I^EfvEB^r YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY & Theological Survey OF THE HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. THEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE Human Understanding, INTENDED AS AN ANTIDOTE againft MODERN DEISM. -De duro efl uitimaferrO* Ovid. SALISBURY: Printed for the AUTHOR, by J. HOD SON; and fold by WALLIS and STQNEHOUSE, in Ludgate-ftreet, L 0 N D O N. MDCCLXXVI. THE PA T R 0 N A G E OF JAMES HARRIS, ESQ. (AUTHOR OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL ARRANGEMENTS, AND OTHER VALUABLE PERFORMANCES;) TO THIS WORK, IS MOST HUMBLY REQUESTED, BY HIS MOST OBEDIENT, DEVOTED, HUMBLE SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. There are the four following Chapters in this Work; viz. CHAP. I. Of Nature and Interpqfitions. CHAP. II. Of Divine Love. CHAP. III. Of the true Foundation of Theology. CHAP. IV. Of Human Nature. To which is added, A Pfychological Striffure, PROEM. The DoSlrine of Divine Grace communicated to the Mind of Man, by the Almighty, being rejeSled of thofe who difbelieve written Revelation ; it is - the Defign of this Piece, e contra, to invefligate end defend fach DoSlrine, on certain known Prin ciples of Reafon ; to divejl it of every wild enthuji- ajlic Inference; and to delineate the Religion of Reafon and Nature (including Grace, J in a Method as nearly Synthetical as pofjible, and on a Plan en tirely new ; the Whole being interfperfed with va~ rious Refections.. , Many PafJ'ages are' drawn from Scripture, as concurrent : Thefe are thrown into large Parenthefses, after the Manner of Scholia ; the L,ines of which, Each, at its Beginning, is pointed with an Aferifk, to the Intent that the Reader from time to time may perceive by his Eye, when he is reading the main Argument ; and when only a Comment. It is intended likewife, that the Syllogifms, which the Reader willfindin this Piece, JJoall quadrate in Point of Utility and Clearnefs, with the Algebraic Equations of Mathematicians . CHAP. I. Of NATURE and INTERPOSITIONS. Ab fove principium, Mufa: Jovis omnia plena: Ille colit terras.* Virgil: Bucol. §. i. A S the Terms, Natural, and Superna- JT\- tural, occur fometimes ^ . r> . r , . , The IntroduRion. in a certain bpecies or polemical Writings; the Chriftians declaiming much on Supernatural Affiftances vouchfafed to Mankind; whilft the Deifts decry them; relying wholly on the Light of Nature, and the proper Ufe of Rea fon; I intend, therefore, in the Courfe of this Book, to enquire, whether or no there be not fomething generally appertaining to the Mind of Man, that may be deemed Supernatural; how ever Natural itfelf, the Mind, in its Origin? And I fhall appropriate this Chapter concerning Nature and Interpoftions, to an exact Definition of the Terms recited; dropping occafionally, fome Strictures, in Vindication of the Dodlrine of the Providence of God, and his adtual Go vernment in the World. B §. 2. The 2 Of Nature and Interpojitions. Uhap. 1. §.2. The Exiftence of a God, is a Doctrine fo fully acknowledged by the Ge- Ofthe Exijhnce neraiity 0f Mankind, that I need °fa V fay but little concerning it: Tis indeed of fo obvious a Nature, that thofe who doubt of it (if fuch there be) are much to be pitied; feeing the Arguments commonly brought for their Conviction, can anfwer no End; as their Diftrufr, of fo plain a Truth, denotes a Weaknefs in their Intellects, beyond the Reach of Reafoning. I fhall, therefore, lay it down, as the fundamental Axiom of this Book, agreea ble to my Motto ; that THERE IS A GOD. And fuch of my Readers, as are not fatisfied with fo plain an AfTertion, but would have a logical Demonstration of this facred Propofition ; I beg Leave to refer them to the many eminent Treatifes, which have been already written in Defence of this Doctrine; but more efpecially to Dr. Clarke's Demonjlration of the Being and At tributes of God; or, Mr. Locke's Effay concerning Human Under/landing, Vol. 2. Chap. io. §.3. Tho' we are wholly ignorant of the real TT. . ., Effence of God, (not knowing the His Attributes. . „ „. - x . , b real Llience of our own felves, or even of the Apparel which we wear;) yet when we have obtained the Idea of fuch a Being, and view thofe Things with, which we have an inti mate Acquaintance, but efpecially our own Minds Chap. I. Of Nature and Interpof tions . 3 Minds and Bodies; when we confider the Face of the Earth, with the numberlefs Animals upon it; the Seas, the Rivers, and Fountains of Water; with the vegetable Creation ; when we look up to Heaven, and behold the Glories fo confpicuous there; I fay, when we reflect, on thefe flupendous Works, we readily afcribe their Formation to the Hand of this God; and from the evident Marks of Wifdom, Power, and De- fign, we proclaim him a Spirit; and gather from thence the Knowledge of his Attributes, which we pronounce infinite or boundlefs, from the Infi nity of his Works, which for Number, Order, and Beauty, are paft all human Comprehenfion. The Attributes of God as difcoverable from thefe, are of two Kinds; viz. Communicable and Incommunicable; of the firft Kind, are, Life", In- telleSl or Under/landing, Wifdom, % Knowledge, Will, Power, Love, and Holinefs: That the Almighty hath % Knowledge. ] Here I mean efpecially the Foreknowledge of God ; for to deny that, is to deny his Providence; a Term derived from the Latin Words, Pro and Video, to fee beforehand.— ^—( Note, the Term, Prudence, feems to be an Abbreviation of that of Providence.) • It is, I prefume, from the ftrifter Confideration of this Divine Foreknowledge, that the Calvinijlical Dodtrine of Predejlination arifes principally : For when I confider the Attributes, of God, as they exifted in Eternity a parte ante j I can fcarce help being a Predejlinarian. But reviewing them afrefh, as they will exift thro' Eternity a parte pojl; I revert again to Arminianifm. But the Term, Providence, befides implying Foreknowledge as above; fignifies aflive Care on the Part of God, over his Crsa- B 2 tures; 4 Of Nature and Interpofitions. Chap. I. hath communicated of thefe Attributes after a finite Sort to fome of his Creatures, is evident at the firfl Glance without any Demonstration. His incommunicable Attributes are fuch as thefe, viz. Independent and necejfary Exijlence, Omnipotence, Omnifcience, and Infinity ; of which, that he cannot communicate to his Creatures, is alfo equally clear. But let it be obferved ; I do not enumerate thefe Attributes, as the whole of what may be afcribed to the Deity; feeing there are doubtlefs many others which efcape my No tice, or even that of the wifeft Man living ; un- lefs Finite could comprehend Infinite, which is impofiible. §.4. As Independent Exijlence is an incommu- Of his Providence; nicable Attribute of God, it and that the World therefore follows, that all cre- bad a Beginning. ated Effences have their Dy^d- ence upon him ; not only for their original Cre ation, but for the Perpetuity of their Exiftence afterwards. No Part of Matter, whether animate or inanimate, can, for Want of this- Independ ence, exift the fmalleft Portion of Time, with out a J co-temporary Volition on the Part of the tures; as without this, his Foreftght would amount to nothing; jinlefs to wound hjs other Attributes of infinite Wifdom, Mercy, and l^ove. X Mr. Locke in his EJJay concerning Education, Sett. 192, tells {is, that «' Gravity," he thinks, cannot " be explained by any na tural Operation of Matter, or any other Law of Mot\on, "bftt the pofk tmW}ll »f ci Superior Being fo ordering if." Chap. I. Of Nature and Interpofitions. r the Almighty for that Purpofe ; by which Vo lition, I mean, that God is conftantly willing or decreeing to his Creatures, fo long as it is his Pleafure they fhould have a Being, thofe original primary Qualities (and for the moft Part thofe only) which conftitute their Effences, and with out which they muft ceafe to be ; fuch as Vitality to Spirit, and Cohefion to Bodies. Indeed, were it poffible he fhould neglect to fee or think of, even the minuteft Part of the Creation, but for one Moment of Time ; that Part fo neglected muft fink into Nothing. But, the watchful Guardian of the Univerfe neither Jleeps norjlum- bers. It will from hence I prefume be eafily perceived, that the World and all Things in it muft have had a Beginning ; which is ftill more evident from the Marks of Defign in it, denoting the Author of that Defign ; and confequently its Beginning: For Defign ever did, and ever muft precede, what is done by Infinite Wifdom. §. 5. But befides that real EJJ'ence or Being with which Subftance is endued, it, c ~.' Of Nature. is very apparent from common Ob- fervation, that there is a continual Variation in the Forms of -f* Matter, through a perpe tual Round of new and beautiful Appear ances growing out the one from the o- ther, which are influenced in their Progrefs by t Matter. ,] This Term feems to be a Corruption of the Latin Term, Mater. 6 Of Nature and Interpofitions. Chap. I. by certain Laws, eftablifhed by the Almighty, for the Purpofes of fuch Variation. J The Order and Connexion of which Progrefs, including its in fluential Principles, is, I apprehend, a Definition of what is generally and moft properly meant by the Term, Nature ; which is derived from the Latin Word, Natus, (to be) born. So that one Thing producing or begetting another (however inanimate,) the Effect, is born of the Caufe as its Parent ; and thus, (excepting the Deity) every Caufe is a Yre-EffeSl produced by a former Caufe ; as on the other hand, every Ejf'eSl either is or may be a Sub-Caufe productive of fome other EffeSl ; and thus they generate and are generated ad infinitum, affording that Chain and Manner of Operations called Nature, which hath been ge nerally found regular by Philofophers, reflecting the Laws whereby it is governed. That the Reader may as nearly as poflible ap prehend my Meaning, I here fubjoin a brief Plan of the Progrefs of fome of thofe Operations, be- gin- X The Order and Connexion, &c.J Amongft the various Senfes in which the term Nature is commonly taken, I believe there are none (worth Notice) to be found, but what are implied in my Definition above ; namely, either in the Order, the Connexion, the influential Principles, or all three conjointly. As (i.) The regular Courfe of Things implies the Order of Nature. (2.) The Compafs of natural Exijlence betokens the Connexion of it : (3.) By its in- ' fluential Principles. And (4.) andlaftly, The State or Operation. of the material World includes all three conjointly. Chap. I. Of Nature and Interpofitions. j ginning at the Sun ; which (under God) is the Parent of the World : Tho' I would juft note, that all dependent Caufes are denominated fecon- dary in relation to the Deity, who is the Great Firft Caufe of the Univerfe ; and the End. for which a Thing is created, is termed its final Caufe. .THE SUN ^ £ ^ fa? caufes cr Vapours; Vapours caufe rthe Moon which affecls the Air which affecls the Sea cf* — Clouds; ¦which caufes Clouds caufe —Matter for «§> -Rain; ^ i Rain caufes caufe a fuitable Temperament in the Air; ; Springs and Rivers cr K? -fir Animal Life. 3 5." I D Note, I do not pretend that either of the above Efficients, is folely the Caufe (under God) of that EffeSl, which I have defcribed as proceeding from it. 1 know each hath one or more Co efficients 8 Of Nature and InterpoRtions . Chap. I. efficients lrkewife.— - — Thus, for inftance ; Rain is pointed out a!s caufirig Plants and Fruits ; but the Earth, the Air, and proper Seeds muft all join their Affiftance in this Production, or the Showers will fall in vain. However, on furveying the above Scheme, I doubt not but the candid Reader will eafily per ceive the Truth of what has been aiTerted in this Section ; and though the Sketch preceding, be much contracted for want of Room, yet fome thing of the kind may at pleafure be carried on to a much greater Length ; as' from the Sun to B. and onward; and greater ftill in the parallel Lines of Breadth; as at the Bafis C. B. D.— For, befides the numberlefs Trains. of Efficients more than the above-mentioned, proceeding im mediately from the Sun, (as in the above Plan, from the Top to the Bottom,) each Efficient of either Train doth alfo in fome meafure influence its proximate Efficient of the next Train, on each Side, as at C. B. and D. fo as mutually to fup- port, and in fome degree produce each other; that is to fay, Springs and Rivers Caufe Plants and Fruits for Animal Life. -, Thefe in Meta* {>hyficks are called co-ordinate Caufes. Finally, -as. we purfue the real Trains of Nature from their grand Bafis of Co-ordinates upwards to the Sun> and approach that mighty Luminary, they ,feem then by Degrees to contract; and to unite vertically at. the Solar Point, (in Idea at leaft) like Chap. I. Of Nature and initrpojitioni. o. like a Pyramid. Or by inverting the above Plan ; one may compare Nature and her Produc tions to a Tree ; of which the Sun is the Root ; from whence grows the Trunk or Body of capital Efficients, with it's Limbs and Branehery df leffer Ones growing from the Greater ; as may be feen , by mere Inflection. §. 6. Having difcufied the Article of Nur ture, as it relates fimply to this The Probability of a World, I fhall in the next place Creation prior to proceed to fpeak of it more uni- that of this World. verfally ; after obferving; that Philofophers in general agree, that the Stars are Each, of a ftu- pendbus Magnitude, many of them much ex ceeding the Earth, and fituate at fuch an amazing Diftance from us, that notwithftanding their ' Bulk, fome are no otherwife difcernible than by Glafies ; and that they are innumerable : Yea, it is even believed, and upon no flight Founda tion, that they are for the moft part Suns and habitable Worlds ; but as a full Difcuflion of thefe Points, is of* too extenfive a Nature for the Limits of this Treatife ; I therefore refer the Reader to the many elegant Works, in which thofe amufingand inftructiveSubjedts have been largely handled. It is obvious that our -f* Idea C of f Idea of what Time, &c. J As the Term Idea will occur often in this Piece, before I come to give a Definition of it ; fo, fuch of my Readers as know not well its Meaning, are requefted once for 10 Of Nature and Interpofitions. Chap. I. of what Time the Earth was formed, and that wherein the Stars were created,, are not fo clofely connected together, as neceffarily to im ply the fame identical Mr a; but Men mayeafily imagine the one to have been prior to the other ; and it is therefore pojfible. And truly the Want of fucb a Connexion in thofe Ideas, makes it very probable, that as they are feparate and diftinct, fo the particular ./Eras themfelves for which they ftand, are Jeparate and diJiinSl alfo ; faving only, that the Suppofition of the Planets of the Solar Syjlem, having had a co-temporary Creation with the Earth, is very reafonable ; as they feem to be but Parts of a Whole, and have a kind of mutual Affinity and Intereft.: But that fo many Myriads of Worlds .which have no Connexion ;with thefe, fhould wait their Call into Being, till fuch Time as the. Earth had magifterially led the Van; is paying too great a. Compliment to> Mankind, and the little Spot which they inhe rit ; being neither likely nor confiftent. . And befides the Verifimilitude which accompanies thefe Affertions, there is no little- Reafon to fuf- pect, but that there are (and may have been long before the Formation of this World) immortal Spirits, of a Nature much fuperior to Man ; cre ated- by ,the Almighty, for the Purpofe of being the immediate Attendants of his Divine Ma- jefty, for all, to turn forward to Chap. III. of this Work, §. 4. where they will find it defined properly. Chap. L Of Natitre and Inter pofitions. i\ jefty, and the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of his Prefence : Touching the Probability of which, I fliall quote an excellent Paffage from Mr. Locke's £ Effay concerning human Under- fianding. " Finding, fays he', in all Parts of the " Creation, that fall under human Obferva- " tion, that there is a gradual Connexion of one " with another without any great or difcernible " Gaps between, in all that great Variety of *' Things we fee in the World, which are fo " clofely linked together, that, in the feveral " Ranks of Beings, it is not eafy to difcover the " Bounds betwixt them, we have Reafon to be *' perfuaded, that by fuch gentle Steps Things *' afcend upwards in Degrees of Perfection. *' It is a hard Matter to fay where Senfible and " Rational begin, and where Infenfible and Irra- " tional end : And who is there quick-fighted '« enough to determine precifely, which is the " loweft Species of living Things, and which " thefirft of thofe which have no Life ? Things, " as far as we can obferve, leffen and augment, as ceed to fhew by Dint of Argument, that there ' was certainly fuch a Creation of fome Kind ; but the Definitions of What,. Where, and When, I leave with the Reader fo imagine, as his Fancy pr Inclination may lead him ; feeing it is an Affair of little Moment to the Subject in Hand., I argue thus : V Chap. I. Of Nature and Interpofitions. 13 If God was a Being of infinite Goodnefs, Juf- • tice, Mercy, and Love, before the Creation of the World ; Then there mufi have been Creatures, for the Exercife of thofe Attributes, before the Cre ation of the World: But thefirfi is true ; Therefore the lafi. The antecedent Part of the major Propofi- tion, may be proved thus : The Almighty exifted before the Creation of the World; But infinite Goodnefs, Juftice, Mercy, and Love, are ejfential Attributes of the Al mighty ; Therefore thofe Attributes exifted with the Almighty, before the Creation of the World. And it may be further urged, that whatsoever is evidently contained in the Idea of any Thing, may be affirmed of that Thing with Certainty ; thus, that God was kind and gracious at fuch a Time ; what doth tbSs imply ? but that there were Creatures at that Time, to whom he was kind and gracious. And indeed, a God without Creatures ; without any Objects whereon to ex ercife 14 Of Nature and Interpofitions. Chap. I. ercife his Attributes; and of courfe without having performed- any Actions aforetime ; is an Idea of fo diminutive, liftlefs, and abftra&ed a Nature, that there is hardly any Thing of the Idea ofaDeityleftin.it. Whereas, the Doctrine of prior Creation, reflects immenfe Glory upon his Name; tends to magnify our. Apprehenfions of the Godhead, and renders him to arational Mind, more confiftent with himfelf ; immutable! more awful and adorable ! * P A R E N THE S I S. * * ALTHO' the preceding Doctrine on an impartial Survey, may appear well-grounded * in regard to Reafon ; it may neverthelefs afford * fome Satisfaction to the Chriftian Reader, to * have it examined by the Teft of the Sacred * Writings, which Itherefore attempt. Firft, '* then, it is obfervable, that in the Mofaic Ac- * count of the Creation, we read nothing of the * Formation of the *j~ Angels ; but on the con- * trary, Job xxxviii. y. they are called " the * Morning Stars," (on account I prefume of their * more early original,) and are faid "to have " fung -f- Milton, in the Argument to his ift Book of Par. Lofti fays, " That Angels were long before this viftble Creation, was the *' Opinion of many ancient Fathers." Chap. I. Of Nature and Interpofitions. 15 * " Jung arid ftoouted together for Joy " at the * Creation of the Earth ; and is not this a ftrong * Prefumption in Favour of a prior Creation ? Is * not the Apoftacy of the Devil arid his Angels * (doubtlefs Ages before the Beginning of the * World); I lay, is not this likewife a Confir- * mation of it ? , * Touching the Creation of Heaven, as re- * lated in the firft Chapter 'of the Book of Ge- * nefis ; the 8th Verfe tells us what is to be * underftood by that Heaven which was then * created ; affirming, that God called the Fir- * mament Heaven ; and from the Tenour of * the 6th and 7th Verfes, it appears to have * been the -j- Atmofphere ; or that Body of Air * which encircles the Globe of the Earth; and * indeed if this be not the Meaning, it will be * difficult to find any Account of the Creation * of fo important an Article, in all that Chapter. * As to the Stars; it is fa id Verfe 16, as it' were * curforily, "he made the Stars alfo :" Now * though the Almighty is doubtlefs the Creator * of the whole Univerfe ; yet I fee not that we * are obliged to believe the Stars created at that * Time, other than thofe of the Solar Syftem, * as the laft of all the Stars (or Worlds) which * had f This likewife feems to have been Milton 's. Opinion. Vide Par. Lojl. Book*]. Line 261. j 6 - Of Nature and Interpofitions. Chap. I, * had from Time to Time been created ; agree- * able to what I have hinted in the 6th Section, §. 8.. The Doctrine of an Antemundane or prior That.the Deity can Creation being thus eftablifhed, Sn^lVdi- k f°ll0WS °f C°Urfe' tHat tHe mlnijhing0 from, fame muft have been attended the general Syf- with certain Laws in order to it's tem of Nature; well-Government, which collec- Partofitat7fs aively deferve the Name of Na- Pleafure. ture, as well as that particular Syf- tem which relates to the Earth only ; as being of a more ancient Date in regard to Time, and more' unlimited in refpect to Space. Yet feeing the World (whofe Beginning I have already proved, SeSl. 4.) has very little or no Connexion with any Matter or dependent Spirits which are out of it ; 'tis therefore obvious, that the original Formation of it, could not be the natural Effect of any fecondary Caufe or Caufes in the prior Syftem; but it muft have been formed, and it's Syftem of Nature eftablifhed, by an Interpofition on the Part of the Almighty; not necefarily aided by the Influence or Operation of any prior Creation or Nature. And from hence, it will be eafily deduced, that the Almighty is not fo re- ftricted by the Laws of Nature, as fome have imagined ; but that he can and does fometimes interpofe, confiftently with his Attributes. For, ¦ V Chap. Ir Of Nature and Interpofitions i 17 If the Almighty interpofed when he created the World; Then may he interpofe now the World is created, And as the Power of diminijhing or altering Nature, is not greater than the Power of adding to it by creating a new World; therefore feeing the latter was poflible with God, we may fafely conclude, that the Articles of Diminution and Alteration are poflible with him likewife. And comparing his Power in thefe Refpects, with that Love and Goodnefs to his Creatures, which is infeparably connected with his Effence ; it cannot be doubted certainly, but that He (who at one Time gracioufly interpofed, to call the World into Being) does interpofe at fome Times alfo in favour of his Creatures, by averting their Calamities, and promoting their Felicity. It may be obferved likewife, that unlefs we would arraign the Divine Wifdom, we may reafonably conclude ; that when God interpofes by altering Nature, every fuch Interpofition is effected upon the wifeft and moft prudent Principles ; and Univerfal Nature having been always conducted upon the fame fagacious Plan, thefe Interpofi tions muft therefore be regulated in their future Productions by her Laws ; and are accordingly to be termed Natural; in the fame Manner as may the Fruits of a Cyan or Graft. And I pre- fume that every fuch Interpofition on the Part D of 1 8 Of Nature and Interpofitions. Chap. I: of God, is what, with its immediate Effect only, may be denominated Supernatural; which, as well as the Term Natural, denotes a relative Mode ; not neceffarily implying any particular Effencein that EffeSl to which it is joined, but only the Manner of its beginning Exiftence, com pared with the ordinary Method whereby Ex- iftences were produced aforetime: If according to the ufual Method of Caufes producing their Effects; then it is faid to be Natural; but if it be the EffeSl of an Interpofition on the Part of God; then, (by a Metonomy) on account of its imme diate Author (who is fupra Naturam,) it is deno minated Supernatural: And befides thefe divine Interpofitions, it is obvious, that Mankind may divert the ordinary Courfe of Nature in many Refpects; and -j- Chance pervert it. §.9. It is apparent therefore from what has The feveral Kinds been faid in the la^ Section, that of Interpofitions there are at leaft three Kinds of enumerated. Interpofitions; viz. (1.) Super natural; ( 2 . ) Human or Artificial; and ( 3 . ) Pre ternatural. 1 . Supernatural Interpofitions are fuch as are effected by the Almighty; as hath been already fhewn * 2. Human t " Chance," fays Mr. Wollafion, in his Religion of Nature delineated, « feems to be only a Term, by which we exprefs our " Ignorance of the Caufe of any Thing." Pags 83. Quarto Edit. Chap. I. Of Nature and Interpofitions. 19 2. Human or Artificial are what are brought to pafs by Mankind; as in Architecture, Medi cine, Mechanics, Hydraulics, &c. 3. And laftly; Preternatural are fuch as feem to be effected by Chance; as in Cafes of mon- ftrous Conceptions; Things growing crooked which are ordinarily ftraight; or much larger or lefs than they ought to have been according to ftrict Nature. COROLLARY I. Hence it is apparent, that the Deity is not fo Se&. 8. refrained by any Immutability in the Laws of Na ture, but that he can and does fometimes interpofe ( confiftently with his Attributes,) by adding to, or diminijhing from the general Syftem, or by altering any Part of it at his Pleafure : And his Divfne Agency thus intervening at any Time, together with its immediate EffeSl only, is what is ufually denominated Supernatural, or above Nature. d 2 Chap. CHAP. II. Of DIVINE LOVE. -Love thou fay ft Leads up to Heaven, is both the Way and Guide. Milt. Par. Loft. §. i. HT^HE Reader was informed when I -¦- entered upon the firft , Chapter, that the chief Defign of this Book, was to enquire, Whether or no there be not fomething generally appertaining to the Mind of Man, that may be deemed Supernatural, however Natural itfelf, the Mind, in its Origin ? And I accordingly defined thofe Terms in the Sequel. As a further Preparation to the main Subject, I ihall now endeavour to demonftrate the Duty of Man to the Deity, and evince the Immortality of the human Soul, from the Con- fideration (principally) of that divine Love, with which the Almighty loves Mankind, the proba ble Confequences of it, and the Returns which are due to him on that Account, from Us^ his reafpnable Creatures. §. 2. Love 22 Of Divine Love. Chap. II. §. 2. Love is a Paflion of the Mind, that has -.fome fpecial "Object, with which it is ¦' ow' delighted; ahd .where reciprocal and properly directed, there is an Union of Happi- nefs or Mifery in the Lovers, as Each is affected with either; the Mifery of the One is alleviated by a Senfe of the Other's Felicity, "which is like- wife interchangeably leflen'd by the Unhappi- nefs relieved; and thus mingling Joy and Sor row, foftened by mutual Tendernefs, they bear even the* Calamities of Life, with a delicious Pa tience., A Lover ,is .profufe ..of .his Praifes upon the Object of his Affections; happy in its Prefence,' and . fpnd- of hearing it commended} its Degradation. affrontsrhim, and his Refentment rifes .at everything that has fuch a Tendency : ¦He confults^its .Pleafure; for in doing this he confultshisawn; feeing that of both is infepa- xably connected. — In a Word, this noble Paflion is much better felt than defcribed; and- he who is unacquainted with it by Experience, will be but little the wifer for Definitions. »: ' §. 3. Whether the Supreme Being be capable of this Paflion as afcribed in the nlLMankid.°d Purefi&enft t° Mankind, or it be to t.. be imputed to him by a Metaphor, is an Affair of fo little Importance, that I wave the Enqfljif y. 'Tis abundantly -evident however-, that he loves Mankind in. fome Senfe or otfoeiv from the innumerable Favours he is continually, lavishing Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 23 lavifhing upon us; and indeed, the Idea we have of his Goodnefs, neceflarily includes that of his Love. Whoever has accuftomed himfelf to the Practice of doing Good, upon the Principles of Affection and Benevolence, will eafily perceive the divine Satisfaction which attends it; and de clare it a Pleafure worthy pf a God ! And if a pious Man, finite as he is, be thus gratified by the Exertion of his Love, within fuch flender Boundaries, and fo very feldom; what muft be the Refult on the Part of the Almighty, who is perpetually fhowering down ineftimable BleflT- ings upon the Heads of Millions? Can Heaven then be deftitute of fo immenfe a Pleafure ? Is the Deity without it? Surely Benefits thus con ferred, are the Effects of Love, and not of Ca price. To conclude, a good Prince entertains an Affection for his Subjects; a good Father loves his Children; we love the Edifice we have conftructed, the Flowers we have planted; and may therefore well infer, that God loves Man* kind whom he hath created. §.4. Amongft rational Beings Love calls for mutual. Love; it is a Plant whofe Frm whmceith parted Root muft grow in- two apparent, that Hearts with equal Vigour; for'be-»-- Mankind ought ing denied Nutriment by- either* it ttlIoto A*»^* dies; and is foon replaced1 : by mutual Indiffer ence, or Hatred, '-I have already fhewn in thelaft 24 Of Divine Love. Chap. II. laft Section, that the Almighty loves Mankind; and that Mankind ought in return to lpve the Almighty, is what I fhall now endeavour to de- monftrate. Children Jhould love their Parents ; Men in general, their Friends, and Benefac tors; , Pupils their InftruStors ; But God is our Father, Friend, Benefactor, and InftruSlor : Therefore Mankind fljould love God. He is our Parent in a much more perfect Senfe, than Thofe of Nature; feeing Thefe were but as Inftruments in his Hand, when he created us; mere Inftruments! that knew no more of our Form before the Birth, than does the Pen cil in the Hand of the Artift, concerning the Piece he is delineating. He is our Friend and Benefactor; witnefs, the rich Tables he hath fo often fpread to fatiate our Hunger; the delicious Draughts he hath mingled; the foft Slumbers he affords us; cfondefcending to draw the Curtain of the Night himfelf: And what Iiiftru&or hath done for his Pupil like the Almighty for Man kind, Chap. II. ¦ Of Divine LoW: 25 kind, to whom he hath given the invaluable Blef- fings of Reafon and Knowledge? %. 5. But we are riot to confider this Lpve to God, as a mere ufelefs Fondnefs ; j„d ^ery Thing feeing it hath its beneficial Pro- elfe which God perties, befides the fenfible Satif- love*' faction there is in it. For if we love the Deity, and accordingly endeavour to pleafe him; we Ihall of courfe love All whom God loves; which is all Mankind. Nor will the mere Animal , Creation, be without fome Share of our Affec tion ; as even Thefe are \ inferiour Partakers of the Divine Bounty: We fhall avoid putting them to wanton or unneceffary % Pain> and pro vide for fuch as are under our immediate Care, E after 11 11 • - ' * ~ - - - - * t inferiour Partakers of the Divine Bounty, &cc.] This brings to my Remembrance, the following Paflage, in Mr. Pope's Effay on Man: viz* Ithow, Nature's Children all divide her Care; The Fur that warms a Monirth, warm'd a Bear. X Pain, &c] I queftion much if the Perception of Pleafure and Pain in Animals, be equally the fame in every One, even Under the fame Impreffions from without on the nervous Syftem. JFor ( 1 ) Where there is no Mind ;^-thera, there is neither Pleafure nor Pain. But {2) Where there is Mind ;-^-there, there is a Poffi- bility of Both And what then if we admit of certain interme diate States; and fay, (3) that the Degree of Pleafure and Pain in Animals, is in proportion to the Degree of Mind in them? Mr. Locke, in his Effay concerning Human Under/landing, Vol. 1 . Page 105. Oil. Edit, tells us, that ** Fire may burn our Bodies with no " other Effea than it does a Billett,.unlefs the Motion be continued ** to the Brain, and there the Senfe of Heat, or Idea of Pain, be pro- il duced 26 Of Divine Love. Chap. II. after a reafonable Manner. In a Word; as every Lover loves every Thing which he finds; efteemed by the Object of his Affections.; fo, fubfervient to our Love of God, and of Maa^ kind; we fhall alfo in fome meafure love our-, felves; by purfuing our Intereft in thofe things which will continue us in the Divine Favour; by adorning our Minds with Virtue; and avoid ing every Kind of Vice and Intemperance, as de rogatory to Human Nature, and hateful in the Sight of God. ,§. 6. From. " ducedin the Mind," &c. So that the Mind is the final Percipient of both the Paffions in queftion ; and, I judge, but in proportion to its own Mental Size and Circumftances : Thus, Lunatieks do not feel Pain like Men in their right Senfes: Nor. does any Man afleep, as when awake-^, .whence the Ufe of Opiates in Difeafes : Flies, and other Infefts, will lofe whole Limbs with little Appearance of Pain, and none at all of Danger : And Oyfters, with other Fifh of the fame kind^ may be cut out alive from their Shells, without the leaft Writhing imaginable. > Whether Ideots come under the fame Predicament with Luna- ticks or not, I will not pretend to determine : But methinks the Term Fool-Hardinefs, which is in every Man's Mouth, . has a Look that Way. In fine; I know not that this Hypothejis be true ; but own I think it is but reafonable to imagine, that, in the Courfe 'of Nature, thofe Animals in general feel leafl Pain, who are leajl able, by their Sagacity, to defend themf elves againft it : And that, vice verfa, their Pleafure is in proportion : Which feems likewife to quadrate better than the Vulgar Notion, with the Juftice and Goodnefs of God; Thus, a Dim Eye takes not in the fame Portion of Light from without ; as does One of the bright, clear, and perfect Kind. This Scheme, too^ (Chriftian Reader) if true, will lead us to the Caufe of the extreme Agony of our Saviour, at, and juft be* fore the Time of his Crucifixion : viz : His Superiour Intelltfl feeling Pain in proportion to its Size. , Chap. II. Of Divine Love. irj §. 6. From the Confiderations above, touching this Divine Paflion, -f ¦ r T1 _, .. . From, fuch a Love we may gather all our Religious ^ ^ M and Social Duties. For (i) if Duty of Man, as we love the Deity above all well facial as de- Things, we ought confequently VQtimaU to praife and worfhip him fincerely; to pray to him often and with Confidence: And (2) the in- tenfe Affection we bear him, will, make him the only Object, of our Adoration. (3) Wefhall obe diently receive the known Revelations of his Will, and delight in thofe Affemblies where his Di vine Prefence is fought, and public Prayers, Praifes, and Thankfgivings are folemnly offered up to his Name; and the Declamations there pronounced upon the fublime Doctrines of his Kingdom, will meet with our favourable Atten tion. Laftly, we fhall be led by it to do unto all Men, as we would that all Men fhould do unto us; and render them fuch A Luke x. 27. = John xy. J2, 13, d l-J'h iy. 2Q. e Rom. xiii. 8, 9, 10. f Matt, v. 44. Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 29 *\ * mies, blefs them that curfe you, do good to them * that hate you, and pray for them which dejpight- * fully ufeyou, and perfecute you. * (4) I am commanded to love my Neighbour * as myfelf; confequently to love myfelf alfo; * feeing this -f- Self-Lave is appointed as the * Standard of that Affection, which I ought to * bear to my Neighbour; the Rewards of * Virtue and Punifhments for Vice, neceflarily * imply it; and our Self-Denial of prefent vici- * ©us Inclinations, is little other, than Self- * Love actuated by Views of diftant Advantage * and Felicity. (5) Solomon afferts, that * s a righteous Man regardeth the Life of his * Beaft; and the Almighty himfelf fpared Ni- * neveh, partly becaufe there h was much Cattle * in that City. Finally, ' there abideth Faith, * Hope, Charity, thefe three; but the greatejl of * thefe is Charity, without which, all our Reli gion, is, but as ^founding Brafs or a tinkling Cymbal. §•7- I ¦\ SelfrLove, &C.J The Latin Term Virtus (i. e. Virtue) feems tQ be compounded of Vir (or rather FjVam) the Man ; and Tueor (Part, tutus) to defend, guard, or keep harmlefs.——Vitium (for Vice) has relation to Vito, to avoid, efchew, oxjhun: Or it may be confidered as related to Veto, to hinder or forbid* g Prim. xii. 10. 1' Jonah iv. i j.. 1 1. Cor. xiii. 13. VI. Cor. xiii. 1. * n<± Of Divine Love.' Chap. II. §. 7. I have already -j- demonftrated that The Want of Love Love calls for mutual Love, and inMantowards that therefore Mankind ought to God calls for iove God. Now, if this be neg- Punifhment. leaed or omitted by any one, can it be doubted but that the Almighty will in re turn withdraw his Affection from Such-a-One? For at the fame Time that God is fuppofed to love Mankind as a tender Father, we muft alfo confider him as a King; which Attribute is evi dent from his Supremacy, the Laws of Nature e- ftablifhed by him, and the Obedience of all Things to his abfolute Will, which none can withftand. Now what is there left in our Idea of a King, when divefted of his Attribute of Juftice, per mitting with Impunity, the Defects of Duty towards him among his Subjects? Mankind na turally apprehend Punifhment to be- the»Defert of focial Injuftice, as is evident, from the many penal Laws they have made; and (abating for Infinity only) I prefume, we have the fame No tions of Juftice and Love when attributed to God, as when ufually afcribed to Men; with whpm indeed Ingratitude is not held punifhable, becaufe not always difcernible. But the cafe is otherwife with the all-feeing Eye of God, who beholds the inmoft Receffes of our Hearts, the Want of due Returns to his Love, and our Neg-; lect f Seel. 4. Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 3*1 lect of his Beauties; which, that he will not fail of avenging, in a Manner fuitable to fuch Rebellion and bafe Indignity, I prove thus : All Injuftice is punijhable by Kings; But the Almighty is a King; Therefore all Injuftice is punijhable By the Almighty. Furthermore,All Ingratitude is Injuftice; But the Want of Love to God, is (the high eft) Ingratitude; Therefore the Want of Love to God, is (the higheft) Injuftice. And it is obvious, that when we have ufed our utmoft Endeavours to pleafe the Supreme Being, we can have no Claim upon him as the Price of our Service, feeing we have done no more than our bounden Duty; -j- in like manner as that Man, who has difcharged a Debt, has no other Claim upon his Creditor than an Exemption from Punifhment. From all which it is evident, that t If thou be righteous, what giveft thou him? of what receiveth he of thine hand? Job xxxv. 7. 3* Of Divine Love. Chap.- H. that the Divine Majefty of Heaven when af fronted, deferves Satisfaction, and that the Breach of our Duty will in due Seafon meet with its Defert, unlefs averted by Repent ance and Amendment. Nor can % the. Wantflbf Punifhment in this Life, be any Argument in favour of an injudicious Lenity that never pu- nifhes at all: Every Forbearance of it, is a further Proof of the paternal Love of God, as if he waited for Amendment: And wait he does with moft Men till their dying Day; feeing he doth not generally punifh Vice in this World : And as this is the Cafe, we may well conclude, that there is a Future State of Account, when, for the Satisfaction of injured Deity, the Wicked will, probably be made a dreadful Example to Spirits of celeftial Station, in order to keep Them to their Duty; by fome Punijhment as unlimited in its Dura- t Tie Want of Punijhment in this Life, &c] This reminds me" of the following Paffage, in Mr. Pope's Translation of Homer's Iliad; Book IV. Line 194; tho' indeed fomewhat in contrail to what I have faid above ; viz. When HeavVs Revenge is flow, Jive but prepares to ftrike the fiercer Blow. And I (hall add ; if the Almighty were generally to puriifli Vice in this Life ; it would often be attended with great Inconvenien* cieS to the Pious Part of Mankind, by involving them in one common Mifery with the Wicked ; on account of that Relation which they fo frequently ftand in to one another. — And it would, befides, fubvert the Defign of God, in intending this World, as a Place of Trial and Probation ; by over-awing Men too much in their Actions ; and deftroying in a manner their free Agency. Chap, II. Of Divine Love. -53 Duration, as was that Mercy and Love in its Ex tent, which was flighted and abufed by the Delin quents. §.8. But that this Subject, viceverfa, maybecon- fidered likewife ; we will obferve ; Whilfl God's faith- that the Creation merely animal, fal Children may nourifh their Offspring for a fhort efatheCr°™ x ° 0/ Immortality Time only; after which, they and Blifs. drive them from their Prefence, and as it were difown them ; % but it is not thus with Man,- whofe Love for his Children (unlefs forfeited by Difobedience,) continues with his Life, and is encreafed 'by Time ; extending even to the fecond and third Generation : And as this muft proceed from that great Superiority of Intellect in the human Species, beyond what is obfervable in the Brute Creation ; we may from hence infer, that God, whofe Wifdom and Benevolence are infi nitely greater than Our's, never difcards his faithful Children among Mankind. For after having fhewn them fuch high Marks of his Affection ; fo much Benevolence and Com placency ; after having infpir'ed them with the Defire of Immortality, and the utmoft Dread of F Anni- \ But it is not thus with Man, &c] That is to fay ; with fuch Men as fuffer themfelves to be governed by the Dictates of Reli gion and Reafon : For there are forrie very unnatural cruel Pa rents in the World ; tho' it muft be confeffed indeed, the Num ber of thefe Monfters is not great, 34 Of Divine Love. Chap. II. Annihilation; will he then caft off his Children ? And fhall his Love terminate ? Will he fufferthe Spirits of the Juft, of thofe who paflionately love and adore him, to fink into Nothing at the Dif- folution of their Bodies ? No furely : This would be very oppofite to the Attribute of infi nite Love; and refemble rather the fickle and inconftant Heart of a beautiful Coquette, who, after having fmiled on her Lover for a ^long Time, at length difcards him -with Contempt from her Prefence for ever. Hence it appears, with Angular Luftre, e contra ; that in cafe we conform ourfelves to the Love of God, and thofe Laws which exift in confequence of it ; He, who loved us in this Life, will, after Death, crown our. Souls with , Immortality and an Increafe of Blifs ; as the Reward of approved Love and Fidelity here. Again ; §. 9. The different States of the Caterpillar, ThePoffibility,Pro- Chryfalis, and Fly, all various lability, and Rea- Forms of the fame Creature, feem fonablenefs of the ^ . { ^ ^ . - , ^ . Doclrine of the f J r \ x 1 Immortality of the tal, and future State of Man ; and Soul of Man. render it at leaft a poflible Doc trine. That inward Cpnfcioufnefs and Judg ment which all Men make of their own Actions, , in their own Minds, may be considered as a pro bable Argument of a future State of Account; feeing there are not generally, as hath been be fore Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 35 fore obferved,-)- any Punifhments inflicted by the Almighty upon Mankind, in this Life, for Breach of Duty. ,- And this Doctrine will appear yet more evident from what follows : \ It is agreed' among Philofophers, that real Matter is not an nihilated at any Time in this World, and reduced to Nothing ; tho'uts prefent particular Form, Nature and Properties may fuffer a Change, and be deftroyed by many Caufes : A Horfe may die and turn to Duft; Wood may be turned into Fire, Smoke and Afhes ; a Houfe into Rubbifh ; and Water into Ice "or Vapour; but the Matter of which they are made, ftill remains, tho' the Forms and Shapes of it are altered. A Body may ceafe to be a Houfe or a Horfe, but it is a Body ftill. From whence it is apparent, a fortiori, that the Soul of Man muft know Exiftence alfo after the Death of the Body ; for were that no bler Part, the Soul ! to be wholly annihilated, whilft the Body undergoes a Change only, from one Form to another ; this would be highly unworthy the Wifdom of God, and the final Caufe - of his Creation in general ; feeing he never makes excellent Things for mean or no Purpofes ; much lefs for worfe Purpofes than Things of a bafer Nature. Do material Sub- ftances remain in Eflence, whilft intelleSlual Ones perifh for ever? No furely. Befides, if F 2 the f See §. 7. of this Chapter. \ See Dr. Watts' s Logick; page 12. 36 Of Divine Love. Chap. II. the Soul of Man be mortal as well as the Body;. then the Brute Creation have the Advantage greatly over Mankind, in regard to Happinefs here ; which Infinite Wifdom fcarcely intended ; for they obtain their Food more eafily than us ; have their Raiment growing upon them, and are in general more free from Care and Anxiety : And, therefore, from what hath been argued in thefe three laft Sections, we may reafonably conclude, that -f- the Soul of Man is immortal, and will be the ObjeSl of Reward or Punijhment in a future, State, according to its Merit or Demerit in the Prefent. §. 10. In f The Soul of Man is immortal, &c. ] Befides what I have faid above on this important Subject, I beg Leave to offer the following Summary; which my Reader is requefted well to remember; viz. That (1.) the Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul of Man, at the firft Glance, is, at leajl as probable as the Doctrine of her An nihilation at the Dijfolution of the Body. For (2) if A cannot de- monftrate her Immortality ; neither can B demonftrate her An- nihilation : But (3) and lajlly : There is not fo much as one tole rable Argument to be brought againft the Doctrine of the Immor tality of the Soul of Man, as hath been above fhewn ; whilft, (un aided even by Revelation) a great Number, richly fraught with Philofophy, may be produced in Favour of it ; to fay Nothing of the univerfal Concurrence of Mankind, in every Age of the World ; and what I fhall hereafter deduce from it, in my next Chapter. • Touching the Refurredh'on of the Body ; I hope I fhall be able to fpeak of that alfo, to the Satisfaction of my Readers ; by Arguments deduced principally from Reafon and Nature, at th« Clofe of this Work, in my Pfychological Striilure. Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 37 §. 10. In fine ; to deny fuch Doctrine ; or in other Terms, to affert that the TheneceffaryConfe- Soul of Man perijhes with the Body, quences of the op- is to entertain a Notion fo derpga- P°fite D°ari"e- tory to the Divine Attributes; that it even borders on Atheifm : For the Attributes, all of them, are of a Nature fo effential to Godhead ; that do but imagine them Null, or not to ex'ift ; and the Idea of a Deity is annihilated. Were a Man to deny that there were any fuch Thing as Flu idity ; it will follow, that he denies the Exift- ence of Air and Water ; becaufe Fluidity is an -j- effential Mode of Both. — That the Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul of Man, is neceffa- rily connected with the Attributes of God, and deducible from them ; is what I have already fhewn, in the Courfe of this Chapter : Now let us try the Confequence of denying fuch Doc trine, fo deduced, in the proper Language of a Man of that Stamp ; after laying it down as an Axiom, that God is infinite in all, and in Every One of his Attributes .—— W re fhall argue thus ; If the Almighty be ¦ the King or Sovereign Lord of the Univerfe ; if his Juftice, his, Love, his Wifdom, and Benevolence, be in finite ; Th en + See my Note at Foot to §. 23. in Chap. 3. 38 Of Divine Love. Chap. II, Then is the Soul of Man immortal ; and will be the ObjeSl of Reward or Punifhment in a future State, according to its Merit or . Demerit in the prefent : But the Soul of Man is not immortal, &c. Therefore the Almighty is not the King or So vereign Lord of the Univerfe, &c. New the Abfurdity of fuch a Syllogifm as this, is manifeft with a Witnefs ; and fo are it's Atheiftical Confequences : — Therefore the Doc trine maintained in the preceding Sections is true and credible, fhining forth with peculiar Luftre, and Angular Dignity : Becaufe, by ad mitting the antecedent Part of the major Propo- fition, (and what Manin his Senfes can deny it ?) We eftablifh the Confequent ; as I have already demonftrated abundantly. ?PARENTHESIS, II. * The two following beautiful Similes, taken * from Dr. Watts 's -f Philojophical EJfays, will * not, I truft, be unfeafonable ; but being * merely Hypothefes> I cannot therefore ad- * vance t Page 179. Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 39 * vance them as Proofs of the Doctrine main- * tained in the three laft Sections, and have ac- * cordingly placed them in a Parenthefis. * They are applied to the Cafe of holy Souls de- * parting. " Suppofe," fays he, " a Torch " enclofed in a Cell of Earth, in the Midft of " ten thoufand thoufand Torches that fhine at " large in a fpacious Amphitheatre. While it " is enclofed, its Beams ftrike only on the " Walls of its own Cell, and it has no Com- " munion with thofe without: But let this " Cell fall down at once/ and the Torch that " Moment has full Communion with all thofe " ten thoufands ; it mines as freely as they do, " and receives and gives Affiftance to all of them; " and joins to add Glory to that illuftrious " Place. Or fuppofe a Man born and brought " up in a dark Prifon, in the midft of a fair and " populous City ; he lives there in a clofe Con- " finement, perhaps he enjoys only the twink- " ling Light of a Lamp, with thick Air, and " much Ignorance; tho' he has fome diftant " Hints and Reports of the furrounding City, ".and its Affairs, yet he fees and knows No- *' thing immediately, but what is done in his " own Prifon, till in fome happy Minute -j- the ft Prifon Walls fall down ; then he finds him- " felf f The Prifon Walls fall down, &c.J Since I made the above Tranfcript; I have imagined to myfelf the following Simile, nearly of the fame Kind. Suppofe a Man to have been born with 40 Of Divine Love. Chap: II. " felf at once in a large and populous Town, " eneompafled with a thoufand Bleflings; with " Surprize he beholds the King in all his Glory, " and holds Converfe with the fprightly Inha- " bitants ; he can fpeak their Language, and " finds his Nature fuited to fuch Communion; he " breathes free-Air, ftands in the open Light, hq " fhakes himfelf, and exults in his own Liberty. " §x\ch.f fays this ingenious Writer, " is a Soul " exifting in a Moment in the feparate World " of holy and happy Souls, and before a prefent " Gold, when the Prifon-Walls of Flefh fall to " the Ground." i n. But with no other Senfes than thofe of Tajling and Touching; fo as' from his Birth, for a long Number of Years, to have been with out either Hearing, Smelling, or Sight ; invefted only with two. Senfes, deprived of three : In this State, imagine him placed in a large beautiful Garden, on a rifing Ground, with a Band of Mu-, fick playing near : On a fudden, imagine him by fome folemn Act of Omnipotence, to have his Fate.reverfed; by being inftantly bleffed with Hearing, Smelling, and Sight; and as inftantaneoufly deprived of his Tajle and Touch: The two old Windows of his Mind fhut up; and three new Ones opened : The former Ave nues clofed ; and new Channels conftructed, for the Admiffion of What was never admitted before ; viz. thro' the Eye, the beau-. teous Landfcapes of the Place ; and the vernal Glories of the Trees, Shrubs, and Flowers ; thro' the Nofe, the fragrant Breath of Nature ; and thro' the Ear, the fweet Undulations of Mufick, Such a mighty Change, as this, in my Opinion, is a good Re- prefentation of a righteous Soul departing ; changing the grqfs Senfations of Nature, for Thofe more pure and Sublime Ones of Life Eternal. Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 41 §. 1 1 . But to refume my Argument ;- that the Brute Creation are incapable of That the Spirits of forming any Ideas of God, and Brutes perifhwith but very few concerning them- their Bodies. felves or Nature in general, is evident from the Paucity of the Signs which they make; could they frame Ideas like Mankind, they would, no Doubt of it, convey them to other Creatures as Men do : For Speech is not fo peculiar to us, as fome Sounds are to certain Animals, which will utter' their refpective Voices untaught; fome Birds will fing the Notes peculiar to their Species, without having heard them from others; and I myfelf once knew a Hound that had ever been deaf, and yet . had as good a Tongue, as any other Dog in the Pack to which he belonged: But Men born thus, can fpeak no Language ; a plain Inftance this, that Speech originally, was (under God) the -j- Invention of Mankind, in confequence of the Neceflity they were under, of conveying their G nu- f Invention of Mankind, &c] But I ufe this Term here figura tively ; for it is to be obferved ; that the Term Invention does not fo much imply the making, aS the finding out_ the Fitnefs or Unfit- nefs of certain Ideas or Things ; or in other Terms, the finding out Truth, and Wifdom; which are eternal and increate : In deed, when Men maintain Error ; it is they themfelves that make the Arguments confidered as fuch only : But when we maintain Truth, we do not make but find them j as the Word Invention, (derived from the Latin Term invenio,) fignifies. In a Word; Sophijlry is made by Man ; but found Reafon and Truth are with out Beginning or End, and not made but found by us. Note; 42 Of Divine Love. 'Chap. II. numerous Ideas one to another. An Invention of a more familiar Nature than Writing, but fimilar to it ; which is ftill more evident, when we confider, that learned Nations have more Words by far, than the ignorant and barbarous*- who are but fcantily fupplied. Befides; if Speech were natural to Man, and not an Inven tion ; then all Men would fpeak one Language ; feeing in all natural Things, they are for the moft part alike : The Englifhman, the Spaniard, and the Turk, tho' they fpeak different Lan guages, yet they practife the fame Methods of Eating, Drinking, and Walking ; this is not dif ferent in different Kingdoms : And notwith- ftanding the Languages of the feveral Nations of Mankind vary ; yet that of Brutes (if it may be termed a Language) is the fame in every Species particularly throughout the World ; the Heifer ' in China, for inftance, lows in the fame Manner as does the Heifer in Great-Britain. From all which Note ; our Englifh Term Art too, is mediately derived to us from the Greek A^«, apto, to fit, join, or make agree ; and, in my Opinion, is more fitly predicated of mere Sophijlry, than of found Logick ; which is Invention, as above defined. — And by the fame Conftruction, Rhetorick and Poetry are Arts, and not folely Inventions. — Poetry is derived from norf«, facio, to make, i. e. Verfes, &c. — And yet, I do not mean,.as tho' Either Term might' not be ufed for the Other, at the Difcretion of the Speaker or Writer, by way of Figure, fometimes, as I have done above : I mean only by this Note, to point out the Difference between Art and Invention, in the ftricter Senfe of the Words. Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 43 which we may infer, that the Languages of Mankind are the Fruits of Invention ; whilft that of the Brutes is Inftinct, like the continual Nictation of the Eye-lids, or the Movement of the: Legs in walking; or however but little more ; and that therefore they do not form Ideas in the fame perfect Manner as Mankind, feeing the Signs or Words which fhould ftand for thofe Ideas are wanting. I fay, in the fame perfect Manner; becaufe, for the Reafon s already given, if they frame any Ideas at all, thofe few Ideas they do, muft be very imperfect, when compared with Such as are formed by the Human Species ; perhaps the Proportion between them may be, as that of a mere Shadow, to a PiSlure drawn by an eminent Hand. It is therefore obvious, that the Spirits of the Brute Creation, are of tri fling Eftimation, when compared with the Souls of Mankind ; which is yet more apparent, when we confider, that the Spirit of a Brute is almoft altogether fubordinate to the Purpofes of his Body ; and therefore, when that, which is the principal Thing of Value; is reduced to Alhes, its fubordinate Spirit, we may reafonably conclude, is at the fame Time annihilated ; and that -f- the Mafter being no more, the Servant is difcarded. G 2 $.12. Hav- f . The MafUr, &c.J Indulfit mundt communis conditor illis Tantum Animas ; nobis- Animum qmoque. Juv. Sat. ix. ver. 134. Here, 44 Of Divine Love. Chap. II. §. 12. Having in the preceding Part of this An Objedion an- Chapter, demonftrated the Love fwered. of God to Mankind ; I now pro ceed to'obviate an Objection that may be brought againft it, from the Confideration of the Cala mities Here, obferve, that Anima, common to Men and Brutes, is that by which we live, move, and are invigorated ; whilft Animus, peculiar to Mankind, is that by which we reafon, from whence we fpeak, and by which we know, Things abundantly furpaffmg the Brutal Capacity. And yet after all that I have faid in the Section above, to difcredit the Notion of the future Exiftence of Brutes, and inferior Animals ; I fliall not be forry to find myfelf re futed hereafter on that Head : Nor can I fee at prefent that Chriftianity would receive any Injury from it : ( Compare i Cor. xv. 35. to 42. inclufive ; reading it'f for his, in Ver. 38. as it ought to be.) I have, under my Care, feveral affectionate, faith- . ful Quadrupeds ; (of as much Sincerity, and more Gratitude, than fome Bipeds ; ) and it would pleafe me, not a little, to find them immortal in fome Senfe or other ; as well as Mankind. — In fine : Some few of thofe Arguments merely natural, which are commonly urged in Proof of our own Immortality ; will ferve the lower Orders of Animals nearly as well : Some of Thofe efpeci ally which flow from a due Confideration of the Attributes of God ; whence, principally, in a Courfe of Argumentation, the Doctrine in queftion mujl be proved : For' though I do not think with Father Malebranche, that we fee all Things in God ; yet I will e'en venture to lay it down as an Axiom, that Men may fee their own Immortality, at leajl, in his Attributes $ as I have already fhewn in the Courfe of thisa' Chapter. Nor indeed is it eafy toy« it otherwife, (on the footofReafoning, I mean;) for Immortality is not innately, or rather fhall I fay, ejfentially annexed to any living Being whatever ; unlefs to God himfelf; Who ONLY hath Bn- mortality, &c. as faith the Apoftle, 1 Tim. vi. 16.. Or in other Terms, exijls necejjarily, and independently. Compare Pfalmhvi. 9. with Ails xvii. 28. Col. i. 17. and Heb. i. 3. So that God is immortal'm himfelf; and" We, through him. Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 45 mities to which we are incident. Of thefe, a great Part are of our own making, and ought not therefore to be charged to the Deity : Others exift in the Imagination only : He that is poffefled of twenty thoufand Pounds, fhall, upon lofing ten of it, confider it as a great Cala-^ mity, and feel much Affliction of Mind ; tho' perhaps, at the fame Time, he is in no Refpect abridged of the Neceflaries, or even the Indul gences of Life : But he confiders this as a nearer Approach towards Poverty, and becomes un- eafy with the Apprehenfion : Very true ; yet as the real Evil is at a confiderable Diftance ; is not yet arrived, and perhaps never may ; I fay, as this is the cafe, can fuch an Af fliction be called any Thing more than a mere Chimera? Is it not rather a juft Punifhment, for his Want of Truft in God, and too great Confidence in Riches ? And when we confider, that large Poflefiions are apt to produce Luxury, Difeafe, and Sin ; when we reflect how little we know, of what our Actions would be in Circum ftances different from what we have been accuf tomed to ; how feldom we abide by our beft Re- folutions ; I fay, when we confider thefe Things, what poor Judges are we of that which is beft for us! None knows, but God, what will be our future Conduct in future Circumftances ; and therefore none but He knows what is our true Intereft. And as for the real Adverfities of Life ; thefe may 46 Of Divine Love. Chap. II. may be intended by the Almighty, for the Trial of our Love ; to teach us the Uncertainty of all fublunary Things, and by weaning us from them, lead us to the Expectatiorn and Hope of a future State of more perfect Happinefs ; thefe make us call upon him for Aid ; quicken our Diligence ; and teach us to rely upon him in an immediate Manner ; a Jealoufy is raifed in our Hearts by thefe Means, touching our Conduct, left we may have offended him. And is this diflbnant to the Principles of true Love ? Shall we blame the Phyfician who blifters his Pa tient in a Delirium, that he may reftore him to his Health, and prolong his Days ? Condufion. §. 13. And therefore, COROLLARY II. Sect. 3. The Inference from what has been argued in this Chapter, is, that the Almighty loves Mankind, and that Mankind ought in return to love the Al mighty, and evince it, by offering up to him, and 6 to him only , folemn Adoration, Praife, and Thanks giving ; by obediently receiving the known Revela tions of his Will, and doing unto all Men, as we would that all Men Jhould do unto us. And it ^ moreover appears as a Confequence of the immenje Love Chap. II. Of Divine Love. 47 Love and fupreme Juftice of God, that the Soul of ^e i *"e Introduction. the chief Subject of this book, as propofed in the Introductions to the preceding Chapters : But having in my laft, pointed out the Duty of Man in general; it will be neceflary now to fpeak fomething relative to our Difcern- ment of thofe primary Ideas, which are the true Source of Divine Love, and every focial Duty. I therefore beg thy Patience, Reader, yet a little longer, till I have traced out The true Founda tion of Theology ; an Affair of fo much Import ance to the general Defign of this Work, that without fuch a Difquifition, it will be impof- fiblo to proceed any further. H §. 2. In 50 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. §. 2. In my Purfuit of this grand Object, I Method. fhall, "therefore, I. Survey the Human Under/landing; exa mine into the original Sources of our Know ledge in general, and the different Degrees of 'Evidence and Aflerit. II. Set forth the Fulhefs of that AJfe'nt, 'which was ever given by the Generality of Mankind, to the DoSlrine ofxhe Exiftence of a God; and that of, a Future State. III. Enquire by what Means we are induced to give Jo full an AJJent. IV. arid Laftly : Conclude this Chapter with fome definitive Remarks, and defend it againft all Inferences of an En thufiaftic Nature. PART I. I Jhallfurvey the Human Under/landing ; exa mine into tbe original Sources of our Know ledge in general, and the different Degrees of Evidence and Aflent. §.3. Firft then; Reafon is the common Gift Of Reafin. of God to all Men, the glori ous Privilege of Human Nature; and one of the chief Criteria which fo eminently diftinguifh Man- Ch,ap. III. of Theology. 51 Manlcind from the Brute Creation. By Reafon I (at prefent) mean that peculiar Power or Fa culty of the Mind, by which we conneSl, abftraSl, and compare our Ideas or Thoughts, as Occafion pffers ; for the Purpofes of right Inferences, and juft Conclufions. §. 4. There are, I prefume, but few of my Readers unacquainted with the Mean- Of Ideas. ing of the Word Idea ; and I fo far defined it in the laft Section, as to hint, that Ideas and Thoughts were fynonimous Terms : But left I fhould be charged with too great Remiflhefs, I fhall endea vour to give the Reader a more exact Definition. -j~ An Idea then /j the Reprefentation of any Thing in the Mind, which we have Jeen, felt, heard, &c. or been otherwife confcious of internally , by rejleSl- ing upon what- pafl'es within us. The Notions or Thoughts of Things (whether prefent or abfent) as they exift in the Mind by way of Reprefentation ; thefe are properly Ideas. §. 5. Perception is the firft Step towards Knowledge, and the only En- Of Perception. trance of all thofe Ideas into the Mind, which H 2 are f An Idea then isthe Reprefentation, &c. J But I wave the Divi- fipn of Ideas into Simple and Complex (after the Manner of Mr. Locke, and Others;) becaufe foreign to my purpofe. And for the like Reafon, I fhall be filent on the Subject of the fourth Grand Divifion of Logick, called, Method: With which the Reader may make himfelf fully acquainted in a fhort Time, by confulting almoft any modern Book of the Dialetlick Kind. 52 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. are the Materials of it. It is that ASi of the Mind, or rather that Paflion or Impreflion upon it, whereby we become confcious of any Thing; as when / fuff'er Hunger, or Thirft, hear Mufick, behold a Man, or a Tree ; when / think, wijh; or fear ; I am confcious of thefe Things, and this ig termed Perception. There are two Things re quisite to it; viz. Senjation and RefleSlion ; with-> out thefe, there can be no Perception, nor Ideas \ and of courfe no Knowledge. §. 6. By Senjation, the Mind of Man beholds OfSenfation. Things out of itfelf, and obtains corporeal Ideas : The Soul (fo to fpeak) is im- prifonedin that dark Caftle, the Body; the parr ticular Senjes of which are as fo many Windows, thro' which (he at once receives her Light, and difcerns Objects around her Prifon. Thefe Senfes are generally reckoned to be five ; tho' as ¦f Mr. Locke obferves, and I fhall hereafter de- monftrate, they may very juftly be accounted more : However, following the common Opi nion for the prefent, I fhall give the Reader a Defcription of thefe ineftimable Organs, as I find it in the ingenious Mr. Martin's Introduce tion to his Englifh Dictionary ; viz. Th f In his EJfay concerning Human Under/landing, Vol. I. Page 84. Chap. III. of Theology. 53 1. " The Eye is fo contrived, that by Means " of the Rays of" Light which come from Ob- " jects and enter the fame, a Branch of Nerves, " in its fine Expanfion called the Retina, is fo " affected thereby, as to communicate to the " Senforium in the Brain, the Ideas of Magni- " tude, Form, Diftance, Colour, &c which be- " long to all Objects falling under ihe Cogni- " zance-of this Senfe. 2. " The Ear is another Part fo exquifitely " organized, that the Tremors of every founding " Body, by means of elaftic Air, fo act upon the " auditory Nerve expanded over the interior •" Part; as to excite the Ideas of every Kind of " Noife, Sound, Tone, or Tunes of Bodies. 3. " The Nofe is another Organ of Senfation; " as all Bodies are in a continual Flux, or per- " petually fend forth a Quantity of fine imper- " ceptible Particles on every Side, fo thefe be- " ing propagated by the Air, or fome fubtle " elaftic iEther to the Noftrils, do there affect " the Olfactory Nerves in fuch a Manner, that " according to their different Shapes, Sizes, there may be but One fuch Me dium in chief, for fo falutary a Purpofe, yet this does not exclude Others of an inferiour Nature ; they may give in their Teftimony likewife to thefe important Truths. There are Inftances in Na ture, wherein one Senfe (under certain Circum;. ftances) is the principal Monitor to the, Mind; and yet fome of the other Senfes afford her alfo fubordinate Evidence : The Sight is particularly adapted for the Knowledge of my Friend ; but the Ear is not' excluded; I may know him partly by his Voice. But fhall we therefore conclude, that fuch fubordinate Methods are the only Ones, and fo exclude the Principal ? No, furely. Suppofe a Man by Dint of Reafoning, to incline himfelf to believe, that the Moon is inhabited ; this alone would be doubtful Opinion "; imagine him afterwards by Means of Glaffes (were that poflible) to difcover Inhabitants1 there; this would be certain Knowledge; but would any One fay (forgetting the Glaffes) that he had obtained fuch Knowledge from, Ratioci nation only? Doubtlefs not. Nor fhall I defpatr of evincing in the Courfe of this Chapter, that Mankind have generally, affiritual Senjation, by which they either do or may difcern at firft hand, the Being of a God, and a Future State ;. in a Manner much more certain and univerjal', than can be expected from Ratiocination, or any other Method whatever, , §_ 15. The Chap. Ill, of Theology, 91 ,§. 15. The fubordinate Caufes of Aflent, may be fummed up under the following Qfth fubordlnate Heads; viz. (1) The Scriptures ; Caufes of Affent (2) Oral Tradition ; (3) Hope and .to the two great Fear; (4) Ratiocination; (5) and Fundamentals of t „, 7„ 1 r ¦ ¦ j Ar u all Religion. laftly, ./#/ thefe conjointly .k Of each of which I fhall fpeak in order. But let it be noted once for all ; that though fome Men {un aided by any higher Influence) may fo far prevail on themfelves, as to give a much ftronger Aflent to either or all thefe Evidences together, than what in ftrict Reafon they deferve ; yet we ought not from thence haftily to conclude, that all Men ever did the fame. That the Generality of Mankind, fhould, from the firft Ages of the World, through all fucceeding Times down to the prefent Hour, have laboured undergo much Prejudice and Miftake, as to give a hearty and univerfal Aflent to certain Doctrines, upon fuch Evidence only, as either is not univerfal in it- felf ; or if it be, can afford no higher Affurance than that of doubtful Opinion; is very improbable. Were this the Cafe; one might even query con<- cerning all Knowledge in general, whether it be not built upon fuch Sort of Evidence, as can never amount to it ? and fp turn Sceptics con cerning evety Thing in the World. But furely the God, of Truth and Goodnefs hath not cre ated all of us, at all Times, with fuch an amazing Propenfity to Error and Miftake : And there fore the Example . of a Few, ought not to be N 2 urged 'g 2 Of the true Foundation Chap. II 1 1 urged as the Temper and Practice of all Man kind in every Age ; efpecially in Matters ofunk verfal Knowledge and firm Aflent. Firft, t fliall fpeak 'of the Scriptures. Thefe it muft be confeffed are the facred Fountain, from whence a large Part of Mankind do happily im- bibe their religious Sentiments ; but, unaided by fome other previous and more general Medium, the Amount will fall abundantly fhort of Univer fality; or any Thing like a firm Aflent to thefe •important Doctrines. — -f- The. Sacred Writings themfelves declare another Original ; — \ even ante- t The Sacred Writings.] Tho' in this Work, (calculated princi pally for the Conviction of Deijls,) I mean to ufe Natural Reafoh only in the main Body of it ; and to confine my Scripture-Proofs to large Parenthefises ; yet occafionally, as above, I may intro duce fome few Texts in the main Body, neverthelefs : — Not to •convince Deifts ; but as Words ready formed to my Sand, thai: exprefs my Meaning exaclly, and demonftrate at once to Chriftians; that I am not deviating from the Bible. — The Reader is defired to remember this Caution, once for all, as he paffes along, thro' the remaining Part of this Work. X Even antecedent to themfelves.] I do not 'mean that this other ¦previous and more general Medium, is to be confidered as affording (in itfelf ) a Canon or Rule of Faith and Manners to Men as Chrif- tians ; but that it is antecedent or prior in point of Time only ; to him, who'frbm a State of natal Ignorance or Unbelief, becomes a Chriflian ; by believing the Gofpel and obeying its Precepts.— That is to fay ; Such-a-One is firft inwardly drawn by fomece- ¦leflial Influence, whereby he acknowledges the Exiftence of a Gd> and the Immortality of the Soul : After which, receiving the Scrip tures ; they become to him, an adequate, primary Rule ofFaim and Manners. Compare 2 Tim. iii. 15. &c. fcliap. Ill, bfthetiogj. 93 antecedent to themfelves. — — ' No Man can come 4o me (faith our Lord,) except the Father which " tion, « Vol. II. Page 133. Chap. III. of Theology. 103 " tion, it is neceffary to perceive the immediate '* Agreement pf the intervening Ideas, whereby " the Agreement or -f Difagreement of the two " Ideas- under Examination (whereof the one is " always the firft, and the other the laft, in the " Account), is found. This intuitive Perception " of the Agreement or Drfagreenaent of the in- " termediate Ideas, in each Step or Progreflion " of the Demonftration, muft alfo be carried " exactly in the Mind, and a Man muft be fure " that no Part is left out; which, becaufe in " long Deductions, and the Ufe of many Proofs, '* the Memory does not always fo readily and ** exactly retain : therefore it comes to pafs, " that f Difagreement, &c.J This Difagreement of any two (diftant) Ideas, is discovered by Means of the intermediate Idea,., in the fol lowing Manner.— —Suppofe I .would demonftrate that Angels are not Sinners. 1 take for my middle or meting Idea, that of Blef- fedriefs ; and they ftand thus : Angels Blejftdnefs- Sinners. , And now I fee plainly that Blejfednefs agrees- fitly with Angels, but not with Sinners; and conclude accordingly, that Angels and Sinners are difagreeing Ideas ; or in other Terms, that Angels are not Sinners. Formed into a Syllogifm, they run thus : No Sinners are bleffed; But Angels are bleffed : Therefor* Angels are not Sinners'. 104 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. " that this is more imperfect than intuitive " Knowledge, and Men embrace often Falfehood " for Demonftrations." Thus far Mr. Locke. Now that the Doctrine pf the Exiftence, At tributes, and Unity cf God,'when proved folely from Reafoning, is Demonftration of the above Kind, will be evident from hence. i. Mr. Locke himfelf in the Effay and Chapter above recited, concerning our Knowledge of the Exiftence of a God, takes up np lefs than eleven Pages .(in 8vo) containing 19 Sections; tho' he omits proving the Unity of the Deity, which, had he attempted, would have required feveral more. 2. The Author of Synopfis Metaphyfica, gives us no lefs than ten Pages (i2mo) in proving there is a God, and 28 more in pointings out his Attributes. 3. Dr. Clarke in his Demonftration oj the Being and Attributes of God, has written no lefs than 125 Pages in 8vo. ljf| ¦ 4. And laftly ; that ingenious French Writer, the Author of La Metaphyfique, employs, full 119 Pages of his elaborate Work (i2mo) in Proof of the fame important Doctrine. And Chap. III. of Theology. 