another yea and every Man from himself and yet every one is assured of his own Schemes of conjecture though he cannot hold that Assurance but by this proud Absurdity That he alone is in the right and all the rest of the World mistaken I say then there being so much to be produced both from the natural and moral World to the shame of boasting Ignorance I cannot reckon of what I have said but as an imperfect Offer at a Subject to which I could not do right without discoursing all Things On which account I had resolv'd once to suffer this Trifle to pass out of Print and Memory But then considering that the Instances I had given of humane Ignorance were not only clear ones but such also as are not ordinarily suspected from whence to our shortness in other things 't is an easie Inference I was thence induced to think it might be useful to promote that temper of Mind that is necessary to true Philosophy and right Knowledg OF SCEPTICISM AND CERTAINTY Essay II. Essay II. OF SCEPTICISM and CERTAINTY In a short Reply To the Learned Mr. Thomas White To a Friend SIR I Here send you a Supplement to the former Essay About two years after my Vanity of Dogmatizing was first printed there appeared a Book written in Latin against it which had this Title SCIRI sive scepties scepticorum a jure Disputationis exclusio The Author was that Learned Man who hath publisht so many Writings and is so highly celebrated by Sir Kenelm Digby especially famous for his Tract de Mundo He calls himself sometimes Thomas ex Albiis East Saxonum in other Writings and particularly in this Thomas Albius His English Name is Thomas White a Roman Catholick and famed Writer for that Church though censured for some of his Doctrines at Rome I writ a civil Answer to his Book which was annext to the Vanity of Dogmatizing reprinted 1665. That Answer was in English because the Discourse it defended was so and I did not think the Matter worth the Universal Language Besides I was induced to reply in that Tongue by the Example of a Noble Philosopher one of the great Ornaments of his Age and Nation who had then newly answer'd a Latin Book written by one Linus against him in English About the same time that my Reply was printed his SCIRI came forth again in our Language whether translated by himself or any Disciple of his I do not know The Title was An Exclusion of Scepticks from all title to Dispute being an Answer to the Vanity of Dogmatizing by Tho. VVhite Now because there was nothing of Reply in that new Edition of his Book I thought to have concerned my self no more about it but having made you a promise of some Notes concerning Scepticism and Certainty I have thought fit to treat of those Matters by way of further Answer to that Learned Man He principally insists on three things 1. The Charge of Scepticism 2. The Accountableness of those Philosophical Difficulties I have mention'd as things not yet resolv'd And 3. The Defence of Aristotle The first is the Subject for which I stand ingag'd to you and the second belongs to it and will be a very seasonable if not necessary Supplement to the Essay against Confidence in Philosophy But for the third I shall refer you to what I have said in my other Answer and in my Letter concerning Aristotle being not willing to meddle any further in Affairs of that nature I. The charge of Scepticism seems to be the main thing For besides that it makes up the Title the Author hath been pleas'd to write a solemn Warning to the Youth of the Universities on the occasion of my Book which he calls Vleus Glanvillanum in the first page of his Preface and declares this pretended Scepticism of mine to be the occasion of his ingagement in the first paragraph of his Discourse Now because a great and celebrated Philosopher with whom I am not fit to be nam'd is brought in as the Reviver of this deadly Scepticism which I am supposed to endeavour to advance after him I shall repeat the whole Passage that I may the better vindicate both him and my self against this Objection and treat a little of this so common Imputation which is almost every where alledg'd against all Free Philosophers who dare think or say any thing that Aristotle hath not taught The Learned Man Objects thus p. 1. Scepticism born of old by an unlucky miscarriage of Nature for her own credit carried off the Tongues of the Elequent where it had long been foster'd and buried by the steadiness of Christian Faith this Monster snatcht from the Teeth of Worms and Insects Peter Gassendus a Man of a most piercing Sagacity of neat and copious Eloquence of most pleasing behaviour and wonderful diligence by a kind of Magick hath endeavour'd to restore again to Life He a Person which is the strangest of all most tenacious of Catholick Faith and never suspected guilty of mischievous Tenents whereas yet this scepticism is the Mother of infinite Errors and all Heresies and that very seducing Philosophy and vain Fallacy which the Saints warned by the Apostles have taught us to beware of Her this Man otherwise eminent in his paradoxical Exercitations against the Aristotelians hath dared to expose not vailed as before and wandring like a Quean in the dark but bold-fac'd and painted to the Multitude and Market place By his example the Author of the Vanity of Dogmatizing hath produc'd her amongst us beauteously trickt up in English He too a great Master of Wit and Eloquence nor indeed are vast Mischiefs to be dreaded from vulgar Heads This is the occasion of my undertaking This is the Charge but the severe imputation is sweetned by many very kind words of commendation which are most justly due to the renowned Gassendus but given gratis and undeservedly to the Author of the Vanity of Dogmatizing In answer to this charge I shall set down my Thoughts of Scepticism and