not all the Objedions I offered, allowed by the 
 ableft Defenders of it ? Is it not an Abufe of Words 
 and Common Senfe, to call fuch a disjointed Heap 
 of Fragments and Fable either a Religion or a 
 Law? Here we fee a whole World involved in 
 Barbarity and Idolatry, the wifeft therein ignorant 
 of their own final Happinefs, or God's Dealings 
 with them, their whole Attempts to difcover the 
 Truth of Things vain and fruitlefs, their natural 
 Underftanding unqualified to find out or apprehend 
 even the Being of a God, the immortality of the 
 Soul, (^c, not able to prove the Obligations of 
 7 Mo- 
 
Re'veldtion, riot from Reafon or Nature. 1 6 1 
 
 Morality, nor fhsw upon what Principles Virtue 
 was to be chofen. The Truths they taught were 
 fcattered and disjointed Fragments, hit upon by 
 Chance, not acquired by Knowledge j for they un- 
 derftooci them not, neither faw their Connexion, 
 nor could affign the Reafons of them ; they had not 
 Authority to enforce the mofl famihar or neceflary 
 Duties of Life ; for they taught them as the Pre- 
 cepts of Men, but difcerned not their Derivation 
 nor Dependence on the Will of God : And on thefe 
 Accounts they could not, without the Aflldance of 
 an higher Principle, either reform themfelves or in- 
 ftrud others. The whole of Religion confifts in 
 teaching the End of Man, with the Means to at- 
 tain it : But Nature never taught Man wherein his 
 final Good confided ; and it is an Obfervation of 
 Cicero^ Acad, ^l.i.de Fin. I. 5. " that they who do 
 " not agree in dating what is the chief End or 
 «* Good, muft of courfe differ in the whole Syftem 
 " of Precepts for the Conduft of Life.'* 
 
 How could Nature and Reafon then (unable to 
 conclude one Principle, or infer one Duty) be fuffi- 
 cient Guides to Happinefs and God ? How could 
 the Author of Nature intend them for fuch Pur- 
 pofes ? Or what can we believe of a Subjeft which 
 the greateft of Men pull down with one hand, as 
 faft as they build up v/ith the other ? but that it is 
 ' dim, wavering, and uncertain, and fomething €i{Q. 
 plainly wanting, and abfolutely neceflary to diredl 
 Mankind, and influence them in the Practice of 
 Duty ? This is the Sum of all the Arguments in 
 favour of Natural Religion : God gave Man Rea- 
 fon to difcover a Rule and Law, but Reafon never 
 did it, or to no purpofe. What is the Confequence, 
 .but that an ineffedive Caufe was the Appointment 
 jof infinite Power and Wifdom ; and that Reafon 
 had a divine Commiflion to difcharge, which it ne- 
 
 M vcr 
 
p. 3s6. 
 
 162 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 vcr did, or could faithfully execute. Both which 
 are impious and abfurd. 
 
 But if Rcaibn ever did, or pofTibly could perform . 
 the Miracles afcribed to it, there is another Diffi- 
 culty occurs, without a full Solution to which the 
 whole Superftructurevanifhes into nothing: And that 
 is, how the Dictates of mere Reafon can obtain the 
 Force of a Law, or have fuch an obligatory Power 
 as to fubjedl us to Rewards or Punifhments ? And 
 this can only be inferred from the Authority whence 
 Law arifes ; for the EfFeft cannot have more Power 
 cr Dominion than the Caufe. 
 
 And I v/ould thus define Law : That it is a Rule 
 Clem. of Life (No/jt jr (pwV 6o"5) direding us by proper Means 
 Alex. to the beft Ends, and arm*d with Punifhments for 
 ^^^°^^- ^' the Difobedient^ and Rev/ards for the Obedient. 
 For that cannot be Law which does not diredl what 
 is befl:, nor a Rule that does not point out proper 
 Means to attain the End, nor obligatory without a 
 Power to enforce it. And Law may be divided in- 
 to Human, Natural, and Divine. 
 
 As to Inflitutions purely human, they may more 
 properly be called Agreements than Laws, as being 
 deficient in the End, Means, and San6lion. They 
 were the Invention of latter Ages, after Men form*d 
 themfelves into Societies, and began to traffick, and 
 were calculated purely to be fubfervient to thefe 
 Ends. All Commerce at firfl: was by Exchange of 
 Goods, Cattle, and other NecefHiries one with an- 
 other -, there was neither Law nor Money to regu- 
 late the Price of things, but every one made the 
 befl Bargain he could. When Coin was introduced 
 as a kind of common Meafure to adjuft the Inequa- 
 lity of Value, it was from Compact or Law, not 
 from Nature, and therefore called 'Niimmus (from 
 v6iuc<r) Law, and ftamped with the ImprefTion 
 of Cattle ; and the Muldt prefcribed by the 
 ancient Laws was a Forfeiture of Cattle among the 
 
 Romans. 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 163 
 
 Romans, and, according to Straho, among the Lit- 
 Jitanians and Jlbanians. Such were the Beginnings 
 of Law, and it has been remarked that Homer does 
 not once ufe the Word voz-'.o?. When fingle Perlbns 
 prefcribed Rules to Communities, they were called 
 Lawgivers. Some made Ceres the Inventor of Laws, 
 whence Virgil ftiles her Legifera ; yet mod were of ^neid. 4. 
 a far later Date. 
 
 But the Queftion is, how Laws purely human 
 can carry with them an Obligation, which is as it 
 were the Soul of all Law ? By Nature all Men are 
 equal, nor has any one a Right to put Reftraint up- 
 on the Body or Mind of another : Servitude has al- 
 ways been looked upon as preternatural. Servitus 
 eft conftitiitio juris gentium, qua quis domino alieno con- 
 tra naturam fubjicitur, a Subjedion to aftrange Mas- 
 ter contrary to the Order of Nature. So Ariftotle, that 
 to exercife fuch a Power, is itixoa. (puo-iv to c/^sc77r6^;{v, Poh't. i. 
 to domineer contrary to Nature. And St. Ambrofs 
 will have it, that Drunkennefs introduced Slavery, 
 before which Liberty was inviolable ; It never en- 
 ter'd into the Thought of any Mortal to condemn 
 to Slavery one Partaker of the fame Nature with 
 himfelf, nor was any Man fo unreafbnable and 
 mad as to give up himfelf to obey the arbitrary Will 
 of another. By Nature there is no Difference or 
 Inequality, and he that is his own Mafter cannot 
 be ruled or controul'd by another : Slavery is no 
 more than a Subjection to Laws which we neither 
 make nor confent to ; and fuch a State whether en- 
 tred on by Confent or Violence, being unnatural, 
 carries no natural Obligation with it. 
 
 Secondly, As to Natural Law, there have been as 
 various Opinions in deriving, as in defining or de- 
 fcribing it. 
 
 I. Some have attempted to prove that certain 
 Rights are natural to Men, becaufe pradifed by 
 other Animals, as Self-Prefervation, and that of 
 
 M 2 their 
 
1 64 '^f^^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 their Species, by Beafts •, Society and an orderly 
 
 Cominonweakh by Bees j Marriage and conjugal 
 
 Amicy by Doves, i^c. And therefore they define the 
 
 Natural Law to be in common to Beafts, Birds, and 
 
 L 1 D Fifh, as well as Men. Jus nattirale ejje quod Natura 
 
 de Jail. Si omnia anhnalia docuit, atqiie jus ijiud non humani ge- 
 
 Jui-e, & 'iieris eJJe proprium^ fed omnium animalium qua in t err ay 
 
 t"'^" IV 9.^^ ^^ ^'^-^^^ nafcuntur^ avium quoque commune ejfe. 
 jure a . g_^^^ ^j^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ gj-^j.^^^ j.|^^> Sometimes called 
 
 In Avibus. Laws, as of Birds by Arijiophajies, opv'^wv vo/ayj, 
 yet very improperly, as the Subjedl of Law 
 muft be Good and Evil, and Inftinfts are not ca- 
 pable of Guidance or Diredlion, as Paftions are : 
 Thofe natural Fropenfions of Brutes are their Rights, 
 becaufe from Nature ; but are no more Law than 
 the Adions or Motions of Vegetables, Trees, or 
 other natural Bodies. 
 
 Even in Men thefe involuntary Propenfions or 
 Sallies are not the EfFedl of Reafon, but a kind of 
 natural Senfibility born with us, for which we are 
 not able to account. If we fee a Child falling into 
 the Fire, our Heart is that moment touched, and 
 we fly to help him ; It is no Reflexion that deter- 
 mines us to this, or Thoughts of receiving Thanks 
 from his Parents, but we acft by a Motion purely na- 
 tural. Here is no Time to deliberate, no Concur- 
 rence of the Judgment or Will, and an Adion in- 
 capable of Reafon and Choice cannot be fubjefl to 
 Law. 
 
 ily. Some derive Natural Law from the Cus- 
 toms of Nations ; but none of thefe were univerfal, 
 therefore could not be the Law of Nature : For 
 what is truly fuch, muft have an unalterable Force 
 and Obligation in all Places and Ages, as Fire has 
 to burn, or Water to flow ; the 6 xoivo? viy.oi Com- 
 mon Law of Nature is an univerfal Judgment, 
 therefore unchangeable : Cuftoms are particular Opi- 
 nions j and what perpetually varies, Proteus~\\iiQy 
 
 cannot 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 165 
 
 cannot be a Law. Befides, Law mud be Truth, 
 for Falfhood cannot oblige, and Truth is always the 
 fame. Good and Evil alter not with Law and Cuf- 
 tom, nor have any Dependence on them. Incefb 
 with Sillers was cuftomary in Greece, and allow'd by 
 the Laws of Solon and Lycurgus \ in After-ages it 
 was difufed and condemned. So Simplicius lays it 
 is now forbidden both by Law and Cuftom % nei- ^" ^pift. 
 ther the Permifllon nor Reftraint therefore were*^"'^'^' 
 from Nature. And as the Cuftoms or Manners of 
 a Country, i. e. the Confent of thofe who conform 
 themfelves to them, cannot make what is evil good ; 
 {o neither can they fuperinduce an Obligation, be- 
 caufe what is wicked would then fometimes oblige ; 
 and the fame thing be of Force in one Age, not 
 in another, oblige at AlhenSy not 2LtRome, &c. which 
 is unnatural. 
 
 We fhould have been better able to judge of the 
 Religion of Nature from this Head, if feveral Works 
 of the Ancients had been preferved ; as the 'Noij.iy.a 
 Bap/3apixa of Arijiotle, or The Manners and Injiitutes 
 of Barbarians, i. e. of the Nations who lived out of 
 Greece ; his Books of the different Polities, Civil 
 Rites, and Morals of People ; their Laws by Theo- 
 phrajius, &c. But by what Remains we have, we 
 may fafely judge that never any thing was more tru- 
 ly Ipoke than that proverbial Expreflion among 
 them : Nee Natura potefi jufto fecernere iniquum. 
 
 If it be faid, that notwithftanding a Difference of 
 Manners among Nations, yet neverthelels they a- 
 greed in the fundamental Points of all Religion, 
 fuch as the Belief of the true God, a proper Ac- 
 knowledgment and Worfhip of him, ^c. I would 
 only at prefent ask, where was this Religion or Law 
 of Nature in Greece before Cecrops ? For he was the 
 firft who told them there was fuch a Perfbn as Jupi- 
 ter, invoked him, offer*d Sacrifices, built Altars, 
 or made Images among them. Before him no one 
 
 M 3 knew. 
 
1 66 ^he Kfiowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 knew, or had fo much as heard of thefe Things. 
 Plaio acknowledges the fame thing, that they 
 had no Gods but the Sun, Moon and Stars, i. e. 
 the vinble Syftem. So that the Religion of Greece 
 was without a God, without Worfhip-, their Law 
 of Nature without End, Means, Motives, or Obli- 
 gation. And this was not peculiar to Greece^ the 
 Catholick Religion of the World was Atheiftical 
 Idolatry ; their Manners Turpitude and Barbarity. 
 And thefe only were entitled to the Appellations of 
 Natural and Univerfal. 
 
 3/y. Some derive it from natural Reafon, and 
 the right Ufe of it among Men. And it is no 
 wonder that the Heathen being ignorant of God, 
 and the Method of coming at divine Truths, at- 
 tributed many of them to Reafon, as finding it 
 in the PofTtiTion of them, and not knowing what 
 other Original to afcribe them to. Yet notwith- 
 ftanding the many great things they fay of Nature, 
 _or Philofophy*s being a fufficient Guide to Virtue, 
 yet the wileil of them meant it not exclufively of 
 ^ -^ the divine Affiftance. So Cicero. Multos (sf nojlra 
 1. 2." n.' civil cs & Gr^cia tulit fingulares vires ^ quorum nemi- 
 1 24, 1 25. nenif nifi juvante Deo, talem fuijje credendum eji — 
 Ne7no igiiur vir magnus fine aliquo afflatu divino un- 
 Difiert.z2. ^uam fiiit ; and Max. Tyr. d^iovlou ^wayoivi^S 3^5s 
 p. 265. ;t, '^uWr.-Trlo^^, &c. Thai Perfons of the bejl Difpo- 
 fjions fiand in need of the Affiftance and Help of 
 God to lead and impel them, &c. And therefore in 
 this Senfe we mull underftand many of their Ex- 
 preffions. Nee efi qiiifquam gentis ullius qui ducem 
 T n ^^" ^i^'^^'i^^^ na^us advirtiitem pervenire non potefi, &c. 
 But as to the Ufe and Rule of natural or right 
 Reafon among Men ; it is commonly aflerted, that 
 there are fuch common Notions and Apprehenfions 
 implanted in them, whereby every one finds an in- 
 ward fixed Convidlion and Determination, that 
 Good is defirable, Evil to be avoided, that we 
 
 ought 
 
 I. n. 3. 
 
Revelation y not from Reafon or Nature, l6y 
 
 ought to live in a becoming manner, (^c. From 
 which Notions or Principles, a Mind not depraved, 
 by its own rational Faculties forms Propofitions, 
 and Conclulions as certain as the Principles them- 
 felves. Therefore natural Law is often defined with 
 yirijiotle, Travla^ii rnv aorr]v £;^« d^uvoLiJUV, K, » rw o'^c- 
 xeiv n Mfl, quod ubiqtie eandem vim obtinet, & non quia ^'^'c. 1. 
 ita videtur vel minime, i. e. what does not depend 5' ^' '°* 
 upon the various and uncertain Uie of Opinions 
 among Men or Nations, or on pofitive Laws con- 
 trived for the publick Good of Society ; but on 
 the conftant and invariable Determination of thofe 
 who aft by right and found Reafon. So Cicero :i^f,„^^ 
 "Lex eft re5ia ratio imperandi^ &c. The Law is right 
 Reafon, commanding or forbidding, and whoever 
 is ignorant of it, whether it be any where written 
 or not, is an unjuft Perfon ; and a litde after, Nos 
 legem honam a mala nulla alia nift naturali norma di-vi- 
 dere pojjumus^ &c. We cannot diftinguilh a good 
 Law from a bad one by any other than a natural 
 Rule. For not only Right and Wrong are dif. 
 cerned by Nature, but all virtuous and vitious 
 Things : For common Reafon, that which is co- 
 eval with our Minds, makes thele things known 
 to us j that what is honeft and laudable (liould be 
 accounted Virtuous, what is bafe Vitious. And it 
 is Madnefs to think they are owing to Opinion, not 
 to Nature. Many Paflages are to be met with ia 
 CicerOy Plato, Plutarch, Seneca, and other Philofo- 
 phers, as alio among Civilians and Theologifts, 
 which will have the Laws of Nature to be placed 
 in, or pointed out by, the right Ufe of Reafon : 
 That there are certain firft Principles, from which 
 many Corollaries or Dedu6tions may neceflarily be 
 inferred, and the Law of Nature explicitly drawn 
 and eftablifhed. As in the Mathematicks, there 
 are fome Axioms, which every attentive Mind muft 
 M 4 at 
 
1 6 3 ^he Knowledge of Divine Jbings from 
 
 at firft Sight acknowledge to be true, and from 
 them other Propofitions equally true may be con-^ 
 eluded. So in moral Enquiries, after allowing 
 fome Principles, which mull be univerfally and 
 unavoidably true, fuch as Self-prefervation, the 
 Ufe of Things neceffary for Life, the Conjundlion 
 of Sexes, Propagation of our Species, and other 
 things ufually called Good and Honeft ; there will 
 arife from right Reafon certain Commands and 
 Prohibitions univerfally binding, by which that 
 Good may be preferved, and the Contrary hindred. 
 And conclude, that as Nature has abundantly pro- 
 vided for all other Cafes and Wants, fo efpecially 
 muft it in this, by fuggefting whatever can inftrudt 
 or enable us to lead our Lives becomingly, juftly, and 
 religioufly. That fome things are by Nature indif- 
 ferent, neither required nor forbidden, in which 
 Men are left at liberty to determine for themfelves, 
 as they fhall judge moil convenient, according to 
 the Variety of Circumftances that may attend them. 
 But there are other things fo exprefly commanded or 
 prohibited by Nature, that no Difpenfation therein 
 can at any time be allowable -, and that Man may 
 thus by the Ufe of right Reafon learn the exa<^ 
 Boundaries of Vice and Virtue, by the fame Rule 
 that he knows what is good and honeft. 
 
 To judge rightly in this Cafe, we muft confider 
 that Reafon and its Ufe are taken in two Senfes : 
 Either fimply or without regard to the Authority 
 and Declaration of any fuperior Being ; or as it 
 acknowledges fuch a Power, marking out the 
 Bounds of Duty to us, declaring what is Good, and 
 what is Evil. The firft only is at prefent to be 
 confidered, and thefe two Remarks will I think 
 follow from it : That the Ufe of Reafon in Men 
 is neither fo certain nor confiftent in the Difcern- 
 ment of thefe things, that what is beft and moft 
 
 defirable 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 169 
 
 defirable can always appear from it. Or were It 
 never fo regular and conftant, yet no legal Caule 
 of" Obligation could be thence inferred. 
 
 As to the Uncertainty which the free Ufe of 
 Reafon always laboured under in thefe Inquiries (to 
 omit the Vulgar who may be always Strangers to 
 it) it will appear both in the Origin and Subjed 
 of Natural Law -, their wifefl Men difagreeing in 
 nothing more than whence proceeded the effen- 
 tial Difference of Good and Evil. Archelaus^ the 
 Mafter of Socrates, taught that things were juft and 
 unjuft, not by Nature, but by Law. Plato tells us, Diog- 
 " That in his Days the commonly received Opini- ^^^"^I- P- 
 *« on concerning Laws, was, that they were pod- f^^ pj.^p^ 
 *' tive, not from Nature but Appointment; thatl. 12.C. 
 " the Gods themfelves exifted in their prefent Or-S^-P-^^z. 
 ** der, not by Nature, but from Determinations 
 ** and Agreements of their own. That of good 
 *^ Things fome were fuch by Nature, others by 
 ♦' Law. But as for juft Things there are none fuch 
 " by Nature, for that Men perpetually differed in 
 " Opinion about them, and were fubftituting new 
 " ones : But whenever they were appointed to be 
 *' fuch, they became juft from Law, and artificial 
 " Compadt, not from Nature.'* When Alcihiades 
 asked Pm^r/d-j what was Law ? Heanfwered, " What Xenophon. 
 " the People ordain in a general Affembly, decla- Mem.Soc. 
 " ring what ought, and what ought not to be done."^- '• P- »^' 
 When he inquired again, " Whether they ordained 
 " what was Good or Evil, he replied, moft cer- 
 *' tainly what is Good : " and pofitively declared, 
 " That whatever is the Ordinance of a legal Govern- 
 ** ment, is Law, and confequently right." Jri- Diog. 
 ftippus taught, " That nothing was juft, or honeft, Laert. 4. 
 " or bafe by Nature, but only from Cuftom and 
 *' Law; and that a wife Man might fteal, or 
 *' commit Adultery, or Sacrilege, when it was op- 
 ^' portune, for none of thefe things were naturally 
 
 '^ vile. 
 
176 1'he KnoiL' ledge of Divine Things from 
 
 " vile, and he need not reftrain himfelf bccaufe of 
 
 " the Opinion of a foolifli unskilful Multitude." 
 
 The Doctrine of Diogenes was to the fame purpofe ; 
 
 and Pyrrho denied, " That any thing was in itfelf 
 
 *» bafe or commendable, jull or unjuft; but that 
 
 " Men did all things by Law and Cuftom, for 
 
 Id. p 411." one thing was not better than another.'* This 
 
 Id. p. 669. Determination of Good and Evil entered alfo into 
 
 the mod ficred Parts of their Religion. It was the 
 
 Xenoph. great Rule ot Socrates^ " To adhere ftridtly to the 
 
 Id. p. 25. « Cuftoms of his Country, and that to deviate 
 
 " from them was a Token of Superftition and 
 
 " Vanity.'* 
 
 As to their Ethics, no one can be ignorant that 
 the Difputes concerning Good and Evil, were num- 
 berlefs among the Profefibrs of right Reafon, the 
 Lawgivers, Priefts, and Philofophers -, nor was there 
 any to compofe or reconcile thefe DifTenfions •, fo 
 many Se<fts were there, and fuch a fruitful Harveft 
 of Opinions, that in Philofophy, and that ground- . 
 ed on the ftrifteft Reafon, according to the utmoft 
 Abilities and Wit of thofe who fearched into it, 
 there were no lefs, as Varro obferved, than Two 
 hundred eighty eight different Sentiments about the 
 ( fummum bonum, or the final Happinefs and End of 
 Man -, and confequendy fo many Religions, Laws, 
 Means, and Motives among them. 
 
 They alfo who moft profefledly inquired into the 
 univerfal Principles of living well, fell into feparate 
 Opinions and Schemes, each judging his own beff, 
 and condemning every other. Nay, fo fingular 
 v/as Reafon among Philofophers of the higheft 
 Clafs, that many things generally deemed to be 
 contrary to the Law of Nature, they dared to af- 
 fert were abfolutely permitted and allowed by it. 
 Zeno, Chryjippus, and the Ferfian Magi held it lawful 
 to lie with their Mothers, their Daughters, or with 
 Men. Theft, Sacrilege, and Adultery were held 
 
 lawful 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, lyi 
 
 lawful by I'beodorus. All manner of beaftly Luft 
 by Diogenes ; and Plato the divined of them al), 
 allowed an almoil promifcuous Copulation, and 
 would have Wives and all other things in common, 
 as if the Law required it. Archelaus, Arijlippus^ and 
 Carneades would not have any thing to be naturally 
 juft, but that whatever was eftcemed fo, depended 
 wholly on the Will and Appointment of Men. 
 Numberlefs other Inftances to this Purpofe are to 
 be every where met with in the Writings of the 
 Ancients. Every one loudly affirms 6 vo/a©^ Is-i 
 Xoy©* 6 of^o?. Right Reafon is the Law, yet fo vafl- 
 ly differ in what Right Reafon is. Even when they 
 feem to agree in the Fundamentals on which 
 Laws were founded ; when they come to interpret 
 or apply them, they divide into many and contrary 
 Opinions. " When any one, fays Socrates^ men- r pi, j . 
 " tions Silver or Iron, we all underftand the fame 
 " thing by it ; but when they fpeak of what is 
 " Juft or Good, they think in a different manner, 
 " and difagree with themfelves as well as others." 
 
 Some, as the Pyrrhonijis^ Scepticks, and others, 
 thought every thing fo doubtful, and the Reafons 
 on both Sides the Queftion fo equal, that they fuf- 
 pended their AlTent, and concluded that Truth was 
 no where to be found; fo riveted were they to 
 this Perfuafion, that they would not believe com- 
 mon Notions any more than others. 
 
 On the whole it appears that great Caution mufl: 
 be ufed, that we do not too freely rely on the Dif- 
 quifi tions of Reafon, which are fo various and uncer- 
 tain, that what one takes for a felf-evident Prin- 
 ciple, or inconteftable Conclufion, frequently ap- 
 pears to another equally fagacious, as doubtful or 
 falfe, and to be abfolutely rejeded. That this often 
 happened to thofe mafterly Underftandings of 
 old, who argued with a free and unreftrained Ufe 
 of Reafon, concerning the Nature of Good and 
 
 Evil, 
 
172 ^he Knowledge of Divine Thi?2gs from 
 
 Evil, Honcfl and Dilhoneft-, every one is convin- 
 ced of who has but looked into their Writings. 
 And the infinite variety of Sedls and Schools, with 
 the bitter Animofities that always fubfifted among 
 them, mav fufficiently convince us, that their Laws 
 fprang from Opinion, not from Nature. 
 
 Bat if Reafon had been never lb confonant in 
 her Decifions, the Difficulty ftill occurs, how they 
 would obtain the Force Oi a Law, or carry an Ob- 
 lip-aiion with them. 
 
 Men may be here confidered as feparate Indivi- 
 duals, or as foimed into Societies; under the fir ft, 
 which was the Srate of Mankind for many Ages after 
 the Difperfion, they were in every refpedt by Na- 
 ture and Condition equal, without Settlement, So- 
 Ph.to Re- ciety. Polity, or Law. The Fad could not be 
 pjtib. 2. oiherwife than as repreft^-ted by the Ancients: That 
 Cc. de there was a time when Men wandered about the 
 lirt. ' Fields like Beafts, fuftained Life in a wild favage 
 1. 5, kc. manner, and in their Adlions never confulted Rea- 
 fon or Judgment, but only Violence and Strengch 
 of Body i Religion and common Notions were then 
 every where much the fame, as they now are at the 
 Cape of Good Hope, or in New Guinea. But let it 
 be fuppoled that from a more diligent Ufe of mere 
 Reafon, without any regard to the Authority of a 
 Superior, they were gradually brought to lay afide 
 this wild kind of Life, and agreed (but ftill pre- 
 ferving their Equality) to regulate themfelves for 
 the future by certain Articles and Laws, which they 
 called Natural ; yet what has this to do with 
 what in any Propriety can be called either Duty or 
 Obligation ? Or if a few among them by a pecu- 
 liar Strength of Mind, and long Obfervation, had 
 hit upon fome Univerfal Truths, yet they could not 
 influence others who were at perfeft Liberty to re- 
 ceive and believe them or not. Becaufe no one 
 has a Right to impofe his Sentiments or §cheme 
 
 upon 
 
Revelaticn, not from 'Reafon or Nature. 173 
 
 upon another •, or if they all became Philofophers, 
 the Cafe would have been ftill worle, it being plain 
 they never could or did agree in any Syftem of 
 Truth or Law. And no one had more Authority 
 than another to determine who was in the right, 
 and who in the wrong j or, what is the ut- 
 moft that can be fuppofed, had they all concurred 
 in the fame way of thinking, in the Definitions of 
 Right and Wrong, and particularly fpecifying what 
 was reducible under thofe Heads, lo as they ab- 
 folutely judged it to be natural, without any Doubt 
 or Controverfy remaining concerning it, yet the 
 Cafe had been ftill the fame : For no Colle6lions 
 or Inferences by the bare Exercifc of Reafon, with- 
 out any manifeft Authority to guide it, could carry 
 a legal Obligation with them. Mere naked Rea- 
 fon, as fuch, can only declare and perfuade, but 
 not command to the difcharge of any Duty, except 
 armed with the Authority of fome Superior to 
 him who is commanded, which is fo eflential a Pro- 
 perty to every given Law, that it cannot fublift 
 without it. And that any, or even one of thefe 
 Men, perfeflly equal, can be fo obliged or com- 
 manded by the Reafon of others, or their own 
 (though none can command or prohibit themfelves) 
 or of all the reft, that he cannot alter his Opinion, 
 or change it into the contrary, can be no more 
 granted, than that all the reft ftiould ftand obliged 
 by his fingle Opinion •, for whence can proceed this 
 Difparity in the Caufe of Obligation, where all, as 
 has been faid, are equal, and not yet formed into a 
 regular Society .? The only Pretence for receiving a 
 Dodrine, is, that it is true and agreeable to Rea- 
 fon, and on the fame Account another may oppofe 
 or rejedt it, becaufe it does not appear fo in his 
 Judgment; and neither one nor the other has a 
 Right to Submiflion, becaufe in this Cafe their 
 
 Power 
 
1 74 7he Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 Power is equal, neither of them having the Sandion 
 of a Superior Authority. 
 
 But let us fuppofe thefe very Perfons, by mutual 
 Confent to have united into a Body, and agreed 
 not only on a common Rule of Life, but of Go- 
 vernment alfo : So that now amongft them Princes 
 are fuperior to Subjects, Laws formed by mere Rea-. 
 fon, and Punifhments enadted for Offenders. Yet, 
 if fbme higher Right and Authority be not added, 
 a Power iuperior to any Reafbn of the particular 
 Members, by which Promifes thus entred on can 
 be preferved, by which Princes are to be obeyed. 
 Compacts to be obferved, and by which all collec- 
 tively can be bound with ftronger Fetters than the 
 Opinion of Individuals, or vague Reafon : How 
 can it happen that any Obligation confented to by a 
 private Perfon, may not, on the altering of his 
 Judgment, be naturally and at will dilTolved ? Or 
 what can, or ought to prevent his withdrawing at 
 pleafure from fuch Promife, Government, Com- 
 pa(5t, or Appointment of Punifliments, m which 
 they had confented ? He commits no Sin in this, 
 therefore cannot be obliged to the contrary. For as 
 an Equal can have no Rule over an Equal, fo neither 
 can they who were once Equals, from any Law mu- 
 tually agreed on, or the Name of Duty grounded 
 on iiich Agreement, be rendred fo unequal, that 
 every one cannot have the Liberty to renounce the 
 Society into which he entred, or the Law to which 
 he confented, unlefs fome extrinfecal Obligation, 
 different from themfelves, confirm thofe Concef- 
 fions and Duties they have entred into. Without 
 this Men can never be reflrained or kept within 
 Bounds, it being evident, that whatever Obligation, 
 or on whatever account, Men lay themfelves under, 
 they can legally difTolve the fame, except fome Au- 
 thority fuperior to Man require them to continue fo 
 
 obliged. 
 
ReveIatio?Jy not from Reafon or Nature, 175 
 
 obliged. And it is as impoflible to be othenvife, as 
 that^cqual Numbers, without an external Addition 
 or Subftraftion, fliould become unequal. And hence 
 in the Dodrine of the ancient Heathens, the Gods 
 themlelves were not obliged to the Obfervance of a 
 voluntary Promife, without fwearing to it by the 
 River Siyx, and the Name of a fupcrior Deity. 
 
 Bii cujusjurai-e timent i^ falter e mmen. Virg. 
 
 4/y. Others derive the Law of Nature, or 
 the Univerfal Law, from the Authority and Ap- 
 pointment only of the Author of Nature. The 
 Law is that, which from the Creation of Nature 
 and Things has been common to, and required of all 
 Men : And what from the Beginning has been fhewn 
 and commanded to all Human Kind, could neither 
 take its Rife, nor have Authority from any other 
 than the great and holy Author of their Beings : 
 His Power alone could reftrain their Liberty, in- 
 duce an Obligation, or rightfully punifli the Viola- 
 tors of it. 
 
 Without Law Man muft be in a State of Liberty, 
 i^ lihertati proprium efijic vivere ut velis, " the very g^- ^^ 
 *^ Notion of Liberty is, to live as we lift." Nor 
 can any thing reftrain us, but Violence or Law ; 
 with the former we have nothing to do. And Law 
 is a juft Rule of Afting, whereby our Freedom is 
 withheld to do nothing but what that direfts, and 
 avoid every thing which that forbids, in Obedience 
 and Duty to the Will of him who has a juft Right 
 and Authority to command it. From hence pro- 
 ceeds the Obligation, or that Bond of Law whereby 
 we are neceffarily engaged to the Obfervance or 
 Omiflion of any thing : So that as by the Law itfelf 
 there is occafioned a Difference of Good and Evil, 
 in Things or Adions, from the Commands or Pro- 
 hibitions of the Law ; fo hence arifes an Obligation 
 or Duty to perform fome Office, which is the firft 
 
 Re- 
 
1^6 ^'f-'S Knowledge of Dh'me TlAngs from 
 
 ' Relation between us and Law : And to fuch Obli- 
 gation necelTarily adheres a Subjedion to Punifh- 
 ment on the Violation of it ; for Law is a reftrain- 
 ing the Power of doing what we Jift \ but Law, 
 without a Power to punifh, cannot induce fucli Re- 
 llraint : Therefore all Offenders muft be under an 
 Obligation to Punifliment, by the fame Neceffity 
 that they are fubjed to Law j as the undergoing 
 Punifliment, whether iatisfadlory, purgative, or ex- 
 piatory, is nothing but the Retribution, Releafe, or 
 Difcharge appointed or required by the Law. None 
 of which things could polfibly be, were not Law 
 an Injuncflion of a fuperior Power. 
 
 Thus in all well-regulated Polities, the Wifdom 
 of the Legiflature appears, in forming Laws fuitable 
 to the Exigences of Time and Place, fo as they may 
 beft tend to the Happinefs and Security of the Peo- 
 ple : Yet the Obligation to obey fuch Laws arifes 
 not from their intrinfick Goodnefs or Expediency, 
 but from the rightful Power of the Ena6tors. 
 
 Conformably to this, in the great Commonwealth 
 of the World, where all things are directed to their 
 beft: Ends, by the Counfel of an Eternal Mind ; his 
 Decrees muft be fuch as his Will is, and his Will 
 as his Nature, that is, infinitely perfeft. By uner- 
 ring Juftice they are fitted to the Capacities of thofe 
 who are to obferve them, and by unconfined Good- 
 nefs framed for their Advantage and Happinefs : 
 And whichever way the Laws of God are commu- 
 nicated to us, wc obey them not for their own fakes, 
 but becaufe they are his Will, whofe Right to Obe- 
 dience is prior to any other Confideration. And 
 notwithftanding the many Prejudices conceived 
 againft it, it always has been, and will be the 
 foundeft Rule in Divinity, that the Wickednefs of 
 an Adtion confifl:s in its being forbidden by God, 
 without Regard had to the Diftindiion of Natural 
 or Pofitive Laws. 
 
 7 For 
 
Rev^^atmj not from Reafon or Nature, 177 
 
 For nothing can poflibly be a Law, but the Will 
 of one who has a juft Right and Authority to de- 
 mand Subjedlion, with Power to enforce it ; an- 
 other may give his Advice, but cannot diredt, nor 
 without Violence compel. And wherever there is 
 Subjedion, it muft be to a Superior, for nothing 
 can be fubjed: to itfelf ; and as nothing is fuperior 
 to Man but God, therefore the End of all Law, 
 obligatory to Man, is to bring him into Subjedlion 
 to the Will of God. This Will alone can deter- 
 mine his Reafon, bind his Judgment, and diredb 
 him, by proper Means, to his final End ; which 
 End alio being fupernatural, is not from Nature, but 
 from God. 
 
 Again : Man, as a Creature, is dependent ; for 
 Independence is the Prerogative of the Creator ; 
 and if dependent, fubordinate ; if fubordinatc, in a 
 Rank below one or more Caufes, the Supreme of 
 which muft be fuperior in Dignity, and have Jurif^ 
 didlion and Authority over all : For every Second 
 Caufe owes its Being to, and is abfolutely dependent 
 in Nature and Operations on the precedent One, as 
 all are on the Supreme ; it being eflential to a Firft 
 Caufe to be Independent, Self-being, and Self-fuffi- 
 cient, in which all Exiftence and Power are origi- 
 nally lodged, and from which all others derive, and 
 depend upon for, both Being and Sufficiency : 
 Therefore to be fubje6t and dependent, is eflential to 
 a Created Being, the Virtue of an inferior Agent 
 being only an Emanation of Virtue from a fuperior 
 one. And all Subjedlion requires Obedience, it be- 
 ing the Law of fubordinate Natures to obey, ac- 
 cording to the Sphere of their Adlivity, the Will 
 of the Firft; which having abfolute Dominion, 
 founded on Omnipotence and Supremacy, has a 
 Right to abfolute Obedience : And confequently, all 
 fecond limited Caufes and Beings muft be obnoxious 
 
 N to 
 
J 7 8 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 to his fovereign Pleafure : Such is their Nature, and 
 therefore the Law and Perfeftion of it. 
 
 This is the great Relation betwixt Creator and 
 Creature, Abfolute Dominion and Abfolute Subjec- 
 tion j and as no Creature can be made exempt from 
 the former, fo it never can be exempted from the 
 latter. And this is the Foundation of all Law and 
 Obedience, to be fubjeft to the Pleafure of another, 
 who has an abfolute Difpofal of thofe under his Do- 
 minion. Dominion on one hand, and Subjedtion 
 on the other, are 'included in the very Notion and 
 Eflence of Law. Therefore among Individuals, 
 where there is a perfed Equality, there can be nei- 
 ther Dependence, Subjedion, nor Law : No created 
 Being can give Law to itfelf, any more than it can 
 be the Caufe of \tk\f, but muft receive it from that 
 Caufe which gave it Being and Operation. Depen- 
 dence iseflential to a Creature, and Law is the Rule 
 of that Dependence or Obedience : And there is 
 no Authority in Law, but what proceeds from the 
 Declaration of fuch fovereign Will and Pleafure. 
 
 The fame Argument will equally hold good as to 
 the other mofl eflential Part of Law, the Sanc- 
 tions of Rewards and Punifhments, which are the 
 Support of all Government both in Heaven and 
 Earth. Hence Macrobiiis fays of the Heathens, 
 In Somn. " That becaufe all Laws are imperfeft which have 
 Scip. 1. 2." not Punifhments annexed, this made them con- 
 ^'^^' '* demn all Violators of them to Tarlarus, where they 
 
 *' fhould undergo Torments for many Ages, before 
 ** they fufficiently expiated their Crimes, and fi- 
 •* nifhed the due Purgation.'* And Groiius, In k- 
 gibus fan5iio dicitur ea -pars^ qua fanguinem delinquentis 
 legi confecrat ; *' In Laws, that Part is called Sanc- 
 *' tion, which confecrates the Blood of the Delin- 
 *' quent to the Law." So that a Lawgiver muft 
 be one who when he wills and commands, wills Pu- 
 
 nilhments 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 179 
 
 nifhments alfo j without which Law would be no 
 more than a Petition or Intreaty, and Obedience 
 a voluntary Compliance, which every one might of- 
 fer or refufe at pleafure, being finaliy accountable to 
 none but themfeJves : Becaufc there is no enforcing; 
 Principle, except Reafon could oblige or compel 
 itlejf, i. e. at the fame time be Gaufe and EfFe61:, 
 be Dependent and Independent, Superior and Infe- 
 rior, which are manifeft Con trad i6Hons. Such 
 Principle therefore muft be extrinfick to the Mind, 
 becaufe nothing can reflrain a natural Liberty, but 
 a fuperior Authority, nor judicially punifh Ouenders, 
 but a legal uncontrolable Power : And over Man 
 there is no fuch Power, but of God. For to pu- 
 nifh without a Right to do it, is I njuftice, Tyranny, 
 and Cruelty ; and where there is no Superior, there 
 is no Difference or Authority, neither Law, Subjec- 
 tion, nor Bond of Obligation (every one is a Rule 
 to himfelf ) and confequendy neither Rewards nor 
 Punifhments. 
 
 And yet we have feen, that in the Gentile World 
 (notwithftanding the Name of a 'Tartarus) the Truth 
 of final Rewards and Punifhments was fb far called 
 in Queftion, that fome wholly exploded them as a 
 Dream of the Poets. They were rendred to all 
 doubtful and uncertain by the Difputations of the 
 wifeft Philofophers that ever lived ; and they who 
 did believe them, had fuch obfcure Notions of their 
 Nature, mixed with fuch fabulous Fictions and Sto- 
 ries, that they had no Force to influence the Aftions 
 or the Lives of Men : And confequendy the Reli- 
 gion of Nature wanted the moft effential Parr, the 
 ftrongefl Tie and Bond it could have on the Minds 
 of Rational Creatures •, for not only the Founda- 
 tion of all Religion, but the moft weighty Motives 
 to Obedience, are the Exiftence of God, that he is 
 a Rewarder and Punifher of Men, and that the Soul 
 is immortal. All Obligation to Obedience necef- 
 
 N 2 farily 
 
1 8o ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 farily fuppofing the Exiflenceof fuch a Being as hath 
 Power to command us ; and the iVIotives engaging 
 Men to the Praflice of Religion, mufr fuppofe the 
 Certainty of a future State, and our fubfifting in it. 
 As where Men have no IVIotives to induce them ei- 
 ther to do or avoid a thing, they can have no juft 
 Ground or Reafon either for doing or avoiding it, it 
 is perfectly indifferent, nor ought Guilt to be charg- 
 ed, or Punifhment infli(5l"Ld on them. 
 
 Mr. Locke acknowledges the Truth of this Argu- 
 Reaforab. ment. *' Thofe juft Meafures (fays be) of Right 
 of ChriiU- " and Wrong, which Neceflity had any where in- 
 anity, p. n troduced, the Civil Laws prefcribed, or Philo- 
 ^^^' " fophy recommended, flood not on their true 
 " Foundations. They were looked upon as the 
 " Bonds of Society and Conveniences of common 
 *' Life, and laudable Pradtices. But where was it 
 " that their Obligation was thoroughly known and 
 " allowed, and they received as Precepts of a Law, 
 " of the higheft Law, the Law of Nature ? that 
 " could not be without a clear Knowledge and Ac- 
 " knowledgment of the Law-maker, and the great 
 *' Rewards and Funiflimcnts for thofe that would or 
 " would not obey them." 
 
 Thus in every Branch of Religion or Law, we 
 muft afcend to a Firft Mover ; they are neither of 
 them innate or felf-originated, therefore fubordi- 
 nate : And all Dependencies muft be traced up, 
 and ultimately referred to fome neceffary Being, 
 who has Univerfal Empire and Dominion. 
 
 All the Diftincftions of Good and Evil, as to Man, 
 refer to fome Principle above himfelf ; for were there 
 no Supreme Governor and Judge to reward Good 
 and punifli Evil, the very Notions of Good and 
 Evil would vanifh away : They could not exift in 
 the Minds of Men, if there were not a Supreme 
 Director to give Laws for the Meafure thereof ; for 
 •it is from having the Will of a Supreme Law-maker 
 
 for 
 
Revelation, not from Rcafon or Nature. 1 8 1 
 
 for our RuJe, that we call an A6tion good or evil, 
 Sin or Duty, as 'tis commanded or forbidden by 
 him. This even Arifiotle could determine, " Thatp l; r 
 " the Will of a Law-giver is fuch, that they who 2. c. i. 
 *' ad not according to it, fin." And a greater 
 than he fays, But for the Law I had not known Sin. 
 Tho* by Natural Reafon, or the Cuftoms of the 
 World, he had difliked many A6lions ; yet till the 
 Law declared it, he could not call any thing a Sin, 
 And if St. Paul could not, neither could the Gen- 
 tiles. Nature could not inftruft him in the Diffe- 
 rences of Good and Evil j for it is only by compar- 
 ing Actions with the Law, that Men can pronounce 
 them to be Duties or Sins. So again Mr. Locke : 
 " If I have the Will of a fupreme invifible Law- r-^r tr. 
 " maker for my Rule, then, as I fuppofe the Underft.* 
 *' Adion commanded or forbidden by God, I callL. 2. c. 
 " it Good or Evil, Sin or Duty ; it being their ^^- § H> 
 ** Confoi-mity to, or Difagreement with fome Rule, ^^' 
 " that makes them to be regular or irregular, good 
 " or bad Thus Duelling, when confidered in Re- 
 " Jation to the Law of God, will deferve the Name 
 " of Sin ; to the Law of Faihion in fome Coun- 
 " tries. Valour and Virtue ; and to the Municipal 
 ** Laws of fome Governments, a Capital Crime." 
 
 Nor would Rewards or Punifhments be cftedual 
 Sanftions of Law, if they were not diftributed by a 
 righteous and omnipotent Judge. No one trembles 
 or fears but from the Apprehenfions of *a Deity ; 
 for the Law of Man cannot reach the inward Mind 
 and Soul, as having no Dominion over them ; nor 
 is armed with Authority to take a final Vengeance. 
 The Punilhment of human Laws may be undergone 
 without Shame or Terror : It muft be fomething 
 greater than Man, that can arrcft the Confcience, 
 and fill it with Convulfions at the Dread of never- 
 ceafing Mifery, and falling into the Hands of the 
 Living Godj who Hiall pafs Judgment upon all 
 
 N 3 . Men . 
 
1 8 2 I'he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Men according to their Works. For this Reafon, 
 fays La5fantius, L. 3. c. 27. " the Precepts of the 
 " Philofophers, tho' many of them were right, had 
 " no weight, becaufe they were human, and want- 
 " ed a divine Sanftion.'* 
 
 Nor could there be any fuch thing as a Moral 
 Adtion, without fuppofing a Law from the Supreme 
 Locke's Being i " Morally Good or Evil being only the Con- 
 ^^^«'i^* *' formity or Dilagreement of our voluntary A£li- 
 ^' ^ • 5 5- u Qj^g J.Q fome Law, whereby Good or Evil is drawn 
 " upon us from the Will and Power of the Law- 
 *« maker." Moral Good is when, notwithftand- 
 ing the Liberty of our Will, yet having a free Prin- 
 ciple within us of determining our Adions upon 
 proper Motives, we choofe to govern ourfelves, and 
 adl by the Rule given us, when we were at liberty 
 to have done othervvife : For the only End of Li- 
 berty is to make us capable of Laws fwhich they are 
 not, who are under Compulfion or Natural Necef- 
 fity) and in confequence of them, of Rewards and 
 Punifhments. Without thefe, Liberty and Choice 
 were good for nothing, and without regard to a 
 Law, have neither Ufe norPurpofe. This different 
 Manner of Approach to God diftinguilhes us from 
 Beafts, who being determined by mere Inftinft, are 
 not capable of Choice, and thei-efore not of having 
 a Rule given them. 
 
 The wifeil Heathens alfo, notwithftanding the 
 many great things faid of Nature and Reafon, de- 
 rive the Origin, Obligation, and Efficacy of all 
 I^aw from the Gods alone ; and efpecially Religion, 
 or thofe Services and Adls of Woriliip wherewith the 
 Gods would be honoured, which was the higheft of 
 Laws, they perpetually acknowledged to be wholly 
 of Divine Authority. 
 
 Xenophon always prefents Socrates under this Cha- 
 Mem. loc. rader : " That he was fo pious as to do nothing 
 K 4 " without the Advice of ilvi Gods j and if any 
 
 Doubts 
 
Revelation^ not from Re a/on or Nature, 1 8 j 
 
 " Doubts arofe what the Will of the Gods was, or 
 *' which way Men ought to ad, his conftant Ad- 
 '* vice (in which Cicero afterwards copied him) was 
 *' to go to the Oracle for Infl:ru(5lion."And he gives 
 this Defcription of Religion and Piety : " A pious 
 " Man is one who ferves the Gods, not in what 
 *« manner he pleafes, but as the Laws made for that 
 *' purpofe diredt j and he who keeps thefe Laws will 
 *' know how he ought to ferve the Gods ; and he 
 *' who knows the Laws which ought to be obferved 
 " in the Service of the Gods, will ferve them ac- 
 " cording to the Laws ; and he who ferves the Gods 
 *' as the Laws diredl, ferves them as he ought ; and 
 *« he who ferves the Gods as he ought, is pious : 
 *' And thus have we the true Definition of a pious 
 « Man." 
 
 Such were the Sentiments of the mod virtuous Per- 
 fon in the Heathen World : That no one can of 
 himfelf find out the proper Worfhip of the Gods 5 
 he muft know the Laws which contain their Will, 
 and what Services would be acceptable to them ; and 
 thefe Laws were given by the Gods, which is all I 
 contend for. In the modern Language it would 
 Hand thus : The Religion of Socrates was the Reli- 
 gion of Nature ; but the Religion of Socrates de- 
 pended on the pofitive Laws and Communication of 
 the Gods, therefore fo does the Religion of Nature. 
 
 Plato, tho' he knew not the true God, faw the 
 Neceflity of this Dodrine, and is full of it ; affur- 
 ing us, " that no Mortal can make Laws to purpofe ; Rep. 4. 
 " and that the firft Inftitution of them belongs not 427' 
 *' to us, but the greateft, beft, and firfl legal ones 
 *' belonged to Jpollo at Delphos^ And he commends 
 Minos for having a fecret Communication, for the Minos, p. 
 Space of nine Years, with Jupiter, as with a So- 3 » 9- 
 phift, to be inftruded in the right framing of Laws, 
 and adds, that Sparta enjoyed conftant^ Profperity 
 after Ihe began to ufe them are ^etcjj so-;, as being 
 N 4 divine % 
 
184 *?"^^ Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 divine ; for the Sceptre (or Laws) of Minos, was 
 
 nothing elfe but the inftru6tion of Jupiter, acTb cL\- 
 
 Xo fiivou -ti raTra'.cJ^HOL') Tb Aior, which agrees with the 
 
 common Opinion of the Legillators having their De- 
 
 Eufb crees from God, 6 Trapa Aior No/ac3-?Tn<-. Epichar- 
 
 Prsep.L. 1^^^^ affirmed, that the Divine Reafon had invented 
 
 J 2. c. 2. all Arts, and taught the Ufe to be made of them ; 
 
 CI. Alex, xhat Men never had invented any, it was the Gods 
 
 ^"^6oc ^* *^^^ ^^^ ^^' ^"^ ^^^ Reafon of Men proceeds from 
 that which is divine. Even Hejiod would have the 
 Law of Man to be from the Gods. 
 
 ToVc^€ '^ dv^^Qj-rrcim va[j.ov c^iera^s K^ovfwv. 
 
 Dsmojlhenes gives this Reafon why all Men ought 
 d 'rf^* ^° obey Law, becaufc it is i^j^nixa ;^ c'^oipov ©£», 
 Ariftogi- ^^^ Invention and the Gift of God. And the 
 ton. Athenians, though they looked upon Ceres as the 
 
 Inventor of all Laws, yet they diftinguifhed her 
 Myfteries by the higher Title of ^i(Tixc<^'o^a., quafi 
 divine legis latio ; for 3^£c7/jios-, fays Hefychius, is vo/xos: 
 SraiDf, a divine Law. Cicero is frequent to this 
 Leg. 2. Purpofe, that the chief and ultimate Law was. Mens 
 Kep. 3. omniaratione aut cogentis aiit vetantisDei. And again, 
 apudLac- Lex vera, ratio efi re^a fummi Jovis. Et Deus k- 
 tar^. L. ^-gij hujus invent or, difceptator, lator, as I fhall elle- 
 where more largely (hew. So after him Plutarch \ 
 AdPn'n- " That if we may conjecture at thefe things, Juf- 
 cip. In- « tice cannot be fo properly faid to fit by Ju- 
 ooct. tc pter, as that he is the mod ancient and pertedt 
 " Rule and Right of all Laws." And he relates, 
 that Lycurgus being about to frame his Laws, con- 
 fulted with the Oracle of Apollo, in order to efta- 
 blilh good ones in his Country ; and they were io 
 reverenced in After-ages, that the judicious Poly^ 
 ^ 6- lius fays, they were in his Opinion rather the In- 
 vention of a God than a Man. 
 
 Thcfe Tcftimonies may fuffice to fliew the Opi- 
 nion of the wifeft Heathens on this Head : And 
 
 why 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 185 
 
 \vhy all their Legiflators pretended to deliver nothing 
 but what they had from Heaven, viz. To arm 
 their Laws with that divine Authority which alone 
 could carry Obligation with it, as it was what no 
 human Realbn or Power had a claim to. Hence 
 Zoroafter among the Perjians and Ea^lrians attri- 
 buted his Lav/s to Oromazes \ Trifmegijlus of the 
 Egyptians to Mercury ; Zamolxis of the Scythians to 
 Vefia i Charondas of the Carthaginians to Saturn ; 
 Minos of the Cretans to Jupiter ; Draco and Solon of 
 the Athe7iians to Minerva ; Lycurgus of the Spartans 
 to Apollo -, iV/i!;;?(^ of the Romans to Egeria^ and 
 Mahomet of the Arabians to Gabriel. 
 
 If we enquire of the J^-icj (and they for many Ages 
 were the only School of true TlieoJogy and Learn- 
 ing in the World) we fhall find them unanimous in 
 Opinion, that the Law of Nature could not pof- 
 fibly be grounded on the Determinations of Reafbn, 
 becaufe of its Inconftancy and Uncertainty ; and 
 that it could not induce an Obligation, without fome 
 fuperior Authority, to which it muft be fubjeft ; 
 but was jfihewed and commanded to Human Kind 
 by the great Author of their Beings, and which 
 they called the Precepts of the Sons of Noah. This 
 they affirmed to be univerfal, natural Law, the true 
 and living Sacrifices of the Mind, not peculiar to 
 any Nation, Sedl, or Family, which none however 
 holy or diftinguifhed could challenge as their 
 own, but given as a Rule in common to the whole 
 Race of Men (which by being univerfally difperfed 
 and approved, was faid by the Heathens to be en- 
 graven by their Jup. Opt. Max. on the Minds of 
 Men) that hence it became obligatory on Human 
 Nature, and through all Ages ; from this proceeded 
 all thofe univerfal Duties, together with that moral 
 and civil Philofophy, by which the whole Race of 
 Men from their Entrance into the World are bound, 
 both towards the Supreme B?ing, and towards one 
 
 another } 
 
1 86 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 another ; as containing a perfe6b Rule of Duty, 
 Worfhip, and whatever God required of them. 
 That thefe were before the written Law, and every 
 where binding, appears from the Book of Jd?*^, where- 
 in moft of the Precepts of the Sons of Noah or the 
 Natural Law are to be found, as againft Idolatry, 
 c. xxxi. V. 26. againft Blafphemy, i. 5. againft Mur- 
 der, xxxi. 29. and xxiv.14. againft Adultery, xxxi. 9. 
 andxxiv. 15. againft Theft, c. xxiv. and xxxi. 7. and 
 of Judgment, in the Paflages of Idolatry and Adul- 
 tery, befides the reverential Acknowledgment of 
 God, his Providence, i^c. and a pious Worftiip of 
 him by Prayer and Sacrifice. That the written 
 Law was only a Repetition of them, with an Ad- 
 dition of fome things peculiar to themfelves. So 
 De Jure Grotius fays, that Mofes did not enlarge on the Pre- 
 Belliac cepts of Noah, becaufe they were known to all 
 Pacis, L. Mankind. Thefe Precepts were by Gods Com- 
 r., 'p,'2,.mand tranfmitted to Pofterity ; but after the Dif- 
 perfion they became much impaired and obfcured ; 
 and a dark Night of Ignorance and Barbarity co- 
 vered the Earth. Even where the Names of God, 
 Creation, Duty, and Sin remained, the Nature and 
 true Reafons of them were abfolutely forgot : So that 
 Aueuftin. ^^ was juftly faid, IJisTuIlius rem vidit, caufam nefcivii. 
 And this not only agrees with the Mofaick Account, 
 but with that of the Heathens. Nothing can be 
 more exprefs than Plato^ " That after a certain 
 j^^ ^ *' Flood, which but few efcaped, on the Increafe 
 ?. 680.' " of Mankind, they had neither Letters, Writing 
 *' nor Laws, but obeyed the Manners and Inftitutions 
 " of their Fathers as Laws •, that when Colonies fepa- 
 " rated from them, they took an Elder for their 
 " Leader, and in their new Settlements retained the 
 " Cuftoms of their Anceftors, thofe efpecially which 
 •* related to their Gods, and thus tranfmitted them to 
 " Poderity ; they imprinted them on the Minds 
 " of their Sons, and they did the fame to their Chil- 
 
 ** dren 5 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 187 
 
 *' dren ; by which Means when Colonies were great- 
 " ly naukiplied, each preferved its peculiar Laws, 
 '* approving their own, and difliking others. And 
 ?' this, fays he, was the Origin of Right, Laws, and 
 *' the different Forms of Government.** 
 
 Nothing can be more explicit: Yet was it no 
 Device of his own, but the trueft Account of things 
 he could meet with in the different Seminaries, to 
 which he applied in the Search of Wifdom. And 
 fuch he acknowledges was the Method of his com- 
 ing at all divine Truths. If he fpeaks of the Ori- Timsus 
 gin of the Creation, he has only received f &Kbra p- 29. 
 juu'^ov, fome probable Tradition or Fable concern- 
 ing it. If of the Immortality of the Soul, it is Phzedo.f? j; 
 "Koya^eia rivo^, from fome divine Word. If of the P^^^^l*- * ?• 
 Gods, it is. They delivered it to us ; or elfe wo-- 
 ■zirsp K^ 6 TraXouo? "tshyo';^ as old Tradition certifies •, Leg. 2. 
 This, and not Nature and Reafon, was the Ground 715. 
 of all his Knowledge. And when he attempted to 
 alTign Caufesor Reafons for thefe fupernatural Sub- 
 jeds, fome he obfcures inftead of illuftrating -, and 
 in the Manner of handling them all, fhews that he 
 was a Stranger to the Bottom and the Truth of 
 Things. 
 
 Hence we plainly fee from what Fountain thole 
 active Principles, contained in the inward Law of 
 Confcience, were derived, and properly called koivooc 
 svvofoM, Common Notions^ as paffing from the fame 
 Root, through all the Branches of Mankind •, and 
 how the Notices of Good and Evil were tranfmitted 
 from Generation to Generation. Thefe and nothing 
 elfe were the xaTaXn"4/«?, Comp-ehenfions of Zenoy 
 as containing the firft Principles of Knowledge: 
 the tfT^X^'-vJ/ar, Anticipations^ Prefumptions or Pre- 
 fuppofttions (as concluding a previous Formation of 
 them in the foul) of Epicurus ; and the If^o^ Xo- 
 70 f. Right Reafon^ or Law of Nature, as contain- 
 ing the feveral Traditions of the Univerfal Moral 
 
 Law, 
 
i 8 8 yrhe Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Law, which were fcattered through the World ; anci 
 not knowing how their Minds became pofTcfled of 
 them^ vainJy attributed them to an internal Growth 
 and Culture. As alfo what the Meaning of thole 
 <, , , Expreffions is, fViv a apsra xara r op^ov \oyov 
 Virtu. cruvra^.f, iL dixapr'a Tirapa. r op^ov Xryov vrapa (ia.cn?-, 
 Ser. I. Sec. Ihat Virtue is a Conformity to Right Reafon, 
 V 9- atid Sin a Tranfgrejfwn againft Right Reafon^ &c. 
 That they cannot be intended of any natural Light, 
 but of the Principles of the Univerfal Moral Law, 
 taught and treafured up in the Mind and Confci- 
 ence : And the very Out-lines of thefe great Truths 
 were fo confonant to the Dictates of Reafon, the 
 Apprehenfions of Nature, and of fach vaft Impor- 
 tance, that they eafily obtained Reverence and Awe 
 with all that were inftructed in them, and to be 
 looked upon (as Plutarch writes) the Rules of all 
 cip h\- ^^^^ Mortal and Immortal : Not that which is writ- 
 dod. ten in Books, or engraven on Wood, but the living 
 Reafon in a Man's Heart, always alive and watch- 
 ful together with it, never fuffering the Mind to be 
 without a Diredior. 
 
 And as thefe were lefs or more preferved or col- 
 le(5led, was the Law in proportion perfect or im- 
 perfedl j as according to the Degrees of Know- 
 ledge and Intention muft the Moral Evil of their 
 Actions be aggravated or alleviated. And on this 
 Account were the Gentiles a Law to themfelves, 
 having fome of thefe common Notions or Princi- 
 ples in their Minds ; they judged fome Things to be 
 lawful, and fit to be done, others unlawful, and 
 what ought not to be done : Which inward Judg- 
 ment and Perfuafion of Confcience, fuperinduced 
 upon them the utmoft legal Obligation they were ca- 
 pable of, in the Circum fiances they were under. 
 For their Minds being dark and their Hearts hard- 
 ned, had horridly depraved the Law of their Be- 
 ing, and fo far departed from the Purity and Per- 
 
 fe(5lion 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Natures 1 89 
 
 feftion of their Nature, as tohtfubje^i to the Law 
 of Sin and Death. Becaufe the carnal Mind is En- 
 mity againfi God : For it is not fubje£l to the Law of 
 God^ neither indeed can be. Rom. viii. 7. Yet as 
 'without the Law, Sin is dead, Rom. vii. 8. There- 
 fore God winked at thofe times of Ignorance, when 
 the Means of coming at true KnowJedge was not 
 afforded them ; which could not have been, if 
 Reafon were a fufficient Diredor, or intended by 
 God to difcover at all times a full, perfed:, and 
 adequate Rule of Duty. And that it could not do fo, 
 is evident from their not knowing how to apply the 
 very common .Notions they had, to the feveral Ac- 
 tions of Life, fo as to make them a Rule to walk 
 by. Such was Arrian\ Complaint, TyTo I71 to cwtiov Epiaet 
 7'oTf avS^^TTOif -oravTcov tcov xaxwv to ra<; tt^ oXn'-vLetfl. 3. c. 26." 
 Tar Hoivas /utn c^uvctc^ooi s(pap/jc6^etv rdj.'; Itt: fjLipa^ ; 
 That the Caufe of all Evil to Man, was the not 
 knowing how to apply common Notions to particular 
 Cafes ; which for ever fubjedled them to Doubt and 
 Error, and rendred the many excellent Precepts 
 among them of little Service or \}{^ to the Con- 
 duct of. their moral A(5lions. 
 
 And that the many great things fpoken by them 
 of Reafon and Nature, was owing to an Inability of 
 deducing things from their firfl: and true Principles, 
 may, I think, fairly be colleded from the deep 
 Senfe they had thro' all the Agesof Philofophy, of the 
 Weaknefs and Irregularity of Nature, the Dimnels and 
 Infufficiency of Reafon,the Remotenefs and Obfcurity 
 of Truth, the Defedivenefs of natural Confcience, the 
 extreme Difficulty of knowing what was Virtuous, 
 or doing what was Good ; and therefore flood in 
 need of fome better Guide and Inftrudor. It wasp-^^-f 
 an Aphorifm of Solon, " That the Mind of thePrsp.'i, 
 " Gods is entirely hid from Men; of others, that 13- c. 13, 
 " Truth lies concealed as it were in a deep Pit." ?• ^^^* 
 'BlatQ frequently laments the Painfulnefs and Trouble 
 
 to 
 
190 ^he Knowledge of Divine I'hingsfrom 
 
 to perform any morally good or virtuous A6lion : 
 *' That to explainWifdom is not indeed very difficult, 
 *' but to reduce it to Ufe and Pradice, is moil dif- 
 Phikb. t^ ficult." And that according to the old Proverb, 
 Cratyl. Good Things are Very difficulty -^aKiTToi Kahd. Cicero 
 385. often exprefles him felf to this Purpofe, Si tales nos 
 Tufc.Q^ jj^tiifa genuiffety &c. If we had come into the 
 •3 «•'• Yy/'orld in fuch Circumftances, as that we could 
 clearly and diftindtly have difcerned Nature herfelf, 
 and have been able in the Courfe of our Lives to 
 follow her true and uncorrupted Direftions ; this 
 alone might have been fufficient, and there would 
 have been little need of Teaching and Inftrudion : 
 But now Nature has given us only fome fmall 
 Sparks of Right Reafon, which we fo quickly ex- 
 tinguilh with corrupt Opinions and evil Practices, 
 that the true Light of Nature no where appears : As 
 foon as we are brought into the World, immedi- 
 ately we dwell in the midft of all Wickednefs, and 
 are furrounded with a number of moft perverfe and 
 foolifli Opinions ; {6 that we feem to fuck in Er- 
 ror with our Nurfes Milk : Afterwards when we 
 return to our Parents, and are committed to Tutors, 
 then we are further flocked with fuch Variety of 
 Errors, that Truth becomes perfedly overwhelmed 
 with Falfhood •, and the moft natural Sentiments of 
 our Minds are entirely ftifled with confirmed Fol- 
 lies: But when, after all this, we enter upon Bufi- 
 nefs in the World, and make the Multitude, con- 
 ipiring every where in Wickednefs, our great Guide 
 and Example ; then our very Nature itfelf is whol- 
 ly transformed, as it were, into corrupt Opinions. 
 Lucretius exprefTes this very juftly : 
 
 O mi/eras hominum mentes, O pe^ora ccsca^ 
 ^alibus in tenebris vit<e, quantijque peridis 
 Degitur hoc avi, quodcunque ^— — 
 
 So 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 191 
 
 So that if Reafon be fufficient to all the great 
 Purpofes which relate to God, Religion, and eter- 
 nal Happinefs, it flumbered and flept during the 
 long State of Paganifm ; during which it was al- 
 ways wandring, never found the Paths of Truth 
 and Duty *, was drawn away into endlefs Fooleries 
 inftead of Religion, and paid their Adorations to 
 every Being in Heaven and Earth, except the true 
 God. lamblichus, though a Heathen, faw this, andDeMytt. 
 acknowledged there was but one Remedy for all its §• 3-C'»3* 
 Errors, Doubts, and Difturbances, and that is, to 
 obtain (if poflibly it can) fome Particles of Divine 
 Light. 
 
 What is the Sum of this, in the Confefllon of 
 the very Heathens, but that the World was in a 
 State of utter Darknefs and Perplexity ? they were 
 not able to determine for themfelves, nor knew 
 where to find an Inftruftor that they could with 
 Safety rely upon. 
 
 But though the feveral Articles hitherto advanced 
 be ever fo confonant to Univerfal Hiftory and Ex- 
 perience*, yet ftrong Prejudices 'are conceived againft 
 this Hypothefis in general, as derogating from the 
 Dignity of human Nature and Reafon. Were this 
 indeed true, it ought to be fcorned and rejedled ; 
 but whilft we contend to give Man his Due, let us 
 be careful to give God his Due alfo. It is unde- 
 niable that there are certain Limits given to every 
 created Power, an appointed Sphere for its Adi- 
 vity and Bounds which it cannot pafs : And from 
 thefe we rauft regulate and form our Judgments 
 concerning them. If then Reafon be not the Mea- 
 fure of Truth ; if infinite Produdtions and Counfels 
 of the eternal Mind efcape it ; if it cannot, with the 
 ordinary Ufe of its Faculties, difcover the whole 
 Syftem of fpiritual Truths and Things ; if it can- 
 not univerfally, clearly, and perfedly diftinguilh 
 Good and Evil in all the various Inftances of Duty 
 
 and 
 
192 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 and Sin; if it cannot forma Rule of Life to di- 
 re6t Man to the Ends of his Being, and point out 
 the feveral Motives to obhge and influence his 
 Practice ; its Dignity cannot be diminiflied by re- 
 ceiving Inftruflion from the Fountain of all Know- 
 ledge : So fiir from being injurious, that it is the 
 higheil Advancement of Reafon, to enrich and im- 
 prove it with new Difcoveries of the mod impor- 
 tant Truths, to open frefli Scenes of Wonder for 
 its Contemplation, and lliew an unerring way to 
 its final Happinefs. For as natural Light cannot 
 contain all that may be known of God or his 
 Will ; and where that ends. Faith begins ; Revela- 
 tion therefore feems^ highly becoming the Divine 
 Goodnefs, and molt confonant to the rational Fa- 
 culties and the true Intereft of Man. 
 
 Whenever Man attains the Knowledge of fuper- 
 natural Objedts and Truths, it is always by Inftruc- 
 tion ; Reafon is never the Difcoverer, but only the 
 Faculty that perceives the Certainty and Meaning of 
 them. When an Idea is confentaneous to the Ob- 
 je6l, it is true -, yet the Mind which receives it, is 
 neither the Idea nor Objed, but the Difcerner 
 of the Agreement between them. When we de- 
 duce Propofitions from evident Principles, Rcalbn 
 is neither the Principle nor Conclufion, but the 
 difcurfive Operation of the Intelled, which by- 
 viewing the Connexion and neceflary Dependence 
 they have on each other, perceives the Certainty of 
 the Inference : So that when divine Truths are pro- 
 pounded, the Office of Reafon is to fatisfy the Un- 
 derftanding that they are Good, and from God, 
 therefore perfedlive of our Natures, and moft fit 
 to be believed and obeyed •, yet is neither the Pro- 
 pounder, nor Obeyer of them ; the firft is from the 
 Will of God, the other a Determination of the 
 Will of Man. 
 
 7 ^^ 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 1 93 
 
 So that Reafon, though not Omnipotent, \^ to 
 the mod excellent Purpofes, /. e. to all the Ends 
 whereby Man is conftituted what he is, a rational 
 Creature. To examine the Truth of Things, fepa- 
 rate it from Falfhood, and pafs Judgment upoa 
 them, whether they be reafonablc or not, and give 
 degrees of AfTent according to the apparent Evi- 
 dence or Probability that attends tjjem ; To know 
 Truth, and to obey it is the whole of Man; the 
 one is the Aft of the Underltanding, the other of 
 the Will. The End of Reafon is, to direft us in 
 the Search of it, fo that when found, we may know 
 it and enjoy it. 
 
 In human Sciences, the Mind either defccnds 
 from well-known Principles, to trace and fearch out 
 neceflarily dependent or collateral Truths : Or it 
 afcends from given Effeds to inveftigate the Origin 
 or Caufe of them. In both, the Bufinefs of Rea- 
 fon is to find out proper intermediate Ideas, and 
 range them in fuch Order as to perceive their Cohe- 
 rence, that the Conclufion may be right; and know 
 what Aflent is to be given to the Propofition fought 
 for. The Conclufion of an Argument which the 
 Greeks called aVoc^etfjr, Cicero defined to be " The Acad. Qu. 
 *' Rcalbn which leads us from things apprehended!- 4- n.8. 
 " and underftood,to thofe things which were not ap-*" 
 " prehended :" This Inference, or deducing of one 
 Truth from another, is juftly efteemed the higheft 
 A61 of the rational Faculty, and is no more than 
 judging of the Agreement between them. For tho' it y 
 be forced to ufe many intermediate Truths, to unite 
 Extremes together when they lie remote, yet when 
 thefe exadly agree with the precedent and fubfe- 
 quent ones, as Links in a Chain, they fhew the 
 Connexion between the Extremes however diftant, 
 and the Mind by viewing this, perceives the Cer- 
 tainty of the Illation, that the Procedure is regu- 
 lar, and thi Coaclufion maaiteltly true. For where 
 
 O th« 
 
J 94 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 the Connexion is evident, fo will the Inference be i 
 where that is tailacious, obfcure, or incoherent ; 
 this will be weak, doubtful, and inconclufive. And 
 from fuch View the Mind difcovers what kind of 
 Aflent it ought to give : Where there can be no 
 Exception to the Evidence, theRefult is Knowledge ; 
 where the Agreement is not clear, and yet the Tefti- 
 monies of one fide outweigh the other, it is Proba- 
 bility -, where there is an apparent Difagreement, it 
 is Falfhood. 
 
 This is the great Ufe of that Faculty which God 
 has given us for our Diredion and Advancement in 
 Knowledge, becaufe without this the Mind could 
 rever diftinguilh between Certainty, Probability, or 
 Error. And rational Knowledge is what a Man 
 comes at by fuch Procedure, not by Chance or Ac- 
 cident ; he receives or believes nothing for Truth, 
 but as Reafon direds him, i. e. he believes as a 
 rational Creature. And all who judge and adl up- 
 on fuch Grounds, who believe or do nothing but 
 what they are convinced by the Ufe of their Fa- 
 culties according to the beft of their Power, they 
 ought to do, may be juftly faid to live according 
 to Reafon, and do their Duty as rational Crea- 
 tures. 
 
 On the fame account, Reafon can never be ex- 
 cluded from, but muft go hand in hand with Re- 
 Rom. xii. ligion, which is \oyi-m Xarpela, a reafonabk Ser- 
 vice, fuch a Worflaip as a rational Man on confi- 
 dering it, muft conclude to be the moft fitting for 
 him to offer, and the Supreme Being to accept. 
 For God never commands, but he convinces alio ; 
 we cannot obey without believing, nor believe we 
 know not what, nor know but by difcerning the 
 Nature and Obhgation of the Duty ; and Obedi- 
 ence being the Ad of Underftanding and Free- 
 will, is what alone entitles it to Reward. In this 
 God deals with m as Men, not to compel irrefifti- 
 
 bly. 
 
 I. 
 
Revelafion, not from Reafon or Nature. 195 
 
 bly, but to give fufiicient Evidence for tlie Truth 
 and NeceiTity of whatever he requires, i. e. all 
 that the Nature of the thing to be proved is capa- 
 ble of, and it cannot be reafonable for Men to ex- 
 pe(5l more •, after which he leaves them to them- 
 felves, to their own free Determination ; that if 
 they choofe Obedience, they may be entitled to 
 Reward ; if Difobedience, be fubje6b to Punilh- 
 ment. 
 
 If Men therefore are not carelefs to neglect-, or 
 blinded by Prejudices not to fee the Evidence which 
 is offered, but will impartially ufe their Faculties of 
 Examining, Reafbning, and Judging, they cannot fail 
 being periiaaded by many certain Proofs of the 
 Truths in Religion, and clearly perceive that there 
 is the higheft Reafon in the World to believe and 
 obey them. For if Men will not be convinced by 
 the Evidence they have, which is the molt credible 
 and rational that can be offered, neither would they 
 by any other : And their Disbelief is apparently 
 owing, not to want of Proof, but to a carelefs In- 
 attention, or fome wicked unruly PafHons, which 
 have a greater Interefl in their Flearts, than Rea- 
 fon has in their Minds, and hurries them away to acft 
 fo diredly contrary to all Evidence and Truth. 
 
