COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY sec 9i 7 DIVINE DIALOGUES, Containing fundry Difquifitions 6c Inftra&ions Concerning the Attributes of God And his PR OVIDENCE I N T H E W O R L D Colle&ed and compiled by the Care and Induftry of Vrancifcus Valaapolhantis. Whcreunto is annexed A brief Difcourfe of the true Grounds of the Certainty of Faith in Points of Religion, to- ther with fome few plain Songs or Divine Hymns on the chief Holy 'Days in the Tear. €i)e secant* emtum. WISDOM VIII. I, Thy Wifdom, O Lord^ reacheth from one end to another mightily } and fweetly doth Jhe .order all things , LONDON^ Printed and Sold by Jofepk Downing in Bartholo- mew-Clofe near Weft-Smithfield, MDCCXIII. ■ ilM'lliMMjjMM Imprimatur. Sam. Parker, R. Rmo. in Chrifto Ex ^Edibus Patri ac Domino, Domino G//- Lambcth. berto Divina Providentia Archie- JJS? " pifcopo Cantuarienfi, a Sacris Do- mefticis. in THE PUBLISHER T O T H E R E A D E R. THOUGH it may well feem needlefs to preface any thing in particular touch- ing thefe Three Fir ft Dialogues, we be- ing in fo great a meafure prevented by w hat is al- ready noted in general in the PaUoyotites Epi- i file to his Friend ; yet becaufe the other two 'went not out of my hands without fomething a larger Preamble, I have thought it not a'mifs to preface a little in way of commendation of thefe. Briefly then, the Subjed of the Fir ft of thefe Three Dialogues is the Attributes of God-, of the Two latter, the Ad j lifting of the Phenomena of the World totheGoodnefs of his Providence. Arguments that will eafily allure the Attention of the Cu- rious, and I think handled with that plainnefs, that full comprehenfion and careful circumfpe&i- on, that they will alfo fatisfie the Ingenuous. But they that have a mind to find flaws will ea- fily phanfie they fee them even there where they are not. The main Scope of the Author in the handling of the Attributes of God feems to be, to cut his way with that Caution and Judgment, as neither to leflen the Majefty of the Godhead by a pretence of making his Nature fo univerfally in- A 2 telligible fob.^ 22 iv The PMifber to the Reader. tclligible toal1 Capicities whatfoever, (for it is well known how dull and fhort-lighted fome are) not vet on the other fide to make his Exigence incredible, by puzzling and confounding even the bell Underftandings^ with high-flown Noti- ons and hard Repugnancies, yea perfect Contra- dictions, upon pretence of magni yinp.the Na- ture of God the more thereby. As if the more perplext and fclf-inconfiftent the Nature of God w^re, it were the more glorious and adorable j and that were not a Reprehenfion of our Savi- our tr> the Samaritans, but an Encomium, where hr fays, Te IVorfoip ye know not what . W hich yet is the condition of all thofe that drefsup the Dei- ty with repugnant Attributes, and an Invitation to the Atheiftically given to quit both the Deity and his Worfhip at once. Which confideration, I conceive, made the Author ofthefe Dialogues not only with found Reafon to beat down, but alfo with a due and becoming Contemptuoufnefs toexplode that new fond Opinion of the Nullubifis, who, forfooth, imagine themfelves fo fuperlatively intellectual a- bove other Men, in declaring that God\is no-where^ though they cannotdeny but that he is. In which lofty adventure though they boaft themfelves as fo fafely elevated above the Region of Imagi- nation, yet I do not doubt but this high Lift of their thoughts will be found at laft to be but as a tumid Bubble on troubled Waters, and that the Levity and Puffnefs of their Spirits has carri- ed their conceptions ( if they have any of the thing they pronounce of; above the level of com- mon Sen ft and Reafon. In his adjufiing of the Phcenomena of the Ztni- verfe to the Divine Goodnefs, it is confiderable that he has declined no difficulties the wit of Man can imagine or invent, but brought them all into view, or at leaft the hardeft of all, and fuch Specimina of all kinds, that in all likelihood, what- The PuWfher to the Reader. whatever new Inftances may occur to Men, or they m3y on fet purpofe excogitate, will be eafi- ]y Satisfied by the Solution of thefe foregoing Examples. That alfois not to be pretermitted, how he lias fitted Solutions and Hywhefes to the feveral degrees and capacities of the Minds of Men, that the Argument may not be too big for fome, and too little for others. To fay nothing how in t-fee reprefentingof the grofsBarbarities of the Man-, ners ani Religions in the Uncivilized parts of the World, he does by not an unpleafant Satyri- calnefs dexteroufly endeavour the quickening of the Civilized parts into a feufe and abhorrence of the leaft fhadow or refemblance ofthofe ex- ecrable Borbarities. Andthatagain,methinksis very foberand hu- mane, in that in the fitting out thefe Genius's of feveral forts and fizes, as I even now intima- ted, there is nothing of reproach call upon any, but he that has not the Fate to be a Philotheus or a Bathynous, is notwithftanding allowed to be a Sophron. All which Difpenfations in their kind are laudable and Honourable \ and it is certain- ly want of Judgment or good Nature that makes them contemn one another. For thofe that are arrived to any due meafure of real Piety and Vertue find fo great a Perfection in that, that thofe whom they fee arrived to the like degree there with themfelves, let their other Capaci- ties be what they will, they willeafily give them the right hand of Fellowfhip, and acknowledge them their equals. But for thofe whofe either Knowledge or Ignorance is accompanied with fo high a pitch of Rudenefs and Immorality, as that they contemn and reproach all that are not of their own fizein either, it is but juft if they find themfelves lightly perftiinged in the Para- ble of thofe two loud-finging Nightingals of Arcadia that fo rudely awakened Bathynous out of his Divine Dream. A 3 Laftly, VI The PMiJher to the Reader. Laftly, For the obfervation of Decorum of Perfons, though it be not neglected or tranfgref- fed in any part of all the Five Dialogues, yet it is more full and articulate in thefe Three } when as the peculiar Character of Hylobares had no oc- cafion diftinctly to mew itfelf in the Two laft. But the Characters of all the others are more or v lefs difcernible in all Five, but moft of ail that of Cuphophron. In the Chara&er of which Perfon the Dramatift feems to have been judicious even to Phyfiognomomcal Curiofity, he intimating him to begone of fo little a Stature. Which com- ports excellently well with that gaiety of Man- ners, that verfatility of Wit, and lightfomenefs of Humour, that difcovers it felf all along from the beginning to the end in the Perfon of Cupho- phron. For this qualification of Manners is moft incident, according to the Rules of Phyfiognomie^ to Men of little flature, their Heat and Spirits being fomething over-proportionated to rhe big- nefs of their Body ; which makes them quick and chearful, and of a fudden apprehenfion, obnoxi- ous to Raptures and exalted Refveries, though reaching fliort, or elfe fhootfng over, and not eafily hitting the Truth. Which therefore agrees well with the Platonicalnefs of Cuphophron 's Ge- nius. Befides that it may be the Author may have fame regard to the littlenefs of Dcs-Cartes his Stature, of whofe Wifdom Cuphophron is in- troduced fuch an exceffive admirer. As if the lefier-fized Bodies were the fitted Sheath or Cafe for a Cartefian Wit. Not to Note farther, that Plato alfo was of no procere Stature. Several fuch like PretthiefTes accompany the nervofe profecution of the main Subject of thefe Dialogues: wherein to the free and ingenuous 1 think the Author will not eafily feem to have o- ver-fhot hjmfelf in any thing, unlefs in his over- plain and open oppofing that fo-much-admired Philofopher Rcn^tus Des-Cartcs^ on whom Per- fons The PublijJjer to the Reader. vii fons well verfed in Philofophical Speculations have bellowed fo high Encomiums, efpecially a Writer of our own, who,befides the|many Com- mendations he up and down in his Writings a- dorns him with, compares him i in his appendix to the Defence of his Philofophical Cabbala) to Be- zaliel and siholiab, as if he were infpired from a- bove with a Wit fo curioufly Mechanical, as to frame fo confident a Contexture of Mechanical Philofophy as he did. And the late Learned Au- thor of Pkilofophia Script ur& Interpret, after an o- porofe, fiibtile and copious endeavour of evin- cing that Pi ilofophy is the beft Interpreter of Scripture, as if all that pains had been intended in the behalf of Des-Cartes, to fet him in the in- fallible Chair, he concludes all at laft with a very high and unparallel'd Elogie of the Car- tefian Philofophy. Wherefore it may very well be queftioned whether it was fo advifedly done of 'the YV riter of thefe Dialogues, to adventure the expofing of his own Credit, by fo openly op- posing and oppugning the great Name and Au- thority of fo very famous and eminent a Philo- fopher as Cartefius* But for my part, I muft confefs, the more he may have expofed himfelf by this freedom, (pro- vided that he be in the right, which the impar- tial Reader mull judge ofj the Points thatare controverted are of fuch great confequence, that 1 think it is in him the more confpicuous Aft of Vertue, and that that very ground upon which this Imputation of over-fhooting himfelf is raif- ed, is a Principle to be abhorred by all good and generous Spirits ^ namely, Asifitwerea point of Imprudence to be lefs tender of a Man's own private Credit than of the Glory of God, and the publick Good *, or, As if any one ought to lofeany efteem by doing what is really wor- thy and laudable. A 4 Be- viii ' The Publifter to the Reader. Befides, be does but follow the Pattern of that very Author that is obferved fo highly to have commended Des-Cartes, mod of the Allegations agiinft his Philofophy being more fully pur fued in that Encomia]?* Writings. And*in that very Epiftleto V.C. where he makes it his bufinefs to apologize for him, and to extol him and mag- nifie him to the Skies, yet he does plainly and a- pertly declare, That it is a kind o]vile and ab- ject v\oXcL7$iidL) or fnperflitious idolizing o] Mat- ter, to pretend that all the Phenomena oftheVniverfe will ari]e out of it by mere Mechanical Motion And yet in the fame Epift'e he feems to acknowledge that there may be forne few effects purely Me- chanical. Which I believe was from his over- great deflre to make Des-Cartes feem as conil- derable as he could with any judgment and corifcience. But for my part, upon my more fe- rioufly confidering what occurs in thefe pia- logues, I am abundantly allured that there is no purelv-Mechanical Phenomenon in the whole U- niverfe. Nor ought that Author fo to beunderftood in the comparing Carte fins with Bezaliel and Aho\iab, as if he did reallv believe he was fuper- naturally infpired. For with what face can any one put that fenfe upon fnch an high-flown Complement, whenas he does as well up and down in his Works plainly and zealoufly con- fute Des-Cartes, where he finds him faulty in things of any concern, as praife him and com- mend him where he deferves it? Which is a plain indication he did not take him to be in- fallibly infpired. And it mav be the right Exe- E*o .. ,35, 35 *gtj;s 0f Beialiel and Aholiabh being filled with ths Spirit of God is but their being filed with wifdom of Heart for ihofe Mchanical Curiofities of Work ; as it is figniiud toward the end of that Chapter, That they had a fpecial and ex- traordinary fiemtuHtikt way, which was the gift The Vublijher to the Reader. \% gift of God in Nature. Befides that every great thing in Nature according to the Hebrew Idiom has its denomination from God. And therefore to be filled with the Spirit of God in wif- #*&/.- 5, 3rj dom and underfianding, &c. is to have a great meafureof Wifdom and Underftandingin fuch and fuch things. As without queftion Des-Cartes had a great deal of Wit and Sagacity to fiid out the moft credible Material Caufes of the Phenomena of the Worlcf, and to order them in- to the moft lpecious Contexture that the thing is capable of, to make up a Mechanical Philofo- phy. But that thefe things can neither arife nor hold together without an higher Principle that muft fupenntend and guide them, this great Encomiaft of his does as plainly declare in *feve- *Antidot% f;h: ral Places, as the Co-ntriver at thefe prefent Di- z raP^-/ed. alogues does. 7>8' 9> °» But as for the Author of Philofophia Scripture ] Va^'I4* Interpret, I muft confefs I do much admire ^ 9'; &C.*' that after he has laboured fo much to make good immortality his Argument, he fliould pitch upon Des-Canes of the Soul, his Philofophy as fuchafafe Oracle to confult M 3^.12,13.; about the meaning of Scripture. It is true, that feveral ftrokes of it are very fitly applicable to a Phiiofophicalfenfe of the Six days Creation: butthofe are fuch as are comprehended in the Pythagorick frame of the Univerfe, and corre- fpond with the ancient Cabbala % are no new In-? ventions of the Cartepan Wit. And the truth is, that which makes Des Cartes his Philofophy look fo anguitly on't is, in that he has interwo- ven into it that noble Syfteem of the World ac- cording to the Tradition of Pythagoras and his Followers, or, if you will, of the moft ancient CabbaU of Mofes. But the reft of his Philofophy is rather pretty thangmtt, and in that Senfeth3t be drives at, of pure Mechanifm, enormoufly and ridiculouflyfaife. But 1 _Tke Publijher to the Reader. But now for thofe Principles or Paffagesin his Philofophy that are more peculiarly his own, there is nothing more eftranged from the Gem- wjofthe Scripture and the fervice of Theologie than they. For fuller fatisfa&ion, and for the fuavity of the conceits fake, let us make trial in ibme few. It is a grand Principle with him, that where-ever we cannot hut conceive an Extend- on or Expanfion, we mud likewife necelTarily conceive there is Mattel. And therefore becaufe we cannot but conceive an indefinite Space round aboutus extended, we cannot but conceive Mat- ter all along extended. Which plainly implies, we cannot but conceive there is Matter, what- ever elfe there is. Whence it follows, that its exiftence is neceiTary of its felf and independent of God, becaufe in its very Notion or Idea it cannot but be conceived to be •, we being not a- ble otherwife to conceive but that there is an indefinite Extenfion round about us. How this will comport with the abfolute Perfection of God, or how found a fenfe it will render of the firft Verfe in Genefis^ I leave to any one to con- jecture. Again, It is as confefled a Principle with him, that Matter alone with fuch a degree of Motion as is fuppofed now in the Univerfe will produce all the Phenomena of the World, Sun, Moon, and Stars, Air, Water, Earth, Plants, Animals, and the Bodies of Men, in fuch order and orginiza- tion as they are found. Which Principle in his Philofophy certainly mull: prove a very inept Interpreter of Rom. i. 19,26". where fta eternal Tower and Godhead is fa id clearly to be feen by the things that are made ', infomuch that the Gen- tiles became thereby unexcufable. But if the tartefUn Philofophy be true, it was their igno- rance they could not excufe themfelves. For they might have fa id, Th3t all thefe things might come to pafs by Matter and mere Mecha- nical The Publijher to the Reader. Xi nical Motion; and that Matter excludes Motion in its own Idea no more than it includes Reft: fo that it might have Motion of it felf as well as its Exiftence, according to the former Implica- tion. Seealfo how lit a Giofs this Principle will afford upon Afts 14. 17- and how well th it Text agrees w«th the fir ft Se&ion of the firft Chapter of Des- Cartes his Meteors. A third peculiar property of his Philofophy is, princip. A Teeming Modefty in declining all fearch into 1. Aide, the final Caufes of the Phenomena of the World : as if, forfooth, that were too great a prjefumpti- on jf humane Wit, to pry into the E ids of God's Creation \ whenas indeed his Philofophy is of that nature, that it prevents all fuch Re- fearches ; things coming to pafs, according to it, as if God were not at all the Creator and Con- triver of the World, but that mere Matter Me- chanically fwung about by fuch a meafure of Mo- tion fell rieceflarily, without any more to do, in- to this Frame of things we fee, and could have been no otherwife than they are } and that there- fore all the particular Ufefulneffes of the Crea* tion are not the Refults of Wifdorn or Counfel, but the blind iflfues of mere Material and Me- chanical Neceflity. And things being fo^ it is in- deed very confiftent to call the conflderation of the Final Caufe out of the Mechanical Philofo- phy. But in the mean time how fit an Interpre- ter of Scripture this Philofophy wiD be in fuch places as that of the Pfalmift, 0 Lord how mani» fold are thy works ! in wifdom hafl thou made them all, lunderftandnot. For, according to this Phi- lofophy, he has made none of them fo. Let the zealous Cartefian read the whole 144 Pfalm, and tune it in this , point, if he can, to his Matter's Philofophy. Let him fee alfo what fenfe he can make of the firft to the Corinthians, Ch. 1. v. 21. Fourthly, The Apparitions of Horfemen and Armies encountring one another in the Air, % Aiacch, \ xii The Pablifber to the Reader. Macch. 5. let him conflder how illuftrable that paflage is from the laft Section of the 7. Chap- ter of Des-Cartes his Meteors, and from the con- cluiion of that whole Treatife. Jfai 1. 3. Fifthly, That of the Prophet, The Ox inows his J Owner, and the Afs his Mafter's Crib \ as alio that Pro. \l% 10. of Solomon, The righteous Man regardeth the life of his Beafl, but the tender Mercies of the Wicked are cruel: what an excellent Glofs that Conceit of Des-Cartes his, of Brutes being fenfe- lefs Machines, will produce upon thefe Texts, any one may eafily forefee. And, laftly, Gal. 5. 17. where that Enmity and conflict betwixt the Flefh and the Spirit is mentioned, (and is indeed as ferious and folemn an Argument as any occurs in all Theologie) what light the Carte/tan Philofbphy will contri- bute for the more plainly underftanding thisfo important Myftery, may eafily be conjectured from the 47th. Article of his Treatife of the Paf- lions, where the combat betwixt the fuperiour and inferiour part of the Soul, the Flefb and the Spirit, as they are termed in Scripture and Divi- nity^ is at la ft refolved into the ridiculous Nod- dings and Joggingsof a fmz\\ glandulous Button in the midft of the Brain encountred by the ani- mal Spirits rudely flurtingagainft it, This little fptunt Champion, called the Conarion, (or Nux fine a) within which the Soul is entirely cooped up, acts the part of the Spirit, as* the animal Spirits of the Fleflj. And thus by the Soul thus ingarrifonM in this Prae-keweljand bearing her- felf againft the Arietations or Jurrings of the Spirits in the Ventricles of the Brain, mull: that folemn Combat be performed, which the holy Apoltle calls the War betwixt the Law of our fym. 7. 23- Members and the Law of our Mind. Spelt at um admijfi rifum teneatis, amici ? Would not fo trivial and ludicrous an account of Temptation and Sin occafion Bodinns his black- • The Publiflier. to the Render. Xiii Blackfmith to raife as deriforious a Proverb touching aftual Sin, as he did touching original? and make them fay, What ado is there about the wagging of a Nat, as well as he did about the eatmg of the Jpple ? Befides, if this Conflict be not d Combat betwixt two contrary Lives feated in the Soul herfelf, but this that oppofes the Soul be merely the Spirits in fuch an Organized Body, (as Cartefius exprefly affirms 0 the Souls of the Wicked and ot the Godly in the other date are equally freed from the importunities of Sin. Thefe few Tafts may fuffice to fatisfie us how ' favoury an Interpreter the Cartefian Philofophy would prove of Holy Scripture and Theologi- cal Myfteries. So that Religion can fuffer no- thing by the leflening of the Repute of Cartefia- nifm, the Notions that are peculiar thereto hav- ing fo little tendency to that fervice. Indeed if Carte/ins had as well demon ft rated as affirmed that Matter cannot think, he had dire&ly de- ferved well of Religion it felf. But however Providence has fo ordered things, that in an ob- lique way his Philofophy becomes ferviceable to Religion, whether he intended it or no, or ra- ther, that of it that was moft againft his intenti- on, namely the Flaws arid Defects fo plainly dis- coverable in it. For the nnfuccefsfulnefs of his Wit and Induftry in the Mechanical Philofophy has abundantly aflured the fagacious, that the Phenomena of the Univerfe muft be entitled to an higher and more Divine Principle than mere Matter and Mechanical Motion. Which is the main Reafon that his greateft Encomiaft does fo affectionately recommend the reading of the Car- tefian Philoiophy : as you may fee in the Preface to his Treatife of the Immortality of the Soul. SeB. lA% lS< Thefe things, I chink, duly confidered will ea- iily clear the Author of thefe Dialogues from all imputation of Imprudence, in oppoiing the re- nowned Xiv The Pubitjher to the Reader. nowned Philofopher in fuch things as it is of fo great concern thus freely to oppofe him, e- fpecially he going very little farther than his higheft Encomiafts have led the way before him. Nor can 1 bethink rife of 3ny elfe that may have any colourable Pretence of a j ift complaint againft him, unlefs the Platonifls, who haply may judge it an unfit thing that fo Divine a Philofo- phy fhould be fo mu h flurred by introducing Cup'oofhron, a PUtonift, uttering fuch tipfie and temulent Raptures and Rhetorical Ap Togies, as he does in the Second and Third Dialogues, for the extenuating the hideoufnefs of Sin j be- fides the ill tendency of fuch loofe andlufuricus Oratory. And yet the judicious, I believe, will find thole pafTages as pertinent and ufeful as thofe that bear the face of more Severity and Refervednefs \ and will eafily remember that the Character of Cuphophron is not (Imply a Pla- tonifiy but an aiery-minded one, fas indeed both the danger and indecorum of Light mindednefs or over-much Levity of fpirit is both reprefent- ed and perftringed all along in his Perfon •,) which therefore does not redound to the difcre- dit of PUtonifm as fuch, but to the difcovery of the hazard of that Philofophy, if it meet not with a Mind that is Tober and well ballafled. And far the ill-Tendency of his rapturous Elo- quence, that fear is altogether groundlefs-, fmce of all the force of Reafon and Rhetorick he pro- duces, there is fo perfect and convictive a Confu- tation, that there is not the leaft colour left to palliate Immorality *vforalmuch as it is fo cle3r- lv evidenced that Sin and Vice are not, as Cupho- plrrons Sophiftry would fuggeftjOnly purfuances of a leffer Good, but things in themfelves abfolute- ly evil, and perfectly contrary to the will and na- ture of God. But it was a matter of no fmall moment to bring