m 
 
■ — ■ —   _ 
 
 LIBRAEY 
 
 or  THK 
 
 Theological    Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON,    N.  J. 
 
 Case,.      ^vVw*        Division 
 
 Shelj\       /..W.Z.^y.e.cti«n 
 
 Book,  ' 
 
 A       DONATION 
 
 FROM 
 
 Beceiued      /. 
 
tt 
 
 o 
 
 ?:%£****./& 
 
DISCOURSE 
 
 Concerning  the 
 
 Being  and  Attributes  of  GO D, 
 
 THE 
 
 Obligations  of  Natural  Religion, 
 
 AND    THE 
 
 Truth  and  Certainty 
 
 O  F     T  H  E 
 
 Cbriftian  Revelation. 
 
 In  Anfwer  to  Mr  Ifobbs,  Spinoza,  the  Author  of  the  Oracles  of 
 Reafon,  and  other  Deniers  of  Natural  and  Revealed 
 Religion.    • 
 
 Being  fixteen  SERMONS  Preach'd  at  the  Cathedral-Church 
 ot  St  Paul,  in  the  Years  1704  and  1705,  at  the  Leclure 
 Founded  by  the  Honourable  R  0  B  ERr  B  0  T  L  E  Efq; 
 
 By   SAMUEL  CLARKE,    D.    D.   Rector 
 of  St  James  s  Weftminfter. 
 
 The  Fifth  Edition,  Corrected. 
 
 To  which  are  added 
 Several  LETTERS  toDr  CLARKE  from  a 
 Gentleman  in  GlocefierJInre^  relating  to  the 
 firft  Volume  h    with  the  Drs  A  NS7/rERS. 
 
 London,  Printed  by    W.  Roth  am  \    for  JAMES  KNAPTON, 
 at  the  C rown  in  St  Paw/'s  Church- Yard .     1719. 
 
DEMONSTRATION 
 
 OF     THE 
 
 Being  and  Attributes 
 
 OF 
 
 G    O 
 
 More  Particularly  in  Anfwcr  to 
 
 MvHOBBS,  SPINOZA 
 
 And  their  Followers  : 
 
 Wherein  the  Notion  of  LIBER TT is  Stated, 
 and  the  Poflibility  and  Certainty  of  it  Pro- 
 ved, in  Oppofition  to  Xecejpty  and  Fate. 
 
 Being  the  Subftance  of  Eight  SERMONS 
 Preachul  at  the  Cathedral-Church  of  St  Paul, 
 in  the  Year  1704,  at  the  Lecture  Founded  by 
 the  Honourable  ROBERT  BOTLE  £ty 
 
 By  SAMUEL  CLARKE,   D.  D.    Rector 
 of  St  James's  Wefimmfer. 
 
 The  Fifth  Edition,  Corrected. 
 
 Rom»  1.  20    For    the  Inviftble  things  of  Hitn  from  the  trea* 
 tion  of  the  World  are  clearly  feen,  being  under  flood  by  the 
 things  that  are  mxde  \  even    his  Eternal   Power  andVod- 
 head  :    So  that  they  are  without  excufe, 
 
 London;  Printed   by  W.  Botham,  for  JAMES  KtfAPTOA\ 
 ac  the  Crown  in  St  Paul's  Church  tfird,     1719. 
 
T  O    T  H  E 
 
 Moft  Reverend  Father  in  God  Jffffi-  ^lLj 
 
 THOMAS 
 
 Lord  Archbifbop  of  Canterbury, 
 and  Primate  of  all  England  : 
 
 Sir  HE NRT  4SHVRST, 
 
 Baronet  ; 
 
 Sir  JOHN  ROTHERAM, 
 
 Knight,  Serjeant  at  Law  ; 
 JOHN  EFELINE^uivc; 
 
 Truftees  appointed  by  the  Ho- 
 nourable ROBERT  BOTLE, 
 Efquire. 
 
 This  Difcourfe  is  humbly  Dedi- 
 cated. 
 
 A  3 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THere  being  already  publifhed 
 many  and  good  Books,  to 
 prove  the  Being  and  Attributes  of 
 God  ;  /  have  chofen  to  contrast, 
 zvhat  zoos  requifitefor  me  to  fay  up- 
 on this  Sub\e£t,  into  as  narrovo  a 
 Compafs  ;  and  to  exprefs  zvhat  I 
 had  to  offer,  in  as  feio  Words,  as 
 I  could  with  Perjpicuity.  For 
 which  Reafon  I  have  alfo  confi- 
 ned my  f elf  to  One  only  Method  or 
 continued  Thread  of  Arguing,which 
 I  have  endeavoured  fhould  be  as 
 near  to  Mathematical  as  the  Nature 
 of  fuch  a  Difcourfe  would  allow : 
 Omitting  fome  other  Arguments, 
 which  I  could  not  difcern  to  be  fo 
 A  4  "        evidently 
 
The  Prefaced 
 
 evidently  conclufive  :  Becaufe  it 
 feems  not  to  be  at  any  time  for  the 
 red  Advantage  of  Truth,  to  ufe 
 Arguments  in  its  behalf  founded 
 only  on  fuch  Hypothefis,  as  the 
 Adversaries  apprehend  they  can- 
 not be  compelled  to  grant.  Tet  1 
 have  not  made  it  my  Bufinefs,  to 
 cppofe  any  of  thofe  Arguments  ; 
 becaufe  J  think  it  is  not  the  beft  way 
 for  any  one  to  recommend  his  own 
 performance  by  endeavouring  to 
 dif cover  the  Imperfections  of  Others 
 who  are  engaged,  in  the  fame  Defign 
 zvith  himfelf  of  Promoting  the 
 Inter  eft  of  true  Religion  and  Vir- 
 tue. But  every  Man  ought  to  ufe 
 fuch  Arguments  only,  as  appear  to 
 Him  to  be  clear  and  ftrong,  and 
 the  Readers  muft  judge  whether 
 they  truly  torQve  the  Conclufion. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 THE  Introduction,  concerning  the  Caufes  of 
 Atheifm.  Page  I 
 
 PROP.  I.  TtoSomethinghas  exifted  from 
 Eternity.  9 
 
 Of  the  Difficulty  of  Conceiving  Eternity.     I  o 
 
 That  Difficulties  of  Appreheytfion  on  the  one 
 fide,  ought  not  to  he  oppofed  to  evident  De- 
 monjtration  on  the  other :  As  in  our  Con- 
 ceptions of  Eternity ],  Infinity,  of  the  Di- 
 vifibility  of  Quantity,  &c.  ibid. 
 
 Prop.  II.  That  there  has  exifted  from  Eternity 
 fomecne  Immutable  and  Independent  Be- 
 ing. 12 
 
 Of  the  Abfolute  Impoffibility  of  an  Eternal 
 Snccejfwn  of  Dependent  Beings,  exifting 
 without  any  Original  Independent  Caufe  at 
 nil  15 
 
 Prop.  III.  That  That  Immutable  and  Indepen- 
 dent Being,  which  has  exifted  from  Eter- 
 nity, 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 nity,  without  any  External  Caufe  of  Its  Ex- 
 iftence-,  muft  be  Self-Exiftent,  that  is,  Ne- 
 cefl&rily  Eaifting;  p.  15 
 
 Of  the  true  Idea  of  Self  Exigence  :  That  it 
 u  the  Idea  of  a  Beings  the  Suppofition  of 
 whofe  Non-Exiflence  is  an  exprefs  Contra- 
 dittion.  ibid. 
 
 That  every  Man  may  he  more  certain  of  the  Be- 
 ing of  a  Supreme  Independent  Caitfe,  than 
 he  can  he. .of  any  thivg  elfe  hefides.his  own 
 E:dflence.  1 9 
 
 CfthehlcaofGodjnchidi7igSelf-Exiflence.  2 o 
 
 lhat  the  Material  World  cannot pojfibly  be  the 
 Fir  ft,  Original  and  Independent  Being,  2  2 
 
 The  Form  of  the  World,  not  Neceffary.      23 
 
 Nor  its  Motion.  24* 
 
 Mr  TolzncYs  pernicious  Op27iion,  of  Motion 
 being  e/fential  to  Matter,  confuted,     ibid. 
 
 The  Matter  of  the  World  not  Neceffarily-exifl- 
 ing..  ^  ,  \  2$ 
 
 A  Confutation  of  'Spinoza's  Opinion  concern- 
 ing one  only  Sub  fiance.  26 
 
 Koxeerrning  the  Eternity  of  the  World  -,  And 
 that  the  Opinion  of  the  befl  Antient  Fhilofo- 
 phers in  that  Matter,  did  not  at  all  favour 
 the  Sentiments  of  our  Modern  Atheijls  30 
 
 Prop.  IY.  -  What  the  Subftance  or  Effence  of 
 th&t  Being,  which  is  Self-Exiftent  or  Ne- 
 ceflarily-Exifting,  is-,  we  have  no  Idea, 
 Re iTher  is  it  at  ail  poifible  for  us  to  com- 
 prehend it.  38 
 
 Of  Infinite  Space.  4 o 
 
 '   tbe  Vanity  of  explaining  things  by  fuch 
 
 'ool-Tervis,  as  have  ,  calf)  no  Signification 
 
 at  ill  4  r 
 
 Prop. 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 pror,  V.  That  though  the  Suhftance  or  Ef- 
 fence  of  the  Self-Eiiftent  Being,  is  it  felf 
 abfolutely  incomprehenfible  to  us :  *et 
 many  of  the  Effential  Attributes  of  his  Na 
 tureare  ftriftly  Demonftrable  as  well  as 
 his  Exiftence.  As  in  the  Firft  Place,  that 
 He  muft  of  Neceffity  be  Eternal.        ibid. 
 
 Of  the  maimer  of  our  Conceiving  the  Eternity 
 of  God,  with  refpeti  to  Succeflion.  42, 43 
 
 Prop.  VI.  That  the  Self-Exiftent  Being,  muft 
 of  Neceflity  be  Infinite  and  Omnipreient.  — 
 
 44 
 
 Of  the  Simplicity,  Unchangeablenefs,  Incor- 
 ruptibility, Sec.  of  his  Nature  46 
 
 Of  the  manner  of  our  Conceiving  the  Immenjity  m 
 of  God.  47 
 
 Prop.  VII.  That  the  Self-Exiftent  Being,  muft 
 of  Neceffity  be  bat  One.  48 
 
 Of  the  BMed  Trinity.  ,Jhli\ 
 
 Of  the  Abfolute  Impofibility  of  two  different  ^ 
 Self-Exipnt  Independent  Principles,   Jncti 
 as  God  and  Matter.  4? 
 
 The  Error  o/Spinoza,  concerning  One  Uni- 
 form Suhftance.  ">ld- 
 
 Prop.  VIII.  That  the  Self-Exiftent  and  Origi- 
 nal Caufe  of  all  things,  muft  be  an  Intelli- 
 gent Being.  * * 
 
 This;  the  main  gneftion  between  ts  and  the  A- 
 
 theifts  lhld; 
 
 Not  eafily proved  a  priori.  *2 
 
* 
 
 The  Contents. 
 
 But  demon  fir  ably proved  a  pofteriori,  from  tie 
 Variety  and  Degrees  ofPerfeftion  in  Things,  \ 
 and  the  Order  ofCaitfes  and  Efftfts.    ibid. 
 
 From  the  Intelligence  that  Created  Beings  are 
 confeffedly  endued  with.  54 
 
 That,  if  Intelligence  be  a  real  dijlinft  Quality 
 orPerfeftion;  and  not  a  mere  Eff eft  or  Com- 
 position of  Unintelligent  Figure  and  Motion  $ 
 then  Beings  indued  with  Intelligence,  can  ne- 
 ver poffibly  have  arifen  purely  out  of  that 
 which  it  felf  had  no  fuch  Perfeftion.        5  5 
 
 That  Intelligence  is  fuch  a  real  dijlinft  Perfefti- 
 on  -,  and  not  poffible  io  he  a  mere  Effect  or 
 Compoftion  of  Unintelligent  Figure  and  Mo- 
 tion. 57 
 
 Mr  Hobbs  force!  to  recur  to  that prodigiovjly 
 atftird  Opinion,  that  all  Matter  as  Matter, 
 is  endued  with  Thought.  59 
 
 Tlje  Proportion  demon  fir  ate  d  further,  from  the 
 Beauty,  Order,  and  FinalCaufes of  Things. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 From  the  Original  of  Motion.  61 
 
 That  the  Material  World  cannot  poffibly  have 
 been  Self-Exifient.  .  63 
 
 Prop.  IX.  That  the  Self-exiftent  and  Original 
 Caufe  of  all  Things,  is  not  a  JJeceffary  A- 
 gent,  but  a  Being  indued  with  Liberty  and 
 Choice.  64 
 
 ThisPropofition  a  Necejfary  Confequent  of  the 
 foregoing.  ibid. 
 
 Proved JurtUr,  from  the  Arbitrary  Difpoji- 
 tion  ofth'wgs  in  the  World ;  with  a  fuU  An- 
 fwer  to  Spinoza's  Arguments  for  the  Ne- 
 ceffity  of  all  Things.  6$ 
 
 Alfo  ft  0  m  Final  Caiifes.,  7 1 
 
 And 
 
The  Contents, 
 
 1     And  from  the  Finitenefs  of  Created  BeUtgs.  7  2 
 
 And  from  the  Impojjilility  of  an  Infinite  Suc- 
 
 cejfion  of  Caufes.  ibid. 
 
 That  Liberty  is  not  in  itfelfan  impoffible  and 
 
 contradictory  Notion.  74 
 
 Prop.  X.  That  the  Self-Exiftent  Being,  the 
 Supreme  Caufe  of  all  Things,  mult  of  Ne- 
 ceifity  have  Infinite  Power.  76 
 
 Of  working  Contradictions,  and  Natural  or 
 Moral  Evils.  78 
 
 Of  the  Power  of  Creating  Matter.  79 
 
 Of  the  Power  of  Creating  immaterial  Cogita- 
 tive Sub  fiances,  and  thofe  indued  with  Liber- 
 ty of  Will  or  Choice.  \  80 
 
 Of  the  Immateriality  of  Humane  Souls.     84 
 
 That  the  Power  of  Perception  is  not  confined 
 to  Bodily  Senfes.  87 
 
 Of  the  Poffibility  of  communicating  to  a  Crea- 
 ture the  Power  of  beginning  Motion.      87 
 
 Of  the  Pojfibility  of  induing  a  Creature  with 
 Freedom  oflVill.  90 
 
 An  Anfwer  to  Spinoza's  and  Mr  Hobbs' 's  Ar- 
 guments again ft  the  Poffibility  of  Liberty.  92 
 
 That  there  mujl  be  fomewhere  a  Beginning  of 
 Operation.  ibid. 
 
 That  Thinking  and  Willing,  neither  are,  nor 
 can  poffibly  be,  Vitalities  or  Affections  of 
 Matter.  9^ 
 
 That,  fuppofing  they  were  Affections  of  Mat- 
 ter, yet  even  that  moft  ah  fur  d  Suppofition 
 would  not  at  all  affect  the  ^uefiion  about 
 the  Poffibility  of  Liberty.  I  o  1 
 
 Affameful  Fallacy  of  Mr  Hobbs  and  his  Fol- 
 lowers arguing-,  who,  when  they  would  prove 
 the  Soul  to  le  mere  Matter \  then  they  fup- 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 pofe  Matter  to  be  a  Sub  fiance  capable,  not 
 only  of  Figure  and  Motion,  butalfo  of  other 
 unknown  Properties  :  And  when  they  would 
 prove  the  Will  and  all  other  Operations  of 
 the  Soul  to  be  Necejfary,  then  they  devefi 
 Matter  of  all  its  Unknown  Properties,  and 
 make  it  Mere  Solidity  indued  only  with  Fi- 
 gure and  Motion  again.  1 02 
 
 Of  the  Necejfity  of  the  WilVs  being  determi- 
 ned by  the  laft  Judgment  of  the  Understand- 
 ing. ,  ;  104 
 
 Of  the  Certainty  of  Divine  Tore-knowledge, not 
 repugnant  to  the  Liberty  of  Mens  Acti- 
 ons. Ic6 
 
 Of  the  Original  of  Ev\h  I  i  I 
 
 Prop.  XI.  That  the  Supreme  Caufe  and  Au- 
 thor of  all  Things,  muft  of  Neceflity  be  In- 
 finitely Wife.  1 1 3 
 
 Proved  a  Priori.  ibid. 
 
 And  a  Pofteriori,  from  the  Wifdom  and  Per- 
 fection of  the  Works  of  God,  evidenced  more 
 illufirioujly  in  the  late  Difcoveriesin  Aftro- 
 yiomy  and  Natural  Pbilofophy.  11 J 
 
 Prop.  XII.  That  the  Supreme  Caufe  and  Au- 
 thor of  all  Things,  muft  of  Neceifity  be  a 
 Being  of  Infinite  Goodnefs,  Juftice  and 
 Truth,  and  all  other  Moral  Perfections  •, 
 fuch  as  become  the  Supreme  Governour  and 
 Judge  of  the  World.  1 1 9 
 
 Of  Providence.  123 
 
 The  Necepy  of  God's  Moral  Attributes,  con- 
 
 fifient  with  p  erf  eft  Liberty.  1 24 
 
 Of  the  Necejjity  of  God's  doing  always  what  is 
 
 j 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 Bejl  and  Fittefl  in  the  whole.  J7j 
 
 Of  the  Impoffibility  of  his  doing  Evil.         i  2$ 
 
 That  Liberty  is  not  in  itfelfan  ImperfeWicrn^ 
 
 but  a  Perfection.  129 
 
 That  the  highejl  moral  Perfection  of  Rationd 
 
 Creatures,  does  not  exclude  Natural  hiber- 
 
 ty.  130 
 
 That  the  Grounds  of  all  Moral  Obligation* 
 
 are  Eternal  and  Necejfary,  and  depend  ntt 
 
 en  any  Laws.  131 
 
 The  Conclu-fioa 
 
 133 
 
 T    H    F 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Of  the  Second  Volume. 
 
 THE  Introdu&ion.  pag.     i 
 
 Of  the  feveral  Sorts  of  Deifts.  1 3 
 
 The  fir Jt  Sort  of  Deifts  •,  And  of  Providence. 
 
 Humane  Affairs,    wot  beneath  the  regard  of 
 Providence,  1 9 
 
 The  fecond  Sort  of  Deifts.  2  r 
 
 Frofane  and  debauched  Deifts,   7tot  capable  of 
 being  argued  with.  2  2 
 
 Ihe  third  Sort  of  Deifts.  2  5 
 
 Jhe  fourth  Sort  of Deifts.  27 
 
 That  there  is  now  no  confident  Scheme  ofDeifm 
 in  the  World.  3 1 
 
 Prop.  I.  That  from  the  Eternal  and  Ne- 
 cefTary  Differences  of  Things,  there 
 naturally  and  neceffarily  arife  certain 
 Moral  Obligations,  which  are  of  them- 
 felves  incumbent  on  all  Rational  Crea- 
 tures, 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 tures,  antecedent  to  all  pofitive  Inftitu- 
 tion,  and  to  all  Expectation  of  Re- 
 ward or  Punifhment.  35 
 
 That  there  are  eternal  and  neceffary  Diffe- 
 rences of  Things.  56 
 
 The  abfurdity  of  thofe  who  deny  the  eternal 
 and  neceftary  Differences  of  Things       39 
 
 An  Anfwer  to  the  Objection  drawn  from  the, 
 Variety  of  the  Opinions  of  learned  Men, 
 and  the  Laws  of  different  Nations,  concer- 
 ning Right  and  Wrong.  44 
 
 That  the  Will  of  God  always  determines  it 
 felfto  a&  acording  to  the  eternal  Reafon 
 of  Things.  t  47 
 
 That  all  Rational  Creatures  are  obliged  to 
 govern  themj "elves  in- all  their  Aclions,  by 
 the  fame  eternal  Rule  of  Reafon.  48 
 
 "Proved  from  the  Original  Nature  of  Things. 
 
 And  from  the  Senfe,  that  all  even  wicked  Men 
 unavoidably  have,  of  their  being  under  fitch 
 an  Obligation.  5  2 
 
 And  from  the  Judgment  of  Mens  Confcien- 
 ces,  upon  their  Own  paft  Aclions.         54 
 
 Of  that  natural  Knowledge,  which  Plato 
 thought  to  be,  Reminifcence.  5> 
 
 The  mo  ft  profligate  of  Men,  not  utterly  in  fen- 
 
 .   Jible  of  the  Difference  of  Good  and  Evil.  5  5 
 
 Mensnaturalfenfe  o/eternal  Moral  Obliga- 
 tions, proved  further  from  the  Judgment 
 they  allpafs  upon  the  Aclions  uf  Others.  5  8 
 
 An  Anfwer  to  the  Objefiion  drawn  from  the 
 (b)  total 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 total  Ignorance  of  fome  barbarous  Nati- 
 ons in  Matters  of  Morality.  62 
 
 Of  the  principal  Moral  Obligations  in  parti- 
 cular. 63 
 
 Of  Piety,  or  Mevs  Duty  towards  God.      64 
 
 O/Righteoufnefs,  or  the  Duty  of  Men  07te 
 towards  another.  6"J 
 
 Of  Juftice  and  Equity.  ibid. 
 
 Of  univerfal  mutual  Benevolence.  7  2 
 
 Of  Sobriety,  or  Mens  Duty  towards  them- 
 f elves :  And  of  the  Unlawfulnefs  of  Self- 
 Murder.  76 
 
 The  Law  of  Nature,  eternal,  univerfal,  and 
 abfolutely  unchangeable.  82 
 
 Eternal  moral  Obligations,  Antecedent,  in 
 fome  refpeB,  even  to  this  confide  ration,  of 
 their  being  the  Will  or  Command  of  God 
 himfelf.  86 
 
 The  Law  of  Nature  obligatory,  Antecedent 
 to  all  confideration  of  particular  Rewards 
 and  Punifhments.  89 
 
 let  it  does  not  from  hence  at  all  follow,  either 
 that  a  good  Man  ought  to  have  no  refpect 
 to  Rewards  and  Vunifments,  or  that  Re- 
 wards and  PuniJJments  are  not  abfolutely 
 otecejjary  to  maintain  the  Practice  of  Virtus 
 in  this  prefent  World.  92 
 
 The  manifold  Ah  fur  dities  0/ Mr  Hobbs'j  Doc- 
 trines concerning  the  Original  of  Right, 
 jbown  in  particular.  96 
 
 Prop.  II.  That  the  fame  Eternal  Moral 
 Obligations,  which  arife  neceffarily 
 from  the  natural  Differences  of  things-, 
 
 are 
 
The  Contents, 
 
 are  moreover  the  exprefs  Will,  Com- 
 mand, and  Law  of  God  to  all  ratio- 
 nal Creatures*  1 1  j 
 
 Proved  from  the  Confide ration  of  the  Divine 
 Attributes.  114. 
 
 And  from  the  Confederation  of  the  Nature  of 
 God's  Creation.  1 1 9 
 
 And  fr 077i  the  Tendency  of  the  practife  of 
 Morality,  to  the  Good  and  Happinefs  of 
 the  whole  World.  121 
 
 Prop.  III.  That  the  fame  eternal  Moral 
 Obligation?,  which  are  of  themfelves 
 incumbent  indeed  on  all  rational  Crea- 
 tures, antecedent  to  any  refpeft  of  par- 
 ticular Reward  or  Punifhment  ,  muft 
 yet  certainly  and  necelTarily  be  attend- 
 ed with    Rewards    and   Puniihments* 
 
 124 
 
 Proved  from  the  Attributes  of  God.        1 2> 
 
 And  from  the  Necelfity  there  is,  that  there 
 
 Jlwiild  befome  Vindication  of  the  Honour 
 
 of  Gods  Laws  and  Government.         126 
 
 Prop.  IV.  That,  becaufe   thefe  Rewards 
 
 and  Punifhments  are    not    diftributed 
 
 in  the   prefent  State,    therefore  there 
 
 (b  2)  niuft 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 muft  of    Neceffity    be   a   future   State. 
 
 128 
 
 That  accordingto  the  Original  Conftitution 
 of  things,  Virtue  and  Vice  are  attended 
 with  natural  Rewards  and  Punifhments. 
 
 Bui  that  now  in  this  pre fent  World,  the  natu- 
 ral Order  of  things  is  fo  perverted,  that 
 Vice  often  flour  ifies  in  great  profperity,  and 
 Virtue  falls  under  the  great  eft  calamities  of 
 Life.  132 
 
 'That  therefore  there  mujl  needs  he  a  Future 
 State  of  Rewards  and  Punifliments.  155 
 
 Of  the  Stoical  Opinion  concerning  the  Self- 
 Sufficiency  of  Virtue  to  its  own  Happi- 
 nefs.  136 
 
 From  whence  the  certainty  of  a  Future  State 
 is  again  concluded.  I  39 
 
 Why  the  Wifdom  of  God  is  not  fo  clearly  and 
 plainly  feen  in  his  Government  of  the  Mo- 
 ral, as  in  the  Fab  rick  of  the  Natural 
 World.  141 
 
 Of  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul,  and  the  na- 
 tural Proofs  we  havem  of  it.  145 
 
 The  natural  credibility  of  the  Souls  being  bn- 
 ?nortal,  of  great  Ule  to  the  wifer  Heathens, 
 
 148 
 
 The  Argument  for  a  Future  State,  drawn  from 
 Mens  natural  Delire  of  Immortality.  1 5 1 
 
 Another,  drawn  from  Mens  Conscience  or 
 Judgment  of  their  own  Actions.       152 
 
 Another  drawn  from  Mans  being  by  nature 
 an  Accountable  Creature.  ibid. 
 
 Prop.  V. 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 Prop,  V.  That  though  the  neceiTity  and 
 indifpenfablenefs  of  all  the  great  and 
 moral  Obligations  of  Natural  Religion, 
 and  alfo  the  certainty  of  a  Future  State 
 of  Rewards  and  Punifhments,  be  in 
 general  deducible  from  right  Reafon  ; 
 Yet  fuch  is  the  prefent  corrupt  Eftate 
 and  Condition  of  Mankind  in  the 
 World,  that  very  few  are  able;  in  rea- 
 lity and  effecT,  to  difcover  thefe  things 
 clearly  and  plainly  for  themfelves  7 
 but  Men  have  great  need  of  particu- 
 lar Teaching,    and  much  Infrruction. 
 
 154 
 
 Men  hindered  from  dif covering  and  under- 
 Jianding  religious  Truths,  by  Careleflhefs 
 and  Want  of  Attention.  1  5  <> 
 
 And  by  early  Prejudices  and  Falfe  No- 
 tions. JeJ 
 
 And  by  Senfual  Appetites,  Paflions,  and 
 Worldly  Bufinefs.  j  5  8 
 
 And  above  all,  by  vitious  Habits  and  Prac- 
 tifes.  1 6c 
 
 Wherefore  Men  have  great  need  to  be 
 Taught  and  Inftructed  in  matters  of  Re- 
 ligion. 1  c  2 
 
 The  great  Ufe  and  Necejfity  of  an  Order  of 
 Preachers.  16% 
 
 Prop.    VI.    That  all   the  Teaching  and 
 (b  3)  Inftrudiun 
 
The  Contents.  ; 
 
 InftruSian  of  the  beft  Heathen  Phi- 
 lofophers,  was  for  many  Reafons  ut- 
 terly inefficient   to  reform  Mankind 
 
 166 
 
 That  there  have  been  hi  the  Heathen 
 World,  fome  excellent  Teachers  of  Mora- 
 lity. 167 
 Who  fcem  to  have  been  defigned  by  Provi- 
 dence, to  bear  witnefs  again  ft  the  wick" 
 ednefs  of  the  Nations  wherein  they  lived. 
 
 168 
 But  yet    ftoneofthefe  Men  were  ever  able 
 to  reform  the  World  with  any  confderable 
 Succefs.  1 70 
 
 Becanfe  they  have  been  but  very  Few,  that 
 have  in  eamcft  fet  themfelves  about  that 
 excellent  work.  173 
 
 Ayid  thofe  Few,  were  entirely  ignorant  of 
 fome  Dotfrines  abfolutely  necefary  to  the 
 bringing  about  that  great  End.  1 76 
 
 Particularly,  they  were  ignorant,  in  what  Man- 
 ner God  will  be  acceptably  worfiipped.  1 78 
 And  in  what  Method  God  would  be  reconci- 
 led to  returning  Sinners.  181 
 And  other  Doctrines  abfolutely  necejfary  to 
 the  fame  end,  they  were  very  doubtful  and 
 uncerta  in  about.  183 
 And  thofe  things  which  they  were  certain  of 
 yet  they  were  not  able  to  prove  and  expla'm 
 clearly  and  diftin&lv  enough.  188 
 And  thofe   things  which  they  were  able  to 
 prove  and  explain  clearly  anddiftin&ly 
 
 enough 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 enough,  yet  they  hadnot  fuffcient  Authcr 
 rity  to  inforce  in  Practife.  193 
 
 Prop.  VII.  That  there  was  plainly  want- 
 ing a  Divine  Revelation,  to  recover 
 Mankind  out  of  their  univerfally  de- 
 generate Eftate :  And  that  both  the 
 Neceffities  of  Men,  and  their  Nitu- 
 ral  Notions  of  God,  gave  them  rea- 
 fonable  ground  to  hope  for  luch  a  Reve- 
 lation. 197 
 
 A  divine  Revelation  very  neceflary  for  the 
 recovery  of  Mankind.  198 
 
 That  it  was  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  Nature 
 and  right  Reafon,  to  expect  or  hope  for  fuch 
 a  divine  Revelation.  201 
 
 The  unreafonablenefs  of  Modem  Deifls,  in 
 denying  the  Want  and  Ufe  of  a  Revelation, 
 
 207 
 
 The  great  Neceffity  and  Ufe  of  Divine  Re- 
 velation. 2C  9 
 
 Tet  God  was  not  ahfolutely  Obliged,  to  afford 
 Men  the  help  of  fuch  a  Revelation.         214 
 
 7/^wto/Univerfality,  no  fufficient  Objection  , 
 again  ft  the  Truth  of  a  Revelation.         215 
 
 Prop^  VIII.  That  there  is  no  other  Re- 
 ligion  now   in   the    World,    but  the 
 Chriftian,  that  has  any   juft    Pretenfe 
 or  tolerable  appearance  of  Reafon  to  be 
 b  4  efteemed 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 cflcemed  fuch   a  Divine   Revelation 
 
 218 
 
 Of  the  Mahometan  Religion.  219 
 
 Of  the  Jewifh  Religion.  ibid. 
 
 Prop.  IX.  That  the  Chriftian  Religion 
 has  all  the  Marks  and  Proofs  of  its  be- 
 ing aftually  and  truly  a  Divine  Reve- 
 lation, that  any  Divine  Revelation, 
 fuppofing  it  was  true,  could  reaso- 
 nably be  imagined  or  defired4to  have. 
 
 220 
 
 The  Marks   of   a    Religion   coming  from 
 God.  ibid. 
 
 Prop.  X.  That  the  Praftical  Duties, 
 which  the  Chriftian  Religion  injoins, 
 are  all  fuch,  as  are  moft  agreeable  to 
 our  natural  Notions  of  Cod,  and 
 moft  perfeftive  of  the  Nature  and  con- 
 ducive to  the  Happinefs  and  Well-being 
 of  Men.  222 
 
 Proved  in  the  fever aZInftances  of 'Duty.  ibid. 
 
 This,  # great  Evidence  of  a  Religion  coming 
 
 from  God,  228, 
 
 Prop*  XL 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 Prop.  XI.  That  the  Motives,  by  which 
 the  Chriftian  Religion  inforces  the 
 Pra&ife  of  the#Duties  it  injoyns,  are 
 fuch  as  are  mod  fuitable  to  the  excel- 
 lent Wifdom  of  God,  and  mod  anfwe- 
 rable  to  the  natural  Expectations  of 
 Men.  232 
 
 Of  the  Acceptablenefs  of  true  Repentance, 
 as  a  motive  to  Obedience.  ibid. 
 
 Of  the  Divine  Affiftance,  as  another  Motive 
 to  Obedience.  234 
 
 Of  the  clear  difcovery  of  future  Rewards 
 and  Punilhments,  as  another  Motive  to 
 Obedience.  236 
 
 Prop.  XII.  That  the  peculiar  Manner 
 and  Circumftances,  with  which  the 
 Chriftian  Religion  injoyns  the  Duties, 
 and  urges  the  Motives  before-mentio- 
 ned 5  are  exa&ly  confonant  to  the  Dic- 
 tates of  found  Reafon,  or  the  unpreju- 
 diced Light  of  Nature  ,  and  moft  wifely 
 perfe&ive  of  it.  239 
 
 Proved,  by  particular  Inftances.  ibid. 
 
 An  Anfwer  to  the  Obje&ion  drawn  from  the 
 
 Divisions  among  Cbriftians,  241 
 
 Prop.    XIII.  That   all  the  Credenda,   or 
 Doftrines,  which  the  Chriftian  Reli- 
 gion 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 gion  requires  our  particular  Affent 
 to  j  are  agreeable  to  unprejudiced  Rea- 
 fon  ^  have  every  one^of  them  a  natural 
 Tendency  and  direft* Influence,  to  re- 
 form Mens  Manners;  and  do  Together 
 make  up  the  molt  confiftent  and  ratio- 
 nal Scheme  of  Belief,  in  the  World. 
 
 244 
 
 Of  the  One  Supreme  God.  ibid. 
 
 Of  the  Only-begotten  Son  of  God.  245 
 Of  the  Holy  Spirit.  247 
 
 Of  the  Creation  of  the  Univerfe.  ibid. 
 Of  the  Formation  of  the  Earth.  249 
 
 Of  the  continual  Government  e/Providence. 
 
 Of  Par  adife,  and  the  Lofs  of  it  by  Shu  252 
 Of  the  Flood.  255 
 
 Of  Gods  revealing  himfelf  to  the  Patriarchs, 
 
 and  giving  the  Law  to  the  Jews.  2  5:4 
 
 Of  the  other  Particulars  of  Scriptttre-hifiory 
 
 in  the  Old  Teftament.  2  $5 
 
 Of  Gods  fending  his  Son  into  the  World,  for 
 
 the  Redemption  of  Mankind.  257 
 
 That  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  fuppofe  God 
 
 making  a  Revelation  of  his  Will  to  Men. 
 
 That  it  is  notunreafonableto  believe  that  God 
 would  appoint  #  Sacrifice  or  Expiation  for 
 Sin.  ibid. 
 
 That  it  is  not  unreafonable  to  believe,  that  a 
 Me&iatour  fiould  be  appointed  between  God 
 and  Man.  261 
 
 Of 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 Of  the  Objection  drawn  from  the  Dignity  of 
 the  Perfon,  whom  we  believe  to  be  our  Me- 
 diator  and  Redeemer.  262 
 
 Of  the  Objection  drawn  from  the  Chrijlian  Re- 
 velationnot  being  in  fact  Univerfal.  ^  269 
 
 Of  the  other  Particulars  of  Scripture- hiflory, 
 contained  in  the  New  Teftament.  ^    270 
 
 Of  the  Day  of  Judgment,  and  Chrift  the 
 Judge.  273 
 
 Of  the  Refurre&ion  of  the  Body  274 
 
 Of  the  Rcfurrection  of  the  fame  Body.     276 
 
 Of  the  Eternal  Happineis  of 'the  BU [(fed,  and 
 the  Eternal  Punifhment  of  the  Damned. 
 
 279 
 
 All  the  Articles  of  our  Belief  agreeable  to 
 Right  Reafon.  28? 
 
 Every  one  ofthejn  has  a  direct  Tendency  and 
 
 powerful  Influence  to  reform  Mens  Man- 
 ners. 284 
 
 And  All  of  them  Together,  wake  up  the  moft 
 confiftentand  rational  Scheme  of  Belief 
 in  the  World.  290 
 
 Prop.  XIV.  That  the  Chriftian  Revela- 
 tion is  pofitively  and  directly  proved 
 to  be  fent  to  us  from  God,  by  the  Mira- 
 cles which  our  Saviour  worked  :,  by 
 the  fulfilling  of  the  Prophecies  ,  and 
 by  the  Teftimony   of  the   Apoftles 
 
 292 
 
 Of  the  Life  and  Character  of  our  Saviour, 
 
 as 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 as  an  Evidence  of  the  Truth  of  the  Cbrifil- 
 an  Revelation.  295 
 
 Of  the  Miracles  of  Chrifi,  as  the  Evidence 
 of  his  Divine  Commijjion.  1 94. 
 
 Of  Miracles  in  general.  296 
 
 That  in  refpetf  of  the  Power  of  God,  all  things 
 are  alike  eafy.  ibid. 
 
 That  thereforeM-irzcles  ought  not  to  he  defin- 
 ed by  any  abfolute  Difficulty  in  the  Na- 
 ture of  the  things  themfelves  to  he  done.iyj 
 
 What  degrees  of  Power  God  may  have  com- 
 municated to  Created  Beings,  is  not  poffi- 
 hle  for  us  to  determine.  ibid. 
 
 That  therefore  a  Miracle  is  yiot  rightly  defin- 
 ed to  he  fuch  an  Ejfeft,  as  could  not  have 
 been  produced  by  any  lefs  Power  than  the 
 Divme  Opnipotence.  298 
 
 All  things  that  are  done  in  the  World,  are  done 
 either  immediately  by  God  himfelf,  or  by 
 created  Intelligent  Beings  ^  Matter  being 
 capable  of  no  Laws  or  Powers.  And  confe- 
 quently  there  is  properly  J peaking  no  fuch 
 thing  as  the  Courfe  or  Power  of  Nature. 
 
 300 
 
 That  therefore  a  Miracle  is  not  rightly  defin- 
 ed^ to  be  that  which  is  againft  the  Courfe 
 of  Nature  or  above  the  natural  Powers 
 of  Created  Agents.  301 
 
 The  mreafonablenefsofthofe,  who  deny  the 
 PoiTibility  of  Miracles  in  general.     302 
 
 Some  Effefts  prove  the  conftant  Providence  of 
 God, and  others  prove  the  occaflonal  Inter- 
 position either  of  Go&himfelf,  or  offovie 
 .    Intelligent  Being  Superior  to  Men     304 
 Whether  fuch  Interposition  be  the  immediate 
 work  of  God,  or  of  fame  Goo&or  Evil  An- 
 gel 1 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 gel  •,    can  hardly  he  dif cove  red  merely  by 
 the  "Work  it  felf  30? 
 
 That  there  is  no  reafon  to  fuppofe  all  the 
 Wonders  worked  by  Evil  Spirits,  to  be 
 mere  Delufions.  306 
 
 How  we$  are  to  diftivguijl)  Miracles  wrought 
 by  God  for  the  proof  of  any  Dotlrine, 
 from  the  Frauds  of  Evil  Spirits.       ibid. 
 
 The  difference  between  thofe  who  teach  that 
 the  immediate  Power  of  God  is,  or  is  not, 
 oiece/farily  requijite  to  the  working  of  a  Mi- 
 racle-, is  not  very  great  at   bottom.     310 
 
 The  true  Definition  of  a  Miracle.  311 
 
 The  Strength  of  the  Evidence  of  our  Saviours 
 Miracles.  312 
 
 Concerning  the  Objection,  that  we  prove  in  a 
 Circle  the  Miracles  by  the  Doctrine,  and 
 the  Doctrine  by  the  Miracles.  ibid. 
 
 Of  the  pretended  Miracles  of  Apollonius 
 and  Others.  315; 
 
 Of  the  fulfilling  the  Prophecies,  as  an  Evi- 
 dence of  our  Saviours  Divine  Commijfioji. 
 
 517 
 
 Of  the  Prophecies  that  went  before,  con- 
 cerning the  Meffiah.  ibid. 
 
 Of  the  Prophecies  that  Chrift  himfelf  de- 
 livered, concerning  things  that  were  to 
 happen  after.  320 
 
 Of  the  Teftimony  of  our  Saviours  Difci- 
 pies,  as  an  evidence  of  the  Truth  of  the 
 ChriJHan  Revelation.  322 
 
 What  things  are  requijite  to  make  the  Tefli- 
 viony  of  our  Saviours  Difciples  a  complete 
 Evidence.  ibid. 
 
 That  the  Apoftles  could  not  be  itnpofed 
 upon  themielvej,.  ibid. 
 
 That 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 That  they  coidd  have  no  defign  of  impofmg 
 upon  Others.  324 
 
 That  the  Apoflles  Tejlimony  has  been  truly 
 conveyed  down  to  Us.  327 
 
 Of  the  Authority  of  the  Boolcs  of  Holy 
 Scripture.  *       328 
 
 Prop.  XV.  That  they  who  will  not,  by 
 the  Arguments  and  Proofs  before-men- 
 tioned, be  convinced  of  the  Truth 
 and  Certainty  of  the  Chriftian  Reli- 
 gion ^  would  not  be  convinced  by  any 
 other  Evidence  whatfoever ;  no,  not 
 though  one  fhould  rife  on  purpofefrom 
 the  Dead  to  indeavour  to  convince  them. 
 
 330 
 
 That  the  Evidence  which  God  has  afforded  us 
 of  the  Truth  of  our  Religion,  i^  abundantly 
 Sufficient.  ibid. 
 
 That  the  Caufe  of  Mens  Unbelief,  is  not 
 Want  of  better  Evidence  to  prove  the 
 great  Truths  ofReligioju  332 
 
 But  that  Wickednefs  and  ungovernedLufis, 
 are  the  only  Caufes  of  objlinate  Infi- 
 delity. 335 
 
 Andfo  long  as  Men  are  under  the  Dominion 
 of  their  Lull.?,  they  would  not  be  convinced, 
 though  the  Evidence  of  Religion  was  even 
 much  ftronger  than  it  is.  336 
 
 Nayy  not  even  though  one  Jhould rife  on  purpofe 
 from  the  Dead  to  convince  them  338 
 
 That  therefore  'tis  abfolutely  neceffary  in  the 
 firfi  place,  that  Men  become  impartially 
 willing  to  imbrace  all  Truth,  and  to  obey 
 
 all 
 
The  Contents. 
 
 all  reafonable  Obligations.^  940 
 
 That  Men  offucb  a  Difpojition  would  be 
 
 religions,  though  the  Evidences  of  Religion 
 
 were  much  lefs  than  they  are.  342 
 
 lhat  God  may  require  us  to  take  notice  of 
 
 fotne  things  at  our  peril.  3  44 
 
DEMONSTRATION 
 
 O  F     T  H  E 
 
 Being  and  Attributes 
 
 G    6    Di 
 
 More  particularly  in  Anfwer  t<3 
 Mr  Hobbs,  SpmZ*a,  and  their  Fol- 
 lowers^ 
 
 LL  thofe  who  either  are,  or  pre- Tks  inir** 
 tend  to  be  Atheijls-,  who.  either  ^#'<^ 
 difbelieve  the  Being  of  God,  or 
 would  be  thought  to  do  fo  $  or, 
 which  is  all  one,-  who  deny  the 
 Principal  Attributes  of  the  Di-  J 
 
 vine  Nature,  and  fuppofe  God 
 to  be  an  Unintelligent  Being,which  ads  merely 
 hy  Neceffity  v  that  is,  itfhich,  in  any  tolerable 
 B  Propriety 
 
2.  A  Demonjlration  of  the 
 
 Propriety  of  Speech,  ads  not  at  all,  tut  is 
 only  acted  upon  :  All  Men  that  are  Atheijis, 
 I  fay,  in  this  Senfe,  muft  be  lo  upon  one *  or 
 other,  of  thefe  three  Accounts. 
 A'he'fm  *■■     Either,  Fir  ft,  Becaufe  being  extremely  5g- 
 rifct  from  nov&kt  and  ftupid,  they  have  never  duly  con- 
 fi upid  ig-  fibred  any  thing  at  all  •,  nor  made  any  juft 
 ufe  of  their  natural  Reafon,  to  difcover  even 
 the  plainer!  and  moft  obvious  Truths  -,  but 
 have  fpent  their  Time  in  a  manner  of  Life 
 very  little  Superiour  to  that  of  Beafts. 
 Or  from        Or,  Secondly,  Becaufe  being  totally  debauch- 
 grtfs  Cor-  C(j  an(|  corrupted  in  their  Pra&ife,  they  have, 
 ™i!iwers:  k)r  a  vici°us  an<i  degenerate  Life,  corrupted 
 '  the  Principles  of  their  Nature,  and  defaced 
 the  Reafon  of  their  own  Minds  $  and  inftead 
 of  fairly  and  impartially  enquiring  into  the 
 Rules  and    Obligations  of  Nature,  and  the 
 Reafon  and  Fitnefs  of  Things,  have  accurtom- 
 cd  themfelves  only  to  mock  and  feoff  at  Re- 
 ligion •,  and,  being  under  the  Power  of  Evil 
 Habits,  and  the  Slavery  of  Unreafonable  and 
 Indulged  Lufts,  are  refolved  not  to  hearken  to' 
 any  Reafoning  which  would  oblige  them  to 
 forfake  their  beloved  Vices. 
 or  frm        Or,  Thirdly,  Becaufe  in  the  way  of  Specu- 
 falfe  Phi-  lat'lve  Reafoning,  and  upon  the  Principles  of 
 W&h     philofophy,  they  pretend  that  the  Arguments 
 ufed  againft  the  Being  or  Attributes  of  God,' 
 feem  to  them,  after  the  ftricteft  and  fulleft  in- 
 quiry, to  be  more  ftrong  and  conclufive,  than 
 thofe  by  which  we  indeavour  to  prove  thefe 
 great  Truths. 
 
 Thefe  feem  the  only  Caufes  that  can  be  ima- 
 gined, of  any  Man's  disbelieving  the  Being 
 et  Attributes  of  God  -,  and  no  Man  can  be  fup- 
 pofed  to  be  an  Atheift,  but  upon  one  or  other 
 
 of 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.        g 
 
 of  thefe  three  Accounts.  Now  to  the  two  former 
 of  thefe  three  forts  of  Men  •,  namely,  to  fuch 
 as  are  wholly  ignorant  and  ftupid,  or  to  fuch 
 as  through  habitual  Debauchery  have  brought 
 themfelves  to  a  Cuftom  of  mocking  and  fecf- 
 fing  at  all  Religion,  and  will  not  hearken  to 
 any  fair  Reafoning  ^  it  is  not  my  prcfent  Bu- 
 finefs  to  apply  my  felf.     The  One  of  thefe, 
 wants  to  be  inftrucled  in  the  fir  ft  Principles  of 
 Rcafon,  as  well  as  of  Religion  ;  The  Other  dis- 
 believes only  for  a  prcfent  falfe  Intereft,  and 
 becaufe  he  is  defirous  that  the  Thing  fhould 
 not  be  true.  The  One  has  not  yet  arrived  to  the 
 ufe  of  his  natural  Faculties :  The  other  has  ?e- 
 iminced  them,  and  declares  he  will  not  be  ar- 
 gued with,as  a  rational  Creature.'Tis  therefore 
 the  third  fort  of  Atheifts  only  (namely  rhofe 
 who  in  the  way  of  Speculative  Reafoning,  and 
 upon  the   Principles  of  Philofophy  pretend 
 that  the  Arguments  brought  againft  the  Be^ 
 ing  or  Attributes  of  God,  do,  upon  the  ftric- 
 teft  and  fulleft  Examination,  appear  to  them 
 to  l^e  more  ftrong  and  conclufive,  than  thofe 
 by  which  thefe  great  Truths  are  attempted  to 
 be  proved  *,)  Thefe,  I  fay,  are  the  only  Atheis- 
 tical Perfons,  to  whom  my  prefent  Difcourfe 
 can  be  fuppofed  to  be  directed,  or  indeed  who 
 are  capable  of  being  reafoned  with  at  all 
 
 Now  before  I  enter  upon  the  main  Argu- 
 ment, I  fhall  premife  feveral  ConcefTions, 
 which  thefe  Men,  upon  their  own  Principles, 
 are  unavoidably  obliged  to  make. 
 
 And  Fir  ft  ^  They  mull  of  neceifity  own,  that  The  Being 
 fuppofing  it  cannot  be  proved  to  be  true,  yet^^7 
 atleaft  'tis  a  thing  very  defirable,  and  which 
 any  wife  Man  would  wiili  to  be  true,  for  the 
 great  Benefit  and  Happinefs  of  Men  *  that 
 B  2  there 
 
4  A  Demonjlratiori  of  the 
 
 there  was  a  God,  an  Intelligent  and  Wife,  % 
 Juft  and  Good  Being,  to  govern  the  World. 
 "Whatever  Hypothesis  thefe  Men  can  poffibly 
 frame  •  whatever  Argument  they  can  invent, 
 fcy  which  they  would  exclude  God  and  Pro- 
 vidence out  of  the  World  •,  That  very  Argu- 
 ment   or  Hypothefis,    will  of  neceflity  lead 
 them  to  this  Conceflion.     If  they  argue,  that 
 our  Notion  of  God  arifes  not  from  Nature  and 
 Reafoiij  but  from  the  Art  and  Contrivance  of 
 Politicians  $  That  Argument  itfelf  forces  them 
 to  confefs,  that  'tis  manifeftly  for  the  Intereft 
 of  Humane  Society,  that  it  fhould  be  believ- 
 ed there  is  a  God.     If  they  fuppofe  that  the 
 World  was  made  by  Cbafice,  and  is  every  Mo- 
 ment   fubjeft  to  be  deftroyed  by  Chance  a- 
 gain  ^  no  Man  can  be  fo  abfurd  as  to   con- 
 tend, that  'tis  as  comfortable  and  deferable  to 
 live  in  fuch   an   uncertain  State   of   things, 
 and  *  fo  continually  liable  to 
 *  Maria  ac  Terras  C^lumq;     Ruin,    without   any  Hope    of 
 Undies  da&fr  *|itio;  mul-     Renovation  •  as  in  a  World  that 
 Saftemr?r«t  moles  &  ma-     wer€     under    the    Prefervati- 
 china  Mundi.  on  and  Conducl  of  a  Power- 
 
 •Dietis  dabit  ipfa     fLli    wife  and  Good  God.     If 
 
 fidem  res  ^'  .    agajnfl.  ^g  Being 
 
 Fcrfican,   a    graviccr  rerra-        r  ;h    i    °r        D  -l       -n     i.  j 
 
 rummotibusorbis  of  God,    from  the  Faults  and 
 
 Omnia  conqukffari  in  parvo     Defects    which    they   imagine 
 
 tempore  cernes,  ^ey  can    £nc[   Jn    the  Frame 
 
 ■Luaet.  l,b.  V        ^  (fafcpjfcfc  Qf  tne  ViflbU 
 
 and  Material  World  5  this  Suppofition  obliges 
 them  to  acknowledge,  that  it  would  have 
 been  better  the  World  had  been  made  by  an 
 Intelligent  and  Wife  Being,  who  might  have 
 prevented  all  Faults  and  Imperfections.  If 
 they  argue  againft  Providence,  from  the  Faul- 
 tinefs  and  Inequality  which  they  think  they 
 
 difcover 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.  s 
 
 difcover  in    the  Management  of  the   Mo>al 
 World  ^  this   is  a  plain  ConfefTion,   that  'tis 
 a  thing  more  fit  and  deferable  in  itftlf,  that 
 the  World  fhould  be  governed  by  a  Juft  and 
 Good  Being,  than  by  mere   Chance  or  Un- 
 intelligent Neceffity/  Laftly,  if  they  fuppofe 
 the    World    to  be  eternally  and  necefTariiy 
 Self-exijlent  5    and    confequently    that    every 
 thing  in  it,  is  eftablifhed  by  a  Blind  and  Eter- 
 nal Fatality  ^  no  rational  Man  can  at  the  fame 
 time  deny,  but  that  Liberty  and  Choice,  o-  a 
 Free  Power  of  Acting,  is  a  more  eligible  State, 
 than  to  be  deternined  thus  in  all  our  Actions, 
 as  a  Stone  is  to  move  downward,  by  an  abfolute 
 and  inevitablgfcFate.  In  a  word,  which  way  fo- 
 ever  they  turn,  themfelves,  and  whatever  Hy- 
 pothesis they  make,  concerning  the  Original 
 and  Frame  of  Things  •,    Nothing  is  fo  certain 
 and  undeniable,  as  that  Man,  considered  with- 
 out the  Protection  and  Conduit  of  a  Superi- 
 our  Being,  is  in  a  far  worfe  Cafe  -,  than  upon 
 Snppolition  of  the  Being  and  Government  of 
 God,  and  of  Mens  being  under  his  peculiar 
 Conduct,  Protection  and  Favour.  Man  of  hini- 
 felf  is  infinitely  infufricient  for  his  own  Hap- 
 pinefs  :  *  He  is  liable  to  many  Evils  and  Mijeries,  *  JrchBp. 
 which  he  can  neither  prevent  nor  redrefs :  He  is  TiHoclbifj 
 fall  of  Wants  which    he  cannot  f apply,  and  com-  i0b  2%u 
 pa  fed  about  with  Infirmities  which  he  cannot  re-  is, 
 vwve^  and  obnoxious  to  Dangers   which  he  can  ne- 
 ver fujfciently  provide  again]} :  He  is  fe cure  of  no- 
 thing  that  he  enjoys  in  this  World,  and  uncertain 
 of  every  thing  that  he  hopes  for :  He  is  apt  to 
 grieve  for  what  he  cannot  help,  and  eagerly  to  de- 
 fire  wh.it  he  is  never  likely  to  obtain,  &c.     Un- 
 der which    evil   Circumftances  'tis    tnanifeft 
 there  can  be  no  fufficient  Support,  but  in  the 
 B  3  Belief 
 
6  A  'Demonftration  of  the 
 
 Belief  of  a  Wife  and  Good  Cod,  and  in  the 
 Hopes  which  true  Religion  affords.  Whether 
 therefore  the  Being  and  Attributes  of  God 
 can  be  demovjl  rated  or  not  •,  it  mutt  at  leaft  be 
 confefled  by  all  rational  and  wife  Men,  to  be 
 a  thing  very  Dcjirable,  and  which  they  would 
 heartily  Jfijh  to  be  true,  that  there  were  a 
 God,  an  Intelligent  and  Wife,  a  Jufl  and  Good 
 Being,  to  Govern  the  World. 
 
 Now  the  Ufe  I  defire  to  make  of  this  Con^ 
 ceffion,  is  only  this  ;  That  fince  the  Men  I  am 
 arguing  with,  are  unavoidably  obliged  to  con- 
 fers, that  'tis  a  thing  very  deferable  at  leaft, 
 that  there  fhould  be  a  God  h  they  muft  of  ne- 
 ceffity,  upon  their  own  Prinriples,  be  very 
 willing,  nay,  defirous  above  ail  things,  to  be 
 convinced  that  their  prefent  Opinion  is  an 
 Errour,  and  fincerely  hope  that  the  contrary 
 may  be  demonftrated  to  them  to  be  true  ^  and 
 confequently  they  are  bound  with  all  feriouf- 
 nefs,  attention  and  impartiality,  to  confider 
 the  weight  of  the  Arguments,  by  which  the 
 Being  and  Attributes  of  God  may  be  proved  to 
 them. 
 Scoffitig  at     Secondly,  All  fuch  Perfons  as  I  am  fpeaking 
 
 F<dlg'°"lltyoL  who  profefs  themMves  to  be  Atheifts,  not 
 mexc"  able      »  *  „  „  *    ,  »     . 
 
 upon  any  preient  Intereit  or  Luft,  but  purely 
 upon  the  Principles  of  Reafon  and  Philofophy  •, 
 are  bound  b}^  thefe  Principles  to  acknowledge, 
 that  all  mocking  and  fcofring  at  Religion,  all 
 jetting  and  turning  Arguments  of  Reafon  in- 
 to Drollery  and  Ridicule,  is  the  moil  unman- 
 ly and  unreafonable  thing  in  the  World  :  And 
 c  nfequently  they  are  obliged  to  exclude  out 
 of  their  Number,  as  Irrational  and  Self-con- 
 demned Perfons,  and  unworthy  to  be  argued 
 wjth,  all  fuch  Scoffers  at  Religion,  who  de- 
 ride 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.  7 
 
 ride  at  a  venture  without  hearing  Reafon  * 
 and  who  will  not  ufe  the  Means,  of  being  con- 
 vinced and  fatisfied.  Hearing  the  jReafon  of 
 the  Cafe  with  Patience  and  Unprejudicednefs, 
 is  an  Equity  which  Men  owe  to  every  Truth 
 that  can  in  any  manner  concern  them  3  and 
 which  is  neceffary  to  the  Difcovery  of  every 
 Kind  of  Err  our  :  How  much  more  in  things  of 
 the  utmoft  Importance ! 
 
 Thirdly,  Since  the  Perfons  I  am  difcourfing  Virtue aim 
 to,  cannot  but  own,  that  the  Suppoiition  of^ 
 the  Being  of  God,  is  in  it  felf  moit  definable,  ™fti <   l*m 
 and  for  the  benefit  of  the  World,  that  it  ihould  cejfary. 
 be  true  •,  They  muft  of  Neceflity  grant  further, 
 that  fuppofing  the   Being    and  Attributes  of 
 God,  to  be  things  not  indeed  Demountable  to 
 be  true,  but  only  Pojfible,  and  fuch  as  cannot 
 be  demonstrated  to  be  falfe-  as  rnoft  certainly 
 they  cannot :  And  much  more,  fuppofing  them 
 once  made  to  appear  Probable,  and  but  more 
 likely  to  be  true,  than  the  contrary  Opinion : 
 Nothing  is    more  evident,    even   upon  thefe 
 Suppofitions  only,  than  that  Men  ought    in 
 all  reafon  to  live  pioufly  and  virtuoufly  in  the 
 World  •,   and  that  Yice  and    Immorality  are, 
 upon  all  Accounts,  and  under  all  Hypotheles, 
 the  moft  abfurd  and   inexcufable  Things  in 
 Nature. 
 
 Thus  much  being  premifed,  which  no  A- 
 theift  who  pretends  to  be  a  rational  and  fair 
 Inquirer  into  Things,  can  poilibly  avoid 
 granting  •  (and  other  Atheifts  I  have  before 
 laid,  are  not  to  be  difputed  with  at  all ;  as 
 being  Enemies  to  Reafon,  no  lefs  than  to  Reli- 
 gion, and  therefore  abfolutely  Self-condemn- 
 ed:) I  proceed  now  to  the  main  Thing  I  at 
 firfl:  propofed  h  namely,  to  endeavour  to  fhow, 
 B  4  to 
 
A  Temohjfration  of  the 
 
 tp  fiich  cpnfidering  Perfbns  as  I  have  already 
 defcribedjthat  the  Being  and  Attributes  of  God, 
 are  not  only  poffuSle  or  barely  probable  in 
 themfelves,  but  alfo  ftri&ly  demonftrable  to 
 any  unprejudiced  Mind,  from  the  moft  uncon- 
 teftable  Principles  of  Right  Reafon. 
 
 And  here,  becaufe  the  Perfons  I  am  at  pre- 
 fent  dealing  with,  mull:  be  fuppofed  not  to  be- 
 lieve any  Revelation,  nor  acknowledge  any 
 Authority  which  they  will  fubmit  to,  but  on- 
 ly the  bare  force  of  Rep.foning  :  I  fhall  not, 
 at  this  time,  draw  any  Teftimony  from  Scrip- 
 ture, nor  make  ufe  of  any  fort  of  Authority, 
 nor  lay  any  ftrefs  upon  any  popular  Argu- 
 ments in  the  Matter  before  us  5  but  confine 
 my  felf  to  the  Rules  of  ftricl  and  demonftrative 
 Argumentation. 
 
 Now  many  Arguments  there  are,  by  which 
 the  Being  and  Attributes  of  God  have  been 
 undertaken  to  be  Dcmov ft  rated :  And  perhaps 
 moft  of  thofe  Arguments,  if  throughly  under- 
 frood,  rightly  dated,  fully  purfued,  and  duly 
 feparated  from  the  falfe  or  uncertain  Reafon- 
 ings,  which  h$ve  fometimes  been  intermixed 
 with  them,  would  at  length  appear  to  be  fub- 
 ftantial  and  conclufive.  But  becaufe  I  would 
 endeavour,  as  far  as  pofnble,  to  avoid  all 
 manner  of  perplexity  and  confufioa$  therefore 
 I  fhall  not  at  this  Time  ufe  any  Variety  of 
 Arguments,  but  endeavour  by  One  clear  and 
 plain  Scries  of  Proportions  neceflarily  connec- 
 ted and  following  one  from  another,  to  de- 
 monfrrate  the  Certainty  of  the  Being  of  God, 
 and  to  deduce  in  order,  the  Neceflary  Attri- 
 butes cf  his  Nature,  fo  far  as  by  our  Finite 
 Reafon  we  are  enabled  to  difcover  and  appre- 
 hend them.  And  becaufe  it  is  not  to  my  pre- 
 fect ivjrpofe  to  cxpVi'ii  or  illuftrate  things  to 
 
 Thern 
 
Being  and  Attributes  cf  Ccd.         p 
 
 Them  that  Believe,  but  only  to  convince  Un- 
 believers, and  fettle  them  that  Doubt,  by 
 ftridt  and  undeniable  Reafoning  •  therefore 
 I  fhall  not  allege  any  thing,  which  however 
 really  true  and  ufeful,  may  yet  be  liable  to 
 contradiction  or  difpute  h  but  fhall  indeavour 
 to  urge  fuch  Proportions  only,  as  cannot  be 
 denied  without  departing  from  that  Reafon, 
 which  all  Atheifts  pretend  to  be  the  Founda- 
 tion of  their  Unbelief.  Only  it  is  abfolute- 
 ly  NeceiTary  before  all  Things,  that  they 
 confent  to  lay  aiide  all  manner  of  Prejudi- 
 ces ^  and  efpecially  fuch,  as  have  been  apt 
 to  arife  from  the  too  frequent  Ufe  of  Terms  of 
 Art,  which  have  no  Ideas  belonging  to  them  - 
 and  from  the  common  receiving  certain  Max- 
 ims ofPbilofophy  as  true,  which  at  the  Bottom 
 ieem  to  be  only  Proportions  without  any  Mean- 
 ing or  Salification  at  all, 
 
 I.  Firft  then,  it  is  Abfolutely  and  Undeni-  Something 
 ably  certain,  that  Something  has  Exijledfrom  all  muft  h-lve 
 Eternity.     This  is  fo  evident  and  Undeniable  i*^'//w. 
 a  Propofition,  that  no  Atheift  in  any  Age  has  Jt™.      ~' 
 ever  prefumed    to  affert  the    contrary  •,  and 
 therefore  there  is  little  need  of  being  parti- 
 cular in    the    proof  of  it.      For  fince  Some- 
 thing now  Is  5    'tis  manifeft  that   Something 
 always  Was :    Otherwife    the     Things    that 
 Now  Are,  muft  have  rifen  out  of  Nothing, 
 abfolutely   and    without  Caufe  :   Which  is  a 
 plain  Contradiction  in  Terms.     For,    to  fay 
 a  Thing  is  produced,    and    yet  there  is    no 
 Caufe  at  all  of  that  Production,  is  to  fay  that 
 Something  is  Effetted,  when  it  is  Effe3ed  by  No- 
 thing-, that  is,  at  the  fame  time  when  it  is  not 
 Efetfed  at  all.    Whatever  Exifts,  has  a  Caufe 
 of  its  Exiftence,  either  in  the  Neccility  of  its 
 
 own 
 
i  o  A  Bemonflration  of  the 
 
 own  Nature,  and  then  it  muft  have  been  of  I* 
 felf  Eternal :  Or  in  the  Will  of  fome  other  Be- 
 ing -  and  then  That  Other  Being  muft,  at  leaft 
 in  the  order  of  Nature  and  Caufality,  have 
 Exifted  before  it. 
 eftheDif-      That   Something  therefore  has  really  Exifted 
 ry  4  from  Eternity,  is  one  of  the  certaineft  and  moft 
 £Sa*  evident  Truths  in  the  World-,  acknowledged 
 by  all  Men,  and  difputed  by  none.    Yet  as 
 to  the  Manner  how  it  can  be  ^  there  is  nothing 
 in  Nature  more  difficult  for  the  Mind  of  Man 
 to  conceive,  than  this    very   firft  Plain  and 
 Self-evident  Truth.     For,  How   any  thing  can 
 have  exifted  eternally  *,  that  is,  How  an  Eternal 
 Duration  can  he  now  actually  Paft  ^  is  a  thing  ut- 
 terly as  impoifible  for  our  narrow  Understand- 
 ings to  comprehend,  as  any  thing  that  is  not 
 an  exprefs  Contradiction  can  be  imagined  to 
 be  :  And  yet  to  deny  the  Truth  of  the  Propo- 
 rtion, that  an  Eternal  Duration  is  now  aBaally 
 pa  ft  •,  would  be  to  afTert  fomethhtg  ftill  far  more 
 Unintelligible,  even  a  real   and  exprefs  Contra- 
 ii&iov. 
 Ditpcul-        The  ufe  I  would  make  of  this  Obfervation, 
 t'm  arifmg  js  This.     That  fince  all  Queftions  concerning 
 Tim  the     t^ie  Nature  and  Perfections  of  God,  or  concern- 
 ~Matme  of  ing  any  Thing  to  which  the  Idea  of  Eternity 
 Etemity,    or  Infinity  is  joined  ^   tho5  we  can  indeed  De- 
 m  t0.dd    mollftrate  certain  Propofitions  to  be  true,  yet 
 teZjke-   '**  impoflible     for    us    to    comprehend    or 
 qu.il  in  all  frame  any  adequate  or  complete  Ideas  of  the 
 Skppofti-i  Manner  How  the  Things  fo  demonftrated  can 
 ws'  Be  :  Therefore  when  once  any  Propofition  is 
 
 clearly  demonitrated  to  be  true  *,  it  ought  not 
 to  difturb  us,  that  there  be  perhaps  perplex- 
 ing Objections  on  the  other  fide,  which  for 
 want  of  adaequate  Ideas  of  the  Manner  of  the 
 Existence  of  the  Things  demonftrated,  are  not 
 
 eafy 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.        1 1 
 
 eafy  to  be  cleared.  Indeed,  were  it  poflible 
 there  fhould  be  any  Proportion  which  could 
 equally  be  Demonjl  rated  on  both  fides  of  the 
 Queftion,  or  which  could  on  both  fides  be  re- 
 duced to  imply  a  Contradittion  h  (as  fome  have 
 too  inconfiderately  afTerted  ♦, )  This,  it  mull:  be 
 confefTed,  would  alter  the  Cafe  ;  Upon  this 
 abfurd  Suppofition,  all  Difference  of  True  and 
 Falfe,  all  Thinking  and  Reafoning,  and  the 
 ufe  of  all  our  Faculties,  would  be  entirely  at 
 .an  End.  But  when  to  Demonftration  on  the 
 one  fide,  there  are  oppofed  on  the  other,  on- 
 ly Objections  raifed  from  our  want  of  having 
 adequate  Ideas  of  the  Things  themfelves  •,  this 
 ought  not  to  be  efteemed  a  real  Difficulty. 
 3Tis  directly  and  clearly  Demonftrable,  that 
 Something  has-been  from  Eternity:  All  the 
 Objections  therefore  raifed  againft  the  Eter- 
 nity of  any  thing,  grounded  merely  on  our 
 want  of  having  an  adequate  Idea  of  Eternity- 
 ought  to  be  looked  upon  as  of  no  real  Solidity. 
 Thus  in  other  the  like  Inftances  :  'Tis  Demonr- 
 ftrable,  for  Example,  that  Something  muft 
 be  actually  Infinite :  All  the  Metaphyseal 
 Difficulties  therefore,  which  arife  ufually  from 
 applying  the  Meafures  and  Relalations  of 
 Things  Finite,  to  what  is  Infinite  h  and  from 
 fuppofing  Finite s  to  be  [Aliquot^  Parts  of  Infi- 
 nite, when  indeed  they  are  not  properly  ib 
 but  only  as  Mathematical  Points  to  Quantity^ 
 which  have  no  Proportion  at  all  •,  (and  from 
 imagining  All  Infinites  to  be  Equal  h  when  in 
 things  difparatc  they  iranifeltly  are  not  fo-  an 
 infinite  Line,  being  not  only  not  equal  to,  but 
 iv finitely  lefs  than  an  infinite  Surface-,  and  an 
 infinite  Surface,  than  Space  infinite  in  all  Dimen- 
 fom;)  All  Metaphyseal  Difficulties,  I  fay, 
 ariiing  from  falfe  Suppoiitions  of  this  Kind ! 
 
 ought 
 
\i  A  TDemonJirapion  of  the 
 
 ought  to  be  efteemed  vain  and  of  no  forced 
 Again,  'tis  in  like  manner  Beinonitrable,  that 
 Quantity  is  infinitely  Divifible  :  All  the  Ob- 
 jections therefore  ralfed,  by  fuppofing  the 
 Sums  total  of  all  Infinites  to  be  Equal,  when  in 
 difparate  Parts  they  manifeftly  are  not  fo  $  and 
 by  comparing  the  imaginary  Equality  or  Ine- 
 quality of  the  Number  of  the  Parts  of  Unequal 
 Quantities,  whofe  Parts  have  really  no  Num- 
 ber at  all,  they  all  having  Parts  without  Nwn- 
 her  ^  ought  to  be  look'd  upon  as  weak  and  al- 
 together inconclusive :  To  ask  whether  the 
 Parts  of  unequal  Quantities  be  equal  in  Number 
 or  not,  when  they  have  No  Number  at  all  ^ 
 being  the  fame  thing  as  to  ask  whether  two 
 infinite  Lines  be  equal  in  length  or  not,  that 
 is,  whether  they  End  together,  when  neither 
 of  them  have  any  End  at  all. 
 There  muft 
 
 ktve  exiih  jj  There  has  Ex? fled  from  Eternity  t  Some  One 
 tJnTon  Unchangeable  and  Independent  Being.  For  fince 
 jndepen-  *  Something  muft  needs  have  been  from  Eter- 
 &ntfyir%.jbixj$   as  has    been  already  proved,   and    is 
 
 granted  on  all  Hands :  Either 
 f  The  meaning,  of  this  Pro-  there  has  always  Exifted  fome 
 pofeion,  rand  all  that  the  one  Unchangeable  and  hide- 
 «£3£&?Hft£  F"^  Being  from  which  all 
 Always  been  Some  independent  other  Bemgs  that  are  or  ever 
 ■tf»&  Some  One  at  leafl.  To  were  in  the  Univerfe,  have  re- 
 fhow  that  there  can  be  no  cejvy  the;r  Original  :  or  elfe 
 More   than  One.   is  not  the       ,  11  -  ,rvL*^  e„^ 
 
 Defign  of  ^/proposition,  there  has  been  an  infinite  Suc- 
 but  of  the  Seventh.  ceifion  of  changeable  and  de- 
 
 pendent Beings  produced  one 
 from  another  in  an  cndlefs  Progreifion,  with- 
 out any  Original  Caufe  at  all.  Now  this  lat- 
 ter Suppoiition  is  fo  very  abfurd,  that  tho'  all 
 Atheifm  muft  in  its  Account  of  moft  things 
 (as  {hall  be  Ihewn  hereafter)  terminate  in 
 
feeing  and  Attributes  of  Cod.        1 3 
 
 it,  yet  I  think  very  few  Atheifts  ever  were 
 fo  weak  as  openly  and  dire&Iy  to  defend  it. 
 For  it  is  plainly  impofllble  and  contradictory 
 to  itfelf.  I  fhall  not  argue  againft  it  from 
 the  fuppofed  Impoflibility  of  Infinite  Succf- 
 fion,  barely  and  abfohtety  conjidered  in  itfelf \ 
 for  a  Reafon  which  fhall  be  mentioned  here- 
 after. But,  if  we  confider  fuch  an  infinite 
 Progreflion,  as  One  entire  Endlefs  Series  of 
 Dependent  Beings  ^  'tis  plain  this  whole  Series 
 of  Beings  can  have  no  Caufe />o?;z  without ,  cf 
 its  Exiftence  ^  becaufe  in  it  are  fuppofed  to 
 be  included  all  Things  that  are  or  ever  were  in 
 the  Univerfe :  And  'tis  plain  it  can  have  no 
 Reafon  within  itfelf  of  its  Exiftence  •  becaufe 
 no  One  Being  in  this  Infinite  Succeflion  is  fup- 
 pofed to  be  Self-exiftent  or  Necejfary,  (which 
 is  the  only  Ground  or  Reafon  of  Exiftence  of 
 any  thing,  that  can  be  imagined  within  tJje 
 thing  itfelf,  as  will  prefently  more  fully  ap-  . 
 pear,)  but  every  one  Dependent  on  the  forego- 
 ing ;  And  where  no  Part  is  neceflary,  'tis  ma- 
 nifeft  the  whole  cannot  be  neceflary  ^  Abfolute 
 Neceflity  of  Exiftence,  not  being  an  outward 
 relative,  and  accidental  Determination  •,  but 
 an  inward  and  eflential  Property  of  the  Na- 
 ture of  the  Thing  which  fo  Exifts.  An  infi- 
 nite Succeflion  therefore  of  merely  Dependent 
 Beings,  without  any  Original  Independent 
 Caufe  •  is  a  Series  of  Beings,  that  has  neither 
 Neceflity  nor  Caufe,  nor  any  Reafon  at  all  of 
 its  Exiftence,  neither  within  itfelf  nor  from 
 without :  that  is,  'tis  an  exprefs  Contradiction 
 and  Impoflibility -,  'tis  a  fuppofing  Something 
 to  be  caitfed,  (becaufe  it's  granted  in  every 
 one  of  its  Stages  of  Succeflion,  not  to  be  ne- 
 ceflarily  and  from  itfelf 5)  and  yet  that  in 
 
1 4  A  Demonpration  of  the 
 
 whole,  it  is  caufed  abfohtely  by  Nothing} 
 Which  every  Man  knows  is  a  Contradi&ion  to 
 imagine  done  in  Time  •  and  becaufe  Duration 
 in  this  Cafe  makes  no  Difference,  'tis  equally 
 a  Contradiction  to  fuppofe  it  done  from  Eter- 
 nity :  And  confequently  there  muft  on  the  con- 
 trary, of  Neceflity  have  exifted  from  Eternity, 
 fome  One  Immutable  and  Independent  Being. 
 
 Otherwife,  thus.     Either  there  has  always 
 exifted  fome  One  Unchangeable  and  In&epen* 
 dent  Being,  from  which  all  other  Beings  have 
 received  their  Original  •,  or  elfe  there  has  been 
 an  infinite  Succeflion  of  changeable  and   de~ 
 pendent  Beings,  produced  one  from  another  in 
 an  endlefs  Progreffion,  without  any  Original 
 Caufe  at  all.     According  to  this  latter  Suppo- 
 lition,    there  is    Nothing  in    the    Univerfe, 
 Self-Ex iftent  or  NecefTarily-exifting.     And  if 
 fo  5  then  it  was  originally    equally  poffible, 
 that  from  Eternity  there  lhould  never  have 
 exifted  any  thing  at  all  h  as  that  there  lhould 
 from  Eternity  have  exifted   a   Succeflion  of 
 changeable  and  dependent  Beings.  "Which  be- 
 ing fuppofed  ♦,  then  What  is  it  that  has  from 
 Eternity  determined  fuch  a  Succeflion  of  Be- 
 ings to  exift,  rather  than  that  from  Eternity 
 there  fhould  never  have  exifted  any  thing  at 
 all  >  Neceffity  it  was  not  \  becaufe  it  was  equal- 
 ly poffible,    in  this    Supposition,    that  they 
 lhould  not  have  exifted  at  all ;  Chance,  is  no- 
 thing but  a  mere  Word,  without  any  Signi- 
 fication :  And  Other  Being  it  is  fuppofed  there 
 was  none,  to  determine  the  Exiftence  of  thefe. 
 Their  Exiftence  therefore  was  determined  by 
 Nothing  h  neither  by  any  Neceffity  in  the  na- 
 ture of  the  Things  themfelves,  becaufe  it  is 
 fuppofed  that  none  of  them  are  Self-exiftent  • 
 
 nor 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.        i  % 
 
 rior  by  any  other  Being,  becaufe  no  other  is 
 fuppofed  to  Exift.  That  is  to  fay  •,  Of  two 
 equally  poflible  things,  (viz.  whether  any  thing 
 or  nothing  (hould  from  Eternity  have  exifted,) 
 the  one  is  determined,  rather  than  the  other, 
 abfohtely  by  Nothing:  Which  is  an  expnfs 
 Contradiction :  And  confequently,  as  before, 
 there  muft  on  the  contrary,  of  Neceihty  have 
 exifted  from  Eternity,  fome  One  Immutable 
 and  Independent  Being.  Which,  what  it  is3  re- 
 mains in  the  next  place  to  be  inquired. 
 
 / 
 III.  That  unchangeable  and  independent  Being,  xhe  one  fr-  [ 
 
 which  has  Exifted  from  Eternity,  without  any  ex-  dependent 
 ternal  Caufe  of  its  Exift  ence^  muft  be  Self-Exiftent,  \cng^^  ■ 
 that  is,  Neceffarily-exifting.     For  whatever  Ex-  rU^ 
 ifts,  muft  either  have  come  into  Being  out  of  «£ 
 Nothing,    abfolutely   without    Caufe  -,    or  it 
 muft  have  been  produced  by  fome  External 
 Caufe-  or  it  muft  be Self-Exiftent.  Now  to  arlfe 
 out  of  Nothing,  abfolutely  without  any  Caufe- 
 has  been  already  fhown  to  be  a  plain  Contra- 
 diction.   To  have  been  produced  by  fome  Ex- 
 ternal Caufe,  cannot  poftibly  be  true  of  every 
 thing  •    but  fomething  muft  have  exifted  E- 
 temally  and  Independently  •,  as  has  likewife 
 been  fhown  already.  It  remains  therefore,  that 
 That  Being  which  has  exifted  Independently 
 from  Eternity,  muft  of  NecefTity  be  Self-ex- 
 iftent.     Now  to  be  Self-exiftent,  is  not,  to  be 
 Produced  by  itfelf;  for  that  is  an  exprefs  Con- 
 tradiction :  But  it  is,  (which  is  the  only  Idea 
 we  can  frame  of  Self-exiftence,  and  without 
 which,  the  Word  feems  to  have  no  Significati- 
 on at  all : )  It  is,  I  fay,  to  exift  by  an  Abfohtte! 
 Neceftity  originally  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  it fel ft 
 And  this  Neceliity,  muft  be  Antecedent  ;  not  in- 
 deed 
 
1 6  A  Demonstration  of  the 
 
 deed  In  Time,  to  the  Exiftence  of  the  Being  it 
 felf;  becaufe  That  is  Eternal :  but  it  muft 
 be  Antecedent  in  the  Natural  Order  of  our  ideas, 
 to  our  Suppofition  of  its  Being  •  That  is ; 
 This  Neceiilty  muft  not  barely  be  confequent 
 upon  our  Suppofition  of  the  Exiftence  of  fuch 
 a  Being  5  (For  then  it  would  not  be  a  NeceiFity 
 Abfolutely  fuch  in  it  felf,  nor  be  the  Ground 
 or  Foundation  of  the  Exiftence  of  any  thing, 
 being  on  the  contrary  only  a  Confequent  of 
 It})  But  it  muft  antecedently  force  it  felf  upon 
 us,  whether  we  will  or  no,  even  when  we  are 
 indeavouring  to  fuppofe  that  no  fuch  Being 
 Exifts.  For  Example:  "When  we  are  indea- 
 vouring to  fuppofe  that  there  is  no  Being  in 
 the  Univerfe  that  exifts  NecefTarily  ;  we  al- 
 ge  12,  ways  find  in  our  Minds,  (befldes  the  foregoing 
 **  Demonstration  of  Something  being  Self-exift- 
 ent,  from  the  Impoifibility  of  every  Thing's 
 being  dependent*)  We  always  find  in  our 
 Minds,  I  fay,  fome  Ideas,  as  of  Infinity  and 
 Eternity  •  which  to  remove,  that  is,  to  fup- 
 pofe that  there  is  no  Being,  no  Subftance  in 
 the  Univerfe,  to  which  thefe  Attributes  are 
 neceflarily  inherent,  is  a  Contradiction  in  the 
 very  Terms.  For  Attributes  exift  only  by  the 
 Exiftence  of  the  Subftance  to  which  they  be- 
 long. Now  he  that  can  fuppofe  Eternity  and 
 Immenfity  (and  confequently  the  Subftance  by 
 whofe  Exiftence  thefe  Attributes  exift)  removed 
 out  of  the  Univerfe-,  may,  if  he  pleafe,  as 
 eafily  remove  the  Relation  of  Equality  be* 
 tween  twice  two  and  four. 
 From  hence  it  follows, 
 
 ifi.  That  the  only  true  Idea  of  a  Self-exijlent 
 or  Neceffarily  Exifiing  Being,  is  the  Idea  of  a  Be- 
 ing, the  Suppofition  of  whofe  Not-exifiing  h  an 
 
 exprcfs 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.  r-j 
 
 exprefs  Contrail :B 'ion;  For  fince  'tis  abfolute-  P&  **& 
 ly  impoflible  but  there  muft  be  Somewhat  I5, 
 Self-ex iftent  $  that  is,  which  exifts  by  the 
 Neceffity  of  its  own  Nature  •  'tis  plain  that 
 That  neceffity  cannot  be  a  Neceffity  confe- 
 quent  upon  any  foregoing  Supprifitiorl,  (be- 
 caufe  Nothing  can  be  Antecedent  to  that 
 which  is  Self-Ex  iftent,  no  not  its  own  WiUy 
 fo  as  to  be  the  Caufe  of  its  own  Exiftence,) 
 tut  it  muft  be  a  Neceffity  abfolutely  fuch  in 
 its  own  Nature.  Now  a  Neceffity,  not  rela- 
 tively or  confequently,  but  abfolutely  fuch  in 
 its  own  Nature  5  is  nothing  elfe  but  its  be-  £ 
 
 ing  a  plain  Impoifibility  or  Implying  a  Con* 
 tradidion  to  fuppofe  the  contrary.  For  in- 
 fiance ;  the  Relation  of  Equality  between 
 twice  two  and  four,  is  an  abfolute  Neceffity  ;  % 
 
 only  becaufe  it  is  an  immediate  Contradiction 
 in  Terms  to  fuppofe  them  unequal.  This  is 
 the  only  Idea  we  can  frame,  of  an  abfolute 
 Neceffity  •,  and  to  ufe  the  Word  in  any  other 
 Senfe,  feems  to  be  ufirig  it  without  any  Sig- 
 nification at  all.  , 
 
 If  any  One  now  aslcs  what  fort  of  Idea  the 
 Idea  of  that  Being  is,  the  Suppofition  of 
 whofe  Not-Exifting  is  thus  an  exprefs  Contra- 
 diction :  I  anfwer,  'tis  the  Firft  and  Sim-  * 
 pleft  Idea  we  can  poffibly  frame,  or  rather 
 which  (unlefs  we  forbear  thinking  at  all)  we ' 
 cannot  poflibly  extirpate  or  remove  out  of 
 our  Minds,  of  a  mo  ft  fimple  Being,  abfolutely 
 Eternal  and  Infinite,  Original  and  Independent. 
 For,  that  he  who  fuppofes  there  is  no  Original 
 Independent  Being  in  the  Univer  f  fuppofes 
 a  Contradiction  ^  has  been  ftiown  already. 
 And  that  he  who  fuppofes  there  may  poffibly 
 be  no  Eternal  and  Infinite  Being  in  the  Uni- 
 C                            verfe 
 
1 8  A  Dewonjlration  of  the 
 
 verfe,  fuppofes  likewife  a  Contradiction,  is 
 evident  from  hence  •  (befides  that  thefe  two^ 
 Attributes  do  neceffarily  follow  from  Self-ori- 
 ginal Independent  Exiftence,  as  fliall  be 
 fnown  hereafter  i )  that  when  he  has  done  his 
 utni'  ft,  in  indeavouring  to  imagine  that  no 
 fuch  Being  Exifts  ^  he  cannot  avoid  imagin- 
 ing an  Eternal  and  Infinite  Nothings  that 
 is,  he  will  imagine  Eternity  and  Immenfity 
 removed  out  of  the  Univerfe,  and  yet  that  at 
 the  lame  time  they  ftill  continue  there. 
 The  Error       This  Argument  the  Cartejians,  whofuppofed 
 
 ldhn^r  t^ie  I(^ea  °£Immevflty  to  be  the  idea  of  Matter, 
 have  been  greatly  perplexed  with.  For  (how- 
 ever in  Words  they  have  contradicted  them- 
 felves,  yet  in  Reality)  they  have  more  eafily 
 been  driven  to  that  molt  intolerable  Abfurdity, 
 of  affertir  g  Matter  *  to  be  a  Ne- 
 ceffary  Being  •,  than  been  a- 
 ble  to  remove  out  of  their 
 Minds"  the  Idea  of *■  Ii?imeujity9 
 as  Exifting  Neceffarily  and 
 infeparably  from  Eternity. 
 Which  Abfurdity  and  inextri- 
 cable Perplexity  of  theirs,  in 
 refpect  of  the  Idea  of  Immen- 
 jity,  {hows  that  they  found 
 That  indeed  to  be  Neceffary 
 and  impoifible  to  be  removed  ; 
 but,  in  refpect  of  Matter^twas 
 only  a  perverfe  applying  an 
 Idea  to  an  Object  whereto  it  no 
 ways  belongs.  For,  that  it  is  in- 
 deed absolutely  impoffible  and 
 contradictory  to  fuppofe  Mat- 
 ter neceffarily-exifting,  ihall 
 be  demonftrated  prefently. 
 
 *  Putoimplicare  contradic- 
 thnem,  ut  Mnridus  fit  finittu: 
 i.  e.  I  chick  it  implies  a  Con- 
 tradiction, for  the  World  to 
 be  Finite.  Cartef.  Epijt.  6$, 
 Prima  Partis. 
 
 And  his  Follower  Mr  Regis. 
 iMa'h  pent  erre  (faich  he)  que 
 ]e  raifoniic  Mat  6ic*i.e.  Hue 
 perhaps  I  argue  ili,  when  I 
 conclude  that  the  Property 
 my  Idea  hath  ro  reprefenc 
 E:-; tendon,'  [that  is  in  the 
 Senfe  of  the  Carre fians,  Mat- 
 ter ^  come?  from  Ex  ten  (ion 
 it  felt,  as  its  Caufe  ;  For, 
 what  hinders  me  from  be- 
 lieving that  if  this  Property 
 comei  not  from  my  felf,  yet 
 atleaftir  .may  come  from 
 fomc  Spirit  J  or  Bt ing  J  Su- 
 periouc  co  iee,  which  pro- 
 duces \n  me  the  Idea  ot  Ex- 
 terfnn,  though  Extenfion 
 does  not  aftually  e*ift  ?  Yet 
 when 
 
 2dly, 
 
Beiw  and  Attributes  of  Cod.     1 9 
 
 when  I  confider  the  thing  attentively,  I  find  that  my  ConcIuGon  is 
 good  5  and  that  no  Spirit  [or  Being]  how  excellent  foever,  can  caufe 
 the  Idea  which  I  have  of  Extenfion,  ro  reprefenc  to  me  Extenfion  ra- 
 ther than  any  thing  elfe,  it  Extenfion  does  not  actually  Exift ;  becjufe 
 if  he  fhould  do  fo,  the  Idea  which  I  fhould  then  have  of  Extemlon, 
 would  not  be  a  reprefentation  of  Exccnfun,  but  a  reprefentation  of 
 Nothings  which  is  impofTible. 
 
 But  it  may  be  I  ftill  deceive  my  felf,  when  I  fav  thac  the  Idea  I 
 have  of  Extenfion,  fuppofes  an  Objeft  actually  exifting,  for  it  feems 
 that  I  have  Ideas,  which  do  not  fuppafe  any  Object  :  I  have,  for  Ex- 
 ample, the  Idea  of  an  Enchanted  Caflle  •,  though  no  fuch  thing  real* 
 ly  Exifb.  Yer  when  I  confider  the  Difficulty  (till  more  attentively  5 
 I  find  there  is  this  difference  between  the  Idea  of  Extenfion,  and  thac 
 of  an  Enchanted  Cattle  ,  thac  the  firft  being  natural,  that  is,  indepen- 
 dent on  my  Will,  fuppofes  an  Objecl  which  is  necelTarily  fuch  as 
 it  reprefents-,  whereas  the  other  being  artificial,  fuppofes  indeed  an 
 Objeft,  but  it  is  not  ncceflary  that  Thac  Objecl  be  abfolurely  fiich 
 as  the  Idea  reprefents,  becaufe  my  Will  can  add  to  that  Obieft,  or  di«- 
 minifh  from  it,  as  ic  pleafes  -,  as  I  have  before  faid,  and  as  fhall  be 
 proved  hereafter,  when  I  come  to  treat  of  the  Origin  of  Ideas.  Regis 
 Metaphyf.  Lib.  L  Par.  1.  Cap.  3. 
 
 idly.    From  hence  it  follows^  That  there  Mttihi&  h 
 is  no  Man  what  foever,  who  makes  any  ufe  of  bis  c*rf *'">.!? 
 Reafon,  hut  may  eafly  become  more  certain  of  e^ce  J  a 
 the  'Being  of  a  Supreme  Independent  Caiife,  than  Supreme 
 he   can  be  of  any  thing  elfe  he  fides  his  own  Ext-  Independr 
 fence.     For  how  much  Thought  foever  it  may  en*  C*MP* 
 require  to  demonftrate  the  Other  Attributes 
 of  fuch  a  Being,  as  it  may  do  to  demonftrate 
 the  greateft  Mathematical  Certainties  j  (  of 
 which  more  hereafter : )  Yet  as  to  its  Exh 
 fence  •  that  there  Is  fomewhat  Eternal,  Infi- 
 nite, and  Self-exifting,  which  mull  be  theCaufc 
 and  Original  of  all  other  Things  ^  this  is  one 
 of  the  Firftand  moft  natural  Conclufions,  that 
 any  Man,  who  thinks  at  all,  can  frame  in 
 his  Mind :  And  no  Man  can  any  more  doubt 
 of  this,  than  he  can  doubt  whether  twice  two 
 be  equal  to  four.     :Tis  poillble  indeed  a  Man 
 may  in  fome  Senfe  be  ignorant  of  this  firft 
 and  plain  Truth,  by  being  utterly  ftupid,  and 
 C  2  not 
 
io  A  Demonpration  of  the 
 
 not  thinking  at  all :   (For  though  it  is  abfb- 
 lutely  impoiftble  for  him  to  imagine  the  con- 
 trary, yet  he  may  poflibly  neglect:  to  con- 
 ceive this  :  Tho*  no  Man  oan  poflibly  Think 
 that  twice  two  is  not  four,  yet  he  may  pof- 
 fibly  be  ftupid,  and  never  have  thought  at 
 all  whether  it  be  fo  or  not.)  But  this  I  fay  v 
 There  is  no  Man,  who  thinks  or  reafons  at 
 all,    but  may  eafily  become  more    certain, 
 that  there  is  Something  Eternal,  Infinite,  and 
 Self-exifting  •,  than  he  can  be  fa  certain  of 
 any  Thing  elfe. 
 offheV.ea      ?<%.    Hence  we  may  obferve,  That  Our 
 of  God,  in-  firft  Certainty  of  the  Exijlence  of  God,  does  not 
 Cl"?fni  '■   arife  from  tK5,  that  ln  ^je  Idea  we  frame  of 
 %nce.  %l'    l)im  m  our  Minds,  or  rather  in  the  Definition 
 that  we  make  of  the  Word  CGodJ  as  fignifying 
 a  Being  of  all  pojfible  Te?fe&ions,  we  include  Self- 
 Exigence  h  but  from  hence ,  that  'tis  demonflrahle 
 both  Negatively,  that  neither  can  AH  Things 
 \   have  arifen  out  of  Nothing,  nor  can  they  have  de- 
 )  fended  one  on  another  in  an  endlefs  Succejfwn  ^  and 
 alfo  pofttively,  that  there  is  Something  in  the  U- 
 niverfe,  actually  exifting  without  us,  the  Sup- 
 .  pojhion    of  whofe  Not-Exifting,  phmily  implies 
 a  Contradiction.     I  do  not  here  fay  pofitively, 
 that  the  Argument  drawn  from  our  including 
 Self-Exiftence  in  the  Idea  of  God,  or  our  com- 
 prehending it  in  the  Definition  or  Notion  we 
 frame  of  him  ^  is  wholly  inconcluiive  and  in- 
 effectual, to  prove  his  actual  Exiftence.     But 
 that  it  ii  far  from  being  a  Clear  and  Obvious 
 Demonftration,  fitted  to  convince  and  put  the 
 Atheift  to  Silence  •,  appears  from  the  endlefs 
 Difputes  maintained  by  learned  Men  concern- 
 ing it,  without  being  able  fully  to  underftand 
 or  fatisfie  each  other  on  either  fide  of  the  Qiie- 
 
 ftion, 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod. 
 
 ftipn.  The  Obfcurity  and  Defettoi  that  Argu- 
 ment, feems  to  lie  in  this  ^  that  it  extends  on- 
 ly to  the  Nominal  Idea  or  mere  Definition  of  a 
 Self-exiftent  Being,  and  does  not  with  a  fuf- 
 ficicntly  evident  Connexion  refer  and  apply 
 that  Nominal  Idea,  Definition,  or  Notion  which 
 we  frame  in  our  own  Mind,  to  the  Real  Idea  of  ,i 
 Being  aftually  cxifting  without  us.  For  it  is  not 
 Satisfactory,  that  I  have  in  my  Mind  an  Idea 
 of  the  Propofition  ^  There  exijis  a  Being,  indued 
 with  aUpojjible  Perfections  •,  Or,  There  is  a  Self- 
 Exiftent  Being-:  But  I  muft  alfo  have  fome 
 Idea  of  the  Thing.  I  muft  have  an  Idea  of 
 Something  actually  exifting  without  me  -  and 
 I  muft  fee  wherein  confifts  the  Abfolute  Im- 
 poflibility  of  removing  that  Idea,  and  confe- 
 quentiy  of  fuppofing  the  Non-Exiftence  of  the 
 Thing  •  before  I  can  be  fatisfied  from  that 
 Idea,  that  the  thing  actually  exifts.  The  bare 
 having  an  Idea  of  the  Propofition,  There  Is 
 a  Self-Exiftent  Being,  proves  indeed  the  Thing 
 not  to  be  impoilible  h  (For  of  an  impoilible 
 Propofition,  there  is  properly  no  Idea-,)  But 
 that  it  actually  Is,  cannot  be  proved  from 
 the  Idea  •,  unlets  the  Certainty  of  the  Actual 
 Exiftence  of  a  NecefTarily-exifting  Being, 
 follows  from  the  Pofiibility  of  the  Exiftence  of 
 fuch  a  Being  :  Which  that  it  does  in  this  par- 
 ticular Cafe,  many  Learned  Men  have  indeed 
 thought  •,  and  their  fubtle  Arguings  upon  this 
 Head,  are  fufficient  to  raiie  a  Cloud  not  eafy 
 to  be  difpelled.  But  it  is  a  much  Clearer  and 
 viore  Convincing  way  of  Arguing,  to  demon- 
 Urate  that  there  does  actually  exift  without 
 us  a  Being,  whofe  Exiftence  is  necefTary  anl 
 ofitfelf?  by  Showing  the  manifeft  Contra- 
 diction contained  in  the  contrary  Suppolition 
 C  i  (as 
 
 li 
 
±±  A  Demonflration  of  the 
 
 P«i' 1 2,     (as  I  have  before  done  •, )  and  at  tne  fame  time 
 the  abfolute    Impoflibility  cf  deftroying  or 
 
 fat*  \6.    removing  fome  Ideas,  as  of  Eternity,  and  Im- 
 menfity,  which  therefore  muft  needs  be  the 
 Attributes  of  a  Neceflary  Being  actually  Ex- 
 iiting.     For  if  I  have  in  my  Mind  an  Idea  cf 
 a  Thing,  and  cannot  pofllbly  in  my  Imagi- 
 nation take  away  the  Idea  of  that  Thing  as 
 actually  exifting,  any  more  than  I  can  change 
 cr  take  away  the  Idea  of  the  Equality  of  twice 
 two  to  four  5  the  Certainty  of  the  Exiftence  of 
 that  Thing,  is  the  fame,  «and  ftands  on  the 
 fame  Foundation,  as  the  Certainty  of  the  o- 
 titer  Relation  :  For  the  Relation  of  Equality 
 between  twice  two  and  four,  has  no  other  Cer- 
 tainty but  this,  that  I  cannot,  without  a  Con- 
 tradiction, change  or  take  away  the  Idea  of 
 that  Relation.     We  are  Certain  therefore  of 
 the  Being  of  a  Supreme  Independent  Caufe  * 
 becaufe  'tis  ftricrly  demonftrablej  that  there 
 is  Something  in  the  Univerfe,"  actually  exift- 
 ing without  us,  the  Suppofition  of  whofe  Not- 
 exifting  plainly  implies  a  Contradiction. 
 That  the        Athly.  From  hence  it  follows,  that  The  ma- 
 %at%lal    terial  WorU  cannot  poffihly  be  the  Firjl  and  Ori- 
 
 World  can-  ^   .  r      7      r    t  7  7      r  • 
 
 not  poflibly  gwal   being,  Uncrentedy  Independent  ^  and  of  it 
 
 bethe$eij-Jelf  Eternal.     For  fince  it  hath  been  already 
 
 Extjlevt     demonftrated,  that  whatever  Being  hath  Exi- 
 
 €ing%       fted  from  Eternity,  Independent,  and  without 
 
 any  External  Caufe  of  its  Exiftence  •   muft 
 
 pa?ei$.    be  Self-Exiftent :  And  that  whatever  is  Self- 
 
 Exiftent,  muft  Exift  NeceiTarily  by  an  abfo- 
 
 lute  Neceiftty  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  it 
 
 felf:  It   follows  evidently,    that  unlefs  the 
 
 Material  World   Exifts  NeceiTarily,    by   an 
 
 Abfolute  Necfcffity  in  its  own  Nature,  fo  as 
 
 that  it  muft  be  an  Exprefs  Contradiction  to 
 
 fiippofe 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.  25 
 
 fuppofe  it  not  to  Exift  ;  it  cannot  be  Indepen- 
 dent, and  of  itfelf  Eternal.      Now  that  the 
 Material  World  does  not  Exift  thus  necefTari- 
 Iv,  is  very  Evident.     For  abfolute  Neceiiity 
 of  Exifting,  and  a  Portability  of  liot-Exifting, 
 being  contradictory  Idea's  5   'tis  manifeft  the  : 
 Material  World  cannot  Exift  NecefTarily,  if 
 without  a  Contradiction  we  can  Conceive  it 
 either  Not  to  Be,  or  to  be  in  any  refpect  o- 
 therwife  than  it  Now  is.     Than  which,  no- 
 thing  is  more  eafy.      For  whether  we  con- 
 sider the  Form  of  the  World,  with  the  Difpo- 
 fitlon  and  Motion  of  its  Parts  $  or  whether  we 
 consider  the  Matter  of  it,  as  fuch,  without 
 refpect  to  its  prefent  Form^  every  Thing  in 
 it,  both  the  Whole  and  every  one  of  its  Parts, 
 their  Situation  and  Motion,  the  Form  and  al- 
 fo  the  Matter,  are  the  rnoft  Arbitrary  and 
 Dependent  Things,  and  the  far  theft  removed 
 from  Neceffity,  that  can   poilibly  be  imagi- 
 ned.    A  Neceiiity  indeed  of  Fitnefs,  that  is, 
 a  Neceiiity  that  Things  fliould  be  as  they  are, 
 in  order  to  the  irell-Bcing  of  the  whole,  there 
 may  be  in  all  thefe  Things  :  But  an  abfolute 
 Neceiiity  of  Nature  in  any  of  them,  (which 
 is  what   the  Atheift  muft   maintain,)   there 
 is  not  the  lealt  appearance  of.     If  any  Man 
 will  fay  in  this  Senfe,  (as  every  Atheift  muft 
 do,)  either  that  the  Form  of  the  World,  or  • 
 at  leaft  the  Matter  and  Motion  of  it,  is  necef- 
 fary  -,  Nothing  can  poilibly  be  invented  more 
 Abfurd. 
 
 If  he  fays  that  the  particular  Form  is  Ne-  n   FoYm 
 ceflary  h    that    is,  that   the  World,   and  all  of'tbc* 
 Things  that  are  therein,  exift  by  a  Neceiiity  W*  'J  n9t 
 of  Nature  -,  he  muft  affirm  it  to  be  a  Con-  ™Ci$*>- 
 tradiction   to  fuppofe  that  any  Part  cf  the 
 C  4  'World 
 
*  4  -A  T)emonflration  of  the 
 
 World  can  be  in  any  refpecl  otherwife  than 
 it  now  is i    It  muft  be  a  Contradiction    in 
 Terms,  to  fuppofe  more  or  fewer  Stars,  more 
 or  fewer  Planets,  or  to  fuppofe  their  Size, 
 Figure  or   Motion,    Different  from  what  it 
 now  is  I  or  to  fuppofe  more  or  fewer  Plants 
 and  Animals  upon  Earth,  or  the  prefent  ones 
 of  different  Shape  and   Bignefs  from  what 
 they  now  are  :  In  all  which  things  there  is 
 the  greateft  Arbitrarinefs,  in  refpecl  of  Power 
 and  Poffibility,  that  can  be  imagined  $  how- 
 ever ueceiTary  any  of  them  may  be,  in  re- 
 fpeCt  of  Wifdom,    and  Prefervation  of  the 
 Beauty  and  Order  of  the  whole. 
 AV  *'f         If  the  Atheift  will  fay,  that  the  Motion  in 
 Motion.     Qencrai  0f  au  Matter  is  neceffary  :  it  follows 
 that  it  muft  be  a  Contradiction  in  Terms,  to 
 |  fuppofe  any  Matter  to  be  at  Reft  •  Which  is 
 fo  abfurd  and  ridiculous,  that  I  think  hardly 
 an}r  Atheifts,  either  Antient  or  Modern,  have 
 prefumed  directly  to  fuppofe  it. 
 *  m?  To-       One  late  *  Author  indeed  has  ventur'd  to 
 land,  Let.  affert,    and  pretended  to  prove,  that  Motion, 
 *IL  (that  is,  the  Conatus  to  Motion,  the  Tendency 
 
 to  move,  the  Fewer  or  Force  that  produces  acr 
 tual  Motion,)  is  effential  to  all  Matter  :  But 
 how  Philofophically,  may  appear  from  this 
 One  Conlideratioa  The  effential  Tendency 
 to  Motion,  of  every  one,  or  of  any  one  Particle 
 of  Matter  in  this  Author's  imaginary  infinite 
 Plenum,  muft  be  either  a  Tendency  to  move 
 fome  one  determinate  way  at  once,  or  to 
 move  every  way  at  once :  A  Tendency  to  move 
 fome  one  determinate  way,  cannot  be  effenti- 
 al to  any  Particle  of  Matter,  but  muft  arife 
 from  fome  External  Caufe  -,  becaufe  there  is 
 nothing  in  the  pretended  neceffary  Nature 
 
 of 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.         &  5- 
 
 of  any  Particle,  to  determine  its  Motion  ne- 
 ceiTarily  and  efTentially  one  way  rather  than 
 another  :  And  a  Tendency  or  Conatus  equally  to 
 move  every  way  at  once,  is  either  an  abfolute 
 Contradiction,  or  at  leaft  could  produce  no- 
 thing in  Matter,  but  an  Eternal  Reft  of  all 
 and  every  one  of  its  Parts.  But  to  proceed. 
 
 If  the  Atheift  will  fuppofe  Motion  necef- 
 fary  and  efTential  to  fome  Matter,  but  not  to 
 all :  The  fame  Abfurdity,  as  to  the  Determi- 
 nation of  Motion,  ftill  follows :  And  now  he 
 moreover  fuppofes  an  Abfolute  NeceiFity  not 
 Univerfal  •,  that  is,  that  it  fliall  be  a  Contra- 
 diction to  fuppofe  fome  certain  Matter  at 
 Reft,  tho5  at  the  fame  time  fome  other  Matter 
 actually  be  at  Reft. 
 
 If  he  only  affirms  bare  Matter  to  be  Nc-  Kor  tht 
 ceffary:  Then,  beiTdes  the  extreme  Folly  of  bare  Mat- 
 his  attributing  Motion  and  the  Form  of  the  ter. 
 World  to  Chance  h  (which  Opinion  I  think  all 
 Atheifts  have  now  given  up  5  and  therefore  I 
 lhall  not  think  my  felf  obliged  to  take  any 
 Notice  of  it  in  the  Sequel  of  this  Difcourfe  *,) 
 it  may  be  demonftrated  by  many  Arguments 
 drawn  from  the  Nature  and  Affections  of  the 
 Thing  it  felf,  that  Matter  is  not  a  Nece/fary 
 Being.  For  Inftance,  thus.  If  Matter  be  fup- 
 pofedto  exift  NecefTarily  ♦,  then  in  that  Ne- 
 ceflary  Exiftence,  there  is  either  included  the 
 Power  of  Gravitation,  or  not  :  If  not,  then  in 
 a  World  merely  Material,  and  in  which  no  In- 
 tcllige7tt  Being  preiides,  there  never  could  have 
 teen  any  Motion-,  becaufe  Motion,  as  has 
 been  already  fhown,  and  is  now  granted  in  ^  2, 
 the  Queftion,  is  not  necellary  of  it  felf:  But 
 if  the  Power  of  Gravitation  be  included  iri 
 the  pretended  NeceiTary  Exiftence  of  Matter  •, 
 then,  it  following  neceflarily  that  there  muft 
 
 bt 
 
t6  A  IDemonftration  of  the 
 
 be  a  Vacuum,  (as  the  incomparable  Sir  Ifaae 
 Newton  has  abundantly  demonftrated,  that 
 there  muft,  if  Gravitation  be  an  Univerfal 
 Quality  or  Affe&ion  of  Matter  $)  it  follows 
 likewife,  that  Matter  is  not  a  Neceflary  Being  •; 
 t  For  if  a  Vacuum  actually  he,  then  it  is  plainly 
 
 more  than  poflible  for  Matter  not  to  Be.  If 
 an  Atheift  will  yet  Aflert,  that  Matter  may 
 be  neceflary,  though  not  neceflary  to  be  every 
 where :  I  anfwer  -,  this  is  an  exprefs  Contra- 
 diction. For  abfolute  Neceflity,  is  abfolute 
 Neceflity  every  where  alike  ;  And  if  it  be  no 
 Impoflibility  for  Matter  to  be  abfent  from  one 
 Place,  'tis  no  Impotfibility  (abfolutely  in 
 the  Nature  of  the  Thing  •,  For  no  Relative 
 or  Confequential  Neceflity,  can  have  any 
 Room  in  this  Argument : )  'Tis  no  abfolute 
 Impoflibility,  I  lay,  in  the  Nature  of  the 
 Thing,  that  Matter  ihould  be  abfent  from 
 any  other  Place,  or  from  every  Place. 
 
 tfln^r''  Spinoza,  the  moft  celebrated  Patron  of 
 Jnfuted.    Atheifm  in    our    Time,    who    taught    that 
 
 *  there  is  no  Difference  of  Sub- 
 
 *  Una  fubftantia  no*  pci  #™c^  but  that  the  Whole 
 tcfl  produci  ab  alia  fubftan-  and  every  Part  of  the  Maten- 
 tia.  Ethic.  Par.  I.  Prop.  6.      al  World  is  a  Neceflarily-ex- 
 
 Omnis  fubftanna  eftne-  jfl.jng  Being-  and  that  t 
 celTario  mntma.   Ibid.  Prop.      .,      °  •  °.?      ^    ->    -i     .  .*  - 
 
 £  r     there  is  no  other  God,  but  the 
 
 -Ad  naturam  fubftantix  Univerfe :  That  he  might 
 pertinet  exiftere.  Ibid.  Prop,  feemingly  avoid  the  manifold 
 7>  Pr^er  Deum  nulla  dari  Absurdities  of  that  Opinion , 
 ncq-,  concipi*  poteft  fubilan-  endeavours  by  an  Ambiguity 
 tia.  ibid.  Prop.  14.  of  Expreflion  in  the  Progrefs 
 
 of  his  Difcourfe,  to  elude  the 
 Arguments  by  which  he  forefaw  his  Af- 
 fertion  would  be  confuted.    For,  having  at 
 
 airft 
 
JBeing  and  Attributes  of  Cod.         27 
 
 flrft  plainly  afTerted,  that  * 
 
 All  Subftance  is  Neceffarily-        *  Ad  nacuram  fubrtanti* 
 
 exifting  5  he  would  afterward     Perciacc  ^itec-  *"*  7- 
 
 feem  to   explain  it  away,  by 
 
 afferting,  that  the  Reafon  why  every  thing 
 
 t  cxifts  neceffarily  and  could 
 
 not  poifibly  have  been  in  any        t  Res  nullo  alio  modo, 
 
 refped   different  from   what    ^.a!l°  °rdine  a  Deo  pr<> 
 .     L  .     ,  r  ouci   potucrunc,  cuam  pro- 
 
 It  now   is,   is  becaule   every     duft*  funr.  Prop!  3*. 
 thing  flows  from  the  Necejjity        Ex  Neceffitate  Diviiwr  N-- 
 cf  the    Divine    Nature.       By     tur*\  infi"jca  >«>&»*«   mo- 
 winch  11  tJie  unwary  Keacler     inteIIcftum  Mnvuh,  cade! 
 underitands,   that    he    means     re  pcflunt)  fequi  debenc. 
 things  are  therefore  NecefTa-    ?rop.  16. 
 rily  fuch  as  they  are,  becaufe 
 Infinite  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs  could  not  pof- 
 iibly  make  Things  but  in  that  Order  which 
 is  Fitteft  and  Wifeft  in  the  Whole  5  he  is  very 
 much  miftaken  :  For  fuch  a  Neceiiity  is  not  a 
 Natural,  but  only  a  Moral  and  Confequential 
 Keceffity,and  directly  contrary  to  the  Author's 
 true  Intention.  Further,  if  the  Reader  hereby 
 underftands,  that  God  was  determined,  not  by 
 aNecellity  of  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs,  but  hj 
 a  mere  Natural  Neceffity,  exclufive  of  Will 
 and  Choice,  to  make  all  Things  juft  as  they 
 now  are-,  neither  is  this  the  whole  of  Spinoza  s 
 meaning  :  For  this,  as  abfurd  as  it  is,  is  ft  ill 
 fuppoiing  God  as  a  Subftance  diftinct    from 
 the  Material  World-  which   *  He  exprefl  *  * Loc-,s  yM_ 
 denies.     Nay  further,  if  anyone  thinks  his  praciutis. 
 meaning  to  be,  that  all   Subftances    in    the 
 World,  are  only  Modifications  of  the  Divine 
 ElTence-  neither  is  This  All:  For  thus  God 
 may  ftill  be  fuppofed  as  an  Agent,  acting  up- 
 on hhnfelf  at  leaft,  and  manifefting  bimfelf  in 
 different  manners,  according  to  his  own  Will : 
 
 which 
 
*8  A  Ttemonftration  of  the 
 
 which  t  Spinoza  exprefly  de-  ; 
 f  Deum  non  operari  ex     mes.     But  his  true  Meaning 
 liberie    vcWis.     ?nh     therefore,however  darkly  and 
 
 22.  CoroL  i.  &  Scholium  ad  -,.  'n         i_        r        1- 
 
 j>.  anibiguouily     he    fometimes 
 
 fpeaks,  muft  be  this  5  and  if  he 
 
 means  any  thing  at  all  coniiftent  with  him- 
 
 felf,  can  be  no  other  than  this  ;  That,  iince 
 
 it  is  abfolutely  *  impoffible 
 
 *  Una  fubftantia  non  po-     for  any  thing  to  be  created  or 
 tea  produeUb  alia  fubftan-      proriuced    hj    another  5    and 
 
 nVv«nulioa!iomodoneq-  t  alfo  abfolutely  impoffible 
 alio  ordine  a  Deo  produci  for  God  to  have  caufed  any 
 potuerunc,  cuam  produft^  thing  to  be  in  any  refpedt 
 tunc.  Prop.  53.  different  from  what  it  now 
 
 is  5  every  thing  that  exifts,  muft  needs  be  fo 
 J  Prawcr  Deum  nulla  dari,      2  l|  Part  of  the  Divine   Sub- 
 
 Deq;  concipi  poteil  fobftan-    ftance,  not  as  a  Modification 
 pa/prop.  u.  caufed  in  it  by  any  *  Will  or 
 
 *  Deum  non  opcran  ex    Good-Pleafure  or  Wifdom  in 
 
 T/ibertate  voluntatis.     Prop.       .         .    1       1  c  k-lt -i    > 
 
 - CoVoll.  1.  tne  whole    but  as  of  Abfolute 
 
 *"+  nhIIo  alio  Modoy  neq5  Neceihty  in  it  felf,  with  re- 
 Ordine,  &c  fpect  to  the  +  manner  of  the 
 
 Exigence  of  each  Part,  no  lefs  than  with  re- 
 fpect  to  the  Stlf-Exiftence  of  the  whole.  Thus 
 the  Opinion  of  Spinoza,  when  exprelTed  plain- 
 ly and  confiftently,  comes  evidently  to  this : 
 That  the  Material  World,  and  every  Part  of  it, 
 with  the  order  and  manner  of  Being  of  each 
 Part,  is  the  only  Self-Exiftent,  or  NeceiTa- 
 rily-Exifting  Being.  And  now  Confequent- 
 ]y,  he  muft  ofNeceflity  affirm  all  the  Con- 
 clufions,  which  I  have  before  fhown  to  follow 
 demonftrably  from  that  Opinion.  He  can- 
 not poflibly  avoid  affirming,  that  Ms  a  Con- 
 tradiction, (not  to  the  Perfetlions  of  God  •,  For 
 that's  mere  fenfelefs  Cant  and  Amufement  in 
 Him  who  maintains  that  there  is  but  One  Sub- 
 
 ftance 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       1 9 
 
 ftance  in  the  Univerfe  •  But  he  mull  affirm 
 that  it  is  in  it  felf  and  in  Terms  2l  Contradicti- 
 on,) for  any  thing  to  be,  or  to  be  imagined, 
 in  any  refpedt  otherwife  than  it  now  is.  He 
 muft  fay  'tis  a  Contradiction,  to  fuppofe  the 
 Number,  or  Figure,  or  Order  of  the  Principal 
 Parts  of  the  World  could  poflibly  have  been 
 different  from  what  they  now  are.  He  muft 
 fay  Motion  isnecefTarily  ofitfclf;  and  confe- 
 quently  that  'tis  a  Contradiction  in  Terms, 
 to  fuppofe  any  Matter  to  be  at  Reft  :  Or  elfe 
 he  muft  affirm,  (which  is  rather  the  more 
 abfurd  of  the  two  •,  as  may  appear  from  what 
 has  been  already  faid  in  proof  of  the  Second  p.ig.  12. 
 General  Head  of  this  Difcourfe  :  And  yet 
 he  has  *  chofen  to  affirm  it  •, ) 
 
 that  Motion,  as  a  Dependent  *  Corpus  motum,  velquief- 
 Being,  has  been  eternally  com-;  XS^St£  T  ™ 
 municated  trom  one  piece  ot  corpore  quod  ctiam  ad  mo- 
 Matter  to  another  5  without  turn  vel  quietera  decerrnina- 
 having  at  all  any  Original  tumfuitabalio,  &  iiludjce- 
 **     r  Ca.  t>   •         -It.  '±.1*       rum  ab  alio,  &  tic  in  lohni- 
 
 CaufeofitsBeing,eitherwith-     tum-     Par;  u#  F 
 
 m  it  felf  or  from  without.  Lemma  3. 
 Which,  with  other  the  like 
 Confequences  touching  the  Neceffity  of  the 
 Exiftence  of  Things  ^  (the  very  mention  of 
 which,  is  a  fufficient  Confutation  of  any  O- 
 pinion  they  follow  from  5 )  do,  as  I  have  faid, 
 unavoidably  follow  from  theforementioned  O- 
 pinion  of  Spinoza  :  And  confequently  That 
 Opinion,  viz.  That  the  Univerfe  or  Whole  World 
 is  the  Self-exiftent  or  Necejfarily-exifting  Being, 
 is  demonftrated  to  be  falfe. 
 
 I  have  in  this  Attempt  to  fliow  that  The 
 Material  World  cannot  poj/ibly  he  the  Fir  ft  and 
 Original  Being,  Uncreated,  Independent,  and  Self- 
 
 exijtent  5 
 
3  o  A  Demonftr'ation  of  the 
 
 exijlent;  deflgnedly  omitted  the  Argument  u- 
 fually  drawn  from  the  fuppofed  abfolute  Im- 
 -pollibility  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  itfelf, 
 of  theWorld's  being  Eternal,  or  having  exifted 
 thro'  an  Infinite  Succeffwn  of  Time.     And  this 
 I  have  done  for  the  two  following  Reafons. 
 of  the  o>       ifi.  Becaufe  the  Queftion  between  us  and 
 pinion  con-   tne  Atheifts,    is    not  whether  the  iForld  can 
 %™riity}o{ P°$^y  have  been  eternal  •,  hut  whether  it  can  pof- 
 the  World,  ffily  he  the  Original,  Independent  and  Self-exiji- 
 ing  Being  :  "Which  is  a  very  different  Queftion. 
 For  many,  who  have  affirmed  the  One,  have 
 itill  utterly  denied  the  Other  :  And  almoft  all 
 the  Antient  Philofophers  that  held  the  Eter- 
 nity of  the  "World,  in  whofe  Authority  and 
 Reafons  our  Modern  Atheifts  do  fo  mightily 
 Boaft  and  Triumph  •,  defended  That  their  O- 
 pinion  by  fuch  Arguments,  as  ihow  plainly 
 that  they  did  by  no  means  thereby  intend  to 
 after  t,  that  the  Material  World  was  the  Ori- 
 ginal, Independent,  Self-exifting    Being,  in 
 Oppofition  to  the  Belief  of  the  Exiftence  of  a 
 Supreme  All-governing  Mind,  which  is  the 
 Notion  of  God.     So  that  the  Deniers  of  the 
 Being  of  God,  have  no  maimer  of  Advantage 
 from  that  Opinion  of  the  Eternity  of  the 
 World,  even  fuppofing  it  could  not  be  difp ro- 
 ved.    Almoft  all  the  old  Philofophers,  I  fay, 
 who  held  the  Eternity  of  the  World,  did  not 
 thereby  mean  (at  leaft  their  Arguments  do 
 not  tend  to  prove  J  that  it  was  Independent  and 
 Self-Exiilent  ^  but  their  Arguments  are  whol- 
 ly levelled,  either  to  prove  barely  that  Some- 
 thing muft  needs  be  Eternal,  and  that  the  II- 
 niverfe  could  not  pofliby  arife  out  of  Nothing 
 abfolutely  and  without  Caufc  •,  which  is  all 
 that  Ocellus  Lucanus's  Arguments  amount  to  ; 
 
 Or 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.        3 1 
 
 Or  elfe  that  the  World  is  an  Eternal  and  Ne- 
 ceffary  Effecl:,  flowing  f  om  the  Eflential  and 
 Immutable  Energy  of  the  Divine  Nature  - 
 which  feems  to  have  been  Ariftotles  Opinion: 
 Or  elfe  that  the  World  is  an  Eternal  Volunta- 
 ry Emanation  from  the  All-wife  and  Supreme 
 Caufe  •,  which  was  the  Opinion  of  many  of 
 Plato's  Followers.  None  of  which  Opinions  or 
 Arguments,  will  in  the  leaft  help  cut  our 
 Modern  Athejfts  •,  who  would  exclude  Su- 
 preme Mini  and  Intelligence  out  of  the  Uni- 
 verfe.  For  however  the  Opinion  of  the  Eter- 
 nity of  the  World,  is  really  inconfiftent  with 
 the  Belief  of  its  being  Created  in  time:  yet 
 fo  long  as  the  Defenders  of  that  Opinion,  ei- 
 ther did  not  think  it  Inconfiftent  with  the 
 Belief  of  the  World's  being  the  Effect  and 
 Work  of  an  Eternal,  All-wife  ani  All-Powerful 
 Mini  ^  or  at  leaft  could  defend  that  Opinion 
 by  fuch  Arguments  oirly,  as  did  not  in  the 
 leaft  prove  the  Self-exiftence  or  Independency 
 of  the  World,  but  moft  of  them  rather  quite 
 the  contrary  •,  "Tis  with  the  greateft  Injuftice 
 and  Unreafonablenefs  in  the  World,  that  our 
 Modern  Atheifts  f  to  whofe  purpofe  the  Eter- 
 nity or  Non-Eternity  of  the  World  would  fig- 
 nifie  nothing,  unlefs  at  the  fame  Time  the 
 Exiftence  and  Sovereignty  of  Eternal  Intel- 
 ligence or  Mind  were  likewife  difprcvedj 
 pretend  either  the  Authority  or  the  Reafons 
 of  thefe  Men  to  be  on  their  fide. 
 
 Ocellus  Lucanus,  one  of  the  ancienteft  AfTei- 
 ters  of  the  Eternity  of  the  World  ♦,  (  whofe 
 Antiquity  and  Authority  *Mr. 
 
 Blunt   oppofes  to  that   of  Mo*        *  Oracles  cf  Reafon;  Ltt- 
 fes  -J  in  delivering  his  Opini-    ter  *°  &u  Gi,don»  V*21'- 
 on,   fpeaks    indeed   like   one 
 
 that 
 
3 1  A  Demonftrat  ion  of  the 
 
 that  believed  the  Material  World  to  be  Self* 
 
 exiftent  s  afTerting,   t  that  it 
 
 f  WyiwiTov  tI  km  xj  et-     is  Utterly  incapable  either  ofGe~ 
 
 t»M$tov-        :  titration  or  Corruption,  of  Begin- 
 
 ^Itrtf!^    fsorEn^atk  (sfkfilf 
 
 diM<  '<&.$  av'toWh  $     Eternal  and  Perjetf,  and  lerma- 
 
 £ia./Jif,'ov  r  'Trdfla  atum        went  for    ever  -,   and  that  the, 
 
 Frame  and  Parts  of  the  World 
 viuft  needs  he  Eternal,  as  well  as 
 the  Sub  fiance  and  Matter  of  the 
 Whole.     But  when  he  comes 
 to  produce  his  Arguments  or 
 Reafons  for  his  Opinion  \  they  are  either  fo 
 very  abfurd  and  ridiculous,  that  even  any 
 Atheifi  ill  this  Age  ought  to  be  afhamed  to  re- 
 peat them-,  as  when  he  proves* 
 *  To  ivAzypv  $  ctn^'     that  the  World  mujl  needs  he  Er 
 tyfTtv,  H  rxvu*7©"^  *  yjViy     t enrol, without  Beginning  or  End, 
 
 '<fW  ov] &  nsKQtrpxtCtrcty 
 Kttiov  )y  ret  (JW  *>£<&  (TVW* 
 
 rov,  ynv,   &c-     0cei-  Lucan. 
 Hid  ?  to  wavTOf  <pv'(ri*>f. 
 
 f. /O.       tjntf  nre.  n  (  rrp.lt. 
 
 1Q-'     H7*  y>  <fk^eyj\u&T@r 
 
 lA'cti    yj)Jt\Q-  OVT&  0    7TO.V' 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Thus  7rxn{I*ted :  Nay, 
 that  the  Figure,  Motion,  &c. 
 thereof,  are  without  Begin- 
 in^  and  End  •,  thereby  it 
 pJaintV  appears,  that  the 
 World  admicceth  neitherPro- 
 duftion  nor  DirToluticn:  For 
 the  F'gure  is  Spherical,  and 
 confequentlv  on  every  fide 
 equal,  and- therefore  without 
 Beginning  or  Ending.  A'fo 
 the  motion   is   circular,  &c. 
 
 tion  afe  a  Circle,  which  has  nei- 
 ther Beginning  nor  End :  Or 
 elfe  they  are  fuch  Arguments 
 as  prove  only  what  no  Man 
 ever  really  denied  •,  viz.  That 
 Something  muft  needs  be  E- 
 ternal,  becaufe  'tis  impoilible 
 for  every  Thing  to  arife  out 
 of  Nothing,  or  to  fall  into 
 Nothing-  As  when  he  fays  t 
 that  the  World  ?nuft  have  been 
 Eternal,  becaufe  'tis  a  Contradic- 
 tion for  the  Univerfe  to  have  had 
 aBeginning  \f\nce  if  it  had  a  Be- 
 ginning, it  fnitfl  have  been  caufed 
 
 Oracle i  of  Reajon9  p.  2 1  $.    ^     &  a>  j^  ^         ^        j 
 
 f  'Ayivvnrov  to  wav- —  e£  «  y*  ytyovov,  fxwVo  T^arop  era  navrGf 
 ^  _  z%  yz  j  <&*v  yivbu/ufrfJov  aov  vr£at  yivi]*t  £  toto  yt  $ 
 *Mi>&liVt-  'E*t^  $  <7«  r\ai]oi  *M»    Otell.  Ibid. 
 
 by 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.  g  3 
 
 by  Some  other  thing,  and  then  it  is  not  the  Uni- 
 verse To  which  One  Argument,  all  that  he 
 fays  in  his  whole  Book,  is  plainly  reducible. 
 So  that  'tis  evident,  all  that  he  really  proves, 
 is  only  this  \  that  there  muft  needs  be  an  E- 
 ternal  Being  in  the  Univerfe  :  and  not,  that 
 Matter  is  Self-Exiftent,  in  Oppoiition  to  In- 
 telligence and  Mind.  For,  all  that  he  afferts 
 about  the  abfolute  Neceifity  of  the  Order  and 
 Parts  of  the  "World,  is  confefTedly  moft  ridi- 
 culous :  not  at  all  proved  by  the  Arguments 
 he  alleges  :  And  in  fome  PafTages  of  this  very 
 Book,  as  well  as  in  other  Fragments,  He  him- 
 felf  fuppofes,  and  is  forced  exprefly  to  confefs, 
 that,  however  Eternal  and  NeceiTary  every 
 thing  in  the  World  be  imagined  to  be  5  yet 
 even  That  NecefFity  muft  flow  from  an 
 *  Eternal  and  Intelligent  Mind, 
 
 the  neceffary  Perfections  of  *T°  &**'mlov,$ii(>inAv, 
 whole  Nature  are  the  Caufe  $££fcJ£fi£  °~ 
 T  of  the  Harmony  and  Beauty  of  f  %vv^  <f  ko<t^ov  «V 
 the  World,  and  particularly  ptrfc*  T«t?r»#  J1,  *it#@- 
 of  Mens  having  II  Faculties,  •  ?2^;  md',  :  ,  ,n 
 Organ,  of Sevfe  Appetim,  Sec,  JSftflSff&S 
 fitted  even  to  Final  Caufe  s.  jwWi*«  dWw*  *x 
 
 J\ovn$  Zvix,*  fcfoddt  *vft£tj3**frj  dfaa  &c/   Idem  Ilie*  i  n  w*t* 
 
 AriftotU  likewife,  was  a  great  AlTerter  in- 
 deed of  the  Eternity  of  the  World  :  But  not 
 in  Oppofition  to  the  Belief  of  the  Being,  or  of 
 the  Power,  Wifdom,  or  Goodnefs  of  God  :  On 
 the  contrary,  He  for  no  other  Reafon  afferted 
 the  World  to  be  Eternal,  but  becaufe  he  fan- 
 cied that  fuch  an  Effed  muft  needs  eternally 
 proceed  from  fuch  an  Eternal  Caufe.  And  fo  far 
 was  he  from  teaching,  that  Matter  is  the  fir  ft 
 and  Original  Caufe  of  all  Things  h  that  on 
 D  the  1 
 
34  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 the  contrary  he  everywhere  expreflydefcribes 
 *  N*V  '       God  to  be  an  *  Intelligent  Be- 
 
 f:  it  vf-nv  khZv  dtim-     Mover  °J  al1  2  hw&->    Himfelf 
 7ov.    Ariiht.  wetaph.  Immoveable-,  and  affirms,  that 
 
 t  *  E«  pn  Hiki  ^y  7^     *  if  there  were  nothing  hit  Mat- 
 
 ^£  *M$&»*ifug    terin  the  WorU    there  woM 
 
 ttfyn.    Ibid.  be  no  Original  Caiife,  but  an  Infi- 
 
 nite Progrejfwn  ofCaufes-,  which 
 is  abfurd. 
 
 As  to  thofe  Philofophers,  who  taught 
 plainly  and  exprefsly,  that  Matter  was  not 
 only  Eternal,  but  alfo  Self-Exiftent  and  intire- 
 !v  Independent,  Co-exifting  from  Eternity 
 with  God,  Independently,  as  a  Second  Princi- 
 ple :  I  have  already  fhewn  the  ImpoiTibility 
 of  this  Opinion,  at  the  Entrance  upon  the 
 prefent  Head  of  Difcourfe,  where  I  proved 
 
 -fxi-  fS-  that  Matter  could  not  poffibly  be  Self-exijient  : 
 And  I  fliall  further  demonftrate  it  to  be  Falfe, 
 when  I  come  to  prove  tne  Unity  of  the  Self- 
 exiftent  Being. 
 
 Plato,  whatever  his  Opinion  was  about  the 
 original  Matter,  very  largely  and  fully  de- 
 clares his  Sentiments  about  the  Formation  of 
 the-  World,  viz.  That  it  was  compofed  arid 
 framed  by  an  Intelligent  and  Wife  God  *  And 
 there  is  no  one  of  all  the  Antient  Philofo- 
 phers, who  in  alll  his  Writings  fpeaks  fo  ex- 
 cellently and  worthily   *  as 
 
 A*~°«?^^*^*  Ke>  c<>ncerning  tne  Nature 
 'o  lb,  r^h  !g  Qcjs;  and  Attributes  of  God.  Yet 
 «5  TAura.  tol  h  l&v$  &  7*  as  to  the  Time  of  the 
 lv  if*  %  vto  y»s  &va.v-  World's  beginning  to  be 
 nltytrtwQ-.DeRtui/l-    Formcd,  He  feems   to   make 
 
 it  indefinite,   when  he  fays, 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.       3  5 
 
 *  Toe  World  muft.  needs  be  an 
 Eternal  Rcfemhlance  of  the  E- 
 tenial  Idea.  At  leaft  his  Fol- 
 lowers afterward  fo  under- 
 ftood  and  explained  it,  as  if 
 by  the  Creation  of  the  World, 
 was  not  to  be  underftoood  a 
 Creation  in  Time  f  •  but  only 
 on  Order  of  Nature,  Caufdity 
 and  Dependence :  That  is  •,  that 
 the  7^7/ of  God,  and  his  Pow- 
 er of  Acting,  being  necefTari- 
 ly  as  Eternal  as  his  EfTence  \ 
 \\  the  Effects  of  that  Will  arid 
 Power  might  be  fuppofed  co- 
 eval to  the  Will  and  Power 
 themfdves ;  in  the  fame  man- 
 ner, as  Light  would  eternal- 
 ly proceed  from  the  Sun,  or  a 
 Shadow  from  the  hiterpofed  Bo- 
 dy, or  an  Imprejjion  from  an 
 hnpofed  Seal,  if  the  refpe£Kve 
 Caufes  of  thefe  Effects  were 
 fuppofed  Eternal. 
 
 De  mundo,  &  de  his  quos  in  mundodeos  a  Deo  fzftos  fcribit  Plato, 
 
 apertiflime  dicit  eos  effe  cxpifie,  &  habere    initium  — ■ -Verum  id 
 
 quomodo  imelligant,  invenerunt  [Placonici ; "]  non  erTe  hoc  videlicet 
 Temporis,  fed  Subfiitutknis  initium.  Ibid,  Lib.  10.  Cap-  gi« 
 
 Scd  mundum  quidem  fuiffe  femper,  Philofophia  auftor  eft  j  condico- 
 re  quidem  Deo,  led  non  ex  tempore  Macrob.  in  Somn,  Sap  L\b.2',Cap.io, 
 
 ||  Ktfi  «  &i\H9  vctfzfeiyiJL'JLTt  cri  tivi  rav  yweiy-w  %ti*y*f* 
 
 *!?&(  TO  (ilTiSfJLiyOV  Q&ffl  $  07/  JWeSfl&Vfif  alTfCV  TO  caiutt  T  e&*s"» 
 *TG>     /»  *}  O^g  6  KOfU®-    VtL&KOKtdnuct   ifi    T8   ©2«    *'*"!«     0"tO* 
 
 chafi*  Scholaft,  Difputat, 
 
 Sicut  cnim,  inquiunt  [Platonici ,]  fi  Pes  ex  sternirate  femper  fuiflec 
 in  pulvere,  femper  ei  fubefiec  veftigium  j  qucd  tamen  veftigium  a  cal- 
 cante  faftum  nemo  dubicarec-  nee  alterum  alcero  prius  efler,  quamvis 
 alterum  ab  akero  faftum  efTet :  Sic,  inquiunt,  &  mundus  acq;  in  iilo 
 Dii  creati,  &  femper  fuerunt ;  femper  exiftente  qui  fecit  i  &  tamen 
 fafti  func.    Auguftin,  de  Chit  at.  Dei.  Lib.  io,  Cap.  jl. 
 
 D  2  i  i  rr>. 
 
 xqtuov,  *  rivet  tiv  <  Hval- 
 Plato  in  Timaee.  Which  Words 
 being  very  kmpirfeti  in  our 
 Copies  of  the  Original,    are 
 
 thus  rendred  by  Cicero.  Si 
 erp  >  o.eneratus  [eft  mundus  J 
 ad  id  eiTcdus  eft,  quod  ra- 
 tione  fapienciaqj  comprehen* 
 ditur,  acq-,  immutabi'u  ater- 
 niracc  continetur  Ex  quo 
 efficitur,  uc  fie  neceffe  bunc 
 quern  cernimus  mundum,  fim* 
 lachrum  sternum  effe  alicujus 
 dternl  Cic.  de  Univerf 
 
 t  NaV  ire)  rutJi*M  Vj)^  %X 
 
 tinus. 
 
 Qui  awtem  a  Deo  quidem 
 faftum  fatentur,  non  ramen 
 eum  volunt  Temporis  habere, 
 fed  fuse  Creationis  initium  j 
 ut  modo  quodam  vix  intcl- 
 KgibilL  Semper  fie  faftus. 
 Auguftin.  de  Civit.  Dei,  Lilt. 
 1 1.  Cap,  4. 
 
3  6  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 From  all  which,  it  plainly  appears  how 
 little  Reafon  our  Modern  Atheifts  have  to 
 boaft  either  of  the  Authority  or  Reafons  of 
 thofe  Antient  Philofophers  who  held  the  E- 
 ternity  of  the  "World.     For  fine*  thefe  Men 
 neither  proved,  nor  attempted  to  prove,  that 
 the  Material  World  was  Original  to  it  felf, 
 Independent  or  Self-exifting  •,  but  only  that 
 it  was  an  Eternal  Effect  of  an  Eternal  Caufe, 
 which  is  God  •,  'tis  evident  that  this  their  0- 
 pinion,  even  fuppofing  it  could  by  no  Means 
 be  refuted,  could  afford  no  manner  of  Advan- 
 tage to  the  Caufe  of  Atheifts  in  our  days,  who 
 excluding  Supreme  Mind  and  Intelligence  out 
 of  the  Univerfe,  would  fain  make  mere  Mat- 
 ter and  Neceihty  the  Original  and  Eternal 
 Caufe  of  all  Things. 
 
 idly.  The  other  Reafon  why  (in  this  At- 
 tempt to  prove  that  the  Material  World  cannot 
 poj/ibly  be  the  Firft  and  Original  Being,  Uncre- 
 ated, Independent  and  Self-Exiftent,)  I  have  o- 
 mitted  the  Argument  ufually  drawn  from  the 
 fuppofed  abfolutelmpoffibility  of  the  "World's 
 being  Eternal,  or  having  exifted  through  an 
 Infinite  Succeihon  of  Time  -,  is  becaufe  that 
 Argument  can  never  be  fo  Jlated,  as  to  be  of  any 
 vfe  in  Convincing  or  Affe&ing  the  Mind  of  an 
 Atbeift,  who  muft  not  be  fuppofed  to  come 
 prepared  beforehand  with  any  tranfeendent  I- 
 dea  of  the  Eternity  of  God.    For  iince  an  A- 
 theift  cannot  be  fuppofed  to  believe  the  Nice 
 and  Subtle  (and  indeed  unintelligible)  Di- 
 ftin&ions  of  the  Schools  ^  'tis  impofhble  by 
 this  Argument  fo  to  difprove  the  Poifibility 
 of  the  Eternity  of  the  World,  but  that  an  A- 
 
 theift 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.         3  7 
 
 theift  will  undertone!  it  to  prove  equally  a- 
 gainft  the  Portability  of  any  Thing's  being 
 Eternal  h  and  confequently  that  it  proves  no- 
 thing at  all,  but  is  only  a  Difficulty  arifing 
 from  our  not  being  able  to  comprehend  ade- 
 quately the  Notion  of  Eternity.  That  the 
 Material  World  is  not  Self-Exiftent  or  Neccf- 
 farily-Exifting,  but  the  Product  of  fome  di- 
 ftincl:  fuperior  Agent,  may,  (as  I  have  already  tai-  «« 
 fhown)  be  ftrictly  demonftrated  by  lare  Rea- 
 fon  againft  the  moft  obftinate  Atheift  in  the 
 World :  But  the  Time  when  the  World  was 
 Created  •,  or  whether  its  Creation  was,  pro- 
 perly fpealeing,  in  Time  ^  is  not  fo  eaiy  to 
 demonstrate  ftrictly  by  bare  Reafpn,  (as  ap- 
 pears from  the  Opinions  of  many  of  the  An- 
 tient  Philofophers  concerning  that  matter,) 
 but  the  Proof  of  it  can  be  taken  only  from 
 Revelation.  To  indeavour  to  prove,  that 
 there  cannot  poffibly  be  any  fuch  thing  as  in- 
 fiv.it e  Time  or  Space,  from  the  Impoiiibility  of 
 an  *  Addition  of  Finite  Parts  ever  compofing  *  cud- 
 or  exhaufting  an  Infinite  :  or  from  the  imagi-  worth'/ 
 nary  inequality  of  the  Number  of  Years,  Days,  Sjfttm.  p. 
 and  Hours,  that  would  be  contained  in  the  "4?" 
 one-,  or  of  the  Miles,  Yards,  and  Feet,  that 
 would  be  contained  in  the  other  :  is  fuppofing 
 Infinites  to  be  made  up  of  Numbers  of  Finites  h 
 that  is,  'tis  fuppofing  Finite  Quantities  to 
 be  Aliquot  or  Confiituent  Parts  of  Infinite  • 
 when  indeed  they  are  not  fo,  but  do  all  £- 
 qually,  whether  Great  or  Small,  whether  Many 
 vr  Few,  bear  the  very  fame  proportion  to  an 
 Infinite,  as  Mathematical  Points  do  to  a 
 Line,  or  Lines  do  to  a  Superficies,  or  as 
 Moments  do  to  'iime^  that  is,  none  at  all. 
 So  that  to  argue  abfolutely  againft  the  Poili- 
 D  3  bility 
 
38         A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 bflity  of  Infinite  Space  or  Time,  merely  from 
 the_  imaginary  inequality  of  the  Numhers  of 
 their  Finite  Parts  $  which  are  not  properly 
 Conftituent  Parts,  but  mere  Nothings  in  Pro- 
 portion •  is  the  very  fame  thing  as  it  would 
 be  to  argue  againft  the  Polhbility  of  the  Ex- 
 iftence  of  any  determinate  finite  Quantity, 
 from  the  imaginary  Equality  or  Inequality 
 of  the  Number  of  the  Mathematical  Lines  and 
 Points  contained  therein  $  when  indeed  nei- 
 ther the  one  nor  the  other  have  (in  propriety 
 of  Speech)  any  Number  at  all,  but  they  are 
 abfolutely  without  Number  :  Neither  can  any 
 given  Number  or  Quantity  be  any  Aliquot  or 
 Conftituent  Part  of  Infinite,  or  be  compared  at 
 all  with  it,  or  bear  any  kind  of  Proportion 
 to  ir.5  or  be  the  Foundation  of  any  Argument 
 in  any  Queftion  concerning  it. 
 
 The  Ef-  IV.  What  the  Sub  fiance  or  EJfence  of  that  Be- 
 
 fence  of  the  ing^  which  is   Self-Exifient,  or  Necejjarily-Ex- 
 
 ielf'6gl~     iftwg,  is  3  we  have  no  Idea,  neither  is  it  at  allpof- 
 
 Jncomprc-1  f^e  for  tls  to  comprehend  it.  That  there  is  fuch 
 
 henfible.     a  Being  actually  Exifting  without  us,  we  are 
 
 fag.  14,     fure  (as  I  have  already  lhewn)  by  ftricl:  and 
 
 *5»  16*     undeniable  Demonftration.     Alfo  what  it  is 
 
 -pag.  22.     ttot  1  that  is,  that  the  Material  World  is  not 
 
 it,  as  our  Modern  Atheifts  would  have  it- 
 
 has  been  already  Demonftrated.     But  what 
 
 it  h,  I  mean  as  to  its  Subftance  and  Effence  -y 
 
 this  we  are  Infinitely  unable  to  comprehend. 
 
 Yet  does  not  this  in  the  leaft  diminifh  the 
 
 Certainty  of.  the  Demonftration  of  its  Exift- 
 
 ence.     For  it  is  one  thing  to  know  certainly 
 
 that  a  Being  Exifts  ^  and  another  to  know 
 
 what  the  Effence  of  that  Being  is  :  And  the 
 
 one  may  be  capable  of  the  ftri&eft  Demonftra 
 
 tion, 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       5 
 
 tion,  when  the  other  is  abfolutely  beyond  the 
 Reach  of  all  our  Faculties  to  underftand.     A 
 Blind  or  Deaf  Man  has  infinitely  more  Rea- 
 fon  to  deny  the  Being,  or  the  Pollibility  of 
 the  Being,  of  Light  or  Sounds  •,  than  any  A- 
 theift  can  have  to  deny,  or  doubt  of,  the -Ex- 
 istence of  God.    For  the  One  can  at  the  ut- 
 moft  have  no  other  Proof,  but  credible  J 'eiti- 
 mony  of  the    Exiftence   of  certain  Things, 
 whereof  it  is  abfolutely  impoflible  that  he 
 himfelf  Should    frame  any  manner  of  Idea, 
 not  only  of  their  EfTence,  but  even  of  their 
 Effects  or  Properties  :  But  the  Other  may 
 with  the  leaft  Ufe  of  his  Reafon,  be  allured 
 of  the  Exiftence  of  a  Supreme  Being,  by  un- 
 deniable Demonstration  5  arid  may  alfo  cer- 
 tainly know  abundance  of  its  Attributes,  (as 
 fhall  be  made   appear  in  the  following  Pro- 
 portions,) though  its  SubStance  or  EfTence  be 
 intirely  incomprehensible.       Wherefore  no- 
 thing can  be  more  Unreafonable  and  Weak, 
 than  for  an  Atheift  upou  this  account  to  deny 
 the  Being  of  God,  merely  becaufe  his  weak 
 !and  finite   Understanding    cannot   frame  it 
 felf  any  adequate  Notion  of  the  Subftance 
 or  EfTence  of  that  Firft  and  Supreme  Caufe. 
 We  are  utterly  ignorant  of  the  Subftance  or 
 EfTence   of  all  other  things  •,  even  of  thofe 
 things  which   we  converfe   moft  familiarly 
 with,  and  think  we  underftand  beft.     There 
 is  not  fo  mean  and  contemptible  a  Plant  or 
 Animal,  that  does  not  confound  the  moft  in- 
 larged  Underftanding  upon  Earth  :    Nay  e- 
 ven  the  iTmpleft  and  plaineft  of  all  inanimate 
 Beings,  have  their  EfTence  or  Subftance  hid- 
 den from  Us  in  the  deepeft  and  moft  impenc 
 D  4  trable 
 
4P  A  'Demonfiration  of  the 
 
 trable  Obfcurity.  How  weak  then  and  fool- 
 ifh  is  it  to  raife  Objections  againft  the  Being 
 of  God,  from  the  Incomprehenfiblenefs  of 
 his  EiTence!  and  to  reprefent  it  as  a  ft  range 
 and  incredible  thing,  that  there  fhould  Exift 
 any  incorporeal  Subftance,  the  Eflence  of 
 which  we  are  not  able  to  Comprehend  !  As  if 
 it  were  not  far  more  ftrange,  that  there  fhould 
 exift  numberkfs  Objects  of  our  Senfes, 
 Things  fubjecl  to  our  daily  Inquiry,  Search, 
 and  Examination  -,  and  yet  we  not  be  able, 
 no  not  in  any  meafure,  to  find  out  the  real 
 EiTence  of  any  one  even  of  the  leaft  of  the  fa 
 Things. 
 
 From  what  has  been  faid  upon  this  Head, 
 we  may  obferve, 
 Of  Infinite  jjj,  The  IVealnefs  of  fucb,  an  have  pre  fumed 
 S?4ce.  iQ  lmctpn  Infinite  Space  to  be  ajuft  Reprefevtati- 
 on  or  adequate  Idea  of  the  E  (fence  of  the  Supreme 
 Caufe.  This  is  a  weak  Imagination,  arifTng 
 from  hence,  that  Men  ufing  themfelves  to 
 ludge  of  all  Things  by  their  Senfes  only, 
 fancy  Spiritual  or  Immaterial  Subftances,  be- 
 caufe  they  are  not  Objects  of  their  Corporeal 
 Senfes,  to  be  as  it  were,  mere  Nothings  ^  Juft 
 as  Children  imagin  Air,  becaufe  they  cannot 
 fee  it,  to  be  mere  Emptinefs  and  Nothing.  But 
 X he  Fallacy  is  too  grofs,  to  deferve  being  \r\~. 
 lifted  upon.  There  are  perhaps  Numberlefs 
 Subftances  in  the  World,  whofe  EfTences  are 
 as  intirely  unknown  and  impofllble  to  be  re- 
 prefcnted  to  our  Imaginations,  as  Colours  are 
 to  a  Man  that  was  born  Blind,  or  Sounds 
 to  one  that  has  been  always  Deaf:  Nay, 
 there  is  no  Subftance  in  the  World,  of 
 Which  we  know  any  thing  further,  than  only 
 
 a  cer- 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.        4 1 
 
 a  certain  Number  of  its  Properties  or  Attri- 
 butes }  of  which  we  know  fewer  in  fome 
 things,  and  in  Others  more.  Infinite  Space  is 
 nothing  elfe  but  an  abftracl  Idea  of  Immenfi- 
 ty  or  Infinity's  even  as  infinite  Duration  is 
 of  Eternity  :  And  it  would  be  juft  as  proper, 
 to  fay  that  Eternity  is  the  EfTence  of  the  Su- 
 preme Caufe  •,  as  to  fay,  that  Immenfity  is  Jj. 
 fo.  Indeed  they  feem  Both  to  be  but  Attri- 
 butes of  an  EffenceorSubitancelncompreTTen^  J> 
 ilbTe  to  Us  •  and  when  we  indeavour  to  re-  y^*^ 
 
 prelent  the  real  Subftance  of  any  Being  what- 
 soever in  our  Weak  Imaginations,  we  (hall 
 iind  our  felves  in  like  manner  deceived. 
 
 idly.  From  hence  appears,  the  Vanity  of 'the  Tfje  Vanity 
 Schoolmen  •,  who,  as  in  other  Matters,  fo  in  of  the 
 their  Difputes  about  the  Self-Exiftent  Being.  Schoolmen. 
 when  they  come  at  what  they  are  by  no  means 
 able  to  comprehend  or  explain  •,  leaft  they 
 fhouH  feem  ignorant  of  any  thing,  they  give 
 us  Terms  of  Art,  and  Words  of  Amufement  5 
 mere  empty  Sounds,  which  under  pretenfe  of 
 explaining  the  Matter   before  them,    have 
 really  no  manner  of  Idea  or  fignification  at 
 all.     Thus  when  they  tell  us  concerning  the 
 EfTence  of  God,  that  He  is  Funis  Atlus,  mera 
 forma,  and  the  like  5  either  the  Words  have 
 no  meaning   and  fignify    nothing  •,    or  elfe 
 they  exprefs  only  the  Perfection  of  his  Power ,    • 
 and  other  Attributes  5  which  is  not  what  thefe 
 Men  intend  to  exprefs  by  them. 
 
 V.  Though  the  Subftance  or  EJfence  of  the  Self*  That  the 
 Exlftejit  Beiv^is  itfelfabfohtely  Inco?nprehenJi(?le  Selfaifc 
 tons-,  yet  many  of  the  Ejfential  Attributes  of  his  ^/^ 
 Nature  arc  ftn&ly  Bemonftrahle^  as  well  as  his  Eternal, 
 Exiftejice.     Thus,  in  the  firft  place,  the  Self- 
 
 Exlftent 
 
4*  A'DemofifirMionof  the 
 
 EStJlent  Being  vinfl  of  ner.ejfity  be  Eternal.  The 
 Idea's  of  Enmity  and  Self-Exiftence  are  fo 
 clofely  connected,that  becaufe  fornething  muit 
 of  Neceility  be  Eternal  Independently  and  with- 
 out any  outward  Caufe  of  its  Beings  therefore  it 
 muft  necefFarily  be  Self-exiftent  ♦,  and  becaufe 
 it  is  impofTible  but  Something  muft  be  Self- 
 exiftent  •  therefore  it  is  neceffary  that  it 
 muft  likewife  be  Eternal.  To  be  Self-exi- 
 pag.16,1-],  ftent,  is  (as  has  been  already  {hewn)  to  Exift 
 by  an  Abfolute  Neceility  in  the  Nature  of 
 the  Thing  it  felf.  Now  this  Neceility  being 
 Abfolute  and  not  depending  upon  any  thing 
 External,  muft  be  always  unalterably  the 
 :  fame^  Nothing  being  alterable,  but  what  is 
 
 capable  of  being  affected  by  fomewhat  with- 
 out it  felf.  That  Being  therefore  which  has 
 no  other  Caufe  of  its  Exiftence,  but  the  ab- 
 folute NeceiFity  of  its  own  Nature,  muft  of 
 Neceility  have  exifted  from  everlafting,  with- 
 out Beginning  ^  and  muft  of  Neceility  exift  to 
 everlafting  without  End. 
 -    .  As  to  the  manner  of  this  Eternal  Exiftence, 
 
 Manner  ef  '**s  nianifeft,it  herein  infinitely  tranfcends  the 
 my  Concei-  Manner  of  the  Exiftence  of  all  Created  Beings, 
 ™ng  [he    even  of  fuch  as  ihall  exift  for  ever  ♦,  that  where- 
 ^nlty  *>  as  it  is  not  poffible  for  their  finite  Minds  to 
 comprehend  all  that  is  paft,  or  to  underftand 
 perfectly  all  things  that  are  at  prefent,  much 
 lefs  to  know  all  that  is  future,   or  to  have 
 entirely  in  their  Power  any  thing  that  is  to 
 come  -/  but  their  Thoughts,  and  Knowledge, 
 and  Power,  muft  of  Neceffity  have  degrees  and 
 periods,  and  be  fucceilive  and  tranfient  as  the 
 Things  Themfelves  :  The  Eternal,  Supreme 
 Caufe,  on  the  contrary,  (fuppofing  him  to 
 be  an  Intelligent  Bang,  which  will  hereafter 
 
 be 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       43 
 
 be  proved  in  the  Sequel  of  this  DifcourfeJ 
 muft  of  Necelfity  have  fuch  a  perfeel,  inde- 
 pendent and  unchangeable  Comprehension  of 
 all  Tilings,  that  there  can  be  no  One  Point  or 
 Inftant  of  his  Eternal  Duration,  wherein  all 
 Things  that  are  paft,  prefent,  or  to  come, 
 will  not  be  as  entirely  known  and  reprefented 
 to  him  in  one  Single  Thought  or  View  5  and 
 all  Things  prefent  and  future,  be  equally  in- 
 tirely  in  his  Power  and  Direction  ^  as  if  there 
 was  really  no  Succeflion  at  all,  but  all  Things 
 were  actually  prefent  at  once.  Thus  far  we 
 can  fpealt  Intelligibly  concerning  the  Eternal 
 Duration  of  the  Seif-Exiftent  Being  ^  and  no 
 Atheift  can  fay  that  this  is  an  Impoifible,  Ab- 
 furd  or  Insufficient  Account  •,  It  is,  in  the 
 moft  proper  and  Intelligible  Senfe  of  the 
 "Words,  to  all  the  purpofes  of  Excellency  and 
 Perfection,  IntervihiabWh  vita  tota  fivnil  &  per- 
 fecla  Pojfeffio  :  The  entire  and perfect  Pojfefwn  of 
 an  endlefs  Life. 
 
 Others  have  fnppofed  that  the  Difference  with  re- 
 between  the  Manner  of  the  Eternal  Exiftence  ^  *° 
 of  the  Supreme  Caufe,  and  that  of  the  Exiftence  tot*«- 
 of  Created  Beings,  is  this:  That  whereas  the 
 latter  is  a  continual  tranfient  Succeffion  of  Du- 
 ration h    the  former  is  one  Point  or  Inftant 
 comprehending  Eternity,     and  wherein  all  . 
 Things  are  really  co-exiftent.  But  this  Distin- 
 ction I  {hall  not  now  inlift  upon  j    as  being  of 
 no  ufe  in  the  prefent  Difpute  ^    becaufe  it  is 
 impoifible  to  prove  and  explain  it  in  fuch  a 
 manner,   as  ever  to  convince  an  Atheift  that 
 there  is  any  Thing  in  it.     And  beSides  5  as  on 
 the  one  hand,  the  School-men  have  indeed 
 generally  choferi  to  defend  it  h  fo  on  the  other 
 
 hand, 
 
44  ^  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 *  cmcem  ingenio  figere  hand,  there  *  are  many 
 cap,!"1  ^JtTZ    L-rned  Men,  of  better  Un- 
 
 poteft,  ut  inftans  [Tewpirii]    aeritanding    and     Judgment 
 
 coexifhr.  rci  fucceOivse,  quam     than  they  •   who  have  rejected 
 
 impofflbile  eft  punftum  cc-     and  oppofe(|  it 
 
 cumcrc.  ^coextendij  lines. —  *x 
 
 — Lufus  merus  non  intelieftorum  verborurr,  Gaffend.    phyfic.  lib.  n 
 
 I  fhall  not  trouble  you  with  the  inconfiftent  and  unintelligible  Noti- 
 ons of  the  Schoolmen  ;  that  it  [the  Eternity  of  God]  is  duratio  tot  a  ft- 
 rrikl,  in  which  we  are  not  to  conceive  any  Succeffion,  but  to  imagin  it 
 in  an  Inftant.  We  may  as  well  conceivrthe  Jmmenfity  of  God  to  be  a. 
 Point ,  as  his  Eternity  to  be  an  Inftant, —  And  how  that  can  be  together, 
 which  muft  neceflarily  be  imagined  to  be  co-exiftent  to  Succeflions  j 
 let  them  that  can,  conceive.  Archbifhop  Tillotfon,  Vol.  7.  Serm.  1?. 
 
 Others  fay,  God  fees  and  knows  future  Things,  by  the  prefentialicy 
 and  eo-exiftence  of  all  Things  in  Eternity  ;  for  they  fay  that  future 
 "things  are  aftually  prefent  and  exilting  to  God,  though  not  in  menfura 
 propria,  yet  in  menfura  aliena.  The  School- men  have  much  more  of 
 this  Jargon  and  canting  Language ;  I  envy  no  Man  the  underftanding 
 thefe  Phrafes  -,  but  to  me  they  feem  to  fignifle  nothing,  but  to  have 
 been  Words  invented  by  idle  and  conceited  Men  ;  which  a  great 
 many  ever  fince,  left  they  fhould  feem  to  be  ignorant,  would  leem 
 to  underftand  :  But  I  wonder  moft,  that  Men,  when  they  have  amu- 
 led  and  puzled  themfelves  and  others  with  hard  Words,  (hould  call 
 this  Explaining  Things.    Archbifhop  Tilhtfon,    Vol.  6.  Serm.  6\ 
 
 That  the  VI.  The  Szlf-Exiflent  Being,  vmjl  of  Neceffi- 
 stf^'if"  *-V  ^  I}1fin*te  and  Omniprefent.  The  Idea  of  In- 
 mftbeil  fi^y  or  Immenfity,  as  well  as  of  Eternity, 
 frite  and  is  fo  clofely  connected  with  that  of  Self-Exift- 
 omnipre.  ence,  that  becaufe  it  is  impoffible  but  Some- 
 £*'•  thing  muft  be  Infinite  [independently  and  of  it 
 
 felf  (for  elfe  it  would  be  impoflible  there 
 fhould  be  any  Infinite  at  all,  unlefs  an  Effect 
 could  be  perfecter  than  its  Caufe  -J  therefore 
 it  muft  of  NeceJhty  be  Self-Exiftent:  And  be- 
 caufe Something  muftofNeceflity  be  Self-Ex- 
 iftent, therefore  it  is  necefTary  that  it  muft 
 likewife  be  Infinite.  To  be  Self-Exiftent  (as 
 {p^  15,17.  has  been  already  fhownj  is  to  Exift  by  an 
 AbfolutcNeceflityinthe  Nature  of  the  Thing 
 
 it 
 
Being  and  A  tributes  of  God      4? 
 
 It  felf :  Now  this  Neceflity  being  Abfolute  in 
 it  felf,    and  not  depending  on  any  Outward 
 Caufe  •,  'tis  evident  it  muft  be  every  where,  as 
 well  as  always,  unalterably  the  fame  :    For  a 
 Neceflity  which  is  not  every  where  the  fame, 
 is  plainly  a  Confequential  Neceflity  only,  de- 
 pending upon  fome  External  Caufe,   and  not 
 an  Abfolute  one  in  its  own  Nature  :  For  a  Ne- 
 ceflity abfolutely  fuch  in  it  felf,    has  no  Re- 
 lation to  Time  or  Place,    or  any  Thing  clfe. 
 Whatever  therefore  Exifts  by  an  Abfolute  Ne- 
 ceflity in  its  own  Nature,  muft  needs  be  Infi- 
 nite as  well  as  Eternal.     To  fuppofe  a  Finite 
 Being,    to  be  Self-Ex iftent  •    is  to  fay  that  it 
 is  a  Contradiction  for  That  Being  not  to  Ex- 
 ift,  the  Abfence  of  which  may  yet  be  conceiv- 
 ed without  a  Contradiction :    Which  is  the 
 greateft  Abfurdity  in  the  World  :  For  if  a  Be- 
 ing can  without  a  Contradiction  be  abfent 
 from  One  Place,    it  may  without  a  Contradi- 
 ction be  abfent  likewife  from  another  Place, 
 and  from  all  Places  :  And  whatever  Neceflity 
 it  may  have  of  Exifting,  muft  arife  from  fome 
 External  Caufe,    and  not  abfolutely  from  it 
 felf  h   and  consequently,  the  Being  cannot  be 
 felf-Exiftent. 
 
 From  hence  it  follows, 
 ift.  That  the  Infinity  of  the  Self-Exiftent 
 Being,  muft  be  an  Infinity  of  Fidnefs  as  well 
 as  of  Immenjity  -,  that  is,  it  muft  not  only  be 
 without  Limits,  but  alfo  without  Diverjity,  Be- 
 feft,  or  Interruption.  For  Instance:  Could 
 Matter  be  fuppofed  Boundlefs,  it  would  not 
 therefore  follow  that  it  was  in  this  compleat 
 Senfe  Infinite  •  becaufe  though  it  had  no  Li- 
 mits, yet  it  might  have  within  it  felf  any 
 aflignable    Vacuities.    But  now  whatever  is 
 
 Self- 
 
4  6  A  Demonflration  of  the 
 
 Self-Exiftenr,  muft  of  Neceflity  Exift  abfolute- 
 ly  in  every  Place  alike,  and  be  equally  prefent 
 every  where  ;  and  consequently  muft  have  a 
 true  and  abfolute  Infinity,  both  oilmmenjity 
 and  Fulnefs. 
 
 idly.  From  hence  it  follows,    that  the  Self- 
 Exiftent  Being,    muft  be  a  moft  Simple,    Un- 
 changeable,. Incorruptible  Being,  without  Parts, 
 figure,  Motion,  Divijibility,  or  any  other  fuch 
 Properties  as  we  find  in  Matter.  For  all  thefe 
 Things  do  plainly  and  necefTarily  imply  Fi- 
 nitenefs in  their  very  Notion,  and  are  utter- 
 ly inconfiftent  with  complete  Infinity.     Divi- 
 jibility is  a  reparation  of  Parts,  real  or  mental : 
 Meaning  by  menial  Separation,  not  barely  a 
 partial  Apprehending  -,(fo;  Space,  for  inftancer 
 which   is  absolutely  indivifi- 
 *  0r£o  parthm  spatii  eft    ble    and  inseparable   either 
 imm»ta,Ms :  mveantur  hxde    really  or  *    mentally,    may 
 
 uadkam)  delfts.  Newton.  7et  be  partially  apprehen- 
 PrincifSchol.  ad  Dcfinit.  8.  ded$  but  a  removing,  dis- 
 joining, or  feparating  of  Parts 
 one  from  another  even  fo  much  as  in  the  Ima- 
 gination: And  any  fuch  Separation  or  Re- 
 moving of  Parts  one  from  another,  is  really 
 or  mentally  a  fetting  of  Bounds  •  Either  of 
 which,  deftroys  Infinity.  Motion,  for  the 
 lame  reafon,  implies  Finitenefs :  And  to  have, 
 Parts,  properly  ipeaking,  fignifies  either  Dif- 
 ference and  Diverfity  of  Exiftence  ;  which  is 
 inconfiftent  with  Neceflity :  or  elfe  it  iigni- 
 fies  Divifibility,  real  or  mental  as  before, 
 which  is  inconfiftent  with  complete  Infinity. 
 Corruption,  Change,  or  any  Alteration  whatsoever, 
 implies  Motion,  Separtation  of  Parts,  and 
 Finitenefs.  And  any  Manner  of  Compojition, 
 :s.  oppofition  to  the  moft  per  fed  SinipHcky, 
 
 fignifies 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       47 
 
 flgnifies  Difference  and  Diverfity  in  the  man- 
 ner of  Exiftence  •,  which  is  inconfiftent  with 
 NecefTity. 
 