 ^The great Difference between the Objetfts of 
 human Knowledge and divine, is, that in the for- 
 mer there is a fpacious Field for new Acquifitions 
 and Improvements.: Experience, Obfervation, and 
 Induftry make frefh Difcoveries in the Arts, Sci- 
 ences, and Natural Philolbphy : Penetration into 
 one Effed: or Caufe helps to explain another : The 
 Progrefs of one Age in real Learning is of great 
 Benefit to fucceeding Ages: And whilft the Mind 
 bufies it felf in Enquiries after ufeful Wifdom, it 
 will by Reflexion, Demonflrationj Experiments, and 
 Hiflorical Obfervations add to its former Store ; 
 and by having larger Views, more Objeds and Ideas, 
 
 O 2 ar4 
 
196 The Knowledge of Divine Tilings from 
 
 and confcquently more Truths to fpeculate and 
 reafon upon, greatly extends its Comprchenfion and 
 Knowledge. 
 
 But in divine invifible Objeds, it is far ocherwife ; 
 the Boundary is fixed, our Inquiries hmited to what 
 is revealed, and all further Search vain and unlaw- 
 ful. '1 hefe things are above the Difcovery ot Rea- 
 fon, it had no Principles from which it could re- 
 gularly deduce them, by any natural Ufe ot its Fa- 
 culties ; and without fupernatural .'nfirudion could 
 never have attained the leaR Kncwiccgt 01 Proba- 
 bility concerning them. It was not pofiible tor any 
 Idea, Notion, or Apprehenficn of tiicni to enter 
 the Mind, but by the MeJiation of fome exter- 
 nal Agency : So that all we do, or can hope to 
 know of them in this World, is from Revelation. 
 Reafon indeed, or the Workings of an inquifitivc 
 fagacious Mind, may improve itfelf, but not the 
 Subjedl: It may difcover variety of Arguments to 
 explain the Beauties, and ihew the Neceffity of fu- 
 pernatural Truths, but it cannot add one to the 
 original Stock ; nor fpeak a Word of their EfTence 
 or Nature beyond what Revelation teaches. So that 
 Revelation (in Mr. Locke's Words) is nothing but 
 Reafon enlarged by a new fet of Difcover ies, not 
 laid within the reach of its natural Faculties, but 
 communicated by God immediately, which Real^n 
 vouches the Truth of, by the Teftimony and Proof 
 it gives, that they come from God. 
 
 And here we mull obferve, that as divine Truths 
 are fuch, which mere Reafon. could not difcover, 
 (for the Natural Man, or Natural Reafon perceives 
 them not, but they are fpiritually difcerned by 
 the fame Faculty indeed, but not till aflifted and 
 taught by God) therefore God made fuch Mani- 
 fcftations as were neceflary to the End of our Be- 
 ing, in a manner fui table to our Capacities, and a 
 Degree fitting our Ccndition. Whence it will fol- 
 low, 
 
Revelationy not from Reafon or Nature. 197 
 
 low, Firji, That though a Propofition revealed by 
 God, cannot be made out by natural Principles, io 
 as to frame any diftincfl or clear Realbnings con- 
 cerning it, it ought not on that Account to be re- 
 je6led : Becaufe if our natural Faculties by their ufu- 
 al Procedure could have come at them, there had 
 been no need of Revelation : Or how there can be 
 a Revelation (if there be any Propriety in the 
 Term) to one, of what he certainly knows already, 
 is very hard to be conceived, and at beft is a very 
 unwarrantable Explanation of a divine Interpofiti- 
 on ; and if Revelation was neceflary, then the De- 
 gree of it muft depend upon the Divine Will and 
 Pleafure •, and we need not know more than he 
 thinks fufEcient for us. Nor, Secondly^ on the other 
 hand, Becaufe the Ncceflity of a Revealed Truth 
 may fcem capable of being proved by Reafon, that 
 therefore we fhould conclude it was originally a 
 natural Di(5tate of it ; for all divine Emanations 
 are highly agreeable to the mod perfedl Reafon : 
 But if the Objedl had not been manifefted, the 
 Mind had never feen it, or looked out for Proofs 
 to eftablifh the Clearnefs and Validity of it. And 
 the only Confequence of this, is, that Truths not 
 difcoverable by natural Light, when made known 
 by Revelation, are apparently mod agreeable to 
 found unprejudiced Reafon : That in thefe Cafes 
 though Reafon be the Eye or Faculty that kts^ 
 yet in things pertaining to God, Revelation only is 
 the Light whereby it is enabled to do it ; for Na- 
 tural Reafon, if not taught by God, would have 
 for ever remained ignorant of them. 
 
 Whenever fupernatural Objefls are propounded 
 to the Mind for its Contemplation, Knowledge, or 
 Aflent, it has no other Office (yet this is a moft 
 important one) but to inquire, whether they be of 
 divine Original or not : And it has two fure Rules 
 for its Diredion herein. Firji^ The Intrinfick Good- 
 
 O 3 nqfs 
 
I p 3 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 nefs and Excellency of the Revelation -, And, St' 
 condly^?i\\ the external Proofs, the Nature of the Sub- 
 jedt will admit, of its being immediately and direftly 
 from God. From whence the Conclufion will na- 
 turally follow ; that whatever has thefeTeftimonies, 
 ouo-ht to be received as a Rule of Faith and Adion ; 
 becaufe there cannot be a plainer Dictate of Reafon 
 than this, that whatever is from God mufl: be cer- 
 tainly true, and whatever he commands ought to be 
 obfcrved and obeyed. 
 
 And in tlfls God deals with us as with rational 
 
 Creatures, requires nothing that does not carry fuch 
 
 Conviftion with it, that we muft acknowledge to 
 
 be moft reafonable, and therefore what by our 
 
 own Principles ought to determine our Judgment, and 
 
 regulate our Practice. God himfelf appeals to this 
 
 Decifion, and fubmits the Equity of his Commands 
 
 and Proceedings to this very Rule •, Judge^ I pray 
 
 ^ ^' y(^^h hetween me and my vineyard^ what could have been 
 
 Ezek. dene mcre^ that J have not done — Hear now^ — is not 
 
 xviii. 25. fj^y <i^ay equals are not your ways unequal? The Juftice 
 
 of his Dealings is fo evident, that he willingly refers 
 
 the Determination of it our own Reafon. 
 
 The only jufl: Light then that we can take a view 
 of Nature and Antiquity in, is fuch an one as 
 fhews Natural Reafon to be clear enough to per- 
 ceive the Truth and the Necefiity of its Dedudions, 
 when propofed and fhewn •, but not ftrong enough 
 to difcover it, or draw right Deductions trom it. 
 • The Evidence of this appears from comparing 
 
 the Ages of Philofophy and Chriftianity ; for why 
 ■were Divine Truths fo clearly known, fo readily 
 embraced, and fo univerfally obeyed in one and not 
 in the other ; yet Reafon was as Itrong in the 
 Philofopher as the Chriftian .'* The only Anfwer it 
 can receive is obvious. Natural Reafon could not 
 difcern them, becaufe it had not been inftruded in 
 them. But it was no fooner taught b^ Revelation, 
 
 but 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon cr Nature. 199 
 
 but it fawand acknowledged theTrudi and Beauty 
 of them. 
 
 And this View of Antiquity (fays a learned Mo- 
 dern) is true with regard to Natural Religion in ge- 
 neral : Where we find Human Reafon could pene. 
 trate very far into the eflential Difference of things; 
 but wanting the true Principles of Religion, the An- 
 cients neither knew the true Origin of Obligation, 
 nor the Confequence of Obedience. Revelation has 
 difcovered thefe Principles, and we now wonder that 
 fuch Prodigies of Parts and Knowledge could com- 
 mit the grofs Abfurdities that are to be found in 
 their beft Treatifes of Morality. Which yet does 
 not hinder us from falling into a greater and worfe 
 Delufion. For feeing of late feveral excellent Syf- 
 tems of Morals under the Title of The Principles of 
 Natural Religion^ that difclaim the Aid of Revela- 
 tion, we are apt to think them indeed the Difcove- 
 ries of Natural Religion, and (o regard their Excel- 
 lencies as an Objedtion to the NecelTity of any farther 
 Light. The Pretence is plaufible ; but furely there 
 muft be fome Miftake at the bottom ; and the im- 
 menfe Difference in point of Perfedtion between thefe 
 imaginary Productions of Reafon, and thofe real ones 
 of the moft learned Antients, will increafe our Suf- 
 picion. The Truth is, thefe modern Syflem- Wri- 
 ters had an Aid, which as they do not acknowledge, 
 fo I perfuade myfelf they did not perceive. This 
 Aid were the true Principles of Religion, delivered 
 by Revelation ; Principles fo clear and evident, that 
 they are now miflaken to be amongft the firfl and 
 fimpleft Ideas. But thofe who underitand Antiquity, 
 know the Matter to be far otherwife, 
 
 Mr. Locke was not prejudiced in this Caufe, yet 
 fays, " How Ihort their feveral Syflems {viz. of Rexfonab. 
 *' the Philofophers) came of the Perfedion of ao.^Chriit. 
 " true and complete Morality, is very vifible. And P- ^^^' 
 '_' if, fince that the Chriftian Philofophers have much 
 
 O 4 " out- 
 
20O ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 " outdone them, yet we may obferve, the firflKnow- 
 " ledge of the Truths they have added, arc owing 
 " to Revelation ; tho* as ibon as they are heard and 
 *' conlidered, they are found to be agreeable to 
 " Realon, and fuch as can by no means be contradic- 
 " ted. Every one may obferve a great many Truths 
 " which he receives at firft from others, and rea- 
 •' dily aflents to as confonant to Reafon, which he 
 *' would have found it hard, and perhaps beyond 
 •' his S rength to have difcovered himfelf. Native 
 •' and original Truth is not fo eafiiy wrought out of 
 " the Mine, as we who have it delivered, ready dug 
 *' and fafhioned, into our hands, are apt to imagine. 
 
 Id. p. 267 " Whatever was the Cauie, 'tis plain in fadt, Hu- 
 " man Reafon unaflilied, failed Men in its great 
 " and proper Bufinefs of Morality : It never from 
 " unqueftionable Principles, by their Deductions, 
 " made out an entire Body of the Law of Nature ." 
 
 P 278 "^"^ afterwards, " Many are beholden to Revela- 
 *' tion, who do not acknowledge it.** 
 
 This is the plain undeniable Fa6b, and cannot be 
 accounted for on any other Principles i and there- 
 fore what Infidelity advances, that Reafon is Mafter 
 of all the Truths which Revelation has difcovered, 
 is abfolutely falfe, and a Contradi(5tion to all that is 
 ' known of Antiquity -, and they who have unwarily 
 made Conceffions of the like Nature, have feen the 
 Atheift retort upon them, and fhew from their own 
 Principles, that if Reafon can do every thing, Chri- 
 llianity cannot be neceffary. They who deny any Ufc 
 of Reafon to fatisfy the Mind in Matters of reveal- 
 ed Truths, deflroy the Means that God has afforded 
 to convince us of the Reafonablenefs and Obligation 
 of Djty 5 and by unjultifiable Pretences to the Spi- 
 rit have advanced the moft extravagant Fancies an 
 over-heated Brain could fuggefl ; and inftead of a 
 Rational Worfhip have fallen into all the Delufions 
 of Madneis and Enthufiafm, 
 
 ^ The 
 
KeveJatm, not from Reafon or Nature, lor 
 
 The middle Way therefore between the two Ex- 
 tremes admits of no Objedion : That there is a Ufe 
 of Reafon without Prejudice to Religion. God pro- 
 pofes fomcthing to the Underftanding, which by- 
 Natural Reafon it could not have found out ; the 
 Rational Faculty perceives the Truth and Agree- 
 ablenefs thereof, with the Certainty of its being 
 from God, therefore yields up its Aflent, and be- 
 lieves upon good Reafons ; for he cannot be faid to 
 believe who has no Reafon for fo doing, becauie a 
 Rational Mind tannot determine its AfTent but up- 
 on rational Grounds and Evidence. The Under- 
 ftanding however cannot exercife its Faculties 
 about any of the Truths of God, till it is inftrufled, 
 and has the proper Notices communicated to it ; 
 but thefe are not difcoverable a priori, from any 
 Light of Nature, but all taken from the divine Adt 
 of Revelation : Yet in this God no way ceafes to 
 deal with us as Men ; he only prefents frelh Ob- 
 jects, and gives new Notices of things, thereby in- 
 deed extending and enlarging our Profpeft, but 
 does not alter the Faculties we had before. Our Rea- 
 fon has ftill the fame Ufe, only a wider Compafs to 
 employ and exert itfelf in, with different Lights and 
 Afliftances to judge and determine by. 
 
 This furely is not to degrade, but to exalt Rea- 
 fon, and that to the nobleft and moft excellent Pur- 
 pofes. To adore the divine Wildom and Goodnefs ; 
 to fatisfy ourfelves in the moft important Point, that 
 the Religion we profefs is from God ; to diftinguifti 
 Truth from Falftiood, and rejedl all Impoftures or 
 Pretences to Revelation, either from the Impiety or 
 Contradidlion of the Dodrine, or from Infufficiency 
 of Proof that it is from God. 
 
 Hence we are fure, that whatever implies a Con- 
 tradidion, or is repugnant to any of the Divine At- 
 tributes, cannot be a Revelation from God ; and if 
 an Angel from Heaven lljould teach fuch Dodlrines, 
 
 we 
 
202 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 we muft rejcft them. Becaufe what is inconfiftent 
 with certain Truth, muft certainly be falfe : And if 
 Jleafon, where it is cleareft, be falfe, we can have 
 no Afllirance it is ever true, and confequently have 
 no Certainty either in Science or Faith. Nor can 
 two Truths be contrary to each other, becaufe no- 
 thing can be true and falfe at the fame time. So 
 Impoflibilities cannot be matter of Faith, becaufe 
 they are no Ads of Power, no Effects of Omnipo- 
 tence J and what is not to be produced, is not to be 
 believed. Nor can we believe Incredibilities, for 
 that would be to believe and disbelieve the fame 
 thing J or for Reafon to affent to an unreafonable 
 thing, which are Contradidions. 
 
 Bat I need not infift on this : as Infidelity has not 
 been able to fhew that Religion recommends any 
 thing impious, abfurd, impoffible, or contradic- 
 tory ; any thing that is not perfedive of our Be- 
 ings, fuitable to our Inclinations, and tending to our 
 final Good ; all which are moft confiftent with 
 Truth, and reconcilable to Reafon, what it cannot 
 but approve, fo as to believe what is true, and em- 
 brace what will render it happy : On this account 
 Religion muft be a rational Service, as propofing 
 nothing to be done but what is moft agreeable to the 
 Deftres and Expedations of Nature: Nothing to be 
 believed, but what an honeft informed Mind, by 
 the common Ways of Knowledge, may fatisfy itfelf 
 of its Truth, and coming from God. Our In- 
 telledual Faculty therefore is never fo well employ'd, 
 as in fatisfying itfelf and others, that the Truths of 
 God are moft exadly conformable to its own Prin- 
 ciples, that the Good of his Creatures feems to be 
 the Rule and Reafon of all he enjoins ; and there- 
 fore deferve from us the fulleft Credit, the ftrong- 
 eft Love, and the moft prevailing Influence. 
 
 The great Hinge on which all Religion turns, is. 
 That there is a God, and that he will reward and 
 
 pu- 
 
Revelafioriy 7iotfrom "Reafon or Nature, 203 
 
 punifh. God therefore manifefted himfelf and his 
 Attributes, and added two efpecial Proofs thereof for 
 our Conviftion ; neceflary Exiftence, and the Works 
 of Creation : Both which are fo obvious when pro- 
 pofed to our natural Faculties, that the World has 
 miftaken them for felf-evident innate Principles ; as 
 alfo the neceflary Confequences from them : That 
 neceflary Exiftence is eternal ; That Omnipotence 
 can do every thing which does not imply a Contra- 
 didlion ; That Infinite Truth can neither deceive 
 nor be deceived ; That unerring Righteoufnefs can 
 will nothing but what is juft and good •, That the 
 Supreme muft have abiblute Authority over all Be- 
 ings dependent upon it, &c. 
 
 The Second Propofition is clearly deducible from 
 the other, by the fl:ri6left Principles of Reafon : 
 That God is juft in all his Dealings : That Juftice 
 will punifli Guilt ; That Guilt is offending where 
 there is a Power of doing otherwife ; That Man 
 might have done otherwife, becaufe he is a free 
 Agent ; That he is a free Agent, as having with 
 him a Power of Self-determination. 
 
 So that if we fearch this Matter to the Bottom, 
 we fliall find that the Reafon of Faith is the Foun- 
 dation of all Religion ; both the Articles of this 
 Univerfal Creed, that God is, and that he is a Re- 
 warder of them that feek him, being manifefted 
 from Revelation only. For Man, as rational, muft 
 propofe and defire lome End : The End of all Be- 
 ings is the Perfedlion of their Nature ; the Perfec- 
 tion of any Nature is enjoying all the Happinefs it 
 is capable of. So again, to defire the End, is to 
 defire the Means alfo : The Means to attain Happi- 
 nefs, is to procure his Favour, on whom the beftow- 
 ing of itfolely depends. To procure his Favour, is the 
 doing what he commands. His Commands are his 
 Will ; and his Will he has revealed to us in the 
 Scriptures. So that the revealed . Will of God is 
 
 the 
 
io4 ^f Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 the only Rule and Law of Aftion. Becaufe he en- 
 joins it, the Obhgation is perpetual ; and Obedience 
 being the only Means of Happinefs, the Realons 
 for it are immutable. Therefore ablblute Compli- 
 ance with the divine revealed Will, is the whole of 
 Religion, or the End of Man ; and on that account 
 moft fit and rcafonable for him to be faithful and di- 
 ligent in the Pra6tice of it. To which may be added, 
 that as God has feveral Ways revealed himfelf, yet the 
 Excellencies of the Gofpel- Revelation are apparently 
 above all others. 
 
 But further : If we would confider the Agreement 
 of Reafon with Faith, in the ftridleft Acceptation of 
 the Word : As whatever we come at the Knowledge 
 of by the Ufe of our Faculties, is properly Matter 
 of Reafon ; fo what is above their Difcovery, is a- 
 bove Reafon, and confequently when revealed to us, 
 are Matters of Faith. Certainly there can be no- 
 thing unrealbnable in this Procedure \ becaufe tho* 
 God has given us Reafon, he has neither debarred 
 himfelf of, nor is it contrary to any known Attri- 
 butes to afford us the Light of Revelation -, for there 
 is always room for Infinite Wildom to make frelh 
 Difcoveries to his Creatures, as Infinite Power can 
 always give fufficient Teftimony of their being from 
 God. To deprive him of thefe, is to deny his very 
 Being ; and to find fault with what tends to our 
 Perfection, muft be very ungrateful and unreafon- 
 able. Again, whatever God reveals is certainly true, 
 therefore no doubt can be made of it \ it muft over- 
 rule all Opinions, Prejudices, and Interefts ; it has 
 ajuft Right to be received with a full Afient, /. e. 
 Faith. And fuch a Submiflion as this of Reafon to 
 Human Faith (even in Mr. Locke's Opinion) takes not away 
 Underft. the Land-marks of Knowledge, fhakes not the 
 1. 4. c. I »• Foundations of Reafon, but leaves us that Ufe of 
 421. ^^^ Faculties for which they were given us ; and 
 confequently nothing in Faith can be contrary to 
 
 Reafon « 
 
Revelation, no f from Reafon or Nature, 205 
 
 Reafon. The fame learned Writer thus fums it 
 
 up. " There is nothing more required of a Chri- Reafonab. 
 
 " ftian, but that he receive all the Parts of Divine p^hfj,'^^ 
 
 " Revelation with a Docility and Difpofition pre- 
 
 *' pared to embrace and alTent to all Truths coming 
 
 <' from God ; and fubmit his Mind to whatfoever 
 
 ** fhall appear to him to bear that Character." 
 
 The Things fuppofed to be the Objefts of this 
 Knowledge, ot above Reafon, in the Opinion of 
 the Ancients, were included under that Part of 
 Theology, termed Metaphyfical, above or beyond 
 Nature. In this Clafs, Plato ranges the Contem- 
 plation of all Divine things-, fuch as, the Firft Be- 
 ing or Caufe, the Origin of Things, the Wonders 
 of Providence, the Worlhip of God, the Myfteries 
 of Religion, the Immortality of the Soul, and a 
 Future State. He never pretended one of thefe to , 
 be difcoverable by Reafon, but always ingenuouQy 1 
 confefles them to be learned by Traditions brought 
 from the Barbarians, viz. the Jews, Sec. They were 
 frequently termed rd ^^au/jtao-la, wonderful things ; 
 as being neither difcoverable nor demonftrable by 
 Reafon. On which very account Ariftotle efteemed 
 them a';;^pyiala, ufeUfs things., becaufe beyond the 
 Sphere of his, and all natural Reafon and Under- 
 ftanding ; and ftyled thofe Philofophers, who dwelt 
 much in the Contemplation of fuch Subjeds, cpiXc- 
 /uu9^8f. Lovers of Fable or Tradition. 
 
 Now Faith is nothing but a firm AfTent of the 
 Mind (which is an Adt of Reafon) to fome Pro- 
 pofition or Truth, upon the Credit and infallible 
 Teftimony of the Propoler, which is God. To 
 believe on the Teftimony of God, is Faith : To 
 know it is divine Teftimony, is a Matter of Realbn, 
 in perceiving it has all the clear Evidences the Na- 
 ture of the thing will admit of to conclude its Af- 
 fent. For as on the one hand, Reafon cannot af- 
 fejit to what it does not know or believe i fo on the 
 
 other. 
 
2o6 ^he Knowledge of Divifie things from 
 
 other, it is highly unreafonable not to believe a 
 Thing that has all the Marks of Certainty it pof- 
 fibly can have, for its Credibility. This is Arl- 
 Ethic 1. ftotk*^ own Rule •, " Not to exped in all things 
 »• c. 7. " the fame Exadnefs, but in every thing to con- 
 *' tent ourfelves with fuch a Method ai the fub- 
 " je6l Matter will bear.** Mathematicks re- 
 quire a different Demonftration from Morals, and 
 Morals from Phyficks ; yet each of thefe Kinds of 
 Evidence fatisfies the Mind, fo as to leave no room 
 of their unqueftionable Truth : For we can know 
 Things only as they are to be known, which mufl: 
 be according to the Nature of Things ; and to ex- 
 pe6l a Proof which Nature is incapable of, can nei- 
 ther be reafonable, norjuft. 
 
 But the Queftion in Matters purely of Faith, is 
 not, whether what God fays be true (for that is al- 
 ready fuppofed) but whether he hath fpoken it or 
 not. To fatisfy us in this, we can only enquire of 
 unprejudiced Rcafon, what are the utmoft Proofs 
 the Subjed: will bear, which muft be as convincing 
 as any other Kind of Demonflration ; becaufe where 
 Reafon has all it can require, it will, and muft be 
 fatisfied. Now fome things are capable of diredt 
 Arguments, others only of indire6t ones ; in either 
 Cafe, if we have the proper and natural Proofs, it 
 is fufficient ; we follow our Reaibn, it being reafon- 
 able to believe any thing, which is as true, as in the 
 Nature of Things it poffibly can be. 
 Vid Bp. -^5 ^^ Matters of Revelation therefore, we can- 
 London not require more than the Teftimony of compe- 
 Paft. Lett, tent and undoubted Witneftes, Prophefy, Miracles, 
 P* '3- Hiftory, Univerfal Tradition, the Acknowledgment 
 of all Ages, the Nature of Things delivered, and 
 unprejudiced Reafon affifting the Mind in thefe Dif- 
 quifitions ; becaufe thefe are the higheft Attefta- 
 tions that can be brought for the Support of 
 fuch Truths. Where then thefe Teftimonies con- 
 cur 
 
 I. 
 
Revelation, not from Jleafon or Nature, 207 
 
 cur and are unexceptionable, to deny AfTent would 
 be unrealbnable, becaufe it iS all the Nature of 
 the Thing will admit, and on that Account, a 
 proper Object for the Underftanding. To demand 
 more is contrary to Nature, therefore contra- 
 rary to Reafon, becaule what it knows to be falle, 
 it cannot believe. And as God never requires 
 Faith as a Duty, but he gives fufficient Arguments 
 to induce it. Infidelity muft be inexcufable. He 
 that will not enquire into thefe Motives, takes his 
 Belief upon truft, and has no Reafon for what he 
 does : He that upon enquiry .finds them as com- 
 petent as the Nature of Things will admit, yet be- 
 lieves no,t, is irrational as the other, having no 
 Reafon for refufing fo to do. And they who are 
 refolved not to believe a fufficient Evidence, neither 
 would they be perfuaded though one rofe from the 
 Dead. Thus Reafon has its proper and due Authority, 
 though in Subjeds of pure Divine Revelation, the 
 Authority of God will always be found the high- 
 eft Reafon, therefore have they the ftrongeft De- 
 mand to our Belief. And he who denies thefe to 
 be proper Evidences of a Revelation, muft at the 
 fame time deny that it is poffiblc for God to 
 make any Revelation, that can be rationally be- 
 lieved. 
 
 Nor is all this faying any more, than that God 
 made us Rational Creatures, and deals with us as 
 fuch, i. e. what we are ; and to do otherwife would 
 caft an Imputation on his Juftice or Wifdom. Nor 
 can Faith and Reafon be oppofite, though fcveral 
 Things; but only difi^erent Notices and Methods of 
 coming at Knowledge, and proving Truths by 
 fuch Principles as they are capable of, and is moll 
 reafonable to do. So that Faith is no more than 
 the higheft inftrucfced Reafon, no Principle in one 
 contradids the other. Revelation difcovers fome 
 glorious Truths, and Reafon bears witnefs that 
 
 they 
 
2o8 The Knowledge of Tiivhie Things from 
 
 they are credible, from God, and ought to be believed 
 and obeyed. And therefore the moft exalted Doc- 
 trines of Revelation offer no Injury or Violence to 
 Reafon, but are Aids and Enlargements to it in 
 this dark imperfedt State : And therefore may de- 
 mand the moit ferious Attention of every Rational 
 Creature. 
 
 It* is therefore a vain and falfe Infinuation of In- 
 fidelity, that we mull give up our Reafon, if we 
 would embrace Revelation: For we only believe, be- 
 caufe it is moft reafonable fo to do. When upon 
 an impartial Examination, Reafon finds the Evi- 
 dences to be full and fufficient, it pronounces that 
 the Revelation ought to be received, and as a ne- 
 ccffary Confequence thereof, direds us to give up 
 ourfelves to the Guidance of it. Bat here Reafon 
 flops j not as fet afide by Revelation, but as taking 
 Revelation for its Guide, and not thinking itfelf 
 Bp Lond. ^^ Liberty to call in quellion the Wifdom and Ex- 
 ad. Paft. perience of any Part, after it is fatisfied that the 
 Leu. p. 4. whole comes from God. 
 
 Neither is it any Objcdlion to the Reafonable- 
 nefs of Revelation, that we are not able to com- 
 prehend the whole of thoie Subje6ts it exhibits to 
 us. To manifell them in any Degree is matter of 
 Divine Pleafure, and God cannot be under the 
 Jeaft Neceflity to" unfold all the Reafons that be- 
 long to them. There are fecret Things which be- 
 Dcut. long unto the Lord our God, and things that are rtveaL 
 xxix. g(i^ Xo attempt knowing what is fecret and with- 
 *5* held from us, is Arrogance: Our Knowledge is 
 
 confined to revealed Things, and only fo tar as 
 they are revealed. That is the prefcribed Bounds, 
 beyond which no created Underfbanding can pafs. 
 For where God is filent, neither Heaven nor Earth 
 can give us further Light. 
 
 When 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 209 
 
 When therefore Revelation affirms a Thing vaft- 
 \^ beyond our Comprehenfion, but no way contra- 
 ry to our Reafon, we have nothing to do but fab- 
 mit, to believe, though our Reafon cannot tell us 
 why or how fuch things are j becaule we cannot 
 "inVg^fure the Wifdom or the Works of God ; it 
 therefore niay be true, though we are ignorant of 
 it ; nay, it infallibly muft be fb, becaule God has 
 faid it, and no Reafon can make us doubt of his 
 Veracity. And there is an Evidence of eternal Truth, 
 which the Mind of Man,with its moll refined Specu- 
 lations could neither difcover nor comprehend, and 
 therefore muft have fome other Foundation,which can 
 be none elfe, but thofeDifcoveries which infinite Wil^ 
 dom makes of itfelf : And confequently the nobleft 
 Mark of true and folid Reafon is, to be determined 
 by that Authority which is unerring, and has a 
 Right to demand an implicit Subjeftion. " For the 
 " holy Scripture (fays Mr. Lccke^ in the laft Year v/orks'"* 
 *' of his Life) has God for its Author, Salvation p. 344, 
 " for its End, and Trath without any mixture of 
 " Error for its Matter.** 
 
 *' Therefore (fays the fame Author) I gratefully 
 ** receive, and rejoice in the Light of Revelation, 
 " which fets me at reft in many things, the Manner 
 " whereof my poor Reafon can by no means make 
 *' out to me.** 
 
 But to rejed: or disbelieve Things, becaufe wc un- 
 derftand not the whole of their Nature,- Modes of 
 Exiftence or Fitnefs, is not Reafon but Stupidity. 
 It is either to make our Minds tjie Rule of Truth, 
 or to affirm that, becaufe God has not given us all the 
 Reafons of Things, it is not polTible there fhould be 
 any ; both which are equally irrational. For it is 
 of the Nature of thefe Things to be above Reafon, 
 i. e. what of itfelf it could not have difcovered : 
 But it is not above Reafon, v^hen inftrudled, to dif- 
 cern the Truth and Certainty of them, fo f«\r as 
 
 P is 
 
2 10 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 is revealed. To do this, is fufficicnt ; to do more, 
 is impoffible •, this is the only Meafure and Rule of 
 Faith. 
 
 " To rejeft a Revelation (fays an excellent Pre- 
 " late) becaule we cannot clearly fee the Fitnels 
 *' and Expedience of every Part, is to make our- 
 " felves as knowing as God ; whofe Wifdom is in- 
 " finite, and the Depth of whofe Difpenfations, 
 ^ " with the Reafons and Ends of them, are 
 
 *' not to be fathomed by our fhort and narrow 
 ** Comprehenfions : It is the greateft Folly as well as 
 ** Prefumption to conclude that this or that Revc- 
 " lation cannot come from God, becaufe we can- 
 ** not fee in every Refped the Fitnefs and Reafon- 
 " ableneis of it. The true Inference is, that the 
 " Revelation is therefore wife, good, and juft, 
 ♦' and fit to be received, and fubmitted to by us, 
 '* becaufe we have fufficient Reafon to believe that 
 *' it came from God. For fo far he has made us 
 '* competent Judges, in as much as Natural Reafon 
 *' informs us what are the proper Evidences of a 
 *' Divine Revelation. But for us to attempt to 
 " make a Judgment of the Fitneis of the Means 
 *' to attain the End, is to put ourfelves in the 
 *' Place of God, and to forget that we are frail 
 Bp. Lond. « Men; that is, fhort-fighted and ignorant Crea- 
 ift Part, cc tures, who know very litde of Divine Matters, 
 ^•P-i3-cc farther than that it has pleafed God to reveal 
 " them to us." 
 
 The Refurreflion of the Body is what no Force 
 of human Wifdom could have difcovcred : Yet 
 Reafon tells us it is poflible, and within the Power of 
 God to cfFedt it ; therefore the Underftanding may 
 fully affent to it, without knowing the Bounds of 
 Omnipotence, or in what manner he will accom- 
 plifli, and bring it to pafs. The Dodrine of the 
 ever bleflfed Trinity furpaffes the Comprehenfion of 
 Men and Angels, yet is no way contrary to Reafon, 
 
 nor 
 
Revelation, not from Reqfon or Nature. 2 1 1 
 
 nor ever the lefs true, becaufe we are fhort-fighted 
 ignorant Creatures : For God is Infinite, but we are 
 finite, and therefore cannot apprehend or contain the 
 vaft Immenfity of his Counfels or Nature. And this 
 Conclufion we may fafely draw ; That fince all we 
 fee or kn^w appears (6 wonderful and true, it is rea- 
 fonable toH)elieve what yet lies under the Veil, is 
 either unfit for us to know, or too big for our Un- 
 derftanding, and referved for our Adorations in a 
 State of Glory. We Jflhould therefore regulate our 
 Thiril of Knowledge here, by the Advice of the 
 wiie Hebrew % Search not the things that are above Eccl'js Hi. 
 thy Strength^ but what is commanded thee, think thereon ^^* 
 with Reverence. 
 
 The Sum is : God created Man rational with 
 Faculties to receive and apprehend Truth, which 
 way foever communicated : Matters of pure Revela- 
 tion are immediately from the Inflru6lion of God, 
 therefore mofl reafonable to be believed, becaufe 
 moft certainly true ; but cannot be believed other- 
 wife than he has propofed them, either in manner 
 or degree. From the Infufficiency of Reafon to 
 guide us in all Matters relating to our final Good, 
 appears the Ncceffity of Revelation, againfl the Ca- 
 vils of thofe who would ib exalt Nature as to ren- 
 der it altogether needlefs. And the Evidence of 
 its coming from God, manifefts the Obligation we 
 are under to receive and obey it, againfl tne Athe- 
 iftical Objedlions of thofe, who would repreient it 
 as a fuperftitious Contrivance or Invendon of Men. 
 
 When therefore Reafon re&ifes to fubmit to 
 this Guidance, or affent to what has all the inward 
 and external Marks of Truth and infallible Tefti- 
 mony i when it will deny, only becaufe it cannot 
 comprehend and fathom the Depths of God with 
 its own fhort Line ; or attempts to give Reafons, 
 and account for things which God has not thought 
 fitting to explain 5 then it tranlgrefies die Bound of 
 
 P 2 E)ury, 
 
212 T^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Duty, and inftead of a Guide becomes a Deceiver 
 and Deftroyer of thofe who follow its Diredions. 
 Confidence is always dangerous j it has been ever 
 found that the beft natural Senfe is not fufficient in 
 human Affairs without Experience ; nor in divine 
 ones, without Revelation. 
 
 It is this Arrogance, Self-fufficicncy, and exalt- 
 ing Reafon to an Independency upon God, that 
 has been the Source of all fatal Error and Impiety, 
 and tempted Men to revolt from Religion and 
 from God, Such Oracles of vain Reafon have all 
 the Doubters and Difputers againft Religion been 
 fmce the World began. The more Men have de- 
 pended upon Reafon for the meafure of divine 
 Thingp, the further always have they erred from 
 the Truth. And what this is owing to, we may 
 learn from the Confeffion of a noble Author, in 
 the firft Clafs among the Defpifers of Revelation. 
 Charafte- tt There is (fays he) a certain perverfe Humanity 
 nft. vol. i.jt jj^ jjg^ which inwardly refills the divine Commit 
 " fion, though ever fo plainly revealed." The 
 Words are fpoke on a particular Inftance, but hold 
 true in him with regard to the whole Revelation : 
 There is no want of Evidence in divine Philofo- 
 phy ; but there is in Man a Pride and over-conceited 
 Opinion of Reafon. an Afi^edlation of Superiority 
 in Judgment, a Love of Novelty and Singularity, 
 a Pleallire in oppofing generally received and efta- 
 bliflied Truths, together with a petulant inflated 
 libertine Spirit of Unbelief in Man, which, though 
 it difcerns the Light, will not acknowledge or ad- 
 mit it. 
 
 I fhall add only one Caution more, viz. That 
 however perfeft Reafon may be ; the Ufe of it, the 
 Ratiocinations of Men, are vaftly imperfed. Do 
 we not every Day fee wife Men falling into dan- 
 gerous Errors and Miftakes ? and when their Argu- 
 ments come to be examined, are found to proceed 
 
 on 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 213 
 
 On loofe uncertain Principles, to ufe fallacious in- 
 coherent Ideas, or draw weak or falfe Conclufions. 
 If this be not fb, whence comes fo much Controvcrfy, 
 Oppofition, and Litigation in all Parts of Know- 
 ledge, among the Learned of the World ? So that 
 Care muft be taken not to admit every thing for 
 ftrid: Reafon ing that pretends to be fo j but rather 
 to fufpecb what is fubjed: to fo much Abule, efpeci- 
 ally when we find it driving againflGod. For fuch 
 are the Prejudices of fome Minds through the Work- 
 ings of Satan, the ftrong Power of Ddufion, or the 
 Deceit of Unrighceoufnefs, that they will not believe 
 the Truth, but inftead thereof a Lye, and have Plea- 
 liire in Unrighteoufnefs, becaufe they received not 
 the Love of the Truth. 
 
 But I willingly omit many Topicks on this Subjef^, 
 there being fuch Variety of excellent Treatifes in the 
 World, that firmly demonllrate the exa6t Agreement 
 of Chriftianity with all the Principles of Reafon ; its 
 Evidences to be fo plain and dired to the common 
 Apprehenfions of Men, that the more an impar- 
 tial Mind inquires into its Grounds and Do6trines, 
 the clearer and fuller Satisfadlion will he receive ; 
 the Certainty of its Revelations, and how fitly we 
 may believe and adore thofe incomprehenfible Myf- 
 teries, which we cannot fully undcrftand, and reve- 
 rence the Exhibition of thofe glorious Truths, which 
 the bleflcd Angels defire to look into. 
 
 I pafs on to confider the Arguments which are 
 offered in fupport of Natural Religion : Or that Man 
 by a due Ufe of his Faculties, without the Aid of Re- 
 velation, may attain a fufHcient Knowledge of what- 
 ever is necefTary to diredt him to the final End of his 
 Being. The principal of which I think are thefe 
 following, 
 
 Firfty The Teftimony of Scripture. 
 
 Secondly^ The Contemplation of theWorks of God. 
 
 Thirdly f The eternal Reafon and Fitnels of Things. 
 P 3 Chap, 
 
214 *^^ Knowledge of Divine Things frcm 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Teocti of Scripture relating to the Natural haw. 
 Of Natural Religion being learned from the 
 Works of Creation. The Knowledge of God 
 not to be had from the Contemplation of our 
 own Frame, The Deity not difcoverable 
 from the Fitnefs of Things, 
 
 jHE firft Argument, and of the greateft 
 weight to prove Divine Things (thofe to 
 which this Inquiry is hmited) may be difco- 
 vered by the Light of Nature, is founded on fome 
 Texts of Scripture ; from which it is faid we may 
 fairly and with certainty conclude, that though Man 
 has no original ImprefTions of a Deity ftamped upon 
 his Mind, yet he is endowed with fuch Faculties, as 
 by a natural Ufeof them he cannot fail to difcern and 
 know him i for God has not left himfelf without a 
 Witnefs, but provided fuch abundant Means for this 
 purpofe, that no one can remain ignorant of him, 
 who carefully attends to them, and efpecially the 
 Works of Creation, The Magnificence, Order, and 
 Variety of which, the Progrefllon of Caufes, the ne- 
 ceflary Series, Connexion, and Dependence of Natural 
 Things, muft raife the Mind to the Contemplation 
 and Acknowledgment of fome firft felf-originated 
 Caufe, the Fountain and Author of every other Being. 
 And from this Principle once eftablifhed, fuch Con^ 
 clufions may be regularly drawn, as will demon- 
 ftrate the Neceflity of thofe effential Properties and 
 Attributes which are infeparable from his Nature. 
 And that by confidering the feveral Relations we 
 ftand in %o him of Creation, Prefcrvation, i^c. we 
 
 may 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 215 
 
 may irrefr.igably infer the various Duties of Wor- 
 fhip and Adoration we owe to liim, and the fun- 
 dry Obligations we are under to our felves, and one 
 another, which make up the Subftance of the Moral 
 Law or Religion of Nature. 
 
 Were this Suppofition true, the Law of Nature 
 would (land in need of no other Teftimonies, and 
 1 mail here ftop the Inquiry. For what the Spirit 
 of God declares, mud be allowed as full Evidence ; 
 there is no room for Doubt, it can receive no 
 higher Demonftration. But I maintain the prefent 
 Hypothefis from a full Convidlion, that it is beft 
 confiftent with the Attributes of God, the Paflages 
 of Providence, and the Faculties of the Mind -, to 
 be fully fupported from the Authority of Scrip- 
 ture, and moft agreeable to the Ph^enomena of Na- 
 ture, to Reafon, and Experience. 
 
 The firflText I fhall mention, becaufe conftantly 
 appealed to on this Occafion, is that of St. Fad to 
 the Romans^ i. 20. But the Apoftle is here fo far 
 from aflerting the Sufficiency of Nature to difcover 
 the Exiftence of a Deity, that his very Argument is 
 founded on the Heathens being already convinced of 
 this Truth •, and from thence (hews the Unreafonable- 
 nefs and Impiety of their Idolatry : Which was the 
 firft Point neceffary to convince the Heathens of, in 
 order to bring them to a Knov/ ledge of the true God, 
 and juftify the Almighty's Proceedings, in giving 
 them up to a reprobate Mind, receiving in tbemfelves 
 the recompence of their error which is meet, ver. 27. 
 « For the firfl Step in Wifdom is to fee what isj^^^^^''^'' 
 " falfe ; and the fecond, to know the Truth •, fince '-P'^^i^' 
 " whoever difcerns the one, will be difpofed to 
 " receive the other. " 
 
 Now, it is never denied, that the World once 
 knew the true God, and no other j Him the righte- 
 ous Noah preached to his Sons, and they to their 
 Pofterity ; but thefe great Truths were, after the 
 
 P 4 Difperfion, 
 
2 1 6 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 DifpeiTion, foon defaced ^nd obliterated. The Na- 
 tions, as David i'^ys^ Pfal. ix. 17. forgat God\ For- 
 gat him whom they had once known, and his 
 true Nature and Eflence, as if they had never been 
 declared to them. So that there remained only 
 CI. Alex. «^««^<f T'? dixai)^ r5 Sioxi^ a certain dusky, 
 Strom. 6. obfcure Knowledge of God, the Name of fuch 
 p. 646. a Being, and a faint Application of fome Attri- 
 butes, which they alfo transferred to Creatures in 
 a Manner ablblutely inconfiftent with the Divine 
 Nature, which was utterly forgot, and became little 
 more tnan a Name or empty Sound in the World, 
 being mixed up with fo many Falfhoods, and ap- 
 plied to fuch facrilegious Purpofes. 
 
 Gods they had innumerable ; and therefore the 
 Exiftence of a Deity is here taken for granted, be- 
 ing a Truth confefTed by both Parties. Had it been 
 otherwife, he would have charged them with Athe- 
 }fm, or denying fuch Exiftence, not with Superfti- 
 tion or the Worfi:iip of many Gods : For the Qje- 
 ftion which divided the World, was not, whether 
 there were Gods, but what they were, and how to 
 be worlliipped. And this was their Folly, that pro- 
 fefllng themfelves wife, admitting the Exiftence of 
 the Gods, and fome kind of Worlhip to be due to 
 them, they fhould neverthelels entertain fuch falfe 
 Conceptions of both thefe important Points. 
 
 And the Apoftle might here allude to the many 
 excellent Things Socrates and others had fpoken of the 
 Divine Nature, of the ineffable Firfl: Good, ixn^a- 
 Vid. Ong. ^^^', efvat purov to TrpaJrcv dycL^oJ. Yet notwith- 
 L^^ p^ 'ftanding this, they erred fo gready in the Worfhip 
 zj6. due to the Being they defcribed, and continued in the 
 B:ilief and Adoration of their Country-Gods, and fo 
 became Fools : For the wifeft of this World, infla- 
 ted with the Notions of a De-ity, taken from their 
 Poets and Philofophers, haftned with the Ignorant, 
 and hurried away others to Temples, and Idols, and 
 
 the 
 
Revelatiorty not from Reafon or "Nature, 2 ij 
 
 the Celebration of execrable Myfteries. Had they 
 known the true God, they would have perceived the 
 Abfurdity of fuch Pradice ; as they did not, they 
 were Fools in his fight : And what Man in hisSenfes 
 would not deride him who difcourfes of the Gods in 
 a philofophical exalted manner, yet immediately be- 
 takes himfelf to dumb Statues, converfes with, re- 
 verences, and prays to them as Gods, or Reprcfen- 
 tations of them, w%- S^scTc, Pf ^swv «i>ica-i ; or by be- Orig. lb. 
 holding them as a Symbol, pretends to raife his 1- 7- P- 
 Mind to a Conception of an Intclledual Deity. 3^^. 
 All thele things are Falflioods, and herein they 
 changed the Truth of God into a Lye. 
 
 For to acknowledge an infinitely Supreme Being, 
 and yet admit more Infinites, or a Crowd of litde infe- 
 rior Gods, /. e. no Gods at all, into Partnerfhip with 
 Supremacy, is to common Senfe the greateft Abfur- 
 dity : Or to believe a moft perfecft Being, govern- 
 ing all things with Juftice and Wifdom, and on that 
 account the proper Objed of Adoration ; yet pay 
 divine Worfhip to an Army of Demons and Idols, 
 is fuch a Contradiction, that the natural Ufe of their 
 Reafon fhould have made them deteft it as irratio- 
 nal. But the Fad was quite otherwife ; the Harveft 
 of Deities which fprang up in Egypt^ was cultivated 
 in Greece, and thence borrowed by the Romans, was 
 fo far from being thought unreafonable by the latter, 
 that, as Cotta fays, inftcad of confuting, they con- 
 firmed all the Fables, by endeavouring to give a 
 proper Meaning and Explanation to them. Vejiri Clc. Nat. 
 autem non modo hcBC non refellunt, verum etiam confir-^* I- 3- 
 mant, interpretando ^uorfum quidque per tine at. n. 23. 
 
 And had they retained, befides the Name, fome 
 juft Apprehenfions of a Deity, and his incommu- 
 nicable Attributes, it had been impofllble they (hould 
 have thus denied them, and change his Glory, the 
 invifible divine Perfedions, into an Image madelikp 
 to corruptible Man, or Beaft. That the whole 
 
 ihould 
 
2iS ^he Kncwiedge of Divine Things from 
 
 Ihould be funk into fuch Madnefs, and Departure from 
 all Underftanding, as to proftrate themfelves before 
 a defpicable fenfelefs Piece of Matter, to believe That 
 a God, which they themfelves had formed : To 
 tremble, and fear, and implore Bleffings from a Bit 
 of Wood, or Stone or Ivory j and fall down before 
 Amob. L. Idols, made (as tlie ancient Chriftians ridicul'd them) 
 6. p. nS, Qm; Qf o]cj unclean Veffels, Pots, Candlefticks, or 
 ^'^" Clofe-ftools, and imagine fuch bafe things, by paf- 
 fing into another Shape, fhould have Life, and Ma- 
 jefty, and Divinity conferred on them. This was a 
 Reproach to Reafon, and the mod befotted Dark- 
 nefs we can conceive the Minds of Men to be in- 
 volved in. Neverthelefs^the times of this darknefs God 
 winked at, Afts xvii. 30. which he would not have 
 done, if every Man by Nature could have attained this 
 Wifdom, the Knowledge of God, and his Duty to 
 him. But now that a clear Manifeftation of thefe 
 things is made by the Gofpel, He commandeth all 
 Msn every vjhere to repent, to turn from their Idols, 
 and to feriethe living God ; for in the Day of Know- 
 ledge there will be no Allowance made for Impeni- 
 tence or Idolatry. 
 
 Ver.18. For the IVrath of G^iagainfl" thefe Sins is 
 now fully declared, not by Nature or Reafon, but 
 is revealed from Heaven againjf all Ungodlinefs, efpe- 
 cially the Violations of the Firft Tabic, giving di- 
 vine Honour to what by Nature is not God, and 
 Vnrighteoufnefs of Men, their impious and immoral 
 Praftices, voho hold_ the 'Truth in Unrighteoufnefs, by 
 afting malicioufly againft thofe common Notions 
 they had of it. It is alfo Righteoufnefs and Juftice 
 to give every one their Due, but they gave to the 
 Creature what belonged to the Creator only j and fo 
 committed a double Sin, not only robbed him of 
 his Honour, but, as it were in reproach to him, 
 transferred it to another. 
 
 Ver. 19. 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 2 1 9 
 
 Ver. 19. Becaufe that which may be known ofGody 
 as much as was neceflary and fufficient for their 
 prefent Circumftances, concerning his Eiicncc, At- 
 tributes, or WilJ, is manifeji in them, or (as the 
 Margin and others read it) to them, or among them, 
 not indeed from Nature and Reafon, for God hath 
 jhewed it unto them, l^avspoocrs, the Word exprefly Vid.Orig. 
 denotes a pofitive Ad: of God, who brought to light, cont.Cdf. 
 made manifcft and evident that which was dark, ob- 1-3 PHo- 
 fcure and unknown before, by the fundry Ways he 
 thought proper to reveal and make himfelf known 
 to us. 
 
 Ver. 20. For {yd^,nam, fiquidem, forafmuch as) /i&tf 
 invijible things of him, his Eternal Power and God- 
 head, as afterwards explained, /r^w, not ok, but aVo 
 ever fince, the Creation of the World, when they were 
 fully communicated, are clearly feen, becaufe after a 
 Declaration of his Nature and Exiflence, the divine 
 Attributes are plainly evinced, being underflood, voa- 
 ju.f va, explained to the Underftanding, by the things 
 that are made, TrciAixaa-i, the Works of God, or things 
 which he had done, not only of Creation but of Pro- 
 vidence, in the Deluge, in the wonderful Prefer- 
 vation of his Church, and Deflrudion of his Ene- 
 mies, in his many Appearances, Miracles, and Inter- 
 pofitions with Mankind, which through all Ages 
 had been related to them, and were a fenfible De- 
 monftration of Omnifcience, Omnipotence, Invifi- 
 bility, and Immateriality j even his Eternal Power 
 and Godhead, which alone could effedt fuch wonder- 
 ful things. So that they, who had fuch Aids and 
 Notices, might, through thofe Mediums, have made 
 that difcernible to the Mind, which was not vifible 
 to the Eye, and known they were the Works, not of 
 vifible Caufes, but an invifible Agent ; which they 
 did not, and therefore are without Excufe : And the 
 more fo, becaufe thofe very Works, which, from 
 Sheir Stupendoufnef§, fhould have taught them the 
 
 Grea;- 
 
2 20 7he KncwIeJge of Divine Things from 
 
 Greatncfs of the former, were the Occafioft of their 
 paying that Homage to the Thing made,which could 
 be due to the Worker only. They (lopped here, 
 adored the Univerfe as the one great God, and the 
 Sun and Moon, as its principal Parts, and the Authors 
 of Life j but never confidered nor thought of that 
 invifible Power and Godhead, which was neceflary 
 to produce fuch aftonifhing Beings ; therefore they 
 did not admire or adore the Creator, nor ever lifted 
 their Minds beyond what was material and vifible. 
 
 Praf ''l % ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^*^"^' ^^^^ ^^^" Porphyry owned, the Hea- 
 c. 4. thens never once dreamed of any incorporeal Na- 
 ture or invifible Power to be the Former of the 
 World ; and that the early Egyptians, Phaniciansy 
 doret Sei- ^^^ Greeks had no other Gods but Heaven, and the 
 3. p. 42. Heavenly Bodies, Plato, Diodorus Siculus^ and Plu- 
 tarch abundantly teftify. In this confifted the great 
 original Difference between the true and falfe Reli- 
 Akxand S'^^j ^^^^ ^^^* ^^^ Heathens owned Man to be 
 Admonit. formed for the Contemplation of Heaven, yet they 
 p. 42. adored only what was vifible in Heaven, worfhipped 
 the Univerfe without enquiring for its Creator, and 
 held the Sun as God, without confidering or know- 
 ing the Framer of it. 
 
 Ver. 2 1 . Becaufe that when they knew C^^, who had 
 fufficiently manifefted himfelf, they glorified him not as 
 God, either in the Suitablenefs of their Notions, or 
 Purity of their Worfhip. Neither were they thank- 
 ful for the many BlefTings received, efpecially their 
 Attainments in Knowledge, which they attributed 
 to their own Sagacity and Wifdom, and by not at- 
 tending to what had been revealed, became vain in 
 their Imaginations, c/^iaXoyjo-iUoTr, philofophical Dif- 
 courfes and Reafonings, which conftantly led them 
 into Error, and could never find out or explain 
 one Truth ; but in trufting to their Reafon, they 
 difputed themfelves out of the Knowledge of Di- 
 vine Things, and their foolijh Heart was darkned, 
 
 had 
 
Revelation, net from Reafon or Nature, 221 
 
 had fo far extinguifhed the Light which God had 
 given them, as not to be able to comprehend thofe 
 diftinguifhing Perfedlions by which he had revealed 
 himfelf ; but placed Nature, or a monftrous Plura- 
 lity, in his ftead j that like the Eyes of the Blind, 
 they could not fee theSunfhiningin its fullftrength, 
 but the very Light which enables us to diicern Ob- 
 je(5ls, dazzled them the more. 
 
 Ver. 22. Thus prof effing themfelves to he wifcy in un- 
 derftanding the abftrufeit Myfteries, whether of the 
 Nature of God, or the Caufes of Things, they became 
 Foolsy by giving fb abfurd and falfe an Explication 
 of them. For the Proficiency tl^y had made in 
 human Sciences, made tiiem daring to explain divine 
 ones, and by depending on Reafon for their Guide, 
 fell into horrid Corruptions of Truth, and the moft 
 deteftable Idolatries. The Wifdom of the World 
 was entirely confined to fenfible things, attributed all 
 Excellencies to Body or Matter, and affirmed, thac 
 befides that there was nothing, whether it be called ViJ.Orig. 
 invifibleor incorporeal. All their fiditious Deities^'^^'^-^^^' 
 were Parts of the Creation; and there cannot be^^'^' 
 greater Ignorance or Madnefs than to adore fuch in- 
 ftead of God, the Creator and Caufe of all things rd. L. 6, 
 vifible and invifible. This is the Charge the Apoftkp- 32»- 
 has been drawing up againft them, that notwith- 
 ftanding the Means of Knowledge God had afford- 
 ed, they were converfant only Trf^t ra. ciyd.\ixa.ra, ij_ l. -, 
 ^ ra. {VpLijutara, k^ tt?^ ra d\ixiiifyri\xara. ra ©si', p. 255. 
 about Images and Statues^ and the JVorks of God, biU 
 did not lift up their Mind to God. 
 
 Ver. 23. For they changed the Glory of the unccr- 
 ruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible- 
 Men, and to Birds, and four- footed Beofis, and creep- 
 ing ^Things, Now to change is to put one thing for 
 another, and fo they did with God ; they excluded 
 him from his Place, and attributed his Glory, his 
 Superemincnce and Power to material Beings, the 
 
 Uni- 
 
222 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Univerfe as the firft God, and to all its Parts, even 
 tlie vilclt Reptiles, as Portions of that God. This 
 was their Guilt, and thus to err from the Truth, 
 was the higheft Unreafonablenefs and Folly -, not on- 
 ly in fuppofing fuch dcfpicable Things to be pro- 
 per Reprelentatives of the unfullied Splendours of 
 Theodo- the Deity ; but alfo in blafpheming that holy Name, 
 xet, Strm. ^j^^ch they ftill retained, and had once been taught 
 Origeif' ^o reverence; by applying it to, and calhng ftupid 
 contra Idols of their own making, their Gods and Savi- 
 Cell. L 3. ours. Taxcov ra? eiKova? ^ty? )L crwr^pa? wvo/xa- 
 *^ ^' crav. 
 
 Ver. 25. IVho changed the Truth of God into a 
 Lye, in the ftead of his eternal unchangeable Nature, 
 they placed an Idol, a Falfhood, a Vanity, a No- 
 thing. It is true there is a God, it is a Lye that 
 Nature which they worlhipped is God. It is true that 
 God is to be worfhipped, it is a Lye to give this 
 divine Honour to a Creature. It was impolTible that 
 a Creature fhould be God •, but this Truth they con- 
 verted into a Lye, by giving Adoration to it, and 
 leaking that God, which was not fo : For they wor- 
 Jhipped andferved the Creature, rrj xl/o-et, which may 
 be alfo rendered. The Creation, orUniverfe^ to which 
 in the earlieft Ages Divine Adorations were paid, 
 more than the Creator, who is blejfed for ever ; and 
 every Creature is temporary, and has no Blefllngs 
 but from him. Hereby they changed theTruth of the 
 Divine Nature into a Falfhood, by invoking Statues 
 Orig.con ^nd Creatures as Gods, 01 rcX^ d'\>\)-)(^oi7 ai? (b»«(S) tt^?- 
 
 TT^^o-xuvbvltr, and thereby violated and altered all the 
 Peculiarities of the Godhead. 
 
 Ver. 28. The Apoflle then fhews them the mo- 
 ral Guilt of their Apoftafy, ver. 28. That they did 
 not like to retain God in their Knowlidge. They had 
 known him, and might have retained him, but they 
 liked it not, nor would attend to what was re- 
 vealed : 
 
Revelation y not from "Reafon or Nature, 223 
 
 vealed : But they chofe rather to depend on their own 
 corrupted Reafon and Imaginations, to guide them 
 in and to thefe fupernatural Truths ; and by that 
 means quickly loll Sight, and all right Under- 
 ftanding of the Divine Perfedlions, and that Prac- 
 tical Obedience which was congruous to them. This 
 was an A(5t of their Judgment and Will, they re- 
 jedted God in their Minds ; and for this Caufe he 
 judicially reje<5led them, left them to themfclves, 
 gave them over to a reprobate Mind, and the Guidance 
 of their own vain Wildom, which they had placed 
 in the Throne of God. But it was aVoxt/jtov, per- 
 verfe, and contrary to right Reafon, and ibon hur- 
 ried them into Idolatry and Brutality, to do thofe 
 things which are not convenient, and notwithftand- 
 ing all their boafted Morality, to commit and 
 approve the moft prodigious Immoralities, and 
 filthy Impurities ; many of which the Apoflle enu- 
 merates, efpecially thole of Uncleannefs, vile Af- 
 fedtions, and difhonouring their own Bodies between 
 themfelves, to which the Philofophers were incre- 
 dibly addidted. ^i fe fapientes nominant, volutando 
 fe cum pueris in modum nef avium, mafculi in mafculos Orig. cent. 
 patrantes turpitudinem. Which Chryfo/lome on this Celf. L. 7, 
 Place obferves, was not only permitted by the^*^ 5' 
 wifeft Nation in the World, the Athenians, but by 
 Solon, the greateft among them ; nor pradlifed by 
 the Vulgar only, but by the mofl divine Socratesy 
 Plato, Xenophon, Cebes and others, as Ihall be fhewed 
 in its proper Place. 
 
 From the whole it is oblervable, that the Apoftle 
 charges them with Ingratitude, or not making a 
 fuitable Return for Aids received, in not glorifying 
 God according to the Knowledge they had of him, and 
 which might have carried them tojufter Apprehen- 
 fions. That they did not fo, was no Fault in God, 
 who had revealed his Exiftence, and manifefted his 
 perfections to themj nor of Nature which exhibited 
 
 fo 
 
 r:kt. 
 
224 ^^^ Kno'wkdge -of Divine Tubings from 
 
 fo many Wonders, in Power, Wifdom, Beauty and 
 Order, which vaftly tranfcend the Mind of Man, 
 the higheft Work of God in this World, and 
 fhould therefore have direfted them to its mod om- 
 nipotent Architeft the Creator of Man, and Ruler 
 of the Univerfe ; yet they either wilfully fhut their 
 Eyes and flopped their Ears againft thefe loud and 
 clear Declarations ; or, if they did attend to them, 
 it was only to debafe and difguife the Truth, by 
 mixing fo many Fallhoods and wicked Delufions 
 with it, that they were carried about with their own Su- 
 perftition, as with the raging Waves of the Sea, perpe- 
 tually fluctuating in Doubt, Ignorance and Error, giv- 
 ing the divineWorfhip of the only God to dead Men, 
 or the feveral Parts of Nature ; which Stubborn- 
 nefs and Ingratitude rendred them totally inexcufa- 
 ble, in being thus ignorant of God, whom they 
 had fufficient Means of knowing, and proftituting 
 his Honour to the vilefl and moft lenfelefs Idolatries. 
 
 And then the Apoflle juftifies the Dealings of 
 God with Men : they rejeded the Knowledge of 
 God, his Manifeftations, and all the Means he of- 
 fered; and therefore, as Punifhment ought to 
 bear proportion with Guilt, he in Judgment 
 relinquilhed them; after which judicial Derelidtion, 
 they became Slaves to their own Lufts and vile Af- 
 feftions ; all their Reafon, their Wifdom and Phi- 
 lofophy,when deftitute of Divine Aid, proved blind, 
 reprobate, andcurfed. 
 
 Nor was there a fingle Heathen, who confeflcd a 
 Deity, exempt from this Crimination of holding the 
 Truth in Unrighteoufnefs. Sins againft Knowledge 
 are of the deepeft Dye ; and if Socrates or Plato 
 knew (as fome conceit) the true God, it was 
 an Aggravation of their Crime; they were the 
 guikieft of Men, to join in the Superftition of the 
 Age, hold Communion with Demons and Devils, 
 or extend the fame Honours equally to them and 
 
 the 
 
Revelation, notfroth'ReaJonorNdtuti, 225 
 
 the Supreme Being. Surely they were ignorant of 
 the firfl: Thing which ought to be known. That 
 Piety, Worfliip, and Sacrifice are due to him only j 
 That no blcfled or immortal Being befides him is 
 capable of Adoration : Yet no Man adores what 
 he does not efteem as God, and to adore a falfe 
 God, is blafphemoufly to violate the Nature of the 
 true one. Had they known God, they would have 
 glorified him as fuch, and not joined in a Communion 
 fo irrational, its Myfteries fo ab^^ninable, its Rites 
 and Ceremonies fo unbecominj^ and impious, that 
 they could only proceed from the Suggeftions of the 
 Devil : The whole of their Religion was from him, 
 none but fb bad a Mafter being capable of teaching, 
 or being pleafed with it : Had they known God, 
 they would not have been the Authors of Sin to 
 others, by their Inftru6tion, or Example to the 
 Multitude, nor bafely out of Fear connived at 
 ellabliflied Impieties ; but have boldly confelTed that 
 the blefled Immortals above, and we wretched Mor- 
 tals upon Earth, are bound to the Adoration of 
 one only, the God of Gods. 
 
 The fame Method of Argumentation appears in 
 all St. Paul*s Difcourfes with the Gentiles. He does 
 not go about to prove the Exigence of a Deity, 
 becaufe that was a Point confefled \ and confequently 
 does not tell them, they might come to the Knowledge 
 of it, by confidering the Greatnefs ofGod's Works, 
 or by any other Method : But he conftantly infers, • 
 that, by thcfe Means, they who acknowledged his 
 Exiftence, might have learned to worlhip him as 
 God, and be thankful. That the I^eavens and the 
 Earth, the Variety of Seafons j and the numberlefs 
 Blcffings we enjoy, arc clear Tefli monies of his 
 Majefty, Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs : That no 
 other can be the Objed of Religious Adoration, 
 and that to place it elfewhere is ingratitude and 
 Idolatry. 
 
 Q^ This 
 
226 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 This was the End of his Reafoning with the 
 People of Lyjira, who were fo far from Atheifm 
 that they believed the Apoftles to be Gods come 
 down to them in the Likenefs of Men, and would 
 have facrificed to them as fuch -, and confequent- 
 ly wanted no Information to believe their ExiA 
 tence, or that Worlhip was due to them: But 
 of the true God, and that Service which would 
 be acceptable to him, they were totally igno- 
 rant. 
 
 The Subftancc therefore of his Preaching was, 
 that theyjhould turn from thefe Canities, the giving 
 Divine Honours to mere Creatures, unto the living 
 God^ not to dumb Idols, or to dead Men, whom 
 they had confecrated, and imagined to be of the fame 
 corporeal Shape with themfelves ; but to that eternal 
 Firft Caufe which made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, 
 and all 'Things that are therein, the wonderful Glories 
 of which declare the Wifdom and Omnipotence of 
 him that formed them : And though his Nature 
 be invifiblc. Never thelefs he left not himfelf without 
 Witnefs, in that he did good, and gave us Rain from 
 Heaven, and fruitful Seajbns, filling our Hearts with 
 food and gladnefs : Which Inftances of his Bounty 
 fhould dilpofe us to give Thanks to him alone, 
 who is the Author and Giver of every Bleffing. 
 
 So that in St. Paul*& Senle the Book of Nature 
 did not reveal God ; but was a noble Teftimony to 
 the Revelation when made ; and proved the Ne- 
 ceflity of thofe Divine Pcrfedtions Mankind had 
 been inftru(5led in, though they remained invifi- 
 ble. But as Rain falling on the Defert does not 
 render it fruitful, no more did the Means of 
 Knowledge reached out to the World, ferve to im- 
 prove them in that true Wifdom, for which they 
 were intended. 
 
 They knew there was a Deity, and the behold- 
 ing the Power, Wifdom, and Goodnels of an In- 
 finite 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 227 
 
 finite invifible Being, fhining from the whole Uni- 
 verfe, iliouJd have dilpelled the Darknefs of their 
 Minds, and led them to a ConfefTion and Know- 
 ledge of him. But inftead of raifing their Con- 
 ceptions from the vifible Wonders of Nature, to an 
 Acknowledgment of the invifible Glory and Per- 
 fedbion of the great Author of them \ they flopped 
 ihort, and could not diftinguifli between the Power 
 and Virtue which was from God, and that which is 
 in God. But from obferving the Order and 
 Harmony of Nature, they concluded that Nature 
 was God ; and thence began to pay Divine Wor- 
 fhip to its feveral Parts, though infenfible, as Gods. 
 This was the Error, he would turn them from : 
 And though in 'Times paji God fuffered all Nations 
 to walk in their own JVays, ver. 16. yet if (or the 
 future they did not ferve the living God, and him 
 only, they would be without excufe. 
 
 There is another famous Pallage of St. Paid^ ^o 
 conftantly appealed to, in the Queftion before us, 
 that it muft be particularly examined •, I mean his 
 Sermon at Athens, in A£Js xvii. And tiie better 
 to know the Force of the Apoftle's Arguments, 
 we mufb obferve againft whom he particularly op- 
 poles them, viz. the Epicure-ans and Sloicks, two of 
 the moll prevailing Sefts of Philolbphers in the 
 "World, ahd their Doflrines mod oppofite to Truth, 
 the Nature of God, and the Intent of the Gof- 
 pel. 
 
 Antipater in Plutarch, gives a fummary but jull 
 Charader of them, 6 jixsv '^' ^ coTroi/iTjjtov, 6 <!% tc ^^"'^- ^e- 
 a.'(|)9agTov a(poap«ro« rwv ©fouv, Theme took a'way^^';,'^' 
 the Goodnefs, the other the Eternity of the Gods. ^'" 
 The firft denied a Providence, that the World was 
 made by God, or that there was any Govern- 
 ment of it, but by Chance and Fortune, and taught 
 that the Gods were of human Shape. The prher 
 held all things fubjecl to Fate, that the World was 
 
 0^2 a 
 
228 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 a God, that Matter was eternal, and the Gods 
 Vid. Orig. corporeal and corruptible, (p^^apTol, that their Bodies 
 cont. Cell ^.^j.^ ^ Subftance mutable, alterable, and changeable 
 ' ' into every thing. And that thefe Bodies were in the 
 Likcnefs of Men, v/as the conftant Opinion of Egypt 
 and Greece, through all the Ages of Idolatry. And 
 Nat. D.l. OVi?r^ enquiring into the Form of the Gods, makes 
 i.n.34, j/giigjj^s alTign this as a Reafon for it, becaufe they 
 never appeared otherwife. Nature, fays he, teaches 
 us, that they are of human Shape, feeing all Na- 
 tions reprefent them in that Form, nor do they 
 occur to any Man deeping or waking in any other 
 Shape : and therefore the Apoftle enforces this 
 Truth, ver. 29. Thai we ought not to think that the 
 Godhead is like to Gold or Silver, or Stone, graven 
 by Art and MarCs Device. 
 
 But another great and fundamental Error of 
 Paganifm, which the Apoftle here oppofes, and 
 what had proved the ftrongeft Foundation to Ido- 
 latry, was, that God neither did nor could 'create 
 the World ; which at once ftripped the Deity of 
 ills moft glorious Perfedions, and at the fame time 
 (hews the Vanity of that Argument, that Reafon 
 can difcover God in and by his Works. Where- 
 as not a Perfon in the World ever fo much as 
 dreamed of a Creator, and therefore Creation could 
 never lead us to him. Diodorus Siculus, when he 
 Eufeb it'i^i^ up ^he Opiniohs concerning the Origin of 
 Pr«p.'l. I. the' World, never gives a hint of fuch an Artificer, 
 c. 8. neither mentions, nor thought of the Name of 
 ... . God. Porphyry, who may be allowed as an im- 
 ^ .' ^" partial Witnefs in this Cafe, affirms the fame. That 
 "it had never entered into the Mind of any Man, 
 that an incorporeal Nature (hould be the Former of 
 Id. 1. 7. the World. And Eufebius appeals to the Heathens, 
 ^- 3- when he declares, '' That no Nation of the World, 
 " the Jews excepted, did look upon God as the 
 " Creator of the Univerfe.** There was not one 
 
 Philofopher 
 
Revelation^ not from "Reafon or Nature. 229 
 
 Philofbphcr who believed that God made it, but 
 either that it was eternal, or its Matter coeval with 
 God ; or that the Univerfe, the to xaV, was the 
 Supreme God, before which nothing exifted. The 
 Stoicks efpecially maintained the -ra oXov, to be the 
 firfl TT^iiroy, and principal God : Which indeed was 
 the Catholick Faith of Paganifm. 
 
 This is the Reafon why the Scriptures diftin- 
 guifii the true God from falfe ones, by the Power of 
 Creation, more than any otherAttribute, as contain- 
 ing fuch various Proofs of the divine Exiftence and 
 Perfections. To this Mofes and the Prophets every 
 where appeal, and David thus charadlerifes him, 
 Pfal. xcvi. 5. All the Gods of the Nations are Idols ^ hut 
 the Lord made the Heavens. This St. Paul every 
 where infills upon as the fulleft Evidence he could 
 bring againft the Heathens, who fo facrilegioufly 
 robbed God of his very EfTcnce, his Power and 
 Godhead, Rom. i. 20. To the Men of Lyjira he 
 gives this Defcription of the Living God, A^s xiv. 
 15. that he made Heaven and Earthy Sec. and here to 
 the Athenians ^vtr. 23. The unknown God whom he 
 preached and declared to them,was no other than this 
 fame God, that made the Worlds and all things therein. 
 
 So both Jews and Chriftians, in Oppofition to 
 Heathenifm, always defined God by this Preroga- 
 tive, in fuch like Forms, f oXcov ©sov, the God of all q^-^^^^^^^ 
 things. And sc^tv aiXKo a-ijiayrJ^H r Ittj -nac-i Ojov,Cc11. 
 0? i7roiYi<Ti T »^.voy, Kj roi XcittcI iroivrci., the Chrifi-^d. J. 5. 
 ans worjhip^ped no other than the God over all^ who'^- ^34* 
 made Heaven, and all other things. And when they 
 would fpeak {q tis not to leave room for any Excep- 
 tion, it was fufficient to fay, ©sov «vai f Ku|0|ioi; q,^^ 
 TravTwv, that God is the hord of all things . This Alex." 
 was a kind of Teft in Religion : The Heathens dif- Scrom. 6. 
 avowed it, and whoever held TrojriT/iv f roiv cXwv[\^^^>- 
 ©£ov, that God was the Maker of all things., was "• ^^^°"^' 
 guilty of Herefy, and flood under the Corrct^tion of '' 
 Arijiotle and the Philolbphers. 
 
 0^5 As 
 
230 The Knowledge of l!>tvine I'hingsfrom 
 
 As therefore the Apoftle*s Intent was to turn his 
 Hearers to the Knowledge and Service of the Liv- 
 ing God j in order to this it was neceflary to con- 
 vince them of his Supereminence above others : 
 And no Argument could carry a fuller Conviction 
 of this Truth than what he offers. The Applica- 
 tion to them was, Obferve the Difference between 
 theie Deities ; youconfefs your Gods unable to create 
 the World, and you hold either that, or the Matter 
 whereof it is compofed, to be Eternal, and worihip 
 the Heavenly Bodies, or Corporeal Deities, or dead 
 Idols, the Work of Mens Hands. 
 
 We teach and believe in one living God, fpiritual 
 in his Nature, fupreme in his Dignity, who by his 
 Power made the Heavens and the Earth, and all 
 things therein, who governs the whole by a wife 
 fteady Providence, gives Life to every Being, and is 
 the Author of every BlefTing. The Greatnefs and 
 Order of thefe Works which you behold, are the 
 noblefl Atteftations of thofe infinite Perfedions we 
 afcribe to him, in Power, Wifdom, Invifibility, ^^ . 
 He that made all things, mud be himfelf unmade, 
 felf-exifting j he that created the World, mufl be 
 omnipotent ; he that contrived and governs it, 
 infinite in Wifdom and Goodnefs, (^c. Thefe 
 render him the only proper Objed: of Adoration ; 
 and it is reafonable for us to give it, that we may 
 thereby obtain his Grice and Favour, under whofe 
 Protection and Difpofal we are. 
 