into view all that could plaufibly be faid in The Publijber to the Reader. XV in the behalf of fo pleafing a Monfter,th3tit be- ing all enervated and demo-nftrated to be weak and frivolous, the Mind of Man might be the more firmly radicated and eftablifhed in what is good : and that evil-Men alio might take no- tice, that the more-feverely vertuous are not ig- norant of the wittieft Pleas and Excufes they can frame for their adherence to Sin, nor at all at a lofs how utterly to defeat them. And that therefore thofe that are cordially good, are not fo out of fimplicity and ignorance, (as the falfe- ly-deemed Wits foolifhly conceit them) but out of a clear and rational di(cernment what is befi, and out of an holy jenfe and relifh of the Divine ft things. To the latter wherecf as thofe conceited Wits lay no claim •, fo is it as manifeft thatthey have as little right or title to the former, no Man willingly continuing in Wickednefs but of a bafe Stupidity of Mind and Imbecility of Re a fan. But thefe things, Reader, thou wilt belt un- derftand by perufing the Dialogues themfelves, from which 1 have too long detained thee by an over-tedious Preface } which I iruft entreat thee to impute rather to my deiire that thou might- eft reap a clear fatistadtion without the lea(t Scruple or Difguft, than that I have any fufpi- cion of either thy Candour or Judgment. tarevoeU G.C. THE xva THE EPISTLE O/Fr. Euiftor, the ' Palasopolite, to a Noble Vriend of his touching the enduing Dia- logues* Honoured Sir, IT is now well-nigh two years ago price 1 gave you Intelligence touching that notable Meeting J had the good hap to be at in Cuphophron's renowned Arbour : Wherein 1 fignifyd to you the great fat is fattion Philopolis received in thofe Con- ferences, and how exccffively H lobares was tran- ported with PhilotheilS his Converfe, being made thereby fo firm a Convert to the belief of Spiritual Beings, and of the Accuracy of that Divine Providence that has the Government of the World. But though the Hints I gave then of the fever al Days Difcourfes made you fo pajfionately defirous of having the whole matter of thofe DifceptationS more fully communicated to you, and all the Five Days Conferen- ces recovered, if it were poffible, into fo many Dia- logues '.yet, for all the care and induflry I could ufeyI could not till now bring about what you fo carneftly requefled. But now, partly out of my own Records 1 made to my felf there a-nights after every Day*s Difcourfe^ and partly by communicating fince that time either by Letters or word of Mouth with thofe that were there prefent, (efpecially Sophron, a Man of a very firm Memory as well as of an able judgment) I think a / have xviii The Epiftle of Fr. Euifior. < I have at length recovered all that paffed in every Days Conference, even to the minute ft Humours and Cir cum [lances of owe Cower fe : Which I have done with that faithfulnefs, that 1 have not omitted fuch faff ages as may feem to redound to my own difcredit ; as being more than once not over- handfomely abufed by our young Friend Hyloba- res', who, you know, is free enough ih that kind with his familiar Acquaintances. Whkh made him fly upon Cuphophron fo frequently as he did, even to the admiration, and offence fometimes, of my worthy Patron Philopolis. Jhefe two, I mean Hylobares and Cupho- phron, are, as it were, the fmall Mean and Tre- ble in this Hept3chordon or Indrument of feven Strings. And indeed they are all along (efpeci- ally in the Three firft Dialogues-' as acute and canorous as two flridulous Swallows on the top of a Chimney. The reft you will find grave enough^ and my felf fome degrees below Gravity, that is to fay j pretty folemnly and authentickly dull. However, I ferved to fupply the place oj an Hi- ftorian to them ', as I do to you in the rehear fal of the whole matter. Wherein I recording the Humours and Paffions of Men as well as their Reafonings* if any thing he faulty in any Phrafe of Speech or Comportment of the Toting Men, yet you are to confider, that it had been a Fault in me to have omitted it ; efpeciady the Blcmijhes of the lefs perfcEb being fo difcerxible' in the company of thofe more-accomplijhed Pcrfons, and therefore the more likely to beget a difrelijh and averfation in the Reader to fuch Mifcarriages. Which is the main Scope of all Moral Writings, whether Poetry or Hiftory. But what may feem more harftj in thofe youth- ful Perfons, compared with the difcreet and un- exceptionable demeanour of thofe of more mature Age, will yet be found very fntable and harmo- nious The Epiftle of Fr. Euiftor. xix nious to the Perfons themfclves, if you have but recourfe to the particular Characters in the Page before the Book * which briefly reprefents the Ge- nius of every A&or. Which if you firmly fix in your Mind, and carry with you all along as you read, you will at leafl be ajfured, that I am not altogether an unskilful Dramatift, however you may doubt whether I be fo exact an Hi- storian. Farewell, From Pafaopolis, Novemb, 29* 1666. Yours to command^ Fr. Euiftor* a 2 THE XXI THE PUBLISHER TO T H E READER. Reader, I Believe thou wilt wonder at the prepofte- rous Order of my publifhing thefe Two Dialogues before the Three firft have feen the Light ; and indeed, it maybe, moftof all, why I publifh them at all. If it were a matter of ordinary intelligible Political Interefi, or the So- lution of fome Algebraical Problem, or the Dif- covery of fome quaint Experiment towards the perfecting of Natural Philofophy, or the Deci- flon of fome notable Point in Polemical Divini- ty, Reafon would that we fhould accept of your Performance, and have the patience to perufe it. But to draw out a long tirefome Story of the Kingdom of God and Fate of the Church, through 1 know not how many dark Types and obfcure ./Enigmatical Prophecies, where we can fix no fure footing in any thing, Qtois leget k*c! . The Gallio's of this Age care for no fuch things. Well, admit the cafe toftand fo, Reader, as thou fuggefteft •, yet this could be no impedi- ment to either the Writing or Publiihing thefe a 3 Dialogues* xxii The Fublifber to the Reader. Dialogues. For e/ery genuine Minifter of the . Tim a -» Kingdom of God has a commiffion to Preach Eccler.11.4. '** Sen J on and out ofSeafon. He that obferves the Wind fiall not fovp, and he that regardeth the Clouds fliall not reap. If St. John's Apocalypfe had not been writ nor publifhed before it would have been readily read and underftood, the date ofthofe Vifions.Jad bee^n at lea ft fifteen hun- dred years later than k was, and the Event of things had anticipated their Prediction. And for the pretended o^t.ugmatical Obfcunty of the Types and Propheiies, the endeavour of this Author has been that they'fhould ceafe to be fo any longer •, which I believe they do to them that look upon them" with an impar- tial Eye, and are duly prepared to receive the Senfe of them. For fome Pollutions may hinder them from feeing any thing} as they fey it is in the looking into i\\z' Maaick Cry- ftal or Shew-ftcne '7 Two looking into the fame Cryfraly but differently prepared or picdifpo- fed, rhe one fees clearly a Scene of things to come, the other nothing. Which though it "be "Arrange in th:t cafe, yet it feems far' (hanger in this of the Proprieties, the main things aim- ed at being of as clear Solution*, the Pofkulata admitted, (that is to fay, the truth of Hifto- ry and the Senfe of the Prophetic k ftyle, t no farther than the Scripture it felf interprets it) as any Problem in Algebra. As will cer- tainly appear to the rfitoli iger.t from Mr. Afede*- Sy-chronijms, and the eight laft Chapters of Synopjls Prcphetica. And admit but that Joint - Expofition of thefe two Chapters of the Apoca- lypfe-> the thirteenth and feventeenth, there will be little Controverfie of the Solution of the refK And ft ill the lefs upon the Perufal of thefe Dialogues, which give light into the whole Apocalypfe, and \o take r.way that Exc from fome that pretend they cannot faj pre The Wvllifher to the Reader. X^iii proraife themfelves they underftand. any part, unlefs they underftand all. This, Reader, is in return to thy falfe Sur- mize, as if -the whole Dialogues were Huffed with nothing but the recital of dark Prophecies : Whenas, befides plain Hiftory, there are ma- ny ufeful moral Phages. As that Method of re- gaining a due Divine temper of Body^ which con- fills in a more xthereal Purity of the Spirits, that we may pofiefs pur VcfTel in a right mea- sure ofSan&ity and Holinefs, that it may be more meet to receive and retain Divine Truths. As alfo the means of arriving to that Mate which is the Kingdom of Cod within us- Which though it be not a matter of Political or Secflar Inte- reft, yet it is fo palpable an Intereft of every Man, as, rnethinks, there fhould .no "Man be fuch a Gallio as to flight it, unlefs he think it an indifferent thing whether he be damn- ed or faved. But believe it, if anyone have really attained to the Kingdom of Gvd wi'hin him, it is impoffible that he mould be unconcern- ed for the Kingdom of God without him, he being fo certainly united with that Spirit, the Eternal Mind that fuperintends the Affairs of the Univerfe, and of his own peculiar Kingdom and People in a more fpecial manner. He that has loll the Senfe of his own carnal and perfonal Concerns is naturally, as I may To fpeak, feized upon and actuated by the Spi- ' rit of God, and all his Afre&ions of Love and Care and folicitqus Foreflght are taken up with the Intereft of that Communialty of which he is a living Member under one Head Chrift Jefus. And therefore as it is fuppofed by the Po- et that it was a great fatisfa&ion to ^£neas to be inftru&ed by Anchifes concerning the Fate and Succefs of his Family and Pofterity, a 4 their xxiv The Publijher to the Reader. their glorious Atchievements and the Large- nefs of their Empire, that fhey fliould Virgil JE- ' Super Garamantas & Indus neid. lib. 6. Troferre Imfcrium : fo likewife they that once have got into a real Cognation and Spiritual Confanguinity with the true Apoftolick Church, as having derived upon them or transfufed into them from their Head that Divine Spirit that actu- ates the whole Body of Chrift^ it cannot but be a tranfcendent Pleafure to them to under- ftand the overfpreading Glory and Succefs which the Family of God, of which they are part, I mean the true Apoftolick Church, . will have in the World before the Confum- mation of all things. Which illuftrious Scene of Futurities, though they neither defcend with ^£neas to get a view of them amongft the Shades below, nor with St. John have the Heavens open upon them from above to exhibit thofe Caeleftiai Viflons, yet they, catt- ing the pure Eyes of their Mind upon the Script Hre, fee all thofe glorious Futurities, writ in Heaven, plainly reflected to them from the Books of the Prophets, (as we fee the Sky and Clouds, the Moon and Stars, by looking on fome River or Pool) to their ineffable pleafure and fatisfafrion. Which may excufe this Author's fo laborious Ramble (as it may feem to fome) through fo many dark Types and Propheiies, to find out this future Glory of the Church of Chrift upon Earth. Forthefe are the proper Joys and Entertainments of thofe Souls, who, being dead to all Self-intc- refts, find it the folace of their Heart to be- hold the flourifhing Intereft and growing Pro- fperity of the People of God. I muffc The Publifher to the Reader. XXV I mult confefs that the Author of thefe Dialogues interprets Prophefies at an high rate of Confidence in the behalf of Reformed Chriftendom againft their profefled Adver- faries : Which may feem to fome the more wild and Ecftatical, the Difcourfe having been drawn up in fuch Circumftance of Af- fairs as every one conceived to bode ill to the Reformed Party. And how bufie and fuccefsful the Romanifts have been this pre- fent Age in profelyting People to their Church, there is none but muft take notice of from either Experience or common Fame. But this could not difcourage the Author from re- ceiving thofe important Truths which were fo clearly reflected to him from the pure and infallible Word of Prophecy. Which he fteddily fixing his Eyes on, did not at all regard the ill-boding afpeft of the Affairs of the World. For he that has not a due mea- fure of Faith in God and Fortitude of Spirit can neither be Prophet, as Maimonides well More Nevock obferves, nor any good Interpreter of the $XQ-Part.2. caf. phets. 33. I know the good News will not be alike acceptable to all nor alike credible, but that very wellmeaning People may be prone to i- mitate that of jlbrabam^ [0 that Ifjmael may live before thee ! ] defponding in a manner ^en- 17- **« of all fuch attainments as they find not a palpable Pledge of in the prefent Caufality of things. If Abraham be an hundred years old and Sarah ninety, he that Prophefies of an Ifaac to be born will hardly efcape being laugh'd at for his news by an over-aged Sa- Gcn* l8, 12r* rah. But moft of all, if he predift fo fpright- ly and fo illuftrious an Iflue to fpring out from a Stock fo dead and withered. But they that receive the MefTage cannot forbear to XXVI The Puhl/jber to the Reaaey. to do the Errand they are fent upon,- -what- ever may be their Reception. -Thou Son of Ezek.43. 10. jtfav^ jjjew tfje Houfe to the Houfe qf^lfraeh that they may be afl>A/yed of their Iniq nties^and let them, meafure the Pattern. To this end is the Glory and Perfection of the future ft ate of the Church fet; out. unto us, that we may know what to be at. and make as near and quick approaches thereto as we can. It is not therefore to reproach the prefent condi- tion of Reformed Chriltendom, but to ani- mate them and encourage them by thefe good Tidings to ufe fuch means and ; to counte- nance fuch ways as lead the molt dire&ly to that glorious ftate of the Church, which both the Holy Oracles of God do fo plainly fet before our Eyes, and our felves fo exprelly pray for in our publick Devotions. It is no more a Reproach, than to tell a young Child that he is yet but a Child, but that he will live to come to the filature of a lufty pro- per Man, only let him ufe a regular Dice and due .Exercifes of. his growing ftrength, which will conduce thereto. So harmlefs in the general and fo ufeful is the -Deiiga, of thefe prefent Dialogues. Nor can 1 divine what Particulars may any ways difguft any one that is Chriftianly af- fected, unlefs the Behmenifts, Carte fans, and Tlatonijls may fan lie themfelves not fo civil- ly dealt withal. The firfty becanfe their great Author, Jacob Behmen, though acknowledged a pious and well-meaning Writer, and not unufeful for the exciting of the Sentiments of iincere Piety in others, is not allowed to be fuch an infpired Man, as that all that he dilates mould go for infallible Oracles. But it being [o difcernible to the intelligent that he is ad £/;%%?, there is no faithful Mi- nilter The Puhlijber to the Rejtder. xxvii- nifter of the Kingdom of God will ever ftick to declare it, for fear of that great Dif-kitereft that would be done to Rel;gion, if thofe that are the moft zealous Well Mil- lers t;hereto fhould not di.fcover themfelves to be of fo found a Mind, as not to be im- pofed upon by the higbeft Heats and flrong- eft Surmifes or Confidences of any Man's Melancholy, whenas the Prophaner Wits are fo prone to fufpecl: that there is no Religion- but is fuch. The other two may haply be offended at the Writer of tkefe Dialogues for. introducing Cpiphofhron, who fuitains the Perfon of both a Oirtcfwn and Tlatomj} at once, fo unsettled and fickle and unconcerned in the great Points df Chriflian Religion^ as if Cartefmnifm and Elatonifm did necefTarily incline Men to that unround temper of Mind. Which I am con- fident is not the opinion of the Author of the Dialogues: But being aware how Tome' Theorems in thofe Philofophies may eaiily fill up and fwell thofe. Souls that are more aierjy-minded, and ho\v this Anticipatory Self- fulnefs, join'd, forfooth, with the affectation of a ftricl: Mathematical Evidence for every thing, (fuch as Cartefms pretends to, but falls infinitely Ihort of .almoft every-where in his Philofophy) he being aware, I fay, that- this may raife a Genius fin this Philofophical Age) over-wanton and coy, and fuch as will keep aloof off from being fo heartily concerned in the Apoftolick Truths of Chriftianity as they ought, his forelightfnl Solicitude in the behalf of the Kingdom of God, and for the preventing the growth or appearance of any fuch mifchievous Monfter, ftirred him upt1u> timely to fet out the Contemptiblenefs and Ridiculoufuefs of that Difpenfation, trat it may XXviii The Vublifoer to the Rexder'. may never have the Confidence to appear urv on the Stage to the deftrudtion of Souls and detriment of the Church of Chrifi. So that however harfh this may feem to fome, yet it is excellent preventive Phyfick, and the found and judicious muft acknowledge the purpofe of him that adminifters it to be fober and laudable. Thus well fitted every way are thefe Dialogues to ferve the Spiritual Inter eft of the Church of God. And laftly, for that Inter eft, Reader, which thou called Political, they have their Service- ablenefs in that regard alfo. As to inftance in fome few Paflages for many. One of the Principles whereby Reformed Chriftendom is represented as reducible to this excellent State we fpeak of is a fincere and unfpotted Loyalty in the Trot efi ants to their Lawful Sove- reigns. Another, the Countenancing or Al- lowing of that chearful and effectual Doftrine for promoting a good JLife, 1 mean that of A Faith in the Tower and Spirit of Chrift for a fignal vanquishing and fuhduing all manner of Sin in us, fuch as Pride, Covetoufnefs, Re- Vengefulnefs and the like For there is no^ thing that can tend more to the publiek Peace than this. The confcience of Religion in its crude and raw eftate is a thing very harfh and bitter (efpecially in an hot Complexion) both to its felf and others, like the ftate of Dentition hi Children, which makes them wrangling and froward and vexatious both to themfelves and the whole Houfe. And for want of this Dodlrine I fpeak of, few or none of the ferioufly-Religious can well emerge out of this childifh condition. Whence * the World is full of wrangling and vexation even about the pettieft Points of Religion that are. Whereby Mens Minds muft needs be The Publisher to the Reader. xxix be exulcerated, and the Government difturb- ed, and the Safety of the Church hazarded. Which would not at all be if this whole- ibme fearcbing Do&rine had but Place in the Hearts of Men. For it would fo ripen their growth in Chriftianity, that all their Harm- nefs and Sournefs would foon mellow into Chriftian Love and Sweetnefs. For believe it, there is nothing more civil, nothing more humane, nothing more gentle and govern- able, than a mature and well-grown Chrifti- an. Again, in the Defcription of the Cha- racter of the EUas to come, a main Note of him is, that he is a Reconciler of the Magi- ftrate to the Ttople^ and of the People to the Magiftrate \ that he is for Peace and Union in the Church of God, and a declarer againft Rents and Scbifms. And laftly, that great Point of all, That the Pope with his Clergy is that Antichrifky and the Roman Church that City out of which God's People are bid to depart, as it is moft certainly true in its felf, and of huge Confequence to be known upon the account of a Spiritual Intereft, fo does it moft manifeftly alfo confolidate the Secular Intereft of all Proteftant Princes and People againft the Pretenfions of the Pope, and is a fafe Cynofura to fteer their Coonfels by. For I dare appeal even to the Pontifi- cians themfelves, upon fufpicion that the Pope and his Clergy be Antichrift, and the Church of Rome that Babylon out of which God's Peo- ple are bid to depart, whether any thing in counfel that makes towards the redu&ion of God's People nearer to that City, and the enfnaring them again in their former Capti- vity, can be advifeable for any Proteftant Magiftrate either upon point of Piety or Po- licy, or (fuppofmg a God in Heaven) can pro- XXX The PtMifJjer to the Redder. promife any profperous Succefs. Wherefore for any Proteftant Subject fo perfuaded to conceal fo important a Truth, would he the greateft Perfidioufnefs, even to his Tcrreftri- al Sovereign, as any Man can ftand guilty of. Thefe, I think, were fufficient Motives for the pnbli fhing thefe Dialogues. But for the pre- pofterous Order in Publifhing them, the plairf- eft account is the Will of the Author: Of which, no worfe Conftru&ion ought to be made, than that, as it feems, he has a great- er Concern for the Curiofities of Philofophy. For fuch is the Subjecl of the three fir ft Dia- logues: Which, had he had as great a pro- penfion to gratifie the Curious as to edifie the Church of Chrift, he would not have fail- ed to have publifhed at leaft as foon as thefe ; the matter of them being both Philofophical, as 1 faid, and that concerning the moft inti- cing Points in Philofophy, and alfo intermixt with much Pleafantry and Humour'} which, by reafon of the extraordinary Gravity of this prefent Subjecl, it was thought fit, I fiip- pofe, the more ftriclly to abftain from. But though I have no commiffion to pub- lish the three firft Dialogues themfelves, yet I thought fit, for the more punctually nn- derftanding thefe two laft, to publifh the Arguments of thofe, they being fafficient for the Underftanding any References or Reflexi- ons on them occurring in thefe. And hftly, Reader, I have added, for thy farther Entertainment, by way of Appendage, (though not altogether fo neceflary, I confefs, yet fu table enough to fome Points in thefe Dialogues, if not to the whole Defign) Ac Difcottrfe of the true Grounds of the Certainty of Faith in Points of Religion ; as alfo fome tew plain Songs or Divine Hymns on the chiefeft Holy- The Publijber to the Reader. xxxi Holy-Days in the Chriftian Kalendar, agree- able enough with thefe Divine Dialogues both in Purpofe and Title. Wherein the Writer of "them has obferved aiways this Method, to add to the Hiftorical Narration an application to -the Emprovement of Life. Which, whether in Verfe or Profe, if it were diligently ob- served in the handling of the Hiftorical Ar- ticles of our Chriftian Faith, would be offo great force for the making Men good, that I doubt not but Thilotheus, had he thought of it, would have added this as a ninth Iriftru- ftion tending to the Acceleration of thofe hap- py Times of the Church which he prefages. Thefe, Reader, if thou pleafeft candidly to accept for the prefent, it will be the greater Obligation to the Author to let what ftill re- mains in his hands in due time to fee the Light, and be as willing to condefcend to gra- tifie the Philofophical Genius in thofe three firft Dialogues, as he has been in thefe am- bitious to edifie the Religious. G. C. The XXXII The proper Chara&ers of the Per- fons in the enfuiug Dialogues, with fome Allufion to their Names. Hilotheusy A zealous