 'Tis  evident  therefore,  that  the  Self-Exiftent  of  the 
 Being  muft  be  Infinite  in  the  flriSefi  and  mcft  ^0rj[ 
 complete  Senfe.    But  now  as  to  the  particulars^ 
 Marnier  of  his  being  Infinite  or  every  where  imm-nfity 
 prefent,  in  oppoiition  to  the  manner  of  Crea-  °f  God- 
 tod  Things  being  prefent  in  fuch  or  fuch  fi- 
 nite places  •,    This  it  is  as  impoffible  for  our 
 finite  Underflandings  to  comprehend  or  ex- 
 plain ^    as  it  is  for  us  to  form  an  adequate 
 Idea  of  Infinity.  Yet  that  the  Thing  is  true, 
 that  he  is  actually  Omniprefent,    we  are  as 
 certain,   as  we  are  that  there  mull  Something 
 be  Infinite,    which  no  Man  who  has  thought 
 upon  thefe  Things  at  all,  ever  denied.     The 
 Shoolmen  indeed   have    prefumed  to  affert,     ... 
 that  the  Immenfity  of  God  is  ri.  Point ;  as  his      / 
 Eternity  is  an  hi  ft  ant.     But  this  being  altoge- 
 ther Unintelligible  5  That  which  we  can  more 
 fafely  affirm,    and  which  no  Atheift  can  fay 
 is  abfurd,  and  which  neverthelefs  is  fufficient 
 to  all  wife  and  good  Purpofes,    is  this  :    That 
 whereas  all  Finite  and  Created  Beings,    can 
 be  prefent  but    in    One    definite  place  at 
 Once  ^    and  Corporeal  Beings  even  in  That 
 One  Place  very  imperfectly  and  unequally, 
 toanyPurpofe  of  Power  or  Activity,    only   * 
 by  the  Succeffive  Motion  of  different  Mem- 
 bers and  Organs  -,  The  Supreme  Caufe  on  the 
 contrary,  being  an  Infinite  and  moft  Simple 
 Effence,  and  comprehending  all  things  perfect-  ' 
 ly  in  himfelf,    is  at  all  times  equally  prefent, 
 both  in  his  Simple  Effence,    and  by  the  Im- 
 mediate and  Perfect  Exercife  of  all  his  At- 
 tributes,   to  every  Point    of  the    Boundlefs 
 
 Immenfity, 
 
4  S  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 Immenfity,    as  if  it  were  really  all  but  one" 
 Single  Point. 
 
 n*  the  VII.  The  Self-Exifient  Bebtg,  mifl  ofNeceffity 
 ffkl'/s'eir  ^e  ^Ut  ®ve'  ^is  evidently  follows  from  his 
 cattltTui  being  Necejfarily-ExiJieitU  For  Neceflity  Abfo- 
 Or.e.  lute  in  it  felf,    is  Simple  and  Uniform,    with- 
 
 out any  poflible  Difference  or  Variety :  And 
 all  Variety  or  Difference  of  Exiftence,  muft 
 needs  arife  from  fome  External  Caufe,  and  be 
 dependent  upon  it.  For  to  fuppofe  two  (or  more) 
 different  Natures  cxifting  of  themf elves,  necef- 
 farily,  and  independent  from  each  other  5  im- 
 plies this  plain  Contradiction  •,  that  each  of 
 them  being  independent  from  the  other,  they 
 may  either  of  them  be  fuppofed  to  exift  a* 
 lone,  fo  that  it  will  be  no  contradiction  to 
 imagine  the  other  not  to  exift-,  and  confe- 
 quently  neither  of  them  will  be  Neceffarily- 
 Exifting.  "Whatfoever  therefore  Exifts  neceffa- 
 rily,  is  the  One  Simple  EfTence  of  the  Self- 
 Exiftent  Being  5  and  whatfoever  differs  from 
 that,  is  not  Neceffarily-Exiftirig  :  Becaufe  in 
 abfolute  Neceflity  there  can  be  no  Difference 
 or  Diverh'ty  of  Exiftence.  Other  Beings  there 
 may  be  innumerable,  befides  the  One  Infinite 
 Self-Exiftent :  But  no  Other  Being  can  be  Self* 
 Exiftent,  becaufe  fo  it  would  be  individually 
 the  fame,  at  the  fame  time  that  it  is  fuppo- 
 fed to  be  different. 
 From  hence  it  follows, 
 0)  the  Tit-  ift.  That  the  Unity  of  God,  is  a  true  and 
 nit}*  real,  not  figurative,  Unity.  With  which  Prime 
 Foundation  of  Natural  Religion,  how  the 
 Scripture-Do&rine  of  the  Trinity  perfectly  a- 
 g;rees,  I  have  elfewhere  indeavoured  to  fhow 
 particularly,  in  its  proper  place. 
 
 adty 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.  49 
 
 idly.  From  hence  it  follows,  That  it  is  im-  TJ*  infof- 
 poffible  there  JhonU  be  two  different  Self  "-exiftent  Zf'/jl 
 Independent  Principles,  as  fame  Pbilofophers  have  penjent  ' 
 imagined  $  fitch  as  God  and  Matter.     For  imce  Principles. 
 Self-Exiftence   is   Neceflary-Exiftence  h    and 
 fince  it  is  an  exprcfs  Contradiction  (as  has  al-  Pag.  48. 
 ready  been  fhown)  that  two  different  Natures 
 fhould  each  be  Neceflarily-cxifting  -,  it  evi- 
 dently follows,  that  'tis  absolutely  impoffible 
 there  fhould  be  Two  Independent  Self-exift- 
 cnt  Principles,  fuch  as  God  and  Matter. 
 
 idly.  From  hence  we  may  obferve  the  Va-  The  Erm 
 nity,  Folly  and  Weaknefs  of  Spinoza  :  who,  o/Spinoza. 
 becaufe  the  Self-exiftent  Being  muft  necefla- 
 rily  be  but  One,  concludes  from  thence,  that 
 the     whole    World,    and    every 
 
 thing  contained  therein,  is  One  Una  fubftanria  non  potefl 
 Uniform  Subftance,  Eternal,  Un-  P^duci  ab  alia.  Ethic.  Par. 
 created  and  Neceffary  :  Whereas  '  A7'  naturam  fubftanciar 
 juft  Oil  the  contrary  he  ought  pertinec  exiftere.  Prop.  7. 
 to  have  concluded,  that  be-  Praerer  Deum  nu,,a  dari, 
 caufe  all  things  in  the  World     W  ™"*\  Potcfl  fubAan' 
 
 i-rr  r  cia*     rroP'  *4«      , 
 
 are  very  different  one  from  an- 
 other, and  have  all  manner  of  Variety,  and 
 all  the  Marks  of  Will  and  Arbitrarinefs  ani 
 Changeablenefs,  (and  none  ofNeceflity)  in 
 them^  being  plainly  fitted  with  very  different 
 Powers,  to  very  different  Ends  ^  and  diftin- 
 guifhed  one  from  another  by  a  diverfity,  not 
 only  of  Modes,  but  alfo  of  eftential  Attributes, 
 and  confequently  (fo  far  as  'tis  poilible  for  us, 
 by  the  ufe  of  our  prefent  Faculties,to  attain  a- 
 ny  Knowledge  at  all  of  them)  of  their  Subftan- 
 ces  themfelves  alfo  5  therefore  none  of  thefe 
 things  are  neceffary  or  Self  exiftent,  but  muft  needs 
 depend  all  upon  fome  External  Caufe, that  is,  on  the 
 One  Supreme ,  Unchangeable,  Self-exiftent  Being. 
 
 E  That 
 
5*o  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 That  which  led  Spnoxa  into  his  foolifh  and  I 
 deftructive  Opinion,  and  on  which  alone  all 
 his  Argumentation  is  entirely  "built,  is  that  ab- 
 furd  Definition  of  Sutftance : 
 t  Per  lubfhnriam  inreili-     +  that  it  is  Something,  the  Idea 
 go  id,  quod  in  fe  eft,  &  per     Gfwhh:h  Joes  mt  depend  on    or 
 le  concipirur:    hoc  eft.  id       J      r         r       i      Ti         r 
 cujusconcepcusnnonindigec     ?[WpA  the  Idea  of  any  o- 
 eoncepcu  alcerius  rei,  a  quo     thcr  thing,  from  which  it  might 
 formari  debear.    Definith  5.     proceed  :    but  includes  in   it  [elf 
 5SirtKfiS?ffi     necepry^ence     Which  l)e- 
 ftanri*  pcrtinct  Exiftere;  hoc     nnmon  is  either  falfe  and  lig- 
 eft  ipfius  efientia  involvicne-     niiies  nothing  •,  and  then  his 
 ceffrrio  exiftentiam.     Ethic,     whole  Doclrine  built  upon  it, 
 1  **  I.  P^  7.  falls  a^   once   tQ    the  Ground  ; 
 
 Or,  if  it  be  true  •  then  neither- 
 
 P*i-  2$  &  Matter  nor  Spirit,  nor  any  Finite  Being  what- 
 
 *J*  foever,  (as  has  been  before  fhown,)  is  in  that 
 
 Senfe  properly  a  Sub  fiance^  but  (the  5  £v)  the 
 
 -Xv  "      Self-exiftent  Being  alone :  And  foit  will  prove. 
 
 nothing  (notwithstanding    all  his  Show  and 
 
 Form  of  Demonftration,)  to  his  main  purpofe, 
 
 which  was  to  make  us  believe  that  there  is  no 
 
 fuch  Thing  as  Fewer  or  Liberty  in  the  Univerfe 
 
 but  that    *  every  particular 
 
 *  Res  nullo  alio  modo,    thing  in  the  "World  is  by  an 
 
 neq;  alio  ordine,  a  Deo  pro-      Afcfolute   Neceffity  juft  what 
 duct  pocuerunr,   quam  pro-      .      .  i  -,1    J    *        iri -,    ' 
 
 dua/func.    Prop.  33.  lt:   Vi  and   could  not  pofiibty 
 
 have  been  in  any  refpedt  0- 
 therwife.  Suppofing,  I  lay,  his  Definition  of 
 Subftance  to  be  true  $  yet  even  That  would 
 really  conclude  nothing  to  his  main  Purpofe 
 concerning  the  Neceffity  of  all  Things :  For 
 fince,  according  to  that  Definition,  neither 
 Matter  nor  Spirit,  nor  any  Finite  Beings  what-, 
 foever,  arc  Subftances,hur  only  Modes  5  how 
 will  it  follow,  that  becaufe  Subftance  is  Self*. 
 exiftent,  therefore  all  thtfe  Modes  are  fo  too  > 
 
 why, 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       t l 
 
 Whj^becaufc  f  from  an  Infinite 
 
 Caufe,  Infinite  Effefts  muft  needs        t   fcx  peceffirate  diVinsfe 
 ffib,.     Very  true  ;fuppofing    ^^g^-j 
 That     Infinite     Self-exiitent     inrc||caum  infinitum  cadert 
 Caufe,  not  to  be  a  Voluntary,     pofTunt,)  fcqui  dcbent.  Frop. 
 but  a    mere  Neceffary  Agent,     l6- 
 that  is,   no    Agent     at    all : 
 !  Which  Supposition  (hi  the  yrefnt  Argument) 
 '■  is  the  Queftion  begged  •  And  what  he  after- 
 \  wards  attempts  to  allege  in  proof  of  it,  fhall 
 afterwards  be  confidered  in  its  proper  place. 
 
 VIII.  The  Self-exiflent  and  O/hhial  Caufe  of  That  the 
 all  things,  muft  he  an  Intelligent  Being.     In  this  J^/-**- 
 Proportion  lies  the  main  Queftion  between  us  '^^'^ 
 and  the  Atheifts.     For  that  foriiething  muft  telligm* 
 be  Self-exiftent  •,  and  that  That  which  is  Self- 
 exiftent,  muft  neceffarily  be  Eternal  and  In- 
 finite and  the  Original  Caufe  of  all  things  ^ 
 will  not  bear  much  Difpute.  But  all  Atheifts, 
 whether  they  hold  the  "World  to  be  of  it  felf 
 'Eternal  both  as  to  the  Matter    and  Form, 
 or  whether  they  hold  the  Matter  only  to  be 
 Neceffary  and  the  Form  Contingent,  or  what- 
 ever Hypothecs   they  frame  -,  have  always 
 afTerted  and  muft  maintain,  either  directly  or 
 indirectly,  that  the  Self-Exiftent  Being  is  not 
 an  Intelligent  Being,  but  either  pure  unadive 
 Matter,  or  (which  in  other  Words  is  the  very 
 fame  thing)  a  mere  neceffary  Agent.     For  a 
 mere  neceffary  Agent  muft  of  neceffity  either 
 be  plainly  and  directly  in  the  groffeft  Senfe 
 Unintelligent  •  which  was  the  antient  Athe- 
 ifts Notion  of  the  Self-exiftent  Being:  Or  elfe 
 Its  Intelligence   (which  is   the  Affertion  of 
 Spinoza  and  fome  Moderns,)  muft  be  whol- 
 ly feparate  from    any  Power  cf  Will  and 
 E  2  Choice^ 
 
y  2  A  Demonjlration  of  the 
 
 Choice  •,  which  in  refpect  of  any  Excellency* 
 and  Perfection,    or  indeed   to  any  common 
 Senfe,  is  the  very  fame  thing  as  no  Intelli- 
 gence at  all. 
 
 Now  that  the  Self-exiftent  Being  is  not  fuch 
 ft  Blind  and  Unintelligent  Keceffity,  but  in 
 the  moft  proper  Senfe  an  Understanding  and 
 really  active  Being  :,  cannot  indeed  be  demon- 
 ftrated  ftrictly  and  properly  a  priori^  becaufe 
 (through  the  Imperfection  of  our  Faculties) 
 we  know  not  wherein  Intelligence  confifts, 
 nor  can  fee  the  Immediate  and  NecefTary  Con-  \ 
 nexion  of  it  withSelf-exiftence.aswe  can  that ; 
 of  Eternity,  Infinity,  Unity,  &c.    But  apo-{ 
 jleriori,  almoft  every  thing  in  the  "World  de-  \ 
 rnonftrates  to  us  this  great  Truth,  and  affords, 
 undeniable    Arguments   to    prove  that  the 
 World,  and  all  things  therein,  are  the  Effects  J 
 •f  an  Intelligent  and  Knowing  Caufe. 
 
 Proved  °  & 
 
 Degrees  of     And  ift.  Since  in  general  there  are  mam-  ■: 
 
 Perfection  feftly  in  Things,  various  kinds  of  Power s, and  I, 
 
 in  Things,  verv  different   Excellencies   and  Degrees  ofi! 
 
 older  $f     Perfe^ion  •  it  muft  needs  be,  that  in  the  Order  ] 
 
 Caufesand  of  Caufes  and  Effects,  the  Caufe  muft  always:; 
 
 EffeZts.      be  more  Excellent  than  the  Effect  *,    and  con-i 
 
 fequently  the  Self-exiftent  Being,  whatever 
 
 That  be  fuppofed  to  be,  muft  of  neceifity  (be-1 
 
 ing  the  Original  of  all  thirgs)  contain  in  it 
 
 felfthe  Sum  and  higheft  Degree  of  all  the 
 
 Perfections  of  all  things.     Not  becaufe  that 
 
 which  is  Self-exiftent,  muft  therefore  have  all< 
 
 poflible  Perfections  :  (For  This,  though  moft 
 
 certainly  true  in  it  felf,  }ret   cannot  be  fo 
 
 clearly  demonftrated  a  priori :)  But  becaufe  it 
 
 is  impoifible  that  any  Effect  fhould  have  a- 
 
 ny  Perfection,  which  was  not  in  the  Caufe  5 
 
 For 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod,        5  3 
 
 For  if  it  had,  then  that  Perfeaion  would  be 
 caufed  by  nothing  5  which  is  a  plain  Contra- 
 diction. Now  an  Unintelligent  Being,  'tis  evi- 
 dent, cannot  be  endued  with  all  the  Perfecti- 
 ons of  all  things  in  the  World  5  becaufe  Intel- 
 ligence is  one  of  thofe  Perfections.  All  things 
 therefore  cannot  arife  from  an  Unintelligent 
 Original :  and  confequently  the  Self-exiftent 
 Being,  muft  of  Neceflity  be  Intelligent. 
 
 There  is  no  pofllbility  for  an  Atheift  to  a- 
 void  the  Force  of  this  Argument  any  other 
 way,  than  by  afTerting  one  of  thefe  two 
 things  :  Either  that  there  is  no  Intelligent 
 Being  at  all  in  the  Univerfe  •,  or  that  Intel- 
 ligence is  no  diftind  Perfection,  but  merely  a 
 Compofition  of  Figure  and  Motion,  as  Colour 
 and  Sounds  are  vulgarly  fuppofed  to  be.  Of 
 the  former  of  thefe  Suppoiitions,  every  Man's 
 own  Confcioufnefs  is  an  abundant  Confutati- 
 on. For  they  who  contend  that  Beafts  are 
 mere  Machines'^  have  yet  never  prefumed  to 
 conjecture  that  Men  are  fo  too.  And  that  the 
 latter,  (in  which  the  main  ftrength  ofAthe- 
 ifm  lies,)  is  moft  abfurd  and  impoflible,  Ihall 
 be  Ihown  immediately  :  Which  neverthelefs 
 if  it  could  be  fuppofed  to  be  True,  yet  e- 
 ven  in  That  Suppofition  it  weuld  ftill  un- 
 avoidably follow,  that  the  Self-exifting  Be- 
 ing muft  needs  be  Intelligent  ^  as  fhall  be 
 proved  in  my  4th  Argument  upon  this  pre- 
 fent  Head.  In  the  mean  time,  that  it  is 
 moft  abfurd  and  impollible  to  fuppofe  Intel- 
 ligence not  to  be  any  diftincT:  Perfection,  pro- 
 perly fpeaking,  but  merely  a  Compofition, 
 of  Unintelligent  Figure  and  Motion  h  will 
 appear  from  what  fhall  be  laid  in  the  enfuing 
 Argument. 
 
 E  3  2  My, 
 
5*4         A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 from  the        odfty.  Since  in  Men  in  particular  there  is  im- 
 glncJ'tbat  dcniably  that  Power,  which  we  call  Thought, 
 h  in  crt<*  Intelligence,    Confcioufnefs,    Perception    or 
 udBefrgt.  Kfldwlerige*  there  muft  of  Neccffity  either 
 have  been  from  Eternity  without  any  Original 
 Caufe  at  att^    an  infinite  SucceflTion  of  Men, 
 whereof  wo  one  has  had  a  Neceffary,  but  every 
 one  a  Dependent  and  Communicated  Being  •,  or 
 elfe  thefe  Beings,  indued  with  Perception  and 
 Confcioufnefs,    muft  at  fome  time  or  other 
 have  arifen  purely  out  of  that  which  had  no 
 fuch  Quality  as  Senfe,  Perception  or  Confci- 
 oufnefs, or  elfe  they  muft  have  been  produ- 
 ced by  fome  Intelligent  Superionr  Being.  There 
 never  was  nor  can  be  any  Atheift  whatfoe- 
 ver,  that  can  deny  but  One  of  thefe  Three 
 Suppofitions  muft  be  the  Truth.    If  therefore 
 the  two  former  can  be  proved  to  be  falfe  and 
 impoffible,  the  latter  muft  be  own'd  to  be  de- 
 monftrably  true.     Now  that  the  firft  is  im- 
 poiTible,  is   evident  from  what  has  Nbeen  al- 
 pag>  12,     ready    faid  in  proof  of  the  Second  General 
 &c*  Head  of  this  Difcourfe.     And  that  the  fecond 
 
 is  likewife  impoffible  •  may  be  thus  demon- 
 strated. If  Perception  or  Intelligence,  be  a 
 diftintt  Quality  or  Perfection  •  and  not  a  mere 
 Effect  or  Compofition  of  Unintelligent  Figure 
 and  Motion-,  then  Beings  endued  with  Per- 
 ception or  Confcioufnefs,  can  never  have  a- 
 rifen  purely  out  of  that  which  had  no  fuch 
 Quality  as  Perception  or  Confn'oufnefs  •,  be- 
 ca'ufe  nothing  can  ever  give  to  another  «ny 
 Perfedtion,  which  it  hath  not  either  actually 
 in  it  (elf,  or  at  leaft  in  a  higher  degree  :  But 
 Perception  or  Intelligence,  is  a  difiiitB, [Quality 
 or  Perfedtion  ^  and  not  a  mere  Effect  or  Com* 
 poiition  of  Unintelligent  Figure  and  Motion, 
 
 Firt, 
 
iBtinjr  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       y  y 
 
 Firfl,  If  Perception  or  Intelligence,  be  any  real, 
 diftindt  Quality  or  Perfection  •  and  not  a  viere 
 Effecl  or  Compofition  of  Unintelligent  Figure  and 
 Motion  5  then  Beings  endued  with  Perception  or 
 Confcionfliefii  can  never  pojjiblyhave  arifen  purely 
 out  of  that  which  it  felf  had  no  fuch  (duality  as 
 Perception  or  Confcioufncfs-,   becaitfe  nothing  can 
 ever  give  to  another  any  Perfection,  which  it  hath 
 not  either  aclually  in  it  felf  or  at  leaf  in  a  higher 
 degree.     This  is  very  evident  •,  becaufe  if  any 
 Thing  could    give    another  any    Perfection  *  oracles 
 which  it  has  not  it  felf,  That  Perfection  would  of  Reafon, 
 be  caufed  abfolutely  by  Nothing  •,  which  is  a  P*S-  ^6- 
 plain  Contradiction.    If  any  one  here  replies,  „["  better 
 (as  Mr.  Gildon  has  done    *  in  a  Letter  to  to  Air. 
 Mr.  Blount,)  that  Colours,  Sounds,  Tajle,  and  Dodwel, 
 the  like,arife  from  Figure  and  Motion,  which  "Jj^£j£ 
 have  no  fuch    Qualities  in  themfelvcs  ^    or  an  J  Replies 
 that  Figure,  JDiviJibility,  and  other  Qualities  of  concerning 
 Matter,  are  confeiTed  to  be  given  from  God,  f^mi'wr*/ 
 who  yet  cannot  without  extreme  Blafphemy,  [l^l'fthe 
 be  faid  to  have  any  fuch  Qualities  himfelf  h  Soul. 
 and   that    therefore    in    like 
 
 manner  Perception  or    *  Intel-        t  if  with  ore  of  CecerJ* 
 ligence  may   arife  out  of  that     Dialogifts  they  would  infer 
 d,.11_y         t^-iv  •*.     thai  the  whole  mult  have  Un- 
 
 which  has  no  Intelligence  it  landing,  becaufe  fome 
 felf:  The  Anfwer  is  very  eafie:  Portions  of  ii  are  Inceliigenr ; 
 FirJt,thatColours,Sounds,TaJfe,     —-we  may  retort  with  the 
 
 and  the  like,  are  by  no  means  ^V^V^mZ'  'Y 
 t-cc  o  t-        r  -m-       hy  the  lame  Argument,   the 
 
 Ettects  ariiing  from  mere  Fi-     whole  muft  be  a  Courtier,  a 
 gure  and  Motion  -,  there  be-     Mufician,  a  Dancing-Mafter, 
 ing    nothing    in    the    Bodies     or  ^  Pfi^fo1?ah!['  be?u£ 
 themfelves,  the  Objedls  of  the     KJJapA  Uuc^mlon 
 denies,    that  has    any .  man-    eftnt'ui  to  Matter. 
 ner  of  Similitude  to  any  of 
 thefe  Qualities  •  but  they  are  plainhr  Thoughts 
 or  Modifications  of  the  Mind  it  felf,  which 
 E  4  is 
 
5  6  A  Demonfiration  of  the 
 
 is  an  Intelligent  Being  ^  and  are  not  pro- 
 perly  Cavfe£9    but   only   Occasioned,  by  the 
 Impreflions  of  Figure  and  Motion.     Nor  will 
 it  at  all  help  an  Atheift  (as  to  the  prefent 
 Queftion,)  though  we  fhould  make  for  his 
 fake,  (that  we  may  allow  him  the  greater! 
 poffible  Advantage)  even  that  molt  abfurd 
 Suppofition,  that  the  Mind  itfelf  is  nothing 
 but  mere  Matter,  and  not  at  all  an  Immate- 
 rial Subftance  •,  For  even  fuppofing  it  to  be 
 mere  Matter,  yet  he  mult  needs  confefs  it 
 to  be  fuch  Matter,  as  is  indued  not  only  with 
 bare  Figure  and  Motion,  but  alfo  with  the 
 Quality  of  Intelligence  and  Perception  •,  and 
 then,  as  to  the  prefent  Queftion,  it  will  ftill 
 come  to  the  fame  thing  •  that  Colours,  Sounds, 
 and  the  like,  which  are  not  Qualities  of  Un- 
 intelligent Bodies,  but  Perceptions  of  Mind, 
 can  no  more  be  caufed  by,  or  arife  from  mere 
 Unintelligent  Figure  and  Motion,  than  Co- 
 lour can  be  a  -Triangle,  or  Sound  a  Square, 
 or    fomething  be  caufed  by  nothing.     And 
 then,  as  to  thefecond  Part  of  the  Objection  •, 
 that  Figure,  Divijibility,  and  other  Qualities  of 
 Matter,  are  (as  we  our  felves  acknowledge) 
 given  it  by  God,  who  yet  cannot  without 
 extreme  Blafphemy,  be  laid  to  have  any  fuch 
 Qualities  hrmfelf  5  and  that  therefore  in  like 
 manner  Perception  or  Intelligence  may  arife 
 out  of  that  Which  has   no  Intelligence    it 
 felf:  The  Answer  is  ftill  eaiier  b  That  Fi- 
 gure,   Divifibility ,    and    other    fuch    like 
 Qualities   of  Matter,    are  not  real,  proper, 
 diftinct  and  Pojitive  Powers,  but  only   Nega- 
 tive Qualities,  Deficiencies  or  Imperfections  -y 
 And  though  no  Caufe  can  communicate  to 
 its  Effect  any  real  Perfections  which  it  has 
 
 not 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.      •  57 
 
 not  it  felf,  yet  the  Effect  may  eafily  have 
 many  Imperfections,  Deficiencies,  or  Nega- 
 tive Qualities,  whch  are  not  in  the  Caufc. 
 Though  therefore  Figure,  Divifibility,    and 
 the  like,  (which  are  mere  Negations,  as  all 
 Limitations  are,)  may  be  in  the  Effect,  and  not 
 in  the  Caufe  •  yet  Intelligence,  (which  we 
 now  fuppofe,  and  lhall  prove  immediately, 
 to  be  a  diftinct  Quality  *,  and  which  no  Man 
 can  fay  is  a  mere  Negation  •, )  cannot  poffi- 
 bhr  be  fo. 
 TAnd  now,  having  thus  demonftrated,  that 
 if  Perception  or  Intelligence  be  fuppofed  to 
 be  a  dijlinft  Quality  or  Perfection,    ( though 
 even  but  of  Matter  only,  if  the  Atheifl:  pica- 
 fesj  and  not  a  mere    Efrecl:    or  Compofiti- 
 on  of  Unintelligent  Figure  and  Motion  $  then 
 Beings  indued  with  Perception  or  Confciouf- 
 nefs  can  never  have  rifen  purely  out  of  that 
 which  had  no   fuch  Quality  as  Perception 
 or  Confcioufnefs  ^  becaufe  nothing  can  ever 
 give  to  another  any  Perfection,  which  it  has 
 not  itfelf :   It  will  eafily  appear,    Secondly, 
 That  Perceptio7t  or  Intelligence  is  really  fuch  a 
 dijlinft  Quality  or  Perfection,  and  not  poffibly  a 
 were  Effect  or  Coinpojition  of  Unintelligent  Figure 
 and  Motion  :  And  that  for  this  plain  Reaibn  *, 
 becaufe  Intelligence  is  not  Figure,  and  Confci- 
 oufnefs is  not  Motion.  For  whatever  can  arife' 
 from,  or  be  compounded  of  any  Things  ^  is 
 ftill  only  thofe  very  Things,  of  which  it  was 
 compounded :    And  if   infinite  Compoiitions 
 or  Diviiions  be  made  eternally  5  the  Things 
 will  ftill  be  but  eternally  the  fame  :  And  all 
 their  poilible  Effe&s  can  never  be  any  thing 
 but  Repetitions  of  the  fame.  For  Inftance :  All 
 poilible  Changes,  Compoiitions  or  Divifions 
 
 cf 
 
y  S  A  Demon  ft ration  of  the 
 
 of  Figure,  are  ftill  nothing  but  Figure :  And 
 all  poffible  Compofitions  or  Effects  of  Moti- 
 on, can  eternally  be  nothing  but  mere  Motion. 
 If  therefore  there  ever  was  a  Time  when  there 
 was  nothing  in  the  Univerfe  but  Matter  and 
 Motion  ;  there  never  could  have  been  any 
 tiling  elfe  therein,  but  Matter  and  Motion: 
 And  it  would  have  been  as  impoflible,  there 
 fhould  ever  have  exifted  any  fuch  thing  as 
 Intelligence  or  Confcioufnefs  -,  or  even  any 
 fuch  thing  as  Light,  or  Heat,  or  Sound,. ^r 
 Colour,  or  any  of  thofe  we  call  Secondary 
 Qualities  of  Matter  ^  as  it  is  now  impoflible 
 Motion  to  be  Blue,  or  Red,  or  for  a  Tri- 
 angle to  be  transform'd  into  a  Sound.  That 
 which  has  been  apt  to  deceive  Men  in  this 
 Matter,  is  this  ^  that  they  imagine  Com- 
 pounds, to  be  fomewhat  really  different  from 
 that  of  which  they  are  Compounded :  Which 
 is  a  ver}r  great  Miftake.  For  all  the  Things, 
 of  which  Men  fo  judge  $  either,  if  they  be 
 really  different,  are  not  Compounds  nor  Ef- 
 fects cf  what  Men  judge  them  to  be,  but  are 
 fomething  totally  diftindt :  as  when  the  Vul- 
 gar thinks  Colours  and  Sounds  to  be  Proper- 
 ties inherent  in  Bodies,  when  indeed  the}7'  are 
 purely  Thoughts  of  the  Mind  :  Or  elfe,  if 
 they  be  really  Compounds  and  Effecls,  then 
 they  are  not  different,  but  exactly  the  fame 
 that  ever  they  were  •  as  when  two  Triangles 
 put  together  make  a  Square,  that  Square  is 
 itill  nothing  but  two  Triangles  -,  or  when  a 
 Square  cut  in  halves  makes  two  Triangles, 
 thc.fc  two  Triangles  are  ftill  only  the  two 
 halves  of  a  Square  ^  or  when  the  mixture  of 
 Blue  and  Yellow  Powder  makes  a  Green,That 
 Green  is  frill  nothing  but  Blue  and  Yellow 
 
 inter- 
 
Bein £  and  Attributes  of  Cod.         5  9 
 
 intermixed  as  is  plainly  vifiblyby  the  help 
 of  Microfcopes  :  And,  infltort,  every  Thing 
 by  Compofition,  Divifion,  or  Motion  •,  is  no- 
 thing elfe  bat  the  very  fame  it  was  before, 
 taken  either  in  whole  or  by  Parts,  or  in  dif- 
 ferent Place  or  Order.  Mr  Hobbs  feefns  to 
 have  been  aware  of  this  :  And  therefore, 
 though  he  is  very  fparing,  and  as  it  were  a- 
 fhamed  to  fpeak  out^  yet  finding  himfelf 
 prcfied  in  his  own  Mind  with  the  Difficulty  \ 
 
 arifing  from  the  Irnpoffibility  of  Senfe  or 
 Confcionfnefs  being  merely  the  Effect  of  Fi- 
 gure and  Motion-    and  it  not    ferving  his 
 Purpofe  at  all,  (were  the  Thing  never  fo  pof- 
 fible,)  to  fuppofe  that  God  by  an  immedi-  Sec mjLet_ 
 ate  and  voluntary  Act  of  his  Almighty  Power  ter  to  Air 
 indues  certain  Syftems  of  Matter  with  Con-  Dodwdi, 
 fcioufnefs  and  Thought,  (of  which  Opinion  I  "/tb  *;-e 
 fnall  have  occafion  to  fpeak  fomethingmoretcn^S6y^ 
 hereafter  -,)  he  is  forced  *  to  re- 
 cur to  that  prodigiouflyabfurd        *  Scio  fuifie  Philofophos 
 Suppofltion,    that  all  Matter,    y^m.  «>fdcmq  ;    viros 
 
 \i  '  7       1         .  dochsy    qui   corpora  omn;a 
 
 as  Matter,  is  encmed  not  on-     Senfu  pradtca  effe  fuftinue* 
 
 ly  with  Figure  and  a  Capa-     rune .-  nee  video,  fi  nacura 
 
 city  of  Motion,   but  alfo  with      fcn^rii5    in  rcarticne    tola 
 o,^,  r,  q.,,^1  c^^r      ~t>~  ±-  coilccarccur,  quowodo  ref»ti- 
 
 an  aftual  fcenfe  or  Perception  5  ri  ^    gj  e[fi  ex  ££ 
 
 and  wants   only  the  Organs  oie*tlarocoT£orumaliorum, 
 
 and  Memory  of  Animals,    to  P-ancafma  aliquod  nafcere- 
 
 exprefs  its  Senfation.  PL*  rIud-  umCa-  rcmot°ob- 
 
 1  .  K«o  ftanm  ceflarer :    Nam 
 
 n-.ii  ad  recincndum  mocum  impreffum,    etiam  remoco  objefto,    apra 
 Iiabeanc  Organa,   uc  habenc  Animalia  ;    ica  canrum  fencient,   uc  nun- 
 
 quam  fenfifie  fe  recordencuc. Scnfioni  ergo,  quae  vulgo  ita  ap- 
 
 pellarur,    neceflario    adherer  memoria     aliqua,    &c.   Hobbs  Pbjfre. 
 Chip*  25.  Sell,  5. 
 
 illy,  That  the  Self-Exiftent  and  Original  Prom  the 
 Caufe  of  all  Things,  is  an  Intelligent  Being  5  Beau^  0r' 
 appears  abundantly  from   the  excellent  Va-dJr?  "fit 
 
 *  nai    f.iiufes 
 
 nety,^  Things. 
 
60  \A  DemonjiraUon  of  the 
 
 riety,  Order,  Beauty  and  Wonderful  Contrivance 
 and  Fitnefs  of  all  Things  in  the  World,  to  their 
 p roper  and  refpeclive  Ends,  This  Argument 
 ^?Mr  has  been  fo  Learnedly  and  Fully  handled 
 latches,  both  bv  Ancient  and  Modern  Writers  h  that  I 
 ^Mr J  '  do  but  3 Lift  mention  it,  without  inlarging  at 
 Rjyo/  the  all  upon  it.     I  fhall  only  at  this  Time  make 
 
 eOf'h  the this  0ne  obi~ervation  >  That  whereas  Des  Car- 
 Cjcxthn, ;  tes  anfl  others  have  endeavoured  to  give  a 
 *r.dMr  Poffible  Account,  (Poffible,  did  I  fay?  my, 
 Dei-ham's  indeed,  a  moft  impojfible  and  ridiculous  Ac- 
 rffivn  count»)  fepV  the  7/VJi  might  be  formed  by 
 the  NecefTary  Laws  of  Motion  alone  •,  they 
 have  by  fo  feemingly  vaft  an  Undertaking, 
 really  meant  no  more,  than  to  explain  philo- 
 fophically  how  the  inanimate  part,  that  is,  in* 
 finitely  the  leaft  confiderable  part  of  the 
 World,  might  poifibly  have  been  framed  : 
 For  as  to  Plants  and  Animals,  in  which  the  Wif- 
 dom  of  the  Creator  principally  appears  -,  they 
 have  never  in  any  tolerable  manner,  or  with 
 any  the  leaft  appearance  of  Succefs,  pretend- 
 ed to  give  an  account,  how  They  were  origi- 
 nally Formed.  In  thefe  Things,  Matter  and 
 tht  Laws  of  Motion,  are  able  to  do  nothing 
 at  all :  And  how  ridiculous  the  Epicurean  Hy- 
 pothecs is,  of  the  Earth  producing  them  all  at 
 firft  by  chance  $  (beiides  that,  I  think,  it  is  now 
 given  up  even  by  all  Atheifts  -J  appears  from 
 the  late  Difcovery  made  in  Philofophy,  that 
 there  is  no  fuch  thing  as  equivocal  Generati- 
 on of  any  the  meaneft  Animal  or  Plant}  the 
 Sun  and  Earth  and  Water,  and  all  the  Pow- 
 ers of  Nature  in  Conjunction,  being  able  to 
 do  nothing  at  all  towards  the  producing  any 
 thing  indued  with  fo  much  as  even  a  Vegeta- 
 ble Life  :  (From  which  moft  excellent  Difco- 
 very, 
 
iBein?  and  Attributes  of  God      61 
 
 very,  we  may  by  the  by  obferve  the  Ufeful- 
 nefs  of  Natural  and  experimental  Philofophy, 
 fometimes  even  in  Matters  of  Religion.)  Since 
 therefore  Things  are  thus,  it  muft  unavoidably 
 be  granted  (even  by  the  moft  obftinate  Athe- 
 ift,)  either  that  all  Plants  and  Animals  are  o- 
 riginally  the  Work  of  an  Intelligent  Being, 
 and  Created  by  him  in  Time  h  or  that  having 
 been  from  Eternity  in  the  fame  Order  and 
 Method  they  now  are  in,  they  are  an  Eternal 
 EfFedl  of  an  Eternal  Intelligent  Caufe  conti- 
 nually exerting  his  infinite  Power  and  Wif- 
 dom  5  or  elfe  that  without  any  Self-exiftent 
 Original  at  all,  they  have  been  derived  one 
 from  amother  in  an  Eternal  Succeffion,  by  an 
 Infinite  Progrefs  of  Dependent  Caufes.  The 
 frjl  of  thefe  three  ways,  is  the  Conclufion  v>z 
 affert :  The  fecond,  (fo  far  as  the  Caufe  of  A- 
 theifm  is  concerned,)  comes  to  the  very  fame 
 Thing  :  And  the  third  I  have  already  "fhown, 
 (in  the  Proof  of  the  Second  General  Head  of  ^  ,2 
 this  Difcourfe,)  to  be  abfolutely  Impoffible 
 and  a  Contradiction. 
 
 4t£/y,    Suppofing  it  was  polTible  that  the  ft§m  0* 
 Form  of  the  World,  and  all  the  Vifible  things  0r&nai  4 
 contained  therein,   with  the  Order,   Beauty  ^otm' 
 and  exquifite  Fitnefs  of  their  Parts  ♦,    nay, 
 fuppofing  that  even  Intelligence  it  felf,  with 
 Confcioufnefs  and  Thought,  in  all  the  Beings 
 we  know,  could  poffibly  be  the  Refult  or  Ef- 
 fect of  mere  Unintelligent  Matter,   Figure 
 and  Motion  •    (which  is  the  moft  unreafons- 
 ble  and  impoffible  Suppoiition  in  the  World  :) 
 Yet  even  ftill  there  would  remain  an  undeni- 
 able Demonftration,  that  the  Self-exiftent  Be- 
 ing,  (whatever  it  be  fuppofed  to  be,)   muft 
 
 be 
 
61  A  Demonftration  (ff  the 
 
 be  Intelligent.  For  even  thefe  Principles 
 themftlves  [Unintelligent  Figure  and  Motion^ 
 could  never  have  poffibly  exifted,  without 
 there  had  been  before  them  an  Intelligent 
 Caufe.  I  inftance  in  Motion.  'Tis  evident 
 there  is  Now  fuch  a  Thing  as  Motion  in  the 
 World  :  Which  either  began  at  feme  Time 
 or  other,  or  was  Eternal  :  If  it  began  at  any 
 Time,  then  the  Queftion  is  granted,  that  the 
 Firft  Caufe  is  an  Intelligent  Being  h  For  mere 
 Unintelligent  Matter,  and  that  at  Reft,  'tis 
 manifeft  could  never  of  it  felf  begin  to  move ; 
 On  the  contrary,  if  Motion  was  Eternal  5 
 either  it  was  eternally  caufed  by  fome  Eternal 
 Intelligent  Being-  or  it  muft  of  it  felf  be  Ne- 
 ceffary  and  Self- 1  xiftent  •  or  dfe  without  any 
 Neceiilty  in  its  own  Nature,  and  without  a- 
 nv  External  Neceffary  Caufe,  it  muft  have 
 exifted  from  Eternityby  an  Endlefs  Succeffive 
 Communication.  If  Motion  was  eternally 
 Caufed  by  fome  Eternal  Intelligent  Being  * 
 this  alfo  is  granting  the  Queftion,  as  to  the 
 prefelit  Difpute.  If  it  was  of  it  felf  Neceffary 
 and  Self-exiftent  5  then  it  follows,  that  it 
 muft  be  a  Contradiction  in  Terms  to  fuppofe 
 any  Matter  to  be  at  Reft  •  And  yet  at  the 
 pg.  24.  iame  t^me5  becaufe  iht*  Determination  of  this 
 Self-exiftent  Motion  muft  be  every  way  at  once, 
 the  Effect  of  it  could  be  nothing  elfe  but  a 
 perpetual  Reft  :  Befides,  (as  there  is  no  End 
 of  Abfurdities  when  they  once  begin,)  it  muft 
 alio  imply  a  Contradiction,  to  fuppofe  that 
 there  might  poftibly  have  been  originally  wore 
 or  lefs  Motion  in  the  Univerfe  than  there  ac- 
 tually was  5  which  is  £o  very  abfurd  a  Confe- 
 quence,  that  Spinoza  himfelf,  though  he  ex- 
 preily  afferts  all  Things  to  be  Necejjary,   yet 
 
 feerris 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       <Jj 
 
 feems  afbamed  here  *  to  fpeak 
 
 out  his  Opinion,    or  rather         *  Spinczae  E:h:c.  Par.  f. 
 plainly  contradicts  himfelf  in      ^  *«'  c'*p%fd  v/uh  *xlu 
 the   Queffion  about  the  O-      *  l'rop"  '*   Lem™  * 
 riginal  of  Motion.  But  if  it  belaid  that  Moti- 
 on, without  any  Neceffity  in  its  own  Nature,  and 
 without  any  External  Neceftarv  Caufe.,  lias  ex- 
 ited from  Eternity,  merely  by  "an  Endlefs  Suc- 
 cejfive  Communication  •  ast  t 
 Spbtoza,  inconliftently  enough,        t  Ccrpdsmotomvel 
 feems  to  aflert  •,  This  I  have  be '     c  :n* ■  ad  mc  tlim  vcl  '  • 
 fore  fhown,  fin  the  Proof  of  the     dererminjri  dcbulc  ^  i::° 
 
 *  c         i  rl  1    n  r  .  corpore,  quod  etiam  Jti  rr.u. 
 
 T  O'^OWtf   Oeneral    Proportion      rum   ve!  quicrem  dettrmina- 
 
 of  this  Bifcourfe,)  to  be  a  tum  fu'c  *b  aiio,  &  Lftud  i^- 
 plain  Contradiction.  It  re^  rum  ab  *]J°>  ?  *?  ? *f 
 mains  therefore,  that  Motion     ff  <£fr.  ?" 
 
 muft  of  Neceffity  be  Original- 
 ly Caufed  by  Something  that  is  Intelligent  -   *  MP  ** 
 or  elfe  there  never  could  have  been  any  fach  &c* 
 Thing  as  Motion  in  the  World  :    And  confe- 
 quently  the  Self-exiftent  Being,  the  Original 
 Caufe  of  all  Things,  (whatever  it  be  fuppo- 
 fed  to  be,)  muft  of  Neceffity  be  an  Intellhcvt 
 Behtg. 
 
 From  hence  it  follows  again,  that  the  materi- 
 al World,  cannot  poffibly  be  the  Original 
 Self-Exiftent  Being.  For  Slice  the  Self-Exift- 
 ent  Being,  is  demonftrated  to  be  Intelligent  -  • 
 and  the  Material  World  plainly  is  not  fo  .  it 
 follows  that  the  Material  World  cannot  poffi- 
 bly be  Self-Exiftent.  What  fome  have  fond- 
 ly imagined  concerning  a  Soul  of  the  World  5 
 if  thereby  they  mean  a  Created,  Dependent 
 .Being  5  iignifies  nothing  in  the  prefent  Argu- 
 ment :  But  if  they  understand  thereby  Some- 
 thing Neceffary  and  Self-Exiftent  ;  then  it  is 
 nothing  elfe,  but  afalfe,  corrupt,  and  imper- 
 &&;  Notion  of  Ool  IX. 
 
64  \ADemonflration  of  the 
 
 That  the        IX.  The  Self-Exiftent  and  Original  Caufe  of 
 Self-exift-   an  77;z7fgs,  is  not  a  neceffary  Agent,  but  a  Being 
 mlt'bf  a  ™&ue&  w'lth  Liberty  and  Choice.     The  contrary 
 Free  Agent,  to  this  Proportion,    is  the  Foundation  and 
 the  Sum  of  what  Spinoza  and  his  Followers 
 have  afTerted  concerning  the  Nature  of  God. 
 What  Reafons  or  Arguments  they  have  offe- 
 red for  their  Opinion.    I  fhall  have  occafion 
 to  confider  briefly  in  my  Proof  of  the  Propo- 
 rtion it  felf.     The  Truth  of    which,    ap- 
 pears 
 This  a  ne-       ijt,  In  that  it  is  a  Neceffary  Confequence 
 ceffaryCon-  of  the  foregoing  Proportion.   For  Intelligence 
 iT'forfo-  without  Liberty  (as  I  therehinted)  is  really  (in 
 frg  Propffi-  refpect  of  any  Power,  Excellence,  or  Perfedt- 
 tion.  ion  J  7io  Intelligence  at  all.     It  is  indeed  a  Con- 
 
 fcioiifnefs,  but  it  is  merely  a  PaJ/ive  One  ^    a 
 Confcioufnefs,    not  of  Acting,    but    purely 
 of  being  Adted  upon.     Without  Liberty,  no- 
 thing can  in  any  tolerable  Propriety  of  Speech, 
 be  faid  to  be  an  Agent  or  Caufe  of  any  thing. 
 For  to  Act  neceffarily,  is  really  and  proper- 
 ly not  to  Adt  at  all,  but  only  to  be  Acled  up- 
 on. What  therefore  Spinoza  and  his  Followers 
 aflert  concerning  the  Production  of  all  Things 
 *  from  the  Neceflity  of  the  Di- 
 *  Ex  neceffitate  Divinas     vine  Nature,  is  mere  Cant  and 
 Mcttr^iB^iiW^teo-     w    d    without  any  meaning 
 d is  fequi  debenc.  Ethic.  Par,  1n  .r  ..       •*     __       jrP 
 
 I.  p,yh  I($#  at  all.     For  if  by  the  NeceJh- 
 
 ty  of  the  Divine  Nature  they 
 underftand  not  the  Perfection  and  Redtitude 
 of  his  Will,  whereby  Godis  unalterably  deter- 
 mined to  do  always  what  is  beft  in  the 
 whole  ^  (as  confeffedly  they  do  not  •,  becaufe 
 this  is  confiftent  with  the  moft  perfedt  Li- 
 berty and  Choice  -J  but  on  the  contrary  mean 
 
 an 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.         €$ 
 
 an  Abfolute  and  ftriftly  Natural  Necefllty  : 
 It  follows  evidently,  that  when  they  fay,  God 
 by  the  Necefllty  of  his  Nature,  is  the  Caufe 
 and  Author  of  all  Things  •    they  underftand 
 him  to  be  a  Caufe  or  Agent  in  no  other  Serife, 
 than  as  if  a  Man  ihould  fay  that  a  Stone,  by 
 the  Neceflity  of  its  Nature,    is  the  Caufe  of 
 its  own   falling  and  ftriking  the    Ground  ^ 
 which  is  really  not  to  be  an  Agent  or  Caufe  at 
 all  •  but  their  Opinion  amounts  to  this,  that 
 all  things  are  equally  Self-Exiftent,  and  con- 
 fequently  that  the  Material  World  is  God  -, 
 which  I  have  before  proved  to  be  a  Contra- 
 diction.    In  like  manner,    when  they  fpeak 
 of^  the  Intelligence  and  Knowledge  of  God  j 
 they  mean  to  atribute  thefe  Powers  to  him 
 in  no  other  Senfe,  than  the  antient  Hylozoicks 
 attributed  them  to  all  Matter  *,  that  is,  that  See  a  **V 
 a  Stone,   when  it  falls,   has  a  Senfation  and  *?£*]& 
 Confcioufnefs  ^  but  That  Confcioufnefs  is  no  flge  of  Mr 
 Caufe  at  all  or  Power  of  Acting.     "Which  Habbs  d* 
 kind  of  Intelligence,  in  any  tolerable  Propria  t^  above, 
 ety  of  Speech,    is  no  Intelligence  at  all :  *'1i'  ^ 
 And  confequently  the  Arguments  that  proved 
 the  Supreme  Caufe  to  be  properly  an  Intelli- 
 gent and  Active  Being  •,   do  alfo  undeniably 
 prove  that  he  is  likewife  indued  with  Liberty  pYOvei 
 and  Choice,  which  alone  is  the  Power  of  A  61-  father 
 ing.  fr°™  the 
 
 2dly,  If  the  Supreme  Caufe,  is  not  a  Being  jj^jgg, 
 indued  with  Liberty  and  Choice,    but  a  mere  of  Things 
 Neceffary  Agent,  whofe  Actions  are  all  as  ab-  '» '** 
 folutely  and  naturally  Neceffary  as  his  Exift-  w%!f* 
 ence  •    Then  it  will  follow,     that  nothing  2%ert9 
 which  is  not,    could pojfibly  have  been;    and  SpinozaV 
 that  nothing  which  is,     could  pojfibly    not  f&menu 
 have  been  v  and  that  no  Mode  or  Circum-  fL^f!.\ 
 
 F  Itance  iw. 
 
C6  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 fiance  of  the  Exiftence  of  any  thing,  could 
 pojjibly  have  'been  in  any  refpett  otherwife, 
 than  it  now  actually  is.  All  which  being 
 evidently  moft  falfe  and  abfurd  :  It  follows  on 
 the  contrary,  that  the  Supreme  Caufe  is  not 
 a  mere  necefTary  Agent,  but  a  Being  indued 
 with  Liberty  and  Choice. 
 
 The  *  Consequence •  viz.  that 
 if  the  Supreme  Caufe  be  a  Ne- 
 ceffary  Agent,  then  nothing 
 which  is  not,  couldpofibly  have 
 been  •  and  nothing  which  is, 
 could  poffibly  either  not  have 
 been,  or  have  been  different 
 from  what  'tis  ^  is  exprefly 
 owned  by  Spinoza  to  be  the 
 unavoidable  Confequence  of 
 his  own  Opinion :  And  ac- 
 cordingly he  endeavours  to 
 maintain,  that  no  Thing,  or 
 Mode  of  Extjtence  of  any  Thing, 
 could  poffibly  have  been  in  any 
 refpeU  different  from  what  it 
 now  aBually  is  :  His  Reafons 
 are  $  (i..J  becaufe  t  from  an 
 Infinitely  p  erf  eft  Nature,  infinite 
 Things  in  infinite  Manners,  mufi 
 
 *  Alii  putant,  Deum  cffe 
 cauftm  liberam,  proptcrea 
 quod  poteft,  ut  putant,  effi- 
 cere  uc  ea  qua?  ex  ejus  natu- 
 ra  fequi  diximus,  hoc  eft, 
 qu#  in  ejus  poteflate  f«nt,  non 
 font  -,  fed  hoc  idem  eft  ac  fi 
 dicerenc  quod  Deus  poteft 
 etficere,  ut  ex  natura  crian- 
 guli  non  fequatur,  ejus  rres 
 an^ulos  xquales  efie  duobus 
 feftis  —  Ego  me  fatis  clarc 
 oftend  iffe  puto,  a  fumma  Dei 
 Potemia  Omnia  neeeffario  ef- 
 flux iffe,  veJ  Temper  eadem 
 neceflGcare  fequi  $  eodem  mo- 
 do  ac  cm  natura  trianguli  ab 
 secerno  &  in  sternum  fcqui- 
 tur,  ejus  tres  angulos  aequari 
 duobus  reftis.  Ethic.  Par, 
 I.  SchoL  ad  Prop,  i  7 . 
 
 Omnia  ex  neceffitate 
 natura?  divinae  determinata 
 funt,  non  tantum  ad  exiften- 
 dum,  fed  etiam  ad  certo 
 modoexiftendum  &  operandumj  nullumq  ;  datur  Concingens.  Ve- 
 monftrat.  Frop.  29. 
 
 Si  res  alterius  nature  potuiftent  efte,  vel  alio  modo  ad  operan- 
 dum  determinari ;  uc  natura?  ordo  alius  eflet:  ergo  Dei  etiam  na- 
 tura alia  poflet  efle  quam  jam  efh     Prop.  33.  Demonftrat. 
 
 Quicquid  concipimus  ia  Dei  Poteftate  e(Te,  id  neeeffario  eft. 
 Frop.  55. 
 
 Dtum  non  operari  ex  Hbertate  Voluntatis.-  Carol,  ad  Prop*  32. 
 
 Res  nu!Jo  alio  modo,  neq-,  alio  ordine  a  Deo  produci  potierant, 
 quam  produclx  func.     Prop.  33, 
 
 f  Lx  neceflkare  divinae  nacurar,  infiniia  infiniris  mcdis  fequi  de- 
 bent.    Prop,  i<5. 
 
 needs' 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       6  7 
 
 fleets  protect '9    and  (2 .)   *  be-  -      *Si  res  alceriusnaturspoj 
 
 ~  *    .r        './  .        v      rj        /r       ruiflencefie.ve!  a!]om:,doad 
 
 caufe,    if  any  thing  could  poffi-     cperard,m  ietermiiari  %  Wc 
 
 bly  be  otberwife  than   it  is,    the     nattir*Ordo  alius  eflec.Erao 
 
 Will  and  Nature  of  God  muft  be     Dei  etiam  nacura  alia  pi  flee 
 
 /hope/*?  ctfjwMe  of  change  •  and     c  re  ^™  /*    cft'     F,CP 
 J,rtJ      .    ■*        r    ^.r      7/°     J  m  j        33     Demon  trat. 
 
 (7.)    t^becaufe  if  all  poffible       \  lmo  advcrfari -,,(>;  ne- 
 Things  in  all  poffible  Manners  do     ganr  ex  vefcefliraec   divms 
 
 nacurg  omnia  neceiTario  flo- 
 erej  Dei  Omuipocenriam 
 negare  vidercjr.  CogunttJ 
 ernm  ineri.  Deum  infinita 
 crpabilia  incciligere,  qux  ra- 
 men  nunquam  creare  pare- 
 nt. Nam  alias,  fi  fciliccc 
 omn:ij  qjtoi  fojtelligit,  crea- 
 rer ;  fuam,  juxra  ipfos,  ex- 
 haur  irec  Omnipotentiam,  & 
 fc  imperreclum  redderec.  Uc 
 ig'cur  Deum  p?rfeftum  Ha- 
 tuanc*  eo  redigunrur,  uc  (1* 
 mu!  llacuerc  dsbeanr,  ipfum 
 non  po(Te  omnia  efficerc,  ad 
 qux  ejus  peceatia  le  exceadic. 
 Coroll.  ad  Pi  of.   ij. 
 
 \e  Manners  do 
 vot  always  dndrirce farily  exift, 
 they  never  can  All  exift  h  but 
 fome  Things,  that  do  vot  exift, 
 will  fill  always  be  poffible  only, 
 and  never  can  ailuAly  exift  -,  and 
 fo  the  ABual  Omnipotence  of 
 God  is  taken  away.  The  firft 
 of  thefe  Arguments,  is  a  plain 
 begging  the  Queftion  h  Rr, 
 tha  an  infinitely  Perfect  Na- 
 ture, is  able  indeed  to  pro- 
 duce Infinite  Things  in  Infi- 
 nite Manners,  is  certainly 
 true  ^  but  that  it  muft  always 
 aftually  do  fo,  by  an  abfolute  Necejjity  of  Na- 
 ture, without  an}r  Power  of  Choice,  either  as 
 to  Time  or  Manner  or  Circumftances,  does 
 by  110  means  follow  from  the  Perfection  of 
 its  Nature,  unlefs  it  be  firftfuppofed  to  be  a 
 Neceffary  Agent  -,  which  is  the  very  Queftion 
 begged,  that  was  to  be  proved.  The  Second 
 Argument,  is  (if  poffible^  (till  weaker  -,  For 
 how  does  it  follow,  if  God,  according  to  his 
 eternal  unerring  Purpofe  and  Infinite  Wifdom, 
 produces  different  Tilings  at  different  Times 
 and  in  different  Manners  5  that  therefore  the 
 Will  and  Nature  of  God,  is  changeabk  >  It 
 might  exaclly  as  well  be  argued,  that  if  God 
 (according  tc \Sfvno%a&  Supposition)  does  Al- 
 ways necellarily  produce  all  poffible  Differences 
 
 F  2  and 
 
68  A  Demonjlration  of  the 
 
 and  Varieties  of  Things  -,  therefore  his  Will 
 and  Nature  is  Always  neceiTarily  infinitely  va- 
 rious, unequal,  and  dijfimilar  to  it  felf.  And 
 as  to  the  third  Argument,  (which  is  mere 
 Metaphyfical  Trifling  •,)  it  is  juft  fuch  Rea- 
 foning  as  if  a  Man  ihould  argue,  that  if  all 
 poifible  [Eternal]  Duration  be  not  Always 
 actually  Exhaufted,  it  never  can  be  All  Ex- 
 haufted •,  and  that  therefore  fo  the  Eternity 
 of  God  is  taken  away  :  Which  fort  of  argu- 
 ing, every  one  at  firft  fight  difcerns  the 
 Wealyiefs  of. 
 
 But  whatever  the  Arguments  were,    and  if 
 they  were  never  fo  much  more  plaufible  than 
 they  really  are ;    Yet  the  Ajfertion  it  felf, 
 \vi%.~]    That  7io  Thing  or  Mode  of  Exigence  ofa- 
 vy  Thing,    could  poflibly  have  been  made  in  any 
 refpeft  different  from  what  it  aBually  is,1    is  fo 
 palpably  abfurd  and  falfe,    fo  contradictory 
 to  Experience  and  the  Nature  of  Things,  and 
 to  the  moft  obvious  and  common  Reafon  of 
 Mankind  •,  that  of  it  felf  it  immediately  and 
 upon  the  firft  hearing,    fufficiently  confutes 
 any  Principle  of  which  it  is  a  Confequence* 
 For  all  things  in  the  World  appear  plainly  to 
 be  the  moft  Arbitrary  that  can  be  imagined  ^ 
 and  to  be  wholly  the  Effects,  not  of  Neceffity, 
 but  of  Wifdom  and  Choice.  .  A  Necefity  in- 
 deed of  Fitnefs;  that  is,  that  Things  could  not 
 have  been  Otherwife  than  they  are,  without 
 diminifhing  the  Beauty,    Order,    and  Well- 
 being  of  the  Whole  •,   there  may  be,   and  (as 
 far  as  we  can  apprehend)    there   certainly 
 is  :  But  this  is  fo  far  from  ferving  our  Adver- 
 faries  Purpofe,    that  on  the  contrary  'tis  a 
 direct  Denionftration  that  all  things  were  made 
 and  ordered  by  a  Free  and  a  Wife  Agent. 
 
 That 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.       69 
 
 That  therefore  which  I  affirm,  contradictory 
 to  Spinoza*  AfTertion,  is,  That  there  is  not 
 the  leaft  appearance  of  an  Abfolute  NeceJJity 
 of  Nature,  (Jo  as  that  any  Variation  would 
 imply  a  Contradiction,)  in  any  of  thefe 
 Things.  Morion  it  felf,  and  all  its  Quanti- 
 ties and  Directions,  with  the  Laws  of  Gravi- 
 tation, are  intirely  Arbitrary-,  and  might 
 poillbly  have  been  altogether  different  from 
 what  they  now  are.  The  Number  and  Motion 
 of  the  Heavenly  Bodies,  have  no  manner  of 
 Neceffity  in  the  Nature  of  the  Things  them- 
 felves.  The  Number  of  the  Planets,  might 
 have  been  greater  or  lefs  :  Their  Motion  up- 
 on their  own  Axes,  might  have  been  in  any 
 proportion  fwifter  or  flower  than  it  now  is  : 
 And  the  Diretlion  of  all  their  progreifive  Mo- 
 tions, both  of  the  primary  and  fecondary 
 Planets,  uniformly  from  Weft 
 
 to  Eaft,  (when  by  *the  Mo-  *  Namdum  Comet*  mo- 
 tion of  Comets  it  appears  there  ven™r  to  Orbihus  valde  ec- 
 was  no  Neceffitybut  that  they  ^&  £**£!% 
 might  as  ealily  have  moved  utiq- nullo  modo  fieri  poruit, 
 in  all  imaginable  tranfverfe  uc  csco  faro  mbuendum  fir, 
 Directions:)  is  an  evident  9«cd  Phn«* in orbibus con- 
 _  f  a  /'  i_  r  0.-L-  cencncis  Moru  coniirmh  re- 
 proof that  thefe  things    are    ramur  eodem  cmnes 
 
 folely  the  Effed  of  Wifdom  Tarn  miram  uniformitaccm 
 and  Choice.  There  is  not  in  PJanetarum  Syftemare.no 
 the  leaft  <mr>earanre  nf  Klecef-     ceflano  farendum  .eft  Intdli- 
 
 ine  leait  appearance  or  JNecei  ia  &  Conf]Ho  fuiffe  rf 
 
 iity,  but  that  all  thefe  Things     teftam.    teuton  optic,  fag 
 might  pollibly  have  been  in-     34?* 
 finitely  varied  from  their  pre- 
 fent  Conftitution  :   and  (as  the  late  improve- 
 ments in  Aftronomy  difcover)  they  are  actu- 
 ally liable  to  very  great  Changes.     Every 
 thing  upon  Earth,  is  ftill  more  evidently  ar- 
 bitrary 3  and  plainly  the  Product,  not  of  Ne- 
 F  3  ctffitji 
 
7o         A  Uemonftraticn  of  the 
 
 *Resnui!o  ceifity,  tut  Will.     What  abfolute  Neceflity, 
 
 mq  ™o°'  for  j'urt  {uch  a  Numbcr  of  Specie*  of  jMmm/s 
 Ordinc,  a  or  l?*ff*J  ?  or  who  without. blufliing  dare  af~ 
 Deopr-  firm,  that  f  neither  the  Form,  nor  Order, 
 duci  potu  nor  aRy  theminuteft  Circumftance  or  Mode 
 qua"n>c-of  Exiftence  of  any  of  thefe  Things,  could 
 4uftz:\im. pojhbly  have  been  in  the  leaft  div  erfified 
 Spinoza,  ut  by  the  Supreme  Caufe  ? 
 ■fufra.  j0   g- ve  |3Ut  one  jvjlance  .  jn  a|]  ^g  grea. 
 
 ter  Species  of  Animals,  Where  was  the  Ne- 
 cefiity  for  that  *  conformity 
 *  idemq^  dici  poffit  :  di  we  obferve  in  the  Number 
 3S&J&£&!|!  **»  Likenrfs  of  all  their  Prin- 
 nece^riofarcndumcfl.  it-  cipal  Members?  and  How 
 reWgentia  &•  Coafiiio  fuiiTe  would  it  have  been  a  Contra- 
 effettam.  A>kf0«  of tic.  (&  diction,  to  fappofc  any  or  all 
 34  *  of   them    varied    from   what 
 
 they  now  are  ?  To  fuppofe  indeed  the  con- 
 tinuance  of  inch  Monfters,  as  Lucretius  im- 
 agines to  have  perifhed  for  want  of  their 
 principal  Organs  <  f  Life,  is  really  a  Contra- 
 diction ^  But  how  would  it  have  been  a  Con- 
 tradiction for  a  whole  Species  of  Horfes  or 
 Oxen,  to  have  fub lifted  with  Six  Legs  or  JFowr 
 Eyes?  But 'tis  a  ihame  to  inlift  longer  up- 
 on fo  plain  an  Argument. 
 
 It  might  have  been  objected  with  much 
 -  more  Plauliblenefs,  that  the  Supreme  Caufe 
 cannot  be  Free,  becaufe  he  muft  needs  do  al- 
 ways what  is  belt  in  the  whole.  But  this 
 would  not  at  all  ferve  Spinoza  s  Purpofe.  For 
 this  is  a  Neceilit}7-,  not  of  Nature  and  Fate, 
 but  of  Fitnefs  and  Wifdom  5  a  Neceffity,  con- 
 fiftent  wjth  the  greateft  Freedom  and  moft 
 perfect  Choice.  For  the  only  Foundation  of 
 this  Npccffity,  ts  fuch  an  unalterable  Recti- 
 tude of  Will,    and  Perfection  of  Wifdom,    as 
 
 makes 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.       7 1 
 
 makes  it  vnpofllble  for  a  Wife  Being  to  re- 
 folve  to  Act  FoolifTily  ^  or  for  a  Nature  in- 
 finitely Good,  to  Choofe  to  do  that  which 
 is  Evil.  Of  which  I Jl) all  have  Occafon  to  f peak 
 more  hereafter,  when  I  come  to  deduce  the  Mo- 
 ral Attributes  of  God. 
 
 idly.  If  there  be  any  Final  Caufe  of  any  xke  fame 
 thing  in  the  Univerfe  •,    then  the  Supreme  proved  dU 
 Caufe,    is  not  a  NecefTary?  but  a  Free  Agent,  from  final 
 This  Confequence  alfo,  Spinoza  acknowledges  Cakictm 
 to  be  unavoidable:    And  therefore  he  has  no 
 other  way  left,  but  with  a  ftrange  Confidence 
 to  +  expofe  all  Final  Caufes, 
 as  the  Fictions  of  ignorant  and     „  +  Naturam  fincm  nullum 
 
 funerftitinus  A4en  •     And  tn  *     f,bi  pr^x^mliabe«"c^  &  cm/ 
 lupentitious  xuen      Ana  to        nes  caufas  FinaJec?  nihil  oifi 
 
 laugh    at     thole    who   are    io      toimanaefle  Figmenta.    Ap. 
 
 foolifh  and  childifh  as  to  fan-    pendlxad  Prop.  35. 
 
 cy,    that  Eyes  were  defigned     A  *  0ci,Ios  *d  Vidcndum, 
 
 j    xr^-x   j   L      r  -^l     %*     1      dentes  admafticandum,  ner» 
 
 and  fitted  to  fee   with,  Teeth     bjs  &  animantia  ad  aiimcn. 
 
 to  chew  with,    Food  to  be  eaten     turn,    Solem  ad   illurmnan- 
 
 for  Nourifment,  the  Sun  to  give     dum,  mare  ad  alendum  pif- 
 
 Lightt  f\    1  ,fUPPt  k  T]l     ^S  ^uam    racicncs 
 not  be  thought,     that^  when     circa  res  natures  a  fine, 
 
 once  a  Man  comes  to  this,    he     quern   Deus    auc    Nacura  io 
 
 is    to  be  difputed  with  any    ijs  faciendis  fibi  propose, 
 
 i  -ittu        1  •   1     r  defumemus.      Cartes    rna- 
 
 longer.  Whoever  pleafes,  may,  £  PaN  I?  §  a8- 
 for  Satisfaction  ont  his  Head, 
 confult  Galen  de  Ufu  Partium,  Tully  de  natura 
 Deorum,  Mr  Boyle  of  Final  Caufes,  and  Mr  Ray 
 of  the  Jrtfdo?n  of  God  in  the  Creation.  I  fhall 
 only  obferve  this  One  Thing  .  that  the  grea- 
 ter the  Improvements  and  Difcoveries  are, 
 which  are  daily  made  in  Aftronomy  and  Na- 
 tural Philofophy*,  the  mere  clearly  is  this 
 Queftion  continually  determined  to  the  Shame 
 and  Confufion  of  Atheifts. 
 
 F  4  /pbly. 
 
7 1  A  Demonji ration  of  the 
 
 From  the        ^hly.  if  the  Supreme  Caufe  be  a  mere  Ne- 
 crllTJd      cefrar7  Agent,    it  is  impoihble  any  Effedt  or 
 Beings.       Produd  of  That  Caufe  fliould  be  Finite.     For 
 Jince  that  which  adts  neceflarily,    cannot  go- 
 vern or  direct  its  own  A&ions  ^   but  muft  ne- 
 ceflarily produce  whatever  can  be  the  Effect 
 or  Product  of  its  Nature  :    'Tis  plain,  every 
 Effed  of  fuch  an  Infinite  Uniform  Nature, 
 acting  every  where  neceflarily  alike  ;  muft  of 
 Neceifity  be  Immenfe,  or  Infinite  in  Extenfi- 
 on.-   And  fo  no  Creature  in  the  Univerfe 
 could  poffibly  be  Finite :    Which  is  infinitely 
 abfurd  and  contrary  to  Experience.     Spinoza, 
 to  fhuffle  off  this  Abfurdity,    expreffes  the 
 Confequence    of  his    Doctrine  thuS|    That 
 *  from  the  Neceffity  of  the  Di- 
 ^EsneccmcaredivinafDa.     v'me    Nature,     infinite    Things 
 
 fequi  debenc.    tthic.  Par.  i.     (meaning  infinite  m  Number; 
 Frop.  16.  in  infinite  Manners  muft  needs 
 
 follow  :   But  whoever  reads  his 
 Demonftration  of  this  Propofition,  can  hardly 
 mifs  to  obferve,    (if  he  be  at  all  ufed  to  fuch 
 Speculations,)  that  if  it  proved  any  thing  at 
 all,    it  would  equally  prove,   that  from  the 
 Neceffity  of  the  Divine  Nature^     only  Infinite 
 Things  (meaning  Infinite  in  Extenfion;  can 
 poffibly  arife.     Which  Demonftration  alone,  is 
 a  Sufficient  Confutation  of  the  Opinion  it  was. 
 defigned  toeftablifh. 
 And  from        ^/;/y#  jf  the  Supreme  Caufe  be  not  a  Free 
 l%"!fto*nd  Voluntary  Agent  5  then  in  every  Effect, 
 infinite      (f°r  inftance,   in  Motion,)  there  muft  have 
 SHcceQion    been  a  Progreffion  of  Caufes  in  infinitum,  wit h- 
 oj  caujes.  out  any  Original  Caufe  at  all.     For  if  there 
 be  no  Liberty  any  where  ^  then  there  is  no  A- 
 gent^  no  Caufe,    Mover,   Principle,  or  Be- 
 ginning of  Motion  any  where  :  Every  thing 
 
 in. 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.         73 
 
 in  the  Univerfe  muft  be  Paftive,  and  nothing 
 Affive  h  Every  thing  Moved,  and  no  Mover  - 
 Every  thing  EffeB,  and  nothing  Caufe.    Spi- 
 noza indeed,  (as  has  been  already  obferved,) 
 refers  all  things  to  the  Neceffity  of  the  Divine 
 Nature,  as  their  real   Caufe  and   Original : 
 But  this  is  mere  Cant,  and  Words  without 
 any  Signification  •,  and  will  not  at  all  help 
 him  over  the  prefent  Difficulty.     For  if  by 
 things  Exifting  through  the  Neceffity  of  the  Di-  (t) 
 vimNature,  he  means  Absolutely  a  Neceffity  of 
 Exiftence  5  fo  as  to  make  the  World  and  eve- 
 ry thing  in  it,  Selfexiftent  -,  then  it  follows 
 (as  I  have  before  Ihewn)  that  it  muft  be  a  Con- 
 tradiction in  Terms,  to  fuppofe  Motion,  &c. 
 not  to  Exift  ^  which  Spinoza  himfelf  is  afha- 
 med  to  aflert.    But  if  therefore  by  the  Necef- 
 fity of  the  Divine  Nature,  he  means  only  the 
 Nece/fary  following  of  an  EffeS [from  the  Caufe T  ffy.) 
 or,  the  Caufe  necejfarily  producing  its  Ejfecl  ^  this 
 Ne^ejfityjriur^ffill  always  bejleterminedby 
 .  fometlnn^ 
 
 And  this  SpJnozaftriough  fomeSmeTTieTearis 
 to  mean  the  other  and  equally  abfurd  SenfeJ 
 exprefly  owns  in  fome  Places  to  be  his  Mean- 
 ing. *  There  can  be  noVolition,        -  „„  ,r  ,. . 
 laith  he,  but  from  fome  Caufe,     poteft  exiftere,  neq-  ad  oPe- 
 which  Caufe  muft  likewife  be  cau-     randum  determinari :  nifi ab 
 Why  fome  other  Caufe,  and  fo     ?Ha  cau?>  fctcrminctur,  & 
 on  infinitely       Again,   Will,  +     ro  in  infinitum./^.  sA- 
 laith  he.?  belongs  to  the  Nature     monfir. 
 of  God,  no  otherwife  than  Mo-        t  Voluntas  ad  Dei  natu- 
 
 tion  and  Reft  do  1  So  that  God  ram  no°     ma§is  ¥"**«> 
 
 J  i    1     n  'i  quam  rehqua  naturaha  :  fed 
 
 can  no  more  properly  be  J aid  to  ad  ipfam  eodem  modo  fefe 
 
 act  by  the  Liberty  of  his  WiE,tban  habet,  uc  motus  &  Quik. 
 
 ly  the  Liberty  of  Motion  andReft.        Deus  non  ma§'s  dici  Pr* 
 
 teft  ex  Libertace  Volunracis 
 agere,  quam  dici  pcteft  ex  libertace  Motus  &  ^uietis  agcre.  Coroll. 
 fid  frof.  32.  And 
 
74  A  Vemonftration  of  the 
 
 And  what  the  Original  of  Motion  and  Reft 
 is,  he  tells  us  in  thefe  Words  : 
 *  Corpus  morumvelquief-   a*  Every  Body  in  Motion,  or  at 
 ceas,  ad^ocunivclquiecem     ReJl  mtJ}  have  been  determined 
 dererm^n  debu-.c  ab   alio  J  >       J       .  D    a  . 
 
 corporc,  quod  etiam  ad  mo-  to  th^  Motion  or  Reft  by^  fome 
 turn  vd  quieiem  decermina-  I  other  Body,  which  vmft  it  felf 
 turn  iuh  ab  alio  5  &  illud  \lihewife  have  been  determined  by 
 
 13.  z*m»«  3.  Ana  tnus  nnce  Motion  is  not 
 
 in  any  one  of  its  Stages  of 
 Communication  a  Neceffary  Self-exiftcnt  Being, 
 (becaufe  the  Body  moved,  may  always  with- 
 out a  Contradiction,  have  been  imagined  to 
 "be  at  Reft,  and  is  fuppofed  not  to  have  Mo- 
 tion from  it  felf,  but  from  another -,)  the 
 Opinion  of  Spinoza  plainly  recurs  to  An  In- 
 fmte  Succejjion  of  dependent  Beings  proditced  one 
 from  another  in  an  endlefs  Progrefflon,  without 
 any  Original  Caufe  at  all     Which  Notion  I 
 
 PH*  1*,  have  already  (iii  the  Proof  of  the  fecond  Ge- 
 neral Head  of  this  Difcourfe)  demonstrated 
 to  imply  a  Contradiction.  And  fince  there- 
 fore there  is  no  .other  poffible  way  to  avoid 
 this  Abfurdity,  but  by  granting  that  there 
 muft  be  fomewhere  a  Principle  of  Motion  and 
 Action,  which  is  Liberty -,  I  fuppofe  it  by 
 this  time  fufficiently  proved,  that  the  Su- 
 preme Caufe  muft  be  a  Being  indued  with 
 Liberty  and  Choice. 
 
 grz 
 
 That  L 
 
 From  what  has  been  faid  upon  this  Head, 
 hertyhnot  lt:  iumciently  appears,  that  Liberty  is  not  in 
 initfttfun  it  felf,  and  in  the  very  Notion  of  the  Thing, 
 imf^ibie    anabiolute  Contradiction  and  ImpofTibility  jj 
 mTynl  as  the  Pleaders  for  Neceffity  and  Fate  contend  j 
 tim.  that  it  is,  and  place  the  chief  ftrength  of; 
 
 their   Argument  in   that  Suppofition.    For 
 
 that 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.        7  $ 
 
 that  which  actually  is  h  is  certainly  not  im- 
 poffible :  and  it  has  already  been  proved,  that 
 Liberty  actually  is  •  nay,  it  is  impoffible  for 
 it  not  to  be,  in  the  firft  and  Supreme  Caufe. 
 The  Principal  Argument  ufed  by  the  Main- 
 tamers  of  Fate  againft  the  Poifibility  of  Li- 
 berty, is  this :  That  lince  every  thing  mull 
 have  a  Caufe,  every  Voli- 
 tion or  Determination  of  the  +Mcns  ad  hoc  veI  iIIud 
 Will  of  an   Intelligent  Being,      volendum     determinatur    a 
 
 muft,  as  all  other  things,  arife     Cauf?>  <F*  «ia«niab  a,.ia  dc* 
 from  fome  Caufe,   and  That    ZfrgflZEZ 
 Caufe  from  lome  other  Caufe,     spmoy.  Ethic,  par.  II.  Prop. 
 and  fo  on  infinitely.   But  now    48. 
 (befides  that  in  This  fort  of 
 Reafoning,  thefe  Men  always  ignorantlv  con- 
 found Moral  Motives  with  Pbyjical  Efficients, 
 between  which  Two  things  there  is  no  man- 
 ner of  relation  :  Beiides  This,  I  fay,)  this  ve- 
 ry Argument  really  proves  the  direct:  contra- 
 ry to  what  they  intend.  For  fince  every  thing 
 mult  indeed  have  a  Caufe  of  its  Being,  either 
 from  without,  or  in  the  Neceffity  of  its  own 
 Nature,  and  it  is  a  plain  Contradiction  (as 
 has  already  been  demonstrated)  to  fuppofe  an  p<*g.  12, 
 infinite  Series  of  dependent  Effects,  none  of  ^ 
 which  are  NecefTary  in  Themfelves  or  Self- 
 Exiftent  ^  therefore  it  is  impoffible  but  there     ' 
 muft  be  in  the  Univerfe  fome  Being,  whofe 
 Exiftence  is  founded  in  the  Neceifity  of  its 
 Own  Nature,  and  who  being  acted  upon  by 
 Nothing  beyond  it    felf,   muft  of  Neceifity 
 have  in  it  felf  a  Principle  of  Acting,  or  Power 
 of  beginning  Motion,  which  is  the  Idea  of 
 Liberty.     Tis  true,    this  Argument  proves 
 only  the  Liberty  of  the  Firft  and  Supreme 
 Caufe,  and  extends  not  indeed  to  any  Crea- 
 ted 
 
j  6  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 ted  Being  :  But  it  evinces  in  General,  ( which 
 is  fufficient  to  my  prefent  purpofe J  that  Li- 
 berty is  fo  far  from  being  impoffible  and  con- 
 tradictory in  it  felf,  that  on  the  contrary  it 
 is  impoflible  but  that  it  muft  really  ifofome- 
 where  -,  and  this  being  once  eftablifhed,  it 
 will  be  eafie  to  (hew  hereafter,  that  it  is  a 
 Power  capable  of  being  communicated  to  Cre- 
 ated Beings  5  of  which  in  its  proper  Place. 
 
 That  the        X.  The  Self-Exiftent  Being,  the  Supreme  Cattfe 
 *f//-«:      of  all    Things,    muft  of  Necefity    have  infinite 
 turnup    Fcwer-    This  Propofition  is  evident,  and  un- 
 heM-fw-  deniable.    For  fince  nothing  (as  has  been  al- 
 etful.        ready  proved)  can  poifibly  be  Self-Exiftent, 
 fag.  48-     befides  himfelf ;  and  confequently  all  Things 
 in  the  Univerfe  were  made  by  Him,  and  are 
 entirely  dependent  upon  Him-,  and  all  the 
 Powers  of  all  Things  are  derived  from  Him, 
 and  muft  therefore  be  perfectly  Subject  and 
 Subordinate  to  Him :  'Tis  manifeft  that  no- 
 thing can  make  any  Difficulty*or  Refiftance 
 to  the  Execution  of  his  Will  -,  but  he  muft 
 of  Neceflity  have  abfolute  Power  to  do  every 
 thing  he  pleafes,  with  the  perfecteft  eafe,  and 
 in  the  perfedteft  Manner,  at  once  and  in  a 
 Moment,   whenever  he  Wills  it.     The  De- 
 fcriptions  the  Scripture  gives  of  this  Power, 
 are  fo  lively  and  emphatical,  that  I  cannot 
 forbear  mentioning  one  or  two  PaiTages :  Thus 
 Job  9.  4.  He  is  wife  in  Heart,  and  771'ighty  in 
 
 Strength  •,  which  removeth  the  Mountains, 
 
 and  th  y  know  it  not  •,  which  overturneth  them  in 
 lis  Anger  :  Which  ft)aketh  the  Earth  out  of  her 
 place,  and  the  Pillars  thereof  tremble  :  Which 
 commandeth  the  Sun,  andit  rifeth  7te^;  andfealeth 
 vp  the  Stars  :  Which  alone  fp  re  adeth  out  the  He  a- 
 
 veipsy 
 
'Being  and  Jit  tributes  of  God      jy 
 
 veMa,  and  treadeth  upon  the  Waters  of  the  Sea  : 
 Which  doth  great  things  pafi  finding  out,  yea  and 
 Wonders  without  number.     Again,  Hell  is  naked 
 before  him,  and  Definition   hath  no  covering  : 
 Hefiretcheth  ovt  the  North  over  the  empty  place, 
 and  hangeth  the  Earth  upon  nothing  :  He  bindeth 
 up  the  Waters  in  his  thick  Clouds,  and  the  Cloud 
 is  not  rent  under  them  :  The  Pillars  of  Heaven 
 tremble,  and  are  afionifiied  at  his  Reproof :  He  di- 
 vided) the  Sea  with  his  Power,  and  by  his  Under- 
 Jlanding  he  fmiteth  through  the  Proud  :  Lo,  thefe 
 are  part  of  his  Ways,  but  how  little  a  Portion  is 
 heard  of  him?    But  the  Thunder  of  his  Power ; 
 who  can  under fi  and?  Job  26.6.      So  likewife, 
 jfaiah  40.   12.  Who  has  meafured  the  Waters  in 
 the  Hollow  of  his  Hand,  and  meted  cut  Heaven 
 -with  the  Span  •,  and  comprehended  the  Dufi  of  the 
 Earth  in  a  Meafure  >,  and  weighed  the  Mountains 
 in  Scales,  and  the  Hills  in  a  Balance :  Behold, 
 the  Natio7is  are  as  a  drop  of  the  Bucket,  and  aio 
 counted  as  the  fmall  Dufi  of  the  Balance  •  be- 
 hold, he  taket%  up  the  Ijles  as  a  very  little  thing  : 
 All  Nations  before  him  are  as  nothing,  and  they 
 are  counted  to  him  lefs  than  Nothing,  and  Vani- 
 ty :  To  whom  then  will  ye  liken  God,  or  what  like- 
 Tiefs  will  ye  compare  unto  him  ?  But  I  do  not  urge 
 Authority  to  the  Perfons  I  am  at  prefent  fpeak- 
 ing  to :  'Tis  jfufficiently  evident  from  Reafon, 
 that  the  Supreme  Caufe  muft  of  Neceifity  be 
 Infinitely  Powerful.    The  only  Queftion  is, 
 what  the  true  meaning  of  what  we  call  Infinite 
 Power,  is  :  and  to  what  things  it  muft  be  un- 
 derstood to  extend,  or  not  to  extend. 
 .  Now  in  determining  this  Queftion,  there 
 are  fome  Proportions,  about  which  there  is 
 no  difpute.    Which  therefore  I  ftiall  but  juft 
 mention :  As, 
 
78  A  Derqonflration  of  the 
 
 of  working      ifl^  That  infinite  Power  reaches  to  all  Pof- 
 contradi-  jftfe  things  5  but  cannot  be  faid  to  extend  to 
 the  working  any  thing  which  implies  a  Con- 
 tradiction :  As,    that  a  Thing  fhould  be  and 
 ?wt  be  at  the  fame  time  5  that  the  fame  thing 
 fhould  be  made  and  not  be  made,  or  have  been 
 and  not  have  been  •,  that  twice  two  fhould  not 
 make  four,  or  that  That  which  isneceffanly  Falfe, 
 ihould  be  True.  The  Reafon  whereof  is  plain  : 
 Becaufe  the  Power  of  making  a  Thing  to  be,  at 
 the  fame  time  that  it  is  not  *,  is  only  a  Power 
 of  doing  that  which  is  Nothing,  that  is,  no 
 Power  at  all. 
 Or  Natural      2dly.  Infinite  Power  cannot  be  faid  to  ex- 
 and  Moral  tend  to  thofe  things,  which  imply  Natural 
 .,  vt  St      b  Imperfection  in  the  Being  to  whom  fach  Pow- 
 ^^ti^&i  is  afcribed  :  As,  that  it^jhould  deftroy  its 
 j%  r^^  owll    Being,    weaken  iTTeHT^or    the  like. 
 ^^  Thefe  Things  imply  Natural  Imperfection, 
 
 and  are  by  all  Men  confeffed  to  be  fuch,  as 
 cannot  poifibly  belong  to  the  Neceffary  Self- 
 exiftent  Being.  There  are  alfo  other  things 
 which  imply  Imperfection  in  another  kind, 
 viz.  Moral  Imperfection  :  Concerning  which, 
 Atheifm  takes  away  the  Subject  of  the  Que- 
 ftion, by  denying  wholly  the  Difference  of 
 Moral  Good  and  Evil  •,  and  therefore  I  fhall 
 omit  the  Confideration  of  them, 'till  I  come 
 to  deduce  the  Moral  Attributes  of  God. 
 
 But  fome  other  Inftances  there  are,  in  the 
 Queftion  about  the  Extent  of  Infinite  Power  $ 
 wherein  the  Principal  Difference  between 
 us  and  the  Atheifts,  (next  to  the  Queftion, 
 whether  the  Supreme  Caufe  be  an  Intelligent 
 Beings  or  not,)  does  in  a  great  meafure  confift. 
 As 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.      79 
 
 ift.  That  infinite  Power' includes  a  Power  vf*be 
 of  Creating  Matter.  This  has  been  conftantly  f^f 
 denied  by  all  Atheifts,   both    Antient  and  nutuu 
 Modern  -,  and  as  conftantly  affirmed  by  all 
 who  believe  the  Being,  and  have  juft  Notion* 
 of  the  Attributes  of  God.     The  only  Reafon 
 which  the  Atheifts  have,  or  can  pretend  to 
 alledge  for  their  Opinion  -,  is,  that  the  Thing  is 
 in  its  own  Nature  abfolutely  Impoftlle.     But 
 how  does  it  appear  to  be  impoliible  ?  Why, 
 only  becaufe  they  are  not  able  to  comprehend 
 How  it  can  be.     For,  to  reduce  it  to  a  Con- 
 tradiction, (which  is  the  alone  real  Impof- 
 fibility,)  this  they  are  by  no  means  able  to  do. 
 For,  to  fay  that  fomething  which  once  was 
 not,  may  fince  have  begun  toexift-  is  nei- 
 ther directly,  nor  by  any  Confequence  what- 
 foever,  to  aflert  that  That  which  is  not,  can 
 he,  while  it  is  Not  •  or  that  That  which  is,  can 
 Not  he,  while  it  is.  3Tis  true  •,  We,  who  have 
 been  ufed  to  converfe  only  with  Generations 
 and  Corruptions  •,  and  never  faw  any  thing 
 Made  or  Created,  but  only  Formed  or  Framed ; 
 are  apt  to  endeavour  to  conform  our  Idea  of 
 Creation  to  that  of  Fonnation  ;  and  to  ima- 
 gine, that  as  in  all  Formations  there  is  fome 
 Pre-exifting  Matter,  out  of  which  a  thing  is 
 Formed  -,  fo  in  Creation  there  mun;  be  coniide-  . 
 red  a  pre-exifting  Nothing  out  of  which,  as  out 
 of  a  real  Material  Caufe,  a  Thing  is  Created ; 
 which  looks  indeed    fomewhat  like  a  Con- 
 tradiction :   But  this  is  only  a  Confufion  of 
 Ideas  •,  juft  like  Children's  imagining  that 
 Darknefs  is  fome  real  thing,  which  in  the 
 Morning  is  driven  away  by  the  Light,  or 
 Transformed  into  it:  Whereas  the  true  Noti- 
 on of  Creation,  is  not  a  Forming  Something 
 
 out 
 
8  o  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 ciit  of  Nothing,  as  out  of  a  Material  Caltfet, 
 but  only  a  bringing  fomething  into  Being, that 
 before  had  no  Being  at  all  *,  or  a  Caufing 
 Something  to  Exift  Now,  that  did  not  Exift 
 Before  •,  or  which,  without  this  Caufe,  would 
 not  have  Exifted :  "Which  .no  Man  can  ever 
 reduce  to  a  Contradiction  *,  any  more  than 
 the  Formation' of  any  thing  into  a  Shape  which 
 it  had  not  before,  can  be  reduced  to  a  Con- 
 tradiction. And  indeed,  if  they  would  fpeak 
 out  the  Truth,  the  Sum  of  what  all  Atheifts, 
 whether  Antient  or  Modern,  have  ever  faid 
 upon  this  Head,  amounts  to  no  more  but 
 this  one  foolifh  Argument :  That  Matter 
 could  not  begin  to  exift,  when  it  was  not  •,  be- 
 caufe  this  is  fuppofing  it  to  Be,  before  it  was : 
 And  that  it  could  not  begin  to  Exift,  when 
 it  was-,  becaufe  thist  is  fuppofing  it  not  to 
 Be,  after  it  was.  Which  is  juft  fuch  an  Ar- 
 gument, as  That  whereby  a  certain  Philofo- 
 pher  demonftrated,  that  there  can  be  no  fuch 
 thing  as  Motion  at  all  •,  becaufe  a  Body  can 
 neither  move  in  the  Place  where  it  is,  nor  in 
 the  Place  where  it  is  not.  The  Arguments 
 are  exadtly  alike  •  And  the  fame  Anfwer  will 
 ferve  indifferently  for  them  Both. 
 
 But  further  :    The  Creation  of  Matter  is  a 
 thing  not  only  not  impojjible  jn  it  felf,  but 
 what  moreover  even  by  bare  Reafon  is  de- 
 ?no7if  rated  to  be  True.     For  it  is  a  Contradi&i- 
 f*t-  26.     on  (as  I  have  {hewn  above)  to  fuppofe  Mat- 
 ter ?iecejfarily  Exijiing. 
 of  the  row      2dly.  'Tis  Poilible  to  Infinite  Power,  to  Cre- 
 c->  ofcrea-  ate  an  Immaterial  Cogitative  Subftance,  in- 
 
 "flftaMoX  c*uec*  Wlt^  a  P°wcr  °f  beginning  Motion,  and 
 tative  Sub*  with  a-  Liberty  of  Will  or  Choice.     This  alio  has 
 been  always  denied  by  all  Atheifts.    And  be- 
 caufe 
 
 ten 
 tati 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.  %  i 
 
 caufe  it  is  a  Proportion  of  the  greateft  Con- 
 fluence to  Religion  and  Morality,  therefore 
 I  fhall  be  particular  in  endeavouring  the 
 Proof  of  the  feveral  Parts  of  it. 
 
 TirJ?  then,  it  is  poilible  to  infinite  Power, 
 to  Create  an  Immaterial  Cogitative  Sub  fiance. 
 That  there  can  be  fuch  a  Thing  as  a  Cogita- 
 tive Subftance,    that  is,    a  Subftance  indued 
 with  Confcioufnefs  and  Thought,  is  granted 
 by  all  ^  becaufe  every  Mans  own  Experience 
 convinces  him,  that  He  himfelf  is  fuch  a  Sub- 
 ftance. Further,  That  if  there  be,  or  can  be, 
 any  fuch  thing   as  Immaterial   Subftances  5 
 that  then  it  is  moft  reafonable  to  believe, 
 that  fuch  Subftances  as  are  indued  with  Con- 
 fcioufnefs and  Thought,   [Properties  the  far- 
 theft  diftant  from  the  known  Properties  of 
 Matter,   and  the  moft  unlike  them,   that  can 
 poiTibly  be  imagined,]  are  thofe  Immaterial 
 Subftances  ^  will  alfo,  I  think,  be  granted  by 
 all  Men.     The  only  thing  therefore,  that  re- 
 mains to  be  proved,    is  this  ^  That  Immaterial 
 Subftances    are  not  impoflible,    or,    that  a 
 Subftance  Immaterial  is  not  a  contradictory 
 Notion,    Now  whoever  afferts  that  it  is  con- 
 tradictory ^  muft  affirm,  that  whatever  is  not 
 Matter,   is  nothing  ^    and  that,  to  fay  any 
 thing  Exifts  which  is  not  Matter,    is  faying 
 that  there  Exifts  fomethiiig  which  is  nothing. 
 Which  in  other  "Words  is  plainly  this?    That 
 whatever   we   have  not  an  Idea  of,   is  no- 
 thing, and  impoirible  to  Be.     For  there  is  no 
 other  way  to  reduce  Immaterial  Subftance  to  a 
 Contradiction,    but  by  fuppofing  Immaterial 
 to  fignify  the  fame  as  Having  no  Exigence  ^  And 
 there  is  no  poifible  way  to  prove  That,   but 
 by  faying  we  have  no  Idea  of  it,  and  there- 
 of forj 
 
Si  A  Demonpration  of  the 
 
 fore  it  neither  has  nor  can  have  any  Ex- 
 iftence.  By  which  fame  Argument  (even  fup- 
 pofing  it  to  be  true,  which  yet  is  indeed  moft 
 falfe,  that  we  have  a  clear  Idea  of  the  Sub- 
 fiance  of  Matter,  though  we  have  none  at  all  of 
 any  Immaterial  Subftance  •)  a  Man  born  Blind 
 may  demonftrate  Irrefragably,  that  Light  or 
 Colour  is  an  Impoffible  and  Contradictory  Noti- 
 on, becaufe  it  is  not  a  Sound  or  a  Smell  For  the 
 Power  of  feeing  Light  or  Colour,  is  to  a  Man 
 born  Blind,  altogether  as  incomprehenfible 
 and  abfolutely  beyond  the  reach  of  all  his  I* 
 deas,  as  either  the  Operations  and  Percepti- 
 ons, or  even  the  Simple  EfTence  of  a  Pure 
 Immaterial  Subftance  or  Spirit,  can  be  to  any 
 of  Us.  If  therefore  the  Blind  Man's  want  of 
 Idea's  be  not  a  fufficient  Proof  of  thelmpofnV 
 bility  of  Light  or  Colour  ^  how  comes  our 
 tare' want  of  Idea's,  to  be  a  Demonftration  of 
 (he  Impoifibility  of  the  Being  of  Immateri* 
 al  Subftances  ?  A  blind  Man,  they  will  fay., 
 has  Tefti?jiony  of  the  Exiftence  of  Light ;  Ve- 
 ry true  ^  So  alfo  have  we,  of  the  Exiftence  of 
 Immaterial  Subftances :  But,  I  hope,  an  A* 
 theift  will  not  put  the  Iffue  of  his  Cauff 
 ppon  Tejlimony,  whatever  he  does.  But  ther? 
 Is  this  further  Advantage  on  our  fide  in  thf 
 Comparifon  $  that  a  Blind  Man,  excepting 
 the  Teftimony  of  Others,  finds  not  by  any 
 rcafoning  within  himfelf,  the  leaft  likelihood 
 or  probability,  no  not  in  the  loweft  pofEbl? 
 degree,  that  there  can  be  any  fuch  thing  a? 
 Light  or  Colour  *  But  we,  befides  Teftimony, 
 have  great  and  ftrong  Arguments  both  fron> 
 Experience  and  Reafon,  that  there  are  fudj 
 things  as  Immaterial  Subftances,  though  we 
 have  ao  Knowledge  of  their  Simple  Eflence : 
 
 (AS 
 
Scirig  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       t } 
 
 (As  indeed  of  the  Sub  fiance  even  of  Matter  it 
 felf,    its  Simple  Subfiance,    confidcred  as  ah- 
 ftradt  from  and  as  the  Foundation  of  That 
 EfTential  Property,    of  Solidity,   we  have  no 
 Idea :    For  to  fay  that  Extenfwn  is  the  Sub- 
 fiance  of  Matter,  is  the  fame  thing  as  faying 
 that  Duration  or  that  Exifience  is  the  Sub- 
 fiance  of  MatterJ  We  have>  I  fay,  great  and 
 ftrong  Arguments  both  from  Experience  and 
 Reafon,  that  there  are  fuch  things  as  Imma- 
 terial Subftances,   though  we  have  no  Ide4 
 of  their  Simple  EfTence.    Even  the  very  firft 
 and  moft  univerfal  Principle  of   Gravitation 
 it  felf,   in  all  inanimate  Matter  5    lince  it  is 
 ever  Proportional,    not  at  all  to  the  Surface* 
 of  Bodies,  or  of  their  Particles  in  any  pof- 
 fible  Supposition,    but  exactly  to  the  Solid 
 Content  of  Bodies  ;   'tis  evident  it  cannot  be 
 eaufed  by  Matter  acting  upon  the  Surfaces  of 
 Matter,    which  is  all  It  can  do  j   but  muft  be 
 eaufed  by  fomething  which  continually  pene- 
 trates its  Solid  Sub  fiance.      But  in  Animals, 
 which  have  a  Power  of  Self-motion  $    and  in 
 the  perfecler  Sorts  of  them,  which  have  ftill 
 higher  Faculties  ;   the  thing  is  yet  more  evi- 
 dent :  For  we  fee  and  feel,  and  obferve  dai- 
 ly in  ourfelves  and  others,  fuch  Powers  and 
 Operations  and  Perceptions,   as  undeniably. 
 evince  themfelves  either  to  be  the  Properties 
 of  Immaterial  Subftances:    or    elfe  it    will 
 follow  that  Matter  is  fomething,    of  whofe 
 fnmoft  Subftance  and  EfTential  Powers   we 
 have  altogether  as  little  Idea,    as  we  have  of 
 Immaterial  Beings ;  and  then  how  are  Im- 
 material Subftances  more  impoffible  than  Ma- 
 larial ?  But  of  this,  more  hereafter. 
 
 C  2  From 
 
§4  4  Demonstration  of  the 
 
 wJe'ia/h        .Fr°m    What    haS  tcen  faid  °n  this  Head'  ** 
 
 "fMkmlm  wil1  be  eaf7  t0  anfwer  all  the  Objections  that 
 Souls.        have  been  brought   by  any  Atheift  againft 
 the  Notion  of  Human  Souls  being  Immaterial 
 Subftances    diftind   from  Body.    For    fince 
 See.  letter  'tis  poffible  there  ?nay  be  fuch  things  as  Imma- 
 SeH  ^M  terial  Sutftances  *,  and  fince,  if  any  fuch  Sub- 
 f  A*  Four    ftance  Can  Be,    there  is  all  the  Reafon    in 
 Dcicnfcs    the  World    to    believe  that  Confcious  and 
 °J  it-         Thinking  Subftance  Is  fuch  •  thefe  Properties 
 being  the  moft  Remote  from  the  known  Pro- 
 perties of  Matter,  that  are  poiTible  to  be  con- 
 ceived: The  Foundation  of  all  the  Objections 
 againft  the  Immateriality  of  the  Soul,  is  iri- 
 -  tirely   taken  away.     I  {hall  not  now  tarry 
 
 to  confider  the  Objections  in  particular, 
 which  have  been  often  and  fully  anfwered 
 by  learned  Pens  \  but  ihall  only  mention 
 One,  on  which  all  the  reft  depend,  and  to 
 which  they  may  all  be  reduced.  And  it 
 is  This  :  *  That  feeing  the  on- 
 *         c.  .  ly  means  we  have  of  Percep- 
 
 tu^a^"^  D*    tion,  are  the  Five  Senfes  \  and 
 Ec  femire  potcft  fccreta  a     tnefe  all  plainly  depend  upon 
 corpore  noftro  %  the  Organs  of  the  Body -,  there- 
 
 ;  &W-,  Cut  opinor)  earn  fa-     fore  the  Soul  without  the  Body, 
 
 Nee  racione  alia  nofmec     can     have       110      Perception, 
 
 propotfere  nobis  and  confequently  is  Nothing. 
 
 Poffumus  infernas  animas     Now  (befides  that  thefe  very 
 
 ACfcCJraf  r€l  c  •         Senfes  or  Perceptions,    howe- 
 
 iriaores  iraq:    &  fcripto-  t  ■Lr        i V      o    j 
 
 ram  feda  priora  ver  they  may   be  obftructed 
 
 Sic  animas  introduxerunt    by  bodily  Indifpofition,    ana 
 fenfibus  auftas.  f0    d0   indeed    depend  upon 
 
 Ac  neg,    fcorfum  ocuH,    the  0rgans  "of  the  Body  as 
 Nee  fenfus    ipfi  feorfnm     to  tne^r  prefent  Exercife,    yet 
 •onfiftere  poflunr,  in  their  Nature  are  really  en- 
 
 tirely 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.       8  ? 
 
 tirely  diftfndfc  PowSfr,  and  Naribus  atq-,  nunu,  atq-, 
 cam.ot  poffibly,  as  has  been  -JO»  *^of- 
 *■  before  fhown,  be  abf  olutely  func  fcntire,  nee  effc.  Lucres 
 founded  in,  or  arife  from,  lib.  3. 
 any  of  the  known  Properties  ,  ]0<n*v  $  «w|  *«#*,,  * 
 or  dualities  of  Matter:  Be-  ^Cl*™ZT^t"°s? 
 3ides  tins,  1  lay  ♦,;  or  Jtiim  y<t7BK  umfwv  6iovCa.fi- 
 that  thus  argues,  I  would  on-  \m  aviv  mJ£>.  Arijlot. 
 ly  aslc  this  one  Queftion :  Are 
 
 our  Five  Senfes,  by  an  Abfolute  Neceffity  in  *  P«g>  57*1 
 the  Nature  of  the  Thing,  All  and  the  only 
 PolTible  Ways  of  Perception  >  And  is  it  in!? 
 poflible  and  contradictory,  that  there  fhould 
 be  any  Being  in  the  Univerfe,  indued  with 
 ways  of  Perception  different  from  the fe  that 
 are  the  refult  of  Our  prefent  Compofition  ?  Or 
 are  thefe  things,  on  the  contrary,  purely  Ar- 
 bitrary-, and  the  fame  Power  that  gave  Us 
 thefe,  may  have  given  others  to  Other  Beings, 
 and  might  (if  he  had  pleas'd)  have  given  Us 
 others  in  this  prefent  State,  and  may  yet 
 have  made  us  capable  of  different  ones  in 
 Another  State  >  If  they  be  purely  Arbitrary  • 
 then  the  want  of  thefe,  does  by  no  means* 
 infer  a  total  want  of  Perception  5  but  the 
 fame  Soul,  which  in  the  prefent  State  has 
 the  Powers  of  Reflexion,  Reafon  and  Judgment, 
 which  are  Faculties  entirely  different  from  ' 
 Senfe  •,  may  as  eafily  in  another  State  have  dif- 
 ferent ways  even  of  Perception  alfo.  But  if 
 any  one  fay,  that  thefe  Senfes  of  ours  are 
 Necejfarily  the  only  ways  of  Perception ; 
 how  does  that  appear  ?  And  is  it  not  infinitely 
 more  reafonable  to  fuppofe,  that  this  is  a 
 *mere  Prejudice,  arifing  from 
 
 Cuftom,    and  an  attending  to         *  Has    tamen    imagines 
 bare  Senfe  in  oppofition  to    [mortMrum]  zo^i  voiebanc; 
 
 G  ?  Reafon? 
 
8(5         A  Dernonftration  of  the 
 
 quod  fieri  nee  fine  lingua,  Reafoil  >  For  fuppofe  Men 
 UX^^ltlnZ    had  bee»  created  only  with 
 
 v;um     lacerum,    pulmonum      ^         or  i    i     i 
 
 vi  &  fi*ura  poteft.  Nihil  *our  denies,  and  had  never 
 cnim  Ammo  (fpeak)»g  of  Inch  known  the  ufe  of  Sight  ^  would 
 as  attributed  to  Spirits  the  they  not  then  have  had  the 
 %££'££&&  fatneReafontoconcludethere 
 in  this  prefent  State,)  videre  we?e  but  Four  poinble  ways 
 poreranc;  Ad  Oculos  omnia  of  Perception,  as  they  have 
 referebanc.      Magni   autem     Nw  tQ  f  th   t  there   are 
 
 ingenn  eft,  revocare  mencem     -i   ,^    -*-<•      ^     a     -i  n    j 
 
 a  lenfibus,  &  cogirarionem  but  Five  f  And  Would  they 
 a  confuetudine  abducere.  not  then  have  thought  Sight 
 Cicero  Tkfcul.Gudf.i.  to  have  been  an    Impoflible, 
 
 Chimerical,  and  merely  im- 
 aginary Power  5  with  abfolutely  tie  fame  Re  a- 
 fon,  as  they  now  prefume  the  Faculties  of  im- 
 material Beings  to  be  fo  >  that  is,  with  no. 
 Re  a f on  at  all.  One  would  think,  Men  fhould 
 be  afhamed  therefore  to  be  f)  Vain,  as  mere- 
 ly from  their  own  Negative  Ignorance,  with-* 
 out  any  appearance  or  pretenfe  of  any  Poji- 
 tivc  Argument,  to  argue  againft  the  Pojfibili- 
 ty  of  the  Being  of  Things,  which  (excepting 
 only  that  they  cannot  frame  to  themfelves 
 an  Image  or  Notion  of  them)  there  is  a  Coiir 
 curr ence  of  all  the  Reafons  in  the  World  to  per^ 
 fwade  them  that  fuch  Things  Really  are.  And 
 then  as  to  the  Difficulty  of  Conceiving  the 
 Nature  and  Manner  of  the  Union  between 
 Soul  and  Body  ^  We  know  altogether  as 
 much  of  That,  as  we  do  ©f  the  Nature  cf  the 
 Union  or  Cohaefion  of  the  Infinitely  divifible 
 parts  of  Body,  to  Body  ^  which  yet  no  Man 
 doubts  of:  And  therefore  our  Ignorance  can 
 be  no  more  an  Argument  againft  the  Truth 
 of  the  One,  than  it  is  a  Bar  to  our  Belief  of 
 the  Other, 
 
 Secondly, 
 
'Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       8  7 
 
 Secondly,  It  is  poffible  to  Infinite  Power,  of  ending 
 to  indue  a  Creature  with  the  Power  of  Begin-  Cr'$y£ 
 iiing  Motion.  This  is  conftantly  denied  by  *ouer  0f 
 all  Atheifts  •,  becaufe  the  Confequence  of  it,  beginning 
 is  a  Liberty  of  Will,  of  which  I  fliall  have  Mam. 
 Occafion  to  fpeak  prefently.  But  that  the 
 Propofition  is  true,  I  thus  prove.  If  the 
 Power  of  Beginning  Motion  he  in  it  felf  a 
 Pojible  Thing  •  and  alfo  be  Poffible  to  be  com- 
 municated •,  Then  a  Creature  may  be  in- 
 dued with  That  Power.  Now  that  the  Power 
 of  Beginning  Motion  is  in  it  felf  a  Pojible 
 Thing,  I  have  already  proved,  by  fhowing 
 that  there  mufl:  Necejfarily  be  fomewhere  a 
 Power  of  Beginning  Motion  ;  becaufe  other- 
 wife  Motion  mufl:  have  been  from  Eterni- 
 ty, without  any  External  Caufe  of  its  Being ; 
 and  j^et  it  is  a  Thing  that  has  no  Neceffity  of 
 Exiftence  in  its  own  Nature  :  So  that  if  there 
 be  not  fomewhere  a  Principle  or  Power  of  be- 
 ginning Motion  •,  Motion  mufl:  Exift,  without 
 any  Caufe  or  Reafon  at  all  of  its  Exiftence 
 cither  within  it  felf  or  from  without  h  which,  as  ^#  l%% 
 I  have  before  fhown,  is  an  Exprefs  Contradic-  ^c. 
 tion  :  "Wherefore  a  Principle  or  Power  of  Be- 
 ginning Motion,  there  muft  of  neceffity  ite, 
 fomewhere  or  other  -,  and  confequently  it  is 
 not  in  it  felf  an  Impoffible  Thing.  I  add.-, 
 As  a  power  of  Beginning  Motion,  is  not  in 
 it  felf  an  impoffible  Thing  5  becaufe  it  mult 
 of  Neceffity  Be  in  the  Supreme  Caufe :  So 
 neither  is  it  impoffible  to  be  Communicated 
 to  Created  Beings  The  Reafon  is  plain : 
 Becaufe  no  Powers  are  Impoffible  to  be  Com- 
 municated, but  only  thofe  which  imply  Self- 
 exiftence  and  abfolute  Independency.  "  That 
 a  Subordinate  Being  Ihould  be  Self-exiftent 
 
 G  4  or 
 
88  A  Tjernonflration  of  the 
 
 or  abfolutely  Independent,   is  indeed  a  Con- 
 tradiction 5    but  'tis  no  Contradiction  to  fup- 
 pofe it  indued  with  any  Other  Power  what- 
 soever   feparate    from  thefe.     I  know   the 
 Maintainers  of  Fate,  are  very  confident  that 
 a  Power  of  Beginning  Motion,  is  nothing  lefs 
 than  being  really  Independent,  or  being  able 
 to  Acl:    Independently    from,  any  Superior 
 Caufe.     But  this  is  only  a  childifh  trifling 
 with  "Words     For  a  Power  of  Acting  indepen- 
 dently in  this  Senfe,     communicated    at  the 
 Pleafure  of  the  Supreme  Caufe,  and  continued 
 only  during  the  fame  good  Pleafure,    is  no 
 more  a  real  and  abfolute  Independency  ^  than 
 the  Power  of  Exifting,    (which  I  fuppofe    the 
 Defenders  of  Fate  are  not  fo  fond  to  make  a 
 continual  Creation,    as  they  are  to  make  the 
 Power  of  Self-motion  a  continual  External 
 Impulfe  •)    or  than  the  Power  of  being  Confci- 
 07/5,    or  any  other  Potrer  whatfoever,    can  be 
 faid  to  imply  Independency.     In  reality,  'tis 
 altogether  as  hard  to  conceive,   how  Confci- 
 oufnefs  or  the  Power  of  Perception,    ihould  be 
 communicated  to  a  Created  Being  •,  as  how 
 the  Power  of  Self-Motion  fhould  be  fo.    Un- 
 lefs  Perception  be  Nothing  elfe  but  a  mere 
 Paihve  Reception  of  Impulfe  h  which  I  fup- 
 pofe is  as  clear  that  it  is  not,  as  that  a  Tri- 
 angle is  not  a  Sound, .  or  that  a  Globe  is  not  a 
 Colour.     Yet  no  Man  doubts,    but  that  He 
 himfelf  and  all  Others  have  truly  a  Power 
 of  Perception'.    And  therefore  in  like  manner^ 
 (^however  hard  it  may  be  to  Conceive,  as  to  the 
 manner  of  it  -r  jet  fince,  as  has  been  now  pro- 
 ved,  it  can  never  be  fhown  to  be  impoftible 
 and  exprefly  contradictory,    that  a  Power  of 
 Self-Motion  ihould  be  communicated,)  I  fuppofe 
 
 11® 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.        8  9 
 
 no  confidering  Man  can  doubt,  but  that  he 
 actually  has  alfo  a  Power  of  Self 'Motion.  For 
 the  Argument  drawn  from  continual  Expe- 
 rience and  Obfervation,  to  prove  that  we 
 have  fuch  a  Power,  are  fo  ftrong  h  that  no- 
 thing lefs  than  a  ftricl:  Demonftration  that 
 tl\e  thing  is  abfolutely  impoiLble,  and  im- 
 plies an  exprefs  contradiction,  can  make  us 
 in  the  leaft  doubt  that  we  have  it  not.  We 
 have  all  the  fame  Experience,  the  fame 
 Marks  and  Evidence  exactly,  of  our  having 
 really  a  Power  of  Self-motion  5  as  the  rigid- 
 eft  Fatalift  could  poflibly  contrive  to  require, 
 if  he  was  to  make  a  Suppofition  of  a  Man's 
 being  indued  with  that  Power.  There  is  no 
 one  Thing  which  fuch  a  Man  can  imagine 
 ought  to  follow  from  the  Supposition  of  Self- 
 Motion,  which  every  Man  does  not  now  as 
 much  feel  and  actually  experience  in  Himfelf, 
 as  it  can  poflibly  be  imagined  any  Man  would 
 do,  fuppofing  the  Thing  were  true.  Where- 
 fore to  affirm,  notwithstanding  all  this,  that 
 the  Spirits,  by  which  a  Man  moves  the  Mem- 
 bers of  his  Body,  and  ranges  the  Thoughts 
 of  his  Mind,  are  Themfelves  moved  wholly. 
 by  Air  or  Subtler  Matter  infpired  into  the 
 Body^  and  That  again  by  other  External 
 Matter,  and  fo  on  ^  as  the  Wheels  of  a  Clock 
 are  moved  by  the  Weights,  and  thofe Weights 
 by  Gravitation,  and  To  on  •  without  a  Man's 
 having  the  leaft  Power  by  any  Principle 
 within  himfelf,  to  think  any  one  Thought, 
 or  impell  his  own  Spirits  in  order  to  move 
 any  Member  of  his  Body  :  All  this  is  fo  con- 
 trary to  Experience  and  the  Reafon  of  Things, 
 that  unlefs  the  Idea  of  Self-motion  were  in  it 
 felf  as  evidently  and  Clearly  a  Contradiction,- 
 
 as 
 
9«f  A  Demonftration  vf  the 
 
 as  that  two  and  two  fhould  mate  fifteen,  t 
 Man  ought  to  be  afhamed  to  talk  at  that  Rate. 
 Kay,  a  Man  of  any  confiderable  degree  of 
 Modefty,  would  even  in  that  Cafe  be  almofi: 
 tempted  rather  to  doubt  the  Truth  of  his 
 Faculties  •  than  to  venture  boldly  to  aflert 
 one  fo  intolerable  an  Abfurdity,  merely  for 
 the  avoiding  of  another.  There  are  fome 
 indeed,  who  denying  Men  the  Power  of  Be- 
 ginning  Motion,  would  yet  feem  in  fome  Man- 
 ner to  account  for  their  Actions,  by  allowing 
 them  a  Power  of  Determining  Motion.  But 
 this  alfo  is  a  mere  ludicrous  trifling  with 
 Words.  For  if  that  Power  of  Determining 
 Motion,  ba  no  other  in  a  Man,  than  that 
 which  is  in  a  Stone  of  Reflecting  a  Ball  one 
 certain  way  ;  this  is  juft  nothing  at  all.  But  if 
 he  has  a  Power  of  determining  the  Motion  of 
 his  Spirits  any  way,  as  he  himfelf  pleafes  •, 
 this  is  in  all  Refpects  the  very  fame  as  the 
 Power  of  Beginning  Morion* 
 
 Of  the  Thirdly.     'Tis  pofllble  to  Infinite  Power  to 
 
 Fiffibihty    cricjue  a  Creature  with  Freedom  or  Liberty  of 
 *  Creature  ^^'    ^  might  fuffice  that  this  is  at  once  pro- 
 with  Free-  ved  by  the  fame  Arguments,  and  in  the  fame 
 dom  of  Li-  Method,  as  I  juft  now  proved  Self-motion  or 
 *£fj  °f     a  Power  of  beginning  Motion,  to  be  poiftble  : 
 viz.  becaufe  Liberty  muft  of  neceflity  Be  in 
 the  Supreme  Caufe  •,  (as  is  at  large  proved  in 
 f«g.  $4.      the  Ninth  General  Head  of  this  Difcourfe  ^ ) 
 and  therefore  cannot  be  impoflible  and  con- 
 tradictory in  the  Nature  of  the  thing  it  felf : 
 And,  becaufe  it  implies  no  Contradiction  to 
 fuppofe  it  communicated^  as  being  no  harder 
 to  conceive,  than  the  forementioned  Power 
 of  Beginning  Motion:  And,  becaufe  the  Ar- 
 guments 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.        pf 
 
 guments  drawn  from  Experience  and  Obfer-» 
 vation,  are  ftronger  on  the  one  fide  of  the 
 Queftion,  than  thofe  arifing  merel}r  from  the 
 Difficulty  of  our  apprehending  the  thing,  can 
 be  on  the  other.  But  forafmuch  as  this  is  the 
 Queftion  of  the  greateft  Concern  of  all,  in 
 Matters  both  of  Religion  and  Humane  Life  ^ 
 and  both  Spinoza  and  Mr.  Hobbs,  and  their 
 Followers,  have  with  great  Noife  and  Con- 
 fidence denied  it :  I  fhall  therefore  (not  con- 
 tenting my  felf  with  this,)  indeavour  to  fhow 
 moreover,  in  particular,  the  Weaknefs  of  the 
 Prindpal  Arguments,  by  which  thefe  Men 
 have  pretended  to  demonftrate,  that  there 
 cannot  pojftbly  be  any  fuch  Power  in  Man,  as 
 a  Liberty  of  Hill.  As  to  the  propriety  of  the 
 Terms,  whether  the  Will  be  properly  the 
 Seat  of  Liberty  or  not,  it  is  not  now  to  the 
 Purpofe  to  inquire :  The  Queftion  being,  not 
 where  the  Seat  of  Liberty  is  ^  but  whether 
 there  be  at  all  in  Man  any  fuch  Power  as  a 
 Liberty  of  Choice  and  of  Determining  his 
 own  A&ions  •>  or  on  the  contrary  his  Anions 
 be  all  as  Neceffary,  as  the  Motions  of  a 
 Clock.  The  Arguments  by  which  Spinoza 
 and  Mr.  Hobbs,  have  attempted  to  maintain 
 this  latter  fide,  of  the  Queftion,  are  all  plain- 
 ly reducible  to  thefe  two. 
 
 i/.  That  fince  every  Effe<3:  muft  needs  be 
 produced  by  fome  Caufe  ^  therefore,  as  every 
 Motion  in  a  Body  muft  hare  been  caufed  by 
 the  Impulfe  of  fome  other  Body,  and  the 
 Motion  of  That  by  the  Impulfe  of  a  Third  ; 
 fo  every  Volition,  or  Deterirwnation  of  the 
 Will  of  Man,muft  needs  be  produced  by  fome 
 External  Caufe,  and  That  in  liks  manner  be 
 the  Eifefi  of  fome  Third ;  Aryjl  cgnfcguent- 
 
 \J 
 
9  V  j$  Demonjiration  of  the 
 
 ly  that  there  cannot  poffibly  be  any  fuch 
 Thing  in  Nature,  as  Liberty  or  Freedom  of 
 Will. 
 
 2 dly.  That  Thinking,  and  all  its  Modes,  as 
 Willing  and  the  like,  are  Qualities  or  Af- 
 fections of  Matter :  and  confequently,  fince 
 'tis  manifeft  that  Matter  has  not  in  it  felf  a 
 Power  of  Beginning  Motion,  or  giving  it  felf 
 any  manner  of  Determination  whatfoever  -y 
 therefore  'tis  evident  likewife,  that  'tis  im- 
 poffible  there  fhould  be  any  fuch  thing  as 
 Freedom  of  Will. 
 
 'AnAnfoer  Now  to  thefe  Arguments  I  oppofe,  and 
 19  Mr  fha]i  endeavour  briefly  to  demonftrate,  the 
 SK  Aree  mmi  Propofitions. 
 
 Arguments 
 
 d&'fnii  the      jjl.  That,  every  Effect  cannot  poffibly  be 
 
 effibcn    Ae  Vro*ua  of  External  Caufes  s  but  there 
 
 V  l  n  y*  rnuft  of  Neceflity  be  Somewhere  a  Beginning 
 of  Operatibn,or  a  Power  cf  Acting  without  be- 
 ing antecedently  acted  upon  :  And  that  this 
 Power  may  be,  and  is,  in  Man. 
 
 2dl$.  That  Thinking  and  Willing,  neither 
 are,  nor  can  be,  Qualities  and  Affections  of 
 Matter  -,  and  confequently  not  concluded  un- 
 der the  Laws  thereof. 
 
 idly.  That  even  fuppofing  the  Soul  not  to 
 be  a  diftincl  Substance  from  Body,  but  that 
 Thinking  and  Willing  could  be,  and  were  in- 
 deed, only  Qualities  or  Affections  of  Matter  ^ 
 yet  even  This  would  not  at  all  affect  the  pre- 
 sent Queftion,  nor  prove  Freedom  of  Will  to 
 
 That  there  be  impoffiMe. 
 
 ™fl  be         ij}.  every  Effect  cannot  poffibly  be  the 
 
 %&"mh  Produa:  of  external  Caufes  h  but  there  mult . 
 
 •foiTatt  °f  neceffity  be  fomewherc  a  Beginning  of  Ope- ; 
 
 ««.  J&tion, 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.      93 
 
 ration,  or  a  Power  of  Afting  without  being 
 antecedently  adted  upon :   And  this  Power 
 bay  be,  and  is,  in  Man.     The  feveral  Parts 
 of  this  Propofition  have  been  already  proved 
 in  the  Second  and  Ninth  General  Heads  of  this  *fg.  i2, 
 Difcourfe,    and  in  that  part   of  this  Tenth  &  64- 
 Head,  which  is  concerning  the  Poffibility  of  ^  ®7* 
 the  Power  of  Self-Motion  being  communi- 
 cated to  Created  Beings.  I  fhall  not  therefore 
 here  repeat  the  Proofs  •,  but  only  apply  them 
 to  Spinoza  s  and  Mr.  Hobs's  Arguments,  fo  far 
 as  is  neceflary  to  ftiow  the  weaknefs  of  what 
 they  have  faid  upon  this  Head  in  Oppofition  ^ 
 
 to  the  Poffibility  of  Liberty  or  Freedom  of 
 Will.  Now  the  manner  of  their  Arguing  up- 
 on this  Head,  is  this.  That  every  Effect  muft 
 Tieeds  he  owing  tofome  Caufe  *,  and  that  Caufe  muft 
 produce  the  Effetl  *  neceffarily  ; 
 
 becaufejfitbe  a  fuff dent  Caufe,  *  Quicunq;  unquam  Ef- 
 the' Effect  cannot  but  follow,  fatus  produftus  fit,  produc 
 and  if  it  be„ot  a  fufficknt  ^Vod^X^ 
 Cauje,  it  will  not  be  at  all  caufam  habuit  integram,hoc 
 a  Caufe  of  that  Thing  :  Thus  eft,  omnia  ca  quibus  fuppo 
 for  in  fiance,  +  whatever  Bo-  Jjtis  Eflfeftum  non  fcqui  inrcl- 
 Jj     •  1  n    i  7     l'gi  non  poftir,  :  ea  vero  cau- 
 
 dy  fj    moved,    muft  he    moved     f°necefTaria  eft.  Hobbs  Phi- 
 by  fome  other  Body,    which  it     hfophia  prima,  cap.  (). 
 filf  likewife  muft    be  moved  by         t  Corpus  mocumvelquief- 
 
 fome  Third,  and  fo  on  without     ^^^jtt^S? 
 ■n    1     mi  7     11  -,,r'ii    •     ,.,        determinan  debuirab  alio, 
 
 End  :  That  the  ||  Will,  in  like  corpore,  quod  eciam  ad  Mo- 
 inanner,  of  any  voluntary  Agent  tumvel  Quierem  derer mi  Da- 
 tum fuit  ab  alio,  &  illud  itc- 
 rum  ab  alio,  &  fie  in  infinitum.  Spinoza  Ethic.  Par.  II.  Prop.  13. 
 Lemma  3. 
 
 |]  Unaquxque  Volitio  non  poteft  Exiftere,  neq^  ad  operand um  deter- 
 minari,  nifi  ab  alia  caufa  dcterminetur,  &  hare  rurfus  ab  alia  5  &  lie 
 porro  in  infinitum.     Id,  Ethic.  Far.  I.  Prop.  g2.  Demonftrat. 
 
 I  conceive,  nothing  taketb  beginning  from  it  felf,  but  from  the 
 Aftion  of  fome  immediate  Agent  without  it  felf.  And  that 
 therefore,    when  firft   a  Man    had  an  Appetite  or  Will  to  fome- 
 
 chiog 
 
94  A  Demonflration  of  the 
 
 thing,  to  which,  immedi-  *$r*  of  necefity  be  **  defer^ 
 arely  before,  he  had  no  Ap-  fnhiei  by fome  external  Caufe, 
 petite  or  Will;  the  Cade  of     a7tj  not  j?y  any  p0Jper  0fJeter± 
 
 K££*&$2&  rtSVZfi  ^enHtinhJein 
 in  his  own  difpofing.  ftobbss  Am  that  Eternal  Caitfe,  muff 
 Debate  with  Bp.  Bramhall,     be  determined  necejfarily  by  fome 
 
 p*  i 89'        ..  it     a  un  otber  Caufe,  External  to  It  %  and 
 
 Tn  me nre  nulla  eft  ablolura  r             <L'   ^   t?    •,      -r.            -it 
 
 five    libera   voluntas :    fed  f°  ?»  rpithon  End.     From  all 
 
 mens  ab  hoc  vel  illud  volen-  which  it  evidently  appears, 
 
 cium  determinatur  a  caufa,  that  All  that  thefe  Men  urge 
 
 Tl  tln  V^™^  aSainft  the  PoffiWIity  of  Free- 
 nata  eft,  ex  riscc  iterum  ab      ,D  ,  ,/  -^ 
 
 alia,  &  fie  in  infinitum.  Spi-  dom>  extends  equally  to  all 
 mipj  Ethic.  Par.  n.  Pnp.  other  Beings  (not  excepting 
 48-  .  the  Supreme)    as    well  as   to 
 
 Sft&  Men,  and  +  ¥,T  in  ex, 
 operari  ex  liberate  volunta-  prels  Words  conteiles  it; 
 tis.  Ethk.  par.u  CoroiL  Wherefore  confequently,what 
 «d  Prop.  32*  ever  nojfe  they  make  of  the 
 
 mighty  Strength  and  Demon- 
 ftrative  Force  of  their  Arguments  •,  all  that 
 they  fay,  amounts  at  laft  to  no  more  but  this 
 One  moft  abfurd  Conclufion  *,  that  there  is  nd 
 where,  nor  can  pojfbly  be,  any  Principle  of  Mo* 
 tion  or  Beginning  of  Operation  at  all-,  but  every , 
 Tbifig  is  caiifed  necejfarily,  by  an  eternal  Chain  of 
 Dependent  Caufes  and  EffeBs,  withnvt  any  Inde- 
 pendent Original.    All  their  Arguments  there- 
 fore on  this  Head,  are  already  anfwered  in 
 P*z-  12, 13  the  Second  and  Ninth  General  Heads  of  this. 
 V1    6*'     Difcourfe  •  (where  I  proved  that  there  mutt  of 
 Neceflity  be  an  Original,  Independent  and  Free 
 Principle  of  Motion  or  Action  •  and  that  to 
 fuppofe  an  endlefs  Succeffion  of  Dependent 
 Caufes  and  Effects,  without  any  Original  or 
 Firft  andSelf-acluating  Principle,  is  fuppofingf 
 a  Series  of dependent  Things  to  he  from  Eterni* 
 ty  produced  by  Nothing  -y  which  is  the  very 
 
 lamp 
 
feting  and  Attributes  of  Cod.      9  $ 
 
 fame  Abfurdity  and  Contradiction,  as  to  fup- 
 pofe  Things  produced  by  Nothing  at  any  defi^ 
 tike  Time  h  the  Ability  of  Nothing  to  produce 
 any  thing,  being  plainly  the  fame  in  Tims 
 or  in  Eternity.)  And  I  have  moreover  proved 
 ex  abundantly  in  the  foregoing  part  of  this 
 Tenth  Head,  that  the  Power  of  beginning  Mo-  m%  tff 
 lion  is  not  only  poffible  and  certain  in  it  felf, 
 but  alfo  poffible  to  be  communicated  to  Finite 
 Beings,  and  a&ually  Is  in  Man. 
 
 idly.  Thinking  and  Willing  neither  are,  That 
 iior  can  be,  Qualities  or  Affections  of  Matter  $  Tbintyn& 
 and  confequently  are  not  concluded  under  the  and  w'^ 
 Laws  thereof.    That  'tis  poffible  there  *may  $;  "£ 
 be  Immaterial    Subftances,  the  Notion  not  nor  can  'be 
 implying  a  Contradiction  in  it  felf -,  hath  at-  AffMions 
 ready  been  fhown  under  the  prefent  General  +  pf*%Y* 
 Propofition.    Further,   That   Thinking  and 
 Willing  are  Powers  entirely  different  from 
 Solidity  >  Figure  and  Motion  •,  and  if  they  be  P*&»  57- 
 different,  that  then  they  cannot  poffibly  arife  *"*•  5*« 
 from  them,  or  be  compounded  of  them  5  hath 
 iikewife  been  already  proved  under  the Eivbtb 
 General  Head  of  this  Difcourfe.     It  follows 
 therefore,  that  Thinking  and   Willing  ?nay 
 poj/ibly  be,  nay  that  they  certainly  and  neccf- 
 farily  are  Faculties  or  Powers  of  Immaterial 
 .Subftances  :  feeing  they  cannot poffibly  be  Qua- 
 lities or  Affections  of  Matter  :  unlefs  we  will 
 confound  (as  fome  have  done)  the  Ideas  of 
 things  h  and  mean  by  Matter,  not  what  the 
 Word  in  all  other  cafes  fignifies,  zfolid  Sub~ 
 fiance  capable  of  Divifion,  Figure  and  Moti* 
 pn?  and  of  whatever  Properties  can  arife  from 
 the  Modifications  ofthefe*  but  Sub  fiance  in 
 general,   capable  of  unknown  Powers  or  Pro* 
 forties  entirely  different  from  thefe,  and  from 
 
 whaUvex 
 
9  6  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 whatever  can  poilibfy  refuk  from  thefe  :  In 
 which  confufed  Senfe  of  the  Word,  could 
 Matter  be  fuppofed  never  fo  capable  of 
 Thinking  and  Willing  •,  yet  in  That  Senfe,' 
 (as  I  lhall  fhow  prefently,)  it  would  fignify 
 nothing  at  all  to  the  Purpofe  or  Advantage 
 of  our  Adverfaries.  In  the  mean  Time, 
 how  great  an  Abfurdity  it  is  to  fuppofe 
 Thinking  and  Willing  to  be  Qualities  or  Af- 
 fections of  Matter,  in  the  Proper  and  Ufual 
 Senfe  of  the  Word  -,  may  fufficiently  appear, 
 without  any  foreign  Argument,  from  the 
 Senfelefnefs  of  Mr.  Hobbs's  Own  Explication 
 of  the  Nature  and  Original  of  Senfation  and 
 Confcioufhefs.  The  immediate 
 /Ex  quo  intelligitur,  Sen-  q  ,rg  Qr  Senfation,  *  faith  he, 
 fion  s  immediatam  caufam      -    /4 >       t^l      ni  •  ti  o 
 
 effe  in  eo,  quod  Senfionis  ts  thts  :  The  ObjcB,  or  Some- 
 Organum  primum  &  tangit  thing  flowing  from  it,  prejfeth 
 &  premie.  Si  enim  organi  the  outer  mo  ft  part  of  the  Organ, 
 pars  extima  premacur  5  ilia  mji  T/;^  prefrure  J,  commm\ca. 
 cectence,  prcmecurquoq;  pars  ,  ,     .    #         nn  r  7 
 
 qm  veffus  interiora  illi  ted  to  the  inner  mo  ft  Parts  of  the 
 proxima  eft';  &  ira  propa-  Organ-,  Where, by  the  Reft  ft  ance 
 gabicur  preffio,  five   Mctus     or  Reaftion  of  the  Organ,  can- 
 
 gi  {*r.  a^tim^nf-^^  fn&  a  Prcfure  ™*™rds  contra- 
 
 ^olaiW  morui  ab  ry  to  the  Prefnreof  the  QbjeB 
 
 objetto  per  media  ad  Or-  inwards,  there    is    made   up   a 
 
 gani  partem  ir.cimam  pro-  Vhantafm,    or    Image  :     Which 
 
 SSSASSrag  P^>,.t  faith  he,_»  ib. 
 
 per  mocum  ipfms  Organi  in-  henfation  it  felf.  Again  -  the 
 ternum  nacuralem  ;  fie  propeerea  conacui  ab  objeeto,  conacus  ab  Or- 
 gano  conrrarius.  Uc  cum  conacus  ilie  ad  incima,  ultimus  aftus  tic  eo- 
 rum  qui  fiunt  in  aftu  Senfionis ;  cum  demum  ex  ea  reaftione  aliquan- 
 diu  durance,  ipfum  exiftec  Phantajma-,  quod  propcer  conacum  verfus 
 externa  temper  videtur  tanquam  aliquid  ficum  extra  Organum:  Hobbs 
 it  Senfione  fol  motii  ar.imali. 
 
 f  Phancalma  eft  fenciendi  Attus.  Id.  ibid. 
 
 Canfe 
 
jr. 
 
 Being  and  Attributes  of  God.        97 
 
 Caufe  of  Sulfation,  \\   faith  he,         II  Caufa  fenfionis  eft  E 
 •     J  r\i*  n        /r  ,1   r\vfr^,        ternum  Corpus  five  Objeftu'n 
 U  an  ObjeB  preffing  the  Organ  .     quod  prem£  0rganum  pro- 
 
 which  Preffure  is  by  means  prium-,  &premendo,(medi* 
 of  the  Nerves  conveyed  to  the     aacibusNervis&Membranis,) 
 
 Brain,    and  fo  to  the  Heart  ,     ~n?nuu™f  ciLM°T„i?' 
 
 1        9  r      t.    n  m  /-»  crorfum  ad  Cerebrum  &inde 
 
 where,  By  the  Refiftence  or  Com-     ad  Cor .  unde  nafciuur  Cor. 
 
 ter-prejfure  of  the  Heart   out-     disrefiftentia  &concraprcfTio 
 
 wards,    is    made   an    Image  or     ^eu  AtrilvnUy  fi^e  Conatus 
 
 Phantafm,    which  is  Senfation.     g*L"*  tlnlt 
 •».  »    .      .  .       A    ,  .         iione  per  mocum  tendentem 
 
 Now  what  is  there  in  all  this,  exrrorfum  j  qui  mocus  prop- 
 that  does  in  any  the  leaft  mea-  terea  apparec  tanquam  all- 
 fure  tend  to  explain  or  make  <lu!d  externum  :  Atq,  APPa- 
 -„*~iv„*ui~  4.1,/ «««i  ~^A  :«  ntio  ha?c, five  Phanrafma,  eft 
 intelligible  the  real  and  Wr  id  quod  'vocamus  SnfiQ^ 
 
 ward  Nature  of  Senleor  Con-  leviathan  Cap.  i. 
 fcioufnefs  >  The  Object,  by 
 communicating  a  Preffure  through  the  Organ 
 to  the  Senfory,  does  indeed  raife  a  Phantafm 
 or  Image,  that  is,  make  a  certain  Imprejjion 
 on  the  Brain :  But  Wherein  confifts  the  Power 
 of  Perceiving  this  ImprefTion,  and  of  being 
 Senfible  of  it  >  Or  What  Similitude  hath  this 
 ImprefTion  to  the  Senfe  it  felf,  that  is,  to  the 
 Thought  excited  in  the  Mind  >  why,  exactly 
 the  very  fame,  that  a  Square  has  to  Bluenefs, 
 or  a  Triangle  to  Sound,  or  a  Needle  to  the  Senfe 
 of  Pain  5  or  the  Reflecting  of  a  Tennis-Ball,  to 
 the  Reafon  and  Under  ft  anding  of  a  Man.  So 
 that  Mr.  Hobbs's  Definition  of  Senfation  5 
 that  it  is  itfelf,  the'inmoft  and  formal  Na-  ' 
 ture  of  it,  nothing  but  the  Phantafm  or  Im- 
 age made  in  the  Brain  by  the  Preffure  com- 
 municated from  the  Object  ^  is  in  other  Words, 
 defining  Bluenefs  to  be  the  Image  of  a  Square, 
 or  Sound  the  Picture  of  a  Triangle,  or  Pain 
 the  Similitude  of  a  Sharp-pointed  Needle.  I 
 do  not  here  mifreprefent  him  in  the  leaft. 
 
 H  For 
 
9  3  A  Dervonftration  of  the 
 
 *  q<u  quaeres  omde  no-  For  He  himfelf  exprefsly  conr 
 iminari  ft lent  fer.fibites,  &  feffes,  *  that  all  Se7ifible  giia- 
 funt  in  ipfo  ob'jetfo  nihil  a!i-     ^,  rwc&  as  Colour,  Sound,  and  ■ 
 
 quo  bbjiftum  in  Organa  the  hh*>  are.m  th<e  0h^% 
 Senfuum  diverfmiode  ope.-  thewfelves  n-.iling  but  Motion • 
 ratur.  Ncq;  in  mbis  aiiud'  ^W,  bccavfe  Mo. ion  can  pro- 
 ton qua.m  dimfi  m  nis.  ^  +  j^^  hit  Motion,  (as 
 Motus  er.un  nihil  ger.erac.  i  •->  -r  ••  A  . -,  „  . J  7  £.. 
 prsrer  motum.  leviath,n  Wc^Wlfe  t is  evident  that  Fl- 
 f'p.  i.  gure  and  all  its  poflible  Com- 
 
 pofitions  can  produce  nothing 
 f  S?e  Four Jvjf  Figure,)  therefore  in  Us  #//o  f£e  Perceptions 
 4  letter  fi€f  ^ffe$*ffle  §&tkfa  are  nothing  bur  different 
 &rp6d'    Motivjs.     If 'then  the  Phantafm,  that  is,  the 
 well.         Image  of  the  01>jecl  made  in  the  Brain  by  Fi- 
 gure and  Motion,    be  (as  he  fays)  the  Sulfa- 
 tion it  felf ;'  is  not  Senfation,    bare  Figure 
 and  Motion  ?  And  are  not  all  the  foremeu- 
 tioned  Absurdities,  unavoidable  Confequences 
 of  his  Opinion  > 
 
 Mr  Hobbs,  (as  I  have  elfewhere  obferved,) 
 feems  indeed  not  to  have  been  altogether  un- 
 aware of  this  infuperable  Difficulty  •,  But  he 
 induftiioufly  indeavours  to  conceal  it  from 
 his  Readers,  and  to  impofe  upon  them  by  the 
 ambiguity  of  the  Word  Phajitafm.  Yet  for 
 a  Referve,  in  cafe  he  ihouki  be.  too  hard 
 preffed,   *  he  gives  us  a  Hint, 
 
 *  Scio  fuiffe  Piiilofoph^s     that  pofllbly  Senfation  may  be 
 
 ?fd™'/°!^m*   ™"  Something  more,  viz.  a  Power  of 
 
 dottes,     qui    corpora    omnia  Jn  .s  »•  r  .      r.    "  J 
 
 Senfii  pradir*  tut  f^ftinue-  Inception  or  Conjaonjnejs  natm 
 
 runt:    Nee  video,  i\  natura  rally  and  ejfentially  inherent in  all 
 
 Senfi.Miis    in  rcattione   ihte  Matter-,    only  that  it  wants  the 
 
 ri  print.  >  Sid  etfi  til  re-  0r&ans  a7ld  Me™°n  of  Animals 
 adtioue  etiam  corporum  aliorum,  phancafma  aliquod  nafcereiur ; 
 illud  camin  remoco.objeftoftatim  cefiarcc*  Nam  nefi  ad  retinendum 
 Motum  imprcfium,  cciam  reraoco  objefto,  apta  habeanc  Organa,  uc 
 hjbent  Anima'ia  ;  ita  ranrum  lenttent,    uc  nunquam  fenfiffe  fc  re- 
 
 cordencur.   ~"~ Senfiont  ergo,    cjux  vulgo   ira  appeliatur,    ne« 
 
 ceiLirio  adhawee  memoria  aliqua,  See.  //^w  f^/.  w/>.  25.  »Sa7.  5. 
 
 w 
 
tBein^  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       §9 
 
 to   exprehlts  Senfatlon :    And  t         t  &**,;?  Senfiom  adhaxec 
 
 ti«t,  V *  in«,  ?/ «.  «*  BRSSSSSK 
 
 fvppofed  to  have  no  other  bevje  tyrietas-  ica  uc  aliud  abalio 
 
 but  Seeing,    aid  That  fo  ordered  difcerni  poffic.   Si  fuppone- 
 
 fli  rfw*  iw  £ve*  iw*  * /i*m  2;;/-  ^us  ca;«  cffc  horaincm,  ocu- 
 
 »,      r     j  jj  Jis  quidem  clans,   caecenlq; 
 
 •moveably^  fixed  upon  one  and  the  vjde^ndi  0rganis  reStc  fc  ha. 
 
 /jwztf  ObjeB,  and  That  alfo  un-  b.'ntibus  ccmpofuum,   nul.'o 
 
 changeable  and  without  any  the  autcm  alio  fenfu  pffcditum, 
 
 Uajl  variety-   fuch  a  Man  could  j^Sffc&fc 
 
 vot  properly  be  fatd  to  dee^  but  u]!a  vd  mnima  varietate  ap- 
 
 only  to  be  under  an  unintelligible  parencem  obverfumeffe^  mihi 
 
 kind  of  Amazement :    So  all  un-  cer^quicquid  dican  talii  non 
 
 organized    Bodies  may    poffibly  tumc(re.&forMffcAfpeaare 
 
 have  Senfatlon   or    Perception*,  eum,  fed  flupencemdicerem, 
 
 but  becaufe  for  want  of  Organs  videre  non  dicerem:    Adco 
 
 there  is  no  Variety  in  It,    nel-    Sehthe  /*w*^ew'  **°* 
 ,  ,„.  J  *  c  Sentne,     ad  idem  recidunr. 
 
 tber  any  Memory  or  means  of  ex-     Tj  -lb-J% 
 
 prejfing  that  Senfatlon,  therefore 
 to  Us  it  feems  as  if  they  had  nofuch  Thiyig  at  all. 
 This  Opinion,  I  fay,  Mr  Hobbs  mentions  as 
 poilible  :  But  he  does  it  with  fuch  Heiitancy, 
 Diffidence  and  Sparingnefs,  as  {hows  plainly 
 that  he  meant  it  only  as  a  laft  Refuge,  or  ra- 
 ther Subterfuge,  to  recur  to,  when  he  fhould 
 be  prefTed  with  the  fore-mentioned  Abfurdi- 
 ties  unavoidably  confequent  upon  the  Suppo- 
 sition of  Senfation  being  only  Figure  and 
 Motion.  And  indeed  well  might  he  be  fpa- 
 ring,  and,  as  it  were,  afhamed  of  this  Subter- 
 fuge :  For  it  is  a  Thing  altogether  as  abfurd^ 
 as  even  the  other  Opinion  it  felf,  of  Thought 
 being  mere  Motion  :  For  what  can  be  more 
 ridiculous  than  to  imagirrthat  Matter  is  as  eA 
 fentially  Confcious,  as  it  is  extended  ?  Will  it 
 riot  follow  from  that  Suppofltion,  that  eve- 
 ry piece  of  Matter,  being  made  up  of  end- 
 lefl y  divifible  parts,  (that  is,  of  parts  which 
 
 H  2  are 
 
i  oo  A  Demonjlration  of  the 
 
 ate  as  really  diftind  Beings,   notwithftand- 
 ing  their  Contiguity,    as  if  they   had  been 
 at  never  fo  great  a  diftance  one  from  another,) 
 is  made  up  alfo  of   innumerable  Confciouf- 
 neffes  and  Infinite  Confufion  >  But  'tis  a  fhame 
 to  trouble  the  Reader  with  fo  much  as  the 
 mention  of  any  of  the  Numberlefs  Abfurdi- 
 tics  following  from  that  Monftrous  Suppofi- 
 tion.     Others  therefore,   who  would  make 
 Thinking  to  be  an  Affection  of  Matter,  and 
 yet  are  afhamed  to  ufe  either  of  the  foremen- 
 tioned  ways,    contend  that  God  by  his  Al- 
 mighty and  Supreme  Power  indues  certain 
 Syftems  of  Matter  with  a  Faculty  of  Think- 
 ing, according  to  his  own  Good  Pleafure.  But 
 this  alfo  amounts  to  Nothing.     For  fbefides 
 the  Abfurdity  of  fuppofing  God  to  make  an 
 innumerable  company  of  diftinfl:  Beings,  fuch 
 as  the  Particles  of  every  Syftem  of  Matter  ne- 
 cefTarily  are,  to  be  at  the  fame  time  One  Indi- 
 vidual Confcious  Being  ;  Befides  this,  I  fay,) 
 either  our  Idea  of  Matter,   is  a  true  and  di- 
 ItindT:  Idea  ^    or  it  is  not.    If  it  be  a  true  and 
 diftind:  Idea,  (that  is,  if  our  Idea,  not  of  the 
 Sub  ft  ance  of  Matter  •,   for  of  Simple  Subftance 
 we  have  no  Idea  •,  but  if  our  Idea  of  the  Pro- 
 perties  which  ejfeyitially  diftinguift)  and  denomi- 
 nate the  Subftance,  be  a  right  Idea,)  that  Mat- 
 ter is  Nothing  but  a  Solid  Subftance,    capa- 
 ble only   of  Divifion,  Figure  and  Motion, 
 with  all  the  poifible  Effects  of  their  feveral 
 Compofitions  $    as  to  Us  it  appears   to  be, 
 upon  the  Beft  Examination  we  are  able  to 
 make  of  it  •  and  the  greateft  part  of  our  Ad- 
 verfaries  themfelves  readily  allow  ^  then  it  is 
 abfolutely  Impoffible  for  Thinking  to  belong 
 to  Matter  j  becaufc  Thinking,  as  has  been  be- 
 fore 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.     i  o  i 
 
 fore  fhown,  cannot  pofTibly  arife  from  any  Mo-  **b  57- 
 difi cation  or  Compojition  of  any  or  all  of  thefe  *n  9 
 Qualities  :  But  if  any  Man  will  fay  that  our 
 Idea  of  Matter  is  wrong  ;  and  that  by  Matte/' 
 he  will  not  here  mean,  as  in  all  other  cafes, 
 a  Solid  Subftance,  capable  only  of  Divifion, 
 Figure  and  Motion,  with  all  the  poiUble 
 Effects  of  their  feveral  Compofitions  •,  but 
 Sub  fiance  in  general,  capable  of  Thinking  and 
 of  numberlefs  unknown  Properties  beiides; 
 then  he  trifles  only,  in  putting  an  ambiguous 
 Signification  upon  the  Word  Matter,  where  he 
 ought  to  ufe  the  word  Subfiance.  And,  in 
 That  Senfe,  to  iuppofe  Thinking  or  any  other 
 Active  Property  portable  to  be  in  Matter,  as 
 iignifying  only  Subfiance  in  general,  of  whofe 
 Powers  and  Capacities  we  have  no  certain 
 Idea  -,  would  make  Nothing  at  all  to  the  Pre- 
 fent  Purpofe  in  our  Adverfaries  Advantage,  _^ 
 
 and  is  at  leaft  Not  a  clearer  and  more  Ineligible  '■ 
 
 way  of  Talking,  than  to  attribute  tbe  fame 
 Properties  to  an  Immaterial  Subftance,  and 
 keep  the  Idea  of  Matter  and  its  Properties 
 clear  and  diftindt.     For  I  affirm, 
 
 %dly.     That  even  fuppnfing  (in  thefe  Mens  ^/,  j{ 
 confufed  way  J  that  the  Soul  was  really  not  a  Jdwu^ 
 diftind  Subftance  from  Body,  but  that  Think-  ling  were 
 ing  and  Willing  could  be  and  were  indeed  Qualities 
 only  Qualities  or  Affections  of  Matter  5  jet  *£%£* 
 even  This  would  not  at  all  affect  the  prefent  tkelefs  Lh 
 Qu  eft  ion  about  Liberty,  nor  prove  Freedom  berty  might 
 of  Will  to  be    an  importable  Thing.      For,  *"  &&**• 
 iince  it  has  been  already  demonftrated,  that  ^'l5,'*7' 
 Thinking  and  Willing  cannot  poifibly  be  Ef-  *, 
 
 fects  or  Compofitions  of  Figure  arjd  Motion  ^ 
 Whofoever  will  make  Thinking  and  "Willing 
 to  be  Qualities  or  Affections  of  Matter,  muft 
 
 H  3  fuppofe 
 
102         A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 fuppofe  Matter  capable  of  certain  Properties 
 entirely  different  from  Figure  and  Motion  : 
 And  If  it  be  capable  of  Properties  entirely 
 different  from  Figure  and  Motion,    then  it 
 can  never  be  proved  from  the  Effects  of  Fi- 
 gure and  Motion  being  all  Neceflary,  that 
 the  Effects  of  other  and  totally  diftinct  Pro- 
 perties muft  likewife  be  Neceflary. 
 Ajhameful      Mr  Hobbs  therefore,    and  his    Followers, 
 ^'^  '/are  guilty  of  a  moft  fhameful  Fallacy  in  that 
 andhis     veiT  Argument,    wherein  they  place  their 
 followers   main  and    chief  ftrength.     For,    fuppofing 
 Matter  to  be  capable  of  Thinking  and  Wil- 
 ling, they  contend  that  the  Soul  is  mere  Mat- 
 ter ^    and  knowing  that  the  Effects  of  Figure 
 and  Motion  muft  needs  be  all  neceflary,  they 
 conclude  that  the  Operations  of  the  Mind  muft 
 All  therefore  be  Neceflary  :    That  is  •,.  When 
 they  would  prove  the  Soul  to  be  mere  Matter  % 
 then  they  fuppofe  Matter  capable  not  only  of 
 Figure  and  Motion,    but  alfo  of  other  un- 
 known Properties:  And  when  they  wouldprove 
 the  Will,  and  all  other  Operations  of  the  Soul, 
 to  be  Necejfary ;  then  they  deveft  Matter  again 
 cf  all  its  Unkown  Properties,  and  make  it 
 mere  Solidity,    endued  only  with  Figure  and 
 Motion,  again,  Wherefore,  diftinguifhing  their 
 ambiguous  and  confufed  life  of  the  Word  Mat- 
 ter, they  are  unavoidably  reduced  to  one  of 
 thefe  two  Conceflions.  If  by  Matter,  they  mean 
 a  Solid  Subftance  endued  only  with  Figure  and 
 Motion,  and  all  the  pollible  Effects  of  the  Va- 
 *Motutn\-  nations  and  Compoiirions  of  thefe  Qualities  •, 
 hllg?5"c  then  the  Soul  cannot  be  mere  Matter  •,  becaufe 
 turn.  Levi-  (as  Mr  Hobbs  himfelf  *  confefles)  Figure  and 
 ath.  Cap.i  Motion  can  never  produce  any  thing  but  Fi^ 
 *Pai-  c)7>  gure  and  Motion  j   and  confequently  (as  hath 
 ■  27*       foell  *  before  demonstrated)  they  can  never 
 
 j>rq* 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       '  i  o  5 
 
 produce  fo  much  as  any  Secondary  Quality, 
 [Sound,  Colour  and  the  like. J  much  left  Tlii lik- 
 ing and  Reafoning:  From  whence  it  follows, 
 that  the  Soul  being  unavoidably  fomething 
 Immaterial,  they  have  no  Argument  left  to 
 prove  that  it  cannot  have  a  Power  of  Begin- 
 ning Motion,  which  is  a  plain  Inftance  of 
 Liberty.  But  if,  on  the  other  Hand,  they 
 will  by  Matter  mean  Subjktitce  rk  general*  ca- 
 pable of  unknown  Properties,  totally  diffe- 
 rent from  Frgure  and  Motion  \  then  they  muff 
 no  longer  argue  againft  the  Peffibility  of  Li- 
 berty from  the  Effects  of  Figm-e  and  Motion 
 being  all  unavoidably  Neceffary  *  becaufe 
 Liberty  will  not  con  lift  in  the  Effects  of  Fi- 
 gure and  Motion,  but  in  thofe  Other  Un- 
 known Properties  of  Matter,  which  thefe 
 Men  can  no  more  explain  or  argue  about, 
 than  about  Immaterial  Subftanccs.  The 
 Truth  therefore  is  •,  they  mull  needs  fuppofe 
 Thinking  to  be  merely  an  Eftecr  or  Compo- 
 fitionof  Figure  and  Motion,  if  they  will  g 
 any  ftrength  to  their  Arguments  againft  Li- 
 berty h  and  then  the  Queftion  will  be,  not 
 whether  God  can  make  Matter  think,  or  no  ^ 
 (for  in  that  Queftion  they  only  trifle  with  a 
 Word,  abufing  the  Word  Matter  to  fignifie  Sub- 
 ft*nce  in  general  •,)  but  the  Queftion  is  whe- 
 ther Figure  and  Motion,  in  any  Competition 
 or  Divifion,  can  poffibly  Be  Perception  and 
 Thought :  Which  (as  has  been  before  faid)  is 
 juft  luch  a  Queftion,  as  if  a  Man  fhould  ask, 
 whether  it  be  poitible  that  a  Triangle  fhould 
 be  a  Sound,  or  a  Globe  a  Colour.  The  Sum 
 is  this  :  If  the  Soul  be  hftlmmat ertfflnuhftmce, 
 (as  it  muft  needs  be,  if  we  have  any^  true 
 Idea  of  the  Nature  and  Properties  of  Matter,) 
 then  Mr  Hobls's  Arguments  againft  the  Pof- 
 
 H  4  iibility    . 
 
io4         -d  Demonflration  of  the 
 
 fibility  of  Liberty,  drawn  all  from  the  Pro* 
 perties  of  Matter ,  are  vain  and  nothing  to 
 the  Purpofe.  But  if  our  Adverfaries  will  be  fo 
 abfurd  as  to  contend,  that  the  Soul  is  nothing 
 But  mere  Matter*,  Then  either  by  Matter 
 they  muft  underftand  Subftance  in  gene- 
 ral, Subftance  indued  with  unknown  Pow- 
 ers, with  ABive  as  well  as  Paffive  Proper- 
 ties *,  which  is  confounding  and  taking  away 
 our  Idea  of  Matter,  and  at  the  fame  Time  de- 
 ftroying  all  their  own  Arguments  againft 
 Liberty,  which  they  have  founded  wholly  on 
 the  known  Properties  of  Matter  •,  Or  elfe  they 
 muft  fpeak  out,  (as  they  really  mean,)  that 
 Thinking  and  Willing  are  nothing  but  Ef- 
 fects and  Compofitions  of  Figure  and  Motion  $ 
 V& *^>57>  which  I  have  already  fhown  to  be  a  Contra- 
 97#       di&ion  in  Terms. 
 
 There  are  fome  other  Arguments  againft  the 
 Poffibility  of  Liberty,    which    Men  by  at- 
 tempting to  anfwer,  have  made  to  appear 
 considerable-  when  in  reality  they  are  altoge- 
 ther befide  the  Queftion.     As  for  Inftance, 
 thofe  drawn  from  the  Neceffity  of  the  WtlTs  be- 
 hig  determined  by  the  lajl  Judgment  of  the  Under ^ 
 Jianding  5  And  from  the  Certainty  of  the  Divine 
 Pr&fcience. 
 CftbiWHl      As  to  the  former,  viz.     The  Neceffity  of  tfo 
 being  recef-  J^M's  being  determined  by  the  lajl  Judgment  of 
 urnn'd    $e  UvZerJIanding  •"  This  is  only  a  Neceffity  up- 
 by  the' lajl  on  Supposition  5   that  is  to  fay,   a  Neceffity 
 judgment  that  a  Man  fliould  lVill  a  Thing,    when  it  is 
 
 °i  tfft  Vd'  fuPPofed  that  he  does  1™  i*  \  i"ft  as  if  one 
 
 *Y         Ihould  affirm,  that  every  thing  which  Is,  is 
 
 therefore  Neceflary  to  Be,  becaufe,  when  it 
 
 Is,  it  cannot  but  Be.  For  the  loft  Judgment  of 
 
 the 
 
Being  and  A  tributes  of  Cod.     i  o  y 
 
 tie  Under  ft  anding,  is  nothing  elfe  but  a  Man's 
 final  Determining,  (after  more  or  lefs  Confi- 
 deration,)  either  to  Choofe  or  not  to  Choofe  a 
 thing-  that  is,  it  is  the  very  fame  with  the 
 A3  of  Volition.     Or  elfe,  if  the  AS  of  Voliti- 
 on be  diftinguifhed  from  the  laft  Judgment  of 
 the  Underftanding  ♦  then  the  Aft  of  Volition,  or 
 rather  the  Beginning  of  ,/4#iow,  confequent  up* 
 on  the  laft  Judgment  of  the  Under fta?:ding,h  not 
 determined  or  caufed  by  that  laft  Judgment,  as 
 by  the  phyjical  Efficient,  but  only  as  the  Mo- 
 ral Motive.     For  the  true,  proper,  immediate, 
 phyjical  Efficient  Caitfe  of  Action,  is  the  Power 
 of  Self-motion  which  is  in  Men,  and  which  ex- 
 erts it  felf  freely  in  confequence  of  the  lafi 
 Judgment  of  the  Under  ft  anding.     But  the   lafi 
 Judgment  of  the  Understanding,  is  not  itfelf  a 
 phyjical  Efficient,  but  merely  a  Moral  Motive y 
 upon  which  the  phyjical  Efficient  or  motive  Pow- 
 er begins  to  Act.      The  Neceffity  therefore, 
 by  which  the  Power  of  Atting  follows  the 
 Judgment  of  the  Underfianding,  is  only  a  Moral 
 Neceffity,  that  is,  no  Neceffity  at  all,  in  the  Senfe 
 the  Oppofers  of  Liberty  underftand  Neceffity. 
 For  Moral  Neceffity,   is  evidently  confident, 
 with  the  molt  perfect  Natural  Liberty.     For 
 inftance:  A  Man  intirely  free  from  all  Pain 
 of  Body  and  Diforder  of  Mind,  judges  it  un~ 
 reafonable  for  him  to  Hurt  or  Deftroy  him- 
 felf  >,  and,  being  under  no  Temptation  or  Ex-  • 
 ternal  Violence,  he  cannot  poffibly  Act  contra- 
 ry to  this  Judgment  •,  not  becaufe  he  wants 
 a  Natural  or  Phyjical  Power  fo  to  do,  but  be- 
 caufe it  is  abfurd  and  mifchievous,  and  mo- 
 rally impoffiblctox  him  to  Choofe  to  do  it.  Which 
 alfo  is  the  very  fame  Reafon,  why  the  moft 
 perfect  rational  Creatures,  fuperiour  to  Men, 
 
 cannot 
 
1 06  A  Demon  fkration  of  the 
 
 cannot  do  Evil  j  not  becaufe  they  want  a  Na- 
 tural Power  to  perform  the  Material  Action  •, 
 but  becaufe  it  is  -morally  impofiible,  that  with 
 a    per  feci:  Knowledge  of  what  is  Beft,-  and 
 without  any  Temptation  to  Evil,  their  Will 
 fhould  determine  it  felf  to  Choofe  to  Act 
 Foolifhly  and  Unreafonably.  Here  therefore 
 feems  at  laft  truly  to  lie  the  Fundamental 
 Errour  both  of  thofe  who  oppofe  and  argue 
 againft  the  Liberty  of  the  Will,  and  of  thofe 
 who  but  too  eonfufedly  defend  it :  They  do  not 
 make  a  clear  distinction  between  moral  Motives 
 and  Caitfes  Phyjically  Efficient  *,  whichTwo  things 
 have  no  Similitude  at  all.  Laftly,  if  the  Main- 
 tainers  of  Fate  fhall  allege,  that  after  all,  they 
 think  a  Man  free  from  all  Pain  of  Body  and 
 Diforder  of  Mind,  is  under  not  only  a  Moral 
 but   alfo  a    Natural  Impoilibili ty   of  hurt- 
 ing or  destroying  himfelf  ^    becaufe  neither 
 his  Judgment  nor  his  Will,  without  fome  im- 
 pulfe  External  to  both,  can  any  more  porFi- 
 bly  be  determined  to  any  Action,  than  one 
 Body  can  begin  to  move,  without  being  im- 
 pelled by  another  :  I  anfwer  ^  This  is  for  fak- 
 ing the  Argument  drawn  from  the  Necelhty 
 of  the  Will's  following  the  Understanding,  and 
 recurs  to  the  former  Argument  of  the  abfolute 
 Impoiubility  of  there  being  any  where  a  fir  ft 
 Principle  of  Motion  at  all  -,  which  has  been  a- 
 *  pag.  37.«bundantly  anfwered  *  already. 
 Vint 'of        T^e  0t^er  Argument  which  I  faid  has  alfo 
 Vivine      frequently  been  urged  againft  the  Poilibility 
 Fore-know  of  Liberty,  is  the  certainty  of  the  Divine  Pr&- 
 telgenit   fcience.     But  this  alfo  is  entirely  befide  the 
 ™$f™  Question.     For  if  there  be  no  Other  Argu- 
 Liberty  0/ments,  by  which   it  can  be  proved  antece- 
 Men/Atti-clcntly,  that  all  Actions  are  Necejfary  5    'tis 
 •'•''•  certain 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.      107 
 
 certain  it  can  n£ver  be  made  to  appear  to  fol- 
 low from  Vr&fcience  alone,  that  they  muft  be 
 fo.  That  is-,  if  upon  Other  Accounts  there 
 be  no  Impoflibility,  but  that  the  Actions  of 
 Men  may  be  free  ^  the  bare  Certainty  of  the 
 Divine  Fore-knowledge,  can  never  be  proved  to 
 deftroy  that  Freedom,  or  make  Any  Altera- 
 tion  in  the  Nature  of  Men's  Actions  :  And 
 confequently  the  certainty  ofPrafcience,  fepa- 
 rated  from  Other  Arguments,  is  altogether 
 befide  the  Queftion  concerning  Liberty.  As  to 
 the  Other  Arguments,  ufually  intermingled 
 with  this  Queftion  *  they  have  all,  I  think, 
 been  anfwered  already.  And  now  that,  if  up- 
 on other  Accounts  there  be  no  ImponTbility 
 for  th  Actions  of  Men  to  be  free,  the  bare  cer- 
 taint}  of  the  Divine  Fore-knowledge  can  never  be 
 proved  to  deftroy  that  Freedom -,  is  very  Evi- 
 dent. For  bare  Fore-knowledge,  has  no  Influ- 
 ence at  all  in  any  Refpecl  -,  nor  affedts  in  any 
 meafure  the  manner  of  the  Exiftcnce  of  any 
 Thing.  All  that  the  greateft  Oppcfers  of  Li- 
 berty have  ever  urged,  or  can  urge^upon  this 
 Head,  amounts  only  to  This  •,  that  Fore-know- 
 ledge implies  Certainty,  and  Certainty  implies 
 Neceffity.  But  neither  is  it  true,  that  Certain- 
 ty implies  Neceffity  ^  neither  does  Fore-know- 
 hdge  imply  any  other  Certainty  than  fuch  a  Cer- 
 tainty only  as  would  be  equally  in  Things, 
 though  there  was  no  Fore-knowledge. 
 
 For  (17?.)  the  certainty  of  Fore-knowledge 
 does  not  caufe  the  certainty  of  Things,  but  is 
 it  felf  founded  on  the  reality  of  their  Ex- 
 iftence.  Whatever  now  Is,  'tis  certain  that 
 it  Is  5  and  it  was  yefterday  and  from  Eter- 
 nity as  certainly  true,  that  the  Thing  would 
 be  to  day,  as  it  is  now  certain  that  it  Is.  And 
 this  certainty  of  Event  is  equally  the  fame, 
 
 whether 
 
108         A  Vemonftration  of  the 
 
 whether  it  be  fiippofed  that  the  Thing  could 
 be  Fore-known,  or  not.  For  whatever  at  any- 
 time Is  •,  it  was  certainly  true  from  Eternity, 
 as  to  the  Event,  that  That  Thing  would  be : 
 And  this  certain  Truth  of  every  future  E- 
 vent,  would  not  at  all  have  been  the  lefs, 
 though  there   had  been  no  fuch  Thing   as 
 Fore-knowledge.    Bare  Prasfcience  therefore 
 has  no  Influence  at  all  upon  any  Thing  ^  nor 
 contributes  in  the  leaft  towards  the  making  it 
 NecefTary.    We  may  illuftrate  this  in  fome 
 meafure    by    the  Comparifon   of  our    own 
 Knowledge.    "We  know  certainly  that  fome 
 Things  are  •,  and  when  we  know  that  they 
 are,  they  cannot  but  Be :  Yet  'tis  manifeft 
 our  Knowledge  does  not  at  all   affect   the 
 Things,  to   make  them   more  NecefTary  or 
 more  Certain.     Now  Fore-knowledge  in  God, 
 is  the  very  fame  as  Knowledge.    All  things 
 are  to  Him  as  if  they  were  equally  prefenr, 
 to  all  the  Purpofes  of  Knowledge  and  Power. 
 He  knows  perfectly  everything  that  Is  :  And 
 he   Fore-knows    whatever  fhall  be,    in  the 
 fame  Manner  as  he  knows   what  Is.      As 
 therefore    Knowledge    has   no    Influence    on 
 Things  that  are  ^    fo  neither  has  Fore-hiow- 
 ledge,  on    Things  that  fiall  be.     5Tis    true  5 
 The  Manner  how  God  can   farefee   Future 
 Things,  without  a  Chain  of  NecefTary  Cau- 
 fcs  •,  is  impollible  for  us  to  explain  dijlinttly, 
 .    Tho5  fome  fort  of  general  Notion,    we  may 
 v        \   conceive  of  it.     For  as  a  Man  who  has  no 
 Influence  over  another  Perfon's  Actions,  can 
 yet    often  perceive  before-hand  what  That 
 Other  will  do  ^  and  a  Wifer  and  more  ex- 
 perienced Man,  willftill  with  greater  proba- 
 bility forefee  what  Another,  whofc  Difp°*i* 
 
 tion 
 
 <Aa 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.     109 
 
 tion  he  is  perfectly  acquainted  with,  will  in 
 certain    Circumftances  do  ^   and   an   Angel,  < 
 
 with  ftill  much  Lefs  degrees  of  Err  our,  may 
 have  a  further  Profpect  into  Mens  future 
 Actions :  So  it  is  very  reafonable  to  appre- 
 hend, that  God,  without  influencing  Mens 
 Wills  by  his  Power,  yet  by  his  Forefight 
 cannot  but  have  as  much  Certainer  a  know- 
 ledge of  future  free  Events,  than  either  Men 
 or  Angels  can  poifibly  have  •,  as  the  Perfecti- 
 on of  His  Nature  is  greater  than  that  of  Theirs. 
 /The  DiJiinS  Manner  how  he  forefees  thefe"!  VjL 
 things,  is  indeed  impojfikle  for  Us  to  explain*^)  ^ 
 But  fo  alfo  are  Numberlefs  other  Things/"  -*•"" 
 which  yet  no  Man  doubts  of  the  Truth  of. 
 And  if  there  were  any  Strength  in  This  Ar- 
 gument }  it  would  prove,  not  againft  Libera 
 ty,  but  againft  Pr&fcience  it  felf.  For  if  thefe 
 two  things  were  really  inconfijlent,  and  one  of 
 them  muft  be  deftroyed  •  the  introducing  an 
 abfolute  and  universal  Fatality,  which  evi- 
 dently deftroys  all  Religion  and  Morality, 
 would  tend  more  of  the  two  to  the  Difho- 
 nourofGod,  and  denying  him  a  Fore-know- 
 ledge, which  upon  this  Supposition  would  be 
 impoffible  and  imply  a  Contradiction  to  con- 
 ceive him  to  have  •  and  the  denying  of 
 which,  would  in  fuch  cafe  be  no  more  a 
 Diminution  of  his  Omnifcience,  than  the  de- 
 nying him  the  Power  of  working  Contradicti- 
 ons, is  taking  away  his  Omnipotence.  But 
 the  Cafe  is  not  thus.  For  tho'  we  cannot 
 indeed  clearly  and  diftinctly  explain  the 
 Manner  of  God's  forefeeing  the  Actions  of 
 Free-Agents  \  yet  thus  much  we  know,  that 
 the  bare  Fore-knowledge  of  any  Action  that 
 would  upon  all  other  Accounts  be  Free,  can- 
 not 
 
 I! 
 
i  t  o  A  Demonfiration  of  the 
 
 not  alter  or  diminifh  that  Freedom  ^  it  be- 
 ing evident,  that  Fore-knowledge  adds  no 
 other  Certainty  to  any  thing,  than  what  it 
 would  equally  have  though  there  was  no 
 Fore-knowledge.  Unlefs  therefore  we  be  an- 
 tecedently certain,  that  nothing  can  poffi- 
 blv  be  free  •,  and  that  Liberty  is  in  it  felf 
 absolutely  an  Inconfiftent  and  Contradic- 
 ^  7  toiy  Kotion,  fas  I  have  above  Ihown  that 
 it  is  not  -, )  bare  Fore-knowledge ,  which 
 makes  no  alteration  at  all  in  any  things 
 will  not  be  in  any  wa)rs  Inconfiftent  with 
 Liberty  ^  hew  great  Difficulty  foever  there 
 may  be,  in  comprehending  the  manner  of  fuch 
 Fore-knowledge.  For  if  Liberty  be  in  it  felf 
 poffible  •,  The  bare  Fore-fight  of  a  free  Acti- 
 on, before  it  be  done  •  is  nothing  different  (to 
 any  ipurpofe  in  the  prefent  Queftion,)  from  a 
 iimple  Knowledge  of  it,  when  it  is  done :  Both 
 theft- kinds  of  Knowledge,  implying  plainly 
 a  Certainty  only  of  the  Event,  which  would 
 be  the  fame  tho'  there  was  no  fuch  Know- 
 ledge,) and  not  at  all  any  NeceJJity  of  the 
 Thing. 
 