 But the Apoftle had juft Reafon to oppofc 
 thefe prevailing Seds on rnany other Accounts ; for 
 they were of all others the greateft Eriemies to Chri- 
 ftianity, which taught Men to attain true Beatitude 
 thro* the Afliftance of Divine Grace, and the Medi- 
 ation of an all-fufficient Redeemer. Whereas the 
 Stoicks prefumptuoufiy boafled, that Man by his 
 own Virtue (though they deftroyed all Virtue in 
 denying the Ereedom of Will and Liberty of 
 
 Choice) 
 
Revelatiorty not from Reafon or Nature. 231 
 
 Choice) could attain Happinefs : That their wile 
 Men came no way fhort oi Jupiter : That they owed 
 nothing to God for their Wifdom; nor could Jupi- 
 ter do more than a good Man. Such were their Gale. pt. 
 proud fwelling Words ; they made their own Virtue 2. 433. ' 
 their God, which was tlie moft curfed Piece of Car- J- 4- c. 5. 
 nal-Mindednefs and Idolatry. And from thispoi-,, 
 fonous Root of fpiritual Pride, Pelagianifm fprang --.^ 
 up in After-ages. 
 
 So of the Epicureans : They took from the im- 
 mortal Gods both Afllftance and Grace. Diis im- N'at. D. 
 mortaltbus (^ opem (^ gratiam fuftulit^ fays OV<?r<9 i ' '•^* 43- 
 and whilft they affirmed the Nature of God to be 
 moft excellent, denied to him what muft be eflen- 
 tial to the befl and moft excellent Nature. They 
 denied a Providence, affirmed the World was not 
 made by God ; that in this Life there was no Good, 
 but what was fenfible j that the Soul was not immor- 
 tal ; and that after Death there were neither Re- 
 wards nor Punilhments. Such a Blafphemy of God, 
 fuch a Deftrudion of all Religion, fo debauched 
 and vain were thefc Sedls of Philofophy, as if they 
 endeavoured to eradicate all Fear and Reverence, Gale. lb. 
 nay the very Notion of a Supreme Being out of the 446, 447. 
 World J that it is no wonder the Apoftle encoun- 
 ters them in an efpecial Manner. 
 
 And fo fuperftitioufly mad was the whole World, 
 that there were more Gods than Men in it : Tho* 
 they worftiipped all kinds of Creatures as Gods, 
 the Beafts in the Field, the Fifties in the Sea, the 
 Birds in the Air, and the Plants in the Garden ; yet, 
 left they ftiould mifsfome one or other, they erefted 
 Altars to the Unknown God^ and Gods. From this par- 
 ticular Superftition, St. Paul takes an opportunity 
 to inftrudt the Athenians in the Nature of the true 
 God, who feemed the only one unknown to them. 
 
 Ver. 22. / perceive^ fays he, that in all things ye 
 arc too fuperjiitious^ more addided to the Worftiip 
 
 0.4 ot' 
 
232 The Knowledge of Droine Things from 
 
 of Gods or Demons, than other Cities. For as I 
 faffed by ^ and beheld your Devotions^ your Worlhip, 
 or Deities, your Idols or Daemons, which they called 
 Gods, tor lb the Word a'i^aaixct fignifies, not the 
 V/orfliip itfelf, but that which is worftiipped, and 
 is fo uled by the Author of the Book of IVifdom^ 
 -xiv. 20. who mentioning the Carving of Idols, 
 fays, they took hitfi now for a-i^ac-fjia, a God. St. 
 Patilj 2 ^hejf. ii. 4. S^ecv r^ crsi3ao-jua, God^ or any thing 
 that is worJJjippedy not the Worlhip. Among which 
 falfe Deities, / found an Altar with this Infcription, 
 To the Unknown God^ a God not yet come to their 
 Knowledge ; Whom therefore you ignorant ly worfhip, 
 "Oi'tfet^-ttyvoavTtf, not knowing what he is, him declare I 
 vo^vri< unto you, and reftore the venerable Name to God 
 lij<Ti^el7i- tha^t made the World and all the things therein, 
 hitherto unknown amongft you, feeing that he is 
 Lord of Heaven and Earth, and dwelleth not in Temples 
 made with Hands ; for he that is infinite in Power, 
 ^nd immenfe in his Nature, cannot be confined in 
 Temples, or Statues, or Shrines, as the Heathens 
 thought their Gods were, like Birds in a Cage, by 
 a kind of magicl Confccration : Neither is worfhip- 
 ped with Mens Hands., by Images, or other Repre- 
 fentations of human Make, as tho* he needed any things 
 feeing he giveth to all Life and Breath., and all things ; 
 ^nd therefore can want nothing from them who re- 
 ceive all things from him. 
 
 Ver. 26. And hath made of one Blood, from Adam 
 and Noah., all Nations of Men to dwell on all the 
 Face of the Earth, and bath determimd the Times bet 
 ^ fore appointed, and the Bounds of their Habitation. 
 
 By the Counfel of his own Wifdom he hath difpofed 
 and upheld the Race of Men in Times and Sealons, 
 in their feveral Bounds and PoflelFions, not by any 
 rigid Fate, as the Stoicks held, but by an unerring, 
 juft and bountiful Providence. And thence per- 
 fuades them, 
 
 Ver, 
 
Revelation^ not from Reajon or 'Nature. 233 
 
 Ver. 27. T^hat they fhouldfeek the Lord, this God 
 that made the World, if haply, by chance, as Men 
 blind, or in the dark grope after things, they might 
 feel after him, and find him, which therefore, after all 
 their painful Searches after Wifdom, they had not 
 hitherto done -, though the Manifeftations of him, 
 in the Effe6ts of his Prefence and Power, are not re- 
 mote from our Obfervations *, though {■na'.rci^ qimm- 
 quam, quia, becaufe) he be not far from every one of 
 us ', for in him ive live, and move, and have our Being \ 
 it being eflential to a Creature as fuch, to have its 
 whole Dependence upon God. 
 
 As certain alfo of your own Poets have faid^ For we 
 elfo are his Offspring, of Jehovah the Unknown 
 God ; not Jove, to whom Aratus the Poet igno- 
 rantly attributed the Government of the World. 
 And if Man, the principal Work of the lower Cre- 
 ation, be of God's forming, the Apoftle's Conclu- 
 fion muft neceflarily follow. That we ought not to 
 think that the Godhead is like unto Gold or Silver, or 
 Stone graven by Man's Art or Device : It being unrea- 
 Ibnable tq think the Artificer is not more excellent 
 than what he forms : And for the fame reafon, that 
 the Gods are in the Ihape of Men, who are fo far re- 
 moved from, and inferior to Divinity ; and above 
 all, it is moft irrational for Man, the Offspring of 
 God, to worlhip an Idol of his own making, for 
 and inftead of God. 
 
 From the whole we may infer, that the wifer of 
 theie blind Grecians knew there was a God, but what 
 or who he was, they never knew ; nor where to find, 
 nor what to make of him ; but thought him either 
 Saturn, or Jupiter, or the Sun, or any thing but 
 what he really was : Nor with all their natural or 
 acquired Wifdom could they attain any right Idea or 
 Notion of God, what he was, or where to be 
 found. 
 
 And 
 
234 ^^^ Knowledge of Divine Things front 
 
 And if at Athens, the Eye of the World, the 
 Miftrefs of Learning, the School of Wifdom and 
 of Nature, they were totally ignorant of the true 
 God, it cannot be expeded that other Nations 
 fhould be acquainted with him ; nor that the Light 
 of Nature, Philofophy, or the Difquifitions of the 
 moft elevated Minds, fhould be fufficient for thefe 
 things i if God was unknown to them, who were 
 moft capable (without a divine Aid) of knowing 
 him, yet they continued blind, and groping in the 
 dark to no purpofe. 
 „ , This has brought fuch Difficulties on fome mo* 
 
 Relig dern Schemes, that they who undertake the Defence 
 Gentil. c. of Paganifm, and muft not allow them to be igno- 
 13.P.267. i^nt of the true God ; becaufe if they did, their 
 whole Syftem, calculated to oppofe Revelation, 
 would fall to the Ground \ cannot help ftumbling 
 at this Objedion, and grant that the Heathens had 
 but very lame and imperfed Nodons of the Supreme 
 God : That the Rays of the Divinity were inter* 
 Id. 269. cepted by a dark Cloud, and the Minds of Men in- 
 volved in a profound Ignorance ; yet being inftruc- 
 ted by the Book of Nature, they arrived to the 
 Knowledge of the Supreme God, but not the God 
 of the Jews, becaufe he was unknown to them, and 
 it would be a little ftrain'd to fuppofe this unknown 
 Deity to be the God of Ifrael, Such lame and im-- 
 perfeift Notions of a God very well indeed correfpond 
 with an unknown God ; and the true God was al- 
 ways jytus imertus. But why fhould we fuppofe 
 St. Paul preached two Supreme Beings, one to the 
 Gentiles, another to the Jews ? He had been 
 taught to believe one only, the Creator of Heaven 
 and Earth •, and by this Charafter he diflinguifhes 
 him to the Athenians. He is teaching them to re- 
 ceive the God of the Jews, but as manifefled under 
 the Gofpel through Jefus Chrift : Becaufe he hatb 
 appointed a Day in which he voill judge the World voitb 
 
 Righte- 
 
Re'velation, not from Re a/on or Nature. 235 
 
 Righteoufnefs by that Man whom be hath ordained : 
 Whereof he hath given Ajjurance to all Men^ Gen- 
 tiles as well as Jews, in that he hath raifed him from 
 the dead. They had not a Deity, but what was a 
 (f^aifj-o^v^ and from this 'Aic-ufctiiJiovla, Sttperflition to- 
 wards Demons^ he endeavours to convert them, and 
 for their Encouragement adds, Ver. 30. The Times 
 of this Ignorance (of him and his Worfhip) God 
 winked at. ' 
 
 There are indeed Men of great Learning, who tr /r j j 1 
 conclude, that the Apoftle here plainly confelles their i_ ,. c. 2! 
 worfhipping of the true God. But how does the 
 Argument ftand ? He was unknown to them, 
 therefore they knew him. They worfhipped him 
 ignorantly, without knowing whom or how to do 
 it ; therefore they worfhipped the true God , And 
 thus by the Light of Nature difcovered, they knew 
 not what, that is, nothing at all, an ignorant Wor- 
 Ihip for an unknown God ; they found in the dark 
 what they never fiw or felt : And thus Knowledge 
 and Ignorance are the felf-fame thing. 
 
 But the Apoftle's Intention is evident : The Altar 
 confefled their Worfliip of an unknown God, 
 which was the Excefs of Ignorance and Superfti- 
 tion -, but whence they might be convinced, that a 
 God unknown to them or their Fathers, might 
 yet be a God to be worfhipped. He lays hold on 
 this Occafion, to declare what God was unknown 
 to them, and perfuade them to worfhip him only, 
 viz. The God that made the World and all Things 
 therein, which was a Deity, that neither Egypt nor 
 Athens before that time had ever heard of: And this 
 was no more than what St. PW every where repeats 
 and affirms, that sx, syvw v.o<jixog^ he was a God 
 whom the fVorld did not know, i Cor. i. 2 1 . And 
 to the Galatians iv. 8. «/t ^J^bm @jov, that they 
 knew not God, &c. which are a plain Comment on 
 
 the 
 
236 ^he Know/edge of Divine Things from 
 
 Vid.Ham- the unknown God of the Athenians, and the Truth 
 inond of ^3^ theykncwnot the true God of Heaven. 
 Superibti- Thoush if ever the Greeks came near the true 
 
 or vol I. o 
 
 p. 245. Knowledge and Name of the Supreme God, it was 
 under that of Zeus Sabazius, the moft rational Deriva- 
 tion of which, is from the HehreKS) Ifehaoth, orSabaothy 
 the Lord of Hofts : Which ho^twtr jlrijiophanes took 
 notice of as a {Irange and foreign God, lately crept 
 in amongft th«m, and who ought to be banilhed 
 out of Greece. 
 
 But what may properly be inferred from this 
 PaflTage, in behalf of Natural Religion, we may 
 iafely take from one who was willing and (if ever 
 any were) able, to eftablifh it on a fure and fblid 
 Foundation •, the great Dr. Clarke in a Difcourfe on 
 Vol. 2. ^.j^gj^g ^gj.y ^ords ; " Athens, fays he, was at that 
 p^'^Tj?^^ " time the Scat of Learning in Greece, the great 
 " Refort of Philofophers of all Seds, and of the 
 '* ableft and moll accomplilhed Men in every part 
 " of Literature. Whatever the Light of Nature 
 " or Reafon, affified with all the Helps of acqui- 
 " red Learning, could poflibly difcover concerning 
 " the Nature of God and of true Religion, might 
 " naturally have been expedled to be met with 
 " here. Here, if in any part of the World, it 
 '^ was reafonable to imagine, might have been 
 " found Numbers of Men free from the Conragi- 
 " on of thofe grofs Superflitions and abfurd Idola- 
 *' trips, which had overfpread the ignorant and 
 " unlearned World. But on the contrary, in fad, 
 " it appears from this Hiftory of St. Paul, and 
 " from the agreeing Account, which all other an- 
 " cient Writers give us of this Matter; that this 
 " School of Reafon and Philofophy, this eminent 
 ♦' Seat of Learning, was it felf as deeply overwhelm- 
 '* ed, and buried in Supeiftition and Jdolatry, as 
 ** ^ny other Part of the lefs learned World. The 
 ** pbvious Inference from which Obfervation, is, 
 
 *' the 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 237 
 
 *' the Ufefulnels and Necefiity of Revelation : For 
 " how true foever it be (as mod true and certain 
 *' it is) that the Principles of true Religion are per- 
 *' fedlly agreeable to Nature and Realon, and may 
 ** even demonftrably be deduced from thence by 
 " irrefiftiblc Arguments ; yet fo it was, that few 
 ** or none of thefe moil learned Philofophers, ei- 
 ** ther themfelves faw and traced this Light of 
 " Reafon and Truth, or dared to difcover and re- 
 " commend it to others. From whence it evi- 
 '* dendy appears, that thoie right Notions concern- 
 " ing God and the natural Obligations of Religi- 
 ** on, which are now (o plain and obvious in Rea- 
 ** fon, that they are urged by many as an Argu- 
 ** ment againft the Needfulneis of any Revelation 
 " at all, are themfelves generally borrowed from the 
 '* Light of Revelation, even by thofe who uie 
 *' them as an Argument againft it." 
 
 Can any thing more abundantly prove the In- 
 fufficiency of Reafon, notwithftanding all the ex- 
 ternal Aids of the Book of Nature, and the Fit- 
 nefs of things ? And when we find thefe great 
 Defenders and Ornaments of Reafon, making fuch 
 Retreats as are utterly inconfiftent with the boafted 
 Powers of it ; will it not juftify others in en- 
 deavouring to fatisfy dieir Minds, and account 
 for thefe Truths by different Means of Know- 
 ledge, wherein there may be no Darkneis or Per- . 
 plexity, but fomething obvious, rational, and cer- 
 tain ? 
 
 But there arc feveral Paflages in this Sermon 
 that defervc a more particular Confideration, as be- 
 ing conftantly ufed to Ihew how far human Learn- 
 ing can teach any Place or People the Divine 
 Truths of God. Athens had been long the Seat of 
 Wifdom, where it had been carried to its higheft 
 Elevation, and was for many Ages looked upon 
 %s the School of Learning and Relision for the reft 
 
 of 
 
2 3 S The Knowledge of Divine l^hings from 
 
 of the World. Whence fuch pompous Epithets 
 Vid. were given to it by Euripides^ EwdiJKQ^ EXXar, the 
 Athen. (^jrefcf of Greece 'y by DiodoruSy Kcjvov 7ravT'x>v a'v- 
 ^ ' S^pcoTT&JV "TTca-fivrripicv ; by TbucydideSi wcucfuvc-i: EX- 
 Juftin. 1 r. ^ac?'^©' i by Straboy co^^St)) oi-nfrrifio-j ', and by the 
 c. 8. Sparfans, one of the Eyes of Greece. 
 
 But as Damon-'W or ih'ip was the Offspring of vain 
 Philofophy and Reafoning, Rom. i. 21. fo wherever 
 thefe flounfhed mofl, there did Idolatry alfo -, human 
 Sciences, and fpiritual Biindnefs growing up equal- 
 ly together, which was the State of Athens ^ and 
 what raifed the Apoftle's Indignation, Ver. i 6. when 
 hefaw the City wholly given to Idolatry, xaT«'c/^oi>Xov, 
 full of Idols and Altars. The Idol was an Objeft 
 of Adoration ; and the Altar, a Witnefs that 
 what it was eredted to, was a God, and that they 
 took the Idol or Statue for a God. Ara eft, qua 
 tefiatur^ pre Numine id haberi cut erigitur. Nam illi 
 Auguftin (fcilicet Eihnki) quod Numen kabeant, ^ pro Numim 
 Tom. 10. accipiant illam ftatuaniy ara tefiatur. §^id illic fd- 
 V'H Al ■ ^^^ ^^^^ -^ ^ ^'^^^ haheatur pro Numine^ ^c. And 
 biad.Diod. ^^ -^^hens there were numberlefs Statues of the 
 Sic. 1.13. fame God, as of Mercury. They were in every 
 c- I. Street and Lane, fays Plutarch. 
 Eufeb. pr. The firfl Altar at Athens was built by Cecrops the 
 1. 10. c. 9. Egyptian^ where they fo prodigioufly multiplied, 
 p. 486. that Paufanias who took an accurate Survey of the 
 ^"^<^- Country, fays there were more of thefe «/<mXcc, 
 Images and Altars there, than in all Greece befide ; 
 they were fond of ftrange Gods, yet worfhipped 
 no one without an Image to reprefent him. It 
 Diffcrt. was the Cuftom of the Greeks, fays Maximus TyriuSy 
 38. to worfhip the Gods in the pureft Matter, of hu- 
 
 man Shape, and with the moft exquifite Art. 
 Thele increafed to fo cxcefTive a Number, that 
 Athens was called the Country and Shop of the 
 Gods ; and Xenophon complained that they had 
 made the whole City but one Altar. Cicero calls it, 
 
 Vrbs 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 239 
 
 Urhs fanorum repJeta, a City crammed with Tern- De Rep. 
 pies ; and one in Petronius obferved, our Country is j^'***"- 
 io filled with Deities, that you may eafier find a God Refp'lnf 
 than a Man; and it was truly the Pantheon of thepaufan.* 
 World, having one Temple in common to all the Attic. 
 Gods. 
 
 Hence the Oracle might well call Athens, r^'v^u^n j 
 xoivrjv hicL-i -f EWdd^Q^, the common Altar of 4. c. 6, 
 Greece ; Sophocles lliles it the facred Building of the 
 Gods; as Hegefias did Attica, the Work of the^^''^^°'' 
 Gods and the ancient Heroes. Thefe were the Gods^* ^" '' 
 of Athens ; and its Religion, the Worlhip of them, 
 being wholly given to Idolatry. 
 
 Ver. 18. A Setter forth ofjirange Gods, ^k-mv J^at- 
 /jtovfwv, foreign Demons, to which their itching 
 Ears gave immediate Attention, being above ail 
 others fuperftitioufly difpofed to admit foreign Gods 
 and Worlhip into their own. As Strah notes 
 that their Hofpitality to Strangers extended to the 
 Gods, "aroXXa Toov ^fVDtoJv upcou ■srapsc/^s^avlo, in TC-j^^ jq_ 
 ceiving many ftrange Gods or Worfhips. Their 
 Superitition had not only adopted all the monftrous 
 Fidiions of Antiquity, but they themfelves conti- 
 nually added new ones. 
 
 The Romans on the contrary were unkind to 
 ftrange Gods, and did not receive them but withP'°"?*" 
 Difficulty, that they might be faid, i^Lia-o^ivuv r\ ^^^^'^^ ' 
 ^iKo^ivuv, to be Haters rather than Lovers of 
 them : And Dion Caffius fays, one of the blackeft 
 Crimes of Sardanapalus, was introducing into Ro?ne 
 the Worlhip of Heliegabalus ; and diough he was a 
 foreign God, he revered him more religioufly than ^' ~" ?• 
 any other, fo far as to fet hiei above Jupiter. ^^'' 
 
 But by the Law of Athens no foreign God or 
 Worihip was to be admitted, till approved and li- 
 cenfed by the Areopagus, which had the fble Power 
 in religious Matters ; and according to Dsmojihenes, In Ariflo- 
 noone had ever complained of any unjuft Sentence"*'* 
 
 • given 
 
240 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 given by that Court j yet the fevereft Laws were en- 
 acted at Athens, and every Citizen commanded on 
 Pain of Death to worfhip the Gods and Heroes as the 
 Laws of the City required : And they who obferved 
 not the appointed Ceremonies, were immediately 
 dragged to the Court of Areopagus. The cutting a 
 Twig out of a facred Grove, was a capital Offence ; 
 even a Fool has been condemned for killing one 
 of /Efculapitis*s Sparrows. And a Child acciden- 
 tally taking up a Plate of Gold fallen from Diam^s 
 Crown, was put to Death for Sacrilege. 
 
 From thefe Admiflions arofe the different Titles of 
 the Gods, Palrii, thofe of the Country, and Peregrini, 
 Foreigners or ftrange Gods : There were alfo older 
 Gods, TtraXouoTfcoi, and newer ones, vmn^c: ; the 
 Dii Patrii were commended for the Ancientnefs of 
 their Worfhip ; but the Peregrini were new Gods, 
 in regard they were lately procured or chofen. 
 And at Athens there was a vafl multitude of thefe 
 new flrange Gods, whom they termed, ^svsr or 
 ^fvix.bf ^s»r. Apollophanes the Poet had put toge- 
 ther their Names and Series in his Cretenftbus, as 
 Hefychius teftifies in ^io\ f svjxoi ; and thofe are what 
 Dc Leg. Cicero fays were difquieted by Arifiophanes ; fo that 
 ^' 2- Sahazius, and fome others of them, were by him 
 judged flrange, and had been ejeded out of the 
 City. 
 
 This Court afTembled on the Hill of Mars, be- 
 caufe that God was indided and tried for Murder by 
 a Jury of twelve Gods, but acquitted ; and here were 
 Socrates and others tried for invading Religion, and 
 undervaluing the Gods. 
 
 Ver. 19. Hither was St. P^«/ brought, as a Pub-^ 
 lifher of foreign Gods and Dodlrines, Jefus, and the 
 Refurreftion, to be examined concerning them j 
 though perhaps (as the Proceedings of the Court 
 had been much altered fince the Days o{ Socrates) 
 not as a Criminal but a Benef\(5tor, in having a 
 
 new 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature. 241 
 
 new Worfhip to propofe to a People zealous above Warbur- 
 all others in what they call Religion, as fomchave in-J°" <^ivine 
 genioufly conjedlured. But the other Opinion feems^gf 
 preferable, that he was carried thither, as a Bab- 
 bler, and a Sower of Sedition, and by putting new 
 Notions into Mens Heads, before they had beer\ 
 legally authorized,was a Difturber of the Peace, and 
 had offended the Laws of the State. 
 
 Dr. Bentley, Sermon 2. p. 9, (and with him agrees Annot. 
 Dr. Whitby) lliys, " They too well underftood the 
 " Notion of a Refurre6tion, to worfhip it as a 
 *' Goddefs." But thofe learned Perfons fhould firfc 
 have Ihewn how they came not to underftand the 
 Notion of a Fever, or a Jakes, too well to wor- 
 fhip them for Goddeffes. They knew it, juft as 
 Epimenides did the true God, in eredling an Altar 
 to the unknown one, and at the fame time build- 
 ing Temples to the moft fhameful Vices. 
 
 Ver. 22. He addrefles himfelf in thefe remarka- 
 ble Words, l^e Men of Athens , I perceive that in all 
 things ye are too fnperjiitious, c/leicrii/ai/jiovss-sgys-, more 
 addi(5ted to the Worfhip of Demons, or to the 
 Worfhip of more Demons, than others. Both which 
 Acceptations are true : For Paufanias fays, that they In Atticl 
 did worfhip the Gods more than others. And Jo- ^- ^°"'^- 
 fephus, that all Men fay they are the mod pious of jj^^gj"' 
 all the Grecians : And Sophocles^ that this City goes 
 beyond all in worfliipping and honouring the 
 Gods. 
 
 The Word has fometimes been ufed for Religion 
 in general, but is here put in Oppofition to true 
 Piety. Reltgio veri Dei cultus efi^ fuperjlitio falJi.Lz^znt. 
 *' Their Gods were falfe, and the Worfhip an ido- '• 4- P- 
 *' latrous Superflition." Virgil makes it confifl in'^''^'^ 
 being ignorant of the ancient Gods. Vana fuper- 
 fiitio^ veterumque ignara Deorum. Athens however 
 adored all the Gods that Madnefs or Folly had ever 
 invented. 
 
 ^ But 
 
242 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things front 
 
 But c/^«cri'.'Vi/acv.'a fignifics more than D^emomim 
 
 cuUiis^ viz. a Oavifh Fear of Demons, or dead 
 
 Heroes, and was fo undcrftood by the mod learn- 
 
 Clom. ed Chriftians, ^oCi^ o'^cju/jtcv^v Kcra. And again, 
 
 ^'^^- a^9(^ is one that does not think there is a God, 
 
 Jd. Strcin. a^wy, • ;^ ^uKov , ;^ X/'Oov, k^ 7rvsO',aa, av^pcoTiroV 
 7. p. 701. r?, ^r, one that fears Demons, and makes Gods 
 of every thing. Wood, Stone, Spirit, Man, (sfc. the 
 Word is derived from (/a'o'^oj, to fear, and dVa//wv, a 
 De Super- Demon ; ib Plutarch makes it a troublefome fear- 
 ^'":' '" ful Opinion of the Gods, which fuppofes there are 
 ,6-^ Gods, but d\j/jraTci, Furies, Sprights, cruel and ill- 
 natured ones. And therefore the Apoftle might 
 well charge them with it, whofe Religion confifted 
 wholly therein. They believed Demons to be 
 true Gods •, and Superftition worfhips a Creature as 
 God. Religio Dcum colit, fiiperjiitio violat. 
 
 Ver. 23. An Altar ^ with this Infer iption, 'To the 
 unknown God. It was a Cuftom among the Ancients, 
 to engrave on the Altar, the Name of the God 
 to whom it was dedicated, which at Athens in par- 
 ticular was neceflary, to diftinguilh them amidft a 
 Conflux of the moft remote and ftrange ones from 
 TWyd. ^11 p^,.^s Qf j}^e World. The fame Altar was fre- 
 quently dedicated to many, as one by Pijijlratusy 
 Plutarch, in the Market-place, to the twelve Gods ; and /3co- 
 in Nicia. ^^^j ^.^y d'^^Aiy.jL ©tijv, frequently occurs. The Ele~ 
 ansy Arcadians^ Athenians^ Corinthians, and Lacede- 
 monians, had Altars in common to all the Gods. 
 Faufan. Boo/jtci 0?o7s- •nracriv ov xojvw. 
 
 Amidd this Variety, there was one to the un- 
 known God, and probably there were many of 
 Vit. Apol- them : Philojiratus fays, at Athens there were Altars 
 Ion. 1. 6. QjC unknown Gods or Demons, dyvoi^m c/louiAvo}"* 
 ' ^' fi'jj'xci, and Paufanias mentions them in the Plural 
 In Attic. Number,©£a)y ayvcoTOjy jScojUjf, Altars of the unknown 
 Gods i by which alfo Grotius thinks might be de- 
 
 7 noted 
 
Hevelatiofty not from Re af on. or Nature, 243 
 
 noted many Altars ©sw ayvcoViw ; Critias in Z.«.Philopa- 
 €ian fwears v/j f aa.yvb^'^D'j c/j 'A^n'voar, by the God un-^"'"*' ^ ^* 
 known to the Athenians. Yet Triepho at the Clofe^' ^ ^" 
 of the Dialogue, fays, " We having found out the 
 *' God unknown at Athens, and worfhipped him 
 *' with Hands ftretched up to Heaven, will give 
 *' thanks to him, as having been thought worthy 
 " to be made fubjed to his Power.'* But as it is 
 plain, the former knew not that God ; fo the lat- 
 ter, through the whole Dialogue, appears to have 
 been inftru6led in Chriftianity ; or the Author, 
 whoever he be, was one, and put thefe Words into 
 the Mouth of his Interlocutor. 
 
 Or if* the whole Infcription ran, according to 
 OecumeniuSy In Ada. 
 
 ©EOIS A2IA2 KAI ETPHnHS 
 KAI AIBTHS 
 
 ©Ea ATNa^xri 
 
 KAI 
 
 SENO. 
 
 To the Gods of ACm, Europe, and Africa, to the un- 
 known andjirange God: The crowding him among 
 all the Demons in the World, proves them to be 
 totally ignorant of his Nature; as the placing him 
 among the flrange ones, does, that they had recei- 
 ved him from others, and were not Authors of the 
 Difcovery. 
 
 There are feveral Reafons given for the ere£ting 
 fuch Altars. But the moft probable is, their fuper- 
 ftitious Fear of omitting any God, which, amidft the 
 Uncertainty of fo many different Religions, might 
 eafily have been done ; or it might proceed from 
 their not knowing what God to afcribe fome re- 
 markable Benefit or Deliverance to, and therefore 
 in Gratitude ereded an Altar to the unknown One. 
 Diogenes Laertius gives this Account of their Rife : j„ Eplme- 
 *'l That Efimmides flaid a Plague among thenlde. ' ^ 
 
 R 2 Athenians 
 
244 ■^'^^ Knowledge of Divine 'Things from 
 
 " Athenians in this manner. He took a black 
 " and white Sheep to Areopagus, whence he let 
 " them go which way they would ; commanding 
 " thofe that followed them, that wherefoever they 
 '• lay down, they Hiould facrifice them tz^ x^cr^- 
 *' y.o-)iri ©«co', to Ibme fit and proper God, The 
 " Calamity ceafed, and to this very Day, fays La- 
 *' ertius, there are Altars to be found without Name, 
 " which were then made in Memory of this Ex- 
 *' piation." The Pellilence was undoubtedly ftop- 
 ped by the true and living God ; but does it not 
 obvioufly occur, that neither Epimenides, nor they, 
 knew the Author of this Event, whether Saturn, 
 Jupiter, or which among the Hoft of Cjods, and 
 therefore afcribed it to a meet God, but they could 
 not tell who. Epimenides was a Cretan, and they 
 were religious Worfhippers of that Jupiter they 
 had given the World ; and if Solon, the wifeft Man 
 in Greece, who lived in the fame Age, Olympiad 46, 
 was ignorant of the true God, it is hard to con- 
 ceive oth^rwik of Epimenides, by whofe Advice the 
 
 Cic. de j^the-nians built Temples to Contumely and Impu- 
 ^^' ' ^' dence : "TC'^swr x^ 'Avaid^eia.?. 
 
 Let us fee whedier his Chara6ter will afford any 
 ground for fuch Suppoficion. Laertius indeed fays. 
 
 In eod- that he was 7vc»)7(x&iTaT05-, divinandi peritijjimus, moji 
 skilful in divining, and ^io(^i,\k<;a.ro^, moji dear to the 
 Gods ', and that the Cretans facrificed to him as to 
 
 Rhetor, a God, wj ^i^. Arifiotle fays, he did not prophefy 
 
 I. 3. c. 17. or divine of Futurities, but of what was paft and 
 
 p. 466. obfcure. Cicero^ That as there were two Methods 
 of divining, one by Art, and the other without 
 it, by an enthufiaftick Motion of the Mind, or 
 Madnefs ; that Epimenides was of the latter Sort : 
 
 Divinat. ^od & fomniantilus f<epe contingit^ ^ 7wnnunquam 
 vaticinantibus per furorem-, ut Bacis Bceotius^ut Epi- 
 
 Vit. Sohn. menides Cres, ut Sibylla Erythraa ; and Plutarch, 
 that he was skilful in religious Matters, both fana- 
 tical. 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 245' 
 
 deal, and myftical, Trfg/ ra ^'eta, rriv oy^iia-ia<;i' 
 >tiiv, «^ TsX«s-<xnv Toi^iav 5 and that after Jullrating 
 the City, he would ask no Prefents in Money, but 
 only asked a Bough of the holy Olive. The 
 Sum of which is, that he was an excellent Prieft, 
 Augur, and Soothfayer, skilful in all the Super- 
 ftitions and Myfteries of Idolatry ; from whence 
 I think it cannot be inferred, that he was an Evan- 
 gelift of the true God -, or if fo, it is evident that 
 he left him unknown to the Athenians. 
 
 Another Original of thefe Altars is faid to be 
 on this Occafion : The Athenians fending to ask Oecumcn. 
 Aid from the Lacedemonians, the Form of Pan met '" ^"^*" 
 the AmbafTadors, and complained that they wor- 
 Ihipped other Gods, but neglefted him ; however he 
 promifed his Afliftance, if they amended for the fu- 
 ture : Wherefore after their Viflory, not being 
 certain to whom they owed it, they erecled an Al- 
 tar to the unknown God. What is this but a Le- 
 gend fuited to the Darknefs of the Times ? If Pan 
 were the true God, they did not worfhip him, 
 nor come at the Knowledge of him by Reafon or 
 Nature, but from Hobgoblins and Apparitions, and 
 Jehovah was preached by MefTengers from Pluio. 
 
 Nor was this Cuftom peculiar to Greece, but 
 obferved by the Romans alfo, in the immediate Erec- 
 tion of Altars on any fudden Benefit received > as 
 that to Adoption mentioned by Tacitus, 1. i . and 
 another to Revenge, 1. 3. So the ancient Romans ^^ 
 when they felt an Earthquake, betook themfelvesj 2.c!28. 
 by publick Command to religious Obfervances, but ' " ' 
 did not, as on other Occafions was ufual, name the 
 God, to whom they dedicated fuch Solemnities, 
 left by miftaking one for another, they might 
 oblige the People to a falfc Worfhip ; and as it 
 was uncertain by what Power, or God, Earth- 
 quakes happened, they offered Sacrifice to an un- 
 R ^ certain 
 
2 4-6 *rhe Knowledge of Divine 'flmigs from 
 
 certain Deity, in the ancient Form, fi Bso^ fiDea^ 
 whicli was by the Decree of the Priefts, fays Varro. 
 The Latins had alfo many Altars, Diis Deabuf- 
 que omnibus ; i^ Dibus Deabufque ofnnibus ; (^ Her- 
 culi invi5fo^ i^ ceteris Diis : And the mod learned 
 among them, Ttiily^ was under the fame Ignorance 
 and Diffidence, when he advifed his Terentia to re- 
 turn thanks to fome God or other, that had given 
 her Relief in her Diforder, but could not tell who, 
 P .. whether Apollo or ^fculapius. But, cui quidem tu 
 1. 14.. ^' Deo^ quemadmodum files t pie ^ cajie fiitis facias ve- 
 Urn. 
 
 So among the Carthaginians^ it was cuftomary, 
 
 if they did not profper by worfhipping the Gods they 
 
 Dlod. Sic. did know, to facrifice to them they did not know. 
 
 1. 14. c. 7, After the Defeat of Imilco in Sicily^ and their being 
 
 P-39'' invaded, they immediately fet about atoning C^r^fi 
 
 and Profirpine^ whom they had never adored before ; 
 
 and having expofed all the Statues of the Gods, 
 
 ordered them to be worfhipped after the Grecian 
 
 Manner. 
 
 The Igrnorancc of the Divine Nature mad6 this 
 Uncertainty run through the whole of their Re-\ 
 Nat^^Qu ^^g^^^"" i Many were Dsi involuti, they knew not \ 
 I. 2. c. 42. vvhom they fhould adore, therefore to their Prayers 
 Arnob. added, Sive tu Deus es, five Dea; and in their 
 I,-, 3- publick Devotions when they doubted the Name- 
 
 J 2 ■ the Form was, Dif. Pater, vejovis. Manes, five. vos. 
 ^10. alio, nomine, fas. efi. nominare. As alfo, when 
 "f"^^^!.'© ^^^ ^^^ ^f ^^^"^ Gods was dubious, many of them 
 ''•'•' being Hermaphrodites^ they mentioned both, as Ono^ 
 macritus in his Hymn to Minerva thus befpeaks 
 her, 'Apcrrjv ixh k^ ^nXuf t(pu£, or s;|)u?. 
 
 Sive Deo, 
 
 Boxhorn. ^nd we meet with this Infcription. r*c.f^. D«;«-. 
 
 Ex voto. 
 
 In 
 
Revelation, not from p^eafon or Nature. z^y 
 In the fame Manner Ovid, 
 
 Metam. 
 
 ^^//^///j fuit ille Deorum. 1. a. 
 
 And Virgil, 
 
 . Squimur te, fan^e Deorum, ■f'"- •^ 
 
 ^if^uis es ' 
 
 Innumerable Paffages of the fame kind every where 
 occur -, and y^. Gel/ius }uii\y tells us, who thefe un- 
 known Gods were, viz. They whofe Names were 
 uncertain, or it was not lawful to declare them : Noct. At. 
 Nay he whofe Sex was doubtful, was called an un- ^- 2- c. 22. 
 known God. 
 
 From which it feems very evident, that the 
 j^ibenians, by their Unknown God, intended fome 
 Deity, who they fuppofed had been propitious to 
 them, yet not being certain of his Name, and that 
 no Offence might be given, they called him un- 
 known. 
 
 Yet it is perpetually hinted, as if this Altar were 
 peculiar to Athens, and fomething might be inferred 
 from its being only in a Place, where the Sciences 
 were carried to their higheft Elevation : But this 
 is a great Miftake, fuch Altars and Gods being 
 cofiifmon all over the World ; and were lb many 
 that Varro wrote a Book of the unknown p'^"- ^• 
 Gods, and another of the uncertain ones. In the ' '^'^' 
 jiitickPagi there were many Altars without Names. Not. Id.. 
 Near the great Altar of Jupiter at Olympus, there I- 7- c. 1 7. 
 was one to the Unknown Gods ; and the Arcadians ^^?^^^' 
 worfhipped a Statue without a Name. i^ Arcad. 
 
 And both Paufanias in i Eliac. and Theagenes 
 in Lib. de Diis, mention two Cities among the 
 Lydians, in which was a large Temple with Altars 
 in them, and Afhes thereon quite different from 
 the common Sort, &c. and here the Prieft invoked 
 the unknown God, reciting out of a Book fome 
 barbarous Form, in a Language utterly unknown to 
 R 4 the 
 
248 I'he KnozvIeJge of Divine Things from 
 
 the Greeks ; and that as foon as he prayed, a bright 
 Flame flione round, and confumed the Wood he 
 had laid upon the Altar, without any Fire being 
 put to it. 
 164. Slrabo mentions this Cuftom of the Celtiberians, 
 
 that upon tiie Full- Moon they worfhipped an un- 
 known or namelefs God, avcovu'jUfiJ tivi ©so), by dan- 
 cing all Night before their Doors in unfeemly 
 Wolf. Poltures j The Per/tans^ Arabians^ and other Eafterns 
 Cent. I. Jhad their unknown God. The People of Mar- 
 feilles in Gaul, openly profcfTed their Worfhip 
 of unknown Gods, and found that this infpired 
 them with a greater Fear of their Deities. They 
 worlhipped them at a Diftance, and did not come 
 near the Place where their Statues ftood. The 
 Prieft did not approach them without trembling, 
 and dreaded their appearing to him, that is, dread- 
 ed the knowing of them. And at BourdeauXy 
 amongft other Demon Altars there was one to an 
 unknown God, which ftood with the reft till they 
 were all demolifhed by the Command of Martial 
 Bilhop of Limoftn. And if we pafs into America^ 
 Garcilas ^^ ^^^^^ '^^^ ^^ People of Peru and others to have 
 1. 2. * alfo an unknown God, as well as politer Na- 
 tions. 
 
 So that the Argument will prove too much ; if 
 the Athenians knew the true God, becaufe they had 
 an Altar to an unknown one, it will follow, that 
 all others, even the moft barbarous and favage 
 were for the fame Reafon acquainted with him: 
 though if we would fpeak ftridly of thefe devout 
 Idolaters, they knew no more of either, known or 
 unknown Gods, than the Statue and the Name, 
 all their Thoughts and Ideas of a Divine Nature 
 being fo infinitely diftant from it : And SophocleSy 
 at the Beginning of his Mcmlippa^ made a Con- 
 fefTion which extended to all Men, 
 
 Jovey 
 
Revelaiioriy not from Reafon or Nature. 249 
 
 Jove, of whom we here belcWy Barnes 
 
 Nothing be/ides the Name do know. p ^ '^' ^' 
 
 X ,( , « > 01 T < f Philopat. 
 
 Zsu? os'fS' ls"iv, a 'yi old" a. ttXyiv Xoyco. v. 2. 
 
 p. 76S. 
 
 So Triepho in Lucian was quite ignorant of every 
 thing relating to Minerva^ but lier Name. 
 
 Ver. 28. -«4y certain alfo of your own Poets have 
 faid^ For we alfo are his Offsprings not of Jo-ve^ but 
 Jehovah^ the unknown true God, whom he preached 
 unto them ; which is onJy carrying on the Allufion, 
 andfhewing how,on their own Principles, they might 
 acknowledge him : And the Apoftle might jultly Vid. CI. 
 approve what had been truly but ignorantly wrote Alexand. 
 by any of their Authors j as many fublime and mofl:^'^°"^- '• 
 exalted Sentences there are in Flato and others, not- ^* ^'^* 
 withftanding their Idolatry : So St. Paul teacheth 
 ^itus to convince the Cretans out of their own 
 Poets, 'tit. i. 12. 
 
 Yet however vifionary it may be to imagine, that 
 Aratus the Poet knew the true God, and referred 
 his Zeus to him who made the World and all things 
 therein, great Pains have been taken by learned Vid. Seld. 
 Men to apply it in that Senle. But does it follow, I^"s Syr. 
 that becaufe the Words ©sor, Deus, or God^ are ap-^^'"^^S- i- 
 plicable to the true one, that they were fo intended 203 i ^" 
 by the Heathens ? Are not many things Ipoken of 
 Idols, or Jupiter s as Optimus^ Maximus, &c. which 
 cannot without Blafphemy be attributed to them ? 
 The fame Appellations which are given to one pro- 
 perly and pioufly, may .be transferred to another im- 
 properly and impioufly ; but are they therefore the 
 fame ? 
 
 Even the illuftrious Selden confelles, that the In- id Syntag. 
 fcription To the Unknown God, was brought to pals i.p 205. 
 by the Delufion of Demons, or Devils ; and yet the 
 Apoftle takes an Opportunity to cite it : Can we 
 then otherwife imagine but that thefe Words of the 
 
 Poet 
 
250 ^e Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Poet were fpoken according to the Apprehenfion of 
 Mankind, and that the Apoftle only reftores what 
 was improperly faid of Demons, and gives to God 
 the things which belong to God, what Idolatry had 
 facrilegioufly bellowed on Idols ? 
 
 Aratiis was of Qlicia, the fame Province with St. 
 "Paul, who therefore was not unacquainted with his 
 Writings. He flourifhed in the time o'i PhiladelphuSt 
 and wrote his Phaenomena and Diofemia, both in fuch 
 Efteem with learned Men, that Cicero, Claudius, 
 and Germanicus tranflated them into Latin. He be- 
 gins his Phenomena with the ufual Invocation of the 
 Poets, £H Aio? ap;^oj'jusc^a, a Jove principium, and 
 Ihordy after, ra yag ysvor lo-.usv, For we are his Off- 
 Spring. 
 
 If he had not been inftrudled from the Jewijh 
 Schools, he muft fpeak thefe Words, either as they 
 were generally underftood, or elle as an infpired 
 Perfon ; the latter no one fuppofes, and on the for- 
 mer there cannot be a better Comment than what 
 the inquifitive and learned Diodorus Siculus fays, that 
 • 5^-4-jj is generally believed, that all Men were origi- 
 ■nally his Offspring : Of Jehovah? No; but oi Ju- 
 piter the Cretan, that infamous Adulterer and Idol 
 of the Poets. 
 
 But whoever carefully reads the whole PafTage of 
 Vid. CI. jiratus, will, I think, be of Opinion, that by Jupi- 
 Strom"f' ^^^ ^^ means the Univerfe, the greateft God of the 
 p. 597. Ancients-, for immediately before he fays, the Vil- 
 lages and Ways, the Markets, Harbours and Seas, 
 are full of Jupiter -, and vrclvrYi cP'e Aro? >ti;wjn'/jt£^a 
 Tra'vTf r, IVe all of us make ufe of every part of Jupiter. 
 And Theon, in his Scholia, interprets that Hemiftich 
 even in a fecondary Meaning, as fpoken of the Air, 
 which he calls tom /^la, or f Zrivcc f (puo-ixov, the Na- 
 tural Jupiter, in whom, in an inferior Senfe, we may 
 be faid to live and move, and have our Being •, for 
 without Air no Creature can fubfift, it adminiftring 
 
 the 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 251 
 
 the moft immediate Matter of Life unto them, by 
 feeding and refrefliing their animal Spirits. Ancj^ 
 Theon muft be allowed as competent a Judge of the 
 Poet's Meaning as any Modern. Nor is that Ex- 
 prelfion any more than the old lambick, Zw/jtsv c/*' iv 
 dujti), K) Hivs/jisS^iX •, or that of Lucan, Jupiter efi 
 quodcunque vUes, quocunque moveris ; the fame as 
 Virg. Ed. 3. Jovis omnia plena. Which I imagine 
 no one was ever fo void of Reafon, as to interpret 
 of God that made Heaven and Earth. 
 
 Thus the Apoflle firft fhews the Athenians where- 
 in their Guilt of Superftition and Idolatry confided. 
 idlyy He teaches them a new and proper Objedl of 
 their Adorations ; a God, but confeffedly unknown 
 to them, as diftinguifhed by a more auguft Charader 
 than any of their Deities had affumed, The Maker 
 of all things. And, 3^/y, That fome Expreflions 
 of their own Writers could be applicable to him 
 only ; for, as the Creator of Men, we are his Off- 
 Ipring ; as their Preferver, in him we live and movCy 
 and have our Being. 
 
 I fhall add to what has been already laid (concerning 
 Innate Ideas) on Kom. ii. 1 4. that the Heathens not having 
 a law, are a Law unto themfelves, and otherTexts of 
 the fame Import, that we muft underftand and ex- 
 plain them in a Senfe agreeable to the Hebrew Ac- y. , <, . , 
 ceptation, in which they were wrote. Now it is jg jure 
 certain, that the Jews abfolutely denied any Natu- Nat. & 
 ral Law difcoverable by the mere Light of Reafon : Gent, jux- 
 And that in general (efpecially the Pharifees, who gu l * 
 were the Dodors and Expounders of Religion, and c. g*. 
 of whom St. Paul was one) never intended by uni- 
 verfal, common, unwritten, or natural Law, any 
 more than the Commands given by God to the Firfl 
 parents of Mankind, and by them tranfmitted to 
 their Pofterity, who were all equally under an Ob- 
 ligation to obferve it, from the Authority of him 
 that ordained them. Thefe they fuppoied to be con- 
 tained 
 
252 *The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 tained in the Precepts of the Sons of Noah^ propa- 
 gated through the feveral Difperfions of Mankind, 
 and for ever continued a Law, or Rule of Life, to 
 the Heathen World. And that they were no far- 
 ther bound by the written Law of Mofes^ than as 
 thofe unwritten ones were afterwards incorporated 
 with it. 
 
 It was from the Obfervance of this Law, that 
 'Noah was found juft, and Abraham became the 
 Friend of God •, of whom God fays, Gen. xviii. 19., 
 that he jhall command his Children and his Houfhold af- 
 ter him, and they Jhall keep the Way of the Lord, to 
 do Jujiice and Judgment. This Way, the Doflrine, 
 and the Law, which God had fhewed to Men. And 
 no other interpretation can be given of thofe re- 
 markable Words in Job xxiii. 11, 12. My Foot hath 
 held his Steps, his fVay have I kept, and not declined^ 
 neither have I gone back from the Commandment of his 
 Lip, and I have ejleemed (or hid in my Breaft) the 
 Words of his Mouth. But thefe were not immedi- 
 ately delivered by any Revelation, and therefore 
 mufl refer to a former Declaration of the Divine 
 Will, viz. to our Firft Parents, which was of per- 
 petual and unalterable Obligation to the Sons of 
 Men •, and is what Ifaiah applies to the Heathen, 
 and calls, xxiv. 5. the Law, the Obedience, the Ever- 
 lajling Covenant. 
 
 The Jews, in fhort, rejedled any Natural Law, 
 but what the God of Nature had declared, and or- 
 dained for the Diredtion of Men. And with them, 
 Univerfal or Natural Law was the fame as the 
 Way, the Footfteps, the Words, the Didates, and 
 Commands of the Supreme Being. 
 
 But as the confidering every particular Text, 
 would run into too great a Prolixity, I Ihall only 
 fhew in general; 
 
 \. That the Scriptures do not attribute theKnow- 
 • ledge of the true God to the Heathens. 
 
 II. That 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafofi or Nature. 253 
 
 II. That they fuppofe them incapable of attain- 
 ing or difcovering iuch Knowledge. 
 
 III. That Men loft the Knowledge of God by 
 their own vain Reafoning and Philolbphizing, 
 
 i^r/, -That the Scriptures, &c. It muft always be 
 remembred, that through the whole Scripture the pe- 
 culiar and diftinguifliing Character of the true God, 
 is Creation and Omnipotence, which was never given to 
 any other. The firft Words of the Divine Hiftorian 
 are, In the beginning God created the Heaven and the G^"- 1- '• 
 Earth. What the Heathens adore are but his Crea- 
 tures. For all the Gods of the Nations are Idols, but^^. xcvi. 5, 
 the Lord made the Heavens. And again, Among the p^ j . „ . 
 Gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord^ there is none 
 that can do as thou doji. And, Thus faith the Lordi(. xHl. j. 
 God, He that created the Heavens, and firetched them 
 out, he that fpread forth the Earth, &c. and then adds, 
 I am the Lord, that is my Name, and my Glory will lid. 8. 
 not give to another, neither my Praife to graven 
 Images. And, I am the Lord that maketh all things, rr,. 
 that Jlretcheth forth the Heavens alone, that fpreadetb 
 ahroad the Heavens by myfelf. And Jeremy, He that jgrenj. x 
 made the Earth by his Power, he hath efiablifhed the 
 World by his Wifdom, and hath ftretched out the Hea- 
 vens by his Difcretion. On which is grounded the 
 Prophetick Denunciation againft every undue Object 
 of Divine Worlliip. The Gods that have not made 
 the Heavens and the Earth, even they fhall perijh from 
 the Earth, and from under thefe heavens. And the 
 Wifdom of Solomon, xii. 27. They acknowledged him to 
 be the true God, whom before they denied to know. 
 
 And the firft Chriftians, to difcriminate their 
 Faith from the Gentiles, profefled to believe in 
 God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and 
 Earth. 
 
 Nor is there one Line that I know of through the 
 Old Teftament, whence it may be inferred, tliat the 
 Heathens had a Knowledge of the true God, who 
 
 is 
 
254 '^^'^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 is always put in diredOppofition to the Beings they 
 
 worlhipped, which were Devils, Demons, Deified 
 
 Dcutcron. M^^ &c. Thus it is faid. They have facrificed to 
 
 YcTvv- ■Z^^'^^^-^j ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^» ^^ Gods whom they knew not. They 
 
 ^haveferved Gods whom they knew not^ neither they nor 
 
 Vi\xxv\.\. their Fathers. David is full to this purpofe, that in 
 
 Judahis God known^ his Name is great in Ifrael. Bat 
 
 Pf Ixxiv 6 ^^ ^^^ ^^^ Heathen, they are fucb as have not known 
 
 Pf. ix. lo. him^ the Kingdoms that have not called upon his Name. 
 
 To know the Name of God, was the Mark of a 
 
 true Ifraelite ; To forget God, of the reft of the 
 
 World. 
 
 So the Prophets : Pour out thy Fury upon the 
 Tgj. ^ ^^ Heathen that know thee noty and upon the Families that 
 ^ call not upon tJjy Name. Where the calling upon 
 God is fubftituted for the whole Worihip of him ; 
 but they acknowledged him not to be their God, 
 and confequently never worlTiipped or prayed to 
 him : For they knew not their Maker .^ hut counted all 
 
 \i 11 10 ^^•'^ ■^^^^^ ^f ^^^ Heathen to be Gods ; worjhipped the 
 Things they made^ and the moji hateful Beajis, fo went 
 without the Praife of God and his Blejfmg. 
 _. Ifaiah gives a full Atteftation to this, in a Pro- 
 
 phecy againft Fgypt (the great School of Wifdom 
 and Idolatry) and the calling of it to the Church. 
 
 V. 1 1 . Their Princes were become Fools, and their wife Coun- 
 fellors foolijh. They who pretended to be wife, and 
 the Sons of ancient Kings, and prove their Defcent 
 from the Gods, rftany thoufand Years before the 
 Creation : Even thefe groITeft of Idolaters, foall 
 then fpeak the Language of Canaan, and fwear not to 
 
 V, 19, 21. ^"^^^ Gods, but to the Lord of Hojls, In that dayfoall 
 there he an Altar to the Lord in the midji of the Land 
 of Egypt J or they fhall vvorfhip the true God, of 
 which his Altar was the Monument and Witnefs ; 
 and the Lord fjall be known to Egypt, and the Egyp- 
 tians Jloall know the Lord. Can Words more clearly 
 exprcfs their Ignorance of him j and how unprophc- 
 
 tical 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 25^ 
 
 ^ical would it be, to fay they fhould feme time 
 know what they already knew ? 
 
 In the New Teftament our Saviour fays to the Matth.xv. 
 Woman of Canaan, whom St. Mark calls a Gentile 22- 
 of Syrophenicia, i, e. a Phenician of Tyre or Sidon ; 
 It is not meet to take the Childrens Breads and to caji 
 it to Dogs % a Note of Reproach and Diftinftion be- 
 twixt them, and fuch as knew and acknowledged 
 God to be their Father ; which the Heathens did 
 not. 
 
 Through all the Writings of the Apoftles, Idola- 
 try is the very Charafter of Gentilifm. Te know that i Cor. xji. 
 ye were Gentiles, carried away to dumb Idols, even as ye^- 
 were led. Which he thus explains : In times pajl ye^ "* ^* 
 walked according to the Courfe of this World, according 
 to the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that 
 now worketh in the Children of Difohedience, i. e. the 
 Devil, or the Power of Darknefs. And as they p^, . - 
 were Servants to him whom they obeyed, they held 
 Communion and Fellowlliip only with him. 'There- , cor. x. 
 fore the things which the Gentiles facrifce, they facri- 20. 
 fice to Devils, not to God. They drank of the Cup 
 of Devils, partook of their Table, and had Fellow- 
 fhip with them. 
 
 And for this reafon St. Paul fo often afferts, that „ , .. 
 they were without God in the World, in aS^eorriTt, a ^^ ' **" 
 State of Atheifm, in being ignorant of the true God. 
 And, ^dly. Thinking even fuch things as had no Vid. CI. 
 Exiftence to be Gods j and on thefe accounts were Alexandr. 
 ci^io\, Atheifis, (the very Term which the Heathens ^^^^ * 
 reproached the Chriftians with, for not allowing 
 thofe to be Gods whom they efteemed as fuch) and 
 had no hope of fpiritual or future Bleffings. 
 
 So to the Galatians : When ye knew not God, ye did Galat. iv. 
 fervice unto them, which by Nature are not Gods: but 2. 
 now after ye have known God, &c. what is more ma- 
 nifeft than that they knew him not before i 
 
 So 
 
2 56 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 1 Their. So he warns the Thejfalonians not to walk in unna- 
 iv- 5 • tural Crimes, as the Gentiles did which know not God-, 
 nor his Will, as looking upon thofe Sins as innocent 
 or indifferent. 
 
 So that through the whole Scripture there is fcarcc 
 one Truth more plainly or frequently alTerted, than 
 that the Pleathens were utterly ignorant of the true 
 God. 
 
 II. That the Scriptures did not fuppofe the Gen- 
 tiles capable of attaining or difcovering^'fuch Know- 
 ledge, is evidently to be inferred, 
 
 Firji, From the Charafters under which they are 
 eonftantly reprefented, which are purpofely given to 
 fliew their Inability and Infufficiency tor it. By the 
 If. Ix. 2. Prophets in the Old Teftament, ^hat Darknefs Jhall 
 cover the Earthy and a grofs Darknefs the People. 
 If. ix 2. -^g^-in, The People that walked in Darknefs, and they 
 that dwell in the Land ef the Shadow of Death, which 
 Job X. 21. Job fliles the Grave, the Land of Darknefs and the 
 'Shadow of Death ; which implies tiieir being as dead 
 Souls in the dark Grave of Sin, under a total De- 
 privation of fpiritual Knowledge, Light, and Life. 
 Wifd. XV. In the Book of Wifdom, that they are mojl foolifh, 
 »4- more miferahle than the very Babes. 
 
 All which Terms are diredlly applied to them in 
 the New Teftament. The Inhabitants of Zabulon 
 Matt. iv. and Nephthali are by our Saviour ftiled a People 
 H- .. ivhich fat in darknefs, in the Region and Shadow of 
 Lukeu. 2)^^^^. This was Galilee of the Gentiles, being in- 
 X,.'i6. habited, i^iys Strabo, by .a mixt Swarm, Egyptians^ 
 Vid. Arabians, and Phenicians. Jofephus obferves, that 
 Ham. and j-^j^y ^^^ encompaftcd with many ftrange, /'. e. hea- 
 Whitby. ^j^^^ Nations : And had continued in the darkeft 
 
 Ignorance of Duty and of God. 
 
 Aas xvii. S^- ^^'^^ abounds with thefe Expreflions : T^ofeek 
 
 27. * after the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and 
 
 find him. A Task of the utmoft difficulty, as Men 
 
 blind or in the dark, put forth their Hands and itt\^ 
 
 left 
 
Revelation, 7iot from Reafon or Nature, 257 
 
 left they fhould fall into Danger, and try to find 
 the way j groping they know not where, and with 
 the Jafl Hazard and Uncertainty of Succcfs, as the 
 Phrafe -^r^Ka^S^Aancvi clearly intimates. 
 
 He enumerates many of them together : The -n 
 blindy and thofe which are in darknefs ; not able to m. 
 fee, as foolijh^ void of all true Wifdom, and Babes^ 
 like Children before the Ufe of Reaibn, unable to 
 diftinguifh Truth from Falfhood. 
 
 He calls them. By Nature the Children of PFrath^^}^^ ii. ,^ 
 and Difobedience, dead in TrefpaJJes and Sins : Who 3 . 
 'walked in the Vanity of their Mind, having //6^ C/)?- lb. iv. 17. 
 derfianding darkned, being alienated from the Life of 
 God through the Ignorance that is in tbem^ becaufe of 
 the Blindnefs of their Hearts, and being pafi feeling did 
 give themfelves over unto Lafcivioufnefs, to ivork all 
 Uncleannefs -with Greedinefs. 
 
 By thefe and many other !ike Expreflions, is the 
 difmal State of the Heathens every where declared 
 in Scripture : That in their Minds they were blinded 
 with the groffeft Ignorance, and deluded with the 
 Fouleft Errors ; in their Wills and Affeftions corrup- 
 ted with the greateft Diforder and Senfuality j in 
 their Converfation they pra6tifed all forts of Impiety, 
 Iniquity, and Impurity ; their Conceptions of God 
 were falfe and unworthy, and their Worfhip anfwer- 
 able to their Belief, full of fottifh, favage, beaftly 
 Superftitions ; their Principles vain, and their Lives 
 conformably diffolute. Even the few wife among 
 them were full of Ignorance and Doubt with regard 
 to the main Points of Religion, the Exiftence of 
 God, a Providence, the fpiritual Nature and future 
 Subfiftence of Souls. 
 
 So that the World was fhut up and concluded un- Gal. iii. 
 der Sin, Darknels, Weakneis, and Death, and the 22. 
 whole Creation, all Mankind, groaned together and^°^'^^^^' 
 travelled until now. And in the Scripture-Fhrale and 
 Language, it was aseafy for the Blind to difcernand 
 
 S find 
 
258 ^he Knowledge of Divine TJjlngs fi'om 
 
 find things, for the Deaf to hear, for Infants to ar- 
 gue and reafon, or for the Dead to arife and walk ; 
 as for the Heathen, in the dark, corrupt, impotent 
 State they were in, and which the unfearchable Pro- 
 vidence of God permitted, to dive into, difcern and 
 know the fpiriiual things "johich belong to God. 
 
 Secondly^ The Inabihty of the Heathens to attain 
 the Knowledge of God, notwithflanding all the Aids 
 of Reafon and Nature, may, I think, be fafely con- 
 cluded from confidering the Dealings of God with 
 them : He is jealous of his Honour, he hates the 
 Sins of Prefumption, and is of purer Eyes than to 
 behold or approve the leafl Iniquity. 
 
 Yet how often are they affured, that all their pall 
 
 Crimes and Abominations Ihould never be laid to 
 
 their Charge, if they would be converted to God 
 
 Afts xiv. by. the preaching of the Gofpel ? That God in time 
 
 16. pajl fuffered all Nations to walk in their own ways, to 
 
 live after their own Opinions ; having fent neither 
 
 Prieft nor Prophet amongft them to reveal his Will, 
 
 nor had afforded any extraordinary Means or fuperna- 
 
 tural Afliftance, to bring them to a faving Knowledge 
 
 Rom. X. of him : And how jhall they call on him, in whom they 
 
 »4- have not believed? and how jhall they believe in him, of 
 
 whom they have not heard ? a}id how Jhall they hear 
 
 without a Preacher ? 
 
 Therefore the Times of this Ignorance God winked at, 
 vTTi pirPoiv, overlooks, takes no notice of, paffes them 
 over in filence : But now, as having given thole 
 Means of Knowledge, which were denied before, 
 commandeth all Men every where to repent ; which 
 certainly implies a new Subje(51; of Duty and Obedi- 
 ence. And if the Heathen either had a full Know- 
 ledge of God, as fome affirm i or with others, that 
 they might, with the greateft Eafc and Perfpicuity, 
 have learned him from the Book of Nature ; the 
 Characters of which are fo plain and legible, that 
 he who runs, even the way faring Man, thofe of the 
 
 loweft 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature, 259 
 
 Joweft Underftanding, may read, and be perfedly 
 inftrucfted ; and yet no notice is taken of their wil- 
 ful prefuniptuous Apoftafy j of fuch !oud and crying 
 Sins, as called for Vengeance from Heaven : How 
 is this reconcilable with infinite unerring Jufdce, 
 that has no Refpe6l of Peribns, but giveth to every 
 Man according to his Works ? Would not the 
 State of Paganifm be much happier than that of the 
 Gofpel ? Under which, if wefm vjilfuUy^ after thatUth. x. 
 we have received the Knowledge of the Truths there re- -^• 
 maineth no more Sacrifice fcr Sins, but a certain fear- 
 ful looking for of Judgment, and fiery Indignation^ 
 which fhall devour the Adverfaries. Here A poitafy is 
 unpardonable, becaufe done with defpite, wilful, 
 obitinate, and malicious. And yet are not the Ways 
 of God, and the Decrees of Divine Jullice equal ? 
 If fo, Why did not that clear Knowledge the Hea- 
 thens had, or might v/ith fuch eafe have obtained, 
 render their Idolatry the Objedl of inevitable Pu- 
 nifhment ? But if God will never wink at impeni- 
 tent Sins in the Day of Knowledge, muft we not 
 conclude, that thofe horrid Impieties, which fo pure 
 a God' would take no notice of, were committed in 
 a Night of darkeft Ignorance ? What other Rea- 
 {ovi can be given for fo merciful an Allowance of 
 Impiety and Impurity ? 
 
 When weconfider thefe and many other PalTages, 
 it feems very difficult to fmagine the Gentiles had, or 
 could fo eafily come at the Knowledge of God, their 
 Duty to him, or to one another, as many of the pre- 
 fent Age are willing to grant them ; if that were 
 the Cafe, if they had a ftanding and unvariable Rule 
 of afling, by which they were accountable, and in 
 Equity might be judged ; and if under fuch Circum- 
 ftances, the Judge of the World (and fhall not he 
 do right ?) wmked at, and forgave them •, furely their 
 Condition was vaftly preferable to the Jeijos, that 
 
 S 2 chofen 
 
26o The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 choren Seed, whofe Difobedience was fo conftandy 
 and feverely punifhed, beyond the Example of other 
 Nations. 
 
 Bat from thefe Proceedings of the Ahnighty^ we 
 may infer fome notunufeful Obfervations. 
 
 Firll, That the fevere and uncharitable Cenfures 
 which many have pafled upon the Gentile World, 
 of their b^ng unavoidably condemned to everlafting 
 Punifhment, was founded on the Opinion of their 
 enjoying, or what is the fame thing, of having Ca- 
 pacities v/ith the greateft eafe to attain an exadt 
 Knowledge of God and their Duty : And upon this 
 Sjppofition it would be unreafonable to determine 
 otherwife. Such was the vain Opinion of the Jews^ 
 
 Pirke Eli-" That all Ifrael fhall have a Portion in the World 
 
 eztr, c. 9. "to come ; but the Heathens are to be Fuel for 
 
 i 4- " Hell-fire." 
 
 Secondly, That as God is the Author of Mens Be- 
 ings, who created and intended all for Happinefs, be- 
 ing of infinite Mercy as well as Juftice j he furely 
 will require no ftridler Account than according to the 
 I'alents he himfelf intrufts, and has committed to 
 their Charge : So that Impoflibilities can never be 
 the Terms of Duty, nor fliall a Man be condemned 
 for what was not in his Power to avoid. But who- 
 ever juftly ufes thofe Helps and Abilities he has, in 
 a careful Search and Obedience of Truth, though he 
 
 , mifs of Truth, may be charitably hoped not to mifs 
 
 the Reward of it. 
 
 For this Reafon, Socrates^ though an Idolater, and 
 fuperftitious in the Article of Death, yet if he was 
 humble, fought for Truth with Diligence, and im- 
 partially chol'e what to him appeared bed ; I fhall 
 not doubt but his Soul, and that of every honeft Hea- 
 then, is happy, and will be blefied with the Vifion 
 of God : For if it were a Mifery to be born in the 
 Times of Paganilm, it was not a Fault ; and tho* 
 
 7 the 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature. 261 
 
 the Light to dire<5l them was never fo dim, if they 
 followed it with Humihty and Sincerity, embraced 
 nothing without a due and calm Examination, nor 
 adled contrary to the Convidlion of their Judgment, 
 it would certainly dire<5l them to Light eternal. 
 
 Wherever there is a Law, there mud be an Obli- 
 gation to Punilhment ; and when a Man does what 
 he is perfuaded he ought not to do, he is as obnoxi- 
 ous to Punilhment as if the Law had been written 
 in Tables of Brafs. If he does what after the moll 
 ferious Enquiry appears to him befl, he aifls agree- 
 ably to the Law of his Nature, his thoughts will ex- 
 cufe him^ and his Confcience hear him witnefs^ that he 
 is innocent, even in the Day when God jhall judge the Rom. ii. 
 Secrets of Men byjefus Chrijl. 16. 
 
 One cannot indeed but be aftonifhed, that thevid. Lac- 
 Majefty of the great God fhould be fo utterly for- tant. p. 
 got, and Man fall into that Stupidity, as to prefer '^5* 
 dead Creatures to the Preferver of all things. And 
 yet we fee Pardon and Allowance may be made 
 to it, if proceeding from invincible Ignorance. 
 
 Thirdly, We hence learn the Rules of God*s pro- 
 ceeding in Judgment, that it is the willing a thing 
 that makes it our own : The choofing and prefer- 
 ring one thing before another, knowing it to be in 
 Inftances of Duty or Sin, this conftitutes the formal 
 Good or Evil of an A<5lion to us, and renders us 
 accountable for it : And confequently as the Degrees 
 of Revelation, and Means of Knowledge are more 
 or lefs, fo is a Perfon*s Ignorance more or lefs ex- 
 cufable before God. The Cafe of the Heathens 
 leems to be ftated in thofe Words of our Saviour : 
 He that knew his Majier's ^ill, and did it not, Jhall i.^'ke xii. 
 he he at en with many Stripes ; but he that knew it not, 47, 48. 
 and did commit things worthy of Stripes, Jhall be beaten 
 with few Stripes. And this is grounded on the itri(fteft 
 Equity, That unto whomfoever much is given^ of him 
 Jhall be much required^ &:c. Where therefore the Er- 
 
 S 3 ror 
 
262 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 ror is involuntary, and the Ignorance morally invin- 
 cible, that after the mod diligent Search after Truth 
 Men are not able to find it -, we cannot but hope 
 that a merciful God will weigh rhefe Circumftances, 
 and make Allowances for the Infirmities of his Crea- 
 tures ; and that the Heathens, if ferious in finding 
 out Truth, and impartial in choofing what appeared 
 to be the beft, will not, we truft, find that gracious 
 Being they have to deal with, fevere to mark all that 
 is done amifs, nor eternally condemn them, for not 
 doing what they could not know to be their Duty : 
 But the honeft Gentiles fhall receive a Reward, when 
 their Sun ihall fet, and Night put an End to their 
 Mat. vili. Labours. For many Jhall come from the Eafi^ and from 
 " * the M'^ejiy and Jhall fit down with Abraham, and Ifaac, 
 
 and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven : But the Chil- 
 dren of the KingdiOm fhall be cajl cut into outcrDarknefs. 
 We need not here difpute about their Degrees of 
 Happinefs, if it be allowed that they fhall not be 
 utterly deprived of Reward for want of an impof- 
 fible Condition. There may be different Manfions, 
 and the blefTed differ from one another, as the Stars 
 in Glory ; yet in the everlafling Sabbath of Reft and 
 Felicity, every one will be happy to their utmofl ■ 
 Capacities and Wifhes. 
 
 The Sum is. That according to the Degrees of 
 Knowledge which God has afforded, fo fhall Mens 
 Crimes receive Aggravation of Guilt and Increafe 
 of Punifhment ; and the mbre Light and Grace he 
 beftows on any, the more and better Performances 
 will he require of them. 
 
 thirdly. The Scriptures attribute the Deprava- 
 tion and Lofs of Divine Knowledge to Mens own 
 Reafbnings and Philolbphizings upon it. 
 
 This is laid down as a fure unerring Rule to guide 
 
 I Cor ii *^'^^^" Thoughts by, that the Things of God are not 
 
 (j, 12. known but by the Spirit of God : Becaufe the Na^ 
 
 iuralMan receive th not the things of the Spirit ofGod^ 
 
 fQV 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 263 
 
 for they are Foolijbnefs unto him^ neither can he know lb. ver. 
 them, becaufe they are fpirittially difcerned. TheApo-'''- 
 file affirms he cannot know them \ and the Realbn 
 muft be, that all Parts of Divine Wifdom are too 
 tranicendent for natural Light, even in thole of the 
 mofl elevated Endowments, perfe6lly to contem- 
 plate or apprehend •, there being a fpiritual Dark- 
 nels both in the Things to be known, and the Fa- 
 culty that is to receive them, which cannot be taken 
 away but by God, in manifefting the thing to be 
 known, and taking off the Vail from the Mind, 
 thereby enabling it to apprehend fupernatural Ob- 
 je(5ls ; both which are included in Revelation, which 
 is an immediate A61 and Communication of God. 
 And for Nature to find out fupernatural things, is 
 to adt above Nature, or an Impoffibility. 
 
 The fame is true of the Angelic World : Their 
 Glory and Excellence is only owing to a nearer Con- 
 templation of the Infinite Beauties of the Divine Ef- 
 fcnce. But this is owing to the Will of God, whofe 
 Miniflers they are, and not to any Neceffity of his 
 Nature or theirs, being abfolutely dependent on his 
 omnipotent Will. 
 
 This St. Peter illullrates : He that wanteth thefe2?tt.i.(). 
 things (thofe Graces of God mentioned in the pre- 
 ceding Verfes) is blind, and cannot fee afar off. The 
 moment the Divine AlTifVanqe is withdrawn, we are 
 unable to feek for, confider, or underftand them, 
 the whole Procedure of Divine Knowledge being un- 
 der his Guidance, Influence, and Diredion ; and 
 when once that forfakes us, or we that, we become 
 blind in the Difcernment of Things, and our Rea- 
 fonings about them. 
 
