though Formally Idolaters according to their own false Hypothesis yet were not Materially and Really so whereas these Religious Angel and Saint-Worshippers must be as well Materially as Formally such And here it is observable that these Ancient Fathers made no such Distinction of Religious Worship into Latria as peculiar to the Supreme God it being that whereby he is adored as Self-Existent and Omnipotent or the Creator of all and Dulia such an Inferiour Religious Worship as is communicable to Creatures but concluded of Religious Worship Universally and without Distinction that the due Object of it all was the Creator only and not any Creature Thus Athanasius plainly in his Third Oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the Son or Word of God were to be Worshipped though a Creature because transcending us in glory and dignity then ought every Inferiour Being to Worship what is Superiour to it Whereas the case is otherwise For a Creature doth not Religiously worship a Creature but only God the Creator Now they who distinguish Religious Worship into Latria and Dulia must needs suppose the Object of it in general to be that which is Superiour to us and not the Creator only which is here contradicted by Athanasius But because it was objected against these Orthodox Fathers by the Arians that the Humanity of our Saviour Christ which is unquestionably a Creature did share in their Religious Worship also it is worth the while to see what account Athanasius gives of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We give no Religious Worship to any Creature far be it from us For this is the Errour of the Pagans and of the Arians But We Worship the Word of God the Lord of the Creation Incarnated For though the Flesh of Christ considered alone by it self were but a part of the Creatures nevertheless was it made the Body of God And we neither Worship this Body by it self alone divided from the Word nor yet intending to worship the Word do we remove it at a great distance from this flesh but knowing that of the Scripture The Word was made Flesh we look upon this Word even in the Flesh as God And again to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let these Arians Know at length that we who Worship the Lord in Flesh Worship no Creature but only the Creator cloathed with a Creaturely Body And for the same cause was it that Nestorius afterwards dividing the Word from the Flesh the Divinity of Christ from the Humanity and not acknowledging such an Hypostatick Vnion betwixt them as he ought but nevertheless Religiously Worshipping our Saviour Christ was therefore branded by the Christian Church with the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Man-Worshipper or Idolater To conclude they who excuse themselves from being Idolaters no otherwise than because they do not give that very same Religious Worship to Saints and Angels which is pecular to God Almighty and consists in honouring him as Self-Existent and the Creator of all things but acknowledge those others to be Creatures Suppose that to be Necessary to Idolatry which is Absolutely Impossible viz. to acknowledge more Omnipotents as Creators of all than One or to account Creatures as such Creators as they imply all those to be Uncapable of Idolatry who acknowledge One Supreme God the Creator of the whole World which is directly contradictious to the Doctrine of the Ancient Church Hitherto in way of Answer to an Atheistick Objection against the Naturality of the Idea of God as including Oneliness in it from the Pagan Polytheism have we largely proved that at least the Civilized and Intelligent Pagans generally acknowledged One Sovereign Numen and that their Polytheism was partly but Phantastical nothing but the Polyonymy of one Supreme God or the Worshipping him under different Names and Notions according to his several Vertues and Manifestations And that though besides this they had another Natural and Real Polytheism also yet this was only of Many Inferiour or Created Gods Subordinate to One Supreme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Vncreated Which notwithstanding is not so to be understood as if we did confidently affirm that Opinion of Many Independent Deities never to have so much as entred into the Mind of any Mortal For since Humane Nature is so Mutable and Depravable as that notwithstanding the Connate Idea and Prolepsis of God in the Minds of Men some unquestionably do degenerate and lapse into Atheism there can be no reason why it should be thought absolutely impossible for any ever to entertain that false Conceit of More Independent Deities But as for Independent Gods Invisible we cannot trace the footsteps of such a Polytheism as this any where nor find any more than a Ditheism of a Good and Evil Principle Only Philo and others seem to have conceived That amongst the ancient Pagans some were so grosly sottish as to suppose a Plurality of Independent Gods Visible and to take the Sun and Moon and all the Stars for Such However if there were any such and these Writers were not mistaken as it frequently happened it is certain that they were but very few because amongst the most Barbarian Pagans at this day there is hardly any Nation to be found without an acknowledgment of a Sovereign Deity as appears from all those Discoveries which have been made of them since the improvement of Navigation Wherefore what hath been hitherto declared by us might well be thought a sufficient Answer to the forementioned Atheistick Objection against the Idea of God Notwithstanding which when we wrote the Contents of this Chapter we intended a further Account of the Natural and Real Polytheism of the Pagans and their Multifarious Idolatry chiefly in order to the Vindication of the Truth of Christianity against Atheists forasmuch as one grand Design hereof was unquestionably to destroy the Pagan Polytheism and Idolatry which consisted in Worshipping the Creature besides the Creator But we are very Sensible that we have been surprized in the Length of this Chapter which is already swelled into a Disproportionate Bigness by means whereof we cannot comprehend within the compass of this Volume all that belongs to the Remaining Contents together with such a Full and Copious Confutation of the Atheistick Grounds as was intended Wherefore we shall here Divide the Chapter and reserve those Remaining Contents together with a further Confutation of Atheism for another Volume which God affording Life Health and Leisure we intend shall follow Only subjoyning in the mean time a Short and Compendious Confutation of all the Atheistick Arguments proposed A CONFUTATION OF ATHEISM CHAP. V. HAving in the Second Chapter revealed all the Dark Mysteries of Atheism and producâ—d the utmost strength of that Cause and in the Tâ—ird made an Introduction to the Coâ—â—utation of those Atheistick Grounds by representing all the several Forms and Schemes of Atheism and shewing both thâ—ir Disagreements amongst themselves and wherein they all agree together