and fincere Lover of God and Chrifty and of the whole Crea- tion. Bathynous, The Deeply- thoughtful or profound- ly-thinking Man. Sofhrorty The Saber and wary Man. Fhilopolis, The Pious and Loyal Politician. Euiftor, A Man of Criticifm, Philologie and Hiftory. HylobareS) A young, witty, and well-porali- zed Materialift. Cuphophron, A zealous, but Aiery-minded, ?U- tonift and Carte fan j or Mcckmifi-> Ocymo, Cuphophrons Boy, fo called from his Kimblenefs. The general Character. AH free Spirits, mutually permitting one ano- ther the liberty of Philofophizing without any breach of Friendlhip. DIVINE DIVINE DIALOGUES, Containing feveral Difcjuificidns and Inftrudtions touching the Attributes of GOD A N D HIS Vr evidence in the WORLD. The FipvST Dialogue^ PhilothetiS) Bathynous, Sovhron^ Pbilopoli EuiJioT) HjlobareSy Cufhofkron* T THRICE welcome, O Philothem, wnd f. have brought along with you two the Prefer r fuch defireable Aflbciates as Bathy- rente of Vir- tjohs and Sofhron. Will you pleafe to tus dndc aJT* make a ftep up into the Garden ? ZS fi£L* Philoth. With all our hearts There is nothing fjP ^forre more pleafant thefe Summer-Evenings than the t ^ pUkfuhi eool open Air; And I'll allure you it is very andGrandeur freih here, and the Profpeft very delightfome. of this prcferi Cupb. Metlunks I envy Greatnefs for nothing World; fo much as their magnificent Houfes, and their large Gardens and Walks, their Quarters con- trived into elegant Knots adorned with the moll beautiful Flowers, their Fountains, Cafcade-J and Statues \ that I might be in a more fplen- did capacity of entertaining my Friends. This would be .to me nofmall prelihatidn of the joys of Paradife here upon Earth; B Vhl* D I VINE JJIALOGUES. Philoth. For my part, Cuphophron, I think hz need envy ao body who has his Heart fuli fraught with the Love of God, and his Mind efta- blifhed in a firm belief of that unfpeakable Hap- pinefs that the vertuous and pious Soul enjoys in the other State amongft the Spirits ofjnft Men made perfeft. The firm belief of this in an in- nocent Soul is fo high a prelibation of thofe eter- nal Joys, that it equalizes fuch an one's Happi- nefs, if he have but the ordinary Conveniences of life,, to that of the greateft Potentates. Their difference in external Fortune is as little confi- derableas a Semidiameter of the Earth in two mtafures of the higheft Heaven, the one taken from the Surface of the Earth, the other from its Centre: The difproportion you know is juft nothing. Cupb. It is {o. Philoth. And for gratifying your Friends } They that are in a capacity of being truly fuch, are as fully well fatisfy'd with your or- dinary Entertainment, as if you were Mailer of the Fortues of Princes. Eefides that it would be hazardous to your felf to live in that affected Splendour you (peak of, as it is not altogether fafe to affect it. For both the defire and enjoy- ment of external Pomp does naturally blind the eyes of the Mind, and attempts the (lifting of her higher and more heavenly Operations, en- gages the Thoughts here below, and hinders thofe Meditations that carry the Soul to an an- ticipatory view of thofe eternal Glories above. Citph. What you fay Phtlothens, may be, and may not be : Thefe things are as they are ufed. But I.mufr. confefs I think worldly Fortunes are mod frequently abnfed, and that there is a dan- ger in them : which makes me the more con- tented with the (late I am in. Philoth. And fo you well may be, Cuphophron : for tho' you will no: admit you live fplendidly, yet Divine Dialogues. 3 yet it cannot be deny'd but that you live neatly and elegantly. For fuch are the Beds and Alleys bf this fittle fpot of Ground : And fuch alfo that Arbour, if the Infide be as neat as the Outfide. Cuph. That you may quickly fee, Philotheus. PhiUth. AD Very handfome, Table, Cufhions, Seats and all. Cuph. Here I love to entertain my Friends If. with a frugal Collation, a Cup of Wine, a Dim The D efcrt- of Fruit and a Manchet : The reft they make up Pclon °[ H> with free Difcourfes in Philofophy. And this^*^ ,lls, •11 « : .•-« , * K Genius and will prove your greateft Entertainment now, 0p cupbc- Philotheus, if Pbilopolisj Eniftor and Hylobares pjnon\ En- Were come. tertainmems Sophr. No Entertainment better any-wherem his PhLlc-* than a frugul Table, and free and ingenuous Dif-fophical courfe. But I pray you Cuph ophr on ^ who is that Bowre= Hylobares ? Is ic he who is fo much famed for holding That there is nothing but Body or Matter in the World • That there is nothing Jufi or Vn- juftinks own nature*, That all Pleafures are a- like honeft, though it be never fo unaccountable a fatisfa&ion of either a Man's Cruelty or his Lull ? Cuph. O no, it is not he. For I verily believe I know who you mean, though it never was yet my fortune to be in his Company, and I leaft of all defire it now. For he is a Perfon very incon- verfable,and, as they fay, an imperious Didatour of the Principles of Vice, and imoatientof all dif- puteand contradi&ion. But thh Hylobares is quite of another Genius and extractions onethatisas great a Moralifl on this fide rigour and feverity of Life, as he is a Materially, and of a kind and friendly Nature. Bath. That is not incredible : For I fee no rea- fon why a Soul that is infortunately immerfed in- to this material or corporeal Difpenfation may not in the main be as folid iMordifi as a Ma- thematician. For the chief Points of Morality are no lefs demountable than Mathemmkh 7 nor is B i th* 4 Divine Dialogues. the Subtilty greater in Moral Theorems than in Mathematical. Sophr. In my Mind it is a (Ign of a greatdeal of natural Integrity and inbred noblenefs of Spirit, that maugre the heavinefs of his Complexion that thus ftrongly bears him down from apprehending fo concerning Metaphyseal Truths, yet he retains fo vivid refentments of the more folid Morality. Philoth. That will redound to his greater Joy aud Happinefs, whenever it fhall pleafeGodto recover his Soul into a clearer knowledge of him- felf. For even Moral Honefty it felf is part of the Law of God, and an adumbration of the Di- vine Life. So that when Regeneration has more throughly illuminated his Underftanding, 1 doubt not but that he will fall into that pious ad- miration and fpecch of the ancient Patriarch, vvV'TTT a V^ity God was in this place, and 1 knew not of it* XXV I11.1 6. therefore thofe that are the true lovers of God muft be friendly and lovingly difpofed towards all his Appearances, and bid a kind welcome to the firft Dawnings ot that Diviner Light. Cnph. But befldes the goodnefs of hisDifpofi- tion, he has a very finart Wit, and is a very fhrewd difputant in thofe Points himfelffeems mofl puzzled in, and is therein very dexterous in puzzling others, if they be not thorough-pa- ced Speculators in thofe great Theories. Sophr. It he have fo much Wit added to his Sincerity, his cafe is the more hopeful. Cuph. What he has of either you will now fud- denly have the opportunity to experience your felvcs : for I fee Philopolis and the reft coming up into the Garden. I will meet them and bring them to you. Gentlemen, you are all three welcome at once, biu moft of all Philopolis, as being the greateft Stranger. ■Philop. 1 pray you, Cuphophron, is Philothcns and the reft of his Company come ? Cnph, That you (hall ftraightways fee, when ycu come to the Arbour. Fhihf. Divine Dialogues. Philof. Gentlemen, we are very well met. I am afraid we have made you flay for us. Philoth. It was more fitting that we fhould flay for Phihpolis, than he for us. But we have been here but a little while. Cftph, A very little while indeed \ but now our Company is doubled, fo little will be twice as little again. lam very much tranfported to fee my little Arbour ftored with fuch choice Guefts. But that mine own Worthlefsnefs fpoils the con- ceit, I could think our Company parallel to the Seven wife Men of Greece. Hyl. I warrant the Septenary will be henceforth much more facred to Cuphophron for this day's Meeting. Cftph. The Senary atleaft. Hyl. You are fo tranfported with the pleafure of the prefence of your Friends,0 Cuphophronytha.t you forget to tell them how welcome they are. Cftph. That is foon recounted. I fent into my Arbour juft before Pkilotheus came this difh of Fruit, and this Wine, the belt, I hope, in all A- thens \ and I begin to Philopolis^ and bid you now all welcome at once. Hyl. You was very early in your proviflon, Cuphophron. Cvph. I did early provide for our privacy, that there m/ght be no need of any body's coming here but our felves. Hyl. A large Entertainment. Caph. I keep touch both with my Promife to Philopolis and with my own ufual Frugality in thefe kinds of Collations: And yet, Hylobaresyyou have no caufe to complain •, you have to gratifie all your five Senfes. Here is another Glafs, tail this Wine. Hyl. It is very good, Cuphophron^ and has an excellent flavour. Caph. There's to gratifie your Taft then, Hy- lobarts, befides the delicacy of thefe ripe Fruits B 3 which DIvine Dialogues. which recreate alfo the Noftrils with their A? romatick fcent :, as alfo does the fweet fmeil of the Eglantines and Honey-fucklcs that cover rny Arbour. Hyl. But what is there to gratifie the Touch, Citpbophrov ? Cupb. Is there any thing more delicious to the Touch than the foft cool Evening-Air, that fans it felf through the leaves of the Arbour, and cools our blood, which youth and the feafon of the year have overmuch heated ? Hyl. Nothing that 1 know of: nor any thing morepleafant to the Sight than the Faces of fo many ingenuous Friends met together, whofe Candour and Faithfulnefs is confpicuous in their very Eyes and Countenances. Cuph. Shame take you, Hylobares? you have prevented me : It is the very Conceit and due Complement I was ready to utter and bellow upon this excellent Company. Hyl. It feems, good wits jump, and mine the nimbler of the two. But what have you to gra- tifie the Ear, Cupbopbron i Cuph. Do you not hear the pleafant Notes of the Birds- both in the Garden and on the Bowre ? And if you think meanly of this Mufick, I pray you give us a caft of your skill, and play us a ^LeiTon on yourFlagellet. Hyl. Upon condition you will dance to it. Sophr . I dire fay Pblbpolis thinks us Athenians very merry Souis. Fhilcp. Mirth and Chearfdnefs, O Sopbron, are but the due reward of Innocency of life \ which, if auy where, I believe is to be found in your manner of living, who do not quit the World OUtofany Hypocrifie, Sutlennefs, or Super ft -ition, ,but out of a fincere lore of true Knowledge and Vertue. But as for the pretty warbling of the Birds, or that greater skill of Hybbares on the Flageilet, I mult take the liberty to profefs, that It Divine Dialogues. 7 it is not that kind of Mufick that will gain my Attention at this time, when I fee fo many able and knowing Perfons met together ; but the pur- fuance of fome inftru&ive Argument freely and indifferently managed for the Ending out oftfie Truth. Nothing fo mufical to my Ears as this. Cupb. Nor, I dare fay, to any of this Compa- ny, Philopolis. Phihp. But I am the more eager, becaufe I would not lofe fo excellent an opportunity of im- proving my Knowledge. Fori never met with the like advantage before,nor am likely again to meet with it unlefsl meet with the fame Company. * Cupb. We are much obliged to you for your good Opinion of us, Philopolis. But you full little think that you rauft be the Beginner of the Dif- courfeyour felf. Pbilop. Why {o,Cuphopbron ? yj j Cupb. For it is an ancient and unalterable Cu- philopolis &» ftom of this Place, that in our Philofophical Query's Meetings he that is the greateif. Stranger mult pro- touching the pound the Argument. Whether this Cuftom was Kingdom of begun by our Anceftors out of an Ambition of God, together fhewing their extemporary ability of fpeaking^/ " JT upon any Subject, or whether out of mere Civi-^rj^"Z^ litytothe Stranger, I know not. t^errit Philop. I believe it was the latter, I am fo fen- fible of the advantage thereof, and do not only embrace, but if need were, mould claim the pri- vilege,now I know it; but (hall ufe it with that mo- defty, as to excufe the choice of my Argument, if it mall appear rather a Point of Religion than Philofophy. For Religion is the Intereft of all, but Philofophy of thofeonly that are at leifure, and vacant from the Affairs of the World. Philoth. Let not that trouble you, Philopolis : For, for my part, 1 look upon the Chriflian Re- ligion rightly understood to be the deepeft and the choiceft Piece of Philofophy that is. Philop. I am glad to hear you fay fo, Thila Uus% B 4 for p. I)IVINE DlALGUES. for then I hope the Argument I (hall pitch upon, yvill not appear over-unfuitahle. It is touching the Kingdom of God. Cuph. Philopolis hath both gratify'd Pylothevs^ and molt exquifitely fitted himfelf in the choice of his Argument, his Genius and Affairs being fo notedly Political. It mull be a very comprehen- five Argument, in which Religion, thihfuphy and policy do fo plainly confpire. Phihth. It mull indeed. But what are the Query's you would propofe touching the King- dom ofGod, O Philopolis ? Philop. They are chiefly thefe. Vnix, What the Kingdom of God is, Secondly, When it began, and iphere it has been oris now to be found. Thirdly, What Pr ogre f$ it hath made hitherto in the World, La Illy, What Sttccefs it is likely to have to the End of all things. Phi loth. Thefe are grand Queftions indeed, Phi- lopolisy infomuch that I am mightily furprifed that fo weighty and profound Qjj^ryi fhould come from a Perfon that is fo continually taken, up with Affairs of the World. Cuph. I dare pawn my life that the noife of the fifth Monarchy, or the late plaufible found of fet- ing Jefiis Chrifl in his Throne, did firft excite Ph-'lopplis. tofearch after thefe Myfteries. Philoth. I am not fo curious to enquire intQ the firft occafionsof/?/;//(?^//ihisfe3rch after thefe thing?, as folicitous for what end he now fo ea- gerly enquires afr^er them. For it is a great and general error in Mankiiid,that they think all their Acquisitions are of right for themfelves, whether it be Power, or Riches, or Wifc'om, and con- ceit they are no farther obliged than to fortifie or adorn themfelves with them, when as they are in truth mere Vepofitunis, put into their hands by Providence for the common good ; fo that it were better they had them not, then not to ufe them faithfully and confcientioully to that end : 1 ' y for Divine Dialogues. for they bring the greater Snare upon their own pleads by fuch acquired Abilities, and make them- felves obnoxious to the greater Condemnation, uniefs they ufe them, as 1 faid, as the Depofltum's of God, not to their own Pride or Luft, but to the common goocl of the Church, of their Prince, and of their Country. Philop. I acknowledge that to be exceeding true, Philotheus* And next to thofe that are ob- noxious they craftily decline the acquifition of a^ ny Power or Knowledge, that they may not run therifques of Fortune in witneifing to the Truth, or affifting the publick Concern: which Hypo- crifie 1 being awai e of, am fo far from being dif- couraged, that my Zeal is the more enkindled after important Truths, that I may the more faithfully and effectually ferve God and my Prince in my Generation, though with the hazard of all that 1 have. Enifi. Which he has once already more then hazarded in the Caufe of his Sovereign, befides the hazard of his life in five or fix bloody Bat- tles. But I hope he will never have the occafion of running that hazard again. Thiloth. Q admired Philopolis, you areola right faithful and upright Spirit } verily I have not difcovered more true Vertue and Noblenefs, no not in the molt famous Philofophical Societies. Philop. 1 love to feel my felf of an exprefs and fettled Judgment and Affedtion in things of the greateft Moment ; and nothing, I think, cat* be of greater, than the Affairs of the Kingdom of God, to know who are more properly and pe- culiarly his People, that my heart may be join- ed with them, wherever they are difcovera^ ble in the World, arfd my Hand may relieve them to the utmoft extent of the adivity of my narrow fphere. For it feems to me both a very ignoble and tedious condition, to be blown a- J)out with every wind of Doftrine or tranfitory Intereft, P i.o Divine Dialogues, Intereft, and not to flick to that wherein a man's 1, fs provcth hisgreateft gain, and Death it felf a tranilation into eternal Life and Glory. iy Hyl. This were an excellent Temper in Phi- Hylobares lopolis indeed, to be thus refolved, if he were interp fal of fure not to fall fhort in his Accunt. his Q-iery'j : Sophr. But fuppofe he was not fure, feeing he firft>'°.u£Jtn& ventures fo little tor fo great a flake, 1 think his rfGod ^"TemPer is fti11 very Angularly excellent and Divine Fro- commendable. nee. Fhilotb. But what needs any fuch fuppofition, O Sophr on ? for as fure as there is a God and a Providence, fuch a fingle-minded Soul as Philo- polis will after this life prove a glorious Citizen of Heaven. Hyl. I am fully of your Opinion,0 Philothtus , that Philopolis his future Happinefs is as fure as the Exiftence of God and Divine Providence. But the afTurance of thefe has hitherto feemed to me very uncertain and obfeure : whence, ac- \ cording to right IVjethod, we fnould clear that Point firft. For there can be no Kingdom of God, if God himfelf be not, or if his Providence reach not to the Government of the Univerfe, but things be left to blind Chance or Fate. Philop. For my part, Gentlemen, I could ne- ver yet call fuch Truths into doubt, though Hy- lobares has divers times attempted to dilTettle me at my Houfe near the other Athens, where fome- times he gives me the honour of a Vifit. But all his Reafonings have feemed to me fophiftical Knots or Tricks of Legerdemain, which though they might a little amufe me, yet they could not move me at all from my fettled Faith in God and his Providence. Philoth. So great a firmitude is there in Life aeainft all the fubtle attaques of (biffing Reafon. This farther confirms me in an Obfervation I have made a long time ago, That there is a kind of San fti ty of Soul and Body that is of more efficacy for Divine Dialogues. i I for the receiving or retaining of Divine Truths , than the great eft pretences to Di [cur five Demon ft rat tun. Philop. But though I want nothing to confirm me in thefe Points, yet if Philotheus could con- vince Hylobare s of the Truth of them, and beat him at his own Weapon, it would be to me a pleafant Spectacle \ provided he come to my propofed Theme at the laft. Phihth. It is a great wonder to me that a Per- V. fon fo ingenious as Hylobares, and fo much con- Tfjetxiftenct verfant in Philofophy, fhould at all doubt of the Ji£ Z&£. Exiftence of the Deity, any more than he does deriy Dejlgns of Philofolis his Exiftence or my own ; for we dfcowrabu in cannot fo audibly or intelligibly converfe with the Phjno- him as God doth with a Philofopher in the c^™? dinary Phenomena of Nature. For tell me, O Hy- lobares^ whether if fo brief a Treatife as that of Archimedes de Sphara & Cylindro had been found by chance, with the Delineations of all the Fi- gures fuitable for the Defign, and fhort Chara- cters (fuch as they now ufe in fpecious Arithme- tic and Algebra") for the fetting down of the Demonftrations of the orderly-difpofed Propo- rtions, could yon or any elfe imagine that the delineating and fitting thefe things together was by Chance, and not from a knowing and defin- ing Principle, I mean from a Power Intellectual ? Hyl. I mult confefs, I think it in a manner im- poffible that any one that underftood the pur- pofeofthofe Figures and the annexed Demon- ^rations fhould doubt, but that the Defcription of them was by4fome intelligent Being. Philoth. But why do you think fo Hylobare si HyL Becaufe it is the Property of that which is Intelligent to lay feveral things together order- ly and advantageouily for a propofed Defign. Which is done foconftantiy and repeatedly in that Treatife, and fo methodically, that it is im- poflible to doubt but that it is the effect offome Intellectual Agent Philoth- 12 Divine Dialogue:. Phihth. Wherefore wherever we find fre- quent and repeated Indications of purfuing skil- fully a Defign, we muft acknowledge fome In- telligent Being the Caufe thereof. HyL We mult To. Pbiloth. But what a fmall Scroll and how few Inftances ofpurfuing a Delign is there in that Treatife of Archimedes, in com pari fon of the whole Volume of Nature, wherein, as in Archi- medes, every leading Demonftration to the main upfhot of all (which is the Proportion betwixt the Sphere and Cylinder) is a Pledge oi the Wit and Reafon of that Mathematician, fo the feve- ral fubordinate Natures in the World (which are in a manner infinite) bear confpicucufly in them a Delign for the belt, and therefore are a Cloud of Witnefles that there is a Divine and In- tellectual Principle under all ? yj HyL This is better underftood by inftances, Several Inpn-Philolhe us. cesof that ge- Philotb. It is. And I will inftance in the mean- neralArgu- eftfirft, I mean in the moft loofe and general mrJ* ftrokes of the Skill of that great Geometrician, as Plutarch fome. where calls the Deity As in the nature of Gravity, which precipitates thick terreftrial parts downward through both Air and Water, without which Power no Beafts nor Fowls could live upon the Earth or in the Air, dirt and filth would fo flow into their Mouths and flop their breath , nor could Fifhes fubfiftin the Water. 2. In that ftrong tug againft over- much bearing the fubtileft Matter in thefe lower Regions, that thinner Element being difpropor- tionated to the Lungs of either Birds or Beaits *, as is to be more fully underftood in thofe excel- lent Experiments of the AirrPump. 3. In the Parallelifm and the due-proportionated Inclina- tion of the Axis of the Earth, and the Latitude of the Moon from the ^Equator. HyL I cannot deny but that thefe Laws are bet- ter thsn if things had been otherwife. Phi- Divine Dialogues. 15 Pkifoth. 