ifd'- Is/^

-J

THE

PHILOSOPHICAL

PRINCIPLES
OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION,
UNFOLDED
IN

GEOMETRICAL ORDER
BY

THE CHEVALIER RAMSAY

AUTHOR
OF

THE TRAVELS OF CYRUS.

GLASGOW:
PRINTED AND SOLD BY ROBERT FOULIE.
MDCGXLVHI,

PREFACE.
IN
'

this twilight

of human underftanding
glafs.'

we

fee things

darkly as in a

The

moft fublime reafonings, the

noblefl: ideas, the

moft perfeft fchcmcs we can form of

God

and Nature
of
*

are

no doubt looked upon by

angelical minds, as

the childifh difcourfes of little babes, according to the cxprefCion

a fine poet

Superior beings

when of late
all

they faw

A mortal man unfold

Admir'd fuch wifdom

nature's law,

in an earthly fhape,
as

And fhew'd a Newton,

we fhew an

ape.

It

is

therefore with the greateft fclf-diffidence that

we

under-

take the refearch and demonftration of the principles contai-

ned in the following

feel

trcatife.

We know their fublimity,

ways of coming
to the

we

our

own

weaknefs.

There
tion.

are but

two

pofFible

know-

ledge of truth,

by

natural evidence, or

by fupernatural revelaand both are em-

Both

are emanations

of that fovereign wifdom which

our
afTent,

alone has the right to

command

ployed in this

effay.

Tho' natural

light is

not always fufficient

to difcover fupernatural truths, yet revelation never contra6iO:s reafon.

The former ferves

to exalt

and ennoble, but ne-

ver to degrade and extinguifh the latter. Philofophy therefore

as

an handinaid

may very well be employed

a 2

to

fhow

that rcli-

iv

PREFACE.
IS

glon

perfeftly conformable to reafon.

So long

as Deifts

and

Freethinkers fee no fublimity,dignity,nor beauty in the Chrifti-

an fcheme,they will of God.

ftill

cry out that our myfteries are blaipheall

mous, and that feveral do6lrines of faith deftroy

attributes

the moral

PrepofTelTed with thefe falfe ideas, they

tricks

muft look upon miracles as

infpiration as enthufiafm
ftic
;

of art; prophecy as impofture;

the reafons of credibility

facred hiftory as fabulous ; ecclefiaall

authority as prieftcraft, and

as plaufible falfhoods.

We do not

here attempt to prove by

fuch prophecies and miracles as could have proceeded only

from omnifcience and omnipotence, that God has fpoken to his creatures in a fupernatural manner; far lefs that the books
of the Old and

New Teftament
is,

were thus infpired and have

been preferved ever fince pure and uncorrupted.

pretend to fhow
that fuppofing thefe
is

What we
divine, the

books

do<flrine contained therein

the only religion which juftifies

the ways of eternal providence, renders the Deity amiable to

his creatures, reconciles all his

moral

attributes, far

from de-

ftroying

them

and

in fine that the

Holy

Scriptures con-

tain the mofl: fublime fyftem

of theology and philofophy coninvifible

cerning

God

and nature the vifible and

;

world, that

has ever yet been difcovcred.

In order
part
*

to this,

we

endeavour to demonftrate in the

eflay,
*

firft

of the following

That

the great principles

of

NATURAL RELIGION
cible evidence;

are

foundcd upon the moft invineffential doftrines

and that the

of REVEA-

LED RELIGION
principal do<5lrines

are perfectly conformable to

fhall

reason.'
of
all

In the fecond part we

*

fhow

'

That

vcftiges

the

of the Chriftian religion are to be found

PREFACE.
*

in the
ages,

monuments,
;

writings, or mythologies

of all nations,

'

and religions and that thefe veftlges are emanations of

the primitive, antlent, imlverfal religion of mankind, tranf-

'

mitted from the beginning of the world by the Antidiluvians to the Poftdiluvian patriarchs, and
fterlty that

by them

to their po-

peopled the face of the earth.'

In the whole

courfeof this work

we attempt to fhow, that as the Pagan myby degrees the

fo
firft

thologifts adulterated

original traditions

of the by ma-

patriarchal religion

the Jewifli rabbins, and then the

Chriftlan fchoolmen have disfigured revealed religion,

ny abfurd

opinions, popular errors, and wild fictions,

which

being neither founded in fcrlpture, nor authorized by the con-

fentof the univerfal church, ought not to pafs for do^rines

of

faith.

Thus we hope

to feparate the pure

from the im-

pure, and thereby remove

many

fcandals, ftumbling blocks,

and

prejudices, that

make minute

philofophers fcoiFat, and

delpife

ChrKHanlty,

We have digefted the great principles of thefirfl: part Into a

geometrical order,which
Is

certainly the mofl: exa(5l

wayof rea-

foning,the mofl proper to convince others, and undeceive ourfelves.

Each demonftration

confifls ofonefyllogiflTi, of which

al-

the premifes are either a definition, an axiom, apropofition

ready demonftrated, or fome corollary drawn from

is eafy upon a review

it.

Thus it
and

to detect the error

where it lay s.The lem-

mas

are incidental propofitions defigned to prove others,

in this treatife

they are demonflrated

by a combination of felf-

evident maxims. In the fcholiums we do not pretend to demonftrate,

but only to explain the principles already proved, or to

anfwer obje6tions made againfl them.

Tho' fome of our de-

.vl

PREFACE.
lefs evident,

monftrations or corollaries fhould fecm

or even

prove

falfe;

yet this will not deflroy the truth of the principle

it,

advanced, if other demonftrations can be found to fupport

and therefore our

adverfaries

muft not triumph,

till

they can

fhow, not only that fome of the proofs

we give are lefs

by
feparate

cogent

and

exa61:

but

alfo that

no

better ones can be given.

is

The ufual way of demonftrating

fame
principle.

and indein the

this

pendent proofs, which do not flow from, nor re-unite

All the propofitions and corollaries of

effay are derived

from the fimple idea ofasELF-ExisTENT

all

BEING which
;

muft allow, whether Atheifts or Theifts;

Deifts or Chriftlans.

This

is

the feed which contains the

hidden
fruits.

tree,

with

all its

roots, branches, leaves, flowers,

and

The harmony,

order,
;

and connccllon of truths

tlie

the unity of the principle

the multiplicity of

confe-

quences; their mutual dependence upon each other; their

tendency to elevate the heart,

lighten the underftanding
this life,
;

at the

fame time that they en-

to fecure

human

focicty during

while they prepare us for a happy immortality In the

next; tore-unite natural and revealed religion; and to reconcile

reafon with revelation, are fo

many additional

proofs that

give a

new

light to

each particular propofition.

firft

We
objects

have divided the

part into fix books, becaufe the

fix

we treat of may be
fubje^l

reduced to

heads.

God

con-

fidered in himfelf,

and then with regard to

firft

his creatures

makes the

of the two

books; the third confiders

finite

the properties and diflerenccs of

beings; the creatures

ftatc,

confidered in an elevated, lapfed, and rc-cftabliflied

make

the fubjeft of the three

laft.

By

this diftribution

we

PREFACE.
embrace the
eflentlal parts

vii

of philofophy, both phyfical and

only a book of principles,

moral, and of theology both natural and revealed. I fay theeffential parts
it is
;

for fince this efTay

is

not to be expelled that we fliould defcend into an ample

detail

and explication of

all

the confequences deducible from

them.

We

content ourfelves to prefent to thinking minds,

the original feeds from

ories, that

whence

fpring vaft fields

beautified,

of new the-

may be further cultivated,

and enlarged.

Truth however being of a coherent nature, it is impoffible to feparate one branch from another, and fee it in all its beauty.
I beg therefore
cels
;

my readers not

to judge

of the work by par-

but to continue to the end, that fo they

may fee the con-

ne<flion

of every part with the whole.

;

Scattered rays do not

always enlighten
iuftre to

but

when

re-united they give a mutual

each other.

VVe
with

forefee that this performance will not equally fuccced

all forts

of incredulous minds. Thefewho are blinded by

it

their paflions, will rejedt

with fcorn, and cry out at

fay?'

firft

fight

of the Title-page,
ned

'

What would this babbler

Determiaffraid

to indulge fenfe, appetite,

its

and pleafure; they are

to fee truth in

native colours.
fiiut their

The fulleft funfhine

eyes to
its

cannot

enlighten thofe
ces.

who

luminous influen-

Truth

is

hidden treafure which none can difcover but

it

thofe
heart,

who
and

fearch after

with a generous mind, and upright

all

are refolved to facrifice

to the love

of

it,

when

known.
ons,
this
is

Whofoever does not find in himfelf thefe

needlefs to read this
Chrifiianity.

dilpofiti-

not yet prepared for the fearch of truth: and without

it is

preparation of the heart

work or

any other that pleads the caufe of

We hope

viii

PREFACE.
all

however, that

ferious Freethinkers,

who

are

become fuch
of the

only by the
tlie

falfe ideas that

have been given of religion, or by

prejudices of education,will profit

by the

difcoveries

great men of all nations

and

times,

which we have endeavou-

red to re-unite under one view, and into one regular fyftcm
for

we do not pretend to give

difcoveries

here a fcheme of new,unheard

of

theories; but only to concenter in

one fyftem the

ages,

lights

and

of the fages of all countries and

whether

antient or modern.

In the

firft

part of this effay,

we

give only the philofophireligion, in fo far as

cal principles

of natural and revealed

they

are demonftrable
it,

by reafon, or can be proved compatible with by

it.

tho' not always difcoverable

In the fecond part

we

prove that the great principles advanced are conformable to

the tradition of all nations, both facred and profane.

If there
firft

be therefore fome principles in

feem contradi<n:ory to Scripture,
to prove that they are not fo.

this part

which

at

fight

we

refer to the fecond part

THE

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES
OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION.
BOOK
all

OF THE ABSOLUTE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

DEFINITIONS.
demonftrablefciences whether metaphy IN matical, whether they regard
ileal

or mathe-

Being

in general, or

Qu a n-

TITY

in general,

we fhould begin by defining the things that

of demonftration.
Exa6l and clear denecefTary in metaphyfics than in

are to be the fubje(5ts

finitions are far

more

ma-

thematics.

In

this later fcience, fenfible figures

and images
fo that

recall to us continually the definitions

:

of things,

we

cannot miftake but in the former pure intelledual ideas cannot always be exaftly reprefented by fenfible figns, and fo the
terms by which

we exprefs thofe ideas may be

equivocal.

a
I.

OF THE ABSOLUTE
By
is,

Book

I.

Being

or a Reality, I underftand in general

attribute, a

whatever

whether it be a fubftance, an

mode, a

Power, or Perfeftion.
2.

By Substance,

mean a Being which

is
is

is

the founda-

tion

of attributes, modes, powers, and perfections.

3.

By Attribute

or Property,

meant

a reality that

necefTarily belongs to, flows from,

and

contained in the idea

of a being,
ing
its

fo that it cannot be taken

from it without deftroy-

effence.

4.

By

Mo D e or Quality,
in all times, in
all

I underftand a reality given to

a fubftance that does not necefTarily flow

from its

effence,

nor

belong to
ces,

it,

places,

and

in all circumftan-

and that may be communicated to

its

it,

or taken from

it

without deftroying
5.

nature.

By Power, Cau-se, Activity, Force, we mean

can produce fomething in
itfelf,

a reality that does or that

or

diftind

from

itfelf,

freely or necefTarily ;

whether

this

produc-

tion be a fubftance, an attribute, a

mode, or a being of any

kind.
6.

By Per F ECTioN, we mean an attribute or quality that

all

excludes
acflivity,

bounds

in the

firft

caufe, or that fuppofes

power,

and

caufality in fecond caufes.

It exprefTes infinite

or an image of infinity.
7.

By Finite, we mean what

contains only fome de

grees
8.

of reality, power, and perfection.

By Absolute Infinite, we mean

is

the moft perfe<ft

negation of finite, what

unbounded

in

all fenfes,

and what

contains the fulnefs of all perfe<5tion in the higheft degree.

9.

By Self-existent substance, we meanaBeing

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
in itfelf a reality
its

3
exiftence ne-

that contains
cefTary ;
10.

which makes

its

and

non-exiftence impoflible.
that

By Idea, I mean perceives when it thinks.

which the mind conceives or

SCHOLIUM.
From
the foregoing definitions,
it is

clear that the

word
be

Being does not fignifythe fame thing asfubftance: but (imply a reality or fomething that
fubftantial or
finite
is

and that exifts, whether

;

It

modal
;

a<5live

or paflive necelfary or contingent;

or infinite material or immaterial.

All fubftances, attri-

butes,

modes and powers

;

are equally realities, tho' they be not

little

equal

realities

as great

and

fpheres are equally fpheres,

The Cartefians feem to confound the idea of Being with that of fubftance. This may occafion great miftakes for we fhall fhew afterwards, that there may be intho' they are not equal.
;

telle(5tual

felf-confcious agents that are diftinft beings,

;

hypo-

flafes

or perfonalities, tho' not diflind fubflances

and that

there

may be a plurality of fuch agents,

fchoolmen define a Subflance,

beings, hypoftafes, or

perfonalities in the

fame individual and indivifible fubftance.

*

The
*
*

That which
exifls in

exlflrs

by itfelf, and which can be conceived by itfelf without another."

They define

mode, " That which

ano-

ther and cannot be conceived, nor fubfift without another.'

Thefe two definitions are altogether equivocal, and may have

a double fenfe.
*

They may
that

fignify either

'

That

a fubftancc

can
lar

exift, fubfift

and be conceived without any one particu-

mode; and

no mode can

exift, fubfift,

nor be con-

A2

4
*

OF THE ABSOLUTE
celved feparate from,

Book
which
;'

I.

and independent of fome

*

fubftance:*
exifts

or they
*

may

fignify that

a fubftance

is

that

by

itfelf,

independent of any other fubftance

another.

and that a

mode is that which exifts in and by

Spinofa under-

ftood the fchool definitions in the later fenfe; and fo confoun-

ded the idea of fubftance with that of

felf-exiftence.

Hence

he maintained
that
all

that there

was but one fubftance in nature, and

other things were modes of this only fubftance.

Now
in

fince thefe definitions

of the fchoolmen may be underftood

the latter fenfe as well as in the former, they are not only equivocal but dangerous, and therefore ought to be rejected.

We have chofen to define a fubltance,

*
*

Something
'

that

is

the foundation of modes,' and a mode,

Something that
All Mr. Locke's

may be given to or taken from a fubftance.'

againft thefe definitions
his

cavils

of fubftance and mode come

with adequate ones.

from

confounding

clear ideas

The

former fufEce to

diftinguifti things,

the later fuppofe a perfed:

knowledge of their intimate

the intimate eflence

Tho' we do not know of any one fubftance nor the manner

eflence.
,

how modes are produced in it;

ports and the other
is

yet to

know that the one

fup-

fupported fuffices to diftinguifh them.

Now

all

the knowledge

we

can acquire in our prefent

ftate,

confifts in

comparing the differences and relations of things,

effcnces,

and not their intimate

ideas
;

of which we have no adequate

as fhall be demonftrated.

We
qualities

have feldom made ufe of the words properties and

;

becaufe thefe terms are equivocal, and fometimes

confounded as fynonimous.

A property fignifies in

its

etymolo-

gy, fomething that belongs to a thing exclufively of all others.

Book
It
is

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
when we
is

5
fay

apply'd fometimes to eflential attributes; as

a property

that thought

of

fplrit;

and extenfion a property

of matter; and fometimes

that language

to accejGTory modes, as

and baldnefs are properties

when we fay of human nature,

becaufe they belong to

men

only, tho' not always, nor to eve-

ry individual. It

is

to be

remarked however that attributes, ge-

nerally fpeaking, exprefs whatiseflential to fubftances; whereas properties

denote what

is

eflential to beings

of

all

kinds,

whether

fubftantial or

modal.

Thus we

fay the properties

not the atrributes of a triangle. Moreover

ly that underftanding

we fay indifferenteflential attributes,

and

will, as

well as fciences and virtues,

are qualities

of the mind,

tho' the

one be
is

and the other acquired modes.

It

true indeed that

when

we

call

underftanding and will qualities,

we mean

rather the

a<5lual exercife

of thefe powers, than the

qualities

faculties themfelves;

and generally fpeaking,

tributes
;

denote rather modes than atall

as foft, hard, dry,

humid, and

the other fenfible

qualities;
all

they are accidental, not effential to matter.

Tofhun
its

confufion,

we advertife that in this elfay, we mean by proeffential to a thing, or

perties

what

is

what flows from

na-

ture neceffarily.
is

acceffory

on the contrary we mean what and communicated tho' durable and permanent.
qualities
is

By

Thus we
ter; tho'

fay that felicity

fallen fpirits,

and motion
of

permanent quality of pure unconfhnt quality of ethereal mata

effential attri-

both be communicated, and no ways

either.

butes, nor properties

The
free, in

Unitarians and Socinians maintain that

a<n:s:

all a<5tion is
is

order to deny God's immanent

but this

abfo-

lutely falfe; for the love

of happincfs, of good

in general,

or

6
aftion,

OF THE ABSOLUTE
is

Book

I.

the tendency of the foul to beatifying objeds,

no doubt an

and yet it is neceflary

adion

as Ihall be demonftrated.
affert

The

Spinofifts,Fatalifts,

and Predeftinarians

on the contrary
this is alfo

that

all

is

necefTary ; but

we fhall fliew that

forts

falfe,

and that there may be two

of a<5tion, one neceflary

and another free.

There have been

fome maintain
and even
that

great difj5Utes about the term perfe(n:ion

it is

altogether indeterminate, equivocal,

it
;

unfignificant, unlefs

be underftood in the fame

others fay that
,

fenfe as the general term reality

it

may be
;

apply'd to fomething, to nothing

therefore that
it

and

to every thing

and

ought to be banifh'd from philofophy.

We

grant that the

word

perfeft confidered in a relative concrete

fenfe, may be apply'd to all fort

of realities, and even to the neall

gation of thefe realities the object

but then

the

word means,
others.

is

that

we

fpeak of is poffelTed or deprived of fome reality

in a fuperlative degree,

when compared with

Thus

we

fay a perfect mettal, a perfeft folid, a perfeft circle; yea

perfe(5l

perfed darknefs,

ignorance, and perfe<5t malice.

We
but
ar-

fay alfo that beauty, order

and regularity are

perfe<5tions,

they are fuch only in a

relative fenfe,

with regard to fome

chetype or model to which

we fuppofe them conformed:

of all
reality.

per-

feftion in an abfolute abftrad fenfe, independent

relati-

on, cannot be faid of every being or

fubftance, an attribute or a

To be (imply a
a mettal, divifible

mode, a ftone or
circle, is
ftrift

or indivilible, a triangle or a
call

not a perfection.

We

nothing a perfection in a

and abfolute

fenfe but what

fuppofes infinity, or fome image of infinity.

All God's at-

tributes are perfections, becaufe they are infinite in all fenfes.

Book.

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
and figurability

All the attributes

of the creatures are not called perfedions.

in matter are not called

Divifibility, mobility,

Perfedions, but attributes or properties. Underftanding, reafon,

and will, in

fpirits

are called

more or lefs perfe6lionsaccorbecaufe

all

-ding to their degree.

The reafon is

thefe proper-

dies in intellectual beings exprefs power.

caufality fuppofes

Now all power or

fo
is

an efFed produced that was not before ; and

jJierefore a palfage

from nothing to fomething; and

force,

an

image of infinity of power. Thus

perfeftion then in

knowledge, and be-

neficence are called perfedions, tho' in a finite degree.

an abfolute fenfe is not a (imple

but a

reality, at-

tribute, property, or quality ;

reality, attribute,
activity,
it is

properall

ty, or quality that implies

power or

and excludes

.bounds in the

firft

caufe.

In one word

a divine attribute,
is

or an imitation of fome

divine attribute.

It

then an egre-

gious miftake in philofophy to confound the idea of perfedli-

on with that of fimple reality.

Spinofa fays that
finite is that
is

which can be
;

limited

by a-

nother of its kind.

This

abfolutely falfe

for a thing
its

may
pro-

be limited by
perties, as

its

quality, as well as

by its quantity; by
as

by its magnitude; by its attributes,

a fuperior kind, as well as
is

by its modes;

by a being of
kind.

by a being of its own

A being

called finite, not only

of its kind may be added

to

it,

when fome fubftance but alfo when it contains only

*

a determinate degree of reality and perfection.

The fame author defines

*

Abfolute Infinite

A fubftance
Thus God

compofed of infinite
fes

attributes, every

one of which expref^

an eternal and

infinite effence.'

Thus

material exten-

fion if boundlefs

would be an attribute of God.

OF THE ABSOLUTE
all

Book
of

I.

would contain
ftance, if they

beings as

modes or
infinite in

attributes

his fub-

were fuppofed
is

number and eternal in

duration.
after.

This

a falfe fuppofition as

we fhall fhew here-

All Spinofa's errors, fophifms, and pretended demonftrati-

ons are founded upon his

falfe
*

and equivocal
of

definitions.

He

underflands by a Subftance
*

That which
fubfifl

exifls

by itfelf, may

be conceived by
all

itfelf,

and
is

itfelf,

independent of
felf-exiflent fub-

other beings.'

This

true only

of the

ftance,
fines
'

of the fupremc

infinite,

of

God

himfelf.

He

de-

an Attribute,* That which conftitutes or compofes afub-

fiance'

This

is falfe,

for tho' attributes flow neceffarily

from a
whole.
'

fubfl:ance,yet they do

not compofe

it

as the parts

do the

He
In

calls

Mode, Something
'

that exifls in another,

is

fupported by another, and cannot fubfift without anothis fenfe all finite beings
*

ther.'

would be modes of
were
then

God.
*

He defines a Power That which produces fomething

by
neceffity

in itfelf

of

nature.'

If

this

fo,

all

finite

beings would be confubflantial hypoflafes of the diit.

vine effence, and flow neceffarily from

idea

He
;

confounds the
if this

of

perfe^ftion

with that of fimple reality

properties,

were

fo,

then
leafl

all attributes,

and modes
is

in the lowefl

and

degree would be perfections, which

*

abfurd.

He calls
all

finite

That which

is

limited in quantity / not in quality.

'

He
*

calls

Abfolute Infinite
attributes,

That which

is

compofed of

forts

of beings,

modes, and

realities.'

This is na-

ture

Thus he confounds from the beginning of his work all the common received definitions of things, the
and not God. of fubftancc with that of
felf-exiftence ; the idea

idea

of

at-

Book L
tributes

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
;

with that of component parts

eiFefts
; ;

the idea of modes,

a<5livity,

with that of

the idea of necefTary

with that

of

free a(5lion

the idea of perfection, with that of reahty

finite in all fen-

the idea of finite in one fenfe, with that of

fes;

and the idea of God, with that of univerfal nature.

If

his definitions

were

true,

it

would have been

needlefs for

him

to have heapt

up proportion upon propofition, and employed

of it

near a thoufand theorems, corollaries, lemmas, and fcholiums

to prove his fyftem; for the demonftration
in
is

included

and

necelTarily refults

from the

definitions themfelves.
all

To
felf-

maintain that

God is

the only fubflance, and that

things

are necelTary, eternal emanations, parts, or forms

exiftent nature;

of this of

and to found

all

his demonllrations

this

abfurd, impious fyftem,

upon
is

falfe definitions,

which fuppofe
in-

what he is

going to prove,

a weaknefs or

an impudence

excufable in a philofopher; and difcovers either a feeble

mind

that deceives itfelf ; or a falfe heart that intends to deceive others.

After having defined the terms of the propofitions that are

to be demonftrated,

we come

next to explain their different

divifions, branches, or kinds, to avoid confufion.

DIVISIONS.
The
mathematicians fometimes negled to give clear
;

di-

flindions and divifions of things and this negligence hinders

the perfpicuity and order of their demonftrations.

Every

thing or reality, that

prefents itfelf to the

is

or can be the objeft of our perception,

either as a fubftance, an attribute,

mind

O
lo

OF THE

A:BS

LUTE

Book
it is

I.

a mode, a power, or a perfection.

But as thefe generical term s

necefr,

exprefs objects that are of feveral different kinds,

fary to difHnguifh
I.

them exactly.
be
diftinguiftied cither

Substances may

by the

dif^

fercnt degrees of reality they contain, as finite and infinite;

or by the different attributes that belong to them, as material

and immaterial; or by the

dents that
dies

different
;

modes, changes and

acci-

may befal them

thus the numberlefs fpecies of bo-

and

fpirits

are diilinguiihed; or in fine

by

their feparate
fpecies.

and independent
2.
five.

exiftence, as the individuals

of each

Attributes maybe diftinguiihed into adtivc and paf^ The active are fuch whofe ideas fuppofe the production
as conception, reafon,

of fomething;

and

will in fpirits,

and

then they are called powers or

faculties.

The

pafTive are

fuch whofe ideas include a mere aptitude of receiving fomething; as figurabihty, divifibiUty, and mobility in bodies, and

they are called capacides.

3.

Modes may alfo

tranfient.

be diftinguifhed into two

forts, peral-

manent or

The

firit

are thefe

which remain
to the

ways the fame,

tho' they

do not belong effendally

are the primitive

mo-

dified fubffance.

Such

forms of the con-

Itituent fmalleft particles

of matter.

The other are thofe which

change or

may change
bodies.

continually, as the figures of vifible

compound
4.

Powers are alfo of two kinds

and they

effential

and accidental.
as activity

The

former flow from the nature of a thing,

and

love in fpirits ;

are called inherent properties.

it

The

other arc communicated to

by

a fuperior force, as

motion

BookL
lities.

attributes of god.
in bodies;

ir

and gravitation

and they are

called imprefTed qua-

5.

Perfections

are either relative or abfolute.

The
real or

former fuppofe always fome degree fuperior to them,

pofTible.

The later exprefs an

kind,

infinite

boundlefs degree ; or

at leaft the higheft degree pofTible.

Thus a being may be perto beings

fect in

its

and yet imperfe6l with regard

of a

fuperior degree.
periority ;

What
is

is

abfolutely perfed excludes

all

all fu-

and what

abfolutely perfed in
hereafter.

fenfes excludes

all equality, as

we fhall fhow

SCHOLIUM.
Since by the foregoing divifions and definitions,
perties, faculties, qualities, capacities,
all

pro-

powers, and perfecti-

ons, are either attributes or

modes the whole of nature may

;

therefore be confidered as compofed of three forts of obje(n:s

or

realities that

include and exprefs

all

that

we

can conceive

fubftances, attributes, or modes.

Great care muft be taken

not to confound them, and

with the
a
eflential properties.

efpecially the impreifed qualities

This

as

we ihall (how has been

reduce

fatal fource

of great miilakes

in philofophy.

Some Cartefians and efpecially the Malebranchians

all

the objects of our perception to fubftances and modes, and

fay nothing

of powers, thereby to deftroy the

real activity

of

fecond caufes.
tial

It is true that they diftinguifh betwixt eftenactive

and accidental, inherent and impreffed,

and

paflive

modes: but what flows

is

neceffarily from the effence

of a

thing,

very improperly called its mode, manner, faihion, or form.

B2

12

OF THE ABSOLUTE
to fubftances,
is

Book

I.

We therefore believe that the mofl: natural, clear diftindion of

what belongs
or,

that into attributes and modes;

is

what is

eflential to

them, and what

only acceiTory.

All the other diftin^lions of objecfls, whether they be the

ten Ariftotelian categories, or
five univerfals, are either

what the fchoolmen

call

the

comprehended

in this triple divifion

of fubftances,
dangerous

attributes,
:

and modes, or they

are ufelefs

and
to

diftin(5lions

becaufe they accuftom the

for that

mind

miftake the knowledge of words

of things.

Spinofa adopts this threefold diftin6lion of objects: but he

maintains that fubftances are not diftinguiftied when they have

the fame attributes and modes.
pieces

Thus

according to him, two

of gold exactly

like in all things are

not two

diftinft

fubftances, tho' the

lated.

one might exift while the other is annihiaflerts

They are

as

he

only different modes of the fame

fubftance.
als;

He confounds always generical terms and individuall

and fuppofes that

beings of the fame kind are the fame

affertion,

individual fubftance.

But he gives no proof of his

it.

and he can never prove

fubftances
exiftence.
error,

He

forgets a third diftindion

of

which

is

that

of

their feparate

and independent

The fchoolmen give alfo occafion to this Spinofian by their wild difputes about universale a parte
Spinofa took occafion from this to maintain
this univerfal object,
all

R EI

or an univerfal objecfl that anfwers in nature to our uni-

verfal ideas.

that

God

is

and the only fubftance

exi-

ftent,

of which

other things are mere attributes or modes.

individuals
is

The diftin6tion of kinds and

cefTary,
abftracfl

therefore very neis

and founded upon the

difference there

betwixt our

general ideas, and the real particular objects exiftent.

Book
Hence
ftance,
*

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
alfo the diftincfllon

is

arifcs

betwixt efTence and fub-

which Spinofa always confounds.

idea,

An

EfTence

is

A general
kind.

which
and

reprefents to the

mind

all

the attri-

'

butes, properties

qualities
is

common to beings of the fame

and

Subftance

a particular being really exiftent,

which partakes of
modes.
kind
;

thefe attributes, properties, qualities

Thus

there can be but one ideal eflence of the fame

kind.
fible:

may be many different fubflances of the fame The general idea of human nature is one and indivibut there may be many different individuals of the hubut there

man

fpecies, that

have the fame attributes and modes.

Spi-

nofa' s defign in
flance,

confounding the ideas of efTence and fuball

was

to infinuate that

individuals

of the fame kind,

are the fame individual fubflance ;

and

that finite beings are

not

diflin^t feparate fubflances

but modes of the fame unifuppofes

verfal fubftance.

Thus he

ftill

what he

is

going to

prove.

Dr. Berkeley denies that there can be any abflraft univerfal

ideas

becaufe

all

the objects of our perception are con-

crete or particular.

We fhall defer this queflion,

and
divifion

till

we

ex-

plain the fource, nature

of our

ideas.

It fufRces

here to remark, that

all

mind

feels, perceives,

we mean by an Idea, is that which or conceives when it thinks and

;

the
for

this reafon

our ideas are divided into Senfations, Perceptions,

vaflly different, as fhall

and Conceptions, which are

plained hereafter.

be ex-

14

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book L

AXIOMS.
After exaft definitions and dividons, the next care in
demonftrable fciences,
axioms, whofe truth
is

all

is

to lay

down

felf-evident

maxims or
this reafon

perceived

by one fimple intuitive view,

without any fucceflive comparifon of ideas.

they are called
flrft

For

principles

and elementary

truths, becaufe

they are the ftandards, meafures, and rules of reafon and comparifon.

I fhall not

examine here whether they be innate

its

ideas imprelTed
Ofts

upon the mind from

would be premature.

origin, or percepti-

which prefent themfelves unto it upon the leaft reflexion.

difcufTion

This

All I advance

is

that

thofe axioms are fo felf-evident that

no

attentive

mind who

underftands them, can refufe

are the following truths.
1.

its

affent to

them.

Of this kind

Nothing, or the negation of all properties and reali-

ties

cannot be a caufe, fince nothing can have nothing, and

produce nothing.
2. Reality in

fome degree or other

a negation of

is

the only reafon of in-

ferring neceffary exiftence, fince nothing cannot be a caufe.

3.

Finite

is

all

fuperior reality or perfec-

tion.

4.

There can be nothing

all fenfes,

greater than abfblute infinite,

or infinite in
5.

In the

fcale

of

finites,

the progrefHon

may

be conti*
can

nual without end; becaufe no addition of

abfolute infinite.
6.

finites

make

The attributes, powers, qualities, and perfe<5tions of ma-

BooK.I.
ny

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
fum than
of an

'i^

fubftanccs of the fame kind are a greater

thofe

of one of the fame kind.

7. Infinite activity, or the produ<n:ion
is

infinite effect

a fupreme perfedion.
8. Infinite perfeftion

known and enjoyed mufl neceffarily

produce

infinite love.

SCHOLIUM.
All Spinofa's axioms are either
fcure.
falfe,

equivocal, or obI fhall

They cannot be proved, and yet require proof.

two examples of
this infidious fallacy.
'

give only

He lays down for an

'

axiom, that

The knowledge of an
that a thing
it

efFe(5l
it'.

depends upon the knowledge of its caufe, and includes

is

This
efFe6l

abfolutely

falfe,

for

we may know

is

an

without knowing the caufe whence

proceeds.

Men knew certainly for many

tain height in a tube,

ages that water rofe to a cer-

without knowing the true caufe of this

general that this

afcent.
eflfed

They knew in
;

phenomenon was an
the prefTure
it is

of fome caufe

tho' they did not

know that

of the atmofphere was

ways that we know
certainly that a thing

this particular caufe.

Moreover

abfolutely falfe that the

knowledge of an effed fuppofes

it is

al-

how
is

produced; for

we may know
fubflan-

an

efFeft,

without knowing the manall finite

ner of

its

produ6lion.

Thus we know that

ces are effects

ftrated; tho'

of the

felf-exiftent fubftance, as fhall

be demonis

we do

not know,

how

the effeft produced

connected with the producing caufe.

Spinofa's defign in this

axiom was to infinuate that

creatfion is impofTible, becaufe in-

i6

OF THE ABSOLUTE
it is

Book

I.

conceivable; and that

a contradi(5lory idea, becaufe

we do

not

know

the

manner how God

creates, or gives exiftence to

beings that had none before the exercife of his creating energy.

Another axiom of the fame philofopher runs thus

'

Things

that have nothing in

common cannot be underftood by each

trifling

'

other, or the idea

of the one does not include the idea of

the other.'
'

If the defign of this

maxim was to infi-

nuate that
*

when things

have fomething in

common the idea

other,'

of the one includes

neceflarily the idea

of the

then

it

is

abfolutely falfe: for things may have fomething in

common,

tho' the idea

of the one does not include the idea of the other.

All

finite

beings have fomething in

common,

as

having either

the fame attributes and modes; or as being effects of the fame

common
other.

caufe, or as reprefentative

of the fame archetype

tho'the idea of the one does not include neceffarily that of the

The idea of a man does not include that of his pidure,

common, which
is

yet they have fomething in

blance.

their refem-

The

idea

of one man does not include that of anois

ther, yet they

have fomething in common, which

that

of a

foul

and body.

The idea of minerals

is

and plants have fome-

thing in
ture,

common, which

their material

and vegetative na-

and yet the idea of the one does not include the idea of the other. In general all individuals of the fame kind have the
fame
attributes,

and yet the idea of the one does not include

the idea of the other.

We fhall fee afterwards why Spinofa

maxim.
is

advanced

this abfurd fallacious

Thus all the

Spinofian fcheme

founded upon

falfe defalfe

finitions, that fuppofe

what ke

is

going to prove, or upon

Book
ftand

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
fallacious.

17

axioms that are captious and

No folid edifice can

is

upon fuch

tottering foundations. It

ftrange that

men

of genius fhould be impofed upon by fuch an empty dream,

and fuch

a pitiful delufion.

Nothing

deceives

them but the

his funda-

geometrical form this fophift gave to his proportions. It muft

be granted that

his

confcquences are
falfe.

juft,

but

all

mental principles are

elementary truths

This

logical dilfertation

about

fuffices to

confute him ; but in the courfe

of this

effay v^^e Ihall unfold

and unmafk

all

his pretended de-

monftrations.

POSTULATES.
In
all

demonllrable fciences, there are befides definitions,

divifions,

and axioms, certain univerfal maxims or poftulates

that

all

muft grant unlefs they renounce reafon.

They are
illufliall

felf-evident
ftrate

when explained, and want only

fix,

fcholiums to
I

them, and not demonftrations to fupport them.

only mention

becaufe they are frequently employed in

the following eflay, and

in
all ftridl

may

rather be called proper rules

inquiry into truth.

POSTULATE
We muft affirm neceftarily,
doubt when we do not
caufe
fee;

when we fee clearly; we may but we fhould never deny be-

we do

not conceive.

SCROLIJJM.
I do not fay that
*

we may .affirm,

but that we muft affirm

i8

OF THE ABSOLUTE Book L necelfarlly when we fee clearly/ We are forced to afTent to
to us evident ; as

what appears

we

are forced to love

what apbe

pears to us good.

This
or

is

our nature.
conftituted

We do not yet know

it

what this nature

felf-exiftent or

is,

who

fuch; whether

it

produced by

another; material or immaterial;

it is,

good or bad;
is

true or deceitful; but whatever

afTent to

our efTence

fo

made, that we mufl:

what we fee

clearly.

There

are certain truths that

forts

we
;

pleafe.

No

we cannot deny let us make what efman can deny that the whole is greater
at the

than the part; that a thing cannot be and not be

time
laid

fame

that nothing cannot be a caufe.

all

The

axioms

we have

down, and

others of the fame kind, are reducible to

fays

thefe three.

Whofoever

he denies fuch axioms, either

not believe
it;

does not
ther a

know what he

fays, or does

he

is ei-

falfe,

or a very capricious man.

fevers,

The
life is

Pyrrhonifb will fay that in dreams and

oft, that

we
our

imagine very

we

fee

what we do not

fee; that

perhaps a continual dream; that

we

are oft deceived,

and therefore may be always fo; that our faculties are perhaps fomade, that error and delufion are inevitable; and in fine,
that

human

underflanding

is

incapable of demonftrating any

thing but geometrical truths ; and furrounded with uncertainties as to

God and

nature; becaufe

what it fees

clearly

on one

fide

is

counterballanced by obfcurities
all

on

another.
is

Hence
and

they cry out that

metaphyfical learning

chimerical,

that fyftem-makers

of every kind are ignorant of the true

bounds of the human mind.

I anfwer in the
firft

place, that

we may

be deceived in

at-

tributing to objcfts without us, fcnfations that are not caufed

Book L
by them;
cannot

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
as In

ip

dreams and

fevers:

but the dreamer and the

frantic cannot
feel

doubt that they

feel

when

they feel; for

Is

we

and perceive nothing; for feeling

perceiving;
at the

now it is
time.

impoffible to perceive
is

and not perceive

;

fame

Clear evidence

a perception
irrefiftibly.

a light that modifies

and determines the mind

this evidence cheats us.

I
It

do not yet examine

if

Suppofing

did fo,

we muft

fubmit

to

it

it is

an Invincible power, that has a fovereign dominion

over us, over the American and the European; the Afiatlc and
the African; the Hottentot and the Laplander; the Chinefe

and the Peruvian.

pire.

We cannot efcape from

Its

unlverfal

Emthe

Whoever

denies that there are fuch felf-evldent propo-

fitions,reje(5ls all

the fundamental principles of reafon;

affirm.
is

all

ftandards

by which we deny, doubt, or

doubful.

He can give no
nor for his
is

reafon for his denying that any thing

affirming that every thing
red, his
Is

certain;

His brain

diforde-

mind

is

frantic
Is

he cannot be cured by reafon.

is

He

denies that there

any fuch thing as reafon, fo there

is

no rea-

foning with him, fince he

unreafonable.

I anfwer in the fecond place, that

we may be

deceived In

comparing, combining and afTociatlng our complex ideas, and

that
us,

we are very oft fo: but then if we be reafonable which

;
;

v/e have the

Is

remedy within
mufl
I

to review our compariall

fons

reduce them to felf-evident principles, which

juft.

admit, and examine if the confcquences be

Yea

dare fay, that tho' prejudice, imagination, and paflion

may

blind fo Intircly the Intelleftual eye in fome, that they fancy

they fee what they do not

right hearts that

fee,

yet In

all recollecfled

and up-

know how

to enter into their fpiritual na-

C2

20
tures,

OF THE ABSOLUTE
and confult
felf-evident

Book
is

I.

maxims, there

always- a
total

central, internal

doubt and obfcurity, that hinders the

it

acqiiiefcence

of the mind, when

does not fee clearly the

all

connection and relation of ideas.

to profound reflexion feel.
it

This
is

men

accuftomed

The mind
I

fo

made, that when

afls

without paflion,

it

cannot alTent to falfhood, without

remorfe, inquietude, or hefitation.

do not pretend to give a

general criterion or characfleriftic by which we may know truth

infallibly.

This

is

impoffible.

It

is

known only by
It
is

itfclf,

as

funfhine
dent,

is

dift-inguifhed

from

twilight.

fo fimple, fo evi-

and fo luminous, that it can have no other token, proof,

nor badge but itfelf.

concomitants, that
impoflibility to
it

This however

is

one of its unfeparable

minds
in

leaves all thinking

;

an abfolute

doubt and in a perfect reft, acquiefcence, and

affirm.

peace

when they
is

We Ihall fee
mind
hefitation,
till

afterwards what this

its

evidence

that thus brings the

all

to tranquillity, fixes

inconftancy, diflipates
fent.

and commands our

af-

All
is

advance
that

at prefent,

we

inveftigate the nature

refift
it,

of man,

he

is

fo

made, that he cannot

the evi-

dence of what
not
refift

we

call

truth, when

he

fees

as

he can-

the love of what appears

good, when he feels it.

forts

We

anfwer in the third place, that there are two

of

metaphyfics.

One that confifh in vainfubtleties,ufelefsdiftincand barbarous terms, borrowed

tions, chimerical refinements,

from the AriftoteUan philofophy, fpoiled by the Arabians. This falfe fcience of the fchools is indeed contemptible. There is another fort of metaphyfics which afcends to firfl
principles, defcends to confequences
;

gives each truth

its

due

place,

and

rifes

from fimple

to

compound ideas, with

order,

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

21

clearnefs,ancl preclfioni

This is the fource of all mathematical

muft naturally fall into afceptlcal

knowledge. Thofe

who believe there can be no other demon-

ftrablefcience but geometry,

indolence, maintain thatPyrrho andBayle have wrote the true

hiftory

of the human mind; and that all other philofophers have

only given the romance of it.

A fyftem

is

nothing but

a chain

of truths well combined, whatever be

their nature,

whether
All

mathematical or moral, phyfical or metaphyfical.

weak

and effeminate minds that hover about the furface of truth,

that have not force

enough

to try

its

depths, and that cannot

necelTari-

fupport a long continued

ly cry out againft fyftems.
cal evidence,

feries

of reafonings, muft
extoll

They

and

exalt

mathemati-

notbecaufe they have any true knowledge of geo-

metry; but in order to flatter their irregular appetites and incredulous prejudices, by rejecting
monftrations.
all

moral and metaphyfical de-

They are, generally fpeaking, fuperficial minds,

that relifh nothing but poetical fiction, fprightly imagination^

and glaring wit; as well as corrupt hearts drunk with pafHon. We mud abandon them to the wanton fportof wildimagination,andto be undeceived in a future
ftate,

becaufe of all

men

they are the moft incorrigible.

I have added in the fame populate, that
*
'

we may doubt,
is

when we do not fee.*

;

In

this cafe

doubting

reafonable,

free

and voluntary; becaufe we ought never to

aflent firmly
firfb

without feeing
principles
;

without reducing our confequences to

weighing them in thefe ballances, and meafuring

them by

thefe flandards.
fully ; to retain

To doubt cautioufly,
our
affent,
till

till

we have
clearly;

examined
Is

we have feen

force of mind,

and not the fludluation of a wavering fouL

22

OF THE ABSOLUTE
upon any one objecl.

that cannot fix a fteady view

Book L The true,

wife hefitation and fufpenfc of the Old

in

Academy

has nothing

common

with the wild univerfal doubt of felf-evident ma-

xims, and the moft demonftrable truths.

To

doubt thus

without any reafon of doubting,

lieve

is

as great a defe^l as to be-

without any reafon of believing.

excefs

Both thefe extremes

come from an
tcllc6lual

of imagination which diforders the inis

eye in the credulous, fo that they fee what

fo that they
is,that

not,
is.

and blinds the incredulous,

deny becaufe we cannot

do not
'

fee

what

Thelaft branch of the poftulate

*

we ought
were not

never to
fo,

conceive.' If this

then

man born
*

blind

would reafon

right

when he forms
them

this fyl-

logifin.
*

We
it is it is

know

the figure of bodies only by handling

at a great diftance;

them: but
therefore
bodies.'

impoflible to handle
impofilble to

'

know

the figure of far diftant

To undeceive

the blind

man we

cannot give him

idea.

the

fifth fenfe

of feeing, of which he can have no

is

We
way

cannot convince him by experience that there

another

of knowing the
tho'
is

figure

of

far diftant bodies than

by contaft

we may endeavour to fhow him by other proofs that this

not only pofiible, and probable, but abfolutely certain.

prove to him that
this
is
;

We

may
ceive

fo

from the concurrent teftimo-

ny of all who furround him but we can never make him per-

how this

is

fo.

T his

is

precifcly our cafe in this mortal

ftate as to

muft be,

many intellecftual truths. We fee but wc cannot conceive how they

that
are.

many

things

We fee the
we fee
and modes

connexion betwixt fome

truths, but not betwixt all:

a part, but not the whole:

we

fee

fome

attributes

of things, but wc do not

fee their intimate cfTence.

Thus we

BooK.I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
muft belong to Abfokite
Infinite,

25
and are incluef-

fee that eternity, Immenfity, creating energy,

perfc(5Lions

and many other

ded in
fence.

his idea; but

we do not

fee

how

they flow from his

is
;

We fee clearly that he

totality
;

is,

and a part of what he

but

not the

of his nature iince Abfolute Infinite muft be

It
is

incomprchcnfible to Finite.

therefore a fundamental
*

maxim
*

in

all

true philofophy, that

many

things

may be

incomprchcnfible and yet demonftrable, that tho' feeing

clearly be a fufiicient reafon for affirming; yet not feeing at
all

'

'

can never be a reafon of denying.

The negation of this

Perfuaded
all

principle

was the fource of

is

all

Spinofa's errors.
is

that whatever

inconceivable

impoflible,

he degrades
as

the divine attributes in order to

comprehend them,

we fhall

Ihow

hereafter.

POSTULATE
When
neceffarily be true, all but

II.

of three or more propofitions whereof one muft

one are proved

to

be

falfe,

abfurd

and impoflible,

this

one

is

evidently certain.

SCHOLIUM.
Thus
if it

can be proved that the curves defcribed by the

periodical revolutions

of the planets muft be fome of the four

conic fedions; circles, hyperbolas, parabolas, or ovals: and

if
it

be moreover demonftrated that they do not defcribe any

it is

of the three firft,

laft.

felf-evident that they

muft defcribe the

;

There

are

two

forts

of demonftrations one that comes

relations

from a

clear perception

of the immutable neceffary

arifes

betwixt things, and another tkat

from the

abfurdities

24
that
twallsht

OF THE ABSOLUTE
would follow upon denying
of human
this connection.
firfl:

Book
In

I.

this

underfl-andingj, the

fort

of demonftra-

tions are not always pofTible, becaufe ideas

ceive

of the intimate ciTence of things,

we have no adequate we cannot always perflow from them,

by an

intuitive view, the properties that

and therefore we

are obliged to have recourfe to the fecond

kind of demonftra tion called in the fchools

demonstratio
fol-

A B A BSUR do, by fhowing the contradictions that would

low from denying or

This
other
latter

attributing to
is

them

certain qualities.

way of

demonftrating

as furc as the other,

but

not fo

fatisfying.

By

the one
it

we

fee

how

a thing

is

by the

we

fee

only that
it.

muft be, tho' we do not conceive

firft

the manner of

The

enlightens and perfuades; the

afTent.

fecond convinces and forces our

monftrations are
lefs

The latter fort of demodes of quangenerally fee

frequently excufable in mathematics, be-

caufe the objed of this fcience being only the

tity,

and not the effence of

things,

we may we

by
of

an

intuitive view, or fuccefllve comparifon, the relations

:

our ideas

but in metaphyfics, where

treat

of fubftances

both finite and infinite,coporeal and fpiritual, we cannot always

fee clearly

how

the attributes and

modes flow from the

ef-

fence,

and therefore we muft have recourfe to the dcmonftra-

tions ab abfurdo.

Thus we can

dcmonftrate again ft the Maleeffential

branchians that
rits;

activity

muft be an

property of

fpi-

not by fliewing

how it flows from

their effence; but

it.

by

the abfurdities that would follow upon denying

Thus we

prove againft the Spinofifts, that

God

muft have a creating

power, not only by the idea of his effence, but by the conxradiftions that

would enfue upon refufnig him

this

produc-

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
Thus
in fine

25
by
-

tive energy.

we confound
and

the Materialifls

fhowing
tory,

that thought

and extenfion are contrary, contradic

attributes;

and incompatible

fo cannot belong to

the fame fubftance.

POSTULATE
DEMONSTRATIONS,
content with

III.

In things of a "contingent nature, we fhould not require

but Only

PROOFS; yea fometimes be

probabilities.

SCHOLIUM.
A DEMONSTRATION
ble in
all
is

when
It
is

its

contrary

is

impofli-

times and in

all fenfes.

an eternal and immuis

table truth.

It fuppofes a relation that

founded upon the

nature of things, and a property that flows neceflarily from

their elTence.

Such

are all mathematical truths.

The

three

angles of a triangle are equal to

two

right ones.

This pro-

perty

is

contained in the definition, nature, and efTence of a

triangle;

and

in this fenfe demonftration

is

only an unfolding

of what is contained

neceffarily in the primitive idea

of things.

pR

doubt,

00 F is when we have all reafons to believe, none to and when evident abfurdities would follow from the
its

contrary fuppofition ; tho' abfolutely fpeaking the thing might

be otherwife, and
is

exiftence

is

only contingent.
is

Thus

it

ImpofTible to demonflrate that there

its

a city called
it

Rome

becaufe
been.

exiflence being contingent;

this

might never have

But to conclude from

metaphyfical principle than

'

'

26
there
is

OF THE ABSOLUTE
not,

Book L
Rome, would

and never was any fuch

city as

be abfurd and ridiculous.

The fchools fay very well that a POSSE AD ESSE NON VALET CONSEQ.UENTI A the fim;

ple poflibility or non-contradiclion of things cannot be a de-

monftration of their exiftence.

that

Thus we can

demonftrate

God

can create myriads of intelligent natures fuperior but that he has really done fo can only be

to

human fpirits;
that there

proved by revelation.
ftrate,
is

Thus we can only prove, not demon-

in nature a third fubftance befides

called matter.
all

God

and created fpirits,

prove, not demonftrate, that

Thus in fine we can only the men we {peak with and

mere appearances, and per-

that furround us are not fantoms,

ceptions excited in us; but real entities, fubftances, and beings fimilar to us. Befides thefe

two

forts

of evidence, there

is

a third kind,

that ferves only to anfwer obje5lions; but not to demonflrate

principles,

and

it is

probability.
a thing
r

We are fometimes obli-

ged in our fcholiums to make ufe of probabilities and hypothefes, to fliow

how

otherwife that
thefes to

it

mufl be

may be, when we have proved but we never employ thefe hypoyet the Cartefian, and

found fyflems and build confequences upon them.

efTential vice in

This

is

an

reafoning

even the Newtonian philofophy are not quite exempt from

this fallacious defect:, as

we fhall fhow hereafter.

confifls in
forts

The

greateft force

and accuracy of the mind

diflinguilhing

and applying thefe three

of evidence; in

not employing the one for the other, and in not confounding them together. To require demonflrations where proofs can

only be given ; to content ourfelves with proofs where de-

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
This
very oft the

27

monftratlons are not only poflible but neceflary; and in fine,

to heap up probable hypothefes to prove principles, are capital
defeats in reafoning.
is

method of Bayle.
he fhows

To throw
requiflte
;

the

mind

into an univerfal fcepticifm,

that demonftrations cannot be given

where only proofs are

of proofs he infinuates
is

and

to invalidate the force

that they are not demonftrations.

his fophifms.

This

the fource of

all

He has wit enough

a queftion,

to prefent to the

mind the
fhows

dark

fides

of

but he feldom or never difcovers the

affent.

luminous point that can determine our

He

very prettily and artfully the bounds of the

ding, but he feldom or never trys
true extent.
its

human underftanknows
its

depths, and

He

was an

excellent fophift, but not always a

philofopher; as

fliall

be proved elfewhere.

POSTULATE
truths
till

IV.

We ought not to require the demonftration of compound

we be convinced of fimpleones.

SCHOLIUM.
The
moft exafl order in demonftration
is

to begin with

'fimple truths 'ere

we

afcend to

more complicated

ones, not
alfo

only becaufe the

latter are

founded upon the former, but

becaufe the capacity of the

mind extends and

talk fo

dilates
is

by

re-

peated

acts,

producing habits of reflexion.

This

that lu-

minous order which the antients

much
it.

of; but few

It
is

of their philofophers have conftantly obferved

a mar-

28

OF THE ABSOLUTE
its

Book

I.

vellous art in demonftrating to give every truth

to fhcw^ how^
;

due place,

one flows from another,as a corollary or confefirft

quence to demonftrate
ciples, that

fome great luminous

fruitful prln.

flow from an intuitive view of the fimpleO: axioms

all

and then deduce

rifon

complex

truths, from afucceflive

compa-

and combination of thofe

original ones.

Without this

order the fublimeft difcoveries appear chimerical.

To

give

demonftrations of the complicated, intricate properties of

curves, 'ere

we know thofe of ftreight lines

is

is

impoilible.
finite 'ere

To
we

demand demonftrations of

the properties of

know

the attributes of infinite, which

the moft natural and

fimple of all ideas, as

we

fliall

fhow,

is

yet

more

abfurd.

To

pretend to prove the necefHty, excellency, and certainty of

fome fublime precepts

pofterior in the order

in the Chriftian morals, to a

is

man v/ho
in the

does not believe in God,

madnefs. Very oft truths that are

of demonftration, are fuperior

degree of excellency.
rous.

To begin by proving thefe is prepofte:

We muft afcend by degrees

to their proper place ;

for this reafon

we drop

very oft, in the following effay, the proof of certain truths, till

we come

and then the mind

fees

how

they flow naturally a.nd necelTarily from propofitions already

demonftrated.
fight be matter

Many fubHme
of fcorn and

doctrines that

would

at firft

raillery to incredulous
full light,

and un-

prepared minds, fhine forth in a

dation of ideas
is

when the true graneceir-

obferved.

In the refearch of eternal,

is

fary,and immutable truths, it

to hide fome of them,
till

therefore of great confequencc

others be demonftrated ; for with-

out
cate

this precaution,

we

either
all

weary or

fear

weak and

deli-

minds

that cannot

of

a fudden digeft,

nor fupport

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
It
is

29

a long ferles of reafonings.

therefore a ralh inconfidedo(5lors to talk

rate eondu(5t in bigots, zealots,

and pharifaical

to Atheifts, Deifts, Freethinkers,

and minute philofophers of

the

lefs

neceflary, acceflbry, incidental truths ;

of church au-

thority,

and of the

rites

of outward worfhip; before they be

convinced of the exiftence of God, and of the great principles

of natural and revealed

fary.

religion.

Here the gradation

is

necefChrl*-

The

Atheift mull

become Theift,and theTheift

ftian, before any thing be faid to

them of churches, fcriptures,

and facraments.

POSTULATE
pable contradicftions.

V.

We ought never to confound myfterlous truths with pal-

SCHOLIUM.
There
fible
is

a great difference betwixt

what

is
it.

Incomprehen-

by reafon, and what is

contradi(5lory to

The one fup-

pofes that

we do
faid

not fee the connection between two ideas,

the other fuppofes that

as

we fee clearly their oppofition.

is

Now

we

have

and explained, not feeing is never a reafon for

always a reafon for affirming.

denying, tho' feeing clearly

The incredulous Freethinkers pretend that the Chriftian myfteries are contradictory. This we abfolutely deny. The
word myftery
that
is

in fcripture fignifies very oft a hidden truth,

not abfolutely incomprehenfible to

human

underftan-

dingjbut only unintelligible to thofe

who are not enlightened

*

from on high. Thus our Saviour

lays to his difciplesj,

it

is

30
'
*

OF THE ABSOLUTE
know
the myfteries of the

Book

I.

given unto you to

kingdom of

heaven.' ThusSt.Paulcallsgodlinefsamyftery. Thefchoolthis definition,

men change
{peculations,

and advance

as myfteries certain

which

are not only incomprehenfible, but con-

tradictory to

human reafon, and altogether incompatible with

Yea they look upon
all efforts

the divine perfections.

to re-

concile reafon with religion as bold attempts to fubmit faith

to philofophy.

The

defign of this eflay

is

to (how, that the

Chriftian myfteries, tho' undifcoverable

by

reafon, yet are

never contradidory to

it.

POSTULATE
principles,

VI.

We ought not to attribute to men the abufes made of their

nor even the natural and neccftary confequences
that flow

from them, when they difavow

thefe abufes

and

confequences.

SCHOLIUM,
Such
nothing
is

the corruption of human nature, that there

Is

no-

thing fo wife,fo juft, and fo good, but

is

men may abufeit. Thus

Nothing
is

more

neceftary than
it

civil

government, and yet the

moft lawful fuperiors abufe

every day.

more

ufeful to diffufe juft fentiments of the Deity, to excite

to the love
fal

men

and adoration of the

common

father and univer-

friend

of mankind, than

ecclefiaftic polity,

and public
inftltuti-

worfhip: yet

men

have moft mifcrably abufed thefe

ons, whether they be

human

or divine.

They

have turned

priefthood into prieftcraft, and religious worfhip into idola-

Book
try.

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
fuppofe that
all

3,
maintain and

We ought never to confound principles with the abufes

thofe

made of them, nor

practife the

who

fame principles are guilty of the fame abufes.

is

We

fhould always diftingui/h betwixt what

is

tolerated

and what
but pity

commanded
;

think the moft favourably

we

can of every
;

body
and

not love nor tolerate error and corruption

tolerate the perfons

who err, in order to gain them. This

would
mitigate the heats

beneficent, univerfal charity pute,

of

difis

and preferve the mind in that calm equanimity which

;

neceflary to examine truth

zeal,

yea totally extinguifh that fiery

implacable wrath, and devout fury which tranlports bigots

;

of all feds
and

drives

them

at iirft to
;

calumny, then to hatred,

religion not the cure,

at laft to perfecution
all

which makes

but the fewel of

cruel paflions.

Moreover, fuch are the bounds of human underflanding-,

that

men do

not always fee

all

the different faces and fides of

verylincere and upright
its

aqueflion, and therefore they

maybe

in maintaining a principle, while they reje<n: table confequences.

natural, inevi-

We fhould not therefore afcribe perniis

cious defigns

and intentions where there

only

defe<51:

of

Thus we are far from branding Spinofa with deliberate Atheifin, tho' we believe that his principles lead to the blackefl Atheifin. Thus we are far from believing that the Predeftinarians are Spinofifts tho' we fhali
accuracy and attention.
;

fhow
of

that their fundamental principles lead to Spinofifm.

The ignorance
all

or negled of thefe poftulates

is

the fourcc

the errors, fophifms, and uncertainties of the Spino-

fin:s,Deifl:s,Pyrrhonifl:s,Socinians, Unitarians, Freethinkers,

and minute philofophers of

all

kinds: they either maintain

32

OF THE ABSOLUTE
is

Book
all

I.
is

that every thing

uncertain; or they fuppofe that

that

inconceivable

is

impoflible ; or they require demonftrations

;

where proofs fuffice or they demand

fimpler ideas

that complicated truths

fhould be demonftrated without a fucceflive comparifon of

;

or they rejed myfterious truths as contradi6toits

ry ; or in fine they confound the abufes of religion with

principles.

They
firft

pretend to excell in reafon, but they are

principles;
;

ignorant of its

of the extent and bounds of huof evidence, and of

man underftanding of the

different forts

the true order of demonftration.

We have infifted [o much

ples, becaufe
it is

upon

thefe elementary princito err in definiti-

of great confequence not

ons, divifions, axioms, and poflulates.

We dare fay that the

hke elementary

mofl part of errors proceed from not adverting accurately to

ibme of

thefe four heads.

Firft principles,

threads, are in their origine fo delicate, fo flender, fo imperceptible, that they efcape the

view of weak and unattentive

minds: but when interwoven, knit and joined together, they

form flrong chains and cables fufRcient to fix the foul, and hinder it from being hurried away by that torrent of uncertanty
which furrounds us in
Thefe primitive
fmall, fo minute,
this twilight

of human underflanding*
in themfelvesfo

original feeds

of truth appear

and

fo inconfiderable, that

men of

lively,

bright imaginations look

upon them

as

below

their notice;

but

when fown

in

luminous and

fruitful

minds, they become

vaft fields

-of a

wonderful fecundity, and produce

will appear

of

truth.
arife

This

from the following propofitions which

from a fimplc combination of the foregoing

sions, axiomS;

definitions, divi-

and poftulate?.

33

THE

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES
OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION,
PROPOSITION
I.

T HERE DEMONSTRATION.
muft have been from
all

eternity

fome original

felf-exiftent being.

Nothing or the negation of all properties and realities cannot be a caufe (a). Reality in fome degree or other is the only reafon

of necefTary exiftence
all

(b).

Therefore there muft

have been from

ftent being.
(a)

eternity

fome

original, neceflary, felf-exi-

Ax.

I.

(b) Ax. 2.

34

OF THE ABSOLUTE
S C
I

Book

I.

O L

U M.
all

do not fay that the world and

diftinft
Is,

that
it.

It

contains

was
and

produced by a fuperior Being

not yet difcovered.
all

from

This we have

What
exift,

I fay

that either the world,

things that

now

muft have been from

everlafting, or
it

have been produced by fomething that was eternal, and fo

is ftill

true that there

muft have been from

all

eternity
it is

fome
mani-

felf-exiftcnt being.
feft that

For

fince fomething

now is,
that
is,

fomething always was, otherwife the things that

now
eter-

are muft have been produced

by nothing,

not produ-

ced at
nal

all,

fince nothing cannot be a caufe.

Now this
is, it

SOMETHING

muft be

felf-exiftent, that

muft conexift,

tain in itfelf a reafon

why

it

does

exift rather
;

than not

a foundation

upon which

its

exiftence relys
its

fome

internal

caufe of exiftence, that renders

non-exiftence impoflible,

and

its

exiftence neceffary.

The
tingent,

notion of an infinite fucceflion of changeable, con-

and dependent

effe<n:s,

produced one from another in

original, felf-exiftent, ne-

an endlefs progreflion, without any

ceflary,

independent caufe,

is

altogether abfurd.

This

is

fuppofing an infinite chain fufpended by nothing, and an infinite

weight that has no fupport (a).

It is

an

infinite feexift

ries

of beings which might not have been, determined to

;

without any reafon

at the

that
is

is,

determined and not determined

fame time, which

a contradicftion in terms, as Spinofa

himfelf has very well demonftrated.

(a) See Woolafton's Religion of Nature delineated; page 67.

Book
was an
power,

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

35

I do not here enter into the queftlon, whether the world

eternal, necelTary
;

Ariftotle maintained

emanation of the divine elTence, as or an eternal free efFeft of almighty

as the Platonifts affirmed.

We fhall

examine both
is,

thefe quefHons hereafter.

All

we now pretend

that there

muft have been in the

pendent, necefTary,
is

totality

of nature, fome

original, inde-

felf-exiftent being,

whofe non-exiftence
and whofe
ef-

impofTible,

whofe idea includes

exiftence,

fence could not but be. This Spinofa never called in quefti-

on.

He

afTerts

indeed that

all finite

beings are co-eternal

ftill

modes and

hypoftafes of the only fubftance: but he

is

main-

tains that this only fubftance

felf-exiftent.

neceflary, independent,

and

ground,

now examine what the internal and reafon of self-existence muft be.
Let us
II.

caufe,

PROPOSITION,
The
the reafon for
its

greater reality a being has, the greater

is

neceflary exiftence.

DEMONSTRATION.
A felf-exiftent fubftance
ther
is

that which contains in Itfelf a

its

ground or reafon which makes

non-exiftence impofllble (a).
is

exiftence neceflary,

and

its

Reality in fome degree or o-

the only reafon of neceflary exiftence (b). Therefore

is

the greater reality a being has, the greater

neceflary exiftence.

the reafon for

its

(a) Def. 9.

(b) Ax. a.

36

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book L

SCHOLIUM.
In the
fcale

of finites, we may conceive Innumerable beany one determinate

finite, fince

ings, fuperior to

progreflion

may be infinite. At whatfoever degree of being we ftop, we may ftill conceive innumerable other beings that have
here

more
rily

reality

and perfection than

this

determinate one, and

confequently that have a greater reafon for exifting neceffa-

than

it.

Neceflary exiftence therefore cannot belong to

unlefs
it

any one of them,

then

belong to

all

of them equally, and

exiftence,
is

we muft fay

that the idea

of fimple

and that of

neceflary exiftence are the fame. for

Now this

abfolutely falfe;

modes or forms may have a real exiftence, and yet may be changed, deftroyed, and re-produced. It may be anfwered,
that there
is

a great difference betwixt

substantial and
realities,

MODAL

reaHtles.

We grant

it

but both are equally

tho' they are not equal realities (c).

this reafoning,
is

Now

fince the force

of

depends upon their being

realities, its

evidence

inconteftible. Spinofa

was fo convinced of this truth, that he

of any degree

never maintained that

finite

how

great foever

could be felf-exiftent: he fays indeed, that

neceffarily,

all

fubftancc exifts

but then he affirms, that there can be only one

is

fubftance

which

infinite, eternal,

and

felf-exiftent.
I.

COROLLARY
Hence no
rior degree.
(c) Schol, I.

finite

of an

inferior degree contains In itfelf a

reafon of neceffary exiftence, preferable to a finite of a fupe-

of the

definitions.

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
COR.
II.

37

Hence in the fcale of finites we can flop at no being of any

determinate degree, that has an adequate reafon of neceffary
exiflence proper to itfelf alone,

and excKifive of all

others.

Hence
and

the idea of

COR. III. absolute infinite

contains an
itfelf

adequate reafon of neceffary exiflence, proper to

exclufive

alone,

of
is

all

others, fince

beyond absolute in-

finite

there

and can be no progreffion.

PROPOSITION
The eternal, neceffary,
abfolutely infinite.
felf-exiflent

III.

being

is

DEMONSTRATION.
A felf-exiflent being
INFINITE
is

that

which contains

in itfelf a rea-

fon of neceffary exiflence (a).

Nothing

befides

absolute
is

contains in itfelf a reafon of neceffary exiflence(b).

eternal, neceffary, felf-exiflent being

Therefore the

abfo-

lutely infinite, or infinite in all perfedions.

SCHOLIUM.
Thus we have difcovered
or infinity in
all

that the reafon, the foundation,

is

and the fource of God's felf-exiflence

perfections.

his abfolute infinity,

The

idea

of no

finite

includes

that of neceffary exiflence.

Its non-exiflence is

not impofli-

bk; we may fuppofe it annihilated without any contradidion:

(a) Def. 9. (b) Cor. 3. of prop. II.

38
whereas

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book
firft

I.

k is manifeftly repugnant to fay, that a being that connot include the greateft and
is

tains all perfe<ftions does

of

thefe perfe61:ions,

which

that

of neceifary

exiftence.

For
the
is.

this reafon the Legillator

of the Jews defines

God

the Being

that

is,

or the felf-exiftent being, to infinuate that

finite is

being that was made, and that

God

alone

is

the being that

All the definitions of tiiis divine philofopherare exa^l.

He did
The

not deduce them from a fuccellive comparifon of ideas; but

feems to have feen truth in
its

fource

by an intuitive view.
all,

Being that
all,

is,

or the feif-exiftent being expreffes

all
all

contains

and fuppofes and

firft

the other perfections of the divine naabfolute infinity.

ture,

of

Whatever
is

is

felf-exi-

ftentmuft be abfolutely infinite, and whatever

finite

abfolutely in-

mult be

felf-exiftent.

This

is

the fimpleft, fhorteft,

and moft natural way of demonftrating the exiftence of a God. It is not deducing this great truth from the bare idea and
definition

of a God, whofe exiftence

is

not yet demon-

ftrated;

but from the idea of a

felf-exiftent being,

whom

all

muft allow, even the moft incredulous.

We do not fay with the

Cartcfians that there muft be an abfolutely infinite being, becaufe

firft

its

idea includes that

of necefTary exiftence: but we prove

and then that
becaufe felf-exiftence

that there muft be a felf-exiftent being,

this

being muft be abfolutely

infinite

cannot belong to any thing

finite.

Neither do

we

fay with

Dr. Clarke and the Newtonians that immenfity and eternity

being ideas which can never be feparated from the mind,which
are necefTary
attributes

and indeftru^iblc, they muft be properties or

of fome fubftance,and therefore there muft be fonie

eternal fubftance. Spinofa will fay the fame,

immcnfe and

and

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
in the

may reafon
eternal, but

fame manner.

It

is

God

is

39 immenfe and
by
fuc-

he

is
is

immenfe by extenfion, and

not the true notion of God.

eternal

cefHon.

This

Some men feeing the unfufficiency

part

or falfhood of the moft

of themetaphyficalreafoningsboth of theCartefiansand
this

Newtonians, about the exiflence of a God, pretend that

great truthcanbe demonftratedonlyA

POSTERioRi:butwe
from the
perfecti-

dare fay that

all

thefe demonftrations drawn

on of

the

EFFECTS

are far inferior to thofe that are

drawn
in the

from the perfe^ion of the cause. Tho' wedifcover

goodnefs
yet Spinofa will attempt to invalidate

univerfe undoubted marks of eternal power, wifdom,

;

and

all

thefede-

monftrations by maintaining that the felf-exiftent caufe a6ts

without defign and choice by neceffity of nature; that

only fubftance being eternal,
finite force a(5ling
infinite,

this

and omnipotent, an
during an

in-

upon an

infinite fubftance

infi-

nite duration

muft neceffarily produce

at the

infinite forms,

and

fb
all

muft contain
kinds;
lifh;

fame time every thing pofFible of

what appears
qualities

to us regular
all

and irregular; wife and foo-

good and bad; and

that mixture

of contrary and con-

tradi<5lory
efFe<5ts

we

fee in the univerfe.

They

are not

of hazard, nor defign; but the neceffary produ5lions

eternal caufe,

of an

whofe perfection
all

confifts in

an unboun-

ded power, that produces

that

is,

and all that can be. Thus

bethinks

all

the demonftrations a
leaft

posteriori

fail

to the

ground, or are at

very

much weakened.
all

We abandon
recourfe with

therefore

the fubtle

modern reafoninss
felf-exiftent effence,

both of the metaphyseal and natural philofophers, and have

Mofes

to the idea

of the

40
fay that
all

OF THE ABSOLUTE
of demonftratlon.

Book

I.

as the only fource

We

dare venture to

thofe

who

endeavour to difparage the evidence

its

of

this antient

Mofaical demonftration, becaufe of

wonis

drous fimplicity, have no juft notions of the original conftitution

firfl

of the human mind.

greateft

Since the being of

it

God

the

and

of

all

truths,

was worthy of almighty wiA

demonftration ftiould

dom to make our faculties fuch that this

pon
of a
the leaft refle<5tion, and convince

appear to them the moft eafy and obvious; ftrike them u-

them of the exigence

God from the bare infpeflion of the idea of a felf-exiftent

being

whom all muft allow.

Thus by the combination of fome few definitions and axiwns we are at length arrived at the firft and mofl: efTential of
all

truths,

The

exiftence
all

derived originally
It
is

of abfolute infinite, from whom Is the knowledge we can acquire of finite.

but by the Creator; the
attributes

impofilble to

know the creature,

by the

properties of the former, but

of the

latter,

and even the exiftence of the one, but by that of the other.

For all

finites

being contingent, not the being that is, but the

beings that were made,

we cannot
;

demonftrate their exiftence

thefe per-

by our perceptions of them but only by comparing

ceptions with the perfections of
i

N F i N i t e.

We cannot deftars,

monftrate that the earth, the fun, the planets, the

all

and

the objects of fenfe without us, are really exiftent, purely

as fhall

and only by the fenfations we have of them,

monftratcd hereafter.
nite
is

be de-

We have difcovcred that abfolute infiis,

the only being that

and that

all

other beings

may

not be.

own.

We have demonftrated his exiftence, and we feel our We are ignorant of all the reft, and unlefs we derive

Book L
light

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
idea

41

from the

of the
is

felf-exiftent being,

of nothing; but that he

in this great idea

and that we

are.

we can be fure Yea unlefs we find

what he

is, as well as

that he

is, it

is needlefs to interrogate the obje<5ts

of fenfe.

We do not yet
wc

know
fee,

if they exift really, or if they are

what they appear. All

and

demonftrations a

posteriori

are infufficient. All that

fiiftions,

hear or feel from without are perhaps mere

phantoms; ormaybealledgedtobemodes of abfolute infinite,

who produced them by neceflity of nature, not byxhoice,defign

and wifdom,

as Spinofa faid.

Loft and funk in

folitary

this

im-

menfe ocean of

absolute infinite;

with

God
upon

alone, let us ihut our eyes, ftop our ears, impofe filence
fenfe

and imagination, fix all our powers upon

our
Ipiritual natures,

this one obje6l,

retire into

and examine by this great idea

of the self-existent absolute infinite, whatare his attributes and perfections. E're we begin this re-fearck
however, wemuft draw three very ufeful corollaries from this
propofition.

COROLLARY
mwft be
efFe6ls, produ<5lions,
is

I.

Hence if there be any finite fubftances really exiftent, they

or creatures of abfolute infinite;
fince nothing
felf-exiftent

but he alone.
IL
reality or perfeClion
infinite,

COR.
Hence
levate

to whatever degree
this

of

any being,

cannot be abfolute
it.

we eif we can

conceive another being fuperior to

COR.
Hence how

in.

great foever be the perfecHiions

we

attribute to

the felf-exiftent, eternal caufe, they cannot belong to abfolute

42
Infinite, if

OF THE ABSOLUTE
we can
conceive perfeftions fuperior to
degree. 't>"

Book L
them
in a-

ny

PROPOSITION
Abfolute
vation,

IV.

infinite excludes all negation, pri-

and

defeat.

DEMONSTRATION.
Abfolute
Finite
is

infinite is the

moft

perfe(5l

negation of finite (a).

reality,

what contains only fome degrees of

(b),

power,

and perfeftion
lity and

and

is

a negation
its

of

infinitely fuperior rea-

perfection (c), wherefore

contrary, or abfolute inis,

finite, is

the negation of all

finite,

that

of

all

negation, and

fo excludes all negation, privation

and

defe<fl.

SCHOLIUM.
its

Tho' the grammatical term infinite feem negative, yet true fenfe is affirmative when applied to God. The negaof all bounds
pofreflion
is

tion

the fullnefs of

all perfe<n:ion.

It is the

a^al

of being and

reality in the higheft degree,

without any fhadow of privation, defe(!^or limitation; without any poflibility of increafe,decreafe,or variation; and furely this objc<5t has

nothing negative in

it.

Hitherto Spinofahad agreed with us; but here he begins

to dilTer

from

us.

He grants that there muft be

infinite.

fome

eternal,

original, independent, felf-exiftent caufe;

and that

this felf-

exlilent caufe
<a) Def. 8.

muft be abfolutely
(b) Def. 7.

He abufes however

(c) Ax. 3.

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GODit

43

that term and underftands

in a quite different fen{e

from

what he

fhould.
infinite

Abfolute

may fignify a being

that contains

all

pof-

fible perfciftions
all fort

from the higheft to the loweft degree; yea

of

realities,

whether modal or

fubftantial,
aiflive

producing

or produced; material, or immaterial,

collectively but as attributes,

or paflive; not

modes or hypoftafes of the fame

being that contains in

eternal, infinite

and

indivifible fubflance.

Abfolute
itfelf,

infinite

may

alfo fignify a
all

not all perfections, but

yea not only
all infinite

perfections in an infinite deall

gree

perfections feparated, but

re-

united in an indivifible manner, and that can produce

by an

all-powerful fecundity, an innumerable variety of fubftances

really diftinCt

from

itfelf.
firll:

Spinofa underftands always abfolute infinite in the

fenfe,

and never

in the fecond.

He does

not affirm, as Poithat

ret accufes

him, that

God is no real being, and

collective

what we

mean by the term God, is only the metaphyfical abftraCt idea

of entity in general,or the
His fcheme
is

fum of all poflible finites.

of God,withthe effence
is

far

more

intricate.

In imitation of the antient

Pantheifts, he confounds the efTence

of the

creature,

and maintains that there

but one,

fole, e-

ternal, felf-exiftent, abfolutely infinite fubftance;

and that all

other beings, whether thefe

al,

we

call

corporeal or intellectu-

are coeternal, confubftantial forms, inherencies, hypofta-

fes,

and

perfonalities

of this only fubftance.

produccs
all,

He

allows that
all,

this

ABSOLUTE INFINITE
wills
all
all,

underftands

and

and that it

gives exiftence, intelligence and activi-

ty to

other beings, not by creation, which he endeavours to

F2

44

Book L explode, but by immanent aftion,and necefHty of nature. He

and
infinitely intelli-

OF THE ABSOLUTE

calls this felf-exiftent, infinitely a<5live,

gent fubfta nee

forms,

NATURE PRODUCING, and its confiibftantial inherencies and perfonalities nature produced.
and funthis

We have already overthrown the original props,

damental propofitions of
king the falfhood of Spinofa's definitions.

monftruous fyftem, by unmas-

We

fhall

now

fliew the total abfurdity and contradiction of this fcheme. It

is

impofTible that the abfolutely infinite, felf-exiftent being,

all

which excludes
tain in that
felf
is,

negation, privation and defefV, can con-

itfelf,

as efiential attributes, the totality

;

of all

finites,

the coUedive
neceflity

fum of all negations or produce

efFe(^s,

in

it-

by

of nature, confubftantial forms,

inhe-

rencies,

and

perfonalities that are full

qualities..

of contrary, contradicthis
infi-

tory,

and incompatible
of

This impure mixture,

confufion of
finite

monftruous
nite,

alliance, this abfurd

and

light

and darknefs, of

reality

and

privation,

of per-

fection

and imperfection cannot be the

Hydra, (a)
that
is

eternal, felf-exiftent,

abfolute infinite jfince we have the idea of another far fuperior

to this Spinofian

we

have the idea of an absoin all fenfes,

lute infinite
fections,

unbounded

and per-

without any fhadow of privation, defeCt, or limita-

tion; yea without

riation;

any

pofilbility

of increafe,

decreafe, or va-

of an
by

ABSOLUTE infinite,
free choice, not

that can

by

its all-

powerful energy produce from without, not by ncccflity of

nature, but

by immanent but by emanant

and yet
fron>

aCtion,an innumerable variety of fubftances, attributes, powers,

and modes

rcprcfcntative

of himfclf

diftinCt

(a) Cor. 2. and 3d of Prop. III.

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
not the fum of

45

himfelf; of an absolute infinite in one word that is SUMMUM INFINITUM, not SUMMA INFINITORUM; the

fupream
Beings;

infinite,
all

infinites

all

Being, not

all

perfections, not

all realities; all

perfedions in an

infinite degree,

and not all

is

forts

of perfeiflion in every degree.

Now

fince this idea

infinitely fuperior to that

of the Spi-

nofian

God,

it is

evident to demonftration that this muft be

the true abfolute infinite.

All Spinofa's errors on

this

head came originally from ths

dangerous definitions of the fchoolmen,

whom he had fludi-

ed carefully in his youth; and eipecially the fataHft divines^

They call God

*

the univerfal being, the univerfal reafon,thc

univerfal goodnefs, that contains in himfelf necelTarily all

the ideas and efTences of

finite.'

Tho' Father Harduin was

all

too rafh to accufe of

formal, deliberate atheifm,

the great

men who make ufe of thefe equivocal

in the right to look
tal fources

expreffions, yet

he was

upon the expreflions themfelves

as the fa-

of Spinofifm.

God is

neither the univerfal being,

nor the univerfal reafon, nor the univerfal goodnefs; for thefe
expreffions

may fignify

the

colle5live

fum of all particular befhallfhew, one, fole,

in;

ings, reafons

and bounties; he is,

as

we

lingular, individual

and indlvilible fubftance, that reunites

is

himfelf all perfe<flions, every one of which

Icind.

infinite in its

Neither does

this

fupream intelligence contain in himas the neceffary

felf all the ideas

je<5ts

and eflences of finite,

ob-

of his underflanding.
is

We fhall fully demonftrate hereof the fchoolmen, which

Neither muft
all

after that this

a wild chimera

fa-

vours and produces neceffarily Spinofifm.

fay that

we

God

contains in himfelf eminently

the pcrfedi-

46

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book L

ons of finite beings. For tho', as we fnall (hew, the perfeftions of finite be analogous to and reprefentative of the divine
perfections, yet the later

do not contain the former

in

any

fenfe whatfoever. This dark

and rafh exprefTionof the fchool-

men unknown

to

all

antiquity both facred and profane, fa-

vours the opinion of thofe,

who

fancy that caufes contain

their effefls as plants contain their feeds, or as the fun

tains
its

con-

rays,

and then we

mufl:

look upon creation as an evo-

lution, or

emanation of the uncreated effence, which modi-

fys itfelf differently, without producing

ftinft

any

real fubflance di-

from

itfelf;

which
is

is

pure Spinofifin.

We

fhall

fhew

hereafter that creation

neither a difcerption, nor an

a produ<n:ion

emana-

tion
that

from the divine effence ; but

had no exiftence before.

of fomething

Thefe three
*

expreflions therefore
;

of the

fchools,

That
are

God is

the univerfal being

that the ideas

of

all finites

the necefTary objefts of the divine underflanding, and eternally coexiflent in

it;

'

and

in fine that

God

contains emi-

nently the perfections and qualities of

all finites,'

gave

rife

to atheifjii ; as will fully appear in the courfe

of

this

work.

We beg

our readers to go on, and

all

thefe great truths fhall

all

be unfolded by degrees.
at once, this multiplicity

If we attempted to expofe them

would perplex the mind, dazzle the

all its

intellectual eye,

and render

objeCts confufed.
I.

COR.

Hence absolute infinite,

in
its

or that which contains

the fullncfs of all perfeftion, can neither increafe nor decreafe

effential aCts, attributes

and perfections; becaufe

properties

it

pof^

feffes in

every

moment all the powers,

and

realities

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
its

47
that

that are neceflary to compleat

lute fullnefs,

idea;

which

is

of abfo-

and perfection

in all kinds.
II.

COR.
Hence if we difcover
gations, privations,

in nature, beings that are full

defects,

of ne-

and

of

different, incompatible,

and

contradi<ftory qualities ; nature produced, or the univerfe

eflential attribute

of beings, cannot be an
the divine fubftance.

or modification of

COR.

III.

Hence we mufl deny of abfolute infinite not only all properties that fuppofe negation, privation

and

limitation: but

even

all

perfections that are not infinite in

is

all fenfes:

where-

fore if it can be proved, that there

fect

a higher or

more per-

do,

way of exifting every where, than by extenfion as bodies then we muft deny that God's omniprcfence is a local
and
indivifible:

difFufion, tho' infinite

and confequently that

the divine immenfity and infinite fpace are not the fame.

COR.
Hence,
All

IV.
all
is is

tho' abfolute infinite excludes

negation; yet
altogether nethat
it is

the idea which finite intelligences have of it

gative.
ter

we

conceive of abfolute infinite

it

grea-

than any idea we can form of it; that

it

farpaffes all finite

comprehenfion, and that

is

none of

thefe things,

that

we

can imagine.
the

tive, yet

Thus tho' the object of this idea be pofiidea we form of it is altogether negative, as Locke
But
it

very well demonflratcs.

were

falfe to

conclude from

thence, that the objecft of that idea includes any negation; as

it

would be abfurd

to fay that becaufe our idea

is

of God is im-

perfect, therefore his elTence

fuch.

48

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book L
V.
and

PROPOSITION.
Abfolute
plurality
Infinite excludes all duality

of fubftance.

DEMONSTRATION.
If there were two or more
fe<flIons,

abfolute infinites, their per-

powers, and forces united in one fum, would be grea-

ter

than thofe of onefingular abfolute infinite (a).

Now there

can be nothing greater than abfolute

infinite (b), therefore

there cannot be in nature a duality, nor a plurality of diftinft,

felf-exiftent,

independent and abfolutely

infinite fubftances,

SCHOLIUM.
That which
In
all fenfes,

exhaufts the whole plenitude of perfe<5lion

its

can admit no other of

all

kind; not becaufe

it

contains numerically

beings, powers,

and

perfe<5lions:

but

becaufe

it

contains in
all

itfelf in

an

indivifible

manner

a perfec-

tion equivalent to
finite

pofllble multiplicity. Subftances

all

of any

degree

may be

equal to each other, and yet be mul-

tipliable

without end; becaufe none of them fingly and fepa-

rately, exhaufts the

whole plenitude of reality

and

in

its

kind. Ab-

folute infinite

can admit of no duality nor plurality of fubrealities

ftance ; becaufe the powers, pcrfe<n:ions

of both

or of all united in one, would

make
is

a being

of a fuperior de-

gree to abfolute infinite which

a contradiction.

Befidcs, if by an impofilblc fuppofition there could be

(a) Ax. 6.
(b)

two

Ax,

4,

Book L
or more
necelTarily

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
know,
love

49

abfolutely infinite fubftances, each

one of them mufl

with
ther

all

of them

at

and be united with each other, and once; and fo they muft by this union eiand
indivifible fubilance; or elfe

become an

individual

their united powers,

knowledge and happinefs, muft augment

and

furpafs their fingle, feparate power,

knowledge and hapfelf-fuf-

pinefs.
ficient,

Wherefore every one of them would not be

and fo could not be abfolutely
infinite*

G O

R.

I.

Hence

infinite

power can never be exhaufted by the proitfelf ;

duftion of beings diftinftfrom

becaufe flnce

it

can never

produce from without, another abfolute

felf,

infinite equal to it-

there

may be in

the fcale of finites a progrefllon without

end.

COR.
duced, or

11.

Hence God can never communicate

to created beings, a principle

to

nature
;

pro(b

of felf-exiftence,

as that they could fubfift for ever independent

of him fince
is

he can never make them abfolutely

ly reafon

infinite,

which

the on-

of felf-exiftence or independence.

COR.

III.

Hence creation can neither be coeternal, nor confubftantial with God, nor neceffary to his perfe(5tion ; becaufe it cannot be abfolutely infinite as fhall be fhewn more fully hereafter.

COR.
Hence
the abfolutely infinite
folutely infinite obje<5t

IV.

mind can have no other ab-

of

his thought, but himfelf, or his

own idea,

image and reprefentation.

50
Hence
all

OF THE ABSOLUTE
COR.
V.
the rophlfms that Baylc

Book L
to prove

makes ufe of,

thatManicheifm,or the do6lrine of two co-eternal, felf-exiftent principles, one

good and another bad,

is

a plaufible opi-

nion; are weak, childifh, and unphilofophical.

ty reafonings

All his witthis fuppofiti-

on

this head, are

founded upon

on, that moral and phyHcal

tible;

evil will

be eternal and indeftruc-

and that what

is

is

indeftruflible

muft be

felf-exiftent.

This

abfolutely falfe, as

we fhall

prove hereafter both by

fcripture

and reafon.

PROPOSITION
Abfolute
all divifibility

VI.
and

infinite excludes all divifion

of fubftance whether

ideal or real.

DEMONSRATION.
If the divine fubftance was
divifible into parts, thefe parts

would be

abfolutely infinite, or abfolutely finite.

If abfolute;

ly infinite, then there

is

might be many abfolute infinites which

impoffible (a); if abfolutely finite, then the addition

of fi-

nite to finite

would make abfolute

and

infinite,

which

is

abfurd:
all di-

(b) therefore abfolute infinite excludes

vifibility

all divifion
is

and

both

real

ideal; fince

what

ideally divifible

may be really

divided.

SCHOLIUM.
Spinofa never denied the indivifibility of the divine effence.

He maintains indeed, with Des Cartes,

(a) Prop.

that matter

and fpace

V.

(b)

Ax.

6.

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
and
indeftruflible,

51
is

are the fame; and having endeavour'd to prove that Ipace

infinite, eternal, indivifible,

he concludes

that infinite Ipace and the divine immenfity are the fame;
that the fupreme abfolute infinite or only fubftance
is

and

exten-

ded every where by

really indivifible.

local diffufion,

yetfo as to be ideally and

Thus

tho'
is

he

attributes extenfion to

God,

yet he denies that

God

corporeal, figurable,

and

divifible.

He

does not even fay that

all

God

is

the foul of the world inti-

mately united to
that there
is

the mafs of infinite matter; for he afferts

real matter

no other

but infinite Ipace.

We Ihall

unriddle this intricate queftion very foon.

COR.
Hence
to
all

I.

all

God's

effential attributes,

powers, and perfec-

tions fubfift

and

zS: in,

by and with each other according

the extent of his infinite nature.

They

cannot contra-

dict

nor be feparated from one another.

as

deed

we

fhall

fhew

real diftin(n:ions in

There may be inGod, but there can

be no real

divifions.

COR.
Hence nature produced,
participation
all

II.
is

or the univerfe of beings

not a

of the divine fubflance, for what is indivifible in

fenfes admits

of no

feparation or divifion.
finite beings, it is

Wherefore
not by a
dif^

when God produces

cerption, divifion, or

or creates

communication of

his effence.

PROPOSITION
The divine
fion

VII. by fuccef-

effence does not exift

of thoughts.

Gz

52
Abfolute

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book
fulnefs

I.

DEMONSTRATION.
infinite is that

which contains the

fulnefs

of all

perfection: (a) that

which contains the

of

all

perfec-

tion can never increafe, decreafe or vary as to

attributes

its effential afts,

and thoughts,

(b) Therefore the divine eflence

does not

exifl:

by

fucceffion

of tlioughts*

SCHOLIUM.
God knows and
effential perfection

loves himfelf always equally;

and

in this

permanent, unchangeable knowledge and

love, confifts

the

of his

infinite underftanding,

and the un^

that

bounded happinefs of his

infinite will.

Locke pretends
is

we can
all his

have no idea of duration, but what

fucceflive:

but

(pecious reafonings
infinite time,

on

this

head tend to confound the

It
is is

idea that
five.

of

with that of God's eternity.

true

we have no

idea

of duration in

finite

but what

fuccef^

This however does not prove

that

we

can have no idea

of God's duration, without

fucceffion, variation

and change-

He knows and loves himfelf not by fucceffive a<n:s, but by one

continued, permanent, and immutable act; otherwrfe
fay that he
at another.

we muft

knows and

loves himfelf

more

at

one time than-

Boethius had far more noble notions,

when he
time

faid that eternal duration in

God is the full, a<5tual, permanent

infinite

poffeffion

of all

reality
is

and perfection: whereas

in the creature
its

the fucceffive augmentation or variation of

modes,

realities

or perfections without end.

All Locke's miftakes on this head come from his not adverting to this, that eternal duration in
(a)

God

does not regard

Def. 8.

(b) Cor. i. of Prop. VI.

Book L
is

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
a<5ls.

53

his abfolute efrence,but his elTential

Neceffary exigence
Neceffary
exif-

not the fame idea with that of eternity.

tence belongs to the eifence of God, as independent of any

other caufe: but eternity or unfucceffive duration belongs to

his effential a6ls as
creafe, or variation.

exempt from all

poflibility

of

increafe, de-

and loves himfelf always in the fame manner and degree; and this permanency conftitutes his eternity.

He knows

We fee that this muft be fo, but we cannot

ideas

form any adequate

of

this

fimultaneous duration in
conceive only by parcells,
attributes

God
by

becaufe being bounded

we

fucceflion,

and by progrellion. All the

of abfo-

lute infinite tho' demonftrable, yet

muft be incomprehenfiblc

to finite minds.

Dr. Clarke by confounding the ideas of fucceflive and unfucceffive duration

preifes thus; (a)
'
*

advanced a ftrange paradox which he ex-

How any thing can have exifted eternally,

paft, is ut-

that

is,

how

an eternal duration can be a6lually

terly unconceivable,

and yet

to

deny that an eternal

durati-

on

is

now

acTtually paft is

an exprefs

contradi(flion.'

He
and

fhould have faid quite the contrary, that to maintain an eternal duration
is

now
It is

a6lually paft

is

altogether repugnant

contradi(5lory.

not only unconceivable, but abfolutely

there
is

impofilble.

Wherever
fuccefilve

laft,

there muft be a

firft;
laft.

now
fible

in eternity there
is

can be no

firft,

and therefore no
is

Whatever

cannot be eternal, as whatever

infinite; becaufe
finite fucceffions

divifi-

cannot be a6lually

no
can

addition

of

nite dimenfions, nor

infinite.
(a) Dr.

of

make

abfolute
e-

When we fay that

creatures

may be immortal and

Clarke's Demonftration

of the being and attributes of God; page 9.

54
ternal; all

OF THE ABSOLUTE
we mean
is,

Book

I.

that

God may
to be.

ftill

continue their exis-

tence without end; and no ways that there can be

no laft mothat

ment wherein they may ceafe

ter
is

When we fay that matall

it

infinitely divifible

or multipliable,

we mean

is

infinite

power may diminifh or augment

that
it

without end, and

no ways

can be actually and really infinitely great, or

I repeat a
laft,
it

infinitely Uttle.
firft,

once more, wherever there

is

is

there

may be

and wherever there

laft,

there

muft have been a

firft.

In the pure and abfolute eflence of God, and in the exercife

of

his eftential,

immanent, and neceffary

All
is

a6ls, there

can

be neither paft nor future.

caufe

one prefent moment. Be-

God

always knows and loves himfelf equally, without

variation or

fhadow of change.

All his eftential afts are cohis effence.

eternal, confubftantial,

and fimultaneous with

priority

There is

in

them neither
;

nor pofteriority with regard

to duration

tho' there

may be

fuch diftinflions conceived in

him with

regard to caufality, as fhall be explained hereafter.

di(Hnguifti anterior

When we
be any

from

pofterior eternity, this

does not regard

God

but us.

We do not mean that there can

any
alteration or fuccef-

real priority or pofteriority,

fion in the divine eftence ; but only that there was a time when
finite

began, and

when God
eftence,

manifefted himfelf from with-

out: for he can never interrupt the eternal, permanent, uni-

form duration of his

and

nor of his

eftential,

immanent,

con-fubftantial a(^s.

Tho' in God,
gard to his free

there

is

no ftiadow of variation with regard

their

to his neceftary a^ls,

a(fls

and

immanent

efte(fts,

yet with re-

and emanant

cftedts,

there

may be fuc-

Book L
ceffion
;

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
is,

^^

that

they are not co-eternal with his efTence, and

cannot be the permanent objects of his underftanding; there was a time when he did not exert thefe acfts; and there may

be a time when he
blimeft truth in
all

will ceafe to exert

them.

This

is

the fu-

theology, and the

firft

bulwark againft Spi-

nofifm; as fhall be evidently demonftrated hereafter.