out of Hermaick Writings then extant to this very purpose We shall only set down one of them here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The World hath a Governour set over it that Word of the Lord of all which was the Maker of it this is the first Power after himself Vncreated Infinite looking out from him and ruling over all things that were made by him this is the Perfect and genuine Son of the first Omniperfect Being Nevertheless the Author of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Asclepian Dialogue in that forecited Passage of his by his Second God the Son of the First meant no such thing at all as the Christian Logos or Second Person of the Trinity but only the Visible World Which is so plain from the words themselves that it is a wonder how Lactantius and St. Austin could interpret them otherwise he making therein a Question whether this Second God were actively Sensible or no. But the same is farther manifrom other places of that Dialogue as this for example Aeternitatis Dominus Deus Primus est Secundus est Mundus The Lord of Eternity is the First God but the Second God is the World And again Summus qui dicitur Deus Rector Gubernatorque Sensibilis Dei ejus qui in se complectitur omnem locum omnemque rerum substantiam The Supreme God is the Governour of that Sensible God which contains in it all place and all the Substance of things And that this was indeed a part of the Hermaick or Egyptian Theology that the Visible World Animated was a Second God and the Son of the First God appears also from those Hermaick Books published by Ficinus and vulgarly called Poemander though that be only the First of them There hath been one Passage already cited out of the Eighth Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The World is a Second God After which followeth more to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The First God is that Eternal Vnmade Maker of all things the Second is he that is made according to the Image of the First which is contained cherished or nourished and immortalized by him as by his own Parent by whom it is made an Immortal Animal So again in the Ninth Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is the Father of the World and the World is the Son of God And in the Twelfth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This whole World is a Great God and the Image of a Greater As for the other Hermetick or Trismegistick Books published partly by Ficinus and partly by Patricius we cannot confidently condemn any of them for Christian Cheats or Impostures save only the Poemander and the Sermon in the Mount concerning Regeneration the First and Thirteenth of Ficinus his Chapters or Books Neither of which Books are cited by any of the Ancient Fathers and therefore may be presumed not to have been extant in Jamblichus his time but more lately forged and that probably by one and the self same hand since the Writer of the Latter the Sermon in the Mount makes mention of the Former that is the Poemander in the close of it For that which Casaubon objects against the Fourth of Ficinus his Books or Chapters entituled the Crater seems not very considerable it being questionable whether by the Crater any such thing were there meant as the Christian Baptisterion Wherefore as for all the rest of those Hermaick Books especially such of them as being cited by ancient Fathers may be presumed to have been extant before Jamblichus his time we know no reason why we should not concurr with that learned Philosopher in his Judgment concerning them That though they often speak the Language of Philosophers and were not written by Hermes Trismegist himself yet they do really contain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hermaical Opinions or the Egyptian Doctrine The Ninth of Ficinus his Books mentions the Asclepian Dialogue under the Greek Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretending to have been written by the same hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of which place not understood by the Translator is this I lately published O Asclepius the Book entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Perfect Oration and now I judge it necessary in pursuit of the same to discours concerning Sense Which Book as well as the Perfect Oration is cited by Lactantius As is also the Tenth of Ficinus called the Clavis which does not only pretend to be of kin to the Ninth and consequently to the Asclepius likewise but also to contain in it an Epitome of that Hermaick Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in Eusebius his Chronicon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My former Discourse was dedicated to thee O Asclepius but this to Tatius it being an Epitome of those Genica that were delivered to him Which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are thus again afterwards mentioned in the same Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have you not heard in the Genica that all Souls are derived from one Soul of the Vniverse Neither of which two places were understood by Ficinus But doubtless this latter Hermaick Book had something foisted into it because there is a manifest contradiction found therein forasmuch as that Transmigration of Humane Souls into Brutes which in the former part thereof is asserted after the Egyptian way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the just punishment of the wicked is afterwards cried down and condemned in it as the greatest Error And the Eleventh and Twelfth following Books seem to us to be as Egyptian as any of the rest as also does that long Book entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Thirteenth in Patricius Nay it is observable that even those very Books themselves that are so justly suspected and condemned for Christian Forgeries have something of the Hermaical or Egyptian Philosophy here and there interspersed in them As for example when in the Poemander God is twice called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Male and Female together this seems to have been Egyptian and derived from thence by Orpheus according to that elegant Passage in the Asclepian Dialogue concerning God Hic ergo qui Solus est Omnia utriusque Sexûs foecunditate plenissimus semper Voluntatis suae pregnans parit semper quicquid voluerit procreare He therefore who alone is All Things and most full of the Fecundity of both Sexes being always pregnant of his own Will always produceth whatsoever he pleaseth Again when Death is thus described in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be nothing else but the Change of the Body and the Form or Lifes passing into the Invisible This agreeth with that in the Eleventh Book or Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Death is nothing but a Change it being only the dissolution of the Body and the Life or Soul's passing into the Invisible or Inconspicuous In which Book it is also affirmed of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That every day some part or other of it goes into the Invisible or
upon all of the like kind And there are several other Instances of this Poets using 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods for God But it is possible that Hesiod's meaning might be the same with Plato's that though the Inferiour Mundane Gods were all made at first by the Supreme God as well as Men yet they being made something sooner than Men did afterwards contribute also to the Making of men But Hesiod's Theogonia or Generation of Gods is not to be understood universally neither but only of the Inferiour Gods that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Jupiter being to be excepted out of the number of them whom the same Hesiod as well as Homer makes to be the Father of Gods as also the King of them in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And attributes the Creation of all things to him as Proclus writeth upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By whom all Mortal men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom all things are and not by chance the Poet by a Synechdoche here ascribing the making of all to Jupiter Wherefore Hesiod's Theogonia is to be understood of the Inferiour Gods only and not of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Jupiter who was the Father and Maker of them though out of a Watery Chaos and himself therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Self-existent or Vnmade In like manner that Pindar's Gods were not Eternal but Made or Generated is plainly declared by