4. The Contrivance of the Earth in- to Hills and Springs and Rivers, into Quarries of Stone and Metal : is not all this for the belt ? Hyl. I conceive it is. Philoth. And what think you of Land and Sea, when as all might have been a Qiiagmire ? Hyl. That alfo is for the bell. For on it de- pend the pleafure and profit of Navigation. Be- sides that the Sea is the fountain of Moifture that adminifters to the Springs underneath, as the Springs fupply the Rivers above-ground, and fo imitate theCirculation of the Blood in Man's Body. Philoth. Caft your Eye alfo upon the variety of Herbs and Trees, their Beauty, their Virtue and manifold Ufefulnefs, the Contrivance of their Seed for Propagation \ and confider if all be not for the belt. Hyl. It would require an Age to purfue thefe things. Philoth. Well then, let us for brevity fake con- fider only the feveral kinds of Animals: which, befide the Ufefulnefs of fome of them efpeciaily and more appropriately toMankind,as(the Dog and the Horfe for Services, and Oxen and Sheep for his Food) their external Shapes are notori- oufly accommodated to that law or guife of Life that Nature has defigned them } as in general the Birds for flying, the Fifh for fwimming, and the Beafts for running on the ground ; the external frame and covering of their Bodies arecxqui- fitely fitted for thefe purpofes. Befides what al- fo is very general, that contrivance of Male and Female for Propagation, and that notable diffe- rence of Fifhes and Birds being oviparous, that there might be the more full fupply for that great Havock that would be neccifar ily made upon thofe kind of Creatures by their devouring Enemies. To thefe you may add the inftincl: of Birds in building their Nefhand fitting on their Eggs 5 the due number and pofition of the Organs of SthR 14 Divike Dialogues Senfeand peculiar Armatures of Creatures, with the inftinft of uflng them: That thofe Fowls that frequent the Waters, and only wade, have as well long Legs as long Necks *, and thofe that are made for fwimraing have Feet like Oars : and that no Birds have Paps., as Beafts have. All which things, and infinite more, do plainly ar- gue the accuracy of Deiign in their framing. Hyl. Things are, I muft confefs, as if they were plainly dellgned to be io. Pbiloth. But to put an end to thefe Inftances, which, as you faid, a whole Age would not fuf- fice to enumerate^ the inward Anatomy and life of Parts in many thoufand Kinds of Animals are as fure a Demonftration of a very-curioufly- contrived Defignin each of thefe Animals Bodies, as the feveral Figures and Demonfrrations in the above-named Book of Archimedes are of the Wri- ter's purpofe of concluding the Truth of each Propofltion to which they appertain. That in Man's Body is notorious. The fabrick of the Eye, its fate and ufeiul fituation, the fuperaddi- tionof Mufcles, and the admirable contrivance of the Flefh of the whole Body in a manner in- to that ufeful Organization •, thofe of tjie La- rynx for Speech and Singing-, the induflrious perforation of the Tendons of the fecond Joints both of Fingers and Toes, and the drawing of the Tendons of the third Joints through them ; the Ventricles of the Heart and their VdvnUx as al- fo the Vdvuh of the Veins \ the fabrick of thefe, and the apparently-defigned Ufe of them, and of a Thoufand more, not only in Man, but ana- logically in the red: of Animals, are as certain a Pledge of the Exigence of a God, as any Voice or Writing that contains fuch Specimens of Rea- fon as are in Archimedes hlsTrcatik are an Ar- gument of the Exiftence of fome Man or Angel that muft be the Author of them. HyL The weight of Reafon and the vehemence of Divine Dialogues. i $ of Thilotheus his Zeal does for the prefent bear me down into this belief whether I will or no. Forleaiily feci the force of his arguing from thefe few Hints, having pern fed the laceft Trea- tifes of this Subject, and being fnfficiently verfed in Anatomical Hiftory \ which, I mull confcfs, urges upon me, more effectually than any thing, the Exiflenceof God. Pbiloth. Which belief, methinks, you fliould never be able to ftagger in, if you confider that in thefe infinite kinds of living Creatures, none of them are made foolifhly cr ineptly, no not fo much as thofe that are gendered of Putrefaction. So that you have infinite Examples of a fteddy and peremptory acting according to Skill and De(ign,and abundant aflurance that thefe things cannot come to pafs by the fortuitous Jumbling of the Parts of the Matter. Hyl. No, Thilotheus, they cannot. But though VIJ they be not the refults of fuch fortuitous Csa- T^at Jlccejfary fes, why may they not be the effects of neceffary CaufMity in ones, I mean, of the neceffary Mechanical Law the blind Mat- of the Motion of Matter? As a Line proporti- \cr c?n do as , onally cut, if the greater Segment iubtends an /- the orderiy efi fofceles whofe Crnra each of them are equal to fists in iJatur* the whole Line, each Angle at the Baps will n$t*sthefortui- cefirily be double to that of the Vertex. And this )fjfmbies will be the neceffary Property of this Trhngle. * **$* Philoth. But what does this prove, when as there is no necefflty in the Matter that any Line fhouid be fo cut, or, if it were, that any two Lines of equal length with the whole fhouid clap in with the greater Segment to make fuch a Tri- angle, much lefs to infcribe a Quinquangle into a Circle, or that the Motion of the Matter fnquld frame an exact Icofaedntm or bodectiedrumjNhote fabrick much depends on this proportional fe&i- on of a Line, as you may fee in Nuclide? And yet there is. a more multifarious Artifice in the Itruiture of the meaneft Animal I tell thee, Hy- lobares 16 Divine Dialogues. lobaws, there is nothing neceflarily in Matter that looks like an Intellectual Contrivance. For why fhould blind NccefTitydo more in this kind than fluctuating Chance? or what can be the motion of blind Neceffity but peremptory and perpetu- al Fluctuation ? No, the necefTary and immuta- ble property of fuch a Triangle as thou haft de- fcribed, with fuch a Bafis and fuch Crura, is in thy own Mind or Intellect, which cannot but con- ceive every Triangle fo made to have fuch a pro- priety of Angles, becaufethy Mind is the Image of the eternal and immutable Intellect of God. But the Matter is lubricous and fluid, and has no fuch intellectual and immutable Laws in it at all, but is to be guided and governed by that which is Intellectual. HyL I mean as Carte fins means and profefTes, that the Mechanical Deduction of Caufes in the explication of the Phenomena of the World is as clofe and necefTary as Mathematical Sequels. Philoth. Nay, I add farther, that he conceives his own Mechanical Deductions to be fuch. And I mult confefs I think they are as much fuch as a- riy will be*, and fo excellent a Wit failing fo pal- pably, makes me abundantly confident that the pretence of falving the Phenomena oy mere Me- chanical Principles is a Defign that will never prove fuccefsful. VIII. Hyl- Why ? where does Cartefms fail, O Phi- That there is no lot he us ? Phaenomc- Philoth. Nay rather tell me, O Hylobares^ non in Nature wjlere ne does not ; or rather inftance in any nka/.mC a one Phenomenon that is purely Mechanical. HyL The Earth's being carried about in this our Tort ex round the Sun. Philoth. That is very judicioufly pitched upon, if the Deferent of the Earth, I mean the Vortex^ were the refult of mere Mechanical Principles^ HyL Why? Is it not ? What can Mechanical motion do, if not produce that limple Phenome- non of Liquidity? Phi- DDlVINE DIALOGUES. 17 Philoth. The Matter of the Vortex is not fim- pie enough, not to need the affiitance of an high- er Principle to keep ic in that confidence it is, Hyl. Why lb, Philotheus t Philoth. Becaufe Difunity is the natural Pro- perty of Matter, which of its felf is nothing elfe but an infinite Congeries of Phyfical Monads. Hyl. I underftandyou Philothetts. And indeed there is nothing fo unconceivable to me as the holding together of the Parts of Matter \ which has fo confounded me when I have more ferioully thought upon it, that I have been prone to con- clude with my felf, that the Gimmers of the World hold together notfo much by Geometry as fome natural Magick, if I knew what it was. Philoth. You may do in due time. But in the mean while it is worth our noting, that there is another great flaw in this moft hopeful In- ftance you produce of pure Mechanifm. For the Earth never got into this Orbit it is now moved in, by virtue of thofe Mechanical Laws Cartefiuj defcribes, nor is ft ill detained here by them. Hyl. Why not? Philoth. For ft the Earth had been bandied out of one Vortex into another, as is fuppofed,all that loofer and lighter matter that hung about it had been ftript from it long before it came hi- ther : fas if a Man mould fling out of hii Hand Feathers, Chaffe, and a Bullet together, the fo- lidity of the Bullet will carry it from the Chaffe and Feathers, and leave them behind) and fo the Matter ofthe third Region of the Earth had been loft, whereby it had become utterly unhabitable. Hyl. 1 never thought of this before. Philoth. And then thedefcending of the Earth IX, to this Orbit is not upon that Mechanical account That there J? Carte/ins pretends, namely the ftrong fwing of no Levitaeio* the more .fclid Glofali that overflow it. For if «r ^^f there were fuch an a&ual tug of the Globuli ®i*Xer wlf the the Vortex from the the Centre toward theCir- ^irar El7- C cumference, mwtjintbek 1 8 Divine Dialogues. proper plays, cumference, the Pre flu re would be intolerable? Whsr.cc 'tis ail(j tjley WOuld even niafh themfelves and all fmn that things elfe a-pieces. M*ttt>sm:* Hj T am a:zain flirprifed pinlotheHS butl Mtedfrom miltt ingenuouily conreis, L think fo. fime diviner Phiioth. But there being no fuch hard Preliure, PrincipU. HO Levitation Or Gravitation (as is alfo manifeft in the Elements vulgarly fo called) in locis pro- pri-s, is it not a man i fed Argument that all is not carried according to Mechanical Necefllty, but that there is a Principle that has a Profpettion for the be]}, that rules all ? HyL It is very manifeft, in that neither the Celeftial matter of the Fortices nor the Air nor Water are preffitant in their proper places, that it is for the bed. Elfe how could any Creatures live in the Air or Water ? the weight of thefe Elements would prefs them to death. Phiioth. Muft not then fome diviner Principle beat the bottom, that thus cancels the Mecha- nical Laws for the common good ? Hyl. It mould feem To-, and that the motion of Matter is not guided by Matter, but by fome- thing elfe. Phiioth. That feems very evident from light things that rife up in Water. As. for examplein a deep Bucket of Water, where we will fuppofe a thin round Board forced to the bottom, of al- mofr. the fame widenefs that the Bucket is ; the Water of the Bucket we will fuppofe fo heavy, icarce two Men fhall be able to bear it. Now tell me Hylobaresy how this thin Board does get to the top, fo mafliy a Weight lying on it. The whcfle Water that lies upon it does actually prefs downward, and therefore rather prefTesitdown, then helps it up. Hyh It may be the Weightof the Water gets by the fides under it,and fo bears it up by its owa jinking. Phiioth. That is tegcaioufly attempted. H,lo- bares. Divikh Dialogues* 19 bares. But you mull confider that the Water that lies upon the Board to prefs it down is, it may be, forty times more than that which you con- ceive to prefs betwixt the rim of the round Board and the Veflel. Hyl. 1 am convinced that the riling of the jf, round Board is not Mechanical. But I pray you That the Pn'J deal freely with me, PhUotheus,iox\ \>zrcz\vztnordialscfthe you are cunninger than I in that Philofophy ^orlda.emt has Des-Cartes truly folved no Phenomenon in mechanics', Nature mechanically? • ^ viral. Philoth. He thinks he has folved all mechani- cally he treats of But, to deal freely, I find none of his Solutions hold by mere Mechanicks : not his formation of Suns, Stars nor Planets \ not the Generation nor Motion of the Magnetick par- ticles *, not his Hypothecs of the Flux and Re- flux of the Sea •, not the figure and colours of die Rainbow \ not the Winds, nor Clouds, nor Ram, nor Thunder : neither of thefe, nor of any other Phenomena, has he given fufficient mechanical Caufes. Nay, I will add at once, That that fim- pleft and firft Hypothecs of his,That all the Mat- Priori/* PhU ter of the Univerfe was fir ft caft into fmall parts hf- fan- 3- equai in Motion and Magnitude, and that he nee /^46> 47* the Suns or Stars and Cortices arofe in the diftin- c"tion of the Matter (by the mutual fridging of thofe Particles one againft another) into the firf!: and fecond FJement, 1 will add, I fay That this firft Original of Things is moft grofly repug- nant to the aftual proportion of thefe Elements one to another. For from this Mechanical way^ fo ftated as he has declared, it will follow that the Sun overflows the Orbit of Saturn no lefs than Ten Millions four hundred eighty four thoufand Semidiameters of the Earth: which one Would think were intimation fufficient to give us to nn- derftand, that the Primordial s of the World are not Mechanical, but Spermatical or Vital \ not inade bv rubbing and filing and turning and fha* C 2 ving, 20 Divine Dialogues. vine, as in aTurner's and BlackfmitrTs Shop, but from Tome univerfal Principle of inward Life and Motion containing in it the feminal Forms of all Things, which therefore the Platomfts and Pythagoreans call the great hops eTSfuAym of the World. Hyl. This is admirable: and it would be a great pleafure to me to fee thefe things made out by Ileafon, that I might the more clearly un- derhand how much that great Wit has fallen fhortin his account. Philop. I prithee, dear Hylobares, deny thy felf that pleafure at this time: for I fear all the time of my abode here in the Town will not fuffice for fuch a Task. Phihth. It would , I mu ft confefs, be fomething too copious a DigrefHon. Cvpb. And the more needlefs, forafmuch as it cannot be deny'd but that Des-Cartes's Deducti- ons are not always mathematically or mechani- cally certain as he took them to be. But however, though he fails in his attempt, yet the Mechani- cal Philofophy may Hand firm frill. It is not the Error of the Art, but of the Artift. Phihth. But it is a fhrewd Preemption, O G- phophron, that when fo tranfeendent a Wit as Des-Cartes, and fo peculiarly Mechanical, fails fo palpably even in the general ftrokes of Nature, of giving any fuch necellary mechanical Reafons of her Phenomena, it is too palpable a Preempti- on, I fay, thu the Pretence it felf is rafh and fri- volous, and that it is not the true genuine mode of Philofophizing. Phttof. What Philotheus fays feems to me infi- nitely credible, though I be no pretender to Phi- XI- lofophy. I?ftauS,e' f pijiUth.But if we produce even among the more pMC Jp'pa general Phenomena of Nature fuch lnffonces as Aritfcontray P'^inly thwart, the acknowledged Laws ofMeeha- tothe L«rr/r/nicks,ict Cuphophrw tell me then what will become M^banickj. of Divine Dialogues, 21 of his pure and univerfalMechanifm he pretends to run through the whole frame of the World. Otfh. I will tell you, when you have produced them. Philotb. But tell me fir ft whether you do not firmly believe the motion of the Earth Annual and Diurnal. Cuph. [ do, and every one elfe I think that has any skill in Philofophy. Phlloth. Why then you muft neceflarily hold a Cortex of ^Ethereal matter running round the Sun, which carries the Earth about wiih it. Cuph. I muft. Philoth. And being fo great a Afechanift asyou are,Thatthe Particles that have fwalloweddowa the Earth thus far into our Vortex, that even thofe that are near the Earth, fo many of them as anfvver to the magnitude of the Earth, 3re at leaft as folld as it. Cuph, They are fo. Phihth. And that therefore they move from the Centre with a very ftrong effort. Cuph. They do fo. Philoth. And fo do the Vortices that bear a- gainft our Vortex. Cuph* No queftion, or elfe our Vortex would o- ver-run them, and carry them away with it felf. Phihth. Do you or any elfe either here or un- der the Line at mid-day or mid-night feel any fuch mighty PreiTure as this Hypothecs infers ? Cuph. I believe, not. Philoth. There is one thruft at your pure pre- tended Mechanifm. Cuph. Well, at it again \ I will fee if I can lie at a clofer Ward. Philoth. The Phenomenon of Gravity, is not per- fectly repugnant to that known mechanical Prin- ciple, That what is moved will continue its mo- tion in a right Line, if nothing hinder? whence it will follow that a Bullet filing up into the Air G 3 mull li* DIvine Dialogues. mud uever return back to the Earth, it being in fo rapid a motion with that of the Earth's. C/tph. I underftand what you mean ; you thrulr at the Mechanical philofophy before, you have now fiiot at it. Philoth. I, and hit the Mark too,I trow : fothat it is needlefs to add that of the great Weight hanging at the Sucker of the Air-Pump, and drawn up thereby beyond all the accounts of Mechanick Philofophy, with other things of the like nature. Hyl. I expected thefe Inftances of Fhilotheusy 3nd underftand the force of thein thrcnghly out * Dr. MoreV of a late * Author, and muftingenuoiifly confefs Antidote, lib. that they feem to me fuch as contain little lefs i,ch.i.Im- than a Demonftration, that all things in Nature mort. lib. 3* are not carried on by Principles merely Mecha- cb'l%'1* nical. Cnph. If they be fo good, I pray you let us hear fome more of them, Philotheits. Philoth.When 1 have heard your anfvver to thefe. Cuph. My anfvver is, O Philotheus, that thefe In- ftances feem for the prefent demonftrative and unanfvverable ; fo far Hylcbares and I concur. But I hope I may without offence profefs that I think the caufe of the Mechanick Philofophy is not therefore quite defperate, but that when our active and fearching Wits have made farther En- quiry into things, they may find out the pure Mechanical caufes of that puzzling Phenomenon ofGravity. Philoth. I but Hylohares may take notice, that the Author he mentions does not only. confute the falfe Solutions of that Phenomenon, but de- monftrates all Mechanical Solutions of it impof- fible, it being fo manifeftly repugnant to the confe(]ed Laws of Mechanicks. Hyl. It is very true. Cuph. That may feem a Demonftration for the prefent, which to Pofterity will appear a mere Sophi- Divine Dialogues, 23 Spophiftical Knot, and they will eailly fee to loofe it. Bath. I believe by the help of fome new-im- proved Microfcopes. Philop. Nay but in good earneft, O Cuphophron, xil. (if you will excufe my freedom of fpeech) though The/oud and I have not that competency of judgment in Phi- indi facet lofophical matters, yet 1 cannot but deem you an hahksnng af- over- partial Mechanift, that are fo devoted to the %[hl^f!f[' Caufe, as not to believe Demonfhation againft orJoffdvhg it,till Mechanicks be farther improved by Poire- „//phxnomc- fterity. It is as if one would not believe the firft na Mechani- Book of Euclide till he had read him all over, and caHyJreely all other Mathematical Writers befides. For this andjufil/pn- Phdnomenon oi Gravity is one of the fimpleft th2iX.ftnn&ed' is, as the firft Book of Euclide oneoftheeafieft. Not to add what a blemifh it is to a peiTon other- wife fo moral and vertuous, to feem to have a greater zeal for the Oftentation of the Mechani- cal wit of Men, than for the manifeftation of the Wifdom of Cod in Nature. Soph. Excellently well fpoken, O Philopolis. j4s in water face an fivers to face ^fo the heart of man prov.27. 19. to man. You have fpoken according to the moft inward fenfe and touch of my very Soul concern- ing this matter. For I have very much wondred at the devotednefs of fome Mens Spirits to the pretence of pure Mechanifm in the folving of the Phenomena of the Univerfe, who yet ocherwife have not been oflefs Pretentions to Piety and Vertue. Of which Meehanick pronity I do not fee any good tendency at all. For it looks more like an itch of magnifying their own or other Mens wit, than any defire of glorifying God in his wife and benign Contrivances in the Works of Nature, and cuts off the molt powerful and moll popular Arguments for the Exiftence of a Deity, if the rude career of agitated Matter would at laft necelTarily fall into fuch a Stru&ure of things. Indeed if fuch a Mechanical Neceflity in C 4 the J 2+ Divine Dialgues, the nature of Matter were really difcoverable, there were no help for it: And the Almighty feeks no honour from any Man's Lie. But their attempts being fo fruftraneous, and theDemon- ftr3tion$ to the contrary fo perfpicuous, it is a marvel to men that any Men, that arc vertuoufly and pionfly difpofed, fhould be fo partially and zealoufly afFefred in a Caufe that has neither Truth noranyhoneft Ufefulnefs in it. Cuph. O Sophron, Sophron, full little do you con- fider what a wonderful Pleafure it is to fee the plain Mechanical fequeis of Caufes in the expli- cation of the Th&nomotui of the World as necef- farily and clofeiy coherent as Mathematical De- monflration it felf. Sophr. Certainly, O Cuphophron, you are much tranfported with the imagination of fuch fine Spectacles, that yoor mere deiTre mould thuscon- fidently prefent them to you before they are. Rut for my part, 1 conceive there is far more pleafure in clearly and demonftratively difcover- ing that tbey are not, than there would be if it were* difbovef able that they are. And that way of Philofophizii.g that prefTes the final Caufe, jrj, *SKcr *?/L'uh as driftotlt calls it, feems to me fir more plea ling and delicious than this haughty z. pretence of difcovering, that the Frame of the World owes nothing to the Wifdom of God. Sophr. All things muft out, O Sophron, in the promifcuous ferments and ebulliencies of the fpi- rits of Men in this Age, that that Wifdom which is the genuine fruit or flower of the Divine Life may in fuccefTion of time triumph over the moft fhutting attempts or performances of the high- eft natural IVtts. Cvfh. What Wifclom is that which flows out of the Divine Life,0 Batbyhonrf Bath. That which leads to it \ which the Me- chanical Philofophy does not, but rather leads from God, or obftru&s the way to him, by pre- fcinding Divine Dialogues. 