COR.

I.

We may conceive two

which

different forts

of duration: one by
all

a being exifts abfolutely and altogether the fame in

it

the periods of duration; another by which

rently, in different times,

exifts diffe-

by the

increafe, decreafe,
perfe(n:ions.

and

vari-

ation

of

its

modes,

qualities

and

The

idea

of

from the mutability and fucceffion that happen in the modes, qualities and perfections of finite.
time
arifes

G O R.

II.

time and the divine eternity are not the fame. Infinite time is the mutable duration of finite continuinfinite

Hence

ed without end.
lute infinite.

Eternity

is

the immutable duration of abfothe generical term; immutable

Thus

duration

is

and

fuccefTive duration are the

two kinds or
III.

ipecies.

COR.
Hence
five
it is

abfolutely falfe, that duration

all

is

an abfolute
Succcfall fi-

quality that belongs to

beings in the fame fenfe.

is

duration or mutability

the effentlal property of

nites: unfuccejffive duration belongs to

God

alone.

LEMMA
A fubftance that
be conceived
is

OF

PROP.

VIII.

extended by diffufion of parts

may

as ideally

and

really divifible.

S6

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book L

SCHOLIUM.
In
all

fubftance extended

by

difFufion

we may

conceive

lengths, breadths, heights

and depths; parts

diftlntfl

from

each other, parts towards the center, and parts towards the
circumference.

Now wherever

there are real parts diftlnd

is

and

diftant
Is

from each other, the one

part,

not the other

the

whole

not contained In each

nor does each part conexift,

tain the reft.

One part

therefore might
its

tho*

all

the reft

were annihilated, and confequently

parts are feparable.

They are Ideally divlfible, and therefore

reafon
it is,

muft be

really fo; o-

therwlfe their ideal divifibility would be impoflible.

that matter
is

For this

not one (imple/indivlfible fubftance,

really feparable, tho' ne-

but a compound of many fubftances

ver fo contiguous and homogeneous.

Some
tions,

will fay that

we may

conceive In fpace ideal diftinc-

but not real dlvifions; that

we may

diftlnguifh In

it

heights, lengths,

and breadths, and yet no feparable parts;

It

and therefore
becaufe, as
if
it

tho'

may be partially apprehended, yet it canI anfwer that this

is

not be mentally nor really divided.

true,

we

ftiall

fhew, Ipace

is

not a

real fubftance;

but
it

were a

real fubftance that exifted

by

difFufion,

then

would be both mentally and

Whatever

really divlfible.
I.
Is

COR.
Is

really divlfible

really
it

compounded

for

it

could not be divided into parts if

parts.

were not compofed of

COR.
Hence
if a fubftance

II.

be

divlfible into parts

without end,

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
of the fame nature with the whole,
fingle, individual fubftance,

^y
this

(ince the parts are

fubftance cannot be one,

but a

compound of innumerable, diftind, and

divifible fubftances.

PROPOSITION
The DIVINE ESSENCE
diifufion
Is

VIII.

not extended by

of parts.
extended by diffufion of parts,
divifible (a):
:

DEMONSTRATION.
A fub fiance that
efTence
is

may be

conceived as ideally and really

the divine efTence

admits of no divifion ideal or real (b) therefore the divine

is

not extended by diffufion of parts.

SCHOLIUM.
We
flrufe,

are

now

arrived at the mofl: dliHcuIt, the mofl ab-

and the mofl fubtle part of all theology and metaphy-

ficks.

The

miflakes

on

this

head have had bad

eflfedls,

and

tended to open the

fluices to Spinofifm,

There are three opinions concerning the

;

divine immenfity,
all

and there can be but three fome fay that God exifls in

places

by diiFufion

others, that his efTence

is

circumfcribed to one
his almigh-

definite place, while

he is prefent every where by

infinite,
all

ty power; others again afTert that the

five

all-comprehen-

mind is
of his
firfl

prefent without extenfion to

exerclfe

beings, not only

by the whole
tality

of his power, but according to the toIf It can be demonflrated that

indlvifible cflence.

the two
(a)

opinions are falfe,and Incompatible with the per(b)

By thepreceeding Lemma.

By

Prop.

V.

58
fe6lion

OF THE ABSOLUTE
of abfolute
infinite,
it is

Book

T.

evident that the third mull be

true (a); fince the divine eflence can exift

no otherwife but

ia

one of thefe three manners.

Some of Sir Isaac Newton's

haps feeing the confequences of
ly the
firft

difciples,

without per-

their do<5lrine, favour directin all places

opinion, that

God exifts

by

diiFufion,

when they
(ity are the
1.

maintain that infinite ipace and the divine immenfame.

They

argue thus.
all

As God's

exigence in

times conflitutes infinite duall

ration or eternity, fo his prefence in

finite fpace

places conftltutes in-

or immenfity.

ftratum of fpace,

The felf-exiftent eflence is the fuband the ground of its exiftence. God is not
is

in the world, but the world

in him.

His immenfity
all

is

the

common
ings:

place or receptacle

which contains

created belive,

for this reafon St. Paul fays, that " in

God we

" move and have our being."

2.

The idea
God

of fpace

is

eternal, infinite,

independent of

and antecedent
is

to the creation

of all matter: for fince matter

created,

might have produced from the beginning on-

ly

two globes of matter which would have touched each othcr only in a point; and therefore we might have had the
idea

of

a fpace void

of matter betwixt
is

all

the other points.

;

Further, fince matter

created,

it

whatever does not

fore

exift neceflarily,
all

may be annihilated for may ceafe to be. Wherefill

God

might annihilate
walls,

the matter betwixt four imits

moveable
place,

without fufFering any other matter to

and then we would have an idea of fpace where there is

In
fine, fince

no

matter.
(a)

matter

is

created

it

mufl be

finite.

By

Poftulate 3,

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
God
all

If we were therefore tranfported to the utmofl: created matter, we might ftretch out our hand, and thus have
the idea of a fpace where
like ours,

59 boundaries of

might create another world

yea not only one but numberlefs worlds, flnce his

power

is

unbounded.

In

thcfe three cafes

is

we would have
matter.

an idea of fpace where there

no

matter, antecedent to, in-

dependent

of,

and
is

infinitely greater
infinite, eternal,

than

all

Thus
and nemufl exin all

the idea of fpace

3.

and neceflary.

Space and time are abfolute

qualities requifite

cefTary to the exigence

ift

of all beings;

flnce all things

fomewhere, and in fome time, or every where and

times.

To exifl no where and in no time,

is

not to be.

Space

and time therefore are neceffary, indeflru^tible

thing can blot out of the mind, and this dious demonftration of the exiflence of a
is

ideas, that

no-

the mofl

compen-

God:

for flnce eter-

nity and immenfity are necelTary, indeftruflible ideas, they

mufl be properties of an immenfe, eternal being; and flnce the

properties cannot exift without their fubftance, there mull be

an immenfe,
4. Space
;

eternal fubftance to

whom

they belong.
It

muft either be fbmething or nothing.

cannot
lef^

be nothing flnce we conceive in fpace portions greater or

fer,

equal or unequal, nearer and remoter.

Now nothing has

it

no

properties nor parts. If fpace be fomething,

mufl: either

be a fubftance or a property of a fubftance; the fame with

matter, or an attribute of matter. It cannot be, as the Carteflans fay, the

fame with matter, becaufe fpace

indivifible,

is

penetrable,

immoveable and
moveable and
ter
;

whereas matter

is

impenetrable,

diviflble.

Moreover, fpace is what contains mat-

now

the thing containing muft be dilUnel from the

Hz

6o

OF THE ABSOLUTE
In
fine, if fpace

Book

I.

thing contained.

and matter were the fame,

we

could not fay that bodies quit one fpace to go into ano-

ther; for this

would be faying that they go out of themfelves.

fJ3ace

Neither can

be an attribute of matter, nor of any

is

created being, fince Ipace

eternal, neceflary

and

infinite.

Wherefore it muft be an
exiftent being or the

attribute

of the eternal,

infinite, felf-

fame with the divine immenfity.

Thefe
gllfh

are the principal arguments

of Locke, and the En-

Newtonian

philofophers, to prove that infinite fpace

and the divine immenfity are the fame. This matter has been handled of late by two great men, Mr. Leibnitz and Dr.
Clarke.
fcurity,

The

firft

by

his

profound depth

lofl

himfelf in ob-

without being

intelligible.

The

other by his great

fubtility fklpped over truth,

without going to the bottom.

firft

We fhall
which

endeavour to fhew

that the principles

upon
and

this do6lrine is

founded

ai*e falfe

and fophidical; and

are very harfh

then prove that the confequences of

dangerous.
I. It is
is

it

abfolutely falfe that God's exigence in

all

times

his eternity;
all

and therefore by the

is

rules

of analogy

his ex-

iftence in

fpaces

not his immenfity.

As

infinite

time

is

not eternity
riability

(a), fo infinite fpace is

not immenfity.

The va-

of'the creature gives us the idea of fucccfTion and

time (b), and the cxtcnfion of matter by its compofition gives

us the idea of fpace or extenfion.

If there were no variable

beings, if we could remain for ever in one permanent thought,

we would have no idea of fuccefllon

Vvere
(a) Cor. 2. of Prop. VII.

or time.

Jull fo, if there

no compound beings made up of

00
Cor.
i.

diftant or fcparable

of Trop. VJI.

Book
parts,

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
have no idea of ipace or extenfion.

6t

we could

Time inof parts.

dicates a fiicceflion

of modes;

Ipace, a compofition
Is

We

jfhall

fhew hereafter that the mind

capable of forming

abftrafl ideas

both of fubftances and properties.

Now

it is

certain that the abftra(5l idea

fubftances

may were annihilated. Thus we form

and
infinite time.

remain In the mind tho' the

the ideas of inthat
all finite

finite Ipace,

Having obferved

beings exift by fucceflion,

we form

to ourfelves the abftraft

idea of an infinite, flowing, variable duration without end;

becaufe

God might have

created antecedently to

all

determi-

nate time, and continue his produ6lion for ever. In the fame

manner having once got the

parts,

idea

of a being compofed of
extended fubftan-

we

conceive that

God may augment

infinite

ces for ever;

and fo

we form

the abftrad idea of imaginary,

infinite fpaces, as

of imaginary,

numbers and moti-

ons, which are mere wife real fubftances ;

ftance.

modes of the mind's forming, and nofar lefs properties of the infinite fub-

When

the apoftle fays therefore, that " in

God we
beings

"

live,

move, and have our being;" wemuft not underftand

this in a grofs, material fenfe, as if all bodies

and

all

fwimmed in
More, who
fluid that

the divine eifence, like fifhes in the fea.

difciples

If fome

Newtonians (or rather the

firft

of the pious Dr. Henry

defended

this

notion

among

the moderns)

think thus, they feem not to explode the idea of an ethereal

fills all;

but they deny the Cartefian, created, finite,

moveable, unintelligent, fubtilc

paflive, divifiblc, figurable,

matter, in order to transform the divine elTence into an uncreated, infinite, unfigurable,
er,
a^ftive, intelligent,

ethereal raat^
fhaii

which too much refemblcs Spinolirm;

as

we

fhew

6z
hereafter.

OF THE ABSOLUTE
God is prefent
exifl:

Book

I.

This then cannot be the meanhig of St. Paul, but

every where to
all

that

created beings, becaufe

they

and

fubfifl:

only by the continuation of his creating

energy.
not, he
fible,

Now

as his

power cannot
a^ls;

a6l

where

his eflence is
is

niufl: exifl:

where he

and

as his effence
all

indivi*

he muft be entirely prefent to

exifl:s

beings, without dif-

fufion of parts, as he

always without fuccellion of

thoughts.
2. All the reafonings

by which
true that

thefe

moderns endeavour
neceffary, are pure

to prove that fpace

is

eternal, infinite
It
is

and

dclufions of fancy.

God

might have created

only two globes of matter which touched one another in a

point; that he might annihilate
all

the real matter, there

is

betwixt four immoveable walls, without fuffering any other

matter to

fill its

place;

and

in fine, that

he might create
cafes

new

worlds beyond our

fyfl:em.

In thefe three

we would

have the idea of a void or fpace antecedent to and independent of all matter:
idea
all this
is

we grant. But in

all

thefe cafes the

we have of fpace
difl:in6l

not that of any

real fubftance, or pro-

perty,

from matter, but an

after the

abftraft idea
is

of extenfion

which remains
deftroyed,

extended fubfl:ance
e're the

fuppofed to be

and which we fuppofe

extended fubfl:ance

be

created.

We

confider this abflraft idea as a capacity, an

interval, a diflrance or a void,

al;

where there

is

nothing matericreatiexif-

and therefore nothing that hinders the pofition or

on of new
ting.

matter betwixt or beyond the bodies really

Now this abfl:ra6t idea of void, difl:ance, interval, or cano objcaive

reality

pacity, has

without us;

it is

mere ficflion

of

the mind, an

ens rationis, the work of our own

Book I.
thought.
It

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
is

63

when we have once the idea of an extended fubftance, we may form that of imaginary heights,
thus that
lengths, depths,

and

diftances without end, tho'

all

the real

matter in the univerfe were annihilated.

When

the Cartefi-

ans therefore deny the poHibllity of forming the abftrad idea

of a void or
finite,
it is

extenfion where there

is

no

matter, they are driIs

ven inevitably to maintain either that matter

abfolutely in-

and confequently

eternal

and uncreated; or to fay that

an attribute of the divine fubftance; and fo to materialize

the divine nature, in a more abfurd fenfe than the later authors.
It is a

mere Sophifm

In the Cartefians to fay that bo-

dies are united

falfe; bodies are

when

there

is

nothing betwixt them ;

this is

only then united,

when

there can be nothing

betwixt them.
3.
all

Space and time are not abfolute qualities that belong to

beings.

God

exifts

every where without (pace or exten-

fion; as he exifts always without time or fucceflion.

ifts

He

ex-

In himfelf as his

own place,
act

always the fame, without valove.

It Is

riation, In

one permanent

of knowledge and

true that the Ideas

of fpace and time are infeparable from our

out of our minds the Ideas of exten-

minds, becaufe being variable creatures. Intimately united to

matter,
fion

we

cannot

Itrike

and

fucceflion: but If we transfer thefe ideas to abfolute

infinite,

we become
like ourfclves.
Is

anthropomorphltes, and imagine that

God
is

is

We fancy with
Is

children that

all

that

not extended,

nothing; and that all duration which Is not

floating,

and

fuccefllve

no duration

at all.

Space and time

all

are not then abfolute qualities that belong equally to

be-

ings created and uncreated; material and fpiritual.

64.
4.

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book L

The dilemma's of thefe moderns are not conclufive. All

is

the objects of our perception are not fubftances, or proper*

tics

of fubftances. There

yet a third object of our percep-

tion,

and that

is,

abftra6t ideas.

Space

is

not a pure nothing,

but an abftrad idea of extenfion, as that of number, time,

and motion, which we may confider

ftant or nearer;

as greater or lefTer, di-

and which we may add or mukiply, divide

or combine without end; yea

if they

we may
tho'
it is

reafon

upon them,

as

were

real fubftances

certain that all

num(paces

bers without multipliable beings,

beings,
all

all

times without variable

all

motions without moveable beings, and

without extended beings; are mere abftraftions of our minds.

We fay that

bodies exift in fpace, in the fame fenfe that

we

fay that finite beings exift in time.

In both

cafes, the vulgar

impofed upon by imagination, confider (pace and time, or the

abftrafl ideas
ftin(ft

of extenfion and

fucceflion, as

fome things

di-

from the extended and

fuccefilve fubftances in

which
precifi-

thefe fubftances exift; and fo

by a metonymy without

on

fay that the fubftances exift in their properties, or ra-

ther in the abftrad ideas of their properties.

Can

Philofo-

phers

make

ufe

of the errors
and

in ordinary fpeech to prove phi-

lofophical principles? Striflly fpeaking

we fhould

not fay that

bodies

exift in fpace,

finite

beings in time; but that the

one

exift

with extenfion, and the others by fucccfilon, or with

it

Ipace and time. Moreover,

tefians to maintain that

was a great miftake in fome Car-

space and

matter

are the fame;

for then

it

would be nonfenfe

to fay that bodies

change one
that bodies
is

fpace to go into another.

This would be faying

^o out of thcmfelves

to

go into other bodies.

What

meant

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
bodies change fpace or place,
Is

65
that they

when we fay that

change the

relation

of diftance

to each other; for, as

we have

already remarked, fpace

are

fignifies

fometimes a void where there

interval or diftance beis

no bodies

at all,

and fometimes an

twixt bodies. In both thefe cafes, ipace

idea

only a relation or an

of the manner
is

that bodies exift

by extenfion.

Now exit is

tenfion

not a fubftance, but a property of a fubftance;

not matter, but an attribute of matter.

ter carries along

Each atom of mat-

with
:

it

the idea of local extenfion, and fup-

pofes
varies

it

necelTarily

but as fucceflion without any being that

is

a pure idea, fo extenfion without

any extended bemoderns found

ing

is

a pure idea.
all

Thus

the principles

upon which

thefe

the identity of infinite fpace and the divine immenfity, are

uncertain orfalfe: but the natural confequences of this doctrine are
1

of a dangerous tendency.
infinite fpace

If

were the fame with the divine immeninfinite fpace,

fity; if

God's omniprefence conflituted were an

attribute

and

if

infinite fpace

of God: then

the fupreme ef^

fence would exifl by difFufion andlocal extenfion, tho' indivifible, unfigurable,

and immoveable.

Now

if the divine ef^

fence exifled thus by difFufion, there would be

a greater fpace, than in a
hill,

more of
in a

it

in

lefTer,

in a

mountain than

mole-

in a giant than in a pigmy.

2.
all

This

is

not

all.

We have
exifls

already demonflrated, that

fubflance
all

which

by

difFufion

muft be

divifible

for in

fuch fubftances

we may

conceive parts diflant and

lefTcr,

diftincH:;

equal and unequal; greater and

and confe-

quently thefe fubftances are ideally and really

I

divifible, tho'

<$5

OF THE ABSOLUTE
may be
uncTivided ;

Book

I.

they

now what is
it

really divifible is there-

by

figurable

and moveable. If the divine efTence

exifted there-

fore in fpace

by

difFufion,

would be
all

divifible, figurable

and

moveable; and fo fubjeft to

bodies.

the accidents and qualities of

We

might fay

literally

and phyfically an inch, a

It

foot, a cubit,

and a yard of the divine fubftance.

of
all all

might be

really divided into portions

lar, (pherical,

forms, triangular, circuthefe portions

and

cubical.

Yea

might be
lefs

tranfported from one place to another with

locity.

more or

ve-

Thus we would

corporalize the divine nature.

3.

In

fine, if the divine elTence

were

locally extended, tho*

as impenetrable as
fills its

indivifible,

one would think

it

mufl be

matter: for a real fubftance that exiftsby difFufion

place;
ftance

own

and

fo

cannot admit in the fame place any other fubnature.

it

of the fame

It

is

the difFufion or extenflon of

its divifibili-

a fubftance that makes

ty or indivifibility.
Ipace,

impenetrable, and not

If the divine elTence conftitutes

infinite

and

fills

it,

then there can be no other

fpiritual fub-

ftance but itfelf. For this reafon Spinofa maintain'd, that there

was one only fubftance

in nature,

and that

all

other beings

are only confubftantial forms, ideas, hypoftafes, and perfonalities

of the divine efFence.

Dr. Clarke prefs'd by thefe abfurd confequences, of which

he had no doubt a facrcd horror, retra^s

and fays (a)
<
'

his

firft

cxprefTions,

That God

is

not in fpace, nor penetrated by it;

and that

to call the felf-exiftent fubftance, the fubftratum

of

fpace, or fpace a property

of the
:

fclf-exiftent fubftance, are

all

not perhaps proper expreffions but that

he means

is,

that

(a) See the anfwers to the 3d and 4th letters at the end of his Pemonftration of the

being and attributes of God

Book L
* *
'

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD,
is

6y
relation,

the idea of fpaee

the idea

of a certain quality or

which we

evidently fee to

be necefTarily exifting, and which

not being a fubftance prefuppofes necelTarily a fubftance

without which

it

could not
is

exift.'

We

abfolutely

deny

that the idea

of fpace

that

of a quality

neceffarily-exifting:

for if there never

ftance,

had been any

real matter,

or extended fub-

we might

have been eternally without the idea of ex-

tenfion ; and fo could never have form'd an abftra^l idea of

this property or

of fpace. For
that

this reafon

it is

that Dr. Berkedif-

ley maintains
*

'

we

acquire the ideas

of grandeur,

tance and extenfion,only by habitudeyexperience and touch;

and that we learn to fee

as

we learn
firft

to fpeak.

To fay

that

a neceflarily exifting quality prefuppofes a neceftarily exifting

fubftance,
is

returning to his

maxim;

for fince qualities

cannot

exift

without their fubftance, if fpace be a neceffarily

it

exiftent quality,
ftance,

muft be that of a neceffarily exiftent fub-

and

fo the

fame with the divine immenfity; otherwife

this phrafe fignifies nothing.

Thus the Do<n:or falls into

the

fame jargon he reproaches others with; rather than quite a-

bandon
into

a principle

whofe natural and neceffary confequences

the mathematical philofophers have fallen

alarm him.
all

Thus

the abfurditles of materlallfm and Spinofifrii, without

it.

defigning

The greateft geometers are very oft incapable of

metaphyfical reafonings, becaufe their minds being entirely

abforb'd in the contemplations of extenfion and figure, and
conftantly accuftom'd to the ideas of quantity, they

become
to

by degrees incapable of all pure

fpace, figure,

Ideas that have

no relation

and motion.

The

opinion of an immenfe void, of an infinite fpace, of

I 2

6B

OF THE ABSOLUTE
God exifts by

Book

I.

an uncreated extenfion, in which

diffurion, is

probably an old,antiquated notion of Democritus and the atomifts;

which was combated and confuted by Socrates, Aall

naxagoras, and

the philofophers,
diftincl

who believed

that the

thinking

eflfence

was

from the material

fubftance.

This fidlion was renew'd by Epicurus and Lucretius; and confuted anewbythePlatonifts.

Manes and
it,

his followers reviv'd

the fame chimera in the third and fourth centuries, and St.

Auguftin was long infatuated by

with horror, and confuted
it

but he rejeded

it

at laft

with force and fubtlety.

Cham-

peaux, mafter to Abelard, endeavoured to recall the fame error in the twelfth century; but his difciple attack'd

him and

proved him to be a

materialift.

Some
all

Scotifts,

fuch as Dero-

don, revived the fame opinion in the fifteenth century; but

they were vigoroufly oppofed by

nofa in the
laft

the fchools. In fine,Spi-

century eftay'd again to introduce this notito prove that there

is

on into the empire of philofophy,

one fubftance
properties
in nature,
this

bus

and that extenfion and thought are

of

only fubftance; but his dark fcheme was

is

abhorr'd by

all

the philofophers of Europe. It

ftrange that

fuch profound genii, as Dr.

Henry More,

Clarke, and

many
with

of the learned Englifh, ihould have agreed

in this point

the Epicureans, Manicheans, Materialifts, and Spiniofifts, in

oppofition to the moft able metaphyficians of all ages, countries,

and

religions.

Some
without

antient

and modern philofophers

fell

into another

extream, and pretended that the proper refidence of

this fyftem; that his eftencc
is

God

is

is

circumfcribed to the

higheft heavens, and that he

prefcnt to created beings, on-

Book
ly

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
all-extenfive virtue,

^^
and
Spi-

by

power of irradiation, an
;

ritual operation

and

this is the

fecond opinion about onmir

to

prefence.
five, local

Thefe philofophers,

fhun the dodrine of difFu-

extenfion, limit the divine nature, and render it re-

ally finite
lefs, as
I
.

by

efTence.

Nothing

is

more abfurd and groundreflexions.

will fully appear

is

from the following

It

abfolutely impoffible that infinite

power can be fe-

parated from the omnipotent elTcnce; that a property can exift

without its fubftance; and that an agent can operate where

not: wherefore if God a6ts every where, he muft be pre-

it is

fent every where: his eflence mufl exift,

erts itfelf.

where his power exof the

2.

We grant,
fignify, as

that the holy fcriptures fpcak

:

highefl:

heavens, as the proper refidence of God

but thefe palTages

is

muft

we

fhall

fhew

hereafter, that there

one

place in the divine immenfity

where the infinite

in a

nifefts itfelf to created beings,

mamore eminent manner

effence

than in another, and not that he than in another.

exifts

more

in

one place
fcripture.

Scripture muft be explain'd

that

by

Now thefe facred books alTure us,

" cannot contain him, and that he " of us, fince in him
3. It
is

God is prefent in hea-

ven, upon earth, and in hell; " that the heaven of heavens
is

not far from every one

we live, move and have our being."

fpirits

true indeed, that the facred oracles fay, that impiare " far

ous minds, and damned

from God; and

caft

" out of his prefence; that holy fouls are near to him, and " united with him; and that none but the pure in heart can " fee and approach him:" But thefe expreffions cannot be
underftood of a local prefence.

In fome

knk we

are pre-

70

OF THE ABSOLUTE
upon
us,

Book

I.

fent to obje(5ls only in fo far as they ac^

feft

and mani-

themfelves to us.
all

If

all

the avenues of fenfe were Ihut

up, and

communication with bodies were fufpended,

in the

we

might be furrounded with them, and be

fame place

with them, and yet have no perception of them.

is

Thus God

efTentially prefent to the devils

:

and the damned; and yet

faid to

they do not perceive him

they are

be feparated from

him, becaufe he does not adt upon them in a beatifying manner; thus
fible:

we

live,

move and
all

exift in

God,

tho'

he be

invi-

he

is

prefent to

beings, tho' they

do not

feel his pre-

fence.

They are

diftind but not diftant,

from him.

When
this
is

he

creates, he does

not produce beings without himfelf,in

their fub fiance in a ipace

fenfe that

he places

where he

not:

but in

this fenfe that

they are
his.

diftinfl

from him, or have a

being really different from

The two
ty,

opinions mention'd about the divine immenfiall places,

the one of God's diffufive prefence in

and the

other of his circumfcription to one place, are then incompatible

with the perfection of the divine nature.

Now when
be
true,
is

of three fuppofitions, whereof one

neceffarily mull:

two are proved abfurd and

demonftrated
all

impolTible, the third

invincibly

(a).

God

muft either be

eflentially prefent in
is

places, or in
is

one

definite place: there

is

no

midft.

The diof

lemma

exaft; the enumeration

perfect.

If he be eifen-

tially prefent in all places,

he muft be

fo either

by

diffufion
is

parts, or

without diffufion of parts.

Here again there

no

midd.
fent in
<a)

We have already demonftrated that he cannot be preall

places

by

diffufion

of parts; nor circumfcribed to

By

Poftulate 2.

Book
tirely,

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
;

71

one definite place therefore.he muft beprefent efTentlally, enand

indivifibly In all places

without difFufion.

The

ab-

folutely infinite, necejfTary, felf-exiftent being muft be

prefent, not
'
'

omni-

becaufe abfolute neceffity' as Dr. Clarke fays,

is

always and every where the fame/ which feems to be no

proof; but becaufe the indivifible, all-comprehenfive mind.

jnuft be at
totality
all

times entirely and equally prefent, both by the

eflence,

of his abfolute
to
all

and by the perfed

exercife

of

his attributes,

beings whether material or

fpiritual.
it

This

is

incomprehenfible, but not impollible.

We fancy

fuch only becaufe

diftin^:
it

we

imagine, that there

is

an

infinite Ipace

from God, which hefiUs by

local difFufion;

and then
he
is

would be abfurd and contradictory to

and
locally in a part,

fay, that

as

much inan atom asin the whole of matter. For what Is entirely

cannot be

at the

fame time entirely

and locally in the whole.

immenfity,
difFufion,
.

When we think therefore of God's

all

we muft abftra<5t from as when we think of his

ideas

of extenfion and

eternity,

we muft drop all

ideas

of fucceflion and time.

they have clearer ideas of God's eternity

Some imagine

than of his immenfity, of his unfucceflive duration than of

his unextenfive exiftence:

and that we may conceive

how he

knows and loves himfelf always by one permanent aft without

fucceflion
ly every

we can have no idea how he exifts entirewhere without extenfion. The realbn is, becaufe we
;

but that

have no adequate ideas of God's eifence, nor indeed of any other fubftance whatfoever.

So foon

as

we

begin to imagine
it.

what SPIRIT
Immers'd in

is,

we

immediately extend and corporalize

fenfe

and drunk with imagination, we cannot

ji

OF THE ABSOLUTE
reality

Book L

imagine that to be a
believe air to

which

is

not extended; as children

be an empty void or nothing, becaufe they do

it:

not

feel or fee

but

when we

rife

above fenfe and bridle

i-

magination,
diffufion

we

foon difcover that

as

God

muft

exift

without

of parts,

without fucceffion of thoughts; and that

relation

there can be

no phyfical

between the properties of

;

the eternal mind, power, wifdom, and will

ties

and the proper-

of matter,

divifibiUty, figurability,
ell

and mobility.

We

cannot fay a fpan of power, an

will.

of wifdom, and a yard of

It

IS

true indeed that

we

exprefs very oft the attributes

of fpiritby
ment, a

thefe

of body, an high mind, a profound judgbut then

foft heart;

we fpeak only in a
literal

metaphorical,

figurative

way, and not in a phyfical,

one.

The fchoolmen
eternity

have miferably obfcured the

doMne

of

and immenfity by

their dull, infipid comparifons.

They
as a
finite

conceive God's immenfity as a point, and his eternity

Pitiful jargon.

moment.

So foon

as

we

imagine the in-

mind under any form relative to finite, whether it be a point or a moment; an infinite extenfion, or infinite fuccefiion, we corporalize God, or humanize him. To fancy that he
is

contra<5lcd into a point, or

expanded thro'

infinite fpace, is

degrading his nature.

He exifts every where and always withThis

is all

out extenfion and without fucceffion.

fay; and if we have departed

we fhould
it

from

this fimplicity,

was

ra-

ther to confute error, than explain truth.

The fimplefl ideas

when we
all

and the

fimplefl cxprefilons are the beft,

fpeak of

the fimplefl of all beings; and the removing of

tions

imperfecaffir-

by negative

propofitions,
is

is

fafer

than attempts by

mative ones to explain what

incomprehcnfible.

"Book

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
COR.
I.

73

Hence

as there

is

a great difference between infinite time

is

and the divine

infinite fjjace

eternity; fo there

a total difference between

Infinite fpace
is

and the divine immenfity.

an

abflracl idea of the

manner according to which bodies

is

exift

by

extenfion.
exifts
is

Divine immenfity

the

manner by which God

without extenfion.

To fay therefore that infinite fpace

God
is

the fenfory, organ, or medimii in which and by which

fees ail things,is

an unintelligible and dangerous way of fpea-

king.

It

is

faying that the abftraft idea of a finite mind,

anabfolute attribute of the infinite mind.

COR.
Hence we muft
tenfion
neceffarily

II.

admit of two

forts

of fubflan-

ces ; one that exifts without extenfion, and another with ex:

one that

is

prefent to

all

beings entirely, indivifibly,

the whole.

and

effentially, to the part as to

Another

that

exifts

only by fucceflion and expanfion ; by parcels, additi-

ons, and multiplications.

quite contrary,

Thefe two manners of exifting are

attributes ;

and incompatible

and therefore
this reafon

muft belong to quite

fliall call

different fubftances.

For

abfblute infinite for the future,

we mind, intel-

lect,

or spirit.

COR.
Hence if it can be proved
then
it is

III.

that

God

has a creating power;

forts

plain that

he may produce two

of fubftances

quite different and diftin6t,

one that

exifts

without extenfion,

and the other with extenfion.

other material.

The one immaterial,

be
the other a

and the
un-

The one muft

like himfelf, a fimple,

compounded,

indivifible effence;

compound of

^jf

OF THE ABSOLUTE
difFerent fubftances,

Book L
and Cimi-

many
lar yet

which

tho' contiguous
;

may be

divided

and feparated yea the one may be anexiils.

nihilated, while the other

And this is the firft diftincIV.

tion betwixt fpirit

and body.

COR.
Hence the
idea

of an extended, material fubftance, that is

is is

abfolutely indlvifible, unfigurable and immoveable,

fect contradi(5lion.
dlvifible. It

a per-

Matter

may be
it is

undivided, but it

not in-

may be without any one

it is

particular, determinate

figure

we

can imagine, but

not unfigurable.
its

It

may be

unmoved, but

not unmoveable; for by

exifts

nature of an

extended fubftance that

mull: neceifarily

by

diffufion

of parts, thefe parts

be fufceptible of figure, divifion and motion by a fuperior force capable to form, divide and move them. COR. V.

Hence the
be, but not

firft

myftery of natural religion

:

is

that

of the
it

divine immenfity, or unextenfive exiftence

we fee
it is

that

muft

how it
It

is; this
is

attribute

is

incomprehenfible but
demonftrable.

not impofTible.

unconceivable, but

Now when we
ceive
it.

have dcmonflrated that a thing muft be,

we

ought not to deny it purely and only,becaufe

we cannot con-

PROPOSITION
The
abfolutely infinite
finitely, eternally

IX.
in-

mind muft be

and

eflentially

adlve and pro-

du^ive of an abfolutely

infinite effc<5t.

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

DEMONSTRATION,
Abfolute
finite activity ,

7^
:

infinite contains all pofTible perfe<5Vion$ (a)

in-

or the production of an infinite

efFeCl, is

a fu-

pream

perfe(n;ion (b): therefore the abfolutely infinite

infinitely, eternally

mind

mufl be

and

efTentially a<5live,

and confefince an

quently produ<5tive of an abfolutely infinite

abfolutely infinite caufe, a<5ling according to
its

efFefl;
all

the extent of
infinite ef"

nature, muft neceffarily produce

an abfolutely

fed.

SCHOLIUM.
Men
or
generally imagine that

God is infinitely aClive,

this faculty

only

becaufe he can produce innumerable beings from without,

difl:in(n:

from himfelf; but unlefs

a<5l:,

be for ever power.

reduced into
It
is

it is

not
it

infinite a<5tivity,

but

infinite

a real inaftion, tho'

fuppofes an infinite capacity of ac^

as ly

ting.

Nowfuch ina(5live powers

God, are

dormant during

whole

eternity in
tion

abfolutely incompatible with the perfecinfinitely, eternally,

of the divine nature which mufl be

efTentially active.

and

The

Deifls, the Sabellians, the Unitarians,

and the Soci^

both in the be

nians, yea the great Sir Ifaac

Newton, with
then

his learned dif-

ciple Dr. Clarke, maintain that all aftion

firfl

is free,

and fecond

caufes.

If this were

fo,

God would

a<5live

only by creation, he would not be aftive by efrence,he

neceffarily but freely active.
is

would not be
was during
(a)

fore either fay that creation

a

eternal,

They muft thereor maintain that God

at all.

whole
(b)

eternity,
7,

without any action

If

Df. 8.

Ax.

K2

7(5

OF THE ABSOLUTE
we
fhall

Book

I.

they fay that creation was coeternalwith the Godhead, then,

as

fhew

prefently,

it

muft be confubftantial; thus

they will become Spinofifts,and be obliged to alTert^that na-

ture PRODUCED is a coeternal, confubftantial emanation of NATURE PRODUCING. A confequence which mu ft appear very harfh to every fober mind.

Thefe authors

will urge, that to ^S:

Is

to produce freely

fomething that was not, and that therefore the idea of caufe
fuppofes always priority of time to
falfe.
its

effed.Thls
Is

is

abfolutely

Power,

caufe, afbivity,
itfelf or

and force

what can produce

or neceffarily.

fomething in

without

itfelf freely
is

To

defireor tend towards beatifying objects

no doubt an
is

aflion

of the mind ; now we

ceflarily,

defire

and love what

beatifying ne-

and not

freely.

Therefore

we

have the idea of an

a<5tion that is neceffary

and

confubftantial with our efTence.

Moreover,

it is

abfolutely falfe that the idea

effeS:

of caufe

infers

always priority of time to the

if the effect

produced. On the contrary,

its

be neceffary, its coexiftence with

caufe

is

necef^

fary ; for caufe

fubftantial

and

efFecH:

being relative terms, a necelTary, conits

efFc(5l

muftexift at the fame time with

a<5ls

caufe.

We

may

diftinguifh In fuch

a priority

of nature or of caufali-

ty to their cfFed; but not a priority

of time or duration.

Since abfolutely infinite muft be infinitely, eternally, and

effentially active,

and

llnce

he cannot be eternally

a<5tive

froin

without, or upon any thing external; he muft be eternally active

from within and

;

fince his effencc

is

Indivifible,

and can-

not ad by parcels, he muft be

tive,

neceffarily,

and Immanently ac-

according to the whole extent of his infinite nature.

Now

an abfolutely infinite agent thatadts according

to ail the extent

Book L
of its

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

jy
It*

abfolutely infinite nature, muft necelTarlly produce in

felf an abfolutely Infinite efFe6l; other wife the effed: would

not

be proportionate to the caufe; and fo the caufe would not 2.^

according to
all

the extent of

its

abfolutely infinite nature,

which

is

contrary to the flippofition. Moreover, the produftlabfolutely infinite effect

is

on of an

a far greater peFfe(n:ion

efFecls

than the creation of any number of finite

ever; and therefore this
tial,

how great fodivine nature.

immanent fecundity muft bean effenof the

and

coeternal, confubflantial perfe^lion

COR.
Hence
an
antecedent to
all

I.

abfolute infinite in his pure

folitary eflence,

creation muft have produced within himfelf,

eternal, neceffary, abfolutely infinite efFed.

COR.
Hencean
pofes
abfolutely infinite

II.

mind or intelligent fubjedfupan abfolutely infinite obje^ or idea known, otherwife it

would be only an infinite capacity of knowledge, and not an infinite underftanding that

knows and poffeffes its objed.

S
I

P R O P O
The
than
its

N.

X.

abfolutely infinite

efFe<5t

and object of

the abfolutely infinite

mind can be no other

own idea,

image, or^eprefentation.

DEMONSTRATION.
An abfolutely infinite and
an abfolutely
infinite effed

infinitely a6live

mind fuppofes

produced, and an abfolutely infi-

nite obje(5l or idea

known

(a).

God

cannot produce any ab-

folutely Infinite efFe6l

from without, and confequently can

infinite object

haye no other abfolutely

himfelf or his
(a) Cor. I.

of

his

thought but

own
and
2.

idea, image, or reprefentation (b): thereof Prop. IX.

(b) Prop.

V. and Cor.

3.

78
fore God's

OF THE ABSOLUTE
own
idea, image, or reprefciitation
infinite cficcl,

Book

I.

of himfelf muft

be the abfolutely
infinite

and obje6t of the abfolutely

mind.

SCHOLIUM.
-

The

Deifts, Unitarians,

and Socinians deny

this eternal

generation of the

Wo r d, becaufe they do not fully enter inthink,

it

to their ownfpiritual natures, to examine what paffes in themfelves.

When we
is diftin(5]:

is

clear that the objecl

;

of our

from our thinking faculty otherwife we would think equally at all times, and have always the fame
thought
idea; fince

we

have always the fame powers.

Our

ideas are

changeable and imperfe(5l modes of the mind; whereas God's

idea of himfelf is a permanent, neceffary

and

eifential

image,

and not
duced

a free, accidental

mode. All our fimple

ideas are pro-

in us

by other

obje6ls that a6l

upon

us,

while

we

are
di-

altogether pafFive.

Whereas

this confubftantial idea

of the

vine mind,
itfclf.

is

not produced by any other obje6l

diftin^l

from

It

is

conceived from within, not received from with-

out;

it is

produced, not perceived.

We may therefore in com(which, as wefhall

paring abfolute infinite with

finite fpirits,

ftiew, are his living images ) diftinguifh in

him

the thinking

fubjeft or the

MIND conceiving; from

Or the
fay that intelligence

the objefl of this

THINKING ESSENCE
Some moderns will that to know is not to
not an
a(51:ion;

IDEA CONCEIVED.
is

not a6tion, and

is

produce.
is

anfwer that perception

acH:

but conception

the highcft

of the under-

ftandlng.

To receive ideas, fcnfatlons, or modifications from

upon
us, is purely pafUve.

obje(^s that a6t

But to form or

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
mind new
upon
us.

79

create in the

ideas,

is

a real produ6lion.

Wc
and

do

not form our fimple ideas ;

jecfls

we receive them from external obis

that

a<5l

God

impaflible
objecHis.

and

eternal,

Co

cannot be aded upon by other

ceive,

He

does not per-

but he conceives his eirential,confubfl:antial idea, image,

;

or reprefentation

he does not receive

in himfelf.

this idea

from

others,
ideas

but he produces

it

We

form our complex

by

a fucceflive

combining of our fimple perceptions.

God

forms
this
is

his confubftantial idea

by one

unfucceflive

acH:.

Now

the higheft and moft exalted of all activities and perfec-

tions.

Spinofa never denied the eternal generation of an eternal,

immanent, neceffary, confubftantial efFed in the divine mind; and he calls this effecl nature produced. But he confounds the ideas of finite with the confubftantial idea of God;

and the creature with the

fchoolmen, that
rily
all

creator.

Having learned from the

the ideas of finite exift eternally, neceftain the divine Intelled

3

and immutably

that

all

that

is

in

God is God, and partakes of the divine attributes, he concluded that

all

thefe eternal, immutable, neceftary ideas, or ef-

fences of finites are living, active beings, and hypoftafcs that

fubfift

and inhere

in the divine nature,

from

everlafting to e-

verlafting;

and confequently that the fuppofition of created

intellip-ences diftinft
cal.

from thofe
not

ideas

is

ufeiefs

and chimeri-

Thus according

to him, the ideas and the objeds are the

diftinft fubftances

fame, and

finite fpirits are

from

God

but coeternal, confubftantial, neceftary ideas or images, forms

or expreftions, hypoftafcs or perfonalities, productions or enianations of the eternal mind.

Thus

the fchoolmen have

8o
blafphemics.

OF THE ABSOLUTE
all

Book t
and horrible
fo-

given occafion to

Spinofa's wild chimeras,

Thcfe blafphemous chimeras can never be

lidly confuted, unlefs

we

overturn the

falfe

reafonings of the

fchoolmen, and (hew that the ideas of finite do not coexift cternally, ncceflarily,

and immutably

in the divine

mind; that

they do not enter neceffarily into the generation of the

Loa(5ts

G OS or confubftantial idea; and in

fine, that

they are free

of the

divine underftanding.

We muft however go on by de-

grees, left

we

perplex fuch abftra6t, fublime truths with too

much multiphcity. We have already remarked, that to produceONE ABSOLUTE INFINITE EFFECT or IDEA,isa
far greater perfecftion than to produce a collection
efFefts

of

finite

or ideas

how great fo ever;

finite ideas
;

and

this
is

one idea fuiHces to

not the fum or

prove, that God's confubftantial idea

le<5lion

not the fum or colis

of

all

as his fubftance

collection

of all

finite fubftances.
all

We beg our readers once

more

to

go on, and this

fublime (peculation fhall be fully

unfolded and demonftrated hereafter.

COR.
Hence

I.

abfolute infinite, in his pure, and foUtary efTence,

finite ideas, is infinitely

antecedent to the produ(ftion of any

intelligent, felf-knowing,

and

felf-confcious; as well as infieternal,

nitely active

and productive of an

immanent and ab-

folutely infinite effect, object, or idea.

COR.
Hence
%'inc

II.

this generation

of the Logos, or of God's confub*

compleat the perfection of the
di-

ftantial idea, is fufRcient to

underftanding

for an infinite

mind can

defire

nothing

Book L
more
nite objed.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD,
and
fatiate it,

8r
Infi-

to 11, enlighten,

than an Infinitely

COR.
Hence
all

iir.

other ideas, thoughts, and conceptions that do

not regard immediately the pure and abfolute elTence of God,

and that do not enter

neceflarily into the generation

of the

Logos,

or the production of this confubftantial image, arc

not necefTary to the perfedion of the divine underftanding.

cor.
Hence Intelligence or reafon
higheft degree ; becaufe
deas, or a
it

IV.
Is acHilon,

yea an aftlon of the

fuppofes the produ(n:ion of

new

I-

new combination of Ideas

already perceived.

God

conceived in himfelf the archetypal ideas, and

to ourfelve's abftrad ideas, as Ihall be

we

can form

fhewn

hereafter.

PROPOSITION
an
infinite, eternal,

XI.

The eternal, permanent, confubftantlal Idea God has of himfelf, produces neceffarlly in him
immutable
love.

DEMONSTRATION.
Infinite perfe(5lion
rily infinite love (a);

known and

enjoy'd produces neceilafince ab-

God knows himfelf infinitely, God

folute infinite
eternal,

mufl be infinitely Intelligent (b): therefore the

has of himfelf,

permanent, confubftantial idea

infinite,

produces necefTarily in him an

table love.

eternal,

and immu-

(a)

Ax.

8.

(b) Cor. i. of Prop.

X.

8i

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book

I.

SCHOLIUM.
It
is

clear as funfhine, that fince the obje<^

and motive of
is,

love

is

perfe<flion

known, the

greater the perfection

the

greater the love muft be, or at leaft fhould be ;

infinite perfe<^ion

and therefore
I

known muft produce

is,

infinite love.

do

not fay that the greater a perfection

for
it is,

the greater the love

may be great in itfelf, and yet not known and what is unknown cannot be loved. Nor do I fay that perfection known is the only motive of love, fince We may attach pleafure felt may alfo be a motive of love.
fince a perfection
;

oufelves to objeCts, either becaufe

of the agreeable fenfations

real perfections

they produce in us; or becaufe of the

cover in them.

It is therefore fure that perfection

we dif known

and enjoy'd produces

love;

whether that be by the fenfation

of pleafure

that accompanies the view

of perfection, or by the

natural empire that the

knowledge of it has over the mind.

communicative

This we

(hall
it is

examine afterwards.
certain that antecedent to all

Thus
and

goodnefs toward any thing external,

juft to himfelf, as

God

is

good in himfelf
and
eflen-

he

is

infinitely, eternally,

tially

aaiveand

intelligent; becaufe as

he produces within
is

himfelf an abfolutcly infinite efFeCt and Idea, fo he

ly, eternally,

infinite-

and

efientially

good and juft.

Infinitely good,

becaufe from the knowledge and enjoyment of his confubftantial idea flows

an

infinite fenfation

ofjoy, an unbounded

love,an unfpeakable pleafure,and an eternal felf-complacency,

which

conftltute his uninterrupted happincfs. Infinitely juft,

it is

becaufe

this

permanent love that

conftitutcs his elTential

Book L
juftice; for

ATTRIBUTES OF GODby
this love

Bi
is

he renders to himfelf all that

due

to his fupream perfeftion.

create innumerable myriads
fential

He
of

does not therefore want to

finite objects to exert his ef-

beneficence and equity ; fince he produces within him-

felf from all eternity

Ijjeak, all his

one

infinite objeft that exhaufts, fo to

capacity of loving, beatifying, and doing juflice.

The Deifls, Unitarians, and Socinians, who deny the doctrine of the Trinity, cannot explain how God is eflentially
good and jufl, antecedently
ation of finite; for
to,

and independently of the creand

God

cannot be emanently good and juft,

where there
then he be

is

no

obje<5l

of

his beneficence

equity.

If

elFentially, eternally

and

necelTarily

good and jufl,

he muft be

fo

immanently; he muft be fo in himfelf; he muft

therefore find an infinite obje<5l within himfelf, to

difplays all his efTential love, beneficence

whom he

and equity.

COR.
Hence God does not
but he
is

I.

love himfelf becaufe

loves himfelf.

he

is

happy,

happy becaufe he
infHn<fl,

He

loves himfelf

not by a blind

not in order to be happy; but becaufe

he

is

infinitely perfe*^::

and

this love

makes

his elFential hap-

pinefs,

goodnefs andjuflice.

COR.
necefTarily

II.

Hence God would have been

good and
juft, tho'

eternally, effentially

and

he had never created any be-

ings

diftin<n:

from himfelf to

beatify

and recompenfe them.

COR.
Hence God's
tions,
to compleat the felicity

III.

confubftantial love

of himfelf

is

fufKcIent

of his

infinite will.

Here

all its

mo-

tendencies and defires fix, concenter and reunite.

L2

84
Wherefore
farily
all

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book L

other afts and produftions, that do not necef-

flow from and enter into this confubftantial love, are

not

effential to the perfection

of the divine
IV.

will.

COR.
Hence
diftinft if

God

at

any time

creates or produces

any beings

from

himfelf,

he cannot love them but proportionab-

ly as they refemble him.

live

For fince pcrfedion

and

is

the only

mo-

and rule of his

love,

(ince the perfe<5lion

of

all

crca*

ted effences, depends

upon the refemblance they have

plain that

to their

uncreated original,
in fo far as
it

it is

God

can love nothing, but

in

reprefents

him or refembles him

fome degree

or other.

COR.
Hence God
made.

V.

loves himfelf neceffarily

is

and

all

that he has

His elFence

love.

LEMMA
To

OF

PROP.
felicity,

XIL
there mufi:

compleat the idea of perfed

be an object loving as well

as

an objed loved.

SCHOLIUM.
Such
tive.
is

the nature of love, that

it

muft be communica-

Infinite love therefore

muft be

infinitely

and

neceffariit

ly communicative. It muft have an obje(5t

erts itfelf,

upon which

ex-

and

to

which it
it

difplays itfelf ; into

which it flows,
the

and

that flows back to

again.

There

is

a far greater felicity

It
is

in loving and in being loved than in loving fmiply.

mutual harmony and correfpondence of two

or perfons, that

dilHn<n:

beings

makes the completion of love and

felicity*

BookI.

attributes OF GOD.
COROLARY,
infinitely

8s
and eternal-

Hence God could not have been

ly loved, if there

had not been from all

eternity,

fome being

diftind from himfelf,and equal to himfelf, that loves

finitely; fince, as

him in-

we

have fhewn(a), creation could not be

coeternal, confubftantial,

and necelTary

to the divine nature,

PROPOSITION
The
felf, is

XII.
love,

eternal, infinite,

and immutable

which proceeds from the idea

tion of the divine

God has of himliving, a<5tive,

not a fimple attribute, mode, or perfec-

mind

but a

confubftantial, intelligent being or agent.

DEMONSTRATION.
be an objefl loving, as well as an objeft loved(b); God could not have been infinitely and eternally loved, if there had not been from all eternity, fome being diftina from himfelf, and equal
to himfelf that loved
nal, infinite,

To

compleat the idea of

perfe<51: felicity,

there mufl

him

infinitely (c)

therefore the eter-

and immutable love which proceeds from the idea God has of himfelf, is not a fimple attribute, mode, or perfection of the divine mind; but a living, active, confubftantial, intelligent

being or agent.

SCHOLIUM.
As
Cc)
it is

neceffary to compleat the idea of perfect

V.
(b)

know-

(a) Cor. 3. of Prop.

By

the preceeding

Lemma

of Prop. XII.

By CoroU. of the fame Lemma.

B6
o
it is

OF THE ABSOLUTE
be a
fubje<5l

Book L
felicity, that

ledge, that there

knowing, and an objea known,

necelTary to compleat the idea

of perfeiH:

there be a fubjeft loving, and an objed loved.

erts his infinite aftivity,

As God
and

ex-

by producing
infinite

necelTarily,

eter-

nally within himfelf, haufts

all

one

idea or image, fo he exall his capacity

his

communicative goodnefs, and

neceflarily

of love, by producing
felf,

and eternally within himaccording to

all

a fubjeft that loves

him

infinitely,

the

extent of his boundlefs perfeftion.

It

may be

objedled here, that tho'

we

fliould fuppofe

no

third being or hypoftafis in the divine nature, yet the gene-

ration

of the Logos alone, would furnifh an

infinite, eter-

nal, confubftantial agent, to

be the objeft of the divine know-

ledge,
fole

and the fubjeft of the divine love; fo that God by the exiftence of the Son, would be eternally, necelTarily, and
he
loves.

Infinitely loved as

I anfwer, that if fuper natural

is

revelation

had not taught us, that there

a triplicity in the

divine nature, we

would

naturally have ftopt at a duality, and

could have gone no further.

For this reafon

it is,

that

fome

ancient hereticks denied the perlbnality of the

Holy Ghoft.
reveal'd,
it is

We do not pretend
reafon, but to

to prove the do<5lrine

of the Trinity by

ihew fimply,

that if

it

be truly

not contradi(ftory to reafon.

It
is

by

this eternal generation

of the Logos,
by

that the

fource and fountain of the Deity communicates

all his

per-

fedions to his confubftantial image; and

ting proceffion of the

it is

this everlaf-

Holy Ghoft from

and
affedions.

both, that

God,

fo

to fpcak, returns into himfelf again,

living

by concentering

in this

image

all his

love

Without

thefe

two

Book L
immanent
Mind,

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
zS:s,

Sy

and emanations

in the

Godhead, the Eternal

would neither be

in his folitary

and abfokite
nor

efTence,

infinitely produ(5live,

infinitely loved.

The
nifiii,

ignorance of thefe great principles

make fome per-

fons, that

have a facred horror againft Deifm and Unitaria-

fancy, that creation mufi: be eternal, othervi^ife God could

infinite
atfti-

not have had an objed: whereupon to difplay his

vity

and beneficence. This idea

i.

is

manifeftlyfalfe for the three

following reafons;

If with out creation God had not an ob-

je^

to difplay his effential beneficence

and fecundity, then

creation

was not only eternal but

neceffary, fince

God

could

not have been infinitely active and loved withoutit. Itmuftnot

be a free produ(5lion of his arbitrary will, but a neceffary emanation of his effence; and therefore confubflrantial ; fince no-

thing can be eternal and neceffary but what

finite;

is

abfolutely in-

and nothing can be abfolutely

2.

infinite

but the divine

fubflance.
jeft

If God witliout creation had no adequate ob-

of his

atftivity

and love, then he could never have any ;be-

caufe he can never create an abfolutc infinite without himfelf;

and fo the obj eds of his fecundity and beneficence would

infinitely inferior to his creating energy.

always be

Thus he

could never find from without, an ohjcS: equal to his effential,

neceffary activity

and beneficence.
3.

He could neither love

to

infinitely

nor be loved fo.

As it is more perfect
more beneficent

produce

one

infinitely infinite effe^,

it is

than any number of finites

to beatify

how
one
vafl

great foever; fo

infinitely

infinitely infinite object, than

any number of finites how

foever.

The

effential,

immanent,

eternal, neceffary activity

is

and beneficence of the fupream mind

thcrcfgre infinitely

88

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book

I.

more difplay'd by the generation of the Logos, and proceffion of the Holy Ghoft, equal to the Father in all things, felf-origination only excepted, than by the creation and beatification

of numberlefs worlds, which are

ftill

finite.

It is evident therefore
tions, that

from the four prec ceding propofl-

we may

reprefent the divine efTence, under thefe

INFINITELY active MiNDthatconceives; or as an INFINITE idea that is the obje<5l of this conception; or as an infinite love that proceeds from chis idea: the Eternal Mind produces neceffarily in itfelf, the
three notions,as an

idea of

itfelf.
is

This idea

is

not like our

free, floating, falfe

ideas; but

a neceflary, permanent, true idea.

poffeffed

From

this

idea

known,

and enjoy'd, flow or proceed not

in-

conftant, bounded, accidental defires like ours ; but an elfential,

immutable,

infinite love.

There

are three, there can

be

but three; and

all

that

we can

conceive of the Infinite

infinite

maybe
LOVE.

reduced to thefe three;

Mind life, light, and

This

is

not

all

revelation fuperadds to thefe natural ideas

difcover.
It
is this,

what reafon could never

diftiniftions in

that thefe three

the Godhead, mind conceiving, idea conceived,

and

love proceeding

from both,

are not three fimple attridiftin<5l

butes, or modalities, or powers, but three

principles

of adion.

The confubftantial image and the

were

coefTential love,

are not only eternal a6ls, but diftinft agents, that fubfift
0.S:

and

in the eternal cfFence, as if they

really three different,

hidcpendent minds ;tho' they are not fo.They are hypoftafes,

inhercncies, and emanations of the abfolutely infinite mind,

whofc metaphyfical nature we cannot define. They

are real

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
and
living principles

S9

agents, beings,

of aa:Ion, diftlna from

the one and loved

their fource; fo that

God

is

known by

by

the other,asif they were really diftind fubftances. This is the myftery. Idea and love, or which is the fame, wifdom and
goodnefs, truth and jnftlce, which in
finite

beings are fimple

modalitys, powers, or virtues, are in the abfolutely infinite

mind, felf-confcious agents, intelligent beings, or

nalities.

real perfo-

We

do not

know enough of
of the

the intimate nature

of things, and deny that

nefs
fible
is

efpecially

eternal uncreated effence, to

if this is poffible, all

this is poflible.

And

our bufiis

to

examine if this be

reveal'd.

Now

that this

pof-

feems evident from the following reflexions that have

felf-evident truths.

been already demonftrated, or that are

1.

God

being

infinitely, eternally,

and

eifentially adive,

he muft produce
infinite efFed,
ftantial

eternally

and

necelfarily within himfelf

an

objed, idea or image of himfelf This confubidea muft be a living principle of acftion, a permanent,

ever-fubfiftent, fubftantial idea;

and not

a tranfient, variable

modality

otherwife God's effential aftivity would not produce an effed: equal to its infinite caufe; and fo the caufe
;

would not
ture,

a<5t

according to

all

the extent of

its

infinite

na-

and

fo

would not be

eifential;

which

is

contrary to the

fuppofitlon.
2.

God's happinefs could not be

infinitely infinite, if

he

were not loved by an abfolutely

tion

infinite

objed.

The perfec-

idea, a living, felf-confcious agent or principle that proceeds from the

in a mutual, reciprocal union betwixt the object loved and the fubjeft loving, and therefore there muft be in God, befides his confubftantlal

of happinefs confifh

5J0

OF THE ABSOLUTE
that

Book

I.

union of the mind conceiving with the idea conceived.

We
and

have proved
ina<n:ivc,

God, without being

eternally barren

muft produce in himfelf, a

living, confubftantial !

mage:

juft fo

we

prove, that if God will be infinitely happy,

and loved, he muft produce within himfelf an obje6t that loves

him

infinitely.
;

He

cannot be

infinitely

known

but by the

Logos he cannot be
3.

infinitely loved

but by the Holy Ghoft.

a6ls

The

efFeds of God's

immanent

being coeternal,

confubftantial,

and

coefTcntial,

muft partake of all the divine

perfection s;becaufe in
(imilitude.

God

there can be

no inequality, or dif-

Moreover the
and

divine eflence being fimple,

uncom-

pounded and
all

indivifible, the infinite caufe

all

muft communicate

his perfections,

his fubftance to his coeftential pro-

ductions, effects and emanations.

his fubftance

He

cannot communicate

by parcels.

The immanent effecls of his immaand equal to himfelf in

all

nent

aCls

muft be

like himfelf,

things, felf-origination only excepted.

effects are,

His ejuanant, created

they are

and muft be

infinitely inferior to himfelf;

not portions of his fubftance, but fimple productions of his

power; more or

lefs

perfeCt, proportionably as they imitate

or rcfcmble his perfections: but the confubftantial image, and

the cocifential love, muft be compleat and total participations

of all

his cftence.

This
do not

is

incomprehcnfible, but this

is

not
de-

impofilble.

We

fee

how this

is,

but

we muft not
it.

ny

it

purely and only becaufe

we cannot
eflfcCts

conceive

4,

God's immanent

aCls

muft have

a reality infinitely fu-

perior to the aCls

of

finite.

The

of fecond caufes are

eifcCts

only bounded, tranfient modes.

the
firft

The immanent
Our

of

caufc arc eternal, infinite agents.

ideas

and

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

^i
God's

loves are only variable perceptions and pafHons; but

confubftantial idea and love are permanent, active realities, in-

dued with all the divine perfedions.

nanta<n:s
efFeifls

Moreover, God's ema-

muftbe infinitely inferior to his immanent ones.

firil:

The

of the

are real fubftances diftincft

from God, but all

God's immareali-

finite in their kind, tho'

of different degrees according as they

different perfeftions.

adumbrate more or lefs his

nent effe(5ts muft be abfolutely infinite agents, beings, or

ties,

tho' not different fubftances ; becaufe, as

we have fhown,
are not three ditriplicity

there can be one only abfolutely infinite mind, that excludes

all

duality

and plurality of fubftance.

They

ftin<5t

coeternal minds, becaufe this

would infer a

of

fubftance; fince three diftinft intelligent fubflances

would have
might

three

difl:in<n:

felf-confcioufneffes ;
their effences

and

fo their actions

be feparated, and

be independent of each other.

They are not three fimple attributes or modalities, becaufe they

are dlftlnd intelligent principles,

and felf-confcious agents.

realities,

They muft
of an

therefore be three dlfHn^t beings,

fome-

things, or perfons ; becaufe the idea ofperfonallty includes that

intelligent felf-confcious agent.

the Trinity have

The three perfons of the fame felf-confcioufnefs. They all exift:,

never feparated from that of the Son or

and

aft, in,

by, and with each other ; fo that the aftion of the

dlftinct, is

Father, tho'

HolyGhoft: and
CESSIOM.

this is

what the Schools

call

circum-in-

The Nicene

fathers

made

ufe

of the word Hypoftafis,

to IndiIs

and the Latin church tranflated this word by Perfon,

cate that the triplicity

which

is

In the divine nature

lefs

not a
far

fimple diftinftion of modes,

much

of

attributes,

and

M2

92
lefs

OF THE ABSOLUTE
yetof fubftances.
firft

Book
is

I.

But

a fourth diftin^lion, that

lefs

more

than the

and fecond, and

than the third, and which

therefore fuppofed Intelligence, A6l:ivity, and Self-confcioufnefs; yet not fo as to conftitute three feparate minds.

The
what
Dei-

words

hypoftafis

and perfonaUty were invented therefore, rais

ther to indicate what this triplicity

it

not, than to exprefs

really

is.

It

is

neither of fubftances, nor of attributes, nor

diftin^lion in the

of modes. Thereisitfeems, a fourth

ty

unknown

to finite,

which we cannot comprehend

till

we

fee

God as he is. The Deifts, Sabellians,

affert,

Unitarians, Arians, and Socini-

ans

that difference

of perfons fuppofes neceffarily diffeis

rence of fubflance.

This

true in finites; but this

it

may

not

be

fo in abfolute infinite.

Yea

muft be otherwife, fince

effecfls

we

have demonftrated, that the two

a6ls

of God's immanent

mull be

like himfelf, infinite, eternal, confubflantial, in-

telligent,

and felf-confcious agents.

difl:in(5lion
it

Spinofa had fome idea of the

in the Eternal

of perfonality

Mind,

tho'

he applied

wrong.
diftinft

He

main-

tain'd, that finite fpirits are

not fubftances

from God,

but coeternal, confubftantial, immanent ideas, hypoftafes, and

inherencies of the felf-exiftent effence.

Thus he fuppofed

in

NATURE PRODUCING
fonalities,

an

infinite
;

words, and hypoftafes

effefts,

number of bounded perconfounded God's immawith nature: but

ftill

nent and emanant

and

God

he

had a notion of real

perfonalities in the divine effence, or

of

immanent

efFe6ls that are intelligent, fclf-confcious, diftind,

and feparate agents.

The facred

oracles

make

ufc of feveral different metapho-

Book L

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
i.

93

ricalexprefTions to fignify thefe three perfonal diftln^lions In

the Godhead,

The infinitely active mind

text

is

what the
of the

original

Hebrew

of the Old, and the Greek

producing an

text as

New

Teftament
;

call

THE eternal father,

of boundlefs

felf-originated

Infinite force, as

infinite efFe (51;

aflivi-

EiTential
ty;

life, as

being the

fulleft exercife

Flaming center or Fiery

2.

fource, as emitting rays

of coe-

ternal light.

They name the infinite idea God conceives in himfelf, his only begotten son and living IMAGE; confubfbntial word or Mouth of God becaufe
;

it is

the full expreflion of his perfeftions ;eternaltruth

or

wisdom,

becaufe

it is

the inexhauflible treafure of his

knowledge;

uncreated light,
3.

becaufe

it

irradiates his

underftanding.

ing from both,

They call the unbounded love proceedspirit or breath of God's mouth, beSon
is
;

caufe it proceeds from the Father by the

Infinite Juflice,

becaufe this love renders to

God what

his due; abfolute

Goodnefs, becaufe
vine happinefs;

this felf-complacency conftitutes the di-

Holy Ghost, becaufe this love is pure, un-

mix'd, and fo conlHtutes God's unfpotted fanftity.

All thefe metaphorical expreflions are refpedively fynoni-

mous
in the
tial

to

one or the other of thefe three perfonal

i.

diftin6lions

Godhead,

Eternal Father, Infinite Force, EfTenall

Life,

Flaming Center, or Fiery Source, are

to exprefs the paternal property.
2.

fynoni-

mous terms

Only begotten Son, Confubflantial Image, Eternal Word, CoefTential Wifdom, Uncreated Light, are alfo all fynonimous to exprefs
the properties of the fecond principle.
3.

Breath of God's

Mouth, Coeternal Love,

Infinite Juftice, abfolute

Goodnefs,

<;4

OF THE ABSOLUTE
of the
thh'd principle.

Book
we can

I.

Holy Ghoft
ceive

or Spirit, are alfo fynonimous to exprefs the per-

fonal chara6lers

All that

con-

of the abfolutely

infinite cfTence

maybe reduced to fome

fomethings, beings, or

one of thefe three diftinfllons,

pcrfonalities.

realities,

There are three, and

there can be

no more.
oracles, to ex-

The

primitive fathers, in imitation

of the facred

make ufe of many beautiful comparifons and metaphors

prefs the conceptions they have

of

this myilery.

They

con-

ceive

God the Father as

the fource, fountain, and root of the

Deity: the Son, as the raySjrivers, and branches that flow from

him and the Holy Ghoft

;

as

an ethereal

fluid, fubtilc fpiritor

air,

immenfe ocean, and everlafHng

fruit, that
firfl:

proceeds from

both, and flows back again into the

principle.

As

the

fame fubftance that flows from the fun, the fountain, and the
root, conftitutes the rays, rivers,
its

and branches; and forms by

reflux an uninterrupted circulation

from the center

to the

circumference, and from the circumference to the center; fb

the Father communicates to the Son and

Holy Ghofl

all

his

fubftance without divifion, diminution or partition, yea with-

out confounding the incommunicable properties of paternity, filiation,

and proceflion.

We muft however allow, that all thefe beautiful metaphors

both of the
fcriptures

and the

fathers,

whether they be taken

from material or immaterial

diffimilar
;

agents, are lame, defective

finite

and

as all

comparifons borrow'd from

muft be,

when

applied to infinite.

They
;

exprefs only a part

"1

of this

boundlefs reality and incomprehcnfiblc myftcry.

he ideas
;

of fource,

ray,

and reflexion of fountain, river, and ocean of

fruit;

root, branch,

and

of mouth, word, and breath ; of fire,

Book
light,

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
air; as alfo

95
vvif-

and

of mind,

idea,

and love; of power,

dom, andgoodnefs; of
of intelligence,
truth,

aflivity,

knowledge, and happinefs

filiation,

and juftice; of paternity,

and
a(fl

proceflion; are intelligible in finite agents that exifl

and

by

diffufion

and

divifion,

by

fuccefTion

and variation; but

thefe diftinftions

become

abfolutely inconceivable in an eter-

nal, infinite effence that exifls

and

afts

without diffufion,
all

divi-

fion, or limitation; that

ceflive in all times;

is

immenfe
is

in

places,

and unfuc-

where there

neither beginning, middle,

nor end: Reafon proves that

lation afTures us that
it is.
it is

this

myflery

is

poflible;

Reve-

true;

heaven alone can fhew us

how

The fchoolmen God is

felf,

never fliew wherein the difficulty of conIt docs

ceiving this myftery confifls.

eternally, infinitely
all

not

ly in this, (i) that

and

effentially active

within himin this,

its

antecedent to

creation

from without; (2) nor

all

that

an

infinite

age^t ading according to

the extent of

infinite nature,

muft necefTarily produce an

infinite cfFeft;

(3) nor in

this, that

an abfolutely

infinite

mind fuppofes an
(4) nor in this,
confifls

abfolutely infinite obje<5l or idea

that the fovereign happinefs

known;

of the divine nature

not

only in loving

itfelf infinitely,

but in being loved Infinitely by

itfelf;

an abfolutely infinite object diftind from

(5) nor in

this,

that thefe three diflindions are neither three feparate fubflances,

nor three independent minds, nor three fimple

attri-

butes; (6) nor in fine in this, that the immanent, neceffary,

and eternal efFe<5ts of God's

will, are

aftivity,

of his underflanding and

and co-

and can be only two,

All thefe
fix

his confubftantialidca,

effential love.

proportions arc dcmonftrable,

^6

OF THE ABSOLUTE
how thefe three
diftinftions, in

BookL
one eternal,
real,

and have been demonfkated.

henfible myftery,
indivifible,

Here alone lyes the incompre-

and uncompounded fubltance, can be three

and perfons.
comprehenfible; but

diftind, intelligent, felf-confcious agents

We
it is

do not fay that

impoflible. All

this

is

we deny

that

we pretend to demonftrate
it

is,

that this mylte-

ry

is

not contradictory, not that

mufl: be, nor

what

is

the

manner of it.
hend how
tho'

We

demonftrate that the divine immenfity

mull be without
it is.

diffufion

of

parts, tho'

we do
Both

not compre-

We demonftrate
it

that the Trinity

may

be,

we do

not conceive

adequately.

are myfteries,

the one of natural, the other of revealed religion; but

we

cannot fhew the

dUOMODO of either,

otherwife they would

be no more myiteries.
becaufe

We ought not however to deny them

all is

we cannot

conceive them; for tho' feeing clearly be

always a reafon of affirming; yet not feeing at

reafon of denying.

never a

The
call
it,

fchoolmen have

mofl: mifcrably obfcured

and per-

plex'dthis myltery,

by their

definitions

of perfonality.

Hiey

contrary to the exprefs dodlrine of the Nicene fathers,

fometimes, a relation; fometimes, a

manner of fubfiftence;
diftinft, intelligent,

fometimes, a fubftantial form; and very often, an unintelligible

fomewhat, that does not exprefs a

fclf-confcious agent.

When

the Deifts and Socinians prefs'd

them by the
finitions,

contradictions that foUow'd

recoil,

from thefe abfurd detheir barbarous,

they would not

nor change

Arabick, and Ariftotelian jargon, that leads by turns to Sabcllianifm or Trithcifin;

and

fo cry'd out that itwasnecdlefs to

form any

ideas about this myftcry; that reafon could neither

Book L
prove
its

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
exiftence norpolTibility;

97

and that all efforts to recon-

cile reafon

with faith are audacious attempts to fubmit faith

to reafon.

Thefe

obfcurities, abfurdities,

and

contradicftions

of the fchoolmen have engaged of late the Unitarians, Freethinkers, and minute philofophers to maintain, that the doctrine

of the Trinity

is

modern
;

fidion, quite

unknown not

only to the Pagan philofophers

but alfo to the ancient Jews.

This

is

abfolutely falfe, as will fully appear in the fecond Part

fhall

of this Work,where we

endeavour to fhew, that yelliges

of this fublime truth are

nations, times,

to be

found among the Sages of all

and

religions.

This

affertion will

no doubt

appear bold to
antiquity:

men unacquainted with facred and profane but we hope to give fuch clear proofs of it, as will
fincere, difinterefted

cure

all folid,

minds of their prejudices.

GENERAL COROLLARIES.
C O
R.
I.

Hence we may
diftin6lions,

conceive in the divine naiture three real

fince all that

and we can conceive no more;

we

can comprehend of abfolute

infinite, is either

mind con-

ceiving, IDEA GONCEIv'd, or LOVE PROCEEDING FROM BOTH. God felf-cxiftcnt; God of God; and God the Holy Ghofl:. Thefe three diftindions in the Deity are neither three difHn<5t independent minds, as the Tritheifts al-

Jedged

nor. three attributes

of the fame fubftance reprefenone fupream,

refined Ari-

ted as perfons, as the Sabellians affirmed: nor

and two fubordinate

ans maintain
:

intelle^lual agents, as

fome

but three coeternal, confubflantial, coordinate

all thiligs,

perfons coequal in

felf-origination only excepted.

j^8

OF THE ABSOLUTE
COR.
Hence
in talking
II.

Book L

of the three perfons of the bleffed Tri-

nity

we may
lefs

fpeak of them as if they were three diftindl be-

ings, agents,

and powers, providing we mean neither more

nor

by

thefe expreffions, than three coequal, coeternal,

confubflantialperfonalities,
different, that the a6lion

whofe operations arefo

is

perfeiflly

of the one,
and

not that of the other;

tho' they all exift, fubfift

aft in, by,

and with each other,

in one indivifible fubflance.

COR.
Hence what modern divines,
is

III.

conftitutes the formal herefy

of fome great

not their calling the three perfons of the

Godhead

three diftinft beings, intelleftual powers,

and

felf-

confcions agents: but their maintaining that the Son and

ly Ghofi: are fubordinate

Ho-

and

free, tho' eternal

produdlons

of the divine mind, and that honour, adoration and love are due to thefe two only in a relative fenfe. This is a refined fort

of Arianifm which reduces the fecond and third perfons of the Trinity to the order of creatures: for all that is free might
not have been, andfo
is

neither neceffary nor confubltantial

with the divine effence, and therefore not

ture.

God

but a crea-

PROPOSITION
The generation
ccfTion

XIII.

of the Logos, and the pro-

of the Holy Ghoft, or the knowledge and

love

God has of his pure and abfolute cflence are

happincfs.

alone fufficient to compleat his infinite perfecti-

on and

Book

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
D E
IM

99

O N

T R A T

O N.

The
of

knowledge of abfolute

infinite is fufficient to

comof

pleat the perfedion

of the divine under[i:anding(a); the love

is

abfolute infinite
:

fufRcient to compleat the happinefs

the divine will (b)

therefore the knowledge and love of the

pure and abfolute effence of

his infinite perfection

God

are fufHcient to compleat

and happinefs.

S C
The
reafon

O L I U M,
fucceflion, andever-increafing
finite, is
it

why variation,

progreflion are neceffary to enlighten, and beatify

not becaufe

it

loves change as change; but becaufe

{ingle
a<fl:,

cannot

grafp infinite

by one

and becaufe

it

foon exhaufts

every thing bounded.

defired

There

is ftill

fomething further to be

and enjoyed; to be difcovered and known; to be ad-

mired and loved.

without fucceflion.
furate to
its

Whereas God knows and

His
infinite

loves himfelf
is

underflanding
offers

commenthe fame

infinite

obje^; which
all

him

flill

boundlefs

felicity,

and

the three are equal to each other.

infinite

Now
could

it

were a contradiction to fuppofe, that an

than an
infinite object,

mind
and

know more

and enjoy more

than an

infinite happinefs.

In

this eternal intercourfe,

communication among the perfons of the facred Trinity, God employs a whole eternity without beginning and without end.

This

is

the central abyfs of the pure and abfolute effence of

ftill

God;

his

eternity

and

his eternal folitude;

wherein he

hears nothing but his confubftantial word, he fees nothing

but his coefTential image, and loves nothing but his only be(a) Cor. 2. of Prop. X.

(b) Cor. 3. of Prop. XI.

N2

loo

OF THE ABSOLUTE
commerce of the
in
is.'

gotten Son. This eternal

is

Book L coeternal three

we
can form no
*

the fecrct fund of the Deity, of which

till

idea
*

we be

loft

and immerfed
as

our center,

fee light in

his light,

and behold him

he

Then we fliall fee how

confubftantial
fpirit,

the paternal

mind conceives within himfelf the

the loving

image, and

how from both proceeds

by two

permanent, immanent, coeternal a^ls, wherein no idea of multiplicity, variation

or fuccelTion can enter. All the archetypal

ideas

of

finite;
all

of nature material or immaterial; of created

combinations are free ads of the

beings, and

their poffible

divine underftanding, as the produ<flion and beatification of

finltes are free acts

of his power and goodnefs. This we

book.

fhall

fully dcmonftrate in the following

All thofe who are ignorant of the do(5lrine of the Trinity,

of the generation of the Logos, of the proceflion of the Eternal Spirit,

and of the

everlafting

commerce among
eternity,

the fa-

cred
.

THREE,

look upon God's

ftill

and

folitudc, as

ftate

of inaction and indolence.

For

this rcafon Ariftotle

fancy'd that the world was eternal in order to find a theater

and

object

of the

divine adivity

the Arians, the Unitarians

that

The Deifts, and Socinians, who did not know

and beneficence.
to and

God found

eternally within himfelf, an infinitely infinite

objed of love,andan infinitely loving obje6t, equivalent

infinitely fuperior to all poffible multiplicity,
totle.

thought

as Arif-

The Arabian philofophers, and all the difciplcs of Mahomet, who borrowed all their metaphyficks from afalfe co;

py of Ariftotle, were alfo Unitarians and fo had no juft ideas of God in himfelf, nor of his pure and abfolute cfTcnee, without any relation to created nature.

JHence Avicenna and

A~

'

Book L

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
Mind to
their pofTible combinations; to

lor

verhoes fancy'd that it was a fufHcient fcene of acflivity, beneficence and love, for the Eternal
ideas

revolve for ever the

of finite and

all

produce

material and immaterial fubflances without

number, and to
prcdeftinari-

govern an infinity of worlds and fpheres.

The

an fchoolmen about the thirteenth century, having adopted

the Ariftotelian philofophy fpoil'd by the Arabians, dropt infenfibly into the

fame dangerous

idea,

and revived
all its

this

wild

opinion, that the contemplation of finite and

forms or

modes

enter'd neceffarily into the generation

of the Logos.

Spinofa,

by

natural confequence

of this do^rinc, concluded

all its

that the production

of

finite

and

modalities was the

immanent

proceilion

of the Holy Ghoft.

The predeflinariin

an mythologifls believed that all the coUeftive ideas of finite

coexifled eternally with,

and were contained neceflarily

has of himfelf.

the confubftantial idea

God

The
all

Spinofifts

reafon very confequentially from this falfe principle of the

fatalift

doctors,

when

they conclude, that

the colledivc
neceflarily

ellences of finite coexift: eternally with

and flow

from the

infinite elTence.

Thus

the monflruous fchemes of

predeftination, fatality

and

nexion with each other,

which have a fl rid conwere hatch'd and brought forth by

Spinofifiii,

degrees, as fhall be fully unfolded in the next

book; where

we fhall fhow, that the independent felf-fufKciency of the Godhead e're created nature began, and the ineffable completion

of the divine perfection and

eternal

felicity in

the

commerce

of the
lition,

three,
is

excludes

all

neceffary thought, vo-

and produ(5tion of

finite, all eternal

conception, and

creation of

what

bounded; and that

this great principle is

102

OF THE ABSOLUTE

Book

I.

the foundation and corner-ftone of all true theology natural

or fupernatural, and the fureft bulwark againfl Fatalifm, Spinofifm and Predeftinarianifm; as well as againft Dcifm, Arianilln,

and Unitarianifm, which are the

fix great

and dange-

rous errors
nioft part

we

intend to combate in the following elfay.

too,

The
have

of men, yea of philofophers and divines

filent

no notion of God's

and

ftill

eternity, antecedent to all

ideas and produt^ion

The proofs they give of the exifienceof a God, regard only that of a God creator, and beof finite.
of finite; and not that of a
felf-fufficient,

atify er

independent
rela-

caufe,

whofe pure and abfolute

effence has

no necefiary

tion to finite ideas, or finite fubftances;

fubfifled eternally

and that might have

without thinking of the one or creating

the other.

COR.
Hence we have
infinite fpirit.

I.

the effential

difl:in(5lion

betwixt

finite

and

Created intelligences can never find within

fill

themfclves, wherewithal to

their boundlefs capacities

thirft

of

knowledge, and quench their unfatiable

of

felicity.

They muft,

fo to fpeak,

go out of themfelves, and

rife

above

thcmfelves to unite themfelves to abfolute infinite, therein to

find the full completion

of knowledge and happinefs.

COR.

II.

Hence we have the true difference betwixt neceffary and free action in God; necefiiiry a^lion, as the generation of the Logos, and the procefiionof the HolyGhoft, is what flows
efientially

and

eternally

from

his nature,

and without which

Free action in
is

he could not be

infinitely pcrfe6l or

happy.

him

as the thought, volition,

and production of finite,

what

Book
fe(5lion

I.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
COR.
III.

loj;

he may do, or not

do, without uiterefting the elTential per-

and happinefs of his nature.

Hence
It is

the

efFe<5ls

of God's free ads cannot be

eternal; for

impoflible that an agent can be free to

all eternity.

do or not

to do,

what he did from

To be free to a6l or not to a6l,

acls

fuppofes a time wherein the efFed was not yet produced. I do

not as yet fay, that God's free

cannot be eternal;
is,

this

we fhall prove hereafter.

his free

All I advance

that the

efFe<5ls

of

ads cannot be coeternal with

his effence.

COR.
Hence the
therwife
creation

IV.
intereft

of finite cannot

nor augment

the efTential happinefs and perfedion of the divine nature; o-

God would
that

not be

felf-fufficient.

Theprodudion
is ftill

of numberlefs worlds can add nothing

caufe
all

to his plenitude ; beinfinitely

he can produce without himfelf,

pofTelTes within.

inferior to

what he

COR.
The
Is

V.

knowledge of the pure and abfolute eflence of

God

alone fufHcient to compleat the perfection of the divine unall

derftanding, and
are

other ideas, thoughts and conceptions

no ways

neceffary to this perfection.

c o R.

VI.

Hence
ficient to

the procefllon of the

Holy Ghoft or
for himfelf,

the infinite,
is

eternal, confubfbntial love

God has

alone fuf-

compleat the perfection of the divine

will,

and

all

finite beings, fubftances, efFeCls,

and worlds are no ways ne-

ceffary to his felicity.

END OF THE FIRST BOOK.

105

THE

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES
OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION,
B

O O K

II.

OF GOD's RELATIVE ATTRIBUTES,

DEFINITIONS.
i.TiY
an

INFINITE POWER,
is

I nian a Caufe that can

J-^ produce whatever

contradi6lion.
2.

poflible, or that includes

not a

By NECESSARY A CTION, I undcrftand what

from the nature of a thing
in
all

flows efall

fentially

times and in

places,

jo6
3.

OF THE RELATIVE
volition be free or neceflary.
I

Book IL
volunta-

By SPONTANEOUS ACTION, I mean what is

By FREE ACTION,

ry,

whether that
4.

mean what may be donc or not

is

be done, and to which the agent

not determined by any exIt

is

ternal conftraint, nor internal neceflity.

purely contin-

gent and and polTible.

By PROVIDENCE, I mean that infinitepower, wifdom and goodnefs, by which God employs, knows, and wills all
5.

the

means neceflary

to accomplilh his defigns.

AXIOMS.
1.
*
*

When a mode is produced,

which was not
before,*

there

Is

a reality made ex-

iftent

and

fo a paiTage

from nothing
thispaf-

to fomething.
2.

What is inconceivable in the idea of creation

is

fage

from nothing to fomething. 3. * It is unbecoming the wifdom of an

infinitely perfect

being to change his will

when

the fame reafon of willing

always
4.
'

fubfifts.'

God
The

never forefees things but as they are, otherwlfe

falfe/

his

knowledge would be
'

5.
'

fupream happinefs of all

intelligent natures

con-

fifts

in the knowledge and love of abfolute infinite.'

SCHOLIUM.
Spinofa defines a free being,
*
'

that

which

afts

by the

folc

ncceffity

of

its

nature, and

is

determined by

itfelf

alone/

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
a6tion.
is

107

This is fpontaneous and not free

havefaid,
finiple volition

Spontaneity, as wc

without any foreign conftraint;

but this
ral,

may

alfo

be neceffary.

Thus we

love

good in gene-

or rather defire pure happinefs and love perfeftion fpon-

taneoufly,

and yet

neceffarily.

We will
is

it

with pleafure, but

attribute
will. It

we cannot do
of our
is

otherwife.

This

an indeftruaible
will or

elTcnce.

Freedom is what we may

not

not only what

we

will

without any foreign conftraint, but

without any inherent necefTity of nature. good, real or apparent, but we might rejea
ther equal or fuperior to
it.

We
it

chufe

it

as

and chufe ano-

NecefTity

is

what cannot be otherfrom the nature of a

invincibly,
fo that

wife than

it is,

what flows

inevitably

thing

what determines
its

abfolutely

and

nothincr can hinder

production but the deftruftion of the

agent.

Spinofa confounds thefe three ideas of Spontaneity,

Freedom, and NecefTity, without giving any reafon why he does fo and thus falls back into his general and ufual fallacy
;

which

is

to fuppofe in his definitions

if

what he is going to prove.

that
it is

He may,

he can prove

it,

deny Liberty, and fhew

a folly

chimera: but to lay

down

this as a principle in a definition

is

without any fhadow of demonftration,

a philofopher.

unworthy of

Hitherto
e're

we

have confiderM

God in

his eternal folitude,

fhall now conhe manifefted himfelf from without. fider him with rcs:ard to finite, and examine thefe three per-

We

feftions in

him by which he produces, knows, and

beatifies

the creatures.

The

Spinofifts

deny

his creating

power.

The

fchoolmen convert his foreknowledge into fatality. The Predcftinarians blafpheme his communicative goodnefs. We fhall

O2

io8

OF THE RELATIVE
down
from
thefe three monftrous errors.

Book IL
may

endeavour to lay
preferve

fuch principles in this Book, as

PROPOSITION
modes.

XIV.

The creation of new fubftances is no more

inconceivable, than the production of new.

DEMONSTRATION.
In the production of new forms, there
creation,
is

a pafTage froni

nothing to fomething (a) ; what is inconceivable in the idea of

is

only

this pafTage

from nothing
fubftances

to fomething (b)

therefore the creation of

new

is

no more incon-

ceivable than the production

of new modes.

SCHOLIUM.
Tho' we fliould fuppofe with Spinofa
and
that
all

that God and nature

are the fame; that the felf-exiftcnt being is the only fubftance;

things are confubftantial modifications

of his

e-

ternal elTence; yet

caufality,

we

can never explain the manner of this

with regard to the continual changes, modes, and

forms, that

we fee in

nature every day.

to

When God a^s thus

his fubftance,

immanently upon himfelf

modify

accord-

ing to Spinofa, he produces fomething that was not before.

Now this

paftagc

from nothing

to

fomething

is

equally in-

conceivable, whether theeifeCts of the divine a6ls be fubftances diftinCl-

from God, or new modes of

his

own

fubftance.

The
(a)

fame objection Spinofa makes againft emanant aClion,

Ax.
I.

of this Book.

(b) Ax. 2. of this Book.

Book
on him

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
diftln<5l

109

or the creation of fubftances

againft

from God, returns upof modes

immanent

a6lion, or the produ^lion

in the divine fubftance.

We have no adequate ideas of power.

muft be fuch a thing
a6ls,

We fee
but

evidently that there

in nature;

we cannot

conceive

how it
and

nor what connects the

producing caufe with the produc'd effeS:.

nothing to fomething,
is

This

pafTage

from
'till

will

be incomprehenfible,

we

fee

God

as

he

is,

and difcern

how

all

things flow

from

him, necefTariiy or freely. Tho' the creation of new fubftances however,be as conceivable as the produftion ofncwmodes;

yet the idea of creating

power is not the fame with that of mois

difying power; lincethe ideaof fubftance

that

not the fame with

of mode.

COR.
;

I.

Hence we ought to allow that it is poffible to produce new fubftances as well as new modes becaufe the paiTagc from nothing to fomething being equally inconceivable in both, if

we
of

allow the one, tho'

it,

we do

not comprehend the

manner
only be-

we ought not to deny the other, purely and caufe we do not underftand the manner of it.

COR.

II.

Hence our not comprehending how fecond

not a fufficient reafon for denying their
a<5live

caufes

a(fl, is

power,

as

the

not comprehending

how the firft caufe creates is no reafon for

all

denying his creating energy. Wherefore

an philofophy on
this

the Malebranchias fhall

head feems

falfe

and dangerous,

be explained hereafter.

no

OF THE RELATIVE

Book

11.

PROPOSITION XV.
Infinite

power can produce new

fubftan-

ces as well as

new

forms.

DEMONSTRATION.
It
is

poflible to
infinite

produce

new

fubftances as well as
that
is

new
pof-

forms (a);
fible (b)
:

power can produce every thing

therefore infinite

power can produce new

fubflan-

ces as well as

new

forms.

SCHOLIUM.
It
Is

certainly

more

perfect to be able to create than not;

mufl:

and therefore
feftion; unlefs

absolute infinite
it

have

this peris

be proved that the idea of creation

con-

tradi6tory

and impollible.

Now fince we
Is

have fhown that

produc;

the produ(5tion of new fubflances

tion

as poflible as the

of new modes, we mud afcribe

this

power to God otherIs

wife

we might

conceive a perfe^llon which

not included in

the idea of abfolute infinite;

tion.

which

is

a manifeft contradic-

Here we

mufl:

fhun equally two

fatal

and

capital errors.
di-

Some fancy

that finite beings are

mere modalities of the

is

vine nature: others Imagine that creation

a participation

of

the uncreated efTcnce.

The

former confound the fubflancc

of the Creator with that of the creature.

lize the

The latter materia-

Deity; and both deny creation.

Spinofa
(a) Cot.
I.

who

adopted the former opinion endeavours to

(b) Def. i. of this Book.

of Prop. XIV.

BookII.
demonftrate

attributes of god.
'

Ill
)

that

one fubftance cannot produce another

and

m order to prove this great principle,

He reafons

which

is

the foun-

dation of all his fyftem, he lofes himfelf in a wild

fl:ra61:,fubtile,fophiftical ideas.
*

maze of ab-

thus,

'

There canattributes,

not be in nature two

attributes.

diftinft fubftances, that

have the fame

If two fubftances have not the fame

they can have nothing in

in

common, and if they have nothing

common,

the one cannotbe the caufeof the other.'

equivocal,

The

laft proportion is

and the two former are abfolute-

lyfalfe.

This
thus,
'
'

fophift pretends to demonftrate the

firft

propofition
their attridif-

Subftances can be diftinguifhed only

by

butes or modes. If their attributes be the fame, they are

tinguiilied

'

only by their modes, and fo they

differ

modally

'

and not fubftantially.'

is

Both

thefe proportions areabfurd.

It

abfolutely falfe that beings can be diftinguifhed only

by

their attributes

and modes.

There may be

a third diftinftiexiftence.

on; and that

Is

by

their feparate

and independent

Generical ideas are diftinguifhed by their different attributes,

as fpirits,

and bodies.

Species are diftinguifhed

differs

by

their difdifferent

ferent modes.

Thus wood
by

from gold by the

configuration of its parts, tho' both be equally matter.

viduals are diftingulflied

Indi-

their feparate exiftence ; for tho'

attributes,

two pieces of mettal have the fame

of each
Beings therefore

and may have

the fame modes, yet they fubfift feparately and independently

other.

may

be dilHnguifhcd by

their attributes,

modes, and feparate exiftence.

Wherefore
tho' the

tho' beings have the

fame attributes, and the fime modes, yet

becaufe the one

they are

diftinct fubftances,

may cxift

112

OF THE RELATIVE
They may be the fame

Book

11.

others were annihilated.

kind or [pe-

des of

fubftances, but not the fame individual fubftance.

Be-

fore Spinofa can eftablifh his principle, he muft prove that the

threefold diftinftion of genus, Ipecies, and individual,

;

is

nei-

ther founded in nature nor in reafon neither real nor poilible

that
all

beings of the fame kind are the fame individual fub-

ftance,

and that

to be the

fame numerical fubftance, and the

fame generical fubftance are fynonimous terms.

proves no where.
his dark fyftem
is

This he

Thus

the proof of the

firlt

propofition

of

abfolutely falfe.
'

His fecond propofition is

'

that

two fubftances which have

not the fame attributes can have nothing in common.'

prove
it

He
in
it-

tries to
'

thus.

A fubftance
exift in

is

that

which exifts

felf,

and can be conceived by

itfelf.

Two
idea

fubftances that

'

have different attributes

ceived

themfelves, and

may be con-

'

by themfelves, and therefore the

of the one does

'

not involve the idea of the other, and fo they can have nothing in common.' Here
definitions.
is

'

a combination
is

of abfolutely

falfe

maxims and
in
itfelf,

A fubftance

not that which

itfelf.

exifts
is

and which may be conceived by

Neither

mode always fomething

that inheres in a fubftance,

and that
he con-

cannot be conceived without it.

By thefe definitions

founds the idea of fubftance, with that of felf-exiftencc, and

the idea of
thing that

modes with

that

of effects.

A fubftance

is
;

fome-

is

the foundation of attributes and

modes

and a

models

change made in a fubftance. Further, tho' two fub-

ftances have different attributes, yet the idea

of the one may

involve the idea of the other and fuppofe

ftances,

it.

Thus finite fub-

and the infmitc fubftance have

different attributes,

BookIL

attributes of god.
exift

113

yet as the former cannot

by themfelves,
that

their exigence

involves and fuppofes neceflarily that of the

Spinofa's third proportion,
*
*

lafl.

when

beings have nois

thing in

common

the one cannot produce the other,'

alto-

gether equivocal.
*

If he means by

'

having nothing in comto,

mon'

that beings

which have no relation

no refemblance
if

of,

and no dependance one upon the other, cannot be confl-

dered as caufes and effefts; this

that

we

grant.

But

he means,
attributes,

when

beings have not the fame

common

powers, and perfections, the one cannot be the caufe of the

other; this
it.

we

abfolutely deny,

and he never

offers to

prove

Thus

all

his principles are the very matters

of queftion,
to geo-

undemonftrated and undemonftrable.

He pretends

metrical reafbning, andmetaphyfical precifion; but he

knows

neither one nor the other.

Hiere is
firft

a great diflperence betwixt

the true art of afcending to

their juft confequences,

principles,

and defcendincr to
and
of that

by a

flrong, nervous, palpable

fubtile refinements

exaft chain of clear ideas;

baftard fophiitry,

and the

which pains and

becomes

fatigues the

mind, which
truth,

fubtilizes to excefs, and

which defh'oys at lafl all

invifible.

by fpinmaf^

ning

it

fo fine, that

it

Sound,

folid,

culine reafoning retains always a confiilence that fupports

and and

nourifhes, while

it

enlightens the mind and inflames the heart.

Some of

Spinofa's difciples, afham'd of his fophifms

falfe reafonings,

have recourfe to another argument to prove

it

his great principle:

'

runs thus.