 This was the Cafe of the World, God manifefted 
 himfelf to them, and they might, through a due 
 Contemplation of his Works, have been fully con- 
 vinced of his invifible Perfections. But they no 
 fooner began to fpeculate about Nature, and account 
 
 S 4 for 
 
264 '^^^^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 for Things by their own Reafon, but they departed 
 from true Wifdom, grevj vain in their Imaginations^ 
 wholly attended to vifible Objeds, and gradually 
 forgot the Maker of them ; till at lad, though fro- 
 fejfing thenifdves zvife^ they became Fools, fo ftupid 
 and brutal as to worjhip the Creature more than the 
 Creator. 
 Col. ii 8. 1'hey fpoiled the nobleft Truths through Philofophy 
 and vain Deceit, after the Traditions of Men ; de- 
 bafed themfelves with their own Inventions, con- 
 verted what they did not thoroughly underftand, 
 into Fable and Mythology, and fo turned the -Truth 
 of God into a Lye, which all the Labour and Study 
 of their wife Men could never redily ; but became 
 the Ground of perpetual and inexplicable Diflen- 
 fions am.ong them. This was after the Rudiments 
 of the World, y.a.rd rd ■^oi-^eia, according to the Ele- 
 mcnts and Principles of natural Reafon and Philofo- 
 phy, both which were falfe and imperfeft. 
 
 Wherefore, ver. iS. He would have them dead to 
 the Rudiments of the World, thofe human Inftitu- 
 tions which had depraved Revelation, and were 
 wholly vain and ufelels to the great End of Man, 
 the Knowledge and Enjoyment of God. For, ver. 
 22. they are only the Commandments and Doctrines 
 of Men, a broken and corrupt Syftem, and abufed 
 to Pride, Vanity, and Idolatry. For even this out- 
 fide Knowledge, ver. 18. vainly puffed up their flejhly 
 Mind (the fame ExprefTion is repeated i Cor. iv. 
 6, 18, 19.) all their fpeculative Knowledge was in- 
 flated and empty, filled with Arrogance and Pre- 
 iiimption, and was no more than a conceited Igno- 
 rance, as void of all that only ufeful Knowledge 
 which tends to the Salvation of ourfelves and others; 
 a Contemplation of trifling and unprofitable Things, 
 thin and aerial Speculations, without any mixture of 
 true and folid Science ; but was a Science falfly fo 
 caUedj i Tim. vi, 20. confifting chiefly in foolijh 
 
 and. 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 265 
 
 nnd unlearned ^ejlions^ which ferved only to gmder 
 Strife^ 2 Tim. ii. 23. and no way conducive to the 
 Improvement or End of Man. 
 
 To fhew the Vanity of all which artificial Learn- 
 ing, the Apoftle, 1 Cor, i, 20. asks, Where is the 
 Difputer of this fVorld? the contentious Litigator, 
 or Striver about Words ; or o-u^nTr!?, the Searcher 
 or Enquirer into the Nature of Things ? Their Philo- 
 Ibphy becoming the Subjed: of infinite Qacllions, 
 Cavils, and Controverfies ; when it follows, Hath 
 not God made foolijh the Wifdom of this IVorld? 
 l/jic»)(^vsv, fo as to appear frantick and mad, in that 
 they could not find out the Truth, which ought to 
 be the End of all philolbphical Studies and Enqui- 
 ries : As if he had faid, Hath not God made all thofe 
 pompous Contemplations of the proud Philofophers 
 (who with fuch Labour have pried into the Bowels 
 of Nature for hidden Philofophy) appear to be 
 foolifh and vain ? In that they have not yet by all 
 their acute Refearches and Inquifitions attained to 
 any true Notion and Dilcovery of the firft Princi- 
 ple, the God of Nature, which is the chief End of all 
 Philolbphy : For after that in the Wifdom of God^ in 
 the Works of Creation and Providence, the World by 
 Wifdom knew not God •■, thofe blind Studiers of 
 Nature could not read thofe legible Charadlers, nor 
 attain any true Notion, nor bring themfelves to 
 any ferious reverential Acknowledgment of him ; 
 which was an evident Demonftration of the Mad- 
 nefs and Folly of all their Wifdom ; as not being 
 able to reach its firft Principle or laft End ; not- 
 withftanding the various Manifeftations of a God, 
 they only groped about Nature (as Seneca^ blind 
 Fool did about his Houfe, complaining the Rooms 
 were dark) without being able to find the Author 
 of it. 
 
 The Apoftle therefore, to convince the World of 
 the extreme Vanity of all their boafted Wifdom, 
 
 and 
 
266 7he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 and its Inability from all their Contemplations to 
 attain the Knowledge of God, adds, That it hath 
 pleafed God, hy ths FooUjhnefs of Preaching, viz. the 
 Gofpel, which unto the Greeks was FooUjhnefs, ver. 
 23. and by the foolijlo Thitigs of this World, the un- 
 educated and illiterate Preachers, to confound the 
 Wife, all the Labours and Contemplations of Phi- 
 Joibphy, to expofe its Weaknefs and Wickednefs, 
 confound their Arguments and Demonftrations, an- 
 fwer all Gainfayers, and in an Inftant fully to de- 
 fcribe and explain the greateft of all Subjedls ; the 
 Exiltence, Nature and Providence of a Supreme 
 Being-, which all the Force of Nature, the internal 
 Endowments of the Mind, the Strength of Reafon 
 improved with the utmoft Acquifitions of Wifdom, 
 from the laborious Study of Nature and Advance- 
 ments in Philofophy, through the Courfe of fo 
 many Ages could not attain the lead Certainty or 
 Knowledge of, viz, a true Notion of God, what 
 he was, or where to be found. 
 
 On thefe Accounts the Apoftle fo vehemently 
 and frequendy repeats that Warning to his Difci- 
 ples ; To beware left any Man foould beguile them 
 through enticing Words, and fpoil them through Phi- 
 lofophy and vain Deceit, after the Traditions of 
 f/Len-. Which in times paft had corrupted, inftead 
 of repaired their common Notions of Theology, 
 was the Means of more eftedtually intangling them 
 in Superftition and Idolatry ; and what he Pro- 
 phetically forefaw would be the Source of all the 
 monftrous Corruptions diat fhould infed the pure 
 Doftrine of the Gofpel. 
 
 He efpecially guards them againft, (ver. 18, 23.) 
 that Shew of Wifdom, in Will-worfoip and Humili- 
 ty, viz. of Demons, which was in an efpecial Manner 
 the Religion of Philofophers (as diftinguifhed from 
 the fabulous and political) who, from theirMifunder- 
 ftanding or Stupidity, had perverted this great Doc- 
 trine, 
 
 Colof. 
 
 2, 8. 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 267 
 
 trine, and eftablifhed an Order of Beings, the Phe- 
 nician Baalim, the Greek Demons, but Scripture 
 Devils, to beMediators betwixt them and the heavenly- 
 Gods, and became dircd Objefts of their Worihip, 
 
 He gives to Timothy a ju(t Summary of Human r^. 
 and Heathen Learning, That it is proud^ knowing no-.'' 
 thing, but doting about ^eftions^ and Strifes of Words, 
 whereof Cometh Envy, Strife, Railings, evil Surmijings, 
 ■perverfe Difpiitings of Men of corrupt Minds, and ^ '^^'"- "• 
 dejlitute of the Truth; and therefore bids him^^^ 
 put them in remembrance, with a Note of moft fo- 
 lemn Adjuration, charging them before the Lord, 7iot 
 to Jlrive about IVords (as was the Cuftom of vain 
 Philofophers) to no Profit, but to the perverting of the 
 Hearers. To fhun profane and vain bablings, i. e. lays 
 Grotius, " The Inventions and Comments of Men 
 *' on divine Matters, without any Revelation," for 
 they will increafe unto more ungodlinefs, to the intro- 
 ducing of Error, Herefy, and every Abomination ; 
 And their Words will eat as doth a Canker, the ve- 
 nomous Influence of Philofophy will fpread like a 
 Gangrene over the found Parts of Chriftianity. 
 Therefore again he urges, ver. 23. Foolifh and un- 
 learned ^leftions avoid, knowing that they do gender 
 Strifes ; they had proved the Ruin of Philolbphy, 
 and the Corruption of Religion. 
 
 All thefe Cautions the Spirit of God forefaw 
 were neceflary, to prohibit the leaft mixture of 
 worldly Wifdom with the Dodrines of Faith ; 
 neverthelefs the fatal Effeds thereof foon appeared 
 in the Gnojiicks, or Men pretending to extraor- 
 dinary Knowledge, " "Who, fays Dr. Hammond, 
 " abounded with an empty frothy Wifdom, ta- 
 *' ken out of the Pythagorean Philofophy :'* And 
 made Chriftianity a mythologick fabulous Syftem, 
 filling it, in Imitation of the Heathens, with the 
 Generation of the Gods, an infinite Number. of 
 iEons, Images, Ideas, Emanations, Angelick Pow- 
 ers, 
 
263 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 ers, Middle and Mediator Gods, anfweraWe to the 
 Pagan Demons, and to which Grotius applies thofe 
 J^icf'a.ay.aKias J^outjiovloiv^ the Bo^rines of Devils^ in 
 X Tim.iv. I. And in this principally followed the 
 Pythagoreans^ who gave heed to feducing Spirits, 
 had Commerce with them, were Magicians, as 
 Apolknius "Tyaneus^ and taught their Dodrines, be- 
 ing thoroughly fuperftitious, in fixing the Order and 
 Woilliip of Demons, external Walhings and Puri- 
 fications for the Expiation of Sin, iJc. 
 
 And to mention no more, from the Vanity of 
 Philofophy, which afTerted a IPower in Man to per- 
 form all virtuous Adions, fprang up Pelagianifm, 
 which confidently advanced the Poflibility of attain- 
 ing a State of Perfeflion and Impeccability ; and 
 thus made corrupt Nature independent of God, his 
 AlTiftance, or Grace : And I wifli it be not the fame 
 Pride, which in this Age exalts Nature and Reafon 
 to fuch excefTive Height, as to teach, that it is in the 
 Power of Man, through a due Exercife of his Fa- 
 culties, to difcover what is necelTary to his Perfec- 
 tion both in this World and the other; and confe- 
 quently that he (lands in no need of Revelation. 
 
 This unnatural Exaltation of Reafon has always 
 proved the Bane and Curfe of it ; and whoever pre- 
 tends to derive, or account for Religion on thofe 
 Principles, will foon lofe the Chriftian in the vain 
 Philofopher. 
 
 Bjt 1 hope it fully appears, that in Scripture 
 there is no Foundation for fuch Pretences, on which 
 neverthelefs the whole Syftem of Natural Religion 
 is built : But by what means this Law or Religion of 
 Nature, they fay, may be attained, {hall be the Sub- 
 ject of the next Enquiry. 
 
 The Second Argument offered in Support of 
 Natural Religion, is, from the Contemplation of 
 jhe Works of God. 
 
 The 
 
P^evelatton, not from Reafon or Nature, 269 
 
 The Maintainers of the Law of Nature affirm, 
 that Man by the due Ufe of his Reafon, and 
 without the Help of Revelation, may difcover what 
 is neceflary to be known or done, /'. e. the Know- 
 ledge of God, of their Duty to him, themfelves, 
 and one another ; from a due Obfervation of, and 
 proper Inferences from the Grandeur, Beauty, and 
 Order of the Univerfe. 
 
 To guide our Judgment in a Point of fuch Im- 
 portance, it will be neceflary to confider whether 
 both the Inftrument and Means be fufficient for the 
 Purpofes afligned to them, fince from a Failure in 
 either of thefe, the whole Superftrudture mud fall to 
 the Ground. 
 
 The Inftrument is the Faculty of Reafon ; and 
 the Means are thofe Colleflions and Inferences it 
 may make from a ferious Contemplation of created 
 Beings, Man's own Frame, and that Relation and 
 Fitnefs, which kt evidently appear in the Series, 
 Order, and Dependence of Things. 
 
 Now to make a juft Eftimate of Reafon, we can- 
 not take the Standard of it from the State of In- 
 nocence, when the Judgment was clear, and there 
 were no inordinate Paflions to bias it j nor in this 
 corrupt State of Nature, from any two or three 
 Perfons who may have appeared in the Space of 
 fo many thoufand Years j nor, as has been before 
 obferved, from any Treatifes of Morality fince the 
 Revelation of the Gofpel : But from the Bulk of 
 Mankind, from more Millions, than there have 
 been fingle Philofophers in the World ; becaufe this 
 is Nature which is regular in its A£lings ; and if the 
 fame Caufes Ibmetimes produce furprifing, extraor- 
 <iinary, or different Efieds, we fay there is fome- 
 thing preternatural in it, or that Nature had adted 
 beyond, and above its ufual Courfe. 
 
 It is thus in Vegetable and Animal Produdlions, 
 and the fame Rule will hold alfo in the Rational : 
 
 What 
 
270 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 What the prefent Age is in its Intelledlual Pow- 
 ers, fuch was the ]ail, and fuch will the fucceeding 
 be. There is no Inconflancy, Variation, or Change 
 therein : Times, and Seafons, and Men are ftill the 
 fame, without any Tendency to further Imperfec- 
 tion or Decay. Whatever Difference there has been 
 in feveral Ages, it was owing to fome external 
 Circumftances, not to Nature. When Applicati- 
 on to Knowledge prevailed, the Abilities of the 
 Mind proportionably rofe ; when difcontinued, Igno- 
 rance and Barbarity fpread themlelves over the 
 World ; yet the Faculties were the fame, and the 
 Difference owing to Culture, not 10 Nature. 
 
 And fince infinite Power, and the moft benign 
 Wifdom were the Contrivers of Nature, we mud 
 fuppofe they made a fuitable Provifion of all things 
 r.eceffary to the refpe6tive Condition of their Crea- 
 tures : Therefore in Man, if there be a Duty re- 
 Guircd of him, he muft have the Means of know- 
 ing and apprehending it, or there can be no Law 
 to him ; nor he be an accountable Creature, but 
 under a natural Incapacity of anfwering the End 
 and Purpofes of his Being ; under Obligation to 
 Obedience, yet the Power and Means of obeying 
 withheld by the Decree of his Maker, which furely 
 is an Imputation not to be caft on Divine Juftice 
 and Mercy. 
 
 Therefore, if every Perfon of a mature Age 
 (without any natural Imperfedlion) in all Times anU 
 Places have not fufficient Abilities clearly to know 
 his Duty, and attain the perfective End of his Being ; 
 it muft follow, that the Author of Nature, in not 
 granting fuch Abilities, does not require that Man 
 fhould come at the Knowledge of Duty by this 
 Means; becaufe he cannot demand Impoffibilities 
 of his Creatures, nor will fuffer them to perifli 
 eternally without any Default of their own. 
 
 On 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 271 
 
 On the other hand, if this be the appointed 
 Means of Knowledge, and Divine Truths are fo 
 obvious, that every Perfon has a natural Sagacity 
 from fcnfible Obfervations and internal Reflexions, 
 plainly to difcovcr them, thefe Conclufions mult 
 neceflarily be granted. 
 
 Firji^ That every humble attentive Mind may 
 infallibly do it ; becaufe otherwife he would have 
 Powers and Apprehenfions to no purpofe ; the not 
 having a thing, and not knowing that we have it, 
 or Abilities to ufe it, being much the fame. 
 
 Secondly, All thefe Truths would be equally plain 
 and evident to every Underftanding : For where 
 Nature is alike, fo will be its Operations ; and as the 
 fame Objed, from one Point of Sight, and through 
 a proper Medium, appears to the natural Eye of 
 different Perfons in the fame Magnitude, Colour, 
 Form, ^c. and Sounds make a like Impreflion on 
 the Ear : So will Truths naturally inveftigable, be 
 difcerned with the fame Evidence and Certainty by 
 the Mindi for where the thing is apprehended, 
 and the manner of apprehending through fimilar 
 Organs or Faculties is the fame, there will be no 
 Difference in Opinion, no Uncertainty, or Contra- 
 didlion about it. 
 
 Thirdly, If the fame Duties oblige the whole Na- 
 ture, they mud be equally difcoverable by every 
 Individual which partakes of that Nature, the illi- 
 terate as well as the Philolbpher, in ' the Sheep-fold 
 or Wildernefs, as well as in the College'; among the 
 favage Indians, as in Rome, or Athens ; or Mercy 
 would be unequal, and Millions would be deflitutc 
 of Means to attain the End for which all were pur- 
 pofely created. But all Souls are equal, and tvtvy 
 Creature of God per fed in its Kind ; and no Mortal 
 dare to fay, that infinite Wifdom could not, or efTen- 
 tial Goodnefs would not furnifh them with Powers 
 fufficient to attain their End j and as the knowing 
 
 and 
 
272 The Knowledge of Drcine ThiJigi from 
 
 and ferving God is the End of Man ; if Reafon be 
 the Means intended to work out the End ; every 
 Man muft have fufficient Abilities to do it, or the 
 Work of God will be imperfefl. 
 
 Now if there had been but a few from whonj 
 thefe Truths were hid, it might be imputed to 
 particular Slo:h or Imbecillity. But when there are 
 but a few (two or three, lays Dr. Clarke) to vyhom 
 they were known -, what can be inferred but that 
 this Knowledge was not from Nature, but fome 
 other Means ? 
 
 And if Laws are attended with Rewards and 
 Punifhments, in which their Force confids, fince 
 that from which we have neither Hopes nor Fears, 
 is abiolutely indifferent to us, and a few only 
 can know or obey thofe Laws, but the Multitude be 
 incapable of it : Then, by Virtue of ILich Laws, 
 one or two may be rewarded, but Millions of other- 
 wife innocent but unhappy Souls, be finally con- 
 demned, having neither Means nor Opportunity of 
 doing otherwife : Surely this is not a Law, but a 
 rigid inexorable Decree ; and if Man is to be 
 eternally doomed by thefe Rules ; if Omnipotence 
 made Creatures on purpofe to be miferable, whi- 
 ther is Mercy flowo, or where do Righteoufneis 
 and Juflice dwell ? 
 
 Or if the Law be only fuch as it is difcovered or 
 apprehended, and the Obligation extend no further, 
 then the Difcovery will make the Law, and that be 
 infinitely various as the Capacities of Mankind are ; 
 in common to all, yet not common or alike with 
 any ; to fome a whole Law, to others in part ; 
 Univerfal, but not including Particulars j have 
 Force to Day, and none To-morrow ; compel here, 
 and be abrogated there j in one Place fhine, in 
 another be excinguifhed. A Camelion that changes its 
 Colour, and is contradidory to its felf, as Circum- 
 fiances happen, in a thoufand Shapes and Inftances 
 
 (which 
 
Revelation ^ not from Re a/on or Nature, 273 
 
 (whicli is the true Picfture of Natural Religion thro' 
 the whole Pagan World) and for thefe Reafons 
 can be no Law, but a vague unintelligible things 
 without Force or Obligation. 
 
 Again, If the Difcovery or Apprehenfion make 
 the Law, every Man muft have a right to judge 
 for himfelf, according to luch Difcovery or Appre- 
 henfion, and confequently to aft, or not to aft, (o 
 far as he has formed his Judgment, without being 
 controlled by any other. For where one by Na- 
 ture is a Judge, he may determine for himfelf, 
 without fubmitting to any external Authority of 
 Inftruftion. He i3 to be guided by his own Rea- 
 fons, and thofe only fo far as they are perceived 
 and evident to his Mind, for which he neither is, 
 nor can be accountable, but exifts in a mere State 
 of Nature and Liberty, free, and independent of 
 every other Being. 
 
 As then Nature, and its common way of afting, 
 is the fame, what is affirmed of it muft hold uni- 
 verfally \ and let the Definition of a Man be what 
 it will, it muft be equally true of all, ^^cunque ejl Cic Leg. 
 hominis definition una in omnes valet. So if natural 2. 
 Theology is righdy defined, to be that which is 
 attainable by the Light of Nature only, then all 
 who have the Light of Nature, and the Ufe of 
 Reafon, are capable of attaining it ; otherwife the 
 Definition will be falfe and imperfeft. 
 
 Let us then only look abroad, and judge whe- 
 ther any of thefe things be applicable to Nature ; 
 we fhall find the World as full of Savages now, as 
 in the early Ages : And that could nine Parts in 
 ten of the Inhabitants of the Earth be brought 
 together, not one perhaps would have a tolerable 
 Notion of a Divine Being, the Soul's Immorta- 
 lity, or a future State. It is pofllble they may 
 have the Name of ibme things, but be abfolutely 
 ignorant of the Nature of them -, for to know a 
 
 T thing, 
 
274 ^^^ Knowledge of Divine 'Things from 
 
 thing, is to underftand its eflcntial Properties, that 
 which conftitutes it, what it is, and diftinguifhes 
 it from all others ; to call a thing a Clock, and 
 yet not know it has Wheels, Weights, Springs, 
 or Motion, or that it divides the Time, is the 
 Skill of a Parrot, not the Reafon of a Man. Yet 
 no better Account can the Jfricans or Americans 
 give of Divine Truths. They have no Apprehen- 
 fions of them, of the Perfeftions neceflary to a felf- 
 exifting Being; what Duty is agreeable to him, 
 or what Rewards or Punifhments await us in a fu- 
 ture State. 
 
 Nay, we may venture to take the Standard of 
 human Reafon, even from Chriftians who enjoy fo 
 many greater Advantages than others do. Go in- 
 to the Woods or Mines, and you will find Canni- 
 bals and Hottentots there. Examine and try the 
 Commonalty in almoft every Place, and you muft 
 obferve how hebete and dull they are, how ftrangc- 
 ly unacquainted with what they profefs to believe, 
 can give no rational Account of thofe very Articles 
 of Faith which perhaps they can repeat ; have fuch 
 uncouth Ideas as are not only the Reproach, but 
 the fubverting of Religion, and literally fulfil the 
 Heb. V. Apoftle's Words, That they have need that one teach 
 U- them again, which be the firji Principles of the Ora- 
 
 cles of Gody have need of Milk and notjlrong Meat : 
 Are Babes and Children, fo far from being ac- 
 quainted with the Elements of Religion, that they 
 Lock. Eff. are ignorant of the moft common Truths. " Talk 
 Li.c. 4. « but with the Country People, almoft of any 
 §.i6. p. u Age, or young People almoft of any Condition, 
 ^^' *« and you ftiall find that though the Name of 
 
 " God be frequently in their Mouths, yet the 
 " Notions they apply this Name to, are fo odd, 
 " low, and pitiful, that no body can imagine they 
 " were taught by a rational Man»" 
 
 Many 
 
Revelafiotty not from Reafon or Nature, 275 
 
 Many have natural Wit and Aptnefs to difcharge 
 their own mean Employments, yet take them out 
 of that beaten Track, and you will find them 
 ignorant of moft Truths, doubtful of all, and able 
 to account for none; So far from difcovering 
 Truth, that they cannot apprehend the Arguments 
 whereby alone it could be difcovered or proved. 
 Put into their Hands any one Demonftration of the 
 Exiftence of God, his Nature, or Providence ; will 
 they underftand the Procedure, or difcern the Con- 
 nexion of the Premifes ? The Propofition they io 
 far know, as to repeat it, becaufe they have been 
 taught it, but are incapable of perceiving its Evi- 
 dence, or drawing Conclufions from it : And to 
 affirm that the Law of Nature may be demon- 
 flrated by the ftrideft Rules of reafoning, yet that 
 the World neither can do it, nor underftand it when 
 done, is faying little to the purpofe. But this ge- 
 neral Charadler of Man will hold true, that he is 
 without Knowledge till he receive Inftruftion, with- 
 out Confcience, till informed what the Will of 
 God is. 
 
 Nor is this any Degradation of Man, it is his 
 Nature, what all Ages of the World bear witnefs 
 to and confirm. Socrates faid of the Commonalty, Crito, p. 
 " They do every thing by Chance, without Counfel S'- 
 " or Defign : And to Charmidas, he calls even the ^"^""P,^' 
 " AfTembliesat^/^^/zjFools, ignorant, and ftupid." ^^' * ^' 
 Plato calls it " A thing agreed upon, that the Mul- Politic, p. 
 *' titudc are no way able to receive Art or In- S^o- 
 " ftruftion." And again, " That the Vulgar are ^^ j^ 5^ 
 *' not capable of Fhilofophy, i. e. of Religion, in p. 4^4. 
 •* the Knowledge or Means of it." KvAAriJiotky 
 " That they prefer the Life of Beafts to any Ethic. I. 
 « other. '» ^•'^•5- 
 
 Cicero abounds with thefe Complaints, " That Epj^. f^. 
 '* every Place is full of Fools, StuUorum omnia plena, mil.l 9. 
 " That amongft the common People there is nei- 22. 
 
 T 2 " thcr 
 
276 The Knowledge of Divine ^Things from 
 
 " ther Induftry, nor Difcernment, nor Reafon, nor 
 
 " Wifdom ; they judge of moft Things by Opi- 
 
 " nion, of very few by Truth. Non eft confilium in 
 
 ° anco.jj ^jnlgQ_^ yiQYi ratio y non difcrimen, ncn diligentia. Ex 
 
 Pro Rofdo" opinione flurima^ ex veritate pauca judicat. Sic eft 
 
 Comoedo. " vulgus^ ex vcritate pauca^ ex opinione muha afti- 
 
 p. 2c6. « j^^at." '* That Virtue or Knowledge is feldoni 
 
 Tufc O '^ ^° ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^" ^^^^ heavy Minds j Tardis 
 
 1. c.n.24. " enim pientibus virtus non facile comitatur. That 
 Id. 1. 2. «' Philofophy muft be content with a few Judges, 
 n- '• '« indullrioufly avoiding the Multitude, being mil- 
 L. 2. c. 2.(t fj.^{^e^ and hated by them." And in his Of- 
 fices, when he treats of Wifdom, or the Science 
 of Things divine and human, and their Caufcs, he 
 fays, " His Countrymen were little acquainted with 
 ** fuch things, though fo highly deferving of their 
 " Knowledge; Nee fat is erant nota noftris^ i^ erant 
 " cognitione dignijfrma. But Wifdom fhuns the 
 " Crowd , ahhorrere a mtdtitudine Philofophiam. 
 
 Nat. D. 1. ti ^^^ with Juftice he obferves, that if the World 
 Divin^l " ^^^ made for the wife, it was made for a very 
 
 2. n. 28. *' few : If a Prodigy is what feldom happens, a 
 
 " wife Man is one, and Mules have oftner foaled 
 " than there have been wife Men in the World. 
 Epiil. 29. Seneca fays, " Nunquam volui populo placer e\ nam 
 " qua ego fcio, nonprohat : ^la prohat popidus^ ego 
 '' nefcio, 1 never defire to pleafe the People, for 
 '^ they do not approve what 1 know, and I don't 
 " know what they approve." So of many it be- 
 came Proverbial, 
 
 Bceotum crajjo jurares aere natum. 
 
 Sf. Ais^. The elder Chriftians fald the fame, and called 
 ^e Morib. jjjei^ a <j'urbas imperitorum^ a rude ignorant Mob^ 
 cShoiic " ^"^^^^ ^^^ fuperilitious even in the true Reli- 
 I. ^^ " gion.** They have fcarce the Freedom of Rea- 
 fon, having no Criterion or Rule to judge of Truth 
 cjr Faifhood by ; are therefore Slaves to the Opi- 
 nions, 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 277 
 
 nions, and their Creed hangs upon the Lips of 
 others i are carried with the Stream, and can crive 
 no Account of their Perfuafion, but that others 
 embrace it, without confidering whether it be Dream 
 or Demonftration. Call them Rational, yet they are 
 the Tools of another's Reafon, not their own : 
 For though Reafon be an Inrtrument in the Hands 
 of Nature and of God, yet without long forming, 
 without Principles, Method and Order to work by, 
 it is a moft fludluating giddy thing, and feldom 
 produces any thing that is great or praife-worthy ; 
 it is Inftrudlion only that gives it an Edge, and fits 
 it for the proper Ufes of an intelligent Creature. 
 
 On thefe Accounts La5iantius and others veryLadant. 
 juftly argued, " That if what they call Philofophyl-3- §• 2s 
 " cannot be attained but by learned Men; if it fhunsP- ^9°- 
 " the common Society of Mankind, it cannot be 
 *« Wifdom, nor the Way to it •, if true Wifdom be 
 *« eflentially neceifary to the Well-doing and End 
 «« of Man, it cannot be confined to a Beard, a 
 ** Cloke, or the Schools, but muft indifcriminately 
 " be divided among all. Every rational Creature, 
 *« of whatever Nation, Language, or Sex they be, 
 *' will be capable of it : And if they cannot attain 
 ** it by their own Mother-wit, the Author of Na- 
 " ture never could intend they fhould do it\ or 
 *' they have natural Capacities to no purpofe.'* 
 
 There is no other Rule to judge of the Powers 
 of Nature, but general Experience and Obferva- 
 tion : For every Creature is perfed in its kind ; the 
 Tree grows to its allotted Proportion, the Reptile, 
 and Inhabitants of every Element, have all the re- 
 quifite Means to fulfil the Ends of their Being, as 
 well as Bounds fet them, beyond which they cannot 
 pafs. Let the fame Obfervation regulate our 
 Thoughts with regard to Man ; and we fhall foon 
 be convinced, that thefe things are out of his reach, 
 
 T 3 whc4t 
 
278 The Knowledge of Divine Thingi from 
 
 what Nature has denied him Powers or Faculties to 
 attain. 
 
 And whatever Strefs the learned Maintainers of 
 Natural Rehgion lay upon the common Abilities and 
 Reafon of Mankind ; yet when they take a ferious 
 Hooker View of them, they are forced to fpeak as I do, and 
 Ec. Pol complain how dull, how heavy, how almofl without 
 1. 5. §,68. Scnfe the common Multitude every where is : That 
 P, 2+J- they who are funk with Beggary, or Dejedion, or 
 '264 Bafenefs, do not eafily give ear to Reafon ; and that 
 L. I §. of thofe things which are needful for the Direction 
 12. p. 74. of all Parts of our Life, and not impoflible to be 
 difcerned by the Light of Nature, are there not 
 many, which few Mens natural Capacity, and fome 
 which no Man's hath been able to find out ? 
 Tillotfon, That grown Perfons of a very low and mean Ca- 
 Serm,*4.. p^city of Underftanding •, and who either by reai- 
 p. 32. fon of the Weaknefs of their Faculties, or other 
 Difadvantages which they lie under, are in little or 
 no Probability of improving themfelves, are always 
 to be confidered in the Condition of Children and 
 Learners ; and therefore muftof neceffity, in things 
 which are not plain and obvious to the meaneft Ca- 
 pacities, truft to and rely upon the Judgment of others. 
 Dr.Clarke That the Neccfiity and Indifpenlablenels of the 
 Difc. vol, great and moral Obligations of Natural Religion, as 
 2- P- ^55' alfo the Certainty of a future State of Rewards and 
 Punilhments, very few are able in reality and effcdt 
 to difcover clearly and plainly for themfelves : But 
 Men have great need of particular Teaching and 
 much Inftrudlion, to convince them of the Truth, 
 Certainty, and Importance of thefe things. 
 Lock. EfT. There arc fome Brutes which feem to have as much 
 1. 3, c. 6. Knowledge and Reafon as fome that are called Men ; 
 $.12, p, and the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms are fo 
 ^ ^' nearly joined, that if you will take the loweft of the 
 one, and the higheft of the other, there will fcarcely 
 be perceived any great difference between them. 
 
 And 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 279 
 
 And that great Philofopher Dr. More : That the Cabb»la, 
 Vulgar cannot have any tolerable Conceit of an Om-^ ^** 
 nipotent, Invifible, Immaterial Being ; and onlyj ^^'j^ ,' 
 under an human Shape ; which is the fame that O- * " " * 
 cero affirms. 
 
 Here is an impartial Declaration from the wifeft 
 among us : Let us then grant it, and only confider 
 what Steps fuch Men could take to inveftigate 
 heavenly Wifdom ; to purfuc it through Paths ut- 
 terly unknown, to raniack the vafl Abyfs of Nature, 
 and unfold the Caufes, Relations, and Dependencies 
 of Things, to unveil her Secrets, and behold the 
 wonderful Harmony and unfhaken Steadinefs where- 
 by Hie adls, and difcover Truths in the dark Siiades 
 wherein fhe conceals herfclf, and by a piercing Dif^ 
 cernment feparate it from Falfliood : In fhort, by 
 a clear and folid Underflanding, to follow the Powers 
 of Nature through all her Mazes, up to the firft 
 Spring and original Caufc, and remove the thick 
 Clouds betwixt him and Eternity : This furely is a 
 Task (by their own ConfelTion) utterly inconceiv- 
 able, altogether impoffible. 
 
 How can they, who by a kind of NecefTity, from 
 the conflant Labour of the Body, have the Mind Barrow, 
 bowed down and chained to the Earth ; have nei- vol. 3. p. 
 ther Capacity nor Attention •, know not how to ex- 32'- 
 pend Labour in fearching after Truth, nor Care in 
 weighing Arguments, nor Diligence in obferving l j 
 Things. — Thucydides makes it a general Obfervation 
 on human Nature : That in the Search of Truth 
 moll Men are impatient of Labour, and fooneft em- 
 brace the Things that are next at hand. How can 
 fuch who have no Skill or Art to account for the leaft 
 thing they fee or hear, fo eafily find out the molt 
 fublime and glorious ones that can enter into the 
 Heart of Man to conceive ^ and what no Wifdom 
 upon Earth has been able to explain further than 
 they were revealed to us. 
 
 T 4 But 
 
28® ^he Knoivledge of Divine Thifjgs ffOfft 
 
 But the moil: Ignorant,\vhen once inflrufted in thefe 
 Points,will immediately fee fo muchTrutli and Rea- 
 fonablcnefs in them, that they cannot withhold their 
 AiTent ; as on the other hand, without fuch Infor- 
 Lock vid iTiation, they would Jive and die without any No- 
 Eff. 1. I. tion even of the Being of a Deity : And if fuch, 
 c. 4. §.22. with an honcflHeart, an humble and teachable Mind, 
 P- 37- receive Inftruclion, believe, and obey, they will ne- 
 ver want fpcculative Knowledge enough to lave their 
 Souls, 
 
 If we take a Survey of the elderTimes, it will illus- 
 trate and confirm this. We ihall find it was the Work 
 of Ages to bring any Science to a tolerable Perfec- 
 tion i that the moft extraordinary Genius's fpent 
 their whole Lives in unwearied Diligence and Tra- 
 vels, yet never attained true Wifdom. Pythagoras^ 
 till the fiftieth Year of his Age, was a Scholar under 
 the greateft Maftcrs in the World. Democritus fpent 
 no lefs than fourfcore Years in hard Study. Plato 
 attended the Leflures of Socrates^ Archytas, and £«- 
 rytas, for forty Years -, and Arijlotle laboured more 
 than twenty under Plato. Here were Perfons of the 
 moft folid Judgment and vaft Capacity, with invin- 
 cible Study and Application, and aflifted with the 
 Labours of all preceding Ages, yet fell infinitely 
 fhort of Truth. 
 
 What then can others of a weaker Mind and {ligh- 
 ter Pradice, without any Afliftance or Guide, do, 
 from the utmofl Efforts of their natural Speculati- 
 P li£°c '^' °"^ "^ ^^ ^^ ^" Obfervation almoft as old as Learn - 
 15. ^"o5 ^^^^ ^" ^^ common Labours of Life a. Man 
 
 flands in need of Strength and Patience, but in Phi- 
 ?!^?fin Jo^ophy of muchLeifure. And Cicero notes it as a 
 Remark he always made. That no one ever became 
 eminent in Eloquence or Wifdom, without the ut- 
 moft Study and Application. Semper Jlatui jieminem 
 fapicntia laudem Cff eloquent icB fine furiimo fiudio t^ la- 
 
 kre 
 
 1. 2. in fin. 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 2S r 
 
 bore ^ do5irina confeqiii pojfe. And whoever tries, 
 will find the Labours of the Mind to be greater and 
 more fatiguing than thofe of the Body. Multo ma- q-^^ ^^ 
 jorafunt opera animi qiiam corporis. Offic.I. 2. 
 
 Arc not the Schools and Univerfities conftant Wit- 
 nefles of this ? How unintelligible things atfirftare, 
 what Time and Pains are confumed to enforce a 
 Language or two ; to teach the Art of Reaibning ; 
 to open a few Paths or Inlets to real and fubftantial 
 Wildom ; yet notwithftanding all this Appara- 
 tus, how few attain it, the World will judge. 
 
 Bat we muft obferve the wideft Difference between 
 the Procedure in Natural and Divine Subje<5ts. In 
 human Studies every Advancement pkafes ; and tho' 
 we are not able to trace out all the Relations and 
 Dependencies of things, or at once perceive the full 
 Evidence of what we are contemplating ; yet the 
 Mind is eafy, under no Anxiety or Defpair. It may 
 grafp at more, yet is under no real Dejedlion for 
 v»^hat it continues ignorant of, as being no way 
 eflential to its final End and Good. 
 
 But in Matters of Duty, and of great Concern- 
 ment, it is far otherwiie : If the Mind have not a 
 plain and diredl Aflurance of what Law obliges 
 it, it muft labour under Doubts and Pears of eter- 
 nally mifcarrying : For whatever we do not know 
 with Certainty, can be no more than a probable 
 Opinion, which carries neither Evidence nor Obli- 
 gation with it, nor can afford any Acquiefcence or 
 Satisfadlion to the Mind. Here is no room for un- 
 advifed Rafhnefs, or ill-grounded Opinion. To be 
 deceived is to be undone ; and there cannot be great- 
 er Folly or Arrogance, thaq for Man to refufe an ^. , , 
 omnilcient Guide, and affume to himfelf what byj/^ & j""* 
 the Law of his Nature he is incapable of. p. 248. 
 
 Here we muft reduce Things to their firft Prin- 
 ciples, and by theftri<5teft Forms of Argumentation, 
 fhew how they are conneded together, what the 
 
 Truth 
 
2S2 '^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Truth of each Propofition concludes, and by what 
 Means a moral Evidence and Obligation arifes 
 from them. If this be not the Cafe, why are all 
 Syftems of Natural Religion forced to fubmit to 
 thefe Proofs, as the only Means to explain and efta- 
 blifh them; if they can be otherwife illuftrated, 
 why is it not done ? If they cannot, I do not fee 
 how fuch Religion can be called Natural, that wants 
 Proofs of that Nature, which none but they who are 
 converfant in the Depths of Philolbphy can compre- 
 hend. 
 
 And if fuch be the miferable Lot of Man, that 
 he can only know his Duty by Metaphyficks, Ma- 
 thematicks, Abftradlions, and Illations, better he 
 had never been born : If the Way to Life be fb 
 narrow, how few indeed would find it ? Or if Duty 
 be only difcoverablc by the Knowing, and without 
 Knowledge there be no Obligation, the more un- 
 happy muft the Wife be, in bringing greater Re- 
 llraints upon themfelves, for which the Ignorant 
 are not accountable. 
 
 There is not an Author of note that ever men- 
 Dr.Mid- ^jons this Subjed, to whofe Words I might not 
 ^j.^°^^'^*^' leave the Decifion of it. A late polite Writer 
 V. 3. p.* agrees ; That tho' the Natural Law in the Perfeftion 
 557. to which it was carried by Cicero, might ferve for a 
 fufficient Guide to the few, fuch as himfelf, of en- 
 larged Minds and happy Difpofitions; yet had it 
 been fo long depraved and adulterated by the 
 prevailing Errors, and Vices of Mankind, that 
 it was not difcovcrable even to thofe few, without 
 great Pains and Study ; and could not produce in 
 them at laft any Thing more than a Ho|)e, never a 
 full Perfuafion ; whilft the greateft Part of Mankind, 
 even of the Virtuous and Inquifitive, lived without 
 the Knowledge of a God, or the Expectation of a 
 Futurity ; and the Multitude in every Country was 
 left to the grofs Idolatry of the popular Worlhip. 
 
 The 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 2 S3 
 
 The Conclufion therefore will be jufl-; That if 
 the Law of Nature be what is difcoverable by the 
 Light of Reafon only, and the infinitely greater 
 Part of reafbnable Creatures be unable to difcern it ; • 
 nay even the Virtuous and Inquifitive, to difcover 
 the very Foundation of it, the Knowledge of a God; 
 This cannot be the Means appointed by the Author 
 of Nature to come at the Law of our Beings ; there 
 neceflarily mofl be fome other. Nor is it folving 
 the Difficulty, to fay, That fome Individuals may- 
 be able to do it, and communicate it toothers; 
 for it is contrary to the Definition as well as to 
 Truth; there being whole Nations and Continents, 
 without any fuch Teacher or Mafter ever among 
 them ; therefore God never intended it, nor re- 
 quires it of them : Nor if there were, could they 
 have any Right to demand their Aflent or Obe- 
 dience, nor others under Obligation to give it, 
 without the Evidence of a fuperior Authority. 
 
 But let us allow, that though the common Herd 
 be unequal to this Task ; yet the Wife of the 
 World, fome few enlarged Minds, poflibly might 
 difcover thefe Truths, and be Evangelifts to the 
 reft of Mankind : This will not mend the Matter, 
 becaufe they never could (in fuch Cafe) impofe them 
 as a Law to others ; and that the Queftion will 
 ftill return, whether even they were able to do it. 
 
 Ask the wifeft of Men, and they will confels the 
 Weaknefs of Reafon, that after all its Attainments 
 it falls infinitely Ihort of Perfedion, and is far 
 from being commenfurate to Truth or the Nature 
 of Things: That the greater Infight they have, 
 the more clearly they perceive a Want of farther 
 Light to difcover all their hidden Beauties. The 
 deeper their Penetration is into what they already 
 know, the more are they at a lofs to account for 
 what they do not know ; and what the moft Dis- 
 cerning know more than others, is this. That a 
 
 thoufand 
 
2 84 'I'he Knowledge of Dh'ine Things from 
 
 thoufand Things are above their Reach, which they 
 are, and mud be content to remain ignorant of. 
 
 Men indeed defire Truth and Knowledge, but 
 they are not to be had at a cheap rate, not without 
 Labour, and Watching, and painful Study. As 
 they who do not penetrate Things to the Bottom, 
 only raife Doubts, and fill themfelves with Inqui- 
 etudes : Whence it has been made a Quellion, con- 
 fidering the Preemption and yet Weaknefs of the 
 Mind, Whether the Learned are not more fubjedt 
 to dangerous Error and Miftake, than the Simple 
 and Ignorant ? So near a Relation is there betwixt 
 Science and Pride, the relying on our own Judg- 
 ment, and being deceived. 
 
 But however, fuch is the Obfcurity of Things, 
 and the Inability of our Faculties, that the truly 
 Wife of every Age have defpaired of finding it 
 Acad. Q^out. Even Cicero never hoped to declare the Ful- 
 i. 4. n. 3nefs of Truth, but only to exprefs fomewhat that 
 refembled, and might approach near unto it. Not- 
 withftanding therefore the Pretence of Divine and 
 Moral Truths being fo obvious, they are not of 
 fuch eafy Accefs in other Parts of Knowledge: The 
 Search is tedious and embarrafiing ; clofe Attention 
 and unwearied Application muft be ufed ; yet the 
 farther we penetrate into Nature, the thicker does 
 that Darknefs appear, wherein all Things are in- 
 volved. The more excellent the Knowledge is, the 
 more remote doth it lie frorn the common Level and 
 Obfervation of Men ; and the greater the Difficul- 
 ties to be removed, before a clear and folid Judg- 
 ment can be fixed. For the Truth of this I need 
 only appeal to the Learned, whether their Enquiries 
 are not often fruitlefs, in fearch of Things beyond 
 their Reach ; too great for us to comprehend, or 
 not fitting for us to know. And fhall the Know- 
 ledge of God, and of ourfelves, the moft ardu- 
 ous 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 285 
 
 ous Task, be accompliflied with the lead Pains and 
 Difficulty ? 
 
 I fpeak the Sentiments of Heathens as well as Repub. 5. 
 Ghriftians. " Are there not very few, fays Plaio, P- 476- 
 «* if any, who are able to contemplate^ omt^ -d 
 *' xaXov, xa3>' outo, l^eauiy in itfelf^ according to it- 
 *' felf\ Nay, that the Power of difcovering whatib. p. s. 
 *' was bed, was not common, but peculiar to the 
 " Judgment of Jupiter, (which is a full Aflertion, 
 *' that Reafon is not the Meafure, Rule, or Ca- 
 " non of it.)*' And again, I fay, " It is not pof- Eplnom, 
 <' fible for Men to be bleffed, and happy here, P- 973- 
 *' except Ibme few only." 
 
 I fhall add the Sentiments of a learned Divine 
 of our own. " If we refled upon the common j)j.g^^^ 
 " Nature of Man, or upon our own Conftitution, row, vol. 
 " we cannot but find our Conceits of Wifdom ve-3- p- j-^- 
 " ry abfurd, if we obferve the Biindnefs of our 
 " Mind, and the Ficklenefs of Human Reafon. 
 *' If v/e mark how painful the Search, and how 
 « difficult the Comprehenfion is, of any Truth; 
 " how hardly the moft Sagacious defcry any thing ; 
 ^' how eafily the moft Judicious miftake j how the 
 *' moft Learned everlaftingly difpute j and the 
 «' Wifeft irreconcilably clalh about Matters feem- 
 « ing moft familiar : How the wifer a Man is, 
 ** and the more Experience he gaineth, the lefs 
 " confident he is in his own Judgment, and the 
 " more fenfible he groweth of his own Weaknels; 
 " how dim the Sight is of the moft Perlpicacious* 
 <* and how ffiallow the Conceptions of the moft 
 " Profound -, how narrow is the Horizon of our 
 " Knowledge, and how immenfely the Region of 
 " our Ignorance is diftended ; how imperfedly 
 " and uncertainly we know thofe few Tilings, to 
 *' which our Knowledge reacheth ; how anfvver- 
 *^ ably to fuch Experience we are told in holy 
 
 Writ, 
 
286 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Writ, ** That every Man is hrutijh in his Knowledge 5 
 *' T^hat Wifdom is hid from the Eyes of all Men, and 
 " is not found in the Land of the Living" 
 
 Such Authorities ought to make us at lead he- 
 litate, before we admit fo boldly advanced a Pro- 
 pofition : That Rcafon can difcover and know the 
 deep Things of God, declare his Exiftence and 
 Attributes, difcern his Will, diftinguifh exadly in 
 Matters of Duty and of Sin ; when it thus falters 
 and ftumbles in every other Part of Knowledge, 
 and is fo liable to miftake Truth for Falfhood, and 
 Falfhood for Truth. 
 
 Or how comes it to pafs, that they who are Maf- 
 
 ters of the Dialedlick Sciences, fo able to guide our 
 
 Reafon, afiift in the Difcovery of Truth, and fix the 
 
 Underftanding in Pofieflion of it, can find no fure 
 
 CIc.Nat. Criterion for Judgment or AfTent, but the Refultof 
 
 ■^•^•'' all their tedious Study, is no more than Proba- 
 
 "■ ^' bility ? 
 
 Quint. 12. Such was ^intilian's Complaint : Non tempus no- 
 *°» his deeffe^ verum indufiriam, ordinem, rationemy i^ mO' 
 
 dumfciendi. Men of Learning find many Requi- 
 fites are wanting, befides Genius, Leifure, and In- 
 clination, to the Difcernment of Truth and Increafe 
 of Knowledge : And that jufl Principles, exad Me- 
 thod, and correct Reafoning, are not without difB- 
 culty made familiar to the Studies and the Minds of 
 Men. Among the few wife, to excel in one Science, is 
 a Character of diftinguifhing Merit ; to excel in more, 
 of a rare and uncommon Genius i to excel in all, is 
 yet to come. 
 
 But the Limits of human Reafon cannot be very 
 
 extenfive, when it is nonplus'd with every common 
 
 Produdion of Nature. The overflowing of the 
 
 Vid.Diod. jy-jf/^^ for a long Courfe of Ages, wearied and baffied 
 
 dot St7a° ^^^ Wifdom of the Ancients ; and happy was he 
 
 bo," &c. that could afTign a Reafon for it, that could not ea- 
 
 fily be difproved. Arifiotle threw himfelf into the 
 
 Euri^us^ 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 287 
 
 Euripus, for not being able to account for its Fluxes. Vid. Laa. 
 To believe the Jntipodcs, was a Specimen of Mad- P- ^^1- 
 nefs or Delirium ; the World laughed at fo prodi- 
 gious a Conceit, that Mens Heels fhould be higher 
 than their Heads, Fruits and Trees grow downward. 
 Hail and Snow fail upwards to the Earth. Even 
 Ibme very learned Chrillians durft not admit fo bold 
 a Propofition, left Mankind fhould be forced to look 
 out for another Parent bcfides Adam. So long-lived 
 is Ignorance, that in the Eighth Century Virgil Bi- 
 ih.o^ o^ Saltzhurgh \^2iS publickly accufed ofHerefy 
 and Impiety, for beheving this monftrous Dodrine, 
 thatt he Earth was round, and every part of it inha- 
 bited : ^o^tZachary ordered a Procefs againft him, 
 and that if the Articles were proved, that he fhould 
 be excommunicated and degraded. 
 
 I won't fay this is a Reproach to Nature, but that 
 it is prodigious, if Men, with all their Philofophy, 
 could not account for the Floods in the Nile, or the 
 Form of the Globe they lived on ; nay that it was 
 never done, till zNewton gave a Guefs at it, and the 
 French Mathematicians went to Torneo to try the Ex- 
 periment, and confirmed it ; yet could with eafe dif. 
 cover the Regions of Heaven, and him who fat up- 
 on the Throne in them. 
 
 To omit a thoufand Particulars : How has that vid, EuC 
 fruidefs Enquiry, whether there be a Vacuum, andPrsp. 1. 
 what it is, exercifed the Wits of all Ages ? ThePy- 15« ^^-4^- 
 thagoreans would eftablffh it as the Means whereby 
 the World breathed. The Sloicks made it an infi- 
 nite Space, in which the World fhould be confumed 
 by Fire. Pojfidonius, not an infinite Space, but juft 
 as much as would ferve for the Diffolution of the 
 World. Plato and Artjiotle denied it ; every one 
 preferring the Opinion that leaft fhock*d them,, 
 without being able to anfwer the DifHculties ob- 
 je6ted againft it. 
 
288 ^ht Knomledge of Divine things from 
 
 In the laft Ages, fome defined a Vacuum to be a 
 Privation of Body, that is a Nothing. Gajfendus, to 
 avoid that, plunges into an equal Abfurdity, by 
 imagining fome Beings which are neither corporeal 
 nor fpiritual, neither Subftance nor Accidents. The 
 Cartefians deny the PolTibility of a Vacuum j as 
 Leibnitz and others do from the great Perplexities 
 found in the Suppofition. Locke could not anfwer 
 the Queftions of the Cartefians^ but by propofing 
 others equally obfcure freely acknowledges, that he 
 knows not even what Space, or Extenfion, or Sub- 
 Itance are. And if we are ignorant of the Nature 
 of Subftance, what can we comprehend truly ? Then 
 Newton arifes, and entirely deftroys the Phyfics of 
 Defcartes^ afferts a Vacuum to be fo abfolutely ne- 
 cefTary, that without it the Motion of the Planets 
 and the Confequences thereof, are Things inexpli- 
 cable and impoflible. 
 
 Even among the Mathematicians, who pretend 
 not to move a Step without Demonllration, we 
 find fome affirm, and others deny, and Difputes 
 prevail in that as well as other Sciences; which*- 
 fhews that Truth is fomctinies lofl among them ; 
 That their Demonftrations do not always carry 
 Evidence, and that they themfelves cannot always 
 lee through the miit of infinite Diminutions, where 
 a finite Atom is divifible to Infinities of Infinites. 
 
 To which of thefe great Idols then Ihall we bend 
 our Knee, or Jive in a perpetual State of Scepti- 
 cifm ? Or may we not learn, that there are Bounds 
 to the moft exalted Underftandings, and Room to 
 doubt whether they can find out what is compre- 
 henfible ; when it is fo hard to comprehend Motion, 
 Extenfion, or the lead Duft of Matter. 
 
 Another Queftionofno fmalJ Importance, and not 
 fully cleared to this day, is TroS^ev rd y.ay.dy whence or 
 what is the Origin of Evil ? Every Fool is able to 
 
 make 
 
Reveiafton^ not from Re a/on or Nature, 289 
 
 make the Qaeftion, but few Men fo wife, as to be 
 either able to give, or fit to receive fuiBcient Anfwer 
 to it, according to the Depth of the Matter itfelf^ 
 fays a very learned Man : For what Philofopher or 
 Divine has treated this Subjeft fo accurately as to re- 
 move all Objections, and give thorow Satisfaction 
 to the Minds of thofe who fearch for it? 
 
 Metaphyficians have here a noble Field for their 
 iabftradted Flights, whether, according to Durandus^ 
 there be any divine Concourfe in Sin ? Whether, with 
 others. Moral Evil has any real Eflence, or real ef- 
 ficient Caufe, or only deficient ? Whether there be 
 any pure Evil ? Whether it be a Privation of Being, 
 or a real pofitive Being ? Whether it has not Ibme 
 natural Good for its Subjedl, and fo the entitative 
 material Ad of Sin be phyfically or morally good ? 
 By what Degrees of FermifTion an all-wife and mer- 
 ciful God fuffered Sin to enter into the World, fince 
 he abhors the lead Appearance of Evil ? &c. 
 
 The elder Heathens, when they obferved the 
 ^yickednefs and Mifery of Man, had no other way 
 to folve it, but by admitting two Principles, the one 
 good, and the other bad, as the Caufes of thefe dif- 
 ferent Appearances in the World. This, Plutarch 
 tells uSj was the beft Account, the mod ancient and 
 univerfal he could meet with. Among the latter 
 Pagans, Celftis fays, " It is difficult for thofe who are Orig.cont. 
 '* not Philofophers, to know the Nature of Evil.'* Celf. 1. 4. 
 But his own Account is, " That Matter is the Sub-^" ^° ' 
 " jed: of all Evil, to which it adheres j That the 
 *' Evil in Things, neither formerly, nor at prcfent, 
 *' nor for the future, can be more or lefs ; for the 
 *' Nature of all things is alike, and the Generation 
 ' ' of Evil always the fame." lamblkhus freely con- De Myft. 
 feffes that he knew not the Origin or Caufe of it. § 4- c- 6. 
 In other Places, he produces it from thofe Demons, * ^' 7^ 
 who were by Nature wicked : Tho' in the Senfe of 
 the Greeks, they were not wicked by Choice, but by 
 
 U Crea- 
 
290 T^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Creation and NecelTity. So that whilft he would 
 free the Gods from being the Caufe of Evil, he di- 
 Id. c. 7. redly makes them the Authors of it : Or elfe he 
 imagines, that Evil proceeds from the different Parts, 
 Pov^ers, and Influences of the Univerfe ; yet of thefe 
 God is the Former. 
 
 So among Chriftians, Ongen complains, That if 
 there be fome Points more difficult than others, we 
 may juftly reckon among them this of the Origin 
 of Evil. Reafon has never yet anfwcred, but rather 
 entangled itfelf in the Scruples and Difficulties that 
 1 fpring up here : We have nothing to do but to ac- 
 j quiefce in Revelation : That God made Man upright^ 
 I hit he fought out many Inventions. And tho' we are not 
 able to comprehend the Rule of Divine Proceedings, 
 yet we are afTured, that he cannot adl but with the 
 moft perfect Juftice and Goodnels, without running 
 into thofe Cautions and Niceties which learned Men 
 are forced to ufe in the Explanation of thefe Points : 
 That Sin cannot be faid abfolutely and Amply to be 
 from God, but only with this Addition or Limita- 
 tion, that the Aft, as it is a real Entity, is from 
 God ; Therefore God is not the Caufe of Sin, but is 
 the prime efficient Caufe of the material entitative 
 A(5l of Sin. "What miferable Jargon is Philofophy, 
 wading out of its Depths .? 
 
 Is not the World Itill divided about the Doftrine 
 of Predeftination, Free-Will, ^c. each Se6l accus- 
 ing the other of making God the Author of Sin, or 
 of denying his Providence, and a thoufand other Re- 
 proaches, which they think inevitably attend every 
 Hypothefis but their own ? 
 
 And if Nature, from the Contemplations of it, 
 muft be our Guide to fupernatural Truths ; yet what 
 Truth in Nature is the moil fagacious Enquirer able 
 to comprehend ? The leaft Occurrence gravels us ; 
 All our Reafonings and Experience but flowly dis- 
 cover the Contrivance and Intrigues of.Providence : 
 
 Nor 
 
Revelation, not from Rcafon or Nature, 29I 
 
 Nor can we thoroughly find out one thing in the 
 Frame of Beings ; they being made by a Knowledge 
 fo far fuperior and tranfcendent to that of ours. 
 
 In the beloved Study of the Ancients, that of the 
 Heavenly Bodies, thofe furefr Guides to their Crea- 
 tor, their Difcoveries v/ere flow and inaccurate, and 
 of their amazing Velocity, Diftance, Magnitude, 
 the Order, Laws, and Regularity of their Motion, 
 more Difcoveries have been made in the Space of 
 two Centuries, than had been fince the World began: 
 And how many unknown Worlds, and Species of 
 invifible Creatures have theTelefcope or Microfcope 
 opened to the Moderns, that have enriched and ex- 
 tended their Knowledge of Nature, fo vaftly beyond 
 that of former Ages ? 
 
 Nay the clearer View of the Wifdom of God in 
 our own Frame, the Circulation of the Blood, the 
 milky and lymphatick Veffels, the Motion of the 
 Heart, the Contexture of the Brain, on which our 
 very Being and Life depends, and other things 
 (without which the Mechanick Struflure of the Bo- 
 dies cannot be underftood) are but lately brought to 
 Light, the Difcoveries of Yefterday. 
 
 Will not theRallery of the Woman to Thales,\Nh.o 
 fell into a Ditch, whilft contemplating the Stars, fuic 
 all the Boafters of Reafon ? How Jhoidd you know 
 what pajfes in the Heavens, when you fee not what is 
 juji at your Feet ? If Nature be impenetrable, and its 
 Springs only known to the Maker and Direftor of 
 them j if we know fo little of the leaft of things, 
 how much Ms, and with what more difficulty muft 
 we know any thing of the*<jod of Nature ? Is it rea- 
 fonable to believe that fpiritual and immortal Subje<5ts, 
 are the only ones to be found out with Eafe and 
 Certainty by the wifer Sort, but not fo by the Com- 
 mons of the World, who neverthelefs are as much 
 interefted therein, as he that fits in the Chair, or in 
 the Senate ? The whole is againft Fa6t, againft the 
 
 U 2 Ex- 
 
292 The Knowledge of Divine 7'hings from 
 
 Experience and Obfervation of every Age ; it rs 
 what Man never did ; what he is under a Neceffity 
 of not doing. 
 
 To apply this (in the Words of a moft learned 
 BpLond Prelate) *' It is very unfair in thofe who deny the 
 2d Pafior. " Need and Expedience of a Divine Revelation, to 
 Let. p. 9. « argue in favour of Reafon, as if all iVlankind were 
 *' Philofophers^ and every one had fufficient Capa- 
 *' city, Leifure and Inclination, to form a Scheme 
 ** of Duties for the Direftion of his own Life. For 
 " it is not enough to fay, that there are learned 
 " Men in the World, who are able to form fuch 
 *' Schemes •, fince, whatever their own Ability may 
 " be, they have no Right to command Afifent and 
 " Obedience from others ; nor can any one ratio- 
 *' naliy receive and embrace their Schemes, without 
 *' following them through the Chain of Reafonings 
 " upon which they are built, and judging whether 
 " the Reafonings will lupport the Schemes. And 
 ** farther (in cafe thofe learned Men differ) without 
 " judging which of them is in the Right, and which 
 ** in the Wrong : A Task that the Generality of 
 " Mankind are as unequal to, as they are to the 
 " framing the Schemes themfelves. And the Dif- 
 " ficulty is ftill greater, when we find the fame Phi- 
 '* lofopher differing from himfelf, now advancing 
 *' one Opinion, and then again leaning to another ; 
 " at one time clear and pq^ five, at another time 
 *' doubtful and wavering, M^on the very fame Point ; 
 *' in which Cafe his Opinion on either fide can 
 " amount to no more in the Refult, than to prove 
 ** him a Guide very unfit for the People to follow.*' 
 To this Confideration of human Reafon, as the 
 Inftrument of Natural Religion, and which from 
 the Authorities of the wifeft Men, feems infufficient 
 for fo great a Task •, fome particular Circumftances 
 muft be added, as neceflarily fuppoled to attend the 
 Perfon, who has the Ufe or Exercife of it. 
 
 Lord 
 
Reijelation^ not frofuReafon or Nature. 293 
 
 Lord Herbert would have him one of very ex- 
 traordinary Abilities, but who has received no ex- 
 ternal Informations, by Tradition, Revelation, or 
 otherwife. His Lordfhip faw the NecefTity of mak- 
 ing fuch a Demand, from the extraordinary Part that 
 was to be afted j but could fee none for the granting 
 it to him in the prefent Controverfy. 
 
 But let us fuppofe fome Perfon appearing in the 
 World, in full Proportion of Body and Mind, /. e. 
 with all his Parts and Faculties complete, as much 
 accomplished as we can imagine any one to be, not 
 improved by Confideration and Experience, having 
 no one to inftru6l him, nor any other Light whereby 
 to difcover any thing, but his own unaffifted Rea- 
 fon. The Qjeftion is. Whether this Perfon, by the 
 fole Strength and Evidence of his own Mind, from 
 contemplating himfelf, and what he fees about him, 
 could arHve to any competent Apprehenfion of a Firft 
 Caufe of all thefe things ? Whether he could in any 
 tolerable meafure or degree, by Confideration of, and 
 Refleftion upon himfelf; or, by Collecflion and In- 
 ference from fenfible Objefls, find out that Being, 
 who was the Author of all others, together with 
 that Worfhip wherewith he ought to be hdhoured. 
 If he could not, then it will follow, that the Exif- 
 tence of a God could never be difcovered by the 
 Light of Nature only ; and that Man either has not 
 Reafon, or has it to no purpofe. 
 
 This is ftated in their own Words ; and we muft 
 make a few Obfervations upon them. 
 
 I . That it is always made a Poftulatum, and ta- \ 
 ken for granted, that the Heathens did attain this ' 
 Knowledge by the Help of Nature only. Which is 
 begging the Queftion, and falfe in fafl ; it being 
 evident from all Hiftory, and their own ConfefTion, 
 that they had other Means of Inftrudtion, much 
 Ihorter than the Road of Nature, and much more 
 explicit. 
 
 U 3 2. That 
 
294 '^^'^ Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 2. That if Man cannot make thefc Difcoveries by 
 Realbn, he has it to no purpofe, is an unjuftifiable 
 Expreffion : For Nian may have Reafon to all the 
 Purpofes of his Being, though not to all the Coun- 
 fels and Purpofes of God : Man is eflfentially a de- 
 
 \ pendent Creature in Mind and Body •, his Mind is 
 ' fuitable to his Nature ; and for a natural dependent 
 Reafon to difcover Supernaturals, is not according 
 to the Nature received •, and therefore unnatural. 
 
 3. Nor is it a juft Infinuation to fay (as Puffen- 
 dorf does) That tho' 'tis very probable that the chief 
 Heads of Natural Law were exprefly delivered by 
 God Almighty to the firft Mortals, and were from 
 them communicated to others by Cullom and Infti- 
 tution •, yet the Knowledge of that Law may never- 
 thelefs be ftyled Natural, inafmuch as the neceflary 
 Truth and Certainty of it may be drawn from the 
 Ufe of Natural Reafon. 
 
 It is certain that all the Heads of it are in the 
 highefl: manner agreeable to Reafon, and what it 
 will affent to as foon as proved : But as Natural Rea- 
 fon Hands diftinguifhed from Revelation, it could 
 not dii"^rn or prove the Truth of one of them, be- 
 fore it was otherwife manifefled to it. And fo his 
 Argument fuggefts. God exprefly delivered them, 
 which he need not have done, could Reafon fo cer- 
 tainly have known them without it \ and that 
 Knowledge did not come this way, is accounted for, 
 by their being communicated to others by Cuftom 
 and Inftitution. 
 
 4. Another Diftinflion not fufficiently attended 
 to, is betwixt the Light of Reafon and the Law of 
 it ; for tho* Truth be the Objed of the Min^, and 
 all Law be Truth, yet all Truth is not Law, /. e. 
 does not oblige. We aflent to a thing as true, from 
 fenfibie Evidence, or by difcerning the Certainty of 
 its Terms and Meaning. But to believe fuch Truths 
 to be a Law, we muft go a great deal further, and 
 
 know 
 
Revelation, not from Re a/on or Nature. 29c 
 
 know them to be the Will of fome higher Power, 
 who has a Right to exa6l Obedience -, for Law ne- 
 ceiTariiy induces an Obligation ; and nothing can 
 oblige but Power, which is only from the Will of a 
 rightful Superior. 
 
 Reafon is to enquire and determine concerning the 
 Truth or Falfliood of things, which is a vaft Pro- 
 vince ; therefore by no means ufelefs or given in 
 vain : For we cannot believe what is contrary to 
 Reafon, or what we do not perceive the Evidence of, 
 nor any further than as we underftand it. So nei- 
 ther can Obedience be neceflary, till we difcover(or 
 have fufficient Grounds fo to do) the Connexion of 
 fuch with the Divine Will. But then, to know a 
 thing to be true, and that it is the Command of 
 God, fuperinduces an Obligation not to be dilpenfed 
 with. And here begin the Adings of Mens Con- 
 fciences : What before was only difcurfive, now 
 commences a judicial Faculty. But Reafon, by fee- 
 ing the Evidence of the Law, is no more a Law to 
 the Mind than the Sun is to the Eye, or to its own 
 Being or Motion, tho* by the help of it we fee one, 
 and are convinced of the other. 
 
 Let us now fuppofe this Perfon (or, if it be any 
 Advantage, a College of fuch) in a Solitude or State 
 of Nature ; making ufe of the feveral Means af- 
 forded him to difcover the End of his Being, and 
 confider whether they are fufficient to fuch Purpofe. 
 The Means generally afligned, are, 
 Firji, The Works of Creation. 
 Secondly, His own Frame. 
 Thirdly, The Congruity and Fitnefs of Things. 
 Firji then. Let him carefully obferve the out- 
 ward Frame of Things, the Courfe of the Rivers, 
 the Flowing of the Sea, the Produflions of the 
 Vegetable World, the Number and Variety of the 
 Creatures, the different Qualities of the Elements, 
 the Viciffitude of Times, the Motions of the hea- 
 venly Bodies, the regular Succeflion of Light and 
 
 U 4 Dark- 
 
296 TJje Kjiowkdge of Divifie things from 
 
 Darknefs, the Rifing of the Stars, and the Return 
 of Seafons, the Renewing of the Bloom and Ver- 
 dure of the Earth. That there is a conftant Round 
 of Things ; a D^^uh, and Revivifcence in Nature, 
 without any Alteration or real Decay, either in the 
 Earth on which he dwelis, or in the Roof of Hea^- 
 ven which he beholds, but all move in a regular 
 Courfe and Order. 
 
 Such Obfervations would undoubtedly raife Af- 
 tonifhment and Admiration in his Mind : But if he 
 could from thence learn a Deity, it would be a 
 kind Piece of Inftruilion in thofe who are Mafters 
 of the Subject, to fhew us where the Mind would 
 fet out, what Mediums it would take, and how ad- 
 vance Step by Step without Danger or Error -, gra- 
 dually overcoming the Imperfections of Nature, 
 ^nd the many Difficulties which conftantly occur 
 in fuch Enquiries -, till it broke through all that 
 Darknefs with which it is naturally furrounded, 
 and opened a Way to the Throne of God. 
 
 The Fallacy which deceives fo many, is not at- 
 tending to the Difference between an afTifted and 
 unaffifted Mind ; and makes them ready to con- 
 clude, that becaufe we are able to do this by the 
 Guidance of Revelation, that therefore an uniformed 
 Mind would have taken the fame Steps; which is 
 boafting of the Ufe of a Dark-lanthorn at Noon- 
 day j they are as different as Light and Darknefs. It 
 is an Argument that concludes nothing, becaufe im- 
 poffible to be proved, therefore is not to be ad- 
 mitted or relied on. 
 
 But to return : Many Years mufl pafs in obferving 
 the Quahtiesof the Elements out of which all Things 
 are compounded ; the Nature of Things, their Man- 
 ner of Exiftence, Powers and Operations ; what are 
 their Intents and Purpofes, what their Productions and 
 Effedls, their Appointment and End ; by what fteady 
 Rules they a6l, in the long Chain and Subordination 
 £)f Caufes, how one is guided and overruled in the 
 
 nextj 
 
Revel at ion y not from Reafon or Nature. 297 
 
 next, that by a Superior, and To on, till he comes to 
 the higheft vifible Caufe ; for without this, he cannot 
 have anyKnowledge of vifible Objedlsjfo as to enable 
 his Underftanding to proceed in further Enquiries. 
 
 And fince Nature is fo dark and obfcure, he muft 
 raife his Speculations from confufed and inevidenn 
 Notions to thofe that are clear and evident : As alfo 
 defcend in this Science from Generals to Particulars. 
 He muft know the Caufe and Original of the Dif- 
 politions, Qualities, and Operations of Beings, and 
 wherein their Perfedlion confifts : He muft have a 
 clear and accurate Difcernment of the Origin and 
 Generation of Things ; the Conftrudtion, Tempe- 
 raments and* Affeftions of Natural Bodies, their 
 Gravity and Levity, Heat and Cold, Drinels and 
 Moifture ; he muft with the clofeft View penetrate 
 and unfold the hidden Springs of Nature, to what 
 are owing Motion and Life, and from what 
 Privation, Diffolution come ; he muft be exadly 
 acquainted with the Rules andMeafuresofTimcand 
 Motion, with the Situation, Figure, Order, Revolu- 
 tions and Influence of the Heavenly Bodies ; the 
 Nature of Time, Place, and Quantity ; with ten 
 thouland other Difquifitions, necelTary to take in 
 the vaft Compafs of the Univerfe, and fearch them 
 to the Bottom, fo as to remove all Objeflion and 
 arrive at Certainty, otherwife his whole Scheme 
 would be but Imagination, and he could never trace 
 out that Wifdom and Defign which muft lead him to 
 the Creator : For if there be Error in his Procedure, 
 in his Reafonings and Reflexions, they will bewilder 
 him in that mighty Labyrinth, but never direct 
 him to Truth. 
 
 Secondly, He muft carefully obferve the Operations 
 of his Mind, how it apprehends, collefts, com- 
 pares and infers ; what are the Meafures and De- 
 grees of Credibility, and fix fome certain Rules to 
 diftinguifti Truth from Falfhood ; to determine con- 
 cerning 
 
298 The Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 cerning any Propofition that offers itfelf, by diP 
 cerning how far he is to give his Affent to it : For 
 without fome fuch clear infalHble Rule, he can never 
 know what to believe or disbelieve, but muft remain 
 in perpetual Doubt and Sufpence, or by admitting 
 falie l^rinciplcs wander in Error and Delufion. 
 
 'Thirdly^ After an accurate View of Nature, he 
 muft apprehend the Harmony and Connexion of 
 the whole, the Reafons, Fitneflcs, and Congruity of 
 Things, and thence colIe6t fuch Rules as are mod 
 agreeable to Right Reafon, and propei- to direct 
 his Actions in fuch a Manner, as is congruous and 
 fitting to the Nature he enjoys, and to thofe Ends 
 and Purpofes for which he muft be intended. 
 
 Now if we confider the flow Gradations by v/hich 
 all this muft be accomplifhed, without any Moni- 
 tor or Affiftance, but Common Reafon, fuch as 
 the greateft Part of Mankind have, the Age of 
 Methufelah would not bring it to any tolerable Per- 
 feflion i and fince the united Labours of the World 
 for thoufands of Years did not do it, we may fafely 
 pronounce it impoffible to be done. All the Philo- 
 fophy of the Ancients could not fetde one Principle 
 in Nature ; Plutarch and others have tranfmitted 
 their Sentiments, which fhew how divided they 
 were in Opinion, how (lender, imperfeft, or falfe 
 their utmoft Knowledge was; and the Difpute was 
 never fettled from whence Things had their Source, 
 from Fire, Earth, Air, or. Water ; from Numbers, 
 Atoms, Ideas, Plenum, Vacuum, Infinite, i^c. 
 Through a Courfe of fo many Ages, there was no 
 Certainty, no Demonft ration : Their Science was 
 Opinion or Conjeflure, and their Truth but Proba- 
 bility. What then could the Natural Man do, who 
 was an abfolute Stranger to the Works of God, 
 unacquainted with his own Original, and every 
 Caufe, with no Afiiftance but his own Reafon and 
 Obfervation .'' 
 
 And 
 
Revelation y not from Reafon or Nature. 299 
 
 And yet the arduous Labour is yet to come ; af- 
 ter his utmoft Attainments he is a free indepen- 
 dent Creature, under no Reflraint on his Liberty, 
 Will, or A(5ting ; for Truth however excellent 
 would not lay an Obligation on him, till he per- 
 ceives it to be the Will of a Superior Being ; then 
 it has the Force of a Law, and becomes a diredive 
 Rule of Life: For as God made Man a rational 
 Creature, fo did he alfo a free one, and his higheft 
 Freedom muft confift in the Right he has tojudge of 
 Things, according to his own View of them ; and 
 in the Cafe before us, it is impofhble to be other- 
 wife. A natural Man muft judge for himfelf; no- 
 thing can conclude him but his own Realbn : And 
 however groundlefs or imaginary it may be, fuch 
 will be his Law : For no Man can believe con- 
 trary to his Confcience, and that is modelled accord- 
 ing to his own Sentiments of Truth. 
 