105 And yet all thefe learned Gentlemen have been as brief as poffible. Now if this be npt Demonftration by a long Train of Proofs ; then I think we may defpair of ever knowing what is : From whence I thus argue. Demonftration by a long Tram of Proofs, ter^ minates in a Conclufion attended with a- great Mixture of Dimnefs. But- the DoSlrine of the Exiftence, Attributes, and Unity of God, when proved folely from • Reafoning, is Demonftration by a long Train • of Proofs ; as hath been already Jhewn : Therefore it terminates in a Conclufion, at tended with a great Mixture of Dimnefs .- And I fhall venture to -add; that that Conclu fion whidh carries with it fo derogatory a Quality, demands, and indeed deferves, no higher Affent than that of-f doubtful Opinion or Belief. And as to the Univerfality of a Conclufion of this Kind, i" have proved it in the negative already . P But ¦|- Doubtful.] It is obfervable too, and ftrengthens my Argument not a little, that different Philofophers adopt different Methods of proving the Exiftence of a God. — The French, after the Mariner of their celebrated Malebranche, are for proving his Exiftence, from 106 Of the true Foundation CrAp. III. But. that I m^y not feem fingukr in my Opi nion, I fhall give the Reader the following Quo- tations ; viz. ---^"-: -. ¦' Dr. Watts in his a PMlofophical ' Eflays afferts, that " even Philofophers cannot agree and in- " form us certainly whether Space be God or " Nothing ! Tho' we are afcertained by many " Dembrtftrations,' that the Great God has a " moil fuSftaritial and eternal Exiftence, yet we " feem at a Lofs to determine, whether this " empty Thing .called. Space be not this God," Further on he fays, " This ftrange Theatre of " Argument,, this endlefs War of Words and (i Ideis, throws a World of Confufion and fC Abafement upon the' proudeft Powers of " Mankind-," < ... Mr. Fordyce in his b Elements of Moral Phi lofophy alledges, that " it. does not appear, from " any true Hiftory or Experience of the Mind's " Progrefs, that any Man by any formal Dedu'c- " tion of his- difcurfive Powers, ever reafoned " himfelf into the Belief of a God." I fhall' fcom-the-Idea which we have of a moft perfetl Being : — Whilft the Britifh Schools, under the Guidance of the Great Locke, reject that Method ; and piirfue. thofe Proofs which are deduced from the' Confideratioii of our own Exijlence, and the fenfi.ble Parts of the Univerfe. \ . a Page 22. b Page 205. Chap. III. of Theology. 107 I fhall now clofe this Article' concerning Ra tiocination, after obferving, that if (of itfelf only) it can afford no higher Aflent than that ¦oi'fimpk Belief to the great Doctrine of the Exijlence of a God : much lefs will it to that of the Immortality of the Soul, the Arguments for which, (princi pally founded on the Divine Attributes) are, of a Nature more abftrufe and difficult by far. ._¦;. And agreeable to this, BiJIoop Sherlock, in his c Difcourfes, fpeaking of the natural. Arguments for a Future State, alledges, that " it is certain " they require more Thought and Speculation, " to place them before the Mind in their true "and ftrongeft Light, than the Generality of " Men are( capable of exercifing." And ^in an other Place he afferts, that " the natural- Evi- " dence in this Cafe is not fo much to be efti- " mated by the Acutenefs of this or that Writer, " as by the common Senfe and Apprehenfion of " Mankind : And this, and all other Opinions " which have any Pretenfion to derive them- " felves from Nature, owe their Authority, not "to the abftracted Reafonings pf any School, but " to fome general Senfe and Notion which is " found in, all Men, or to fome common and un- " controverted Maxim of Reafon." And a little e further on, he fays, " if the Notion was "common," [as he fhews it really was) " that P 2 " alone cVol. iy. Page 117. dVol. I. Page 192. e Ibid. Page 193. 1 08 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. "alone is a fufficient Proof that it did not arife " from abftracted Reafoning ; for no common " Opinion ever did, or ever can ; And the "Reafon is plain; for a common Opinion is " that which is received by the Generality of " Men, who never were, who never will be, " capable of attending to abftract Reafoning." Thus far this moft excellent Writer. ff. Fifth and Lafily ; , Having furveyed the Scriptures, Oral Tradition, Hope and Fear, toge- gether with Ratiocination, and plainly demon ftrated that neither of thefe Jingly can properly afford the Affent in queftion ; I come now to confider thejoint Force and full Refult of all thefe •Kinds of Evidence together 2 And (1) I fhall remark, that this Coincidence is very rare ; con fequently not nniverfal: (2) Suppofing it were general ; yet even then it would be infufficient ; for tho' in Arithmetick, a certain Number of Fractipns will make a whole Number ; yet in Logick, neither four nor yet forty mere Opini ons will ever amount to certain Knowledge. Not that I judge the Kinds of Evidence reciter! in this Section of no Importance to Mankind; God forbid fuch a Thought fhould ever enter my Head : I have in this Enquiry fought only to clafs the different Degrees of Evidence properly, that I might be enabled from thence to difcover, that Medium in chief of 'Divine Knowledge to the Underftanding, which will be the Subject pf the next Chap. fll. of Theology: 109 next Section. In this, I have feverally examined the fubordinate Caufes of Aflent, which ought to be cultivated amongft*Mankind, as much' as pof fible; feeing -f Men may be fometimes negligent of the principal Medium; whilft a due Regard to a Subordinate, may remind them of fuch Remifs- nefs : My Friend, for Inftance, may pafs before mine Eyes unobferved ; till hearing his Voice, my Attention is roufed, and I behold him. There are many Inftances, wherein Objects come under the Notice of one Senfe principally, and of more than One fubordinately ; as in Space or Extenfion, Figure, Reft, Motion, &c. For our Fpod"efpecially, the Tafte is the principal Crite rion ; and yet to guard us againft Poifons, and enable us to form a right Judgment in' an Affair of fuch Importance, as the Nourifhment and Confervation of our Bodies ; the Sight, the Smell, the Touch, all join their Affiftance to that of Tafling. And now, what if we fuppofe the Almighty in Matters of fuch great Concernment, as that of our Knowledge of his Exijlence, and the Belief of + Men may be fometimes negligent of the principal Medium.] That is to fay ; give themfelves little or no Concern about the Exiftence of a God. rFor as to Thofe who abfolutely rejeil, or diflrufl this facred Do&rine ; I confider them as incurable by all the Arts of Man.— Reafon ever was, and ever will be loft upon Fools and Madmen ; of whofe Genus, the Atheift is a Species. up Of the true Foundation Ollap. III. v- of the Immortality of our Souls, to have given us, not only a fpiritual Senfation for that pufpofe, but inferiour Evidence beficies, derived from other Sources ? I have for my Voucher (in fome Sort at leaft,) the ingenious Author of the / Spectator, whofe Words are thefe : " It is certain, the " Propenfity of the Mind to "Religious Worfhip, " the natural Tendency of the Soul to fly to " fome fuperior Being for Succour in Dangers " and Diftreffes, the Gratitude to an invifible "...Superintendent which arifes in us upon receiv- " ing any extraordinary and unexpected goodFor- ".tune, the Acts of Love and Admiration with " which the Thoughts of Men are fo wonder- -" fully tranfportcd in meditating upon the Di- " vinePerfections, and the univerfal Concurrence "of all the Nations under Heaven in the great " Article of Adoration, plainly (hew that De- " votion or religious Worfhip muft be the " Effect of Tradition from fome firft Founder " of Mankind, or that it muft be conformable to " the natural Light of Reafon, or that it proceeds " from an Inftincf implanted in the Soul itfelf.1 • " For my Part," (fays this entertaining Writer) " / look upon all thefe to be the concurrent Caufes, " but which ever of them fhall be affigned as the " Principle of Divine Worfhip, it manifeftiy " points to a Supreme Being as the Author "of it." PAR EN- fVcl. III. Page 128. .•# Chap. III. of Theology. in 'PARENTHESIS II. * But fome may object, that the inviftble * Things of God, from the Creation of the World * are clearly feen, being underftoodby the Things * that are made, even his eternal Power and God- ^ * head. Rom. i. 20. * To this I anfwer ; the next Verfe before, * is explanatory of what we are to underftand by the Words, clearly feen ; when it fays ; that * which may be known of God is manifeft -j- in * them, for God hath ftoewed it unto them : viz. * By an inward Principle of Light and Grace in * the Mind, which, in the Sacred Writings is * fometimes metonymically exprefled by the Term * Sight or Jeen, as above ; At others, by that * of Hearing; as Ifaiah xxx. 21 ; In Heb.* vi. f In them.] E» cevro^. E», fays Schrevelius, fignificat Quietem. That is to fay, it marks the Term of Reft ; the State in which a Thing is ; the Abode and Situation ; as s» aya^a, in Foro, in the Market. Compare Matt. i. 20. 23. and ii. 1. 2. Mar. viii. 3. John i. 1. 2. 4. 5. Ails vi. 7. 1 Cor. i. 2. Rev. i. 4. Now this Criticifm is evidently in my Favour ; for at the fame Time that it coincides admirably well with my Thefis of a Divine Organ or Senfation t> in the Mind, as main tained in the Courfe of this Chapter ; fo it fcarcely fits the ad- verfe Notion of Men's obtaining their fir ongeji Idea of a, God from Reafoning principally :——, — For §>uies, or Reft, will agree to an Organ (a Subftance) under Pafjion,. much b.tter than it will to Reafoning ; which is not a Subftance, but a Mode only of the aciive Kind. , ' ".v.", 112 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * vi. 4. by that of Tafting; And ABs xvii. * 27. by Feeling. — — -However, a due Confide^ * ration of Heb. xi. 3. (a Text fomewh'at fimi- * lar,) will throw no inconfiderable Light on * this Matter ; and it runs thus : Through Faith * (which is ajaving Grace wrought in, the Soul *-,by the Spirit 'of God; compare Gal. v. 22.) * -fwe under/land (or .know) that the Worlds * were framed (>p*Ti .not *oyf) by the Word of * God, fo that Things which are feen were.mt * made of Things .which do afpear. The Appftle * faith not thro Reafoning, but thro Faith; * (among the Subjects of which he reckpns * Rahab, though a Heathen; ver. 31.) and.in- * deed had Reafoning been fufficient for the Pur- * pofe, Faith would have been ufelefs. There* * fore, feeing we J know the Creation, as fuch, * modally, no otherwife than by Faith ; fo neither * can we know the Creator without it. — Com- * pare \ Noouasp, we under/land (or know;)] N°°ff«» here, [Heb. xi. 3.) is formed from the fame Verbal Origin with law^tm, Rom, i. 20. which, tho' tranflated underftood, yet muft fuppofe Know ledge; feeing in the next Verfe after,(i. e. Rom. i. 21.) the Apoftte fays, Becaufe that when they knew God, &c. See alfo Verfe %%. Nor is it at all unlikely, but our Englifh Term Know, may be derived from the Greek Verb tosa ; the Origin of nou^it and tomtits. ; whofe Root is >oof, Mens, the Mind of Man. J Know the Creation, &c.J But here the Reader is defired to re- collecl: the Diftinction, which, from time to time, I have made in thg Courfe of this .Chapter; "between Knowledge and Belief: Char fdeas and obfiure ones :- Between Univerfal Knowledge ; and liqiited Philofophical Opinion,, founded -on Argument folely. Chapt III* of Theology i i 1 3 * pare alfo ABs xvii. 23; But furthermore ; * to apprehend the Text in queftion, in a pofitive * Senfe, is to make the moft egregious Nonfenle * of it : Becaufe, in fuch Cafe; the Words in * plain Englifh would run thus ; Thofe Things of * God which cannot be feen, fas the Word invifible * fignifiesj are clearly feen ; the Abfurdity of * which is manifeft. And truly to underftand it * after this Manner, would be to contradict a * great Number of other Texts of Scripture, * evidently in my Favour ; among which I offer -* the following ; viz. We walk by Faith not by * Sight. 2 Cor. v. 7. Now Faith is the Subftance * of Things hoped for , the Evidence of Things not * feen.^ Heb. xi. 1. From all which we may * infer, that as in the Apoftolic Age, the World * by Wifdom knew not God, 1 Cor. i. 21. fo * neither do they now: And yet we fhould re- * member, that this is Life Eternal, to know thee * the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom thou * haft Jen t. John xvii. 3. §.. 16. We have now, Reader, furveyed the feveral Inlets of Credence to the That our Knowledge of Undemanding, fo far ¦ as they tbeExiJlen»ef'fGod> . . _, , and firm Belief, of the relate to the two great Funda- Jmirtality JofJ the mentals of all Religion : But w, are originally ftill we find, , that thefe Media, founded on Ideas let whether confidered feparately or int0 th\ Un^rftand- coniointly, fall abundantly fhort '"? Z°. . e , f""e C cr l 1. tt ¦ r 1 r, of a Spiritual Senfa- of affording that Univerfal Cer- ^ or Divine Prin- Q^ tainty i ia Of the true Foundation Chap. III. dple of Light and tainty and firm Aflent, for which,! Life, conne&ied with contended in the Second Part of the Mmd. this Chapter. It remains, there fore, that we confider the only Medium left for Difcuflion; namely; that of Perception. This Article will include Senfation and RefleBion, as hath been before obferved ; but as the g Latter prefuppofes, and can have no Exiftence without the Former ; I fhall therefore wave that, and confine myfelf principally to the Article of Senja tion. — : — This will comprehend all the Methods, whereby the Ideas of Propofitions are ordinarily brought before the View of the Mind; from' whence I fhall by and by argue. But let it be noted ; that in the prefent Enquiry, I mean to fpeak jimp ly and alone of the two Ideas of God; and of Immortality as appertaining to the Soul, or in other Terms, as being a Mode of it : For I judge we get the Idea of Exiftence by RefleBion and general Senfation conjointly; which is there fore out of the Queftion ; but that the Idea of God is primarily derived to the Mind, thro' the Influence of Divine Grace, as the proper Organ of its Conveyance ; tho' in this Chapter, I have called it for the moft Part by a different Name-; and reprefented it to the View of the Reader's Mind, under the verifimilar Character of a -j- dij- tinEi S Vide Seel. y. of this Chapter. f Difli>ic~l Senfation, &c.J To avoid, as much as poffible, harfh uneafy Language, I ufe the Terms Senfe and Senfation, indif- Chap. III. of Theology. "5 tinB Senjation. The Idea too of Immortality as a Mode of the Soul, I judge to be imprinted on the Mind, fome how or other, by the fame Means; (probably feen, in the Divine Attri butes) thro' the Organ in queftion ; whilft the Idea of the Soul itfelf arifes from ordinary Re fleBion. From this Confluence of Ideas, however conveyed, the Mind frames with the utmoft Readinefs, the two following Propofitions; viz. God exifts : The Soul is immortal. — But in how compleat and adequate a Manner, we will by and by determine, when we come to anfwer the Objections againft this Thefis.- 1 now proceed to my Arguments. Arg. I . The leading Cauje of that general, that ftrong Aflent, given by Mankind in all Ages of the World, to the two great Doc trines in queflion, is either, Oral or written Q_2 Tradi- i ) indifferently in this Chapter; tho' Senfe, ftriftly fpeaking, refpedls the Organ itfelf; as of the Eye, the Ear, &c. and Senfation the Impreflion upon the Organ. And in fhis and the fucceeding Chapter likewife, I have- ufed alternately the Terms fpiritual Senfation, Organ, and Divine Principle, &c. but the fame Thino- is ftill meant; viz. Divine Grace in the Heart or MindofiMan. — And in the Syllogifms above, I have ufed the Terms Jlrong Affent, and Jlrongeft Ideas; inftead of firm Af fent, t\f.c. as ufed in the preceding Part of this Chapter; but tho' the Terms are different, yet the Ideas under them being ftill the fame, the Change, I prefume, is both lawful and innocent, The Reader, in paffing thro' this Work, is defired to take thefe Caveats along with him, by remembering them well ; that fo I may not be charged with Deiigns of a Sophiflical Nature, from a Change of Terms in the Argument. ii6 s Of the true Foundation Chap. Ill, Tradition, — rHope, — Fear, —Ratiocina tion,^ All thefe conjointly, or In* " , ftantanepus Perception : But it is not Oral or written Tradition,?-* Hope, — Fear, — Ratiocination, — nor All thefe conjointly ; as hath been already Jhewn, ** Therefore inftantaneous Perception is the leading Caufe of fuch Aflent. The Major is fo obvious, that no Man in his Senfes can deny it ; the Minor was proved in my laft Section ; and the Conclufion of courfe is juft and adequate, RefieBion, in my next Syllo gifm I fhall call: out of the Account ; as necef- farily ivn\i\f\n\y previous Senfation, of which alone I fhall fpeak, agreeable to what I hinted juft now ; from whence I again argue. Arg, 2. Our firongeft Ideas of God, and of Immortality as appertaining to the SquI% are conveyed to the Underftanding inftanta- neoufiy,-: — —by fome one or other of the Bo-? dily Senfes, r*—. — by All or Several of them. conjointly, . . . or by fome particular diftinct Senfation ; But they are not conveyed thus, by either of the Bodily Senfes, — —nor by All or Several of them conjointly : There-' Chap. III. of Theology. 1 17 Therefore by fome particular diftinct Senfa tion. This Syllogifm as well as the Former, is of the Kind called DisjunBive. The Major is confirmed by the firft Syllogifm, and fubfequent Remarks ; the Minor is obvious, and the Con~ > clufion good. Again ; Arg. 3. Every diftinB Species of Senfation is conveyed to the Underftanding, thro' the Channel of fome adapted Medium or Or gan ; as in the Cafe of -j- the Eye, the Ear, &c. But our ftrongeft Ideas of 'God and o/Tmmor- tality as before recited, are conveyed to thq Underftanding by a \ diftinB Species of Senfation, Therefore thro' the Channel of fome adapted Medium or Organ ; as in the Cafe of the Eye, the Ear, &e. The b Vide Seel. 6. of this Chapter. % Diftinil Species of Senfation.] That is to fay, diftinft or Spe cial, when numbered with the other Senfes of the Human Syftem : : But General^ when confidered in its own EfTence, as folely fpiritual, and appertaining in an extraordinary Manner to the Mind qf Man. The Term Organ too, as introduced in the Syllogifm above, I confider as a Genus, and not as a Species .wholly : For, tho' this .Term be commonly applied in a fpecial Manner to Either of the corporeal Senfes ; yet as the whole Ner- * VOUi 1 1 8 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. The Truth of the major Propofition is evident to every Man of tolerable Abilities ; the Minor I proved in my fecond Syllogifm ; and the Con clufion therefore is rightly deduced. Thus, Reader, I have evinced (agreeable to what I hinted in the 14th Section of this Chap ter,) " that Mankind have generally a fpiritual " Senfation, by which they either do or may dif- " cern at firft hand, the Being of a God, and a " Future State, in a Manner much more cer- " tain and univerfal, than can be expected from " Ratiocination, or any other Method whatever." L. have demonftrated in the preceding Argu ments, that we difcover thefe great and impor tant Truths, thro' the Channel of fome adapted Medium or Organ : Now this Organ I have like- wife proved, is not fentient through, or by Means" of the Body : Therefore in or with the Mind ; and of courfe, Spiritual ; adapted to the Difcern- ment of thofe two Objects, Deity, and Immorta lity as appertaining to the Soul ; the Poflibility of all which I think none can deny. — "— I call it Light ; Vous Syftem may be confidered as one general Organ (or Work ) of the firft Rank, to which the ordinary Senfes of the Body, bear no other Relation, than do the Stops or Pipes of the Mufical Or-. gan, to the Whole of that Inftrument ; fo I confider (and would be underftood to mean) that the Divine Principle or Organ in the Mind of Man, above recited, is, in its Relation to the Mind, a Genus ; and not finiply a Species. Chap. III. of Theology. 119 Light ; becaufe * " whatfoever doth make mani- "fefl is Light ;" and I denominate it Life ; fpr what Organ can fubfift without it ? Its inward Communion with the Mind too is equally appa rent, from the Ideas fhe receives thro' its Means. But becaufe this Doctrine, as well as Others, ' is liable to Perverfion, I fliall continue my Dif courfe on this Subject, yet a little longer, de fend my Thefis with fuitable Remarks, and an fwer fome Objections. 1 . Firft then ; I have fhewn in my Second Chapter, that "All Men ought to love God with *' the moft intenje AffeBion ;" and Nothing can be more evident (if Hiftory maybe credited,) than that Many in different Ages of the World, have loved him even to Death ; as in the Cafe of thofe Holy Martyrs, who have laid down their Lives in the Caufe of God and Religion. Now, can it be fuppofed that this was the Effect of Rea foning merely, unaided by inftantaneous Percep tion F No truly : For I have already fhewn in -my laft Section, what a Volume is neceffary to demonftrate on the Principles of Reafon, the Exiftence of a God: And to change the Subject; . what fhould we think of an Author, who, to in- fpire his Friend with an ardent Paflion for fome .beautiful but unknown Woman, fhould com- pofe * Ephef. v. 13. j 20 Of the true Foundation Chap^ III, pofe a Volume of no lefs than * 125 Pages, in -OBavo ; demonstrating, Firft, that there: were fuch and fuch Charms to be found fomewhefe at large in the Female World ; and then, Se condly, maintaining with great Diligence, and Labour, and by the Help of fuch cramp Terras as, Necejfary Exiftence, Independence, and Self- Origination, that the Charms recited did aBually coincide in one and the fame fair Lady ? Ala? ,! Reader, fuch a Performance could never anfVyjer the End; the Flame of Love requiring (if I miftake not,) Fuel of a more brifk and fpirited Nature than what this comes to ; even Percep tion itfelf; without which, it can neither burn,, nor fo much as kindle. And, indeed, this is the Cafe with all the Paf- fions (vulgarly fo called) in the Human Mind; for what hath been already obferved in the Courfe of this l Chapter, concerning Ideas ; will be found equally true concerning the Paflions: viz. that they can have no Exiftence in the Mind without previous Perception. A Man, for. In- ftance, born blind, will be for ever dead to the Charms of Beauty; and He that was always deaf, will ftand unmoved at the Powers of Mufic. ^2. Secondly, ." ' ¦ '¦ ' ' '' ' ¦ " r'i * ' k The Number of Pages in Dr. Clarke's Demonftratieq.of tbt Being and Attributes of God. I Seil. 6. Chap. IIL of Theology. 121 2. Secondly, the Abfurdities pf the oppofite Doctrine are manifeft : Fpr if we have not that Spiritual Senjation of which I have been fpeak ing ; it will follow, that, the Generality pf Man kind in every Age of the > World, from its firft Foundation (now nearly fix thoufand Years ago;) as well the learned and civilized, as the moft ig norant and favage Nations, have given a very ftrong and general Aflent, to two Propofitions, the Evidence for which (unaided by inftantane- ous Perception,) is fo dark and, contracted, that they ought in ftrict Juftice, to be attended with confiderable Doubt and, Sufpenfe. Even the Idea of a God, and that of Immortality as a Mode of the Soul, could not but be utterly unknown to the far greater Part of Mankind, in cafe they had no other Medium of Conveyance to the Underftand ing, than thro' the Channel of the Sacred Writ ings ; which are far from being general, and even. where known and received, are but too much cpntemned and neglected.-t— And as for Reafon ; Alas ! the greater Part of Mankind are either too bufy, too idle, or too Unfkilful to ufe it; efpecially in Difquifitions of fo long, intri cate, and tedious a Nature. Befides ; how could they reafon on thefe Subjects, without proper Ideas; which cannot reach the Underftandin? (as hath been already fhewn in the Courfe of this Chapter,) but thro' the Channel of inftanta- neous Perception f -The Mind is not boro- pofedjolely of Reafon :— — This is no* fo much R the 122 Of the true Foundation Chap. Ill, the Eflence, as the ABion of the Soul ; in com* paring, abftraBing, and compounding her Ideas : Diveft her of -f- thefe ; and fhe remains inactive and liftlefs, like that Architect, who has neither Inftruments for Drawing, nor Materials for Building. 1 §. 17. 1 now proceed to cancel certain Objec-. tions, after obferving; that I do not confide, this Divine Principle in the Mind of Man, as connate with' it ; for Reafons to be given in the- Cpurfe of my next Chapter ; which I fhall ap propriate in a particular Manner to the Dif cuflion, of this, and other Articles pf a fimilar Nature. Object. 1 . It may be objected, that if the Ideas . of God and a Future State, be thus conveyed to the Mind ; it is ftrange Men fhould differ Jo muchs in their Conceptions of both ; there being Many to be met with, that % fancy the Almighty in the Shape of a Man fitting in Heaven ; and have, moreover fuch low and pitiful Notions of the Deity, that Nobody can imagine they were taught by a rational Man ; much lefs that they were Charac- ¦ ters writ by the Finger of God himfelf. Anfwer. It is not pretended, that Men by Means of this Divine Senfation, have compleat, adequate - -J- That is, of her Ideas. t Mr. Locke. Chap. III. of Theology. 123 adequate Ideas of God ; but that in this Life, we "'fee (only) as thro a Glajs darkly ;-r-hereafter — Face to Face. Now we ^ KNOW in part, but then we fhall KNOW, even as we are KNOWN. -And as to a Future State; 'tis no wonder we fhould in fome RefpeBs be mifta- ken ; " not having as yet received the Promijes, but having (like the ancient Patriarchs) Jeen them afar off only : As it were, -j- dimly, or vb- fcurely ; fo as to be almofl, but not quite certain of the Reality of them :— *And our Ideas of thefe Things being thus inadequate and incompleat ; it follows ; that all Judgments made by their Af fiftance, will be of the fame Kind. But if wrong Apprehenfions of God and Im mortality, may be brought as Arguments againft our Perception of thofe Ideas, in the manner" above recited ; the like may be urged againft our Perception of the Sun's Exijlence, together with that of the Moon and Stars ; yea even of the very Globe which we inhabit. The Number of Men, who have wrong, very wrong Apprehen fions' of thefe, are greater by far than Thofe who -have right. — How many are there, who believe the Sun and the Moon to be flat like Plates of Silver ; to be nearly of the fame Magnitude ; to be not -more than about twelve Inches diameter R 2 each ; * I. Cor. xiii. 12. "Heb.xi. 13. t Compare &#. 12. of this Chapt Part II. 1 24 Of the true Foundation Chap; HI. each; and at no great Diftance from the Earth ? The Stars too, are confidered as no larger than Diamonds; and as to the Rotundity of the Earth, they laugh at it ; or, however, will not confent to the philpfophical Dpttrine of the An tipodes. The Vulgar Notion confifts in believing the World to be in the Form of ,an Oven, whofe vaulted Roof (to fay nothing pf the Sun and Moon) is decked with a large Number ' pf fixt, fmall, twinkling Luminaries,' reflecting their Rays upon the Inhabitants on the plane Surface below. But will it from hence follow, that Men have np Perception of the Ideas which reprefent thefe Things ? No furely : Neither will it fol low, . that becaufe- Men have wrong Apprehen sions of God and Immortality, they haye therefore no Perception of either. Object, 2, Perhaps it may beebjected, that the Connexion of this Diviiie Principle with the Mind of Man, as qfferted in this Chapter, is very far from being obvious ; feeing it needs a long Train of Arguments to prove it ; and I myfelf have ac knowledged, that a Conclufion drawn, from many Arguments, is finally attended with a great Mix ture pf Dimnefs, •- Anfwer. Were there ne Pther Prpof of the Truth of it, than the Arguments recited in this Chapter, I confefs the Objection would appear feafible j but if -by reminding Men pf this Di vine Chap. III. of Theology. 125 vine Principle cf Light and Grace within them, they fhould come to experience the Reality of its Exiftence there, this would amount to certain ^Knowledge; not becaufe of my Arguments, but becaufe from RefleBion (as hath been the Cafe with Many) they find it to be true. But the greater Part of Mankind are incapable of dis cerning clearly and diftinctly, the various Parts and Offices of the Human Mind and Body, at the very fame Time that they are either ufing them, or are influenced by them: And as this is not allowed to invalidate the moft pofitive Af- fertions of Logicians and Anatomifts, fo neither ought it to be urged againft my Thefis. Object. 3. But fome may alledge, that if there be fuch a particular difiinB Senfation in the Mind as I have afl'erted; a fpiritual Medium or Organ adapted to the Difcernment of "Deity and Immor-. tality ; then thefe Ideas ought in their Quality to differ widely from thofe let into the Mind, thro' the Channel of the Bodily Senfes ; in like Manner, as the Ideas of Sight, are different from thofe of Hearing, Anfwer. Tho' this be the Cafe in regard to the Sight and the Hearing, yet the Difference is f hardly ^ t Hardly difcernable, 8?c.J There is too probably, but very little Difference between certain Ideas conveyed to the Mind thro/ the Organs of Hearing and Feeling; [Hearing being no thing 126 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. hardly difcernable in refpect to Tafiing and Smel ling : He, who hath the Scent of fome high fea- foned Difh, hath the Tafie nearly : Certain Ideas too excited in the Mind by means of RefleBion,^ differ little, if at all, from Some of thofe attained hy Senfation. However, if the Difference as ob jected be thought neceffary; let me afk, what other Objects in the whole Univerfe, can afford/. two fuch grand and magnificent Ideas, as thofe of Deity and Immortality P Are there any others of the fame Species with thefe, tneir Modes in cluded ? We generally account Holinefs. as one of the Attributes of the Former, which implies Something more than mere Innocence or Purity; and is of fuch a Nature, that No One can have any Idea of it, without being, or having been' in fome meafure fanBified, thro' the Influence of this Divine Principle, or Organ in the Mind. Object. 4. Others may perhaps imagine, that there is Something Circular in the Method purjued in this Chapter ; and fay, that' / demonflrate the Senfation from the Knowledge it conveys ; .and, then _ __ 1 j .-¦ 1 ,' — r— — thing more than Feeling with the Auditory Nerve;) for in Mufic they fpeak of ajharp Key, and a fiat Key, &c. and yet, it is evi- ' dent, that in Striclnefs of Speech, Sharpnefs and Flatnefs apper-'r tain to the Feeling only ; and not to the Hearing, as Mufic does. / Obferve too, that there is not the like Affinity between the Sight , and the Hearing, (as I have hinted above ;) for we find Nothing' in Mufic fimilar, either to a. green Key, or a yellow Key. Chap. III. of Theology. 127 then dem&nftrate the Knowledge from the Senjation which conveyed it. Anjwer. This, if true, is no more than what may be faid, of every other Senfation that Man kind are bleft with : As for Example : ' I know myfelf to have Sight ; from the White- nejs of the Paper on which I am now writing : And I know the Paper on which I am now writing, to be white ; becaufe I fee it. 1 Befides ; tho' the'SenJation in the prefent Cafe, be proved by the Knowledge ; yet fuch Know ledge brought as Proof in this Work, is deduced from Tradition altogether ; and the Second Part of this Chapter (to which I refer) appropriated folely to that Purpofe. — So that there is Nothing at all, in this Objection of the Circle. Object. 5. It may moreover be alledged, that all Men do not own this Divine Principle in the Mind. Anjwer. And how Few are there (as hath been already obferved) that know any Thing of feve ral of the Parts of the Human Body, and yet have them neverthelefs ; and even ufe them. — What Acquaintance have Nine Tenths of Mankind with the Vence LaBece, the Vafa Lymphatica, the Veficular Glands of the Mefl'entery, the Recepta- culum 128 Of the true Foundation Chap .; III; culum Chyli, the Thoracic DuB, &c. —And yet' thefe, with fome Others, are very' im portant Parts of the Human Frame,, difcharging Offices indifpenfably neceffary to the Continu ance of Life, even under the Influence of the .Soul ; tho' (he really knows Nothing of the Matter, but from Study, and the Information of Others. . But tho' all Men do not own it ; yet neither dp all deny it : There are Thoufands in Great- Britain and Ireland (to fay nothing of the other Kingdoms of Europe) and in America likewife, who from real Experience, can fet their Seals to the Truth of what has been hitherto afferted in the, Courfe of this Chapter : Nor have there been wanting, Men of the higheft Rank, and greateft Eminence in the Literary World, as well Hea then as Chriflian, who have profeffed.yery nearly, or in EffeB, the fame Sentiments : Of whom are the following : Plotinus 'alledges, that " as the Sun cannot " be known, but by his own Light, fo God can- " not be known but with his own Light : And " as the Eye cannot fee the Sun, but by receiy- " ing its Image, fo Man cannot know God, hut " by receiving his Image ; and that it behoveth (' Man to come to Purity of Heart, before he " cpuld knpw Gpd." Semen, Chap! III. dfTheology\ . 129 - Seneca, Epift, 41. fays, " There is a Floly *c Spirit in us, that treateth us as we treat /'him." Cicero calleth it " an Innate Light," in his Book De Republica, cited by LaBantius, 6 Inftit. where he calls this "Right Reafon, giyen untp " all, conftant and eternal, calling unto Duty by " Commanding, and deterring from Deceit by " Forbidding." Adding, that " it cannot be " abrogated, neither can Any be freed from it, " neither by Senate nor People ; that it is one "Eternal, and the Same always to all Nations ; " fo that there is not one at Rome, and another "at Athens: Whofo obeys it not, muft flee " from himfelf, and in this is greatly tormented, " altho' he fhould efcape all other Punifh- " ments." The Earl of Shaftejbury in his ° Charafleri- fticks alledges, in Oppofition to Mr. Locke's Difcourfe concerning Innate Ideas, that " the " Queftion is not about the Time the Ideas en- " tered, or the Moment that one Body came out " of the other : But whether the Conftitution of " Man be fuch, that, being adult and grown up, " at fuch or fuch a Time, fooner or later, (no " Matter when) the Ideas and Senfe of Order, "HAdminiftration? and a GOD, will not infallibly, « Vol. I. Page 31 o. xjo Of the true Foundation Chap. III. " inevitably, neceflarily fpring up in him ?" — Ahd it feems to have been the Opinion of this Noble Author, that they would. Archbifhop Tillotfon in his -f Sermon concern ing the Wifdom of being Religious, obferves, " that " the general Confent of Mankind in this Ap- " prehenfion that there is a God, muft in all " Reafon be afcribed to fome more certain and "univerfal Caufe than Fear or Tradition or tc State-Policy ; viz. to This, that God himfelf " hath wrought this Image of himfelf upon the "Mind of Man, and fo woven it into the very " Frame of his Being, that (like Phidias' his il Picture in Minerva's Shield) it can never to- " tally be defaced, without the Ruin of Hu- " man Nature." Bifhop Leng in his P Sermons preached at the Boy lean Lecture teftifies, that " this general " Concurrence in the Acknowledgment of a " Deity may, in fome Meafure, arife from " the natural Make or Frame of every Man's " Mind ; difpofing him clearly to apprehend the " Truth and Certainty of it, upon the firft Pro- " pofing." Bijhop \ See the firft Volume of his Works in Folio, Page mihi 19. p P-age 167. Chap. III. of Theology. 131 Bifhop Synge in his ? Gentleman's Religion af- ferts, that " the Belief of a God in Man is nei- " ther the Effect of Chance, becaufe 'tis univer- " fal ; nor of -Ignorance, becaufe it poffeffes the " moft learned ; hor of State-Policy, becaufe 'tis " received among the moft barbarous and uncivi- " lized People ; but that there is a God, who has " made all Men, and has (as a Token of his " Work) ftamped and engraved this his Mark " and CharaBer upon them, &c. Bifhop Wilkins in his r Principles and Duties of Natural Religion affirms, that "it is a known " Rule that the Cauje muft be as univerfal as the " EffeSl is. If this Belief (i. e. of the Exiftence " 'of a God) have been one and conftant in all " Places and Times, then muft the Caufe of it " be fo likewife. And what is there imaginable " that hath a fairer Pretence to this, than the " very Nature of our Minds, which are of fuch a " Frame as in the ordinary Exercife of their Fa- " culties, will eafily find out the Neceflity of a " Supreme Being. And it feems very congruous " to Reafon, that He who is the Great Creator "of the World, fhould fet fome fuch Mark of " himfelf upon thofe Creatures that are capable " of worfhipping him, whereby they might be " led to the Author of their Being, to whom "their Worfhip is to be directed." . . S 2 Philip — II—.. 