When God

creates there

flow s either fomcthing or nothing from his effence to produce

the created
effeft.

If nothing,
is

how

can nothing be a caufc?

'

If fomething, then creation

an emanation of the divine

114
'

OF THE RELATIVE
which being
indivifible, its aftion Is
itfelf,
is

Book
from

II.

fubftance;

immanent,
itfelf. all

<

produces nothing without

nor

diftinft

Thus

the felf-exiftent being

the only fubllance, and

o-

ther beings exift by, flow from, and inhere in this only fub-

ftanceas confubftantial forms, hypoflafes, and perfonalities/

I anfwer in the
firft

place, that

all

thefe reafonings are founto

ded upon

this principle, that

we ought

deny what we can;

not conceive.
ing

Now

this is abfolutely falfe

for tho' not feeit is

may be fometimes

a reafon

of doubting, yet

never a

reafon of denying.

When God
in his

produces fubftances, there

his almighexif-

happens no change
ty will
is

immutable eflence; but

accompanied with an efficacy which gives a real

tence to fomething that had none before.

We have no

ade-

quate ideas of the nature of this caufality ; nor of the manner

how it operates; nor of the connexion betwixt the caufe and the effect: yea we can have none till we fee God as he is, the intimate effences of things, and how they flow from him: but as we do not deny the producftion of modes, tho' we cannot conceive how they are produced, fo neither ought we to deny
the production of fubftances, tho'

we cannot comprehend

how they are created.

I anfwer in the fecond place, that tho'

we fliould
and the

fuppofe
objeifts

with Spinofa and the

are the
;

Spinofifts, that the ideas

is

fame that there

no

third fubftance betwixt God

and

Ipirits, called

matter; that the extenfion, figure, divifion, and

like colours, tailcs, fmells

motion we imagine without us; are

and founds; nothing but

fenfations produced in us
;

by the

di-

vine fubffance that a6ts immediately

upon us yet it would be

repugnant and abfurd to maintain that our fouls are fubltan-

Book
tial

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
It
is
is,

115

forms of the divine mind.

abfolutely impoflible that

as

the fame infinite effence, which

all

we

have demonftrated,
all

knowledge and
and

all

happinefs;

all

wifdom and
and
all

love; all

intelligence

all

juftice; all truth

goodnefs, can

produce in itfelfby neceffity of nature,

felf-confcious, intelligent

living, a6tive, eternal,

forms and perfonalities that are

folly
is

full

of ignorance and mifery;

tice
;

and hatred; error and

impofTible that
all

injuf-

falfhood and malice. It

the contra-

dictory reafonings, painful fenfations,

and

irregular pafHons

we

difcover in others
infinite,

and

feel in ourfelves,
is

can be the modes

a6t,

of abfolute
idea,

who

one permanent

one

infinite

one immutable love; without fuccefHon of thoughts and without any fhadow of privation, negation or de-

without variation of forms; without any contradictory qualities,

fect.

When we fee therefore in nature finite, variable beings,

conclude that they are
efFefts

we muft

of the divine power,

and not forms or modes of the divine

cfTence.

As we muft

deteft

with horror the Spinofian blafphemy,

is

which maintains,

that nature produced

only an expanfion

or modification of the divine fubft a nee; fo

je<5l

we muft

alfb re-

the error of thofe

who

affert that creation is a participa-

tion or difcerption

of the eternal eifence, which

God

erects

into a fubftance

diftincft

from

his

own. This opinion

attacks

and deftroys the immateriality of the divine nature; for it fuppofes that the infinite caufe contains and produces
its efFe(5ts

by

evolution, as plants

and animals contain and bring to light

their feminal

moulds.

Thus we

corporalize the uncreated

effence.

they fay

The fchoolmen feem to favour this opinion, when that God contains the clTences of finite beings eml-

ii6

OF THE RELATIVE

Book

11.

nently and virtually.

if

This dark phrafe may be interpreted as he produced them by emanation, edu6tion, extrapofition,
;

or placing without what he once contained within and therefore

we have
is

rejected

from the beginning,

this rafh,

dange-

rous, Arabian phrafe of the fchools as equivocal.

It

true that

fome pious philofophers,

is

to exalt our notiorr

of fpirit, and fhew that it

quite different from,

and fuperior

to matter, pretend that the intelligent images

of the Deity and

the

were not produced from nothing

that

as the material pictures,

when Mofes

faid,

that "

God

breathed into

man

" breath of life," he meant that the foul was an emanation of

the divine fubftance.
ty

This do(5trine deftroys the

and muft be
is

indivifibili-

of the divine
all

effence,

rejected.

The

effential

property of

created beings

that

of non-exiftent: they
yet they

were made
once were
action.

exiftent,

and

tho'

God has communicated to them

and
perfecftlons
;

greater or lelfer realities, powers,

all

equally nothing, before his all-powerful free

neither inhcrencles, difcerptions,

They are

emana-

tions or participations ;

much
modal

lefs attributes

or modalities

of

the indivifible elTence: but mere eife^ls of his power, that had
neither real, ideal, nor
exiftence before his arbitrary
fhall

thought and free produdion; as

following propofition.

be demonftrated in the

COR.
Hence,
fince nature

I.

produced can neither be an emanati-

on, nor a participation, a difcerption or an expanfion, an attribute or a modification

it

of the divine effence;

attributes,

it is

plain that
dif-

muft be compofed of fubftances,

and modes

tinct

from the producing

caufe.

BookIL

attributes OF GOD.
COR.
II.

117

Hence father Malebranche Ipeaks very uncaiitloufly when

he
calls the creatures participations

of the

divine fiibftance.

This
far

indire(n:ly favours Spinofifm,

contrary to his pious in-

tentions. Yea the zealous anti-fpinofifl: Poiret himfelf goes too

when he mantains

that fpiritual fubftance

is

an emanati-

on, or participation of the divine nature in a phyfical fenfe.

COR.
Hence
religion, as incomprehenfible as

III.
is

the divine creating energy

a myftery

of natural of the

omniprefence ; for fince cre-

ation can neither be an emanation, nor a difcerption

divine elfence,
it

mufl:

be fome third thing of whofe metaphy-

fical nature, and

phyfical produ(5tion we have

no diftln^l, clear,

adequate idea.

muft be

We fee on the one hand, that nature produced diflin^l from the producing caufe We fee on the
:

Other, that abfolute infinite mufl: have a creating

power: but

we have not
fed:,

at prefent a third idea to

connect thefe two, to

the created ef-

fhew the influence of the

creating

ad upon

and explain the manner of the divine operation by which creatures pafs from nothing to fomething.
c o R.
IV.
fubfifl:

Hence

nature produced, or created beings cannot

for ever, but In

two ways,

either

by

a continuation
;

of the

fame creating energy, which gave them exiftence or by God's

communicating

to them, a ftability

of exiftence which makes

for fince they are not e-

them

fubfift for ever

by themfelves:

manations nor modifications of the divine effence, but fubftances dlftlnft

from God,

their eternal duration

and confer^

vation muft either be dependent upon, or independent of the

ii8
firft

OF THE RELATIVE
creating energy.
firft

Book
ftability

II.

They muft fubfift by

by
a

the continued in-

fluence of the
exiftence.

caufe, or

communicated

of

PROPOSITION
God was entirely free
Free action in

XVI.

to create or not to create.

DEMONSTRATION.
God
is

what he may do or not do without

and
perfe<n:ion

interefting the eflential happinefs

of

his na-

ture (a); the creation

efiential happinefs

of finite cannot

intereft

nor augment the

and perfection of the divine nature (b):

intirely free to create or

therefore

God was

not to create.

SCHOLIUM.
It
is

may be

obje6led, that God in the excrcifeof hisa6livity,

beft; that
it is

always determined by the better and the

better

to create than not to create;

and therefore God was

I

necefilta-

ted to create and even to create the beft.

place, that

anfwer in the firft

God

has always a reafon for a6ling, and a reafon

tho' fuilicient to determine
;

worthy of himfelf; but this reafon

him

to create, yet

is

not neceflitating

becaufe creation
I

is

not

neccfTary to his perfcdion and happinefs.

anfwer in the

next place, that

God is

necelFarily

determined in his imma-

nent
beft

a6ls,
is

or in acting within himfelf, by the beft; but the

his

only the generation of

:

Word,

and the

procefli-

onof the Holy Ghost for in the fcale offinitcs there can be no MAXIMUM, nor optimum: no abfolute great, nor
(a) Cor. 2. of Prop. XIII.

(b) Cor. 4. of Prop. XIII.

Book

11.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
God can never create
all pofTibles,

n^
infinite

abfolute good; fince

an abfolute

equal to himfelf.
prefers always

I grant indeed, that

when God

creates,

he

among

the plan that

is

moft pro-

per to diiplay his power, wifdom, andgoodnefs: but then this

neceflity
is

only moral, not phyfical; that

is,

God's

free a6ls

are always

conformed

to his attributes, but

ac^ls

no ways

necelTa-

ry to his

perfedion. All God's emanant

are free, becaufe

infinite.

their effefls are

not and cannot be abfolutely

They

are good,

and therefore worthy of

his production;

but they

are not infinitely good,

and

fo not neceffary to his perfe(5li-

on and

felicity.

On

the contrary, his

immanent zRs
befl:,

are ne-

celTary, becaufe their effeifts are abfolutely the

abfolute-

ly infinite,

and coequal to him in

that
its

all

things, felf-origination

only excepted.

The Leibnitian fcheme,

beft,

God is obliged

to create the

and that the univerfe in

totality is the beft,

and moft

perfe^

God

could create, has been adopted for a decent cloak

by fome

fatalifls

and predeftinarians.

The

fatal neceflity

of

the poets and fome old philofophers, to

which God himfelf is

philofopher

fubje^ed, differs
calls

much from what the German

is

the neceflity of the Sage, and

as

dangerous as that of
to

Spinofa.

The
zSis

lafl:,

by

reducing the

Godhead
moral

an

infinite

power, that

by neceflity of naaire without

fl:rips

defign, choice,

or final caufes,
idea
is

God

of

all

his

attributes.
all

This

ihocking, and immediately offends

wife,

and up-

right minds: as does alfo that notion

of

fatality

which fup-

pofes
trary

God himfelf fubjeded to it, without choice, or even conto his will. The new Leibnitian fcheme oFfatality has
thefe inconveniencics

none of

and

abfurdities; but

it

makes

120

OF THE RELATIVE
creatures, as fhall be

Book
more

II.

God aS: as neceflarily as the

unfolded hereafter.

fully

COR.
Hence we fee
fity

I.

the falfhood of one of the maxims of theSpI-

nofian fcheme; which fuppofes that

God

is

obliged

by necefpollible

of nature

to

produce

all

beings poffible with

all

modalities, becaufe an infinite activity during an infinite du-

ration muft necelfarily produce infinite effects,

to
all

and fo extend
but

poflible events

and

eflences.

The principle is true,

the conclufion
to
all

is falfe.

An infinite agent,

afting according

the extent of

its infinite

nature, muft necefTarily pro-

duce during an
fe<fl:s

infinite duration, infinite efFe(5ls,

but thefe ef-

are

immanent not emanant.

God's

infinite activity is

compleat by the generation of the

Logos, and

the procefli-

on of

the

Holy Ghost.
and no ways

All other adts and

effects are free,

arbitrary,

intereft the efifential happinefs

and per-

fection

of the divine nature.

COR.
Hence God's
ting,
efTential,

ir.
activity,

immanent

and

his crea-

emanant power
is

are not the fame.

The

generation of
is

the

Word

necefiary; the creation

of the world
:

free.

In

the one, the

is

effe<5t is

equal to the caufe in the other, the efFe^

infinitely inferior to the caufe.

Nothing can be added to

continued without

the one, additions to the other

may be
III.

end.

COR.
Hence God can
nally,

create nothing but

what he loves,

for be-

ing independent and omnipotent, and perfectly happy origi-

we can

fuppofc no original fenfe of mifery, nor any o-

Book
tite

11.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD,

121

riginal natural idea

of it, nor confequently any natural appe-

toward what was not an object of any innate perceptive power or fenfe. His notion of mifery muft arife from feeing
die
ftate

of finite beings, or be

his voluntary invention

of a

prefervativeor medicine for them, to avert or cure fuch evils as

they muft neceflarily be made

in his creatures
are,

liable to.

Accordingly

we fee

of the higheft orders; the more perfefl they

indigent through their firmnefs and ftrength
are fufceptible
'tis

and the

lefs

of foul, the more they

goodwill to others.
nefs, fear

of love,

friendfhip,

and

But

dread of danorer, fenfe

of weakthrough

about our

intereft, fenfe

of having

fufFered

our weaknefs, which are the only fources of hatred, cruelty,

or ill will.

COR.
Hence God can
pleafed
aftion being free, he

IV..

create nothing but

what he loves,
it,

for this

would not have exerted

it is,

if

it

had

dif-

him and
;

for the fame reafon

that

God

defires
it is

necelFarily the happinefs

of

all

that

he

creates, becaufe

impofTible to love a being, and not defire its well-being.

COR.
fy
all

V. or defire to beati-

Hence God's communicative goodnefs

intelligent beings

was the

fource, reafon

and motive of

God's creating them.

COR.
a being that hates
trary to his,
it

VI.
the
firft

Hence God cannot produce in

itfelf,

inftant
it

of creation
a will con-

otherwife he would give

and
its

fo contradift himfclf ; yea

he would render

miferableby

very exiftence, which would be the higheft

cruelty.

Wherefore true felf-love or the love of our being and

122
well-being,
is

OF THE RELATIVE
an

Book IL
proper-

eflential, infeparablc, indeftruftible

ty of all created intelligences.

COR.
creation,

VII.

Since God's communicative goodnefs was the fource of

and

fnice this
;

communicative goodnefs

fubfifls al-

ways the fame

hence
freely

it

follows, that the fame reafon

fubfifts

God

had for creating

from the beginning,

always to

make him continue freely the exiftence of beings

ated.

already cre-

COR.
Hence
free,

VIII.
in eternal duration

there

is

no period

wherein

it

can be faid that God could not create ; for fmce

this aftion is

he might have exerted

it

at all times.

We are fure that

he once began, but we cannot decide when he began.

PROPOSITION
God
Creation
is

XVII.

could not create from

all

eternity.

DEMONSTRATION.
an effea of God's free
aft (a); the

efFeasof

God's free
create

afls
all

cannot be eternal (b): therefore God could not

eternity.

from

SCHOLIUM,
Dr. Clarke infmuates in his Demonftration of the being

and
*

attributes

of God

(c)

'

that the old Platonick notion a-

bout the eternity of the world

may be

true

that the will

of

<

God and his power of a6ling, being as eternal as his effencc,

(a)

By

Prop.

XVI.

(b) Cor. 3. of Prop. XIII.

(c) See p.

28 and 33.

Book
* '

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
power themfelves;
in the

123

the effeds of that will and

to the will and
li^ht

power might be fuppofed coeval

fame manner
as

would

eternally proceed

from the

fun, if the fun

were

fuppofed eternal.'
I anfwer, in the
firfl:

place, that this inaccurate

comparifon

leads dire(5tly toSpinofifm, for fince according to the

Newits

tonian philofophy, the rays of the fun are emanations of

elfence; this fuppofes that creation
as coeternal with the
aft, a

was confubftantial

as well

Godhead, an immanent not an emanant

of the divine nature, and not a
free

necelTary effluence

effeft

We are very far from fufpefting the Doctor of fuch an impious defign. We believe rather that he adof his power.
vanced
this

paradox in philofophy to juftify his Unitarian

and Arian notions, which fuppofe that God created freely from all eternity two infinite, fubordinate powers, which the
Doctor
called the

Son and the Holy Ghofl.

We have alreawas eternal,

abfois

dy confuted

this opinion.

I anfwer in the fecond place, that if creation

then there would be an eternal fucceflion

lutely impofTible

paft,

which is

and contradictory.
firft
;

For wherever

there
is

laft,

there muft have been a

and wherever there

firft,

there

may be

laft.

As we

can never mount up in an

fo neither

eternal duration to the

firft

moment,

can

we

de-

fcend in an eternal duration to the

five, divifible, fufceptible

laft.

Whatever is fuccefcannot be abfolute-

of more or

lefs,

ly infinite. Eternity

and

infinity fuppofe neceffarily a

perma-

nent plenitude where there can be no additions, fucceflions,

diminutions or variations.

An eternal duration paft is then a

contradiftion in terms, as an infinite divifion exhaufted.

t24
I
all

OF THE RELATIVE
anfwcrln the third place, that
if

Book

II.

God

had created from

eternity,

then God's creating power would be abfolutely

exhaufted; becaufc an eternal exercifc of infinite

power muft
multiplying

produce an abfolutely

infinite effect: infinite

for this

is

an

infinite duration

by an

energy, which muft pro-

duce an abfolute

infinite, to

which nothing can be added.

Hence arofc
was

the Spinofian error, that

abfolutely infinite as well as

nature produced nature producing;

and coeternal;
is

that both are equally infinite, confubftantial

and that God cannot produce any being but what

exiflent.

already

I anfwer in the fourth place, that if creation

were coeter-

nal with

God, then it mufl be confubllantial

for

what is eter^
it

nal could not be free ; fince, as

is
it

we have
free to

already remarked,

impoffible that an agent can be free to do or not to do, what

did

from

all eternity.

To be
it

ad

or not to

ad

fup-

pofes a time wherein the efFed

ation therefore

was not yet produced:

if cre-

was

eternal

could not be free, and if it was

if neceffary
it

not

free,

it

mufl;

be neceifary,

mufl be imma-

nent, for nothing foreign to the divine nature can be neceffa-

ry to

it

and what is immanent, muft be confubftantial. Thus

Spinofifm.
It

we return again to
ternal
;

may
his

be

faid, that as

the ads

or decrees of God's will concerning

fo the
;

finite are free

and yet efree tho*

ads and effeds of

power may be

eternal

and that the freedom of thefe ads does not depend

but upon their not being necefcaufc.

upon
that

their not being eternal,

fary to the perfcdion

it is

of the producing

We

anfwer,
re-

abfolutely falfe that

;

any of God's

free

ads with

gard to

finite are eternal

for, as

we fhall fhew very foon, God

Book
was
ces.

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
think of finite ideas as to create
that if

125

as free to

finite fubflan-

We grant,
were

God's ads about

finite

were

eternal,

there would be no evidence

zS:s

to prove that the

efFe<n:s

of thefe

not fo too: but as we have already faid,

freedom and

eternity are incompatible.

I anfwer in the fifth place, that to create

is

to produce

fomething that was not before

fomething that was not before
grant that there
is

now the
moment

eternal exiftence

of
I

is

a contradiflion in terms.

no

definite

in eternal duration,
create,

wherein

God

might not have begun to

could not be eternal.

but fince he

began

this aft

All confubftantial and

immanent
free

effects, tho' pofterior in

nature, muft coexifl with

their caufe, fince they flow necelTarily

from

its

eifence: but

and emanant

effefts

mufl be pofterior to their caufc both

neceffarily the

in nature

and time, becaufe creation fuppofes

giving exiftence to fomething that had

it

no

exiftence before. If

be

faid, that creation is

not a production of fomething that

was not before, but of fomething that might never have been; of fomething that is purely contingent and dependent; of
fomething that
is

neither neceffary, nor felf-exiftent.

is

We re-

ply, that this realbning

pRINc1p 1
1 ;

or,

what the fchools call petitio fuppofuig what is in queftion. We deny that
be contingent, and
free;

what
that

is

eternal can

we have fhewn

it

muft be neceffary, immanent, and confubftantial with

the Deity.

Some
telligent,

will fay, that

it is

impofTible to conceive

how infinite

power could remain

and
already

eternally ina(5tive, infinite

wifdom unin-

infinite

goodnefs uncommunicative.

We have

Ihewn

that

God did not remain thus ina(5tive, unintcL--

126
ligcnt,

OF THE RELATIVE
and uncommunicative during
his
ftill

Book

II.

eternity, before

the worlds began, e're he had thought of any finite ideas, or

created any finite fubftanccs.

He produced, he

contemplated,

he

beatify'd for ever

and ever two

infinite objects,

by the

generation of the Logos and the proccffion of the Holy Ghoft.

It
is

thus that he was eternally, abfolutely, and neceffarily

aftive, wife,

and good, antecedent to and independent of

of
finite.

all

conception or creation

We muft therefore conceive an eternal

the only effects of God's

duration wherein
generati-

immanent action were the

and the

on of the Logos, and the proceflion of the Holy Ghoft. This

is

the

ftill

eternity, the adorable folitude,

central a-

byfs of the pure divinity, into

ideas, effences or fubftances
;

which enter no afts about finite

ceflion ; and, as

we fliall

no multiplicity, variation or fucvery foon fhew, no infallible prefci-

ences or predeterminating decrees about finites and their actions.

Tho'

creation cannot be eternal,

we muft

not however

think that

God never exerted his

moment

creating

power till about five

of beings,

or fix thoufand years ago; that then he fallied out of his eternal folitude for a
to create a fmall parcel
it

and that he recentred into

without
hinifclf.

never more to exert his energy

declared,

This God has no where

it.

and it

is

audacious in us to affirm

It

is

pofilble that

God's creating

energy never ceafcd from the

that
it

moment in which it began, and

and
fruitful

may be
is

eternally produiflive

from without.
wherein he

As

there

no

definite period in eternal duration

create, fo there
is

might not have begun to

no determinate monot continue to ere-

ment in

eternal duration wlierein he

may

Book
ate
;

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
COR.

127

and we Ihall Ihew hereafter that revelation

fays nothuig

to the contrary.
I.

Hence
fo high,

in the creation

of

finite, tho'

we remount

never

we muft

always flop at fome beginning, antecedent

to

which there was nothing but the pure andabfolute eiTence

all finite

of God, exchifive of of all

als

ideas, effences

and fubftances,
creature.

and efFeds

relative to nature

and

COR.
ternal

II.

Hence the Ariftotelian, or Platonick opinions about an cworld

real or intelligible

may lead

the incautious into

Atheifm or Spinofifm.

PROPOSITION
The duration of all
It is

XVIII.

created fuftances will be eternal.

DEMONSTRATION.
unbecoming the wifdom of an
infinitely perfe^l

being

to change his will,

fubfifts (a)
;

when

the fame reafbn of willing always

the fame reafon God had for creating freely from

the beginning, fubfifts always to

make him continue

freely

the exiftence of beings already created (b): therefore the duration

of all beings will be

eternal.

SCHOLIUM.
us

The Wife Man fully perfuaded of this great truth, aflures that all the works of God will be eternal,' the material as
*

well as the immaterial world.

(a) Ax. 3. of this Book.

It

is

true indeed that the irre-

(b) Cor. 6. of Prop.

XVI.

128
oTilar

OF THE RELATIVE
but their efTences will
laft

Book
does not

II.

and impcrfc<5l forms of fpirit and matter cannot be

for ever.

e-

tcrnal,

God

ad

by

ftarts

and
is

fits;

by

capricioufnefs
all

and fancy, without

rea-

fon.

He

immutable in

his defigns,

and never changes

them

unlefs the reafon

of willing changes.

The proofs of imfoul, are

mortality

drawn from the immaterial nature of the

it

notfufficient; for tho'

cannot die as organical bodies do,

felf-exiftent,
it

by

a dilTolution

of parts; yet not being

is it

may

ceafe to be.

Neither

a demonftration
foul, that there
;

of the immortal
muft be a future

and
ftate

eternal exiftence

of the

of rewards and punifhments for tho' we ihall fhew that the eternal felicity of intelligences, was God's only end in creating them, yet it can never be demonftrated by reafon
nor
fcripture, as

we

fhall

(hew, that laps'd

eternally

fpirits

may not be

annihilated, if they can

convertible.

become

and abfolutely un-

The immutabiHty of the divine will is the beft proof of the foul's immortality. The eternal exiftence of all the works of God flows neceffarily from the conftancy of the
divine nature in
lafts.
all

his

a(fts,

while the fame reafon of acting

COR.
Hence
religion,

I.
is

the immortality of the foul

maxim of natural
of this great

independent of all revelation ;

and fupernatural inalTure us

fpiration

was not abfolutely neceffary to

truth.

COR.
Hence
all forts

II.

of created fubftances material or immaterial will be immortal and indeftruaible their forms may change,
;

but their efTences will never be deftroyed.

BooKiL

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
XIX.
is

125)

PROPOSITION
The
eternal confervation

of beings

a con-

tinuation

of the

firfi:

creathig energy.

DEMONSTRATION,
The
eternal confervation

of beings muft

either proceed

from a continuation of the fame creating energy, or from a to them by the firft crea{lability ofexiftence communicated
ting aa(a);
ciple

God cannot communicate to finite beings aprin(b): therefore the efirft

of independence or felf exiftence

is

ternal confervation of beings

a continuation of the

ere-

ating energy.

SCHOLIUM.
There
are three opinions about the confervation of beings.

The

firft

maintains,that the divine,omnipotent action commu-

creatures, nicates fuch a perfeft ftability ofexiftence to the

thatby virtue of this

felves.

firft

a they can fubfift eternally of themaf-

The

fecond opinion runs to the other extreme, by

ferting, that the creating efficacy is fo

imperfea, that itftands

in need
fubfift,

of continual new repeated afts, to make its efFeds and preferve them from falling into nothing. The

third opinion keeps the midft betwixt the

affirming, that confervation
creatines ener^^y.
is

two extremes by
efFe(5t

a continued

of the fame
opinions,

If we can confute the two

it is

firft

the

laft is

demonftrated; fince

impofilble to imagine

any

other but thefe three (c).

(a) Cor. 4. of Prop.

XV.

(b) Cor. 2. of Prop. V.

(c) ByPoftul.2.

,30
If

OF THE RELATIVE
God could give
eternal,

Book

II.

the creatures a ftability ofexiftence, perhis

manent,

and independent of

immediate

a<n:ion,

he could never annihilate them.

tion poffible only in

We can conceive annihilaNon-exiftence or nothing

this

two ways, either by giving non- cxiftence,

were

or by ceafing to give exiftence.

cannot be given or effefled by a pofitive ad, for

;

gi-

ving nothing giving and not giving at the fame time; which
is

impofTible and contradiftory.

Therefore

God

can annihi-

late or take

away

being, only

by ceafing

his creating aft,

and

fo preferves being only

by continuing
exifts

his productive energy.

Moreover, a fubftance that

feparatefrom
it

only by another, being

its

creating caufe, mufl: fall into nothing, unlefs

contains in itfelf a reafon of neceflary exiftence.

Now

God cannot communicate neceflary

exiftence or independen-

cy to the creatures, without placing in them an infinite perfeftion, which is the only reafon of neceffary or felf-exiftence,

and

fo

is

un communicable

to the creature.

It

may be

faid that creatures

firft

once produc'd,
their effential

fubfift eter-

nally after the

creating aft,

by

and neceffa-

ry inherence in the divine fubftance, as their fupport and bafis.

I anfwer that if this

were

fo,

the creatures would not be

fubftances diftinft
perfonalitys

from God; but emanations, hypoftafes,or

effence,

of his

which

is

pure Spinofifm.

Some will
ftability

objeft that if God could not

his creatures; the

communicate
energy of the
caufes,
afts.

this
firft

of exiftence to

caufe

would be

far inferior to that

of fecond

whofe
I an-

cffefts laft for ever, unlefs deftroy'd

by contrary

fwer, that the cffefts of finite caufes are only modalitys,

more

or

lefs

changed, that have a fubjcft in which they inhere:

Book IL
not
fubfifl

ATTRIBUTES OP GOD.
by themfelveSj.unlefs he communicates
to

131

but the creatures being real fubflanceSjdIftlrKn: from God, can-

them an

independent exifl:ence,or fupport them by a continuation of

the fame creating energy.
the latter muft be true.

Now the

former being impoflible,

The fecond
all a<5i:ivity

opinion, which places confervation in a con-

tinual repetition

of creating ads

at

every

moment,

deftroys

in fecond caufes,

renders the freedom of intel-

ligent beings impoflible,

and makes

God

the author of

fin.

What

is

created at every

moment, cannot give it felf the leafl

modality; fince

God

does not create beings in general but

particular beings.

If he create them at every moment, he

reft

muft create them either in

or in motion, knowing or not

confenting or dilTentlng.
itfelf in

knowing, willing or not

willing,

What exifts

only in the

firft

moment cannot modify

the being has

the fecond, nor receive a real power to act in the third; for

before the reproducing

a6l,

no

exiftence,

nor

confequently any powers to a6lin thepoftcrior moment.

God
mo-

muft always create

ral determinations.

it

with

all its

phyfical modalitys, and

It
2.8:\vc

may
and

be

faid that
;

God

creates the foul every gives in the

firft

moment

free

that

what he

moment, he
in the firft
to-

unfolds in the fecond, adds to itinthe third, andfo prefcrves

it

continually in fuch a manner,that

what he gave it
but as

and what he adds to it

gether and unite to
fults entirely

in the fubfcquent

moment, concur
and

make

new adion:
is

this action re-

from the

addition, repetition,

multiplicati-

on of the fame

creating force, the foul

Is

only aded upon, and

not active; there

no

real,

Inherent, internal motion infpi-

132
ritual agents;

OF THE RELATIVE
but only a
paffive reception or

Book IL
pure mobility,
fo there

to be pufh'd wherever the firftcaufe drives

is

them; and

no

difference betwixt thefpiritual

and corporeal agent; but

that the

one perceives

its

motion and the other not.

Thus

fome Thomifls and

Cartcfians,

by confounding a continued

with a continual creation, or the continuation of the fameaft with continual, repeated ads, have thrown themfelves headlong into
fatality.

From all
pendency

this

it is

plain, that the

firft

opinion gives an inde-

to the creatures; the fecond robs them ofalladivity.

The one makes them deities; the other renders them machines;
the one by attributing too

much to created

beings,

makes them-

independent; the other by attributing too little to them,makes

God the author of finThe

ties,
it

third opinion prevents

all difficul-

renders the creatures dependent and yetadive.

It

makes tliem receive fromGod their effence and powers,without

deftroying their adivity or
fifts

freedomThe creating energy fub;

always,

it

never pafles
fucceflive

it is

one continued, fimultaneous

ad without any

moments. Thus the creatures tho*

if they

they be not nccelTary emanations of the divine efrence,yet are

freeprodudions of his power,which would ceafetobe,

were feparated one moment from their creating fource. They are real fubftancesdiftind from God, butnotdiftant from him, united to him, but notconfubftantial with him. In him they
live,

move, and have

his.

their being;

but their being

is

not the

fame with

COR.

I.
is

Since theconfervationof creatures

a continuation of the

fame creating energy witliout fucccflion, interruption, or va-

BookIL
riation:
perties,

attributes of god.
all

133

hence

the natural powers, acftivkies, faculties, proto them in thefirfl:

and qualities given

moment of their
that fub-

exiftence,
fift

may be

confidered as permanent
adls,

efFe(n:s,

without reprodu<5lion or repeated

G o R.
II.

Hence

in the following efTay,

faculties

we may

talk

of the natural
in full

powers and

of the creatures as given to them

property from thefirft

ver fhall

momentof their creation.Thus we nehis mediate

a<5ts,

confound God's immediate with

northeaftion ofthe
caufes;

first cause, withtheadionof fecond

of the
creature.
III.

nor the univerfal concourfe of the creator with the

free determinations

COR.
will
juft.

Hence all the cavills ofthe predeftinarlan fed againfl: freedrawn from continual
creation, are groundlefs and

un-

God does

not preferve the creatures by repeated

firfl:

a(5ls-

He gives
tinft

to fpirits in the

moment of their

creation a real

aO:ivity diftind

from

his

own,

as well as a real fubftance dif-

from

his

own. This

Ihall

be fully demonftrated in the

following book.

PROPOSITION
material,

XX.

God may create new fubftancesjmaterial and Imand communicate to them without end,

new

forms,

new capacities, and new perfedions.

demonstration.
If God could add nothing to his creation, itmuft be either
bccaufe
it is

already fo pcrfed that nothing can be

communica-

134
ted to
It,

OF ^^^ RELATIVE
or becaufe his creating power
is

Book

II.

already exhaufted.

One

or t'other of thefe two fuppofitions muft be true.

former cannot be true, becaufe in

The the fcaleoffinites there may

nor can the
its

be aprogrefTion without end

infinite

(a);

latter,

becaufe

power can never be exhaufted by

material and immaterial, and

produ<5lions

from

without (b): therefore God

ftances,

may create without endnewfubcommunicate

to

them

new

forms,

new capacities, and new pcrfe^lions.

SCHOLIUM.
The
*

Mofaick phrafe that

after the fix

days work,

God

ceas'd

from

his labours,

'

does not contradict the truth here

demonftrated.

Ceffation here muft be underftood of the for;

mation of the world after the chaos of the reparation of the

iphere of fallen angels, and of the reftoration of nature degra-

ded by their revolt; and not of the creation of pure and

mitive nature ; which, as

pri-

we fhall

fliew,

was antecedent to the

chaos. Since God's communicative goodnefs,fubfifts always

the fame to

prompt him for ever

this creating

to exert freely his creating

power; fince

the produ<5lion
his

power can never be exhaufted by of an abfolutc infinite equal to himfclf fmce

;

immenfity can never be replenifhed with material

his confubftantial
;

pictures,

nor

Logos

equall'd

by the creation of

in-

telligent images
du<5tive

fince,in

fine,God

maybe

for ever freely pro-

from without, as he is

eternally productive

from with-

in; fince I fay thefe four truths have been already demonftrated:
it is

not only pofTiblebut highly probable, yeaalmoft

certain, that
(a)Ax.

new worlds are produced every

(b) Cor. i. of Prop. 5.

day, in the celef-

5 of Book I.

Book
tial

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
a high

135

fpaces,

and that thefe fuperlor regions are peopled with

and noble idea of the
is

new intelligences. Thus we have

univerfe

Worthy of the

creator.

Our

earth

but a point in

of compared with the new worlds we do not the fix'd ftars; thefe fee,and thefe with theimmenfe fpaces that are ftill replenifhing
with material and immaterial beings.
ravifhing thought, as

comparifonof the folar fyftem, that in comparifon of thofe

Once more I repeat the

forever and ever, within

God generates

himfelf, neceflarily, one,fole,coeternal, abfolutely infinite, and

confubftantial image; fo

he freely produces from without in-

numerable finite reprefentations of Hmfelf, diftind from himfelf,

and

multipliable without end.

c o R.

I.
its

Since infinite power can never be exhaufted by

nal aftion ; and (ince he may create eternally
material and immaterial ;
exiftent,

exter-

new

fubftances

there

is

and can be no

real infinite

but the fiipreme abfolute infinite; and therefore the

fills all

Leibnitian infinity of created matter, that

the extent

ofboundlefsimmenfityis a wild chimera that favours Spinofifm.

COR.
Hence
all

II.

the pretended infinites in created nature, are

is,finite

only potential as the Schools fay ; that

beings

may be

multiply'd and modify'd in numberlefs ways, but they do not

actually
exifi:

nor contain thefe modes.

There

is

and can be
produ-

no
ced

real arithmetical or geometrical infinite in nature

;

no

infinitely great

nor

infinitely little, actually exiftent.

For

this reafon the greateft

Geometer of thelafl: age, Sirlfaac

an
infinitely fmall quantity.

Newton, never

called a fluxion

13^

OF THE RELATIVE
COR.

Book IL

as foreigners do;

but an ideal divifion ofquantlty that may

be continued without end.

III.

Hence

the notion ofMalebranche,that the world already

produced is the mod: perfect

ly groundlefs.

God could have created,is entire-

The worlds already produced,and all the worlds producible to eternity ,will never become a maximum, nor an o P T I M u M the beft and the greateft to which nothing can
,

be added; becaufe

in the fcale

of finites the progreflion

of his emanant

is

boundlefs; becaufe God's power of creating can never beexhaufted,

and becaufe the

efFefts

a6ls mufi: al-

ways be
finite,

infinitely inferior to his

producing power, always

and multipliable without end.

COR.

IV.

Hence the divine activity by operating In and upon matter, may produce in the leaft atom, new forms, new motions, new divifions, and thereby numberlefs beauties without end. For the fame reafon God may aft eternally upon thefinalleft and
loweft intelligences, fo as to enliven, enlighten and beatify

them forever and

ever

by

a continual progreffive

communi-

cation of life, light, and love; of aaivity,wifdom, and goodnefs.

COR.
Hence as God may
ties

V.

exalt,

augment, and enlarge the facul-

of intelligent natures

to

any finite degree ofpcrfeftion how

great focvcr,fo he

may by

fufpending the fame activity reduce

them to any finite degree of infcnfibility how low foever.Thus intelligences made for the enjoyment of him who is infinite, may become fo ftupid that they have no other ideas, nor fen-

Book
fations,

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
terreftrlal objects,

137

but what regard

and the corporebe more

ful-

al vehicles In

which they are imprifoned j

c o R. VI.

as fhall

ly unfolded hereafter.

Hence God's
figns cannot

primitive, ultimate, pofitive

and abfolute deis

be eternally fruftrated; for fincehe

infinitely

wife he can propofe

fible:

no end but what

is

reafonable and pofit.

and

fince

he

is

infinitely powerful

he can execute

Fi-

nite impotency, folly

and malice cannot furmount for ever infinite power, wifdom andgoodnefs: and therefore to whatever degree of mifery and corruption his creatures may fall,
he may
if he pleafes reftore, exalt

and recover them from it.

PROPOSITION
Creation
nal Beings.
is

XXL

a reprefentation

of God by exter-

DEMONSTRATION.
can create nothing but what he loves (a); God can love nothing but what refembles him in fome degree (b): therefore creation
is

God

a reprefentation of

God by external Beings.

SCHOLIUM.
When we
lute eiTence,

afcend to the

firfi:

caufe,

and confider his abfofally

we

will find that the

only reafon he had to

outof himfelf, was

diftina

to impart perfeaion

and happinefsby
is,

re-

prefentlng himfelf in external beings; that

by fubfhnces

from

his

own.
XVI.

He

can love nothing and fo wills no(b) Cor. 4. of Prop. XI.

(a) Cor. 4. of Prop.

138

OF THE RELATIVE
him
in

Book IL
as

thln^ but wliatrefembles

feme degree,

nothing

elfe

can be pcrfefl or happy. In contemplating his eternal perfections, whofe fimple and indivifible unity is not only equivalent but alfo infinitely fuperior to
all

pofTible multiplicity,

He faw

them

fo beautiful

and

fo excellent;

he was fo deligh-

ted in beholding his confubftantial image, that by the free im-

pulfion of the

Holy Ghoft,

his eifential goodnefs, coeternal

love and lover, he

was determined

to

produce a numberlefs

multitude of living images and lively pictures, not by dividing

his fubftance,

and

ere<5ling

the different parcels of it into fereal beings diflinel

parate fubflances;
himfelf,

but by creating

from

and reprefentative of his

all-beautiful eifence.

Thus

the free communicative goodnefs of God, flowed from the

love ofhisconfubilantial image,
ginally

and

fo all the creatures ori-

God

were reprefentative of the divine perfefllons; otherwife could not have loved them; nor confequently willed

their exiflence.

This will be clearer than any mathematical

if we
refle(51:

demonltration

upon the nature of infinite power,

cannot ad feparately and indeefFecls

and

infinite goodnefs.

They

pendently;

God
it

cannot produce without loving the

of his power; he cannot love them unlefs they refemble him;

and from hence

follows demonflratively, that in the original

creation all Beings were reprefentative of the divine perfection.

I fay the original creation, becaufe the prefent flate

of

nature, in this fmall point of the univerfe

we now
things,

inhabit, is

quite different

from the

primitive flate

of

when they
demon-

came pure out of the hands of God,

ftratcd hereafter.

asfhall be fully

Book IL

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD,
CO
*

135,

R.

I.

Hence, none but the fon or the confubdantial image of the father, for whom, and by whom all things were made,*
can

know the properties and beauties of nature,

and the
original;

the perfecH: refinite

femblances and innumerable relations betwixt

nite; the pl(5lures

and

Infi-

none but he can manlfefl

It
Is

and reveal them

to finite intelligences.

only by his light

creator

and an intercourfe with him, that we can know the

and the
ficer

creatures, the caufe

his numberlefs

and

its

efFeds, the fovereign arti-

and

works.

COR.
Hence in
manners;
a flate

II.

of pure and

exalted nature

God

could

nianifefl his divine perfe(^ions to intellciftual beings, in

two

either

by admitting them to the immediate vlfion

of his abfolute eifence, or by difplaying to them his power, vifdom and goodnefs In his created reprefentations. They

may contemplate the

merce with the pure
other.

original or the pi(5tures ; enter into

divinity, or into mutual fociety with

comeach

COR.

III.

Hence, to know the Intimate effencc of things, we mufl know the preclfe degrees of perfedlon God intended to reprefent

by them and therefore it is that we cannot know

;

thefe

intimate effences,

till

'

we

fee

God as he is,'

and all things In

behold the o-

him,

till

we

be admitted to the beatifick

vifion,

riglnal reprefented,

and the copys reprefentlng.

COR.
Hence, It was a
that
veryjull:

IV.

and folld principle of Mr. Locke,

we

have no clearer ideas of the Intimate efTcnce of mat-

I40
ter,

than of fpirlt.

OF THE RELATIVE Book 11. We know that there an extended fubis

ftance,

whofe

efTential properties are figurability, divifibility,

and mobility: we know

telligent fubftance,

that there muft be in nature an inefTential attributes are a

whofc
and

power of
the one
:

perceiving, rcafoning

willing.

We know that

is

capable of different figure s,divifians,

that the other
Inclinations.
is

and motions we

know
and

fufceptible

of

different ideas, reflexions,

We
as

have

as clear ideas

of perception, reafon

and volition,
motions for
;

of figurability,

divifibility,

and mobility; of

thoughts, judgments, and defires,as of figures, divifions, and

we

can compare them, dilHnguifh them, judge

of their refemblances and differences, and affirm of the one what, we deny of the others. As we do not know how the
foul perceives, reafons,
ideas

and wills, becaufe we have no adequate

obje<5ls aft

of the manner
itfelf ;

how

upon

it,

nor

how

it

afts

know how bodies are figured, dibecaufe we have no adequate ideas of the vided, and moved manner how the moving force afts upon them, nor how they a6t upon each other. We do not know the abfolute, intimate
upon
fo

we do
;

not

cffcnce

of that fomething which

and

is

figurable,
is

divifible

and

moveable;

nor of that fometliing which

will.

capable of perthat thefe

ception, reafon

We

know however,
;

two

fomethings muft be different fubftances

as fhall

be fhewn

hereafter, becaufe they have incompatible

attributes
;

and contradiftory

tation as

and therefore Locke might without fomuch hefihe fhcws, pronounced that cxtcnfion and intelli-

gence could not be properties of the fame fubltancc.

COR.
Hence Malebranche was

V.

egregioufly miftaken,

when he

Book IL
elTence

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
clear, adequate ideas
at all

141

mantained that we have

of the intimate

of matter, but none

that

of

fplrit.

He confounds the

idea

of matter with

of extenfion, the fubjecfl with the pro-

perty, and the fubflance with the primary attribute. that the adequate effence

He fays
extenfi-

of matter

confifls in extenfion, be-

caufe

all

the attributes and

modes of matter fuppofe

faid, that

on

but for the fame reafon he might have

the ade-

quate elTence of Ipirit confifts in a power ofperception or intelligence, becaufe all the attributes or

modes of
plain that

fpirit

fup-

pofe intelligence or perception.

fay a

Now

it is

when we
of

power of

intellection,

we mean only an

attribute

fomething that underftands; and therefore by the rules of analogy,

when we
is

fay extenfion,
It

we mean only an attribute of

is

fomething that is extended.

tenfion
a

true indeed that actual ex;

permanent property of matter whereas

thought
is

a6lual in-

telleClion or

not fuch, as Locke has very well de-

monftrated; but then

we do
;

not compare aftual extenfion

a power

with a<5l:ual

intelle<ftion

butonly with

of intelligence.
to matter.

The one is as
as

elfential to fpirit, as the

other

is

We

can never lofe the power ofunderftanding and perceiving; tho',

we fhall ftiew,
of

adlual thought

may be
is

fufpended in us for

feveral ages.

Now
fpirit,

as the intellciflual faculty is the

primary

attribute

fo extenfion

the primary attribute

of

matter.

As the power of feeling,

reafoning and willing are

figurability, divi-

only fecondary attributes of the former; fo

fibility

and mobility are only fecondary

attributes or confe*
is ftlll

quences of the latter: but then our ignorance

the fame

of the precife, intimateand adequate nature of that fome what

which

is

extended, and of that fomewhat which

is

intelli'Knt,

142

OF THE RELATIVE
COR.
vr.
there
is

Book

11.

Hence
of

a great difference betwixt our knowledge

J

and our knowledge of attributcs.The one fuppofes an adequate idea of a being, according to all the extent of To fee the inits nature the other only a partial idea of it.
effences,
;

timate effence of things is to fee

God fees them; it is to fee all that belongs to them: to know the attributes is to know only a part of what belongs to them. The former we fliall behold only in the other life; we now fee the latter onthem
as

lyfo far as

is

neceffary to diftinguifh beings

from each other.

fee the rivulets

We do not fee the fource or effence,

or attributes
ftance
is
;

but we

and

tlierefore

can as really
at the

diftinguifli

one fub-

from another as if we were

fountain head.l'his

the foundation of all true philofophy:

butes, modes, relatives, and qualities;

offences, fubftances,

we know only attribut we do not know

and abfolute natures.

The

perfection

of reafon and wifdom in our prefent flate confifts as much in knowing the bounds of human underftanding, as in knowin"" its extent:

and indeed the true knowledge of the one is infeparable from the other. To pretend to fee what we do not fee, is as imperfeft as not to difcover what we may fee.

To go beyond
is

the limits

is

an excefs

to ftop fhort

of them

a defeat.

We

have thus explained Infinite power with regard to the

;

produaion of things finite

let

us

now confider

infinite wif-

dom, with

relation to the

knowledge of finites.

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
XXII.
and

143:

PROPOSITION
It

was equally

a matter

of

free choice

will in
.

God

to think

of finite

ideas, as to create

finite fubftances.

DEMONSTRATION.
Free a^lion
in

God is what he may do

or not do, without

Iiis

interefting the elTential happinefs

and perfection of

na-

ture (a) ; the

knowledge of the pure and abfolute efTence of

God,

is

alone fufficient tocompleat the perfc<5tion of the di;

vine underftanding
tions are no

and other

ideas, thoughts,

and concepit

way

necelTary to this perfection (b): therefore

free choice

was equally matter of

and

will in

God to

think

of finite

ideas, as to create finite fubftances.

SCHOLIUM.
When we impofe filence upon fenfe and
raife

Imagination, and

up our minds

to the contemplation

of the pure and ab-

folute effence

of God, without any

relation to created nature,

we

difcern that his underftanding

may be infinitely perfect in

finds in this fole idea

the generation of his confubftantial image, tho' he had never

thought of any other clTence.

He

an

infinite objecl, that fatisfies his boundlefs Intellect.

This great
felf-fufiicl-

principle

is

a necefiary

ccnfequence of the divine

ency.

If any other idea were necefTary to the completion of

God's boundlefs knowledge, the contemplation of his luminous elFence could not
(a)

fufficc

him.

He would be obliged, fb

Cor

2.

of Prop. XIII.

(b) Cor. 5. of Prop. XIII.

144
to fpeak, to

OF THE RELATIVE
go out of himfelf to find
in the ideas

Book

II.

of other be-

ings, the full perfection

of his underitanding. Nothing thereto the fovereign indepenthat by ne-

fore

is

more unfuitable or injurious

felf-fufficiency
is

dency and
cefTity

of God, than to fuppofe

of

nature, he

obliged to think of any thing but his

own pure and abfolute

to him;

effence.

He waspleafed however, moft

by things
external
in his divine underftan-

freely to confider himfelf as reprefentable

and thus he formed freely

ding, the archetypal ideas

diflin<5t

of finites, which
idea God has

are as cflentially

from the confubftantial

diftin6l

of himfclf,as the

fubihnces of finite are

from the fubftance of God.

The
knows
felf,

fchoolmen will

fay,

that

God knows himfelf necef-

farily as reprefentable

from without; and confequently he

manners of thus reprefenting himof finites.
lanfwer,
it is

neceiTarily all the

and

fo has necefTarily all the ideas

that

God

ncceffarily
;

knows

his abfolute effence as far as

knowable
is

but I deny

thatit follows

from thence, that

God

neceiTarily obliged for the perfeftion

of his divine under-

ftanding,to confider himfelf as reprefentable

nal.

by things

exter-

For

this reprefentation

being

relative to the creatures,

does not belong to the abfolute eflence of God; otherwife the

fole idea

of his

own

effence could not fuffice him,

I reafon always
finite,

and

Co

he wouldnot be

felf-fufHcient.

of God's
will

knowledge with regard to things

with regard to them;
as the

as

of God's

one

is

free, fo is the other:

as

the effects of the one, or the fubftances, were not eternal,

(o neither

were the

effe(5ts

of the other, or the

ideas; as all

theeffences of things finite addnothing tohisinfinite eifence,

fo all the ideas

of

finites

add nothing to his confubftantial

i-

BookIL
dea.

attributes of god.
in the procefTion
infinite love, fo

14^

As he found
eternal

of the Holy Ghoft, the

in the

completion of his

he found

generation

of his

Logos, the

totality of infinite

knowledge.

As

he produced freely in his divine immenfity finite fo he formed freely in his divine underftanding

fubflances,
their ideas.

As

all

the collciHied finite fubflances are not God's indivifible

fubflance, fo the

whole colledion of finite

ideas

is

notGod's^

confubflantial idea.

As

the former were not neceffary to the

happinefs of his will,fo the latter were not neceffary to the

perfeftion

of his underftanding. As he might have been

eter-

nally without the one, fo he might have been eternally with-

out the other.

ftances,

fo

As he may cancell and annihilate all finite fubhe may forget and blot out of his underftanding
to re-enter again into his eternal folitude.

all finite ideas,

The fchoolmen will urge,

variation,

that if God could drop his ar-

chetypal ideas of finites,then there might be in him, mutation,

and fucceflion, which

is

impoffible. I anfwer, that

efFefts there is
'tis

in

God's neceffary a<5ls, and immanent

and can

be no variation, nor fhadow of change: but

free
acfts

not fb in his

and emanant

effefls.

Here the fchoolmen have enimo. Whatever

It
is

gaged themfelves in a maze notonlyof unexplicable difHculties,

butof abfolute

contradictions,
is

is

coe-

ternal with the divine effence,

fible that

confubftantial.

impof-

what was known and

will'd

from

all eternity,

could

have been mutable, or changed;

and what could not have

been changed

is

neceffary and not free.

Thus

all finite

ideas

become

coetcrnal, confubftantial, neceffary

modes of the di-

vine mind.
tial,

2do. If all

finite ideas

be coeternal, confubftan-

neceffary

modes of the

divine mind, they muft be

Godj

i^6
fince,

OF THE RELATIVE
according to the fchoolmen,
all

Book
in

II.

that

is

God

is

God

and therefore thcfe ideas muft partake of the divine adivity,

intelligence, reality

and perfection.

Wherefore the

creation

of fubftances
ous ideas,
pofTible
;

diftinft

from

thcfe intelligent, aflive, felf-confci-

is

ufelefs.
all finite

Thus

creation becomes abfurd

and im-

and

ideas or finite beings are coeternal, con-

fubltantial pcrfonalities, hypoftafes

and inherencies of the

di-

vine efTence.

3tio. If all the ideas

of finite be immanent, per-

manent, necefiary, eternal modes and objects of the divine

mind, then

all

the ideas of finite muft be

God.

The idea of
as the

a triangle, a horfe
fubftantial idea or

and a man are God,

Logos.

as

much

confinite

Now if the ideas

how
a(5ls,

of things

be God, the beings

for
it is

anfvv^ering to thefe ideas

muft be fo too;

impoflible to conceive

the efFe6ls of God's im-

manent, permanent, coeternal

eternal

are not alfb neceifary, coas the colidea, fo

and confubftantial. Thus we muft fay that

lc(Jlionor

fum of

finite ideas is

God's confubftantial
is

the

fum of
is

all finite

fubftances
this

God's

infinite

fubftance.

^rhls

pure Spinofifm, and

till

odious fyftem can never be

overturned,

the fchoolmen learn to diftinguifti betwixt

a6ls;

God's immanent and emanant

properties of the

and not to confound the

It
is

one with thefe of the other.

abfolute-

ly falfe that the production

is

and coexiftence of all

noectypal

finite ideas

a perfe(5tion,

and an immanent ad of the

finite,

divine mind.

No

archetypal ideas of things

ces enter into the
ftill

as

finite fubftan-

eternity

of God's abfolute

eflence.

We

may and muft conceive an eternal duration antecedent to all time, wherein God neither thought of nor created any thing
finite.

This

fuccefiion in

God, or

his free paflage

from

his

Book
ftill

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

147
finite, is

eternity to the conception and creation of things

the highefl perfe<5tion, and anecefTary effect of his unboun-

ded

felf-fufficiency.

Succejflion in the creatures

is

always fup-

pofes Ibme defeft, and

a neceifary adjunct

of their bouninfinite

ded

capacities.

Becaufe they cannot exhaufi:

neceflarily conceive

by one

fingie view,

theymuft

ceffion,

and progreilion.
all finite ideas,

by parcels, by fucWhereas God by one fimple aft

all

exhaufts

and

their pofTible combinations;

a<n:

but he
It
is

is

free to exert this arbitrary

of his underftanding.
it

not necefTary to the perfection of his intelled;

adds
*

nothing to the happinefs of his will.

*

When it
from

is

faid that
'

he

loved and predeftinated the

that

ele(5l

all eternity,

this

means

he

will'd,

lov'd,

and decreed

their happinefs be-

fore time,

and from the beginning, when he fally'd out of his

eternal folitude.

For

this reafon

it is,

that in fcripture

from

the beginning, and from eternity, are very oft fynonimous.

Thefchoolmen
deas of things

will perhaps fay that if the archetypal

i-

finite exiftin

the divine underfi:anding,they muft

be necefTary; fince God's underftanding and his effence are

the fame
;

and becaufe

all

that
is

is

in

God is God. This maxafts,

im as we have already

faid

true

of God's neceffary
a(fls

and

immanent
feds.

cfftdis

but not of his emanant

the fame

and

free efall

We might reafon in

manner thus;

fub-

ftances exift in the divine immenfity;

God's effence and im-

menfity are the fame, therefore allfubflancesareinherencies,

hypoflafes, or perfonalitics
fa reafoned.

of the divine effence; thus Spinoof impiety, we

acfts.

To

fliun therefore this abyfs

muft always diftinguifh in God, his necefTary and free

The efFc(fls of the one

are

God;

the efTeds of the other are

f48
nature.

OF THE RELATIVE
The
efFe^s

of the former are the

Book II. eternal Word and

Holy Ghoft.

The

effe6lsof the latter are material and im-

material fubftances.

The one are The

immanent, confubftantial,

and infinitely infinite, coequal

origination only excepted.

to their caufe in all things, felf-

others are emanant,

diftincH:

from God, bounded and

multipliable without end.

a^s of God's eternal power, and of his eternal love

diftinguilhed Into necefTary

As the may be

and free, foby the

rules

of analodiftingui-

gy, the a6ts of his eternal underflanding

may be

fhcd into necefifary and

free.

Thefchoolmen
all

will cry out that

God knows

neceffarily
:

that

is

poffible, otherwife

he would be ignorant

but the

archetypal ideas of things finite are poflible; therefore

God

knows them
of things

neceffarily.

anfwerthat the archetypal ideas

finite fubftances are

finite are

nothing, as the real

nothing antecedent to the divine free thought and

is

will.

There

no

objective reality in finite ideas

till

freely as reprefentable

from without.

God confider himfelf The divine effence is

all

indeed the model of archetypal ideas; but as the original docs,

not contain numerically and neceffarily

the piflures that

ef-

can be drawn of it, fo we muft not imagine that the divine

fence contains numerically and by neceffity of nature all the ar-

chetypal finite ideas

otherwife
is

thing fclf-exiftent that

we muft fay that there is fonienot God or that the collc<5lIve fum
;

of finite ideas

is

the Logos.

Nowfince both
of things

thcfc tenets are

blafphcmous,we muft return to our firft principle, and acknowledge

tliat

the archetypal ideas

finite exift freely

in

the divine underltanding, as the cctypal finite fubftances exift

freely in the divine immenfity.

This fublime idea iniinua-

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
Greek
fathers,

149

and renewed in the laftage by the pious Poiret, efcaped the fchoohnen; becaufe
about the twelfth century theyattach'd themfelves to theold Ariltotelian or rather Arabickphilofophy, which contains all
the feeds of fatality.

ted in feveral places of the

In
were
truths

fine,

the fchoolmen will

Infift

thus.

If ail

finite ideas

free,

then there could be no neceflary and immutable

I

whether geometrical, moral, or metaphyfical.

deny
about

abfolutcly the confequencc.

finite ideas as

We fhould reafon always

The exigence or

of finite fubftances.

creation

of things

finite is free;

yet creatures onceproduc'd they ftand

under neceiTary,

eternal,

and immutable

relations to each o-

ther and to their original caufe. Juft fo the ideas

free;

of finite are

God might have thought of them

eftabliflied

or not: but thefe ideas

being once

and formed freely in the divine under-

ftanding, there muft refult

from them
is

neceflary, eternal,

and

immutable truths.

For

truth

only the relation of confor-

mity or difagreement, equality or inequality amon?ft our Ideas. Thus God might have been eternally without forminothe ideas of divifible, moveable, and fignrableextenfion.
thefe ideas being once form'd,
all

But
of

geometrical truths flow

from them; becaufe

thefe truths enunciate the relations

conformity or difagreement, equality or inequality which neceffarily flow from, or are included in the idea of material
extenfion.

In the fame manner God might have been eternally without forming the ideas of finite intelligences. But thefe ideas being once form'd in the divine undcrftandlno-, all
moral truths follow neceflarily from them.

For fince the ideaof fpirit fuppofesneceiTarily knowledge and will; it is plain

I50

OF THE RELATIVE
and happinefs of all created

Book
;

11.

that the perfection

intelligences
this

mull depend upon knowing and loving

God

and from

principle flow all the divine, moral and focial duties. Thus in fine

God

might have been eternally without thinking of created

it

fubftancesof anykind;but thefe ideas once form'd,

ncceflarily that all created fubftances in a pure
ftate

follows

and primitive
origifubli-

were more orlefs reprcfentative of their uncreated

nal,

and from

this great principle

flow necelTarily the

meft metaphyfical truths.

It
is

by
and

thefe great principles alone that

felf-fufficiency.

we

can give

jufi:

ideas
fence,

of the divine
ftill

God in

his abfblute ef-

eternity

wants no other ideas nor objects to

complcat his

infinite

underftanding and beatify his unboun-

ded will, but the knowledge of his confubflantial image; and

the love of his

Holy Gholt.

All other ideas and loves,

all

o-

ther beings and fubftances are pure efFeds of his free afls.

They are not immanent,

nefs.

neceftary, coeternal

a<5ls,

but ema-

nant, arbitrary, tranfient afls of his power,

wifdomand good-

COR.
Hence
exiftence

I.

the dependency of finite beings as to their ideas and

divine free thought

upon the

and will, derogates

in

nothing from the certainty, immutability, and neceflity of eternal truths; becaufe fuch
is

the fecundity of the divine pro-

duftions whether real or ideal, that they contain neceffary,

infinite relations

and properties.

COR.
Hence
it

II.

were abfurd

to fay that becaufe the ideas

of finite

arc free, therefore

God might have altered the immutable na-

Book
tiire

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
and infallibly future what
poffible,
its
is

151

of truth, made a triangular circle, or a cubical fphere, feen

abfolutely contindif-

as certainly

gent and only

produced an intelligent creature

pens'd from loving

creator, deftin'd thegreatefl: part

of the

human
living

race to be eternally criminal

and miferable, form'd a

nor force,

image of himfelf that has no

a<n:ivlty, povi^er,

and thus by the fame individual afbfix'd and renvers'd, created

and annihilated, eftablifh'd and deftroy'dthe nature of things.

COR.
Hence
all

III.

the divine ads about finite beings, whether

of

his power, underftanding or love,

may

be confidered as free

modes of the

abfolutely infinite being;

a(n:s.

and not

as effentlaJ,

permanent and immutable

different from us, and even

Modes

are very oft imperfec-

tions in the creatures; becaufe they are produced

againft our wills
;

by agents
and

but the archety-

pal ideas that

Godproduces

freely in his underflanding,

the generous decrees he forms in his almighty will, are pure

efFe(n:s

of

his

own voluntary action.

by

All our fimple ideas are

ideas

pafTive perceptions or fenfations;

God's archetypal

of

things finite are conceived

himfelf, not perceiv'd or receiin:ipulfions

ved from others.

je<n:s

All our loves, are

us.

made by obis

that zS:

upon

God's love of finite beings

a free a6l

he produces

in himfelf.

As the effects of thcfe free ads

are e-

manant and diftind from the divine fubf]:ance,fo the ads themfelves are

emanant and difHnd from the divine Logos.

ads nor
their effeds

Neief^

ther the
fence.

belong to God's abfolute

G O R. IV,
Since
all

the emanant ads of God's eternal power, under-

152

OF THE RELATIVE
no ways
interefi:,

Book IL
nor are nefollows that
it

(landing and love are free and

cefTary to the perfedlon

of

his cflence,

hence

God

is

eflentially

and abfolutely free as to the volition ofany

finite,

determinate, particular good.

He

might never have

thought of nor created, and therefore might never have beatify'd

any

finite intelligence.

He could

not create them to be

unhappy; but he was free never

them.

to think

of nor produce

COR.
Hence thefchoolmen
of God's immanent
ties

V.

are egregiouflymiftaken when they

is

maintain that the production of the intelligible world

afts.

one

Thus they confound

idea,

the proper-

of God's confubftantial
and
fo pave the

with thofe of his archetypal

ideas;

way to

Spinofifm, for
a<5ls,

when we coneafy to con-

found God's immanent and emanant

found
his

it is

immanent and emanant

efFe<5ts.

PROPOSITION
God
fible.

XXIII.

never forefees the free determinations

ofintelle<5luai agents;

but as contingent andpof-

DEMONSTRATION.
God
is,

never forefees things but as they are (a); free

aifli-

ons or determinations are thefe which maybe or not be; that

contingent and polFible (b): therefore

God never forefees

the free determinations of intellectual agents but as contin-

gent and poffible.

<a) Ax. 4. of tills Book. (b) Dcf. 4. of this Book.

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

153

SCHOLIUM.
The
fclence

fclioolmen diftinguifh In

God

three forts

of knowcall

ledge orfcience:

the fcience of pofTibles, which they

of

fimple Intelligence; the fcience

of what

God

de-

crees abfoiutely to accomplifh,

fion: the fcience

which they

call a fcience

of vi-

of what depends upon the willof intellecHiual

agents,

which they call a middle fcience betwixt the other two.

the
firft

God fees
extent,

in his

own

power, becaufe he knows

all its

which

is

the only fource

of poffibility.

He

fees

the

fecond In his

what he

own will, becaufe he knows how to accomplifh decrees. He fees the laft in the nature of Intelligent
knows what will be
the necelTary confeperfift in

beings, becaufe he

quences of their free determinations fo long as they

them.

All the fchoolmen however affirm that

God forefees

every thing that happens, even the moral determinations of

free agents as certainly, abfoiutely,

and infallibly future; and

fo favour fatality; but they explain this infalJible prefcience in

two very

different

manners.
in the

The
thefe

difciples

of Molina

Roman communion,

and

of Arminius In the Proteftant church, maintain that

fees all future contingencies in his all-comprehenfive
all

God

underihnding, which reprefents to him

prefent.
'
*

things future as

The

creatures, fay they,

do notexiftin themfelvcs

till

they be produced; but they coexift with

God from

all

e-

'

ternity in this fenfe, that

litics,

he

fees their

exigence and moda-

anions, pafTions and free determinations as really

prefent.

Hiey are

future only with relation to each other,

but actually prefent with relation to God,

who by

ncccffi-

'

154
ty

^F ^^^ RELATIVE
of nature fees
all

Book IL
;

things without fucceflion

fees
is
;

not becaufe
as if
it

he decrees them, but becaufe he

ready were. His foreknowledge
turition,
is

what will be

al-

not the caufe of their fubecaufe with

but he fees all as prefent

him there
he
a

no

fucceffive

moments. They compare

this prefcience to

the fight of a

man, whofe eye may be

fo improv'd, that

may

fee at a great diftance

what other men can only

fee at

man elevated to a great height would fee unmov'd what other men fee only by changing place. Thus
fmall one.

As

this

God

infinitely exalted

above

all

that

is finite,

fees

by a

fu-

pereminent knowledge

as prefent, all that

we

call future,

and that

is

fuch with regard to us, but not with regard to

as the fight

God.

Now

of an action prefent

is

not the

caufe of that aflion, fo this foreknowledge does not influ-

ence nor produce future contingencies.

I anfwer in the
fent, the future
firlt

place, that if

God

faw future

as pre-

would

neceflarily
at the

happen; becaufe the prefame time.

fent cannot be

and not be

For

fince di-

vine prefcience cannot be deceived,

libly, certainly,
ly,

what God

fees as infal-

and abfolutely future,

mufl: infallibly, certain-

and abfolutely happen.

This

infallible prefcience

fuppo-

fes that all

things future will certainly exift in fuch a time, in

fuch an order, and in fuch circumftances, and not otherwife.

Thus an inevitable fatality

ever be the caufe of it.
It

is is

eftablifhed over all nature,

what-

true indeed that this

foreknow-

ledge

is

not the efficient caufe of future contingencies; but

to forcfee thus their certain cxiltence, renders their futuriti-

on

as unavoidable, as if they

were

really predetermined.

The

comparifon advanc'd betwixt God's foreknowledge and the

Book
yea, a
tent,

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
is

155

view of a man, whofe fight

improv'd,

is

altogether unjuft,

mere Sophifm. In the

latter cafe there is a

reaHty exif-

which may betheobje^tof the long-fighted man's perception: but in the free determinations of rational agents,
there
is

no reaHty

pre-exiftent that can be the objecft

of the

divineprefcience.
will,

For (ince

God does not fee them

is

in his

own

he cannot

fee their certain, determinate,

and immutable
fuppofed by the

futurition in the will

of free agents, which

Molinifts and Arminians to be uncertain, undetermined, and

mutable.

Wherefore

this prefcience

independent of
firft

all

preis

determination, premotion, and efficiency in the

impofTible, repugnant
tive

caufe,

and contradidory.

It

is

a mere palliais

fcheme, that does not fave liberty, and that

is

altogether

unphilofophical. It

theevafion of afeeble fuperficial mind,

that does not examine things to the bottom,

and that con-

tents itfelf to flave off the impious confequences

drawn from

predetermination, while itfliipwracks anddeftroys freedom.

The Molinifts
to

then are as much

fatalifts as

the Thomlfts and

all

Janfenifts ; but with this difference, that thefe latter impute

God's immediate efficiency and abfolute decrees

where-

as the former eftablifh a latent fatality in the nature

of things

independent of God; and fo border upon Epicurifm, whofe

pretended freedom was nothing but a voluntary or fponta-

neous
but

neceffity.

We chufe without any foreign conftraint,

all

we

chufe neceffarily, becaufe

isforefeen infallibly,

and

muft happen, whatever be the caufe of this futurition.

I anfwer in the fecond place that
it is

abfolutely falfe, as
fi-

we

have already demonftrated, that the coexiftcnce of all

nite ideas in the eternal

mind

is

a ncceffary perfection

of the

1^6
divine nature.

OF THE RELATIVE
fpirit,

Book

II.

If this were fo, then the knowledge of all the

imperfect forms of matter and

of all the

follies, pafll-

ons, and vices, of all the errors, corruptions and blafphcmies

of depraved

intelligences

would be asnecelTary objcd:sof the

knowledge of
is

divine contemplation, as the

ftantial

his

own

confub-

image.

This notion

impious, horrible, and diameall

trically oppofite to

the fublime doflrine of

in

the divinely

infpir'd writers,

who fay

many

different places, that

;'

God

can forget
*

fins

and blot out

iniquities

to infinuate that thcfe

ideas cannot be the eternal obje(5tsof the divine contemplati-

on. Forgetting in

finite

beings

is

not always an impcrfcelion,

but fometimes a great perfection.

To forget

ideas

and judg-

ments that derogate from,

ortliat are ufelcfs to the excellency

of our nature, and the accomplifhment of our reafonable de(igns, is a fublime perfcftioa.

Now there jiiuft be fomething

this perfection,

in the

fupreme archetype that refcmbles

is

in

the creatures, and this

'

what the

facred writers call in God,

'

forgetting fins, and blotting out iniquities,

ufelefs to the

as

unworthy
of thi-s fub-

of his remembrance, and

great defigns.

accomplifhnientof his

The

fchoolmcn

entirely ignorant

lime truth, maintain that the infinite perfection of the divine

underftanding extends equally and neceifarily to the

knowis

ledge of all objects and ideas, as the rays of the fun enlighten
equally the dunghill and the palace; but this comparifon
altogether improper.

The

rays

of the fun are neceiTary

e-

manations
the fun.
ver
all

of, or

impulfesmade by the body and fubftanceof

difllife its

It

cannot but

heat, light,

and influence o-

that

lies

within the fphere of its

activity.

Now we have

akcady dcmonflratcd that

God

is

cntiixly free to think or

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
finite;

157

not to think of things

and therefore that he may with-

out derogating from the perfection of his abfolute elTence,

fufpend or continue the freea^ls of his underftandincr, as well
as the freeac^s

of his power.

All grant that he

flrike

may without

changing hisefTence annihilate or

jiienfity, all finite fubftances.

out of his divine im-

In the fame manner he

may
di-

without changing his eflence annihilate or blot out of his

vine underftanding the ideas of all the follies and blafphemics,

errors
all

and

vices

of finite beings.

As he will one day deftroy

ipirit,

the imperfect forms of matter and

fo

he

will

one day

forget thefe imperfed ideas for ever.

As

the boundlefs per-

fection of his infinite power does not depend

upon

his creatin<r

eternally
lefs

and

necelTarily all finite fubftancesj fo the

bound-

perfection of his infinite underftanding does not depend

his

upon
is

knowing eternally and necefTarily

all finite ideas.

He

perfectly free as to the exercife

a(5ts.

of one and t'other of thefc

two emanant
eternal

Wherefore the neceffary knowledge and coexiftence of all finite ideas, in the fupreme mind, Is

and incompatible with the felf-fufEciency, and boundkfs freedom of the fupreme intelled. Thus we have
falfe,abfurd,

endcavour'd to undermine the principal prop of the

trine

falfc

doc-

about

infallible

and fatal prefciencc.

Calvinifts, Stoicks, Pharifees,

The Thomifts, Janfenifts,

and
predeftinarians

of

all

kinds maintain that infallible predecrees.

tiic
*"

fciencc depends
*

upon predeterminating
and

If God,

fay they, fee

all

the free determinations of

infallibly future,

creatures, as

'

abfolutely, certainly,

he muft fee them.

either in the will

of the

free creatures as a caufe, or

his

own

will as a caufe.

He

cannot fee them in the will of the

558
*
'

OF THE RELATIVE
it is

Book

II.

creature, fincc

fuppofed undetermined and unconftrai-

ned.

He

mufl: therefore fee

all

them

in his

own will,

becaufe

he has decreed from

ture

eternity to produce them in thecrea-

by a phyfical premotion and influence; or

to permit

the contrary by refufing this pliyfical premotion with which

the creatures aft and chufe certainly and infallibly what
is

'

good, and without which they can neither a6t,

termine themfelves to fupernatural good.
phyfical premotion, efficacious grace,
tion to fome, as a pure effed
fufes
it

will,

nor de-

He

grants this

and

celeftial

deleda-

'

of gratuitous mercy.
mercy, and

He
*'

re-

to others for reafons incomprehenfible to us.

He
he

*'

has mercy upon

wills

whom he will have

we mult

whom

he hardens." Here

adore in filence, and cry

out,

O ALTiTUDo!
and among

God, continue fome of thefefchoolof fimple intelligence

all

men, faw, by
turities;

his fcience

pofTiblefu-

thefe numberlefs poffibilities,

he chofe,

wiird,and decreed only one fucceffion of events, as the mod

proper to manifeft his pcrfe6tions.
celTarily a previfion

This plan contains ne-

andpre-eftablifhmentof all future conforefeen as infallibly future, becaufe all

tingencies.
is

All

is

'

pre-ordained by an immutable decree.

This predeftinarian fcheme feems

the

to be

an emanation of
in the fifth cen-

Manichean herefy

refin'd

and improv'd

tury,

and of the Arabian philofophy brought into Spain by

the twelfth century.
;

the
St.

Moors about

It

was maintain'd by
St.

Augufl:in,and Godefcalaus

nay many think, by

Tho-

mas, WiclefT, and Hufs; by Janfenius and Calvin, and by

many learned,pious and great men of all nations and communions, who did not fee all its fatal confcqucnces. They were

Book IL

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
give to them.

159'

impofed upon by feme dark palTages and exprefTions of St.

Paul,which welhall fhew hereafter to have had quite another

meaning than the predeftinarians

fchoolmen have invented

Tho' the
and cob-

many

fubtle diflinftions

webbs to
jargon,
to

cover, difguife

and

palliate the natural and necefTary

confequences of
it is

this fyftem, yet

when

flript

of its Arabick

impoilible for any fincere and penetrating

it

mind

deny that

tends to eftablifh an invincible fatality ; as will

fully appear
I

from the three following confiderations.

fees all the determinations

mo. If God

of intelle6lual

a-

gents in his

own
is

will as a caufe,

then they are no longer free,

becaufe what

abfolutely, certainly
is

and

infallibly future
it

by

the divine decree

luntary but
it

inevitable

and

mufi:

happen:

may be vois

cannot be

free, fince

freedom

neceffarily fup-

pofes what may be done or not be done.

There

fuch an

immutable fucceflion of events and actions pre-eitablifhed and

fore-ordained, that the creature cannotfhun them.
trary

The con-

may be pofTible in

the nature of things

is

but with regard

to the divine decree nothing

contingent;

ail is inevitable;

nothing could happen but what happens; yea

der and manner that
it

in the

fame or-

happens.

It

is

no matter whether the

is

creatures aft with or without conftraint, fince their aftion

inevitable.

All that happens

is

equally fore-ordained, infalis

libly forefeen,

undoubtedly future: the contrary

is

impoflible,

and the

latent fatality

invincible.

Intelleftual agents fan-

cy they aft freely becaufe they aft voluntarily or Ipontaneoufly; but

they are only

fpiritual

machines determined by

irreis,

fiftible fprings.

The

difference betwixt

them and bodies

feel

that the

one

feel,

and the others do not

what pafTes in

i6o
thcni.

OF THE RELATIVE
Thus
all

Book

11.

future events hang together

by a continued,

uninterrupted chaui of caufes and effccts,\vhere one link can-

not be difplaced without dcftroying the whole plan of providence. This

is

very near to the do6trine of Spinofa, tho' in

is

other words; this

ternal order
:

what he
fhall

calls

the immutable laws of eprefently, Spinofa

atheift,

for as

we

ihew

thought

himfelf neither a materialift, nor an

alift

but a perfect ide-

and predeftinarian.
I

2do.

grant indeed that

God

forefeesas infallibly future,

as

what he

abfolutcly wills

and fore-ordains. But

fin

he cannot

will abfolutcly

nor fore-ordain the

and damnation of the

moral
en-

creatures,

he never forefees them as abfolutcly and infalUbly

to this harfh, dark fyftem,
evil

future.

According

ters neceffarily into the plan

rors,

of eternal providence.
devils

The erand dam-

pafTions, vices,

and blafphemies of the

ned arc not only forefeen, but fore-ordained as abfolutcly future in order to accomplifh the divine decree.
vvill'd deliberately

Thus God
of fin; for
it,

and

freely the future exigence

it,

tho'

he could have hindered

yet he not only permitted

it,

but even he chofe and decreed to permit

as the
as

moft proper
fays,

method of difplayinghisperfec1:ions. Thus,

fin
is

Vannini
is

as

conformable to the divine will

as virtue. All

equal-

ly an effect

of God's immediate
forefees
it

a6lion,

or of his deliberate

choice.

He

as infallibly future, becaufe

he fore-or-

dains

it

as necclTary to

compleathis pre-eftabliflied plan.

Can

any upright and

religious

mindfee

this doctrine
fiiall

unravelledand

not be llruck with horrour?

We

fiiew hereafter, that

all

God

never forcfawfin asinfaUibly future; that he did

he

could to liindcr it, without annihilating free agents;

thatjftridl-

Book IL
ly fpeaking,

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
he never permitted
it
;

i6t
all fenfes,

and that
will.

it is

in

a perfect contradidlion to his divine

The
fcience

firft

fcheme then of the fchoolmen concerning pre-

is

impoflible.

The fecond

about predetermination

is

impious, and both bring in fatality.

courfe to a third opinion
trine

We
St.

mufl: then have re-

which feems

to have

been the docis

of all the Greek fathers before

principles,
finite, in

Auguftin. It

foun-

ded on the following

with regard to things
potent.
farily

imo.

God

is

omnifcient

the fame fenfe that he is omni-

He is

not omnipotent becaufe he actually and necefall;

produces

but becaufe he can

Jufl:

when he
all;

pleafes pro-

duce

all that is pofTible.

fo

he

is

omnifcient with regard

to finite, not becaufe

he

neceifarily

knows
is

but becaufe

he can when he
already

pleafes

know

all

that

pofHble.

We have

fhewn

that

he was effentially

free to think or not to

think of the adions of finite beings.

is

The knowledge of them

notneceffary to the perfeflion of his boundlefs underf tan-

ding.

He fees them
of the

not by necefHty of nature, but from his

free love

creatures.

He

is

neither obliged to think

of

our elTence, nor of our anions or modalities; but he does fo out of his pure, generous and communicative goodnefs. It is
true that

God by his omniprefence fees

things ly
is

neceifarily all that is;

becaufe

all

open and bare before him.

But

this

can

be

faid

only of what

already exiftent, neceffary or Ineviis

table;

and not of what

contingent, pofllble and free. Beis

caufe as

we

have already remarked, there

no

reality exif^

tent in matters purely polTible that can be the obje6l

divine perception.
fr<;e<:reature,

of the

When God

therefore forms the Idea

of a

he forms that of an intelligence whofe determi-

262

OF THE RELATIVE
may be
or

Book IL
may not be;

nations he leaves unconftrain'd; they

and confequently their happening is only contingent and poffible.

Now to fee in
eternal decrees,

the nature of the creatures, or in his

own
It
is

what

is

only contingent and poflible,

is

as infallibly future to create

and

inevitable,

a perfe(n: contradi(n:ion.
eftabliilx
it is

and annihilate, to form and deftroy, to

his obje(5l

and overturn

by the fame individual ad:

by denying

pro-

ducing a triangular circle. Wherefore as

we do not derogate
that

from the

divine omnipotence,

he can pro-

duce the one, fo neither do

ence by denying that he can

we impeach
fee the other.
is

the divine omnifci^

In both

cafes,

the

ideas are incompatible, their union

impofTible,

and

fo

they
It

cannot be the objeds of the divine power or knowledge.

was therefore a llrange delirium in thefchoolmen

to attribute

toGod afcienceof what was

fo deftroys
all

impoflible to be

known, which
and
and
fan6tity

deftroys liberty, cftablifhes an univerfal fatality in nature,

God's moral

attributes

of juftice,

goodnefs ; and all this under pretext of exalting his knowledge.-

This

impofTible, contradi(5tory idea

of prefcience rcfembles

the monftruous error ofSpinola.

Sophift,

This dark philofbpher or

under pretence of exalting God's abfolute plenitude,

power, made him contain neceffarily and produce
all finite

and

infinite

immanently

fubftances and their modes, juft fo the

fchoolmen, under pretence of exalting God's all-comprehcnfive intelligence

and

infinite

knowledge, make him contain

all

neceffarily,

and produce immanently

ideas

of

finite

fubif all

ftances

and modes: for as we have already remarked,

the colle(n:ion of finite ideas enter neceffarily into and

comthe

pofethe divine omnifciencc;

it

follows evidently that

all

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

i6^

colle(n:ion

of finite fubftances mufl: enter into and compofe the divine fubftance. We ought always to reafon about the afls of God's power and will, as about the acls of his underftanding. If the
firft

laft

be

eternal, neceffary

and immanent, the two

afl conjointly

muft be fo alfo^becaufe God's eternal, necelTary andim-

manent power, underftanding and will

feparably
in,

andin-

by and with each

other.

The

fchoolmen

will fay that the ideas,or the objects eternal, neceffary and

of

God's knowledgeare

immanent, where-

as the fubftances that are the effects

rary, free, tranfient productions

of

his

power

are tempo-

of

his will,altogether diftinfl

from God

and therefore that no comparifon ought to be

made betwixt God's omnipotence and omnifcience.

abfolutely deny.

This I

They

fuppofe a principle which they can

never prove.

We have already

demonftrated the contrary.

The archetypal
tions

finite ideas are free produ(ftions

of God's un-

derftanding, as the e6typal finite fubftances are free produc-

of his power. Once more

I repeat the fublime principle.

We muft reafon of all God's

pended for ever the
a(fts

a(5ts

concerning finite beings ac-

cording to the rules of analogy.

As God might
power and

have

fuf-

of

his free

free love,

without being impotent or unjuft; fo he might havefufpen-

ded for ever the ads of

ignorant.

his free

knowledge without being

free,

His generous, communicative,

and

difinte-

refted goodncfs alone

engaged him to exert

all

the three.

None of thefc a(5ts

of his
nature,

interell necelTarily the eifential perfection

all

and

their effects

when compared
finites

to hisab-

folute effence are nothings.

The

free production, the free

knowledge, and the free love of all pofTible

can

make

i64
wifdom, and

OF THE RELATIVE
effential aftivity,

Book
deiftical

II.

no augmentation of God's
fcholaftick errors

confubftantlal

coeflentlal love.

All the Spinofian,

or

on this head come from the fame

ftill

fource, a

profound ignorance of God's

aious doctrine

eternity,

and of the lumi-

of the Trinity.

Thefe pretended philofophers

relative attributes
j

confound God's abfolute eflence with his

his

immanent

afts

with his emanant fecundity; his

effential

aftivity, confubftantlal

image, and coetcrnal love, with the

free exercife of his creating power, arbitrary knowledge,

and

acceflbry beneficence. Perplexed and and diffipated by a confufed

crowd of

ideas,

they fancy that the perfection of the diconfifts in

vine

intelle(51:,

Hke that of their own,

going out of

himfelfto

know

other objects, and that the completion of

the divine power, underftandingand love,

ly,

demand

neceffari-

and

confift in the producing,

knowing, and beatifying

all

numberlefsobje5ts without himfelf;

fences, fubftances

whofe

ideas

and

ef-

and modes, are but an

infinitely great;

infinitely little,

when

compared with the

fore immenfity,

an atom that difappears beneceffa-

and an abfolute nothing that has no

infinite.

ry relation to abfolute
dring fouls
ail their
is

The

only cure of thefe wan-

true recoUe^lionj

and a thorough converfion of

all

powers
all

to the boundlefs objc<5l that furpaffes

con-

ception and
in fpirit

expreffion,

and that can be adored therefore

and

and

in truth

only by the filence of the mind, as well

tafte, feel,

asby that of the mouth. Till they

Ipiritual

praftifc this

adoration of the fupreme infinite, they muft form

a

and forge
fort

God

like to thcmfelves,

and

fo

remain for ever a

of miftaken

idolaters as well as incredulous.

2do. Tho'

God

never deftroys the liberty of intcllcftual

Book

11.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
;

i6s

agents by any fatal prefcience or prcdcfHnation

yet he

knows

howtoaccomplifh
in earth,

infallibly whatever

he pleafes in heaven and

agents.

by

free as well as

by necelfary

He has an abheart,

folute, fovereign,

incommunicable empire over the

and

will fooner or later reduce all fpirits

by

their free choice to

the great end for

tral

which he created them. As an infinite cenpower he never ceafes to draw them;but becaufe he will
of
his

never force their Hberty, he proportions, regulates, and fubmits, fo to fpeak, the exercife

almighty power to their

refift his

free natures.
attraction,

They

very oft flop, retard, and

divine

and by

the ftraight lines

univerfal center.

from which by he would condud them to their His long-fufFering patience is never difguf-

their natural, inherent adivity, deviate

tedj he never abandons

them

abfolutely;

he purfues them

through

all

the wild mazes

of their

deviation;

and tho' they

a(5livity,

dcfcribe, fo to fpeak,
berlefs curves

by

their centrifugal free

numone
all

of different kinds, yet he knows

to their almighty fourcc.

how to

reduce

them

all

one day

He fees by

fimple, unfuccefTive aft, all their poffible deviations,

and

the combinations of free and neceffary, of moral and phy/i-

imjnutablyany one fucceffion of events, that can deftroy their free choice. All his a<^ion in and upon them depends entirefixes

cal caufes:

but he neither forefees, foreordains, nor

ly

upon

their co-operation.
all

He

forefees not all that will hap-

pen, but

that can happen;

and provides for

and exclude

all polTible

contingencies.
fallibly,

This
fort

is

far

more perfed than

to forefee inall

only one

of

events,

the others,,

by an omnipotent irrcfiftible power, or by refufing them the graces necelfary toad othcrwife than they do: for it is far a

i66

OF THE RELATIVE
of events, and
all forts of means poflible,

Book

II.

greater perfecfllon to be able to execute his final defigns

all forts

by

than by one

fcries

of means prefixed and predetermined.

an
effort

This would be
It

jiiore

of power than of wifdom.

in

would not be
intel-

infinite

wifdom

God,to govern fpiritualautomata,or

ligent fpontaneous
ly

machines, that follow abfolutely, certain-

and

infallibly all his

motions

and that by

a paflive recepfree co-ope-

tion

of

his influences

and impreffions, and not a

ration with him.

True wifdom

in us confifts in engaging

without conftraint free agents to enter into our views, and

projefls,
tho' they could contradict, oppofe,

and overturn
is

them every moment. This prudence in finite minds, image of fupreme wifdom in the abfolute infinite.
In the inexhauftible treafures

a feeble

He finds

of his almighty power, wufdom

and goodnefs innumerable refburces and expedients to anfwer all pofTible events, and obtain his ends without dcftroying liberty, whatever be the free determinations

of the creatures.

The

deviations

may be

innumerable, and the means he has

are infinite.

to reclaim his

wandring creatures

This

is

the

admirable
ture,

oeconomy of divine providence explained in fcripwhich never reprefents God as a6ting upon fpiritual airrefiftible wills
;

gents by omnipotent,

but as changing his

his operation

conduc% managing their

to
all

liberty,

and adjufHng

the different motions and variations of their free choice.

forcfawall plans pofTible, and
all

God

the means to execute

the plan he chofe ultimately; but he faw thcfe means only as

pofTible,
fet

not as future.
fo that

He did not, fay I, chufc

none of them can be

this determinate

of means,

defeated, but

he

forcfaw that he could find in his infinite power, wifdom, and

Book
means.
e'er

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
freely to
feries

i6y

goodnefs,

how to accomplifh his end by all thefe different He fawthe infinite curves the creature could defcribe,
it

he brought
it

Its

end; and decreed that without

attentive to

fixing
all

to

any one

of means he would be
its

equally,

and whatever were

determinations, he could

at laft

accomplifh infallibly his ultimate defign.

extenfive idea
to

This is a

far

more

of providence, than that which

flakes

one determinate chain of means, and thereby the creature to an Invincible fatality. It is therefore ab^
folutely falfe, to maintain that all the particular aflions, paf^

down God

fions

and crimes; that

all

all

the Inlplratlons, virtues and gra-

ces; that

the wandrings, returns and determinations

of

each individual are fo forefeen, and foreordained that one link cannot be broke without diffolving the whole chain of
providence.

from being neceffary to the accomplifhment of God's great defigns, would entirely deftroy them, by converting free agents into fpiritual maa fatal chain far
It

Such

chines.

may be objecled
and

that if

God

forcfees that

he can

abfolutely, certainly

infallibly

reduce all lapfed beings to

is

the great end of their creation, then this event

certainly

abfolutely,

and

infallibly future,
laid

and

fo

no longer free, accorlafl

ding to the principles

down.

I anfwer that this

is

event

of the

total

re-efbblifhment of all beings

forefeen,

notbe-

caufe God has foreordained and pre-eflablifhcd a fixed. Immutable order, feries

andfuccefTion of means to obtain

It Is

it;

but

becaufein the nature of things,

finite finite

abfolutely ImpofTible that

Impotence, folly and malice can for ever furmount inpower, wifdom and goodnefs. Whatever be the obfti-

nacy, corruption, anddepravity of the creature,

God

knows^

1^8

OF THE RELATIVE
fooner or
later.

Book
is

II.

how to reclaim it
be but one

The end

one, and im-

mutable, but the means are

ftralghtline,

many and variable; as there can tho' there maybe numberlefs curves
TheUberty of the
creature con-

drawn betwixt two

fiits

points.

in the free choice

it

of one or other of thefc curves, by

with the means for

which

deviates, or in a free co-operation

ieS.\fymg thefe curves ; and not in a power to fruftrate for ever the end: which to maintain would be impious, as well as abfurd, as fhall

be fully demonftrated hereafter. Once more we

to

beg our readers to goon, and

examine the whole plan of

providence, e'er they judge of its feparate parts and branches.

3tio.

Tho' God does not

and

forefee,

nor foreordain

as abfo-

lutely, certainly,

infallibly future, all the determinations

of

free agents

yet he may forefee and foretell when heplea-

fes, all

the natural and ncceflary confequences of their free

determinations.

Thefc he

fees

not inhispredeterminating deintelligent

crees; but in the nature

of intelledual agents. All

beings chufe and a6t not only infallibly, but even neceflarily

according to what appears to them the

beft,

fo long as they

remain in that perfuafion. Their freedom

fing at
real

confifts

not in chu-

random without any motive or reafon of preference, or apparent, true or falfe, good or bad; far lefs does it

confiiHn a power to prefer what they think actually the

to

word

what they think abfolutely the

befl:.

We ihall

fully de-

monftrate thefe principlcsin the courfe of the following work.

If it be allowed to fuppofe them

is

till

we

prove them, then

it

plain that

when we

follow the

evil principle rather

than

the good,

falfe felf-love rather

than the true love of

God;

ihe blind fenfation of plcafurc, rather than the clear perccp-

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

16^

when we refifl the divine grace and operation in us, when we perfifl: obftinately in our corruption; It is, I fay, certainly, abfolutely, and infallibly furc that we will altion of truth,

ways

prefer terreftrial to celeltial

good

prefent pleafure t6
this cafe

future happinefs, and vice to virtue.

forefee certainly,

In

God may

and foretell infallibly all the natural and neof thefe determinations in which were-

cefTary confequences

main obftinately
and
in

tho' freely.
all

Thus he may

arrange in devils

wicked

men

the natural and neceftary efFe^ls of

their free deUberate choice ;

damm up

their corruption

and

malice on one fide, open

its

fluices

upon another; and withfin,

out being the fource and caufe of their

infallibly all the free eruptions

overrule and direft

of evil

in

them, to the accom-

plifhment of his great defigns.

fource and fountain of
evil in

He

does not produce the

them, by any predeterminating

decrees, partial pretentions or arbitrary refufal

graces.

of neceffary

But he direds the

draw good from

manifeftations, the tide, the tor-

rent and the rivulets which flow

fo as to

from

this

empoifoned fource,

evil, light

from darknefs, and order

from

diforder.

This

is

the highefl effort not only of infinite

juftice

power, but of eternal wifdom,

fuperior to

and goodnefs; yea far creation itfelf when he found nothing to oppofe

or

refill:

his divine operation.

This

is

God's previfion
evil,

of,

and

provifion for the cure and extirpation of moral

fan6tity

while his

remains unftain'd, and the freedom of the creature

untouched.
*

In

this fenfe

God

is

faid in fcripture

to blind
let

the minds and harden the hearts of the wicked; to

loofe

'

the devils, and fend them to deceive mankind.

'

I'hcfe ac-

tions in

God

cannot regard the

firft

fprings

and abfolutely

170

OF THE RELATIVE
of
intellectual agents;

Book IL

free determinations

but the natural

neceflary confequences, and manifeftations of the evil principle in

them, to which they voluntarily adhere.

On the conno

trary afoul entirely given

up

to the divine will, pofTeiTed with

the divine

Ipirit,

and

faithful to the divine operation, will

it

doubt follow eternal order, fo long as

principle ;

remains in the good

and

it

will a6l
it

not only infallibly but neceifarily acbefi:.

cording to what

thinks the

In

this cafe

God may
ope-

make ufe of it
rate in
it

as his prophet, inftrument, or ambaffador;

as

and by it

he

pleafes; forefee certainly,

and foretell

infallibly

what will be the

natural and neceflary confequences

of its

free determinations.

Thus he forefees in angels and holy

their free choice,

fouls all the natural

and neceflary efle<5ts of

fo that his divine

\ie, light,

and love manifeft themfelves in

them, and by

them without deftroying liberty.

He
all

does not

produce in good

men

their free

moral determinations, but by

antecedent to
merit in

his preventing graces

and
real,

lights,

them, he gives them a

immediate, unchained power of

confenting to his divine operations.

ful,

If they continue faith-

he augments daily thefe firft graces, gives them new ones

leads

and

them from

light to light,
ftill

from grace

to grace,

from

virtue to virtue; yet

ly,

fo as they follow his

if they pleafed;

motions free-

and could
fo,

rcfifl:

them

yea very oft they

'

do
*

and thus retard

his operation.

ter

having tafted of the

Some of them even afheavenly gift, being made partakers

relifhed the

of the Holy Ghoft, having

good word of

God

and the powers of the world to come, fall away voluntarily, crucify in themfelves thefon of God afrefli, put him to open fhame,
'

<

(a) cxtinguifla the life

5.6.

of God in the

foul, dar-

(a) Heb. VI. 4.

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

171

ken the illuminations of the eternal Word, and reject obftlnately all the infpirations of the divine fpirit. Thus of eled
chofen fouls they become reprobates and caftaways, by their

own

free deliberate choice

and

Infidelity

but

when devout
his

fouls continue faithful,

he confummates in them

work, and

transforms them into his divine image, purifies,

regenerates

fanclifies

them
and

to fuch a degree that they furrender to

all

him
and

their liberty
life, light

their

powers, fo that he becomes their

and love,

their force, their reafon

and their

will,

in fine the free but paflive inftruments of his holy defigns.