 So that from the Fitnefs and Agreeablenefs of 
 natural Things, he muft trace out the Exiftence 
 and Nature of a firft fupernatural Caufe ; and what 
 Truths are fo congruous to his Will, as to induce 
 upon him an Obligation to obey them: And to 
 make this Law effedtual, he muft be aftlired he 
 has a Soul, that it is immortal, and after Ibmething 
 happens, which he is yet ignorant of, but what he 
 may obferve in other Creatures, Death ; another 
 thing will happen, which he never could obferve 
 or think of; that his dead Body ftiall live again, 
 or his Soul fubfift in a feparate State, and another 
 World, which he is altogether ignorant of, and 
 undergo what he never heard of, Everlafting Hap- 
 pinefs or Mifery. 
 
 It is in vain to urge, That Reafon can find out 
 a little of God, a little of his Will, or Part of his 
 Nature-, to have a competent Apprehenfion of them, 
 or in a tolerable Degree ; thofe Scales of Diminu- 
 tion to which Natural Religion always is reduced, 
 
 when 
 
300 *Ti'e Knowledge cf Divine Things from 
 
 when Men think ferioLifly on it : For what do wc 
 undcrfland of a Thing by knowing little or no- 
 thing of its Nature ? It is a fupcrficial kind of 
 Science, which being of little IJfe, there is no 
 Caufe for Nature to boaft of it ; nor do fuch 
 piece-meal Difcoveries redound the leaft to the Ho- 
 nour of the Author of Nature. 
 
 However, all the Stock of Materials he can lay 
 in, to raife this mighty Superftrudure, are fuch Col- 
 le<^ions and Inferences, as he can make from fen- 
 fible Objedis; the Imagination is furnifhed with 
 Ideas by no other Inlet than the Senles ; except by 
 Inftruftion, which is here not to befuppofed. And 
 Jet his Mind divide and refle(fl on Matter, never 
 fo often, it will be impoflible to produce a Notion 
 of an immaterial Objedl. And how from fuch 
 low contemptible Principles, by what Climax, what 
 Jacobus Ladder, he can rear his Imagination fo high, 
 as to look into Heaven ; or bring what is invifi- 
 ble and incomprehenfible, down to the Level of 
 his Beholding, deferves a ferious Examination. 
 
 To prove the Sufficiency of Man for thefe 
 things ; there are two principal Arguments general- 
 ly alledged. 
 
 The Firft is, That the Being of God may be 
 found out and demonftrated from the Grandeur, 
 Beauty, and Order of his Works j and the invifi- 
 ble Things of him, his infinite Power, Wifdom, and 
 Goodnefs may be clearly feen and underftood from 
 the things which are made ; and the Godhead, or 
 his glorious Attributes and eflential Perfeftions, are 
 marked or fixed like an Impreffion on a Seal, on 
 the great Volume of the Univerfe, in fuch large 
 perfpicuous Charafters, that whoever duly attends 
 may plainly read them. 
 
 The Second is, That the Heathens, by the Ufe of 
 thefe Means alone, did arrive at the Knowledge of 
 God ; his Exiftence, Nature, and Providential Go- 
 vernment 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. ^Oi 
 
 vernment of the World ; and thence inferred the 
 Ncceflity of Moral Duties, and the Obligation they 
 were under to pra(ftile and oblerve them. 
 
 The firfl Argument is faid to receive great Con- 
 firmation from the latter, as being a pregnant Ex- 
 ample and Illuftration of it ; and therefore may- 
 very properly be examined before it ; for if the Hea- 
 thens did not difcover divine Things in this man- 
 ner, it will amount to a Demonflration that none 
 ever did or can do it. 
 
 St. Paul, to whom we may appeal as a Scholar 
 and a Gentleman, as freely as to a Philofopher of 
 Hiftorian, is exprefly (as we have fcen) of a con- 
 trary Opinion ; 'That in the wifdom of God, the world i Cor. I 
 by wifdom knew not God. In the admirable EfFefts of 3 1- 
 Creation and Providence, with all the worldly Wif- 
 dom of Philofophy they knew him not. But let 
 us take Dr. darkens Expofition of thefe Words, 
 " That in fa6t Men, without the Affiftance of Vo!. II. 
 '* Revelation, did not attain to a right Knowledge Serm. 56. 
 *' of God in any confiderable Degree. For, as theP- 37^* 
 " Eye, when put out, difcerns the Light no more 
 *' than if it had never been at all framed to be an 
 '* Organ of Seeing -, fb when the Underftanding is 
 *' darkened by vain Imaginations, ^c. what won- 
 *' der is it if Men, in a manner, ceale to know 
 " him who is the Author of all Knowledge and 
 *' Underllanding. For it is God that teaches Man 
 *' knowledge, Pf. xciv. 10. And the infpiration of the 
 " Almighty giveth him underjtanding, J obxxxii. 8. And 
 ** the Philofophers themfelves, in thofe very Inquiries 
 *' wherein they profefs themfelves to be moft wife, 
 " became Fools, and fbme argued themlelves out of 
 " the Belief of the very Being of a God, ^<:.'* Here 
 Dr. Clarke tears up the very Roots of Natural Re- 
 ligion, in juftly affirming that all divine Knowledge 
 is immediately from God and his Infpiration. 
 
 Nothing 
 
302 The Knowledge ofDivi?ie things from 
 
 Nothing can be clearer than this Pafiage of 
 
 St. PW, to the Purpofe for which it is alledged : 
 
 That what Knowledge the Heathens had of God, 
 
 they did not attain it from the Confideration of his 
 
 „ Works ; or that notwithftanding all their Attention 
 
 jnond in ^^ ^'^ infinite Wifdom in the Creation and Govern- 
 
 Loc. ment of the World, they did not come to the 
 
 Knowledge of the true God. 
 
 Nor does the Explanation fbme learned Men 
 have given it in favour of the Natural Law, clear up 
 the Difficulty they had a mind to remove. " They 
 Clarke " knew him, fay they (though the Apoftle fays they 
 vol. 2d " knew him not) but obfcurely ; but in a manner; 
 p. 366. " in no confiderable Degree ; and they knew him 
 " not aright." But I hope it was not the Wifdom 
 of God, nor his Works, that led them into this ob- 
 fcure wrong Knowledge of him : And what is an 
 obfcure Knowledge ? Bat where there is little Light 
 or Evidence in the Mind, the Notions are con- 
 fufed, nothing perfpicuous, diftinct, or clear, not 
 able to diftinguilli one Objed from another ; or 
 what is it to know a thing not aright, but to have 
 falfe Conceptions of it, no Agreement between 
 the Objed: and the Idea ? what in Nature is true, 
 becomes Falfhood in them. There is no Confor- 
 mity between the Apprehenfion, and the thing to 
 be apprehended ; if this be true, the other inevita- 
 bly muft be falfe ; fo to know God not aright, is 
 to know (as the Athenians did) a God, that was 
 unknown to them : But to have the Name of a 
 thing without the Meaning, to know a thing by a 
 Nature, Qualities, and Operations effentially con- 
 trary to it, is to know nothing of it, and becomes 
 another Manner of exprefling the utmoft Igno- 
 rance. 
 
 And yet it is much to be lamented, that we can- 
 not fix the Original of this Knowledge, bad as it 
 is ; that we have no Footftep^ of fuch Difcoveries ; 
 
 and 
 
Revelation y not from Reafon or Nature. 303 
 
 and that the Abettors of Natural Reh'gion will not 
 tell us, by whom, and in what Age it was done ; 
 for ftirely the Name of fo fagacious a Perfon would 
 have been facred to all Polterity, but they are 
 willingly filent on this Point, and fo is Antiquity ; 
 all it declares is, that Religion was what they re- 
 ceived from their Forefathers, or borrowed from 
 other Colonies or Schools. And ht any one Age 
 be pitched upon, and I will undertake to fhew a 
 precedent one knew as much, till we gradually rife 
 to thefirfl Difperfion of Mankind. And as to the 
 later Greeks who imported a new Stock of Learn- 
 ing among their ignorant Countrymen; they are 
 not fo vain as to attribute it to Nature or them- 
 felves, but ingenuoufly own whence they had thofe 
 Principles, fo different from, and nobler than any 
 their Fathers had been acquainted with. 
 
 And if ftudying the Works be the Method of 
 knowing the Workman, it is fomewhat myfterious, 
 that thefe laft Ages which have fo vaftly improved 
 Natural Philofophy, Ihould have made no new Dif- 
 coveries in the Divine Nature i which is neither 
 more nor lefs than it was before, juft fo far as 
 God revealed it, and no human Mind can carry it 
 further ; yet we fee every Day in thele Studies frefh 
 Reafons to admire his Wifdom, and adore his 
 Power j but not to add to his Nature or Perfec- 
 tions. 
 
 And what wholly enervates this Argument is, 
 that notwithftanding the many Difcoveries the 
 World has been blefled with, of the Appearances 
 of Nature ; yet the plained of them are abflrufe 
 and perplexing, not one Point fo determined, but 
 there is room for doubt. Though the Method of 
 accounting for fome Phaenomena be highly proba- 
 ble, no one can fay he has a clear Perception of 
 them, nor can demonftrate the Laws whereby they 
 adtj but there arc Millions of Appearances and 
 
 Defigns 
 
304 72;^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Defigns in Nature, that we can give no tolerabid 
 account ofj the Powers and Operations of which 
 are altogether invifible and unknown. And to fay 
 that vifible Effeds which cannot direft us to theif 
 own invifible imperceptible Caufes, fhould be Teach- 
 ers of the invifible Godhead, is prepofterous and 
 abfurd. Nature is the Work of God, and till 
 we can reach her hidden Springs and Defigns, it is 
 irrational to think of piercing what lies fo vaftly 
 beyond them, the invifible Perfeftions of the Work- 
 man. It is making the fame Caufe able to pro- 
 duce the greater, but not the lefler Effeft. 
 
 To convince us how fandy a Foundation this Ar- 
 gument is, we need only look back and obferve 
 how many Ages were fpent, what Force of long 
 and fevere Study was ufed, before Men were able 
 to form the firft Draught of an univerfal Syftem : 
 What was this owing to, but the not difcerning the 
 Reafon and Manner of the grand Appearances m 
 Nature ? and to pretend Demonflration from Prin- 
 ciples unknown, is the Effect of Ignorance of 
 Pride. 
 
 And v/hy fliould we imagine that to be fo eafily 
 done, which by the Acknowledgment of the Main- 
 tainers of Reafon never was done ? This very Point, 
 the Foundation of Natural Religion, nonplus*d the 
 Wits of the World, they knew nothing of it ; and 
 they attributed Creation to Chance, Matter, Combi- 
 nation of Atoms, Lav/s of Motion, i^c. to every 
 thing but what they ought to have done. And 
 thefe few Words, In the beginning God created the 
 Heaven and the Earth, contain more true Wifdom 
 than all their Volumes of Philofophy. 
 
 But the Works of God had an Effed quite con- 
 trary to what they are produced to fupport; in- 
 Head of leading Men to know the invifible things 
 of God by their natural Light and Reafon; their 
 very Reafonings and Speculations on them, led 
 7 Men 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon cr Nature, 30 
 
 Men to^ form the mod fabulous and extravagant 
 Opinion of Things: And indead of drawing that 
 Conclufion which the Apoftle fhews they ought, 
 Heb. xi. 3. That the things which are feen^ zv-re not 
 made by thofe things which do appear^ they did 
 conclude them to be the Work of vifible Caufes, 
 not of an invifible Ag-ent. And thouo;h among; 
 many great traditional Truths, they had this of 
 Creation, yet by attempting to give Reafons for it, 
 they utterly confounded it, and introduced a Set of 
 falle and idle Phyfiological Speculations. 
 
 " If thefe things (fays a learned Author) wereShuck- 
 " difcoverable by Reafon, and brought to Light f^'-^* 
 *' by a due Courfe of thinking, and then related 
 " to their Children ; what were the Traces of this 
 *' Reafoning ? where to be found ? or, how were 
 " they loft ? 'Tis ftrange thefe things Iliould be fo 
 *' obvious at firft, that an early Attempt fliould 
 " difcover fo much Truth, and that all the Wit 
 *' and Learning that came after, for five or fix 
 *' thoufand Years, fhould, inflead of improv- 
 " ing it, only puzzle and confound it. Xi Adam^ 
 " or fbme other Perfon of extraordinary Learning, 
 " had by a Chain of Reafoning brought thele 
 " Truths into the World, fbme Hints or other of 
 *' the Argument would have remained, as well as 
 " the Truths produced by it ; or forae fucceeding 
 •' Author would, at one time or other, have rea- 
 " foned as fortunately as his Predeceflbr : But no- 
 " thing of this fort happened ; inftead of it we 
 *' find, that the early Ages had a great Stock of 
 *' Truths, which they were fo far from having 
 " Learning enough to invent or difcover, that 
 " they could not fb much as give a good Account 
 " of the true Meaning of many of them. A due 
 " Confideration of which mufl lead us to believe, 
 " that God at firil revealed thefe things unto Men, 
 " acquainted them with what he had done in the 
 
 Jf. " Creation 
 
3 6 '2' he Knowledge of Divine T'hings -from 
 
 *' Creation of the World, which they communica- 
 " ted to their Children's Children." It cannot be 
 accounted for any other way ; it is what Fadt, 
 Hiftory, and the State of their Knowledge obliges 
 us to believe of them. 
 
 When the firfl: Planters of the World had for- 
 got every thing of the God of their Forefathers but 
 the Name of liich a Being ♦, had no Inftru6tors but 
 the Painting of the Fields, the Flowing of the Sea, 
 the Motions of the Heavens, and the Reflexions they 
 could make upon themfelves ; their Time confum- 
 ed in the neceflfary Toil of clearing the Ground, 
 and making Provifion for a miferable Support: 
 Thoufands of Years muft have pafled, before they 
 could have formed fuch a Body of Philofophy, and 
 Knowledge of the Works of God, as thence to 
 infer the Ncceffity of his Exiftence, or the Perfec- 
 tions of his Nature. And why may we not conclude, 
 that if God had not made a Revelation, they would 
 never have reafoned nor thought of him at all ; 
 fince notwithftanding the Stock of Knowledge they 
 once had, they could not retain in their Minds any 
 juft Notions of him ; but turned them into a Lye, 
 Figments and Fables of their own Invention ? And 
 when Knowledge again increafed in the World, 
 the very Contemplation of viable things fixed 
 their Admiration there, and hindered their Afcent 
 to the Author and Maker of them. 
 
 Which will no way feem incredible to one that 
 obferves what happens in his own Days : That a 
 curious Infpeftion into the Art and Mechanifm of 
 Nature has too frequently been a Prejudice to Faith ; 
 keeping the Eye confiantly upon earthly things, 
 creates a Diffidence of the heavenly ones ; and too 
 high a Refinement upon the Knowledge of the 
 Creature, has made Men weak and doubtful as to 
 Faith in the Creator. 
 
 Nor 
 
Revelafiony not from Reqfon or Nature, 307 
 
 Nor is the whole more improbable than ix. is im- 
 poffible ; for a Pagan ignorant of the Supreme Be- 
 ing, to make this quick Tranfition, to know the 
 Agent by the A£r, and from the vifible Workl be- 
 hold divine Invifibility. Arifiotk would have asked 
 fuch NaturaUfc, what indelible Charadter the Hea- 
 vens and Earth had of being created ; for there is 
 no Geometrical Method whereby Reafon could pro- 
 ceed from Principle to Principle, from Propoficion 
 to Proportion, as to conclude in that manner. It 
 it be asked why, the Anfv/er is, Becaufe no crea- 
 ted Mind ever did or can pafs that Gulph, from 
 Nothing to Something, how Nothing was brought 
 into Exiftence and became Something j to bring 
 thefe Extremes together, and reconcile Terms fo 
 infinitely diftant, which no Power lefs than Infi- 
 nite can efFed ; thefe are Ads folely of Omnipo- 
 tence, and therefore Omnipotence only is the Mea- 
 fure of them ; and to fay that Man could appre- 
 hend, that Non-entity was carried into Being, and 
 thus to meafurc the Almighty's Magnitude, is no 
 more than carnal Pride, and Man making him.felf 
 God ; he that can go thus far, can alfo tell us, 
 what God did before the World was made. 
 
 Plato^ I am fure, difclaims all this Arrogance. 
 " When we fpeak, fays he, of the Nature of God, Timseus, 
 " and the Creation of the Univerfe, we ought to p. 29. 
 " be content, if what we offer be but probable ; for 
 *' more than that is not to be required : For it 
 " muft be remembred that I who fpeak, and you 
 " who are Hearers, are but Men ; and if we can 
 " only attain fome probable Fable or Tradition of 
 " thefe things, -m^. tstcov -f ^yihra. (jm^ov, we may 
 " not enquire further about them." 
 
 After having taken a View of the Infufficiency 
 both of the Inflrumcnt and Means of Knowledge, 
 I come to confider more particularly the Seco?id 
 x\rgument, generally urged in lupport of Natural Re- 
 
 X 2 ligion, 
 
3o8 T^ke K?io-j)ledge of Divine Things frcjn 
 
 ligion. That the Supreme Being may be evidently 
 known by the Works of Creation, ^(. A Sub- 
 ject always opened with the greatell Triumph of 
 Eloquence and Pomp of Words -, as if the Sun 
 and iMoon were as faithful Preachers of the Law of 
 Nature, as they are Signs for Scafons and Days and 
 Years. 
 
 Tliis mufr be confefied a foothing kind of Philo- 
 fophy, as flattering the Mind, and greatly advan- 
 cing the Dignity of human Nature j therefore eafily 
 admitted, though void of any Support from Scrip- 
 ture or Experience ; and what I muft be afllired is 
 ialfe, though a thouland Alexandrian or Vatican Li- 
 braries affirmed the contrary. 
 
 The Spirit of God fays exprefly, I'hat through 
 , Failh we under jland that the IVorlds were framed l/y 
 \thc PFord of God, Heb. xi. 3. pruxaTi ©s», not the 
 ' A'.y©^ but what it generally fignifies,the Will, De- 
 cree, Order, and Command of God, without any 
 -Counfel or AfTiftance, without any Help or Mate- 
 rials-prepared ; but only, Let it be fo, and it was 
 fo. The Words v/ant no Comment, Faith is the 
 Sid)fiance of things hoped for, the Evidence of things 
 not feen, ver. i. an Aifent to a thing as credible, 
 upon the Tedimony of God, whofe Relation is 
 infallible ; Rcafon therefore could never fo much 
 as have known that the Worlds were created, had 
 not God communicated it. And there cannot be a 
 , greater Abfurdity than to fay, Man can find out 
 ■ God by the Works of Creation, yet cannot find 
 out that Creation is the Work of God. Which 
 was exadly the Cafe of the old Heathens, who ne- 
 ver could determine who formed the World, nor 
 v/lien, nor hov/, nor out of what it was made. 
 
 But God revealed it as a Truth neceflary to his 
 rational Creatures : By this we underfbmd, and are 
 fully perfuaded of its Truth. And as Faith is the 
 Evidence of things not feen, tjiat is the only Know- 
 ledge 
 
"Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 309 
 
 ledge we have of God whom no Man hath ktn : 
 Or m other Words, he could not have been known, 
 unlefs he had manifefled himfelf. This is the De- 
 monftration of the firft Caufe, and Origin of things, 
 which Pagan Philofophy fo earn^jy longc^d for, 
 but never attained. 
 
 St. Peter, 2d Epijlle iii. 5. declares the hmtyThat \ 
 hy the Word of God, the Heavens were of old. But 
 an omnipotent Fiat, a creative Word, a fpeaking 
 things into Being, is above the reach of created 
 Minds ; what Reafon cannot poffibly unfold ; nor 
 to be inferred from any ordinary Manifeftation of 
 divine Workings and Power in Caufes or Effeds : 
 But is altogether extraordinary, llipernatural, myfte- 
 rious and a hidden KQt of Volition and Omnipo- 
 tence, i.e. of the very Eflence ; what therefoi-e no 
 created Intelledl could difcover, what it never did ; 
 there being no Philofbpher who did not hold an 
 eternal nrlt Matter. 
 
 Is it not then ' to be feared, that the Religion of 
 Nature draws the Abilities of the human Mind 
 vaftly above the Standard of Nature, in affirming 
 that of all, which no one did attain, but by the 
 Spirit and Power of God } But let us take care 
 that whilft we exalt the Creature, we intrencli not 
 on the Prerogative of the Creator. And the Cau- 
 tion of a very learned Perfon becomes necefiliry 
 here ; while the Mind of Man keeps within its 
 own proper Sphere, it acfls with Security ; but 
 when once it ftrives to exert if felf beyond its na- 
 tive Pov/ers and Faculties, then it finks into Weak- 
 nefs and Infirmity, and is ever liable to endlefs 
 Error and Miftake : It hath no dired Perception, 
 or immediate Confcioufneis beyond things fenfible 
 and human : So that in all its noblefl: Efforts, and 
 moft lofty Flights, it muft ever have a fteady Eye 
 to the Earth, from whence it took its Rife •, and 
 alvyays confider that it mounts upv/ard with bor- 
 
 X 3 "" rowed 
 
3 1 o The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 rowed Wings j for when once it prefumes upon 
 thdr being of its own natural Growth, and at- 
 tempts a diredt Fhght to the heavenly Regions ; 
 then it falls headlong to the Ground, where it lies 
 groveling in Superltition or Infidelity. 
 
 Creation is the Prerogative of God, what none 
 can imitate, a "Work proper and peculiar to him 
 that is higher than the highefl: : And becaufe he 
 revealed it to us as a mod prevailing Motive to 
 apprehend his Greatnefs, dread his Power, admire 
 his VVifdom, rely on his Providence ; and thence 
 learn to v/hom only our Adorations, our Prayers, 
 and our Praifes ought to be direfted : Let us not 
 afTua^e this Glory to ourfelves, and afcribe that In- 
 formation to Man, which could not pofilbly come 
 from any but God : It being to unaiiifted Reafon, 
 altogether unintelligible and incomprehcnfible, 
 and therefore could not have been knov/n without a 
 Teacher. 
 
 Nor do I know one Pafllige in Scripture, which 
 intimates that God intended his Works, as the 
 Means whereby Men were to come to a Knowledge 
 of his Exiftence ; as it is certain he did -not leave 
 them to fuch an embarrafiing Method, but mani- 
 fefted himfelf to the World, at various Times, and 
 in fundry Manners. And wherever the Works of 
 Omnipotence are appealed to, it is to fhew the Great- 
 neis, not the Being of God ; to difplay his fuper- 
 eminent Majefty and Dignity ; and thereby difpofe 
 Men to a reverential Dread and Awe of him : So 
 Pr. xxxiii. ^^^ Pfalmiil always ufes it, By the Word of the Lord 
 6. were the Heavens made, and all the Hoji of them by 
 
 the Breath of his Mouth. Whence he draws this 
 Inference : Let all the Earth fear the Lord.^ let all 
 the Inhabitants of the IVorldfland in awe of him \ for 
 he fpake and it was done, he cotnmanded and it flood 
 
 f4^ 
 
 The 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature. 311 
 
 The fame is affirmed by Mofes of Miracles, the 
 Signs and Wonders which God fliewed on the De- 
 liverance of Ifrael out of Egypt, Deut. iv. 35, 36. 
 That they might know that the Lord he is God^ and 
 that there is none elfe befides him. Out of Heaven 
 he made thee to hear his Voice , that he might inftruSi 
 thee. It is urged to make them put their whole Truft 
 and Dependence upon him. Te are the BleJJed of the Pf.cxv. 1 5 . 
 Lord, which made Heaven and Earthy put your Truji ^ .., 
 in the Lord, Happy is he whcfe Hope is in the ^^'^pf'^xyHl" 
 his God, who made Heaven and Earth, the Sea andg' 
 all that is therein. To difpofe thenv to all Ads ofpf.cxxviii. 
 Worlhip and Adoration. The Sea is his, and he^* 
 made it, and his Hands formed the dry Land: O come^^- ^^^' 
 let us how down and woyfhip. To afcribe Thanks- 
 giving and Honour to him only : For he alone doth pf^^^y^^ 
 great fVonders, by his IVifdom he made the Heavens, 
 O give Thanks unto the^ God of Heaven. And Nehe^ 
 miah in his folemn Faft : Stand up and hlefs /^^Neh.ijf.5. 
 Lord your God for ever and ever. Thou hafi made 6. 
 Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens, with all their 
 Hofi, the Earth and all Things that are therein^ &c. 
 And thou prefervefi them all, and the Hofi of Heaven 
 worfhippeth thee. To declare his Supereminence to 
 thofe who were ignorant of him : Tell it among thep{^\^ ^cvi. 
 Heathen, that the Lord he is King, and that it is he 10. 
 who hath made the round World fo fafi, that it cannot 
 he moved. And above all to warn them againft 
 Idolatry : For among the Gods there is none like untop^i 
 thee, O Lord, neither are there any JVorks like unto IxxxvJ. 8. 
 thy Works. By this (as hath been fhewn) he dif- 
 tinguifhes himfelf, and fhews the Vanity of Idols ; 
 and warns them not to learn the Ways of the jer. x. 
 Heathens, who are brutifh and foolifh, the Stock is 
 a Do5frine of Vanities, Molten Images are the Work 
 of Errors ; In the lime of their Vifiation they fhall 
 perifh, 
 
 X 4 This 
 
312 ^ke Kmidcdge of Divine Things from 
 
 This was the Character which ftriick the greatell: 
 Awe, and moft etieftually expofed the Wickcdnefs 
 and Folly of going after ftrange Gods ; And tliefe 
 Acts of Omnipotence are in every Part of Scrip- 
 ture repeated, to make Men know, and confuJer in 
 their Hearts, 'That the Lord he is Gcd, in Heaven 
 Deut. above, and upon the Earth beneath, there is none elfe. 
 xxxiv. 39 See now, that /, even I am he, and there is no God 
 If.xliv. 8.^.//^ ;;2^, neither is there any that can deliver out of 
 Viiy Hands. Te are even my WitneJjeSy is there a God 
 bejldes me ? yea there is no God, I know not any ; For 
 J. , he is the Lord that maketh all Things. But they Jhall 
 i6 20 dl go to Ccnfufion together that are Makers of Idols. 
 J'hey have no Knowledge, that fet up the Wood of 
 their graven Tniage, and fray unto a God that cannot 
 22. fanje. Therefore, Look unto me, and be ye faved all 
 
 the Ends of the Earth, for I am God, and there is none 
 
 Deut \. ^V^' ^^ ^^ ^'^^ ^f ^^d^i Z,<?r^ of Lords, a great 
 ly,' " God, nighty and terrible, which regardeth not Perfons^ 
 nor taketh Reward. 
 
 So this Attribute of Omnipotence is defcribed by 
 thofe glorious Epithets of Almigiiiy, the Lord of 
 Hods, of Sabaoth (/'. e. of the Armies and Powers 
 in Heaven and Earth) Elfjaddai, fignifying the 
 Rule and Dominion which God hath over all, and 
 the Strength, Force, and Power by which he is able 
 to perform all Things. And upon the Right of 
 Creation doth jullly challenge that of Dommion, 
 / have made the Earth, and created Man upon it, 
 Ijaiah xlv. i2. He can frame any thing as it pleaf- 
 eth him •, and whatever he makes, properly belongs 
 to him, as the Lord and Mailer; that he can dif- 
 pofe of it according to his PieaJlire. Becaufe he 
 creates, he muft have an abfolute and unlimited Go- 
 vernment, Rule, and Dominion over all Things. 
 
 This is the conflant Ufe made of it by the in- 
 fpired Writers, not to prove there is a God, but 
 
 to 
 
Revel at ion y not from Reafon or Nature. 3 13 
 
 to fhew how great that God is, whofe all Things 
 :#e, both in Right and Poffeffion, by Sapremacy 
 and Dominion : That from the Contemplation of 
 his Works, they might be excited to admire that 
 Wifdom which contrived, to adore that Power 
 which produced, and to praife that Goodnefs which 
 preferves the whole Creation : Thefe are manifeft 
 Proofs, that his Nature is immenfe and infinite, 
 his Authority fupreme and abfolute, his Power uni- 
 verfal and unlimited, his Godhead and Glory ad- 
 mirable over all his Works. 
 
 For God's being our iMakcr, is the higheft Proof 
 of his Right to our Worfhip and Adoration ; that 
 it is the greateft Wickednefs to offer Homage to 
 the Creature,which can be only due to the one great 
 and infinite Creator, whorn alone we are to lervc 
 and pleafe. Thus the glorious Inhabitants of Hea- 
 ven that attend upon the Throne of God, when 
 they worfhip him that liveth for ever and ever, 
 make Omnipotence the Subjed of their divine Ado- 
 rations : Worthy art thou^ O Lord, to receive Glory, 
 and Honour, and Poiver, for thou hafi created all 
 Things, and for thy Pleafure they are and were created. 
 And this his fliithful Servants upon Earth have al- 
 ways imitated in their Hymns of Praife: The Lord 
 he is God, it is he that bath made us. Be thank- 
 ful unto him, and blefs his Name. So David, 1 Chron. 
 xxix. II. The Levites, Neh. ix. 6. Hezekiah^ 
 ifaiah xxxvii. 16, &c. 
 
 For what greater Power can there be, than to 
 make the Heaven and the Earth out of Nothing j 
 the Millions of Powers that are in the Heavens 
 above, the admirable Variety of Faculties found 
 on the Earth below ? Is there any Wifdom like un- 
 to his, who in fo manifold a Work made nothing 
 fuperfluous cr vain, and appointed to all Things 
 the beft Means to attain their End, a Law and 
 Rule which they fhould obferve I What Goodnefs 
 
3 14 ^'^^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 (o unfpf^akable as to make every thing Good, and 
 afford ihem fufFicient Aid to their Happinefs aiid 
 Perfection ? Such is the admirable Power, the in- 
 comparable Wifdom, the unfpeakable Goodnefs of 
 him that made the Heavens and the Earth. But 
 thoje Gods which made them not ^ fmll prijh. He alone 
 therefore is Almighty, Wife and Good i he alone is 
 to be adored and worlliipped : For thus faith the 
 If. xlIH. I , J_.ord that created Jacoh^ and that formed Ifrael, be- 
 io, II. jTqj.^ ^g there was no God formed^ neither Jhall there 
 be after me ; /, even 1 atn the Lord^ and bejide me 
 there is no Saviour. 
 
 This I conceive to be the true Application of 
 fuch Paffages in Scripture ; and wifh learned Men 
 would confider whether a Miftake has not generally 
 run through the Ufe of them in this Argument: 
 "Whether Mofes^ and the Pfalms, and the Prophets 
 did not always dire6t them to thofe who were well 
 inftrudled in the Exiftence of a Deity, which was 
 therefore an Article they needed nor, nor did at- 
 tempt to prove r Whether all all thofe with whom 
 the Apoflles reafoned in this manner, did not ac- 
 knowledge a Supreme Being, though they did not 
 know the true one ; and conlequendy the Intent of 
 leprefenting him under this diftinguifhing Charac- 
 ter, was to turn them from Idols to ferve the Liv- 
 ing God, which made the World and all Things 
 therein? and no Attribute could fp effeftualiy de- 
 monftrate the Tranfcendency of his ISfature above 
 the Gods of the World, as that of Creation, which 
 the Heathens had never applied to their Deities. 
 And wherein every thing they faw was a fenfible 
 Proof of the Majedy of the Godhead; whatever 
 they obferved in the Providential Government of 
 the World, was a Memorial and Exhibition of 
 infinite Wifdom or Power, of Juftice or Punifh- 
 ment. 
 
 From 
 
Revelatiojiy not from Reafon or Nature. ^ ir 
 
 From this they appeal to Common Reafon, whe- 
 ther he who dwelleth in the Heavens could be con- 
 fined in Temples ? Whether a Being invifible and 
 incorporeal could be reprefented by material Thino-s, 
 and the Framer of the Univerfe by the moll ig- 
 Doble Parts of it. Stocks, Stones, and Reptiles ? 
 From this Topick every Article of Idolatry ap- 
 pears moft unreafonable and unnatural. For of 
 thefe things the ordinary Underftanding of Man- 
 kind, on hearing the Terms explained, is a 
 competent Judge; to Men convinced of the Exi- 
 Itence, and inftrufted in the Divine Nature, the 
 Senfes will difcover innumerable Notices of fuch 
 infinite Perfedions, as cannot with any Propriety 
 be attributed to another : Yet in this the Heathens 
 erred; wherefore the Works of Creation were urged 
 to them, as Leflbns to furnifh their Minds with 
 Apprehenfions more fuitable to his Nature, than 
 they had conceived. 
 
 So that this Argument does no Service to the 
 Caufe of Natural Theology, but to throw a Mift 
 before the Eyes of unwary Readers : That the Cre- 
 ator's Name is written in Golden Characters on every 
 Page of the Book of Nature *, that the whole Uni- 
 verfe is but a vifible Map or Pidlure of the Invifible 
 Deity ; that we can no fooner open our Eyes, but 
 we may behold the glorious Ideas of his Divine 
 Power, Wifdom, and Goodnefs ; that Heaven and 
 Earth are his Preachers ; and that their Light, if 
 duly followed, will dired and guide us to the Eternal 
 one: That the Motions and Revolutions of the 
 Heavenly Bodies, the Variety, Order, and Beauty 
 of the Creatures, the Connexion and Correlpon- 
 dence of the whole Syftem, according to the diffe- 
 rent Rank of Beings, fuited to their feveral Capaci- 
 ties and Spheres ; the Diredion of all things to an 
 End, and the fitting them with Parts and Inftru- 
 ments adapted beft to the obtaining that End ; and 
 
 above 
 
3 1 6 T^hs KfiDwkJge of Divine Things from 
 
 above all, the fuperior Formation of Man. Thefe 
 are all obvious to our Senfes, and a vifible Mani- 
 fcftation of fome Self-originated and Eternal Caufe, 
 the Author of all others, and who alone can pro- 
 duce, govern, and uphold thir.gs, with that Power, 
 Order, and Wifdom, which every one muft obferve 
 in the Diredion of the Univcrfe. 
 
 Whence it is concluded, that there is a Natural 
 Theology, or a Religion to be derived from Natu- 
 ral Principles; and that whoever do not attain fuch 
 Knowledge, wilfully pervert their Reafon, or dar- 
 ken, and by wicked Pradices extinguifh that Light, 
 which God gave on purpofe to make them know and 
 worfhip him : And that they who do not, reduce 
 themfelvcs to a lower Condition of Stupidity than 
 the Beafis that perilh. 
 
 Yet how high foever Nature and Reafon are mag- 
 nified on thefe Occafions, there are few learned Wri- 
 ters on the Subjeft, who have not made fuch Concef- 
 fions, as wholly enervate the Ule of them ; and, af- 
 ter ferioufly confidering the Weaknefs and Limits of 
 Human Underftanding, are forced to confefs with 
 Arijtotle, That it is difpofed even towards firll Beings, 
 and thofe moft manifeft by Nature, juft as Bats are 
 towards the Light ; And if fuch be the Condition 
 of the Princes among Men in Wifdom, what can 
 the rude and uninformed do ? They who fit in the 
 Land of Darknefs and Shadow of Death, blinded 
 with Senfe, and dead in Luft and Sin ; I may fay 
 Man in general, who is bid to go to the Pifmire, to 
 the Stork in the Heaven, to the Turtle, the Crane, 
 and the Swallow, and even to the Lilies of the Field, 
 for Inllruftion in Divine Knowledge, » 
 
 Wlien Man views the numberlels Species of Crea- 
 tures that are below him in Degrees of Perfedion, 
 he is apt to be exalted with his own Self-fufficiency : 
 But when he looks upwards, and fees how much fur- 
 ther he is removed trom the Infinite Being of God i 
 
 when 
 
Revelation y not from Reafon or Nature, 317 
 
 when he confiders the Heavens, even the Work of 
 his Fingers, the Moon and the Stars which he hath 
 ordained, lilied with Wonder at t'le Divine Wif- 
 dom and ^4e^cy, and abafhed at his own Ignorance 
 and Weaknels, is forced to cry our. Lord! What is 
 Man that thou art fo mindful of him ? 
 
 We are cold indeed of a Ladder, a Scale of Be- 
 ings, by which the Underftanding may afcend to 
 God : And yet, alas ! the firll Step in this Ladder is 
 beyond the Reach of our Strength and Capacities. 
 Creative Omnipotence is the very Ground-work of 
 chefe Contemplations, on which every Part depends, 
 and from which alone the Mind can raife itfelf to 
 larger Profpeds and farther Difcoveries : Yet we 
 have ieen Creative Omnipotence, or what the Pro- 
 du(^ion or Emiflion of Matter into Being is, never 
 entered into the Heart of Man to conceive ; no 
 Mage or wife Man ever thought of it ; or if they had, 
 they would have laughed at the Incredibility and Im- 
 pofiibility of fuch a Notion. If there was one, let 
 us be told who he is \ if there was not, Creation, or 
 Created Beings, could not lead Men to the Know- 
 ledge of God i and the whole Strudure eredled on 
 this Suppofition, is without Juflice, Foundation, or 
 Trudi. The firll Link of this Chain that hangs 
 down from Heaven, is out of View j and without 
 this, all the reft are ufelefs. A Creator v/ithout a 
 Power to create, is to be, and not to be ; and Con- 
 tradictions will never teach the Truths of a Divine 
 Nature. No Philofophy but that which is Divine, 
 ever taught that God was the Efficient Caufe of 
 Matter, and nothing befides him. Eternal : And 
 they who would afcend by a material Scale to the 
 Divine Nature, fpeak as the Men at Bahel : Let us 
 make Brick^ and build a City and a Tower ^ whofe Top 
 may reach unto Heaven. But fuch Attempts have al- 
 ways been confounded. 
 
 I am 
 
318 The Knowledge cf Divine Things from 
 
 I am not therefore apprehenfive of Danger or Er- 
 ror from this Conclufion : That through the whole 
 Scriptures the Works of God are never fo propofed, 
 as that the World might, or did thereby find 
 out God (for they neither found him nor knew him) 
 but only that to thofe who are already acquainted 
 with that great Truth, they are a fenfible Evidence, 
 the moft noble Demonftration that can be offered, 
 of his invifible Perfections, even his eternal Power 
 and Godhead. 
 
 Then the flupendous Frame of the World, its 
 Stability and Variety, the vaft Orbs above, and the 
 lead Production below, in the fmallell Infe<5t, and 
 every Flower in the Field, is a Pialm of Praife ; 
 fince by the Grsatnefs and Beauty of the Creatures, 
 proportionably the Maker of them is feen. The 
 Clemency of the Air, the Influence and Subfervience 
 of the Elements, the Change of Times and Sealbns, 
 filling our Hearts with Food and Gladnefs, all its 
 Comforts and Benefits confpiring to the Good and 
 Happinefs of Man, make us blefs that merciful Pro- 
 vidence by which they are fo fteadily directed. 
 
 In this Senfe, and no other, the vaft Expanfion 
 of Heaven, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, their regu- 
 lar Motions, Courfe, and Order, teach and pro- 
 claim the infinitely great Author and wife Difpofer 
 of them. To this purpofe does the Pfalmift fum- 
 mon the whole Creation, the Dragons, and all Deeps, 
 Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapours, Storms and PFinds, 
 Beajls, and all Cattle, creeping things and flying Fowl^ 
 to magnify him, which they do by fulfilling his Word, 
 performing his Pleafure,and obeying his Commands. 
 And in thus anfwering the Ends for which hedefign- 
 ed them, they filently praife him, and leave all ratio- 
 nal Creatures without Excufe who do not the fame. 
 
 Thus thofe memorable Words, Pfal xix. The 
 Hearjens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament 
 
 Jhewetb 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 3 19 
 
 jhewsth his Handywork, are undoubtedly true, to 
 David who was a Friend of God, and to every reli- 
 gious Jew : For this Pfaltn was directed to the 
 Chief Mufician, to be fung in the Publick Aflem- 
 blies, and intended purely for the Ufe of the Jewijh 
 Church. Day unto day utter eth Speech^ and Night 
 unto Night Jheweth Knowledge : 'There is no Speech nor 
 Language where their Voice is not heard. Surely this 
 Expreflion is figurative : But though they have nei- 
 ther Speech, nor Voice, nor Words, yet they have 
 other and more effecflual Ways of difplaying the Di- 
 vine Attributes -, v/hereby they fpeak much louder, 
 and direft Men to juft Apprehenfions of the Deity, 
 more efTedlually than any Teacher on Earth can do. 
 But if underftood literally, as Declarers of the Ex- 
 iftence of God, they mull alfo be (o underftood, of 
 a faving Faith in Chrift ; for thus they are direflly 
 applied by St. Paul^ Rom, x. 18. which is proving 
 too much ; that being a Myfiery hidden in God^ which 
 no created Being, much lefs the things which are 
 feen, could poffibly reveal. 
 
 The Gradation, which is here remarkable, fully 
 explains both the Paflages : l^jy cannot call on him, 
 in whom they have not belisved : Nor believe in him 
 of whom they have not heard : Nor hear without a 
 Preacher : Nor one be a Preacher, except he be fent. 
 So Faith cometh by Hearing, and Hearing by the Word 
 of God. But I fay, have they not heard? Tea verily ^ 
 their Sound went into all the Earth, and their Words 
 unto the Ends of the World. Here is noted the Im- 
 poflibility to have Faith, or a Belief in God, with- 
 out Inftruflion ; and the only Means of Inftru<5lion 
 is the Word of God, and not the Voice of his 
 Works, which never could difcover him, but are a 
 noble Atteftation of him when revealed. 
 
 And this he applies to the Gentiles, and repeats a 
 Prophecy ol If Ixv. i. concerning the Call of them: 
 / am fought of thim that asked not for me\ 1 am 
 
 found 
 
320 ^he Knowledge of Divine Tln'ngs from 
 
 found of them that fought me not ; / was made mani- 
 "fcfi unto them that asked not afler me. The Heathens 
 neither knew God, nor asked, nor enquired after 
 him : But when the Time of their Calhng to the 
 Church was come, he would lend Preachers to inftrudc 
 them in whom to believe, and extend to them 
 the only Means of laving Knowledge, the Word and 
 V/illorGod. 
 
 Or if it be underflood of fpreading the Gofpel by 
 the Miniiiry of the Apoftles, that it was preached 
 to every Creature under Heaven ; then it enforces 
 the NecefTity of Infcrudlion, and confequently could 
 not be applicable by St. Paul In a Senfe directly con- 
 trary to the Pfalmifl:, fince both wrote by the Guid- 
 ance of the fame unerring Spirit. And herein there is 
 no Difference between the Jew and the Greek ; but the 
 fame Lord cjer all is rich unto all that call upon him. 
 
 Such are the ufual Forms of Speech v/ith the 
 infpired Writers, to exprefs an univerfal Ac- 
 knowledgment of God*s Dominion and Praife ; 
 'The Heavens fxill praife thy PVonders^ O Lord, Pfal. 
 Ixxxix. 5. y^nd the Heavens declare his Right eouf 
 nefs, for God is Judge himfelf. Hear O my Peopky 
 and Iwillfpeak^ Pfal. 1. 6 Yet it never was imagined, 
 that they inllrudted the World in a future Judg- 
 ment ; which however, by this Method of inter- 
 preting, would be as legible in the Book of Na- 
 ture, as the Divine Exiftence : And fuch Summons 
 of the Works of God are the conflant Language 
 of the Prophets. Hear, O Heaven, and give ear, 
 O Earth, for the Lord hath fpoken, Ilaiah i. 9. 
 And the Beajts of the Field, the Dragons and the 
 Owls foall honour me, Ifaiah xliii. 20. Yet as God 
 intended nothing in vain, if thefe by his Appoint- 
 ment were the Teachers of Divme Truths, all 
 the rational Creatures of God would have been in- 
 flufted in them, or the Means had not anfwered 
 the End ; Which is fo far from being true, that 
 
 all 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 32 r 
 
 all (except the Jews) were ignorant of him : And 
 therefore the Author of Nature never determined 
 them to fuch Purpofes. 
 
 Nayj they always had an oppofite EffecTu, which 
 is no way reconcilable with the JVleafures of Provi- 
 dence, that its Works fhould regularly produce Ef- 
 fedls quite contrary to the Purpofes of their Creation ; 
 Yet fo it was, thofe Works which the prefent Age 
 fays lead the World to God, always Jed them to 
 the groffefl Idolatry, No fooncr did Human Wif- 
 dom receive the leaft Advancement^ but its Con* 
 templations were diredled to the Study of the Hea- 
 venly Bodies, their Beauty, Order^ Motion, Influence 
 and Government : But Men were fo far ftruck with 
 Admiration, that they ftopped here j acquiefced in 
 the apparent Wifdom and Power they obferved in 
 vifible Objefts, without ever enquiring for an Effi- 
 cient Caufe ; firfl neglefted, and then rejecSled the 
 Notion of a Creator^ as a Being unknov/n and in- 
 vifible to their carnal Minds* 
 
 And from fuch Admiration of their excellent Glo- 
 ry, ftupiindous Frame, beautiful Struftare, regular 
 Order, and powerful Influence, they immediately 
 began to call and ciiink the Sun, Moon, andHoft of 
 Heaven to be God j fell down in Adoration, and 
 made them the ultimate Objeil of tlioir Worfhip, 
 their Uranus^ their Jupiter^ their moil High. Ic 
 was this fir If Study of Philofophy or worldly Wif- 
 dom, that removed the Fences of true Religion^ and 
 let in an Inundation of Idolatry upon the Reafon and 
 Minds of Men. Thefe were the early Gods of Chal^ 
 dea and Egypt', fo vain are the Imaginations of 
 Man when he relies upon himfelf. Tlieir boafted 
 Knowledge in Aitronomy was fo far f om direding 
 their Minds, by a Confideration of vifible Beings,^ 
 to an Acknowledgment of the invifible Glories of 
 the Godhead, that it for ever fhut out fuch ferious 
 Thoughts, in alcribing the Glory of the Uncreated . 
 
 Y God 
 
322 ^he Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 God to Created Nature •, and became the Ground- 
 work of Impiety, Polytheifm, and Atheifm, to all 
 fucceeding Ages. 
 
 And I think this Argument wants no other Con- 
 futation than the Manner in which it is urged by 
 thole very Perfons, who introduced it as a Support of 
 Mythol.l. the Law of Nature. Natalis Comes fays, " That 
 I.e. 7. p. n j-j^gj-e were no Nations, however barbarous, that 
 *°" " did not think there were Gods, that the World 
 
 *' was created and governed by a Providence ; yet 
 '' few were fo hardy as to introduce any Gods but 
 " what they received from others.*' Tiiat they be- 
 lieved the World created (or nonfortuitb genitum) 
 is too falfe to deferve an Anfwer : Or what was 
 the Confequence of their beUeving Creation, and 
 a Providence.^ Why, not to have Apprehen- 
 fions of one God, or admit any but what they 
 received from others ', and fo they worfhipped the 
 firft Star, Stock or Stone, they found their ig- 
 norant Neighbours adored. And in ' a few Lines 
 after he adds, " That almoft all People and Nations 
 " firft agreed in this Opinion, 'To look upon the Hea- 
 " venly Bodies as Gods'' Lord Herbert agrees in 
 Genf'l the fame, that they firft worfhipped the Stars; but 
 c. z.p.ii' sffi^^s, that this led them to the Knowledge of the 
 Supreme God. By which Rule, Falfliood is the 
 Road to Truth ; and Idolatry, or worlliipping falfe 
 Gods, is the School for Men to learn the true One. 
 Surely a Caufe muft be weak, if not defperate, that 
 ftands in need of fuch Arguments. 
 
 But all this is an utter Degradation of the Deity, 
 and impofiible to happen, were there any Mark, 
 Idea, or Signature of God fet upon his Works : 
 And in fuch cafe, the World, learning under one 
 and the fameMafter, would certainly agree in feme 
 common Notions and Apprehenfions of him. Yet 
 go among any People, and you will find the No- 
 • tions they have of a Supreme Being, to be no more 
 
 than 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 323 
 
 than the bare Opinion of their Teacher, without 
 any Refemblance of the true God ; which were im- 
 poffible, if thefe were the Charadlers whereby he 
 would iTianifeft himfelf. 
 
 If indeed there be any Symbols of the Deity more 
 beautiful or eloquent than others ; any vifible Ob- 
 je(5ls more amazing than the reft, to fill our Appre- 
 henfions with Awe and Dignity ; they undoubtedly 
 are the two great Luminaries appointed under him to 
 rule the Day and Night. When the Sun goeth 
 forth in his full Strength to run his Cour/c, if any 
 thing could lead our Thoughts upwards to a brigh- 
 ter and more glorious Being, that mufr ; It is the 
 neareft Reprefentation, among material things, of 
 the Bounty and Bleflings of our great Creator ; and 
 has hence been ftiled the Prince of Heaven, the King 
 and Father, the Leader and the Guide of Nature, ths 
 Director of Seafons and of Times ; it extends its Influ- 
 ence to every Creature, is Light to Ibme, and Life 
 to all, dividing its Ufe and Service to all Nations 
 under Heaven ; whereby we behold the Beauties of 
 the lower World, and enjoy its BleiTings with Plea- 
 fure and Comfort. 
 
 For thefe Reafons did vain Men lift up their Eyes, 
 and fix their Affedions there : To this King and 
 Queen of Heaven did they bow, pay Divine Wor- 
 fhip, and religioufly invocate them for their Protec- 
 tion and Afliftance, as the fole Authors and Difpen- 
 fers of Good to Mankind. And it is in vain to fay, 
 that they worfliipped a Supreme Being, in, by, or 
 through thefe, either as Emblems or Mediators. 
 Plato expreQy fays, that the Greeks had no other ; 
 Gods but the Sun, Moon, Stars, (^c. They neither 
 believed nor imagined any thing to be fuperior to 
 them ; and for Itarting the lealt Objection againft 
 it, Anaxagoras was charged with Impiety and Athe- 
 ifm, and Socrates purfued to Death. 
 
 y 2 The 
 
j(t4. ^b^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 The very Jews, amidfl a watchful Providence^" 
 awakened by Miracles, and warned by conftant 
 Teachers from God againft this very Abomi 
 
 ^ nation, frequently fell under the Temptation, and 
 
 "^^yi'^ved the Sun, Moon, and Stars, even all the Hofl 
 
 of Heaven : And if they proved a Stumbling-Block 
 
 and a Snare to the chofen People of God, there can 
 be but httle Hopes of their proving Guides to direct 
 others to an adequate Knowledge of him. 
 Wifd.xUi. ^^,\ fQ x.\it Jews confefs : Surely vain are all Men 
 ** hy Nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out 
 
 of the good things that are feen, know him that is i 
 neither by confidering the Works did they acknowledge tht 
 Workmafter, hut deemed either Fire, &c. or the Lights 
 of Heaven, to be the Gods which govern the World. 
 Whence we learn the Opinion of the Jews to be, 
 I. That the Heathens were ignorant, or knew no- 
 thing of the true God. 2. That the Works of 
 Creation never led them to the Creator. 3. That 
 they never could raife their Minds, in Contempla- 
 tion of a Deity, above the Sphere of vifible Things j 
 but concluded them to be truly and effentially God, 
 fmce nothing that was not fo, could govern the 
 World. 
 
 Nor did the Heathens ever imagine, that what 
 
 they knew of the Exiftence of the Gods was taught 
 
 them by Nature. Plato always afcribes it to a di- 
 
 ; vine Communication, that it is ©swv \i<; dv^^o!i7riis 
 
 Phileb. c/^co-jf, the Gift of the Gods to Men, And in his 
 
 Theages, That they give it to none but fuch as are 
 
 their Friends ; therefore not indifcriminately to all 
 
 Rep 5 who behold the Heavens ; and more than once 
 
 p. 4S3. draws an Analogy and Similitude betwixt the Light 
 
 of the Sun and the Knowledge of God: That as the 
 
 Eye cannot contemplate the Sun but by its own 
 
 Light i fo neither can the Mind contemplate tl^e to 
 
 Jjv, without fome Idea or Beam of this chiefeft Good : 
 
 Which (he adds) is the Caufeof all Truth, in every 
 
 intelligent 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 325 
 
 intelligent Faculty, without which there is no Sci- 
 ence. 
 
 And the Comparifon is jufl; for the Mind knows 
 jntelledlual things, as the Eye does vifible ones, by 
 the Interpofition of a proper Agent and due Light: 
 What therefore the Sun is in vifible things, tho* nei- 
 ther the Sight nor Eye ; yet the Caufe of the Eye*s 
 feeing, the Difcernment of fenfible things, and of 
 himfelf being vifible ; So is God in Intelleftuals, 
 neither the human Mind, nor Reafon, nor Under- 
 ftanding ; yet is the immediate fole Caufe of all Ipi- 
 ritual Knowledge to Man -, that ineffable Light, 
 which only can open his Mind to contemplate the in- 
 vifible G'ories of the Divine Nature. 
 
 If the Sun could not be perceived but by the Light 
 it affords, much lefs could God (that vcnrov yvaxn^M^ 
 
 fiv^^coTTcov) to whom the Glory of the heavenly Orbs 
 is no more to be compared than a Glow-worm, or 
 Spark of Fire to them : They enlighten the vifible 
 World, but reach not the internal Mind j they are 
 material, fubjecfl to Corruption and Vanity, and can- 
 not declare an immaterial incorruptible Nature. 
 
 Menander fpoke well as an Heathen : *' That 
 *' we ought to worihip the Sun as the principal God, 
 *' becaufe by him we fee the other Gods." And 
 certainly that God, which is a Sun to the Soul, irra- 
 diating the inward RecefTes and Eyes of the Mind, 
 opening to it the Treafures of Knowledge, ought 
 only to be adored. 
 
 Only look at the Sun ftedfaftly, and it will dazzle 
 or blind : And if the Natural Eye cannot bear thofc 
 material Rays, what Hope can there be of its be- 
 holding the Emanations of that Glory, which no Man 
 tan fee and live? There are but two Images of God 
 propounded to Mortals, by which the Mind is railed 
 to invifible things, and thofe are Nature and Grace^ 
 the fVorks and fVord of God. H.c is Hiewn in them 
 
 Y 3 bodi^ 
 
226 7Z'^ Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 both, but in both not under flood ; Nature explains, 
 but points not out her Creator ; Ihe cannot enlighten 
 the intelledual Eye : The Word and Will of God 
 are the only Light that can open the Eyes of the 
 Blind, and teach them, through the other, a full 
 Acknowledgment of the Truth. 
 
 For God is, and muft be his own Revealer ; 
 Matter and Motion only declare his Being, as the He- 
 rald does a King by proclaiming his Auguft Titles. 
 When his Exiftence and Perfedions are manifefted, 
 they attefl the Truth" of the one, and the exceeding 
 Greatnefs of the other. 
 
 Tell Men there is a God, and their Mind em- 
 braces it as a neceffary Truth ; unfold his Attributes, 
 and they will lee the Explanation of them in his 
 Works. When the Foundation is laid fure and 
 firm, that there is a God, and his Will the Caufe 
 of all things, nothing made but by his fpecial Ap- 
 pointment and Command ; then the Order of Beings 
 will fill their Minds with a due Senfe of the Divine 
 Majefty, and they may be made a Scale to raife 
 jufter Conceptions of what is Immortal and Invi- 
 fible. Every thing around us, or that has any Re- 
 lation to us, will be Helps to the better Difcernmenc 
 of things not feen. 
 
 Then it will be no light Curiofity, but a mod 
 improving Leilure to contemplate the excellent Fa- 
 brick of xxiCi Heavens, the Splendours of the upper 
 Firmament, the Harm^ony of the Stars, the Glory 
 of the Sun, the Brightnels of Light, the VicifTitude 
 of Nights and Days, the monthly Courfes of the 
 Moon, the Seafons of the Year, the Nature of the 
 Elements, the vegetable Power of Seeds, the infinite 
 Number and Kinds of Animals, prcferving their 
 proper Species ; the Magnitude and Grandeur of the 
 Univerfe, its exquifite Contrivance and Proportions, 
 the Variety of Materials, the admirable Difpofition 
 of the Whole, the Regularity of the Defign, the 
 
 Agree- 
 
Revelation y nof from Reafon or Nature. 327 
 
 Agreement and Confentof every Part conlpfringto 
 one and the fame End. Thefe, and a thoufand other 
 Obfervations, will give new Light and Strength to 
 prove they muft be the Work of an Intelligent 
 .Mind ; and become proper Motives to adore the 
 Wifdom, Power, and Goodnefs of that bleffed Be- 
 ing, who is the Dire6tor and Preferver of them. 
 
 In this Senfe, and no other, can Nature be called 
 a School or a Miftrels leading to God ; and fo did 
 the wifell Heathens exprefs themfelves. Zakucus, 
 in the Preface to his Laws^ argues in this manner : 
 " Every Inhabitant Iliould firll be perfuaded of the Vfd. Sto. 
 ** Being and Exiftence of the Gods; which Belief b«ura,Ser. 
 ** he will readily be induced to entertain, when he '^•^* 
 ** contemplates the Heavens, regards the World, 
 •' and obferves the Difpofition, Order, and Har- 
 ** mony of the Univerfe, i^c.'* 
 
 This is a juft and noble Thought of that ancient 
 Lawgiver : He makes the Belief of the Gods the 
 Foundation of Society and Law, what therefore eve- 
 ry Member of the Community fliould be well in- 
 flru6led in ; and that if in any be found a Spirit of 
 Ignorance or Infidelity, the due Confideration of 
 the Syftem of the Univerle is fuch a convincing 
 Motive, as muft foon induce them to an Acknow- 
 ledgment of it. 
 
 Cicero has a remarkable Pallage to this purpole, 
 wherein he introduces Ariftotle thus Hating the Ar- 
 gument : " If we could fuppole fome Perfons to have Nat. D. 
 " lived in the Bowels of the Earth, with all the 1. 2. n. 37. 
 ** Riches, Magnificence, and Pleafure, that in our ^" ^^"* 
 " Opinion make Men happy ; yet had never been 
 *' on the Surface of the World, but by Hearfay and / 
 " Report were informed, that there was an Infinite H 
 ** Power and Being ; and that afterwards, by an 
 ^^ Opening of the Earth, they could come from 
 " thofe hidden Dwellings into thele habitable Parts 
 *' where we are, and fhould on a fudden behold the 
 Y4 ■ "Earth, 
 
3 2 S The Knoivledge of Divine Things from 
 
 *' Earth, the Sea, and Heavens, fhould obferve the 
 " Bignefs of the Clouds, the Force of Winds, the 
 '' Valtnef% Beauty, and Influence of the Sun, that he 
 " caufed Day by an Expanfipn of Light through 
 *' the Firmament : And when Darknefs covered the 
 ^' Earth, fhould behold the Heavens enamelled 
 *' with Stars, the Variety of Lights in the Moon, 
 ^' in its Wanes, Increafe and Full, with the Rif- 
 " ing and Setting, the fixed and immoveable 
 *' Courfes of them all. When they fawthefe things, 
 *' they could not but acknowledge there was a Deity, 
 '■'< and that thefe mighty Works v/ere the EfFe6ts of 
 *' his Power,'* 
 
 Undoubredly true ! Firfb acquaint Men that there 
 is a God (which is the very Foundation of the Argu- 
 inenr) and then the Works of Nature are a moft 
 convincing Tcftimony to confirm the Truth both 
 of hisExiitence and Greatnefs -, and in thisSenfe they 
 ^ are applied by the wifeft of Philofophers. 
 
 The. Inferences therefore dravyn from the Works 
 of Creation, by the prefent iMaintainers of the 
 Law of Nature, are unjull ; being diredlly contrary 
 (and that by their own Confeflion) tp what the an- 
 X'^.l?'^' cient Heathens made: For they not being able to 
 s-nnrvol *^'i^'cern the Caufe fuperior to all others, the Will 
 I. p. 5,,.. of God, never could find out that God created the 
 ilniverfe ; but vainly attributed it to other Caufes ; 
 to Fate, in which there is no Variety ; to the Con^ 
 iufion of Chance, in. which there is no Beauty or 
 Urefulneis ; . to an everlafting Continuance, which 
 excludes God from the World ; to a Concourfe of 
 Atoms, which is full of ungeometrical Abfurdi- 
 ties, in making Matter, fenfelefs and unadive Par- 
 ticles, to be S.elf-exillent and Self-moving : Whereas 
 the leafl. Knowledge of Nature might have informed 
 them that Matter cannot aft-, that Nature, Fate, 
 or Chance, are no real Beings or Agents; that what 
 idelf has no Suhftance, cannot be truly the Caufe 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature, ^zo 
 
 cf any Thing: But if they were not able to find 
 out this firfl Principle, that all things were the Pro- 
 dudions of Divine Will and Power, it is abfurd to 
 iay, that they could through thefe Works difcover 
 a Deity, being utterly ignorant of the Relation that 
 v/as betwixt them. 
 
 And what was no natural Principle, whereby the 
 wife Men of old could come at the Knowledge of 
 God and Duty, cannot be fo to the reft of the World: 
 and that they did not look upon this as a Means 
 to attain them, appears from Socrates : " That they 
 «' who were anxioufly enquiring into the Laws by g^^^j^ 
 *' which the heavenly Motions were guided, wcreprsp.'i. 
 ** no better than Madmen, in fixing their Minds 15. c. 62.- 
 «« on Studies fo far above human Attainment, and 
 *' what no mortal Mind can reach, and negleding 
 *' that which moft concerned themfelves." He 
 furely therefore could not think the Study of Na- 
 ture, that, which primarily muft lead the World to 
 Virtue or the Gods. 
 
 Finites, though never fo multiplied, cannot rife 
 qp to the Knowledge of Infinite : And thoulands of 
 jiriftotles or New ions would be as unequal to the 
 Task, as the Herdfman is to the Metaphyfical 
 Depths of the former, or the abftraded Calculations 
 of the latter j becaufe all human Science is here at 
 an End. And thofe wretchedly miftaken and pro- 
 fane Affertions the Heathens conftandy uttered con- 
 cerning the Divine Nature, may convince us, how 
 infufficient the Study of Nature with unaflifted Rea- 
 Ibn is for thefe Things, and ought to diredt us to 
 a better Light than they are able to afford. 
 
 And if it be asked, why created Beings cannot 
 manifeft the uncreated one ? It is fufficient to fay 
 there is no Proportion between them. We could 
 not from beholding a Glow-worm form any No- 
 tion of the Sun ; and yet the Creator excels the 
 Creature ten thoufand times more, than the Bright- 
 
 ne& 
 
^ 3 o The Ktioivledge of Divine Things from 
 
 nefs of the Sun, in its utmoft Strength, does the 
 dimmeft Speck of Light: And it is an abfolute 
 Impofiibihty for Realon, naked and ignorant of 
 fuch a Being, by any Propriety, or even Rules of 
 Analogy, to form the lead Thought, Idea, No-» 
 tion, Term, or Definition of his Nature: What- 
 ever we behold, has no Likenefs or Refemblance to 
 him. Afcend as high as we pleafe, there is an in- 
 finite Void between the moft excellent Effeft 
 and the efficient Caufe ; a paflive created Being, 
 and an adtive creating Will. It is fufficient to fay, 
 that his Nature is fo, and fo is ours -, and that' to go 
 beyond the Power of our Nature is a Contradiflion. 
 There is a Gulph between Finite and Infinite where 
 nil Notices ftop-, a Voice in Heaven that does not 
 defcend, without God utter it ; a firft Caufe, whofe 
 Nature no fecondary one can manifeft, except he 
 vouchfafe to reveal himfelf. 
 
 The Second Means, in the Works of Creation, 
 whereby the Teachers of Natural Religion fay, eve- 
 ry Man is able to infer the Neccflity of a Supreme 
 Being, a Providence, the Soul*s Immortality, and 
 all thofe great Articles which depend upon, and are 
 confequential to, the Exiflence of a Deity, is a fe-^ 
 rious Contemplation of his own Frame and Being. 
 
 We muft imagine the firft Thoughts of Men, 
 employed in confidering the Objeds neareft to them, 
 and v/hich afiford them Suftenanceand Pleafure; the 
 Variety and Vegetation of Fruits; the Texture, 
 Growth, and Virtues of Plants, Shrubs, and Trees ; 
 the Stru6ture, Inftindl, or Sagacity of Animals ; 
 the Diverlity of Organs for Life and Aliment, in 
 their feveral Elements ; the curious Mechanifm of 
 every Member, the Eye, the Ear, (^c. the Glands, 
 Fibres, Mufcles, and every Part beft adapted to 
 thofe Aftions, wherein the Prefervation of their 
 Being feerr+s chiefly to confift : As alio the various 
 
 Appear- 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 33 1 
 
 Appearances of Life, Senfc, or Motion, the Qaa- 
 lities and Powers moil obfervable in them. 
 
 But when Man would know the Caufes of thefe 
 Things, what the Eflcnce is which conftitutes them, 
 what they are ; or on what depends their different 
 Properties and Operations, he muft put an End to 
 his Studies : He vifibly perceives that thus Things 
 are, but why, or how, he can never underftand. 
 Every Spire of Grafs, every Pebble muft nonplus 
 this Man of Reafon j by what Alembick thofe pure 
 Streams are raifed that feed and animate the one ; 
 or by what Cohefion the Particles of the other are 
 reduced to their Firmnefs and Solidity. 
 
 This, one would think, fhould damp his Hopes 
 of ever comprehending the Subftances or Operations 
 of nobler Beings, when he cannot find out the 
 Contrivances or Caufe of the meaneft Objedl -, and the 
 further he advances, the more ftrongly muft he be 
 convinced of the Narrownefs of his Mmd, the Obfcu- 
 rity of Things, the Impoftibility of accounting for 
 the Secrets of Nature, which are, and muft for ever 
 be hid from him. 
 
 But as the moft ufeful Study is to know our- 
 felves, it is reafonable to believe every Perfon more , 
 defirous of being acquainted with his own Being, 
 than any other. Here the firft Obfervations he 
 muft make, are the Motion of the Heart, the Beat- 
 ing of the Pulfe, the Digeftion of Nutriment, Mo- 
 tion, Perfpiration, and other involuntary A6ls, 
 (though, as they depend not on his Will, they are 
 not cognizable by his Underftanding) but efpecially 
 the internal Operations of his Mind, in Thought, 
 Confcioufneis, Reflexion, (^c. From thefe Prin- 
 ciples it is affirmed, that a Man may naturally 
 know he confifts of Soul and Body : For (fay they) 
 Matter being fenfelcls, cannot live alone, nor 
 move itfelf, but muft receive both Life and Motion 
 from the Soul. 
 
 But 
 
332 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 But this is begging the Queftion, and is fo far 
 from being obvious to unaflifted Reafon ; that wc 
 may with as much Juftice affirm it to be impoflible 
 for the Natural Man to difcover the fpecifick Dif- 
 ference of the Parts which conftitute him. 
 
 There can no Reafon be affigned, why he fliould 
 imagine himfelf a compounded Being, and not ra- 
 ther look upon his whole Frame to be fo modified 
 and organized, as to occafion thofe Thoughts or 
 Motions he obferves in himfelf, fince they are infepa- 
 rable, never ad afunder, and could fcarcc ever become 
 different Objefts of his Contemplation. Or had he 
 raifed fome abftradled Arguments, to prove that 
 Reafoning, Volition, i^c. are Operations of a Sub- 
 fiance invifible to him, and whofe Manner of 
 Exiftence he can no way comprehend ; yet one 
 found Sleep, when his whole Nature is without any 
 of thefe Ads, will for ever deftroy the Notion of 
 a pure thinking Subftance within him \ Experi- 
 ence convinces him of the Contrary, that when the 
 Operations of his Body refb, fo do thofe of the 
 Soul. Nay, the Body breathes, and is in Motion, 
 when the other Part is in a State of Death ; fo 
 ■ far from Reafoning, that it does not think, all 
 its Impreffions and Ideas are quite obliterated ; yet it is 
 waked with the Body, and the Perception being at 
 all times but one Ad, and of the whole Man -, he 
 could never imagine himfelf compounded of Parts 
 fo different, and remote from each other ; efpeci- 
 ally fince with the moft elevated Speculations, he 
 could not difcern, or form the lead Idea, how a 
 Spirit can modify, ad upon, or govern Matter, 
 or how they can be vitally united together. 
 
 That this is no unreafonable Suppofition, appears 
 
 from Cicero's Charader of the Britons^ though in 
 
 that Age the Teachers of Religion to the Weftern 
 
 Kat. D. World, " Do but carry among them or the Scy- 
 
 La. n. 3-^, It thians^ fays he, FoJJidonm*^ Sphere, which fhews 
 
 " the 
 
Rev elation, not front Reafon or Natun, 33^ 
 
 '* the Revolutions, the Sun, Moon, and Planets 
 " make both Night and Day in the Heavens ; and 
 ** not one of the Barbarians would doubt, but that 
 *' it was a Creature endued with perfed: Realbn.'* 
 With much greater Reafon might Man be no more 
 than a well contrived Machine of one and the fame 
 Materials, in the Opinion of Mankind. 
 
 But however, we mud for Argument's fake fup- 
 pofe thefe Perfons, after having accurately ftudied 
 natural Things, proceed to thofe which are purely 
 intclle6i:ual ; raife the Mind above the Verge of 
 Senfe and Matter to pure A(5ts of theUnderftanding, 
 and contemplate the abltra6ted Views of corporeal and 
 incorporeal Beings, their Subftances, eflential Proper- 
 ties, Accidents, Relations, and Oppofitions, and v/hat- 
 fbever may be conceived byAbftradion from Matter; 
 and lay down fuch fure Principles and exad Methods 
 that the Centemplator may trace Things to their 
 firft Origin and Caufe : That he may not inveftigate 
 Truth, but know it when he finds it, in being able 
 to afllgn the Reafons of it, and the Marks whereby 
 he can diftinguifh it from Error and Falfhood : For 
 without this, all his Knowledge would be fupcrricial 
 and defedive, and his Judgment ever at a lors,wherc 
 to doubt, or where to acquiefce. Befules, all thefe 
 Metaphyfical Speculations are fo remote from S&n(c. 
 and Matter, proceed in Paths fo entirely unfre- 
 quented and unknown -, the Certainty of the Prin- 
 ciples fo abflra<5led and intricate, and every Step 
 full of Difpute and Doubt, Obfcurity and Perplexi- 
 ty, that if he did not judge this to be an Exercife 
 above the Strength of his Mind; yet he mull go 
 on with Fear and Diffidence, like Travellers in the 
 midft of Precipices and Danger. 
 
 Where then mull: the Inquirer fix his Foot in 
 this new World ; by what abftraded Clue and Me- 
 thod of Reafoning muft he fearch for Dsmonflra- 
 tions to judge of Immateriality \ to dilcover the 
 
 EiTencc, 
 
334 *^^^ Knowledge ofDhi?ie Things from 
 
 Eflence, Operations and Adls of Subftances fepa- 
 rate from Body, and obtain a Difcernment of 
 aerial fubtile Spirits and IntelJigences ? Where he 
 has no Guide but his Senfes, nor can poffibly be- 
 lieve what is contrary to them j every thing he 
 feels, or hears, or it^s, is a full Convidion to the 
 contrary. 
 
 To all which a fhort Anfwer may fuffice. The 
 whole is an Impoffibility. For as an uninftrufted 
 Perfon could have no Inlet or Conveyance of Know- 
 ledge, but by Senfation, and nothing is evident to 
 the Senfes but Matter ; he never could produce Im- 
 materiality out of it : Nothing can be made out of 
 Materials, but what fuch Materials afford -, divide, 
 compare, re/lcdl, abftradt as long as you pleafe,- 
 nothing can be made otherwife by Ideas of fen- 
 i fible Obje6ls j he may indeed form fome Eniia 
 Raiioms, Centaurs, or Monfters, by placing diffe- 
 rent and remote Objedls together ; but that will 
 never alter the Nature of things, nor any internal 
 Operations or Powers ab{l:ra6t what is fpiritual 
 from that which is altogether corporeal. 
 
 Can any of our Moderns form a right or poll- 
 tive Idea of what is above Body, or of any_ thing 
 that is not Body ? No one can do it whilfl fo 
 ftridlly United to the Body. The Dependence on 
 the Senfes, that fo much confine and obfcure the 
 Light of our Underftanding, hinders us from it ; 
 or if (for Suppofition*s fake) he could plainly per- 
 ceive, that the internal Operations of Thought, Rea^ 
 Ibning, and Reflexions are of fo high and noble a 
 Nature, that they muft needs proceed from fome- 
 thing above all that is body or corporeal, becaufe 
 they infinitely furpafs the Reach and Force of it : 
 Yet he never could pretend to make a true and 
 pofitive Idea of that Principle which is the Caufe 
 of it. Though, I fay, he concluded it to be Ibme- 
 thinfT far more noble than all that is in the rank 
 
 ' of 
 
Revelation y not from Reafon or Nature. 335 
 
 of Bodies, yet could he never determine what its 
 Being or Nature might be. 
 