him in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnum Hominum Vnum Deorum genus Et ex Vnaspiramus Matre utrique There is one kind both of Gods and Men and we both breath from the same Mother or spring from the same Original Where by the common Mother both of Gods and Men the Scholiast understands the Earth and Chaos taking the Gods here for the Inferiour Deities only and principally the Stars This of Pindar's therefore is to be understood of all the other Gods That they were made as well as men out of the Earth or Chaos but not of that Supreme Deity whom the same Pindar elsewhere calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most Powerful of the Gods and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord of all things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cause of every thing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God who is the best Artificer or was the Framer of the whole World and as Clemens Alexandrinus tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Vniverse Which God also according to Pindar Cheiron instructed Achilles to worship principally above all the other Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sence of which words is thus declared by the Scholiast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he should honour and worship the Loud-sounding Jupiter the Lord of Thunder and Lightning transcendently above all the other Gods Which by the way confutes the Opinion of those who contend that the Supreme God as such was not at all Worshipped by the Pagans However this is certain concerning these Three Homer Hesiod and Pindar that they must of necessity either have been all absolute Atheists in acknowledging no Eternal Deity at all but making sensless Chaos Night and the Ocean the Original of all their Gods without exception and therefore of Jupiter himself too that King and Father of them or else assert One only Eternal Unmade Self-existent Deity so as that all the other Gods were Generated or Created by that One. Which latter doubtless was their genuine sence and the only reason why Aristotle and Plato might possibly sometime have a suspicion of the contrary seems to have been this their not understanding that Mosaick Cabbala which both Hesiod and Homer followed of the World's that is both Heaven and Earth's being made at first out of a Watery Chaos for thus is the Tradition declared by St. Peter Ep. 2. Ch. 3. There might be several remarkable Passages to the same purpose produced out of those two Tragick Poets Aeschylus and Sophocles which yet because they have been already cited by Justin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus and others to avoid unnecessary tediousness we shall here pass by Only we think fit to observe concerning that one famous Passage of Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vnus profectò Vnus est tantùm Deus Coeli solique machinam qui condidit Vadumque Ponti coerulum vim Spiritus c. There is in truth One only God who made Heaven and Earth the Sea Air and Winds c. After which followeth also something against Image-worship That though this be such as might well become a Christian and be no where now to be found in those extant Tragedies of this Poet many whereof have been lost yet the sincerity thereof cannot reasonably be at all suspected by us it having been cited by so many of the Ancient Fathers in their Writings against the Pagans as particularly Justin Martyr Athenagoras Clemens Alexandrinus Justin Martyr Eusebius Cyril and Theodoret of which number Clemens tells us that it was attested likewise by that ancient Pagan Historiographer Hecataeus But there are so many Places to our purpose in Euripides that we cannot omit them all In his Supplices we have this wherein all mens Absolute Dependence upon Jupiter or one Supreme Deity is fully acknowledged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Miseros quid Homines O Deûm Rex Pater Sapere arbitramur Pendet è nutu tuo Res nostra facimusque illa quae visum tibi We have also this excellent Prayer to the Supreme Governour of Heaven and Earth cited out of the same Tragedian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tibi Cunctorum Domino Vinum Salsamque Molam fero seu Ditis Tu sive Jovis nomine gaudes Tu namque Deos Superos inter Sceptrum tractas Sublime Jovis Idem Regnum Terestre tenes Tu Lucem animis infunde Virûm Qui scire volunt quo sata Mentis Lucta sit ortu Quae Causa Mali Cui Coelicolûm rite litando Requiem sit habere laborum Where we may observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jupiter and Pluto are both of them supposed to be Names equally belonging to One and the same Supreme God And the Sum of the Prayer is this That God would infuse Light into the Souls of men whereby they might be enabled to know What is the Root from whence all their Evils spring and by what means they may avoid them Lastly there is another Devotional Passage cited out of Euripides
that Highest Principle and that there is a certain providence descending down from these upon the Vniverse all Sects do not believe the reason whereof is because The One or Vnity appears more clearly and plainly to them than The Many or a Multitude Moreover we learn from Arianus his Epictetus that that very Form of Prayer which hath been now so long in use in the Christian Church Kyrie Eleeson Lord have mercy upon us was anciently part of the Pagans Litany to the Supreme God either amongst the Greeks or the Latins or Both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Epictetus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invoking God we pray to him after this manner Lord have mercy upon us Now this Epictetus lived in the times of Adrian the Emperour and that this Passage of his is to be understood of Pagans and not of Christians is undeniably manifest from the context he there speaking of those who used Auguria or Divination by Birds Moreover in the writings of the Greekish Pagans the Supreme God is often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lord. For not to urge that passage of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Asclepian Dialogue cited by Lactantius where we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord and Maker of all Menander in Just. Martyr stileth the Supreme God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most Vniversal Lord of all And Osiris in Plutarch is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord of all things And this is also done Absolutely and without any Adjection and that not only by the Seventy and Christians but also by Pagan Writers thus in Plutarch's de Iside Osiride we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The knowledge of the first Intelligible and the Lord that is of the Supreme God And Oromasdes is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord in Plutarch's Life of Alexander as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Aristotle that is the Supreme Ruler over all Thus likewise Plato in his Sixth Epistle ad Hermiam c. styles his First Divine Hypostasis or the Absolutely Supreme Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father of the Prince and Cause of the World that is of the Eternal Intellect The LORD Again Jamblichus writeth thus of the Supreme God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is confessed that every Good thing ought to be asked of the Lord that is the Supreme God which words are afterwards repeated in him also p. 129. but depraved in the printed Copy thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly Clemens Alexandrinus tells us that the Supreme God was called not by one only name but by divers diversly namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either the One or the Good or Mind or the very Ens or the Father