1.1, !¦¦ I .« '| | .1 11 11 ¦...„, I I ¦¦¦¦¦—--. I |,t if age 16. r Page 55. 132 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. -• Philip of Mornay, Lord of Pleflie Mar He, in his Work concerning the f Truneffe of the Chriflian Religion, (written originally in French, but be gun to be tranflated into Englifh by Sir Philip Sidney, Knt. and finifhed by Arthur Gblding) fays, " Let us run at this Day from Eaft to Weft, '* ^rid from North to South, I fay not among the " Turks, Arabians, or Perfians, (for their Alco- '* fan teacheth them that Man's Spulwas breathV " ed into him of God, and Confequently thatv ii it is incorruptible) but even amongft the moft " barbarous, ignorant and beaftly People of the " World, I mean the very Caribies and Canni- " bals, and we fhall find this Belief (j. e, of the r. Jenkins in his * Reajonttblenejs and Cer tainty of the Chriflian Religion alledges, that " though the Chriftian Religion be moft certain "in itfelf, yet there is a fuper natural Grace re- " quired to make us thoroughly and effectually " convinced of theCertainty of it. To which let me' add ; that if fuch be the Cafe with this Sacred Religion/ doubtlefs it muft be the fame likewife, with the two great Doctrines of the Ex iftence of a God, and of the Immortality of the Soul; feeing thefe are the Fundamentals of it. The -j- Great Addifon in his v SpeBator afferts, that *' the Devout Man does not only believe " but (mark Reader) FEELS there is a Deity. " He has (mind again) ACTUAL SENSA- " flONS of him ; his Experience concurs with **- his Reafon ; he fees him more and more in all " his Intercourfes with him, and even in this " Life almoft lofes his Faith in Conviction," §• 18. / Page 495. Vol. II. f The Great Addifon, &c] This inimitable Writer, likewife, in his celebrated Tragedy of Cato, introduces his Hero, in a So liloquy fpeaking thus : Ail V. Scene I. " "Tis the Divinity that £irs within us ; , " 'Tis Heav'n itfelf, that points out an Hereafter, ." And intimates Eternity to Man." The Coincidence of this Paffage, with what I have advanced, is remarkably obvious. v Vol. VI. Page. 264. 134 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. §. 18. To conclude; it is but reafonable to allow the CreatPr of the Soul a General Remark. ^^ ^^ tQ ^ ^ & pow£r of working upon her, in fuch a Manner, as no other Being has ; efpecially when we confider, that her Inclinations, her natural Propenfity,, Hand in Need of a Divine Influence ; to the In tent, that her Powers and even her very Eflence, may (if poflible) be transformed into the Sanctity and' Likenefs of that Eternal Mind, which ori ginally gave her Being. And if I may be al lowed to imagine, what I am not able to prove; I humbly conceive, that this Divine Principle in , the Mind of Man, where it is fuffered to take Root, will, when the Soul puts off Mortality, operate as a celeftial Seed or facred Germen of Organization, in clothing her again with a future Body, glorious and immortal I fp ringing Phoenix- like from the AJhes or Diflblution of the prefent. ^PARENTHESIS III. w * This Commandment which I command thee * this Day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it * far off. It is not in Heaven that thou fhouldjl * fay, Who fhall go up for us to Heaven, and bring * it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? * Neither •a> Deut. xxx. n. &c. Chap. III. of Theology. 135 * Neither is it beyond the Sea, that thou jhouldft * Jay, Who JhdUgo over the Sea for us, and bring * it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it ? But * the Word is very. nigh thee, in thy Mouth, and * in thy Heart, that thou mayft do it.* This, * Reader, * is the Word of Faith which I preach. * a y Teacher, which cannot he removed into * a Corner. * It is called by our Lord, z the Seed or Word * of the Kingdom ; and he compares it to a a * Grain ofMuftardSeed: to * a goodly P-earl : * to e Treafure hid in a Field : and very * aptly to- d Leaven, which a Woman took, and * hid in three Meafures of Meal, till the Whole was * leavened. *- The Author of the Apocalypfe affimilates it * (ort Account, I judge, of its Purity and Stabi- * lity) toe a white Stone, and in the Stone, a new * Name (Virtue or Power) written, which no * Man knoweth^ faving he that receive th it. * That is to fay, Thofe, and thofe only have a *.juft; Acquaintance with its Sacred Qualities, * who give Place to it in their Minds. *The * Rom. x\ 8. y Ifaiah xxx. 20. * Mat. xiii. 23. a 31. -*4S. '44. ^33. eRev.ii. 17. 136 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * The Apoftle Paul calls if f tafting of the * Powers of the World to come. And the Beloved * Difciple gives it the Apellation of s the true * Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into * the World. * It was prefigured under the Mofaic Difpen- * fation, by that h Pillar of a Cloud which went * before the Ifraelites by Day through the Wil- * dernefs, to lead them the Way to the Land of * Promife. — The Lord himfelf was in the Cloud, * and could not but be known to the People ; * and his leading them in the Way to Canaan, (as * it were, pointing to it,) typified in the ftrongeft * Manner, that other Faculty of Divine Grace in * the Soul, whereby (he perceives her own Im- * mortality; agreeable to what I have main* * tained, in the Courfe of this Chapter. PART IV. §. 19. It remains, now, that I conclude this Chapter with fome definitive Re marks, and defend it agaihjl all Inferences of an enthufiaftic Nature. §.20.. fHeb.vi.$. gjobni.q. b Exodus xiii. 21. &c. Chap. III. of Theology. 137 §. 20. Firft then ; I do not maintain that this Divine Principle in the Mind, is _,,.„. . _ . r , This Divine Prin- given to every Man in the fame c!ple k tbt Mk(/ Degree; feeing there is no more not given to every Reafon for aflerting this, than that Man in the fame all Men are endued with the fame esrcs' Equality, in refpect to ordinary Perception, Judgment, and Ratiocination. And as thefe may ibe aided, and even encreafed, by fuitable Auxi liaries of a foreign Nature ; fo I am fully per fuaded, that this Divine Senfation may be aided •likewife by proper Mediums ; and that it ftands greatly in Need of them. Neither do I under take to prove it fo univerfally given to all Men, as to admit of no Exception: I Nor perhaps at all Would be underftood as meaning to fome Men. 1 only a * Phyftcal Univerfality ; and if any pafs through Life without it, 'tis probable Infants and Ideots may be of the Number. But then We fhould remember this Moral as well as Chriflian Axiom ; viz. k Where no Law is, there is no Tranfgreflion. §. 21. Secondly; Neither do I apprehend it connate with Man, as I obferved ., , ,_.. At what Time it in the 17th SeBion of this Chap- firJi appears in ter : And if I am afked, at what the Mind; and Time it firft appears in the Mind f that k isriot '*<>»- My Anfwer is ; when we firft be- mU with us- come deeply fenfible of the two great Doctrines T "in i Vide Note f Pag* 80. h Rom. iv. 15. 138 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. in Queftion ; which it is evident, is not always at the fame Time of Life in every Man. 'Tis plain it cannot be connate with us, feeing all Men are born ignorant of God ; as tho' it were neceffary the Mind fhould be ftored with at leaft a few Ideas, before the engrafting this Divine Word ; to the Intent, that -j- fhe might be able to reafon, in fome Sort, on the primary effen tial Parts of Theology. §. 22. Thirdly ;. Neither do I confider it ge- Capable of being orally of fo fixt and immoveable a loft to the obfii- Quality in the Mind, as not to be nately vicious. l0ft to him, who, regardlefs of its celeftial Properties, purfues fuch evil Courfes in Life, as are contrary to its Divine Nature and Purity. Every One knows, that even the ordi nary Faculties of the Body, may be conflderably injured, f She, &c.J I have generally in the Courfe of this Work, fpoken of the Soul or Mind of Man, as tho' it were feminine, (as indeed Mens, and Anima are in Latin,) ufing the Pronouns, fhe and her ; but I neverthelefs know, that in the Englifh Lan-, guage, thofe Terms are Neuter ; and have had Recourfe to this Method, fox the Sake of Perfpicuity only, which is highly needful (as far as it can be) in a Metaphyfical Work, like this]; for a great Number of Its, would often puzzle the Reader to find out to which Subjlantivi 'each It referred ; as in the Cafe before him ; for had I faid, it might, inftead of " fhe might be able to " reafon," he. the Reader would not have known readily whe ther this It referred to, "the Divine Word" (as the laft Suhfian- tive before it,) or to "the Mind;" but by faying "She," the Reference is clear. Chap. III. of Theology. 139 injured, and fometimes wholly loft by the fame Means. And from hence it will appear, that Some even of the moft profligate and abandoned of Mankind, may be certain of the Exiflence of a God, from -j- RecolleBion only; after having loft the Divine Principle itfelf. §. 23. Fourthly \; It is apparent too that this Divine Principle is no effential Is afpirituai Sub- X Mode of the Soul ; as fhe may Jlance ; becaufe without any Abfurdity be con- the SubJeii °f fidered as exifting apart from it. "' 1 judge it a Jpiritual Subflance ; feeing it is itfelf the Subject of Modes ; namely, of Life, T 2 Purity, \ Vide Seel. 6. of this Chapter. % Mode, &c] The Term Mode, is only another Name for Quality, Property, or Attribute ; and evidently pre-fuppofeSv fome Subflance to which it muft belong, and without which, as a Mide, it can have no Exiftence. The Subflance anfwers to the Sub ject of a Propofition in Logick, and the Mode to the Predicate. — Vide Seel. 8. of this Chapter. Certain Modes too may them felves be Subftances, and the Subjects of other Modes. Thefe Latter are called Modes of Modes ; as for Example : A Globe is a Subflance. -Roundnefs is, a Mode of this Subftance. It is an effential Mode too ; for tho' that Piece of Wood or Glafs of which the Globe is conftituted, might have been cubical, yet if Roundnefs be, taken from it, it is no longer a Globe. The Frame like- wife on which it ftands, is an accidental Mode of the adherent or improper Species ; for take away this, and the Globe will remain a Globe ftill. .The Frame moreover is a Subflance ; and the Sub- jecl of other Modes, fuch as Colour, Shape, and Size ; which in their Relation to the Globe, are Modes of a Mode,. 140 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. Purity, and a Capacity for Senfation; all which are effential to it. Neverthelefs, in its Rela tion to the Mind, it may be confidered as an ad herent or improper Mode. §. 24. Fifthly; Tho' I fhall not deny, but _ .. ., when God pleafe, he may (and Ordinarily no more 1 . \ than the two Pr°bably does fometimes) excite, Ideas inquejlion by the Medium of this Divine Sen- imprejfed upon fation, other Ideas in -f- the^ Minds the Mind by it. of Men> than thofe mentioned in the Courfe of this Chapter ; yet ordinarily I ap prehend there are no more impreffed or excited than the two in queftion ; feeing, at prefent, lean prove no more. I even except the Doctrine of Future Rewards and Punifhments, together with the Ubiety of the Soul after Death ; be caufe Men are not generally apprized of thefe Doctrines, nor agreed about them. It muft however be acknowledged, that when Men have obtained the Ideas of God and Immortality, there needs but a flender Attention of the Mind, to difcover future Punifhments, for Offences com mitted againft the Divine Majefty ; tho' I think there t The Minds of Men, &c.J The Human IntelleB in this Treatife, I have fometimes denominated the Mind of Man ; and at others the Soul: For tho' thefe Terms tranflated intb Latin, have different Meanings ; yet in the Englifh Language, they are fynonimous ; and as fuch, I ufe them. Chap. HI. °f Theology. 14* there needs a ' clofer Application, for the Dif- cernment of Rewards for virtuous ABions : And a much clofer ftill, to difcover the eternal Dura tion of either. But in fpeaking thus, I would confider Mankind as abftracted from the Helps of written Revelation. §.25. Hence it is evident, Sixthly, that nei ther this Divine Principle nor its ^,/^ deferve not Difcoveries, as above ftated, de- the honourable ferve the honourable Appellation Appellation af of the Gofpel (Ei»7( a Theological gef of knowing too mucn Thefe Men do not confider; that if Knowledge be finful, then the knowing; this, muft be a Sin ; feeing their Aflent to this Propofition, — viz. — Knowledge is Jinful, — —is, -eventually, Knowledge. And indeed, if this Doctrine were true, God himfelf muft have been from Chiap. III. of Theology. 143 from all Eternity, an infinite Sinner; feeing infi nite Knowledge is One of his efl'ential Attributes. It is fo far, therefore, from being criminal, that it even enhances the Luftre of every other Virtue ; feeing the more a Pious Man knows, the more he refembles his Maker. Knowledge, real Knowledge in Matters of Religion, is the fame Thing with Confcience ; the more perfect and extenfive the Former, the more pure and correct the Latter. Knowledge is defined to be, the Perception of the Connexion and Agreement, or the Difagreement and Repugnancy of any of our Ideas. If we would therefore acquire a large Fund of Knowledge, we muft previoufly acquire a large Fund of Ideas ; for without thefe, there can be no Science, or but in Proportion as we have them. Every Idea, at times, ferves the Purpofe of a Medium to certain -j- Others, whofe Pofition happens, as it were, to be fo diftant, as to ftand in Need of Intermediates for Comparifon. — This friendly Office, as Occafion offers, is inter changeably given and received, by all the Ideas in the Human Underftanding : But, as Every One will net, at all Times and in every Cafe, ferve f Compare Seel. 9. pf this Chapter: 144 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. ferve the Purpofe' of a Medium, for want of an abfolute -j- Likenefs or Unliktnefs to thofe, with which it is to be compared ; fo, the larger the Stock in general, the better the Opportunity pf culling the Medium, and the fairer the Chance fer a proper Comparifon. We will illuftrate this Article by the follow ing Example. Suppofe there were two Pieces of Face-Painting in a large Room, at a confide- rable Diftance from each Other, and I wanted to difcover what Likenefs there was between them ; but on account of their being fixt to the Wall, could accomplifh my Purpofe no otherwife, than by hanging other Pieces of a fimilar Kind between them in a Series; fo as to make a ftraight Line of Pictures, from One to the Other, of the beft Likeneffes I could get, with the two in queftion. Now, tis evident, that the larger my Affortment pf Pictures, from whence thofe ' accidental Likeneffes were to be drawn, the bet ter my Chance for making the defired Compari fon. A fmall Stock might afford either no Like neffes at all ; or not a fufficieht Number, for reaching from One of the extreme Pieces to the Other. But f Likenefs, &c:] This Likenefs of the Ideas in a Syllogifm of the affirmative Kind, is fimilar to what Ovid tt\\s us in his Metirn. concerning the Nereides. — viz. i Facies noil omnibus una. Nee diverfatamen-. qualem decet efle Socorum. Chap. III. of Theology. H5 But another Advantage (and not the leaft con siderable) arifing from a f competent Fund of Ideas, is, that the Mind being continually fur- veying and running them over, it will happen in a large Number, that the cafual Jumbling them together, like Lottery Tickets in a Wheel, will, without the leaft Pains, afford many acci dental, juft Comparifons, which might other- wife be loft. It is apparent, therefore, that as a j; large Aflortment of Ideas, promotes Knowledge in ge neral; fo it is equally advantageous to the Mind, U in f Competent Fund, &C.J What is faid above, of a large Fund ef Ideas, is equally applicable to a large Fund of Terms with re- fpe£l to the Difcovery of their true Meaning. I do not under- ftand the Ruffian Language ; and yet my flender Stock of Words has induced me to think, (but whether rightly or not I cannot fay, ) that the Ruffian Term TVitz, at the End of Czarowitz, figni- fiesaiW; from the Affinity of the following Words. — viz. Greek. Latin. French. Old Norman. Ruffian, 'lifo Filias Fits. — * — Fitz — WHz, % A large Aflortment of Ideas, &c.J Upon comparing or fitting Ideas together, He, who has a large Stock of them, will often query with himfelf, whether or np there be not Others in the Storehoufe of his Mind,, that may perchance// better ; bat He ..who has but a fmall Stock, is content with almoft any Fitnefs ; and his Storehoufe being foon emptied, and his Stock ufed up ; he looks no further ; and is fure, very fure, that thofe Fitneffes which He has made and difcovered, are fome of the beft in the World ; and for this Reafon ; becaufe they are the befl that He can make. — So- that the. Parent of Pofitivenefs, we fee, is Ignorance. And Ignorance is apt to beget Cenforiaufnefs. 146 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. in fprming Difquifitions of a Theological Na ture ; Theology being a Branch (and a very important Branch too) pf Univerfal Knowledge. Nor is it enough, that the Mind be thus fur-' nifhed with the firft Elements of Science. Comparifons muft be made, as I have already obferved : And tho' all Men by Nature, are more or lefs apt at Thefe ; yet, it is evident, that •jfArt in this Cafe, as in all Others, will greatly affift us. For-this purpofe Syfiems of Logick fhould be carefully read and made our own, by Dili gence and Application. A Book of this Kind held up before the Underftanding, may be com pared to a Mirrour, wherein the Mind views her- felf ; and by obferving what is right or wrong in her Motion and Attire, fhe corrects it according ly ; by modifying her Habit, Addrefs, and ABion to the general Standard of Truth and Beauty. — —^ Nor ought Rhetorick to be neglected ; for tho' that Part of it, which relates to Invention^ be for the moft part frivolous ; yet thofe Divifions of it called Difpofition and Elocution, have their Ad vantages ; but efpecially the Latter ; which teaches us to make proper Allowances in the Speech and Writings of Others, for fuch Ex- preflions of a ftrained Nature, as for Eafe or Elegance have been authorized by Cuftom. • There is np Nation, nor Clafs of People, but what 1 ' — " — ' ' ' r ' f Art, &c.J Or Invention rather. Chap. III. of Theology. 14.7 what deal largely in the Tropes and Figures of Rhetorick ; tho' for the moft Part without knowing it. That the Wind is high ; that it rains hard ; and that the Furnace boils ; are very com mon Expreflions ; but in their ftrictefl Senfe are all palpably falfe ; and we are indebted to R.heto- rick, for the Friendly Allowance of thefe, and other Expreflions of a fimilar Nature ; probably to the Amount of fome thoufands. And, therefore, Reader, furnifh thyfelf with a rich Magazine of Ideas of all Kinds : Learn from Others, as well as from thine own Experience, the beft Methods of com paring them together; and of viewing them either conjointly or feparately, in a Variety of Attitudes. Remember too, that much Know ledge arifes from a due Confideration of Oppo fites ; thus, a Man born blind, for want of know ing what Light is, fhall never have any Idea of Darknefs, tho' his Mind dwells continually in the Midft of it. * PARENTHESIS IV. * It can fcarcely be thought, furely, that * Learning and Knowledge are contrary to the * revealed Will of God ; feeing thofe Nations * have been moft bleft, that have attended "moft * to the Culture of Science. Thefe are ho- U 2 noured 148 Of the true Foundation ' Chap. lit, * noured with the Empire of the World ; "ruling * the wild, wandering, uncivilized Tribes of * Mankind with, a Rod of Iron, * And, truly, it would be exceeding ftrange, * if the Bible (as fome imagine) did really de-. * predate Erudition ; as this, Prodromes-like, * piuft pave the Way for the Appearance of the * Bible amoqgft Mankind- Without Letters, * which -include a Variety of other Arts, there * Can be no written Revelation ; which is con- * fined within the Boundaries of Learning and * Knowledge, as tho' it had been faid to it in the * Beginning, as on another Occafion; " "Hit * *' therto Jhalt thou came, bu{ no further >" * Our Bleffed Savipur, fo far from prohibiting * Knowledge' and Learning, feems, in fome Parts * of his Conduct, tp have given it all the Cpun^ * tenance imaginable, He charges the Apcftle§ f tp mix P the Wifdom of the Serpent, with the In? * nocence of the Dove: He ferbids me to call tpy * Brother f Fool ; which is forbidding him to be * One, And tho' he chofe illiterate Men, to be * the firft Prpmulgatprs of his Gofpel ; yet he * did not let them remain in a State, fo ill adapted * to their Office ; but miraculoufly endued them * with the Gift pf r Tongues, of .Wifdom, and * Known 9 Job. xxxyiii. n. / Matt. x._i6. ? Matt. v. 22. , f I Cor. xii. 8. 9. 10. Chap.IIL., of Theology. H9 * Knowledge. And in his / Parable of the Sower ; * tho' he mentions a Variety of Caufes, which * choaked the good Seed of the Kingdom fown * in the Mind ; yet Knowledge is wholly omitted * in that deadly Catalogue. * The Beloved Difciple calls our Lord ^y<, * t the Word or Reafon of God. But furely, if * Reafon had been fo wicked and hateful a Thing, * as fome Men would have it, the Evangelift * would not have ufed this Appellation as a pro- * per Characteriftick of his Divine Mafter. In- * deed, it makes but little for the Advocates of * Ignprance, that thefe two Words — Carnal — ¦ * Reafon — which are fo frequently in their * Mouths, are not to be found connected or * coupled together in all the Bible. And as * little dpth it make Jbr the Adverfaries of Lo- * gick, that the Apoftle, in fpeaking of the Re- * de'emer of Mankind, calls him the ^ Mediator * (as it were the middle Idea) between God and * Man ; thereby forming an Affemblage of Ideas, * the grandeft and moft important of any in the * Uniyerfe. viz, * Efficiently thus : * God 1A Chrift | f Man a angry, j 1 crucified. X | Sinner. * Effec- Mark iv. 18. 19. tjohni. 1, "" ITim.'n. 5. I5° Q/" tke true. Foundation Chap. III. * Effectually thus : * God | T Chrift crucified! f Man reconciled. J [ and afcended. J \ juftified. * Well might the Saviour, by way of Emi- * nence be called, the Logos, or Reafon of God ; * feeing all -j- Mediums or Mediators, are R'ea- * fans ; as I obferved in the former Part of this * % Chapter. > , . *fAs , -f Mediums or Mediators, &c] That the Almighty fhould in- flrudt and fave Mankind by a Mediator, is highly agreeable to his general Conduct in the Government. of the Univerfe; there be ing fcarcely Any thing effeded by himfelf, Or by his Creatures (whether animate or inanimate) without the Mediation of Others. Is the World to be replenifhed frorrr time to time by a new Race of Men ? As eafily as God could repair this Lofs by a folemn Fiat of pofitive Creation ; yet in his infinite Wifdom, he chufes rather to effetl it by the Inftrumentality or Mediation of Parents, Is Health to be reftored to a iick Perfon r The Medium or Midi- ana is prefcribed by the Phyfician or Medicus. And here obfervf theAptnefs and Significancy of the following Latin Words, as they Hand related to thofe of Medium and Mediator ; viz. Medicus — r-Medicina Medeor Medicor — Remedior. To which add Meditor ; and Meditatiq ; q, d. the fearehing , after- mediate Terms and Ideas. , And t Setf, 9, Chap. III. of Theology. 151 * f As to the Flowers pf Rhetorick, the Bible * abounds with them ; infomuch, that without a * tolerable Acquaintance with Elocution, many * Sentences in ,Holy Writ, muft appear the moft * pal- And no^w, Reader, turn back thine Eye, and juft reconfider my Scheme of Nature, and Interpofitions, in the firft Chapter of this Work. The Perfon who interpofes is the Mediator ; and that which materially occalions fuch Interpofition is the Medium. Why the Supreme Being fhould chufe thus to govern the Uni verfe by Mediums, is not eafy to demonftrate : But, I judge, 'tis in order to inveft the animated Part of his Creation with Liberty ; and to prevent our being abfolutely governed by afixt unalterable Fate ; that fo our Actions, in part at leaft, may be, our own. Man in a great Variety of Cafes, hath now his (Libet) Liberty of chu- fing certain Effecls in Contra-diftindtion to Others, by mediating the Caufe or Caufes of thofe Effecls. The Effecls proceeding from fuch Caufes are indeed ordained by an irrevocable FATE ; for the Mouth of the Lord (FATUM EST) hath fpoken it ; and he will not reverfe his Decree, for thoughtlefs, indolent Men! f As to the Flowers of Rhetorick, the Bible abounds with them, &c] He who knows not this, knows little of the Sacred Writings. — — There are many Proverbs in them, which, if underftood in a verbal Senfe, make the moft egregious Nonfenfe, and fome times the moft • palpable Fallity : For we know by Experience, that it is not true [Prov. xxx. 17.) that the Eye that mocketh at his Father, and defpifeth to 'obey his Mother, Jhall be pickt out by the Ravens of the Valley, and that the young Eagles fhall eat it. This is no Law, nor Prophecy ; but a Proverb ; and as fuch ftands re corded in a Book of that Name. And of the fame Kind in that Book is, Chap, xxiii. 5. viz. that Riches CERTAINLY make them felves Wings, they fly away as an Eagle towards Heaven. -^-Sorrx of the Sayings promulged by our Lord in his Sermon on theMount, are probably too of the fame Kind ; as (Matt. v. 39. &c.) IVhofoever fhall 1 52 Of the true Foundation CMiap. TIL * palpable Nonfenfe. Even the great Text con- * cerning w the true Light which lighteth every * Man that comet h into the World; I fay, even * this Text, notwithftanding its fo much boafted * Univer- ""> John i. g. fhall finite thee an thy right Cheek, turn to him the Other alfo. q. d, Ignem gladio nefodito. And if any Man will fue thee at the Law, and take away thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak alfo. As much as to fay ; He who gets his Suit, lofes his Coat.' By both which TextSj doubtlefs, Nothing more is meant, than that if it bepojjible [Rom. xii. 18.) as much as lieth in us, we fhould live peaceably with all Men. — (Compare alfo Matt. v. 29. 30.) — And what I have faid of Proverbs, holds equally true of a great Variety of other Figures, to be met with up and down in the Bible. — , — For it could not be true, that DavidKing of Ifrael was (Pfalm xxii. 6.) a Worm indno Man. Or (Pfalm lxxvii. 16.) that the Waters faw God, and were afraid. Or (Pfalm Ixxv. 3.) that the Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof were diffolved, and that King David bore up the Pillars of it. Nor doth the Sun (Pfalm. 104. 19.), know his going down. And as little can it be thought that the Lord of the Univerfe did really condefcend to enter into friendly Converfe with the Devil, (as tho' Nothing had ever happened;) and enquire of him concerning his Servant Job, (Chap. ii. 1. &c.) refpedting What he knew very well without fuch En quiry. Nor can any One believe (Exodus xix. 4.) that God did really and literally bare the Children of Ifrael in their Journey ing from Egypt to the Land of Promife, on Eagle's Wings.' And as improbable is it to the full, that the firft Difciples of our Lord fhould be, not Flefh and Blood, like other. Men, but (Matt. v. 1.3.) Salt of the Earth. And fo 'tis, that Phartnk< King of Egypt (Ezek. xxix. 3.) fhould be a great Dragon that lay in the Midfl of his Rivers ; and that God would put Hooks into bis Jaws, &c. And that the AJfyrian ( Chap, xxxi . ) fhould be. a Ce dar in Lebanon, &c. —Still more improbable was it, that the. Pro- Chap. lit. _ of theology. 153 * Univerfality,' will fall abundantly fhbrt of it, * unlefs affifted by our Confideration of the * Trope called Synecdoche > feeing in the ftricteft * Senfe the Term, " Every Man" doth not in- X * elude Prophet Jeremiah (Chap. xxv. 1 7 .) fi>ould take a Cup at the Lord's Hind, and make all the Nations to drink of it. And when our Lord fays (John x. 8.) All that EVER came before me, are Thieves and Robbers ; doubtlefs he meant to except Mofes, Ifaiah, "Jeremiah, and Others. All thefe Texts, Reader, with a great Many more, are of a figurative Conftru&ion ; and are more orjefs" beautiful and ftriking, in proportion as they are more or lefs ro- mantick and marvellous : For it is agreed amongft Metaphyfi- cians, that of all our Paflions, v/hen railed ; that of Admiration is One of the greateft, and moft agreeable.— — But that we may not be at a Lofs to difcern Figure from Fail, in the Sacred Writ ings ; I thmk we may lay it down as a Rule, that When any Sentence or Narrative wears an Appearance of the mar vellous or miraculous Kind, and has no f Final Caufe attending it, worth a Divine interpofition ; + ^"i^J'J*' fuch miraculous Phenomenon fhould be refolved force, what the Others have implanted with fo much Care. And (4) National Cuftoms too, add great Weight to all thofe Prejudices. Thus, the putting a Man to Death, for differ ing from the Eftablifhed Religion, perhaps in a trivial Point, is diametrically oppofite to the Dictates of a found Confcience; and yet the aforementioned Prejudices, have taught many a pious Catholick, in a Popifh Country, to cut his Neighbour's Throat, as an Act of Religion highly pleafing to God. (5) andLaftly; Temporal In- tereft has oft'times great Weight with the Mind, in her judicial Acts. Where Self bears the Sway; Invention fhall be put to the Rack, and made to produce Arguments and Maxims, for the Palliation of Villainy. §. 30. Under all thefe Difadvantages, how Of written Reve- ufeful, (I had almoft faid, how lotion. neceffary) muft a Written Revela tion be, to the civilized Parts of Mankind, in their Chap. III. of Theology. 165 their Refearches after Divine Truth ? Efpecially too as the far greater Part of us, have neither Leifure nor Inclination for fuch Refearches merely on the Principles of Reafon ; — and of Thofe that have, there are but Few that are qualified for the Work: Fewer ftill, that if qualified, do fet about it : And Fewer yet of Thofe that hav ing perfected themfelves in this Sort of Know ledge, will be at the Pains of communicating it to Others ; — or if they do, can effectually convince them. — For Mankind are not fond of much of that Sort of Inftrudtion, which contradicts their favourite Prejudices ; unlefs the Inftructor come, or feem to come, cloathed with Autho rity from on high. And this will account for the feveral Syftems (whether true or falfe) of traditional Revelation which have appeared in the World ; there never having been, even from the earlieft Antiquity, fo much as one civilized Form of Government (that I remember) but had to attend it, a traditional Revelation of fome Kind, moft commonly in Writing, including in it the Notion of Sacrifice. The ready Admif- fion of which Syftems (however abfurd Many pf them) among civilized Nations in all Ages, demonftrates one general Turn of Mind in Man kind for Inftruction by this Method, preferable to any Other ; and renders it highly probable, if not abfolutely certain, that there is fomewhere to be fpund in the World, a juft, true, and au thentic 1 66 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. thentic Revelation from God, in writing, -concern ing Matters of Religion: Which is the more needful; becaufe the falfe Revelations abroad, want a true One, to counteract their Evil In fluence. And feeing God does fometimes inter pofe for the Good of Mankind, (as I proved in my firft Chapter of this Work,) where can we fo naturally expect him to interpofe, as in an Affair of fuch Utility to us, as a written Revela tion, to enforce and fet in the cleareft Light, the Doctrine of Pardon to returning penitent Sinners ; of the which, we can know Nothing by the mere Light of Reafon and Demonftration ; and like- wife to affift the Human Mind in its Notions of a Future State of Rewards and Punifhments ; and even of the Divine Eflence itfelf? All which cannot fail producing good Effects in the Lives and Converfation of fuch Men as attend to it ; both in their public and private Capacities. Finally ; it is abfurd to think that God hath ge nerally given Mankind an Appetite for, or Thirft after Extraordinary Revelation ; and then (as it were in Mockery) denied them the Means of al- laying it. § . 31. I treated of Reafoning, as an Act of the- Of Reafoning in Mind, in the former Part of this Theology. •£ Chapter ; to which I refer,' But as fome Men, thro' Ignorance or Defign, would rob' f Seel. 9. ' Chap. III. of Theology. 167 rob their Fellow-Citizens of this ineftimable Privilege in Matters of Religion ; I intend, therefore, to difcufs this Subject particularly in the Courfe of this Section. Thefe Men don't confider [for indeed that would be to reafon,) that the Almighty in his Works of Creation, is con tinually addrefling himfelf to the Reafon of Man kind ; which, in fact, is bidding them ufe it. All the Religions in the World ufe Reafon, when it happens to be in their Favour; that from fo general a Suffrage one might be tempted to think, that Reafoning in Religious Matters, was lawful and neceffary . Neverthelefs, as I have already obferved, there are fome who difclaim it themfelves (while Jlily they are ufing it;) and deny it to Others, as car nal, fenfual, and devilifh: And this among the Profeffors of the Chriftian Religion ; to whom I addrefs myfelf. When a Man is not a Chriftian, do ye not ap peal to his Reafon as Judge in the Caufe ? But . being once enlifted under the Banner of Chrift, he muft, according to you, difcard it from his Councils for ever after. A moft ungrateful Re quital furely ! For when a Man's Reafon hath led him into the true Religion, and by that means faved his Soul; is it not the bafeft Ingratitude in him, thus to turn his Back upon his beft Friend? And 168 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. And truly after fo kind and faithful an Of fice, where would he expect tp find a better? As tho' Chriftianity deprived Men of the Ufe of their Senfes, and made them mad! For where ,is the Difference betwixt that Man who by Na ture hath Reafon, but cannot ufe it ; and He who hath it, but will not ufe it ? 1, for my Part, fee None; excepting that the involuntary Lunatick, at certain fenfible Intervals, bewails his Misfor tune; whilft the Other glories in it, rejects the greateft Bleffing under Heaven, with Contempt; and returns it back again defpightfully upon the Hands of the Great Donor. Shamelefs Man! ' 'Tis an Inftance of Divine Clemency, that thou art not actually deprived of the Ufe of thy Un derftanding, as a Punifhment for fuch Infolence and Ingratitude, Certain Mahometans, I am told, efteem Ideots and Lunaticks as Saints, and even think 'em in- fpired. This is Part of their Creed. Let them keep this precious Article to themfelves. . 'The Chriftian Faith, or I am much mifta- ken, is very compleat without it. When Reafon hath conducted a Heathen into the Paths, that lead to Eternal Life; One would think, that fogood a Guide, ought to be permit^ ted (or rather compelled), as well for Safety as Gratitude, to attend, him conftantly in his Pil grimage thro' the Wildernefs pf this World, to the Chap. TIL of Theology. 169 the Regions of Light and Glory. -What Re- Ward too great for this faithful Direcftrefs ? How dangerous is it to leave her behind ? We are told,- that we ought not to ufe Reafon in the Affairs of Religion. ,—r^- And when this is de nied (as it frequently is,) how do they prove it? Why, truly, they offer us Reafons for it; and ufe Reafon to prove that Reafon ought not to be ufed; the Abfurdityof which is manifeft. It is unlawful to ufe Reafon in the Affairs of Religion. This, with them, is a Religious Propofition ; and tho' .by their own Principles, they ought neither to explain, nor defend it by Reafon ; yet they all do it. And we may therefore well con-. elude, from this conftant and invariable Practice of their's, that Reafoning in the Affairs of Reli gion is lawful arid neceffary. , r,< . ¦ * They ufe R.eajon, to prove that Reafdti ought riot to be ujed! ; This is like the Man that Jaid he was Jpeechlejs. But what fhould we think of that Clergyman, who being about to mount the Pulpit to de claim againft Drunkennefs, fhould previoufly get fuddled 'himfelf \ that by joining A£fcipa to De- Z livery, 170 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. livery, he might the better convince his Audi ence of the Enormity of the Sin ?