 Or if he endeavoured to penetrate into himfdf, 
 and fearch into what he is, and what he docs ; 
 what is this realbning Power that is within mef 
 what are thefe Thoughts, thefe Ratiocinations, and 
 thofe Reflexions I make upon my lelf and my Ope- 
 rations ? Why, or how he thinks; if nothing riles, 
 or has a beginning of it fcif, whence things come, or ^ 
 
 from what Caufe or Motion they proceed ? Before 
 he can any way infer the Neceffity of the Inftru- 
 ment of Thought's being immaterial, he muft 
 know what the efTential Attributes of Body and 
 Spirits are, and clearly underftand what Motion, 
 Adion, Life, Self-adivity, Cogitation, Intelleftion, 
 VoHtion, internal Energy, Penetration, Jndivifibili- 
 ty, and Extenfion mean ; as alio what the Modes 
 and Accidents of a Subftance are. 
 
 He muft then difcover the Principle and Root 
 of Life and Cogitation, what is elTentialJy Vital 
 and Intel leftual, what not ; which the true and only 
 Caufe of Thought, that it cannot proceed from 
 any Compofition of Matter; Life and Thoughc 
 not being Accidents, but fubftantial things: He 
 muft diftinguifh the Limits between Senle and 
 Perception, Thinking and Self-confcioufnels, Soul, 
 Mind, and Underftanding, with the Difference of 
 their feveral Powers and Operations ; he muft re- 
 concile Immateriahty and Subftantiality together, 
 with numberlefs other abftra6t Ideas, before he can 
 have any adequate Conception of the Soul# 
 
 Nor after all this, could he fix a Judgment of 
 its Immateriality : If it be faid, no Principle can 
 be more evident than this, that no Mechanifm, Mat- 
 ter, or Motion however modified, can produce 
 Life or Thought i and fb Thinking is a Proof of 
 the Soul : It will prove indeed that moft Men are 
 without a Soul the greateft part of their Lives ; 
 
 but 
 
336 The Knowledge of Dhitie Thmgs from 
 
 L. 4. c. 3. but if we believe Mr. Locke^ there is nofuch Evidence 
 S- 6. p. in that Propofition ; nor is it any Contradiction t6 
 ^^^* fuppofe that the firft eternal thinking Being, or 
 omnipotent Spirit, fhould, if he pleakd, give to 
 certain Syftems of created fenfelefs Matter, put to^. 
 gether as he thinks fit, fome Degrees of Senfe, 
 Perception, and Thought. 
 
 Or if we define the Soul to be a thinking Being, 
 that may diftinguifh it from other Bodies ; but no 
 way proves it void of fomething like to Matter, 
 nor of Extenfion : nor can they prove the Impof- 
 fibility of Thought and Extenfion to fubfiit in the 
 fame thing ; for we cannot conceive how any thing 
 but impulfe of Body, can move Body : How 
 Thought and Will can give a Determination to 
 Matter : If we can, let it be explained, and made 
 intelligible \ if we cannot, it will be impoflible to 
 underftand how an immaterial Soul can move a 
 dead fenfelefs Body •, or even to conceive how Mat- 
 ter fhould at firft have been created by an imma* 
 terial Mind *, and without a thorow Concepti- 
 on of it, neither the Soul, nor any Works of Crear- 
 tion could lead us up to God. 
 
 Or if the Soul be only Confcioufnefs and Thought, 
 cogitandi a^us, then when it ceafes to think, as in 
 found Sleep, it will ceafe to be ; or if it be abfo- 
 lutely immaterial, and nothing but a^us cogitans^ 
 it could not be affeded by material Things, nor 
 could the Objedls of Senfe make any ImprelTion on 
 it. When a vifible Thing prefents itfelf to the 
 Eye, OK Sounds to the Ear, that could not be the 
 Caufe that the Soul judges it hears or fees. And 
 they who maintain the Soul's Immateriality, con- 
 fefs thcmfelves ignorant how to account for it. And 
 if we do not underftand the Operations of our 
 own finite Mind, let it not feem ftrange that we 
 cannot comprehend the Operations of that eternal 
 infinite Mind, who made and governs all things. 
 
 Nor 
 
Revelation, not from Ueqfon or Nature. 337 
 
 Nor is this to be wondered at, fince they vvhoVid. 
 have moft exercifed their Thoughts on this Sub- ^°^^^^ ^^* 
 jed, have been forced to acknowledge, that our ^' ^^^' 
 Faculties cannot arrive at a demonftrative Certainty 
 about the Immateriality of the Soul. It leems .to 
 be a Point out of the reach of our Knowledge ; 
 and he who will give himfelf the liberty to conuder 
 freely, and look into the dark and intricate part 
 of each Hypothefis, will fcarce find his Reafon able 
 to determine him fixedly, for or againfl the Soul's ^ 
 
 Immateriality, fince on which fide fcever he views 
 it, either as an unextended Subflance, or as a 
 thinking extended Matter; the Difficulty to con- 
 ceive either, whilft either is alone in his Thoughts, 
 ftill drives him to the contrary Side : Both Opinions 
 are to us inexplicable, beyond our Comprehenfion. 
 They who will have every thing fubmit to Reaibn, 
 muft be Carteftans in this Article, whofe Philofo- 
 phy does not advance Thought and Spirit above 
 the Fitch of external Senfe, and goes no higher 
 than the Body, to explain the molt refined and ex- 
 alted Operations of the Soul. 
 
 And if the Immateriality of the Soul be thus dif- 
 ficult to be proved from Nature, much more {o 
 muft its Immortality, and fubfifting in a feparate 
 State, as fo wholly depending on the former ; and 
 whether it canbe Iblidly proved from Reafon, ought 
 to be doubted, fince hitherto it has not been done ; 
 Nor is it pofTible for Nature to teach more, than 
 that though the Body periftes, there is no actual 
 Necefilty that the Soul perifh alfo ; but no unin- 
 ftrucled Pcrfon, from Obfervations on the Death 
 of Animals or of Men, could have the leafl ground 
 to imagine a feparate Subfifience of any part of 
 them : He fees Life extinguiflied, the whole Man 
 perifh, and all Operations ceafe •, and thence to 
 infer, that fome part of them furvivcs, lives, and 
 
 Z operates, 
 
338 The Knowledge of Divine Tilings from 
 
 operates, would be a moit abfurd and vain Confe- 
 quence. 
 
 But why fhould we imagine this of Reafon un- 
 improved, when the greaiell Mafters of improved 
 Vid. Cud- Reafon allow, that when they fay the Immortality 
 r°ellea ^^ ^^^ r-uman Soul is demonftrable by natural Rea- 
 Syft.c. c. fo"> '^l^^ Meaning thereof is no more than this, 
 p. 868. that its Subrtantiality is demonftrable; from whence 
 it follows, that it will naturally no more perifii, 
 or vanifli into nothing than the Subftance of Mat- 
 ter it felf ; and not that it is impofTible, either for 
 it, or Matter, by divine Power to be annihilated. 
 Wherefore the Affurance we have of our own Souls 
 Immortality, muft depend upon fomething elfe 
 befides their Subftantiality ; namely, a Faith alfo 
 in the Divine Goodnefs, that he will conferve in 
 being, or not annihilate all fuch Subftances created 
 by him ; whofe permanent Subfiftence is neither in- 
 confiftent with his own Attributes, nor the Good 
 of the Univerfe j as this of rational Souls unque- 
 ftionably is not, they having both Morality and 
 Liberty of Will, therefore capable of Rewards and 
 Punifhments, and confequently fit Objeds for the 
 divine Juftice to difplay it felf upon. 
 
 The Argument therefore of Natural Religion 
 ftands thus: The Operations and Immortality of 
 .^ the Soul are a Means to lead the World to God ; 
 but of its Immortality they could have no AfTu- 
 rance without Faith in the Divine Goodnefs, which by 
 the very Suppofition (as this is a Means to bring 
 them to it) they mufl: be ignorant ofj therefore 
 what they are ignorant of, cannot lead them to God. 
 On the other hand, that which we could have no 
 AfTurance of without Faith in the Divine Good- 
 nefs, could never lead us to a Knowledge of the 
 Divine Exiftence and Perfecftions , becaufe on a 
 Convidion of thefe depends our AfTurance of the 
 
 other. 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 339 
 
 other, and the latter cannot be antecedent to the 
 former. 
 
 Whence we may conclude that Man of him- 
 felf could never have known the immaterial, fpiritual, 
 impaflible Nature of the Soul ; but that lilce other 
 dvine Truths, whenever it is difcovered, it appears 
 in the higheft manner agreeable to the Expefla- 
 tions and Wifhes of a ranonal Creature, and dif^ 
 pofes him to more exalted Adls of Gratitude and 
 Adoration towards the incorporeal Maker of his 
 Being. 
 
 Another Contemplation, that would elude the 
 fublimeft Efforts of the Man of Reafon in a State 
 of Nature, is, that though he had difcovered a fe- 
 parate Being within himfelf from the Body ; yen 
 he never could find out any fpecifick Difference 
 between his own Soul, and that of other Animals, 
 and mufl therefore conclude both or neither to be 
 Immortal. As it would be of no moral Service to 
 him to know he has a Soul, which neither in Ori- 
 ginal nor Excellency is above the Beafts that perifli ; 
 and as he fees both alike rot after Death, it is 
 moll reafonable to imagine his Conclufion would 
 be, that Death puts an end to both their Beings. 
 
 Nor mufl we rank the Knowledge of this Diffe- 
 rence in Souls among natural and common Truths ; 
 for if Brutes have |not Reafon, they have fome- 
 thing fo like it, and make approaches fo near to it, 
 that no Philofophy has been able to fix the Boun- 
 daries between Souls, any further than by mere 
 Guefs and Opinion. What conftitutes the Souls of 
 Beafts ? what Degrees of Reafon they are capable 
 of? whether they are only Automata, organized 
 Machines, Modifications of Matter, or fpiritual Sub- 
 fiances } Thefe are Queflions which have exercifed 
 the Schools and Wits of every Age, yet lie as far 
 as ever from being decided. ^ 
 
 Z X It 
 
340 1'he Knowledge of Divine things from 
 
 It falls under the Obfervation of every one, that 
 the Souls of Beads have Senfe, therefore mud be 
 nobler than the Body j that among the Obje6ls of all 
 their Senfes they ji^dge fome agreeable, others pre- 
 judicial, therefore denre one, and avoid the other •, 
 that they ren:.iember v;hat is pad, as Corredlion or 
 Encouragement, refieft thereon, and draw fome 
 kind of Confequences to direfl their future Actions. 
 And how can Reflexion be without Thought, or 
 Thought without Knowledge, or Knowledge with- 
 out Reafon, or Reafon without Immateriality ? 
 Thefe Paflions and A6ls proceed from the Soul, 
 whofe Dcfires are the Caufe of themj and yet Mat- 
 ter, however fubtile or refined, is incapable of 
 Thought or Reflexion : Hence Experience and Ex- 
 ample confound and render the thing inexpli- 
 cable. 
 
 Let it be Ihewn, wherein the DifTerence of them 
 confifts i if it be that they reafon lefs perfe6tly than 
 Men, fo do Children and Lunaticks: Or if this 
 proceeds from the Fault of the Organs, fo it may 
 in them. It is evident that they are not mere Ma- 
 chines, nor can material Principles eff^edl what we 
 every Day obferve in them ; it is impoflible to 
 deny them fome Degrees of Thought or Reafon, 
 and admitting the Jeaft Degree, we know not where 
 to flop, why that which is capable of fome Reafon 
 fhould not be of more, or how to afllgn the true 
 Occafion of it ; and hence none agree in the Mea- 
 fures of their Senfe or Reafon, or in the Nature and 
 Operations of their Soul, 
 
 Mod of the Ancients thought that Beads were 
 Nat. D. rational. Cicero fays, " That in a Pifmire there is 
 1.3.11,9. " Reafon, Mind, and Memory.** They alfo be- 
 lieved their Souls to be part of the Soul of the 
 "World, as Plrgil calls that of Bees. Partem Divm<e 
 vjentis, and to return to it after Death, 
 
 'Viva 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature, 341 
 
 *viva volare 
 
 Siderisin numerum^ atque alto fuccedere ccelo. 
 
 That their Reafon was the fame, and in common 
 with Men, fome enjoying it in a greater, others in 
 a lefs Degree : And all the Philofophers who be- 
 lieved Tranfmigration, were obliged to acknow- 
 ledge the Souls of Beafls and Men to be the very 
 fame ; as others not knowing where to flop, attri- 
 buted to them focjal Virtues, the Knowledge of 
 Religion and of God. I^hilo wrote a Book on thisgufeb. 
 Subject, that Brute Animals are endued withHift. Ed. 
 Reafon. 1. 2. c. i8. 
 
 Salmajius, Locke and others cannot but allow that 
 Beads have Reafon ; and Mr. Locke would make 
 the Diftin6lion between theirs and Mens, to con- 
 fift in this, that Brutes have only particular but no 
 flbftraded general Ideas : And fome in the fury of 
 Philofophy, not finding a Solution for thefe things 
 in the general Laws of Motion, obferving little 
 Difference betwixt the Difguife of Reafon in an 
 Ape, or a Clown, have pronounced the Souls of 
 Beafts by Nature immortal as the Souls of Men ; 
 for if they are not material, why fhould they be 
 mortal ? if they do not fubfift after Death, it is 
 not owing to any Imperfection in them, but to 
 the Will of him that created them, 
 
 Nay many learned and pious Men have afferted 
 their Immateriality and Subfiltence after Death. 
 The great Dr. Henry More believed they fubfifted 
 out of the Body, and thinks it probable enough 
 that they continue to live in that State, but dares 
 not afHrm it ; only alledging what may be faid on 
 both fides the Queflion. 
 
 On the other hand, the Cartejians make Beafls 
 perfe6t Automata, hold it a kind of Impiety to 
 allow their Souls capable of any Knowledge, as what 
 would at once deftroy all the natural Proofs we 
 
 Z 3 hav§ 
 
342 ^he Knowledge of Dl'uine Tubings from 
 
 have of our own Souls Immortality. And the 
 Maintainers of N.uuial Religion think it a dange- 
 rous Opinion," becaufe we could not then be affured 
 of it but by Revelation ; which, though the Truth, 
 rather than allov/, they will perplex themfelves with 
 inextricable Difficukies. 
 
 The only Inference I Ihall draw, is this : That if 
 there be io much Difficulty to diftinguifh between 
 Spiritual and Corporeal Beings, to find out the Na- 
 ture of a Rational Soul, with thofe Properties which 
 diftinguifh it from others, and that the moft improv- 
 ed Reafon has but fuch an imperfed: View of thefe 
 things ; it would be a vain Attempt for a Natural 
 Man to compals the Knowledge of what his Soul 
 was i and much more fo, from any Notices he could 
 attain, to rife higher in the Scale of Spiritual Beings, 
 to the puiffant Hoft of Heaven, and from them to the 
 Father of Spirits and Men, the All-glorious and 
 Invifible God. 
 
 But I muft add, that if the Philofophers did not 
 difcover thefe Truths, they cannot be Parts of Na- 
 tural Religion : Yet Parmenides, EmpedocleSy Demo- 
 critus^ Anaxagoras^ and others, taught the Souls of 
 Beaits to be rational ; Slrato and j/Eneftdemus, that 
 Senfe could not fubfift without Underftanding ; Seic- 
 tus Emp'tricus^ that no Animal is void of Reafon, but 
 tiiat all are capable of Knowledge and Underftand- 
 ing. Pliny makes Religion one of the Moral Vir- 
 L. 8. c. I ^^^^ ^^ Elephants j and Xenocrates affirmed, that 
 Init. * Bcafts have a Religion, and know God j and the 
 Platonifis (according to Dion, L. 39.) feem to have 
 held the Souls of Brutes to be immortal. 
 
 And with regard to the Soul of Man in particu- 
 lar, there never was a Phiiofopher in the World 
 who thought it void of a Body j the moft and the 
 wifeft of them thought it Elementary and Corpo- 
 f"^"^ff real i and Galen, that admirable Phyfician, that it 
 lis, c. l'"^^ o^^y ^ Temperament of the Body ; though at 
 
 other 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 343 
 
 other times he confefTes his ignorance of it, and thatL. 7. de 
 he had not fufficiently difcovered its Nature, ^n-"/" P^^" 
 Jiippus {kid, we are all Body; and Ze?jo, all Mind.Q^^^^.^^ 
 And the greateft of them, who had been taught they q^i 4. n.* 
 had a Soiil, and that it was immortal, never cou!d4S- 
 difcover any certain Truth concerning its Nature or 
 Operations ; but univerfally fell into two Extremes, 
 both of them wicked and abfurd : The one exalted 
 Man into the Place of God, by making his Soul a 
 Part ot the Divinity -, which is Itill maintained by 
 the Cabalijis of Perfia, and the Brachmans of India. 
 Others degraded him to the Beads, by holding 
 there was nothing in the Univerfe or Man, but 
 Atoms, Matter, and local Motion : So that ail the 
 Operations of the Mind muft be the EfFe6ls of dead 
 infenfible Body, without Judgment, without Rea- 
 fon ; or, what little mends the Hypothefis, of fome 
 fubtile Matter, Fire, Wind, o^Air, the Particles of 
 which, however fine or fmall, or nimble in their 
 Texture or Difpofition, will ftill be Body j and 
 Thought, Invention, Meditation, ^c. be only the 
 Refult and Motion of an artificial Engine. 
 
 But the firft S tumbling-Block to the ancient Phi- 
 lofophers, and what no one could get over, was, to 
 conceive an Incorporeity, any thing entirely void of 
 Matter ; without a proper Notion of which, all 
 further Proof, or even Thoughts about the Soul, 
 muft be at an end, or altogether vain and imagi- 
 nary. 
 
 The perpetual Difficulties that occurred on thele 
 Subjeds, made fome, a.s Democritus, deny there were 
 any Spiritual Beings ; and Arijiotle, any more than 
 thofe which moved the Heavenly Bodies, without 
 which he could not account for their Motion. And Eufeb. 
 Boethus had reafon to obferve, that whoever went ^^^P- ^' 
 about to prove the Immortality of the Soul, from the"'.'^- j^ * 
 bare Confideration of its Nature, would (land in ' ^ ^ 
 
 2 4 need 
 
2 44 '^^^^ Knowledge of Divine 'Things from 
 
 need of many, and thofe very intricate Argu- 
 ments. 
 
 If then the State of Fhilofophy was fo blind and 
 uncertain as to this moft clTential and important Ar- 
 ticle, what toral Ignorance muft the Bulk of Man- 
 kind be under concerning it, or entertain the loweft 
 and mod unwortliy Conceptions of it ? Such as Plu- 
 In Quxfl;- ^^^ j_, mentions to have been a prevailing Cuitom, 
 ^^^ "'* never to put out the. SnufFof a Lamp," but let it die 
 of itfelf ; becaufe they looked upon it to be a living 
 Creature, from its Motion, Want of Nourifhment, 
 and the Grone it gives when quenched ; to kill it 
 therefore was a kind of Cruelty and Murder. Such 
 pitiful Notions would Men, in a State of Nature, 
 have of this Divine Principle the Soul. 
 
 But befides the general Contemplr.t.'on of the 
 Works of God, in gtheir Grandeur and Magnifi- 
 cence ', or the particular Frame of Man, the exqui- 
 fite Contrivance of his Body, the IntellecTtual Facul- 
 ties and Powers of his Soul ; 
 
 There is, 3^/}', Another natural Means, whereby, 
 it is faid, every Man may difcover the NecefTity of a 
 Divine Exiftence, with all thofe great Truths that 
 compofe Morality, or the Religion of Nature. 
 
 And that is from the Order, Fitnefs, and Rela- 
 tion of Things. 
 
 Great indeed is the Syflem of the Univerle, and 
 adorable that Wifdom that could form fuch infinite 
 DiVerfity of Beings, all -acting regularly by the Laws 
 of their Nature to the End for which they were ap- 
 pointed : Such their Contrivance, Fitnefs and Or- 
 der, fuch their fleady Proportions, mutual Rela- 
 tions, and neceffary Dependencies ; that notwith- 
 ftanding the boundlefs Variety of Parts and Mem- 
 bers, they all ad: in Harmony together, and by the 
 fitteft Means confpire to their refpedive Ends, with- 
 out Defed, without Error or Confufion. 
 
 Yet 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature. 345 
 
 Yet it is not the beholding thefe things, a (light 
 Knowledge or Contemplation of them, that willdi- 
 red us to their firft immaterial Caufe ; for then no 
 one could be ignorant of him : It muft therefore 
 fuppofc a clofe Attention, a deep Penetration, a 
 thorow In fight of the Fitnefs between Caufes and 
 Effedis, their Relations and Dependencies, that muft 
 fhew us the Univerfal Efficient God. And if this 
 be the Task impofed upon Man, if he is fent into 
 the World under Obligations to know his Duty and 
 his God, and doomed to find them out in the Secrets 
 of Nature; we need notftick to pronounce him the 
 moft miferable of Creatures, fitted for Deftrudion 
 by the very Law of his Being. 
 
 For is not the thing utterly impofllble ? Who 
 ever did it ? Where, or in what Age did they live ? 
 Or what were the INflediums in this Procedure ? If 
 there be any Memorials, \tt them be produced : If 
 there be nothing of this, the whole Argument muft 
 be a chimerical Non-entity, and placed among the 
 many other vul^r Errors. And that it is fo, we 
 need no other Conviftion, than to confider how mi- 
 ferably fhallow our Underftandings are, how little we 
 know of ourfelves, or the things about us : That 
 when we contemplate the vaft Circuits of Divine 
 Wifdom, and think how much the Defigns and 
 Actions of Omnifcience and Eternity are beyond 
 ours, it muft make an Undertaking of this nature 
 feem defperate, and difcourage even Confidence it- 
 felf from attempting it. 
 
 Or allowing that there is a Golden Intelledual 
 Chain hanging from Heaven to Earth, a Clue to 
 guide us through the dark Maze of Vifible and In- 
 vifible : How many Ages muft be fpent.? how many 
 Syftems of Phyficks invented, before Man could make 
 the leaft Approaches to it ? Though he is acquainted 
 with nothing but Matter, yet he muft know that 
 Matter is incapable of Knowledge and Contrivance; 
 
 that 
 
346 *The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 that It never acls, but is always adled on ; determined 
 by certain Laws, which ic neceffarily and involunta- 
 rily obeys, therefore never could be a Free Agent, 
 to produce itfelf, or any thing befides. He mufi; 
 find out the Laws by which it is afted on ; the feve^- 
 ral Powers of Nature; the Difpofitions, Qualities, 
 and Operations of every compound Being, and what 
 conftitutes a thing in its effential Perfedions ; and 
 then at one extenfive View behold their mutual De- 
 pendence, and the Relations they bear to each other ; 
 difcern the Caufe of every Effed, fee where the Con- 
 nexion lies, and how the Scale of Beings neceffarily 
 afcends, from the Pebble that lies on the Strand, to 
 the glorious Spirits round the Throne above : For if 
 there be not Evidence in every Step, the Convic- 
 tion ceafes \ if but one Link is not faftned, by Truth 
 and Nature, to the next above it, the whole Proce- 
 dure is at an end. For in the Series of Caufes, every 
 thing (except the Firfl Caufe) being produced by 
 fomething above itfelf, if there be one Breach in this 
 Chain of Caufality, we mud neceffa4|ily ftop, there is 
 no Poffibility of afcending higher. 
 
 Now which of the Ancients was this Exhaufter of 
 Nature, could explain its Phsenomena, or tell how 
 things are brought to pafs ? Without which all In- 
 veftigation of a Deity, from the Fitnefs of things, 
 would be very fuperficial ♦, and the Magnifiers of 
 Reafon need only apply their Enquiries to the Na- 
 ture of the leaft Fly, or Blade of Grafs, to perceive 
 there is more Myftery in thefe than Natural Philo- 
 fophy fhall ever unfold ; only let them tell us why 
 Grafs is green, and their Abilities Ihall never be 
 queftioned. 
 
 But alas! they are forced to own the long Chain 
 of Caufes, whereon the leaft Effed depends, is hid 
 from our Knowledge ; that we fee the outward Form 
 and Workings, but the inward moving Principle 
 we difcern not the leaft of. The Operation of every 
 
 indivi- 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 347 
 
 individual fingle Eflence puzzles the moft fharp- 
 fio-hted Reafon, Jlnd has more in it than Royal So- 
 cieties can difcover. And if we fo palpably miftake 
 or misjudge in almoft every Particular, how can we 
 comprehend the whole ? the Methods of divine con- 
 ducing and ordering the grdat Frame of Beings ? 
 what are their Principles or Limits? their adive or 
 palTive Powers ? what the Wifdom and Difpofition, 
 of Means, and that Energy wherein confifts the im- 
 mutable Connexion and Series that fo finally deter- 
 mines things to their End ; and by which all Secon- 
 dary Caufes regularly work under the Univerfal 
 One. 
 
 Principles may be laid down in fome Sciences as 
 converfant about the Works of Men : But Nature is 
 the Work of God, wherein we can lay down few 
 or no fure Principles, not being able to penetrate its 
 Defign and Wifdom. The mod: contemptible of 
 Natural Appearances has Qualities and Powers un- 
 known to us, what no Study or Application can 
 perceive or explicate. What Extravagance muft it 
 be therefore, to lay down any Principles as fure and 
 certain, whereby the whole Machine operates, and 
 Nature performs her myfterious hidden Works ^ 
 
 Is there not at prefent a great Variety of Schemes 
 and Opinions, and are there not new Syitems of Phy- 
 ficks every Day growing up in thePurfuit and Chace 
 of Nature ? How little then is there of that mafter- 
 iy Knowledge, which pronounces of Things accord- 
 ing to their real Degrees of Certitude, and can fix: 
 the Bounds between Probability and Truth ? The 
 Enquiries of one Age have ever criticifcd and re- 
 fined upon the preceding ones. And though per- 
 haps there have been greater Improvements in ex- 
 perimental Knowledge in the laft Century, than in 
 the thoufands of Years that went before it ; yet 
 Nature has ftill her Veil on, is better gueffed at, 
 but not known ; For what Part of any Syftem is 
 
 more 
 
348 7he Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 more than Conje(5ture, carries Demon (tration with 
 it, fcientifically declares by what Laws Ihe a(5ls, and 
 explains the Reafons of all this exa(5t Order, 
 Fitnefs, and Congruity ? Or if fhe did at laft un- 
 bofom herfelf to a l^ewton^ Was fhe not a niggard- 
 ly Stepmother to the reft of her Sons, through a 
 SaccefTion of fo many Ages ? And who will fay 
 that he Ihall not be dethroned by the next Gene- 
 
 ration 
 
 ? 
 
 The many Errors in the Works of the greatefl: 
 among the Ancients, may convince us what an ob. 
 ftinate Study the Search into Nature is : And if 
 they were fo mifled as to juftify the moft extrava- 
 gant Abfurditics, what Advances could unaffifted 
 Reafon make in thefe dark and gloomy Subjects ? the 
 Deeper its Penetration was, the fuller would its Con- 
 viftion be, of wanting a Capacity to know any 
 thing beyond its outward Surface, and acquiefce with 
 an Obfervation long ago made, Ncque ea invefligare 
 Arnob. curamus, qua non pojfe comprehendi liquidijjimum eji. 
 It would be Modefty and Wifdom to decline the 
 Search of what is paft Difcovery, by vainly try- 
 ing to found thofe Depths we know to be un- 
 fathomable. It is Arrogance to fay a Man can 
 do it, and when convinced that he cannot, it is 
 Folly to attempt it. 
 Ethic. 1. 6. What did Arijlotle, that Prodigy in Nature, know 
 & in De of her Fitnefs and Relations, when he makes the 
 heavenly Bodies nobler and diviner than Men, in 
 Underftanding, Soul and Body, becaufe they are 
 nearer to, and partake of greater Virtue from the 
 Gods; like chief Magiftrates or Princes, who by 
 their own Will rule and dire<5l all Things? And 
 Cicero's vaft Wifdom terminated in this ; " That 
 " if we can gucfs right at any Truth, we can have 
 *' no Doubt to believe that this World is a living 
 " Animal endued with Underftanding, ^c** How 
 many Errors are here crowded in a few Words, 
 
 that 
 
 mundo. 
 
 Timasus, 
 P- 594- 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 349 
 
 that mufl: neceflarily lead a Man from God and 
 Truth ? 
 
 And the little Progrefs made by thofe Ancients, 
 who ftudied this Subje<ft with the greatefl Appro- 
 bation, is a fufficient Proof, how inviiiblc the Powers, 
 and remote from Obfcrvation the Defigns of Na- 
 ture are : They were not able to fix one Rule, or 
 fettle one Principle in her Acflings ; but every one 
 advanced his own Conjecture, another contradidled 
 and rejedted it, and laid down other Maxims, more 
 defedivc perhaps, than his Adverfaries ; which ftill 
 prepared new Matter for Difpute, in which they 
 loft themfelves -, and fome from their not being able 
 to find any Evidence or Certainty in Nature, firlt 
 doubted, and then denied the Exiftence of a Di- 
 vinity. 
 
 So that if the Study of Nature was to lead us to 
 Theology, yet confidering her profound Darknefs, 
 the Delight fhe has to conceal herfelf, and the 
 Clofenefs with which llie muftbc followed, the num- 
 bcrlefs Appearances to be examined, Obfervations 
 to be made. Experiments to be repeated, before 
 any probable Axioms could be eftablilhed ; it muft 
 convince us, that the Learning of no fingle Per- 
 fon, nor of Ages, could be fufficient for it. It 
 was the Work of a thoufand Years, to find out the 
 Meafure of one Year ; by which Proportion, the 
 Labour of ten thoufand would never have taught 
 them the Will of God. 
 
 Nay fo far were thefe Contemplations from hav-- 
 ing any fuch Tendency^ that they at firft lead the 
 World from God ; the infinite Variety of Parts, 
 the Subordination and Dependence of Caufes, the 
 exad; Symmetry, Order, and Motion, the admira- 
 ble Harmony and Relation between the Elemen- 
 tary, Vegetable, Animal, and Rational Produdlions, 
 the Fitnefs and Congruity between Generals and In- 
 dividuals in all their different Species, perfuaded 
 
 them. 
 
350 'J^oe Knowledge of "Divine Things from 
 
 them that the Univerfe was a perfefl ever blefied 
 Being, the firft Caufe and Origin, and introduced 
 that moft early Idolatry of Cofmolatry, the adoring 
 the 7^ Trav, the Univerfe^ jor whole Syllem of 
 Things. 
 
 "Was it not long after Difputes prevailed every 
 where in Greece, in the Markets as well as Schools, 
 about phyfical Things, the Motion of Matter, For- 
 mation of the World, (s'c. that they introduced a 
 v»V Mind, or intelligent Being, to be not the Cre- 
 ator, but the Orderer of Matter; and attributed 
 to the Elements thofe Works, which nothing but a 
 Divine Nature could produce? Or to what Purpofe 
 did jlrijiotle ftudy Nature with fuch indefatigable 
 Accuracy, but to believe the World was eternal, had 
 no Original, no Caufe from which it proceeded ? 
 which at once deftroys the Pofilbility of the Crea- 
 tion, and the very Exiftence of a God. 
 
 Plato indeed was very fond of recommending hu- 
 man Sciences for the better Attainment of Divine 
 Knowledge ; though it be inconfiflent with his fre- 
 quent Aflertions, that the Knowledge of the Gods 
 is a Gift of the Gods-, (^c. Yet his Mafter Socrates 
 Mem. Soc. went a Ihorter way to work; he always confulted 
 ^•4- the Oracle to know the Will of the Gods: And 
 
 (as Xenophon relates it) never would advile a Stu- 
 dy of Geometry, Aftronomy, or other Sciences, 
 further than they were ufeful for the necefTary Ac- 
 tions of Life ; but not to amufe themfelves with the 
 vain Curiofities of Arithmetick, nor puzzle a Man's 
 Brains with he knew not what Figures, Niceties, 
 and Inventions of little or no Ufe, but what dil^ 
 traded the Mind from other more neceflary Studies : 
 So neither would he allow of a too curious Enquiry 
 into the wonderful Workmanfhip of the Gods in 
 the Difpofition of the Univerfe ; that being a Se- 
 cret, which the Mind cannot comprehend ; and be- 
 caufe it is not an Action acceptable to the Gods, to 
 
 endea- 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature, 351 
 
 endeavour at difcovering what they would hide from 
 us, and held it dangerous to perplex the Mind with 
 thoie fublime Speculations, as Anaxagoras had done, 
 i^c. Whence it appears that this hrft and grcatcft 
 Heathen Moralift, did not come at any religious 
 Truths by the Fitnefs of Things, but looked on all 
 fuch Attempts, not only as vain and idle, but un- 
 lav/ful. 
 
 Cicero likewife thought all thefe Things furroundcd vid. Acad. 
 with fo thick a Darknefs, that no Jiuman Under- ol 1. 4. 
 ftandin4> can penetrate into Heaven, or dive into"- 39' 
 the Earth : We are not acquainted with our own 
 Bodies, and can we lay open and difclofc the Nature 
 of Things, tell whether the Earth be fixed on its 
 own Roots and Axis, or hangs penfile in the Air ? 
 v/hether there be Antipodes, Qc. That Socrates and 
 Arijion thought no fuch Things could be known : 
 And the ftrange Difient in Opinion among all the 
 Philofophers fully proved that Truth was not among 
 them ; that the utmoft was Probability, and much 
 was faid on both Sides the Queftion ; even of the 
 Mind, whether it were corporeal, mortal, or eternal; 
 and Cicero could never account, if the World 
 was made for the Ufeof Man, why the Gods made ^-aflant. 
 Serpents and Vipers, and difperfed fo many noxious P- ^^^• 
 things through the Elements. 
 
 So Balbus in Cicero confeiTed, that nothing was Nat. D. 
 more difficult than to abftraft our Minds from the*- 2- 
 Obfervation of this vifible World, when we endea- 
 vour to apprehend the Nature of the Gods ; and 
 they who would leave the Difcovery of a Deity to 
 Colle^bions and Inferences made from the Order of 
 the Univerfe, would foon banifh him, as well as his 
 Revelation, out of the World : 'For our Minds 
 ftrangely adhere to fenfible things ; nor is there any 
 Tranfition from modified Matter to Incorporeity, 
 from any Knowledge we can attain of the Myfteries 
 or Operations of Nature, to the Wifdom,.Counfel or 
 
 Dcfigns 
 
352 iToe Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Defigns of the Maker'of all things ; as Job at Jarge 
 fets forth, chap, xxxviii, t^c. The utmoit Stretch of 
 Philofophy leaves Man where it found him, grovel- 
 ling upon Earth, where Millions of Wonders ftill 
 lie unobferved and unknown, upon the Superficies of 
 things. 
 
 If then our utmoll Knowledge be fo (lender and 
 imperfect, and the Nature of things fo impene- 
 trable, how is it polTible to conceive the benign Au- 
 thor of our Beings fhould leave us to penetrate thofe 
 thick Clouds by which he is hid from us ? For ve- 
 rily (fays Ifaiab, Ixv. i^.) Thou ari a God thni hideji 
 thyfelf. And Job, chap, xxviii. fhews that there is a 
 Knowledge of Natural things, but purs a quick Pe- 
 riod to human Wifdom : Men may dig Gold out of the 
 Bowels of the Earth, and the thing that is hid bring 
 forth to Light : But where fhall Wifdom be found, or 
 where is the Place of Underjlanding ? The Depth 
 faith. It is not in me, and the Sea faith. It is not in me. 
 AH our Searches into created Beings, to know the 
 Method and Order of God's Defigns, are but in vain, 
 and loft Labour. Man knoweth not the Price thereof ^ 
 neither is it found in the Land of the Living. A Work 
 too great for the wifeft of Men to attain. Whence 
 then cometh Wifdom, and where is the Place of Under- 
 fianding ? by what Study fhall they attain it, or in 
 what Place come to the Knowledge of it ? God, and 
 he alone, underjlandeth the Way thereof, and he know- 
 eth the Place thereof. And that this is confined to 
 Natural things, and not his Providential Dealings 
 with Men, appears from the following Paflage : 
 That he maketh the Weight for the PFijids, and weigh- 
 eth the Waters by Meafure -, that he made a Decree 
 for the Rain., and a Way for the Lightning of the 
 Thunder ; all which things are above human Rea- 
 fon. God only fees, and declares, prepares, and fear ches 
 them out. And unto Man he faid. Behold the Fear of 
 the Lord, that is Wifdom^ and to depart from Evil is 
 
 Under- 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 3 53 
 
 Vnderjianding. Not to enquire into the fecret Caufes 
 of the Works of God, but attend to his Revealed 
 Will, to do good and to efchew evil,, which is all the 
 pradlical Wildom God requires. 
 
 And this Argument will terminate where the 
 other did : Declare the Exiftence and Nature of 
 God, and then this Fitnels, Realbn, and Relations 
 of things, will amply declare the Wifdom of the 
 Almighty Artificer. Then the more we obferve, 
 and the better we underft^nd the Series and Depen- 
 dence of things, the greater NecefTity fhall we per- 
 ceive to adore and obey their Infinite Author. But 
 to make this a Book for unaflifted Reafoners to learn 
 their Duty and their God from, is a Leflbn not to be 
 learned in the Land of the Living : A Task that nei- 
 lYizrJob^ nor Hip-par chus^ noriVd'w/^;/,could have done. 
 And a learned Author, on thefe grounds, concludes 
 with great juftice," That he could not but plainly fee, shuck- 
 ** that if God had not been pleafed to have revealed ford. 
 *' himfelf toMen in the fir ft Ages, many thoufands 
 *' of Years would have pafTed, before Men could 
 " have acquired by Reafon fuch a Knowledge of the 
 *' Works of God, as to have obtained any juft ^zxi- 
 '* timents of his Being or Worlhip." 
 
 Another Corollary evidently deducible, is. That 
 if Men, with the moft fagacious Faculties and un- 
 wearied Application, could not attain any competent 
 Knowledge of the Effence or Nature of things, their 
 Principles, Operations, or Powers, their Reafon, 
 Fitnefs, Dependence, and' Relation in the general 
 Syftem j which the wifeft Men, and the ablefl De- 
 fenders of Natural Religion, over and over confeis : 
 It muft follow, that they cannot infer from them any 
 Rule or Lav/ of A6ling, or fuch Obligations as can 
 require and enforce Obedience ; becaufe from what 
 is unknown, nothing real, certain, or obligatory, can 
 be deduced ■, for what the Mind does not know, it 
 cannot believe or obey. 
 
 A a Yet 
 
554 ^ he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Yet this, in the prefent Age, is the great Article, 
 the very Foundation of all Religion, and intended 
 to banilh Revelation out of the World : For if 
 Reafon and the Nature of things plainly point out 
 unto us whatever God requires, or what can tend to 
 the Good of his Creatures ; all pofitive and revealed 
 Laws may be deemed not only fuperfluous but fuper- 
 flitious, fince the Mind of Man and the Book of 
 Nature are fufficient to thefe Purpofes. 
 
 But both Parts of this precarious Aflfumption are 
 falfe : Firjl, No Man ever did, or can attain a 
 Knowledge of the Powers, Relations, or Depen- 
 dencies of things. Or, Secondly, If they could, fuch 
 FitnefTcs would be only Natural and Phyfical, and 
 could not have in them any Moral Obligation ; for 
 that cannot be founded in the Relation of things, 
 but only in the Will of God -, and it is the Confci- 
 oufnefs of a thing's being his Command, that makes 
 it obligatory on the Will of Man -, and the free 
 Compliance or Non-compliance with this Confci- 
 oufnefs, makes the elTential moral Difference in hu- 
 man AAions. 
 
 This Dodrine is thus ftated : '' The Law arifes 
 
 Bp. Wil- " ficm things themfelves, which appearing by the 
 
 kinf. " Light of Nature to be neceflary to our well-do- 
 
 " ing, is called the Lazv of Nature ; and thence re- 
 
 " fulcs the Obligation to the Obfervance of fuch 
 
 " things, without the Command of any Superior, 
 
 " who is able to enforce it. For there are fuch 
 
 Dr. Clarke" eternal and neceffary Differences of things', that 
 
 J)if. 2. " the Will of God does always and neceflarily de- 
 
 p. 36. tt termine itfelf to adt according to the eternal Rea- 
 
 " fon of things i and from this Difference naturally 
 
 " and nectlfurily arife moral Obligations, which be- 
 
 " ing the Law of Right Reafon founded on the 
 
 " Nature of thingsj is the Law of Nature, Eter- 
 
 " nal, Univerfiil, and Unchangeable. And thefe 
 
 " moral Obligations being of eternal NecefTity in 
 
 '* their 
 
Revelation J not frojuKeafon or Nature. 35 c 
 
 *' their own Nature, are in fome refpe6t antecedent 
 *' even to the Confideration of their being the Will 
 " and Command of God himfelf ; for Matters of 
 " Natural Reafon and Morahty, are not holy or 
 " good becaufe commanded, but commanded of 
 " God becaufe they are holy and good. Whence FJddes, 
 '* it follows, That antecedently to any pofitiveLaw^°' ^'^» 
 " or Declaration of God*s Will, Man had a Rule^' '^^' 
 " given him, whereby he was to condud him- 
 ** felf." 
 
 All which muft be void of Foundation," if there 
 be no Obligation in Law, but what arifes from the 
 Will of a rightful Superior, which we have feen to 
 be the Opinion of learned Men in all Ages, till Phi- 
 lofophy tainted Chriftianity. Or, Secondly^ If, ac- 
 cording to St. I^auU Itis by Faith, a relying on di- 
 vine Teftimony, and not our own Reafon or Saga- 
 city, we underfiand the Worlds were framed by the 
 Word of God. For then the Works of Creation, or 
 the Nature and Fitnefs of things, could never ac- 
 quaint us with the firfl: and greatefl Relation where- 
 in we Hand, and on which ail others depend, that 
 of Creature and Creator. 
 
 It is laid, that the Will of God always and necef'l' 
 larily determines itfelf to aft according to the eternal 
 Reafon of things. But of what things, when none 
 exifted ? Or what was the Reafon of things, but that 
 Nature and Order v;hich he gave them } There 
 could be no Motive to Creation, but free un- 
 bounded Will. The Almighty was under no Ne- 
 cefTity to create things v/hen he did, or at all ; nor to 
 have placed them in the Series, Rank and Order we 
 now behold them, and on which their prefent Rela- 
 tions depend. But whenever he determined, he was 
 as free as to the Manner of Ading, as he had been 
 from all Eternity, as to Time ; Infinite Wifdom 
 could undoubtedly contrive, and Infinite Power exe- 
 cute whatever he willed j fo Infinite Goodnefs would 
 
 A a 2 furnifh 
 
356 The Knowledge of Divine I'hings from 
 
 furnilh all its Works with Faculties fuitable to the 
 Purpofes of their refpccStive Natures, to anfwer the 
 End for which they were created. 
 
 And when he furveyed the Material and intellec- 
 tual World, hefaw that it was good^ i. e. agreeable to 
 his Will, in which the higheft Perfeftion of Created 
 things muft confift. There was no Eternal Reafbn, 
 but of and in God. All things received fuch EC- 
 fence, Virtues, Perfeflions, and Limits, as it pleafed 
 his Will, not neceflfarily, but freely to deal out to 
 them, and no other. His Will was the Meafure of 
 all things, in appointing their Natures, and fuch 
 Bounds as they cannot exceed : And the univerlal 
 Caufe, when, why, and how things are, is only the 
 executive Power of the Divine Will j for his Will- 
 ing it, is Omnipotence in the Effefl ; becaufe God can 
 do what he will ; and to will a thing, is to caufe it, 
 as the executive Power is infeparable from it. Nor 
 is there any Eternal Goodnels, but that of God ; 
 all Created Goodnefs is purely relative to that, and 
 could have no Exiftence before the Creatures : Evil 
 is a Violation of that Rule, or Non- conformity to 
 the Will of God ; and confequently not only pofte- 
 rior to Eternal, but even to Created Goodneis. 
 
 And if Exiftence be owing to the Will of God, 
 fo muft the Manner of Exiftence, that Reafon, Fit- 
 nefs. Connexion, and Relations, they ftand in, which 
 is only another Method of exprefling their Eifence or 
 Nature, which is from God, and not of themfelves : 
 For the Order of any Being is no more than the 
 Conditicn it is placed in, or affigned to it, in the 
 Syftem of things, which abfolutely depended on the 
 Divine Will •, or there muft be fomething external to 
 it, to determine or diredl its Operations, which can- 
 not be faid of God. But as that never a6ls in vain, 
 it accordingly directed ev^ery Creature in Heaven 
 and Earth, animate and inanimate, to this End ; 
 to a(5l in fuch a manner as is fie and proper for them 
 
 in 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 3 z^y 
 
 in their refpe6tive Stations, that is, according to 
 their Nature. And fo Flato underflood it : N»r Ph^<^o, 
 s?iv 6 cf^ia,y.cc[ji(Sv tI ry Trayroov airio; ; // is the Mind^' '^'^' 
 {viz. the divine Mnid) which difpofeth in due Order^ 
 and is the Caufe of all things. 
 
 And the Order they are placed in, is the Law of 
 their Being, i. e. to adt regularly, according to the-. 
 Rank that they are conftituted in the general Syftem ; 
 fo rcl^i? (from raTlw) fignifiesLaw as- well as Order, 
 and voixQ^ (from vs/^siv, to diftribute orderly) Order as 
 well as Law ; and to preferve this Obedience in Beau- 
 ty, Perfedion, and Order, is the End of all Beings, 
 viz. the Glory of him who placed them where they 
 are, and for whofe fake (not their own) they are and 
 were created. Such Creation conftituted the Natu- 
 ral Reafon of things ; every thing is what it is, with 
 its feveral Properties and Relations, as being what 
 the Will of God made ir, not from Nature or any 
 Energy of its own ; and there can be no other Eter< 
 nal Reafon of things, than their being what he cre- 
 ated them. 
 
 And were there no other created Being, which at 
 prefent fubfifts, but Man ; he might have a Law and 
 Order of Being, and have been required to a6l in a 
 manner fitting, proper, and congruous to his Nature, 
 without any other Relation but to God ; and therefore 
 the Relations of things no way infer any Eternal 
 Neceffity or Moral Obligation on him, in their owa 
 Nature : For Relations cannot be eternal, except 
 the things themfelves were fo, a Relation without a 
 relative Subje6t being impoffible ; nor can they be 
 (as affirmed) eternal m their Nature ; for they have 
 no Exiftence or Nature, but temporary, by being 
 created and placed in a certain Order, which was 
 the Will and Pleafure of the Firft Caufe, on whom 
 the feveral Modes of Being, or not Being, abfoiute- 
 jy depend, as the Meafure of all ; and without whom 
 nothing elfe could be, nothing could be pofTible or 
 A a 3 impoffible. 
 
358 T'he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 impoffible, neceflary or contingent, true or falfe, 
 affirmed or denied. 
 
 For Relation, or the Refpefts of things of them- 
 felves, is nothing but that Mode of Exifting, and 
 Habit of Influence and Dependence, the Effedl 
 ftands in with regard to its Caufe, on which it 
 wholly depends : And if EfTence in Being or Act- 
 ing were of eternal Necefiity in its own Nature, and 
 not dependent, on, and fubordinate to the Creative 
 Caufe or Divine Will j then it muft be independent, 
 if not wholly, in fome part of its EfTence or Ope- 
 rations, and confequently fo far not a Creature. For 
 is it poffible for God to make a Creature indepen- 
 dent, and not fubordinate in EfTence and Operation 
 to him ? It is a manifeil Contradidion, to be and 
 not to be ; for what does not depend upon God in 
 all its Operations, is not a Creature. It is of the 
 Eflence of a Creature to be dependent, and fo far 
 as it is independent, it muii give itielf Being ; but 
 infinite and abfolute Caufality being effential to God, 
 it is incommunicable to a Creature, either in giving 
 or Continuance of Being. 
 
 Therefore Obligation, Fitncfs, or Relation, can 
 be no older than the Syfcem of things themfelves ; 
 and as this is not eternal, fo neither can be the other, 
 but only a Confequence of their Exiflence. Now 
 the Will of God muft be the Meafure of his Power 
 in giving Exiftence to luch a Syflem -, therefore its 
 Nature, Reafon, and Fitnefs, muft depend upon 
 that Will which determined things to be what they 
 are. And as infinite Goodnefs is infeparable from 
 innnite Power, whatever it eftabliflies muft be holy, 
 iuft" and good, becaufe Eternal Holinefs and Juftice 
 cannot act or determine otherwife. 
 
 And they who will fix the Congruity of things, 
 by the Laws of their own vain and ftoical Imagina- 
 tions, meafuring the Divine Perfections by their 
 own Realbn and Rules, are only putting themfelves 
 
 in 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 3 59 
 
 in his Throne, to be as wile as God. Ic is the 
 greateft Arrogance not to allow God his fecret Rea- 
 fons, which our Reafon cannot fathom : Becaufe no 
 ^Created Being can conceive or explain tlie fevera! 
 ^so-g(f. Modes, Order, Degrees, and Refpedls of 
 Dependence and Subordination, in Entity, Exift- 
 ence, or Operation, any one fingle EfFed (lands in 
 to the Firft Caufe. Dependence we know, but not 
 the Series, Order, Degree, or Limits, between the 
 various Creatures and the Omnipotent Cauflihty and 
 Influence of the Creator, in which the Relation con- 
 fifts ; nor the Realbns of Infinite Wildom, which 
 determined the various Degrees of Divine Emana- 
 tion, Concourfe, and Influence. Nay, thole very 
 things that feem irregular and deformed, confufed 
 and monfl:rous, are the IflTue of Infinite Wifdom and 
 Reafon, beautiful in their Place and Time, as they 
 relate to Divine Providence, which orders all things 
 in the bell manner. 
 
 To conceive otherwife, feems toUrike at the Divine 
 Sovereignty over his Creatures, and tie him up by 
 the fame Laws that they are bound, and prefcribe 
 Rules (dependent on weak fallible human Judgment) 
 to Infallible Omnipotence ; for wherever there is 
 Dependence and Subordination, for Eifeds to plead 
 their own Fitnels, as the Rule or Lav/ of their Be- 
 ing, is arrogating an Independence either in Efl^ence 
 or Operation, is thrulling itfelf out of the proper 
 Order of Nature, afluming what belongs to another, 
 in which there is no Fitnefs or Congruity ; but in 
 affecting Equality with the Firll Caufe becomes a 
 Robbery of God. This the Angels once did, and 
 Man now does. 
 
 I judge no one but myfelf, yet cannot help 
 thinking many Expreflions ufed in this Controverfy, 
 as no way reafonable, fitting, or congruous to the 
 Divine Nature : That things are not good, becaule 
 God commanded j a Rule antecedent to the WilJ 
 A a 4 of 
 
5 6o ^je Kftowledge of Divine things from 
 
 of God ; that Omnipotence cannot do {o and fo 5 
 an Omnipotent Being devoid of all efiential and na- 
 tural Juftice -, that it is not the Will of God that 
 obliges to do pofitive things commanded, but the 
 Intelledlual Nature of him who is commanded ; that 
 if any Commander go beyond the Sphere and 
 Bounds that Nature fets him, his Commands will 
 jiot at all oblige ; that the Wifdom of God is as 
 much God, as the Will of God -, and whether of thefe 
 two things in God, that is, his Will or Wifdom, 
 fhould depend on the other, will be beft determined 
 from the feveral Natures of them ; that Wifdom 
 hath in itfelf the Nature of a Rule or Meafure, but 
 Will is not only a bliod and dark thing, but alio 
 indefinite and indeterminate ; that Will is a plum- 
 bean flexible Rule. 
 
 Thefe, and many others, when applied to the Di- 
 vine Nature, are altogether fhocking and blafphe^ 
 nious ; a Language unbecoming Chriftians or rea- 
 fonable Creatures, in fpeaking what they know not; 
 as if the efiential Attributes could be divided, or 
 adl in oppofition to each other : Whereas the whole 
 Effence is but one undivided A6t, without the leaft 
 Shadow of Compofition or Divifion ; to Will and to 
 Caufe, Volition and Omnipotence, cannot be fepa- 
 rated in God ; though Men in their progrcffive way 
 of Reafoning, not being able to confider more than 
 one Subjedl at a time, attempt to do it. But where 
 a, Nature is eflfentially and indivifibly one, nothing 
 is before or after, but unchangeably the lame ; 
 Will is immutably wife, and Wildomdeterminately 
 juft ; and in neither is, or can be, any thing blind, 
 dark, indefinite, or indeterminate. 
 
 His Will is called arbitrary, only from the So- 
 vereignty over his Works, to whole Pleafure they 
 muft, and becaufe it is fo, they ought, to fjbmit: 
 And as his Nature is infinite Perfection, he canno: 
 go beyond the Bounds of it, for he cannot deny 
 
 him- 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 361 
 
 himfelf, nor require any thing contrary to himfeir, 
 or what is immutably juft and good, that being of 
 his EfTence ; therefore his Commands at all times 
 oblige, becaufe it is his Will and Pleailire ; and not 
 the Nature of Things, which is nothing but the 
 R^k and Order this fame Will and unconfined 
 PllWure has given them. 
 
 No one can lay that Creation was necelTary, for 
 then the Almighty would not be a Free Agent ; 
 and if he afled with perfect Liberty, he could be un- 
 der no Neceflity of making Things in the exadl 
 Frame they now are : Therefore the Nature and 
 adhering Relation which Things have, are not from 
 themfelves, but from him whofo framed them ; and 
 whofe Mind has infinite Reafons for all his Adls, 
 utterly unknown to us : Therefore the Law is not 
 from the necefTary Nature of Things, but from 
 him that made them what they are ; the prefent Or- 
 der is natural, but its Appointment, that it is fo, 
 wholly from God; and the Obligation cannot be 
 from Relations, but from him who gives and alters 
 them at his Pleafure ; otherwife the Divine Will 
 would be of no Ufe i for if nothing be confequent 
 to it, it could not be the Caufe of any thing; which 
 is contrary to the exprefs Teftimony of God, and 
 I hope of Reafon alfo. 
 
 It was the Refult of perfe(5l Freedom that God 
 made Man, he could have made him, what at 
 prefent he is not, endued him with more or fewer 
 Faculties; placed him farther from, or nearer to 
 the angelick State ; in Proportion to which there 
 would have been a Change or a Difference in his Re- 
 lation and Law, in that Rank or Order wherein he was 
 conftituted, according to which every Creature is in- 
 tended and obliged to a<5l ; confequently theNecefTity 
 of this Law muft be referred to the Divine Will, 
 as that alone determined the prefent State or Con^ 
 
 dition 
 
362 1'be Knowledge of Divine Thingsffom 
 
 Pf. cxv. j.dition of Man; for he hath done whatfoever he 
 
 & cxxxv.pleafed. 
 
 We cannot fafely conclude, that God necefiarily 
 made all Things as they are, left we take away any 
 Degree of that perfed Liberty with which the Su- 
 preme Being muft always a6t (in making every 
 thing for his Pleafure, and after the Counfel of Jiis 
 own Will) and thereby leave him the Power of 
 Creating, but render the Proportions of created 
 Beings of eternal NecefTity, which muft deftroy the 
 Freedom both of Counfel and of Will : Could he 
 not have done otherwife, had it fo pleafed him ? 
 
 And if moral Dependence be founded on Natu- 
 ral, it will follow that all moral Obligations arife 
 from their Connexion to and Dependence on the 
 Divine Pleafure, by virtue of which all Eflences, 
 Proportions, and Relations folely exift ; and if they 
 depend on nothing elfe, then our Aftions cannot be 
 moral, becaufe agreeable or congruous to fuch Re- 
 lations, but only as they are conformable, and have 
 a Reference to that Will, which appointed fuch 
 Relations ; and the appointing Will, not the Rela- 
 tions or Fitneffes themfelves, be the ultimate Rule 
 and Ground of all Moral Obligation. And Bifhop 
 TVilkins, I think, fully difclaims all thefe eternal Rea- 
 fons in the following Words : " It is not the mere 
 
 Serm.p. " Performance o^ fuch moral Duties as are of na- 
 
 5'- " tural Obhgation, unlefs they be done m Obedi- 
 
 " ence to Chrift as our Lord and Lazvgiver, and 
 *' in Reliance upon him for his Pardon and Ac- 
 *' ceptance as our Prieji and Saviour, that can make 
 " us acceptable to Chrift, or entitle us to the Name 
 « of Chriftians." 
 
 In God, his executive Power and efficacious Will 
 admit not the Icaft formal Difference ; for by his 
 Will they are and were created -, they are his Ei- 
 fence, the Will of God is Omnipotence, an Al- 
 mighty 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, 363 
 
 mighty Fiat ; he but fpeaks, and ic is done, 
 his Word gives Being, his Word and his Ads 
 are reciprocal ; whatever he wills, immediately 
 exifts, in the Time and Manner he wills it ; and as 
 nothing can move the Will of God but his own 
 Goodnefs, the very fame with his Will and ElFence 
 (for v/ere it moved by any thing without itfelf, it . 
 would not have the Supreme Perfeclion of inde- 
 pendent Liberty, and adling freely) therefore he 
 willeth nothing without himfelf; and all the Rea- 
 fons of Juft or Good, cxtrinfick to the Divine El- 
 fence, are dependent on his Will, who decreed and 
 appointed the Nature of Things (which is their 
 Jullice and Goodnefs) to be what it is. 
 
 For if they had an eternal necellary Fitnefs and 
 Relation before this, they mud be antecedent to the 
 Will of God, and confequently prior to, or of the 
 Divine Effence, and muft always continue to be fo, 
 which is blafphemous to affert ; but they are fuble- 
 quent to the Divine Will, therefore their Truth is 
 caufed by, and depends upon it ; for as he gives Being 
 to all Things, all Proportions, that belong to fuch 
 Being, muft alfo depend upon the Divine AVill ; 
 and that any Truths, natural or moral, belonging 
 to any created Object or Term, could be antece- 
 dent to it, is impoflible and falfe; becaufe the Will 
 of God is the Caufe of all Things, and the Effed 
 cannot be prior to the Caufe. 
 
 And when the great Maintainers of eternal and im- 
 mutable Morality vouchfafe to quit their MetaphyficaJ 
 Religion, they teach the fame thing j " To prevent all 
 *^ Miftake (fays 'Dr.Cud-Ji:orih) I Ihall again remember, '''^""^^^'''f 
 " that where it is affirmed that the EfTences of all ^' 
 " Things are Eternal and Immutable,which Dodrine 
 " theTheological Schools have conftandy avouched ; 
 *' this is only to be underftood of the intelligible Ef- 
 " fences orRationes of Things, as they are the Objects 
 ^' of the rylind \ and that there neither is, nor can be 
 
 '* any 
 
364 The Knowledge of Divine T/ji figs from 
 
 " any other Meaning of it than this, that there is 
 *' an eternal Knowledge and Wildom, or an eternal 
 " Mind or Intellect, which comprehends within itfelf 
 ** the fteady and immutable Rationes of all Things, 
 " and their Verities, from which all particular Intel- 
 *' lefts are derived, and on which they do depend ; 
 *' but not that the conftitutive Effences of all created 
 " Things were eternal and uncreated ; as if God in 
 *' creating of the World, did nothing elfe, but as 
 *' fome farcaftically exprefs it, Sartoris inftar rerum 
 " ejfentias vejiire exijlentid^ only clothed the Eternal, 
 " Increated, and Antecedent Eflences of Things, 
 " with a new outfide Garment of Exiftence, and not 
 *' created the whole of them ; and as if the conftitu- 
 " tive EiTences of Things could exift apart feparate- 
 *' ly from the Things themfelves." 
 
 Certainly God was eternal, and knew his Wifdorn 
 and his Works -, but if the EiTences of Things did 
 not exift before he created them, neither they, nor 
 their Relations could be in their Nature eternal, nor 
 immutable, becaufe God could have produced Na- 
 tures otherwife than he has done, and the only eter- 
 nal, immutable, and necefTary Reafon of Things, 
 ends in this, that God made them what they are ; 
 they are the fole Refult of his Will, fubfequent to, 
 anci dependent on it; this is the true and only Ra- 
 tio 5 and in any other Viev/, they are indeed Objects 
 of the Mind, but without Reafons, Exiftence or 
 Nature ; not Rationss^ but mere Entia Rationis, 
 
 For if the Truth of Things be fubfequent to the 
 DivineWill, and theTruth of Things be the Reafons 
 of them, then their Reafons could not be of eternal 
 Necefiity ; the Truth and Reafon of any Thing, 
 confifting in being what it is, and that, becaufe lb 
 willed of God : The Confequence of fuch Ap- 
 pointment could have no Force or Obligation prior 
 to it; otherwife Relations of Things would be with- 
 out 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 06 c 
 
 out their Exiftence, and Accidents fubfifl: without a 
 Subjed. 
 
 If it be faid that the Reafons of Things are eter- 
 nal, becaufe God foreknew and predetermined what 
 he would do, it is laying no more, than that from 
 Eternity neceflarily exifted an all- wife and perfe6t 
 Being ; and that God had an eternal univerfal Know- 
 ledge ; but if it fubfifted only in him, then it was 
 God ; if it had a different Subfiftence, there was 
 Ibmething neceflary and eternal befides him ; and 
 yet the Reafon and Truth of Things are not God, 
 though they are an Effedl and Communication of his 
 Will to his Creatures j therefore could have no Exi- 
 ftence before the Things themfelves exifted: For 
 otherwife, their EfTences, Perfeflions, Diftindtions, 
 Refpefts, and Operations, which is their Reafon, 
 muft pre-exift likewife, and Creature and Creator, 
 be one and the fame. 
 
 And if the Reafons of Things be eternal, fo 
 will be their moral Difference, for the one depends 
 upon the other ; it is for certain Reafons that fome 
 things are morally Evil, others morally Good j and 
 then Rationes Boni (^ Mali funt aterna. If eternal, 
 they muft have Exiftence, and if they did exift, there 
 muft have been an evil Principle from all Eternity. 
 Or if God's Eternal Knov/ledge rofe from any intel- 
 ligible Species, Reprefentations diftin(ft from him- 
 felf, there would be fomething real, as well as eter- 
 nal befide him. 
 
 It is a Fondnefs for this kind of Divinity, that 
 has renewed Flatonifm among us, in the Enquiry con- 
 cerning Ideas, Exemplars, Archetypes, (^c. Plato 
 defined Ideas to be Infinite, Immaterial, Immutable, 
 and Eternal, v^^a kuto. raurd ov, always ^^^7^^^ ^^ Ximseoia 
 Being ; and we have had learned Men taking great p. ^g. 
 pains to prove the Eternity of the Archetypal Mo- Norrii's 
 dels of the Works of God in the Mind Divine j dif- 'j';"'^ , 
 puting whether they are real Entities, and whether 
 
 thc7 
 
366 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 they have a phyfical or mctaphyfical Entity ; whe- 
 ther they are pofitive a6lual Beings, can ad, think, 
 or will, and whether they are the operative Caufes 
 of things : All which is Wantonnefs in Religion, 
 ufelefs Science, and unprofitable Difpute. 
 
 And the Determination before given muft take 
 place here alfo ; either they are immanent in, the 
 fame with the Divine ElTence, Power and Will, 
 which can neither be compounded nor divided ; or 
 they are fomeway different from it ; and then fomc- 
 thing with a real Entity will be eternal befidcs God : 
 And the Chambers of Heaven furnilhed with thefe 
 Models of the World, and his Works, and nothing 
 being in vain, they mud be neccflary to dire6l his 
 Operations ; and he who could Ipeak a thoufand of 
 Worlds into Being, muft (land in need (like a poor 
 Artificer) in order to do nothing rafhly, to make the 
 Model before he made the Work : Or indulging fo 
 vain a Suppofition, of what lervice or ufe could they 
 be to Created Intelligences ? They can have no In- 
 fluence on the Ectypal Copies, when finifhed ; Ideas 
 can lay no Obligation on things after they are cre- 
 ated, no more than the Pvlodcls of St. Peier*s and 
 St. Paul's Temples do on thofe Edifices, or the Be- 
 holders and Admirers of them. 
 
 This Argument would alfo prove too much -, for 
 if all that God foreknew had thele real Archetypes, 
 then there would be eternal Exemplars of every 
 Beaft or Infed, as much as things of a moral Na- 
 ture : Eternal, Moral, and Natural Evil; Eternal 
 Good and Bad Actions ; Exemplars of all the 
 Edlypal Copies, coeval with the other Ideas of 
 God : And being certain Contemplations, "and real 
 Determinations of future poflible things, fuch things 
 mufl necefliirily come to pafs, fmce there are no 
 Ideas of ablblute Non-entity ; fo by this Rule, 
 there can be nothing in this inferior vifible World, 
 but what had (and being Eternal, now has) its 
 
 Idea 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 367 
 
 Idea in the fuperior intelligible World of Divine 
 Ideas. Nothing being contingent, but God fore- 
 knew it, and he (it feems) could not know it, 
 without an eternal entifical Idea of it ; and Moral 
 Evil being as much a Reality as Moral Goodnels, 
 muft have its eternal immutable Archetype. 
 
 What is all this but Enthufiafm or Metaphyfical 
 Madnefs in Divinity ? A Philofophy which the Apo- 
 flle condemns, as Science falfly fo called ; intended 
 to amufe and deceive unwary Minds, and raifed 
 as a Battery to attack Revelation from ; Words to 
 no Profit but fubverting the Hearers, and increa- 
 fing unto more Ungodlinefs. 
 
 JSleverthekfs ^ the Foundation of God ftandeth 
 fure, his Word and Commands, his Promifes and 
 Afliftance, his Acceptance and Rewards, depend 
 not on the fandy Foundation of Relations, Fitnels, 
 or Ideas of things ; an all-wife Lawgiver has given 
 us a Rule of ading, pointed out the Differences of 
 Good and Evil, taught us whatever is ufeful to 
 Knowledge or to Duty, communicated what is ne- 
 ceflary of his own Being and Perfedlions. And ex- 
 cept he had made fuch Revelation, we fhould never 
 have attained the leaft Notion of Spiritual Entity, 
 Moral Fitnefs, or Ideal Goodnefs, nor have had i"^ 
 any Meafure of Good or Evil. As an all-good "'*\ 
 Creator he has an abfolute Right to command -, as*^'' *■ 
 dependent Creatures we are obliged to unlimited 
 Obedience -, and nothing but his Will can be a 
 Law to an intelligent Creature i nothing elfe can in- 
 duce an Obligation. This is the only Moral Fitnefs 
 Man is able to difcern, to walk by the Rule which 
 God has given ; his W^ili is a perfect Law, and 
 whether we fhould inquire of and obey God or 
 Man, judge ye : He has declared that the fecret 
 things belong tmto the Lord our God ; but thofe things 
 which are revealed belong unto us, and to our Chil- 
 dren for ever^ that ive may all do , the Words of 
 
 this 
 
368 ^he K?wwIeJge of Divine Things from 
 
 this Law. By this Law he will judge us, and dif- 
 penle its Sandions of Reward and Punifhment : 
 And this alone conftitutes the whole Moral Intel* 
 ledual Syftem, both in Knowledge and A6tion. 
 
 But further: It is impoflible that this Doflrine 
 of eternal Fitnefies, Reafons, Relations, (j^c. fliould 
 be the Means of coming at Divine Know- 
 ledge. 
 
 I. Becaule God affirms the contrary. 
 
 II. The Immutability of Relations is inconfiftent 
 with the Divine Proceedings. 
 
 Ill It does not give us a true Account of Mora* 
 lity in human Adtions. 
 
 IV. It is not a Means whereby Men ever 
 did or could arrive at the Knowledge of Divine 
 Things. 
 
 V. The Reafons and Relations of Things never 
 were fuppoled to have the obligatory Force of 
 a Law, even in the Opinion of the wileft Hea- 
 thens, and therefore could not be to them a Mea- 
 fure or a Rule of a6ting. 
 
 As to the /-/>y?. It is a Charafter which the Almighty 
 
 affumes to Himfelf, through the whole Scripture, 
 
 of being the only Teacher and Inftru6lor; the 
 
 Rule, the Law, the Light, and Life of Men. He 
 
 direds to nothing but his revealed Word, to fearch 
 
 for, and find eternal* Life. He communicates not 
 
 Mat.xi, himfelf by eternal FitnelTes, but by his Son, For 
 
 ^7' no Man knoweth the Father fave the Soji^ and he to 
 
 ivhomfce'ver the Son will reveal him. This is the 
 
 Truth (the onlyWay of knowing God) and they who 
 
 T hn viii ^'^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ bclicve not God's Word, do fo only, 
 
 47. ' hecaufi they are not of God. 
 
 Deut. It is faid. The fccret things of the Lord belong 
 
 xxix. 29. jijiio the Lord^ but the things zvhich are revealed be- 
 long iinlo us. The lecret Will is the Meafure of 
 his Operations i and not only the Things he wills, 
 but the Motives and Rcafons of his Will are un- 
 
 7 known 
 
Revelation, not from Re afoji or Nature, 369 
 
 known to, and cannot be penetrated by us. But 
 the things which are revealed belong unto us; 
 that which he reveals is the Law and Rule of our 
 Operation, Offices, and Duties towards him. It 
 is not the Meafure of God*s Efficacy or Power, nor 
 the Reafons of all his A6tings towards his Creatures ; 
 but it is the fole Rule, Reafon, and Meafure of all 
 their Adings towards him, as determining what 
 they ought to do, what not to do. 
 
 Again ; God declares, I'hat he worketh all things Ei^h.\. n.- 
 according to the counfel of his own Will — And hath y^^^ g. 
 made known io us the Myjiery of his Will^ according 
 to his good pleafure which he hath purpofed in himfelf. 
 The Working of God is according to the Counfel 
 of his own Will ; that fecret Will which no Caufe 
 or Reafon can be alTigned for -, and" full of myfleri- 
 ous Wifdom, which he hath purpofed in himfelf, 
 therefore not declared but in fuch manner as feemed 
 beft to his good Pleafure : Bat the fublime and 
 myfterious Reafons are within himfelf undeclared, 
 therefore no Caufe phyfical or moral can be given • 
 of them ; for this his good Pleafure and love- 
 reign Independency purpofed in it felf : And tho* 
 the Divine Will be the abfolute Caufe of all things, 
 and full of Reafons as to their admirable Dependence 
 and Subordinations ; yet there muft not be the lead 
 Shadow of Reafon affigned as the Caufe or Motive 
 of it, further than he hath made it known unto us : 
 To inquire further is Vanity ; to determine other- 
 wife, Prefumption. 
 
 Secondly, The Immutability of Relations is incon- 
 liftent with the Divine Proceedings. 
 
 Every Creature both Intelligent and Animal, in 
 Heaven and in Earth, that we know of, have 
 changed thofe Relations they once ftood in. 
 
 Tiie Angels had a Freedom of Will, a Choice 
 of Duty or of Sin j yet many of them by Difobedi- 
 cnce fell ; they cannot now do good j they cannot 
 
 B b buc 
 
3 7 o ^^^s Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 but fin. Thofe who preferved their blefled Statfr^^ 
 are fuppofed to be now in a State of Impeccabili- 
 ty i and confequently the Proportions they hold to 
 themielves and other created Beings is much alter- 
 ed •, their Relation to God nearer, and a Change 
 made in thrir Law by a new and ftrider Confor- 
 mity of their Will to the Divine. 
 
 The fame is true of Man ; he was originally Up- 
 right and Perfeci, and had a Law of unerring Obe- 
 dience, fuitable and fitting to the Excellency of his 
 Nature, and which he was enabled to know and to 
 perform, by difcerning Good from Evil, with a 
 Power and Freedom ot Will to choofe the one, and 
 to refufe the other: And in this State, the Rela- 
 tion between God and him was that of an inno- 
 €ent Creature, and a bountihil Creator, unerring^ 
 Obedience, and Exemption from Death. 
 
 By Tranfgreffion enfued an eflential Alteration in 
 his Moral Capacity ; from leading a Divine Life 
 to an Univerfal Degeneracy, a Corruption of Soul, 
 •and Proclivity to Sin, as has been fully acknow- 
 ledged by many wifer Heathens, as well as felt 
 and complained of by Mankind in all Ages : He 
 was now unable to know, or to fulfil the Law ; 
 and a new Relation between God and Man com- 
 menced, a guilty Creature, and an offended God ; 
 and then a new Law and Covenant fuitable to his 
 Condition was eftabliflied, which obliged to Re- 
 pentance, and promifed Pardon \ the Relation then 
 was, a Sinner penitent, and a God forgiving ; and 
 new Fitnefles arofe from the prefent Terms of re- 
 covering the divine Favour, and avoiding his Dif- 
 pleafure. 
 