His divine

attractions, illuminations

and

infpirations
is

produce

efiicacioufly andabfolutelyall the good that

in them.

They

have no other merit but that of acquiefcing freely in his operations.

gives

They

co-operate freely, but

it is

he alone that

them the fupernatural power of a^ing,

feeing

and will-

ing

they correfpond freely to his aftion, but they

do not prolight,

duce in themfelves efficacioufly either the love, or the

or the force that enables them to confent,
a6l, fee,

and

will.

Now

this free

but paflive reception of the divine grace

is

the

higheft exercife of freedom,

ry, as fhall

and

leaves

no

place for vain glo-

be more fully explained hereafter,

liberty.

when we treat
of and
In
provifi-

of grace and

This is God's

previfion

on

for moral good, whereby the almighty

power of the

crea-

tor never deftroys the

freedom of the creature.

this fenfe

muft be underftood
ficacious grace,
fouls, to
fes.

all

the terms of fcripture concerning ef-

and the fovereign empire

God

has over holy

make them think, will, and execute whatever hepleafree co-operation

is ftill

Their

fiippofcd.

It is

thus that

fovereign

wifdom arranges or

diflurbs, flops or haftcns, fore-

172

OF THE RELATIVE

Book IL
of
liberty.

fees or foretells all the internal efFe^ls or external eruptions

our free determinations, without annihilating

The
their

fchoolmcn never

dlftlngulfli

betwixt the primitive iprlngs of

thefe free determinations

which

God never forces and

;

neceffary confequcnces,
rules as

which he

adjufts, dircifls,

and over-

he
It

pleafes.
is

4to.

true that fpiritual agents being always free to

change
ons,

their determinations,
foretells
all

and the

principles

of

their afli*

what God
is,

may fometimes
predi(5lIons

not happen.

The

reafon

becaufe

God's

with regard to the co-

operation of free agents are conditional, whether that condition be expreifed or not.
ditionals
ture,
is

This

fcience

and prediction of con-

infinuated and inculcated in

many

places

of fcrlp-

where

fortunes
tures

God foretells and threatens punifliments and mifthat never happen. He very oft advertifes his creamake them change
the principle of their

of the natural and neceffary confequcnces of their cor-

ruption in order to
conducl:.

He fees
from

the precipices into which

falling Into

we

hurry; and

to hinder us

them, he is reprefented In holy

fcripture as admonlfhing, threatning, exhorting, requefting,

and weeping over

his creatures;

yea exhaufting

as

It

were

all

the efforts of his power, v,^ifdom, and goodnefs, without fuccefs;

*
*

what could

I have

done more

to
It.'

my

vineyard, fays

the

Holy Ghofl, and I have not done

All thefe folllcltati-

ons, admonitions and vehement expoflulations would be ufelefs If

we were not

free,
;

and

if

God

acfted

upon us by omni-

potent,

irrefif tlblc wills

yea they would be illufory. If he fore-

faw from
libly,

all eternity,

that free agents would certainly, infal-

and abfolutely do what he exhorts them not to do.

Book

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
in the fixteenth century, but as
it

173

This appears tobethe truedocHirineofprercience,

Molina broached
unfold or perhaps comprehend
fince havefo difguifed
in all

which

he did not
his difciples

its

extent

and fpoiledit by unphilofophical, conit

tradi(n:ory refinements, that

folves

none of the objeflions

made by
goodnefs.

freethinkers; eftablifhes fatality, as

;

much

as the

predeftinarian fictions

and impeaches the divine veracity and

The

fyftem of prefcience that

we have unfolded
without dark-

when rightly underftoodanfwers

ning the matter by the

allobje(5lions,

fubtleties, palliatives,

and fubterfuges

of the fchoolmen.
found
all

It is

by

this

fcheme alone that we can con-

the blafphemies of the Socinians and Epicureans,

as alfo thofe of the Fatalifts and predeftinarians.

firfl

The two
laft

maintain that

God

can forefee and

fo

foretell

none of the

actions

of free agents; and

deny

prefcience.

The two

afTcrt that

gents in

God fees all the determinations of intelle<5l:ual ahis own abfolute will, and fo dcflroy liberty. The
two extremes
confifts in maintaininf^

true midft betwixt thefe

that

God can and

does forefee; foreordain and execute what:

ever hepleafes in heaven or in earth

fees

but that he neither fore-

nor foreordains

as infallibly future

what he

leaves to
is

the free choice of intellectual agents; becaufe this

repuo--

nant and contradi(5lory.

Far be

it

from us

to maintain the

wildSocinian or Epicurean error, that

God

leaves the

world

tothegovernmentoffecondcaufes, gives
to free agents,
pleafes

at firft natural powers

and

lets

every one of them exert them as he

without overruling them, prefiding over them, and conducing thematlafl infallibly to his great ends. Farther

yet be it from us to

make the whole

univerfea mafs of mate*

174
rial

OF THE RELATIVE
what is
fixed

Book

II.

and immaterial machines, that follow abfolutely,

inevi-

tably and certainly

by

infallible prefciences

and

predeterminating decrees.
latter defpoil

The

former deny providence; the

God of all his moral attributes, fanftity, jultice and goodncfs. The one makes God a carelefs, indolent be^
ing; the other

makes him

a cruel, tyrannical monger.

I.

COR.
Hence
forefces
all

prefcience

Is

that attribute in

God, by which he
his

the

means neceflary to accomplifh infallibly in

creatures the eternal defigns

of his wifdom and love, without

is

forcing their liberty ; and confcquently it

cefTary, coexiftent

not an eternal, neall

knowledge or view of

future contin-

gencies in the divine mind; farlefs an infallible abfolute previfion

of every thing that

is

to

come
II.

to pafs in

God's prede-

terminating decrees.

COR.
Hence we
fee

how to

reconcile in

God all
by a

the three fcien-

ces taught in the fchools.

He

fees

what he

leaves abfolutely

free in fpiritual agents only aspofFible,

intelligence.

fcience offimple

He

fees

what he has
of vifion
;

abfolutely decreed to acfees in fine all the necef^

fci-

complifh,

by

a fcience

he

fary confequences

of our free determinations by a middle

ence or fcience of conditionals.

COR.
Hence the
Is

III.

Leibnitian fcheme of pre-ellablifhed

fatality.

harmony

but a difguifed

According to that German philo-

fophcr

God by

his prefcience forefces all the pofTible plans

and combinations of things that could ever happen; and he

chofe by an abfolute decree one of thcfe plans, as the befland

Book IL
tive, abfoiute,

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

175

moft proper to manifeft his perfections.

He decreed by apofi-

uncontroulable will that one fixed, determinate,

immutable chain of pofTibles fhould happen rather than any other; becaufe he knew that this feleft feries of events was
the propereft to difplay his glorious attributes.

Thus

all evil,

moral and phyfical, temporal and eternal enter'd into

pre-eftablifhed plan; was forefeen, prepared

this

and foreordained
tho' in the

to bring about the

harmony of the whole. Thus

nature of things a quite other fuccellion of events might have

happened, yet according to the divine choice and pre-eftablifhed harmony, nothing could happen but what happens, and
in the fame order

and manner that

it

happens. This as we have

proved

is

everflve

of all

free agency.

COR.
Hence
ty,

IV.

the Molinift, Arminian and mitigated fcheme a-

bout prefcience leads to fatality, andis deftru6livc of Hberas well as that

of the Thomifts,

Janfenifls,

and

predefti-

narians.
re(5l

The one is
;

but a palliative remedy; the other is a di-

and therefore that mutual hatred, rancour, and perfecution betwixt thefe two fedts, is altogether the efFe<5tof
impiety
ignorance, paffion or political views.

They

are equally mif-

ought to be afliamed of fuchfcandalous exceffes as are on both fides.

all

taken andpityable:

true philofophers

COR.
Hence God never bounds
and
effential

V.

or deftroys the natural aflivlty

intelligences,

freedom of finite

by any

infallible

prefcience, or predeterminating decrees.

Thus we have exa-

mined God's foreknowledge of things finite, letusnow confider his

communicative goodnefs to

finite.

176

OF THE RELATIVE

Book IL
XXIV.

PROPOSITION
God's defign
fections.

in creating finite intelligences

could only be to make them eternally happy ia

the knowledge and love of his boundlefs per-

DEMONSTRATION.
God
defircs necefTarily the

fupreme happinefs of all

finite

intelligences (a); the

fupreme happinefs of all

finite intelliinfi-

gences confifts in the knowledge and love of the abfolute

nite (b): therefore

God's defign in creating

eternally

finite intelligen-

ces

muft be

to

make them

happy

in the

knowledge

and love of his boundlefs perfedions.

SCHOLIUM.
All reafonable agents z6t for an end.
either doing

This end mufl be

God's defign
he could have

good

to themfelves, or to others.

in creating could not be to do

it

good to himfelf; and therefore

Self-fuiRcient

muft be to do good to others.

no

interefted view in creating. Infinitely perfeft in the gene-

ration

of his eternal image;

infinitely

happy

in the procefll-

on of the Holy Ghoft, his communicative goodncfs could have no other end, but the felicity of finite intelligences. Nothing therefore is more abfurd than to fay with Spinofa,

that

reafon

God a^ls without defign. This is faying that infinite acts without reafon. As the defign of that fophift was
and goodncfs,
XVI.
(b) Ax. 5 . of this Book.

to rob the divine nature ofhiswifdom,jufticc

(a) Cor. 3 . 4. and 5 . of Prop

Book n.
and reduce
power; he

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
all

177

God's attributes to that of a blind, boundlefs

gives a falfe fcnfe to the

word End.
this fenfe

To a(ft for an
we
grant that

end, fays he, denotes Indigence.

In

God does not ad for an end; for he wants

tures,

nothing of his creais

and

defires

nothing of them but what

conducive, ne-

cefTary,

and

effential to their

own happinefs. ThisSpinofian

foolifh doctrine
a<n:ed
it,

idea

of

final caufes

came from the

of the

fchoolmen,

who

maintain'd that

God

for his glory in

creating; as ifhe

had views of augmenting

by the homage

of the

creatures.

God's glory

confifts in his free, generous,

difinterefted,

communicative goodnefs.

He does not want our

virtues,

adoration

his perfeftion is

not increas'd by our

nor

diminifh'd

by our crimes.

He interefts himfelf in
In
this fenfe

one and the

other,only becaufe the one advances and the other retards the

fupreme

perfe(5tion

of our natures.

we may

fay

with Lucretius, of the divine nature

*

Ipfa fuis pollens opibus, nihil indlga noftrl,

'

Nee bene

pro-meritis capitur, nee tangitur ira.

Spinofa denys final caufes for another reafon, becaufe, fays

he,
this
all

flows from
fo,

God by

necefllty

of nature: butfuppofing

were

yet neceffary aftion does not hinder reafonable

loves himfelf neceffarily, yet he
is

aiflion.

Tho' God
to this love

deterinfi-

mined

by the knowledge he has of

his

own

nite perfection.

He does not love

himfelf by a blind

Inflinift,

but by a rational and wife, tho' necefTary motive.

himfelf neceiTarily, becaufe his reafon for loving
is

He

loves

infinite,
it,

yea abfolutely

infinite;

and

as

nothing can be added to

it.

he

cannot but be determined by

freely, becaufe the reafon

He

loves all other beings

of loving

is finite,

and

fo

he

is

not

178

OF THE RELATIVE
of finite, or

Book

II.

determined to it by neceflity of nature.

a6ls freely in the produftion

"Whether then

God
of

in the generation
is ftill

the Logos and proccflion of the

Holy Ghoft, he
a reafon.

deter-

mined,
infinite

freely, or nccelTarily,

by

For

to fuppofe an

underflanding that wills and a6ts without reafon, is to

intelli-

fuppofe the moft perfecfl intelligence afting without

gence; which

is

a contradi(n:ion.

Spinofa maintains in the third place that to aifl for an end,

fuppofes the employing of interveening means; and that this
is

impotency.

anfwer that

this is true

when

the effcO:

is

im^

mediately dependent upon the divine power and efHcacy; but

not

when the efFeft fuppofes the co-operation offecond caufes.

is

Spinofa fuppofes from the beginning that the free producti-

on of finite

impoffible that creation

;

is

a chimera;

and that

the production of a free creature

is

a contradiOion.

He proves

not and can never prove either of thefe three fuppofitions^

We

have dcmonftratcd already the falfhood of the two forihall very

mer, and

foon demonftrate that of the

lafl.

Now

if

the idea of a free agent, of an intelligence that can be happy

by love and by
upon
it

free love, be pofTible; then

wills
;

God
is,

cannot aCt

by omnipotent

and fo muftmake ufe of interit;

mediate fccondary means to beatify

that

of itsownfree

correfpondcnce and co-operation.

Spinofa adds in the fourth place that
it is

contrary to the

nature of an infinitely perfeCl being to defire any thing but

what

it

actually pofTefTes.

We grant that this

effential,

is

true with re-

gard to God's neccffary,

lutely falfc

immanent

aCts;

but abfo-

with regard to his

free, acceffory,

and emanant

ones.

God

produces and loves nothing neceffarily but his e-

Book
ternal

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GODHe wills the exigence and

by a
free act,

179
de-

image and Holy Ghoft.

fires the perfeflion of his finite images

which

no ways
fire is

ititerefts his eflential

happinefs and pcrfe6lion.

it

Deaper-

a defeS: only in fo far as

denotes want; but

it is

feftion

when

it

proceeds from a principle of communicative

goodnefs, fuperabundant plenitude,

cence.

and generous

benefi-

Spinofa concludes that the fource ofall our errors on this

head, comes from our not following the geometrical method,

which
caufes.

inveftigates the elTence

of things, and not their

final

If the mathematical method Inveftigates the effence

it

of things,

muft contain the doflrine of final caufes; fince

the effence of all intelle^lual agents, fuppofes a(5llng for an

end.
perties

Mathcmatlcks

inveftigate only the relations

treat

and pro-

of magnitudes and numbers, and

onlyof necefta-

ry and immutable truths. But philofophy examines not only

the neceffary immutable effence or relations of things, but
their free contingent exiftence;
trine

and fo muft embrace the doc-

of final

caufes.

As

Spinofa denied that there was any

final caufes;
falfe.

thing contingent, he was obliged to deny

but All

happily his principles and confequences are equally

is

fuppofed, and nothing demonftrated in his fyftem.

COR.
Hence
caufes

I.

the Cartefians

by banifhing the

do(5lrine

of

final

from philofophy,

directly favour

one of the worft parts

of Spinofifm: toattemptthe explaining the phenomena of nature,

a6ls

without the Intervention ofafupreme Intelligence that

is

with defign

the high-road to atheifm.

It Is

only by

the doflrine of final caufes reftored, that

men

can become

i8o

OF THE RELATIVE
and divines,
as will appear

Book

II.

true philofophers

from the whole

courfe of this elfay.

COR.

II.

Hence we have a full dcmonftration of liberty. If God has no other end in producing finite intelligences, but to make them happy if their felicity confifts in the contemplation
;

and love of

his boundlefs perfections

if

they do not at pre-

fent enjoy this happinefs; then this privation muft flow

from

fome
refift

quality in

them by which they can correfpond with or

the defigns of God ; and this is freedom.

COR.
Hence according
thofe

III.

to thefimple light

of natural reafon,

all

who

teach that

God can never

during any period of e-

tcrnity,

reduce his mofl: rebellious creatures to the love of or-

der, fuppofe that

God may
fole

be eternally fruftrated in the ac;

complllhment of his

end in creating they favour the wild^

eternal, invincible, indeftru<5lible
at once

Manichean notion of an
principle

of evil; and deny

God's

infinite
finite

power, wifimpotence,
all

dom
folly

andgoodnefs; fmce they fuppofe that

and malice can for ever

refill

and furmount

the di-

vine efforts to reclaim them.

COR.
ligences without
fations,

IV.
in finite intel-

Hence God could not produce immediately

any reafon, a perpetual
feries

of ideas, fen-

and perceptions, that turn them ofFfrom their almighty original, and from the great defigns he had in creating them. This would be contradiOing himfelf, and fo a<5ting without

wifdom and goodnefs.

Book IL

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
XXV.

i8i

PROPOSITION
ploys continually
all

Eternal providence defires, wills, and emthe means neceflary to lead

intelligent creatures to their ultimate

and

fu-

preme happinefs.

DEMONSTRATION.
Eternal providence is that almighty wifdom, goodnefs and

power, by which God knows, wills and employs all the means
neceiFary to accomplifh his defigns in creating (a); God's defign in creating was to

make

all intelligent

natures happy in the

knowledge and love of his

knows,

infinite perfe(n;ions,

which

is

their

ultimate and fupreme felicity (b): therefore eternal providence

wills,

and employs, continually

all

the means necef-

fary to lead his intelligent creatures to their ultimate

and

fu-

preme happinefs.

S C

U M,
of final
caufes,

Thofe who do not know the

intelligent images,

doj5lrine

nor

the defigns of God in creating, nor the love he has for his

nor the intimate manner by which he

is

prefent to them, are very much puzzled

ftration

how

to give a to

demon-

of providence

butone whorifes up

firft principles,

and fhews that

God

is

prefent every where, that he created

finite intelligences
all their fituations,

only to make them happy, that he knows

and that he

defires their felicity,

can no
if a fa-

more doubt of
(a) Def. 5. of this

eternal providence than

Book.
(b) Prop.

he can doubt

XXIV.

i82
ther that
derly,
lives

OF THE RELATIVE
continually with his children, loves
all their inclinations,

Book
them
and
a full

II.

teii-

knows

and has

power

to

make
them

their fortunes,

can

negle<5l their education,

leave

miferable.

The wild Epicurean notion adopted by fome Delfts, as if God abandon'd the world to the government of fecond caufes, free

agents,

and natural powers, flows from

their

notun-

derftanding the great principles already demonftrated ; God's

end

in creating, his

manner of preferving, his omniprefent ac-

tivity

through the whole creation; they fuppofe that

his

God

can be feparated from

fift

work;

that the creatures can fub-

and be happy, enjoy being and well-being when detach'd

their fource;

from

they deny God's

infinite activity,

wifdom
have no

and goodnefs,
felf as

as if

he was fo entirely occupied within him-

not to intereft himfelf in his creation.

They

notion of the nature of God eternally active, that preferves

and

beatifies his creatures

by

his continual

omnipotent effica-

cy, influence

and communicative goodnefs.

The
far

confequcnces of the predeftinarian doctrine are yet

more impious and blafphemous.The Epicureans and fome Socinians feem to deny God's relative attributes, and make

him an indolent carelefs God; but the predeftinarians make him a cruel, malicious, Manichean evil principle, and deftroy
all his

moral perfections; fince they maintain that he abanfar greateft part

dons the

of mortals to eternal mifery by free

choice, and arbitrary preterition, without allowing

them the
of their

graces neceflary to conduct

creation.

them

to the ultimate end

all

being that loves effentially

his creatures,

and
a

that dcfires neceiTarily the happinefs

(a) Cor. 3. and 4.

of what he loves

(a),

of Prop. XVI,

Book
happy

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
had no other
idefign in creating

i8^

-being that

but to inake them

for ever and ever in the knowledge and love

;

of

his

boundlefs perfections (a)

ploys continually
ligent creatures
all

a being

thatknows,

wills,
all

and em-

the

means neceflary

to lead

his intel-

without exception to their ultimate and fupremehappinefs(b)can never become indifferent about them,
ceafe to interreft himfelf in them, and
lafting mifery.

abandon them

to ever-

He

can never be difgufted with their imperin their fufferinas;

all

feftions;
all his

he can never take any pleafure

punifhments therefore muft be remedies; and

his

feverities falutary cures.

if the creature

be

He muft always be ready to pardon convertible. He can never ceafe to pity and
his remedies

fuccour, but

when

become

ufelefs,

and the pa-

tient incurable, which

we

fhall

fhow

to beimpoflible.

Thefe
from

are the natural

and necelTary confequences that

refult

the very nature and definition of infinite goodnefs; and if

there be any expreflions in fcripture that feem to intimate

the contrary, they

may and muft

be interpreted in another
de*-^

fenfe than the predeftinarians give to tliem; as fhall be

monftrated hereafter.

COR.
Hence
*
'

I.

in all times, in all places,

and

in all fituations, al-

mighty providence enlightens every man that comes into the

world,
'

and

refufes to

none of

his creatures fallen or

to,

un-

fallen the helps necelTary to

conduft them

or confirm

them
fu-

in the

knowledge and enjoyment of

their ultimate

and

preme happinefs.
the divine
(a) Prop.

Nothing therefore derogates more from

to maintain

wifdom and goodnefs than

(b) Prop.

with fome

XXIV.

XXV.

i84

OF THE RELATIVE

Book IL
fa-

fuperficial philofophers, that there is

any one nation or

vage in the world, that has not at fome time or other in his
life
vil,

an idea of God, and of a

firfl:

caufe,

of moral good and

e-

of virtue and

vice, fufficient to excite

him

to the fearch

and
of

knowledge of his almighty original, or

being enlightened and
beatified

at leaft to the dcfire

by

that univerfal
all

wifdom and
their ideas

goodncfs that
Suchfavages

difFufes its

rays over

created intelligences*

may indeed be incapable of exprelling

and fentiments, of reafoning upon them

confequences: but

in a philofophical

manner, and drawing from them metaphyfical principles and

all

of them, even the moft barbarous, the

fuperftitious,

moft idolatrous, and the moft

or
lefs

have

felt

more

the rays, influences, and illuminations of that uni'

verfal light,
*

that enlightens every

man

that

comes into the

world.'

COR.
Hence
*

ir.
*

to maintain with the Fatalift doctors

that out
;
'

of
of

the pale of the vifible church, there are

all

no graces

that

old

the

Pagan world; and

at prefentall thofe, that are de-

prived of the light of the gofpel were then, and are

in a ftate

now

left

of abfolute darknefs, and abandoned to eternal

is

damnation,
all

a wild, abfurd, Pharifaical error, that deftroys

attributes,

God's moral

and thereby

leads to the higheft

incredulity

and contempt of

all reveal' d religion.

COR.
Hence
tho' there

III.

were no

revelation, yet

we might beafalways ready to

fured from the natural ideas we have of infinite goodnefs, that

God's mercies endure forever, and that he

is

pardon ifthc criminal dctefts and quits its crimes. It is therefore

Book
a poor,

II.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

185

weak

reafoning in Tome to prove the neceflity of re-

vealed religion, by this frivolous argument, that without a

fupernatural revelation, we could notbealTured after fin, that

God is

appeafable.

This poor

infignificant notion degrades

and humanizes the deity, as if he could be really incenfed, angry, or altered by our vices; honour'd, beatify'd or perfected by our virtues.
as the

He intereih

himfelf in one or t'other only

former retard, and the latter contribute to thefupreme

felicity

and perfection of our nature.

head
is

All that fcripture fays

on

this

purely metaphorical, and fignifies only, as

infinite oppofition there is

we

(hall

fhow, the

betwixt the divine

purity and the everfion of eternal order.

cileable averfion to fin,

God has

an irrecon-

but he never hates the finner.

GENERAL
Thus
nifcience,
I

SC HO LIU M,
power, divine om-

have endeavoured toilluftrate the three attributes

relative to finite; creating

of the Godhead

and communicative goodnefs; which with the three

abfolute attributes of the

Godhead, generating

a<5livity,

con-

fubftantial \\ifdom,and coeffential love, expiain'd in thefirfi:

book comprehend
infinite
ties,

all

we know of

the eternal, felf-exiftent,

mind.

We muft
his

never confound the relative proper-

with the abfolute attributes of the deity; nor God's im-

manent with

emanant

a6ls

nor

his generating aftivity,

with his creating power; nor

his confubftantial

Word, with

the intelligible world; nor the procefiion of the

Holy Ghofi,

with his communicative beneficence.

cefiary,

The

former are ne-

immutable, eternal, immanent, andunfuccefilvea51:s.

free, variable,

The latter are

temporary, emanant, and arbi-

Aa

t26
trarya^ls.

OF THE RELATIVE
The former are confubftantial
modes of the
divine efTence,

BookIL
which he might
afls

perfonalities: the

latter are free

have for ever fuipended; becaufe the exercife of thefe

was not

necefTary to the perfeflion

of his nature.

For

this

reafon an ancient writer (a)

;

calls creating

power an effluence
Prom the
di-

of the divine virtue emanant wifdom,a

goodnefs.

reflexion

vine light; and communicative bounty, a piftureof the divine

Now

it is

certain that the effluence, the reflexion

and the pi6lure of

a thing, are diftind:

from the thing

itfelf.

Wherefore the
litys,

arbitrary, tranfient, free,

emanant

a<5ls,

qua-

and modes of the divine mind, may be diflinguifhed from his efTcntial, immutable, necefTary, immanent acts, hypoftafes and perfonalities. This the fchooolmen never advert
to,

and

this

has occafioned innumerable miftakes in theolo;

gy and philofophy
lowing book.
(a)

as fhall

be more fully unfolded in the fol-

Wifdom, Chap. VII. V. 25. and 26.

END OF THE SECOND BOOK.

18/

THE

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES
OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION,
BOOK
III.

OF THE PROPERTIES AND DIFFERENCES

OF FINITE BEINGS.

DEFINITIONS.
1.TX7E
^*
fliallufe the

term

simple pictures, forfuch

as

reprefentations

of a being,

have and can have no

knowledge of themfclves, nor of any other beings, and that

reprefent their original only by their accidental forms,

and

not by their

efTential attributes.
Ji\i

^.Living

AGES

ihall in like

manner be ufed

for fuch

Aa

i88

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

of a being,
as are capable

III.

reprefentatlons
felves,
eft,

of knowing themit

and

their original,

and fuch asreprefent

in the near-

moft dired, and perfe6t manner.

AXIOMS.
I
.

A n original may be reprefented either by a living image,

pi<5ture.

or by a fimple
2.

"What

is

elTcntially intelligent

cannot be reprefented in
abfolutcly

a direct, immediate, and perfe<5t

unintelligent
3.

manner by what is

and

infenfible.

The

living

image of a being, that

is

eflential love,

can-

not be abfolutely incapable of love.

4.
fe(5t,

What

is

elTentially free

cannot be reprefented inaperis

immediate, direct manner by what

abfolutely necefll-

tated, forc'd,

and

enflav'd.

5. Infinite aftivity

cannot be reprefented by abfolute in-

action, and pafFivity.

6.

Matter in reft

is

as

much

matter as matter in motion.

its

7.

No

being can

cxift

without

eflential qualities,

and

properties.

S C

O L I U M.
intothemfelves, and then lookareflccftl-

Thofe who enter deeply

on what
are the beings

broad into the univerfe to examine by fcnfatlon and

of which nature

is

compofed, will
is

foon difcover from within, a fclf-confcious being that

pable of receiving different ideas,

ca-

forming different judg-

ments, and loving different

obje(5ts;

and from without an ex-

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
Is
it

189

tended being that

capable of different figures, divlfions and

motions; while

has no appearances of perception, reafon

dares fay to himfelf that the mettal,
flatue; that thecanvafs, oils

and

volition.

No man

the marble, or the

wood of a

and

colours of a pi^ure ; that the paper, ink and pencil of a graver; feel,

know and love

originals

the hand of the

workman

that gives

them
lity s

their beautiful

forms and proportions ; or the fine qua-

of the

which they

reprefent.

From hence all

diftin(fl:

men of found and folid fenfe will

felf-confcious being,

naturally conclude that the

and the extended one, muft be

exift, tho'

fubftances; and that the former might

the latter

were altogether annihilated.

Two
different

forts

of men however, whofe

unfatisfied

chara<5lers are quite

nay contrary,
di<flates

with what natural and com-

mon fenfe
hood by
tions.

to the far greateft part

of mankind, have
falf-

endeavoured to render thefe conclufions fufpeded of

their fubtle refinements, or

by

their grofs imagina-

The one pretend that all is fpirit, and the other that The former accuftomed to too much abflraftiall is matter.
on, doubt of the exiftenceof bodies; the latter immerfed in
their fenfes fancy that all
is

corporeal.
all

Thus

the empire
fe6ts,

of

philofophy was ever divided in

dealifts

ages into

two

the I-

and the

Materialifts ; tho' they took different

;

names in
in dif-

different countries

and ages and expreffed themfelves

ferent terms; yet their ideas and principles were

much

the

fame.

The
matter,

Idealifts

pretend that

all

created fubftances being rereal

prefentative

of the divine perfections, there can be no

effentially unaftive, unintelligent,

which being

and

190
incapable of

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

all defire,

III.

cannot reprefent him that

;

is

infinite

activity, intelligence

and love that

all

the ideas, perceptions,

and

fenfations

we

have of extenfion, figure and motion, are

excited in us immediately
flances can never adl

by

God himfelf

that material fubintelligent

by a phyfical influence upon

third fubftance befide

beings; and from thefe three principles they conclude that

there
is

and can be no
matter.

God and
that

finite

Ipirits, call'd

The
perties

Matcrialifts

on the contrary maintain

motion

is elTential

to matter; that intelligence

and extenfion are proalfo alledge that

of the fame fubftance; fome of them

is

freedom
lity;

a chimerical, impofilble

and contradiftory quaall

and from thefe three principles conclude that

fub-

ftances are necelTarily extended or material.

Tho'
is

thefe

tvi^o

fentiments appear contradi dory, yet they

both equally tend toSpinofifm.For if once we fuppofe that there and can be but one fortof fubltances,
is
it is

eafy

from thence

to pafs to the belief that there

ture,

but one only fubftance in naIt is

which

is

the effence of the Spinofian fcheme.

of

great confequence therefore to confute both thefe fyftems,

and to prove,
create

firft,

againft the defenders

of each, that

God can

two

forts

of fubftances material and immaterial, whofe

not only
diiferent,

effential properties, are

but contradictory

and incompatible. We
Matcrialifts that

fhall
is

(how
not

In the next place againft the

motion

effential to matter;

and that

intelligence

and extenfion cannot be properties of the fame

fubftance.

We

fliull

endeavour to prove in the

laft

place a-

gainft the Idealifts, that

God cannot

be the immediate author

of all theidcaS; fenfutions and perceptions wc have of matter;

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
give to his material pidlures,

ipi

and that he may

images a
cally

and Immaterial
a(51:

real, phyfical a(5livityby

which they can

recipro-

upon each

other.

PROPOSITION
God can
by
living

XXVL

reprefent himfelf externally either

images or by fimple pictures.

DEMONSTRATION.
Creation
is

arcprefentation of God in things external (a);

an

original

may

be reprefented both by living images and by

{implepi(n:ures (b): therefore God can thus reprefent himfelf

both by

living images,

and by fimple pidures.

SCHOLIUM.
Infinite pov^^er,

wifdom and goodnefs may be reprefented

either in a
tial

dire<n:,

immediate, perfect manner by the elfen-

attributes

of beings capable of thought, reafon and love

indire61:,

or in a more

remote, and

lefs

perfect manner,

by
the

the acceflbry forms communicated to beings that are abfoiutely incapable

of thinking, reafoningand

w^illing.

Thus

powers, fentiments, and virtues of one mind

fented
other.

may be

repre-

by fimilar

perfeftions, qualities,

and

difpofitions in an-

Thusalfo
figures

intellectual properties

may be
For

reprefented
this reafon

by the

and colours given

to matter.

the facred oracles reprefent

fpirits as

the living images of the

as his

moft high; and the material univerfe

ture.

fhadow or

pic-

Thus Mofes

fays
I.

that

God created man

according to

(a) Prop.

XXI. (b) Ax.

ofthis book.

192
'

OF THE PROPERTIES
own
llkenefs,

Book
The

III.

his

and

after his

own image

(a).

royal

prophet teaches that the material heavens declare God's

glory (b).

'

The

apoftle

of the Gentiles adds, that the

invi->

fible perfections

of God, even his eternal power and godhead

are clearly feen

and underltood by the things that were

apoftle affirms that the things

made

(c).

The fame
as the

which
invi-

are feen

were made according to the model of things

fible (d),'

Greek

original

and Latin verfion

is

may be

rendered ; for the Englifh tranflation

not

intelligible.

This then

is

the fcripture

doMneof the creation, thatin*

invifible
:

telligent natures are living

rial

images of the deity; and the mate-

world only a fhadow or piiflure of what is

where-

fore thisfublime and eafy notion that

felf

God canreprefent himand fimple

pi<5lures is e-

from without by

living images,

qually conformable to reafon and revelation. 1 do not intend

to conclude from this principle alone, that the fimple pictures

and the living images are quite different fubftances.ThisI fhall endeavour to demonftrate afterwards by another principle.
All I pretend to prove here is, thatfuppofing the
fubftance were extended, yet there muft be
intelligent?

two

quite dif-

ferent fpecies's of extended fubftances; fince the onereprefents

God

only as a fimple picture, and the other as a living

image.

C O R.

I.

'

Hence we have
is

a moft noble idea of nature produced. It

living images,
i

compofed of innumerable

and of beautiful
2. v.

(a) Gen. chap. i. v. 26. and chap. 5. v.

ch. 17. V. 3.
I.

Wifdoni ch.

23. Ecclefiaflic.

Cor. ch.

r. v.

7.

CololT. ch. 3. v. 10.

(b) Pfal. 19. v. i^

.

(c)

Rom.

ch. 1. V. 20,

(d) Hebr. ch. 11. v. 3*

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
The

193
is

pidures of the divine perfecftions.

material unlverfe

an Immenfe theatre with glorious paintings or decorations, by which God difplays for ever and ever his power, wifdom

and goodnefs.

Spirits are living, lively

Images or aa:ors upon

this great theatre, that are capable

of knowing, loving and

In the following e/Tay

enjoying the original.

the fimple pidures

Wherefore

by

we

denote the material world; and by the

living images, the Intelledual univerfeof fpirlts.

COR.
Hence

II.

this great principle is a fruitful fource

all

from whence

we may derive

the efTentlal properties and ipecifick diffe-

rences of fpirit and matter.

The

moft part of errors in phi-

lofophy come from mens endeavouring to judge of the differences and relations of things, either by

fome imagined i-

deas of their intimate effences, or by the fenfations they pro-

duce in

us.
Is

We have no adequate
of demonftratlon,
Is

Ideas

of the former, and

the latter

not always a proof even of their exiftence.

The

true fource

the perfe<5lIons of the caufe,

compared with the perceptions of the effcd; and the defigns God had in creating along with the fenfations produced in

Wefhall therefore deduce from the combination oftheie two, all the principal properties of fpirit; and then inveftigate
us.

thofe

of matter.

PROPOSITION
The
ift

XXVII.

living

images of the divinity do not ex-

In Ipace

by

diffufion

of parts.

]Bb

194

OF THE PROPERTIES Book III.

DEMONSTRATION.
The divine elTence is not extended by difFufion of parts (a);
living

images reprefent the original in the neareft, mofl di-

refl, pcrfeO:

and

lively

manner

(b): therefore the Hving ima-

ges of the divinity do not exift in fpace

by

difFufion

of parts.

SCHOLIUM.
We have fully demonftrated in the
(pace
is firfl

book

that infinite

not a property of the divine nature; that the fupreme

infinite is prefent to all beings

without extenfion or difFufion

and

that

we mull
it.

allow this omniprefence tho'

is

we cannot

comprehend

It

therefore abfolutely falfe that there can

is

be no unextended fubftances, and that fpace

the exiftence of
infinite
all

neceffary to
abfolute
it is

beings.

Now fince the fupreme,

may and muft
exift

does not

exift in fpace,

nor by difFufion of parts,

plain that his living images

without exindi-

tenfion ; and therefore are of a fimple,

vifible nature.

uncompounded,

This

principle

of reafoning founded upon the

is

refemblance of the living image to its almighty original

quite

unknown to vulgar metaphyficians, and fcholaflick divines. It is as we have already remarked, impoffible to deduce the
properties
attributes

of finite

in a natural, eafy

manner, but from the

of

infinite.

Till

we

fee the intimate effence

of

things in
ther
rules
life,

God

himfelf,

and behold him face to face

in ano-

the fureft way to inveftigate their properties

this capital,

is

by the

of analogy, deduced from

that creation
is

fundamental, lu-

minous truth,
external,

a reprefentation of God in things

more or

lefs fimilar

to the fupreme archetype.

The

(a) Prop. VIII.

(b) Def. 2. of this Book.

BooKllI.

OF FINITE BEINGS.

195

ancient Greeks of the Platonic and Pythagorlcfchools, the ancient Egyptians, Perfians, Indians, and Chinefe were full

of this
work.

principle; as will be

fhewn

in the fecond part

of this

COR.
Hence unextenfion,
are necelTary,
ideas, fimilitudes

I.

fimplicity,

and indlvifibility of elTence

All

eflfential,

infeparable attributes of fpirlt.

and

conceptions of the living

image thatde-

ftroy

any of

thefe three properties are falfe

and abfurd.

COR.
Hence
properties of the fame fubftance
is

II.

to fuppofe that extenfion

and

intelligence can

be

a falfe hypothefis, that has

no foundation in true principles we fhall fhow afterwards that thefe two attributes are contradidory and incompatible.
;

PROPOSITION
The
living
fentially a(5live or capable

XXVIII.

images of the divinity muft be ef-

of aftion.

DEMONSTRATION.
Creation is areprefentationof God from without (a);
is

God
li-

eflentially aftive (b): infinite activity

cannot be reprefen-

ted

by abfolute inaction and

paflivity (c).

Therefore the

ving images of the deity muft be eflentially, neceflarilyj and

iramanently

active.

SCHOLIUM.
We have already fhown
(a) Prop.

that
i

God muft
of the fame,

be
(c)

eflentially,

ne-

XX.

(b) Prop. IX. and Cor.

Ax. 5.

Bb2

ic)6
ceflarily

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

and immanently
that

III.

aftive antecedent to all produ(5lIon

of other beings without him,

eternal infinite
efFe(5t

he produced in himfelf an

and objed:.

Now

according to the im-

mutable laws of analogy betwixt the

living image,

and the

almighty original, if God defigned to be reprefented without

himfelf, in the moft lively, dire<5l

and immediate manner,

it

follows necefTarily, that this living image muft alfo be effentially, necefTarily
its

and immanently

active.
it

do not yet fpeak of

emanant

aftivity,
;

by which
can

can a6l upon other beings

eC-

difl:in(5t

from itfelf

I fpeak
it

only of its immanent, inherent,

fentiai a6livity

by which

ad upon

itfelf.

We

fliall

exa-

mine very foon wherein

this

immanent

a6tivity confifts,

and

what are its

archetype,

effefls.

All I pretend to {how

dire(5t

now is, that by viritfelf.

tue of the foul's immediate,

it

refemblance to the great

muft beelTentially aflive within

COR.
Hence it is
entirely paflive,
till

I.
is

abfolutely falfe thatfpirit as body,

of itfelf
it,

God ad upon

it,

move

it,

and animate

(inceithas in itfelf an effcntial fund ofadivity, diflind from

God's immediate adion.

COR.
Hence we mufl
elTential adivity

II.

never confound the natural, inherent, cocreature, with the fupernatural,

of the

com-

municated, acceffory adion of

God upon
adivity

it.

We fhall now

examine wherein

this

immanent

of fpirit confifls.

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS,
XXIX.

197

PROPOSITION
The
telligent

living

images of the divinity muft be In-

and reafonable.

DEMONSTRATION.
God
what
is

eflentially intelligent

and the fovereignreafon

(a);

is efTentially intelligent

and reafonable cannot be

re-

prefented in a lively, dire^l, immediate, and perfe(n: manner,

by what is
reafonable.

abfolutely unintelligent and infenfible(b): there-

fore the living images of the divinity muft be intelligent and

SCHOLIUM.
God knows himfelf and
differences,
all

his

works, their refemblances,

fpiritual

and propertys: therefore

all his

beings muft

be capable of knowing him and

cannot create as
ideas

produftions.

They

God

does the objects themfelves, nor form

obje<5i:s aft

of them, unlefs the fame

upon them ; but

when

they have received thofe ideas, they

may compare them,

combine them, judge of them, and difcover their mutual relations, differences and properties. This is what we call conception, or reafon ;

and

this

conception

is

aftion, yea aftion

in the higheft degree.

aftivity, infcparable

It

is

an immanent, inherent. Innate

from, and confubftantial with the mind.

From this comparing, combining, and refledllng upon our own ideas, arife all our general and abftraft notions, whether of God or the creatures, of the divine attributes or of the
(a)

By Prop. X.

(b) Ax. 2.

198
properties

OF THE PROPERTIES
of things
finite.

Book IIL
of
this innate,

The

foul

by

virtue

immanent,

coelTential activity,

may

confider obje<n:sas fimilar

or diffimilar, as equal or unequal,as concordant or difcordant,

and thus

refle<5l

upon

their

common

properties,

without any

difl:in<5tions, fpecialities,

or limitations, that bound

them

to

this or that particular obje6t or individual.

As God by con-

templating his

own

attributes,

forms in his divine under-

ftanding the archetypal ideas of all beings he can produce;

fb the

mind by

refle6ting

upon

its

own modes forms to

difference
is,

itfelf

general, abftrad ideas

of all kinds, and of all the different be-

ings

it

has already perceived.

The

that

God

conceives, creates and produces thefe archetypal ideas in his

all-comprehenfive

mind whereas we only combine or other;

wife modify the ideas already received from the obje<5ls.Thus

the a(ftion of the living image

is

fome way

fimilar or analo-

gous to that of the original

caufe, tho* not identical

and the

fame with

it.

Do6tor Berkeley denys the

abftracH: ideas;

poffibility

of forming any fuch

buthisreafonings feem altogether falfe,and un-

worthy of
*

his fubtile genius.

at the

He

defines an abftra^l idea,

that

which
that

is

fame time

all

and none of the

particularities

*
*

we know; an idea wherein fome

parts of feveral, diffe'

rent and inconfiftent ideas are put together.

This

definiti-

on is unintelligible and unworthy of his natural acutenefs. An

abftra^l idea is

not the idea of any thing really

exiftent,

but a
is

general idea, in which

many particular
it

things agree.

It

preterition of, or non-attention to the particularities

cialities

and

fpe-

that determine

to

one individual; and the confideit

ration

of it only

in fo far as

belongs to

many

individuals.

Book
Thus

IIL

OF FINITE BEINGS.
is

xp^

the abftracl Idea of a triangle

the idea of that figure

confidered only as having three fides and angles, without reflecting

upon

it

of curve or
matter.

ftreight lines,

The

compofed of this or that colour, of this or that learned Doflor confounds ideas with things,
abftra<5t

as equilateral, fcalenar orifofcelar,

and denies that there can be any

general ideas, be-

caufe there cannot be abftradl general entitys.

He was led inand

to this error to fupport his favourite fcheme,that the ideas

the objeds are the fame

now

becaufe there are in nature

na

univerfal, general fubftances or objefts,

he concluded that

there

were and could be no general,

univerfal, abftraa: ideas.

He can never
and therefore

prove his principle, as wefliall hereafter ihow;

his confequences mufl: be uncertain or falfe.
real in nature

There

is

nothing

anfwerable in point of uniIdeas excited

verfality to

our abftraft Ideas.

all

The
its

by the ob-

je^s are complicated with

differences, but the

individuating circumftances or
natural adlivity can confider

mind by

or

fix its

attention to thefe properties and relations in

It

which

many

particular obje(fts agree, while

attends not to their

differences.

Father Malebranche does not deny the exiftence and reality of abftraa: Ideas, but he infifts that we do not form

them by our own fee them in God.

tains that the Idea

adivlty, refle<n:ion

and combination, but

Thus

according to him

we

have

all

i-

deas of Infinitude both uncreated and created.

He

main-

of the abfolute

infinite

cannot be a

mode
fi-

or efFea of the mind, becaufe the mind

nite

is finite,

and that

cannot imagine, conceive or comprehend infinite. Is not

this a

merefophifm?

all

the idea

we have of abfolute Infinite,

200
is

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

of Tome
real, felf-exiftent objeft, greater
all

III.

that

than any

we

can conceive, that furpalTes

that

we can comprehend, and

all

whofe

perfeftions have
its

no bounds. This idea Is pofitive with

it

regard to

objed, fince
its

excludes

negation ; but

it is

ne-

gative with regard to

fubjefb, fince
it

it is

incomprehenfible.

We

can never contain or grafp

It
is

in

its totality,

nor exhauft

it

during an eternity.

thus again that the living images re-

femble their fovereign archetype.

ally In hlmfelf his

As he
him

generates continu-

own

Idea

of himfelf,
:

fo

they may produce

is

in themfelves an imperfe<5l idea of

rence.
nal,

but here

the diffe-

God'sideaof himfelf is a living, permanent, coeterconfubftantlal image, which partakes of all hisboundlefs
It is as

pcrfeftions.

we

have fhown, a living, felf-confcious,

the idea

intelligent perfbn.

Whereas

we form of God

is

on-

ly a tranfient, fpeculative, lifelefs image, partaking

of all our

imperfe^Ions.

It

is

only, fo to fpeak, an infinitely fmall perIt

is

ception and fhadow of abfolute infinite.

idea form'd

not a fimple
ef-

by the immediate

intuitive

view of the divine

a fucceflive

fence; but a complex idea produced

tion

by

combina-

of the

attributes deducible
It is a

from the

idea of a felf-exifi^eprefenta-

tent being.
tive

mode of the mind, but a mode

from
us.

of fomething

diftlncl
finite

We

fee

from

a compari-

fon of the idea of

with the idea of felf-exiftence, that

there muft be an abfolute infinite.

We fee that he
of his

is,

but not

what he

is

adequately.

We fee fome

attributes,

but

not his intimate effence, otherwife

tific
'

we would

enjoy the bea'

vifion.

For

tlils

rcafon the apoftle fays that

we fee God
but only by

darkly as in a glafs or mirror.'

We do not fee his effence by

a dired:, immediate, intuitive view as angels do;

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
elTence,

201

refle<5lion

upon our own

and that of other creatures,

asreprefcntativeof him, and as living images or lively pi<5lures

of

his

perfec^ons.When Malebranche therefore fays that v^^e

image or idea of infinite in the divine effence, and not

fee the

in ourov^^n,

he

inverts the natural order

of ideas and

exprefli-

ons.

We

do not fee the images of bodies in the bodies themglaffes diftindl

felves;

but in

from them. Thus wc do not fee

the idea of infinite in the divine effence; but in our ow^n ef^
fence as reprefcntative of

God.
tri-

Malebranche adds, that we have the ideas of infinite

angles, circles, ovals,

and geometrical curves of innumerable

kinds; that
tivity;

it is

impoffible to

form

thefe ideas

by our own

ac-

and confequently that we fee them in the divine mind

hy

fimple Intuition, as being intimately united to the eternal

Logos that contains all ideas. This author impofes flrangely upon his own fine underftanding by a luxuriant imagination
and
a pious enthufiafiii.
It
is

abfolutely falle, that

we

have a-

ny
in

pofitlve ideas

of created infinity. The Idea of infinite when

is

applied to

any thing produced

only negative, and negative

its

all fenfes,

both with regard to

objeft and fubjcft.

It

Is

only a conceiving that

God may

produce fbmething greater

his

and

greater without end,

add always to

work, and aug-

ment Its
circle,

perfections for ever.

The idea of an infinite triangle,

tripled,

polygene, or curve is only this notion, that fuch geo-

metrical figures

may be doubled,
is

and multiplied withlittle,

out end: but there

in

and can be no abfokite great nor

created. All the

what on

Is finite

and

Malcbranchlan fubtlefophifllcal

ties

this

head are therefore not only

but dan-

Cc

noz

OF THE PROPERTIES
make

Book

III.

gerous;becaure they

the proofs of abfolute infinitude

depend upon chimera's.

COR.
Hence nothing
and
fenfations
is

I.

moreabfurd than

to maintain, that the

prefcnt abftrad ideas we

form from the particular perceptions

of the divine underfhnding.

which

fingular objeds produce in us, are the

original archetypal ideas

We
;

muft carefully diftinguifh the confubftantial idea

himfclf,

God has of
finite

from the archetypal ideas he has of things

and

the

abftra(5l ideas

we form from

the objects themfelves.

The
firfi:,

fchoolmen confound thetwofirft;Malebranche the three

and Spinofa

all

the four.

COR.
Since the

II.
its

mind by comparing

ideas

may

difcover their

mutual relations of fimilitude and agreement, or of difagree-

ment; and
ideas,
ral

fince truth
it

is

nothing but thefe relations of our

hence

follows that the

ideas,

mind by comparing

its

gene-

and particular

may

difcover general
is

and particular
the knowledge
re-

truths.

And

fince the

knowledge of truth,

of relations; wherever there are neceffaryand immutable

lations betwixt finite

and

infinite,

betwixt the attributes of

the one, and the attributes of the other,

we may

have as fure

demonfi:rations in moral and theological knowledge, as in

geometrical and phyfical, and while

we

talk only

of relati-

ons,

we may demonftrate

metaphyficks as well as mathema-

ticks.

COR.
Hence wcfec

III.

the true fources of all our errors; they

do

Book
not

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.

203

our fimple ideas and perceptions, but in our complex ideas and conceptions; not in ourpaflive fenfations,
confifl: in

we make of their relations. We precipitate our judgment ere we fee clearly, and thereby conbut in the
acflive

comparifon

connexion or difagreement, equality or inequality,or a relation ofcaufeand efFe6l, when there is none.
clude that there
is

This would not happen

all pofTible relations

if we could

comprehend and behold

fee

by one fimple view, and

them

as

God

fees

them by

intuition.

finite

natures to

But being obliged becaufe of our combine, compare and judge by fucceflive
and
fo miftake in

afts,

we may

oft lofe the fecret chain,

our

reafonins[s.

COR.
Hence
tion upon'
it is

IV.

abfolutely falfe that reafonis only a fucceflive

perception of ideas, rep refented to the mind by the divine acit;

and that the undcrftanding

:

is

equally paflive,

with regard to its fimple, and complex ideas

for thus we

would

be

infallible.

The fource of error is

real active

altogether unintellio-ible,
joinino-,

if the

mind has no
and

power of comparing,

feparating,

affociating its ideas; as the fource

if the foul

of fin would

be incomprehenfible,

had no freedom of exami-

ning, chufing, and preferring one objed to another.

COR.
Hence
fleftion
all

V.
arife

our opinions or judgments

its

from the

rei-

of the mind upon

own

modifications, or fimple

deas.

examine hereafter whence thefe fimple ideas come; whether from God alone as the only agent, or from
fpiritual, as

We fhall

the creatures both material and

fecond caufes.

Ccz

204

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

III,

PROPOSITION
The living
pable of love.

XXX.

images of the deity mufl: be ca-

DEMONSTRATION.
God
loves himfelf iiecefTarily,
is

and

all

that

he has made

his eflcnce

love (a): the living, lively image

of a being that

isefTential love,

cannot be abfolutely incapable of love (b):

images of the deity muft be capable of

tlierefore the living love.

SCHOLIUM.
As God
all

loves himfelf neceffarily becaufe

he

Is

good; the

perfcd, the infinite good; fo his intelligent images muft

is

love neceffarily w^hatever

good, or whatever appears to be

as good, or

fuch

that

is,

mufl: love

good

good

in general. I

do

not fay that finite intelligences love neceffarily as

God loves;

or that they love

all

that

he loves; but they mull love fomc-

thing neceffarily, either

God, the

creatures,

or themfclves.

They may forget God by faUing into a degenerate fl:ate; and then as a punlihment they may lofe all gratifying fenfations
of,

and communications with tlie creatures but

;

as they can-

not be feparated from themfclves, they mufl: love themfclves

neceffarily,
if

they be truly felf-confclous.

is

This confubthey

Ibntial love of felf

infeparable

from

their natures;

rnay lofc

all

other loves, but they cannot lofe this; and fince

they love neceffarily their being, they muft love their well<a) Cor. 5 . of Prop. XI. (b) Ax. 3 . of this book.

Book

III.
it is

OF FINITE BEINGS.
happinefs, if it be fufceptible

205

being, for
defiring
ftate
its

impoflible ro love a being without loving or

of any. There is no

of perfection or imperfeftion, of
;

elevation, or degradafinite in-

tion

of purity or corruption in which or by which of felicity unlefs we fuppofe them reduced

;

telligences canextinguifli this natural, neceilary,

tlal

and coeffento a ftatc

love

of total
all

infenfibility
:

both of their

own

exiftence

and that of

other beings

all

beings therefore capable of

knowing are
of lo-

capable of willing, defiring and loving what they know, feel,

and perceive
ving
is

to be good.

Love or

rather the capacity

it

a necefTary property

of their natures;

flows

from

their effence

and

definition, as living images

and imitations of

him
*
*

that

is all

love.

The Malebranchian
general
is

and fcholaftick notion that

effeft

'

will in
a<n:i-

an immediate continual
is

of the divine
falfe idea

on

in us,'

therefore a

mere chimera. This

the foul
is

came

from the yet

that
it is

faller notion, that

it

not felf-movino-;

entirely pafTive, unlefs

be moved by God; and that

external impulfes are as necefTary to begin

motion

in fplrits as

in bodies.
it is

Conception or intelligence muft precede love; but not necefTary that there be any other immediate impulfe

different

from this conception.

is

Now this conception

is

is

rea-

fon,

and reafon

comparing, comparing

action;
all

and

may

be the effed of our

tural light.

own aftiviry,

independent of

fuperna-

All beings capable of knowing, comparing, and

judging, are capable of willing, defiring, and tending to

appears to them good or beatifying.
inherent, efTential
a<5livity

what

The

foul

by

its

innate,

tends naturally to whatever is, or

appears good, pleafant or conducive to its well-being.

The

2o<5

OF THE PROPERTIES Book III,

make
it

fimple perception of relative good, fufHces to

this natural,

exert

felf-moving
it

a<n:ivity.

As God by
eflentially
it

his creating

matter rendered

necefTarily

and

moveable by the

fame

a6l; fo

by

creating fpirit

he rendered

by the fame

z6t

necefTarily and effentially

aiflive,

or capable of volition.

The
i-

idea

of mobility

is

neceffarily included in that

of the material
intelligent

pi(fture,

and the idea of volition,

in that

of the

mage.

As Malebranche confounded

the natural activity

of

the underftanding, with the fupernatural contemplation of

the Logos, fo he confounded the natural
a<5livity

of the

will,

with the fupernatural aflion of the Holy Ghofl.

This neceflary tendency of the

good,
is

foul to whatever appears

is

another proof that the living image

a6live.

eifentially,

and

immanently

Reafon

isaiftion,

and love

is

action; there-

fore the living, intelligent loving images of the deity muft be

eifentially a<5live.

God's

effential a<5livity confifts in the

gene-

ration of his confubftantial idea

and

in the love

of his Holy

Ghoft.

Wherefore

all his living

images, muftbe capable of

a double immanent activity ; one by which they can difcover,

compare, combine, feparate, and thereby conceive the

relati-

ons and differences of their

tend
to, will, defire

ideas: another

by which they can

infinite has

and love the objects reprefented to them

for

by

thefe ideas.

The foul made

it

him who
and an
it

is

an

unbounded
felicity.
its

capacity of knowledge,

infatiable thirftof
defires to

1 he more

knows, the more

it

know:

capacity dilates proportionably as

receives:
infinite,

made for the

it

contemplation and love of the abfolute

find
It

can never

any

rcpofc,

till it

return to him, and lofe

itfelf in

him.

may

miftakeits object, and attach itfelf for a time to iinites,

BooKllI.
but
it

OF FINITE BEINGS.
all

207
boundlefs

will

Toon exhauft

theirperfe6lion,become weary, and

fatiate

difgufted with them.

defire

Nothing can
its

or

fill its

of knowledge, and
the fource of all

ever-increafing third:

of felicity,
reftlefs

but the uncreated, eternal,

a<5tivity is

felf-exiftent being.

This

its

pains and pleafures ; of all itsmi-

fery and happinefs ;

of allitspadions andnatural virtues.This

love is alfo that inward,

immenfe capacity of knowledge and

and intimate fund,
center,
fill.

and

fan(5luary

of the

foul,

which

none but God can

nts,

Tho*

there

were no other

finite (pi-

and no material objects

exiftent; yet this eflential, inde-

ftrudible defire of knowledge

ternal fpring

and happinefs, would be an

foul.

e-

and fountain of a6livity in the

itfelf

As

it

can

never find in

nor the creatures an

infinite
it

objed com-

menfurate to
itfelf, rife

this

boundlefs double capacity,

muft go out of

above

itfelf,

and lofe itfelf in the immenfe ocean of and

as
it

good, to be
it

fatisfied;

can never exhauft

this obje(5t,

muft be eternally

ad:ive, defirous,

and

infatiable.

Tho' we havefaid
fpiritual beings, yet

in the

twopreceeding propofitions,that

the powers of reafoning and wilHng are effential properties of

we do

notfuppofe that

finite intelligences

are always in an aftual exercife of thefe

two powers. They are

by the fufpenfion
a flateof

capable of action and love, but not always active and loving.

We have already fhown that

of the
divine
acftivity in

created fpirits

and upon them, may fall into

total inadion,

and

infenfibility.

Eternal adlion, uninterrup-

ted intelligence, and immutable love are the incommunicable

attributes
is

and perfe<n:ions of the infinite mind. Wherefore

it

poffible that laps'd intelligences

may lofe
of
all

all

perception of

their

own

exiflence, as well as that

other beings, and

2o8
remain in a

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

ftate

III.

of perfe(5l

inaflivity

and

fpiritual lethargy^

void of all intelligence, and felf-confcioufnefs, for

many

ages;

This

great principle will be of wonderful ufe hereafter, to

juftify

thecondufl of eternal providence.

jflate

Neither can
fleep,

it

be

faid-thatin this

of

fpiritual lethargy,

and death,
as

there

is

no

difference betwixt the foul

is

and matter. For

we

have fliown, the one

a fimple,

unextended fubftance, cais

pable of thought and volition, whereas the other

a com--

pound of innumerable, extended,

abfolutely incapable of

divifible fubftances, that are

all intelligent

felf-moving powers, as

we

fhall

{how very

foon.

It

is

therefore falfe to maintain with the Cartefians that

the foul thinks always: they never did, nor can give any folid

reafonfor this alTertion.

that a6ls

To think is to

perceive fome ob^

arifes

je<fi:

upon

us,

or to conceive fome truth that

It
is

from
or to
je(fl:s

the comparifon of diefe perceptions.

refle<5l.

either to feel

Now it can never be demonftrated that fome oband

neceifarily

act always,

upon

us; or that

we reflect

necelTarily

upon
in a

ourfelves.

Experience Ihows the contrary^

fleep.

when we are
and
feel

fwoon, or in a deep

To think, know
ftate,

always are priviledges of a pure and unfallen

living

when the him that

ding to

images

fhall

have a perfect refemblance to

never {lumbers.

Locke confutes

the Cartefian

opinion only by experimental arguments, without afcenfirfl

principles,

and thereby giving the true reafon

why

the foul does not always think.

is

This

as

we

fhall

{how
flate.

hereafter

one of the

greatefl proofs

of our degenerate

The
tcs,

Englifh and French philofophers, Locke and Defcar-

fccm to have never reflected upon

this

fublimc prinr

.Book
ciple,

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
fo their dlfciples

209
in the dark.

and

combate each other

I.

COR.
Since
finite intelligences

can never ceafe to love themfelves;

fincc the love of their being,

and well-being,
it

is

a natural

and

necefTary property of their elTence ; fince

mixes with, aniall

mates, and governs, and

a<5livities

is

the ftrongeft principle of

their

and operations ;

it

follows that while they

a(5l

folely
i:

by their own force and natural inherent power, they muf have
their ftrongeft love to themfelves,

and

their

own

happinefs;

and love good

chiefly as relative to them, as confonant to their

nature,as conducive to their well-being.Thcir natural, efTentl-

and fupreme inclination and paffion, motion and tendency is felf-love: wherefore the defire of God, purely and only
al,

as beatifying, as relative good, as fource

is

of

infinite pleafure,

a neceflary confequence

happinefs,
defire

common to God as infinite pleafure,

fovereign juftice.

of the natural love we have for the devils and the damn'd, who would
if they

were not

oblif^ed to

love

him as

COR.
Hence
inevitably,

II.

the foul defires, and loves certainly, Infallibly and

what

It

judges to be the
it

befi, fo

long as

it

contias

nues in that perfuafion: for fince

good,
lefier
it

loves necelTarily

good

muft necefTarily love the greater good preferably to a good, and fo what appears the better preferably to what
It

appears to
vil;

the worfe: wherefore it can never love

Its

evil as e-

becaufeit cannot hate

own

effence, will, chufe

and de-

fire its abfolute

mifery as fuch. It

may

indeed by miftake, by
pafilon, love real eevil as evil.

prejudice,
vil as

by

falfe

judgment and blind

an apparent good, but it cannot love

Dd

210

OF THE PROPERTIES BookIIL

COR.
III.
fall
It

Hence
fource

follows that if ever lapfed Intelligences

Into

a ftate wherein they fee and feel evidently that moral

evil is
it

of

eternal mifery, they cannot continue to will

de-

liberately,

remain for ever inconvertible, and be immutably

evil,

fix'din a

permanent choice of moral and phyfical

of fin

and

mifery.
all

This

principle will be of great ufe hereafter to

unfold
pains,

the myfteries of providence concerning infernal

and the duration of evil.

PROPOSITION
The
mufi:
intelligent living

XXXL

images of the deity,

be

effentially free as to the choice

of all

particular good.

DEMONSTRATION.
God Is eflentially
all finite,

and abfolutely

free as to the volition

of

determinate, particular

good (a); what is

immediate,

effentially

free cannot be reprefented

in a perfect:,

dire5l

man-

ner by what

is

abfolutely neceflitated, forced,

and enflaved
deity mufi:

(b): therefore the intelligent living images

of the

be effentially
good.

free as to the choice or volition

of all particular

SCHOLIUM.
Freedom may be demonftrated two ways, a priori, as the
fchools fay, or a
(a) Cor, 4
.

posteriori. The former proofs depend

(b) Ax. 4. of this book.

ofProp. XXII.

BooKllI.

OF FINITE BEINGS.

211

upon the nature of the foul, and the latter upon the effects of freedom, which we fee in the univerfe.
I

mo. The primitive, original fource of liberty /is

a(5livityof the

that innate

power or
fufpend

mind by which it can compare objects,

it is

its

tendency to,or acquiefcence inthem,till itexamine

their nature,

and hence

called

liberum arbitrimade for

ftill

UM, or

free judgment, as well as free-will. Spirits

the enjoyment and contemplation of infinite,

off their thoughts

may

turn

from any one

particular good,
finite

and think

of another
tend to
nite
it

far fuperior to

any determinate

one, and Co
fi-

by

their boundlefs defire

attra(n:

of happinefs. Every

good may
it

contains in

and draw them, becaufe being good, it reafon of love; but not being all good, it canfix

not determine them neceffarily,

them immutably, or move

a greater
is

them

invincibly

fmce they may ftill conceive

love.

good

more worthy of their

tial

Freedom

therefore

an effen-

property of
It flows

all

beings that can compare, examine, and

activity

judge.
telligent
finite

from the natural

of the mind

as in-

which can always think of a good

It
is

one.

fuperior to any an infeparable adjunft and concomitant of

reafon and intelligence.

*

Hence

the fchools fay'

Liberum

ar-

bitrium

eft

omni intelleflui comes.'

is

A fecond fource of liberty

the double Ipringof the will.

fprings, motives,or reafelt.

Wefhall ihow hereafer thatthefe two

fons of willing are perfeaion feen, or pleafure

thefe motives are fufficient to determine us ;

Both

and therefore we

may

follow the one or the other, and confequently neither

neceftarily.

of them conftrains us

We

may be determined
fenfation

by the

clear perception

of truth, or by the blind

of

Dd

212;
pleafure;

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

by the
love

III;

of order, or by the love of happinefs, by

When we feparate the love of; order from the love of pleafure we are vicious. When we unite thefe two loves we are virtuous. When we facrlfice the
the love of God, or felf-love.
love of pleafure to the love of order

we
In

are heroically

good

and
and

perfe6l.

When we

love order only

from the motive of

in all ftates,

happinefs,

wc

are as yet imperfc6l.

all times,

in all fituations, thefe

two motives or fprings may move,;

will

actuate
till

and determine the

of all

fpirits fallen

or unfallcn,

they be confirmed infix'd immutable habits of pure love;

as fhall be fully

unfolded hereafter.

Hence

it is

that in hea-

ven

itfelf angelical

minds before

their fall

were free to love

God from a view of hisabfolute perfe<ftion, or from a defire of their own perfonal felicity; by a pure difinterefted love of
preference, or from an interefled motive of happinefs.

This

mobility of the will by one or t'other of thefe two fprings,

was, as

we

fhall

fhow, the firftfource of defecflion in'the

fal-

len angels.

Thus freedom is founded upon

the nature of the

underftanding that can think always of a good fuperior to a-

ny

finite

one, and upon the nature of the will, that

may be

determined by a double motive.

monftrations a
.

We

come now

to the de-

posteriori. They

are alfo

of two kinds.

Firft,

without freedom the origin of moral and phyfical

impofilblc.

evil

would be unintelligible and even

fhall

Moral good,
to the laws

as

we

fhow,

is

the conformity of the

mind

of

eternal order. Eternal order, as

we fhall alfo fhow,

evil

confifls in

loving

God

for himfelf,

and

all

other beings proportionably

as they refcmble him. verfe or countera(^ this

Moral

on the contrary
it is

is

to re-

law of eternal order ;

to love o-

Book

III:

OF FINITE BEINGS.
God loves
;

213

therwife than

to feparatc the love

this
is

of pleafure from

the love of juftlce.

Now

impofTible, unlefs finite befreely the love

juftice.

ings be endued with a

power of preferring
of order and

of

felf and pleafure to the love

We

mufi:

therefore either deny that there is any real diftinftion betwixt

vice

and

virtue, or

maintain that

all

created intelligences are

evil is

free.

Moreover, without freedom, phyfical

It
is

no

lefs

unfor

explicable.

abfolutely impoffible that beings

made

eternal happinefs can be for

one inftant miferable but by their

mufl:

own

fault;

and therefore they

be endow'd with fome

defigns of

faculty

by which they can fufpend the

God. Since
happy
he
fince

the immenfe ocean of goodnefs

made

us only to be
;

by

his beatifying influences

and communications
it is

loves all that

he made; and fince

its

impofTible to love a beplain that if

ing without defiring

well-being,
it

it is

we

are

unhappy for one

inftant

muft be by our

own

fault; that

there muft be fomething in us that hinders God's beatifying

illapfes

and emanations, and that

this

can be no other than

the abufe of liberty, and the voluntary turning away of our

faculties

from the overflowing fource of life,

be not
free,

light,

and

love.

If

finite fpirits

then

God muft

be the caufe of all

the fins they commit, and of

all

the fufFcrings they endure.

ftrange, irregular

There is no other folution of the

out
this folution

phenome-

na of moral and phyfical evil that overflow the earth.

With-

we muft open

the fluices to

all

impiety and

atheifm; and deny that

God made

us to be eternally perfect
his boundlcfs per-

and happy
fedions.

in the

knowledge and love of

2 do.

By the negation of freedom not only

all

religion,

but

214
all

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

is

Iir.
fpi-

human foclety
then

unhinged.

If there be no liberty ki

ritual agents,

all their

inclinations, paflions

and vices are

unblameable.They

are virtuous without being

commendable,

and vicious w^ithout being cenfurable.We cannot fhun anyone

crime or any one a6lion
laws are
ten,

we commit.

All

human and

divine

ufelefs. It is needlefs to write, inftru^, exhort, threa-

and endeavour to change any

profligate inclination in

ourfclves or in others.

All our efforts are vain and fuperflu-

ous.

We muft

follow the unchangeable laws of nature, ac-

cording to the Spinofifts, or the irrevocable decrees of heaven, according to the Predeftinarians, that determine us invincibly, or

abandon us

inevitably to robbery, inceft,

child, ftab a tender

and

parricide

to ftrangle

an innocent

mo-

ther;

ftarve

our family; ruin our country; hate mankind;

againft almighty power.

and blafpheme

Nero, Caligula, and

as ne-

Domitian were no ways culpable. Their crimes were

ceflfary efFc<51:s

of invariable laws, or predcterminating de-

crees, as the virtues

faints.

of the
and

greatefl:

philofophers, heroes

and

Yea all the inward remorfes of confcience, horrors of

defpair,
all

mind, raging

the outward

efFe<n:s

of obdurati-

on and impenitence are as

eftablifhed

neceflary as the crimes themfelves.

All events are equally forefeen, foreordained, and pre-e-

by the
is

predeftinarian

God, or produced by the

Spinofian. It

vain to fay that tho'

men

beneceffary agents,

yet neither are rewards ufelefs, nor punifliments unjuft, becaufe both are caufes that produce necefTarily their
ejffefls

in

the good or in the bad. This

is

merefubterfuge.

The rewards

propofed, and the punifhments threatned can have no efFeft

but upon thofc who arepredeftinatcd to hear the one and fear

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
former are ufeful only to a
little

21^
number, and

the other.

The

the latter are unjuft to thegreateftpartofmankmd, who could

not

a(5l

othervvife than fate

had determined them.

Whether then we confider the nature of intelligent beings upon which freedom is founded; or the fatal confequences

of denying

liberty, all confpires to

prove that

finite fpirits

are

endowed with

this property. It is the nobleft faculty

God

could grant them. By it they will be for ever happy, but hap-

py by love and by

free love,

which

is

the fupreme

felicity.

Thus

they will for ever contribute to their

own perfe<5lion and

happinefs.

This

is

the nearefl: and highefl: imitation of the

divine independency.

They

will

remain for ever unconftrailove.

ncd

in their choice, preference

and

Nothing can

ever
is

force or do violence to their moral determinations.

This

the eternal, immutable and univerfallaw eibblifhed throuo^h

the whole regions of immenfity.

God

will always

acfl

upon

intelligent natures in proportion to their freecorrefpondence.

Such is the nature of his intelligent imagesjthat he cannot make

them happy without

their
all

own

concurrence; and upon this

great principle depends

the beautiful
fallen

oeconomy of provito be happy; as

dence with regard to fpirits

and unfallen. As he loves ef.

fentially allhiscreatures,ashe

made them only

he can never

ceafe to furnifh

them all the means

necelTary to
ir-

come to

this

end; he never acftsupon them by omnipotent,

refiftible wills,

otherwife they could never be wicked or mifeall,and beatify

rable for

one moment.He would convert them

them allbyonein{l:antaneousa<5l;and
all

therefore if they be not

a real

good and happy, they mufl have in themfelves

and

power
he had

to refifthis divine operations,

fo retard the dcCigii

OF THE PROPERTIES Book III. in creating them. We fhallnow examine the obje6lIons made
2i6
againfl: liberty.
I

mo.

Rational agents a6t

ft ill

by fome realbn that

deter-

mines them. This reafon appears to them at the time always

the beft, otherwife they would be capable of preferring what

appears to them a
greater evil to a

lefTer

good

to a greater,

what appears a
evil as evil,

lefs,

and confequently of willing

which

is

impofTible.

Now the foul wills, defires,and loves neto

it

cefTarily

what appears

the beft, and therefore freedom

is

a contradiction.
I grant that
all

rational beings are determined

by fome
at that

reafon, and that they always chufe neceffarily

what

time appears to them the beft ; but I maintain that before they
are determined thus, they have always a

power to examine

if

what appears

to

them the

beft

be

really fo or not, a true or

only an apparent good; and

fource of hberty. All

we have faid, is the iirft particular good may draw or move them
this, as
it

becaufe
ly,

it is

good; but
not
all

does not determine them neceffari-

bccaufe

it is

good.

They

have,

by

virtue

of their

natural aflivity or fupernatural aid, a

laft

power
will,

to fufpend the

decifion of the underftanding

and

till

they have ex-

amined.
2do. It

may be

urged that

when men doubt

or fufpend
fuffa-

thus their judgment, they have always a reafon for this

pcnfion, which
feft,

makes

it

appear to them the beft and the

neceffary.

and confequently

it is

I anfwcr that

we

doubt,

we have always a bccaufe we are fallible

reafon of fufpenfion

when
fear

but

we

have alfo always a

reafon of notfufpending, becaufe

we

love pleafure.

The

BookIIL
of error may
fnre incite us

of finite beings.
retain us

217
defire

on one hand, and the

ofplea-

on

the other.
;

We may yield

to either,

and

Co

have

ftill

a reafon for adling

but not a necefTary reafon, fincc

falfe precipitated

either may determine us.

If by a
beft,

judgment

we

think unlawful pleafure

then

we

fin.

If by a juft

diffidence
pleafure,

of ourfelves, we examine, and then renounce this

are virtuous.

we

All thofe

who are criminal

think

at the inftantof commifllon, all things confidered, fin a leffer

evil,

than the pain they would

;

fuffer,
is,

and the dangers they

and hence it Is

would incurr by not finning

tate judgment that fin
is

that

they think by a precipi-

better than fufFering;

at firft

that

all

moral evil was derived

this

from

error.

But before
to examine.

they followed

judgment, and
paflion, they

let

themfelves be blinded
real

and hurry'd on by
3tio.

had a

power

Some

will fay that lapfed beings are not capable at all

times of comparing, examining, and judging; becaufe their

underftanding

may

be fo darken'd, their will fo precipitated,

fo filled

and the capacity of the mind

with the prefent

object:,

that they cannot flop their bent to pleafure, nor fee obje<5ts In their true light.
fully

This we grant; we

fiiall

afterwards explain

how the original corruption of our nature has very much

it

diminiihed freedom, but

has not entirely deflroyed it.

We

are born enflaved to fin,

and captivated by
of life,

falfe felf-love;

but what

is

wanting to nature may be fupply'd by a conftant

light,

application to the divine fource

fuperlor, fupernatural force
Is

and love. This

refufed to none, as

we have alUnl-

ready fiiown, and as

verfal grace
*

we

ftiall

demonftrate hereafter.

enlightens every

Its diffufive rays,

hke thofe

man that comes into the world.* of the fun, may be feen by all

Ee

2i8
thofe that

OF THE PROPERTIES BookIIL

do not fhut
their eyes, or hide themfelves in a caall

vern, immers'd in fenfe, or are fo habituated to

fions

the impref-

of vice and and

paflion, that they never turn their intellec-

tual views

defires to this divine light,

nor implore its fuc-

cours.

Thus

they contract inveterate habits of evil, and then

by

cow^ardice they call impoflible

what

is

very

difficult,

and

deny

that they can vanquifh their paffions, becaufe they will

at the pains to

not be

combat them.
it

But

if

they had true

if

courage of mind or would demand

from on high,

they

would fhunthe occafions of indulging

nifh

their appetites, dimi-

by degrees their commerce with

themfelves to a
life

terreftrial obje(n:s,accuf-

tom

of reflection, and walk

fee that

in the divine to

prefence, they
firft

would foon
is

what appears
difficult,

them

at

impoflible,

only

at firft

very

then

lefs fo,

and and

by

degrees eafy.

Thus human life

is

a continual warfare,

thofe

who

will not

combat can never vanquifh.

is

4to. Others will fay that freedom

divine prefcience.

impoffible becaufe

of

1 his attribute of the deity fuppofes

that all

things future will certainly exift in the fame time, order, and

circumftances, in which they are forefeen, and nootherwife.

For

if things future
is,

were contingent, indetermined and un-

certain, that

might or might not be, their infallible futurity

could not be the obje<n:of the divine prefcience; it being a contradidion to

know that
we

as certain

which

is

only poffible and

not certain.
I anfwer, that
trine

have already confuted

this falfe

doc-

of prefcience by fhowing, yea demonftrating, that

God

never forefees the free determinations of intelligent beings

but

as fimply

contingent and poffible.

We muft therefore

BookIII.
either

of finite beings.
true doctrine

219
this falfe opi-

abandon the

of liberty, or

nion about prefcience; for to pretend to reconcile thefe two

is a contradiflion in terms.

5to.The
nofifts

fifth

objection againft liberty

Is

that of the Spi-

and Naturalifls, who confound the elTcnce of the creator with that of the creature, and the adlionof the one with that of the other. Spinofa maintains that the foul is merely
paflive with regard not
its

only to

all its fenfations,

but

as to all

ideas; that we are hurried

and choice, by the idea

fation

on invincibly to every aflion, will of intelle<5tual pleafure, or by the fen-

of corporeal delight; that this double deledlation enchains us alternately, hinders us from perceiving the neceflity of our choice, and moves us fo agreeably that
ourfelves free, while

we
;

believe

we

are invincibly determined

that

we

chufe always neceflarily even particular good in every inftance, becaufe the mind entirely paffive, can think of no other good, but that
choice,

which
all

prefents itfelf in the

moment of

and

In fine that

our anions are only fpontaneous

or voluntary and not

free.
is

I anfwer that this fyftem

founded upon a combination

of falfe

principles

=pofes (i), that

which we have already overturned. ItfupGod wills as neceffarily the exiftence of all
their effence (2);

things, as

he knows

that all things flow

from him by
fes

way of emanation, and fo

are

modes or hypodanot only forefees

of the divine fubftance (3); that

God

as inevitable, but foreordains every thing future (4) ; that there

(i)Prop.
of Prop.
rollaries.

XVI and XXII. (2) Cor. 2. of Prop. IV compared XV. (3) Prop. XXVIII and XXXI. (4) Prop. XXIII

with Cor.

r.

and

its

Co-

Ee

220
IS

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

real
all

III.

no

agent in nature, as no real fubftance, but God alone;

things happen neceJfTarily

and therefore that

by an unin-

terrupted chain of caufes and effefts

ther fucceflively

which produce each o-

and

neceflarily.

In oppofition to thefe fb-

phifmswe have already demonftrated (i),that the knowledge

as well as the exiftence

of things

finite, is entirely free,

prewill

carious,

and dependent upon the arbitrary thought and

infinite (2); that nature
dillincft

of the abfolute
fcd

produced

is

compo-

of fubftances

the intelligent

from the producing caufe (3); that images of the deity are effentially aftive and
and
efTential

free (4)5 that this natural aclivity

finite intelligences is neither limited

freedom of

nor deftroy'd by any in-

fallible prefcience,

or predeterminating decrees, nor by any

refulting

fatal fuccefTion

of events
and

from the nature of fecond

of the pious Fa-

caufes.

6to.
talifts

The

fixth

lafl obje<5tion Is

that
fay if

and

rigid Predeftinarians.

They

men were really

endow'dwith fuch a magnificent power as freedom, then they

might be authors of their
tion

own

happinefs, determine the acthat they are the only fources

God in them, and vaunt of their own felicity.

of

I anfwer that freedom confifls In a power to confent to

or diffent from, to receive or rejeft the adion of objects, and

not in a power to produce their luminous and beatifying influences.

Liberty in
call

this fenfe is

only what the modern phiefficient caufe; as

lofophers

an occafional and not an

and XXII.
-

the

(0 Prop. XVI
of Prop. XV.
rollaries.

(2) Cor. 2. of Prop.

IV compared

with Cor. i
its]

(3) Prop.

XXVIII and XXXI.

(4) Prop. XXIIJ and

Cq-

Book
du(n:ive

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.

221

opening of the eye is only an occafion of feeing, and not pro-

of light.
its

not operate

The creature can only co-operate with, and own felicity. Now can a beggar be vain behand
to receive the alms given

caufe he ftretches out his

all

him?

thefe fophifmsare only fubterfuges by which the Predefti-

narians vainly endeavour to juftify their notions of abfolute

decrees and efficacious graces, as wefhallfhow hereafter.

COR.
Hence freedom is not an
fonable natures. Reafon

I.

arbitrary Gift

of God as Bayle

faysjbut a neceffary/infeparable adjund:of our intelligent,reais

comparing, examining, judging:

now from
good good

this

power flows the power of willing, chufingand

which
is
;

preferring one objeft to another,

freedom.
but
all

We love

in general, or happinefs necelTarily

particular

freely ; becaufe

we may

ilill

think of another good far

fuperlor to

any determinate one, and fo find a reafon ofpre-

ferring the greater to the lefFer.

COR.
Hence freedom does not
ourfelves without

II.

confift in a
at all.

power

to determine

any reafon

To chufe thus would be

capricious fancy, and not a true perfection.

liberately

We

never
this

a<5l

deis

without fome motive or reafon; and

motive

always real or apparent good.

COR.
Hence freedom
fufpend our choice
befl:

III.

far lefs confifts in a

power

to prefer

what

appears the worft to what appears the befb but in a power to

till

we have examined

if what
beft,

appears the
or

be really fo or not.

The view

of the

what ap-

pears to us fuch, always determines us necefTariiy in the ac-

222
.

OF THE PROPERTIES
:

Book

III.

tual

moment of choice but antecedently

ftill

to this

moment, wc

have

a real,

intrinfic,

inherent, immediate, unchained

to us beft be really fo

power of examining,
ned.

if

what appears

or not, and of fufpending our choice

till

we have

thus exami-

COR.
Hence freedom
is

IV.

a purely admiflive faculty

and no ways

productive of the obje6ls that a6l

upon

us.

We are very oft

;

entirely pajflive as to the impreflion

of thefe objects

but

al-

ways
to

free to refled

upon and compare

thofe imprefTions.

We

are not always free to feel; but we are always free to confent

what we

feel.

We are not always

free to reje6l

wholly the

involuntary fenfations, ftrong imaginations, and violent imprefTions obje(fls excite in us; but

we

are always free to ad-

here to them, to correfpond with them, and to difavow them,

or to indulge them, to expofe ourfelves to their aftion, to live

within the fphcre of their
defire,
a<n:ivity,

to fortify in ourfelves the

union and love of them, or to Ihun the occafions that

expofe us to their influences.

COR.
Hence,
ral liberty,
it

V.

tho' original

fm has very much impair'd our natuof corruption diminifh

not and can never be totally delife.

and

tho' inveterate habits

it is

more and more, yet

ftroyed during this mortal

Tho' of ourfelves we cannot

do any fupervirtue;

vanquifli our paflions, refift violent temptations,

natural good, orpraftife

any divine

yet

we

have

al-

ways

prcfent and at

hand

a fuperiour, foreign, adventitious,

refift all

fupernatural force,
fcnfe, paflion

by which we can

the efforts

of

and fclf-love,by degrees vanquifli them, and be-

Book
come
ting,

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
we
are faithful to

223

God's unlverfal prevenpurely gratuitous favours which are refufed to none,

is

truly juft. If

what

at firft difficult will

become
'

lefs fo,

then eafy, and in

fine natural to the

new man

that

God
VI.

creates in us,' if we co-

operate with his fan<n:ifying operations.

COR.
Hence
tho' the devout

and

rigid Predeftinarians

admit
it
;

li-

berty in appearance, yet in

cWed they

really deftroy

fmce
as

they maintain that

God fees all our

God

moral determinations
;

infallibly future in his abfolute decrees

that pleafure

is

the

only fpring of the will; that

gives a celeftial delea:atiit

on
fect
al

to a little

number, and refufes

to all others

by an

ef-

of his arbitrary

will; that the alternate returns

of celefti-

or

terreftrial delectation

prevent us Inevitably, and deterthis phyfical

mine us

infallibly; that

without

premotion

we

have power to do good, in no other fenfe than a

leap Into a furnace,

man

has to

throw himfelf down

a precipice, or pull
all

out his eyes without any motive.

This do^rlne deftroys

freedom; for it
fes

is

abfolutely Impoffible, that a man in his fenfire,

can throw himfelf deliberately Into the

leap

down

precipice, or pull out his eyes without

any reafon. Freedom,

does not confift In a mechanical power to a6l without reafon but in a power, either natural or fupernaas
faid,
;

we have

of examining, and then chufing what we think the moft reafonable and the befl.
tural, firft

224

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

IIL

PROPOSITION
The fimple pi<5lures of the
terial univerfe is

XXXII.
ma-

deity, or the

not one, fingle, individual, indibut a compound of innumedivifible fubftances.

vifible fubftance;

rable, diftin^t,

and

DEMONSTRATION.
Matter exifts by extenfion ordiffufion of parts (a); every
fubftance that exiftsby diffufion of parts,
is

not only ideally,

but really

divifible (b):

whatever

is

divifible is

compounded
divifible fub-

of parts;

that
:

is,

of innumerable,

diftind,

and

ftances (c)

therefore the fimple pictures of the deity, or the

is

material univerfe,

not one,

fingle, individual fubftance,

diftinft,

but

compound of innumerable,

and

divifible fubftan-

ces.

SCHOLIUM.
Since

we

have already demonftrated that matter

it is

is

not the

fame with fpace; that

in fine that
it

a fubftance and not a property ;

;

and
e-

exifts

by extenfion or diffufion of parts

it is

vident from the idea and nature of an extended fubftance,

that
it is

figurablc, divifible,

and moveable; and therefore

it is

not one,

fingle, indivifible fubftance,

but a compound of in-

numerable

different fubftances tho' perhaps contiguous,

It
is

and

homogeneous.

capable of infinite forms, divifions and

motions, no one of which taken feparately, as the points and

(a) Cor.
3

of Prop. VIII.

(b)

Lemma

of Prop. VIII.

(c) Cor. 2. of the

Lmma of

Prop. VIII.

Book
lines

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
fo each individual fpecies

225

of a

pi<flure,

reprefent the original; but the totality ta-

ken together;
tures

of the material

pic-

do not reprefent the great archetype, but the

totality

taken together

may manifeft

his infinite

power, wifdom and

goodnefs,by their Imprefled forces, artful compofitlons, and

beautiful forms, asfhall be explained hereafter.

This then

is

one of the moft and the

^ngle,

eflential differences

betwixt the living Images,

is

(implepiiflures.

Every individual of the former

one

uncompounded monade or
divine perfections

fubftance, reprefentative
intelligence
is

of the
and
(6:

by

its effential acfllvlty,

love.
it is

Whereas every atom of the fimple

totality,

pictures

not

only the

fymmetry and compofltion of the

whole, that adumbrate the divine power, wifdom, and goodnefs.

This property of matter demonflrates evidently that the

fimple pi(5lures are not, and cannot be intelligent; for fince

matter

is

not one fimple fubflance ; but a compound of Innudiflin6l, tho'

it

merable fubftances, really

telligent

contiguous;

if the in-

image in us were corporeal,

little

would be compofed of

innumerable

Intelligences, that could

no more commudifferent per-

nicate with each other, than the fouls

fbns.

of fundry

Thus what one part knows would be unknown to another: we could not compare nor unite our ideas, fo as to make propofitions, nor thefe propofitions, fo as to form arguments, nor thefe arguments, fo as to compofe one continu-

ed

difcourfe.

All the operations of comparing, uniting, and

in-

compounding our ideas,fuppofe therefore one, individual,

Moreover,

diviflble,felf-confcious effencejthat is,an immaterial fubflance.

we

hear, fee, tafle, touch

and fmell by

five diffe-

Ff

226
.

OF THE PROPERTIES Book III.

all

rent organs; and thefe fenfatlons are as different, as the or-

gans themfelves; yet they are

united in the fame fubjeft,

which compares them, judges of them and difHnguifhes betwixt them.

Now this could not be, if the foul was material

all

for in that cafe

parts

thcfe fenfations
is,

would
little

reflde in different

of matter, that

in different

fubftances, diftinc^
it

from, and

unknown

to each other;

and fo

would be imun-

pofTible to compare, unite

lefs

and judge of

thefe perceptions,

we

fuppofe

them communicated by

thefe organs to

one

fimple, individual, and indivifiblc fubftance. (a)

By the
loving.
is

fame principle

it is

clear, that the

fimple pictures,

or material fubflances are incapable of willing, defiring, and

Whatever

is

unintelligent cannot will; fince willing

to an object becaufe

the tendency
it;

of the foul

of the good

perceived in

wherever there is no perception, there can be

no volition. For the fame

:

reafon, the fimple pi<5lures arc incapable

volition, there

of

freedom fince wherever there is no

free volition.
Spirits are

can be no

moved

freely

by fome reafon that

perfuades them; bodies are pufh'd neceffarily by an, impelling force unperceived, unfelt

and unknown
depends

aflion of the

moving caufe

in fpirits

The upon their own

to them.

confent, becaufe of their innate activity,

by which they
foreign

can turn themfelves

to,

or from the obje<n:s that zCt upon

them.

The

aftion of the

moving

caufe in bodies

is

to them, and independent of them; becaufe being entirely

paflive, unintelligent,
(a)

and incapable of
by Dr. Clarke

volition,

and

free-

See this argument fully purfued

againfl

Dodwell upon the

immateriality of the foul.

BookIII.
dom, they
lent caufe.

of finite beings.
receive invincibly the impreflion

227
of the impel-

In one word, the

intelligent images are felf-mo-

ving, whereas the fimple pictures are only moveable.

COR.
Hence
the fimple pidure
is

I.

incapable of intelligence,felf^

confcioufnefs,

and reafon.

It

can neither
;

know

itfelf

nor

its

original, its effence or modalities

its

properties, or relations.

G o R.

II.

Hence

the fimple pictures are incapable of volition, for

all

whatever is unintelligent cannot will; for

willing, defiring

or loving fuppofes the perception of fome good real or apparent.

COR.
Hence
free;
it

III.

follows alfo that the fimple pictures cannot be

fince, as

we have fhown, freedom

refults

from the naobje(5l:s,

ture

of the underftanding that can compare

different

and from the nature of the will, that can be moved by a double motive, perfeftion feen, or pleafure felt. Now where there
is

neither intelligence nor will, there can be

no freedom.

PROPOSITION
The fimple
tive.

XXXIII.

piftures

of the

deity, or material
elfentially ac-

fubftances, are not

and cannot be

DEMONSTRATION.
Matter in
reft is as

much

matter as matter in motion (a)

elfential properties (b): there-

ho being can exift without its

(a) Ax. 6. of this book,
.

(b) Ax. 7 of the fame,

Ff

228

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

a<51:ive.

IIL

fore the fimple pictures of the deity, or material fubftances,

are not efTentially

SCHOLIUM.
As
fo
a fimple pi<5lure, ftatue or reprefentation, has
it,

nofpon-

taneous motion in

and cannot move unlefs

;

it

be moved;

motion

is

not eflential to matter and

it

cannot move unlefs

its infinite
it.

caufe

communicate

force,

aftivity

and motion to
fince,

The
we

idea

of matter does not include that of force,

matter in
reft is as

as

have

faid,

much

matter as matter in

motion.

No materialift has ever yet dared to affirm, that the

for then
abfolutely impoffible to conceive or to fuppofe

idea of matter includes neceffarily that of motion;

it

would be

matter in

reft,

which

is

abfurd.

Moreover

if

motion were

ef-

fential to matter,

then fome particular dire^ion or determi-

nation of motion would be effential to matter; fince itisim-

pofRbleto conceive motion without fome particular direfllon:

but no particular

dire(n:ion is effential to

matter; for if there

were but one atom in nature, it would notof itfelf move naturally

and

neceffarily to the right rather than to the left,

down-

wards rather than upwards, or any one way more than another; and a tendency to

move every way

at once, could pro-

duce nothing but an eternal reft.Matter then of itfelf is purely

paflive;
it
it

would remain for ever in an eternal

inaftion, unlefs

were moved by fome foreign agent.

This was what gave

the

Greek

philofophers, and efpecially the fchool of Pytha-

goras and Anaxagoras the firftidea of a fubftance diftin^l from

matter; that

was

felf-moving, aftive

by

effence,

and the pri-

mitive fource of

all

motion, which they called

ajp^>J ouCtoyJ-

Book
pyjTYi,

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
Is

229
betwixt the

This then

another

eflential difference

living images

and thefimple

pi^ftures:

the former, as

we

fhall

ihow, may
bility
:

fall

into a fpiritual lethargy, inaftlon and infenfi-

but Co foon as they awaken from this deep fleep, they

can turn to their proper obje<^s,feel their operations, and tend to them freely. Bodies tho' difengaged from allfurroundinoobftacles,

would remain in an

eternal reft, unlefs pufhed

by an

external force.SpIrits
their true objects,

on the contrary, fo foon as they perceive move to them naturally; the obftacles that
fatiate their natural defire

hinder'd their perception being removed, they tend of themfelves to

whatever can

of felicity;

yea they can

fes

make

a choice

among the feveral

obje(5lsor cauattributes^
divi-

of this

felicity.

We know

no other inherent
pufh'd

powers, or capacities in matter but thofe of figurability,

fibility,

and mobility; of moving where

leaft refiftance,

it is

of going
when.

where there is the

it is

andof ftanding

ftill

flopped.

C O R.

I.

Hence we have
ties

new demonftration

that matter
all

is

inca^

pable of thought, volition and freedom; for

thefe proper-

fuppofe adion, activity, and a felf-moving power, and Co

is

cannot belong to a fubftance that

entirely pafllve.

COR.
Hence
that
all

II;.

the inherent, elfential, natural tendencies, In-

clinations,fympathies,attra6tions,repulfions,

and a<n:ive powers

fome

attribute to matter,and that

cannot be explained by

mechanical caufcs, are purely chimerical.

prefTed qualities, they cannot

They muft be imbe effential properties. The

contrary opinion tends vifibly to fpiritualize extended fub-

230
ftances,

OF THE PROPERTIES
and to
inveft

Book

III.
li-

them with

all

the properties of the

ving images.

COR.
Hence
In a ftate

III.

of pure and exalted nature, the material

pictures could not refift the divine action, nor hinder the ex-

ecution of God's almighty defigns in creating them.

entirely pafTive

Being
deviate,

android of freedom, they could not

thelaw^s, motions, directions

of themfclves, from
given

and forms

them by the author of nature. Wherefore if any change

to

happen

them,

it

mufl:

be in confequence of fome imprefled

force altogether foreign to them.

From
this

the feven preceeding propofitions demonftrated in

book,
are

we may draw

the following general corollaries,

in philofophy

which
gy-

of wonderful ufe both

and theolo-

I.

GENERAL COROLLARY.
the
five {pecific

Hence we have
terial,

differences betwixt
exifl:

ma-

and immaterial fubftances. (i) Bodies

in (pace

by

diffufion

of parts ; whereas fpirits

in imitation

of God exifl
fingle,
dif-

without diffufion or extenfion. (2) Bodies are not one

indivifible fubftance,
tinfl,

but a

compound of innumerable,
;

and

divifible fubftanccs

even tho' contiguous or cohe-

rent; whereas fpirits arc fingle,

fible fubftanccs.

uncompounded, and
pi<n:ures that

indivi-

(3) Bodies are fimple

have no

knowledge of their modifications, nor of their almighty caufe;

fpirits are living

images, capable of

knowing themfelves and

are entirely pafintelligent na-

their all-wife original.

five,

(4) Bodies
elTential

by nature

but

a<n;ivity is

an

property of

all

Book
tures.