— -^-And yet there is as much Propriety in a Preacher's getting. drunk, to demonftrate to Ijis Audience that they ought not to be drunken; as there is in his ufing Reafon, to prove that Reafon ought not to be ufed! Drunkennefs, it is true, may be decried without actual Fuddling on the Part of the Preacher; but he cannot declaim againft Reafon, without calling it into his Affiftance. And therefore, * " thou Hypocrite," who wouldft de preciate this Manly Faculty, "firft eaft out the *' Beam out of thine own Eye." > §.32. All this Noife and Outcry againft Rea-* ^r ; n aj fon, is made by thofe Men princi- Of the Credit due ' J r to Revelation, pally, who have Revelations to of-r without Evi- fer to the World ; pofitive Com- dence. mands from above, under the fe- vereft Penalties ; but without any Evidence of their Miffion, excepting their own bold Affer^ tions. Such know Reafon to be their avowed Enemy, and therefore 'tis very natural for them, in return, to be the avowed Enemies of Reaftnf Who would like to have their Caufe tried by an Adverfary? Their occult Qyality in Divinity' cannot bearfc rugged a Teft, but fhudde'rs at the Thought; and to avoid tooolofean Engagements fight* b Matt. vii. 5. Chap. Ill: of Theology. i 7 r fights at a Diftance; or rather, vents its Paflion in opprobrious Language and calling of Names. All the pious Nonfenfe and religious Fooleries that are now, or ever were in the World, have taken their Original from Revelation without Evidence; and I fhall therefore fpend this Section in fhewirig, that we ought not to encou rage fo idle and mifchievous a Whim. But let it be remembered ; that where Evidence realty accompanies a Claim .to Infpiration, T judge it ought to be received; as in the Cafe of the Chri ftian Revelation; than which, Nothing can be better attefted : This I embrace with all' my Heart; and it is my Defign by this Work, to vindicate, in fome meafure, that Sacred Canoa from the Contempt of it's Oppofers. . But that I may be rightly underftood; I do not mean to militate againft fuch Men of exalted Character, as make no higher Pretenfions this Way, than barely the revealing Matter of Fact; which we are at Liberty to believe or difbelieve, according as the Affair appears probable or im probable, upon the Faith of Human Teftimony. Of this Kind, is the Vifion of the pious Colonel Gardner, as related by Dr. Doddridge, in his -j- Z 2 {¦. f Entitled, Some remarkable Pajfages in the Life of Colonel 6W»«-,_J!age 34. --•.--- 172 , Of the true Foundation Chap, III. Hiftory of the Colonel's Life. Here were no Views of SelfTntere-ft in the Affair; no Publi cation of new Doctrines; no folemn Denuncia tions againft Thofe, who fhall reject the Narra tion, nor any Promifes annexed to the Belief pf it. They were both Men of ftrict Integrity and great Character in publick Life ; and the Colo-. nel, who before this remarkable Occurrence, was One of the. moft profligate, and abandoned of Mortals, became altogether as pious a Chriftian afterward p. We may therefore fafely believe it; and indeed Depency. and Gopd-Manhers feem tp require, pur Affent in all fuch Cafes as t,his. Neither dp I mean to confront Thofe, who profeffing thenifelves inwardly ~f moved by th$ Holy Ghoft to teach Others, do neverthelefs mo derate fuch Profeffion, by declaring to the World, that they mean no more by it than a pious Defire; or as. Others call it, a Concern upoti the f Moved by the Holy Ghojl to teach Others, &c,] It's an un happy Circumftance, that thofe Preachers generally whp are the moft ignorant and illiterate, make the higheft Pretenfipns this way ; and thereby .'bring the Notion of genuine Infpiration intp Pifcredir. To father an incoherent nonfenfical Difcourfe, with afrantfck Delivery, upon the gentle, pure, and unerring Spirit of Gedy is downright Bfafphemy; and ought to be moft carefully ^avoided. — —To blafpheme is Brawls; to blaflox hurt, pfn dis Fame, Reputation, or Renown- of Another ; whether of God or of Man. Compare Ails vi. 11-. 13. Chap. III. of Theology. 173 the Mind; tho' I could wifh indeed that even thefe Gentlemen would adopt other Terms, more ade quate to the Ideas which they are intended to, reprefent; fo as to render fuch Explanation needlefs. -However as the Cafe ftands, it is tolerable. And tho' a Life of fevere Piety and Virtue, is at all times neceffary to the Character of a true Miffionary; yet I do not expect that the leading Criteria of his Divine Legation, fhould con- ftantly attend him; but that having once efta blifhed his Embaffy to Mankind,' on a permanent and rational Foundation, he may reft it there. ¦ An Embaffador is not required to produce his Credentials, faving at the firft Audience. — > — And as 1 judge -j- Miracles the leading Criteria of a Divine Million, fo 'twould be by no Means fit, f Miracles the leading Criteria, &c. J To the Miracles faid to have been wrought by Jefus Chrift and his Apoftles ; Some fet in Contraft, the Two afcribed to Vefpafian, I grant fuch a Thing is mentioned by Suetonius in favour of this Emperqur : But, I judge, Nobody.belieyes it now^ nor has done for thefe many Centuries laft paft ; if indeed it was ever believed at all, even by Suetonius, himfelf : ( Which is much to bequeftjoned.) And does, jt follow, that becaufe two Miracles only axe. recorded of Vefpafian, which have been generally held in, Contempt; that therefore^ Many reporded of Chrift and his Apoftles, andaffented to. in every Age fince by amazing Multitudes, ought now to be rejected ? No furely. There 174 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. fit, that thefe fhould remain long in the World; as they would pervert the Order and Defigns of God, in the Courfe of Nature; ceafe to be Mi racles by Length of Time from the Frequency' of the Phcenomena, and become ufelefs. *' ; The There was never any Thing better attefted than the iV^i- racles recorded in the New Teftament. (Compare my Note' concerning the Jewifh Difpenfation, &c. at the Foot of Paren. VI. in this Chapter.) To discredit Thefe by a full Proof of their Nullity, Would have, been the fhor.teft Method of deftroying Chriftianity, at its firft Appearance : And this the whole Roman Empire was fufficiently challenged, and even provoked to do ; but without Eft'edf. For the firft Preachers of Chriftianity, meant (not merely a Reformation, but) no lefs, openly and avowedly, than the Subverfion, the compleat Deftru&ion of Judaifm in particu lar, and the eftablifhed Religion of the Empire in. general ; to make way for a new Syftem, as oppofite in its Principles to Pa- ganifm, as is now the Religion of the Gentoosin India, to that of the Eftablifhment in England. Could there be any Thing (fo Ijo fpeak) more daring ? And who were to effect this mighty Bu- finefs ? Why truly a few poor Jews ; held in as great Contempt in that Age, nearly, as they now are. And whom did they preach up? A Man, a Jew, like Themfelves; that had fuf- fered Death in a Form held as ignominious at that Time, as is the being hanged on a Gibbet in* England now:: And this too, not without a Sufpicionof his having afplred to the Sovereignty of the Province of Judea.-r. His Birth likewife a Heathen might have been apt to fufpect is fpuribus-. < And his extreme Poverty was well known: Nor was He fo much as free of the Imperial City. -Notwithftand^. ing all which ; the great Work of profelytiftg the Empire went on, and was at length effected : But not on a Sudden. : It began vnth the Jower Orders of the People ; and never ftopt, 'till it had fubdued.. Chap. HI. ,«f Theology. 175 The Pretenfions, therefore,; which I under take/to difcountenance by depriving them of Cre dit, are thofe only, which without the leaft Shadow of Evidence, are levelled at the Opi nions fubdued even the Imperial Throne itfelf; tho' not till after full three hundred Years ; when the ancient Deities of the Greeks. and Rqmans gave place to the Apotheofts of a Jew.— — In fo long. a Time, furely, Something might have been done, between the Bigots of Circumcifion on one hand, and enraged Gentiles on t'other, tp have proved the Thing in queftion a Nullity ; efpe cially thefamous Prophecy of Jefus concerning that Difperfion of the Jewifh Nation, and. Deftruction of their Temple, which, it was faid, had then been fulfilled. But fo far from this ; after fo long a Deliberation ; the Religion of the Chriftians, which in cludes an Affent to the Miracles in quejlion, became the Religion of the far greater Part of the Empire. And now if the Enemies of Chriftianity can find any Tradition of what Nature or Kind fo- ever, fowell attefted as this; let them produce it.— This mighty Revolution in Religion too,' happened amongft Thofe, Who, if we may judge of them by their Defendants, were not given to change : For the modern Greeks are not eafily perverted to Ma* hornetanifm ; nor do the prefent Romans love Innovations in their Religious Syftem. In a Word; the whole Weight of Evidence being in one Scale inly ; namely ; in that which hangs on the affentaneous Side of the Quejlion;' it amounts to incont.efiable Knowledge: viz. that Jefus Qhrifi and his Apoftles wrought Miracles. Compare Seel. 1 0. of this Chapter, with the Note at Foot concerning the Evidence on both Side's of a Quejlion. Alfo the long Note next before it, refer ring to "intervening or middle Ideas ; tho' it treats principally of Tradition.' And from the fame Source of Authority, Reader, is derived to us, that awful Denunciation of Our Lord, Mark xvi. 1 6. He that *kdieveth and is baptized, Jhall be faved; but he that believeth not, fiall be damned. 176 Of the true Foundation Chap.' III. nions and Practices of Mankind ;- demanding their Affent to certain Pf opofitipns as the Decrees of Heaven, under file fevereft Pains; with the Promife of the moft durable and ccnfummate Ha|>pinefs in cafe of Obedience. 'Tis obfervable, and indeed admirable; that Some of thofe very Men; who credit and even propagate Revelation -without Evidence, are at the fame time, extremely cautious hpw they exercife their Faith in the common Affairs of Life.- > Is a Draught, or Bill of Exchange to be paid? The Signature, the main Purport of the fame, fhall be carefully fcrutinized into, and if the Bearer be to receive the Cafh, by the immediate Order of the Drawer, many Queftion s fhall be aflted him; and no Money paid without full Evidence. The like may be faid, when thofe Gentlemen have Money to lend; 'tis in vain for One who fues for a Loan, to plead his Abilities and Integrity; the Lender muft have real Evi dence, and will fecretly enquire into the Borrow er's Character. Now I know not the Reafon of this contrary Conduct; unlefs it be, that Trade andUfury are Affairs of the higheft Concernment in Human Life, but Religion of None at all. . I fpoke in the former Part of this * Chapter, concerning the different Degrees of Evidence and * Seel. 10. Chap. lit of Theology. 177 and Aflent, tp which I refer. Fcr the prefent, I fhall obferve, that in judging of thofe Pro pofitions which are offered to our Under standings, Where the Evidence is ftrong, we ought to give a ftrong Affent. Where the Evidence is weak, we ought to give a weak Affent. And, therefore, -J- Where there is no Evidence at all, we ought to give no Affent at all. For, if we may and ought fometimes to affent without Evidence; I fee not but by the fame Rule, we may and ought fometimes to diffent in Oppofition to Evidence; the Abfurdity of all A a which f Where there is no Evidence, &c] What I have faid above concerning the Credit due to Revelation without Evidence, is, with fmall Variation, applicable to all Reports in general, not founded on proper Proof. Men who deal in News, would do well fre quently to afk themfelves this Queftion, concerning what they hear, or intend to relate ; — viz,.— What Proof is there of it ? A Queftion of a ferious Nature, and if duly attended to, would often prevent the mifchievous Confequences of Tale-bearing and Detraction. 178 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. which is manifeft. — —And indeed, that Man •f-who wilfully affents or diffents contrary to Evi dence, is guilty of Something as bad as Lying: namely ; the Bending his Mind to receive and believe as true, that which is apparently falfe. At this Rate of acting; any Thing may be credited however falfe, or difcredited however true, that weak or wicked Men may be pleafed to obtrude upon Mankind. And tho' Difintereftednefs be an effential Quali fication in a Divine Miffionary; yet this alone will not Juffice.- Nobody could be more difintereft- ed in the Dawn of his pretended Miffion, than Mahomet; who in the \ 25th Chapter of his Ko ran, entitled Al Forkan, introduces the Al mighty fpeaking to him thus; "Say, I afk not' " °f yow any Reward for this my Preaching ; be- " fides the Converfion of him who fhall defire to take the Way unto his Lord." And again, Chapter , f Who wilfully affents or diffents, &c.J I queftion if the Man ; of this Stamp1 be not He, who in the New Teftament is called a Heretick ; which Term, without going fo high as the Greek,| may, in my Judgment, be confidered as derived to Us from the Latin Word Hcereo, to flick ; i. e. to an Opinion in Oppofition to Evidence. — Probably too Superfio may be of the fame Kind ; or in other Terms Superjlition; i. e. the Standing in a Thing againfi Reafon ; as it were, trampling it under Foot. 'Both Cafes imply Obflinacy, and an Averfion to being taught : And I think None can deny, but there are Men of thefe Tempers in the World ; and that they are very culpable. X Mr. Sale's Koran. t( Chap. III. of Theology. 179 Chapter 12. entitled J of epb ; " Thou Jhalt not " demand of them any Reward for thy publijhing " the Koran ; it is no Other than an Admonition " unto all Creatures." Here were not only Pro- feflions, but even pofitive Precepts : And how- did the Prophet fulfill them ? Why, truly, he was very difinterefted, as long as he could not be otherwife ; but having once gotten an Army of true Believers to back his Caufe, he foon fung a different Note ;— viiz — (Chap. 9.) "Kill the " Idolaters wherefoever ye fhall find them, and take " them Prifoners, and bejiege them, and lay wait "for them in every convenient Place." And in the Chapter next preceding this, entitled The Spoils; he actually gives Inftructions, for the Di- vifion of the Booty taken by him and his Fol lowers, in their religious Skirmifhes. But for want of real Evidence, there are Some who pretend to difcern the Truth and Va lidity of the Divine Commiflion of Others, by a Rind of inward Feeling in themfelves. To this I anfwer "; It is the »' Prerogative of God only to fee the Heart of Man ; and if they can feel out a Truth of this Kind ; I fee not, why they may'nt as well feel out who are honeft, and who are Knaves ; who are chafte, and who are libidinous ; Seeing Integrity and Purity of Heart, are Cha- A a 2 racteriftics ^Compare I. Sam. xvi. 7. 180 Of the Jrue Foundation Chap. III. racteriftics as neceffary to a Divine Miffionary, as any Other whatever. But this is foolifh and abfurd ; therefore the former. Again ; Others pretend themfelves the Suc- ceffours to certain Sages of Antiquity, whp were infpired ; and acknowledged as fuch, by a great Part cf the Wprld, uppn the cleareft Evidence. Tp this it may be anfwered ; that Thofe who fucceed them in their Miff on, Jhould likewife fucceed them in their Credentials. What would the Court of Verfailles think of a Britijh Embaffador, who, at his firft Audience fhould affert, that indeed he had b fought no Credentials with him, but was able to make out his Right to the Embaffy, by a Succefiion of many hundred Tears, quite up to the Reign of King Edgar? Would that polite Court be fatisned with fo trifling and ridiculous an Anfwer ? Or would it avail him any thing to affert, that he had been received as an Embaffador, and even no minated to that high and important Office, by the •j- Domefiicks of his immediate Predeceffor? namely,, by his Secretaries, Stewards, Valets, Butlers, Cooks, &c— — Now the Abfurdity of fuch a Conduct: as this in Human Policy; is evident with a witnefs ; why not then in Religion ? And, therefore, ¦& He f Dame/licks, &c] Alluding to the Cardinals electing a new Pope, when there is a Vacancy in the Holy See, fo called. Chap. IIL of Theology, 181 £?¦ He who would fucceed to an Apoftle, or Mif- fionary, muft fucceed likewife to his Credentials ; or be rejected, as an Impoftor. ^PARENTHESIS VI. * The Beloved Difciple charges us * not to * believe every Spirit, but to try the Spirits whe- * ther they are of God. And he commends the * Angel '(or Minifter) of the Church at Ephefus, * for having l tried them which fay they are Apo- * files, and are not, and had found them Liars. * Our Bleffed Lord likewife charges us to "' take * heed what we heart * That We ought not to credit Revelation * without Evidence, is abundantly clear, from * the whole Tenpur pf the New Teftament : * Fer the' pur Lprd declares that the Werds * which he fpake untp the Pepple were n Spirit * and Life, yet he enjeins them ftrictly, faying, * * If I do not the Works of my Father, be- * lieve me not. * That is tp fay ; if I work not Miracles in * Proof of my Mijfton, I command you not to be- * lieve * I? John iv. I. I Rev. ii. 2. m Mark iv. 24, P John yi, 63. ' John x. 37. 1 82 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * lieve- in me. Yea, he tells them, that P if he * had not done among them the Works which none * other Man did, they had not had Sin : But would * have done right in rejecting his Pretenfions to * a Divine Miffion. For, fays he, i if I bear * Witnefs of myfelf, my Witnefs is not true. r The * fame Works that I do, bear witnefs of me, that * the Father hath fent me. From whence I thus * argue; * If Miracles were indifpenfiably neceffary, to * avouch the Divine Miffion of J ejus Chrift, * himfelf; * Then are they indifpenfiably neceffary, to * avouch the Divine Miffion of his -j- Afo- * files, Prophets, and Mifftonaries : * But the Firft is true ; * Therefore the Lafi. *The / John xv. 24. 9 John v. 31. r Ver. 36. f Apoftles, Prophets, &c.J It hath never been the Way of the Almighty, to confer fome particular Kinds of Knowledge, and other Benefits, equally upon all Men ; and immediately from Him felf; but rather on fome peculiar Perfons ; fuch as Newton, Boyle, or Locke; for Thefe to communicate to Others, in a more general and diffufed Manner : And, I think, this Analogy between Re~ ligisn and Philofophy, is veryj-uft andobyious, Chap. III. of Theology. 183 * The confequent Part of the major Propo- * tion, may be prpved thus ; * If the Servant is to be credited without Mi- * racks, whilft his Lord is to be rejected for * Want of 'em; * I Then is the Servant greater than his Lord; * and he that is fent, is greater than he * thatjent him : * But the Laft is falfe ; * Therefore the Firft. * Again ; ' No Man when he hath lighted a * Candle, cove ret h it with a Veffel, or putteth it * under a Bed ; but Jetteth it on a Candlefiick, * that they which enter in mayjee the Light. For * Nothing is fecret, that Jhall not be made mani- * Jefi : Neither any Thing hid, that Jhall not be * known, and come abroad. & Take heed there- * fore how ye' hear. What can be faid more * fully to my Purpofe ? Is not Revelation a * Light ? And will God be equally imprudent * With that Man, who covers his lighted Candle * with a Veffel ? No furely ; but authorize his * Reve- fjohnxiii. 16. t Luke \m. 16. 17. 18. 184 Of the true Foundation Chap. IIP. * Revelation properly, by f the great Chriftian * Criterion, MIRACLES. * — Compare Mark xvi. 20. A£ts xiv. 3. with * Heb. ii. 4.. * Nor + The great Chriftian Criterion, MIRACLES.] It is obfervable, that the celebrated Mr. Hume in his Effays, Seel. X. concerning Miracles; undertakes to difcredit all Relations of the marvellous or miraculous Kind ; in order, I fuppofe, to invalidate thofe re corded in the New Teftament.— —He argues after this Manner ; (notverbatim but in Subftance;) that our Experience of the Opera tions in the Courfe and common Order of Nature, is more credible, than any Relation of an Interruption of it : Becaufe, that which is agreeable to the Experience . of fhe Generality of Mankind, is more credible, than the Relation of that which is otherwife ; and confe quently upon weighing the Evidence,^ Men fhould and ought to cre dit the Teftimony of their own common Experience, before the bare Relation of that, which is contrary to it. But unluckily for Mr. Hume, this Argument will prove a great deal more than he intends ; for if this be the Cafe ; every Englifhman who has never been out of Great-Britain, ought to reject the Relation of there being two fuch Places in the World, where there are in Each refpeflively (i. e. under the N°rth and South Poles) but one Day and one Night throughout the whole Year; be caufe his "Experience at Home tells him, there are no lefs than 365. He ought alfo to treat, as an Abfurdity, the philofophi- cal Notion of the Rotundity of the Earth ; and its Confequent One of the Antipodes. But more efpecially too, that of the Diurnal and Annual Motion of the Earth round the Sun ; becaufe it appa rently contradicts the Teftimony even of his own Eyes.. That King of Siam likewife, as related by Mr. Locke iri his famous Effay, was quite In the right, who gave a certain Dutch Embaf fador the Lye, becaufe he told him that the Water in his Country would fometimes in cold Weather, be fo hard that Men walked upon it, and that it would bear an Elephant, if he were there : For this certainly contradicted the Experience of the King in that warm Climate, Chap. III. - of Theology. 185 * Nor does our Lord refer the People for a * Proof of his Divine Miffion, to an inward Feel- * ing in themfelves ; notwithftanding (as I have * already obferved) his Words were fo full of * Energy, that they were Spirit and Life. So * far from this ; that when the Baptift fent to B b * him, Climate, where it never fnows nor freezes. In brief, accord ing to Mr. Hume, there muft be an End of all Philofophy; and the particular Whim of the uninftrucTred and ignorant Part of Mankind, muft be confidered as the univerfal Standard of Truth, in fpight of every learned Obfervation to the contrary. But this Gentleman's Argument, viz. Experience, proving too much in the prefent Cafe ; my Reader is requefted to turn back to my fecond Note at foot, of §. 9. in this Chapter, for a more full and perfect Refutation of it ; I mean the former Part of that Note ; where I fpeak of intervening or middle Ideas, &c. Had Mr'. Hume fpoken of PoJJibility inftead of Experience, he would have been right ; becaufe that which is poffible is cre dible ; and vice verfia that which is impoffihle is incredible ; tho' from what I have already obferved in this Note, that may be pof- fible, and of courfe credible, which is neverthelefs contrary to One's common Experience. 'Twas poffible for God to have cre7 ated the World mediately by a Vicegerent ; (compare my firft' Note to Paren. IV. of this Chapter, concerning Mediums and Mediators;) poffible for Men endued with Liberty, and- yet in fluenced by Cuftom, to degenerate greatly, and need extraordi nary Affiftance from God, in order to their Amendment and Re conciliation with him; poffible for this Vicegerent, to undertake the Commiffion, and affuming Humanity, to come and live among Men for a time, and as a Proof of his Love to them, and Power over their Souls, to do Good to their Bodies, after a mira culous Sort.— All this was pofiible ; and therefore not incredible. — Finally; As that may he probable which is not true; fothatmay ^ke true, which is not probable. 186 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * him, faying, "° Art thou he that fhould come, or * look we for another ? kT In that fame Hour, he * cured Many of their Infirmities and Plagues, and * of evil Spirits, and unto Many that were blind he * Sa.ve Sight : And then turning himfelf to the * Meffengers, faid unto them, Go your Way, and * tell John what Things ye have feen and heard, * how that the Blind fee, the Lame walk, the Le- * pers are cleanfed, the Deaf hear, the Dead are * raifed, and to the Poor the Gofpel is preached. * Here were fufficient Credentials of a Divine •* Miffion. If I do not the Works of my F-a± * ther, believe me not. Pay no Regard to Re- * velation without Evidence. The Servant is * not greater . than his Lord. Take heed what * ye hear. * Objection i . But fome object, that Chriftian * Minifters ought to have an extraordinary Call *from Heaven, .previous to their taking upon them * their Office ; alledging, that u no Man taketh * this Honour unto himfelf, but he that is called * of God as was Aaron. * Anfwer. This has Relation only to the High * Prieft of our Chriftian Profeffion, fefus Chrift; * who, befides his Call, was under a Neceflity, * like Aaron (his Type) of having w Somewhat * alfo "» Luke vii. 20, %\, 22. " Heb, v, 4^ w Heb. viii. 3. Chap. III. of Theology. 187 * alfo fo offer; namely; his own Body upon the * Crofis. And as this Sacrifice agrees not with * every ordinary Minifter of the Gofpel, fo * neither is the fame Call neceffary. Befides ; * were fuch a Call requifite ; 'tis much that the' * Apoftle Paul fhould overlook it in his Charge * - to Timothy, refpecting the Qualifications of * Thofe, who were Candidates for the Epifcopal Office. His Enumeration is very exact, but * without Mention of this; faving only a Defire ; * which, I prefume, is far fhort of an Apoftoli- * cal Call. (Compare Acts ix. 3. 4. &c.) m ObjeSl. 2. Others object, that Miracles are * not always a Mark of Truth. Deut. xiii 1 2 *&c. * Anfwer. Such as were wrought by Our Lord * and his Apoftles, plainly betoken a Divine * Power and Authority. But as for thofe per- * formed byfalfe Prophets and Apoftles, St. Paul * calls them y lying Wonders: And (allowing for * different Tricks in different Ages,) they were * probably fuch as, Tranfubfiantiation ;- The * foretelling Eclipfes to the ignorant and favage * Tribes of Mankind; The tiquifaSlion ofco- * agulated Blood ;-^-*Elecfrical Experiments; and * other Juggling Tricks, often acted by Popifh B b 2 * Miffion- * I. Tim. iii. 1. &c y II. Thejf. ii. 9. 1 88 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * Mifiionaries for the Purpofe of making Profe- * lytes to the Roman Faith, Now there is a * wide Difference between the Miracles of the * latter Kind, and thofe wrought' by our Lord * and his Apoftles. — ¦. — -j- Can a Devil open the * Eyes of the Blind? * Object. ¦f Can a Devil open the Eyes of the Blind? John x. 21.] To this perhaps it may be objected; that the Magicians of Egypt wrought Miracles, as well as Mofes, in the Prefence of Pharaoh, (Exodus vii, &c. ) Anfwer. Thefe were probably of the Juggling Kind, as above fpecified. For (1) the Author of the ? Book of Wifdom [Chap. xvii. 7.) calls them the Illufions (or Tricks) of Art Magick. (2) The Apoftle denominates them Folly ; (II. Tim. iii. 9.) which he would fcarcely have done, had they been in Reality, what they appeared to be. (3) The Magi-. cians confronted Mofes in three Miracles only ; previous to the Commifficn pf every one of which, the Magicians had timely Notice, which enabled them to prepare their Decep-i tions as far as Magick (or Juggle) could affift them. For we find [Exodus vii. 15. to 19. &c.) that Mofes turned not Some, but all the Waters throughout ALL the Land of Egypt into Blood, both in Veffels of Wood, and in Veffels of Stone : So that there remained no Wafer at all, for the Magicians to try their Ex, periments on, however well they might have been qualified for fuch an Act of Tranfubftantiation. And therefore, moft proba-* bly, the Time being publickly knptim in Pharaoh's Court [verfe 14. &c.) when Mffes Was to work this Miracle ;" the Magician* - then came forth in another Place, and uttering perhaps fome fo lemn Fiat of the Hoc eft Corpus (or Hocus Pocus) Kind ; pre-? tended, and really fecmed to effect on their Part, what Mofes alone was doing, by a Divine Ppwer and Authority. — : — The like pro bably was the Cafe in the Plague of Frogs** whichy upon Aarods ftretching out his Hand, cameup "(Chap, viii. 6.) and COFEREB the Land of 'Egypt ; infomuch that [ver. 3.) their very Chambers, Beds, Ovens, and Kneading Troughs, were not exempt from the Calamity ; and of courfe left Nothing of the Kind for the Magi cians to do; faving only the Sham-Fiat as above recited. B"t Chap. III. of Theology. 189 ,* ObjeSl. 3. It is objected likewife, that John * the Baptifi and Divers of the Prophets wrought * no Miracles. * Anfwer. Tho' the Former wrought None * Himfelf, yet Heaven did for him, as at * z Mount Sinai for Mofes ; and thereby confirmed * his Miffion. A Miracle attended, or rather * preceded his a Birth: and when he baptized * Our Lord, b the Heaven was opened,' and the * Holy Ghoft defended in a Bodily Shape upon * Jefus, and a Voice came from Heaven, which * faid, Thou art my Beloved Son, in thee I am * well But it was otherwife with the Plague of Lice, (Chap. viii. 16. &c.) which feems to have been executed on a Sudden, and with out any previous Notice ; for want of which, probably, the Fiat of the Magicians might come too late ; fo as not to coincide patly in point of Time with Aaron's ftr etching out his Hand.— And indeed, if this be not the Cafe; if we muft fuppofe (as is com monly imagined) that they had Affiftance in thefe Matters, from fome infernal Spirit ; I fee no Reafon that can be afligned, why they might not have created Lice, as well as Frogs : Unlefs that Lice are the Devil's Mafter-Piece, and Frogs not. As to Aaron's Rod being turned into a Serpent, 13 c. I fhall ob ferve; that when the Magicians were fentfor by Pharaoh, (Exodus vii. ii.Jl they were doubtlefs informed of the Occafion ; which afforded them Time for preparing a Deception ; but of what Kind is not eafily determined, tho' I hold Satan blamelefs in'the Matter ; or however, as being no otherwife concerned in it, than what he or dinarily is, in modern Mountebankry, and Pantomime Entertain ments. « Exodus xix. &c. fi Luke i. f> Luke iii. 21. 22. 190 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * well pleafed. As to the f Prophets recorded * in the Old Teftament; Many of them either * wrought Miracles themfelves, or had their * Miffion eftablifhed after the Manner of the * Baptift. And tho', in fome Cafes, the Sacred * Writings are filent on thefe Heads; yet we * ought not to conclude from thence, that their * Miffions were left doubtful, and no Evidence * given, becaufe we read of None. But be that * as it may ; the Divine Saviour of Mankind, in * confirming his own Miffion, when on Earth, * eftablifhed likewife the Miffion of John Bap- * tift, f As to the Prophets, &c] It is faid of Samuel in particular ; that all Ifrael from Dan even to Beerjheba KNEW that he was eftablijhed [ox faithful) to be a Prophet of the Lord. I Sam. iii. 20. Doubtlefs, not merely becaufe Samuel faid fo ; but by fome fure and certain Token which convinced (not a Part only, but even) the Whole of that great Nation, of the Propriety arid Truth of his Claim. But, by what Kind of Token, at this Diftance of Time, , it is not eafy to determine : Neverthelefs, in the ift Verfe of the Chapter laft recited, there is Mention made of OPEN VISION; as tho' that (be it what it may) conftantly attended the Word of the Lord in thofe Days ; perhaps as a Criterion : Not inward ' folely ; but open Vifion,-*- — The Pfalmift likewife in his 74th Pfalm, Verfe 9th. fays, We fee not our Signs, there is no more any Prophet. (Compare alfo Mark xvi. 17. 18. and 20.) r As tho' Signs, and Prophecy always went together.. — ¦ — This Word of the . Lord too, feems to have been external and audible ; notwithftand- ing all that Some would maintain to the contrary : For if is faid exprefsly, I. Sam. ix. 15. Now the Lord had told Samuel IN HIS EAR a Day before Saul came, faying, &c. — —And Chap. iii. Samuel miftakes the Voice of God calling to him, for the Voice of .Eli ; which he could not have done, if the Former were not exferi ¦ nal and audible, as well as the Latter'. Chap. III. of Theology. i$i * tift, and his Predeceffors, the Jewifh Pro- * phets; to all whom Our Lord bare witnefs. * But it fhould feem from certain Circum- *. ftances, as if it were unlawful even under the * f Jewifh Difpenfation, to have credited Revela- * tion •J- Jewijh Difpenfation, &c] The Term Difpenfation is derived from the Latin Words, Pando to open, dis differently ; and figni- fies, Either of two or more Syfiems of Caufes and Effecls, growing One from the Other in Train, having all the fame Final Caufe, and yet wearing Each a different Afpecl. And this Term as applied to the ancient Jewifh, or modern Chriftian Church, may be taken in three different Senfes. ( i ) In a natural Senfe : Becaufe the Fact of both Churches having the like Final Caufe, or End in view ; namely ; the Inflruc- tion and Salvation of Mankind, at the fame time that Each wears fo different an Afpect from the Other, is analogous to the general Order of Nature : For in the Divine Oeeonomy reflecting Ani mals and Vegetables, there are different Openings, ©r Difpenfa- tions, as Every One knows ; which require different Laws and Treatment at different Times : Children, for Inftance, require a different Management from grown Perfons ; and the like may be faid, in moft Cafes, of the whole Animal and Vegetable World. . (2) In a moral Senfe: Becaufe before Chrift came was one Thing ; and after he had come, Another: For as the Circumftances of Times alter, the Legality or Illegality of certain Actions may alter; as in the following Cafe : In the Reign of our late King .George II. it would have been High Treafon to'have acknow ledged his Grandfon George, then Prince of Wales, as King of Great Britain, &c. But George II. being dead, fuch Acknow ledgement now is become a Duty ; and it would be High Treafon to refufe to make it. - (3) And 192 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * tion without Evidence: Witnefs f the Man of * God from Judah, "who prophefied againft Je- * roboam and his Altar at Bethel, and gave the * King the moft evident Signs of his Divine * Miffion ; (3) And Laftly; it may betaken in a Political Senfe : For the Jews having rejected Jefus as the Meffiah, and their ancient reli- o-ious Oeconomy and Worfhip being now at an End, and them felves driven from their own proper Country, into all the King doms of the Earth ; the Term Difpenfation is Somewhat analo gous to thofe Political Terms in Great Britain, which we ufe in expreffing any Change of Government that hath happened among us. As the Conqueft ; The Reformation ; The Refiora- tion; The Revolution; The Union, &o* — —All which, however different in the Adminiftration, had oftenfively the fame End in View ; namely ; The fubjecling the Englifh Nation to Law and Government. That the Jewifh Canon propofes, and even promifes a Meffiah, is certain : And 'tis aS certain that the Jews at this Day, are in Expectation of his Coming. But among thofe Marks, by which Men are to know him in that Character, This is pointed out as One ; and I think None of the leaft ; becaufe it feems to include all Others; viz. that the Gentiles Jhould come to his Light,, and Kings to, the Brigh'tnefs of his Rifing. Ifaiah lx. 3. And Chap. xi. " id. that He Jhould ' fiand for an Enfign of the People; to which the Gentiles Jhould feek, and that his Reft Jhould be glorious. Or in other Terms, that He Jhould be wonderfully fuccefsful in his Pre ienfions to this High'Office, by profelyting great Numbers of Mm, even whole Nations. Compare IfaiahVw. and Chap. Ix. through out both.. -Now as this is the peculiar Mark of the true Meffiah, it follows, that it cannot belong to a Falfe One : Info-, much that had Mahomet taken on himfelf this Character, .and not that of a Prophet fimply ; I queftion not, but he would have met i e I. Kings xiii. Chap . HI. of Theology. • 1 9/3 * Miffion; but returning homewards, met an- * other Prophet, who delivered to him a Re- * velation without Proof; to which, the Man of * God affenting; fo offended the Almighty, that * he caufed a Lion to meet him by the way, which * Jlew him. Take heed, therefore, what ye * hear. C c * Some met with the fame Fate, with all Thofe, who, fince the Days of Jefus of Nazareth, have been fo hardy and impious as to affume it. Thofe Impoftors never made any Figure in their Preten- fions : — — Succefs was the fole Privilege of the true Meffiah : — And Experience demonftrates abundantly, that it was truly the Privilege of Him whom Chriftians receive under that Cha racter. rFor I maintain; that ,,,;„,, It is impoffiblp but the true Meffiah muft fucceed in his Preten- fions. And, e contra, that He who thus fucceeds is the Meffiah. , Becaufe, the Notion of a Meffiah not originating from Reafon, but ^altogether from the ancient Jewifh Prophecies; and thefe Prophecies foretelling that when he comes, he fhall work Mira cles in Proof pf his Miffion; (fee Ifaiah xxxv. and Chap. xiii. &c. And compare Exodus vii. 9. with Deut. xviii. 