or the Demiurgus or the Lord. Wherefore we conclude that this Kyrie Eleeson or Domine Miserere in Arrianus was a Pagan Litany or Supplication to the Supreme God Though from Mauritius the Emperors Stratagemata it appears that in his time a Kyrie Eleeson was wont to be sung also by the Christian Armies before Battel And that the most Sottishly Superstitious and Idolatrous of all the Pagans and the Worshippers of never so many Gods amongst them did notwithstanding generally acknowledge One Supreme Deity over them all One Vniversal Numen is positively affirmed and fully attested by Aurelius Prudentius in his Apotheosis in these words Ecquis in Idolio recubans inter sacra mille Ridiculosque Deos venerans sale caespite thure Non putat esse Deum Summum super omnia Solum Quamvis Saturnis Junonibus Cytheraeis Portentisque aliis sumantes consecret aras Attamen in Coelum quoties suspexit in Vno Constituit jus omne Deo cui serviat ingens Virtutum ratio Variis instructa Ministris We are not ignorant that Plato in his Cratylus where he undertakes to give the Etymologies of words and amongst the rest of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writeth in this manner concerning the First and most Ancient Inhabitants of Greece That they seemed to him like as other Barbarians at that time to have acknowledged no other Gods than such as were Visible and Sensible as the Sun and the Moon and the Earth and the Stars and the Heaven Which they perceiving to run round perpetually therefore called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to run But that when afterward they took notice of other Invisible Gods also they bestowed the same name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon them likewise Which Passage of Plato's Eusebius somewhere would make use of to prove that the Pagans universally acknowledged no other Gods but Corporeal and Inanimate plainly contrary to that Philosophers meaning who as he no where affirms that any Nation ever was so barbarous as to worship Sensless and Inanimate Bodies as such for Gods but the contrary so doth he there distinguish from those First Inhabitants of Greece and other Barbarians the afterward Civilized Greeks who took notice of Invisible Gods also However if this of Plato should be true that some of the ancient Pagans worshipped none but Visible and Sensible Gods they taking no notice of any Incorporeal Beings yet does it not therefore follow that those Pagans had no Notion at all amongst them of One Supreme and Vniversal Numen The contrary thereunto being manifest that some of those Corporealists looked upon the whole Heaven and Ether Animated as the Highest God according to that of Euripides cited by Cicero Vides Sublime fusum immoderatum aethera Qui tenero terram circumvectu amplectitur Hunc Summum habeto Divum hunc perhibeto Jovem As also that others of them conceived that Subtil Fiery Substance which permeates and pervades the whole World supposed to be Intellectual to be the Supreme Diety which governs all this Opinion having been entertained by Philosophers also as namely the Heracliticks and Stoicks And lastly since Macrobius in the Person of Vettius Praetextatus refers so many of the Pagan Gods to the Sun this renders it not improbable but that some of these Pagans might adore the Animated Sun as the Sovereign Numen and thus perhaps invoke him in that Form of Prayer there mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Omnipotent Sun the Mind and Spirit of the whole World c. And even Cleanthes himself that Learned Stoick and Devout Religionist is suspected by some to have been of this Perswasion Nevertheless we think it opportune here to observe that it was not Macrobius his Design in those his Saturnalia to defend this either as his own opinion or as the opinion of the Generality of Pagans That the Animated Sun was Absolutely The Highest Deity as some have conceived nor yet to reduce that Multiplicity of Pagan Gods by this device of his into a seeming Monarchy and nearer compliance with Christianity he there plainly confining his Discourse to the Dii duntaxat qui sub Coelo
worshipping Many Vnmade Self-originated Deities as Partial Creators of the World or else in worshipping besides the Supreme God other Created Beings Superiour to Men Now Philo plainly understood the Pagan Polytheism after this latter way as may appear from this passage of his in his Book concerning the Confusion of Languages where speaking of the Supreme God the Maker and Lord of the whole World and of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Innumerable Assistent Powers both visible and invisible he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore some men being struck with admiration of both these Worlds the Visible and the Invisible have not only Deified the whole of them but also their several Parts as the Sun and the Moon and the whole Heaven they not scrupling to call these Gods Which Notion and Language of theirs Moses respected in those words of his Thou Lord the King of Gods he thereby declaring the transcendency of the Supreme God above all those his subjects called Gods To the same purpose Philo writeth also in his Commentary upon the Decalogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore removing all such imposture Let us worship no Beings that are by Nature Brothers and Germane to us though endued with far more pure and immortal Essences than we are For all Created things as such have a kind of Germane and Brotherly Equality with one another the maker of all things being their common Father But let us deeply infix this first and most holy commandment in our breasts to acknowledge and worship One only Highest God And again afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They who worship the Sun and the Moon and the whole Heaven and World and the Principal parts of them as Gods err in that they worship the Subjects of the Prince whereas the Prince alone ought to be worshipped Thus according to Philo the Pagan Polytheism consisted in giving Religious Worship besides the Supreme God to other Created understanding Beings and Parts of the World more pure and immortal than men Flavius Josephus in his Judaick Antiquities extolling Abraham's Wisdom and Piety writeth thus concerning him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some would understand in this manner that Abraham was the first who publickly declared that there was one God the Demiurgus or maker of the whole world as if all mankind besides at that time had supposed the world to have been made not by One but by Many Gods But the true meaning of those words is this That Abraham was the first who in that degenerate age publickly declared that the Maker of the whole world was the One only God and alone to be Religiously Worshipped accordingly as it follows afterwards in the same writer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom alone men ought to give honour and thanks And the reason hereof is there also set down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because all those other beings that were then worshipped as Gods whatsoever any of them contributed to the happiness of mankind they did it not by their own power but by his appointment and command he instancing in the Sun and Moon and Earth and Sea which are all made and ordered by a higher power and providence by the force whereof they contribute to our utility As if he should have said That no Created Being ought to be Religiously worshipped but the Creator only And this agreeth with what we read in Scripture concerning Abraham that he called upon the Name of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God of the whole World that is he worshipped no particular Created Beings as the other Pagans at that time did but only that Supreme Vniversal