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
fine,

231

(5) In
;

bodies are pufh'd necefTarlly

fpirits

by an Imfpirit

pelling caufe

whereas

can

refill:

or confent freely to

the a<5tion of objects thatfollicite them. Wherefore

may

be defin'd
*

'

an unextended, uncompounded,

indivifiblc, in-

telligent, a<ftive

fubftance that can determine itfelf freely;*

*

body on the contrary is an extended, compounded,

'
*

divifible,

unintelligent, paflive fubftance, that follows necelfarily the

impulfe of the moving caufe.'

11.

GENERAL COROLLARY.
fpirit

Hence body and

ftances

cannot be only two diftin^

indivi-

duals of the fame fpecies

of

fubftance.
;

They muft
and

be fub-

of quite different kinds fince their

effential properties

are diametrically oppofite, incompatible

contradicHiory

fuch asextenfion and non-extenfion;

fibility; infenfibility

divifibility

and indivine-

and perception ;paflivity and

acflivity;

cefTity

and freedom.
foul

To demonftrate the
it is

effential

diii:in(5li-

on betwixt
properties

and body,

not fufticient to prove that the

are different; or that they
it is

of

thefe

two beings

do

not fuppofe or include each other:

fophifm to fay that

matter cannot think becaufe the idea of extenfion does not

infer that

of intelligence.

We might prove in the fame manIt

ner that matter cannot move, becaufe the idea of extenfion

does not include that of motion.

that intelligence

muft be further fliown

and extenfion
;

are incompatible, oppofite or

contrary properties
different fubftances,

and therefore that they muft belong to

and to fubftances of quite different kinds.

232
Ill

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

III.

GENERAL COROLLARY.
who Imagine
that the fouls
voli-

Hence
of hearts
tion,
is

the opinion of all thofe,

are material,

and yet capable of fenfatlon and

:

altogether unphilofophical, nay dangerous

for if cer-

tain portions

of matter ranged

in certain forms,

and moved

witli certain velocities

were capable of thought, fenfation and

reafoning in an inferior degree, tlien other portions of matter

with fuperior forms, forces, and

velocities,

might be ca-

pable of thoughts, fenfations and reflexions in a fuperior degree.

Thus our fouls might be

This
is

material.

Yea by new modifi-

cations

of matter and motion, innumerable orders of fplrits

not all: by complicating and perforces,

might be formed.
fefting the forms,

augmenting the

and

velocities

of

matter,

God

hlmfclf might be material; and his effenceane-

thereal fluid.

Thus therafh doMne of material fouls in beafls

tends at laft to impiety.

GENERAL SCHOLIUM.
Thus by joining their corollaries, we
trine

the feven preceeding propofitions, and

have a

full

confutation of

all

the doc-

of the and

materialifts.

They

pretend that tho' perception,

reafon,

volition be not effentlal to matter; yet they

may

be the

effects

of certain portions of matter

in a particular

figured, divided,
is

mov'd and organiz'd

abfurd. All that
is

manner. Nothing

more

produced in matter by

figure, divifionand

motion

is

only a change of form, bulk, or place.

is

Now in-

telligence

not change of form; nor reafoning change of

Book IIL

OF FINITE BEINGS.

233

magnitude, nor volition change of place.

The change of form,

bulk and place in organized or unorganiz'd bodies does not

alter the intimate eiTence
^

of

things,

and therefore can never

fuperadd to them a new, quite diflimilar quality, or reality

they had not before.

telligence
it is
is

We have already demonftrated

that in-

a perfeftion,

and non-intelligence a defed. Now

infenfible before organization,

not only unconceivable, but abfolutely impofUble, that

is

what

unintelligent
intelligent

and

can

become

and felf-confcious by organization; fince

organization does not alter the nature and eiTence of things.

A mafs of numberlcfs,
fore

fubtile, invifible

and unintelligent po-

lygones, fpheres, cylinders, elliptoids, pyramids, or any other

infinitely fmall folids, fuch as all fluids mufl: be,

cannot there-

become

intelligent, felf-confcious,

and rational by flow-

ing into the channels or tubes of organiz'd bodies.

The

materialifts will

perhaps fay that metaphyfical reafofa(n:s,

nings can never deflroy phyfical

ence; that

and conftant experidifpofitions

we

feel every

day how much the

of

the body influence thofe of the

mind

that the liveHnefs

of

our thoughts and perceptions depends upon the quicker or

flower motions of the animal
led or In a deep
fpirits;

that perfons half-ftrang-

fwoon, declare upon their recovery that they

felf-confcioufnefs.

had no thought, perception, nor

all

From

this

they concKide, that upon the extinction of animal

hfe, they will have nc^fenfation, perception, or Intelligence,

fince thefe

depend

entirely

upon organiz'd matter.

place, that this fliows that the

imo.
foul

anfwer in the

firfl:

and body are united, but not that they

as well fay, that the art, fcicnce,

are one.

We
of a

might

and

intelligence

Gg

234
mufician
lies

OF THE PROPERTIES
entirely In theftrlngs or pipes
is

Book

III.

of hisinftrumentsJ

becanfc his knowledge

as they are

more or

lefs

confpicuous according
is

more or

lefs

tun'd.

The

comparifon

perfectly

jiift,and therefore the

iicial

contrary fophifm can only dazzle fuperto diiHnguifli

minds that have no accuracy and acutenefs

betwixt union and unity; that miflake appearances for realities,

and take

effects for caufcs.

2 do.

We have already fhown that the foul by a fufpenfion

a<51:ivity

of the divine
fcnfibillty

in

and upon

it,

may

fall

into a total in-

and inadion; and that

laps'd intelligences

may

for

a time be void of all thought, fenfation, and refleiftion: but

this fufpenfion

of their powers, does not prove the annihila-

tion

of

their elTence.

The

fuperior faculties

of degraded,

difeafed, fallen fpirits

may be

fo darkened, fhut

up and ob-

Itru^led, that

they can have no communication, but with ma-

terial objects;

and therefore when the corporeal organs are

as in a

ftopt or derang'd,

fwoon and

after half-ftrangling,
;

they can have no fenfations, nor reflections

but

this does

not argue, that if the union betwixt foul and body had been
entirely dilTolved, they

would not have awakened

into ano-

ther

ftate,

wherein they would have been miferableor happy;

themfelves, and felt the juft, natural, and

known God and

neceffary confequences of their virtues or vices.

This

life is

a kind of dream, fleep or lethargy, wherein the moft exalted

minds are darkned, weakned and fick, or

red to the true exercife of their

at lead:

not refto*

intelle<ftual fun<5tions.

We
and and

ought not therefore

perfections

to judge

of the

properties, powers,
re-cftablilhed,

of the foul in a recovered,

Book

III.
ftate,

OF FINITE BEINGS.
that befall
it

235
in a flate

healthful
ficknefs,

by the fyrnptoms depravation, and malady.

of

Mr. Locke
cide whether

therefore pronounced too haftlly (a) that

we

do not know enough of the intimate efTence of things

to de-

God

cannot communicate thought to certain

I

portions of matter.
intimate efTence

anfwer that tho'

of things,

we do not know the yet we know fufficiently their at-

tributes to decide

about and determine their differences.

is

Wc

know that matter

divifion

an extended fubflrance capable of figure,

it

and motion, and confequently that

;

is

not one,

fingle, individual fubflance

but a compound of innumerable

fubftanccs, that are as really diftin^l, even tho' contiguous, as

if they

were feparated

at the greatefl: diflance.

Now
of

it is

ab-

folutely impoflible that a numberlefs multitude

different,

independent, unintelligent atoms can

al,

make up one

individuindividivi-

indivifible

and felf-confcious efTence; or that one

fible felf-confcioufnefs,
fible
it
is

can be made up of innumerable,

and independent felf-confcious particles: and therefore

as abfurd to fuppofe that

omnipotence

itfelf can

unite

thefe oppofite qualities in the fame fubftance, as to fuppofe

that he can

make

a triangular circle, or a fpherical cube.Thefe

ideas are contradictory

and incompatible.

We are however
real defign

very far from

fulpe<5ting that

Locke had any

of e-

ftablifhing materialifm: but his philofophy being very oft

founded upon popular obfervations, and

without afcending to
to be applied by bad
alifm,
firfl

fenfible experience,

principles, his

confequences are apt

men by

turns to

all forts

of fyftems,

ide-

and materialifm, Spinofifm and deifm, religion and

Locke upon human underflanding, chap.
3.

in-

(a) See

Book IV.

Gg

23^

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

fometimes he feems to pull

III.

.credulity; fo that

down

with one

hand, what he builds up with another.

Thus the
either deny,

Materialifts,

and

all

their difguifedpartifanSjmun:
Idealifts, that

with Spinofa and the

matter

is

real, finite, divifible, flgurable, moveable fubftance; deftroy

thereby

its

elTence,

and reduce it

to the idea

of

infinite fpace; elTenti-

or grant that thought, reafon, and volition cannot be

al attributes

of matter, nor
it

efFe<5ls

of

its

modifications, nor

qualities

fuperadded to

by almighty power.
fyf^

Thus we hope we
tern

have overturned the unreafonable

of the

materialifts,

by fhowing
both by

that

God can

reprefent

his perfections externally

pictures,

living images

and by fimple

which

are quite different fubftances.

The nume-

rous, beautiful truths that flow

from

this

fublime principle

could never have been fo

eafily

difcoveredor demonftrated as

by the gradation of
litions,fcholiums

ideas contained in the foregoing propo-

and corollaries. All the other proofs are lame

and

imperfe<51:,

becaufe they are not deduced from, nor re-u-

nited in the fame great principle.

fute the doftrine

We proceed now
who
maintain that

to con-

of the

idealifls,

God

is

the immediate author of all the fenfations, and perceptions

we

have of material objects; that extenfion, figure and motion,

like colours, taftes

and founds, are mere fenfations of the

real external exiftence;

mind, that have no

there
is

and

in fine that

no

third fubflance called matter, betwixt

God

and

fi-

nite fpirits.

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
OF

237

LEMMA
The Ideas,
us

PROPOSITION

XXXIV.

fenfatlons,

and perceptions we have

of corporeal and
vine perfeflions.

fenfible obje<5ts very often turn

away from the contemplation and love of the di-

SCHOLIUM.
This
Is

evident

by unlverfal experience. The defire

fenfible pleafures
is

to fliun

fenfible pains,
all

and to enjoy

the fource of

the errors and crimes in the world.

None

can doubt of

this

but fuch as deny that there are any fuch things as truth
virtue.

and

Now
all

as the IdeaHlts

whom we are
irreligion,

going to com-

bat, are far

from maintaining fuch maxims, and have afacred

immorality and they cannot re-

horror agalnft

jed: this great principle.

PROPOSITION
God
matter.
is

XXXIV.
all

not the immediate author of

the

ideas, fenfatlons,

and perceptions we have of

DEMONSTRATION.
God
could not without any reafon produce immediately
in finite intelligences a perpetual feries

of

ideas, fenfatlons,

and perceptions that frequently turn them off from the contemplation and love of the divine perfections (a); the ideas,
fenfatlons,

and perceptions we have of material objeds

XXIV.

fre-

(a) Cor.4. of Prop

238

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

away from

III.

q.uently turn us

the contemplation and love of the

divine perfc(^ions (a): therefore

God

is

not the immediate

author of all the ideas, fenfations, and perceptions

we

have

of matter.

SCHOLIUM.
The idealifts will fay that
againft

the fame objection

a(5lion
;

may be made

God's continuing the

of material objects up-

on, and their union with

fpirits

fince this ferves very oft to

is

corrupt and degrade them.

I anfwer that there

a great dif-

ference betwixt the two fyftems.

that

We fhall fhow very

where we
one

foon,

we

are at prefent in a degenerate ftate,

are for

wife reafonsfubjedted to pain and pleafure by ourphyfical u-

nion with material nature.

We

fuffer the

as a punifh-

ment,
exile;

we may

ufe the other as an innocent mitigation

of our

audit depends upon us to make a good ufe of both;

at leaft to dimlnifh, all

yea to fufpend,or

commerce with fuch

that

corporeal objects, as can turn us off from the contemplation

and

love

of truth and

virtue.

But to fuppofe

God

is

the

immediate author of all the impure imaginations, voluptuous

fenfations,

and tormenting perceptions that expofe the mind and depravation,

to

to corruption

moral and phyfical

evil, is

true Manicheifm.

This perpetual production of ideas, per-

ceptions and fenfations

rity,] uftlce
fical

would be unworthy of the

divine pu-

and goodnefs, unlefs there were

fouls,

real bodies, a

phy-

union betwixt them and

and fuch a conftitution

in nature ef]:abllfhed,that both a6l mutually

upon each

other.

Moreover,
(a)

if there

were no external bodies, andif wehad

By preceeding Lemma.

BookIII.
no
real bodies

of finite beings.
of our own, to what purpofe
as if

239^
this continual

fucceffion

of ideas,

we

had?

why

does the invincible

delufion

laft?

why thefe pains

that feem to be occafioned

by

the action of noxious bodies upon us?

why thofepleafures that

depend upon an apparent application of our organs to external objects? why that order and connexion betwixt our ideas

and

fenfations,

which

fuppofesftill

an organiz'd body,and oblanguage of men

is

je6ts acting

upon

it? all

the

common

nondoes

fenfe

and

folly .A

fword does not pierce the bowels;

all thefe

fire

not confume our members;

nary:

appearances are imagi-

we have nobodies
againft.

to preferve: there are

no bodies
and
figure,

to
ar-

guard

Why then did God make this

of
fize
all

ufelefs

bitrary conne(5lion betwixt the ideas

and

and

the fenfations of pain and pleafure?

nature becomes a phan-

tom, a mere delufion, a

ideas.

falfe

appearance; there is nothing but

is

This fyflem therefore

and wifdom,

equally oppofite to God's e-

ternal truth
nefs.

as alfo to his fan6tity

and good-

The

learned Doftor Berkeley (a) from a fincere and a pimaterialifls,

is

ous zeal againfl the abfurd fyftem of the

the

only modern author

we know

that has ventured to

deny not

only the

real exiftence

of bodies, but even the

thus,
'

poffibility

of

their creation.
'

He reafons
called

There

are in matter

two
for-

forts

of qualities,

primary and fecondary.

The

* *
*

mer

are extenfion, figure, divifion,

tailes, fmells,

motion andfolidity.

The
All

other are colours,

founds and touches.

philofophers grant that the latter are only fenfations of the

mind, which have no

reality

without us.

It

is

eafy to prove

(a) See his dialogues betwixt Hylas and Philonous.

240
*"

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

There
is

III.

that the former are fo too.

nothing In nature ab-

fokitcly great or fmall, flow or fwift, plain or angular, really fcparated or perfe6lly united,

hard or

foft:

but all are one

or t'other relatively to our organs; for if we had other fenfes differently

tafte

conformed,

we would

fee

them,

feel

them,

them, fmell them, hear them quite differently from

what we do now.
pears to us
foft,
little,

Other animals

fee that great

which apwhat we

fwift

what feems

flow, hard

what we call

agreeable

what we think

difagreeable, fweet

look upon as

bitter,

and love what

to us

is

noxious.

Now

'

fince fize, figure, motion, divifion,

tinually

and

folidity

change con-

'

upon every

alteration in the diflance,

medium, and
appears to us.

organs of fenfation; there can be no determinate material

obje<ft

from without, that

is

exaftly fuch as

it

'

Wherefore there is nothing real in the obje(fts, like the primary qualities of matter, more than the fecondary; and
both are equally fcnfations of the mind.'
All the force of the Doctor's reafonings
lies

'

here.

There

is

nothing without us

like the precife figures, fizes,

;

and moti-

ons which we perceive within therefore there

al

is

no materi-

fubftance exiflcnt.

The

conclufion does not appear jufl.

Tho'

there were nothing in material obje(5ts perfedly the

fame with theparticularfigures,fizes,and motions we perceive

with the naked eye, yet
is it

does not thence follow that there

fpirit,

and can be no fubflance diflind from

that produces

in us thefe fenfations,

and that

is

in itfelf extended, iigurable

and moveable.
;

Tho'

there be in nature

no

abfolute magni-

tude tho' the fame bodies appear fmall or great,fwift or flow,

plain or angular, united or porous according to the different

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
we
no
real fubftance

141

organs by which
that there
is

perceive them; yet this does not prove,

without

us, betwixt

whofe ex-

tremities, there

is

a real diilance, which

may

receive different

forms, be tranfported from place to place, and be divided into feveral equal parts.
difications

Moreover,

all

fenfations, ideas

and mo-

of the foul being

real, thefe

changes mufi: have a

real caufe,

which muft be material or Ipiritual, created or unDo(5tor does not pretend that
it is

created.

The
fhown

finite fpirits

that excite In us all thefe perceptions, but

God

alone:

we have

already

that the infinite

mind cannot be the immediand modifications; and

ate caufe

of thefe

ideas, fenfations

therefore there muft be a third fubftance betwixt

God and
diile-

human

fouls, that really a6ls

upon us

to

produce in us

rent fenfations, according to our different organs, ftates and

Situations.

No

doubt unfallen angels and

beatified fpirits fee

matter otherwife than we.

No doubt material nature re-eftaby the organs of our

glori-

blifhed will produce in our fouls

ous bodies quite other

thofe

ideas, fenfations

and perceptions than

we now have

but ftill there will be real matter, the caufe

and the objed of

and

their perceptions.

The

difference there-

fore of the fenfations produced according to the variation

-the organs
diftances,
is

of

no proof of the non-exiftence of

the obje(5t producing.

The

Doftor's miftakes proceed from his confounding the

ideas with the objefts, and the perceptions produced with the

caufe producing.
jeSis

Simple ideas as

we
it.

fhailfhow, are not obitfelf;

which the mind

it

perceives without
different

but modes prothere-

duced in

by objeds

from

The variations

fore of the modes, ideas, perceptions and fenfations, accor-

Hh

242

OF THE PROPERTIES
the non-exiftence of the object that

Book IIL
a<5ls

ding to the difference of the niedium,organs and diftanceSjis

no proof of

upon

us.

The fubtile Doctor proceeds in

futes moft ingcnioufly the

hisfccond dialogue to en-

quire into the true caufe of our ideas and fenfations.

He con-

Malcbranchian romance of occafi-

onalcaufes,and fhows clearly that the hypotheHs of fceingbodiesin God,raakes their creation ufelefs, as
llrate alfo very foon.

we

fhall

demon-

He goes on in the fame dialogue to fhow,

an occafion,
*

that as matter cannot be

fo

it

cannot be a fimple

inftrument of the divine operation:

*

for^ fays he,

an

inftru-

ment being an help made

formed by the mere
perfeft
fpirit,
acft

ufe

of

to

do

vi^hat

cannot be perall-

of the

will, to

fuppofe that an

upon whofe will all things have an immediate

is

and abfolute dependence, makes ufe of an inftnmient,

perfedly abfurd, and inconfiflent with the divine omnipotence.'

'

This argument proves too much, or

the immediate author not only of

it

proves nothing. It

deftroys the activity of fecond caufes, and fuppofcs that

is

God

all

the phyfical aftions,

but of all the moral determinations of created beings.

liberty
fins,
is

Thus
being?

deftroyed, and

God made the

fole caufc

of all the

and blafphemies of finite

fpirlts. It is true that all

have an immediate and abfolute dependence upon the divine

will
;

but

it is

abfolutely falfe that

all

aflicns have fuch an

immediate and abfolute dependence on the divine aftion.

Bodies arc not mere initruments, but
real agents
;

for,

as
Ha-

we
his

fhall

fhow very foon, God can communicate

as well as a real fubllancc diilind:

to his

ving images and fimple

pi(5turcs a real activity diflin^

from
owo.

own,

from

his

Book

IIL
exalts

OF FINITE BEINGS.
more

243

Nothing
produce

the ideas we have of the divine nature,

than to fnppofe that

all

God

has not only an infinite power to

that

is

poiTible,

and

all

that

is

compatible with his

a real activity

pcrfe6tions, but alfo that

to other beings.
farily to

he can communicate

The negation of this principle tends necefprove, that God is the only agent in nature and this
;

opinion leads naturally to Spinofim, becaufe

believe that

it

induces us to
Ihall

God

is

alfo the

only fubftance in nature; as

be fully unfolded In the next propofition.

The ingenious and

his third

learn'd

Doctor endeavours to prove

in

and

lafl:

dialogue, that

God

is

the immediate caufe,

;

and even theobjeft of all our

third fubftance betwixt

fenfations

and that there is no

God

and

finite fpirits,

which

as

wc
and
our

fuppofe

avfls
*

upon us when we
eternal,

perceive extcnfion, figure

motion.
*

The

omniprefent mind, fays he, which

things, exhibits

knows and comprehends all

them

to

view In fuch a manner, and according to fuch laws,

as

he

himfelf has ordained, and are by us called the laws of nature.

All things exilHn the divine mind from eternity.When

things are faid to begin or end their exiftencc,

we do

not

*
*

mean this with regard

God, but the creatures. All objecHis are eternally known by God, or which is the fame thing, have
to

an eternal exillcnce in

his

mind: but when things before im-

perceptible to created fpirits are by a decree of God made perceptible,

then they are faid to begin a

real exiftencc

with re-

'

fpe6t to created minds.

By creation therefore, nothing clfe can

bcunderftood, but that the fcveral parts of the world already

exiftent

from all eternity In the divine mInd,become gradually

perceptible to finite fpirits endued with proper faculties.

Hh

244
This
is

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

III.

the moft refined Spinofifm that ever was; forhere

the Doctor adopts three of thegreateft fundamental principles

of

that impious fcheme, (i)

The

identity

of ideas and

their

objefts; (2)

The coeternity

of thefe ideas

in the divine

mind,

and confequently
ufelcfTncfs

their confubftantiality

with

God

(3)

The

of creation.

We

have already demonftrated, (i)

that the archetypal ideas of things finite are quite different

from the
that

objects themfelves; (2) that ideas have an eternal

it

is

abfolutely falfe,

all finite

and neceffary exigence in

is

the divine mind; (3) that creation

folutely neceffary to explain the

not only poflible, but ab-

phenomena of nature proall

duced.

If this were not

fo,

a Spinofift might fay, fince

things have an eternal exigence in the divine mind, this muft

be true of fpirits

as well as

of bodies. Here all the arguments

the creation of material fub-

the Do6lor makes ufe of

ftances,

againfi:

may be employed

againft the creation

of finite fpirits;

for if the knowledge

God has

of

all

objects be the fame thing

as their eternal coexiftence with the divine

mind, then this

may

be faid of fpirits as well as of bodies; for

God knows

both equally.
l]3iritual,

Thus

nature produced whether material or

as an

muitbe looked upon

emanation of the divine

itfelf;

fubfi:ance,which by immanentaclion produces all in

ideas

the
call

of fpirits

as well as the ideas

of bodies.

What we

created intelligences muft therefore be eternal, confubftantial

ideas, forms, perfonaUties

and inherencies of the divine mind;

as

what we

call

bodies are only different fenfations and per-

ceptions of the feveral parts of the intelligible world already

cxiltent in the divine
tirely dcltroy'd;

mind

thus

all

ideas

of creation are enis

and what we mean thereby

only that the

Book
being
lities,

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.

245
orperfona-

coeternal, confubftantlal

forms or ideas of the divine mind

living, felf-confcious, intelligent hypoftafes

are afFe5led with different fenfations, perceptions,

and

modifications produced by the

foliite infinite

immanent

a(5lion

of the ab-

upon

itfelf; this is

the flower and quinteffence

of Spinofifiii.

No doubt

the great and

good Doftor did not

perceive thofe fatal confequences of his Scheme.

The

Do6lor afks more than once in the courfeofhis

anfwer that

dia-

logues,whatis this third fubltancebetwixtGod and

called matter.I
it is,

finite Ipirits

as has

been already demon-

ftrated,a picture or reprefentation,or

fe<n:ions

fhadow of the divine percommunicated,

can act immediately
fenfationSjideas,

endowed with

a true, real, phyfical,

and not

effential efficacy;

by which

it

upon
deity,

fpiritSjto

produce in them different

and

inclinations.

on the contrary are living images of the endow'd with an effential, inherent, immanent a6tivity,
Spirits

by which they can aduponthemfelves ;and then with a communicated, emanant a6livity, by which they can a(^ upon
bodies, to produce in

them real figures,

divifions,

and motions.

All

this fliall

be fully demonftrated in the following propofi-

tion.

The Leibnitian
this doftrine

do(5trine

of monades refemblesvery much

of Doctor Berkeley.

The German

philofopher

does not fay that

perceptions
;

God

is

the fole author of all our corporeal

but that extenfion, figure and motion are pure

appearances and fenfations in us, that have no real objeft out

of the mind; that the immediate

poreal perceptions
indivifible,
is

efficient caufe

of thefe cor-

monades; that thefe monades are fimple,

unextended, unintelligent elTcnccs, endued howe-

24^

OF THE PROPERTIES Book III.

power of a6tion;
forts

ver with a real, inherent, effential, phyfical

that

God created from

intelligent,

the beginning

two

of monades,

one

and another unintelligent; but both without

figurabiiity, dlvifibillty or mobility,

and confequently homo-

geneous

that thefe

two

forts

of monades, which compofe

the whole of the univerfe, aft reciprocally upon each other

by

certain general laws pre-eftablifhed;

whence

arife all

the

phenomena, harmony, and order of the univerfe; that thefe monades being equally fimple, uncompounded, unextended,
and therefore homogeneous,
their

mutual aftion and

reafti-

on upon each other

is

far

more

intelligible

than that of two

;

diftincl fubftanceSjOne

extended and another unextended that

God

created nothing but fimple elfences, or monades; and in

fine that wdiat w^e call

compound

beings extended, divifible,

figurable,

and moveable

are only perceptions in the foul, as

founds, fmcUs, and colours; and notobjcfts really exiftent

without

us.

He

docs not therefore pretend, as fome of his difciples

falfcly alledge, that

extended fubftances or bodies

is

refult

from

the union of unextended monades; this

ceiveable, but abfolutcly impoffible.

not only unconafferts

is,

All he

that
a-

extenfion, figure, and motion are

rife

mere

fenfations

which

from the a6tion of thefe monades upon the

is

foul.

Here

there

nothing contradi(5lory,inconceiveable, or myfterious.

differs
is

His fyftem
in the

from that of Berkeley

in this alone, that

one there

no

third fubflance betwixt

God

and

fpirit

that acts

upon the foul,whereas here there is

and
aftive, tho'

a third fubftance

really created, exiflent,

fible

unextended, indiviis

and uncompounded. Thus the exigence of matter

Book III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
and
all

247

really dcftroyed,

reduced to the idea of intelligent and

unintelligent monades.

This,
lefs

German invention feems

far

more hypothetical and

which makes

fimple than the Berkeleian fcheme,

God

the fole univerfal agent. In explaining the phenomena of nature,

it is

in vain to imagine entities that are not necefTary.

all,

If God's immediate a61ion can explain

why haverecourfe
and whofe
folid

to fccond caufes that are purely imaginary,

exif-

tence can never be demonftrated a

seal principles ; nor a
periences.

priori by

metaphy-

posteriori by fenfiblephyfical exthis do6lrine tends to

Moreoverj

confound the
is

nature of ipirit and matter, by fuppofing that what

ligent

unintel-

may

be cffcntially adive.

In

fine the tranfition

is

from

this Leibnitian fiction to

Spinofifm

(lippery

and

fteep: for
it is

if there be really

no extended

fubftances in nature,

eafy

to pafs
fal

from

that hypothefis to the idea

of one only univerandfometlmes

fubftance, that acls fometimes as extended,

as intelligent;

and that produces by turns the fenfations of and motion and the ideas of pure
intellecti-

cxtenfion, figure,

on, reafon and

will.

All thefe modern fiflions are only a repetition in different

terms of the antiquated Zenonian errors; they are groundlefs

metaphyfical refinements, that recede from nature, and

that perplex philofophy,

Itrafl principles
fall

which fhould always combine ab;

with fcnfible experiences

otherwife

we mud
that

naturally into Idealifm or Materialifm, which by different

laft to

roads lead at
nature
is

the Spinofian impiety, which

ajfferts

compofed of one only fubflance of which

all

be-

ings are only modalities, hypoitafes or confubftantial forms*

248

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

COR.
I.

III.

Hence what
ideas

the Idealifts and Splnofifts maintain that the

and the

objcifls are the

fame

is

abfolutely falfe; as alfb

thinkino; fubftance are

that the extended fubflance

and the

one and the fame fubftance, which

fometimes as extended.
trary conceptions

a<5ls

upon us by

turns,

and

which we therefore conceive fometimes

as intelligent,

and

The archetypal ideas are thefe arbiwhich God forms freely in his divine unreprefentable

when he thinks of himfelf as things external. Theobjeds createdarethe

derftanding,
felvcs,

by

fubftances them-

which he produces
he oneexifl: only

in his divine immenfity, correfpon-

dent to thefe ideas, and reprefentative of his divine perfedicns.

1.

in the
exift

fupreme mind, and are free

modes of it. The others

without the divine mind, and

it.

are real fubftances dillind from

COR.
Hence
bodies,

II.

the enthufiaftic notion ofMalebranche, that when

it is

-we fee bodies

not real created matter

we

fee

but ideal

produced

in us

by the immediate a6lion of the omni-

prefenr, all-powerful,
alfo the

and all-luminous elTence of God;

as
clfe
al-

Bcrkelean fcheme, that by creation, nothing

can be underftood but that the feveral parts of the world,

ready cxHtent from
all

eternity in the divine mind,

finite fpirits;

become
doc-

gradually perceptible by
trines, I fay,

both thefe

new

favour openly Spinofifm: for tho' the French

philofophcr differs from the Englifli in this, that Malcbranche

allows the exigence of matter, and that Berkeley denies

it;

and tho' both

differ

from Spinofa

in this,

that they diftinfpirits;

guifh always the uncreated effence from created

yet

Book
they

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
is

249
the on-

all

three agree in this, that the divine fubftance

ly caufe andobje<5lof all the ideas,fenfations

and perceptions

we have of extenfion, figure, and

from this
to Spinofifm
is

motion.

Now the paiTagc

juft

eafy, as

we fhall
III.

now Ihow.

COR.
Hence the negation of the

exiftence

of matter is followed

by vifible abfurdities and palpable contradidions, that impeach

equally the divine veracity and wifdom, fan6tity and goodnefs.

PROPOSITION
God may communicate
and
can
aft
lively pictures a real adivity,by

XXXV.

to his living images

which they

mutually upon each other.

DEiMONSTRATION.
God is efTentially and infinitely aftive (a); creation is a reprefentationof God in things external (b): infinite aftivity
cannot be reprefented by abfolute inaftion
(c).

Therefore
lively pic-

God may communicate to

tures, a real activity

his living images,

aft

and

by which they can

mutually upon

each other.

SCHOLIUM,
It

may be

faid, that

by the fame reafoning we might prove

by what has no intelligence

that

all

corporeal beings are intelligent, becaufe infinite in-

telligence cannot be reprefented

at
all.

This

is

abfolutely falfe; for

XXI.
(c)

wifdom and inteUigence,

of this Book.

(a) Prop. IX.

(b) Prop.

Ax.

5.

li

250
aft,

OF THE PROPERTIES Book III.

and knowledge, may be reprefented by the beautiful
different parts
ar-

rangement of the

of the material unlverfe, as

well as by the clTential attributes of intelligent natures: but

infinite
a<fl:ivity

cannot be reprefented by pure

pafTivity,

and
do

abfolute inaction.
nally
a<ftive as

Wherefore

all finite

beings

mud be

origi-

reprefentative

of the great archetype.

We

not fpeak here of that immanent

lone,

aflivity efTential tofpirits a-

and by which they can

a6l

upon themfelves,

to

compare

their ideas,

here to
tivity,

and chufe betwixt them, judge of them, and adthem. We fpeak of that emanant, communicated acparts

by which all the

of the creation material and ima6l re-

material, the living images

ally, reciprocally,

and the (imple pidures, can

and phyfically upon each other according

to the general laws eftablifhed

by theauthor of nature.

Moreover,

it is

certain that

God may communicate

as well as a real

a real
dif-

activity difi:in<5lfrom his

tinft

own,
if

fubfhnce

from

his

own. For

God

could not communicate a

faid for the

power of afting

to creatures, it

mult be

fame rea-

fon that he cannot communicate to them a power of reafo-

ning and willing.

the other.

The one

Is

no more incommunicable than

All God's attributes are communicable in greater

except Self-exiftence, which fuppofes abfofinite

or

leffer degrees,

lute infinity.
tent,
is

That a created

being fhould be
it is

felf-exif^

a contradi(5lion in terms: but

it

no

contradi(51ion to

fuppofe

endued with any other powers or

perfe(5lions

what-

foever in a
fa,

bounded degree. Unlefs we

and choice arc mere
fcries

fuppofe, with Spino-

that reafon

pafTive receptions

of im-

pulfe

from a continual, necelTary

of caufes

that produ-

ced each other fuccefUvely; we muft allow that the foul has a

BookIII.
real

of finite beings.
its

251
them:

power of comparing
tlierefore fince

ideas, andcliufing betwixt

and

foning and
ting.

God could communicate a power of reawilling, he may communicate alfo a power of achis living images,

As he can communicate to
an imitation of his

and fimple

pi6i:ures,

infinite

wifdom and goodnefs by

he may imafllvlty,

their e/Tentlal attributes or ImprefTed forms, fo

part to
their

them an imitation of his

infinite

emanant
forces.

by

communicated powers, and ImprefTed

The proof ana-

perty of the Father

well as that of the

may be reprefented In
all
;

external things as
rules

Son and Holy GhofL The

or give a reafon

logy are the fame in

the three; and If we deny the one,

we
of

muft deny the others

the
firft is

why

the Imitation
pofTible.

impoffible,

and that of the two

afligned,

lafl:

Now

fince

no fuch reafon can be

all

we muft

allow that an

imitation of

the three

is

equally feafible.

The
;

fchoolmen fay very well, that

a6t as

agere seq.uitur
exift infinitely,

ESSE beings

they

exift.

If they

they

a6t infinitely; If they exift dependently, they a6l dependently;

if they exift finitely, their

adion
Is

Is

finite; If

they
all

exift in

an

imperfed: manner, their action

fes their

imperfed.

In

thefc fen-

aalon Is real, tho'

their

powers be not equal.

the creatures exift in the divine immenfity, fo they

As all all ad by

the divine efHcacy: but as their receiving exiftence originally

from God does not hinder them from having a real being diftin6l from liis; fo their receiving originally power
from God, does not hinder their having a
real a(flivity diftinft

from

his.

It

is

by God's continued
fpiritual,

efficacy that all beings,

intellifpirits;

whether material or
gible; that bodies

become intelligent and

fpirits act

move

bodies; that

upon

li

252

OF THE PROPERTIES

Book

III.

and that thefe two fubftances mutually influence each other, by an immediate communication as analogous in this that
they reprefent the fame original.
that they
live,

It

is

in

God, and by God

move and have

their being.

The

creatures in

whatever

ftate

they be confidered, whether fallen or unfallen,

arc never entirely disjoined nor detached

from

their almigh-

ty caufe.

They

exifl:,

fubfift,

and

fo to fpeak,

fwim

in the

immcnfe ocean of life.

degraded natures,

The

only difference betwixt glorious

fpirits,

and mortal bodies, beatify'd and deprav'd

is,

exalted

and

that

God

operates

more in the one than

they are
entirely

in the others, manifefts himfelf

more

to the former than to

all

the

latter;

but he

is

equally prefent to
in,

all;

dependent upon, exiftent

and infeparable from

his

omniani-

prefent effence and creating energy,

which fupports
he moves

all,

mates
verns

all,

and overflows
things

all.

God not

only preferves and goall

all

by

his providence; but

things

and makes them

ad, yet in fuch a

a force that
is

manner

that fccond caufes

move and
fift

a(St

by

proper to them, as they fub-

by an exiflence that is proper to them.

As

the creating e-

nergy that gives exiftence to

finite fubftances is

not a

real e-

manation of the divine effence ; fo the omniprefent energy

that gives activity to fecond caufes
is

not the fame with the dia6livity

vine action.

In both cafes the effence and

imparted

to the creatures are quite diftin6t

aftion.

from the divine effence and

it

This

idea

is

very fubtile, but

will be

found

folid,

and profound.
It
is

true indeed that

we cannot
its effc6t.

conceive

how

this

com-

municated force produces

dies

We do not fee how bomove

fpirits,

move bodies

far lefs

how

fpirits

and leaft of

Book
all

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
two fubftances a(5l
afts

253
from place

how

thefe

reciprocally

upon each other.

it

When

one body
all

upon another
fee
is

to tranfport

to place;

that

we

contad or jun6lion of furfaces;

but the idea of contad does not infer tranfportlng.

We do

not comprehend

how

the foul moves the

hand
;

nor

hand communicates
in fine

force to a ftone

thrown

nor

how the how this

ftone preferves this force after the

how

this

hand has abandoned it; nor force pafTes from one body to another. Thus
fpirit to

the communication of force by

incomprehenfible.

body

is

altogether

Vv^e underftand far lefs yet

how

bodies

can a6l upon

fpirits. It

cannot be by conta6l and junction of

fpirits

extended furfaces; fince

have none.

It

is

alfo certain
{J3irits

that unintelligent matter alone cannot produce in

ideas

and

fenfations; fince the efFeft cannot be fuperior in reali-

ty to the caufe.That force

which

refides in matter,and

which

makes matter acfi:, is not

emanant
aclivity

eifential to matter.
fpirits

Moreover, that
matter,

by which

ad upon
is

upon a
them:

fubftance fo diftinfl from themfelves,

not

eflential to

they might have exifted eternally tho' they had had no com-

munication with matter, and tho'

it

had never been created.

The force therefore by which fpirits ad uponmatter,and matter

upon fpirits,

is

entirely

an eifed of that

vital, fpiritual, all-

creating energy that runs through the

whole feries of beings

and that connects

from the abfolute

infinite to the lowefl finite; that reaches

from one end of the

all

univerfe to the other,

firft

fecond caufcs with the

original caufe.

This
is

univerfal,

all-creating, all-preferving, all-enlivening energy,

the origi-

nal fource of

all

the activity
all

we

fee in the creatures; tho'

not the immediate caufe of

their adions, determinations,

254
and motions.
iftencc.

OF THE PROPERTIES
It

Book

III.

communicates to them

activity as well as ex-

As

they have a real exiftcnce

diftinft

dilHncfl

from God,

fo

they have a real adivity

from

his.

Their aftion is

dif-

ferent from God's, as their fubftanceis diftincl

from

his, tho'

both are derived originally from him. This univerfal force

makes bodies zCt, but they

fon

are real agents.

It renders fpirits

perceiving and intelligent; but they really perceive and rca;

it

makes matter

perceptible, but matter is really percelv'd;

otherwife, as

we

fliall

fhow, the creation of bodies would have

been

ufelefs

and fuperfluous.

I grant then that

we

have no clear ideas of this force, nei-

ther in the
creating

firft

nor in fecond caufes: but as

in

we do

not deny
fo nei-

power

God;

tho'

we

cannot conceive

it;

ther ought
caufe

we

to

deny modifying power

in the creatures, be-

we do not comprehend the manner of its

t'other, the paifage

operation. In
is

one and

from nothing tofomething

e-

qually unintelligible.Wc do not conceive the connection there

is

mode produced; nor betwixt the creating caufe, and the fubftance produced. If we deny the former becaufewe cannot conceive it, we muft for
betwixt the modifying caufe, and the
like reafon

deny the other; and maintain

fo there
is

that as there

is

but
fee

one asent,

but one fubftance in nature.

is

We

plainly that the univerfe

compofed of fubflances, powers,

ideas

and modes.
dillinguifh

We have clear enough

;

of all the

three, to

them from each other but we cannot explain how

nor

the

firft exilt,

how

the fecond
is

a61:,

nor

how the third

fuftains
is

are

produced.

fubftance

fomething that

modes; a
a

power

is

fomething that produces them ; a mode

change
as

that happens in a fubftance,

by

this a(5live

power but
:

wc

Book
power.
ftate

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
fiibftance, fo

255

have no adequate ideas of

we have none of
is

We

know

that both exift; but during this mortal

we comprehend

neither

how the one

created,nor

how

the other operates. All the fyftem of the ideaHfts comes from

prefumptuous defire and pretenfion of knowing what

not difcover,till we
fee

we can

God as

he

is

how he

created

all thino-s

without any participation or difcerptionof hisfubftance;

how

he preferves them by an unrepeated continuation of the fame creating energy and how he communicates to them a real ac;

tivity diftinft

from

his

own,

as well asadiflin^treal fubftance.

Some
ture.

ancients eftablifhed occult qualities and virtues in na-

ture, underiv'd

from the

firlt

caufe,and fo diviniz'd the crea-

Some moderns

deftroy the activity of fecond caufes,

and thereby the freedom of intelle(n:ual agents, and the exiftence of material beings; and fo make God the immediate
author of all moral and phyfical
gerous.
evil.

Both extremes
real

are dan-

The

true midft

is

to

acknowledge the

but com-

municated
it.

activity

of created beings, tho' we cannot conceive

Father Malebranche and his

trine

difciples attack'd the

doc-

of caufality

in the creatures,

and

efpecially in material

agents, for the following reafons.

I

mo. Since

in all action there

is

a paffage

from nothinor

to fomething,

a(5livity

in fecond caufes

would be a real creati-

on, which

is

an incommunicable attribute of the divine naa(5t

ture.Hence he concludes that finite cannot

that

upon finite,and
is

God

prefent every

where

to his creatures

the only

means of communication betwixt them.

I arant that
;

God
but I

cannot communicate to creatures a creating power

256
deny

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

that he cannot impart to
is

III.

them

a modifying power.

There
ftances

as great a difference betwixt the prodnftion as there

fubfifl
is

offub-

and that of modes,

betwixt fubftancesand

modes. Sub fiances cannot

creating energy
;

independently of the divine

but modes

may fubfift

independent of their
in,

producing caufe; becaufe they have fubftances to inhere

and

fo fubfifl

till

they be deftroyed by contrary

a(51s.

God

then cannot communicate to finite beings his creating power;

but he

may

give

them an image of

it,

which

is

modifying

power.

Since they are originally reprefentative of their

divine archetype; theymufi: or

fentative

ces

that

may have fomething repreof his creating energy. As he can produce fubflanhad no exiftence before his action; fo they may
acflion.

produce forms that had no exiflence before their

He
be-

may

render them aflive as well as exiflent.

1 hey may

come by

his divine beneficence real agents, as well as real

fubflances.

There

is

no denying the one, without denying

the other.

2do.
*

The
is

Cartefians reafon thus:

beings

condnual creadon ;

The confervadon of wherefore God gives to all

'

'

creatures every

moment, not only

their being, but their

in general,

'

modes of being.

He does
modes

not create Being

;

with-

out any pardcular

that

is

impoffible; but he creates

real, phyfical,

every being in each infhnt, with the

dcular

and par-

modes

it

has.

He
or

cannot create a body without

fome
al

figure,

without

reft

modon

wherefore the condnu-

creation of the fubftance fuppofes the condnual produc-

tion

of the mode; and that of the mode, the production of

thefubflance.

Thcfctwoarc infcparable,becaufe

as

no mode

Book
< *

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
no fubftance can
exill

^^y
wlth-

can

exift without a fubftance, fo

out fome particular mode.

I have already confuted this opinion that the confervati-

on of beings
fervation

is

a continually repeated creation,

and

fo all the

natural confequencesof this dodrine fall to the ground.

is

Con-

not a fucceffion of new repeated

afls,

but a con-

of the fame creating energy, whofe efFe<5ls areas permanent and eternal as if God had given them a real (latinuation
bility

of his. as God by the continuation of his creating energy gives a real fubflance to
creatures,

of

exiftence independent

Now
fo

which

is

diftinft

from

his

own,

he gives them a

real aaivity different

from

his ajflion.
caufality,'

agereseq.uitur
and power fuppofes
a^ls

ESSE.

The

idea

of aftivity,

and includes fomething that can

fe<5ts;

really

produce

and

ef-

and therefore the creatures may have a

real a(5tion pro-

per to themfelves, dlftin^: from the immediate aftion of God.

Wherefore
fes at

it Is

abfolutely falfe that modifying

power fuppo-

the fame time creating power; unlefs

all

we

maintain with

Spinofa that

beings are confubftantial forms of the deity.

it

I grant that God cannot produce a fubftance without

have

fome
and
firil:

particular

fliall

mode but we have already demonJ(l:rated> explain more fully hereafter, that God created at
;

all

beings with modes, attributes, and powers reprefenta-

tive

of his divine perfeaions.

We fhall

alfo fliow

very foon

that

by

their natural, inherent force, acfllvlty,

and freedom,
that in

laps'd fpirits loft their original forms,

and forces; and

confequence thereof the material fpheres which they inhabit

loft a

great part

of

their original

beauty and

activity.

The

CartefianandMalcbranchian philofophy gives no idea of this

Kk

258

OF THE PROPERTIES

Book

III.

pure, primitive, and uncorrupted ftate, and fo confounds eternally the laws

of nature exalted with thofe of nature dewere any

graded.
3tIo.

Malebranche adds that

if there

real

agent

in nature befides
fides

God, then

there

would be other beings befear

him, that
all

we might honour,

and

love.

anfwer

that
to
fes

beings are to be lov'd, fear'd, and honour'd relatively

as their fource

God

and archetype. Thus

all

fecond cau-

and created agents, are to be more or

a(5lion is

lefs fear'd, lov'd

and

honour'd, according as their

more or lefs conform-

able or contrary to the divine aftion; and according as the

one

accelerates or retards the other: but

all

God

is {Hll

the pri-

mitive fource of
ing.

power, as he

is

the

firfl:

author of all be-

This pious

difcourfe

of Malebranche ought no more to

impofe upon us than that of Spinofa,

a devote
je(n:s

air,

and a fincere zeal

who affecls in his works for the glory of God. He re-

with horror the imputation of Atheifm and Material-

ifm.

What

can be more pious than the editors preface to

Spinofa's works? If
tcr

we may

believe the author of it, his maf-

was a zealous

Chriftian.

All his moral and theological

gofpcl.

works are commentaries upon the

His defign was to

make men look upon all

might be honour'd,
but as the
*

created fubftances as inherencies, hy-

polhfes, and modahties of the divine effence, that fo

lov'd,

God

and fear'd not only

as the fole caufe,

'

fole objc<5l

of all our perceptions.

If there were

any fubftances but God, (may the Spinofifts fay) then there would be other fubftances befides God, that might be honour'd, fear'd, and lov'd.

'

Then God would

not be

he

THAT

IS.

The

dodiine of creation derogates from the

Book
f

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS,
of the
divine efTence;
It

259
ere^s nature

perfection and unity

'

produc'd into a deity, into a real fubftance, into a Being that IS. By creation therefore nothing elfe can be underftood,

'

but that the divine efrence,as infinitely extended or immenfe,

becomes gradually perceptible

proper faculties; and thefe
confubftantial forms or ideas
tains necefTarily all ideas

to finite fpirits

endued with
elfe

finite fpirits are

nothing

but

of the divine mind, that conand all objects, which are one and
the faall

the fame thing.'

1 hus the pious Malebranchifts and

with the devout Spinofifls ; and

natical Idealifts agree

the

three by an effect of imagination,

that
fall

deftroy the very idea

all in all.

of

God,

whom

they look upon as

Thus men may

effential to

into

A theiftical maxims as well by attributing to God what

him.
it

does not belong to him, as by denying what is

Far be
were

from

me

to accufe Father Malebranche,andDo6lor

their life

Berkeley of Atheifm ;
fully perfuaded

and character fhow that they

they eftablifhed printheir juftcon-

of

Chriftianity:

ciples that lead to Spinofifm,

but they denied

fequences, from a fincere refpcift for religion.

their hearts hindered

The

purity

of

them from purfuing too

It
is

far the errors

of their underftanding.

poflible that Spinofa did

notthink

himfelf an Atheift, and that he believed in maintaining that

there
is

but one fubflance and one agent in nature, that he ex-

alted the idea

of God,

who

defines himfelf

the being
is

THAT

IS,

perhaps thought he, tofignify that there

no oto de-

ther fubflance but he alone.

cide in his favour, for he
tir'd

His

life

and morals feem

was

a very temperate, abftemious, re-

philofophcr, without any ambition, and very difinteref-

ted: but

good intentions do not

jullify

bad principles.

Kk

26o
.

OF THE PROPERTIES
The

Book

III.

4to.

Malebranchifts fay that beings that have no

;

knowledge of the effefts they produce, cannot be caufes that there can be no real force, where there is no adequate knowledge ; and confequently that
other, nor
fpirits

can neither a6l upon each

upon bodies

and

far lefs bodies

upon each other

and upon
they
aft,

fpirits;

becaufe the one

know

not the manner how

all.

and the others have no knowledge at

firft

I anfwer, in the

place, that the idea

of force does not

include that of knowledge, as the idea of knowledge does

not include that of goodnefs.

ted,

They

are three diflinft, fepara-

and feparable qualities ; and therefore they may exifl:,and

be communicated feparately.

God may reprefent himfelf by

of one and the fame
in-

things external as powerful, without reprefenting himfelfas

intelligent,

by the

effential properties

dividual fubftance.

Thus
of all

the ethereal fluid

bodies,

may be endued

vith a

real force to

move folid

andfo become the uni-

verfal, phyfical caufe

vifible

motions, tho' this fubtile e-

ther be not intelligent.

ivith a real force

Thus

again the foul

may

be endued

ofmoving bodies,without knowing the manthis effeft.

ner

how it produces
primitive,

I grant indeed that in a ftate

of pure,

and uncorrupted nature when the foul had

an adequate idea of its

own

eirence,then activity, wifdom,and

fpirits, as

goodnefs, were infeparable from

the perfeft images

of

their

almighty archetype. But in a

ftate

of laps'd,

difeas'd,

and degraded nature,

thefe three qualities

may

be feparated,

more

or

Icfs vitiated,

weakened, or fufpended.

We

fee that

goodnefs

may

be feparated from fcience;

?

why may

not

fci-

cnce be feparated from power

Thus

bodies are aftive withintelli-

out intelligence or goodnefs ; demons arc adive and

BooKllI.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
Ipirits

2.61
all

gent without virtue; angelical

qualities together.

enjoy

thefe three

I anfwer in the fecond place that tho' the Malebranchi-

an fcheme tends

vifibly to

defboy the natural

a(5tivity

of the

underftanding and will; yet that philofopher does not and

dares not deny either.
tivity in

He admits on

the contrary a real acobje(51:s.

the foul to compare and chufe betwixt

thefe real

Now

we exert
clear idea

powers every moment without having a

foul,

of the effence of the

it

nor confequently of the

manner how
recalls to

thus

acts.

We do

not

know how
and conjoins

the
its

mind
ideas;

memory, compares,

feparates

how it defires, wills, and loves obje(n:s. We have no clear, adequate ideas of the manner how all thefe operations are produced; and yet we feel that we produce them. It is then
nor
poffible for a finite Ipirit to have real powers, without

know-

ing

how it exerts them

becaufe
is

we

have no adequate ideas of

the effence of the foul. It

poflible alfo that ethereal matter tho'

it

maybe endued with a real activity and force, know its powers and effects,
5to.
*

does,

not

Father Malebranche in

fine reafons thus;

we have
fpi-

no

idea

of action

in fecond caufes

whether material or

*
^

ritual.

When

one body moves another there flows fome-

thing or nothing out of the moving

body

to tranfport the a caufe?

*
*

body mov'd. If nothing, then how can nothing be

if

fomething,then this fomething

is

either material or fpiri-

tual; if material,

what moves
of

it?

fince the idea

of matter does

*
* *

not include that of force:

if fpiritual,

then

when one body

itfelf into

communicates

a part

its

motion to one, two, three or

two.

more bodies, this

fpiritual

Somewhat divides

62
three, or

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

more
the fpiritual

IIL

portions, to pufli the different bodies mov'd.

Thus
real.

Somewhat becomes
in matter
firft

divifible

and corpo-

Wherefore motion

is

only

intelligible

by

the immediate aftion of the

caufe,

who by
all

his

omni-

prefent efficacy operates immediately

upon

the material

frame, and gives

it

infinite
2.6:

forms according to general laws.

bodies, fo far
lefs

As

bodies cannot
fpirits.
is

upon

can they aft

fee or feel

upon
them,
brain.

All that palTes in bodies,

when we

vibrations

more or
is

lefs

fwift in the fibres

of the

Now there

and can be no natural and neceffa-

ry connexion betwixt the motions in this matter and

the fenfations produced in the foul.
there betwixt a fluid

What

relation

is

moving

in the nervous channels

more
incli-

or
ter

lefs

fwiftly

and the fenfationof pain andpleafure, brightrue the

or obfcurer ideas, more refin'd or more deprav'd

It
is

nations?

one follow or accompany the others,

fooliflily, that

and therefore we believe

the one

is

the efFe6t
call
is

of the

other. Imagination impofes

is

upon us, and we

not dead,

that

acaufe which

only precedent or concomitant. It

it is

plain

then that when we fee bodies,

ciousjcreated matter that ac^s
in fo far as reprefentative

lifelefs, ineffica-

upon us, but the divine effence,

of matter.

We do not fee real, cre-

ated matter, but ideal, uncreated, intelligible extenfion. Spirits

and bodies have then no inherent aftion, no mutual union, no phyfical efficacy, no immediate influence upon
each other.
to

Moreover,

fpirits

cannot

aft

upon

fpirits
is

foas

modify them and change

their forms.
aft

There

and can

be no conneftion betwixt the

produftion of an
cfFcft that

of a

finite will,

and the
a paf-

was not before.

This is

Book
<

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
to fomething, yea a real creation,

fage
is

from nothing

26s which

one of the moft glorious, Incommunicable attributes of the

deity.
ture,

Now God cannot communicate his glory tothecrea-

nor therefore any real, phyfical, efficacious power. All Vis the efifecH; of the immediate operation of God, of his only
*
*

luminous and efficacious effence, which being prefcnt eve*

ry where a6ts alternately upon bodies and
fpirits,
all

to pro-

'

duce

all

the forms and motions of theone,and

It is in It
is

the ideas
live,

and inclinations of the other.

God alone that we

is

move, and have our being.

he that

the only caufe,

is

'

which operates
alone
ces.

effeflually

upon

all

material nature. It
all

he

who is

the light that enlightens

created intelligent
a(5l

'

His archetypal ideas of intelligible extenfion

upon

when we fee bodies. His luminous eflence alone enlicrhtens us when we fee truths. The creature is only an occafius

'

onal caufe of his communications, which produce

ferveall,

all,

pre-

and move

all,

thro' the

whole

unlverfe.

Without

his

immediate

a<5lion

and impulfion,

fpirits

and bodies are e

*
*
*

qually unintelligent and unintelligible, unperceivingandim-

perceptible.Thus

all

the imaginary powers and Pagan deities

are deftroyed, and the creatures

nitles.'

no more ere<5led

into divi-

This

is

that witty

romance of occafional

caufes, invented

by Malebranche

to explain the

union of foul and body; and

the reciprocal a<5lIon and reaction of fpirit and matter.

This

pious philofopher impofed upon

by a

full

perfuafion that this

fyftem exalted our notions of the divine power, placed the

creature In a continual dependence upon the creator, and

made

every thing even the lead motion of matter, and the fmallelt

2^4

GF THE PROPERTIES Book III.

fpirit

modification of

a proof of God's exiftence.

The

devout

father did not advert to either the falfe confequences he

drew

from

true principles; or to the falfc principles,

upon which

was founded, or to the dangerous confequences that flow from it, or its abfolute ufelefTnefs to explain what he intends. We fhall examine fully thefe four articles.
his fyftem
I

mo. There is

a ftrange mixture

of truth and

falfiiood in

this doi^rine.

We grant that the fpiritual, intimate, omni-preis

fent energy of the creator

the original fource of all the

powers of nature: but we deny, that it is the immediate caufe of all theadions of the creature. This all-powerful efficacy
can communicate activity as well as exiftencetofubftancesdiftinft

from

itfelf.

By it we fee bodies, but we really fee them.

receive their force

Bodies and

fpirits

from

it:

but by that force

is

they become adlive as well as a6ted upon.

ftead

It

degrading init

of exalting omnipotence, to maintain that

cannot pro-

duce a6live beings reprefentative of itfelf, unlefs we prove that

this idea
it is is

incompatible as well as inconceivable. Moreover,

falfe that

nicate

when the firft moving caufe operates to commumotion to many bodies, it divides itfelf into parcels. It
it

produces different effe(5ls, but

is

remains always

indivifible. It

one and manifold,

it

intelligent

and

intelligible, penetrating

and penetrable;
netrates
all

pofTefles all virtues, contains all fpirits, pe-

bodies,

and remaining
all

in itfelf

it

preferves, a-

nimatcs, and renews

things.

This

univcrfal, fecret,

om-

nipotent force that runs thro' the whole of nature, gives to

all
is

fubftances their exiftence

and

activity:

but as their eiTence

activity
is

not a part of the divine fubftancc, fo their

not a
is

portion of the divine force.

This omniprefent energy

the

BookIIL
firft

of finite beings.
It
a<5ls

2^5

mover, but not the only agent.

immediately upall fo-

on
tive

ethereal matter,

and by

this ethereal

matter upon

iid bodies.
;

and,

By its a(5tion ethereal matter becomes truely acas we fhall fhov;^ hereafter, becomes the univerfal
the corporeal world.
all

fpring of
atfls,

all

This omniprefent force

fpiri-

in,

by, thro' and with,

fecond caufes whether

tual or material, yet fo as

not to deftroy their aflion.

It ren-

ders

them

real agents,

and notfimple inftruments, nor mere-

ly paflive occafions.

2do. All the fyftem of occafional caufes depends upon this

fallacious argument,
*
*

viz.

We have no clear idea of aftion

is

in fecond caufes, therefore there

none.

'

The conclufion

is

unjuft and abfurd.

Tho

feeing clearly be always a reafbn

all is

of affirming, yet not

feeing at

never a reafon of denying.

to de-

The

fame argument that engaged Father Malebranche

creatures,

ny modifying power in the creating power in God. His

'

made

Spinofa deny
'

difciples reafon thus;

When
can

God

creates, there flows

fomething or nothing from his

eiFe<5l.

effence, to

produce the created

If nothing,
is

how

'"nothingbea caufe?
*

if fomething,

then creation

an ema-

nation of the divine fubflance, which being

aftion
is

indivifible its

immanent and
;

fo all things are

only modificati-

'

ons

of the divine effence,

and not

produ^ion of newfub-

(lances.' If

Malebranche's reafoning be jufl:,Spinofa'smufl

there would be but one fubftance in nature,
is

be

fo too.

Thus

as but
is as

one agent. This

not

all;

modifying power in

God
upon

unconceivable as creating power.

or bodies to modify and

When God afls

fpirits

move them
from the

alternately, does

there flow fomething or nothing

divine effence, to

LI

266

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

efFe(5ls.

III.

produce thefe
if

Ifnothing,howcan nothing be a
fpiritual

caufe?

fomething,

how
it.

can a

being a6l upon a corporeal?

how can an individble eflence communicate itfelf to a fubftance

diftin(5l

from

Malebranche has nothing

to reply, but that

is

God

is

prefent every where, and that his omnipotent will

always efficacious.

This we know as well

as he; but

we dewhat

mand how this

connects

all-powerful omniprefent will a^ls to modify

diftin<5l

corporeal and immaterial fubftances,

this will

from

it?

with

its efFe6l, is

and

how

does the one pro-

duce the other?

this

he

ignorant of as well as we. Will and

fame.

power

in

God are not the

;

He

executes

by

his

power

what he
rates to
fality,

wills

but

we cannot

conceive

how

this

power ope-

produce

its efFe6l.

We have no adequate ideas of caufirft,

power, or force; neither in the

nor in fecond cau-

fes.

We fee
not

that there muft be fuch a thing in nature; but

we do
;

know how it operates. We do not fee how bodies can a^l upon bodies much lefs, how fpirits can ad upon fpirits and far lefs yet how they can a6l reciprocally upon each other; becaufe we are ignorant of the intimate effences of
;

both, and of that

ders
that

vital, fpiritual,

omniprefent force that rena real

ajflivity diftindl

them active, and

of God;

gives

them

from
of

as well as a real exiftence diftin<5l

from
is

that

God. But as
tivity

I have faid already, this ignorance

not a proof

of the non-exiftence of things, nor confequently of the inacof

finite beings.

3tio.

The

confequences of

this do<5lrine are fatal

and Spi-

nofian.

If matter be altogether una6tiveand imperceptible;

if the objc6l as well as the caufe

of our perception be the

cf-

fence of God as reprefentative of matter; if we do not fee bo-

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
upon
fpirits,

i6j

dies but

only ideas; then to what purpofe create matter ?fince

to give
crefu-

the divine efficacious effence a6ls alone

them

all

the ideas of extenfion, figure and motion.

The

ation of corporeal fubftance

was altogether

ufelefs,

and

perfluous;

God

does by tedious round-about methods, what

in

might have been performed

pendious.

one much more eafy and comvain,

Thus matter was made in

figures,

which being

alto-

gether incompatible with the divine wifdom, its exigence

mud

be denied. Thus
real

motions, and divifions, are nothing

without

us,

but mere fenfations of the foul; as colours,

taftes,

and

fmells.

Thus

all is

reduced to the idea of an in-

telligible

and

intelligent, indivifible

and immoveable, unfigu-

rable

and

infinite,

uncreated and efficacious, but extended

is

fubftance; and this

if

precifely Spinofifm.

This

is

not

ail;

God

be the only agent in nature, then he is the immediate

all

author not only of but

real
alfo

the phyfical actions of the creatures,

of all

their

moral determinations.

For what has no

will

power can neither chufe, nor determine, nor

this

of itfelf.

Father Malebranche forefeeing

tho' natural

dangerous and impious,

principle, fup-

and neceffary confequence of his

finite intelligences

pofed that

have a power of /topping the

divine a<5lion in them, and this according to

him

is

Liberty:

but thus he

vifibly contradicts himfelf ; for, as

it

Bayle very well

remarks, fince

requires as great a

power

to (top an action

begun, as to begin an action flopped, the creatures muft have

a real power. Malebranche to fhun the force of this reafo-

ning adds, that the

a<5l

of the creature as
itfelf alone,
;

free

is

altogether im-

manent,

it

terminates in

and produces nothing

real without itfelf; this

we grant but is the flopping of the all-

Ll

26S

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

us,

III.
is it

powerful action of God In

no

real afllon? or rather

not the greateftand highcfl of all?

this

now if created
lefFer

beings have
is

power,

why cannot

they have a
other.

one, which

that

of

acting really

upon each

If Malebranche reafon

therefore confequentially to his principles, he muft deny the

power of free determination,

on.
fin,

as well as that

of phyfical

a^fti-

Thus fatality
and Spinofifm
4to.

is Is

introduced,

God

is

made

the author of

confummated.

The

ingenious fi6lIon of occafional caufes explains

nothing, and is a vlfible contradiftion.

firft

Malebranche

fays at

we fee all things in God and then he endeavours to prove that we fee only ideas an ideal matter, an ideal face, an ideal nofe. Thus to make us comprehend how we fee bodies
that
;

in

God, he maintains
It

that

we do

not fee them

at all.

This

do<5lrine therefore does

not explain the union of foul and boa(5ls

dy.

fhows Indeed

how God
;

alternately
at all

upon matter

and

fplrit as paflive

machines
is

but not

upon each
butes,

other,

which

the fole true

how they ad union. The idea of

attriit

union docs not fuppofe perfect identity of fubftanccs,

and modes;

this

Is

more than an union; nor does

attributes

imply bare lynilltude of fubftances,

and modes

for
re-

beings may have no union nor communication and yet

femble each other.

al

Union therefore muft

of beings upon each

confift In a

mutube fo

adion and reaction

other. Bodies are

united
too.

when
Spirits

the one cannot be

moved

unlcfs the other

and bodies are united when the one ads upon

real, phyfical,

the other by a

and immediate influence.

To
is

deny the
caufe

pofTiblllty

of

this

mutual adion and readlon, be-

we have no

adequate ideas of fubftance and force,

Book
city,

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
pollibllity

2^9

meafuring the abfolute

of things by our own capa-

and opening the

fluices to Spinofifni.

Some difciples of the great Newton, fuch as Do<5lor Clarke, Baxter, Cheyne, and many others both French andEnglifh,
contrary
it

feems to the

laft

judgment of

their mafter,

have

adopted the do(flrine of the abfokite inactivity of matter, and

pretend that the great law of attradion
is

an immediate

effect

of the divine adion, which pufhes

in a certain proportion to their maflfes

all

bodies to one another

a-

and diftances without

is

ny

interveening, phyfical,or mechanical medium.It

notour

bufinefs to jQiow here that the great Sir Ifaac does not eftablifli

this do(5trine,
is

nor defpoils

all

material agents ofa^ive

force; this idea

It fuffices to

entirely fubverfive
this

of all natural philofophy.

remark that

opinion being founded upon

the fame principles as the Malebranchian notion, by confuting the

one we have overturned the other.

By

the principles explained in this Scholium

we have

a-

clear notion of the fource of our fimple ideas.

Objeds

creare-

ted or uncreated, fpiritual or material,

ally

ad upon the mind

and

efficacioufly.

This

a<flion

produces an effed, impref-

fion, or

change

in the foul.
call ideas

Thefe impreflion% are modes,

and thefe modes we

when they

reprefentfomethino^

in the obje(n:s, as figures, divilions, and motions; but they are

called fenfations,
as thofe

when

they reprefent nothing in the objects,

of pain and pleafure.

Hence

the true difference be-

twixt ideas and fenfations. Ideas reprefent to us the attributes

and modes of fubftances; v^hereas

fenfations reprefent noall

thing really exiftentin the objects ; fuch are

thefe percep-

tions called the fenfible fecundary qualities

of bodies, co-

lyo

OF THE PROPERTIES
and touches.

Book

III.

lours, talks, fmells, founds

difications

They are mere moreality, tho'

of the mind that have no external

a(5tion

they be produced in the foul by the

ly figur'd

of bodies

different-

and moved.

They

are very oft, tho* not always,

relations other bO"

fhort advertifements that

dies have to ours
;

warn us of the

or that excite us to do what

we would

o-

therwife ncgleft.
tion

Being made for God, for the contempla-

and love of the abfolute infinite, ideas of bodies are given

us to inveftigate the marks of infinite power, wifdom, and

goodnefs manifeftedin the creation, and toraife our thoughts

from the

pi<5lures to

the original.

Senfations are deflined

irregular u-

either to punifh, purify,

and detach us from our

nion with material objects ; or to foften, and mitigate the pains

of our exile. Yea very oft they are fhort ways to let us know what we ought to feekand fhun in material objects; becaufe not being made for them, the capacity of our mind ought not
to be

employed in a long chain of reafonings,to difcover what is

proper or not proper for the confervation of our bodies. If we

did not feclpleafure and pain in our different approaches to
fenfible objeds; if we

were obliged to examine phyfically the

aptitude of victuals to

promote

circulation,

and the
cold, all

neceflity

of cloathing

to prevent the fatal effc^s in thefe

of

our time
fenfati-

would be fpent

low

exercifes:

but the quick

ons of heat and cold, of hunger and

thirft, advertife

us of

our wants and dangers, without a long

feries

of reafonings.

This remark of Malebranche upon the defign offenfations

isjufl

and beautiful.

We muft not however conclude from hence that the painful or agreeable fenfationswe feel in bodies,
is

always a proof

Book

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
in a difeafed ftate, as

271

of their being noxious or

ufeful to onr corporeal machines.

The foul is now

ly
;

we

fhall

fhow

prefentis

and material nature

in the fphere

which we inhabit

quite difordered.

Plcafure does not always

ftate,

accompany
is

or-

der, nor pain diforder in this mixt

where man

neither

an angel nor a

devil, perfectly

good, or abfolutely bad.

I fhall conclude all thefe remarks

by one

that

is

moft im-

portant; as created obje6ls whether material or immaterial^

may by a
fouls,

real,

efficacious,

and phyfical

a<5tion,

modify our
in a

and produce in them different

ideas,

and fenfations

natural

manner;

fo the infinite, uncreated object

may

a6t u-

pon our
ideas

fouls in a fupernatural
far

manner, and produce in them

and fenfations

more

lively

and penetrating than ma-

terial objeifls.This is

thefource of infpiration and divine grace,

of fupernatural

light

and

love, very far different

from therea-

fonings and difcoveries

we make by
is

the fucceflive comparifbn

to fouls

of our ideas. God, who

far

more intimately prefent

than corporeal objefls are,

who

can a^ upon them, inveft

them, and penetrate them,may open their intelleftual faculties,

fhow them the

reveal

myfteries of his nature

and providence
to write, fpeak,

by an

intuitive view;

and thus
is

infpire

them

and think, to

what

hid,

and

foretell

what

is

future

in a fupernatural
calls

manner. For

this reafon

it is

that holy writ

the prophets the Seers, becaufe their intelle^ual eyes

fee into the invifible world,

were opened to

and difcover ma-

ny wonders of providence pad,

prefent,
I.

and future.

COR.
Hence
the denying the

a<5l:ivity

of fecond caufes leads to

pernicious and blafphemous confequences.

272

OF THE PROPERTIES
COR.
II.
is

Book

III.

Hence
of
creation.

the

a<5livity

of

fecoiid caufes,

the third myftery

natural religion, as incomprehenfible as immenfity

and

We

demonftrate that

all

the three muft: be true, but

{o

we do

not comprehend

how

they are
III.

COR.
Hence
all

our fimple Ideas come from the

a(fl:ion,

impref-

fion, or fenfation, that objects

difHnd from us whether crea-

ted or uncreated, material or fpiritual,

is

make upon

the foul. It

altogether paflive as to thefe fimple perceptions, and cannot

itfelf,

produce them in

unlefs theobjefts

ad upon

it.

It
it

may
can-

remember them,
fions

recall

them, and compare them, but

not create or produce them, unlefs the objects make impref-

upon

it.

c o R. IV.

Hence

fupernatural infpiration

is

poflible.

The

(bvereign

mind may a6t immediately upon fouls, open their intellectual eyes, and give them ideas and fenfations far more lively, and
penetrating than fecond caufes, whether material or fpiritual.

PROPOSITION
pound.

XXXVI.

Senfation and reflection are the only two

fources of all our ideas whether fimple or

com-

DEMONSTRATION.
All our fimple Ideas

come from

the a6tion,imprefnon, or
(a);

fenfation thatobjc(5ts dlftinCt

(a) Cor. 3. of Prop.

from us make upon the foul

XXXV.

Book
all

III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
arife

273
and a6lion

our compound ideas

its

from the

refle6lIon

of the mind upon

tion

own

modifications (a); therefore fenfa-

and

reflecflion are

the only

two fources of all our

ideas

fimple or compound.

SCHOLIUM.
Locke has very well remarked thefe two fources of fenfation or
that
all

our ideas

arife

from

the a<n:ion of objects

upon
itfelf.

us; or of refle<5lIon, or the aftion of the

mind upon

The foul,

as

we have

faid, is entirely paffive

is

with regard to

its
its

flmple ideas, as matter

figures, modes, and

altogether paffive with regard to

motions.

We cannot produce thefe fimple

upon
us: but we

ideas in ourfelves, unlefs theobjecfts ail

may

by our own immanent, innate by

reflection
It is

activity

form complex ideas

upon the

different objeCls already perceived.

however an egregious miflake

to thofe

to confine the actions

of objects upon us

of material agents.

The infinite
immediately

Intelligent caufe as well

as finite fpirits
it

may

a6l

upon the foul, and modify

all

in a

manner

far fuperior to cor-

poreal agents. It isabfolutely falfe therefore to maintain that

our ideas come originally from the perceptions produc'd

in us

by material obj efts; and that in our prefent

arife at firfl

ftate

we can

have no ideas of God, but what

fenfation.

from corporeal

Tho' wefhould fliutour eyes, flop our ears, and draw a vail upon the whole of material nature; tho' we did not reflect upon the evident marks of infinite power, wifdom,
and goodnefs
vifible in

the creation; tho'

we were

flript

of

body; tho' there were no other

terial
.

finite fubflances

whether ma-

or immaterial exiflent but our felves ; yet the fimple

(a) Cor. 5. of Prop XXIX.

Mm

274
fenfation

OF THE PROPERTIES
of our

Book

III.

own

exiftence, infufHciency,

and finitudc
felf-exiflent

would be enough
caufe,

to produce in us the idea

of a

and dcmonftrate to us the exiftence of its

obje<51:.Tho*

there were

no matter exiftent,
all

yet we might have the ideas

felf-exiftence, eternity,

of

power, wifdom, and goodnefs; of

menfity, infinity, and

im-

the divine attributes, as has been al-

ready fhown.

The
our ideas

Malebranchian
is

do(5lrine

concerning the fourceof

fophiftical.

yet

more dangerous and

The French
in the foul

philofopher reafons thus, our ideas muft either be (i) images

dctach'd from the objects, or (2) created by

God

from the beginning, or (3) originally contain'd in the mind as archetype of all things; or (4) produc'd in the foul by its

own innate aftivity;

mediate
all

or (5) form'd in the

mind by God's imas reprefentative

a<5tion

or (6) perceiv'd in

God

of

things.

He endeavours
firfl:

to prove that the foul can have its

five

ideas

by none of the
is

ways ; and therefore he con-

cludes that the fixth

is

the only true one. This enumeration

not only obfcure but imperfevft.

ther
that

way by which
is,

the foul

There may be yet anomay have fome of its ideas, and

finite objects

(7),

by the impreflion which

whether

material or immaterial
are abfurd, the fixth
is

make upon
of all our

us.

The

firft

three

ways

fanatical, the fourth, fifth,

and feventh
complex;

ways

are the true fources

ideas, fimple or

natural, or fupernatural.

We

have already demonftratcd^that

Ipiritual or material agents

may by an emanant communi;

cated
are

a(5l:ivity

really
call

modify the foul

ideas.

and thefe modifications

what we

our fimplc

Thcfe we compare and

combine, compound and divide in numbcricfs ways by our

Book
own
ral

IIL

OF FINITE BEINGS.
The
a(5lionof the
;

^ys

innate and immanent a (ftivlty; and this produces our

firll:

complex ideas.

caufe in a fupernatua na-

manner by infpiration the

manner by
fenfation;

aftion

of fecond caufcs in

tural
itfelf

and the aftion of the mind upon

by reflexion, are the threefourcesof all our ideas.

to the

The
attri-

French philofopher confounds thefe three fources, by

buting
all

immediate

a5tion

of God,

as the

only

effica-

cious caufe of all our modifications and perceptions.

Thus

he introduces enthufiafm into philofophy; thanks the Logos

for difcovering to

him

that the three angles

;

of

a triangle are

equal to two right ones looks upon geometrical theory, as a

real contemplation

of the divine efTence; and

^o

confounds

the natural activity of the mind, with the fupernatural illumination of the eternal
things in

Word.

The

priviledge

of feeing

all

God

is

an advantage not of our

exil'd ftate

here be-

low but
;

a felicity referved for our celeftial, native country.

light in its true light,

Then we fhall fee

med

God as

he is, and the

freely for-

archetypal ideas of all things, as they were at

in the divine underflanding; e'er

firft

God created fubftances

and

correfpondent to them.

Then we

(hall fee the intimate

inmoft efTence of things in the eternal effcnce ; the relation of

the original to the piftures; whereas

now we

fee

only fome

of

their attributes
is

and modes. All the Malebranchian phia perpetual confufion

lofophy
grace,
;

founded upon

of nature and

of the archetypal

ideas with the confubftantial

Lo-

gos of the natural activity of the underftanding with the fupernatural illumination of the

Word; of the

natural

imma-

nent aftion of the

the

will,

with the fupernatural impreffions of

Holy Ghofl:; and

in fine

of the

priviledges

of a

beatified

Mm

^y^
ftate

OF THE PROPERTIES Book

with thefe of our
exile.

IIL
all

The Spinofifts make ufe

of

thefe obfcure ideas to confound the aftlon of the firfl: caufe with the aflionof fecond caufes, and the fubftance of the cre-

ator with that of the creature; and

by

a tendency to the

fame

purpofe, the Malebranchian fyftemis exceedingly dangerous:

itfeems the beginning of Spinofifm; andSpinofifmis Male-

branchifm confummated.

By
may

this

enquiry into the different fources of our ideas, we

refolve the great queftion

about innate ideas and judg-

ments or maxims. By innate

ideas or judgments are to be

un-

deritood thefe natural notions, and felf-evident, natural, univerfal

maxims which
reflect

all attentive

minds may

difcover,

when

they ferioufly

upon

their

own

modifications; and the

necefTary relations of conformity or

difagreement

among
by

them.

They

are called felf-evident; becaufe they are feen

one

intuitive view,

without a laborious, fuccefllve comparifon

of ideas. They
fleclions

are called natural, becaufe they are the moft

fimple, the moft obvious, the moft eafy, the moft congenial re-

of the mind, when

it

begins to exert

its

intelleftual

and comparing powers. They are called univerfal,becaufe the general ideas of being and not being, of a whole and of a part,

of caufe and
ligence

efFe<fl,

of fubftance and mode, of

effential attri-

butes and accidental qualities;

of finite and

infinite,

of intel-

and vohtion, upon which felf-evident axioms are founded, are the fame in all. Thus no man can doubt of thefe truths, *that a thing cannot be and not be at the fame time;
*

that the

whole is greater than the

part; that nothing has

no

'

properties ; that the fame fubftance cannot have at the

fame

V.timc, Incompatible

and contradidory

attributes; that a fub-

Book
*

III.
Is

OF FINITE BEINGS.
Infinite
;

277

jRance

not a mode; that

thefe truths in

is

greater than finite.'

We
by

do not fee
reflecting

God we fee them

ideas,

in ourfelves

upon our own modes or

and

their relations

of conformity or difagreement; equality or

ty or diiference.

inequality; identi-

COR.

I.

Hence the Malebranchian fyftem about feeing all objefls and all ideas in the divine mind is an imaginary fcheme that
tends Indire<5lly to Spinofifm, to confound the action of God

with the aftionof the creatures, and the fubftance of God with thatof the creatures.

COR.
Hence
fines all

II.
its

that fyftem,
firft

whoever be

defenders,

which conwith

our

perceptions and fimple ideas to the impreflius, coincides

ons which corporeal objefts make upon

thatfalfe

maxim of the Ariftotelians nihil est in intelLECTU Q.UOD NON FUERAT PRIUS IN SENSU. Thls maxim is abfolutely falfe, if we underftand by Senfatlon the modes of the foul produced by the a<5tion of material objcvfls upon our corporeal organs.

PROPOSITION
There may,
Is,

XXXVII.

and muft be in nature, a third

fubftance befides

God

and

finite fpirits, called

body or
Infinite

matter.

DEMONSTRATION.
power can produce new fubftances
is

as well as

new

forms (a); creation

(a) Pop.

a reprcfcntation

of God by things ex-

XV.

278
tcrnal (a):
p'Kflures

OF THE PROPERTIES Book III.

God
can thus reprefcnt himfelf both by material

and intelligent images (b):

God is not and

cannot be

the immediate author of all the ideas, fenfations, and percepti-

ons we have of matter

matter
is

(c):

The

negation of the exigence of

vifible

followed by palpable abfurdities, and

contra-

diftions (d):

God may communicate

upon each other

to his living images,

and

material pictures a real, phyfical activity

aft reciprocally

by which

they can

(e): the negation

of this afli-

vity

of fecond caufes

leads to pernicious

and blafphemous

confequences (f ). Therefore there is, may, and muft be in nature a third fubflance befides

God and finite fpirits, called

bo-

dy or matter.

SCHOLIUM.
ftrange, that in this chain
is

It

may feem
:

of truths, the proof

of theexiftence of matter
pofitlon

placed as the thirty feventh pro-

but in theordcr of jufl: reafoning,all the others muft

e'er this

be demonflrated
all this

can beproved.

I grant indeed that

feriesof reafoningsby
is

which we evince the

exiftence

of matter

only a proof and not ademonftration. I have rethat demonftration belongs only

marked from the beginning

to neccfTary, eternal, and immutable truths.

Thus we
eternal,

can de-

monftrate the exigence of a God, becaufe

table
:

it is

immu-

and neceffary but the exigence of matter being continit

gent, mutable, and temporary,

can only beproved; that is,

to

we
cal.

have

all

reafons to believe

it,

none

deny

it,

and the ne-

gation of it reduces to abfurdities equally impious and fanati-

Now

this

is all

the proof that can be

demanded by

rea-

fonable minds, for a matter of faft.

(a) Prop.

XXI.

(b) Prop.

XXVI.

(c) Prop.
2.

XXXIV.

(d) Cor. 3. of

Prop.

XXXIV.

(c) Prop.

XXXV.

(f) Cor.

of Prop.

XXXV.

Book III.

OF FINITE BEINGS.
activity

279
of bo-

All theufe that canbemade of the Berkeleyan and Malebranchian reafonings againft the exiftence and
dies,
is

to confute Materialifm, to

fhow that we have a greamight have the moft vi-

ter certainty

of the exiftence of fpirit, than of that of matter,

v^^e

to prove, that, abfolutely fpeaking,

vid ideas and fenfations of matter, tho' there w^ere

at all;

no bodies

and therefore

it is

certain, unconteftible,
is

and demon-

ftrated, that a

being whofe exiftence

only contingent and

felf-exiftent

pofTible,

cannot be the necelTary, eternal, and

is

fubftance. Materialifm therefore

a poor,

weak fyftem withfubtility

out any fhadowof reafon; whereas

strength,

Idealifni requires a great

and

vivacity

of imagination, of the moft

wonderful

of genius,

a complication
it

abftraft ideas; but at

the fame time

is

not folid; fince

it is

founded upon
;

falfe

confequences drawn from true principles

its

fundamental

maxim
"US

is

undemonftrable, and

its

natural confequences lead

to

lookupon

God as

the author of fin, and the immediate,

deliberate, voluntary caufe

terialifm affirms that there
efFedl
it

of all moral and

is
it

phyficalevil.

Ma-

a neceffary relation

of caufe and

where

it

fees

none;

confounds identity with union;

fuppofes that the felf-fame fubftance

may

have

contradi<51:o-

ry,

and incompatible

attributes.

Idealifm denies that there

can be a real activity

in fccond caufes, becaufe

it

we cannot pon-

ceivethe manner of their operation;

poftibility

meafuresthe abfolute
it

of things by

its

own

capacity;

denies modifying

power in the
'jiies

creatures, for the

fame reafon that Spinofa dehead.

creating

power

in the

God

Both

thefe fyftems are equally undemonftrable

:

and inca-

pable of folid proofs but Idcaiifmis far more dangerous than

aSo

OF THE PROPERTIES
wanton imaginations
all
air,

Book IIL

MaterlaUrm.TheMaterialifts can only impofe upon weak, fuperficial,

that pretend openly to degrade

human
of the
and
but

nature, and flatter

thepaflions: but the Idealifts

have a devout and ferious

an apparent zeal for the rights

deity, a fpecious pretence

of feeing

all

things in

God,

God
it

in

all

things,

which

allures at

firft

virtuous minds;

hurrys them at

laft

into the darkeft Atheifm,

when they
the Male-

reafon confequentially, and are not ftartled at the neceflary

confequences of the principles

laid

down.

Thus
fi<5tion

branchian enthufiafm, and the Berkeleyan

end

inevi-

tably in Spinofian blafphemy, contrary to the pious intenti-

on of their

inventors, and thus thefe three fp routs

of the Car-

tefian philofophy have corrupted, debauch'd,

and perverted
age.

fome of the greateft and

fore
it

fineft

Genii of the

lafl

Where-

was with reafon

that

fome learned men of all nations

againfl: his

contemporary with Defcartes declaimed

fyftem as

dangerous, tho' they were unjuft to attack his defigns as pernicious.

COR.
Hence it is
neither probable, nor pofTible.

I.

abfolutely falfe that the exiftence

of matter

Is

COR.
Hence
It Is

II.

pure Fanaticifm to maintain that

we

can be

fure of the exiftence

of matter only by

revelation.

Thus we have demonft rated

and
exiftence

the properties, differences

now

of material and Immaterial fubftanccs. We {hall examine their laws, refemblances, and relations, during

the pure and primitive ftate of nature exalted.

END OF THE THIRD BOOK.

28l

THE

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES
OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION.
BOOK
IN
IV.

OFNATURE
AN EXALTED STATE.

DEFINITIONS.
I

T>
-*-^

NATURE EXALTED,
all
;

mean

that original ftate

wherein

things were created, as they

reprefentative

came pure

from the hands of God

and conformable

of

his perfeflions,

to eternal order.

Nn

282
2.

OFNATURE
mean
the conformity

Book IV.
of the created

By ETERNAL ORDER, Bcauty, Harmony, or propor-

tion in the univerfe, I

images, and piOures to their uncreated original, and his dcfigns in producing them.

AXIOMS.
1.

Beings that refemble one

common third,

muft re-

femble one another.

2.
verfal,

Inaftate of pure and exalted nature, the eternal, uni-

and immutable law of all

infinite intelligence.

finite intelligences,

was that

of the

SCHOLIUM.
The fource ofmany egregious miftakes
divinity
is

in philofophy

and

the confounding the flate of nature exalted, with

that of nature degraded.

fifls,

The Atheifls,
many

Materlalifts, Spino-

and minute philofophers, pretend that there

are in the

prefent conflitution of nature,

irregularities, diforders,

and contradi(5lions;
defign, wifdom,
infinitely lefs

fo that

or

we cannot from it conclude either goodnefs. Some anfwer that the evil is
as nothing,

than the good in the univerfe, and that thereis

fore the

one

to

be accounted

when compared
evils that

with the other. Others fay that the neceiTary

peri are as fhades that give aluftre to God's

hap-

works. Others af-

firm that

God ought

not to change the fimplicity of his laws,

and his general

wills to prevent particular diforders.

Some go

yet further, and maintain that

God

forefaw infallibly, preorevills

dained inevitably, and permitted deliberately the

to manifeft his divine perfections

we fee

of mercy and juftice; others

Book
tion
is,

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
it

283

in fine are fo extravagant as to advance that fuch Is the perfec-

of the divine nature, that

all

cannot but produce

all

that

and

that

is

poffible,

what we

call bad, as well as

what

w^e call

good; what

we

call vitlous as

well as

what we

call vir-

tuous;

what we

call

miferable as well as
all

what we call happy.

We fhall fhow hereafter that

worthy of God, and tenduig
moral

thefe lyftems are lame, un-

vifibly either to difparage his

attributes, or to deftroy his very effence.

All thefe

fchemes came from confounding the

efFe<5ls, irregularities,

and

defe6ls

of nature

in a degraded ftate,

with the properties,

ftate.

laws and perfe(5lions of nature in an exalted

firft

We fhall
it

confider nature in

its

primitive original creation, as

came pure out of the hands of God; then

ftate after the introdufllon

in a fallen lapfed
evil

of moral and phyfical

its

into

it;

and

laft

of all, nature

re-eftablifhed in

original glory, or-

der and perfe<5lion.

PROPOSITION
In a
one
ftate

XXXVIIL
all fi-

of pure and

exalted nature

nite intelligences

enjoyed a double happinefs;

di^

in the

immediate contemplation of the

vine effence; another in the knowledge of his

reprefentations.

DEMONSTRATION.
God
a
ftate

created finite intelligences to

make them happy

can manifeft his

in

the contemplation and love of his divine perfections (a); in

of pure and exalted nature

XXIV.

God

di-

(a) Prop

Nn

2^4
admitting
fence, or

OFNATURE
them
to the

Book IV
by
ef-

vine perfeftions to finite intelligences, two ways, either

immediate vifion of his abfolute

by

difplaying to

them

his

power, wifdom, and good-

nefs in his created reprefentations (a): Therefore in aftate

of pure and exalted nature,

all finite

intelligences enjoyed a

double happinefs; one in the immediate contemplation of

the divine elTence, another in the knowledge of his created
reprefentations.

SCHOLIUM,
We
have already demonftrated itpofTible that God's creit

ating energy never ceafed fince

began ; that
;

it

may

be e-

ver fince continually fruitful and produdive

create

that he

may
and

new

fubftances material and immaterial without end,

to

and communicate

them new forms, new

progreflion;

capacities,

new perfections by an everlafling

it is

and therefore
fHll re-

pofRble and probable that the immenfe fpaces are

plcnifhlng with new worlds and

al pi(5tures

new

inhabitants,with materi-

and

intelligent

images innumerable.

Now in thefe
finite

bleft abodes,

and immenfe regions we muft conceive

of
a double happinefs.

fpirits pofleifed

As God had no other

it is

defign in creating
tain that

them but

to

make them happy,

cer-

he

beatifies thefe unfallen intelligences,

not only

by the
by

intuitive view

of his pure and abfolute

all

eifence, but alfo

difcovering to
fee

them
he
is,

the wonders of his omnipotence.

all

They

God

as

and

his
is

produdions

as they

came
never

pure from his hands.

The

one

the efientlal, the other Is

celellial fpirits as

only the acceflbry happinefs of fuch

(a) Cor. 2. of Prop.

XXI.

BookIV.

in

an

exalted state.

285
thus that

felljor that are reftored to their primitive (late. It is

they pafs an eternity. Sometimes they lofe themfelves in the central abyfs of the pure divinity; and fometimes they enter
into fociety with each other, and adore
their

God

in his v^^orks.

fupreme and ultimate objefl; but they adore He is ftill him by turns in himfelf and in his reprefentations. For this
reafon the fcripturefays,
'
'

that

all

God's works

will

be eter-

nal;
tal

and that we

fhall rife again

with glorious and immor-

'

bodies;'

which would be

ufelefs

and fuperfluous,

if the

material world were not to be eternal.

The forms will changfe,

but the elTences will

laft

for ever.
affert

Far be

it

from us then to
of created
;

with Orlgen, that the acis

celTory happinefs
hi a ftate

intelligences
all

altogether ufelefs

of

beatific vifion

that

material nature will be de-

flroy'd after the final re-eftablifhment

of all fallen

intelligenfpirit;

ces; that in eternity nothing will

remain but pure

fill

that

then the efTential

city

blifs

willfufEce to

all

theboundlefs capa-

of

finite

beings; that the pretended accidental felicity, in

the knowledge and enjoyment of the material pictures would

be an interruption, and

fo to fpeak,

an amufement, which fupream

original.

would divert

celeftial fpirits

from

their

All

thefe reafonings are falfe in their principle,

and dangerous in

their confcquences, yea they tend vifibly to deftroy all the a-

nalogy of faith; as fhall be fully demonftrated hereafter.

They

proceed from not underftanding the following principle.

If finite
fpirits

could contemplate the divine eflence with-

out interruption, the creation of the material world would

have been
enjoy
tliis

ufelefs;

becaufe they would have had no time, to

accejOTory accidental happinefs:

they would never

226

OF
minds

NATURE
is

Book IV.
the nature

have turned from the orlguial to the pldures ; nor preferred

an

inferior to a fuperior blifs: but fuchkfeenis

finite

of

how

exalted foever, that the conftant irradiainfinite

tions

of the abfolute

would over-power

their

bounded
fo flrong

faculties,

over-whelm them with joys and raptures

and vehement, that they could not fupport the immenfe

weight of glory.
All finite intelligences therefore are oblielTential

ged to the alternate returns of

nefs.

and acceffory happi-

Admitted

to the beatific vifion, received into the di-

vine effenccj and immerfed in the immenfe ocean of light,

there they remain
its
till
;

they are no longer able to fupport

veil their eyes, fally out, fo

radiant fplendors

then they

to fpeak,

from the

centre, retire to the circumference,

and

there contemplate the original in the pictures, and enter into

fociety with each other;

and

it is

during thefe intervals that

finite

they

may become

peccable.

If

intelligences could

have remained eternally in the divine prefence, they would

have been for ever impeccable.
reafon of knowing, chufing, or

They would have had no loving inferior good; God

would have been

elTcnce,

their

only objeft; immerfed in the divine

no other borrowed ray could have turned them off

boundlefs fource of light: but in thefe intervals,
finitude

from

this

wherein they are obliged by the

fally

of their

natures, to

out of the divine prefence, and to adore their infinite cre-

ator in the creatures, they enter into

commerce with
activities;

finite

things,and exert their natural powers and

they

may

judge, reafon, and compare, and therefore

may

err in their

judgments, make a

falfe choice,

and

fo depart infenfibly
fcrics

from

eternal order; and that

by along, continued

ofgra-

BookIV^.
book.

in an

exalted state.
COR.

287
the next

dations imperceptible, as fhall be explained in

I.

Hence we fee
of
.ror

the true reafon of the creation and duration

It

the material world.

was not made, according

to the er-

of Origen, for the punilhment of degraded intelligences but to be the acccffory happinefs of the molt exalted fpirits.
G o R.
II.

Hence
by
telle6tual

finite intelligences are

obliged at certain intervals

their natural finitude

and weaknefs, to turn off their incontemplation of the pure and

eye from the

dire<5l

abfolute efTenceof God, to adore the original in his pi^ures

and images: then they are

faid to veil their faces

with their

wings, and turn their eyes from the dazzling original to ad-

mire and behold him in his created fhadows and

pi<5tures.

COR.
Hence,
as

III.
this

wefliallihow in the fecond part of

work,

feveral ancient fathers

of the church, and the

wifeft

Pagan
what-

philofophers, yea

all

the fages of antiquity both facred and

all finite fpirits

profane, maintained with reafon, that

foever are

fomehow

or other united to material, ethereal and

are in

celeftial vehicles;

by which they

commerce with the

glorious corporeal world in the celeftial regions.

None of

them whether of
with an open,

feraphical, angelical,

or any lower order

can contemplate the pure, naked, and abfolute efTence of God

direfl,

and uninterrupted view.

COR.

IV.
finite intelligences

Hence we may underftand how

mitted tQ the beatiiic vifion can

ad-

become

peccable.

They

288

OFNATURE
and
fo mufl:

Book

IV.

are not able to fupport with a permanent, immutable,

imme-

diate

view the fplendors of the divine prefence, becaufe of

their natural finitude;

ter, to

go out of their divine cen-

adore the original in his created images, and during

thefe intervals they

may

err in their judgments,

make

a falfe

choice,

and thus

feparate the love

of pleafure from the love

of order, which

is

moral

evil.

PROPOSITION
difierent fubftances,

XXXIX.
in-

In a ftatc of pure and exalted nature, the

telligent images and material pidiures, tho' quite

muft have neceflary refem-

blances to each other.