 For  (2dly.)  As  Fore-knowledge  implies  not 
 any  other  Certainty,  than  fuch  as  would  be 
 equally  in  Things,  though  there  was  no  Fore- 
 knowledge :  So  neither  does  this  certainty  ofE- 
 vent,  in  any  fort  impl  Neceffity.  For,  let 
 a  Fataliftfiippofe,  (what  tie  does  not  jet  grant,) 
 that  there  was  in  Man,  (as  we  affertj  a  Pow- 
 er of  beginning  Motion,  that  is,  of  acting 
 freely  •  and  let  him  fuppofe  further,  if  he 
 pleafe,  that  thofe  Actions  could  not  poiiibly 
 be  Fore-known :  Will  there  not  yet,  notwith- 
 standing this  Suppofition,  be  in  the  Mature 
 of  things  the  fame  certainty  of  Event  in  every 
 
 one 
 
JBdng  and  Attributes  of  God.       1 1 1 
 
 one  of  the  Man's  Actions,  as  if  they  were 
 never  fo  Fatal  and  neceflary  >  For  inftance  -, 
 Suppofe  the  Man  by  an  internal  Principle  off 
 Motion,  and  an  abfolute  Freedom  of  Will, 
 without  any  External  Caufe  or  Impulfe  at 
 all,  does  fome  particular  Adtion  to  Day', 
 and  fuppofe  it  was  not  poffible  that  this 
 Action  fhould  have  been  fore-feen  Teflerday  ; 
 was  there  not  neverthelefs  the  fame  certainty 
 of  Event,  as  if  it  had  been  fore-feen  >  That 
 Is  •  would  it  not,  notwithstanding  the  fnp- 
 pofed  Freedom,  have  been  as  certain  a  Truth 
 Yefterday  and  from  Eternity,  that  this  Ac- 
 tion was  in  Event  to  be  performed  to  Day, 
 (though  fuppofed  never  fo  impoffible  to  have 
 been  Fore-known,)  as  it  is  now  a  Certain  and 
 infallible  Truth  that  it  is  performed?  Mere 
 certainty  of  Event  therefore  does  not  in  any 
 meafure  imply  Neceffity :  And  confequently 
 Fore-knowledge,  however  difficult  to  be  ex- 
 plained as  to  the  Manner  of  it,  jet,  fiiice  'tis 
 evident  it  implies  no  other  Certainty,,  but 
 only  That  Certainty  of  Event  which  the 
 Thing  would  equally  have  without  being 
 Fore-known,  'tis  evident  that  It  alfo  implies 
 no  neceffity. 
 
 And  now  having,  as  I  hope,  fufficiently  ofthecrh 
 proved  both  the  Poflibility  and  the  real  Ex-  ginat  of 
 iftence  of  Liberty :   I  {hall,   from  what  has  £w/* 
 been  been  faid  on  this  Head,  draw  only  this 
 one  Inference  -,  that  hereby  we  are  enabled 
 to  anfwer  that  Antient  and  great  Queftion, 
 £no3-£VTDK.aH.cv-,3  What  is  the  Caufe  and  O 
 riginal  of  Evil,      For    Liberty  implying  a 
 Natural  Power    of  doing   Evil,    as   well  as 
 Good  -,  and  the  imperfedt  Nature  of  Finite 
 
 Beings, 
 
H2  A  Demonfiration  of  the 
 
 Beings,  making  it  poffible  for  them  to  abufe 
 That  their  Liberty  to  an  a&ual  Commiflion 
 of  Evil  •,  and  it  being  NeceiTary  to  the  Or- 
 der and  Beauty  of  the  Whole,  and  for  dis- 
 playing the  Infinite  Wifdom  of  the  Creator, 
 that  there  fhould  be  different  and  various 
 degrees  of  Creatures,  whereof  confequently 
 fome  muft  be  lefs  Eerfeft  than  others  •,  Hence 
 there  necefTarily  arifes  a  PoiTibility  of  Evil, 
 notwithftanding  that  the  Creator  is  infinite- 
 ly Good.  In  fhort,  thus  all  that  we  call 
 Evil,  is  either  an  Evil  of  Imperfe&ion,  as  the 
 Want  of  certain  Faculties  and  Excellencies  which 
 other  Creatures  have  •  or  Natural  Evil,  as  Pain, 
 Death,  and  the  like  •,  or  Moral  Evil,  as  all 
 kinds  of  Vice.  The  Firft  of  thefe,  is  not  pro- 
 perly an  Evil :  For  every  Power,  Faculty  or 
 Perfection,  which  any  Creature  enjoys,  being 
 the  Free  Gift  of  God,  which  he  was  no  more 
 obliged  to  beftow,  than  he  was  .to  confer 
 Being  or  Exiftence  it  felf  -,  'tis  plain,  the 
 want  of  any  certain  Faculty  or  Perfection  in 
 any  kind  of  Creatures,  which  never  belong'd 
 to  their  Nature,  is  no  more  an  Evil  to  them, 
 than  their  never  having  been  Created 
 or  brought  into  Being  at  all,  could  pro- 
 perly have  been  called  an  Evil.  The  Se- 
 cond kind  of  Evil,  which  we  call  Natural 
 Evil,  is  either  a  NeceiTary  Confequence  of 
 the  former  •,  as  Death,  to  a  Creature  on  whofe 
 Nature  Immortality  was  never  conferred  5 
 and  then  'tis  no  more  properly  an  Evil,  than 
 the  Former :  Or  elfe  it  is  counterpoiied  in 
 the  .whole,  with  as  great  or  greater  Good  ^ 
 as  the  Ajtjli&ions  and  Sufferings  of  Good  Men  •, 
 and  then  alfo  it  is  not  properly  an  Evil :  Or 
 elfe  laftly/tis  a  PwiJIment,  and  then  'tis  a  Ne*> 
 
 cefiary 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.         1 1 3 
 
 CefTarv  Confequent  of  the  Third  and  laft  fort 
 of  Evil,  viz.  Moral  Evil :  And  This  arifes 
 wholly  from  the  abufe  of  Liberty  •  which 
 God  gave  to  his  Creatures  for  other  Purpofes, 
 and  which  'twas  reafonable  and  fit  to  give 
 them  for  the  Perfection  and  Order  of  the 
 whole  Creation  h  Only  they,  contrary*  to 
 God's  Intention  and  Command,  have  abufed 
 what  was  Neceflary  for  the  Perfection  of  the 
 whole,  to  the  Corruption  and  Depravation 
 of  themfelves  :  And  thus  all  forts  of  Evils 
 have  entredinto  the  World,  without  any  Di- 
 minution to  the  Infinite  Goodnefs  of  the 
 Creator  and  Governour  thereof. 
 
 IX„     The  Supreme  Caufe  dkd  Author  of  all  Th.it  the 
 Things,  ?nujl   of  Necefny     be    infinitely    Wife.  Supreme 
 This  Proportion  is  evidently  Confequent  up-  C^ani 
 on  thofe  that  have  already  been  proved  %  And  Ji  Things 
 they  being  eftablifhed,    This,   as  admitting  mitftvfNe* 
 no  further  Difpute,    needs  not  to  be  largely  ^Jfitybein* 
 infilled  upon.     For  nothing  is  more  evident,  ^[y 
 than  that  an  Infinite,  Omniprefent,  Intelligent 
 Being,  muft  know  perfectly  all  Things  that  are  -, 
 and  that  He  who  alone  is  Self-Exijlent  and 
 Eternal,  the  f ole  Caufe  and  Author  of  all  Things . 
 from  whom  alone  all  the  Powers  of  all  Things 
 are  derived,  and  on  whom  they  continually  depend  • 
 muft  alfo  know  perfectly  all  the  Confequenccs 
 of  thofe  Powers,    that  is,    all  Poffibilities  of 
 Things  to  come,   and  what  in  every  refpect  is 
 Beft  and  Wifeft  to  be  done  ;  and  having  infi- 
 nite Power,  can  never  be  controuled  or  pre- 
 vented from  doing  what  he  fo  knoWs  to.be 
 Fitteft.     From  all  which,    it  manifeftly  fol- 
 lows-, that  every  Effect  of  the  Supreme  Caufe, 
 
 I  muft 
 
H4  j4  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 muft  he  the  Product  of  Infinite  Wifdom. 
 More  particularly  :  The  Supreme  Being,  be- 
 caufe  he  is  Infinite,  muft  be  every  where  pre- 
 fent :  And  becaufe  he  is  an  Infinite  Mind  or 
 Intelligence  •  therefore  where-ever  he  Is,  his 
 Knowledge  Is,  which  is  infeparable  from  his 
 Being,  and  muft  therefore  be  infinite  likewife : 
 And  where-ever  his  Infinite  Knowledge  is, 
 it  muft  necefTarily  have  a  full  and  perfeS 
 Profpect  of  all  Things,  and  nothing  can  be 
 conceal'd  from  its  Inflection:  tie  includes 
 and  furrounds  every  Thing  with  his  bound- 
 lefs  Prefence  ;  and  penetrates  every  part  of 
 their  Subftance  with  his  All-feeing  Eye  :  So 
 that  the  inmoft  Nature  and  ElTence  of  all 
 things,  are  Perfectly  Naked  and  Open  to 
 his  View  -,  and  even  the  deepeft  Thoughts 
 of  Intelligent  Beings  themfelves,  manifeft 
 in  his  fight.  Further,  All  Things  being 
 not  only  prefent  to  him,  but  alfo  entirely 
 Depending  upon  him,  and  having  received 
 both  their  Being  it  felf,  and  all  their  Pow- 
 ers and  Faculties  from .  Hun ;  'tis  manifeft 
 that,  as  he  knows  ail  Things  that  are,  fo  he 
 muft  likewife  know  all  Poilibilities  of 
 Things,  that  is,  all  Effects  that  Can  be. 
 For,  being  himlelf  only  Sclf-Exiftent,  and 
 having  Alone  given  to  all  Things  all  the 
 Powers  and  Faculties  they  are  indued  with  5 
 'tis  evident  He  muft  of  Neceiftty  know 
 perfectly  what  All  and  Each  of  thofe  Pow- 
 ers and  Faculties,  which  are  derived  wholly 
 from  himfelf  can  poflibly  Produce :  And 
 Seeing  at  one  boundlefs  View,  all  the  pof- 
 iible  Compositions  and  Divisions,  Varia- 
 tions and  Changes,  Circumftances  and  De- 
 pendent 
 
Bein^  and  jit  tributes  of  Cod.       1 1  5 
 
 pendencies  of  Things-,  all  their  poiTible 
 Relations  one  to  another,  and  Difpofitions 
 or  Fitneffes  to  certain  and  refpective  Ends  h 
 he  muft  without  Poiiibility  of  Error,  know 
 exactly  what  is  Beft  and  Propereft  in  every 
 one  of  the  Infinite  Poilible  Cafes  or  Me- 
 thods of  Difpofing  Things  *  and  underftand 
 perfectly  how  to  Order,  and  Direct  the  re- 
 spective Means,  to  bring  about  what  he  Co 
 knows  to  be  in  its  Kind,  or  in  the  Whole, 
 the  Beft  and  Fitted:  in  the  End.  This  is 
 what  we  mean  by  Infinite  Wiflm.  And  ha- 
 ving before  fhown,  ("which  indeed  is  alfo  evi-  Hg  1h 
 dent  of  it  felf \)  that  the  Supreme  Caufe  is 
 moreover  All-Powerful  h  fo  that  He  can  no 
 more  be  prevented  by  Force  or  Oppolition, 
 than  he  can  be  hindred  by  Error  or  Mi- 
 ftake,  from  Effecting  always  what  is  abfo- 
 lurely  Fitteft  and  Wifeft  to  be  done-  It 
 follows  undeniably,  that  he  is  acluatty  and 
 effectually,  ill  the  higheft  and  molt  complete 
 fenfe,  Infinitely  Wife  •  and  that  the  World, 
 and  all  Things  therein,  muft  be  and  are 
 Effects  of  Infinite  Wifclom.  This  is  De- 
 monftration  a  priori  The  Proof  a  pofie- 
 tiori,  of  the  Infinite  Wifdom  of  God,  from 
 the  Confideration  of  the  Exquifite  Perfect  i- 
 on  and  Confummate  Excellency  of  his 
 Works  ^  is  no  lefs  ftrong  and  undeniable : ' 
 But  I  (hall  not  inlarge  upon  this  Argument  ^ 
 becaufe  it  has  often  already  been  accurately 
 and  ftrongly  urged,  to  the  everlaiting 
 Shame  and  Confufion  of  Atheifts,  by  the  a- 
 bleft  and  learnedeft  Writers  both  of  Anti-  d%?^ 
 
 tiumtTuHy 
 de  natura  Deorum,  Boyle  of  Final  Cgiffet,  Mr  Ray  of  the  Wifdom  of  Go.i 
 in  the  Creation,  Mr  Durham's  Pbjfico  Theology  ,  Stc. 
 
 I  2      '  ent 
 
1 1 6  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 ent  and  Modern  Times.      I  fhall  here  6b- 
 ferve  only  this  One  Thing  ^    That  the  older 
 the  World  grows,    and  the  deeper  Men   in- 
 quire into  Thirgs,    and  the  more  Accurate 
 Obfervations  they  make,    and  the  more  and 
 Opitv.o-  greater  Difcoveries  they  find  out  •  the  itron- 
 num  Com-  ger  this  Argument  continually  grows  :  Which 
 menra  de-   js    a  certain   Evidence  of  its    being  found- 
 er* jSTi-"  **  in  Truth'     If'GaUn  fo  many  Ages  ago, 
 cia  ccntir-  could    find    in    the    Cbnftrudtion  and  Con- 
 nui.ckuc  ftitution  of  the  parts    of  a  Humane  Body, 
 fuch     undeniable     marks     of    Contrivance 
 and  Defign,    as  forced  him  Then  to  acknow- 
 ledge and    admire  the  Wifdom  of  its  Au- 
 thor-,    What   would    he  have   faid,  if  he 
 had  known  the  Late  Difcoveries  in  Anato- 
 my and  Phyfick,     the    Circulation  of  the 
 Blood,  the  exact  Structure  of  the  Heart  and 
 Brain,    the  Ufes  of  Numberlefs  Glands  and 
 Valves  for  the  Secretion  and  Motion  of  the 
 Juices  in  the  Body,    befides  feveral    Veins 
 and  other  VelTels  and  Receptacles  not  at  all 
 known,    or  fo  much  as    imagined  to    have 
 any  Exiftence,    in  his  Days  •    but  which  Now 
 are  dilcovercd  to  ferve  the  wifeft  and  moll 
 exquifite  Ends  imaginable  ?     If  the  Argu- 
 ments againft  the  Belief  of  the  Being  of  an 
 All-wife    Creator   and  Governour    of    the 
 World,    which  Epicu/us    and   his    Follower 
 Lucretius  drew  from  the  Faults  which  they 
 imagined  they  could  find  in  the  Frame  and 
 Conftitution    of  the  Earthy     were  fo    Poor 
 and  Inconiiderable,    that  even  in  that  Infan- 
 cy of  Natural  Philfophy,    the  generality  of 
 Men    contemned    and  cfefpifed  them    as    of 
 no  force  ^   How  Would  they  have  been  afha- 
 
 mc-dj 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.         1 1 7 
 
 med,  if  they  had  lived  in  thefe  Days  h  when 
 
 thofe  very  things,    which  they  thought  to  be 
 
 Faults  and  Blunders  in  the  Conftitution  of 
 
 Nature,   are    difcovered    to  be  very  ufeful 
 
 and  of  exceeding  Benefit  to  the  Preservation 
 
 and   Well-Being    of  the    whole  >    And,    to 
 
 mention  no  more:    If  TuLly,    from  the  p  r- 
 
 tial  and  very  imperfect   Knowledge  in  A- 
 
 ftronomy,  which  His  Times  afforded,  could 
 
 be  fo    confident    of  the    Heavenly    Bodies 
 
 being  Difpofed  and  Moved  by  a  "Wife  and 
 
 Underftanding  Mind,  as  to  declare,    that  in 
 
 his  Opinion,  whoever  afTerted  the  contrary, 
 
 was    himfelf  *    void    of    all 
 
 Underftanding  •   What  wcmd        *  Czleftem  ergo  admira- 
 
 xj«    !,«,,«     A,' ■}       'C    k«      V,o,l      bi'em     ordinem    incrcdibi- 
 He    have    faid,    if   he     had     {cmque  conftanciam>  ex 
 
 known    the   Modem  Dilcove-     confervatio&falus  omnium 
 ries  in  Aftronomy  ?     The  Jm-     cmnis    oritur,    qui     vacare 
 
 menfe  Greatneft  of  the  World  t     mence  Puruac»  ,is  ipfe  memis 
 /r  J  c  •*,    I  -n  c  z*.       expers  ha  bend  us     eft.      T)s 
 
 (1  mean   of  that  Part  of  it,     N£ur4  Dmm^  m%    2# 
 wn.ich  falls  under  our  Obfer- 
 vation  ^)     which  is    now  known    to    be  as 
 much  greater  than  what  in  his  Time  they 
 imagined  it  to  be,  as  the  "World  it  felf,    ac- 
 cording to  their  Syftem,    was  greater  than 
 Arcbimedes's  Sphere  >    The    Exquijite  Regula- 
 rity of  all  the  Planets  Motions,  without  Epi- 
 cycles,   Stations,    Retrogradations,    or    ^ny 
 other  Deviation  or  Confuiion   whatfoever  >    ' 
 The  inexprejfible  Nicety  of  the  Adjuftment  of 
 the  Primary  Velocity  and  Original    Direc- 
 tion of   the   Animal  Motion  of  the  Planets, 
 with  their  diftanee  from  the  Central  Body 
 and  their  force  of  Gravitation  towards  it  ? 
 The  wonderful  Proportion  of  the  Diurnal  Mo- 
 tion of  the  Earth  and  other  Planets  about 
 
 I  2  their 
 
1 1 8         A  Demon f  rat  ion  of  the 
 
 their  own  Centers,  for  the  Diftinction  of 
 Light  and  Darknefs  •,  without  that  mon- 
 ftroufly  disproportionate  "Whirling  of  the 
 whole  Heavens,  which  the  Antient  Aftro- 
 nomers  were  forced  to  fuppofe?  The  exaS. 
 Accommodating  the  *  Denjitks 
 Y    Planerarum    Jenftiate^     0f   the  Planets,    to  their   di- 
 
 [rorum^nW^   **T  fenCeS      fl0m     the     Sull>     ^ 
 
 car*    ad    diamecros    vcras,  COnfequently  to    the    Propor- 
 
 hoc  eft,  reciproce  vt   dii-  tion  of   Heat  which  each  of 
 
 tantjx    Plan&afum  a    fole,  them  is  to  hear  refpectively  $ 
 
 ^  %£££-&  fo  that  neither  theft  which 
 
 Iocavic    i;:icur  Deus  pjane.  are  neareft  to  the    Sun,    are 
 
 tas  in  diverfis   diilanciis   a  cteftroyed  by  the  Heat  •,    nor 
 
 Sole,  ut;  qxilibei    pro  grain  tfi0£  yfaich.  are  fartheft  off; 
 
 a enjtr.it r*  ,  c.it ore  Solis  majo*     1^.1^111  v  ' 
 
 re  vet  Mhore  fruatur.  New-     oy.  *W  Cold  h   but  each  one 
 ton.  Vnriap.  Lib.  3.  Prop.  8.     enjoys  a  Temperature  fuited 
 
 to  its  proper  Ufes,  as  the 
 Earth  is  to  ours  ?  The  Admirable  Order, 
 Number  and  Ufefnlnefs,  of  the  feveral  Moons, 
 fas  I  may  very  properly  call  them,)  never 
 dreamt  of  by  Antiquity,  but  now  by  the 
 Help  of  Telefcopes  clearly  and  diflinBly  fee?i 
 to  move  about  their  reflective  Planets  $ 
 and  whofe  Motions  are  fo  exa&ly  known, 
 that  their  very  Eclipfes  are  as  certainly  cal- 
 culated and  foretold,  as  thofe  of  our  own 
 Moon  ?  The  Jl range  Adjujlment  of  our  Moon's 
 Motion  about  its  own  Center  once  in  a  Month, 
 with  its  Motion  about  the  Earth  in  the 
 fame  Period  of  Time,  to  fuch  a  degree  of 
 Exa&nefs,  that  by  that  means  the  fame  Face 
 is  alwa^ys  ob verted  to  the  Earth  without  any 
 fenfible  Variation  ?  Laftly,  the  Motions  of 
 the  Comets,  which  are  Now  known  to  be  as 
 exaft,  regular,  and  periodical,  as  the  Moti- 
 ons 
 
JBeing  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       1 1 9 
 
 cms  of  Other  Planets  ?  What,  I  fav,  would 
 Tully,  that  great  Mafter  of  Reafon,  have 
 thought  and  faid  •  if  thefe  and  other  new- 
 ly difcovered  Instances  of  the  Unexpreffi- 
 Me  Accuracy  and  Wifrlom  of  the  Works  of 
 God,  had  been  found  out  and  known  in  His 
 Time  >  Certainly  Atheifm,  which  Then  was 
 altogether  unable  to  withftand  the  Argu- 
 ments drawn  from,  this  Topick  5  muft  now, 
 upon  the  additional  Strength  of  thefe  later 
 Obfervations,  which  are  every  one  an  1111- 
 anfwerable  Proof  of  the  incompreheiifible 
 Wifdom  of  the  Creator,  be  utterly  afhamed 
 to  fhow  its  Head.  We  Now  fee  with  how 
 great  reafon  the  Author  of  the  Book  of  JEV- 
 defiafiicus,  after  he  had  defcribed  the  Beauty 
 of  the  Sun  and  Stars,  and  all  the  then  vifi- 
 ble  Works  of  God  in  Heaven  and  Earth  >, 
 concluded,  cb.  43,  v.  32,  (as  Mre  after  all 
 the  Difcoveries  of  later  Ages,  may  no  doubt 
 ftill  truly  fay,)  'There  are  yet  hid  greater  things 
 than  thefe,  arid,  we  have  feen  hut  a  few  of  his 
 Works. 
 
 XII.  Laftly,    The  Supreme  Caufe  and    An-  The  Su- 
 ihor  of  all  Things,    vmft  of  Necejfity  he  a  Being  V-me  A*- 
 of  Infinite  Gpohefs,    Jufiice  and   Truth,    and  *j!Jj>  ail 
 all   other  Moral  Perfetfions  •,   fuch    as  Become  mi,fi  bt  ti- 
 the Supreme  Governour  and  Judge  of  the  If 01  Id.  finely 
 That  there  are   different  Relations  of  Things 
 one  towards    another,    is  as  certain  as  that  al 
 there  are  Different  Things  in  the  World.  That 
 from    thefe    Different   Relations  of  Different 
 Things,    there  neceiTarily    arifes    an  Agree- 
 ment or  Difagreement  of    fome  Things  to  o- 
 thers,     or  a  Fitnefs  or  Unfit  jtefs  of  the  Ap- 
 I  4  plication 
 
%%Q 
 
 A  %)emcmftration  of  the 
 
 plication  of  Different  Things  or  Different 
 Relations   one    to  another ;     is  likewife   as 
 certain,  as  that  there  is  any  Difference  in  the 
 Nature  of  Things,  or  that  Different  Things 
 do  Fxiff      Further,    that  there  is  a  fitnefs 
 or  Suitablenefs  of  certain  Ciratwjlances  to  cer- 
 tain Perfons,   and  an  Un f nit  able  nefs  of  Others, 
 Founded  in    the  Nature  of  Things  and  the 
 Qualifications  of  Perfons,    antecedent  to  Will 
 and  to  all  Arbitrary  or  Pojitive  Anointment 
 whatfotveri    muft    unavoidably  be    acknow- 
 ledged by  every  one,    who  will  not  affirm 
 that  'tis  equally  fit  and  Suitable,  \n  the  Nature 
 and  Reafon  of  Things,  that  an  Innocent  Be- 
 ing   fhould  be  extremely    and  eternally  Mife- 
 ralle,  as  that  it  fhould    be  Free  from  fuch 
 Misery.      There  is  therefore  fuch   a  Thing 
 as  Fitnefs  and  Unfitnefs,  eternally,  neceffarily 
 and  unchangeably,  in  the  Nature  and  Reafon 
 of  Things.  Now  what  thefe  Relatioyis  of  Things 
 abfolutely  and  neceffarily  Are  in  Themfelves  ^ 
 That  alfo  they  Appear  to  be,  to  the  Under- 
 Handing  of  all  Intelligent  Beings*,    except 
 Thofe    only,   who  under ftand  Things  to  Be 
 what  they  are  not,  that  is,  whofe  Underftand- 
 iligs  are  either  very  imperfect  or  very  much 
 depraved.      And   by    this    Underjianding   ov 
 Knowledge  of  the  Natural  and  Neceffary  Re- 
 lations of  Things,  the  Actions  likewife  of  all 
 Intelligent  Beings  are  conftantly  Directed  ♦, 
 (whjch  by  the  by  is  the  true  Ground  and  Foun- 
 dation of   all  Morality:)    unlefs  their  Will 
 be  corrupted  by  particular  Interefl  or  Affec- 
 tion,   or  fwayed  by  fome  unreasonable  and 
 prevailing  Luff     The  Supreme  Caufe  there- 
 tore,  and  Author  of  all  Things  •   lince    (as 
 
 has 
 
iBeing  and  A  tributes  of  Cod.       1 1 1 
 
 has  already   been  proved)  he  muft  of  Ne-  fag.  115. 
 ceffity    have    Infinite    Knowledge,    and    the 
 Perfection  of  lfifdom  •  fo  that  'tis  abfolutely 
 impoilible    he  Ihould  Err  or  be  in  any  re- 
 fpecl  Ignorant  of   the  True    Relations  and 
 Fitnefs   or  Unfitnefs   of  Things,  or  be  by 
 any  means  Deceived  or  impofed  upon  here- 
 in :   And    fince  he  is  likewife  Self-Exiflent9 
 Abfolutely     Independent    and    All-Powerful  - 
 So  that,  having  no  -want  of  any  thing,  'tis 
 impoflible  his  Jfili  fhould  be  influenced  by 
 any  wrong  Affection  5    and  having  no   De- 
 pendence, 'tis    impoflible  his    Power   Ihould 
 be  limited  by  any  Superior  Strength  5  'Tis 
 evident    He  muft  of  Neceiilty ,    (meaning, 
 not  a  Ne  ceffity  of  Fate,  but  fuch  a  Moral  Ne- 
 cejfity  as   I  before  faid  was   confiftent  with  pagm  lo$m 
 the  moft  perfect  Liberty,)  Bo  always  what 
 he   Knows  to  be  Fittejl  to  be  done .  that  is, 
 He  muft  Adt  always  according  to  the  ftricl> 
 eft  Rules  of  Infinite  Goodnefs,  Jufljce    and 
 Truth,    and    all  other  Moral  Perfections.     In 
 Particular :     The    Supreme   Caufe    muft  in 
 the  firft  place  be  infinitely  Good  •    that  is, 
 he  muft  have  an  unalterable  Difpofition  to 
 Do  and  to  Communicate  Good  or  Happinefs  -, 
 Becaufe  being  himfejf  necefTarily  Happy   in 
 the  Eternal    injoyment  of  his  own  infinite 
 Perfections,    he    cannot   poifibly    have  any 
 other  Motives   to  make    any    Creatures  a* 
 all,    but  only   that  He    may    communicate 
 to  Them   His  Own  Perfections  $    according 
 to  their  different  Capacities,  arifing  from  that 
 Variety  of  Natutes,  which  it  was  fit  for  In- 
 finite Wifdcm  to  produce  •  and  according  to 
 their   different    Improvements,     arifing    from 
 
 that 
 
1 1  %  A  Demon  ftration  of  the 
 
 that  Liberty  which  is  eflentially  Neceflary 
 to  the  Constitution  of  Intelligent  and  ABive 
 firings.  That  he  muft  be  infinitely  Good, 
 appears  likewife  further  from  hence-  that 
 being  necelTarily  All-Sufficient,  he  muft  con* 
 feqnently  be  infinitely  removed  from  all 
 Malice  and  Envy,  and  from  all  other  poffi- 
 ble  Caufes  or  Temptations  of  doing  Evil  ; 
 which  it  is  evident,  can  only  be  Effects 
 of  Want  and  Weaknefs,  of  Imperfection  or  De- 
 pravation. Again  •  the  Supreme  Caufe  and 
 Author  of  all  things,  muft  in  like  man- 
 ner be  infinitely  Juft  •  Becaufe  the  Rule 
 of  Equity  being  nothing  elfe  but  the  Very 
 Nature  of  Things,  and  their  necejfary  Rela- 
 tions one  to  Another-,  And  the  Execution  of 
 'rice,  being  nothing  elfe  but  a  fuiting  the 
 Circumftances  of  Things  to  the  Qualifications 
 of  Perfons,  according  to  the  Original  Fit- 
 nefs  and  Agree  ablenefs,  which  I  have  before 
 ihown  to  be  Necejfarily  in  Nature,  antece- 
 dent to  Will  and  all  pofttive  Appointment  -,  'tis 
 evident,  that  He  who  knows  Perfetlly  this 
 Rule  of  Equity,  and  neceffarily  Judges  of 
 "things  as  they  are  -,  who  has  compleat  Power 
 to  Execute  Juftice  according  to  that  Know- 
 ledge, and  No  poffible  Temptation  to  deviate 
 in  the  leaft  therefrom  -,  who  can  neither 
 be  impofed  upon  by  any  Deceit,  nor  fwayci 
 by  any  Byafs,  nor  awed  by  any  Power  • 
 muft  of  necellity  do  always  that  which  is 
 Right  h  without  Iniquity,  and  without  Par- 
 tiality •  without  Prejudice,  and  without  Re- 
 fpect.  of  Perfons.  Laftly  ;  That  the  Su- 
 preme Caufe  and  Author  of  all  things,  muft 
 be  True  and  Faithfuly  in  all  his  Declara- 
 tions 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.       123 
 
 thus  and  all  his  Promifes  •  is  moft  evident : 
 For  the  only  Poihble  Reafon  of  Falfifying, 
 is  either  Rajlmefs  or  For  get f nine fs^  hiconftamy 
 or  Impotency,  Fear  of  Evil,  or  Hope  of  Gain  -, 
 From    *   all   which   an  Infi-         **  n     „ 
 
 nitely  Wife*  AU-fuffaerit  and     &&<  fUifiotl: Kcptf* 
 
 Good  Being,  muft  of  Ne-  «<*«  o£*;*  a-a-AS*  &«***■ 
 celllty  be  infinitely  remo-  p\  f? 7*  ^*  *5  ?*  >  *>«• 
 ved-,  and  confecmently ,  as  iTJ&^J??"*" 
 it  is  impojlible  tor  him  to  Tj  c^i^^w  aq- 
 Z>£  deceived  himfelf  ^  fo  *  nei-  y^^rjwl*  ropej&i"7ou- 
 ther    is    it  poifible    for   him     fjffh  *$*  /«??*  *f '  «**?; 
 
 •  rr  7       .        ^        P.'rffo  ate  Re  pub.  Lin.   2,  i.kh 
 
 in    any    wile    to    deceive  O-    pr€nit  J 
 
 thers.  In  a  Word  :  All  E- 
 vil  and  all  Imperfections  whatfoe\Tcr,  a- 
 rife  plainly  either  from  Shortnefs  of  Under- 
 jtanding,  DefeB  of  Power ,  or  Faiiltincft  of 
 VT'M\  and  this  laft,  evidently  from  fome 
 hnpotency,  Corruption  or  Depravation  ^  being 
 nothing  elfe  but  a  direct  Choofing  to  Act 
 contrary  to  the  known  Reafon  and  Nature 
 of  Things  :  From  all  which,  it  being  ma- 
 nifeft  that  the  Supreme  Caufe  and  Author 
 of  all  Things,  cannot  but  be  infinitely  Re- 
 moved •,  it  follows  undeniably ,  that  he 
 .muft  of  Neceility  be  a  Being  of  Infinite  Good- 
 wfh  Jvft'ue  and  Truth,  and  all  other  Moral 
 VerfeEtions. 
 
 To  this  Argumentation  a  prio?i,  there 
 can  be  oppofed  but  one  Objection  that  I 
 know  of,  drawn  on  the  contrary  a  pnjhri- 
 0/7,  from  Experience  and  Ohfervation  of 
 the  Unequal  Diftributions  of  Providence  in 
 the  World.  But  (befides  the  juft  Vindica- 
 tion of  the  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs  of  Pro- 
 vidence in  its  Difpenfations,  even  with  Re- 
 
 fpecl 
 
i*4  ^/  Dcmonjiration  of  the 
 
 fpect  to  this  prefent  World  only,  which 
 Plutarch  and  other  Heathen  Writers  have 
 judicioufly  made,)  the  Objection  it  felf  is 
 entirely  wide  of  the  Queftion.  For  con- 
 cerning the  Juftice  and  Goodnefs  of  God, 
 (as  of  any  Governonr  whatfoever, )  no 
 Judgment  is  to  be  made  from  a  partial  View 
 of  a  few  fmall  Portions  of  his  Difpenfati- 
 tions,  but  from  an  entire  Confideration  of 
 the  Whole  •  and  confequently  not  only  the 
 fhort  Duration  of  this  prefent  State,  but 
 moreover  all  that  is  paft  and  that  is  ftill  to 
 come,  muft  be  taken  into  the  Account :  and 
 Then  every  thing  will  clearly  appear  juft 
 and  right. 
 
 From  this  Account  of  the  Moral  Attributes 
 of  God,  it  follows, 
 The  Ne-        ift-  That  though  All  the  Actions  of  God, 
 cejjity  of    are    entirely  Free  •,    and    confequently  the 
 rat'tittr^  Exerc^e  of  n*3  Mora^  Attributes  cannot  be 
 Yutes,  con-  ^a^  to  be  NecefTary  in  the  fame  Senfe  of 
 fiftentwith  NeceiFity    as    his    Exiftence    and    Eternity 
 ftr}e&  LL  are  NecefTar)^  •,  yet  thefe  Moral   Attributes 
 are  really  mid  truly  NecefTary,  by  fuch  a  Ne- 
 *j*£.  150.  ceifity,  as,  though  it  be  *  not  at  all  incon- 
 fiftent    with  Liberty,    yet  is  equally  Cer- 
 tain, Infallible,    and  to  be  depended  upon, 
 as  even  the  Exiftence  it  felf,  or  the  Eter- 
 nity of  God.     For  though  nothing  is  more 
 Certain  (as  has    been    already  proved   in  the 
 pdg.  64.     Ninth  Prop ojiti 071  of  this  DifcourfeJ  than  that 
 God    acts ,     not    ncccjfarily,     but     voluntari- 
 ly, with    particular    intention    and  defign, 
 knowing  that  he  does  Good,  and  intending 
 to  do  fo,    freely    and    out   of  choice,   and 
 
 when 
 
/Being  and  Attributes  of  God.     i  a  J 
 
 when  he  has  no  other  conftrairit  upon  him 
 but    this,    that    his  Goodnefs    inclines    his 
 Will    to  communicate    himfelf  and    to    do 
 Good',  fo  that  the  Divine  Nature  is  under 
 no  Neceflity,  but  fuch  as  is  confiftent  with 
 the  moft  perfecl  Liberty  and  freeft  Choice  : 
 (which   is    the  Ground  of  all  our   Prayers 
 and  Thanltfgivings  h    the  Reafon,    why  we 
 pray  to  him  to  be  good  to  us  and  gracious,  and 
 thank    him    for    being  juji     and    merciful  $ 
 whereas  no  Man  prays  to  him  to  be  Omni- 
 prefect,  or  thanks   him  for  being  Omnipotent  > 
 or  for  knowing  all  things : )  Though  Nothing, 
 I  fay,  is  more  certain,  than  that  God  a£ts> 
 not    neceffarily,    but    voluntarily  •,    yet    it  is 
 neverthelefs  as  truly  and  absolutely  impjjible, 
 for  God  not  to  dti  (or  to  do  any  thing  con- 
 trary to)  what  his  Moral  Attributes  require 
 him  to  do  ^   as  if  he  was  really,  not  a  Free, 
 but  a  Neceflary   Agent.      And  the  Reafon 
 hereof,    is  plain :    Bejcaufe   infinite  Know- 
 ledge, Power  and  Goodnefs    in    Conjuncti- 
 on, may,   notwithftanding   the  moft  perfe& 
 Freedom  and    Choice,    act   with    altogether 
 3S  much  Certainty  ayid  Unalterable  Steddinefs  - 
 as  even  the  NeceiTity  of  Fate  can  be  fup- 
 f>ofed  to  do.    Nay  they  cannot  poflibly  but 
 fo  acT:  •,  becaufe  Free  Choice,  in  a  Being  of 
 Infinite  Knowledge,   Power  and    Goodnefs, 
 can  no  more  choofe  to  act  contrary  to  thefe 
 Perfections  ^  than    Knowledge    Can    be   Igno- 
 rance, Power  be  Weakness,  or  Goodnefs  Malice  z 
 So  that  Free   Choice,  in  fuch  a  Being,  may- 
 be as  Certain  and  Steddy  a  Principle  of  Acti- 
 on, as  the   Neceifity    of  Fate.      We  may 
 therefore   as  certainly  and  infallibly  rely 
 
 upon 
 
n6  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 upon  the  Moral,  as  upon  the  Natural  Attri- 
 butes of  God  :  It  being  as  abfolutely  impof- 
 iible  for  Him  to  Aft  contrary  to  the  One, 
 as  to  Deveft  himfelf  of  the  Other  -,  And  as 
 much  a  Coiitraditjon ,  to  fuppofe  him 
 Choofing  to  Do  any  thing  inconfilient  with 
 his  Juftice,  Goodnefs  and  Truth  *  as  to 
 fuppofe  him  devefted  of  Infinity,  Power 
 or  Exiftence.  The  one  is  contrary,  to  the 
 Immediate  and  Abfolute  Necejfity  of  his  Na- 
 ture •,  The  other,  to  the  unalterable  ReBiiude 
 of  his  Will :  The  One,  is  in  it  felf  an  hnme- 
 diate  Contradiction  in  the  Terms  -,  The  Other, 
 is  an  exprefs  Contradiction  to  the  Neceffary 
 Perfections  of  the  Divine  Nature.  To  fuppofe 
 the  One,  is  faying  abfolutely  that  Some- 
 thing is  at  the  fame  'Time  that  it  is  not :  To 
 fuppofe  the  Other,  is  faying  that  Infinite 
 Knowledge  can  Aft  Ignorantly,  Infinite  Power 
 IFeakly,  or  that  Infinite  Wifdom  and  Good- 
 nefs can  do  Things  Not  Good  or  Wife  to  be 
 done :  All  which  are  equally  Great,  and  e- 
 qnaJly  viamfeji  Abfurdities.  This,  I  hum- 
 bly conceive,  is  a  very  Intelligible  Ac- 
 count of  the  Moral  Attributes  of  God  • 
 fatisfaftory  to  the  Mind,  and  without  Per- 
 plexity and  Confufion  of  Ideas.  I  might  have 
 laid  it  at  once,  (as  the  Truth  moft  certain- 
 ly is,)  that  Juftice,  Gooodnefs,  and  all  the 
 other  Moral  Attributes  of  God,  arc  as  Ef 
 fential  to  the  Divine  Nature,  as  the  Natu- 
 ral Attributes  of  Eternity,  Infinity,  and  the 
 like.  But  becaufe  all  AtheifKcal  Perfons, 
 after  they  are  fully  convinced  that  there 
 muft  needs  be  in  the  Univerfe  fome  one  E- 
 ternal,  Neceffary,  Infinite  and  All-power- 
 ful 
 
Being  and  At tributes  of  Cod.      1 17 
 
 ful  Being  •,  will  ftill  with  unreafonable  Ob- 
 ftinacy  contend,  that  the^y  can  by  no  means 
 fee  any  neceflary  Connexion  of  Goodnefs, 
 Juftice,  or  any  other  Moral  Attribute,  with 
 thefe  Natural  Perfections  ^  Therefore  I  chofe 
 to  endeavour  to  demonftrate  the  Moral  At- 
 tributes by  a  particular  deduction,  in  the 
 manner  I  have  now  done. 
 
 2dly.  From  hence  it  follows,  that  though  of  the  av- 
 God  is  a  molt  perfectly  free  Agent,  yet  he  **$*}  °f 
 cannot  but    do    always    what  is   Beft   and  J£' , t 
 Wifeft  in  the  whole.     The    Reafon  is  evi-  wh.it  is 
 dent  -,  becaufe  Perfect  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs,  Beft  and. 
 are  as  Steddy  and  Certain  Principles  of  Action,  Fl,tteJ}Jn. 
 as     Neceifity    it    felf :    And    an    Infinitely     ewG  e' 
 Wife  and  Good  Being,  indued  with  the  moft 
 perfect  Liberty,  can  no  more  choofe  to  aft 
 in  Contradiction  to  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs ; 
 than  a  Neceffary  Agent  can  Act  contrary  to 
 the  NeceiTity,  by  which  it  is  acted :  It  being 
 as  great  an  Abfurdity  and  Impoffibility  in 
 Choice,  for  Infinite  Wifdom  to  clioofe  to  act 
 Unwifely,    or    Infinite  Goodnefs  to   choofe 
 what  is  not  Good  •,  as  it  is  in  Nature  for  abfo- 
 lute  Neceffity  to  fail  of  producing  its  necef- 
 fary Effect.     There  was  indeed  no  Necejjity 
 in  Nature,  that  God  ftiould  at  firft  Create 
 fuch  Beings  as  he  has  Created,  or  indeed  any 
 Beings  at  all  -,  becaufe  He  is  in  Himfelf  in- 
 finitely Happy,    and  All-fufficient :    There 
 was  alfo  no  Necejfity  In  Nature  that  he  iriould 
 preferve  and  continue  Things  in  Being,  after 
 they  were  created  •,  becaufe  he  would  be  as 
 Self-fufficient  without  their  Continuance,  as 
 he  was  before  their  Creation :   But  it  was 
 Tit,  and  Wife,  and  Good,  that  Infinite  Wif- 
 dom 
 
1 1  %  A  Demonftratton  of  the 
 
 dom  fhould  manifeft,  and  Infinite  Goodnefs 
 communicate  it  felf-  And  therefore  it  was 
 Necejfdry  (in  the  Senfe  of  Neceffit}7"  /  am  now 
 fpeathg  of)  that  Things  ihould  be  made  at 
 fuch  time?  and  continued  fo  long,  and  indued 
 with  various  Perfections  in  fach  Degrees, 
 as  Infinite  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs  faw  it 
 Wifeft  and  Beft  that  they  fhould  be :  And 
 tiben  and  whiljl  Things  are  in  Being,  the  fame 
 Moral  Perfections  make  it  Neceilary,  that 
 they  fhould  be  difpofed  and  governed  accord- 
 ing to  the  exacteft  and  moft  unchangeable 
 Laws  of  Eternal  Juftice,  Goodnefs  and  Truth ; 
 |iL  Becaufe  while  Things  and  their  feveral  Rela- 
 
 tions are,  they  cannot  but  he  what  they  are  • 
 and  an  infinitely  Wife  Being  cannot  but  know 
 them  to  be  what  they  are,  and  judge  always 
 rightly  concerning  the  feveral  Fitneffes  or  Un- 
 l  fitnefles  of  them  h    and  an  Infinitely  Good 
 
 Being,  cannot  but   choofe  to  a&  always  ac- 
 cording to  this  Knowledge  of  the  refpective 
 Fituefs  of  Things  :  It  being  as  truly  impof- 
 lible  for  fiich  a  Free  Agent,  who  is  abfolute- 
 \j  incapable  of  being  Deceived  or  Depraved, 
 to  Choofe,  by  acting  contrary  to  thefe  Laws, 
 to  deiixoy  its  own  Perfections  5    as  for  iVo 
 ceffary  Exijlence  to  be  able  to  defiroy  its  own 
 Being, 
 ofthim-      l^ly.  From  hence  it  follows,  that  though 
 futility    God  is  both  Perfectly  Free,  and  alfo  Infi- 
 tf his  doing  nitely  Powerful,  yet  he  cannot  Poffibly  do 
 **&         anything  that  is  Evil.     The  Reafon  of  this 
 alfo  is  Evident.     Becaufe,  as    tis    manifeft 
 Infinite  Power  cannot  extend  to  Natural  Con- 
 tradictions,  which  imply  a  Deflruction    of 
 that  very  Power   by    which  they   ihttft  be 
 
 fuppofed 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  God.      t  ip 
 
 fuppofed  to  be  "brought  ;  fo  neither  can  it  ex- 
 tend to  Amoral  Contradictions,  which  imply 
 a  Deftruction  of  fome  other  Attributes,  as 
 flecefiarily  belonging  to  the  Divine  Nature, 
 as  Power.  I  have  already  fliown,  that 
 Juftice,  Gcodnefs  and  Truth,  are  necefTarily 
 in  God  *  even  as  necefTarily,  as  Power  and 
 Underftanding,  and  Knowledge  of  the  Na- 
 ture of  Things  :  'Tis  therefore  as  Impoiiible 
 and  Contradictory  to  fuppofe  his  Will  fiotiU 
 Choofe  to  do  any  Thing  contrary  to  Juftice, 
 Goodnefs  or  Truth  ^  as  that  his  Power  (Imild  L& 
 able  to  Do  any  thing  inconfiftent  with  Pow- 
 er. 3Tis  np  Diminution  of  Power,  not  to  be 
 able  to  Do  Things  which  are  no  Object  of 
 Power  :  And  it  is  in  like  manner  no  Diminu- 
 tion either  of  Power  or  Liberty,  to  have  fuch 
 a  Perfect  and  Unalterable  Rectitude  of  Will, 
 as  never  Poffibly  to  choofe  to  do  any  Thing 
 inconfiftent  with  that  Rectitude. 
 
 ^thly.  From  hence  it  follows  that  Liberty, 
 properly  fpeaking,   is  not  in  it  felf  an  Im-  ******* 
 perfection,  but  a  Perfection.     For  it  is  in  the  tllfelf% 
 higheft  and  completer!:  degree,   in  God  him-  Imperfetlj. 
 felf;   Every  Acl,  wherein  he  Exercifes  any  °">  blit  * 
 Moral    Attribute,     as  Goodnefs,  Juftice  or  M™«** 
 Truth,  proceeding  from  the  molt  Perfecl  Li- 
 berty and  Freeft  Choice-     without  which, 
 Goodnefs  would  not  be  Goodnefs,  nor  Juftice    ' 
 and  Truth  any  Excellencies  •,  thefe  things,  in 
 the  very  Idea  and  formal  Notion  of  them, 
 utterly  excluding  all  Neceility.     It  has  in- 
 deed been  commonly  taught,    that  Liberty  is 
 a  great  Imperfection  •,  becaufe  it  is  the  Occa- 
 fion  of  all  Sin  and  Mifery  ;  But,  if  we  will 
 fpeak  properly,  'tis  not  Liberty  that  expofeg 
 us  to  Mifery,  but  only  the  Abufeof  Libert  v, 
 
 K  'Tia 
 
1 3  o  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 ?Tis  true  *  Liberty  malces  Men  capable  of  Siny 
 and  confequently  liable  to  Mifery^  neither 
 of  which  they  could  pofllbly  be,  without  Li- 
 berty :  But  he  that  will  fay  every  thing  is  an 
 Imperfection,  by  the  Abufe  whereof  a  Crea- 
 ture may  become  more  unhappy,  than  if  God 
 had  never  given  it  that  Power  at  all  ^  muft 
 fay  that  a  Ston6  is  a  more  excellent  and  Per- 
 fect Creature  than  Man,  becaufe  it  is  not 
 capable  of  making  it  felf  miferable,  as  Man 
 is :  And,  by  the  fame  Argument,  Reafon 
 and  Knowledge,  and  every  other  Perfection, 
 nay  even  Exiftence  it  felf,  will  be  proved  to 
 be  an  Imperfection  $  becaufe  it  is  That, 
 without  which  a  Creature  could  not  be  mi* 
 ferable.  The  Truth  therefore  is  jf  The  Abufe 
 of  Liberty,  that  is,  the  Corruption  and  De- 
 pravation of  That,  without  which  no  Crea- 
 tures could  be  happy,  is  the  alone  Caufe  of 
 their  Mifery :  But  as  for  Liberty  it  felf,  it 
 is  a  great  Perfection :  And  the  more  Perfect: 
 any  Creature  is,  the  more  perfect:  is  its  Li- 
 berty :  And  the  per  feet  eft  Liberty  of  all,  is  fuch 
 a  Liberty,  as  can  never  by  any  Ignorance,  De- 
 ceit or  Corruption,  bebyalTed  or  diverted  from 
 Choofing,  what  is  the  Proper  Object  of  Free 
 Choice,  the  greater!  Good. 
 that  the  -ythly.  From  hence  it  follows,  that  though 
 f^p  f0'  probably  no  Rational  Creature  can  be  in  a 
 id  erfec-  jjjjg.  philofophical  Senfe  Impeccable  •  yet  we 
 thmtcrea-  m&y  easily  conceive,  how  Gt)d  can  place 
 i&ferdonii  ffich  Creatures,  as  he  judges  worthy  of  fo 
 ixdudi'  excellent  a  Gift,  in  fuch  a  State  of  Know- 
 Lhent  H'dge  and  near  Communion  with  himfelf, 
 where  Goodnefs  and  Holinefs  fhall  appear  fo 
 amiable,  and  where  they  fhall  be  exempt  from 
 all  means  of  Temptation    and  Corruption ; 
 
 that 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       1 3 1 
 
 that  it  fhall  never  be  pofllble  for  them,  not- 
 ivithftanding  the  Natural  Liberty  of  their 
 "Will,  to  be feduced  from  their  unchangeable 
 Happinefs  in  the  Everlafting  Choice  and 
 Enjoyment  of  their  greater!:  Good  :  Which 
 Is  the  State  of  Good  Angels,  and  of  the 
 Saints  in  Heaven. 
 
 Laftly,  From   what  has    been    faid    upon  That  the 
 this  Head,  it  follows,  that  the  true  Ground  G^n£§ 
 £nd  Foundation  of  all   Eternal  Moral  Obli-  obligation 
 gations,    is    this  ^   that   the  fame  Reafons,  are  eternal 
 (viz.  the  forementioned  neceflary  and  eter-  *"<*  ntc& 
 nal  different  Relations  which  different  Things  j/^d^ 
 bear  one  to   another  *,  and  the   con  fe  que  fit  on  any 
 Fitnefs  or  Unfit7tefs  of  the    Application    of  Laws. 
 different  Things,  or  different  Relations  one 
 to  another,   unavoidably  arifing  from  that 
 Difference  of  the  Things  themfelves  h)  thefe 
 fame    Reafons,     I  fay,   which  always  and 
 neceffarily  do  determine  the  Will    of  God, 
 as    hath    been   before    fhown  •,    ovght    alfo 
 conftantly    to    determine    the  Will    of  all 
 Subordinate  Intelligent  Beings  :    And  when 
 they  do  not,    then  fuch  Beings  fatting  up 
 their  own   unreafonable  Self-Will  in  op  po- 
 rtion to  the  Nature  and  Reafon  of  Things, 
 Endeavour   (as    much  as  in    them   lies)   to 
 make  Things    be   what    they  are   not  and 
 cannot  be-,  which  is  the  higheft  Prefump- 
 tion     and    greateft    Infolence   imaginable- 
 an    a&ing  contrary    to   their    own  Reafon 
 and  Knowledge  •,    an  attempting  to  deftroy 
 that    Order    by   which    the    Univerfe  fub- 
 fifts  5    and  alfo,    by  confequence,    an  offe- 
 ring the    higheft  affront  imaginable  to  the 
 Creator    of   all    Things,    who    himfelf  go- 
 verns all  his  Actions  by  thefe  Rules,    and 
 
 K  2  can- 
 
1 3 1  A  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 cannot  but  require  the  fame  of  all  his 
 reafonable  Creatures.  They  who  found 
 all  Moral  Obligations  ultimately  in  the 
 7frill  of  God,  muft  recur  at  length  to  the 
 fame  thing  •,  only  with  thi$  difference, 
 that  they  do  not  clearly  explain  how  the 
 Nature  anilVillof  God  himfelf  muft  be  necef- 
 farily  Good  and  Juft,  as  I  have  endeavoured 
 to  do.  They  who  found  all  Moral  Obli- 
 gations only  upon  Laws  made  for  the  good 
 of  Societies,  hold  an  Opinion  which  (be- 
 sides that  'tis  fully  confuted  by  what  has  been 
 already  laid  concerning  the  eternal  and  ne- 
 ceffary difference  of  Things  J  is  moreover  fo 
 directly  and  manifeftly  contradictory  and 
 inconfiftent  with  it  felf,  that  it  feems  ftrange 
 it  fhould  not  have  been  more  commonly  ta- 
 ken notice  of.  For  if  there  be  no  difference 
 between  Good  and  Evil,  antecedent  to  all 
 Laws  <,  there  can  be  no  reafon  given  why 
 any  Laws  fhould  be  made  at  all,  when  all 
 things  are  naturally  indifferent.  To  fay 
 that  Laws  are  neceffary  to  be  made  for  the 
 good  of  Mankind,  is  confeffing  that  certain 
 Things  tend  to  the  Good  of  Mankind,  that 
 is,  to  the  preferving  and  perfecting  their 
 Nature  5  which  Wife  Men  therefore  think 
 neceffary  to  be  eftablifhed  by  Laws :  And 
 if  the  reafon  why  certain  Things  are  efta- 
 blifhed by  wife  and  good  Laws,  is  becaufe 
 thofe  Things  tend  to  the  good  of  Mankind  -, 
 'tis  manifeft  they  were  good,  antecedent  to 
 their  being  confirmed  by  Laws :  Otherwife, 
 if  they  were  not  good  antecedent  to  all  Laws  * 
 'tis  evident  there  could  be  no  reafon  why  fuch 
 Laws  fhould  be  made,  rather  than  the  con- 
 trary :  Which  is  the  greateft  Abfurdity  in 
 Woxlil  And 
 
Being  and  At  tributes  of  Cod.       1 3  3 
 
 AN  D  now,  from  what  has  Veen  faid  up-  TbeCok- 
 on  this  Argument,  I  hope  it  is  in  the*'*'8* 
 whole  fufficiently  clear,  that  the  Being  and 
 Attributes  of  God,  are  to  attentive  and  con- 
 iidering  Minds,  abundantly  capable  of  juft 
 Proof  and  Demonftration  •  and  that  the  Ad- 
 verfaries  of  God  and  Religion,  have  not 
 Reafon  on  their  .fide,  (to  which  they  would 
 pretend  to  be  ftridt  Adherers,)  but  merely 
 vain  Confidence,  and  great  Blindnefs  and 
 Prejudice-,  when  they  would  have  it  be 
 thought,  that  in  the  Fabrick  of  the  World, 
 God  has  left  himfelf  wholly  without  Wk- 
 nefs  5  and  that  all  the  Arguments  of  Nature 
 are  on  the  fide  of  Atheifm  and  Irreligion. 
 Some  Men,  I  know,  there  are,  who  having 
 never  turned  their  Thoughts  to  Matters  of 
 this  Nature,  think  that  thefe  Things  are  all  ab- 
 folutety  above  our  Comprehenfion  ^  and  that 
 we  talk  about  we  know  not  what,  when  we 
 difpufe  about  thefe  Queftions :  But  fince 
 the  moft  confiderable  Atheifts  that  ever  ap- 
 peared in  the  World,  and  the  Pleaders  for  U- 
 niverfal  Fatality,  have  all  thought  fit  to  argue 
 in  this  Way,  in  their  Attempts  to  remove 
 the.  Firft  Foundations  of  Religion  h  it  is 
 Reafonable  andNeceflary  that  they  fhould 
 be  oppofed  in  their  own  Way  j  it  being  moft 
 certain,  that  no  Argumentation,  of  what 
 kind  foever,  can  polnbly  be  made  ufe  of  on 
 the  fide  of  Errour,  but  may  alfo  be  ufed  with 
 much  greater  Advantage  on  the  behalf  of 
 Truth. 
 
 2.  From  what  has  been  faid  on  this  Ar- 
 gument, we  may  fee   how  it  comes  to  pafs, 
 that  though  nothing  is  fo  certain  and  uhdeni- 
 K  1  able 
 
1 3  4  A  Demon  ft ration  of  the 
 
 able  as  the  NecefTary  Exiftence  of  God,  and 
 the  confequent  Dedu&ion  of   all  his  Attri- 
 butes j  yet  Men,  who  have  never  attended  to 
 the  Evidence  of  Reafon,  and  the  Notices  that 
 God  hath  given  us  of  Himfelf,    may  eafily 
 be  in  great  meafure  ignorant  of  Both.     That 
 the  three  Angles   of   a  Triangle  are  Equal 
 to  two  right  ones,  is  fo  certain  and  evident, 
 that  whoever   affirms  the  contrary,    affirms 
 what  may  very  eafily  be  reduced  to  an  ex- 
 prefs  Contradiction  :    Yet  whoever  bends  not 
 his  Mind  to  coniider  it  at  all,    may  eafily 
 be  ignorant   of   this  and  numberlefs  other 
 the    like   Mathematical   and  moft  infallible 
 Truths. 
 
 5.  Yet  the  Notices  that  God  has  been  plea- 
 fed  to  give  us  of  himfelf,    are  fo  many  and 
 fo   obvious  ^     in    the    Conftii  ution,    Order? 
 Beauty    and  Harmony  of  the  feveral  Parts; 
 or   the  World  j  in  the  Frame  and  Structure 
 of  our  own  Bodies,   and  the  wonderful  Pow- 
 ers and  Faculties  of  our  Souls  5  in  the  unavoi- 
 dable Apprehenfions  of  our  own  Minds,  and 
 the  common  Confent  of  all  other  Men  •,    in  e- 
 yety  thing  within  us,  and  everything  without 
 us  •,   that  no  Man  of  the  meaner!  Capacity 
 and  greater!:  Difadvantages  whatfoever,  with 
 the  ilighteft  and  moft  fuperficial  Obfervation 
 of  the  Works   of  God,  and   the  loweft  and 
 moft  obvious   attendance  to  the    Reafon  of 
 Things,  can  be  ignorant  of  Hi?n,    but    he 
 muft  be  utterly  without  excufe.    He  may  not 
 indeed  be  able  to  underftand  or  be  affected 
 bv  Nice  and  Metaphyseal    Demonftrations 
 of  the  Being  and  Attributes  of  God:   But 
 then  for  the  fame  Reafon,  he  is  obliged  alfo 
 not  to  fufter  himfelf  to  be  ihaken  and  "un- 
 
 fettlei 
 
Being  and  Attributes  of  Cod.       1 3  j 
 
 fettled,  by  tthe  fubtle  Sophiftries  of  Scep- 
 tical and  Atheiftical  Men  -,  which  he  cannot 
 perhaps  anfwer,  becaufe  he  cannot  under- 
 ftajid :  But  he  is  bound  to  adhere  to  thofe 
 Things  which  he  knows,  and  thofe  Reafo- 
 ningsheis  capable  to  judge  of  •,  which  are 
 abundantly  fufficient  to  determine  and 
 to  guide  the  Practice  of  fober  and  coniidering 
 Men. 
 
 4.  But  this  is  not  all.  God  has  more- 
 over finally,  by  a  clear  and  exprefs  Revelati- 
 on of  Himfelf,  brought  down  from  Heaven 
 by  his  own  Son,  our  Bleffed  Lord  and  Re- 
 deemer-, and  fuited  to  every  Capacity  and 
 Underftanding  *,  put  to  Silence  the  Igno- 
 rance of  Foolifh,  and  the  Vanity  of  Scep- 
 tical and  Profane  Men:  And  by  declaring 
 to  us  himfelf  his  own  Nature  and  Attributes, 
 has  effectually  prevented  all  Miftakes,  which 
 the  Weaknefs  of  our  Reafon,  the  Negligence 
 of  our  Application,  the  Corruption  of  our 
 Nature,  or  the  falfe  Philofophy  of  wicked 
 and  profane  Men,  might  have  led  us  into  5 
 and  fo  has  infallibly  lurnifhed  us  with  fuffi- 
 cient Knowledge,  to  enable  us  to  perform 
 our  Duty  in  this  Life,  and  to  obtain  our  Hap- 
 pinefs  in  that  which  is  to  come.  But  this 
 exceeds  the  Bounds  of  my  prefent  Subjedt, 
 and  deferves  to  be  handled  in  a  particular 
 Difcourfe. 
 
 F  J  n  1  s. 
 
DISCOURSE 
 
 Concerning  the 
 
 Unchangeable  Obligations 
 
 O  F 
 
 Natural  Religion, 
 
 AND    THE 
 
 Truth  and  Certainty 
 
 OF    T  H  E 
 
 Chriftian  Revelation. 
 
 Being  Eight  SERMONS  Preach'd  at  the  Ca- 
 thedral Church  of  St.  Paul,  in  the  Year  170?, 
 at  the  Lecture  Founded  bv  the  Honourable 
 RO  BERT  BOYLE  Efq^ 
 
 B/Samuel  C  l  a  r.  k  e,  D.  D.  Rector  of 
 St.  James\r  Weftminfter. 
 
 The  Fifth  Edit  ion  9  Corre&ed. 
 
 Ma.  S,  20.  Ho  tf»fo  Mem  fta*  call  Evil  Good,  and  Good  Evil; 
 
 that  put Darfyiefs  jot  Light,  and  Light  fir  Darfyitfs  5  that 
 
 put  Bitter  for  Sweet,  and  Sweet  for  Bitter. 
 Rom.  1, 2  2.  Prof  effing  themselves  to  be  Wife,  they  became  Fools. 
 '  Cor.  2,  10.  But  God  hath  revealed  them  unto  us  by  his  Spirit. 
 
 London,  Printed  by  Will.  Botham,  for  James  Kn,ip:ony  at  chc 
 Crown  in  Sc.  Paul  s  Church-Yard.     1719. 
 
T  O    T  H  E 
 
 Moft  Reverend  Father  in  God 
 
 THOMAS 
 
 Lord  Archbifhop    of  Canterbury  ; 
 and  Primate  of  all  England  : 
 
 Sir  HE  NRT    A  S  H  U  R  S  T9 
 
 Baronet ; 
 
 Sir  JOHN  ROT  HER  AM, 
 
 Knight,  Serjeant  at  Law  ; 
 
 JOHN  £^£X7i^Efquire; 
 
 Truftees  appointed  by  the  Ho- 
 nourable ROBEKT  BOTLE, 
 Efquire. 
 
 This  Difcourfe  is  humbly  De- 
 dicated. 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 I  Should  not  have  pre  fumed  to  pub- 
 lifh  thefe  Tapers  in  Vindication 
 of  Natural  mid  Revealed  Religion^ 
 after  fo  many  excellent  Difcourfes 
 already  written  upon  that  Suljett  j 
 had  I  not  thought  my  felf  olliged  to 
 it,  in  order  to  purfue  more  fully  the 
 Defign  of  the  Honourable  Founder  of  this 
 Lecture,  and  to  anfwer  the  Expectation 
 Of  the  Mofi  Reverend  and  the  Honou- 
 rable Truflees  appointed  by  him.  The*' 
 Honourable  Robert  Boyle  Efq;  was  a 
 V  erf  on  no  lefs  zeah'ufly  felicitous  for  the 
 propagation  of  true  Religion  and  the  prac-  . 
 tice  of  Piety  and  Vertue  ;  than  diligent 
 and  fuccefsful  in  improving  'Experimental 
 Vhilofophyy  and  inlarging  our  Kjiowledge 
 of  Nature.  oAnd  it  was  his  fetled  Opi- 
 nion, that  the  advancement  and  increafe 
 of    Natural   Kjiowledge^    would  always 
 
 be 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 le  of  Service  to  the  Caufe  and  Interefl 
 of  true  Religion,  in  oppofition  to  Atheifts 
 and  Unbelievers  of  all  forts.  &4ccor~ 
 dingly  he  in  his  Life-time  made  excellent 
 Vfe  of  his  own  Observations  to  this  fur* 
 pofe,  in  all  his  Writings  ;  and  made  Pro- 
 vision after  his  Death}  for  carrying  on 
 tbp  fame  Dejign  perpetually.  In  purfuance 
 of  which  End  Vendeavoured,  in  my  former 
 Difcourfe,  to  ftrengthen  and  confirm  the 
 oArgaments  which  prove  to  us  the  Being 
 and  Attributes  of  God,  partly  ly  meta- 
 phjjical  Reafoning,  and  partly  from  the 
 Difcoveries  (principally  thofe  that  have 
 ieen  lately  made)  in  Natural  fhilofophy : 
 And  in  toe  prefent  Treatife,  I  have  at- 
 tempted, in  a  plainer  and  eajier  Method, 
 to  eftMifl)  the  Unalterable  Obligations 
 pf  Natural  Religion,  and  the  Truth 
 and  Certainty  of  the  Chriftian  Revela- 
 tion. If  what  I  have  faid,  may  in  any 
 >*meafure  promote  the  Inter  eft  of  true  Re- 
 ligion  in  this  fceptical  and  profane 
 eAge,  and  a?ifwer  the  Dejign  for  which 
 this  Lecture  was  founded*?  I  have  my 
 End. 
 
 It  may  perhaps  le  expefled,  that  I 
 fljould  take  fome  notice  of  certain  Re- 
 marks, which  have  been  fublijhed  upon 
 my  former  Sermons.  Had  the  ^Author 
 of  thofe  Remarks  entered  into  the  Merits 
 
 of 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 0/  the  Caufey  or  offered  any  confiderabtc 
 Reafons  in  oppofition  to  what  I  had  laid 
 down-,  I  {hould  have  thought  my  felf 
 obliged  to  give  him  a  particular  Anfwer. 
 But  fince  his  Book  is  made  up  chiefly  of 
 Railing,  and  grofs  Mifconjlrutiions  j  and 
 Ml  that  he  pretends  to  fay  by  way 
 of  Argument,  depends  entirely  upon  Sup- 
 pofition  of  the  Truth  of  the  Cartefian 
 Hypothefis,  which  the  beft  Mathemati- 
 cians in  the  World  have  demoaftrated 
 to  be  falfe -,  I  prefume  it  may  be  fuffi- 
 cient,  tofhow  here  the  Infincerity  of  that 
 Author,  and  the  Weaknefs  of  his  Rea- 
 fining,   by  a  few  brief  Observations. 
 
 The  only  Argument  he  alleges  again/} 
 me  in  his  whole  Book,  is  This :  That 
 if  we  know  not  diftinHly  what  the 
 %   EfTence   of    God,     and 
 
 What  the   Effence  of  Mat-         t  Note,  that  in  this  wlioJe 
 
 ter  is;  we  cannot  poffiblv  $£S\*££J3£ 
 demon/irate  them  at  all,  perMecaphyficaiSenfeof  the 
 to   be    two    different  Ef-    ^>;\$$%«Z£ 
 
 fences.  For  in  chat  Senfe,  the  Attru 
 
 tugs  of  God  do  conftitutehis 
 EfTence/,  and  Solidity  or  Impenetrability  is  the  EfTence  of  Matter: 
 But  Effence  is  all  along  to  be  underftood,  as  fignifying  the  l«ne 
 with  Subftance. 
 
 To    which  I  anfwer*    9Tis   plain   we 
 know  not  the  Eflences  of  Things  by  In- 
 tuition ; 
 
The  Preface' 
 
 tuition  ;  but  can   only  fe'afon  about  therii 
 from  what  we    know  of   their  different 
 Properties     or     Attributes.      Now  from 
 the  dtmonfirable  Attributes  of  God,    and 
 from    the  known  Properties  of    Matter, 
 we    have   as    unanswerable    Reafons    to 
 convince    and  fatisfy  us    that    their    Ef- 
 fences  are   entirely  different,    though  we 
 know  not  difiinHly    what   thofe  Effences 
 are ;    as  our  Faculties   can  afford  us,    in 
 judging    of    any    the     certaineft      things 
 whatfoeve     For    Infiance  :     The     demon- 
 flrable  Attributes  of  God,    are,  that   He 
 is   Self-Exiftent,     Independent,    Eternal, 
 In  finite,      Unchangeable,    Incorruptible, 
 Intelligent,     Free,     All  powerful,     Wife, 
 Juft    and  Good :    The  known  Properties 
 *See    of  Matter,    are,    that  it  is   *  not  Ne- 
 ^Tpag.  ceffary   or   Self-Exiftent,  lut   Dependent, 
 2  ,*rc.    Finite,   (nay,    that   it  fills     lut    a  few 
 &  49*      very     fmaU   and    inconfider.able   portions 
 of  Space,    that  it  is  Divifible,  Paffive,; 
 Unintelligent,     and   confeque/itly   uncafa- 
 lle  of  any  A&ive  Powers.     Now  nothing 
 can  be  more  certain    and  evident,    than 
 that  the  Subftances   to  which  thefe    in- 
 compatible  Attributes  or  properties  belong, 
 or    the  Effences  from   which   they  flow, 
 are  entirely  different  one  fern  the  other-, 
 though  we  do  not  diflinctly  .know    what 
 the   inrnofi  Subftances   or  Effences  Them- 
 /elves  are.     If    any   Man    will  think   a 
 
 mere 
 
The  Preface, 
 
 taere  Hypothefis  (the  Cartcfiari  or  any 
 other)  concerning  the  inmoft  Nature  of 
 Subftances,  to  be  a  more  faiufa&ory 
 Difcovery  of  the  different  Ejfences  of 
 Things,  than  we  can  male  by  Reafon- 
 ing  thus  from  their  demcnjlrable  Pro- 
 perties }  and  will  chufe  rather  to  draw 
 fond  Confequences  from  fuch  Hypothe- 
 fes  and  Fi&ions,  founded  upon  no 
 Proof  at  all,  than  to  make  ufe  Of 
 fuch  Philofophy  as  is  grounded  only  up- 
 on clear  Reafon  or  good  Experiments  , 
 I  know  no  help  for  it,  but  he  miifl  be 
 permitted  to  injoy  his  Opinion  quietly. 
 
 The  reft  of  the  Book  is  All  either 
 an  indecent  and  unreafonable  reviling  of 
 the  learned  Mr  Lock ;  from  whom  I  nei- 
 ther cited  any  one  Parage,  nor  (that  I 
 know  of)  borrowed  any  Argument  from 
 him  j  And  therefore  is  altogether  Imperti- 
 nent. Or  elfe  it  confifts  of  grofs  Mifrepre- 
 fentations  of  my  Senfe,  and  very  unfair 
 Conflruftions  and  falfe  Citations  of  my 
 Words  ^  of  which  I  (Jmll  prefently  give  ■ 
 fome  Inftances* 
 
 The  firji    8,    and  the   ^th  and    36 lb 
 Pages  of  the  Remarks,    are  fpent  in   at- 
 tempting   to    prove,     that  if  we   do  not 
 firft    know    what     the    Effence    of  God, 
 and    what     the      EfTence     of    Matter, 
 
 L  ii* 
 
The  Preface, 
 
 is ;    (that  is,  if  the  Cartefian  Hypothe- 
 fis  concerning  the  EJfences  of  Spiritual  and 
 Material  Sub  fiance,    be  not  granted  to    be 
 true  :,)  there  is  no  way  left,   by  which  it  can 
 be  proved  at  all,  that  the  EJfence  of  God 
 and  Matter  is  not  one  and  the  fame.     To 
 which   I  have    already  given   an  anfivery 
 viz,  that  from  the  demonjlrable  Attributes 
 of  God,   and  from  the   known  Properties 
 of  Matter,    we  have  as  abfolute  certainty 
 of  their     EfTences    or     Subftances    being 
 different,     though    we    do    not     difinBly 
 know    what   thofe    EJfences  are;     as  our 
 Faculties  triable  us  to  attain  in  any  Meta- 
 physeal Queflion  :    And  that  he    who  will 
 not  allow  this,    to  be  fujfeient   Proof  in 
 the  prefent  cafe  *,     but  choofes   rather  to 
 take    up    with   a    mere     Hypothefis    or 
 Fi&ion  concerning  the  EJfences  of  Things  ; 
 /  think  needs  not  be  difputed  with. 
 
 Pag.  12,  The  Author  of  the  Re- 
 marks afj'erts,  that  Des-Cartes  and  his 
 Followers  have  Mathematically  proved, 
 that  the  EJfence  of  Matter  confifts  in 
 Length,  Breadth,  and  Depth.  And  upon 
 this  confident  AJfertion,  his  whole  Book 
 depends  in  every  part.  To  this  therefore  I 
 ttnfwer,  that  That  Hypothefis  is  really  fo 
 far  from  being  Mathematically  proved  to 
 be  True,  that  on  the  contrary  He  cannot  but 
 know,   (if  he   knows  any    thing  of  thefe 
 
 Matters?) 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 Matters,)  that  the  greatefl  Mathematicians 
 in  the  prefent  Age,    Men  confejjedly  great- 
 er in  that  Science  than  any  that  ever  lived 
 before  them,  have  clearly  proved  (as  I  be- 
 fore    faid)  that  it  is  f   abfolutely   Falfe.c.  t/« 
 And  not  to    take  the  lea  ft  notice  of  I  to  Newton's 
 throughout    his   whole     Book,     argues  ei-PtinciPi** 
 ther  great   Infincerity,     or  great    Igtio-&|iu3 
 ranee. 
 
 7  had  [aid  (Demonftrar.  pag.  18.J 
 that  to  Imagine  an  Eternal  and  Infi- 
 nite Nothing,  was  bein^  reduced  to 
 the  Vecejfity  of  Imagining,  a  Contradic- 
 tion or  Impofllbility.  for  this,  he  ar- 
 gues againjl  me  (Remark,  pag.  14,)  as 
 if  I  had  ajferted,  that  it  was  poffible 
 to  imagine  an  Eternal  and  Infinite  No- 
 thing  }  whereas  I  ajferted  that  it  was 
 an  exprefs  Contradiction  fo  to  do.  This 
 is  great  Infincerity. 
 
 I  had  charged  the  Cartefians  (De 
 monftrat.  pag.  18)  with  being  unavoid- 
 ably reduced  to  the  Abfurdity  of  making 
 Matter  a  neceffarily-exifiing  Being.  In 
 citing  this  Tajfage,  (Remark,  pag.  14 
 and  15)  he  ridicidoujly  reprefents  me 
 as  faying  that  this  Abfurdity  con  fifed 
 in  making  Extenfion  neceffary  :.  Though 
 he  knezv  that  in  that  very  Pajfage  I 
 fuppofed  Matter  and  Extenfion  to  be 
 L  2  intirely 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 intirely    different    Things.     This    likewife 
 is  great  Infincerity. 
 
 J  had  [aid  ( Demon  (Ira  t.  pag.  18) 
 that  the  Idea  of  Immenfity  was  an 
 Idea  that  no  way  belonged  to  Mat- 
 ter. Inftead  of  this,  he  cites  me  avert- 
 ing fenfelefsly  C  Re  mark.  pag.  15)  that 
 Extenfion  no  way  belongs  to  Matter. 
 As  if  that  which  is  not  Immenfe  or  In- 
 finite, is  therefore  not  extended  at  all. 
 This  is  the  greateft  Difingenuity  in 
 the  World. 
 
 Remark,    pag.    15.    He  fays  •,    I    am 
 
 Jure  this  Author  cannot  produce  One, 
 no  not  One  Cartefian,  that  ever  made 
 Matter  a  neceffarily-exifting  Being  \ 
 that  ever  contradided  himfelf  in  Words, 
 upon  this  Subjed  \  that  ever  was 
 mightily,  or  not  mightily,  of  at  all  per- 
 plexed with  what  Mr  Clarke  calls  his 
 Argument  j  nay,  that  ever  heard  of 
 that  Thing  he  calls  his  Argument. 
 Why  are  they  thus  mifreprefented  and 
 impofed  upon  >  To  this  I  anfwer :  It 
 had  been  fufficient  to  make  good  my 
 charge,  to  have  flwwn,  that  from  the 
 Cartefian  Hypothefis  it  followed  by 
 unavoidable  confequencey  that  Matter 
 vntft  be  a  ttecefjarily-exifting  Being  ^ 
 though     the     Cartefians    themfelves    had 
 
 not 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 not  fee?i  that  Consequence.  Tet  1  cited 
 moreover  a  Tajfage  out  of  Regis , 
 wherein  'tis  plain  He  perceived  and 
 owned  that  Confluence.  Bitt  becaufe 
 the  Remarker  feems  not  fatisfied  with 
 this,  and  pretends  to  triumph  here  with 
 great  pleasure  and  affurance  ;  /  will  for 
 once  comply  with  his  Challenge  t  and 
 produce  him  Another,  and  That  an  un- 
 exceptionable Cartefian,  namely  Des-Cartes 
 himfelf  who  Was  greatly  perplexed  with 
 the  Argument  1  mentioned,  and  was  un- 
 avoidably reduced  to  make  Matter  a  ne- 
 ceiTarily-exifting  Being,  and  at  the  fame 
 time  did  contradid  himfelf  in  Words  up- 
 on thisSubjed.  It  was  Gbje&ed  to  Des- 
 Cartes  by  fome  very  learned  Men,  that 
 *  if  Extenfion  and  Mat- 
 ter were  the  fame  thin?.  *  Qu2ro  an  a  Deo  fieri 
 ter   were    rne   lame    ming,    potui(Tec   up  mundus  c(lec 
 
 it     leemed     to     them      to    finitus.    Epift.    ad   carte- 
 
 follow,       that       God      COUld     ft™  6d9  Partis  Prim*. 
 
 .  ,     '  ^p,  T  .         .  Nondum     illud     poflum 
 
 neither    polllbly     make    the      concoquere,    earn   efle    ia« 
 
 World  finite,     nor  annihi-    ter  res  corporeas  cennex- 
 
 1   _  r     T\/f  ionem,    uc    nee     mundum 
 
 late    any    part  of    Matter    Deus  5creare  potueric  nifi 
 
 without      Creating      at      the     infinitum,    nee   ullum    cor- 
 
 fame    time    iuft/  is    much     pu*  in   *[h)lum  rediSere» 
 idinc    umc    juii    as    mucn    quin  eo  ipfo   cenearur  ali. 
 
 more    to    fuppjy     its    Place,  ud    paris    quarmtatis    fta- 
 
 To    this    He    A^fwers :    f  "m  creare.    Epifi-  u  par- 
 
 rru                       j.      J                .  .  tis  fecund*. 
 
 Inat,      according       to        hlS  f    Plico    implkare     Con- 
 
 Hypothefis,   it  does  indeed    tYr^n'mem  «  Mundus  fie 
 
 -   JJi  **■  ,.rt.  faints.    Carte.     EpijL    6Q. 
 
 imply     a     ContradiBion     to     Partis  prim*. 
 
 fuppofe  the   World    to   be       Mihi  auccm  oon  v'^«ur 
 
 de    ulia    uncjuam    re  efle 
 
 L  3  Unite 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 dicendum,     ipfam    a    Deo     Finite,     or  to    fuppofe    God 
 fieri    non    pofTe  :    Om    e-  •  ,  -i     •  r 
 
 nim  omnu.  Rath  vin  &  annihilating    any    part    of 
 
 :'>  ejus     Omnipotent!*  M  ittcr  j      but    yet  he    will 
 
 ceTS,   KM  «ot     fay    God    cannot  do 
 
 non  p;(Tc  uc  Mw  fit  fine  it,      or    tint    God  cannot 
 
 J?^  *'fi  nt   "B.nm    *  caufe  that  Two  and  Three 
 
 Duo  non   hunt    Tna  ;    fed      _     n  ,. 
 
 ranrum    dico,    ra!ia    imji-      Hiall     HOt     make     rive,      Or 
 
 ww     cmradWonm    'in    any      otjier     Contradiction 
 
 meo        concepru  :        cued  /     r  r  »"'  *f  • 
 
 idem    ccijm    de    ^/raa    wnattoever.      Is     not     tbis 
 quod    r.c  plane    vacuum    making  Matter    a    neceffa- 
 
 &c.       £/>//?.    5.     Partis  |e-        •,  &-«.  T>    . 
 
 .   r*  rily-ex  llting  Being,   r<n»wi 
 
 f,to  if  w  a  Contradiction 
 to  fuppofe  God  annihilating  it  or  fetting 
 hounds  to  it  ?  Is  not  this  Contradi&ing 
 himfelf,  for  a  Man  to  affirm  (as  Cartes 
 does  in  all  his  Writings}  that  the  World 
 was  Created  by  God  and  Depends  upon 
 him,  and  yet  at  the  fame  time  to 
 declare  that  it  implies  as  plain  a  Con- 
 tradiction to  fuppofe  any  part  of  Mat- 
 ter  annihilable  by  the  Power  of  God, 
 as  u  fuppofe  that  Two  and  Three  fimdd 
 not  make  Five  ?  Is  not  this  really  a 
 ridiculing  the  Power  of  God?  And  was 
 vM  Des-Cartes  therefore  greatly  per- 
 plexed with  the  Argument  I  mentioned  £ 
 And  is  not  an  Hypothefis,  from  which 
 fneh  Confecjuences  unavoidably  and  con- 
 fffcdly  follow,  a  fine  Land-mark  of 
 Diftinction  between  Spiritual  and  Ma- 
 terial   Sub /lances  ?     and     whatever     op- 
 
 ■m#k  pofes  this  Hypotbejis,    a    *  depriving  us 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 of   the    Means  of   proving    the    Exift- 
 ence  of  the  one  only  true  God  ? 
 
 The  Remarker  humbly  defires  his 
 Reader  fpag.  16)  to  be  perfwaded,  that 
 he  is  of  no  particular  Se£t  in  Matters 
 of  Philofophy,  but  only  of  the  Party 
 of  Truth  where-ever  he  meets  with  ir. 
 Tet  the  fame  Man  had  declared  before 
 (pag.  12.)  that  he  believed  Des-Cartes 
 had  Mathematically  proved  his  Hypothe- 
 cs }  and  takes  not  the  lea  ft  Notice  of  its 
 having  fince  been  fully  confuted  by  Ma- 
 thematicians confefjedly  far  more  eminent 
 in  that  Science ,  than  Des-Caretes  was.  This 
 is  a  very  fingidar  Mark  of  Impartiality , 
 and  of  being  addiBed  to  no  Party  in  Mat- 
 ters of  Philofophy. 
 
 Speaking  of  the  Cartejian  (Argument 
 drawn  from  the  Idea  of  God,  I  had 
 ufed  thefe  Words,  (Demonftrat.  pag. 
 20  j)  Our  firft  Certainty  of  the  Ex- 
 iftence  of  God  arifes  not  from  this  ? 
 that,  in  the  Idea  we  frame  of  him 
 in  our  own  Minds,  or  rather  in  the  De- 
 finition that  we  make  of  the  Word 
 [God,"]  as  fignifying  a  Being  of  all 
 poflible  Perfedions,  we  include  Self- 
 Exiftence  ?  But  &c.  Meaning,  that, 
 according  to  That  Argument,  Self 
 Exiftence  was  rather  made  only  a  part 
 L  4  of 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 of  the  Definition  of  the  Word,  than  proved 
 to  be  a  real  Attribute   of    the  Being  it 
 felf.     Infiead  of  this,  the  Remarker  (pag. 
 1 7  and   19)  by  a  childijh  mi [under (landing 
 of  the  Syntax  of  the  Sentence,    and  refer- 
 ring the  Particle  [_ox~\   to  a  wrong  Member 
 of  the  Period,    cites  my  Words  in  a  quite 
 different  manner  ^    as  if  1  had  [aid,     In 
 the  Idea  we  frame  of  God  in  our  own 
 Minds,    or  rather  in  the  Idea  we  frame  of 
 him  in  the  Definition  that  we  make  of  the 
 Words,  &c.  And  he  is  very  facetious  (pag* 
 1 7  and  19J  in  ridiculing  this  framing  of 
 an  Idea  in  a  Definition  :,    which  he  calls^ 
 (is  it  truly  is,    a   Real  Piece  of  Nonfenfe* 
 But  when,  upon  the  review,  he  finds  himfelf 
 the  true  and  onlf  Author  of  it,  for  want  of 
 under  [landing  Grammar  j    /  fuppofe  it  will 
 make  him  more  mode  ft  and  careful. 
 
 He  accufes  me  (Remark,  pag.  1 8, 20,  &c?) 
 of  not  underftanding  the  Cartefian  Argu- 
 ?nent  drawn  from  the  Idea  of  God*  I  con- 
 fefs  my  felf  very  ready  to  fubmit  to  this 
 Charge  :,  And  I  can  jhew  him  much  more 
 Learned  Writers  than  either  of  Us,  who 
 f  see  cud-  have  UYewife  +  not  underftood  that  Argu- 
 
 Tfcrn      ment'     tf  He  underftand  it,   he  will 
 
 P-g-  72)^  the  World  a  very  acceptable  piece   of 
 &c-         Service  to  make  it  out. 
 
 What 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 What  he  fays  in  his  21ft,  2  2d, 
 23d,  and  24th  pages,  is  fuch  a  heap 
 of  Mifconftruttions,  and  fo  entirely  void 
 of  Senfe,  that  1  confefs  1  cannot  at  all 
 tell  what  he  means. 
 
 From  my  ufing  the  Word  Mere  Mat- 
 ter,   he    concludes    (pag.     29J    that    I 
 imagine  there  is  another  fort  of  Matter, 
 which  is  not  a  mere,    bare,   pure,  inco- 
 gitative  Matter ;   and  that  Thefe  Terms 
 neceffarily    import  this  Senfe.      Whereas 
 in  every     one    of  the   places    he    cites% 
 it  is  as   exprefs    and  evident   as    Words 
 can  make  it,    that  by  Mere  Matter  J  un- 
 derftand    the    Matter     of    which     the 
 World    confifts,     not     as     oppofed     to 
 Another  fort  of  Matter,    but  either    as 
 f  oppofed  to  Motion  and  to  the  Form  f  Demon_ 
 of  the  Worlds   or  as  *  confidered  by   it-ftrat.pag. 
 felf  and  without  the   Government    and?^*^ 
 Dire&ion  of  a  Supreme  Intelligent  Mind.  ftrat.  pag. 
 This  therefore  is  the  higheft  degree  of  In-&*  si> 
 fincerity.  6u 
 
 He  charges  me  (pag.  4  and  29  and 
 30)  with  making  a  Tranflation  quite 
 different  from  Spinoza's  Senfe  and 
 Words.  How  I  could  miftranflate 
 what  I  did  not  tranflate  at  all,  I  un- 
 derfiand  not :    But  whether  I  have  mif- 
 
 reprefented 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 veprelertted  Spinoza's  Senfe,  or  no' 
 f  I  think  I  have  not,)  This  J 
 :   only  leave  to  the  learned  World  to 
 
 I  reduced  Spinoza's  Opinion  to  this- 
 That  the  Material  World,  and  every 
 part  of  it,  with  the  Order  and  Man- 
 ner  of  Being  of  each  Part,  is  the  only 
 Seli-Exifting       or       Necetfarily-Exifting 
 
 t  terr  bean,  null,  d,      jj"£      'jf**     *»    *    '*** 
 
 riwqv  concipi  poteft- fub:  tlS   a*    Marty    contained  in 
 fhnru.   sfinoK.  Erhc.  Far*    the  f  Words  I  cited  from 
 
 tfos&frti.  non  potcft    bim>  (Demonftrat.  pag.  2 6, 
 
 procfuci  ah  alii  Subftancia.      27    a^d    2  0,)     tfj"    ^  thing 
 
 2*u^-*  „eS;  £»  «g  ,«»*  ^  *■"& 
 
 a.TQ  ordine   a    Deo  prod uci  ^     ^^J"  (pag.  go,;  that 
 
 Fowcrenr,  quam    produftae  Spinoza    WW    £tfWtf  *Mc 
 
 Iaor.  Prop.  2  j.  T^rO.    ■  r 
 
 Ad  wnirim    fubftantte  ^«f«*»i      %*>'  ,      &&«*  A* 
 
 psrtm«  Exiderc.  p,-«/>.  7.       taught    the    quite    contra- 
 
 tOmnescjmn^mdi-     "#      ^/^     ™hkh       he 
 v;na m  21'iquo  modo  contem-     c/*^-f      tf     t^jjage  ,       where 
 
 ^eJ^L^^iorm    sPinoza      *$row,     ****  f 
 ffhf.  tuSchoL  A[i  w"0  have  in  any   de- 
 
 gree confidered  the  Di- 
 vine Nature,  deny  that  God  is  Corporeal. 
 AW  this  alfo  is  extremely  Infwcere.  For 
 had  this  oAuthor  cited  here  the  whole 
 Sentence  of  Spinoza,  as  he  had  cited 
 tt  before  in  his  z6tb  page;  it  would 
 have  appeared  evidently,    that  Spinoza, 
 
 by 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 ly    denying     God     to     be     Corporeal, 
 
 meant  only  fallaciously  to   deny   his  being 
 
 any    particular    Piece    of    Matter,      any 
 
 *    Finite     Body     and    of 
 
 a     certain     Figure.      Fory       *  Per    corpus  iotelHgi- 
 
 that    He    believed    infinite    mus  ^uamcumS>      <luanri- 
 Toar    nc    venevea    innniue    utem>  iongani)    hunh   & 
 
 Corporeal'     OtW/rance,      that     profundam  ,    certa    alqua 
 
 isr    the    whole     Material    fiw*  £™™*mj     quo 
 
 TT    .       r  7  /^    j        mh"    abiurdius     de     Deo 
 
 Umverie  ,       to      be       God  }     ence    fcilicec    abfolute    in. 
 
 (be/ides   the    Places    I  had   finlt0>    dici     poteft.     U 
 cited  from  him,)    he  in    ||    "\  Subfhntiam    c****. 
 
 exprefs         Words       achl$W-      am   qux    non    nifi    infiniu 
 
 ledges,  in  a    Parage  which    c°ncl?[    Pocef}'.  ."^  «- 
 thts     very      Author      cites    nam  <$?  dici  poceft. 
 z#    fie    4^   page    of    his 
 Remarks  -  And  lie  maintains  it   at  large 
 through  the  whole  of  that  very  *   Scholi-  *  ?choT* 
 urn,    from   whence    the    Remarker    has  |*.pra°£i; 
 with    the  greatefi    Injincerity  taken    the 
 prefent  Objection.    .  But    befides  :    Suppofe 
 Spinoza  had  not  explained  himfelf  in  this 
 place,    and  had    in    this  Jingle    PaJJage 
 contradicted  what  he  had  plainly  taught 
 throughout  the  reft  of  his  'Book  ,    would 
 this   have   been    any  )uft  Reafon    to  fay 
 that  Spinoza   never  taught  the  DoBrim 
 I  imputed  to   him  ?     nay,  that  he  taught 
 the  quite  contrary  ? 
 
 He  charges  me  fpag.  33)    with  argu- 
 ing   only    againft  the    AccelTories  of  A- 
 theifm^  and  leaving   the   Effential    Hy- 
 pothecs 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 pothefis   in    its  full  force  -     nay,   with 
 confirming  and     eftablifhing    (pag.   nj 
 SpinozaV  Atheifnu    It  feems  in  the  Opi- 
 nion of  this  ^Author,     that  proving  the 
 Material    World  to  be,    not  a  Necejjdry 
 but    a    Dependent     "Being,    made,    pre- 
 ferved    and   governed,     by     a     Self-Ex- 
 iflent)     Independent,      Eternal,     Infinite 
 Mind,     of  perfebt    Kjiowledge,     Wifdom, 
 Power9    Jufike,    Goodnefs     and   Truth  ; 
 is   arguing  only    againft  the    Acceffories 
 of  Atheijm  ^  &ind  that  the  Effential  Hy- 
 pothefis    of  Atheifm    is    left    untouched, 
 nay   confirmed  and  efiabliped}  by  all  who 
 will    not    prefume   to  define  the   Effence 
 of    that    Supreme    Mind     according     to 
 the    Unintelligible      Language      of   the 
 Schools,    and  the    groundlefs    Imaginati* 
 on    of  Des  Cartes    concerning  the   Sub- 
 ftance   or    Effence  of  Matter  and    Spi- 
 rit,   I  confefs  it  appears  to  me,    on  the 
 contrary,   that  the    Effence    of    Atheiim 
 lies  in  making    God   either  an  Unintelli- 
 gent    Being     \_fuch     as  is  the    Material 
 World^\    or  at  leaft   a  Neceffary  Agent 
 [fach  as  Spinoza  makes  his  One  SuLjiance 
 to  be^\    void  of  all  Freedom,     Wifdom, 
 Power  and    Goodnefs ;   and   that    Other 
 Metaphyfical     D/fputes     are    only    about 
 the    Acceffories ;     eAnd    that    there     is 
 much   more    Ground,    on    the    other  fide, 
 to    fifpcfi    That    very     Hypothefis,    of 
 
 which 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 which  this  Writer  is  fofondy  to  be  favou- 
 rable to  the  oAtheifts  main  Turpofe*  For 
 if  from  Des-CartesV  Not  ion  of  the  Effencc 
 0/ Matter,  it  follows  (as  he  himfelfi  in 
 the  Places  now  cited,  confeffes  in  txprefs 
 words,)  that  it  implies  a  Contradittion  to 
 fuppofe  the  Material  World  Finite,  or  to 
 fuppofe  any  part  of  Matter  can  be  anni- 
 hilated by  the  Power  of  God  ;  /  ap- 
 peal to  this  Author,  whether  This  does  not 
 naturally  tend  to  make  Men  think  Matter 
 a  Neceflary  and  Self-Exiftent  Being. 
 
 He  charges  me  (pag.  3  3 .)  withfaljly  accu~ 
 ftng  Spinoza,  of  maki?ig  God  a  mere  Ne- 
 ceflary Agent  j  and  cites  a  pa j] age  or  two 
 cut  of  Spinoza,  wherein  that  Author 
 feems  to  ajj'ert  the  contrary.  The  words 
 which  I  cited  from  Spinoza,  do  as  clearly 
 exprefs  what  I  charged  him  withf  as  "'tis 
 fojfible  for  any  thing  to  be  exprejjed :  For 
 he  ajjerts  plainly ,  that  * 
 from  the  Power  of  God,    ^Jf^^T* 
 
 All      things       proceed      Ne-         Omni  ex  Neceflitzte  Diwnt 
 
 ceffarily;  that  All   Thing?    mJ?t  dec«miM«  fuoe&fc 
 
 /  '         .11  p  Quicquid  concipimus  m 
 
 are     determined     by     the    Dei   porefore  efc,  id  i*- 
 Necefllty    of  the     Divine    *»ef!;    ,. 
 
 xt„«.,,„~       ±1*  j        u   *. .,,        •  Res  nullo  a.io  modo,  tieq; 
 
 Nature  ;   that  whatever  is    aKo  ordine,  a  Deo  produd 
 
 in     the     Power      Of     God,     p^cuerunt,   quam  produflae 
 
 muft      Neceflarily     exift  ;    '"£ um  non  ^  „  „ 
 
 that  things  COUld   net    have      bertate  Voluntatis. 
 
 been     produced     by   God    ,  See  mre  taV^s  u  tht 
 
 •  *         ,»  J,  fame  purpoje,   cited  (Demn- 
 
 iii     any     other      Manner    pat  pai.66) 
 
 or 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 Or  Order,  than  they  Now  are ;  and 
 that  -  God  does  not  Aft  by  a  Liber- 
 ty of  Will.  All  this  the  Remarker  very 
 iufmcerely  fajjes  over,  without  the  leaft 
 Notice.  o/Lnd  the  words  which  he  cites  out 
 of  Spinoza,  do  not  at  all  .prove  the  con- 
 trary to  what  I  averted.  For  when  Spino- 
 za fays,  that  \  God  alone 
 f  Seqaitur  foium  Deum    js  a  pree  Caufe  ;  and  that 
 
 efie  caufam  Liter  am,  g^\     \       c\       %        *_\       t  r> 
 
 Deus  ex  foils  fu*  nature    God  atts  by  the  Laws  of 
 
 legibus,    &  a  nemine  coatlus     his    OWn  Nature,     without 
 
 agIC#  being    forced    by      Any  ; 
 
 °Tis  evident,  he  does  not  there  mean,  a 
 Freedom  of  Will  ;  but  only  fallaciously  fig- 
 nifies,  that  the  Necejfity  by  which  all  things 
 exifi  in  the  manner  they  do,  is  an  inward 
 Neceflity  in  the  Nature  of  the  Things 
 themfelves,  in  offiofition  to  any  Force  put 
 upon  them  from  without  ;  which  exter- 
 nal Force,  9tis  flain  indeed  that  [the  ?l  <x2,i\ 
 the  whole  U?iiverfe  (the  God  of  Spinoza) 
 cannot  be  fubjecJ  to  ;  becaufe  it  is  Jup^ofed 
 to  contain  All  things,  within  it  felf  "But 
 lefides :  Suppofing  (as  I  faid  before)  that 
 Spinoza  had  dneHly  contradicted  himfelf 
 in  this  one  fajjdge  \  how  would  That  have 
 proved,  my  charge  againfi  h  im  to  have  been 
 falfe  ? 
 
 He  fays  (pag.  34)   that  lam  guilty  my 
 felf  of  what  1  groundlefly  imputed  to  Spi- 
 noza ;  viz.  of  making  God  a  mere    Ne- 
 ceffary  Agent  ;    Namely,  by  affirming  that 
 
 the  re 
 
The  Preface. 
 
 there  is  a  NecefTary  Difference  L 
 Good  and  Evil,  and  that  there  is  fach  a 
 thing  as  Fitnefs  and  Unfitnefs,  Eternal- 
 ly,  Neceflarily,  and  Unchangeably,  ia 
 the  Nature  and  Reafon  of  things,  An- 
 tecedently to  Will  and  to  all  Pofitive 
 or  Arbitrary  Appointment  whatfoever. 
 This ^  he  fays,  is  a  ground! efs  and  pejitzve 
 Jjjertion;  and  plainly  imports  the  Eter- 
 nal Necejjary  Co-exiftence  of  all  things^ 
 as  much  as  Spinoza's  Hypothecs  does.  Is 
 not  this  an  admirable  Confequence  ?  Be- 
 caufe  I  affirm  the  Proportioas  of  thingi, 
 and  the  Differences  of  Good  and  Evil,  to 
 le  Eternal  and  Necejfary  ;  that  therefore  1 
 affirm  the  Exiftence  of  the  Things  them- 
 f elves,  to  be  alfo  Eternal  and  Necejfary  ? 
 "Becaufe  I  affirm  the  Proportion,  fuppofe 
 between  a  Sphere  and  a  Cylinder,  to  be  E- 
 temal  and  Necejjary  ;  that  therefore  I  af- 
 firm the  Exiftence  of  Material  Spheres  and 
 Cylinders,  to  be  like  wife  Eternal  and  Ne- 
 cejfary ?  Becaufe  I  affirm  the  Difference  be- 
 tween Virtue  and  Vice,  to  be  Eternal  and 
 Necejjary;  that  therefore  I  affirm  Men, 
 who  praHife  Virtue  or  Vice,  to  have  exijied 
 Eternally.  This  oAccufation  fhows  loth  ex- 
 treme Ignorance,  and  great  Malice,  in  the 
 oAuthor  of  the  Remarks. 
 
 I  had  ufed  thefe  words,    fDemonftrat. 
 pag.  io, )     How    an  Eternal    Duration 
 can  now  be  a&ually  Part,    is  a  thing  ut- 
 terly   asimpoffible  for  our   narrow  Un- 
 derstand- 
 
The  Preface* 
 
 derftandings  to  comprehend ,  as  any 
 thing,  that  Is  not  an  exprefs  Contradic- 
 tion, can  be  imagined  to  be  ;  And  yet, 
 to  jay  that  Nothing  has  exifted  from  Eter- 
 nity, is  to  affert  lbmething  ftill  far  more 
 unintelligible,  namely  fomething  that  is 
 really  an  exprefs  Contradiction.  Infiead  of 
 this,  the  Remarker  fpag.  39)  citing  my 
 Words,  with  extreme  Difingenuity  leaves 
 out  one  half  of  the  Sentence,  and  makes  me 
 to  fay  abfolutely,  that  fomething  is  ftill 
 far  more  unintelligible  than  that  which 
 is  utterly  impoflible  to  be  underftood. 
 Such  grofs  Mifreprefentations  as  thefe,  in 
 leaving  out  one  part  of  a  Sentence,  to  make 
 the  reft  Nonfenfe  ;  can  very  hardly  proceed, 
 but  from  want  of  Honeftyi 
 
 Laflly,    fpag.  41.  J  he  fays  that   in  my 
 Sermons  there  is  not  one  Argument  offer- 
 ed, to  prove  againft  Spinoza,    that  God 
 is  a  Spirit.     Iperfuaded  my  felf,  that  prov- 
 f  See  De-  ing  God  to  be  a  -f  Being  abfolutely  diflinH 
 timbre*.  from  xhe  Material  World,  Self-exiftent,  In- 
 *£21     telligent,    Free,    All-powerful,  Wife,  and 
 Good  ^  had  been  proving  him  to  be  a  Spirit. 
 But,  it  feems,  noTroof  is  of  any  force  with 
 this  Author,    if  it  be  not  agreeable   to  the 
 Cartefian  Philofophy,    in  which  alone  he 
 feems  to  have  any  knowledge.  To  this  there- 
 fore, I  am  not  ohliged  to  trouble  either  my 
 felf  or  the  Reader  7  with  giving  any  further 
 Anfwer. 
 
 THE 
 
c  < ; 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 Concerning  the 
 
 Unalterable  Obligations 
 o  F 
 
 Natural  Religion, 
 
 AND    THE 
 
 Truth  and  Certainty 
 
 OF    T  H  E 
 
 Chriftian  Revelation. 
 
 HAving    ill  a  former  Blfcourfe  en-  The  tntm 
 deavour'd  to  lay  firmly  the  firft  cfufiicn. 
 Foundations  of  Religion,   in  the 
 certainty    of  the  Exiftence  and 
 of  the  Attributes  of  God  5  by  proving  feve- 
 rally  and  diftinclly : 
 
 That  Something  vmft  needs  have  exijled 
 from  Eternity:  And  how  great  foever  the 
 Difficulties  are,  which  perplex  the  Con- 
 ceptions and  Apprehensions  we  attempt 
 to  frame  of  an  eternal  Duration  •,  yet  they  j 
 neither   ought  nor  can  raife  in  any  Alan V' 
 
 M  Mind 
 
The  Evidence  of  Natural 
 
 Mind  any  Doubt  or  Scruple  concerning  the 
 truth  of  the  Afiertion  it  felf,  that  Something 
 has  really  been  eternal. 
 
 That  there  muft  have  exifted  from  Eterni- 
 ty fo?ne  One  U?tchangealle  and  Independent  Be- 
 ing ^  becaufe  to  fuppofe  an  eternal  fucceffioii 
 of  merely  dependent  Beings,  proceeding 
 one  from  another  in  an  endlefs  progreilion 
 without  any  original  Independent  Caufe  at 
 all,  is  fuppofing  things  that  have  in  their 
 own  Nature  no  Keceflity  of  Exifting,  to  be 
 from  Eternity  caufed  or  produced  by  no- 
 thing ^  which  is  the  very  fame  Abfurdity 
 and  exprefs  Contradiction,  as  to  fuppofe 
 them  produced  by  Nothing  at  any  determi- 
 nate time. 
 
 That  That  unchangeable  and  indepen- 
 dent Being,  which  has  exifted  from  eter- 
 nity, without  any  external  caufe  of  its 
 existence  •  muft  be  Self-exiJIent,  that  is,  Ne- 
 cefvily-cxifting. 
 
 That  it  muft  of  necefftty  be  tnfiyiite  or 
 every  where  prefent  ^  a  Being  moft  Simple^ 
 Uniform,  Invariable,  Indivijible,  Incorruptible , 
 and  infinitely  removed  from  all  fuch  Im- 
 perfections, as  are  the  known  Qualities  and 
 infeparable  Properties  of  the  Material  World. 
 
 That  it  muft  of  neceility  be  but  One  •  be- 
 caufe to  fuppofe  two,  or  more,  different 
 Sclf-Exiftent  independent  Principles,  may 
 be  reduced  to  a  direct  contradiction. 
 
 That  it  muft  neceftarily  be  an  Intelligent 
 Being. 
 
 That  it  muft  be  a  Free  and  Voluntary,  not 
 a  Neccffary  Agent. 
 
 That 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 That  this  Being  miift  of  necefllty  have 
 Infinite  Power  -,  and  that  in  this  Attribute  is 
 included  particularly,  a  Pofllbility  of  crea- 
 ting or  producing  Things,  and  alfo  a 
 Poillbility  of  communicating  to  Creatures 
 the  Powtr  of  Beginning  Motion,  and  a  Pof- 
 fibility  of  enduing  them  with  Liberty  or 
 Freedom  of  Will  ^  which  Freedom  of  "Will  is 
 not  inconfiftent  with  any  of  the  Divine  Attri- 
 butes. 
 
 lhat  He  mull  of  Necefllty  be  infinitely 
 Wife. 
 
 And  laftly,  Tloat  He  muft  neceflarily  be 
 a  Being  of  infinite  Goodnef,  Jujlice,  and 
 Truth,  and  all  other  moral  Perfections  ^  fuch 
 as  become  the  Supreme  Governour  and  Judge 
 of  the  World. 
 
 It  remains  now,  in  order  to  c'bmpleat 
 my  defign  of  proving  and  effablifhing  the 
 Truth  and  Excellency  of  the  whoZe  Super- 
 ftruclure  of  our  moil.  Holy  Religion  j  that 
 I  proceed  upon  this  Foundation  of  the 
 certainty  of  the  Being  and  Attributes  of  God, 
 to  demonftrate  in  the  next  place  the  unal- 
 terable Obligations  of  Natural  Religion,  and 
 the  certainty  of  Divine  Revelation  •  in  op- 
 pofition  to  the  vain  arguings  of  certain  va- 
 rious and  profane  Men,  who,  merely  up- 
 on account  of  their  Incredulity  would  be 
 thought  to  be  ftridfc  Adherers  to  Reafon,  and 
 fincere  and  diligent  Inquirers  into  Truth  j 
 when  indeed  on  the  contrary  there  is  but 
 too  much  caufe  to  fear,  that  they  are  not 
 at  all  fincerely  and  really  defirous  to  be 
 fatisfied  in  the  true  State  of  Things,  but 
 M  2  only 
 
4  The  Evidence  of  Natural 
 
 onlv  feck  under  tlie  pretenfe  and  cover   of 
 Infidelity,    to    excufc  their  Vices   and   De- 
 baucheries •,   which  they  are  fo  flrongly  in- 
 flav'd  to,   that   they  cannot    prevail   with 
 themfelves    upon    any    account   to    forfake 
 them:    And  yet  a    rational    Submitting    to 
 fuch  Truths,    as  juft    Evidence    and  unan- 
 fwerable  Reafon  would  induce  them  to  be- 
 lieve,    mull  necclTarily  make  them  uneafy 
 under,    and   (elf-condemned  in  the  practife 
 of  them.      It  remains  therefore  (I  fay)    in 
 order   to  finifli    the    Defign  I  propofed  to 
 myfelf,  of  eftablifhing    the  Truth  and  Ex- 
 cellency  of  our  Holy  Religion,    in    oppo- 
 fition  to  all  fuch  vain  Pretenders  to  Reafon 
 as  thefe  •    that  I  proceed  at  this  time,    by 
 a    continuation  of  the  fame  method  of  ar- 
 guing,   by  which  I  before  demonftrated  the 
 Being  an  I  Attributes  of  God,    to  prove  di- 
 Itin&ly  tlie  following  Propofitions. 
 
 I.  That  the  fame  neceffary  and  eternal 
 different  Relations,  that  different  Things 
 bear  one  to  another  ^  and  the  fame  confe- 
 quent  Fitnefs  or  Uvfitnefs  of  the  Application  of 
 different  Things  or  different  Relations  one 
 t  o  another,  with  regard  to  which  the  Will  of 
 Cod  always  and  neceffarily  does  determine  it 
 feif  to  choofe  to  ad  only  what  is  agreeable 
 to  Juftice,  Equity,  Goodnefs  and  Truth,  in 
 order  to  the  Welfare  of  the  whole  Univerfe  * 
 ovgbt  like  wife  conftantly  to  determine  the 
 Wills  of  all  fubordinate  rational  Beings, 
 to  govern  all  their  Actions  by  the  fame 
 Rules,  for  the  Good  of  the  Publick  in  their 
 refpective  Stations  :  That  is,  thefe  eternal 
 and  needfirj  differences  of  Things,   make 
 
 P  it 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  $ 
 
 it  ft  and  reafonahU  for  Creatures  fo  to  act  j 
 they  caufe  it  to  be  their  Duty,  cr  lay  an 
 Obligation  upon  them,  fo  to  do  ;  even  fe- 
 parate  from  the  confideration  of  thefe  Rules 
 being  the  poftivc  Will  or  Command  of  God  j 
 and  alfo  antecedent  to  any  refpecf.  or  re- 
 gard, expectation  or  apprehenfion,  of  any 
 particular,  private  and  perfonal  Advantage  or 
 Difadvantage,  Reward  or  Pitnifiment,  either 
 prefent  or  future,  annexed  either  by  natu- 
 ral confequencc  or  by  pofitive  appointment, 
 to  the  praclifing  or  neglecling  thole  Rules. 
 
 II.  That  though  thefe  eternal  moral  Ob- 
 ligations are  indeed  of  themfelves  incum- 
 bent on  all  rational  Beings,  even  antecedent 
 to  the  confideration  of  their  being  the  p.iii- 
 tive  Will  and  Command  of  God  •,  yet  That 
 which  moil  ffrongly  confirms,  and  in 
 praclife  moft  effectually  and  indifpenftbty 
 inforces  them  upon  us,  is  this  ^  that  both 
 from  the  Nature  of  Things,  and  the  Perfecti- 
 ons of  God,  and  from  feveral  other  collateral 
 confiderations,  it  appears,  that  as  God  is 
 himfelf  neceflarily  Tuft  and  Good  in  the 
 exercife  of  his  infinite  Power  in  the  Go- 
 vernment of  the  whole  World,  fo  he  can- 
 not but  likewife  pofitively  Require  that  all 
 his  rational  Creatures  fhould  in  their  Propor- 
 tion be  fo  too,  in  the  exercife  of  each  of  their 
 Powers  in  their  rcfpeclive  Spheres  :  That  is  • 
 as  thefe  eternal  moral  Obligations  are  really 
 in  perpetual  Force  merely  from  their  own 
 Nature  and  the  abftract  Reafon  of  Things  h 
 fo  alfo  they  are  moreover  the  exprefs  and 
 unalterable  Will,  Command  and  Law  of  God 
 to  his  Creatures,  which  he  cannot  but  ex- 
 pect   ihould  in  Obedience  to    his   Supreme 
 
 M  3  AuthoJ 
 
6  The  Evidence  of  Natural 
 
 Authority,  as  well  as  in  compliance  with 
 the  Natural  Reafon  of  Things,  he  regularly 
 and  conftantly  obferved  through  the  whole 
 Creation 
 
 III.  That  therefore,  though  thefe  eternal 
 moral  Obligations  are  alfo  incumbent  in- 
 deed  on  all  rational  Creatures,  antecedent 
 to  any  refpccl  of  Particular  Reward  or 
 Punifliment'j  yet  they  vwft  certainly  and 
 necefiarily  be  attended  with  Rewards  ani 
 Turn  foments :  Bee  aufe  the  fame  Reafons, 
 which  prove  God  himfelf  to  be  necefTarily 
 Juft  and  Good  •,  and  the  Rules  of  Juftice, 
 Equity  and  Goodnefs,  to  be  his  unalterable 
 Will,  Law  and  Command,  to  all  Created 
 Beings  y  prove  alfo  that  he  cannot  but  be 
 pie  a  fed  r/ith  and  approve  fuch  Creatures  as 
 imitate  and  obey  him  by  obferving  thofe 
 Rules,  and  he  difpleafed  with  fuch  as  act  con-» 
 trarythereto  $  and  confequently  that  he  cannot 
 but  fome  way  or  other  make  a  fmtable  Dif-. 
 ferevce  in  his  Dealings  with  them;  and  ma- 
 nifcft  his  Supreme  Power  and  abfblute  Au-r 
 thority,  in  finally  fupporting,  maintain- 
 ing, and  vindicating  effectually  the  Hor» 
 nour  of  thefe  his  Divine  Laws  ^  as  becomes 
 the  Juft  and  Righteous  Governour  and  Dif^ 
 pofer  of  all  things. 
 
 IV.  That  confequently,  though  in  order 
 to  efrablifh  this  fai table  difference  between 
 the  Fruits  or  Effects  of  Virtue  and  Vice, 
 fo  reafonable  in  itfclf,  and  fo  abfolutely 
 neceflary  for  the  Vindication  of  the  Honour 
 <  f  God  5  the  Nature  of  Things,  and  the  Con- 
 stitution and  Order  of  God's  Creation,  was 
 originally  fuch,    that  the  pbfervance  of  the 
 
 eternal 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 eternal  Rules  of  Juftice,  Equity  and  Good- 
 nefs,  does  indeed  of  it  felf  tend  by  direct 
 and  natural  confequence  to  make  all  Crea- 
 tures happy  *,  and  the  contrary  praclife,  to 
 make  them  miferable :  Yet  fince  through 
 fome  great  and  general  Corruption  and  De- 
 pravation (whencefoever  that  may  have  ari- 
 fen  *,  the  particular  Original  whereof  could 
 hardly  have  been  known  Now  without  Reve- 
 lation -,)  fince  (I  fay)  the  condition  of  Men 
 in  this  prefent  State  is  fuch,  that  the  natural 
 order  of  Things  in  this  World  is  in  event 
 manifeftly  perverted,  and  Virtue  and  Good- 
 nefs  are  vifibly  prevented  in  great  meaiure 
 from  obtaining  their  proper  and  due  Effects 
 in  eftablifhing  Mens  Happinefs  proporti- 
 onable to  their  behaviour  and  practife- 
 Therefore  'tis  abfolutely  impoffible,  that 
 the  whole  view  and  intention,  the  original 
 and  the  final  Defign,  of  Gods  creating  fuch 
 rational  Beings  as  Men  are,  and  placing 
 them  in  this  Globe  of  Earth,  as  the  chief 
 and  principal,  or  indeed  (may  we  not  fay) 
 the  only  Inhabitants,  for  whofe  fake  alone 
 This  part  at  leaft  of  the  Creation  is  ma- 
 nifeftly fitted  up  and  accommodated-,  'tis 
 abfolutely  impoifible  ( I  fay )  that  the 
 whole  of  Gods  Defign  in  all  this,  fhould 
 be  nothing  more  than  to  keep  up  eternally ' 
 a  fucceilion  of  fuch  fhort-lived  Generations 
 of  Men  as  at  prefent  Are  •,  and  thofe  in 
 fuch  a  corrupt,  confufed,  and  diforderly 
 State  of  Things,  as  we  fee  the  World  is 
 now  in  ^  without  any  due  obfervation  of 
 the  eternal  Rules  of  "Good  and  Evil,  with- 
 out any    clear  amd    remarkable  Effect    of 
 
 M  4  the 
 
8  The  Evidence  of  Natural 
 
 the    great    and  moft  necefTary    Differences 
 of  Things,    and  without  any  final  vindica- 
 tion of    the   Honour  and  Laws  of  God  in 
 the  proportionable  reward  of  the  beft,    or 
 puniihment    of    the   word    of   Men:    And 
 consequently    it  is  certain    and    necefTary, 
 (even  as  certain  as  the  moral  Attributes  of 
 God    before  demonftrated,)   that  inftead   of 
 the  continuing  an  eternal  fucceflion  of  new 
 Generations  in  the  prefent  Form  and  State 
 of  Things,  there  muft  at  fome  time  or  other 
 be  fuch.   a  Revolution    and  Renovation    of 
 Things,    fuch  a  future  State  of  exiftence  of 
 the  fame  Perfons,  as  that  by    an  exact  di- 
 ftribution    of    Rewards     and     Puniihments 
 therein,  all  the  prefent  Diforders  and  Ine- 
 qualities may  be  fet  right  ^    and  that    the 
 whole  Scheme  of  Providence,    which  to  us 
 who  judge  of  it  by  only  one  fmall  Portion 
 of  it,   fcems  now  fo  inexplicable  and  much 
 confnfcd-,  may  appear  at  its  confummation, 
 to    be    a    Defign  worthy  of  Infinite  Wif- 
 dom,  Juftice  and  Goodnefs. 
 
 Y.  That,  though  the  indifpenfable  ne- 
 celfity  of  all  the  great  and  moral  Obliga- 
 tions of  Natural  Religion,  and  alfo  the 
 Certainty  of  a  future  State  of  Rewards  and 
 Puniihments,  be  thus  in  general  deducible 
 even  demonftraLly,  byJS  a  Chain  of  clear 
 and  undeniable  reafoning  :  Yet  (in  the  pre-  • 
 fent  State  of  the  World,  by  what  means 
 foever  it  came  originally  to  be  fo  corrupted, 
 of  which  more  hereafter,)  fuch  is  the  Care- 
 lefnefs,  Inconfdcratencfs,  and  Want  of  Atten- 
 tion Lf  the  greater  part  of  Mankind  5  fo 
 many  the  Prejudices  and  falfe  Notions  imbibed 
 
 by 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 by  evil  Education  -,  fo  ftrong  and  violent 
 the  unreafonable  Lttjfs,  Appetites  and  Dejires 
 ofSenfe-,  aud  fo  great  the  Blindnefs,  intro- 
 duced by  fupcrjlitious  Opinions,  vitiom  Cu~ 
 jloms,  and  debauched  PraBices  through  the 
 World  5  that  very  few  are  able,  in  reality 
 and  erred,  to  difcover  thefe  Things  clear- 
 ly and  plainly  for  themfelves  5  but  Men 
 have  great  need  of  particular  Teaching,  and 
 much  Inftruttion,  to  convince  them  of  the 
 Truth,  and  Certainty,  and  Importance  of 
 thefe  things-,  to  give  them  a  due Senfe,  and 
 clear  and  juft  Apprehenfwns  concerning  them  - 
 and  to  bring  them  effectually  to  the  prac- 
 fife  of  the  plaineft  and  moft  neceflary  Du- 
 ties. 
 
 VI.  That,  though  in  almoft  every  Age 
 there  have  indeed  been  in  the  Heathen 
 World  fome  wife  and  brave  and  good  Men, 
 who  have  made  it  their  bufinefs  to  ftudy 
 and  pra&ife  thefe  things  themfelves,  and 
 to  teach  and  exhort  others  to  do  the  like  5 
 who  feem  therefore  to  have  been  raifed  up 
 by  Providence,  as  Inftrumcnts  to  reprove 
 in  fome  meafure  and  put  fome  kind  of 
 check  to  the  extreme  Superftition  and 
 Wickednefs  of  the  Nations  wherein  they 
 lived  :  Yet  none  of  thefe  have  ever  been 
 able  to  reform  the  World,  with  any  con- 
 siderable great  and  univerfal  Succefs  ;  Be- 
 caufe  they  have  been  but  very  few,  that 
 have  in  earneit  fet  themfelves  about  this 
 excellent  Work  5  and  they  that  have  in- 
 deed fincerely  done  it,  have  themfelves 
 been  intirely  ignorant  of  fome  Doctrines, 
 and  very   doubtful  and    uncertain    of  others, 
 
 abiblutely 
 
io  T7;^  Evidence  of  Natural 
 
 abfolutely  neceflary  for  the  bringing  about 
 that  great  End  ;  and  thofe  things  which 
 they  have  been  certain  of  and  in  good  mea- 
 fure  underftood,  they  have  not  been  able 
 to  prove  and  explain  clearly  enough  -  and 
 thofe  that  they  have  been  able  both  to  prove 
 and  explain  by  fufficiently  clear  reafoning, 
 they  have  not  yet  had  Authority  enough  to 
 inforce  and  inculcate  upon  Men's  Minds 
 with  fo  ftrong  an  imprelfion,  as  to  influ- 
 ence and  govern  the  general  Practife  of  the 
 World. 
 
 VII.  That  therefore  there  was  plainly 
 wanting  a  Divine  Revelation,  to  recover  Man- 
 kind out  of  their  univerfally  degenerate  E- 
 ftate,  into  a  State  fuitable  to  the  original 
 Excellency  of  their  Nature :  Which  Divine 
 Revelation,  both  the  Neceflities  of  Men  and 
 their  natural  Notions  of  God,  gave  them  rea- 
 sonable ground  to  expect  and  hope  for  ; 
 As  appears  from  the  Acknowledgments  which 
 the  heft  and  wifeft  of  the  Heathen  Philofb- 
 phers  themfelves  have  made,  of  their  Seitfe  of 
 thenecefnty  and  want  of  fuch  a  Revelation.; 
 and  from  their  Expreffions  of  the  hopes  they 
 had  entertained,  that  God  would  fometime 
 or  other  vouch fafe  it  unto  them. 
 
 VIII.  That  there  is  no  other  Religion  now 
 in  the  World,  but  the  Chriftian,  that  has  any 
 juft  pretenfe,  or  tolerable  appearance  of  Rea- 
 fon  to  be  efteemed  fuch  a  Divine  Revelation : 
 And  therefore  if  Chriftianity  be  not  true, 
 there  is  no  Revelation  of  the  Will  of  God  at 
 all  made  to  Mankind. 
 
 IX.  That 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 1 
 
 IX.  That  the  Chrijfian  Religion,  confidered 
 in  its  primitive  Simplicity,  and  as  taught 
 in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  has  all  the  Marks 
 and  Proofs  of  its  being  actually  and  truly 
 a  Divine  Revelation,  that  any  Divine  Reve- 
 lation, fuppoflng  it  was  true,  could  reafona- 
 bly  be  imagined  or  defircd  to  have. 
 
 X.  That  the  PraSical  Duties  which  the 
 Chriftian  Religion  enjoyns,  are  all  fuch, 
 as  are  moft  agreeable  to  our  natural  No- 
 tions of  God,  and  moft  perfective  of  the 
 Nature,  and  conducive  to  the  Happinefs  and 
 Well-being  of  Men  :  That  is,  Christianity 
 even  in  this  fingle  refpecr,  as  containing  a- 
 lone  and  in  one  confident  Syftem  all  the 
 Wife  and  good  Precepts,  (and  thofe  impro- 
 ved, augmented  and  exalted  to  the  higheft 
 degree  of  Perfection,)  that  ever  were  taught 
 fingly  and  fcatteredly,  and  many  times  but 
 very  corruptly,  by  the  feveral  Schools  of 
 the  Philofophers  •,  and  this  without  any  mix- 
 ture of  the  fond,  abfurd  and  fuperftitious 
 Practifes  of  any  of  thofe  Philofophers ; 
 ought  to  be  embraced  and  practiced  by 
 all  rational  and  confidering  Deifts,  who  will 
 act  confidently,  and  fteddily  purfue  the 
 confequences  of  their  own  Principles  •,  as 
 at  leaft  the  beft  Scheme  and  Seel  of  Philo- 
 sophy, that  ever  was  fet  up  in  the  World  -, ' 
 and  highly  probable,  even  though  it  had 
 no  external  evidence  to  be  of  Divine  Ori- 
 ginal. 
 
 XI.  That  the  Motives,  by  which  the 
 Chriftian  Religion  inforces  the  practice  of 
 the£c  Duties  •,  are  fuch  as  are  moft  fuitable 
 to  the  excellent  Wifdom  of  God,  and  moft 
 
 anfwerable 
 
1 1  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 anfwerable  to  the  natural  Expectations  of 
 Men. 
 
 XII.  That  the  peculiar  Manner  and  Circum- 
 fames  with  which  it  enjoy ns  thefe  Duties, 
 and  urges  thefe  Motives  •,  are  exactly  confo- 
 nant  to  the  Dictates  of  found  Reafon,  or  the 
 unprejudiced  Light  of  Nature  $  and  moft  wife- 
 ly perfective  of  it. 
 
 XIII.  That  all  the  [Crcdenda,  or]  Dottrines 
 which  the  true,  fimple,  and  uncorrupted 
 Chriftian  Religion  teaches  ;  (that  is,  not 
 only  thofe  plain  Doctrines,  which  it  requires 
 to  be  believed  as  fundamental  and  of  necef- 
 jity  to  eternal  Salvation,  but  even  All  the 
 Doctrines  which  it  teaches  as  Matters  of 
 Truth  s)  are,  though  indeed  many  of  them 
 riot  discoverable  by  bare  Reafon  unaflifted 
 with  Revelation,  yet  when  difcovered  by 
 Revelation,  apparently  moft  agreeable  to 
 found  unprejudiced  Reafon  •  have  every  one 
 of  tli em  a  natural  tendency,  and  a  direct  and 
 powerful  influence,  to  reform  Mens  Lives  and 
 cor  reft  their  Manners  ^  and  do  together  make 
 up  an  infinitely  more  confiflent  and  rational 
 Scheme  of  Belief,  than  any  that  tire  wifeft  of 
 the  antient  Philofophers  ever  did,  or  the 
 cunningeft  of  modern  Unbelievers  can  invent 
 or  contrive. 
 
 XIV.  That  as  this  Revelation,  to  the 
 Judgment  of  Right  and  fober  Reafon,  ap- 
 pears even  of  it  felf  highly  credible  and 
 probable  •  and  abundantly  recommends  it 
 felf"  Jn  its  native  Simplicity,  merely  by 
 its  own  intrinfick  Goodnefs  and  Excellency, 
 to  the  practice  of  the  moft  rational  and 
 considering  Men,  who  are  defirous  in  all 
 their  Actions  to  have  fatisfaction  and  com- 
 fort 
 
3 
 
 and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 fort  and  good  hope  within  themfelves,  from 
 the  Confcience  of  what  they  do  :  So  it  is 
 moreover  pofitiveiy  and  directly  proved, 
 to  be  actually  and  immediately  lent  to  us 
 from  God,  by  the  many  infallible  Signs  and 
 MiracleSyVthich  the  Author  of  it  worked  pub- 
 lickly  as  the  Evidence  of  his  Divine  Commit- 
 lion^  by  the  exact  completion  both  of  the 
 Prophecies  that  went  before  concerning  him, 
 and  of  thofe  that  He  himfelf  delivered  con- 
 cerning things  that  were  to  happen  after  ^ 
 and  by  the  Tejlimony  of  his  Followers  *,  which 
 in  all  its  Circumftances  was  the  mod  credible, 
 certain,  and  convincing  Evidence,  that  was 
 ever  given  to  any  Matter  of  Fact  in  the 
 World. 
 
 XV.  And  Laftly  5  That  they  who  will 
 not,  by  fuch  Arguments  and  Proofs  as  thefe, 
 be  convinced  of  the  Truth  and  Certainty 
 of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  and  be  perfua- 
 ded  to  make  it  the  Rule  and  Guide  of  all 
 their  Actions  ^  would  not  be  convinced^  ( fo 
 far  as  to  influence  their  Hearts,  and  reform 
 their  Lives,)  by  any  other  Evidence  what- 
 foever  •,  no,  not  though  one  ihould  rife  on 
 purpofe  from  the  Dead,  to  endeavour  to  con- 
 vince them. 
 
 1  might  here,  before  I  enter  upon  the  par-  0ft^e^ 
 ticular  Proof  of  thefe  feveral  Proportions,  verat  forts 
 juftly  be  allowed  to  premife,    that   having  of  Defa. 
 Now  to  deal  with  another  fort  of  Men,  than 
 thofe   againft   whom   my   former  Difcourfe 
 was   directed^   and   being  confequently    in 
 fome  parts  of  this  Treatife  to  make  ufe  of 
 fome  other    hinds   of  Arguments  than  thofe 
 
 which 
 
1 4  iffoe  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 which  the  Kature  of  that  Difcourfe  per^ 
 mitted  and  required  *,  the  fame  demonjlrative 
 force  of  reafoning,  and  even  Mathematical 
 certainty,  which  in  the  main  Argument 
 was  there  eafy  to  be  obtained,  ought  not 
 here  to  be  expected  \  but  that  fuch  moral 
 Evidence,  or  mixt  Proofs  from  Circum- 
 ftances  and  Teftimony,  as  moft  Matters  of 
 Fact  are  only  capable  of,  and  wife  and  ho- 
 ne'ft  Men  are  always  fatisfied  with,  ought 
 to  be  accounted  fufficient  in  the  prefent 
 Cafe.  Becaufe  all  the  Principles  indeed 
 upon  which  Atbcijts  attempt  to  build  their 
 Schemes,  are  fuch  as  may  by  plain  force 
 of  Reafon,  and  undeniably  demonftrative 
 Argumentations ,  be  reduced  to  exprefs 
 and  direct  Contradictions.  But  the  Deijts 
 pretend  to  own  all  the  Principles  of  Reafon, 
 and  would  be  thought  to  deny  nothing  but 
 what  depends  entirely  on  Teftimony  and 
 Evidence  of  Matter  of  Fact,  which  they 
 think  they  can  eafily  evade. 
 
 But,  if  we  examine  things  to  the  bottom, 
 we  {hall  find  that  the  Matter  does  not  in 
 reality  lie  here.  For  I  believe  there  are  in 
 the  World,  at  leaft  in  any  part  of  the  World 
 where  the  Chriftian  Religion  is  in  any  tole- 
 rable Purity  profefled,  very  Few,  \iAny,  fuch 
 Deifts  as  will  truly  ftand  to  all  the  Princi- 
 ples of  unprejudiced  Reafon,  and  fincerely 
 both  in  profeilion  and  practife,  own  all  the 
 Obligations  of  Natural  Religion,  and  yet 
 oppofe  Chriftianity  merely  upon  account 
 of  their  not  being  fatisfied  with  the  ftrength 
 of  the  Evidence  of  matter  of  Fa  ft.  A  con- 
 ltant  and  fincere  obfervance  of  all  the  Laws 
 
 of 
 
 i 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  fj 
 
 of  Reafon  and  Obligations  of  Natural  Reli- 
 gion, will  unavoidably  lead  a  Man  to  Cb/i- 
 Jtianity  *,  if  he  has  due  opportunities  of  exa- 
 mining things,  and  will  fteddily  purfue  the 
 Confequences  of  his  own  Principles :  And  all 
 others,  who  pretend  to  be  Deifts  without 
 coming  up  to  this,  can  have  no  fat  and  fet- 
 tled Principles  at  all,  upon  which  they  can 
 either  argue  or  a&  confidently  •,  but  muft  of 
 neceffity  fink  into  downright  Atbeifm,  ('and 
 confequently  fall  under  the  force  of  the  for- 
 mer Arguments-,)  as  may  appear  by  confider- 
 ing  the  feveral  Sorts  of  them. 
 
 i.  Some  Men   would   be   thought    to  be  oftbefirfl 
 Veip,  becaufe  they  pretend  to  believe  the  %*s?  %$£ 
 Exiftence  of  an  Eternal,  Infinite,  Indepen-  0f  Provi- 
 dent, Intelligent  Being  ^   and  to  avoid  the  denes. 
 name  of  Epicurean  Atheifts,  teach  alfo  that 
 tbis    Supreme     Being    made    the     World : 
 Though  at  the  fame  time  they  agree  with 
 the  Epicureans  in    this,    that  they  fancy 
 *God  does  not  at  all  concern 
 
 himfelf  in  the  Government  of  *  Omnis  enim  per  fe  Dlmffi 
 ^."l     xir     u       ,        -u  natura  necefie  eft 
 
 the /World,    nor  has  any  re-    Immorca!i  xvo  fumnu  cnm 
 
 gard  to,   or  care  of,  what  is  pace  fruatar, 
 done     therein.        But,  if  we  Semota  a  noftris  rebus,  re- 
 examine   things     duly,      this  junftaq^  longe. 
 ~    .    .             A  5          .  V  i\  Nam  pnvata  dolore  cmni, 
 Opinion  muft  unavoidably  ter-  prjVaca  pericli.^ 
 minate    in    abfolute    Atbeifm,  ipfa  fuis  pollens  opibus,  ni- 
 For     although      to      imagine  hii  indiga  noftri, 
 that  God  at5  the  Creation  of  "ccne\Z%™ tt  ^^ 
 
 Lucret.  lib.  r. 
 
 To  (AltKCtexOV    ^  £<P§Cl{]oV>  ili   CLV7V  T^V^cJ*    W*'  8T£  a,H\u  «z<l* 
 
 t£XH%  **"•  *Ti  *?>**fi  »T5  %deJLft  ouvixil&t-  Laert.  in  vita  Epicuri. 
 
 Nor  is  the  dolirme  of  thoje  Modern  Philosophers,  much  different  ;  vph$ 
 afcribe  every  thing  to  Matter  and  Motion,  exclujhe  of  Final  Caufes  -,  and 
 /peak  of  God  as  an  Intelligencia  Supramundana  ;  Which  is  the  wjCinz 
 9/  Epicurus  and  Lucretius. 
 
 the 
 
The  Evidence  of  Natural 
 
 the  World,  or  at  the  Formation  of  any  par- 
 ticular part  of  it,  could  (if  he  had  pkafed,) 
 by  his  infinite  Wifdom,  Foreiight,  and  un- 
 erring Defign  ,  have  originally  fo  ordered, 
 difpofed,  and  adapted  all  the  Springs  and 
 Series  of  future  necejfary  and  unintelligent 
 Caufes,  that  Without  the  immediate  inter- 
 pofition  of  his  Almighty  Power  upon 
 every  particular  occafion,  they  Ihould  re- 
 gularly by  Virtue  of  that  original  Difpoft- 
 lion  have  produced  Effects  worthy  to  pro- 
 ceed from  the  Direction  and  Government 
 of  infinite  Wifdom  :  Though  this,  I  fay, 
 mav  poliibly  by  very  nice  and  abftradt  rea- 
 soning he  reconcileable  with  a  firm  Belief 
 both  of  the  Being  and  Attributes  of  God, 
 and  alfo  with  a  confiftent  Notion  even  of 
 Providence  it  felf  •,  yet  to  fancy  that  God 
 originally  created  a  certain  Quantity  of  Mat- 
 ter and  Motion,  and  left  them  to  frame  a 
 \Vorld  at  adventures,  without  any  deter- 
 minate and  particular  view,  defign  or  direc- 
 tion ^  this  can  no  way  be  defended  con- 
 jiftently  ,  but  muft  of  neceffity  recur  to 
 downright  Atheifm  :  As  I  fhall  fhow  prefent- 
 \j  •  after  I  have  made  only  this  One  Ob-> 
 fervation,  that  as  that  Opinion  is  impious 
 in  it  felf,  fo  the  late  improvements  in.  Ma- 
 thematicks  and  natural  Philofophy  have 
 difcovered,  that  as  things  Now  are,  That 
 Scheme  is  plainly  falfe  and  impotfible  ill 
 Facl.  For,not  to  fay/that,  feeing  Matter  is  ut- 
 terly uncapable  of  obeying  any  Laws,  the 
 very  original  Laws  of  Motion  themfelves 
 cannot  continue  to  take  place,  but  by  fome- 
 thing  Superiour  to  Matter,  continually  exert- 
 ing on  it  a  certain  Force  or  Power  according 
 to  fuch  certain  and  determinate  Laws  ♦,  'tis 
 
 now 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  tj 
 
 riow  evident  htyond  queftion,  that  the  Bo- 
 dies of  all  Plants  and  Ammah,  much  the 
 moft  confiderable  parts  of  the  World,  could 
 hot  poflibly  have  been  formed  by  mere 
 Matter  according  to  any  general  Laws  of 
 Motion.  Arid  not  only  fo  •  but  That  moft 
 univerfal  Principle  6f  Gravitation  it  felf, 
 the  Spring  of  almoft  all  the  great  and  regu- 
 lar inanimate  Motions  in  the  World,  an- 
 fweriftg  (as  I  hinted  in  my  former  Dif- 
 courfe,)  not  at  all  to  the  Surfaces  of  Bodies, 
 (by  \vhich  alone  they  can  act  one  upon  ano- 
 ther,,) but  entirely  to  their  Solid  Content, 
 cannot  poflibly  be  the  refult  of  any  Motion 
 originally  imprefied  on  Matter,  but  mult 
 of  neceflity  be  caufed  by  fomething  which 
 penetrates  the  very  Solid  Subftance  of  all 
 Bodies,  and  continually  puts  foth  in  them 
 a  Force  or  Power  entirely  different  from 
 that  by  which  Matter  acts  on  Matter, 
 Which  1^  by  the  way,  an  evident  demonftra- 
 tion,  not  only  of  the  World's  being  made 
 originally  by  a"  fupf erne  Intelligent  Caufe  • 
 but  moreover  that  it  depends  every  Moment 
 on  fome  Superior  Being,  for  the  Preferva- 
 tion  of  its  Frame  •,  and  that  all  the  great 
 Motions  in  it,  are  caufed  by  fome  Immate- 
 rial Power,  not  having  originally  imprefied  . 
 a  certain  QiiMitity  of  Motion  upon  Mat- 
 ter, but  perpetually  and  aftually  exerting  it 
 felf  every  Moment  in  every  part  of  .the 
 World.  Which  Preferving  and  Governing  Pow- 
 er, whether  it  be  immediately  the  Power 
 and  Action  of  the  fame  Supreme  Caufe  that 
 Created  the  World,  or  of  fome  fubordinate 
 Inftruments  appointed  by  Him  to  direct 
 find  prefide  rtfpedtively  over  certain  parts 
 N  "  thereof, 
 
i  8  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 thereof,   does  either  way  equally  give  us  a 
 very  noble  Idea  of  Providence.     Thofe  Men 
 indeed, v  who,  merely  through  a  certain  va- 
 nity of  Philofophizing,  have  been  tempted 
 to  embrace  that  other  Opinion,  of  all  things 
 being    produced    and  continued   only  by  a 
 certain    Quantity    of    Motion,   originally    im- 
 preffed  on  Matter  without  any  determinate 
 Defign  or  Direction,    and  left  to  it  felf  to 
 form  a  World  at  adventures  •,  Thofe  Men, 
 I  fay,  who,  merely  through  a  vanity  of  Phi- 
 lofophizing,   have  been  ter.pted  to  embrace 
 that  Opinion,   without  attending  whither  it 
 .  would  lead  them  $    ought  not,    indeed,    to 
 be    directly   charged  with   all    the    Confe- 
 quences  of  it :   But  'tis  certain,   that  many 
 under  that  cover,   have  really  been  Atheifts  h 
 and  the  Opinion  it  felf   fas  I  before  faid^ 
 leads  neceiTarily  and  by  unavoidable  confe- 
 rence,   to  plain   Atheifm.     For  if   God  be 
 an  All-powerful,    Omniprefent,   Intelligent, 
 Wife  and  Free  Being,  (as  it  hath  been  be- 
 fore demonstrated  that  he  neceiTarily    Is  -9) 
 he  cannot  poflibly  but  know,  at  all  times  and 
 in  all  places,  every  thing  that  is  •,  and  fore-* 
 know  what    at  all    times  and   in  all  places 
 'tis  fitteft  and  wifeft  Jhovld  he  •    and  have  per- 
 fect Tower  without  the  leaft  labour,  difficul- 
 ty or  opposition,  to  order  and  bring  to  pafs 
 what  he  fo  judges  fit  to  be  accomplished : 
 And       confequently     'tis     impofllble      but 
 *     he   muft     actually  direct 
 *  Quo  confcflbjccnfircn-    and    appoint   every   particu- 
 dum    eft    corum-  confilio     lar    thing    and    circumftance 
 
 dt  nat.  Dm,  lib.  a.  tnat  1S  m  the  world  or  ever 
 
 Shall  be,  excepting  only  what 
 
 w 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  i  ^ 
 
 "Uy  his  own  good  pleafure  he  puts  under  the 
 Power  and  Choice  of  fubordinate  Free  Agents. 
 If  therefore  God  does  not  concern  hijnfclf 
 in  the  Government  of  the  wrifKf,  nor  has 
 any  regard  to  what  is  done  -therein  *  it  will 
 Follow  that,  he  is  not  an' Omniprefenr,  All- 
 powerful,  Intelligent  and  Wife"  Being  •  and 
 confequently,  that  he  is  riot  at  all.  Wherefore 
 the  Opinion  of  this  fort  of  Deifts,  frands 
 not  upon  any  certain  confiftcnt  Principles^ 
 but  leads  unavoidably  to  downright  Atheifm  , 
 And    f     however   in    Words 
 
 they  may  eonfefs  a  God,  yet  +  I$icun>m titbit :  hlu 
 &  reality  and  in  truth  they  gg,  ££«  «** 
 deny  him. 
 
 If,    to  avoid   this,    they  will  own  .jQod's  H»m*ne 
 Government  and  Providence  over  the  great-  Aff*n*%  rf 
 
 tcnedtbtht 
 
 er  and  more  considerable  parts  of   the  World,  regarc{  0c 
 but   deny    ,his    Infpection    and  Regard    to  Providence 
 humane   Affairs    here    upon  Earth,    as   being 
 f  too  minute  and  Small  for  the 
 
 Supreme    Governour    of  all  *  frr)  fi  ma  o<  vo^l?*- 
 
 things  to  concern  himfelf  in  ^  J",  *5  m  $$*>  4  ™'«S™ 
 
 This    ftill    amounts    to    the  •**"*  °  **^/u™  '*& 
 
 lame.     For  if  God  be  Omni-  ^V7a  lhut.  ^^v^,  *J 
 
 prefent,     All-knowing,     and  yvam>  tUx>  -n*eiQ7*Tlw  ? 
 
 All-powerful :  he  cannot  but  *#wl  «W^  w»^. 
 
 equally     know,      and    witj  fe^M^S 
 
 equal  eale  be  able  to  direct  Ur^****.    SHaplie.  in  £- 
 
 and  govern,  t    all  things   as  $&*** 
 
 any,    and  the  *  minute  ft  things  t    Dcorum    provident?* 
 
 A       _J  J  a       c     4,-u    *   -r  i  nvindus   admmmratur  ;    ii. 
 
 as  the  greatefi  ■    So  that  if  he  deniq .  caniulum  reiu]  hu_ 
 
 has    no    regard  nor  concern,  m.mU  -,  nccj;  folum  unim- 
 
 for  thefe  things  \  his  Attn-  fis'  verum    «i»m  Singklu. 
 
 butes     mud,    as   before,     he  Cie;M?f-  £*\'-. , 
 
 denyedj    and     confequently  tn-xattuift-Sitoufc 
 
 N  2  his 
 
2  0        The  Evidence  of  Natural 
 
 W)*,  u(  i-7iui\£i  cyu^Zv  his  Being.  But  befides-:  Hu- 
 ■■"  *•'•  «*  Srfy  n  r  ui-     wmc  A  fairs  are  by  no  means 
 
 S %%?£''         the  minuteft  and  moft  in~ 
 
 'E/  5  «r»  Sa*  jw^«  5  a«fcf  conflderable  part  of  the  Crea- 
 c^T'x?A«7a/,  eiva'yKn £  r  tidn  ;  for,  (not  to  consider 
 u*!«,  *yfk  *3»*f\  *****     NoW  That  Excellency  of  Hu- 
 
 fife*  £  Sxsi  «*<*«?©-  cTn-  toW^  Mature,  which  fln- 
 fxsAn^a*  7rpa3t>gr©-,  **  ftianity  difcovcrs  to  us-,)  let 
 av  JpiKnnii  r  u*?&v  riti  a  Deift  fuppofe  the  Vniverfe 
 t&myiu  **  hl%Jup  '»  as  large  as  the  wideft  Hy- 
 &%l™Ji»t? «v«y*»  PPthefis  cf  Aftronomy  will 
 XHtb*titoKQpfHbri$ih&  give  him  leave  to  imagine  ^ 
 Simplic  in  Epittet.  or  let  him  fuppofe  it  as  im- 
 
 menfe  as  he  himfelf  pleafes, 
 and  filled  with  as  great  numbers  of  ra- 
 tional Creatures  as  his  own  Fancy  caii 
 fuggeft-  Yet  the  Syftem  wherein  we  are 
 placed,  will,  at  leaft  for  ought  he  can 
 reafonably  fuppofe,  be  as  conflderable  as 
 any  other  fingle  Syftem-,  And  the  Earth 
 whereon  we  dwell,  as  considerable  as 
 moft  of  the  other  Planets  in  this  Sy- 
 ftem-, And  Mankind  manifeftly  the  only 
 conflderable  Inhabitants  on  this  Globe  of 
 Earth.  Man  therefore  has  manifeftly  a  bet- 
 ter claim  to  the  particular  regard  and  con-* 
 cern  of  Providence,  than  any  thing  elfe  ill 
 this  Globe  of  ours  -,  And  this  dur  Globe  of 
 Earth,  as  juft  a  pretence  to  it,  as  moft  other; 
 Planets  in  the  Syftem  $  And  this  Syftem,  as 
 juft  an  one,  as  far  as  we  can  judge,  as  any 
 Syftem  in  the  Univerfe.  If  therefore  there 
 be  any  Providence  at  all,  and  God  has  any 
 concern  for  any  part  of  the  World  ;  Man- 
 kind,  even  feparate  from  the  consideration 
 of   that   Excellency  cf    Humane     Nature 
 
 which 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  a  t 
 
 which  the  Chriftian  Doctrine  difcovers  to 
 us,  may  as  reafonably  be  fuppofed  to  be 
 under  its  particular  Care  and  Government, 
 as  any  other  part  of  the  Univerfe. 
 
 2.  Some  others  there  are,  that  call  them-  of  theft- 
 felves  Deifts,  becaufe  they  believe,  not  only  jT^? 
 the  Being,  but  alfo  the  Providence  of  God  -, / 
 that  is,  that  every  natural  thing  that  is  done 
 in  the  "World,  is  produe'd  by  the  Power, 
 appointed  by  the  "Wifdom,  and  directed  by 
 the  Government  of  God  ^  Though ,  not 
 allowing  any  difference  between  moral  Good 
 <and  £i>i/,  they  fuppofe  that  God  takes  no 
 notice  of  the  morally  good  or  evil  Actions 
 of  Men  ^  thefe  Things  depending,  as  they 
 imagine,  merely  on  the  arbitrary  Conftitu- 
 tion  of  Humane  Laws.  But  how  handfomly 
 focver  thefe  Men  may  feem  to  fpeak,  of  the 
 natural  Attributes  of  God,  of  his  Knowledge, 
 Wifdom  and  Power  ^  yet  neither  can  this 
 Opinion  be  fettled  on  any  certain  Principles, 
 nor  defended  by  any  confiftent  Reafoning  ^ 
 nor  can  the  natural  Attributes  of  God  be  fo 
 feparated  from  the  moral,  but  that  he  who 
 denies  the  latter,  may  be  reduced  to  a  ne- 
 ceffity  cf  denying  the  former  likewife.  For 
 fince  (as  I  have  formerly  provedj  there 
 cannot  but  be  eternal  and  necefTary  Diffe- 
 rences of  different  things  one  from  another  • 
 and  from  thefe  neceiiary  Differences  of 
 things,  there  cannot  but  arife  a  Fitnefs  or 
 Unfitnefs  of  the  Application  of  different 
 Things  or  different  Relations  one  to  ano- 
 ther •,  and  infinite  Knowledge  can  no  more 
 fail  to  Know,  or  infinite  Wifdom  to  Choofe, 
 or  infinite  Power  to  Act  according  to  thefe 
 N  i  eternal 
 
%%  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 eternal  Reafons  and  Proportions  of  things, 
 tli an  Knowledge  can  be  Ignorance,  Wifdom 
 be  Folly,  or  Power  "Wealcnefs"  ^    and  confe- 
 cjuently    the    Juftice  and  Goodnefs  of  God, 
 are  as  certain  and  neceflary,   as  his  "Wifdom 
 and  Power :    It  follows  unavoidably,     that 
 he    who  denies  the  Juftice    or  Goodnefs  of 
 God,  or,  which  is  all  one,  denies  his  exercife 
 of  thefe  Attributes  in  inspecting  and  regard- 
 ing the  moral   Actions  of  Men •,   muft  alfo 
 deny,  either  his  Wifdom,  or  his  Power,  or 
 both  •    and  confequently  muft  needs  be  dri- 
 ven into    abfolvte   Arhcifm.     For    though  in 
 fonie  moral  Matters,    Men  are  not  indeed  : 
 to  be    judged   of  by   the  Confequences    of  i 
 their  Opinions,    but  by  their  Profeifion  and 
 Practife^    }^et  in  the  prefent 
 *  QuaO  ego   id  curem,     Cafe  it  *  matters  not  at  all 
 
 quid  ilie  auit  aur  reget :  U'ud  h    t    Men  ffi  h 
 
 quaro,   cmd  ci  cwfentaneum      \  ,\         -niuii,      ui    uvw 
 
 fit  dkere,  qui  &c.  Ck.  de     honourably    they  may  feem 
 Fjmb.  lib.  2.  to  fpealc  of  fome   particular 
 
 Attributes  of  God  ^  but  what, 
 
 notwithstanding  fuch  Profeifion,    muft  needs 
 
 in  all  reafon  be  fuppofed  to  be  their  true 
 
 Opinion  •    and    their   PraSice    appears    an- 
 
 fwerable  to  it. 
 
 Prtfrre  For  concerning  thefe  two  forts  of  Deifts, 
 
 a^frT  iris  ^fervable,    that  as  their  Opinions  can 
 
 ■'~u.i-  terminate  confiftently  in  nothing  hut  down- 
 
 fxble  of  bet  rjgtit  Atheifm  5  fo  their  PraRice  and  Behaviour 
 
 )ni  argued  is  .exactly    agreeable    to  that    of  the    moft 
 
 Wltb-         opinlj  profefted   AtheiJIs.      They  not  only 
 
 oppofe  the  Revelation  of  Chriftianity,    and 
 
 reject  all  the  moral  Obligations  of  natural 
 
 Religion,   as  fuch  ^  but  generally  they  de- 
 
 fpife 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  23 
 
 fpife  alfo  the  Wifdom  of  all  Humane  Conjli- 
 tntiom  made  for  the  order  and  benefit  of 
 Mankind,  and  are  as  much  contemners  of 
 common  Decency  as  they  are  of  Religion.  They 
 indeavour  to  ridicule  and  banter  all  Hu- 
 wane  as  well  as  Divine  Accomplishments  ^ 
 all  Virtue  and  Government  of  a  Man  s  felf, 
 all  Learning  and  Knowledge,  all  Wifdom 
 and  Honour,  and  every  thing  for  which  a 
 Man  can  juftly  be  commended  or  be  efteem- 
 ed  more  excellent  than  a  Beafi.  They  pre- 
 tend commonly  in  their  Difcourfe  and 
 Writings,  to  expofe  the  Abufes  and  Corrup- 
 tions of  Religion  •,  but  (as  it  is  too  manifest, 
 in  fome  of  their  modern  Books,  as  well  as 
 in  their  Talk  J  they  aim  really  againft  all 
 Virtue  in  general,  and  all  good  Manners, 
 and  againft  whatfoever  is  truly  valuable  and 
 commendable  in  Men.  They  pretend  to  ridi- 
 cule certain  Vices  and  Follies  of  ignorant  or 
 fuperftitious  Men  •,  but  the  many  very  pro- 
 fane and  very  lewd  Images,  with  which  they 
 induftrioufly  afreet  to  drefs  up  their  Dif- 
 courfe, fhow  plainly  that  they  really  do 
 not  fo  much  intend  to  expofe  and  deride 
 any  Vice  or  Folly,  as  on  the  contrary  to 
 foment  and  pleafe  the  debauched  and  vitious 
 Inclinations  of  Others  as  void  of  fhame  as 
 Themfelves.  They  difcover  clearly,  that 
 they  have  no.fenfe  at  all  of  the  dignity  of 
 Humane  Nature,  nor  of  the  Superiority  and 
 Excellency  of  their  Reafon  above  even  the 
 meaneft  of  the  Brutes.  They  will  fome- 
 time  in  words  feem  to  magnify  the  Wif- 
 dom and  other  natural  Attributes  of  God  ^ 
 N  4  but 
 
2  4         91&C  Evidence*  of  Natural 
 
 but  in  reality,  by  ridiculing  whatever  bears 
 any  refemblance  to  it  in  Men,    they  ihow 
 undeniably  that  they  do  not  indeed  believe 
 there  is  any  real  difference  in  Things,    or 
 any  true  excellency  in  one  thing  more  than 
 in  another.     By  turning  every  thjng  alike, 
 and  without    exception,   into    ridicule  and 
 mockery  •,    they  declare  plainly,    that  they 
 don  t  believe  any  Thing   to  be  wife,    any 
 thing  decent,    any  thing  comely  or  praife- 
 worthy    at  all.      They    feem  not    to  have 
 any  efteem  or  value,    for  thofe  diftinguifh- 
 ing    Powers    and    Faculties  •,     by    induing 
 Ja!>35,w.  thteih  wherewith,    God  has  taught  them  more 
 than  the   Be  aft  s  of   the  Field,  and   wade    them 
 mfer  than  the  Fowls  of  Heaven.    In  a  word  : 
 Whatfoever  things  are  true,    whatfoever  things 
 are  hone  ft  ^    whatfoever  things  are  juft,  whatfo^ 
 ever  things  are  pure 7  whatfoever  things  are  love- 
 ly,   rrhaffoever   things  are    of  good    report,    if 
 there  be  any  Virtue,     if  there   be  any  Praife  h 
 thefe  things  they  make  the  conftant  Subject 
 of  their  mockery    and  abufe,    ridicule  and 
 raillery.      On    the    contrary-,     whatfoever 
 things  are   profane,    impure,  filthy,    difho- 
 nourable  and    atfurd  •     thefe    things    they 
 make  it  their  bufinefs  to  reprefent  as  harm- 
 lefs  and  indifferent,  and  to  laugh  Men  out 
 of  their    natural  fhame  and  abhorrence  of 
 them  •,  nay,    even  to  recommend  them  with 
 their  utmoft  "Wit.     Such  Men  as  thefe,  are 
 not  to  be  argued  with,  till  they  can  be  per- 
 fuaded   to  ufe  Arguments  inftead  of  Drollery* 
 For  Banter  Is  not  capable  of  being  anfwered 
 by  Re  a f on  :   Nat  becaufe  it  has  any  ftrength 
 in  it  ^     but  becaufe  it  runs  out  of  all    the 
 
 bound** 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  *  s 
 
 bounds  of  Reafon  and  good  Senfe,  by  ex- 
 travagantly joining  together  fuch  Images,  as 
 have  not  in  themfelves  any  manner  of  Si- 
 militude or  Connexion  ^  by  which  mean*  all 
 things  are  alike  eafie  to  be  rendred  ridicu- 
 lous, by  being  reprefented  only  in  an  ab- 
 furd  Drefs.  Thefe  Men  therefore  are  fir  ft 
 to  be  convinced  of  the  true  Principles  of 
 Reafon,  before  they  can  be  difputed  with  ♦ 
 and  then  they  muft  of  Neceflity  either  re- 
 treat into  downright  Athrifm,  or  be  led  by 
 undeniable  Reafoning  to  acknowledge  and 
 fubmit  to  the  Obligations  of  Morality,  and 
 heartily  repent  of  their  profane  Abufe  of 
 God  and  Religion. 
 
 3.  Another  fort  of  Deifts,  there  are,  who  of  the 
 having  right  Apprehenfions  concerning  the  thnd  (°rt 
 natural  Attributes  of  God,  and  his  All-go-  °* DeiJhm 
 verning  Providence  •  feem  alfo  to  have 
 fome  Notion  of  his  moral  Perfections  alfo  : 
 That  is,  as  they  believe  him  to  be  a  Being 
 infinitely  Knowing,  Powerful  and  "Wife  • 
 ib  they  believe  him  to  be  alfo  in  fome  Senfe 
 a  Being  of  infinite  Juftice,  Goodnefs  and 
 Truth  •  and  that  he  governs  the  Univerfe 
 by  thefe  Perfections,  and  expects  fuitable 
 Obedience  from  all  his  rational  Creatures. 
 But  then,  having  a  prejudice  againft  the 
 Notion  of  the  Immortality  of  Huviane  Soulsy 
 they  believe  that  Men  perifh  intirely  at 
 Death,  and  that  one  Generation  fhall  perpe-< 
 tually  fucceed  another,  without  anv  thing 
 remaining  of:  Men  after  their  departure  out 
 of  this  Life,  and  without  any  future  refto- 
 ration  or  renovation  of  things.  And  ima- 
 gining that   Juftice    and  Goodnefs  in  God, 
 
 are 
 
z6  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 are  not  the  fame  as  in  the  Ideas  we  frame 
 of  thefe  Perfections  when  we  confider  them 
 in  Men,  or  when  we  reafon  about  them  ab- 
 stractly in  themfelves  h  but  that  in  the  Su- 
 preme Governour  of  the  World  they  are 
 fomething  Tranfce7tde?tt,  and  of  which  we 
 cannot  make  any  true  Judgment,  nor  argue 
 with  any  certainty  about  them  ^  They  fan- 
 cy, though  there  does  not  indeed  feem  to 
 Us  to  be  any  Equity  or  Proportion  in  the 
 diftribution  of  Rewards  and  Punifhments  in 
 this  prefent  Life ,  yet  that  We  are  not 
 fuffieicnt  Judges  concerning  the  Attributes 
 of  God,  to  argue  from  thence  with  any  af- 
 furance  for  the  certainty  of  a  future  State. 
 But  neither  does  this  Opinion  Hand  on  any 
 confident  Principles.  For  if  Juftice  and 
 Goodnefs  be  not  *  the  fame 
 *  R*y  ipt£i  $  j  clvth  in  God ,  as  in  our  Idea's  *, 
 «>f7H  fe  Witjuqetm+jr    t]lell  we  mean  nothing,  when 
 
 uiy.iib.^  rily  Juit  and  Good-,  and  for 
 
 the  fame  Reafon  it  may  as 
 well  be  fa  id,  that  we  know  not  what  we 
 mean,  when  we  affirm  that  he  is  an  Intelli- 
 gent and  Wife  Being  .  and  there  will  be  no 
 Foundation  at  all  left,  on  which  we  can  fix 
 any  thing.  Thus  the  moral  Attributes  of  God, 
 however  they  be  acknowledged  in  Words,yet 
 in  reality  they  are  by  thefe  Men  entirely 
 taken  away  5  and,  upon  the  fame  grounds, 
 the  natural  Attributes  may  alfo  be  denied. 
 And  fo  upon  the  whole,  this  Opinion  like- 
 wife,  if  we  argue  upon  it  confidently,  muft 
 finally  recur  to  abfjlute  Atheifm. 
 