25 fcinding all pretence of finding his Footfteps la the works of the Creation, excluding the final Caufe of things, and making us believe that all comes to pafs by a blind, but neceffary, Jumble of the Matter. Cnph. Well, be the future Fate of things what it will, I doubt not but Cartefus will be admired to all Pofterity, ^^/?.Undoubtedly,OC^(?p^»^for he will ap- pear to Men a Perfonof the moll eminent Wit and Folly that ever yet trode the ftageof this Earth* Cuph. Why of Wit and Folly r Bathynom ? Bath. Of Wit, for the extraordinary handfomc femblance he makes of deducing all the Phenome- na he has handled, neceflarily and Mechanically, and for hitting on the more immediate materi- al Caufes of things to a very high probability. Cttpb. This 3t leaft is true, Bathynous. But why offW/y? Bath. Becaufe he is fo credulous, as not only to believe that he has neceflarily and purely Me- chanically folved all the Phenomena he has treat- ed of injhis Phiiofophy and Meteors, but alfo that all things elfe may be fo folved, the Bodies of Plants and Animals not excepted. Cty/j.Pofterity.will be belt able to judge of that Philop. Cuphophron is very conftantiy zealous in the behalf of the Mechanick Phiiofophy, though with the hazard of lofing thofe more notable Arguments dcducible from the Phenomena of Na- ture for the proving the Exigence of a God : And yet I dare fay he is far from being in the leaft meafure fmutted with the foil of Atheifm. Cuph. I hope fo. Philop. Wherefore, O Cuphophron, let me beg the xill. liberty ofasking you what other inducements you TfoExijience have to believe there is a God. Is it the Autho- of God argued rity of the Catbolick Church ? or what is it ? fiomtbe Ccn- Cuph. I have a very venerable refpeft for the ^5WV^ N^ Church, OPhilofolisy which makes me the more ^cie^nd %' forty 26 Divine Dialogues, Prophecies, forry when I confider how much they have wrong- frcm his cd or defaced their Authority in obtruding iVorkjinNn- things palpably impoflible, and moft wretched- turenndfnm Jy blafphemous, with equal aflurance and feve- btsiatz. rity as they do the belief of a God< Euift. I conceive Cuphophron refleds upon their barbarous butchering of Men for their denying the Article of Tranfubftantiation. Cuph. It may be fo. Who can believe Men up- on their own Authority that are once depre- hended in fo grofs and impious an Iinpofture ? Eaift. But thefe are not the Church Catholick, but only a fomething more numerous Fa&ion of Men. But not only thefe, but the whole Church, and indeed all Nuions,believe that there is a God. Cuph, Indeed Tully fay^Nullagtnstambarbarafez. Euift. It is confent of Nations therefore, O Cuphophron, that you chiefly eftablifh your belief of a Deity upon. Cuph. That is a plaufible Argument, Euift or. Euift. But the Hiftory of Miracles and Prophe- iies, with their Completion, a far greater. Cuph. They are very ftrong Arguments that there are inviftble Powers that fuperintend the affairs of Mankind,that have a greater Virtue and comprehenfionof Knowledge than our felves. Bath. And fo may be able to bring to pafs what themfeives predift in long fuccefDon of Ages. As if the Government of the World and the Affairs of Mankind were intrufted into the hands of Angels. Sophr. But fome xMiracles are fa great, and Predictions of fo vaft a compafs of time, that none but God can rationally be thought to be the Author of them. Bath. Moft aflliredly God himfelf fuperin- tends and afts through all. Philop.U this then the BaftsotCuphopbronS Belief. Cuph. I will tell you, O Philopolis, becaufe I fee you fo hugely deflrous, what is the main Philofd- phical Bafts of my belief of a God. Philop. Divine Dialogues. Fhilop. What is it ? Cuph. The innate Idea of God in my Mind: the arguings from thence feem to me undenia- ble Demonftrations. Fhilop, I believe they are the more prevalent; with you becaufe they are Des-Cartes his. Cdpk It may be fo. And they are ib convi&ive, that I do very fecurely difregard all that other way of arguing from the Phenomena of Nature. Philop, 1 have read thofe Reafoings of Des-Car- tesi but they feem to me hugely high and Meta- phyfical, and I meet with many Men that look upon them as Sophiftical *, mod Men fome of them, others all. But it is the privilege of you high and exalted Wits to underftand the force of one another's Notions the belt. Cupb- I mull confefs, O Ptylopolis, there is an extraordinary and peculiar congruity of Spirit betwixt me and Des-Cartes. Philop. I, but we ought to confult the common good, O Cuphophron, and not decry the more vul- gar intelligible Arguments, or affedt fucha Phi- lofophy as will exclude all from laying hold of God bin fuch as can foar fo high as you raifed Wits can. Arguments from the Phenomena of the World are far more accommodate to a popular underftanding. Cuph. Wherefore I talk at this rate only in our free Philofophical Meetings. Philop. It is difcreetly done of you. HyL Well, Cuphophron, yau may hug your felf in your high Metaphyseal Acropolis as much as you will, and deem thofe Arguments fetched from the frame of Nature mean andfpopular : but for my part, I look upon them as the moft found and folid Philofophical Arguments that are, for the proving the Exiftence of a God. And I won- der you do not obferve that mighty force that Ph'Uotheus his comparing of the Volume of Nature and Archimedes his Book of the Sphere and Cy- linder x8 Divini Dialogues, Under together has for the evincing fome Intel- lectual Principle to be the Framtr of the World. For thofe Figures and Characters annexed to each Proportion with an eriectual fubferviency to the Demonftration of them is not a more in a- nifeft indication ofan Intelle&ual Agent, than an hundred thoufand tingle fa bricks ot Matter here in the World are of the like Agency } the parts being fo difpofed to one End, as the manage- of the Demonft ration to one Conclufion, and the Subordination of feveral Conclulions to one final and ultimate one.- Which Subordinations of things are alfo moft evidently and repeatedly confpicuous in Nature. Pbilop. On my word, Philotheus, you have not fpent your labour in vain on Hylobarcs, that does thus judicioufiy and refentingly recapitulate your main Reafoings from Nature for the Exiftence of a God. I hope now, Hylobares, Philotheus may proceed to treat of God's Kingdom^ we being all fo well afllired of his Exiftence. XIV. Hyl. I mull: confefs,, while lam in this Com- Tbe obfeurity pany^ j am yy.Q ^ am0Dgfl. tfc pr0phets. Phi- /J?ejNatU/iM>hw* ms Zeal anc* Tmartnefs of arguing carries ct Gr''«, ana . . , T • M • the intricacy me awaY captive, whether I will or no, into an of Providence, afTent to the Conclufion. And indeed, when at with frep.ua- firfl: I fet my Eyes on this fide of things, there tory Cautions ihines from them fuch an intellectual fulgor,that for the better methinks the very Glory of the Deity becomes fisfa&onin yifible through them. But when I would more tbefe PvMtf. fujjy compre|lenci bis Nature,and approach more nigh him, the fame Glory, that recreated mine Eyes before, ftrikes me blind,and I lofe the light of him by adventuring to look too near him. This is one entanglement and confufion of mind, that I underftand not the Nature of God. And the fecond thing is this, The Obfcnnty and Intri- cacy of the ways of Providence. Sophr. Is it not confonant to the traafcenden- cy of fo high a Nature as thu of God, Hylobaresy that Divine Dialogues. 29 that it be acknowledged Incomprchenfible^s alfo to his infinite Wifdom, that his ways be p aft finding out? Bath, This is excellently well fpoken, O So* phron, if it be rightly underftood : Otherwife, to give no other account of the Nature of God and his ways than that they are unintelligible, is to en- courage the Atheift, and yield him the day ••> for that is the thing he does chiefly applaud himfelf in, that he is fecure there is neither head nor foot in the Myfteries of Religion, and that the very Notion of a God implies a contradiction to our Faculties. Hyl. 1 defire only fo to underftand God, that nothing be attributed to him repugnant to my Vn- derfianding) nor any thing found in the World repugnant to his Aitribntts* Bath. I believe Phtlotheus will make this good, that nothing is truly attributed to God but what is mod certainly exiftent in the World, whether we underftand it or not; and that there is no- thing in the World truly in fuch circumftances as are repugnant to the Attributes of God. Philoth. I conceive Bathynous means this, that nnlefs we will entangle our felves with making good fome ficlitious Attributes of God, or defend his Providence upon falfe fuppofitions and cir- cumftances, there will be no greater entangle- ments touching the Notion of God and his Pro- vidence, than there would be in the nature of thofe things we are Aire doexift, though there were no God in the World. Wherefore, Hylo- bares, let me advife you to this, iince you have fuch fair, and'eertain hold of the Exiftenceof the Deity by the repeated efFe&s thereof in Nature, not to let that hold go upon any grounds that are uncertain or falfe. For the Scripture declares nothing contradictory touching the Nature of God: nor is there any humane Authority that has any right to be believed when it propounds Con- jo Divine Dialogues. Contradictions : nor are we bound to burthen the Notion of a Deity with any thing we are not allured im; lies Perfection. Thefe Cautions if we ufe, no Man,l think, need be much entangled is 1 is thoughts touching; the Nature of the Deity. Hyl This is a hopeful PreamMe. Philothens^ "/candt - I will the more cheat v propound qffciermty. my j > j H are drawn from thefe fire Her of Godp from his/w- tnutabi \\%Omnifciencj, hh Spirit nality, aB< icy. For, to my underftanding, the very iv ition i Eternity implies a Contradi- ction, as fome describe it, namely, That it is an effential Prefence of ill Thugs with God, as well of things pad, prefent, as to come \ and that the Duration of God is ail of it, as it were, in one ft eddy and permanent 7q vCv Or In ft ant at once. If there cinnot be a God, but he mud be in fuch a fenfe as this eternal, the Contemplation of his U dea will more forcibly pull a Man back from the belief of his Exigence, than his effects in Nature draw a Man to it. For what can be more contra- dictory, than that all things mould have been really and efientially with God from all Eternity at once, and yet be born in time and fucceflion ? For the reality and e [fence of corporeal things is corporeal ; and thofc very individual Trees and Animals that are faid to be generated, and are feen to grow from very little Principles, were always, it feems, in their full form and growth : which is a perfctt repugnancy to my Under- ftanding. For it implies that the fame thing that is already in being may, notwithstanding, while it is, be produced of a-frcjh. That eternal du- ration mould be at once, is aifo to me utterly un- conceivable, and that one permanent Jnftant fhould be commenfurare, or rather equal, to all fuccef- ilons of Ages. Befides, it the Duration of God be all at once, 17th no Agent acts but within the com- pafs of its own Duration, Gcd mull both create and Divine Dialogues. asd deftroy the World at once. Whence itfeems impoffiblc that eternal Duration fhould beindi- ftant to it felf, or without continuation of Inter- vals. Philotb. You argue ftirewdly ^Hylobares, againft that Notion of Eternity that fome have rafhly pitched upon, but without the leaft prejudice to the belief of God's Exiftence, if you have but re- courfe tothofe Cavttioas I iiuimatedJat firft,7to we are not bound tt believe Contradictions upon any Man's accout. Thefe are over fublime reaches of fome high-foaring Wits, that think they never fly high enough till they fly out of the light of common Senfe and Reafon. If we may charitably guefs at what they would be at in this fo lofty a Notion, it may be it is on- ly this, That the whole Evolution of Times and Ages from everlafting to everlafting is lo collect- edly and prefentifickly reprefented to God at once, as if all Things and Actions which ever were, are, or (hall be, were at this very Inftant, and fo always, really prefent and exiftent before him : Which is no wonder, the Animadverflon and intellectual Comprehension of God being ab- folutely infinite according to the truth of his Idea. Hyl. This, I mull confefs, is a far moreeafte and paflable Notion than the other. Philoth. Yes fu rely ; and not harder to con- ceive how Continuity of Duration is alfocom- petible to the Divine Exiftence, as well as Eter- nity or Life eternal, which comprehends the Idea's of all Things and Ages at once in the Intellect of God. For it is a vail: Globe wholly moved on a Plain, and carried on in one exile Line at once : or like the Permanency of a fteddy Rock by which a River Aides *, the Handing of the Rock, as well as the Aiding of the River, has a Continuity of Duration. And no other way can Eternity be commenfurate to Time than fo*, that is to fay, the Comprehenfton of the Evolution of all Ti mes, Things }2 Divine Dialogues. Things and Tranfaclions is permanently exhibit- ed tcTGod in every moment of thefuccefiion of Aees. Hyl.Whit makes the Schools then fo earned in obtruding upon us the belie^that nothing but tz/wc yermanens is competible to the Divine Exiftence ? Philoth. It m^y be out of this conceit, as if that, whofe Exiftence was fucccfllve, would neceffarily break off, or at leaft may hazard to fail, one part of fucceflive Duration having no dependence on another. But it is a mere Panick fear : For the continuation of Duration is neceflary where the Exiftence of the thing is fo. And fuch is mani- feftly the Exiftence of God from his own Idea. Bath. A nd this neceffary Exiftence of God I con- ceive to be the moft fubltantial Notion of his e- ternal Duration: which cannot well be faid to he fucceflive properly and formally, but only vir- tually and applicatively •, that is to fay, it con- tains in it virtually all the fucceflive Duration i- maginable,and is perpetually */>/>/ /c*&/* to the fuc- cceding parts thereof, as being always prefent thereto, as the Chanel of a River to all the Wa- ter that partes through it \ but the Chanel is in no fuch fucceflive defluxion, though the Water be. Such is the ft eddy and permanent Duration of the neceflary Exiftence of God in refpect of all fuccetfive Durations whatfoever. Philoth. I do not yet fo throughly u^derftand you, BathytHMs. Bath. 1 fay that fucceflive Duration properly fo called is incompetibleto God, as beingan E (fence mceffarily exiftent, and therefore without begin* ning: but the moft infinite fucceflive Duration that you C3n imagine will be found to have a begin- ning. For whatever is paft was fometime pre- fent : And therefore there being nothing of all this infinite Succeffion but was fometime prefent, the moft infinitely remote Moment thereof was feme time prefect: Which moll infinitely re- mote Divine dialogue s< 3 j iriote Moment was the Terminus terminals there- of, which plainly fhews it: had a beginning. Philoth. You fay true, Bathyvous. There mud be a mofi-remote Moment in Succeffion,and a moft- infinitely-remote one in infinite Succeffion. But being the moft-infinitely- remote Moment can- not be Terminus copulans, there being nothing for it to couple with future Succeffion, and there- fore it being Terminus terminans, and ofneceffity having been once prefent, it is plain that at that prefent was the term or beginning of this infi- nite fuppofed Succeffion. Or briefly thus* to prevent all poffible Exce- ptions againfl: the moft- in finitely remote Moment in an infinite Succeffion, as if they were *Vst4fj I would rather argue on this manner \ vit. That forafmuch as all the Moments paft in infinite Suc- ceffion were fometime prefent, it thence plainly follows that all the Moments in this infinite Suc- ceffion, or at leaft all but one, were fometime to come. And if either all thefe Moments, or all but one, were fometime to come, it is manifeft that the whole Succeffion, (or at lead the whole, bating but'one Moment) was fome time to come^ and therefore had a beginning. I underftand the ftrength of your reafoning very well. And there- fore when I fpake of the fucceffive Duration of God, I did not mean Succeffion in that proper and formal fenfe, but only a virtual, applicative or relative Succeffion *, as y6n might gather from, fome paffagesorexpreffionsin my fpeaking there- of. The Duration of God is like that ofa£oc£, but the Duration of natural things like that of a River \ their Succeffion piffes mlzuZ Akij as Hs- raclitus fpeaks. And therefore they that give fucceffive Duration properly fo called to the fted- dy Permanency of a neceflary Self-exiftence^ feem like thofe that phanfiethe Shore to move by reafon of the motion of the Ship. Provehimur porta, te'rr&kae urbSfqnh rccedant. J4 Divine Dialogues. We apply ouv own fluid fucceflive Duration to the fleddy Permanency of the eternal Duration of God : whofe Duration, though fleddy and per- manent, and withoutall defluxion and fucceflion, (as being indeed nothing elfe but his necejfary Selfexiftence)\s notwithstanding fuch as the moft infinite fucceflive Duration faft can never reach beyond, nor future ever exhauft. Whence it is plain, that though the eternal Duration ok God be really permanent , yet it is impoffible to be an indivifible Infant, aud to be perfectly and in all regards indiitant to it felf, and not to compre- hend all poflible fucceflive Evolutions that are. VI Hyl. This is very well, Philothens : but yet Anobjehim there are fome Scruples ftill behind. I muft ac- a^ainfttke knowledge that Eternity in your fenfe bears a- Ati-compre- long with it no palpable Contradiction -9 but me- henfion of E- thinks it is not altogether free from a marvel- temity, mtb lousftrange Incredibility. the Anfwcr philoth. What's that? thereto. Hyl Ttlat ajj the ^0ifes and Cryings, and Howlings and Shreekings,and Knockings and Hammeaings, and Curfings and Swearings and Prayings and Praifings,that all the Voices of Men, the Sqvvalings of Children, the Notes of Birds, and Roarings and Squeekings of Beafts, that e- ver were or fhall be, have ever been in the Ears of God at once: And fo all the Turnings and Toyings of every vifible Object, all the Difper- fions, Motions and Poftures of Hairs, and Leaves, and Straws, and Feathers, end Dull} in fine, all the little and inconfiderable Changes of the ever- agitated Matter which have been, are, dr ever fnall be, are, and ever were, and ever (hail be in the fight of God at once. This fecms to me (chough not an impoflible, yet) a very incredible Privilege of all-comprehending Eternity, Philutb. This is a wild, unexpected fetch of yours, Hylobzrcs. and as madly exprefled. But if you will anfwer me foberly to a queftion or two, you Divine Dialogues. 35 you fhall fee the difficulty will vanifhofit felf. HyU I will. ^//o^.Whetherdoyouthiak^Hy/^rfi^hat this Privilege, asyou call it, is really a Privilege, that is,a Perfection of the Divine Nature,or no ? HyU I cannot tell. £«*/?. Thofe Philofophersin MairHomdes fuhioh I do not well remember whether he calls the Seel: of the Loqkentes, would tell us roundly that it is not ; they prefuming God's Providence reaches no farther than the Species of things, but that he little concerns himfelf in Individuals. Bath. I fuppofe then that they hold that he has concredited the Adminiftration of his more particular Providence to fe'veral Orders of An- gels, and in fome fort to Men and aH intelligent Creatures, in whom he has implanted a Law for the rightly ordering Individuals* Euifi. It maybe fo. Bath. Which if they could order as well as if God himfelf look'd on, as it is no addition to God's Happinefs to have made the World, or to meddle with it -, fo it would be no detriment to the World if he were conceived to be wholly rapt into the Contemplation of his own Divine Excellencies. Euifi. This, I mufl confefs, is not much ab- horrent from the Ariftoteleon Theologie. Bath. But it is intolerably falfe, if the frame of the Creation be not fuch as that the ftanding Spi- rits hugely exceed the number of the Up fed. Euifi. They need do fo. Befides, what a ridi- culous thing were it to offer facrifice or pray to God, if he were always fo rapt into himfelf that he never were at leifure to hear us? Bath. That is moft pertinently obferved, Ea~ idor : And all pious Men muft acknowledge that they draw power and influence by their earneft Devotions to the Deity. HyU And therefore I eafily acknowledge that D z all 56 Divine Dialogues. all things in prefent Succeffion lie Open to the Eyes ot God. But whether all Voices and Sights whatfoever from everlafting to everlafting be reprefented continually to him at once, for all that ihis fhort Sally of Btthynons zn&Euiftor has given me fome time to think of it, yet I muft ftill profefs I cannot tell. Philoth. Well then, Hylobares,\n fiich a cafe as this you know the abovementioned Rule, That yon are not to let go your hold of tbofe [olid dnd certain Grounds of the Exiflence of a God, fer what is either falfe or uncertain. Hyl. You fay very true. Nor does this at all (hake my belief. Philoth. But farther to corroborate it, anfwer me but this one queftion, Hylobares. Is it not ne- cefiary that that part of the Reprefentation you made of Eternity be either a Perfection, or an lmverfecHon, or a thing of Indifferency * Hyl. That cannot be deny'd. Philoth. If it be an Imperfection, it is to be re- moved, and io tbe Difficulty is removed there- with : If 3n Indifferency, it is indifferent whether you remove it or not : If a Perfection, being that it is not impoflible, as you cannot but acknow- ledge, no Man need hefitatc, nay he ought not, but to attribute it to God. So that be your fate what it will in the determination of youraflent to any ofthefe three Parts, it can be no impedi- ment to the belief of God's Exigence. This is the thing that made your Obje&ion fo confide- rable to you, that you did not confider,that tho' all thofe Voices and Sights are perceived in the Divine Being at once, yet they are perceived in the fame did mcesaari diftinchieifes that they are found in in the very fucceffion of Ages. F or infi- nite Cowprehenfion admits, or rather implies, this. XVII **}*' ^aU afe a ^an' ^ Philoiheus, of the moft ■other ob- dexterous art in facilitating our adherence to ti.n. «»tb the belief of a Deity that ever I met with in my dr.fver. life. Divine Dialogues. 37 life I have but one Scrup'e more touching God's Eternity, and I will pafs to the next Attribute. The eternal Succeflion of God's Exigence feems to imply a Contradiction. For unlefs every de- nominated part be infinite, the whole cannot be infinite. And if every denominated part, fup. pofe the tenth, the hundredth, the thoufandth, be infinite, there are fo many Infinites.