DEMONSTRATION.
In a
IS

ftate

of pure and exalted nature the whole creation

an external reprefentation of God (a) ;

God
by

can reprefent
material pic-

himfelf thus both by intelligent images and

tures (b):
ceffarily

beings that refemble one

common

third

muft ne-

refemble each other (c): therefore in a

ftate

of pure

and

exalted nature, the intelligent images

and the material

pictures, tho' quite different fubftances,

muft have neceflary

refemblances to each other.

SCHOLIUM.
Tho'
the intelligent images, and material pidures, be different fubftances, that have contrary
perties, yet they are in this
"

and incompatible pro-

analogous as both are reprefenta(c)

(a) Prop.

XXI.

(b) Prop.

XXVI.

Ax.

of

this

Book.

Book
tlve

IV.

in an

EXALTED STATE.
yet

289

of the fame archetype.

the Inthnate eflence

Tho' we do not fee at prefent of things as we fhall fee them one day,
is,

when we behold God as he

properties

we now

perceive that the

to the

and modes of matter are analogous

powers

and modes of Ipirit. Thus

bility in
tivity,

figurability, divifibility,

and mo-

matter are fimilar to and fhadows of intelligence, acin fpirits.

different
fpirits

and love

As the
them

impreffions

made upon boand

ideas.

dies give

them

forms and

figures; fo the imprefli-

ons made upon

give

different fenfatlons

As

the moving external force divides, feparates and reunites

;

the different parts of matter

vides, feparates

fo the innate activity within di-

and unites the

different ideas

of the mind; and

this

is

reafon or comparifon.

As
form

the impulfe given to bodire<n:ions, fo

dies produces in

them
It

different
fpirits

motions and
in

the impulfions given to

them

different defires

and

inclinations.

is

thus that configuration, divifion and

motion
fon,

in bodies are fhadows,

volition in fpirits.

and images of perception,

this reafon,

rea-

and

For
very

when we

talk

of the

attributes,

modes, and operations of intellectual agents,

ufe, are
oft,

the exprefTions

we

yeaalmoft continually,

drawn from
agents.

the forms, properties, and a(5tions of corporeal

genius, an high mind, a

Thus we fay a profound foft heart, warm paffions, a boiling

a fhallow judgment.

imagination, a fvveet foul,

it is

For the fame reafon

that facred

writ in fpeaking of the infinite

a confuming
fire

mind

calls

very oft the Father

light

and a devouring flame ; the Son, the

of

the world, the fun of righteoufnefs, and the

morning

flar.

The Holy Ghoft, a

of God's mouth.

ftrong wind, a foft zephyr, and the breath

Yea the

purifying, fandifying, beatifying

Oo

290
and
living waters.

OF

NATURE
balmy
was
oil,

Book IV.
a foft

influences are called an holy unflion, a

dew,

This great

principle

alfo the fource

of

that fymbolic
fages,
all

and hieroglyphic language, by which the

earlieft

firfl:

from the

times after the

all

fall

of man, ex-

prelfed

the myfkries of religion, and

the fecrets of the

invifible world.
all its parts as
le(n:ual

They looked upon

the material univerfeand

fliadows, emblems,

and

pictures

of the

intel-

world; and fo made ufe of the properties,

virtues,

and

qualities

of the one,

to defign, indicate

and reprefent the

powers, attributes, and faculties of the other.

Thefe

facred

fymbols therefore were not at

firfl:

veils

and masks to hide

and Images to
Ihall

fubhme

truths

from vulgar minds but

;

types,

recall thefe great truths to

our remembrance, as

be

ful-

ly explain'd in the fecond Part.

COR.
Hence
fplritual

I.

if we

knew the

properties, forms,

and laws of the

world, and the reafons of their inftitution,

we might

thereby difcover the properties, forms and laws of the material

world, and the reafons of their inllitution.

COR.
Hence flow
all

II.

the rules

of analogy which run through

the whole creation; and this analogy

may be of great
form

ufe to
a

guefs at the principles of true philofophy, and

fyfl:em

new

of natural philofophy, more luminous and fruitful than any that have yet been invented, as ftiall be unfolded
very foon.

COR.
Hence
as there
Is

iti.

a centripetal force that impells necef-

farily material

objeds to the center; fo there

may be

a cen-

Book
trlpetal
finite

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
draws freely
their

291

force, that

intelligent beings to the in-

and omniprefcnt mind,

common and

univerfal

center; and as bodies that tend to their center

augment more

and more their velocity the nearer they approach it, fo fpirits augment for ever and ever their activity, the more they approach to their
infinite center.

PROPOSITION
In a
io w'd
ftate

XL.
all
fi-

of pure and exalted nature

nite intelligences,

or the living images, fol-

the eternal, immutable, and univerfal

is

law of order, which

to love

God

for himfelf,

and

all

other beings proportionably as they

refemble him.

DEMONSTRATION.
By
a ftate

of pure and exalted nature,

mean

that origi-

nal integrity in

which

all

things were created, and as they

divine per-

came pure from God's hands, reprefentative of his

feftions,

and conform to eternal order (a); the eternal, immuall finite

table

and univerfal law of of the

is

intelligences

is

and ought

to be that

infinite intelligence (b);

God

loves himfelf

becaufe he

infinitely perfciH:,

and loves

all

beings proporti-

onably

as

they refemble him

all finite

(c): therefore in aflate

of pure

and exalted nature

nal,

intelligences followed the eteris

immutable and univerfal law of order, which

for himfelf

to love

God

and

all

beings proportionably as they re-

femble him.
(a) Def. I. of this Book,

(b) Ax. 2. of this Book,

(c)

Cor

i.

and

4.

of

Prop. XI.

Oo

392

OF

NATURE
who
is

Book

IV.

SCHOLIUM.
A modern author, (a)
genius, delicate
tafte,

juftly valuable for his fine

noble fentiments, and univerfal lear-

ning, has demonftrated

by

experience, that there

fenfe or fentiment,

is

in the foul

an intimate, moral, fuperior

difcovcr

by which we
a-

and approve,

relifh

and love virtuous aflions and

gentSjindependentof all interefted views; and that the fenfible pleafure

accompanying thcfe adions, or the future

re-

wards that attend them, or any other natural good which may be the confequences of than; are not always the motive

of our cfteeming, loving and praftifing them;

fo that

we
are

undefignedly promote our

own

private good, while

we

only intending the good of others.

This was the

as (hall be
fhall

univerfal fentiment
in the

of all the refined Pagans^,

this v^^ork:
firft

fhown

fecond part of

but

we
and

refume

this fubjeft higher, rife this

up

to

principles,

endeavour to fhow that

moral fenfe and difinterefled love

relations betwixt

of

virtue

is

founded upon the immutable

finite

and infinite.
love

The
him,
is

of God for

himfelf,

and of all other beings for

the law of eternal order; for order in the creation is

the conformity of the created images and pidures to their uncreated original, and to the defigns he

had

in

making them.

This is the fupreme

original law,

yea the law of God himfelf,

from whence he cannot depart without ceafing to be what he is. He did not make this law in any determinate period
of duration, by
a free arbitrary decree;
it

flows neccflarlly

from

his cffence,

and

is

equally binding

upon him and upon

(a) See

Mr. Hutchefon's enquiry into moral good and evil.

Book IV.
all

in an

EXALTED STATE.
It
is

293
eternal,

created intelligences.

founded upon the

infinite.

im-

mutable relations of

All other laws are only emanations of this original law; or helps to arrive at it.

finite

and

We

might have been placed in circumflances, wherein

ufelefs.

all

other laws would have been

ry,efrential,univerfal

This

is

the only necelTaall

law of all intelligent natures, in

times,

in all places,

and

in all fituations.

God cannot give

a difpenfa-

tionfromit without contradicting himfelf, without overtur-

ning eternal order, and deflroying the

twixt the creature and the creator.

eilential relations

be-

This

do<5lrine

of the pure love of

God

for his fovereign

pcrfe(5lIon,

was ftrongly combated

laft

in France,

by

feveral phi-

iofophcrs and divines of the

all times,

age,

who

maintained that In
Is

places

and

flates, fallen
;

or unfallen, pleafure

the

only fpring of the foul

nefs,
is

that the invincible defire

of happi-

the elTence of the will; and in fine that the perception

of truth, and the beauty of virtue never move the foul othervife than by the celeflial delcflatlon which accompanies
them; and therefore that
felf,
it is

impoflible, even in

heaven

it-

to love

any thing but for the pleafure, happinefs,

relative

good, andintereft

we find

in

it.

E'er I confute this fcheme,

cal fenfe

it is fit

to

remark the equivo-

of the word Pleafure.

It fignifies either the delibe*

rate
*

a<5l

or purpofe of the will ; as when kings fay,

'

fuch

is

our

pleafure;

or an Indeliberate pafFive fenfation.of the foul, as

that mufic gives us great pleafure.
is

when we fay

Thofe who

maintain that pleafure

the only fpring of the will, mufl

latter fenfe,

underftand this word in the

not in the former;

will; as the

for the motive of the will cannot be the

ad of the

294
moving
cffefl.

OFNATURE
Now
fclf-intereft

Book

IV.

force cannot be the motion itfelf ; or the caufe, the

in the latter fenfe Pleafure, or the agreeable fcn-

fationof the foul, the defire ofhappinefs, of relative good,

and

cannot be the only motives of the will for

three rcafons.
I

mo. If

pleafure, happinefs,

good

relative to ourfelves,
will,

and

felf-intereft,

were the only motives of the

then

it

would be impoffible
produces in us
lefs

to have greater love to an objc(ft that

agreeable fcnfations, than to another that

produces in us more agreeable fcnfations.

Now it is

certain

by experience

that during this

life,

truth, virtue,

and eternal

order do not always produce in us fuch

lively, penetrating,
it

gratifying fcnfations as terreftrial obje<5ls; and therefore

would be impoffible
ter,

to love the

former preferably to the

follicited

lat-

and to remain virtuous when

by ftrong

terreftri-

al dcle6lation.

Thus the moft vicious would be

any pleafure
is

excufable, be-

caufe they do not feel

in virtue.

If

it

befaid
it

that intelle(n:ual pleafure

ftronger than corporeal, tho'

is

be

not fo
its

fenfible; I anfwer, that fince pleafure

a fenfation,
if

force muft be meafured

by

its fenfibility,

and therefore

a pure reafonable pleafure a6l

upon us more ftrongly than an

it

impure unreafonable
as

pleafure,

does not then a6l upon us

as

more

agreeable,

but as more reafonable, or

of a fupevirtue

rior dignity;

and confequently the view of truth or

may
For
they

a<n:

as forcibly

upon the will

as the fenfation

of pleafure.

this rcafon it is that the vicious are

always blamcable, be-

caufe by virtue of the univerfal grace and light rcfufed to none,

may

always turn their intclledual eye to the view of

truth, virtue,

and juftice.

Book
<

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
'

The modern

refined Epicureans will urge,

295 that when we we

pre-

facrlfice fenfible pleafure to intellectual,

temporal happinefs
becaufe

to eternal,

and apparent good

to real,

it is

fer a

more durable

to a lefs durable pleafure; that a vicious

his pafHons,

'

man who follows

more

may have an hundred degrees

fenfible pleafure than a faint,

who

facrifices all his

'

pafTions: but that the latter with

le<5tation

one degree of celeftial de-

furmounts the hundred degrees of terreflrial, be-

caufe he confiders the one as eternal,

fient.

and the other

as tran-

Now

<

of pleafure,

an eternal duration multiply'd by one degree is infinitely fuperior to an hundred degrees of

;

<

pleafure multiply'd

by any finite time becaufe in fpiritual as in material motions, the force is ftill to be meafured by the vivacity or momentum multiply'd by the duration and the

number of repeated imprefTions. Thus happinefs prefent or

future, relative good, felf-intereft,
terreftrial; are

and

pleafure, celeftial or

always the

latent, primitive,

and only fprings

of the will.'
Itis

by

this

comparifon of fpiritual and corporeal agents

that the
rit

modern Epicureans reduce all the operations of fpicalculation.

to

mechanifm and

They

fuppofe tacitely that

differs

the foul is an intelkaual machine, whofe mobility

that of bodies in this alone, that the
fesin
nical,
pells
it,

from
paf-

one perceives what

and the other does not: but both are equally mechapufli'd necelTarily

and

by the moving

caufe, that

im-

and determines them inevitably and

all

invincibly.

Thus

they deftroy
fpontaneity,
free,

ideas of Liberty ,which they reduce to a fimple

andfo confound what is voluntary with w^hatis

I grant that

we may facrifice

a temporal interelt to an.

29^
eternal,
lights

OF
of
fenfe, to thofe

NATURE
refin'd
;

Book

IV.

an impure pleafure to a more

;

one and the demoft rcafoalfo

of the mind and

this is a

nable felf-love: but this does not prove that

facrifice the natural love
rice,

we cannot

of pleafure to the pure love of juiPthus.

which Idemonftrate

2do. Since that for which

we

love

is

properly the end and

object of our love; if pleafure, happinefs and relative

good
love

were the only

fprings

of the

will,

then

we would not

God as

he loves himfelf; we would love nothing but ourfdves;

the original
lefs

we would love
the Infinitely
Icfs

than the image; the fmall rays

infinitely great for

more than the immenfe ocean of light, the

little,

and thus love the

total

fum of perfedion

Thus by the elTential fundamental conftitution of our natures we would be obliged

than a fmall participation of it.
neceffarily to overturn
all

order, contradicfl the eternal law

of

God himfclf, and have a will diametrically oppofite to his. The modern Epicureans will fay, that God loves himfelf
becaufc he
is

happy, and that the pleafure accompanying the

view of his perfeftions, produces in him the love he has for

himfelf,

and that therefore

to love

him

as beatifying, as

our

fupreme happinefs,

as infinite fource

of pleafure,

as relative

good, as our fovereign

fclf.

intereft, is loving

him

as

he loves himis

anfwer that the knowledge

God
love.

has of himfelf

no

doubt accompanied with

fure
is

infinite pleafure,

but then

this plea-

rfotthe formal rcafon

of his

God's love of him-

l4:lfisnota
infinite

bUnd

inftind, but a nccefTary emanation

of the

knowledge he has of himfclf ;otherwife God's love of

himfclf, or the
tlier

Holy Ghoft, would not proceed from

the Fa-

by ihcSon,but from the

fenfation of his happinefs;

and

Book
mind
from
three.

IV.

in

an
in

EXALTED STATE.
God
ail

297

fo there

would be

four perfons inftead of three; the

conceiving; the idea conceiv'd, the happynefs flowing

this

conception; and the love proceeding from

is

the

This

equally falfe philofophy, and falfe divinity.

The

happinefs of the

Godhead

is

the infinite complacency he

is

takes in himfelf; this complacency

his love;

and

this love

flows from the knowledge he has of his

own

perfetftion.

In

God knowledge
a6ts,

and love are not the fame; they are difUnct

emanations, and perfonalities: but God's eiTential hap-

pinefs
ty,
is

and

coeifential love are the

fame

afl, virtue, perfonali-

and both have the fame motive or formal reafon, which

theboundlefs perfe6lion

God

difcovers in himfelf.

We are

made for the knowledge of truth, as well as for the enjoyment of happinefs. As God loves himfelf, becaufe of his perfeftion, and not becaufe he is happy; fo we are made to
love

God becaufe

of

his perfe6lion,

and not becaufe our hapGod's happinefs,

is is

pinefs flows

from him; or rather

as

the
the

love of his perfection, fo our fupernatural beatitude,

love of the fame perfe<n:ion.

If it be urged that
good,
this
is

God loves himfelf not only as fovereign but as good to himfelf, as his own good. I anfwer that
abfolutely falfe.

If there were any other good befide

to fpeak, to enjoy
it,

God, he would go out of himfelf, fo

as his
is

and

therefore he does not love his perfe<n:ion, as proper to him,

own, from
in
itfelf,

a principle

of intcrcfl:; but becaufe

this

good

good

and amiable by effence. Self-love in us pureand not a virtue; and

fo has

ly asfelfifhis a defe6l

no archehe is

type in our great original.

perfect;

God

loves himfelf becaufe

and not becaufe he

is felfifh.

We ought to love our-

298
felves for

OFNATURE
him
as his images,

Book
we

IV.

and in

fo far as

refemble him

in

any degree

ofperfecHiion,

and not forourfelves andasfe-

parate beings diftinft

from him.

The

knowledge

God

has

of his abfolute
fonrce, motive,

perfection, or his eternal

Word,

is

the only

and reafon of

his co-eternal love or

Holy

Ghoft.
thinois

To maintain
itfelf,

therefore that the creature can love no-

but

for

its

own

pleafure, intereft

and happinefs,

to

deny that

God

can make a being that loves him as he

loves himfelf, that he can produce a creature after his

own

i-

mage, and that has the fame law with him. 3tio. If pleafure, happinefs, and relative good, were the
only fprings of the
truth,
as
will,

then

God

confidered as fovereign
us,

would

zS: lefs ftrongly

upon

than

God confidered
for

fupreme happinefs.
to us, than for

We

would
is

love

him more

what

he does

what he

In himfelf, for his

boun-

ded communications, than for his boundlefs

relative

perfe<5tions, as

good than

as abfolute good, as beatifying to us,

It

than

as beatifying to all intelligences.

may be
is

faid that fince

the view of truth, pcrfeClion and order is always accompanied

with
love.

pleafure,

it

is

the pleafure that

all

the only motive

of
is

I anfwer that in

intelligences the view

of order

always accompanied with pleafure: but as the pleafure that accompanies the view of truth is not the reafon why we acquiefce in
it

as true,fo the pleafure that

accompanies the view

it

of order,
juft.

is

not the reafon

why we
cafe,
it is

love and adhere to

as

In one and t'other

the immutable relation

of things that determines our judgment and choice, and not the agreeable ImprefFions they make upon us. If it be faid
that this
is

only eflecm, adoration, fpcculative love, and not

Book IV.
an

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
This we deny,
finceit produces a

299
con-

efficacious charity.

formity to the obje^, a confbnt obfervation of his laws, an

inviolable attachment to juftice

and an imitation of

all

the

divine perfedions.

It

is

not a fendble, indeliberate, voluptuchoice of,

a transforlov'd. It

ous

dele(5lation,

but a

fpiritual, deliberate, univerfal

and adherence

to eternal order.

Now true love

is

mation of the foul into a conformity with the objefl

IS

true that
aft

The

we always love with pleafure, but not for pleafure. of love when fenfible is the greateft pleafure; but
is

the a6lis not the motive. Moreover, the pure, fpiritual love of

God

in the faints

not always fenfible nor perceptible

is

by
and

its effects.

This habitual love of preference

as in

very oft acaridities

company'd,

our great modell, with inward

outward

defolation, fpiritual agonies,

and

internal martyr-

dom; and yet the mind adheres invincibly to the has made from the fole love of juftice. This love
pure, not only becaufe of
its

choice
is

It

called
its act,

objeft,

but becaufe of
central, does

which being altogether

intelleftual

and

not

al-

ways
tions,

afFeft the

imagination with grateful ideas, ftrong emo-

and

fenfible deleclatlons.

The modern more

this

refined Epicureans have

is

no notion of and upon a

pure love. All their devotion

a pious drunkennefs,

a fenfible delegation.

They

defire to

go

to heaven

bed of rofes; fofoon

as they feel

no inward joys
fall

in the paths

of virtue, they
till

recoil,

turn back, and

into defpondency,

they

feel again the

fweet returns of a

celeftial

delegation.

They

look upon

this

milk of babes as efficacious grace, and

upon the

aridities, defolatlons,

and the fufpenfions of thefe and marks of repro-

fenfible favours as dereliftion, infidelity,

Pp

30O
batlon.
ty,

OFNATURE
They
love, value, fearch

Book

IV.

and efteem nothing

in pie-

but the melting tranfports of a mechanical devotion.

Thus
grofs

Self is the fource and center of all their virtues,

and pleafure
fallen fe-

the only fpring of their will.

paflions of fenfe, with the

Thus they exchange the

of the

mod refined vices

is

raphin.
fire

Their

felf-denial

very oft oltentation; their de-

of perfciftion, an

intelleftual

ambition

their fhining vir-

tues,

gawdy

fliows

their apparent difintereftednefs, a fecret

vain glory,

and

their love

of God a

fpiritual

concupifcence.
as vain refine-

They condemn

all the delicacies

of pure love
fubtility

ments of mind; and if they have any

love of order.
I

of genius, they

propofe the following objections againll the eternal law and

mo. The love of

God

is

our fupreme

intereft, foit

can

never be gratuitous and without view to a recompenfe; and

therefore
this
it

is

always interefted.

But there
love

is

no force

in

argument:

we grant that the

ofGodis our fupreme

is

intereft,

but it does not thence follow, that this interefl

the

reafon, the

end or the motive of our

our
a<5l

love.

This love

will

not

become

interefled, becaufe
it,

greatefl: intereft is in fa6t infefclfifh

parable from

unlefs

we

only from a

view to obit

tain this intereft.

facH:

Neither

is

this love interefted, becaufe

in

procures us neceffarily eternal happinefs, fince our view

is

in loving purely

not to be happy but to be good

juft;

not to en^
infati-

joy the recompenfe, but to be

able thirft of felicity, but to
der.

nor to quench our

conform

ourfelves to eternal or-

Thus

thefc Epicurean divines

confound

eternally the

motive and the efFe6l, or confequent of pure love.

2do. Thefe miftaken divines urge that

we can

love

no

Book
is

IV.

in an
is

EXALTED STATE.
is

301

thing but what

amiable, and that God

only amiable as he

beneficent to us.

The
is

latter propofition is falfc:

God

as

beneficent toward us
reignly perfe<5t,and
ty; that
is,

defirable, but

he

is

amiable as fove-

good toward all, and

as the

fupreme beaua-

becaufe of the immutable

his perfe<5tions.

harmony and order

mongft

all

All other beings are only ami-

able in fo far as they refemble him.

The

intuitive

view of

his abfolute beauty ravifhes fuperior intelligences, and tranf^

ports

them

fo entirely

beyond themfelves, that they have not

time to think

of, or refle(n:

upon

their

own

happinefs.

Thefe

incautious philofophers perpetually confound defire with

love; chafle hope with fpiritual cupidity,

and the natural love

of happinefs with fupernatural

charity.

We

defire

what

is

good
ty

we love what is good initfelf. The intrinfic beauand perfection we fee in an object may be a reafon of love j
to us,
it; as

of adherence and tendency to

pinefs,

well as the relative hap-

and agreeable fenfations we

expe(5t

from

it.

3tio.

Thefe fpiritual Epicureans add, that if God were not

beneficent to us, if he refufed to

make us happy;

if he

were

indifferent about his creatures, they could not love him,

and
in-

he would not be amiable, and therefore our love is always

terefled.

This too

is

mere

cavil.

If

God were
he
is

not infinitely

beneficent to his living images, he would not be infinitely perfe<5l.Heis free to create finite beings,but

not free to make

them
them

miferable, to hate

them

gratuitoufly, to predeftinatc

to eternal mifery purely to

fhow

his

empire over them.

to his defignsin
is

This were

a contradiction to his nature,

and

producing them.
love
all

One of his

molt amiable perfedions

all intelligences;

to

he has made; andto beatify

but

this ia

30Z
not the

OFNATURE
fole pulchritude and pcrfe(n:ion
life,

Book

IV.

of his nature.Tho' he
and thereby
yetfo long as

fhould annihilate us in particular after this

refufe us the beatific vifion during eternity;

we

exift, it

would be jufl: and reafonable

all

to love

him

as

ami-

able in himfelf, and beneficent to

the other myriads

of be-

ings and orders of fpirits that he has created.

He cannot torhappy: but the

ment us without

reafon, nor

make

us forever miferable, his

overflowing goodnefs muftatlaft

make

us

all

degrees of happinefs he gives us, are not the ftandards of the

love

we owe

to

him, nor what make him precifely and fo-

vercignly amiable.

We ought to love
is.

him not only

for

what

he does, but
beatifying
as the fource

for

what he

To

feparate the love

of God as

from the love of God

of

asperfe61:, the defireof

God

pleafure, true happinefs, and relative good,

from the
is

love of God as fovereign juftice, order and beauty^

in

mangling

our notions and dividing the living God:

is

it is

loving

him only for what he

to us,

and not for what he

is

in himfelf.

This probably was the fin of Lucifer.

Thus

the devout Fatalifts and rigid Predeftinarians

from
bethat

a latent felf-love fancy themfelves the only elcd.

finitely perfc(5l in himfelf,

God as into
all

and

as infinitely

good

ings,

is

not the objed of their love; but a partial

neglefls, hates,
is

God

doats

upon them, while he

and damns

all

o-

ther beings. Their mofl: perfect charity

titude,

only a

love of gra-

and of gratitude for an arbitrary choice,

predilecflion^

and preference unworthy of God, and

ral perfc6lions.

dcflru6tive

of his mo-

4to.

Thcfe Epicurean

cafuifts,

enraged to fee the idol of

is

Self overthrown,contendearneftly that felf-love

infeparable

Book

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
then

30^

from our

natures:

we can

never be indifferent about our own

happinefs: if

we could,
at hell

we might become independent,

defpife eternal fe-

defy God, laugh

licity.

and damnation, yea

is

This objedion

founded upon the

fophiftical rea~

fonlngs of fome antagonifts of pure love;

who

pretend that a

necelTary confequenceof this fublime do6lrine is,that

facriiice

we may

eternal blifs

that

is,

to the hatred

damnation, of God, from a principle of abfolute reAll this

is

and fubmit to

everlafting

fignation to the divine will.

extravagance, and a

wandring from the true queftion.

the pure love of
chafte

We

can never feparate

God, from the

true love

of Self; nor the

charity.

hope of eternal happinefs, from pure

laws of immutable order

we ought

to

By the love all that God has

as his livino- i-

made; love even

vine love in us.
purely?
is

ourfelves out

of pure charity

mages; and our everlafHng

felicity as the
lefs,

confummation of di^
becaufe

Do we

defireGod
lefs

welovehim

our chafte hope

ardent, becaufe

we hope from

God? do we become indifferent to the beatific vifion, becaufe we afpire to it as the period, and perfecllon of pure love? do we love ourfelves lefs, becaufe we
a motive worthy of
love ourfelves for

God,

as

God

loves us, and as finite ima-

ges of his confubftantial

vifion

and love

Word? our effential happinefs is the of God. Can we become indifferent to love
is

by an

excefs of love? this

downright contradiction. All the

fome pious minds make of the beatific vifion are the tranfports of a heart inflamed with love, that forp-etsfacrificcs that
itfclf,

and that does not advert to the repugnancy of its ideas, which are not conformable to the juft and noble fentimcnts

we ought to

have of the Deity.

They

fuppofe that

God can

304

OFNATURE
in eternal mifery,

Book IV.

contradlift his defigns in creating,

leave a being that loves

him

and

will deliberately the irretriveable

damnation of any creature.

divinity; as

Falfe philofophy and yet faller

we

fliall

fully

demonftrate hereafter. All thefe

impoflible fuppofitions far from being the fupernatural efforts

of pure

love, are the imperfect fallys

of a mind not

fuf-

ficiently

enlightned.

When

Mofes

offered to be blotted

out of the book of life, and

St.

Paul to become Anathema

for the falvation of his brethren; they

meant

their

own

per-

fonal annihilation or privation of the beatific vifion, if this

could procure the return of their fellow creatures to eternal

order.

They

could never

mean

that they defired hell

and

damnation, or confented to hate God from an excefs of love;

this is a contradi(ftion.

If by an impofliblefuppofition, the

perfection and happinefs

of all the human race,and of all

cre-

ated beings, depended

tion of any one
tures, then
it

upon the

particular, perfonal annihila-

man, or his being deprived of the

beatificrap-

would bejuftand reafonable

;

to fubmit to thefe

two privations
ftill

becaufe by the laws of eternal order

we ought

to prefer the greater to the leffer

good: but thefe pious

tranfports

of the

faints

prove rather their felf-forgctfulnefs,

and

univerfal charity, than the pofFibility

of any fuch fuppo-

fitions.

Thus the modern

fome pure

Epicureans, unhappily prejudiced againft

intelledual ideas, fublime reafonings, profound

thoughts, and noble fentiments,perpetually confound the motive

with the effed; Defire with Love;

God as beatifying with

and natural

God as

perfect; the falfe with the trucfelf-love;

charity.

hope with fupernatural

The fource of all the clouds

Book IV.
and
diift,

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
Is

^05

they ralfc on this head

their miftaking always

na-

ture
rated

for

grace; what
and

fouls laps'd, difeas'd,

fliould,

and degeneand
will do,

do

ordinarily,

with what they may,

purified.

when

exalted, cured

In our prefent

ftate,

the

^eculative Ideas of truth and order do not always

Gully upon the will to determine
its

a(fl

efficaci-

choice, unlefs accompalies

nied with
fpiritual

celeftial pleafure;

and herein

the neceflity

of

delegations to divert us from corporeal objefts, and

convert us to
after, is

God

as beatifying.

This, as

we

fhall

fhew here-

only the firft ftepof the divine life: but thefe novices

in true piety confound the beginning with the end, the milk

of babes with the food of flrong men; the jargon of children

with the language of the perfed.

They pretend

to be doflors

in Ifrael, profound divines, yea fathers

of the church, but

they are ignorant of the

ftop at the rudiments

firft

elements ofreafonlng.

They

of true theology; they know nothing by which fome

but thealphabet of Chriftianlty.

Having thus

diflipated all the clouds

fu-

perficial or prejudiced

minds endeavour to obfcure the fublet

lime do(5trine of feraphic love;

jea.

us

now return

to our fub-

In thefe fuperlor regions of pure and exalted nature,

nite Intelligences follow this eternal,
fal

all fi-

immutable, and univerit

law ; and from the obfervation of

flows necelfarily

all

their perfedion

and happinefs.

This is not an arbitrary law,

;

which

obedience to
py.

make them merit nor is their it a motive determining him to make them hapHe cannot beatify them without it, and they cannot be
has impofed, to
it.

God

happy but by

Felicity

is

not an arbitrary recompence, but

3o6
and

OFNATURE
Is

Book
are

IV,

a necefTary confeqiience of this pure love.

It conftltutes their

happinefs,
love

infeparable

from

it.

They

happy by

and by

free love.

So long as they remain

faithful to this

eternal law, they

open and expand themfelves

to

God's lumi-

nous Influences; and the more they

are dilated.

receive, the

more they
li-

God
to

cannot but communicate himfelf to his

ving images, that love him, as he loves himfelf.

He made
him-

them only
felf to
all

know and

love him,
illapfes,
all

and therefore when they

manlfefl:

put no flop to his divine

he cannot but

them, and difplay

the beauties of his eflencc; and

the

wonders of

his

omnipotence.

When

they can no

more fupport
ture;

the dlrefl view of the divine fplendors, they en-

ter into fociety

with each other, admire the wonders of nafee In the piflures

fee all in

and compare the beauties they

and proportionably
beauties

with

thofe they have feen in the original.

They

God and

God

in all;

as

they difcover in ^the fu-

preme archetype new

and newpcrfe<5lIons; they dif-

cover alfo In the created

nite

pl<51:ures

new manifeftatlons of Infi-

power, wifdom, and goodnefs.

God

flows continually
his beatifying ef-

into them;
fluences,

and they tranfmit to each other

which return again

of divine
light

to their almighty center withthis everlafting flux, reflux,

out any let or hindrance. In

circulation
life,

and

and love

confifls the beatitude

of all the

celeftlal choirs,

and of each

particular fpirit.

The

aftlon of the Father augments for ever their aftlvlty ; the action

of the Son communicates

to

them

ftlU

new knowledge;
in unity,

and the aftlon of the Holy Ghoft

fo that loft in the divine ocean,

exalts eternally their love,

and confummated

they partake in the operations of the Eternal Three.

Book
It
rits fell

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
law of pure love that lapfed

307
fpi-

was by
from

failing in this

their primitive ftate;

and

it is

in order to ree-

ftablifh

them

for ever

immutably in

this eternal law, that

they

pafs thro' a flate of fufferings, expiation

and mifery.

c o R.

I.

Hence

in a ftateofpure, primitive

and exalted nature, there

was and could be no moral evil, no falfe ideas, nor irregular loves, noinjufl: aflions, fmce God was the life, light and love
of all created intelligences, and they all followed the immutable, and univerfal law of order.
eternal,

COR.
Hence
of their
In all dates, fallen

II.
all finite Intelli-

and unfallen,

gences in order to enjoy the fupreme

natures, that
is,

felicity

and perfection

the fupernatural knowledge and love

of the abfolute

Infinite,

mufl expofe

their faculties to his

im-

mediate influence, by a free converfion of all their powers to

the eternal fource of
freely palTive before
life,

light

and

love.

They muft

remain

him
all

to receive his divine irradiations

and
ori-

motions.

They have

but one

efTential, primitive

and

ginal law, in order to be continued in, or reftored to their fu-

preme happinefs; which is

to (land

Itill

before the

being of
Reafon

BEINGS,
and

that he

may

flow Into them, irradiate their underwills,

Handings, animate their

their only

and become

their only

Law.

COR.
love; if they ceafe to

III.

Hence If finite Intelligences deviate from the law of eternal

open and expand themfelves to the
di-

vine influences, if they voluntarily turn themfelves away

this almighty fource

from

of life,

light

and love; they mufl

3o8
neceflaiily

OFNATURE
become
loves
all

Book

IV.

dead, dark and miferable.

that

Wherefore
finite

lince

God

he has made, fince he created

if

hitelligences

only to make them happy,

it

they be exiled from

this beatific vifion,

muft only be becaufe they have devia-

from the eternal love of order, render'd thcmfelves incapable of all communication with God, and flopt as to thcmted
felves that continual circulation

from the center

to the cir-

cumference, which makes the perfection and

created intelligences.

felicity

of

all

COR.
Hence
beatifying and as relative good,

IV.

the natural tendency of the will towards

is

God

as

not the love of God, accor-

ding to the laws of eternal order.

inherent love of felicity
is

This

natural, congenial,

common

to the devils

and the

damn'd: whereas the pure love of order can be produced in

the foul only by God's immediate, continual irradiation, and

adion.

C O

R.

V.

Hence
nably
as

to love

God

for himfelf,
is

and

alt

beings proportio-

they refemble him,

the eternal, immutable, and

nniverfal law
ture,

of all
all

intelligences.

This

is

the true law of na-

of which

particular, pofitive laws,

whether
;

civil

or

religious, are

but branches, and confequences or means, and

-

helps to facilitate the obfervation of it.

COR.
and

VI.

Hence we ought to love general, more than particular good;

in all circumftances, times, places,

and

flates,

whether

fallen or unfallen,
reft;

we ought

to prefer public to private inte-

we ought

to love our family

more than

ourfelves,

our

Book
try;
all

IV.

in an

EXALTED STATE.

309

country more than our family; mankind more than our coun-

more than the human fpecies; and the BEING OF BEINGS morc than all his productions. This is
intelligences
jfhorteft, fureft,

the

and moft univerfal way to

inveftigate

and

demonftrate the religion of nature; the laws of nations, the

fecial duties,

and

all

human

virtues.

They

flow from the ne-

celTary

and immutable relations betwixt

finite

and

infinite.

And

to

deduce them from the love of felf-prefervation and

alone
is

felf-intereft

inverting the order

of

things,

drawing

univerfal confequences

from

particular principles,

and endea-

vouring to prove truth by falfhood.

PROPOSITION
In
a flate

XLI.
finite

of pure and exalted nature, no

hitelligence can
its

obey the law of eternal order by

own

natural and inherent force; without a fu-

pernatural grace and afliftance.

DEMONSTRATION.
Finite intelligences

by

their

own

natural inherent force,

can love nothing but themfelves, and their

(a); the natural tendency

of the
is

tifying

and

as relative

good

not

own happinefs will towards God as beathe love of God according

in a ftate even

to the laws

of eternal order (b): therefore

of

pure and exalted nature, no

finite intelligence

can obey the

law of eternal order by

its

own

natural and inherent force

affiflance*

without a divine fupernatural grace and

(a) CQr. I. Qf Prog.

XXX.

(b) Qqv, 3. of Prop.

XU

310

OF

NATURE

Book

IV.

SCHOLIUM.
We may indeed by feeling our own nothingnefs, mifcry and
infufficiency,
nite

by difcovering the incommenfurability of all ficapacities, defire to

good to our boundlefs

be united to

the infinite as our fupream felicity: but this natural love of

God

as beatifying to us, as relative

is

good, as the fource of e-

ternal pleafure,

not loving
to the

God

for himfclf.

This
It

is
is

not
only

loving

him according him

for our

lav^^s

of eternal order.

loving

own

fakes, a defire to fatisfy our infatiable

is

thirftof happinefs; and, as I have faid, this defire

common
a necefla-

to us with the devils

and the damn'd.

;

It

is

nothing beyond
it is

the reach and power of finite minds

or rather

ry and natural confequence of the invincible love

for Self.

we have
he loves

To love God for

him

himfelf, to love

him

as

himfelf, to love
juftice

for his infinite perfe6lions, as fovereign

rife

and eternal order, to

above ourfelves, and lofe our-

felves in

tened,

him by a total preterltion of Self, we muft be enlighinfpired and animated by a fuperior force continually

defccnding upon us and invefting us.

As

it is

God alone

that
us.

can enlighten

us, fo

it is

he alone that can love himfclf in

but by the Son, {o no

As no man
tural light
ternal

can

know the Father

man
e-

can love the Father but by the Holy Ghoft.

As

the fuperna-

by which we know God

is

an emanation of the
light

Logos, and a participation of that

by which he

knows himfelf, fo the fupernatural love by which we can love God, is an emanation of the Holy Ghoft, and a participation of that love by which he loves himfclf.

By

this great principle

we come

to underftand the true

Book

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
The one was
all-powerful, fimple, creating

3ir
efta2LCt,

difllnfllon
blifh'd at

betwixt Nature and Grace.

firft

by God's

whofe energy continues without interruption and without

petition.

re-

The other

requires a conftant, immediate repetition

in the creature,

of the

divine als

and operations

which

are

oft interrupted,

and renew'd by the

alternate refinance

and

co-operation of our free will.

The

natural properties

of finite

beings are thefe which they have by creation, as infeparable

adjuncts of their eflence.
perfections

The fupernatural graces of God, are

receives immediately

which the creature

from the

divine atSlion.
rable

The

former are inamiflible

qualities, infepaloft

from our natures; the others may be

by

the abufe

of liberty. Thus

in fpiritual agents, or the intelligent images,

the powers of perceiving, comparing, and willing, of know-

ing their being, and of defiring their well-being are effential

properties, infeparable

from

their nature,

and communicated

to

them by

God
him

the Father, in giving

them exigence: but

fupernatural light and love ; their feeing

their loving

God

as

he

is,

and

as

he

deferves, are

imprefHons that come

eternal

from the immediate operation of the

the Holy

Word

and of

Ghofh Thus again

in the material pictures, figura-

bility, divifibility,

and mobility are properties that flow from

the idea of an extended fubftance: but their reprefenting the

divine perfe(ftions

by

their

harmonious forms,

divifions

and
of

motions, are modes given them by the immediate aftion of

the Deity.

Being and

all its effential

properties are ef}e6ts

all its

Godasfource of nature: but Perfection and

five

progref-

augmentations, are

efFeCts

of God

as the fource

of grace.
of the.

Both

thefe gifts are equally gratuitous,

and pure

eiTcCts

312
herent

OFNATURE
in,

Book IV
inlatter are conti-

divine beneficence: but the former

become by donation

and

cfTential to the creature.

it

The

nually communicated to

as qualities

and modes, that depend

upon
from

its its

adherence

to,

union with, and receiving influences

almighty original ; and fo are not attributes and pro-

perties that

belong to

its

efTence.

Wherefore Malebranche
all

was

egregioufly in the
aftivities

wrong when he made

the natural

powers and

of the creature immediate effedsof the

divine operation.

This is confounding nature and grace, and

This
is

the a6lion of God with the aftion of the creature.

far

more dangerous
by
attributing

error than that of Pelagianifm.

to the creature divinizes

Pelagiit;

us by afcribing too
ther

much
all

the o-

to

God, makes him the author of evil,

and fo demonizes him.

moral

The

one extends our ideas of the diall

vine liberahty too far; but the other tends to deflroy

attributes.

his

The one may

may

lead to a prefumptuous felf-

idolatry. but the other

lead to theblackeft atheifm.

activity as

The

true midft confifts in

fuch an account of our

evil,

makes

the creature the free caufe of all

and God the folecaufe

of all

true good.

COR.
{late

I.

Hence it is abfolutcly falfe, that there ever was, or can be

of

PURE NATURE, wherein fouls by their own inherent force could love God as he deferves, without any fupernatural grace or immediate influence of the
it is

Holy Ghoft:

as

impoffible that there can be any ftate

ofpURENATURE
without any fuper-

wherein the foul can know

God

as

he

is,

natural illumination or irradiation of the eternal

Word.

Men

indeed

may

acquire

by

a fuccclTive comparifon

of their ideas

Book IV.
ral

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
tlie

313
fupernatu-

a natural knowledge and love of God, but not

knowledge and love we are Ipeaklng

might beget within
Its

of.

If this were oLof^os,

its

therwife, the foul

itfelf the eternal

and the

Holy Ghoft; be

own

light,

and

its

own

love;

own

perfe<n:ion,

and its own happlnefs.

COR.
Hence
felf-love,

II.

the will

may

have two motives of alIon, natural

;

and the fupernatural love of God

the defire of hap-

plnefs or the perception

of truth ;

Perfetfllon

known, or Pleamtelle6lual eye

fure

felt.

The foul may always

folliclted

turn off

Its

from the view of truth,

fure; or

by ftrong

fenfations ofplea-

may remain

firm and

unmoved

in the love

of truth
will

from
is

a principle

of juftice. Wherefore the elFence of the

not, as the

modern Epicureans
relative;

fay, the Invincible defire

of

its

own

happlnefs; but a tendency towards good In general

whether abfolute or

good

In itfelf or

good

to us;

good
fal

to all beings, or

good

to

our particular being; univer-

good, or private

interefl:.

COR.
Hence
all finite

III.

Intelligences

may

feparate the love

of or-

der from the love of pleafure; fince the view of the one and

the fenfation of the other may equally aft upon and influence
their will ;

and

this feparation Is fin

or moral

evil.

c o R.
Since

IV.

we

can love nothing but by the motive of PerfectiPleafure

felt,

on known, or
or becaufe

we may ceafe to
its

love eternal

Or-

der, either becaufe

we do

not perceive

fovereign Beauty,
it.

we

feel pleafure in departing

from

There can
evil,

therefore be but

two

pofTible

ways of curing moral

and

Rr

314

OFNATURE
COR.
V.

Book

IV.

reclaiming lapfed intelligences; the fcnfation of pleafure In

the difcovery of truth, or the fenfation of pain in the love of

error.

Hence as
ral aflivities

there

is

an

efTential difference

betwixt the natu-

of the underflanding concerning God, and the

is

fupcrnatural illuminations of the eternal Logos; fo there

an

efTential difference

betwixt the natural tendency of the will

towards

God

as beatifying, as relative

good, as the fource of

infinite pleafure;

and the fupcrnatural a6lion of the Holy

Ghoft, which makes us love

the law of eternal order.
devils cal

God for himfelf, according to The one is common to us with the

and the damned; the other makes us refemble angeli-

and beatify'd fpirits.

COR.
Hence
there are but

VI.

two

forts

of affeOions that can

falfe felf-love,

divert
ir-

us from the love of eternal order;

and the

regular love of the creatures; for befides

God,

ourfelves,

and

the creatures there can be no other objecls in nature.

We
as

fm

againft eternal order

by loving
both

God only for ourfelves,

our love
is

we fin againft
ned

the fame eternal order

;

by loving the creatures

not proportio-

more than God

fince in

cafes

to the perfedion

of

obje6ls.

COR.
Since

vir.

we

never love the creatures in an irregular

manner

but for our

own
and

interefl:,

or the pleafure they procure us,

is

hence
all

it

follows that falfe felf-love

evil,

the primitive fource of

moral

a felf-idolatry that crc^is the creature into

the place of God; that ufurps

upon

all his rights,

that renders

Book
itfelf

IV.

in an

EXALTED STATE.
the creation, and the end
allpaflions, fins,

315
of all
Its

the center of

all

ac-

tions,

and thereby engenders

and crimes.

PROPOSITION
In a
ftate

XLII.

of pure, primitive and exalted nature all

the properties, forms, and laws of the material

pictures

were reprefentative of the divine

perfe(5ti-

ons.

DEMONSTRATION.
God's defign
fections
in creating

was to reprefent
;

his divine per-

by external beings

(a)

in a ftate
pi<ftures

of pure,

primitive,

and exalted nature, the material

not
refift

of the Deity, could

and ex-

the divine adlion, nor hinder the execution of his alprimitive,

mighty defigns (b): therefore In the pure,

alted ftate

of nature

all

the properties, forms, and laws of the

material world,

were reprefentative of the divine perfedions.

SCHOLIUM,
This great truth
principles that
I
.

is

a fruitful fource

of many luminous

Since

may be of great ufe in natural philofophy. we have ftiown that the creation muft be origiit

nally reprefentative of the divine perfeclions,

follows evi-

dently that to paint forth in a fenfible manner by material pictures, the infinitely active
ty, that gives life, light,

and omnlprefent eflence of the Dei-

and order to

all

things, nothing

is

more proper than the

matter that
(a) Prop.
fills all,

creation

of an

infinitely active ethereal

all.

penetrates

all,

and overflows
XXXIV.

It

is

true

XXL

(b) Cor. 3. of Prop.

Rrz

3i6

OFNATURE
infinite
is

Book

IV.

that created matter muH: always be finite; becaufe, as

we have

fliewn,

God's creatuig power can never be exhaufted, nor can

of any kind;
infinite-

he produce without himfclf an abfolute and

in this fenfc as in
all

others, the pi(5lure

always

ly inferior to the original:

but

we may

conceive this ethereal

matter as eternally augmenting by the continual external activity

of the

divine nature. In this

immenfe ocean of ethereal

matter

we may

conceive by the fame rules of analogy, three

^
:

diftindtions, conditions or principles

a fiery aftive principle'

that difTufes itfelf every where, and

is
'

the

firH:

original fpring

andfourceof motion in the univerfe; an ethereal luminous fluid' that tranfmits the a<^ion of its flaming fource or center to all the points

of the circumference

and

'

an

elaftic ac-

rial fluid'

dilatibleand compreflible;thatis the fource

of unire-

on

in all the different parts

of the material lyflem.

is

This

femblance betwixt the archetype and the type

reafon

perhaps the

why the

facred writers

when

they fpeak of God,

the

com-

pare the Father to a confuming

Jight,

fire,

Son

to an univerfal

and the Holy Ghofl

to a fubtile air or fpirit.

Thus Fire,

Light, and Air the component parts of the pure fluid which
fills

the vafl expanfe are types, emblems, and pidures of the

divine effence,

and

its

three confubflantialperfonalities.

2. Befldes this ethereal fluid reprefentative

of the divine
life,

effence we obferve in nature folid bodies that have neither

light,

nor motion in themfclves; and therefore reprefent in-

telligent beings that receive all thefe

from

God alone. As the

life, light,

fupcrnatural emanations or influences of the divine

and love modify

differently fpirits

of all

pofFible degrees,

and

thereby form different kinds, orders, and hierarchies of in-

Book

IV.

in an

EXALTED STATE.

317

telligent

images; fo the luminous, univerfal, adive, ethereal

fluid modifies differently all the various parts

of folid bodies,

and thereby produces innumerable kinds of material pictures.

As

each intelligence

is

one fimple

indivifible effence, fo

the

elementary part of all compound bodies,

may be

unities, a-

toms or monades not abfolutely

feparable and infrangible

indivifible like fplrit,

but in-

by any finite
and
figures

force.

Thcfe original
at

atoms of numberlefs

fizes

were not produced

random, by one blind fhock imprefs'd upon matter, but were

all at firlt

modelled and formed by an almighty wifdom that

efFe(5ts.

forefaw all their pofTible combinations, ufes and

fubtile ethereal fluid

The

by

circulating thro' all the parts

of the

univerfe produces in thefe original

monades

various motions

and

velocities,

unions and

divifions,
it

and thereby compound

bodies of all kinds. When

binds together thefe original mo-

nades, fo that they adhere to each other

continuity,
it

by

a flrong

union of

forms

folids

of all kinds.

When it approaches
it

thefe indivifibles, fo as to render

them fimply contiguous, or

produces liquids

make them join in

of all kinds.
folid

fmall malfes

and drops,

When it mixes
and
prefTes

thefe primitive

compounds both
formed by the

and

liquid,

them

into the pipes and channels

firft

of organlcal moulds or feeds which were all

fingers
;

of the Almighty then it forms animals, vegetables, and

individuals

of all

forts.

In

fine,

when
folids
it

it

gathers together eleliquids

ments, animals, and vegetables,

patible natures into vaft malfes,

and

of

all

comthen,

produces planets, orbs, and

ethereal fluid
is

worlds of innumerable kinds.

This

fo to fpeak, the inftrumcnt, image,

and fenfory of the Deity,

exprclTion,

to

makeufe of Sir

Ifaac

Newton's

upon which he

3i8
afts immediately,
real beings.
It
is

OFNATURE
and by which he
acls

Book

IV.

upon all other corpoagent that ani-

the phyfical fpring of the univerfe that fets

It
is

the great machine agoing.

this univcrfal

mates and enlightens, moves and penetrates, unites and feparatcs,

comprefTcs or expands, forms and produces

compound

bodies of all kinds folid and liquid.

Hebrew

language, the plural

Hence it is that in the word Schemim which exprelles

the different principles of the celeftial fluid fignifies in different places of the facred text ; agents , formers , difpofers
placers, fliifters, enliveners, enlightners, producers,
ters, dividers,

augmen-

compreffors, and feparators.

All the different

bodies,

forms, diviflons and motions of folid,

are produced

viflble, tangible

by the

action

of

this invifible, univerfal fluid,

according to immutable laws

known to God

alone,

and moft

proper to exprefs his divine perfeftions, and accomplifli his

great defigns.

As

the different combinations of letters proat lad:

duce

at

firfl:

words, then fentences, next difcourfes, and

all

volumes, which exprefs

different compofition

the thoughts of the mind, fo the

original

of the

monades, form

firfl:

ele-

mentary

folids

and
laft

liquids,

then individuals, next fpheres, or

worlds, and at
is

the whole material univerfe.

Each monade

a letter, each primitive

compound a word; each Individual a

and the whole together juft-

fcntence, each (phere a difcourfe,

ly

combined
all

is

that great

cxpreffes
is

the divine

book and volume of nature which perfe(5lions and archetypal ideas. This
which Dr. Berkeley miftakes for
but in order to read this great
fees
it,

the true vifive language,

a wild metaphyfical theory:

volume we muft
primitive

fee

it

as

God

and behold

it

in

its

pure,

and exalted

ftate as it

came pure from

his hands, ere

Book
in
it

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
obliterated, darken'd,

319
and defac'd

phy ileal and moral evil had

the noblcfl: characters

of the divine refemblance.

all

3.

As

the perfection and happinefs of

intelligent na-

tures confifts in

an uninterrupted reception and tranfmiflion

of the divine communications without any let or hinderance fo the beauty and harmony of all material fubftances in a pure

and primitive

ftate, confifts

in a continual admiflion and tranf-

miflion of the ethereal fluid.

therefore,
tive,

In

this exalted original flate

wc may

conceive that

all

was compofed of an
of the divine

acef-

luminous, ethereal

fluid, reprefentative

fence,

and atthefame timeof tranfparent,

folid fubftances reit is

prefentative

of intelligent beings. For this reafon

that tho'

nature be

now vail'd and

its

dilturb'din this fpot of the univerfe

we

inhabit, yet

original principles are not deftroy'd.

All

bodies are reducible to light and glafs or cryftal; and for the

fame reafon

it is,

that thefcripture always reprefents the

glafs
is

new

Jerufalem as a fea of
thereof.

or

cryftal,

and

God

as the light

Nature then

compofed of two elementary prinIs

ciples: the

one an

ethereal, active, fubtile matter that

all

the

depofitory or fource of
folid, infeparabie,

the motions in nature.

The other

altogether paflive monades form'd by the

figures, that are

handsofthe Almighty of different fizes, and

fo to fpeak depofitories or feats

of

all
is

the reft and inadion in

a great

the univerfe.

The

material world

machine comfet in

pos'd of innumerable fprings

tion

and wheels,which are

upon

mo'

by

a fubtile matter, whofe parts are alfo

of different magcertain fo-

nitudes and velocities. Thus the fluids that aft

lids

have no cfFed on others.

The forces

and the forms of e-

very monade are regulated; the aftivity and fwiftnefs of every

320
fluid
tible.
is fix'd:

OFNATURE
The one
as to
circulate, the others
acfl

Book IV.

the fluids are unmixable, the fprings indcftruc-

with a perfedt har-

mony, fo

fhew that none but an

of

infinite

power, wifdom,

and goodnefs could have imagin'd, produced, and adjufted

thcfe feveral parts
this beautiful

machine.

It is as

impofa<5live

fible to difcover at prefent

the particular laws of this

fluid as

it is

impoflible to difcover the particular forms of each

paflive folid.

The Cartefian vortices and

the

Newtonian

at-

tractions are equally unfufHcient to explain all the

phenome-

na of nature.

We may by thefe helps make fome fcanty guelTcs

fuperficial

about fome of the more general,

and obvious phe-

nomena of nature: but

and
will

thefe are fubje(5l to great difficulties,

be an eternal fource of difputes.

Neither can w^e

come to any true knowledge of the primitive laws of nature, till we fee it as God fees it, know his way of operating in the
material world,
ting

and

all

the different defigns he had in crea-

and reprefenting himfelf by it.

4.

Tho'

there might have been but one

common

center
all

that

was the original fource of life, light and motion to

vafl:

the

material univerfe; yet, as in a

tends, dilates,

expanfe of matter that ex-

and augments every moment, the rays in flowdif-

ing from this univerfal center would have been w^eakned,

fipated, loft, or
is

made

ufelefs,

we

fee

by experience

that there
ftars

not one only fyltem; but many, yea innumerable,

or

.funs that are the luminous centers

of each fyftem; and thereplanets, orbs,

fore

by the

rules

of analogy there may be

and

worlds that rowl about thcfe flaming centers, and that

may

be the abodes of
kinds.

intelle(5tual

inhabitants

of innumerable

The wonders of every iphere, world or fy Item are dif-

Book IV.
are the fame.
efie(5ls

in

an
the

EXALTED STATE.
two
original pafTive

321
principles

fcrent: but in

all,

and

acflive

The great laws of analogy prevail in all ;tho'

the

be different and various, yet all are fimilar and reprcfen-

tatlveofthe fame original.

Now

it is

the contemplation of thefe

its

wonders and beauties of nature

and uncorrupted
blell intelligences.
ftate that

in

pure, primitive, exalted

makes the accelTory happinefs of

is

We have already fhown that fuch

finite intelligences, that

the efal-

fential

weaknefs of

they cannot
dire<fb,

ways contemplate the divine fplendors with

nate returns of an
tervals
efTential

uninteralter-

rupted view; and therefore they pafs an eternity in the

and acceffory

blifs.

During the

in-

of

this later,

they remain in their re(pe6live orbs,

fpheres,

and planets, converfe with each other, and contem;

plate the original in the picftures

but

when

their fouls are adloft

mitted to the immediate vifion of the pure divinity,

and

immcrfed

in the central depths

of their immenfe original, then

their glorious bodies are tranfported to the hig'hefi: heavens, to

the feat of God's glory, to the throne of his majefty, that the empyreal regions
,

is

to

where there

are neither funs,

ftars,

nor

planets,but one uninterrupted ocean of light,

verfal

which is the uni-

common center of the vail expanfe, where they fee light

true light, till they return again into their refpecflive orbs.
great idea feems to have been tranfinitted

in

its

This

by

original

tradition

from

age to age, to the Platonic phiiofophers,

fpirits as

who

reprefent celeftial

fometimes confin'd to particular

orbs within thefphere of the heavens, and then tranfported

to a fupramundane, fupraceleftial fpace where they fee the

Being that
.truth in
its

is, the eternal elTence, face to face,

andfee

fource.

It

is

perhaps by the ciHuences from that

322

OFNATURE
where

Book

IV.

unlvcrfal empyreal center,

God

manifefts his

a(fl:ivlty,

power, and energy in a more particular manner than in any

other part of immenfity; that
all

the funs,

ftars,

and luminous and moti-

centers of the univerfe or vaft expanfe are nourifhed and fupplied with matter fuiRcient to preferve their force

ons, during a

whole eternity.
of pure,
primitive,
evil,

V. As

in all the fuperior regions

and
falfe

exalted nature there

ideaSj

was and can be no moral

intelleflual

no

nor irregular loves in the

world; fo in the
evil,

material univerfe there could be

fenfations,

no

phyfical

no painful

opacity,

no contradictory elements, no mortal qualities, no darknefs, or confufion. None of thefe can be in a

;

ihte where all the ideas and incHnations of fpirit

all

the forms

and motions of matter were

fection
;

reprefentative

of the divine per-

where

all

the intelligent images are full of Hfe, light,

and

love;

where
fluid,

all

the material pictures were compofed of

folid fubn:ances,a(fl:ing

an ethereal

and tranfparent

upon
and

each other, fo as to paint forth eternal power,

goodnefs.

vv'ifdom,

The irregularities
this:

therefore that

we

fee in

our init

ferior fphere

muil be derived from another principle; and

feems to be

As
firfl

the deviation of

fpirits

or of the living

images from the

and primitive law of eternal order muft

world diforders, irreguthe deviation of bodies or of the
firft

rieccflarily occafion in the intelle(5l:ual

larities,

and moral

evil; fo

material pidures,
ncccflarily
gularities

from the

original laws

of nature, muft
irre-

produce in the corporeal univerfe, diforders,

evil.

and phyfical

Wherefore
of fpirits,

if at

any time one or

their
iirft life,

more
light,

particular hierarchies

fall

from

and

love, the material orbs, or liars

which they

inhabit.

BookIV.

in

an

exalted state.
and harmony.

323
lofe alfo
is

and the corporeal vehicles which they animate, mufl

their original a6livity, fplendor,

There

phyfical, nccefTary connecftion betwixt the changes

of the im-

material and material world.

The

divine

a<fl;ivity

the original

fource of order, proportion, and beauty in both, muft by a

natural,

and neceflary confequence be fufpended in the one,

interrupted in the other.
five great

when

it is

Thefe

Metaphyfical principles combined with

Phyfical experiments, and Geometrical calculations,

may per-

haps be of great ufe to invefligate the properties of material nature;

and form

new Phyfiology more perfed than any that

has yet appeared. I have adopted none of the maxims of the

Cartefian philofophy, as they are purely hypothetical, dubious, or
falfe,

fuch as the formation of the univerfe by purely

mechanical laws from one or

many

impulfes given to the

formlefs mafs of infinite matter; the abfolute Impoflibility of

a void in nature; the generation of the three imaginary ele-

ments; the rotation of the planets about the fun by

celeltial

whirlpools according to the fimple laws of centrifugal forces;

and the other

peculiar, diftinftive,

and

fpeclfic

hypothefes,

proper to the French philofopher. Moreover, I have rejecfled

none of the Newtonian difcoveries

that are founded

upon un-

contcftiblc experiments, or invincible demonflratlon.

For

it

may be

proved that the great Sir Ifaac never taught, v/hat

difciples

fome of his

have maintain'd, that attraction

is

an in-

herent, innate, abfolute quality of all matter; nor an univerfal,

immediate, perpetual impreffion of the author of nature:

Englifli philofopher fuppofes

on the contrary, the fubllme

that attradion

may be an

effect

and not

a caufe; tlTat-gt^avita-

Sf2

324
tion

OF
is

NATURE
it

Book

I Y.:

may be produced byimpulfion; and

that a fubtile fplrit

or fluid
is

perhaps the primitive univerfal fpring of nature. It

dcfign, nor

not

my

would

be proper here, to enter into

the detail of particulars, nor explain the general

phenomena
all

of nature in

this

lower fpherej but it

is

perhaps poflible to rethat

concile the antient do6trine of ethereal matter, with

is

demonftrable or dcmonftrated in the Newtonian fcheme.

COR.
Hence
in the
firfl:

I.

production of the univcrfe and in

all

the

fupcrior regions of pure, primitive and exalted nature, there

could be no phyfical or moral

evils.

As

there were

no

falfe

ideas, irregular loves, or unjufl anions; fo there

ful,

were no pain-

noxious fcnfations, no contradi(ftory elements, no mortal

qualities.

None of
of

thefe can be in a ftate

where

all

the ideas

and
ter,

inclinations

fpirit, all tlie

forms and motions of matperfe5lions

j

were reprcfentative of the divine

where

all

the intelligent images were full of

all

life, light,

and love; and

the material pi^ures painted forth eternal power, wifdoni

and goodncfs.

COR.

II.

Hence it is, that the chaos which Mofes mentions book of Genefis cannot be underftood of the firfl: and
tive ftate

in the

primi-

of nature. Darknefs, confufion, anddiforder; death,

opacity and deftru(5livc elements, cannot reprefent

is all

him

that

hfe, all light,

and

all

love;

all perfe(5lion, all

firfl:

beauty and
all-

all

harmony.

To fuppofe that the

productions of an

powerfuU
of

intelligence,

who had no other dcfign

to be a

in creating,.

but to paint forth

light

his divine perfections, could

be a chaos void

and without form feems

mere Pagan fidion,

Book

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
of this
III.
In
v^^ork.

325"

which Chriftian

divines have adopted too eafily; as fhall be

fully unfolded in the fecond part

COR.

Hence the prefent difpofition of things

on of the

our

folar fyftem;

the rotation of the planets about the fun, the oblique pofitiecliptic to the equator, thediftincftlons
vi^inter,

of night and
and
all

day, of fummer and

of fp ring and

harveft,

the

viciffitudes, irregularities,

and diforders that have happened

fince the fall

of angels and men, fince the origin of moral and

are qualities, accidents

phyfical

evil,

and defers of fallen, de-

graded nature, that are to pafs, difappear, and be entirely deflroy'd in a re-efhblifhed ftate.
Ifaiah, St. Peter the apoftle,

For

this reafon the

prophet

clare that

evangeHfl: St. John deupon the fecond advent of our Saviour the prefent
fhall pafs

and the

heavens and the prefent earth

place there fhall
fhall

away, and that in their

be

new heavens and

All this
fhall

new

earth,

where

all

be renew'd.

be more fully explain'd, and

unfolded in the fecond Part.

COR.
Hence
and
ture
it is

IV.
flate

a great

miftake to confound the

of pure

exalted nature with that of lapfed

;

and degenerated na-

and

to regard the defetfts

of the latter as neceifary cfTcds

of the primitive laws of the former. This poor notion fortifies all the objections which atheifts make againft the exiftence of God, and
gularities
rities
all

their cavils

drawn from the prefent IrreIf thefe Irregula-

of nature

in

our

terreflrial globe.

flow neceifarily from the fir ft eftablifhed general laws of

It

ijature.

Is

impoflible to juftify the divine wifdom, julHcc

fa-

and goodnefsj which made fuch imperfeftlavvs, with fuch

32^
tal

OF NATURE

Book IV.
when
fall

confequences.

All this will appear in a clearer light

we

confider nature in a lapfed Ibte, and the changes

in

which
of

happened to the material world

angels and

our fphere, (ince the

men.

PROPOSITION
In
a ftate

XLIII.
it is

of pure and uncorrupted nature,

pofTible that the eternal

Logos might
to

have taken

a corporeal vifible

form

communicate with finite

intelliQiences in a fenfible

manner.

DEMONSTRATION.
In a
ftate

of pure and exalted nature

felicity;

all finite

intelligences

enjoy'd a double

one in the immediate contemplation

of the

divine effence, another in the

knowledge of

his repre-

fentations (a); finite intelligences are obliged at certain intervals,

by

their natural finitude

and weaknefs, to turn off their

intellciftual

eye from the direct contemplation of the pure and

abfolute elTence of
his images

God,

to
;

admire and adore the original in

during thefe intervals none but
reveal to them, the in-

and

pictures (b)

the eternal

Logos could manifeft and

of nature, the defigns

finite beauties

God had in creating, and

pl61:ures

the numberlefs refemblances of the original and the

(c): therefore in a ftate

of pure, uncorrupted nature the etera corporeal, vifible

nal

Logos might have taken

form to com-

municate with

finite intelligences in a fenfible

manner.

SCHOLIUM.
Wc
Xa) Prop.
fiiall

fiiew in the fecond part

of this work that there

is

no doctrine more
XXXVIII.

clearly reveal'd in the

(b) Cor. i. of Prop.

Old Teftamentthan
Cor. i. ofProp.XXI.

XXXVni.(c)

Book
that

IV.

in

an

EXALTED STATE.
his incarnation in the
it

327

of our Saviour's preexiftent humanity, from the beginning

of the world, long before

BlelTed virgin; that

womb of the
firft

was he that converfed with our

it

parents in a paradifiacal ftate; that

w^as

he that appeared
;

to the holy patriarchs under a vifible

that difcourfed with

form

that
;

it

was he

Mofes upon the mountain

it

was he that

manifefted himfelf to the prophets in fupernatural vifions,

with a glorify'd body.

We fhall alfo fhcw in the fame fecond

difl:in6l

Part that the Pagans themfelves had a

vine perfon or Being united to a

notion of a di-

human

nature or form, that

in-

was the

leader, the conductor,

and the chief of all created

telligences.

It is thus that the

Logos

will converfe

under a
;

human form
thefe

with bleffed

fpirits

during a whole eternity

in

moments and

intervals that they

cannot contemplate
It is

the divine fplendors with a dired and immediate view.

thus that he will lead them from the central depths of the
Divinity into
thfe
all

the

immenfe regions of nature, fhew them

numberlefs relations, and refemblances of the original

pictures; then lead

and the

them back again

It
is

into the facred

abyfs of the divine eJfTence.

thus that the

Logos huma-

niz'd will be the eternal high

prieft

of the
the

intellectual world,

becaufe he alone can render to

God

homage and worfhip

due to him; fince he alone knows the Father, and the adoration that belongs to him.

give us

of the hypoftatick

What a glorious idea does this union, and how contemptible and
and blalpheme
it?

ignorant are thefe

who

fcofF at

this

myltery

becaufe they do notunderftand

COROLLARY.
Hence
the doclrine of the hypoltatic union betwixt the

328
divine

OFNATURE
and human nature has nothing
;

Book IV.
contradictory to

in

it

the'fublimefl: reafon

but

it is

no wonder

that

men blafpheme
fee the

themyflerics of our holy religion,

when

they do not

connexion they have with the

philofophy.

principles

of the moft exalted

We

have endeavoured to deftroy in the four preceeding

great principles of

books the
only three
nor

Deifm and Socinianifm, by

are neither fimple attributes,
real, confubftantial,

fhewing that abfolute infinite contains ncceflarily three and

diftinClions,

which

different fubftances,

but three

coc-

ternal, fclf-confcious perfons or intellectual agents, equal in

.all

things, felf- origination only excepted: that the eternal

Logos united himfelf from

fible,

the beginning to a vifible, fenfinite beings,

human form

to

communicate with

during

thofe intervals wherein they cannot contemplate with a direct

open view the unveil'd fplendors of the uncreated

;

ef^

fence

that this eternal

Logos took upon him our mortal

and
facrifice,

natures,

and by

his humiliation, fuffcrings,

ex-

piated fin,
juftice,

and reconciled God's clemency with

his unfpotted
infinite

and his paternal love of the criminals, with his

abhorrence of their crimes.

We

fliall

now proceed

to confute

Fanatifm and Pharifaifin that difhonour and difparage Chriftianity

,

and fhew wherein true

practical religion confifts.

This

is

the great end andfeope of thiseffay, and without

this all the reft are

but dry, fuperfluous, barren fpeculations.

at the

All philofophy that ftops

ing to the heart,
is

underftanding without reach-

at beft

but an ingenious romance.

END

OF

THE FOURTH

BOOK.

32?

THE

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES
OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION,
BOOK
V.

OF NATURE IN A DEGRADED STATE.

AXIOMS.

N
2.

Being can have merit or demerit perfonally, before

its

exiftence.

Experience teaches ns that

we

feel pain,
fin
;

and that we

are frequently unjuft ; that

jet to phyfical

we

fuiFer

and

that

we are fub-

and moral

evil.

Tt

330

OF

NATURE
peccable.

Book V.
XLIV.

PROPOSITION
All
finite intelligences are
1^1

DEMO STRATION.
All
viz.
finite Intelligences

may

have two reafons of willing,,

the perception of truth and the fenfatlon of pleafure

felf-love

and the love of order

the love of order

(a);

all finite intelligences

may feparate
telligences

from the love of

pleafure, and,
all finite

this feparation Is fin

or moral

evil (b):

therefore

in-

may

fin,

or are peccable.

SCHOLIUM,
God
ftanding,
is

Impeccable for two reafons; as

finite

minds are

peccable for two reafons; the one drawn from the undcr-

and the other from the will.

God

can never err or

falfe

fail in his

knowledge; and therefore cannot make a

choice.

His judgments are always conformed

to eternal rea-

fon; and fo he cannot fin: but the creature

may

err in its

judgment, and fo make a

falfe choice.

Moreover,

God

can

never feparate the love of order from the laveof himfelf, becaufe he
is

order.

Whereas

the creature

may
and

love

itfelf,

with-

out loving order, and fo feparate felf-love from the love of

God. Thus whatever is

efiTentially free
till

finite

muft be by

nature fallible and peccable,

a(fls it

by long continued repeated

as

be confirmed in the immutable habits of good,

hereafter.

we

fhall

fhew

Vannini

maintains that the idea of fin

XLI.
(b) Cor.. 3. of Prop.

is

a contradi<^*

(a) Cor. 2. of Prop.

XJLL

Book
on.

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
is is

331
di-

Sin, fays he,

an oppofitlon, and refiftance to the

vine will.

Now to fuppofe that

This
is

a finite being can contradid

or

refifl:

the will of an infinite being

a

altogether repugnant

and

impoffible.

poor fophifm.

finite

Being can-

not refifl the abfolute, dire<5l, immediate

afts

of infinite power,

which fuppofe no co-operation of the

have, demonftrated that

creature: but fince

we

God

can communicate a real aftivity

to fecond caufes

that his intelligent images arc perfectly free;

this

and that he cannot deftroy

their effence,
it is

freedom without annihilating

plain that they

may will

contrary to what

he

wills.

He leaves

them

to their free choice,

and does not

force
It

them

abfolutely to

do what he would have them.

fo,

may

be urged, that if this be

then

God does
This

not will
alfo
is

abfolutely the happinefs

of

all

intelligences.

fophifm.

If by abfolute

wills

we mean omnipotent ads by

without any co-operation of
;

which God produces

not

his effeS:

hitelledual beings, as in creation

will abfolutely the felicity

then

it is

true that he does

of the

creatures.

The fupreme
knowledge
that an inits

beatitude

of

all

intelligent natures confifts in the

and love of the divine

perfections.

Now to will
is

telligent creature fhould

know and love him

This

without

free

co-operation,

is

a contradiction.

willing that an intelli-

gence fhould be happy by love and by free love, while he

forces and conftrains
fifiible
it

to love without freedom,

by the

irrc-

dint of almighty power.

a triangular circle.
all

This

is

willing an impofilbili-

ty,

and

God wills

abfolutely and without

exception that
fliould love

beings fliould love

him

freely, that

they

him without

force and conftraint; in this love

confifls their effential

and fupreme felicity ; and therefore Go J

Tt2

332
py without

OFNATURE
their co-operation.

Book V.

not only will not, but he cannot make them foverelgnly hap-

He might indeed modify them

in

agreeably, overflow

them with pleafure,and produce

not loving
is

them

a continual fucceflion of ravifhing fenfations; but this invincible love

of happinefs and pleafure

is

God

accor-

ding to the laws of eternal order. This

himfelf,
all his

not loving him for

perfciftions to

by

a free preference

of his boundlefs

bounded communications.

Spinofa denies liberty as well as Vanini: but he maintains

the impeccability of the creature from another principle than
that Italian Sophift.

He fays

not only that the creatures canall

not

refift

the divine aflion, but that

their modifications,
eiFe5ts

fenfations, perceptions,

and voHtions, are immediate

fays he,
is

of

the divine a6lion.

'

'

God, however,

not the author

of fin; for

fin

is

a privation, a negation, a nothing;

and fo

'

does not want a caufc.

God is

the only efficient caufe of all

that expreffes reality or power; but the defecluofity

comes

'

from
(a)
:

their finite natures in

which there

are infinite degrees

now
is

to afk

'

perfe6l,

to

why God did not make all things equally afk why the divine nature is necelfarily and inSo
vaft

finitely productive.

and

fo fruitful are the

powers,

'

and perfections of the divine

celTarily to all degrees

effence, that they extend nere-

of being, which tho' unequal with

'

gard to each other, yet are equal with relation to

God, and

nccefiary to complete the boundlefs effeCts of his ae:livity(b).

'

He

gives virtue to the good,

and

refufes this perfection to

the bad, not by free choice and arbitrary decrees; but by

the neccffary laws of his infinite fecundity,
(a) Epift.

which obliges

XXXVL

(b) Ethices Part.

I.

append, pag. 39.

Book
*

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
of all degrees from the
poflible,
highefl: to

335
the
call-

him

to produce beings
all forts

*
'

loweft, yea

of beings

both thefe

we

virtuous and thofe

I anfvver in the

we call
firfl:

vicious (a).'
it is

place, that
efFecT:s

abfolutely falfe, that

aftion.

all

events are the immediate

of the divine

We
and

have already demonflrated that

the creatures diftind from his

God can give a real activity to own by which they can be;

come
will.

real,

and free agents; and thereby produce

effefls

voHtions that are diftincb from, and contrary to the divine

A6livity and freedom are infeparable properties

of

all

intellectual beings;

and therefore by the

elTential finitude

of

their natures they are fallible

and peccable.
it is

I anfwer in the fccond place, that

abfolutely

falfe,
all

thas
is

God

is

obliged

by necefHty of nature

to

produce

that

pofTible.

He is
creates

entirely free to create or not to create;

and

when he
is

he produces only what he

pleafes,

and what

reprcfentative

of

his divine perfeflions.

All his primitive,

evil.

original produ(flions are free

It
is

of moral and phyfical

however remarkable that tho' Spinofa denies the culpability of the creature, yet he authorizes not the impious
opinion of thofe

who maintain

that there
evil,

is

no

eflential diffe-

rence betwixt moral good and

*

for as he fays very well

our being determin'd neceifarily by the original confHtution

*
'

of our nature

to virtue or vice, to the love or hatred

is

of God,
betwixt
(b).'

does not dellroy the elTential diftinftion there

thefe

two contrary and oppofite difpofitions of mind

The

devout Fatalifts and PredelHnarians do not deny ths

exiftence

of fm; but they fay that the origin of moral

(b) Epifl.

evil is

Ca) Epifl. XXIII.

XXIIL

..4.

OFNATURE
infufed habits.
I anfwer, that this opinion feems to

Book V.

altogether unconceivable: for tho' the creature be fallible and'

peccable by nature; yet

God might have confirmed it in grace

mc to
dejflroy at

by fupernatural and
the natural ideas

once

all

we

have of the divine wifdom, goodas infinitely wife

nefs,

and

faiidity.
all

God

and provident

Xhould have taken

the meafures pofTible to accomplifli his

great end in creating, that fo he might not be eternally fruf*

trated in his defigns.

Now

fince

God's defign in creating,

ever and ever happy; if it

was
ous

to

make

finite intelligences for

had been
zS:

pofTible to accomplifh this

end by one inlbntane-

and infufion of fupernatural graces and habits of

all finite fpirits

good, he fliould have given to

thefe efHcaci-

ous graces that would have afcertained

inevitable.

his end,

and made
l{^es
all

it

Moreover,

God

as infinitely

good

his

creatures without exception,

fpirits,

and

is

the

common

father

of

andfoihould have refufedto none of them

the graces

neceffary to prevent their total ruin and mifery.

hifinitc fanclity

In
all

fine as

and

juftice,

he fhould have done

evil, injuftice,

that

was

poffible to prevent

moral

and diforder; and

therefore if the infufion of fuch habits and graces had been

pofTible,

he fhould have granted them to

all

his creatures, ra-

ther than cxpofe any one of them to

diencc.

fin, revolt

and difobc-

This makes me

believe that the infufion

a6t
is

of fuch

fu-

pernatural habits

by one infhntancous

impofTiblc,

and

contrary to the nature of a free intelligence, which cannot be

confirmed in immutable habits of good, but by a long conti-

nued
is

repetition

of

free, deliberate

and

fuccefiivc acts.

This

the leafon

why all

created

fpirits

both fallen and unfallcn,

BookV.
till

in a

degraded state.
a ftate

335-

muft pafs through

of probation

In felicity or fufferlno-

they be confirmed in the habits of pure love.

We do not fay
by God,

that this ftate

to

of probation was
;

inftituted arbitrarily

make

us merit

but that it

is

a natural

and neceffary confe-

quence of our free natures that cannot be confirmed otherTvife in the immutable love of order. Thus it Is that bleffcd
fplrits

whether

fallen or reftored
it

become

at laft

Impeccable
fplrits,

in heaven.

Such

feems

is

the nature of finite

that

of good habits contracted, they become unpervertlble and immutable in the love of order, bccaufe
after a certain degree

thefe habits

become

fecond nature, fo that they can no

c o R.

more chufe

evil,

nor milhke in their deliberations.

I.

Hence

the origin of all

evil

comes from the natural free-

dom and

finitude

of the

creature, that can always feparate

the love of perfection from the love of pleafure, and the love

of felf from the love of order.

COR.
Hence
cable
till

II.

all free

and

finite intelligences are fallible

andpec-

by the repeated ads of pure love they be confirmed in the habits of good, which become a fecond nature, indeftruCtible, InamifiTible,

and unchangeable.

No

fupernatural:

graces, nor infufed habits can operate this fecond nature in

them by an inftantaneous

a6l

of omnipotence. It can be pro-

duced only by the long repeated free co-operation of the creatures with theilipernatural operation of God in them. Thus
deification
aCt
is

not

like creation, a fnnultaneous

momentary
co--

of almighty power; but an effeftof the creatures free operation with the divine transforming aClion.

33^

OFNATURE
COR.
III.

Book V.
when they and men im-

Hence

the fchoolmen are egregloufly mlftaken

maintain that

God
:

could have rendered angels

peccable by fupernatiiral graces and infufed habits, which he

refufcd

them

fince this opinion attacks

fan6tity,
it.

and impeaches God's

wifdom, goodnefs, and

evil,

which could have hindered

IV.

and yet would not do

COR.
Hence
to maintain that

God

could have hinder'd the

fpirits

fall

of rebellious angels,

and of human

without deftroying
fo, in
is

their Hberty, but that

he chofe not to do

order to dif-

play his perfe(5tions of jufHce and mercy,

the higheft blaf-

phemy;
his love

for thus

God

to difplay his vindidive juftice violated

of holinefs; and

to

fhew

his gratuitous

mercy

to a

few derogated from

his eternal

goodnefs to many.

He

crea-

ted finite inteUigences to

liberately in the defigns

make them happy, and he fail'd deof his eternal wifdom. Thus his per-

fections contradict

and deftroy each other mutually.

COR.
Hence the
and
that

V.

Predeftinarians favour the monflruous atheifm

fay that

of Vanini, when they

he

God's graces are

irrefiftible,

refufes thofe irrefifHble graces to the mofl: part

is

of men.
falvation

This

really

denying that he
it is

wills fmcerely the

wills delibe-

of all men; yea,

fuppofmgthathe

rately their crimes

and damnation, and thereby deftroying

c O R.

the idea of fm, of peccabihtyand culpability in the creature.

VI.

Hence

Spinofa's fuppofition that

God by

nccefTity

of na-

ture produces beings of all degrees,

fome virtuous and others

Book V.
vicious;

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
is

337

fome

ele<5t

and others reprobate; fome happy and

far lefs

others unhappy

impious than the predeftinariaii

fcheme, wliich
nioft part

aflerts that

God out of free choice deftin'd the

of mankind to everlafling torments and blafphcmy.

PROPOSITION
The
prefent ftate

XLV.
a Rate

of human nature

Is

of

degeneracy and corruption.

DEMONSTRATION.
In the
firfl:

produ(5tion

of the univerfc, and

in all the fupe-

rior regions

of purC; primitive and uncorrupted nature there

evil (a);

was and could be no moral, nor phyfical

teaches us that in the prefent ftate of

experience

human
is

nature

we

fin

and

fuffer; that

wc

are fubje^ to

moral and phyfical

a ftate

evil (b):

therefore the prefent ftate of human nature

of dege-

neracy and corruption.

SCHOLIUM.
Thofe who deny our
caufe they
prefent degradation deny
it

only be-

know no

true, ideas either

of the nature of God, or

If fouls
to

of his defigns
be
living

in creating, or

of the deftiny of man.

if

images of the Deity;

happy;

if this happinefs confifts

God made them only in the view of God as

?

be
is,

he

we be faid to be in the fame ftate, in which we were created are we admitted unto the immediate intuition of the divine elTence? do we enand
in the lore
as

of God

he

deferves, can

(a) Cor. I. of Prop.

XL. compared with Cor.

i.

of Prop.

XLIL

<b) Ax, 2. of

this

book,

Uu

338
ternal order?
fentative

OFNATURE
is

Book
is all

V.

joy the beatific vifion?

our love regulated by the laws of e-

do we

fee nature as

God fees it?

?

in

it

repre-

of the divine perfedions

we need

but look into

ourfelves

and abroad into the world, to

fee evident proofs

of

the contrary.

The mind of man

defires.

is

a continual fource

of inconftant

thoughts, and contradictory ideas, of falfe hopes, and anxious-

The
itfelf

foul deprived

of

its

true objed, finds nothing

refl:-

within

but a tumultuous ocean of incoherent and

iefs paffions

that deftroy each other fucceflively.If thewifeftof

men would keep a regifler of the

his

incongruous thoughts, wild

imaginations, and chimerical ideas that prefent themfelves ta

mind from morning

to night:

if the

moft virtuous

men

would unfold and follow out all the padions, defires, and fentiments which they find fpringing up in themfelves,they would
fcem not only bedlamites, but monfters.
ftate feels

Man in

his prefent

nothing within himfclf but an empty void, thick

darknefs, grofs ignorance, and rcftlcfs felf-love. Incapable ta

fupport the lingring torment of his

felf,
felf.

own

fociety,

he

flys

him-

wanders abroad, andfeeks where- with-all

His

to

amufe him-

own

pailions expofe

him

to thofe

of other men. His

boiderous fea
delicacy^

felf-love incompatible

with

theirs, rages like a

Every thing combats,

fcnfibility

repulfes, or

wounds

its falfc

and jealoufy.

We

live in fociety

very oft as fick

perfons,

whom

the gentlefi: approaches hurt, ruffle and difis

compofe.

This

the prefent

flate

of the fbns of Adam*

rena-

They torment each other mutually, the one half of them

ders the other miferable;

and

this

martyrdom of felf-love

bounds in

all

nations, provinces, citys, familys,

and even in

BookV.

in a

degraded state.
who is
a little republic

339
effe<5ls

each particular man,

contrary members.
felf-love

of faci^ious and
of

Who

can exprefs the terrible

which appear in the world, and of the inordinate

love of pleafure that flows

from

this irregular love

of

felf ?

They

beget

atfirft

lufl:,

intemperance, and hatred; then rapes,

debaucheries, robberies, murders, poifon, perjury, treafon,

forgery, and

all

the monftruous fpawn of the blacked crimes.

forts

If we confider the three principal

of men who fhinc

and

upon the
of

great theatre

of

life,

warriors, ftatefmen,

men

learning, what terrible fcenes

of vice prefent themfelves to

the mind?

'

'

The trade of a foldierlslook'dupon as the mod honourable, and yet he is a man hired to kill in cold blood as many of his fpecics as poflibly he can. The motives to war
(a)
*

'

are very oft to revenge a minifter, to pleafe a miftrefs, to fa-

* tisfy
'

the ambition of a prince. Sometimes

their neighbours are too
:

monarchs declare

war becaufe

weak, fometimes be-

*
*

caufe they are too ftrong fometimes to preferve an imagina-

ry ballance of power,
itroy.

which every one endeavours

fleets,

to de-

*
*

At

other times they equip vaft

levy armies,
in-

and run

to far diftant continents,

upon pretence that the

'

habitants are ignorant.

Then
reft,

they invade them, tho' far

^ more virtuous than themfelves; put half of them to death,

*

and makeflaves of the

teach them
all

in order to civilize

them, and

polite vices.

In

fine the

molt cruel wars are

ri-

very oft produced by the moft trifling difputes, and for as

diculous fubjeds as to
(a) This
is

know, If whiftling be
a

a virtue or a

much borrowed from

modern

Huraonrift, well verlcdin the darkell

fide

of human nature, and of a very lingular genius, Dr. Swi f t,

UU2

340
'

OFNATURE
what
it is

Book V.
whebroke

'

vice?

thebeft colour of a coat, black or white?

ther

fhoiild

be long or fhort; narrow or wide?

is

whether

fhoes fhould be high or low hccl'd? or if an egg

to be

by the big or
fo furious,

fmall end.

Neither are any wars

fo bloody,

and

fo durable, as thofe occafioned

by

difference

of opinions,

cfpecially

about things indifferent.

And

be-

'

caufe nature has not furniflied

fcience has

men with

offenfive

weapons,

been employed

to invent all forts

of inftruments
art,

for defl:ru6lion;

Geometry, Mechanics, the Metallic

Chymiftry, have been improved to find out

facrificing

new means of

each other; from whence

arife

deaths under a

thoufand hideous ihapes;

dys
left for

fields flrew'd

with carcafes; bo-

food to wild beads and birds of prey.

If we go from the camp to the court, what

new

fcene of

mifery, and iniquity prefent themfelves to our view, flattery,

diffimulation, grafping avarice,

unbounded luxury,

opprefll-

on, profcriptions, and

all

the refinements of vice.

Superior

and

inferior courts

of juftice inftcad of being protectors, and

executors of laws, deftroy them by chicaning; and by ufelefs,

intricate,

and tedious

formalities.

When

the ftates of a na-

tion arc affembled, three or four intriguing, eloquent, perverfe

men

hurry on the monarch or the fenate to the moft

perfidious decrees, they betray the public truft, confult their

private intereft rather than the general

good members are

:

bribed by

money and
civil

penfions

places are fold,

money
from

pro-

motes the ignorant to be judges of the laws, cruel laws are

cnaded and

government perverted

entirely

its
;

na-

tural purpofes.

Thefe public
is

injuftices create civil

all falls

wars

law-

ful

and regular power

overturn'd;

into anarchy;

BookV.

in a

degraded state.
man
gains at
laft

341

fonie brave, bold, Impious

enflaves the people,
forts

the multitude,

and declares himfelf a monarch.

of the labours of the po5r,
multitude
is

In

all

of government even the moft regular and peaceful, the

rich enjoy the fruits

who

are a

thoufand to one.

The

obliged to live miferably

by drudging hard every day

to indulge the padions, luxury, Is this following the

intemperance, and vanity of the few.

laws of human fraternity ? and could the

fubjc(5led

God

of nature have
were not
in

men

to fuch inevitable miferles, if they

a frate

of punlfhment and degradation?

When we go from the

of the
learned, what

camp and the court

a

to the clofets
cal-

newmonfters appear! Some of thefe

is

led exalted Genii,

vice,
call

deny there
that

God, laugh
a cheat.

at virtue

and

them only

political Inventions to
all

Impofe on the

mob; and pretend

that fplrit

religion

is

Others

affert

and matter are the fame, that

man

is

compofed of
fil-

ten yards of gut, and that his fupreme felicity confifts in

ling

and emptying them by

turns.

Others that pretend to

confute thefe impious freethinkers, trump up fuch fyflems of

prefcIence,predeftination and providence, as dcftroy
all

God's

moral

attributes,
all

and reprefent him

as a tyrant, or a cheat.
in

Others fpend

the force of their

mind

the (peculations of

Algebra and Geometrical curves, or in metaphyfical quibble?,

or in etymologies, antiquities, criticifms,
fhells,

cobwebs, and

a thoufand curiofities, fo as to forget the great end of their

creation,

and

inflead

of knowing, loving, and adoring the Sufo

preme Infinite, they never

Phyfical
infirmities
is

much

as think

of his

exiftence.

evil is

no

lefs

abundant than moral.

To

what

human

nature fubjcd, not only by voluntary

3;^2
pafTions, but

O
by

NATURE
ftrucHiure

Book V.
from the
confti-

inevitable accidents arifing

tution

of the elements; the

of the animal machine,

this inferior globe?

and the prefent frame of nature in havocks produced by inundations,

endlefs to give a catalogue

the

peftilence, earthquakes,

florms, thunders, (hipwracks, are innumerable. It

would be

of

all

the difcafes incident to hu-

man

bodies; every part external

and internal have maladies

appropriated to them.

From

the cradle to the grave, from

the throne to the cottage none are exempt from thefe epide-

mic

evils.

The whole

creation languifhes and groans.

Can
be

fuch an ignorant, miferable and imperfe(5t creature as

Man

the immediate production of infinite power, wifdom and

goodncfs ?

Muft not fome

this

ftrange Catallrophe have happenit

ed to nature in

dim fpot of immenfity fmce

came

lirfl

out of the hands of the Almighty?

COR.
Hence

I.

the wife legiflator of the Jews was in the right,

when he
in

taught that

Man

is

fallen
is

from the
banifh'd

primitive ftate
divine
exile

which he was created;

and condemn'd

that he

from the
and

prefence,

to a ftate

of mortality and

while the material world

is

accurfcd, changed,

disfigured.

The foul is detach'd from God, and debarr'd from an immediate view of its almighty original; its aftivity is diminifh'd, its

un-

derftanding
ties

is

darkened,

its

will

is

depraved, and

all its

facul-

are fick and lame; becaufe the divine

communications of

life, light,

and love are fufpended. All is dark, obfcure and irregular by a fufpenfion of the divine aftivity, which reigns thro*
all

nature in the fuperior regions.

is

All external nature in this

earth

an image of the changes within, and the laws of the

BookV.

in a

degraded state..
COR.
II.

343

thofe of the intelieaual in material world are analogous to

the fphere of degraded beings.

Hence

to

deny that we are

at prefent in a

degraded

ftate

providence unjuftifiable, renders the conduct of eternal oeconomy of divine providence, and a dark vail upon all the impiety. The Deifts, Socinitends indirealy to atheifm and thofe who deny original fin, can never ans, Pelagians, and all God, in the government of the world,
juftify

throws

thecondu(^of

in fubjeaing

nature to fuch inevitable mifery, in exand vice, and in creating a pofing us to temptations, paffions and phyfical evil. They can never pro-

human

world

fo full

of moral

worthy of eternal power, wifpofe any fcheme of providence

dom, and goodnefs.

PROPOSITION
Under
good, and juft Being, no creature can

XLVI.

the government of an infinitely wife,

fufFer,

but

what has merited punifhraent.

DEMONSTRATION.
God can create nothing but what
he loves (a) ; his
defigii

could only be to make them in creating finite intelligences and love of his boundlefs eternally happy in the knowledge therefore if they be unhappy or fufFer, there

perfeaions(b):

goodnefs in God: muft be fome other caufe than defeft of of theirs, and no other can be fuppofed than fome demerit

which makes punifhment

(a) Cor. 4. of Prop.

necefTary.
(b) Prop.

XVI.

XXIV.

344

OFNATURE

Book

V.

SCHOLIUM,
The fchoolmen fay, that God punifhes Adam's fault m
poftcrlty, as Icgiflators do,

his

when

they deprive the children of

is

criminals of their inheritance.

afcribing to

This

humanizing God, and

him our own mortal and even wicked paflions, and imperfe(n:ions. Kings and magiftrates have no power but
over the bodies of men.

The

defign of their laws

is

not to

reform the heart, but to preferve external order

in fociety.

They

punifli only to hinder political vice

and

to reinforce

their laws, they are obliged very oft to

do one

evil to

prevent

a greater; to facrifice private families to public good, and fo to

make innocent
his

children fufFer, becaufe of their father's

fault.

Eternal juftice cannot ac^ in this imperfecfl manner.

Under
It
*

government no Being can fjfFer but what has me-

rited punifliment
is

own voluntary free choice. that God is a jealous true that Mofes fays (a)
by
its
'

God,-

vifitingthe iniquity
third

of the fathers upon the children to the

text

and fourth generation.' This

however(if it was not

prophecy of what was to happen

to the
it

Jews upon their devery probable) mufl

fe6lion to idolatry, as the event

makes

be explain'd fo as not to contradiiH: that of the prophet Ezekiel

who makes the Almighty

fpeak thus,

(b)

Behold all

fouls

are mine, as the foul

of the

father, fo alfo the foul

of the

fon; I will judge every one according to his works.

rightcoufnefs of the righteous
fliall

The
text

be upon him, and the

wickedncfs of the wicked ihall be upon him.'

By this

the prophet feems to have forefecn, and defign'd to confute

(a) Exod. XX.
5.

(b) Exekiel xviii. 4. 20. 30.

Book V.
fin
*

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
who
maintain that
his pofterity

the monftruous opinion of thofe

345 Adam's
conduft

was imputed to

without their co-operation.

ever:' his

God is the fame ycfterday

'

to

day and for

can never contradict

his attributes.

If therefore he declares

by a folemn oath,
*

that the fon fhall not bear the iniquity

at

of

the

father,'

nothing can be more oppofire

once to both

natural and reveal'd religion, than the horrible, modern,

fcholaftic notion

of imputation.

To
kiel

reconcile thefe

two

texts

of Mofes and Ezekiel, wc

evils;

mxiilunderftandMoifes of temporal, prefent

and Ezeeffects

of infernal, future punifhments.

The phyfkal

of

certain vices extend

from generation

to generation.

Thus very

oft the bodily dlfeafes,and external misfortunes that happen to

lewd, corrupt,and profligate men become hereditary and affecl

their pofterity with ficknefs

and poverty: but the divine wif-

dom and mercy knows how to turn thefe temporary and tranfitory evils to

the eternal good of thofe that do not imitate

their father's vices;

and

his

fupreme jufHce

wilt hinder

him
of

from condemning fouls

to future, punifhments or judging

their perfonal malice

them otherwife than by

and voluntary

co-operation with their fathers unrlghtcoufnefs.

ture never contradI(5ts fcrlpturc;

Thus

fcrlp-

and one paffage of

is

it

that

feems to obfcure the divine attributes

other that clears them up, and
fets
I.

to be explain'd

by an-

them

in a true light.