15.) So, whatever Claimant fulfills the Conditions, he will doubtlefs be accepted as the real Meffiah, by all the pious and unprejudiced Part of Mankind: Thefe cannot withftand his Miracles : (By which Term, I mean to include Thofe wrought alfo by his im mediate Followers.) Whilft, vice verfa, the falfe Meffiah failing in this Part of his Credentials, will be generally rejected with that Contempt which his Impudence defer ves : " Sir, they would -194 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * Some plead Succefiion to the Apoftles; but * unluckily for thefe Gentlemen, the new Tefta- *jnent is altogether filent on this Head; unlefs * we reckon m that Saying of St. Paul to the * Church at Ephefus; viz; d I know this, that * after my Departing Jhall grievous Wolves enter in would naturally fay, " Where are your Miracles F you build your " Preterfions on the Prophecies in the Jewijh Bible ; but this fame " Book tells us likewife, that the Meffiah, when he comes, Jhall " work Miracles : Now let us fee yours :" And this was actually the Cafe with one Sabati Sevi, a Jew, who in the laft Century made Pretenfions to the Meffiafhip in Turkey, and raifed fo confi- derable a Commotion among the Jews in that Empire, that the ' Grand Seigneur fent for him, and made him the following Offer ; viz. ( I ) Either to work a prefent Miracle ; Or (2) fo turn Turk ; Or (3) to be impaled alive. But knowing himfelf incapable of the Firft, and not liking the Third, he made no Scruple of com plying with the Second; and thus ended his Miffion ; as muft that of every Claimant, who cannot fulfil the Prophecy concerning the Meffiah, in this effential Part of his Character. In a Word; the ancient Jewifh, and modern Chriflian Churches, appear to be but Parts of one and the fame Defign ; For the Old Teftament abounds with Prophecies^ and the New fhews their Completion ; thus tallying like Indents. The Former could never be intended for the whole World, without the Latter; as it was impoffible for All the Males [Deut. xvi. 16.) in Great- Britain, America, orlndoftan, to appear three.Times a Year before the Lord God in Jerufalem ; Nor does Mofes at all command the univerfal Promulgation of his Religious Syftem. The " Go ¦ teach all Notions" was referved for the Chriftian Miniftry : And in the Difcharge of this Part of their Office, it is remarkable, that - the d Aels xx. 29. Chap. III. of Theology. 195 * in among you, notjparing the Flock. Of Thefe, * Our Lord charges us to ' beware; and tells us, * ye Jhall know them by 'their Fruits. But if any * fuch Succeffion had been intended by the Great * Legiflator of the Chriftian Religion, 'twas * much he had not pointed it out ; and made it * at leaft as certain to his Church, as was the * Priefthood to the ancient Jews ; who could * not poflibly be miftaken in that important * Article. * Others urge the Promife of Our Lord to his * Apoftles, at the Time of his Afcenfion; viz./ Lo, * I am with you alway, even -f unto the End of the C c 2 * World. the modern Jews, every where difperfed, neither can, nor do deny that Jefus of Nazareth and his Apoftles wrought Miracles; for they have it even recorded in their Talmud; (See Bifhop Chand ler's Defence of Chriftianity, Pages 429. and 4.30.) but affign his Power of working them to the fame Caufe now, as did their An- ceftors formerly ; namely; to an evil Influence. (Compare Matt. xii. 24.) I have moreover converfed myfelf, viva voce, with feve ral. fober Jews in different Places ; and have found that they all agreed, and even perlifted in this ftrange Notion. Such the In fatuation of this poor mif guided People ! > f .Matt. vii. 15. f Matt, xxviii. 20. \Urtto the End of the World.'] This might have been tranflated, unto the End of the Age ; i. e. Of the Apoftolic Age.-r — The Vulgate Edition, Caftalio, Leufden, Beza, and Tremellius, all ren der it unto the End of the Age. Or this Text may mean, that Chrift Vvouldbe with the Apoftles, and their Writings (in fome Sort Themfelves) to the End of the World. 196 Of the true Foundation Chap. Ill, * World. But they might with equal Propriety, * urge the other Part pf that Sacred PromiTe; viz. * s Thefe Signs Jloall fallow them that J>elieve ; in * my Name Jhall they eaft out Devils; they Jhall * fpeak with New Tongues, they Jhall take up Ser- * pents, and if they drink any deadly Thing it Jhall * not hurt them; they Jhall lay their Hands on the * Sick, and they Jhall recover : And in general, * expect the like Miracles to be wrought by * Thofe nowra-days, who are converted to the * Faith by the Chriftian Bifhops and Prefbyters; * as were in ancient Times, by Thpfe who were * Profelytes to the Apoftles ;. as in the Cafe of * /} Ananias, and ' Others. — : — But this is ab- * furd; therefore the former. — —Ye Jhall know * them by their Fruits. >* P AR E N T H E S I S VII. * Objection 1 . But it may be objected againft * the general Scheme pf this Chapter; viz. the * Anointing which ye have received of him, abideth. * in you; and ye need not that any Man teach you^, * but as the fame Anoint fng teach eth you of all * Things, and is Truth, and is no Lye, &c. I. John * ii. 27. This, fay the Objectors, is common to * all » * $ Mark xvi. 17. 18. * Acls ix. 17. i Chap. x. 44. 45. 46. and Chap. xix. 6. Chap. IIL of Theology. 197 * all the Saints ; it being Part of a general * Epiftle, directed to all them of that Age. * Anfwer. Not to urge Matter of Fact ; which * is manifeftly againft the Text, taken in its * ftridteft Senfe; it is plain it cannot be fo com- * mon as is imagined; feeing the Author of the * Epiftle to the Hebrews, tells them; k Te.have * Need that One teach you again, which be the firft * Principles of the Oracles of God; and are become * Such as have Need of Milk, and not of ftrong * Meat. Now thefe Hebrews, being probably * fettled at ferufalem, made no inconfiderable a * Part of the Chriftian Church, in the Apo- * ftolic Age; and therefore the Text objected, * cannot be urged in the Manner intended. * The like Anfwer may fuffice for Thofe, who * quote John xvi. 13. viz. Howbeit, when he the * Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all * Truth : Seeing this was a Privilege peculiar to * the Apoftles, and firft Promulgators of the * Gofpel; like the Power of working Miracles, * the Gift of Tongues, and the Difcerning of Spi- f rits, as obferved in my laft Paren thefis. * ObjeSl. 2. Others object againft the Tenour * pf my laft Section and Parenthefis ; that Chri- * fiians * Heb. y. 12. 198 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * fiians ft and "in Need of '-j- infallible Affiftance in * their Decifions concerning Scripture; alledging, * that " a ^Man cannot by his own Underftanding, * or private Spirit, rightly judge and interpret the * Same." And for this they quote II. Pet. i. * 20, 21. * Anfwer. Let them point Put fuch Affiftance * by infallible Credentials, and I will readily em- * brace it. But they muft be really infallible: * Of the fame Stamp with the Affiftance * prpppfed. Fpr; * If the Credentials be doubtful and JuJpicidUs ; *The ¦j- Infallible Affiftance, &c] It is obfervable, that the Pope of Rqme conferred on Our Henry the Eighth and his Succeffours, the Title of Defender of the Faith ; that is to fay, of the Papal Faith; but with what Degree of Propriety, and of courfe, with how much Infallibility, the Event hath fhewn : For ho Line of Princes, include ino- even Henry himfelf, ever oppofed the PapalFaith, more than the Britijh ': And if this were n't a great Blunder ; then I don't know , what is. ' Pis too equally abfurd in the Papacy to enjoin the Catholick World, to invoke certain departed (canonized) Saints ; for certainly no Being can be a proper Object of univerfal Adoration; that is not, at the fame time, univerfally prefent : And, Iprefume, they do not mean to afcribe Omniprefenee to any de parted Saint whatever ; no, not even to the Bleffed Virgin herfelf ; unlefs they would think her a Goddefs ; which they have ever denied. % A Man cannot, &c.J Vide a fmall Popifh Piece, entitled,- f 'he Touchftone of the Reformed Gofpel. Page 14. Chap. II J. , of Theology. 199 * The Affiftance will be doubtful and fiufpi- * clous: * Confequently not infallible. * It's npt enpugh that the infallible Church pronounce the Church infallible. * Her pwn Ipfa dixit will not pafs mufter in the School of Reafon. * The Objection before us, is made principally * by -j- the Romifh Clergy; who, pretending that * \ the Laity underftand not the Bible, do there - * fore very aptly put it up, and forbid them to * read ^TheRomiJh Clergy, &c] Thefe Men boaft not a little of the Antiquity of the Roman Church : But let it be noted ; it is the Doilrines that cohftitute the Church, and not the Church that con- ftitutes the Doilrines : And, therefore, that Church is the neweft, whofe Doctrines are the neweft; while, vice verfa, that Church is the oldeft, whofe Doctrines are the oldeft ; or in other Terms, whofe Credenda come neareft to thofe profeffed by the Church de fcribed in the. New Teftament ; which was the .Firft, and of courfe the. oldeft in the World. -So that,' ultimately, we fee, we muft recur to the New Teftament, for the Decifion of this, and every other Article of the Chriftian Religion. % The Laity underftand not the Bible, &c] Certain Proteftants likewife, alledge, that the Scriptures are not the Adequate Pri mary Rule of Faith and Manners. Now, not to examine whe ther they are the Primary, Secondary, or even the Ternary Rule of Faith ; yet if they are not an adequate Rule ; they muft then be an v inadc- 200 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * read it; Tho' I think too, by the fame Rule," * they might e'en Jhut up their Prayer- Books '* along with it; as Thefe are publickly read only * in the Latin Language, and not underftood by * the greater Part of the People. * Or, fcf their Prayer- Books be the better and * the fitter to be read in the publick Service, be- * caufe not underftood; I fee not but the Bible * muft be the better and the fitter to, be read, for * the fame Reafon : And that its being unintel- * ligible, is a very great Advantage. ; * But fuppofing any one Man, or Body of * Men, capable of affording me the Affiftance * in Difpute; how do I know that He or They, * will truly and properly give it me ? Seeing a * a Power to do a Thing, does not always imply a * Willingnefs to- ufe that Power. — . — A blind * Man, for inftance, might defire me to conduSl * him in the Way. that leads from Salifbury to * Winchefter; and it may be averred with the ut- * moft Truth, that I am capable of becoming an * infallible Guide to him in this Matter: But am * I obliged to undertake this Charge ? Or fup- * pofing that I do undertake it; what Evidence * has inadequate Rule ; which, tho' riot intentionally, is eventually the fame Thing with faying, that they are no Rule at all. Befides, if they be but a Seeondary Rule; I think they might e'en lie fhut up; . and Men referred at once to the Primary Rule ; be that what it may ; as the only true and fafe One. Chap. III. of Theology. 201 * has the Blind Man of my Fairnefs and Inte- *grity? Under a Pretence of leading him from * Salifbury to Winchefter; how does he know, * but I may lead him into fome Wood, or By- * Lane; and there rob and murder him? So that ,* the Infallibility in queftion, (were there really * any fuch Thing in the World,) is of Ufe to * Nobody but to Him, who is actually endued * with it; Seeing that Guidance, which he may, * either truly or falfely (as he lift) afford Others; * is, for Want of fome certain Evidence of his * Fairnefs and Integrity, doubtful, dangerous, and * fallible: To Thofe, I mean, who are to be * led and guided by him. And indeed, with * regard to the Human Underftanding ; to guide * infallibly, implies, >to convince infallibly ; ot * it can mean Nothing. Thus, the Sun to * me, is a fure and certain Guide, in that Judg- * ment which I form of Colours; but at the * fame time that the Sun infallibly guides, I am * infallibly convinced ; and do moreover know, * that my Guide is to be depended On in this * Matter. 1 know infallibly, that my Guide's * infallible. And in brief ; all Pretenfions to * Infallibility, fhort of this Evidence, defer ve no * better Name, than that of fuggle or Mounte- * bankry. * And yet, in order to prove ; that a Man can- * not rightly judge and interpret the Scripture, Dd' * by 202 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * by his own Underfianding or private Spirit; * they quote II. Pet. i. 20. 21. ' * But, alas ! what a Mockery is here ? They * tell me, .that / cannot judge and interpret the * Scripture ; and yet by offering me this Text, * they tacitly acknowledge, that I can: For if / "* cannot, why is it quoted ? Is it expected, that * I fhould judge and interpret the Scripture, that I * may know from thence, that I cannot judge * and interpret the Scripture ? very pretty indeed ! * Surely, Nothing fhort of Infallibility could. * have propofed fuch a Method of Conviction as * This! I am to do a Thing, that I, may know * from thence that I cannot do it. * And, truly, it is beautiful to behold the * pious Shiftings of this Holy, ¦ Catholick, and * Apofiolick Roman Church ; this Mother and * bloody Mifirefs of all Churches, when fhe * would prove herfelf infallible; and that the * Laity underftand not the Scripture. Of the * Latter, I have juft fpoken already. But when, * fhe would prove herfelf infallible, fhe pretends * to fhe w it you in the Scripture; which, fhe tells * you, at the fame time, you cannot by your own * Underftanding, or private Spirit, rightly judge * of, and interpret. And when you afk her, to. * prove the Scripture to be a Rule of Faith; fhe * pretends to derive its Authority from the infal- * lible Tefiimony of the Church; or in other Terms, * from Chap; TIL of Theology. 203 * from the infallible Tefiimony of Herfelf: And * Thus does (he run in a Circle of Abfurdity ! * — — This Imperial Lady is, forfooth, infallible; * becaufe by her Letters-Patent, (i. e. the Bible,) * foe hath been pleafed to announce it Jo. Thefe * Letters-Patent derive all their Authority from * her Teftimony; and She, vice verja, proves * her Infallibility, from the Teftimony of thefe * Letters-Patent. Now if this be not a mere * Ipfa dixit in the Event; and a Parcel of Non- * fenfe; then I think we may defpair of ever * knowing what is. * However, I fhall readily acknowledge, that * there are fome Paffages in Holy Writ; which, * I perceive from long Experience, I do not un- * derftand; nor probably the wifeft Man living. * I fay, fome Paffages only ; as the greater, far * greater Part of that Sacred Book, is perfectly * intelligible, and d able to make the Man of God * wife unto Salvation, through Faith which is in * Chrift Jefus; even though he fhould not un- * derftand the myfterious Paffages in queftion; * as I fhall by and by evince. * We do not find, that either -j- the Gofpels, * the Acts of the Apoftles, or their Epiftles, D d 2 * were d 11. Tim. iii. 15. t The Gofpels, the Ails of the Apoftles, &c.] Notwithftanding what Some have faid (or feem to fay to the contrary ; Copies of Laws * 204 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * were intended only for the Clergy or Miniftry; * but all the Paffages in the New Teftament, as * well the pbfcure as the clear, appear plainly to * have been promulged to the Clergy and Laity * indifferently; and even to Hereticks and Infi- * dels. Thefe were Witneffes to the mighty Mi- * racles wrought; and heard with their own * Ears, the Gofpel preached ; and even in Op- * pofition to natural Inclination, were fometimes * forced to confefs to the Divine Energy which * attended it. Now where is the Difference, * betwixt reading thefe Things upon Paper; and * hearing them with our own Ears, and feeing * them with our own Eyes ? If the Laft were * lawful and proper; .why not the Firft? * Indeed to perform aright the Duties required * of a ChriftianJn the Sacred Writings, I grant * we Laws, and even Copies of Copies, may be, and always have been admitted as perfectly good and valid in Courts of Judicature. Aiyl truly who is to know the Original itfelf, in a Variety of Cafes, from a mere Copy ; of thofe Laws efpecially, which were made before the Birth of any One of the prefent Generation ?— Mere Copies of Edicts in fome Kingdoms, and of Acts of Parlia ment in Great-Britain, [even Copies of Copies ad infinitum) are univerfally held to be fully fufficient for the Direction of Courts- of Juftice, in all Criminal Cafes; even to the taking away Mens Lives. And if this Privilege be allowed to Kings, (as it ever hath been, and muft be;) why not to the King of Kings, without any Impeachment whatever ? I much queftion, if the Original Grant of Magna Charta itfelf be now to be found ; or if it be ; who is there of the prefent Age, that knows it from a mere Tranfcript ? Chap. III. of Theology. 205 * we ftand in Need of Divine Afliftance. Nor * fhall I deny, but it is likewife neceffary, in * order to our underftanding properly, certain * Prophecies in the Old and New Teftament ; * efpecially Some of Thofe delivered in Fthe * Book of Daniel (to which probably St. Peter * alludes) and the Revelation of St. John. * But let it be noted ; that thefe are prophe- * tical and not doSlrinal Parts of Scripture ; the * perfect Underftanding of which, is not necef- * fary to the Salvation of Chriftians : Or, if it * were, it would be a very melancholy Circum- * ftance ; confidering how much we are ftill in * the Dark, reflecting the -exact Meaning of * Some of thofe Prophecies*, notwithftanding fo * many hundred Years have elapfed, fipce the * Time of their firft Promulgation. And from * hence I would obferve, that tho' -j- Divine * Affiftance be neceffary in this Cafe ; yet, 'tis evi- * dent, // has been but very Jeldom or never given, * fince the Apofiolic Age, either to the Church in * general, or to any Saint in particular ; Jeeing, * after fo long a Time, we are for the moft Part *Jiill ignorant of the .true Interpretation of thofe * myftical Prophecies : XJnleJs Conjecture pafs for * Certainty; which, Iprefume, will not be admitted, * — But to return ; * I am t Divine Affiftance, &c] That is to fay ; Divine Illumination. 206 Of the true Foundation Chap. III. * I am to judge and interpret the Scripture ; to * the Intent, that I may know from thence, that * I cannot judge and interpret the Scripture. — * This is a Sophifm of the fame Kind with that * pointed out in my 31ft Section: namely: * -j- The Ufing Reafon to prove that Reafon ought * not to be ufed. * Modern Syftems of Logick, point out the * different Kinds of Sophifm purfued by ignorant * or defigning Men, in the Exercife (or rather * Abuje) of the Rational Faculty. They apprize * us of Ignoratio Elenchi, Petitio Principii, Non *' Cauja pro Caufa, &c. But I think this Species * has hitherto efcaped their Notice. Now, as * it is ufual for Navigators to prick down thofe * Rocks upon their Charts, which they difcover * in Sailing, and fometimes to give them Names ; * fo I fee not, why a Reafoner may not be al- * lowed the fame Privilege, reflecting thofe* So- * phifms, which occur to him in a Courfe of * Argumention. The Sophifm in Queftion, I * have fufficiently defcribed; and it remains only * that I name it : I therefore call it, Suppofitio * non pollendi, pollendo : Or, the Suppofing a * Power to be not, becaufe it is. §• 33- To f Ufing Reafon to prove that Reafon ought not to ufed.} Similar to this ; there are fome Men, who make themfelves miferable all their Lives long ; — to avoid being miferable all their Lives long. Chap. III. of Theology. 207 §. 33. To conclude, Reader; I have now finifhed this Chapter; and have pointed out on the cleareft Evi- m Conclufion. dence, one general Principle of Divine Light and Life in the Minds of Mankind ; which, I have neverthelefs ftript of certain Fungous Ex- crefcences : The Reproach of the Christian Name, and the Scoff of Infidels ! COROLLARY III. Seeing the Generality of Mankind, have ever af fented to the DoSlrine of the Exiftence of a God, Part 2. and the Immortality of the Soul, in a Manner much fironger than could be , expeSled, were they guided principally by Oral or Written Tradition; by Hope or Fear; by Ratiocination ; or even by Part 3. all Thefe conjointly ; they are therefore influenced thus to affent, by a Spiritual Senfation, Organ, or Medium in the Mind; adapted to the Perception of thofe Celeftial ObjeSl s ; in like Manner, as is the Eye to Colours, and the Ear to Sounds. And it appears, 'finally, that this Divine Energy in the part , human Underfianding, is, THE TRUE FOUN DATION OF THEOLOGY. CHAP. CHAP. IV. 0/ HUMAN NATURE. ~Vitiis Nemo fine nafcitur. Hor. §.i.f"TpHRO' a Labyrinth of Metaphyfical JL Obfervations, I have at _ T , . , , , , , -r. i t The Introduction. length brought thee, Reader, by a fafe Clew, to the main Subject in Debate ; as propofed in the Introduction to the firft Chapter of this Work; namely; to enquire ; whether or no there be not Something generally appertain ing to the Mind of Man, that may be deemed Jupernatural; however natural itfelf, the Mind, in its Origin ? In my laft Chapter, I fully demonftrated a Di vine Principle in the Mind of Man : But, alas ! in adjufting the Queftion above recited, a Scene of another Kind will open to our View; nothing lefs, than the Corruption pf the World ; the Depra vation of .Human Natuxe ; and the Eviction of E e an 210 uj. Human Nature. Chap. IV. an f Evil Principle in the Mind likewife; at per petual Strife with the Good, for the Empire of the Human Underftanding : The Difcuflion of thefe Articles being inevitably blended with my principal Subject; I fhall, therefore, fpeak of them, as Occafion offers. And Firft; §. 2. The Corruption of the World, is foevi- ' Of the general Cor- dent, that it fcarcely needs aDe- rupthn of the fcription. The ancient Heathen World,andtbat were fo fenflbie of the Depravity the Source of it r n -nt i- , . «>a«EvilPrin- of Human Nature, that their ciple in the Poets under the Fiction of the Heart or Mind Golden, the Silver, the Brazen, of Man. and the Irm Agegj haye pointed out in the moft beautiful Language, the gra dual f Evil Principle, &c. J 'Tis not improbable but our Englifh Term Devil, may be a Corruption of that of " The Evil" (i. e. the Source of it ;) from whence by an Apofirophe we may write and fay, "Th' Evil;" whence again, Devil eafily flows; efpecially, if we pronounce the [Th) hard and like a [D) after the Manner of many Foreigners, when they would fpeak Englifh. Or the Letter [D) may be an Abbreviation of the Particle [De.) — The Term " God " too, is neither more nor lefs than the Term " Good" with One of its(OV) taken out of it, by the Gramma tical Figure called Syncope. -And here, by the bye, as the Deifts reject all Revelation; I would juft afk' them; by what Au thority they fpeak of the Supreme Being as Mafiuline, rather than as Feminine or Neuter ? Efpecially as they don't afcribe Pa ternity to him. in the Trinitarian Senfe, after the Manner, of Chri- ftians. Deltas and Trinitas in the Latin, are both Feminine ; and fo are Deite andTrinite in the French ; and conftantly fpoksn of as Such in both Languages. Bat Numen [Godhead) is Neuter. Chap. TV. Of Human Nature. 211 dual Lapfe of the -j- Aborigines of Mankind, from a Life of perfect Innocence and Felicity, into a State of Wickednefs and Mifery. Indeed,, we fee, from difmal Experience, that the greater Part of Mankind, are fo far from being good and virtuous, that they don't fo much as defire or in tend to be fo. If we take a Survey of wild and barbarous Na tions ; the blackeft Vices offend our Eyes : Re venge, there, with all its cruel Arts, triumphant reign« ; accompanied with Fraud and Violence of every Kind, continually to roufe it : And Li berty, the Birth-Right of every Mortal ! is wrefted from whole Empires at once, for Ages together. But we need not travel to diftant Climes, in Queft of Human Depravity : There is abun dant Evidence of it nearer Home, in civilized Nations ; and nearer ftill, Reader ; even in thine own Breafi. Arid yet as wicked as the E e 2 Actions t Aborigines.] By the Aborigines of Mankind, I mean, thofe moft ancient Inhabitants of the World (whether we confider them as two only, or two hundred,) who received not their Ori ginal from any other Man whatever ; but from the Hand of God : himfelf, by an immediate Act. of Creation. Ahd, tho', as a Rea- faer, .1 cannot fix their Number ; yet, as a Chriftian, I am fully perfuaded that there were no more than two. 1 defire that this Definition and Explanation, may be remembered by the Reader, as he paffes thro' the remaining Part of this Chapter, 212 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. Actions of Mankind are; it is prebably but a fmall Pprtion of what might be expected, were theReftraint of the Magistrate's Sword removed ; which, like a Dam, prevents a mighty Inundation of Iniquity from overflowing' the World. But would we know Human Nature without Reftraint ? We muft vi.fi t the Palaces of f Arbi trary Princes, and lawlefs Grandees ; generally, of all Men living, the moft abandoned.—— Nero, and certain other Roman Emperors, I pafs over in Silence, as being well known : But fhall, however, inftance Muley £ Abdollah late Empe ror of Morocco, with his Father Muley Ifinael, the preceding Emperor ; both of whpm, from mere Wantonnefs, flew Thoufands pf their Subjects, with their own Hands ; and feem in all their Actions, to have fubftituted Whim for Reafon. — Nor fhall I omit the Popes of Rome ; who, || glut ted with the Blood of Millions, and ftill thirft- ing affer more ; have neverthelefs the Affurance to — ...l.u J . r-r* .'- - | -'-'- - '- !-> f, Arbitrary Princes, &c.] But here we muft except Such of our Britijh Kings, as have been at the fame time, Editors of Ha nover ; for though they are invefted with arbitrary Power in their German Dominions ; yet we never hear of arty Tyrannical Afts being committed there.-r-r-So far from this; their greateft Ene mies have never fo much as once charged them with it. % Muley Abdullah fignifies, Muley, the Servant of'God. || Glutted with the Blood of Millions, &c] When a Proteftant baiomes a Profelyfe to the Roman Church, he makes himfelf re- fponfibj*. Chap, IV. Of Human Nature. 213 call themfelves the Vicars of that meek and lowly Perfonage, who, fo far from fpilling the Blood pf Others, fhed his own ; for the Advantage and Exaltation even of his Enemies. Thefe, Reader, -are but a few Inftances amongft a Mul titude; if we may credit Hiftory. From this brief but difmal Draught of Hu man Nature, 'tis eafy to be perceived where the Evil lies : namely ; in the Heart of Man. For in vain would Temptation folicit us from without, were there no Traitor within. And yet, we are not to fuppofe, that 'tis merely the Intellect that is thu s treacherous to us ; but fome Evil Principle connected with it : For, if it were the Intellect merely of itfelf, the Poifon would be effen tial to it ; which is not the Cafe ; feeing the -j- Mind may with the utmoft Eafe, be confidered as exifting apart from it. In its Relation, therefore, to the Intellect, it is a Mode of the in herent Kind ; and being of itfelf fubjected to other fponfible for all the Blood fpilt by her, in every Age, fince the firft Eftablifhment of her Power in the World : For he muft ac knowledge her Infallibility ; and affent, confequently, to the Pro priety of all thofe Maflacres, and horrid Murthers, which from time to time fhe has either abetted or committed. Come out of her, my People, that ye be not Partakers of her Sins, and thus ye re ceive not of her Plagues. Rev. xviii. 4. •f Compare Seel. 23, of the laft Chapter ; Note at Foot, 214 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. Modes, is a -f Spiritual Subftance : — Thus, Vita lity, and all the vicious-Tempers with which it is curft, are the Attributes of it. *PARENTHESIS I.. ' *, Our Lord afferts, that l from within, out of * the Heart of Men, proceed evil Thoughts, Adul- * teries, Fornications, Murders,' Thefts, Covet - * 'oufnefs, Wickednefs, Deceit, Lajcivioujnejs, an * evil Eye, Blafphemy, Pride, F oolijhnefs ; all theje * Evil Things (faith the Saviour of Mankind) * come from within, and defile the Man. The * Apoftle Paul denominates it m another Law in * his Members, warring againft the Law of his * Mind. And plainly implies that it is a (Jpiri- * tual) Subftance, by calling it " the Body of *" Death: ° So then, adds the Apoftle, with the * Mind I myfelf ferve the Law of God; but with * the Flefh, the Law of Sin. And in his P E- * piftle to the EpheJians, he calls it the Old Man * which f Spiritual Subftance.] The Term Subftance is derived from the Latin Word Subfto, to fuftain, or ftand under ; i.e. Modes, or Attributes : There are immaterial as well as material Subftances : Thus, God himfelf is a Subftance of the immaterial Kind ; whofe Modes (or Attributes) are well known. I Mark vii. 21. Sic. m Rom. vii. 23. * Verfe 24. 0 Verfe 2$. ' Eph. iv. 22. Chap. IV. Of Human Nature. 215 * which is corrupt according to the deceifful Lufts; * thereby implying again that it is a Subftance; * or why would he metonymically call it "Man?" * The Like may be obferved, of the internal -* Principle, of Divine Grace, (in Chriftians at * leaft;) which in the fame Epiftle and 1 Chapter * he denominates- " theNew.Man." §.3. But in fpeaking of this Evil Principle in the Mind of Man, I would not be This Evil Prin- uhderftood, as .tho' I thought all "pie natural to Men at all Times, wholly under Man- its perriicious Influence. It fuffices, that I have difcovered two Principles in or with the Mind, of very oppofite Qualities ; the One pure and ce leftial; the Other wicked and infernal. And < I appeal to the whole World, if this be not truly the Cafe. It remains, now, that I define Each of them properly, in their Relation to the- Intel lect, as propofed. J It cannot be imagined, that either of them is -j- Preternatural, or the Effect of Chance; feeing they are common to all Men. And as little is it to be expected, that Either or Both of them .fhould be the Effect of any Human Interpofition. v It follows, therefore, that they come under the Denomination either pf Natural 'or Superna tural. If / Verfe 24. i Compare Chap. I. Seil.o,, 2 1 6 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. If the Evil Principle in Queftion be Superna tural; then it muft be the Effect cf an Interpofi- tion on the f'art of God; agreeable to what I have already demonftrated in the firft -j- Chapter of this Work : But this is too abfurd- to pafs with any Man; feeing it makes God the Author of Sin : Therefore, in its Relation to the Human Mind, it muft be Natural. i -rrur And indeed we may obferve, that Vice in every Man is prior in point of Time to Virtue; feeing we are vicious before we are virtuous; and it re quires Pains to be virtuous; tho' but little or none to be vicious. Vice, top, was ever mpre prevalent in the Wprld than Virtue; as hath been already fhewn. §, 4. After having dempnftrated that this Evil Whilft the Good Principle in the Mind of Man, is Principle is fu- JSfatural to him'; it feems to fol- pernatural ; or jQW jn ord that ^ QMJ pH„_ • the Effetl of an , __ , Interpofition on CtPk daI*not be fo too: Unlefs we the Part of God. would fuppofe, that two Principles diametrically qppofite to Each Other in their Vita lities, may be both natural to one and the fame Sub jeSl. And on a Suppofition it be not natural to Man, then (agreeable to what I proved in my laft Section,) it muft be Supernatural; or the EffeSl of an Interpofition on the Part of God. This f Compare Chap. I. Sefi.q. Chap. IV. Of Human Nature. 217 This, however, is what I fhall attempt to main tain, in the Courfe of this Section. 1. Firft then; The certain Effects of this Di vine Principle in the Mind, (as evinced in my laft -}- Chapter,) are — The Knowledge of the Ex iftence of a God: and The Belief of the Im mortality of the Soul of Man. Now thefe fun damental Articles of all Religion, are both want-, ing in fuch Children, as are but juft perfected in Senfation; or in Pther Terms, at fuch Time as their Reafon begins to dawn, and utter itfelf in Language. We may therefore well affert, that All Men are born ignorant of God. Nor is this Ignorance peculiar to Childhood; for we often find it in Adolefcence, and fometimes in more advanced Life.' From whence I thus argue; Arg. 1 . Where certain EffeSls are wanting ; the efficient Caufe of tkffe EffeSls muft be wanting likewife: But the EffeSls of the Divine Principle in . Qyejlion, are wanting in the Minds of fuch Children, as are but juft p erf e Sled in Sen fation'; F f There- t Sett. 16. 2 1 8 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. Therefore the Divine Principle itfelf, (the Efficient Caufe) is wanting in them like- wife. 2. Secondly; Neither do we find that this Di vine Principle with its Effects, appear initially at the fame time of Life in -j- every Man ; but on the contrary, at very different Seafons in different Men. Now this is not the Cafe, in the ordi nary Productions of Nature; for tho' one Part of a Subftance may be formed a long time before Another, that is afterwards to grow or fpring from it; yet herein a fiated Time or Period, is for the moft part obferved. The Teeth, for In- ftance ; make their Appearance at a fixt Age nearly in Childhood ; and fo does Puberty in Youth. The Same may be obferved, of the whole Animal and Vegetable World ; which will afford me the following Argument ; Arg. 2. All the various EffeSls of Nature, are ftated, or periodical in their initial Ap pearances, however diftant in Time from the Caufes which produce them : But the EffeSls of this Divine Principle in the Minds of Mankind, are not thus ftated or periodical, as hath been before fhewn ; Therefore they are not the EffeSls of Nature. 3. Thirdly; t Compare Chat. 3. Seel. 21. Chap. IV. Of Human Nature. ztg 3 . Thirdly ; Having animadverted on this Ar ticle, as it hath Relation to Infants and Adolef- cerits ; I come now to confider it, as it refpects Thofe of a more advanced AgeinLife. And here I fhall lay it down as an Axiom, that, All Men have finned in Affairs of a Moral Nature; even Thofe in whofe Minds this Divine Prin ciple is engrafted. -Now it is obvious in this Cafe, that it muft be forfeited; feeing it is a Celeftial Gift; and ('bating for the Intervention of Divine Mercy,) to what purpofe fhould it remain with him, who, by Tranfgreflion, has -j- rendered himfelf fe Natura) pbnpxipus to the avenging Juftice of God. By it's being a Celeftial Gift, I mean, that it is not % ejfentially neceffary to the natural Exiftence of Man, like Air and Food: For whether we confider him barely { as' an Animal, or even as a Rational Creature; yet we may imagine him as exiMng fully in either of thefe Capacities, with out the Coincidence of this Divine Principle; which, when regarded, advances him to a Station more exalted, than even thatwhichis Rational. — -It may, therefore, by way of Eminence, and prior to every other Bleffing, be fitly termed Ce- F f 2 leftial ; \ Rendered himfelf [e Natura) &c] Compare Chap, 3. Seel. 28. Paragraph 2. t X EJentially necejary, &c] Compare Chap. 3. Seel, 23. AW at Foot. 220 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. leftial; and at the fame time afford me this Syllo gifm: viz. Arg. 3. He who violates the Laws of God, forfeits his' Inter eft in every Blefftng of the Celeftial Kind : But the Good Principle in- Queftion, is a Bleffing of the Celefiial Kind ; Therefore he who violates the Laws of God, forfeits his Intereft in it. And yet, notwithftanding reiterated Inftances pf Sinning, and confequential Forfeiture ; this Divine Principle is frequently permitted by the Almighty, to remain in the Mind of Man afrer- wards^ and I, therefore, reafon thus: Arg. 4. Every ASl of Clemency on the Part of God, is a Divine Interpofition ; feeing it is the Averfion of that Punijhment which is the natural EffeSl of avenging Juftice : But the Continuance of the Good Principle in the Mind of Man, after finning, is art ASl of Clemency on the Part of God; Therefore, a Divine . Interpofition. ..- But let it be noted, that I include the Idea of Forfeiture, in that of Punijhment; as recited in the incidental Part of the Major Proppfitipn above.— - Chap. IV. Of Human Nature. 221 above. 1 fhall now conclude this Section, with the following Recapitulation, and Remark. If there be a Good and an -J- Evil Principle in the Heart or Mind of Man ; If the Evil Prin ciple be Natural to it ; If it be an abfurdity to fuppofe, that two Principles diametrically oppofite to each Other in their Qualifies, may both be Natural to one and the fame Subject ; -If the Effects of the Good Principle, and confequently the Principle itfelf, be wanting in the Minds of fuch Children, as are but juft per fected in Senfation ; If the Time of this Prin ciple's Appearance in the Minds of Mankind initially, be not fiated or periodical, in common with the Productions of Nature; If all Men of advanced Life, who are favoured with this Celeftial Principle, have aforetime forfeited their Intereft in it, by Acts of Difobedience; Then is this Divine Principle in the Mind of Man, ¦iEvilPrinciple.] The Mahometans feem to have fome Notion of this Evil Principle (or as Chriftians ordinarily call it, this Original Sin) in the Heart or Mind of Man. — For they fay ; that when Ma homet was about four Tears old, being at Play, the Angel Gabriel took him from among his Fellows, and carrying him afide, cut open his Br eaft, and took out his Heart, and wrung out of it that black Drop of Blood, in which, fay they, was contained the Fomes Peccati, fo that he had None of it ever after. Vide Dean Prideaux's Life of Mahomet. Duod. Edit. Page 117. 