Numen which made and conteineth the whole World And thus Maimonides interprets that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham began to teach that none ought to be Religiously Worshipped save only the God of the whole World Moreover the same Josephus afterwards in his Twelfth Book brings in Aristaeus who seems to have been a secret Proselyted Greek pleading with Ptolemaeus Philadelphus in behalf of the Jews and their Liberty after this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It would well agree with your Goodness and Magnanimity to free the Jews from that miserable Captivity which they are under since the same God who governeth your Kingdom gave Laws to them as I have by diligent search found out For both They and we do alike worship the God who made all things we calling him Zene because he gives life to all Wherefore for the honour of that God whom they worship after a singular manner please you to indulge them the liberty of returning to their native country Where Aristaeus also according to the sence of Pagans thus concludes Know O King that I intercede not for these Jews as having any cognation with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but all men being the Workmanship of God and knowing that he is delighted with beneficence I therefore thus exhort you As for the latter Jewish Writers and Rabbins it is certain that the generality of them supposed the Pagans to have acknowledged One Supreme and Vniversal Numen and to have worshipped all their other Gods only as his Ministers or as Mediators between him and them Maimonides in Halacoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 describeth the Rise of the Pagan Polytheism in the dayes of Enosh after this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the days of Enosh the Sons of men grievously erred and the wisemen of that age became brutish even Enosh himself being in the number of them and their errour was this that since God had created the Stars and Spheres to govern the world and placing them on high had bestowed this honour upon them that they should be his Ministers and subservient Instruments men ought therefore to praise them honour them and worship them this being the pleasure of the Blessed God that men should magnifie and honour those whom himself hath magnified and honoured as a King will have his Ministers to be reverenced this honour redounding to himself Again the same Maimonides in the beginning of the Second Chapter of that Book writeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Foundation of that Commandment against strange Worship now commonly called Idolatry is this that no man should worship any of the Creatures whatsoever neither Angel nor Sphere nor Star nor any of the four Elements nor any thing made out of them For though he that worships these things know that the Lord is God and Superiour to them all and worships those Creatures no otherwise than Enosh and the rest of that age did yet is he nevertheless guilty of Strange Worship or Idolatry And that after the times of Enosh also in succeeding ages the Polytheism of the Pagan Nations was no other than this the worshipping besides One Supreme God of other created Beings as the Ministers of his Providence and as Middles or Mediators betwixt Him and Men is declared likewise by Maimonides in his More
Nevochim to have been the Universal Belief of all the Hebrews or Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You know that whosoever committeth Idolatry he doth it not as supposing that there is no other God besides that which he worshippeth for it never came into the minds of any Idolaters nor never will that that Statue which is made by them of metal or stone or wood is that very God who created Heaven and Earth but they worship those Statues and Images only as the representation of something which is a Mediator between God and them Moses Albelda the Author of the Book entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnolath Tamid resolves all the Pagan Polytheism and Idolatry into these Two Principles one of which respected God and the other men themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Idolaters first argued thus in respect of God that since he was of such transcendent perfection above men it was no possible for men to be united to or have communion with him otherwise than by means of certain Middle Beings or Mediators as it is the manner of Earthly Kings to have petitions conveyed to them by the hands of Mediators Intercessors Secondly they thus argued also in respect of themselves That being corporeal so that they could not apprehend God Abstractly they must needs have something Sensible to excite and stir up their devotion fix their Imagination upon Joseph Albo in the Book called Ikkarim concludes that Ahab and the other Idolatrous Kings of Israel and Judah worshipped other Gods upon those two accounts mentioned by Maimonides no otherwise namely that the Supreme God was honoured by worshipping of his Ministers and that there ought to be certain Middles and Mediators betwixt him and Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahab and other Kings of Israel and Judah and even Solomon himself erred in worshipping the Stars upon those two accounts already mentioned out of Maimonides notwithstanding that they believed the Existence of God and his Vnity they partly conceiving that they should honour God in worshipping of his Ministers and partly worshipping them as Mediators betwixt God and themselves And the same Writer determines the meaning of that First Commandment which is to him the Second Thou shalt have no other Gods before my face to be this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not set up other Inferiour Gods as Mediators betwixt me and thy sâ—lf or worship them so as thinking to honour me thereby R. David Kimchi upon 2 Kings 17. writeth thus concerning that Israelitish Pâ—iâ—st who by the King of Assyria's command was sent to Samariah to teach the new inhabitanâ—s thereof to worship the God of that Land of whom it is afterwards said that they both feared the Lord and served their Idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he should have altogether prohibited them their Idolatry they would not have hearkned to him that being a thing which all those Eastern people were educated in from their very Infancy insomuch that it was a kind of First Principle to them Wherefore he permitted them to worship all their several Gods as before they had done only he required them to direct the intention of their minds to the God of Israel as the Supreme for those Gods could do them neither Good nor Hurt otherwise than according to his Will and pleasure but they worshipped them to this purpose that they might be MEDIATORS betwixt them and the Creatour In the Book Nitzachon all the Polytheism and Idolatry of the Pagans is reduced to these Three Heads First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When they worshipped the Ministers of God as thinking to honour him thereby and Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When they worshipped them as Orators and Intecessors for them with God and Lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they worshipped Statues of wood and stone for Memorials of him And though it be true that Isaak Abrabanel upon 2 Kings 17. does enumerate more Species of Pagan Idolatry even to the number of Ten yet are they all of them but so many several Modes of Creature-worship and there is no such thing amongst them to be found as the worshipping of many Unmade Independent Deities as Partial Creators of the World Moreover those Rabbinick Writers commonly interpret certain places of the Scripture to this sence That the Pagan Idolaters did notwithstanding acknowledge One Supreme Deity as