COR.
Hence
all

thofe

corrupted nature,

who maintain that In a flate of pure, unGod by virtue of his fovereign dominion
ftate

over the creatures, might have placed them In a

rings and mlfcry, to try their obedience,

of fufFe-

and make them me-

Xx

34<^
rit,

OFNATURE
have no
juft

Book V
his paternal

notions of the plan of eternal providence,

nor of God's original defign in creating, and

love for his creatures.

God

does not want or

demand any

merit in us to beatify us, but that of our love.

a6t as
fliip

He

does not

an arbitrary

legiflator in

rewarding

us.

Our only wor-

and merit in

his fight

is

pure charity: but he cannot

make
ration

us happy by love,and by free love without our co-ope-

and correfpondcnce.
c o R.
II.

Hence we have

a full confutation

of the opinion of thofe^

who grant that the fouls of beafts are immaterial, and yet fuppofc that they are created by God to animate for a time brutal

forms, and afterwards to be annihilated.

reflection has

A being capable
reali-

of thought, fenfation and

no doubt more

ty and perfection than a being

thcfc faculties.

which

is

entirely depriv'd

of

Can God

create a being

of a fuperior nature,
it

to fubjed

it

to a being

of an

inferior nature, unlefs

be for

a punifhment?

Can he condemn an

intelligence that

comes

pure from his hands to the cruel pains, and horrible mifcries
that beafts fufFer, without recompenfing
it

for

its

flavery ? will

he ever annihilate what he has once created? and are not all his works eternal ? Moreover, an intelligent being capable of
thought, fenfation, and reflexion in the lowefl: and
gree,
finite
leaf):

de-

may be

exalted

and

elevated, as

we have fhewn,

to

any

degree of knowledge, perfection and felicity

Is
it

how great

foever (a).
foul capable

poJfFible that

God

can create an immaterial

of know^ledge and happinefs without end, for no

other defign but to animate for fomc hours, days, month?;,

(a) Cor. 4. of Prop.

XX.

Book
and

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
machine of a
beaft:?

347
foolifh

years, the miferable

This

ppinion therefore attacks all the divine attributes,

God's

WISDOM,
for fuch

in creating to annihilate after a minute's duration,

all

is

definite time in

comparifon of eternity; his

GOODNESS,
compenfe
a

in rendering miferable a being that

he created
re-

pure and innocent; his justice, in deflroying without

being he made fo unhappy; and that by
its

intel-

ligent nature

was capable of an

everlafting felicity.

PROPOSITION
According to the bare
it

XLVII.
reafon,

light

of natural

feems evident that

all

the

human

race finn'd in

a pre-exiftent paradifiacal ftate.

DEMONSTRATION.
Under the government of an infinitely good, wife and jufl Being, no creature can fuiFer unlefs it has merited punifhnient (a);

no being can merit or demerit before

the

its

exiflence

(b)
it

therefore according to the bare light of natural reafon,

all

feems evident that

human

fpecies finned in a pre-

exiflent (late.

SCHOLIUM.
There are and can be but
the
three opinions concerning the
fin.
;

imputation, or tranfmiffion of original

The

doctrine of

IMMEDIATE CREATION

offouls

that

of their

tra-

duction, or spiritual GENERATiON;and thatof their. preexistence. Nowif it can be proved that the two (irft
(a) Prop.

XLVI.

(b) Ax. i. of this book,

Xx:;

348

OF NATU RE
lafl:

Book V.
muft be true (a).

opinions are abfurd, it will follow that the

The ck)ftrine of the immediate creation of fouls, and their

infufion into mortal bodies,
is

contrary to

all

the divine attri-

butes, renders oiiginal fin inexplicable;

Sc<;inianifm,

and paves the way to

which denies this great and fundamental' article

the father of fpirits and loves

of faith.
it

God is

them now is
;

confident with loving them to ftake

firfl:

down innocent

fouls^

from the very

moment of their
?

creation, to a ftate

of ig*

norance and fuffcring

to fubjecl intelligent natures that

come

pure out of his hands, to mortal bodies, that give them propenfities to vice,

and to pafllons contrary to the love of orthat are capable

der? to

condemn beings
ftate

of knowing and

lo-

ving him, to a
to expofe

wherein they neither know nor love him ?

them to

eternal mifery becaufe they follow thefe in-

evitable propenfities

with which they are born? and

all this

for the fin

of a man,

who lived fix

thoufand years ago, and

with whofe foul ours have no more relation than with that of

Nero or Mahomet. Father Malcbranche's hypothcfis obviates

none of thofe difficulties.
*

He fuppofes

that

God unites
their

ac-

cording to general laws, pure,

real

new created minds to

and byaffes

a corpa-

machine that darkens, obfcures, and degrades

un-

derftandings, that taints, corrupts,

their wills;
his general

becaufe

God

as

immutable fhould not change

laws, to prevent particular diforders.'

What

a flrange notion

does this fyftem give us of infinite wifdom, jufHcc, and' goodnefs

which

eflablifhed general laws, that have fuch

monftru-

ous confequences.

Here the Malebranchian and Spinofiaa

fchcmes unite again in the fame principle.

(a) Populate 2.

God cannot change

BookV.

in a

degraded state.
he
forefees, wills,
will
is

349

his laws, fays Spinofa, becaufe

neceflarily all that
poflible.

and produces

God

not change his laws,

is

fays

Malebranche, becaufe in him there

no

variation
this

nor

fliadow of change.
tability

Now

it is

no matter whether

immu-

flow from the neceflity of the divine nature, or from

his arbitrary decrees, providing the inevitable confequences

of his general laws be contrary

and
juftice.

to infinite

wifdom, goodnefs,
fuch laws?
infinite

Why

did infinite

wifdom

eftabliih

why

does

infinite

goodnefs continue them?

how can

juflice execute

them ?
opinion of the Tradu(fl:ion of fouls, as
if

The fecond
had

they

a real, phyfical fecundity to propagate each other, de-

ilroys the immateriaHty

of the

foul.

Generation in bodies

is

only an evolution of their

to them.

parts,

by new

liquids that flow in-

Souls that are immaterial can have no fuch fecunis

dity. If it befaid that this generation

entirely fpiritual,

and

has nothing in

common

with corporeal procreation; that as

within himfelf, as well as exter-

God

is

infinitely productive

nally, fo his living

images in imitation of him, have a real

in fine, that fince bodies have thi3
it.

power of fecundity; and

quality, fpirits

muft have fome perfection analagous to

an-

fwer that

if fouls

procreated fouls, there either flow'd fome-

thing from them,or nothing: if nothing,howcan nothing be a

cauie? if fome thing; then thefoulis divifible,and fb material;

If it be urged that we ought not to deny

this fecundity

becaufj
in the

we
firfl

cannot conceive
caufe,

it,

no more than we deny creation

fecond caufcs
;

and

activity in

tho' they are

uncon-

ceivable.

I reply that if

we ought not

to deny, becaufe

we

do not

fee, far lefs

ought we to affirm, becaufe we do not conr

350
ceive.

OFNATURE
The reafon why we
is

Book

V.

admit creation in

God and activity

in the creatures,

becaufe

we can demonftrate that thefe attri-

God and fpirits;or admit of confequences that deltroy both the nature of God and fpirits. Now no fuch
butes muft belong to

dcmonftrations can be given for the neceflity of admitting the

tradudion of fouls; and no abfurdities follow from denying On the contrary by admitting it, the fame difficulties reit.

main with regard

did not

to the tranfmifTion

of original

fin.

Why
e-

God

interrupt and fufpend this fpiritual fecundity,

it

fince he forcfaw that

would bea fource of temporal and

was unbecoming

ternal mifery to his creatures? It

his wif-

dom,

juftice,

and goodnefs to continue

gift to lapfed

this free, arbitrary,

fouls,

communicated

and degenerated

which
it is

would perpetuate
culties, for

for ever moral

and phyfical evil.

Now

abfurd to adopt an opinion which far from folving the

diffi-

removing of which itwas invented, tends rather to

augment and reinforce them. If it be further urged that fpiritual fecundity is an effcntial quality of all intelligent natures,
as hbcrty,
fition

and

activity.

We anfwer

that this

is

a bare fuppo-

undemonftrable by any
grant that

folid reafon.

Moreover, tho'

we fhould
nue
it

God

could impart fuch a quality to inyet he

is

telligences in

an exalted

(late,

not obliged to conticontrary, all his

quali-

to

them

in a degenerate ftate:

on the

moral attributes fecm to demand the fufpenfion of this

ty in lapfed fpirits.

The
fpiritual

doftrines then

of the humedlate

creation, or

of the

generation of fouls, to be united to corrupted, de-

praved bodies, can never account for the depravation of our

nature called original fin: they are both incompatible with

BookV.

in a

degraded state.
:

351

the divine attributes, and confequently impofTible wherefore

the third opinion of pre-exiftence muft afford the true account

of

it.

We
is

fhew

in the fecond part

of

this

Work

that this

do(ftrine

perfecftly

conformable to the
;

fcriptures,

was never

condemn'd by the Chriftian church

receiv'd

and was a commonly

doMne
firft

of the Jewifh church in our Saviour's time,

yea confirm'd by the univerfal

approved by his not oppofing it when mentioned, believed by

many of the
dition

fathers,

tra-

of

all

antiquity both facred and profane.

We

fhall

now fhew
be made
I.

that there arc but

two

plaufible obje(5lions that can

againfl: this
firft

opinion.
is,

The

obje<5tion

that

all

the individuals of the

human

fpecies could

not

exill:

in the paradifiacal earth at the

fame time with bodies

caufe our globe

as well as fouls perfectly form'd; be-

would not have

fufficed to contain

them.

This poor objection comes from a chimerical fuppofition that

the paradifiacal earth and bodies were fuch as

we now

fee.

This
the

is dirciflly

contrary to the whole tenour of fcriptures,

which

afTures us, that fince the curfe

impofed upon
to our globe,

man by
and that
,

fall,

great changes have

happened

the whole creation both material and intellecftual fphere of lapfed Beings was
*
'

in the

fubjected to a bondage of cortravails in

ruption, under

which

it

groans and

pain

till

now.*

We ihall fhew in

the fecond Part, that tho' the paradifiacal

earth and bodies were not fo perfe6l as they will be after the
refurre<5lion in a re-eftablifh'd flate,

nor as the celeffial abodes

a purely angelical

and
Hate
fo,

ethereal vehicles
J

of unfallen

fpirits in

yet they were quite other than they are

now. If this be

who

can decide what fpace was occupied by paradifiacal

352
bodies, or

OFNATURE
what the extent and form of the
all

Book

V.
;

primitive earth

which contain'd then

bodies, as the

renewed

earth will

contain them after the refurrection.

All our miftakes then

come from
ll:ate

the

falfe, grofs,

and abfurd ideas we have of the and here we may fay of pa-

in

which man was

faid

created:

radife

what Virgil

of ancient

Rome;
;

Orbem quem
2. It
trine

dicunt

primum

putavi

Stultus ego hiiic noftro fimilem.

may be obje^^ed

in the fecond place, that if the doctrue,

of pre-exiftence be
of thisparadifiacal
in

how come we
intelligences,

to have loft all

ideas

ftate?

To this I anfvver,
any
finite

that as
exalt,

God
aug-

by a<5ling
fection

and upon created

may

ment, and enlarge

their faculties to

degree of per-

how great foever,

fo

by

his ceafing to a6t in

them they

anay fall into any finite degree ofinfenfibility, ignorance and

forgctfulnefs,

how low
and

foever (a), yea into a flate of fpiritual

fleep (b).
firft

inaction, lethargy,

It

is

thus that

all

human

fouls are with refpeft to the

years of their cxiltence in

mortal bodies: nor do they ever recover any remembrance of

what
two
ages

paffed in them.

Now what may happen

alfo for

for a year or

years,
;

may happen
ceiTation

many years, and

is

even

many
This

by the

of the divine

activity in Ipirits.

total oblivion

of our

pre-exiftent ftate

a pure efFed of the

divine mercy; for if

we knew and

retain'd a lively

remem-

brance of the glory from whence

be

infinitely

more

miferable than

we are fallen, we would we are. Thus a king conwould

this condition.

demned
be
far

to tug in the galleys, or to labour in a mine,

flaves

more miferable than

.

born in

The

(a) Cor. s

of Prop.

XX.

(b) Schol. 2 . of Prop.

XXX,

Book V.
comparifon
faint idea

in a
is

DEGRADED STATE.
it

353

low and Imperfect; but

fuffices to give us a

of the reafon

why we

have no notion of a pre-exfplri-

iftent ftate.

By

this ftate

of infenfibility, inaftion, and

remain more
orlefs, e're

tuallethargy in which

all fouls
;

they

awake
and

into mortal bodies

the habits of

evil

are laid afleep,

in forae are totally extinguifhed, fo that they fcarce pafs

ftate

through a
die in the

of purification here below. It

is

thus that

fome

womb, and
life,

others in their tender infancy.

Thefe
and

fouls are toopure, to pafs

through the temptations, pains, and

dangers of this

or too

weak

to be expofed to them,
it is

if any impurity remains in them, in a

confumed and deflroyed

through
life,

middle

ftate after death.

They

pafs rapidly

and

fo to ipcak,

only to take poffeflion of their corporeal vebe eternal and foon lay them

hicles, that are to

down

again,

till

they rea/Fume them after the general refurre<5lion.

is

All

this

ordered and adjufted with number, weight and meafure, by

all- wife,

an all-powerful,

all-beneficent providence, that

is

e-

ver attentive to the difpofitions and indigences

vidual.
It
is

of every

indi-

therefore a flrange phrenzy in the fchocjlmen to

deny the

do<5lrine

of pre-cxiftence, becaufe we have

retain'd

no remembrance of it; and upon

fion

this miferable pretence, to

introduce an opinion about the immediate creation and infu-

of fouls into mortal bodies, which

;

is

contrary to

all

the

ufual laws of nature

which darkens all the oeconomy of pro-

vidence,; renders his conduct

more barbarous than

moral

that

of the

moft cruel tyrant, deftroys

riginal fin inexplicable,

all his

attributes;

makes o-

yea ImpofTible; contradlcfls reafon,

all

Tcripture and the univerfal tradition of

nations.

To

be

Yy

354
fure there
is

OFNATURE
COR.
I.

Book V,
ra-

no hypothefis, but what (hould be admitted

ther than an opinion that has fuch fatal confequences.

Hence
on
as

the fchoohnen

who

reprefent

Adam's

tranfgrefll-

miputed to fouls immediately created; that came pure

relation to the

from the hands of God, and therefore have no

foul

of the

protoplaft, introduce into religion a

myftery un-

known
God,
the

to fcripture,

and antiquity, that was never revealed by

of original
fin

that renders the facred doctrine

not on-

ly incomprehenfible but abfolutely impoflible, and fo paves

way

to Deifm, Socinianifm,

and
II.

incredulity.

G o R.

Hence
greflion,

all

thofe

who

pretend that fince Adam's tranP

fubjcfled to a ftate of phy-

human nature was only

not infefted,
fin,

fical evil, fufFering

and mifery, purely to make men merit; and

vitiated,

that

men were

and corrupted by moral

indirecftly Sociniaii

evil; really

deny original
errors.

and fo favour

and Pelagian

PROPOSITION
Finite Intelligences
eternal order

XLVIII.

may

fall

from the love of

two ways.
intelligences

DEMONSTRATION.
In
a flate

of pure and exalted nature

all finite

follow'd the immutable, and univerfal law of eternal order,

which

obliges us to love

God

for himfclf, and

all

other be-

ings proportionably as they rcfcmble

(a) Prop.

him

(a) ; falfe felf-love

XL,

Book

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.

355
obje<5i:s

and the irregular love of the creatures are the only two
that can divert us

therefore finite
nal order thefe

from the law and love of eternal order (b): intelligences may fall from the love of eter-

two ways.

SCHOLIUM.
Sacred tradition reprefents two forts of Beings that
fell

from the
tion

love

of eternal order

devils

and men.

The

defec-

of the former was according to fcripture an effe<n: of felf-

.complacency and pride.

The fall of the latter proceeded from

pleafure.

an

irregular love
difficult

of knowledge and

Nothing

is

more

than to conceive the fource of

this defeflion.
all

Incredulity pretends to triumph here, and to baffle

the ac-

counts that can be given of this original apoflacy.

Some
fic vifion,

think to anfwer this difficulty by maintaining that

angelical fallen fplrits

were not

at firft

admitted to the beati-

which would have render'd them impeccable. This opinion is not only contrary to fcripture; which ftill repreof light, and gratify'd from of the Divinity: and goodnefs. If
them. His
the beginning with the
fulleft irradiations

fents thofe rebellious fpirits as fons

but

it is

aifo injurious to the divine fan<5tity

the beatific vifion could have preferv'd thefe angelical beings

from

falling,

then

God would

not have deny'd

it

infinite purity,

and abhorrence of fin,

as well as his effential

love for the creatures,

would have engaged him

to refufe

no-

thing that could have confirm'd them in a permanent and im-

mutable

ftate

of perfection, jufHce, and

felicity.

We

mufl:

therefore find out fome other fource of evil, ariflng not from
(b) Cor. 6. of Prop.

XLI.

Yy2

356
*

OFNATURE
in,

Book V.

any defc^

nor rcfufal of the divine graces, but from the

nature of free agents.

Now this

is

not impoflible to conceive

by the three following

1.

principles.

If

finite intelligences

could have remain'd for ever in

the divine prefence,they would have been for ever impeccable:

but

we

have already demonftrated that they cannot always

dire<5l,

contemplate thus, the uncreated eflence with a

diate,and uninterrupted view.
their inherent cffential

immc-

They are fometimes obliged by

vail their eyes,

weakncfs to

and adore

their almighty original in his created pi6lures

tions:

and reprefenta-

and

in thofc

moments they become

peccable, fallible,

and capable of departing from the laws and love of eternal

order (a).
2.

We have alfo demonftrated that

till

all

free

and

finite intel-

ligences are fallible and peccable,

by the repeated

a6ls

of

pure love, they be confirm'd in the habits of good, which at

lafl:

become

a fecond nature infeparable, inamiffible,

and un-

changeable.

No

fupernatural graces,

no

infus'd habits, can

it

operate this fecond nature in them by an inftantaneous acl:

can be produced only by the long repeated, free co-operation

of the creature
3.
al,

to the fupernatural action

of God

in

them

(b).

The

defeftion

of angelical
of repeated

fpirits

was no doubt gradu-

as finite beings cannot

feries

become

perfectly good, but

long continued

acls; fo

by a they cannot become

of irregular
flate

perfectly criminal but

defires.

by

a fucceflive gradation

They did

not pafs inflantaneoufly from the

of

perfe6t innocence in

which they were created

to a flate

of de-

pravation.

The degrees by which they fell

XXX Vni.

were various.
XLIV

The

(a) Cor. 2. of Prop.

(b) Cor. 2. of Prop.

BookV.
Thefe three
ted,

in a

degraded state.
of return and
relapfe

357

difTerent fhades

were imperceptible.

great principles premifed as already demonftra-

we may

thus conceive the different fhades, fteps and gra-

dations of

defe(fi:ion, fird: in angelical fpirits,

and then

in

hu-

man fouls.
I.

By

the laws of eternal order, the feraphic intelligences

to rife continually

were obliged

above themfelves; to love

God

only for himfelf, to be padive channels of communica-

tion betwixt

him and

all

inferior fpirits; to retain nothino^

of his

beatifying influences for themfelves, but to tranfmit

that fo the eternal circulation
all

all to others,

of life,

light

and

love might never be flopt through

the ccleftial regions.

The leafl felf-attribution, fclf-appropriation and felf-complacency

in

God's

gifts,

graces and communications

is

an ufur-

pation upon his rights.

felf-evacuation,

On
is

the contrary, felf-preterition,

and

fclf-annihilation

of the

infinitely Httle

"before the infinitely great,

the eternal facrifice which crea-

ted beings

owe to abfolute Infinite. neceffarily bound and reflrain their

Yea
it is

Now

this facrifice

muft
till

natural love

of fclf,

they be confirm'd in the fupernatural habits of divine love.

poflible,

that

till

created

fpirits

acquire this fecond

nature, this fupernatural transformation, this true deificati-

on, the exercife of pure, difinterefted love and felf-oblivion

maybe
ful,

painful to them, becaufe

of the natural love of

felf,

infcparable

from our

effcnce. I

do not mean by pain ungrateeffort,

noxious fenfations; but a fupernatural

to rife above
felf,

combat,

and contention

and correfpond

to the di-

vine attraction that draws

his pure effence.

them out of felf,

to unite

them

to

This cannot be undcrflood by minds im-

358

OFNATURE
all

Book

V.

merfcd in matter and Grangers to

funftlons of the foul:
lity in all finite fpirits

the pureft
firfl:

inj:elle<5liial

And
upon

this is the

fource of peccabiIt arifes

their

firft

creation.

not

from any

defeat in

God, nor

refufal

of his graces; but from

the natural, necelTary finitude and weaknefs of the creature,

how

great foever

its

natural capacity be,

till

by a
it

free

and

long correfpondence to God's fupernatural action,

be truly

transform'd, diviniz'd, and confirm'd in the habits of pure

love.
2. It
ted,
Is

not altogether inconceivable

fpirits

how the

mofl: eleva-

and molt luminous order of

that approach'd nea-

reft to

the throne, and that were immediate channels of comall

munication to
view of their
the

other intelligences, might be dazzled by the

excellency.

own

The greater, the fublimer, and

more
eafy
it is

more

exalted their natures were, the

to

imagine that they might be capable of felf-attribution,

felf-

appropriation, and felf-complacency, unlefs they continually turn'd off their

riginal;

view from

felf,

to refer all to their great o-

and by the

leaft infidelity,

the facrifice offelf-annidifficult,

hilation,

mufl have become more and more

and

felf-complacency more ealy; and this might have been the

fecond imperceptible fource of their declenfion.

3.

In thefe moments wherein the angelical fpirits, went out

immediate prefence of God, and enter'd into fociety

of the

with each other, they became fufccptible of error, and fo by

degrees might have flattered themfelves that God's infinite

goodnefs and felf-fufficiency would engage him to relax the

purity of his eternal law, and difpenfe

them from the duty

have begun then to

of fclf-difappropriation.

They might

Book
tific

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
and
to defire
fpiritual

Z59
thirft

love him' only as beatifying,

vifion,

no longer the beaof

but to gratify their natural and infatiable

happinefs.

This

concupifcence, this difguifed and

referr'd the Creator to the

refin'd felf-love

by which they

creature, the fource to the rivulets,

and the

infinitely great to
ftep

the infinitely
poftacy.
4.

little

might have been the third

of

their a-

They

did not

however

as yet

confummate

their crime;

their defetflion
efforts

was gradual.

God employed no

doubt

all

the

of his power, without doing violence to

fo to fpeak, all the treafures

their Uberty;
dif-

he opened,
played
lity:
all

of his wifdom, he

the charms of his goodnefs to hinder their infide-

but the more abundant his luminous communications

were, the more they ferv'd to augment in thefe feraphic fpirits

the high opinion they had of their

own

excellency;
all

which

is

the mofl: delicate and the moft dangerous of

delufions.

God purfued them from

error to error,

till

at laft there

was

no other remedy, no other way of curing their natural weaknefs, but by depriving them for a time of the beatific vifion,
without degrading them altogether; and
the fourth flep of their declenfion.
5.
this

might have been

During

this interval,

it

is

pofiible that the

firft

and
their

chief of the feraphic

elTential happinefs,
felicity

fpirits, irritated

by the privation of

tho' not as yet deprived

of the acceffory

which they enjoyed

w^as the fifth

in their celefiial abodes; fell

by

degrees into open rebellion, and declared war againft Heaven,

which

and

la ft ftep

of

their apoftacy.

Holy

writ

Teprefents

them

as yet inhabitants

of the

cthcrial regions,

3(^o

OF

NATURE

Book

V.

when tliey made war upon Michael and his angels: after mighty combats they were at lad defeated, thrown out of the divine
prcfence, precipitated
elTential

from the heavens, deprived both of their

to punifhin the a-

and acceflbry happinefs, and condemned

were not
explain
ail

ment;

tho' they

immediately

fliut

up

byfs ; as

we

fliall

more

fully in the fecond Part.

Thcfefeem
ons,

to be the different fhades, fteps,

and gradati-

by which feraphic fpiritsfell from their primitive abodes. Let us now fee what facred writ authorizes us to think of the manner and degrees by which human fouls loft their original
innocence.
I

mo. So foon

as angelical fpirits

had proved rebellious

by pure choice and

deliberate free will,

God who is immumeans by

table in his defign; but who changes very oft the

which he executes them, becaufe he accommodates himfelf to the freedom of intelligent natures, refolved to accompHOi in
another manner the wonderful plan
laid

from the foundation

ele<^

of the world; which was

to

form

number ofchofen,

fouls to reign in the new Jerufalem, to be exalted to the thrones

from which fcraphims had fallen, and to be made conformable to his only begotten Son in their obedience, adoration
and
love.

They were

to be tried in a ftate

of delights and imIn

mortality, if they

had continued

faithful therein or purified

if

in a ftate of fufferings

and expiation

they

fell freely.

confequence of

this great decree,

God

difTipated the

Chaos
was

introduced into the folar fyftem by the fall of angels, and for-

med anew

the paradifiacal earth, far inferior to

what

it

during an angelical, primitive, original ftate, but exempt from

Book V.
all

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
He
then created a

3^1
fpccles

moral and phyfical evM.

new

of

intelligent natures united to material vehicles,

and placed them

in this paradifiacal manfion.

2.
devils,

To prevent mens
by

falling into the

fame revolt with the

a refin'd felf-love,

and

a too high opinion

of

their

own
fic

excellency,

God
we

did not as yet admit

them

to the beati-

vifion; but, as

fhall

fhew

in the fecond Part, the facred

pre-exiftent

der a vifible

humanity of the Logos converfed with them unform in paradife. There they enjoyed the accef-

fory happinefs, contemplated the original in his reprefentati-

ons, faw the beauties, and tafted the pleafures to be found in

the enjoyment of the material pi<n:ures and the fociety of the

intelligent images. If they

had continued

faithful in this hap-

py

ftate

till

they were

repeated zSiS in
exalted at
fence.
3.
laft

immutably by long, continued and the habits of pure love, they would have been
fix'd

to the intuitive,

immediate view of his pure

ef-

In

this flate

of probation and

tryal

man was

obliged

by
as

the fundamental laws of his creation, to look upon

his

God

fupreme

obj-e-(5l

to adore

him

as prefent tho' invifible; to

afpire continually to the

ferrall the creatures to

view of his unvail'd eflence;and'to re-

God, and attach himfelf to them pro-

portionably as they refembled their great original.

Thus fu-

pernatural faith, hope and chanty were to be man's continual

duty and worfbip, even in paradife. In

this

happy date how-

ever

men were expofed by their natural

:

fallibility to

two

forts

of dangers

the one of being fo charm'd with the delight-

ful fenfationSjwhich the material pidures excited In

them; the

other danger was that of being fo Immerfed in the admiration

Zz

3^2
with

OFNATURE
paradifiacal
felicity,

Book V.

of the wonders of the

felves

world as to conteht them-r

this acceflbry happinefs, negle(fl: afplring to their

fupreme

and thus relax

their fuperior

powers

in

the

fupernatural exercife of faith, hope, and charity. In one word,

the delights of paradife and the wonders of nature were ca-

pable to turn off the minds and hearts of men from divine con-

templation and love, unlefs they were continually upon their

guard again ft their

4.

own natural

defciflibility.

the

The holy fcriptures affure us that all the Individuals of human fpecies were not produced at once by an inftantaadt as angels,

neous
lJ3ecies

but that the original pair of

this

new
fe-

were united by marriage, endowed with a divine

and multiply.

cundity, and ordained even in this paradifiacal ftate to increafe

They no doubt obeyed

this great

com-

mandment
and

given them from thefirft inftant of their creation;

fo replcnilhed the paradifiacal, primitive,

uncorrupted

earth with inhabitants, as wefhall fhew in the fecond part of

this

Work. This
all

is

that golden age, that reign of Gods

and

men,

that primitive ftate of innocence, juftice

and

purity, in

which
gos
'

the

human
is

fpecies

was

at

firft

placed, created or

procreated.

It

during this happy

to have
*

ftate that

the divine

Lo-

God-man
it

is faid

taken his delights with the fons

of men.'

How

long this

ftate lafted

no mortal can tell.

and that
all
it

To

fuppofe

was only for an hour or

firft

a day,

was en-

joyed only by the

original pair, while

the reft of man-

kind were unborn,

Is

mere fi(5tion, not

at all

authorized by

fcripture or antiquity; as
5.

we

fhall

prove in the fecond Part.

firft

Revelation however affures us that our

parents

fell

at laft

from

this

happy

ftate

by the temptation of the

devil.

Book

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
(hall fliew in the

3*!;^

All the rebellious angels, as we

fecond Part,

were not fhut up

in the abyfs

their defection; a great part

living creatures in paradife,

of darknefs, immediately after of them animated the bodies of

fpoke and converfed with

men

as

we fhall fhew in the fecond Part. They were then fubje<5led to men, who had an abfolute empire over them, and gave them names according to their natures. The chief of thefe
degraded intelligences feduced our
firfl:

parents

by

exciting
ir-

them

to

an inordinate

defire

of natural knowledge, and an

All the

regular love of fenfible pleafure.

fubfifted with
iirft

human

Ipecies that

them

in paradife, followed the

example of our

parents, co-operated voluntarily with

fell,

them in their crime,

I

and

perfonally into the fame defedlion.

do not fay that

all

diabolical fpirits,

and degraded

intelligences

tempted

the

fons of Adam in the fame manner, and

by the fame means;

fruit; fincc
all

and
St,
*

that they

all

ate corporeally
*

of the forbidden
all

Paul fays exprefsly

that tho'

finned, yet

did not fin

after the fimilitude

all

of Adam's

tranfgreflion.'

Neither do I
fell

fay that

the offspring of Adam In a paradifiacal ftate

It Is

with Adam, and finned voluntarily with him: but

clear

by the Mofalcal account of the

rated with our
firfi:

fall,

that

all

thofc that co-ope-

parents in their difobcdience were con-

of punlilimcnt; and that the great fource of our firll parents Infidelity and of their pofterlty's degradation,

demn'd to a

fiate

was the

irregular love
folllcltcd

of pleafure and knovv ledge,

to

which

they were
deceived
ipecies

by the temptation of fallen

this reafon

angels,

who
two

firft

the female fex, and by that fex

all

the

human

who

fell.

For

it Is,

that ever fince, the

fources

of all the

evils that

overflow the world, are the im-

z 2

3^4
moderate
able
thirfl:

OFNATURE
aftivities

Book V.
infati-

of human underftandlng, and the

pleafure.

of fenfiblc
all

The

former fountain of cor^

ruptlon produces

the Hydras of error and falfe fcience, that

it

puff up the mind, and divert

from divine contemplation.

from divine love. All

The
fhall

other produces

all

the monfters of vice and debauchery,

divert
it

that pollute the heart,

and

this

be fully unfolded, illuftrated and prov'd in the fecond

Part.

we underftand how the wills of all the individuals of the human race were contain'din that of Adam

By this

explication

for the will of one foul can be contain'd in that of anotheri

only as
that

It

approves of, co-operates to, and unites

itfelf

with

of another by dehberate choice, voluntary adhefion, and

a perfe<fl imitation.

Thus theMofaic
fable,
as

hlftory

of the

fall,

has

no longer an
fectly

air

of

but becomes a fublime truth per-

conformable to reafon; and

we

fliall

fliewin the fe-

cond Part exprefsly taught

the age of Noah
tions, ages,

in fcripture,

and tranfmitted from

of all na-

by

univerfal tracBtion to the Sages

and

religions.

Dellb, Socinians, and Freethin-

kers have reafon to laugh at the fchoolmen,

when they teach

of the
'

only the
*

'

letter that kills,'

and

are ignorant
a

fpirk

that quickens,' enlightens,

and gives us

noble and amiable

view of the whole condud of providence.

COR.
Hence
it is

I.

plain, that in

whatever degree of perfection,

God

creates finite intelligences, they

may by virtue of their

its

natural freedom

and

fallibility

turn oP their intcllc(5lual eye

beauty,

from the view of

eternal order, forget

become
feci

darkened and obfcur'd in

their underftandings,

and fo

no

4tjr^*>

Book
more
be

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
To this
and
free a6ls..

{^s
they muft

pleafure in the contemplation of it.

liable, until

they are confirm'd in the habits of pure love

by long

repeated, fucceflive,
;

None

but

God

is infallible

by nature none but God is

efTentially impeccable;

To afk why he made fpirits free is to afk, why he made them intelligent? To afk why he made them finite, is to afk why
he
did not
is

make them Gods

equal to himfelf in

all

things,

V'hich

impoflible.

To afk why he did

habits,
will, is to afk

not confirm them

in the love
effort

of God, by infufed
omnipotent

and an inftantaneous

of

his

why

he did not

treat

them

as neceffary agents,

by

deftroying their

freedom and.

thereby their efTence.

e o R.
II.
is

Hence In

all flates

felf-annihilation or true humility

the

fole prefervative

of angels unfallen,and the

fole reftorative
itfelf

of

fouls degenerated.

Without this

virtue,

heaven

would

become
and

a hell,

and the

beatific vifion a fource

of felf-love,

felf-attribution.

The more

that finite beings

are in danger

augment
of pride,

in light, and happinefs, the

more they
of all the

prefumptibn, and felf-complacency ; unlefs they remain in a.

perfect felf-difappropriation
gifts, graces,

and bea-

dfying fenfations

God

imparts to them.

G o R.

III.

Hence

all

thofe

who deny
of evil.

the

doMne

of pure

love,

and'

felf-difappropriation, underftand nothing of the divine oeco-

nomy, or of the
his creatures

origin

If the love

God demanded

of
as

were only

interefled,

an attachment to him

beatifying, a defiring

of him

as the fource

of pleafure; they

would never have

fallen: forfince

by the elTentiaLproperty

5^5

OFNATURE
attach'd us to the love

Book

V,

of our natures, we conftantly prefer greater pleafure to lefTer God could have augmented the degrees of fpiritual delegati-

on and
duce.
love,

of his uncreated

eflence,

by

de-

lights far fuperior to thofe that created fubftances

can pro-

But

this

is

not the

obje<5l

or motive of fupernatural

which renders us

fufceptible

of the divine union.

Our
of

love

would not have been a

love

of perfection, but

a love

pleafure; not a pure charity, but a fpiritual concupifcence;

not a reafonable choice, but a necelTary

inftinct.

COR.
Hence the

IV.

doMne

of the fchoolmen

who

teach that an-

gels fell very foon after their creation,

and that

Adam

re-

main'd in paradife only for an hour, or a day, a month, or a year, is a wild chimera, without any foundation in fcripture.

By

this

poor notion, they degrade

all

the condu<5l of eternal

wifdora, and reprefent

tures,

God upon
to retain

the catch with his crea-

always ready to furprize them in their weaknefs, withIcaft elTay

out making the

them; and without em-

ploying

all

the efforts of his long-fuffering patience e're he a^

fatal

bandon them to the

confequences of their crime,

c o R*
V.

Hence God
gels,

diflipated the

chaos after the defection of an-

and form'd the

paradifiacal earth to

be the habitation

of

fouls that

enjoyed the acceffory happinefs, without being

as yet admitted to the eifential felicity

of the beatific

vifion.

PROPOSITION
Phyfical
evil is

XLIX.

the only

means of curing moral evil.

BookV.
There
moral

in a
13

degraded state.
m o n
two
s

167

t r a t

o n.

are but

poffible

means of curing the mind of

evil;

the fenfatlons of pleafure In the view of truth, or

the fenfatlon of pain. In the purfuits of error (a); in whatever

degree of perfection

God

creates finite intelligences,

fallibility,

they

may by
forset
dings,
it

virtue

of their natural freedom,

and weak-

nefs, turn off their Intellectual

it,

eye from the view of truth,

in their

and become dark and obfcurcd

fo feel

under flan-

and

no more

pleafure in the contemplation

of

(b): therefore the fenfatlon

efficacious

of pain or phyfical

evil, is

the

only

means of curing fin, or moral

evil.

SCHOLIUM,
God never altered his
fouls that
eternal defign

made from

the foun-

dation of the world, which was to form a chofen

were to become the heads and chiefs

number of of the celefli-

al hierarchies,

and the immediate channels of his divine comall

munications to
firft,

created intelligences: but the feraphims

refifted freely all his graces,

and then men, having

and

abufed his favours, he refolved to accomplifh his great and im-

mutable end, by other means, and that was by condemning

the latter to a
efficacious
ftate

of fufferings and phyfical

evil,

as the

only

way

to cure

them of moral

evil,

to reflore their

lapfed powers, reclaim

them from

their rebellion

and con-

firm

them

for ever in the

permanent love of order. This great

of all the changes made in
all

principle gives us a full juftification

material nature fince the

fall,

and of

the fteps of almigh-

ty providence mention'd in fcripture, during this dark period

<a) Cor. 4. of Prop. XLI.
(b) Cor. i. of Prop.

XL VIII.

368
and laws
I.

OF NATURE
The
detail
is

Book V.
fteps

of duration called Time.

of thefe changes,

a beautiful fpeculation.

Mofes

reprefents nature as accurfed after the

fall, alte-

red, degraded,
ties

and

fill'd

with mortal

qualities.

As

the beau-

of the material world had feduced human fouls; as the delif^hts of theparadifiacal ftate which were but their acceffory happinefs had intoxicated

them and made thejn

it

forget

the fupreme felicity of their natures,

to reclaim

was necefTary

in order

them

to caft a vail over

all

thefe ravifliing,

and beau-

tiful fcenes.

The

divine activity that manifefled itfelf in the

primitive, angelical, original ftate

of nature was not

as

du-

ring the chaos entirely fufpendcd; but very

nifli'd;
tive,

much

dimi-

and by

this diminution, the circulation

of the ac-

luminous principle was interrupted, the original tranfparency of folids loft, and the whole of nature in the region

which man inhabits became barrenand -opake, full of contrary, oppofite, and fclf-deftruOive elements: yea according to fomethe fituation of our earth was chang'd with regard to
ccleftial bodies, whofe influences

and

irradiations

became

Icfs

ftrono-

and durable

(a).

However

this

be;

it is

certain

from

the principles already demonftrated, that nature in thefe inferior regions

is

not as in
it is

its

original ftate, a picture

of the

di-

vine perfl^aions;
tears,

become

a prifon, an exile, a valley

of

and a place of punilhment; wherein all is adapted to the Itate of fouls that fufler, and that muft be purified by their fufferings. This is the curfe under which the whole vifibie
(a) See Dr. Burnet's, and Dr. Whlfton's Theorys of the Earth. They contain fome fcattcr'd rays of the great fyftem of nature, and the changes which happened ia it by the fall.

Book V,
creation
*

in a
faid to
'

DEGRADED STATE.
langiiifh

3^9
by the

is

and groan

till It

be delivered from
fubje<5led

the bondage of corruption' to

which

it

was

fall

of man.
2.

This curfe however

is

mixed and mitigated with good-

nefs,

compaflion and mercy.

Nature thus altered and degraafpire to a better life.

ded excites in us painful fenfations, which ferve to detach us

from the world, and make us

had continued us in a
our
fall,

If

God
after

ftate

of pleafure and immortality

ourfelves In the love
afjjire

we would have Immerfed

of the
feli-

creatures and negle(fled for ever to

city

to the

fupreme

of our natures.

If he had deprived us altogether of all

confolation,

we would

have been as miferable as the

devils.

All his punijQiments are mixed with mercy, and

all his

judg-

ments

are full

of goodnefs.

He treats us feverely but as a tenExempt

his penal
all

der father, only to purify us from our corruption.

from human

paflions,

vengeance and cruelty,

is

laws are falutary cures; he

ther of fplrlts,

the Phyficlan as well as the Fainfills

and therefore

no pains, but what

are

remedies.
3.
all

By

this merciful

the Individuals

oeconomy of providence the fouls of of the human fpecles that finned with Ato a ftate

dam, were condemn'd

and
infenfibllity,

of

fplrltual death, ina<51:Ioii

according to the fentence pronounced afall;

'

galnft
*

man

If

he fhould

In the

day thou
faid

catell:

thereof

thou

jQialt die.'

This cannot be
fince

of corporeal death,
long after the
fall;

fuch as befalls
far Icfs can
It

men now,
be
faid

Adam

lived It

of

his pollerlty.

muft be meant of

this fplrltual infenfibllity

and Inaftion

In

which they

all re-

main

till

they awake into mortal bodies.

Thus we have no

a a

370

OFNATURE
ftate;

Book V*

notion of our pre-cxiftent

otherwife the view of what

are,

we once
like the

were, and of what

we now

would torment us
an
hell.

damn'd, and make our prefent

life

The

e-

thcrcal, paradifiacal

body

that

was the vehicle of fouls

of our globe,
veil'd

in the

primitive (late, was,

Hke the

reit

and clo-

thed upon with mortality, and incrulled with grofs opake

matter, which
is

mere accident of our

nature, that peridies

every day,by the courfe of perfpiration, changes probably eve-

ry feven years, decays, diffolves, dies and crumbles at

to duft and afhes.
acal bodies

lafl:

in-

All the organical molds of thefe paradifi-

were by a new t&Ct of the divine omnipotence

firft

fhut up again in the loins of the

man, that thus by cor-

poreal generation

all

our mortal bodies might defcend from

him, and from one another by a fuccefTive evolution.

the eftabhfh'd order of procreation
nites
ties

Thus
u-

them

as children

of the

men together, and fame common father.

disfigur'd,

4.

Tho' the

earth

was accurfed,

and condemn'd

to an univerfal fteriHty, after man's difobedience; yet fcrip-

ture mentions a fecond curfe that befell

it.

During the

firft

lixteen hundred years after the

fall,

man's life was very long,

and extended

to nine

hundred

years.

As

their fouls

hadpaf-

fed but a fhort time in a ftate

their degradation to their

of infcnfibility, from the time of

it

awaking in mortal bodies,

exile

was ne-

ceffary their ftate

of purification and
life laft

here below {houM

years,
till

be longer, and their mortal

for

many
;

they

were

fufliciently purify'd.

This longevity however fcrv'd onmoft part and incrcafe

it

ly to perpetuate corruption in the

to fuch a degree,
'

that every imagination

of the thoughts of

jnan's heart was evil

and

evil

continually; that the earth was

BookV.

'

in a

degraded state.
all flefh

371
their

fill'd

with violence, and that

had corrupted

ways.'

In order

to flop this univcrfal tide

of wickednefs, and the by the

which would foon have render'd men

earth like hell,
deluge.

like devils,

God made

new change

in our globe

The

fountains of the deep were open'd; for as

we

fhallfliewin the fecond Part, the paradifiacal earth was not

overflow'd as now, with a tempeftuous ocean of troubled waters; the fea

was

at

firfl:

fliut
its

up in the center of the earth,

fountains were open'd'

cal-

led

'

the great deep, and

when

the

earth was
firft

totally overflow'd.

By

this univerfal

deluge the

race

of men were deftroy'd; the waters

that covered ever

fince the grcateft part

of the globe, render'd

that part, unin-

habitable; the outward and inward con (Htution

of our

pla-

net was quite diflolv'd and altogether alter'd

loft their force,

the vegetables

the

life

main'd no more

vefliges

of animals was abridged, there reof the paradifiacal earth. Nature in

nothing of
its

this inferior fphere, retain'd

primitive beauty

and

fplendor,all

became
is

like the fhatter'd ruins

of a pompous
all

edifice.

Yet

as there

a mixture of mercy and juflice in

God's economy, this new curfe, as alfo the divifion of tongues

that happened foon after
It,

became new

tyes

of

fociety,

and

gave occafion to that feparation of the earth into ifles and con-

and languages, kingdoms and flates, by which great numbers of men look upon each other as citizens
tinents, countries

of the fame
5.

nation.

As

fouls

by departing from the

love

of

eternal order
is

have no other principle of union but fclf-love, nature

gulated that

Co re-

we cannot fubfifl without each other. At prcfent

by indigence; whereas the

men

are join'd in fociety chiefly

A aaa

372
principle

OFNATURE
of union
in

Book V.
charity.
original,

our primitive

ftate

was divine

The

fame love that united us then to our almighty

all

united us with

his living

images; whereas
ftate

now

the ftate of

corrupt nature has

much of a
all

of war; and the bonds of

our mutual union, are our corporeal wants.

ful order
o

By

this beauti-

of providence

men

ftand in need of each other,

lives in

from the king

fociety
is

to the beggar;

yea every individual that

ferved

by numbers of men without more expence

his

than what he can gain by

own labour.

How many are emto

ploy'd to prepare the food, drink, and cloathing of each particular perfon?
felf,

whereas

if

he were obliged

do

all this

himdifis

neither his time nor ftrength could fuffice.

By thefe

ferent employments neceflary to fubfiftence, labour which

apcnnance, becomes an amufemcnt to the mind, and there-

by

diverts us

from an intimate

fenfe

of our miferable and

for-

lorn condition.
6.

For the fame reafon God

eftablifned that beautiful

order of nature

by which our mortal

bodies are fubje6led to

fleep, fo that the

moft part of men pafs a third part of their

time in a

ftate

of inaction, which fufpends the augmentation

evil in

and manifeftation of moral

the bad, the fentiment of

all

phyfical evil in the good; and repairs in

the forces of the

ftate, fleep

body exhaufted by
was

labour.

In a paradifiacal

acIt

cording to the primitive fathers was voluntary and holy.

a myftical, fpiritual repofe before

God, wherein the mind

its

elevated

by contemplation retired into

all

intellcftual nature,

fufpcnded fora time

commerce with

fenfible objects,

and

exerted the nobleft functions of its angelical part.

Sleep

was

not then as

now

a fhort interval

of phrenzy, wherein imagi-

BookV.
nation

in a

degraded state.
all fort

^y^
as in

is filled

with

of incongruous ideas; nor

faculties

fome

a total infenfibility,

where the fuperior

remain

in a kind of lethargy, as well as the fenfes.

Thefe
fall,

are the principal changes

made

in nature, fincethe.

and the laws

eftablifh'd in the fphere

of lapfed

fouls*

From them we may draw fome very ufeful corollaries.

c o R.
I.
,

Hence we

fee the necefllty

of the

crofs, fufFerings,

and ex-

piatory pains, in order to purify, reftore,

and reunite lapfed

beings to their original, primitive

pinefs.

ftate

of perfection and hapfcandalizes both

This is

that fublime myftery

is,

which

the Greeks and the Jews, that

perftitious

the fuperficial witts, and fu-

minds, that have no juft ideas of the oeconomy of

providence, of the purification of the foul, and of the intrinfic efficacy

of phy fical evil to cure moral depravation.

COR.
Hence

II.

Chriftianity alone teaches us the true reafons

of

the phyfical changes, laws, and defers of theprefentconftitution of things below: thus revelation exalts reafon, prefents

to the
iftical

mind

a plan

worthy of eternal wifdom, folves

all

athe-

objedions againft the exiftence of a God, drawn from

jufti-

the origin and duration of moral and phyfical evil; and

fies

the ways of God with men.

The

Deifl:

and the Socini-

an cannot account for the phoenomcna of degraded nature, nor vindicate the conduct of the fovereign Creator of all
things,

who made

world

fo full

of imperfeclions, defeats

and

irregularities.

COR.
Hence man
is

III.
parts, the fpiritual fub-

compofed of three

374
ftancc

OFNATURE
which
is

Book V,
celeftial,

the living image of the Deity; the

glorious, immortal body,

which we had in

a paradifiacal ftate,

and which

is

to rife again after the general

flefh,

judgment; and

the mortal, corruptible, grofs body of

which

is

only

an accident, and the Exuviae, foreign

three parts the fcripture calls

to

our efTence. Thefe

TrnuiJioL, -^'jyji, cojucc, fpirit, foul,

all

and body; and

this

was a do6trine of

antiquity both fa-

cred and profane; as Ihall be demonflrated and unfolded in

the fecond part of this

Work.

LEMMA
al fouls, that perifh

TO

PROP.

L.

If the beads have any fouls at

all,

they are either materi-

with their bodies, or immaterial

after death; or

fouls, that are to

be annihilated

they

are degraded intelligences that are to be immortal. All

the wit and rcafon of

man

cannot invent a fourth o-

pinion concerning the fouls of beads.

Now if

It

can

be proved that the two

falfe, it

firft

opinions are abfolutely

follows evidently,that the third muft be true (a).

PROPOSITION
If beads have any fouls

L.
mufl

at all, thefe fouls

be degraded intelligences, that are to be immortal.

DEMONSTRATION.
The
with
fouls

of beads

mud

either be material, that periih

their bodies; or immaterial that are to

be annihilated af-

(a) Poflulat. 2.

BookV.
(a)
;

in a

degraded state.

ns-

ter death; or degraded intelligences that are to be immortal

the fouls of beafts cannot be material (b) ; nor can they

be immaterial ipirits created expresfly to animate brutal forms, and annihilated after death (c): therefore if beads have any
fouls at
all,

thefe fouls muft be degraded intelligences that

are to be immortal.

SCHOLIUM.
This doftrine muft
neceifarily

fhock

fuperficial

minds,
great

and weak imaginations,

principles,

that have

no knowledge of the
It
is

and the general plan of providence.

thus that

very oft the moft luminous and fublime truths, appear para-

doxes and chimeras to vulgar minds, which cannot pierce into the fecret depths of wifdom, nor fee principles in their
fource, nor follow out confequences in
all their juft
firft

extent.

We fhall fhew in the fecond Part,

that this opinion of degra-

ded intelligences imprifoned in brutal machines, isa fcripture doc1:rine, and conformable to the univerfal tradition of all nations.

It

is

true that this antient tradition

was much

disfi-

gur'd
ages;

by the Pagan poets of Greece and

and reduced
at laft to

Rome

in the later

the ridiculous fable of a

Me-

tempfychofis.

They imagined

moft foolifhly that not only

crimes,,

human

fouls vitiated

and corrupted by raonftruous

pafs'dinto the bodies of beafb, butalfo that the moft exalted

fpirits in

the empyreal regions, after having tafted of the joys

to return into mortal bodies,

of heaven, defired

and

fo roU'd
intel-

on

in

an eternal

vicifTitude

of blefs and mifery, of pure

(b)

(a)

(c)

By the precceding Lemma, By Cor. 2. of Prop. XL VI.

By

3 General Coroll. of Prop.

XXXIII,

37^
idea of

OF
grandeur of

NATURE

Book

V.

ledual delights and low corporeal pleafu res.

is this

How unworthy
of the o-

God, of his great

fplrlts
?

dcfigns in creating,

riginal

and of the fubllme happincfs to

which they

are deftin'd

The
do<5lrine

great Defcartes rcjcCtcd with reafon and horror this

of tranfmigration,

as a fi6tion

of the ancients that

of material

did not deferve his attention.

fouls deftroys the very effence

The

fooliHi idea

of fpirit, and could not pleafe

fuch a penetrating genius.

al

The abfurd opinion of immaterithe divine attributes, and fo

fubftances created only to animate beafts, and then to be

all

annihilated, impeaches
juflly

was

abandon'd by a philofopher, that believed the exigence

o God.
trine

Having then no knowledge of the

intelligences,

fcripture doc-

of degraded
all,

he concluded that beafts had

no

fouls at

and that they were mere machines.

this

In order
the force

to perfuade

men of
a

chimera, he difplay'd
to

all

and wit of
the fame
tliat feels
*

French genius,

fhew

that

God

could create

a machine, whofe fprings might be fo difpofed as to produce

effects,

as if they
*

were directed by an intelligence

is

and

reflecfts.

It

thus, lay the Cartefians, that

a child Aiding
ter

upon

ice,

endeavous to find out the cen-

^
*

of gravity,

in his body,

and hinder himfelf from

left,

falling.

He

bends and ftoops to right and

all

before and behind,

he ballances

his motions, as if
It

he truly knew the rules of

is

*
*

the moft perfccft mechanicks.

thus that mountebanks

dance upon ropes, fearch the equilibrium, and follow the

laws of Staticks, without having any idea of them.
thus that fwimmers extend, contrad, and
It
is

move their mem-

'

bers without underflanding the rules of Hydroflaticks. It is

Book V.
* *

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
we
all

377

thus in fine that every day

ftretch

and unbend our

mufclesjwithout knowing that

thofe motions areperfcd-

ly conformable to the fublimefl

Geometry.

We are with
we
aft

regard to beafts what a fuperior intelligence would be with

regard to us ; which in feeing us, would fancy that

by

a particular direftive knowledge of Mechanicks, Staticks,

'
*

Hydroftaticks, and the fublimeft Geometry.

Jufl: fo

we

i-

magine foolifhly that brutes

and
reflection,

a<5t

with knowledge, fenfation

while

all

in them, their cries, their gedicu-

*
*
*

iations, their apparent appetites,

docility

and pafTions;

their

feeming

and

fidelity; their

imaginary pain and pleafure, are

fo contrived

pure
ted

effedls

of organical machines,

and adjuf^
ef-

by the author of nature, that they produce the fame

as if they w^re really animated, fenfible, and

'

fe<5ls,

intelli-

gent.'

All

this

is

ingenious, witty, and truly worthy of a lively,

all this is

luxuriant French imagination; but

neither proof
thefe

nor demonftration; and

thefes,
I
.

it is

eafy to diflipate

all

hypo-

by the moft

folid reflexions.

Tho'

children have
is

no

explicite

knowledge of the natu-

ral

connection there

betwixt their motions and the laws of

all

mechanicks, yet they make

thofe motions only out of fear,

and

fo have a lively, quick fenfation

of danger. Nowitispofis

fible that

they

may

havealfo a fecret perception of what

ne-

ceffary to felf-prefervation, antecedent to all refle<n:ion, rca-

fbning and

demon ftration. Our

is ftill

fpiritual part, tho' Ihut

up

in a mortal prifon

intelligent,

and

fo

may

have

many
for at

operations, and notices that can be

no more accounted

prcfentthan the latent habits, paflions and inclinations, that

Bbb

378

OFNATURE
independent of reafon and comparifon. In

Book

V.

lurk long in the foul e're they are difcovered.

We

have no

adequate ideas of the intimate eflence of fpirit, and fo cannot

decide about the fenfations, perceptions, and ideas it is capable
of,
fine, there are

in the

body the eye, the

ear,

and

all

the organs of fenfation;

many motions undoubtedly voluntary and dependent upon

the foul, which by habit are become fo familiar, that they are

performed without our

refleflion

upon, or even perception of

them
2.

(a).

Mountebanks, fwimmers, and

by repeated
eflays

all

men

naturally have

learn'd

and experience that the motions

they make are necelTary to their prefervation, tho' they have

notftudied Mechanicks,Staticks, Hydroftaticks, or
try.

Geome-

They

have a

pra6lical,

experimental knowledge, tho'

not a fpeculative mathematical fcience of the principles by

which they

acl.

They

judge by

effefls

and not by caufes

In

but they judge, reafon and compare ; whereas there can be no

fuch operations in beafts
thefe anions
if

they be pure machines.

all

which we

call

fpontaneous and mechanical in

is ftill

ourfelvcsand other men, there

a fenfation, experience,

or a kind of reflection, that directs

all

our motions; tho'

we

have no adequate knowledge of the manner

duced, of the numberlefs fprings that

how they are proin us,

ad

and of the

union of the foul and body.

If this

dire5live fenfation

and

perception be refufed to beafts, then

God

himfclf mufl: be the

all

immediate agent and

direcftor

of thofe machines; and

the

animal oeconomy and motions muft be fo

many

dllFerent

(a) See the Medical eflays and obfervations of the Society of Edinburgh,

T.

iv.

Eflay

upon the motion of the eyes by Dr. Porterfield.

Book
fcene.

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.

379

puppets-fliews,

God is the great operator behind the What a fine idea is this of God and nature? The Carof which

tefian philofophy refufes fouls to beafts, in order to

make

God
3.

theuniverfal foul of

all

the brutal fpecies.

We

grant that

God

could form fuch machines; but

does

it

follow from thence that he has really done

alfo prove

by the fame

reafoning, that

all

other

we might men are mafo?

chines; for fince

exiftence, as

we

have no fuch intimate fenfation of their

far
is

of our own, every man might conclude that

from being in fociety with reafonable, intelligent beings, he

prove that the objects which a6t upon us
tafte, fmell,

furrounded with machines. It is thus that the Malebranchifts

when we
;

fee,

hear,

and

feel, are

not

real

but ideal bodies

that Dr.

Berkeley demonftrates that there can be no third fubftance betwixt God and
tain that
fpiritjcalled

matter; and that the Egotifts main-

no man can be fureof any thing but of his own exmen,

all

iftence; that all nature, all

fications
ftances.

individuals are but

modi-

of

his

own

particular fubftance,

and not

real fub-

Thus the demanding of demonftrations where proofs

is

alone fufHce,
tical

the high road to the greateft folly, and fana-

madnefs.

4. Defcartes forefaw that if beafts

had immortal

fouls ca-

pable of thought, fenfation and rfle6lion, they would befufceptlble

ofmoral anions of virtues and vices

;

of rewards and

punifliments; of eternal happinefs, and immortality.

Thefe

confequences alarm'd him, and

fcripture-do^lrine

as

he

knew nothing of the

he
fell

of degraded

intelligences,

naturally

into thefyftem

of the

beafts being machines, as far

mOre rea-

fonable than that of their having material fouls, or immaterial

Bbb2

38o

OFNATURE
But
if he

Book V.
had had jufl:

ones that are annihilated after death.

notions of the great plan of providence, of the eternal duration

of

all

God's works, of the

fall

of man occafioned by

the temptation of degraded intelligences that animated brutal

forms even

in paradife itfelf; to

be fure that fublime genius

would never have

that

preferr'd the

romance of mechanifin, to
by the
univerfal traditi-

of the facred

writers, fupported

on of all
5. It

antiquity.
is

poflible for a fpeculative genius

clofet,

who

intoxicates

himfelf in his

with

all

the

phantoms of his imaginati-

on, to perfuade himfelf that beafts are machines: butif wede-

fcend into a
will foon

fi:ri(5t

obfervation of the animal oeconorny,

we

be undeceiv'd.

When we confider narrowly the art,

of hounds
in

induftry, andftratagems

thechace,and of ftaggs

that fly

from them; of the bee

in the hive;

of the ant in

the mole-hill,of birds in their nefls, of the beaver in his buildings; and of all the different families of the animal republic,
in their

manner of

lodging, and nourifhing; of propagating

and educating

their offspring.

When,

I fay,

we enter thus
difguft us

into the detail of all thefe wonderful

phenomena, experience
with

and obfervation will ftrongly confute,and foon

this

French romance.
In
fine,

6.

we

difcover in beafls not only

all

the marks of

fenfation,and reflection; but different fhadcs, gradations, and

unfoldings of intelligence.

A young dog does not know the

threats,

meaning of its mafter'sfigns, founds, tones of voice,

and
careffes, as in a

more advanced

age.

Yea by education,

the nature of all forts of tameable, docile beafls,

may be very

much improved as to

their fagacity,

and

intellectual percepti-f

Book
ons.

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.

381

Can this be fald of machines, whofe /prings never alter, till they be put into diforder. Long ufe rather fpoils, than improves them. I know that it may be faid that in all forts of
whether material or immaterial, habits render their operations more eafy. This I grant, but cuftom adds nothing
agents, to material agents, unlefs
alter their
it

be

facility: this facility

does not they

laws

inward fprings, nor give them

new motions

had not before.

to

They

execute

more

eafily the neceffary

which they

are fubjeded; but they

do not
;

alter the direc-

tion or determination of their motions

they do not defcribe

other curves, fpaces, or

lines,

than thefe they are neceffarily

confl:ru<n:ion
;

determined to by their original

whereas in beafta

we

fee

new

ideas,

new

notices,

and progreflive perceptions,

that cannot be accounted for

by pure mechanifm.

We may

cheat and impofe upon ourfelves by the jargon of imaginary

traces form'd in the brains
intelligible, unlefs

of animals but thefe traces are un;

we fuppofe

that they are phyfical or occafi-

onal caufes of habits, inclinations and difpofitions produced

in

fome

intelligent principle united to thefe corporeal,

ma-

chines.

Thefe
tion

fix

reflexions ferve at

leafl:

to fulpend

our admira-

of the Cartefian romance; for tho' they were not perfect

;

demonftrations, but fimple probabilities

yet they fuffice to

render fufpe<Sed the mere hypothefis of the French philofopher; fince wherever two contraries are equally poffible and
probable, neither of

mon ftrable
fible.

truths

them can be demonftrated, becaufe deare thofe only whofe contraries are impof-

The

Predeflinarians, and pious Fatalifts have adopted'this

3^2
Cartefian
inefficacy

OFNATURE
whim
in

Book

T.

order to fortify their do6lrine of the

caufes,

of fecond

and the and upon

univerfality
all

of God's

immediate and

folea<51:ion in,

creatures, thereby

to eftabli(h their barbarous decrees

of election and reprobati-

on.
*

Thefe bewilder'd
fee

divines,

and philofophers reafon thus:

If beads thought,

felt,

and had in them a principle of rcauntra<5tablc,

*
*

fon,we would not

them puzzled, ftiipid, and

when they
fomething

are put out

of their ordinary method of afting,

it, it

If the fpider had a fund of knowledge in

elfe

might make

than

its

cobweb.

If the bee afted with inits

*
*
*

telligence, it

might form fomething elfe than

honeycomb.

If brutes were capable of any reafoning, they would not be

ftinted to one,

uniform, invariable rote

we might throw
of reafon
it

*
'

new ideas into

would not be
feft itfelf

their underftandings; the principle

fruitlefs

and barren

in

them

would manithis

by

a variety

of new

effects,
fail

and new ideas, and

diverfity
rations.'

of thought would not

to diverfify their ope-

To
art

all this,

I anfwer, that

we

fee every

day craftefmen,
in

great Geometers, and tranfcendent genii,

who excell
have

one

and

fcience, puzzled, ftupid,

and untradable when we talk

to them of other arts and fciences.

We

known

great

Mathematicians incapable of poetry, great poets incapable of

Geometry, and wonderful mechanicks appear

quite ftupid

when we endeavour to explain to them the Geometrical reafons of their own arts. We can never throw into their underftandings any new ideas different from their own trade. They
have no aptitude, no genius, no talent but in a certain degree,

and

in

one kind only. Infers, beads, and fowl arc in the Hke

Book
cafe.

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
prefervation

383

Their inftinds,

their nnderftandings, their talents are

ftinted to their

own

and

that

of

their fpccies.

They are incapable of all

to a fmall circle

other operations.

They are confin'd

ftate.

of ideas, fenfations and perceptions, beyond

their prefent,

which they cannot go in of them

cannot
are

degraded

Some
ftill

more

tracftable

and docile than others: but of degradation,

their intelle(5lual
attain,

powers are immerfed in matter; and they

this ftate

during

to the

fame

degrees of knowledge and induftry that

is

men

do.

Our
it

reafon

more unfolded and

lefs

extenfive than theirs; but

all.

docs not
reafon

thence follow that they have no reafon at

We

more, but we are

reafonable than they, becaufc our paf-

fions are ftronger, and our abufe

ver, if

of reafon

greater.

Moreo-

we had

fubtiler organs, quicker fenfations,

and more

extenfive perceptions to difcern the intimate effence, faculties,

and

actions

of beads; perhaps we might perceive in them

art,

all

the traces of a wonderful

nifhing variety.

furprizing invention, and aftothat the

We would perhaps find,

its

fame fpider
that the

does not always Ipin

cobwebs of the fame form;

fame hive does not contain the fame fort of honey-comb; and
that the fame beaver does not build
its

houfes in the fame

manner, or with

exa5l fimularity.

Let us argue for a moment

as the Cartefians do;

we

are

in the fame cafe with regard to beafts as an angelical

fpirit

would be with regard

ture immortality.

to us, if

it

knew

neither the original

excellency of man, nor his prefent degradation, nor his fu-

To

be fure, could
fee

this celeftial inhabitant

look

down upon our globe,

our

a(5lions, paflions,
it

and

dif-

rders; and judge of us only by oui condu<5t,

would have

384
called

OFNATURE
minds and wanton imaginations

Book V.

reafon to conclude that we are irrational, and that the animal

Man has nothing above the beafts his fellow-creatures.

will

Superficial

perhaps

make this
raillery.

doctrine of degraded intelligences matter ofj eft and

will

They

endeavour to render it ridiculous by

all

the

pretty, ingenious querks that wit

and fancy can invent, as

they thus often difparage the fubUmelt truths; fuch

men

will

fay with a jeering look, that the foul of an oyfter muft be

derfully degraded;

won-

and

that the

number of lapfed
all

intelligen-

ces muft be prodigioufly great, to anfwcr to

that

innume-

rable variety of brutal forms and even infe^ls that inhabit the
air,

the earth and the feas, from the greateft elephant to the

fmalleft infe<5ls difcover'd

by microfcopes, which may be

(b

fmall that one grain of fand

may

ferve to lodge

two hundred
fome few

and eighty millions of

hours or minutes.

thefe infects that live only

I anfwcr in thefirft place, that

we do

not

know fufEcientof
to fix the precife
in thefe

ly the laws of nature to diftinguifti precifely the boundarys

the animal and vegetable kingdoms; far

lefs

moment when
(pecks

true life

and fenfation begin

dim

of entity

called invifible infects.

They

perhaps never

come
like

any degree of true animal and fenfitive life, and die embryos that cannot be called men. I anfwcr in the fcto
place, that facred tradition reprefents to us the
fpirits as

cond
*

number
'

of fallen
^

immenfe; fmce
fell,

it is

faid in fcripture,

that

the dragon

when he

drew

after

him the

third part
all

of

the heavens.' I advance in the third place, that fmce

is

gran-

deur whether of fpace or time,

relative,

not abfolute,

we are

not to meafurc the greatnefs of bodies, or of duration, by our

Book
fenfes

V.

in a

DEGRADED STATE.
What appears to the naked
to the organs

385
eye an atom

and fenfatlons.

would appear a mountain

of other animals, and

I

what Teems

to us a

minute may fecm to others an age.

declfiv-e

conlit-

clude in the fourth place, as a

tle cavils,

anfwer to

all

thefe

that perhaps the

fame degraded of

intelligence ani;

mates fuccefiively
that
it

many

brutal forms

different kinds

and

paiTes gradually

from infers

to reptiles,

from

reptiles

to quadrupeds,

and thence

to birds according to the different

degrees of its devolopement.

fible;

All thefe fuppofitions are pof-

and fimple

poffibiHties ferve to

anfwer objections,

tlio*

not to make proofs.

This tranfmigration of degraded

brutal form to another has nothing in
lefs

intelligences

from one

common with the fenfefouls

doflrine of the

Pagan metempfychoHs, by which the fouls

of men, and the

of beafts

pafs into the bodies

of men
diame-

Into the bodies of beafts.

Revelation does not authorize this

wild

fi(51ion in

any

fenfe;

nay

this inglorious fable

is

trically oppofite to fcripture,

which

diftinguilhes three forts in the divine prefcnce to

of flates

after death: aftate

of blifs

which holy
his angels.
life

fouls are .admitted; a (late

of infernal pains and

go out of this

torments for the wicked in a place prepared for the devil and

middle

ftate,

where

fouls that

with pious difpofitions but not entirely pure, are further

purify 'd, refin'd, and transform'd into the divine refemblance.

No

mention

is

made of a fourth

flate

wherein human fouls

is

^reimprifoned in brutal forms.

This

mere

fiftion fuperis

added

to the true doflrine

of the Metempfychofis, which

a very antient tradition; as fhall be demonftrated in thefe-

cond

Part.

c c

-86

OFNATURE
only
that
folid objeftion that
it is,

Book

V.

The
fyfteni

can be made agamft this

fpiritual nature,

feems difhonourable to the

intelligence

and dignity of an
fuppofe that
tile:
it

made after the

divine image, to

can be confined to the body of an infe^l or rep-

but

is

this

more unworthy of its

native dignity, than to

in brutal lufts
its

be attach'd to the body of a

man that wallows

fpirit

and pafTions; or to be a reprobate

gour and
faculties purely to

that prefervcs

vi-

blafpheme and hate God?

Men

are furcly impofed prejudice,

far

upon by foolifh imagination, and

natural dignity of

childifh

when

they fancy that thefe horrible crimes are not

fpirits,

more Inconfirtent with the by

their

than

the ftupidity and infenfibility to which degraded intelligences

are reduced

union with brutal forms.

fpirits

To

be fure

that reprobate, rebellious, impious

are far

more con-

temptible and odious before God andangels,than birdsjbeafts,

reptiles or infecls.

So foon

as created intelligences detach

original, turn off their fuperi*
objecfl,

themfelves

from

their

fupreme

or faculties from their infinite

incapable of true
ftate
life, light,

and render themfelves

it is

and

love,

no matter

to

what

they be condemn'd, to what parcels of matter they be

attach'd,
fible

nor what machines they animate.

lefs

The more

infcn-

they become, the

are they capable

of new crimes;
is

and therefore the better

rally better to

it is

for

them ; for no doubt it

devil.

mo-

be an

infect

than a

Tho'
ftrative,

all

thefe reafonings

feeiji

confequential and

demon-

yet

we

fhould fuipedt them of fome latent falfhood,

the fouls of beafts, were not per-

if this
fe(5lly

doMne concerning

conformable to the whole oeconomy of providence,

to include all times, all places,

which ought

and

all

beings.

BookV.
and
tice

in a
all

degraded state.
Now
fince all

387

leave In

parts

of the creation the marks of Infinite jusGod's works are and muft

and goodnefs.

be

eternal, fince every

folded
fouls,

new

beauties,

atom of matter may contain when unnew wonders and new worlds; fince
them,

by the divine

activity difplaying itfelf in

may

be

exalted

and fublimated without end; and

fince

by a fufpenany degree
;

fion of the fame activity, they

may be reduced

to

how low foever we conclude Is,

of infenfibillty, inaction, or ftupidlty

all

that
is

that the doflrlne of degraded intelligences

perfedlly conformable to the plan

of eternal wifdom, and ve-

ry proper to folve

many phenomena In nature and providence

otherwife inexplicable.

COR.
Hence
beafts
Is

r.

the Cartefian do6lrine about the mechanlfm

of
of

founded upon mere hypothefes, combated by expe-

rience and obfervation, incompatible with the great plan

providence, and, as

we

fhall

fhew

in the fecond Part,

Is

repug-

nant to fcripture and the univerfal fentiment of all antiquity

both facred and profane.

COR.
Hence
fublimeft feraphim,

II.
fiiialleft

the whole univerfe from the

mCcd: to the

atom to the greatelt ftar, becomes worthy of God. Nothing is ufelcfs in the creation,
leail

from the

nothing

Is

defpIcable,nothIng will be for ever

lofl:

in the

work

of an Infinitely perfea being: the forms muft change, but the

fubftances will
laft

for ever.

END OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

CCC2

3%

THE

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES
OF

NATURAL AND REVEALED

RELIGION,
B O O

VI.

OF NATURE IN A RE-ESTABLISHED STATE.

B E F
PRAYER, BYand
defires
2.

S.

mean the continual

foul towards I

return of the thoughts

of the

God.
the continual turninor

By MORTIFICATION,
all

mean

away from
3.

irregular love

of the creatures.
the fubtile,

By SELF-DEN YAL, 1 mean renouncing all

39

OF
By
*

NATURE

IN A
and
paflions

Book

VL

relin'd, fplritual defires, inclinations

of felf-love.

4.

the three theological or divine virtues,

faith,

HOPE, and CHARITY; I mean thefe habits of foul, which make us think as God thinks, defire to fee him as he is, and
*

love as he loves/
5.

By

internal

tranquillity,
it is

mean
all

that noble

li-

berty of foul, by which

vities

deliver'd
all

from

the ufelefs

a<5ti-

of the underftanding, and

the Irregular defires of the

will

which might

difturb the true exercife

of

its intelle<flual

powers.
6.

By

divine

graces

mean

all

thofe outward and inefTcntial helps,

ward, mediate and immediate, acceflbry and

means, and fuccours by which

rify

God endeavours

to cure, pu-

and rcftore lapfed beings.

7.

By

the immediate, internal, and necefTary

means of
cure, pu-

falvation, I
acls directly

underfland

all

thefe operations

by which God

upon the foul

to enlighten,

and enliven,

rify

and

reflore lapfed beings.

8.

By
all

remote, external, and acceffory means, I under-

fland

thefe fuccours

which

a6l
all

upon the

foul

by the cor-

poreal organs, and in general

ufeful, tho'

thefe exterior helps that are

not abfolutely necefTary.

AXIOMS,
1

God's

attributes

cannot contradi(fl each other his mer;

cy cannot derogate from his holinefs; nor his goodnefs connive at the breach

of eternal order; nor

his

clemency autho-

rize the revolt of finite intelligences.

2. If

God pardoned criminals without fliewing

his efTen-

Book VI.
tial

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
infinite oppofition

3^1

loveof juftice, and the

of

his nature

to the breach

of eternal order,

his

mercy would derogate

from

his holinefs, his

goodnefs connive at the breach of his

eternal law,

and

his

clemency would authorize the revolt of

finite intelligences.

3.

The only two means of re-uniting the foul to an ohjeS:

and
defires to it; defires

are continually turning our thoughts

and

conftantly turning

away our thoughts and

from every

thing that hinders the love of it.

4.
fifts

The order,

happincfs, and fafety of human fociety con-

in the praftice

of

perfect veracity, uncorrupted juftice,

and

univcrfal beneficence.

5.

Some men
in a

are

born

in fuch circumftances as

muft de-

tain

them

perfed ignorance of fcriptures, churches, and

facraments.
6.

God's

primitive, pofitive, ultimate,

and abfolute defigns

cannot be eternally fruftrated.

SCHOLIUM,
Having already examined the properties and
perfe(5bions

of nature in an exalted
of nature

ftate, as alfo

the qualities and defeats

in a degraded ftate,

we

fhall

now

confider nature in

a re-eftablifli'd ftate,

and the means of re-uniting lapfed be-

ings to their great original.

Thefe means

are

of two kinds,

the one are necefiary to juftify the condu<ft of God, and the
others are necelTary to render the creatures juft and good.

The

former regard the plan of redemption, and the

fhall
all

later the

means of purification: and we

of an
univerfal reftoration

next prove the neceffity

of

lapfed intelligences to their

392

OF

NATURE
of

IN A
be

Book

VL

ori^rinal, primitive ftate

purity, perfeftion

and happlnefs.

We bet^our readers to go on and not

dom
or boldnefs of our reafonlngs,
till

ftartled at the free-

we fhew In

the fecond

Part that they are perfectly

conformable

to fcrlpture

and the

unlverfal tradition

of

all

antiquity both facred and profane.

PROPOSITION
God
without fhewlng
his eflential love

LI.

cannot pardon and reftore lapfed beings

of juftice, and

thereby the infinite oppofitionof his nature to the

A'iolatlon

of eternal order.

DEMONSTRATION.
God's
attributes

cannot contradi<5l each other, his mercy

his holinefs,

cannot derogate from

at the

nor his goodncfs connive

breach of eternal order, nor his clemency authorize

finite intelligences (a); if

the revolt of
nals without

God

pardon'd crimi-

fhewlng

his elTential love

of juftice, and thereby

the

infinite oppofition

of his nature,

to the violation

of eter-

nal order, his

mercy would derogate from his holinefs, his goodnefs would connive at the breach of his eternal law, and his clemency would authorize the re\'olt of finite intelligences (b): therefore

God

cannot pardon, and rcflore lapfed beefiTential

ings without fhewlng his

love

of juflice, and thereto the violation

by the

infinite oppofition

of his nature

of -e-

ternal order.
(a)

Ax.

I. oftliisbook.

(b) Ax. 2. ofthisbook.

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.

393

SCHOLIUM,
Thus we
have a noble, exalted idea of the whole occonoin the

my
on.

of providence

tremendous myftery of redemptifpe<ftators

All intelligent natures are

fpirits.

of what

palTes in

the fphere of lapfed

leftial

God

cannot fhewto

all

the ceeternal

quires his infinite averfion to diforder,

;

by the

punifhment of his rebellious creatures

is

this, as

we

fhall

fhew,

incompatible with his clemency.

He

muft therefore have

infinite love

found out fome other way to reconcile his

tice,

ofjuf-

with his paternal love of the creatures, and his eternal

fin,

abhorrence of
ner.

with his bomidlefs compaflion for the

fin-

Now

it is

impofUble for

men or

angels to conceive

any

other way of God's manifefling for ever his infinite oppofiti-

on
the

to the breach

of eternal order but by the incarnation of

and unfufceptible of anger,

Logos

hypoflatically united to the facred humanity.

is

The

pure Divinity

impafFible,

wrath, vengeance, grief and horror; and fo could not manifefl his infinite

oppofition to the breach of eternal order any

this diforder

atherways than by the impreffion

lapfed beings

and revolt of

bofom, that

made upon the facred humanity that lived in his knew him as he is, and that was admitted into

the central depths of the divine eiTence.

quitted the
;

The Son of God

bofom of the Father the living image of the moft High took upon him the form of a flave; the eternal Word
became
*

a fpeechlefs babe,

man of forrows,

overpower'd

with

griefs,

and bruifed for our

iniquities:' the

fplendorof

tlie

uncreated light fufFered as to his humanity, a terrible e-

clipfe that frightned the

cherubims, the feraphims, the angels.

394

OF NATURE IN A
all

Book

VL

archangels, thrones, dominations, and

the celeftial powers.

They had

feen his facred humanity

from the beginning of

their exiftence

under a

vifible

form, and the Firft-born of all

creatures fitting at the right-hand of the Father, clothed with

his majefty,

and

fill'd

with

all

the fullnefs of the

Godhead

but

now
his

they fee him diveft himfelf of his glory, and as

it,
'

fa-

cred writ cxprcffes

empty himfelf of his

fullnefs/

They
tcn^-

faw

human

nature fupportcd by his divine, fuffcr becaufe

of the

fin

oflapfcd beings, infinite agonies and pains, as a

der father fuffers to fee the vices and corruption of his profligate children.

All the privations, fufFerings and humiliati-

ons of the MefFiah that were vifible to mortal eye were nothing in comparifon of his inward defolations. The tor'

ments of hell furrounded him; the

fiU'd his foul.

terrors

of the almighty"

He drank the bitter cup

to the dregs.'

He

felt

and

tafted ail the physical agonies that lapfcd angels

and

men

Ihould have fuifered during a whole eternity, without their

immoral

difpofitions, revolt,

and

defpair.

When fuperficial
and defolation,
it

preachers of all

communions

talk

of

his external fuflferings,

without mentioning his internal

dereli(!l:ion

they diminifli the grandeur of the myftery, and expofe

the contempt of incredulous minds.

to

By

this unexpreflible

anguifh of the Mefliah,

all

the in-

habitants of heaven conceiv'd the exceflive deformity of fin,

and God's

infinite

abhorrence of

it

fince

it

occafioned fuch

immenfc

grief,

anguifh and forrow to a foul intimately uni-

ted to the divine nature, that fentiments, and thoughts.

knew

all

God's perfeflions,
MefFiah cry'd thus

The expiring

aloud from the crofs to

all

intelligent natures, that were, that

Book VL
are,

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.

395

and that ever will be;

OF SIN

Judge of the heinousness BY THE PAINS I ENDURE. WithoiU this facrlcould never have

fice celeflial fpirits

known

the horrible de-

formity of vice; nor have been for ever immutably confirm 'd
in the love of order;
it is

thus that the fufferinff Mefliah re-

concil'd juftice with mercy,

and God's love of eternal

In
this fenfe

order,

with his paternal love of lapfed beings.

flituted

he fub-

himfelf as a vidim to take

juflice,

away

the fins of the world;

infinite

not to appeafe vindlclive

but to fliew God's

love of juftice, and abhorrence of injuflice.

This aflonifhing fcene remains

ftill

deeply Imprinted up-

on

the minds of celeflial

fpirits,

and

will to all eternity

juftice

be an

cverlafling proof of the

wifdom and fandity,

and good-

nefs

of God. All the

and adored
its

hofts

of heaven were prefent

at this

my-

ftery,

depths and fublimity.

it

Mortals faw onor no imprefll-

ly the

outward appearance, and

made

Httle

on upon them. The Jews who expelled

fiah, did
all

triumphant Mef-

not underfland

this firft

coming.

The

falfe fages

of

nations,

who

fee

only the furface of truth, difcover'd no-

thing great In this wonderful appearance.

felves during this life

The

jufl

them-

cannot comprehend
facrifice.

all

the beauty, ex-

tent,
faid,

and

neceffity

of this great
it,

or can fay of
day,

falls infinitely

fhort
as

we have of what we fhall

All that
is,

know one
fitting

when we fhall

fee

God

he

and the Son

look up-

on the right-hand of the Father.

When we

on
ous

this

myftcry with Pagan and Judaical eyes,

when we conand
furifirfl

fider only
;

what

pafs'd at Jerufalem before a blind

fee the feeble imprcffion this

mob when we

coming

has as yet

made upon human minds,

the few that ever heard

Dddz

39^
of
this

OF
wc
fee
:

NATURE
it

IN A

Hook VL
It, it is

myftery, and the fewer that profit by

no won-

der that

nothing in

tremendous, anguft, and wor-

when we draw the veil, pierce into eternity, and behold the imprcfFion it made upon the whole univerfe of
but
fpirits,

thy of God

and the

effects it will
it is

produce for ever upon

all

created

intelligences, then

that.we begin to fee the infinite extent,

height and depth of this myflery.

This fublime doftrine of a fuffering McfTiah to become one day an expiatory facrifice, a purifying holocauft, and a propitiatory viaim for the fins of the world, was reveal'd to-.

Adam immediately after

luge.

the

fall^

In order

to perpetuate the

Noah after the dememory of this great truth,,

and to

facred writ informs us, that annual, monthly, weekly, daily facrificcs were inftituted. In effba

and

nothing was moreproper to keep in mind this revelation, that a Saviour, the firft-

born of all

creatures, fhould die for the fins

of men, and by

his fufferings expiate their guilt, than fuch conflant, typical

obfervances, wherein
fpotted male

men

kill'd a kid, a

lamb, a dove, an unas

and

firfl-born

of fome animal,

an emblem of

the fuifering Meffiah.

ted every year
firlt

This fymbolical

worfliip to be repea-

upon a folemn

day, once every

moon upon

the

the feventh day; and twice every day morning and evening, was a living memorial, and

day, once every,

week upon

an emblematical record of this fupernatural, divine myflery. This alfo feems to be the fource of that univerfal pradice

common
nature.

to all nations

of offering up vidlims
reprcfcntative

to the author

of

They were originally

great facrificc

and fymbolical
tranf-

of the

of the Meiliah.

This truth was

Book VI.
mitted to
all

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
nations, as

397

we

fhali fee In the

fecond Part, by an
at

ancient, primitive tradition,

fcured, disfigured

which the Pagans

length ob-

and corrupted by idolatrous and inhuman

facrifices.

practices, fu-

perftitious ceremonies,

Nothing but
to the

the remains of fiich an ancient tradition could fuggeit to the

human mind

the idea of immolating beafts in

homage

divine nature.
natural notions

What connexion can there be betwixt the we have of the felf-fufficient Being, Creator
and the cruelty fhewn
to

of the
fame
ideas

univerfe,

poor animals, yea

to our fellow-creatures?
in all ages.

Human

nature has been

much

the

Thinking men have always had the fame

eternal caufe.

of the

firft

They were

never fo ftupid as

to imagine, that he could pardon the vices

fafe his protection

of men, and vouch-

and favours, becaufe of the inhumanity

they fhew to beafl:s,and even to each other by facrificing them.

Superficial philofophers
pleafe,

by difparaging

may favour impiety as much as they human nature, and attributing to the
the

firftagesof the world, abrutifh, childlili ftupidity: buLthofe

who know antiquity and

ver be impofed
ral idea

wifdom of the

antients, will ne-

upon by fuch low, pitiful

all

notions.

The gene-of facri-

then which

mankind had of the

neceflity

ficing living victims to the

Almighty, came originally from an

fuecefTively

univerfal tradition

handed down
fall,

from generation

to generation fince the

fin

tho' diiferently disfigur'd, that

,

was
a

to be expiated

by the Mefliah

by

a divine

man,

by

Son of Jupiter or the moft high God ; yea by a God himfelf who was to appear upon earth, under a human form.

By

degrees this primitive tradition was

loft,

and

tain'd only the general idea

of facrificing. Tho* the

men rememory

398 of what was

was

OF
at
firft

NATURE

IN A

Book VI.

intended by immolating a perfect male

forgot, yet care

was taken that nothing but what was

perfect fhould be facrificed.

fen ted,

Tho' what was originally repre-

by the

firft-born's
;

being to difcharge the prieftly office,

was dropt into oblivion yet in all nations, men for many ages, look'd upon the right of priefthood to be in the firft-born.

Tho' men
tar

forgot by degrees that the blood fhed

typical,

upon

the alftill

was only

and had no real virtue

greatell: zeal to

in

it;

yet they

continued with the

believe
it

make

ufe

of

facrifice,

to

the means of atoning for fin, of averting punifhment,

of procuring favours from the Deity, of making their prayers and praifes acceptable, and thatitwasthehigheftmarkof
divine

homage.

Now as there is and can be no natural conwe have of God, and the immolawe mud:
fearch in fupernatural traditions for

ne(5lion betwixt the ideas

tion

of

beafts,

the relation betwixt the fign and the thing fignify'd.

therefore the antiquity and univerfality of facrificein
all

And
nati-

ons, ages, and religions, notwithftanding the corruptions in-

troduced into

it, is

proof of the fupernatural, univerfal, ear-

ly tradition concerning a fuffering Mefliah.

The Logos
gences during

incarnate was not only an expiatory facrifice

for fm, but at the fame time a

this

model of virtue

to all intelli-

mortal Ufe, and during

all eternity.

He

fhewed by his humiliation, abftinence, and abje^ion, the contempt w ought to have of all human grandeur, riches, and
pleafures;

by

his agonies, fufferings,

and death, the

necefTity

of expiatory pains
priation

to purify all lapfed beings;

by his difapprofinite

and fclf-annihilation before God, the homage

to the infinite, even in heaven
itfelf,

minds owe

and during a

Book VI.
whole

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
is

599

eternity. It

only by imitating

this divine

Mcfliah, in

his life, fnfFerings

fied

and death that the

foul can be truly puri-

and

re-cftablifhed, as fhall be

unfolded in the following

let

propofitions: but before

we

proceed,

us draw from

what

has been

faid

two important

corollaries.
I.

COR.
Hence we
fee the deplorable

ignorance of thofe

who

re-

prefent the expiatory facrifice

of the Mefliah,

as dcftin'd to

appeafe vindi<5live j uftice, to appeafe an incenfed Deity, and avert divine vengeance: attributes that cannot

belong to God,
feet.

but in a metaphorical fenfe, as hands, eyes, and

fcripture fays
*

The
world

on the contrary that

his

'

God

fo loved the
it.'

that

he fent

only begotten Son to redeem

All there-

fore was the

efFe<n:

of goodnefs and

fanclity,
It
is

of jufticeand
frivolous,

mercy, which can never be feparated.

by fuch

and blafphemous notions, that the fchoolmen have expofed

this fublime

myftery to the

raillery

and contempt of deilHcal,

are afraid to attribute

Socinianand incredulous minds;

to the divine nature,

who

human yea inhuman paflions.

COR.
Hence
gin
it

II.
ftri(5l

will

be found upon a

enquiry that

all

the

fuiferings, incarnations, labours, exiles,

;

and combats of Chin;

among the Chinefe of Brama among the Indians of Mythras among the Perfians of Ofiris among the Egyptians, of Adonis among the Tyrians; of Apollo, Hercules, and Mercury among the Greeks and Romans, and of all the other i;

maginary divine Heroes

in the different mythologies

and

pri-

mitive religions of Afia, Africa,

Europe and America were

tradition

only different

difguifes

0^ the antient

from

Noah

400

OF NATURE IN A
jQiall

Book

VL

concerning a fufFering Meffiah, as

be fully demonflra-

ted and unfolded in the fecond Part.

PROPOSITION
The
means of re-uniting
nyal.
ty original, are prayer, mortification,

LIL

three immediate, effential and necefTary

lapfed beings to their almigh-

and

felf-de-

DEMONSTRATION.
The only two means of re-uniting
are the turning our thoughts

our fouls to an

objefl
it,

and

defires continually to
all

and

turning away our thoughts and defires from

that hinders

the love of it (a); the continual return of the thoughts and

defires

towards
all

God

is

prayer (b); the continual turning a-

way from

irregular love

of the creatures

is

mortification

(c); the continual

ritual inclinations

renouncing of all the

fubtile, refined, fpiis

and paflions of felf-love

felf-denyal (d):

therefore the three immediate, effential and neceffary

means
and

of reuniting the
felf-denyal.

foul to

God

are prayer, mortification

SCHOLIUM,
Religion according to an etymology of the word given by

fome of the ancients

is

reunion, a tying again of the

detach'd.

mind

to

God, from whence it was

Wherefore the

effential

precepts of religion, muft be the neceffary

(a)

means of reunion,
(c)

Ax.
(d)

3,

of this book,
def, 3.

(b)

By

def. j.

of the fame,

By

def. 2.

of the

fame,

By

of the fame.

Book VI.
which
as

R E-E STAB LI SH'D STATE.

401

we have fliewn

can be no other but prayer or con-

templation, mortification or thefacrifice of the paffions; and

felf-denyal, or the extirpation

of

all falfe felf-love.

True fpiritual prayer does not

nor in
foft, tender,

confrfl: in

the multiplicity of

words, nor in fine fpeculations, nor in enthufiaflic raptures,

and delicious fenfations but in

:

a conftant
it

tendency of the foul to

calls its

its firft

principle.

It

is

thus that

re-

wandering thoughts and

it

affe5tions, that it reunites its

different powers, that

retires Into its fpiritual nature, to aall

dore in fdence him that furpaffes all exprefTion and

tion. It
is

concep-

thus that

it

expofesits degraded, weakned, and fick

ele-

faculties to his
vate, fortify,

luminous and purifying influences, which

and cure them.

This

is

that adoration in fpirit

and
'

in truth

of which thegofpel fpeaks.

confift in fingular aufi:erities,

True mortification does not

nor in vokmtary pennances, nor in corporeal macerations.

Our great Model pradifed none of thefe extraordinary fcvcritics. He led a common life as to external appearance, while
all

was
all

divine within.
is vifible,

True mortification is
a perpetual retreat
obje(5ls,

a continual death
all

to

that

of

the powers of

the foul from external

fure,
is

an univerfal facrifice of all pleaideal or corporeal, that

whether of fenfe or imagination,

contrary to the love of order.

True
tions,

felf-denyal

is

a conflant, univerfal,
facrifice

generous abne-

gation, fuppreflion

and

of all the

fubtile, refined

mo-

complacencies and pleafuresof falfe-felf-love, whether

intelle(5lual qualities, talents,

they regard natural and

and per-

feftions, or divine fupernatural gifts, graces,

and communi-

cations.

It

is

that perfeifl poverty

of

fpirit,

profound humi-

e e

402
lity,

OF NATURE IN A
and felf-difappropriation wherein feraphitns
devils*

Book VI.
fail'd,

and

fo

became

COR.
Hence
farily

r.

prayer, mortification, and felf-denyal muH: necef^

produce in the foul a defire to think as

is,

God

thinks, to
it is

fee

him as he

and to love him

as

he loves himfelf: for

continually
its

impofTible that a

mind which converts

lapfed

powers and

faculties to the divine influences, illuminations

life, light,

and motions fhould not receive that fupernatural

and love which make it believe whatever God reveals, breathe after the beatific vifion, and love as God loves; fmce the infinite

fource of

life,

light

and

love, is always ready to

refill:

com-

municate himfelf to fouls that do not

his divine

a^ion,

COR.
Hence
from
all

II.

prayer, mortification, and ielf-denyal deliver us

all

the ufelefs activities of the underftanding, and

the

irregular

motions of the

will,

which
foul
its

difturb the true exercife

of our
fires

intelle<5tual

powers.

whofe thoughts and deand turn

a-

tend continually towards

infinite object,
,

away continually from all terrcftrial mufi: be difengaged from every thing
order.

corruptible objefts,

fuperfluous and im-

pure below the dignity of its nature, and contrary to eternal

COR.
Hence
felf-denyal,in order to

III.

the continual exercife of prayer, mortification and

know and love God, produce necelTarihim, and a hatred of all the

ly in the foul a defire to refemble

vices that render us

truth, goodncfs,

unHke him.

Now

fince

God

is

effential
felf-

and juftice; prayer, mortification, and

Book VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.

403

denyal mufl: produce in us the pra^lice of perfe6l veracity, uncorrupted juftice, and univerfal beneficence.

PROPOSITION
The
continual practice

LIII.

of prayer,

mortificati-

on, and felf-denyal produce neceflarily in the foul the three divine virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity.

DEMONSTRATION.
True
duce
fee
fpiritual prayer, mortification,

and

felf-denyal pro-

neceifarily in the foul a defire to think as

as

God thinks, to
he
is,

him

he

is,

and to love him

as

he loves himfelf (a); but

to think as
love

God

thinks, to defire to fee

him

as

and

to

him as he loves himfelf are

Faith,

Hope, and Charity, the

is

three divine virtues (b): therefore the propofition

mani-

S C
tion of any l^'ftem
devils believe

O L
how

I
is

U M.
not a fpeculative convicall

True, fupernatural,

living faith

of truths

fublime foever;

thefethe
it is

and know better than any mortal: but

it
*

as
is

theapoflle defines

the evidence of things notfeen.'

its intelle<n:ual

It

a divine light in the foul that opens

feevifions, revelations,

view not to
difco-

and fanatical chimeras; but to

all

ver the laws of eternal order; the

of God, the nothlngnefs

by which the

of the creature, and the immutable

Is

relations betwixt both. It

a vital, quick, fpiritual fenfation

in
all,

foul fees
fcnfc,

God

and

all

in

God, not

in the

Malebranchian

(a) Cor. i.ofProp. LII.