- Philoth. I underfland you very well. But you muftconfider that either God has been ah tterno, or the World has been fo. Wherefore fome- thing being fo certainly eternal, it is no repug- nancy that God be fo So that you fee there t$ no more perplexity or difficulty on the account of God's being, than if he were not in the World according to the laft of my preliminary Adver- tifements. Kay, indeed, the mod inextricable Perplexity of all would be to admit a World ah etcrno without God. For an eternal Flux of Motion of the Matter would be eternal Succejfi- on properly fo called } which Bathyzovs /hrewd- ly fuggefled to be impoflible. And if it ever relied, and afterwards was moved, there mufl be a firft Mover diftinft from the Matter. Which feems neceflarily to infer there is a God ; and the rather, becaufe if Matter was of it felf, it mult eternally have refted before it moved. HyL This Difficulty has vanifhed {o of a fud- den, that I am halfafhamed 1 ever propounded it. Pbilotk, I have met with not a few that this would have feemed no fmall Difficulty to* fo that it was not unworthy the propounding- Vhitof. But 1 pray yon proceed to the next Attribute, Hylohares : for I am hugely pleafed to fee the fnccefsfulnefsof Philothcus. HyL The next is Immnt ability, which feems to XVIII. me a neceflary Attribute of God, forafmuch as The Ami- Mutability implies Imperfection. Bnt here hu- bute o/Im- mane underflanding does feem to be caught in mutability this Dilemma \ That either we mull acknow- D 3 l?dge 3 8 Divine Dialogues. ledge a mutable God, or an immutable one : If the former, he is not properly God •, becaufe God excludes all Imperfection in his nature : If the latter, he is not to be worfhipped ^ for all the good that was to come will come without our worfhipping him *, and none of the evil can bekeptoffby all our Services, becaufe he is Im- mutable: Wherefore we muft either grant an im- perfect God, or a God not to be worfhipped : either of which isfo abfurd,that it feems forcibly to fugged that there is no God at all. Philoth. This feems a fmart Dilemmaat firft, Hylobares *, yet I think neither Horn is ftrong enough to pufh us off from our belief of the Ex- igence of a God. But for my part, I will bear the pufh of the -former of them, and grant that God is mutable \ but deny that all Mutability im- plies Imperfection, though fome does, as that Vacillancy in humane Souls, and fuch Mutations as are found in corporeal master. But fuch a Mu- tability, as whofe abience implies an impotency to or incapacity of the mofl: noble acts imagina- ble, fuch as the Creation of the World, and the admlniftration of Juftice to Men and Angels, is fo far from being any Defect, that it is a very high Perfection. For this Power in God to aft upon the Creature in time* to fuccour or chaltife it, does ndt at all difcompofe or diftract him from what he is in himfelf in'the blefled calmnefs and ftilnefsof his all-comprehenfive Eternity^hh ^nimadverfton beiug abfolutely free and infinite. So that they that would account this Power of acting in time an imminution to the Perfection of God are, I think, as much out in their ac- count as if one fliould contend \h?X A c . A q. is lefs than Ac. alone. HyL This is convincing. Bath. And that you may be more throughly convinced of the weaknefs of your Biaion, I will bear the pufh of the latter Horn, and deny that the Divine Dialogues, 59 the Immutability of God would imply that he is not to be worfhippcd. For what is the Wor (hip- ping of God but the acknowledging thofe fuper- eminent and Divine Excellencies in him to which the World owes its Confervation and Subfiftence, and from which is that beautiful Order and wife Contrivance of things in the Univerfe ? It is therefore a piece of indifpenfable Juftice to ac- knowledge tWrich Fountain and Original of all Good, and not the lefs, becaufe he is fo perfectly good, that he cannot be nor ad other wife, but is immutably fuch. Befidesthac this Praife and A- doration done to him area&ions perfective of our own Souls, and in our approaches to him he is made nearer to us *, as the opening of our Eyes is the letting in of the light of the Sun. HyL What you fay, Bathynons> I muftconfefs will hold good in that part of Worfhip which confifts in Praifing of God : but I do not fee how* his Immutability will well confift with our Pray- ing to him. For things will be, or will not be, whether we pray unto him or no. Bath. But you do not confider, that though this were, yet our Praying to him is an acknow- ledgment of his being the great Benefactor of Mankind-, and it is like Childrens asking their Fathers Blefiing, who yet would pray to God to blefs them whether they ask it or no. Befides that while we pray to God for internal good things, for Grace, Wifdom, and Virtue, wedojpfofafto open our Souls to receive the Divine Influence, which flows into our Hearts according to the Meafure of the depth and earneftnefk of our De- votion. Which is, as I faid , like the opening of our Eyes to receive the Light of the Sua. Nor do weaker or change the Will of God in this, becaufe it is the permanent and.immutable will of God, that as many as make their due Addref- fes to him fhall receive proportionable Comfort and Influence from him. And, laftly, for exter- D 4 xial ** 4e> Divine Dialogues. nal good things, though»we fhould imagine God ftill netting in the immntable Sabbatifm of his own ever-blefled Eternity, and that nothing is done in this World ad extra, but by either natu- ral or free-created Agents, either good Men or thofe more high and holy Orders of Angels, that are as the Ears and Eyes and Arms of God, as Philo fomewhere infinuates, and who are fo-fted- dily and fully a&uated by the Spirit of God, that they will do the very fame things that God him- felf would do if he were to acr ad extra in the Affairs of the World : upon this Hypothecs of things notwithftanding the Immutability of God, it implies no incongruiry to pray unto him. For he does not only hear and behold all things at once, but has eternally and immutably laid fuch trains of Caufes in the World, and Co rules the good Powers and over-rules the bad, that no Man that prays unto him as he ought, (hall fail of obtaining what is bell for him, even in exter- nal matters. HyU This is aconfideration I never thought of before. But it feems to me not altogether irra- tional. XIX Euifi. But, methinks, fomething needlefs, be- Ofthe Deity's Wttfe the Divine Records do teftifie, that the ve- *8i«g ad ei- *7 Deity fometimes fteps out into external A&i- tra. on *, as in our Saviour Chrifl\ feeding the Multi- tude with five Loaves and two Fifties, in his raif- ing the Dead, and in that great execution he is to do on the Globe of the Earth at the lad Day. Bath. The Deity indeed does aft here ad extra, but not the bare Deity, as 1 may fo fpeak, but the Divine Magick of the exarted'Soul of the Mefiias. Evifi. But what will you fay to thofe Paflages in the Old Teftament, BathynoHs, fuch as the di- viding of the Red Sea, the making of the Sun and Mco.i Hand Hill, the keeping of Sbadrach Me- faack and Ahodne^o harmlefsin the fiery Furnace, and the like? did not the bare Deity, as yoq eaiied it,(tep out then into external Action. Bdtb. Divine Dialogues. 41 Bath. You know, Euiftor, there was a migJity Eaft-wind that blew all Night, and divided the Sea ; and that there appeared a fourth Man in the fiery furnace like unto the Son of God, And, in brief, all the Miracles that were done by Mofes or any way elfe among or upon the People of the Jews were done by virtue of the prefence of the fame Chrift, who was the Conductor of the Ifraelites into the Land of Canaan, and the Reft- dentiary Guardian of that People. Euift. Indeed I remember fome fuch Opinion offome of the ancient Fathers, but I look'd up- on it as one of their Extravagancies. Sophr. And I upon the Hypotheils of Bathy- nous as a very high reach of Wit ; but methought Pbilotbeus had fully fatisfied Hylobares his Dilem* ma before. Hyl I muft ingenuoufly confefs, that I think ™ neither of the Solutions fa weak but that they yheAfrilut: Sufficiently enervate my Argument touching the 9f Omnifci- Irnmutability of God : and therefore I will pafs ency, on to his Omnifciency. Pbiloth. What is it that pinches you there, Hylobares f Hyl. A certain and determinate Prefcience of Things contingent, free and uncertain. For it feems otherwife to take away the Liberty of Will and the nature of Sin : For Sin feems not to be Sin, unlefs it be voluntary. Pbiloth. It may be not, Hylobares. But why do you then attribute fuch a Prefcience to God as is involved in fuch dangerous Inconveniences ? Hyl. Becaufe it is a greater Perfection in God to forefee all things that are to come to pafs certainly and determinately, than the contrary. Pbiloth. And would it not be a greater Perfe- ction in the Omnipotency of God to be able to do all things, even thofe that imply a Contradicti- on, than not to be able to do shem ? HyL It would. But becaufe they imply a Con- tradiction 4? Divine Dialogues, tradition to be done,, no body thinks the Om- nipotency of God maimed or blemifhed in that it reaches not to fuch things. Philoth. Why then, Hylobares, if certain Pre- science of uncertain things or events imply a Cow- tradittion, it feems it may be ftruckout of the Omnifciency of God, and leave no fear nor ble- iiiifh behind \ for God will ncverthelefs be as on,nifcient as he is omnipotent. But if it imply no Contradiction, what hinders but we may attri- bute it to him? HyU But it feems neceffary to attribute it to him : elfe how can he manage the Affairs of the World ? Philoth. O Hylobares, take you no care for that. For that eternal Mind that knows all things pof- fible to be known, comprehends all things that are pofliblc to be done, and fo has laid fuch trains of Caufes as fhall raoft certainly meet e- very one ip due time in judgment and righte- oufnefs, let him take what way he will. HyU I undei ftand you, Philotkens. Philoth. And you may underftand that,accord- ing to feme, what you would attribute to God as a Perfection founds more like an Imperfection, if wetl confidered. Hyl. Why fo, Philotheus ? Philoth. Is it not the perfection of Knowledge to know things as they are in their own nature ? Hyl. It is fo. Philoth. Wherefore to know a free Agent^ which is tin deter minute to either part, to be fo nn determinate i and that he may choofe which part he will, is the moil perfect knowledge of fuch an Agent and of his Action, till he be per- fectly determinate and has made his choice. HyU It feems fo. Philop. Therefore to know him determined before he be determined, or while he is free, is an Imperfection of Knowledge, or rather no Know- Divine Dialogues, 45 Knowledge at all, but a Miftake and Error : and indeed is a contradiction to the Nature of God, who can underftand nothing but according to the diftindi Idea s of things in his own Mind. And the Idea of a free Agent is Vndeterminatenefs to one part before he has made choice. Whence to forefee that a free Agent will pitch upon ftich a part in his choice, with knowledge certain and infallible, is to forefee a thing as certain even then when it is uncertain •, which is a plain Con- tradiction or grofs Miftake. HyL You do more than fatisfie me in this, Phi- lotkeus, That to conceive things undeterminate determinate!}', or that they will be certainly this way while they may be this way or that way, is an imperfection or cantradiction to the Truth. But there is yet this piece of perplexity behind, that this pretence of Perfection of Knowledge will neceflarily infer an imperfection or inability of Predicting future Actions of free Agents and take away Divine Infpiration and Prophecy. Philoth. That is fhrewdly urged and feafona- bly. But you are to underftand, that fo much Li- berty as is in Man will leave room enough for Millions of certain Predictions, if God thought fit to communicate them fo throughly to the World. For though I queftion not but that the Souls of Men are in fome fenfe free } yet I do as little doubt but therdare or may be infinite num- bers of Actions wherein they are as certainly de- termined as the brute Beafts. And fuch are the Actions of all thofe that are deeply lapfed into Corruption, and of thofe few that are grown to a more Hercical ftateofGoodnefs : It is certain- ly foreknowable what they will do in fuch and fuch circumftances. Not to add, that the Divine Decrees, when they find not Men fitting Tools, make them fo, where Prophecies are perempto- ry or unconditionate. Bath. What Philotheus has hitherto argued for the 44 -Divine Dialogues. the reconciling of the Divine Omnifciencc with the Notion of Man's Free Will and the nature of Sin, bears along with it a commendable plain- nefs and plaufiblenefs for its eafinefs to the Un- derftanding. But in my apprehenfion, for all it looks fo repugnantly that there mould be a cer- tain foreknowledge of what is free and uncer- tain, yet it feems more fafe to allow that Privi- lege to the infinite Underftanding of God, than to venture at all to circumfcribe his Omnifcience. For though it may fafely be faid, that he does not know any thing that really implies a Contra- diction to be known \ yet we are not allured but that may feem a Contradiction to us that is not really fo in it felf. As for example, To our finite Underftanding a Quadrate whofe Diagcnial is commenfurate to one of the Sides is a plain Con- tradiction, and we conceit >ve can demonftrate it to be fo, that is to fay, that the Ratio of the one to the other is unconceivable and {indefinable. But dare any one be fo bold as to affirm that the Divine Intellect it felf, whole Comprehenfion is infinite, cannot define to it felf the Ratio of a Di- agonial Line in a Quadrate to the Side thereof? The Application is very obvicv-s. Pbiloth. It is fo, Bathynoits. For I fuppofe in brief you mean this ; That as the Diagonal Line and Side of a Quadrate, which to our apprehen- fion are incommenfurate, are yet commenfura- ble to the infinite Comprehenfion of the Divine Intellect ', fo a certain and infallible Prefcience of uncertain Futurities, that feems inconfiftent to us, may notwithftanding be deprehended a- bundantly confiftent by the all-comprehenfive Underftanding of God. A very fafe and fober Solution of the prefent Difficulty. I am very well contented it fhould be fo, Batkynovs^ and that what I have offered at therein fhould pafs as fpo- ken by way of Efiay rather than of Dogmati- zing, and according to the fenfe of others rather than mine own, Philop. Divine Dialogue Si 45 Philop. I never faw that faying fo much veri- fied any-where, that Wifdom is eafte to him that undcrftands, as in Bathynous and Philotheush Dif- courfes. Are you not throughly fatisfied hither- to, Hylobarcs f HyL I mult confefs I am. But now I come to the molt confounding Poinf, and which is fuch as that I fear it is fatal to me never to be fatisfi- ed in. Philoth. What is that, Hylobarcs ? HyL The Spirituality of God. It is the proper XXL Difeafe of my Mind, not to be able to conceive rheAtnibute any thing that is not material or corporeal. But I of Spirituali- hope it is not a Difeafe unto Death. r>T. and that Philoth, God forbid it mould be, Hylobarcs, fdJ\*nnot , fo long as it is no impediment to the belief or e Meteria- the Exiftence of God, and of all thofe Attributes that are requifite for the engaging a Man's Soul in the purfuit of true Piety and Vertue, God will atlaft bring fuch an one to the true know- ledge of himfelf, whatever his Ignorance may be for the prefent. And for my part, I am not fond of the Notion of Spirituality nor any Notion elfe, but fo far forth as they are fubfervient to Life and Godlinefs\ that there may be as much Hap- pinefs in this life as humane affairs are capable of, and that we may be eternally happy in the life to come. Otherwife I have no fucn great folici- tude, that any mould be fuch trim and precife Speculators of things, as not to err an hair's breadth in matters of great perplexity and ob- fcurity. Eitift. I read that fome of theFathers have been of opinion that God is a kind of pure fnbtile Body. Bath, That may very well be. But then they had not that true and prejcife Notion of a fubtile Body that molt Philofophers have in this Age : But it is likely they underftood no more thereby, than that it was a fnbtih extended Sub fiance \ which, for my p3rt, I conceive m the general may 46 Divine Dialogues, may be true. But to fay it is properly a fubtile Body, is to acknowledge it a Congeries of very little Atomes toying and playing oiie by another, which is too mean i conception of the Majefty of God. Befides that it is unconceivable how thefe loofe Atoms, which are fo independent of one another, fhould join together to make up the Godhead •, or how they do confpireto keep to- gether, that there is not a didblution of the Di- vinity. Or thus: If this multitude of Divine A- - toms be God, be they interfperfed amongfl: all the matter of the World ? or do they keep toge- ther? If they be difperfed, God is lefs one than any thing elfe in the World, and is rather an in- finite number of Deities than one God or any God } and this infinite number is an incapacity of conferring notes to contrive fo wife a frame of the Univerfe as we fee. But if there be one Congeries of Divine Atoms that keep together, in which of thofe infinite number of Vortices is it feated, or amongfl: which •, or how can it order the matter of thofe Vortices from which it is fo far diftant ? or how again do thefe Atoms, tho' not interfperfed, communicate Notions one with another for one Deflgn ? Do they talk or difcourfe with one another ? or what do they do ? And then again HyL Nay forbear, Bathynoits, to go any far- ther, for you have put me quite out of conceit with a Material Deity already, the more my grief and pain. For to make a Material Deity,! muft confefs,feems extremely ridiculous ; and to make a Spiritual one impoffible : So that 1 am in great- er ftreights than ever I was. XXII. Philotb. Why, Hylobares, what conceit have Ihefaife Ne you of a Spirit y that you fhould think it a thing tion of a Spi- impoffible 3 *ic- HyL Is it not infinitely incredible, VhiUtheus, if not impoffible, that fome thoufands of Spirits may dance or march on a Needle's point at once ? Cupk* Divide Dialogues. 47 Cuph. I, and that booted and fpurred too. Hyl. And that in one inftant of time they can fly from one Pole of the World to the other ? Philoth. Thefe things I muft confefs, feem ve- ry incredible. Hyl. And that the Spirit of Man, which we u- fually call his Soul, is wholly, without flitting, in his Toe, and wholly in his Head, at once f if the whole Soul be in the Toe, there is nothing left to be in the Head. Therefore the Notion of a Spirit is perfectly impoffible : or elfe ail things are alike true : for nothing feems more impofH- ble than this. Philoth. But whofe Defcription of a Spirit is this, Hylobares f Hyl. It is, Philotheus, the defcription of the venerable Schools. Philoth. But did not I preadvertife you, that no humane Authority has any right of being believ- ed when they propound Contradiftion ? Where- fore their ram defcription of a Spirit ought to be no prejudice to the truth of its Exigence. And though the true Notion of a Spirit were incom- prehenfible, yet that would be no folid Argu- ment againft the Reality of it •, as you may oh- ferve in the nature of eternal Sncceffion^ which we cannot deny to be, though we be not able to comprehend it. Hyl. That is very true indeed, and very well worth the noting. But how fhall we be fo well tj> XXIII# ■ allured of the Exigence of a Spirit, while the com- a §l\J^ii prehenfion of its Nature is taken for defperate ? geing int^ Philoth. That there is fome Intelie&ual Princi- Wt,rut pie in the World, you were abundantly convinced from the Works of Natcre, as much as that Ar- chimedes his Treatife De Sphtra & Cylindro was from a Rational Agent : and even now it feem- cd ridiculous to you beyond all meafure, that a Congeries of Atoms mould be Divine and Intelle- ctual; Wherefore there is fomething that is not Mat* 48 Divine Dialogues. Matter that is Inteliettual^ which mult be a Tub- ftance Immaterial or Incorporeal, that is in a word, a Spirit* Hyl. I am, I mufl: con fefs, very flrongly urg- ed to believe there is a Spirit as well as an eternal Duration, though I can comprehend neither. Pbiloth. And that you maybe farther corro- borated in your belief, confider the manifold Stories of Apparitions, and how many Spe&res have been feenor felt to wraftle, pull or tug with a Man : whichj if they were a mere Congeries of Atoms, were impoffible. How could an Arm of mere Air or iEther pull at another Man's hand or arm, but it would eafily part in the pulling ? Admit it might ufe the motion of Pulfion^ yet it could never that of Attraction. HyU This indeed Were a palpable demonftra- tion that there muft be fome other fubftance in thefe Spe&resof Air or iEther, if the Hiftories were true. Euift. We read fuch things happening even in all Ages and Places of the World ; and there are modern and frcfh examples everyday: fo that no Man need doubt of the Truth. XXIV. tyL Thefe Experiments indeed ftrike very That Extsn- ftrongly on the Imagination and Senfes, but jionandMat- there is a fubtile Reafonthat prefently unloofeth ter tn not z\\ again. And now methinks I could wifh the reciprocal. nature of a Spirit were more unknown'to me than it is, that I might believe its Exiflence without meddling at all with its fyTencc. But 1 cannot but know thus much of it, whether I will or no, that it is either extended, or not extended \ 1 mean, it has either fome Amplitude of EJfence, or elfe none at all. If it has no Amplitude or Extenfion, the ridiculous Hypothefis of the Schools will get up again, and millions of Spirits, for ought I know, may dance on a Needle's point, or ra- ther, they having no Amplitude, would be nothing. If they have anv Amplitude or Extenfion, they will Divine dialog u e s« 49 "Will not be Spirits, but mere Body or Matte? '. for, as that admired Wit Des-Cartes folidly con- eludes, Extenfion is ths very EJfence of Matter. This is one of the greateft Arguments that fa- tally bear me off from a chearful clofing with the belief af Spirits properly fo called Philotb. It is much, Hylobares, that you mould give fuch an adamantine Aflent to fo weak and precarious an Aflertion as this of Des-Cartcs* For though it be wittily fuppo fed by him, for a ground of more certain and Mathematical after* Deductions in his Philofophy *, yet it is not at all. proved, that Matter and Extenfion are recipro* cally the fame, as well every extended thing Mat* terras a\\ Matter extended. This is but an upliarC conceit of this prefent Age. The ancient Ato- rnical Philofophers were as much for a Vacuum as for Atomes. And certainly the World has hither- to been very idle, that have made fo many and try'd fo many Experiments whether there be a~ iiy Vacuum or no, if it be fo demonftratively con* cludible, as Des-Cartes would hear us In hand; that it implies a Contradiction there mould be a- ny. The ground of the Demonftration lies fa fhallow and is fo obvious, that none could have thought there had been any force in it. Hyl. It is true, this might in reafon abate a Man's confidence a little, Thilothens\ but the an- preheniion is fo deeply rivetted into my Mind, that fuch Rhetorical Flourifhes cannot at all loofen or bruih it out. Philoth. Well then, give me leave, ttylobares, %x¥. to attaque you fame other way. Did you not fay That there is even now, that whatever has no Extenfion or an Extenfion Amplitude is nothing ? inirinfecti t§ Hyl. I did, and do not repent me of fo faying, Motiorl* For I doubt not but that it is true. Philoth. Wherefore Extenfion or Amplitude is an intrinfecal oreflential Property Ens quatenus Ens^ as the Metaphyficians phrafe it. E HyU 50 Divine Dialogues. Hyl. It is fo. Philoth. And what is an intrinfecal or eflential Attribute of a thing, is in the thing it felf. Hyl. Where mould it be elfe ? Philoth. Therefore there is Extenfion in eve- ry thing or Entity. Hyl It cannot be deny'd. Philoth. And it can as little be deny'd,butthat Motion is an Entity r\ mean a Phyfcal Entity. ^Hyl. It cannot. Philoth. Therefore Extenfion is an intrinfecal property of Motion. Hyl. It mull be acknowledged ; what then ? Philoth. What then ? Do you not yet fee, //y- lobares, how weak an AfTertion that of Dcs-Car- ff/js, That Extenfion and Matter arejreciprocal? for you plainly fee that Extenfion is intrinfecal to Motion, and yet Motion is not Matter. Hyl. Motion is not Ens, but Modus Entis. Philoth. Nay, by your favour, Hylobares^ Mo- tion is Ens^ though in fome fenfe it may be faid to be Modus corporis. Hyl. Methinks I am, I know not how^Philo- theits, illaqueated, but not truly captivated into an alTent to your Concluflon. Philoth. That is becaufe you are already held captive in that inured Conceit of Des-Cartes, that makes you fufped folid Reafon for a Sophifm. idyl If Motion were a thing that was loofe or exempt itious from Matter, then I could not but be convinced that it had Extenfion of its own*, but being it is a mere Mode of Matter, that cannot pafs from it into another Subjedl, it has no other Extenfion than that of the Matter it felf it is in. Philoth. But if it have another EfTence from the Matter it felf, by your own conceflion it mult however have another Extenfion. Befides, you feern miftaken in what. I mean by Motion. For I mem not limply thq Trangmon, but the vis agi- tans that pervades the whole' Body that is moved. Which Divine Dialogues. 