 4.  The 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  17 
 
 4..  The  laft  fort  of  Drifts  are  thofe,  who  of  the 
 if  they  did  indeed  believe  what  they  pre- f°"rthJ°rt 
 tend,  have  juft  and  right  Notions  of  God,  °'  Dc'J  *' 
 and  of  all  the  Divine  Attributes  in  every 
 refpect  ^  Who  declare  they  believe  that  there 
 is  One,  Eternal,  Infinite,  Intelligent,  All- 
 powerful  and  Wife  Being  h  the  Creator,  Pre- 
 server, and  Governour  of  all  Tilings  j  That 
 this  Supreme  Caufe  is  a  Being  of  infinite 
 Juflice,  Goodnefs  and  Truth,  and  all  other 
 moral  as  well  as  natural  Perfections  5  Thai 
 he  made  the  World  for  the  manifestation  of 
 his  Power  and  Wifdom,  and  to  communi- 
 cate his  Goodnefs  and  Happincfs  to  his 
 Creatures  •,  That  he  preferves  it  by  his 
 continual  All-wife  Providence,  and  governs 
 it  according  to  the  Eternal  Rules  of  in- 
 finite Juftice,  Equity,  Goodnefs,  Mercy  •-,, 
 and  Truth  •  That  all  created  rational  Be- 
 ings, depending  continually  upon  him,  are 
 bound  to  adore,  worfhip  and  obey  him  •,  to 
 praife  him  for  all  things  they  enjoy,  and 
 to  pray  to  him  for  every  thing  they  want  •, 
 That  they  areAll  obliged  to  promote,  in  their 
 proportion,  and  according  to  the  extent  of 
 their  feveral  powers  and  abilities,  the  gene- 
 ral good  and  welfare  of  thofe  Parts  of  the 
 World,  wherein  they  are  placed  •  in  like 
 manner  as  the  Divine  Goodnefs  is  continu- 
 ally promoting  the  Univerfal  Benefit  of  the 
 Whole-,  That  Men  in  particular,  are  every 
 one  obliged  to  make  it  their  Buimefs,  by 
 an  univerfal  Bevevolence,  to  promote  the 
 Happinefb  of  all  others  •,  That  in  order  to 
 this,  every  Man  is  bound  always  to  behave 
 himfelf  fo  towards  Others,  as  in  reafon  he 
 
 would 
 
t%  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 would  defire  they  fliould  in  like  cireum- 
 ftanceS  deal  with'  him  $  That  therefore,  he 
 is  obliged  to  obey  and  fubmit  to  his  Supe- 
 riors in  all  juft  and  right  things,  for  the 
 prefervation  of  Society,  and  the  peace  and 
 benefit  of  the  Publick  5  to  be  juft  and  honeft, 
 equitable  and  flncere,  in  all  his  dealings 
 with  his  Equals,  for  the  keeping  inviolable 
 the  everlafiing  Rule  of  Righteoufnefs,  and 
 maintaining  an  univerfal  trufl:  and  confi- 
 dence ,  friend fhip  and  afrecdion  amongft 
 Men  h  and,  towards  his  Inferiors,  to  be 
 gentle  and  kind,  eafie  and  affable,  chari- 
 table and  willing  to  aflift  as  many  as  Hand 
 in  need  of  his  help,  for  the  prefervation  of 
 univerfal  Love  and  Benevolence  amongft 
 Mankind  and  in  imitation  of  the  Goodnefs 
 of  God,  who  preferves  and  does  good  to  all 
 Creatures ,  which  depend  intirely  upon 
 Him  for  their  very  Being  and  all  that  they 
 enjoy  *  That,  in  refpeel  of  Himfelf,  every 
 Man  is  bound  to  prefer ve,  as  much  as  in 
 him  lies,  his  own  Being  and  the  right  ufe 
 cf  all  his  Faculties ,  fo  long  as  it  fhall 
 plcafe  God,  who  appointed  him  his  Station 
 in  this  Wctld,  to  continue  him  therein  $ 
 That  therefore  he  is  bound  to  have  an  exact 
 Government  of  his  PafTions,  and  carefully 
 to  abftain  from  all  Debaucheries  and  Abufes 
 of  himfelf,  which  tend  either  to  the  De- 
 ftrucdion  of  his  own  Being,  or  to  the  difor- 
 dering  of  his  Faculties,  and  difabling  him 
 from  performing  his  Duty,  or  hurrying 
 him  into  the  practife  of  unreafonable  and 
 unjuft  tilings  j  Laftly,  That  accordingly 
 as  Men  regard  or  neglect  thefe  Obligations, 
 
 fo 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  lp 
 
 fo  the)'-  are  proportionably  acceptable  or 
 difpleafing  unto  God^  who  being  Supreme 
 Governour  of  the  "World,  cannot  but  tefti- 
 fie  his  favour  or  Difpleafure  at  fonie  time 
 or  other -,  and  confequentl}7-,  fince  this  is 
 not  done  in  the  prefent  State,  therefore 
 there  muft  be  a  future  State  of  Rewards  and 
 Punifhmcnts  in  a  Life  to  come.  But  all 
 this,  the  Men  we  are  new  {peaking  of,  pre- 
 tend  to  believe  only  fo  far,  as  it  is  difcuve- 
 rable  by  the  Light  oF  Nature  alone  3  with- 
 out believing  any  Divine  Revelation.  Thefe, 
 I  fay,  are  the  only  true  Deijls ;  and  indeed  . 
 the  only  Perfons  who  ought  in  reafon  to  be 
 argued  with,  in  order  to  convince  them  of 
 the  Reafonablenefs,  Truth,  and  Certainty 
 of  the  Chriftian  Revelation,  But  alas,  there 
 Is,  as  I  *  before  faid,  too  much  reafon  to  *  Pa&*  *4* 
 believe,  that  there  are  very  few  or  lzonefucb 
 Deijls  as  thefe,  among  our  modern  Deni- 
 ers  of  Revelation.  For  fuch  Men  as  I 
 have  now  defcribed,  if  they  would  at  all 
 attend  to  the  Confequenccs  of  their  own 
 Principles,  could  not  fail  of  being  quickly 
 perfuaded  to  embrace  Chriftiavity.  For, 
 being  fully  convinced  of  the  Obligations  of 
 Natural  Religion,  and  the  Certainty  cf  a  fu- 
 ture State  of  Rewards  and  Tunifiments  $  and 
 yet  obferving  at  the  fame  time,  how  little ' 
 Ufe  Men  generally  are  able  to  make  of 
 the  Light  of  Reafon,  to  difcover  the  one, 
 or  to  convince  themfelves  effectually  of  the 
 certainty  and  Importance  of  the  other  ^ 
 Dtis  impoflible  but  they  muft  be  fenfible  of 
 the  want  of  a  Revelation -,  'tis  importable  but 
 they  muft  earneftly   defire  God  would  be 
 
 plea  fed, 
 
^o  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 pleafed,  by  fome  Immediate  difcovery  of  his 
 Will,  to  make  thefe  things  more  clear  and 
 plain,  more  eajie  and  obvious,  more  cert  ah:  and 
 evident  to  all  Capacities  -  'tis  impoflible  but 
 they  muft  wifh,  God  would  be  plcafed  parti- 
 ticularly,  to  iignify  exprefly  the  acceptable- 
 nefs  of  Repentance,  and  his  willingnefs  to 
 forgive  returning  Sinners  *  'tis  impoiiible 
 but  they  muft  be  very  folicitous,  to  have 
 fome  more  particular  and  certain  informa- 
 tion concerning  the  nature  of  that  future 
 State,  which  Reafon  teaches  them  in  gene- 
 ral to  expect.  The  Confequence  of  this,  is  •, 
 that  they  muft  needs  be  polTeffed  before- 
 hand with  a  ftrong  Hope,  that  the  Chrifti- 
 an  Revelation  may  upon  due  examination 
 appear  to  be  true  •  They  muft  be  infinitely 
 far  from  ridiculing  and  defpifing  any  thing 
 that  pretends  to  be  a  Divine  Revelation,  be- 
 fore they  have  fincerely  and  throughly  ex- 
 amined it  to  the  bottom  :  They  muft  needs 
 be  before-hand  very  much  difpofed  in  its 
 favour  \  and  be  very  willing  to  be  convin- 
 ced, that  what  tends  to  the  advancing  and 
 perfecting  the  Obligations  of  natural  Reli-* 
 gion,  to  the  fecuring  their  great  Hopes^ 
 and  afcertaining  the  Truth  of  a  future  State 
 of  Rewards  and  Punifhments  *  and  can  a- 
 ny  way  be  made  appear  to  be  worthy  of 
 God,,  and  coniiftent  with  his  Attributes  5 
 and  has  Any  reafonable  Proof  of  the  Mat- 
 ters of  Fact  it  depends  upon  ^  is  really  and 
 truly,  what  it  pretends  to  be,  a  Divine  Re- 
 ;  Aiiiion.  And  now  is  it  poifible  that  any 
 Man  with  thefe  opinions  and  thefe  difpo- 
 iuions,    ihould    continue    to   reject    Cbrijii- 
 
 anityi 
 
tre 
 
 and  Revealed  Relivicn.  ^i 
 
 eimty,  when  propofcd  to  him  in  its  original 
 and  genuine  Simplicity,  without  the  Mix- 
 ture of  any  corruptions  or  inventions  of 
 Men  >  Let  him  read  the  Sermons  and  Exhor- 
 tations of  our  Saviour,  as  delivered  in  the 
 Go/pels  $  and  the  Dixourfes  of  the  Apoftles 
 preferved  in  their  Acts  and  their  EpijHes'^ 
 and  try  if  he  can  witftftand  the  evidence 
 of  fuch  a  Doctrine,  and  reject  the  hope- 
 of  fuch  a  glorious  Immortality  fr>  disco- 
 vered to  hirm  The  Heathen  Pbilofopbers,  rh.it  tl 
 thofe  few  of  them,  who  taught  and  lived  ls  *•»  »■ 
 up  to  the  Obligations  of  natural  Religion,  c^f^^f 
 had  indeed  a  conliftent  Scheme  of  Deifm,  ueifinh 
 fo  far  as  it  went*,  and  they  were  vetf  the  World* 
 Brave  and  Wife  Men,  if  any  of  them  could 
 keep  iteddy  and  firm  to  it.  But  the  Cafe 
 is  not  fo  Now.  The  fame  Scheme  of  Deifm 
 is  not  any  longer  confiftent  w!th  its  own 
 Principles,  if  it  does  not  now  lead  Men 
 to  embrace  and  believe  Revelation,  as  it  Then 
 taught  them  to  hope  for  it.  Bejfis,  in  our 
 Days,  who  obftinately  reject  Revelation 
 When  offered  to  them,  are  not  fuch  Men 
 as  Socrates  and  TuJly  were  •,  but,  under  pre- 
 tenfe  of  Deifm,  'tis  plain  they  are  general- 
 ly Ridiculers  of  all  that  is  truly  excellent 
 even  in  natural  Religion  it  felf.  Could  we 
 fee  a  Deift,  whofe  Mind  was  heartily  poifeft 
 with  worthy  and  juft  appreheniions  of  all 
 the  Attributes  of  God,  and  a  deep  Senfe  of 
 his  Duty  towards  that  Supreme  Author  and 
 Preferver  of  his  Being  :  Could  we  fee  a 
 Deift  who  lived  in  an  exacl  performance- 
 of  all  the  Duties  of  natural  Religion  t. 
 and  by  the   praclife  of  Rightecufnefs,    Ju- 
 
 ftke, 
 
3  2  The  Evidence  of  Natural 
 
 ftice,  Equity,  Sobriety  and  Temperance 
 exprefled  in  his  Actions,  as  well  as  Words, 
 a  firm  belief  and  expectation  of  a  future 
 State  cf  Rewards  and  Punilhments  :  In  a 
 Word,  could  we  fee  a  Deift,  who  with  re- 
 verence and  modefty,  with  fincerity  and 
 impartiality,  with  a  true  and  hearty  de/ire 
 of  finding  out  and  fubmitting  to  Reafon 
 4  and  Truth,  would  inquire  into  the  Founda- 
 tions of  our  belief,  and  examine  throughly 
 the  pretentions  which  pure  and  uncorrupt 
 Chriftianity  has  to  be  received  as  a  Divine 
 Revelation  5  I  think  we  could  not  doubt 
 to  affirm  of  fuch  a  Perfon,  as  our  Saviour 
 did  of  the  young  Man  in  the  Gofpel,  that 
 he  was  not  far  from  the  Kingdom  of  God  $ 
 and  that,  being  willing  to  do  his  Will,  be 
 JJjould  know  of  the  Do&rine9  whether  it  was 
 cf  God.  But,  as  I  have  faid,  there  is  great 
 reafon  to  doubt,  there  are  no  fuch  Deifts 
 as  thefe,  among  the  Infidels  of  our  Days; 
 This  indeed  is  what  they  fometime  pre- 
 tend, and  feem  to  defire  ihould  be  thought 
 to  be  their  Cafe:  But  alas,  their  trivial 
 and  vain  Cavils 9  their  mocking  and  ridi- 
 culing, without  and  before  examination  •, 
 their  direciing  the  whole  ft'refs.  of  their  Ob- 
 jections, againft  particular  Cuftoms,  or  par- 
 ticular and  perhaps  uncertain  Opinions,  or 
 explications  of  Opinions,  without  at  all  con- 
 iidering  the  main  Body  of  Religion-,  their 
 loofe,  vain  and  frothy  Difcourfes :  and  above 
 all,  their  vitious  and  immoral  Lives  •,  ihow 
 plainly  and  undeniably,  that  they  are  not  real- 
 ly Deifls,  but  mere  Atbeijls  9  and  confequently 
 not  capable  to  judge  of  theTruth  of  Chrifli- 
 
 anityv 
 
and  Revealed  Relipjon. 
 
 33 
 
 anity.  If  they  were  truly  and  in  came  ft 
 Rich  Deijfs  as  they  pretend  and  Would 
 fometimes  be  thought  to  be-,  thefe  Princi- 
 pies  (as  has  been  already  ihown  in  part, 
 and  will  more  fully  appear  in  the  I 
 lowing  Difrourfe-)  would  unavoidably 
 lead  them  to  ChriJlLviity  5  but  being  inch 
 as  they  really  are,  they  cannot  pofliblya- 
 void  recurring  to  downright  Aiheifm. 
 
 The  Sum  is  this  :     There 
 is    now    *   no    filch    Thing,        Mra  ffc,m  fob  Wan-rum 
 us     a    confiftent   Scheme    ef     prchcn^«s,    apbcrf. 
 Deiim.      That    which    alone     cmms  r4ti0  inccrcac,  &  aa 
 was  once   fuch,    namely    the     nihilum  ctaoia  ,revertaacur. 
 Scheme  of   the  beft    Heathen     LalUni'  Iib"  7- 
 Pbilofophers,  ceafes  now  to  be 
 lb,    alter    the    appearance  of   Revelation  •, 
 Becaufe  (as  I  have  already  fhown,    arid  fhall 
 more   largely    prove  in    the  fequel  of   this 
 Difcouife,)  it  diredtly  conducts  Men  to  the 
 belief  of  Cbrijlianity.      All  other  Pretences 
 to  Deifm,  may  by  unavoidable  confequence 
 be  fore'd  to  terminate  in  abfolute  Athcifm. 
 He  that  cannot  .prevail  with  himfelf  to  obey 
 the   Cbriftian  Do&rine,    and  irnbrace    Thofe 
 hopes  of  Life  and  Immortality,  which  our  Sa- 
 viour has  brought  to  light  through  the  Gofpel  h 
 cannot  Now  be  imagined  to  maintain  with    . 
 any  firmnefs,    fteddinefs  and  certainty,  the 
 belief  of  the  Immortality  of   the  Sou!,    and   a 
 future  State  of  Rewards  and  PumJ/)7nt7it's  after 
 death  ^    Becaufe  all  the  main  difficulties  and 
 objections,     lie  equally  againft    both.     For 
 the  fame  Reafon,    he  who   disbelieves    the 
 immortality  of  the  Soul,    and  a  future  State 
 cf  Rewards  ar:d  Punifhments  ^  '  cannot    de- 
 
 O  fend 
 
The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 fend  to  any  effectual  purpofe,  or  enforce 
 with  any  fufficient  ftrength,  the  Obligations  of 
 Morality  and  natural  Religion  ^  notwithftand- 
 ing  that  they  are  indeed  incumbent  upon 
 Men,  from  the  very  nature  and  reafon  of 
 the  things  themfelves.  Then,  he  who  gives 
 up  the  obligations  of  Morality  and  natural 
 Religion,  cannot  poffibly  have  any  juft 
 and  worthy  notion  of  the  moral  Attributes 
 of  God,  or  any  true  Senfe  of  the  nature 
 and  necefary  differences  of  things  :  And  he 
 that  once  goes  thus  far,  has  no  foundation 
 left,  upon  which  he  can  be  fure  of  the  natu- 
 ral Attributes  or  even  of  the  Exiftence  of 
 God-,  Becaufe,  to  deny  what  unavoidably 
 follows  from  the  Suppofition  of  his  Exiftence 
 and  natural  Attributes,  is  in  reality  deny- 
 ing thofe  natural  Attributes,  and  that  Ex- 
 iftence it  felf.  On  the  contrary  :  He  who  be- 
 lieves the  Being  and  natural  Attributes  of  God, 
 muft  of  neceflity  (as  has  been  fhown  in  my 
 former  Difcourfe)  confefs  his  moral  Attri- 
 butes alfo.  Next,  he  who  owns  and  has 
 juft  notions  of  the  moral  Attributes  of  God, 
 cannot  avoid  acknowledging  the  Obligations 
 of  Morality  and  natural  Religion,  In  like  man- 
 ner, he  who  owns  the  Obligations  of  Mo- 
 ralitjr  and  natural  Religion,  muft  needs,  to 
 fupport   thofe  Obligations  and  make   them 
 
 -■:iual  in  pradtife,  believe  a  future  Stat3 
 of  Rewards   and  Punijbmeyits :   And    finally, 
 
 '/ho  believes  both  the  Obligations  of  na- 
 tural Religion,  and  the  certainty  of  a  fu- 
 ture State  of  Rewards  and  Punifhrnents  ^ 
 has  no  manner  of  reafon  left,  why  he 
 fnould  reject  the  CbriJtLm  Revelation,   when 
 
 propofed 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  3  J 
 
 propofed  to  him  in  its  original  and  genuine 
 Simplicity.  Wherefore  imc'e  thofe  Argu- 
 ments which  demonftrate  to  us  the  Being 
 tind  Attributes  of  God,  are  £o  clofely  con- 
 nected with  thofe  which  prove  the  reafona- 
 blenefs  and  certainty  of  the  Chriftzan  Reve- 
 lation, that  there  is  Now  no.  confident 
 Scheme  of  Deifm  left-,  all  modern  Deifts 
 being  forced  to  fliift  from  one  Cavil  to 
 another,  and  having  no  fist  and  certain  let 
 of  Principles  to-  adhere  to  -j  I  thought  I 
 could  no  way  better  prevent  their  Evil  De- 
 signs, and  obviate  all  their  different  Shifts 
 and  Objections  5  than,  by  indearouring,  in 
 the  fame  method  of  reasoning  by  which  I 
 before  demonftrated  the  Being  and  At  tribute.; 
 of  God  5  to  prove  in  like  manner,  by  one  di- 
 rect and  continued  thread  of  Arguing,  the 
 reafonablenefs  and  certainty  of  the  Chrijlian 
 Revelation  alfo. 
 
 To ;  proceed  therefore  to  the  proof  of  the 
 Proportions  themfelves. 
 
 ,  I.  The  fame  neceffary  and  eternal  different 
 Relations,  that  different  Things  bear  one  to 
 another  •  and  the  fame  confequevt  Fitneft  or 
 Unfitnefs  of  the  Application  of  different  things 
 or  different  Relations  one  to  another  ^  with  regard  ■ 
 to  which-  the  Will  of  God  always  and  neceffa- 
 rily  does  determinate  itfelf  to  choofe  to  a&  only 
 -what  \s  agreeable  to  Juftice,  Equity,  Goodnefs 
 and  Truth,  hi  order  to  the  Welfare  of  the 
 tphole  Univerfe^  ought  like  wife  conftantly  to. 
 determine  the  Wills  of  all  fuhordinate  rational 
 Beings ,  to  govern  all  their  Anions  by  the  fwii 
 Rules,  for  the  Good  of  the  Piiblick,  in  their 
 O  2  refpccliis 
 
3  6        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 refpeclive  Stations*  That  Is  -,  ihefe  eternal  and 
 neceffary  differences  of  things  make  it  fit  and 
 realbnable  for  Creatures  fo  to  aft  ;  they  canfe 
 it  to  be  their  Duty,  or  lay  an  Obligation  upon 
 them,  fo  to  do  ;  even  feparate  from  the  con- 
 fidcration  of  ihefe  Rules  Icing  the  poiitive  Will 
 or  Command  of  God  *,  and  alfo  antecedeyit 
 to  any  refpcEl  or  regard,  expectation  or  appre- 
 henfmn,  of  any  particular  private  and  per- 
 fonal  Advantage  or  Difaclvantage,  Reward 
 or  Punifhment,  either  prefcnt  or  future  -,  an- 
 nexed either  by  natural  confequence,  or  by  po- 
 Jhlvc  appointment,  to  the  pracllfing  or  neglecting 
 ibofe  Rules. 
 
 The    feveral    Parts   of  this    Proportion 
 iray  be  proved  diftinctly,    in  the  following 
 manner. 
 there       r.    That  there  are  Differences  of   things  ^ 
 i "»/  and   different  Relations,    Refpetfs  or  Proporti- 
 ■  neJ(h  ons;  of  fome  things  towards  others  ^     is  as 
 f    evident  and  undeniable,  as  that  one  magnl- 
 things,       tude  or  number,     is  greater,     equal   to,     or 
 final ler    than    another.      That    from    ihefe 
 different  relations  of  different  things,     there 
 neceflkrily    arifes    an  agreement  or  difagree- 
 ment  of  fome  things  with  others,  or  a  fitnefs 
 or  nvjitmfs  of  the  application  of   different 
 things  or  different  relations  one  to  another  ^ 
 is  likewife  as  plain,     as  that  there  is  any 
 fuch   thing  as  Proportion  or  Dlfproportlon  in 
 Geoitietry    and    Arithmetic^.,      or     Uniformity 
 or    Dlfformity    in    comparing    together    the 
 rcfpective  Figures  of   Bodies.     Further,    that 
 there    is    a    Fitnefs    or   Suitablenefs  of   cer- 
 tain Clrcumfances  to  certain  Perfons,  and  an 
 Unfultablenefs  of  others ,  founded  in  the  na- 
 ture 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  3  7 
 
 fare  of  Things  and  the  gyalifications  of  Pert 
 fons,  antecedent  to  all  pofitive  appointment 
 whatfoever  •,  Alfo,  that  from  tffe  different 
 relations  of  different  Perfons  oni  to  another. 
 there  neceffarily  arifesa  fitnefs  or  unfitnefs  of 
 certain  manners  of  Behaviour  of  fome  perfons 
 towards  others  :  is  as  manifest,  as  that  the 
 Properties  which  flow  from  the  Effences 
 of  different  mathematical  Figures,  have  dif- 
 ferent congriiities  or  incongruities  between 
 themfelves  •,  or  that  iri  Mechanicks,  certain 
 Weights  or  Powers  have  very  different  Forces, 
 and  different  Effects  one  upon  Another,  ac- 
 cording to  their  different  Bi fiances,  or  dif- 
 ferent Pofitions  and  Situations  iri  refpeel  of 
 each  other.  For  infiance :  That  God  is  in- 
 finitely fuperior  to  Men  -,  is  as  clear,  as 
 that  Infinity  is  larger  than  a  Point,  or  Eter* 
 mty  longer  than  a  Moment  :  And  it  is  as 
 certainly  Pit,  that  Men  fhould  honour  and 
 worihip,  obey  and  imitate  God,  rather 
 than  on  the  contrary  in  all  their  Actions 
 indeavour  to  difhonour  and  difobey  him  -, 
 as  it  is  certainly  True,  that  they  have  an  en- 
 tire dependence  on  Him,  and  He  on  the 
 contrary  can  in  no  refpect  receive  any  ad- 
 vantage from  them  -,  and  not  only  fo,  but 
 alfo  that  his  Will  is  as  certainly  and  unal-  ' 
 terably  jufi  and  equitable  in  giving  his  Com- 
 mands, as  his  Power  is  irrefifiible  in  re- 
 quiring fubmiilion  to  it.  Again  -5  it  is  a 
 thing  abfolutely  and  neceffarily  Fitter  in 
 it  felf,  that  the  Supreme  Author  and  Cre- 
 ator of  the  Univerfe,  fhould  govern,  order, 
 and  direct  all  things  to  certain  conitant  and 
 regular  Ends  h    than  that  every  thing  fhould 
 
 O  3  be 
 
0 
 
 %  ^The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 be  permitted  to  go  on  at  Adventures,  and 
 produce  uncertain  Effects  merely  by  chance 
 and  in  the  utmoft  catififon,  without  any  de- 
 terminate View  or  Deiign  at  all.  It  is  a 
 thing  manifestly  Fitter  in  it  felf,  that  the 
 All-powerful  Governour  of  the  World, 
 fnould  do  always  what  is  B fi  in  the  whole, 
 and  what  tends  moil  to  the  univerfal  Good 
 of  the  whole  Creation  •,  than  that  he  ihould 
 make  the  whole  continually  viiferable  ^  or 
 than  that  to  fatisfy  the  unreafonable  defires 
 of  any  particular  depraved  Natures,  he  ihould 
 at  any  time  fuffer  the  Order  of  the  whole 
 to  he  altered  and  perverted,  Laftly,  it  is 
 a  thing  evidently  and  infinitely  more  Fit*, 
 that  any  one  particular  innocent  and  good  Beings 
 fnould  hy  the  Supreme  Ruler  and  Difpofer 
 of  all  things,  be  placed  and  preferred  in 
 an  eafy  and  happy  Ejlate^  than  that  without 
 any  fault  or  clement  of  its  own,  it  ihould 
 be  made  extremely,  remediiefsly,  and  ejidlefsly 
 viiferable.  In  like  manner  ^  in  Mens  dealing 
 and  converting  one  with  another  ^  it  is  un- 
 deniably more  Fit,    abfolutely  and  in  the 
 
 iture  of  the  thing  it  felf,    that  all  Men 
 
 mould    indeavour  to  promote  the    miiverfal 
 
 good  and  welfare  of  All  ,  than  that  all  Men 
 
 ihould  be  continually    contriving    the  ruin 
 
 dcftruclion  of  AIL     It  is  evidently  more 
 
 \  even  bef.re  all  pofitive  Bargains  and 
 .pacts,  that  Men  ihould  deal  one  with 
 another  according  to  the  known  Rules  of 
 jvft'rx  and  Equity  h  than  that  every  Man 
 for  his  own  prefect  advantage,  ihould  with- 
 out fcruple  difappoint  the  moil  reafonabh 
 and  equitable  Expectations  of  his  Neighbours, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  50 
 
 and  cheat  and  defraud,  or  fpoil  by  violence, 
 all  others  without  reftraint.  Laftly,  it  is 
 without  difpute  more  Fit  and  reafonable  in 
 it  felf,  that  I  Ihould  preferve  the  Life  of  an 
 innocent  Man  that  happens  at  any  time 
 to  be  in  my  Power-,  or  deliver  him  from 
 any  imminent  danger,  tho'  I  have  never 
 made  any  promife  fo  to  do  •,  than  that  I 
 ihould  differ  him  to  perifh,  or  take  away  bis 
 Life,  without  any  reafon  or  provocation 
 at  all. 
 
 Thefe  things  are  fo  notorioufly  plain  and  The  abhr- 
 felf-evident,  that  nothing  but  the  extremeft  dih9fth(c 
 ftupidity  of   Mind,  corruption  of  Manners,  ^^nd 
 or  perverfenefs  of  Spirit,   can  poiftbly  make  am{  nece;. 
 any  Man  entertain  the  leaft  doubt  concern-  fary  difih 
 ing  them.     For  a  Man  endued  with  Reafon,  re"ces  $ 
 to  deny  the  Truth  of  thefe  Things  h  is  the  **"<*• 
 very  fame  thing,  as  if  a  Man  that  has  the 
 ufe  of  his  Sight,     ihould  at  the   fame  time 
 that  he  beholds  the  Sun,    deny  that  there  is 
 anv  fuch  thing  as  Light  in  the  World  ♦,   or 
 as  if   a  Man  that   underftands  Geometry  or 
 Afithmetick,    ihculd  deny  the  moft  obvious 
 and  known  Proportions  of  Lines  or  Nimbers, 
 and    perverfely   contend  that  the    Whole  is 
 not  tifuA  to  allits parts,  or  that  a  Square  is  not 
 double  to  a  Triangle  o::  equal  bafe  and  height.    ■ 
 Any  Man  of   ordinary  capacity,    and  un- 
 byaiTed  judgment,  plainnefs  and  Simplicity  - 
 who  had  never  read,     and  had  never  been 
 told,   that  there  were  Men  and  Philofophers, 
 who  had  in  earneit  afferted  and  attempted 
 to  prove,    that  there  is  no  natural  and  unal- 
 terable difference    between   Good  and  Evil, 
 would  at  the^ftrlFhearirig  be  as  hardly  per- 
 
 O  4  fwaded 
 
4  o         The  Evidence?  of  Natural 
 
 Iwaded  to  believe,  that  it  could  ever  really 
 enter  into  the  Heart  of  any  Intelligent  Man, 
 to  deny  all  natural  difference  betwixt  Right 
 and  Wrongs    as  he  would  be  to  believe,  that 
 ever    there    could    be    any    Geometer    who 
 would  feriolifly  and  in  good  earncft  lay  it 
 down    as  a   firft    Principle,    that    a  crooked 
 Live  is  as  Jlrait  as  a  tight  one.     So  that  in- 
 deed it  might  juftly  feem  altogether  a  need- 
 lcfs  undertaking,    to  attempt  to  prove  and 
 eftablifn   the  eternal  difference  of    Good  and 
 7  -,  had  there  not  appeared  certain  Men, 
 as   Mr   Hobbs   and   fome  few    others,    who 
 have  prefumed,  contrary  to  the  plaineft  and 
 moft  obvious  rea'fon  of  Mankind,   to  afTert, 
 and  not  without  fome  Subtilty  indeavoured 
 to   prove,  that  there  is  no  fjch    real  Diffe- 
 rence  originally^  necejfarily,  and  absolutely  in 
 the  Nature  of  Things-,    but  that  all  Obliga- 
 tion of  Duty  to  God,  arifes  merely  from  his 
 abfolutely  irrefflible  Power  5  and  all  Duty  to* 
 1    rds,   Men,    merely    from  pojitive   Compatf; 
 And  have  founded    their  whole  Scheme  of 
 Politicks  upon  that  Opinion.      Wherein  as 
 they  have  contradicted  the  judgment  of  all 
 the  Wife  it  and  fobereft   part    of  Mankind, 
 fo  they  have  not  been  able  to  avoid  contra- 
 dicting thcmfelves  alfo.      For  (not  to  men- 
 tion now,    that  they  have  no  way  to  ihow 
 v  CompaBs   thcmfelves   come   to  be  obli- 
 gatory,   but  by   inconfiitcntly   owning   an 
 rnal  original  Fitnefs  in  the  thing  itfelf, 
 ich  1  fhall  have  occaiTon  to  obferve  here- 
 after :)  if  there  be  naturally  and  absolutely  in 
 things  thcmfelves,    no    difference    betwixt 
 Good  and  Evil,    Jvjl   and  Unjufi^    then  in 
 
 the 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  4 1 
 
 the  State  of  Nature,  before  any  Compact:  be 
 made,   it  is  equally  as  good,  juit  and    reafo- 
 nable, for  one  Man  to  deftroy  the  Life  .of 
 another,  not    only  when  'tis  neccfTary   for 
 his  own  Prefervation,    but  alfo  arbitrarily 
 and  without  any    *  provocation  at  all,  or*SccffMs 
 any   appearance  of  advantage  to    himfelf  ^  deCvc- c- 
 as  to  prefer ve  or  fave  another  Man's  Life,  5*  ^  4« 
 wlien  he  may  do  it  without  any  hazard  of 
 his  own.     The  confequence  of  which  is,  that 
 not  only  the  firft  and  moft  obvious  wajr  for 
 every  particular  Man  to  fecure  himfelf  ef- 
 fectually, would  be  fas  Mr  Hobbx  teaches)  to 
 indeavour  to  prevent  and  cut  ofFall  others;  • 
 but  alfo  that  Men  might  deftroy  one  another 
 upon  every  foolifh  and  peeviih  or  arbitrary 
 Humour,    even  when    they    did  not    think 
 any  fuch  thing  necefTary  for  their  own  pre- 
 fervation.    And  the  effect  of  this  pradtifc 
 muft  needs   be,  that  it  would  terminate  in 
 the  deftrudion  of  all  Mankind.  Which  being 
 undeniably  a  great  and  unfufferable  Evil  h 
 Mr  Hobbs   himfelf  confefTes  it   reafonable, 
 that,  to  prevent  this  Evil,  Men  ihould  en- 
 ter into  certain  Compacts   to  preferve  one 
 another.      Now  if  the  deftrudion  of  Man- 
 kind by  jeach  others  Hands,    be  fuch   an 
 Evil,    that,    to  prevent    it,    it  was  fit  and 
 reafonable  that  Men  ihould  enter  into  Corn- 
 pads  to  preferve  each  other  •,   then,  before 
 any  fuch    Compacts,    it  was  manifeflrly    a 
 thing  unfit  and  unreafonabU  in  it  felf,  that 
 Mankind    Ihould  all    deftroy  one  another. 
 And  if  fo,  then  for  the  fame  reafon  it  was 
 alfo  unfit  and  unreasonable^  antecedent  to  all 
 Compacts,  that  any  one  Man  ihould  deftroy 
 
 another 
 
42 
 
 *Ex  b«s  fequirur  injuriam 
 r.tm'm  fieri  potfe,  nifj  ci 
 qurcum  inicur  paftum.  De 
 Cive  c.  g.  §.  4-  w,-ere  fee  more 
 to  the  fume  purpo/e. 
 
 17m  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 another  arbitrarily  and  without  any  provo- 
 cation, or  at  mj  time  when  it  was  not 
 abfolutely  and  immediately  necefTary  for  the 
 prefervation  erf  himfelf.  Which  is  dire&ly 
 contradictory  to  Mr.  Hobbs's  firft:  Suppofiti- 
 on,  of  *  there  being  no  na- 
 tural and  abfolute  difference 
 betwixt  Good  and  Evil,  Juft 
 and  Unjuft,  antecedent  to 
 pofitive  Compact.  And  in 
 like  manner  All  others,  who 
 upon  any  pretenfe  whatfoever,  teach  that 
 Good  and  Evil  depend  originally  on  the 
 Constitution  of  pojitive  Laws,  whether  Di- 
 vide or  Humane  ♦,  mult  unavoidably  run  in- 
 to the  fame  Abfurdity.  For  if  there  be  no 
 fuch  thing  as  Good  and  Evil  in  the  Nature 
 of  Things,  antecedent  to  all  Laws  ^  then 
 neither  can  any  one  Law  be  better  than 
 another-,  nor  any  one  thing  whatever,  be 
 more  juftly  eltabliitied,  and  inforced  by 
 Laws,  than  the  contrary  -,  nor  can  there 
 t  any  reafon  be  given,  why 
 any  Laws  ftiould  ever  be 
 made  at  all :  But  all  Laws 
 equally,  will  be  either  *  ar- 
 bitrary and  tyrannical,  or 
 frivolous  and  needlefs  ^  be- 
 caufe  the  contrary  might 
 with  equal  Reafon  have  been 
 eftablifhed ,  if,  before  the 
 making  of  the  Laws,  all 
 things  had  been  alike  indif- 
 ferent in  their  own  Nature. 
 There  is  no  poifible  way  to  avoid  this  Ab- 
 furdity,  but  by  faying,   that  out  of  things 
 
 in 
 
 f  Manifeftum  eft  ratior.em 
 nullam  rite  Lege  prohibenti 
 noxas  tales,  nifi  agnefcunt 
 tales  Attus,  eciam  anrece- 
 denrcr  ad  u!!am  Legem,  ma- 
 ll efle.  Lumber  I,  de  Leg. 
 Nat.  pj£.  194. 
 
 *  Nam  ftolidiras  inveniri 
 c\\}£  inanicr  poteft,  quam 
 mila  tjje  nulla,  contendere, 
 &  tanquam  malos  perdere  -fr 
 tondemnare  pfecantes  ?  Ar- 
 nob*  adverf.  Gentes.  Lib.  2. 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  43 
 
 in  their  own  Nature  abfolutely  indifferent, 
 thofe  are  chofen  by  wife  Governours  to  be 
 made  obligatory  by  Law,  the  pra&ife  of 
 which  they  judge  will  tend  to  the  publick 
 benefit  of  the  Community.  But  this  is  an 
 exprefs  Contradiction  in  the  very  Terms. 
 For  if  the  practife  of  certain  things  tends  to 
 the  publick  benefit  of  the  World,  and  the 
 contrary  would  tend  to  the  publick  difad- 
 xrantage  •  then  thofe  things  are  not  in  their 
 own  nature  indifferent,  but  were  good  and 
 reafonable  to  be  pra&ifed  before  any  Law 
 was  made,  and  can  only  for  that  very  reafon 
 be  wifely  inforced  by  the  Authority  of:" 
 Laws.  Only  here  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that 
 by  the  publick  Benefit  muft 
 
 *not  be  underftood    the    in-       *  Qui  autemCh>inm  ratio- 
 tereft  of  any   one   particular    "em  dicunc  habendum,  £x- 
 
 Naiion,    to  the    plain    injury    *"mum  ne^anc'  d.irrunc 
 '.    ,.  r      t_  A.      c    hi  communem  generis  huma- 
 
 or  prejudice    of    the   reit   ot    nj  fbciecarem  •,  qua  fublau, 
 Mankind  :     any    more    than    juititia  funditus  coliicur.  ck. 
 the  intereft  of  one  City  or  Fa-    de  °&c-  Lib-  3- 
 mily,    in  oppofition    t<y  their 
 Neighbours  of  the  fame  Country  *5  But  thofe 
 things  only    are   truly    good  in  their  own 
 Nature,  which  either  tend  to  the  univerfal 
 benefit  and  welfare  of  all  Men,  or  at  leaft 
 are  not  deftru&ive  of  it.      The  true  State  «j 
 
 therefore  of  this  Cafe,  is  plainly  this  :  Some 
 things  are  in  their  own  nature  Good  and  Rea- 
 finable  and  Fit  to  be  done  •,  fuch  as  keeping 
 Fxiib,  and  performing  equitable  CGinpaEls,  and 
 the  like  •,  And  thefe  receive  not  their  obliga- 
 tory power,  from  any  Law  or  Authority-, 
 but  are  only  declared,  confirmed  and  infor- 
 ced by  penalties,  upon  fuch  as  would  not  per- 
 haps 
 
4  $  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 haps  be  governed    by  right  Reafon    only. 
 Other  tilings  are  in  their  own  nature  abso- 
 lutely £vil%  fuch  as   breaking  Faith ,  refujing 
 to  perform  equitable  CompaSjy   cruelly  deflroy- 
 pig  iboje  who  have  neither  diregly  nor  indireBly 
 liven  avy  occasion  for  any  fitch  treatment,  and 
 \he  like-    and  thefe    cannot   by  any  Law 
 or  Authority  whatfoever  be    made    fit  and 
 reafonable,    or   excufable    to   be  pra&ifed, 
 Laftly,  other  things  are  in  their  own  Na- 
 ture Indifferent,  that  is,  fnot  abfolutely    and 
 frfflly    fo ,   as  fuch  trivial   Actions,  which 
 .  e  no  way  anv  tendency  at  all  either  to 
 the  publick  welfare  or   damage  -5    For  con- 
 cerning fuch  tilings,  it  would  be  childifh  and 
 trifling  to  fiippofe  any  Laws  to  be  made  at  all^ 
 But  they  are)  fuch  things  whofe  tendency  to 
 the  publick  benefit  or  difadvantage,  is  either 
 finalloT   fo  remote^  or  fo   obfeure    and  in- 
 volved, that  the  generality  of  People  are  not 
 able  of  themfelves  to  difcern  on  which  fide 
 they  ought  to  act :    and   thefe   things   are 
 /n  ifltfreT  niacle  obligatory  by  trie  Authority  of  Laws: 
 re  tktCt-  Though  perhaps  every  one  cannot  diftinftly 
 perceive  the  reafon  and  fitnefs  of  their  being 
 fam*  he.    hrjoined  :  Of  which  fort  are  many  particular 
 variety  %f  penal  Laws,  in  feveral  Countries  and  Nations, 
 I         -     But  to  proceed. 
 
 The  principal  thing  that  can,  with  any 
 Mm,  g»d  colour  of  Reafon,  feem  to  countenance  the 
 thr  /.7»m  Opinion  of  thole  who  deny  the  natural  and 
 ■£*  rnaj  difference    of  Good  and  Evil-  (for 
 
 tmcaring  iA,*r  Bobhs's  falfe  Reafonings  I  ihall  hereafter 
 fight  and  onfider  b}r  themfelves^)  is  the  difficulty 
 mmb       there  may  fometimes  be,  to  define  exactly 
 
 the 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  45 
 
 the  bounds  of  right  and  wrong  ^  the  variety 
 *  °f  Opinions ,    that  have  ob- 
 tained   even    among     under-     !  ?**W*  %T<\  JV,**'£» 
 itanding    and    learned     Men    T«,,  T0,^v  €'W<*^V 
 concerning     certain     Quefti-    £  crAcfrnr,  »r«  /«wf  r^» 
 ons     of    juffc     and      unjuft ,    T£)»  ^«  3  p»«  /*j//fof.  £- 
 efpecially    in  political   Mat-    #^V«M. 
 ters  ^    and     the    w^wjf    contrary    Laws    that 
 have   been    made    in    divers   Ages    and    in 
 different  Countries,  concerning  thefe  Mat- 
 ters.      But,  as  in  Painting  though  two  ve- 
 ry different   Colours,    by  diluting   each  o 
 ther  very  flowly   and  gradually,  maj  from 
 the  higheft   intenfenefs  in    either  extreme, 
 terminate     in    the    midft     infallibly,    and 
 fo  run    cne    into    the   other,    that  it  fhall 
 not  be   poihble  even    fcr  a  skilful  Eye  to 
 determine  exactly  where  the  one  ends,  and 
 the  other  begins  ,  and  yet  the  Colours  dif- 
 fer as  much  as  can  be,  not  in  degree  only 
 but  entirely    in  kind,  as  red    and  blue,  or 
 white  and  black  :   So,    though  it  may  per- 
 haps be  very  difficult  in  fome  nice  and  per- 
 plext    Cafes  (which  yet  are  very  far  from 
 occurring  frequently  J  to  define  exactly  the 
 bounds  of  Right  and  Wrong,  Juft  and  Un- 
 juft •  and  there  may  be  fome  latitude  in  the 
 judgment  of  different  Men,    and  the  Laws 
 of  divers   Nations  5    yet    Right  and    Wrong  ' 
 are  neverthelefs  in    themfclves  totally  and 
 eflentially    different  $    even    altogether     as 
 much,  as  White  and  Black,  Light  and  Dark- 
 ?tefs.       The    Spartan    Law    perhaps,    which 
 *  permitted    their    Youth  to 
 
 Steal  h    may,     as    abfurd    as       *^K:€r^°  ™ 
 Mvatl*.  Fhtarch.  Jtpphttegmzt.i  Loconicj. 
 4  ** 
 
*The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 it  was,  bear  much  difpute  whether  it  was 
 abfolutely  Uvjufi  or  no-,  becaufe  every  Man 
 having  an  abfolute  Right  in  his  owii  Goods, 
 it  may  fetm  that  the  Members  of  any  Soci- 
 cty  may  agree  to  transfer  or  alter  their  own 
 Properties  upon  what  Conditions  they,  fhali 
 think  fit.  But  if  it  could  be  fuppofed  that 
 a  Law  had  been  made  at  Sparta  5  or  at 
 Rome,  or  in  India,  or  in  any  other  part  of 
 the  World  •,  whereby  it  had  been  commard- 
 ed  or  allowed,  that  every  Man  might  Rob 
 by  Violence,  and  Murther  whbmfoever  he 
 met  with  •  of  that  tio  Faith  fhould  be  kept 
 with  any  Man,  nor  any  equitable  Compafls 
 performed  •,  no  Man,  with  any  tolerable 
 ufe  of  his  Reafon,  whatever  diverfity  of 
 Judgment  might  be  among  them  in  other 
 things,  would  have  thought  that  fuch  a 
 Law  could  have  authorised  or  excufed, 
 much  lefs  have  juftified  fuch  Adions,  and 
 have  made  them  become  good :  Becaufe  it 
 is  plainly  not  in  Mens  Power  to  make 
 Falfiood  be  Truth,  though  they  may  alter 
 the  Property  of  their  Goods  as  they  pleafe. 
 Kow  if  in  flagrant  Cafes,  the  natural  and 
 efiential  difference  between  Good  and  Evil, 
 Right  and  Wrong,  cannot  but  be  confeiTed 
 to  be  plainly  and  undeniably  evident  •,  the 
 difference  betwixt  them  muff  be  alfo  effen- 
 tial  and  unalterable  in  all  even  the  fmalleft 
 and  niceft  and  moll  intricate  Cafes,  though 
 it  be  not  fo  eafie  to  be  difcerned  and  accu- 
 rately diftinguiftied.  For  if  from  the  diffi- 
 culty of  determining  exactly  the  bounds  of 
 Right  and  Wrong  in  many  perplcxt  Cafes, 
 it  could    truly  be  concluded  that  Juft  and 
 
 Unjuf* 
 
and  Revealed  Religioft.  47 
 
 Unjuft  were  not  eflentially  different  by 
 Nature,  but  only  by  pofitive  Conftitution 
 and  Cuftom  5  it  would  follow  equally,  that 
 they  were  not  really,  effentially,  and  un- 
 alterably different,  even  in  the  mcjl  flagrant 
 Cafes  that  can  be  fuppofed.  Which  is  an 
 affertion  fo  very  ablurd,  that  Mr  Hobbt 
 himfelf  could  hardly  vent  it  without  blufti* 
 ing,  and  difcovering  plainly  by  his  drift- 
 ing Expreflions,  his  fecret  Self-condemna- 
 tion. There  Are  therefore  certain  necejfary 
 and  eternal  differences  of  things  -,  and  certain 
 confequent  fitnejfes  or  ttn fitnejfes  of  the  ap- 
 plication of  different  Things  or  different 
 Relations  one  to  another  \  not  depending 
 on  any  pofitive  Conftitutions,  but  founded 
 unchangeably  in  the  nature  and  reafon  of 
 things,  and  unavoidably  arifing  from  th<? 
 differences  of  the  things  themfelves.  IVhiclT 
 is  the  firft  Branch  of  the  general  Propofiti- 
 on  I  propofed  to  prove. 
 
 2.  Now  what  thefe   eternal  and  unaltera-  That  the 
 ble     Relations,    Refpe&s,     or    Proportions    c£WJlio}Go& 
 
 things,  with  their  confequent  Agreements  or  f l*als  de.\ 
 t\- r      *  TV        tr  tt   r       tr         1  r      t ermines  it 
 
 Disagreements,    ritnejjes,  or  U71fitneJJ.es,  abio-  feif  ta  a^ 
 
 lutely  and  neceffarily    Are  in  themfelves ;  according 
 
 That  alfo  they  appear  to  be,    to  the  Under-  *'*"%£ 
 
 JIandings  of  all    Intelligent  Beings  «,   except  ^ffy^gC 
 
 thofe  only,    who    -under ft  and   things    to   be 
 
 what   they    are    not,  that  is,  whofe  Under- 
 
 fiandings  are  either  very  imperfect,  or  very 
 
 much  depraved.    And  by  this  Underftand- 
 
 ing  or  Knowledge  of  the  natural  and  necef- 
 
 fary  relations,  fitneffes,  and  proportions  of 
 
 things,  the  Wills  likewife  of  all  Intelligent 
 
 Beings   are  conftantly   directed,    and  muft 
 
 needs 
 
4  8  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 needs  be  determined  to  acl  accordingly  ] 
 excepting  thofe  only,  who  Will  things  to  be 
 what  they  are  not  and  cannot  be  5  that  is,whofe 
 VilU  are"  corrupted  by  particular  Intereft  or 
 Afrcftion,  or  fwayed  by  fome  unreafonable 
 and  prevailing  Paffion.  Wherefore  fince 
 the  natural  Attributes  of  God,  his  infinite 
 Knowledge,  Wifdom  and  Power,  fet  Him  infi- 
 nitely above  all  poflibility  of  being  deceived  by 
 any  Errour,  or  of  being  influenced  by  any  wrong 
 AfeBion^  'tis  manifeft  His  Div  in  e  Will  can- 
 no'-  but  always  and  necefTarily  determine 
 it  felf  to  choofe  to  Do  what  in  the  whole  is 
 abfolutely  Beft  and  Fitteft  to  be  done  •  that 
 is,  to  a 6t"  conftantly  according  to  the  eter- 
 nal Rules  of  infinite  Goodnefs,  Jtfftice  and 
 Truth.  As  I  have  endeavoured  to  {how 
 diftinctly  in  my  former  Difcourfe  in  de- 
 ducing feverally  the  Moral  Attributes  of 
 God. 
 Th.it  dl  3.  And  now,  that  the  fame  Reafon  of 
 *1  Things  with  regard  to  which  the  Will  of 
 ,  God  always  and  necefTarily  Does  determine 
 it  felf  to  act  in  conftant  conformity  to  the 
 i  eternal  Rules  of  Juftice,  Equity,  Goodnefs 
 and  Truth-,  ought  alfo  conftantly  to  deter- 
 ™mhl  mine  the  Wills  of  all  Subordinate  Rational 
 ternalrttle  Beings,  to  govern  all  Their  Actions  by  the 
 if  Reafon.  fame  Rules-,  is  very  evident.  For,  as  it  is 
 abfolutely  impojjible  in  Nature,  that  God 
 ihould  he  deceived  by  any  Errour,  or  influenced 
 by  any  wrong  Ajfeclicn  •  So  it  is  very  wireafo- 
 vablc  and  I  lame-worthy  in  Prattife,  that  any 
 Intelligent  Creatures,  whom  God  has  made 
 fo  far  like  unto  himfclf,  as  to  endue  them 
 with  thofr  excellent  Faculties  of  Reafon  and 
 
 Will, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  49 
 
 trill,  whereby  they  are  enabled  to  diflhiguijfy 
 Good  from  Evil,  and  to  chufe  the  one  and 
 refufe  the  other  5  fhould  either  negligently 
 fuffer  themfelves  to  be  hnpofed  upon  and  de- 
 ceived in  Matters  of  Good  and  Evil,  Right 
 and  Wrong*  or  wilfully  and  pcrverjly  allow 
 themfelves  to  be  over-ruled  by  abfurd  Par- 
 ens and  corrupt  or  partial  AffeBiom  to  ad 
 contrary  to  what  they  know  is  Fit  to  be 
 done.  Which  two  Things,  viz.  negligent 
 Mifunderftanding  or  wilful  Pafwns  and  Lujls, 
 are,  as  I  faid,  the  only  caufes  which  can 
 make  a  reafonable  Creature  a&  contrary  to 
 Reafon,  that  is,  contrary  to  the  eternal 
 Rules  of  Juftice,  Equity,  Righteoufnefs  and 
 Truth.  For,  was  it  not  for  thefe  inexcufa- 
 ble  corruptions  and  depravations  $  'tis  im- 
 poflible  but  thofe  fame  Proportions  and  Fit- 
 nefles  of  things,  which  have  fo  much  Weight 
 and  fo  much  Excellency  and  Beauty  in 
 them,  that  the  All-poWerful  Creator  and 
 Governotlr  of  the  Univerfe,  who  has  the 
 abfolute  and  uncontroulable  Dominion  of 
 all  things  in  his  own  Hands,  and  is  accoun- 
 table to  none  for  what  he  does,  yet  thinks 
 it  no  diminution  of  his  Power  to  make  this 
 Reafon  of  Things  the  unalterable  Rule  and 
 Law  of  all  his  own  Actions  in  the  Govern- 
 ment of  the  World,  and  does  nothing  by 
 mere  Will  and  Arbitrarinefs  ^  'tis  impoili- 
 ble  (I  fay,)  if  it  was  not  for  inexcufable  cor- 
 ruption and  depravation,  but  the  fame  eter- 
 nal Reafon  of  Things  mufr.  much  more  have 
 Weight  enough  to  determine  constantly  the 
 Wills  and  Actions  of  all  Subordinate,  Fi- 
 nite, Dependent  and  Accountable  Beings. 
 P  For 
 
$o         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 For  originally  and  in  reality,  it  is  as  natii- 
 fi  *  tbf  ral  and  (morally  fpeaking)  nece\fary,  that  the 
 Naivlof  ir'*11  ftould  be  determined  in  every  A&i- 
 tffcj  .  J  on  by  the  Reafon  of  the  Thing,  and  the  Right 
 of  the  Cafe  •  as  it  is  natural  and  (abfolutely 
 fpealving)  neceffary,  that  the  Under  ft  anting 
 fhould  fiibmit  to  a  demon f  rated  Truth.  And 
 it  is  as  abfurd  and  blame-worthy,  to  mi- 
 Jlake  negligently  plain  Right  and  Wrong,  that 
 is,  £0  Undcrftand  the  Proportions  of  things 
 in  Morality  to  be  what  they  are  not  -,  or 
 wilfully  to  a&  contrary  to  known  Juftice  and 
 Equity,  that  is,  to  will  things  to  be  what 
 they  are*  not  and  cannot  be  •  as  it  would  be 
 abfurd  and  ridiculous  for  a  Man  in  Arith- 
 metical Matters,  ignorantly  to  believe  that 
 Twice  Two  is  not  equal  to  Four-,  or  wilfully 
 and  obftinately  to  contend,  againft  his  own 
 clear  knowledge,  that  the  whole  is  not  equal 
 to  all  its  Parts.  The  only  difference  is,  that 
 Ajfent  to  a  plain  fpeculative  Truth,  is  not  in 
 a  Man's  Power  to  with-hold  •,  but  to  AS 
 according  to  the  plain  Right  and  Reafon  of 
 things,  this  he  may,  by  the  natural  Liber- 
 ty of  his  Will,  forbear.  But  the  One  he 
 Might  to  do  -,  and  it  is  as  much  his  plain 
 and  indifpenfuble  Duty ;  as  the  other  he 
 cannot  hut  do,  and  it  is  the  Necefity  of  his 
 nature  to  do  it.  He  that  wilfully  re- 
 futes to  Honour  and  Obey  God,  from  whom 
 he  received  his  Being,  and  to  whom  he  con- 
 tinually owes  his  Prefervation  5  is  really 
 guilty  of  an  equal  abfurdity  and  incon- 
 n'ftency  inPra&ife^  as  he  that  in  Speculati- 
 on denies  the  EffieB  to  owe  aiiy  thing  to  its 
 Caitfe,  or  the  WboU  to  he  bigger  than  its  Part, 
 
 He 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  f  * 
 
 He  that  rcfufes  to  deal  with  all  Men  equitably, 
 and  with  every  Main  as  he  defires  they  fhould 
 deal  with  him :  Is  guilty  of  the  very  fame 
 unreafonablenefs  and  contradiction  in  one 
 Cafe  ♦,  as  he  that  in  another  Cafe  fhould 
 affirm  one  Nu?nter  or  Quantity  to  be  equal  to 
 another,  and  yet  That  other  at  the  fame 
 time  not  to  he  equal  to  the  firft.  Laftly,  he 
 that  acknowledges  himfelf  obliged  to  the 
 3">racHfe  of  certain  Duties  both  towards  God 
 and  towards  Men,  and  yet  takes  no  care 
 either  to  preferve  his  own  Being,  or  atlealt 
 not  to  preferve  himfelf  in  fuch  a  ftate  and 
 temper  of  Mind  and  Body,  as  may  belt 
 inable  him  to  perform  thofe  Duties  <  is  al- 
 together as  inexcufable  and  ridiculous,  as 
 he  that  in  any  other  Matter  fhould  affirm 
 oiie  Thing,  at  the  fame  time  that  he  denies 
 another,  without  which  the  former  could  not 
 poflibly  be  true  ♦  or  undertake  one  Thing, 
 at  the  fame  time  that  he  obftinately  omits 
 another,  without  which  the  former  is  by  no 
 means  practicable.  Wherefore  all  rational 
 Creatures,  whofe  Wills  are  not  conftantly 
 and  regularly  determined,  and  their  Acti- 
 ons governed,  by  right  Reafon  and  the  ne- 
 cefTary  differences  of  Good  and  Evil,  ac- 
 cording to  the  eternal  and  invariable  Rules  ■ 
 of  Juftice,  Equity,  doodnefs  and  Truth  ^ 
 but  fufter  themfelves  to  be  fwayed  by  un- 
 accountable arbitrary  Humours,  and  raili 
 Paifions^  by  Lufts,  Vanity  and  Pride  -. 
 by  private  Intereft,  or  prefent  fenfual 
 Pleafures:  Thefe,  letting  up  their  own 
 unreafonable  Self-will  in  oppofition  to  the 
 Nsrture  and  Reafon  of  Things,    endeavour 
 
 P  2  (a* 
 
y  i        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 (as  much  as  in  them  lies)  to  make  things 
 be  what  they  are  not,  and  cannot  he  : 
 Which  is  the  higheft  Prefumption  and  great- 
 eft  Infblence,  as  well  as  the  greateft  Abfur- 
 dity,  imaginable  ^  'Tis  acting  contrary  to 
 that  Un-lerilanding,  Reafon  and  Judgment, 
 which  God  has  implanted  in  their  Natures 
 on  purpofe  to  inable  them  to  difcern  the 
 difference  between  good  and  evil  ♦,  'Tis  at- 
 tempting to  deftroy  that  Order,  by  which 
 the  Univerfe  fubhfts  ^  'Tis  offering  the 
 higheft  affront  imaginable  to  the  Creator 
 of  all  things,  who  made  things  to  be  what 
 they  are,  and  governs  every  thing  himfelf 
 according  to  the  Laws  of  their  feveral  Na- 
 tures. In  a  word  •,  All  wilful  wickednefs 
 and  perverfion  of  Right,  is  the  very  fame 
 Infolence  and  Abfurdity  in  Moral  Matters  ^ 
 as  it  would  be  in  Natural  things,  for  a  Man 
 to  pretend  to  alter  the  certain  Proportions 
 of  Numbers,  to  take  away  the  Demon- 
 flrable  Relations  and  Properties  of  Mathe- 
 matical Figures,  to  make  Light,  Darknefs 
 and  Laikncfs  Light  or  to  call  Sweet  Bit* 
 ter  and  Bitter  Sweet. 
 
 Andfrm       Further:    As   it  appears    thus  from  the 
 
 ahfiraB  and  abfolute  Reafon  and   nature    of 
 
 things,     that  all  rational  Creatures  Ought, 
 
 that  is,    are  obliged  to  take  care  that  their 
 
 ;  is  and   Actions    be    conftantly    determi- 
 
 Jf*5»  °/    fled  and  governed    by  the   eternal  rule  of 
 
 and   Equity:     So  the  certainty  and 
 
 .  univerfality    of   'that  Obligation  is    plainly 
 
 confirmed,    and  the  force  of  it  particularly 
 
 difcovcred  and  applied  to  every  Man,    by 
 
 this  5   that  in  like  manner  as  no  one,   who 
 
 is 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  5 
 
 is  inftructed  in  Mathematicks,  can    forbear 
 giving    his    Aflent     to   every    Geometrical 
 Demonftration,     of  which   he    underftands 
 but  the  Terms,   either  by  his  own  Stud)r,  or 
 by  having  had  them  explained  to  him  by 
 others  •,    fo    no  Man,    who  cither  has  pa- 
 tience   and    opportunities   to    examine  and 
 confider  things  himfclf,    or  has  the  means  of 
 being  taught  and  inftru&ed  in  any  tolerable 
 manner,     by    others,    concerning    the   ne- 
 ceflary      relations      and     dependencies     of 
 things  5    can  avoid  giving  his  AJfetit  to  the 
 fitnefs  and  reafonablenefs  of  his  governing 
 all  his  Actions  by  the  Law  or  Rule  before 
 mentioned,  even  though  his  Praftifey  through 
 the  prevalence  of  Brutifh  Lufts,     be  moft 
 abfurdly  contradictory  to  that  Affent  :  That 
 is  to  fay  5  by  the  Reafori  of  his  mind,  he  can- 
 not but  be  compelled  to  own  and  acknow- 
 ledge,   that  there  is  really  fuch  an  Obligation 
 indifpenfably  incumbent  upon  him  5    even  at 
 the  fame   time  that  in  the  Anions  of  his  Life 
 he  is  indeavouring  to  throw  it  off  and  de- 
 fpife  it.     For  the  Judgment  and  Conference 
 of  a  Man's  own  Mind,    concerning  the  Rea- 
 fonablenefs and  Fitnefs  of  the  tiling,  that  his 
 Actions    fhould    be    conformed  to   fuch    or 
 fuch  a  Rule  or  Law  •,    is  the  trueft  and  for-   ' 
 mallefl:  Obligatio7t  ^    even  more  properly  and 
 ftridtlyfo,  than  any  opinion  whatfoever  of 
 the  Authority  of  the  Giver  of  a  Law,    or 
 any  regard  he  may  have  to  its  Sanction  by 
 Rewards    and    Punifhments.     For    whoever 
 acts  contrary  to  this    fenfe  and   confeience 
 of  his  own   mind,    is    neceflarily   felf-con- 
 demnedi    and    the    greateit   and   ftrongeit 
 
 P  3  of 
 
 -> 
 
j  4  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of  all  Obligations  is  that,    which  a  Man  can- 
 through     without    condemning 
 The    dread    of   fiiperiour    Power 
 and    Authority*     and  the  San&ion  of  Re- 
 wards    and    Punithments  ^    however   indeed 
 lutely    nereflary  to  the  government  of 
 fail  and  fallible  Creatures,    and  truly  the 
 moft  efte&ual  means  of    keeping  Them    in 
 l      i;  Duty  •    is  yet  really  in  it  felf,    only  a 
 r     ndary    and  additional  Obligation,     or  In- 
 ement  of  the  firft.     The  original  Obliga- 
 of  all,    (the  ambiguous  ufe  of    which 
 Word  as  a  Term    of  Art,   has  caufed  fome 
 perplexity  and  confufion    in   this    matter  J 
 is    the    eternal  Reafon  of   Things  $     That 
 Rcafon   which    God  himfelf,     who    has    no 
 Superior  to  direct  him,    and  to  whofe  Hap- 
 piiiefs  nothing  can  be  added  nor  any  thing 
 diminifhed  from  it,     yet  conftantly    obliges 
 himjclf  to  govern  the  World  by  :    And  the 
 more  excellent  and  perfect    any   Creatures 
 are,    the  more  cheerfully   and  fteddily  are 
 their  Wills  always  determined  by   this  Su- 
 preme Obligation,   in  conformity  to  the  Na- 
 ture,  and  in  imitation  of  the  moft  perfed 
 will  of  God.     So  far  therefore  as  Men  are 
 us  tff  what  is  right  and    wrong,     fo 
 they   4re  under  an  Obligation  to  act  ac- 
 Hngly-5    And  confequently  That  eternal 
 .  .  -       Rule  of  Right,    which  I  have  been  hitherto 
 rig,     tis  evident  Ought   as   mdifpen- 
 fably  to  govern  Mens  Actions,    as  it  Cannot 
 but  i-c  ctiiarilv  determine  their  AiTent. 
 
 that  the  Cafe  is  truly  thus  j  that 
 the  eternal  differences  of  Good  and  Evil, 
 the  unalterable  Rule  of  Right  and  Equity, 
 
 do 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  y  y 
 
 do  neceffarlly    and  unavoidably  determine 
 the  Judgment,   and  force  the  Aflent  of  all 
 Men  that  ufe  any  Confederation-,   is  unde- 
 niably   manifeft  from    the  univerfal    Expe- 
 rience of  Mankind.     For  no  Man  willingly  and 
 deliberately  tranfgreffes    this    Rule   in    any 
 great  and  conjiderable  Inftance^    but  he  acts 
 contrary  to  the  Judgment  and  Reafon  of  his 
 own  Mind,   and  fecretly  reproaches  himfeif 
 for  fo    doing :    And  no  Man  obferves    and 
 obeys  it   fteddily,     especially    in   cafes    of 
 difficulty  and  Temptation,    when  it  interferes 
 with  any  prefent  Intereft,    Pleafure  or  Paf- 
 fion  •,    but    his    own  Mind   commends    and 
 applauds  him  for  his  Refolution,   in  execu- 
 ting what  his  Confcience  could  not  forbear 
 giving  its  aflent  to,    as  juft  and  right.     And 
 this  is  what  St  Paul  means  when  he  fays, 
 (Rojn.    2.    14,    15 J     that  when  the  Gentiles 
 which    have    not   the  Law,     do  by  nature  the 
 things  contained  in  the  Law,    thefe,    having  not 
 the  Law,    are  a  Law  unto  themselves  •,    which 
 fiew    the   work    of  the  Law  written    in    their 
 Hearts,     their  Confcience  alfo  bearing  witnefs, 
 and  their  Thoughts  the  mean  while  accufing,    or 
 fife  excufing  one  another. 
 
 It  was  a  very  wife  Obfervation  of  Plato,  °f  fhaf 
 which    he  received  from  Socrates-,     that    if  J^jJ^ 
 you  take  a  young  Man,  impartial  and  unpre-  which  Pla- 
 judiced,    one  that  never  had  any  Learning,  to* ought 
 nor  any  Experience  in  the  World  -,   and  ex-  *****"**? 
 amine  him  about   the  natural  relations    and 
 proportions  of  things,  [ox  the  moral  differences 
 of  Good  and  Evil  (]  you  may,   only  by  ask- 
 ing him  Queftions,    without  teaching    him 
 any  thing  at  all  direftly,   caufe  him  to  ex- 
 P  4  prefs 
 
5  6        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 prcfi  in  his  Anfwersjuft  and  adequate  No- 
 tions of  Geometrical  Truths y  Qand  true  and 
 lift  determinations  concerning  Matters  of 
 Right  and  Vrrovg.~]  From  whence  He  thought 
 it  was  to  be  concluded,  that  all  Knowledge 
 and  Learning  is  nothing  hut  Memory,  or 
 only  a  recollecting  upon  every  new  occafi- 
 on,  what  had  been  before  known  in  a  irate 
 of  Pne-exiftence.  And  fome  others  both  An- 
 cient and  Moderns,  have  concluded  that  the 
 Ideas  of  all  firft  and  flmple  Truths,  either 
 natural  or  moral,  are  Innate  and  originally 
 impre fed  or  ftampt  upon  the  Mind.  In  their 
 inference  from  the  Obfervation,  the  Authors 
 of  Both  thefe  Opinions  feem  to  be  rniiraken, 
 But  thus  much  it  proves  unavoidably-, 
 That  the  differences,  relations,  and  propor- 
 tions cf  things  both  natural  and  moral, 
 in  which  all  unprejudiced  Minds  thus  na- 
 turally agree,  are  certain,  unalterable,  and 
 real  in  the  Things  themfelve's  .  and  do  not  at 
 all  depend  on  the  variable  Opinions,  Fan- 
 cies, or  Imaginations  of  Men  prejudiced 
 by  Education,  Laws,  Cuftoms  or  evil  Prac- 
 tifes :  And  alfo  that  the  Mind  of  Man  na- 
 turally and  unavoidably  gives  its  AJJent,  as  to 
 natural  and  geometrical  Truth,  fo  alfo  to  the 
 moral  differences  of  Things,  and  to  the  fit- 
 neis  and  reafonablenefs  of  the  Obligation  of 
 the  everlaiting  Law  of  Righteoufnefs,  when- 
 J  ever  fairly  and  plainly  propo.'d/ 
 net  Some  Men  indeed,  who,  by  means  of  a 
 r'tnt  very  evil  and  vitious  Education,  or  through 
 a  long  Habit  of  Wickedncfs  and  De- 
 ery,  have  extremely  corrupted  the 
 ,,i    Principles  of  their  Nature,    and  have  long 
 
 fcCCU- 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  y  7 
 
 accuftomed  themfelves  to    bear  down  their 
 
 own   Reafon,    by   the    force  of   Prejudice, 
 
 Luft   and    Paflion  ^    that    they  may  not  be 
 
 forced  to  confefs  themfelves  felf-condemned, 
 
 will  confidently  and  abfolutely  contend  that 
 
 they  do  not  really  fee  any  natural  and  ne- 
 
 cefTary   difference   between    what    we    call 
 
 Right   and  IFrovg,    Jujl    and    Unjujt  h    that 
 
 the    Reafon    and    Judgment   of  their    own 
 
 Mind  does  not    tell    them    they  are  under 
 
 any   fuch  indifpenfible    Obligations,  as  we 
 
 would    endeavour  to    perfwade   them,   and 
 
 that   they  are  not  feniible    they  ought   to 
 
 be  governed  by  any  other  Rule,  than  their 
 
 own   Will   and  Pleafure.     But    even    thefe 
 
 Men,  the  molt  profligate  of  all  Mankind  ^ 
 
 however    induftriouily    they   endeavour    to 
 
 conceal  and  deny    their  feif-condemnation  ^ 
 
 jet   cannot  avoid    making  a    difcovery  of  J 
 
 it  fometimes    when  they  are  not  aware  of 
 
 it.       For    Example :    There  is   no    Man  fo 
 
 vile    and    defperate,    who  commits    at  any 
 
 time    a    Murder  and    Robbery,     with    the 
 
 inofl:  unrelenting  Mind$   but 
 
 *  would    choofe,     if   fuch  a       *  quis  eft  enim,  ant  quis 
 thing   could     be    propofed     to     unquam    fuit,   auc   avar-tia 
 
 him,    to  obtain  all   the  fame    »™ /rdcwi,  iuc  tarn  eff» 
 
 i  ,  ,      r        nana  cupidiranbus,  uc  can- 
 
 profk  or  advantage,  whatfo-  dcm  juam  remj  quam  adi. 
 ever  it  be  that  he  aims  at,  pifci  fcdere  quovis  vciic, 
 without  committing  the  Crime  nonr  ™uIci5  paribus  malic 
 rather  than  vitb  it ,  even  ^ST^ 
 though  he  was  fure  to  go  nore,  quam  iflo  roodo  pcr- 
 unpunifhed  for  committing  rata/ Gfc.dc  Jfaifc/ift.  3. 
 the  Crime.  Kay  I  believe, 
 there  is  no  Man,  even  in  Mr  Holhss  State  of 
 Nature,  and  of  Mr  Hobh's  own  Principles-, 
 
 but 
 
58  *The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 but  if  he  was    equally  allured  of  fecuring 
 his  main   end,  his  Self-prefervation,  by  ei- 
 ther Wstf  5    would   choofe  to    preferve  him- 
 felf rather  whbmtt  deftroying  all  his  Fellow- 
 Creatures,  than  with  it  ;  even  fuppofing  all 
 Impunity;  and  all   other  future  conveniens 
 cies  of  Life,  equal  in  either  Cafe.  Mr  HobbSs 
 own  Scheme,  of  Mens  agreeing  by  Compact 
 to  preferve  one  another,  can  hardly  be  fup- 
 poil'd  without  this  5  And  this  plainly  evin- 
 ces, that  the  Mind  of  Man  unavoidably  ac- 
 knowledges a  natural  and  neceffary    diffe- 
 rence between   Good  and  Evil,  antecedent 
 to  all    arbitrary  and  pofitive  Conftitution 
 whatfoever. 
 Mwmtu-     Em   the  Truth  of  this,  that  the  Mind  of 
 ttife    Man   naturally   and    neceflarily  Affents  to 
 tf  eternal  the    eternal    Law    cf  Righteoufnefs  ^    may 
 meraiobh-  gjjj  |^etter    an^  more  clearly  and  more  u- 
 
 g%eTfnm  niverfally    appear,    from      the    Judgment 
 the  Judg-  that   Men    pais  upon  each   Others  Actions, 
 mtnttkey   than  from  what  we  can  difcern  concerning 
 J^ljg     their  Confcioufnefs  of  their  Own.    For  Men 
 nsof  may  diflemble  and  conceal  from  the  World, 
 <?  V'>.      the  judgment  of  their  own  Confcience-  nay, 
 hy  a  ftrctnge  partiality,   they  may  even  im- 
 pofe    upon   and    deceive    Theinfelves  ^   ( For 
 who  is  there,    that  does  not  fometimes  al- 
 low himfelf,   nay,  and  even  juftify  himfelf 
 in  that,   wherein  he  condemns   Another?) 
 Eut  Mens  Judgments  concerning  the  Actions 
 of  Otbtrs,    efpecially    where  they  have  no 
 relation  to  Themfelves,    or    repugnance  to 
 their    Intcreft ,    are    commonly    impartial  -y 
 and  from    this  we  may  judge,   what   fenfe 
 Men  naturally  have  of  the  unalterable  dif- 
 ference 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  59 
 
 ference  of  Right  and  Wrong.  Now  the 
 Obfervation  which  every  one  cannot  but 
 make  in  this  Matter,  is  this  •  that  Virtue 
 and  true  Goodnef,  Rightc  on  fiefs  and  Equi- 
 ty, are  things  fo  truly  noble  and  ex- 
 cellent, fo  lovely"  and  venerable  in  them- 
 felves,  and  do  fo  neoefTariry  approve  them- 
 felves  to  the  Reafoil  and  Confciences  of  Men  •,  » 
 that  even  thofe  very  Perfons,  who,  bv  the 
 prevailing  Power  of  fome  Intcreft  or  Luft, 
 are  themfelvcs  drawn  aiide  out  of  the 
 Paths  of  of  Virtue,  t  can 
 yet  hardlv    ever    forbear  to       f  W*c<*  fuaPte.  natur*>  a~ 
 
 2ive    it    its    true     CVracler    deoc^'  grat!ofa  ™tUi ,-    >  uc 
 give    k    irs    true     ^n^acrei    infl[um  eciam  Ur  mjhs  prc. 
 
 and  Commendation   in   Others,     b3re  mcliores.  Senec.  de  Be* 
 And    this    Obfervation    holds    nef.  /•  4. 
 true,  not  only  in    the  gene- 
 rality    of    Vinous    Men,    but    very  fre- 
 quently even  in   the  worfer  fort  of  them, 
 viz.    thofe  who    perfecute  others    for  being 
 better  than  themfelves.    Thus  the  Officers 
 who  were    fent  by  the  Pbarifees  to    appre- 
 hend  our    Saviour,    could  not    forbear  de- 
 claring that  he  /pake  as  never   Man  fpale  :  x0h.  7,45. 
 And  the  Roman  Governour,  when  he  gave 
 Sentence  that  he  fhould  be  Crucified,  could 
 not  at  the  fame  infiant  forbear  openly  de- 
 claring, that  he  found  no  fault  in  him.     E-J^hiS.^, 
 ven  in    this  cafe,    Men    cannot    chufe    but 
 think  Well  of  thofe    Perfons,   whom  the  do- 
 minion  of  their  Lujtt   will   not    fuffer    them 
 to  imitate,  or  whom  their  pre  fent  Jntereft  and 
 the  Kecejfity  of  their  Worldly  Affairs  compels 
 them  to  difcourage.      They  cannot  but  de- 
 fire,  that  they  themfelves  were  the  Men  they 
 are  not  5  and  wilh  with  Balaam,  that  though 
 
 thty 
 
6o  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 they  imitate  vot  the  life,    yet  at    leaft  they 
 
 might    die  the  death    of  the    Righteous,    and 
 
 that  their  laft  end  might  be  like  theirs.    And 
 
 hence  it  is  that  Plato  judkioufly  obferves, 
 
 that  *  even  the  worft  of  Men 
 
 *  (V  yj  vjov  J <rU<  £?$!»(    Seldom    or    never     make    fo 
 
 ****/*»  ™y&y™   wrons    judgments  concerning 
 
 ^THt^+Zntfi&rfi**  as  they  do  con- 
 *XfMro<  ^eTor  j\»  tj  gj  **•••  cerning  TWw£5  5  there  being 
 yj9&£Tu<rt  kxkg7s,*s6  in  Virtue  an  unaccountable 
 m<bjo*ugJft  nUg    and   as   j    werc   j;w-^  force, 
 
 «,„  =W'J-"  4<  Ati**  which,  <  whatever  confuiion 
 $1  4K-f.vt^  x]  n(  x"Z**'  Men  indeavour  to  intro- 
 tifdeUt  lib.  1  a.  duce  in    T&iw^  by  their  viti- 
 
 ous    Difcourfes    and    debau- 
 ched   Practices ,   yet    almoft   always    com- 
 pels   them   to   diftinguifh  right  -concerning 
 Perfons,  and  makes  them  admire  and  praife 
 Juft  and  Equitable   and    Honeft  Men.     On 
 the  contrary  -,  Vice  and  Injujtice,  Profanenefs 
 and    Debauchery,    are    things    fo    absolutely 
 odious  in  their  own  Nature,   that  however 
 '  they    ivfnmate    themfelves  into  the  pra&ife, 
 yet  they  can  never  gain  over  to  themfelves 
 the  judgment    of  Mankind.     They  who  Do 
 evil,  yet  See  and  Approve  what  is  good  5  and 
 condemn  in  others,  what  they  blindly  allow  in 
 themfelves  •  nay  and  very  frequently  condemn 
 even  themfelves  alfo,  not  without  great  dis- 
 order and  uneafincfs  of  Mind,  in  thofe  very 
 things  wherein  they  allow  themfelves.     At 
 lcaft,  there  is  hardly  any  wicked  Man,  but 
 when  his  own  Cafe   is    reprefented  to  him 
 under   the    Perfon  of  another,    will   freely 
 enough  pafs  Sentence  againft  the  wickednefs 
 he  himfelfis  guilty  of  j  and  with  Sufficient 
 
 feverity, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  61 
 
 feverity,  exclaim  againft  all  Iniquity.  This 
 fhows  abundantly,  that  all  variation  from 
 the  eternal  Rule  of  Right,  is  abfohitely  and 
 in  the  nature  of  the  thing  it  felf  to  be  abhorred 
 and  detefted  -,  and  that  the  unprejudiced 
 mind  of  Man,  as  naturally  difapproves  in- 
 juftice in  moral  matters,  as  in  natural  things 
 it  cannot  but  dijfe?tt  from  falfehood9  or  dijlike 
 incongruities.  Even  in  reading  the  Hiftcries 
 of  paft  and  far  diftant  Ages,  where  'tis 
 manifeft  we  can  have  no  concern  for  the 
 events  of  th'ntgs,  nor  prejudices  concerning 
 the  Characters  of  Perfons  •,  Who  is  there,  that 
 does  not  praife  and  admire,  nay  highly 
 efteem  and  in  his  imagination  love  (as  it 
 were)  the  Equity,  Juftice,  Truth  and  Fi- 
 delity of  fome  Perfons  •,  and  with  the  great- 
 eft  Indignation  and  Hatred,  deteft  the  Bar- 
 barity, Injuftice,  and  Treachery  of  others  > 
 Nay  further  ♦,  when  the  prejudices  of  corrupt 
 Minds  lie  all  on  the  fide  of  Injuftice  •,  as 
 when  we  have  obtained  fome  very  great 
 profit  or  advantage  through  another  Man's 
 Treachery  or  Breach  of  Faith  9 
 
 yet    *  who   is    there  ,    that       *  0™s  Pullum  Nmitorem, 
 upon  that  very  occaflon  does    Frege,Ianu™  .  prodicorem  . 
 
 r     >  J  ~  i\T/-      quanquam  Reipubhcae  noftrx 
 
 not  (even,  to  a  Proverb )  dif-    ^rofuic  Don  £dU,  cht  de 
 like  the  Per/on  and  the  A&i-    Fmib.  lib.  5. 
 0;/,  how  much  foever  he  may 
 rejoice  at  the  Event  >    But  when  we   come 
 our  felves  to  fuffer  by  Iniquity,  Then  Where 
 are  all  the  Arguments  and  Sophiftries ,  by 
 which    Unjuft  Men ,    while    they    are  op- 
 preiling  Others,  would  nerfwade  themfelves 
 that   they  are  not  fenfible  of  any  natural 
 difference    betwixt    good  and  evil?   When 
 
 It 
 
6  z  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 it  comes  to  be  thefe  Mens  own  Cafe,  to  be 
 opprciTed  by  Violence,   or  over-reached  by 
 Fraud  h    where  Then  are  all   their  Pleas  a- 
 gainft  the  eternal  distinction   of  Right  and 
 Wrong  ?     How,   on  the    contrary,  do  they 
 Then  cry    out  for  Equity,    and  exclaim    a- 
 rainft  Injuftice !    How  do   they  Then  chal- 
 lenge   and   object    againft  Providence,    and 
 think  neither  God  nor  Man  fevere  enough, 
 in  punifhing    the   Yiolaters    of  Right  and 
 Truth  !  Whereas,  if  rhere  was  no  natural  and 
 eternal   difference,    between   Juft  and   Un-' 
 ;juft;    no    Man    could  have    any  reafon  to 
 complain  of  Injury,  any   other  than  what 
 Laws    and    Compacts  made  fo  i    which    iri 
 innumerable    Cafes  will  be    always   to  be 
 evaded. 
 /n  Wier      There  is  but  one  thing,  that  I  am  fenfible 
 ob'  of,  which  can  here  with  any  Colour  be  ob- 
 jected  againft  what  has  been  hitherto  faid 
 the    concerning  the  Neceihty  of  the  Mind's  gi- 
 ro; !  igpo.  yjjjg  its  AfTent  to  the  eternal  Law  of  Righ- 
 f,a   tcoufn^fs  ;  And  that  is,  the  total  Ignorance, 
 Na  .  which  fome  whole    Nations  are  reported  to 
 ftih  mat*  He  under,  of  the  nature  and  force  of  thefe 
 M9m  moral  Obligations.      The  •  Matter  of  Fadr, 
 is  not  very  true :  Rut  if  it  was,  'tis  certain 
 there  are  more  Nations  and   People  total- 
 ly ignorant  of  the   plainer!:    Mathematical 
 Truths  ^   as,  of  the  proportion,  for  Exam- 
 ple, of  a  Square  to  a    Triangle  of  the   fame 
 Rafe  and  Heighth  :   And  yet    thefe  Truths 
 are  fuch.,    to  which  the   Mind  cannot  but 
 give  its  afTent  neceffarily  and  unavoidably, 
 as  foon  as  they  are  diitindtly  propofed  to  it. 
 All    that    this  Objection   proves    therefore, 
 
 fup- 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  63 
 
 fuppofing  the  Matter  of  it  to  be  true,  is  on- 
 ly this  ^  not  that  the  mind  of  Man,  can  ever 
 dilTerrt  from  the  rule  of  Right  h  much  lefs, 
 that  there  is  no  necelTary  difference  in  na- 
 ture between  moral  Good  and  Evil  5  any- 
 more than  it  proves,  that  there  is  no  cer- 
 tain and  neceflary  proportions  of  Numbers, 
 Lines,  or  Figures :  But  this  it  proves  only, 
 that  Men  have  great  need  to  be  taught  and 
 inflxu&ed  in  fome  very  plain  and  eafy,  as 
 well  as  certain  Truths  ^  and,  if  they  be  of 
 importance,  that  they  have  need  alfo  to 
 have  them  frequently  inculcated,  and  itrong- 
 ly  inforced  upon  them.  Which  is  very 
 true :  And  is  (as  as  fhall  hereafter  be  par- 
 ticularly made  to  appear)  one  good  Argu- 
 ment for  the  reafonablenefi  of  expecting  a 
 Revelation. 
 
 4.  Thus  it  appears  in  general,   that    the  of  the 
 •mind  of  Man  cannot  avoid  giving  its  AJfent  #**<jM 
 to  the  eternal  Law  of  Righteoufnefs  $  that  obl^ithms 
 is,  cannot  but  acknowledge  the  reafonable-  in  partk** 
 nefs  and  fitnefs  of  Mens  governing  all  their    *#• 
 Actions   by  the  rule  of  Right  or  Equity-, 
 and  alfo  that  this  AJfent  is  a  formal  Obliga- 
 tion upon    every  Man,    aclually  and    con- 
 ftantly  to  conform  himfelf  to  that  Rule.     I 
 might  now  from  hence  deduce  in  particular, 
 all  the  feveral  Duties  of  Morality  or  Natu- 
 ral Religion.     But  becaufe  this  would  take 
 up  too  large  a  portion  of  my  intended  Dif- 
 courfe,   and  may  eafily  be    fupplied  abun- 
 dantly out  of  feveral  late  excellent  Writers  5 
 I   fhall  only  mention  the  three    great  and 
 principal  Branches,   from  which  all  the  0- 
 ther  and  fmaller  inftances  of  duty  do  na- 
 turally 
 
6\  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 ttirally  flow,  or   may  without  difficulty  he 
 derived. 
 Of  Fkty9       y;rj}  t]lcl^  jn  refpea  of  God,    the   Rule 
 v^t!-     °^  Righte&uihefi  is*    that  we  keep  tip  con- 
 ftatttly  in  our  Minds,  the  higheftpojfible  Honour, 
 God.  Eft  e  em,    and  Veneration  for  him  $    which  muft 
 
 exp;  efs  it  Jelf  in  proper  and  refpetfive  influ- 
 ences upon  all  our  Paffions,  and  in  the  fuitable 
 direction  of  all  our  Aclions :  That  we  worftnp 
 and  adore  Him,  and  Him  alone,  as  the  only 
 Supreme  Author,  Preferver  and  Govemour  of 
 all  Things :  That  we  employ  our  whole  Beings, 
 and  all  our  Powers  and  Faculties,  hi  his  Ser- 
 vice, and  for  his  Glory ;  that  is,  in  encoura- 
 ging the  prattife  ofuniverfal  Right eoufnefs,  and 
 promoting  the  Defigns  of  ftif  Divine  Goodnefs 
 among  ft  Men,  in  fuch  way  and  manner  as  ft) all 
 at  any  time  appear  to  be  his  Will  we  Jbould  do 
 it :  And  finally,  that,  to  inable  us  to  do  this 
 continually,  we  pray  Unto  him  conftantly  for 
 whatever  we  ft  and  in  need  of,  and  return  him 
 continual  and  hearty  Thanks  for  whatever  good 
 things  we  at  any  time  receive.  There  is  no 
 Congruity  or  Proportion,  in  the  uniform 
 difpofition  and  correfpondent  order  of  any 
 Bodies  or  Magnitudes  •,  no  Fitnefs  or  Agree* 
 merit  in  the  application  of  fimilar  and  equal 
 Geometrical  Figures  one  to  another,  or  in 
 the  comparing  them  one  with  another  ^  fo 
 viiible  and  confpicuous  -,  as  is  the  Beauty 
 and  Harmony  of  the  exercife  of  God's  feve- 
 ral  Atributes,  meeting  with  fuitable  returns 
 of  Duty  and  Honour  from  all  his  rational 
 Creatures  throughout  the  Univerfe.  The 
 confederation  of  his  Eternity  and  Infinity,  his 
 Knowledge  and  his  Wifdojn,  neceflarily  com- 
 mands 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  6  ? 
 
 Vnands  our  higheft  Admiration  :  The  fenfe 
 of  his  Omnip re fence,  forces  a  perpetual  aw- 
 ful Regard  towards  him:  His  Supreme  Au- 
 thority, as  being  the  Creator,  Preferver,  and 
 abfolute  Governour  of  all  Things,  obliges 
 us  to  pay  him  all  poffible  Honour  andVe- 
 iteration,  Adoration  and  Worfnp  -y  And  his 
 Unity  requires,  that  it  be  paid  to  Him 
 alone  :  His  Power  and  Juftice,  demand  our 
 Fear:  His  Mercy  and  Placablenefi,  encou- 
 rage our  Hope :  His  Goodnefe,  neceffarily 
 excites  our  Love :  His  Veracity  and  Un- 
 changeablenefs,  fecure  our  Truft  in  him : 
 The  fenfe  of  our  having  received  our  Be^ 
 ing  and  all  our  Powers  from  him,  makes  it 
 infinitely  reafonable  that  we  fhould  employ 
 our  whole  Beings  and  all  our  Faculties  in  his 
 Service :  The  Confcioufnefs  of  our  con- 
 tinual Dependence  upon  him,  both  for  our 
 Prefervation  and  the  Supply  of  every 
 thing  we  want  $  obliges  us  to  conftant 
 Prayer:  And  every  good  thing  we  enjoy,  the 
 Air  we  breath,  and  the  Food  we  eat,  the 
 Rain  from  Heaven,  and  the  fruitful  Sea- 
 fons,  all  the  Bleffings  and  Comforts  of 
 the  prefent  time9  and  the  Hopes  and  Ex- 
 pectations we  have  of  what  is  to  come  ^ 
 do  *  all  demand  our  hear- 
 tieft    Gratitude   and    Thankf-        *  Quern  vcro  Aftrortira 
 
 fiving  to  him.  The  Suita-  Ordines,  quem  dicrum  no- 
 denefs  and  Proportion,  the  J***  *ciffirodlo«,  S»«n 
 Correipondency  and  Con-  ca  quar  gigouacur  nobis  ad 
 neiion  of  each  of  thefe  fruendum,  non  Gr.xtum  die 
 things  refpedively,  is  as  CQganc. ;  hunc  Hominem 
 WU:™     ninA     ^^r  •         ,  omnino    numerare  qui  dc- 
 
 plain    and    confpicuous,     as     ctt7  Ch  de  ugih.Sb.  2. 
 the   Ihinirig   of  the  Sun    at       'UdwAx*^  *** 
 
 Q.  Noon- 
 
66         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 nXJiiSiMiTniHV  £v>tv*  £  Noon-day  •,  And  'tis  the 
 •A* Mtrfttf **»,&?'•  greateft  Abfurdity  and  Per- 
 x*e<m<  UtL&KiirW  verfenefs  m  the  World, 
 ™<  k}  afv-T**  Mi  k&iovjttf  for  Creatures  indued  with 
 aAtv  }  Zuvwr'wr  Ztfo'  Re  a  fan,  to  attempt  to  break 
 toy*  '*<*>•*?&  through  and  tranfgrefs  this 
 >r  i?^S^V;  M^>5  neceflary  Order  and  De- 
 3t;«o7i%w0tf  «^A»«>,&c.  pendency  of  things.  All 
 Atmii.  /^.  i.  r#j.  j 6.  Inanimate      and     all     Irratio- 
 
 nal Beings,  by  the  Neceffity 
 of  their  Nature,  conftantly  obey  the  Laws 
 of  their  Creation  *  and  tend  regularly  to 
 the  Ends,  for  which  they  were  appointed. 
 How  monftrous  then  is  it,  that  ReafonabU 
 Oeatures,  merely  becaufe  they  are  not 
 NecerTitated,  fhould  abufe  that  glorious 
 privilege  of  Liberty,  by  which  they  are  ex- 
 alted in  dignity  above  the  reft  of  God's 
 Creation,  to  make  themfelves  the  alone 
 Unreafonable  and  diforderly  part  of  the 
 Univerfe  !  That  a  Tree  planted  in  a  fruit- 
 ful Soil,  and  watered  continually  with  the 
 Dew  of  Heaven,  and  cherifhed  conftantly 
 with  the  kindly  warmth  and  benign  in- 
 fluence of  the  Sun-beams,  fhould  yGt  never 
 bring  forth  either  Leaves  or  Fruit-,  is  not 
 half  fo  irregular  and  contrary  to  Nature, 
 as  that  a  Rational  Befa&  created  after  the 
 Image  of  God,  and  confeious  of  God's  do- 
 ing every  thing  for  him,  that  becomes  the 
 Relation  of  an  infinitely  good  and  bounti- 
 ful Creator  to  bis  Creatures-,  Ihould  yet  ne- 
 ver on  his  part  make  any  return  of  thofe 
 Duties,  which  arife  rieceflarily  from  the 
 Relation  of  a  Creature  to  his  Creator. 
 
 Secondly  -, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  67 
 
 Secondly  h    In   refpect  of  our  Fellov-crea* °f  'AW*- 
 tttres,    the  Rule  of  Righteoufhefs   is-    that $"£}" 
 in  particular  we  fo  deal  with  every  Man,    as  -,/  Men  one 
 in    like  Cir  cum  fiances  we    could  reasonably  ex-  ?<>*>    " 
 pea   he  fijould  deal  with   Us$    and  that  in  gc-  anothf  • 
 rieral  we  endeavour,    Ly  an  univerfal   Ben 
 lence,  to  promote   the  welfare  and  bappittefs  of 
 all  Men.     The  former  Branch  of  this  Rule, 
 is  Equity  -,  the  latter,  is  Love. 
 
 As  to  the  former,  viz.  Equity  :  The  Ofjfkitkt 
 Reafon  which  obliges  every  Man  in  Praftife,  **  ^ 
 fo  to  deal  always  with  another,  as  he  would 
 rcafonably  expect  that  Others  Ihould  in 
 like  Circu ^.{lances  deal  with  Him  ♦,  is  the 
 very  fame,  as  That  which  forces  him  in 
 fpecidation  to  affirm,  that  if  one  Line  or 
 Number  be  equal  to  another,  That  other  is 
 reciprocally  equal  to  It.  Iniquity  is  the 
 very  fame  in  Action,  as  Falfity  or  Contraii- 
 tlion  in  Theory  *,  and  the  fame  caufe  which 
 makes  the  one  abfurd,  makes  the  other 
 mtreafonable.  Whatever  relation  or  pro- 
 portion one  Man  in  any  Cafe  bears  to 
 another  ^  the  fame  That  Other,  when  put 
 in  like  Circumftances,  bears  to  Him. 
 Whatever  I  judge  reafon  able  or  un  reafon  a- 
 ble,  for  another  to  do  for  Ale  $  That,  by 
 the  fame  Judgment,  I  declare  reafonable  or  , 
 Unreafonable,  that  I  in  the  like  Cafe  Ihould 
 do  for  him.  And  to  deny  this  either  in 
 Word  or  Action,  is  as  if  a  Man  Ihould 
 contend,  that,  tho'  two  and  three  are  equal  to 
 five,  yet  five  are  not  equal  to  two  and  ts.  ree. 
 Wherefore  *    were   not  Men 
 
 ftrangely    and     moft     Unna-     ^^1^7"" 
 turally    corrupted,      by    per-    ius   inter    nofroecipfos  fu- 
 Q.  2  verfe 
 
6?         Tk  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 mu<.  guod  fi  depr.zvatio  verfe  and  un accountably  falfe 
 unfuetuimwy  fi  •/>««•**«  opilt'lom  and  movpoits  evil 
 vamtas.  non  lmbccillirarem       J  „  '       7     7    7 .    **  .-, 
 
 ammonia  corquerec,  &  tie-  fyww  *M*  habits,  prevail- 
 ftcrec  quorum, ,  ctfpifkc  j  ing  againft  the  cleareft  and 
 fui  Dtmo  ipfc  cam  fimilis  plaineft  reafon  in  the 
 &£?ra£'St  World:  It  would  be  im- 
 aquc  ab  omnibus,  cic  ^  poflible,  that  uinverfal 
 Ui.Iik  i.  Equity  lhould   not   be  prac- 
 
 tifed     by      all       Mankind  •, 
 and   efpecially   among    Equals,    where    the 
 proportion    of   Equity  is    fimple    and    ob- 
 vious, and  every    Man's    own  cafe    is    al- 
 ready the  fame  with  all    others,     without 
 any    nice     comparing    or   tranfpofmg     cf 
 Circumftances  :     It    would    be   as     impof- 
 fible,    that  *  a   Man,     con- 
 *  Hoc  origit  ipfa  Nacurx    trary  to  the  eternal  Reafon 
 l™>Wx^l™Ji;™j*     of  things,    lhould  defire   to 
 
 humana  ;   cm  parerequi  ve-  .       r  r      ^  n 
 
 Jir,  runqtJim  commiccec  ut  ga.in  lome  imail  Pr<)nt  to 
 ml'mum  appttyt,  &  id ,  quod  Himfelf,  by  doing  vio- 
 alteHdetraxerltifi&iaOiimtt,  knee  and  damage  to  his 
 Ck.*ofoUk*  Neighbour;    ^  as      that     he 
 
 lhould  be  willing  to  be  de- 
 prive:! of  Necefiaries  himfelf,  to  fatisfie  the 
 unreafonable  Covetoufnefs  or  Ambition  of 
 another:  In  a  word-,  it  would  be  impof- 
 iible  for  Men  not  to  be  as  much  afhamed 
 of  Doing  Iniquity,  as  they  are  of  Believing 
 ContradiBions.  In  confidering  indeed  the 
 Duties  of  Superiours  and  Inferiours  in  vari- 
 ous Relations,  the  proportion  of  Equity 
 is  fomewhat  more  complex-,  But  ftill  it 
 may  always  be  deduced  from  the  fame 
 Rule,  of  doing  as  we  would  be  done  by,  if 
 careful  regard  be  had  at  the  fame  time  to 
 the    difference   of  Relation  h    That  is,   if  in 
 
 con- 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  6 9 
 
 confidering   what  is  fit  for  you   to  do    to 
 another,     you  always    take   into    the    ac- 
 count, not  only  every  Circumftance  of  the 
 A8ion,    but  alfo  every  Circumftance  where- 
 in the    Perfon   differs  from    you  •    And   in 
 judging  what    you   would  deiire  that  ano- 
 ther,   if  your  Circumftances    were  tranfpo- 
 fed,    Ihould  do  to  you^     you   always  con- 
 sider,    not  what  any  unrtafonable   PaiFion 
 or  private  Intereft  would  prompt  you,  but 
 what    impartial   Reafon    would    di&ate   to 
 you    to    deiire.      For   example :    A    Magi- 
 fir  ate,   in    order    to  deal    equitably  with  a 
 Criminal,     is  not  to  confider   what  Fear  or 
 Self-Love  would  caufe  Him,    in  the   Crimi- 
 nals Cafe,    to  dejtre  •,   but  what  Reafon  and 
 the  publick   Good  would  oblige  him    to  ac- 
 knowledge   was   fit  and  juft   for  him  to   ex- 
 $e&.     And    the  fame  Proportion   is    to    be 
 obferved,     in  deducing  the    Duties  of  Pa- 
 rents and  Children,    of  Mafiers  and  Servants, 
 of  Governours  and    Subjects,    of  Citizens  and 
 Foreigners-,    in  what  manner  every  Perfon 
 is   obliged  by  the  Rule  of  Equity,    to  be- 
 have himfelf  in  each  of  thefe  and  all  other 
 Relations.      In    the    regular    and  ■  uniform 
 Practife  of  all    which    Duties    among    all 
 Mankind,    in    their  feveral  and  refpective ' 
 Relations,    through  the  whole  Earth  •,    con- 
 lifts    that   Univerfal  Juftice,    which    is    the 
 Top  and  Perfection  of  all  Virtues  :    Which, 
 if,  as  *  Plato  fays,   it  could 
 
 be  reprefented  viftbly  to  *  a«^V  $  £v  sm^s* 
 mortal  Eyes,  would  raife  ifff***  im  -m*™  Uv™< 
 in  us  an  inexprelhble  Love  *♦*?>•'  **&*"  »f«XM», 
 and     Aimiration       of    it  :        QUtC  fl  ccu]is  Cernrr«ur, 
 
 Q.  3  Which 
 
7©  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 i mores,  mzhPU-  Which    would    introduce    in- 
 
 n  emmet  kick,  detfa  to  the  World    fuch    a    glori- 
 
 'oculcrumeftinncir.rn.  ous    and    happy    State,     as 
 
 cpbusfapi-  the    ancient    Poets  have   at- 
 
 entiaranonccrmmus;  QuSm  tempted  to  defcribe  in   their 
 
 dcntesamorcsi^cica-  YidS&L    of     a    golden     Age: 
 
 .  fi  viderecur  I   Li.  de  _/r7  .  ,    .      .      r  ,?    .     r    .     i 
 
 fin.  i,  2.  Winch  m  it  felf,    is  lo  truly 
 
 ♦  rAi/w  /Ap'Sir  w^tf/*-     beautiful    and    lovely,    that, 
 «ty,  a'f«7B  ^  %*'?**£     as   *   Anftotle  elegantly    ex- 
 
 l'*'*-^]*"**®-   preffes  if  the  §jotio^s  0f 
 
 c<  3.  the     heavenly     Bodies     are 
 
 not  fo  admirably  regular 
 and  harmonious ,  nor  the  brightness  of 
 the  Sun  and  Stars  fo  ornamental  to. 
 the  vifible  fabrick  of  the  World,  as 
 the  univerfal  pra&iie  of  this  illuftri- 
 ous  Virtue  would  be  conducive  to  the 
 glory  and  advantage  of  the  rational 
 part  of  this  lower  C  reation  :  Which,  lafi> 
 ly,  is  fo  truly  noble  and  excellent  in  its 
 own  Nature ,  that  the  wiflft  and  moll 
 confidering  Men  have  always  declared, 
 that  *  neither  Life  it  felf, 
 *Noncnimniihicfi  vfta     ™   t  all  other  poflible  En- 
 
 mea  utilior,    qua  in  animi  ra-      joyments       ill       the       World, 
 
 Hsaffcftio,   ncminemucvio-    put:    together,     are    of   any 
 
 S*e5TtrlT    VaUVe    -feftcem_,    in    conf- 
 
 ■ATT^^dLvl^u*-  parnon  of,  or  m  competi- 
 y&i  ,S  jfctx*V,'#  Bv^Avnt  tion  with,  that  right  tern- 
 xef'»  *&****  «**>  »j  per  ancj  difpoiition  of 
 4Zfc&*gi«  ^ind,  from  which  flows 
 cvvYKTi  a*!  afSTJKaWoi!*.  the  prattiie  of  this  umver- 
 piato  dc  Leg.  Lib.  2.  fal      Juftice      and      Equity. 
 
 On  the  contrary :  Inju- 
 Jtice  and  Iniquity,  Violence ,  Fraud  and 
 Opprejfionj      the    univerfal    confufion    of 
 
 right 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  71 
 
 right  and  wrong,  and  the  general  neg- 
 lect and  contempt  of  all  the  Duties  ari- 
 sing from  Mens  feveral  Relations  one 
 to  another  *  is;  the  greateft  and  moil  un- 
 natural corruption  of  God's  Creation,  that 
 'tis  poflible  for  depraved  and  rebellious 
 Creatures  to  introduce :  As  they  them- 
 felves,  whg  pra&ife  iniquity  moil,  and 
 are  moft  defirous  to  defend  it,  yet  when- 
 ever it  comes  to  be  their  own  turn  to  fuf- 
 fer  by  it,  are  not  very  backward  to  ac- 
 knowledge. To  comprife  this  Matter 
 therefore  in  one  Word :  What  the  Suns 
 forfaking  that  equal  courfe,  which  now, 
 by  difrufing  gentle  warmth  and  light, 
 cherifhes  and  invigorates  every  thing  in  a 
 due  proportion  through  the  whole  Syftem  ♦, 
 and  on  the  contrary,  his  burning  up,  by 
 an  irregular  and  diforderly  Motion,  fome 
 of  the  Orbs  with  in fuppor table  heat,  and 
 leaving  others  to  periih  in  extream  cold 
 and  darknefs}  would  be  to  the  natural 
 World :  That  very  fame  thing,  Injuftice, 
 and  Tyranny,  Iniquity  and  all  Wicked- 
 nefs,  is  to  the  moral  and  rational  part  of  the 
 Creation.  The  only  difference,  is  this: 
 That  the  one  is  an  objiinate  and  wilful  Cor- 
 ruption, and  moft  perverfe  depravation  of 
 Creatures  made  after  the  Image  of  God-, 
 and  a  violating  the  eternal  and  unalterable 
 Law  or  Reafon  of  Things,  which  is  of  the 
 utmoft  Importance  h  Whereas  the  other 
 would  be  only  a  revolution  or  change 
 of  the  arbitrary  and  temporary  frame  of 
 Nature. 
 
 Q.  4  The 
 
7  r        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of  utiver*      The  fecond  Branch  of  the  Rule  of  Righ- 
 
 fal  mutual  teoufnefs  with  refpecl:  to  our  Fellow-crea- 
 llncc?       tures,    I  fa^»  was  univerfal  Love  or  Benevo- 
 lence h   that    is,   not    only  the  doing  barely 
 what    is  juft  and    right,    in    our    dealings 
 with  every  Man  ♦,    but  alfo  a   conftant  in- 
 deavouring  to  promote  in  general,     to  the 
 utmoft  of  our  power,  the  welfare  and  hap- 
 pinefs    of  all     Men.      The    Obligation  to 
 which    duty  alfo,    may  eafily  be  deduced 
 from    what    has    been    already   laid   down. 
 For  if  (as  has  been  before  proved )  there  be 
 a  natural  and  necefTary  difference  between 
 Good    and    Evil  ^   and  that  which    is   Good 
 is  fit  and  reafonable,    and    that   which    is 
 Evil  is  unreafonable  to  be  dene  •,  and    that 
 which  is  the  greater!   Good,  is    always    the 
 mojl  fit  and  reafonable  to  be  chofen^    Then, 
 as    the    Goodnefs   of  God    extends    it  felf 
 univerfally  over  all  his  "Works  through  the 
 whole  Creation,  by  doing   always  what  is 
 abfolutely    Beft  in  the  whole  ^     fo   every 
 rational  Creature  ought  in  its    Sphere    and 
 *  Station,  according  to  its  refpeclive  powers 
 
 and   faculties,     to   do  all  the  Good  it  can 
 to  all  its  Fellow-creatures  :  To   which  end, 
 imiverfal  Love  and  Benevolence  is  as  plainly 
 the    moll    direct,    certain,     and     effectual 
 means  ^    as  *    in    Mathema- 
 *  UoiverfalitcF  aurem  vc-     ticks  the  flowing  of   a  Point, 
 rum  eft,    quod  non  certius      -        f       r»rndnre a     7  ive  .     nr 
 
 ff.rxus   funBi  Uncam  pro-     ?s>    to    produce  a   unexot 
 
 duc\t,*maddithnumeroritm  in     Anthmetick,     the     Addl- 
 
 Sumnum,  quam  quod  Bene-  tion     of     Numbers,     to      pro- 
 
 volentia  effe&uin  watftat  bo-  ^uce    a   Snmm ;     or    in  Fhr- 
 
 rum.    Cumberland  de  Leg.  r-  *  .      2.    7        r     **  ■- 
 
 Naur*,  pag.  10.  licks,   certain  kinds  of  Moti- 
 
 Pari  tape  rarione  [ac  in     °wy   to    prefervt  certain    Bo- 
 dies, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 7* 
 
 dies,  which  other  kinds  of 
 Motions  tend  to  corrupt. 
 Of  all  which,  the  mind 
 of  Man  is  fo  naturally 
 fenfible,  that,  except  in 
 fuch  Men  whofe  Affecti- 
 ons are  prodigioufly  cor- 
 rupted by  moft  unnatural 
 and  habitual  vitious  pra- 
 clifes,  there  is  no  Duty 
 whatsoever,  the  perfor- 
 mance whereof  affords  a 
 Man  fo  *  ample  pleafure 
 and  fatisfa&ion,  and  fills 
 his  mind  with  fo  comfor- 
 table a  fenfe,  of  his  having 
 done  the  greateft  Good  he 
 was  capable  to  do,  of  his 
 having  beft  anfwered  the 
 ends  of  his  Creation ,  and 
 nearlieft  imitated  the  Per- 
 fections of  his  Creator, 
 a-nd  confequently  of  his  ha- 
 ving fully  complied  with 
 the  higheft  and  principal 
 Obligations  of  his  Nature ; 
 as  the  performance  of  this  one  Duty, 
 of  vttiverfal  Love  and  Benevolence,  natu- 
 rally affords.  But  further ;  The  Ob- 
 ligation to  this  great  Duty,  may  alfo 
 otherwife  be  deduced  from  the  Nature 
 of  Man,  in  the  following  manner.  Next 
 to  that  natural  Self-love,  or  Care  of 
 his  own  Prefervation,  which  every  one 
 necelTarily  has  in  the  firft  place  for  himfelfc 
 there  is  in  all  Men  a  certain  natural  Af- 
 fection 
 
 Arithmeticis  eperationibus-'] 
 Doftrinx  Moralis  Veritas  fun- 
 darur  in  immutabiii  cohav. 
 renria  inter  PeUc'ttatem  Sm/t. 
 man  quam  hominurn  vire8 
 arTequi  valenr,  &  Aflus  be»em 
 wlentU  ur.iver fa  Us.  Id.  ibid 
 fag.  25. 
 
 Eadem  eft  menfura  Bom 
 Mzlique,  qua:  menfura  eft 
 veri  falfyi  in  propofirioni- 
 bus  pronunciancibus  de  effi- 
 cacia  Mot  Hum  ad  re  rum  ali» 
 arum  cw[ervationem  &  cor- 
 ruptionem  facicmium.  Id. 
 pag.  30. 
 
 *  Angufta  ad  modem  eft 
 circa  noftra  tantummodo 
 commeda,  Lxtiria:  materia; 
 fed  eadem  eric  ampIiiTima, 
 (i  aliorum  omnium  Fclicitas 
 cordi  nobis  fir.  Quippe  hare 
 ad  illam,  eandem  habebic 
 proporticnem,  quam  habec 
 immenfa  Beatitudo  Dei,  ro 
 tiufq;  humani  generis,  ad 
 curcam  Ulam  fictac  felicitatis 
 iupelleftikm,  quam  uni  ho- 
 mini,  eiq^  invido  &  malcvc- 
 Jo,  fortuux  bona  poffint  fup- 
 pedicare,  Id.  ibid.  f&g.  214. 
 
74  7fo  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 fcftion  for  their  Children  and  Pojferity,  who 
 have  a  dependence  upon  them  ^  and  for 
 their  near  Relations  and  Friends,  who  have 
 an  intimacy  with  them.  And  becaufe  the 
 Nature  of  Man  is  fiich,  that  they  cannot 
 live  comfortably  in  independent  Families, 
 without  ftill  farther  Society  and  Com- 
 merce with  each  other  ^  therefore  they 
 naturally  dtiire  to  increafe  their  dependen- 
 cies, by  multiplying  Affinities  •,  and  to 
 enlarge  their  Friendfhips,  by  mutual  good 
 Offices  5  and  to  eftablifh  Societies,  by  a 
 communication  of  Arts  and  Labour:  Till 
 ¥  by  degrees  the  Afre&ion 
 *  in  nrani  honefto,  nihil  cf  jingle  Ver foils,  becomes  a 
 cfiu.iHuilre,  ncc  quod  la-     Friendiiiip  of  Families,    and 
 
 Tnter  homing  hominum,   &  th*s.     enlarges     it    felf     to  ^ 
 
 qua  fi  quscdam    fociecas   &  Society   of  Towns    and  Cities 
 
 communicutio  uti.'iratiim,  &  and      Nations  •,     and     termi- 
 
 ipfaOuriras  generis  hum*  f        ffi    th        agreeing  Com- 
 
 X  nara   a  pr:mo  fatu,  .          c      „     ,.  s  77  .    °        ,- 
 
 quo    a  procreacoribus   mtl  *«*«J  of   all  Mandhnds   The 
 
 di'.iguntur, ferpitfen-  Foundation,       Prefervation  9 
 
 fen  icT^cngnztionibus  pi  i-  and  Perfection  of  which   uni- 
 
 cwprexu&ntu  human*,  ck.    verfal  Friendflup    orSoae- 
 derinib.  lib.  $.  ty,    is  mutual   Love  and   Be- 
 
 nevolence h  And  nothing  hin- 
 ders the  World  from  being  a&ually  put 
 into  fo  happy  a  ftate,  but  perverfe  Ini- 
 quity and  unreafonable  want  of  mutual 
 Charity.  Wherefore  fince  Men  are  plainly 
 fo  conftituted  by  Nature,  that  they  ftand 
 in  need  of  each  others  afliftance  to  make 
 themfelves  eafy  in  the  World  •>  and  are 
 fitted  to  live  in  Communities  -,  and  Socie- 
 ty is  abfolutely  necefTary  for  them  •  and 
 mutual  Love  and  Benevolence  is  the  only 
 
 pofiible 
 
*  Nihil  eft  unnm  uni  tarn 
 fimile,  tarn  par,  quam  om- 
 nes  inter  n  imeciplos  fumtff. 
 Ouod  nifi  dernavano,  (f-rc  - 
 fui  nemo  ipfe  tam  fimtlii 
 cffec,  quamcmne.  Tunc  om- 
 nium. Cic.  de  Leg ib.  lib  I. 
 
 and  Revealed  Religicn.  j$ 
 
 poffible  means  to  efrablifh  this  Society  in 
 any  tolerable  and  durable  manner  •  and 
 in  this  refpecl  *  all  Men 
 ftand  upon  the  fame  level, 
 and  have  the  fame  natural 
 wants  and  defires  ,  and 
 are  in  the  fame  need  of 
 each  others  help,  and  are 
 equally  capable  of  enjoy- 
 ing the  benefit  and  advan- 
 tage of  Society  h  'Tis  evident  every  Man 
 is  bound  by  the  Law  of  his  Nature,  as 
 be  is  alfo  prompted  by 
 the  f  Inclination  of  his 
 uncorrupted  Affections,  to 
 *  look  upon  himfelf  as 
 a  part  and  member  of 
 that  one  univerfal  body 
 or  community,  which  is 
 made  up  of  all  Mankind  $ 
 to  think  himfelf  ||  born  to 
 promote  the  "publick  good 
 and  welfare  of  all  his  Fel- 
 low-creatures •,  and  confe- 
 quently  obliged,  as  the 
 necelTary  and  only  effe- 
 ctual means  to  that  End, 
 to  t  embrace  them  All 
 with  univerfal  Love  and 
 Benevolence  •,  So  that  he  * 
 cannot,  without  acting  con- 
 trary to  the  Reafon  of  his 
 own  mind,  and  tranfgref- 
 fing  the  plain  and  known 
 Law      of    his     Being,      do 
 
 f  Impeilimur  autem  Na- 
 tura,  uc  pi\clefle  velimus 
 quamplurimi'.  Cic.  de  tinib. 
 lib.  3. 
 
 *  Hominem  eftequafi  par- 
 tem quandam  civicaris  & 
 univerfi  generis  humani  , 
 eumqi  e(Te  coniui^.ti  m  cum 
 hominibus  Human*  quadam 
 Socierare.  Cic.  Qutfl, 
 dem.  lib  1. 
 
 fj  Homines  hcminum  cs- 
 la  funt  generati,  uc  ipfi  inrer 
 fe  alii  air.:-  rrodefTe  poiTmc. 
 Cic.  deOffic.);';.  1. 
 
 Ad  tuendo,  ccnrcrvan* 
 dofq-  homines  hie  mineiA  re- 
 turn eh        Cic.  dt  Pin  '-.  libm 
 
 V 
 
 f  Omnt^   nrer  f«  -  \\ 
 
 quadam  ;ndi:  .  Ecia  :  bene* 
 volenti  onr.;:]:;i,  cic.  de 
 Legib.  lib  1. 
 
 *  Ex  qnoefflcitur,  homi- 
 nem nature  cbecicrum,  ho- 
 rn mi  nocere  ion.  pcre.  Cic. 
 de  Offic.  lib,  3. 
 
 willingly 
 
7  6  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 willingly  any    hurt  and    rnichief  to  any 
 Man  -,  no,     jj    not   even  to 
 i;0t7i  a£*atJ'7«^»/V^',     thofe  who    have   firfl:    in- 
 fo »&mit  jw«r  ttiv*  fV    jured  him  5      but     ought , 
 
 &3£"n£.Z&    *°*  the  P»blick  benefit,    to 
 
 tr,f.  endeavour   to    appeafe   with 
 
 gentlenefs,    rather    than  ex- 
 
 afpearte  with  retaliations  $     and  finally,  to 
 
 comprehend    all  in    one    Word,    fwhich  is 
 
 the    top   and    compleat   Perfe&ion  of   this 
 
 great   Duty,)     ought    to    t 
 
 +  Turn  illud  cffici,  quod     £ove    a\\     others    as    himfelf 
 
 deatur,  fir  autem   necertari-      ^hlS      IS      the       Argumenta- 
 
 um,  uc  mi  Ho  fefe  plut  quam  tion  °*  that  great  Mafter, 
 alterum  diligat.  ck.  dt  Lt*  Cicero  ^  whofe  knowledge 
 I'M****,  and    underftanding    of    the 
 
 true  Irate  of  Things,    and  of 
 the    original    Obligations  of  humane    Na- 
 ture, was  as  much  greater  than  Mr  Hobbs's  -, 
 as  his  helps  and  advantages  to  attain   that 
 knowledge,  werelefs. 
 cf  Sohrk-      Thirdly,     with  refpeft   to  our  Selves,    the 
 &T*"1  Rule  of  Righteoufnefs  is  -,    that  every  Man 
 wards       freferve  his  own  Being,    as  long  as   he  is  able  • 
 them-         and  take  care  to  keep    himfelf  at  all    times  in 
 fe-llfsb  ,  fllch  temper  and  difpoftion  both  of  Body    and 
 Vnlll*  £ Mind,  as  may  befi  fit  and  enable  him  to  per- 
 fulnefs  of  for™  his  Duty  in  all  other  Infiances :    That  is  ^ 
 Sdf-mur-   he    ought  to  bridle  his    Appetites,    with   Tem- 
 *tu  perance  •    to  govern  his  Fajjions,  with  Modera- 
 
 tion ;  and  to  apply  himfelf  to  the  bufxnefs  of 
 his  prefent  Station  in  the  World,  whatfoever 
 it  be,  with  Attention  and  Contentment.  That 
 every  Man  ought  to  preferve  his  own  Be- 
 ing as  long  as  he  is  able,  is  evident  •,  be- 
 caufe  what  he  is  not  himfelf  the    Author 
 
 and 
 
and  Revealed  Religion*  7  7 
 
 and  Giver  of,  he  can  never  of  himfelf 
 have  juft  Power  or  Authority  to  take  a- 
 way.  He  that  fent  us  into  the  World, 
 and  alone  knows  for  how  long  time  he 
 appointed  us  our  Station  here,  and  when 
 we  have  finifhed  all  the  bufmefs  he  intend- 
 ed we  fhould  do}  can  alone  judge  when 
 it  is  fit  for  us  to  be  taken  hence,  and  has 
 alone  Authority  to  difmifs  and  difcharge 
 us.  This  reafoning  has  been  admirably  ap- 
 plied by  Plato,  Cicero,  and  others  of  the  beffc 
 Philofophers.  So  that  though  the  Stoicks 
 of  old,  and  the  Deijls  of  late,  have  in  their 
 ranting  Difcourfes,  and  fome  few  of  them  in 
 their  raih  Pra&ife,  contradicted  it  h  yet  they 
 have  never  been  able,  with  any  colour  of 
 reafon,  to  anfwer  or  evade  the  force  of 
 the  Argument :  Which  indeed,  to  fpeak 
 the  Truth,  has  been  urged  by  the  fore- 
 mentioned  Philofophers,  with  fuch  jfingu- 
 lar  Beauty,  as  well  as  invincible  Strength, 
 that  it  feems  not  capable  of  having  any 
 thing  added  to  it.  Wherefore  I  fhall  give 
 it  you  only  in  fome  of  their  own  Words. 
 We  Men,    (fays    *   Plato  in 
 
 the  perfon  of  Socrates,)  **t.vnvt  <p?»f*  \9pk9  U 
 are  all,  by  the  appointment  f^/.««»«ftj«fjWf 
 of  God  in  a  certain  Prifon  ^^Km,  _e»V  V&  fr* 
 or  Citjtody,  which  we  ought  To*  ^oeA^V  kai  *«£< 
 mt  to  break  out  of,  and  run  t«<  aVSf »&*,  b  4$?  kIhua* 
 tway.  We  are  as  Servants,  T"  ?'J  *?<  ®:  -  '°?"' 
 or  as  Cattle,  m  the  hand  of  fm  ^  foiiditttjZfa, 
 God  :  And  would  not  any  of  ^  n^havTot  <r*  S77  G*ih 
 Us,  faith  he,  if  one  of  our  *»™  7i^vava*,  %t\imlyetf 
 Servants  fioud,  contrary  to  «">&ri.MiJm*Jx*«<n- 
 onr  direction,     and  to  efcape     jn Pbsd. 
 
 out 
 
*  Vctat  enim  dominan?  ille 
 ifl  n  >bis  Dei*.*,  injuliu  hine 
 nos  f^o  demigrarc  Cum  ve- 
 I  m  juftam  Deus  ipfe 
 
 dederit,  n*  ilk  rtiediusfidr- 
 us  vir  fa  pfea$,  lascos  6X  his 
 tenebris  in  !ucem  il'am  ex- 
 ctfferit  ;  nee  tamen  iila  vin- 
 ciiJj  carceris  ruperit ; 
 enim  veranc ,  fed  c.mquam  a 
 magiftracu,  auc  ab  aiiqua 
 poteftate  legicima,  fie  a  Deo 
 evocatus,  acq^emilTiibexierit* 
 Lie.  Tkfc.Qtfdft,  lib.  i. 
 
 7  8  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 out    of  our  Service,    kill  himfelf;      think  we 
 had  juft    resfon   to  he    very  angry,    and,  if   it 
 wgs    in   our    Power,   puiiift)    him  for  it  ?    So 
 likewife   Cicero:     God,     fays 
 *  he,   the  Supreme  Governonr 
 of  all    things ,     forbids    us    to 
 depart    hence    without    his  Or- 
 dsr:     And  though,     when    the 
 divine  Providence  does    it  felf 
 offer    ns    a  juft     occajion     of 
 leaving  this   World,    (as  when 
 a     Man     choofes     to    fuffer 
 Death   rather    than    commit 
 Wickednefs,)     a     wife     Man 
 will    then    indeed   depart    joy- 
 fully,   as    out  of    a   place    of 
 Sorrow     and    Darknefs     into     Light-,     yet    he 
 will    not     he   in   fitch  haft,     as    to  break  his 
 P/ifon    contrary   to    Law  -,    but  will    go    when 
 God  calls  him,     as  a  Prifoner  when    difmiffel 
 by   the   Magiftrate  or  lawful    Power,     Again  : 
 Lhat       Jhort      remainder      of 
 Life,   faith  *    he,     which  old 
 Men  have  a  profpeB  of,     they 
 ought    7i either    too    eagerly    to 
 defre,    nor  yet  on  the  contrary 
 uv.reafonably    and  dif contented- 
 ly   deprive    themfelves  of    it: 
 Tor,     as  Pythagoras    teaches, 
 it    is    as  Unlawful  for  a    Man,    without    the 
 commend  of  God,     to  remove  himfelf  out    of 
 the  Vrorld  *,    as  for  a  Soldier  to  leave  his  Poft 
 without  his  Generals  Order.      And    in    ano- 
 ther Place  :    Vnlefs  That  God, 
 t  Wfi  enim  Dcus  is,  cuius     faith     t  '  he,    whofe     Temple 
 
 hoc  Ttmn  umeltcmne  cuod         _j     p  i  „_    .1  •         f  »       nir     i i 
 conlpicis,  Ulis  k  coiporii     afld    Palac£  thn  whole    WorU 
 
 is. 
 
 *  Ulud  breve  vita?  reliquum 
 nee  avide  appetendum  leni 
 bus,  ntc  fine  caufa  deferen- 
 dumefh  Veucq^  Ffri 
 injuftu  Lmpcracorh,  id  eft, 
 Dei,  de  pi3pfidio&  fhrione 
 Dc<  lie  prafidic  &  (rati  one 
 vk*  decedcre.  Cic.  dc  $eneft< 
 
19 
 
 lis    liberaverit  ;    hue 
 tibi  aditus  patcre  noa  norcfl. 
 
 Qujre  &  tibi 
 
 omnibus  retinendus  eft  ani- 
 mus in  cuftodia  cor, 
 nee  injuffu  ejus,  a  qu  >  ifle 
 eft  no'vs.  d.'.ru?,  ex  hominum 
 vita  migrandumf  eft  j  nc 
 munus  humanura  affignacum 
 a  Di.o  defugiiTe  videamiai 
 tic.  Somn.  Scipim. 
 
 and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 if,   dif  charges  you  bimfelf  out 
 of  the    Prifon   of  the    Body-, 
 you   can  never  be    received    to 
 his    Favour,      therefore    you, 
 and  all  pious  Men,     ought    to 
 have    patience   to  continue    in 
 the    Body,     as     long    as     God 
 flail  pleafe,    who  fent    us    hi- 
 ther  ;     and     not    force    your 
 felves      out      of    the     World, 
 before    he    calls  for  you  ^    leaf  you    he  found 
 Deferters    of    the  Station    appointed    you    by 
 God.       And,       to      mention      no      more  ; 
 That     excellent     Author,     Arrian :      Wait, 
 faith  *  he,    the  good  pleafure 
 of  God :     IFhen     He   fgnifei 
 it    to    be    bis  Will,     that    you 
 flwuld      be     difcharged     from 
 this    Service,  then   depart  v/il- 
 lingly-,   But  in  the  mean  time, 
 have    Patience    and     tarry    in 
 the   place    where    he   has    ap- 
 pointed   you :     Wait    and     do 
 not     hurry    your    felves    awaj     wilfully     avd 
 unreafonally.      The    Objections,    which    the 
 Author     of    the     Defenfe     0f     Self-murder 
 prefixed     to     the   Oracles    of    Reafon,     has 
 attempted     to     advance     againft    this    Ar- 
 gument ♦,    are  ^  fo    very    weak    and     chil- 
 difh,     that     'tis     evident    he     could    not 
 at    the  time    he  wrote   them,     believe    in 
 earneft    that     there     was     any     force     in 
 them:   As   when  he  fays,    that  the  reafon 
 why    it    is    not    lawful  for  a   Centinel  to 
 leave   his  Station  without  his   Commanders 
 Order,  is  becaufe  he  entred  into  the  Service 
 
 CT7  errs  -rctf  qvtQ-  t£vci%i&t 
 tvoiwrnt  Tmlilw  ttiv  ^a/- 
 fa.UHC  fo  U£v@-  tuArt-m- 
 %iv.  M*Wti,  w»  Astros 
 &7rek&iTi.   Ar/aa,  lib.  i. 
 
S  o  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 by    his    own  Confent  *,    as  if  God  had  not  a 
 311ft    Power    to    lay  any   Commands    upon 
 his    Creatures,     without  their  own  Confent: 
 Or    when   he    fays,    that  there    are    many 
 lawful  ways  to    feek  Death  in  •    as  if,    be- 
 caufe  a  Man  may  lawfully  venture  his  Life 
 in  many  publiclc  Services,  therefore  it  was 
 lawful  for  him  direclly  to  throw  it  away  up- 
 on  any   fooliih    difcontent.    But    the    Au- 
 thor of  that    Difcourfe  has    lince  been   fo 
 juir,    as  to  confefs    his  Folly,    and  retract 
 it    puhlickly  himfelf.     Wherefore    to   pro- 
 ceed :  For   the  fame  reafon,    that  a  Man  is 
 obliged    to  prefer ve  his  own  Being  at  all  ^ 
 he    is  bound   lilcewife  to  preferve   himfelf, 
 as  far  as  he  is  able,   in  the  right  Ufe  of  all 
 his  Faculties ;    that  is,  to  keep  himfelf  con- 
 {lantly  in    fuch  temper  both  of  Body  and 
 Mind,     by  regulating  his    Appetites    and 
 Palhons,   as  may   beft   fit  and   inable    him 
 to  perform   his  Duty  in  all  other  infiances. 
 For,  as    it  matters    not  whether  a  Soldier 
 deferts  his  Port,    or  by  Drunkennefs  ren- 
 ders  himfelf   incapable    of  performing   his 
 Duty  in  it :   So  for  a  Man  to   difable  him- 
 felf by  any  Intemperance  or  Paflion,  from 
 performing   the   neceiTary  Duties  of    Life^ 
 is,   at  leaft  for  that  time,  the  fame   thing 
 as  depriving  himfelf  of  Life.     And  neither 
 is    This  all.    For  great    Intemperance  and 
 ungoverned  Pajlions,      not   only   incapaci- 
 tate a  Man  to   perform  his  Duty  5    but  alfo 
 cxpofe  him  to  run  headlong  into  the  com- 
 mijfion  of  the  greateft  Enormities  :     There 
 being  no   Violence  or  Injuftice  whatfoever, 
 which    a    Man  who    has  deprived   himfelf 
 
 of 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  8  i 
 
 of  his  Reafon  by  Intemperance  or  Pafilon, 
 is  not  capable  of  being  tempted  to  com- 
 mit. So  that  all  the  additional  Obligations 
 which  a  Man  is  any  way  under,  to  for- 
 bear committing  the  moft  flagrant  Crimes  h 
 lie  equally  upon  him  to  govern  his  Paf- 
 iions  and  feftrain  his  Appetites  i  Without 
 doing  which,  he  can  never  fecure  himfelf 
 effe&ually,  from  being  betrayed  into  the 
 commiifion  of  all  Iniquity.  This  is  indeed 
 the  great  difficulty  of  Life,  to  fubdue  and 
 conquer  our  unreafonable  Appetites  and 
 Paflions  :  But  it  is  abfolutely  neceflary 
 to     be   done^     And     *    'tis 
 
 moreover    the    braveft    and      *Oi«y  agenW  Irijjji 
 moft    glorious    Conqueft    in    **>^<M^*™»: 
 the     World.      Laftly  5     for    oJ  3  ^ijlQJt  vebUUi  ^. 
 the     fame     Reafon    that    a     va-rfc™  ^n^i^nhv  &** 
 Man    is    obliged  not  to  de-    *'0"®-  «•«*  rWi  3  u*** 
 part     wilfully   out    of  this    de  **  "'•  *• 
 Life,    which  is    the    general 
 Station  that  God  has  appointed  him  h    he  is 
 obliged    likewife  to   attend  the    Duties  of 
 that  particular  Station  or  condition  of  life, 
 whatfoever  it  be,    wherein    Providence  has 
 at  prefent    placed    him  $     with    dilligence, 
 and  contentment :  Without  being  either  un- 
 eafy  and  difcontented,    that  others  are  pla- 
 ced   by  Providence   in  different  and  fupe- 
 riour  Stations    in  the   World  y    or   fo    ex- 
 tremely   and     unreafonably    folicitous    to 
 change  his  State  for  the  future,   as  thereby 
 to  neglecl  his  prefent  Duty. 
 
 From    thefe     three    great    and    general 
 Branches,   all    the  fmaller  and    more    par- 
 
 R  ticular 
 
8*  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 tkular  Inftance  of  Moral  Obligations  may 
 (as  I  faid)  eafily  be  deduced. 
 The  L<r»  '  5.  And  now  this,  (This  eternal  Rule 
 tb*d**'  °**  Equity,  which  we  have  been  hitherto 
 unherfal  defcribing,)  is  that  right  Reafon,  which 
 and  Abf>  makes  the  principal  Diftin&ion  betwixt 
 lately  w>  Man  and  Bea/ts.  This  is  the  Law  of 
 cb'in^able' Nature,    which   (as   Cicero    excellently    ex- 
 
 prefles  it)  is  *  of  itniverfal 
 extent,  and  everlafing  dura- 
 tion -,  which  can  neither  be 
 wholly  abrogated,  nor  repealed 
 in  any  part  of  it>  nor  have 
 any  Law  made  contrary  to  it, 
 nor  be  difpenfed  with  by  any 
 Authority :    Which  t  was    in 
 
 *  Fft  quidem  vera  lex, 
 retta  ratio  natursecongruens, 
 diffufa  in  omnes,  conftans, 
 fempiterna,  qua:  vocet  ad 
 officium  jubendoj  vecando, 
 a  fraude  deterreat. — - 
 huic  Jegi  nee  obrogari  fas 
 eft,  neq-,  derogari  ex  hac  a- 
 liquid  licer,  neq;  cora  abro- 
 
 gari  pottft.  Nee  vero  auc  per    force,    before    ever   any    Law 
 
 was  written,  or  the  Foundati- 
 on of  any  City  or  Common* 
 wealth  was  laid:  Which  jj 
 was  not  invented  by  the  Wit 
 of  Man,  nor  eflablified  by  the 
 Authority  of  any  People  $  but 
 its  Obligation  was  from  eter- 
 nity, and  the  Force  of  it 
 reaches  throughout  the  Uni- 
 verfe  :  Which  *  being  founded 
 in  the  Nature  and  Reafon  of 
 *Neciircgnancc7-^//iw,  Things,  did  not  then  begin  to 
 nulla     erac     Rom*    ienpea      l  t  t.  r  * 
 
 iex  de  ftupris,  idcirco  non  be  , a  Law->  wben  2t  was  frft 
 concra  illam  legem  Tempi-  written  and  enafted  by  Men  5 
 temam  Stxtus  Tarqumhs  but  is  of  the  fame  orkinal 
 vim  LucretU  atruht.  Erac  ',+h  +1**  **<,„..  1  t>  r 
 enim  ratio  prolefta  a  rer«m  Wltl>  tht  Cterml  Reafon*  *" 
 natura,  &  ad  refte  taciendum  impellens,  &.  a  delicto  avecam  2 
 qua:  non  cum  deniq;  incipic  lex  clTc,  cum  fcripca  eft,  led  cum 
 rum  orca  eft:  orca  aucem  firoul  eft  cum  meoce  divina.  C\c.  de 
 Ley*,  lib.    3. 
 
 Pro* 
 
 Senatum,  auc  per  populum 
 folvi  hac  lege  poiTumas.  C/o. 
 de  Repub.  lib.  3.  fragment. 
 
 t  Lex  quae  feculis  omni- 
 bus ante  naca  eft,  quam 
 fcripta  lex  uila,  auc  quam  om- 
 nino  civitas  conftituca.  Ck. 
 de  Leg.  lib.  1. 
 
 H  Legem,  neq-  hominum 
 ingeniis  excogitatam,  neq^ 
 fcitum  aliquod  elTe  populc- 
 rum,  fed  xternumquiddam, 
 quod  univerfum  mundum  re- 
 gar,    tie.  de  Legib%  lib.  2: 
 
 *  Nee  fi  regnance  Tarqainio, 
 
and  Revealed  Reiki  on. 
 
 Proportions  of  things,  and  the  Perfection  or  At" 
 tributes  0f  God  himfelf;  So  that  if  there  was 
 no   Law  at  Rome  again Jl   Rape*,  at  that  tim* 
 when    Tarquin    ijfered    violence    to   Lucretia, 
 it    does  not   therefore   follow  that   he  was  any 
 rrhit   the  more  excilfable,    or  that   his   Sin   a* 
 gaivjl  the  eternal  Rule  of  Equity  was    at    all 
 the  lefs  heinous.     This  is    that  Law    of  Na- 
 ture,   +    to    which  the   Reafon 
 of    all    Men    every    where  as 
 naturally     and    necejfarily    af- 
 ftnts,  as    all   Animals  confpire 
 
 in  the  Pulfe  and  Motion  of  Arceriarum  puli'u,  auc  omnes 
 their  Heart  and  Arteries,  or  h  mines  in  opinibne  de  ni* 
 all    Men    agree    in    their 
 
 f  In  judicio  de  bcrntate 
 harum  rerum,  a^ue  cranes 
 ubicjj  conveniur.c,  ac  omnia 
 Animalia  in  ttncu  Cordis  & 
 
 OS 
 
 vis  candoie  &  fplendore  So- 
 Jis.  Cumberland  de  Leg.  Xa^ 
 tii)£^pag.    i£j* 
 
 Judgment  concerning  the  white- 
 9tef  of  Snow,  or  the  Bright- 
 oiefs  ef  the  Sun.  For  though  in  fome 
 nice  Cafes,  the  Bounds  of  right  and 
 wrong  may  indeed  fas  was  before  ob-;^,  43, 
 ferved)  be  fomewhat  difficult  to  de- 
 termine y  and  in  fome  few  even  plainer 
 Cafes,  the  Laws  and  Cuftoms  of  certain 
 barbarous  Nations  may  be  contrary  one 
 to  another  ^  (which  fome  have  been  fo 
 weak  as  to  think  a  juft  Objection  again  ft 
 there  being  any  natural  difference  between 
 Good  and  Evil  at  all  -J  yet  in  reality, 
 this  *  710  more  difprcves  the 
 natural  AJfent  of  all  Mens 
 'Unprejudiced  Reafon  to  the 
 Rule  of  Right  and  Equity, 
 than  the  difference  of  moft 
 Mens  Countenances  in  general, 
 or  the  deformity  of  fome  few 
 Monjlers  in  particular,  proves 
 R   2 
 
 *  Hoc  tamen  non  magi-s 
 collie  confeulum  horninurri 
 de  gcnenli  Narura  Boni, 
 ejufq-,  parribus  ve]  fpeciebus 
 precipim-,  quam  levis  vul- 
 tuum  diveriicas  coliic  conve- 
 nienram  int:r  homines  in 
 communi  hominum  dcfnjri- 
 oue,  auc  fimlicudinem  intef 
 that 
 
S  4        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 that  there  is  no  general  Like- 
 nefs  or  Uniformity  in  the  Bo- 
 dies  of  Men  :  For,  whatever 
 difference  there  may  be  in 
 fome  pai  ticnlar  Laws  9  'tis 
 certain  that  as  to  the  main 
 and  principal  Branches  of 
 Morality,  there  never  was 
 any  Nation  upon  Earth,  but 
 owned,  that  to  Love  and  Ho- 
 nour God,  to  be  grateful  to 
 Benefactors,  to  perform  Equi- 
 table Compatls,  to  preferve 
 the  Lives  of  innocent  and 
 harmlefs  Men,  and  the  like  • 
 were  things  fitter  and  better 
 to  be  praclifed,  than  the 
 contrary.  In  fine :  This  is 
 that  Law  of  Nature,  which 
 being  founded  in  the  eter- 
 nal Reafon  of  Things,  is 
 as  abfolutely  unalterable,  as 
 natural  Good  and  Evil,  as 
 *  Mathematical  or  Arithme- 
 tical Truths,  as  Light  and 
 Darknefs,  as  Sweet  and  Bii- 
 ter  :  The  t  Obfervance  of 
 which,  though  no  Man  JJjould 
 commend  it,  would  yet  be 
 truly  commendable  in  it  felf: 
 Which  to  fuppofe  depending 
 on  the  opinions  of  Men,  and 
 the  cuftoms  of  Nations  h  that 
 is ,  to  fuppofe  that  What 
 fiall  be  accounted  the  Virtue 
 of  a  Man  depends  merely  on  Imagination  or 
 
 CuJlo?n 
 
 cos  in  partium  prinripaluim 
 contormatione  &  ufu  Nulla 
 gen?  eft,  qux  on  fenciac 
 aftur  deum  av'i  *ndi%  &c. 
 Nulla  gfns  con  fenrit  gratl- 
 ■ ;  ergo,  parentes  &  te- 
 nefdhret  coci  humane  2?ne- 
 ri  faJutarera  cfTe.  Nulla 
 temperamencoruni  divcrfiras 
 facit  ur  cuifquam  nonbonum 
 erte  fenriat  univerfr,  ut  fin- 
 gulorum  innocentium  xit£1 
 membra,  &  libertas  confer- 
 ventwr.  Cumberland,  de  Le- 
 &b.  Narurjt,  p.ig.  166. 
 
 Neq^  enim  an  honor i {ice  de 
 Deo  fentiendum  fit,  neq-,  an 
 fie  amandus,  timendus,  co- 
 lendus,  dubirari  poteft.  Sunt 
 cnim  hxc  Religionum  per 
 cmnes  genres  communia.— 
 Deumeoipfo,  quod  homines 
 fecerir  rationales,  hoc  illis 
 pracepitfe,  &  cord i bus  om- 
 nium infculpfiffe,  ne  quif- 
 quam  cuiqudm  faceret,  quod 
 a  Hum  fibi  facer  e  in'iquum  du~ 
 ceret.  Hobbs  de  Hcmine, 
 cap.  14.  [_Inconfilient!y  e- 
 tioi'gh  with  his  orrn  Princi- 
 fles.-} 
 
 *  Nam  ut  vera  &  falf*,  ut 
 eonfequtotia  il\  contraria,  fua 
 f ponce,  non  aliena,  judican- 
 tur :  fie  cenftans  &  perpetua 
 ratio  vitT,  qox  eft  virtus  , 
 itemq;  inconftantia,  quod 
 eft  vitium  ,  fua  natura  prc- 
 bjrur.  Cic.  de  Legib.  lib.  1. 
 
 f  Quod  *cre  dicimus,  e- 
 liamfi  a  nullo  laudetur,  lau- 
 dabile  efTe  natura.  Cic.  de 
 Offic.  //"'.  f. 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 8y 
 
 Gtjlom     to    determine ;     is    *        *  Hstc  lucem  m  opinime 
 
 as  abfurd,    as   it  would-  be   to    ™ftima£'  "°"  1"  "*'«/* 
 _     •>        '        ,        «      .  r  ,      r      ponere,  dementis  eft.     Nam 
 
 affirm,    that   the    truittulneis     nec  Arboris  ncc  E^  virtus, 
 of    a    Tree     0/*    ffo    Strength      qua?   dicitur,  in  opinionefct 
 of   a   Horfe,      depends  merely     eft,   fed  io  «4/*fW.    tfc.  </f 
 ow   */;e    Imagination    of   thofi     Legl         u 
 who  judge  of  it.     In  a  word  5 
 Which,   if    it    had   its  original   from    the 
 Authority    of  Men,     and  could  be   chan- 
 ged by   it ,    then  t   all    the 
 commands      of     the      cruelleft 
 and    mofi    barbarous    Tyrants 
 in    the    World,   would   be     as 
 jufi    and     equitable ,      as     the 
 wifeft    Laws    that    ever    were 
 made  •    and  *  to  murder  Men 
 without     diftin&ion ,    to     con- 
 found   the    Rights   of  all     Fa-     rannicislegibus,  numidcirco 
 miles    by    the    grojfeft    Forge-     hx  Ie§es  )uft^  habercntur  > 
 ries,    to  rob  with    unreftrained 
 Violence,    to  break  Faith  con- 
 tinually, and  defraud  and  cheat 
 without    reluctance,     might    by 
 the  decrees    and  ordinances  of 
 a  mad  AJfembly  be   made  law- 
 ful    and     hone  ft.      In     which 
 
 f  Jam  vero  flulriffimum 
 illud,  exiftimare  omnia  ju- 
 fla  efie,  quae  fcira  fine  in  po- 
 pulorum  inftitucis  auc  legi- 
 bus.  Etiamne  fiqua?  funt 
 tyrannorum  leges,  ft  rriginta 
 illi  Athews  leges  imponere 
 voluifienr,  auc  fi  omnes  A- 
 thenienfes    deJeftarentur  ty- 
 
 Cic.  de  Legib.  lib.  1. 
 
 *  Quod  fi  populcrum  juf- 
 fis,  fi  ptincipum  decree:?, 
 fi  fenrentiis  judicum,  jura 
 cenftituerencur ;  jus  efiec 
 Utrocinari ,  jus  adulter  are, 
 jus  telianentafalfa  fuppovere, 
 fi  hxc  furTragiis  auc  fcitis 
 muJcicudinis      probarentur. 
 
 matters    if  any    Man     thinks  %™  fl  cranra   ?°tentia  e? 
 
 that  the    Votes    and    Suffrages  r,s    ut  eorum  fuffragiis  re- 
 
 of      Fools    have    fuch     Power,  rum    natura  verta'tur ,   cur 
 
 as    to    be  able   to     change    the  non  fanciunr,    ut  qua:  maU 
 
 Nature  of   Things,      why     do  K^c/^,   fuac   habeanrur 
 
 7  7*7       "r      7  •  Pro     bmis     ac  falutanbus? 
 
 they    not    likewife    decree     fas  auc  cur,  cum  jus  ex  injuria 
 
 Cicero     admirably     expreffes  lex  facere  poifit,  bomm  ea- 
 
 himfelf ,  ;       that        poifonous  dem  ,f\c5re  °on  Poffic  cx 
 
 things     may    become    wholfom,  mMo  '  hU  thd' 
 and    that     any     other    thing, 
 
 R  3  •     whhb 
 
Etern  Obl'i^t'ions,    an- 
 
 i    fame  re[pefl%    exen  to 
 
 r    -  ,     ■-./"   their   being 
 
 Command  of  God  him- 
 
 it  i    fo   its 
 
 S  6  The  Evidences  of  Nat  ural 
 
 which    is    now    dcflritclive    of    Mankind,    vuy 
 athk  uf  it. 
 
 6.    Further    vet:    As 
 this   Law    of    Nature   is 
 infinitely    fuperiour    to 
 all   Authority    of   Men, 
 and    independent    upon 
 obligation,   primarily    and    ori- 
 ginall3%    is  *  antecedent  al- 
 io   even    to   this    Considera- 
 tion,   of  its    being    the    po- 
 sitive    Will     or      Command 
 of   God    himfelf.     For,    t  as 
 the  Addition  of  certain  Num- 
 ber x  ,        necefjarlly       produces 
 a    certain  Sum  •,     and    certain 
 Geometrical      or      Mechanical 
 Operations,     give     a    con f  ant 
 and     unalterable    Solution     of 
 certain    Problems    or    Propor- 
 tions :    So    in    moral  Matters, 
 there     are     certain      necejfary 
 and     unalterable     Refpefts    or 
 Relations     of    Things,     which 
 have  not   their  Original  from 
 a  brltrary    and    pcfitlve     Con- 
 Jlltutlon,    hut    are    of    eternal 
 neceffity  In    their  own   Nature: 
 For  Example,    *  As  In  Main 
 ters  of  Senfe,  the  reafon   why 
 a  thing   is    vljiblc,  z\     not    be- 
 cattfe    >i?    Seen-,     but    It    is 
 therefore     Seen,     becaufi     *th 
 tifible :     So    in     Matters     of 
 natural  Reafon   and  Morality, 
 thai  which    Is   Holy  and  Good 
 
 (3$ 
 
 *  Vir-ucis  &  Vitiorum, 
 fnculla  Dw/m  ration?,  grave 
 ipfiu:  confcienti*rponduseft. 
 C/f    de  S.it    Vtor.  lib.  }. 
 
 f  Deniq;  nequis  cbhgati- 
 onem  Legum  natiraliiim 
 trbtitrarhm  fy  mvtabilem  sl 
 nobs  fingi  iulpicetur ;  hoc 
 idjiciendurt  cenfui ;  Viru- 
 tum  cscrcuium,  habere  ra- 
 tionem  medii  neceftarii  ad 
 tinem,  (icpofira  ccnfidcrau- 
 one  Imperii  Divir.i,)  manen- 
 re  rcrum  nacura  tali  cui.'is 
 nunc  eft,  Hcaucem  ita  in- 
 teliigo,  uti  agnofcunc  pleriq^ 
 omnes,  Additionem  duarum 
 uniracum  duabusprius  pcficis, 
 ncceftario  conftituere  nume- 
 rum  quarernarium  •,  auc  uti 
 pra:  t'tcA  <&  mecha- 
 
 nic pr  blemaca  prcpofica 
 folvunt  imtnucabiiiter  j  a- 
 deo  ur  nee  Japientia  Bee  vo- 
 l tins  as  D'n  in.;  cogicari  polfic 
 Bniequara  incontrarium  con- 
 Kiroerc  potTe^  Cumterlandde 
 £e?ib.  Nature,  p.ig.  2  ;i . 
 
 fUV&ly    y\      F£l,     J)  et     T«T3 
 Tit   ct**<X  T*VaU1T)0v  Ji'q. 
 
 u  i 
 
 icie  Words  are  by 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  8  7 
 
 (as      Creatures      depending     tidmu  ridicu/oufly  tranflj. 
 upon  and    worshipping  God,    £d .  J'^  ;nd  vifum  eft.] 
 and.  pradtifing    Tuftice   and    ^^X^W 
 Equity    one     with     another,     d»:  »«  fa  vthZ-mi,  S)ii2* 
 and   the  like,)    is    not  there*    to  Snot  Sfr    Plat 9  in  £«• 
 jfbre  Holy  and    Good,    becatife     'Wr- 
 it is    commanded   to  be  done-, 
 but     is    therefore   commanded    by    God,     be- 
 caitfe     it     £.»    Holy     and     Good,      The     Ex- 
 igence    indeed     of    the    Things    them/elves, 
 whofe  Proportions  and  Relations    we   con- 
 iider,   depend   entirely    on     the    mere    ar- 
 bitrary  Will  and   good    Pleafure    of  God  •, 
 who   can   create  Things   when  he  pleafes, 
 and    deftroy    them    again   when    ever    he 
 thinks  fit :    But  when  things  are   created, 
 and  fo  long  as  it  pleafes  God  to  continue 
 them    in   Being  •,     their  Proportions,    which 
 are  abftra&ly  of  eternal  Neceffity,   are  alfo 
 in  the  Things  themfelves    abfolutely  unalte- 
 rable.    Hence  God   himfelf,  though  he  has 
 no    Superior,    from   whofe    Will  to    receive 
 any  Law  of  his  Actions  •,   yet  difdains  not 
 to     obferve     the     Rule     of 
 
 Equity    and    Goodnefs,    as  ||      (  ||  Ka£'  jp**  $  »  ««,>£ 
 the  Law    of  all   his  Anions     *&rh  Sh  4W m*&dw  *<£v- 
 in    the    Government   of  the    ™A  ?*  V  %n  d*?* 
 World  1      and      condeicends     Adverf.  Cei^m.  Lib.  4. 
 to     appeal     even    to    Men, 
 
 for  the  Equity  and  Righteoufnefs  of  £<?£.  18. 
 bis  Judgments.  To  ibis  Law,  the  infinite 
 Perfections  of  his  Divine  Nature  make 
 it  neceflary  for  him  (as  has  been  be-  ^.47,48. 
 fore  proved,)  to  have  conftant  regard ; 
 And  (as  a  learned  Prelate  of  our  own 
 R  4  *  has 
 
8  8  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 *  Diftamina  Divini  Inre'- 
 ieftus   fanciuntor    in   Leges 
 
 apud  ipfum  viiuuras,  perim- 
 murjbiliracem  fuarum  per; 
 fecVioonaa.  Cumberland  de 
 btturl,  pag.  gi?. 
 im  iplequidem,cum 
 aliis  plurim'S,  anrequam  do- 
 minii  jurilq^  omnis  originern 
 univertalirercV  diftincle  con- 
 fiderailem,  dominium  Vei,  in 
 Cx.ttionem  veluc  integram 
 ejus  tririnem,  rcfolvcre.  Ye- 
 
 riim  quoniam,  ^rc  in 
 
 hanc  tandem  concefTi  fen- 
 tenriam,  dominium  Dei  elTe 
 jus  ve!  poceftaccm  ei  a  fua 
 Sapicntia  &  Sonicate,  veluc 
 a  Z*{e,  daram  ad  regimen 
 errum  omnium  qux  ab ipfo 
 unquarn  creata   fuerint    vel 
 
 crcjbuncur. Nee  poceric 
 
 quifquam  mcrico  conqueri, 
 d -minium  dei  intra  nimis 
 angujlos  lim'ttes  hac  explica- 
 tir  ne  coerctri  ;  qua  hoc  u- 
 nunt  dicitur,  illius  nullam 
 partem  ror.fi  He  re  in  potcftate 
 quicquam  faciendi  concra  fi- 
 ncm  optimum,  Bonum  com- 
 mune. U-tm  fsg.  545,  346. 
 
 Contra  aurem,  tiobbLn<t 
 refo'utio  dominii  Divini  in 
 fytenti.im  ejus  irrefiflibilem, 
 adeo  aperce  duric  ad,  &cy 
 . — uc  mihi  dubium  non 
 
 *    has  excellently 
 not   •     barely      his 
 
 fir,  iilud  ab  eo  fKtum  fuifle, 
 Deoque  arenbucum,  in  eum 
 rantDUQ  finrm,  uc  juri  fuo 
 omnium  in  omnia  parrocina- 
 rcrur.  Id  p$g.  544, 
 
 Nos  e  concrario,   foncem 
 teO,     Juftitiam    uriiverfalem, 
 quar.   in    Reftcrc     requfrituf,    1 
 p'aie  mcthohy    qua  homines  ad   gas 
 %  3^7. 
 
 {hown,} 
 infinite 
 Power,     but    the    Rules      of 
 this    eternal    Law,    are  the 
 true     Foundation     and    the 
 Meafure    of    his    Dominion 
 over    his     Creatures.      Now 
 for    the   fame    Reafon    that 
 Gcd,    who    hath   no    Snperi- 
 air  to  determine  him,     yet 
 conftantly     directs     all     his 
 own    Actions    by    the    eter- 
 nal   Rule    of     Juftice     and 
 Goodnefs  ^    'tis    evident    all 
 Intelligent   Creatures    in  their 
 feveral    Spheres     and     Pro- 
 portions,   ought  to  obey   the 
 fame  Rule  according   to  the 
 Law  of  their  Nature  -,   even 
 though   it    could  be    fuppo- 
 fed    feparate   from  that    adr 
 ditional    Obligation,    of   its 
 being  the  poiitive  Will  and 
 Command     of    God.        And 
 doubtlefs    there     have   been 
 many  Men    in  all    Ages  in 
 many   parts  of  the  heathen 
 World,      who     not     having 
 Philofophy    enough    to    col- 
 lect from  mere   Nature    any 
 tolerably    jure,   and    explicit 
 Apprehenfibns       concerning 
 
 indicavimus,  e   quo  demonftrari     po- 
 
 omnemq^     adeo    Vircutem    moralem, 
 
 Deo  prx  ceteris  retufgere,   eade'm 
 
 exctlendas  ahligari  cftendemuss 
 
 tfcc 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  89 
 
 the  Attributes  of  God  h  much  lefs  ha- 
 ving been  able  to  deduce  from  thence, 
 any  clear  and  certain  knowledge  of 
 his  Will  5  have  yet  had  a  very  great 
 fenfe  of  Right  and  Truth,  and  been  fully 
 perfuaded  in  their  own  Minds  of  many 
 unalterable  Obligations  of  Morality.  But 
 this  Speculation,  tho'  necelTary  to  be  ta- 
 ken notice  of  in  the  diftinft  Order  and 
 Method  of  Difcourfe,  is  in  it  felf  tco  dry, 
 and  not  of  great  ufe  to  Us,  who  are  abun- 
 dantly affured  that  all  moral  Obligations 
 are  moreover  the  plain  and  declared  Will 
 of  God-,  As  (hall  be  fliown  particularly, 
 in  its  proper  place. 
 
 7.  Laftly,    This  Law  of  Nature    has    its  rhe  Law 
 full    obligatory   Power,  antecedent    to    all  of  mture 
 Confideration   of    any    particular    private  M'ittny, 
 and  perfonal    Reward    or    Pmifiment,     an-  ^aihonfi- 
 nexed  either  by  natural  Confequcnce,    or  deration  of 
 by    pofitive  Appointment,    to  the   Obfer-  particular 
 vance  or  Neglect  of  it.     This  alfo  is  very  R*Japrfs 
 evident :    Becaufe  if   Good  and  Evil,    Right  tmmentf< 
 and  Wrong,    Fitnefs  and  Unfitnefs  of   be- 
 ing practifed,    be  (as  has  been  fliown)   ori- 
 ginally,     eternally,    and   neceiTarily, '     in 
 the  nature  of  the  Things  themfelves  •,  'tis 
 plain  tha.t  the  view  of  particular    Rewards 
 or     PmiJImeiits,    which  is  only    an  After-    ' 
 confideration,  and  does  not  at  all  alter  the 
 nature   of  Things,  cannot  be    the   original 
 caufe  of  the  Obligation  of  the  Law,  bat  is 
 only  an   additional  weight  to  enforce  the 
 practife  of  what  Men  were  before  obliged 
 to   by   right   Reafon.     There    is  no   Man, 
 ffho  has  any  juft   Senfe  of   the  difference 
 
 between 
 
Dignie  itaq-,  funr,  quae 
 proprcr  incrinfrcam  f:bi  pcr- 
 Icftionem  apperantur,  etiam. 
 fi  nulla  cfTcr  naturae  Lex, 
 Mas  imperarct.  Cum- 
 '.  it  Leg*  Nut.  pj£. 
 2I1. 
 
 90  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 between  Good   and   Evil,    but    muft   needs 
 acknowledge,    that     Virtue    and    Goodnefs 
 *    are    truly    amiable,    and 
 to  be  chofen  for    their  own 
 fakes  and  intrinfick    worth  • 
 though  a    Man  had  no  pro- 
 fpect  of   gaining  any   parti- 
 cular    Advantage     to     him- 
 felf,    by     the    Practice     of 
 them  :    And      that    on     the 
 contrary,   Cruelty,    Violence    and   Oppref- 
 i!on?     Fraud,    Injuftice,    and    all     manner 
 of    Wicked nefs,     are    of  themfelves   hate- 
 ful,   and    by    all  Means     to   be    avoided; 
 even  *  though    a   Man  had 
 abfolute   AfTurance,   that  he 
 fliould  bring   no   manner  of 
 inconvenience     upon     Him- 
 felf  by   the   Commiflion    of 
 any  or   all  of  thefe  Crimes. 
 This  likewife   is  excellently 
 and       admirably      exprefTed 
 by    Cicero :     Virtue,    faith  + 
 he,   is  that,  which,  though    710 
 Profit    or    Advantage    whatso- 
 ever,   was     to    be  expetled   to 
 a  Mans  felf  from  the  Pra&ife 
 of   it,    yet    mvfl    without     all 
 Controverfy     be     acknowledged 
 to   be    truly    defirable    for  its 
 own    fake    alone :    and  accor- 
 ds, de  Finib.  2. 
 A:q;  hxc  omnia  propter  fe  folum,   uc  nihil  adjungacur  emolument!, 
 petenda  funr.   Id.  de  Inventions  lib.  2. 
 
 Nihil  eft   de  qua  minus  dubitari  poffir,  quam  &  honefta  expetenda 
 per  fe,  K  eodem  modo  turpia  per  fe  die  fugienda.     Id.  de  Finib. 
 
 Aaa'  ?$  to  (jttylhci  y&$- 
 71fH  ^t«  \auCcivcov, 
 
 'CW''  os  yt  Ta^Tit  7mv7d 
 
 JtsL7ti?H  (J.0VQV, 
 
 'AM  c<n<  dJb" ev  yvnoi&v 
 T*  l"XJ*t  $v<nv. 
 
 Pbilemonis  Fragments. 
 
 f  Honeflum  id  ince//igi- 
 mus,  quod  tale  eft,  ut  de- 
 trafta  omni  urilirate,  fine 
 ullis  pntmiis  fruftibufque, 
 per  leipfum  pofFu  jure  laudari 
 
 lib. 
 
 dingly 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  91 
 
 iingly    *   all    good     Men     love  *  Jus  5:  emne  hmeftum, 
 
 *fe//t     and     Equity  •      a»4    </0  £ua  f**"  cfl  «*»■£"■!■ 
 
 many  things   without    any  pro-  jpfamxguirarem&iusipfum 
 
 fpeel     of    Advantage     at      all,  amine    Li.  de  Legib.   lib.  i, 
 
 7«f;-f/y     becaufe    they    are    juJI  Oprimi    quiq;    permulta 
 
 _,         .6     ?            J                   .         .  urn,  quia  decer,oma  rectum. 
 
 Oil    the      Contrary,      Vice     IS  quia  hondtum  eft-  erfi  nul- 
 
 fo   odious    in    its   own    Nature,  lum   conic  cuturum    emolu- 
 
 and     fo    fit     to    be     avoided,  ™nrumvidene.  UM  Finib. 
 even  though  no  Pmijhment  was 
 
 to    enfite  :     that    \\     no     Alan,  \\  Sacis    enim   nobis,   <Ti 
 
 who    has    made    any    tolerable  modo  ajjquiti  in  philofophia 
 
 Proficiency    in    Moral  Pbilofo-  V^izc\muu)  pcrfuafuin  die 
 
 7  J           J   .       W       i     n    i     i  ccbet,  li  cmnes  deos  ncmi- 
 
 pty    can     in    the    leajt  doubt,  ndq.  Ce;are  pofTimus,  nihil 
 
 but   that,    if  he   was    fure    the  tamen  avare,    nihil  injufte, 
 
 thing    could  be   for  ever   con-  nihii    Kbidinofe,    nihil  in- 
 
 cealed  entirely  both  from  God  «?*-*  *  **■** 
 
 and  men,  fo  that  there  pould  $j  ntmo  fciturus,   nemo 
 
 Tiot    bs    the  leafi   fufpicion    of  ne  Jufpicawrus  quidem  fir, 
 
 its    being  ever    difcoverel*   yet  Suum  .  liquid  ^  d^viriarum, 
 
 7             7^                  Jj              \-,<  potenna?,    dominations,  li- 
 
 be   ought  not    to   do   any  thing  bidinis  caufl  feceris  .  ^id 
 
 linjujily,     covetoujly,      luftfully,  diis  hominibufq;  fururum  fie 
 
 or    any    way    wickedly  :    Nay,  temper  ignorum,  fifnc  factu. 
 
 i    if   a  good   Man    had   it  in  ru£,?  %ld'  fd:  .         .  L 
 
 }.    J  t      *      J             •           77      7-  t  Iraq-,  fi  vir  bonus  ha  beat 
 
 his    tower     to     gain     ad     his  hanc  vim-,  ut,    fi    digitis 
 
 Neighbours      Wealth      by      the  concrepueric,  poflic  in  locu- 
 
 leafi     Motion    of    his    Finger.  P;ecum    tegmenta    ncmea 
 
 Ti  W*[nre    it  rU  never  gJ^-J  h^„»« 
 
 /?t?   tft-^fl    jufpelted    either    by  quidem  habeac  id   omnino 
 
 Goi    o/4    .Maw  ^    unquejlionably  rieminem   unquam    fufpica- 
 
 be  would    think    he  ought    not  ^urn---  Hoc  qui  ad  mi- 
 
 j                 >i    j      7  racur,  isle,  cms  fit vir  bonus, 
 
 to  do    it :    And  whoever  won-  ncfcjre    farecur#    Um   de 
 
 ders    at   this,   has    no    Notio7t  offic.  Jib.  3. 
 what    it    is    to    be    really    a 
 
 gooi 
 
9i  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 »  K*r  h  |u«  /u^ct^  *»  ^ooi  Mmu  Not  *  that  any 
 w  7w  *<tv&£v$iv  g)  ***<£  fuch  thing  is  poflible  in 
 *»£>««*  ^.At/oi;©  Mature,  that  any  Wicked- 
 t»i0(nfrn  *(d<  £ft«'«r«*  nefs,  can  be  indeed  con- 
 rW  jcf#^cfn.  Plato  de  he-  cealed  from  God  ^  but  only 
 tubL  lli>-  l0-  upon     fuch    a     Suppofition, 
 
 the    natural    and    neceflary 
 difference    between   Juftice    and    Injuftice, 
 is  made  to  appear  more  clearly  and  unde- 
 niably. 
 Yet  it  does     'phus  far  js  ciear .    But  now  from  hence 
 \VncTAt    ft    does    not  at  all   follow  ,  either  that  a 
 nil  follow,  good    Man    ought  to  have   no    refpeft   to 
 cither  that  Rewards   and   Punifhments ,    or    that    ReT 
 "u&gb?tf'tn  war^s  and  Punifhments   are    not  abfolute- 
 lave  no  re-  ty    neceiTary  to  maintain   the   pra&ife    of 
 Re-  Virtue    and  Righteoufnefs  in   this   prefent 
 pZfa,?nd  WorW-      Tis   certain   indeed,     that  Virtue, 
 mention    anc*    Vice    are     eternally   and    neceflarily 
 th.it Re-     different-  and  that  the     one  truly  deferves 
 wnrds  and  to   be   chofen  for    its  own  fake,    and    the 
 mntfare    other  0US]lt  by    a^    means    to  be  avoided, 
 mt  akfo-     though  a  Man  was  fure  for  his  own  par- 
 lutcly  ne.    ticular,  neither  to  gain  nor  lofe  any  thing 
 tejfarj  n     ^y  t}le  pra£tife  of  either.     And  if  this  was 
 7£npraSife  trubr  the  ftate  of  Things  in    the   World  -, 
 of  virtue  in  certainly  That  Man  muft  have  a  very  cor- 
 tb'n  prefent  rUpt  Mind  indeed,    who  could  in  the  leaft 
 ^onu'       doubt,    or  fo  much  as  once  deliberate  with 
 himfelf,      which    he    would    choofe.     But 
 the  Cafe  docs  not  Hand  thus.     The  Queftion 
 Now  in  the  general  pra&ife  of  the  World, 
 fuppofing  all  expectation  of  Rewards    and 
 Punifhments  fet  afide,  will  not  be,  whether 
 a    Man    would    choofe    Virtue   for  its  own 
 file,   and  avoid   Vice  h    but   the   pra&ife 
 
 of 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  93 
 
 of  Vice  is  accompanied  with  great  Temp- 
 tations   and    Allurements  of  Pleafure    and 
 Profit  h    and    the     practife    of    Virtue     is 
 often     threatned     with    great    Calamities, 
 LoiTes,    and    fometimes  even    with    Death 
 it  felf :  And  this  alters   the  Queftion,  and 
 deftroys    the    praclife    of  that    which    ap- 
 pears fo  reafonable  in  the  whole  Specula- 
 tion,   and    introduces  a   neceirity     of  Re- 
 wards   and  Punifhments.     For  though  Vir- 
 tue   is   unqueftionably    worthy  to  be    cbofen 
 for  its  own  fake,    even  without  any  expec- 
 tation of  Reward  ^   yet  it  does  not  follow 
 Tthat  it  is   therefore    intirely  Self-fufficient , 
 and  able  to  fupport  a  Man  under  all  kinds 
 of  Sufferings,    and  even  Death  it  felf,    for 
 its  fake  -,    without    any  profpecl  of  future 
 recompence.      Here    therefore     began    the 
 Error  of  the  Stoich;    who  taught  that  the 
 bare   practife    of  Virtue,    was  it    felf   the 
 chief   Good,    and   able  of  it  felf  to  make 
 a  Man  happy   under  all  the  Calamities  ia 
 the  World.     Their   defenfe    indeed  of  the 
 caufe    of   Virtue,    was  very  brave :  They 
 faw   well    that    its  excellency   was   intrin- 
 iick,    and    founded    in    the   Nature  of  the 
 Things    themfelves ,     and    could    not    be 
 altered   by     any    outward    Circumftances -, 
 That  therefore  Virtue  muft  needs    be  de- 
 firable  for  its  own    fake,    and    not  merely 
 for    the   Advantage  it   might    bring  along 
 with    it  ♦,     And    if  fo,    then  confequently 
 neither   could    any  external  Difadvantage, 
 which    it    might   happen   to    be  attended 
 with,  change    the  intrinfick  worth  of  the 
 Thing  it  felf,  or  ever  make  it  ceafe  to  be 
 
 truly 
 
P4  tte  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 truly  deferable :    Wherefore     in    the    Cafe 
 
 of  Sufferings  and  Death  for  the  fake  of 
 Virtue  •$  hot  having  anv  certain  know- 
 ledge of  a  future  State  of  Reward,  (though 
 the  wit  eft  of  them  did  indeed  hope  for  it 
 and  think  it  highly  probable  •)  they  were 
 forced,  that  they  might  be  confiftent  with 
 their  own  Principles,  to  fuppofe  the  pra- 
 ctife  of  Virtue  a  fufficient  Reward  to  it 
 felf  in  all  Cafes,  and  a  full  compensation 
 for  all  t)\e  Sufferings  in  the  World :  And 
 accordingly  they  very  bravely  indeed 
 taught,  that  the  Practice  of  Virtue  was  not 
 only  if  infinitely  to  be  pre- 
 ferred before  all  the  flnfiil 
 Pleafures  in  the  "World  $ 
 but  alio  +  that  a  Man  ought 
 without  Scruple  to  chufe, 
 if  the  Cafe  was  propofed  to 
 him,  rather  to  undergo  all 
 poiiible  fufferings  witbi  Vir- 
 tue, than  to  obtain  all  pof- 
 fible  worldly  Happinefs  by 
 Sin  :  And  the  fu  it  able  Pra- 
 ctice of  fome  few  of  them, 
 as  of  Regius  for  inftance, 
 who  chofe  to  die  the  cruel- 
 left  Death  that  could  be 
 invented,  rather  than  break 
 his  Faith  with  an  Enemy  - 
 is  indeed  very  wonderful 
 and     to     be    admired.      But 
 
 *  Eft  aurcm  unns  d^es  be- 
 ne &  lx  prxcepth  tuisa&us, 
 peccanti  immortaljtati  anre- 
 
 Oc.  Tufc.  kudif, 
 
 ponendus 
 
 /•    5 
 
 f  Qu.iro  fi  duo  flnr,  quG- 
 jr-iim  alter  cptimus  vir,  a- 
 quiifimus,  furr.ma  juftitia, 
 lingulari  fide ;  alter  infigni 
 lcelere  &  audacia  -.  Ez  il  in 
 CO  Ik  errcre  ci vitas  uc  bo- 
 uum  il.'um  virum,  fcelera- 
 ruin,  facinorofum,  nefarium 
 puter ,   cenrra  auo  m  qui  fit 
 
 j;ifimus,  < 
 fumma   probitate   ac   fide  : 
 pr<xj5    hac  cpinionc  omni- 
 um civium,    bonus    ilfe  vir 
 ;r,  manus  ei 
 
 anrur  cculi,  damnetur,  vn- 
 
 cijtur,    uracur, 
 
 rnr,  egeat  5     ;  furc 
 
 etiam  opeimo  1  mnjbxis  mi- 
 
 ferrimus  eflev'tfeatui  ,  contra  autem,  ille  improbus  laudetur,  coJatur, 
 
 lb  omnibus  diligatur,  omnes  ad  eum  honores,  omnia  imperia,  omnes 
 
 opes,  omnes  neniq-,  copia  coaferaotur,  vir  deniq;  optimus  omnium 
 
 atfttmatione,  &  dignifliraus  omni  rortuna  judicerur ;  Quis  tandem  eric 
 
 tarn  demensj  qui  aubiccc  utrum  ie  eflemalic.    Idem  de  Kepubl.  lib.  3. 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  9? 
 
 yet,  after    this,   'tis    plain  that    the  gene- 
 ral   Practice  of  Virtue  in  the  World,    can 
 never  be  fupported    upon   this  Foot.     The 
 Difcourfe    is    admirable  •,      but     it    feldom 
 goes    further    than    meer  Words  :  And    the 
 Practice  of  thofe  few  who  have  acted    ac- 
 cordingly,   has   not   been  imitated    by  the  \ 
 reft  of  the  World.     Men  never  will  gene- 
 rally,  and  indeed    it    is    not    very    rcafo- 
 nably    to    be    expected   they    ftiould,    part 
 with  all  the  Comforts    of    Life,    and    even 
 Life  it  felf-,    without    expectation  of   any 
 future   Recompence.     So  that,   if   we  fup- 
 pofe  no   future    State  of  Rewards,    it  will 
 follow,    that    God    has   endued    Men   with 
 fuch  Faculties,  as  put  them  under  a  necef- 
 fity    of    approving     and     chufing     Virtue 
 in   the    Judgment    of    their    own    Minds  5 
 and  yet  has  not  given  them   wherewith  to 
 fupport  themfelves  in  the  fuitable  and  con- 
 stant  Practice    of    it.     The     Confideration 
 of  which    inexplicable     Difficulty,     ought 
 to  have  led  the  Philofophers  to  a  firm  be- 
 lief  and   expectation  of  a   future  State   of 
 Rewards    and   Punifhments,   without  which 
 their    whole   Scheme   of   Morality    cannot 
 be    fupported :    And,    becaufe   a    thing    of 
 fuch    neceflity    and    importance    to    Man- 
 kind,   was  not   more    clearly    and   directly 
 and  univerfally  made   known  •,  it  oug  t  to 
 have  led  them  to  fome  farther   Confequen- 
 ces  alfo,   which  I  fhall  have  occafion  par* 
 ticularly  to  deduce  hereafter. 
 