that Jeremy 10.7 Who is there that will nâ—t feâ—r thee thâ—u King of Nations For amongst all their wise men and in all their Kingdoms there is none like unto thee though they are become all togâ—ther brutish and their worshipping of stocks is a doctrine of vanity For Maimonides thus glosseth upon those Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if he should say all the Gentiles know that thou art the only Supreme God but their errour and folly consisteth in this that they think this vanity of worshipping Inferiour Gods to be a thing agreeable to thy will And thus also Kimchi in his Commentaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who will not fear thee It is fit that even the Nations themselves who worship Idols should fear thee for thou art their King and indeed amongst all the wisemen of the Nations and in all their Kingdoms it is generally acknowledged that thâ—re is none like unto thee Neither do they worship the Stars otherwise thâ—n as Mediators betwixt thee and them Their wise men know that aâ— Idâ—l is nothing and though they worship Stars yet do they worship thâ—◠〈◊〉 thy Ministâ—â—s and that they may be Intercessors for them Another place is that Malachi 1.11 which though we read in the Future Tense as a â—rophâ—cy of the Gentiles yet the Jews understand it of that preâ—â—nt time when those words were written From the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof my name is great among the Gentiles and in every place incense is offered to my name and a pure oblation for my name is great amongst the Gentiles saith the Lord of Hosts But you prophane it c. Upon which words R. Solomon glosseth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pagan Polytheists and Idolaters Know that there is One God Superiour to all those other Gods and Idols worshipped by them and in every place are there Free-will-offerings brought to my name even amongst the Gentiles And Kimchi agreeth with him herein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although the Pagans worshipped the Host of Heaven yet do they confess me to be the first Cause they worshipping them only as in their opinion certain Mediators betwixt me and them Whether either of these two places of Scripture does sufficiently prove what these Jews would have or no yet however is it evident from their interpretations of them that themselves supposed the Pagans to have acknowledged One Supreme Deity and that their Other Gods were all but his Creatures and Ministers Nevertheless there is another place of Scripture which seems to found more to this purpose and accordingly hath been thus interpreted
Greek or Latine this also would be to us a Miracle or Effect Supernatural for so is the Apostles speaking with Tounges accounted and yet in Demoniacks is this sometimes done by Evil Demons God only Permitting Such also amongst the Pagans was that Miraculum Cotis as Apuleius calls it that Miracle of the Whetstone done by Accius Navius when at his command it was divided into Two with a Razor But Secondly there is another sort of Miracles or Effects Supernatural such as are above the Power of all Second Causes or any Natural Created Being whatsoever and so can be attributed to none but God Almighty himself the Author of Nature who therefore can Controul it at pleasure As for that late Theological Politician who writing against Miracles denies as well those of the Former as of this Latter Kind contending that a Miracle is nothing but a Name which the Ignorant Vulgar gives to Opus Naturae Insolitum any Vnwonted work of Nature or to what themselves can assign no Cause off as also that if there were any such thing done Contrary to Nature or Above it it would rather Weaken than Confirm Our Belief of the Divine Existence We find his Discourse every way so Weak Groundless and Inconsiderable that we could not think it here to deserve a Confutation But of the Former Sort of those Miracles is that to be understood Deuter. the 13. If there arise among you a Prophet or dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a Sign or a Wonder and the Sign or Wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying Let us go after other Gods and serve them thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet or Dreamer of Dreams for the Lord your God Proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your Soul For it cannot be Supposed that God Almighty would himself purposely Inspire any man to exhort others to Idolatry and immediatly assist such a one with his own Supernatural Power of doing Miracles in Confirmation of such Doctrine But the meaning is that by the suggestion of Evil Spirits some False Prophets might be raised up to tempt the Jews to Idolatry or at least that by Assistance of them such Miracles might be wrought in Confirmation thereof as those sometimes done by the Egyptian Sorcerers or Magicians God himself not interposing in this case to hinder them for this reason that he might hereby Prove and Try their Faithfulness towards him For as much as both by the Pure Light of Nature and God's Revealed Will before confirmed by Miracles Idolatry or the Religious Worship of any but God Almighty had been sufficiently condemned From whence it is evident that Miracles alone at least such Miracles as these are no sufficient Confirmation of a True Prophet without consideration had of the Doctrine taught by him For though a man should have done never so many true and real Miracles amongst the Jews and yet should perswade to Idolatry he was by them confidently to be condemned to death for a false Prophet Accordingly in the New Testament do we read that our Saviour Christ forewarned his Disciples That False Prophets and False Christs should arise and show great Signs or Wonders in so much that if it were possible they should seduce the very Elect. And St. Paul foretelleth concerning the Man of Sin or Anti-Christ That his coming should be after the working of Satan with all Power and Signs and Wonders or Miracles of a Lye For we conceive that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place are not properly meant Feigned and Counterfeit Miracles that is meer Cheating and Jugling tricks but True Wonders and Real Miracles viz. of the Former Sort mentioned done for the Confirmation of a Lye as the Doctrine of this Man of Sin is there afterwards called For otherwise how could his coming be said to be According to the Working of Satan with all Power In like manner also in St. John's Apocalypse where the coming of the same Man of Sin and the Mystery of Iniquity is again described we read Chapter 13. of a Two Horned Beast like a Lamb That he shall do great wonders and deceive those that dwell on the Earth by means of those Miracles which he hath power to do in the sight of the Beast And again Chapter 16. Of certain unclean Spirits like Frogs coming out of the mouth of the Dragon and of the Beast and of the False Prophet which are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles that go forth to the Kings of the Earth And Lastly Chapter 19. Of the False Prophet that wrought Miracles before the Beast All which seem to be understood not of Feigned and Counterfeit Miracles only but of True and Real also Effected by the Working of Satan in Confirmation of a Lye that is of Idolatry False Religion and Imposture God Almighty permitting it partly in way of Probation or Tryal of the faithfulness of his own servants and partly in way of Just Judgment and Punishment upon those who receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved as the Apostle declareth Wherefore those Miracles pretended for divers Ages past to have been done before the Relicks of Saints and Images c. were they all True could by no means justifie or warrant that Religious Worship by many given to them because