51 Which both Regius and Dei-Cartes acknowledge exemptitious and loofe, fo that it may pafs from one part of Matter to another. Hyl. But what is that to me, if I do not? Philoth. It is at leaft thus much to you, that you may take notice how rafhly and groundlefly both Des.Cartes and Regius aflert Extenfion and Matter to be reciprocal, while in the mean time they affirm that which according to your own judgment does plainly and convincingly infer that Extenfion is more general than Matter. Hyl. It is, I mnft confefs, a fign that the appre* henfions of Men are very humourfome and Iu* bricous. Philoth. And therefore we muft take heed, Hy- lobares, how we let our Minds cleave to the Opi- nion of any Man out of admiration of his Perfon* Hyl. That is good advice, and of great confe- quence (if it be given betimes) for the keeping out of Error and Falfhood. But when a Phancy is once engrafted in the Mind, how fhall one get it out ? Philoth. I muft confefs I marvel much, Hyloba- res, that you being fo fully convinced that every real and Phyfical Entity has an intrinfecal Ex- tenflon of its own, 3nd that Motion is a Phyfical Entity different from Matter, you mould not be prefently convinced that Motion hasalfo an in- trinfecal Extention of its own. To which you might add, that the manner of the Extenflon of Matter is different from the'nature of the Extent Hon in Motion : the former being one iingle Ex- tenfion, not to be lefleried nor encreafed with- out the lefTening and increafe of the Matter it felf*, but the other a gradual Ex ten lion, to be leflened or augmented without any lefTening or augmenting the Matter. Whence again it is a fign that it has an Extenfion of its own, redupli- cative into it felf, or reducible to thinner or weaker degrees; while rhe Extenfion of the Mat- ter remains ftill fingle and the fame. HyU 52 Divine Dialogues. //y/.lmuftconfefs, PbUotbeus^tlutl am brought to thefe (freights, that I i nuft cither renounce that Principle, That every Phyfical Entity hasaa intrinfecal Exteniion of its own, as much as it has an intrinfccal Eflence of its own, which I know not how to do*, or elfe I mult acknow- ledge that fomething befides Matter is extended . Bull mult take time to confider of it. lam fome- thing ftaggercd in my judgment. XXVI Philoth* Give me leave then, Hylobares, to fol- rj . '• low my blow with one ftroke more, and fee if I l »at -here a J n ., . . , ' - i»imn «;vc?-cannot &r,ke y°ur option to the ground. 3tc Ex-cnfi- &jt' T>o,Pbihtbeus, I will ftand the (hock of it. on diftiuEt Phi loth. Place your felf then under the JEqm- c.omihm rf noftial Line, Hylobares. movable HyL Is it not better being in this cool Arbour? Mater. Philoth. I hope the mere Imagination of the Torrid Zone will not heat you. Brt you may place yonr felf in a more Temperate Clime, if you pleafe. HyL What then, Philotbeus f Philoth. Shoot up an Arrow perpendicularly from the Earth • the Arrow you know, will re- turn to your foot again. HyL If the wind hinder not. But what does this Arrow aim at ? Philoth. This Arrow hasdefcribed only right Lines with its point, upwards and downwards io the Air \ but yet, holding the morion of the Earth, it mult alfo have defcribed in fome ^a[c a circular or curvilinear Line. HyL It malt be fo« Philoth. But if you be fo impatient of the teat abroad, neither your body nor your pliancy need ftep cut of this cool Bowre. Confider the round Trencher that Glafs (lands upon * it is a kind of fhort Cylivdfr, which you thzy eafily ima- gine a foot longer, if von will . HyL Very eaiily, Philctheus. Ibi.oth. And as calily phanfy a Line drawa from. D I V I N E DiALOGU E S. J J from the top of the Axis of that Cylinder to the Peripherie of the Bafts. HyL Every jot as eafily. Philoth. Now imagine this Cylinder turned round on its Axis. Does not the 1 ine from the top of the Axis to the Peripherie of the Ba.fi s ne- cefljrily defcribe a Conicnm in one Circumvo- lution? HyL It does fo, Philetbeus. Philoth. But it defcribes no fuch Figure in the wooden Cylinder it fclT: As the Arrow in the aiereal or material Equinoctial Circle defjribes not any Line but a right one. In what therefore does the one defcribe, fuppofe, a circular Liney the other a Cunicum ? HyL As I [ive^Pbilotbeusyl am (truck as it were with Lig htning from this furprizingconflderation. Philoth. I hope, Hylobares, you are pierced with fome meafure of Illumination. HyL I am fo. Philoth. And that yon are convinced, that whe- ther you live or no, that there ever was, is, and ever will be an immoveable Extenfim diftinct from that of movable Matter. Hyl This evidently demon(t rates the Exig- ence of thzzncknt Democr it ifl) Tacniim, and with- al that Extenfion and Matter are not converti- ble terms , for which yet Cartefms fo much con- tends. This Conceit is ftruck quite de^d with the point of the Arrow defcribing a curvilinear Line in the fteddy TEquinoftial Circle. And if it fhould ever offer to flame out again into life in my thoughts, I would ufe the Comcumzsan Extin- guish er to Another it. Philop. What achearful thing the apprehenfi- on of Truth is, that it makes Hylobares fo plea- XXVII. fant and fo witty ? T^'^I^ Cuph. But methinks he claps his wines before *■ a" V the Victory, or rather fubmits before he be over- M.ltter ;s mf come. For it may be feafonably fuggefted, thatzVv.^Wf E 3 it but red . 54 Divine Dialogues. CUrl. it is re at Exterfi tz and Matter that are terms con- vertible; but that Extenfion wherein the Ar- row-qead defcribes a curvilinear Line is only *- magmary- Hyl. But it is fo imaginary, that it cannot pof- fibly be dif-imagined by humane underftanding. Which methinks mould be no fmall earneft that there is more than an imaginary Being there. And the ancient Atomifts called this Vacuum --. T rla) dvctp) qvoiv, the intangible nature \ which is a in°vta Ep?~ &&n tne^ tnou§nt xt fomereal thing. Which ap- pears farther from their declaring, that this and Atoms were the only true things, but that the reft were mere Appearances. And Anftot I e fome- where in his Phyfcks exprelly declares of the Py- thagoreans, that they held there was a Vacmmy from an infinite Spirit that pervades Heaven or the Univerfe, as living and breathing in virtue thereof. Euifi. I remember the Paflage very well : it is in the fourth Book and the fixth Chapter. eW «f' i^A-sav #J ol TluSeL)J??iot Kirov, )y e-TreimiVM ojjtq tw VPO'.VCO ZH T6 d^tiM fyfUfMLTOf W$ duV Ob'' O-TViOVTl Bath. As if this Pythagorick Vacuum were that to the Univerfe which the Air is to particular Animals, that wherein and whereby they live and breath. Whence it is manifest the Pythagore- ans held it no imaginary Being. HyU And laftly, O Cuphophron, unlefs you will flinch from the Di&atesof your fo highly-admi- red Des^Cartes, forafmuch as this Vacuum is ex- tended, and meafurable, and the like, ir muft be a Reality ; becaufe Non entis nulla eft Affettio, according to the Reafonings of your beloved Mailer. From whence it feems evident that there is an extended Subftancc far more fubtile than Body, that pervades the whole Matter of the Univerfe. Bath. Excellently well argued, O Hylobares ! Thou art become not only a Difciple, but a very able Divine Dialogues. 55 able Champion for. the Truth of Immaterial Be- ings, and therefore are not far off from the right apprehenilon of the Nature of God. Ofwhofe Eflence I muft: confers 1 have always been prone to think this fubtile Exteniion (which a Man cannot dif-imagine but mull needs be) to be a more obfcure fhadow or adumbration, or to be a more general and confufed apprehenilon of the Divine Amplitude For this will be neceflarily, though all Matter were annihilated out of the World. Nay indeed this is antecedent to all Matter, forafmuch as no Matter nor any Being elfe can be conceived to be but in this. In this are all things neceflarily apprehended to live and move and have their Being, Sopbr. Lord, thou haft been our dwelling-place in Pf*l.XC,i ,a, all generations. Before the Mountains were brought forthy or ever thou had ft formed the Earth or the World : even from cverlafting to everlafting thou art God. Bath. Whence the Cabbalifts have not vainly attributed thofe Titles of [rDipB and 'jrTX un- to God, who is the Immovable Mover, Receptacle and Suftainer of all things. Anfwerable to what Hylobares noted of the Opinion of the Pythagore- ans , who have a great affinity with the ancient Cabbalifts. Cupb. What Myfterious conceits has Bathynous of what can be but a mere Vacuum at belt. Bath. It is an Extenfion plainly diftinft from that of Matter, and more neceflarily to be ima- gined in this difHn&nefs than that Extenfion of Matter, and therefore a ground infinitely more certain of the Exiftence of an infinite Spirit than the other of indefinite Matter. For while that Extenfion which Cartcftus would build his Mat- ter on is conceived moveable, this Spirit is necefla- rily fuppofed in which it moves, as appears from Thilotheus his Inftances. So that this is the Exten- fion only which mull imply the neceflity of the E 4 Ex- $6 Divide Dialogue?, Exiftcnce of fome real Being thereunto apper- taining ; which therefore mud be coincident with the Effence of God, and cannot but be a Spi- w,becaufe it pervades the Matter of the TJniverfe, Cuph. It is only the Capacity of Matter, Bathy* nous. Bath. What do you mean by Capacity, Cupha- phron ? Matter in potentia f Cuph* Yes. Bath. But we conceive this Extenfion loofly diftinft from that of Matter : that of Matter be- ing moveable, this immoveable \ that of Matter dif- ccrpible, this indifcerptble. For if it were difcer- pible, it would be alfo moveable, ai;d fo ipfofa- # Hylobares, you at * firft mentioned. *r,q. . Hyl. Itisfo. * • 4' Philoth. And I fear will be too copious a Sub- ject to be entred upon at this time. Prilop. I conceive fo too. And be fides, I have fome Letters to difpatch by the Poft this Night, which I muft not negleft. For we may rcttifie our inward thoughts fo foon as we find our Error ; but if any error or neglett be committed in outward affair s^ though the error be difcovered, the lofs is many times irrecoverable, and the inconvenience incorrigible* Cuph. That is very true. But, according to the ancient cuftom of Athens, you havea right, Philo- polis, as well of putting an end to as beginning the Difpute. Philop. This Law was undoubtedly an intend- ed Civility by your Anceftors, O Cuphophron, but in this circumftance of things I look upon it as a piece of Cruelty ; that I muft do execution upon my felf, and by mine own ad deprive my felf of that ingenuous Converfe which I could enjov with pleafure even to break of Day. Cuph. It is the common lofs of us all, efpeci- ally mine, who enjoy my felf qo where fo well as in fo excellent Company. But it is in your hand, FhilfyjUsito remedy this : For you have the right of go Divine Dialogues. of appointing the time of our meeting again, as well as of diflfolving thisprefent Meeting. Philop. Have I fo ? This makes amends for the other misfortune, which I will repair by a more timely appointment. I adjourn therefore this Meeting till to morrow at five a Clock in the af. ter-noon, if Fhilothens and the reft be agreed, Philoth. Agreed The End of the firft Dialogue. ■j#?>wm»*n*;>*'i/m ."'r'yyj y ,'. .i'jj. j< .■," .»i . < > _■ " . , .1^ ; -' THE Divine Dialogues. 8j THE SECOND DIALOGUE. PbilotheuSj Bathy»otis9 Sophron, Pbilopolisy Euijior, Hjlobares, Cuphophron. I. fhilop. ^^Efterday's performance, O Philothe- ~he *' j X *, h/s endeared to me the Memo- ^ZaTn- ry of that Day, of this Place,(this facred Arbour ;„g phiiopo- wherein we are again fo happily met) and of lis h'uThanks your excellent felf and the reft of this worthy for the ufl Company for ever. I never reap'd fo much plea- Da/S £>>f\ fure in fo kw hours in all my Life. In which not- courfe » ™ith withftanding the chiefeft fatisfaftion was, that 1^%^'. my dear Friend Hylobares was fo fully fatisfied tf0* anYof touching thofe moft intricate Theories concern- tjje Mffculty ing the Nature of God and his Attributes* It re- of the pre fen $ mains now, Philothens^that with the like happy Subjeft. fuccefs you clear his Mind of thofe manifold Scru- pulosities and Difficulties it feems laden with touching the Providence of God, Philoth. Your extraordinary kind refentment, O Pbilopolis, of my former endeavours is no fmall obligation upon me to do the belt I can in this prefent Task. But I cannot omit to take notice, that your over-proportionate propenfions to- wards my felf, makes you feem not fo juft to o- thers, who bore their part in whatever contribu- ted either to your own delight or Hylobares his fatisfaftion. Nor can I alone fuftain this Day's Province, but muft implore the help of others, efpecially in fo copious and various a Subject. Cuph. Yes, PhilotheHs^ that is fuppofed. Euifior^ Bathynous and the reft will affift \ nor fhall 1 fail to put in for one, when occafion requires, and I find my Mind moved thereunto. G 4 Erift. -38 Divine Dialoguen Euift.Cupbofhroncxyverkshimfelfin fuch phrafe, as if it were hopeful that he will fpeak by Infpira- tion. HyU He feems to me, Euiftor, fo to do fome- times: Qf which fome palfages of yefterdays Difcourfe are frefh Inftances. For he was feveral times fo highly rapt and divinely infpired, that I profefs I think no humane understanding could reach his meaning. Sophr Nulh >cn abeft.fi fit prudentia. So I th": . 1 cautious Rcafon in a calm and pure Spirit is. the bell Infpiraticn now-adays in mat- ters of Contemplation, as well as Prudence in the common Practices of life. Cupid. I am as much for illuminated Reafon, O Sophron, as any Man living can be. HyU So am I, Cuphophron ; provided the illumi- vaticnbc not fo bright and fulgent as to obfcure or extinguifh all perceptibility of the Reafon. Sophr. I always thought* right Reafon it felf to be the Illumination or .Light of the Mind, and that all other Light is rather that of the Eye than of the Underftanding* HyU Let Cuphophron look to that, O Sophron, and defend his own magnificent ftyle. Fhilop. But be you plea fed in the mean time, O Hylobares, according to the purpofe of our pre- fect meeting, to propound your Difficulties to Philotheus touching Divine Providence, and to the re/1 of this judicious Company. •V.Kow becomingly does Philopolis exercife his Office, and feafouably commit the Opponent with the Refpondent, like a long-praciifed Mo- derator ? I wilh Phihtkeus no worfe fuccefs than he had ycftcrday. But 1 cannot ominatc fo well touching this Congrefs. I fear fuch a Storm will be raifed as all the Wits in Europe will not be able to allay. So intricate, fo anfra&ucus, JTo un|£arch- abje are the ways of Providence. Cppfr. I wonder vvhaici , . tcok this ill O- :reu> fy! chares ? HyU Divine Dialogues. 89 Hyl I fuppofe from our two {porting together, which he look'd upon as the playing of two Sea- Calf es before a Storm. Sofhr. I mfa,Hylobares% you prove Calf enough to bring no Objc&ions but what Philothensov fome of us may fufficientlyanfwer. Philop. 1 earneftly wifh Philothcus affiitance e- nough and ability from above, that he may with fatisfa&ion anfwer the greatefl Difficulties that either Hylobures or any one elfe can produce touching Divine Providence. Sophr. That indeed is the more defirable of the two, and my heart and vote goe along with yours, O Philopolis. Philop. Begin then, if you pleafe, O Hylobures. Hyl. I have in my Mind fuch a croud and cloud of Difficulties, that I know not were to begin, or when I mall make an end. Sophr. Did not I tell you fo, Philopolis ? Hyl. But 1 believe they they are mainly redu- tj# cible to thefe three Heads, or rather, if you will, The two main to thefe two more general ones, The Evils that Heads tf Ob- are in the World, and The defecl of Good. For when/^*<"u a~ . you have fenced as well as you can, Philothens,^1^ 1>r?v,1- and pretty well fatisfied us that all things here *' Tit, r _ * , ^ i n. 11 1 j 1 certain Laws upon Earth are at leaft well enough, and that t0 y( 0yferve({ there is no fuch Evil difcoverable as implies the ,-„ difputivg firft Principle of all things not to be the Sovereign thereof. Goodnefs *, there is yet this Difficulty behind. How it can conilft with the Goodnefs of God, that this good Scene of things mould begin no fooner or fpread no farther, that is to fay, that there fhould be no more Earths than one, or that this one or all fliould have been but fix thoufand years ago or thereabout. Sophr. This very laft Difficulty, Philopolis, is a- ble to confound any mortal living. Philoth. Dear Sophron, be not fo difmay'd ; I dare pafs my word that nothing that is holy or ficred (hall fnffer any detriment by this conflict, when <}o Divine Dialogues* when I have declared the Laws of the combat, and what Weapons we muft be confined to, namely to mere Reafon and Philofophy. In which Field I muft notwithftanding confefs that I fu- fpedl: Hylohares will prove a ftout Champion. But it's much if we be not able to deal with him. And forafmuch as it is fo plainly evident from a a world of Thmomena, that there is a Principle thatafts out of Wifdom and Counfel, as was a- bundantly evidenced by yefterday's difcourfe and as roundly acknowledged -, it fhall be feverely expected and exacted of Hylohares, That he do not eppofe falfe or uncertain Hypothefes, or popular Mi- stakes and Surmifes, or vagrant and ficlitious Sto- ries, againfi certain Truth, fitch as is difcoverable every day before our Eyes. Thilop. That is very equitable and reafonable. Philoth. And if he cannot keep his Philofophi- cal fingers from medling with the Holy Writ, that he do not handle it fo ineptly, as to draw exprefllons accommodated to the capacity of the Vulgar into a Philofophical Argument, or to in- fer a Negation from the preterition of fuch or fach a Subject. Euifr. It is incredible that //y/e;W«,profeffing himfelf a Philofopher, fhould betake himfelf to fuch Nugacities as are exploded even by the The- ologers themfelves, who notwithstanding fpend their main ftudy on the Holy Scriptures. Hyl. Thefe Laws, O Philothens, I accept as juft and right. jjj Philoth. And if they be kept to, Hylohares, as £vilsin'?ene~ ftout a Retiarius as you are, you fhall never be ral how confi- able to catch me in your Net, or entangle me in ftent with the any of your intricacies touching Divine Provi- Goodnefs of denc&. For as for that which jon have propofed God. jn general touching the Evilsinthe World, wher tlier they be thofe that feem more Tragical, or e!fe letter Mifcarriages in the Manners of Men or the Accidents of Fortune, if fuch things were not Divine Dialogues, 91 not, where were the Qbje&s of Sighs and Tear?, ofSmilesand Laughter? So that what you bring 4s an Argument againft Providence^ is in my ap- prehenilon a very palpable Argument for it. For it is plain that that Power that made the World forefaw the Evils in it, in that he has fo €xquifitely fitted us with Paflions correfpondent thereto. HyL This is ingenuoufly inferr'd, O Philotheia, fo far as it will reach, namely, to prove there is a Providence or Fore-fightof God : but you feem to forget the main Queftion in hand, which is, Whether the meafure of bis Providence be his Good- vefs% and that nothing is tranfa&ed againft that Attribute. But your concefllon feems to imply that he knowingly and wittingly brought Evil into the World •, which feems therefore the more grofly repugnant to his Goodnefs. Sophr. Methinks, Gentlemen, you are both al- ready agreed in a Point of fo great concernment, jiamely, That there is a pivine Providence, that if there were any modeftyin mortal Men they might be content with that bare difcovery,with- out fo ftri&iy examining or fearching into the Laws or Meafures thereof, but apply themfelves to the Law of Life which God has written in their hearts, or exprefTed in the Holy Writ, that it may go well with them in the Conclufion. Philop. That is very pioufly and judicioufly noted, O Sophr on. Bath. So it is indeed, O Phiiopolis : But yet I humbly conceive that it is not always an itch of fearching into, but fometimes a neceflicy of more punctually knowing, the truth of the Myfteries of God, that drives fome Mens Spirits into a more clofe and anxious Meditation offo profound Matters. As it may well do here in this prefent Point touching the Meafure of God's Providence f namely, Whether the Rule thereof be his pure Goodnefs, or his mere Will and Severeignty. For if it Divine Dialogues. it be his Goodnefs, all free Agents have all the jreafon in the World to apply themfelves to that Lav/ of Life which Sopbron mentions, becaufe their labour foall not be in vain in the Lord, as the Apoflle fpeaks. But if the meafureof his Provi- dence be his mere Power, Will or Sovereignty, no Man living can tell what to expeft in the conclu- fion. All true Believers may be turned into Hell, and the wicked only and theBlafphemerafcend into the Regions of Blifs. For what can give a- ny flop to this but God's Juflice, which is a branch or mode of his Goodnefs f 'Pbilop. Methinks, Bathynous^ that you both have reafon, both Sopbron and yourfelf-, nor do I defire Pbilotbeus to deilft from the prefent Sub- ject, though I much long, I confefs, to hear him difcourfe of the Affairs of the Kingdom of God. Philoth. That fhall be done in due time, Pbilo- polis. In the mean while I dare avow to Hyloba.