 AnA 
 
6  9  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 The  manh  And  now  from  what  has  been  faid  upon 
 l!ld.Ab  this  Head,  it  is  eafy  to  fee  the  Falfity  and 
 5*r  Wcaknefs  of  Mr  flop's  Doclrines  •,  That 
 Hcbbb'j  f /;?/'<?  ti  ?/o  /wcZ>  ffo*?/#  <*s  3^  a?/J  Ujijnft , 
 Dottr'tnts  Right  and  Wrong  originally  in  the  Nature  of 
 CfZ7nif  Tfo«&\  That  Men  in  their  natural  State, 
 ttdltf  antecedent  to  all  CompaBs,  are  not  obliged  to 
 /Light,  univerfal  Benevolence,  nor  to  any  moral  Duty 
 flown  in  whatfoever  •  but  are  in  a  ftate  of  War,  and 
 farticuUr.  ^^    gve^    o7jg     a    Rj„J)t    tQ  £Q     wJjatever   ])e 
 
 has  Tower  to  do  •,  And  that,  in  Civil 
 Societies ,  it  depends  wholly  upon  pojitive 
 Laws  or  the  Will  of  Governours,  to  define 
 what  Jlnxll  be  Jufl  or  Unjufi.  The  con- 
 trary to  all  which,  having  been  already 
 fully  demonftrated  %  there  is  no  need 
 of  being  large,  in  further  difproving 
 and  confuting  particularly  thefe  AfTerti^ 
 ons  themfelves.  I  fhall  therefore  only 
 mention  a  few  Obfervations,  from  which 
 feme  of  the  greater!:  and  moft  obvious  Ab- 
 furdities  of  the  chief  Principles  upon  which 
 Mr  Hobbs  builds  his  whole  Do<5trine  ir» 
 this  matter,  may  moft  eafily  appear. 
 
 i.     Fir  ft    then,    the  Ground  and   Foun- 
 dation   of  Mr    Hobbs'*    .Scheme,     is    this  $ 
 that  *    All    Men  being  equal 
 *  Ab    aqualirare  Naturae     by    nature,      and  naturally  de- 
 
 CTSaSSfiS:    (*9    tbeVarne    m,,  have 
 
 ath.c.  1  j.  +    every  one  a  Right  to  every 
 
 f  Narura  dedk  unicuiq  ;  Thi?ig  •  are  every  one  dejirons 
 jusinomnia.  Hoc  rft  in  ita-  to  }jave  abf0lute  J)ominion 
 tu  mere  nacurah,   five  anre-  •* 
 
 quam  homines  ullis  partis  fcfe  invicem  obftrinxifienr,  unicuiq^  li- 
 ce'oat  facere  quaecunq;  &  in  quofcunq^  libebat ;  &  pofTidere,  uci, 
 frui  omnibus,  qu<t  volcbic  &  pocerat.    De  Che,  c.  g.  §  io. 
 
 over 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 over  all  other*  ;  and  may  every  One  jufly  do 
 whatever  at  any  tune  h  in  bis  Power,  by  vio- 
 lently taking  from  Others  either  their  Pojpji* 
 ons  or  Lives,  to  gain  to  himfetf  that  at Jo- 
 lute  Dominion.  Now  this  is  exactly  the 
 fame  thing,  as  if  a  Man  fhoiild  affirm, 
 that  a  Part  is  equal  to  the  Whole,  or  that 
 one  Body  can  be  prefeiit in  a  Thoufaftd  Places 
 at  once.  For,  to  fay  that  one  Man  has  a 
 full.  Right  to  the  fame  individual  things, 
 which  another  Man  at  the  fame  time  has 
 a  full  Right  to  -,  is  faying  that  two  Rights 
 may  be  ||  contradictory  to 
 each  other  5  that  is,  t.^at  a 
 thing  may  be  Right,  at  the 
 fame  time  that  it  is  confef- 
 fed  to  be  lfrrong.  For  Ex- 
 ample ^  if  every  Man  has 
 a  Right  to  preferve  his  own 
 Life,  then  *  'tis  manifeft  I 
 can  {have  up  Right  to  take 
 any  Man's  Life  away  from 
 him,  unlefs  he  has  firft  for- 
 feited his  own  Right,  by 
 attempting  to  deprive  me 
 of  mine.  For  otherwife, 
 it  might  be  Bight  for  me  to  do  That,  which 
 at  the  fame  time,  becaufe  it  could  not  be 
 done  but  in  breach  of  another  Man's  Right, 
 it  could  not  be  Right  for  me  to  do  •,  Which 
 is  the  greateft  Abfurdity  in  the  World. 
 The  true  State  of  this  Cafe  therefore,  is 
 plainly  this  :  .In  Mr.  Hobbs's  State  of  Na- 
 ture and  Equality,  every  Man  having  an 
 equal  right  to  preferve  his  own  Life,  'tis 
 evident  has  aright  to  an  equal  proportion 
 S  of 
 
 97 
 
 |J  Si  impofTlbili  fie  fingu- 
 Iis,  crimes  &  omnia  fibimet 
 fob  ji  cere  •,  racio  quae  hunc 
 finem  proponic  fingulis,  qui 
 uni  tantumcontlngercporcflj 
 fcpius  quam  rmlhes  propo- 
 nerec  impoffibiJe,  &  lemel 
 camum  poflibife.  Cumberh 
 de  Leg.  Nat.  p.rg,  217. 
 
 *  Ncc  poteft  cujufquarh 
 jus  feu  Iibercas  ab  ulla  lege 
 reiifta,  eo  exrendere,  uc  li- 
 ceacoppugrareea,  quxaliis 
 eadem  Lege  imperantur  ta* 
 ciendem.     Id.   pag.  219. 
 
pS         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of  all  thofe  things,  which  are  either  necef- 
 {zty  or  ufeFul  to  Life :  And  confequently 
 fo  far  is  it  from  being  true,  that  any  One 
 has  an  original  right  to  pofTefs  All,  that 
 on  the  contrary,  whoever  firft  attempts, 
 wi tli out  the  confent  of  his  Fellows,  and  ex- 
 cept it  be  for  fome  publick  Benefit,,  to  take 
 to  himfelf  more  than  his  Proportion,  is  the 
 Beginner  of  Iniquity,  and  the  Author  of  all 
 fucceecling  Mifchief. 
 
 2.  To"  avoid  this  Abfurdity  therefore, 
 Mr  Hobbs  is  forced  to  affert  in  the  next 
 place,  that  fince  every  Man  has  confef- 
 fedly  a  right  to  prefer ve  his  own  Life, 
 and  confequently  to  do  every  thing  that  is 
 necefTary  to  preferve  it  ^  and  iince  in  the 
 State  of  Nature,  Men  will  necefTarily 
 have  +  perpetual  jealoitfies 
 f  Omnium  adverfus  cm-  d   fifp'lcions    0f   each  others 
 
 mm    omnium   in    Incroachvig^   therefore    jujt 
 
 Omnes.  DdCive.c.  r.  §  12.  precaution  gives  every  one  a 
 i  *  Spes  uPicuiq^  fecurira-  Right  to  *  endeavour  for  his 
 S-SraSa-fSJ  "^Security  to  prevent  op- 
 bufr-  propriis  proximum  PtfJsi  and  dejtroy  all  ^  Others, 
 futtm  vel  pifatB  vd  ex  in-  cither  by  fecret  Artifice  or 
 fidiis  prroccupjre  poffic.  open  Violence,  as  it  JbaU  hap- 
 Ibid.  1.  <>.  $  1.  r  ?  i       .       f* 
 
 Sfcuricat^viam  melio.  Ven  at  avy  time  to  be  in  his 
 rem  haber  Demo  Anricipa-  lower  -,  as  being  the  ||  only 
 none.  Lcvhtb.  c.  1$.  certain    weans    of  Self-prefer- 
 
 vaticn.  But  this  is  even 
 a  plainer  Abfurdity,  if  poflible,  than  the 
 firmer.  For  fbefides  that  according  to 
 Mr  Hobbs\  Principles,  Men,  before  posi- 
 tive Compacts,  may  juflly  do  what  mif- 
 chief they  pkafe,  even  without  the  pre- 
 UwCq    of   Sdf-prefervaiion   3)   what  can    be 
 
 more 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  9J? 
 
 more  ridiculous,  than  to  imagin  a  War 
 cf  all  Men  againfi  All,  the  directeft  and  ccr- 
 taincft  Means  of  the  Preservation  of  all  > 
 Yes,  fays  be,  becaufe  it  leads  Men  to  a 
 neceility  of  entring  into  Co?npaft  for  each 
 other's  Security.  But  then  to  make  thefe 
 Comnaih  obligatory,  he  is  forced  (as  I 
 fhall  prefently  obferve  more  particularly; 
 to  recur  to  an  t  antecedent  Law  of  Na-  fSee^f 
 ture  :  And  this  deftroys  all  that  he  had  Cnet  c.  3. 
 before  faid.  For  the  fame  Law  of  Nature  §  Is 
 which  obliges  Men  to  Fidelity,  after  having 
 made  a  Compact  5  will  unavoidably,  up- 
 on all  the  fame  Accounts,  be  found  to 
 oblige  them,  before  all  Compacts,  to  Cat- 
 tentment  and  mutual  Benevolence,  as  the 
 readier!:  and  certainefl:  Means  to  the  prefer- 
 vation  and  Happinefs  of  them  All.  3Tis 
 true,  Men  by  entring  into  Compacts  and 
 making  Laws,  agree  to  Compell  one  ano- 
 ther to  do  what  perhaps  the  mere  fenfe  of 
 Duty,  however  really  obligatory  in  the 
 higher!:  degree,  would  not  without  fuch 
 Compacts,  have  force  enough  of  it  felf 
 to  hold  them  to  in  Practice  ;  And  fo  Com- 
 pacts muft  be  acknowledged  to  be  in  fatt 
 a  great  Addition  and  Strengthening  of 
 Mens  Security.  But  this  Compulfion  • 
 makes  no  alteration  in  the  Obligation  it 
 felf  1,  And  only  fhows,  that  That  entire- 
 ly lawlefs  State,  which  Mr  Hobbs  calls  the 
 State  of  Nature,  is  by  no  Means  truly  Na- 
 tural, and  in  any  fenfe  fuitable  to  the  Na- 
 ture and  Faculties  of  Man  ♦,  but  on  the 
 contrary,  is  a  State  of  extremely  unnatu* 
 Vol  and  Intolerable  Corruption  :  As  I  fhall 
 S  2  pre* 
 
ioo  *Fke  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 prcfcntlv  prove  more  fully  from  fome  other 
 Con  fi  derations. 
 
 2.  Another  notorious   Abfurdity  and  In- 
 conliftenty   in  Mr  Hobb.Ss  Scheme,   is  this: 
 That  he  all   along  fuppofes  fome  particular 
 Branches    of  the    Law    of  Nature,  (which 
 he  thii.ks  neceflary   for  the   Foundation  of 
 fome    parts    of   his    own    Doctrine,)   to  be 
 originally  obligatory  from  the  bare  Reafon 
 of  Things-  at   the  fame  time  that    he   de- 
 nies   and    takes   away    innumerable  others, 
 which  have  plainly  in  the  Nature  and  Rea- 
 fon  of    things    the     fame     Foundation     of 
 being  obligatory  as   the   former,  and  with- 
 out which  the  obligation  of  the  former  can 
 never    be  foliJly   made  out    and   defended. 
 llus,  he  fuppofes  that  in  the   State  of  Na- 
 ture,   ixfore   any   Compacl  be    made,  every 
 *  Man*    own  Hill  is  his  c7ily 
 *  Un'cttiq;  lictbat  facfens     Law  ■    that   \  nothing    a  Man 
 
 TuV\tbebat'    DeCn'C>  taitdo>    li  &tj*ft\in&    that 
 
 '  t'cV.nfequens  eft,  uc  \7-  ||   whatever    Mi/chief  one  Man 
 
 hri  dicendum    fie  injuftvm.  dots  to  another,    is    no  Injury 
 
 Nomina  kfli  &  hjufli,  !o-  n$r  Tnjujlice  h    neither  has  the 
 
 cum  in  hac  condiricnc  oon  t*     r         ±         i  ±i       j.f.r7.  r 
 
 hibec     Levhth.c.  15.  ™f™,    to  whom   the  MifJnef 
 
 Ex  his    frquuur,    [n:u-  w  done,    hew    great    foever    it 
 
 nenvni  fieri  pplfe,  n -fi  be,     any   jnft    Reafon    to     COVl- 
 
 ei  quocum  Jnirur   p^uin.  pUh   0f    r  /j   thin]     k 
 
 ouccum    nihil   parous  eft;     n*J      here      reafonably     be 
 damnum  ei  in  err,  non   Ir^r      prcfumed,   that   if  Mr    Hobbs 
 
 rjam k.  nrm  n-s  qui     had    Lived   in   fuch    a    State 
 
 c:>m  inn     recp'r,    injuriam      ^r     x-„*„  .  i      1      i     i 
 
 «      ■:,iarcri  is  qui  feci*  ik     of    ^atmc>     and    had    hap- 
 diccrer      q*id    tu    m  h\  *    pened     to     be     himfelf    the 
 
 quire  /  ccrem  ego  tuo  porrur, 
 
 qutm    met    libit*  >    &c.    \n  qua    rarione,    ubi  rulla  inrerceflcrune 
 
 patta,    non    video  Su;d  Tie  quod   DOfTic    reprehendi.     De    Che,    c. 
 
 Suffering 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  i  o  i 
 
 Suffering  Party,  he  would  in*"  this  cafe 
 have  been  of  another  Opinion  :)  And  vet 
 at  tne  fame  time  he  fuppofes,  that  in  the 
 fame  Sta:e  of  Nature,  Men  ate  by  all 
 means     obliged     *     to     feck 
 
 Reatce,    and    +  to    enter     into         *  Prima  2:  fundjmentaJis 
 Co?npa8s     to      remedy      the     L£x  Natur*  *?,  tticwdafc 
 fore -mentioned       Mifchjeft.     |g?  ^^l^*"*. 
 Now    if    Men     are    obliged        f  .Sec [tie Cive,  cap.  ify  3. 
 by      the      original      reaibn 
 and    nature     of    things     to    feel    terms    of 
 Peace,     and  get  cut  of  the  pretended  natural 
 State   of   War,     a/Toon  as   they    can  >,    how 
 come  they  not   to  be  obliged  originally  by 
 the  fame    reafbri    and  nature  of  things,  to 
 live    from    the    beginning   in    univerfal  Be- 
 nevolence,    and    avoid    entring    into    the  State 
 of  War  at  all  ?    He  mu ft  needs  confefs  they 
 would   be  obliged   to  do  f),     did  not   Self- 
 prefetvation  neceffitate   them   every  Man  to 
 War  upon  others  :    But  this  cannot  be  true 
 of    the    firft     Acgrcfjor  h     whom     yet     Mr 
 Hobls    in    the    ||  place    now 
 
 cited,     vindicates     from    be-        ||  Ex  hisfequitur,  Injuriam 
 i'ttg^    guilty     of     any     Inju-     nemini  fieri  polle,  fre. 
 fticei    And  therefore    here- 
 in    he     unavoidably      contradicts     himfelf 
 Thus    again,     in     vwft    inftances     of    Mo- 
 rality,     he     fuppofes     Right     and     Wrong, 
 Juft    and    Unjvji    to    have    no    Foundation 
 in     the     Nature     of    Things,     but    to    de- 
 pend    entirely     on    poiitive 
 
 Laws  ;  that  *  the  Rules  or  *  Regulas  boni  &  malt, 
 Difinclions  of  Good  and  /«#  &  "fefi  hcnePl  &  ,n' 
 Evil,  Honejl  and  Bifioneft,  i^cc^d  4^or  pr*- 
 are  men  ami  toujtnuti-  ccp.nc,  id  pro  tono  -,  quod 
 S   3  ons  i 
 
Ipft 
 
 vccueric,  id  pro  malo  haben- 
 dum elk.     De  Civ;,  c.   »2. 
 
 §  i. 
 
 Quod  Aftio }u(la  vcl  injnfta 
 fie,  a    jure  imperantis    pro- 
 venir.     Reges    ligicimi    quae 
 imperaru,   julla  taciunt  im- 
 perando,  qua:  vetant,vetando 
 taciunt    injufta.     De    Ciye, 
 c   12-  §   i.  fin  which  Secti- 
 on 'tis  worth  observing  how 
 he     ridiculoufly    inrerprets 
 thofe    Words   of    Salomon, 
 (Dtbh  ferity  tuo  ccr  docile^  ut 
 ptflir  Difcernere  inter  benum 
 <(*•  malum)  ro  fignify,  not  his 
 Vnderflanding  or    Uifcernivg, 
 but  his  Decreeing   what  fhall 
 be  good  and  what  evil.] 
 
 f  i>\  tamen  Lex  civilis 
 jubeac  invadere  aliquid,  non 
 efti'Iud  F ur turn  Adult trium^ 
 £cc.  De  Cive,  c.  14.  §.  10. 
 
 jj  Sequicur  ergo  Jegibus 
 ill  is,  non  Occides  non  OAuha- 
 bere,  non  Furabere,  Parentes 
 homrahis,  nihil  aliud  prxce- 
 pifte  Chriftum,  quam  uc 
 cWes  &  fubditifuis  Frinci- 
 pibus&  fummis  Imperatori- 
 bus  in  quxftionibus  omnibus 
 
 The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 ms  •    and  whatever    the    Chief 
 Magi  fir  ate    Commands,     is     to 
 be     accounted     Good  *       what- 
 ever   he  forbids,    Evil  :    that 
 t  'tis    the  Law  of    the    Land 
 only,     which     makes     Robbery 
 to  be  Robbery  h  or  Adultery,  to 
 be  Adultery,  that  \\  the  Com- 
 viandments,     to     Honour     our 
 Tarents,     to     do    no    Murder, 
 not  to  commit  Adultery ,     and 
 all    the    other    Laws    of    God 
 and  Nature,     are  no    further 
 obligatory,  than  the  Civil  Power 
 fi)all  think  fit  to  make  them  fo  -, 
 nay,   that  *  where  the  Supreme 
 Authority   commands    Men    to 
 worfinp  God  hy  an  Image  or  Idol, 
 in  Heathen    Countries    (for  in 
 this    inftance    he    cautioufly 
 excepts  Chriftian  ones) if  is  law- 
 ful and  their  Duty  to  do  it-,  and 
 (agreeable,  as  a  natural  Ccnfe- 
 quence  to  all  This  -J  that  +  'tis 
 
 abfoluce  obedirenr.     De  Cive, 
 
 circa   mcum,    tuum,   jtam,    aliemm, 
 1.  17-   §  '°- 
 
 *  Si  quaratur  an  cbediendum  cmtati  fit,  fi  imperetur  Deum 
 colore  fub  Imagine,  coram  iis  qui  id  fieri  honorificum  elTe  put  ant-, 
 Certe  faciendum  ell      De  Cive,  c.    15.  §  18. 
 
 f  Unlverfaiiter  &  in  omnibus  obedire  obligamur.  De  Cive, 
 c    14-   §  ,0 
 
 Dottnna  alia,  qua?  Obediential  civili  repugnar,  eft,  qttkquid 
 faci.it  Civis  qtticunq;  contra  Confcientam  [nam,  peccatum  effe. 
 Leviath.  c.    ;c;. 
 
 Opinio  eorum  qui  docenr,  peccare  fubditos,  quoties  mandata 
 Prmcipum  juorum,  qua  fibl  Iiwlta  videntur  effe%  exfequuntur,  & 
 errorica  eft,  ex  in:er  eas  ni:meranda  quae  obediential  civili  adverfantun 
 Lv  Cite,  c,    12.   §  2. 
 
 ■>■■ 
 
 Mem 
 
and  Revealed  E elision.  i  o  3 
 
 'Mens  poftive  Duty  to  obey  the  Commands  of  the 
 
 Civil    Power    in    all   things,     even     in     things 
 
 clearly  and    direftly   again ji    their  Con f dene e -, 
 
 (that  is,    that   'tis  their    pofitive    Duty    to 
 
 do    That,    which  at    the   fame    time    they 
 
 know   plainly  it  is  their  Duty  not   to  do:) 
 
 *  keeping     up    indeed    always 
 
 in   their    own  Minds,    an   in-        *  Concludendum  eft,  I.e- 
 
 ward    deflre     to     obferve    the     #m.Nw**fempei&  uifo 
 
 Zr      -\t  j.  in  obigare  in  faro  inter  no,  uy^ 
 
 aws     of    hature    and     Con-     cwf?tentia  .  non  1Vm,,er  in 
 
 faence  •  but  not   being    bound  Foro  extenv  •,  fed    cum  in- 
 to    ohferve      them      in     their  Iummodo,  cum    fecure    id 
 outward   Anions,    except  when  *"!>**     I^tiw.c.  3. 
 it    is   fafe    fo    to    do :     ( He 
 might    as    well   have    faid,  that  Humane 
 Laws        and      Conftitutions 
 
 have     II     Power     to     make  I!  Qu*  fi  »nra  porentia 
 
 Light      be     Darknefs,       and  "to™  k™f"  ^ 
 
 JJarkneJs    Light  ^        to     make  rerum   narura  verratur-,   cur 
 
 Sweet  be  Bitter,     and    Bitter  non  fanciunr,  uc  qux  mala 
 
 Sweet  :        And    indeed,       as  p^mcoU^  iuut,  h-beantur 
 
 ^„^       Air     j**  *n      «„4.  Pro   bonis    <*c    fah.taribus  ? 
 
 one     Abfurdity    will    natu-    J^ero  de  L    /b#  |ib<  K 
 rally     lead      a     Man     into 
 another,  he  does  fay    fomething    very   like 
 it  •,  namely,  that  t  the  Civil  Authority  is   to  t  Ve  Che, 
 judge    of    all    Opinions    and  DoBrines   rsbatfo-  c'  6'$ ll' 
 ever  •,    to    *  determine  Ghieftions  Phil oj op  hi col,  *  lh\d.  c. 
 Mathematical',    and,  becaufe  indeed  the    fig-  J  7- .J  12- 
 nification    of    Words     is     arbitrary,     e&u  [%'!'*  C* 
 ||  Arithmetical  ones    alfo,    as  whether    a    Alan 
 jball  prefume    to    affirm    that    Two  and   Ihree 
 ?>iake  Five  or    not  \)    And  yet  at  the   fame 
 time,    fome    particular    Things,     which     it 
 would    either    have     been    too    flagrantly 
 fcandalous    for    him    to    have     made     de- 
 pending   upon    humane    Laws  •,     as    that 
 S  4  -t  God 
 
104  ^Ffo  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 +  God   is    to    be    Loved,    Ho- 
 noured  and    Adored  i)    that     * 
 a   Man    ought    not   to    Murder 
 his    Parents  •    and    the    like : 
 or  elfe,  which    were  of   Ne- 
 (clllty    to    be    fuppofed   for 
 the  Foundation    of    his  own 
 Scheme  h    as    that    ||  Compa&s 
 ought     to    be    faithfully    per- 
 formed,   and    Obedience     t  to 
 be    duly    paid    to     Civil   Tow- 
 ers :      The      Obligation      of 
 thefe    Things,     he    is     forced 
 to     deduce      intirely      from 
 the     internal     Reafon      and 
 Fitnefs  of  the    1  hings  them- 
 felves  -,    **  antecedent  to,    in- 
 dependent .  upon,    and    unalte- 
 f  Lex  mm  &Y\*  em  re  sieges     rable    by    all    Humane    Con- 
 cwiks  jube*  obfayari.  ibid,    ftjtutions      whatioever.       In 
 
 which  Matter,  he  is  guilty 
 of  the  groffeft  Abfurdity 
 and  Inconiiftency  that  can 
 be.  For  if  thofe  greater! 
 and  ftrongeit  of  ail  our 
 Obligations  ^  to  Love  and 
 5-  §  fr  Honour    God,     for    Initance  -, 
 
 or ,  to  perforin  Compa&s 
 faithfully  •  depend  not  at  all  on  any  Humane 
 Coi  ftitution,  but  muft  of  Necellity  (to 
 avoid  making  Obligations  reciprocally  de- 
 pend on  each  other  in  a  Circle  J  be  confer- 
 red t6  arife  originally  from,  and  be  found- 
 ed in,  the  eternal  Reafon  and  unalterable 
 Nature  and  Relations  of  Things  them- 
 iclves  j  And  the  nature  and  force  of  thefe 
 
 Oblige 
 
 f  NtCi  errm  an  h<  nori- 
 fice  de  Deo  fenrendi-m  fir, 
 Xicq-,  an  fi- arrundus,  timen- 
 dus ,  colcndus  .  dubirarj 
 poteft.  Sunc  en;m  hare  Re 
 ligionum  per  <mi.es  gentes 
 p  mmunii.  De  /Jomir.e  cip. 
 14. 
 
 *  Si  is  qui  fumm3m  habec 
 impcriurn  feiplum,  ;m;x- 
 rantum  dico,  inreriiccre 
 alicui  imperec  \  non  tenetur. 
 Neq^  Purenttm,  &c,  cum 
 fi'ius  m  ri  qiKim  vivere 
 intamis  acq^  exofus  malic. 
 Et  alii  caf^Js  func,  cum 
 rrundata  faftu  inhonefta 
 funr,    &c  De  Che,   c.  6. 
 
 I  Lex  naruralis  eft  Vafth 
 
 fi.tr.dum  e(]ey  five  F'dtm 
 obfc  rvand  1  ra  £  He.  De  Civet 
 c.   fe  §  I. 
 
 ■  f  -  jr      - 
 
 **  Legem  Civilem,  qux 
 non  fie  lata  in  concumiliam 
 Dl-i  (cuj'.'.s  refyettu  iff*  Civi- 
 t.<tes  non  funt  Jul  juris,  vec 
 dicmitur  Uges  fetrej&ic.  De 
 ,  c.  14   £  10. 
 
 Pa8l  violatio  &c.  See  de 
 Ch 
 
and  Revealed  Reli^iov.  105 
 
 Obligations  le  fufficiently   clear    and    cvi-  \SccJe 
 dent ;     fo    that  he  who  t   DiJIwiours    God,  Cwe* 
 
 or     *       wilfully     breaks      bis 
 Frith,    is    (according  to   Mr 
 Hobbss       own       Reafoning) 
 guilty   of   as  great    an   Ab- 
 furdity    in    Pratfife,    and   of 
 as       plainly       contradicting 
 the     right     reafon     of    his 
 own    Mind,    as   he   who    in 
 a    Difpute   is    reduced    to   a 
 neceility    of  afferting    fome- 
 thing    inconfiftent    with    it 
 felf  •      And      the      original 
 Obligation   to   thefe   Duties, 
 can     from    hence     only    be 
 diftinctly     deduced :       Then 
 for     the    fame    reafon ,     all 
 the   other  Duties  likewife  of 
 natural     Religion  ^     fuch  as 
 vniverfal  Benevolence,   Jujlice, 
 Equity,  and  the  like  •    (which 
 I     have     before    proved     to 
 receive  in  like  manner   their  Tower   of   ob- 
 liging, from    the  eternal    Reafon  and  Rela- 
 tions cf    Things })    muft   needs    be    obliga- 
 tory,   antecedent  to    any    confederation    of 
 pojitive    CovipaB,     and  unalterably    and   in- 
 dependently    on     all     Humane    Conjlitutiom 
 whatfoever  :    And  confequently,   Mr  Hobbs's 
 whole  Scheme  •,    (both  of  a  State  of  Nature 
 at  firft,  wherein   there  was   no  fuch    thing 
 2s  Right  or    Wrong,    Juft  or    Unjuft,     at 
 all  ^  and  of  thefe  things    depending    after- 
 wards,     by    virtue     of  Compact,     wholly 
 and  abfolutcly  on  the   pofitivc   and    arbi- 
 trary 
 
 §  10. 
 
 *  Eft  Similirudo  ci  adrnn 
 inter  id,  quod  in  vita  com- 
 muni  vocarur  I/jmia  ,  & 
 id,  quod  in  Schoiij  fc'ec 
 appdlari  Abfurctum*  Qutm- 
 adrrtodum  en'ni  is.  cui 
 arguments  cogUurad  nega- 
 tiontm  aflerctonis  quam 
 prius  after uerar,  dicirur  re- 
 digi  ad  AbfwdUm  :  codem 
 modo  is,  qui  pra  animi  im- 
 pocccria  facie  vc)  omictic  id 
 quod  le  ncn  tafturum  vel 
 non  omifTurm  •  paclo  fuo 
 ante  promifcrJt,  Injuriam 
 iacir.-  neq^  minus  in  con- 
 cradiclionem  in:idir,  quam 
 qui   in  Sd.olis  rer'ucrur  ad 
 
 Abfurdttm Eft  ;taq; 
 
 Injuria;  sibjurditas  qu^d.m 
 in  converf-uione;  ficur  Ah- 
 fur  a  it  as.  Injuria  quad  am  eft 
 in  dilpucacione.      De  Civep 
 
1 06         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 trary  determination  of  the  Civil  Power  5)  falls 
 this  way  entirely  to  the  Ground,  by  his  hav- 
 ing been  forced  to  fappofe  fome  particular 
 things  obligatory,  originally,  and  in  their  own 
 nature.  On  the  contrary  :  If  the  Rules  of 
 Right  and  Wrong,  Juft  and  Unjuft,  have 
 none  of  them  any  obligatory  force  in  the  State 
 of  Nature,  antecedent  to  pofitive  Compact  -, 
 Then  for  the  fame  Reafon,  neither  will 
 they  be  of  any  force  after  the  Compact,  fo 
 as  to  afford  Men  any  certain  and  real  Se- 
 curity 5  (Excepting  only  what  may  arife 
 from  the  Compuljion  of  Laws ,  and  Fear 
 of  Pumfiment  •,  which  therefore  it  may  well 
 be  fuppofed  is  all  that  Mr  Hobbs  really 
 means  at  the  bottom  J  For  if  there  be  no 
 Obligation  of  Juft  and  Right,  antecedent 
 to  the  Compatt  :  then  Whence  arifes  the 
 Obligation  of  the  CompaS  it  felf  on  which 
 he  fuppofes  all  other  Obligations  to  be 
 founded  ?  If,  before  any  Compact  was 
 made,  it  was  no  Injuftice  for  a  Man  to 
 take  away  the  Life  of  his  Neighbour,  not 
 for  his  own  Prefervation  p  but  merely  to 
 ..    ■'  .      .      fatisfy    an   \   arbitrary    hu- 
 
 jaSWMBi  mT    or   ?leafurV   aDd 
 
 ei  quorum  inicurpartum.Pe  without  any  reaioii  or 
 ch*7  c.  $.$4.  [Whicbxbolc  provocation  at  all*,  How 
 Sellnn  highly  delves  to  be  COmes  it  to  be  an  Iniu- 
 reud  and  well  considered,     as      12.'   n  r\  1  1  i 
 
 h*Mh  the  Secret  of  Mr  lhce  >  after  he  ha3  made 
 Hobbs'i  whole  Scheme.']  a    Compact,     to    break    and 
 
 neglect  it?  Or  what  is 
 it  that  makes  breaking  ones  Word,  to 
 be  a  greater  and  more  unnatural  Crime, 
 than  Ulling  a  Man  merely  for  no  other 
 reafon,  but  becaufe  no  pofitive  CompaS 
 has    been    made    to   the    contrary  ?     So    that 
 
 *  this 
 
and  Revealed  Religion 
 
 «*  this  way  alfo,  Mr  Mobfrfs 
 whole  Scheme  is  intircly  de- 
 ftroyed. 
 
 4.  That  State,  which 
 Mr  Hobbs  calls  the  State  of 
 Nature,  is  not  in  any  fenfe 
 a  Natural  State .  but  a  State 
 of  the  greateft,  moft  un- 
 natural, and  moft  intole- 
 rable Corruption,  that  can 
 be  imagined.  For  Reafon, 
 which  is  the  proper  Nature 
 of  Man,  can  never  ('as  has 
 been  before  fhown)  lead 
 Men  to  any  thing  elfe  than 
 vniverfal  Love  and  Benevo- 
 lence :  And  Wars,  Hatred, 
 and  Violence,  can  never 
 arife  but  from  extreme  Cor- 
 ruption. A  Man  may  fome- 
 times ,  'tis  true,  in  his 
 own  Defenfe,  be  necelfita- 
 ted,  in  compliance  with  the  Laws  of  Na- 
 ture and  Reafon,  to  make  War  upon  his 
 Fellows  :  But  the  fir  ft  Aggreffours,  who 
 upon  Mr  Hobbs\  Principles,  (that  all  Men 
 ||  have  a  natural  Will  to 
 hurt  each  other,  and  that 
 every  one  in  the  State  of 
 Nature  has  a  *  Right  to  do 
 whatever  he  has  a  Will  to  •) 
 The  firft  AggreiTors,  I  fay, 
 who  upon  thefe  Principles 
 afiault  and  violently  fpoil 
 as  many  as  they  are  fuperiour  to  in  Strength, 
 without  any  regard  ta  Equity  or  Proporti- 
 on : 
 
 io7 
 
 *  Iraq;  pater,  quod,  fi 
 Hobbiana  rariochatio  e:Tct 
 valida,  omms  fimiij  ie-m 
 Civ \l\ am  oblteatio  coil  a  be - 
 rcrur;  nee  aiiter  fieri  po- 
 teft  quin  eirum  vis  iabe- 
 faftecur  ab  omnibus  princi , 
 piis,  qxxx  Legum  l>acura!ium 
 vim  _  tollunt  aut  minuunr; 
 quoniam  in  his  fundacur  & 
 regiminis  civilis  auftoritas 
 ac  fecuriras,  &  legum  a  civj- 
 razibus  Jararum  vigor.  Ct m- 
 berland.    de  Leg.    Nut.  pAg. 
 
 E^iain  extra  regimen  ci- 
 vile, a  ipalKcmnigenis  fimul 
 
 conflderatis  curior  eric  qui 
 aftibus  excerois  Leges  Na- 
 ture conftanriflime  obi'cr- 
 vabir,  quam  qui,  jUXra  do- 
 ttnnam  Hobbianam,  v\  auc 
 infidiis  alios  cmnes  ccnar- 
 do  preoccupare,  fecuric- 
 rem  fibi  quafivcric.  Id  pa 
 304.  *     * 
 
 |j  Vulmt&t  iddendh  omni- 
 bus inefr  in  ftacu  Nature. 
 De  Che,  c.  1.  §  4. 
 
 *  In  fbru  naturafi,  uni- 
 cuiq;  Ikehat  racere  quascunq- 
 &  in  quolcunc-  iibeb.it.  1- 
 bid.  §  10. 
 
1 08         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 on  -,    thcfe  can    never,  by  any  colour  what- 
 
 foever  ,     be      excufed    from 
 
 f  Si  nihil  nriftiroat  mn-     having      t      utterly      devejled 
 
 tn  naruram   fieri    homini-     tlemfelves     of     Humane    Na- 
 
 MStarLiS  r\ an'1  W§  l iiitro- 
 
 roncm  ex   h.-minc  tollat  ?     duced  into  the    World,    con- 
 
 Ck.Je officii*,  $.  trary    to    all    the    Laws    of 
 
 II  t*'A  3  //»*'  -^  $     Nature    and     Reafon ,      the 
 
 WK??-*#5  &T*    Galr?s  r  rand 
 
 $x\i\Ji  &t  9t>nr—**ff-  niolr     unnatural     Confuiion, 
 
 xoi/Twvuftf/70  thKjtio7*7o¥  t^gf  Mankind  by    the  high- 
 
 fc»**J^*(-*J^'J  eft    Abufe    0f   their  natural 
 
 Zrb*  x'Ctuctv^uirvvvivv  Powers     and  Faculties,     are 
 
 Ap<toi£rtXtoi7f$;'JW  capable    of     falling     under. 
 
 •owe.    flto-  ^  i^f-  l'b.  ]vir    ffojfo    pretends  indeed, 
 
 10,  that    one    of  the    firft    and 
 
 *   h  -mines  Libertatis  &  moft   natural    Principles     of 
 
 Vmhii  per  mturam  amato*  humane  Life,   is  *  a  Defire 
 
 ret.    i.evurh  c.  17.  neceflarily  arifing    in  every 
 
 Nem-m  dubium  cite  de-  ,  J.    ,         o  .   y 
 
 her,  quin  avidius  ferremur      Mail  S      Mllld  ,       Ot  #     having 
 
 homines  narura  iua,  fi  me-  Power  and  Dominion  over 
 tus  abetter,  ad  Domhamnem  Others-,  and  that  this  na- 
 «*m    ad  SocKtatcm.    De  ^  ,.  ufe 
 
 Ctve.  f.  1.  §  2.  J  1  , 
 
 Force  and  Violence  to  ob- 
 tain it :  But  neither  is 
 it  true,  that  Men,  following  the  di- 
 ctates of  Reafon  and  uncorrupted  Na- 
 ture, defire  difproportionate  Power  and 
 Dominion  over  others  •,  neither  ,  if 
 it  was  natural  to  defire  fuch  Power, 
 would  it  at  all  follow  that  it  was 
 agreeable  to  nature  to  ufe  violent  and 
 hurtful  means  to  obtain  it.  For  iince 
 the  only  natural  and  good  reafon  to  de- 
 iirc  Power  and  Dominion  (more  than 
 what  is  ncceflary  for  every  Man's  Self- 
 prefer* 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  109 
 
 prefervationj  is,    that  the  PofTeflbr  cf  fiich 
 Power    may    have   a    larger    compafs    and 
 greater    Abilities     and     Opportunities     of 
 doing  good,    (as  is  evident  from  God\   ex- 
 ercife  of   perfe&ly     Abfolute    Power  •)     'tis 
 plain  that  no   Man,    obeying    the    uncoi- 
 rupted     Dilates    of    Nature    and    Reafon, 
 can  defire  to  increafe  his    Power   by    fuch 
 deftru&ive    and   pernicious    Methods,     the 
 prevention  of  which  is  the  only  good,  reafon 
 that   makes   the  Power   it  felf  truly   defi- 
 rable.     All    Violence    therefore   and    War 
 are   plainly    the    Effecls,     not    of  natural 
 Deiires,    but  of    unnatural    and     extreme 
 Corruption.     And    this   Mr  Hobbs    himfelf 
 unwarily  proves  againft  himfelf,    by  thofe 
 very  Arguments,    whereby  he    indeavours 
 to    prove   that     War    and     Contention    is 
 more  natural  to  Men,  than  to  Bees  or  Ants. 
 For  his  Arguments  on  this   Head,    are   all 
 drawn  from  Mens  ufing  themfelves  (as  the 
 Animals   he  is    fpeaking    of,     cannot    do  J 
 to    t     Strive    about     Honours 
 
 and  Dignities,  till  the  Con-  f  Homines  inter  ft  dc  Ho- 
 tentwn  grows  .up  into  Hatred,  norib«s  U  Dtghitatibus  per- 
 Seditions  and  Wars ;  to  *  pcruo  contend  unc,  fed  Ani- 
 fenarate  each  one  his  pri-  ™l'*i»a  [Apes  &  Formic*] 
 *       t  .       a      r  .l  1        non  Kem      ^aq;    inrer  Ho- 
 
 vat*    Interejl    from    the    pub-     mincs  iavidi^odium,  Bel- 
 
 lick,    and  value  himfelf  hivb-  Jum,  &c.  XevLtb,  c    17. 
 
 ly  above    others,    upon   getting  *  [:lrtr  Anhnalia  ilia,  Eo- 
 
 and  engrojfing    to  himfelf  more  ?.™  Pub'icum  &  return 
 
 than    bis    Proportion     of     the  auccm  \n  bon;s  propriis  Dj. 
 
 things     of    Life^     to     ||   find  hil  tam  iucundum  eft,  cjuam 
 
 fault     with    each     others    ma-  W ^  alienisfunt  miiora.  lb. 
 
 nazanent,    and    thro\  Sefcon-  J^^^^Z 
 
 ceit    bring     m    continual     In-  item  videnr,  vel  viderr    fe 
 
 novations 
 
1  TO 
 
 pnranr,  in  adminiftrarione 
 fuarum  ren  m  pub'icarum  : 
 Sen  in  mulrirudine  Hcminum 
 plurimi  foot  qui  pra  c#reris 
 
 cxiflimanrt%  ronan- 
 rur    re:-    novarc ;    8c  diverfi 
 
 rc<  fnnovant  divcrfis 
 modi* ;  id  quod  eft  diftraftio 
 &  bellum  civile.     De  Che, 
 
 c.  5.  §  5- 
 
 f  Animantiaillaverborum 
 aire  ilia  carenr,  qua  homi- 
 nes alii  afiis  videri  faciunc 
 Bonum  Malum,  &  Malum 
 Bonum  ;  Magnum  Parvum, 
 &  Parvum  Magnum.  £W- 
 ath.  c.  17. 
 
 *  Animalia  brura,  quam 
 diu  benefibi  eft,  caterunon 
 invidcic:  Homo  autem  rum 
 marine  moleftus  eft,  quan- 
 do  otio  opibufq-  irmime 
 abundar.     Ibid, 
 
 \\  Confenfto  creaturarum 
 il'arum  brutarum  naruralvs 
 efts  homnnxm  paftitia  tan- 
 tum,  id  eft  arnfieiola-  De 
 Cive,  c  5.  §  5. 
 
 The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 novations  and  difir  actions  h 
 to  t  impofe  one  tip  on  ano- 
 ther^ by  Lyes,  Falfifying  and 
 Deceit,  calling  good  evil,  and 
 evil  good  •  .■  to  *  grew  envioiu 
 at  the  profperity  of  others, 
 or  proud  and  domineering 
 when  themfelves  are  in  eafe 
 and  plenty-,  and  to  |]  keep  vp 
 tolerable  Peace  and  Agree- 
 ment among  themfclves,  mere- 
 ly by  artificial  Compa&s  and 
 the  compulfion  of  Laws,  All 
 which  things ,  are  fo  far 
 from  being  truly  the  Na- 
 tural Effects  and  refult  of 
 Mens  Reafon  and  other  Fa- 
 culties §  that  on  the  contra- 
 ry they  are  evidently  fome 
 of  the  groffeft  Abufes  and 
 molt  unnatural  Corrupti- 
 ons thereof,  that  any  one 
 who  was  arguing  on  the 
 oppofite  fide  of  the  Que- 
 ftion,  could  eafily  have  chofen  to  have 
 inftanced  in. 
 
 ?.  Laftly,  That  chief  and  principal  Ar- 
 gument, which  is  one  of  the  main  Foun- 
 dations of  Mr  Hobbs\  and  his  Followers 
 Syftem  -,  namely ,  that  f 
 Gods  irrefiftibie  Power  is 
 the  only  foundation  of  his 
 Dominion,  and  the  only 
 meafure  of  his  Right  over 
 his  Creatures ,  and  confe- 
 quently, 
 
 t  Be.Tni  D;vim  naruralis 
 JtH  derivarur  ab  eo,  quod 
 hivir.e  Ptfentit  rtfijltre  im- 
 p"!ji:>ile  ell.  Leviarh  »:  21. 
 
 In  re^no  natural-,  reg- 
 DaiKti   &   puniciid;  e^s  qui 
 
and  Revealed  Religioyi.  1 1 1 
 
 quently,  *  that  every  other  kg«  *««  violant,  jus  Deo 
 Being  has  juft  fo  much  g-^W^^ 
 -Rigfo,  as  it  has  ffrtirai  Iis  qu'orum  'poceocic  re- 
 Pon>e/*-  that  is,  that  it  is  flfti  non  poteft,  &  per  con- 
 naturally  fi/jtfrt  for  every  fcquens  Deo  omnipotent!, 
 +1  ■            1       aZ      „ri,«4.^r«^    5*  Jus  Dominandiab  lpfa  petsn- 
 
 tiling,    to    do     whatever   it    \u  derivatui,    /w£ 
 
 has  Power  to  do  ^  This  *  Nam  quoniam  Deus  ius 
 Argument,       I     fay,       is      of     ad  omnia    habec  ;     &    jus 
 
 all     his     others     the     moft    .Dcrj  "ihil  a,iuc?   c([.  <lua» 
 
 lpfa  Dei  potenna  ;  hinc  ie- 
 quitur,  unaniquamq;  rem 
 na^uralem  tantum  juris  ex 
 nacu  ra  habere,    quantum  po. 
 
 been  ** '  already  faid  of  Ai^J^Jt 
 God  s       other        Perfections 
 
 notorioufly  falfe  and  ab- 
 furd.  As  may  fufficiently 
 appear    (belides     what    has 
 
 Traftat,  Theoleg.   f otitic,  cap. 
 16. ,]      **pag.  87. 
 
 f  See  Cumberland  de  Le£. 
 Natur£>     locis    fupra  chi- 
 
 tiS; 
 
 being  t  as  much  the  mea- 
 fure  of  his  Right,  as  his 
 Power  is  -J  from  this  An- 
 gle Confederation.  Sup- 
 pofe  the  Devil,  (for  when 
 Men  run  into  extreme  impious  afiertions, 
 they  muft  be  anfwered  with  fuitable  Sup- 
 portions  -,)  Suppofe,  I  fay,  fuch  a  Being 
 as  we  conceive  the  Devil  to  be  ;  of  extreme 
 malice,  cruelty,  and  iniquity-,  was  in- 
 dued with  fupreme  abfolute  Power,  and 
 made  ufe  of  it  only  to  render  the  World 
 as  miferable  as  was  poffible,  in  the  moft 
 cruel,  arbitrary  and  unequal  manner  that. 
 can  be  imagined :  "Would  it  not  follow 
 undeniably,  upon  Mr  Hobbs's  Scheme  •, 
 fince  Dominion  is  founded  in  Power,  and 
 Power  is  the  meafure  of  Right,  and  confe- 
 quently  Abfolute  Power  gives  Abjolute  Right  •, 
 that  fuch  a  Government  as  this,  would 
 not  only  be  as  much  of  Neceffity  indeed 
 to  be  fubmitted  to,   but  alfo  that  it  would 
 
 be 
 
it  i 
 
 / 
 
 (  1    f,  c.  5 
 
 §4. 
 
 71^  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 be  as  ?"/  and  i^efo,  and  *  b>/7&  fo  Ktffe 
 re j fan' to  be  complained  of,  as  is  the  prefcnt 
 Government'  of  the  "World  in  the  Hands 
 of  the  }'.vcr-Bl']pd  and  infinitely  Good  God, 
 wh  >fe  Love  and  Goodnefs  and  tender 
 Mcrcv  appears  every  where  over  all  his 
 Works. 
 
 Here  Mr  H)bbs,  as  an  unanfwerable 
 Argument  in  dcfenfe  of  his  AfTertion,  ur-* 
 ges  ^  that  f  the  only  Rea- 
 fen,  why  Men  are  bound 
 to  obey  God,  is  plainly 
 nothing  but  TFeahtef  or 
 Want  of  Power  -,  becaiife  if 
 they  themfelves  were  All- 
 powerful,  'tis  rnanifeft  they 
 could  not  be  under  any 
 Obligation  to  obey  •  and 
 confequently  Power  would 
 give  them  an  undoubted 
 Right  to  do  what  they  plea- 
 fed.  That  is  to  fay:  If  Men 
 were  not  created  and  depen- 
 dent Beings  ^  'tis  true  they 
 could  not  indeed  be  obliged 
 to  the  proper  Relative  Duty 
 of  created  and  dependent  Be* 
 viz  to  obey  the  Will  and  Command 
 of  another  in  things  Pojitive-.  But  from  their 
 Obligation  to  the  Practife  of  Moral  Virtues, 
 of  Juftice,  Righteoufnefs,  Equity,  Holi- 
 ncfs,  Purity,  Gcodnefs,  Beneficence,  Faith- 
 fu'ncfs  and  Truth,  from  which  Mr  Hobbs 
 f.illacioiifly  in  this  Argument ,  and  moft 
 impicuily  in  his  whole  Scheme,    indeavours 
 
 *  to 
 
 f  Qurd  (1  jus  regnandi 
 habcft  Deus  ab  Cmnipc- 
 nncii  fuj,  nunifeftum  eft 
 ObJiga;ioDem  ad  praeflan- 
 dum  i\li  obediemiam,  in- 
 cnmbere  hrm  nibus  pr'pier 
 bnbecd.it.Jt'm.  [To  explain 
 which,  he  .  adds  in  his 
 Kote-.~]  Si  cui  durum  hoc 
 videbicur,  il!um  rcgn  uc  ra- 
 cica  cog  i  rati  one  cot>fiderare 
 vclir,  fj  elTtiu  duo  Omnipo- 
 tences, urer  urri  ch^dire 
 obligaretun  Confktbin.r,cr<> 
 do,  ncurrum^eutri  obligari^ 
 ;;  v^rim  eft,  ven  m 
 cuod  ;  eft  quod  polui,  hmh.es 
 ucj  Deo  fibjeZhs  zjje,  quit 
 Wiporentei  r.on  font.  De 
 Cive  c.  1 5.  §  7. 
 
 mgs, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 1  % 
 
 *  to   difcharee    them  t    from        *  Ui  cairn  cnvttam  vim 
 this   they  could  not   be  dif-    JSl5!2SA?ft 
 
 charged     by     any     addition     imMm  eifcnc,  futures  be 
 of  Power    whatfoever  :     Be-     neficos  &  benignos  iuifle, 
 caufe  the  obligation  to  thefe     cic-  *'  Nat.  Deor.lib.  i. 
 things,    is  not,    as  the  obli- 
 gation   to  obey  in  things   of  arbitrary  and 
 pojitive    Conftitution,    founded  only  in  the 
 IVcaknefs,     Subjection,      and    Dependency 
 of    the      Perfons    obliged  •     but    alfo     and 
 chiefly    in  the    eternal    and    unchangeable 
 .Nature     and    Reafon  of  the  Things    them- 
 felves  :     For  thefe  things  are    the  Law  of 
 God   himfelf^    not    only    to    his    Creatures, 
 but  alfo  to  Himfelf,    as  being  the  Rule  of  all 
 his  own  Actions  in  the  Government  of  the 
 World. 
 
 I  have  been  the  longer  upon  this  Head, 
 becaufe  Moral  Virtue  is  the  Foundation 
 and  the  Sum,  the  Effence  and  the  Life 
 ef  all  true  Religion :  For  the  Security 
 whereof,  all  pofitive  Inftitution  was  prin- 
 cipally deflgned :  For  the  Reftoration 
 whereof,  all  revealed  Religion  was  ulti* 
 mately  intended  •,  And  inconfiftent  where* 
 with,  or  in  oppofition  to  which,  all  Do- 
 ctrines whatfoever,  fupported  by  what  •  * 
 pretenfe  of  Reafon  or  Authority  foever, 
 are  as  certainly  and  necelTarily  falfe,  as 
 God  is  true. 
 
 II.  Ihough  thefe  eternal  moral  Obligations 
 are  indeed  of  themfelves  incumbent  on  all  rat.  - 
 onal  Beings,    even  antecedent   to  the  confidera* 
 
 T  tion 
 
ii4  Tfa  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 tion  of  their  beivg  the  pofitive  Will  and  Com- 
 mand of  God-,  yet  that  which  moft  firongly 
 confirms,  and  in  pratfife  moft  effectually  and 
 indifpenfably  inforces  them  upon  us,  is  this  -, 
 that  both  from  the  Perfections  of  God,  and 
 the  Nature  of  Things,  and  from  fcveral  other 
 collateral  Confide  rations,  it  appears,  that  as 
 God  is  bimfelf  neceffarily  Jufi  and  Good  hi 
 the  exercife  of  his  infinite  Power  in  the  Go- 
 vernment  of  the  whole  World,  fo  he  cannot  but 
 likewife  pofitively  Require  that  all  his  rational 
 Creatures  jhoitld  in  their  Proportion  be  fo  too, 
 in  the  exercife  of  each  of  their  Powers  in 
 their  fcveral  and  refpeciive  Spheres  :  That  is  • 
 as  thefe  eternal  moral  Obligations  arc  really  in 
 perpetual  force,  merely  from  their  own  Na- 
 ture, and  the  ah  fir  act  reafon  of  Things  •  fo 
 alfo  they  are  moreover  the  cxprefs  and  unalte- 
 rable Will,  Command  and  Law  of  God  to 
 his  Creatures,  which  he  cannot  but  expect 
 fijould  in  obedience  to  his  Supreme  Authority, 
 as  well  as  in  compliance  with  the  natural  rea- 
 fon of  Things,  be  regularly  and  confiantly  ob- 
 fcrved^  through  the  whole  Creation. 
 
 This    Proportion  is    very    evident,    and 
 has  little  need    of  being  particularly     pro 
 That  mo-    ved. 
 
 For  ifi,    the  fame    Reafcns   which    prove 
 to  us,  that    God  muff  of  Neceility  be  bina- 
 ry    itlf  infinitely  Holy,    and  Juft,    and    Good  h 
 "J  .mamfefily  prove  that  it  muft  likewife  be  his 
 *■      Will,  that    all   his  Creatures    fhould   be  fo 
 alfo,    according    to    the     Proportions    and 
 Capacities  of  their  fcveral   Natures.       That 
 £*      there  are  eternal  and  nccefiary  Differences 
 ,j#  *  of  Things,   Agreements  and  Difagreements, 
 
 Pro- 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  i  r  y 
 
 Proportions    and  Disproportions,     Fitnefles 
 and  UnfitnefTes  of    Things,     abiolutely    in 
 their  own  Nature  •,  has  been  before  largely 
 demonftrated  :    That    with  regard    to  thefe 
 fixt  and  certain    proportions    and    fitneiTes 
 of  Things,   the    Will    of    God,    which  can 
 neither     be    influenced     by    any     external 
 Power,   nor    impofed  upon  by    any  errour 
 or  deceit,    conftantly  and  neceiTarily  deter- 
 mines it  felf   to  choofe  always  what  in  the 
 whole  is  Beft    and  Fitteft  to    be  done,   ac- 
 cording to  the  unalterable  Rules  of  Juftice, 
 Equity,     Goodnefs  and    Truth  •,     has    like- 
 wife  been  already  proved  :    That  the    fume 
 confiderations  Ought  alfo    regularly    to  de- 
 termine the  Wills   of  all  Subordinate  rati- 
 onal   Beings,    to  act  in  conftant  conformi- 
 ty to  the  fame  eternal  Rules  ^   has  in  like 
 manner   been    {hown    before.      It    remains 
 therefore  only    to  prove,    that    thefe  very 
 fame  moral  Rules,    which  are  thus  of  them- 
 fclves   really    obligatory,    as  being  the  ne- 
 ceffary  refult  of  the  unalterable  reafon  and 
 nature  pf  Things  •     are  moreover  the  pofi- 
 tive  Will  and  Command  of  God   to  all  rati- 
 onal  Creatures:    And    confequently,     that 
 the  wilful  tranfgreiiion   or  neglect  of  them, 
 is   as   truly  an    infolent    contempt    of  the 
 Authority  of  God,  as  it  is  an  abfurd    con- 
 founding of   the  natural  reaibns    and  pro- 
 portions of  Things.      Now  this  alfo  plain- 
 ly   follows    from    what    has    been   already 
 laid    down.     For    the  fame    ahfuhite   Perfc- 
 Bion  of  the  Divine  Nature,    wnich  (as  has 
 bee;)  before  (hown)  makes    us    certain   that 
 God  mutt   Hhnfelf  be  of  Neceifity  infinite- 
 
 T  2  ljr 
 
1 1 6         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 ly  Holy,  J  aft  and  Good-,  makes  it  equal- 
 ly certain,  that  he  cannot  poiftbly  ap- 
 prove Iniquity  in  Others-,  And  the  fame 
 Beauty,  the  fame  Excellency,  the  fame  Weight 
 and  importance  of  the  Rules  of  evcrlafting 
 Righteoufnefs,  with  regard  to  which  God 
 is  always  pleafed  to  make  thofe  Rules  the 
 Meafure  of  all  his  Own  Actions  ^  prove  it 
 impoJlible  but  he  muft  likewife  will  and 
 defire,  that  all  rational  Creatures  ihould 
 proportionally  make  them  the  Meafure 
 cf  Theirs.  Even  among  Men,  there  is  no 
 earthly  Father,  but  in  thofe  things  which, 
 he  eileems  his  own  Excellencies,  defires 
 and  expects  to  be  imitated  by  his  Chil- 
 dren :  How  much  more  is  it  neceiTary 
 that  God,  who  is  infinitely  far  from  being 
 fiibjeft  to  fuch  Pafftons  and  Variablenefs 
 as  frail  Men  are,  and  has  an  infinitely 
 tenderer  and  heartier  concern  for  the  Hap- 
 pinefs  of  his  Creatures,  than  mortal  Man 
 can  have  for  the  welfare  of  their  Pofterity  •> 
 muft  defire"  to  be  imitated  by  his  Creatures 
 in  thofe  Perfections,  which  are  the  Foun- 
 dation of  his  own  unchangeable  Happi- 
 nefs  ?  In  the  exercife  of  his  Supreme  Pow- 
 er, we  cannot  imitate  him  h  In  the  extent 
 of  his  unerring  Knowledge,  we  cannot  at- 
 tain to  any  Similitude  with  him.  We 
 Job  40,  9.  cannot  at  all  Thunder  with  a  Voice  like  Him  h 
 nor  are  we  able  to  fearch  out  and  compre- 
 hend the  leaft  part  of  the  depth  of  his  un- 
 fathomable Wifdon  :  But  his  Holinefs  and 
 Goodnefs,  his  Jufiice,  Righteoufnefs  and 
 Truth  y  theft  tilings  we  can  underftand  h 
 in  thcie  things  wtcan  imitate    him- 3    nay, 
 
 we 
 
;  and  Revealed  Religion.  1 1 7 
 
 we  cannot  approve   our  felves    to    him  as 
 obedient  Children,    if  we    do   not    imitate 
 him  therein.     If   God  be  himfelf  efTentially 
 of  infinite  Holinefs   and  Purity-,    (as,    from 
 the  Light  of  Nature,    'tis  of  all  things  moft 
 manifeft  that  he  is  ^)     it  follows,    that    'tis  Hcb.  i,ij. 
 impofTible  but  he  muft  likewife  be  of  purer 
 Eyes   than    to  behold  with    approbation  any 
 manner  of  Impurity   in  his  Creatures  •,    And 
 confequently    it    muft  needs  be    his    Will, 
 that   they    fhould    All    (according   to    the 
 meafure  of   their    frail  and    finite   Nature) 
 be  Holy  as  he  is   Holy.     If  God  is  himfelf  a 
 Being    of  infinite   Juftice,  Right  eovfnefs  and 
 Truth  5    it  muft .  needs  be  his  Will,    that  all 
 rational    Creatures,    whom   he  has   created 
 after    his    own    Image ,    to    whom   he    has 
 communicated    fome     refemblance    of     his 
 Divine  Perfections,    and   whom  he  has  en- 
 dued with   excellent  Powers  and  Faculties 
 to  enable  them  to  diffinguilh  between  Good 
 and  Evil  -,    fhould  imitate  him    in   the  ex- 
 ercife    of  thofe     glorious     Attributes ,     by 
 conforming   all  their    Actions  to   the    eter- 
 nal and   unalterable  Law  of  Right eoufnefs. 
 If  God    is    himfelf    a    Being  of    infinite 
 Goodnefs-,    makijtg  his  Sun  to   rife  on  the  Evil  Mat.  5,45. 
 and    on   the   Good,    and  fending  Rain  on    the    ■ 
 Jujl  and  on  the    Urijuft\     having    never  left  Aft*  14, 
 himfelf  wholly  without  Tfitnefs,  but  always  do-  *7- 
 big  Good,  giving  Men  Rain  from   Heaven  and 
 fruitful  Seafons,    and  filling  their  Hearts  with 
 Food    and  Ghdnefs*   It    cannot    but  be  his 
 Will,  that  all  reafonable  Creatures  fhould, 
 by  mutual  Love  and   Benevolence,  permit 
 and  alfift  each  other  to  enjoy  in  particular 
 T  3  the 
 
1 1 8  T7tf  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 the    fevcral    Effects    and    Bleffings    of  the 
 Divine     unive  fal     Goodnefs.     Laftly,     if 
 God   is  hiir-f-lf    a   Being   of  infinite    Mercy 
 a r.d  Compajiw  5    as  'tis  plain  he  bears  long 
 with  Men  before  he  pnnifhes  them  for  their 
 Wickednefs,   and   of  en  freely  forgives  them 
 Mat  18,    his   ten  tboufand  Talents :     It  muft  need  be 
 24,28.'    his    Will,     that    they    fhould    forgive    one 
 Lu.6.  36.   another  their  hundred  Pence  $     being    merciful 
 one  to  another,   as  he   h    merciful    to  them 
 Mat.  11.     all;    and     having  Canpajjion  each  on  his  Jrcl- 
 23-  low-Servants,      as     God    has   pity     on    Them. 
 
 Thus  from    the  Azt,ibutes  cf  God,   natural 
 Reafon   leads  Men    to    the    Knowledge    of 
 his  iriU  :    All  the  fa- e  Reafons  and  Argu- 
 ments, which  difcover   to  Men   the   natural 
 Pitneffes    or    Urfi^iejps    of  Things,    and    the 
 necefary  Perfections    or  Attributes    of    God  • 
 proving      equally      at      the 
 •   Tra   rrncipem  Legem     fame     time      that     *      That 
 iilam  &  ultima*,    mntM     wM  h     -      f     j      th      L         0jr 
 eflie  omnia    ratione  aut   co-       ,,  1         „      u         Jr 
 
 gentis  tuc  vetanns  Del  Cic.     £$&*>     or     the     Reajon     oj 
 dc  Ugib.  lib  2.  Things,     is    in  like    manner 
 
 Quxvisnonmodo  fenior     the       Will      of      God.      And 
 eft  cuam  zraspopu Jorum  &      f  hence       the       S^Wefl- 
 
 civiraam,  fed  ^:u!is  i!!ius      tr  ™      nence       tn^       S^eielt 
 
 caelum  atq-,  terras  tueutis  &  Wl    molt    Intelligent     Per- 
 
 regentis  bei.     Neq;   cnim  fons    among     the     Heathens 
 
 cflc  Mens  ttvirta  fine  ration^  in    au     Ages       y'         rightly 
 poteft,   nee  r.«t:o  divma  non  1        t  1  1     i    1        i_ 
 
 hanc  vim  m  *tf*  pmvjfe    »W   ^lelj    concluded,    that 
 Jdwieni&shibctc.lbid.  the  beft    and  certaineft  part 
 
 of  Natural  Religion,    wvich 
 was  of  the  greateft  importance,    and  where- 
 in was   the  lea  ft  danger    of 
 f  vis  Dcos  propjtiare?     their  being  miftalcen  5   was  t 
 
 Bonus   clto  i    Sat:s   lllos  co      .         •     •.    .         ,i  1        w 
 
 luic,  qui  kOMMt  eft.     Se-     %  vmtatec   xl  *     ™ral    TA^ 
 nee  epift,  $  .  tributes  of  God,   by  a   Life 
 
 of 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 19 
 
 of    Holinefs,    Righteoufnefs  K*i  $  JW>  2%  £»,  *i 
 
 and    Chanty:     Whereas   in  *&<  *r*  &e*,&T*<s*>ot*i 
 
 the    External    part   of    their  -  ,  ,     %  ^  v      ,  >    ■  ;  ,  v 
 
 Worihip,     there     was      no-  jv  m  fot@-  £  j/^q."  rff 
 
 thing  but   Uncertainty    and  hy&vn'  Hoaa^  yi*a>*  r, 
 
 Dnubtfulnefs  :     It  being  ab-  6luf^  ■  *ri<  7*<  *#rn*u 
 
 folutely     impoffible,      with-  JK^»A*^ 
 
 out    expreis    Revelation,    to  CoJitur  autem,    non  rau. 
 
 difcover      what,      in      that  rorutn    ppimis   corporibus 
 
 particular,     they    might    be    ^ZT^LT  *vr° "' 
 r  '  1,    /     ;     ?  gcntcq-,    lufrvnio,     rice  in 
 
 fecure    would   be    truly    ac-     thefauros  (h>  inf'uft  5  fed 
 ceptable  to  God.  />/<*  6-  ^^  voluntute.    s$. 
 
 This  Method  of  dedu-  "c.  cpift  u5. 
 cing  the  7^7/  of  God,  from 
 his  Attributes  •  is  of  all  others  the  befr  and 
 clearer!,  the  certaineft  and  molt  univerfal, 
 that  the  Light  of  Nature  affords.  Yet 
 there  are  alfo  (as  I  faid)  fome  other  colla- 
 teral confederations,  which  help  to  prove 
 and  confirm  the  fame  thing  ^  namely, 
 that  all  moral  Obligations,  arifing  from 
 the  Nature  and  Reafon  of  Things ,  are 
 likewife  the  politive  Will  and  Command 
 of  God.     As 
 
 2.  This  appears    in  fome    meafure  from  &*#  from 
 the   confideration    of  God's   Creation.      For'*/^*  ,. 
 God     by     Creating    Things,     manifefts     frtte*Na**ti 
 to     be     his     Will,     that    Things  fioitld   lerfGocTs 
 what    they    Are.     And  as    Providence  won-  Crut'm* 
 derfully  preferves   things    in  their    prefent 
 State  5       and    all    neceflary     Agents ,     by 
 conftantly    and      regularly     obeying     the 
 Laws    of    their    Nature,     neceflarily     em- 
 ploy   all    their  Natural    Powers  in   promo- 
 ting the  fame  End  -0  to   'tis  evident  it  can- 
 T  4  not 
 
i  ao  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 *  Mens  humana  non  p  -  not     but    *    be   the    Will    of 
 
 reft  non  judicare,  efTe  Jonge  Qod         ft  t        all        rational 
 
 credib'hus,     quod    eadem  _     '  ,  •,  , 
 
 conftantiflima   voluntas,   a  Creatures,      wnom     he     has 
 
 qua  hominibus  datum    eft  indued  with    thofe    lingular 
 
 cffc,  paricer   mallec    ipfos  powers    and     Faculties,     of 
 
 SSA'&f&fbS;  Undemanding  ,  Liberty 
 
 quam  illo  derurbari  de  fta-  and    Free-Choice,  _  whereby 
 
 tu,  in  quo  ipfos   colloca-  they  are  exalted    in    Digni- 
 
 yir  Sjc  falter  ew/*«.  t        ab  the    reft     of   the 
 
 **fe  creandi,  cognofcimr  vo~  JT     n  n       -,  j        -,.-,         •  /• 
 
 fa*u  confervanJi    ruendiq;  ^orld  ^         lhould   _    likewiie 
 
 homines.    Ex  Mac  aurem  in-  imploy     thofe     their       extra- 
 
 nocefcit  ohiiguho,  qua  rene-     ordinary    Faculties    in    pre- 
 mur  ad  mferviendum  eidem      f0„T1-n_    +1,^    n*.^«    „-.J    ZX.*. 
 vofuntati  notz.  0»fcr£  A     Irving    the   Onfe/-    tfffJ  Har- 
 leg.  Nat. pag.  22  j,  mony   ot    the  Creation,     and 
 
 not  introducing  Dif order 
 and  Confujiojt  therein.  The 
 Nature  indeed  and  Relations,  the  Propor- 
 tions and  Difproportions ,  the  FitneiTes 
 and  UnfitnefTes  of  Things,  are  eternal  and 
 in  themfelves  abfolutely  unalterable-,  But 
 this  is  only  upon  Suppofition  that  the 
 Things  Exift,  and  that  they  Exift  in  fuch 
 manner  as  they  at  prefent  do.  Now  that 
 things  Exift  in  fuch  manner  as  they  do,  or 
 that  they  Exift  at  all,  depends  entirely  on 
 the  Arbitrary  Will  and  good  Pleafure  of 
 God :  At  the  fame  time  therefore,  and  by 
 the  fame  means,  that  God  manifefts  it  to 
 be  his  Will  that  things  lhould  Exift,  and 
 that  they  lhould  Exift  in  fuch  manner  as 
 they  do^  (as  by  Creating  them  he  at  firft 
 did,  and  by  Preferving  them  he  Itill  conti- 
 nually does,  declare  it  to  be  his  Will  they 
 lhould  •,)  he  at  the  fame  time  manifeftly 
 declares,  that  all  fuch  moral  Obligations, 
 as  are  the  refult  of  the  necejfary  Proportions 
 
 and 
 
and  Revealed  KelWton.  121 
 
 <> 
 
 and  Relation  of  Things,    are    likewife    Hts 
 
 pojitive  Will  and  Commands.  And  confe- 
 quently,  whoever  acls  contrary  to  the 
 before-mentioned  Reafon  and  Proportion  of 
 Things  -,  by  diflwnourhig  God,  by  introducing 
 vnjuft  and  unequal  Dealings  among  Equals,  by 
 defiroyijtg  hi;  own  Being,  or  by  any  way  car- 
 ruvting,  abnjing  and  mifapylying  the  Faculties 
 wherewith  God  has  endued  him-,  (as  has  beui 
 above  more  largely  explained :)  is  una- 
 voidably guilty  of  Tranfgreifnig  at  the 
 fame  time  the  pojitive  Will  and  Command 
 of  God,  which  in  this  manner  alfo,  is 
 fufficiently  difcovered  and  made  known  to  Ani  rrom 
 
 him.  the  Ten- 
 
 3.  The  fame  thing  may  likewife  further  demy  of  the 
 appear    from    the   following    Confideration.  ^v of 
 Whatever  tends  directly  and  certainly  to  pro-  t*\\cy 
 mote  the  Good  and  Happinefs  of  the  Whole,  Good  and 
 and  (as  far  as  is  confident  with  that  chief  Happies 
 End)   to    promote  alfo  the  Good  and  Wei-  ^ 
 fare  of  every  particular  part   of   the  Cre-  world. 
 ation  t     muft     needs     t    be        .      . .    . 
 
 «&rh\  vhe  wi11  ,o/  •tssarjsa 
 
 Uodh    who     being  infinitely     rerum     omnium    ordiucm 
 Self-fufficient     to    his     own     conftiriRt,   uc  ulia  fine  afti- 
 
 Happiliefs,      Could     have     no      oru,m     ^m-marum     confe- 
 4/u  ti/t   ^  quenna  er^a  iplos  auctoires , 
 
 other      Motive      to      create    ?ecitQj   uts  orld,naTla    hzc' 
 
 Things     at     all,       but     only  cenfequenciaabipfis  pra:fcri 
 
 that      he      might      communi-  poflinc,  aut  (ultima  cum  pro- 
 
 cate    to    them    his    Goodnefs  ^t-ilitaceexpeftati;  volueric 
 
 j      TT               r               ,         i  hicc  ab  ns  confiderar,  ante- 
 
 and     Happmefs-,     and     who  quam  ad  agendum  k  kcin- 
 
 confequently      cannot       but  gercne  \  a<q-,  cos  his  provifo 
 
 exped    and     require,      that  vdut  argumencis  in  Lcgim 
 
 nil     "U*       r  ~   ^  n        u  lanftione  conrtntis  derermi- 
 
 all   his   Creatures  ihould  ac-    nari  CmbeiL  de . Leg  Natt 
 cording     to     their     feveral    w  2?.  . 
 
 Powers 
 
122 
 
 flettor.  feu    Caufa  prima 
 rationales,     cujus    volunute 
 res  irj  difponiinrnr,     uc  bo- 
 m;::ibu;  Taci^  cv  denrcr  indi- 
 AftusquoUiain  illorura 
 dianecelTana  ad  fincm 
 •    reiurium'  -,   Vu't  ho- 
 mines sd  hos  AC>u<  obiigiri, 
 i    Aftus  Im-crat.   Id. 
 285. 
 
 Tfo  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Powers    and     Faculties,    in- 
 deavour     to      promote     the 
 fame    end.      Now    that     the 
 exact  obfervance  of  all  thofe 
 moral     Obligations,      which 
 have    before  been  proved  to 
 arife    neceiTarily    from     the 
 Nature     and     Relations     of 
 Things;    ( that  is  to  fay,    li- 
 ving   agreeably    to  the    unalterable    Rules 
 of    Juftiee,      Righteoufnefs ,      Equity    and 
 Truth  5)     is    the    certaineft     and     directeft 
 means   to  promote    the  Welfare    and  Hap- 
 pinefs,  as  well  of  every  Man  in  particular, 
 both  in  Body  and  Mind,  as  of  all  Men  in 
 general  coniidered  with  refpeel:  to  Society  •, 
 is  fo  very  mamfeft,  that  even  the  greater! 
 Enemies   of  all    Religion,    who   fuppofe   it 
 to   be   nothing    more    than    a    worldly    or 
 State-policy,    do  yet  by  that   very  fuppo- 
 fit  ion    confefs    thus    much    concerning     it. 
 And  indeed  This,  it  is  not  poiilble  for  any 
 one    to    deny.     For  the  praclife    of    moral 
 Virtue     does     t    as    plainly 
 and      undeniable      tend      to 
 the    Natural     Good     of    the 
 World  ;     as  any  Phyjical  Ef- 
 fetf    or    Mathematical    Truthy 
 is    naturally    confequent    to 
 the    Principles    on   which   it 
 depends,    and  from  which  it 
 is    regularly   derived:     And 
 without  fuch  Practice  in  fome   degree,   the 
 World  can  never  be  happy  in  any  tolerable 
 meafure  :  As  is  fufficiently  evident  from  Mr 
 Bobbss   own    defcription     of    the    extreme 
 
 miferable 
 
 t  Vix\   fane  rati  one   (ac 
 in    tritbmttkis  operatjpmlus) 
 
 D-^rins  Moralis  vcrtas 
 rundacur  in  imnv.irabili  co- 
 fcirc^cia  inccr  FeJicitartm 
 ft  mm  am  au.«m  Hominum 
 *ires  aifequi  valenr,  &  Artus 
 Lenevolenn*  universalis.  Id. 
 
and  Revealed  Reltoion.  123 
 
 miferable   condition  that  Men  would  be  in, 
 through  the  Total  Dcfed:  of  the  Practife  of 
 all  moral  Virtue^  if  they  were  to  live  in  That 
 State  which  He  ftiles  (falfely  and  contrary 
 to   all  reafon,  as  has  been  before  fully  pro- 
 ved,) the  State  of  Nature  •    but  which  reallv 
 is  a  State  of  the  groffeft    Abufe  and    molt 
 unnatural     corruption,   and     mifapplication 
 of    Men's    natural    Faculties,    that   can  be 
 imagined.     For   iince   God    has    plainly    fo 
 conftituted  the  nature   of  Man,    that  "they 
 ftand    continually   in  need  of   each  others 
 Help    and    Aihftance,    and  can    never  live 
 comfortably    without    Society    arc!     mutual 
 Friendfhip,    and   are   endued   with   the  Fa- 
 culties of   Reafon    and   Speech,     and    with 
 other   natural    Powers,    evidently  fitted    to 
 enable  them  to  ailift  each   other  in  all  mat- 
 ters   of    Life,     and    mutually   to  promote 
 univerfal    Love    and  Happinefs  h    'tis    ma- 
 nifeftly  agreeable    to    nature,    and  to  the 
 Will  of   God  who  gave  them    thefe   Facul- 
 ties,   that  they  {hould  employ  them  wholly 
 to  this  regular   and  good    End  :    And  con* 
 fequently,     'tis     on     the    contrary    evident 
 likewife,    that    all     Abufe    and    Mifappli- 
 cation of    thefe  Faculties,    to  hurt  and  de- 
 ftroy,     to    cheat   and  defraud,     to   opprefs,- 
 infult,     and     domineer     over    each    other  h 
 is    dire&ly    contrary    both    to    the  diclates 
 cf   Nature  and  to   the  Will  of  God  •,     who, 
 necefiariiy  doing  always    what  is  Beft  and 
 Fittc  ft    and    rnoft    for   the    benefit    of    the 
 whole    Creation,     'tis   n  anifeft  cannot    will 
 the  corruption   and  deftru&ion   of   any   of 
 his  Creatures  •,   any    otherwife  than   as  his 
 
 Preferring 
 
1 14         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Preferring  their  natural  Faculties,  (which 
 in  themfelves  are  good  and  excellent,  but 
 cannot  but  be  capable  of  being  abufed  and 
 mi  (applied,)  neceflarily  implies  a  confe- 
 quential  Permiflion  of  fuch  Corruption. 
 
 And  This  now,  is  the  great  Aggrava- 
 tion of  the  Sin  and  Folly  of  all  Immo- 
 rality •  that  it  is  an  obftinate  fetting  up 
 the  Self-Will  of  frail,  finite,  and  fallible 
 Creatures  •  as  in  Oppofition  to  the  eternal 
 Reafon  of  Things,  the  unprejudiced  Judg- 
 ment of  their  own  Minds,  and  the  general 
 Good  and  Welfare  both  of  Themfelves  and 
 their  Fellow-creatures  ^  fo  alfo  in  Oppo- 
 fition to  the  Will  of  the  Supreme  Author 
 and  Creator  of  all  Things,  who  gave  them 
 their  Beings  and  all  the  Powers  and  Fa- 
 culties they  are  endued  with  :  In  Oppo- 
 fition to  the  Will  of  the  All-wife  Preferver 
 and  Governor  of  the  Univerfe,  on  whole 
 gracious  Protection  they  depend  every 
 moment  for  the  prefervation  and  conti- 
 nuance of  their  Beings :  And  in  Oppofition 
 to  the  Will  of  their  greateft  Benefa3ory 
 to  whofe  Bounty  they  wholly  owe  what- 
 ever they  enjoy  at  prefent,  and  all  the  Hopes 
 of  what  they  expect  hereafter.  This  is 
 the  higheft  of  all  Aggravations  5  The  ut- 
 moft  Unreafonablenefs,  joyned  with  obfti- 
 nate Difobedience  and  with  the  greateft  In- 
 gratitude. 
 
 III.  Though  the  fore-mentioned  eternal  Mo- 
 ral Obligations,  are  incumbent  indeed  on  all 
 rational    Creatures,    antecedent  to   any  rejpect 
 
 of 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 2.  y 
 
 cf  particular  Reward  or  Punifiment  •,  yet  tiny 
 viuft  certainly  and  necejfarily  be  attended  with 
 Rewards  and  Punifhments  ^  Becaufe  the 
 fame  Reafons,  which  prove  God  himfelf  to  be 
 -necejfarily  Juft  avd  Good  •,  and  the  Rules  of  Ju- 
 fiice,  Equity  and  Goodnefs,  to  be  his  unalterable 
 Will,  Law  and  Command,  to  all  created  Be- 
 ings -,  prove  alfo  that  he  cannot  but  be  pica- 
 fed  with  and  approve  fuch  Creatures  as  imi- 
 tate and  obey  him  by  obferving  thofe  Rules,  and 
 be  difpleafed  with  fuch  as  a&  contrary 
 thereto  •,  and  confequently  that  he  cannot  but 
 fome  way  or  other ,  make  a  fuitable  Difference 
 in  his  dealings  with  them;  and  7nanifeft  his 
 Supreme  Power  and  abfolute  Authority,  in 
 finally  fupporting,  maintaining,  and  vindica- 
 ting ejfefiually  the  honour  of  thefe  his  Divine 
 Laws  •,  as  becomes  the  Juft  and  Righteous  Gover- 
 Ttour  and  Difpofer  of  all  Things. 
 
 This  Proportion  alfo  is  in  a  manner  Self- 
 evident. 
 
 For  jft,  if    God   is    himfelf    neceffarily  n^  ^ 
 a  Being  (as  has  been   before  fhown)   of  in-  puake  of 
 finite      Goodnefs,      Juftice    and    Holinefs  :  Vtttm  or 
 And  if  the  fame  Reafons  which  prove  the  v,ks  muft 
 Neceffity  of  thefe   Attributes  in  God  him-  £  %$** 
 felf,  prove  moreover   (as  has  likewife  been  Rewards 
 lhown  already,)   that  the  fame  Moral  Ob-  and  P*- 
 ligations    muft  needs  be  his    pofitive  Will, '"^™'^ 
 Law  and  Command,    to    all  rational  Crea-^™^ 
 tures  ^      It    follows     alfo     neceffarily,     by  Attributes 
 the    very    fame  Argument,    that   He  can-0/^- 
 not  but   be  Pleafed   with  and    Approve  fuch 
 Creatures,    as    imitate   and    obey   him   by 
 obferving  thofe  Rules  •,    and    be    Difpleafed 
 with   fuch,    as  act   contrary   thereto.     And 
 
 if 
 
1 26         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 if  Id  5  then  in  the  Nature  of  the  thing  it 
 fdf  it  is  evident,  that  having  abfolute 
 P  wer  and  uncontroulable  Authority,  as 
 being  Supreme  Governour  and  Difpofer  of 
 al!  Things,  He  cannot  but  Signify,  by  feme 
 means  <>  other,  his  Approbation  of  the 
 one,  and  his  Difpleafure  againft  the  q- 
 ther.  And  this,  can  no  way  be  done  to 
 any  effectual  purpofe,  but  by  the  Annex- 
 ing of  refpective  Rewards  and  Pii7iifi?nentL 
 "Wherefore  if  Virtue  go  finally  unrewarded, 
 and  "Wickednefs  unpunified  •,  then  God  ne- 
 ver Signifies  his  Approbation  of  the  one, 
 nor  his  Difpleafure  againft  the  other  •  and 
 if  fo,  then  there  remains  no  fufficient 
 proof,  that  he  is  really  at  all  Pleafed  or 
 Bifpleafed  with  either  -,  And  the  confe- 
 queried  of  That,  will  be,  that  there  is  no 
 reafm  to  think  the  one  to  be  his  Will 
 and  Command,  or  that  the  other  is  forlid- 
 den  by  him  ^  which  being  once  fuppofed, 
 there  will  no  longer  remain  any  certain 
 evidence  of  his  own  Moral  Attributes. 
 Contrary  to  wiiat  has  been  already  de- 
 monit  rated. 
 ,  2.     The    Certainty    of   Rewards    and   fit- 
 
 the  need.    v^-mcvts    :n    general,     n  ay    alio    fomewhat 
 othenvife    be    deduced    from  their  being  ne- 
 
 ri,  rb.it      ccflaiy  to  fuppcrt  the  Honour  of  God  and  of 
 
 \:c'e.jL      his  harts1  and  Government  \    in   the  following 
 
 manner.      J  is  mantfeit    we   are   obliged   iri 
 
 ion  of  the    higl  eft   Ties    of  Duty   and  Gratitude, 
 
 to    pay    all   poffibk    Honour  to  God,     from 
 
 J^whom    we  receive  our  Being,    and    all  our 
 
 ,.     Powers    and    Faculties,    and    whatever    elfe 
 
 ment.        we  enjoy :     Now  'tis    plain   iikcwife,    that 
 
 we 
 
and  Revealed  Religion  i 27 
 
 we  have  no  other  way  to  Honour  God,  (whofe 
 Happinefs  is   capable  of   no  Addition  from 
 any   tiling  that  any    of    his  Creatures  are 
 capable  of  doing,)   than  by  Honouring,  that 
 is ,     by  Obeying,    his    Laws :     The    Honour 
 therefore    that    is    thus  done  to   his    Laws, 
 God   is  pleafed    to    accept  as  done   immedi- 
 ately to   hiwfelf:    And  though  we    were  in- 
 deed   abfolutely   obliged  in  Duty    to   hon- 
 our   him    in     this    manner,    notwithstand- 
 ing   that     there     had     been     no     Reward 
 to    be   expected    thereupon  •,  yet    it  is    ne- 
 celTary  in    the    Government  of  the  World, 
 and   well-becoming   an   infinitely   wife  and- 
 good    Governour,     that    tbofc    who    Honour  r  sam.  2# 
 Htm  he  fhould  Ho?wur,  that    is,  fhould    dif-  50. 
 tinguihh   them  with  fuitable    narks    of  his 
 Favour.     On    the    contrary :    Though    no- 
 thing  that  weak  and    finite  Creatures  are 
 able  to  do,  can  in  the  leaft  diminifh  from 
 the  abfolute  Glory  and  Happinefs  of  God  •, 
 yet,    as  to  Us,    the  dishonouring,    that    is, 
 the  difobeying  his  Laws,  is  a  dishonouring 
 of    Himfelf  j     that  is,   'tis,     as  much   as  in 
 Us  lies  ,  a  defpifing  his  fupreme  Authority, 
 and    bringing    his    Government   into    Con- 
 tempt.    Now   the    fame    reafon   that    there 
 is,     why    Honour    fhould    be    paid    to    the  • 
 Laws  of  God  at  all  ^  the  fame  reaien  there 
 is,  that  That  Honour  fhould  be  vindicated^ 
 after  it  has  been  diminifhed  and    infringed 
 by  Sin  5  For  no  Law-giver  who  has  Authori- 
 ty   to    require  Obedience  to  his  Laws,  can 
 or  ought  to  fee  his  Laws  defpifed  and  dis- 
 honoured,   without    taking    fume    meafures 
 to   vindicate  the  Honour  of  them,    for  the 
 
 fup- 
 
i  z  8  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 fupport  and  dignity  of  his  own  Authority* 
 and  Government  :  And  the  only  way,  by 
 which  the  Honour  of  a  Law,  or  of  its  Au- 
 thor, can  be  vindicated  after  it  has  been 
 infringed  by  wilful  Sin,  is  either  by  the 
 Repentance  and  Reformation  of  the  Tranf- 
 greffor,  or  by  his  Punifiment  and  BefruBion  : 
 S )  that  God  is  necelTarily  obliged,  in  vin- 
 dication of  the  Honour  of  his  Laws  and 
 Government,  to  Puriifh  thofe  who  pre- 
 fumptuoufly  and  impenitently  difobey  his 
 Commandments.  Wherefore  if  there  be 
 no  diftinction  made  by  fuitable  Rewards 
 and  Pnnifiments,  between  thofe  who  obey 
 the  Laws  of  God,  and  thofe  who  obey 
 them  not  5  then  God  fuffers  the  Authority 
 of  his  Laws  to  be  finally  trampled  upon 
 and  defpifed  without  ever  making  any 
 Vindication  of  it.  Which  being  impoih- 
 blc  -,  it  will  follow  that  thefe  things  are 
 not'  really  the  Laws  of  God,  and  that  he 
 has  no  fuch  regard  to  them  as  we  imagin  : 
 And  the  confequence  of  this,  muft  needs 
 be  the  denial  of  his  Moral  Attributes  5  Con- 
 trary, as  before,  to  what  has  been  already 
 proved.  And  confequently  the  Certainty 
 of  Rewards  and  Puni foments  in  general,  is 
 ncceflarily  eftablifhed. 
 
 IV.  Though,  in  order  to  efabliJI)  this  fuita- 
 ble Difference  between  the  Fruits  or  Effe&s  of 
 Virtue  and  Vice,  fo  rea forcible  in  itfelf  and 
 fo  abfolutely  vecefjary  for  the  Vindication  of 
 the  Honour  of  God  >,  the  Nature  of  Things, 
 and  the  Conftitution  and  Order  of  God's  Crea- 
 tion,   was  originally  fuch,    that  the  obfervarce 
 
 of 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 19 
 
 of  the  eternal  Rules  of  Jufticc,  Equity  ana 
 Goodnef,  does  Indeed  of  itfelf  tevd  by  dired 
 and  natural  confcqilence  to  Make  all  Creature s 
 happy  ^  and  the  contrary  praaift,  to  make 
 them  7711  fer able  :  Tet  fince,  through  feme  g  eat 
 and  general  Corruption  and  Depravation , 
 (whence foever  That  may' have  arifnij  the 
 condition  of  Men  in  this  pre fnt  State  is  fitch, 
 that  the  natural  Order  of  things  in  this  World 
 is  in  event  manifejlly  perverted,  and  Virtue 
 and  Goodnefs  are  vijibly  prevented  in  great 
 vie  a  fate  from  obtaining  their  proper  and  due 
 EffeBs  in  efiablijhing  Mens  Happinef  propor- 
 tionable to  their  Behaviour  and  Pratfife  «, 
 Therefore  it  is  abfolutely  impojjible,  that  the 
 whole  View  and  Intention,  the  original  and 
 the  final  Defign,  of  God's  creating  fitch  rati- 
 onal Beings  as  Men  are,  and  placing  them  on 
 this  Globe  of  Earth,  as  the  chief  and  princi- 
 pal, or  indeed  (to  fpeak  more  properly)  the 
 only  Inhabitants,  for  whofe  fake  alone  this 
 part  at  leaf  of  the  Creation  is  manifejlly  fit- 
 ted up  and  accommodated ;  It  is  abfolutely 
 impoffjble  (I  fay)  that  the  whole  of  God\s  De- 
 fign  in  all  this,  fioitld  be  nothing  more  than  to 
 keep  up  eternally  a  Succej/ton  of  fitch  fijort- 
 lived  Generations  of  Men,  as  we  at  prefent 
 are  >,  and  thofe  in  fitch  a  corrupt,  ten fit fed 
 a7id  diforderly  State  of  Things,  as  we  fee  the 
 World  is  now  in-,  without  any  due  obfervation  * 
 of  the  eternal  Rules  of  good  and  Evil  >,  with- 
 out any  clear  and  remarkable  Effect,  of  the 
 great  and  7iwfl  necefary  Difference  of  Things  • 
 and  without  any  final  Vindication  of  the  Ho- 
 nour and  Laws  of  God  in  the  proportionable 
 Reward  of  the  befl,  or  Pmnfmetit  of  the  worjf 
 of  Men  :    And  co?tfequently  it  is  certain  and 
 
 U  necejfary 
 
130  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 necejfarj,  (even  &  certain  as  the  moral  Attri- 
 butes of  God  before  demon f  rated,)  that  inflead 
 of  the   continuing  an  eternal  Succeffion  of  new 
 Generations  in  the  prefent  Form  and  State  of 
 Things,  there    mujl  at  fome  time   or   other   be 
 fiich    a   Revolution   and  Renovation  of  Things, 
 fuch  a  Future  State   of  exifience  of  the  fame 
 Perfovs,    as    that    by    an  exaft  dijlribntion    of 
 Rewards  and   Punifrments    therein,  all  the  pre- 
 fent di  for  ders  and  inequalities  may  be  fet  right  ^ 
 and     that    the    whole    Scheme    of    Providence, 
 which  to  Us  who  judge  of  it  by  only  one  fmall 
 portion    of   it,  feems  now  fo  inexplicable  and 
 confufed  ^  may   appear  at  its  confummation,    to 
 be  a  dcfipi  worthy  of  infinite  Wifdom,  Juftice 
 and  Goodnefs. 
 that  <te-        T-  *n  order  to  eftablifh  a  juft  and  fuita- 
 wding  t§  ble  Difference  between  the  respective  Fruits 
 the  original  or  Effects  of  Virtue  and  Vice  h    the  Nature 
 
 3Kft  °f  Thin§s>    a,nd  the   Conftitution    and    Or- 
 Virtue  «ndfa*    of     God's    Creation,      was     originally 
 Vke  are     fuch,    that    the    Obfervance  of  the  eternal 
 t'uhdtu    Ru*cs  of    Piety>     Juftice,    Equity,    Good- 
 tural Re-   ne*s     anc^    Temperance,      does     of    it   felf 
 nards  and  plainly    tend    by     dirett    and    natural    Confe- 
 Tunijh-      quence,   to  make  all  Creatures  happy  ^   and 
 mtnts.       t]le  contrary  praciice,    to  make  them  mife- 
 rable.     This  is  evident  in  general-,    becaufe 
 the    practice    of   univerfal    Virtue,     is    (in 
 imitation     of    the   Divine     Goodnefs,)   the 
 practice  of  that  which  is  Bejl  in  the  whole  h 
 and  that  which  tends  to  the  benefit  of  the 
 whnley      muft      of     necefTary     confequence, 
 originally  and  in  its  own  Nature,    tend  alfo 
 the   benefit  of  every  individual    Part    of 
 Creation.     More    particularly:    A   fre- 
 quent and  habitual  Contemplating  the  infinite- 
 
 17 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  t ;  i 
 
 ly  excellent  Perfections  of  the  All-mighty 
 Creator,  and  All-wife  Governonr  of  the 
 World,  and  our  moft  bountiful  Benefactor  ; 
 fo  as  to  excite  in  our  Minds  a  fuitable 
 Adoration,  Love,  and  Imitation  cf  thofe 
 Perfections  :  A  regular  imployivg  all  our 
 Powers  and  Faculties,  in  fuch  defgns  and 
 to  fuch  purpofes  only,  as  they  Were  ori- 
 ginally fitted  and  intended  for  bv  Na- 
 ture :  And  a  due  fnbjeBing  all  our  Appetites 
 and  Pafions,  to  the  Government  of  fbber 
 and  modeft  Reafon :  Are  evidently  the 
 dire&eft  means  to  obtain  fuch  fettled  Peace 
 and  fohd  Satisfaction  of  Mind,  as  is  the  firft 
 Foundation,  and  the  Principal  and  moft 
 neceflary  Ingredient  of  all  true  Happinefs, 
 The  temperate  and  moderate  enjoyment  of  all 
 the  good  things  of  this  prefciit  World,  and 
 of  the  pleafures  of  Life,  according  to  the 
 meafures  of  right  Reafon  and  iimple  Na- 
 ture •  is  plainly  and  confefTedly  the  cer- 
 taineft  and  moft  directeft  Method,  to  pre- 
 ferve  the  Health  and  Strength  of  the  Body. 
 And  the  practife  of  univerfal  Juftice,  Equi* 
 ty  and  Benevolence  ^  is  manifeftly  (as  has 
 been  before  obferved)  as  direct  and  ade- 
 quate a  means  to  promote  the  general  IFell-  , 
 fare  and  Happivefs  of  Men  in  Society,  as  any 
 Phyfical  Motion,  or  Geometrical  Opera- 
 tion, is  to  produce  its  natural  ErFed.  So 
 that  if  all  Men  were  truly  Virtuous,  and 
 pradtifed  thefe  Rules  in  fuch  manner,  that 
 the  Miferies  and  Calamities  ariiing  ufually 
 from  the  numberlefs  Follies  and  Vices  of 
 Men,  were  prevented  ^  undoubtedly  this 
 great  Truth  would  evidence  it  felf  vifibly 
 in  Fact,  and  appear  experimentally  in  the 
 U  2  happy 
 
1 3 1         *The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 happy  State  and  Condition  of  the  World. 
 On  the  contrary  :  Negleft  of  God,  and 
 Infenfiblenefs  of  oar  Relation  and  Duty 
 to  war- is  him  •  Abufe  and  unnatural  mi f appli- 
 cation, of  the  "Powers  and  Faculties  of  our 
 Minds  •,  In  ordinate  Appetites,  and  mi  bridled 
 avd  furious  Vdjjioiis  :,  neceffarily  fill  the 
 Mind  with  Confujion,  Trouble,  and  Vexation  : 
 And  Intemperance,  na*  urally  brings  Wreak- 
 n?f.,  Pains,  and  Sichiejfes  into  the  B§dy : 
 And  mutual  Injuftice  and  Iniquity «,  Fraud, 
 Violence  and  Oppreffion ;  Wars,  and  Def- 
 lations-, Murders,  Rapine,  and  all  kinds  of 
 Guelty  -,  are  fufficiently  plain  caufes  of  the 
 Miferies  and  Calamities  of  Men  hi  Society. 
 So  that  the  original  Conftitution,  Order 
 and  Tendency  of  Things,  is  evidently  e- 
 nough  fitted  and  defigned,  to  eftablifh  natu- 
 rally a  juft  and  fuitable  Difference  in  general 
 between  Virtue  and  Vice,  by  their  refpective 
 Fruits  or  Effects. 
 But  tkdt  2.  But  tho'  originally  the  Conftitution 
 ua>  in  this  and  Order   of  God's    Creation   was    indeed 
 
 mSu  the fuch'    t]iat  YlYtue  ancl   Yice   are  b7  tne 
 
 natural  *  regular  Tendency  of  Things,  followed  with 
 Order  of  natural  Rewards  and  Puniftiments  :  Yet 
 things  is  fo  hi  Event,  through  fome  great  and  general 
 ifcTtf*  CoriUPtion  and  Depravation,  (whencefo- 
 ojten  flu-  ever  That  may  have  arifen,  of  which  more 
 rifhes  in  hereafter $  the  condition  of  Men  in  the 
 treat  pr*  prefent  State  is  plainly  fuch,  that  this  nam- 
 ffilZtt  ral  0rdcr  of  th^n§s  to  the  World  is  mani- 
 mdet  tbe&ftty  perverted;  Virtue  and  Goodnefs  are 
 ttefl  viiibly  prevented  in  great  meafure  from 
 "!*£"<"  obtaining  their  proper  and  due  Effecl,  in 
 91  J  '  eftabliihing  MensHappinefs  proportionable 
 to    their     Behaviour    and    Pradife  h     and 
 
 "VVickedntfs 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  133 
 
 Wiclcednefs  and  Vice  very  frequently 
 cfcape  the  Punilhment,  which  the  general 
 nature  and  difpofition  of  Things  tend*  to 
 annex  unto  it.  Wicked  Men,  by  Stupidi- 
 ty, Inconfideratenefs,  and  fen  thai  Plea- 
 fure,  often  make  fhift  to  filence  the  re- 
 proaches of  Confcience  ^  and  feel  veiy 
 little  of  that  confufion  and  remorfe  of 
 Mind,  which  ought  naturally  to  be  confe- 
 quent  upon  their  vitious  Pracrifes.  By 
 accidental  Strength  and  Robuftnefs  of 
 Conftitution  5  they  frequently  etcape  the 
 natural  ill  confequences  of  Intemperance 
 and  Debauchery :  and  enjoy  the  fame 
 proportion  of  Health  arid  Vigour,  as  thofe 
 who  live  up  to  the  Rules  of  itrict  and  un- 
 blameable  Sobriety.  And  Injuftiee  and 
 jfiiiqiiity,  Fraud,  Violence  and  Cruelty, 
 though  they  are  always  attended  indeed 
 with  fafficiently  calamitous  confequences 
 in  the  general  •,  yet  the  moft  of  thofe  evil 
 confequences  fall  not  always  upon  fuch 
 perfons  in  particular  as  have  the  greater! 
 ihare  in  the  guilt  of  the  Crimes,  but  very 
 commonly  on  thofe  that  have  the  lcait. 
 On  the  contrary  :  Virtue  and  Piety,  Tem- 
 perance and  Sobriety,  Faithfulnefs,  Ho- 
 nefty  and  Charity-,  though  they  have  in-  . 
 deed  both  in  themfelves  the  true  Springs 
 of  Happinefs,  and  alfo  the  greateft  proba- 
 bilities of  outward  Cauies  to  concur  in 
 promoting  their  temporal  Profperitv  :, 
 though  they  cannot  indeed  be  prevented 
 from  affording  a  Man  the  high  eft  Peace 
 and  Satisfaction  of  Spirit,  and  many  other 
 advantages  both  of  Body  and  Mind  in 
 refpect  of  his  own  particular  Perfon  :  Yet 
 U  3  in 
 
i  ?  4  HThe  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 in  refpcct  of  thofe  Advant:  ges  which   the 
 mutual  P  adtife  of   focial  Vir  ues   ought  to 
 produce    in    common,     it  is   in    experience 
 fVund  true,    that  the  Vices  of  a  great  part 
 of  Mankind  do  fo  far  prevail  againft  Na- 
 ture and  Reafon,     as  frequently  to  opprefs 
 the  Virtue  of  the  Beft  ^    and  not  only  hin- 
 der them  from  enjoying  thofe  publick  Be- 
 nefits,   which    Would    naturally    and  regu- 
 larly he  the   confequences  of  their  Virtue  •, 
 but  of:-times  bring  upon  them  the  greateft 
 temporal   Calamities,     even  for  the  fake  of 
 that  very  Virtue.      For  it  is  but  too  well 
 known,     that    Good    Men    are    very  often 
 afflicted     and    impoverished ,       and     made 
 a    prey    to     the    Covetoufnef,     and     Am- 
 bition   of    the    Wicked  5      and    fome times 
 moft    cruelly   and    malicioufly    perfecuted, 
 even    upon    the    account    of    their    Good- 
 nefs    it    felf.       In    all  which   Affairs,     the 
 Providence    of    God    feems    not   very  evi- 
 dently to  interpofe    for    the   Protection  of 
 the  Righteous.      And    not    only    fo  ^     but 
 even  in  Judgments  alfo,    which  feem  more 
 immediately  to  be  infiided  by  the  Hand  of 
 Keaven,   k  frequently  fufters  the  Righteous 
 to    be    involved    in     the    fame    Calamities 
 with    the  Wicked,     as  they  are  mixed  to- 
 gether in  Buiinefs   and  the  Affairs  of   the 
 World. 
 tbet-      7~  Which  things  being  fo  •,  (viz,  that  there 
 foetbre    *s  plainly  in  Event  no  fufficient  diftinction 
 m,ft  neeJj  made  between    Virtue   and   Vice-,    no   pro- 
 be.iF»ture  portionable    and    certain   Reward    annexed 
 SJ?te*j     to  the  one,    nor  Punifhment  to  the    other, 
 4nj*pH.    in  this  prefent  World  :)  And  yet  it  being  no 
 Whim**  lefs 
 
and  Receded  Religion.  1 3  5 
 
 lefs  undeniably  certain  in  the  general,  as 
 has  been  before  fhown,  that  if  there  be  a  God, 
 (and  That  God  befhimfelf  a  Being  of  infi- 
 nite Juftice  a  nd  Goodnefs  5  and  it  be  his 
 Will  that  all  rational  Creatures  fhould 
 imitate  his  moral  Perfections  5  and  he 
 *  cannot   but   fee    and    take 
 
 notice    how    every    Creature        ¥  'E/  0  w  K&f&inim 
 behaves  itfelf-     and    cannot    ^l*^*  &  ?&&*£ 
 but    be     accordingly     pleaied     £€0^.--r*  Q  3^1**, 
 with  fuch    as  obey  his  AVill     %-m.  y*  v™  $i.*v  fyvrmh 
 and  imitate   his  Nature,  and    ***-** y'wv^s  01^71*- 
 be  difpleafed  with  fuch  as  aft     ^f^^VW  *V?V 
 contrary   thereto  -,)   It   being     y9  T>  '>iV  mi/llft  y'iyvi7alj 
 certain,  I  fay,  that   if  thefe     i«Vr'  ir  »•*•'#>«  w«  *tf*> 
 things  be  fo,  God  mull  needs,     ^flwM**  *»«">  »*  7«7» 
 in    vindication    of    the   Ho-    I^^-^Si^^g" 
 nour     of      his     Laws      and     ^ -j\;  ^  ^  ^rwicfyt- 
 Government ,        fgvrfy        at     *«**<  5<  **  mo^utllitxj 
 fome    time    or    other  this    his     &*'*?  ■#**#  ?V««&*'.  6 
 Approbation       or     Difplea-     j^,  df^» Wa* 
 lure,    by    making    finally   a     af£.  p/^0  <fc  RepW.  lib. 
 fuitable    Difference    between     10. 
 thofe    who    obey    him,    and 
 thofe   who  obey  him  not :  It  follows   una- 
 voidably,     either    that     all    thefe    Notions 
 which  we  frame  concerning  God,  are  falfe  h 
 and  that  there  is  no  Providence,   and    God  ■ 
 fees  not,  or  at  leaft  has  no  regard  to  what 
 is  done  by  his  Creatures,  and  confcquently 
 the  ground  of  all  his  own  moral  Attributes 
 is  taken  away,  and    even  his  Being  it  felf$ 
 or    elfe    that    there   muft    neceflarily   be   a 
 Future  State  of  Rewards  and  Pumjhmertts  after 
 this  Life,    wherein  all  the   prefent    difficul- 
 ties of  Providence  fhall  be   cleared  up,   by 
 an    eiadt    and  impartial    Adminiftration  of 
 U  4.  Juftice, 
 
i  *6  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Tuftice.     But    now,    that   thefe  Notions  are 
 True  -,  that  there  is  a  God,  and  a  Providence, 
 and  that  God  is  himfelf  a  Being  indued  with 
 all  moral  Perfections,  and  expects  and  com- 
 mands that  all  his  rational  Creatures  fhould 
 govern  all  their  Actions  by  the  fame  Rules  -5 
 has  hcen  particularly  and  diftinctly  proved 
 already.     It  is  therefore  directly  Demonfhra- 
 ted,  that  there  mu ft  be  a  Future  State  cf  Re- 
 wards and  Punifhments.     Let  not  thine  heart 
 envy  Shiners  •   but  be  thou  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
 all  the  day  long  ♦,  For  furely  there  is  a  Reward, 
 and  thine  Expectation  fiall  not  be  cut  of,  Prov. 
 23.    17  8c   18. 
 cf   the         4.   This  Argument  is  indeed   a   common 
 Srokal  c-  one  .    ])U|-  ]t   j8   neverthelefs   ftrongly  con- 
 fcerZ  "be  dui]vc  and   ^i^nfwerable  :    So    that,    who- 
 Self.  u ft-    ever  denies  a  Future  State  of  Rewards   and 
 fimy  of  Punifhments,    muft  of  neceffity  by  a  chain 
 Virtus  to  Df  unavoidable    Confequences  be    forced  to 
 tfftpfcffs    recur    to    downright    Atheifm.     The    only- 
 middle    Opinion  that    can  be  invented,    is 
 fcl  at  Affertion   of  the  Stoich,  that  Virtue  is 
 Sclf-fuffiiicnt    to  Its  own  Happinefs,    and  a 
 full    Reward  to  it  felf   in  all   Cafes,     even 
 under  the  greater!  Sufferings  that  can  befal 
 a  Man    for  its    fake.     Men   who  were  not 
 Certain  of  a  Future  State  (though    moft  of 
 them  did  indeed   believe  it    highly    proba- 
 ble •, )  and  yet  would  not  give  up  the  Caufe 
 rf  Virtue  •,    had  no  other  way  left  to  defend 
 it,     than    by   after  ting    that  it    was  in   all 
 Cafes  and  under  all  Circumstances,  abfolute- 
 \y    Sdf-rfnjfaent     to    its    own    Happinefs  : 
 ereas  on  the  contrary,  becaufe  it  is  mani- 
 ly  not  Srtf-fiijfcient,    and  yet  undoubted- 
 ly ;hc  Q.ufe  of  Virtue  is  not  to  be  given  up"-, 
 
 there-? 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  137 
 
 therefore  they  ought  from  thence  to  have 
 concluded  the  Certainty  of  a  Future  State. 
 That  Virtue  is  truly  worthy  to  be  chofen, 
 even  merely  for  its  own  fake,  without 
 any  refpecl  to  any  recompenfe  or  reward^ 
 muft  indeed  necelfarily  be  acknowledged. 
 But  it  does  not  from  hence  follow,  that 
 He  who  Dies  for  the  fake  of  Virtue,  is 
 really  any  more  Happy,  than  he  that  dies 
 for  any  fond  Opinion  or  any  unreafona- 
 ble  Humour  or  Obftinacy  whatfoever  ^  if 
 he  has  no  other  Happinefs  than  the  bare 
 Satisfaction  arifing  from  the  Senfe  of  his 
 rofolutenefs  in  perfifting  to  preferve  his 
 Virtue,  and  in  adhering  immoveably  to 
 what  he  judges  to  be  right ;  and  there  be 
 no  Future  State  wherein  he  may  reap  any 
 Benefit  of  that  his  refolute  perfeverance. 
 On  the  contrary,  it  will  only  follow,  that 
 God  has  made  Virtue  neceiTarily  amiable, 
 and  fuch  as  Men's  Judgment  and  Confci- 
 ence  can  never  but  choofe  •  and  yet  that 
 he  has  not  annexed  to  it  any  fufficient 
 incouragement,  to  fapport  Men  effectually 
 in  that  Choice.  Brave  indeed  and  admi- 
 rable were  the  Things  which  fome  of  the 
 Philofophers  have  faid  upon  this  Subjeft-, 
 and  which  fome  very  few  extraordinary . 
 Men  (of  which  Reguhu  is  a  remarkable 
 Inftance)  feem  to  have  made  good  in 
 their  Practife,  even  beyond  the  common 
 Abilities  of  humane  Nature  :  But  'tis  very 
 plain  (as  I  before  hintedj  that  the  general 
 Practife  of  Virtue  in  the  World,  can  ne- 
 ver be  fupported  upon  this  Foot  ^  It  be- 
 ing indeed  neither  poflible  nor  truly 
 reafonable,  that  Men  by  adhering  to  Vir- 
 tue 
 
1 3  8         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 tue  Ihould  part    with    their 
 
 *'Ovk©/A  t-mat  uax.*-    Lives,     if    *    thereby  they 
 
 efc  tfWfc  r«  riefe     eternally      deprived      them- 
 
 3v,/i  ^3T^«.    felves    of  a11    poffibihty  of 
 toMo^*  M«y/.  haLcurn.    receiving     any     Advantage 
 
 from     that    adherence.     Vir- 
 tue, 'tis  true,  in  its  proper  Seat,  and  with 
 all    its  full  Effects   and   Confequences    un- 
 hinJred  5    mull:  be  confelTed  to  be  the  chief 
 Goodh    as  being   truly  the   Enjoyment,    as 
 well  as  the  Imitation  of  God  :  But,    as  the 
 t   Praclife   of  it   is   circum- 
 f  Porro  ipfa  Virrus,  cum     ftantiated    in     this    prefent 
 fibi  boncrum  culmcn  vendi-     World,  and    in    the   prefent 
 c«  fcumanorem,   quid  hie    State    of  things :    'tis    plain 
 
 ag'c  mil  perpetua  be!!a  cum      -      •  .      ^  7r   .i  i_-   r* 
 
 vkiis;DcceMerioribus,  fed  £ .U  not  it  felf  the  chief 
 intcrioribus  •,  nee  alienis,  fed  Good,  but  only  the  means 
 plane  noftris  &   propriis.    to   it  •     as     Running     in    a 
 
 Abfic  ergo ,     uc  quam-      -p,^^    -      •      _ -*«.      •+.     r^lf*    *!,« 
 
 die  in  bocVlIo  inteftmo  *ace  »  ,1S  n^  Jt  felf  ™e 
 fumus,    jam  nos  beafitudl-     Prize,    but  the   way    to  ob- 
 
 nem,  ad  quam  vincendo  vo-      tain  it, 
 
 himus  ptrvenire,  adeptos  effe 
 
 credamus.       Auguftin.     deCivitate  Dei,  lib.  19.  c.  4. 
 
 Non  en'm  virtus  ipfa  eft  Summum  Bonum,  fed  effeclrix  &  mater 
 eft  furomi  boni  -y  quoniam  perveniri  ad  illud  fine  virtute  non  poceft. 
 Latlant.  lib.  5. 
 
 From  5.  'Tis    therefore    abfolutely     impoifible, 
 
 c^Hnl^  tnat  tne  wno^e    View   an(l  Intention,    the 
 ifaVutLc  original  and  the  final  Defign  of  God's  crea- 
 se? is     ting   fuch    rational    Beings    as    Men   are  5 
 i&wcm-    endued   with  fuch  noble   Faculties,  and  fo 
 duded       necefTarily    confeious    of    the  eternal    and 
 unchangeable     Differences    of     Good     and 
 Evil :     5Tis  abfolutely   impoifible    (I    fay) 
 that  the  whole  Defign  of  an  infinitely  Wife 
 and  Juft  and  Good  God,  in  all  this,   fhould 
 
 be 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 3  9 
 
 be  nothing  more  than  to  keep  up  eternally 
 a  Succeffion  of   new  Generations  of  Men  •, 
 and  thofe  in  fuch  a  corrupt,    confufed,  and 
 difordcrly  State  of  Things,    as   we  fee  the 
 prefent  World  is  in-,    without  any  due  and 
 regular  Obfervation,    of  the  eternal  Rules 
 of  Good  and  Evilr  without  any  clear  and 
 remarkable  Efre£t,    of  the -gjreat   and   moft 
 neceflary   Differences  of  things  -,     without 
 any  fufficient  Difcrimination  of  Virtue  and 
 Vice,  by  their  proper  and  refpeclive  Fruits  ^ 
 and  without  any  final  Vindication  of  the 
 Honour  and  Laws  of  God,   in  the  propor- 
 tionable  Reward  of  the   Beft,     or  Puriifh- 
 ment  of   the  Worft  of   Men.      And  confe- 
 quently  it  is  certain  and  neceflary,    feven 
 as  certain   as  the  moral  Attributes  of  God 
 before    demonftrated,)    that   inftead  of   the 
 continuing    an    eternal    Succeflion   of  new 
 Generations  in  the  prefent  Form  and  State 
 of  Things,    there    muft    at  fome  time    or 
 other  be  fuch  a  Revolution  and  Renovati- 
 on of  Things,    fuch  a  Future  State  of    ex- 
 iftence  of  the  fame  Perfons,   as  that  by  an 
 exadt  distribution  of  Rewards  and  Puniih- 
 ments   therein,     all   the   prefent    Diforders 
 and  Inequalities  may  be  fet  right  •,   and  that 
 the  whole  Scheme  of  Providence,    which  to 
 Us    who  judge  of  it    by  only    one    fmall 
 Portion  of    it,    feems  now  fo    inexplicable 
 and   much    confufed-,    may   appear   at    its 
 Confummation,     to  be  a  defign  worthy   of 
 infinite     Wifdom,     Juftice     and  Goodnefs. 
 Without   this,     AU    *  comes        *  Ica  fir>  ut  fi  ab  Uh  re. 
 
 to  Nothing,       If  this    Scheme      rum  Summa,  quam  fupert- 
 be      once      broken^     there  is      uscomprehendimus,at>erra- 
 
 no    Juftice,     no     Goodnefs,    jRiSaLtl^S 
 
 tancur.     Laftant.  lib.  7. 
 
1 40         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 no  Order,  no  Reafon,  nor  any  thing  upon 
 which  any  Argument  in  moral  Mat- 
 ters can  be  founded,  left  in  the  World. 
 Nay,  even  though  we  Ihould  fet  afide  all 
 consideration  of  the  Moral  Attributes  of 
 God,  and  confider  only  his  Natural  Perfe- 
 ctions, his  infinite  Knowledge  and  Wif-- 
 dom,  as  Framer  and  Builder  of  the  World  $ 
 it  would  even  in  That  Yiew  only,  appear 
 infinitely  improbable,  that  God  lhculd 
 have  created  fuch  Beings  as  Men  are,  and 
 indued  them  with  fuch  excellent  Faculties, 
 and  placed  them  on  this  Globe  of  Earth, 
 as  the  only  Inhabitants  for  whofe  fake  thi3 
 part  at  leaft  of  the  Creation  is  manifeftlv 
 fitted  up  and  accommodated  5  and  all  this 
 t  Non  cnim  tcmere,  nee  without  any  farther  De- 
 fom»iofcci&  crearifumus;  fign,  than  +  only  for  the 
 Wprofefto  fair  quatdam  vis,    maintaining      a      perpetual 
 
 TZ*^ZtflCzhu™-  Succeffion  of  fuch  fhort- 
 no,  nee  td  g'gneret  auc  aie-     .._    ,     _  .  c     -., 
 
 ict,  qaod  cum  exanc  avifTer  lived  Generations  of  Mor- 
 omocsiabores,tuminciderer    tals,    as  we  at  prefent  are; 
 
 ia  morris  malum  fcmpiier-  to  i;ve  in  the  Utmoft  COll- 
 wm.CKm.Qpft.uixu      fufion     and    diforder     f()r    a 
 
 very  few  Years,   and  then  PerifTi  eternally 
 
 •  into   Nothing.     What  *  can 
 
 *Si  fmecaufa  gignimur;     be  imagined  more   vain   and 
 
 H  ic  homioibus  procrwndis  empty  >  w}iat  more  ab- 
 proMdentia    nuMa    verfatur,      r     1  ■/        i_  -1        c 
 
 ti  cafu  nobifmcripfis  zc  vo-      furd  ?      what     more     V0ld     of 
 
 lupcatrs  aoftra?  gratia  nafci-  all  Marks  of  Wifdom,  than 
 roar  -,  fi  nihil  port  mortem  the  Fabrick  of  the  World, 
 frr.S;^drPmCf>eiretam     and  the    Creation  of    Man- 
 
 J*feri*cuhm,  tarn  m.me    tarn      ,  .     ,  \  .       _,  r  . 
 
 i*»jw,quamhumanareseft,  *md,  Upon  this  Suppolltl- 
 <Joa■lmundusipfe.<,  Latiant.  on?  But  then,  take  in  alfo 
 **■  7-  the     Consideration     of    the 
 
 Moral    Attributes     of    God  -, 
 and  it  amounts  (as  I  have  faid)  to  a  corn- 
 pleat 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  141 
 
 pleat  Demonftration,  that  there  muft  be  a 
 Future  State. 
 
 6.  It  may  here  at  firft  fight  feem    to  be  why  the 
 a    very    ftrange   thing,    that    through    the  %$™£ 
 whole  Syftem  of    Nature,    in  the  material,  f$  tltaly 
 in    the  inanimate ',    in  the  irrational  part  of  -ml  plainly 
 the     Creation,     every    Jingle     thing     fhould  -€en  l* tis 
 have  in  it  felf  fo  many  and  fo  obvious,  Co  ^nufthe 
 evident    and     undeniable     marks,    of    the  a*or.*/,  as 
 infinitely    accurate  Skill    and   "VVifdom    of '»/***«* 
 their   Almighty   Creator  •     that    from    the  ^J^ 
 brighteft  Star  in    the   Firmament  of  Hea-  w^ii* 
 ven,   to  the  meaneft  Pebble  upon  the  Face 
 of  the  Earth,    there  is  no  one  piece  of  Mat- 
 ter which  does  not  afford  fuch  inftances  of 
 admirable    Artifice    and  exact    Proportion 
 and  Contrivance,    as    exceeds  all   the    Wit 
 of    Man,     (I   do  not  fay   to  imitate,    but 
 evenj    ever  to  be  able   fully  to  fearch  out 
 and    comprehend  ^    And  jet,    that  in  the 
 management     of    the     rational     and    moral 
 World,     for   the  fake  of  which  all  the  reft 
 was  created,    and  is  preferved  only   to  be 
 fubfervient  to  it  •,    there  fhould  not  in  many 
 Ages  be  plain  Evidences  enough,    either  of 
 the  Wifdom,    or  of  the  Juftice    and   Good- 
 nefs  of  God,    or  of  fo  much    as  the  inter- 
 polation of  his  divine    Providence    at    all  $  • 
 to    convince    Mankind    clearly   and    gene- 
 rally of  the    World's  being   under  his  im- 
 mediate.    Care,    Infpeclion    and    Govern- 
 ment.    This,     I    fay,    may  indeed  at  firft: 
 fight    feem  very    wonderful.     But     if    we 
 confider    the  matter    more  clofely  and   at- 
 tentively,   it   will    appear  not   to    be  fo 
 ftrange  and  aftoni filing,    as  we  are  apt   to 
 
 imagine, 
 
1 4  2         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 imagine.  For,  as  in  a  great  Machine^  con* 
 trived  by  the  skill  of  a  confummate  Artifi- 
 cer, fitted  up  and  adjufted  with  all  con- 
 ceivable Accuracy  for  fome  very  difficult 
 and  deep-projected  Deflgn ,  and  polifhed 
 and  fine-wrought  in  every  part  of  it,  with 
 admirable  nicenefs  and  dexterity;  any 
 Man  who  faw  and  examined  one  or  two 
 Wheels  thereof,  could  not  fail  to  obferve  in 
 thofe  fingle  parts  of  it,  the  admirable  Art 
 and  exact  skill  of  the  Work-man  •,  and  yet 
 the  Excellency  of  the  End  or  Ufe  for 
 which  the  whole  was  contrived,  he  would 
 not  at  all  be  able,  even  though  he  was 
 himfclf  alfo  a  skilful  Artificer,  to  difco- 
 ver  and  comprehend,  without  feeing  the 
 Whole  fitted  up  and  put  together :  So 
 though  in  every  part  of  the  natural  World, 
 confidered  even  fingle  and  unconnected, 
 the  Wifdom  of  the  great  Creator  fufficient- 
 ly  appears  ^  yet  his  Wifdom  and  Juftice 
 and  Goodnefs  in  the  Difpofition  and  Go- 
 vernment of  the  moral  World,  which  ne- 
 eeiTarily  depends  on  the  Connexion  and 
 TfTue  of  the  whole  Scheme,  cannot  perhaps 
 be  diftinctly  and  fully  comprehended  by 
 any  Finite  and  Created  Beings,  much  lefs 
 by  frail  and  weak  and  fhort-lived  Mortals, 
 before  the  Period  and  Accompliihment  of 
 certain  great  Revolutions.  But  'tis  exceed- 
 ingly reafonable  to  believe,  that  as  the 
 Great  Difcoveries  which  by  the  Diligence 
 an  i  Sagacity  of  later  Ages  have  been 
 made  in  Aftronomy  and  Natural  Philofo- 
 phy,  have  opened  furprizing  Scenes  of  the  Pow- 
 er and  Wifdom  of  the  Creator,  beyond  what 
 Men    could    poiiibly    have     conceived     or 
 
 imagined 
 
and  Revealed  Religion .  143 
 
 imagined  in  Former  Times  :  fo  at  the  unfold- 
 ing of  the  whole  Scheme  of  Providence  in  the 
 Conclufion  of  this  prefent  State,  Men  will 
 be  furprized  with  the  amazing  Man  if  citati- 
 ons of  Juftice  and  Goodnefs,  which  will  then 
 appear  to  have  run  through  the  whole 
 Series  of  God's  Government  of  the  Moral 
 World. 
 
 This  is  the  chief  and  greater!:  Argument, 
 on  which  the  natural  Proof  of  a  Future  State 
 of  Rewards  aid  Punifiments,  muft  princi- 
 pally be  founded.  Yet  there  are  alfo 
 feveral  other  collateral  Evidences,  which 
 joyntly  confpire  to  render  the  fame 
 Thing  extreamly  credible  to  mere  natu- 
 ral Reafon.    As 
 
 17?.     There  is   very  great  Reafon,    even  W^f* 
 from  the  bare  Nature  of  the  Thing  it  felf,  J^^/. 
 to  believe  the  Soul  to  be  Immortal  %     Sepa-  and  the 
 rate    from    all     moral    Arguments    drawn  natural 
 from  the  Attributes  of  God-,    and  without  ££%/£, 
 any  Confideration  of  the  general  Syftem  of 
 the  "World,     or    of    the     Univerfal  Order 
 and   Conftitution,     Connexion   and  Depen- 
 dencies of  Things.      The   Immortality     of 
 the  Soul,    has  been     commonly  believed  in  . 
 *  all  Ages    and  in   all  Pla- 
 ces,   by    the   unlearned    part        *  Erprimuraqu'demom- 
 of  all  civilized  People    and    &/£$$  u*    * 
 by    the    almoft  general   con- 
 fent  of  all  the  moft  barbarous  Nations  un- 
 der Heaven  ^   from  a   Tradition  fo   ancient 
 and  fo  univerfal,    as  cannot   be  conceived 
 to  owe  its  original  either  to  Chance  or  to 
 vain  Imagination,    or  to  any  other    Caufe 
 than    to   the   Author   of  Nature    Himfelf: 
 
 And 
 
144  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 And    the  moft  learned  and  thinking  part  of 
 Mankind,     at  all  times  and  in    all  Coun- 
 tries,   where  the  Study  of  Philofophy  has 
 been  in  any  meafure  cultivated,  have  pret- 
 ty generally  agreed,    that  it  is  capable  of 
 a  juft    Proof  from    the    abftract    confide- 
 ration   of  the  Nature  and  Operations  of  the 
 Soul    it  felf.     That    none    of    the  known 
 Qualities     of  Matter     can    in  any  poffible 
 Variation,    Divifion,    or  Compofition,    pro- 
 duce    Senfe     and     Thought  and     Re  a f on  \    is 
 abundantly    evident,    as  has    been   demon- 
 f  'Demon-  ftrated  in    the    former    f  Difcourfe.     That 
 fira  on  of  Matter   confifts    of   innumerable,   divifible, 
 the/1"rn-  feParaWe,     and  for  the  moft  part  actually 
 tins  of'  disjoyned   Parts  ^    is  acknowledged    by   all 
 CW.     See  Philofophers.      That  the  Powers  and  Facul- 
 alfo  a  Let-  t'ies  0f  fa  Soul,  being  the  moft  remote  and 
 J5r  '°™T   diltant  from  all  the  known   Properties  of 
 with  (he     Matter,  .  that     can     be    imagined  •,     tis   at 
 Several  An-  leaft  a  putting  great  violence  upon  our  Rea- 
 jwers  and   foil,    to  imagine  them  fuperadded  by   Om* 
 ep  ,ei'     nipotence  to  one  and  the  fame  Subftance  ^ 
 cannot  eafily  be  denied.     That  'tis  highly 
 unreafonable    and  abfurd,     to    fuppofe   the 
 Soul    made  up  of    innumerable  Confciouf- 
 nefTes,    as  Matter  is    necellarily    made   up 
 of  innumerable  Parts-,    and  on  the  contra- 
 ry,   that  'tis  highly    reafonable  to  believe 
 the  feat  of  Thought  to  be  a  fimple  Subftance, 
 fuch   as  cannot  naturally   be    divided    and 
 crumbled    into    Pieces,     as  all    Matter    is 
 manifeftly    fubjecl  to  be^    muft    of  necef- 
 fity   be  confefled.     Confequently    the    Soul 
 will  not  be  liable  to  be  difTolved  at  the  dif- 
 folution  of  the  Body :   And  therefore  it  will 
 
 naturally 
 
and  Revealed  Relic  ion.  1 4? 
 
 naturally  he  Immortal.  All  this  fcems  to 
 follow,  "at  leaft  With  the  higheft  degree 
 Of  probability,  from  the  fingle  confidera- 
 tion  of  the  Souls  being  endued  with  Settfe9 
 Thought  or  Gntftiottfnefs.  I  cannot  imagine, 
 faith  *  Cyrus,  in  that  Speech 
 
 which  Xenophon  relates  he  *'Ot/rot  Xyyi."***^ 
 made  to  his  Children  a  lit-  */*.&9'***m  \ml&U^ 
 tie   before   his    Death,     that     0,;(JAlll  py.|Wf  3  T,TS 
 
 r.Lrtal  Body,  lives  •,  awJ  that  y*  **<»<  *>W<*v  &-** »  4-fX.fl 
 vlfetf'fc    £5    feparated  from    it,     '™'&',n**&»*  **"«h 
 
 al         •*     n      ii     y  r  1      *>>«  >W»7a/  k/4    Tare    w»- 
 
 ftew  it  Jbould  die:     I   cannot     ^iucj.^kk'It**  *w«U 
 perfwade    my    felf,     that    the     *}  ^.3**^   o  r«*  B**e/3», 
 Soul,    by   being    feparated  from     ^  $a&v^ua!ix7vv  «x*f 
 t««    JWj    **fc£    fj  <few#  0/    <*T''  ®'  ^  **  X<"' 
 Sev.fe,    fiould     thereupon     be- 
 come  it  felf  likewife  devoid  of  Senfe  :    On   the 
 contrary,  it  feems  to  me  more  reasonable  to  be- 
 lieve,   that   when  the  Mind   is  feparated  from 
 the   Body,    Then  it  fionld   become  vicjl    of  all 
 fenfible  and  intelligent  -,    1  hus  He.     But  then 
 further,  if  we  take   alfo  into  the  Confide- 
 ration  all  the  higher  and  nobler  Faculties,  Ca- 
 pacities and  Improvements  of    the  Soul  •,    the 
 Argument    will  frill  become  much  ftronger. 
 I    am  perfwaded,    faith   t  Ci- 
 cero,    when     I     cenjider    with        f  Qu^  mu!ra  -?  &C  nrhi 
 what     Swiftnefs     of      Thought     V*t*&>  &  fencio  -,   quum 
 
 the  Soul  is  indued,    with  what  tanramemoriapratcricorum, 
 
 a  wonderful   Memory  of  Tuings  futurorum   providentia,   toe 
 
 paft,     and   fore-caft    of  Tnin^s  arces>  unta:  fcienuaB,  toe  in. 
 
 to     comeh     how     many     Arts,  ™taL°°°^ffc  ?*  .M:l" 
 
 how   many   Sciences,    how   many  tflc     mortalem.     Cic.     de 
 
 wonderful    Inventions     it    has  (entiiute. 
 
 X  found 
 
1 4  5  Tie  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 found  out  ♦,    that  That  Nature,   which  is  Fojfef- 
 
 four  of  fuch  Faculties,    cannot  be  Mortal.     A- 
 
 gain  -,     Ihe    Memory,   faith  * 
 
 ♦  Quod    Sc  przrerira   te-      ]  whic}}    fhe    $oul    fa    0f 
 
 ti  poilic  pratenria  ,  RlW*  &*  *«7*  *f*'  a»d 
 %tc  divina  ftint  .•  .Nee  inve-  7>.y  Forefight  of  Things  that 
 niecur  unquam,  unde  ad  ho-  ^;//  /^  J7;^  fa  large  Com- 
 minem  venire  pofTinr  Difi  vreherrwn  0f  things  that  at 
 a  Deo.      Idem  Tuc.  Hue  ft.     *      r    {  J  7   •   7      j; 
 
 lib  j  prefent    are,      are    plainly  di- 
 
 vine  Powers  :      Nor    can    the 
 Wit  of  Man  ever  invent  any  way,     by  which 
 thtfe  Faculties    could  pofibly   come    to     be    in 
 Msn,     but  by  immediate   Communication    frem 
 God,      Again  •,     Tho?   we   fee 
 ]|  Mentem  hominis  quam-     7Wt,     faith   ||   he,     the  Soul  of 
 vis  earn  non  vidcas,    ut  De-     ft  fafaj    m\tler    are 
 
 um  non  vides  ;     tamen,    ut  777  r      a>    j        t-  *. 
 
 Deum  agnofcis  ex  operi-  »*  able  to  fee  God-,  let,  as 
 bus  ejus,  fie  ex  rcemoria  from  the  Works  of  God  WC 
 rerum  &  inventione  &  ce-  are  certain  of  his  Being  ;  fo 
 lerirare  Mctus,   omnkj;  pul-      r  j       Faculties     of     the 
 
 chncudme  vircutis,  vim  di-     J      7      .        ,.  .     JT 
 
 vinam  Mentis  agaoicito.  Id.  ^oul,  its  Memory,  its  Inven- 
 ibid.  tion,    its  SwiftJief  of  Thought  ^ 
 
 its  noble  Exercife  of  all  Vir- 
 tues, we  cavnot  but  be  convinced  of  its  di- 
 vine original  and  nature.  And,  fpeaking 
 of  the  Strength  and  Beauty  of  that  Argu- 
 ment, which  from  the  wonderful  Facul- 
 ties and  Capacities  of  the  Soul,  concludes 
 it  to  be  of  an  Immaterial  and  Immortal 
 Nature  •,     Tho^  all  the  vulgar  and  little  Fhi- 
 
 lofophers  in   the  World,     faith 
 f  Licet    concurrini  pic-      +   }{e       (fQr      rQ    jr    c          %    hn 
 ben    enmes  philofophi,    fie  77      77    r    7  t m        c 
 
 coin  ii  qui  zviatene  &  So-     cali  ali  fucb>     as  diffent  from 
 crMte.'&  ab  il.'a  tamilia  difi- 
 
 denr,  appellatdi    videnturO  non  m°do  nihil  unquam  tarn  efeganter 
 explieabudr,  fed  ne  hocquideirt  iplum  cjium  fubciJiter  conclufum  fit 
 Irgent,  Id,  IiU. 
 
 Plato 
 
and  Revealed  Relivioh. 
 
 H7 
 
 Plato  and  Socrates  and  thofe  fnperior  Ge- 
 iduss,)  Jbould  put  their  Heads  t  gether  \ 
 they  will  not  only  never,  while  they  live,  he 
 able  to  explain  any  thing  fo  neatly  and  ele- 
 gantly ;  but  even  this  Argument  it  felfc 
 they  will  never  have  under/landing  enough  fuU 
 ly  to  perceive  and  comprehend,  how  neat  and 
 beautiful  and  flrong  it  is.  The  chief  preju- 
 dice againft  the  belief  of  the  Souls  exifting 
 thus  and  living  after  the  Death  of  the 
 Body  •,  and  the  Summ  of  all  the  Objedti- 
 ons  brought  againft  this  Doctrine  by  the 
 Epicurean  Philosophers  of  old,  who  denied 
 the  Immortality  of  the  Soul  •  and  by  cer- 
 tain Atheiftical  Perfons  of  late  who  dif- 
 fer very  little  from  them  in  their  manner 
 of  reafoning «,  is  This  : 
 That  they  *  cannot  appre- 
 hend how  the  Soul  can 
 have  any  Senfe  or  Percep- 
 tion, without  the  Body 
 wherein  evidently  are  all 
 the  Organs  of  Senfe.  But 
 neither  ||  can  they  any  bet- 
 ter apprehend  or  explain 
 how  the  Soul  in,  the  Body, 
 (that  is,  the  Body  it  felf, 
 according  to  their  Opini- 
 on,) is  capable  of  Senfe  or 
 Perception,  by  means  of 
 the  Organs  of  Senfe.  And 
 belides  :  This  Argument, 
 that  the  Soul  can  have  no 
 Perception,  when  all  the 
 ways  of  Perception  that 
 we"  have  at  prefent  Ideas  of, 
 
 X  2 
 
 * *Si  immortalis  na 
 
 tura  an;m;i  eft, 
 
 Er  fentire  poceft  fecrcca  a 
 corpore  noftro  j 
 
 Qiilnq;  (ut  opinorj  earn 
 faciundum  eft  fenfibus  au- 
 ftam  : 
 
 Ac  neq-,  feorfum  o» 
 
 culi,  &c. 
 
 Liicret.  lib.  3, 
 
 Quod  autem  corpus anim& 
 per  le  ?  qu#  materia  ?  ubi 
 cogiejcio  flJi  ?  quomodo  vi- 
 fus>  auditus  ?  aucqui  rangit  ? 
 qui  ulus  ejus  ?  auc  quod  fine 
 his  bonum  ?  Plin.  lib.  7. 
 
 Neq^  aliud  eft  quidquam 
 cur  incrcdibilis  his  animo- 
 rum  videatur  xcernicas,  niil 
 quod  nequeunt  quaJis  (it  an'u 
 mus  vacdtn  corpore  inrelligere 
 &  cogitatione  comprehende- 
 re.  Lie.  T»jc.  &'<e7f.  lib.  1. 
 
 ||   Cujafi   vero   inceJiigani 
 
1 48         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 qualis  fit  in  ipfo  corpore.    are  removed  •,  is  exactly    the 
 -.Mihicjoidcmnacuram     very    fame    Argument,    and 
 
 fciiior    occurrir     cogitario,  no     Other,       than      what      a 
 
 mu'i  q-,    oblcurior,    qualis  Man       born       blind      might 
 
 animus  in  wftrt  fr,  quam  rnake   ufe    of  with  the  very 
 
 qualis  cum  exierir.  Id.  ibid.  fame    ^^     tQ      proye    that 
 
 none    of     Us     can    pofnbly 
 
 have  in  our    prefent  Bodies  any  Perception 
 
 of    Light  or    Colours  *,    as  I 
 
 f  Demonftrathn  of  the  Be-    ]iave    explained     more    par- 
 
 Hg  and  Attributes  of  God,     ticularl    l  -       the      +     former 
 
 **  85'  *;  Difcourfe. 
 
 Thenatu-       This    conflderation,     of    the    Soul's    ap- 
 'mif    Pearing    in  au"   Reafon    to    be  naturally  im- 
 the  *  Soul's  mortal^    afforded    great    Pleafure    and     Sa- 
 beingim-    tisfaction  to  the  wife  ft  and  fobereft  Men  in 
 m9rt.1i  nj  the  Heathen    World  h    as    a  great    Support 
 Voile  £1-  under  Calamities  and  Sufferings,    efpecially 
 ftrHe*     under  fuch  as  Men    brought    upon   them- 
 'thins.        felves     by     being     virtuous  •,     filled    them 
 with  great  hopes  and  comfortable  expecta- 
 tions of  what  was  to  come  hereafter  ^  and 
 was    a    mighty    incouragement  to  the   pra- 
 ctife  of  all  moral  Virtue,   and  particularly 
 to   take  pains  in    fubduing   the    Body  and 
 keeping  it  in  fubje&ion  to    the   Reafon  of 
 the   Mind.     Firft,    it    afforded    great  Plea- 
 fure   and    Satisfaction,    to    the  wifeft  and 
 fobereft  Men  in  the  Heathen  World,    from 
 the    bare    contemplation    of   the   Thing    it 
 felf.     No  Body,  faith  *  Cicero, 
 »&d    Me   nemo  de  im-    jj)a\\   ever    drive  Me   from   the 
 mr.rcahcare    dcpellec.      Cic.      tt  r  t  t  *      1 
 
 T-fcQutll  lib.  1.  iioPe  °J  Immortality:   And,   t 
 
 f  Quod  fi  in   hoc  erro, 
 quod  animothominum  iinmorrales  efTe  credam,  libenref   erro  -,    nee 
 re'ihi  hunr  crrorcm,  quo  dclettor,  dum  vivo,  execrqueri  voJo.     l«em 
 de  jemlUte.  * 
 
 V 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  149 
 
 If  this  my  Opinion  concerning  the  Immor~ 
 tality  of  the  Soul,  ffould  at  laft  prove  an 
 Error  ;  yet  it  is  a  very  delightful  Error  -, 
 And  I  will  never  fujfer  my  fclf  to  .be  undecei- 
 ved in  fo  pleafing  an  Opinion,  as  long  as  I  live. 
 Secondly,  it  was  a  great  Support  to  them 
 under  Calami' ics  and  Sufferings,  especi- 
 ally under  fuch  as  Men  brought  upon 
 themfelves  by  being  Virtuous  :  Tb'fe  and 
 the  lite  Contemplations,  faith 
 ||   Cicero,    had  fuch    an   Effect        ||  His  &  ralibus  addufott 
 
 upon  Socrates,     that   when  he  %'****  '  ncc:   P"ronum 
 
 t   '„j     r         L'       it        l~  quselmc  ad    judicium   dpi- 
 
 was    tried   for    his    Life,     he  ^    nee  judicibus  fupplex 
 
 neither    de fired    any    Advocate  fuit  5   &  fupremo  v?r*  die, 
 
 to  plead  his    Caufe,     nor  made  de  hoc  ipfo  mufra  diforuit; 
 
 any   Supplication  to   his   Judges  f  P^cis  anre  d^bus,   cum 
 
 r  J    -hJ*  7  1J      s  facile  poller  educi  e  cufto- 
 
 jor  Mercy,     and    on  the  very  ^  noIuic Ira  cn;m 
 
 laft  day  of  his  Life,  made  cenlebar,  irac;  differuit.  dv- 
 viany    excellent  Difcourfes    up-     as  e(Te  vias,  duP!icefq;  cur- 
 
 on    tbhSnhjcB,    *»**&    tSSSftfTHZ 
 days    before,       when    be     bad     ^j}    i,^  t 
 an     opportunity     offered     him 
 to    have    efraped    out    of   Prifon ,      he    would 
 not  lay   hold    of    it  :     For    thus    he   believed, 
 and  thus  he  taught  ;     that  when   the  Souls  of 
 Men   depart  out  of  their  Bodies,    they  go  two 
 different  w.iyi ;    the  Virtuous  to  a  place  of  Hap- 
 pinef,    the  Wicked  and  the  Senfual  to  Mifry. 
 Thi/dly,    it  filled  them   with    great  Hopes, 
 and     comfortable    Expectations     of     what 
 was  to  come  hereafter  :     0 
 
 happy  Day,  faith  *  the  gcod  *  o  prsedanira  diem, 
 old  Man  in  Cicero  ,  when  I  qu"m  in  i.'lud  animorum 
 (hall  co  to  that  blejfed  Affem-  conciliura  otcumq,  prcfi- 
 •, ,         r     n  ■   *x  j      j  citcar,    cv  quum  ex  Jnac  cur- 
 
 bly    of     Spirits,      and    depart     ba  &  co.luvW  difcedam ! 
 out    of    this  wicked   and  mife-     jJem  de  Senefl. 
 X  3  rably 
 
1 50        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 rally     con f u fed     World!     Lajlly,    It    was    a 
 
 mighty  incouragement    to  the    pra&ife    of 
 
 all    moral  Virtue,  and  particularly  to  take 
 
 pains  in  fubduirg  the  Body  and  keeping  it 
 
 in  fubjection  to    the  Reafon  of  the  Mind  : 
 
 We   ought   to  /pare    no    Pains, 
 
 ■fXf»  w'rw  winy  £«     faith    t   Plato,    to    obtain   the 
 
 fori*  $  *£«*««<  ir  ™    Habit    r  virtue  and    jfinom 
 
 ^^i'W"^T       ;n     thu     Jifr.     for    the    Prize 
 ¥UiQ  in  Phsdor.e.  :s  noble,  and  the  Hope  is  very 
 
 great.  Again  •  having  reck- 
 oned up  the  temporal  Advantages  of  Vir- 
 tue in  the  prefent  World, 
 J!  Kai  ^VW  y.fuyiTA  he  adds-,  |]  But  we  have  not 
 •r.^T^'J"!?^0*?-"  V*  mentioned  the  greateft  and 
 —  Ti  cT'  av  h  >s  hxiyu  chief  eft  Rewards,  winch  are 
 Xt'ow  fiUyctyivo  TVivS-ffi  propofed  to  Virtue-,  For 
 iiUjpifavMfhiixp  what  can  be  truly  great,  in 
 J*  ixLdSr  „£  Zifjfjm  [o  [mall  a  proportion  of  lime* 
 flatode  Republ.  lib.  i0.  the    whole  Age  of    the    longeft 
 
 Liver     in     this     our    prefent 
 
 World,     being    inccnfderable    and    nothing    in 
 
 comparison   of  Eternity.     And  again  -,     Thefe 
 
 things}     faith    *  he,    are    no- 
 
 *  ^ewrct  711  viw  «/  v  Vb     thing,     either    in    Number    or 
 
 mfeff^ft-ppi**  jest     Qreatvef,  in   comparifon   with 
 
 Tigor  vittpivH.  Idem.  ibid.      lb°je     -K  wards      of      Virtue , 
 
 and     Punifiments     of     Vice , 
 
 which    attend   Men    after     Death.     And,     to 
 
 mentkn    no     more     places ; 
 
 .n.   ,,   *       ,       ?  Tkv,    faith     t    he,    W;o     *ft 
 
 wJk*f$A<fo>rih$fTott-     the    Games  hope    to    obtain    a 
 
 wv,   i<nxu*&cf.p  amx*£*'-     V i&ory   in  fuch  poor  Matters, 
 
 -ol  j  iiM-n^t  rra.idis  *-     as     Wraftling,     Running,     and 
 
 SmHtTntrw  wt*&,  m*v      fhe   fry        thi}lh    7Wt   mich    tQ 
 
 VT*9l.wb*W>.  &  prepare     themfehes     for     the 
 
 Contejl 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 5 1 
 
 Conteft  by  great  Temperance  and  Ahfiinence  : 
 Ami  flail  our  Scholars  in  the  Study  of  Vir- 
 tue, not  have  courage  and  rcfohnion  enough, 
 to  perfevere  with  Patience,  for  a  far  nobler 
 Prize  ?  Words  very  like  thofe  ot  St 
 Paul,  1  Cor.  0,  24.  Know  ye  not,  that 
 ihey  which  run  in  a  Race,  run  all  .  Ar.l 
 every  Man  that  Jl/iveth  for  the  Maflery,  is 
 temperate  in  all  things .?  Now  they  do  it  to 
 obtain  a  corruptible  Crown,  but  we  an  incor- 
 ruptible. 
 
 2.    Another    Argument     which    may    be  7Jeentff1' 
 ufecl  in  proof  of  a  Future  State,    fo    far  as  a  Flltkre 
 to  amount  to  a  very  great  probability  5  is  state, 
 That  necejfary   Be  fire   of  Immortality,    which  drawtl 
 feems    to'^be   naturally    implanted    in    all  „a?jjns 
 Men,    with  an  unavoidable  Concern  for  what  fof„t  0f 
 is  to    come  hereafter:    If    there  be  no    Ex-  Immtt*- 
 iftence  after  thjs   Life  •,     it  will  feem    that  Vlth 
 
 ]    Creatures,    who    always    in- 
 joy    the  nt  Good  without  any  Care  or 
 
 what    may    happen    after- 
 .',,  are  h  tter   provided  for  by    Nature, 
 whofe    Reafon   and    Foreiight, 
 all    oilier    thofe    very    Faculties,    by 
 which  they  are  made  more  excellent  than 
 Beafts,  flrve   them,    upon  this  Suppofition, 
 fcarcely  for    any    other    purpofe,    than    to  ' 
 render    them   uneajie  and  uncertain  and  fear- 
 ful    and  folkitous  about  things    which  are 
 not.     And  it  is  not  at  all  probable,    that 
 God     fhould    have     given    Men     Appetites, 
 which  were    never  to   be    fatirfed  •,     Dejires, 
 which  had  no  ObjeBs  to  anfwer  them  •,    and 
 unavoidable     Apprehenfom,     of    what    was 
 never  really  to  come  to  pafs, 
 
 X  4  3.  Ano- 
 
1 5  a  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 .Another,        3.    Another   Argument,    which    may    be 
 frlnlu'iis  brought    to    prove  a   Future   State,  is    That 
 Ctn'cience  Confidence    which    all    Men    have    of    their 
 f>r  Jkiz*     own    A -'lions,     or    that     inward     Judgment 
 Wit  of      which  they  neceffarily  pais    upon  them  in 
 %ionV    thc^r  cwn  Minis :    Whereby  they  that  have 
 Rom  2.14.^   any    Law,    are    a  Law    unto    themfelves, 
 find  -5.      their    Conference    bearing   Witrtefs,    and    their 
 Thoughts  accujing   or  elfe  exevjirg  one  another. 
 There    is   no  Man,    who    at  any  time  does 
 good  and  brave  and  generous  things,    but 
 the  reafon  of  his  own  Mind  applauds    him 
 for    fo    doing  *    and  no  Man    at  any  time 
 does    things    bafe    and    vile,    difhonourable 
 and  wicked,  but    at  the  fame  time  he  con- 
 demns himfelf  in   what  he  does.     The  one 
 is     neceffarily      accompanied     with     good 
 Hope,   and   Expectation    of  Reward :     The 
 other    with     continual    Torment   and    Fear 
 bf  Punifhment.     And   hence,    as  before,    it 
 ,  is  not    probable,   that  God  fhould  have   fo 
 
 framed  and  confdtuted  the  Mind  of  Man, 
 as  neceffarily  to  pafs  upon  it  felf  a  Judg- 
 ment which  fhall  never  be  verified,  and  ftand 
 perpetually  and  unavoidably  convicted 
 by  a  Sentence  which  lhall  never  be  confir- 
 med. 
 
 Anther,         4-     Lately,     Another     Argument,    which 
 
 d-.m-fj       may  be  drawn  from  right  Reafon   in  proof 
 
 >^>  of   a    Future    State,    is  this-    That  Man    is 
 
 'an    plainly  in  his  Nature   an  Accountable  Crea- 
 
 ai.olnt.      tvre;  and  capable  of  being  Judged.     Thofe 
 
 abteCrta-   Creatures    indeed,     whofe  Adions    are    all 
 
 We.         determined    by    fomething    without    them- 
 
 felves,  or  by   what  we  call    mere   inftind:  h 
 
 *s  they  are  not  capable  of  having  a  Rule 
 
 given 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  153 
 
 given  them,   fo    'tis  evident    that    neither 
 can  they  be  accountable  for  their  Actions  : 
 But  Man,    who  has  intirely  within  himfelf 
 a  free  Principle   or   Power  of  determining 
 his  own  Actions  upon  moral  Motives,   and 
 has  a  Rule  given  him  to  act  by,  which  is 
 Right   Reafon-,   can    be,     nay,    cannot  but 
 be,   accountable    for    all  his  Aclions,    how 
 far  they   have  been  agreeable  or  disagree- 
 able to  that  Rule.     Every  Man,  becaufe  of 
 the  natural  Liberty  of  his  Will,     can  and 
 ought  to  govern   all  his    Actions   by    fome 
 certain  Rule,  and  give  a  Reafon  for  every 
 thing    he    does.     Every    moral    Action  he 
 performs,      being    Free   and    without    any 
 compulsion   or  natural  neceflity,     proceeds 
 either  from  fome  Good  Motive  or  fome  Evil 
 one^     is  either  conformable  to  right  Reafony 
 or  contrary  to  it  •,  is  worthy  either  of  P/aife 
 or  Difpraife,    and  capable  either  of  Excitfe 
 or  Aggravation.     Consequently  it  is  highly 
 reafonable  to  be  fuppofed,  that  fince  there 
 is  a    Superiour  Being,   from  whom  we   re- 
 ceived all  our  Faculties  and   Powers  ^   and 
 iince  in  the  right  Ufeox  in  the  Abitfecf  thofe 
 Faculties,    in   the  governing    them  by  the 
 Rule  of  right  Reafon,  or  in  the  neglecting 
 that    Rule,     corilift    all    the    moral   Diffe-. 
 rence  of  our  Actions-,    there  will   at  fome 
 time  or  other  be  an  Examination  or  htiquiry 
 made  into    the  grounds    and    motives  and 
 circumitances  of  our  feveral  Actions,     how 
 agreeable    or  difagreeable    they  have  been 
 to    the    Rule    that  was  given  us  •,    and    a 
 fuitable    Judgment    be    patted    upon    them. 
 Upon    thefe    considerations,   the  Wifeft  of 
 
 the 
 
i  5  4  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 the  Antient  Heathens  believed  and   taught 
 that  the  Aclions  of  every  particular   Per- 
 f^n  Should  all    be   Strictly    tried    and  exa- 
 mined after  his   Death,    and  he  have  accor- 
 dingly   a    juft    and     impartial     Sentence 
 paffed  upon  him.     "Which  Doctrine  though 
 the   Poets    indeed  wrapt  up  in  Fables    and 
 obfeure  Riddles,    yet  the  wifeft  of  the  Phi- 
 lofophers    had  a  better  Notion  of  it,     and 
 more      agreeable     to     Reafon.      From     this 
 Judgment,      faith      *     Plato, 
 *TWwff  ^ef'xM*  a7i  <w      Ut  no   Man   hope    to  be    able 
 mty%jj*'&^?*Vlfr     to     efcave:     For    though    you 
 wtetiS^-'oAjtit-     could     defceni  into     the    very 
 imSimivvf  v *  Mt-Sf'  * x     Dtyth  °f  tke  Earth,     or    fie 
 %im  fftjjy^^av  cTuVh  x^to     en     high     to     the     extremities 
 ilfrC^/mi*14*xk     0f    the   Heavens,     yet   Jhovill 
 
 UmHf  rhm  1  J$»  itm     J""  neve/  <fi*Pe  the  JUft  3C»*" 
 
 vtcffixumi'  muafiir,  «f'  ment  of  the  Gods,  either  be- 
 ieZdSi  fj.Un>r  &n  iff  h «-  fore,  or  after  Death.  An 
 A*—fuHlr.*1?*1*-  eipreffion.  very  agreeable 
 luAthii^.  'Plato  deLe-  to  that  cf  the  Pfalmift, 
 gib. lib.  io.  Pfal.  139.   8,   9. 
 
 Thefe,  I  fay,  are  very  good  and  Strong 
 Arguments  for  the  great  probability  of  a 
 Future  State  :  But  That  drawn,  as  above, 
 from  the  consideration  of  the  Moral  Attri- 
 butes of  God,  fcems  to  amount  even  to 
 a  Demonftration. 
 
 V.  Ihough  the  necej/ity  and  in  dif pen  fable- 
 vefs  of  all  the  great  and  moral  Obligations  of 
 Natural  Religion,  and  alfo  the  Certainty  of  a 
 Future  State  of  Rewards  and  Punifiments,  /  e 
 thus  in  general  deducible,  even  demonflrably, 
 by  a  Chain  of  clear  and  undeniable  reafoning  : 
 
 let 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  i  5  s 
 
 Tet  (in  the  pre/cut  State  of  the  World,  by 
 what  means  foever  it  came  originally  to  be  fo 
 corrupted  ;  the  particular  Circum fiances  where- 
 of could  not  Now  he  certainly  hwivn  but  by 
 Revelation  jj  f*cb  is  the  Carclefnefs  ,  In- 
 coniideratenefs,  and  "Want  of  Attention  of 
 the  greater  part  of  Mankind  5  fo  many  the 
 Prejudices  and  falfe  Notions  taken  up  by 
 evil  Education  ;  fo  Jtrong  and  violent  the  un- 
 reafonable  Lufts,  Appetites,  and  Defires  of 
 Senfe  ;  and  fo  great  the  Blindnefs,  i?itro- 
 dihced  by  Superftitions  Opinions,  vitious 
 Cuftoms,  and  debauched  Practifes  through 
 the  World-,  that  very  few  are  abley  in  reality 
 and  cffeS,  to  dif cover  thefe  things  clearly  and 
 plainly  for  themselves*,  tut  Men  have  great 
 need  of  particular  Teaching,  and  much  In- 
 ftr action  ;  to  convince  them  of  the  Truth, 
 and  Certainty,  and  Importance  of  thefe 
 things-,  to  give  them  a  due  Senfe,  and  clear 
 and  juft  Apprehenfions  concerning  them  •  and 
 to  hrhig  xhem  effectually  to  the  Practife  of  the 
 plaineft  and  mojl  necejjary  Duties. 
 
 1.  There  is  naturally  in  the  greater  part  ^cn,hn' 
 of  Mankind,    fuch  a  prodigious  Carclefnefs,  JL^jJJ 
 Inconfderatenefs,    and  Want   of  Attention;  as  and Wer- 
 not    only   hinders  them    from  making  ufe^n^ 
 of  their  Reafon,  in  fuch   manner    as  to  dif-  '^nlbs*  by 
 cover  thefe  things   clearly    and  effectually  (oxcarelefs- 
 themfelves  •,    but  is  the  caufe  of  the  grojfefi  nejs  and 
 and  mojl  Jlupid  Ignorance    imaginable.     Some  Want  °f 
 feem  to  have    little  or  hardly  any  Notion  A:tcnUi,n' 
 of  God   at  all  •     and  More   take    little  or 
 no   care   to  frame  jnji  and  worthy  Apprchen- 
 Jions    concerning  him,    concerning  the    Di- 
 vine Attributes  and  Perfections  of  his  Na- 
 ture •> 
 
$6        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 tvre  •  and  ftill  many  More  are  entirely 
 negligent  and  heedlefs ,  to  consider  and 
 difobver  what  may  be  his  Will.  Few 
 make  a  due  ufe  of  their  Natural  Fa- 
 culties, to  diltinguifh  rightly  the  eflen- 
 tial  and  unchangeable  Difference  between 
 Good  and  Evil  :,  Fewer  yet,  fo  attend 
 to  the  natural  Notices  which  God  has 
 given  them,  as  by  their  own  Under- 
 itanling  to  collect,  that  What  is  Good 
 is  the  exprefs  Will  and  Command  of  God, 
 and  what  is  Evil  is  Forbidden  by  him  ^ 
 And  ft  ill  Fewer  confide  r  with  themfelves 
 the  Weight  and  Importance  of  thefe  Things, 
 the  natural  Rewards  or  Puniflments  that 
 are  frequently  annexed  in  this  Life  to 
 the  Practife  of  Virtue  or  Vice,  and  the 
 much  greater  and  certainer  Difference  that 
 lhall  be  made  betwixt  them  in  a  Life 
 to  cotnc.  Hence  it  is,  that  (as  Tra- 
 vellers afTure  us)  even  fome  whole  Na- 
 tions feem  to  have  very  little  Notion 
 cf  God,  or  at  leaft  very  poor  and  un- 
 worthy Apprehenfions  concerning  him  5 
 and  a  very  fmall  Senfe  of  the  Obliga- 
 tions of  Morality-  and  very  mean  and 
 obfcure  Expectations  of  a  Future  State. 
 Not  that  God  has  any  where  left  him- 
 felf  wholly  without  Witnefs  *,  or  that  the 
 Difference  of  Good  and  Evil,  is  to  any 
 rational  Being  undifcernible  5  or  that 
 Men  at  any  Time  or  in  any  Nation, 
 could  ever  be  firmly  and  generally  per- 
 fuaded  in  their  own  Minds,  that  they 
 perifhed  abfolutely  at  Death  :  But  through 
 Supine    Negligejice    and   Want  of    Attention, 
 
 they 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  157 
 
 they  let    their  Reafon  (as  it  were)    fleep, 
 and    *    are  deaf  to  the  Di- 
 ctates    of    common     Under-       *  Mulris  fi?nis  Nror*  **• 
 ftanding,     and,     like    Brute    cUr^uid  vdk.-  —  ob. 
 Beafts,     minding    only     the    QjUOmodo,necaudim>ii.C/r. 
 things   that  are  before    their    de  Arnica. 
 Eyes,    never    confider    any 
 thing  that  is  ahftract    from  Senfe,     or    be- 
 yond their  prefent  private  Temporal  Inte- 
 reft.    And  it  were  well,    if,  even  in  civi- 
 lized Nations,    this  was  not,    very  nearly, 
 the  cafe  of  too  many  Men,    when  left  en- 
 tirely to  themfelves,  and  void  of    particu- 
 lar Inftruction. 
 