True and Real Miracles done in order to the promoting of Idolatry are so far from Justifying that Idolatry that they are themselves Condemned by it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Miracles of a Lye done by the Working of Satan But as for the Miracles of our Saviour Christ had they been all of them only of the Former Kind such as might have been done God permitting by the Natural Power of Created Spirits and their Assistance yet for as much as he came in the Name of the Lord teaching neither Idolatry nor any thing contrary to the clear Light and Law of Nature therefore ought he by reason of those Miracles to have been received by the Jews themselves and owned for a True Prophet according to the Doctrine of Moses himself Who both in the 13. and 18. Chapter of Deuter. plainly supposeth that God would in no other Case permit any False Prophet to do Miracles by the assistance of Evil Spirits save only in that of Idolatry and which is always understood of what is plainly Discoverable by the Light of Nature to be False or Evil. The reason whereof is manifest because if he should this would be an Invincible Temptation which it is inconsistent with the Divine Goodness to expose men unto And our Saviour Christ was unquestionably that One Eximious Prophet which God Almighty by Moses promised to send unto the Israelites upon occasion of their own desire made to him at Horeb Let me not hear again the voyce of the Lord my God nor let me see this great Fire any more that I die not Whereupon the Lord
Before in Sense The Humane Soul a Principle of Actions and therefore also of Cogitations This a Bubbling Fountain of Thoughts But that there is such a Perfect Mind as at once Comprehends all Truth and was Before Sensibles Page 845 846 This a Prodigious Paradox and Falsity of Atheists That Cogitation Local Motion and Thinking Beings Machines Here a Correction of what we wrote before P. 761 and a Change of our Opinion upon further Consideration That not onely a Modern Writer but also the Ancient Atheistick Atomists did conclude Cogitation to be Really nothing else but Local Motion Nevertheless these men troubled with the Phancy of Cogitation which because they cannot make Local Motion they would persuade us to be no Reality or Nothing Atheists aware That if there be any Action besides Locall Motion there must then be some other Substance acknowledged besides Body They who make Cogitation Local Motion and Men Machines no more to be disputed with then Sensless Machines Page 846 847 To Affirm That no Understanding Being can be Happy nor a God because Dependent upon Something without it all one as to Affirm That Sensless Matter is the Most Perfect of all things and That Knowledge as such speaking Imperfection is but a Whiffling and Phantastick thing But of this more afterwards Thus the Tenth Atheistick Argument Confuted Page 847 Another Atheistick Argument From the Nature of Knowledge and Understanding That the World could not be made by an Underding Being Because there was no Knowledge before Things which are the Objects of it and the onely Things are Sensibles which Knowledge a Passion from Therefore all Mind as such a Creature and none a Creatour ibid. This already fully Answered Page 729 and so forwards Where Proved That Singular Bodies are not the Onely Things and Objects of the Mind but that it containeth its Intelligibles within it Self And That Knowledge is Archetypall to the World and the Maker of All. So the Existence of a God Demonstrable from the Nature of Knowledge and Understanding Page 847 848 That the Atheists can no more Salve the Phaenomenon of Cogitation then that of Locall Motion Evident from their Many Hallucinations concerning it whereof a Catalogue subjoyned First That all Life and Understanding a meer Accidentall thing Generable and Corruptible and no Life nor Mind Substantiall or Essentiall This before Confuted Page 848 Again That Life and Mind no Simple and Primitive Natures but Compounded Syllables of things and therefore none Immortall nor Incorruptible Answer That Life and Understanding are Active Powers and could never result from meer Passive Bulk nor can any Composition of Dead and Sensless Matter possibly beget Life and Understanding Though no Necessity That there should be any Eternal Unmade Red or Green because these might be Made out of things not Red nor Green nor That there should be Eternal Motion because Motion might be produced from a Self-Active Principle nor That there should be any Eternall Unmade Matter because were there none it might notwithstanding be Created by a Perfect Incorporeal Being yet an Absolute Necessity of Eternal Unmade Life and Mind because had there been once none there could never have been any Page 848 849 Another Atheistick Hallucination That there is Nothing of Self-Activity in Cogitation nor any thing could Act otherwise then as it is Made to Act by Something else This to bring all Action from Nothing or to suppose it without a Cause Page 849 850 Another Madness of theirs already mentioned That Cogitation Locall Motion and Thinking Beings Machines This Equall Sottishness or Impudence as to affirm Number to be Figure c. Page 850 Another Paradox of the Epicurean and Democritick Atheists That Mentall Cogitation as well as Sensation the meer Passions of the Thinker and the Actions of Bodies Existing without him Some of them supposing Thoughts to be Caused by certain Finer Images then Sensations Others than they are the Remainders of the Motions of Sense formerly made Answer That Sensation it self is not a meer Corporeal Passion but the Perception of a Passion in a way of Phancy much less Mental Cogitations such and least of all Volitions Page 850 851 But Consentaneously hereunto these Atheists Determine all Knowledge and Understanding to be Really the same thing with Sense From whence follow Two Absurdities First That there can be no such thing as Errour because all Passion is True Passion and all Sense True Sense that is True Seeming and Appearance This Absurdity owned by Protagoras Epicurus Endeavoured to avoid this but in vain and contradictiously to his own Principles Page 851 852 A Second Absurdity consequent thereupon That there is no Absolute Truth nor Falsehood but all Knowledge Private and Relative and nothing but Opinion This freely owned likewise by Protagoras Sometimes also by Democritus Who therefore but a Blunderer neither in the Atomick Philosophy which plainly Supposes a Higher Faculty of Reason and Understanding that judges of Sense and discovers the Phantastry thereof it reaching to Absolute Truth Page 852 853 Another Atheistick Errour That Singular Bodies are the onely Objects of Mentall Conception as well as of Sensation This imputed by Aristotle to Democritus and Protagoras But sufficiently before Confuted Page 853 854 The better to maintain this Paradox Added by a Modern Atheistick Writer as his own Invention That Universals are Nothing else but Names by which Many Singular Bodies are called Axiomes or Propositions the Addition and Substraction of Names and Syllogistick Reasoning the reckoning the Consequences of them and that therefore besides the Passions of Sense we know Nothing at all of any thing but onely the Names by which it is Called Whence it would follow That Geometricall Truths not the same in Greek and in Latine c. Page 854 That the Atheists according to these premised Principles endeavour to Depreciate Knowledge and Understanding as that which speaks no Higher Perfection then is in Sensless Matter Thus the Atheists in Plato make it but a Ludicrous Umbratile and Evanid thing the meer Image of Bodies the onely Realities Their Design in this to take away the Scale or Ladder of Entities Page 855 856 All the Grounds of this again briefly Confuted and Particularly that Opinion so much favouring Atheism That there is Nothing in the Understanding which was not Before in Sense out of Boëtius Just and Unjust Greater Realities in Nature then Hard and Soft c. Vnquestionably a Scale or Ladder of Entities and therefore Certain that the Order of Things must be in way of Descent from Higher Perfection to Lower and not of Ascent from Lower to Higher The Steps of this Ladder not Infinite the Foot thereof Inanimate Matter the Head a Perfect Omnipotent Being Comprehending in It self all Possibilities of Things Mind by Nature Lord over all and Sovereign King of Heaven and Earth Page 856 859 The Reason why we so much Insist upon this Because Atheists Pretend not onely to Salve the Phaenomenon of Cogitation without a God