Certainty Subjects well worth considering The word Scepticism is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to speculate to lâ—… about to deliberate An ancient Sect of Philosophers â—…nce call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scepticks as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doubters and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pyrrhonians froâ—… â—…rho the first noted Author of this Sect. This Pyrrho lived about the time of Alexander the Great and was born at Elis He was at first a Painter some say an ill one and yet he had better have so continued for his Philosophy was worse than his Painting He seems to me according to the account we have of him to have been a gross and humoursome Fanatick especially if that be true that is related by Laertius That he shun'd and heeded nothing and would not step aside out of the way for Waggons Precipices or Dogs so that he was follow'd and look'd after like an
every thing every thing but what is sober whatever is wild will be suck'd in like the Air but what is reasonable will be fled like Infection So that if a Man would recommend any Doctrine for his life to those Enemies of Reason it must be some odd non-sense in the clothing of Imagination and he that can be the Author of a new kind of Madness shall lead a Party Thus hath Religion by the disparagement of Reason been made a Medley of Phantastick Trash spiritualized into an heap of Vapours and formed into a Castle of Clouds and exposed to every Wind of Humour and Imagination 3. By the same way great advantage is given to the Church of Rome Which is well known by those that adhere unto it And therefore Perronius Gonterius Arnoldus Veronius and other Jesuites have loudly declaimed against Reason and the last mentioned Veronius presented the World with a Method to overthrow Hereticks meaning those of the Protestant Faith which promised more than ordinary And that was to deny and renounce all Principles of Reason in Affairs of Faith absolutely and roundly and not to vouchsafe an Answer to any Argument against Transubstantiation or the other Articles of their new Faith but point-blank to deny whatever Reason saith in such Matters And he affirms that even these Principles of Reason viz. Non entis non sunt Attributa omne quod est quando est necesse est esse and such like which are the Foundations of all Reasoning are dangerous to the Catholick Faith and therefore not to be heeded This Man speaks out and affirms directly and boldly what the other Enemies of Reason mean but will not own This is a Method to destroy Hereticks in earnest but the mischief is all Christians and all other Religions and all other Reasonings are cut off by the same Sword This Book and Method of Veronius was kindly received by the Pope priviledged by the King of Spain approved by Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and all the Gallick Clergy as solid and for the advantage of Souls and the Sorbone Doctors gave it their approbation and recommended it as the only way to confute us and all the other Adversaries of their corrupted Faith and Religion Did these know what they did And did they think we understand the Interest of the Roman Church If so we kindly serve their ends and promote their Designs in the way which they account best while we vilifie and disparage Reason If this be renounced in Matters of Religion with what face can we use it against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation or any other Points of the Roman Creed Would it not be blameless and irreprovable for us to give up our Understandings implicitly to the Dictates and Declarations of that Church May we not follow blindly whatever the Infallible Man at Rome and his Councils say And would it not be vain self-contradiction to use Arguments against their Decrees though they are never so unreasonable Or to alledge Consequences from Scripture against any of their Articles though never so contrary to the Holy Oracles How easily may they rejoyn when we dispute against them You argue from Reason and by Consequences But Reason is dull and carnal and an enemy to the things of the Spirit and not to be heard in the high Matters of Religion And what can we say next if allow of the Accusation I say by this way we perfectly disable or grosly contradict our selves in most of our Disputes against the Romanists And we are very disingenuous in our dealings while we use Reason against them and deny it when 't is urged against our selves by another sort of Adversaries which implies that when we say Reason is not to be heard we mean 't is not to be heard against us But it must against the Church of Rome or any others we can oppugn by it So that our denying Reason in Religion is either very humoursom and partial or 't is a direct yielding up our Cause to our Enemies and doing that our selves which is the only thing they desire to undo us and to promote their own Interests upon our Ruines And thus I have represented some of the Mischiefs that arise from the disparagement of Reason we see they are great ones big of many others and such as are destructive to all Government and all the Interests of the sober part of Mankind This is properly Fanaticism and all that we call so grows upon it Here the Enemies of our Church and Government began upon this they insisted still and filled their Books and Pulpits and private Corners with these Cantings This was the Engine to overthrow all sober Principles and Establishments with this the People were infutuated and credit was reconciled to Gibberish and Folly Enthusiasms and vain Impulses This is the Food of Conventicles to this day the root of their Matter and the burden of their Preachments Let Reason be heard and tie them to Sense and most of their Holders-forth haue