 2.    The    greater    part    of  Mankind    are  Ard  hy 
 not    only     Unattcnihe,     and    barely    Igno-  ***f  &*• 
 rant;     but    commonly     they    have       ^°i'fa(Tih!r 
 through     a    carelefs    and    Evil    Education, ««. 
 taken  up   early    Prejudices,    and    many  vain 
 and   foolijl)    Notions  •,    which   pervert   their 
 natural  Underftanding,    and   hinder    them 
 from  uling  their    Reafon   in   moral  Matters 
 to  any  effectual    purpofe.     This  cannot  be 
 better    defcribed,     than    in    the  Words    of 
 Cicero :      If  we     had  come    into    the    World \ 
 faith  t    he,    in  fuch    Grcum- 
 Jlances,      as      that    we      could        f  Si  rales  nos  narara  ge- 
 
 clearly  and  di/Hntlly  have  dif-  nui(JF>  m ream  iPUm  inn- 
 
 1     ST              7         nr          1  en  a  perlpicere,   eaq;    op- 
 
 cerned    Nature    her  f elf    and  tima  duce  curfum  vinecon- 
 
 have  been  ahle  in  the  courfe  of  ficere  poflemus ;   haud  effec 
 
 our    Lives  to  follow   her    true  lane  <]uod  quifquam   ratio- 
 
 and     ^corrupted    DU^ons,  J-  %£!**£? 
 
 this     alone     might  .have    been  Tufc-  Quill,  lib.  j, 
 
 fujficient,      and     there      would  Nunc  parvulos  nobis  de- 
 
 have     been      little     need      of  die  ignicubs,  quos  cclerircr 
 
 leaching       and       Injt ruction  :  t             w 
 
 But 
 
i  f  8         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 depravatis  fie  reftinguimus,     But  Now   Nature    has  given  Us 
 
 only    fovie    fmall     Sparks     of 
 right     Reafin,    which    we    fo 
 quickly     extinguiJI?     with    cor- 
 rupt  Opinions  aid    evil    Pra- 
 Bife$,    that  the    true   Light  of 
 Nature    no     where     appears  : 
 Affoon  as    we  are  brought  into 
 the    World,      immediately      we 
 dwell  in  the  midft  of  all  Wick- 
 ednefs,     and    are     furrounded 
 with    a    number    of  mofl    pcr- 
 verfe     and  fooliJI)     Opinions  $ 
 fo    that    we  feem    to   fuck  in 
 Errour  even  with  our  Nurfes 
 Milk :     Afterwards,    when  we 
 return    to    our    Parents,     and 
 are      committed      to     Tutors  -, 
 then    we  are   further    Jlocked 
 with  fuch  Variety   of  Errors,   that  Truth  be- 
 comes perfectly  overwhelmed  with  FalJIwod  $  anl 
 the  mofl  natural  Sentiments  of  our  Minds,  are 
 entirely  fifed     with    confirmed     Follies :     But 
 when  after  all  this,    we  enter  upon  Bufinefs  in 
 the   World,    and   make  the   Multitude,    confpi- 
 ring  every  where  in  Wickednefs,  our  great  Guide 
 and  Example  •    then  our  very  Nature  it  f elf  is 
 wholly    transformed,  as  it    were,    into  corrupt 
 Opinions.     A    livelier    Defcription    of    the 
 prefent  corrupt  eftate   of  Humane  Nature, 
 is  not  eafily  to  he  met  with. 
 Andbyfen-      3.  In  the  generality  of  Men,    the  Appe- 
 fual  -ppe-  tites  and  Dejires  of  Scnfe  are  fo  violent  and 
 5r  ?'  Int  *mPortunate  3     tne  Bujinejs  and  the  Pleafures 
 wUrltHj      °f  tne  "World,  take  up   fo    much  of    their 
 r/j.     time  ^   and  their  Pajions  are  fo  very  ftrong 
 
 and 
 
 uc  nufquam  fiiturs.  lumen  at 
 
 fdrt.it -Simul  atq,ediri 
 
 in  Lucem  &  fufcepri  h-mtr, 
 in  omni  concinuo  pravitate, 
 &  in  fumma  opinionum  per- 
 ferncace  Verfamur  •,  uc  pene 
 cum  lafte  nurrieis,  fcrrbfem 
 fuxiiTe  videamur.  Cum  ve- 
 ro  parentibusreddui,deinde 
 magirtris  rraditi  lamus,  turn 
 ira  variis  imbuimur  errori- 
 bu«,  uf  variicaci  vericas,  & 
 opinioni  cenfii  marge  natura 
 
 ipfacedac Cum  vero 
 
 acccdit  eodem,  quaii  maxi- 
 mus  quidem  magifter,  po- 
 puIuF,  atq,  omnis  undic,  ad 
 vitia  confenriens  mulcicudo  ; 
 rum  plane  infijimur  opinio- 
 iHim  pravcace,  a  naturaq^ 
 ipla  delcifcimus.    JbiSL 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  \  3*9 
 
 and  unreafonable  ^  that,  of  Themfelves, 
 they  are  very  backward  and  unapt  to  em- 
 ploy their  Reafon,  and  fix  their  Attention 
 upon  moral  Matters  ^  and  ftill  more  back- 
 ward to  apply  themfelves  to  the  PraBife 
 of  them.  The  Love  of  Pleafitre,  is  fas  Ari- 
 fiotle    elegantly    *   exprefles 
 
 it)    fo  7iottriJI)ed   up   with    us        *  *£**  o  «*  rtoifr  ™*>r 
 from    our     very     Childhood,     fc^^^T*^'** 
 and    10    incorporated    (as    it     ^tdVto'Q©-,^^^^^^. 
 were)  into  the  whole  courfe     *#*p£tp.    Arijfot.  B.7&. 
 of  our    Lives  •     that    it    is     **■  2-  *  *■ 
 very    difficult   for    Men    to 
 withdraw     their     Thoughts    from    Senfual 
 Objects,    and  fallen  them    upon  things  re- 
 mote from  Senfe:    And  if  perhaps  they  do 
 attend  a  little,    and  begin  to  fee  the  reafo- 
 nablenefs   of    governing    themfelves    by  a 
 higher     Principle,     than    mere    Senfe    and 
 Appetite -,   yet   with    fuch  t 
 
 Variety    of   Temptations     are        t  Vitia  de  mercede  folia-' 
 they    perpetually   incompaf-    taDc;.  AvariTcia    Pccnn™" 
 
 r  1  j  •        n         r  t        promictic :     Luxuria  mukas 
 
 led,     and    continually    ioli-  ac  varias  voluptaces ;  Ambi- 
 
 cited  •,    and   the  Strength  of  tio  purpuram  &  plaufum.- 
 
 Papons,   and  Appetites,  makes  &  £  hoc  pptenciam  &  quic- 
 
 fo  great   Opposition    to   the  f$ȣmv0UK-    *"* 
 
 Motions    of    Reafon  •,    that  ts  a  3  x^r,  %n  -mvn 
 
 commonly   they    yield    and  wWssci^'c^  ^ 
 
 fubmit     to     praclife      thofe  *****!**  ™}< hwswf- 
 
 things    which   at   the  fame  ^.^I^S  £ 
 
 time    the   Reafon    of    their  warnta  *&%€«.    Plato  de 
 
 own     Mind     11     condemns :  **gib.  lib.  1. 
 
 and  .hat  they  Mo,  not^Ihat  JffgSgZSg?, 
 they    Do.     Which    Obferva- 
 tion  is  fo  true  of  too  great 
 a  part  of  Mankind,    that  Plato    upon  this 
 
 Ground 
 
1 6  o  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 **E«Ag£«to\^M*M  i'Tic/i-  Ground  declares  *  All  Ana 
 
 *£,  i&tft?  **>•«*  ftwTwM-  afl£    Sciences    to    have    in    his 
 
 CS  »  WS5SSS  Opinion, hfi  of    difficulty     in 
 
 Vfi  ^V*^  3Cf»^  *»£f«-  *0**»,      *»<"*    f  Z?#£    0/    making 
 
 **<  -rayx***™*-    PLttoin  Men   Good  5    Infomuch    that, 
 
 .&?*«  <?«£*/?*  «™#<  StVi  can  come  to  attain  a  right 
 ^  Tfjt  7*  y*e&  r  fifty  ivi-  Senfe,  and  jit  ft  and  true  No~ 
 w.    id.  de  Ugib.  lib.  2.         fjons  0f  Things,     even  ly  that 
 
 time  they  arrive  at  old  Age. 
 AnJ,abne      4.  But  that  which  above  all  other  things, 
 all,  by  ■»/-  moft    depraves   Mens  natural    Underftand- 
 
 bit's 5 aid  inS>  am*  nin(^ers  tnem  fr°m  difcerning 
 Fra8i(cs,  and  judging  rightly  of  Moral  Truths,  is 
 this  ^  That  as  ftupid  and  carelefs  Ignorance 
 leads  them  into  fond  and  fuperftitious  Opi- 
 nions, and  the  Appetites  of  Senfe  overcome 
 and  tempt  them  into  Practices  contrary  to 
 their  Conference  and  Judgment  5  fo  on  the 
 reverfe,  the  multitude  of  fuperftitious  Opi- 
 nions, vitioiis  Habits,  and  debauched  Pra~ 
 ftifes,  which  prevail  in  all  Ages  through 
 the  greater  part  of  the  World,  do  recipro- 
 cally increafe  Mens  grofs  Ignorance,  Care- 
 lefnefs  and  Stupidity.  Falfe  and  unwor- 
 thy Notions  of  God,  or  Superfritious  Ap- 
 prehenfions  concerning  him,  which  Men 
 .  carelefly  and  inconfiderately  happen  to 
 take  up  at  firft  •,  do  (as  it  were)  blind 
 the  Eyes  of  their  Reafon  for  the  future, 
 and  hinder  them  from  difcerning  what  of 
 it  felf  originally  was  eafy  enough  to  be 
 Rom.  1.  difcovered.  That  which  may  be  known  of 
 1%  &c.     qoci^   ^as  been  Vla71}feji  enough   unto    Men 
 
 in    all    Ages-,  for  God  hath  ft)  ewe  d   it    unto 
 them :    For  the    inviftlle  things  of  Him  from 
 
 the 
 
and  Revealed  Relioion.  1  <J  * 
 
 the  Creation   of  the  World  are  clearly  feen, 
 being  underftood  by  the  things  thai  are  made  • 
 even  his   eternal   Power    and    Godhead:    So 
 that  they  who  are  ignorant  of  him,  can- 
 not but    be  without  excufe.     But  not  with- 
 Handing   all  the  Heathen   World  had   Co 
 certain  means  of  knowing  God -,    yet  ge- 
 nerally  they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  nei* 
 ther    were    thankful,    but    became    vain    in 
 their  Imaginations,    and  their  foolifl)  Heart 
 was    darkned  •,    And  they  changed  the  glory 
 of  the    incorruptible    God,    into  Images     of 
 the     meaneft      and     moft     contemptible 
 Creatures  -,    and   wo /flipped  and  ferved  the 
 Creature    more    than    the    Creator,    who    is 
 blejfed    for     ever.     The     natural     Confe- 
 rence   of  which    abfurd    Idolatry,    and 
 alfo    the    juft    Judgment    of   God   upon 
 them  for    it,     was,     that    they  were  given 
 vp  to  a  reprol  ate  Mind,    to  Uncle  annefs  and 
 to    all    vile  Affections    to    fuch    a    degree* 
 that   not  only   their    Common    Prac-tifes, 
 but  even   their  moft  Sacred   Rights  and 
 Religious    Performances,      became    them- 
 felves  the  extreameft  Abominations.    And 
 when  Men's   Morals  are  thus  corrupted, 
 and    they  run    with    greedineis  into   all 
 excefs   of    Riot  and   Debauchery  •    then, 
 on  the  other  hand,    by  the  lame    natural 
 Confequence,    and  by  the  fame   juft  Judg- 
 ment   of  God,  both   their   Vitious  Cuftoms 
 and  Actions,  as  well  as  Superftitious  Opi- 
 nions, reciprocally  increaled  the  Blindnefs 
 of  their  Hearts,    darken   the  Judgment  of  Ephef.  4. 
 theis    Under  ft  andings ,     ftupifie    and     fear  iaand  i?« 
 Y  their 
 
iUi        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 their    Covfciences    fo    as    to    become    pajt 
 
 feeling,    and  by   degrees  * 
 
 *  Jufhs  nacura  e(Te  fa-     extinguifh     wholly      that 
 
 ftos;— ta-nramauremefle     £fffa    0f  Nature  in    their 
 
 rfWr,  «  ft  ea  canquam  ig-  own  Minds,  which  Was 
 niculi  excinguancur  a  nacura  given  them  originally  to 
 dati ;  exoriantorq^   &  con-     inable     them     to     difcern 
 
 S??Lgrm.T**  b?,tween    Good   and    ft 
 
 wherefore      By  thefe  means  it  comes  to  pafs,  that 
 
 ^"/n^/ though    the    great    Obligations    and    the 
 
 to  \e   l     principal   Motives    of   Morality,    are    in- 
 
 t aught  and  deed      certainly     difcoverable  ■   and     de- 
 
 hnftruihd    monftrable   by    right    Reafon-    and    all 
 
 ™f  ™"egls  conflderate    Men,     when  thofe   Motives 
 
 in.  and  Obligations   are     fairly  propofed  to 
 
 them,    muft   of  neceffity    (as   has    been 
 
 fully    proved    in    the    foregoing    Heads) 
 
 yield    their    Affent    to  them    as   certain 
 
 and  undeniable    Truths  •    yet   under  the 
 
 difadvantages  now   mentioned,    (as    it    is 
 
 the  cafe  of  moft  Men  to  fall  under  fome 
 
 or    other    of   them,)     very    few    are    of 
 
 'lhc?nfehes    able,    in    realllty    and  effect, 
 
 to    difcover    thofe    Truths    clearly    and 
 
 plainly  for  themfelves  \    But  moft   Men 
 
 have  great  need   of    particular    Teaching 
 
 and   much    Inftrutlion,    not  without  fome 
 
 weight  of  Authority,  as  well  as  Reafon  and 
 
 Perfwafion  •, 
 
 ift.  To  raife  and  ftir  up  their  Atten- 
 tion 5  to  move  them  to  lhake  off  their 
 habitual  CarelefTnefs,  Stupidity  and  In- 
 confideratenefs  •,  to  perfaade  them  to 
 make  ufe   of   their    natural   Reafon  and 
 
 Under-* 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  163 
 
 Underftanding,  and  to  apply  their 
 Minds  to  apprehend  and  ftud}r  the  Truth 
 and  Certainty  of  thefe  things.  For, 
 as  Men,  notwithstanding  all  the  rati- 
 onal Faculties  they  are  by  nature  in- 
 dued with,  may  yet  through  mere  Neg- 
 lect and  Incogitancy  be  grofly  and 
 totally  ignorant  of  the  plaineft  and 
 moft  .  obvious  Mathematical  Truths  : 
 fo  Men  may  alfo,  for  want  of  Confi- 
 deration,  be  very  ignorant  of  fome  of 
 the.  plaineft  Moral  Obligations,  which, 
 as  foon  as  diftinctly  propofed  to  them, 
 they  cannot  poifibly  avoid  giving  their  Af- 
 fent  unto. 
 
 2.  To.  give  them  a  due  Senfe,  and 
 right  and  juft  Apprehevfions  concerning 
 thefe  things  •,  to  convince  them  of  the 
 great  Concern  and  vaft  Importance^  of 
 them  ^  to  correct  the  falie  Notions, 
 vain  Prejudices,  and  foolifh  Opinions  ; 
 which  deprave  their  Judgment  {  and 
 to  remove  that  Levity  and  Heedleffiiefs 
 of  Spirit,  which  makes  Men  frequently 
 to  be  in  their  practic  every  little  influ- 
 enced by  what  in  abftract  Opinion  they 
 may  feem  firmly  to  believe.  For  there 
 are  many  Men,  who  will  think  them- 
 felves  highly  injured,  if  any  one  fhould 
 make  any  doubt  of  their  Believing  the 
 indifpenfable  Obligations  of  Morality, 
 and  the  Certainty  of  a  Future  State  of 
 Rewards  and  Punifhments  {  who  yet  in 
 their  Lives  and  Actions,  feem  to  have 
 upon  their  Minds  but  a  very  fmall  Senfe 
 I2  of 
 
1 64         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of  the  Weight  and  infinite  Importance  of 
 thefe  grea*  Truths. 
 
 3.  To  Inculcate  thefe  things  frequently 
 upon  Them,   zni  prefs  them  effectually 
 to    the    pra&ice     of    the    plaineft    and 
 moft    neceflary    Duties  •,      to    perfwade 
 them     to    moderate    thofe    Paffions,     to 
 fuldue     thefe    Lufts,     to    conquer    thofe 
 Appetites,    to  defpife  thofe  Pleafures  of 
 Scnfe,    and  (which   is  the  greateft  Diffi- 
 culty of  all)  to  reform  and  correct  thofe 
 vitious  Cuftoms  and  evil  Habits,    which 
 tempt    and    hurry  them    too    often  into 
 the  Commiffion  of  fuch   things,  as  they 
 are  convinced  at  the  fame  time,    in  the 
 Rcafon  of  their  own  Minds,    ought    not 
 to    be    practifed.     For    'tis  very   pofllble 
 Men  may  both  clearly  underftand  their 
 Duty,   and   alfo   be   fully   convinced   of 
 the  reafonablenefs  of  pra&ifing  it-,  and 
 Rom. 7,2$.  yet  at  the   fame  time,     find    a    Law  in 
 their     Members     waning    and    prevailing 
 againft  the  Law  of  their  Mivdy    and  bring- 
 ing  them  i?ito  Captivity  to  the  Law  of  Sin 
 and   Death.     Men    *  may 
 *  Quidam  ad  magnificas     be  pleafed  with  the  Beau- 
 voces  exatanrur,    &  tranfe-     +  1  n  r  v. 
 unr  in  aflWlum  dicwrium,     ^  and  excellency  of  Vir- 
 alacres  »ulru  &  atvmo.    Ra-     tue,    and  have  fome  faint 
 pitillos    inrtigacq;     rerum     Inclinations   and  even  Re- 
 Snu  -"^ZilTf  pr°"     folutions    to    pradtife    it:5 
 
 tmus  quf     aud-as,     racere.  j  <,  *  c 
 
 Afficiuncurilii.    &  font  qua-     and.  7et  at  tne   return  Ot 
 les  jubentur,  fl  ilia  am'mo     their     Temptations,     con- 
 
 forma    pernunear,     fi    non 
 
 impcrum   infignem    protinus    populus  honerti   diiTuafor   excipiac. 
 
 Paucullam  quan.concepcrancmenccm,  domum  perferre  potuerunt. 
 Senec.  epift.  109.  r  r 
 
 fiantly 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         itfj 
 
 ftanrly  fall  back  into  their  accuftomed 
 Vices  h  if  the  great  Motives  of  their 
 Duty    be    not  very  frequently  t;  cry 
 
 ftrongly  inculcated  upon  them,  fo  as  to 
 make  very  deep  and  lafting  imprefllons 
 upon  their  Minds  •,  and  they  have  not 
 fome  greater  and  higher  Ailiftances  af- 
 forded them,  than  the  bare  Convi&ion  of 
 their  own  fpeculative  Reafon. 
 
 For  thefe  Reafons  (I  fay)  it  is  ab- 
 folutely  necefTary,  that  notwithstanding 
 the  natural  demonftrablenefs  both  of  the 
 Obligations  and  Motives  of  Morality, 
 yet  confidering  the  manlfeft  corrupt nefs 
 of  the  prefent  Eftate  which  humane  Na- 
 ture is  in,  the  generality  of  Men  muft 
 not  by  any  means  be  left  wholly  to 
 the  workings  of  their  own  Minds,  to 
 the  ufe  of  their  natural  Faculties,  and 
 to  the  bare  convictions  of  their  own 
 Reafon  ^  but  muft  be  particularly  Taught 
 and  Injtrucled  in  their  Duty,  muft  have 
 the  Motives  of  it  frequently  and  ftrong- 
 ly prefled  and  inculcated  upon  them 
 with  great  Weight  and  Authority,  and 
 muft  have  many  extraordinary  Ailiftan- 
 ces afforded  them  ^  to  keep  them  effectual- 
 ly in  the  Practife  of  the  great  and  plaineft 
 Duties  of  Religion. 
 
 And  hence  we  may,  bv  the  way,  juft-  rh  great 
 ly   obferve    the    exceeding     great     Ufe  v/e  and 
 and  Neceifity    there   is,    of  eftablifhing  ^^effityof 
 an  Order   or  Succeffion    of  Men,    whole  J  g^ 
 peculiar    Office    and    continual  Employ-  JrSt 
 Y  3  ment 
 
1 6 6        The  Evidences  of  Nat  ural 
 
 rnent  it  may  "be,  to  Teach  and  Inftruft 
 People  in  their  Duty,  to  prefs  and 
 exhort  them  perpetually  to  the  Pradtife 
 of  it,  and  to  he  Instruments  of  convey- 
 ing to  them  extraordinary  Affiftances 
 for  that  purpofe.  To  which  excellent 
 Inftitution,  the  Right  and  worthy  Noti- 
 on of  God  and  his  Divine  Perfections, 
 the  juft  Senfe  and  TJnderftanding  of 
 the  great  Duties  of  Religion,  and  the 
 univerfal  Belief  and  due  Apprehenfion 
 of  a  Future  State  of  Rewards  and  Pu- 
 nifhments  •,  which  the  generality  even 
 of  the  meaner  and  more  ignorant  fort 
 •f  People  among  us,  are  now  poffeft 
 of  *  is  manifeftiy  and  undeniably  al- 
 moft  •■  wholly  owing  :  As  I  fhall  have 
 Occafion  hereafter  more  particularly  to 
 obferve. 
 
 VI.  Ihough  in  almoft  every  Age  there 
 have  indeed  been  in  the  Heathen  World 
 fome  wife  and  brave  and  good  Men  who 
 have  made  it  their  bit  fine fs  to  Jludy  and 
 pracife  the  Duties  of  natural  Religion 
 Themfelves,  and  to  teach  and  exhort 
 Others  to  do  the  like  ^  who  feevi  therefore 
 to  have  been  raifed  up  by  Providence,  as 
 Inflniments  to  reprove  in  Jlnie  we  a  fur  e  and 
 put  fome  kind  of  check  to  the  extream  fu- 
 perftition  and  wickednefs  of  the  Nations 
 wherein  they  lived:  Tet  none  of  thefe  have 
 ever  been  able  to  reform  the  World,  with 
 ary  confderably  great  and  univerfal  Succefs  ^ 
 Becaufe  they  have  been  but  very  Few,  that 
 
 have 
 
and  Revealed  R eligion.         167 
 
 have  in  eantefl  fet  themfelves  about  this 
 excellent  Work  \  and  they  that  have  indeed 
 Jincerely  done  it,  have  themfelves  been  En- 
 tirely ignorant  of  fonie  Dotfrines,  and  very 
 doubtful  and  uncertain  of  others,  abfo- 
 luiely  neccjfary  for  the  bringing  about  that 
 great  end-,  and  thofe  things  which  they 
 have  been  certain  of  and  in  good  meafitre 
 iinderftood,  they  have  ml  been  able  to 
 prove  and  explain  clearly  enoiigh  ^  and 
 thofe  that  they  have  been  able  both  to  prove 
 and  explain  by  fiifficiently  clear  Reaf>ningy 
 they  have  not  yet  had  Authority  enoiigh 
 to  enforce  and  inculcate  upon  Mens  Minds 
 with  fo  Jlrong  an  Imprefflon,  as  to  influ- 
 ence and  govern  the  general  praclife  of  the 
 World, 
 
 I.  There  have  indeed  in  almoft  every 
 Age  been  in  the  Heathen  World,  fome 
 "Wife  and  Brave  and  Good  Men,  who 
 have  made  it  their  Eufinefs  to  ftudy  and 
 praclife  the  Duties  of  natural  Religion 
 Themfelves,  and  to  teach  and  exhort 
 Others  to  do  the  like.  An  eminent  In- 
 ftance  whereof,  in  the  Eaftern  Nations, 
 the  Scripture  it  felf  affords  us  in  the 
 Hiftory  of  Job  ,  concerning  whom  it 
 does  not  certainly  appear,  that  he  lenew  ' 
 any  pofitive  revealed  Institution  of  Re- 
 ligion, or  that,  before  his  Sufferings, 
 any  immediate  Revelation  was  made 
 unto  him,  as  there  was  to  Abraham  and 
 the  reft  of  the  Patriarchs.  Among  the 
 Greeks,  Socrates  feems  to  be  an  extraor- 
 dinary Example  of  this  kind,  Concern- 
 Y  4  i"g 
 
1 65         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 concerning  whom  Plato  tells  us,  in  his  Apo- 
 logy, that  *  he  did  nothing 
 v  *0vJiv  $  a&o  *epT.    elfc    but    go    continually 
 ™v  iyt tfaUpiuu..*  **     atout    perfWading  both  old 
 
 •f«r/8uWj«     rftt   *<>«*'  *nd  V°unZi   not    t0  be    ™ 
 
 TOif  lm^KH^d.1  ,    au/7*  much  folicitous  to  gratifie 
 
 %wtu*7uv  -jyfOTfifeir,  />.«re  the  Appetites  of  the  Body, 
 
 *>",  ^   ?>   ??°/>  or  to  heap  up  Wealth,  or 
 
 ¥r*,  x^»*  U  «*  U  x?"-  t0  raire  tnemfelves  to  Ho- 
 ^wctov  n  <t?*n?  ytviTcth  **a/  nour,  or  gain  any  out- 
 •5  «?*t&*  y?««*T*  ^  •***-     Ward    Advantage    whatfo- 
 
 i«fi5t,  />/*fo  in  ^/o/.  6>  Mmd  by  the  continual  Ex- 
 prc*.  ercife    of  all    Virtue    and 
 
 Goodnefs :  Teaching  them, 
 that  a  Man's    true  value   did  not    arife 
 from  his  Riches,     or     from  any  outward 
 Circumftances    of  Life  5    but    that   True 
 Riches,    and   every    real  Good,   whether 
 publick    or    private,     proceeded    wholly 
 from    Virtue.     After    him ,     Plato     and 
 Arijlgtle    and    Others    followed    his    Ex- 
 ample,    in      teaching      Morality.      And 
 among     the     Romans,     Cicero  •      and     in 
 latter  times,  Epictetus  and  Antoninus,    and 
 Wh»   feem  feveral    Others,     gave    the  World  aclmi- 
 tobwve       rable    Syftems    of    Ethicks,     and    noble 
 filnei  %  moral  Inftru^ions    and   Exhortations,   of 
 Providence  excellent  Ufe  and   Benefit  to    the  Gene- 
 to  bear  Wit-  rations  wherein  they   lived,    and   defer- 
 refs  again*  Vedly  of    great  value  and  eftecm    even 
 tfs'%  ""to  this  Day. 
 
 the  Nad-  2,  bo  that,  I  think,  it  may  very  juft- 
 ons  where-  \y  be  fuppofed,  that  thefe  Men  were 
 jut the;  li-  xtifecl   up   and    defigned  by   Providence, 
 
 (the. 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 (the    abundant    Goodnefs   of  God  having 
 never  left  it  felf  wholly  without  Witnefs, 
 notwithstanding  the  greateft    corruptions 
 and   provocations   of    Mankind,)   as    In- 
 struments   to    reprove    in  fome  meafure, 
 and  put  fome  kind  of  check  to    the  ex- 
 treme    Superflition     and     Wickednefs  of 
 the    Nations   wherein    they    lived,  or  at 
 leafl   to    bear    "Witnefs   againft   and  con- 
 demn   it.     Concerning  Job,    the   cafe    is 
 evident    and    confefled  :     And,     for     the 
 fame    reafon,     fome    of    the    Antienteft 
 Writers  of  the  Church  have  not  fcrupled 
 to  t     call     even     Socrates 
 alfo,    and  fome  others    of 
 the    Beft    of    the    Heathen 
 Mcralifts,     by    the    Name 
 of  Chrifiians -,     and    to  af- 
 firm,    that    *    as   the  Law 
 was    as  it   were  a    School- 
 viafier  to    bring    the    Jews 
 unto    Chrifi,  fo   true  moral 
 Philofophy  was  to  the  Gen- 
 tiles  a  Preparative    to    re- 
 ceive    the     Gofpel.     This 
 perhaps  was    carrying  the 
 matter  fomewhat  too  far  : 
 But  to  be  fare,    thus  much 
 we  may  fafely  afTert,    that 
 ||    whatever  any    of  thefe 
 Men     were    at  any    time 
 enabled  to    deliver  Wifely 
 and    Profitably    and  Agree- 
 ably  to  Divine   Truth,  was 
 as  a  Light  finning  in    a  dark    Vhc%    de- 
 rived 
 
 I  69 
 
 VMS     TTt 
 
 f  K«  1  ot  pLiirt  x'oytt  0«T- 
 ouvltfy  yttriaLVQi  ei<n.  yj.9 
 afoot    £to(M&n<Ta.v    o:ov    If 
 
 ewTvIs'  iv  Ca%Ga?oit  '$ 
 *aC &>&[*,  fcc  Jujim  Apo- 
 log.  2. 
 
 q>t\«ff<Jl>ltL  7&7«i  9e**  * 
 toy  kC^iov  mtf&mi  x)  T»« 
 "E^Mretf*    €    aiJkycoy*  $ 
 
 &  «U)T»  TO  'ILh^WtKOV  &t 
 0  vsa®-  TB<  E#££l¥f  **< 
 yj&ilv  T$o7rzi££.7Kiva(>e4 
 Totvxxxt  »  p/A.53"opist,  'n^ootPo- 
 vnixcm  <r  0  7ro  "X.&s*  7iA«a- 
 vavqv.  Clem,  yilexand. 
 Strom.  I. 
 
 H  'O  3t'<  yS  etVTctf  7wu- 
 7».  KAi  om  Y^KcoiKiKiY^cLt* 
 
 \<PAvifajz.     Ong.     Adverf. 
 
 Celf.   lib.  6, 
 
i  j  o  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 rived  to  them  by  a  Ray  of  that  infi- 
 nite overflowing  Goodnefs,  which  does 
 good  to  all  even  both  Jnft  and  Unpifi^ 
 from  God  the  J&le  Author  of  all  Truth 
 and  Wifdom :  And  That,  for  fome  Ad- 
 vantage and  Benefit  to  the  reft  of  the 
 World  even  in  its  blindeft  and  moll  cor- 
 rupt Eftate. 
 
 7.  But  then,  notwithstanding  the 
 mn€lf  nioft  tna*  can  be  made  of  this  Sup- 
 tbtfeMen  pofition,  'tis  certain  the  EffeS  of  all 
 jweever  the  teaching  and  inftru&ion  even  of 
 able  tore-  the    beft    of    the    phikfophers    in   the 
 
 •form  the      TT       ,  -nr     i  i  •  t 
 
 Wor'd  with  Heathen      World,     was     m      companion 
 
 any  cor  ft-    very    fmall    and    inconilderable.     They 
 denble      never    were  able  to  reform    the     World 
 Suaejs.     wit-fr  any    great     an(j   xxniverfal  Succefs, 
 nor    to    keep     together   any    confidera- 
 ble    number     of  Men  in  the  knowledge 
 and    pra&ife      of    true     Virtue.     With 
 refpect  to   the    Worfliip     of    God,    Ido- 
 latry   prevailed    universally  in    all     Na- 
 tions,        and       notwithftanding       Men 
 did     indeed     know     God,     €o    as     to    be 
 without     excttfe,     yet     they    did    not    like 
 Rom-T*     to     retain    him  in    their    Knowledge,     but 
 21  >      2     became     vain     in    their    Imaginations,    and, 
 their    foolijh     Heart     was      darhtcd,      and 
 they     changed    the    glory     of  the  uncorrup- 
 tible God  into  Images  of  the  vileft  Crea- 
 tures,   and  no    Philofophers  ever  turned 
 »  any     great    number   of  Men    from    this 
 
 abfurd  Idolatry,  to  the  acknowledg- 
 ment and  Worfhip  of  the  only  true 
 God.     In     refpect     of    Mens      dealings 
 
 one 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 7  * 
 
 ane   with    another  •,    Honour,    and    In- 
 tereft,    and  Friend  {hip,   and    Laws,    and 
 the     Neceflities  of    Society,     did  indeed 
 caufe     Jvfiice  to    he  pra&ifed    in    many 
 Heathen     Nations     to   a    great     degree -% 
 But    very   few     Men    among  them  were 
 Juft     and     Equitable     upon     right     and 
 true     Principles,     a    due    Senfe  of   Vir- 
 tue,   and   a   conftant   Fear  and   Love    of 
 God.     With  refped    to    themfelves,    hi- 
 temperance     and     Luxury     and    unnatural 
 Uncleannefi     was      commonly      practifed, 
 even    in    the   moft  civilized     Countries  •, 
 and    This    not    fo    much  in    Oppofition 
 to     the    Doftrine    of    the    Philosophers, 
 as     by     the    confent    indeed    and  incou- 
 ragement    of  too    great   a  part  of  them. 
 I  ihall    not  enlarge   upon    this    ungrate- 
 ful    and     melancholly     Subject :      There 
 are     Accounts    enough     extant,     of    the 
 univerfal     corruption      and     debauchery 
 of    the     Heathen    World.     St  Paul's  De- 
 scription of  it,  in  the  whole  firft  Chap- 
 ter   of  his     Epiftle    to    the    Romans,     is 
 alone    fufficient  ^     and    * 
 the    Complaints   of    their      *  Egregium  fantfumq-,  vi- 
 
 mm     Writers,     abundant-  JEg£p}£*& 
 ly    confirm    it.      The    Dll-         miranci  fob  aratro 
 
 ciples     of   the  beft   Mora-  Pifcibus    inventis,*   &  taecar 
 lifts,    at    leaft    the    Pra-        comparG?r^u!^/  Sat  , 
 ftifers   of  their    Doctrine,        g^^S^uisOU^ 
 
 were,  in  their   own    Life-  little  belw. 
 time,    very  \    few  ^    as    too         f    Sine    licet  perhonerti  ; 
 
 plainly    appears  from  the {fc  3L'd,rf  dreP°^ 
 
 1    .,     J       * 1  ,  .  ,     ,  mus  qutfim  aut  tueruit  nu- 
 
 evil  Treatment,  which  that  ' 
 
 great 
 
1 7  *      The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 mero< Vnusf    Duo,     great    Man    Socrates    met 
 
 withal     at     Athens:    And 
 at     their     Deaths,     their 
 Doctrine    in    great    mea- 
 fure    died  with  them  •,  not 
 having  any  fufficient  Evi- 
 dence    or     Authority     to 
 fbpport     it.     And     their 
 Followers  quickly  fell  back 
 into     the    common    Idola- 
 try, Superftition,  Unclean- 
 nefs  and  Debauchery.     Of 
 which,  the    Character    the 
 Roman     Writers     give     of 
 thofe     that    called     them- 
 felves  the  Difciples  of  So- 
 crates,    is  a  particular  and 
 remarkable    inftance.     Thefe     confTdera- 
 tions    (To    very    early    did     they    ap- 
 pear   to    be    true,)    Affected   in    fuch    a 
 manner    that  great  Admirer   of  Socrates, 
 Plato  5    that  he  fometimes  feems  to  give 
 over  all  Hopes    of  working   any    Refor- 
 mation   in    Men    by    Philofophy  -      and 
 fays,    that    *  a  good  Man, 
 when  he  covjiders  thefeThings, 
 would     even     choofe    to    fit 
 quiet,     and   Jin  ft  for    him- 
 felf;    like   a  Man     that    in 
 a    violent  Hurricane,   creeps 
 -under    a    Wall  for    his   De- 
 fenfe  ^  and  feeing  the   whole 
 
 Tret. Ac  genus  huma- 
 
 num  non  ex  bonis  pauculis, 
 fed  ex  ca?reris  omnibus  x- 
 flimari  convenic.  Jrnob, 
 adve,f.  Gentes,    lib.  2. 
 
 Da  mi  hi  virum  qui  fie 
 iracundus,  maledicus,  ef- 
 framacus  ;  pau  iifimis  Dei 
 verbis  r.tm  plaeidum,  quam 
 ovem,   reddam.    Da  libidi- 
 
 nolum,  &c. -Humquis 
 
 h*c  Fhilof'ophorum  aur.  un- 
 quam  praeftitic,  auc  prsefta- 
 re,  fi  velir,  poteft  ?  La8ant. 
 lib.  *. 
 
 «/Wt*?@->  &c«  Origeti.  adxerf. 
 CtijALtf.  u 
 
 Jixiai  ti   i&cLVCffiov  ify&vt 
 
 x}    TRf    ctTTtWa.'yhiJ    OiiTH   (wnt' xaJwf  Ito'l^Q-  "thisoi  T§  x)  £«" 
 
 fty»<  cLVzKKA&vtf    Plate  de  Republ*  lib,  6. 
 
 JForli 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 7  5 
 
 World  round  about  him  filed  with  all 
 manner  of  Wickednefs,  be  content  if  pre- 
 ferving  his  ftngle  Self  from  Tniqvity  and 
 every  evil  Work,  he  can  pafs  away  the 
 prefe?tt  Life  in  Peace,  and  at  lift  Die 
 with  Tranquillity  and  good  Hope.  And 
 indeed,  for  many  Reafons,  it  was  al- 
 together ivwoftible,  that  the  Teaching 
 of  the  Philoibphers  flioulcl  ever  be  able 
 to  reform  Mankind,  and  recover  them 
 out  of  their  very  degenerate  and  corrupt 
 Eftate,  with  any  confiderably  great  and 
 univerfal  Succefs. 
 
 1.     In    the    firft   place,    Becaufe    xhtBecauje 
 Number     of    thofe,     who    have   in    ear- ^7  have 
 neft    fet    themfelves  about    this     excel-**"*"* 
 lent     Work,     have    been     exceeding   few.  ™**t  /** 
 Philofophers    indeed,    that  called    them-  in  eameil 
 felves  fo,     there  were  enough  in  every  fo  them- 
 place,    and  in    every   Age:     But    thofe ^'^ 
 who     truly     made    it     their   bufinefs   loexcenent 
 improve     their  Reafon    to     the    heigh t\Worl(f 
 to    free     themfelves   from    the   Superfti- 
 tion,     which     overwhelmed     the     whole 
 World  •,     to  fearch   out  the     Obligations 
 of    Morality,     and     the     Will     cf    God 
 their     Creator  •,     to     obey     it     fincerely 
 themfelves,    as   far     as    they    could  dis- 
 cover it  by  the  Light   of  Nature  ^    and 
 to    encourage    and     exhort     others     to 
 do     the     like  ^     were     but     a     very  few 
 Names.     The    Doclrine    of   far  the  grea- 
 ter!  part    of  the  Philofophers,    conlifted 
 plainly    in    nothing     but     Words,     and 
 Subtilty,    and    Strife,    and    empty    Con- 
 tention ^ 
 
1 7  4        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 tention  •     and     did     not   at     all    amend 
 
 even     their     own     Manners-,    much    lefs 
 
 was    fitted  to   reform  the    World.     Their 
 
 Scholars,    as   Ariftoile  +  ex- 
 
 f  'Ata'  h  ttcMo/  Tdjora.     cellently    defcribes    them, 
 
 M*  v&tUiv  tti  I*     thought     them  [elves     braveh 
 
 •»/    V*ocro?«y,      %  2t*s     improved  tn  Phihfophy,    and 
 
 ioifi^  <7Tz*JbtAof  Qvaiov  7i     that    they    were  become  gaU 
 
 To/Km?   rtl(    tduvmnv,   oi     \ant  Men,    if  they    did     but 
 
 r£>    i?Tftfr    ««*.«    «to     hear     ani     uniernanl      ani 
 
 I  srforet^oaiw.  *W?  learn  to  dif put e  about  Mo- 
 lv  «V  («&**  s£  ejkfl'i  tJ  /viZ/Vy  ♦,  though  it  had  no 
 o-uua,  ,»7w  3*fj>7nv6uivof  rjfetf  at  aJly  7wr  influence 
 «> '^/w^;^  upon  their  Manners:  Jufi 
 tiit.  lib.  2.  cap.  3 .  as    if    a     lick     Man   Jhould 
 
 expect  to  he  healed,  by  hear- 
 ing a     Phyjician     difcourfe  * 
 though  he   never  followed     any    of  his    DU 
 retlions  :    Undoubtedly,  faith  he,    the  Mind 
 of   the    one,  was    exactly    as    much    impro- 
 ved   by  fitch     Philofcphy  ♦,     as     the     Health 
 of    the  others,      Body,      ly     fuch     Phyfich 
 And    no    wonder   the  generality    of   the 
 common    Hearers    judged    of    their   own 
 Improvement    in    Philofophy,     by     fuch 
 falfe  meafures  -,    when   the  enormous  Vi- 
 tioufnefs    of  the     Lives    of    the    Philo- 
 fophers     themfelves,     made     it     plainly 
 appear    that  *    their  Art 
 *  Inclufos  fphilofophos]     was  not  fo  much    intended 
 
 r?.£gull,\.  !rie?di  -J*"  and  fitted  for  the  Refor- 
 ctpere,    qua?  ne  ipfiquidcm  .  rivr      >•■»*. 
 
 taciuur  qui  icquuntur  -7  &    nation  ot  Men  s  Manners, 
 
 quoniam   le  a   verii  attibus 
 
 icmoverunfc    apparct    cos   exercenct*  limns  Mufa,    vcl  advocarJi 
 
 gratia,  arctm  ipi'ani  Philofophiae  reperifTc,    latfant.  lib.  3. 
 
 as 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 7  c 
 
 as     to   be  an    Exercife    of  Wit   and.  Sub- 
 tilty,     and     an    Ihjfrwment  of  Vain-Glory. 
 Excepting    perhaps  Socrates     and     Plato, 
 and    fome^  others    of  that    Rank-,     this 
 Account    is     too    plainly    true     of  the 
 greater    part  of  the  Philofophers.      The 
 Argument  is  too  unpleafant,   to  inftance    ' 
 in  particulars.     Whoever     pleafes,     may 
 in   Diogenes  Laertim  and    other    Writers, 
 find   Accounts   enough,     of  the  lewdnefs 
 and    unnatural   Vices    of    moft    of    the 
 Philofophers.    It     is     a    Jlmme    for     Us, 
 fo    much    as     to  /peak     of  thofe     Things, 
 which    were    done    of  them,     not    only  in 
 fecret,    but    even    in    the    moft    publick 
 manner.     I     fhall     here    only     add     the 
 Judgment  of  Cicero  ^     a    Man     as     able 
 to    pafs  a  right  Judgment  in    this  Mat- 
 ter,   as    ever  lived  :     Do  yon  think,    fays 
 t    he,     that    thefe    Things, 
 
 [[meaning    the  Precepts  of       *  Sed  ^tec  eadem  num 
 
 Morality]     bad    any    infoi-     cenfcs   apud  eos  ipfoi  v* 
 
 7    r     -n/t  s  Jere,  m»  admodum  paucos, 
 
 ence^  upon   thofe  Men,    (ex-     a  quibus   invenrd)  difpuM. 
 
 cepting    only   a    very  few    of    ta,   conferipra  Tunc?    Que- 
 them.)     who      taught,      and     tusenim  quifq>  Wiilofophc- 
 
 them  ?    JS/o ,    Who    is  there  conftirucus,   w  ratio  portu- 
 
 of    all       the       Philofophers,  lit  ;  qui  difcipiinam   fuara 
 
 whofe    Mind   and    Life   and  ?°?  ofteatacioncm  fcientte. 
 
 j it                                   r          n  *ed   legem  vic;e  puter ;  qui 
 
 Manners    were     conformable  ckemperec  ipfe  fibi,   &  dc- 
 
 to  right   Reafcn?     who   ever  cretis    fuis  pareac  ?   Viderc 
 
 made      lis    Philofophy    to   be  licet  ir.altos.  libidin urn  ftr- 
 
 the    La,   and  Rule  of    &  ^^k  t    ^"^ 
 
 Life,    and  not  a   mere  Boajl  ■ 
 and    Show    of  his  Wit  and 
 
 Parts  i 
 
1 7  6  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Parts  ?     who  obferved  his  own    Inft,  uftions, 
 
 ard  lived  in  obedience  to  bis  own  Precepts  ? 
 
 Cn  the  contrary  ♦,     many  of  them  were  Slaves 
 
 to  filthy  Lvfts,  many  to  Pride,  many  to  Cove* 
 
 toufivfs,  &c. 
 
 And  tbofe      2.   Thote   few    extraordinary    Men    of 
 
 few  of  the  t]ie   philofophers,    who     did    indeed     in 
 
 ?bertvcH  &ooc'    ^ea^ure  fincerelj  Obey  the  Laws 
 
 did'imleed  of    natural     Religion    Themfelves,     and 
 
 fincereh      made   it   their  chief  Bulinefs  to  inftrudt 
 
 indeawur   all(j     cxnort  Others    to     do     the     fame  5 
 
 ^iwhind    wcre  yet  Themfelves    intirely    ignorant  of 
 
 were  yet*   fome    Doctrines    abfolutely  necelTary    to 
 
 themselves  the   bringing   about  this    great  End,    of 
 
 entirely  ig-  ^    Reformation  and  Recovery  of  Man- 
 
 nor  ant  of    -  .     ,  J 
 
 jome  Doc-     Kind.  % 
 
 trues  ab-       In    general:    Having   no   knowledge  of 
 Mutely  ne-  the    whole    Scheme,     Order,   and    State 
 fiK-    of   things,     the    Method    of    God's     go- 
 tag  about    verning     the.   World,     his     Defign^    in 
 that  great  Creating    Mankind,    the  original   Digni- 
 End.         ty     0f    Hur  are     Nature,     the     Ground 
 and  Circumstances  of  Mens  prefent  cor- 
 rupt    Condition,     the     Manner    of    the 
 Divine    Interpoiition    necelTary  to  their 
 recovery,     and    the    Glorious     End     to 
 which   God  intended  finally    to    conduct 
 them :    Having   no     knowledge    (I    fay) 
 of    all    This  5     their     whole  Attempt  to 
 difcover   the  Truth    of  Things,    and    to 
 inftrudt  others  therein,  was 
 *  Errant  ergo  veluc    in     *  like   wandering   in    the 
 Mari  rn^no,  necquoferan-     ^de  Sea.     without    know- 
 tur,    mceiiigunc :    quia   nee      .  ,  .J  , 
 
 viam  ceraunV,   nee  ducem.   inS  whither  they  were  to 
 fequumur.  Latiant.  W,.  6.        go,    or    which  way    they 
 
 were 
 
W 
 
 and  Revealed  Reliojon. 
 
 Were     to     take,     or     having    any  Guide 
 
 to      conduct      them.      And      accordingly 
 
 t  the  Wifeft  of  them  were 
 
 never    backward    to     con- 
 
 fefs    their   own   ignorance 
 
 and  great  blindnefs :    that 
 
 Truth    ||     was     hid     from 
 
 them,    as    it    Were   in   an 
 
 unfathomable  Depth  :  lhat 
 
 *  they  Were  much  in   the 
 
 Dark,    and  very  dull  and 
 
 ftupid,     not    only    as     to 
 
 the    profounder  things    of 
 
 "VVifdom,    but    as    to  fuch 
 
 things  alfo,  which   feemed     tiam     c*fl    viiemur^fU 
 
 t  Ek  cxteris  PhilofcK 
 phis,  nonne  opcimus  & 
 graviiTimUs  quifq^  conficc* 
 cur,  muka  fc  ignonre  ;  & 
 multa  fibi  eciam  arqj  cci- 
 ain  efte  difcenda  ?  Cic, 
 Tufc.  Qk&ft,  3, 
 
 +  Tin  ergo  ce  ,  Cice- 
 ro, Jibri  arguunt,  quarn 
 nihil  a  philolbphia  o\U 
 c\  poffic  ad  vitim.  ftec 
 cua  verba  func :  Alibi  au~ 
 tern    ncn    modo    ad    fapien- 
 
 ai   ex  ipja,    qua    aliqua  ex 
 parte     cemi    v'ldiantur,     he- 
 
 betes    <fy    obtufi.     Laftanc,- 
 lib.  3. 
 
 7*  fit  ait  qxv^&T*}*.  mi.v 
 •ror.  Anjht.  MetaptyJ  lib, 
 2.   c.    i  . 
 
 Very  capable  of  being  in 
 great  part  difcovered :  Nay, 
 That  even  t  thofe  things, 
 which  in  themfelves  were 
 of  all  others  the  moft 
 Manifeft,  (that  is,  which, 
 whenever  Made  known, 
 would  appear  moft  obvi- 
 ous and  evident,)  their 
 natural  Underftanding  was 
 of  it  felf  as  unqualified 
 to  find  out  and  apprehend,  as  the 
 Eyes  of  Bats  to  behold  the  Light  of 
 the  Sun:  That  the  very  fir  ft  and  molt 
 necefTary  thing  of  all,  \\ 
 the  Nature  and  Attributes 
 of  God  himfelf,  Were  y 
 notwithftanding  all  the  ge- 
 neral Helps  of  Reafon, 
 Z 
 
 Wile*.     Tiift       Tb      ^CtVT0{> 
 
 PLtto  in  Timso. 
 
 very 
 
178  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Profefto  eos   ipfos,  qui  very  difficult    to   them   to 
 
 fc  aliquid   cern  habere  ar-  find       t   in  partiCular,  and 
 
 bitrancur,     addubuare    co-  „.„                  L    j.^     ,' 
 
 get    doQiOimorum    homi-  ft^1     .more      difficult       to 
 
 rum   de    truxima  re    canta  explain  *,     it     being    much 
 
 difTenfio.     Cic.    de    Katura  *  more    eafy  t0   fay    what 
 
 .MMwi'  tarn  facile  vera  £od  was  not  than  what 
 invenire  polTcm,  quam  faifa  he  was  :  And  finally,  that 
 convinccre.    Id.  Ibid*  the  Method  of  inftrucling 
 
 Men  effectually,   and  ma- 
 Icing  them  truly  Wife  and 
 ti  "E*r*       iv^^Q-     Good,     was     a     thing     t 
 
 v*mm  *j  WW©-'  •**    and  difficult   to  be   found 
 
 h  (tmthvIs  x}  J\jvM{$C-    out.      In     a     word  :      &- 
 
 tfl®-.    ?**/•  ^  Aef^/.     cr^w    himfelf   always    o- 
 
 ' '  4'  penly    profeffed,    that   he 
 
 pretended  to  be  Wifer  than 
 
 other    Men,    only    in    this    one    thing, 
 
 that    he    was  duly  fenfible   of    his    own 
 
 ||  See  Plato  Ignorance,    and    \  believed    that    it  was 
 
 \A^°a]  merely  for  that  very    Reafon,    that  the 
 
 fit.       *  Oracle    pronounced    him    the    wifeft    of 
 
 Men. 
 Parthu*        More   particularly  :     The    Marnier,     in 
 larly,  tkey  which     God     might    be     acceptably     wor- 
 
 ZZla™rhfi*PPe<*  *      th^fe      ^en    Weie     cntlT^y     a^d 
 
 what  man-  unavoidably     ignorant     of.      That     God 
 ner  God     ought    to    be    worjlnpped  •,    is,    in    the    ge- 
 migktbebl  ner  at,    as    evident    and   plain    from    the 
 wfbjp- y  Light    of  Nature ,      as    any    thing    can 
 pi.   \       be  :     But     in    what    particular    Manner , 
 and    with    what  Kind  of  Service    he  will 
 be    worfliipped,     cannot     be     certainly 
 difcovered   by  bare    Reafon.      Obedience 
 to  the  Obligations  of  Nature,  and  In. i ra- 
 tion 
 
a?id  Revealed  Religion.  ij? 
 
 tation  of  the  Moral  Attributes  of  Go  J  $  the 
 v/iftft.  Philofophers  eafily  knew,  was 
 undoubtedly  the  mofl  acceptable  Service 
 to  God  :  But  fome  external  Adoration 
 feemed  alfo  to  be  neceflary -v  and  how 
 this  was  to  be  performed,  they  could 
 not  with  any  certainty  difcover.  Accor- 
 dingly even  the  very  beft  of  them  com- 
 plied therefore  generally  with  the  out- 
 ward Religion  of  their  Country,  and 
 advifed  others  to  do  the  fame ;  and 
 fo,  notwithstanding  all  their  wife 
 Difcourfes,  they  fell  lamentably  into 
 the  pradife  of  the  moft  foolifh  Idola- 
 try. LaSantim  obferves  that  Socrates  him- 
 felf,  *  at  the  Conclufion  of 
 
 one  of  the  braveft  Difcour-        ,7c  *  jS    Lih 
 
 les  that  ever  was  made  by  ^-lzv  \^y&Tr>.  ?Q  Kel- 
 any  Philofopher,  fuperfti-  ™>v<  r»  lArkhnm$  h*' 
 tioufly  ordered  a  Sacrifice  to  ^^  tfarjvb*  .  dy* 
 be  offered  for  him  to  Mfcul*  **&$£. M% 
 pius.  But  herein  La&antius  niud  vcro  nonne  fumm* 
 Was  Certainly  miftaken  :  For  vanicacis;  quod  ante  mortem 
 Socrates  undoubtedly  fpake  ^amiliares  fuos  rogavir,  ur 
 4.1  •    •  7  r  m  r    7      *  Atfculapio  galium,  quern  vc 
 
 this  in  mockery  0£jEfcnlaptw  •     vc^  p'r0  g  facrareMnt9  L^o 
 looking  upon  Death  as  his     antm    nb.  3. 
 trueft    Deliverayice.      Plato, 
 after  having  delivered  very 
 noble  and  almoft  divine  Truths  concern - 
 ing  the  Nature  and  Attributes  of  the  Su- 
 preme God,   t  weakly  ad- 
 vifes  Men  to  worfhip  like-        t,  n?»™ .  ^\  e*,<*r, 
 
 j     •!-»         T,r       •  /^      T  T\  79 /JUL  {      TVLS     TOT       u^VU-lKC 
 
 wife    Infenour  Gods,   D*-    il$  rib  *U»  ^Kipi*,. 
 
 mons,    and     Spirits  •,    and    tw$,   &$w*    7t7*  x^ioie 
 Z  2  dared 
 
i  S  o  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Sf-nf  Sfofi  *f7ra  ^  JW-     dared  not  to  condemn  the 
 
 worshipping  even  of  Sta- 
 tues alio  and  Im?ges,  de- 
 dicated according  to  the 
 Laws  of  their  Country  ^ 
 as  if  ||  the  Honour  they 
 paid  to  life'kfs  Idols, 
 could  procure  the  Favour 
 and  Good-will  of  Supe- 
 riour  Intelligences  :  And 
 fo  *  he  corrupted  and 
 fpoiled  the  beft  Philofo- 
 phy  iii  the  World,  by 
 adding  Idolatry  to  that 
 "Worfhip,  which  he  had 
 wifely  and  bravely  be- 
 fore proved  to  be  due 
 to  the  Creatour  of  all 
 Things.  After  him,  Ci- 
 cero, the  greateft  and  beft 
 Philofopher  that  Rome,  or 
 perhaps  aiiy  other  Nation 
 ever  produced,  allowed  t 
 Men  to  continue  the  Ido- 
 latry of  their  Aticeftors  ^ 
 advifed  them  ||  to  con- 
 form themfelves  to  the 
 fuperftitious  Religion  of 
 their  Country,  in  offering 
 Rich  Sacrifices  to  different 
 Gocls,  as  were  by  Law 
 eftablifhed  •,  and  *  difap- 
 proves  and  finds  fault 
 with     the     Vcrjlan     Magi, 
 
 for 
 
 7V**  .  >y     *.aircff.     viuavy 
 
 Ttt      £*i}f     j     !*?<&,     >tj    7Vl{ 
 
 tfkiuoTiu     oy      iy.Qpfi)V    of* 
 yt*.Cr'tT    o-V 'Eiruyj)- 
 
 yjL-ni      vouov     o^ytu^OUiVct. 
 Plato  de  Leg'ib.  lib    4. 
 
 C^cSvni        2tt0ft>V,       77<U&>(AiV. 
 */      VOVUlVOl^    «f      YltMV      cfc- 
 
 7*4      Xtj.^jyti    S\k$     ink- 
 
 %aeiv  'i'Xf-'-v.     PUto  de    Le- 
 gib.  lib    1  1 . 
 
 *  T«t     riKet-mVi    xx,    &- 
 
 r\jjj  %%$*  P^  VtStvetv,    uh- 
 
 JV         (MCL>VHV       Til   HJ>d\0\cl' 
 
 7  filet     Orig.     adveif.     Getf. 
 lin.6. 
 
 f  A  Pacribus  accrpros 
 Deos  placet  coli.  Cic.  de 
 Legib  fib,  2. 
 
 Irani  illud  ex  infliru- 
 r;.s  PontiffcufB  &  Arpfpt. 
 cum  non  murandum  eft, 
 qu'bus  Iioftiis.  immolan- 
 dum  cuiq;  Deo.  Id.  i- 
 l:d. 
 
 *  N.c  fequor  Magos 
 Perfarum,     guibus     aufto- 
 
8t 
 
 and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 for    burning    the  Temples 
 of   the  Grecian  Gods,    and 
 afTerting    that    the    whole 
 Univerfe  was  God's   Tem- 
 ple.    In     all     which ,     he 
 fondly      contradicts     him- 
 felf,  by  t  inexcufably  com- 
 plying  with    the  Praclifes 
 of    thofe    Men,    whom   in 
 many     of     his     Writings 
 he  largely  and  excellently 
 proves     to    be     extremely 
 Foolifh    upon    account    of 
 thofe  very  Pra&ifes.     And 
 to  mention  no   more,    (Tor 
 indeed    thofe    of    a    lower 
 Rank,    the   Minuter  Philo- 
 fophers,  as  Tully  calls  them, 
 are   not  worth  the  menti- 
 oning •)    That    admirable    Moralift    Epi- 
 Betas7    who  for  a  true   Senfe   of   Virtue, 
 ft- ems   to   have  had    no    Superior  in    the 
 Heathen  World  ^  even  He 
 alfo  ||  advifes  Men  to  ofrer 
 Libations      and     Sacrifices 
 to    the    Gods,    every    one 
 according  to  the  Religion 
 and  Cuftom  of  his   Coun- 
 try. 
 
 But  Jlill  more  particularly 
 of  all  other  things,  thefe  beft  and  ^/*/" 
 wifelt  of  the  Philofophers  were  moft  WWl/^  :tl£ 
 abfolutely  and  unavoidably  ignorant  reconciled. 
 of^   and  yet  which,    of  all  other   things  f°  r*fy- 
 
 Z  3  «'«  £,.  * 
 
 nbus    Xerxes     infl-mnuff, 
 
 cempli  Gixc'\£  dicitur 
 quod  piriccibus  include 
 rent  deos,  quorum  hie 
 mundus  omnis  tcmplum 
 efiec  &  dtmif.  Melius 
 Grseci  atq ;  noftri,  qui,  uc 
 augerenc  p:e-acem  in  P<- 
 os,  eafdem  illos,  ouas  ncs, 
 urbes  incolerc  voluerunc. 
 IJ.  ibid. 
 
 f  Video  re,  Cicero,  ter- 
 rena  &  manufafta  vene- 
 r~r.  Vasa  edc  intelligis, 
 $  Camea  eadem  faci  ^ 
 qua?  faciunc  ipfi,  qucs 
 ipfe    ftulciffimos    confireri  . 
 
 -Si  Jibenter  errant  eti- 
 
 am  ii,  qui  errare  fe  fe  ci- 
 unr,  quanro  ma^is  villous 
 indoftum  ?  Lanfiant.  /#, 
 2. 
 
 ||  SaipAir  &  %a]  ton*, 
 pities,  cup-  38; 
 
 That  which  And  in 
 
The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 was     of    the     greateft    Importance    for 
 Sinful    Men    to    know  t,    was    The    Me- 
 tho'd,    by   which    fuch  as   have    erred  from 
 the    right    way,     and    have    of  ended    God7 
 may    yet   again    refiore    tbemf elves     to     the, 
 Favour    of   God,     and    to    the    Hopes    of 
 Happinefs.      From     the    confederation     of 
 the  Goodnefs   and   Mercifulnefs    of  God, 
 the    Philofophers    did    indeed    very     rea- 
 J on ably      hope,     that     God     would     fhow 
 himfelf  placable  to  Sinners,    and  might 
 be    Tome    way    reconciled :     But     when 
 we   come    to    inquire    more  particularly, 
 what    Propitiation    he    will     accept,     and 
 in    what  Manner   this  reconciliation  muft 
 be    made^    here   Nature    flops,    and    ex- 
 pects  with   impatience  the  aid    of  fome 
 particular     Revelation.     That    God    will 
 receive    returning    Sinners,     and    accept 
 of  Repentance    inftead   of  perfect    Obe- 
 dience,   They    cannot    certainly   know,     to 
 whom     he    has    not    declared     that    he 
 will    do    fc  :     For    fhough     this    be    the 
 rnoft    probable    and    only    means    of    re- 
 conciliation,   that  Nature    fuggefts  •,    yet 
 whether    this    will    be    alone    fufficient  ^ 
 or    whether  God  will    not  require  fome- 
 thing    further,     for    the    Vindication   of 
 his    Juftice     and    of    the    Honour    and 
 Dignity    of  his   Laws   and  Government, 
 and  for  the    exprefling    more  effectually 
 his    Indignation    againfl:  Sin,    before    he 
 will  reftore  Men   to  the  Privileges  they 
 have    forfeited  ^   they    cannot  be    fatis- 
 
 fa&orily 
 
and  R  evealed  R  eligion.  1 8  j 
 
 faftorily     allured.     For    it    cannot   pofi- 
 tively  be  proved  from  any  of  God's    At- 
 tributes,   that  he    is  abfolutcly    obliged  to 
 pardon    all   Creatures   all   their    Sins    at 
 all  times,    barely  and  immediately  upon 
 their     Repenting.     There     arifes     there- 
 fore     from     Nature     no     Sufficient     Com- 
 fort    to     Sinners,      but     anxious     and 
 endlefs    Solicitude    about    the  Means    of 
 appealing    the    Deity.     Hence    thofe   di- 
 vers   ways  of    Sacrificing,    and    number- 
 lefs     Superftitions ,     which     over-fpread 
 the  Face  of  the   Heathen    World  ,     but 
 were    fo  little    fatisfactory  to  the    wifer 
 part   of  Mankind,    even   in    thofe  times 
 of    darknefs  •,     that    the    more     confide- 
 ring     Philofophers     could     not     forbear 
 frequently  declaring,  that  *  they  thought  *  See  PI*. 
 thofe    Rights    could   avail    little    or  no-*^1* 
 thing    towards    appealing    the  'Wrath    of  throughout. 
 a     provoked     God,     or    making      their 
 Prayers    acceptable    in    his *  Sight  •,     but 
 that     fomething     ftill  •  feemed    to    them 
 to  be    wanting,    though    they  knew  not 
 what. 
 
 3.     Some    other    Do&rines    abfolutely  And  other 
 necelTary  likewife  to  the  bringing   about  Doflriw; 
 this    great   End  of    the    Reformation   °£  **£lf£1'. 
 Mankind  h     though     there     was    indeed  "^ ^r'1 
 fo    much    proef    and    evidence    of    the  form  M.tn- 
 Truth  of  them  to   be  drawn   from   Rea-  ¥**%  ** 
 fon,   as  that  the  beft  Philofophers  could  >f.  Pbl1^ 
 not  by  any  means    be    vntirely    ignorant  were  vfry 
 of    them  ^    yet     fo     much     doubtfulncfs ,  doubtful 
 
 Z  4  uncertainty,  aru*  ¥***• 
 
 ^  fr.in  about* 
 
184         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 uncertainty,     and    ttnjleddhiefi,    was    there 
 
 &  the  Thoughts  and  AfTertions  of  thefe 
 
 Philoibphcrs    concerning   them,    as  could 
 
 not  hut    t  very  much  di~ 
 
 t    Prater??   nihil    apud     rninifh   their  proper  EffecT: 
 
 eos  ccrti  cfl.  nihil  quod  a         d    Influence     upon    the 
 
 nemo  parer,  quia  rfmo  Hearts  and  Lives  of  Men. 
 vulc  ad  inrertum  laborarc.  I  inftance  in  the  Immor- 
 UZixht.lib,  1.  tality  0f  t])e  Soul,  the  Cer- 
 
 tainty   of  a  Future    State, 
 and    the    Rewards    and    Punifiments  to    be 
 diftributcd    in  a    Life    to    come.     The  Ar- 
 guments,   which    may    be    drawn    from 
 Reafon  and  from   the  Nature  of  things, 
 for    the    Proof  of   thefe    great    Truths  ^ 
 feem    really   (as    I    have   before    fliown) 
 to  come  very  little  fhort    of   Uriel    De- 
 monftration  :    And    accordingly  the    wi- 
 fe ft    Philofophers    (as  has  likewife  been 
 ftiown     before)     did     indeed     fometimes 
 feem    to   have    reafoned   themfelves    into 
 a   firm   Belief  of    them,     and    to    have 
 been    fully   convinced  of  their   Certain- 
 ty   and    Reality  ^     even    fo    far    as    to 
 apply  them   to   excellent    purpofes    and 
 ufes   of    Life.     But  then    on    the    other 
 hand,     a    Man     cannot    without     fome 
 pity     and     concern     of    Mind    obferve, 
 how  ftrangely  at  other  times  the  weight 
 of   the    fame  Arguments    feem    to    have 
 fiipt   (as  it  were)    out   of    their    Minds  ^ 
 and     with     what     wonderful     Diffidence, 
 Pravering    and     Unfteddinefs,      they      dif- 
 fourfe    about    the    fame    Things.     I    do 
 
 not 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  iSy 
 
 not  here  think  it  of  any  very  great 
 moment,  that  there  were  indeed  fome 
 whole  Sects  of  Philofophers,  who  ab- 
 folutely  denied  the  Immortality  of  the 
 Soul,  and  peremptorify  rejected  all  kind 
 of  Expectation  of  a  Life  to  come  •, 
 (Though,  to  be  lure,  this  could  not  but 
 in  fome  meafure  fhock  the  common 
 People,  and  make  them  entertain  fome 
 fufpicion  about  the  ftrength  of  the  Ar- 
 guments ufed  on  the  other  fide  of  the 
 Queftion  by  wifer  Men :  Yet,  I  fay,) 
 it  cannot  be  thought  of  any  very 
 great  moment,  that  fome  whole  Seels 
 of  Philofophers  did  indeed  abfolutely 
 deny  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul-,  Be- 
 caufe  thefe  Men  were  weak  Reafoners 
 in  other  matters  alfo,  and  plainly 
 low  and  contemptible  Philofophers,  in 
 comparifon  of  thofe  greater  Genius's 
 we  are  now  fpeaking  of.  But  that 
 which  I  now  obfenre,  and  which  I  fay 
 cannot  be  obferved  without  fome  pity 
 and  concern  of  Mind,  is  this  h  that 
 even  thofe  Great  Philofophers  them- 
 felves,  the  very  Ben:  and  Wifeft,  and 
 molt  confederate  of  them,  that  ever 
 lived-,  notwithstanding  the  undeniable  . 
 ftrength  of  the  Arguments,  which  fome- 
 times  convinced  them  of  the  Certain- 
 ty of  a  Future  State  h  did  yet  at  ( ther 
 times  exprefs  themfelves  with  fo  much 
 hefitancy  and  unfteddinefs  concerning 
 it,   as,    without    doubt,     could    not    but 
 
 extremely 
 
i  8  6         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 extremely  hinder   the  proper  effect  and 
 Influence,     which    that    moft    important 
 Confideration     ought   to  have   upon   the 
 Hearts  and  Lives  of  Men. 
 I  am  now,    faid    +    Socrates 
 a  little   before  his  Death, 
 about   to   leave   this   World  $ 
 and  ye    are   JiiU    to    conti- 
 nue    in     it:    Which    of  its 
 have  the  better  Part     allot- 
 ted us,    God  only  knows  :  * 
 Seeming    to  exprefs    fome 
 Doubtfulnefs,    whether  he 
 fliould  have  any  Exiftence 
 after  Death,  or  not,    And 
 again,  at   the  End  of  his 
 moft   admirable    Difcourfe 
 concerning  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul  -, 
 J  would  have   you  io  know, 
 faid  t  he  to    his    Friends' 
 who  came     to    pay    him 
 their  laft  Vifit,   that  I  have 
 great  Hopes  I  am  now  going 
 into    the  Company    of  Good 
 Men  :  let  I  would  not  be    too  peremptory 
 and  confident  concerning  it : 
 But  ||  if  Death  be    only  as 
 it    were   a    Tranfmigration 
 from     hence    into     another 
 place-,     and    thofe     Things, 
 which    are    told    us,    be   in- 
 deed  true  •,    that    thofe  who 
 are  dead  to  Us,  do  all  Live 
 tbei-ei    Then    &c%     So    likewife     Cicero, 
 
 fpeaking 
 
 Ittt  Wi  oLyLuvor  Tfxy[j&, 
 aJbhtf  vctpp  rr\w  n  tJ 
 Si  $  Plato  in  Apolog.  Socr. 
 *  Quod  praeeer  Dcos 
 Begat  fcire  qutnquam,  fcic 
 jpfe,  utrum  melius  fit; 
 nam  dixit  ante  ;  Sed  fuum 
 ilJud,  nihil  ut  affirmet,  te- 
 net ad  cxtrcmum.  Cic. 
 Tufc  Qy*  lib.  I. 
 
 f  NOV  5  *w  *5«  hrt  tta£ 
 <dett  &¥t$v{,  tceti  <ivlo  yXv 
 fiUu.  Plato  in  Phxd. 
 
 *E/  aT'   aZ     clov    aw 
 
 kv%ivJ\      &{     oi\X0V     7Q1TQVJ 
 
 KAi    aAtj^w    %h    To.  hly>u&- 
 Pst,    aS    etfet  iKH  »<Tt    t7Tccv 
 
 %  ol  Jidviafe,  &c.    Plato 
 in  ApQlog.  Socr  at . 
 
*  Ea,  quar  vis,  ut  po- 
 tero,  explicabo  •,  nee  ta- 
 men  quad  Pythius  Apol- 
 lo, cerca  uc  fine  &  flxa 
 qua?  dixcro  ;  fed  uc  ho- 
 munculus  unus  e  multis, 
 probabilia  conieftura  fe- 
 quens.  Ultra  enim  quo 
 progrediar  quam  uc  vcri« 
 fimilia  videam,  noa  habeo, 
 
 f  Harum  fencentiarum, 
 quae  vera  fir,  Deus  aliquis 
 videric  •,  qua-  verifimillima, 
 magna    Quaftio  eft.'      W. 
 
 ibid. 
 
 and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 fpealcing  of    the    fame   Subject:     I  »HJ 
 indeavour,  faith  *  he,  to  ex- 
 plain  what  you   dejire^    yet 
 I  would   not    have    you  de- 
 pend upon  what  I  Jhall  fay, 
 as     certain    and    infallible  ^ 
 But  I  may  guefs,    as  other 
 Men  do,  at  what  Jhall  feem 
 vwjl  probahle  •  And  further 
 than  this,    I  cannot  pretend 
 to    go.     Again:    Which    of    r^c 
 thofe  two  Opinions,   faith  t 
 he,    [that  the  Soul  is  mor- 
 tal,   or  that    it  is   immor- 
 tal,]    is     True,    God    only 
 knows  5     Which    of  them   is 
 vioji    Probable,     is    a    very 
 Great  gnejlion.  #  And  again  in  the  fame 
 Difcourie,    having  brought  all  thofe  ex- 
 cellent Arguments    before-mentioned    in 
 proof  of  the  Immortality  of   the   Soul  5 
 Tet   we   ought  not,    faith  || 
 he,    to    be    over-confident  of 
 it :    For    it    often    happens 
 that  we  are  Jlrongly  ajfe&ed 
 at  firfi,  with  an  acute  Ar- 
 gument -,     and    yet    a     lit- 
 tle while    after,   ftagger    in 
 our  Judgment  and  alter  our 
 Opinion,      even    in    clearer 
 Matters    than    thefe  •     For    thefe     Things 
 mufi   be   confejfed   to    have  fome    obfeurity 
 in  them.     And  again ;    I  know    not    how, 
 
 faith 
 
 *7 
 
 ||  Ecfi  nihil  nimis  opor- 
 tet  confldere.  Movemur 
 enim  tape  aliquo  acucc 
 conclufo:  labamus  muta- 
 mufq;  fentenciam  clariori- 
 busetiam  in  rebus;  in  his 
 eft  enim  aliqua  obfeuricas/ 
 U.  ibid. 
 
i  i  %         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Nefcio      quomodo,     faith   *    he,    when    I  re  ail 
 dam  lego,   afTeatior ;    chit.      tJ?e    Argmients   jn  proof  of 
 
 IpTc  de  immorralitace  ant-  the  oouls  Immortality,  vie- 
 morum  c«Tpi  cqgicare,  af-  thinks  I  am  fully  convin- 
 l«>fio  omnis  ilia  clabicur-  ceJ  ^  and  yet  after  J  })aye 
 **>»'*  Ud    afde    the    Book,     and 
 
 come  to  think   and    confder 
 of  the  Matter    alone  by   wy  felf    prefent- 
 ly  I  find  ?ny  felf  Jlipt  again  hifenfibly    into 
 my  old  Doubts.    From  all  which    it    ap- 
 pears,   that  notwithftanding  all  the  bright 
 Arguments  and  acute    Conclufions,     and 
 brave  Sayings   of  the  beft  Philofophers  ^ 
 yet    Life     and    Immortality 
 were  t   not  fully  and  fa- 
 f  Credebam  facile  op!-     tisfaaorily  brought  to  Light 
 mombus      magnorum     vi-     .        -  y     .       i    ™      /- 
 
 rorum,  rem  gratiffimam  hy  bare  natural  Reafoil  i 
 [animx  mtmrtaiitatem  ]  but  Men  ftill  plainly  ftood 
 rmittentium  migis  quam  in  need  of-  fome  'farther 
 ^bantium.    Sencc       cpift.      and  compleat     Dif- 
 
 102.  L 
 
 Adeo   omnis    ilia    tunc     COVery. 
 fapiencia  Sacratis,    de    in- 
 
 duftria  venerac  confulne  aequanimiratif,  non  de  rlducia  comper- 
 t2E  veritatis.    Teriullian  :    d"  Ammo. 
 
 Andtbofe  4.  Thofe  Things  which  the  Philofo- 
 tb'tngs        phers    were    indeed    the   molt  fully   cer- 
 
 Z^rein-  ta'ln  °*>  a '^  ^  *n  §00C*  mea^ure  Vnm 
 deeictr-  derfiand^  fuch  as  the  Obligations  of  Vir- 
 tain  of,  yet  tuc,  and  the  Will  of  God  in  matters  of 
 ihey  were  Morality  ^  yet  they  were  never  able 
 trove^d  t0  Prove  a71^  explain  charly  and  dijlinclly 
 explain  enough,  to  Perfons  of  all  Capacities, 
 dearly  and  hi  order  to  their  complete  conviction 
 diflinaiy    anci    reformation.     Hrf,    becaufe    moft 
 
 enough.  of 
 
and  Revealed  Religion  tSyf 
 
 of  their  Difcourfes  upon  thefe  Subjects, 
 have  been  rather  fpeculative  and  learned, 
 nice  and  fubtle  Difputes  •,  than  pra&i- 
 cal  and  univerfally  ufeful  Inftrudtions. 
 They  proved,  by  ftrict  and  nice  Ar- 
 gumentation, that  the  Praftife  of  Vfi'tve 
 is  wife  and  reafonalh  and  ft  to  be  chofen  - 
 rather  than  that  'tis  of  plant,  necejfary 
 and  indifpenfable  Obligation  •,  And  were 
 able  to  deduce  the  Will  of  God,  only 
 by  fuch  abftrac~t  and  fubtle  Reafonings, 
 as  the  generality  of  Men  had  by  no 
 means  either  Abilities  cr  Opportuni- 
 ties to  underftand  or  be  duly  affe&cd 
 by.  Their  very  Profeflion  and  man- 
 ner of  Life,  led  them  to  make  their 
 Philofophy  rather  *  an  En- 
 tertainment of  leifure  time         *  Profefto   cmnis    iflo 
 
 a  Trial  of  Wit  and  Parts,  J^lKS?  *ttalSM™ 
 
 t          -r       r   T-i  ubcrnmos    fonres  ,   vircueis 
 
 an  Exerciie  of  Eloquence,  &    fdenci*  concinwr,    ta- 
 
 and  of  the  Art    and   Skill  men    collara    cim    hcrum 
 
 of   good    Speaking  •      than  fou\  rernpublicam    guber- 
 
 an    Endeavour   t!  reform  £#&«*£ 
 
 the  Manners  of  Men,   by  turn   videarur  attuliffe  ne- 
 
 fhowing  them  their  plain  g°'"s    hominum  uciiicacis, 
 
 and  necefiary  Duty.     And  f™™™?bkaathnem  quan- 
 
 j.      ,     J  ,       A     i         r-  "am  0tl1'  Cic.   de  fienub. 
 
 accordingly    the  Study  of  fragm.                    A  p 
 
 it,  Was,  as  Cicero  t  him-  t  Eft,  inquic  Cicero, 
 felf  obfervcs,  unavoidably  philofophia  paucis  con- 
 confined  to  a  Few   and  by    ££>*&  $"t 
 
 no  means    fitted   for    the    giens. L  maximum 
 
 iuq;  argumenrum  eft,  phi- 
 bfophiam  neq;  ad  fapientiam  rendt.e,  neq-,  ipfam  efle  lapi- 
 cntiam  ;    quod   my  fieri  um  e;us,    barba  tanrum  celtbfaruj  &  pal- 
 
 lio.     LaiUnt,  lib. 
 
 bulk 
 
ipo        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 bulk  and  common  fort  of  Mankind 
 who,  as  they  cannot  judge  of  the  true 
 ftrength  of  nice  and  abftracT:  Arguments, 
 fo  they  will  always  be  fufpicious  of 
 fome  Fallacy  in  them, 
 II  'OAtym  imu  uvfinv  n    >jone  ij  but  Men  of  Parts 
 
 t'T^ii^     PaS  and  Learning,    of    Study 
 
 k,  *\fr»*t  i   n  fit  w-  and      liberal     Education, 
 
 IsAt&cf?  at**.  xj  vfAyixa,'  have    been  able  to   profit 
 
 li*i*m£  WwW    ffl  hy    the  fublime    Doctrine 
 
 ZTfV,lJJkt^\  KT  °f  &***>  or  %  the  fub- 
 J*«r,  *  pip  nxtf'ww  &  tle.  deputations  of  other 
 Tccffri  #f  Jb**y}a>v  u)  <pt-     Philofophers  ♦,  whereas  the 
 
 vlrtceif.  ibm6    °Yig'  ad'  r)°a:rine      of     Morality , 
 
 V\\L'J]^cV'   ^v     3  which  is  the  Rule  of  Life 
 
 T***t>   Ta   *n\6if}i  $  %t-  and  Manners,   ought  to  be 
 
 lavd  <r*  k*Ghv,  *W  kai  plain,    eafy  and  familiar^ 
 
 v*    tew*     fy*w\fapf  anci    fuited    fu}]y  t0    tlle 
 
 ^'"^  ™  ™?>v,  %  „**■     rapacities     of    all    Men 
 fiwcnv  *ra<   ftTfi,?,  »  a;     v>apacines     or     an    lvien. 
 
 c*    tJ  Kf/T6)v/  n\A7av,    Secondly,     Another  Reafon 
 
 *     wi*     d^eiv    }J)al*t    why  the  Philofophers  were 
 
 ^«W    -AA«'  ^vc     01       ney        aHe   t  rf  ^ 
 
 m  'EjjJvw  ot\o<roti*s  P]a2n  clearly  and  dijtivttly 
 fi*H&$iiK0TiS'  Id.  lib.  7.  enough,    even  thofe  things 
 
 of  which  they  were  the 
 7noJl  Certain,  to  Perfons  of 
 all  Capacities,  in  order  to  their  com- 
 plete conviction  and  reformation  ^  was 
 becaufe  they  never  were  able  to  frame 
 to  themfelves  any  complete,  regular,, 
 and  confiftent  Syftem  or  Scheme  of 
 things  ^  but  the  Truths  which  they 
 »  »n      «  .»      o    taught,  were  *  fingle  and 
 
 »  t«  iWT«m  *aly.    Mattered,    accidental  as  it 
 
 were 
 
end  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 10* 
 
 wi?  *<ft  Tat   r    aAA»r«— . 
 
 77flfc    ctl)T0/f      c#       7U)flca\\,fU< 
 
 t'-'V  a.iro'xlw  x,at  yvu- 
 CIV  rrjV  dLvkKtylot  qalvct- 
 leti  i>fflx.iv<U'  Jullin.  Ay*- 
 log.   I. 
 
 were,  and  hit  upon  by 
 chance,  rather  than  by 
 any  Knowledge  of  the 
 whole  true  ftate  of  Things  •, 
 and  confequently  lefs  uni- 
 verfally  convi&ive.  No- 
 thing could  be  more  Cer- 
 tain, (as  they  all  well 
 knew,),  than  that  Virtue 
 was  unqueftionably  to  be 
 cbofen,  and  the  Pradtife  of 
 it  to  be  recommended  necefTarily  above 
 all  things-,  And  yet  they  could  never 
 clearly  and  fatisfaSorily  make  out,  upon 
 what  Principles  originally  and  for  what 
 End  ultimately,  this  Choice  was  to  be 
 made  ^  and  upon  what  Grounds  it  was 
 univerfally  to  be  fupported.  Hence  they 
 perpetually  t  difagreed, 
 oppofed,  and  contradicted 
 one  another  in  all  their 
 Difputations  to  fuch  a  de- 
 gree, that  St.  Aujlin  fome- 
 where  out  of  Varro  reckons 
 up  no  lefs  that  28c  Opi- 
 nions concerning  that  one 
 Queftion,  What  was  the  Chief  Good 
 or  Final  Happinefs  of  Man.  The  Effect 
 of  all  which  Differences  could  not, 
 without  doubt,  but  be  a  mighty  hin- 
 drance to  that  Conviction  and  gene- 
 ral Influence,  which  That  great  Truth, 
 in  the  Certainty  whereof  they  All  clear- 
 ly   agreed,     (namely,     that  the  Pradtife 
 
 of 
 
 t  Nee,  quid  defende- 
 re  debeanr,  fciences  ;  nee 
 quid  refurare.  Incurfanrq^ 
 pa  (Tim  fine  delettu  om- 
 nia quae  afierur.r,  qui- 
 cunq;  difienciunt.  LaRjint. 
 lib.  7. 
 
i  p  i         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of  Virtue  was  necefTary  and  indifpcn- 
 fable  J  ought  to  have  had  upon  the 
 Minds  and  Lives  of  Men.  This  whole* 
 Matter,  is  excellently  fet  forth  by  La- 
 Santius  :     The  Pbilofopbers, 
 
 *  Totam  lgvtur  venta-. 
 tern,  &  cmne  divine  re 
 ligionis  arcanum  Philo- 
 lophi  arcigcrunr.  Sed  aliis 
 rdellentibus  ,  defendere 
 id,  quod  invenerant,  ne- 
 quiverunt  ;  quia  finguJis 
 ratio  non  quadravir  •  nee 
 ea,  qua?  vera  fenferanr,  in 
 fummam  redigere  potuerunt. 
 £attant.  lib.  7. 
 
 faith  *  he,    take  them  All 
 together ',     did  i n deed    dif co- 
 ver all  the   particular    Do- 
 Brines,    of    true     Religion-^ 
 But  bee  an fe  each  one  indea- 
 voured  to    confute  what   the 
 others  afferted  ^    and  no  Ones 
 jingle  Scheme,  was   in  all  its 
 parts   confiftent,    and  agree- 
 able to  Reafon   and  Truth  • 
 and  none-  of  them    were    able    to     colletl 
 into    One    whole    and   Entire    Scheme,      the 
 fever al  Truths  difperfed  among  them    All  - 
 therefore    they  were    not  able     to  maintain 
 and  defend  what  they  had  difcovered.     And 
 again  •,    having  fet    down    a    brief  fam- 
 mary  of  the  whole  Doctrine  and  Defign 
 of    true     Religion,     from    the    Original 
 to     the     Confummation    of   all  Things  5 
 This  Entire  Scheme,    fays  t 
 he,  becaitfe  the  Philofophers- 
 were  ignorant  of,    therefore' 
 they  were  not   able   to  com- 
 prehend the  Truth  •    notwith- 
 fi anding  that  they   faw  and 
 difcovered  fingly,    almoji  all 
 the     Particulars     of    which 
 the     whole    Scheme     confifts. 
 But  this  was  done  by  diffe- 
 rent 
 
 +  Quam  fummam,  quia 
 Phifolophi  non  compre- 
 henderunt  ;  nee  verita- 
 rem  cemprehendere  po- 
 tuerunt ^  quamvis  ea  fere, 
 quibus  fumma  ipfa  con- 
 ftar,  c\:  viderint  6c  expli- 
 cavcrint.  Sed  dtverfi  ac 
 diverfe  ilia  omnia  protu- 
 lerunt,  non  anneftences 
 nee     caufds    rerum,       nee 
 
And  Revealed  Religion.  195 
 
 Vent    Men    and    at    different    confequencijs,  nee  racio- 
 
 Times,  hid  in  different  Man-    n">  «  fuiumani  illain, 
 
 '    .    .  ,         -/y.  >(r.         qux  connnec  univerfa,  5c 
 
 ™>s:,    fwith    Various     Mix-    compingerenc  &  comple- 
 
 tures  of  different  Errours,  renr.    utlxnt.  lib.  7. 
 in   what  every  one  difco-       Quo<?  fl  «citiffec  * 
 
 vered    of  Truth    finglp)  &£gZZg2 
 
 and^  without  finding  the  Con-  ftafqjdiffufam.colligerec 
 
 Mxion    of    the    Caufes,    and  »n  utium,  ac  redigeret  in 
 
 Conferences  and  Reafons  of  "JFf)  is  Prof^°  J™ 
 T*,*  ?  /♦  7     J  Ji    diflencirec  a  nobis.    Sed 
 
 1  kings;     from    the  ^  mutual    hoc  nemo  facere,  nifi  ve. 
 Dependencies    of  which,    the    ri  pericus  ac  fciens,  po- 
 Compieatnefs    and   Perfection    teft-    Verum  aucem  nofl 
 of  the   .hole  Scheme   arife,    S£JE*££ 
 Whereas,  had  there  been  any 
 Mm,    who    could    have    col- 
 lected   and   put    together     in    Order     all 
 thefeveral  Truths,  which  were  taught  fing- 
 ly  and   featteredly  by  Philofophers  of  all 
 the  different  Se8s,  and  have  made  up  out 
 of  them  One  Entire  confident  Scheme  ;  truly 
 be    would    not   have  differed  much  from 
 Us  Chriftians  •,  But  This,  it  was  not  poffi- 
 ble  for  any  Man  to  do,  without  having  the 
 True   Syfiem  of  Things   firfl  Revealed  to 
 him, 
 
 5.  Laft.ly,  Even  thofe  Things,  which  And  tktje 
 the  Philofophers  were  not  only  them-  tb*w 
 felvcs  certain  of,  but  which  they  ha  veal-  ^eJle^ 
 fo  been  able  to  prove  and  explain  to  Others,  to  prove 
 with   fufficient   ctearnefs  ani  plainnefs  •,  and  ex- 
 fuch  as  are  the  mo  ft  obvious  and  neceffary  \lAlndff'm 
 Duties  of  Life  •  they  have  not  yet  had  l^iy  £ 
 Authority  enough  to  inforce  and  inculcate  nough^et 
 upon  Men's  Minds  with  fo  ftrong  an  *bey  hadi 
 Impreflion,  as  to  influence  and  govern  "^f/£, 
 the  general  Practice  of  the  World.    The  r\tyt%  in- 
 
 A  3  Truths  force  in 
 
 Praflicc. 
 
i  $4       Tk  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Truths  which  they  proved  by  fpecula- 
 tive  Reafon,  *  wanted  ftill 
 fome  more  ierifible  Autho- 
 rity to  back  them,  and 
 make  them  of  more  Force 
 and  Efficacy  in  Practice  ^ 
 and  the  t  Precept  \  which 
 they  laid  down,  however 
 evidently  reafonable  and 
 fit  to  be  obeyed,  feemed 
 ftill  to  want  Weight,  and 
 to  be  but  the  Precepts  of 
 Men.  Hence  ||  none  of 
 the  Philofophers,  even  of 
 thofe  who  taught  the  clear- 
 eft  and  certaiiieft  Truth, 
 and  offered  the  beft  iaiiq 
 wifeft  Injl ructions,  and  in- 
 forced  them  with  the  ftrong- 
 eft  Motives  that  could  be-, 
 were  yet  ever  able  to  work 
 any  remarkable  Change, 
 111  the  Minds  and  Lives 
 of  any  confiderable  Part 
 of  Mankind  ;  as  the  preach- 
 ing of  Chrift  and  his  Apo- 
 
 *  PUtonis  documents, 
 cuamvis  ad  rem  multum 
 conterant,  ramen  parum 
 riabent  Firmitatisad  prc- 
 bandam  &  implead  am 
 veritatem.   Laflant.     lib. 
 
 f  Quid  ergo  ?  niliilne 
 illi  [Philofophi]  fimile 
 prxcipiunc?  Imopermul- 
 ta,  &  ad  vcrum  frequen. 
 ter  accedunt.  Sed  nihil 
 panderis  habent  ilia  prx- 
 cepta,  quia  funt  huma- 
 na;  &  auftoritate  majc- 
 ri,  id  eft,  divina  ilia, 
 carenc.  Nemo  igiturcre- 
 dit  ^  quia  tarn  fe  homi- 
 nem  purat  effe  qui  audit, 
 cuameft  illequipraecipk. 
 ,Lallant.    lib.  3. 
 
 ^EiTOtfJU  cT'  ttf  elkn 
 8<£'«  .t«<  JiwvSiyla.f  J)- 
 
 AtctTiQevTiLt  'h/ecloi  ^ 
 yex7ntvo)  met  n  <&n  cw- 
 TzZv  y&Av^V*  (JtiW.oi'T®- 
 
 s-ayuyev.     Origen,  adz  erf.  Celf.  lib.   8. 
 
 Tla??.  x/-V    ™7f  "EtoijOTy   &'{  ill    QaUw,    j£    in   o/A   h 
 
 JuJ\*4,  <*\V  cli*  Kji votea.Thci<rU{  own*  wifAtm  cvxpejpap 
 yt>}<;      Hem.  lb.   5. 
 
 I>i  mini  virum  qui  fie  iracundus,  &c.  Kumquis  hxc  Phito- 
 fopborum  &c,  Laftanr.  Jib.  3.  See  this  pjjfage  ehedabove, 
 pag.    170. 
 
 files 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         i  p  y 
 
 files  undeniably  did.     Neither  does   it 
 appear  in  Hiftory,  that  * 
 any   Number  of   Socrates**     ,  *    2«*f*T«   «V    # 
 or  PWs  Followers    ™    ^gJJ-J- 
 convinced   of  the    Excel-     &j$r*w.    x?ir»  $  irf 
 lency   of  true    Virtue,  or    £  *<bo  2«k?*t«<  *** 
 the  Certainty  of  its  final    ***!«  .»■**»*  *  ♦** 
 Reward  in,  fuch  a  manner     ^Jffl^S 
 as    to    be    willing    to    lay     *AVTikZ<  UiStai  £  <ti- 
 down  their  Lives  for    its     &<  £90 fa  £d*v *!**&- 
 fake-,    as    Innumerable  of    r^m^vnu     J*ftw- 
 the    Difciples    of    Chrift,     jt,otoi'1' 
 are  known  to  have  done. 
 In  Speculation  indeed,  it  may  perhaps 
 feem    pofhble,     that,     notwithstanding 
 it  muft  be   confeffed  Philofophy  can- 
 not difcovex   any  compleat   and    fatis- 
 factory  Remedy  for  paft  Mifcarriages, 
 yet  the  Precepts  and  Motives  offered  by 
 the  beft   Philofophers,   might  at  leaft 
 be     fufficient    to    amend    and    reform 
 Men's  Manners  for  the  future.    But  in 
 Experience  and  Pra&ice   it   hath   on  the 
 contrary  appeared  to  be  altogether  im- 
 poflible,  for  Philofophy  and  bare  Rea- 
 fon    to     reform    Mankind    effectually,  1 
 
 without  the  AiTHtance  of  fome  higher 
 Principle.  For,  though  the  bare  natu- 
 ral Poflibility  of  the  thing,  cannot  in- 
 deed eafily  be  denied «,  yet  in  this 
 Cafe,     (as  Cicero    excellently  exprefles 
 
 t  itj    in    like     manner     as        ...     r     „r  ml  „m 
 
 .    rj.  r  7   L  ,)•  fNamfi,  confenfucm- 
 
 w  Pbyfick  it  matters  nothing,     niu'm  Phii0fophorum,  fa- 
 
 whether    a  Difeafe    be    fuch     pientiamnemoaflequmir? 
 
 A  a  2  as 
 
1 9  6        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 in  fummis  malis  omnes  as  that  no  Man  does,  or 
 fumus,  quibus  vos  opci-    7J0   ]\^an   can   recover  from 
 
 fiSSS&STiS  *»  Afther  do%  *  «t 
 
 uc  nihil  intcreftucrumfff-  tfwjf  difference,  whether  by 
 ma  valedt*  an  new  /><#  Philofophy  no  Man  is,  or 
 tMfcre  5  ^  non  iocelligo    %Q  Mm  can    fce   ?mde    wife 
 
 jfi&X*  ***  #>od:  So  that,  with- 
 ptffit.  cic.  dc  Nitura  Dc-  out  fome  greater  Help  and 
 or.  lib.  g.  Afliftance ,      Mankind     is 
 
 plainly  left  in  a  very    bad 
 State.    Indeed    in  the  original  uncor- 
 rupted  State  of  Humane  Nature,   be- 
 fore the  Mind  of  Man  was  depraved 
 with    prejudicate    Opinions,    corrupt 
 Affections,    and    vitious   Inclinations, 
 Cuftoms    and  Habits  ^     right    Reafon 
 may  juftly  be  fuppofed  to  have  been 
 a    fufficient    Guide,     and    a  Principle 
 powerful  enough  to  preferve  Men  •  in 
 the   conftant  Practice   of  their  Duty : 
 But  in  the  prefent  Circumftances  and 
 Condition  of  Mankind,  the  wifeft  and 
 moft  fenfible  of  the  Philofophers  them- 
 felves  have  not  been  backward  to  com- 
 plain,   that  they  found  the  Underjland- 
 ings  of  Men  fo  dark  and  cloudy,    their 
 Wilh  fo  byajfed  and  Inclined  to  Evil,  their 
 Pafwns  fo  outragious  and  rebelling  againft 
 Reafon  h  that  they  lookt  upon  the  Rules 
 and  Laws  of  right   Reafon,    as   very 
 hardly    practicable,    and    which   they 
 had  very  little  Hopes  of  ever  being 
 able  to  perfwade  the  World  to  fubmit 
 to  ;    In  a  Word,    they  confeffed    that 
 
 Humane 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         197 
 
 Humane    Nature    was    ftrangely    cor- 
 rupted ,   and  acknowledged  this  Corrup- 
 tion to  be  a  Difeafe  whereof  they  knew 
 not  the  true  Caufe,  and  could  not  find 
 out  a  fufficient  Remedy.    So  that  the 
 great  *  Duties  of   Religion,     were   laid 
 down  by  them  as  Matters  of  /pecula- 
 tion and  difpute,  rather  than  as  the  Rules 
 of  AEtion  5   and  not  fo  much  urged  upon 
 the  Hearts  and    Lives  of  Men,    as  pro- 
 posed to  the  Admiration  of  thofe,    who 
 thought    them    fcarce    pollible    to    be 
 effectually  pradtifed  by  the  generality 
 of  Men.     To  remedy  all  thefe  Difor- 
 ders,    and  cdrfquer  all  thefe  Corrupti- 
 ons ,    there  was  plainly  wanting  fome 
 extraordinary   and   ilipernaturaj.  Affi- 
 ance •   which  was  above   the   readi  of 
 ba  e  Reafon   and  Philofophy    to  pro- 
 cure, and  yet  without  which   the  Phi- 
 lofuphers   themfelves  were 
 fcnfible   there  *  could  nc-       *  Ne?°  ,un<iuam  ZW 
 
 ,  ,        £,  magnus,  line  Uivmo  j(RA- 
 
 ver    be    any   truly    Great    J7fttiCi    Cim9t 
 Men. 
 
 VII.  For  thefe  Reafovs  there  was 
 plainly  wanting  a  Divine  Revelation, 
 to  recover  Mankind  out  of  their  univer- 
 fally  degenerate  Efiate,  into  a  State  fttita- 
 hie  to  the  original  Excellency  of  their 
 Nature:  Which  Divine  Revelation,  both 
 the  Neccffities  of  Men,  and  their  natural 
 Notions  of  God,  gave  them  reafonable 
 ground  to  expert  and  hope  for  ,  As  ap- 
 pears from  the  acknowledgments  which  the 
 A  a  3  befi 
 
ipS 
 
 A  Divine 
 Revelation 
 
 absolutely 
 neccffary 
 for  the  re- 
 covery of 
 M&nitind. 
 
 The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 bejl  and  wifejl  of  the  Heathen  Philofo- 
 phers  themfelves  have  made,  of  their  Senfe 
 of  the  necejity  and  want  of  fitch  a  Re- 
 velation-, and  from  their  Expreffions  of 
 the  Hopes  they  had  entertained,  that  God 
 would  fome  time  or  other  vouchfafc  it  unto 
 them. 
 
 ^  i.  There  was  plainly  wanting  a  Di- 
 vine Revelation,  to  recover  Mankind  out 
 of  their    univerfal  corruption  and  de- 
 generacy 5  and  without  fuch  a  Revela- 
 tion,    it    was    not    poflible   that    the 
 World   fliould    ever  be  effe&ually  re- 
 formed.   For   If  (as  has   been   before 
 particularly  ftiown)  the  grofs  and  ftu- 
 pid  Ignorance,  the  innumerable  Preju- 
 dices and    vain   Opinions,    the  ftrong 
 Paffions  and  Appetites   of  Senfe,    and 
 the  many  vitious  Cuftoms  and  Habits, 
 which  the  generality  of  Mankind  con- 
 tinually labour  under  -,   make  it  unde- 
 niably too  difficult  a  Work,   for  Men 
 of  all  Capacities  to  difcover  every  One 
 for  himfelf,  by  the  bare  Light  of  Na- 
 ture,   all  the  particular    Branches    of 
 their  Duty  •  but  moft  Men,  in  the  pre- 
 fent  State  of  Things,  have  manifeitly 
 need    of  much    Teaching,    and  parti- 
 cular Inftruction  :    If  thofe  who  were 
 beft  able    to    difcover    the  Truth  and 
 inftruct    others    therein,    namely    the 
 Wifeft  and    Beft  of   the  Philofophers, 
 were    Themfelves  unavoidably^  altoge- 
 ther ignorant  of  fome  Doctrines,    and 
 
 very 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  1 66 
 
 very  doubt  ful  and  uncertain  of  others, 
 abfolutely  neceflarv  to  the  bringing 
 about  that  great  End,  of  the  Refor- 
 mation of  Mankind  :  If  thofe  Truths, 
 which  they  were  themfelves  very 
 certain  of,  they  were  not  yet  able 
 to  prove  and  explain  clearly  enough, 
 to  vulgar  Underftandings  :  If  even 
 thofe  things  which  they  proved  fuffi- 
 ciently,  and  explained  with  all  clear- 
 nefs,  they  had  not  yet  Authority 
 enough  to  inforce  and  inculcate  up- 
 on Men's  Minds  with  fo  ftrong  an 
 Impreffion,  as  to  influence  and  go- 
 vern the  general  Practice  of  the  World  •, 
 neither  pretended  to  afford  Men  any 
 fupernatural  AiTiftance,  which  yet  was 
 very  neceffary  to  fo  great  a  Work : 
 And  If  after  all,  in  the  difcovery 
 of  fuch  Matters  as  are  the  great  Mo- 
 tives of  Religion,  Men  are  apt  to 
 be  more  eaiily  wrought  upon,  and 
 more  ftrongly  affected,  by  good  Tefti- 
 mony,  than  by  the  ftridteft  abftract 
 Arguments  ♦,  So  that,  upon  the  whole, 
 'tis  plain  the  Philosophers  were  ne- 
 ver by  any  means  well  qualified  to 
 reform  Mankind  with  any  confidera- 
 ble  Succefs  :  Then  there  was  evi- 
 dently wanting  fome  particular  Reve- 
 lation, which  might  fupply  all  thefe 
 Defects:  There  was  plainly  a  Necef- 
 iity  of  feme  particular  Revelation  to 
 A  a  4  difcover 
 
ico       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 *  N9(ioZin<  o$k.  v*v    difcover    *    in  what  Main 
 x.U-n,U',  «™>t*  wroK-     ver     an(j  wjth    what    #;WJ 
 
 itf««  h-tiVw?  <•**«  '/  e*tental  Service,  God 
 ^X«77,Te?4*/7ro'A/»'«tfU'  might  acceptably  be  wor- 
 th-  MJivmra&lx**  flipped  :    There  was  a  Ne- 
 
 iiti^fompWopJw,*;  cdflty     of     fome    partis 
 
 Ii,¥WWin-ci.    P/a-  ^     Revelation,     to     difco- 
 
 ro|/n  Ep'momide.  ver     what     Expiation   God 
 
 T«t  $  cA?  TBI* «7*  [s«-  would  accept  for  Sin  $    by 
 
 ^Sf^wii^jiiTfjTsa-  hi  h    h     Authority,  Ho-* 
 
 Vo*ur  &«"*»*»  *•/**•  nour>    and  Dignity  of  his 
 
 uf^wVmKxflwr,^  Laws     might    be    effeftu- 
 
 ^fuffS^^tignyMw^  ally     vindicated;      There 
 
 I'i.T^^-  was   a  NeceiTity    of  fome 
 
 deRepubl.4.  .     7        t>       7     •  i 
 
 f    Tb  (<tfdkHSi<  »   particular  Revelation,    to    + 
 ZiviyJfiXvtfetinircLvla,    give    Men    full   affurance 
 fr»;  Ix*"  *D***!'  J"'    of    the    Truth    of    thofe 
 iS!^#.*    &*t  MMves  of  Religion, 
 the     Rewards    and    Fnnijh* 
 wents  of  a   future  State  •    which,    not- 
 withftanding  the  ftrongeft   Arguments 
 of    Reafon,    Men  could  not  yet  for- 
 bear doubting  of;   In  fine,  There  was 
 a  Neceflity    of  fome  particular  Divine 
 Revelation,  to  \  make     the 
 \\TZ'i*JtihT*vty&    whole    Dodtrine    of    Reli- 
 QdiAv   ylnt  weicolcLlov     gjon    ciear    m^    0lvlovs    t0 
 
 **'*?£L*!Z>£  al1  Capacities,  to  add 
 £ji£d*wntm  &ri*F  Weight  and  Authority  to 
 £v  JiJafriv,  li  w  Guts  the  plainer!:  Precepts,  and 
 p>.Wlo.  *'«"  «■  *;'-  to  furniih  Men  with  ex- 
 *mlde*  traordinary     AJfifiances     to 
 
 enable   them    to  overcome 
 the  Corruptions  cf  their  Nature.    And 
 
 without 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         2Q  i 
 
 Without  the  Afliftance  of  fuch  a  Reve- 
 lation, 'tis  manifeft  it  was  not  potfible 
 that  the  World  could  ever  be  effectually 
 reformed  •,      Te    viay      een 
 
 give  over,  faith  *  Socrates,  *  tlU  *  homo*  Xfi. 
 all  Hopes  of  amending  Mens  vov  *«u$*v</V7i*  </)*ts- 
 Manners  for  the  future,  W  *"»  "/»™« **" 
 vnlefs  God  be  pleafed  to  ^^.k^ijlavq  —  ,. 
 fend  you  fome  Other  per-  Plato  in  Apohg.Soc at  is. 
 fon  to  inftruB  you  :  And  -  t  E?  $  Xv  «AV«i, 
 P/aro,  Whatever,  faith  t  Sw^yjg'*'.1?  < 
 he,  is  ft  right  and  as  U  fift  ^^  mhfa. 
 Jhould  be,  in  the  prefent  Evil  «V,  Q&  /uol^v  ciClo  a  in- 
 flate of  the  World-,  can  be  **h 6PUt0  de  KetubU 
 Co  only  by  the  particular  In- 
 ter poftion  of  God. 
 
 2.  Since  therefore  there  was  plainly  That  it 
 and  confefTedly  wanting  a    Divine  Re-  w's  ^ree" 
 velation,  to  relieve  the    Neceffities    of^^/^- 
 Men  in  their  Natural  State  •,  And  fince  mure 
 no  Man  can  pretend  to  fay,  that  it  is  and  'W 
 inconfiftent  with  any  of  the  Attributes  fxeaLj^J° 
 of  God,  or    unbecoming   the    Wifdom  fopefor 
 of  the    Creator  cf  all  things,  to  fup-  fucb  a  4h 
 ply  that  "Want  •,  to  reveal  to  his  Crea-  vine  Re' 
 tures  more  fully    the    way   to  Happi- veUtl0Hm 
 nefs  •,    to  make    more  particular  difco- 
 veries  cf  his  Will  to  them  •    to  fet  be- 
 fore  them    in    a    clearer  Light,     the 
 Rewards  and  Punifhments  of  a  future 
 State  •,    to  explain  in  what  manner  he 
 will  be  pleafed  to  be  worshipped  -,    and 
 to    declare   what  Satisfaction  he    will 
 accept  for  Sin,  and  upon  what  Condi- 
 tions 
 
*02         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 tions  he  will  receive  returning  Sin- 
 ners-, Nay,  fince  on  the  contrary,  it 
 feems  more  fuitable  to  our  natural  No- 
 tions of  the  Goodnefs  and  Mercy  of 
 God,  to  fuppofe  that  he  fhould  do 
 all  this,  than  not :  It  follows  undeni- 
 ably, that  it  was  moft  reafonable, 
 and  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  Na- 
 ture, to  expeft  or  hope  for  fuch  a  di- 
 vine Revelation.  The  generality  of 
 the  Heathen  World,  who  were  far 
 more  equal  and  lefs  prejudiced  Judges 
 in  this  matter,  than  our  modern  Deifts  ^ 
 were  fo  fully  perfwaded,  that  tht 
 great  Rules  for  the  Conduct  of  Hu- 
 mane Life,  muft  receive  their  Autho- 
 rity from  Heaven  ^  that  their  chief 
 Law-givers  thought  it  not  a  fufficient 
 recommendation  of  their  Laws,  that 
 they  were  agreeable  to  the  Light  of 
 Nature  *,  unlefs  they  pretended  alio, 
 that  they  received  them  from  God. 
 But  I  have  no  need  in  this  Argument, 
 to  make  ufe  of  the  Examples  of  Ido- 
 latrous Law-givers :  The  Philofophers 
 themfelves,  the  Beft  and  Wifeft,  and 
 the  leaft  Superftitious  of  them,  that 
 ever  lived  5  were  not  afhamed  to  con- 
 fefs  openly,  their  Senfe  of  the  Want 
 ©f  a  Divine  Revelation  ^  and  to  de- 
 clare their  Judgment,  that  it  was  moft 
 natural  and  truly  agreeable  to  right 
 and  found  Reafon,  to  hope  for  fome- 
 thing  of  that  Nature.    There  is,   be- 
 
 iides 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  203 
 
 fides  the  feveral  places  before  cited,  a 
 moft  excellent  PafTage  in  Plato  to  this 
 purpofe  •,  one  of  the  moft  remarka- 
 ble PaiTages  indeed  in  his  whole  \Yrorks, 
 though  not  quoted  by  any  that  I  have 
 met  with^  which  therefore  I  think 
 highly  worthy  to  be  tranferibed  at 
 large,  as  a  juft  and  unanfwerable  Re- 
 proach to  all  thofe  who  deny  that 
 there  is  any  Want  or  Need  of  a  Re- 
 velation. It  feems  heft  to  me,  faith 
 *  Socrates  to  one  of  his 
 Difciples,  that  we  expeft 
 quietly  $  nay  it  is  absolute- 
 ly necejfary,  that  we  wait 
 with  patience,  till  fucb  time 
 as  we  can  Learn  certainly, 
 how  we  ought  to  behave 
 our  felves  both  towards  God 
 and  towards  Men,  When 
 will  that  time  come,  re- 
 plies the  Difciple  •  and  who 
 is  it  that  will  teach  us  this  > 
 For  methinks  I  earnefily  de- 
 fire  to  fee  and  know  who 
 the  Per/on  is  that  will  do 
 it.  It  is  one,  anfwers  So- 
 crates, who  has  now  a 
 Concern  for  you.  But  in 
 like  manner,  as  Homer  re- 
 lates that  Minerva  took 
 away  the  Mijl  from  before 
 Diomedes's  Eyes,  that  he 
 might  be    able  to   dijlhigmfi 
 
 \20Kr  Erf  fat, 
 ctv  lx*v> dyctyKctur 
 
 (*£«?  £  T«f  dv^fainf 
 J)&Kii£cLi-     AAK.  Hots 
 
 tU  0  mtiifiivcav  ;  Yi^tsx 
 $>   ctv    fjiot    J}>k£    'i£i\* 
 
 2&K  :  Ovrts  %hv,  Z  u'- 
 Ag/   mft  <rv.    A  a*  a  fo- 
 
 fit  $vffl  7lw  *A$lwZv 
 "Owif&  dm  r  op$a,h~ 
 fjbu>  dtpihiiy  Ti)v  clxa'mji 
 o$f  it  yyvct)7K6i  rifxiv 
 Qiot  ii<ri  ^  »r/f«,  «7iw 
 xj  «  fiiv   cirri  f  A-v'xJ'S 
 
 Tf U 7QV  <x<5<iK0S}     etTtlV  d- 
 
 y\W->  h  vvv  Tm.(ijxL  rvy 
 <&&(? pifHy  Jf  Zv  tsAhMiS 
 
 C716 
 
104       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 0.V  (A0t    JbiLYlS  £vVti>y%VcLi. 
 
 AAK  :     'Apflt/fsilw    s'/]s 
 
 fc*\l\cth   1»V  d'/At/V,  5?T5 
 
 a\Ko   v'     us     iya>    mz- 
 
 KQlfJU   fctfiov       ^i<dttt- 
 a  <s%y5vjuua,v  f^e/.AAK.* 
 
 E){  TZ>Ti    T01V)V        1L)     T»V 
 ?TJtricLVAVCl(6x\\e3cLlX,tdL- 
 
 7i&v7I)  y.QicfhKil*  ^^K: 
 
 a.7$&xi<&?QV   ><>  %hvY\ TO.' 
 
 xivfwov.     AAK  :     Totf 
 
 one    Perfon    from   another, 
 fo    it  is    neceffary    that    the 
 Mift    which    is    now    before, 
 your    Mind,    he    firft    taken 
 away,    that     afterwards   you 
 may  learn  to  diftinguifi)  right- 
 ly   betwixt    Good  and    Evil  ; 
 for,  as  yet,  you  are  not  able 
 to   do   it.       Let  the    Perfon 
 you  mentioned,    replies    the 
 Difciple,     take    away     this 
 Mifl,  or  whatever  elfe  it  bey 
 affoon    as    he    pleafes :     For 
 t   am    willing    to     do     any 
 thing    he  fijall    dire8,    who- 
 du#t $*J *»**>*< $w»K*  fever    this    Perfon    be-,    fo 
 X*  Ma  rd  vo^ouiva    that  I  may  but  become  a  good 
 Man.     Nay,      anfwers     So- 
 crates,    That    Perfon  has  a 
 wonderful  readinefs  and   wil- 
 lingnefs  to    do    all  this   for 
 you.     It   will    be    beji    then, 
 replies     the    Difciple,     to 
 forbear    offering    any    more 
 Sacrifices,    till  the  time  that 
 this     Perfon      appears.     Ton 
 judge    very     well,     anfwers 
 Socrates  ^    it  will    be    much 
 fafer  fo    to     do,      than    to 
 run  fo   great  a    hazard  of  offering  Sa- 
 crifices, which  you  know  not  whether  they 
 are  acceptable  to  God  or    no.     Well  then, 
 replies  the  Difciple,  we  will  Tlien  make 
 Qitr    Offerings  to    the   Gods,    when  That 
 
 Day 
 
 vnv   rr/j    r(/.ifctv  ikQi7>x.v 
 
 in  Alcibiade  2.  [If  it  be 
 Juppofed  th.it  Soc races  in 
 this  piffage  means  Him- 
 felf,  (which  is  very  d  ffi' 
 cult  -J  yet  it  nex>erthcle(s 
 very  lively  reprefend  the 
 great  Senfe  which  (he  moft 
 ctnfiderate  Heathens  had, 
 of  their  Want  of  fine  Ex- 
 traordinary Infiruftion-'] 
 
HfcLTif,  tkJi    T     701*1 0>V 
 
 vvv  fcia>    h    dttvvstjovu.y 
 
 and  Revealed  Religion-         205 
 
 Day  comes  *,  And  I  hope,  God  willing, 
 it  ?nay  not  be  far  off.  And  in  another 
 place,  the  fame  Author,  having  given 
 a  large  Account  of  that  moft  excel- 
 lent Difcourfe,  which  Socrates  made 
 a  little  before  his  Death,  concerning 
 the  great  Do&rines  of  Religion,  the 
 Immortality  of  the  Soul,  and  the  Cer- 
 tainty of  a  Life  to  come  \  introduces 
 one  of  his  Difciples  replying  in  the 
 following  manner :  /  am, 
 faith  *  he,  of  the  fame 
 Opijtion  with  you,  0  Socra- 
 tes, concerning  tbefe  things-, 
 that,  to  dif cover  '  the 
 tain     Truth     of    them, 
 
 this  prefent  Life,  is  either  *  ^it***r »rlr  70  pk>- 
 abfolutely  impofble  for  us,  7°.'  MJ* }/ef  :  I* J  A5: 
 or  tit  leajt  exceeding  diffi-  zy\  VfL/\\  7t6v*  i\iy- 
 cult ;  let,  not  to  enquire  fc«y>  x>a.i  <n&&$;cn<7!j3.t 
 with  our  utmofl  diligence  Viv«v  m*l*7&  ****** 
 into  what  can  he  fatd  about  w  ty  ^^  ^ 
 them,  or  to  give  over  our  that  Fichus  inhistr.in<h. 
 inquiry  before  we  have  car-  t5on  of  this  P3^aSc5  as  if 
 tied  our  fearch  as  far  as  the  Word  Svi  was  to  be 
 /r/7         ^7         r  r         repeated  #*l    t»    xam 
 
 poffible,  is  the  fign  of  a  with  *■*•«*«'**$*#, writes 
 mea7i  and  low  Spirit  :.  On  abfurdiy  non  defijtire,  in- 
 the  contrary,  we  ought  there-  a*&  7  j^?*0  *",' 
 fore  by  all  7nea7is  to  do 
 07ie  of  thefe  two  tlmgs  • 
 either,  by  hearhiing  to  In- 
 Jlruftion,  and  by  our  own 
 dili^n  Study,  to  M  ont  *SS^!SSSSi 
 the   Truth  •'    or,    if  that  he 
 
 abfolutely 
 
 u<rm{ 
 
i  o  6       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 lm  yzfi&<,  xjvfuvivovla    abfolutely  hnpojfible,    then  to 
 
 JWiJa*,  *  flop'  fcj  (tt      r      mr  FoQt  tbat  wh;ch 
 
 *J,dKi,Molty%Ufr      t0    lm'mie    ^^    ^^  }hCn 
 
 /2cuo]l?H    lyj\uJ}K  ,     A     utmojt  fearch,    appears    heft 
 Abyv   0g/«  7/rcf,   e/W     an^     V]0ft    probable  •       and, 
 ™?™S"v**-Fla'oinFb*'    truftivg     to     That,    venture 
 upon  that   bottom   to    dire  ft 
 the  courfe  of  our   Lives    ac- 
 tor Aingly  :   Unlefs  a  Man  could   have  ftitt 
 fo7ne    more  fiire    and  certain   Conduft   to 
 carry  him  through  this  Life  •    fitch  as   a 
 Divine  Bifcovery  of  the  Truth,    would 
 be.      I  fhall  mention  but  one  Inftance 
 more,  and  that  is  of  Porphyry  •     who, 
 though    he   lived    after   our  Saviour's 
 time,    and  had  a   moft  inveterate    ha- 
 tred to    the    Chriftian  Revelation    in 
 particular,    yet   t   confef- 
 f  Quum  autfm  dicic    fes    in    general,     that    he 
 Porphyrin  pnmo  Je  fenfible     there     was 
 
 RegrejjuAmmjt  libro,  non-  .        r  n  7    „-. 
 
 dumrecepcum  in  unam  wanting  fome  umverfal  Me- 
 
 quandam  feftam  qua?  u-  thod      of     delivering     Mens 
 
 niverlalem  viama   nimz  Souls,     which     no      Seel    of 
 
 connneat  hberanda?.  non-  -m  -i    r     \    ,   -u„a    ^^  r~„„ a 
 
 dumq;  i>>  fuam  nociciam   PMofophy  had  yet  found 
 
 eandem    viam   hiftoriaii     out. 
 cognictone  perlaram 5  pro- 
 
 cuJ  dubto  conficecur,  efTe  aliquam  •,  (ed  nondum  in  fuam 
 venifie  nocitiam.  Ira  ei  non  fufficiebac  quicquid  de  anima 
 liberanda  ftudiofilfime  di&icerac,  (ibique,  vcl  potius  aliis, 
 nolle  ac  tcnere  videbatur.  Senciebic  enim  adhuc  fibi  de- 
 cd'e  ahquam  prailantilTimam  audtorkatem,  quam  de  re 
 tanra  fequi  oporcarec.  Muzuft'm.  de  civitate  Dei,  lib.  10. 
 c.  3*. 
 
 3.  This 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         207 
 
 3.  ThisSenfeof  the  Antient  and  Wifeft  Theuwea- 
 Philofopliers,     is  much  departed  from  fo?aJ!lenfff 
 by  our  Modem  Delfts ,  who  contend  that  %§?£ 
 there    was  no  Want,     no    Need   of  a  dcnyinl  the 
 Revelation  j  that  Philofophy  and  right  w**t  and 
 Reafon  was  of  it  felf  fufficiently  able,  J*V* 
 to   inftrudt    and  preferve  Men  in    the  on#x<r  '  * 
 Practice  of  their  Duty  ^    and  that  no- 
 thing  was  to  be  cipected  from  Reve- 
 lation.    But  beiides  what  has  been  al- 
 ready hinted   concerning  the  extreme 
 Barbarity    of    the    prefent     Heathen 
 World,     and    what    the    Philofopliers 
 both  Greeks  and  Latins  have  confefTed 
 concerning  the    State  of  the  more  ci- 
 vilized Nations    wherein    they   lived  ^ 
 I  think  we  may   fafely   appeal    even 
 to    our    Adverfaries    themielves,     whe- 
 ther  the   Teftimony   of   Cbrifl,    (with- 
 out confidering  at  prefent  what  Truth 
 and  Evidence  it   has,)   concerning  the 
 Immortality    of    the    Soul,     and    the 
 Rewards    and  Punilhments    of    a    Fu- 
 ture State,     have    not  had    (notwith- 
 ftanding  all  the  Corruptions  of  Chri- 
 ftians,)  vifibly  in  Experience  and  Effect, 
 
 a  *  greater  and  more  pow- 
 erful Influence  upon  the  *  OJ*  SXfyttf,*E*Mi* 
 Lives  and  Anions  of  Men,  wvl**tMt*<>*h«$ 
 than  the  Reafonmgs  of  all  «>,i<^3*/ UW?  Xf/**- 
 the  Philofophers  that  e-  via-p*,  V  aunV  uv  «&- 
 ver  were  in  the  Worlds  uaaw>U* '***i iHifM? 
 Whether  credible  Teft!-  J^^g^ 
 mony,  and  the  Belief  and    eel},  lib.  i. 
 
 Authority 
 
2  o8       cThe  ^Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Authority  of  Revelation,  be  not  in 
 it  felf  as  it  were  a  Light  held  to 
 the  Conferences  of  fhipid  and  carelefs 
 Men  •,  and  the  nioft  natural  and  pro- 
 per means  that  can  be  imagined,  to 
 awaken  and  rowze  up  many  of  thofe, 
 who  would  be  little  affected  with  all 
 the  ftric~t  Arguments  and  abftra£t  Rea- 
 fonings  in  the  "World  $  And,  to  bring 
 this  matter  to  a  fhort  Ifliie  ^  whe- 
 ther in  Chriftian  Countries,  (at  leaft 
 where  Chriftianity  is  profefled  in  any 
 tolerable  degree  of  Purity,)  the  ge- 
 nerality even  t  of  the 
 meaner  and  moft  vulgar 
 and  ignorant  People  have 
 not  Truer  and  Worthier 
 Notions  of  God,  more 
 juft  and  right  Apprehen- 
 sions concerning  his  At- 
 tributes and  Perfections, 
 a  deeper  Senfe  of  the 
 Difference  of  Good  and 
 Evil,  a  greater  regard 
 to  moral  Obligations  and 
 to  the  plain  and  moft 
 necefTary  Duties  of  Life, 
 and  a  more  firm  and 
 univerfal  Expectation  of 
 a  Future  State  of  Re- 
 wards    and    Punifliments  < 
 
 fng?  MtXTt^  X?  TV 
 'WttKttlh  @pp,  \£\  TIP** 
 Xj     d ?<$(/■$  A«T7*?-      0?" 
 
 ,3«tV  m?}  ^«*  <p(?"v  <ro- 
 £*<  «a\«  f/ufi*  tXm'&h 
 fcAf$*t»v>  Eufeb.  De- 
 mmflr.it.  Evangel,  lib.  3. 
 
 %ni}iv$etiv.t       cKX.AnftaL(, 
 
 ac'T^oi*      Tit   jti   kk    av 
 
 fbf  T  *1K  ^  tlKkrW AS 
 K^  euyx.  ivei  r  $«AT;o 
 vav  h,d>  Tl<Him\\(ji  k$ut- 
 
 ru<  Ttyxdvef  r  h  To7f 
 
 Jyjy.01,  iKahmrtwv',  [Note 
 
 this  parage  is  bcrh  cor 
 
 rupcly  prince    mtkhuv  iil- 
 
 ilejd  or   -nWoi  j    and    alio  the  Senlc  01  it  hurt  by  an  imperfect 
 
 TranflacioK-    Oripn,  adur.  Cctj.  lib.  3.    Ldit<    Cantab,  fafr 
 
 J  than 
 
and  Revealed  Rdigion  209 
 
 than  in  any  Heathen  Country,  any  a  nuV 
 derahle  Number  of  Men  were  ever  found 
 
 to  have  had. 
 
 It  may    Here   perhaps  he  pretended  The  grttt 
 
 By  M<  dern  Deiits,    that  the  great  Ig-  m 
 norance    and     undeniable    corruptncls  J7  ] 
 
 of  the  whole  Heat); en  World,  h'\ 
 always  been  owing,  not  to  any  ab-  °«- 
 folute  Infufficiency  of  the  Light  of 
 Nature  it  felf,  but  merely  to  the  Fault 
 of  the  feveral  particular  Perfons.  iii 
 not  fufficiently  improving  that  Light  $ 
 and  that  Deifrs  Now,  in  places  where 
 Learning  and  right  Reafon  are  culti- 
 vated, are  well  able  to  difcovcr  and 
 explain  all  the  Obligations  and  Mo- 
 tives cf  Morality,  without  believing 
 any  thing  of  Revelation.  But  this, 
 even  though  it  were  true,  (as,  in  the 
 Senfe  they  intend,  it  by  no  means  is  -, 
 becaufc,  as  has  been  before  lhcwn, 
 there  are  feveral  very  neceflary  Truths 
 not  poffible  to  be  difcovered  with 
 any  certainty  by  the  bare  Light  of  Na- 
 ture 5  But)  fuppofing  it,  I  fav,  to 
 be  true,  that  all  the  Obligations  and 
 Motives  of  Morality  could  pofibly  be 
 difcovered  and  explained  clearly,  by 
 the  mere  Light  of  Nature  alone'-,  yet 
 even  This  would  not  at  all  prove, 
 that  there  is  no  need  of  Revelati- 
 on. For  whatever  the  bare  Natural 
 PoJibiUty  was  h  'tis  certain  in  Fj&, 
 B  b  the 
 
2 1  o         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 f  See  an  the  Wifeft  Pbilofopbers  of  Old,  t  never 
 *v%kn! f  were  a^e  t0  do  ^  t0  an7  effectual 
 't!  P^rpofe,  but  always  willingly  ac- 
 tbtipur-  know  lodged  that  they  frill  wanted  fome 
 pofe  ated  higher  Afllftance.  And  as  to  the  great 
 jY'pag'Pretenfes  of  the  Modem  Deijt$\  'tis 
 to  be  obferved,  that  the  clearnefs  of 
 moral  Reafonings  was  much  impro- 
 ved, and  the  Regard  to  a  future  State 
 very  much  increafed,  even  in  Hea- 
 then Writers,  after  the  coming  of  Cbrifi : 
 And  almoft  all  the  Things  that  are 
 faid  wifely  and  truly  by  modern 
 Deifts,  are  plainly  borrowed  from  that 
 Revelation,  which  they  refufe  to  im- 
 brace  ^  and  without  which,,  they  could 
 never  have  been  able  to  have  faid  the 
 fame  things.  New  indeed,  when  our 
 whole  Duty,  with  its  true  motives, 
 is  clearly  revealed  to  us  5  its  Pre- 
 cepts appear  plainly  agreeable  to  Rca- 
 fon  •,  and  Conference  readily  approves 
 what  is  Good,  as  it  condemns  what 
 is  Evil  \  Nay,  after  our  Duty  is  thus 
 made  known  to  us,  'tis  eafy  not  only 
 to  fee  its  agreement  with  Reafon,  but 
 alfo  to  begin  and  deduce  its  Obliga- 
 tion from  Reafon.  But  had  we  been 
 utterly  deftitute  of  all  revealed  Light  ^ 
 then,  to  have  difcovered  our  Duty  in 
 all  points,  with  the  true  motives  of 
 it,  merely  by  the  help  of  natural 
 Reafon,  would  have  been  a  work  of 
 Nicety,  Pains  and  Labour  j  like  gro- 
 ping 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 ping  for  an  unknown  way  in  the 
 obfcure  Twilight.  What  ground  have 
 any  of  our  Modern  Dei  Its  to  ima- 
 gine, that  if  they  themfelves  had  li- 
 ved without  the  Light  of  the  Gofpcl, 
 thev  ihould  have  been  wifer  than  So- 
 crates and  Plato  and  Ocei  o  t  How  are 
 they  certain,  they  fliould  have  made 
 fuch  a  right  ufe  of  their  Reafan,  as 
 to  have  difcovered  the  Truth  exaBly^ 
 without  being  any  way  led  afide  by 
 Prejudice  or  Negledt  ?  If  their  Lot 
 had  been  among  the  Vulgar  ^  how  are 
 they  fure  they  fhould  have  been  fo 
 happy,  or  fo  confiderate,  as  not  to 
 have  been  involved  in  that  Idolatry 
 and  Superftition,  which  overfpread  the 
 whole  World }  If  they  had  joyned 
 themfelves  to  the  Philofophers  $  Which 
 Seel  would  they  have  chofen  to  have 
 followed  >  And  what  Book  would 
 they  have  refolved  upon,  t©  be  the 
 adequate  Rule  of  their  Lives  and 
 Converfations  ?  Or,  if  they  Ihould  have 
 fet  up  for  Themfelves^  how  are  they 
 certain  they  fliould  have  been  fkilful 
 and  unprejudiced  enough,  to  have  de- 
 duced the  feveral  Branches  of  their 
 Duty,  and  applied  them  to  the  fe- 
 veral Cafes  of  Life,  by  Argumenta- 
 tion and  dint  of  Reafon  ?  3Tis  one 
 thing  to  fee  that  thofe  Rules  of  Life, 
 which  are  before-hand  plainly  and  par- 
 ticularly laid  before  us,  are  perfectly 
 Bl)  2  agreeable 
 
 II  I 
 
212 
 
 fTht  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 agreeable  to  Reafon  ^  and  another  thing 
 to  find  out  thofe  Rules  merely  by 
 the  Light  of  Reafon,  without  their 
 having  firft  been  any  otherwife  made 
 known.  We  fee  that  even  many  of 
 thofe,  who  profefs  to  govern  their 
 Lives  by  the  plain  written  Ride  of 
 an  htftituied  and  revealed  Religion,  are 
 yet  moft  miferably  ignorant  of  their 
 Duty  ^  and  how  can  any  Man  be 
 lure  he  fhould  have  made  fo  good 
 Improvement  of  his  Reafon,  as  to  have 
 under fiood  it  perfectly  in  all  its  parts, 
 without  any  fuch  help  >  We  fee  that 
 many  of  thofe,  who  profefs  to  be- 
 lieve firmly  that  great  and  everlafivg 
 Happinefs,  which  Chrift  has  promifed 
 to  Obedience  5  and  that  great  and 
 eternal  Mifery,  which  Chrift  has  threat- 
 ned  to  difoiedience  jj  are  yet  hur- 
 ried away  by  their  Luffo  and  Pafft- 
 ons  to  tranfgrefs  the  Conditions  of 
 that  Covenant,  to  which  thefe  Pro- 
 mifes  and  thefe  Threatnings  are  an- 
 nexed :  And  how  can  any  Man  be 
 fure  he  fhould  be  able  to  overcome 
 thofe  great  Temptations,  if  thefe  migh- 
 ty Motives  were  lefs  dijlin&ly  known, 
 or  lefs  powerfully  ht forced  S  But  fuppofe 
 he  could,  and  that  by  ftrength  of 
 Reafon  he  could  demonftrate  to  him- 
 felf  thefe  tilings  with  all  clearnefs  and 
 diftinftnefi  •  yet  could  All  Men  do  fo  > 
 Aiiuredly  all  Men  are  not  equally  ca- 
 pable 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         2T3 
 
 pable  of  being  Philofophers,  though  all 
 Men  are  equally  obliged  to  be  Religi- 
 ous. At  leaft  thus  much  is  certain, 
 that  the  Rewards  and  Piuiifhments 
 of  another  World,  the  great  Motives 
 of  Religion,  cannot  be  fo  powerfully 
 hiforced,  to  the  influencing  the  Liv^s 
 and  Pra&ife  of  all  forts  of  Men,  by- 
 one  who  fhall  undertake  to  demon- 
 fixate  the  reality  of  them  by  abftradt 
 Reafons  and  Arguments  5  as  by  one 
 who  fhowing  fufficient  Credentials  of 
 his  having  been  himfelf  in  that  other 
 State,  fhall  afTure  them  of  the  Truth 
 and  certainty  of  thefe  things.  But 
 after  all,  the  Queftion  does  not  really 
 lie  here.  The  Truth,  at  the  bottom,  is 
 plainly  This :  All  the  great  Things 
 that  Modern  Deifts  affect  to  fay  of 
 right  Re  a fon,  as  to  its  fufficiency  in 
 difcovering  the  Obligations  and  Mo- 
 tives of  Morality  -,  is  only  a  Pre  ten  fe, 
 to  be  made  ufe  of,  when  they  are 
 oppofing  Chrijlianity.  At  other  times, 
 and  in  reality,  they  have  no  hear- 
 ty regard  for  Morality,  nor  for  the 
 natural  Evidences  of  the  Certainty 
 of  a  Future  State  :  they  are  willing 
 enough  to  believe,  that  Men  perifh 
 abfolutely  at  Death  h  and  fo  they  have 
 no  concern  to  fupport  effectually  the 
 Caufe  of  Virtue,  nor  care  to  make 
 out  any  confiftent  Scheme  of  Things  • 
 but  unavoidably  recur,  in  Truth,  to 
 B  b  ]  downright 
 
%  1 4       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 downright    Atheifm.     At   leaft,    in    the 
 Manners    of    moft    of   them,    'tis   too 
 plain  and  apparent,   that  abfolute  Li- 
 bertinifm  is  the  thing  they  really  aim 
 at  ♦,     and   however    their    Creed    may 
 pretend  to  be  the  Creed  of  Deifts,  yet  al- 
 molt  always  their  Pracfife  is  thePraftife 
 of  very  Atheifts. 
 Yet  Gad         ^   ^°  rcturn    therefore   to  the    Ar- 
 was^not     gument.     From    what    has    been    Hud 
 abfoluteiy    upon  this  Head,     it    appears  plainly, 
 0Wged,  tt  t£at  ?tjs  agreeable  to  the  natural  Hopes 
 fhehefr  and  Expectations  o\  Men,  that  is,   of 
 pfft/ch  a    Right  Reafon  duly  improved  •,   to  fup- 
 Hevela-      pofe    God     making     feme     particular 
 von.  Revelation  of   his    Will  to    Mankind, 
 
 which  may  fupply  the  undeniable  De- 
 fects cf  the  Light  of  Nature.  And 
 at  the  fame  time,  'tis  evident  that 
 fueh  a  thing  is  by  no  means  unwor- 
 thy of  the  Divine  Wifdom,  or  in- 
 confiftent  with  any  of  the  Attributes 
 of  God-,  but  rather,  on  the  contra- 
 ry, moft  fuitable  to  them.  Conse- 
 quently corifidering  the  manifold  Wants 
 and  Neceilities  of  Men,  and  the  abun- 
 dant Goodnefs  and  Mercy  of  God  ^ 
 there  is  great  Ground  from  right  Rea- 
 fon and  the  Light  of  Nature,  to  be- 
 lieve, that  God  would  not  always 
 leave  Men  wholly  deftitute  of  fo  need- 
 ful an  Aihftance,  but  would  at  fome 
 time  or  other  actually  afford  it  them. 
 Yet   it   does  not  from    hence   at    all 
 
 follow 
 
and  Revealed  Relia  ion.  1 1 5 
 
 follow,  fas  fome  have  imagined  J  that 
 God  is  Obliged  to  make  fuch  a  Re- 
 velation ;  For  then  it  muft  needs  have 
 been  given  in  all  Ages,  and  to  all 
 Nations  ^  and  might  have  been  claim- 
 ed and  demanded  as  of  Juftice,  ra- 
 ther than  wifhed  for  and  defired  as 
 of  Mercy  and  condefcending  Good- 
 nefs.  But  the  fore-mentioned  ConfTde- 
 rations  are  fuch  as  might  afrord  Men 
 reasonable  ground  to  Hope  for  fome 
 Favour  of  this  kind,  to  be  conferred 
 at  fuch  Time,  and  in  fuch  Manner, 
 and  upon  fuch  Perfons,  as  fliould  feem 
 beft  to  fupreme  infinite  Wifdom  :  At 
 leaft,  they  might  well  difpofe  and 
 prepare  Men  before-hand,  whenever 
 any  Doctrine  Ihould  come  accompa- 
 nied with  juft  and  gcod  Evidence 
 of  its  being  fuch  a  Revelation,  to 
 believe  and  embrace  it  with  all  readi- 
 nefs. 
 
 It    has  been  made    ufe    of,  by   t  fc  Want  of 
 modern  Author,    as  his  principal    and  Vniverfa* 
 ftrongeft  Argument  againft   the  reafo-  ^™nt 
 nablenefs    of  believing  any  Revelation  cbjeftion 
 at  all  -,    that  it  is  confeffed  there  has  againfi  the 
 been  no  Revelation    miiverfally   owned  T^kth  °fa 
 and  embraced  as  fuch,     either  in    all  f0rac/e/ 
 Ages,   or  by  all  Nations  in  any  Age.  of  Re  a f on  y 
 He  pretends    to  acknowledge,    that   if  Pag-   *97> 
 the   Doctrine  of  Chriftianity  was  um-  &** 
 verfaUy  entertained,  he  would  not  doubt 
 of  its    being    truly    a   Revelation    of 
 B  b  4.  the 
 
1 1 6       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 the    Will    of  God    to  Mankind:    But 
 fince,    in  Facl,    there  is  no  inftituted 
 Religion   univerfally    received  as   a   Di- 
 vine Revelation  ^  and    there   are  feve- 
 tal     Nations    to    whom   the    Chriftian 
 I)octrine  in   particular,    was  never    fo 
 much   as  preached,    nor  ever  came    to 
 their  knowledge  at  all  ^   he    concludes 
 that,  what  is  not  univerfal  and  equally 
 made    known    to   AH  Meyi,   cannot  be 
 needful    for    Any  -,    and    confequently, 
 that  there  never  was   any    real  "Want 
 of    a    Revelation    at     all,     nor    any 
 ground  to  think  any  further  Aififtance 
 necelTarr   to    enable    Men    to    anfwer 
 all  the  Ends   of  their  Creation,  than 
 the    bare    Light    of   Nature.     This  is 
 the  Summ   and  Strength  of  this    Au- 
 thor's  Reafoning  •  and    herein  all  the 
 Deniers  of  Revelation  agree  with   him. 
 Now,   fnpt  to   takp   notice  here,    that 
 it    is    by    no    means    impoflible,     but 
 all  Men  may    be  capable    of    receiv- 
 ing   fome    Benefit     from     a    Revela- 
 tion, which  }^et  a  great  par.t  of  them 
 may   never  have   heard  of  0    If   thefq 
 Mens  Reafoning  was  true,     it    would 
 follow   by    the    fame  Argument,    that 
 neither  was  Natural  Religion  neceflary 
 to    inable    Men    to  anfwer    the    ends 
 of   their   Creation.     For,    though     all 
 the  Truths   of   Natural   Religion,  are 
 indeed    certainly  difcoverable    by  the 
 e  ufe  of  right  Reafon,  alone  h    yet 
 
 'tis 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         2. 1 7 
 
 'tis    evident    All   Men  are  not  indued 
 with    the    fame  Faculties   and  Capaci- 
 ties,    nor   'have   they  All  equally   af- 
 forded   to    them    the    fame    means    of 
 making  that  difcovery  h    As  thefe  Gen- 
 tlemen themfelves  upon  fome  occaiions 
 are    willing   enough     to    own,     when 
 they  are   defcribing  the   barbarous  Ig- 
 norance   of    fome  poor    Indian    Nati- 
 ons :     And     confequently    the     know- 
 ledge of   Natural    Religion  being,    in 
 Fact,    by  no  means  univcrfal  ^    it  will 
 follow  that    there    is  no  great   Necef- 
 iify    even    of    That  h    but    that    Men 
 may    do    very    well     without    it,  in 
 performing  the  Functions  of  the  Ani- 
 mal   Life,     and    directing     themfelves 
 wholly  by  the  Inclinations   of  Senfe  5 
 And    thus  thefe    Gentlemen    muft    at 
 laft   be     forced   to    let    go    all    moral 
 Obligations,    and  fo  recur  unavoidably 
 to  abfolute  Atheifm.     The    Truth  is : 
 As    God  was    not    obliged,     to    make 
 all  his  Creatures  equal  ^    to  make  Men, 
 Angels  ^    or    to  endue  all  Men,     with 
 the  fame  Faculties    and  Capacities    as 
 Any  h    So  neither  is  he  bound  to  make 
 all    Men    capable    of  the  fame   Degree     . 
 or  the  fame  Kind  of  Happinefs,    or  to 
 afford  all    Men   the  very   fame    means 
 and  opportunities  of  obtaining  it.    There 
 is  ground    enough,    from  the    confide- 
 ration    of  the  mainfeft    corruption  of 
 Humane    Nature,    to  be   fo  far   (ena- 
 ble 
 
1 1 3       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 tie  of  the  "Want  of  a  Divine  Reve- 
 lation, as  that  right  Reafon  and  the 
 Light  of  Nature  it  felf  will  lead  a 
 wife  and  confiderate  Man  to  think 
 it  very  probable,  that  the  infinitely 
 merciful  and  good  God  may  actually 
 vou chafe  to  afford  Men  fome  fuch 
 fupernatural  Aftiftance:  And  confe- 
 cjuently  fuch  a  Perfon  will  be  very 
 willing,  ready,  and  prepared  to  en- 
 tertain a  Doelrine  which  fhall  at  any 
 time  come  attended  with  juft  and  good 
 Evidence  of  its  being  truly  a  Revela- 
 tion of  the  Will  of  God.  But  it  does 
 not  at  all  from  hence  follow,  either 
 that  God  is  abfolutely  bound  to  make 
 fuch  a  Revelation  •,  or  that,  if  he  makes 
 it,  it  muft  equally  be  made  to  All 
 Men  -,  or  that,  iince  in  Facl  it  is  not 
 made  to  All,  therefore  there  is  no  Rea- 
 fon to  believe  that  there  is  any  Need 
 or  any  Probability  of  its  being  made 
 to  Any, 
 
 VIII.  There  is  no  other  Religion 
 vow  in  the  World,  but  the  Chrijtian,  that 
 has  any  jnft  pretenfe  or  tolerable  appear- 
 ance of  Reafon,  to  be  ejleemed  fuch  a 
 Divine  Revelation :  And  therefore,  if 
 Chriftianity  be  not  true,  there  is  no  Re- 
 velation of  the  Will  of  God  at  all  made  to 
 Mankind. 
 
 This  Proportion  will  eafily  be  gran- 
 ted by  all  ModernUnbelievers^  and  there- 
 fore 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  2 1 9 
 
 fore  I  need  not  be  particular  in  the  Proof 
 of  it. 
 
 The  Mahometan  Religion,   was  found-  of  the 
 ed  by    a  vitious  Pcrfon,     propofes  ri-  ''" ■•"' '  me' 
 diculous    and    trifling  Doctrines  to  be'-^*- 
 believed,     was   propagated  merely  by"  ' 
 violence  and  force  of  Arms,  was  con- 
 firmed by  no  publick  and  uncontefta- 
 ble  Miracles,  promifes  vain  and  fenfual 
 Rewards    to    its     ProfcfTours,    and    is 
 every    way     incompafTed     with   num- 
 berlefs     fuch    Abfurdities    and    Incon- 
 fiftencies,     (as  thofe  who  have   given 
 us  Accounts  of  the    Life    cf   Mahomet, 
 and   the  Nature  of  his  Religion,   have 
 abundantly  made  out  i     and   is  fuffici- 
 ently    evident    even    from     the    Alco- 
 ran   it  felf  -J    that   there   is  no   great 
 Danger  of  Its  impofing  upon  rational 
 and  confiderate  Men. 
 
 The  Jewijh  Religion,    was    founded  °f the 
 wholly    upon    the    Expectation   of  a&^ 
 Mejfiah    to    come  5    and  the    Time   of 
 his  appearance   was    limited    by    fuch 
 plain  and  determinate  Prophefics,    that 
 what  difficulties  foever   there    m#y  be 
 in  computing   the  very  nice  and  exact 
 Time  of  their   Completion-    or    w  at 
 different   Periods  foever  may  be  fixed,     * 
 from  whence   to   begin  feveral  Compu- 
 tations j   yet  the  time  of  their  bei;  g 
 fulfilled,  is   now,    in  all  pofFible  was 
 of  computing,    fo    very    far    elapf.d, 
 that,    if  the  Cbrijlian  Doctrine  be  fuife, 
 
 there 
 
no      The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 there  is  no  Suppofition  left,  upon 
 which  the  JewiJI)  Religion,  can,  with 
 any  Colour  of  Reafon,  be  believed  to 
 be  true. 
 
 It  being  evident  therefore,  that  ei- 
 ther the  Chriftian  Revelation  is  true, 
 or  elfe  (how  great  Want  foever  there 
 may  be  of  it)  there  is  no  fuch  thing 
 as  Revelation  at  all  •,  It  remains  that 
 we  proceed  to  confider  what  poftive 
 and  dire  ft  Evidence  there  is,  to  prove 
 the  a&ual  Truth  of  this  Divine  Reve- 
 lation. 
 
 IX.  The  Chriftian  Religion,  confide- 
 red  in  its  primitive  Simplicity,  and  as 
 taught  hi  the  Holy  Scriptures,  has  all  the 
 Marks  and  Proofs  of  its  being  aftually 
 and  truly  a  Divine  Revelation  -,  that  any 
 Divine  Revelation,  fuppofing  it  was  true, 
 could  reafonahly  be  imagined  or  dejired  to 
 have. 
 The  mctr\s  The  neceffary  Maries  and  Proofs  of 
 ofaReh-  a  Religion  coming  from  God,  are 
 fZTJg  thefc-  HrA  That  the  Dwtfmtenjoyns, 
 be  all  fuch  as  are  agreeable  to  our 
 natural  Notions  of  God  -,  and  perfe- 
 ctive of  the  Nature,  and  conducive 
 to  the  Happinefs  and  "Well-being  of 
 Men  •  And  that  the  Doftrines  it  teaches, 
 be  ail  fuch  -,  as,  though  not  indeed 
 difcoverable  by  the  bare  Light  of  Na- 
 ture, yet,  when  difcovered  by  Reve- 
 lation,   may    be  confiftent  with,    and 
 
 agreeable 
 
!        and  Revealed  Religion 
 
 agreeable  to,    found  and  unprejudiced 
 Reafon.      For  otherwife,    no  Evidence 
 whatfoever,  can  be  of   fo  great  force 
 to  prove   that,  any  Doctrine  is  True  • 
 as  its  being  either  Contradictory  in  it 
 felf,   or  wicked  in   its    Tendency,    is, 
 to   prove  that    it  muft  necefTarily   be 
 Falfe.     Secondly,    For  the  fame  Reafon, 
 the  Motives  likewife,    by   which  it   is 
 recommended  to  Mens  Belief  and  Pra- 
 ctife^  and  all  the  peculiar  Circwnftances, 
 with    which  it    is  attended-,    muft    be 
 fuch    as  are     fuitable   to    the    excel- 
 lent Wifdom  of  God,     and    fitted    to 
 amend   the  Manners   and   perfect    the 
 Minds  of  Men.     Laftly,    It  mult  more- 
 over   be    positively    and  dire&ly    proved 
 to    come  from  God,     by  fuch    certain 
 Signs    and  Matters  of  Fa&,     as  may  be 
 undeniable    Evidences  of  its  Author's 
 having  actually  a  Divine   Commiilion  : 
 For  otherwife,    as    no     Evidence    can 
 prove  a  Doctrine    to  come  from  God, 
 if   it  be    either  Impoflible   or  Wicked 
 in  it  felf  ^  fo  on  the  other  hand,   nei- 
 ther  can   any  degree  of  Goodnefs  or 
 Excellency    in    the    Doctrine  it   felf, 
 make  it  certain,  but  only  highly  pro- 
 bable,   to    have  come  from   God,    un- 
 lefs  it  has  moreover  fome  pofitive  and 
 direct  Evidence  of  its  being    actually 
 Revealed. 
 
 The     entire      Proof    therefore     of 
 this   Proportion,    muft   be    made    by 
 
 an 
 
 11\ 
 
222       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 an  Induction   of  Particulars,    as    fol- 
 lows. 
 
 X.  Firft,  The  Practical  Duties  which 
 the  Chriftian  Religion  enjoyns,  are  all 
 fuch,  as  are  moft  agreeable  to  our  iia- 
 turai  Notions  of  God,  and  moft  perfe- 
 tlive  of  the  Nature,  and  conducive  to 
 the  Happinefs  and  Well-being  of  Men  : 
 That  is,  Chriftianity  even  in  this  Jingle 
 refpetl,  as  containing  alone  and  in  one 
 confiftevi  Syftem  all  the  wife  and  gcol 
 Precepts,  (and  thofe  improved,  augmented, 
 and  exalted  to  the  higheft  degree  of  Per-* 
 fection,)  that  ever  were  taught  fingly  and 
 fcaiteredly,  and  many  times  but  very 
 corruptly,  by  t' e  fever al  Schools  of  the 
 Philofcphers  5  and  this  without  any  mix- 
 lure  of  the  fond,  abfurd,  and  fupperfti- 
 tious  Practifesof  any  of  thofe  Phi lojopber  th- 
 ought to  be  embraced  andpractifed  by  all 
 rational  and  confidering  Deifts,  who  will 
 act  confidently,  and  fieddily  purfue  the 
 confequences  of  their  own  Principles*,  as 
 at  leaft  the  left  Scheme  and  Sect  of  Phi- 
 lofophy  that  ever  wasfct  up  in  the  World  ; 
 and  highly  probable,  even  though  it  had 
 no  external  Evidence^  to  be  of  Divine 
 Original. 
 The  Propi-      rf  his  Proportion  is  fo  very  evident, 
 
 ^rStbe^K  the  Sreateft  Adverfaries  of  the 
 feveral  In  Chriftian  Institution  have  never  been 
 fiances  cf  able  to  deny  it  any  otherwife,  than 
 V*ty.        by     confounding     the    Inventions    of 
 
 Men, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 Men,  the  Superftitious  Pi\  ctifes  of 
 particular  Perfons,  or  the  corrupt  Ad- 
 ditions of  certain  particular  Churches 
 or  Societies  of  Chriftians,  with  the1 
 pure  and  fimple  Precepts  of  the  Go- 
 fpel  of  Chrift.  In  all  thofe  Inftances 
 of  Duty,  which  pure  and  uncorrupt 
 Chriftianity  injoyns,  the  Proportion 
 is  manifeft  and  altogether  undeniable. 
 The  Duties  of  Love,  Fear,  and  Ado- 
 ration,  which  the  Chriftian  Religion 
 obliges  us  to  render  unto  God,  are 
 fo  plainly  incumbent  upon  us  from 
 the  confideration  of  the  excellent  At- 
 tributes of  the  Divine  Nature,  an  J 
 our  relation  to  him  as  our  Creator 
 and  Prcferver  •,  that  no  Man  who 
 confiders,  can  think  himfelf  free  from 
 the  Obligations  which  our  Religion 
 lays  upon  him  to  praclife  thefe  Du- 
 ties ^  without  denying  the  very  Be- 
 ing of  God,  and  acting  contrary  to 
 the  Reafon  and  all  the  natural  No- 
 tions of  his  own  Mind.  Its  placing 
 the  true  and  acceptable  Worfhip  of 
 God,  not  fo  much  in  any  poiitive 
 and  ritual  Obfervances,  as  in  approach- 
 ing him  with  pure  Hearts  and  unde- 
 filed  Bodies,  with  unfeigned  Repen- 
 tance for  all  paft  Mifcarriages,  and 
 fincere  Refolutions  of  conftant  Obe- 
 dience for  the  future  ^  in  praying  to 
 him  for  whatever  we  want,  and  re- 
 turning him  our  moft  hearty    Thanks 
 
 for 
 
 22 
 
i  2  4        *The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 for  whatever  good  things  we  receive.; 
 with  fuch  Dependence  and  Humility, 
 fuch  Submiiliori,  Truft  and  Reliance, 
 as  are  the  proper  Affe&ions  of  duti-* 
 fal  Children ;  all  this  is  plainly  moft 
 agreeable  to  our  Natural  Notions  and 
 Apprehensions  of  God.  And  that  the 
 Prayers  of  finful  and  depraved  Crea- 
 tures, fincerely  repenting,  fhould  be 
 ofterel  up  to  God,  and  become  pre^ 
 valent  with  him,  through  and  by  the 
 Interceffion  of  a  Mediator  •  is  very 
 confonant  to  right  and  unprejudiced 
 Reafon  5  as  I  fhall  have  occaiion  to 
 fhow  more  particularly  hereafter,  when 
 I  come  to  confider  the  Articles  of  our 
 Belief.  Again  5  The  Duties  of  Jufiice, 
 Equity,  Charity,  and  Truth,  which  the 
 Chriftian  Religion  obliges  us  to  exer- 
 cife  towards  Men, r  are  fo  apparently 
 reafonable  in  themfelves,  and  fo  di- 
 redtly  conducive  to  the  Happinefs 
 f  f  Mankind  -,  that  their  unalterable 
 Obligation  is  not  only  in  great  mea- 
 fure  deducible,  from  the  bare  Light 
 of  Nature  and  right  Reafon  •,  but 
 even  thofe  Men  alfo,  who  have  broken 
 through  all  the  Bonds  of  natural  Re- 
 ligion it  felf,  and  the  original  Obliga- 
 tions of  Virtue,  have  yet  thought  it 
 necefTary  for  the  prefervation  of  So- 
 ciety and  the  well-being  of  Mankind, 
 that  the  Obfervation  cf  thefe  Duties 
 to  fome  degree,  fhould  be  inforced  by 
 
 the 
 
and  Revealed  Religio?*.  zij 
 
 o 
 
 the  Penalties  of  humane   Laws.     And 
 the    additional  Improvements,     which 
 o»r  Saviour  has  made  to  thefe  Duties, 
 by    commanding    his    Difciplcs    to    be  Mltt-  c- 
 as   it  were  Lights  in   the   World,  and  l(>  *'Cm 
 Examples   of  good  Works  to  all  Men  •■ 
 to    be    fo    far    from    injuring    others, 
 that  on  the  contrary  they  fhculd  not 
 indulge    themfelves  iri  any    degree  of 
 Anger   or  Paffion  ^    to  feek  reconcilia- 
 tion immediately  upon  any  Difference 
 or    Offence  that  may    arife ;    to    bear 
 injuries  patiently,   rather  than  return 
 evil    for    evil  ^    to  be    always   willing 
 to  forgive  one  another  their  trefpafles, 
 as   they  all  expect  forgivenefs   at  the 
 Hands  of  God-,    to  be  kind   and  cha- 
 ritable to   all    Men;    to  aifift  readily, 
 and  be  willing  to  do  all  good  Offices, 
 not  only  to  their   Friends,    but  even 
 to  their  bitterer!  Enemies  alfo  $    in  a 
 Word,  to  raife  their  Virtue  and  Good-' 
 nefs  far   above   the    common    Practife 
 of  Men,  extending  their  Charity  u'ni- 
 verfally  in  imitation  of  the  Goodnefs 
 of   God  himfelf,  who  maketh  the  Sun 
 to  rife  on   the   evil  and  on  the  good, 
 and    fendeth    Rain   on   the    juft    and 
 on     the    unjuft :     Thefe    Precepts,     I 
 fay,     are    fuch,     as     no    unprejudiced 
 Philosopher    would  have    been    unwil- 
 ling  to    confefs  were  the    utmoft  Im- 
 provements   of   Morality,    and  to  the 
 higher!  degree   Perfective  of   humane 
 C  c  Nature, 
 
ii6        Th  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Nature.  In  like  manner-,  The  Du- 
 ties of  Sobriety,  Tc??ipera7ice,'  Patience 
 and  Contentment,  which  our  Religion 
 injoyns  us  to  practife  in  Our  felves, 
 are  fo  undeniably  agreeable  to  the 
 inward  Conftitution  of  humane  Na- 
 ture, and  fo  perfective  of  it,  that 
 the  principal  Deiign  of  all  true  Phi- 
 lofophj  has  ever  been  to  recommend 
 and  fet  off  thefe  Duties  to  the  beft 
 Advantage  •  Though,  as  the  Philofo- 
 phers  themfelves  have  always  confef- 
 fed,  no  Philofophy  was  ever  able  to 
 govern  Mens  practife  effectually  in 
 thefe  refpects.  But  the  additional 
 Precepts,  and  the  new  Weight  and 
 Authority,  which  our  Saviour  has  ad- 
 ded to  his  Inftructions  of  this  kind  •, 
 flfc*.  5-  teaching  his  Difciples  to  govern  their 
 2S-  very    Thoughts,  Deiires    and  Inclina- 
 
 Mat.  6  ■  t^0113  h  to  contemn  and  get  above  all 
 19,  24, '  the  Deiires  of  this  prefent  World,  and 
 &c.  to  fet  their  Affections  principally  upon 
 
 that  which  is  to  come  •,  Thefe  are 
 the  things,  which,  when  the  Chriftian 
 Religion  was  in  its  primitive  and 
 pureft  State,  worked  Men  up  actually 
 to  fuch  a  Pitch  of  cheerful  and  ge- 
 nerous Obedience  to  the  Laws  of  God, 
 and  taught  them  to  obtain  fuch  a 
 compleat  Victory  over  the  World,  and 
 over  all  the  Deiires  and  Appetites  of 
 StnCc  h  as  the  beft  Philofophers  have 
 acknowledged,    their  Inftructions  were 
 
 never 
 
dnd  Revealed  Relu/ion.        1*7 
 
 never  able  to  do.'  Laftly,  even  thofe 
 pofitive  and  external  Observances,  ({.he 
 Two  Sacraments  J  which  are  inftituted 
 in  the  Chriftian  Religion,  as  means 
 and  afliftances  to  keep  Men  ftedfaft 
 in  the  praclife  of  thofe  great  and  mo- 
 ral Duties  Which  are  the  weightier'  Mat- 
 ters of  the  Law  -,  even  thofe  pofitive 
 Inftittitions  (I  fay)  are  fo  free  from 
 all  appearance  of  Superftition  and 
 Vanity,  and  fo  wifely  fitted  to  the 
 end  for  which  they  were  defigned, 
 that  no  Adverfaries  cf  Chriftianity 
 have  ever  been  able  to  object  any 
 thing  at  all  againft  the  things  them- 
 felves,  bat  only  againft  certain  Cor- 
 ruptions and  Superftitions,  which  fome, 
 who  call  themfclves  Chriftians,  have, 
 directly  in  oppofition  to  the  true  De- 
 fign  of  Chriftianity,  introduced  and 
 annexed  to  them.  For,  what  reafona- 
 ble  Man  can  pretend  to  fay,  that  'tis 
 any  way  unreafonable  or  Superftiti- 
 ous,  for  every  Member  of  the  Socie- 
 ty to  be  folemnly  admitted  into  his 
 Profeflion,  by  a  plain  and  iignificant 
 Rite,  irjtitlirig  him  to  all  the  Privi^ 
 leges,  and  charging  him  with  all  the 
 Obligations,  which  belong  to  the  Mem- 
 bers of  that  Society  as  fuch  ?  which 
 is  the  Defign  of  One  of  the  Sacraments  : 
 Or,  that  'tis  unreafonable  and  Super- 
 ftitious,  for  Men  frequently  to  com- 
 memorate with  all  Thankfulntfs  the 
 C  c  2  Love 
 
i%%        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Love  of  their  greateft  Benefa&or,  and 
 humbly  and  folemnly  to  renew  their 
 Obligations  and  Promifes  of  Obedience 
 to  him?  which  is  the  Deiign  of  the 
 Other, 
 this,  a  Let  now  any  impartial  Perfon  judge, 
 
 great  Evi-  whether  this  be  not  a  wife  and  excel- 
 Miht  d  lent   Inftitution   of  praSkal  Religion  -, 
 celling*     Highly  conducive  to  the  Happinefs  of 
 fromGcd    Mankind  5  and  worthy  to  be  eftablifh- 
 ed  by  a  Revelation  from  God,  when  Men 
 had  confeffedly  corrupted  themfelves  to 
 fuch    a    degree,     that    not    only    the 
 Light  of  Nature  and  right  Reafon  was 
 altogether  infufficient  to  reftore  true  Pie- 
 ty, but  even  That  Light  it  felf  fas  Cice- 
 ro  *  expresfly  acknow- 
 
 * _  uc  Nature  La.    ledges)  no  where  appear- 
 
 mconurquafD-appircac     Ck.     cd>     Let    an      impartial 
 Tf.fe.  Qu,    lib.    2.    See    this      _.     r       .    -,      J      ,   \. 
 raffage  cited  before  <x  Urge,     Perfon  Judge>  whether  a 
 fag.  15%.  Religion  that  tends  thus 
 
 manifeftly  to  the  reco- 
 very of  the  rational  part  of  God's  Crea- 
 tion, to  reftore  Men  to  the  Imitation 
 and  Likenefs  of  God,  and  to  the 
 Dignity  and  higheft  Improvement  of 
 their  Nature  •  has  not  within  it  felf 
 an  intrinfick  and  very  powerful  Evi- 
 dence of  its  being  truly  Divine,  Let 
 any  one  read  the  fifth ,  fixth  and 
 feventh  Chapters  of  St  Matthew  s  Gofpel, 
 and  judge  if  they  do  not,  as  it  were, 
 fet  before  his  Eyes  fuch  a  lovely  Image 
 and  Reprefentation  of  true  Virtue,  as 
 
 Plato 
 
and  Revealed  Religic?i.         129 
 
 Plato     *   faid    Could     not  *     Farm-im     ipfim,      & 
 
 but  charm  Men  with  the     tan^U2im    *£■»  honcfti  \ 
 higheft  degree  of  love  and     iirabilcs   amqrfe,    uc   aic 
 
 admiration  imaginable.  ?/  .</o,  cxcicarcc  Sui.  o'c.  dc 
 In  a  Word,  let  any  Man  4fc-  '**-  t. 
 of  an  honeft  and  fincere 
 Mind  confider,  whether  That  practical 
 Dodtrine  has  not  even  in  it  felf  the 
 greater!:  marks  of  a  Divine  Original  5 
 wherein  whatfoever  things  are  true,  Phil.  4,3. 
 whatfoever  things  are  honeft ,  whatfo- 
 ever  things  are  y'w/,  whatfoever  things 
 are  pure,  whatfoever  things  are  lovely, 
 whatfoever  things  are  of  good  revort\ 
 if  there  be  any  Virtue,  if  there  be  any 
 thing  praife-wortby  ^  all  thefe ,  and 
 thefe  only,  are  the  things  that  are 
 earneftly  recommended  to  Mens  pra- 
 clife.  What  wife  Precept  was  ever 
 delivered  by  any  Philofopher  of  any 
 Seel,  which  is  not  more  plainly  laid 
 down  by  our  Saviour  and  his  Apo- 
 ftles  ?  And  not  only  fo  5  but  inforced 
 moreover  with  greater  Efficacy  and 
 Strength  ?  founded  upon  nobler  and 
 more  confiftent  Principles?  urged  with 
 greater  Weight  and  Authority  ?  and 
 prefTed  with  more  powerful  and  af- 
 fecting Arguments  ?  Nay,  neither  is 
 This  all  the  difference,  even  in  refpect 
 barely  of  the  Excellency  of  the  Do- 
 ctrine it  felf.  For  the  Philofophers 
 taught  indeed  many  excellent  moral 
 Truths  5  but  fome  upon  one  occafion 
 C  c  3  and 
 
%  3  o       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 and  upon  one  Set  of  Principles,  fome 
 upon  another  •,  and  every  one  of  them 
 were  miftaken  in  fome  Inftances  of 
 Duty,  and  mingled  particular  Su- 
 perftitions  and  falfe  Notions  with  their 
 good  Inftructions,  and  built  their  Do- 
 ctrine upon  no  fure  Foundation  of 
 confident  Principles  •  and  All  of  them 
 fas  has  been  before  ihown)  were  very 
 imperfect  and  deficient,  and  far  from 
 being  able  to  make  up  an  entire  and 
 compleat  Scheme  of  the  whole  Duty 
 of  Man  in  all  Cafes. 
 But  now,  *  to  put  toge- 
 ther all  the  wife  and 
 good  Precepts  that  ever 
 were  delivered  by  any 
 wife  Men  of  any  Seel: 
 and  in  any  Age  •,  to  im- 
 prove and  exalt  every 
 one  of  them,  to  the  high- 
 eft  poffible  degree  of  ex- 
 cellency and  perfection  •, 
 to  feparate  and  lay  afide 
 all  the  fuperftitious  Opi- 
 nions and  Practifes,  that 
 had  been  mixed  by  all 
 or  airy  of  the  different 
 Sects  of  Philofophers,  or 
 Teachers  of  Religion  in 
 any  Nation,  with  their 
 respective  moral  Inftruc- 
 tions  •,  and  to  fupply  all 
 thofe  Doctrines,  wherein 
 both 
 
 cT^yucfi-a. 
 lit   k*    %gi 
 
 e/,7ro    (Apxs    7%    (fmfueiTtxSt 
 3*1*  Xoyx  ib  (Tvf'fyiit  o^uv, 
 
 n&^cf.   7su  en 
 
 vav     '<&.       "jufiin     y,polog, 
 1. 
 
 Quod  fi  extkifTet  ali- 
 c]uis,  qui  veruatem  fpar- 
 U m  per  fingulps  ,  per 
 feftafq;  diftufim,  coJIige- 
 rcc  in  unum  ac  rcdigerec 
 in  corpus-,  is  profcfto 
 pan  difTeaciret  a  nobis. 
 Bed  hoc  nemo  tacesc,  mi) 
 veri  peritus  ac  fciens,  po- 
 feft.  Veritfli  aurem  non 
 n;fi  eius  fcire  ell,  qu^  fit 
 do&us  a  Deo.  LaZUnt. 
 lib.    7. 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         a  3 1 
 
 Loth  moral  Philofophy  and  the  aditi- 
 onal    Inftitutions    of  all    Religions  in 
 the    World,     had  in  the   whole    been 
 hitherto   altogether  deficient-,    and  all 
 this,  in  one  plain,  entire  and  regular 
 Syftem,    upon  the   Foundation  of   cer- 
 tain  and    confident   Principles  •,    This 
 is  the  peculiar  Character  of  the  Chri- 
 ftian' Inftitution  }   and  all  this  cannot 
 with  any  colour  of  Reafon,     be  ima- 
 gined to  have   ever  been  done  by  any 
 Man,    but  one  fent   immediately  from 
 God,     Upon    this  confideration    alone, 
 all  fincere    Deifts    (if  any  fuch  there 
 be)    who   really    are    what  they  pre- 
 tend to  be,  who  believe  the  Being  and 
 Attributes     of   God,     and    are    firmly 
 convinced  of   the  Obligations  of  Vir- 
 tue   and    natural    Religion,     and    the 
 certainty  of  a  Future  State  of  Rewards 
 and   Puniihments  •  muft  needs  by  their 
 own    Principles    be    ftrongly    inclined 
 to  embrace  the  Chr  ifiian  Religion  •,  to 
 believe,    at   leaft    to  hope  confidently, 
 that  a   Dodrine    fo   plainly    fitted    to 
 recover  Men  out  of  their  univerfally 
 corrupt   Eftate,   and   reftore    them    to 
 the  Knowledge  and  Favour  of  God,  is 
 truly  Divine  •  and  to  entertain  it  with 
 all  cheerfulnefs,  as  what  in  itfclf  has 
 thofe     manifold    Marks     of    Goodncfs 
 and  Perfection,    which  are   thcmiclves 
 iufficient  to  fatisfy  a  good  Man,  that 
 it  cannot    be  any   thing  elfe    than   a 
 C  c  4  Reve- 
 
%  3  i       T7;tf  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 f  Sed    fi  vel   cafu   id     Revelation  from  God,  e~ 
 efficcrcc,     certlffime    phi-     ven    +    though    it     had 
 
 SftET ;  dS-HB  "***  all  th!fe  outward 
 rooniis  ilia  defend  ere,  ta-  Proofs,  and  divine  and 
 men  feipfam  Veritas  iUu-  miraculous  Teftimonies, 
 Krarecfup  lupine.  UZLnt.  whkh  lhall  hereafter  be 
 >  '  7  mentionedin  their  proper 
 
 place. 
 