but also from thence to Demonstrate the Impossibility of his Existence Though Modern Writers not so much aware hereof yet is the Controversy betwixt Theists and Atheists thus Stated by Plato Whether Soul and Mind Juniors to Sensless Matter and the Offspring thereof or else Substantiall Things and in Order of Nature Before it Accordingly Plato confuteth Atheism no otherwise then by proving Soul not to be Junior to Inanimate Matter and Generated out of the same Evident That Plato by Soul here understood not onely the Mundane Soul but also that Whole Rank of Beings called Soul and That no Life was Generated out of Matter Page 859 860 Those professed Christians who Generate Rationall Souls out of Sensless Matter plain Betrayers of the Cause of Theism Page 860 861 Nor is the Case much different as to others who though they professedly Generate onely Sensitive Souls yet making the Rationall but meer Blanks which have Nothing in them but what was Scribbled upon them by Sense and so Knowledge in its own Nature Junior to Sense and Sensibles Highly Gratify the Atheists hereby Page 861 If any Life and Cogitation may be Generated out of Dead and Sensless Matter then can no good Reason be given why All should not be Life not partly Accidental partly Substantiall but either All Conscious Life Accidental Generable and Corruptible or else None at all ibid. The Doctrine of Reall Qualities Generable and Corruptible favourable to Atheism also And though the Atheistick Atomists Explode all the other Qualities Because Nothing can come from Nothing yet contradicting themselves again do they make Life and Understanding Reall Qualities Generated out of Matter or Caused by Nothing Page 861 862 There being a Seale or Ladder of Entities in Nature to Produce a Higher Rank of Beings out of a Lower as Life and Cogitation out of Matter and Magnitude is to Invert the Order of this Scale from Downwards to Upwards and so to lay a Foundation for Atheism Wherefore great Reason to maintain this Post against the Atheists That no Souls can be Generated out of Matter Page 862 863 The Grand Objection against the Substantiality of Sensitive Souls from that Consequence of their Permanent Subsistence after Death Cartesius so Sensible thereof that he would rather make Brutes to be Sensless Machines then allow them Substantiall Souls which he granted they must have if Thinking Beings What clearly Demonstrable by Reason not to be abandoned because attended with some Difficulties or seemingly Offensive Consequences Page 863 The Pythagorick Hypothesis That Souls all Created by God not in the Generation of Animals but in the Cosmogonia These therefore first Clothed with Thin and Subtile Bodies Aeriall or Aetheriall Ochemata wherein they Subsist both before their Ingress into Terrestriall Bodies and after their Egress out of them Thus Boëtius and Proclus Ammonius his Irrationall Demons Mortall Brutish Souls in Aeriall Bodies Since the First Creation no New Substantiall thing Made or Destroyed and therefore no Life This looked upon by Macrobius as a Great Truth Page 863 865 That the Pythagoreans would Endeavour to gain some Countenance for this Hypothesis from the Scripture Page 865 867 But if these Aeriall Vehicles of Brutish Souls be exploded for a Whimsey and none but Terrestriall Bodies allowed to them though after Death they will not Vanish into Nothing yet must they needs remain in a State of Insensibility and Inactivity till re-united to other Terrestriall Bodies Wherefore these in one Sense Mortall though in another Immortall Silk-worms dying and reviving in the Form of Butterflies made an Emblem of the Resurrection by Christian Theologers Page 867 868 But no Absolute Necessity That the Souls of Brutes though Substantiall should have a Permanent Subsistence after Death either in a State of Activity or Inactivity Because whatsoever Created by God may Possibly by him be Annihilated The Substantiality onely of the Rationall Soul Demonstrable by Reason or that it will not of it Self vanish into Nothing but not that it is Absolutely Impossible for it to be Annihilated The assurance of this Depending upon a Faith in the Divine Goodness Porphyrius his Assertion That Brutish Souls are Resolved into the Life of the Universe The whole Answer to this Objection against the Substantiality of Brutish Souls That they may notwithstanding Possibly be Annihilated in the Deaths of Animals as well as they were Created in their Generations but if they do Subsist without Aeriall Vehicles they must remain in a State of Inactivity and Insensibility Page 868 869 That this the Doctrine of the Ancient Pagan Theologers That no Life or Soul Generated out of Dead and Sensless Matter but all Produced by the Deity as well as Matter Proved out of Virgil though sundry other Testimonies also might be added thereunto Page 869 870 The Hylozoick Atheists themselves so Sensible hereof That there must be some Substantiall and Unmade Life from whence the Lives and Minds of all Animals are Derived That they attribute the same to Matter and conclude That though the Modificated Lives of Animals and Men be Accidentall Generated and Corrupted yet the Fundamental Life of them is Substantiall and Incorruptible These also asserted a Knowledge before Sense and Vnderived from Sensibles Page 870 871 This Hylozoick Atheism again Confuted Absurd to suppose Knowledge and Understanding without Consciousness as also That the Substantiall and Fundamentall Life of Men and other Animals should never Perish and yet their Souls and Personalities Vanish into Nothing That no Organization can produce Consciousness These Atheists not able possibly to give an Account whence the Intelligible Objects and Idea's of this their Knowledge of Matter should spring This Hylozoick Atheism Nothing but the Crumbling of the Deity into Matter Page 871 Concluded That the Phaenomenon of Mind and Understanding can no way possibly be Salved by Atheists without a God but affordeth a Solid Demonstration of his Existence Page 871 872 SECT V. THERE now Remaining onely the Atheistick Objections against Providence their Queries and Arguments from Interests Their First Objection From the Frame of the World as Faulty Or Because Things are Ill Made that therefore not made by a God This directed against the Sense of the Ancient Theologers That God being a Perfect Mind therefore made the World after the Best manner Some Modern Theologers Deviating from this as if the Perfection of the Deity consisted not at all in Goodness but in Power and Arbitrary Will onely The Controversy betwixt these and Atheists but Whether Matter Fortuitously Moved or a Fortuitous Will Omnipotent be the Originall of all things No Ground of Faith in a meer Arbitrarious Deity To have a Will Vndetermined to Good no Liberty nor Soveraignty but Impotency God to Celsus the Head or President of the Righteous Nature This not onely the Sense of Origen but of the Ancient Christians in Generall Plotinus The Will of God Essentially That which Ought to be God an Impartiall Balance Weighing out Heaven and Earth The