222 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. Man, the Effect of ari Interpofition on the Part of God, and confequently, -f- Supernatural. But the Firft is certainly true ; Therefore the Laft. And, indeed, Whoever confiders the depraved Condition of the Heart of Man, muft needs ac knowledge, that Nothing fhort of the imme diate Act of God, can reftore to him, that Rectitude of Temper, that proper Difcernment of the Primary Parts of his Duty; which as a Member of Human Society, and a dependant Creature, formed by Omnipotence, he ftands fo much in need of. * PARENTHESIS II. * The Apoftle denominates this Divine Pri'n- * ciple in the Mind, p the free Gift of Grace ; * from the Gratuity and Favour of which, im- * plying, that it is not the Effect of Nature; * but on the contrary, of an Interpofition on the * Part of God : or why would he term it free? * But more efpecially Grace? If it were not (as * the Word imports) a Favour of the higheft * Kind ? For were it an ordinary Favour like * Food or Raiment, and within the Reach of * Man; -f Compare Chap, i, Seel. 9. / Rom. v. 15. 16. Chap. IV- Of Human Nature. 223 * Man '; he would fcarcely have honoured it, by * way of Eminence, with fo peculiar a Title, as * that of 1 the Free Gift of Grace, which, by the * Righteoufnefs of One, came upon all Men unto * Juftification of Life; as by the Offence of One, * Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation. * The fame Apoftle in his r firft Epiftle to the * Corinthians alledges, that the natural Man re- * ceiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God, J or * they are Foolifhnefs unto him ; neither can he * know them, becaufe they are Jpiritually difcerned. * And, therefore, we may well conclude ; that * before he can receive them at all, his Heart * muft undergo fuch a State of Renovation, as * is not in the Power of Human Nature to effect. */ Not by Works of Righteoufnefs, -which we * have done', but according to his Mercy he faved * us by the Wafhing of Regeneration, and renewing * oj the Holy Ghofi ; which he Jhed on us abun- * dantly, through J ejus Chrift our Saviour. * St. James tells us, that ' bitter Envying and * Strife in our Hearts, and to lie againft the * Truth, is the Wifidom that dejcendeth not from * above but is earthly, fenfual (or as the Margin * hath J Rom. v. 18. N. B. The Order of this Text is inverted ; tho', I think, without any Prejudice to its true Intent and Meaning. '•Cbap.lt. 14. /T?/. iii. 5. 6. tjames\v..\^,etfea.. 224 Of Human Nature. Chap, IV. * hath it, natural) and devilifh. For where En- * vying and Strife is, there is Confufion, ahd every '* evil Work. But the Wifdom that is (-f*fupra Na- * turam) from above, is firfi pure, then peaceable, * gentle, and eafy to be intreated, full of Mercy * and good Fruits, without Partiality, and with- * out Hypocrify. * Our Lord alfo affures Nicodemus, that v ex- * cept a Man be born again (or from above) he * cannot fee the Kingdom of God. * But the Reader ought not to apprehend me, * as tho' I imagined this Meafure of Divine * Grace, to be the fame in all Men. 1 con- * fider Some as having made ""> Shipwreck of Faith; * and that are accordingly gracelefs. Others, * as being not yet come to the * Day of their Vi- * fitation.— And comparing real Chriftians with * thofe diftant Nations of the World, who have * never heard of the Gofpel ; the Former bear a * ftriking Likenefs to thofe Stewards in' the * 3 Parable, who had received, the One of them, * five Talents; and the Other, two: Whilft, ** {Some at leaft, of) the unhappy Sons of Igno- * ranee may be compared to him, who received * but One ; and, for W ant of a competent Skill * in *> John iii. 3. ™I. Tim. i. 19. *I. Pet. ii. 12. y Matt. xxv. 14. &c. f Supra Naturam.] That is to fay, Supernatural. Chap. IV'.' Of Human Nature, 225 * in the, Arts of Profiting, do but too frequently * * dig in the Earth, like him, and hide their * Lord's Money. -a For as many as have fin- * ned without Law, fhall alfo perifh without Lawf * Neverthelefs, * Thefe having noi the Law, are * a Law unto themfelves: Which Jhew the Work * of the Law written in their Hearts, their Con- * ¦ Jcience alfo bearing Witnefs, and their Thoughts * the mean while accufing or elfe excufing One Ano- * ther. Infomuch, that for aught I fee, Jufti- * fication may appertain (in fome Senfe or other) * even to a pious Heathen, -j- ignorant of the * Gofpel; and with it, finally, Glorification; * feeing, c whom he juftified them he alfo glorified: G g That ? Matt. xxv. 18. a Rom.il 12. * Ibid. 14. 15, c Rom. viii. 30. .^Ignorant of the Gofpel, &c] The New Teftament no where condemns Thofe as "Unbelievers, who never heard of the Gofpel.—, (Compare John ix. 41. and xv. 22. 24.)— The Terms, Belief^ and Unbelief are relative ; and imply the having heard; and that too, properly ; as a Thing heard improperly, is eventually the fame, as The not having heard it all.— —It may be faid, therefore, of the Men in queftion, that they neither believe nor difbelieve the Gofpel; and of Courfe, are not reprehenfible on account of it. — >. To fay they difbelieve it, is to fay they have heard it ; which is falfe. In fine; if there be any Fault at all, in the Cafe before us ; it lies rather with Chriftian Minifters ; for neglecting to fulfill that great Command of their Mafter, " Go teach all Na- " tions." Matt, xxviii. 19. For " how Jhall they believe in him, of "wham they have not heard." Rom. x. 14, And 226 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. * That he may be juftified feems to appear from * Rom. ii. 13. where the Apoftle informs us, * that not the Hearers of the Law are juft before * God, but the Doers of the Law Jloall be juftified; * proceeding in the fame Parenthefis, without * deviating from the Subject, to demonftrate, * that the Gentiles may be -f- Doers of the Law ; * as appears from the Texts above recited, as * well as from that d Chapter in general, to which * I refer. Howbeit, Chrifiians have the Ad- * vantage over Thefe ' much every way: chiefly v ^ becauje that unto them are committed the Oracles * of God. ObjeSl. 1. §. $. But fome perhaps may ob ject againft the general Scheme of this Work, that ¦ ¦ - - " • --• - •¦."' - And why then would we condemn or punifh Thofe, whom the Miniftry do not convince ? Are not Minifters as repreheftfible for not conijintihg, even where they attempt it ; as the Others are, for not being convinced? Ought not fuch Minifters to be degraded* ot rather difcharged the Service as Invalids, unequal to the Combat ? 'Twould be a mighty Abfurdity in War, if the Vanquifhed were to call out aloiid to the Gerieral of the Victorious Army, XofiageUate his Troops ; on a Pretence that they were ob- ftinate, and unwilling to fubmit to Authority. — — Befides; Minifters ought to underftand their P'unction well, before they Undertake to difcharge it ; which, it is plain, they do not, if they fail in Conviclion. But I mean only by this Note, to fhew the Abfurdity of Human Cenfures and Perfecution, in Matters of Religion. + Doers of the LaWi] Witnefs the wife and good Socrates, Plate, and Others, d Rom. ii. e Rom, iii. 2. Chap. IV. Of Human Nature. 227 that -j- One may more reafonably fuppofe the Deity to have created all Things at firft fo perfeSl, as to fiand in no Need of Interpofitions. Anfwer. I fhall not doubt the Perfection of all the eriginal Works pf God : But is Human Nature fubjected to no Lapfe or Misfortune ? are Mankind tied down to fuch Modes of Rectitude by a fixt Fate, that their Actions muft be inevit ably right? No furely.— —We have abundant Experience of quite the Reverfe. And, in deed, were this the Cafe; what becomes of that Free- Agency of Man, which alone can ren der him the proper Object of Reward pr Punifh- ment? What alas! muft Sinners; pr in pther Terms, all Men expect, if the Divine Clemency intervene net ? Hpwever, that Gpd can and does fometimes interppfe, cenfiftently with his Attri butes, is what I have already demenftrated fully, in thq firft Chapter pf this Work, tp which I refer: And I think there is np Argument like Matter pf Fad. ObjeSl. 2. §. 6. It may be objected likewife; that thofe Paflions commonly called Vices, are. ne- (tffary in fome Degree, to the Structure of the Hu- mnMind. Anjwer. Omitting for Brevity's Sake, a par ticular Detail of all the Vices of Human Nature; G g 2 I fhall •f Sbaftefbury. 228 Of Human Nature, Chap.* IV. I fhall confine myfelf to thofe only of Pride, Envy and Malice.- Now Pride is Self-Efli- mation overftrained : Envy is an Apifh Like nefs of Emulation; fo that in weighing my Neighbour's Merit againft my own, and finding mine too light for his; Envy directs me to ballance the Scales, by detracting from the Weight and Importance of my Neighbour's Character: Whilft -j* Emulation would perfuade me to adj uft the Difference, e contra ; by adding as much tp my own Merit, as will counterbalance His. . Malice, finally, is Refentment, in Excefs. Now, confidering the Bulk of Mankind, as partly virtuous, and partly vicious, and allowing fhe Mind of any one Individual in particular, fo be rightly endued with the Paffions of X $e!f~ Efieem, Emulation, and Refentment, fo neceffary to his pafling thro' the World, as it now ftands, in a fpcial Character; I fay, allowing him 'Thefe; may not the Vices of Pride, Envy, and Malice, be fpared? But more efpecially that Evil Principle or Demoniac Paflion, which tempts him to overftrain Self-Efteem; to fubftitute Envy for f Emulation, &c.J I would be underftood here to mean this Term in the fame good Senfe, as ufed by the Apoftle Paul, Rom. xi. 14. and not in that bad Senfe implied by the fame Apoftle, Pal. v. 20. % Self-Efteem.] That is to fay. Honour. Chap. IV- Of Human Nature. 229 for Emulation; and carry Refentment beyond its due Bounds ? There is no Man, furely, but will admit, that the Evil Effects of thofe Vices, might be fpared in the World; and if fo; why not the Vicious Paflions themfelves ? Can certain Caufes be neceffary to the Structure of the Hu man Mind, ahd the EffeSls not ? Certainly, nay. The fame may be affirmed of all thofe Vices in general, with which Mankind are infefted: Tho' it muft be allowed indeed ; that were all Men virtuous ; Refentment (confidered even as a lawful Paflion) might be fpared; not as an Evil; but as a Good Thing of the fuperfluous Kind; which is an Appellation that will by no means agree, with either of thofe Pajftons called Vices. §. 7. I now proceed to fomeGeneral Remarks: Dr. Watts obferves fomewhere in his Sermons, that" in theCrea- Central Rtmarh. ft tion of Man, God hath joined (fp to fpeak) " an Angel and an Animal together, to make " up a Man, and expects that the Angel fhould ff govern the Animal in all its natural Propen- ¦".fities, and confine it within the Rules of Re- " ligion and the focial Life." Now, I would obferve likewife, that that Divine Principle in the Mind of Man, of which I have fpoken fo largely in the Courfe of this Work, may be de nominated, The Reprefentative of the Supreme Be-> ing in the Government of the Human Intellect; admitting of no Rival or Competitor in the Ad ministration; 230 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. miniftration; but expecting that the Demon or Evil Principle fhould be depofed from his Dicta torial Office, and brought into a State of Sub jection. Sometimes, and I think too with more Pro priety, I have confidered the Human Under ftanding as a Court of Judicature; where Rea fon fits as Judge, hearing and determining Caufes between Grace and Nature; the Paflions ac cording to their feyeral Qualities, being the Pleaders. The Mind too, as endued with the two Prin ciples in Queftion; as depending on the Su preme Being; may be fitly compared to a Planet, revolving round fome Sun as the Center of its Orbit. The Evil Principle inherent in the Mind, refembles that centrifugal Force in the Planet, by which it is difpofed, inceffantly, to fly off from its Heliacal Center. Whilft the Good Principle may be confidered as an -J~ at tractive Quality, emaning from the Great Sun of •f- Attractive Quality, &c] This Analogy between the Holy Spirit in the Intellectual Syftem, and Attraclion in the Solar ; is f<* plain and eafy, that it hath been often obferved by Theological Writers : For as fuch Attraclion hath for its Source the Material Sun ; is in or with him, zndproceeds from him ; fo we are taught by the New Teftament, that the Holy Spirit is in or with God, the Great Sun of the Intellectual Univerfe, and proceeds from him. But Chap. IV. Of Human Nature. 231 of the Intellectual Univerfe; enduing the Mind with a centripetal Force; and reftraining it from wandering in the Wilds of fpiritual Darknefs. This But tho' the Analogy between the Sacred Trinity and the Solar Syftem, be thus far confpicuous j yet Chriftians have not difcovered fo diftinctly, the like Refemblance of the Father, and the Son, in the Abftradt Each; which I therefore humbly attempt. I Confider the material Sun then as compofed of two Parts. Firft ; His Corporeal or Solid EJ/ence, of a Globular Form, ab- ftra£ted from that Light, which (fo to fpeak) is generated of him, was originally and coevally with him, and by him is emitted or ftnt into the World. This Globe is of an amazing Magnitude ; its Diameter being computed at no lefs than Eight Hundred and Twenty- two Thoufand Miles ; and I confider it in this abftradt State, as bearing fome Refemblance to Paternal Deity. Secondly ; That Light thus abftracted ; that Splendour or Glory, which obje&ivdy is the Image of this (otherwife) invifible COLOSSUS ; and which, if not the Firft Born, is (under God) the Life of every Creature, and was in fome Senfe (compare Col. i. 15. 17.) before all (other created) Things, and by whom all (ani mated fublunary) Things confift : For this Image of the Sun, the which we fee, not being more than about Eighteen Inches or two feet Diameter, cannot be the very Same with that MightyGlobu- lar Eflence which I have juft defcribed ; unlefs there be no Differ ence betwixt a Diameter of Eight Hundred and Twenty-two Thoufand Miles, and One of not more than about two Feet. ¦¦ It is clear, however, that the Light itfelf is one Thing; and the -Globe hidden under it, Another.— I gtaht indeed that the Things themfelves, externally, and in Concrete, are but One: But the Mind of Man by Abftraclion can eafily confider them apart, as I have done : And, truly, the Ideas which the Mind forms to it felf 232: Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. This Account of the Priority of vicious Habits m the Mind, to thofe of Virtue, will be found- analpgpus likewife to the general, Courfe of Na ture: For with refpect to the Creation; Chaos was prior to Order; and fo was Darknefs to. Light :~-~>— -Order and Light too were originally effected felf by AbftraElion ; never had, never will have, any exact Arche types out of it. Every One knows the Meaning of the Terms^ Man,JBeaft, Bird, Vegetable, &c. becaufe he has thofe Ideas in his own Mind : But as ftrange as it may feem to Some, there is not in the Univerfe, any fuch Thing materially as either a Man, a Bfaft, a Bird, or a Vegetable, Unclothed of its Differential Modes ; fo as to quadrate exaelly with thofe abftracl Ideas, which we make pf thofe Things. Bat to return : This Light of the Sun is the Brightnefs [Efful gence or Out-Shining) of his Qlory. And here, Reader, compare Heb. i. 3. and behold the furprifing Analogy between the Filial EJfem in tiie Holy Trinity, and that Mighty Bgdy of Light (and Life in fome Senfe,) which, emitted from tjhe Great Solar Globe, is diflufed thro' all the Parts of his Syftem ! And again ; a£ the. Fi lial EJfence in the Trinity became vifible to Mankind; fo the Light of theSun in falling on the Human Eye, affords us a vi fible Object of himfelf in Miniature: — Light of Light. — And is fhe GttiAe of our Ways.-*. — And as the Beauty of Colours in the Material World, is wholly .the Effect of Light; fo the Beauty .of aChriftian'sSoul in the Sight of God the Father, confifts_ wholly Hi its being clothed with the Light of the Sun of Righteoufnefs. And here, I cannot but remark how exactly the Writers of the New Teftament in their Doctrine of the Sacred Trjnity, have co incided, in point of Analogy, with the Philofophy of much later Times than their own ; and thereby proved in a ftriking Manner, Oaatthey were infpired. I have Chap. IV. Of Human Nature i. 233 effected by Interpofitions on the Part of Heaven. 'With regard to Ourfelves; Puerile Wealinefs and Ignorance, were prior • to the Strength and ripe Judgment of Manhood; and Something of a fimilar Kind may be obferved, of the whole Animal and Vegetable World. §. 8. But notwithftanding the evil Difpofition of the modern World; I fhall not nft, . ¦„¦ „. , ' Df tbeprtfttne State doubt (as I juft -{-now faid) of 0f the Abrogines the Perfection of all the Works -of Mankind; and of God, particularly Mankind, their LaPfi with refpect to their Original. For, furely, no H h Man I have obferved likewife, another Kind of Trinity in the Uni verfe ; viz. Infinite Mind — — Infinite Duration*- — '-and Infinite Space or Expanfion. Either One of which, ever did, and ever will embrace and comprehend the other Two : For Infinite Mind cannot but be connected with Infinite Duration ; and having ever been Omriiprefent, is equally connected, in fome Senfe or other, with Infinite Space or Expanfion, And again : Accounting from the prefent Moment, there has been an Eternity a parte ante ; and will be Another a parte poft ; And yet, Thefe two (in Appearance, ) are eventually but one ge neral Eternity ; and, doubtlefs, are fo held, by that High and Lofty One who alone inhabits it. Ifaiah lvii. 15. But after all : There is Something extremely puzzling and in tricate in the Book of Infinites, when opened by a Finite Mind. — The Refult is this ; that in general, when its Doctrines are found poffible by Analogy, and come to us well authorized ; we ought to receive-them as credible, even though above pur Comprehenfion ; be caufe we cannot fathom theAbyfs of Infinity; any more than can an Ihfecl, the Underftanding of a Newton. f Seel. V. of this Chapter, 234 UJ Human JSature. Chap. IV. Man in his Senfes can imagine, that the -f Abori gines of Mankind were formed with withered Limbs, with Blindnefs, or Deafnefs, much lefs that they were created either Lunaticks or Ideots* And if thus perfect in their ra tional and bodily Faculties; why not in their moral"? They were fcarcely fent immediately into the World in an Infant-State ; but full formed in Body and Mind. They had not Parents to nurfe their Bodies, and cultivate their Minds, as we have ; and therefore doubt lefs the Creator of the Univerfe, was the tender Father of his immediate Offspring ; forming at once their Minds to Knowledge and Virtue, and their % Lips to Language : Probably too, they might be inftructed in the § Choice of Food ; the natural Refult of Parental Care: For con- fidering the Danger to which they were conti nually expofed, from || Fruits of a poifonous Quality; without a Precaution of this Kind, the whole Race of Mankind might have been ex- tinguifhed nearly as foon as created. This f The Aborigines of Mankind."] For an Explication of this Term, I refer the Reader to my Note on the fecond Section of this Chapter. % Compare Gen. ii. 19. 20. § Gen. ii. 16. 17. || Fruits of a poifonous Quality,] This, I really think to have been the Cafe, with the forbidden Fruit in Paradife. If, of the Apple- Kind, as Some think; (and the Manchineel is certainly poifonous;) 'tis no wonder the ancient Romans called an Apple, Malum.. Chap. IV. Of Human Nature. 235 This extraordinary Care on the Part of their Creator, feems highly agreeable to Reafon; con fequently, that he did not implant that Demo niac Principle in the Mind of Man, the Dif- cjuifition of which, has been the main Subject of this Chapter. I demonftrated in the 3d Section, that this Evil Principle could not be the Effect of a Divine Interpofition; which was certainly the Cafe, e contra, with the Bodies as well as Souls of the Aborigines. _For, being created immediately by the Hand of God, and not (nati) born; they had, confequently, nothing of (Na tura) Nature in them. 'Tis true indeed, we frequently apply the Term Nature even to God himfelf, as well as to our firft Parents ; yet not as a Mode in reality that appertains to either; but f by that Kind of Metonymy, which impofes upon a Subflance, or Idea, the "Name of fome AdjunSl that attends it. How then, and when, I may be afkt, did this Evil Principle firft find Admittance into the Minds of Mankind ? That it was not implanted there originally by the Hand of God, is obvious enough; he fcarcely delivered up the Citadel of the Human Mind, as foon as built, tq the Enemy of Man's Repofe, H h 2 and t By that Kind of Metonymy, &c. J As, when fpeaking of the Prerogatives of the Crowfi of Great Britain ; we do not mean of the Crown, but of the Prince who wears it. Thus, too, when we fpeak of the Eloquence of the Bar; we do not mean of the Bar, Wt of the Council who plead there. 236 Of Human Nature, Chap, IV, and the Difturber of his Happinefs. We will therefore feek for another Caufe, after laying it down as a Pofiulatum, that, All Mm in every Age of the World, have been, more or lefs, poj- feffed by this wicked Principle. This leads us at once, as by a Clew, to the Aborigines of Man- kind.r— — But, Thefe, as I have already demon ftrated, were created pure and perfect in every Refpecft,—-— There is, therefore, Nothing that bids fairer for a Solution of the QueftiPn in Debate, than the Suppefition of a Lapfe on the Part of the firft Parents of Mankind, from their priftine State of Purity and Innocence. -And. indeed, we are under the Neceflity of giving it this early Date, in order to include the whole Bulk of Mankind ; actually tainted with the ge-i rieral Evil ; for, if we place it nearer to our own Times, a Part, at leaft, of the Human Species will be exempt .from the Calamity ; which is not the Cafe. Nor is it likely that a whole Race of perfect" Men, when conflderably aug-; mented in Number, by Time, fhould all con- fpire together in one general Act of Depravar tionr The Time, when, we have therefore discovered; but the Manner, how, is not fo eafily pointed put on the Principles of Reafonj un^ aided by Revelation. The Depravation' in Queftion confidered as an EffeSl, was np dpubt great ; the Evil, dire ; and we may therefpre well conclude, that the Caufe was fo too. The ten der Cafe of the Almighty oyer new^formed Man €bip. IV. Of Human Nature. 237 Man at the Beginning, the Inftructions in part that were probably given him, with refpect to his own Prefervation and Conduct, I have hinted already : And there is Nothing more probable, than that the Breach or Neglect; of Sbme one or more of thofe falutary Precepts, might occafion that unhappy Depravation of the Human Heart and Paflions, which, by fome unknown Faculty - in progreflive Nature, we find unwittingly com municated by the Aborigines of Mankind, to all their Pofterity, as a mental Difeafe of the here ditary Kind. If I am afked, what Caufe can be affignedfor its being thus entailed upon all the Children of Men ? My Anfwer is eafy and ready ; I cannot tell: 'Tis Matter of Fact that it is fo ; which is a fufficient Argument with me ; and ought, I think, to be received as Such, by every reafon able Man in the World. That our firft Parents fhould be guilty of the ^Breach, or Neglect, of any one falutary Precept enjoined fiiem by their Maker, after fuch mani feft Tokens of his Kindnefs and Prefence, as they were probably favoured with, was indeed an unaccountable Conduct, which aggravated the Crime, and- of courfe the Punifhment. And, I think, there is Nothing more likely, than $e Suppofition pf their being ftirred up to this foolifh 238 Of Human Nature. Chap. IV. foolifh Act of Rebellion, by -f fome Angel, who, (perhaps Ages) before the Creation of the World, had apoftatized from his Duty, and been ba- nifhed the Realms of Light. A Spirit of this Kind, moved with Envy at the Happinefs of the younger Children of Heaven; and in Contempt of f Some Angel, &c. J The ancient Heathen feem to have had no Notion of a Devil, in the Senfe generally received among Chri- ftians ; as AiaGoA©., or an Evil Spirit that tempts Men to fin, and calumniates them. (Compare Job i. &c.) Nor does the Penta teuch fpeak of him exprefly : For tho' we read oi Devils, or (as it might have been tranflated) Damons, Lev. xvii. 7. yet, 'tis plain, Thefe were no other than the Gods of the Heathen ; becaufe Sa crifice is fpoken of, as wont to be made to them. (Compare Dent, xxxii. 16. 17. with I. Cor. x. 20.) And thofe who are called JVixards and Witches in the Old Teftament, were gene rally the Eyyarp »/ak6-This led me in my thjrd Chapter Chap. TV. Of Human Nature. 243 Chapter to confideri that as Knowledge muft ever precede AffeSlion; fo infiantaneous Perception muft precede Knowledge. Perception again gave Rife to the Difcovery of a Spiritual Me dium or Organ, fentient in the Mind of Man; adapted to the Difcernment of Deity, and of Immortality as appertaining to the Soul. And in the Courfe of this laft Chapter, after having fhewn the Depravity of Human Nature; fuch Organ is evinced to be, the Effect of an In terpofition on the Part of God ; whofe Preroga tive of fuperintending, and Power of altering, or .adding to Nature, I likewife proved in my firft Chapter. And as the Whole of this Work is founded upon REASONS, which have been (NATiE,' born or) deduced One from Another ; fo I finally denominate this Synopfis of Theology, THE RELIGION OF REASON AND NATURE. It is true, indeed, I have in-, traduced one principal Article in the Courfe of this Work, of the fupernatural Kind : Yet fee ing the Patrons of the old Syftem, admit the Act of God f in the Creation of the World, to have been fimilar; and give it notwithftanding a principal Place in their Scheme, without any Bar to its Titular Pretenfions; fo I fee not, but I may be allowed the fame Priviledge, with as little Prejudice. I i 2 COROL^ t In the Creation of the World.] Particularly in that oi Man, 244 , IV, COROLLARY IV. Sect. 2. That general Corruption of Mankind, which we fee in the World, is the EffeSl af an Evil Principle 3. in the Heart or Mind of Man, and 'natural to himt Whilft that Good' Principle, or Divine Organ in 4. the Mind, which I pointed out in my third Chapter, is fupernatural ; or the EffeSl of an Interpofition on the Part of God; and ought, therefore, to, 7. predominate in the Hujnan IntelleSl. And now I fliall remark .finally by way of In? .cident; that fuch. Interpofition being neither more 3hor lefs {as theWprd implies") than" an Act of Me-, diation ; it leads us, as by a Clew, to the No-; tion of a Mediator; tP a Divine Logos pr Reafon with Gpd, for ccnferring pn us fo great a Grace. And this Subject, Reader, if thou haft any Re gard fpr thy Spul's future Welfare? may be, worth thy further Enquiry and Confideratien ^ which I feripufly recpmmend. Efpecially too^ that thou wpuldft confult the Sacred Writings pf the Old and New Teftament; whofe Authority, I thjnk, by this rime, I have fully vindicated. To this Divine Logos; with, the Father, and Bleffed Spirit, one Tri-Perfonal God, be rendered all Majefiy, Might, and Dominion ^ for Ever I FINIS, PSYCHOLOGICAL STRICTURE, PROEM. The DoSlrine of the RefurreSlion of the Body, being held in too grofs a Senfe by Some ; whilft it is wholly difclaimed by Others, who acknowledge,. ne verthelefs, the Immortality of the Soul of Man; it is, therefore, the Intent, chiefly, of this StriSiure, {avoiding thefe two Extremes) to evince, on the Principles of Reafon, that the Souls of the Departed Righteous, will be hereafter clothed upon with glo rified Bodies; rifling myfierioufiyfrom the Diflblution of their prefent mortal Forms : And previous to this Difquifition ; the Soul of Man, in its abjlracl State, is fitly confidered-, A PSYCHOLOGICAL STRICTURE. In nova flert animus. - §• '*• T T A VIN G frequently obferved that the JL Jl exact Diftribution of a Subject, is, of itfelf, the Means of great Elucidation; and if varied fometimes, and beheld differently; is productive of more Light ftill: I am therefore intending in the Courfe of this Stricture, to make a Divifion of the Mind, its Perceptions, and Medium of perceiving, in a Manner different from thofe Writers, who have heretofore handled thefe Subjects; and as my Matter will be new, I muft beg to be indulged in the Ufe of new Terms : As, by -this Method, I hope to be able to make fome Difcoveries, con cerning the Human Soul; which have hitherto palled unnoticed. §.2. Logicians make their Divifion generally as follows; viz. (i) Perception; Former Divifions (2) Judgment; (3) Ratiocination; of this Subjeei. and (4) Method: Which they term the four Ope rations of the Mind,' Lord ( 248 ) •f Lord Bacon divides thus; viz. (i) Hiftory; (2) Poetry^, and (3) Philofophy. Referring to the three feveral Powers of the Mind, Memory, Ima gination, and Reafon. The Prefent Divi- §. 3. But I mean to diftribute in . fan. the following Manner ; viz. I. The Percipient; or that by which we connect, abftract, and compare our Ideas; and which governs (under God) the Ani mal Syftem in Ma.n, II. The Percepta; or the Ideas thus con-> nected, abftracted, and compared. III. The Sentient; or that Body of Nerves, which funrounding the Percipient, gives it Notice from without; and affbrds it the Ideas, juft mentioned. IV. Andlaftly; the NeSlens Intellect ualis; or that by which the Three former are joined, together, fo as mutually tp impel- Each Other, §. 4. Of Each cf Thefe, Reader, I mean to The Order of this fpeak ; but in retrograde Order; sirifture. after ohferving; that of th6 Three fbrmeje, the Sentient (or Body,) feems to me, to be the firft formed;, and to exift alone in the Matrix + Fid. Bacon. Aug. Sclent. Lib. II. Cap. 1. ( 249 ) Matrix, before the Birth : For how can there Be a Percipient, where there is Nothing to per ceive? One mightas well fuppofe a Debtor with out a Creditor: Befides; where there is Nothing to perceive; a Percipient muft be ufelefs.— — 'Tis certain too that the Embryo, is under the immediate Influence of the Mother's Percipient, in its Growth and Formation : To what Purpofe the,n. another fubordinate Percipient? Unlefs to difturb the Work of Nature in Pregnancy; to which Peace and Stillnefs are fo requifite. I imagine, therefore, that as foon as the Body is perfected and born, (and not fooner, ) the Perci pient takes its proper Seat in the Cranium ; be caufe then, and not 'till then, we begin to per ceive ; but in what manner, or from whence it enters; I am not able, for want of proper Data, precifely, to determine : Saving only, that when the Houfe is built, and in Order ; the Tenant takes Poffeflion: Perhaps, by PERVASION (from without;) like Magnetifm, or EleSlricity : And probably it leaves the Body, in like man ner, at the time of its Diflblution. In Fine; the Embryo, or Foetus in the Womb, feems to be not much (if any Thing) more than "a mere Vegetable; for the Lungs play not before its. Birth; and being, in this Senfe, a Stranger to hn^, it cannot, therefore, be termed Animal; 'much lefs IntelleSlual. i K k §. 5. I ( 250 ) §.5.1 fliall fpeakfirfi of the NeSlens IntelleSlua- Of the Nolens Us. But of what this is compofed, Intelleciualis. I know not; favfng only, that it acts between the other Three, as does Attraction of Cohefion between the minute Particles of Matter, by cementing them together. 'Tis not improbable, but the Nervous Juice or Animal Spirits (of which I fhall by and by fpeak) may have fome Share in this Office; and may ferve, befides, as tlie Medium of Difcernment- to the Percipient, wherj, it would judge of the Percepta; as does the Air to the Ear in hearing Sounds: Or as Light to the Eye in feeing Objects around us. §.6. Secondly, the Sentient; or that Body of Nerves, which furrounding the J Percipient, &cc. -*-Of this, I have, already fpoken in the -f- third Chapter of this Work; to which I refer. But fhall juft remind my Reader, for the prefent; that the Nerves are the only Channels of Senfation from without, to the Percipient; whofe chief Seat is in the Brain, whence all the Nerves pro ceed; or rather, where they all unite" Thefe are its Inlets of Credence, and may be called, with great Propriety, its Windows; thro' which ity^-f Objects without the Body. The Office of the Brain ( in part at leaft ) is to feparate that fine j- Seel. 6. ( *5I ^ fine fubtil Fluid from the Blood, called the Nervous Juice or Animal Spirits; which being communicated to the Nerves, makes them ex- quifitely fenfible of every Imprefliori from with out; probably by a Kind of Internal undulatory Motion, carried on from the extreme Parts of the Nerves, to their interiour or orrefipondent Parts in the Brain. — For 'tis now an eftablifhed Maxim amongft Metaphyficians, that every Nerve in the different Parts of the Body, has its Correspondent in the Head ; the which, if it be not Jlricken, there is no Senfation from without, how forcibly foever any Thing may firike on the txteriour Part; as on the Eye, the Ear, &c. And as the whole Body is crowded very thickly with nervous Filaments, that have All of .them their tallies or Correfpondents in the Brain; fo, it fhould feem, as tho' there were in the Sewfory (including the Percipient,) a Kind of Homulus, or Man in Miniature. And yet, tho' the Brain imparts fo exquifite a Senfe tp all the Nerves; ( aftonifhing as it may feem,) it is quite infenfible itfelf; and a Man may, by a Fracture in his Skull, lofe a fmall Part of it, and recover again; without much, if any Hurt at all, to his Intellectual Powers. But the Animal Spirits have Nothing to do primarily and aSlively, in comparing Ideas: Pq/fively, and fubordinately to Something elfie in the Human Syftem, I grant they have. For if Jrv k 2 they ( 252 ) they had primarily and aSlively; how comes it to pafs, that Comparifons ate never made, but juft within the Cranium ? If the Animal Spirits, either Some Part of them, or all, in a Compound View, make up the Great Comparer of Ideas in the Human Syftem ; how comes it to pafs, that we have n't fometimes, Comparifons made in the Br-cb, as well as the Brain? For, I take it, that .in a corpulent Man, is as replete with Animal Spirits to the full, as his Head; and the Room, I am fure, much larger. §. 7. Thirdly, the Percepta; or the Ideas _, , „ connected, abflraSled, and compared Of the Percepta. , , ^ . J. ' * by the Percipient. r or, There is intuitively, as obvious a Difference between the Percipient, and the Percepta ; or in other Terms, between the Mind, and its Ideas; as there is between The Reader, and the Words red by him i The Arithmetician, and his Figures: The Mechanic k, and his Tools: The Gamefter, and his Cards: Or, The Painter, and his Pictures. Ideas, ( 253 ) Ideas, as I have juft obferved, of Objects with out us, are primarily conveyed to the Brain, and by that made known to the Percipient, by an Im preflion from without, ftricken on fome exteriour Organ or Nerve, and by that conveyed to its Correjpondent in the Cerebrum. Here the < Percipient feels the Stroke, and judges of it ac cording to its Species. This I call Pofitive Senfation. But if there be no Impreflion on Some One or more of the Organs; this too, as far as it is the Cafe, by means of the NeSlens IntelleSlualis, the Mind feels: And we will call this, Reader, Negative Senfation. As for Example : When Light or Whitenefs hikes the Eye, its Pupil contracts greatly; and preffing forcibly on the Inferiour Nerve behind it, the Percipient feels it; and hence, -j- in fome pieafure, the Idea of Whitenefs. But in Perfect Darknefs, the Pupil dilates as much as it can; and this Dilatation, I judge, is followed by an Extrufion of the Infe riour Nerve: This too the Percipient feels; and hence, in part, the Idea of Darknefs, or the Abfence of Light. And, probably, our Ideas of Colours, are pro portionate f In fome meafure, &c.J For this is tor the whole Caufe of the Idea in queftion, by much ; and yet enough fo, for my Purpofe. ( 254 ) portionate Compounds between thefe two Ex- treams; or in other Terms, between the ftrongeft Preffure on one hand, and the fulleft Extrufion on t'other. All Sounds too prefs by Tremour on the Audi tory Nerve; but the Abfence of Sound, I imagine, caufes a flight and fieady Extrufion in the Audi tory Nerve throughout; which being felt by the Percipient, it produces the Idea of Silence. Thefe Examples may fuffice; but as has been already obferved, I call Senfation by Preflure, • Pofifive Senjation; and that by Extrufion, < Negative Senfation. Of the Latter, I fhall hereafter fay Nothing; but confine myfelf wholly to the Former ; after laying it down as a ConfeSlary ; that r Our Ideas of ObjeSls without us, are caufed eventually, by certain Pulfations in the . Correfpondent Nerves in the Brain ; which the Percipient feeling, is what we com monly call 'Senfation; from the Latin Term Sentio, to feel. Thus much for Ideas of external Objects; when primarily impreffed : But what fhall we fay, Reader, to Reminifcence ; or in other Terms, to the Conception or Recollection of our Ideas again, in the Abfence of their Archetypes; and after their ( 255 ) their firft Impreffion by the Correjpondent Nerves on the Percipient? Why, truly, I judge it to be neither more nor lefs, than a Repetition of that Pulfation of the Correfpondent Nerves on the Percipient, which I have jufi defcribed; tho' without any immediate external Impreflion. Or in other Terms; that there is in the Brain, a conftant Motion, or inteftine Pulfation of the Correfpondent Nerves on the Percipient, acquired thro' Habit by Im- premons from without; which the Percipient as conftantly feeling; it gives Rife to Ideas, the fame in Kind with thofe formed at firft by Senfation ab extra: And what thefe Pulfa- tions are Jpecially ; fuch, I apprehend, are the Ideas they excite: Every' difiinSi 'Pulfation of the Correfpondent Nerves on the Percipient affording a difiinSi Idea. And this, methinks, is evident, from that Languor which "fo com monly follows intenfe Study, or Thinking of any Kind; for if the Nerves be at all concerned in it, (as they certainly are;) it muft be at leaft their Inferiour Parts in the Brain; and if our firft Ideas from without, be neither more nor lefs, eventu ally, than the different Pulfations of thefe Inte- riour Nerves on the Percipient; Who fhall deny that the Revival of thefe Ideas is occafioned like- wife by Pulfation, acquired by Habit; tho* by Strokes, perhaps, lefs forcible ? For with refpect to Habit ; every one knows how fufceptivc and tena- ( 256 ) tenacious the Nerves are of it, and how much they do from it : Indeed, I believe almoft Every Thing. For Habit is little more than another Name for, an Aptitude, or Propenfity in the Mind and Nerves to act over again, what they have already done once before or oftner: And it's the Offspring of Experience. — But this Internal Senfation from Habit, appears in no Cafe more plainly, than in Amputation : For, fuppofe a Man to have fome dreadful Difeafe in one of his Feet: This, from the Violence of the Pain, occafionsa/Mzg/6/y Im preflion,, by means of the Correfpondent Nerves, on his Percipient, that's not prefently forgotten; becaufe, if the Foot on this Account, be af terwards taken off; the Patient will, for a long Time, fancy a Pain in his Foot ftill; tho', by Degrees, the Impreflion is loft. Upon the whole; if what I have faid above, concerning the Pulfatory Habit of the Interiour Nerves in the Brain, be not fpecifically true; 'tis at XeaW generic ally fo; and That will anfwer my Purpofe as well; in the Courfe of this Stricture. With refpect to the Ideas of Reflection; Mr. Locke fays in his famous ¦f EJfay, that Reflec tion may ''properly enough be' called Internal Senfe" (And if fo; well may that Reminifcence, which f Vol. I. Page 68. ( *# ) which I have juft difcuffed./) Now there can be no Senfe, without Contact either mediately or immediately with the Thing perceived; which implies Senfation or Feeling; the different Degrees of which in the Percipient, as afforded by certain Nerves in the Head ; is what I mean by their Pulfation.'