 XI.  Scondly,  Ibe  Motives  by  vbicb 
 the  Cbriftian  Religion  hi  forces  the  Prattifc 
 rf  the  Duties  it  hijoyns,  are  fuch  as  are 
 fnoft  fukable  to  the  excellent  Wifdom  of 
 Qod  5  and  mofi  arifwerable  to  the  natural 
 BxpeSations  of  Men. 
 $f  the  I.  The  Accept ablenefs  of  true  Repeyi- 
 
 acceptable- tancc7    in   the  light  of  God  ^   and  the 
 neh  *f      certain  AJfurance  of  Pardon  upon  fuch 
 ZTunce]    Repentance  h   which  the  Chriftian  Re- 
 ai  a  mI   ligion  affords  us  •    Is  a  moft    powerful 
 true  to  c-  and  riecefTary  Motive  to  frail  and  finful 
 :nce.    qreatures  •,    to    incourage  and  fupport 
 them  effectually  in  the  praclife  of  their 
 Duty.     3Tis    indeed    in    general    evi- 
 dently more  agreeable  to  right  Reafon 
 as  to  Mens    natural  Notions  of  God, 
 to    believe  him   placable  and  merciful 
 and    willing  to  forgive.     But   iince  at 
 the   fame  time    it    cannot   be    proved 
 by  any  Arguments  from  Reafon,    that 
 God  is  abfohttely  obliged  to  forgive  ^  and 
 'tis   confeiTedly    evident,    that    it    be- 
 comes  the  Supreme  Governour  of  the 
 TTniverfe,  to  vindicate  the  Honour  and 
 
 Authority 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         13  j 
 
 Authority  of   his    Laws    and  Govern- 
 ment,   to  give  fome  Evidences  of  his 
 Hatred   and    Indignation    againit    Sin, 
 and  fome  times  by   inftances    of   Seve- 
 rity to  prevent    Sinners  from  abuiing 
 his  Mercy  and  Patience  ^  no  lefs  than 
 that  'tis  agreeable  to  his  infinite  Wif- 
 dom  and  Goodnefs,  to  fuiFer  his  Anger 
 to  be  by  fome  means     appeafed :     No 
 Motive  in  this  Cafe    can  be  imagined 
 more  expedient  and  powerful,  to  incou- 
 rage  Sinners  to  return  to  the   pradife 
 of  their   Duty,  and  to  perfwade  them 
 to    continue    therein    immoveable    for 
 the   future  •,  nothing  can  be  imagined 
 more  feafonable  and  fatisfaclory  to  the 
 Mind  of  Man,    and  more  agreeable  to 
 the     excellent     "VVifdom    of  God,     and 
 worthy  of  the  fupreme  and  infinitely 
 merciful    Governour    of    all     Things  ^ 
 than  fuch   a    pofitive   Declaration    of 
 the  Accept  ablenefs  of  Jin  cere  Repentance, 
 and   fuch  an   authentick  Afiurance    of 
 Far  don  and   Forgivenefs    thereupon  ,    as 
 under    the  Chriftian  Difpenfation    the 
 Divine  Goodnefs  and  Mercy  has  found 
 means  to  afford  unto  us,  in  fuch  manner 
 as  is  at  the  fame  time  abundantly  con- 
 fiftent  with  the  Honour  and  Dignity  of 
 the  Laws  of  God,   and  with  his  irrecon- 
 cileable  Hatred  againft  all  Unrighteouf- 
 nefs  and  Sin. 
 
 2.  That 
 
254       ^Tkc  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Of  the  di-       2.     That  divine  and  fitpernatural  Ajfift- 
 ™e  +0ift-  a7rce^   which,  under  the  Christian   Dif- 
 Mther      Pen&tion,    they  who  fincerely  endea- 
 Mot'm  to  vour    to  obey  the  Will  of   God,    have 
 obedience,  incouragement  to  hope  for,    upon  all 
 neceflary  occafions  ^  is  another  power- 
 ful Motive^    to  fupport  Men  effectually 
 in   the  Practife  of  their    Duty.      The 
 wifcft  of  the    Philofophers,    were  ,  fo 
 far   fenfible  of  the  great    Corruption 
 and  Depravity  of  Humane  Nature  in 
 its  prefent  State  h    they  were  feniible 
 that    fuch  was  the    Carelefsnefs,    Stu- 
 pidity,   and  Want    of    Attention,     of 
 the  greater  part  of  Mankind  5  fo  many 
 the  early   Prejudices    and   falfe    Noti- 
 ons taken  in  by    evil  Education  ^    fo 
 ftrong  and   violent    the    unreafonable 
 Lufts,  Appetites  and  Defrres  of  Senfe  ^ 
 and  fo  great  the  Blindnefs,   introduced 
 by  fuperftitious  Opinions,    vitious  Cu- 
 ftoms,  and  debauched  Praclifes  through 
 the  Worlds    that  (as  has  been    before 
 Ihown,)  they  themfelves   openly    con- 
 feffed,    they  had  very  little  hope    of 
 ever    being  able    to    reform  Mankind 
 with  any  considerably  great    and  uni- 
 verfal  Succefs,     by  the    bare    force  of 
 Philofophy   and     right     Reafon  •,    but 
 that,    to   produce  fo    gteat  a    change, 
 and  enable  Men  effectually  to  conquer 
 all  their  corrupt  Affections,    there  was 
 need  of   fome  fupernatural  and  divine 
 Ailiftance,     or  the    immediate    Inter- 
 
 pofition 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  23  y 
 
 pofition  of  God  himfelf.  Kow  This 
 divine  affifiartce  is  vouchfafed  to  Men 
 under  the  Chriitian  Difpcnfation  in 
 fuch  a  manner,  as  (from  what  has 
 been  already  faid  concerning  the  fodg- 
 ment  of  the  Wife  ft  of  the  Anticnt 
 Philofophers  in  th^s  matter,)  appears 
 to  be  undeniably  agreeable  to  the  na- 
 tural Expectations  of  right  Reafon,  and 
 fuitable  to  the  beft  and  worthieft  No- 
 tions that  Men  have  ever  by  the 
 Light  of  Nature  been  able  to  frame 
 to  themfelves  concerning  the  Attributes 
 and  Perfections  of  God.  //  ye,  faya  Lu$.  u, 
 our  Saviour,  being  Evil,  knew  bow  to  $• 
 give  good  Gifts  unto  your  Children*,  how 
 much  more  Jball  your  heavenly  Father 
 give  the  holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
 him  £  The  Effect  of  this  divine  Affift- 
 ance,  evidenced  it  felf  in  a  very  vi- 
 fible  and  remarkable  manner  in  the 
 Primitive  Times,  by  t 
 the     Hidden     wonderful 
 
 and    total     Reformation        t  Da  mihi   virum,    qui 
 of  far  greater    Numbers     fi£  irJCundu?>     ™v 
 Of     Wicked    Men,      than     verbis  am  placidam,    quaS 
 ever  were  brought  to  Re-    ovem,  reddam.    Da  iibidi- 
 pentance  by  the  Teach-     ncf,jm-    &<    U8ant,' lib. 
 ing  and  Exhortations  of     9*  n^  ,  •    ijf      ,.  Vr. 
 all  the    Philolopners  m    <t/f  «V  niy  &c.     ori 
 the  World.    And  even  at     adveri".  Cdf  lib.   r. 
 this       Day,      notwith-     thh    F,z'^e   cUei    ab>*** 
 ftanding   all     the    Cor-     pag' I?4' 
 ruptions     introduced  a- 
 mong  Chriftians,    I  think  it  can  hard- 
 
13  6       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 ly  be  denied  by  any  Unbelievers  of 
 Revelation,  but  that  there  are  among 
 us  many  more  Perfons  of  all  condi- 
 tions, who  worfhip  God  in  iincerity 
 and  Simplicity  of  Heart,  and  live  in 
 the  conftant  practife  of  all  Righte- 
 oufnefs,  Holinefs,  and  true  Virtue ; 
 than  ever  were  found  in  any  of  the 
 moft  civilized  Nations,  and  moft  im- 
 proved by  Philofophy  in  the  heathen 
 World. 
 °f  iJ)e  3.     The     Rewards     and     Funifoments 
 
 tvlrft  which  the  CJiriftian  Religion  propofes, 
 fntmh  R~  t0   Obedience    or  Difobedience  5   are  a 
 wards  and  Motive,    perfectly   agreeable    to    Mens 
 Fumfr-      natural  Hopes  and  Fears,    and  worthy 
 Another  **  °^  ^od   t0  make    known  by   pofitive 
 Motive  to  and  exprefs  Revelation.     For  iince  'tis 
 ObedJa.ce  confeffedly  fuitable  to  the  divine  Wif- 
 dom,   to    make    variety   of  Creatures, 
 endued  with  very  different  Powers  and 
 Faculties,    and   capable  of  very   diffe- 
 rent   kinds    and    degrees  of  Improve- 
 ment 5    and  iince  all  rational  Creatures, 
 by  reafon  of  that  natural     Liberty  of 
 "Will  which  is  effentially  ncceffary  to 
 their  being  fuch,    cannot    but  be    ca- 
 pable of  exalting  and  improving  their 
 Nature  by  the  practife  of  Virtue  and 
 the  Imitation  of  God,  and  on  the  con- 
 trary of  depraving  and  debaiing   their 
 Nature  by    the   practife    of  Vice   and 
 Alienation    of    themfelves   from    God^ 
 It  follows  undeniably,  fas  has  been  be- 
 fore 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  237 
 
 fore  fhown  by  a  more  particular  de- 
 duction,) that  'tis  highly  agreeable  to 
 the  Light  of  Nature  and  to  right  Rea- 
 fon  to  iuppofe,  that  God,  the  Supreme 
 Governour  and  Difpofer  of  all  things, 
 will  iinally  make  a  juft  and  fuitable 
 diftindtion  between  his  Creatures,  by 
 the  diftribution  of  proportionable  Re- 
 wards and  Punifhments.  Nevertheless, 
 both  the  Truth  it  felf  of  thefe  final 
 Rewards  and  Punifhments,  was  ib  far 
 called  in  queftion,  and  rendred  doubt- 
 ful and  uncertain,  by  the  Difputations 
 even  of  the  Wifeft  Philofophers  that 
 ever  lived  5  and  thofe  who  did  in 
 general  believe  the  Truth  and  Cer- 
 tainty of  them,  had  yet  fo  very  blind 
 and  obfeure  Notions  of  What  Nature 
 and  Kind  they  were  to  be  •  having 
 their  Imaginations  ftrangely  prejudiced 
 with  poetical  Fictions,  and  fabulous 
 Stories  •,  that  the  fetting  this  matter 
 clear  and  right,  and  the  iupplying 
 this  fingle  defect  in  the  Light  of  Na- 
 ture, was  a  thing  highly  worthy  of 
 Divine  Revelation :  It  being  plainly 
 a  very  different  thing,  and  of  very 
 different  Force  as  to  the  influencing 
 Mens  Actions,  for  Men  to  be  able 
 to  argue  themfelves  into  a  reafonabU 
 Expeftation  of  future  Rewards  and 
 Punifhments  *  and  to  be  certabtly  ajfu- 
 red  of  the  reality  of  them  by  exprefs 
 Teftimony  of  Divine  Revelation.     And 
 
 accordingly 
 
2  j  8       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 accordingly  hy  Divine  Revelation  ill 
 the  Gofpel,  this  defect  of  the  Light 
 of  Nature  Is  now  a&ually  fupplied  in 
 fuch  a  manner  ^  Life  and  Immorta- 
 lity are  fo  brought  to  Light  h  and 
 the  Wrath  of  God  is  fo  revealed  from 
 Heaven  againft  all  Ungodlinefs  and 
 Unrighteoufnefs  of  Men  ^  that  this  ve- 
 ry thing,  the  clear  and  diftincl  and 
 confident  Account  which  the  Gofpel 
 gives  us  of  thefe  final  Rewards  and 
 Punilhments,  (which,  though  indeed 
 in  themfelves  fo  abfolutely  necefFary, 
 that  without  them  no  tolerable  Vin- 
 dication could  be  made  of  the  Attri- 
 butes of  God,  yet  neither  by  the  Light 
 of  Nature,  nor  by  any  pofitive  In- 
 ftitution  of  Religion,  excepting  only 
 the  Chriftian,  were  they  ever  fo  clearly 
 and  plainly  reprefented  to  Mankind, 
 as  to  have  their  full  and  proper  effect 
 upon  the  Hearts  and  Lives  of  Men  -,) 
 This  very  thing  (I  fay,)  the  clear, 
 diftincl,  and  confiftent  Account,  which 
 the  Gofpel  gives  us  of  thefe  final 
 Rewards  and  Punilhments,  is  it  felf 
 no  contemptible  Argument  of  the  Truth 
 and  Divine  Authority  of  the  Chri- 
 ftian Revelation.  By  the  certain  Know- 
 ledge of  thefe  Rewards  and  Punilh- 
 ments it  is,  that  the  pradife  of  Vir- 
 tue is  now  eftabliihed  upon  a  fure 
 Foundation  :  Men  have  now  abun- 
 dantly    fufficient     incouragement,     to 
 
 fupport 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.        1 3  9 
 
 fupport  them  in  their  Choice  of  Vir- 
 tue, and  in  their  conftant  adherence 
 to  it,  in  all  Cafes  and  under  all 
 Circumftances  that  can  be  fuppofed  : 
 There  is  now  fufficient  Weight  on  the 
 lide  of  Virtue,  to  enable  Men  to  con- 
 quer all  the  Temptations  of  the  De- 
 vil, the  Flefh,  and  the  World  ^  and 
 to  defpife  the  fevereft  Threatnings, 
 even  Death  it  felf :  This  u  the  viBory 
 that  overcometh  the  World,  even 
 our  Faith.  The  only  Difficulty  in 
 this  matter,  arifing  from  the  Duration 
 of  the  final  Punifhment  of  the  Wick- 
 ed, (hall  be  confidered  when  I  come 
 to  difcourfe  of  the  Articles  of  our 
 Belief. 
 
 XII.  Thirdly,  the  peculiar  Manner  and 
 Circumftances,  with  which  the  Chriftian 
 Religion  injoyns  the  Duties,  and  urges  the 
 Motives  before-mentioned  •,  are  exaftly  con- 
 fonant  to  the  Dittates  of  found  Reafon,  or 
 the  unprejudiced  Light  of  Nature  -,  and  ?noJ? 
 wifely  perfective  of  it. 
 
 For,    what    can  be    more  agreeable  The  Prop9m 
 to  the    Light  of   Nature,     and    more  fam  pr#- 
 evidently    perfective    of  it  •,     than    toveJhr:^ 
 have  thofe  Duties,  which  Nature  hints Jjjjjj '*' 
 at  only  in  general,    explained  fully  and  a 
 largely,    and  urged  in   particular,     and 
 inculcated    upon  the   meaneft  Capaci- 
 ties with  great    Weight  and  Authority, 
 and  exemplified  in    the  Lives  of  holy 
 
 Perfons 
 
&%o       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 PeriWs  propofed  as  Patterns  for  oiir 
 Imitation  ?  What  can  be  more  per- 
 fective of  the  Light  of  Nature,  than 
 to  have  thofe  great  Motives  of  Reli- 
 gion, the  Rewards  and  Punifhments 
 of  a  Future  State  which  Nature  only 
 ob fat  rely  points  at,  defcribed  to  us  molt. 
 plainly.,  affectionately,  and  lively  ?  What 
 can  be  more  perfective  of  the  Light 
 of  Nature,  than  to  have  the  means  of 
 attoning  for  Sin,  which  Nature  difco- 
 vers  only  the  want  of  plainly  declared, 
 and  exhibited  to  us  ?  What  can  be  more 
 perfective  of  the  Light  of  Nature,  than 
 fiich  a  difcovery  of  the  heinoufnefs  of 
 Sin  and  the  neceffity  cf  fiolinefs,  as  the 
 Death  of  Chriji  and  the  Purity  of  the. 
 Gofpel  does  make  unto  us  ?  In  fine, 
 What  can  more  effectually  perfect:  the 
 Religion  of  Nature,  than  the  gathering 
 together  the  Worjhippers  of  the  True  God, 
 into  One  Body  ?  the  caufxng  the?n  to  en- 
 ter into  folemn  Obligations,  to  live  fuita- 
 bly  to  their  Holy  Profefwn  I  the  giving 
 them  gracious  Affurances  that  true  Re- 
 pentance JhaU  be  accepted  for  what  is 
 pajl,  and  fxncere  renewed  Ot  edience  for 
 the  future  ?.  the  uniting  them  by  a  few 
 pojitive  Rites  in  one  Religious  as  well  as 
 Civil  Communion,  for  mutual  AJfiJlance 
 and  Improvement?  and  the  eflablifnng 
 a  certain  Order  or  perpetual  SucceJ/ion  of 
 Men,  whofe  conftant  Bujinefs  it  may  be, 
 to  explain  the  great  Duties  of  Religi- 
 on 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  241 
 
 on  to  per fowi  of  meaner  Capacities  5  to 
 vrge  and  inforce  the  PraStfe  of  them  -, 
 to  fet  before  Men  the  reafona  of  their 
 Duty,  and  the  Necejity  of  it  s  to  fiev 
 them  clearly  and  impartially  the  danger 
 of  neglefling  it,  and  the  great  advantage  of 
 performing  it  fncCrely  *,  in  a  word,  to  in- 
 firuB  the  Ignorant,  and  to  admonijh  the 
 Tricked  ^  to  reduce  thofe  that  err,  to 
 comfort  the  doubting,  to  reprove  the  ob- 
 Jlinate  ^  ar.d  to  be  Inftruments  of  con- 
 veying to  Men  all  proper  AJifiances,  to 
 enable  them  to  perform  their  whole  Duty 
 effe&ually  ? 
 
 If  thefe  things  be  the  Ordinances 
 of  One,  who  came  to  contradict  the 
 dictates  of  right  Reafon,  and  not  to 
 perfect  the  Law  of  Nature,  but  to 
 deftroy  it ;  then  let  all  wife  Men  for 
 ever  forfake  the  Affemblics  of  Chri- 
 ftians,  and  profefs  themfelves  again 
 Difciples  of  the  Philofophers.  But  if 
 thefe  things  be  perfectly  agreeable  to 
 Nature  and  right  Reafon,  and  tend 
 exceedingly  to  the  fupplying  the  De- 
 ficiences  thereof  ^  then  let  none  un- 
 der pretenfe  of  maintaining  Natural 
 Religion,  revile  and  blafpheme  the 
 Chriftian,  leaft  they  be  found  Liars  unto 
 
 God.  An  Anfwer 
 
 The  many  Contentions  indeed,  about  u  the  Ob- 
 Opinions    of    great   Uncertainty    and  ij^lon 
 little    Importance,   which,    to    the  ve-  fa™ the 
 xy  great  Scandal  of  Christianity,  have  Dhifions 
 
 D  d  in  among 
 
 Chiijlians. 
 
2-4a       The  Evidences  of  Nat  ura\ 
 
 in  fevesal  Ages  of  the  Church,   "been 
 wit]    unreafonable  Zeal  kept    up,    in- 
 fi      [  of    promoting  the    univerfal  In-- 
 tereft    of    true   p radical  Religion  and 
 Virtue  •    have,    it    muft  be    confeffed, 
 given    foine    Occajion   to    the    Enemies 
 of   cur    moft    holy  Religion,    to  blaf- 
 phemq    and    revile   both   It,    and   the 
 Teachers  of  it.     But  though  fuch  things 
 as  thefe,   have   indeed    afforded    them, 
 too  plauiible  an  Occajion,  yet  they  have 
 not    given    them    any   juft    Rea'fon^   fo 
 to    do.     For.    the    acknowledged    cor- 
 ruption  of  a   Doctrine  or    Inftitutiou 
 in  any    particular  part  or  refpect,    is 
 by    no  means  a  weighty  or    real   Ob-, 
 jection  againit  the  Truth  of  the  whole  :, 
 And  there  has    always   been  extant  a 
 fufficient   Rule,  to  enable  iincere  Per-- 
 fons,     in    the    midft    of    the    greatcft 
 difputes    and    contentions,     to    diftin- 
 guifh   the   Dollrhe    of   God    from    the 
 .  Opinions    of   Men  •     The     Doctrine    of 
 Chrift  having   been  plainly  and  fully 
 delivered    in    our  Saviour's    own    Dil- 
 courfes,    and    in   the    Writings   of  his 
 immediate     Followers     the     Apoftles  \ 
 who  cannot  with  any  Reafon   be  ima- 
 gined   either    to   have    mifreprefented 
 it,    or  to    have  reprefented  it    imper- 
 fectly.    But    befides  :    I    think  it  can 
 hardly   be    denied   even    by   our    Ad- 
 verfaries  themfelves,    but  that  in    all 
 Times  and  Places,    wherein   Chriftia- 
 
 nity 
 
and  Revealed  Relig ion.         1 4  3 
 
 hlty  has  been    pro  fc  fled    in    any  tole- 
 rable    degree    of  Purity  •,     wnatevei 
 contentions    and    difputes    may     have 
 arifen  about  particular,     and    perhaps 
 iinnccejfary    Do&rines  •,    yet   the    great, 
 the  moft  neceflary,    and  fundamental 
 Doctrines  of  Religion  •  concernirg  Cod, 
 and  Providence -,    concerning  the   gra- 
 cious   Method,    of   God's  Reconciliati- 
 on with    penitent  Sinners,    concerning 
 the    riecetntjr   of   true  Piety,    feighte* 
 oufnefs    and    Sobriet)r  ^     concerning    a 
 Judgment     to     come,     and    the    final 
 Reward    of   the    Righteous,     and    the 
 Punifhment  of   wicked    Men,    in   fuch 
 a    manner    as    will    effectually    vindi- 
 cate   both    the  Juftice    and   Goodncfs, 
 the    Wifdom    and     Honour     of   God  ^ 
 thefe   things    (I    fay)    have    notwith- 
 standing    all     Differences     concerning 
 fmaller  Matters,    been  neverthelefs  at 
 the    fame    time   univerfally    and    con- 
 ftantly  taught,   preflcct  and  inculcated 
 upon   Perfons    of    all    Capacities,     by 
 the    earneft    and    continual    Preaching 
 of  all    the   Minifters    of   the  Gofpel  <    . 
 with    an  effect,  infinitely   more   confi- 
 derable   and   vifible,    both    in    Extent 
 and  Duration,  than  by  the  Teaching  of 
 any   Heathen    Philofophers    that    ever 
 lived  :    Which    fhows    undeniably    the 
 Excellency  at  leaft,  if  not   the  Divine 
 Authority  of  the  Chriftian  Inftitution, 
 in  this  particular  refpect. 
 
 D  d  2         XIII.  Fourth- 
 
*  4  4         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 XIII.   Fourthly,^   the  [Credenda 
 or']   Doctrines,    which  the    true,   fimple, 
 and  uncorrupted  Chrijtian  Religion  teaches  •, 
 (that  is,    not  only  thofe  plain  BoBrines 
 which  it  requires  to  be  believed  as  funda- 
 mental and  of  'necejjity  to  eternal  Salvation, 
 but  even  All  the  Do&rines  which  it  teaches 
 as  Matters  of  Truth  -J    are,    though    in- 
 deed  many  of   them    not    discoverable  by 
 bare  Reafon    nnajifted    with    Revelation, 
 yet,    when   discovered  by  Revelation,    ap- 
 parently   moft    agreeable    to    found    -un- 
 prejudiced Reafon  •,     have  every    one    of 
 them  a  natural  Tendency,  and  a  direS 
 and  powerful  Influence,  to  reform  Mens 
 Minds  and  correct  their  Manners  ^    and 
 do   together  make  up  an  infinitely  more 
 confiftent  and  rational  Scheme  of  Be- 
 lief than  any  that  the  wife  ft  of  the   an- 
 tient   Philofophers  ever  did,    or  the  om- 
 nia ge  ft  of  modern  Unbelievers  can  invent  or 
 contrive, 
 of  the  One      j.  That  there  is    One    only  living 
 Supreme     £r\&    true    God .     exifting    of   himfelf, 
 by   the  Neceifity  of  his  own  Nature  ^ 
 abfolutely  Independent,  Eternal,   Om- 
 niprefent,    Unchangeable,    Incorrupti- 
 ble «,    without    Body,    Parts    or    Pain- 
 ons  -,     of  infinite    Power,  Knowledge, 
 and  Wifdom  •,    of  perfect  Liberty,  and 
 Freedom   of  Will  5    of  infinite   Good- 
 nefs ,  Juftice  and  Truth,  and  all  other 
 poilible  Perfections  •,    fo    as   to  be  ab- 
 folutely   Self-fufficient  to  his  own  in- 
 finite and  unalterable  Happinefs :  This 
 
 is, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         24s 
 
 is,  not  only  the  firft  and  principal 
 Article  of  the  Cbriftian  Faith,  but 
 alfo  the  firft  and  moft  evident  Truth 
 that  the  Light  of  Nature  it  felf  teaches 
 us  •,  being  clearly  demonftrable,  upon 
 certain  and  undeniable  Principles  of 
 right  Reafon. 
 
 2.     That    this   Sup-erne    Self-Exiftcnt  of  the 
 Caufe  and   Father  of   all   Things,    did  Onlfbqjfa 
 before  all  Ages,  in  an  incomprehenfi-  t^dSotl  ^ 
 ble  manner,  by  his  Almighty  Power  and 
 Will,  beget  or  produce  a  Divine  Perfon  •, 
 ftikd  the  Logos,  the  Word,  or  Wifdoni,  or 
 Son,    of    God-,    *    God,    of 
 God,      in     whom     dwells       *   f$-sJ*  0'?'  h 
 the  fulnefs  and   perfection    ft?^.w>* 
 of      Divine       Attributes  , 
 excepting  Independency  or  Self-Origi- 
 nation *,  being  the  Image  of  the  hrcifble  Col.  t,  \,,- 
 God  5  the  Brightnefs  of  his  Fathers  Glory,  ,Heb\r*  h 
 and  the  exprefs  Imave  of  his  Perfon  •,  hav-  ATd^^i0'" 
 mg   been  in  the  beginning  with  God,  par-  g„<  *„.£. 
 taker    with    him  of   his    Glory    before  Joh.  1,2. 
 the    World    was-,     the     Upholder    of   all  l7j  5- 
 *JWh£s  Z7  tie    tfW  0/  ifs  Po*v-,    and  {^£3- 
 himfelf   ov*r    all    (by    Communication  fy  Joh.' 
 of  his  Father  s  Glory)   God    blejfcd  for  i,  1. 
 ever ;    This  Doctrine    (I  fay,)    though 
 not  indeed  difcoverable   by  bare  Rea- 
 fon,   yet,    when  made  known   by  Re- 
 velation,   appears   plainly   very    con- 
 iiftent  with    right    Reafon,     and   ftis 
 manifeft)  contains  nothing  that  implies 
 any  manner  of  Abfirdity  or  Contradi- 
 ction in  it. 
 
 D  d  7,  Indeed 
 
246         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Indeed  if   any  Men,    pretending  to 
 be    wife    above    and     beyond    what    is 
 written,    have  at  any  time  given  fuch 
 Explications   of  the   Maimer   how  the 
 Son    of   God   derived   his  Being  from 
 the  Father,   or   have  offered  fuch  Ac- 
 counts   of    his    Nature  and    Attributes, 
 as    can    by    any    juft    and    necefTary 
 confequence   be  reduced  to    imply    or 
 involve    any     Contradiction  $     (which 
 perhaps    many    of    the    t 
 t  Tr  is  not  to  be  de     Schoolmen     have    but    too 
 nied  but  chat  the  School-     ^1  been       accufed     of 
 
 men,   who  abounded   in    J-,    .   J      ,        r    ,  _,      -. 
 
 Wit  and  Leifurc,  though  ™^%  0  iucil.  Explica- 
 veiv    few   among   them     tions        are       without        all 
 
 had  either  exact  skill  in  controverfy     Falfe  ,       and 
 
 ZEL*SS5u2i£  ™J  injurious .to   Religi- 
 
 tv,  and  the  Writings  of  on.     But  as    this  Doctrine 
 
 the  antienr  Fathers  of  the  is    delivered   in    Scripture  • 
 
 Chriftian  Church  :  I  fay,  j  thin]      there  fc  nothJng  m 
 
 it  cannot   be  denied  but  •      •        '         -,  ° 
 
 that  thefe  fpccufacivc  and  lt:  in.  ?-ny  degree  contrary 
 
 very    acu:e    Men,    who     to  Right  Reafoil  :,  as  I  have 
 
 wrought  a  great  pare  of  elftwhere  indeavoured  to 
 ^SyT^veir    ftow  in  a    p^V///^    Ztf/- 
 
 own    Brain?,  as  Spiders  n  X.  ,     _       r       S 
 
 do  Cobwebs  out  ofr  their    courfe,  to  which  I  refer  the 
 own  Bowels,  have  funcd    Reader. 
 a  thoufind    Subriities    a 
 
 bout  thi<  Myfrcry,  fuch  as  no.Chriftjao  is  bound  to  trouble 
 his  Head  withal  •,  much  lei's  h  it  necefiary  for  him  to  wider- 
 fbnd  thofe  Niceties,  which  we  may  reafonably  prefume  that 
 they  who  talk  of  them  did  tbemiclves  never  throughly  under- 
 ft-md  ;  and  le.ift  cf  a!',  is  it  necefiary  to  believe  them. 
 Arch-B.  Tilkufon,  Sermon  concerning  the  Vnity  of  the  Vivire 
 N.tture. 
 
 h  were  to  be  wifhed,  that  fome  Religwnifts  did  nor  here 
 fymholize  too  much  with  the  Atbeifls,  in  afTetting  to  repre- 
 sent the  M}flery  of  the  Chriftian  Trinity,  at- a  thing  directly 
 contradifto-y  to  all  humane  Reafon  and  Undemanding. 
 Cudwofth**  Syjl:m>  fig.   560. 
 
 Now 
 
and  R  evealed  Religion.        547 
 
 Now  the  fame  that  is  fa  id  of  t\th°f*k 
 Son,  may  in  like  manner,  with  lir-  J\  >  sf'h 
 tie  Variation,  be  verv  agreeable  to 
 right  Reafon,  underflood  concerning 
 the  Original  Procejjwn  or  Manner  of  De- 
 rivation of  the  Holy  Spirit  lifeetoife  f  om 
 the  Father. 
 
 3.  That  the  Univcrfe,  the   Heavens  of  the 
 and    the   Earth,    and    all  things    that  '  ;-  n°n 
 are  therein,     we&  Created  and  Made  y^rfe 
 by  God  •    and  this,  through  the  fenera- 
 tion of  his   Son,    That    Divine    #rdrd,  Heb  I?  2t 
 or  IVifdom  of  tlie  Father,  by  whom  the  Epk.  3,  9. 
 Scripture  §by$  that  God  made  the  lfrorlds^  C«7  1,  i<s. 
 that    by     him    God    created    all    things  -5 
 that  by  him  were  all  things  created ',  that 
 are   in  Heaven,    and   thai  are  in   Earth, 
 Vifible    and    Invifible,     whether    they    be 
 Thrones   or    Dominions,     or  Principalities 
 or    Powers  •     all  things    were   created   by 
 him  and  for  him,     and   he  is  before  all 
 things,    and  by    him    all     things    conjift  [ 
 that  all  things  were  made   by    him,    and  Job.  1,  3. 
 without  him  was  not  any   thing   made  that 
 was   mad€  :    All  this  likewife,    is  very 
 agreeable  to   found  unprejudiced  Rea- 
 fon.    For,     that    neither     the    whole, 
 nor  any  part  of   the    World  -,    neither 
 the    Form,    nor  Motion,    nor    Matter 
 of  the   World,    could  exift    of  it  flf, 
 by  any   Neceiilty  in  its- own  Nature- 
 is    abundantly  demonftrable  from    un- 
 deniable Principles  of  Re  ion-,    as  has 
 been    Ihown  in  my    former   Difcourfe. 
 Confequentlv,    both  the  whole  World, 
 D  d  4  and 
 
i4§       The  Evidences  of  Natural     f 
 
 and  all   the    Variety    of    things   that 
 now  exift  therein,    muft  of  Neceifity 
 have  received  both  their  being  it  felf, 
 and  alfo    their    form    and   manner    of 
 being,    from    God    the    alone  Supreme 
 and     Self-exiftent    Caufe  $     and    muft 
 needs  depend   upon  his  Good-pleafure 
 every   moment,    for    the    continuance 
 and    prefervation  of  that  Being.     Ac- 
 cordingly,   if  we  fet  afide  the  Epicu- 
 reans,   (whofe    abfurd    Hypothecs  has 
 long  fince  been  given  up  even  by  all 
 Atheifts    themfelves  5)    and  fome  very 
 few  others,    who   with  no  lefs  Abfur- 
 dity  contended    that  the    World    was 
 in    its  prefent  Form   Self-exiftent  and 
 NecefTary^  All  the  Philofophers  of  all 
 j-  See  for  Ages,     (even    t  not    excepting    thole 
 merVo-^  w]10  ^e]^  the  £tern'lty  0f  the  World,) 
 li<m-Ja'  have  unanimoufly  agreed  in.  this  great 
 34  tf  35'  »pruth,  that  the  World  evidently  owes 
 both  its  Being  and  Prefervation  to  God 
 the  Supreme  Caufe  and  Author  of  all 
 Things.     And    then,     that  God    made 
 the  World  by    the    Operation  of  his 
 Son ;    though    this    could    not    indeed 
 be  known   certainly   without    exprefs 
 Revelation-    yet   is   it    by   no   means 
 incredible,  or   contrary  to  right  Rea- 
 fon.    For,     to   the  judgment,  of  Rea- 
 fon,    it    is    the    fame     thing,    whe- 
 ther   God    made    the    World    immedi- 
 ately   by    himfelf,    or   mediately   by 
 the  Miniftration    of  a  Second   Princi- 
 ple.    And  what  Plato  and  his  Follow- 
 ers 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         249 
 
 lowers  have  faid  concerning  that  E- 
 ternal  Nov<  or  Mind,  whom  they  fre- 
 quently ftile  Anfx/Kf^of  the  Miniftcr  or 
 Workman  by  whom  God  framed  all 
 things  ^  proves  undeniably  thus  much 
 at  leaft,  that  the  Doctrines  delivered  in 
 Scripture  concerning  this  Matter,  cannot 
 be  rejected  as  inconfiftent  and  irrecon- 
 cileable  with  right  Reafon. 
 
 4.    That,     about  the  Space  of   6aco0f  the  For- 
 Years  flnce,   the  Earth  was  without  Form  matlon  °f 
 and  Void,    that  is,    a   confufed    Chaos  hthe  £uTth' 
 out  of  which  God    framed   this    beau-  Gen.  i,a. 
 tiful  and   ufeful   Fabrick    we  now  in- 
 habit,   and  flocked  it  with  the    Seeds 
 of  all    kinds  of    Plants,    and    formed 
 upon   it  Man,  and  all  the    other    Spe- 
 cies  of  Animals    it  is   now    furnifhed 
 with  ^    is  alfo  very  agreeable  to  right 
 Reafon.     For  though  the  precife  Time 
 indeed,  when  all  this  was  done,    could 
 not    now    have  been    known  exactly, 
 without  Revelation  •    yet  even  at  this 
 day,    there  are  remaining  many    con- 
 iiderable     and     very     ftrong     rational 
 Proofs,  which  make  it  exceedingly  pro- 
 bable,   (feparate    from    the   Authority 
 of  Revelation,)  that  this  prefent  Frame 
 and    Conftitution  of  the  Earth,     can- 
 not have  been  of  a  very  much  longer 
 date.      The    univerfal    Tradition     deli- 
 vered   down    from    all    the    moll    an- 
 tient   Nations    of     the    World,     both 
 learned  and  barbarous  •,   The    conftant 
 and   agreeing    DoBrine  of  all    an  tient 
 
 Philofo- 
 
1  *°       *Fhe  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Philofophers  and  Poets,  concerning 
 the  Earth's  being  formed  within  fuch 
 a  Period  of  Time,  out  of  Water  or 
 a  Chaos  ^  The  manifold  Abfurdities 
 and  Contradictions  of  thofe  few  Ac- 
 counts, which  pretend  to  a  much  grea- 
 ter Antiquity  -,  The  Number  of  Men, 
 with  which,  the  Earth  is  at  prefent 
 inhabited-,  The  late  Original  of  Lear- 
 ning and  all  ltfeful  Arts  and  Sciences  •, 
 The  lmpoffibilityy  that  univerfal  Deluges, 
 or  other  Accidents,  fliould  at  .  cer-r 
 tain  long  Periods  have  oft-times  de- 
 ftroyed  far  the  greater!:  part  of  Man- 
 kind, with  the  Memory  of  all  for- 
 mer Actions  and  Inventions,  and  yet 
 never  have  happened  to  deftroy  them 
 All  |  The  changes  that  muft  necefla- 
 rily  fall  out  naturally  in  the  Earth, 
 in  vaft  length  of  Time,  by  the  Sink- 
 ing and  Wafhing  down  of  Mountains, 
 the  Confumption  of  Water  by  Plants, 
 and  innumerable  other  fuch  like  Ac- 
 cidents r,  Thefe  (I  fay)  and  many 
 more  Arguments,  drawn  from  Na- 
 ture, Reafon  and  Obfervation,  make 
 That  account  of  the  Time  of  the  Earth's 
 Formation  exceedingly  probable  in  it 
 felf,  which  from  the  Revelation  delive- 
 red in  Scripture-Hiftory  we  believe  to  be 
 certain* 
 efthecbi*  $.  That  the  fame  God  who  crea- 
 tinnalGo-  tcx\  %\\  things  by  the  Word  of  his 
 •TlWi-  P°wei%  ar>d  upholds  and  preferves  them 
 .dencc  by  his  continual  Concourfe,  does  alfo 
 by  his  All-wife  Providence  perpetually 
 
 govern 
 
and  Revealed  Relmon . 
 
 govern  and  direct  the  iffues  aid  events 
 of  thing?  -  takes  care  of  this  lower 
 World,  and  of  all,  even  the  finalleft 
 things,  that  are  therein-,  difpof.-s  things 
 in  a  regular  order  and  Succeinon  in 
 every  Age,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
 World  to  its  final  Period  \  and  in- 
 fpects,  with  a  more  particular  and 
 efpecial  regard,  the  moral  Actions  of 
 Men:  This,  as  it  is  far  more  cx- 
 presfly,  clearly,  and  conftantly  taught 
 in  Scripture,  than  in  any  of  the  Wri- 
 tings of  the  Philofophers  -,  fo  it  is 
 alfo  highly  agreeable  to  right  and  true 
 Rcafon.  For,  that  an  Omniprefent 
 and  infinitely  Wife  Being,  cannot  but 
 know  every  thing  that  is  done  in 
 every  part  of  the  Univerfe,  and  with 
 equal  eafe  take  notice  of  the  minuteft 
 things  as  of  the  greateft  h  That  an 
 infinitely  powerful  Being,  nuift  needs 
 govern  and  direct  every  thing  in  fuch 
 manner  and  to  fuch  ends,  as  he 
 knows  to  he  beft  and  fittfeft  in  the 
 whole-  fo  far  as  is  conliftent  with 
 that  Liberty  of  Will,  which  he  has 
 made  effcntial  to  all  rational  Crea- 
 tures h  And  that  an  infinitely  Jujl 
 avd  Good  Governour,  cannot  but  ta]ce 
 more  particular  and  exact  noticc 
 of  the  moral  Actions  of  all  h;s  ra- 
 tional Creatures,  and  how  far  they 
 are  conformable  or  not  conformable 
 to  the  Rules  he  has  fet  them  ^  All 
 this  (I  fay)  is  moft  evidently  agree- 
 able 
 
 Ml 
 
a  j  2       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 able  to  right  Reafon,  and,  as  has 
 been  before  ftiown,  deducible  from 
 it. 
 of  Par*  6.  That  God,  after  the  Formation 
 iik.  and  0f  the  Earth,  created  Man  at  firft 
 the  Lnfs  of  yprfgfo  a71(i  j7t7Wceiit^  and  placed  him  in 
 lt  y  a  happy  and  paradifiacal  State,  where  he 
 
 injoyed    plenty  and    abundance  of  all 
 things     without      labour     or    forrow^ 
 And  that  Sin  was   the   original  Caufe, 
 that    now    on  the    contrary  the    very 
 G<&'j    '7'  P"oVna*  P  cur  fed  and    barren  for    our 
 fake>  and  in  for  row  we  eat  of  it   all  the 
 Days  of  our  Life  •    that  thorns  alfo  and 
 thi files  are  brought  forth  to  us,     ani  in 
 the  fweat  of  our  face  we  eat  bread,  till 
 we  return  unto  the  ground  $     This  like- 
 wife  is  very    reafonable    and  credible 
 in  it  felf:  As  appears,   not  only  from 
 the  abftraft   consideration  of  the  na- 
 ture of  the  thing-    but  alfo  from  the 
 general     Opinion     that     the     antient 
 learnedeit  Heathens  entertained,  upon 
 i^ery  obfeure  and  uncertain   Tradition, 
 that    the  original    State  of  Man  was 
 innocent    and    fimple,  and  the  Earth 
 whereon  they  dwelt,    * 
 *  To  >mKetfh  rmvT    fa    fruitful  of  it  f elf  and  abun- 
 mw-wv  $  «ASVf»r    **&•     dant  with  all  plenty-    but 
 
 sx  T$~*r#r  tat  Gof'  H  *% of 
 
 »y    at  t*iv  ifJkT&,    y£-  Man^   changed  this  Happy 
 
 *clktQ-   cF  a  mm'    «i    o-  Confiitntion  of  things,  and 
 
 *****    «}   ^v  <  P&pfy*  made  Labour  neceffary  for 
 
 ?  x  ~xLLj&    /'  *,*  -%  the  fupport  of  our  Lives. 
 
 LuUnus  Jndtu  apud  Stfulton.     hth  i5»  7*  That 
 
c  nd  Revealed  R  eligion.         2^3 
 
 7.    That  in  procefs  of    Time,    after  of  the 
 the  firft  entrance  of  Sin  into  the  World,  FUtd^ 
 Men    by  degrees  corrupted  themfelves 
 more  and  more  $     till  at    length  God 
 for  the  t  punifliment  of 
 
 their  Sin  and  incorrigi-  t  'Stni  3*fS  £*?,<#, 
 blenefs,  brought  upon  &**&  i%»r,;\®-  \}tyVi 
 them  a  general  Flood,  ?  ■»  ^S?1*:,-?*^  /"** 
 which  deftroyed  them  all,  po*****,  t3  5  *v. 
 except  a  few  Perfons,  pre-  wmf  w-d-©-  ivutggfo*, 
 ferved  for  the  reftoration  ^  0£^,  *  ®5»'  Zc-w-» 
 of  humane  Race-  is  a  tt?  <W^®-  ^s.^ 
 Truth  delivered  down  to  ,©-  c™«xk  «3Ai^  «&*. 
 us,  not  only  by  Autho-  u^^v,  fitti*  ^^ 
 rity  of  Scripture,    but    «*»*"*'   ****•>    &c- 
 
 i/*i        vlj  *  F/rffo     in    Cntia  five   At- 
 
 allo  by  the  concurrent  iantlC0m 
 Teftimony  of  almoft  all 
 Heathen  Philofophers 
 and  Poets  :  And  the  Hiftories  of  all  Na- 
 tions backwards,  terminate  in  it :  And, 
 (which  is  the  moil  remarkable  thing 
 of  all,  becaufe  it  is  a  demonftrative  and 
 ocular  Proof  of  the  Univerfality  of  fome 
 fuch  kind  of  Diffolution  J  the  prefent 
 vifible  Frame  and  Conftitution  of  the 
 Earth  throughout  •  the  Difpofltion  and 
 Situation  of  the  feveral  Strata  of  dif- 
 ferent kinds  of  Matter,  whereof  it  is 
 compofed  •,  the  numberlefs  Shells  of 
 Fifties,  Bones  of  other  Animals,  and 
 parts  of  all  kinds  of  Plants,  which 
 in  every  Country  and  in  almoft  every 
 place  are  at  great  variety  of  Depths 
 found  inclofed  in  Earth,   in  Clay,  in 
 
 Stones 
 
i  y  4        T'/tf  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Stones,     and  in  all  forts   of  Matter ; 
 
 are  fuch   apparent  Demonftration  of  the 
 
 Earth's  having  been  fame  time  or  other 
 
 (the  whole  Surface  of  it  at  leaft)    in  a 
 
 ftate  of  Fluidity  •,    that   whofoever  has 
 
 feen    the  Collections  of  this  kind  made 
 
 by  the  very  ingenious  Dr  Woodward  and 
 
 others,     mil  ft    in    a  manner     abandon 
 
 all    life  both   of  his  Senfes    and  Rea- 
 
 fon,    if  he  can  in  the  leaft  doubt  of  this 
 
 Truth. 
 
 Of  Ods  re-      8-  That  God,    after  the  Flood,    made 
 
 veatwi*      particular  Revelations    of  himfelf   and 
 
 himielf  to   0f  his    "Will    to     the    Patriarchs  *,      is 
 
 %\lattd a  Thins  very  credible  in  {t  fclf>  for 
 
 giving  the    the  fame    reafons  that  I    have  before 
 Law  to  the  fhown  in  general,     that  the  Expe&a- 
 Je*s'        tion    of    fome    Revelation    from    God, 
 was    a    reafonable  and    probable    Ex- 
 pectation.    And  that,    after    this,  God 
 ihould   vouchfafe  by   Exprefs  Revela- 
 tion to  give  a  Law  to  the  whole  Na- 
 tion    of    the    Jews,     confifting     very- 
 much    in    Sacrifices,    and  in    external 
 Rites   and     ceremonious     Obfervances  •, 
 cannot    with  any    juft   reafon    be    re- 
 jected  as  an  incredible    Facl  •,   if    we 
 coniider,   that  fuch   a  kind  of  Inftituti- 
 on  was  neceffary  in  thofe  Times    and 
 Circumftances,    to    preferve    that  Na- 
 tion  from    the.    Idolatry  and  Worfhip 
 of  falfe  Gods,     wherewith    the   Coun- 
 tries   around    them  were    overfpread  -, 
 that    thofe  Rites   and  Ceremonies  were 
 typical  of,  and  preparative  to,  a  high- 
 er and    more    excellent    Difpenfaticn  -y 
 
 that 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  %  j  e 
 
 thai    the    Jews    were    continually  told 
 by  their    Prophets,    that    their  obfer- 
 vance    of    thofe    Rites  and  Ceremonies 
 was    by  no    means  fo  highly    accep- 
 table to   God,    nor    fo   absolutely   and 
 indifpenfably    infifted   upon    by"   him, 
 as    Obedience    to     the    Moral     Law  «, 
 and    that    the    whole   matter    of  Fad: 
 relating  to    that    Revelation,     is    de- 
 livered down  to  us  in  a  Hiftory,    on 
 which  the  Polity  of  a    whole  Nation 
 was  founded,   at  a  time  when  no  Body 
 could  be  ignorant  of  the  truth  of   the 
 principal  Fads,    and  concerning  which 
 we  can  now  have  no  more   reafon  to 
 doubt,    than    of  any    Hiftory   of  any 
 antient  matter  of   Fad:  in  the  "World. 
 The  moft  confiderable   and    real  diffi- 
 culty,    viz,     why    this    Favour     was 
 granted    to    that  Jivgle    Nation    only, 
 and    not  to  all  the   reft  of  the  World 
 likewife^   is  to    be  accounted    for  by 
 the    fame   Reafons,     which   prove    fas  pag,  215.* 
 has  been  before  fhown)  that  God  was 
 not    obliged  to  make  known    the    Re- 
 velation   of   the    Gofpel,    to     all    Men 
 alike. 
 
 9.  That  all  the  other  particulars  of  of  the  o- 
 Scripture-Hijiory  contained   in    the  Old  th-r  ?-irtJ' 
 Teftament,   are  true  Relations   of  Mat-  J^*, 
 ter  of   Fad  -    (not  to  iniift    now    on  Mftovj  in 
 the    many    Arguments    which     prove  the  old 
 in  general  the  Antiquity,   Genuinenefs,  Teflmtnt. 
 and    Authority    of  the    Books     them- 
 felves  })  will  to  a  rational  Inquirer  ap- 
 pear 
 
2. 5  6      The  Evidences  of  Hdtural 
 
 pear  very  credible  from  hence  $    that 
 very    many   of  the  particular    Hifto- 
 ries,   and   fome   even  of  the    minuter 
 Circumftances  alfo  of  thofe  Hiftories, 
 are    confirmed    by   concurrent     Tefti- 
 monies  of  profane  and  unqueftionably 
 unprejudiced  Authors.     Of  which  Gro- 
 f  lib.  i .     tiusy    in  his  excellent   Book    of  t  the 
 i-*6'™*  Truth   of  the    Chfiftian    Religion,      has 
 16  ?where  giyen  us  a  large  Collection.      As  par- 
 fee  the  Ci-  ticularly^    that  the  manner  of  the  For- 
 unions  ac    mation  of  the    Earth   out  of  a    Chaos, 
 hT&'        is  mentioned  by   the    Antienteft   Ph&- 
 yiician,    JEgyptian,    Indian    and     Greek 
 Hiftorians  *,    the  very  Names  of  Adam 
 and  Eve,  by  Sanchuniathon  and  others  ; 
 the  long&vity  of  the  Antediluvians,    by 
 Berofus  and  Manethos  and  others  *,   the 
 Ark  of  Noah,    by  Berofus  ♦    many  par- 
 ticulars of    the  Flood,    by   Ovid    and 
 others  •,  the  Family  of  Noah,  and  two 
 of  every    kind    of   Animals    entring 
 into    the    Ark    with    him,    mentioned 
 by  Lucian  himielf,   as  a  Tradition    of 
 the  Antient  Grecians  $  The  Dove  which 
 Noah  fent  out  of  the  Ark,    by  Abyde-* 
 mis  and  *  Plutarch  ^   the 
 *  &djKzkieayi  <p&ri  <&*•    building    of  Babel,    by 
 »e£r    U     f    A*er**@-     Abydenusi  the  burning  of 
 
 wa'Aiy  ipfvopivtuj,  U<riat  Ins  and  btrabo  and  lacitus 
 ^"  ATntr-mcnv-  Phfarch:  and  others  •,  feveral  par- 
 «frMnf  rm^/*  <**  ^«.     ticulars  of  the   Hiftory 
 
 tica    antmanti*    plus    have-        e    al     i  j  ^.u     -Jr. 
 
 4nt  filer,-*.  of  Abraham  and  the  relt 
 
 of  the  Patriarchs,  by  2te- 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  257 
 
 rvfus    and   others  ^     many    flartieul  irs 
 of  Mofes's    Life,    by    fcveral    ant  lent 
 Writers  \     the    eminent    Piety    of    the 
 moil:     antient    Jews,     by    Strabo    and 
 Jufiin  [    divers  Actions    of  David  and 
 Salomon ,     in    the     Th&niclan    Annals  ^ 
 fome    of   the    Actions    of   Elijah,     by 
 Menandet\     and    confeffed    by     Julian 
 himfelf  ;     the    Hiftory  of  Jonah,     un- 
 der  the  name    of   Hercules,    by  Zj/co- 
 phron    and  <ty£neas    Gaz&us  •     and    the 
 Hiftories   of   the    following  Times,   by 
 many     more     Authors.      Belides    that 
 (as    t    learned    Men    have   upon    ex-  f  See  £///* 
 ceeding  probable    grounds    fuppofed,)  Hpgfl&?% 
 many     of     the     moft    antient    Scrip-  °\fnrlJx\ 
 ture-hiftories    are    acknowledged    and  £jj'  /.Arul 
 aiTerted  in  the  Writings  of  the  Poets,  Bochdrtl 
 both    Greeks    and   Latins  $     the    true  '^i!^  & 
 Hiftories   being    couched  under  fiSifi*  JdoloU-6 
 ous    Names    and    fabulous   Repreienta*  ma. 
 tions. 
 
 10.    That    God,    in    the    fulnefs    of  of  God's 
 Time  •,    that   is,    at   that    time   which  hihg  hti 
 his  infinite  Wifdom   had  fore-appoint-  s*n!"?°,j 
 ed,    which    all    the    Antient    Prophe-  for  the  RSm 
 cies    had  determined,    and  which  ma-  dcmpthn 
 ny    concurrent    Circumftances    in  the  ni  Min' 
 ftate  of   the  Jewiih  Religion,    and  in  *'W" 
 the  difpofition  of  the  Roman  Empire, 
 had  made  a  fit   Seafon  for  the  recep- 
 tion  and    propagation   of  a    new    In- 
 stitution   of    Religion  :     that    God   CI 
 fay)    at    That  Time,    fhould  fend    his 
 Only-begotten  Son.      I  hat  Word  or  Wif- 
 E  e  dom 
 
*  j  S       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Horn  of  the  Father,    That  Divine  Per- 
 fon     by     who?n    (as     has    been    before 
 fhown)    He    created    the   World,    and 
 by    whom    he    made    all    former    par- 
 ticular  Manifestations  of  himfelf   un- 
 to Men  •,    that  he  fhould  fend  him,   to 
 take  upon  him  our  humane  Nature,  and 
 therein  to  make  a  full  and  particular 
 Revelation  of  the  Will  of  God  to  Man- 
 kind, who  by  Sin  had  corrupted  them- 
 felves  and  forfeited  the  Favour  of  God, 
 fo    that  by  the  bare  Light  of  Nature 
 they  could  not  difcover    any    certain 
 means  by  which  they  could  be   fatis- 
 factorily  and  abfolutely  fecure  of  re- 
 gaining that  Favour  5    To  preach  unto 
 Men    Repentance    and    Remiffion    of 
 .Sin,    and,     by   giving    himfelf  a    Sa- 
 crifice    and     Expiation    for     Sin,    to 
 declare    the  Acceptablenefs  cf  Repen- 
 tance,   and    the    Certainty  of  Pardon 
 thereupon,    in    a    Method     evidently 
 confiftent  with  all  neceiTary  "Vindica- 
 tion   of    the    Honour    and    Authority 
 of  the  Divine  Laws,  and  with    God's 
 irreconcileable  Hatred  againft  Sin  •,  To 
 be    a    Mediator   and  Interceffor,     be- 
 tween   God    and    Man  •,     To    procure 
 the  particular  AfTiitance  of  God's  Ho- 
 ly   Spirit,    which    might    be  in  Men 
 a    new   and    effectual    Principle  of  a 
 Heavenly  and  Divine  Life  •  in  a  word, 
 To  be  the  Saviour  and  Judge  of  Man- 
 kind, and  finally    to    bring    them    to 
 Eternal  Life.    All    this,   when    clear- 
 
 17 
 
and  Repealed  Religion.         Q  5"  9 
 
 ly  and  exprefly  revealed,  and  by 
 good  Teftimony  proved  to  be  ib  re- 
 vealed •,  is  apparently  agreeable  and 
 very  credible  to  right  and  true  Rc:t- 
 fon.  As  (becaufe  it  is  the  maltl 
 and  fundamental  Article  of  the  Chri- 
 stian Faith,)  I  fhall  endeavour  to  make 
 out  more  largely  and  distinctly  5  by 
 fhowing  in  particular,  that  none  of  the 
 feveral  Objections,  upon  which  Specula* 
 the  Unbelievers  reject  this  Doclrinc,  do 
 at  all  prove  any  inconfiftency  in  the 
 belief  of  it,  with  found  and  unprejudiced 
 Reafon. 
 
 For,    Fir  ft,    it    cannot   be    thought  nf*  n  ** 
 unreaionable    to    be    believed    m    the  ^,lulb[s  t0 
 general,     that    God     fhould     make     ujyppofe God 
 Revelation    of    bis    Witt    to    Mankind  5  ***«*  * 
 Since  on    the    contrary,    fas   has    been  0^/^ 
 before  proved    at   large  J    it    is    Very  to  Men. 
 agreeable  to   the  Moral  Attributes    of 
 God,    and    to    the    Notions    and    Ex- 
 pedtations  of  the  Wifeft  and  moft  ra- 
 tional Men  that  lived  in  the  Heathen 
 World. 
 
 Secondly ,      It     cannot    be     thought  rhf  h " 
 
 r       11  i       it        1      a  ^    •     net  mrea* 
 
 unreaionable  to    be    believed,   that   111  j, Mbie  i9 
 
 fuch  a  Revelation,    wherein  God  free-  believe, 
 
 Xy    proclaims    Remiffion    of   Sin,     and  tbatGed 
 
 the  Acceptablentfs  of  Repentance,    he  "■*',/£. 
 
 fhould  nevertheleis  have  appointed  fuch  n',pce  or 
 
 a    Sacrifice  or    Expiation    for    Sin,    as  Expiation 
 
 might  at  the   fame  time  be    a    fnffici-  f#  Sm 
 
 ent  Teftimony    of  his    irreconcileable 
 
 Hatred    againft    it.     For    though,    by 
 
 E  e  2  the 
 
160        T'he  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 the  Light    of   Nature,    it  was  indeed 
 exceeding    probable   and    to  be  hoped 
 for,    that  God  would  forgive  Sin  up- 
 on   true    Repentance  5     yet    it    could 
 not  be  proved,    that  he  was  abfolute-  : 
 ly  obliged  to  do  fo,    or  that  he  would 
 certainly    do    fo :     On     the    contrary, 
 there  was  reafon  to  fuppofe,    that,   in 
 Vindication  of  the  Honour    and  Dig- 
 nity of  his    Laws,    he  would  require 
 fome  further    Satisfaction  and    Expia- 
 tion.    And    accordingly    we    find    the 
 Cuftom    of   Sacrificing,     to    have    pre- 
 vailed  univerfally    over    the   Heathen 
 "World    in     all    Ages  •,     Which,     how 
 unreafonable  foever  an  expectation   it 
 was,     to     think    that    the    Blood     of 
 Beafcs  could    truly   expiate    Sin,     yet 
 thus  much  it  plainly  and   undeniably 
 fhows,    that    it    has    been    the    com- 
 mon   Appiehenfion     of    Mankind    in 
 all     Ages,     that    God    would    not    be 
 appeafed  nor  pardon  Sin  without  fome 
 Punifhment  and  Satisfaction-    and  yet 
 at    the    fame    Time    they    had    good 
 Hopes,    that  upon  the  Repentance  of 
 Sinners,     Gocl   would    accept  fome    o- 
 ther    Sati  faction    inftead    of   the    De- 
 irruction  of  the  Offenders.     "lis  there- 
 fore plainly   agreeable  to    right   Rea- 
 fon,   to  believe   that    God,     in      Vin- 
 dication  of  the  Honour   of  his  Laws, 
 and  for   a   Teftimony    of    his    Hatred 
 againft.  Sin,  fhould  appoint  fome  Sacri- 
 fice or  Expiation  for  Sin,   at  the  fame 
 
 time 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         761 
 
 time  that  he  forgives  the  Sinner  upon  his 
 true  Repentance. 
 
 Thirdly,    It    cannot   he   thought    Ml-  That  it  U 
 reafonable     to    be     believed,     that     a  ™' 
 Mediatour  or  Intercejfovr  fhould  be  ap-  £/, 
 pointed  between  God  and  Man,  through  tb. 
 and   by    whom    the    Prayers    of    Sin-  &**•* 
 iters   may   be  offered   up    fo   as  to   be 
 acceptable  in  the  Sight   ot  God.       1 1 
 well    known,    the    generality    of    the  G*d  aid 
 wifeft    Heathens    thought  it  agreeable  :'Ul1- 
 to  Reafon,     to    make  ufe    of  Subordi- 
 nate   Intelligences,     Damons    or    He- 
 roes,    by    whom    they    put    up    their 
 Prayers  to   the    Superiour    Gods  5    ho- 
 ping that  by  the  Mediation    of  thofe 
 Inter ceilours,  the  un worth inefs  of  their 
 own  Perfons,  and  the  defects  of  theie 
 Prayers   might  be  fupplied  •,  and  they 
 might    obtain    fuch    merciful  and  gra- 
 cious   Anfwers    to    their    Prayers,    as 
 they   could   not    pre  fume  to  hope  for 
 upon     their    own     Account.     Wherein 
 though    thofe     Pgans  laboured    indeed 
 under   very  great  Uncertainty,  in  do- 
 ing a  thing  for    which    they    had    no 
 fufficient  Warrant,    and   in  ufing  Me- 
 diators whom  they  neither  knew  di- 
 stinctly   to     have     any    Being ,     ncr 
 could    they  however    have    any    good 
 Security    that    fuch   Mediation   would 
 be  acceptable    to    the    Supreme   God  h 
 Yet    at    the    fame  time   this  undenia- 
 bly proves,    that    it    is  by   no  means 
 inconiiftent  with  right  Reafon,  to  be- 
 E  e  i  lieve 
 
i6i 
 
 Of  the  0!>- 
 jeBion 
 drawn 
 from  the 
 Dignity  of 
 the  Per[:n 
 vrhom  we 
 believe  to 
 be  our  .  '"- 
 d'ntor 
 and  Re- 
 deemer. 
 
 The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 lieve  that  a  Mediator  may  by  Divine 
 Authority  he  appointed  between  God 
 and  iinful  Men,  to  be  their  Intercef- 
 for  and  Advocate  with  a  juftly  offend- 
 ed God. 
 
 Fourthly »',  The  greateft  real  Difficul- 
 ty in    this  Matter,    to  the  Judgment 
 of  right  Reafon,    feems    to  arife  from 
 the  consideration  of  the  Dignity  of  the 
 Perfon0   whom    we  believe  to  have  gi- 
 ven himfelf  a    Sacrifice  and   Propitia- 
 tion  for  the   Sins   of   Mankind  •,     viz. 
 how  it   is  polnble,    that     the  Only-be- 
 gotten Son  of  God  fhould  be  Incarnate  and 
 become  MaM\  how  it  is  con  livable  that 
 God  fhould  condefrend  fo  far  as  to  fendy 
 and  the  Son  of  God  condefcend  willingly 
 to  be  fent,  and  do  fiich  great  things  for 
 his  Greatures  5  and  above  all,  how  it  is 
 confiftent  with  Reafon,  to  fuppofe  God 
 condefcending  to  do  fo  much  for  fuch 
 frail  and  9'eak  Creatures  as   Men,  who, 
 in  all  appearance,  feem  to  be  tut  a  very 
 fmall,    low,   and  inconfiderable  part  of 
 the  Creation.     And  here  indeed  it  muft 
 readily  be  acknowledged,    that  humane 
 Reafon  could  never  have  difcoveredfucli 
 a  Method  as  this,  for  the  reconciliation 
 of  Sinners  to  an    offended  God,     with- 
 out exprefs  Revelation.     But  then  nei- 
 ther on  the  other    Side,     when     once 
 this  Method  is  made  known,    is    there 
 any  fuch  Difficulty  or  Inconceivable- 
 nefs    in  it,     as    can  reafonably   make 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  253 
 
 a  wife   and  confiderate    Man   call    in 
 queftion   the   truth    of  a  well-at  tcfted 
 Revelation,  merely  upon  that  account  ^ 
 "Which    indeed,     any  plain  Abfurdity 
 or  Contradiction    in  the  Matter  of  a 
 Doclrine    pretended    to    be    revealed, 
 would,     it     mult    be    confefled,     una- 
 voidably   do.     For    as    to   the    Pojfiln- 
 lity   of  the  Incarnation  of  the    Son    of 
 God;     whatever    M)Tfterioufnefs  there 
 confefTedly  was   in  the  Marnier    of   it, 
 jet,     as  to    the   thing    it   felf,     there 
 is    evidently    no    more    unreafonable- 
 nefs  in  believing  the  poffibllity    of  it, 
 than  the  believing   the  Union    of  the 
 Soul   and    Body,     or    any    other    cer- 
 tain Truth  which  we  plainlv  fee    im- 
 plies   no  Contradiction    in  the     thing 
 it  felf,     at  the  fame  time  that  we  are 
 fenflble  we  cannot  diicover    the  man- 
 ner    how    it    is   effe&ed.     Again  •     As 
 to    the   incredibility    of  the    Dcttrine, 
 that  God  Ihould  make  fo  great  a  C071- 
 defcenfion  to  his  Creatures  ^     and    that 
 a  Perfon  of  fuch  Dignity  as  the  Only- 
 begotten  Son  of  God,    Ihould   vouch- 
 fafe    to   give    himfelf  a  Sacrifice    for 
 the  Sins  of  Men  :    He  that  duly  con- 
 siders,    how    it    is   no    diminution  to 
 the  Glory  and  Greatnefs  of  the   Crea- 
 tor   of    all    things,      to    infpect,     go- 
 vern,   and  direcl:  every  thing   by    his 
 All-wife  Providence  through  the  whole 
 Creation  •     to    take  care  even  of  the 
 meaneft  d£  his    Creatures,  fo  that  not 
 Ee4  a 
 
%6$       &%#  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 a  Sparrow  falls  to  the  ground  or  a  hair 
 of  our  he  iid  peri  fie  s  without  his  know- 
 ledge 5    and    to  obferve  exactly  every 
 Particle  even    of  inanimate  Matter  in 
 the  Univerfe  :  he  (I  fay)  who  duly  con- 
 fiders  This,    cannot  with  Rcafon  think 
 it  any  real  Difparagement  to  the  Son  of 
 God,  (though  it  was  indeed  a  moft  won- 
 derful and  amazing  Inltance  of  Humili- 
 ty and  CondefcenfionJ  that  he  Ihould 
 concern  himfelf  fo  far  for  linful  Men,  as 
 to  appear  in  their  Nature  to  reveal  the 
 Will  of  Gcd  more  clearly  to  them,  to 
 give  himfelf  a  Sacrifice   and   Expiati- 
 on for  their  Sins,   and  to  bring  them 
 to  Repentance  and  Eternal  Life.     The 
 greater!  Enemies  and  Benders  of  Chri- 
 ftiariity;  have  afferted  things,  far  more 
 incredible,    to  have    been    done  upon 
 far   hfs  Occaiions:    Witnefs  what  Ju- 
 lian the  Apoflate  *  thought 
 *'0  $  ltd  VE  icfjj^    fit    to    believe   concerning 
 */***ywMm*w'   jEfculapius's   coming    down 
 
 iKi*  y^XAlAfr  from  Heaven,  and  con- 
 nv  kt®-  %w\  y»s  &  verfmg  upon  Earth  in  a 
 *f#v*'7mvimntv&'rp6n-    vifible     Form,     only     to 
 
 *>f  >*"&&&*•£'***    teach     Men    the    Art     of 
 
 Em  orciv^viy&vr\. Julian.     ,       -,.  _.r    r  .     , 
 
 neahng       Biieaies.        And 
 
 Modern  Unbelievers,  who  feem  wil- 
 ling in  the  contrary  Extreme,  to  de- 
 ny God's  having  any  regard,  or  ta- 
 king any  care  in  any  refpect,  for  the 
 Welfare  and  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures  •, 
 are  forced,  if  they  will  go  about  to 
 give   any    account   or    explication    of 
 
 things, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         16 5 
 
 things,    to  invent    much    more   incre- 
 dible    Hypothefes,     difhonourable     to 
 God,    and    utterly    inconfiftent     with 
 his     Divine    Attributes.       Indeed,  •  if 
 we  will    confider    things    impartially, 
 fo  far  is   it  from  being  truly  any  di- 
 minution of    the  Greatnefs  and  Glory 
 of   God,     to   fend     his    Son    into     the 
 World    for  the  Redemption   and    Sal- 
 vation   of   Mankind  5     that,     on    the 
 contrary  t,    it  is  a  Means   of  bringing 
 the  very  greater!:  Honour  to  the  Laws 
 and    Government    of  God,     that    can 
 be  imagined.      For  what    can    be    im- 
 agined   more    honourable,     and     wor- 
 thy of   the    Supreme    Lord   and    Go- 
 Vernour  of  all    things  5    than  to    ihow 
 forth    his  Mercy    and     Goodnefs,      in 
 forgiving    the    Sins    of  frail  and    fal- 
 lible   Creatures,     and    fuffering     him- 
 felf   to    be    reconciled  to  them   upon 
 their  true  Repentance  •    and  yet  at  the 
 fame    time    to    caufe    fuch    an    Expi- 
 ation   to    be    made   for  Sin,    by   the 
 Sufferings     and    Death    of    his     own 
 Son   in   their    Nature,     as    might     be 
 an  abundant  Evidence  of  his  irrecon- 
 eileable   Hatred     againft    Sin,     a    jnft 
 Vindication  of  the  Authority  and  Dig- 
 nity  of   his    Laws,     and    a    fufficicnt 
 and    effectual    warning  to    deter  Men 
 from  Sin,   to  create  in  them  the  great- 
 eft    dread  and  deteftation  of  it,     and 
 for  ever    to    terrify    them   from   ven- 
 turing upon    wilful  Tranfgrcifion   and 
 
 Difobe- 
 
166      *The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Difobedience  >  'Tis  true,  no  Man  can 
 pretend  certainly  to  fay,  but  God  by 
 his  abfolute  Sovereignty  and  Autho- 
 rity, might,  if  he  had  fo  pleafed, 
 have  pardoned  Sin  upon  Repentance, 
 without  any  Sacrifice  or  Expiation 
 at  all?  But  this  Method  of  doing 
 it  by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  is  more 
 wife  and  fit,  and  evidently  more 
 proper  and  effectual  to  difcounte- 
 nance  and  prevent  Prefumption,  to 
 difcourage  Men  from  repeating  their 
 Tranfgreiftons,  to  give  them  a  deep 
 Senfe  of  the  heinous  Nature  of  Sin, 
 and  to  convince  them  of  the  excel- 
 lency and  importance  of  the  Laws 
 of  God,  and  the  indifpenfable  Necef- 
 fity  of  paying  Obedience  to  them  h 
 Forafmuch  as  it  fhows  us,  that  at 
 the  fame  time  that  God  was  wil- 
 ling to  fave  the  Sinner,  jet,  leaft 
 Incouragement  fhould  be  given  to  Sin 
 by  letting  it  go  unpiinifhed,  he  did  not 
 think  fit  to  forgive  the  TranfgrefTi- 
 ons  of  Men  without  great  Suffer- 
 ings in  our  Nature,  and  to  do  a- 
 way  the  guilt  of  our  Sins  but  upon 
 fuch  difficult  Terms  as  the  Death  of 
 his  own  Son.  So  that  in  this  Dif- 
 penfation,  Juftice  and  Mercy  and  Trnth 
 are  viet  together,  Right  eoufnefs  an& 
 Peace  have  kijfed  each  otfor.  And  by 
 how  much  the  greater  the  Dignity 
 of  the  Perfon  was,  wh0  gave  himfelf 
 thus  a  Sacrifice  for  the  Sins  0f  Men  5 
 
 of 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  2^7 
 
 of  fo  much  the  greater  Weight  and 
 Force  is  this  Argument  to  deter  Men 
 for  the  future  from  Sin,  and  to  con- 
 vince them  of  the  NecefTity  of  Obe- 
 dience. Wherefore  fo  far  is  it  from 
 being  true,  that  the  consideration  of 
 the  Dignity  of  the  Perfon  fuffcring, 
 is  a  real  Objection  ugainft  the  cre- 
 dibility of  the  Doctrine  •,  that  on 
 the  contrary,  that  very  Confidera- 
 tion contains  the  higheft  Vindicati- 
 on imaginable,  of  the  Greatnefs  and 
 Honour  and  Authority  of  the  Laws 
 of  God-,  and  at  the  fame  Time,  the 
 greater!:  poffitde  Inftance  or  Expref- 
 iion  of  his  Mercy  and  Companion 
 towards  Men,  agreeable  to  our  Na- 
 tural Notions  of  his  Divine  Attri- 
 butes. And  then,  as  to  the  la  ft  part 
 of  this  Difficulty,  viz.  how  it  can 
 be  confiftent  with  Reafon,  to  fup- 
 pofe  God  condefcending  to  do  fo 
 very  great  Tilings  for  fuch  mean  anl 
 weak  Creatures,  as  Men  are^  who, 
 in  all  appearance,  feem  to  be  but 
 a  very  fmall,  low  and  incnnftderablc 
 part  of  the  Creation-,  forafmuch  as 
 the  whole  Earth  it  felf,  is  but  a 
 little  Spot  that  bears  no  proportion 
 at  all  to  the  Univerfe  •,  and  in  all 
 probability  of  Reafon,  the  large  and 
 numberlefs  Orbs  of  Heaven  cannot 
 but  be  fuppofed  to  be  filled  with 
 Beings  more  capable,  than  we,  to 
 fhow    forth  the  Praiie  and   Glory  of 
 
 their 
 
268       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 their  Almighty  Creator,  and  more 
 worthy  to  be  the  Objects  of  his  Care 
 and  Love  :  To  this  part  of  the  Dif- 
 ficulty, I  fay,  the  Anfwer  is  very 
 eafy  \  That  the  Mercy  and  Love  of 
 the  infinitely  good  God,  is  extend- 
 ed equally  over  all  his  Works  ^ 
 That,  let  the  Univerfe  be  fuppofecl 
 as  large,  and  the  rational  Creatures, 
 with  which  it  is  furnifhed,  as  many  . 
 and  excellent,  as  any  one  can  ima- 
 gine- yet  Mankind  is  plainly  the 
 chief,  indeed  the  only  Inhabitant, 
 for  whofe  fake  'tis  evident  this  our 
 Globe  of  Earth  was  formed  into  a 
 habitable  World  -,  and  this  our  Earth 
 is,  as  far  as  we  have  any  means 
 of  judging,  as  confiderable  and  wor- 
 thy of  the  Divine  Care,  as  mofl: 
 other  Parts  of  the  Syftem  -,  and  this 
 our  Syftem,  as  confiderable,  as  any 
 other  fingle  Syftem  in  the  Univerfe  : 
 And  finally,  That  in  like  manner 
 as  the  fame  Divine  Providence, 
 which  prefides  over  the  whole  Cre- 
 ation, does  particularly  govern  and 
 direct  every  thing  in  this  our  lower 
 World,  as  well  as  in  every  other 
 particular  part  of  the  Univerfe .^  fo 
 there  is  no  real  Difficulty  to  right 
 Reafon,  in  '  conceiving  that  the  fame 
 Divine  Logos,  the  Word,  or  Meftpn- 
 ger  of  the  Father,  who  in  various 
 Difpenfations,  according  to  the  par- 
 ticular Needs  and  Exigencies  of  Man- 
 kind, 
 
tnd  Revealed  Religion.         2.69 
 
 kind,  has  made  various  Manifeftations 
 of  God,  and  Difcoveries  of  the  Di- 
 vine Will,  to  us  here  upon  Earth- 
 may  alfo,  for  ought  we  know,  have 
 to  other  Beings,  in  other  parts  of 
 the  Univerfe,  according  to  their  fe- 
 veral  Capacities  or  Wants,  made  dif- 
 ferent Manifeftations  of  God  and 
 Difcoveries  of  his  Will,  in  ways  of 
 which  we  can  know  nothing,  and 
 in  which  we  have  no  Concern  :  There 
 being  nothing  in  this,  at  all  contrary 
 to  the  Nature  of  God,  or  the  Condi- 
 tion of  things. 
 
 fifthly    and    Laftly,     If    any    one  of  the  oh« 
 thinks  it  unreafonable  to  be  believed,  V^thn 
 that  God    fhould    fend    his    Son    intei^fc 
 the     World    for     the    Redemption    o£  clrillUn 
 Mankind  -,    and  yet   that   this  appca-  Reveiathn 
 ranee  of  the  Son  of  God  upon  Earth, ^ptbehgrn 
 fhould    not  be  till  the    latter  Age,    of  {frf%u~ 
 the  World  ^   and   after  he  has   appea- 
 red,  yet  his  appearance  not  be  made 
 known  equally    to  all  Nations  :    Such 
 a  one  *  muft    likewife   for    the    fame*^^- 
 Reafon    affirm,    that   'tis  unreafonable  fore,  Pag. 
 to  believe  the   Neceflity  and    Obliga-  215-    • 
 tions  even  of  Natural  Religion  it  felf, 
 becaufe    'tis   plain    all    Men    are    not 
 furnifhed  equally  with  the    fame    Ca- 
 pacities   and   Opportunities  of   under- 
 ftanding  thofe  Obligations  •,    And  con- 
 fequently    no    Deift    can,    coniiftently 
 with  his  own  Principles,     make    Hh 
 Objection  againft  the    Truth  of  Chri- 
 
 ftianitv. 
 
a7o 
 
 The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 itianity.     He  muft    likewife    for    the 
 fame  Reafon  affirm,    that  God  is    ob- 
 liged in  all  other  refpe&s  alfo  to  make 
 all  his  Creatures  equal  •,  to  make  Men, 
 Angels  ;    to  endue   All  Men  with  the 
 fame  Faculties  and  Capacities,  as  Any  • 
 at    leaft,     to    make  all   Men  capable 
 of  the  very  fame  Kind,    and  the  fame 
 Degree  of  Happinefs,    and  to  afford  to 
 All  of   them  all  the  very  fame  Means 
 or  Opportunities  of  obtaining  it :    In  a 
 word,  he  muft  affert,  that  infinite  Wif- 
 dom  cannot  reafonably  be  fuppofed  to 
 have  a  Right  of  making  variety  of  Crea- 
 tures in  very  various   Circumftances  : 
 Which  is  an  Affert  ion  palpably   molt 
 abfurd,     in    Experience   falfe^     and  a 
 very    unjuft    diminution  of  God's  So- 
 vereignty    in     the    World.     But     be- 
 fides :    Though   the    Redemption    pur- 
 chafed   by    the    Son  of  God,   is     not 
 indeed  actually  made  known  unto  All 
 Men  •,    yet    as  no    Man    ever    denied, 
 but   that    the    Benefit    of  the    Death 
 of  Chrift  extended  backwards  to  thofe 
 who  lived  before  his  Appearance  in  the 
 World  ^    fo  no  Man  can  prove,  but  that 
 the  fame  Benefit  may  likewife  extend 
 it  felf  forwards  to    thofe  who    never 
 heard  of  his  Appearance,  tho'  they  lived 
 after  it. 
 Of  thee-         it.    That  the  Hijiory  of  the    Life  of 
 ther  far-     Chrift,     contained   in  the   New    Tefta- 
 cuitrs  of     ment     Js   a  xrue  Relation  of   Matters  of 
 ifflrTL  ttS,   Cnot  to  infift  here  on  the  Tefti- 
 tmedin  mcny 
 
ftid  Revealed  Religion]         1 7 1 
 
 mony  of  his  Difciples  and  Followers,  tk  *» 
 which'  fhall  be  confidered  hereafter  in  TeJlunm- 
 its  proper  plac^  -J  will  to  a  rational 
 Inquirer  appear  very  credible  from 
 hence  h  that  very  many  Particulars 
 of  that  Hiftory,  are  confirmed  by 
 concurrent  Tefrimonies  of  profane  and 
 unqueftionably  unprejudiced  Authors. 
 That,  before  the  coming  of  our  Sa- 
 viour, there  was  a  general  Expecta- 
 tion fpread  over  all  the  Eaftern  Na- 
 tions, that  out  of  Jui&a  fhould  arife 
 a  Perfon,  who  fhould  be  Governour 
 of  the  World-,  is  exprefly  affirmed 
 by    the     Roman    Hiftori- 
 
 ans,  *  Suetonius  and   +  Tr-        *  Percrebuerac  Orlenre 
 citus.       That    there    lived    toc.°.v««  &    conftans 
 
 <v    7  ~a.     j.\.        **  opinio,  efie   in  fatis,  uc 
 
 in    jfudaa,     at    the    time  judw  profca,  Kriun • 
 
 which  the  Gofpel    relates,  tirentur.  .?*/«, 
 
 fuch    a     Perfon    as    Jefns  +    Pluribus  pcrfuifio 
 
 of  Nazareth;    is    aclcnow-  "*™;  &'*   ST 
 
 i    i       t      i        '    1t  ,  dotum   Jibris   continen, 
 
 ledged     by    all    Authors,    eo  ipfo  tempore  fore,  uc 
 both     Jewiih    and      Pagan,    valefcerec   Oricns,     pro- 
 who    have    written     fince    fefti(^uc  l"d**  rerum  P°" 
 that  Time.     The  Star  that    «■*■»**«•* 
 appeared     at     his    Birth, 
 and     the     Journey     of    the    QbaUtan 
 Wife   Men,    is    mentioned 
 
 hj     *    Cbalcidius    the    Pla-        •  See  the  Place  cited 
 tonift.     Herod's  caufing  all    by  Gr9tius  d^  Veritare 
 the    Children    in     Bethk-    J^"»M|k^» 
 tew  under  two   Years  old 
 to  be  Slain,    and    a   Reflexion    made 
 upon    him    on    that  occaiion   by   the 
 
 Emperour 
 
2-  7  %       T'he  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 f  Cum  audiffet  [Augit- 
 JiVsJ,  mter  puerosquos 
 in  Syria  Her  odes  Rex  Ju- 
 da?orum  intra  b'matum 
 juflicinccrficijfiHumquf  Q-, 
 ejus  ocnlum ;  air,  Jfie* 
 lius  eft  Herod  is  porium 
 effc  qu.ttn  filfurri'  Macr<  b. 
 Jib.  2.  cap  4.  TA  Tefii- 
 mony  1  o  very  remarkable 
 and  pertinent,  that  'tis 
 ftrange  how  Grot  ins  could 
 omit  to  mention  it  in  the 
 place  now  cited.] 
 
 *  See  the  places  cited  by 
 Groths,  de  VeritateChrij}- 
 Rel,  lib.  2.  e2p.  5* 
 
 I  Ibid. 
 
 Emperour  Auguflus,    is  re- 
 lated  by  t  Macr alius.    Ma- 
 ny   of   the    Miracles    that 
 Jefus    worked  in  his  Life- 
 time,   are,    as    to    matters 
 of  Fact-,   (particularly  his 
 healing     the     Lame     and 
 the     Blind,      and     caftiug 
 out  Devils^)'  i  exprefly  own- 
 ed   by    the    molt     impla- 
 cable   Enemies    of     Chri- 
 itianity,    by    *    Celfus  and 
 Julian,     and    the    Authors 
 of  the  Jewijb  Talmud.     And 
 how    the    Power    of     the 
 Heathen    Gods    ceafed    after  the    co- 
 ming of  Chrift,    is   acknowledged    by 
 U  Porphyry,    who  attributes  it  to  their 
 being  Angry  at  the  fetting  up  of  the 
 Chriirian  Religion  which  he  ftiles  im- 
 pious  and    profane.      Many    Particu- 
 lars   of  the    collateral    Hiftory,    con- 
 cerning John  Baptifi,    and    Herod   and 
 Pilate^     ("not   to    mention    the   famous 
 Teftimony    concerning   Jfus    himfelf, 
 becaufe  it  is    by    Some    fufpecled  not 
 to    be  genuine,     notwithftanding  it  is 
 found  in  all  the  ancient  Copies  -J    are 
 largely    recorded    by    Jofephus.     The 
 Crucifixion     of    Chrift    under    Pontius 
 Pilate,    is     related    by     t 
 Tachus :     And    diver  fe     of 
 the  moft    remarkable    Gir- 
 cumftances     attending     it, 
 fuch     as     the     Earthquake 
 a:  d  miraculous  Darhiefi,  were  record- 
 ed 
 
 •f  Tiberh  imperirante, 
 per  procuratorem  Fonti- 
 um  Pil.iium,  fupplicioaf- 
 fectus  cut  Jib.  15. 
 
and  Revealed  Religion:  273 
 
 ed    in    the    *  publick   Ro-  *  Eum  mundi  cifiini 
 man    Remitters ,     common-  'fIacL'mu  ia    ^If4""  "- 
 ly     appealed     to    by    the  ^0/# 
 firft   Chriftian    Writers    as 
 what    could    not     be     de- 
 nied  by   the  Adverfaries    themfelves  ^ 
 and    are  in  a  very  particular  manner 
 attefted      by      ||      Pblegoit. 
 Then,  as  to  the  Refurrecli-  / 1|  r\ct\  3  **  it)  Tipt- 
 on    and      Afcenfion       of  fj*  &i**t<9-  Ua«\J**#, 
 Chrift.     thefe   depend    on  aT^S&L1'1* 
 the  general  Proofs    of  the  ihA^^kmr^^ 
 credibility    of    his     Dtfci-  v^ivm  <m<jfjuu>v  i  y»<9 
 pies     Teftimony,     and     o-  *'*>£s4s    *S  *\W 
 
 *V  r  7;      •  -d   - 1  Ori&en.  adv.  Celf.  lib,  2. 
 
 ther     foUtmwg     Evidences-  fa      ^  '^'t 
 
 which   will    be    coniidered  AttKo<rtow<  Jtvji&s  o- 
 
 hereafter    in    their  proper  *vp™df@-  iyknn  fur 
 
 place.  jw+/$  hai«,  (iiyifn  jff 
 
 *         '  *yv*>eiruivav&tQTtfov£ 
 
 fhlegon*  '   * 
 
 i 
 
 12.  Tfozf  God  has  appointed  a   Day,  of  tkeD.tr 
 wherein    he   will   y'w^e    tie    #V/i   in°fJuh- 
 Bigbteoufnefs,    by  T&at  ftr/bw  whom  he  JEfc^J 
 has    ordained ,     in    order    to     reward  7^.    j 
 every   Man  according    to  his  Works  $ 
 is   a  Doctrine    perfectly  agreeable    to 
 right    Reafon,     and    to    our     Natural 
 Notions    of    the    Attributes   of   God  ^ 
 As  may  appear  more  particularly  from 
 what    has    been   before   faid    concern- 
 ing   the   Neceflity    and    Certainty    of 
 another   Life  after  this  •,    and  is  evi- 
 F  f  dent 
 
*74       *3TV  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 dent    from    the    Opinion    of   all     th  e 
 wifer  Heathens  concerning    this  Mat- 
 ter.    Neither  may   it    perhaps  be    al- 
 together impertinent  to  obfer-ve  here, 
 thai  the  Poets  both  Greek  and  Latin 
 have    unanimoufly  agreed  in    this  one 
 particular  Circumftance,  that  Men  after 
 Death  fhould  not  have  Judgment  pafTed 
 upon  them  immediately  by  God  himfelf, 
 but  by  jufi    Men   appointed    for   that 
 purpof;. 
 eftheRe-       1 3.  .That    in    order     to    this    final 
 fT€^°m     Judgment,     not    only    the    Soul    fliall 
 V.  fnrvive    the   DilTolution  of   the  Body, 
 
 but  the  Body  it  felf  alfo  ihall  be  rai- 
 ded, again  \    This  Doctrine,    though  not 
 indeed  difcoverable  with  any  kind  of 
 certainty  by  the  bare    Light    of    Na- 
 ture ■    becaufe  the  belief  of  the  Soul's 
 Immortality    (for    ought  that   appears 
 to    Reafon   alonej   is    fufficient  to  an- 
 fwer    all    the    purpofes    of   a    Future 
 State,   as  far  as  is  difcoverable  merely 
 hy  the  Light  of  Nature  ♦,  Yet  this  Doc- 
 trine (I  fay)  of  the  RefurreBion  of  the 
 Body,  when  made  known  by  Revelati- 
 on, evidently  contains  nothing  in  it  in 
 the  leaft  contrary  to  right  Reafon.     For, 
 what  reafonable  Man  can    deny,    but 
 that  it  is  plainly    altogether    as  eafy 
 for    God  to  raife  the    Body  again  af- 
 ter Death,    as  to   create   and  form    it 
 ,   ,-  ,    ,.  ,    at  firft  >    Some    of    the    * 
 vci^v   $  Hw  ui7*  zh    St01cal    P^Hofophers    leem 
 7iAev7«crc6f,  r/QA\v<£ufQ-    to    have    thought    it    not 
 
 only 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         *i  7  j 
 
 only    poffible,    but     even    'fy/mw  fay/Aw 
 probable:    And    mam-    of  ?    "V£>  ^"J! 
 
 the     Jews,     wno_  had    no    ^    at.d.  a  Uctant. 
 exprefs      Revelation     con-    lib.  7. 
 cerning  it,  did  yet  believe 
 it    upon    an    ancient     Tradition  •     as 
 appears   from   all   their  "Writings,    and 
 particularly  from    the    Tranflation  of 
 the  laft  Yerfe   of    the  Book    of    Job, 
 which    according    to    the    Seventy    runs 
 thus  :,   So    Job    died,    being    old  and  full 
 of  Days  ^     but    f  9iis   writ- 
 ten   that   he    [ball  rife  again        f  Tiy^cti  '•}  <*™y 
 
 with    thofe    whom    the    Lord    ify'lV*^"^1' *?oh 
 
 .r         J       r^y  i  1     cJv  0  hut;®-  avirvn-  J 00 
 
 rafes    up.     The    only  real    42>ft/r, 
 
 difficulty  ill  this  Doctrine, 
 feems  to  arife  upon  putting  the  Sup- 
 portion  of  one  .Body's  being  turned 
 into  the  Nourifhment,  and  becoming 
 part  of  the  Subftance  of  another  -, 
 fo  as  that  the  fame  parts  may  equally 
 belong  to  two  Body's,  to  both  of 
 which  it  {hall  neverthelefs  be  abfo- 
 lutely  impoillble  that  the  fame  parts 
 fhould  be  reftored.  But  this  Obje- 
 ction, as  great  and  principal  a  Diffi- 
 culty as  it  is,  is  really  but  a  great 
 Trifle.  For  there  does  not  at  all 
 appear  any  abfolute  Neceffity,  that, 
 to  conftitute  the  fame  Body,  there 
 muft  be  an  exact  reftitution  of  all 
 and  only  the  fame  Parts.  And  if  there  '  ^ 
 was  any  fuch  Neceffity  h  yet  even  ££  **£ 
 ftill,  without  making  that  hard  Sup-  2  e"  l0, 
 pofitloa  (which  *  Grotlus  and  others 
 F  f  2  ha 
 
it  6        ^Tht  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 have  done)    that   God  by   a    miracu- 
 lous Providence  always  interpofes    to 
 prevent  the  Parts  of  one   humane  Bo- 
 dy from  incorporating   with    and    be- 
 coming the   Nourifhment  of  another  \ 
 (Tor  I  cannot  fee  any  fufficient  Ground 
 to   deny,    but  that  it    may   be    poffi- 
 ble  in  Nature,     for    barbarous   Canni- 
 bals, if  any  fuch  there  be,    to  fubfift 
 for    fome  time    and   live   wholly  one 
 upon  another,  if  deprived  of  all  other 
 Suftenance  i)   Without   any  fuch   hard 
 .  Suppositions  as  thefe  (I  fay,)  it  is  eafy 
 to    imagin    many    ways,    by    which 
 the  Refurrection   of  the   fame    Body, 
 properly   fpeaking,   fhall  neverthelefs 
 be    very    poiTible  •,     and    the    whole 
 Foundation    of    this,    and    all    other 
 Difficulties    of  this   kind,    concerning 
 the  Parts  and  Forms  and  Magnitudes 
 and  Proportions  of  our  future  Bodies,  be 
 entirely  taken  away. 
 of  the  Re-  m   As,   Firjl  >,   No  Man   can  fay   it    is 
 (uneZlim    improbable,   and  they  who  have  been 
 ■rf  the  fame  mo$  and    beft    verfed  in   Microfcopi- 
 9  y'         cal  Obfervations,    think  it  more  than 
 probable,)    that    the   original  Stamina, 
 which  contain  all    and  every   one   of 
 the  folid  Parts  and  VefTels  of  the   Bo- 
 dy,  not  excepting  even  the    minutefc 
 Nerves  and  Fibres,  are  themfelves  the 
 entire  Body  •    and  that  all  the  extrane- 
 ous  Matter,  which  coming  in  by  way 
 of  Nourifhment,  fills  up  and    extends 
 the  minute  and   infenflble  VefTels,    of 
 
 which 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         ijj 
 
 which  all  the  vifible  and  fenfible  Vef- 
 fels  are  compofed,  is  not  ftricily  and 
 properly  Part  of  the  Body.  Confe- 
 quently,  while  all  this  extraneous  Mat- 
 ter, which  ferves  only  to  fwell  the 
 Body  to  its  juft  magnitude,  is  in  con- 
 tlnual  Flux,  the  original  Sta7?iina  may 
 continue  unchanged-,  and  fo  no  Con- 
 fufioil  of  Bodies  will  be  poiftble  in 
 Nature.  There  may  be  made  many 
 very  confiderable  Obfervations,  con- 
 cerning the  determinate  Figure  into 
 which  every  refpective  Body  unfolds 
 it  felf  by  Growth  ;  concerning  the  Im- 
 poifibility  of  the  Body's  extending  it 
 felf  by  any  Nourishment  whafoever 
 beyond  that  certain  Magnitude,  to  which 
 the  original  Veffels  are  capable  of 
 being  unfolded  -,  and  concerning  the 
 hnpoj/ibility  of  reftoring  by  any  Nou- 
 rilhment  any  the  fmalleft  Veflel  or 
 folid  part  of  the  Body,  that  has  at 
 any  time  happened  to  be  mutilated  by 
 any  Accident :  All  which  Obfervations, 
 often  and  carefully  made,  will  feem  very 
 much  to  favour  fome  fuch  Speculation 
 as  This. 
 
 Secondly :  It  may  alfo  be  fuppofed  o- 
 therwife,  not  without  good 
 probability,  that  *  in  like  *  'fMf  «  **'  *'  *  •*-" 
 manner  as  in  every  Grain  t^fX*^£*it£ 
 ot^  Corn  there  is  con-  z**  V"*1^"*^  **?£• 
 tained  a  minute  infenfl-  *q$*&to.  kokkov  «&  al- 
 ble  feminal  Principle  V*i*W!,*fgV*}wl 
 which  as  ltfelf  the  en-  w  5B'X„<.  .*„  Ayh- 
 F  f  3  tire 
 
2  7  S         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 rt<%yst*7*iTiA  fftJtuLTt,    tjre  future  Blade  and  Ear, 
 %Jj*f*iW**t?    m  in    due  SeSiRwL    when 
 
 aU  o-ngtiu  adverf  Celf.    afl  the  reft    of    the    Gram 
 lib.  5.  is   corrupted,    evolves    and 
 
 unfolds    it  felf  vifibly  in- 
 to that  Form  5    fo  our   prefent  mortal 
 and  corruptible  Body  iriay  "be  but  the 
 ExuviA,    as  it    were,    of    fome  hidden 
 and   at    prefl-nt     infenfible    Principle, 
 (poilbly  the  prefent  Seat  of  the  Soul  J 
 which    at   the  Refurrection    fhall    dis- 
 cover   itfelf     in     its     proper     Form. 
 This  way  alfo,    there  can  be  no  Con- 
 fufion  of  Bodies,    poifible    in    Nature. 
 And  it  is    not  without   fome  "Weight, 
 that  the  Antienteft  "Writers  of  the  Church 
 have    always    made  ufe  of    this  very 
 Similitude  •    that  the   Apoftle  St    Paul 
 hinfelf,  alleges  the  fame  Companion  ^ 
 and  that  the   Jewifh  Writers   feem  to 
 have  had  fome  obfcure  glimpfe  of  this 
 Notion,    when    they  talked  of  a   cer- 
 tain incorruptible  p:  rt    of  the    Body  ^ 
 Though   thefe  latter  indeed   explained 
 themfelves  very  weakly '  and   unphilo- 
 fophically. 
 
 Many  other  ways  perhaps  may 
 be  imagined,  by  which  the  fame 
 thing  may  be  explained  intelligibly, 
 but  thefe  Speculations  are  nice  and 
 fubtle,  and  neither  needful  nor  pro- 
 per to  be  inlarged  upon  in  this 
 place.  Only  the  bare  mention  of 
 them ,  flhows  the  manifold  poffibili- 
 ty    of    the     Dottrine    of    the    Refur- 
 
 re&ion  1 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  279 
 
 rection  •  againft  the  Objections  of 
 thofe  who  would  have  it  feem  contra- 
 4i8ory. 
 
 14.    Laftly^    That   after  the   Rcfur-  of  fj  ,  ?. 
 rection     and    the    general     Judgment; ' 
 wherein  every   Man  {hall    be    judged 
 according    to   his    Works  ^    they    that  %ijtr^ 
 have  done  well,    {hall    go    into     ever- and  the 
 lafting  Happhiefs ;    and  they  that  have  e' 
 done  evil ,    into  everla  fling  Pirn? foment  :  Pun''fi' 
 
 n    n    :  •        vri    J  1-11       wntoftbe 
 
 is  a  Do&nne  m  it  ielf  very  credible,  j)amnedm 
 and  reafonable  to  be  believed.  Con- 
 cerning the  everlafiivg  Happinefs  of 
 the  Righteous,  there  is  no  difpute-, 
 it  being  evident  that  God  in  his 
 infinite  Bounty  may  reward  the  fin- 
 cere  Obedience  of  his  Creatures,  as 
 much  beyond  the  Merit  of  their 
 own  weak  and  imperfect  Works,  as 
 he  himfelf  pleafcs.  But  the  everlafi- 
 ivg Funifiment  threatned  to  the  Wick- 
 ed, has  feem'd  to  Many  a  great  dif- 
 ficulty ^  flnce  it  is  certain  from  our 
 Natural  Notions  of  the  Attributes  of 
 God,  that  no  Man  {hall  be  punifh- 
 ed  beyond  the  juit  demerit  of  his 
 Sins.  Here  therefore  it  is  to  be  ob- 
 ferved  §  frjl^  that  no  Man  can  fay 
 it  is  unreafonable ,  that  they  who 
 by  wilful  and  ftubborn  Difobedience 
 to  their  Almighty  Creatour  and 
 moft  merciful  Benefactor,  and  by 
 the  habitual  Practife  of  unrepented 
 Wickednefs,  have,  during  the  State 
 F  f  4  of 
 
iSo       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of  Trial,    made   themfelves    unfit  for 
 the     enjoyment     of    that    Happinefs 
 which     God    has    prepared    for   them 
 that  love  and  obey    him  h    {hould   be 
 eternally    rejected ,     and    excluded    from 
 it.     Thus    much ,     the    wickedeft    of 
 Men    are   willing  enough   to  believe: 
 And    if  bare   Deprivation  of  Happinefs 
 was    all    the    Punifhment    they*  had 
 reafon    to   fear,     they  would  be  well 
 content  to  fit   ftill  in  their  Wickednefs. 
 But  is  it  at  all  agreeable  to  Reafon  to 
 believe,    that    the    Punifhment    to  be 
 inflicted    by    the    final    Wrath    of   a 
 provoked    God    upon    his    moft   obfti- 
 nate  and  incorrigible  Enemies,    lhould 
 be  merely  fuch  a  thing  as  is  in  its  own 
 Nature  lefs  dreadful  and  terrible,  than 
 even  thofe  Afflictions  which  by  certain 
 Experience    we    fee    in    this    prefent 
 Life  fall   fometimes    upon    fuch    Per- 
 fons   with    whom  God   is    not    angry 
 at   all  >    Is  it  agreeable  to  reafon    to 
 believe,    that    God,    who,    as    is    evi- 
 dent by  experience,    fufFers  the  very 
 teft    of   his    own    Servants,    for    the 
 Punifhment    of    their     Sins,    or    even 
 only    for  the    Tryal   of  their   Virtue, 
 to  fall  fometimes    under    all   the    Ca- 
 lamities and  Miferie6,  which  'tis  poC 
 iible  for  the  cruelleft  and  moft  power- 
 ful Tyrants  to  invent  and  and  execute  « 
 lhould    puniih    his     moft    obftinately 
 rebellious      and      finally      impenitent 
 Creatures,    with   nothing    more    than 
 
 the 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         a8r 
 
 the  Negation  of  Happinefs  ?  There  muft 
 therefore  in  the  next  place  be  fome  ftnfr 
 ble  and  pojitive  PimzJIment,  befides  the 
 mere  negative  Lofs  of  Happinefs.  And 
 whoever  ferioufly  confiders  the  dread- 
 ful Effects  of  God's  Anger  in  this 
 prefent  World,  in  the  Inltance  of  the 
 general  Deluge,  the  overthrow  of  So- 
 do?n  and  Go?norrba,  the  amazing  Ca- 
 lamities which  befell  the  whole  Jew- 
 if)  Nation  at  the  Deftrudtion  of  Jem- 
 falem,  and  other  fuch  like  Examples  5 
 in  fome  of  which  Cafes,  the  Judg- 
 ments have  fallen  upon  mixt  multi- 
 tudes of  good  Men  and  bad  toge- 
 ther •,  (not  to  mention  the  Calamities 
 which  fometimes  befall  even  good 
 Men  by  themfelves :)  Whofoever,  I 
 fay,  ferioufly  confiders  all  this,  can- 
 not but  frame  to  himfelf  very  ter- 
 rible Apprehenfions  of  the  Greatnefi 
 cf  that  Punifhment,  which  the  de- 
 fpifed  Patience  of  God  {hall  finally 
 inflict  on  the  impenitently  Wicked 
 and  Incorrigible,  when  they  fhall  be 
 feparated  and  be  by  themfelves.  And 
 then,  as  to  the  Duration  of  this 
 Punifhment  ^  no  Man  can  prefume 
 in  our  prefent  State  of  Ignorance 
 and  Darknefs  to  be  able  truly  to 
 judge,  barely  by  the  ftrength  of 
 his  own  natural  Reafon,  what  in 
 this  Refpett  is  or  is  not  confiftent 
 with  the  Wifdom  and  Juftice  and 
 Goodnefs  of  the    Supreme  Governour 
 
 of 
 
&  S  2       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of  the  World  -,  fince  we  neither 
 know  the  Place,  nor  Kind,  nor  Man- 
 Tier,  nor  Circvth fiaitces,  nor  Degrees, 
 nor  All  the  Ends  and  Ufes  of  the 
 final  Punifhment  of  the  "Wicked : 
 Only  this  one  thing  we  are  certain 
 of,  that  the  Juftice  of  God  will  a- 
 bundantly  vindicate  it  felf,  and  all 
 Mouths,  {hall  be  flopped  before  him, 
 and  be  forced  to  acknowledge  the 
 exact  Righteoufnefs  of  all  his  Judg- 
 ments, and  to  condemn  their  own 
 Folly  and  Wickednefs  •,  forafmuch  as 
 the  Degrees  or  Intenfenefs  of  the  pu- 
 nifhment which  {hall  be  inflicted  on 
 the  Impenitent,  {hall  be  exactly  pro- 
 portionate to  their  Sins,  as  a  Re- 
 compenfe  of  their  Demerit,  fo  that 
 no  Man  {hall  fuffer  more  than  he 
 has  deferved.  This  being  once  clear- 
 ly cftablifhed-,  the  Difficulty  about 
 the  Duration  of  the  Punifhment,  will 
 not  appear  fo  infuperable  to  right. 
 Reafon.  For  nothing  can  be  more 
 evident,  than  that  God  may  jiiftly 
 banifn  the  Wicked  eternally  from  his 
 Kingdom  of  Glory,  and  from  that 
 Happinefs  which  is  his  Free  and  un- 
 deferved  Gift  to  the  Righteous :  And 
 the  pojitke  Punifhment  which  fhall 
 be  inflated  upon  them  in  that  State 
 of  Eternal  Rejection,  fhall  undoubt- 
 edly be  fucn  and  fo  proportionated 
 to  Mens    Deferts,     as  the    Righteous 
 
 Judge 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  2.83 
 
 Judge   will   then  mate    appear   before  r-'\ 
 Men  and  Angels,    to  be  juft  and  wife  !0,  -v/u// 
 and  neceilary,  and  luch  only  as  becomes  Ciin,;b 
 the  infinitely  "Wife  and  Good  Lord  and  Fire  w 
 Governour  of  the  Univerfe  to    inflict.  Brtmft  "c> 
 The  Wifefl  of  the  Heathen  Philofopru  i 
 
 •     ■,  111  r    -r»  1  1 
 
 without  the  help  of  Revelation,    ha  „. 
 
 taught,    and  did  believe  it  agreeable  to 
 right  Reafon,    that   *    the  *  '*£ 
 
 Pimifhment     of     the     in-  {L^, 
 
 corrigible    fhould  be  [W- 
 yc/<]     without    any     deter-     ,  V0'  ?  *v  f  &"1 
 
 i        "  77     7      ctj'.'ar^c    iyetv    diet    to. 
 
 mmate    or     known     £W.      ",C  *f  j  -*--    » 
 And    We    cannot  tell  how    Wj  Ta'w  ,)  it&<rfa- 
 
 many    Wife    Defigns    God    *»  ^'a'  p'^tw  «'<  zsjf 
 may    ferve    .thereby.     We    ?*t™&»>  J?*v.  Z*°n 
 know  not  but  that,  as  God       »q^    ^  ^^ 
 has    flow  difcovered    to  Us    atmUi  r«fcj£«*,  2™  £ 
 in   fome  meafure  the  Fall    •*  T#fr  it^«r  wA^r  inl- 
 and    Funifhment     of    rail    ^r^^TS^AT 
 ^rgf/s,  to  be  a  warning   to    ,;/„.  /,/>.  g. 
 Us  ^    fo    he    may   hereafter     \  c;  $  «^^/  W    wr- 
 ufe  the   Example   of     the    tt*hK.'&v5j  9Wi%£f 
 Punifliment  cUHcled  and    TX"    I  '  M' 
 incorrigible  Men,   to  be  a  means  of  pre- 
 ferring   other    Beings    in  their    Obedi- 
 ence.     And    many  other    Confederati- 
 ons there  may  poihbly  be,    very  nc- 
 ceiiary  to  enable  us  10  judge  rightly 
 concerning   this    Matter  ^    which,     in 
 this  prefent  State,    we  have   no    fuffi- 
 cient  means  of   coming  to   the   Know- 
 ledge of. 
 
 Thus  all  the  Credenda,    or  DoEt  riv.es, 
 which  the  Chriftian  Religion  teaches  ^ 
 
 (that 
 
2S4      The  Evidences'  of  Natural 
 
 (that  is,  not  only  thofe  plain  Doctrines 
 which  it  requires  to  be  believed  as  funda- 
 mental and  of  neceility  to  eternal  Salva- 
 tion, but  even  All  the  Doctrines  which 
 it  teaches  as  Matters  of  Truth  •,)  are  in 
 the  Firjl  place,  though  indeed  many  of 
 them  not  difcoverable  by  bare  Reafon  un- 
 aififted  with  Revelation,  yet,  when  dis- 
 covered by  Revelation,  apparently  moft 
 t  agreeable  to  found  and 
 f  T^  7*<  virwi  fato'v,    unprejudiced  Reafon. 
 
 •3»r$  MJfttff  vrvoictte  «g- 
 
 v'sgen*  arfverj.  Celf.  /#•  ;• 
 
 Every  otjff  In  the  next  place,  Every  one  of  thefe 
 *$them  Doctrines,  has  a  natural  Tendency,  and 
 vJtTen-  a  direct  and  powerful  Influence,  to  re- 
 &<nxj  and  form  Mens  Lives,  and  cor  reft  their 
 pwerfut  Manners.  This  is  the  Great  End, 
 Bflumse     and    ultimate    Defign,       of    all    true 
 
 m>  reform     n   ,.   .  j    >^.«  j 
 
 jfewjfcfrfn-  Religion  •,   and    tis  a  very  great    and 
 jbwx.         fatal    Miftake,     to    think     that     any 
 Doctrine    or    any    Belief  whatfoever, 
 tan  be  any  other  wife  of   any    Bene- 
 fit to    Men,    than  as  it    is    fitted    to 
 promote   this    main    End.      There    was 
 none    of  the  Doctrines    of    our    Saviour, 
 *MBf.  fas    an    *    excellent   Prelate    of  our 
 C  York's   Church  admirably  expreffes  this   mat- 
 Wtore  the  teri     calculated  for  the  gratification    of 
 Queen  on  Mem   idle  Cnriojities,     the    buffing    and 
 Gurift-       amufng     them      with    airy    and     ^felefs 
 ■*  ^  Speculations  1     Much   lefs    were  they    in- 
 tended  for  an  Exercife   of  our  Credulity% 
 or  a  Iryal    how  far  we  could  bring   our 
 
 Reafon 
 
t  rid  Revealed  R  eligion.  28  5 
 
 Reafon  to  fubmit  to  our  Faith :  But, 
 as  on  the  one  Hani  they  were  plain  and 
 Jimple,  and  fuch  an  by  their  agreeable fttfi 
 to  the  rational  Faculties  of  Mankind? 
 did  highly  recommend  themfelvts  to  our 
 Beliefs  fo  on  the  other  Hand  they  had 
 an  immediate  relation  to  Praftife,  and 
 were  the  genuine  Principles  and  Founda- 
 tion iipon  which  all  humane  and  divine, 
 Virtues  were  naturally  to  be  fuperjlritckd. 
 Particularly  5  What  can  be  a  ^  more 
 neceflary  and  excellent  Foundation  of 
 true  Religion,  than  That  Doctrine 
 which  the  Chriftian  Religion  clearly 
 and  diftindtly  teaches  us,  concerning 
 the  Nature  and  Attributes  of  the  One 
 only  true  God;  without  any  of  that 
 Ambiguity  and  Doubtfulnefs,  thofe 
 various  and  inconfiftent  Opinions  and 
 Conjectures,  thofe  uncertain  and  oft- 
 times  falfe  Reafonings  concerning  the 
 Nature  of  God,  which,  notwithstand- 
 ing the  natural  poffibility  of  difco- 
 vering  very  many  of  the  Attributes 
 of  God  by  the  Light  of  true  Rea- 
 fon, did  yet  in  Fact  overfpread  the 
 greater!:  part  of  the  Heathen  World 
 with  Polytheifm  or  Atheifin?  What 
 can  be  fo  certain  a  Prefervative  againft 
 Idolatry,  and  the  Worfhip  of  falfe 
 Gods^  as  the  Doclrine,  that  the  Uni- 
 verfe,  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth,  and 
 all  things  contained  therein,  are  the  Crea- 
 tures and  Workman/hip  of  the  One  true 
 God,  and  have  a  continual  dependence 
 itpon  him  for  the  Prefervation  of  their 
 
 Being  ? 
 
2  §  6       cT$e  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 B"ing  I    What  can  be  fo  fare  a  Ground 
 of  true  Piety  and  Reliance   upon  God, 
 as    the    clear    Chriftian    Doctrine  con- 
 cerning Providence,     concerning     God's 
 perpetually    governing    and    directing 
 the  lilacs'  and  Events  of   all   Things, 
 and   inspecting  with    a  more    efpccial 
 regard    the    moral    Actions    of   Men  > 
 which   Dcdrine    was    perplexed  by  the 
 Philofophers      with     cndlefs    Difpiites. 
 What    can  be    fo  jiift    a    Vindication 
 of  the    Goodnefs    of   God,     and    con- 
 fequcntly  fo  neceffary  in  order  to  our 
 maintaining    in     our     Minds     worthy 
 and    honourable    Notions      concerning 
 him  •    as  the   Doctrine,    that  God  crea- 
 ted Man  at  fir  ft  Upright,    and   that    the 
 Original   of  all  Evil  and  Mifery  is  Sin  ? 
 the    want    of    a   clear  Knowledge     of 
 which  Truth,  extremely  perplexed  the 
 Heathen  World,    and  made  Many  re- 
 cur to  that  moil    abfurd  Fiction   of  a 
 Self-exiftent  Evil  Principle.     What  can 
 be    a  more  proper    Motive    to  Piety, 
 than   the  Doctrine  that  the  Deluge   and 
 other    Remarkable     Calamities     which 
 have  befallen  Mankind,  were  fent  upon 
 them    by    God's    immediate    Direction, 
 as    Piniifvients  for    their    Wickednefs  > 
 What  can  be  a  greater  incouragement 
 to  the  Practife  of  Holincfs,    than    the 
 Doclrine,  that  God  has   at  fever al  times 
 vouch fafed     to    make    fever  al    particular 
 Revelations    of  his  Will   to  Men,    to  in- 
 ftruct    and  fupport  them  more  effectu- 
 ally 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         2S7 
 
 ally  in  that  Practife  ?  But  above  all  • 
 What  Doctrine  could  ever  have  been 
 imagined  fo  admirably  fitted  in  all 
 refpects  to  promote  all  the  Ends  of 
 true  Religion,  as  that  of  the  Ir.car- 
 oiation  of  the  Son  of  God?  "Which  v. 
 could  Men  have  been  filled  with  fo 
 deep  a  Senfe  of  the  Mercy  and  Love 
 of  God  towards  them,  and  have  Keen 
 inftrufted  in  all  divine  Truths  in  a 
 Method  fo  well  accommodated  to 
 their  prefent  Infirmities  ^  as  by  God's 
 fending  bis  Only-begotten  Son,  to,  tale 
 upon  him  oiir  Nature^  and  therein  to 
 make  a  general  Revelation  of  the  Will 
 of  God  to  Mankind  ?  How  could  the 
 Honour  and  Dignity  and  Authority 
 of  the  Laws  of  God  have  been  fo 
 effectually  vindicated,  and  at  the  fame 
 time  fo  fatisfactory  an  afniran.ee  of 
 Pardon  upon  true  Repentance  have 
 been  given  unto  Men  ^  as  by  this 
 Method,  of  the  Son  of  God  giving 
 hhnfclf  a  Sacrifice  and  Expiation  for 
 Sin  ?  What  could  have  been  a  more 
 glorious  Manifeftation  of  the  Mercy 
 and  Companion  of  God,  and  at  the 
 fame  time  a  more  powerful  means 
 to  difcountenance  Mens  Prciumption, 
 to  difcourage  them  from  repeating  their 
 Tranfgreflions,  to  give  them  a  deep 
 Senfe  of  the  heinous  Nature  of  Sin, 
 and  of  God's  extreme  Hatred  and 
 utter  Irreconcileablenefh  to  it,  and  to 
 convince  them  of  the  Excellency    and 
 
 Impor- 
 
%  8  %       *The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Importance  of  the  Laws  of  God, 
 and  the  indifpenfable  Neceifity  of  pay- 
 ing Obedience  to  them  h  than  this 
 Expedient  of  favhig  Sinners  by  the  Suf- 
 ferings and  Death  of  the  Son  of  God, 
 and  by  ejlabliJJnng  with  them  a  new  and 
 gracious  Covenant  upon  the  Merits  of 
 that  Satisfaction?  How  could  Men 
 be  better  encouraged,  to  begin  a  re- 
 ligious Life;  than  by  having  fuch  a 
 Mediator,  Advocate,  and  Inter cejfor  for 
 them  with  God,  to  obtain  Pardon  of 
 all  their  Frailties  -,  and  by  being  af- 
 fured  of  the  Ajjiftance  of  the  Spirit 
 of  God,  to  enable  them  to  conquer 
 all  their  corrupt  Affections,  and  to 
 be  in  them  an  effectual  Principle  of 
 a  heavenly  and  divine  Life  ?  In  fine  - 
 What  ftronger  and  more  powerful  Mo- 
 tives could  poflibly  have  been  con- 
 trived, to  perfwade  Men  to  live  vir- 
 tuoufly,  and  to  deterr  them  from 
 Vice  ^  than  the  clear  Difcovery  made 
 to  us  in  the  Gofpel,  of  God's  havittg 
 appointed  a  Day,  wherein  he  will  judge, 
 the  World  in  Righteoufnefs,  every  Man 
 according  to  his  Works  ;  and  that  they 
 who  have  done  well,  Jl)all  be  adjudged 
 to  everlafiing  Happinefs ;  and  they  that 
 have  done  evil,  to  endlefs  Punijbment  * 
 of  which  the  Light  of  Nature  afforded 
 Men  but  obfeure  Glimpfes  ?  And  may 
 we  not  here,  upon  the  whole,  ap- 
 peal now  even  to  our  Adverfaries  them- 
 felves,   whether  in  all  and  every  one 
 
 of 
 
and  Revealed  Relig  ion.  a  8  p 
 
 of  thefe  Doctrines  there  be  not  a  more 
 powe.ful,     a    more     effectual    Method 
 kid  down,    for  the  reft  rming  htimand 
 Nature,  and  obliging  the  whole  World 
 to   forfake    their    Sins,     and    to    lead 
 holy  and  virtuous    Lives  \     than    was 
 ever  taught  before  :    nay,  or  than  was 
 poflible  to  have  been  contrived  by  all 
 the  Wit  of  Mankind  >  This  is  the  great 
 and    higheft    recommendation    of    the 
 Chriftian   Doctrine :    This   is  what,    to 
 a  well-difpofed  Mind,  would  well-nigh 
 fatisfadtorily  prove,   even  without  the  , 
 addition  of   any    external   Teftimony,- 
 that    the    Revelation    of    Chriitianity 
 could     not    poilibly    but     come    from  . 
 God  5    Seeing  that,    not    only   all    its 
 pracligal    Precepts,    but    even    all    its 
 Articles    of   Belief  alfo,    tend  plainly 
 to  this    one   and    the    fame    End,     to 
 make    Men    univerfally    amend     and 
 reform    their   Lives  *,    to  recover    and 
 reftore  them   to    their    original  excel- 
 lent State,    from  the    Corruption    and 
 Mifery  which  had  been  introduced  by 
 Sin  •,  and  to  eftablifh   upon  Earth   the 
 Practife   of  everlafting    Righteoufnefs, 
 and    entire  and    hearty    Obedience  to 
 the  Will   of  God :    Which   would  have 
 been    the  Religion  of  Men  (had  they 
 continued    Innocent)    in  Paradice,  ana 
 now  is    the   Religion  of  Angels,   and 
 for  ever  will  be  the  Religion  of  Saints 
 in    Heaven.     Vain    Men    may    value 
 themfelves  upon  their  fpeculative  Know- 
 G  g  ledge, 
 
spo       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 ledge,    right  Opinions,    and  True  and 
 Orthodox    Belief,    feparate    from    the 
 Pra&ife    of    Virtue    and     Righteouf- 
 nefs*,   But,    as   fure  as  the  Gofpel    is 
 true,   no  Belief  whatfoever  fhall  finally 
 be  of   any  Advantage    to  Men,    any 
 otherwife  than  only  fo  far  as  it  corre&s 
 their  Praclife,  hinders  them  from  "being 
 Xafc.is,  i  l^wkers  of  biiquity,  and  makes  theralike 
 unto  God. 
 
 AhLAToi  La^  A11  the  ^o<arines  °f  ^e 
 
 \to  mJke  Chrittian  Faith,  do  Together  make  up 
 up  tie  mofl  an  infinitely  more  confjlent  and  rati- 
 cenfiftent    ma\  Scheme    of   Belief    than  any  that 
 
 afsXZ'the   wifeft    of.  the    Antient^Philofo- 
 of  Beikf  in  phers    ever    JfJ,   or  the  cunningeft  of 
 tke  World.  Modern  Unbelievers  can  invent  pr  con- 
 trive.    This    is    evident  from  a  fum- 
 mary     View    of    the     forementioned 
 Scheme  of    the    Chriftian    Doctrines  ^ 
 wherein  every  Article  has  a  juft  de- 
 pendence on  the  foregoing  ones,    and 
 a   clofe    connexion    with    thofe    that 
 follow  ^     and    the    whole   account    of 
 the  Order  and  Difpofition  of  Things 
 from    riie    Original   to    the    Cpnfum- 
 mation    of    all    Things,    is    one   in- 
 tire,  regular,  complete,  confiftent,  and 
 every   way  a  moft    rational    Scheme : 
 Whereas  the  Wifeft  of  the  Antient  Phi- 
 hjhphen,   that  is,    thofe   of  them  who 
 hit  upon  the  greateft  Number  of  iin- 
 gle   Truths,    and   taught   the   feweft 
 
 Abfur- 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         api 
 
 Abfurdities  ^     were    yet   *       "Diwfiac diver frtm 
 never    able    to   make    out    "*  prowJerur.r,  mi  3n- 
 
 r  ,  .  n     nccteiucs  ncc  cauias    re* 
 
 any  univerfal,    entire,  and    rum>   nec  coD(cSucnnas 
 coherent    Syftem    of     Do-    nec  rati  ones ;  w  Sum* 
 citrines,   and  Scheme  of  the    matn  i(»am; quacowioei 
 Whole     State     of    Things,    SEjtf?* 
 with  any  manner  of    pro-    lUm.  lib.  ,. 
 bability :     And     the    cwi- 
 ningeft    of   Modem    DeiJIs, 
 (befides    that    they     jnuft     needs    in 
 their  own   Way  belie\re  fome  particu- 
 lar Things    ftranger  and  in  themfelves 
 more  incredible  than  any  of  the  fore- 
 mentioned    Chriftian    Doctrines,)    can- 
 not in  the  whole,  as  has  been  before 
 fhown,    frame  to    themfelves  any  fixt 
 and    fetled    Principles,     upon    which 
 to  argue    confiftently  ♦,   but  mult  una- 
 voidably either  be  perplexed  with  in- 
 extricable  Abfurdities,    or   confeiTedly 
 recur   to   down-right   Atheifm.     There 
 have    indeed    even    among    Chriftians 
 themfelves,  been  many  Differences  and 
 Difputes    about  particular    Doctrines  i 
 But,  (excepting  fuch  as  have  intolera- 
 bly  corrupted  the    very    fundamental 
 Doctrines,    and   even  the  main  Defign 
 it  felf  of  the  whole  Chriftian  Difpen* 
 fation  •,  of  which  there  are  too  many 
 Inftances    in    Writers    of  the   Romifh 
 Church  efpecially^)  {thefe  Difputes   a- 
 mong  Chriftians,    have  not  been,  like 
 thofe  among  the  Philofophers,    de  re- 
 rum     fum?na,     concerning    the    whole 
 Scheme    and    Syftem    of    things,     but 
 only  concerning  particular  Explications 
 G  g  2  of 
 
*pi        Tk  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of    particular    Doctrines  •,   which  Icind 
 of  Difputes  do   not  at  all 
 •   S-d  pcrrurbK    nos    *    affedl   the  Certainty   of 
 
 qua  non  idem  co.uingit  nor  ought  in  reafon  to 
 in  feqfibus\  hos  nacura  be  any  manner  of  hin- 
 ccrcospucamus-,  ilia,  qua    derance    to    the    +    Effeft 
 
 videncur,  fifta  eiTc  did-  weightier  and  confeiiedly 
 mu5.  Quod  eft  icnge  ali-  more  .  important  funda- 
 tcr.    ck.  dz  Leglb.  lib.    mentai  Dodrines  ought  to 
 
 l'i  See  above,/*,.  Hz.    ha7e  uPon  the  Hearts  and 
 Lives  of  Men. 
 
 XIY.  Fifthly  ^  As  this  Revelation,  to 
 the   Judgment  of  right    and    fiber  Rea- 
 fon,    appears    of    it     felf    highly     ere- 
 dible  and  probable  •    and  abundantly   re- 
 commends it  felf  in  its  native  Simplici- 
 ty, merely  by    its    own  intrinjick  goodnefs 
 and    excellency,    to    the    praBife    of    the 
 mofl    rational   and  confdering  Men,    who 
 are   def/ous  in  all  their    Anions  to  have 
 fathfa&joH    and   co?nfort  and   good    hope 
 within     themfelves,    from    the    Conference 
 of  what    they    do :     So    it    is    moreover 
 pofitively   and  direftly.  proved,  to  be  actu- 
 ally and  immediately  fent  us  from-  God ; 
 by    the    many    infallible  Signs   and    Mi- 
 racles,   which    the  Author  of   it  worked 
 publicldy    as  the    evidence   of    his    divine 
 Commiffion  -,    by   the  exaft  completion  both 
 of  the  Prophecies   thit  went  before  con- 
 k&tftng  him,    and  of  thofe  that  He  him- 
 felf  delivered  concerning  things  that  were 
 
 to 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         293 
 
 to   happen    after  ;     and  by  the  Tcfumo- 
 117    of    his    Followers  $     which    in     all 
 its    Cir  cum  fiances    was    the  vrft  credible^ 
 certain,  and  convincing  Evidence,  that  v 
 ever  given  to  any  matter  of  Fa&   i  \   X 
 World, 
 
 Fbfj  The  Chriftian  Revelation  13 
 pofitivehy  and  directty  proved,  to  be 
 actualty  and  immediately  fent  to  us 
 from  God,  by  the  manjr  infallible 
 Signs  and  Miracle.^  which  the  Author 
 of  it  worked  publickly  as  the  Evidence 
 of  his  Divine  CommiiTion. 
 
 Befides  the  great  Excellency  uniof  the  life 
 Reafonablcnefs  of  the  DoBrine  confi-  u£rC**r£r 
 dered    in  it    ftlf,    of   which  we    hav<  ,^ts 
 
 alread7  treated  •,  It  is  here  cf  no 
 fmall  moment  to  obferve,  that  the 
 Author    of   it    (feparate    from    all  ex-  [ 
 
 ternal  Proof  of   his    Divine  CommifuV )ation. 
 on)    appeared    in   all   his     Behayi*  nr, 
 Words  and  Actions,    to  be  neither   an 
 *  Impoftor    nor     an    Enthu- 
 
 Jiaft.  His  Life  was  Inno-  *  TliurUt  <ft  dviZf 
 cent  and  Spotlefs,  fpent  ?^*  ^.i*£  **" 
 entirely  in  fervmg  the  Z^mq.  4  im»KM„ 
 Ends  of  Holinefs  and  Cha-  r«ft<rifo»f -n  £ -,*? »k- 
 rity,  in  doing  good  to  *»*  *  «t»«  J>"A  *.**&■ 
 the    Souls    and    Bodies    of    ii'^^T''f,*,v'tV 
 
 nit  ■■■■«  1  •  1  am 
 
 Men,    in    exhorting    them    ,.,,„.„.„.  ;;.'.3. 
 
 to   Repentance,    and  invi-    c.   . 
 ting    them   to    ferve    and 
 glorifie    God.     When    his    bittereft   E- 
 nemies  ace n fed  him,    in   order  to  take 
 awa7  his  Life  •  they  could  not  charge 
 G  g   3  him 
 
*94         %&e  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 him    with    any    appearance    of    Vice 
 or    Immorality:    And  fo    far  was  he 
 from  being  guilty    of    what  they  did 
 accufe  him  of,    namely  of  "Vain-glory 
 and    attempting    to    move    Sedition  ^ 
 that   once,     when    the    admiring  Peo- 
 ple would    by  force  have    taken  him 
 and   made    him    their  King,    he  chofe 
 even  to  work  a  Miracle  to  avoid  that, 
 which  was  the  only  thing  that  could 
 be    imagined    to    have    been   the    De- 
 fign    of    an    Impoftor.    In    like    man- 
 lier,   whoever   ierioufly  confiders   the 
 Anfwers    he    gave    to    all    Queftions 
 whether  moral   or  captious,   his  occa- 
 fional   Difcourfes  to  his  Difciples,  and 
 more  especially  the   Wifdom  and  Ex- 
 cellency of  his  Sermon  upon  the  Mount, 
 which   io  as  it  were   the  Syftem   and 
 Summary    of  his    Dodtrine,     manifeft- 
 ly  iurpaiTmg  all    the   moral   Inftru&i- 
 ons    of   the    moil:    celebrated    Philofo- 
 phers    that  ever  lived  •,    cannot,  with- 
 out   the  extremeft  Malice   and    Obfti- 
 nacy  in   the  World,  charge  him  with 
 Enthufiafm. 
 of  the  Mi.      Thefe     Confiderations    cannot     but 
 raleyof     add    great    Weight   and  Authority  to 
 
 tt'r'E  "  ^'1S  ^C^vine ->  &n&  roake  his  own 
 iencetfbh  Teftimony  concerning  himfelf  exceed- 
 Divine  inglj  credible.  But  the  pojitive  and 
 Commiffi-  dire  a  proof  of  his  Divine  CommiiEon, 
 on-  are    the    Miracles   which    he   worked 
 
 for    that    purpofe :     His   healing    the 
 Sick  ;  His  giving  Sight  to  the  Blind  : 
 
 Bis 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         395 
 
 His  rafting  out  Devils:  His  railing 
 the  Dead ;  The  "Wonders  that  at- 
 tended his  Crucifixion  :  His  own  Re- 
 furre&ion  from  the  Dead-,  His  Ap- 
 pearance afterwards  to  his  Difciples  : 
 And  his  Afcenfion  viiibly  into  Hea- 
 ven. 
 
 Thefe,  and  the  reft  of  his  ftu- 
 pendous  Miracles,  were,  to  the  Dif- 
 ciples that  faw  them,  fenfible  Demon- 
 ftrations  of  our  Lord's  Divine  Com- 
 miilion.  And  to  thofe  who  have  lived  Jince 
 that  Age,  they  are  as  certain  Demon - 
 ftrations  of  the  fame  Truth,  as  the 
 Teftimony  of  thofe  firft  Difciples 
 who  were  Eye-witnefles  of  them,  is 
 certain  and  true. 
 
 To  the  Difciples  that  faw  them, 
 thefe  Miracles  were  fenfible  and 
 compleat  Demonftrations  of  our 
 Lord's  Divine  Commiilion  -,  becaufe 
 they  were  fo  great  and  fo  many  and 
 fo  publick  and  fo  evidejit,  that  it 
 was  abfolutely  impoifible  they  ftiould 
 be  the  Effect  of  any  Art  of  Man, 
 of  any  Chance  or  Fallacy :  And  the 
 Doctrine  they  were  brought  to  con- 
 firm, was  of  fo  good  and  holy  a 
 Tendency,  that  it  was  impoilible  he 
 fhould  be  inabled  to  work  them  bv 
 the  Power  and  Ailiftance  of  Evil 
 Spirits :  So  that  confequently,  they 
 muft  of  neceffity  have  been  perfor- 
 med, either  immediately  or  ?nediatelyy  by 
 God  himfelf. 
 
 G  g  4  But 
 
ap6       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of  Mir  a-        gut    here,    becaufe  there  have  been 
 ties  m.gc~  many     Queftions     railed',      and     fome 
 Perplexity    introduced,     by    the    Bif* 
 putes      and     different     Opinions     of 
 learned    Men,    concerning    the    Power 
 of  Working    Miracles,    and    concerning 
 the     Extent     of     the    Evidence     which 
 Miracles    give    to    the  Truth  of    any 
 Dcclrine  :,    And ,  becaufe  it  hath  been 
 much  controverted,  whether  true  Mira- 
 cles can  be  worked  by  any  lefs  Power, 
 than    the    immediate    Power  of  God  ^ 
 and    whether    to    compleat    the    Evi- 
 dence  of  a    Miracle,    the    Kature    of 
 the  Doftrine  pretended  to  be  proved 
 thereby,   is  requiiite  to  be  taken  into 
 the  Consideration,  or  no:  It  jmay  Wt 
 perhaps  be  improper,  upon  this  Occa- 
 sion   to    indeavour    to    fet  this  whole 
 Matter  in    its    true  Light,    as  briefly 
 and  clearly  as  I  can. 
 Thxthre*       ^fi    then,    In  refpecl:    of  the    Power 
 /peel  of  the  of  God,    and    in  refpecl:   to    the    Na- 
 F°TY  n     ture     °f     f^e     tpfyf*     themfehes     abfo- 
 %n\sare  lut rlY    fpe^ing,    all  things    that   are 
 AlHf  ea().  poiiible  at  all,  that    is,    which   imply 
 Hot    a    direel:     contradiction,     are     e- 
 qtully    and    alike     eafy     to     be     done. 
 The  Power  of  God,    extends    equally 
 to    great   things,     as    to    frnall }     and 
 to  many,    as    to    few  :     And    the  one 
 makes     no     more     Difficulty    at    all, 
 or    Rehftance    to  his    Will,    than  the 
 other. 
 
 'Tis 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         297 
 
 'lis    not   therefore  a    right    Diftin-  Thatthne. 
 ction,   to  define  or    diftinguiftj    a  Mi-^^'^ 
 racle   by  any   abfohte  Difficulty  in  the  nl't 
 Nature    of  the    tiling    it     felt"   to   be  defied  by 
 done  •,    As  if  the    things  we   call    na-  a  >  *¥■- 
 tyr-al,    were    abfolutely    and    in    their  c^gt^'k 
 own    Nature    eafier    to     be     effected,  natirelf 
 than    thofe    that    we    look    upon     as  thcu:i-gS. 
 miraculous.      On    the    contrary    'tis    e-  th*»ijeives 
 vident   and    undeniable,     that    'tis   at   °     *'"*• 
 leaft  as  great  an  A 61  of   Power,     to 
 caufe    the  Sun  or  a   Planet  to   Mo^e   at 
 all^    as    to  caufe    it   to    Jland  JIM    at 
 any    Time  :    Yet  this  latter,    we  call  a 
 Miracle  •,    the   former    not.     And,     to 
 rejlore  the  dead  to  Life,      which   is   an 
 Inftance    of    an    extraordinary    Mira- 
 cle ^    is   in  it  felf    plainly    altogether 
 as  eafy,    as  to  difpofe  matter  at  fir  ft 
 into    iuch    order,     as    to  form    a    hu- 
 mane   Body    in    that  which    we    com- 
 monly  call    a  natural   way.     So   that 
 abfolutely    fpealcing,      in    This    JiriEt   ■ 
 and  philosophical   Senfe  •    "either    nothing 
 is  miraculous,    namely  if  we  have  re- 
 fpect   to   the  Power    of    God  \    or,     if 
 we  regard  our    own   Power    and    Un- 
 derftanding,    then   almoft    every    thing, 
 as    well  what    we    call    natural,     as 
 what  we   call  fupernatural,    is  in  this 
 Scjfe  really  miraculous  ^     and  'tis    on- 
 ly nfualnefs  or  unufualnefs    that  makes 
 the  diftinction. 
 
 2.    What  degrees  of   Power  Gocl  may  fflat  j^ 
 reafonably  be  fuppofed  to  have  com- trees  $f 
 
 municatcd  "»">G^ 
 
ipS  Tlie  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 may  have  municated  to  Created    Beings,    to   fub- 
 ii>mmuni-    or^nate    Intelligences,    to    good    or    evil 
 created     Angels  •,    is    by    no  means    poffible  for 
 Beings,  'is  us  to  determine.     Some   Things    abfo- 
 wrt  pjfible  lately    impoffible    for    Men    to    effeft, 
 famine*  ****    evident    may     eaiily    be    within 
 *  the    natural   Powers   of  Angels  5     and 
 fome  Things  beyond  the  Power  of  in- 
 ferior r  Angels,    may  as  eafily  be  fup- 
 pofed  to  be  within  the  Natural    Pow- 
 er   of    others    that    are    fuperioitr   t© 
 th-em$   and  fo  on.    So   that,  excepting 
 the  original  Tower   of   Creating^    which 
 we  cannot    indeed    conceive    commu- 
 nicable to  Things  which    were  them- 
 felves  created-   we    can  hardly  affirm 
 with  airy  Certainty,  that  any  particular 
 Effect,  how  great  or  miraculous  foever 
 it  may  feem  to  us,   is  beyond  the  Pow- 
 er of  all  Created  Beings  in  the  Univerie 
 to  have  produced. 
 That there-      3Tis  not   therefore    a    right    Diftin- 
 fmeaMi-  clion,     to    define  a   Miracle    (as    fome 
 SSiW74  very   learned    and    very    pious    Men 
 £  7t0  be  fi*ve    done,)     to    be     fuch  an    Effect, 
 jM  an       as  could    not  have  been    produced  by 
 t$8y  as   any  iefs  Power  than  the   Divine   Om- 
 ZiiZn  ^otence.    There    is   no     Inftance     of 
 pvdttced     any  Miracle    in  Scripture,   which  to  an 
 by  any  left  ordinary    Spectator     would     necejfarlly 
 p^rthan  jmpty     an     immediate     Creation    of 
 cLhfZ™  fomething  out  of  nothing  :   And  con- 
 tatce.         iequently  fuch  a  Spectator    could   ne- 
 ver be  certain,  that  the  miraculous  Effect 
 was    beyond    the    Power   cf   all    cre- 
 ated 
 
and  Revealed  Religion*  299 
 
 ated  Beings  in  the  Univerfe  to  pro- 
 duce. There  is  one  Suppofition  in- 
 deed, upon  which  the  Opinion  of 
 all  Miracles  being  ytecejfarily  the  imme- 
 diate EffeBs  of  the  Divine  Omnipo- 
 tence,  may  be  defended  ^  And  that  is, 
 if  God,  together  with  the  natural 
 Powers  wherewith  he  hath  indued 
 all  fubordinate  Intelligent  Beings, 
 has  likewife  given  a  Law  or  Re- 
 ftraint,  whereby  they  be  hundred 
 from  ever  interpofing  in  this  lower 
 World,  to  produce  any  of  thofe 
 Effects  which  we  call  miraculous  or 
 fu  per  natural :  But  then,  how  certain 
 foever  it  is,  that  all  Created  Beings 
 are  under  fome  particular  Laws  and 
 Reflxaints  ^  yet  it  can  never  be  proved, 
 that  they  are  under  fuch  Reftraints  uni- 
 verfally,  perpetually,  and  without  excep- 
 tion :  And  without  this,  a  Spectator  that 
 fees  a  Miracle,  can  never  be  certain  that 
 it  was  not  done  by  fome  Created 
 Intelligence.  Reducing  the  natural 
 Power  of  Created  Beings  to  as  low 
 a  degree  as  any  one  can  deiire  to 
 fuppofe,  will  help  nothing  in  this 
 matter-,  For,  fuppoiing  (which  is 
 very  unreafonable  to  fuppofe)  that 
 the  natural  Powers  of  the  higheft 
 Angels,  were  no  greater  than  the 
 natural  Powers  of  Men-  yet  fince 
 thereby  an  Angel  would  be  inablcd 
 to  do  all  That  invifibly  -,  which  a 
 Man  can  do  vifibly  ^   he  would  even  in 
 
 this 
 
goo       The  Bvidencerof  Natural 
 
 this  Suppofition  be  naturally  able  to   do 
 numberlefs  things,    which  we  fhould  e- 
 fteem  the  ;greateft.  of  Miracles. 
 'All  things        3.    All  things  that   are  Bone  in  the 
 tut  a.re     Worl^     are    jone    either    immediately 
 World!  are  ^7     God     himfelf,     or    by    created   In- 
 done  either  telligent  Beings ;    Matter  being   evident- 
 immediatc  ]y  not    at.   all   capable   of    any    Laws 
 h'^if  or  or      ^w:rs      whatsoever,      any     more 
 Bycrejted  tnan  it  is  capable  of  Intelligence  •,    ex- 
 Intelligent  cepting    only  this    One    Negative    Vow 
 Beings  \      er,    that     every     part     of  it  will,     of 
 h'Ttptbi'e Jt    ^e^     always  and  neceflarily     con- 
 7fmLaw>s  tinue  in  that  State,     whether    of  Reft 
 cv  Paws,  or    Motion,    wherein    it  at  prefent   is. 
 And  confe- $Q    tnat  a]j    tnofe    things    which    we 
 
 qZ%U  commonl)r  '%  a^e  the  Efteds  of  the 
 f  roper  ly  Natural  Vowers  of  Matter,  and  Laws 
 jpeak)rg,tio  0f  Motion  -,  of  Gravitation,  Attraction, 
 farthing  Qr    ^  j-ke .    are    j11(iee^    (jf  we   wiU 
 
 C§xrfe  or    fpealc    ffrictly    and    properly)    the  Ef- 
 Pwev  of  feels     of    God's    acting    upon     Matter 
 Nature,     continually    and    every    moment,     ei- 
 ther immediately  by  himfelf,    or  medi- 
 ately by  fome   created  intelligent  Be- 
 ings :     (Which     Obfervation,     by     the 
 by,     furnifhes    us,    as  has  been  before 
 p*&  !7«      noted,    with  an    excellent  natural  De- 
 monftration      of     Vrovidence.)      Ccnfe- 
 quently    there   is    no  fuch    thing,     as 
 what   Men   commonly   call    the   Coitrfe 
 of   Nature,    or    the    Power    of   Nature. 
 The  Courfe  of  Nature,    truly  and  pro- 
 perly   fpcaking,    is    nothing    elfe    but 
 the    Will    of    God    producing     certain 
 
 Effefts 
 
end  Revealed  Religion.         301 
 
 Effects  in  a  continued,  regular,  con- 
 ftant  and  uniform  Manner  *  Which 
 Courfe  or  Manner  of  Acting,  being 
 in  every  Moment  perfectly  Arbitrary, 
 is  as  eafie  to  be  altered  at  any  time, 
 as  to  be  preferved.  And  if,  (as  feems 
 moft  probable,)  this  continual  Acting 
 upon  Matter,  be  performed  by  the 
 fubferviency  of  created  Intelligences, 
 appointed  to  that  purpofe  by  the  Su- 
 preme Creator  •,  then  it  is  as  eafy 
 for  any  of  them,  and  as  much  with- 
 in their  natural  Power,  (hy  the  Per- 
 miflion  of  God,)  to  alter  the  Courfe 
 of  Nature  at  any  time,  or  in  any 
 refpect-,  as  it  is  to  prefrve  or  continue 
 it. 
 
 'Tis  not  therefore  a  right  Diftincti-  iiatther^ 
 on,     to   define    a   Miracle   to   be  That  fore  a  ^_ 
 which    is  again fl   the  Courfe  of  Nature :  fade  it  n$t 
 meaning  by  the  Courfe  of  Nature,    the  fjfb*!*  de' 
 Power  of   Nature,    or  the  Natural  Pow~  rkttvhkb 
 ers  of    Created    Agents.      For,    in    this  h  again)} 
 Senfe,  'tis  no  more  againft  the  Courfe  the  c<>urfc 
 of  Nature,    for    an    Angel   to    keep    a  of  ****** 
 Man  from  Jinking    in    the    Water,     than  the  natural 
 for  a  Man    to  hold    a  Stone   from   fal-  Powers  of 
 ling  in  the   Air,   by  over-powering    the  Ci'^fed 
 Law     of    Gravitation  .     And    yet    the  J^ntu 
 one   is  a    Miracle,    the    other    not    h. 
 In  like    manner,    'tis    no    more    above 
 the  natural     Power  of  a     created     In- 
 telligence,    to    flop    the    Motion  of  the 
 Sun  or   of  a  Planet,    than    to    continue 
 to     carry     it     on     in     its  ufual  Courfe  $ 
 
 And 
 
3©  2        The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 And  yet    the    former    is    a  Miracle, 
 the  latter  not  fo.    But  if  by  the  Courfe 
 of  Nature,    be  meant  only  (as  it  truly 
 fignifies)  the    conftant  and  uniform  man- 
 ner of  Gods  acting  either  immediately 
 or    mediately    in  preferving   and  con* 
 tinuing     the    Order     of    the    "World  $ 
 then,  in  that  Senfe,   indeed  a  Miracle 
 may  be  rightly  defined  to  be  an  Effect 
 produced  contrary  to  the  ufual  Courfe 
 or  Order   of  Nature,    by    the    unufual 
 Interpolation  of  fome  Intelligent  Being 
 Superiour    to  Men  •,     as  I    fhall    have 
 occafion  prefently  to  obferve  more  par- 
 ticularly . 
 Theunud-     And  from  this  Obfervation,   we  may 
 fonabknefs  eafily    difcover    the    Vanity  and    Un- 
 ofth§fe     reafonablenefs    of   that    obftinate  Pre- 
 
 7foPcmiuike>  which  Modern  E>eifts  have 
 lity  oy&Li-  univerfally  taken  up,  again!!  the  Be- 
 rades  \n  lief  of  Miracles  in  general.  They  fee 
 general.  tnat  things  generally  go  on  in  a  conftant 
 and  regular  Method  \  that  the  Frame 
 ~nd  Order  of  the  World,  is  preferved 
 hy  things  being  difpofed  and  managed 
 if!  an  Uniform  manner  ^  that  certain 
 Caufes  produce  certain  Effects  in  a 
 continued  Succeflion,  according  to  cer- 
 tain fixed  Laws  or  Rules  •,  And  from 
 hence  they  conclude,  very  weakly 
 and  unphilofophically,  that  there  are 
 in  Matter  certain  neceflary  Laws  or 
 Powers,  the  Refult  of  which  is  That 
 which  they  call  the  Courfe  of  Nature, 
 which    they    think  is  impoiiible  to  be 
 
 changed 
 
md  Revealed  Religion.         30$ 
 
 changed  or    altered,    and  confequently 
 that    there    can    be  no  fuch   thing  as 
 Miracles.      Whereas     on     the     contra- 
 ry,    if    they     would     conflder    things 
 duly-,   they    could   not    hut    fee,     that 
 dull     and    lifelefs    Matter    is    utterly 
 uncapable  of    obeying    any    Laws,    or 
 of    being     indued     with    any    Powers -^ 
 and    that    therefore    That    Order    and 
 Difpoiition  of  Things,  which  they  vul- 
 garly call  the   Coiirfe  of  Nature,    can- 
 not poffibly   be    any    thing    elfe,    but 
 the   Arbitrary  Will  and  Pleafure  cf  God 
 exerting  it  felf  and  acting  upon  Mat- 
 ter    continually,     either      immediately 
 by    it    felf,     or     mediately     by  fome 
 fubordinate  Intelligent  Agents,     accor- 
 ding    to     certain   Rules    of    uniformi- 
 ty  and    proportion,   fixed   indeed    and 
 conftant,    but  which  yet  are  made  fuch 
 merely     by     Arbitrary     Conftitution, 
 not    by  any   manner    of   Neceffity  in 
 the    things    themfelves  •,    as    has    been 
 abundantly  proved  in   my  former  Dif- 
 courfe  :   And  confequently  it  cannot  be 
 denied,    but   that  it    is   altogether    as 
 eafy  to  alter  the   Coiirfe  of  Nature,    as 
 to  preferve  it  •    that  is,    that  Miracles, 
 excepting   only   that    they    are    mere 
 unufual,    are   in  themfelves,    and  in  the 
 Nature  and  Reafon  of  the  thing,    as  cre- 
 dible in  all  refpects,    and  as  eafy  to  be 
 believed,  as  any  of  thofe  we  call  natural 
 EfleOs. 
 
 4,  ffiafc 
 
304       *The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Some  Ef-       4.  Thofe  Effects  which  are  produced 
 
 **Sinthe  World  re*"larly  and  "nflantly, 
 Pi mdena 'Which  we  call  the  Works  of  ATature  h 
 of  GoJ,  and  prove  to  us  in  general,  the  Being,  the 
 "Others  Power,  and  the  other  Attributes  of 
 MctfiLal  ^od.  Thofe  Effects,  which,  upon 
 Inrerpofri-  any  Tart  and  extraordinary  Occajion, 
 or.  either  of  are    produced    in    fuch    manner,     that 
 
 fe!fblZof'**S  man^e^  tne7    could   neither    have 
 /me  Intel-  been    done   by  any    Power    or    Art    of 
 1 1  gent  Be-    Man,    nor  by  what  we  call  Chance,  that 
 ing  surer}-  is^     by     any     Composition     or     refult 
 mr*Ma*.0£  thofe    Laws  wjjich    are    Gods     con- 
 Jlant  and   uniform"  Actings     upon    Mat- 
 ter h    Thefe    undeniably    prove    to   us 
 the    immediate  and    occafional  Inter  po- 
 rtion  either    of  God    himfelf,     or    at 
 leaft  of  fome   intelligent    Agent  Supe- 
 riour  to  Men,    at  that  particular  Time^ 
 and  on  that  particular  Account.      For 
 example  :      The  regular  and   continual 
 Effects    of    the    Power   of    Gravitation, 
 and      of    the     Laws     of    Motion-,      of 
 the     Mechanlck,     and     of    the    Animal 
 Powers  •     All     thefe     prove    to    us    in 
 general,     the    Being,     the  Power,    the 
 Prefence,    and    the    conftant    Operati- 
 on,    either   immediate  or   mediate,     of 
 God     in     the     World.     But     if,     upon 
 any  particular  Occafion,   we  fhould  fee 
 a  Stone  fufp ended  In     the     Ab\     or     a 
 Man   walking     upon     the    Water,     with- 
 out   any     viftble     fupport*     a    chronic 
 cat     Difeafe    cured    with    a    word  fpeak- 
 iflfj    or  a   dead  and  corrupted   Body    re- 
 fiored  to  life  in  a  moment  ^    We  could  not 
 
 thes* 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  50  j 
 
 then  doubt,  but  there  was  znextraorai> 
 ry  Interposition  either  of  God  himfelf, 
 in  order  to  iignify  hisPleafure  upon  that 
 particular  Occasion  ^  or  at  leaft  of  fome 
 Intelligent  Agent  far  fuperiour  to  Man, 
 in  order  to  bring  about  fome  particular 
 Defign. 
 
 Whether 
 
 5.   Whether    fuch   an  Extraordinary  (v 
 Interpofition  of  fome  Power  Superioury^  Inti, 
 to  Men,  be  the  immediate  Interpofition  p  jit  ion  be 
 of  God  him/elf,  or  of  fome  good  An%e\,  rj>e  im™- 
 or  of  fome  evil   Angel  •    can  hardly  be  ffij** 
 diftinguifhed  certainly,  merely  by  the  Offome 
 Work  or  Miracle  it  felf:  ^except  there  Good  or  E* 
 he  a  plain  Creation  of  fomcthing  out  of™'  A.Hti } 
 nothing,    which,   as  I  have  faid,  there  XedVcXL 
 does  not  certainly  appear  to  be  in  any  red  merely 
 of    the    Miracles    recorded    in    Scrip-  h  the 
 ture  :)  Becaufe  it  is  impoiiible  for  Us  to  ?^  * 
 know  with  any  certainty,    either   that 
 the  natural  Power  of  good  Angels,  or 
 of  evil  ones,  extends  not  beyond  fuch 
 or    fuch  a  certain  Limit  ^   or  that  God 
 always  reft  rains  them  from  exercifing 
 their  natural  Powers  in  producing  fuch 
 or  fuch  particular  Effects.     Some  lingu- 
 lar Miracles,  fuch  as  Raijinz  the  Dead, 
 there  is  indeed  all  the  Reafon  in  the 
 World  to  believe  are  abfolutely  beyond 
 the  power  of  evil  Spirits  to  erred  5  be- 
 caufe we  have  all  Reafon  to  believe,  that 
 the  Souls  of  Men  are  in  the  Hand  ot 
 God,  and  cannot  be  removed  by  the  na- 
 H  h  tural 
 
30  6      The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 tural  Power  of  any  inferior  Beings :  Bvf. 
 there  are  not  many  other  Inftances, 
 wherein  we  can  certainly  fay  or  deter- 
 mine, that  this  or  that  particular  thing  is 
 abfolutely  beyond  the  natural  Power  of 
 
 That  there  Good  or  Evil  Spirits. 
 
 Unoreafon      5jis  not    therefore  a  right    Diftin- 
 
 Ztthf*  aion'  .t0  fuPPofe  the  Wonders  which 
 Wonders  the  Scripture  attributes  to  evil  Spirits, 
 worked  to  be  meer  ¥r&ftigi^  Sleights,  or  De- 
 fy Evtl  liifwns..    For  if  the  Devil  has  any  na- 
 
 femen0    tUral    Power    of    doing    any     thing    at 
 
 Velufions.  all,  even  but  fo  much  as  the  meaneft 
 of  Men  ^  and  be  not  reftrained  by 
 God  from  exercifmg  that  natural  Pow- 
 er ^  'tis  evident  he  will  be  able,  by 
 reafon  of  his  Invifibility,  to  work  true 
 and  real  Miracles.  Neither  is  it  a 
 right  Diftinction,  to  fuppofe  the  Mi- 
 racles of  Evil  Spirits,  not  to  be  real 
 Effetts  in  the  things  where  they  ap- 
 pear, but  Impositions  upon  the  Senfes 
 of  the  Spectators:  For  to  impofe  in 
 this  manner  upon  the  Senfes  of  Men, 
 (not  by  Sleights  and  Delufions-,  but 
 by  really  fo  affecting  the  Organs  of 
 Senie,  as  to  make  things  appear  what 
 they  are  not  ^)  is  to  all  Intents  and 
 Purpofes  as  true  a  Miracle,  and  as  great 
 an  one,  as  making  real  Changes  in  the 
 Things  themfelves. 
 how  we  5,  When  therefore  upon  any^  par- 
 Vl°'t'  ticul*1,  Occafion  ^  for  inftance,  when 
 %Zles     at   the   WiU   of  *  Perfon   who   teacheS 
 
 fome 
 
>  its. 
 
 and  Revealed  Religion.         3*7 
 
 <(ftme  new  Doctrine  as  coming  from  wwibt  ty 
 Cod,  and  in  Teftimony  to  tlie  Truth  Gp$Vbne 
 of  that  Doctrine,  there  is  plainly  and  r^tfrfof"* 
 manifeftly  an  Interpofltion  of  Come  from  the 
 Snperiour  Power,  producing  fuch  mi-hy[1{^rf 
 raculous  Effects  as  have  been  before  5? 
 mentioned :  The  only  poflible  ways, 
 by  which  a  Spectator  may  certainly 
 and  infallibly  diftinguifh,  whether 
 thofe  Miracles  be  indeed  the  Works 
 either  immediately  of  God  himfelf, 
 or,  (which  is  the  very  fame  thing,) 
 of  fome  good  Angel  employed  by 
 him  ^  and  confequently  the  Doctrine 
 witnelTed  by  the  Miracles,  be  infal- 
 libly true  and  divinely  attefted  •,  Or 
 whether,  on  the  contrary,  the  Mira- 
 cles be  the  Works  of  Evil  Spirits, 
 and  confequently  the  Doctrine  a  Fraud 
 and  Imposition  upon  Men :  The  only 
 poffible  ways  (I  fay)  of  diftinguifh- 
 ing  this  matter  certainly  and  infallibly, 
 are  thefe.  If  the  Doctrine  attefted  by 
 Miracles,  be  in  it  felf  iyjipious,  or 
 manifeftly  tending  to  promote  Vice  • 
 then  without  all  queftion  the  Mira- 
 cles, how  great  foever  they  may  ap- 
 pear to  Us,  are  neither  wrought  by 
 God  himfelf,  nor  by  his  Commiillon  $ 
 becaufe  our  natural  Knowledge  of  the 
 Attributes  of  God,  and  of  the  neccf- 
 fary  difference  between  Good  and  Evil, 
 is  greatly  of  more  force  to  prove  any 
 fuch  Doctrine  to  be  falfe,  than  any 
 Miracles  in  the  World  can  be  to 
 H  h  2  prove 
 
3  o  8         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 prove  it  true :  As  for  example,  fup- 
 pofe  a  Man  pretending  to  be  a  Pro- 
 phet,, Ihould  work  any  Miracle,  or 
 give  any  Sign  or  Wonder  whatfo- 
 ever,  in  order  to  draw  Men  from 
 the  Worfhip  of  the  True  God,  and 
 tempt  them  to  Idolatry,  and  to  the 
 Praclife  cf  fueh  Vices,  as  in  all  Hea- 
 then Nations  have  ufually  attended 
 the  Worfhip  of  Falfe  Gods  •  nothing 
 can  be  more  infallibly  certain,  than 
 that  fuch  Miracles  ought  at  firft  fight 
 to  be  rejected  as  Diabolical.  If  the 
 Deut.  15,  Dodrine ;  attefted  by  Miracles,  be  in 
 1,  ere  -t  fej£  indifferent,  that  is,  fuch  as 
 cannot  by  the  Light  of  Nature  and 
 right  Reafon  alone,  be  certainly  known 
 whether  it  be  true  or  falfe-,  and  at 
 the  fame  time,  in  oppofition  to  it, 
 and  in  proof  of  the  direct ,  contrary 
 Do&rine,  there  be  wrought  other  Mi- 
 racles, more  and  greater  than  the 
 former,  or  at  leaft  attended  with 
 fuch  Circumftanc.es,  as  evidently  fhow 
 the  Power  by  which  thefe  latter  are 
 worked,  to  be  fuperiour  to  the  Pow- 
 er that  worked  the  former-,  then 
 that  Doctrine  which  is  attefted  by 
 the  Super  ion  r  Power,  muft  neceffarily 
 be  believed  to  be  Divine:  This  was 
 the  Cafe  of  Mofes,  and  the  /Egyptian 
 Magicians :  The  Magiciam  worked  fe- 
 veral  Miracles  to  prove  that  Mofes 
 was  an  Impoftor,  and  not  fent  of 
 God 3    Mofes,    to    prove    his     Divine 
 
 Commiinon, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.        3 09 
 
 Commiilion ,  worked  Miracles  more 
 and  greater  than  theirs  •,  or  elfe  (which 
 is  the  very  fame  thingj  the  Power 
 by  which  He  worked  his  Mirarh 
 restrained  the  Power  by  which  They 
 worked  theirs,  from  being  able  at 
 that  time  to  work  all  the  fame  Mi- 
 racles that  He  did  ^  and  fo  appeared 
 evidently  the  Super iour  Power  :  Where- 
 fore it  was  neceffarily  to  be  believed, 
 that  Mofes's  Commiilion  was  truly 
 from  God.  If,  in  the  la  ft  place, 
 the  Doctrine  attefted  by  Miracles,  be 
 fuch  as  in  its  own  Nature  and  Coi  - 
 fequences  tends  to  promote  the  Ho- 
 nour and  Glory  of  God,  and  the  pra- 
 dtife  of  univerfal  Righteoufncfs  amongft 
 Men  •  and  yet  never thclefs  be  not  in 
 it  felf  demonstrable,  nor  could  with- 
 out Revelation  have  been  difcovered 
 to  be  actually  true  •,  (or  even  if  it 
 was  but  only  indifferent  in  it  felf, 
 and  fuch  as  could  not  be  proved  to 
 be  any  way  contrary  to,  or  incon- 
 fiftent  with  thefe  great  Ends  0  and 
 there  be  no  pretenfe  of  more  or  grea- 
 ter Miracles  on  the  oppofite  Side,  to 
 contradict  it;  (Which  is  the  Cafe  of 
 the  BoBrine  and  Miracles  of  Cbrijl :) 
 Then  the  Miracles  are  un  que  ft  ion  ably 
 Divine,  and  the  Doctrine  nuift  with- 
 out all  controverfy  be  acknowledged 
 as  an  immediate  and  infallible  Reve- 
 lation from  God:  Becaufe,  (befides  Mart.  12, 
 that  it  cannot  be  fuppofed  that  Evil  25* 
 Hh  3  '  8pi>its 
 
3 l  o         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Spirits    would    overthrow    their    own 
 Power     and    Kingdom  0     fhould    God 
 in  ^  fuch  Cafes  as     thefe,    permit  Evil 
 Spirits  to    work    Miracles    to    impofe 
 upon   Men,    the  Errour  would   be  ab- 
 solutely   invincible  ^    and  That  would 
 in  all  refpe&s  be  the  very  fame   thing, 
 as    if    God    worked   the   Miracles    to 
 deceive    Men  himfelf.     No    Man    can 
 doubt,  but  Evil  Spirits,  if  they   have 
 any  natural  Powers  at  all,  have  pow- 
 er to  deftroy  Mens    Bodies  and  Lives, 
 and  to  bring  upon    Men  innumerable 
 other  Calamities  ^    which  yet  in  Fadt 
 'tis    evident    God  reftrains  them  from 
 doing,     by    having    fet    them    Laws 
 and  Bounds  which    they  cannot  pafs. 
 Now,    for  the  very  fame  Reafon,    it 
 is  infinitely   certain   that  God  reftrains 
 them  likewife  from  imposing  upon  Men's 
 Minds    and  Under ftandivgs,   in  all  fuch 
 Cafes    where    Wife    and    Honeft    and 
 Virtuous  Men  would  have  no  polfible 
 way  left,   by  which  they  could  difcover 
 the  Impofition. 
 ff         And  here  at    laft  the  difference  be- 
 rencibt    tween    Thofe    who   believe    that    all 
 tweenthofe  Miracles   neceffarily    require  the    im- 
 »fo teach    mediate    Power    of    God    himfelf    to 
 
 immediate    effed     them>      and     th°ftJ     wh°     be~ 
 power  of     ^eve   created    Spirits    able    to    work 
 
 God  is,  »r    Miracles,    is  not    very    great.     They 
 
 *■■%*>'*'    who    believe     all     Miracles     to      be 
 
 Miftte'h'  €ffected    only    by    the   Immediate  Tow- 
 
 thcwori*.    er    of    God,    mull    do    it    upon    this  i 
 
 in$ofa  Ground, 
 
 Miracle  ;  / 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         3 1 1 
 
 Ground,    that    they   fuppofe    God   by  » n>*  **r/ 
 
 a  perpetual  Law  reftrains  all  fub-  f0et?  "' 
 ordinate  intelligent  Agents  from 
 interpofing  at  any  time  to  alter 
 the  regular  courfe  of  things  in  this 
 lower  World  5  (for  to  fay  that 
 created  Spirits  have  not  otherwife 
 a  Natural  Power,  when  un  re  ft  rained, 
 to  do  what  we  call  Miracles  ^  is 
 faying  that  thofe  invifible  Agents 
 have  no  Power  naturally  to  do  any 
 thing  at  all.)  And  they  who  be- 
 lieve that  fubordinate  Beings  have 
 Power  to  work  Miracles,  muft  yet 
 of  neceifity  fuppofe  that  God  re- 
 ftrains them  in  all  fuch  Cafes  at 
 leaft,  where  there  would  not  be  fufc 
 ficient  Marks  left,  by  which  the  Frauds 
 of  evil  Spirits  could  be  clearly  diftin- 
 guifhed  from  the  Teftimony  and  Com- 
 miflion  of  God. 
 
 And  now  from  thefe  few  clear 
 and  undeniable  Proportions,  it  evident- 
 ly follows ; 
 
 ift:    That    the    true     Definition     of  ™*™ 
 a  Miracle,  in   the  Theological  Senfe  of  0f  a  Miu, 
 the     Word,     is    this-,     that  -it   is    stele. 
 work    effected    in   a   manner    ttnufual, 
 or    different    from    the    common    and 
 regular    Method    of    Providence,     by 
 the    interpofition  either   of  God  him- 
 felf,     or    of   fome    Intelligent    Agent 
 fuperiour     to    Man,     for     the    Proof 
 or  Evidence   of   fome    particular  Do- 
 ctrine,  or  in  atteftation  to  the  Autho- 
 H  h  4  rity 
 
*  i  %       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 rity  of  fome  particular  Perfon.     And  if 
 a  Miracle  fo  worked,  be  not  oppofed 
 by  fome  plainly  fuperiour  Power  -,  nor 
 be  brought  to  atteft  a  Doctrine  either 
 contradi&ory  in  it  felf,   or  vitious  in  its 
 confequences  •,  (a  Doctrine  of  which  kin:!, 
 no  Miracles  iri  the  World  can  be  fuffi- 
 cient  to  prove  ^)   then  the  Doctrine  fo 
 attefted  muft  necelTarily  be  lookt  upon 
 as    Divine,    and  the     Worker   of   the 
 Miracle  entertained  as  having  infallibly 
 a  Commiihon  from  God. 
 
 2.  From  hence  it  appears,  that  the 
 ftuMtb  of  compleat  Demon ft ration  of  our  Saviours 
 the  Evi-  being  a  Teacher  fent  from  God,  was, 
 denceof  t0  the  Difciples  who  faw  bis  Miracles, 
 cur  ST  plainly    This :    That    the    BoBrine  he 
 
 ours  Mini-  -1-         i-7-!-  •       .      r1r         /T-11  i 
 
 des>  taught,    being  m  it  felt   poliible,  and 
 
 in  its  confequences  Tending  to  promote 
 the  Honour  of  God  and  true  Righteouf- 
 nefs  among  Men-  and  the  Miracles  he 
 worked,  being  fuch,  that  there  neither 
 was  nor  could  be  any  pretenfe  of  more 
 or  greater  Miracles  to  be  fet  up  in  op- 
 position to  them-,  it  was  as  infallibly 
 certain  that  he  had  truly  a  Divine 
 CommiiFon,  as  it  was  certain  that 
 God  would  not  himfelf  impofe  upon 
 Men  aneceffary  and  invincible  Er- 
 rour, 
 
 fmetnhg  ?.  From  hence  it  appears  how 
 the  oijdli-  little  reafon  there  is,  to  object,  as 
 gp9  that     fome  have   done,  that  we  prove  in  a 
 
 Circle 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         %  1 5 
 
 Circle  the  Doclrine     by  the     Miracles,  we  privet* 
 
 and     the     Miracles,     by     the    Doclrine.  A  ^ele 
 For    the    Miracles,    in    this    way    of^*^ 
 reafoning,    are   not  at  all    proved    by  Dtfrine 
 the    Definite  •    but    only    the   Pofibiliiy  and  the9 
 and  the  #W  Tendency,   or  at  leaft    the  pp<f/""f  ^ 
 Indiffcrency     of  •  the     Doctrine,     are     a  ^;W 
 neceifary  Condition     or     Circumftancc, 
 without    which     the    Doclrine     is     not 
 capable     of    being     proved     by     any 
 Miracles.     They  are  indeed  the    j^rra-* 
 t/tfs    only,    that     prove     the    Doctrine  . 
 and    not     the    Doclrine,     that     proves 
 the    Miracles  :     But    then   in  order    to 
 this  End,    that  the  Miracles  may  prove 
 the    Doclrine,   it   is    always  neceflarily 
 to  be    firft  fuppofed  that    the   Doctrine 
 be  Rich    as   is   in    its    nature    capable 
 of    being     proved   by     Miracles.      The 
 Doctrine  mull  be  in  it  felf  pofible    and 
 capable  to   be  proved,    and    then    Mira- 
 cles  will    prove  it   to    be   actually    and 
 certainly     true.     The     Doctrine     is    not 
 firft    known   or  fuppofed    to    be    true, 
 and    then    the   Miracles    proved  by  it  h 
 But  the  Doctrine  muft  be  firft  known  to 
 be  fuch  as  is  poffible  to  be  true,  and  then 
 Miracles   will    prove     that     it     actually 
 is    fo.     Some    Doctrines   are    in     their 
 own    nature  necejfarily  and  demovftrally 
 true,   fuch  as  are  all  thofe   which  con- 
 cern    the     obligation     of    plain   moral 
 Precepts-,    And   thefe    neither  need    nor 
 can    receive  any   ftrouger    proof, from 
 
 Miracles, 
 
3  14         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 Miracles,    than    what    they    have    al- 
 ready fthough    not  perhaps    fo    clear- 
 l}r  indeed     to     all    Capacities,)     from 
 the  Evidence    of  right  Reafon.     Other 
 Doctrines    are    in    their     own    Nature 
 necejfarily  falfe  and  hnpojfiblc  to  be  true  ♦, 
 fucli  as  are  all    Absurdities  a?id   Contra- 
 dictions,    and  all   Do&rines   that    tend 
 to  promote  Vice  *,    And    thefe  can  ne- 
 ver    receive    any     degree     of    proof, 
 from  all  the  Miracles  in  the  World.  Laft- 
 ly,    Other  Do&rines  are  in  their   own 
 Nature  indifferent,    or  poffible,    or  per- 
 haps probable   to  be  true^    And  thefe 
 could    not   have   been    known    to    be 
 pofitively  true,    but  by  the  Evidence 
 of  Miracles,      which    prove    them    to 
 be  certain.      To  apply  this  to  the  Do- 
 ctrine   and     Miracles     of    Chrift.     The 
 moral    part  of  our    Saviours    Doctrine 
 would  have  .  appeared    infallibly   true, 
 whether    he    had     ever    worked    any 
 Miracles   or  no.     The    reft  of  his   Do- 
 ctrine was    what  evidently  Tended  to 
 promote  the   Honour  of  God,    and  the 
 practife      of     Righteoufnefs      amongft 
 Men :    Therefore    That    part    alfo    of 
 his  Doctrine,     was  poflible   and    very 
 probable   to  be  true-,   But  yet  it  could 
 not    from    thence    be    known    to   be 
 certainly    true,    nor    ought    to    have 
 been   received   as    a    Revelation    from 
 God,    unlefs  it  had   been    proved    by 
 undeniable    Miracles.    And    the  Mira- 
 cles *he   worked,     did   indeed   undeni- 
 ably 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  9 1  c 
 
 ably  prove     it     to    be     the     Doctrine 
 of  God.     Nevertheless,     had     his     Do- 
 ctrine in  any  part    of  it    been    elthci 
 abfurd   and    contradictory     in     it    ielf, 
 or  vicious   ill   its    Tendency    and  Con- 
 fequences  •,     n®     Miracles     could     then 
 poilibly    have  proved  it   to  have  been 
 true.      "lis  evident  therefore  that    the 
 Nature     of  the     Doctrine   to     be    pro- 
 ved,  muft  be  taken   into  the  Confede- 
 ration,    as  a    necefTary    Circumftance  • 
 and  yet,    that   only   the    Miracles    are 
 properly    the    Proof  of  the    Doc:  hie  - 
 and    not  the    Doctrine,    of   the    Mir^tr 
 cles. 
 