no more to say Their spirituality for which they are admired is besides Reason and against it rather than above it And while this Principle of the enmity between Reason and Religion stands the People will think them the more Spiritual Preachets because they are the less reasonable And while they are abused by such a belief 't will be impossible for sober Men to have any success in their endeavours to convince them AGAINST Modern Sadducism In the Matter of Witches and Apparitions Essay VI. Essay VI. AGAINST MODERN SADDUCISM In the Matter of Witches and Apparitions IF any thing were to be much admired in an Age of Wonders not only of Nature which is a constant Prodigy but of Men and Manners it would be to me matter of astonishment that Men otherwise witty and ingenious are fallen into the Conceit that there 's no such thing as a Witch or Apparition but that these are the Creatures of Melancholly and Superstition foster'd by Ignorance and Design which comparing the confidence of their disbelief with the evidence of the things denied and the weakness of their Grounds would almost suggest that themselves are an Argument of what they deny and that so confident an Opinion could not be held upon such inducements but by some kind of Witchcraft and Fascination in the Fancy And perhaps that evil Spirit whose Influences they will not allow in Actions ascribed to such Causes hath a greater hand and interest in their Proposition than they are aware of For that subtil Enemy of Mankind since Providence will not permit him to mischief us without our own concurrence attempts that by stratagem and artifice which he could never effect by open ways of acting and the success of all wiles depending upon their secrecy and concealment his influence is never more dangerous than when his agency is least suspected In order therefore to the carrying on the dark and hidden Designs he manageth against our Happiness and our Souls he cannot expect to advantage himself more
and the defence of Christianity against those enemies of the Cross. On these accounts they 〈…〉 Writers notwithstanding the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 with which their Books were loaded to be very useful for a Divine and like to be of more behoof to him than all the tedious volumes of the Schoolmen And some thought it would not be amiss if the Rabbins succeeded in those places which those other Doctors were leaving vacant And now said He I have also given you a Taste of the Genius and Humour of those Divines in some chief parts of Learning And though I have mentioned only some particular sorts yet I do not thereby exclude them from their share in the Languages History and other kinds of knowledg which I have omitted in this account only because their sence of them for the most part was common with the judgment and opinion of other learned Men. I have represented to you their Genius and endeavours not with design as I intimated before to exalt and magnifie them above the other Divines of Bensalem but to shew how the Providence of God over-rul'd those evil times in which those Men were bred and to raise a good and generous Spirit amid the extravagances of an unhappy age and I have thus particularly described their Principles and Practices not to exclude other worthy and Reverend Men with which thanks be to God this Church abounds from the share of acknowments that are due to their pious and excellent Labours but because those Persons are better known to me than any others of our Clergy At this Period of his discourse a Servant came in and with low reverence acquainted the Governor that some Persons of quality were come to speak with him Upon which he rising up told me He was sorry for this interruption but hoped ere long to have the freedom of another opportunity of Conversing with me FINIS Books Published by Mr. Joseph Glanvill THe Way of Happiness represented in it's Difficulties and Encouragements and freed from many popular and dangerous mistakes Catholick Charity recommended in a Sermon before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London A Fast Sermon on the Kings Martyrdom Lux Orientalis being a modest Philosophical Enquiry into the Doctrine of Pra-existence A Prefatory Answer to Mr. Henry Stubbs A Further Account of Mr. Stubbs A Letter concerning Aristotle An Apology for some of the Clergy who suffer under false and scandalous Reports on the occasion of the Rehearsal Transprised An Earnest Invitation to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Seasonable Reflections and Discourses in order to the cure of the Scoffing and Infidelity of a degenerate Age. 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Dean of Durham and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty The Reformation Justified in a Sermon preached at Guild Hall Chappel September 21. 1673. before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen c. upon Acts 24. 14. A Sermon preached November 5. 1673. at St. Margarets Westminister upon St. Matthew 7. 15 16. A Sermon preached before the King February 24. 1675. upon Heb. 3. 13 These three last by Edw. Stâ—… D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty Books Printed for and Sold by John Baker at the three Pidgeons in St. Pauls Church-Yard DUPORT in Psalmos 4. Greek and Latine Cantabrigiae 4. Idem in Psalmos 4. Grace in Homer 4. Grace Latine Beveridge Grammatica Orientalis 8. Gore Nomenclator Geograph 8. Seldeni Eutichyus 4. Arab. Lat. Ailsbury de Decreto Dei 4. Dionysius de Situ Orbis 8. Grace Comenii Janua 8. Lat. cum Figu Confessio Fideâ—… 8. Doughtei Analecta Sacra 8. p. s. 23. Ignoramus 12. Vossii Elementa Rhetorica 8. Elegantiae Poeticae 12. Exaletation of Ale 8. Comenii Vestibulum 8. Lat. Eng. 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