— —And, I judge, there is a diftinct Clafs or Set, for the Purpofe of Reflection; be* caufe Infants in their earlier Time, do not feem to reflect ; and yet have the other Nerves for or dinary Senfation, both Exteriour and Interiour ; the Refiettional Nerves in the Brain, being then, I apprehend, in Embryo only ; but arrive afterwards, in due Time, to Maturity : And perhaps the Number and Quality of thefe in Mankind, may be one principal Difference be twixt Them and Brutes ; who feem to reflect little; and confequently have but few, if Any a% all of them. It is faid too, that Man hath or dinarily a much larger Portion of Brain, than any Brute whatever; not excepting even the Ox, tho' fo much larger and ftronger in other Re- fpects. But inftead of Reflect ional Nerves j Brutes, and certain Birds efpecially, feem to have Some rather of the Itinerant Kind ; for they will travel, at Times, to amazing Diftances ; with out' any external Guide that I know of; God only excepted. AH the Nerves in the Brain are, in fome Senfe, united ; having one common Caufe ; L 1 namely; namely ; that of affifting the Percipient, by fuit- able Admonitions, in the Confervation, and due Government of the Human Syftem. In fine ; every Idea, however fimple (upon Mr. Locke's Plan,) may be confidered as compofed of two Parts;- viz. (i) A Pulfation of fome one Nerve of the Brain : And (2) The Impreflion made by That on the Percipient. And Thefe two together (but neither alone,) is what I call THINKING. Object. But perhaps it may be cbjected, that my Scheme isfubverfive of the Notion commonly re ceived; that in the next Life, we Jhall recolleSi what we knew in this : For if our Ideas are thus only excited; it will follow, that when the Brain dies, our Ideas will die with it. Anfwer. In the fecond Chapter of this Work, I demonftrated abundantly, that the Soul of Man is immortal ; and the Objection before us, is fo far from militating againft this Sacred Doctrine; that, in the Event, it will be found rather to throw Light on it. For, if we are to live again ; — — w are, doubtlefs, to think again : — — And if we cannot think without fome Infirument to think with ; it follows, that God will give it us. But what Kind of Infirument , or Syftem of Organs this will be; I cannot, for Want of proper Data, exactly determine.— — Neverthelefs, the Perci pient ( 259 ) pient having once cbtained it; we need not doubt, but it will, from Habit and Infiuence, caufe it to afford the fame {Pulfations or) Ideas, as it did its former Infirument, in the former Life. Thus, if a Mufician, who has been ufed to playing only on the Spinnet, from the earlieft Part of 'his Life, for forty Years together, be finally taken from that Infirument; and put to the Or gan ; I dare fay, however he might be at a Lpfs at firft; it would not be long, before he would be able to caufe this new Infirument, to emit the fame Tunes, as his former old One did. -And in proportion as his new Infirument were better than the Old; fo, in proportion the Tunes would be.' X proceed, now, Reader, to certain Propofitions with Comments on them, viz. PROP. 1. When the Sentient gives clear and difiinSi Ideas to the Percipient, the Percipient judges in a clear and difiinSi Manner. Comment. But this will not imply, that Men are always infallible in their Judgments : Fpr the Propofition before us, may be framed into the following Syllogifm ; viz. Arg. i. If the Sentient did always give clear and difiinSi Ideas to the Percipient ; L 1 2 Then ( 2&0 } Then the Percipientwould always judge clearly and difiinSlly. ~ But the Percipient does not always judge clearly and difiinSlly ; Therefore the Sentient does not always give clear and difiinSi Ideas. The Fault lies, therefore, wholly in the Sen tient. And my Propofition may furthermore be proved, thus: Arg. 2. If the Percipient judges clearly and difiinSlly, when it pronounces of Ink, that it is not Paper ; It is becaufe the Sentient gives the Ideas of Ink and Paper, clearly and difiinSlly to the Percipient. But the Firft is true ; Therefore the Laft. And again ; Arg. 3. If the Percipient can judge clearly and difiinSlly, of the Ideas of Ink and Taper ; becaufe the Sentient gives it thofe Ideas, clearly and difiinSlly; Then ( 26l ) Then would the Percipient judge as clearly and difiinSlly of all other Ideas; provided the Sentient did give them in as clear and di- ftinct a Manner, as it does thofe of Ink and Paper: But the Firft is true ; Therefore the Laft. And, accordingly, I judge, that there is little or no Difference in the Percipients of different Men: But that the Percipient of an ignorant Clown, is of a Size with that of a Sir Ifaac Newton. The Former knows that One and One added together make Two : So did Sir Ifaac. And if the Latter made many juft Comparifons which the Former cannot; 'tis be caufe the Ideas under the Terms, do not appear to the Clown, in the fame clear and diftinct Man ner, as One and One do, when he would add them together; for if they did; what fhould hinder him from difcovering their Connexions as clearly, as he does that of One and One in Addi tion ? It may be faid, however, of the Clown, with great Truth; that he has not fo much Senfe as Sir Ifaac; or in other Terms, that he is not bleft with fo good a Sentient; agreeable to what I have already demonftrated. PROP. ( 262 )' PROP. II. The Percipient is generally obliged to credit thofe Notices, which are given it by the Sentient. Comment. This Propofition is a-kin to the Former; and therefore eafily underftood. My Next too will throw Light on it; viz. PROP. III. It is. obliged alfo to give mofi Credit to thofe Notices, which are impreffed mofl Jlrongly upon it; and e contra. Comment. This alfo is clear. —And hence we may account, in fome meafure, for Lunacy, Dreaming, and fimilar Cafes. -In the For mer, the Correfpondent Nerves in the Brain, by fome means or other, ftrike too forcibly of them felves on the Percipient, to admit clearly and di- ftinttly the Touches from without; and there fore ftriking ftronger by Lnteftine Habit, than they do from Pofitive Senfation; the Ideas ofRe- minifcence have more Credit with the Percipient, than Thofe admitted by Impreflions from with out, through the Organs of Senfe.-^ The like may be faid of Dreaming; but with greater Pro priety; becaufe in Sleep, the Organs are, for the moft part, fhut up and inactive ; and leave Re- minifcence its fuljeft Scope for playing on the Percipient, The £ 265 ) The Difference between the Lunatick, and the Sleeping Man, feems to be this : That the Former dreams with his Eyes open; but the Latter with 'em fhut. However, Lunaticks generally reafon right from thefe wrong Impref- fions; whilft the Sleeping Man in his Dreams, fcarcely reafons at all; or not often. 1 have heard of a Lunatick, that fancying himfelf dead; refufed to take his Food; and infifted upon be ing buried: All which was reafoning rightly fo far; but unluckily he had forgotten, that nei ther do the Dead talk; for he prated abundantly. And I have been told of Another, formerly, in Bedlam; who, uppn being afked by a By stander, what a certain Lunatick (near him) made fc great a Npife about; replied; that He (the noify One) gave himfelfout for Jefus Chrift; but, fays he, I am John the Baptift, and I know Nothing of him. Here again was right Rea foning from wrong Impreflions; for the Man's Sentient being difordered, it reprefented Notices Wrong to his Percipient; as hath been already obferved. Note, Lunaticks are not much, if at all, defective in the Article of Refection. PROP. IV. Certain Notices may have Credit, for a Time; with the Percipient : but be afterwards difcredit ed, on account of fome One or more Notices contra- diSling them, that are later; and more forcibly im- frejed. Comment, ( 264 ) Comment. As when a Lunatick recovers; or we wake from Sleep and Dreaming: For then Pofitive Senfation of Objects without us, regains its wonted Force; and firiking ftronger than Re~ minifcent Senfation (if I may fo call it,) the Per cipient credits the Notices of the Former; reject ing what aforetime were impreffed by Reminif- cence only, as Cheat and Illufion. PROP. V. The Percipient has a Refraining Power over the Sentient; and will fometimes control the Impreflion of one Senfe or Idea, in order to give fuller Scope to the Impulfe of One Other or more, that art greater Favourites with it. Comment. Hence, in part, the Origin of Pre judice and Error; whether from Lazinefs, De fign, or Education. This, in fome fenfe, may be called Obftinacy; and if, of the Religious Kind, Herefy; from the Latin Term Hxreo. When a Man is determined to think, or not to think thus or thus; 'tis to determine what Pul fations in the Brain fhall ftrike ftrongeft, and what weakeft on the Percipient; that fo it may be obliged tp judge accordingly. A Pa- pift believes that the Wafer in the Hoft is not Bread, but Flefh; and he is determined he will believe it: And how does he eventually effect it? why, truly, thofe Nerves in the Brain which cor- refpond with his Sight, Tafte, and Touch, are prevented ( ^5 ) prevented by the Will of the Percipient ; from ftriking on it fo forcibly as they would do, if left to themfelves ; whilft thofe Inferiour Nerves that give it the Ideas of, Hoc eft Corpus meum, — God,- — Glory, £tc. are allowed to ftrike as hard as they can, in order to get Credit : And to Thefe, we may add fuch Nerves, as give him the Ideas of Bleffednejs and Mifery ; which the Prieft has taught him do attend, the Firft, his Belief of Tranfubftantiation ; and the Latter, the Con trary. For whoever Believes, muft think as he believes ; and Pulfation muft be made on the Percipient accordingly, (either by Art or Nature; by active Choice, or paflive Negligence ;) as I have already fhewn : For, there is no Thinking without this Pulfation. But the Refiraining Power in queftion, appears in no Cafe more plainly, than when One would recollect fome Term that is forgotten: In fuch Cafe; all the Correfpondent Nerves in the Brain, are enjoined Stillnefs by the Percipient, except-* ing that which correfponds with the Auditory Nerve: This alone is allowed to ftrike, and that too again and again, as the Cafe requires ; 'till the right Stroke (if it can be hit) be given ; which being recognized of the Percipient; the inqueft ceafes ;" and full Play is allowed again to all the Correfpondents, in the ordinary Manner. M m And ( 266 ) And yet the Percipient cannot reftrain the whole Inter iour Correfpondent Syftem from firiking at all; fo as to caufe Univerfal Stillnefs fin the Cranium, (unlefs perhaps for a mere Moment ;) becaufe it muft intend it at leaft ; and Intending implies Thinking; and Thinking, Pulfation: So that to talk of Silence in the Mind, it may be for an Hour or two together, after the Manner of the ^uietifis ; is Folly to Excefs. PROP. VI. The Difference in the Judgments made by differ ent Men, concerning the fame Ideas, arifes partly from the Make, or Confiitution of their different Sentients, or Syftems of Nerves .; and partly from their Treatment of them.' Hence the Whole of the Difference inQyeflion. Comment. This, I have already fhewn in my firft Propofition. What relates to the Make or -J- Confiitution of the Nerves, is, I think, ob vious enough ; and, I judge, Idiocy a Defect al together, in One or Other of thefe important Articles. — As to our Treatment of them; This, too, I think, will be eafily underftood, when I tell my Reader, that in the Idea of Treatment, I include that of moderate Study ; which will give them occafionally the Habit of prefenting/«/#, clear, f Confiitution of the Nerves, &c.J The Forgetfulnefs of Old Age, is probably owing to a Defect in this Article. ( 267 ) clear, and diflintt Pulfations or Ideas to the Per cipient ; the happy Advantage of which, I have already demonftrated. §. 8. Fourth and laflly : I am to fpeak of the Percipient ; which I have already defined to be, THAT by which we * connect, abftraSl, and compare our Ideas ; and which governs (under God) the Animal Syftem in Man. I have already ftript it, in the preceding Sec tion, of What in reality, was no Part of it; tho' generally adjudged fo. And now, Reader, be hold it naked as it is. This Definition is fo plain and eafy, that it really ftands in need of Nothing further: But left I be charged with too great Remiffnefs; I fhall add a few Remarks more : As ( i . ) It is the Soul, or * SOL of the interiour Syftem in Man; and ALONE deferves to be called Such. (2.) It M m 2 is * SOL, &c. J Our Englifh Term, Soul, appears to me, to be derived from the French, Seul, and that again from the Latin Solus, both which fignify Alone ; whence SOL, Latin for the Sun ; becaufe when he is rifen, the Stars difappear ; and he fhines without a Rival. -Seul, is a long Syllable, of about the fame Length in Pronunciation, as the Term Soul; and (with this Cau tion,) founds exactly like the firft Syllable, in the Englifh Term, Sullen. Note, It's no Wonder that fo many of our Englifh Words fhould be derived from the French ; when we confider the Con- \ i»efi; ( 268 ) is a Subflance, becaufe the Subject of Modes; of which Ubiety and Individuality only, Jeem pri marily eflential to it: Volition, Conjcioufnefs, Power, &c. fecondarily eflential; and the Sen tient (or j3 H & ., =>" o> <.' f n> n 3 ^ > 3 n o» • o " O ( 272 ) us: Becaufe Such Infirument is eflential to Think ing; which, again, is effential to Life. That Life "implies this Infirument, is to be dif- covered in the Word itfelf; which, I imagine, pomes to Us, in the following mutilated Man ner frpm the Greek.—— -viz. Gr. Gr. ' Latin. French. French. French. -j- BU;^ii6T^Vita—LaVie—La Vive — Le Vif— Life. >,< < •5 S> SJ g - fc t> r. The Origin of the Word in queftion is evi dently b;0; ; which, at the fame Time, that it fignifies Life ; does alfo fignify both a Bow, and a Bow-string ; or in other Terms, Something Elaftic; Something that is capable of Reaction, or Pulfation when ftricken. — The Term Perfon too (as applied to a mere Creature) has the fame Meaning; for it is derived from the Latin Term {Perfona, or rather from) Perfonus ; that is to fay, Sounding throughout ; endued all over with a Pulfatory \ It is not improbable, but our Englifh Term, Death, may be a Corruption of De Hearth ; or, as it might have been formerly fpelt, De Heath ; from whence D'Eath eafily flows ; alluding, pofEbly, to the Hearths or Pyres of the ancient Greeks and Druids. The Term Hearfe too, has a Look of the fame Kind. ( 273 ) Pulfatory (l had almpft faid a fenfitive) Qua lity. Whilft Mors (Latin for Death) is de rived frpm the Greek m»'?©. ; whpfe Rppt is Mi.^, to divide, pr part afunder : The Reverfe ef Nervus Arcus. But leaving the -j- Word, Reader, we will pro ceed to the Thing; after ob/erving by way of Caution; that in handling this Subject, I mean to fpeak of the Departed Souls of the Pious only; and not of the Wicked ; of whofe Mode bf'Exifi- ing hereafter, I know Nothing ; but judge it to becompleatly miferable, andjvithout End. The Soul of Man then, as I have already de fined it, in this Stricture, thinks not, but with Something to think with ; arid we know that (in this Life at leaft,) it moves not, it dSis not, but with Something to move ahd act with. In a Word; All it does, is done by Medium ; or in other Terms, by an organized Body : And this makes it highly probable, that its Cafe will be the fame, generically, in a Future State. For if it fhall then have the Power of think ing, moving, pr acting by itfelf, without Medium; N n in f Word.] The Term " Firft RefurreBiim" naturally leads us, by Relation, to the Notion oi a Second: And yet (if I may truft to Mr. Cruden's Concordance) it is remarkable, that the Term Second Refurreclion is not to be found in all the New Teftament; Whilft That of Second Death is. ( 274 ) in fuch Cafe, it muft be by its own folemn Fiat only ; after the Manner of God : And this, confi- dering its Immortality, is to afcribe to it, Indepen dent Exiftence; which is an incommunicable Attri bute of the Deity. Compare Chap. I. Sett. 3. of this Work. Whence, I argue; Arg. 1 . Independent Exiftence is an incommuni cable Attribute of God.: And the Power of thinking, moving, or acting by Fiat only ; is comprehended in it : Therefore fuch Pbwer by Fiat only, is incom municable : Confequently, belongs not to any Creature whatever. And again ; Arg. 2. The Soul's Power of thinking, mov ing, and adting in a Future State, is by Fiat only ; or by Medium ; But it is not by Fiat only, as hath been al ready Jhewn ; Therefore by Medium. Thus, Reader, are we arrived finally, to the Infirument in queftion ; to a Medium, or orga nized Syfiem of fome Kind; which, whether we call ( 275 ) call Body or npt, it matters little. 'Tis enough, that there is Something for the Soul in a Future State to put on, or to have about it, for the Pur pofe of Thinking, Mo ving, arid Acting : And if Any One fhall think proper to call This a Spiri- tualBody, I will agree to it ; but as to its Eflence, I know Nothing; and fhall therefore fay Nothing about it : Saving only, that when the Righteous Man throws off his prefent mortal Cloathing ; immediately, his Redeemer arrays him, with cer tain new -j- Robes of his heavenly Kingdom. For Immortality neceffarily implies, that there is no intermediate deadly State, betwixt this World and the next. — And as this new || Vefiure is granted, doubtlefs, becaufe of the % Things done in his Former Body ; it may be faid, therefore, in this Senfe at leaft, to rife from it, or out of it : — Tho', indeed, the Doctrine in queftion, I ac knowledge, in a much fuller, and more myfte- rious Senfe. 4- Bleffed and holy is He that hath Part in this firft RefurreSlion : On Such, the fecond Death (i. e.* Hell) hath no Power. §. ii. But the departed Soul of the Righteous Man, according to the Sacred Of final Glorifica- Writings, proceeds yet farther : tion. For there will be a Time, when it fhall be clothed N n 2 upon t Compare Rev. vi. ii. and vii. 13. 14. I Compare Rev. xix. 13. X H. Cor. v. 10. 4- Rev. xx. 6. * Rev. xxi. 8. ( 276 ] upon with a ftill greater Weight of Glory ; even in that Great Day, -j- at the Diflblution of fhe World, when the % Sea and the Grave Jhall give up the Dead.K a. (And pow, Reader, that thou and I may || die the Death of the Righteous ; and that our laft End may be like his ; is my fincere and hearty Prayer; that fo Each may fay to his, own Soul ; after the Manner of certain Ppets ; The Stars fhall fade away, the Sun himfelf Grow dim with Age, and Nature fink in Years j But thou fhalt flourifh in immortal Bloom, Unhurt amidft the War of Elements, The Wrecks of Matter, and, the Crufh of Worlds, Parte I am en meliore met fuper alta perennis AJlra ferar : f II. Pet. iii. x. % R'v- xx- 12. 13. || Numb, xxiii. 10. TH£ E N P, A B E Of fuch Authors, pr their Writings, As have been either exprefsly cited, or obliquely alluded to, in the preceding Work. Note, Thofe alluded to only, are pointed with Afterijks. MilanAddifon B Bolingbroke (Lord) * Barclay (Robert) * Bryant Burke t * Butler (Bifhop) * Boyle Bacon (Lord) C Cicero Clarke (Br.) * Chubb * Crawford Chandler (Bifhop) * Colbert (Bifhop of Montpellier) * Chillingworth * Calvin * ClafficalDiclionary D Doddridge (Dr.) F Fenelon (Archbp.) * Fox (George) Fordyce G * Gordon H Homer * Hervey Hume * Herbert (Lord) J Jenkins (Dr.) * Johnfion (Dr.) K Kolben L LockeLa Metaphyftque Leland (Dr.) Loubere Les Mtsurs Leng (Bifhop) * Limborch M Milton Martin Mather (Cotton) MalebrancheMornay(Ph.of,&c.)* Middleton (Dr.) * Marigny(UAbbe) * Molinos (Prieft) * Morgan N * Newton Prideaux PopePotter (Archbifhop) PlatoPlotinus* Penn (William) * Prieftley (Dr.) S Squire (Bifhop) Sherlock (Bifhop) Sale's Koran Synge (Bifhop) Synopjis Metaphyfica Schrevelius SenecaShaftesbury (E. of) T Tindal (Dr.) Tillotfon (Abp.) V * Voltaire W * Warburton (Bp.) WollaftonWatts (Dr.) Wilkins (Bifhop) Y Young (Dr.) Passages Passages of Scripture, Occurring, or alluded to, in this Book. GENESIS. J U D G E S. Chap. Verfie Page Chap. ^Verfie Page i. 6,7,8, 1 6. 29. 15 88 ix. ' 8. 154 ii. 16. ibid. I. Si Mill i . 9- *57 iii. 4- H90 19, 20. 234 7- 87 16, 17. ibid. 20. 190 *7- 240 ix. 15- ibid.- iii. 9- 88 xvi 7- 179. xxviii. 7> J3- 238 EXODUS. vii. 9- 193 I. KINGS. 11. 189 xiii. &rV. 192 15 to 19, &V. 188 viii. 3,6. ibid. II. CHRON 16. 189 xxv. 18. 154. xiii. 21. 136 xix. 4- 152 JOB. fcJV. 189 i. &c. 238 ii. 1,&C. 152 LEVI t* >:us XXXV. 7- 3* xvii. 7- NUMBERS 238 xxxviii. 7- 11. 14 148 xiv. 21. 86 PS a L Ms xxii. 28. i54 ix. i7- 88 xxiii. 10. 276 X. 4- 87 xxii. 6. 152 del m nt< n lxvi. 9- 44 xiii. 1, 2. 187 lxxiv. 9- 190 xviii, i5- J93 Ixxv. 3- 152 xxx. 11. i34 lxxvii. 16. ibid. xxxii 16, 17. 238 xcviii. 3- 86 civ. 19. 152 JOSHUA. xxiv 27. 154 Pro- PASSAGES of SCRIPTURE. PROVERBS. WISD OM. Chap. Verfie Page Chap. Verfie Page vi. 7- 157 xvii 7- * 188 xii. IO. 29 xxiii. 5- !5* Mi!- ^ r m i' xxx. *7- ibid. V. !$• 152 - "5 22. 148 ISAIAH. \ ' 29,30. 152 viii. 19. 7i 39- 151 xi. 10. 192 44. 28 xii. 5- 86 vi. 26. 161 xxix. 4- 71 vii. 5- 170 xxx. 21. fin2 163 x. 15- 16. l95148 xxxv. &c. i93 xi. 27. 93 xiii. -fcrV. ibid. xiii. : *3» 3r» 33' 44» 45 • 135 Iii. 10. 86 xxv. 14. 224 liv. &c. 192 18. 225 lvii. 15- m xxviii 19. ibid. Ix. • 3- 192 20. !95 JEREMIAH , MARK. ix, 6. 87 iv. 18, 19. J 49 xxv. 17- 153 24. 181 xxxi. 34- 87 vii. 21, &c. 214 xvi. 16. 175 EZEKIEL 17,18. 196 xxix. 3- 152 17, 18, 20. 190 xxxi. 3- ibid. 20. 184 HOSEA. LUKE. iv. 6. l57 i. &c. 189 iii. 6. 86 JONAH. 21, 22. 189 iv. 11. 29 vii. 20, 21, 22. 186 viii. 16, 17, 18. 183 H ABAKKUJ X. 27. 28 ii. 14- 86 xii. 6, 24. 161 O o PASSAGES of SCRIPTURE. LUKE. ROMANS. Chap. Verfe Page Chap. Verfie ¦P*^ xvi. csV. 238 i. 21, 28. 88 ii. &c. 226 JOHN. 12. 225 i. i. 149 14. 223 .9- J 136 li52 iii.iv. 2. *5- 226 l37 iii. 3< 224 v. 15, 16. 222 v. 3^36- 182 18. 223 vi. 44. 93 vii. 23, 24, 25. 2^4 63- 181 viii. 3°- 225 ix. 41. 225 X. 8. *35 X, 8. i53 14. 225 21. 188 xi. 14. 228 37- 181 xii, 18. 152 xiii. 16. 183 xiii. 8, 9, 10. 28 XV. 12, 13. 28 xiv. 1 1. 86 22, 24. 225 i5- " 225 24. 182 xvi. *3- 197 I. CORINTHIAN xvii. ¦ 3- i'3 i. 21. Il3 , ii. 11. 93 ACTS. x. 20. 238 vi. 11, 13- 172 xii. 8, 9, 10. 148 ix. 3>4- 187 xiii. i».i3- 29 .17. 196 12. 123 X. 44, 45, 46. ibid. XV. 34- 87 xiv. 3- 184 35 to 42. 44 xvii. J5- H5 23- 113 II. CORINTHIAN 27. 1 12 iii. 3, 6, 8. 163 28. 44 v. 7- JI3 xix. 6. 196 10. 275 XX. -29. 194 ga r , :¦-.', i....;-r ROMANS 19. .86 V. 20. {228 U39 20. 1 11 22. 1 12 PASSAGES of SCRIPTURE. EPHESIANS. HEBREWS Chap. Verfie ¦?«?« Chap. [Verfe Page iv. 22. 214 v. 12. 197 24. 2i5 vi. 4- 5- 112136 COLOSSIANS viii. 3- 186 i- ¦ i.5» 17- 231 X. 16. 163 . l7> 44 xi. 1. 113 ii. 8. 156 3- 13- 112 123 II. THESSALONIANS. 3l- 112 ii. 9. 187 • JAMES. I. TIMOTHY. iii. 14. 223 i. 19. 224 I. PETER. 11. 5. iii. 1, &c. 149187 ii. 12. 224 vi. 1 6. 44 II. PETER. , 20. *57 i. 20, 21. 198 II. TIMOTHY. ii. iii. 16. 10. 154 276 i. 10. 141 iii. 9. 188 I. JOHN. 15- 5 92 1203 iv. 1. 181 8. 20. 28 TITUS. REVELATION. 1: ¦ . 16. 87 ii. 2. 181 iii. 5. 6. 223 *7- W vi. 11. ^75 HEBREWS vii. i3> 14- ibid. J 44 Z232 xix. 13- ibid. i. 3. XX. 6. ibid. ii. 4. 184 12,13. 276 v. 4. 186 xxi. 8. 275 O o 2 THE THE N D E X. (t^ The Number denotes the Page; and the Letter (n) fhews that the Article named, is to be found in l«me Note at the Foot of fuch Page, ABORIGINESof Mankind created perfect at firfl 233 their Lapfe afterwards ibid. Abfirailion — > N 232 Adam childlefs at his Fall 241 Amputation ; one remarkable Circumftance attending it 256 Angel, apoffate; fome One probably the Caufe of the Fall of Man 238 Animal Creation ( merely S uch ) Partakers of the Divine Bounty 2$ — — ¦ — - ought to be treated kindly by Mankind ibid. Animal Spirits — 25 1 Anointing; I. John ii. 27. 196 Apollonius of Tyana N 73 Arbitrary Princes 111 Art ;how it differs horn. Inven tion n 42 Afs, Balaam's — n i 54 Affent ; the different Degrees of it : 63, 73 — — ,the leading Caufe of it to the twogreatFundamen- tals of all Religion 1 1 5 & feq. — the fubordinate Caufes of it qi&feq. Atheifm incurable by all the Arts of Man n 109 Atheifls; their Cafe at the Ap proach of Death 7 7 Attributes of God 2 Augury or Divination N 240 PACE Auguflus Cafiar; we know there was fuch an Empe- rour n 72 Axiom; a Metaphyfical One N 6p 270 67 n 225 N62 B Being; a Scale of Belief defined — Birds of Paffage Blind Man ; one born fo, his Cafe 147 Brain 251, 257 Brutes ; Remarks concerning their Spirits 41 & feq. InftincT: in them — n 61 and ftrange Faculty of Rambling 257 N 62 C Call of a Minifter of the-Gof- pel 187 Carnal- Reafon; a Stricture on the Words 149 Centrifugal Force in a Planet 230 Centripetal — — — ibid. Certain Propofitions ; their Cafe 98 Chance, what N 18 Circle ; running in it, not to be done in a certain Cafe n 93, t$c. Clown ; how he differs from a Newton 26 1 Confucius; a Stricture con cerning him ¦ n 70 Confcience, what 162 Copula of a Propofition — 56 Creation I N D E X. PAGE Creation prior ; Probability of their having been Such — 9 Certainty of it 12 Creed, Mahometan — n 7 1 Crucifixion of Chrift; a Stric ture on it N 26 D Daemons ; Gods of the Heathen N'238 Death ; the Term, of what v compounded, probably N 272- ¦ — : — infiantaneous; the Pe nalty threatened Adam, in \ cafe of Difobedience 240 Demonflration by a long Train of Proofs ; how it termi nates • 102 Devil ; the Word explained N 2 1 0 ¦ ' - the ancient Heathen had no Notion of tOne — n 238 Difpenfation Jewifh — N 191 Divination - N 240 Dreaming 262 Embryo in the Womb — 249 Emulation ; how it differs from Envy ¦ — — — 228 En-dor ; Woman of — N 238 Eternity N 233 Evidence . 63, 177 — - — further defcribed 68, 73 Exiflence of a God; how we come by the Knowledge of it 1 1 3, &c. : - - - p- Face-Painting; a Simile — 144' Fall of Man according to the - Scripture" — — 240 Falfhood, what '57 Feeling (inward ;") no Proof of Another's Divine Mif- Tion — — ... 185 Fiat ; — : — • 274 PAGE Figure , — — n i 5 1 Fast us ; fee Embryo. Foreknowledge of God — n 3 Future State ; Teftimonies concerning Mankind's firm Belief of it 8i,£s?f. Gardner, Colonel < Glorification (final) 171 276 God ; the Word explained • N 2 1 0 is a fpiritual Subftance' N214 him Man born ignorant of . ,217 — - alone fees the Heart of Man , ; 179 his Attributes in gene ral- , : .2 Foreknowledge in parti- £ cular -^— — ^r- N 3 and Providence — 4 can and does fometimes interpofe — — 16 -r— his Love to Mankind 22, 24 ought, in return, to be beloved by Them — 23 — — Teftimonies concerning Mens Knowledge of his Exiftence 74, How we know there is a God 117 and to what Degree 123 Good; how the Knowledge, of it was attained originally n 157 Gofpel; what ought not to be called fuch — 141 Grandees cften wicked : 212 H Habh — — 256 Hearing a,nd Feeling N 1 25 Heathen, pious ; maybejufti- fied, &c. - — — 225 Heaven; the Word explain ed "'_ — N 88 Hell; INDEX. PAGE Hell\~ the Term whence de rived N 88 Henry VIII. Defender of the Faith n 198 Hcrefy 264 Heretick N 178 Holy, Gatholick, and Apojlolick ..Roman Church — 202 Horfe of Achillef fpeak ing N 154 Hume; a Stricture on his No tion concerning Miracles n 184 Ideas' defined 5i the Advantage of having a large Fund of them — 142 no Knowledge without them H3 ¦ Their great Ufe in Theology 146 Jewijh Difpenfation — N 1 9 1 hcantdmentum • N 72 Infallible Affifiana confidered 198 Infiincl — N 61 Interpofitions ; the feveral Kinds of 18 Intervening or middle Ideas N 6 1 Intuition 5 8 as it relates to Theology 158 how it differs from In fiincl N 161 Invention N 41 John the Baptijl ; how his Million was authorized 189 Judgment 56 K Kings Britijh, of the Houfe of Hanover n 212 Knowledge defined — 67, 143 — - of the Exiftence of a • God ; how we corne by ft 117 Deo-ree of fuch Know ledge in Man, in this Life 123 Koran; a Stricture on it N71 — :— - Quotations from it 178,179 PACE Learning encouraged by Jefus Chrift 148 Liberty an Enemy to Atheifm 97 Life ; the Term whence de rived ; 272 Light; John i. 9. a Stricture on it 1 52 Locke ; how he proves the Ex iftence of a God — N 106 Logick ; its Ufe 1 146 Love defined 22 Love of God; Duties arifing from it 27 Want of it in Man, its Punifhment 32 Affirmatively; its Re ward 34 Lunacy - • • 262 Lunaticks ; merry Stories of two • 263 M Mahomet ; a Stricture con cerning him N7I Mahometans efteem Ideots and Lunaticks as Saints — 168 have fome Notion of — n 221 n 264 ni88 Original Sin Magna Charta Magicians of Egypt — Malebranche ; how he proves the Exiftence of a God n 105 Malice dedntd . 228 Man ; his Fall according to " the Scriptures • 240 Alan of God from Judah pro- phefying againft Jeroboam 192 Manchineel Apple n 234 Matter; th: Term whence derived — n 5 ¦ • often changes its Form, but never its Eflence — 35 Mediator ; the Term applied Logicaliy to Chrifi — 149 Mediums INDEX. PAGE Mediums or Mediators — n 150 Meffiah knoWn by his Suc- cefs , — N 192 Mind of Man not compofed folely of Reafon — 1 2 1 Minifters of the Gofpel ought to underftand their Func tion well n 225 Miracles of Chrift and his Apoftles ; how, well au thorized n 173 — — lying, what ? ,— 187 Miffionary Divine.; his Cre dentials . 173 Modes; the different Kinds of, defcribed n 139 Mors; whence derived — 273 Muley Ifinael 212 Muley Abdollah ibid. N Nations learned, bleffed more than the Ignorant • — 148 Nature defined . ¦ 5 Scheme of « 7 various Senfes in, which the Word may be taker; n 6 — — the Religion of 243 Necromancy N238 — 248 them, NeEtehs Intellectualis Nerves; have, all of their Correfpondents in the Brain 251 Nervous Juice ibid. News ; a Caution to Thofe who deal in it NI77 O 67 Opinion defined - Opinions ; no Number of them can ever amount to certain Knowledge 108 Oppofites ; " all Nature confifts in them , 242 Oracle^ Mongers Organs of Senfation Original Sin PAGE N 71 - 53 241 Parents Love to their Off ering 33 Pafiions (vulgarly fo called) 120 Paul the Apoftle, found no Fault with Learning at Athens 155 Percepta . 248 Perception defined — — 5 1 Percipient 248 has a reftraining Power over the Sentient 264 defined more fully — 267 Difference between it 252 and the Percepta — Perfection of all the original Works of God 2,27 Perfecution ; the Abfurdity of it n 226 Perfon ; the Term whence derived . 272 Philofophy ; the proper Senfe of the Word 156 falfe Senfe of it — 157 Pleafure and Pain in different Animals n 25 Poetry; the Term whence derived N42 Popery the Friend of Atheifm 97 Popes of Rome ; how wicked 2 1 2 Popijh Prayer Books 200 Pofitivenefs the Offspring of Ignorance . n 145 Predejlination ¦ — n 3 Predicate of a Propofition — 56 Prejudices . 163 Pride '. 228 Principles ; two in the Mind of Man;— One Good;— t'other Evil — 209 & feq. Principle, INDEX. PAGE Principle, Evil — 215 & feq. . Good 216 & feq. Prior Creation 9 Prophecies of Daniel 205 Propofition, what — — 56 Propofitions certain ; their Cafe 98 Providence of God — — n 3 Pulfation of the Correfpon dent Nerves in the Brain 255 Pythn, &c* — n 240 Quality occult — — Quietjls ; their Folly — 170 266 R Reafon defined ¦ 50 the Atlion, not the Effence of the Soul 122 Who its Enemies — 170 Reafoning ; what 59 in Theology, lawful 166 Abfurdity of fuppofing it not fo 169 Reflection, what — 55 Refieclional'NeTves — 257 Religion of Reafon and Nature 243 Reminifcence 254 RefurreElion (firft) > - 271 Rcfurreiiion (fecond) not named in the New Tefta- N273 imol'es ment j— - — Revelation Written Letters, and a Variety or" other Arts - 148 ¦ how ufefu! 165 -withoutEvidence-j 70 & feq. of St. John ; not yet- rightly underftood — 205 Rhetorick ; its Ufe — 14.6, 151 Samuel known in his Time tohave been a Prophet n 190 Scale of Being : 270 Stales and IVeights 69 Scripture duly confidered Self-Denial Seif-Love ¦ Senfation PAOE — 203 29 26, 29 52 external and internal 55 pofitive and negative 253' — — fpiritual -^-< — ¦ 1 1 8 •*- — none without Contail, mediately or immediately, with the Thing perceived 257 The Sentient or Body — ; 250 Sight and Hearing N 126 Soul; the Term whence de rived it 267 thinks not without Something to think with 273 of Man, immortal 34 1$ feq. foolifh Confequences of fuppofing it not fo 37 Subjett of a Propofition — 56 Subflance fpiritual; God fuch N214 Succeffion to the Apoftles Con fidered • ! l80, 194 Suppofitio non pollendi j pollendo 206 Syllogifm affirmative, exempli fied and defcribed 60 negative N 103 Terms; the Advantage of hav ing a large Fund of them N 145 Theology ; the true Founda tion of it . 207 Thinking ; what — 258 Tradition defined N 62 - written, lofes Nothing by Time n 68 Trinity ; Analogy between that and the Solar Syfiem N 230 & feq. Truth, what 56 Veritas; a Stricture on the Word , n 56 P p Vice; INDEX. PAGE Vice ; the Term whence de- i rived • n 29 — — not neceffary to the Structure of the Human Mind ¦ 229 ¦¦ why not generally pu- nifhed in this Life N 32 Virtue; the Word how de- rived ¦ N 29 Unbelievers; Thofe who never heard of the Gofpel, not Such ' N 225 W Watts (Dr.) two curious Hy^ pothefjfes of his 38 JVifdom; its Value , — ,- 157 PAGE Witchcraft confidered — n 238 is a Popifh Notion — ibid. World, had a Beginning — 5 the End of ; how to be underftood, Matt, xxviii. 20 n 195 four Ages of — 210 corrupted -*-. ibid, Vulgar Notion concern ing the Form of it — 124 Written Revelation ; how ufe- ful _ , 165 Zoroafires; a cerning him z Stricture con-> N 69 FINIS. ERRATA. Page 4.6. in the 6th Line of the Corollary, dele— " by"— next beferej " ebediently."Page 86. Line 3. for " of Ged" read " of our God." Page 114. Line 16. read a Comma after "God," inftead of a Semicolon; and in the next Line after, read a Semicolon after "Soul;" inftead of a Comma. Page 124. Line 5. for " cenfent" read "affent" Page 145. in the laft Line of the Note at Foot, immediately after «' Uptf. read " alfo" before " to beget." Page 146. Line 15. dele — "by" — next before " obferving.'''' Page 197. Line 4. for " the Text," read "this Text." Page 202. Line 18. read "bloody" in Crotchets. Page 203. in the laft Line of theNote at Foot, read a Crotchet after "fay.''* Page 210. Line 14. for " pointed out," read "painted out." Page 213. the laft Line but one in the Note at Foot, read "that," fojf " thas." Page 233. in the Title to §. 8. read " Aborigines," for " Abrogines." Page 238. Line 17. of theNote atFoot, read a Crotchet after "Verfe 7." Page 239. in thelaftLine, fave One, of the Parenthefis, read "it," before " is quite needlefs," 2449