 In both Cafes the Law was what was befl and 
 fitteft to be done, as the Reafon and Nature of 
 things then fubfifted i but when an Alteration in 
 them enfued, fo there did in the Law alfo, which 
 was ordained by the Divine Will, and thence re- 
 
 ceivcd 
 
Revelation^ not from Renfon or Nature, 3 j i 
 
 Ceived its obliging Power. Nor is this any way 
 incongruous to Divine Wifdom, which had made 
 free but not impeccable Agents, to adapt his Laws 
 to their altered Condition ; and is a Manifeftation 
 bi his not being under any Neceffity to prefcribe an 
 immutable Law to a mutable Creature, 
 
 Yet to lliew the Sovereign Independency of 
 Will, as he was not obliged to interpole any Atfl 
 of Omnipotence, for preventing the Apoftaly of 
 either Nature, Angels or Men, yet his Dealings 
 with them were very different ; he (as is generally 
 concluded) added to the glorious Condition of thofe 
 Angels, who kept their firft State, by removing 
 them beyond a Poflibility of finning. Thofe dif- 
 bbedient Spirits, who wilfully departed from the 
 Laws of their bleffed Natures, had the legal Pu- 
 nilhment inflidbed on themj and are referved in 
 Chains of everlafting Darknefs j and the regular 
 Diftribution of Rewards and Punifhments is the 
 Effefl of impartial Juftice. The Law given to Man 
 was alio armed with Death, In the Day that thou 
 tatefi thereof^ thoujhalt die : Yet the Sentence againft 
 the mighty but fallen Angels, was executed with 
 unrelenting Juftice, and yet ftands unrepealed. They 
 continue the fad Examples of Vengeance, they may 
 have a Profped: of the Increafe of their Torments, 
 but none of their Ceafing or Diminution. Whilft to 
 fall-en Man was fliev/ed an Overi^owing of the Divine 
 Companion and Benignity, the Sentence reveried, 
 a Ranfom accepted, new Terms of Obedience of- 
 fered, the moft holy Creator reconciled to rebelli- 
 ous Creatures, admits them to a, Poffibility of 
 attaining, intreats them to accept of a Stare far 
 more bleffed and glorious, than that which by 
 Tranfgrellion they had forfeited. 
 
 I could wifh, therefore, thole Gentlemen who fo 
 eameftly maintain the Eternal Neceffity and Immu- 
 tability of Relations and Law, Independent of the 
 
 B b 2 Divine 
 
372 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Divine Will, would give us fome Reafons, why 
 God fhould be difpofed to pardon finful Men, yet 
 not extend the (ame Grace to the apoftate Angels. 
 
 We are told indeed by thole who pretend a 
 deeper Infight into the Nature of Angels, than the 
 Scriptures have given us ; That as the good Angels 
 are unalterably determined to choofe what is Good ; 
 io the evil Angels are* as unmoveably determined 
 flill to adhere to that which is Evil ; they were 
 both free indeed to choofe either Good or Evil, 
 but having long fince fixed their Choice, there is 
 no room tor a Change of it. That fuch as are the 
 Judgments, which any thinking Beings pafs upon 
 things, fuch alio are their Inclinations or Averfionsto 
 the things judged of, and confequendy they cannot 
 change their Choice. That the evil Angels who 
 once thought Difobedience to God better than Obe- 
 dience, muft always think it fo, and being unca- 
 pable of Repentance or coming to a better Mind, 
 are for that Reafon uncapable of Forgivenefs. 
 
 Nov/ though perhaps it muft be allowed, that 
 Impenitence and Remifllon of Sins are incom- 
 patible ; that Sinners, whilft they continue fuch, 
 cannot partake of the faving Mercies of God; that 
 a State of Sin and a State of Glory are never to 
 be reconciled: Yet we have no good ground to 
 think the Angels fo framed by their Natures, as 
 that it is utterly impofTible for the moft powerful 
 Grace of God to work in them Repentance ; at 
 lead what is faid of the Fixednefs of their Choice, 
 and the utter Incapacity they are in of thinking or 
 choofing othcrwife than they once thought or chofe, 
 is io dcllitute of any Foundation from what God 
 has revealed about them, that it may be denied 
 with as much Shew of Reafon as it can be affirmed ; 
 Nay it is more reafonable to fuppofe, if we might 
 indulge our felves in fuch Suppofitions, that thefe 
 revoked Angels who adually leci the Smart of their 
 
 Dilbbe- 
 
Reve/afioriy not from Reafon or Nature. 373 
 
 Difobedience, have quite other Sentiments of it 
 now, than they had before they fwerved from their 
 Duty ; that their Notions of it are quite changed, 
 fince they have fuffered for it, and that if a Recon- 
 ciliation could be offered, they would readily ac- 
 cept it. 
 
 Another Reafon by fome afligned, why lapfed 
 Men fhould be capable, and the fallen Angels incapa- 
 ble of Redemption, is, that Man finned by the 
 Suggeftion of t];ie Devil, but the Angels finned of 
 themfelves without being feduced from their Duty 
 ,by any Tempter. But God forbid, it fhould be a 
 conoJufive Reafon for the inevitable Perdition of 
 any Creature, that it fins of its own accord, with- 
 out being follicited thereto by any Suggeftions from 
 without, fince it is to be feared, if that accounts 
 for this Dodrine, the Cafe of many Men would 
 be defperate : That is, fo fall thofe, who arc Jo far 
 from being overruled by any Temptation to Sin, 
 that they lay themfelves open to it, that they invite 
 it, that they work themfelves up with Pains and 
 Difficulty to the CommifTion of it, ^that they ufurp 
 the Devil's OiiRce, and tempt others to fin. 
 
 Several other Reafons are given, why God fhould 
 be inclined to pardon Men, rather than extend the 
 fame A61 of Grace to rebellious Angels ; for fuch 
 is the intolerable Pride of Man, that he is nor 
 content to ac<:ept of God's fiQe. Grace, without 
 fmfying that he finds in himfclf fome powerful 
 Motive to difpofe God to be merciful to him. 
 But if we would not think of our felves more high- 
 ly than we ought to think; if we would think 1(- 
 berly, according as God has dealt to us the Mei - 
 fures of Faith ; if we would regulate our Tiioughts 
 herein by the Light of Scripture, which alone can 
 guide us in thele fupernatural Truths, we fhall be 
 convinced, that no other Ground for this Diibrimi- 
 iiation can be given, than the Will and Pleafi^e 
 
 B b 3 of 
 
;74 ^^^^ Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 of God, who will have mercy on whom he will 
 have mercyy and who will have compcjfion on 
 whom he will have compajfion. No other good Rea- 
 fon can be affigned for the Preference of fallen 
 Man to the apoftate Argcls, buc that it fo pleafed 
 God, who worketh all things after the counfel of his 
 own PFilL 
 
 Thus have Relations and Fitnefles altered be- 
 tween Creature and Creator, which is the flrongeft 
 Light they can be placed in ; and what holds in 
 the greateft Degree, muft alfo in the Ms. Thus 
 the Relations between Men and Men are changed, 
 we may be obliged to adt againft thofe very In- 
 ftindls, which, from their deep Engraffment, have 
 (though improperly) been called the Laws of Na- 
 ture J a Man may be obliged to condemn his Fa- 
 ther for violating a Divine Law, or facrifice an 
 only Son, in Obedience to a Divine Command. 
 And to mention no more, that moft facred of hu-^ 
 man Relations, Marriage, on which fo many others 
 depend, is diflblvable by the criminal Condudl of 
 either Party ; ,not to fay, that the original Subjedbi- 
 on of the Wife to the Husband, was the Punifli- 
 ment of Guilt. 
 
 Thus likewife the feveral Relations of Dominion 
 jn our publick Capacities, Mailer and Servant, 
 King and Subjed, Tyrant and Slave, had probably 
 never been known, if Man had preferved his prime- 
 val State. 
 
 The Relations betwixt Man and the Living Crea- 
 tures arc totally changed > God gave him an abib- 
 lute Dominion over them. Gen. i. 26. But he no 
 •fooner rebelled againft his Maker, than they rebelled 
 againft him, and are no longer fubjecl to his Autho- 
 rity or Will : And this may have extended to the 
 Beafts themfelves, between whom there probably was 
 at firft no fuch Antipathy, as is obferved at prefent, 
 nor cruel Rage and Appetite to devour one ano- 
 ther. I'he 
 
Revelation, not from He a/on or Nature. 375 
 
 . The very Earth flood no longer in the fame Re- 
 lation to Man, but became (tubborn and unfruitful, 
 -brought forth Briers and Thorns ; and A4an, inftead 
 of enjoying with Eafe its fpontaneous and abundant 
 Produdlions, was condemned to be the miferable 
 Tiller of it ; In the Sweat of his Face, and in Sorrczv, 
 to eat the Fruits of it all the Days of his Life. 
 
 So far from Truth is that Docflrinc of the Immu- 
 tability of thofe Relations we Hand in to God or one 
 another, that an Alteration has happened in thera 
 all ; betwixt God and Man, Man and Man, Man 
 and the Creatures, and the Brute Creatures with one 
 another. 
 
 And from this Change in Relation, not from any 
 eternal Fitnefs of things, flowed New Duties andOb^ 
 ligations. As for Inftance : Prayer is a realbnable, 
 iir, and proper Offering to the Supreme Being, in 
 this Degeneracy of Nature, to fupply our Wants, 
 ftrengthen our Infirmities, pardon our Tranfgref-^ 
 fions, and accept our imperfedl Obedience, Bjt in 
 Man's primeval State, when he clearly beheld the 
 Perfedtions of the Deity, exadly fulfilled t\\t Laws 
 and Obligations refulting from them, poiTefled the 
 fulleft Happinefs his Order of Being was capable of: 
 Then Gratitude and Praife were the fuitable Returns 
 to the gracious Bcftower of fuch Bleffings. He had 
 no Guilt to produce Sorrow or Repentance, no adr 
 ditional Perfedions to ask for the Exaltation of his 
 Nature ; and where there is no want of Good, nor 
 Evil felt, nor Fear apprehended, there is no Room 
 for Petition or Prayer. 
 
 We read of no Duties in the Angelick State, but 
 Obedience and Adoration ; and the latter feems 
 chiefly to confifl:, in never-ceafing Hallelujahs of 
 Praife and Thanklgiving to him that fits upon the 
 Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever, and with 
 the loudeft Voices, blefling the God of Angels and 
 of Mea : Whereas we underftand not that the bad 
 
 B b 4 Angels 
 
376 The Knowledge of Dhine Thifjgs from 
 
 Angels ever pray for Mercy, that they repent, or 
 that Cas being perhaps excluded from any Covenant) 
 there is even Hope in Hell ; for they have no Paf- 
 fions but Guilt, Hatred, Fear, and horrid Appre- 
 henfions. 
 
 Whereas in Man's altered Condition, Prayer, Re- 
 pentance, and Thankfgiving are all congruous to 
 the new Relation he (lands in to God, who now re- 
 quires, and has promifed to accept them ; not from 
 any eternal Realbns of things, or immutable Rela- 
 tions, or any natural Fitnefs in themfelves, as a 
 Means to attain the End ; for nothing we can offer 
 is meritorious, or in itfelf deferving of Pardon or 
 eternal Life ; but they are the Terms or Conditions 
 the Divine Will has prefcribed, and therefore what 
 infinite Mercy will reward. And hence only arife 
 their Fitnefs, Obligation, or Merit of Acceptance. 
 
 'Thirdly^ This Doftrine does not give us a true Ac- 
 count of Morality in human Adions, in making 
 Good and Evil to be conftituted in the Eternal Re- 
 lation and Nature of things, which we have feen are 
 neither eternal nor immutable •, but new Relations, 
 and confequently new Moral Duties, have commenced 
 in the Intelledual Moral World. Yet Eternal and 
 Variable are contradidlory Terms : In all Created 
 Beings there is a Change, in the Uncreated only is 
 an eternal Stability. 
 
 Morality therefore mufl be relative to fomething 
 elfe, which is its proper Meafure and Rule, and its 
 EiTcnce mufl: confifl: in its Conformity therewith : 
 But the only perfed Meafure of Morality is the Law, 
 and that not of Men, but of God ; and all Aflionsare 
 morally good or evil, as they are referred in their 
 End, Objecfl:, Circumfl:ances, and have Relation to 
 it, and not othervv/ife. Whatever by the Divine Law 
 is Good, can never be made Evil •, what is Evil can- 
 not be made Good j what by this Law is Good or 
 Evil," cannot be made Indiflcrent ; and is therefore 
 
 the 
 
p. 7. 
 
 Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 377 
 
 the only immutable univerfal Rule of Moral Good- 
 nefs. When therefore the Author of the Religion of 
 Nature Delineated, fays, " That tho* Men, after § 
 *' long and laborious Enquiry, have not yet agreed 
 *' upon any one Rul^, with which comparing their 
 ** Actions, it might appear whether they are good, 
 " evil, or indifferent, yet one certainly there muft 
 *' be ;" Does it not evidently fhew the Defeft of 
 Natural Religion, in the moft elTential Point ? 
 
 That the Rule of Moral Goodnefs muft be perfeft, 
 is evident, becaufe a defedive Meafure cannot be ap- 
 plied, and is therefore no Meafure at all : And it 
 muft be univerfally comprehenfive, fo as to include 
 all Duties and Offices, with their Principles, Circum- 
 ftances, and End, otherwife it muft be imperfed: ; 
 for there would be Moral Duties to which the Law 
 of Morality did not extend ; Vv^hich is a Contradic- 
 tion. And if the Nature of Good requires it to be 
 perfect, in all its Caufes and Parts, the Meafure and 
 Rule of it muft likewife be perfed -, every Defeft 
 is evil, and that cannot be the Rule or Law of 
 Good. 
 
 No created Reafon therefore can be a fuffici- 
 ent Rule for Moral Goodnefs, fince it is a Part of 
 imperfedt corrupt Nature, and cannot but partake 
 of Imperfedlion and Corruption -, and for fuch Na- 
 ture to attain Perfedlion, would not be natural but 
 fjpernatural ; whence all the Good we now do, is 
 not from Nature but by Grace. This alfo appears 
 from the innumerable Defeds in the Laws which 
 Reafon has ever prefcribed in the Objeft, Manner, 
 Principles, and End of Moral Goodnefs : So that 
 they have always ftood in need of many Correc- 
 tions and Alterations ; therefore cannot be any Mea- 
 fjre or Criterion of Moral Virtue. The Law of 
 God only is univerfal, fo as to comprehend and 
 reach all Cafes ; therefore that only can be uniform, 
 unchangeable, eternal : Whereas all the Laws of 
 
 Na- 
 
378 ^J^he Knowledge of Divine things from 
 
 Nature and of Nations, have been defecftive, ftood 
 in need of Reftridlions or Alterations, have there- 
 fore ever been various and mutable, according to 
 the different Circumftances of Time, Place, and 
 People. 
 
 Among the Heathens, the 5 vojuor kcivos-, the 
 Common Law^ was no more than the Precepts con- 
 veyed down by the Pofterity of Noah^ which flill 
 received new Light from a Converfe with the Jews^ 
 and the Books of Mofes : For the Decalogue may 
 be faid to contain the whole Moral Law, a Sum^ 
 mary of what was given to Man at the Beginning \ 
 to which all Duties in Piety to God, or Juftice to 
 each other, may be referred, and deduced from : 
 What it commands is good, what it forbids is evil j 
 what no Power on Earth can alter or make indiffe* 
 rent. And to fay there were any religious Truths 
 antecedent to Revelation, is begging the Queflion, 
 and a Fallliood. 
 
 Hence all the Meafures of Difference and Perfec- 
 tion in Ads, are to be judged of only from their 
 Conformity to the Divine Law and Will. Thefe 
 being the very Reafon, or (as the Schools fpeak^ 
 the formal Idea of all Moral Good, in its Matter, 
 Manner, Principle, or End ; there being no other 
 Rule whereby they can be meafured. Thefe are 
 their Canon (xavcov, an exaft Dimenfion whereby 
 they meafured Land) and what diredls them to their 
 Jaft End, which is the very Foundation, or firft 
 Principle of Moral Goodnefs : A Sin is nothing elfe 
 hut voluntari]yA(5ting againft this Rule, and in that 
 confifts its Moral Evil. 
 
 For the Morality of an Adion does not depend 
 upon the Underftanding, becaufe our knowing a 
 thing is not the Reafon it is good or evil ; no more 
 does the Nature of an Acflion upon the Will, be- 
 caufe the willing a bad Aftion to a good End, does 
 not take away the effential Malignity of Sin. But 
 
 in 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature. 379 
 
 in both, the knowing a thing to be our Duty, and 
 therefore choofing it, conftitutes the moral Goodnels 
 of it ; the refufing it, its moral Evil. 
 
 The late celebrated Author of The Religion of 
 J^alure Delineated, defines it thus, § i. p. y " That 
 " A6t, which may be denominated morally good 
 *' or evil, muft be the Ad: of a Being capable of 
 " diftinguifhing, choofing, and afting for himfelf ; 
 •' or more briefly, of an intelligent and free Agent; 
 <* whence the fame A6k that is moral in Man, would 
 *' not be fo in Angels, whoafl determinedly *, and 
 ** Morality does not confift in the eternal Nature 
 " and Reafon of things." 
 
 In a Free Agent, what makes an Action moral 
 to him, is his choofing of it as a Means to the End ; 
 this makes an A61:ion his own, (and thence Mores^ 
 Morals, or the Manners of Men) of which as a Ra- 
 tional Creature he is able to give an account, why in 
 the matter of Duty or of Sin he preferred one Mo- 
 tive to another ; when he choofes a good A6tion as 
 a Means to difcharge his Duty and the End of his 
 Being, it is moral Goodnels : And as when the 
 Will is bad, an Aftion cannot be good ; fo the 
 choofing even a good Action to a bad End, makes 
 it to him moral Evil. 
 
 The Author of our Beings has fliewn to Man his 
 ultimate Happinefs, or final End, revealed the 
 Means neceflfary to attain it, which are his Laws, 
 and thence is fuperinduced an Obligation to obey 
 them ; and added the Enforcement of Rewards 
 and Punilhments to determine our Choice to an 
 Acceptance of his Laws or Obligation of his Will. 
 The Means therefore are fit and reafonable for a 
 moral Agent to choofe, as necefiary to attain his 
 iiighefl: Good, the only Fitnefs of an A6tion be- 
 ing its Relation to this End ; the End is of God's 
 Revealing, the Means of his Appointment, and 
 their Relation to the End makes them fit, congru- 
 ous. 
 
3^0 Jlie Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 ous, and reafonable ; and our choofing them as a 
 JVIeans to attain that End, is what makes them to 
 us moral Aftions •, as our inward Judgment ap- 
 proving or difapproving the Choice of fuch Means, 
 as they tend to the Advancement or Obflruftion 
 of fuch ultimate End, is what is called Confcience j 
 as perceiving, or being Self-confcious, that herein 
 we a£t agreeably or difagrceably to what we are, 
 to our Nature, as Rational Creatures, and our Or- 
 der in the Intelle61:ual World. 
 
 It is true that the Duties ot the fecond Table have 
 efpecially obtained the Name of Moral j but it is an 
 utter Abu fc of the Word to fix it to Duties which ob- 
 lige naturally, and are not enjoined by any pofitive 
 Law, but fuppofed to be antecedent to Revelation. 
 It being this Choice that conftitutesand denominates 
 any A6lion Moral, and which is the formal No- 
 tion of Virtue, as a fit Means chofen to a right 
 _ P ._ End; fo Simpiidus de^nes it. " For this Reafon 
 c"i/^*" *^ Virtue, which is the proper Happinefs and Per- 
 " fe£tion, is called apsTri, i.e. oapsT/i, a Name 
 " which hath great Affinity to a Word that figni- 
 *' ^Gs Eligible, not only becaufe Virtue is properly 
 " the Object, but alfo becaufe it is the Effe£b of 
 *' our own Choice.** And the higheft Virtue or 
 Religion, is choofing Means relating to Man's 
 final Happinefs, as a Rule of Aftion, and Law of 
 Obligation, in being the Will of God, and with 
 an Intention to pleafe him, as his Rewarder or 
 Punifher ; whatever is not done with a View, and 
 as a Means to that End, may be an Ad^on of 
 Chance, Indifference, or Stupidity -, but is neither 
 fit, moral, nor religious. 
 
 And by this Divine Moral Law mufl be deter- 
 mined, the Good or Evil of every deliberate Ac- 
 tion, by the End it is diredted to, or the Difpofi- 
 tion of the Will in performing it : Hence the 
 Vv'orks of Man in Innocence wcyg good, as they 
 
 {hxll 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature, ^S'l 
 
 Hiall alfo be in Glory : Under the Dominion of 
 corrupt Nature they are Evil j under Grace they are 
 Good or Evil ; as the Agent obferves the Law, 
 and not one of them all, as a Means to the End, is 
 indifferent -, for it is the Reditude or Pravity of the 
 Soul and Will, intentionally fulfilling or negledling 
 this Law, that conftitutes an Ad morally Good or 
 Evil i for no Adlion proceeding from a Will not 
 rightly difpoled, can be good, the Principle is cor- 
 rupt, and the Adtion (whatever Life or Virtue it 
 may appear to have) is dead, a Carcafe without a 
 Soul ; the End is the great Objefl of A6tion, and 
 the only Good End is the Glory of God ; where 
 that is not in the Intention, there is no Virtue in the 
 Adion. 
 
 Fourthly, It is not a Means whereby Men ever 
 did or could arrive at the Knowledge of Divine 
 Things. 
 
 The Works of God are the Wifdom of God ; 
 the Suitablenefs of their Powers and Operations to 
 the End for which he appointed them, is their Fit- 
 nefs : But their EfTence, Diftindtion, Order and Ope- 
 rations, whereby they are dilpcfed, and work as 
 Means towards the End, are the A61:s and Secrets 
 of Omnipotent Will, a Wifdom hid in Heaven ; and 
 there would be little Difference between the Human 
 Nature and Divine, if our Thoughts could pene- 
 trate them. But whatever Difference there is be- 
 tween the Works of God and Man, fo much is 
 there in their Reafons and Wifdom alfo; for as 
 the Divine Will is the fble Meafure of Adling to- 
 wards his Creatures, and what gives Perfection to all 
 his Works, and the Rule of his Working full of 
 infinite Counfel, it cannot be poiTible for us to com- 
 prehend or explain it ; they are fo far removed from 
 our Apprehenfion, that we might never pretend to 
 fathom the vafl Abyfs with the Line of human 
 Reaibn : For by how much ftrongcr God is than 
 
 Man, 
 
382 'The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Cl. Alex. Man, fo far fhort and weak muft human Reafon be^ 
 
 Srrom. 6. ^j^gj^ \^ fpeaks not of God, but only of Things 
 
 ^' ^^" relating to him, even his Power or Works •, for all the 
 
 Knowledge we have of God is from God. 
 
 But if Morality depend upon Fitnefles, and 
 Reafon is to be the fole Difcoverer and Judge of 
 them i we fliould wander eternally, in following a 
 Guide which led the firfl: Man into Polytheifm and 
 Idolatry, as it does the Moderns into Scepticifm and 
 Infidelity ; an Ignis fatuus, that'never could diftinguifh 
 the Difference of things, but called Evil Good, and 
 Good Evil, taught there was no Sin in Fornication, 
 Inceft, Sodomy, Community of Wives, (^c. Or with 
 the Stoicks, held fome things good, fome bad, others 
 ac^sTs^, neither good nor bad, and dcf^ia.<^o^, indiffe^ 
 rent, amongft which were placed all Kinds of the moft 
 unnatural Uncleannels, as being a Medium betwixt 
 Vice and Virtue. 
 
 And it has been evidently fhewn that no Reafon can 
 judge of the fecret Fitnefs and Relations of Things, 
 the Myfteries whereof Nature is compofed, from 
 our being fo entirely in the Dark as to the inward 
 Compofition of all Bodies, even the minuteft Part 
 of Matter. We ainnot judge or determine concern- 
 ing them with any Dc;gree of Certainty, but from 
 their outward Appearances and fenfible Effects ; 
 when we attempt any thing beyond this, all our 
 Reafonings are full of Confufion and Uncertainty ; 
 can anfwer no End but that of ufelefs Speculation 
 and Amufcment ; and to make Religion dependent 
 on what we are fo entirely ignorant of, is to ren- 
 der it the moft precarious thing in the World. 
 Vid. The feveral Powers, Efficacies, and Ways of Ope- 
 
 Locke, ration, whereby the Effeds we daily fee, are pro- 
 i\^kc ^^'Jced, are hid from us, in fome Things by being 
 p. 332. too remote, and in others by being too minute. What 
 Sores of Furniture and Inhabitants there may be 
 in the upper vifible Orbs, we cannot fo much as 
 
 guels 
 
RevelaiioHy not from Reafon or Naftih. -^ S -^ 
 
 guefs at i of thofe Bodies which fall under the 
 Cognizance of our Senfes, are neareft to us, and 
 mod under our Command, wc cannot have any ad- 
 equate Ideas : Nor fliall we ever be able to difcover 
 genera], inftrudive, and unqueftionable Truths con- 
 cerning them; Certainty and Demonftration arc 
 Things we muft not in thefe Matters pretend to. 
 
 And as our Ignorance muft increafe proportiona- 
 bly as Things are remote from us, much more fo 
 muft it do of the fpiritual World, whereof we have 
 no Cognizance, nor can frame to ourfeJves any diftindt 
 Ideas of their Eflence, Rank, or Order ; yet infi- 
 nitely beyond thefe is the Divine Mind and Will, 
 whofe infinite Realbns, Counfels and Defigns, muft 
 for ever remain unknown to his Creatures, farther 
 than he is pleafed to declare them ; what were the 
 Purpofes of his Will, wherein the fixed and reo-u- 
 lar Connexion of Caufes and Eifeds confifts ; how 
 Caules work regularly and Effe6ts conftantly flow 
 from them ; with the neccflary Dependence one 
 upon another, up to the firft invifible Caufe. In 
 none of thefe, or even how the Mind operates 
 upon the Body, can we have any fcientifick Know- 
 ledge -, we have fcarce room to guefs, fo great is our 
 Ignorance. 
 
 Our whole Stock of Knowledge reaches no farther 
 than this, that they are the arbitrary Determinations 
 of that all-wife Agent, who has made them to be, 
 and operate as they do: But in what manner is 
 not needful, or without Revelation poffible for us 
 to comprehend : For to create is the fole Preroo-ative 
 of the Supreme Agent; the different Modes of 
 Dependence, and Relations of Being, are the Re- 
 fult of Omnipotence and abfoluteWill : And there- 
 fore, what our moral and fupernatural Dependence 
 is, muft be impolTible for the natural Man to know, 
 ■without a fupernatural AfTiftance; and this God 
 WQvh^th in us both to will and to do (not necelTarily 
 
 but 
 
3 84 ^he Knowledge of "Divine Takings frotn 
 
 Phil, ii.13. but freely) of his good Pkafure : How is it then pof- 
 fible from any View or Comprehenfion we have of 
 Nature or the Univerfe, to form a fufficient Rule 
 or Law of Ading, to fulfil the End of our Be- 
 ing ? Can there be a Law without Science, or Obli- 
 gation without Evidence ? Or either Science or Evi- 
 dence concerning Things we have no Proof of, nei* 
 ther Faculties to enquire after, nor Abilities to com- 
 prehend ? 
 
 It is fufficient to fay the God of Nature could not 
 intend this as a Means to come at the Knowledge 
 of Divine Truths, or that the Reafon and Fitnefs 
 of Things conftitute, or of thcmfelves are an In^ 
 dication of a Divine Law j or that the World from- 
 them could tranfcribe a Rule of Duty ; becaufe 
 the Ancients could never carry their Philofo- 
 phizings on the true Frame and Courfe of Na- 
 ture to any tolerable Degree of Perfection, 
 and conlequently not attain a competent Know- 
 ledge of the Author or End of their Beings, if 
 it was to be learned from the Fitnefs and De- 
 pendence of Things ; or were the Fad: poffible, yet 
 the Study and Apprehenfion of thefe Subjeds 
 is fo embarraffing and difficult, that few could 
 difcern enough to be of real Ufe, and the Bulk 
 of Mankmd none at all. And as the Obli- 
 gations to Duty muft vary according to Mens 
 perceiving fuch FitnefTes, the Confequence would 
 be, that molt Men would be freed from all Obli- 
 gation. 
 
 Or if the Differences in Things are to be Indica- 
 tions of the Univerfal Law (that which binds eve- 
 ry one) and declarative of its Obligation without 
 which it could not be a Law ; it were impoffiblc 
 there fhould be fuch Difficulty, in dlfcerning what 
 was fb evident, fuch Doubts and Perplexities even 
 among civilized Nations about what was lawful 
 or unlawful, juft or unjuH", which confift (if any 
 
 thing 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 385 
 
 thing does) in the Meafure and Relation of things. 
 Such amazing ContradicStions in the Manners of the 
 World, that fome Ihould do with an excufing and 
 applauding Con fcience, what others were fhocked at 
 the Thoughts of, as abominable and detcltable : Tliis 
 could not be pofTible, did theLaw come by this means, 
 for then would its Obligations and Sanction come 
 thence alio-, and, as being natural, be equally coercive 
 to all : Yet we fee there are Millions of God's Rational 
 Creatures, who have not the leaft Perception of them, 
 difcern no fuch Rule to judge of the moral Re6titude 
 or Obliquity of their Aftions, but a(ft contrary to 
 them without Knowledge or Remorfe : Now that 
 cannot be a Law, which neither inftruils, reforms, 
 nor carries Obligation with it. 
 
 La5iantius will have Power and Wifdom fo nearly L. 7. § 2. 
 related, that if a Man could undcriland divine p. 599. 
 things, he alfo could perform them ; and as he can- 
 not do^ fo neither can he iinderjiand the Works of 
 God, which are known only to himfeif As the 
 Divine Nature, fo the Divine Wifdom is perfect : 
 But human Wifdom, confined to the Body, and 
 clogged with Paffions, is full of Error and Dark- 
 nefs. 
 
 In refpefl then of all thofe Intelligibles which 
 tranfcend the Mind, God mull be the Intclledual 
 Agent, to enable it, by his own Notices and Aids, 
 to contemplate Divine things; for it cannot, by any 
 Tliou^ht or Enquiry of its ov/n, attain the Icaii Idea 
 of a Divine Condition, nor of what is faid to be 
 nearefb to it, the Angelick State, without a fuitable 
 Infi:ru6!:ion or Irradiation. The Soul has Powers 
 and Faculties to receive certain Degrees of fuch 
 Truths, but only potentially, not reduced Into A<fl, 
 but by the Intervention oflome Agent; as Colours 
 are difcernible, but not actually feen, without the 
 Help and Interpofition of Light. A Doftrine, Ppj^om 
 which Plato frequently reoeats : " Th-ic the Mind o. 9^,^'' 
 
 C c "of 
 
386 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Repub. 6. " of Man needs Divine Illumination to underftand 
 v^ 4S3. " Divine things, as much as the Eye wants the Light 
 ^' *' of the Sun to fee vifible things." 
 
 From all which we may fafcly conclude, that with- 
 out Revelation, no Fitneffes, ^c. of things, would 
 have ever brought the World to a Knowledge of 
 God, the Relations we ftand in to him, the Obliga- 
 tions arifing, or the Duties neceflarily flowing from 
 them. 
 
 Fifthly^ The Reafons and Relations of things ne- 
 ver were fuppofed by the wifer Heathens to have the 
 obligatory Force of a Law -, and therefore could not 
 be to them a Meafure or a Rule of afting. 
 
 The only adequate Notion of a»Law (as already 
 Ihewn) is the Will of a rightful Superior commu- 
 nicated to Intelligent Beings, as a Rule of their Ac- 
 tions ; both Law and Obligation neceflarily fuppol^ 
 Vol. 2d, ing (fays Archbilliop 1'illotjon) the Authority of aSu* 
 Serm. 58. perior Being. And no one can have fuch Autho- 
 p. 406. j.^j.y^ i^.^jj. j^g j-Vj^j. jg Supreme, and has abfolute Do- 
 minion over all ; of whom, through ivhoniy and for 
 whom are all things,- For every Creature having 
 Bounds to its EflTence, has alfo Bounds to its Domi- 
 nion and Operation ; a limited Caufe mufl: neceflJa- 
 rily have a limited Power and Activity. Except 
 Man had Being of himfelf, and a W^orld of his own 
 framing, he could not be a Rule to himfelf for the 
 Determination of his Adlions ; but mufl: be deter- 
 mined by the Law of his Maker for the Nature of 
 his Actions as good or evil : For all moral Deter- 
 mination mufl arife from the Divine Will, expreflied 
 in his Mora! Law ; becaufe he gives Being to all, is 
 the Life of Living things, the Reafon of Rational 
 things, and the InLelligence of Intelleftual ones. 
 
 The great Syftem of Created Things has no Do- 
 minion, Power, or Influence over Man ; they give 
 him not Being, his Aitions no way depend upon 
 their Diipofition, no Meafure of Law, or of moral 
 
 Good 
 
Rsvelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 387 
 
 Good and Evil can be derived from them ; but 
 from him only, who is the Firft Principle, the Di- 
 redivc Caufe, the Source and Spring of Motion and 
 - Operation to all his Creatures. There can be no eter- 
 nal Law, but the fovereign Pleafurc of him from 
 whom all other Beings receive not only Exiftence, 
 but their Eflence, Nature, and Order; and whofe 
 Congruity, Fitnefs, Mode, Manner, or Relations of 
 Exifting, have neither Goodnefs, Counfcl, or Inten- 
 tion, but what proceeds from him. They neither 
 are, nor can frame Laws to themlelves or others, but 
 are wholly dircd:ed by, and dependent on their firft 
 Caufe and laft End. To judge otherwife, is per- 
 verting all the Fitnefs and Order of Nature, for the 
 Effedt to bid defiance to its Caufe, the Stream to re- 
 new its Fountain, to remove a Creature from the li- 
 mited Rank wherein Nature has placed it, to the 
 Throne and Dignity of the Creator. 
 
 When we lay a thing is fit to be done, it mud: be 
 as a Means to the End, and therefore a proper Mo- 
 tive to incline a rational Creature to do it, it being 
 the higheft A(5t of Reafon to perform every thing 
 in fuch a manner as beft anfwers tne End of its Be- 
 ing, and is perfecflive of its Nature. Bat the Fit- 
 nels is no conftituent Part of the Law, has no Power 
 to lay an Obligation ; that can arile only from the 
 Will of the Lcgiflator, who has a right to prefcribe 
 the Means, and a Power to oblige Conformity to it ; 
 or that Man, as well as the reft of his Creatures, 
 Ihould art in fuch a manner, as he judges moft fit 
 and fuitable to the Nature he had given him. 
 
 It is therefore a truitlels Diftindion, tho* fo ftrenu- 
 oufly infilled on, that natural Laws are of greater 
 Obligation than pofitiveones, becaufe th-y have an 
 intrinfick Goodnefs in themfelves \ whcrcaS the 
 other are good only becaufe commanded fiiot to fay 
 there was no moral Duty or Goodncls antecedent to 
 Revelation, and their being ei joined j for the formal 
 
 C c 2 Reaioi^ 
 
388 The Knowledge of Divine Things from ' 
 
 Reafon of Obligation cannot polTibly arife froiti the 
 Goodnefs of a Law, but from the Authority and 
 Will of the Impofer; God commands a Thing in 
 itfclf abfolutely indifferent, /. e. not commanded 
 (for tlicre is no moral Goodnefs in any thing an- 
 tecedent to the Divine Will and Determination) the 
 Thing is then as much a Law, as if it was never 
 fo good in its own Nature : He forbad the Eating 
 of a Tree, which without the Prohibition had been 
 indifferent, and the Tranfgreflbr was condemned 
 for the Breach of the Law, though purely pofitive. 
 God forbad the gathering of Sticks on the Sab- 
 bath, therefore the Man that gathered them was 
 put to Death for it. In all Cafes it is the Will of 
 God, and not the Goodnefs of the Thing, which in- 
 duces the Obligation : No other Reafon can be given 
 for Obedience, becaufe that only can oblige to it ; wc 
 cannot go farther, nor fuppofe a Law independent 
 of it. 
 
 Call any thing a Duty or a Virtue, natural Religion 
 or Law ; yet we fhall find the whole Worlds Jews 
 and Heathens, confidering the Obligation of it only 
 from its being commanded ; they did not appeal 
 to Reafon or Nature, or the concurrent Practice of the 
 mofl civilized Nations, as a Rule or Meafure to 
 judge of this by, but traced it up to the Appoint- 
 ment of the firft efficient Caufe, that is, from the' 
 Authority and Declaration of the moft holy and 
 perfed Being, the Author, and fovereign Lord 
 of Nature ; and cxprefly taught, that the Pa- 
 rent and Governor of the Univerfe has implanted, 
 Vid. Sel- declared, and commanded certain Things, particu- 
 Nat*^&"'^ ■'^''^y pointing them out, to be obferved, by the 
 Gent. Name of Good and Honed \ and others to be per- 
 juxt. Difc. petually avoided, under the Name of Evil and 
 £br. 1. I. Diflioneft \ and that from hence is the Law of Na- 
 ^^ ^^'^^ turecompoied, its ieveral Members growing toge- 
 ther, as into onti Body. That from this alone 
 
 (not- 
 
Revelafiorif not from Reafon or Nature, 389 
 
 (notwithftanding the Multitude of Opinions and 
 Judgments, fprung up from the Operation and 
 Uk of human Reafon) does the Obligation which 
 is called Natural proceed ; that ibme things are de- 
 clared difiioneft, others Good, as from the Command 
 of the Parent of Nature, and his Authority, by 
 which all are bound : So they never ceafe to be fo, 
 but Puniiliment follows the Violation of that, v/hich 
 by being commanded ought to be obeyed j as Re- 
 wards alio do the Obfervation of it. 
 
 Thus Cicero fays, Hanc video fapientijjimorum fuijfe Leg. 2. 
 fententiam^ i^c. This I perceive was the Opinion of"- 4- 
 the wifeft of Men, that Law (and he certainly 
 fpeaks of the Natural one) was neither devifcd by 
 the Wit of Men, nor was any Decree of the People, 
 but fomething Eternal, that Wifdom, which by 
 its Commands and Prohibitions governs the whole 
 Univerfe ; therefore they fay, this Principle and ul- 
 timate Law is the Mind of God, commanding or 
 forbidding all Things : And he declares, that the 
 Obligation of Law is not only more ancient than 
 the Being of Men, but coeval with God who go- 
 verns and preferves the World j for the Divme 
 Mind cannot be without Reafon, nor Divine Rea- 
 fon without the Power of enadling what is Good 
 and Evil, ^la vis non modo fenior eft, qiimn tttas po^ 
 pulorum (j9 civitatum^ fed {zq^ualis illius, ccelum atque 
 terras ttientis, 6f regentis Dei. Neque enim ejfe mens 
 divina fine ratione potefi, nee ratio divina non hanc 
 vim in .re^is pravifque fanciendis habere. And a 
 litde /lifter, that a 1 hing did not commence to be 
 a Lay/ when it was written, but when it firii: arofe 9 
 but it arofe together with the Mind Divine. 
 Wherefore the true and fovereign Law, fit to 
 command or prohibit, is the right Reafon of the 
 Sovereign Jupiter. So in that famous Pallage, fo 
 often cited in favour of the Law of Nature -, Efi Lp.ftant. 
 quidem vera lex, re5la ratio, naturae congruens^ ^c he^- ^^- ^- ^■ 
 Cc 3 fums"-5^5- 
 
390 77?^ Knowledge of Divme Things from 
 
 fums it up in faying, Deus hujus legis inventor^ difcep" 
 tat or, later ; " That God was the Inventor, the 
 <* Judge, and Maker ot it ;** for there is but one 
 common VI after and Lord of all. 
 
 Here it is oblervable, that the Law Nature con- 
 gruens, congruous, fit, or agreeable to Nature, is 
 not fuppoled to be the Invention of Reafon, or ob- 
 vious from Nature, or conftituted in the Fitnefs or 
 Relation of things, but to be wholly the Mind and 
 Will of God, as both the Efficient and Declarative 
 Caufe of it. And heoce. Secundum Deum vivere, ^ 
 Deum feqiii, are fiequently taken for the fame, as 
 vivere fecundum naturam, and even fecundum ratio- 
 nefft, in Cicero, Seneca, Plutarch, and others ; and 
 Hierocles, in his Comment on the Verfes of Pythago^ 
 ras, fhewing what it is to obey Right Reafon, makes 
 this juft Obfervation, that to obey Right Reafon, 
 and to obey God, is the fame thin:4 ; for Nature, 
 which is rational, having obtained divine Illumina- 
 tion, defires thofe things which the Divine Law de- 
 termined i and a Mmd guided by God, does not 
 differ from the Will of God, but contemplating the 
 Divinity and Splendour, does what fhe does : So that 
 he makes God, as by declaring nis Will he commands 
 Reafon, to be the only Rule and Meafure of Duty, 
 and confequently of Obligation. 
 
 And hence the Laws of Nature are fometimes call- 
 ed Common Notions, but moft frequently rts: ^das vo- 
 nas, the divine Laws, or given by God : And that 
 Reafon receiving thefe Laws, becomes a moft vi- 
 gilant Judge to itfelf, whereby they feem rightly to 
 denote the Power of Confcience ; namely, that from 
 the Authority and Declaration of God there is fuch 
 a Relation or Conjundion between God and Man, 
 whofe Reafon is thus informed and commanded, as 
 to be confcious to the Deity of difcerning the Heads 
 of that Uiiiverfal Law, which perpetually bind, in 
 being thus declared and commanded ; as alfo confe- 
 quently 
 
Revelation, Jiot from Reafon or Nature. 39 r 
 
 quentlyof the Obligation fuperinduced by an Autho- 
 rity fuperior to any human Power, and the Punilh- 
 ment appointed as a neceflary Attendant on the Vio- 
 lation of it ; for confciusy in the Matter of Duty, is 
 the fame as cum aliofcius, as Nonius expreffes hinifelf 
 on this Word. 
 
 With this the wifeft Heathens agree. Plato fays, In Minoe. 
 " That the Sceptre of JVf/«(7J in i^owifr, is nothing 
 " elfe but the Dodrine received from Jupiter.'^ For 
 the fame reafon Demofthenes calls Law in general, or 
 the Foundation of ail Law, Pofitive or Natural^ 
 among Men, sypyj/aot k^ cPo^pcv ©es, the Invention and Orat. i. 
 the Gift of God. And Dion, /\ios S^scrjuto?, the Or^z- ad verf. 
 nance of Jupiter. And Euripides ftyles the common ^"^ogit. 
 Laws of Men, vc/ai,aa ^im, the Laws of the Gods. ;„ ;|^"^_^°', 
 And many Exprefllons of the fame Jmport occur y/^,. 
 among the ancient Poets, who abound in this Philo- Vid. Sto- 
 fophy. The Platonijis alfo teach, N» ktv oNo.aor^^""* 
 iJ^iavcixYi, that Law is the D'lfiribution of the Mind or cfp^y^^ I 
 God. And that they were immutable, and of per- i. c.7. ' 
 petual Obligation in their Opinion, feems to appear Produs in 
 from what they teach of future Punilhment. And Jj^^^^'^Z-^ ^, 
 it is reafonable to conclude, they imagined the Laws ^.g" " ^* 
 which were violated, to be from the Gods, as well 
 as the Punifhment inflidled on the Violators. Nor 
 mufl it be unobferved, that the moft famous Law- 
 givers of thofe ancient Ages, Minos, Solon, Draco y 
 Charondas, and others, thought they could give no 
 Authority or Obligation to their Laws, had they not 
 pretended to receive them from the Gods. 
 
 And from the Obfervance of this Univerfal or Na- 
 tural Law given by the Authority of God to our 
 Firft Parents, and from them handed down to their 
 Pofterity (which preceded the Law of Alofes, and 
 was afterwards incorporated with it) it is, that 
 Noah was found juft, and Abraham becamp the 
 Friend of God. And Origen exprefly calls theAJverf. 
 f-.a\v of Nature, that which God ordained to Man- ^(-'l'"- 1- s- 
 C c 4 kind. 
 
392 '7 he Knowledge of Divine Things ftom 
 
 kind. So on that Paflage in Jfaiah^ They have tranf- 
 
 II. XXIV. 5>r(?//d^d? the haws^ changed the Ordinances^ broken 
 
 the everlafiing Covenant ; which appertained to 
 
 other Nations as well as the Jezvs^ St. Jerome 
 
 Inlfairm, %s ; " Let the Jezvs hear this, who boaft that they 
 
 1. 8. " alone received the Law of the Lord j that all 
 
 *' Nations' in the World received the Law of Na- 
 
 *' ture, ^r." But they had the written Law by 
 
 Mofes. 
 
 For as to the univerfa), equally common Law of 
 Mankind, tht Jews utYtr were of any other Opi- 
 nion •, but as often as they had Occafion to menti- 
 on it, their ufual Expreffion was, " They were com- 
 *' manded to the Sons of Noah^ i. e. the whole R^ce 
 ' '« of Men, and the firft Man Adam received them 
 ** fromGod." jfor they held that certain Natural Laws 
 were immediately after the Creation, declared, and 
 commanded to Men, which from the Divine Au- 
 thority became of perpetual Obligation -, whence 
 the Paraphrafe of Onkelos on thofe Portions of holy 
 Gen v.zr. Writ, where Enoch and Noah are faid to have 
 &vi. g. walked with God, expreffes it, that they walked in 
 the Fear of the Lord -, and thus they became 
 Righteous, becaufe they kept the Commandments, 
 which were appointed as early as our Nature, and 
 propagated through all Mankind : Hence the Fra- 
 tricide of Cain, the Abominations of Sodcm, and 
 fev'cral other Facls mentioned in the Book of 
 Mofes, were wicked, and became unlawful before 
 the Delivery of the Written Law : And where Abra- 
 . ham is faid to call upon the Name of Lcrd^ the ever- 
 P/"" ^^^' lafting God, the Jews fuppofe, that he made Pro- 
 ^^' fdlyte.", that is, taught Scranger.% and brought them 
 
 to' believe, and profefs the Obfervance of thefe 
 Precepts of Natural Law, which were obligatory 
 from the Command of the moft high God. 
 
 From theconcurrent Teftimony then of the whole 
 World, Jews and Heathens, wc may eafily under- 
 
 iftand. 
 
Re'velatiofiy not frbm Re afon or Nature, 393 
 
 ftand* what Obligation is, and whence its Force is 
 .derived; for all Manner of Law properly fo chilled, 
 muft be Divine or Human: Divine, as immediate- 
 ly declared, ordained, and commanded by God ; 
 whether Natural, asjuil now reprefented, i. e, coeval 
 with the Being of JMan ; or pofitive, as what were 
 afterwards added under the feveral Covenants : But 
 both are. equally obligatory, that is, appointed by 
 an exprefs Command of God. Human Law is 
 that which has been fuperadded by Men, fo far 
 as the Divine, whether natural or pofitive, per- 
 mits i but the Obligation of all Law mull be refer- 
 red to the fole Power and Authority of the great 
 Governor of the Univerfe : For he, as the Supreme 
 Ruler of all Things, (hews what in itfelf is Good 
 or Evil, and commands this to be embraced, that 
 to be avoided ; and 16 ftrongly obliges from his 
 own Nature and Will, that nothing can be imagined 
 fuperior to it : And hence is plainly k^a the effici- 
 ent Caufe of obligatory Law, both what is called 
 Natural, and what thereto is added in the holy Scrip- 
 tures. In which Senfe and no other, natural Laws 
 remain eternally firm and immutable : For in all thefe 
 Cafes Reafon can only perfuade, but has no fuperior 
 iPower, as that of Commanding, over Men -, and 
 therefore the Rife of all Obligation muft be from 
 the Authority of Ibme Being fuperior to Man ; and 
 the Law is eternal and immutable, as being the fo- 
 vereign Pleafure and Decree of God ; and it is the 
 Law of Nature, as that is the Subject of its Govern- 
 ment and Diredlion. 
 
 From the whole, we may conclude thefe modern 
 Expreflions, that the Law arifes from Things them- 
 felves ; as alio its Obligation, without the Com- 
 mand of any Superior ; that fuch Obligations are 
 of eternal Neceffity in their own Nature, antece- 
 dent to the Will and Command of God ; and that 
 Man had a Rule to conduft himfelf by, before any 
 
 Declarii- 
 
394 '^^^ Knowledge of Divine Tubings front 
 
 Declaration of the Divine Will, i^c. have no 
 Foundation in Reafon, Nature, Fitnefs, or the 
 PoiTibility of Things ; but are mod dangerous Er- 
 rors, introduced to weaken the Force of Religion, 
 by depreciating the Ufefulnefs, Neceflity, and Au- 
 thority of Revelation. 
 
 Nothing but the Will of God can oblige -, that 
 Will cannot be known, unlefs revealed 5 this 
 Revelation declares the effential Differences of 
 Things, and the Confcioufnels of their being the 
 Command of God, makes them become the per- 
 fe6l immutable Rule, Mcafure, and Law of our 
 A6bing, and fubjeds us to its Sandlions of Rewards 
 or Puniihments. 
 
 From the general Obfervations hitherto made, 
 it feems to appear, that as human Power cannot 
 produce more than a human Aft ; fo for Reafon 
 to difcover the Nature and the Will of God, is fu- 
 pernatural, a Gift above Nature, J'copeav uVse (puo-jv 
 vjxwVav th'v (puVrv, overcoming Nature in its prefent 
 Degeneracy; under which its proper Charaders are 
 Ignorance and Death, and the Dead may as eafily 
 arife and walk, as the human Mind dired itfelf to 
 a Divine Life and to God. 
 
 For as nothing can diipofe a Being to a6l above 
 
 its Condition and Nature, but the AlTiftance of a fu- 
 
 perior Agent : So in Man, nothing can enable him 
 
 to do thole Things, which are above his natural 
 
 Capacity, but the fupernatural Influence of God ; 
 
 for this is above his Natural Reafon, or what it 
 
 is able to do, i. e. impoflible : Such Knowledge 
 
 therefore cannot be had, but from a Caufe on 
 
 which the Mind abfolutely depends, and is able to 
 
 raife and elevate it above its natural Condition. 
 
 Ariftotk^ that Prince among the Heathens, and 
 
 chief Advocate for Reafon and Nature, was forced 
 
 to allow all Good to be S^socrd'^oTcv, the Gift of 
 
 God : Sacred Philofophy confirms the fame, Can 
 
 ike 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature] 39^ 
 
 ihe Ethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Jer. xiii. 
 Spots? then may ye alfo do good who are accujiomed'^l' 
 to do evil. Nature is infufficient to it, and who- 
 ever dulv confiders his own Impotence, mud tremble 
 at the Thoughts of having no other Guide to his 
 final End, than the Light of Nature : As every 
 Step preparatory thereto is an Advance towards 
 Pharifaical Pride, Security, Infidelity, and Atheifm ; 
 for God fitteth upon the Circle of the Earthy and ihe ^^•^' 22- 
 Inhabitants of the Earth are as Grajhoppers. We 
 bear as little Proportion to the Divine Nature and 
 Divine Things, as thofe Infects do to the Know- 
 ledge and Wifdom of Man. 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 Qod not to be defined nor defnonftratedy there^ 
 fore not difcoverable by Reafon, 
 
 UT to put this Argument in another 
 Light, in order to ihew the great Difficul- 
 ty, if not utter Impoflibility of knowing 
 God (the Foundation of all Religion) from 
 the Exercife of our natural Fatuities ; let us con- 
 fider it according to thofe Rules and Proportions 
 of Certainty, which are required in every other 
 Part of Wifdom j wherein we pollefs juft fo much 
 of real Truth and Knowledge, as we comprehend 
 the Truth and Reafon of Things, and no more ; 
 otherwife we may be faid to -know them, without 
 comprehending any Truth or Reafon concerning 
 them. 
 
 For if there be any Meaning in the Word Know- 
 ledge, it mufl imply a Notion or Idea of the Ob- 
 jeft in the Mind ; and that this Exiftence of the 
 Objed in the UnderftaHding, be agreeable to the 
 
 Exiftence 
 
39^ The Knowledge of Dhine Things from 
 
 Exiftence it has in its felf ; elfe our Conceptions of 
 it cannot be faid to be true, for true Knowledge is 
 a Correfpondence between the Idea and the Object ; 
 and they who would argue fcientifically on a thing, 
 muft have jufl Conceptions of its Caules and Ef- 
 fe(S[s, its Properties, Quahties, and Operations; 
 without which we are ignorant of its Nature, and 
 have only a falfe Opinion of it, and Knowledge 
 will terminate in a Lye, or a Dream. For a Lye 
 is nothing elfe than having no Conformity with th« 
 Truth of a thing, or Name by which it is called. 
 Rcpub 5. And to dream, as Plato defines it, " Is to imagine 
 p. 476. tt a thing, which is like to another, not to be like 
 *' it ; or the fame with another which is not like 
 '"it." BqjIIi which Afts are Falfliood, or not 
 comprehending the thing as it is. 
 
 Now, in the Language of the Schools, to com- 
 'prehend an Obje<5t is to apprehend it according tO 
 'cvcry Mode and Reafon whereby it is intelligible ; 
 thereby to define it, or give Terms and Bounds to 
 it : For he that perfedly comprehends a thing, 
 gives Limits and Bounds to it in its Intelleft ; and 
 Terms of Definition follow Terms of Effence •, 
 whence the ImpofTibility of the Divine Nature's be- 
 ing known or defined by a created Intelleift, in- 
 conteftably follows from its Infinity and Immenfi- 
 tude -, and hence proceeded thole ftrange and diffe- 
 rent Conceptions and Definitions of it among the 
 wifeft of the Ancients ; fuch as a Mind permeating 
 the Univerfe, Nature, Infinite jEther, Energy, Ne- 
 ceflity. Elementary, with numberlefs other Imagi- 
 nations -, and they who feemed to underftand the 
 Divine Majefty befl:, as Xenophm and others, did it 
 by defpairing to underftand it all. And Ariflo not 
 only rejeded Logick as ufelels, and natural Philo- 
 fophy from not being able to conceive the Divine 
 Nature ; but on the fame Account retrenched a. 
 great deal of Morality alfo. 
 
 For 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. ^gj 
 
 For God is the only way to himfelf j he eannoc 
 in the leaft be come at, defined, or dcmonitrared 
 by human Reafon ; this is only to be done by 
 Faith ; not in the IVifdom of Words ^ hut by the Power 
 and Demonjlration of the Spirit. This Confideration 
 is lo embarraffing, that we fee the greateft Main- 
 tainers of Natural Law forced to take Shelter un- 
 der the falfe ridiculous Cover of innate Ideas. 
 " That if the Soul be a mere Tabula rafa^ a naked Cudworrh 
 " paflive thing, which has no innate Furniture or -"''-^J^^.iicy, 
 *' Adivity of its own, nor any thing at all in ir, ^' ''"''* 
 " but what was impreffed upon it from without ; 
 •' there could be no fuch thing as Moral Good or 
 " Evil, Jull or Unjuil, nor any fuch thing as Mo- p 2gg^ 
 ** rality in the World/* And the tgreat Philofo, 
 pher Dr. More^ " That God has engraven the YqI ,- 
 •' eternal and immutable Rules of Divine Reafoiap. 464.. 
 " upon every Man's Spirit, which come in as frce- 
 *' ly as the Light of the Sun into their natural 
 " Eyes." 
 
 But furely the Soul may have Aflivity and 
 Powers to receive and contemplate Truths when 
 offered to it, though no Part of its effcntial Furni- 
 ture : And it only follows, that Man could not find 
 out his Duty and his God without Aflitfance ; and 
 that the Difcovery of the Divine Being and Will is 
 fupernatural : But that God, according to the pre- 
 determinate Counfel of his own Will, manifefied 
 fo many, and as much of his Perfedions as was 
 fitting or fufficient to our final Good. In doing of 
 which he has ftooped to our Capacities, that by 
 the Refcmblances he has made, our Underiland- . , ^ 
 ing might be enabled to conceive fome diftant 
 Notion of him : But would not be knov/n fo as to 
 be defined, for he never yet revealed his Efience 
 to any •, The things of God knoweth no man, but the ^q^^ - 
 Spirit of God. Therefore in dcfcribing the Divine 
 Nature, it is impoflible to teJJ v/hat ht^ is j we muft 
 
 be 
 
 II. 
 
 iit. 
 
3 9^ The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 be content to know what he is not. A Plenitude 
 of Perteiftion is a Secret to us among the Depths 
 of infinite Wifdom, not to be penetrated into, or 
 difcerned by a created Being. The moft we can 
 apprehend is by removing every Degree of Imper- 
 fection j but attempting to declare a Nature alto- 
 gether Incomprehenfible, would be a daring Folly 
 and Wickednefs. The Spirits round the Throne 
 are unable to do this ; they only praife that Glory 
 which they cannot ftedfaftly behold ; and fhall 
 Man who knows not any thing around him, nor 
 his own Being, fearch into, find out, or unfold the 
 very Shadows of thofe Attributes which the Angels 
 cannot look upon ,? 
 
 Our weak imperfe<5t Minds are loft in the vaft 
 Immenfity and Redundancy of the Deity, overcome 
 with its tranfcendent Light and dazzling Brightnefs; 
 which therefore has to us an Appearance of Dark- 
 nefs ; as the unbounded Expanfion of Light in the 
 clear tranfparent ^ther, has to us the Appearance 
 of an azure Obfcurity ; and when we have filled 
 up our Capacity, there is ftill an Immenfity of it 
 left without, which can only be apprehended, by 
 our being as it were plunged into, fwailowed up, or 
 loft in it. 
 
 Of this human Imbecillity the early Heathens are 
 a full Inftancc and Witnefs ; notwithftanding the 
 Advantages of traditional Knowledge, they never 
 attained more than the Shadows or images of di- 
 vine things i whatever they advanced was diftant, 
 broken, confufed and dark ; too thin and airy to 
 prove a Foundation for real, folid, and fubftantial 
 Knowledge -, which Plato every where remarks of 
 them, that their Contemplations and Notions of 
 divine things fell infinitely Ihort of Truth •, that 
 they could only be faid, ova^ i] liira^ ^rjv ' To live 
 ' ' a Sleep, or a Dream. That it was impoflible for 
 the Mind of fuch to fee and embrace the Nature 
 
 of 
 
Re-jelatioTiy not from Reafon or Nature, 399 
 
 of cf/jTis Ts xa>.«, of Beauty it felf : That they were, 
 C^iXca'c^i;^ iJidWov n (f iXccro(p8r, Lovers of Opinion 
 rather than of Wifdom ; And that all their Sha- 
 dows and Dreams concerning the to a.ycf.^6v, con- 
 fifted in Opinion, not in Knowledge ; dU^n a/. 
 iTTis-zi/jtri s(pa7rT6c^ai. And when he ferioufly reviews Rcpub. 7. 
 his own Wifdom, he is forced to confels, that toPS34-. 
 jtaXov }y TO ay^^ov, what is beautiful and good, is ^'^™^n'<^' 
 aVvws-ov unknown to us, and all thofe things which ' ^'^' 
 we look upon as Ideas. Therefore it is neither 
 named, nor declared, nor conceived, nor known, 
 nor perceived by any of thofe things that are ; and p. 
 the Primitive Chriftians copied from them, in af-^^i^^.' Ad- 
 firming that all the Truth the Heathens faw wasmon. p.42. 
 but ovBiciOTlacrav aXn'^«av, in a Dream. 
 
 Secondly^ Allowing from the Infinity of Efience, 
 and Difproportion between that and a finite Ca- 
 pacity, that God cannot be comprehended fo as to 
 be defined ; it being impoflible for any Nature to 
 comprehend what is fupereflential, or infinitely above 
 it ; yet that Man, by the Ufe of his Faculties, might 
 with Certainty attain fome Knowledge of God, or 
 as far as he is knowable of intelligible. 
 
 To which I might anfwer, that even this would 
 be in no Degree at all : But where would this In- 
 quirer fix his Beginning? he is to fearch for fome- 
 thing he knows not what ; a Nature without known 
 Properties ; a Being without a Name, and ftridtly 
 fpeaking incapable of one; for Names are Mani- Minuc. F. 
 feflations of things where many Individuals are to^- '^-P- 
 be difiinguilhed by their proper Appellations; there-^^* 
 fore what is but one, and Incomprehenfible, can 
 have none. We muft be ignorant of this Effence, 
 fb need not inquire out a Name for it ; though he 
 afTumes to himfelf fuch as are proper for our blind 
 corrupted State ; many of which are negative ones, 
 axpo-jQ^i aopar©^, 6?^. without time, not vifi- 
 ble, ^c. And what is purely Negative, can give 
 
 no 
 
^fio 'The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 no pofitive deterrninate Notion or Conception ; 
 when applied to God, it is no more than Com- 
 parifon, and feparating him from the Creature ; 
 but what the proper IVIcaning of them is, when 
 fpoken of his Elience or Nature, is to us an unintelli- 
 gible Term : And being ignorant of the Term, we 
 cannot iix any Idea or Conception to it. And when 
 Mofes, Exod. iii. 13. inquired of God his Name; 
 the Anfvver, I am that I arr.^ imports an eternal, in- 
 comprehenfibie, independent Being. 
 
 But for a Man to leek after fomething, which he 
 hath neither ittn^ heard, nor hath it entered into his 
 Heart to conceive ; what he muft know, before he 
 looks for it, is incapable of Name or Definition, 
 would nonplus a Philofopher out of a State of Na- 
 ture. Since whatever he came to know, he mull be 
 afilired was not the thing fought for, which to 
 him therefore muft appear aJJa'vras-©', quite unima- 
 ginable ', for he muft let about comprehending God, 
 yet convinced at the fame time, that could he com- 
 prehend him, it would not be God. For whoever 
 imagines he knows the Divine Nature, leflens it: 
 
 Minuc. F. And whoever does not lefien it, can never pretend 
 
 lb. to know it. 
 
 It is impoftible for fuch Perfon to declare or 
 imagine what it is he would difcourfe of, or in- 
 quire into ; a Nature he has not the leaft Appre- 
 henfion of-, a Subjed he has not the leaft Glance 
 of, in whole or in part, which he muft feparate 
 from all Doubt, Inconfiftencies and Errors : Pie 
 muft demonftrate without one known or fure Prin- 
 ciple to ground it upon ; and dravv' certain neceflliry 
 Conclufions whereon to reft his Judgment, without 
 the leaft Knowledge of one Term or Propofition to 
 fix his Procedure on •, and therefore can never know 
 whether his Conclufjon be confequent, or not con- 
 fequent. Truth or Falfhood ; which is juft the 
 fame in Science, as in Architecture to raife a Build- 
 ing 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. ^ o i 
 
 ing without a Founcktion. Whatever the Moderns, 
 who are Iharp-fighted above Meafure, can do ; the 
 Ancients, by whom we muft judge in the Cafe 
 before us, always taught, that we mail know the 
 Ufe and Meaning ot Names, before we can the 
 Things themfelves, and that by this Means is their 
 Nature be(t invelUgated and manifefted. Thus 
 Plato in Cratylo : Ilpo; to op^ouV JlirPairneiv, c/^et Trpoj- 
 rov l^iTcl^Hv TO, ovb<j.cLra. 5 in order to learn rightly, 
 we mult firil: accurately inquire into Names. And 
 again. Names have the Power of teaching Things, 
 and he who truly underftands their Names, plainly 
 difcerns the Things themfelves. This is what D/o- 
 dorus fays in T'hucydides^ Hb. 3. 'Oi 'Koyoi cJ^iJida-adKoi 
 rciiv TTfO^ty/jiarooy y/yvovrai, Words are the Teach- 
 ers of things : And to mention no more, Plutarch de 
 Ijide y Ofiride delivers it as the Opinion of all ., 
 Philofophers as well as his own : Tar jun /aav^'avov- 
 ra? op^ojf aaaeiv ovojuarcov, x.axdt)V y^y\(^ou k. roTr 
 -K^yixaaiv. They who are not exaft in under-. 
 Handing Names, will make but a bad Ufe of, or 
 eafily miltake in the Things themfelves. 
 
 In other Cafes a Man is fuppofed to know fome 
 Truths, and the Meaning of a Propofition, before 
 he can proceed to determine aiiy thing concerning 
 it, becaufe till he underilands the Terms, it is im- 
 poffible he fhould judge whether it be true or falfe i 
 fo that if a Man is ignorant of his Mark or End, 
 he fhoots like a blind Man at random, and in vain 
 confiders all things tending to the End : for without 
 knowing the End, he cannot take Counfel by what 
 Means to attain it ; and if he attain it without 
 Thought, or Method, or Means, fo may a Fool 
 or Madman as well as he j for without Confultation 
 there is neither Thought, nor Judgment, Invention, 
 or Knowledge. 
 
 If the Propofitions in a Syllogifm are only found- 
 ed on Opinion, no more will be what is inferred 
 
 D <X from 
 
402 The Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 from them ; if they are falfe, fo of Neceflity muft 
 , be the Conclufion ; if they have no Relation to the 
 Subjed, it can receive no Light from them. And 
 it is impoflible for one ignorant of the whole 
 Queftion propounded, to come at any Part of the 
 Truth. In all Inquiries there muft be fomething 
 known, of it felf credible, and to be believed with- 
 out Demonftration, from whence we muft proceed 
 to the Inveftigation of other Truths, this being the 
 Foundation and Criterion of thofe things which 
 feem to be found out : For every Queftion is found 
 out from ibme Knowledge we are in Poffeffion of, 
 v/hich muft fubfift before that which is fought after. 
 In fome Cafes we inquire into the EfTence of a thing 
 from its known Properties and Operations ; in 
 others, from their fenfible EfFe6ts only •, but where 
 the Eftence, Affedions, Properties, and Operations 
 are abfolutely unknown, and no apparent Relation 
 or Dependence of an Effe6t upon the Caufe, there 
 is no Poflibility of finding it out ; or if we could, yet 
 cannot know it when found. And if there be the 
 leaft Confufion in the Terms, there muft be a Fallacy 
 through the whole Procedure ; and what we con- 
 clude, may be fomething, or nothing, or any thing, 
 as well as the thing fought for. 
 
 Were we to convert an Indian^ and lay before 
 him this Propofition, There is a God ; we fhould 
 firft endeavour to make him underftand what is 
 meant by God, what kind of Being is called by 
 that Name, and as far as lay in our Power de- 
 scribe the Perfedlions of his Nature, before we could 
 reafonably exped: him to believe there is fuch a 
 Being j for a bare Name conveys no Idea with it. 
 And for any one to go about perfuading Men to 
 believe the Exiftence of a God, without firft ac- 
 quainting them with the Nature and Attributes of 
 fuch a Being, is an Endeavour to perfuade Men 
 to believe they know not what, and to alTent to 
 
 fome- 
 
 \ 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafoti or Nature. 403 
 
 fomething as an undoubted Truth, which they un- 
 derftand notkinj|pf. 
 
 This is the very Cafe of every Perfon in a State 
 of Nature ; before he can know there is a God, he 
 muft underftand what is meant by a Supreme Be- 
 ing, and wherein his Pertedions confift,, fo as to 
 diltinguifh him from others; that he is Eternal, 
 Omnifcient, Omnipotent, (^c. otherwife fomething 
 may exiff, but he knows not what : He is ignorant 
 of the Term, and the Propofition may be true or 
 falfe V we mufl apprehend tiie Nature of a Thing be- 
 fore we can be allured it exids, becaule it is the 
 Nature which fpecificalJy diftinguilhes the Thing. 
 As no Man therefore can know more of the Di- 
 vine Nature than he is pleafed to reveal, no Man 
 by the Strength of Reafon can difcover his ne- 
 ceffary Exiftence, becaufe any thing may be faid to 
 exift as well as God, if we know nothing of his 
 Nature or Perfcdions 
 
 We need not Scruple then to fay, that thofe Phi- 
 lofophers who named God, knew him not, nor 
 what they philofophized about, when they fpake fb 
 many Falfhoods, and fo little Truth concerning him., 
 and afcribed Properties to him utterly inconfiftent 
 with his Nature : EftabhOi the one, and you deftroy 
 the other ; they are Extremes never to be recon- 
 ciled, nor brought together ; a Name and Exiftence 
 they had by rote, but not the Meaning of either ; 
 in thefe their Conceptions and Imaginations v/ere 
 merely vifionary. They judged of the Gods by 
 themfelvcs, attributed to them the fame Paffions 
 and Affedions, Shapes, Infirmities, and Wants, 
 and never could feparate the one from the other j 
 they had the Name, but not the Thing. Birds may 
 be taught to imitate the Words of Men, but have 
 no Notion or Apprehenfion of what they fay. And 
 when Homer faid, Ylarn?^ a'vo^pjjy ts ©eocv ts. He 
 neither knew who the Father was, nor in what manner 
 
 D d 2 ke 
 
404 Tke Knowledge of Divine Tbh?gs froM 
 
 Clem. ht is fo : And all who attempt this Subjedl without 
 Alex. |.j-jg Divine Affiftance, are like tlSBHvho would en- 
 49.*" ^^ deavour to walk without Feet. 
 
 That Pythagoras perceived his own Ignorance of 
 the Divine Nature, and the ImpolTibility of form- 
 ing a corred Notion of it, appears from that fa- 
 mous Jxiom in his School, " To disbelieve no- 
 " thing that was wonderful concerning the Gods, 
 " nor even concerning Divine Things ; '* which 
 opened a Door for the Belief of every corrupt Tra- 
 dition, however monftrous or inconfiftent, ac- 
 cording as their Vanity or Credulity prevailed : If 
 it was but wonderful and ftruck their Imagination, 
 the Rule was, " Apply it diredly to the Divine 
 , " Nature, however irreconcilable with it.'* 
 
 So Pherecydes who was the firft among the Greeks 
 (as Laertius out of 'Theopompus fays) who wrote ttsoi 
 (puo-fw? >y ©rco;', of Nature and the Gods, m his Let- 
 ter when dying to ThaleSy wherein he acquaints 
 Ccel. Rho- [jjj-n^ " That he had ordered his Writings to be 
 c'^iQ '''' " carried to him, and that if they pleafed him and 
 " the other wife Men, they might publifh, if not, 
 ** fupprefs them ; '* He adds this melancholy Ac- 
 count of human Abilities \ " They contain nothing 
 '* certain, or that gives me Satisfacfcion ; fo that I 
 " profefs not to know the Truth, nor to have at- 
 " tained to it : I ftart many things which I cannot 
 " difcover." So Ptolemy the famous Mathemati- 
 cian, left off the Study of Divinity and Phyficks ; 
 the former becaufe human Weaknefs could no way 
 difcover or come at the Knowledge of it from 
 the excellent Nature of its Objeds : The other, be- 
 caufe it could not be apprehended or retained, from 
 the Inconftancy and perpetual Change in Matter. 
 
 The Greeks took great pains to improve their al- 
 moft loll xoivoti svvoioa, or imperfe^i Notices of ori- 
 ginal Revelation^ by importing a new Stock of 
 Principles and Traditions, in order to make a new 
 
 Edition 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 405 
 
 Edition of Natural Theology ; but were fo far from 
 attaining their End, that all their Attempts and 
 Studies to this Purpofe, ferved only the more effec- 
 tually to entangle them in grols Ignorance, Super- 
 ftition. Idolatry, and Atheifm. When Divinity was 
 Joft, and Philofophy undertook to reftore it ; the 
 higheft Part of Wifdom it aimed at, was to infti- 
 tute ibme kind of Religion, and appoint fome pro- 
 per Ceremonies for the Worfhip of the Gods : With 
 this View Pythagoras ranfacked Egypt and the Eaft ; 
 yet after all his Labours, the whole of his Philofo- 
 phy was an Heap of idolatrous Superflition, altho* 
 it retained fome obicure Images and Charadlers of 
 Truth. The Event anfwered not the Greatnels of 
 the Attempt ; nay Natural Theology v/as by thefe 
 Undertakings corrupted rather than improved j for 
 he introduced the Do6lrine of Demons, and many 
 other Extravagancies never heard of before amongll 
 them. 
 
 Few or none underftood their own Philolbphical 
 Notions concerning God and Divine Things, neither 
 rightly conceiving nor underitanding the Things on 
 which they difcourfed : As Plato ingenuoufly con- 
 fefles, that he had received many Myfteries from 
 the Ancients which he underftood not, but expe6ted 
 fome Interpreter to explain them to him : And they 
 who underftand not a Subje61:,will wreft and deprave 
 Expreflions to other Senfes than they were original- 
 ly intended ; even Serranus can allow, that Plato 
 might fpeak many Things which he took out of the 
 Phcenician Dodrine, but underftood not; no more 
 did the Phasnicians, from whom he borrowed them ; 
 and therefore could not but be unintelligible, as 
 Plato calls them, ccTroppnToj, ineffable Notions, aTroppn'- 
 
 This was the Cafe of them all ; they had fome 
 
 general Names and Ideas, loofe, broken Notices of 
 
 the Things they difcourfed of; but had not any par- 
 
 Dd 3 ticular 
 
i|o6 I' he Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 ticular Apprehenfion of the Parrs, Qualities, Caufes, 
 Influences and Effefts of Things -, they had only 
 feme general Rumours or traditional Notions of God, 
 his Divine Perfections, Operations, and Effefts of 
 Providence, the Origin of the Univerfe, the State of 
 Innocence, the Fall ofMan, £5?^. And therefore both 
 their Notions and Reafonings of them were con- 
 fufed and impei-fedl, nothing evident, diftinft or 
 clear, either of the firft Caufe or its Connexion 
 with the Effefe produced by it; and confequendy 
 the Knowledge was opinionative, without a ftead- 
 faft certain Perfoafion of the Truth of them. 
 
 They had no fubdancial, real, intuitive Contem- 
 plation of thofe things about which they philofb- 
 phized i they could ohrain no more than fome artificial 
 Pidures, or rather Shadows only of the firft Princi- 
 ples, of God, Nature, and other Myfteries, which 
 were conveyed to them by fome broken, oriental 
 Jew'tjh Traditions ; but thefe were only Phantafm?, 
 no real folid Notices or Ideas of the Divine Things 
 they related to ; and were no more than an equivo- 
 cal, artificial Contemplation, as much differing 
 from true Knowledge and its Objeft, as the View 
 of the Sun in a Pidlure differs from that in the 
 Firmament. 
 