- res, that there are no Evils in the World that God forefaw (and he forefaw all that were to be) which will not confift with this Principle, That God's Goodnefs is the Afeafure of bis Providence. For the nature of things is fuch, that fome Par- ticulars or Individuals muft of necefhty fufTer for the greater good of the Whole *, befides the ma- nifold Incompofibillties and Lubricities of Matter, that cannot have the fame conveniences and fit- nefies in any fhape or modification, nor would be fit for any thing, if its (hapesand modifications were not in a manner infinitely varied. HyL I partly underftand • you, Pbilotbeus *, I pray you go on. Pbilotb. Wherefore I inferr, That ft ill the Mea- fure of God's Providence is his Goodnefs : For- afmuch asthofe Incompoffibilities in Matter are un- avoidable ^ and whatever defigned or permittedE- vil there feems in Providence,it is for a far greater good, and therefore is not properly in the fnm- mary compute of the whole affairs of the tTiii- verfe Divine Dialogues* 95 Verfeto be reputed evil, the lofs in particulars being To vaft a gain to the Whole. It is there- fore our Ignorance, O Hylobares, of the true Law of Goodnefs (who are fo much immerfed in- to the Life of. Selfijhnefs, which is that low Life of Plants and Animals) that makes us fuch in- competent judges of what is or is not carried on according to the Law of that Love or Goodnefs which is truly Divine : whofe Tendernefs and Benignity was fo great as to provide us of Sighs and Tears , to meet thofe particular Evils with which ihe forefaw would necelTarily emerge in the World ; and whofe Gaiety and Feftivity is alfo fo conspicuous in endowing us with that paflion or property of Laughter, to entertain thofe lighter mifcarriages with, whether in Man- ners or Fortune : As if Providence look'd upon her bringing Man into the World as a Speclator of a Tragick-Comedy. And yet in this which feems fo ludricous, fce^Hylobdres^ what a ferious defign of good there is. For Companion, the Mo- ther of Tears, is not always an idle Spedhtor, but an Helper oftentimes of thofe particular E- vils that happen in the World •, and the Tears again of them that fuffer, oftentimes the Mother of Compaflion in the Spectators, and extort their help. And the news of but one ridiculous Mifcarriage fills the Mouths of a thoufand Men with Mirth and Laughter \ and their being fo liable univerfally to be laught at, makes every Man more careful in his Manners, and more cau- tious in his Affairs, efpecially where his Path is more flippery. Hyl. I perceive by thefe beginnings, that you are likely to prove a marvellous My ft a of Divine Providence, O Thilotheus. Sophr. I wifh with all my Heart, Phihpolis0 that Thildtheus may come off fo cleverly in the parti- cular Difficulties that will be propofed, as he has done in this general one. For there are infinite an- dene*. 94 Divine Dialogues* ene.vpe&cd Puzzles that it's likely a bufie fearch- ing Wit, fuch as Hylobares^may unluckily hitupon. Euift. What, do you think any harder or IV. greater, O Sophr on, than are comprifed in thofe The A>gu- elegant, though impious, Verfes of Lucretius ? mcnts e/Lu- Sofhr. What Verfesdo you mean, Euiflor ? creuus 4- _ £Hijt. Thofe in his fifth Book Dererum Natn- &f™fl VrCVi~ ra, where he propofes this Conclufion to him- felf to be proved, viz.. Ncquaquam nobis divinitus ejfe par at am Naturam rerum Sophr. And by what Arguments, I befeech you, does he pretend to infer To impious a Concludon ? Euifl. The Argument in general is the Culpa- bility of Nature, Tanta flat predita culp.i ^ and that therefore it cannot be the work of God : and I think he brings in at leaft half a fcore In- ftances of this Faultinefs, as he phanfies it. Sophr. Lucretius is efteemed fo great a Wit, that it were worth the while, Euifior, if you thought fitting, to give your felf the trouble of recounting thole Inftances. Philop. A very good motion, and fuch, O So- phron, as whereby you may eafily guefs whether Philotbeiis has undertaken fo defperate a Province as you imagine. For it's likely that fo great and elegant a Wit as Lucretius would, out of thofe many, pick the molt choice and rnofr. confound- ing Puzzles (as you call them) that the Epicurean Caufe could afford him. And therefore if thefe mould not prove fuch invincible Arguments a- gainlt the Coodnsfs of Providence, it may be the better hoped that there are none abfolutely fuch. Sophr. You fay well, Phihpolis, and that makes me the more defirous to hear them. Euifl And that you lhall, Sopbron, upon the condition you will anfvvcr them. Sophr . Either 1 or Fkilqihciu or fome of us will do our beft. £uift. Divine Dialogues. 95 Enift. I will not repeat the Verfes themfelves, for I fhould do that but brokenly \ but I believe there are very few of the particular Inftances in them but I remember firmly enough. As firft* that fo much of the Earth is taken away from us by the Barrennefs of Mountains and Rocks, by the.inaccefliblenefsof large Woods inhabited by wild Beafts, by the overfpreading of the Seas, and by hugevalt Marifhes: Beftdes that the Tor- rid and Frigid Zones are unhabitable, the one by reafon of the excefs of Heat, the other by reafon of the extremity of Cold : That that part of the Earth that is inhabited by Men is of fo perverfe a nature, that if it were not for Man's induftry and hard labour, it would be all over- run with Thorns and Brambles : That when with much toil he has made the ground fruitful, and all things look green and flourifhing, often all this hope is qilafh'd by either excefs of Heat and Drought, or violence of Rain and Storms, or keennefs of Frofts. To which he adds the infe- ftation of wild Beafts, that are fo terrible and hurtful to Mankind both by Land and Sea ; the Morbidnefs of the Seafons of the Year, and the frequentnefs of untimely Death *, and, laftly, the cjeplorablenefs of our Infancy and firft circum- ftances of entring into life • which he fets offTo pathetically, that I cannot but remember thofe Verfes whether I will or no. Sophr. I dare fay they are very good ones then* iiyou like them fo, Euiftor : I pray you let us hear them if it be no trouble to you to repeat them. Euift* No it is not, Sophron. The Verfes are thefe : Tumporro puer, ut fievis project us ab undis JSTavita, nudnshumi jacet, infans^ indigus omni Vitali auxilioy cum primum in luminis or as Nixibus ex alvo matris Natura profudit, Vagit 11 que locum lugubri complete ut.&quum f/r, x Quod t ant urn in vita reft at tr an five malorum. Cuph. 96 Divine Dialogues. Cuph. They are a very empaflionating drain of Poetry, Hylobares *, methinks I could have fallen a weeping while Emftor repeated them. I re- member them very well. But is there not fome- thing in the following Verfes about Childrens Rat- tles ? For thefe are not all. HyL Let me entreat you of all friendfhip, Eh- iftor, to repeat to Cttphophron the Rattle-verfes, to keep him from crying. Em ft. They are thefe that 'Cuphophron means, and immediately follow the former : At varia crefcunt pecudes, armenta feraque, Nee crepit acuta eis opit3 funt, nee quicquam adhi- henda eft \Alm& nutricis blanda atque infrafla loquela, Nee v arias qu&runt veftes pro tempore Cdi. What think you of thefe lndances, O Sophron f Sophr. I mull ingenuoufly confefsthat \i Lucre- tius have no better Arguments againft Provi- dence than thefe, nor Hylobares than Lucretius, their force will not feem fo formidable to me as I fufpe&ed •, but I mull on the contrary fufpeft, that they are ordinarily very fmall motives that precipitate thofe into Atheifm and Epicurifm that have of themfelves an inward propenfion there- unto. y Phlhih. Are thefe the fame Arguments, Hylo« Providence bares, that you intended to invade me withal ? argued a- HyL Thefe are only of one fort of them refer- gainft from rible to the Claflis of Natural Evils, and but few the prcmifcu- 0f thofe neither. But to fpeak the truth, Phila- ous falling of ' t\mis^ \ hacj not dinumerately and articulate- thej&in,and j ,nudered upor fhaped out the particular Ar- vatinz dif- g"ments I would urge you with, though I felt my charges of Mind charged with multifarious thoughts ; and Thundeo- that prefled the forwarded that had left the la* daps ted impreflion on my Mind on the Road as we rid hither to this City, upon our being overta- ken with fo great a Storm of Thunder, Hail and a mighty dalh of Rain, that we were well-nigh wet: 1)iVine Dialogues. 97 wet to the skin. For I began to think with my ielf how confiftentthofe kindsof Accidents could be with fo good and exad a Providence as Men imagine. For the High-ways yield no Crop *, nor do we our felves grow by being liquored Without fide, but within: befides the Wetting of all our Cloaths, and the endangering the catch^ ing of an Ague or a Fever. Wherefore if Pro- vidence were fo exadl:, the Rain would be always directed to fuch places as are benefitted thereby, not to fuch as it does no good to, but trouble and mifchief to thofe that are found there. Philoth. Your meaning is then, Hylobares, that it is a Flaw in Providence that the Rain is not reftrained from falling on the High-ways. But in the mean time you do not conlider how intole- rably dully they would be, efpecially in Summer, aud how conftant a mifchief that would prove, and troublefome both to Horfe and Man. HyL I, but it Rains as much on the High-ways in Winter-time as Summer-time, be they never fo deep in Wet and Mire already : which me- thinks is not confident with fo accurate a Provi- dence as you contend for. Philoth. And this, Hy lobar es^ I Warrant, you take to be an impregnable Argument, a ftout Inftance indeed, in that you place it thus. in the front of the Battle. But if it be founded to the bottom, it will be found to ftand upon a ground no lefs ridiculous than that Comical conceit in j4riflophAnes, of Jupiter's pilling through a Sieve as often as it Rains: or what is a more cleanly andunexceptionabIeexpreffion,thitthedefcend- ing of Raia islike the watering of a Garden with a Watering-pot by forrie free Agents-, where they do not water the Walks of the Garden, but only the Beds or Knots wherein the Flowers grow. Which is the mofi: Idiotick and unphiio- fophical Conceit, Hylobdres that could ever fall into the Mind of any Man of your Parts. For the H commit- 9$ Divine Dialogue^.. cammitting of all the Motions of the natural Thdnomen^ as they are called, to any free Agents^ were the utter abolifhing of all natural Philoso- phy, and indeed of Nature it felf •, and there would be no Object left of Speculation iathefe things, but either Metaphyfical or Moral. And by the fame reafon that you require that the Rain fhould only fall upon fuch plats of the Earth as are deftined for Grafs, for Corn, for Trees, and the like, you muft require alfo that the Sun fhould not fhine on the High-ways for f-ar of infefting us with duft, and that it fhould ■ivert its Beams from the Faces of tender Beau- tics •, that the Shadow of the Earth fhould with- draw to thofe that travel in the Night \ that Fire mould not burn an ufeful Building or an in- nocent Man •, that the Air mould not tranfmit the Voice of him that would tell a Lie, nor the Rope hang together that would ftrangletheguilt- lefs, nor the Sword of the violent, be it never fo (harp, be able to enter the Flefh of the juft. Thefe and many Millions more of fuch fequels would follow in Analogy to this rafh demand. HyL I mud confefs, Phtlotheus, that what you urge makes fo great an jmprefs upon me, that it has almoftdafh'd me out of conceit with this fir ft Inftance, which I though: not fo contemptible. But though with but 3 broken confidence, yet I riiOft periift, and demand, if Providence would not be more exaft, if all things were carried thus as my Inftance implies they fhould be, than it is now as they are. VlnUth. No, by no means, hfylcb.ires. For the Scene of the World then would be fuch a languid rijt thing, that it would difgrace the great bra- vi.rift that contrived it. For there would be no co at pa fs or circuit of any Plot or Intrigue, but every thing fo (hallow or fudden, fo fimple and obvious, that no Man's Wit or Virtue would find any Game to cxetcife tbemfelves iri. And allure vour Divine Dial o-gues; 99 your felf, it is one fundamental Point of the Di- vine Counfel, and that laid deep in his Wifdom and Goodnefs, that at leaji on this terreflrial Stage there fl)uuld be J efficient difficulty and hardjlrip for all fenfible and Intelle&ual Creatures to grapple and conteflwith^ that an ignoble and corruptive tor- pour may not feize their Bodies and Spirits, and make their life languid and their Faculties ufe- lefs, and find nothing to do in the World but to eat and drink and fieep. For there are very few Men given to Contemplation, and yet fewer fuc- cefsful in it. That therefore that I contend for is this, That in thefe general, but conftant and peremptory ftrokes of Nature, there is an exact Providence of God *, and that which youaccount a Defed is indeed a Perfection and a furer Pledge of a Divine Forefight, that does thus manifeftly in the compute of things defalcate either ufelefs or hurtful fuperfluities; as this guidance of the Rain from the High-ways in Winter. For has he not given Man Wit and Art to make a fupply by good wax'd Boots,oil'd Coats and Hoods, and Eyes in his Head to choofe his way, if one be better than another ; or if all be intolerable, po- litical Wit to make Laws and Orders for the mending of the High-ways? For thus are Men honeftly employed for their own and the com- mon good. And judge you what a ridiculous thingit were, that the Sun mould fo miraculoufly turn offhis Beams from every fair Face, when as the fame End is fo eafdy ferved by the invention of Mafks, ^ or that the continued Shadow of the fiarth mould be broken by fudden miraculous eruptions or difclu lions of light, to prevent the Art and officioufiiefs of the Lantern-maker and the Link-boy \ or laftly, that the Air mould not refound a Lie, nor the point of a Sword pierce the skin of the innocent. For this were an ex- probation to the Wifdom of God, as if he had niiftook himfelf in creating of free Agents, and H z by ioo Divine Dialogues, by an A frer-device thus forcibly ever defeated their free Actings, by denying them the ordina- ry affifrances of Nature. This would be fuch a force and (lop upon the fir ft fpring of Motion, that the greatcft trials of Mens fpirits and the moft pompous external folemnities would be ftifled thereby, or utterly prevented ^ and all Political Prudence, Sagacity, Juftice and Cou- rage would want their Objects. Wherefore this iudiffjrentand indifcriminating conftancy ofNa- rure ought to be ; it being reckoned upon in thore Faculties God has endow'd both Men and other Animals with, whereby they are able to clofe with the more nfual advantages of thefe (land- ing Laws of Nature, and have (enfc and fore- fight to decline or provide againft any dange- rous circumftances of them; and that with at leaft as much certainty as is proportionable to the confiderablenefs of the fafety of fuch an in- dividual Creature as cannot live always, nor was ever intended to live long upon Earth. HyL 1 partly underftand what you would be at, Pkihtheus, and indeed fo far, that I am al- moft difheartned from propounding the remain- der of the Meditations that met me on the Rode touching the Mail alfoand the Thunder. For me- thought Nature feem'd very unkind to pelt a young Foal fo rudely with fo big Hail-ftones, and give him fo harm a welcome into the world. Plnhth. Tufh, Hylobares, that was butafport- ful pallage of Nature, to try how tight and tin- nient her new workmanfhip was ; which if it were nor. able to bear fuch fmall Fillips, it would be a fis^n that things hung very crazily and un- foundly together. Wherefore Nature does but jnftifie the accuracy of her own Artifice, in ex- pofin£» her Works to a number of fuch trials and hirdfhips. This is bnta llight Scruple, Hylobarcs\ bnt Purely fome profound conceit furprized your Mind in your Meditations touching the Thunder, Hyh Divine Dialogues. ioi Hyl. The main thing was this, That if Pro- vidence were fo exaft as fome pretend, thofe Thunder-claps that do any execution mould ever pick out fome notoriouily- wicked fellow to make him an example, and not ftrikean heedlefsGoat brouzing on the fide of a Rock, or rend fome old Oafc in a Foreft. Phiioth. This indeed is more fhrewdly urged. But are you fure> Hylobares, that this were the moll; perfeft way that Nature could pitch upon ? Hyl. So it feems to me. Pbiloth. I fuppofe then it is becaufe you take this to be the moft effectual way to make iMen good. Hyl. Why not, Philotheus ? Phiioth. But fuppofe a mighty, if not an al- mighty Arm out of the Clouds fhould pull Men by the Ears as often as they offered to offend, would not that be more effectual? Hyl. One would think fo. Phiioth. Wherefore upon this ground you fhould require that alfo, Hylobares. Hyl. But that would be too great a force upon free Agents, O Philotheus. Phihth. And how do you know, Hylobares, but that that other would be fo likewife? Hyl. I mult confefs, Philotheus, it isanhard matter to define what meafure of force is to be ufed by Providence to keep Men from Sin. Pbiloth. And therefore a ralh thing co pre- scribe Laws or ways to Providence in fo obfeure a matter. Befides, there are fo many notoriously wicked, that there would be fuch thundering and rattling, efpecially over great Cities, that we mould be never quiet Night nor Day.' And thofe that efcaped would be forward to phanfie themfelves Thunder-proof*, and others, that there was no Judgment to come, becaufe Ven- geance was taken fo exactly in this Life. Befides that you feem to forget that the fhokes of Na- H s ture ie>3 Divine Dialogues. ture level not at particnlars. For (he isanun- perceptive Principle, and cannot zdiprorc nata^ or fufpend her felf from acting \ and that the end of Thunder is not to foreftal the laft Day of Judgment, but for clearing the Air, and fending more fattening mowers into the bofonie of the Earth. HyU But do Thunderbolts conduce any- thing to that, Fhilotheus ? Philoth. Thofe are very feldom, Hylobares , and I deny not but they may have their moral ufe : but belt fo moderated as they are, not Co conflantly vibrated as your Curiofity would ' have them. For if every perjured or notorioufly wicked Perfon is to be pelted from Heaven with Thunderbolts^ People will prefume them innocent whenever they die without this folemn Venge- ance done upon them. Hyl. Well I perceive I muff: produce new Ob- jections, and fuch as I have thought on more de- liberately. For the\e Philotheus eaiily blows away- Vl Phrlop. We will give you fome little time of An Anfwer tor zfyite to confider, Hylobares. For I believe Eu- l Aicreuus bis tfior and his Lucretius will thinkjthemfelvesflight- slrgument, ed if no Man vouch fafes thofe Lucretian Inflan- ces any Anfwer. Euift. If Philotheus thinks his hands will be full enough otherways, 1 pray you, Philovolis, let So- phron play the Philotheus as well as I have play'd the Hylobares, Sophr. Why truly Philotheus his difcourfe is a- ble to make us all Philotheujfes. And methinks, following his rootfteps, it is no fuch difficult bu- fincfs to anfwer all thofe Inflances of Lucretius, 1 (hall willingly attempt fome of them my felf. . As that Complaint of the Earth's being run over with Thorns and Thirties, if Man by his hard Labour did not cultivate it. For befides that we know th3t Curfe that came upon the Fall, it is fit that we in this life fhould have fomething to grap- Divine Dialogues. grapple with, to keep us from Idlenefs, the Mo- ther of Mifchief. And that the Husband-Man's pains are fometimes loft by Ill-weather, 6ver- much Heat, or Wet, or the like ; he is taught thereby not to facrjfice to his own Net, but to depend upon God, and to give him the praife when he is fuccefsful, as alfo to be frugal and provident, and to lay up for an hard Year. But for that imputation of fo much of the Earth's be- ing unhabitable by reafon of extremity of Heat or Cold, we find by experience that it is moftly a mere calumny of Nature. For the Torrid Zone is habitable, and a confiderable part of the Fri- gid: and that which is not is fo little, that it is inconflderable. And tofpeak briefly and at once : The Inclination of the Axis of the Earth is fo duly proportionated for .the making it habitable as it can be, that the Wit of Man cannot imagine any pofture better. Now for thofe Allegations, That Rocks and Mountains and Woods and the Sea take up fo great a part •, whatever elegancy there may be in Lucretius his Poetry, the Philo- fophy of fuch Objections, I am fu re, lies very (hallow. For it is as unskilfully alledged againft Nature that all the Earth is not foft moulds, as it would be that any Animal is not all Flefh, but that there is Blood alfo and Bones. The Rocks therefore, befide other ufes for conveying the fubterraneous Water, may ferve alfo for confo- lidating the Earth. And it is manifeft that the Hills areufually the Promptuaries of Rivers and Springs, as Geographers make good by infinite Examples. Not to add what a Treafury they are ofMineralsand Metals, and wholfome Paflurage for Sheep, as the Rocks delight the Goats and the Coneys. But the Poet feems to fpeak fo un- skilfully, as if he expected all the face of the Earth mould be nothing elfe but rank green Mea- dow *, when as to exclude the Sea> would be like the draining of an Animal of iu Heart blood, H 4 Ot 10] 04 Divine Dialogues. Or if things could be fo contrived as that all the Surface of the Earth fhould be rich Meadow, and the World thereby thick inhabited by Men, the Air in all likelihood would become fo un- wholefome, that Plagues and Death would ever and anon fweep away all. Wherefore long Traces of dry and barren places are the fecuri- ty of fo much Health as we enjoy: Which is of more confequence than to have the Earth pe- fter'd fo with Inhabitants, and ever and anon to have all to {link with i^oifomnefs, Pefti- IcncQ and Death. Bath. And it is queftionable, Sophron, whether thefe places that feem mere forlorn Solitudes be not inhabited by at leaft as considerable Creatures as Men. Cuph. I'll pawn my life, Bathynous means fome Aereal Daemons or Spirits. Bath. And why not, Cuphopbron ? Cuph. Kay, I know nothing to the contrary. HyU But I do. Cvph. What's that, Hylobares ? By I. Why, I pray you tell me, Cuphophron, how can a Spirit that is no-where, be in dry and barren places more than in Meadow-Paftures. Cuph. Aw ay ,Hy lobar es, you are a very Wag. I perceive ycu will break your brown ftudy at a- ny time to reach me a rap upon the thumbs. Euift. Gentlemen,! know not whether you be inearneft or in jefb touching thefe Aereal Genii in remote Solitudes. But this I can aflure you, that betides the ufual and frequent fame of the dancing of Fairies in Woods and defolate places, Olaus and other Hiftorians make frequent men- tion cf thefe things^ and that there are Dtmo- pes Metallic^ tjiat haunt the very iniide of the Mountains, and are feen to work there when Meq cjig in the Mines. What merriment they alfomake on theoutfideof vaftand remote Hills, that one Story of Mount Jthos may give us an In* Divine Dialogues. 105 Inftance of. asthe'Matter is defcribed in Solirtus.Vo\\W\&. The impreffion of'the paflage fticksftill frefh inc- 37. my memory even to the very Words. Silet per di- em nniverfus, nee fine horror e fecretus efl i lucet noftwnis ignibus, choriis ^y£gipannm undique perfo* natHr j audimtnr & cantus tibiarnm & tinnitus cymbalorum per oram maritimam* But of a more dreadful hue is that Defart defcribed by Taulus Venetus, near the City Lop, as 1 take it, in the Lib. i.cf 44: Dominions of the great Cham. " This Wilder- ic nefs, faith he, is very mountainous and bar« M ren, and therefore not fit fo much as to har- tC bour a wild Beaft, but both by Day and (efpe- a cially) by Night there are heard and feen fe- " veral Ulufions and Impoftures of wicked Spi- " rits. For which caufe Travellers muft have a