 4.    From  hence  it  follows,    that  the0i    -, 
 pretended   Miracles  of  Apollovhis  Tyarpn        ' 
 veus,     An  fie  as    Procovnejius,     and    fome  Mb"      f 
 few  others  among  the  Heathens,    even^"0^    s 
 fuppofing  them   to  have  been  true  Mi- 
 racles,    (which    yet  there    is    no    Rea- 
 fon    at  all    to    believe,     becaufe  they 
 are  very  poorly  attefted,     and  are    in 
 themfelves    very     mean    and     trilling, 
 as  has   been   fully  fhown    by  Evfebius 
 in    his     Book     again  ft    HierocUs,    and 
 by  many  late  "Writers  5  but   fuppofing 
 them,    I  fay,  to  have  been  true  Miracles,) 
 yet    they    will    prove    nothing   at  all 
 to    the   difadvantage   of   Chriliianity  -, 
 Becaufe  they  were  worked  either  with- 
 out   any    pretenfe    of  confirming    any 
 new     Doctrine     at     all  ^     or     elie     to 
 prove  abfurd  and  foolifh    Things  5     or 
 to  eftablifh  Idolatry    and    the   AVorfhip 
 
 tf 
 
gi6         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 of   Falfe     Gods  ^      And    confequently 
 they    could    not   be    done  by  the  di- 
 vine Power  and   Authority,    nor    bear 
 %    ,   ,  ,    ,    ''  „       any  kind  of    *  compari- 
 JL£LT&  ?J£t    J""  .^ith  the  Miracles  of 
 Ao4<>'«<  ?**  hivdyvt  eg-    Cbrifi,    which  were  work- 
 67aVeo*y   ctW  to  £i*  *5    ed    to  atteft    a  Dodtrine 
 nnhe   $„*&,}  *KOh*     that  tended  in  the  high- 
 
 i  «,  A  iU„  fl?  .V  e,ft    TdTeSree    t?    Promote 
 
 ifaamr,    »  «$  »a»x  ««■«•  the  Honour  or   God  and 
 
 rifSoTw  ;   Origen.  advetf.  the  general    Reformation 
 
 aOfc-*'    ,  ,  of  Mankind. 
 
 MfcffO?       TOJPUtf       G&VIW 
 
 *&?*{  $f  TPcex  <r&  *&&?(*  ytvo/ufybav,  )Q  ffl  met  tb  'foes 
 Isof&tditWi  i A  «  uw  ex,  <&  eLimGJvlQ->  x}  r  <$$%*.*//%)' av 
 §*$  ii5£v  iimvbfSativ  xj  \v\<lChslv  im  is&i  %  km  im<n  frioy, 
 ksiv  *\nr£v     071  mrdfjiw  t$f"  &>{    **    &$£&    ycVofjdvois  7&7$ 
 
 s-4».      T#  ^ei/  $   @K\o(izvt}  »  arejvoia,  id  <©e<  to^    'keir'iAV 
 
 yim  &*totJtlvti,    id  TnhtKajji*  (as  oiet)  tTnJliwvnt   «*  ^«* 
 teynv.     Id,  lib.  3., 
 
 To  return  therefore  to  the  Argu- 
 ment. The  Miracles  (I  fay)  which 
 our  Saviour  wrought,  were,  to  the 
 Difciples  that  faw  them,  feniible  De- 
 monftrations  of  his  Divine  Commif- 
 Jion.  And  to  thofe  who  have  lived 
 fince  that  Age,  they  are  as  certain 
 Demonftrations  of  the  fame  Truth, 
 as  the  Teftimony  of  thofe  firft  Dif- 
 ciples who  were  Eye-witneiTes  of 
 them,  is  certain  and  true  :  Which  I  fiatt 
 have  occajion  to  conjider  prefently. 
 
 Secondly, 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  317 
 
 Secondly,    The  Divine  Authority    o£oftbefui- 
 
 the  Chriftian  Revelation,  is  positively  fi^n  '** 
 
 and   diredly    proved     by     the    £«*?*& 
 
 Completion    both    oj    all  tbofe    Prophecies  dence  of  ' 
 
 that  went  before  concerning  our  Lord,    and  our  SavU 
 
 of  thofe     that      He     Himfelf     delivered  *urs  «■ 
 
 J.  7.  7  J    J  7  vtneCim- 
 
 concernmg     things    that    were    to    happen  m;fjjont 
 
 after. 
 
 Concerning      the    Mcfiiah     it     was  of  the  Pro- 
 foretold,    (Gen.  49,  10,)    that  he  fiould  Phefl" 
 come,     before  the  Scepter   departed  from  ^r*'"'_ 
 Judah  :     And    accordingly    Chrift    ap-  Cerninc  the 
 peared     a    little     before     the      Time,  Mejfiuh. 
 when    the    Jewifti     Government     was 
 totally  deftroyed  by    the  Romans.     It 
 was    foretold     that    he     fhould     come 
 before  the  Deftruction  of  the    fecond 
 Temple,  \  (Hagg.    2,  7  s)    TI>e    Be  fire  of 
 all     Nations  fiall   come,   and    I  will  fill 
 this  Houfe  with  Glory,    faith    the    Lord 
 of  Hofts-,    Ihe  Glory,  of  this  latter  Houfe 
 JJjall     be    greater    than    of  the    former: 
 And  accordingly  Chrift  appeared,  fome 
 time    before    the    Deftruction    of    the 
 City    and     Temple.     It    was     foretold 
 that  he  fhould    come    at   the    End    of 
 490    Years,     after     the    rebuilding    of 
 Jerufalem  which    had  been    laid  wafte 
 during    the   Captivity,     (Ban.   9,  24 ;) 
 and    that    he  fhould    be    cut  offh    and 
 that,    after  That,   the  City  and  Sanctuary 
 jlwuld    be    dejlroyed    and    made    dc folate: 
 And     accordingly,     at    what   time    fo- 
 ever  the  beginning  of   the   four    hun- 
 dred   and    ninety     Years  can,    accor- 
 ding 
 
1 8         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 ding  to  any  Interpretation  of  the 
 Words,  be  fixt  *,  the  End  of  them  will 
 fall  about  the  Time  of  ChrifFs  ap- 
 pearing-, and  'tis  well  known  how 
 entirely  the  City  and  Sanctuary  were 
 dcjl/oyed  fome  Years  after  his  being 
 cut  off.  It  was  foretold  that  he 
 fhould  do  many  great  and  benefi- 
 cial Miracles  •  that  the  .  Eyes  of  the 
 Blind  (Ifai.  35,  5,)  Jiwiild  be  opened, 
 and  the  Ears  of  the  Deaf  ttnjfopped  - 
 that  the  lame  Man  Jhould  leap  as  an 
 Hart,  and  the  Tongue  of  the  Dumb  fng  : 
 And  this  was  literally  fulfilled  in 
 the  Miracles  of  Chrift  •>  the  Blind 
 received  their  Sight,  jfMatfi  11.  5;,)  and 
 the  Lame  walked  \  the  Deaf  heard,  &c. 
 It  was  foretold  that  he  fhould  die 
 a  violent  death,  (Ifai  53,  throughout,) 
 and  That  not  for  hlmfelf,  (Dan.  9.  26,) 
 but  for  our  Tranfgreffwns,  (Ifai.  53-,  $, 
 6,  8c  12,)  for  the  Iniquity  of  its  all, 
 and  that  he  might  bear  the  Sin  of 
 many  :  All  which,  was  exacYy  ac- 
 complifhed  in  the  Sufferings  of  Chrift. 
 It  was  foretold,  (Gen.  49,  ic,)  that 
 to  him  fhould  the  gathering  of  the 
 People  be,  and  (Pfal.  2,  8,)  that  God 
 would  give  him  the  Heathen  for  his 
 Inheritance,  and  tie  iitmojl  Parts  of  the 
 Earth  for  his  Poffejjion :  which  was 
 punctually  fulfilled  by  the  wonderful 
 Snccefs  of  the  Gofpel,  and  its  uni- 
 verfal  fpreading  through  the  World. 
 Lafrly,     Many   minuter    Circumftanccs 
 
 were 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.         g 1 9 
 
 were  foretold  of  the  Mefllah  ^  that 
 he  Ihould  be  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah, 
 and  of  the  Seed  of  David  •,  that  he 
 fhould  be  born  in  the  Town  of 
 Bethlehem  (Mic.  ?,  2  5)  that  he  fhould 
 ride  upon  an  Afs  in  humble  Triumph 
 into  the  City  of  Jerufalem,  (Zecb.  yy 
 9;)  that  he  Ihould  be  fold  for  Mr- 
 ty  pieces  of  Silver,  (Zech.  II,  1 2  -) 
 that  he  Ihould  be  Scourged,  Buffeted, 
 mid  Spit  upon,  (Ifai.  50,  6  J  that  Ms 
 Hands  and  Feet  fhould  be  pierced, 
 (Pfal.  22,  16 1)  that  he  fhould  be 
 numbred  among  Malefactors,  (IJat. 
 53,  12-,)  that  he  fhould  have  Gall 
 and  Vinegar  offered  him  to  drink, 
 (Pfal.  69,  21  3)  that  they  who  faw 
 him  crucified,  fhould  mock  at  him, 
 and  at  his  trufting  in  God  to  deliver 
 hint,  (Pfal.  22,  8  0  that  the  Soldiers 
 fhould  cafl  Lofts  for  bis  Garments,  (Pfal. 
 22,  18  0  that  he  fhould  make  bis  Grave 
 with  the  Rich,  (Ifai.  53,  9^  and  that 
 he  fhould  rife  again  without  feeing 
 Corruption,  (Pfal.  16,  10.)  All  which 
 Circumftances  were  fulfilled  to  the 
 greateft  poilible  exaclnefs,  in  the  Perfon 
 of  Chrift  :  Not  to  mention  the  number- 
 lefs  typical  Reprefentations,  which  had 
 likewife  evidently  their  complete  Ac- 
 complilhment  in  Him.  And  'tis  no  lefs 
 evident,  that  none  of  thefe  Prophecies 
 can  pojfibly  be  applied  to  any  other 
 Perfon,  that  ever  pretended  to  be  the 
 Meffiah. 
 
 Further; 
 
3  2  o         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 efthe  Further-,     The     Prophecies   of.   Pre- 
 
 Frh**hef?»  di&ions  which  Chrift  delivered  Him- 
 Bmfdfde-  ^e^>  concerning  things  that  were  to 
 IhereJ  happen  after  .  are  no  lefs  ftrong  Proofs 
 concerning  of  the  Truth  and  Divine  Authority 
 things  that  0f  j^  Doctrine,  than  the  Prophecies 
 ™lplen  af-wevei  which  went  before  concerning 
 ter.  Him.     He  did    very    particularly    and 
 
 at  fever  al  times  for  tell  his  own  Death, 
 and    the    Circumftances    of  it,    (Matt, 
 1 5,     21  5)     that     the    chief  Priefls    and 
 Scribes    fioitld    condemn    him    to     Death, 
 and    deliver    him    to    the    Gentiles,     that 
 is,    to  Pilate  and    the    Roman    Soldiers, 
 to   mock    and    fcourge    and  crucify    him, 
 (Matt.  2c,    18  &  19  -J    that  he  fhould 
 be  betrayed  into  their  Hands,   (Matt.  20, 
 1 3  5)    that  Jwiw  Ifcariot  Was  the  per- 
 fon  who   would  betray  him,    fMatt.  26* 
 23';*)     that    all    his    Difciples    would 
 for  fake    him    and   fee,    (Matt.  26,    31  •,) 
 that  Perez*  particularly,    would    rfrnce 
 <zV7ry  him  in   one  Night,   fMar.  14,    90.) 
 He    foretold    further,     that    he    would 
 rife    again    the    third    Bay.     (Matt.    16* 
 2 1  5)     thai?    after     his     Afcenfion,     he 
 would'  fend     down    the     Holy     Ghoft 
 upon     his    Apoftles,     (Job.     1  ?,     26  *J 
 which    fhould    enable   them    to    work 
 many   Miracles,     (Mar.    16,    17.)     He 
 foretold  alfo  the    DeJImBion  of  Jerufa- 
 lem  with  fuch  very  particular  Circum- 
 ftances,   in   the    whole    2^th    Chapter 
 of  St  Matthew,    and     the     i^th   of  St 
 Mark,     and     2  if    of    St  Luke  h     that 
 
 no 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  3 1\ 
 
 no  Man  who  reads  Jofephuis  Hiftory  of 
 that  dreadful  and  unparallclled  Calamity, 
 can,  without  the  greateft  Obftinacy  im- 
 aginable, doubt  of  our  Saviours  divine 
 Fore-knowledge.     Laftly,    He  foretold 
 likewife    many  particulars   concerning 
 the   future  Succefs  of  the  Gofpel,  and 
 what  fficuld  happen  to  fcveral  of  his 
 Difciples :    He  foretold  what  Oppofition 
 and  Perfecution  they  fhould  meet  withal 
 in  their  preaching,  (Malt,  ic,  17^)  He 
 foretold  what  particular  kind  of  Death 
 St  Peter  fhould  die,  (Job.  2T,   18  0  and 
 hinted,  thatSf  Jobn  fhould  live  till  after 
 the  deftruction  of  Jerufalcm,  (Job.  2r, 
 22  \)  and  foretold,  that  notwithstanding 
 all    Oppofition    and  Perfecutions,    the 
 Gofpel  fhould  yet  have  fuch  Succefs,  as 
 to  fpread  it  felf  over  the  World ,  (Matt. 
 16,  18  •,  24,  14-,  28,  10.)  All  and  every 
 one  of  which  particulars,  were  exactly 
 accomplished,,    without   failing  in  any 
 refpedt. 
 
 Some  of  thefe  things  are  of  permanent 
 and  vifible  Effects,  even  unto  this  Day. 
 Particularly  the  captivity  and  difperfion 
 of  the  Jews,  through  all  Nations,  for  more  ■ 
 than  1600  Years  •,  and  yet  their  continu- 
 ing a  difr.inct  People,  in  order  to  the 
 fulfilling  the  Prophecies  of  things  ftill 
 future  :  This  (I  fay)  is  particularly  a 
 permanent  Proof  of  the  Truth  of  the 
 Antient  Prophecies.  But  the  greateft 
 part  of  the  Inftances  above-mentioned, 
 were  fenfible  and  ocular  Demonjl rations  of 
 the  Truth  of  our  Lords  Doctrine,  only  to' 
 I  i  thofe 
 
32i      <The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 %mn  Te'i  thofe  Perfons  who  lived  at  the   Time 
 our  savt  when  thc7  happened.    Wherefore, 
 
 ours  ViJ- 
 
 fries,  as  Thirdly,  The  chief  Evidence  of  the 
 7cncTof  Fa(^s  on  which  the  Truth  and  Certainty 
 the  Truth  °f  the  Chriftian  Revelation  depends,  to 
 of  the  Us  who  live  now  at  this  difiance  of  Time, 
 Revela?  *8  ^  teftimony  of  our  Saviours  Followers  h 
 tion.  ■  Which  in  all  its  Circumftances,  was  the 
 moft  credible,  certain,  and  convincing 
 Evidence,  that  was  ever  given  to  any 
 whit  Matter  of  Fact  in  the  World. 
 things  *re  To  make  the  Teftimony  of  our  Savi- 
 fequifite     ours  Followers  a  fufficient  Evidence  to 
 
 to  ma\e     jjs  in  This  Cafe,  there  can  be  required 
 the  Tefth    but  thef   three  thh  j  a    Th   t   k  fc 
 
 many  of  .  ,        ,        mb  .<  , 
 
 wrsavh   certain,  the  Apoltles  could  not  be  lmpo- 
 ours  Difc'h  fed  upon  Themfelves.     2.  That  it  be  cer- 
 pUfacom-  tain,  they  neither  had  nor  could  have 
 P<iaice  EVt  any  ^efign  t0  itiipofe  upon  Others.     And 
 3.    That  it  be  certain,  their  Teftimony 
 is  truly  conveyed  down  to  us,   unto  this 
 Day.     All  which  things  are  indeed  abun- 
 dantly  certain,  'and   clear    enough   to 
 fatisfie  any  reasonable  and  unprejudiced 
 Perfon. 
 That  the'       For  i.  That  the  Apoftles  could  not  b& 
 Apnflles    impofed  upon  Themfelves,  is  evident  from 
 C9uld  mt   what  has  been  already  faid  concerning 
 lepor7htnf-  the  Nature  and  Number  and  Puhlichief 
 tglves.   '    °^  our  Saviours  Miracles.  They  converfed 
 from  the  beginning  with    our  Saviour 
 himfelf  $    They  heard  with  their  Ears, 
 and  faw  with  their  Eyes  *,    they  looked 
 upon,  and  they  handled  with  their  Hands 
 of  the  Word  of  Life,  as  St  John  exprefTes 
 
 it, 
 
and  Reveakd  Religion.         5  %% 
 
 It,  1  John   1,  r.     They  faw  all  the  Pro- 
 phecies of  the  Old  Teftament  precifely/wZ- 
 filed  in  his  Life  and  Doctrine,  his  Suffer- 
 ings and  Death.     They  faw  him  confirm 
 what  he  taught,    with  fuch  mighty  and 
 evident  Miracles,  as  hisbittereft  and  molt 
 malicious  Enemies  could  not  but  .confefs 
 to  be  fupernatuial,  even  at  the  fame  time 
 that  they   obftinately  blafphemed    the 
 Holy  Spirit  that  wrought  them.     They 
 faw  him  alive  after  his  PaJJion,  by  many 
 infallible  Proofs  •,  he  appearing,  not  only 
 to  one  or  two,    but  to  all  the  Eleven, 
 feveral  times,    and  once  to  above  five 
 hundred  together.     And  this,  not  merely 
 iiva  tranfient  manner  •,  but  they  convert- 
 ed with  him  familiarly  for  no  lefs  than 
 forty  Days  •,   and  at  laft  they  beheld 
 him  afcend  vifibly  into  Heaven  ^   and 
 quickly  after,    they  received  the  Spi- 
 rit,   according  to  his  Promife.     Thefe 
 were  fuch  feniible  Demon Jl  rations  of  his 
 being  a  Teacher    fent    from    Heaven, 
 and  confequently  that  his  Do&rinewas 
 an  immediate  and  exprefs   Revelation 
 of   the    Will    of    God  ♦,     that    if    the 
 Apoftles,   even  though  they  had  been 
 Men    of    the    weakeft    Judgments    and 
 firongefl  Imaginations  that  can  be  fup- 
 pofed,     could  be   all    and    every    one 
 of  them   deceived  in  all  thefe  feveral 
 Inftances-,   Men    can  have   no    ufe    of 
 their    Senfes,    nor    any  poffible  Proof 
 of  any  Fads  whatfoever  •,  nor  any  means 
 to  diftinguilh  the  beft  attefted  Truths  in 
 I  i  2  th* 
 
3  2  4       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 the  World,  from  Enthufiaftick  Imagina- 
 tions. 
 that  the         1%    jt   :s  certain,    the   Apoftles  nei- 
 
 mUha\t  ^ier  nac^  nor  could  have  airy  defign 
 nodefignof  of  impofing  upon  Others.  This  is 
 impofingpp-  evident  both  from  the  Nature  of  the 
 en  ethers,  things  they  did  and  fuffered,  and 
 from  the  Characters  of  the  Perfons 
 themfelves.  They  confirmed  what  they 
 taught,  by  Signs  and  Miracles :  they 
 lived  according  to  the  Doclrine  they 
 preached,  though  manifeftly  contrary 
 to  all  the  Interefts  and  Pleafures  of 
 this  prefeht  World-,  and,  which  De- 
 ceivers can  never  be  fuppofed  to  do, 
 they  died  with  all  imaginable  cheer- 
 fulnefs  and  joy  of  Mind,  for  the 
 Teftimony  of  their  Doclrine,  and 
 the  confirmation  of  their  Religion. 
 They  were  innocent  and-  plain  Men, 
 Men  that  had  no  bad  Ends  to  ferve, 
 nor  Preferment  to  hope  for  in  the 
 World.  Their  Religion  it  felf  taught 
 them  to  ex  peel,  not  dominion  and 
 glorjr,  not  the  praife  of  Men,  not 
 riches  and  honour,  not  power  and 
 eafe,  not  pleafure  nor  profit  ^  but 
 poverty  and  want,  trouble  and  vexa- 
 tion, perfecution  and  oppreflion,  im- 
 *  prifonments,  banifhments  and  death. 
 Thefe  things  are  not  the  marks  and 
 tokens  of  Impoftors.  Befides  ^  the 
 Succefs  and  Event  of  their  Underta- 
 king 5  that  plain  and  illiterate  Men 
 ihould  be  able  to  preach  their  Do- 
 ctrine 
 
end  Revealed  Religion. 
 
 &rine    to  many    different   Nations    of 
 different  Languages,  and  prevail    alfo 
 in  cftablifhing  the  Belief  of  it  5    that 
 they  (houlc!  all  agree  exactly  in  their 
 Teftimony,     and    none    of    them     be 
 prevailed    upon    either    by   Hopes  or 
 Fears  to  defer t  their  Companions  and 
 difcover  the   Impoflure,    if  there  had 
 been  any  -,  Thefe  things  plainly  fhow, 
 that    their    Dodtrine   was    more    than 
 Humane,    and    not  a    Contrivance    to 
 impofe   upon    the    World.     This    Ar- 
 gument is   excellently  urged  ly   Evfe- 
 bius  -,    h    it    a    thing  poffble    ti   be  con- 
 ceived, faith  *  he,  that  De- 
 ceivers a'd  unlearned    M:n, 
 Men   that    underjlood    no    o- 
 ther     Language     but     their 
 Mother -tongue,    fwuld     ever 
 think   of    attempting    fo   ex~ 
 travagant     a    thing,     as     to 
 travel      over     all     Nations  ? 
 and    not    only    fo,    but  that 
 thej     Jlwuld      be    able     alfo 
 to     accompli fy    their    dejign, 
 and     ejlablifl]    their    do&rine 
 in   all  parts  of  the   World  ? 
 Conjider    moreover    how     re- 
 markable     a     thing     it     is, 
 that  they    fboitld    in    no    re- 
 fpeB    dij agree    one   from   a- 
 nother,      in      the      Account 
 they  gave  of  the  Afticns  of 
 drift.     For  if   in   all    <&ue- 
 ftions    of    Fatf>     and    in  all 
 Ii  3 
 
 3'y 
 
 Uifrlf  Ctt,7TA.{iZZCi)< .71  ?r Kit' 
 #j)71  KcLkHV  fJLH7l  IWttit 
 
 vm&Lu&viii    y.h  tto'np  </) 
 
 *}  TgpiA$VV7U{  <£TCfSt#- 
 
 cnxt  t«  oynjnJ^ivfjut;  ex*- 
 \rtt  *q\  ctgIov  ofr.  a£  t© 
 untNvtt  umJclux  Jiapvrot 
 
 J**w    r  'l*&*  \cycv    « 
 
 To  if  rani  viuxi  Jiifgw 
 fft*f«  xj   i»  -ml<  m trout 
 
 ay.$tr£nlhTi9i,  rav  ua?- 
 
 erix$tyv**utyGVm  it£c  i% 
 et>  »  tf  *  m3  fitt  <J  %  '  1  to V  - 
 <h  tropin  AV«  yj.  a  it  &• 
 
 Tn,h 
 
gi6       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 w-nt'oMa&iwVypvtU  Try  ah  at  Law,  and  in  all 
 ordinary  Difputes,  the  agree- 
 vieytt  of  feveral  Witnejfes 
 is  always  accounted  fuffici- 
 ent  to  determine  fatisfa&o- 
 rily    the   Matter   in   ^uefii- 
 
 Tfc  X-hndxf  T6TWV  tKTQ<* 
 d*  Vtzi)V   SxLVfJUL7\jJJ  ffV[A- 
 
 VQK,    &*    «fcWf»7f,    eft* 
 
 Eufeb.UemanJhat  .bvavg* 
 lib-  i,  cap.  2. 
 
 on-,      is    it    not    an     abun- 
 
 dant Evidence  of   the   Truth 
 in  This    cafe,     that    Twelve 
 ■dp o files,     and  Seventy    Dif- 
 ciples,    and  innumerable    other  Believers, 
 have  born  witnefs  to  the  Ailions  of  Chrifiy 
 with  the  moft  exact  and  perfect    Agree- 
 ment among  themfelves  h    and  not  only  fo, 
 but  have  endured  alfo  all  kinds  of  Tor- 
 ments,   and    even  Death  it  felf,    to  con- 
 firm their  Tejlimovy  :    Again  h  That  illi- 
 terate   Men,    faith     t    he, 
 fi)culd  preach   the   Name  of 
 Chrifi  in    all    parts  of   the 
 World-,    fome    of    them    in 
 Rome  it  felf,    the    imperial 
 City  -,     ethers ,     in     Perfia  •, 
 others,  in  Armenia ;    others, 
 in  Parihia  $   others,    in  Scy- 
 thia  ;    others,    in  India  and 
 the    furthefi    Parts     of    the 
 World ;    and   others,    beyojid 
 the     Sea,     in    the     Britilh 
 Ijles :     This    I   cannot     but 
 think    to   be    a    Ihing    far 
 exceeding  the  Power  of  Man  \ 
 much    more,    the    Power    of 
 ignorant  and  unlearned  Men  ^ 
 and  fiill    much    more,     the 
 Pcwer   of    Cheats    and    De- 
 ceivers 
 
 f  KMftMw  tf  dy&i- 
 x*iav<f\£j/Lf  &$  irdvTtLi  to 
 78  'her*  ovojxcbj  «*)  t»* 
 vXv  eu>7<yf  7&t>  Vayu&iw 
 
 &dLoiKiyji>TU7ltM'3rQKiv vei- 
 
 (Tvv,  ?*<  0  t£u/  AfAt«- 
 tiav,  hi^i  '$  to  Tltt?- 
 Srov  'i^-vQ-,  x)  lv  md* 
 Xtv  To  ^.KvJ&Vy  mva$  Q 
 «■/>)  &  5T  dvjet  t%{  otK* 
 
 pins  ixftiiv  Wa^ifli 
 
 71    7lwK   'hSaiv    $%tLov.t 
 
 vztvtx&t  vnftf'  TttvTa.  xx. 
 tr*  £)a»  yi  yyxfs.ett  yj1 
 a.  r-3-?  sown  \t),  /utm  yt  *p 
 \v\i\£s  ^  \Siu\m,  wok- 
 x*  Sh  xji  ixhdv*<;  )tj  y 6w 
 7* i  U.  ibid.  cup.  7. 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  3*7 
 
 ceivers.     And     again :     No 
 
 one  of   them,    faith  *   he,       *  'Wy<  «  ««»» 
 
 Torments     and     Deaths     oj    gfa  T*<i™eict<,* Paw- 
 others  y     forfook    his      Com-    7i*»fu£*  itff <*mo/*>  *U 
 panions,     or    ever    preached    &*&£'j*t&1fX 
 confwjp   to    them,     and  de-         j^  ^^  ^, 
 tected    the  forgery,     ft  ay,  on    f6v^  aJ]ox^pU  VJfi\<w; 
 the  contrary ,  77>#t  One,  who    *&  ^$%*W  W  fi- 
 did   for  fake    his    Majler    in    *£>    tm^^o.    It* 
 his    Life-time^     and    betray 
 him  to   his    Enemies  5     being 
 Self-condemned,      deftroyed     himfdf    with 
 his     own     Hands.       And     much     more 
 to  the    fame  purpofe,    may   be  found 
 excellently    faid    by    the     fame    Au- 
 thor,  in    the    Seventh    Chapter   of     the 
 Third  Book   of    his    Demon  ft  ratio  Ev  an- 
 gelica. 
 
 9.   It  is  very  certain,   that  the  A-  That  the 
 poftles     Teftimony  ■  concerning     the  ^f^osn 
 "Works  and  Do&rine  of  Chrift,  is  tru-  ^xthbeL 
 ly  and  without  corruption    conveyed  down  truly  con- 
 to  Us,  even  unto  this  Day.     For  they  veyeddown 
 left  this   their  Teftimony  in  their  Wri-  n  Vs' 
 tings :   Which  Writings  have  been  de- 
 livered  down    to    us    by    an  uninter- 
 rupted  SuccefTion     through    all  inter- 
 mediate Ages.    Their   Books  were   all 
 tranflated    very     early     into     feveral 
 Languages,   and  difperfed  through  all 
 parts    of    the   World  ;   and  have  moft 
 of    them    been    acknowledged    to    be 
 the  genuine  Writings  of  thofe  whofe 
 £  i  4  Karnes 
 
g  T  S  ffije  Evidences  of 'Natural 
 
 Names  they  bear,  even  by  the  bitterefi: 
 Enemies    of    Chriftianity  in    all  Ages. 
 Tallages,   containing  the  moil  material 
 Doctrines ,     have    been    cited    out    of 
 them   by  numberlefs  Authors,   who  li- 
 ved   in    every    Age    from    the     very 
 Days  cf  the  Apoftles  unto  this  time  : 
 s     So  that   there    is    no    room   or    pofli- 
 bility   uf    any    confiderable    corruption, 
 fuch    as  might    in  any  wife    diminifh 
 our   certainty    of    the   Tpith    of    the 
 whole.     In  Summ  •    There  is    no  mat- 
 ter  of    Facl    in    the    World,     attefted 
 in  any  Hiftory,  with  fo  many  circum- 
 ftances  of  credibility,  with  fo  many  col- 
 lateral  Evidences,     and  in   every   re- 
 fpett   attended    with    fo    manv  Marks 
 of  Truth  •,  as  This  concerning  the  DocV 
 rine  and  Works  of  Chrift. 
 
 Of  the  An-        ^n^   nere>    ^7    tne    D)r>    lt   *s    t0   ^e 
 thorityof  obferved,    that  the    peculiar   Authority 
 tbeHool^s    which   we   attribute    to    the  Books    of 
 of  Holy      ft0iy    Scripture    contained    in   the  New 
 Scripture.   jcj}ame7lt^  '1S  founded  in  this  5  that  they 
 were   written  or    di&ated   by   the   A- 
 pofiles  themf elves.     The    Apoftles    were 
 indued  with  the  miraculous  Gifts  of  the 
 Holy   Ghoft,    at   Pentecoft  :     And    this 
 not  only  inabled  them  to    preach  the 
 Doctrine  of  Chrift  with  Power,  but  alfo 
 efredualiy   fecured  them  from   making 
 any    errour,    miftake,    or    falfe    repre- 
 sentation   of   it.     And  the  very  farac 
 Authority '  that   by    this  lingular   Pri- 
 viledge  was  added    %p   their  Preaching, 
 
 'tis 
 
and  Revealed  Religion 
 
 it 
 
 i 
 
 n 
 
 Vis  manifeft  ought  for  the  fame  rea- 
 fons  to  be  equally  attributed  to  their 
 Writings  alfo.  Now  all  the  Books 
 of  the  New  Teftament  were  either 
 written  by  the  Apoftles :  or,  which 
 is  the  very  fame  thing,  approved  ami 
 authorized  by  them.  Moft  of  the 
 Books  were  uncontrovertedly  written 
 by  the  Apoftles  themfehes  ^  St  Paul 
 having  been  made  one  of  that  num- 
 ber by  a  CommiJiion  from  Heaven, 
 no  lefs  vifible  and  fenfible,  than 
 that  which  was  granted  to  the  reft, 
 at  Peine cofl  :  And  thofe  Books  which 
 were  written  by  the  Companions  of 
 the  Apoitles,  were  either  dictated  or 
 at  learl  approved  and  authorifed  Yy 
 the  Apoftles     Themfelves.      Thus    Eu- 
 
 febins  exprefly  tells  us,  that  St  Peter 
 reviewed  and  approved  the   Gofpel    of 
 
 St    Mark,     and    that    *     it 
 
 was     this     approbation     that 
 
 authorifed   it  to  he    received      * *?*» ***** T»' yyr 
 
 by       the      Churches.       And    KKHffi(US,    hjcb.jiffl*. 
 
 Iren&us  -,     that     t     what    St    /  2.  c.  1 5. 
 
 Mark    wrote,      was   diciated    .  t  Mirc:is  tfTcipnloi  & 
 
 bv    St    Peter-     and    thit    II    inrcrPres     r<?"'     W* a 
 
 ifm?    Go/j^/     of    St     Luke,    edidk.  Ifc*.  lib.  ?:c.i. 
 
 was    only     a    Tranfcript    of       t!    Lu£as  *eft«or    Pan- 
 
 St    Paul's    preaching.     And    £  Su0*-ab  iU.?  Pr*dic,f- 
 
 T,    A   77.         •      ti  cuter    Evaagcnum   in   ii- 
 
 ertulhan   m  like    manner ;    bro  condid*.    u%    Jbld% 
 
 that    *    St    Mark    was   only  vide  &  TertuliUn. 
 
 St  Peters  Scribe.  and  St  ***&".  ,ib-  4; 
 Tnke         St        Pauls          Anrl         *  Licet  &  Ji/ircw  qucd 
 
 c   r?-  .-u  f     c       r  cdidlr>   Perri  adfirmctur 
 
 Eiifclius-y       that     St     John  cujui  iwerprcs    Afa 
 
 irau 
 
g  30  The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 nam    &    Iw*    Digeftum,     f  aJf0  reviewed  the  Got pels  of 
 Paulo     adfcribcrc      folenc     St    M  rk     a„d      gt    Lk 
 
 ^  .  and  confirmed  the  irutb  of 
 
 t  "rfH^»    'j    M*>*«    &  ****».     And,     to    mention 
 
 *W  r  k»t  ceuTKj  6u*>-  no  more,  the  fame  Hifto- 
 
 jtXfef    t*k    iyw    ™-  rian  tells  us    that  /befides 
 
 ,&£*&«!  f*ir  t«<r;ir,    £&    iome  imaller  reaions  drawn 
 $h&v  dvnU  cOTw^?TUf*i*    from  fome  miftaken    Paf- 
 
 ™m.      Eujeb.  Hijl.    L  3.    fages      'm      tne      Boq^      ft 
 
 c,24*  felf)  the  chief  reafon  why 
 
 the     Authority      of    the 
 
 Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews   was  queftioned 
 
 by  fome,    was    ||     becaufe 
 
 \\  Ttvh  hStT*w.9t  7iw-    they    thought  it    not  to  be 
 
 <*e)<  'K&™*   ?&* .  TH   written    by  St    Paul    him- 
 
 XV*.  Lajily,  They  who  will  not,  by 
 the  Arguments  and  Proof  before-men- 
 tioned, be  convinced  of  the  Irutb  and 
 Certainty  of  the  Chrijlian  Religion,  and 
 be  perfwaded  to  make  it  the  Rule  and 
 Guide  of  all  their  'ASions ;  would  not 
 be  convinced,  (Jo  far  as  to  Influence  their 
 Practife    and    reform    their    Lives,)     by 
 
 \°*f/ence  any   ot^er  Eyfa*03    whatfoever  5    no    not 
 
 v'kch%>d  though  one  fioitld  rife    on    purpofe  from 
 
 bui  af  the  Dead  to  indeavour  to  convince  them. 
 
 j.rJeJhs  from  what  has  been  faid  upon  the 
 
 jTHthof  foregoing     Heads,    it    is     abundantly 
 
 ourReit  evident  that  Men  are   not    called  up- 
 
 m,  U  a'  on  to   believe   the    Chriftian  Religion 
 
 bHnd.intiy  wjt]]out  very  reafonable  and   fufficient 
 
 *#"*  Proof; 
 
md  Revealed  Religion.  3  3 1 
 
 Proof-,      much     lefs     are       *  -hsiin  «&,  U*  </W*- 
 they  *    required,     to    fet    »f*  f  mt*Z?Lt  '**"' 
 up    Jfar/j    in    oppoiition    ^w&t,     x>*jv  a4>0- 
 to  Reafon-^    or  to  believe    ^     <  70    «€7»    x>st;>'* 
 any  thing  for  that    very    J*«  **  ***•*  HtwtUpo)^ 
 reafon,    becaufe  it   is  in-    •*:  U^™lJV^7Z 
 credible.    On     the     con-    0g$      ^    |    AJ\ui& 
 trary,    God  has  given  us    tintM-mi**      »    wak**- 
 all     the     Proofs     of    the    i&Qh  h%m*—~'0;* 
 Truth  of  our  Religion,  that    £  %&£^3£ 
 the  Nature  of  the  Thing    cetf.  iUn  1. 
 would  bear,    or  that  were 
 reafonable  either  for  God 
 to  give,  or  Men  to  expect.     And  unlefs 
 God    friould  work  upon  Men  by   fuch 
 Methods,  as^are  wholly  inconfiftent  with 
 the  Defign    of  Religion    and  the  Na- 
 ture of  Virtue    and  Vice  •,    which  we 
 ar«  fure   he  will    never    do  *,     nothing 
 could    have    been    done    more,      than 
 has  already    been  done,    to    convince 
 Men  of  the  Truth   of  Religion,     and 
 to  perfwade    them    to    embrace    their 
 own    Happinefs.     And  indeed    no  rea- 
 fonable   Man    can    fail   of    being  per- 
 fuaded     by    the     Evidence     we     now 
 have.     For  if  in    other  Cafes,    we  ai- 
 fent  to  thofe    Things    as    certain    and 
 demo7iftratedy      which,  (if  our    Faculties 
 of  judging  and  reafonhig    do   not    necef- 
 farily  deceive  us,]   do  upon    the  moft 
 impartial     view    appear    clearly    and 
 plainly  to  be  true  5   there  is  the  fame 
 reafon  why    in    Moral     and     Religious 
 Matters  we  fhould  look  upon  thofe  things 
 
 like-wife 
 
3  3a         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 likewife  to  "be  certain  and  demoitjl  rated, 
 which  upon  the  exacted  and  moil 
 deliberate  Judgment  we  are  ca- 
 pable of  making,  do  appear  to  us 
 to  be  as  clearly  and  certainly  true, 
 as  'tis  certain  that  our  Faculties  do 
 not  necejfjrily  and  unavoidably  deceive 
 u«,  in  all  our  Judgments  concerning 
 the  Nature  of  God,  concerning  the 
 proper  Happinefi  of  Man,  and  concer- 
 ning the  Difference  of  Good  and  Evil* 
 And  if  in  other  cafes,  we  always 
 act  without  the  lean:  hesitation,  up- 
 on the  Credit  of  good  and  iuffici- 
 ent  Tefiimony  •,  and  look  upon  that 
 Man  as  foolifh  and  ridiculous,  who 
 fuftains.  great  LofTes,  or  lets  flip 
 great  Opportunities  and  Advantages 
 in  Bufinefs,  only  by  diftrufting  the 
 molt  credible  and  well-attelted  things 
 in  the  World  -,  'tis  plain  there  is 
 the  fame  reaftn,  why  we  ftiould 
 do  fo  alfo  in  Matters  of  Religion. 
 So  that  unlefs  our  Actions  be  de- 
 termined by  fome  other  -thing,  than 
 by  Reafon  and  right  Judgment  ^  the 
 Evidence  which  we  have  of  the 
 great  Truths  of  Re  igion,  ought  to 
 have  ihe  fame  effect  upon  our  Lives 
 and  Actions,  as  if  they  were  proved 
 to  us  by  any  other  fort  of  Evi- 
 dence that  could  be  deflred. 
 that  the  'Tis  true  •,  the  Refurrection  of  Chrift, 
 c*u*of  an(j  his  other  mighty  Works,  mall: 
 ™?'fV*s'  afcer  all  be  eWV/Ted  not  to  be  fuch 
 "  "•"  ocular 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  532 
 
 ocular    Demonftrations    of    the    Truth  ™t  ™t 
 of  his    Divine    Commiffion    to    After-  %vfJeZ 
 Generations,    as   they    were    to     thofefgprove 
 Men     who    then     lived    and    faw     him  the  great 
 and     converfed    with    hhn*    But      $?&?£*£? 
 the     Matters    of     Fact  ^  are    as    clear-  ^ lg1m' 
 ly    proved    to    Us,    as   'tis    pofTible  for 
 any    matter    of   Fact    at  that  ciiftance 
 of    time   to  be  •,     ilnce    the     Evidence- 
 of    This,    is     as     great     and     greater, 
 than    of     mbft    of    thofe  Things    en 
 which  Men  venture  the  whole  of  their 
 fecular    Affairs,    and    on    which    they 
 are    willing     to    fpend    all   their   time 
 and    pains  :     Since  (I  fay)  the   cafe  is 
 thus  •   He  that  will  rather  venture  all 
 that  he  can   poflibly  injoy,    or   fuffer-, 
 he    that    will  run  the    hazard    of   lo- 
 fing    Eternal     Happinefs,     and   falling 
 into    Eternal  Mifery,    rather  than    be- 
 lieve   the     moft     credible     and     rational 
 thing   in    the    World,    merely    becaufe 
 he  does    not  fee  it   with  his    Eyes  •     'tis 
 plain  that  That  Man  does  not  disbelieve 
 the      thing     becaufe     he     thinks     the 
 Evidence  of  it  not  fufficiently  firpng9    but 
 becaufe     'tis    contrary    to  fovie   particu- 
 lar   Vice    of  his,    which    makes    it    his 
 Interefl    that  it     Qiculd    not    be    true  •, 
 and  for  that  reafon  he  might  alfo    have 
 disbelieved     it,    tho'    he   had    feen     it 
 himfelf.     Men   may  invent  what   vain 
 pretenfes  they  pleafe,    to   excufe  their 
 Infidelity   and  their  Wickednefs  j    But 
 certainly  That   Man    who  can  defpife 
 
 the 
 
354       The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 the  Authority  both  of  Reafon  and 
 Scripture  in  conjunction  -r  who  can 
 elude  the  plaineft  Evidence  of  mat- 
 ter of  Fact  5  who  can  be  deaf  to  all 
 the  promifes  and  kind  admonitions 
 of  the  Gofpel,  and  to  all  the  threat- 
 nings  and  terrible  denuntiations  of 
 the  wrath  of  God,  made  known  in 
 good  meafure  by  the  Light  of  Na^ 
 ture,  and  confirmed  by  the  addition 
 of  exprefs  Revelation  •  Certainly  (I 
 fay)  That  Man  muft  have  fome  0- 
 tber  Reafon  for  his  unbelief,  than 
 the  pretended  Want  of  fufficient  Evi- 
 dence. Did  Men  follow  the  unpre- 
 judiced judgment  of  their  own  Minds, 
 and  the  impartial  dictates  of  natural 
 Reafon  •,  the  leafb  poiftbility  of  ob- 
 taining eternal  Happinefs,  or  the  leafl; 
 fufpicion  of  falling  into  endlefs  Mi- 
 ferjr,  would  immediately  determine 
 them  to  make  it  the  great  ftudy 
 and  bufinefs  of  their  Lives,  to  obtain 
 the  one  and  to  avoid  the  Other.  If 
 then  we  fee  Men  act  directly  contra- 
 ry to  this  natural  principle,  and 
 almoft  wholly  neglect  thefe  things, 
 •  not  only  when  there  is  a  fair  ap- 
 pearance and  Probability  of  their  be- 
 ing true,  which  the  Light  of  Na- 
 ture it  felf  affords  ^  but  alfo  when 
 there  is  all  reafonable  Evidence  given, 
 of  their  being  Certainly  true,  by  ex- 
 prefs Revelation  in  the  Gofpel  •,  Is 
 it  not    very  plain,      that     fuch    Men 
 
 are 
 
and  Revealed  Religion*         53? 
 
 are  governed,  not  by  reafon  and  the 
 force  of  Evidence,  but  by  fome  O- 
 ther  very  different  Cavfe  of  their  Acti- 
 ons ? 
 
 What    that  Cattfe    is,  is  very%  appa-  9ut  thnt 
 rent   from    the  Lives    and    Aciions  otwickedntts 
 moft  of  thofe    perfons,     who    pretend  ***•  **&*• 
 want   of  Evidence  to    be    the    ground  Yuflf  are 
 of  their  Infidelity.     Their  LvJ}.^    their  tfK  ^fy 
 Appetites,    their  Affections  are  intereft-r^w  of 
 ed:     They    are    Lovers  of  Vice    and°W*«£ 
 Debauchery,     and  Slaves    to  Evil  Ha- Inflde'^ 
 bits  and  Cuftoms  :    And  therefore  they 
 are    not  willing  to    difcern    the    Evi- 
 dence,   which  would  compel  them  to 
 believe    That,     which  yet  they    can- 
 not   believe    with    any    Comfort,     fo 
 long  as  they  refolve  not  to  part  wkh 
 their  beloved  Vices.     Their  hearts  and 
 affections    are    habitually    fixt    upon 
 things  here  below  ^  and  therefore  they 
 will  not  attend    to  the  force    of    any 
 Argument,    that  would  raife  their  Af- 
 fections   to    things    above*    They   are 
 inflaved  to    the  fenfual  Pleafures   an4 
 finful     Injoyments     of     Earth  \    and 
 therefore  they  will  not  hearken  to  any 
 reafonable    conviction,     which     would 
 perfwade     them     to     relinquifh  ■  thefe 
 prefent  Gratifications,   for    the  future 
 and    more    Spiritual  Joys    of    Heaven. 
 The  Love  of  this  prefent  Vorld  lias 
 *  blinded  their  Eyes  5    and 
 therefore    they   receive  not       r  Ccr  ^  ;. 
 the     Things     of    the    Spirit       **£*«/ ir^t^f 
 
3  $  6        The  Evidences  ofNaturh 
 
 %X*<n  tU  op$*k(j.*\,  xj  of  God  5  For  they  are 
 ^^{  T«  *»*  %  foolijlmefs  unto,  them,  ne'r 
 «V^™,     *x*<  *«*-   ^r  can  they  hlow,  .them> 
 
 Xvpvw  tU  li>$ah(j.*t  becaufe  they  are  fpiritually 
 r*i  <vyjH  e«  vm  rdv  difemed.  In  a  Word  :  The 
 *m^«d™,$  T«>  «ej-  true  and  only  reafon,  why 
 TheofhU.  Anthch.  I.  1.  Men  [ove    darknefs    rather 
 
 than  light  ^  is,  becaufe  their 
 Deeds  are  evil. 
 And  [9  And  This  reafon,  affords  a  fufficient 
 
 Mtnlve     Account     indeed,    why    Men     fhould 
 under  the    be  very  unwilling  to  believe    the  Do- 
 Vominjon    clrines    of   Chriftianity.     If  they    are 
 of  their      refolved    not    to    reform    their   Lives, 
 would  nl?  'tis  no  wonder    they  care  not  to  dif- 
 beconvin-   cern   the    Evidence    of  thofe    Truths, 
 cei,  though  which    muft    needs  make    them    very 
 awtf     unea0r   in    tfie    midft    of    the     injoy* 
 Religion     ment  °^  a^  theifr  finful  Pleafures.     In 
 was  even    this     cafe,     were    the    Proofs    of   the 
 much         Truth  of   our  Religion   much   ftronger 
 Mm  it  is.   Jnan.*cy  are,    or  than  they    can    be 
 imagined   ©r    defired  to  be  •,     yet    ftill 
 thefe    Men     would  be    in     the     very 
 fame  cafe,  and  perpetually  want  ftrong- 
 er and  ftronger  Evidence.      'Tis  true  $ 
 many    Men,    who   Now  are    confeious 
 and    willing     to     acknowledge,     that 
 they    act    contrary    to    all  the    realb- 
 nable    Evidence    and     Convictions     of 
 Religion  *,     are  neverthelefs    very   apt 
 to  imagine  within  themfelves,    that  if 
 the    great    Truths    of  Religion    were 
 proved     to    them    by    fome     ftronger 
 Evidence,    they  fiould  by   that    means' 
 
 be 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.  33  y 
 
 he  wrought  upon  to  ad  otherwife  than 
 they  do.  But  if  the  true  reafon  why 
 thefe  Men  act  thus  foolijhly,  is  not  be- 
 caufe  the  Dottrittes  of  Religion  are  not  fuf- 
 ficiently  evidenced,  but  becaufe  They 
 tbemfelves  are,  ^without  allowing  them- 
 felves  time  for  Confidefation,J  hurried 
 away  by  fome  unruly  Paffions'to  aft  di- 
 rectly contrary  to  all  Reafon  and  Evi- 
 dence •,  'tis  plain  (unlefs  God  fhould  ir- 
 refiftibly  compel  them)  they  might  well 
 continue  to  act  as  they  do,*  though  the 
 Evidence  of  thefe  things  were  really,  grea- 
 ter than  it  is.  They  are  willing  fondly 
 to  imagine,  that  if  they  had  lived  in  our 
 Saviour's  time  •,  if  tney  had  heard  his 
 Preaching,  and  feen  his  Miracles  •,  if  they 
 had  had  the  advantage  of  beholding  thofe 
 mighty  Works,  which  he  wrought  for; 
 the  proof  of  his  Divine  Commiilion  {  as 
 the  Jews  then  had  :  they  fhould  not  like 
 them  have  rejecied  the  counfd  of  God  a* 
 %ainft  themfehes,  but  with  all  cheerful- 
 nefs  hate  believed  his  Doctrine,  and  em- 
 braced his  Religion.  They  fancy,  they 
 fhould  immediately  have  become  Bif- 
 ciples  of  Chrift  *,  and  that  the  Truths 
 which  he  taught,  would  have  had  a  mo  ft 
 powerful  Influence  upon  the  whole  courfe 
 of  their  Lives.  And  if  their  Hearts 
 arid  Affections  were  not  fet  apon  Tbh 
 World,  more  than  upon  the  ?ie,\t  •■ 
 if  they  valued  not  the  prefect  enjoyments 
 of  Seitfe,  above  the  expectation  of  the  Glo- 
 ry that  JImll  be  revealed  -,  moll  certainly, 
 they  would  do  the  fame  now.  But  if 
 K  k  then 
 
3  3  8      Tfo  Evidences  of   Natural 
 
 their  Hearts  be  fet  upon  earthly  things, 
 and  their  Pailions  be  ftronger  than  all  the 
 Arguments  or  Reafon  \  if  they  do  indeed  i 
 fo  love  die  Pleafures  of  Sin  now;  as  that 
 they'  cannot  perfuade  themfelves  by  all 
 the   Motives   of  Religion    to    live   like 
 Chriftiaris  ^    we  need  not  queftioti  to  af-\ 
 firm,     that  they  might,  very  well  have 
 "been  in  the  fame  cafe,  though  the}r  h'acL 
 lived  in  our  Saviour's  time.     The  Jews 
 are  a  notorious  and   Handing   Inftance, 
 how  far  Prejudice,  Envy,  Pride  and  Af- 
 fection, are  able  toprex^ail  over  the  ftrong- 
 e'ft  Convictions.     When  our  Saviour  be- 
 gan  to  preach    that  he  was  fent  from 
 God  to  infhudt  them  in  their  Duty,  they 
 required  a  Sign  of  him,   and  .they  would 
 believe  him  $    but  when  he  had  wrought 
 fo  many  Miracles,   that  even  the  World  it 
 felf  could  not  contain  the  Booh  if  thcyfiould 
 all  be  written,  they  per  lifted  ftill  in  their 
 Infidelity.     When  they  faw  him  hang- 
 ing upon  the  Crofs,  and  thought  thern- 
 itort  27,    fclves  ftcure  cf  him,  they  faid,    Let  him 
 42j  new  come  darn  from  the  Crofs,   and  we  wilt 
 
 believe  him  :    Bur  when  he  arofe  out  of 
 the  Grave,   wherein  he  had  lain  three 
 Da}rs,   which   was  a  much  greater  and 
 more  convincing  Miracle  •,  they  grew  more 
 hardned  and  obftinate  in  their  Unbelief. 
 Nay,  not     Others  there  are  who  imagine,    that 
 tunJh9l,  if  they  could  but  be  convinced  cf   the 
 %™put- Truth of  another  World  by  the  appear- 
 pofe  from   ance  of  k  ne  fent  directly  from  that  un- 
 thc  Deud  known  State,    they  would  immediately 
 ^convince  h  new  features:  But  if  God  fhould 
 
 tom-  fatisfy 
 
arid  Repealed  Religion.        «^9 
 
 fatisfy  their  unreafonahle  Demands,  by 
 fending  one  on  purpofe  from  the  Dead  to 
 convince  them  ^    there  is  little  Room  to 
 doubt,    hut  as  ftiey  hearkened  not  to  Mor 
 fes  a)ul  the  Prophets,   to  Chrift  arc!  his  A- 
 poftles  •,   fo  neither  would  they  be  perfntrdet 
 by  one  ri'jivg  on  purpofe  from  the  Dead. 
 They  might  indeed  be  at  fir  ft  ilirprized 
 and  terrified,    at  the  Appearance  of  fo 
 unufual  and    unexpected    a  MefTenger: 
 But  as  wicked  Men  upon  a  Bed  of  Sick- 
 nefs,  at  the  amazing  approach  of  Death 
 and  Eternit}r,   refolye  in  the  utmoft  an- 
 guifh  of  Horrour  and  Defp^Jr,  to  amend 
 their  Lives  and  forfake  their  Sins  *   but 
 as  foon  as  the  Terrour  is  over,  and  the 
 danger  of  Death  pa  ft,  return  to  their  old 
 Habit  of  Sin  and  Folly  •    So  it  is  more 
 than  probable,  it  won  d  be  in  the  pre- 
 fent Cafe.     Should  God  fend  a  MefTen- 
 ger  from  the  Dead,  to  afliire  Men  of  the 
 Certainty  of  a1  future  State,  and  the  ran- 
 ger of  their  prefent  "Wickcdnefs ;  afibon 
 as  the  fright  was  over,  and  their  prefent 
 terrible  Apprehenfions  ceafed,  'tis  by  no 
 means     impofiible    or   improbable    that 
 their  old  vicious  Habits  and  beloved  Sins 
 ihould   again   by  degrees  prevail    over 
 them.     Some  there    are   in  our  prefent 
 Age,    who  pretend  to  be  convinced   of 
 the  Being  of  Spirits  by  the  powerful  e'e- 
 monftration  of    their  own  Sen  fes  •,    And 
 yet  we  do  not  obferve,  that  their  Lives 
 are  more  remarkably  eminent  for  exem- 
 plary Piety,  than  other  good  Mens,  who' 
 being  convinced  by   the   rational  I 
 
 K  I:   2  dene* 
 
44°         The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 dence  of  the  Gofpcl,  go  on  in  a  foter, 
 
 conftant,  and  regular  Exercife  of  Virtue 
 
 and  Righteoufnefs. 
 
 That  there-    ,-'Tis  not  therefore  for  want  of  fuffi- 
 
 f»re<  to      cient  Evidence,  that:  Men  disbelieve  the 
 
 m*kt  Mtn  great  Truths  of   Religion  *   but  plainly 
 
 %hth  of  tor  w*n^  of  InteSrity>  ancl  of  dealing  in- 
 r&  Ext-  genuoufly  and  impartially*  with  them- 
 deuce  of  felves$  that  they  fuffer  not  the  Argu- 
 &*!&•*%  rnents  of  Religion  to  have  that  Weight 
 'iJeiytle'  anc^  Influence  upon  them,  which  in  the 
 ccJJ'.r)  in  judgment  of  right  reafon  they  ought  ma- 
 thefirft  nifeftly  to  have.  So  long  as  Men  per- 
 *i*in  'a*'  mit  tne*r  P  '  *uons  ana"  Appetites  to  over- 
 fide?re-  ru^e  tne^r  Reafon,  it  is  impoflible  they 
 juJite,Luft  lhould  have  due  Apprehenfions  in  mat- 
 and.  Pajjl-  ttrs  of  Religion,  or  make  any  right  and 
 cr,  they  be-  true  TU(jgment  concerning  thefe  things* 
 
 come  im-     , ..       J,     o  n  i      *  .    /r-  i         i 
 
 partially    Men  that  are  ltrongly  Dialled  and  pre- 
 vrilling  to   judiced  even  in  worldly  affairs^  'tis  well 
 imbracealt  known  how  hard  and  difficult  it  is  for 
 U^yatl  t^em  t0  fodge  according  to  reafon,  and 
 readable  to  fufFer  the  Arguments  and  Evidences  of 
 obiigati.    truth  to    have  their  due  "Weight  with 
 om,rvkicb  them.    How  much  more  in  waiters  of  Re-< 
 an  Time    ^Won  which  concern  things  future  and  re- 
 be  made     mote  from  Sefcfe,  muft  it  needs  be,  that 
 ipown  to    Mens  prefent  Interefts,  Luft  and  Pafli* 
 them.        ons?  wm  pervert  their  judgment,    and 
 blind  their  understandings !   Wherefore, 
 Men  that  pretend  to  be  followers  of  right 
 Reafon,   if  they  will  judge  truly  of  the 
 reafonablenefs    and    credibility   of    the 
 Chriftian  Revelation,  it  is  abfolutely  ne- 
 cefTary  that  in  the  firft  Place,   in  order 
 to  that  End,  they  become  impartially  wil- 
 ling 
 
and  Revealed  Religion  341 
 
 ling  to  embrace  whatever  fhall  upon  the 
 whole  appear  to  be  agreeable  to  Reafon 
 and  Truth,  and  grounded  upon  good  Evi- 
 dence,   without  interefting   their  Lufts 
 and   Appetites    in  the   judgment  -y    and 
 that  before  all  Things  they  refolve  to  be 
 guided  in  all  their  Actions,  by  whatever 
 Rule  fhall  at  any  time  be  well  proved  to 
 them  to  be  the  Will  of  God.     And  when 
 they  have  put  themfelvts  into  this  Tem- 
 per and  Frame  of  Mind  ^   then  let  them 
 try  if  they  can  any  longer  reject  the  Evi- 
 dence of  the  Gofpel.    If  any  Man  will  do  jQh,  7j  17. 
 his  will,  he  fhall  know  of  the  Do&rinc  whe- 
 ther it  be  of  God.   For,  them  that  are  meehy  ?r       g 
 God  will  guide  in  judgment  ^  and  fuch  as  are 
 gentle,  them  he  will  lea?  n  his  Way. 
 
 Indeed,  Men  that  are  of  this  good  Dif-  ^»« 
 pofition,  willing  to  be  governed  by  Rea-  %}tiCl* 
 fon,  and  not  prejudiced  by  Lufts  and  Vi-  n'JJJ  * 
 tious    Appetites  ^     could    not  but   give  #«$/'/ 
 their  (Aflent  to  the  Doctrines  of  Chrifti-  '*''  ***■ 
 anity,  (upon  account  of  the  very  intrin-  rJ^m  tJ-^ 
 lick  Excellency  and    Reafonablenefs  of  truly  tet$* 
 the  Things  themfelves,  even  though  the  iiom,  even 
 external  Evidence  of  their  Certainty  had  ^'-jf?'^ 
 been   much  lefs   than   it  at   prefent  is.  0f»ef^n 
 Kay,    were  there  hardly  any  other  Evi-  wne  much 
 dencc  at  all,   than  barely  the  Excellency  t&  than 
 and  Reafonablenefs  and  natural  Probabi-    e)  aiCm 
 lity  of  the  great  Truths  of  Religion,  to- 
 gether with  the  Confideration  of  the  vaft 
 Importance  of  them  •,  yet  even  in  That 
 Cafe  it  would  be  infinitely  wifeft  and 
 moft  agreeable  to  Reafon,    for  Men  to 
 live  according  to  the  Rules  of  the  GoF- 
 K  k  3  pel : 
 
3  4  £     The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 pel :  And. though  their  Faith  extended  no 
 farther,  than  only  to  a  Belief  of  the  Pof- 
 pUHj  of  the  Truth  of  the  Chriftian  Re- 
 vels i.ior-    yet  even  This  alone  ought  in 
 all  rcafbn  to  have  weight  enough   to  de- 
 termine reafonable  Creatures,  to  live  fo- 
 berly,  righteoitfty  and  godly.     For,-  is  it  not 
 plainly   mo  ft  reafonable,   as  * 
 *  Noti  purior    ratio     ail  anfient  Writer  expreiTes 
 e<l     &  duobus   incertis     it    :  ]f  each  cf  the       poftte  q. 
 
 rionerendcntlbi-^idpc  jP?f«?    *"?   «£«wZfj>    cloilhifiil 
 
 pus credere^ quocial iquas  a$a  uncertain,  yet  by  all  mean* 
 
 fpes   ferae,    qjuarrj  quod  \6  Embrace  and  entertain  That 
 
 mfeMn  illoeninii  pe;  ^jA   j    •         r         #          j 
 
 nculi  nihil  eft,  fi,  ouod  ..7      . •  °    J1         /7-r         7  ^ 
 
 dicirurimminerelCdfiurn  fW '  *£   ,    f£W*     (to     *to 
 
 Kat*& vadium 5  in  hoc,  Wfci    brings  none?     For  en 
 damnum  eft    maximum- •  &#*  We  of  the   Qnefticn  there 
 
 anrmrurhccfu  ik  me--      ; '  ^     ^    Calamity,     if     that 
 
 dac'tum.      'A+fkb*     adv<     vlnch  we    believe    and  expect, 
 
 8<nkt)>ml  ftould  at  hft  prove  falfe^    But 
 
 on  the  other  fiae,    there  is  the 
 
 great  eft  Hazard  hi  tjte  World,  the  lofs  of  e- 
 
 '  iernal  Life,  if  the  Opinion  which  Unbelievers 
 
 rely  upon,   JlrouJd  at  laft  prove  an  Eioiir. 
 
 And  .  t  again:    What  fay  ye, 
 
 ,  _  .,  ,.  .  •  r     O   u'ipwrant  Men,   'ye  Men 
 
 -:H?ru£mifera-     f;j    wafer  able  and   moft  deplo- 
 
 tioned  gnlfnr.ii  ?  ira  non     rable  Folly?    Can  ye  forbear 
 
 tarn  escimefciris,  ne  for-     fearing     within    your     Pelves, 
 
 bene  ma^riafo  i^r  '  poftjilly  prove  true,  which  ye 
 n -c  falrem  vobii'curn  tab  now  defpife  and  m'eck  at? 
 pbfeuris  cogicationibus  Jj[we  ye  mt  at  yan  0e 
 volvic.s.    ne,    quod  hoc      '   *r.    •  r      -    1.    i     a     '  r 
 
 die  credere  cbfttnara  re-  ™$™n&s  °f  ™27ld>  W  PGf" 
 puitjsperYerTic^fedar-    fifty  That  which  ye  new  per- 
 
 verfth 
 
and  Revealed  Religion.       343 
 
 verfely  and  obftinately   refufe     guat  fcrum    rempus.  & 
 to    believe     ye ftwuld  at  hft     caftiget  ,  w/jW. 
 be  convinced  of   by  Jad  expe- 
 rience,   when  it  will  be  too  late  to  repent  ? 
 Neither  is  this  the  judgment  of  Chriftian 
 Writers  only,  but  alfo  of  the  wifeft  and 
 inore  considerate  Heathens.     We  ought  10 
 fpare  no  pains,   faith  ||  Plato, 
 to  obtain  the  Habits  of  Virtue 
 and    Wifdom   in    this  prefent 
 Life-,    For  the  Prize  is  noble, 
 and  the   Hope  is  very  great. 
 And  *  Cicero :      They    have 
 gained  a  great  Prize   indeed, 
 who     have    perfuaded    them- 
 felves   to  believe,     that    when 
 Death    comes,     they  fiall  pe- 
 rift)    Mtteiiy  ^     What   comfort 
 is    there,        What     is     there 
 to  be  boafted  of,    in  that  Opi- 
 nion ?    And  again  :    If  after 
 Death,    faith  t  he,    as  fome 
 little  and   contemptible  Philo- 
 fophers  think,    I  ft) all  be  no- 
 thing •    yet  there  is  no  danger, 
 that    when  we    are    all   dead, 
 thofe  Philofophers  Jhovli  laugh 
 at  vie  for  my  Erroitr, 
 
 But  this  is  not  Our  Cafe.  God  has  afford- 
 ed Us,  as  has  been  largely '-and  particu- 
 larly fhown  in  the  foregoing  Difcourfe, 
 many  and  certain  Proofs  of  the  Truth  of 
 our  Religion  ^  even  as  certain,  as  any 
 matter  of  Fad  is  capable  of  haviag. 
 And  we  now  exhort  Men  to  believe,  not 
 Kk  4  what 
 
 |j  Xf«  TT&vTct  rrni£v 
 fere  tf'pgrwf  >tj  Q&vtia&f 
 iv  ra»  Cia  UiTet^  eiv  Kct- 
 X.OV  jtjif  70  at^A^,    ty  it 
 
 ih'Tfh  utytlto.  Piaio  in 
 PiW. 
 
 *  prsdarum  nefcio 
 quid  adenti  flint,  quidi- 
 dicerunc  fe,  cum  tempus 
 mortis  venifler,  tocos  efle 
 
 pericuros. Quid  ha- 
 
 bet  ifta  res  auc  Iatabifc 
 auc  gloriofum  ?  Cict  Tujc* 
 Oft.  lib.  1. 
 
 fSin  mortuus,  crqui- 
 dam  minuri  Philofophi 
 cenfenc,  nihil  fenriam  -, 
 non  vereor  ne  hurc  erro- 
 rem  meum  morcui  phiio- 
 iophi  irrideaoc.  bit,  4 
 Senefu 
 
344      The  Evidences  of  Natural 
 
 what  is  barely  poffible,  and  excellent,    and 
 probable,  and  of  the  utmoji  Importance  in  it- 
 felf  •,   but  what  moreover  they  have  all 
 the  ptjitive  evidence,   and  all  the  reaf on  in 
 the  World  to  pblige  them  to  believe. 
 That  God        To  conclude,   No  Man  of  re^fon  can 
 mayreAwe  pretend  to  fay,  but  God  may  require  us, 
 Xvkevf  to  \a^e  mtlce  °f  f°me  things  at  our  peril, 
 certain       to  ^nqitire  into  them,  and  to  conjider  them 
 things,  and  thoroughly.    And  pretenfe  of   want  of 
 to  in^he    greater  Evidence  will  not  excufe  Carelefs- 
 'andc^ji-    vef*ox  **re  a  finable  Prejudices .,   when  God 
 derthem,    has  vouchfafed   us  all  That    Evidence, 
 atourpe-    which  was  either  Fit  for  him  to  grant, 
 f'h  or  Reafonable  for  Men  to  defire  5  or  in- 
 
 deed which  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  it 
 felf  to  be  proved,  was  capable  of. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
SEVERAL 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 T  O    TH  E 
 
 Reverend  T?  CLARKE, 
 
 FRO  M   A 
 
 Gentleman  in  Glocejlerfhire, 
 
 Relating  to  the 
 
 FIRST    VOLUME 
 
 OF    TH  E 
 
 Foregoing  SERMONS; 
 
 WITH  THE 
 
 ^ANSWERS 
 
 THEREUNTO. 
 
 The  Second  Edition. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed  for  James  Knapton,  at  the  Crown 
 in  St.  Paul's  Church-Yard.  1719. 
 
•    * 
 
 / 
 
 I 
 
 ( > 
 
 I 
 
 . 
 
 m 
 
The  fii'ft"  Letter. 
 
 The    FIRST 
 
 LETTER. 
 
 Reverend  Sb\      x    ■ 
 
 Suppofe  roil  will  wonder  at  the  prefent 
 trouble  from  one  who  is  to  you  a  perfect 
 Stronger,  tho3  you  are  not  fo  to  him  ^  but 
 I  hope  the  Occafion  will  excufe  my 
 u  Boldnefs.     I  have  made  it,  Sir,  my  Buftnefs 
 "  ever  fince  I  thought  my  Self  capable  of  fuch 
 "  fort  of  Reafoning,  .  to    prove    to  my  Self 
 "  the  'Being  and  Attributes  rf  God  ;  And  being 
 "  fenfible  that  it's  a  matter  of  the  laft  confe- 
 "  qnence,  I  endeavoured  after  a  dem'vjlrjtive 
 "  Proof-,  not  only  more  fully  to- fdifsjfy  my  own 
 "  Mind,  but  alfo  in  order  to  defend  the  great 
 "  Truths  of  Natural  Religion,  and  thofe  of 
 "  the  Chriftian  Revelation  which  .follow  from 
 <c  them,  agalnfiall  Qppofers :  But  muft  own  with 
 "  concern,  that  hitheno  I  have  been  unfua;ef- 
 "  ful  i  and  tho'  I  have  got  very  probable  Ar- 
 "  guments,  yet  I  can  go  but  very  little  way 
 iC  with  Demonjl ration    in   the  proof  of  thofe 
 "  things.    When  at  fir  ft  your  Book  on  thofe 
 <c  Subjects  (which  by  all,  whom  I  have  dif- 
 tC  courfed  with,  is  fo  juftly  efteemed,)  was  re- 
 "  commended  to  me  •  I  was  in  great  hopes  of 
 "■  having  all  my  Enquiries  anfwered :  But  fince 
 "  in  fome  places,  .either  thro3  my  not  tinder-? 
 
 "  Handing- 
 
4  The  firft  Letter j 
 
 u  fending  your  Meaning,  or  what  elfe  I  know 
 **  not,  even  That  has  failed  me  •,  I  almcft  de- 
 u  fpair  of  ever  arriving  to  fuch  a  Satisfattionas 
 "  I  aim  at,  unlefs  by  the  method  I  now  ufe. 
 «  You  can't  but  know,  Sir,  that  of  two  diffe- 
 "  rent  expreftions  of  the  fame  thing,  tho'  equally 
 "  clear  to  forne  Perfous,  }^et,  to  others,  one  of 
 "  them  is  fometimes  very  obfcure,  tho'  the 
 *'  otlxr  be  perfectly  intelligible.  Perhaps  this 
 "  may  be  my  Cafe  here  ^  and  could  I  fee  thofe 
 "of  your  Arguments,  of  which  I  doubt,  dif- 
 *'  ferently  propofed,  poffibly  I  might  yield  a 
 "  ready  a/Tent  to  them.  This,  Sir,  I  cannot 
 €i  but  think  a  fufficient  Excufe  for  the  prefent 
 "  Trouble  $  it  being  fuch  an  one  as  I  hope  may 
 "  prevail  for  an  Anfwer,  with  one  who  feems 
 "  to  aim  at  nothing  more  than  that  good  Work 
 "  of  inftrucling  others. 
 
 "  In  your  Demon  ft  ration  of  the  Being  and  At- 
 l£f\V'"  trihutes  ofGod,¥xoy.  VI.  *[Edit.  id.  p.  69  and 
 70,]  you  propoie  to  prove  the  Infinitude  and 
 "  Omniprefcncy  of  the  Self-exiftent  Being.    The 
 "former  part  of  the  proof,  feems  highly  proba- 
 "  ble  •  but  the  latter  part,  which  feems  to  aim 
 "  at  Dernonftration,  is  not  to  me  convincing. 
 "  The  latter  part  of  the  Paragraph  is,  if  I 
 "  mi  flake  not,  an  entire  Argument  of  it  felf 
 "  which  runs  thus  •, "  To  fuppofe  a  finite  Being 
 to  be  Self-Exiftent,  is  to  fay  that  it  is  a  Contradic- 
 tion for  that  Being  not  to  exift,  the  ah  fence  of 
 which  may  yet  be  conceived  without  a  Contradic- 
 tion ^  which  is  the  p-eatcft  abfurdity  in  the  World. 
 44  The  fenfe  of  thefe  Words  {the  al fence  of  which'} 
 "  feems  plainly  to  be  determined  by  the  follow- 
 44  ing  Sentence,  to  mean  its  abfence  from  any 
 "particular    Place  :     which    Sentence,   is   to 
 44  prove  it  to  be  an  Abfurdity  •,  and  is  this :  " 
 For  if  a  Bein$  can,  without  a  Contradiction,  be 
 
 abfent 
 
The  firft  Letter.  ?    ' 
 
 abfent  from  one  place  *,  it  may,  withciit  a  Contra- 
 diction, be  abfent  from  another  place ,  and  from 
 all  places,  "  Now,  fuppofing  this  to  he  a 
 *'  Confequence  $  all  that  it  proves  is,  that  if 
 *'  a  Being  can  without  a  Contradiction,  be, 
 "  abfent  from  one  place  at  one  tiine,  it  may 
 "  without  a  Contradiction  be  abfent  from  a- 
 "  nother  place,  and  fo  from  all  places,  at  dif- 
 "  ferent  times  •  (for  I  cannot  fee,  that  if  a  Be- 
 "  ing  can  be  abfent  from  one  place  at  one  time, 
 "  therefore  it  may  without  a  Contradiction  be 
 "  abfent  from  all  places  at  the  fame  time,  i.  e. 
 "  may  ceafe  to  exift.)  Now,  if  it  p roves  1.0 
 "  more  than  this,  I  cannot  fee  that  it  reduces 
 "  the  Suppofition  to  any  Abfurdity.-  Suppofe 
 "  I  could  demonjfrate,  that  any  particular  Man 
 "  Ihould  live  a  Thoufand  Years  5  this  Man 
 "  might  without  a  Contradiction  be  abfent  from 
 "  one,  and  from  all  places,  at  different  times,  but 
 "  it  would  not  from  thence  follow,  that  he 
 "might  be  abfent  from  all  places  at  the  fame 
 "  time,  i.  e.  that  he  might  ceafe  to  exift.  No  ; 
 "  this  would  be  a  Contradiction,  becaufe  I  am 
 "  fuppofed  to  have  demonjlrated  that  he  fhould 
 <c  live  a  Thoufand  Years.  It  would  be  exactly 
 "  the  fame,  if  inftead  of  a  Thoufand  Tears,  I 
 "  ihould  fay,  for  ever  •,  and  the  proof  feems  the 
 "  fame,  whether  it  be  applied  to  a  Self-Eki- 
 "  Jlent  or  a  Dependent  Being. 
 
 "  What  elfe  I  have  to  offer,  is  in  relation  to 
 "your  proof  of  the Self-Exiitent  Being,  that 
 "  he  muft  of  neceflity  be  but  One.  Your  proof 
 "  is  as  follows,  in  Prop.VlI,  *rEdit.  2d."  p.  74, T*  *<&  f- 
 To  fuppofe  two  or  more  different  Natures  ex-E<ilt'*  ' 
 ifling  of  them f elves  neceffa/ily  and  independent 
 from  each  other,  implies  this  plain  ContradiBion-, 
 that  each  of  them  being  independent  from  the  other, 
 they  may  either  of  them  be  fuppofed  to  exijl  Alone  v 
 
 fo 
 
6  *I%e  fii  ft  Letter, 
 
 fo  that  it  will  he  no  Contradiction  to  imagine  the 
 other  not  to  exi ft,  and  r^nfeqv.ently  neither  of  them 
 will  he  neceffarily  exifting.     cc  The  Supposition 
 u  indeed  implies,  that  [nice  each  ofthefe  Beings 
 "  are  Independent  from  the 'other ',  they  may  either 
 "  of  them  exift  Alone,  i.  e.  without  any  rela- 
 "  tion  to-  or  dependence  on  the  other-:    But 
 "  Where  is  the  third  Idea,  to  conned  this  Pro- 
 "  poiition  and  the  following- one,  viz  J  fo  that  it 
 u  will  he  no  Contradiction  to  imagine  the  ether  not 
 "  to  Exift  ?  ■  Wef e   this  a  Confequence  •  cf  the 
 cc  former  Proportion,  I  allow  it  would  be  De- 
 "  vwvftraticn^hj  the  fir  ft  Corollary  of  Prop.  Ill, 
 *p<|- l6>"*r2d  Edit.  p.  26.]  But  iince  thefetwoPro- 
 AtL       '  "  pofitions,  .[tbey  may  either  of  them  be  flip po fed 
 "  to  exift  aloneC\andy[  fo  that  it  will  be  no  Contra- 
 "  di&ion  to   imagine   the  other  not  to  exiftQaxe 
 "  very  widely  different  y  fince  likewifeit  is  no" 
 "  immediate  Confequence,  that  becaufe  Either 
 "  ma)7"  be  fuppofed  to  exift  independent  from  the1 
 "other,  therefore  the  other  may  be  fuppofed 
 "  not  to  exift  at  all  j  how  is  what  was  propofed, 
 "proved?  That  the  Propofitions  are  different  ^ 
 "  I  think  it  plain-  and  whether  there  be  an  im- 
 u  mediate  connexion,    every    Body  that  reads 
 "  yours  muft  judge  for  them felves.  I  muft  fay, 
 "  for  my  own  part,  the  Abfurdity  do's  not  ap- 
 u  pear  at  firft  fight,  any  more  than  the  Abfur- 
 "  dity  of  faying  that  the  Angles  below  the  Bafe 
 "  in  an  Ifofceles  Triangle  are  unequal  [  which 
 <ctho'  it  is  abfolutely  falfe,  yet  I  fuppofe  no 
 *c  one  will  lay  down  the  contrary  for  an  Axiom  * 
 "  becaufe,  tho'  it  is  true,  }ret  there  is  need  of 
 "  a  Proof  to  make  it  appear  fo. 
 
 "  Perhaps  it  may  be  anfwered,  that  I  have 
 *  not  rightly  explained  the  words,  to  exift  ahne  5 
 "  And  that  they  do  not  mean  only,  to  exift 
 "  independent  from  the  other  1  but  that  exifting 
 
 «  Alom 
 
The  £&  Letter.  - 
 
 **  AUme,  means  that  nothing  exifts  with  it  Whe- 
 ftt  ther  thi3  or  the  other  was  meant,  I  cannot 
 ^determine*.  But,  which  ever  it'lwas-,  what 
 u  I  hate  faid,  will  hold.     For  if  this  laft  be 
 u  the  Senfe  of  thofe  Words,  [They  either  of  them 
 ^  maybe  fuppofed  to  exift  alone  ^  it  indeed  iirn 
 Wffmtb  that  it  will*  be  no  Contradiction  to  fup- 
 u  pofe  the  other  not  to  exift :  But  then  I  ask  how 
 "  r;me  thefe  two  Propoiitions  tci  be  connected  9 
 "  t'.-at  to  fuppofe  two  different  Natures  exifting 
 "  cfthcmi elves  ne<ejf.wily  and  independent  from 
 Ci'each  other,  iifipl  es  that  each  of  them  may  be 
 "  fiippofed  to  exift  Alone  in  This  Senfe  ?  Which 
 "  is  exactly  the  lame  as  I  faid  before,  only  ap- 
 u  plied  to  different  Sentences.  So  that  if  Exift- 
 u  ing  Alone,  be  underftood  as  I  frft  took  it-  I 
 "  allow  it  is  implied  in  the  Supposition  Jflbut  can- 
 "  not  fee  that  the  Confluence  is,  that  it  will  be 
 "  no  Contradiction  to  fuppofe  the. other  not  to 
 "  exift.     But  if  the  Words,  Exifting  Alone,  are 
 <c  meant  in  the  latter  Senfe  ♦,  I  grant  that  if 
 "  either  of  them  may  be  fnppofed  thus  to.exijt 
 "  Alone,  it  will  be  no  Contradiction  to  fuppofe 
 "  the  other  not  to  exift :  But  then  I  cannot  fee, 
 w  that  to  fuppofe  two  different  Natures  exifting, 
 u  of  ihemfelves  neccjfarily  and  independent  from 
 "  each  other,  implies  that  either  of  them  may 
 "  be  fuppofed  to  exift  Alone  in  This  Senfe  of  the 
 "  Words  5  but  only,  that  either  of  them  may  be 
 "  fuppofed  to  exift  without  having  any  relati- 
 "  on  to  the  other,  and  that  there  will  be  no 
 "  need  of  the  exift  ence  of  the  One  in  order  to  the 
 "  exiftence  of  the  other.      But  tho'  upon  this 
 "  account,  were  there  no  other  Principle  of  its 
 "  exiftence,  it  might  ceafe  to  exift  ♦,  yet  on 
 "  the  account  of  the  neceihty  of  its  own  Ka- 
 <'  tare,  which  is  quite  diftinft  from  the  other, 
 
 "'tis 
 
The  firft  Letter. 
 
 y^. 
 
 'tis  an  abfolute  Abfurdity  to  fuppofe  it  not 
 4i  to  exijt. 
 
 "  Thus,  Sir,  I  have  propofed  my  Doubts, 
 "  with  the  Reafon  of  them.  In  which  if  I  have 
 «'  wrefted  your  Words  to  another  Senfe  than 
 "  what  you  defined  them,  or  in  any  refpedt 
 **  argu d  unfairly,  I  afllire  you  it  was  without 
 u  deiign.  So  I  hope  you  will  impute  it  to  mi- 
 u  ftalce.  And,  if  it  will  not  be  too  great  a 
 "  Trouble,  let  me  once  more  beg  the  favour 
 "  of  a  Line  from  you,  by  which  you  will  lay  me 
 <c  under  a  particular  Obligation  to  be,  what,- 
 "  with  the  the  reft  of  the  World,  I  now  am, 
 
 tLeverettH  Sir, 
 Tow  much  Obliged  Servant,  &e. 
 
 Kovember  the  \th 
 
 171 3, 
 
 tHE 
 
*The  j4nfivzr  to  the  Firft  Letter*.         $> 
 
 The  A  N  S  W  E  R 
 
 T  O  i 
 
 The  Firji  Lett  en 
 
 SIR, 
 
 DI  D  Men  who  publifh  controversial  Pa- 
 pers,  accuftom  tnemfelves  to  write  with 
 that  Candour  and  Ingenuity,  with  which  yoii 
 propofe  your  Difficulties  •,  I  am  perfwaded 
 almoft  all  Difputes  might  be  very  amicably 
 terminated,  either  by  Men's  coming  at  laft  td 
 agree  in  Opinion,  or  at  leaft  finding  Reafon 
 to  fuffer  each  other  friendly  to  differ. 
 
 Your  Two   ObjeBiom    are   very  ingenious, 
 and  urged  with  great  Strength  and  Acutenefs. 
 Yet  I  am  not  without  hopes,  of  being  able  to* 
 give  you  Satisfaction  in  Both  of  them.    To  your 
 frft  therefore,  I  anfwer.     Wh  atcver  may  with- 
 out a  Contradiction,  be  abfent  from  any  one 
 Place  at  any  one  Time-,  may  alfo  without  a 
 Contradiction,    be  abfent  from  all    Places   at 
 all  Times.     For,  whatever  is  absolutely  yiecejfary 
 at  all,  is  abfolutely  necefTary  in  every  pait 
 of  Space,  and  in  every  poiiit  of  Duration.  What- 
 ever can  at  any  time  be  conceived  poj/ible  to  be 
 abfent  from  any  One  part  of  Space,  may  for  the 
 fame  Reafon,  [_vit.  the  implying  no  Contra- 
 diction in  the  nature  of  Things,]  be  concei- 
 ved pojjible  to  be  abfent  from  every  Other  part  of 
 Space  at  the  fame  time  ;  either  by  ceafing  to  be, 
 or  by  fuppofing  it  never  to  have  begun  to  be. 
 L  1  You* 
 
io  ITbe  Anfwer  to 
 
 Your  Inftance  about  iemmftraiing  a  Man  to 
 live  i  ceo  Years,  is  what  (I  think)  led  you  in- 
 to the  Miftake  •,  and  is  a  good  Inftance  to  lead 
 you  ovt  of  it  again .    You  may  fvppofe  a  Man 
 JhallYive  i  coo  Years,  or  God  may  reveal  and 
 promife  he  fiall  live  looo  Years-,  And  upon 
 That  Snppofttion,  it  fhall  not  he  poffiole  for  the 
 Man  to  be  abfent  from  all  Places  in  any  part 
 or  that  time.     Very  true  :  But  why  {hall  it  not 
 he  poffible  ?  Only  becaufe  'tis  contrary  to  the 
 Snppofttion,  or  to  the  Promife  of  God  •  but  not 
 contrary  to    the  abfolute  Nnure  of  Things  •, 
 which  it  would  be,  if  the  Man  exifted  necef- 
 farily,  as  every  part  of  Space  does.     In  Sup- 
 pofing  you  could  demonffirate,  a  Man  ITiould  live 
 loco  Years,  or  one  Year  ^    you  make  an  im- 
 pcfible  and  ccntradiclory  Suppofition.     For  tho3 
 you  may  know  certainly,  (by  Revelation  fup- 
 pofe,)  that  he  will  live  fo  long  •  yet  This  is 
 only  the  Certainty,  of  a  thing  True  in  FaB,  not 
 in  itfelfneceffa/y  :  And  Demon  ft  ration  is  appli- 
 cable to  nothing  but  what  is  necejfary  in  itfelf, 
 neceiTary'f?/  all  Places  and  at  all  Times  equally. 
 To  your  fecond  Difficulty,  I  anfwer,    What 
 exifes  ncceffj.rily,  not  only  muft  fo  exift:  Alone, 
 as  to  be  independinz  of  ; ,ny  thing  elfe  -,but  (be? 
 ivgSdf-fufficient,)  may  alfo  fo  exift  Alone,  as  that 
 every  thing  elfe  may  p. ojfibly  (or  without  any  Co?t- 
 tradiclion  in  the  Nature  of  Things)  be  fuppofed 
 not  to  exift  at  all;  And  confequently,(iinceThat 
 which  maypcftibly  be  fuppofed  not  to  craft  at  all, 
 is  not  neceftarily  exiftent,)  No  other  thing  can  be 
 vetejfarily  exiftent.  Whatever  is  nece (fa?  HyExift- 
 hiv,  there  is  Need  of  its  exi fence  in  order  to  the 
 :;  fal  cf  the   exi fence  of.c-.xy  other   thing-,  fo 
 t  \aX  nothing  can    pojjitly  he  fuppofed  to  exift, 
 without  prefvppofng  and  including  antecedent- 
 ly the    exiiixiice  of  that  which   is  neceffary. 
 
 For, 
 
the  firfl  Letter.  u 
 
 For  inftance,  the  Suppofal  of  the  exigence 
 d :  any  thing  whatever,  includes  necefTarily 
 a  Prefuppofttion  ci  the  exiftence  of  Space  and 
 Time  $  and  if  an)r  thing  rould   exifb  without 
 
 Spice  or  Time,  it  would  follow  that  Spice  and 
 Time  were  not  neccjfarily-exifting.     Therefore, 
 the  fuppofing  any  thing  pifjibly  to  exift  Alone, 
 fo  as  not  nece/farily  to  include  the  prefuppofal  of 
 fame  Other  Thing,  proves   demon ftrably  that 
 That  Other  Thing  is  not  Neceffarily-exifting  -,  be- 
 caufe,  Whatever   has  Necefiiy  of  exiftence,  can- 
 not poffibly,  in  Any  conception  whatfoever, 
 be  fuppofed  Away.     There  cannot  -poffibly  be 
 Any  Notion  of  the  exiftence  rf  any  Thin%,  there 
 cannot  poffibly  be  Any  Notion  of  exiftence  at  all, 
 but  what  {hall  necefTarily prsunclude  the  Notion 
 cf  That  which  is  Nece/farily-exiftent.    And  conse- 
 quently the  Two  Proportions  which  you  judg- 
 ed  independent,  are  really  vecefjarily  connected. 
 Thefe  forts  of  things  are  indeed  very  difficult 
 to  exprefs,  and  not  eafie  to  be  conceived  but  by 
 very  Attentive  Minds  :  But  to  ifuch  as  can  and 
 mil  attend,  nothing  (I  think)  is  more  demon- 
 ftrably  convictive. 
 
 If  any  thing  ftill  fticks  with  you  in  This,  or 
 any  Other  Part  of  my  Books-,  1  fhall  be  very 
 willing  to  be  informed  of  it «  who  am, 
 SIR,  Tour  ajfured  F  iend, 
 Nov,  io.  and  Servayit,  S.  C. 
 
 1713. 
 
 P.  S.  Many  Readers,  I  obferve,  have  mif- 
 unclerftood  my  Second  General  Proportion  •, 
 as  if  the  Words  [_So?ne  One  unchangeable  and  in* 
 dependent  Being  J  meant  fOne  Only — -Being.] 
 Whereas  the  true  Meaning  and  all  that  the 
 Argument  there  requires,  is, [Some  Ow^  at  leaftj 
 That  there  can  be  But  One,  is  the  thing  proved 
 afterwards  in  the  Seventh  Proportion. 
 
 L  1  2  The 
 
1 1  'The  Second  Letter. 
 
 The  SECOND 
 
 LETTER. 
 
 Reverend  Sir, 
 
 ic  T  Have  often  thought  that  the  chief  Qccafc 
 
 u  1   ons  of  Mens  fo  much  differing  in  their  O- 
 
 H  pinions,  were,  either  their  not  under  ftanding 
 
 ic  each  other  •,  or  elfe,  that  inftead  of  ingenu- 
 
 H  oufly  fearching  after  Truth,  they  have  made 
 
 ic  it  their  bufinefs  to  find  out  Arguments  for 
 
 Cc  the  Proof  of  what  they  have  once  afferted. 
 
 i(-  However,  it  is  certain  there  may  be  other 
 
 ic  Reafons  for  Perfons  not  agreeing  in  their 
 
 H  Opinions :  And  where  it  is  fo,  I  can't  but 
 
 C(-  think  with  you,  that  they  will  find  reafon 
 
 6c  to  fuffer  each  other  to  differ  friendly  •,  every 
 
 H  Man  having  a  way  of  Thinking,  in  fome  re- 
 
 4c  ipetts,  peculiarly  his  own. 
 
 u  I  am  Forry  I  muft  tell  you,  your  Anfwers 
 u  to  my  Objections  are  not  fatisfadtory.  The 
 u  Reafons  why  I  think  them  not  fo,  are  as  fol- 
 "  lows. 
 
 "  You  fay-"  whatever  is  abfohtcly  necejfary  at 
 all,  is  abfolutely  neceffary  in  every  part  of  Space , 
 and  in  every  point  of  Duration.  "Were  this  evi- 
 61  dent,  'twould  certainly  prove  what  you  bring 
 *c  it  for  •,  '  viz,  that  whatever  may  without  a 
 Contradiction,  he  abfent  from  one  place  at  one 
 Ume,  may  alfo  he  abfent  from  all  pi  ace  a  at  all 
 times.  "  But  I  do  not  conceive,  that  the  Idea 
 *  ct  Ubiquity  is  contained  in  the  Idea  of  Self-Ex- 
 
 "  ifience,. 
 
The  Second  Letter:  i  % 
 
 "  iftence,  or  diretlly  follows  from  it  ^  any  other- 
 "wife  than  as,  whatever  exifts,  muft  exift 
 a  fomewhere.  You  add  •,  "  Whatever  can  at  any 
 time  be  conceived  pojibly  to  he  abfent  from  any  one 
 part  of  Space,  way  for  the  fame  reafon  [y\z.  the 
 implying  no  Contradiction  in  the  nature  of  'things,! 
 be  conceived  poffibly  to  be  abfent  from  every  ra- 
 ther part  of  Space  at  the  fame  time.  "Now  T  can- 
 "  not  fee,  that  I  can  make  thefe  two  Support*- 
 "  om  for  the  fame  reafon,  or  upon  the  fame  ac- 
 "  count.  The  reafon  why  I  conceive  this  Being 
 "  may  be  abfent  from  one  place ,  is  becaufe  it 
 "  doth  not  contradict  the  former  Proof  [drawn 
 "  from  the  nature  of  things  J  in  which  I  only 
 "  proved  that  it  muft  necefTarily  cxift.  But  the 
 "  other  Snppofition,  viz.  that  I  can  conceive 
 "  it  poffible  to  be  abfent  from  every  part  of 
 "  Space  at  one  and  the  fame  xime,  directly  con- 
 "  tradidts  the  Proof  that  it  mvft  exift 
 "SOMEWHERE',  and  fo  is  an  ,Expr efi 
 "  Contradiction.  Unlefs  it  be  faid,  that 
 "  as  when  we  have  proved  the  three  Angles 
 "  of  a  Triangle  equal  to  two  Right  ones,  That 
 "  relation  of  equality  to  two  Right  ones,  will 
 *'  be  where-ever  a  Triangle  exifts  ;  fo,  when 
 "  we  have  proved  the  neceffitry  Exiftence  of  a 
 "  Being,  this  Being  muft  exift  every  where. 
 "  But  there  is  a  great  difference  between  thefe 
 "  two  :  The  one  being  the  Proof  of  a  certain 
 "  relation,  upon  Snppofition  of  fuch  a  Being's 
 "  Exiftence,  with  fuch  particular  Properties  -, 
 "  and  consequently  where-ever  this  Being  and 
 "  thefe  Properties  exift,  this  relation  mnfl 
 "  exift  too  :  But  from  the  Proof  of  the  tteccjfu- 
 u  ry  Exiftence  of  a  Being,  'tis  no  evident  con- 
 "  fequence  that  it  exifts  Every  where.  My  u- 
 "  ling  the  Word  Demon  ft  ration,  inftead  of  Procf7 
 iC  which  leaves  ?u  room  for  doubt,  was  thro'  neg- 
 LI  l  "ligenee. 
 
4  Tfo  Second  Letter. 
 
 "  ligence  $  For  I  never  heard  of  ftricl  demon- 
 "  Jf  ration  of  Matter  of  Fact. 
 
 u  In  your  Anfwer  to  my  Second  Difficulty ,you 
 '^fay^33  whatfoeve/  U  nec'eflfari\y-e  xi fling  jhere  is 
 Need  of  its  Exiflence,  in  order  to  the  fuppofal  of  the 
 Exiflence  of  another  thing.  "  All  the  Confequen- 
 "  ces  you  draw  from  this  Proportion,  I  fee  pro- 
 "  veddemonftrably^and  confequently,  that  the 
 "  two  Proportions  I  thought  independent,  are 
 cc  clofely  ccnnecT:ed.  But  how,  or  upon  what  ac- 
 "  count  is  there  Need  of  the  Exiftence  ol  what- 
 "ever  is  necelTarily-exifting,  in  order  to  the 
 44  Exiftence  of  any  other  thing  ?  Is  it  as  there 
 44  is  Need  of  Space  and  Duration,  in  order  to  the 
 "  Exiftence  of  any  thing  ^  or  is  it  needful  only 
 "  as  the  Cavfe  of  the  Exiftence  of  all  other 
 44  things  ?  If  the  former  be  faid,  as  your  In- 
 "  fiance  feems  to  intimate :  I  anfwer  •,  Space 
 "  and  Duration  are  very  ahflrufe  in  their  Na- 
 "  tures,  and  I  think,  can't  properly  be  called 
 "  Things,  but  are  cenf  dered  rather  as  Affections 
 "  which  belong,  and  in  the  order  cf  our  Thoughts 
 44  are  antecedently  necejfary,  to  the  Exiflence  of 
 cc  all  Things ;  And  I  can  no  more  conceive  how 
 "  a  neceJfarily-cxifli'Kt  Being  can,  on  the  fame 
 44  account,  or  in  the  fame  manner  as  Space  and 
 "  Duration  are,  be  needful  in  order  to  the  Ex- 
 "  iftence  of  any  other  Leing  ^  than  I  can  con- 
 44  ceive  Extenflon  attributed  to  a  Thought :  That 
 44  Idea  no  more  belonging  to  a  Thing  exifling, 
 44  than  Extention  belongs  to  Thought.  But  if  the 
 44  latter  be  faid,  that  there  is  Need  of  the  Exift- 
 "  ence  of  whatever  is  a  neceflary  Being,  in  or- 
 "  der  to  the  Exiftence  of  any  other  thing  ^  cn- 
 tc  ly  as  this  Neceffary  Being  mnfl  he  the  Caufe  of 
 44  the  Exiflence  of  all  other  things:  I  think  this 
 "  is  plainly  begging  the  Queition  *,  for  it  fup- 
 "pnfesilvdt  there  is  no  Oth: r  Being  exifts,  but 
 
 "  what 
 
T'he  Second  Letter:  i  y 
 
 "  what  is  Cafual,  and  fo  not  necejfary :  And  on 
 
 u  what  Other  accowit,  or  in  what  Other  m aimer 
 u  than  one  one  of  thefe  two,  there  can  be  Need 
 "  of  the  Exifience  of  a  neceffary  Being  in  order 
 "  to  the  Exifience  of  any  thing  elfe,  I  cannot 
 "  conceive. 
 
 "  Thus,  Sir,  you  fee  I  entirely  agree  with 
 "you  in  all  the  Ccnfequences  you  have  drawn 
 "  from  your  Suppojitions,  but  cannot  fee  the 
 c'  Truth  of  the  Svppcfiiions  thewfdves. 
 
 "  I  have  aimed  at  nothing  in  my  Stile,  but 
 "  only  to  be  intelligible  h  being  fenfible  that 
 "  'tis  very  difficult  (as  you  obierve)  to  exprefs 
 "  ones  felf  on  thefe  forts  of  Subjects,  cfpeci- 
 ic  ally  to  one  who  is  altogether  unaccuftomed 
 "  to  write  upon  them. 
 
 "  I  have  nothing  at  prefent  more  to  adc1, 
 "  but  my  iincereft  Thanks  for  your  Trouble 
 "  inanfwering  my  Letter,  and  for  your  pro- 
 "  feiTed  readinefs  to  be  acquainted- with  any 
 "  other  Difficulty  that  I  may  meet  with  in  a- 
 "  ny  of  your  Writings.  I  am  willing  to  inter- 
 pret this,  as  fomewhat  like  a  Promife  of  an 
 "  Anfwer  to  what  I  have  new  written,  if  there 
 "  be  any  thing  in  it  which  deferves  one. 
 
 I  am. 
 
 Reverend  SIR, 
 
 Tour  mo  ft  Obliged  Bumble  Servant. 
 
 Nov.  23, 
 1713. 
 
 LI  4  The 
 
l$  The  Anfwer  to 
 
 The   ANSWER 
 
 T  O 
 
 The  Second  Letter. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 TT  feems  to  Me,  that  the  Reafon  why  you 
 do  not  apprehend  Ubiquity  to  be  neceffari- 
 ly  connected  with  Self-Exijlerice,  is,  becaufe  in 
 the  order  of  }rour  Idea's,  you  fir  ft  conceive  a  Be- 
 ing, (a  Finite  Being,  fuppofe  j)  and  then  conceive 
 Sdf-exi fence  to  be  a  Property  of  TZwt  2te/w#  -,  as 
 the  Angles  are  Properties  of  a  Triangle,  ZTfow  a 
 Triangle  exifts  :  Whereas,  on  the  contrary, 
 Necejjity  of  Exiftence,  not  being  a  Property  Conk 
 fequent  upcn  the  Suppofition  of  the  Thing's  ex- 
 ■  ifting,  but  Antecedently  the  Cavfe  or  Ground  of 
 That  Exiftence  $  'tis  evident  This  Neceffity, 
 being  not  limited  to  any  Antecedent  Subject, 
 as  Angles  are  to  a  Triangle  ,  but  being  itfelf 
 Original,  Abfohite,  and  (in  order  of  Nature) 
 antecedent  to  a//  Exiftence  •  cannot  but  be  ewrjp 
 Wjm?,  for  the  famfe  Reafon  thatit  is  £hj>  where. 
 By  applying  this  Reafoning  to  the  Inftance 
 of  Space,  you  will  find  that  by  Confequence 
 it  belongs  truly  to  That  Subftance,  whereof 
 Space  is  a  Property,  as  Duration  alfo  is.  What 
 you  fay  about  a  Neccffary  Being  exifting  Some- 
 where, fuppofes  it  to  be  Finite  ,  and  being  Fi- 
 nite, fuppofes  fome  Caufe  whih  determined 
 that  fuch  a  certain  ghiantity  of  That  Being 
 fhould  exift,  neither  more  or  lefs :  And  That 
 Caufe,  muft  either  be  a  Voluntary  Caufe,  or 
 
 elfe 
 
the  Second  Letter.  iy 
 
 elfe  fuch  a  necejfary  Caufe,  the  Quantity  of  whofe 
 Power  muft  be  deter  miywd  and  limited  by  fonie 
 Other  Caufe.  But  in  original  abfohte  Neceffity, 
 antecedent  (in  order  of  Nature)  to  the  exi- 
 gence of  any  thing  -5  nothing  of  all  This,  can 
 have  place  •  but  the  Neceffity  is,  necejfarily 
 every  where  alike. 
 
 Concerning  the  Second  Difficulty,  I  anfwer. 
 That  which  exijts  necejfarily,  is  needful  to  the  exi- 
 gence of  any  other  thing  •,  Not  confidered  Now 
 as  a  Canfe,  (for  that  indeed  is  begging  the  Que- 
 ftion)  but  as  a  fine  qu*  non-,  in  the  Seme  as  Space 
 is  necelTary  to  every  thing,  and  nothing  can 
 poflibly  be  conceived  to  exift,  without  there- 
 by prefuppofing  Space  :  Which  therefore  I  ap- 
 prehend to  be  a  Property  of  the  Self-exiftent 
 Subftance^  and  that,  by  being  evidently  necelTa- 
 ry itfelf  it  proves  that  the  Space,  of  which  it 
 Is  a  Property,  muft  alfo  be  necejfary  h  Necejfary 
 both  in  itfelf  and  needful  to  the  exiftence  of 
 any  thing  elfe  whatfoever.  Extention  indeed 
 does  not  belong  to  Thought •,  becaufe  Thought  is 
 not  a  Being  ^  But  there  is  Need  of  Extenfion 
 to  the  exiftence  of  every  Being,  to  a  Being 
 which  has  or  has  not  Thought,  or  any  other 
 Quality  whatfoever. 
 
 I  am,  Sir, 
 
 Tour  real  Friend  and  Servant. 
 
 London,  Nov. 
 28.  1713. 
 
 The 
 
i8  The  Third  Letter. 
 
 Tie    THIRD 
 
 L   E   T    T   E  R- 
 
 Reverend  Sir, 
 "  T  Don't  very  well  underftand  your  Meaning, 
 *c  J  when  you  fay  that  you  think,  in  the  order 
 *''  °fmy  Ideas  J  fir  ft  conceive  a  Befog,  (finite  fup- 
 *'  pofe,)  to  exift,  and  then  conceive  Self-exiftence 
 tc  to  be  a  Property  of  that  Befog.  If  you  mean 
 "  that  I  iirft  fippofe  a  finite  Being  to  ex- 
 cc  ifc  J  hww  not  why  -,  affirming  necefjity  of  Ex- 
 ■  *'  iftence,  to  he  only  a  confeqvent  of  its  Exi- 
 "  itence  •,  and  that,  when  I  have  fuppofed  it 
 "  Finite,  I  very  fafely  conclude  it  is  not  Infinite  $ 
 cc  I  am  utterly  at  a  lofs,  upon  what  Expreffi- 
 •"  oris  in  my  Letter  this  Conjecture  can  be 
 "  founded.  But  if  you  mean,  that  I  firfr. 
 "  of  all  prove  a  Being  to  Exift  from  Eternity, 
 u  and  then  from  the  reafons  of  things,  prove 
 "  that  fuch  a  Being  mult  be  eternally  Necejfaryh 
 "  I  freely  own  it :  Neither  do  I  conceive  it  to 
 "  be  irregular  or  abfurd  -,  for  there  is  a  great 
 "  difference  between  the  order  in  which  things 
 "  exift,  and  the  order  in  which  I  prove  to  my 
 "  felf  that  they  exift.  Neither  do  I  think  my 
 "  faying  a  necefTary  Being  exifts  Somewhere, 
 "  Fuppofes  it  to  be  finite  •  it  only  fuppofes  that 
 44  this  Being  exifts  in  Space,  without  determi- 
 46  ning  whether  here,  or  there,  or  everywhere. 
 
 c;  To  myfecond  Objection,  you  fay:  That 
 "  which  exifts  nccejfarily,  is  needful  to  the  Exi- 
 
 "ftence 
 
The  Third  Letter.  19 
 
 "  ence  ofavy  other  thvng,as  #  fine  qua  non  -y  in  the 
 "  fenfe  Space  is  necejfary  to  every  thing  :  Which 
 "  is  proved  (you  fay)  by  This  Conji 'deration,  that 
 "  Space  is  a  property  of  iht  Self -cxifient  Sub  fiance-, 
 "  and,  being  both  Necejfary  in  iifilfi  and  need- 
 cc  fi;l  to  the  Exiftence  of  eve>y  thing  elf:,  confe- 
 "  quently  the  Subftance,  of  which  it  is  a  property , 
 "  vnift  be  fo  too.  Space,  I  own,  is  in  one  Senfe 
 "  a  property  of  the  Self-exiftent  Subftance  ^ 
 "  but,  in  the  fame  Safe,  'tis  alfo  a  property 
 "of  all  other  Subftances.  The  only  difference 
 "  is  in  refpccl  to  the  Quantity.  And  fince  e- 
 "  very  part  of  Spaee,  as  well  as  the  whole, 
 "  is  neceflary  •,  every  Subftance  confequently 
 "  mufr  be  S.lf-exifrem,  lecaufe  it  hath  this 
 "  Self-exiftent  property.  Which  fince  you  will 
 "  not  admit  for  true  •,  if  it  directly  follows 
 "  from  your  Arguments,  they  cannot  be  con- 
 "  cluiive. 
 
 "  What  y  u  fay  under  the  fir  ft  Head,  proves 
 "  (I  think)  to  a  very  great  probability,  tho' 
 "  not  to  Me  with  the  evidence  of  Demon  ft ra- 
 "  tion  :  But  your  Arguments  under  the  fecond, 
 "  I  am  not  able  to  fee  the  force  of. 
 
 I  am  fo  far  from  being  pleafed,  that  I  can 
 form  Objections  to  ycur  Arguments  5  that, 
 befide  the  Sat i  fiction  it  would  have  given 
 me  in  my  own  Mind,  I  fhoul4  have  thought 
 "  it  an  Honour  to  have  entered  into  your  Rea- 
 *■'-  fonings,  and  feen  the  force  of  them.  I  can- 
 cc  not  defire  to  trefpafs  any  more  upon  your 
 "  better  employed  Time  •  "fo  {hall  only  add 
 u  my  bearty  Thanks  for  your  Trouble  on  my 
 "  account,  and  that  1  am  with  the  grcatelt  re- 
 
 .?  fPc&> 
 
 Reverend  Sir, 
 Dec.  the  $th.      Tour  moJ}  0bJ.    d  Hmhu  Servant, 
 
 1  *  The 
 
 u 
 u 
 u 
 
%o  The  Anfwer  to 
 
 The   ANSWER 
 
 T  O 
 
 The  Third  Letter. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 T Hough,  when  I  turn  my  Thoughts  every- 
 way, I  fully  perfuade  my  felf  there  is 
 no  defect  In  the  Argument  it  felfh  yet  in  my 
 manner  of  Expreffion  I  am  fatisfied  there  muft 
 ]>e  fome  want  of  clearnefs,  when  there  remains 
 any  Difficulty  to  a  Perfon  of  your  Abilities 
 and  Sagacity,  I  did  not  mean  that  your  fay- 
 ing a  neceffaiy  Being  exifts  Somewhere ,  does 
 Ttecejfarily  fuppofe  it  to  be  finite  5  but  that  the 
 manner  of  ExpreJJian  is  apt  to  excite  in  the  Mind 
 an  Idea  of  a  Finite  Being,  at  the  fame  time  that 
 you  are  thinking  of  a  Neceffary  Being,  without 
 accurately  attending  to  the  Nature  of  That 
 Ncceffity  by  which  it  exifts.  NeceiFity  abfolittey 
 and  antecedent  (in  order  of  Nature)  to  the  Ex- 
 iftence  of  Any  Subjed:,  has  nothing  to  limit 
 it  5  bur,  if  it  operates  at  all,  (as  it  muft  needs 
 do,)  it  muft  operate  (if  I  may  fo  fpeak,)  every 
 where  and  at  all  times  alike.  Determination  of 
 a  particular  Quantity,  or  particular  Time  or 
 Tlace  ofExiftence  of  any  thing,  cannot  arife 
 but  from  fomewhat  external  to  the  thing  itfelf. 
 For  Example :  Why  there  ihonld  exift  juft 
 
 fuch 
 
the  Third  Letter.  1 1 
 
 fiich  a  ftnall  determinate  Quantity  of  Matter, 
 neither  more  nor  left,  interfperfed  in  the  im- 
 menfe  Vacuities  of  Space «,  no  rcafon  can  be 
 given  :  Nor  can  there  be  any  thing  in  Nature, 
 which  could  have  determined  a  thing  fo  indiffe- 
 ferent  in  it  felf,  as  in  the  Meafure  of  that  Quan- 
 tity, but  only  the  Will  of  an  Intelligent  and 
 free  Agent.  To  fuppofe  M.tter,  or  any  Other 
 •Subftance,  Kecejfarily-exijling  in  a  Finite  deter- 
 minate <$hiantity$  in  an  Inch-cube,  for  inftance^ 
 or  in  Any  certain  number  of  Cube-Inches,  and 
 vo  more-,  is  exactly  the  fame  Abfurdity,  as 
 fuppofing  it  to  exift  Necejfarily,  and  yet  for 
 a  Finite  Duration  only :  Which  every  one  fees 
 to  be  a  plain  Contradiction.  The  Argument 
 is  likewife  the  fame,  in  the  Queftio'n  about 
 the  Original  of  Motion.  Motion  cannot  be 
 weceffarily-xijling-,  becaufe,  it  being  manifefr. 
 that  All  Determinations  of  Motion  are  equally 
 pojjible  in  themfelves,  the  Original  Determina- 
 tion of  the  Motion  of  any  particular  Body 
 this  nay  rather  than  the  contrary  way,  could  not 
 be  necejfary  in  it  felf,  but  was  either  caufed  by 
 the  Will  of  an  Intelligent  and  Free  Agent,  or 
 elfe  was  an  Effect  produced  and  determined 
 without  Any  Caitfe  at  all-.  Which  is  an  ex- 
 prefs  Contradiction:  As  I  have  ihown  in  my 
 Demon f ration  oftbeBeing  and  Attributes  of  God, 
 pag.  24.  [Edit.  4th  J 
 
 To  the  Second  Head  of  Argument,  I  an- 
 fwer.  Space,  is  a  Property  of  the  Self-exiftent 
 Subftance  -  but  not  of  any  other  Subftances. 
 All  other  Subjlances  are  IN  Space,  and  are  pe- 
 netrated by  it  •  but  the  Self-exiftent  Subftance 
 is  not  I N  Space ,  nor  penetrated  by  it,  but  is 
 it  felf  (if  I  may  fo  fpeak)  the  Subjlratnm  of 
 Space,  the  Ground  of  the  Exiftence  cf  Spaa 
 and  Duration  it  felf  Which  [Space  and  Du- 
 ration] 
 
n       T'he  An fiver  to  the  Third  Letter. 
 
 ration!  being  evidentty  veccjfary,  and  yet 
 Themfelves  not  Subftcwces,  but  Properties  \  fhow 
 evidently  that  the  Sub  fiance,  without  which 
 thefe  Properties  could  not  fnbfilt,  is  itfelf 
 viuch  more  (if  that  were  poffible)  Necejfary. 
 And  as  Space  and  Duration  are  needful,  ( i.  e. 
 jine  qua  noli,)  to  the  Exiftcnce  of  every  thing 
 elfe  .  fo  confequently  is  the  Subftance,  to  which 
 'Thefe  Properties  belong  in  that  peculiar  man- 
 ner which  I  before  mentioned. 
 
 I  am,  Sir s 
 
 Decern.  To. 
 
 1 7 13.  Tour  Affectionate  F/  lend, 
 
 and  Servant. 
 
 THE 
 
The  F  cwtk  Letter. 
 
 The  FOURTH 
 
 L-E   T   T   E    R. 
 
 Reverend  Sb\ 
 "  TT"  7  Hat  ever  is  the  Occafion  of  my  not 
 *c  VV  feeing  the  Force  of  your  Reafonings, 
 "  I  cannot  impute  it  to  (what  yon  do)  the  want 
 "  of  Clearnefs  in  your  Expreflion.  I  am  too 
 "  well  acquainted  with  my  felf,  to  think  my 
 "  not  -under ft  anding  an  Argument,  a  fiifficient 
 u  Reafon  to  conclude  that  it's  either  impro- 
 *e  perly  expreffed,  or  not  concluiive  •  unlefs 
 "  I  can  clearly  Show  the  Defect  of  it.  ?Tis 
 "  with  the  greateft  Satisfaction  I  muft  tell 
 "  you,  that  the  more  I  reflecl  on  your  fir  ft 
 u  Argument,  the  more  I  am  convinced  of  the 
 iC  Truth  of  it  ^  and  it  now  feems  to  me  alto- 
 "  gether  unreafonable  to  fuppofe  Abfohttz 
 <c  Necejfity  can  have  any  Relation  to  one  Part 
 "  of  Space  more  than  to  Another  5  and  if  fo, 
 "  an  Abfolutely-necejfary  Being  intra;  exift  every 
 "  where. 
 
 "  I  wifh  I  was  as  well  fatisfied  in  refpecl  to 
 "  the  other.  You  fay  5  all  Subftances,  except  the 
 "  Self-exiftent  one,  are  hi  Space ,  and  are  peneira- 
 "  ted  by  it.  All  Subftances  doubtlefs.,  whether 
 "  Body  or  Spirit,  exift  in  Space  :  But  when  I 
 "  fay  that  a  Spirit  exifts  In  Space,  were  I  put 
 €t  upon  telling  my  meaning,  I  know  not  how 
 
i4  *3Tfo  Fourth  Letter. 
 
 "  I  could  do  it  any  other  way  than  by  fay- 
 cc  ing,  fuch  a  particular  quantity  of  Space 
 <c  terminates  the  Capacity  of  acting  m  finite  Spi- 
 "  rits  at  one  and  the  fame  time^  fo  that  they  call- 
 "  not  ad  beyond  that  determined  Quantity. 
 u  Not  but  that  I  think  there  is  fomewbat  in  the 
 "  manner  of  Exiftence  of  Spirits  in  refpedt  of 
 "  Space,  that  wore  dircclly  an fivers  t  o  the  man- 
 cc  rier  of  the  Exiftence  of  Body  •  hut  what  That 
 "  is,  or  of  the  Manner  of  their  exiftence,  I  cannot 
 "  poflibly  form  an  Idea.  And  it  feems  (if 
 "  poftible)  much  vwre  difficult  to  determine 
 <c  what  relation  the  Self-exiftent  Being  hath  to 
 u  Space.  To  fay  he  exifts  In  Space,  after  the 
 "fame  manner,  that  ot/;rr  Subftances  do,  (fome- 
 "  what  like  which  I  too  raihly  aiTtrted  in  my 
 "  laft,)  perhaps  would  -be  placing  the  Creator 
 "  too  much  on  a  level  with  the  Creature  ^  or 
 "  however,  it  is  not  plainly  and  evidently 
 "  tme  :  and  to  fay  the  Self-exiftent  Subftance 
 "  is  the  Subftratum  of  Space,  in  the  common 
 "  fenfe  of  the  "Word,  is  fcarce  intelligible,  or 
 "  at  leaft  is  not  evident.  Now  tho'  there  may 
 "  be  an  hundred  Relations  diftincl  from  either 
 <c  of  thefe  ^  yet  how  we  fhould  come  by  Ideas 
 "  of  them,  I  cannot  conceive.  We  may 
 "  indeed  have  Ideas  to  the  IFords,  and  not  al- 
 "  together  depart  from  the  cornmmon  fenfe  of 
 "  them,when  we  fay  the  Self-exiftent  Subftance 
 "  is  the  Subftratum  of  Space,  or  the  Ground  of 
 "  its  exiftence  :  But  I  fee  no  Pv:afon  to  think 
 44  it  True  •,  becaufe  Space  feems  to  me  to  be  as 
 "  abfolutely  Self-exiftent.zs  'tis  poilible  any  thing 
 "  can  be  :  So  that,  make  what  other  Suppofi- 
 "  tion  you  pleafe,  yet  we  cannot  help  fup- 
 5*  poling  hnmcnfe  Space  ^  becaufe  there  mull: 
 <c  be  either  an  Infinity  of  Being,  or  (ifj^ou'll 
 *c  allow  the  Expreifion)  an  Infinite  Vaahy  of 
 
 "  Being? 
 
^The  Fourth  Letter:  i  y 
 
 Cfc  Being.  Perhaps  it  may  be  objected  to  this, 
 <l  thar  tho'  Space  is  feally  NecefTary,  yet  the 
 "  reafon  of  its  being  NecefTary,  and  its  being  a 
 "  Property  of  the  Self-exiftent  Subftance  ;  and 
 "  that  It  being  fo  mamfefttj  Keceffary\  and  its 
 "  dependence  on  the  Self-exiftent  Subftance  not  fo 
 u  evident,  we  are  ready  to  conclude  it  absolutely 
 "  Self-exiftent,  as  well  as  tiecejfary  \  and  that 
 *'  this  is  the  reafon  why  the  Idea  of  Space 
 "  forces  itfelf  on  our  Mine's,  antecedent,  to, 
 u  and  exclufive  of,  as  (to  the  Ground  of  its, 
 "  txiftence)  all  other  things.  Now  this,  tho3 
 '*  it  is  reaHy  an  Objection,  yet  is  iio  direct  An- 
 "  fwer  to  what  I  have  faid  •■  becaufe  it  fup- 
 u  pofes  the  only  thing  to  be  proved,  viz.  that 
 "  the  reafon  why  Space  is  necelTary,  is  its  be- 
 '*  ing  a  Property  of  a  Self-exiftent  Subftance. 
 "  And  fuppofing.it  not  to  be  evident  that  Space 
 "  is  abfohitely  Self-exiftent  -,  yet,  while  it  is 
 "  doubtful,  we  cannot  argue  as  tho'  the  contra- 
 "  ry  were  certain,  and  we  weiefitre  that  Space 
 "  was  only  a  Property  of  the  Self-exiftent 
 "  Subftance.  But  now,  if  Space  be  not  abfo- 
 *'  lately  Independent,  I  don't  fee  what  we  carl 
 "  conclude  is  fo  :  For  'tis  mailifeftly  Neccjfary 
 "  hfelf,  as  well  as  antecedently  needful  to  the  ex- 
 "  iftence  of  all  other  Thingsrnot  excepting  (as* 
 "  I  think)  even  the  Self-exiftent  Subftance. 
 
 "  All  your  Confequences  I  fee  follow  de- 
 <c  monftrably  from  your  Supposition  •,  and 
 "  were  That  evident,  I  believe  it  would  ferve 
 u  to  prove  feveral  other  things  as  well  as  what 
 u  you  bring  it  for.  Upon  which  account,  1 
 "  ihoul'd  be  extreamly  pleafed  to  fee  it  proved 
 "  by  any  one.  For  as  I  defign  the  Search 
 "  after  Truth  as  the  Bufinefs  of  my  Life, 
 <c  I  (hall  not  be  afhamed  to  learn  from  any 
 M  m  * ferkfif 
 
t6  The  Fourth  Letter. 
 
 "  Perfon  •  tho'  at  the  fame  time  I  can't  but 
 "  be  fenfiblc,  that  Inftru&ion  from  fome 
 "Men,  is  like  the  Gift  of  a  Prince,  it 
 "  reflecls  an  Honour  on  the  Perfon  on  whom 
 "  it  lays  an  Obligation, 
 
 I  ah,  Reverend  Sir, 
 
 Tour  Obliged  Servant. 
 
 Dccemb.  the  i6ib, 
 
 »7*S 
 
 T  H  E 
 
The  Anfwer  to  the  Fourth  Letter,     ij 
 
 ' i' 
 
 The    ANSWER 
 
 T  O 
 
 The  Fourth  Letter, 
 
 Sir, 
 
 MY  being  out  of  Town  moft  part  of  the 
 Month  of  January,  and  fome  other  ac- 
 cidental Avocations,  hundred  me  from  anfwer- 
 ing  your  Letter  foouer.  The  Sam  of  the  Dif- 
 ficulties it  contains,  is  (I  think)  this:  That 
 'tis  difficult  to  determine,  what  Relation  the  Self- 
 exiftent  Subftance  has  to  Space  :  That  to  fay  It  is 
 the  Snbftratum  of  Space,  in  the  common  Senfe  of 
 the  Word  -,  is  fear  ce  intelligible,  or,  at  leaft,  is  not 
 evident :  That  Space  feems  to  be  as  Absolutely 
 Self -Exiftent,  as  3tis  poffible  any  thing  can  he  : 
 And  that  its  being  a  Property  of  the  Self-exiftent 
 Suhftance  -,  is,  fuppofing  the  thing  that  was  to  be 
 Proved.  This  is  entring  indeed  into  the  ve- 
 ry bottom  of  the  Matter,  and  I  will  endea- 
 vour to  give  you  as  brief  and  clear  an  Anfwer 
 as  I  can. 
 
 That  the  Self-Exiftent  Subftance  is  the  Sub- 
 ftratum  of  Space,  or  Space  a  Property,  of  the 
 Self-Exiftent  Subftance,  are  not  perhaps  very 
 proper  Exprefwns  -,  nor  is  it  eaiy  to  find  fuch. 
 But  what  I  mean,  is  This.  The  Idea  of  Space, 
 (asalfoof  Time  or  Duration,)  is  an  Abftratt  or 
 Partial  Idea  •,  An  Idea  of  a  certain  ghiality  or 
 Relation,  which  we  evidently  fee  to  be  jieceffa- 
 M  m  2  rily 
 
2.8     Tk  Arifwer  to  the  fourth  £$V. 
 
 rily-exijting  ♦,  and  yet  which  (not  being  itfelf 
 a  S&bfidnce,)  at    the    fame  time  neceffarily 
 pr&fuppofes  a  Subftance,  without  which  it  could 
 not  exift  *,  Which  Subftance  corifequently.  muft 
 be  itfelf  (much  more,  if  poifible,)  -neceffariiy- 
 Exi  fling.     I  know  not  how  to  explain  this  fo 
 well,  as  by    the    following    Similitude.      A 
 Blind  Man,  when  he  tries  to  frame  to  himfelf 
 the  Idea  of  Body,  his  Idea  is  nothing  but  that 
 of  Hard-tie fs.     A  Man  that  had  Efts]  but  no' 
 power  of  Motion ,  or  fenfe  of  Feeling  at  all  ^ 
 when  he  tried  to  frame  to  himfelf  the  Idea  of 
 Body,  his  Idea  would  be  nothing  but  that  of 
 Colour.     Now  as,  in  thefe  cafes,    Hard?iefs  is 
 not  Body  -,  and  Colour  is  not  Body  -,  but  yet,  to 
 the  Underftanding  of  thefe  Perfons,  thofe  Pro- 
 perties neceffarily  infer  the  Being  of  a  Sirb- 
 fiance,  of  which  Subfiance  itfelf  the  Perfons 
 have  no  Idea  :  So  Space  to  Us,  is  not  itfelf  Sub- 
 fiance,  but  it'  neceffarily  infers  the  being  of  a 
 Subftance,  which  effe&s  none  of  our  prejent 
 Senfes  h  And  being  itfelf  Necefjary,  it  follows 
 that  the  Sub  fiance  which  it  infers^  is  (much  more) 
 Necejjafy. 
 
 Jan.  29. 
 
 I  am,  Sir,. 
 
 Tour  affectionate  Friencl 
 
 and,  Servant. 
 
 THE 
 
The  Fifth  Letter  tp 
 
 The  FIFTH 
 
 LETTER. 
 
 Reverend  Sir, 
 u  \7"  O  U  have  very  coriiprehenfively  ex* 
 <c  ■*•  prefTed  in  fix  or  feven  Lines,  all  the 
 "  Difficulties  of  my  Letter  •  which  I  fhould 
 <c  have  endeavoured  to  have  made  Shorter, 
 u  had  I  not  been  afraid  an  improper  ExprefU- 
 u  on  might  poflihly  occafion  a  miftake  of  my 
 "  Meaning.  I  am  very  glad,  the  Debate  is  come 
 "  into  fo  narrow  a  compafs  •,  For  I  think 
 "  now  it  entirely  turns  upon  This,  whether 
 "  our  Ideas  of  Space  and  Duration  are  partial, 
 "  fo  as  to  prafuppofe  the  exiftence  of  fome  o- 
 "  ther  Thing.  Your  Similitude  of  the  Blind 
 "  Man,  is  very  apt,  to  explain  your  Meaning, 
 "(which  I  think  I  fully  undtrftand  -, )  but 
 "  does  not  feem  to  come  entirely  up  to  the 
 "  Matter.  For  what  is  the  reafon  that  the 
 "  Blind  Man  concludes  there  muft  be  Some" 
 "  what  external,  to  give  him  that  Idea  of  Hard- 
 "  nefs  ?  'Tis  becaufe  he  fuppofes  it  impoilible 
 u  for  him  to  be  thus  arretted,  anlefs  there 
 "  were  fome  Caufe  of  it  5  which  Caufe,  fliould 
 "  it  be  removed,  the  Eire  ft  would  immediately 
 u  ceafe  too,  and  he  would  no  more  have  the 
 "  Idea  of  Hardnefs,  but  by  Remembrance. 
 "  Now  to  apply  this,  to  the  Inftance  of  Space 
 "  and  Duration.  Since  a  Man,  from  his  havir.g 
 thefe  Ideas,  very  juftly  concludes  that  there 
 muft  be  fomewhat  External,  winch  is  the 
 M  m  %  "  Caufe 
 
 u 
 
$o  The  Fifth  Letter 
 
 u  Caufe  of  them  •,  confequently,  fhould  This 
 "  Caufe  ( whatever  it  is )  be  taken  away, 
 u  his  Ideas  would  be  fo  too :  Therefore,  if 
 u  what  is  fuppefed  to  be  the  Cavfe  be  removed, 
 "  and  jet  the  Idea  remains,  That  Suppofed 
 u  Caufe  cannot  be  the  Real  one.  New,  grant- 
 ing the  Self-Exiftent  Subftance  to  be  the 
 a  Subftratum  cf  trefe  Ideas ^  could  we  make 
 "  the  Suppoft k n  of  its  ceafing  to  be,  yet  Space 
 "  and  Duration  would  ftill  remain  unaltered : 
 "Which  feems  to  fhow,  that  the  Self-Exi- 
 "  ftent  Subftance  is  not  the  Subftratmn  of  Space 
 ?  and  Duration.  Kor  would  it  be  an  Anfwer  to 
 u  the  Difficulty,  to  fay  that  every  Property  of 
 u  the  Self-Exiftent  Subftance,  is  as  necefary 
 "  as  the  Subftance  itfelf;  fince  That  will  only 
 "hold,  While  ihe  Subftance  itfelf  exifts:  For 
 "  there's  implied  in  the  Idea  of  a  Property,  an 
 ic  impoffibiliiy  of  fubfifting  without  it's  Sub- 
 c< '  ftratmn.  I  grant  the  Suppofttion  is  abfurd  : 
 "  But  how  otherwife  can  we  know  whether 
 u  any  thing  be  a  Property  of  fuch  a  Subftance, 
 "  but  by  examining  whether  it  would  ceafe  to 
 "  be,  if  its  fuppcs'd  Subftance  Ihculd  do  fo  > 
 "  Notwithstanding  what  we  have  now  faid,  I 
 "  cannot  fay  that  I  believe  your  Argument 
 "  not  ccncluftve  5  for  I  muft  own  my  Ignorance, 
 "  that  I  am  really  at  a  lefs  about  the  nature 
 "  of  Space  and  Duration.  But  did  it  plainly 
 "  appear  that  they  were  Properties  of  a  Sub- 
 u  Jtance  we  ihould  have  an  eafte  way  with  the 
 u  Athcifts :  For  it  would  at  once  prove  de- 
 "  monftrably  an  Ete/  nal,  Necejfary,  Self -exi ftent 
 "  Being  •  that  there  is  but  One  -fuch  -,  and  that 
 M  he  is  needful  in  order  to  the  exiftence  of  all 
 "  other  Things.  Which  makes  me  think,  that 
 "  tho'  it  may  be  true,  yet  'tis  not  obvious  to 
 "  every  Capacity  ;    Otherwife  'twould  have 
 
 "  been 
 
(C 
 
 The  Fifth  2>/#r.  5 1 
 
 "  been  generally  ufed,  as  a  fundamental  Avgu- 
 "  ment  for  a  proof  of  the  Being  of  God. 
 
 "  I  rnuft  add  one  thing  more  ^  that  your  Ar- 
 "  gument  for  the  Omniprefency  of  God,  feemed 
 "always  to  me  very  probable.  But  being  very 
 "  defirous  to  have  it  appear  dcmonfiratlvely 
 "  ccnlnjive,    I   was    fometimes    forced  to  fay 
 
 what  was  not  altogether  my  Opinion :  Not 
 "  that  I  did  this  for  the  fake  of  difputing, 
 °c  (for  befides  the  particular  difagreeablenefs 
 "  of  this  to  my  own  Temper,  I  fhould  furely 
 "  have  chofen  another  Perfon  to  have  trifled 
 "  with  ^ )  but  I  did  it  to  fet  off  the  Objection 
 <c  to  Advantage,  that  it  might  be  more  fully 
 "  anfwered.  I  heartily  wilh  ycu  as  fair  Treat- 
 "  ment  from   your  Opponents  in  Print,  as  / 
 
 have  had  from  you :  Tho3,  I  muft  own,  I 
 *•  cannot  fee,  in  thofe  that  I  have  read,  That 
 "  unprejudiced  Starch  after  Truth,  which  I 
 "  would  have  hoped  for. 
 
 I  am,  Reverend  Sir9 
 
 Tour  vwjl  Humble  Servant. 
 
 <.<. 
 
 Feb.  ?; 
 1713. 
 
 Mm  4  THE 
 
3  $  The  Anfwer  to 
 
 1 
 
 The   ANSWER 
 
 T  O 
 
 The  Fifth  Letter. 
 
 8  I  By 
 
 N  a  multitude  of  Builnefs,  I  miflaid  your  laft 
 Letter  ^  and  could  not  anfwer  it,  till  it  came 
 again  to  my  Hands  by  Chance.  We  feem 
 to  have  pufhed  the  Matter  in  quertion  be- 
 tween us,  as  far  as  it  will  go  •  and  upon  the 
 whole,  I  cannot  but  take  notice,  I  Have  very 
 -feldom  met  with  Perfons  fo  reafonable  and 
 unprejudiced  as  your  felf,  in  fuch  Debates  as 
 thefe. 
 
 I  think,  all  I  need  fey  in  Anfwer  to   the 
 Reafonivg  in  your  Letter,  is  ^  that  your  grant- 
 ing the  Alfurdity   of the  Suppojhion  you  were 
 indeavouring  to  make,  is  coniequently  grant- 
 ing the   necejfary  Truth  of  my   Argument.     If 
 Jf    Space  and    Duration    necef- 
 *  Uc  partium  Ttmforisor-     fariiy  remain,  even  after  they 
 do  eft  irr.mursbilis,  he  erj3m  z         r  ,  .      i-     .   i  J 
 
 Ordo  partium  Spatii.  Mo-  Vefvppofed  to  be  taken  away  h 
 vcantur  M  dc  locis  to,  &  ana  be  not  (as  tis  plain  they 
 movebunrurCutiradicapi;de  are  not)  Themfelves  Subjlancex  • 
 fefe/fr.  NEirT-Oiy.  Pm-  then  the  ^  Sub  fiance  on  whofe 
 cip.  Matfjtmat.  SckoL  act  ue-       r    .«  „i         j  j        -n 
 
 i£f  g  Exiftence  they  depend,  will  w*- 
 
 fPfwiwn  eft  /Etemtas  cejfarily  remain  likewife,-  even 
 
 vd  lrpmtas,  fed  <e*er»w  &  after  it  isfuppofed  to  be  tafow 
 
 f»jftr'»'i  r.on  dl  Durath  •'  wWch  jhoWs  jt  tQ  be 
 yd   fpattum,    fed  Dwm*  &  -\         ~, .  .  ,.- 
 
 4fcp.    Durat    >m/*i-,     &  an    7wpoJ/ible  and  contradictory 
 
 deleft  unique  j   &  wfendo  Svppojitiop, 
 
 As 
 
th  Fifth  Letter. 
 
 S3 
 
 As    to    your  Obfervation   at     temper   &  ubique,  Duration 
 
 the  End  of  your  Letter-,  tnat  £**?^w!  *rernita;em 
 
 the  Argument  I  have  iniiited  nnaqd«q;  spoil   partiofc, 
 
 on,  if  it  were  obvious  to  eve-  fie  ^^pfr  &  unumqaod^ 
 ry  Capacity,  fhould  have  Durations  indivisible  mo- 
 more  frequently  been  ufed  as  S^K.LSSr^ 
 i,  t"  ■  t  ■«  r  rum  omnium  rabneauorac 
 a  Fundamental  Argument  tor  Dominus,  non  eric  Nunquam 
 a   Proof  of  the  Being  of  God:  Nufquam.    Omniprcfens  eft, 
 
 The  True    Caufe  why    it  has    non  Per  "'>'«'«*  fohm,  fed 
 i  pii  **     i     •      t  xi  •    i       etiam  per  fubltantiam  :  nam 
 
 been  feldom  urged,  is,  I  think  virtl<s'rJ  flManlia  ftbfi. 
 
 This :     That    the    Univerfal  ftere  non  poteft.     /«  ipfo 
 
 Prevalency  of  Cartes's  abfurd  contmentur  &  movent™  Vni. 
 
 Notions,  (teaching  that  II  Mat-  ™rf\ &c-    »  £  f  rc°  * 
 
 ter  is   vecefanly    Infinite    and  general,  fib  fincm. 
 
 veceffarily  Eternal ,  and  afcrib-  ||  Puto  implicare  contradi- 
 
 ingall   things  to  mere  Mecha-  Monem,  ut  Mundns  [mnn'mg 
 
 ..,'7,    t  n„„    Xf    ^/T^f^„      ovj„  the  Material  World)  fa  Fini- 
 
 vick  Laws  or   motion,    exclu-    ,_     r-#--   z-h;a~A^  »r 
 nve  01  final  Caales,  and  of  all    tfj  pnw*. 
 ?/ri/Z  and    Intelligence   and  Dz- 
 77*w^  Providence    from  the    Government  of  the 
 World  •, )  hath  incredibly   blinded  the  Eyes 
 of  Common  Reafon,  and   prevented  Men  from 
 difcerning  Him  in  whom  they  live  and  move  and 
 have  their  Being.     The  like  has  happened  in 
 fome  Other  Inftances.     How  univerfally  have 
 Men  for  many  Ages  believed,  that  Eternity  is 
 110  Duration  at  all,  and  Infinity  no  Amplitude  > 
 Something  of  the  like  kind  has  happened  111 
 the  matter  of  Tranfuhfrantiation,  and  (I  think) 
 in  the  Scholaftick  Motion  of  the  Trinity,  &c. 
 
 Apr.  8, 
 1713. 
 
 I  am,  Sir, 
 
 Tour  Affectionate  Friend  and  Servant. 
 
 THE 
 
34 
 
 Part  of  a 
 
 LETTER 
 
 Writ  to  Another  Gentleman^ 
 who  had  proposed  fcveral  of 
 the  fame  Ob/e&ions  with  the 
 
 Y 
 
 foregoing. 
 
 s  /£, 
 
 O  U  will  give  me  leave,  without  any  Pre- 
 face or  Apology,  to  propofe  dire&ly  the 
 beft  Anfwer  I  can,  to  the  Objections  you  have 
 offered. 
 
 There  are  tut  Two  ways,  by  which  the  Be- 
 ing, and  All  or  Any  of  the  Attributes  of  God 
 can  poffibty  be  proved.  The  one,  a  priori  ^  the 
 f  Rom.  i,  other,  a  pofteriori.  The  Proof  a  pofteriori,  f  is 
 20  i  rfc  fo#  Z  to  v^//  Mens  Capacities  :  Becaufe  there  is 
 Thiff's^f  ari  enc^efs  gradation  of  ipip  a#J  *(p/«^  phaeno- 
 it'imfrom  mena  of  Nature,  from  the  moft  obvious  to  the 
 *te  Crt&t'i.  moft  abftrufe  -,  which  afford  (at  leaft  a  wor^Z 
 tm  of  the  an(|  reasonable)  Proof  of  the  Being  of  God,  to 
 Jearty*'*  ^efeveral  Capacities  of  ^4//  unprejudiced  Men, 
 /wh,  6e/»^  who  have  any  Probity  of  Mind.  And  this  is 
 widerjhod  what  ( I  fuppofe  )  God  expects  ( as  a  Moral 
 h>.th .     Governour,)  that  Moral  Agents  fhould  be  de- 
 
 thingi  that  .  •      j  i  °     . 
 
 *r,L^tenmnedby. 
 
 m«    Aw   £^™*/  Power  and  Godhead. 
 
 The 
 
the  Second  Letter.  gy 
 
 The  Proof  a  priori,  is  (I  fully  believe)  ftrict- 
 ly  demonftrative  •,  but  (like  numberlefs  Mathe- 
 matical De7?i07if  rations,)  capable  of  being  un- 
 der flood  by  only  a  few  attentive  Minds  •  be- 
 caufe  3tis  of  life,  only  againft  Learned  and 
 Metaphyseal  Difficulties.  And  therefore  it  mu ft 
 never  be  expected,  that  this  fhould  be 
 made  obvious  to  the  Gejierality  of  Men,  any 
 more  than  Aftro7io?ny  or  Mathematics  can 
 be. 
 
 This  being  premifed  in  general,  I  proceed  to 
 Particulars. 
 
 Concerning  the  Notion  of  Self-Exi fence,  I 
 explain  my  felf  thus.  Of  every  thing  that  Is, 
 there  is  a  Reafo7i  which  new  does,  or  Once 
 or  Always  did,  detennine  the  Exifence  rather 
 than  the  No7i-exiflence  of  That  Thing.  Of 
 That  which  derives  not  its  Being  from  Any 
 Other  thing,  this  Reafo7i  or  Ground  of  Exi- 
 gence, (whether  we  can  attain  to  any  Idea  of 
 it,  or  no,)  muft  be  In  the  Thing  itfelf.  For 
 ■though  the  bare  proof  by  Ratiocination,  that 
 there  ca7t7tot  but  exift  fitch  a  Being  5  cocs  not 
 indeed  give  us  any  diilinct:  Notion  of  Self-ex- 
 illence,  but  only  fhews  the  Certai7ity  of  the 
 thing  :  Yet  when  once  a  thing  is  known,  by 
 reafoning  a poferiori,  to  be  Certain-,  it  unavoida- 
 bly follows  that  there  Is  in  Nature  a  Reafon  a  pri- 
 ori, (whether  we  can  difcover  it  or  no,)  of  the 
 Exiftence  of  That  which  we  know  cannot  tut. 
 eiift.  Since  therefore,  in  that  which  derives 
 not  its  being  from  any  Other  Thing,  the 
 Ground  or  Reafon  why  it  exijls  rather  than  not 
 exifts,  muftbein  the  thing  it  felf^  and  'tis  a 
 plain  Contradiction  to  fuppofe  its  own  Will, 
 by  way  of  efficient  Caufe,  to  be  the  reafon  of 
 its  Exiilence  h  it  retrains  that  abfolute  Necej/ity 
 (the  fame  Neceihty  that  is  the  Caufe  of  the 
 
 un- 
 
%6  T'he  Anfwer  to 
 
 unalterable  Proportion  between  2  and  4,)  he 
 by  way  of  Formal  Caufe,  the  Ground  of 
 That  Exiftence.  And  this  Neceflity  is  indeed 
 antecedent,  though  not  in  Ti?ne7  yet  in  the 
 Order  of  Nature >,  to  the  Exiftence  of  the  Being 
 itfelf :  "Whereas  on  the  contrary,  its  own  WiU9 
 is,  in  the  Order  of  Nature,  fuhfequent  to  the; 
 Suppofition  of  the  Exiftence  of  the  Being  • 
 and  therefore  cannot  he  the  formal  Caufe  of 
 that  Exiftence. 
 
 Nothing  can  be  more  ah  fur  d,  than  to  fup- 
 pofe  that  any  thing  (or  any  Circumftance  of 
 any  thing)  is  ^  and  yet  that  there  be  abfolutely 
 vo  reafon  Why  it  is,  rather  than  not.  'Tis  eafy 
 to  conceive,  that  We  may  indeed  be  utterly 
 ignorant  of  the  reafonsy  or  grounds^  or  caufe  s  of 
 many  things.  But,  that  any  thing  is,  and 
 that  there  is  a  real  reafon  in  Nature  why  it  isy 
 rather  than  is  not;  theie  two  are  as  neceflarily 
 and  efferitially  connedted,  as  any  two  Correlates 
 whatever,  as  Heighth  and  Depth,  &c. 
 
 The  Scholaftick  way  of  proving  the  Exi- 
 ftence of  the  Self-ex iftent  Being,  from  the 
 ehfolute  perfe&ion  of  his  Nature  5  is  isiqov  7recT\> 
 fov.  For  All  or  Any  Perfections,  pr&fuppofe  Exi- 
 ftence- Which  is  Pet  it  20  Principii.  But  hare  Ne- 
 eejity  of  Exiftence  does  not  pr&fuppofe,  but  infer 
 Exiftence.  That  which  exifts  by  abfolute  Ne- 
 cegity  of  Nature,  will  always  (  whether  you 
 will  or  no)  befnppofed  or  included  in  any  poiTi- 
 ble  Idea  of  Tilings,  even  where  you  never  fo 
 exprefly  indeavour  to  exclude  it :  Juft  as  the 
 Proportion  between  2  and  4,  remains  included 
 in  the  very  Terms,  wherein  any  Man  would 
 endeavour  exprefsly  to  deny  it. 
 
 To  exijl  at  all,  and  to  exift  every  where,  are 
 the    very    fame    thing,    where  the  Caufe  or 
 
 Ground 
 
the  Sixth  Letter.  37 
 
 Ground  of  the  Exiftence,  is  not  either  confined 
 to,  or  operates  only  nr,  fome  particular  Place. 
 For  1  and  4  to  have  at  all  a  certain  propor- 
 tion to  each  other,  and  to  have  That  tame 
 Proportion  every  ivhere;  is  the  very  fame  thing. 
 And  the  like  is  true,  of  every  thing  that  is  ire- 
 ccffary  hi  itfelf.  To  fuppofe  (as  you  fuggeft) 
 that  the  Self-exiftent  maybe  limited  by  its  oint 
 Natn re  •,  is  pr&fuppofing  a  Nature,  or  limiting 
 Quality  :  Whereas  in  this  cafe,  here  muft  no- 
 thing be  prsefuppofed  ♦,  vo  Nature,  no  Quality 
 whatfoever,  but  what  arifcs  (and  eonfequent- 
 ly  every  where  alike)  from  a  Necejjity  abfolute  hi 
 it/elf,  and  antecedent  (in  the  Order  of  our 
 Ideas)  to  any  Nature,  Place,  ®iiality,  Time  or 
 Thijig  whatfoever.- 
 
 "When  I  fay,  that  Necfiity  abfohtely  fuch  in 
 Itfelf,  has  vo  relation  to  Time  or  Place  :  My 
 meaning  is,  that  it  has  no  relation  to,  or  de- 
 pendence upon,  any  particular  Time  or  Place., 
 or  any  thing  in  any  particular  Time  or  Place  ^ 
 but  that  it  is  the  fame  in  All  Time  and  in  All 
 Place.  What  you  mean  by  Time  and  Place 
 being  finite,  I  underftand  not  The  School- 
 mens  Notion  of  Times  depending  on  the  Mo- 
 tions or  Exiftence  of  the  Material  World,  is  as 
 Seiifelefs,  as  the  fuppofing  it  to  depend  on  the 
 turning  or  not  turning  of  an  Hour-glafs.  The 
 fame  alfo  is  true  of  Place. 
 
 Infinite  Space,  is  infinite  Extevjion :  and 
 Eternity,  is  infinite  Duration.  They  are  the 
 Two  firft  and  moft  obvious  and  fimple  Ideas, 
 that  every  Man  has  in  his  mind.  Time  and 
 Place,  are  the  fine  qua  non  of  all  other  things, 
 and  of  all  other  Ideas.  To  fuppofe  Either  of 
 them  Finite,  is  an  expreis  Contradiction  in  the 
 Idea  itfelf.  No  Man  does  or  can  pollibly  imagine 
 Either  of  them  to  be  finite  5  but  only,  either 
 
 by 
 
38  The  Anfwer  to 
 
 by  noii- attention,  or  by  choice,  he  attends  per- 
 haps to  part  of  his  Idea,  and  forbears  attending 
 to  the  remainder.  All  the  Difficulty  that  has 
 ever  arifen  about  this  Matter,  is  nothing  but 
 Bull  thrown  by  Mens  ufing  Words  (or  rather 
 Semis  only)  in  their  Philofophy,  inftead  of 
 Ideas.  And  thQ  Arguments  drawn  from  the 
 Jargon  of  the  Schoolmen,  will  equally  prove 
 every  Axiom  in  Euclid,  to  be  uncertain  and  ufrf 
 intelligible. 
 
 They  who  remove  the  Idea  of  Infinity,  (or 
 of  a  Being   whofe  Attribute    Infinity  is )   by 
 fuppoiing  Space  to  be  nothing  but  a  relation 
 between  two  Bodies-,  are  guilty  of  the  Abfurdity 
 of  fuppoiing  That,  which  is  Nothing,  to  have 
 real  Vitalities.     For  the  /Space  which  is  between 
 two  Bodies,  is  always  unalterably  juft  what  it 
 was  h  and  has  the  very  fame  Dimenfions,  Quan- 
 tity, and  Figure-,  whether  Thefe  or  any  other  Bo- 
 dies be  there,  or  awy  pW«  eZ/e,  or  not  at  all : 
 Juft  as  Time  or  Duration  is  the 
 *  Eadem  eft  zJwr^f/o  feu     *  fame,  whether  you  turn  your 
 perfeverancia  Esjftcmia?  re-     Hoitr-Glafs,  or  no  *  or  whether 
 
 r«,  five  Wft,  live  W/l  the  Sun  moves>  or  ftancls  ftl11  $ 
 NEWTon  Princip  Matbem.  or  whether  there  BW,  or  jw 
 £ciW.  rf^  De/?W.  g.  '  mt  any  Sun,  or  any  Material 
 
 World  at  all. 
 The  Schoolmens  Diftinclions,  about  Spirits 
 exifting  in  Ubi,  and  not  in  loco  ,  are  mere  empty 
 Sounds^  without  any  manner  of fignifi cation. 
 
 To  {qx  Bounds  to  Space,  is  to  fuppofe  it 
 boundedhy  fomething which  itfelftato  upSpace* 
 And  That's  a  Coniradi&ion :  Or.  elfe  that  'tis 
 bounded  by  Nothings  and  then  the  Idea  of That 
 Nothing,  will  JIM  be  Space  :  Which  is  another 
 Contradiction.  Beings  which  exift  in  Time 
 and  in  Space,  (as  every  finite  thing  mult  needs 
 do,)  pr&fjppofe  Time  and  Space  :  But  That  Be- 
 ing 
 
the  Sixth  Letter.  39 
 
 hig,  whofe  Exiftence  make  a  Duration  and  Space, 
 muft  be  infinite  and  eternal,  becaufe  Duration 
 and  Space  can  have  no  Bounds.     Not,  that  Du- 
 ration and  Space  are  the  Formal  Canfe  of  That 
 Exiftence  ^    but,    that    neceffary   Attributes  do 
 yeceffarily  and  hifcpe rally  infer,  or  fiww  to  us 
 a  Neceffary  Sub  fiance  ^  of  which  Sub  fiance  itftlf 
 we  have  tfo  Image,  becaufe  'tis  the  Object  of 
 none  of  our  Senfes ;    But  we  perceive  its  Exi- 
 gence, by  its  E feels  h  and  the  Necefity  of  that 
 Exiftence,  by  the  Keccffity  of  certain  Attributes 
 and  by  ot/w  Arguments  of  Reafon  and  Inference, 
 To  fuppofe  Space  removed,  deflroyed,  or  fcpfex 
 tf^dy  5  amounts  to  the  abfurd  Suppofition  of 
 removing  a  thing  away  />o;«  tf/£(f.  That  is :    If 
 in  }^our  imagination  you  annihilate  the  Whole  of. 
 Infinite  Space,  the  Whole  Infinite  Space  will  ft  ill 
 remain  •,  and  if  you  annihilate  any  Part  of  ity 
 That  Part  will  ftill  necejfarily  remain  *,  as   ap- 
 pears by  the  unmoved  filiation  of   the  Reflm 
 And  to  fuppofe  it  divided  or  Divifible,  amounts 
 to  the  fame  Contradiction. 
 
 The  Objedfion,  of  Immcnfity  being    incom 
 ffient  with   Spirituality  and  Simplicity  -,  arifes 
 merely  from  the  Jargon  of  the  Schoolmen ; 
 Who  (in  order  to  help  out  Tranfulfiantiation) 
 have  ufed  themfelves  to  fpeak  of  I  his  and  of 
 many  other  things,  in  Phrafes  which  had  no 
 Meaning  or  Ideas  belonging  to  them.     By  de- 
 nying the  real  Immenfity  and  the  real  Eternal 
 Duration    of    Gcd,  the\r   in    true  Confeqitence 
 (though  'tis  reafonable  to  fuppofe  they  faw 
 not  That  Confequence,)  denied  his  Being.  The 
 Immenfity  ol"  Space,  (it  being  throughout  abfe- 
 lutely  uniform  and  effentially  indivifible,)  is  no 
 more   inconliftent  with   Simplicity,    than  the 
 iniif.nn  fucceffive  flowing  of  the  Parts  of  Du- 
 ration7 
 
40  The  Anfwer  to 
 
 ration,  (as  you  moft  rightly  obferve,)  are  inJ 
 confiftent  with  Simplicity:  There  is  no  Diffi- 
 culty at  all  in  This  Point,  hut  a  mere  Preju- 
 dice, and  Frilfe  Notion  of  Simplicity. 
 
 As  to  Spirituality  :  The  individual  Confci- 
 oufnefs  of  the  One  Immenfe  Being,  is  as  truly 
 One  .  as  the  prefent  Moment  of  Time  is  indi- 
 vidually One,  in  all  Places  at  once :  And  the 
 One  can  no  more  properly  be  {aid  to  be  an 
 Ell  or  a  Mile  of  Con fciou fiefs,  (which  is  the  Sum 
 of  your  Objection,)  than  the  other  can  be  faid 
 to  be  an  Ell  or  a  Mile  of  Time.  This  Suggeftion, 
 feems  to  defer ve  particular  confideration. 
 
 To  the  Objection,  that  the  fuppofing  God  to 
 be  really  and  fubftantiaUy  Omniprefent,  is  fup- 
 pofing him  to  be  the  Soul  of  the  World :  I  anfwer  • 
 This  is  a  great  Miftafce.  For  the  Word,  Soul, 
 fignifies  a  Part  of  a  Whole,  whereof  Body  is  the 
 Other  Part  •  And  they,  being  united,  7nutua!ly 
 a  feci  each  other,  as  Parts  of  the  fame  Whole. 
 But  God  is  prefent  to  every  part  of  the  Uni- 
 verfe,  not  as  a  Soul,  but  as  a  Governour  \  fo 
 as  to  acl  upon  every  thing,  in  what  manner  he 
 pleafes  5  kimfeltbeitig  acted  upon  by  Nothing. 
 
 What  }rou  fuggeft  about  Space  having  no 
 Part  a,  becaufe  Jtis  Infinite  -,  is  a  mere  Quibble 
 indeed,  and  has  nothing  in  it.  The  meaning 
 of  Parts,  ( in  Queftions  of  this  Nature, )  is," 
 feparahle,  co/npounded,  un-united  Parts,  fuch  as" 
 are  the  Parts  of  Matter  :  Which,  for  That  rea- 
 fon,  is  always  a  Compound,  not  a  fimple  Sub- 
 fiance.  No  Matter  is  One  Subfance,  but  a 
 Heap  ofSnbfiances.  And  That  I  take  to  be  the 
 Reafon,  why  Matter  is  a  Subject  incapable  of 
 Toougbt.  Not  becaufe  'tis  extended*,  but  be- 
 caufe its  Parts  are  diftincl  Su'fanccs  un-umted, 
 and  independent  on  each  other.  Which  (  I  fup- 
 pofe;  is  not  the  Cafe  of  Other  Subftances.  The 
 
 Kinds 
 
the  Sixth  Letter. 
 
 Kinds  of  Subftavce  may  perhap s  be  more  and 
 more  different  from  each  other,  than  we  (sttph- 
 fent,)  for  want  of  more  $enjes9  are  aware  of! 
 Matter  and  Spirit,  is  no  other  Division,  than 
 Matter  and  not-Matte r  \  Julias  if  one  friould 
 divide  the  Species  of  Animals,  into  Horfes  and 
 not-Horfes. 
 
 As  to  the  Qneftion,  Why  Abfohite  Neceffiiy 
 will  not  admit  of  the  Exifterxe  of  Tvo  diftintf 
 independent  Beim-s,  as  well  as  cf  different  Attri- 
 butes and  Proper  ies  in  One  Independent  Being  : 
 I  anfwer  ^  Abfohite  Niecejttft  in  which  there 
 is  no  where  any  Variation,  cannot  be  the 
 Ground  of  Exiftcnce  of  a  Number  of  Finite  Be- 
 ings, however  agreeing  and  harmonious  •  be- 
 caufe  That  (viz.  Numler,  or  FinitenefsJ  is  it- 
 felf  a  manifeft  Deformity  of  Inequality.  But  it 
 may  be  the  Ground  or  Exiftence  of  One  Uni- 
 form infinite  Being.  The  different  Attributes 
 of  which  One  Uniform  Being,  are  not  a  Variety 
 of  Parts ,or  an  un-Uniformnef  fif  I  may  fb  fpeak} 
 of  the  Neceffity  by  which  it  exifts:,  bur  they 
 are  All  and  each  of  them  Attributes  of  the  7/7; ole 
 Attributes  of  the  One  Jim  pie  infinite  Being :  Juft 
 as  the  Powers  of  Hearing  and  Seeing,  are  not  In- 
 equalities  or  Difformities  in  the  SoUl  of  Alan  •  but 
 each  of  them,^  Powers  of  the  Whole  Soul. 
 
 As  to  the  Lajl  Argument  you  refer  to  :  My 
 Meaning  therein  is  This  h  that  'tis  a  Contra- 
 diction to  fuppofe  Two  (ox  morej  necejfarlly-ex- 
 ifing  Brings  •,  becaufe  Each  of  them,  by  the 
 Suppojition ,  being  independent,  and  fuffcient 
 to  itfelf,  tho'  the  Other  were  fnppofcd  not  to 
 exijl  h  they  thereby  Each  of  them  mutually  dc- 
 i  troy  the  fuppofe d  neceffity  of  the  Other  s  Exi- 
 ftcnce •,  and  confequently  Neither  of  them  in- 
 deed will  be  neceffary  or  Independent*  For  in- 
 fiance 5  If  Mffler,  or  <$$/*&,  tor  <wv  Of  fez1  £«£- 
 K  n  fixe*, 
 
 41 
 
The  Anfwer  to  the  Sixth  Letter, 
 
 f  rre  could  as  pojfihly  be  conceived  to  exift 
 -r-i::oiit  That  in  which  they  all  exift,  as  That  in 
 which  they  all  exiji  can  be  conceived  to  exift 
 pithput  Them .  then  there  would  be  necejfary- 
 Mxijtpnce  on  Neither  part. 
 
 As  to  the  Queflion  concerning  the  poflible 
 Plurality  of  Irfinites :  Tis  certainly  true  that 
 the  Infinity  of  Space,  in  either  excludes  finite 
 Bodies  nor  finite  Spirits,  nor  infinite  Body,  nor 
 ir.fivhe  Spirit.  But  it  excludes  every  thing  of 
 the  fame  Kind,  whether  finite  or  infinite.  Which 
 is  all  that  my  Argument  requires.  There  can 
 be  but  One  Infinite  Space,  and  but  One  Infinite 
 Tim,  and  but  One  Infinite  Spirit,  (taking  Spirit 
 to  mean  a  particular  pofitive  diftindt  Subftance, 
 and  not  the  mere  negative  non-matter,  of 
 which  there  may  be  innumerable  Kinds:)  And 
 (if  Matter  could  be  infinite)  there  could  like- 
 wife  be  but  One  infinite  Body  •,  and  fo  on.  For 
 One  Iv finite  in  all  dimen lions,  exhaufts  always 
 the  whole  poifibility  of  That  Kind,  though  it 
 excludes  not  Other-. 
 
 The  Ubi  of  Spirits,  being  their  Perception 
 only  *,  and  the  Omnipresence  of  God,  being  his 
 infinite  Knowledge  only  ^  are  mere  Words,  with- 
 out any  Senfe  at  all.  And  by  the  like  Confu- 
 iron,  any  thing  may  be  faid  to  be  any  thing-,  and 
 We  have  in  us  no  Principles  cf  Knowledge  at 
 all,  nor  any  Ufe  either  of  Words  or  Ideas. 
 
 I  am,  Sir, 
 
 Your  ajfured  Friend 
 
 and  Servant,  Sec. 
 
 FINI& 
 
BOOKS  Written  by  the  Reverend  $>.  Clarke  s 
 and  Pri nted  for  James  Knapton,  at  the  Crown 
 in  St.  Paul'*  Cburch-Tard. 
 
 AParaphrafe  on  the  Four  Evangclijls.  Where- 
 in, for  the  clearer  understanding  the  Sa- 
 cred Hiftory,  the  whole  Text  and  Paraphrafe 
 are  printed  in  feparate  Columns  over-againft 
 each  other.  Together  with  critical  Notes  on 
 the  more  difficult  PalTages.  Very  ufefulfor  Fa- 
 milies. The  ;d  Edit.  In  two  Vol.  2vo.  pr.  1 2  s. 
 
 Three  Practical  EfTays  onBaptifm,  Confirm- 
 ation, and  Repentance  :  Containing  full  In- 
 itructions  for  an  holy  Life  •  with  earneft  Ex- 
 hortations, efpecially  to  young  Perfons,  drawn 
 from  the  Coniideration  of  the  Severity  of  the 
 Difcipline  of  the  Primitive  Church.  The  2d  E- 
 dition.  This  new  Edition  makes  eleven  Sheets 
 in  Twelves,  on  good  Paper,  and  a  fair  Letter, 
 pr.  1  s>  and  for  the  Encouragement  of  the 
 Charitable,  u6for  5  I  hound. 
 
 A  Letter  to  Mr.  Dodwell  h  wherein  all  the 
 Arguments  iri  his  Epjlvlary  Difcovrfe  againft 
 the  Immortality  of  the  Soul,  are  particularly 
 anfwered,  and  the  Judgment  of  the  Fathers  con- 
 cerning that  matter  truly  represented.  To- 
 gether with  Four  Letters  in  Anfwer  to  the  Au- 
 thor of  Remarks  on  t>e  Letter  to  Mr.  Dodwell. 
 To  which  is  added,  fome  Reflexions  on  that 
 part  of  a  Book  called  Amyntor,  or  the  Defenfe 
 of  Milton  s  Life,  which  relates  to  the  Writings 
 of  the  Primitive  Fathers,  and  the  Canon  of 
 the  New  Testament.  The  Fifth  Edition,  pr.  4  5. 
 
 Six  Sermons  on  feveral  Occaiions.  pr.  1  s. 
 
 Jacobi  Rohaulti  Phyilca.  Latine  vertit  re- 
 cenfuit,  &  uberioribus  jam  Annotation^ us  ex 
 illuftriilimi  Ifaaci  Newtoni  Philofophia  maxi- 
 mam  partem  hauftis,  amplificavit  &  ornavit 
 IS.  Clarke,  Accedunt  etiam  in  hac  Quarta  Edi- 
 tion e, 
 
tione,riova3    aliquot  Tabula  aeri  mcife  5  8c  An* 
 iiotationes  multum  funt  au&se,  Svo.  pr.  8.y. 
 
 If  Ncwioni  Optice.  Latine  reddidit  6'.  Clarke, 
 S.  T.  P.      • 
 
 The  Scripture-Doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  In 
 three  Paris.  Wherein  all  the  Texts  in  the 
 New  Teftament  relating  to  that  Doctrine,  and 
 the  principal  PaiTages  in  the  Liturgy  of  the 
 Church  of  England,  are  collected,  compared, 
 and  explained.  The  2d  Edit,  with  Additions. 
 
 A  Letter  to  the  Reverend  Dr.  Wells,  Redtor 
 o£  Cotesbach  m  LeiceJlerJInre.  In  Anfwer  to  his 
 Remarks,  &c.  Price  1  s. 
 
 A  Reply  to  the  Objections  of  Robert  Nelfon 
 Efq-,  and  of  an  Anonymous  Author,  againft 
 Dr  Clarke  s  Scripture-Doctrine  of  the  Trinity  ^ 
 being  a  Commentary  upon  Forty  felect  Texts 
 of  Scripture.  To  which  is  added,  an  Anfwer  to 
 the  Remarks  of  the  Author  of  fome  Confidera- 
 tions  concerning  the  Trinity,  and  the  Ways  of 
 managing  that  Controverfy,  in  Zvo.  pr.  4  s. 
 
 A  Collection  of  Papers/which  paiLed  between 
 the  late  Learned  Mr.  Leibnitz,  and  Dr.  Clarke, 
 in  the  Years  1715;  and  1716.  Relating  to  the 
 Principles  of  Natural  Pbilofopby  and  Religion. 
 With  an  Appendix.  To  which  are  added,  Let- 
 ters to  Dr.  Clarke  concerning  Liberty  and  Ne- 
 ceility  ^  From  a  Gentleman  of  the  Univerlity 
 of Cambridge:  With  the  Doctor's  Anfwers  to 
 them.  Alfo  Remarks  upon  a  Book,  Entituled, 
 A  Philofophical  Enquiry  concerning  Human  Liber* 
 ty,  iri  bvo.  price  5  s. 
 
 The  Truth  of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  in  Six  Books,  by  Hu- 
 go Grotim  -y  Corrected  and  iJIuftratfd  with  Notes.  By  Mr.  le 
 clerc,  To  which  is  added  a  7th  Bock  concerning  this  Que- 
 flion  — What  Chriftian  Church  we  ought  to  join  our  lelve* 
 to,  &c.  Ev  the  faid  Mr  LeClerc  j  price  3  s.  Done  into  Etig- 
 Hfh  by  John  Clarle,  D.  D.  Chaplain  in  Ordinary  co  his  Ma* 
 jefty,    The  2d  Edition,  with  Additions. 
 
DATE  DUE 
 
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