 Thirdly^ There are but two Ways of knowing the 
 firft Caufe, either from its Effeds, or its ManifeA 
 tations. In Phyficks, there is a double Procedure, 
 from a known Caufe to the Confideration of its Ef- 
 feds ; which cannot be in the Cafe before us, the 
 Caufe being fuppofed utterly unknown ; or from 
 vifible effeds, to enquire into their invifible Caufes, 
 in ^vhich alfo our utmoft Knowledge is flow and 
 uncertain : All the Truths of Nature are found bigger 
 than our Minds ; fo that we can have no perfe<5l 
 Apprehenfion, no Idea or Conception of the Na- 
 ture of any Subfl:ance-, for the lov/eft Subflances 
 have many puzzling Difficulties and Entanglements 
 
 in 
 
Revelation J not from Reafon or Nature. 407 
 
 in the Speculation of them ; fomething in their 
 Effence that is incomprehenfible : But that Philo- 
 fophy which is divine, is vaftly different, it con- 
 templates the invifible Natures of invifible Sub- 
 ilances, which are infinitely removed from us, what 
 we can neither underftand nor conceive ; and in 
 which there can be no regular Procedure for an un- 
 informed Mind, in afcendin^ from vifible material 
 Effeds to the Knowledge of immaterial Perfedions 
 and Truths. 
 
 There is no Scale or Ladder of Entity and Perfec- 
 tion one above another, no Order of rational and 
 intelledlual Beings to lead him flep by ftep to the 
 unmade intelled:ual Creator : This proved the firft 
 Stumbling-block to the Ancients, that they could 
 not conceive an Incorporeity, any thing entirely void 
 of Matter, much lefs an immaterial Maker of it ; < 
 no Heathen in the World believed God the Creator ' 
 of Matter -, and the Reafon of this mud be, becaule 
 there is no Connexion, no Order, or Method of 
 afcending by any Scale to the Contemplation of fpi- 
 ritual Objeds, to the Demonftration and Knowledge 
 of an immaterial Subftance and invifible Caufe; 
 for if the Ancients did not do it, it is only to 
 fay in other Words, that Nature never could 
 doit. 
 
 Fourthly^ If it be faid, that from the contem- 
 plating Things vifible and intelligible; we may by 
 Analogy proceed to the Difcovery of unknown In- 
 vifibles ; and the Mind from a Knowledge of the 
 Creature, raifeitfelf toan Apprehenfionof the Crea- 
 tor -.Firfl: it will be granted, that the more abftraded 
 Things are from Matter, and remote from Senfe, 
 the more difficult they muil be to be underftood ; 
 the more pure and fpiritual they are, the lefs Pro- 
 portion they bear to our Underltanding, and there- 
 fore the lefs knowable ; for all Knowledge fuppofes 
 D d 4. fome 
 
4o8 1'be Knozvkdge of Divine things from 
 
 fome Proportion betwixt the Faculty and the ObjedV, 
 in order to the Reception of its Idea or Image -, but 
 the Difproportion betwixt our natural Apprehenfions 
 and the divine Perfctflion is infinite i and that Capa- 
 city which is too imall for the embracing human 
 Things, can by no Length of E>cperience be able to 
 rife to the vaft Extent of Immenfe and Eternal 
 ones: But if fome things are difficult, others more 
 fo, Ibme moil (o -, it will follow, that what is at the 
 wideft Diftance of Infinity, as God is, cannot (ex- 
 cept our Minds are commenfurate to all Truth) be 
 dilcernible or intelligible. 
 
 "When we make Inferences and Comparifons from 
 things, between which, by fome Similitude, there 
 feems to be a Relation ; yet we mud: be thoroughly 
 acquainted with the Nature of one Thing at lead, be- 
 fore we can judge that any other refembles it : Which 
 of the Works of God then do we fo far compre- 
 hend, as to ground any Proportion, Comparifon, or 
 Likenefs with God? Not a Duft on the Earth, a 
 Drop of the Sea, or an Atom in the Air, but we 
 are ignorant of its Caufe, Frame, or Produftion j 
 and what can we infer or conclude from an EfTence 
 unknown to one infinitely more fo, nay utterly in- 
 ^ comprehenfible ? 
 
 Or if we had an exa6ler Knowledge of Nature, 
 than has been yet attained, we could not, by any 
 Rule or Gradations of Analogy, find any LikenefTes 
 to condud our Thoughts to a Contemplation, No- 
 tion, or Idea of God, becaufe both they and we 
 are finite, and there is no Proportion betwixt that 
 and Infinity: There is nothing like God, in the 
 Heavens above or in the Earth beneath^ from which 
 we could infer his Being or Nature ; there being 
 nothing to which we can compare him, to form 
 the leait Idea or Relemblance of him. 
 
 In Natural Things there is no Intercourfe of 
 Acflion and PafTion, unlefs they have fome Propor- 
 tion 
 
Revelation y not from Reafon or Nature. 409 
 
 tlon each to other i or unlefs they communicate 
 in fome common Matter. But no iuch Intercourfe 
 between Material and Immaterial, Temporal and 
 Eternal, can occur to an uninftruded Mind ; there is 
 no common Subject wherein he can unite and bring 
 them together ; it is againft, /. e. above the Law 
 of his Being, and therefore a Contradidtion : Where 
 there is no Proportion between Ideas, there can 
 be no Tranfition, or Connexion; and of Subjedls 
 whereof there is no Refemblance, we cannot think 
 or fpeak further than they are declared to us. 
 
 A Mind that has no Knowledge but of Senfibles, 
 {tts or hears no other Objedls, can abftrad no Ideas 
 from Matter, but what are material ; and had he 
 Mountains of them, his Attempt would be as fruit- 
 less as the Giants invading Jupiter ; heap Matter 
 upon Matter, it will never amount to Immateriality, 
 nor open to his View the new Scene of Infenfibles 
 and Invifibles -, without an Inftruftor to open his 
 Eyes, it would not be pofTible to conceive an an- 
 gelick Being, becaufe it can have no Relemblance, 
 no Idea of a Subftance purely fpiritual ; yet vaftly 
 remoter from Matter, is an omnipotent Being, 
 comprehending in itielf all the Poffibilities of Things. 
 
 If fuch a Mind could difcover any Truth, the firft it 
 met with would belts own Weaknels and Narrownels 
 of Comprehenfion ; of which if it were not immedi- 
 ately convinced, it could not difcover any thing elfe ; 
 no Objed of Science being fo evident to the Mind, 
 as its own Short-fightednefs and Ignorance, which 
 would immediately damp any further Enquiry (one 
 would think) after Infinity and Immateriality. 
 
 And nothing can be more vifionary or falle, both 
 in Nature and Experience, than thofe Operations, 
 and Sallies from Earth to Heaven, which fome 
 learned Men, in favour of an Hypothefis, attribute Cud- 
 to the Mind : That the Intelled doth not reft here, worth's 
 but upon occafion of thefe corporeal things thus Moral. 
 
410 Tihe Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 comprehended, naturally rifes higher to the framing 
 and exciting of certain Ideas from within itfeJf, of 
 other things not exifting in thofe fenfible Objedls, but 
 abfolutely incorporeal : For being ravifhed with the 
 Contemplation of this admirable Mechanifm., and 
 artificial Contrivance of the material Univerfe, forth- 
 with it naturally conceives it to be nothing elfe but 
 the paffive Stamp, Print, and Signature of fome 
 living Art and Wifdom, as the Pattern, Archetype, 
 and Seal of it ; and fo excites from within itfelf an 
 Idea of the divine Art and Wifdom. Nay confider- 
 ing further, how all things in this great mundane 
 Machine are contrived, not only for the Beauty of 
 the Whole, but alfo for the Good of every Part 
 in it, that is endued with Life and Senfe, it exerts 
 another Idea, viz. of Goodnels and Benignity 
 from within itfelf ; and from hence prefendy makes 
 up an Idea of God, a Mind infinitely good and wife; 
 and fo as it were refounds and re-echoes back the 
 great Creator's Name, which, from thofe vifible 
 Charafters imprefied upon the material Univerfe, 
 had pierced loudly into its Ears, but in fuch an in» 
 difcernible manner, that Senfe liftning never fo at- 
 tentively, could not perceive the leaft Murmur or 
 Whifper of it. And this is the moft natural Scale, 
 by which the Intelledual Mind, in the Contempla- 
 tion of Corporeal things, afcends to God. 
 
 No! the Whole isperfeflly unnatural, without Ex- 
 ample or Foundation in Nature. Innate Ideas are 
 Non-entities, and corporeal Objeds cannot convey 
 or (lir up incorporeal Notions. There is no Arche- 
 type but the Mind Eternal, and no Scale betwixt 
 that and a Creature, but the Manifeftation of its 
 own Light. Supernatural Knowledge cannot be from 
 Nature, but Inftruftion ; and the Original Inftruc- 
 tor, God, the Archetypal Intelled, and the only 
 poiiible Teacher of things belonging to himfelf. 
 
 For 
 
Revelation, not from Reafott or Nature. 411 
 
 For as no Ideas (or the Pidures and Reprefenta- 
 tions in the Mind of the Things, for which they arc 
 fubftituted) can reach the Underilanding, but through 
 the Senfes ; the Deaf-born have no Ideas of Sounds, 
 nor the Blind of Light, nor the Natural Intelka: of 
 Divine things, becaufe the firft Inlets are ihut 
 up, by which alone they could have reached the 
 Imagination ; but they may be, and are convey- 
 ed by the Inlet of Language and Inftrudion, which 
 is alfo through the Ufe and Mediation of the 
 Senfes ; and yet no Advantage given to the Atheif- 
 tical Caufe. Some have indeed affirmed, that we can 
 have no Idea or Notion, Conception, or Thought of 
 any thing, not fubjed to Senfe : Whence the Athe- 
 ifts inferred, that we cannot have the leaft Evidence 
 of any thing but from the fame j therefore there be- 
 ing no corporeal Senfe of a Deity, there can be no 
 Evidence at all of his Exiitence, fince Senfe is toi 
 be the Criterion of Truth. 
 
 But this Objeftion is here totally removed ; Sen- 
 fible and Infenfible are wholly diflimilar, nor can the 
 Nature of one inftrudl us in the other ; but as the 
 Eyes of the Blind may be opened to fee, and the 
 Ears of the Deaf to hear ; fo may the Mind, by fu- 
 pernatural Inftrudion, be enabled to conceive and' 
 difcern thofeTruths which are not the Objeds of Senfe 
 or Nature, and which it never could have received, 
 if a fuperior Wifdom and Power had not acquainted 
 it with them. Which is no more than what the 
 laft mentioned Author in anotlier Paflage obferves : ^ 
 " That our Underftandings are many times igno-' " "^'5* 
 " rant, doubting, erring, and flo-vly proceed by 
 " Difcourie and Ratiocination from one thing to 
 " another. They are but potentially all things, as 
 *' Arijiotle tells us, ^c'* What adually furiiiihes 
 the Capacity then, but Inftrudtion, gives it a new 
 Stock of Materials, and direds it to the Contem- 
 plation of what before was unperceiyed and indif- 
 
 coverable. 
 
412 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 coverable, and makes that Knowledge adtual, which 
 before v/as only potential ? 
 
 Such is every Natural Man and Savage (and all 
 Minds without Culture are the fame ) they could 
 neither hear the Whifper nor the Thunder of the 
 Works of God, fpeaking either his Name or Be- 
 ing. Thefe Notions proceed from no innate Ideas 
 or Abflra6lions from Matter, or any Self- reflexions, 
 or internal Operations. The Effedt can never ex- 
 ceed its Caufe, nor Reaibn difcover fupernatural Ob- 
 jeds, without a Communication of them from the 
 Fountain of Wifdom and Knowledge. 
 
 The only Method of Ratiocination then left him 
 to come at thefe Subjects, mufl be the Rule of Con- 
 traries: That as whatever is cognizable by him, is 
 grofs and material ; therefore he mufl conclude 
 (what his Senfes or Imagination could never admit) 
 that there is a Subftance without any conceivable 
 Parts, Extenfion, or Solidity, neither vifible nor tan- 
 gible, incorporeal, remote from Matter, a pure Spi- 
 rit, which he can have no fenfible Perception or ab- 
 llrafted Notion of. The acuteft Philofopher never 
 had •, every Creature he obferves, is perifliable, dies, 
 corrupts, and revives no more 5 therefore there is 
 an uncreated, neceflary, felf-exifting Being, without 
 Beginning or End, Incorruptible, Infinite, Eternal ; 
 and tliat fome Part of himfelf (which he has no 
 Knowledge of) fliall die and rife again, and be im- 
 mortal. From whatever Properties he does, or can 
 know, he muft infer fomething oppofite to it, un- 
 difcoverable by, and contradi6tory to the Teflimony 
 of his Senfes, and what therefore he cannot pofTibly 
 believe. Nor in all this docs he underftand one 
 Term or Syllable, and can therefore never metho- 
 dize his Thoughts, io as to draw a Conclufion from 
 them, or even a Perfuafion. 
 
 This is all the firft Planters of die World could do^ 
 who, after a few Defccnts, retained nothing but thq 
 
 Name 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 413 
 
 Nameof their Forefathers God and Religion, and had 
 no Teachers but the Courfe^f the Rivers, the Flowing 
 of the Sea, the Painting of theJFields, and the Moti- 
 ons of the Heavenly Bodies. The Difquifitions oiZo- jobxi. 7, 
 /)/&^r would be fuitable to them : Can I byfearchingfindSiz, 
 out God ? Can I find out the Almighty to Perfection ? 
 It is as high as Heaven, what can I do ? deeper than 
 Hell, what can I know ? the Meafure thereof is longer 
 than the Earth, and broader than the Sea. Thefe are 
 the nobleft Works of God, yet infufficient to ac- 
 quaint us with their Author. 
 
 In other Sciences, fuch as Logick, Geometry, (^c. 
 their Foundation, or Knowledge of what Relations 
 things bear to each other, is by their Agreement 
 with fome Third Being or Propofition, to which 
 their Relations are mutual and equal : But here there 
 is no Medium, whereunto we can compare the Di- 
 vine Nature ; and to imagine uncultured Reafon . 
 could wade through the vaft Abyls to unknown Re- 
 gions, and proceed with Certainty to the Apprehen- 
 fion of it, is no more than Enthufiafm and Chimera; 
 a Power which God and Nature have denied to it. 
 There are Limits given to every created Being, and 
 Bounds fet which it cannot pafs, beyond which all 
 things are dark and impenetrable. This is the Con- 
 dition of Man ; he has Faculties to receive what 
 God vouchiafes to reveal of himfelf : This is the 
 Limit of Human Underftanding, it can add nothing 
 thereto. To receive larger Emanations, is the Pri- 
 vilege of the Blefled : To know all of himfelf, the 
 incommuni<^ble Prerogative of God. 
 
 All this is fully eftablilhed from the Poets and 
 Philofophers of old, who knew the Name of God ; 
 but being ignorant of what he had revealed, and ad- 
 venturing to (peak of the Divine Nature, uttered fuch 
 extravagant Abfurdities concerning it. Tho'many 
 things are fpoken worthily, yet there are more fo re- 
 pugnant, falfej and injurious, as render their fubli- 
 
 meft 
 
414 lloe Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 meft Philofophy a rude and ftrangely incorre(5t 
 Draught of the Divinity. 
 
 Yet this muft always be remember'd to their Ho- 
 nour, that let their Attainments be what they would, 
 they never afcribed them to their own Reafon or 
 Sagacity, but always lament the Darknefs of thefe 
 Subjeds, the Weaknefs of the human Mind, the 
 little Satisfadion they met with in their mod dili- 
 gent Searches, the Want of a better Guide ; and 
 conftantly acknowledged, that whatever great or 
 good thing any Man does, was owing to the Aflif- 
 Cic Nat ^2.nce of the Gods. For which reafon. Homer and 
 D. I. 2. the Poets gave to all their Heroes a God for their 
 n. 66. Companion in Danger, and held that no Man ever 
 was confiderable without their Help and Infpira- 
 tion. 
 
 P/^/^ wifhed for a Prophet to reveal the Will of 
 God to us, without which we cannot know it. And 
 Epinom. Socrates, in his Cratylus, " That good Men only are 
 p. 986, " wife i*' and is every where full of this Dodrine, 
 Rep. 6. " That all true Knowledge of the Gods is from the 
 45^3. *' Gods; and that the Mind of Man fcandsin need 
 " of Divine Illumination to underlland Divine 
 " things, as much as the Eye wants the Light of 
 En. 5.1. s." the Sun, to fee vifible- things." And Plohnus., 
 c. 5. p. after him, makes God to be ElTential Wifdom, from 
 546 whom all the Rays of Created Wifdom llrcam as 
 Beams from the Sun. Both Plato and Cicero fay, 
 ** That Philofophy is the Invention and Gift of the 
 Tufc. Q^ ** Gods, not Men: That it was this firft infirudedus 
 1. i.n. 26. *' in the Worfliipofthem, in all Social Virtues, and 
 " Greatnefs of Soul : That this difpell^d Darkneis 
 *' from the Mind, by which means we difcern what 
 " is above us and below us : That God is the Bcgin- 
 *' ning, Middle, and End of things.'* Thus plainly- 
 attributing whatever they knew of the Gods, or Di- 
 ir&Ofir vine things, to no Principle, but the Gods: And 
 Inic. Plutarch fays the fame ; ** That the Knowledge of 
 
 " the 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 415 
 
 '' the Gods can only be had from them." And it was 
 fometime a fettled Maxim in the Socraiick School, 
 " That even Virtue is not from Nature or Difcipline, ji^^gng 
 " but ^ila ixo'ipa, by fome Divine Infujion, and even p. 99.* 
 " without the Concurrence of the Mind." 
 
 But how difficult and embarraffing a Subjed the 
 wifeft of them thought the Contemplation of Divine 
 things, appears from their own Confeffions. Thus 
 Pythagoras affirmed, " That God was Darknefs, un- 
 " known, impenetrable Obfcurity." Anditfeems 
 to have been a primeval Tradition, if the Sen- 
 timent of Mercurius 'Trifmegijius^ to whom it is as- 
 cribed, ©£ov fXfiV MOTiaca yaXsTrov, (p^croa tJ^l aVuva- 
 Tcv* ih^ d<j(^iJ.a.Tov o-cjj/jictTt CY\iJ.lwoix dc^uvctrov, it i^ -p.. j> 
 difficult to conceive God, to declare him impojfihle -, //deDiis.* 
 not being -pojfible to fet forth what is incorporeal by that 
 which is corporeal. 
 
 Plato probably copied him, when, after all his 
 painful Searches, he complains, " That it is diffi-^^"^^^^"' 
 " cult to find out the Parent and Maker of the 
 ** Univerfe, and when found, fcarce lawful or pofli- 
 *' ble to declare him to the Vulgar." On v/hich 
 Origen makes this Comment, " That Plato, by fay- 
 " ing it was difficult, argued the Impoffibility of ^o"<^-^e^^- 
 " Human Reafon finding out God according to the ^P-Soo- 
 ** Dignity of his Nature ; but if not in fuch a De- 
 " gree, yet that he might in a good Meafure be 
 " known, and more than he is by moil Men.'* 
 Which had it been true, that he or any other had 
 found out God, they would not have worihipped, or 
 adored, or called any thing God befides him ; and 
 neither added nor diminifhed any thing that could ef- 
 fentially appertain to fuch a Being. But we affirm, 
 that Human Nature is not able to find out God in any 
 degree ; nor can he be truly found by any, unaffifled 
 by him who is fearched after ; but is difcovered by 
 them who humbly confefs, that befides their own En- 
 deavours they ftand in need of his AfTiftance, mani- 
 
 fefdng 
 
4 1 6 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 fcfting himfdf to fuch, as far as the Nature of Gad 
 can be declared to Man, or the Soul of Man, whilft 
 in the Body, can know of God. 
 
 Diogenes Laertius reckoned P/<3/(? among the Scep- 
 
 InPvr- ticks, for faying, to juev oKti^U ^joT? k^ ^eolu iraiaU 
 
 rhone, 1. «y;twp«v, rev o^s iiKcra 7\oycv ^nreiv ; Thai he left 
 
 9. n. 72. Truth to the Gods, and the Sons of the Gods, but for 
 
 his own part he only fearched after what was ■probable. 
 
 Certain it is, that he every where fpeaks with theut- 
 
 moft Diffidence, and even Delpair, of ever attaining 
 
 the Knowledge of Divine things. " That undoubt- 
 
 Repub. 6. " edly there are many intricate and perplexing 
 
 P-S05. " Difficulties in this Enquiry, after the Knowledge 
 
 " and Idea of the greateft Good : That the Soul 
 
 *' doubts, and is at a ftand, and not able to appre- 
 
 " hend fufficiently what it is ; or attain therein that 
 
 " Aflurance which it does in other things ; and 
 
 " this makes it err from the Truth, in endeavouring 
 
 " to find one in the fame manner that it does the 
 
 p. 506. " other: That Opinion without Knowledge is def- 
 
 *' picable, and the beft Opinions are but blind (or 
 
 '* Guefs-work) nor is there any Difference between 
 
 *' thofe who happen to gueis right at Truth, with- 
 
 '* out knov/ing it, or the Blind who find the Way 
 
 " by Chance. The Knowledge of the greatest 
 
 *' Good feems to be placed beyond the Reach of hu- 
 
 *' man Difcovery •, and I am afraid, whilfl I endea- 
 
 " vour it, of being baffled in the Attempt, and 
 
 *' expofmg my Weaknefs \ for believe me, the 
 
 " Majefty thereof feems to furpafs the Limits of 
 
 '* human Underftanding. It appears therefore pro- 
 
 " pereft to confider the Oitspring, and the greateft 
 
 *' Likenefs ot that Good, that v/e may thereby ap- 
 
 *' proach the nearer to his Nature, and afterwards 
 
 " unfold the Hiflory of the Father ; and I wifh 
 
 ** myfelf able to explain, and you to apprehend it." 
 
 And in explaining this Dodrine, he fays, " That 
 
 P- 5°7- t» jj^ings themlelves are comprehended by theSenfes, 
 
 7 " but 
 
Re'uelationy not from Reafon or Nature. 4 17 
 
 *' but their Ideas by the Undcrftanding : That the 
 " Sun is neither tlie Eye nor the Light, but the 
 " Caufe of it j. and what Light is to the Eye, that is 
 ** Truth to the Mind ; the Eye cannot lee without 
 *' theone, nor the Mind underftand without the other: 
 *' So the Idea of Good is the Caufe of Truth and 
 " Wifdom. They are excellent things, and like it, p. 50?. 
 " but not the thing itfelf. Light and Sight ap- P- S09« 
 ** proach nearer than other created Beings to the 
 *' Nature of the Sun, yet are not the Sun ; fo Knovv- 
 *' ledge and Truth have a Refcmblance of the Su- 
 *' preme Good, yet neither of them is it. As the 
 *' Sun is not only the Caufe that things are kQr\^ but 
 *' alfo of their Generation, Growth, and Nutrition, 
 " but not the Generation itfelf: So the Supreme 
 *' Good is the Caufe not only that things are known, 
 •' but alfo of their EfTence and Exigence, yet not that 
 *' EfTence, ^c." And-j[o lliew how little known or 
 believed in the World Divine things were, he in- 
 troduces Glaucus raifing a loud Laughter at all thofe 
 lliblime Dodlrines he had been delivering. 
 
 But the Philofopher here plainly diflinguilhes 
 three things, the Faculty of Sight, the Objed to be 
 feen, and the Light to difccrn it by: So in Divine 
 things, Reafon is the Faculty, God the Object ; but 
 Illumination from himfclf the only Light to enable 
 the Mind to difcern him. There is an inward Eye 
 of the Mind, which is contemplative Rcaibn : The 
 Underftanding of the Soul is the Light of this Eye, 
 but divine Communication the Sun of this Light, and^ 
 God is the Fountain and Father of all fpiritual Light.- 
 And to fhew that all the Attainments of Philolb- 
 phy in thefe deep Studies of the firft Principle, the 
 Nature of God, and the Myfteries o( Divine Know- 
 ledge, had nothing real or folid in them, but were 
 mere Phantoms and Imaginations withput any Pro- 
 priety j empty Notions and Shadows of the things 
 they related to : He feigned a fubrerraneous Dwell- „ , 
 ing or Cavern, the Entrance of whidi lies open at a p - j , "* 
 
 E e great 
 
4 1 8 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 great diftance, in which there are Men from theif 
 Childhood tied Neck and Heels together, lying up- 
 on the Ground, and not being able to turn their 
 Heads, can fee nothing but what is before them. 
 He then v/ould place a Fire artificially, betwixt which 
 and the Perfons bound, Men might walk carrying 
 Statues, Velfels, and other things, the Shadows of 
 which would fall upon the oppofite Side of the Den. 
 They will undoubtedly, fiys he, think thefe Sha- 
 dows to be the very real things themfelves, and the 
 Words they hear to be the Words of thefe Shadows. 
 Such is the State of thefe Men lying bound in dark- 
 nefs. The Den is this World, wherein Men lie pro- 
 flrate on the Ground bound with Chains of native 
 Ignorance ; fo that we cannot turn our Heads about 
 to contemplate the true Light ts ovtos-, of Being ^ 
 but can only fee the Shadows of things, which yet we 
 guels are the things themfelves, ^c. It is not pofTible 
 to reprefent more emphatically the Blindnefs and Ig- 
 norance of Human Nature, and the Impoffibility 
 for Reafon to difcern Divine Truths, or have the 
 lead real intuitive Apprehenfion of them ; for ro -f 
 
 P. 533. -^u^Yi^ 0/ji/jca xciTcopuy;j,£vov hi 6u i3ap/3c-g[xco dyvoia^ 
 {io^(6op(iii^ the Eye of the Soiilis quite immerjl in thehaV' 
 
 f.cid, haroiis Mire and Filth of Ignorance. But that if after- 
 wards thefe Perfons were brought into the Light, firfl 
 beholding the Reflexion of things, and then the real 
 Subflances, in Heaven and Earth, the Moon and 
 Stars, but principally the Sun, as it were direding all 
 things in this vifible World j they would immediately 
 conclude that the Sun was the Author of Times and 
 Seafons, governed all things, and was the Caufe of 
 whatever they beheld. 
 
 So that in P/^/o's Opinion, the mod gloriousWorks 
 of Nature would not lead Men to the Knowledge of 
 God, but rather flop their Minds, to confider the Sun, 
 i3c. as the firft Caufe, which had been the real Fad: in 
 all Ages, till they had aftronger Light than that of 
 the Heavens to direft them to the Author of them. 
 
 This 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature. 4 1 9 
 
 This he had learned from his Mailer Socrates, who 
 always confefled he knew nothing of thefe high Points, 
 and would not therefore venture to afiirm any thing : 
 And his not being able to determine wherein the final 
 Good of Man confifted, caufed that Divifion in his 
 Schooljwhich afterwards rent it into fo many Se6ls and 
 Parties. 
 
 We have a great Example of Modefty and Judg- 
 ment in theCale before us from Simonides : Hiero Ty- 
 rant o^ Sicily asked him what God was ? The Philolo- 
 pher, a learned and wife Man in GV^ro's Opinion, an- 
 fwered, that it was not aQueftion which could be im- 
 mediately refolved, and demanded a Day to confider 
 of it. Hiero then defired an Anfwer, but Simonides ask- 
 ed two Days more to think of it ; and as often as called 
 upon, required double the time to give in his Anfwer. 
 At which Hiero wondering, asked the Reafon of fuch 
 Delays : Becaufe, fays he, the longer I confider it, the 
 more obfcure it appears to me. Cicero*^ Remark upon ^ 
 this, is, T'hat yieither could he produce any thi'ng better ; 
 for in all things^ but efpecially thofe of Nature, maxime 
 in phyficis, it is eafier to declare what is not, than what 
 is. And I believe, Simonides finding many fubtile and 
 curious Notions crowding upon his Mind, and doubt- 
 ing which of them was right, defoaired of finding out 
 theTruth. 
 
 Such were Cicero's Thoughts of the Arduoufnefs of 
 this Task •, and in other Places he copies his acimired 
 Plato. " Tiiat it is difficult to find out the Author of -Tiraxus. 
 *' theUniverfe, or if found, impious to promulge him : 
 " That when we fpeak of the Nature of the Gods, or 
 " the Creation of the World ; if we cannot diftinftly 
 *' apprehend things, fothat what we fay fhould be clear 
 •' or confiltent, it is no wonder, we mull be content 
 " with what is probable, remembring that we are but 
 " Men, and of fuch nothing more thun Probibility is 
 *« required." And adds, " That if we cangujis right 
 '* at any Truth, we cannot have the lealt doubt: in 
 " believing, that this World is a living Animal, en- 
 " dued With Underilanding, ^c.'* 
 
 E e 2 This 
 
420 'The Knowledge of Divine things from 
 
 This wifeft of Heathens apprehended no Ckarnefs 
 or Evidence from Reafon or Nature in thefe Sub- 
 jedts ; no Intellcdtual Chain to raife the Mind j for 
 they could not make their Arguments, that were to 
 prove them, confiilent. All Knowledge herein was 
 but Gueis : And what he imagines to be the moft 
 evident Truth, was a foul idolatrous Error. 
 
 Nat. D. I. In the Per Ion of Cotta he gives the Opinion of 
 
 3- n. 3. moft Men. He believed the Gods on the Authority 
 of his Forefathers, but could perceive no Strength 
 of Argument to convince him of the Certainty 
 thereof. All that Philofophy had invented, was pro- 
 
 Ibid. n. 4. duced ; but Debate darkned theCaufe, and the many 
 Arguments urged by Balbus, made him doubt of 
 Points, which before he had never queftioned. 
 
 Such was the Language and Complaint of all the 
 Philofophers, from a plain Difcernment of their 
 Inability to attain fupernatural and divine Truths 3 
 which cannot more fully be illuftrated, than from 
 the thorow Ignorance of their own Condition. 
 Such Qaeftions as thefe were the eternal Subje6l of 
 Debate, but never fettled. What or whence is Man ? 
 to what Purpofes was he made .^ by whofe Wifdom 
 created .? what is his Bufmefs upon Earth .? or to 
 what End does he undergo fo many Trials and Af- 
 fiiftions ? did he receive Life from the natural Moi- 
 fture of the Earth, as Mice or Worms ^ or did he 
 receive his Speech and Form from the Hands of 
 fome Contriver or Maker I 
 
 I need not mention here any of the learned primi- 
 tive Chriftians, who are unanimous in this Opinion, 
 that the human Intelledl cannot apprehend divine 
 and fupernatural Truths, without the Affiilance of a 
 Itronger Light than that of Nature or Reafon. 
 
 How is all this confiftent with the prefent Max- 
 hnsin Theology ^ That there is no Man whatfoever, 
 who makes any Uie of his Reafon, but may eafilybe- 
 
 Difc^T.'p!^^"^^ more certain of the Exiftence of God, than he 
 can of any thing befides his own Exiftence. And 
 
 Mr. 
 
 Arnob. 
 27. 
 
 Dr Clarke 
 
Revelation, not from Keafon or Nature. 42 1 
 
 Mr. L(?f;^r tells us, *• That it is die moft obvious F. 33,373. 
 
 ^ Truth which Reafon difcovers, and its Evidence 
 
 *^ equal to mathematical Certainty.'* To an inllruc- 
 
 ted Mind it is, but to an uninftrufted one nothing, 
 
 as we have leen, more dark and uncertain ; as their 
 
 own Words confefs alfo, and which deftroy the very 
 
 Suppofition. " That this requires Thought and At-Lockejb. 
 
 " tention, and the Mind mufl: apply itfelf to a regu- 
 
 *' lar Deduftion of it, from fome Part of our intui- 
 
 " tive Knowledge; or elfe we fhall be as uncertain 
 
 *' of this,as ofotherPropofitions,which are in them- 
 
 " felves capable of clear Demonftration." That is, 
 
 they muft do what no Man ever did, nor is polTible 
 
 for Perfons under thofe Circumftances to pertorm. 
 
 Which among the Nations of the Earth difcharged 
 this cafy Task ? When did the Scythian ox the Bri- 
 ton io attentively apply themfelves to fo regular 
 Deducflions from Intuitive Knowledge, as to difco- 
 ver a Deity, and form the Rules of Virtue from die 
 eternal Reafon of things, into a rational well-conr 
 Refted Syftem ? If they did not, it is all Parade and 
 Boaft of Words j if they did, let tk^ Reafon. rs and 
 their Arguments be produced to convince Gainfay- 
 ers, and all who fo impioufly derogate from the ali- 
 lufficient Power of Nature and Reafon, as to affirm 
 they have not Abilities even to enter upon the Sub- 
 je6t ; and are fo incredulous as not to believe thole 
 Perfons, who cannot account for one common Oc- 
 currence in Nature, can clearly unfold fuch things as 
 lie moft remote from their Knowledge and Enquiry. 
 This is a Miracle that ought to be explained by thofe 
 who hold the affirmative Side of the .Queftion ; the 
 Proofs of a Negative being only circumdantial, in 
 reducing the contrary Opinion to Abfurdity or Im- 
 poffibility ; and which, I hope, is not altogether 
 v/anting in the Point under Confideration. 
 
 In Confirmation of this, I Ihall offer one otlier Arr 
 
 gument, viz. That the Mind cannot have the fame 
 
 Eyid^nce in Divide things, that it has of Truth in 
 
 E e 3 foiiig 
 
c-7 
 
 421 ^he Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 fome other Sciences. And on this account, many of 
 the Ancients either judged them uncertain, or rejec- 
 ted them, or took them wholly upon Truft, without 
 enquiring what Degrees of Certainty they were ca- 
 pable of. 
 
 That all things will not admit of the fame full 
 Demonilration, we have the Teftimony of Arijiotle^ 
 who relied as much on Reafonyund as little on Faith, 
 . as any Modern. His Words are : " We muft rc- 
 7 „'^' ' ^ " member that we are not to feek for the fame Ex- 
 " adtnefs in all things ; but in every thing content 
 " ourfelves with fuch a Method as the Subjedl will 
 " bear ; neither muft we in all things fearch after the 
 *' Caufe in the fame manner ; in fome it may be 
 ** fufficient to demonftrate that the thing is fo, as in 
 " firft Principles." 
 
 And this is neceffary in Divine things on feveral 
 Accounts. 
 
 Firft^ From the Will of God, who has propounded 
 them to us only as Matters of Faith, or a fubmitting 
 of Reafcn to what he declares concerning them, with- 
 out being able to penetrate or comprehend them, 
 which kind of Knowledge is referved for a more 
 perfed State. 
 
 Secondly^ From the Nature of the Things exhibited 
 to us, which are notfubje6t to the fame Inveftigation, 
 as thofe which are more fenfible and obvious. We 
 cannot define them fo as to limit their Natures in our 
 Underftanding, or remove all Obfcurity in our Ap- 
 prehenfions of them ; as we do not fully comprehend 
 the Terms, fo neither can we the Propofition which 
 confifts of them ; we do not clearly difcern their 
 Caufes or Dependences, therefore cannot form any 
 Geometrical Method, to dired us in the Difquifition 
 of their Truth. 
 
 Thirdly^ We cannot (as has been fhewn) trace the 
 Caufe from the Effects by reafon of the vaft and in- 
 conceivable Diftance between Finite and Infinite, 
 
 Crea' 
 
Revelation J noffro?n Reqfofz or Nature. 423 
 
 Creation and Creator, which nothing but Omnipo- 
 tence could unite. 
 
 Fourthly, There can be no Proof or Demonflration 
 a priori, from any antecedent Caufe : For Principt ^f^" — . 
 nulla ejl origo : nam a principio oriuntur omnia, ipfum n 1 j. 
 autem nulla alia ex re nafci poteft, nee enim ejfet princi- 
 pium, quod gignereiur aliunde. Here the learned C/^- '" 
 
 mens of Alexandria teaches, " That God is the mofl 
 " difficult of all to be difcourfed of, becaufe fince ^^^°g'J' 5* 
 " the Principle of every thing is hard to be found 
 " out, the firft and moft ancient Principle of all, 
 " which was the Caufe of all other Things, mufi 
 " needs be the hardeft of all to be declared or mani- 
 " fefted.'* And afterv/ards adds, *' But neither 
 " can God be apprehended by any demonftrative 
 " Science, sTrt^n'/j'./i r-i] aTrorPn/lim, for fuch Science 
 " is from Things before in order of Nature, and 
 " more knowable 5 whereas nothing can exift before 
 ^' that which is altogether unmade.'* In all thefe 
 Cafes, we have an excellent Rule laid down by C/^- 
 mensAlexandrimis.'-'- Let us not content ourfelves with rp. 
 *' the Teftimonies of Men j but let us confirm that ciem. 
 *' which comes in Queftion by the Word of God, Alex. 
 ^' which is to be credited beyond all Demonftration ^ Strom, 7. 
 '' or rather is itfelf the only Demonftration.** 
 
 And I might herejuftly objed: againft the pretend-- 
 ed Perfpicuity of fupernatural Truths, that ftrange 
 PifTent which has always been betwixt the Judgments 
 of learned and even pious Men, concerning the De^ 
 grees of Validity in their Proofs, and whether they 
 are conclufive or not ; every one juftifies his own Ar- 
 guments as demonftrative, and makes Objedions 
 againft: others, which have raifed Difficulties not ad- 
 mitting of an eafy Solution, by the Maxims of Phi- 
 Jofophy ; what one has called demonftrative, has 
 been confuted by another, as wanting all that Evi- 
 dence, which can bc.the certain Character of Truth ; or 
 rejeded as mereSophifm. Who more renowned than 
 J)efcartes ? He offers Demonftrations of the Exi- 
 E e 4 ftejiCG 
 
424 "^'^ Knowledge of Divine Tubings from 
 
 ■■: flence of God, which at the Sorbonne have numberlefs 
 Objtclions raifed againft them, and pronounced incon- 
 j clufive. The want of this clear undoubted Evidence 
 has occafioned in fome a Sufpenfion of Mind, and 
 made a famous Schoolman (Gabriel Biel) who had 
 waded through the Depths of Mecaphyficks, to de- 
 clare, *' That all the Proofs which Realbn can afford 
 ** of the Exiftence of God, arc only probable." But 
 this I only mention to fhew, that even Demonftrati- 
 on appears in different Lights, and fuch are the Preju- 
 dices of the Mind, as not to difcern the true Weight 
 and Force of its own Arguments. 
 
 The Exigence of a Deity is an unqueftionable 
 Truth, and fo felf-evident, that it cannot bepropofed, 
 but, the Initant the Mind hears and underitands the 
 Terms, it muft aflent to it as a moft reafonable Be- 
 lief ; and when it has a moral Certainty (or the high- 
 eft Evidence the Subjeft will admit of) that it is a 
 Revelation from God, it will yield the fulleft Aflent, 
 , wherein there is no Doubt or Objection, that it is un- 
 
 queftionably true. If the Mind withholds its Aflent, 
 it is not for want of fufficient Light to convince it, 
 but from being influenced and blinded with unnatu- 
 ral Paffions and Lufl:s, and thereby becomes inexcu- 
 fable : To this End, God propounds them as the Sub- 
 ject of Aflent and Belief; but intends not a fenfible or 
 Mathematical Demonflration of them, becaufe fuch 
 Evidence of things not feen, would not be Faith, 
 which is all he requires of us ; and if none were to 
 believe a God, till they could prove it Geometrically, 
 Atheifm would be the Natural Religion of the World, 
 as it alfo would have been, if Revelation had not 
 taught us the Being and Perfedion of the Deity. 
 
 And from this fure Foundation, the Teftimony of 
 God, and that only, (not from the Wit, Invention, 
 or Cogitations of Men) have all thofe nob'e Argu- 
 ments been raifed, to prove the neceflary Self-exifl:- 
 cnce of one fupreme independent Caufe ; and which 
 have been urged with fuch fuccels againfb Error and 
 Infidelity j that whoever did not acknowledge them 
 
 tQ 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 425 
 
 to be convincing, have been forced to retreat to the 
 grolTeft Abfurdities and Con trad idions ; no Way be- 
 ing left to defend their Afifertions by Reafon, but by 
 admitting what Reafon, as reafonable, can never con- 
 ient to, which is moft abfurd j and they fhut their 
 Eyes under the glaring Light of Truth, that they 
 might not fee it, which is Falfhood and a Lye. 
 
 Yet thefc Arguments, however conclufive, have 
 not that immediate Evidence which is called Mathe- 
 matical •, if they had, every Mindtho' favage and un- 
 cultured would at once dilcern the Force of them, as 
 perfpicuoufly, as that two and two make four ; where- 
 as the Diftance and Sublimity of the Subje6t, the Slow- 
 nefs of the Procedure, and the long Connexion of 
 Truths with each other, require Study and Penetration, 
 a clearer Difcernment, and more folid Judgment, than 
 are to be met with in the greater part of Mankind : 
 Nor is it in our Power to make them fenfible of the 
 Relation of the feveral Propofitions, how theThread 
 of Argumentation lies, or where the Certainty of the 
 Evidence arifes : They muft be led by the Hand 
 from Principle to Principle, and when all is done, the 
 Reafons on which they believe, do not make them 
 know it is impolTible the thing Ihould be otherwife. 
 
 Nor is this Obfcurity owing to the Subjed alone, 
 but frequently to the Method of Deduftion, and the 
 Choice of Mediums, not always the moll clear and 
 exadf , to fill up the great Space between an dtnnipo- 
 tent Caufe and a created Effe6t ; which diftant Ex- 
 tremes, Men according to their feveral Judgments and 
 Apprehenfions of things, bring together by inter- 
 mediate Notions and Truths, formed mto Syllogifms, 
 fo as to carry all along a moral Evidence and Cer- 
 tainty with them ; For the Works of Creation are 
 the Proof which God moft frequently appeals to, and 
 whereon thofe commonly ufed by Philofophers and 
 Divines are grounded. That an infinite Succeflion of 
 Caufes is impoflible and abfurd j therefore there muft 
 be a Firft Caufe, on which all are dependent -, that 
 
 all 
 
'426 The KnGivIedge of Divine Things from 
 
 all things which exift, cannot be contingent, therefore 
 fomething muft neceflarily exift ; that Matter cannot 
 move itfeir, therefore there muft be a Firft Mover j 
 "*that in the feveral Beings which exift, there are feve- 
 ral Degrees of Perfedtion, therefore there muft be 
 one fupremcly perfeft, in Proportion to which other 
 Beings are faid to be more or Jefs perfe<5l ; that all 
 things have Operations for fome End, and whatfo- 
 ever worketh fo, muft be directed to it. Rational 
 Creatures may apprehend the Goodnefs of fuch End, 
 but other natural Agents cannot, therefore muft be 
 diredled in their Adions by Ibme other Counfel 
 than their own ; that even Men in natural Acts ufe 
 no Deliberation, which neverthelefs are dire6ted to 
 their proper Ends, therefore overruled and directed 
 by a greater Wifdom than their own. And laftly, the 
 Structure of the Univerfe, and Manner of its Sub- 
 fiftencc in fuch an excellent Order in all its Parts, 
 and with fuch amazing Regularity. 
 
 But all thefe Conclufions are drawn from two Pro- 
 pofitions of God's own teaching ',1 am, or I exift ; and 
 J made the Heavens and the Earth, and all things therein : 
 Whence the Inference to be proved, is, that he is 
 God,the firft fupremeCaufejmoft perfedlin hisNature, 
 neceflarily Self-exifting, and that befides him, there 
 is none elfe 5 all which are undoubted Truths, but 
 the full Evidence of them does not lie in a Point, like 
 Geometrical Demonftration, but takes in a greater 
 Compafs, is gradually obtained by Dedudlion and 
 Confequence, leading theMind from oneConclufion to 
 another, till there is fuch a Degree of Certainty,that it is 
 irrational or impoflible to imagine it fhould be other- 
 wife, and raifes in the Mind a Sentiment and Convi6li- 
 on, againft which Reafon can make no Objedtion, and 
 fixes an Impreflion on the Underftanding, as clear 
 as Light to the Eyes, and of any equal Degree of 
 Certainty with any other kind of Evidence ; and 
 from Principles thus revealed to us by God, flow 
 all the Delineations of fpiritual Truths and natural 
 
 Re- 
 
Revelation^ not frojn Reafon or Nature. 417 
 
 Religion, which is founded on the divine Perfedi- 
 ons ; and of which without a Teacher from above, 
 we had neither had Apprehenfion nor Proof. 
 
 It is not indeed yet agreed by the learned World, 
 what Degree of Evidence thefe Proofs contain : 
 Some have afifured us of a demonilrative Mathe- 
 matical Certainty, fuch as is in the Geometrical Sci- 
 ences : But others with greater Caution and more 
 Truth have refted it on a moral Certainty : So 
 Plato defines crocp/a, by which he generally under- pj^to de- 
 ftands divine Philofophy, to be an indemonftrable fin. 
 Science, ^o^la. iTri^rjjuxi c^-'uttoQ-st©'. Which de- 
 pending upon the Clearnefs of thofe Mediums and 
 Arguments, which are ufed to prove it according 
 to the Degrees of Force and Perfpicuity in fuch 
 Proof, will be the Force and Evidence of moral 
 Certainty. And in the Qaeftion before us, there is 
 all the Proof that the Nature of the thing will ad- 
 mit, fo as to exclude all manner of Doubt, put the 
 Truth beyond Exception, and render the Disbelief 
 of it abfurd and almoft impoffiblc. For whoever 
 will carefully attend to the Arguments ufed, will 
 find this fundamental Truth fo cogently offered, the 
 Proofs of it fo evident and inconteftable, that though 
 the Certainty be not fcientifick or geometrical, yet 
 is fo unqueftionable, that the Mind can no more 
 withftand, or doubt of it, than it does of its own 
 Exiftence, or Power of Reafon ing. 
 
 And in this Proceeding God deals with us as 
 with rational Creatures, in having given them Fa- 
 culties to difcern, and be convinced of the Truth of 
 what he propofes; it is no Virtue to believe the 
 Exiftence of fenfible Obje(5ls ; to believe a Mathe- 
 matical Demonftration, is Knowledge or Science, 
 not Faith : But a firm Affent to the reality of Things 
 invifible : To give them a Subfiftence in our Minds, 
 a Subftance to what is only hoped for, a real Be- 
 ing to what is no way the Objed: of Senfe, is that 
 fpiritual Evidence and fmcere Faith, which God 
 
 demands 
 
A 2 8 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 Heb. X. demands and! accepts of all them, who believe to the 
 39- faving of the Soul. And fuch a Reliance on the Di- 
 
 vine Teftimony, an AfTent wrought by the Spirit 
 of God, is as certain, as ftrong and efficacious a 
 Convi(flion of the Mind, and leaves as little room 
 for Doubt, as the Mathematical or Ocular Demon- 
 ftration. 
 
 It is befides no fmall Difadvantage to Religion or 
 Morality, to pretend that they are capable of a Cer- 
 tainty, which the Nature of them will not admit ; 
 it is only weakening the Caufe to produce in its be- 
 half Arguments which cannot be fupported, and 
 omit the higheft Evidence it is capable of: For as 
 a learned Prelate argues, if there were any one de- 
 monftrative Argument, or Mathematical Certainty, 
 for the Exiftencc of a Deity j this would render all 
 other Arguments from Scripture or Reafon entirely 
 needlefs ; and there could not be fuch a thing as a 
 Ipeculative Atheift in the "World ; whereas the Ex- 
 perience of all Ages hath fhewn, that there are 
 many fuch Fools, otherwifc of great Learning and 
 Natural Sagacity, who have faid in their Hearts, and 
 argued that there is no God. Nay every one v/ould 
 have a determinate fcientifick Knowledge of it; 
 there could be no Variety of Opinions in the World, 
 nor any fuch thing as Idolatry, to worfhip a falfe 
 God, or more than one. 
 
 Secondly., It is of a moft pernicious Confequence ; 
 for if thele Dodrines be capable of demonftrative 
 Proof, nothing need be regarded further than as it 
 is made appear to have fuch Evidence: And Li- 
 bertines and Unbelievers will never fail to demand 
 it, though it is what the very Nature of them 
 will not admit, and therefore an impoffible Task 
 to do. 
 
 Thirdl}\ If mere Morality (as called) is ftriftly 
 demonftrable, and Revelation capable of no more 
 than Moral Evidence, then the laft can never be 
 Oil an equal foot of Certainty with it, though whol- 
 ly 
 
"Revelation^ Jiof from Reafoft or Nature. 429 
 
 ly dependent on it : A Confequence thofe who are 
 evilly inclined to Revelation plainly fee, and accord- 
 ingly infift on Mathematical Certainty and Evi- 
 dence in Religion : And from thence it is that 
 modern Metaphyfical Morality is grown into Fa- 
 fhion, and that our Writers on that Subjcdl have 
 unwarily formed their Difcourfes to the prevailing 
 Tafte and Genius of an unbelieving Age j though 
 nothing is further from the Nature of Mathemati- 
 cal Certainty, than Metaphyseal Abftradlions ; and 
 Mankind would be in a defperate Condition, if 
 they were to depend upon fuch Abftraflions, for 
 the fundamental Point of all Religion, and were to 
 be conduced through an intricate Maze of notio- 
 nal Abftra6lions, before they could arrive at this 
 Conclulion j therefore there is a God. 
 
 But the Procedure in Moral Certainty is by a 
 long and imperceptible Series of Realbning, the 
 Deductions which the Intel left makes are purely 
 rational ; all its Refolutions and Conclufions are en- 
 tirely abftraded from any immediate A61 of Scn- 
 fation ; its Reafonings are all about Notions and 
 Conceptions, not only very complex in themfelves, 
 each of them being a Compofition of many In- 
 gredients, but wonderfully varied according to the 
 different Sentiments of Men and their oppofite 
 Ways of thinking -, which makes the Guidance 
 of the Mind, and the coming at Knowledge this 
 way flow and embarrafiing ; thefe Operations are 
 what few arc capable to judge of, much lefs per- 
 form ; what then fhall the Millions of rational 
 Creatures do to dire6l themfelves to their final 
 End ? If amidft a Variety of Conclufions they do 
 not always fingle out the right, if they introduce 
 but one wrong Medium, if they miftake in appre- 
 hending the Premifes or drawing the Inferences, 
 inftead of Evidence and Truth they will have Con- 
 fufion and Error. All this is impoflible, a flat 
 Cantradidlion to the known and common Abiii- 
 
 tisfi 
 
430 'TJ^e Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 ties of Nature i and had God required it of them, 
 he would have given them fuitabJe Faculties and 
 Operations to dire6t them, and attain their End. 
 
 It is indeed pretended that Revelation comes in 
 by the by, only as an Aid to Nature ; and that a 
 Clarke, well attelled Interpofition of Divine Authority be- 
 Serm. 80. comes unto all Men a juft Ground of Affent to 
 Vol. I. thofe Truths, which to make cut by the help of 
 Reafon only, was a Work of Difficulty, Time, and 
 Study ; therefore not neceflary, but might have 
 been omitted, as the Intent of it was only to fave 
 us a little Time and Labour. A very gracious 
 Account of the Divine Will and Goodnefs ! But 
 if Reafon was the only Help intended to come at 
 fupernatural Truths; why did he who direds all 
 things by unerring Wifdom and unconfined Mer- 
 cy, make it a Work of fuch Difficulty for Man 
 to know his chiefeft Good ? Could he not have 
 given him fuperior Faculties, with the fame Eafe 
 that he gave the prefent .? Or rather, is the not 
 having given him Abilities fufficient for that Pur- 
 pofe, the Reafon why God made his Revelation,' 
 that being the Purpofe of his Will, whereby Man 
 was to come at the Knowledge of all things ne- 
 ceflary to his End, and thereby exercife his Faith, 
 to which fo many Promifes are made ? 
 
 And that he never could have known them 
 without Revelation, I think plainly appears from 
 lb, the ableft Defenders of Natural Religion -, that 
 though all the great Truths of it, the Being and 
 Attributes of God, the Unalterablenefs of Moral 
 Obligations, the Immortality' of the Soul, and the 
 Expeftation of future Rewards and Punifhmcnts, 
 are difcoverable by Reafon and Argumentation ; 
 yet the greateft Philofophers were in continual Dis- 
 putes, and in many Degrees of Uncertainty con- 
 cerning the very fundamental and moft important 
 Doftrines of Truth and Reafon ; and the quibbling 
 and vain Methods of difputing among the greater 
 
 Pare 
 
Revelation^ Jiotfrom Reafon or Nature, /^ I 
 
 Part of the Heathen Philofophers, were only Sha- 
 dows of Reafoning talfly fo called. 
 
 Is not this an exprefs Contrariety, that all great 
 Truths are difcoverable by Reafon, yet the moft im- 
 proved Reafoners could never difcover or fix the very 
 fundamental Doctrines of Reafon and Truth ; nei- 
 ther was it poffible for them to do it, fince their 
 beft Method of Argumentation was quibbling, vain, 
 and only the Shadow of Reafoning. Are not fuch 
 Retreats as thefe a giving up the Caufe, and more 
 than a moral Proof, that all they fay on this Head 
 is only fyftematical, not real, or natural ? 
 
 For Reafon to have a Law, and Nature a Reli- 
 gion, which neither Reafon nor Nature can find out 
 the fjndamental Truths of, is abfurd and mon- 
 ftrous : Law muft be perfpicuous, or it has no 
 Right to Obedience ; and the End of Religion muft 
 be open to the Underilanding, or it is impoffible 
 to difcern or purfue it : It is therefore neither Law 
 nor Religion, if a virtuous honeft Mind, after due 
 Application, cannot fee the Precepts and Obliga- 
 tions of them. If there be but one Exemption, the 
 Rule is not general ; if there be Millions, it is no 
 Rule at ail : Yet the Nomades^ and New-Holland 
 Men, have the fame Nature, the fime Rights, and 
 the fame End with other Nations ; therefore under 
 the fame Obligations, and if fo, muft have Power to 
 know and fulfil them ; but this they neither did, 
 nor have Power to do, and as ImpofTibilities cannot 
 oblige, it is neither the Law nor Religion of Nature, 
 becaufe not Univerfal as the Nature : I need not 
 inftance in thefe, becaufe (as we have feen) Athens 
 and Rome were Strangers to the very Foundations 
 of them. 
 
 To talk therefore of Revelation as a Crutch, to 
 fave Difficulty, Time, or Study, is an empty, lazy 
 Sophifm : How comes it to pafs, that the greateft 
 Men, who confumed their whole Time and Study 
 herein, did not accomplifh it? Or if Nature can 
 
 do 
 
432 The Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 do it, why fo much Learning and Application ? 
 To all natural Ads they are fuperfluous ; and what 
 cannot be had but by them, is owing to them, 
 not to Nature : But alas ! neither Study nor Na- 
 ture were fufficient for it : For (as the fame Author 
 obferves) thofe ancient Sages who were fo impati- 
 ent after Wifdom, as to exhauft their Lives and 
 Spirits in purfuit of it, were ever loft in Uncertain- 
 ties about the moft fundamental Do6trines : They 
 had Truth in few, Miftakes in many, Doubts in 
 all important Points ; fo that Revelation could not 
 be intended to fave Time and Study, as they fer- 
 ved to fo little purpofe. And as they had Doubts, 
 Miftakes, and but the Shadow of Truth in any 
 important Point , it is an Abufe of the common 
 Senfe of Mankind, to pretend that Nature or Rea- 
 • ; ion could come at the Truth of one fupernatural 
 Doftrine, the fpiritual Nature and Perfedlions of 
 God, the Immortality of the Soul, a future State, 
 the Origin of the Univerfe, ^c. 
 
 This intelledlual Pride, or fole Reliance upon 
 Reafon, has given us in later Ages lamentable In- 
 ftances of human Frailty, by the fall of wife Men 
 into defperate Errors ; from imagining there was 
 no Difficulty they were not able to account for, and 
 taking no other Clue to diredt them, they utterly de- 
 parted from Truth, and adopted the moft heretical 
 and deteftable Opinions. 
 
 This Simplicius obferves of Ariflotle^ that confin- 
 ing himfelf to the Sphere of his own Reafon, he 
 would examine divine Matters by Nature, and ad- 
 mit nothing but what was grounded one Nature's 
 Light, or rather his own corrupt Reafon. Whence 
 he rejected the divine Doftrines his Mafter learned 
 from the Eaftern Traditions, becaufe they would not 
 ftoop to his proud Reafon and Method of Argumen- 
 tation. This made the Leviathan of the laft Century 
 publickly profefs Atheifm, and a Disbelief of all 
 things which admit not of fenfible Demonftration. 
 
 And 
 
Revelation, not from Re a fin or Nature. 433 
 
 And the fame Fate muft attend all thofe Reafoners 
 of Nature, whofe ftubbofn Minds will not fubmit 
 to Revelation, becaufe not evident in the fame man- 
 ner as a Problem in Euclid, but will have Demon- 
 ftration and Mathematical Certainty for every 
 thing, tho* from the Nature of the Subje6l it be 
 incapable of it. Though furely it is not the Cha- 
 rafter of Wifdom to demand an Impoflibility; or 
 for Reafon, becaufe it cannot mafter Truth, to be- 
 lieve an Abfurdity; but this is copying after the 
 Ancients, who, becaufe they could not prove the 
 Creation, were fatisfied to maintain the Eternity of 
 Matter. 
 
 Nay amongfl: the moft Orthodox, is there any 
 one Syftem of fpeculative Points, in the Proofs 
 whereof all agree ? fome things may be true, but 
 are founded on fuch remote Principles and Confe- 
 quences, that they cannot with Certainty be de- 
 pended on. An Argument is faid to be conclufive 
 here, but feems weak or fallacious there : The Prin- 
 ciple is good, but the Conclufion not indubitable. 
 This might have been put in a flronger Light, and 
 that with more Prudence and Caution omitted ; 
 there is fome Error or Defed: in them all, which 
 other learned Men difient from ; and where there is 
 one Defedl, there may be more ; fo that in a Sy- 
 ftem, the Produdl of mere Reafon, every Man muft 
 go through the whole Operation to fettle his Judg- 
 ment, which the Bulk of Mankind are unable to 
 do i or depend upon that of others which is fallible, 
 therefore no fure Reliance on it in Matters of Sal- 
 vation. 
 
 To remedy which, God who is infallible, has 
 made fuch Revelations of himfelf in his Word, and 
 by his Works, as are neceflary and fufficient for our 
 prefent State -, and perhaps as far as the Proportion 
 betwixt the Objeft to be known and the Faculty to 
 apprehend will bear ; by which we are able to al^ • 
 cend to a fufficient Knowledge of him, and if more 
 
 F f h*4 
 
434 ^'^^ Knowledge of Divine Tbijigs from 
 
 had been requifite to condufl our Contemplations, 
 brdired our Lives, he would not have denied the 
 Means of attaining it : To inquire further than this, 
 will be no more than Vanity and Prefumption, in 
 which Men are quickly confounded ; and many 
 have loft their Religion and Devotion too, by thus 
 curiouQy prying into the Myfteries and Secrets of 
 God. No one need be afliamed of not knowing 
 v/hat God has not revealed; and he that would go 
 further, gives up his Wifdom, and endangers his 
 / Safety : The only fare Rule is, to leave off inquir- 
 ; ing where God leaves off to teach us ; for there 
 ! ■ are Bounds fet to liuman Underftanding and Curio- 
 ! fity i there is a Danger in wantonly preffmg be- 
 ' yond them j and it is real Wildom to defire Igno- 
 rance of what God would not have us know. 
 
 This fame Procedure will hold true of all other 
 divine Subje6ls ; I fhall mention but one, and that is 
 the Immortality of the Soul, concerning which let 
 us hear Mr. Locke in his Reply to the Bifliop of 
 Anfwer to Worcejler. " Your Accufation of my leffening the 
 Second " Credibility of thefe Articles of Faith, is founded 
 Letter. cc qj^ j-j^jg. That the Article of the Immortality of 
 " the Soul abates of its Credibility, if it be allowed, 
 *' that its Immateriality (which is the fuppofed 
 " Proof from Reafon and Philofophy of its Immor- 
 *' tality) cannot be demonftrated frprn Natural Rea- 
 " fon ; which Argument of your Lordfhip*s bot- 
 " toms, as I humbly conceive, on this. That Di- 
 " vine Revelation abates of its Credibility in. all thofe 
 *' Articles it propofes, proportionably as human 
 *' Reafon fails to fupport the Teftimony of God. 
 " And all that your Lordfhip in thofe Pafliiges has 
 <' faid, when examined, will, I fuppofe, be found to 
 " import thus much, w'z. Does God propole any 
 " thing to Mankind to be believed } It is very fit 
 *' and credible to be believed, if Reafon can 
 " demonlTrate it to be true : But if human Reafon 
 *' comes Ihort in the Cafe, and cannot make it out, 
 
 " its 
 
(C 
 
 Reijelation^ not from ReafoJi or Nature. 43^ 
 
 its Credibility is thereby leflened ; which is in ef~ 
 fei5l to fay, That the Veracity of God is not a 
 " firm and fure Foundation of Faith to rely upon, 
 " without the concurrent Tellimony of Reafon, 
 " /. e. with Reverence be it fpoken, God is not to be 
 " believed on his own Word, unleis what he reveals 
 " be in it felf credible, and might be believed with- 
 " out him. Your Lordfliip fays, You do not Qje- 
 " flion whether God can give Immortality to a 
 *' material Subftance; but you fay it takes off very 
 " mupk from the Evidence of immortality, if it 
 *' depends wholly upon God's giving that which of 
 *' its own Nature it is not capable of To which 
 " I reply -, Any one's not being able to demonftrate 
 *' the Soul to be immaterial, takes off not very 
 " much, nor at all from the Evidence of its Im- 
 " mortality, if God has revealed that it fhall be 
 *' immortal, becaufe theVeracityof God isaDemon- 
 *' flration of the Truth of what ke has revealed, and 
 *' the want of another Demonftration of a Propofiti- 
 *' on, that is demonflratively true, takes not off from 
 " the Evidence of it. For where there is a clear De- 
 *' monftration, there is as much Evidence as any Truth 
 " can have that is not felf-evident. Can any one who 
 *' admits of Divine Revelation, think this Propofition 
 " Jefs credible. The Bodies of Men after the Refur- 
 " re6bion, fhall live for ever ; than this, The Souls of 
 " Men fhall, after the Refurredion, live for ever ? 
 " For that he rnufldo, if he think either of them is 
 " lefs credible than the other. If this be fo, Reafon 
 *' is to be confulted how far God is to be believed, 
 " and the Credit of the Divine Teftimony mufl re- 
 " ceive its Force from the Evidence of Reafon, which 
 " is evidently to take away the Credibility of Divine 
 " Revelation, in all fupernatural Truths, wherein 
 ** the Evidence of Reafon fails." 
 
 Thus far Mr. Locke, that great Mafler of Reafon. 
 Nothing need be added to it. The World is con- 
 vinced how much he triumphed over his learned Ad- 
 F f 2 verfary 
 
436 The Kftoivledge of Divine Thi7igs from 
 
 verfary in this Difpute. Reafon has its Province, 
 and a very large one, but is not theMeafureof fuper- 
 fiatural Truths. WeareChriftians by Faith, not by 
 Natural Reafon, and muft therefore believe, not 
 • in ourfelves but in God, in thole things which Reli- 
 gion, and not Reafon teaches. The Refult of Caje- 
 tan's long Enquiry into this Subjed:, was to embrace 
 the Opinion he once had fcoffed at, and make this 
 Confeffion, " I believe that our Souls are immortal, 
 " but I do not know it,*' /. e. He found no Demon- 
 ftrations from Natural Reafon, that were conclufive' 
 and convincing. No Foundation is fo immoveable 
 as the Word of God ; no Demonftration fo clear as 
 the Divine Authority -, no Truth fo evident as what 
 God affirms -, nor is it Natural Reafon, or Philofo- 
 phical Notions, but Faith, which will make us ac- 
 ceptable to him. 
 
 If after all it be faid that the Heathens did come at 
 the Knowledge of God, a religious Behaviour to- 
 wards him, the Immortality of the Soul, ^c. and that 
 by the Light of Nature and unaffifced Reafon only, 
 without any Help or Inftrudlion but their own Ratio- 
 cinations, by Obfervation, Colleftion, and Inference 
 from fenfible Objedls ; a Point that many are wilhng 
 to believe and to perfuade others. 
 
 I might as juftly anfwer. That they never did come 
 to any tolerably adequate Conceptions of the Supreme 
 Being, much lefs of his Will, or that Worfhip which 
 muft be due to him ; nor of the Immortality of the 
 Soul, or a future State : That it is almoft impoffible 
 to recount the many impious and falfe Opinions they 
 conceived of the Deity ; what Vanities, abfurd and 
 ridiculous things they looked upon as God,*and with 
 what barbarous accurfed Rites they offered their Wor- 
 fhip to him. 
 
 But thefe Points fhall have a full Examination in 
 the enfuing Parts of this Treatife : What their Noti- 
 ons and Dodlrines were in Theology ; what their fo- 
 lemn A6h of Worlhip and Piety j what their Prac- 
 tices 
 
Revelation, not from Reafon or Nature, 437 
 
 tices or Morality ; and how far their fo much boad- 
 ed Philofophy conduced to the Knowledge of thefe 
 important Truths, or to the final Good and End of 
 Man : That we may the better judge how far Nature 
 and Reafon are fufficient for thefe things ; for if they 
 did not diredl the Heathens, neither can they others ; 
 and if the former knew not God, nor worfhipped him 
 as God, all the Ihining Scraps and Quotations cited 
 from them, will be no more than empty big fwelling 
 Words, without any Truth or Meaning. 
 
 Reafon and Nature are the fame in Heathens and 
 Chriftians ; its Faculties and Operations equal, and 
 one cannot, by the Exercile of it, do more than the 
 others did. If then the Religion and Law of Nature 
 be unalterable and eternal, they mud have been un- 
 der all the moral Obligations, that we now are ; and 
 if the Precepts of Natural Religion and Law beper- 
 fpicuous, clear and obvious to Reafon, they muft have 
 been univerfally and equally known, (elpecially to 
 their wife Men) in the ancient as well as prefent Ages. 
 But if this be falfe in fad:, if no one did it, if among 
 all the Writings of the Heathen World, (notwith- 
 {landing fo many glittering Sentences, and almoftdi- 
 vine Difcourfes) there cannot be extradled any tole- 
 rably explicit Syftem of God, his Providence, Attri- 
 butes and Will, the Immortality of the Soul, or a fu- 
 ture State ; but in every important Point there were 
 horrid Defedls, and monftrous Errors j no Agree- 
 ment or Certainty amongft them, fome affirming, 
 fome denying, others doubting ; in all Places fhock- 
 ing and impious Principles, together with the vileft 
 Pradlices, allowed and tolerated, contrary both to 
 Nature and Reafon : 
 
 The Conclufion mufb be. That natural Light was 
 infufficient to Divine Knowledge ; and that their 
 having any Notions or Apprehenfions of fpiritual 
 things, muft be derived from fome other Fountain ; 
 except we are content to fay, that Shadows and Sub- 
 llances are the fame thing, or that Reafon could dif- 
 
 cern 
 
43^ ^be Knowledge of Divine Things from 
 
 cqrn the one but not the other, altho* given us for 
 fuch purpofe ; from which Opinion little Advan- 
 tage would redound to iVlan, or Honour to God. 
 
 We have feen it to be the concurring Judj^ment 
 of the whole World, Heathens, Jews, and Chrilli- 
 ans, that we cannot know the Firll Caufe by its Ef- 
 fedts, becaule of the vaftDittance between it and the 
 moft exalted Mind •, lb that one mud always be 
 infinitely removed from the other, nor by any Ana- 
 logy from vifible things. The Philolbphers compar- 
 ed him to the Sun, as the moil glorious Objcft of 
 Senfe j but the Similitude could only call a Shade 
 upon him. Flotinus fays, J4^e have no Knowledge 
 or Underjianding of him. Parmenides and Dlonyjius^ 
 ^hai wefpeak of him only by JSIegaiives and Relations.. 
 Cajfiodore fays, l^hat the highejl Point of Wifdo^n is to 
 know, that God can do more than human Senfe can con- 
 ceive. And it is an Expreffion of their own, 'That 
 our Underjianding with regard to God, is as the Eyes of 
 an Owl to the Brightnefs of the Sun. So it was uni- 
 verfally agreed to the Days oi lamblichus^ in the laft 
 Ages of Philofophy, That Human Nature can neither 
 reafon^ nor fpeak of God, nor perform any Divine 
 Works without God. 
 
 There remains then no other way to come at the 
 Knowledge of the Firfl: Caufe, but by its own Ma- 
 nifeflations ; what Nature could not do, Grace and 
 Mercy have fupplied. Nothing (without a Miracle) 
 can afcend to Heaven, but what firfl came down 
 from thence : And in this Method do we attain the 
 Knowledge of the Celellial Hierarchy. The Divine 
 Light defcended on the Angelick Nature, and af- 
 terwards by Revelation, Infpiration, and Inftrudlion, 
 manifells and imparts icfclf to our Capacities and Un- 
 derftanding ; and the Human Mind mud afcend by 
 the fame Scale to the Contemplation of fpiritual in- 
 vifible Objedts : For. by a due Meditation on whit 
 has been revealed from above, reverently examining, 
 weighing and confidering the Secrets of Heaven, and 
 
 that 
 
Revelation^ not from Reafon or Nature. 439 
 
 that Illumination of the Divine Splendour which is 
 in Angels, Ihe gradually increales in the Knowledge 
 of fupernacural things, till at lalt Ihe grows ftronger, 
 and is able to rail'e herlelf up to a diftant Contem- 
 plation (all that her Faculties can admit) of the Glo- 
 ries which encompals the Supreme infinite. For the 
 Notices here are proportioned to our State j but Rea- 
 fon is weak, and the Natural Man not capable 
 of the thmgs of the Spirit, becaufe they are 
 fpiritually difcerned. In thefe. Faith is the Eye, and 
 the Spirit and Word of God rhe Light wnicn difpels 
 theDarknefj of ctie iVIind, opens to it a ne^v Scene of 
 Invifibles, the Creator of all things, glorious but im- 
 material Subftances, infinite Wifdom, Perfedlion and 
 Beatitudes, which a Finite Intellect could never have 
 enquired into or difcovered. 
 
 And when the Firft Caufe has thus manifefted it 
 felf, the Works become proper WitnefTes to what 
 the Word has revealed concerning its Greatnefs and 
 Perfection ; Then natural Means become Illuftrations 
 of the fupernatural ones, and vifible things an Evi- 
 dence of Intellectuals Tne Grandeur, Excellence, 
 and Order of the Univerfe, are a fenfible Proof, and 
 unqueftionable Demonftration of its being the Ef- 
 fefl of infinite Power and Wifdom, and thus the 
 Heavens declare the Glories of the invifible Godhead : 
 For (with Euripides) as-s^^? 0^' Iv 8(oavo7 -no'y.iKna. rU- 
 Tovo^ cro^ii^ 'The Stars in Heaven are the Variety of a* 
 wife Artificer. 
 
 On the whole, we may fafely conclude, as Plato did, „ . 
 from the concurrent Opinions of all Ages and Places, "0^3"** 
 *' That there is the greateft and moft evident Reafon 
 " to believe, whenever Men began to fpecalate about 
 ** the Gods, whether there were any fuch Beings, how 
 '* they exilted, and what were their Employments 5 
 " That none of thefe Opinions took their Rife from 
 *' the Wit or Reafon of wife Men." That is, not 
 from Nature or Reafon, which is the Point contend- 
 ed for, and at firft propofcd to be enquired into. 
 
 7 If 
 
440 ^he Knowledge of Divine T/jings, &c. 
 
 If the farther Purfuit of this Subjedl may (in 
 the Opinion of wife impartial Men) contribute any 
 Service to Rchgion, I fliall proceed to confirm what 
 has been hitherto laid from Fa6b and Experience ; 
 the only Arguments which can give true light to, or 
 be conclufive, in the Enquiry before us : And en- 
 deavour to fliew in the 
 
 Second Book, That the bed Notions the Heathens 
 were able to conceive of God and fupernatural Truths, 
 fuch as the Immortality of the SouJ, a future State, 
 &c. were vaftly imperfed, or altogether falfe; 
 that their mod folemn A6ls of Worfhip were 
 idolatrous, fuperftitious, and utterly unbecoming the 
 Divine Nature ; and their Moral Adtions, which 
 they held to be juft and good, were impious, wicked 
 and deteftable : From whence it will follow in the 
 
 Third Book, That Philofophy orReafon are wholly 
 infufficient to prefcribe a Law of A6lingor a Rule of 
 Life to Man, or direft him to the Perfe£tion of 
 his Being, his final End, and ultimate Happinefs. 
 And to complete the Subje6t, I fhall, in the 
 
 Fourth Book, Trace out the only Method where- 
 by the Heathen World did come at the Names and 
 Notices of Divine Truths, which we find among 
 them. 
 
 And every Argument through the whole will tend 
 
 to confirm this fingle Point, That the Knowledge of 
 
 • Divine Things cannot be attained by Reafon or Nature. 
 
 F I N I S. 
 
iM 
 
" f^k 
 
 # 
 
 V