(b) Def. 4. of this book,

e e

404
to

OF
as

NATURE
In fine
all
it is

IN A

Hook

VL
all

but by receiving all from him as our fource, and in referring

him

our end.

a conftant fubmifTion, evacu-*

feeble
a<ftivities

ation,

and facrifice of

our

finite, imperfcdl:,

and thoughts to the

did:atcs

and orders of

his eternal will,

whether manifefted by infpired

conformable

revelation, enlightned reafon^

or the dlfpenfations of his providence,

that they are
juftice,

and

a full perfuafion

to infinite

wifdom, goodnefs; and

to our

however contradictory they may appear

oiu" natural felf-love.

boun-

ded reafon, and to

True
not an
all

fupernatural hope, or dcfire of the beatific vifion,

is

effect

of that natural, neceffary and invincible

initincft

beings have toward happinefs, but an immediate offspring

in-us,

of the divine operation

vifiblc,

by which we

die to every thing

draw

afide the vail

of mortality, look beyond aM cre-

ated objefts, and fee in the future flate the high deitiny of

Man, and
folved

the glory prepared for him.

Chrifl, not

It

is

a defire to be dif^
pains, fa-

and to be with

tofhun expiatory

lutary crofTes,

and purifying

afflictions,

not to enjoy intellecdelights, but to

as

tual pleafures, fpiritual tranfports,

and endkfs

be confummated

in the divine unity, to fee as

God

he

is,

that

we may
firft

love

him

he deferves; and ta be re-united to our

all-

principle as a fhte that will cure

our imperfeftions, that

will dellroy all

its

our vicious habits, that will reltore the foul to

primitive health

and purity, and that

will

confirm

it

for e-

verin the permanent, immutable love of order.

The motive,
is

the end, and the objed of chafte, fupernatural hope,

not fo

much
only

the pleafure as the purity of a celeftial

is

flatc.

Supernatural charity

not a tendency to

God

purely and

as beatifying^ as relative

good, as the fource of infinite

<BooK VI.
'pleafnre.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
All thefe afls are natural and necefTary

405
eiFe(5ls

of

the invincible love

ral love is
foul,

we have

for happinefs.

True
exalts

fupernatuin the
its

an

efFe6l

of that immediate operation of God

fubliraates, refines

by which he

and

it

above

own
in

natural powers,
it

makes
love

it

go out of itfeif, and

as

lofe itfclf
all

him, that fo

may

him

he loves himfelf, and

little

things in

him and

for him; the infinitely

for the infinitely

oreat; the images for the original,

and the

fcattered rays for

is

the immenfe ocean of light. Thus

fe<51:

living faith

the mofl: per-

prayer ; chafte hope the moll perfect mortification, and

All thefe divine virare equally the efFefts

pure love the mofl perfect felf-denyal.

tues produce mutually each other,
all

of the

divine operation, enlightning, purifying and regenera-

ting the foul.

At

firlt

divine grace

a(5ls

upon us

differently

by motives of

felf intereft,

and

attracts

by celeftial

delectation or inward re-

morfes.

It difcovers to

us by turns the beauty of virtue, or

the deformity of vice, the punifhments that attend crimes, and

the pure delights that are to be enjoyed

lity.

in a future

immorta-

Fear and hope

aft in us alternately.
its

Sometimes the foul

is filled

with a facred horror for

its infidelities,

prefent (late, a bitter andefire

guifh for
juftice.
all its

and a true

of fatisfying divine
the mind, with

At

other times truth fbews

itfeif to

charms, draws us with loft fmiles and endearing carefi^es,

enchants us with noble ideas, luminous principles, and celeftial

fenfations.

Then

v/c attach ourfelves to the love

it,

of vir-

tue

by the fweetnefs that accompanys

it
;

from

view of the

jecompenfe that attends

and by the natural, invincible love

ufe

of

happinefs.

Grace makes

of our natural

difpofitions

4o6
and
je<n:

OF NATURE IN A
faculties, to

Book
all

VL
ob-

convert the foul to

It
is

its

true fiipernatural

as beatifying.

thus that

we renounce

the delufidif^

ons of
perfed

fenfe, gather in

our fcattered powers that were

upon things without us, and retire into our fpiritual naour

tures, there to ftudy

own

heart and be acquainted with

ourfelves.

This

is

true converfion,

and the beginning of wilr

dom.
After
table,
this,

grace proceeds to another operation

It
is

lefs

delec-

but more purifying.

all

then that we difcover by deall

grees

the labyrinths and windings of the heart,

the re-

fined paflions

of

felf-love, its ufurpations

upon the

rights

of

the Deity,

its

idolatrous

complacency
it

in

its

own
all

virtues,
itfelf.

and

the fecret pride by

which
of this

referred

them

to

To

humble and cure

the devils
it,

it

fpiritual felf-attribution

by which
befiege

fell,

croffes
all

from within and from without

kinds moleft
it;

temptations of
;

imagination feems un-

hinged

the pafFions

which

it

thought extinguifh'd, return

all

upon

it

with more violence than ever;

It

the fources of fpiits

ritual confolation are dried up.

can rejoice no more in

fublime ideas, noble fentiments and fhining virtues.

gold purify'd in the
tice
fire,

Like

the central operation of divine juf-

and

love,
its

throws up from the bottom of the foul to the

natural impurity, drofs, and corruption:
it

furfaceall
faculties

all its

fcem darkned, weakned and depraved:

its

feels for

long time

natural impotence,

immcnfe

void,

and abfolute

nothingnefs, and the horrible folitude of afoul exiled from the divine prefence, that can neither take plcafiire in the creatures,

nor

in itfelf.

In

fine if the foul continues faithful in a total

abnegation

Book VL
reftrial
it

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
pleafure;

407
and
ter-

of all outward, and inward

dies to

of all

fpirltual

concuplfcence, of all corporeal and

its

felfifh delectation,

natural

life, it is

evacuated of felf, elevated above

truly regenerated,

felf,

difengaged from

fclf,

becomes

and
it,

breathes a
dv/ells in

new
it,

life

hid with Chrifl: in God,

its life,

who

inverts

and becomes
enters into the

light,

and

love.

It is
it

then that

it

holy of holies,

that

be-

comes
al

of the moft High, partakes of the roypriefthood and offers up a perpetual holocaull: of praife,
a living temple

love,

and adoration, while and

duties

it

pra6tifes externally all the vir-

tues

of its

ftation.

The

firft

of thefe three opera-

tions detaches us

from

terreftrial

objeds: the fecond difen-

gages us from
divine image.

falfe felf-love: the third

transforms us into the

During

thefe three illuminating, purifying,

is

and regenera-

ting operations, the foul does nothing that

truly meritori-

ous, but confents and acquiefces in, co-operates, and concurs

with the divine aOion

which produces

all tliat is

truly lu-

minous, fanftifying and beatifying in us.

ring
all

Its

only virtue du-

thefe ftatcs

is

docility to the divine inlpirations, a

humble reception of what comes from above, and

fivity,

a total paf-

that

God may ad
much

in

it

and by

it.

It

can

boall:

of no-

thing, yea notfo

as

of its co-operation; no more than from the

boafl:

poorman,who

receives daily alms

free, hberal

and

generous beneficence of a prince,can

of being the author

hands to receive

of his fortune, becaufe he ftretched out

his

what was

freely

and gratuitoufly offered

to him.

This coby God

to

operation, confent and acquiefcence muft be prepared

himfelf.

Free

will, as

we

have fhewn,

confifts in a

power

4o8

OF NATURE IN A
objeiHiS,

Book VI.
till

fufpend our choice and tendency towards

we have
to

examined

their true value.

Since the

fall,

men cannot always

to

thus fufpend their choice to examine,

judo-e

compare and
fill

of the true merit of objecfls.

Senfible pleafures
is

the

capacity of the foul, their imprefllon

violent, fo

very oft fo

lively, fo

impetuous that they blind, captivate and hurry us

headlono-.
fall as

Wherefore the

fcripture reprefents

man

fince the

blind, dead

and enflaved by fm.

We want a continual

grace to fufpend the force of concupifcence, to untie our natural

bonds, to re-enliven our dead powers. This p reventing

is

grace
vities,

a true phyfical premotion, antecedent to

gives

all

the

a(fli-

and merit of the creature, which

usaperfea, im-

mediate, real power of confenting to the divine operation.

But

it

never produces by omnipotent wills our moral detera<n:ual

minations, nor our

co-operations, becaufe he that

made

us without our aid will not and cannot fave us but with our

concurrence.
lapfed fons
*

This preventing grace

it is

is

refufed to

none of the

of Adam;

a light
It

'

that enlightens every

man

that

comes into the world.'

at the

is

as univerfal as fun-fhine.It
prcffes, foUicites,

knocks
cites

doors of the heart,

it

and ex-

us continually to return to our original. If the foul co-

operates faithfully with thefe preventing motions,

lightens us a-new, purifies us
iafl:,

God

enat

by degrees, regenerates us

and

in thefe three operations confift all the degrees, the

fpiritu-

beginning, the progrefs and the confummation of the

allifc.

COR.
Hence
it

I.

was, that the fages of the philofophers of

all

times, countries,

and

religions,

by

virtue

of an ancient tradi-

Book VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
The
all
firft

409
of water

tionji-cprefented thefe three opcratIons,bythofe

of water,

AIR, and FIRE.

cleanfes us

purification like that

from

the fpots and ftains contrafted by our

commerce with

terreftrial objcifls.

The

fecond like an impefalfe felf-love,

tuous wind, detaches and feparates us from that adheres more intimately to our natures.

The

third like

a devouring flame diifolves, deftroys, and confumes in us all fhall {hew in the that is diffimilar to the divine nature.

We

fecond Part, that

all

the myfteries,

rites,

and ceremonies of

the Pagan initiations were originally fymbols of thefe three purifications tranfmitted from the beginning of the world,
to
all

fucceffivc generations.

COR.
Hence we conceive
fmce
his degradation ; b
is
,

n.
of man
,

that the life

is

of three kinds
.

R u T a L H u M A N and d i v i N E

The

brutal hfe

when we

devote ourfelvesto material objefts, a-

bandon

ourfelves to the mechanical inftinas

fenfe, and-lay afleep all

of pleafure, im-

merfe ourfelves in
telleaual powers.

our fuperior and in-

This

is

the

life
is

of the moft part of man-

kind.

The human,

rational life

when by

the pure efforts

of natural reafon, and the mere efFeas of

ficc all

felf-love

we

facrl-

the groifer paffions to

more refined ones,

of felf-love,
as

fulfill all

the

focial duties
intercfts,

from

a principle

conducive to our

tifing

and glory, without referring them to God, or practhem from a defire of rcfembling him. Tho' all thofe

feemingly heroic virtues be empoifoned by felf-complacency, and very oft transformed into felf-idolatry yet this is that ra;

tional, philofophical life

which very few men

attain to.

The

divine life

is

that

by which the

foul yielding ^o theattraaion

Fff

4!o

OF NATURE IN A

Book

VL

of the Father, enllghtned by the eternal Word, and animated by the Holy Ghofl-, dies to the creatures, and to felf, and
follows the laws of eternal order, by the pure love of perfection,
life

and a

defire

of the divine refemblance. This

yet,

is

that

new

to

which fewer

yea almoft none at

all arrive

during

this mortal ftate.

as

we

fhall fee
firft

The Pagan philofophers had the fame ideas in the fecond Part, when they faid that we
become Men, and
virtues.

nmi\

ceafe to be Beads, then

at laft

Gods, by a participation of all the deiform

COR.

III.

Hence we have a new proof of the do6lrineof p re-ex isT EN c E. It is impolTible that fouls who have lived for the moft part in a ftate of innocence and purity, at leaftas much as human frailty permits, could pafs through and be condemned to
fuch inward martyrdoms, and outward fufFerings, unlefs they

had finned
far

in a ftate antecedent to their natural birth.

It is

more ImpofRble,
and

that fouls created pure and immediately

infufed into mortal bodies could

cations,
ftate.

want fuch crucifying

purifi-

cruel tribulations to prepare

is

them

for a celeftial

There

and can be no fblution of

this ftrange, fo-

reign, and

uncouth phenomenon of providence but by fuppowherein fouls finned voluntarily, and

fing a pre-exiftent ftate

thereby contracted a radical corruption that cannot be cured

and removed but by fuch direful pains and expiatory fufferings.

COR.
Hence we have a
ter,

IV.

full

proof of the dotflrine of Purliicatlon

in a middle ftate after death ;

of which

as

we

fhall fee hereaf-

the Pagans themfelves had

fome idea tranfmittcd by

tra-

dition

from Noah.

When we confider the infinite fanftity of

BookVI.
it,

RE-ESTABLISITD state.

411

the divine nature, that can receive nothing into union with

but

vv^hat is

perfedly pure: the great agonies, pains and

mufl:

martyrdom by which we

come

to this perfed purity;

and the boundlefs goodnefs of the Father of fpirits, that cannot rejed any foul that has the leaft tendency to him; from
thefe three principles follows a fourth, that
difpofitions

many fouls

die in

of grace, and

defire to be reunited to

God,

that

are incapable

of this union becaufe not perfectly purified, and

be admitted to the
the force of this

therefore they muft undergo the remains of this purificati-

on

in a middle ftate, e're they can

beatific

vifion.

The reafon why men

is

refift

demonIt

ftration
ty,

becaufe they have no juft ideas of the divine puriis

nor of the profound corruption of human nature.

not enough to believe the myfleries of our Saviour fpeculatively.

*

We

muft

all

pafs

through the

ftates

he underwent,

be made conformable to him in his death, partake of his

fufferlngs,
is
it

and know the power of his

long and painful, and
as the

refurrecflion.'

This

operation

how few

arc there, that

look upon

only thing neceffary.

PROPOSITION
and fclf-denyal produce
perfect tranquillity,
cile

LIV*

The continual praiflice ofprayer, mortification,

neceftarily in the foul a

and

all

the virtues that recon-

man with

himfelf.

DEMONSTRATION.
Internal tranquillity
is

the noble Hberty of a foul deliver'd

all

from

all

the ufelefs.aaivities of the underftanding, and

the

Fff2

412

OF

NATURE
will

IN A
pracTtice
all

Book VT.
true exercife

irregular defires
its intcllc<5lual

of the

which difturb the

deliver us
all

of

powers (a); the continual

of prayer,
the ufelefs

mortification,
activities

and felf-denyal

from

of theunderflandtng, and

the irregular defires of

the will thatdiflurb the true exercife of its intclleflual powers

(b): therefore the propofition
is

manifefl.

SCHOLIUM,
Man
ture

by the fall

is

become an enemy to himfclf

that crea-

which

loves itfclf with pafllon lliuns itfclf with care,

its

and

cannot fupport the lingering torment of

priv'd

own

fociety.

De-

of its true and fovereign

object,

it

feels

nothing within

itfelf,but

an immenfe void, and an inexhauflible fund of mifccontinually agitated like a tempefluous oce-

ry.

The mind is

an with

trifling ideas,

wandring imaginations, and incongruis

ous phantoms. The heart

hopes, and yet
to amufe
this

torn to pieces by falfe fears, falfe

falfer loves.

All the efforts

man makes abroad

to his

and pleafe himfclf, are to hinder him from feeling

mighty void within.

So foon

as

he turns himfelf

infinite objcift,

he begins to reconcile himfelf with himfclf.

lufl,

Cured of wild ambition, impure

freed
feels

cruel hatred, dire ven-

geance, impetuous wrath, black envy, tormenting jealoufy;

from

all

the irafcible and concupifcible paflions, he

ferenity,

Inward peace,

and joy.

By degrees

the noife

of fcnfe and imagination

ceafc, as

does the tumult of falfe rea-

foning, the enchantments of paffion, the itch of curiofity,

all

and and

the inquietudes of felf-love.

into the fpiritual
refl:

The

foul enters

by
;

little

little

and fabbath of the Lord where in

(a) Def. 5. of this book,

(b) Cor. 2. of Prop. LII.

Book VI.
imitation of

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
its

413
does not

fupreme original, external

acftivlty

hinder rcpofe within.

that quietly receives

What can
infinite
all

difturb the peace

of a

foul,

from the hands of

God

every thing that

happens; that adores the

nefs

power, wifdom, andgood-

which orders or permits

life as

human
an
exile,

events

that looks
its

upon
try,

a dream, the earth as

infinite

heaven as

councon-

and the

being as

its

only object; that

it

lives

tinually in the divine prefence, while

breathes, deflres, and

will in all

loves nothing but the accomplifhment

of the divine

things?

Profperity cannot elevate fuch a man, nor adverfity

crufh him.

He makes ufe of the one to (hew his

to give

beneficence,

and of the other

but he loves to

an example of patience.

He fuffers,
are ab-

fufFer in imitation

of our great Model; and

knows

that expiatory pains, crofTes

and misfortunes
and

Iblutely necelTary to purify, detach,

divinize the foul.

COR.
Hence
life,

I.

Chriftianity

is

the true road to happinefs in this

it

as well as in the next; becaufe

produces in us not the

Stoic apathy,

which

is

impolTible,

and would be inhuman;

will.
is

but a perfect fubmijflion to the divine

The

Chriftiaii

philofopher regulates his paflions, but he

vanquifhes them, but he feels them.
nature without deltroying
it.

notinfenfible; he
virtue rectifies

True

COR.
Hence
ward
all

IT.
feel this

thofe

who do

not

peace of mind, inare yet novices in

ferenity,

and joy

in the

HolyGhoft

the fpiritual

life,

or unfaithful to the divine infpirations.

They
paft^

torment themfelves with vain reflexions upon what

is

with anxious precautions about what

is

to

come, and do not

414

OF

NATURE

IN A

Book

VI.

know how to
as the bcft

enjoy the actual

moment in

the divine prefence

is

and propereft that could befall them, fince all

or-

dered and regulated by unerring wifdom and paternal goodnefs. Prayer, mortification

and felf-denyal

faith,

hope, and

charity cure

all

thofe foolifh inquietudes and reflexions, eilife.

ther about this or the other

PROPOSITION
The
on and
felf-denyal produce in the foul
all

LV.

continual practice of prayer, mortificatithe fe-

cial virtues.

DEMONSRATION.
The order,
fift

happinefs,

and

fafety

of human

fociety,

con-

in

thepradiceof perfect veracity, uncorruptedjuftice, and

univerfal beneficence (a); the continual practice

of prayer,

mortification,

and felf-denyal produce

perfecft veracity,uncor-

rupted juftice, and univerfal beneficence (b): therefore the

continual pradice of prayer, mortification, and felf-denyal

produce in the foul

all

the fecial virtues.

SCHOLIUM.
The divine man, as Plato fays,
of virtue, but the
cial
city,

produces, not the fhadows

virtues themfelvcs;

and

praftifes all the fe-

and

civil

duties in a conflant imitation

juflicc.

of the divine veraand candid to

necclfary, at

goodnefs and

He
he

is is

not only fincere in never

alfo fimplc

faying but

what

is

true; but

that degree that he does

(a) Ax. 4. of this book,

homage

to truth,

when

(b) Cor. 3. of Prop. LII.

Book

VL

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
own
felf-love.

the expence of his

415 Thus he becomes a ftran^

felit;

ger to himfelf, thinks feldom of himfelf, and talks yet

domer

of himfelf, unlefs the love

of truth demands

and

then he fpeaks of himfelf as of a third pcrfon, without any regard to praife or blame, to applaufe or condemnation.

He Is
not:
and

not only fincere, but

on.

alfo fimple

with prudence and precauti-

Sincerity

never fays nor fhews

what

is

Simplicity,
fhews

a far
IS,

more noble and

exalted virtue, fays

WHAT
upon
it

without vanity, afFeftation or

felf-love.

The
feeds

regenerated

man enamour'd within, and does

with the beauty of truth

not
afFeft to dazzle, over*

power, and fhine In company, to fliew his wit, and difplay

He fpeaks only to difcover truth, and difcovers It only to make it be loved. He proportions It however to the capacity of thofe whom he inftrudts, and Infinuates It Into
his talents.
their

minds

fo delicately

and imperceptibly, that

their felf-

love

is

not offended.

He knows that all men

are not capable

of the fame
pers

lights; that all truths are

not equally ufeful; that

that the various diftenito

fome would be very dangerous; and

of the mind,
like thofe

of the body, are not

profelytcs, does
fe^l,

be cured

by the fame

univerfal

remedy; wherefore he does violence to

no man,

affecfls

not to

make

not ered wiffalfc zeal

dom

into aPharlfaical fcheme for a

to his

and has no

of reducing others

way of
as

thinking.

Perfuadcd that

God

alone can enlighten the underftanding and change the

heart,

he

tolerates all

men,

God

tolerates

them and yet

;

without deeming

all Indiiferent,

doubtful or lawful.

Flll'd
all

with one defire, one obje6t, and one love; he reduces

his Ipeculatlons; ftudies,

and fciences to one great

principle,

4i6
which
is

OF

NATURE
its

IN A

Book

VL

the knowledge and love of eternal order.

to give every truth

Thus he
to diftin-

knows how

due place, and

guifh betwixt the central and circumferential ones, the forms

and the fubftances; the

fpirit

and the

letter;

the fymbol and

the thing fignified; the nearer and remoter means, or theeffential

and accefTory helps; the opinions and the do6lrines;

what

commanded, and what is only tolerated. All his thoughts are thus regulated by the laws of eternal and immuis

table order.

The fovereign love of juftice produces in him all noble fcntiments and heroic virtues. He gives not only to every man his
due; but he
facrifices

himfelf,and diverts himfclf of all,

when

the love of juftice

as

demands it.

He does not look upon himfelf

God
is

an independent being made for himfelf alone; but as

the

ber of that univerfal republic of which

memcommon
a

head and

father.

He fufills thereby the laws of nature and

na-

tions, prefers

always public to private intereft, and never feeks

his particular good, but in the general

good of the whole, or

in fo far as

it is

compatible with the laws of eternal order.

He

loves his family more than himfelf, his country more than

human kind more than his country, the totality of beings more than the human fpecies; and the Being of behis family,

ings

more than
is

all

his creatures.

In whatever
that
all is

ftate

he

is,

therewith he
laws

content,

knowing

regulated

by the

of eternal wifdom and goodnefs.

vets nothing, jealoufy has

He envies no man, cono empire over his foul. He fees

perfeftions, honours, riches,

in others talents, virtues,

and

temporal and intelle^lual advantages with pleafure, compla-

cency and joy,

as if

he

poiTeJired

them

himfelf; becaufe

he

BgokVL
looks upon

RE-ESTABLISH'D state.
all as

417

the wife difpenfations of an unerring wif*

dom,
ftrives

that regulates all with

number, weight and mcafure.

has given him, and
that are

He loves the employment that providence

therein to excell,

by

all

the

means

conform-

able to jufHce. If he be a king or a prince, he exerts the duties

of

that ftation without afFed:ing the virtues

life.

of a

retired

and obfcure
founds
all

If he

is

a (tatefman or a magiftrate, he
his

his poHtics

upon jufHce; and purfues

ends witha

out the low, vulgar

ral

artifices

of a little mind. If he be

gene-

of an army or

a foldier,

he looks upon himfelf as the exbanifl:ies all private

ecutor of divine juftice by war; but he

views,

falfe glory,

unbridled ambition, barbarous cruelty

and unjuft exadions.

His courage

is

invincible becaufe

he
or-

looks upon Ufe as a dream, and rejoices

ders

when providence
his country.

him

to quit this dark prifon

facrifice

of flefh, and

tragical theatre

of
he

life,
Is

by the noble

of himfelf for

If

preferred to ecclefiaftical employments, he looks

upon

himfelf as a phyfician of fouls, and endeavours to cure their

errors

and

vices,

not by authority, which over-powers with-

out conviftlon, but by foft perfuafion which gains the heart.

If he be born in a

ftatc

of dependence, he

is

content with his

humiliation, indigence and poverty, as the

means chofen by

God

to expiate his fms,

and purify

his heart, detach

him
the

from Hfe and give him ftrong

country.
duties

defires to return to his celeftial

ftate

In fhort in whatever
it,

he

is,

he

fulfils all

of

as other

men

do, but

from

nobler and purer

principle.

The

beneficent, univerfal goodnefs of fuch a

man,

is

an

imitation and emanation of the divine bounty.

He is no lon-

4i8

OF
of

NATURE
all
;

IN A

Book

VL

ger dried up nor contracted by the capricious inequalities or

falfe delicacies
ail,

felf-love.

He bears

all, fufFers all,

fupports
is

fympathizes with

knowing

that the world

a great

hofpital,

wherein every

man

has his particular difeafe.

He is
does

fcvere to himfelf alone,

and tender toward others.

He

not exaggerate their

faults, is

not eafily fhocked with their

weaknelTes, has no bitter zeal againft them, and never looks

upon them
pofitions,

in a falfe light, to criticize

and oppofe what

is dif-

agreeable and defe(5live in their character.

He ftudies

the dif-

humour and

capacities
all.

of every one, in order to

accommodate himfelf to

He
rifes

weeps with thcfe that weep,

if natural talents

rejoices with thofe that rejoice,

and

be join'd

with fupernatural graces, he

up

to the highefl:, defcends

flatter,

to the loweft, and proportions himfelf to all; not to

deceive, to

to

become

the idol of men, and

make them
is

fubfervi-

cnt to his pafTions; but to tame and reform them, and

make

them
will.

at

once happy and virtuous.

His poHtenefs
facrifice

a conti-

nual felf forgetfulnefs, and a perpetual

of his

own

This amiable

quality in

him becomes

a divine virtue,

and a daughter of charity.

It confifts

not in outward forms,

and demonflrations of civility; but in an inward fweetnefs of

foul that

makes him

pleafe without adulation, fallhood, or

affecftation.

He affeds no

outward harfh

aufterity

of man-

ners,

he enters into the innocent joys of others, contributes

to their harmlefs pleafures,

and endeavours

to

amufe them out

of charity, thereby
exile,

to foften

and mitigate the chains of their

falfe joys,

without abandoning himfelf to

impure de-

lights,

and inordinate tranfports.

Like our great Model, he

that

knows no other vengeance, but

of doing good for

evil,

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISKD STATE.
to

419

and punifhing only

amend.

Thus he

renders himfelf in-

dependent of the pafTions of men, and

taftes

within himfelf

the noble pleafure of making them repent of their injuftice,

by

the effe^s of his beneficence and generofity.

all

He

there-

fore pardons

private

and perfonal

injuries, that

do not au-

of public order; for when they do, he can be pioufly brave, difarm imperious pride, and bridle impetuous paffion, with cool blood and a calm undifturb'd mind.
thorize the violation

Such

is

the true fage

who

regulates his thoughts

and

defircs

by

the noble principles of prayer, mortification and felf-de-

nyal,

of faith, hope, and charity.

COR.

I.

Hence Chriflianity enfures, purifies, exalts, and divinizes It makes us a6l as all the common, civil, and focial virtues. other men do in external appearance, but by a divine principle within. It
is

not

interell:,

vanity, nor the idolatrous love

li-

of felf,

that

is

the fource and fpring of our condu^l, but a

ving principle of pure, unfpotted charity, and a fmcere defire

to imitate the divine perfedions.

G o R.

ir.

Hence Chriflianity not only common, ordinary virtues of civil

cures
all

purifies,

and

divinizes the

fociety,

but it difcovers and

the refined vices of felf-love.

Some men appear void

it.

of this
unite

fecret pafTion, becaufe they

cunningly hide

They
all its

all

the different forts of felf-love; yet they fo moderate

facrifice

the one by the other, that they

none, and gratify

by

turns.
its

A refined, delicate, and artful felf-love fhews

its

wit,

fcience,

virtues

with fo

much precaution
irritates

that

it

ec-

lipfes

none, outfhines none, and

no man's

felf-love

420

OF NATURE IN A
oftentatlon

Book VI.

by too great an

of its own excellency. This fccret,

fclf-idolatry feeds

and fattens itfelf by outward mortifications,

popular virtues, and feemingly difinterefted fentiments, which

are indeed difengaged

from

all

low, mercenary views, but

is

full

of fpiritual

pride.

This

felf-idolatry

continual ufurpation

upon the

divine rights, a hidden robbery of

what belongs to

God alone; an imitation of the fin of the fallen cherubims, who fail'd in the great law of fclf-dif appropriation, and fo became
devils.

Divine charity alone can cure the foul of this re-

fin'd diabolical vice,

by

a true, generous, exalted felf-forget-

fulnefs.

GENERAL SCHO LIU M.

The great truths contained in the
Enthufiafm
is
is

four preceeding propofl-

tions, are the beflprefervatives againlt

enthufiafm of all kinds,

infpircs us, while it

a full perfuafion that

God
It

imagination alone that deludes us.

comes generally from

an excefs of fpiritual pride and

felf-love,

w hich make men fannotions and Pha-

cy thcmfclves more enllghtned and more virtuous than othcrs. It cither attaches itfelf to its
rifaical fentiments, as

own wild

the flandards of truth and holinefs; or

goes out of its proper flation, under a fpecious pretext of enlightning and reforming others.

When once it wanders thus

its

out of itfelf,

it

diflurbs the

world with

infectious contagi-

on, difturbs both

human and facred focieties;and according to

the natural temper and complexion, and flation of the perfons

it

fmites, begets bitter difputcs or cruel wars'.

When it fcizes
it

upon men of a melancholy,

vicious

humour,

produces rap-

tureSjCxtafics^vifions^quakingSjagitationSj epileptic fitSjConvul-

BookVI.
fions,

re-established state.

421

and other ftrange phenomena accompanied with extra-

vagant, blafphemous pretenfions to be the Meffias, the Paraclet, Elias,

the

laft

and

greateft

of all the prophets.

It fills

When
the

It

impregnates

fiery, hot, choleric comple<5lions,

mind
in-

with

fpiritual paflions,

blind zeal, violent animolity, devout

hatreds, direful perfecutions,

and proud

revolt.

When
it

it

flames a fanguine,
gins with the
firft

lively,

vigorous conftitution,
flefli.

very oft be-

fpirit

and ends with the

It pretends at

to enlighten,
it

reform and

fpiritualize its difciples,

but by
in

degrees

degenerates into impurity, and lewdnefs.

Thus

all ages, religions

and countries, enthufiafm has hatched and

;

brought forth fanatics of all kinds Jews; PythonifTian furies

falfe

prophets
;

among the

among the Pagans Montanifts and

firft

Manicheans among the

Chriilians,

and

In later times,
falfe Quletills

Beguardi in Spain, Anabaptifts in Germany,

in Italy, Convulfionaries in France,

and Quakers

in

Enga-

land.

A foul that lives in the continual

fall

practice

of the virtues

bove-mentioned, of prayer, mortification and felf-denyal, can

into

none of thefe
fpiritual,

exceffes.

Thefe divine virtues furnifh

not only

but even natural cures to enthufiafm.

True
and

inward recollection and prayer keep the mind in a

equable temper; fubmitted to the divine will in
fopreferves the natural vigour of reafon
fenfe
;

confirant

all

things,

yea by an intimate
to our
firft

of the divine prefence, a central tendency

principle,

and a peaceful expofition of our dead, dark, and

difordered faculties to

him

that

is all life, all

Hght, and

all

love.

We thus exalt and fublimate our natural powers, become mafters

of imagination, and put to filence by degrees

all its

im

422
petuons

OF NATURE IN A
rallies,

Book

VL

and emotions.

By

temperance, mortification

and abftinence from all corporeal delectations that inflame the

concupifcible appetites ; from
all ufelefs

amufements that aug;

ment our union with

terreftrial objedls

and from

all fpiritual

ambition that exhauft and weaken the natural conftitution by

felf-deftru6live aufterities,

we come

to prevent, diminiili or

cure

all

the excefTcs of a fanguine, melancholy and choleric

temper.

By

true felf-denyal, profound humility,

and inward
all

difappropriation,
defire

we

die to all ideas

of felf-exccUency, to

of

fingularity, vain-glory

and pre-eminence above oof men

thers,

and

to every thing that tends to attra(5t the eyes

toward our

own

pcrfons.

A man that lives

thus in a conti-

nual practice of faith, hope, and charity has no attachment

to his
evcr.

own

opinions, ideas, or fpeculations

how

fublime fo-

He

propofes them without prefumption, oftentatioii

docil,

or obflinacy; always felf-diffident,

thofe that have fuperior lights.

and fubmifTive to

Far from thinking himfelf

and capable
to

fully regenerated, arrived to pcrfedion,

reform

others, he looks

upon himfelf with

generous contempt, yea

is filled

very oft with felf-abhorrence, becaufe he

jufteft ideas

with the

of

the all

of God, and

the nothing-

ness OF
rcfpe6t

THE CREATURE,

of the wondcrful extent and

purity of the divine law, and of his continual deficiency in

of its exalted precepts.

Book VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
LVI.
of

423

PROPOSITION
The
re-unlting the foul to

three remote, external, acceflbry means

God are fcrlptures,

churches,

and facraments.

DEMONSTRATION.
Remote and acceflbry means of re-uniting the foul to God
are fuch external helps as are ufeful, tho' not abfolutely necefTary (a); eternal providence
all

knows,

wills,

and employs

the means neceflary to lead his intelligent creatures to their

ultimate end and fupreme happiners(b);

fituation

fomemen by

their

and circumftances

neceiTarily

remain in a perfect ig(c): there-

norance of

fcriptures, churches,

and facraments

fore fcriptures, churches,

external,

and facraments, can only be remote,

and accelTory means of re-uniting the foul to God.

PROPOSITION
The
enliven, cure, purify
univerfal, unlimited,

LVIL

internal graces neceffary to enlighten,

and

reftore lapfed beings, are

and refufed

to

none of the

loftfons of Adam.

DEMONSTRATION.
In
all

times, in all places,

and

in all circumftances,

almigh

ty providence enlightens every man that

comes into the world,

and confirm

and

refufes to

none of his

creatures fallen or unfallen, all the

to conduct

helps and

means neceffary

them
Ax.

to,

(a) Dcf. 8. of this book,

(b) Prop.

XXV.

(c)

5 of this book.
.

424
them
in the

OF

NATURE
;

IN A

Book IV.

knowledge and enjoyment of their ultimate and

the immediate, internal and necefTaall

fupremc happinefs (a)

ry means of falvation are

aCts direcTtly

thefe operations

by which

God

upon the

foul to enlighten, enliven, cure, puri:

fy and reflore lapfed beings (b) therefore the internal graces

neceffary to enlighten

and enliven,

cure, purify,

and

reftore

lapfed beings, are univerfal, unlimited,

and refufed

to

none

of the

loft

fons of Adam.

SCHOLIUM.
The eternal Father of fpirits who is prefent every w^here, who loves effentially all his creatures, who made them only
to be happy, in the contemplation and love of his boundlefs
perfections;

who knows,

wills,

and employs

all

the

means

neceffary to re-eftablifh lapfed beings without forcing their

liberty,

and whofc mercies endure

for ever,

muft certainly

Avatch over
give

them continually by

his

almighty providence, and

them

exterior helps

and inward fuccours to cure, purify,

and

deliver

them from

their corruption

and mifery.

Some

countries are bleft with the extraordinary privileges of fupernatural revelation,

become

the feats of the vifible church, and

enjoy

all

the advantages that are to be found within the fa-

credpale: but while

God

thus favours with fpecial graces,

reft

fome
kind.
ation,

particular nations,

he does not forget the

externally

of mancre-

He fpeaks to them
which manifeft

by the works of the

his

power and Godhead, and within

wifdom which teaches all that

tiiem by the voice of uncreated

liften to
(a) Cor.
it,

the precepts of the eternal law.

of Prop.

The

prodigies

I.

XXV.

(b) Def. 7. of this book.

Book VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
us, arc

425

which the Meflias works within

lightens every

no

lefs

miraculous

than thofe which he wrought without us.

The Hght that en-

man

that

comes into the world refufeshis pre-

venting graces to none. All-watchful providence and univerfal

grace overlooks

none of the loft fons of Adam.

God places
and place

everyone of them
that
is

in the ftate, circumftances, time,

moft proper and conducive to his great defigns.

No-

thing happens by hazard. All is regulated with number, weight

and meafure. While he adjufts thus

all

external circumftances,

wifdom knocks within

by his

at the doors

of the heart, prevents fouls and divine

at-

falutary admonitions, interior remorfes,

tractions,

and negleCls no means of converting and transfor-

ming their corrupt and degenerate natures.

continually through
all

He purfues them
enlightens their

the dark paths of error and vice in or-

der to cure, purify, and rcftore them.

underflandings and excites their
ces,
wills,

He
by

his preventing gra-

antecedent to
firftif

all

merit in them.

He adds new graces to

till

the

they be faithful, and fo conducts them by degrees

from

light to light,

and from

virtue to virtue,

they arrive

freely at the
ral

end of their creation.

All thefe truths are natu-

and

necejffary

confequences of God's defign in creating,

all

which was

to make
all

intelligences happy,

and of his pater-

nal love for

that he has made.

In thefe laft and dangerous times, Chriftlans have rejected

this admirable doftrine
cifely into the

of univerfal grace, and

are fallen pregrofs, ftupid,

firil:

fame error with the Jews.

That

and ungrateful nation fometime before our Saviour^s

ming, imagin'd that
tions;

co-

God

neglected and defpifed

all

other na-

and becaufe they were the only

depofitaries

of the

fa-

Hhh

426

OF

NATURE

IN A
God

Book VI.

cred oracles of heaven, fancied that

had for ever aban-

doned the reft of mortals, and that he was not the common Father of fpirits. The fchoolmen in thefe latter days before
our Saviour's
prejudices.
laft

coming have adopted the fame

Part

Pharifaical

As

the defign of this

firft

is

only to fhew the reafo-

nablenefs of the Chriftian doctrines by purely philofophical

principles,
;

without proving that they are fupernaturally reinfift

vealed I fhall not

here upon the paffages of the

Old and

New Teftament that teach in the moft exprefs words the doctrine

of univcrfal grace, and the

poflibility

of falvation out of
this

the vifible church.

I refer all that I

have to fay upon

im-

portant fubjeft to the fecond part of this

Work, when

I treat

of the

traditions
(
i

of all nations both facred and profane. There

I {hall (hew

That there are many exprefs formal

(2)

texts that
all

prove and confirm the univerfality of God's love for

creatures without exception.

his
all

There

I fhall
this

anfwer

the

cavils

of Judaizing Chriftians againft

(3)

luminous and

falutary doctrine.

There

in fine I fhall demonftrate

by

quotations

made from

the Pagans, the knowledge they had

alfo the divine virtues
faith,

not only about the moral, but

er, mortification

of pray-

and fclf-denyal;

hope, and charity;

and by

thefe three proofs vindicate almighty providence

it is

from

the partiality, injuftice and cruelty with which

chargeable

according to the Predeftinarian and Pharifaical fchemes. Here

it

fufHces to have

fhewn by the pure

effort

of reafon that the

is

doarine of univcrfal, internal, fan aifying grace

conformable to God's original dcfign
paternal love for his cteatures.

perfcaly
to his

in creating,

and

Book

VL

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.

427

This doarinc of nniverfal grace does no way favour the lareligious tltudinarian fcheme which maintains that all forts of
worfhip, hke thofe of
civil

government, are equally

indiffe-

rent and countenanced

by the King of kings;

that both civil

and

ecclefiaftical

authority are mere effcfts of

human
and

policy,

tho' wifely inftituted to preferve order in facred

civil focielittle

ty

that

fmce God

is

infinitely exalted
all

above all the

ideas

we

can have of him, and above

all

the imperfeft

homage we
of worfliip

can pay to him,

religious principles

and all

forts

arc equally agreeable to him, providing

ly,

we

love

him fmcere-

which

is

the only worfhip he demands; that as the diffe-

of animals, and rent flowers of a garden, the various forms fhew forth infinite power all the divers produftions of nature,
and wifdom by
fe6ls
;

their

wonderful beauties, proportions, and

ef-

fo the different

ways by which men of

their

all

nations, re-

ligions,

and ages exprefs

homage
all

to

God

are equally a-

areeable to him,

when

they are

referred to him;

and

in

fine that all the paffages

of fcripture or of the fathers, which

feem to contradifl thofe maxims, have been inferted in thefe dark times ancient records and annals of religion, during the

of Chriffianity, by cunning priefts, that intended to enhance clergy. the credit and eftabhfh the defpotic power of the

But

if it

can be demondrated to every attentive and

religi-

ous mind, that

racles,

God

has infpired

men

to write the facred o-

and by them inflituted a facred worfliip, and confecraother, then ted an order to interpret the one, and adminifterthe to lead thelatitudinarian fcheme is dangerous as it tends vifibly men todefpifc all churches, fcriptures and facraments, to fet
Paganifm and JNlahometifm upon a h h z
level

with Chriftianity,

428
and
to

OF
open the

NATURE
There
is

IN A
an obvious

Book

VI.
holy

fluices to a criminal indifFerency for all

ordinances and pofitive laws.

medium be-

twixt maintaining that the three external

are altogether ufclefs,
lutely necelTary.

means of falvation

and the maintaining that they arc abfois

There

wide diftance betwixt maintaining

external

that

God

independent of

all

means may

aft

without

them, and that we

may dcfpife and

In
fine,

negleft

them when known

and religions God
er-

and

cftablifhcd.

there
all

is

an obvious middle fcheme

betwixt maintaining that in

nations, ages

may

preferve holy fouls

from the contagions of damnable

and maintaining that
all

ror, idolatry

and

fuperftitioii;

out-

ward means are pure human inventions, not inftltuted by God. Whofoever does not fee the difference of thefe two extremes does not reafon philofophically, and
is

carried

away

by

prejudices, pafHon, and partiality.

COR.
Hence
affert that
it

I.
is

follows that nothing

more dangerous than the

narrow, contracted fcheme of the Pharifaical dodors,

the three external

who

means of falvation
by God; but

are not only

ufefully,

and wifely

inftituted

at the
is

fame time

fo abfolutely neccffary, that without

them there

and can be

no falvation. This doftrine throws a dark vail upon all the oeconomy of providence: becaufe if fcrlptures, churches, and
facraments were abfolutely necelfary, then
juft, cruel

God would be unall

and partial

in

not vouchfafing them to

is lefs

nations

equally.

The
this

latitudinarian hereiy

injurious to the

Deity than

narrow, contrafted, Pharifaical fcheme.

The
ab-

former attacks the fovereign wifdom of God,

folute

who has an

power

to

judge of, and

eftablifli

what outward means

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
fouls to

429
him-

he thinks moft proper to purify and reunite

felfrbut the latter

impeaches

all

the moral attributes of God;

his veracity, his juftice

and goodncfs,
he loves

who declares

in

many
'

places of fcripture,
'

that

all his
*

creatures/ that

he

defires the falvation

of all,' that

he enlightens every

man

'

that

comes into the world,' and that he

at the

refufes his graces to

none, while

fame time he leaves the moll: part of man-

kind

in

an invincible ignorance of the only means of falvatiall poffibility

on, and debars them from

of knowing thefe ab-

folutely necelTary fuccours.

COR.
Hence
in the field
this glorious do(5lrine

ir.

of univerfal grace may

all

ferve

to extirpate and throw out of the facred pale

the tares
feft;

fown

of the Lord, by the Predeftinarian

the moft
is

of whofe
fcripture

fatal errors

come from confounding what

faid in

of the

particular, extraordinary, external advantages

granted to the vifible church, with the univerfal, unlimited,

internal graces refufed to

no mortal.

It

is

becaufe of thefe

low, narrow,

pitiful ideas

of the Predeltinarian and Pharifai-

cal do(51ors, that the incredulous Free-thinkers cry out, that

the whole fyftem of the

Old and New Teftament tends to de-

grade the divine nature, and reprefent

lary

God

as a topical tute-

Demon of one
all

or

two

countries, or a partial, capricious

tyrant, that dotes

upon a

fmall portion of his creatures, while

he abandons

the reft to ignorance, vice and eternal mifery.

430

OF

NATURE

IN A

Book VI,
LVIII.
hap-

PROPOSITION
God
pinefs
will at laft

pardon and

re-eftablifh in

all

laps'd Beings.

DEMONSRATION.
God's ultimate defign
in creating finite intelligences could

only be to make them eternally happy in the knowledge and

love of his boundlcfs perfe<5lions (a)
;

almighty power, wis-

dom, and
and

love cannot be eternally fruftrated in his abfolutc

and ultimate defign s (b): therefore

God

will at laft

pardon

re-eftablifh in happinefs all lapfed beings.

SCHOLIUM.
If any portion of lapfed beings are to be eternally miferable, this mufl: either

come from the

nature of the creature

that

is
is

abfolutely unconvertible; or

from the nature of God

that

unappeafeable.

The

creature can never be unconver-

tible for three reafons.

I.

Finite weaknefs cannot for ever furmount and

refift

infinite powder.

Free intelligences

may

indeed

refifl

for a

time, but
heart, yea
at laft

God would

not have an abfolute empire over the

if

he would ceafe to be omnipotent

he could not

reduce the moft rebellious creatures without doing vio-

lence to their liberty.

nite goodnefs

The

Predcftinarians deny God's infi-

when

they maintain that

God could

but would

not convert them.

The

Socinians deny his infinite power,

when they
(a) Prop.

maintain that he would but cannot convert them;

(b) Cor. 3. of thefamcPropofition,

XXIV.

Book
and
rits.

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
one day to annihilate
all

431

fo will be obliged

reprobate fpi-

2.

Created Intelligences

who

have an Infatlable

thirft

of

happinefs, cannot for ever prefer

by

their

own

choice,

what

produces eternal mifery to what produces eternal happinefs, nor love evil for Itfelf. In a ftate of damnation they muft one

day

feel

and

fee that there is

no

refource,
refift.

no remedy, no end
mull love evil

of their mifery,
their refinance
as evil
;

fo

long as they

If they continue then

by

deliberate, free choice; they

evil for itfelf; evil

is

where there

is

and can be no appea-

ranee of good, which

3.

abfolutely impoflible (a).

If God had forefeen that the moft part of lapfed Intelligences would be eternally inconvertible, and thereby miferable,

he would never have created them.

To give

them ex-

iftence,

knowing

the cverlafHng abufe they

would make of

was not only contradicting the great defi^ns he had in creating them, butalfo an aft of the highefl cruelty. If God had confulted them before their fall, they would rather
their liberty,

have chofen annihilation than eternal mifery; becaufe a creature that loves itfelf neceffarily cannot prefer beino- to wellbeing.

When we confider therefore

no

the nature of the crea-

ture, all confpires to prove that

finite Intelligence

can be

for ever inconvertible.

The divine nature

ing reafons.
i
.

cannot be unappeafeable for the followlegiflators

Wife and good

have no vindictive

wrath, nor Implacable averfion to the moft execrable malefactors.

They

hate the crime without hating the criminal.

They

punifh only to prevent the one or correct the other. If

(a) Gor. 2. and 3. of Prop,

XXX.

432

OF NATURE IN A
Inftead of corre6tuig

Book VI.
fpirits, his

If the torments of the damn'd be eternal, God can have none

of thefc two views.

damn'd

punifhments ferve only to confirm them in their vicious habits

and hatred of God.

Inftead of putting an end to their

crimes, eternal pains will but

to

augment

dcfpair, rage, averfion

God, and blafphemy.

2.

If the divine nature was unappcafeable, wherein could

?

his goodnefs confiil

'

How could his mercy be faid

is

to pre-

vail

over

all

his works?'

All grant, and the fcripture fays

fmall, yea very fmall

exprcsfly, that the

number of the elc(5t

in comparifon of the

number of the damn'd.

This
is
is

Now

wherein

does the mercy of

rits

God

appear, if the moft part of fallen fpiinfinitely

be eternally miferable?
if

more abfurd
while

than

we

fhould fay that a king

good, humane, and merfive criminals,

ciful prince, becaufe

he refcues four or

he condemns thoufands, yea innumerable millions of his fubjetTts

to racks, flow tortures,

lefs

and languifliing pains.

cruel than the

This

however would be much

condud of God

who
3.

continues his punifhments eternally, without any view

criminal.
at

of extirpating crimes or reforming the

This doflrine of God's being unappcafeable deflroys

of which men have
that
it is

once all our ideas of his moft perfect diftributive juftice. There
is

no

attribute

falfer ideas

than of divine

juftice.
liges

They fancy

an attribute of God which ob-

him by

necelTity

of nature to torment for ever and pur-

fue with implacable vengeance beings that are criminal.

is

This

again humanizing the Godhead.

Juftice

is

that perfe(5lioii

in

God, by which he endeavours

is

continually, to

make all in-

telligences juft, as goodnefs

that attribute in

God, by which

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE. 433 he endeavours to make them all happy. Now thefe two perBook VI.
fections are
effects

one and the fame

hi the infinite

Being

tho' their

be

different,

according to the nature of the fubjeft up-

on which he
that
all

exerts them.

We

have already demonftrated

the communicable perfecftions of the

ducible to three,

Godhead are rePOWER, WISDOM, and GOODNESS. Now

of the Godhead, power,
all his intelleftual
it

fince all the a6live attributes

\\e,

and

force arc the fame, and fince

attributes wif-

dom,

light,

and
that

truth, are the fame;

all

follows by the rules

of analogy
he

his

moral

attributes, goodnefs, love

and

judice are the fame.

chaftifes

God

punifhes therefore only to purify

;

only in order to reclaim

he wounds by phyfical
his elfential love
to deftroy

evil that

he

may

cure moral

evil.

He fhews
all

of juftlce and hohnefs, by doing

that

he can

what is contrary
thefe perfections

to thefe attributes.

Suppofing however that

were

diftinfl in their caufe as in their effec1:s

yet fmce

all

the divine attributes a6l in,with,and

by each other,

they can never be fcparated, they are never incompatible; and

therefore God's juftice
is

always accompanied with goodnefs

terrible

and love

his

punilhments mult be cures, and his moft

judgments remedies.
4. It
tive
is

true that

God is

reprefented in fcripture as vindic-

and revengeful, as he to whom alone vengeance belongs; as

fire; as

a confuming

punifhing with fury, anger, and hatred.

But

unlefs

we

fuppofe that his perfections are incompatible,

and mutually

deftruCtive

of each other, we muft allow that all

thefe exprefTions fignify only that

God is

an irreconcileable e-

nemy to vice
lincfs

that there can never be

any alliance betwixt ho-

and fm; purity and corruption, order and diforder; and

lii

434
Tho' he
loner as

OF

NATURE

IN A
efTential

Book VI.
goodnefs.

not that he ceafes to be eternal love and

hates the crime, yet he loves the criminal; and lb

is

he

convertible,

God muft be appeafeable

otherwife

we might conceive a greater goodncfs than hls,and fo his benevolence would not be infinite. Vindiftive juftice therefore
that attribute in
is

God, by whirh he purfues

wrath

vice

with

all fort

of torments

till it

be totally extirpated, deftroy'd, and annihiis

lated; yea this revenging

an emanation and a necef-

fary

branch of God's

diftributivejuftice,

which

is

that attri-

bute in

God by which
of

he proportions the rewards and puall his creatures,

nifhments, the happinefs and mifery of

their difpofitions
fidelity

to

or infidelity; to the degrees of

their co-operation or refiftance.

Thus there is

not one faint in

heaven, nor one devil in

hell,

but what is beatified or punifii'd

Diftributive

according to the laws of the moft exaft equity.

or vindictive juftice confifts then in this admirable proporti-

on, and not in that cruel enmity and averfion, by which

is

God

rcprefcnted as hating the criminal for ever; and fo defea-

ting for ever the defign he

fential

had

in creating, ceafing to be cfinjuftice,

goodnefs and love, neglecting to deftroy

and
of

voluntarily leaving lapfed beings in aftate of rebellion,

unho-

linefsand injuftice. According to this

the fchoolmen

inhumane

doMne

God muft

either

be impotent, fo that he can-

not convert the creature, or muft love eternal diforder, fince

he

will

not employ almighty power to deftroy

it.

In both
a difguifed

thefe fenfes the doflrine

of eternal punifhments

is

Manicheifm, and fuppofes that the

with God, fnice
it is

evil principle is

co-eternal

indeflru6tible.

The

fchoolmen

will fay that as

God's rewards are eternal.

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISFD STATE.
ought to be ; that tho'
fin

435

fo his punifhments

be

finite as to its

objea,
Ail

againft an infinite duration, yet the offence being committed in duration or eternal. its punifhment mufl: be infinite
this

reafoning proceeds from

falfe ideas

of God,

as

an

arre-

bitrary legiflator,

making

pofitive laws,

and promifing

or difowards, or threatning punifhments to thofe that obey philofophy, in order to enforce his laws. This is falfe
bey,

and yet

falfer divinity.
;

The

eternal love

of order

is

not an

arbitrary law

it

flows neceffarily from the divine effence. All

thefe that follow this eternal law

is

mud be happy

their

reward

not arbitrary;

God

cannot but rnanifeft his communica-

tive

goodncfs to creatures that love him.

He

can no more
fail

ccafe to beatify fuch beings, than the fun at

noon can

to

enlighten eyes that open themfelves to

its

influences.

Nei-

they are ther are hell and damnation arbitrary punifhments, from natural and neceffary confequences of our feparation

God. So long
muft they
ceafe.

as

we

refifl

the divine aaion in us, fo long

yield to this aaion, they

lafh fo

foon as
it is

we

mufl

Moreover,

humanizing and degrading the divine

nature to fuppofe that he can be offended by our crimes, or alreaglorified by our virtues. He interefls himfelf, as I have

ly'

one and the other only in fo far as the former re* tard and the later advance the fupreme perfeftion and happifcripnefs of our nature. When he is therefore reprefented in

dy

faid, in

ture as pleafed, rejoiced

gry, grieved

and

glorified

by our virtues or
;

as an-

and offended by our

fins, all thefe are

purely meeffen-

taphorical exprefllons,
tiallove
der,

which

fignify

no more but the

God

has for order; his infinite oppofition to difor-

and the

impoffibility

of reuniting to him any thing that

Iii2

436
is

OF
This

NATURE
is

IN A

Book VT.

impure.

the

laft

and moft magnificent fcene of

of almighty wifdom,

providence; the utmoll: effort of omnipotence, far fiiperior

to creation; the higheft demonftration

the tcndercft
tation

effe<5l

of eternal

love,

and the nobleft manifefihall fee that all the fuffe-

of the

divine glory.

Then we
and cure

rings

and torments of reprobate

fpirits

were abfolutely necef-

fary to van quifh, extirpate

their corruption,

and con-

firm

them for ever and

ever in the love

of eternal order. Then

the regions

univerfal

harmony

fhall

be re-eftablifh'd never more to be infeen,

terrupted,

and nothing fliall be

as

through

all

of immenfity, but God

he

is,

and nature

as reprefentative

of him.
It

was the ignorance of

fall

this glorious doflrine that

made

Spinofa

into

all

his

monftrous errors, without perhaps

atheifi:.

any defign of becoming an

He found it an eftablifh'd
evil, fin

maxim

in the fchools that

moral and phyfical

eternal.

and

fuffcrings, vice

and diforder were to be

finite

Now as he
refift

could not imagine that

infinite

impotence could for ever

power, nor almighty wifdom be fruftrated in his eter-

nal defigns, nor

unbounded goodnefs

love everlafting difor-

der; he chofe to maintain that

ture, rather

God aded by neceffity of naThus he was reduced by

culpability

than by free choice.

inevitable confequences to
tures
;

deny the

of the crea-

yea to

affert that all the diforders, contradictions,

and

irregularities are neceffary to the

completion of the whole

that the perfection

his power,

of God

is

to

be meafured by the extent of

and not by what feeble mortals call juftice, wifdom and goodnefs: and in fine that all happens by an eternal, uninterrupted, neceffary fucccffion of caufes and cffeds,

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
altered,

437

wherein one link cannot be

ternal laws

without reverfing the e-

of order, yea deftroying the immutable elTenceof

However mondrous this doctrine be, yet, as wefhall fhew, it is far more excufable than the Predeftinarian fcheme,
God.
which makes God malicious, cruel, and partial, by free choice
and arbitrary decrees.

The only plaufible obje(5lion that can be made againfl: this

great truth of the final re-eftablifhment
is

of

all

lapfed beings,

that

It is

diametrically oppofite to the holy fcriptures,

and

to the conltant decifions

fign

of the Chriftian church.

As

the de-

of this part is only

to give the philofophical reafons

of the

truths therein contained, I fhall refer the anfwers to thcfe

objc<5lions to the

fecond Part; where

is

we

fhall

fhew that the

opinion of eternal pains

the contrary dodrine
ted in
is

no where taught

in fcrlpture; that

infinuated,

nay taught and inculca-

many

texts

both of the Old and

New Teflament;

and

in fine that this facred,

luminous truth was never condemn'd

by any decree of the

univerfal church.

c o R.

I.

Hence
ral

the do6trine of the three flates of nature In geneall

through

the fphere
,

of

fallen fpirits,

Is

founded upon
to the

the fubllmefl: principles

and perfectly conformable

wonderful plan of providence.

angelical natures

The whole

duration of thofe
firft

who have fallen fmce

their

production,

may be juflly divided into an

ftate; a primitive, a

elevated, fallen,

and

re-eftablifli'd

corrupted, and a renew'd world; quite difin particular

ferent

from the three fhtes of the earth

which

wefhall examine in the next propofition.

438

OF

NATURE
G O R.
II.

IN A

Book IV.
of all beings,
all

Hence

after the general re-eftabliihment

fpirits celeftial, terreftrial

and

Infernal, will be admitted to the

elTential

beatific vifion,
felicity,

and enjoy by turns the

and acceflbry

the immediate view of the divine efTence, and the

full

enjoyment of his created reprefentations.

PROPOSITION
and
all its

LIX.

Before the general re-eftablifhment, the earth

inhabitants are to be reftored to their

primitive, paradifiacal beauty, perfection,

pinefs.

and hap-

DEMONSTRATION.
After the general re-eftablifhment of lapfed beings,
fpirits celeftial, terreftrial
all

and Infernal

will be admitted to the

beatific vifion,

and enjoy by turns

their effentlal

and

accelTo-

ry

felicity (a)

God diflipated the chaos

after the defection

of

angels and formed the paradifiacal earth to be the habitation

of fouls thatenjoy'd the accefTory happlnefs, without being

as yet admitted to the beatific vifion (b)
fitive,
;

God's

primitive, po-

ultimate and abfolutedefigns cannot be eternally fruf-

trated (c): therefore before the general re-eitablilhment of

lapfed beings, the earth

and

all its

inhabitants are to be re-

llored to their primitive, paradifiacal beauty, perfe<ftion

and

happinefs.
(a) Cor. 2. of Prop.

LVIIL

(b) Cor. j. of Prop.XLVIII.

(c)

Ax.

6.

of this book.

Book VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.

43^

SCHOLIUM.
and
clearly revealed in fcripture.

This is that glorious reign of the MefTiah with the juft upon earth, which, as we Ihall fhew in the fecond Part, is plainly

We

fhall

confine our-

felves here to give the philofophical reafons

of this glorious

reign.
1.

As

in a paradifiacal ftate

we were

not yet admitted to

the immediate vifion of the pure Divinity: but the facred hu-

manity of the Logos converfed with

fo during the ftate
its

men under a vifible form;

and reftored to

of the earth

re-eftablifh'd

primitive beauty; bleft fouls reftored, purified,

and

deli-

V ered

from

all

corruption and fufFering; from

all

all falfe

love

of

the creatures and of themfelves, from

e vil will fee

moral and phyfical

all

God-man

face to face, enjoy

the pure

and

heavenly delights they would have enjoyed in paradife had

they never finned; and be confirmed for ever and ever in the

permanent, immutable habits of pure

mitted to the beatific vifion.

love, e're

they be ad-

Thus
It
is

the glorious reign of the

Mefliah upon earth will be a prelude to the eternal kingdom

of the Father

in heaven.

of

this glorious fbte

of the

church upon earth renew'd and

part

moft of the magnificent prophecies of the Old Teftament are

re-eftablifh'd that the

to be underftood,
ftate

and not of the church militant during

its

of fufFcrings and combat, where the chaff is mixprefent ed with the good wheat, where the number of the corrupt is
the greateft; and where the true

kingdom of the MefHah

is

not and cannot be manifefted.

2.

As

the earth has been for

many

ages a theatre of fin.

440

OF NATURE IN A

Book
It Is

\T.
jufl,

corruption, and mifery, of moral and phyfical evil;

conformable to the divine perfections, and agreeable to the

analogy of faith, that the earth renew'd and purified by
fliould be at laft for
fire

many

ages, a fccne

of holinefs,

perfeCti-

on,and
tity.

felicity,of unfpotted

innocence and confummatefancfor-

This, as

we have feen, was the primitive defign of its

fall

mation after the

of angels.

Now fooner or later all God's

abfolute and ultimate dcfigns mull: be accompliihed, and can-

not be for ever fruftrated.

3.

During

this

happy

Interval, the reprobates

fhutup in the

abyfs with the devil and his angels are to be radically purified

and transform'd by infernal

thcfeblefled
fpirits

pains.

Now

it is

ImpofTible that

inflamed with divine love can become In-

dilTcrent to the horrible fufferlngs

of their fellow-creatures.

They

cannot on the contrary be abfolutely and compleatly

happy, while they fee fo many images of the Deity and children

of the fame

father, exquifitely miferable, Ihut

devil

up in the abyfs,

and tormented with the

love for

and

his angels.

Their pure

God, and

for

all

created intelligences, mufl:

them

defire ardently to fee the

empire of the Mofi:

make High toby

tally re-e(l:ablifh'd, the

ufurpation of the creatures for ever deall

ftroy'd,

and

God

recover his rights over

lapfed beings

their

own

free choice

and perfed

love.
I.
fl:ates

COR.
Hence wc
mufl:

not confound the three

of the

angelical world or folar fyflem, with the three ftates

of the

earth or the habitation of

men;

the primitive creation Avith

fall

the paradifiacal earth, nor the ehaos, after the

of angels,
glori-

with the earth accurfed after the

fall

of men; nor the

Book VI.
lapfed beings.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
total reftoration

441
of
all

ons reign of the Mefliah, with the

The

fmall portion of duration called

Time,

may

be juftly divided into an elevated, corrupted and renewed

earth; a golden age, an iron age, and the return of jultice.

Thus

facred

and profane

tradition agree in the

fame

effential

truths, tho' painted forth

ries, as fhall

under

different

images and allego-

be fully unfolded in the fecond Part.

COR.
Hence
all

II.

thefe

who

maintain that the magnificent proftate

phecies about the glorious

of the church are

fully ac-

complifh'd by the

firft

coming of our Saviour, by the pomp,

fplendor, and riches

of the Chriftian hierarchy are egregioufwith his glorious reign; and the with the
full

lymiftaken; confound the firftwith the fecond coming of the

Mefliah; his fuffering

firft fruits

ftate

of his expiatory

facrifice,

completion

of his triumphant vi(5tory. The changes

that Chriftianity has

made

hitherto in the world do not anfwer the grandeur and

magnificence of the prophecies, as fhall be fully explained in

the fecond Part.

PROPOSITION
God
two
were
did not divide the loft fons

LX.
into
to

of

Adam

maffes,

of which the
from

fmaller

and

leffer,

whom

alone he gives efficacious internargraces,

all

deftin'd

eternity to falvation; while

the far greater and

more numerous,

to

whom

he

refufes thefe efficacious graces,

were abandon'd

from the beginning

to eternal perdition.

Kkk

442.

OF NATURE IN A

Book VI.

DEMONSRATION.
The
purify,

internal graces necefTary to enlighten, enliven, cure,

and

reftore lapfed beings are univerfal, unlimited,

and

refufed to

none

(a)

all

lapfed beings will at

laft

be pardoned

and re-efhblifh'd (b): therefore the propofition is manifeft.

SCHOLIUM.
One of the
greateft fcandals that ever

was brought upon

Chriftianity, arifes

from the

falfe

opinions that have been

the vulgar about prefaith

fprcad abroad in the fchools and

deftination

among

and reprobation. All the other myfteries of

have nothing fo fhocking; the do6lrine of the Trinity and

Incarnation feem incompatible with the ideas

we have of
at-

God's unity and natural perfe<n:ions;but the fcholalUc fchemes

of predeftination and reprobation deflroy
tributes.
all

God's moral

The

former, as

we have fhewn,

are only

incom-

prehenfible by reafon;but the latter feem diametrically oppofite to it.

We Ihall not enter here

and Sub-lapfarians; of the
Fatalifts

into an

exa^ enumeration of

all

the different fe6ls and fentiments of the Predeftinarians; nor

therefore examine the various fyftems of the Supra-lapfarians
Janfenifts

and Molinifts, of the

and Congruifts; of the Thomifts and Auguftinians, and Remondrants.

all

of the

Calvinifts

We

fhall far lefs enter

into the detail of

fuges,

the

little

metaphyfical quibbles, fubterdifferent parties endea-

and refinements by which thefe

palliate the

vour to

confequences of their dangerous or atbeft

very imperfe<n: fchemes; in order to reconcile the goodnefs

(a) Prop.

LVII.

(b) Prop. LVIII,

Book VI.
and

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
fhew wherein
confifts the eflence

443

knowledge of God with the freedom of man.

Wc conand
diffe-

fine ourfelves to

rence of the two principal fyftems of the rigid and mitigated

Predeftinarians.

The one pretends that antecedent to all prefcience of merit, or demerit, God by a pure ad of his abfolute will, and fovereign dominion over the creatures, for reafons incomprehenfible to mortals, divided

from

all

eternity

mankind

into

two

mafles; one
;

deiftined to eternal

happinefs as

monuments
end he
fo or-

of his goodnefs

and the other to abfolute eternal mifcry^ for

the glory of hisjuftice.

That

to accomplifh this

dered their

ftate that all

men were involved

in guilt

and corfiiial-

ruption, and out of this corrupt fyftem he deftined the

ler part to eternal life,

and refolved to give them

all

faving

and of

efficacious graces to accomplifh inevitably his great decree

:

prediledion while he refufed the fame neceffary and efficaci-

ous graces to the moft part of men, and thereby abandon'd

them

to their natural corruption,

fin.

and

to all the fatal confe-

quences of original

It will

be very hard, yea abfolutely

impoffible for thefe doftors to excufe the divine jufticc,

and

not to accufe
thor of fin.

God
They

of the higheft cruelty, yea

of being the au-

indeed deny thefe horrible confequences,

and cry out

O altitudo!

but this folves no

difficulties.

The more
tination
is

moderate Predeflinarians pretend that predef^

it is

confequent to prefcience; that

nothing

elfe

but a preparation of all the means by which

his decree

of predilection to

God accomplifhes a Httle number, who he forcfaw

;

would correfpond

to his graces
loft

that he refufes neceffary fjcfal-

cours to none of the

fons of Adam, and fo renders the

k k 2

444
vatlon of

OF

NATURE
but he afTures

IN A
it

Book

VI.

all pofTible;

only to the

eleft; that

he conld have given congruous and

all,

efficacious graces to fave

but that he would not do fo for reafons incomprehcnfible;

efFcifl

that tho' eledion be an

of pure grace, and an abfolute

is

decree independent of
fe(5l

all

merit; yet reprobation

fin,

mere

ef-

of demerit, ofobftinacyin

and

final

impenitence, to
infallible prefci-

w hich God no way

cnce, or

contributes, either

by

by any

pofitive decree.

This doctrine however miHere the defenders of this

all

tigated feems to

impeach the divine goodnefs, that could have

fo.

faved

all

and yet would not do

mitigated fcheme hke their rigid brethren refolve

into a

myftery, and cry out alfo

altitudo!

without folving a-

ny

objeflions.

There

is

no doubt

a confiderable difference betwixt thefe

as

two fyftems; the former,

God's juftice, and
all

we have
all

faid,
;

feems to deftroy

his

moral attributes

whereas the fccond

feems only to bound his goodnefs:

in the three following points,
eternal, the
i
.

however equally agree

to

That reprobation is

be

damned

for ever unconvertible,

2.

God

unappeafe-

ablc ; and infernal pains everlafting.

That all the virtues

and damnati-

or vices, actions and pafTions, fidelity and infidelity, corref-

pondcnceand

refiflance, that lead to falvation

on, were forefeen as infallibly, certainly, and inevitably fu'

ture.
fix'd

3.

That

the

number of the

ele6l

and reprobate
to,

is

fo

and immutable that not one can be added

nor re-

trenched from that determinate number; and that the decrees

of prcdeftination and reprobation regard not difpofltions and chara6lcrs, but particular pcrfons and individuals.

We have already fliewn in fpeaking of the general re-cfla-

BookVI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D state.
firft

445

blifhment of all beings, that the

compatible with
all

opinion

is

abfolutely in-

the moral attributes of God; and

it

we

fhall

fliew in the fecond part that

has no foundation in fcripture,

yea that it

is

diametrically oppofite to exprcfs revelation.

We

have alfo fhewn in fpcaking of prefcience that the fecond opi-

nion

is

abfolutely falfe,

and a mere

ficflion

of the fchoolmen.
is

We

fliall

now fhew

that the third opinion

not founded in

fcripture,

and that the do6lrine of St. Paul infinuatcs no fuch

predeflination
clear
lyfis

and reprobation of

individuals.

In order to

up

this

important matter,
the

we

fhall give

here a fhort ana-

of the

epiftle to

Romans, and eipecially of the eighth,

which
are the citadels,
Fatalifts.

ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters,

and bulwarks of the predeftinarian

ter

Before we ento premife

parties.

upon

this great

and important

fubject,

it is fit

fome great
1

principles that are unconteftcd by

any

If there be any expreflions in fcripture which feem clear-

ly and dire6lly oppofite to the nature

of God, or

to other

moft

cxprefspaffagesofholy writ, and to the whole analogy of faith,

they are not to be explain'd in a

ftrift, literal,

obvious, and

grammatical

fenfe.

Thus when

hands, feet and

human mem-

bers ; fury, wrath, hatred, vengeance, and other

fions, arc afcribed to

inhumane paf-

God

in fcripture, they are not to be in-

terpreted in a literal fenfe.

2. It
is

certain that all the

Greek church and the mod: part

that the

of the Latin, that many of the Chrillian fchools both of the

Roman and
fiderable

Protcftant

communion;

two moft con-

and learned churches of the world, the church of

the church of England have a facred abhorrence

Rome and
of the

rigid predeftinarian

fchcmc; and always interpreted the

44^

OF NATURE IN A

Book

VL

darker expreffions contained in this epiftle to the

Romans, of
in the
e-

a predeftination to grace and not to glory, of external fuc-

cours that are altogether independent of

creatures,

all fidelity

and not of abfolute perfonal decrees that regard

and mifery.
'

ternal life
3. St.
*

Peter afTures us (a)

that in the epiftles

of St. Paul

there are

fome things hard

to be underftood,

which the undeflruflion/

learned and the unliable wreft to their

text

own

This

makes fome think

that thefe expreffions

of St. Pe-

ter regard thofe palFages

wherein the apoftle fpeaks of predefis

tination

and reprobation, and therefore that great care

to

be taken not to explain them in a manner that deftroys hu-

man freedom

or the divine goodnefs, the culpability of the

creature, or the fan6tity

of the Creator.
be a pure
is

4. All grant that tho' predeftination

effet

of

God's gratuitous bounty; yet reprobation

a neceffary con-

fequence of the creature's obftinacy, corruption and voluntary malice.

Predeftination to eternal
life is

not an

efFeft

of

merit, tho' reprobation be an effcdi

is

of demerit.

Predeftias cre-

nation

a free

a<5l

of God's communicative goodnefs

ation was.
beatific
free,

The creature by its fidelity can never merit the vifion God has attached the one to the other by a
;

generous beneficence; and

thefchools fay not

we merit by our fidelity as ex condigno, sed ex coNGRUo.Our

is

free co-operation with divine grace

a purely occafional,

and

not a meritorious caufe, as

we have

fully explained in talking

of the nature of

liberty.

Thefe great

principles premifed,

we come now

to the analyfis prpmifed.

(a) St. Peter II. ch.iii. 16.

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
of the
firfl:

447
is

The
ledge of
*

fiibftance

chapter of the
left

Romans

to

fheWjthat the Pagans were not

God,

fince his

eternal

knowpower and Godhead were

fufficient
*

without a

manlfefted to them by the external works of the creation,'

infpiration

and the Inward

*

of

univerfal reafon,

or wifdom

comes into the world; that they were Inexcufable bccaufe knowing God, they did not
that enlightens every
that
glorify
tible

man

God, but changed the glory of his incorrupnature into an Image made like to corruptible manr
as

him

and

in fine that they

were abandoned to uncleannefs, and

hearts, becaufe they

the lufts of their

own

changed thus the

'

truth of God into a

lie;'

attach'd themfelves to thefign, forfo fell into grofs idolatry.

got the thing

fignified,

and

In the fecond chapter

St.

Paul teaches that notwithftan-

dlng this corruption of the Gentiles, yet

we ought not

to
fa-

judge them as altogether abandon'd of God, without any

ving graces, becaufe
*
'

with

fons, that the Gentiles

God there is no refpecl: of perwho have not the revealed law, have
will accufe or excule

law written in their hearts, which

in the

them

day when

that theuncircumcifed

God /hall judge the fecrets of men; may keep the righteoufnefs of the ehe
is

'

ternal law, as well as the circumcifed; that

not a Jew,

who

is

only fo outwardly, nor

is

true circumcifion that

of

the flefh ; but he Is a

Jewwho

is

one inwardly, and

true clr-

cumcifion

is

that

of the

heart.'

In the third chapter the fublime apoftle teaches, that tho'

the Jews have great advantages above the Gentiles, yet they
are not really dearer to

equally under fin,

God than the Gentiles, fince they are and fince God is the common JE^ather of

44S
fplrits
*

OF
and lover of
be

NATURE
fouls
'

IN A
exa(5t

Book VI.
obfervation of

that

by the works of the law no

flefli fliall

juftificd;' that is

not by an

all

the

rites,

ceremonies and facramcnts of revealed religion,

faith,

but by divine grace and faving

law,
*
'

without the deeds of the

becaufeGod

is

the

God

of the Gentiles, as well as that

of the Jews.'
In the fourth chapter he fhews that Abraham was not juf-

tified
;

by works, or by an

exa6l obfervance
is,

of the ceremonial
and trem-

law but by

faith;

that
*

not by a fpeculative belief of in-

comprehenfible truths,
*

for fo the devils believe

ble;'

butby

a perfe(5tfubmifrion, facrifice,

and

a total aban'

doning of himfclf to the divine will in all things,

*

which was
was

imputed

to

Abraham

for righteoufnefs, even before he

circumcifed:' and that he received thefignof circumcifion,

as a fcal

of the righteoufnefs which he had already while he

that fo

was uncircumcifcd,
ail

he might be a

common

father

of

truly fpiritual believers,

whether they be circumcifed or

not.

In the

fifth

chapter the great apoftle fhews the univcrfal

extent of divine grace; and that by the meritorious facrifice

of the Redeemer all the lapfed fons of Adam

claimed, recovcr'd,
'

will at
*

lafl:

be reof-

and

re-eflablifhed, becaufe
all

as

by the

fence of one man, judgment came upon

on, fo by the righteoufnefs of one,
the juftification of
as in
life;'

to condemnati-

'

all ftiall

one day receive

(a),

'

and

as

he fays in another place

Adam all
as

died, even foinChrifl: ihall all be

made
of

alive.'

This,

we

lliall

fhcw

in the fccond Part,

is

the burthen
all

of
his

St. Paul's fong,

(a)
I

and the

fubftantial capital docHirinc

Cor. XV. 22.

Book VI.
epiiHes
;

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
efpecially the

449

and

key

to

what he

writes to the

Ro-

mans.

In the

fixth chapter, left the

Romans

fhould abufc this

doarine of univerfal

reftitntion, St.

Paul teaches them that

to the bea-

none can ever enjoy

tific

eternal

life,

nor be admitted

vifion, but thofe that die to all created objeftsj

'

wherefore

muft be buried with Chrift by fpiritual baptifm;' that we muft be throughly cleanfed, wafhed, and that the old man muft be crucipurified in the inward man

he fays that we

'

fied; that the

body of fin muft be

deftroy'd; that as Chrift

was
fo

raifed

<

we

up from the dead by the power of the Father, even muft rife again to a new life otherwife we cannot en;

joy the gift of God, which

is

eternal falvation,'
'

<

In thefeventh chapter St. Paul fays, that while men are intheflefti,' under the bondage and flavery of corporeal ob'

je(5ts,
*

the paflions

work

in

our members the fruits of death,

to follow thofe

by the knowledge of the law that forbids us

paffions,' becaufe corrupt nature
is
is

'

violently inclined to eve-

ry thing that

forbidden; that

till

the law of love inveft,

transform and govern the heart,

all

external reftraints are initfelf

ducements to fm that tho'

;

'

the law in

be holy,

juft,

and

'

good,' yetw^hile
in the fpirit a flavery
calls
;'

we remain under

the power of corruption^

'

of the old man, the law appears a bondage and and in fine that the fuperior part of the foul which
fpirit

he

the mind, the inward man, the pure

may be fub-

mitted to the law of God, to the law of love, while the inferior part, the fenfes, and the imagination, are expofed to the
temptations, and aftauks of fm,
'
'

of

this

body of death, of

the law in the

members

that wars againft the law of the

Lll

450
*

OF NATURE IN A
many
more ample and

Book VI.

mind.'

Wc come now to the four critical chapters where

things hard to be underflood, and here our
extenfive.
*

there are

explications will be far

In the eighth chapter the apoflle teaches that

*

there

is

no

condemnation

to thofe that are in Jefus Chrifl::'

he fpcaks

not of thofe that make an external profcffion of the gofpcl,

that have received the baptifm
rical

of water,

that
all

know
the

the hiilo-

fads of the Bible, and that pradife

rites

and

fa-

craments of the
*

new
is

law;

but of thofe

the

flefii,

but after the

fpirit;

who walk not after for if any man have not this
tho' he enjoy externally

fpirit

of Chrill he

none of his,'

all

the privileges, and

know

fpeculativcly all the truths

'

of the

ChrifUan law.
*

The

apoftle adds

that

we cannot

be heirs
;'

and joint-heirs with Chrift, unlefs we fuffer with him

thefufFerings,pains and

that

all
*

combats of our prefent ftate,

work
thofe

together for the good of thofe that love

God;

that

all

whom God forefaw would be faithful to

that thofe

this divine love,

he

predefHnated them to be conformed to the image of his Son

whom

he predeftinated thus, he

calls

them by the

*
*

internal voice

of his eternal wifdom, that can alone fpeak to

the heart; that thofe

who

hear and follow this inward

call,

he renders them juft,'and thofe

'

whom he
And

'

thus

juftifies'

or

fan^lifies,

them he

alfo glorifies.'

in fine, that
foul,

by the

power of
he
its

divine grace

which transforms the

thofe

confum-

matesit in the divine unity, and makes us one with Chrift, as

is

one with the Father:

all

who

continue faithful to

fanftifying operations

become
'

fo flrong

and

fortified in

the habits of good, that neither

*

death nor

life,

principalities

nor powers, nor any other creature can feparate them from

Book VI.
*

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
This fublime
text explahis
in purifying

45-1

the love of God.*

only the oi"

der,

oeconomy, and gradation of divine grace

and

reftoring lapfed beings.

God

forefaw not in abfolute,

partial,

perfonal decrees and prediledions, but in the nature of free

agents,
all

when

they

fell

from

their primitive pre-exiftent ftate,

the different degrees of their corruption.

freely

He forefaw that
in
it,

thofe who would remain

and voluntarily

could

not be reclaim'd, but by future puniftiments; and

deftinated
all

fo

he prein-

of this kind and character to be purified by

fernal pains.

He

forefaw that if others furrendered them-

felves to his divine operations, that

he could and would puri-

fy

them throughly during

this Hfe.

Thofe he

predcflinated
his

by an Immutable and
conform themfelves

univerfal

law to be conformable to

only begotten Son; he forefaw that thofe

who would
life,

thus

to Jefus crucified in his

death,

and
in-

fuiferings, w^ould hear his

inward

voice, infplratlons,

and

vitations to die to felf andall created obje(^s; that thofe

who

follow^ed this internal

fied, fanftified

call,

would be thereby

purified, jufti-

and

at laft glorified; becaufe in the

order of

grace, there

is

a necelTary connexion betwixt thefe different

fhades and gradual operations.

The

apoftle does not fay

one

word of an

eternal
is

and

infallible prefcience

of future contin-

gencies; that

a contradiftlon in terms, incompatible with

deftru6tive

human liberty, and

difpofitions

of the divine goodnefs.

The

prefcience here fpoken of regards characters and not perfons,

and not individuals, the natural and neceffary con-

fequences of their free moral deUberatlons, and not thofe deliberations themfelves,
fible,

which

God

never forefees butaspof^

contingent, and conditional, whether that condition be

LIU

452

OF
Far
lefs

NATURE
we have

IN A

Book

VL

exprcffed or not; as
prefciencc.

fully fliewn in fpcaklng

about

does the fublime apoflle fpeak here of ar-

bitrary, partial, perfonal decrees,

by which

God predefti nates

number of individuals to falvation, and abandons all the others by name to their original corruption and its fatal confequcnccs. Thefe are two v^ild fi6tionly a
little

determinate

ons of the fchools, which have no foundation in the great apoftle's

dodrine, as will appear by the analyfis of the two

follov.'ing chapters.
St.

We beg our readers to go on,

he has already

and what
faid.

Paul adds

v.ill

fully explain Vv'hat

In the ninth chapter the apoftle fhews that the fource of

all

the obftinacy, ingratitude, incredulity and cruelty of the

to our Saviour, was, their interpreting all the promifes

Jews

made

to

Abraham,

Ifaac,

and Jacob of a temporal kingdom,

that were

of a vifiblechurch, and of thofe

according to the
flclh: St.

born of Abraham

Paul proves on the contrary that

thofe promifes are to be underilood of a fpiritual Canaan, a

fpiritual

kingdom, and a

fpiritual generation.
all

To

clear

up

this

important truth, he fhews that

Ifaac according to the

the defcendants of

A-

braham and

flefli,

were not members

were dear to God.

of the viable church,

tho' otherwife they

Thus Ifhmael and his pofterity were the children of Abraham by corporeal generation; yet they were not bleft with
the fame external graces and advantages as the Jews: but
this choice

and predcftination cannot regard

it

ejternal
*

glory
fo

and happinefs; fince

*

is

faid

elfewhere (a)

that

God
to

loved llhmael that he wrought a miracle for his prcfcrvation

;

that his angel fpoke

from heaven

to

Hagar
and

com-

'

fort her, exhort her not to fear for her fon,

(a)

to aiTure

Gen.

xxi.

17,

Book VI.
*

R E^ESTABLISH'D STATE.

453.

her that he would make the lad a great nation, and that he would be with him/ tho' he lived in the wildcrnefs

of

Paganifm; and tho' his poflerity were

confirms
lau.

to be deprived of all the privileges and advantages of the Mofaic law. St. Paul
this doftrine again

by

the example of Jacob and

E-

They were
'

both fons of Ifaac according to the

flefli;

and
*

yet

it

was

faid

before the children were born loner be-

fore they did any

good or
to
all

evil'

in this life, that

God

loved

Jacob, who according

interpreters reprefcnts the vifiblc

church, and that he hated Efau,

tiles,

who is a

figure

of the Gen-

or Pagan nations: becaufe he gave to the

all

members of

of the law, the prophets, and revealed religion but he hated Efau or the Pagans; that is, he behaved to them externally as if he hated or nccrlcaed
:

the vifible church,

the advantages

them, becaufe he refufed them thofe extraordinary

privileges,

This cannot be underltood of a real hatred and eternal reprobation without rendering fcrlpture contradi(5lory to itfelf; fince the Holy
religion.

and fublime advantages of revcal'd

and he hates nothing that he has made;' and fince St. Paul himfelf fays In this fame epiftle to the Romans, that as to eter*

Ghoft declares
that

elfevvhcre

'

that

God is

the lover of fouls,

nal
*

life,

and inward,

faving, fanftlfying graces

is

God
he

is

no

refpecler

of perfons, that he

equally the

God of the Jews

'

and the Gentiles,' and

in another cpilHc,

that

defircs

<

the falvation of all, and that Jefus Chrill: died for

to have undcrftood this text

all.'

The
better

Greek fathers feem

much

than the Latins; the Greek fathers exnlain'd

all St.

Paul's

reafonings in this chapter as relating to the external graces, and glorious privileges granted to the viable church; and not

454

OF NATURE IN A
to eternal

Book
life.

VL
Paul

of abfolute decrees of predeflination

continues to iliew that
vlfible advantages,

St.

God diftributes

thefe external favours,

and outward graces, not according to the

fidelity,

merit or demerit of creatures, their co-operation and

as
*

he does

his Internal, fan<5tifying graces.

It

is

not of him

that willeth nor

of him that runneth, but of God that fhewexternal favours, helps, and

eth mercy.*

The
and

means of

re-

vealed religion are not difpenfed according to the pious defires, a6livities,

virtues

of men. Very oft the Pagans had

more of
Jews,

thofe

good

defires,

and humane

virtues,

than the

of all

who were the moft perverfe, and the moft rebellious, nations. God diftributes thcfe outward favours, accor*

ding to the profound impenetrable views and defigns of his

eternal wifdom.

He fees what
of
all

is

moft proper for the

loft

final,

and

total re-eftablifhment

the

fons of Adam,

and and

places every

one of them

in the ftate

and circumftances that

his great plan;

are moft proper to accomplifh in

them
he

therefore
leges,
*
*

it is

faid,

that as to thefe external graces and privi-

he hath mercy on

whom

will have

mercy, and
his

compaffion upon

whom he will have compaftion:' but as

by immutable wifdom,
juftice,

wills are ever regulated

and

goodnefs; he has reafons

known

to himfelf,

why
them

he grants
to others.

thofe privileges to fome nations and refufes

He fees
and

that thefe external graces

would be

ufclefs to

fome,
5

ferve

only to augment their ingratitude and obftinacy

and

by thofe outward means, helps, and ordinances. He makes others members of the vi* fible church, bccaufe he fees that it is fitteft for them, and that
that they could not be reclaimed

they will profit by thefe falutary fuccours.

He leaves a

third

Book VL
fort

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
in the

453-

of men

tages,

bofom of Paganlfm without thefe advanbecaufe he knows how to fupply them by his inward

graces and operations.

are not deprived

Thofe souls of good

religion becaufe

will
fees it

of revealed

God

would be
henfible

ufelefs;

but becaufe in the depths of his incompreto fipply the

wifdom he knows how

All
is

want of thefe

external fuccours.

regulated with weight,

number and

meafure; and not one foul efcapes the view of almighty love.

This wonderful oeconomy of providence fuited to the nature and difpofitions of every creature and nation, will be one day
afubjc6t of furprize, adoration and love,

when

all

the plan of

providence

fhall

be unvailed.

To

confirm what he has faid

of the inefficacy of all external

privileges

and graces, the

all

a-

poftle adds that prodigies, miracles,

and

the moft extra-

ordinary efFeds of almighty power, far from converting, truly, ferves

fometimes to harden the heart.

Thus he
all

quotes

the example of Pharaoh.

digies

Tho'

that prince faw

the pro-

and miracles of Mofes; yet he was not converted, but harden'd his heart, notwithlbnding all the wonders of omnipotence.

Then he

adds this har/li and fhocking expreflion

to their

which the Predeftinarians have wrefted

tion,
*
'

own

deflruc-

therefore hath he

cy,

and

whom

he

wills

whom he will have merhe hardneth.' The meaning of this

mercy on
di-

text cannot be that

God

hardens the hearts of men by a

reS:, immediate influence; or

by the refufing his falutary

criminal and inconvertible.

graces, in order to

make them
is,

Here the
*

effefts are

put for the caufe; and fo the fenfe of this

that
'

tremendous paffage

the bad ufe

external graces, ferves to harden the

we make of the heart, and make it

45<^
'

OF
obftlnate in

NATURE
its

IN A
God

Book

VL

more

corruption.'
if

never abandons us

till

we abandon him, and

it is

he refufes external or internal

ufelefs,

graces

bccaufe he fees they will not only be

but be

pernicious to fouls arrived to a certain pitch of voluntary rebellion,

and

perverfity.
is

He fees that
impofTible,

their converfion

and pu-

rification in this life

and that nothing can ex-

tirpate their

profound corruption but infernal pains; and fo

to the free exercife

he abandons them

of their voluntary, deholy and great

liberate malice in order to accompliih his wife,

dcfigns.

This myfterious condu(5l: of providence fhocks very

and makes them
fay.

oft unthinking minds,

If all this be

fo,

u God diftributes
'

to

fome perfons and nations external

fuc-

cours, graces, and means,

which he

refufes toothers,

'

does he find fault with them?'

Theapoflle

anfvvers,
fhall the

why O!
'

man what art thou that

thus ?

repHeffagainfl
it

God?
haft

thing

form'd fay to him that formed

why

thou made

me

Hath not the potter power over the

clay to

make one

'

veffel to

honour, and another unto difhonour.'

The meanvirtue,

ing of this text cannot be that

ty has a right to
love and eledion,

God by a pure aO: of fovcreignveffels

make fome men

and others

of honour,

veffels

of diflionour, vice, wrath

and damnation.
cious,

God

has

no

right to

make

his creatures vi-

nor even to

damn them

eternally,

whatever be their realtogether unhis attributes,

bellion and wickcdncfs, unlcfs they

become

convertible; becaufe

God has no
and

right to

deny

contradict his fan6lity,

become the author of

fin,

defeat his

own end

in creating,

ccafe to be eternal love.

The

pre-

dcftinarian interpretation cannot then be the

meaning of the

text;otherwifc

it

would be fufpedcd of being interpolated and

BookVI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D state.
by the impious
Fatallfls

457
of the

foiftcd into the facred oracles

The true meaning of St. Paul muft be far more profound and worthy of God. He puts an objection in the mouths of thofe who complain of the unequal difdark and ignorant ages.
tribution

of God's external graces, granted

he

to

fome and refufhew one day

fed to others. The apoftle anfvvers, that

will

that as a wife potter he adorns according to his great plan

veffels

fome

with beautiful external forms, and leaves others with-

out thefe comely ornaments, becaufe he knows

life

how to make
work.

of the graceful and ugly

velFels in his great

He

knows how to employ both revealed rehgion and the

chofen fouls of all nations.
lights

privati-

on of it to gather together from the four corners of the world'

Some
vifible

are bleft with the glorious

and

privileges

of the

church

others are left in

the
till

bofom of Paganifm: but God abandons none of them, they abandon him. He will fhew that he is the lover of
Father of fpirits; that he defires the falvation of all,
refufes his faving internal graces to none, tho'

fouls, the

and that he

he

feems to abandon fome by refufing external aids to them.

apoftle goes
tiles,
*

The

on

to

fhew

that both
vifible

among the Jews and Gen'

in

and out of the

church,

God

endures with

much
on,'

long fufFering the

veffels

of wrath

fitted for deftrucliall

by

their voluntary deUberate abufe of

external

and

internal graces,

and that can be reclaimed only by

alfo the riches

hell-tor-

ments.
*

He will manifeft

of his glory on the

alfo

veffels

of mercy not only among the Jews, but

among

the Gentiles,' in the

womb of the church,

*

and the bofom of

Paganifm,

'

whom he before prepared unto glory,' that is, duby predetcrminating

ring this mortal (late of probation; not

Mmm

438
'

OF
Thus

NATURE
graces,

IN A
and by
*

Book
God

VI.

decrees,' but

by preventing

his internal opewill call

rations.
*

the prophet Hofea fays,

that

them
that

his people that

were not

his people,

and her b.noved

was notbeloved,and thefe that were not

living

my people, the
the
firll:

fonsof the
to

God.'

This cannot be meant of the Genalong of what

tiles

whom the gofpel was promulgated foon after

Hofea
at the
it.

advent.

in his

prophecy fpcaks

all

is

to

happen
precede

fecond advent, and the judgments that are to

text

This

then mufl: be underftood of all the

eleft

that are to inherit the glorious kingdom,

and form
'

at the laft

day a church without fpot and

*

blemifli,

when
ftiall

all

the chil-

dren of Judah and all the children of Ifrael

be gathered

'

together under one head (a)' as the prophet adds in the fame
It
is

place.

then that

God

will fhew, that in the

bofom of

Paganifm he had holy and pure fouls, tho' they were not members of the vifible church.
fhall fee
'

Then, continues

the apoftle,

men

that the Gentiles

who followed not

after righteouf-

nefs attained to righteoufnefs, even the righteoufnefs

is

which

'

of faith

;'

not a fpeculative faith by which the devils believe

a faving, internal, fanOifying truft

and tremble, but

and con-

fidence in, a total adherence and refignation to God's internal

graces, tho' they did not follow the righteoufnefs

of the law,
reli-

and were deprived of the fublime advantages of revealed

gion.

Men

fhall alfo fee at the laft day,

*

'

that Ifrael,' or the

members of the vifible church,

that bferved the
religion,
rit
*

that followed the law,'

and

rites,

ordinances, and facraments of revealed

attained not to the law

is

of righteoufnefs,' to the
it

fpi-

of the law which

Hofea
i.

love,

'

'becaufe they fought

not by

(a)

lo, ii.

BookVI.
*

RE-ESTABLISH'D state.
by the works of the
law.'

45^

faith but

They
and

fought not true

total refignation

lighteoufnefs and juftice

by an

internal

of their powers by
his

to

God, to be vivified, illuminated and actuated

life, light,

and love; but by an outward obfervation of

external rites

and ordinances, that can never juftify.

The
*

a-

poftle concludes this chapter

by declaring

that this dov5lrine

pale,

of univerfal grace and

*

falvation out

of the facred

will

be a ilumbhng-ftone and a rock of offence

laid in Zion,' a-

mong the members ofthevifible church,

tors
*

the Pharifaical docall

and Judaizing Chriflians;

fhall not be alhamed.'

but that
the

thofe

who believe

it,

For

Greek word tranflated by

the perfonal pronoun

Him

fhould be tranflated by the de-

mon ftrative one

It.

In the tenth chapter the apoftlefhews that the zeal of the

Jews was not according

confided

to

knowledge; that not underdanfan<5lity lay,

ding wherein true juftice and

in a faithful

they beUeved that it

pra<5lice

fubmifHon

to,

and

of the

rites

and-ceremonicsof the ancient law, and in a fpeculative belief

of its miraculous
and

fa(5ls

without entering into the

fpirit

of

it,

and of the truths intended, and adumbrated by all its fymbols

figures; that the righteoufncfs

of true faving

faith lies in

a belief of the heart, and in a total furrender of the foul to the illuminations of the eternal

the heart be not fufHcient,

Word. unlefs we

Now tho' this belief of

confefs with the

mouth

the divine myfteries of revealed religion

when

they are re-

vealed to us; yet to thofe who live and die in an invincible ig-

norance of thefe facred truths,

heart, that
is,

it

fufRces to beHeve with the

to furrender ourfelves to the purifying, illumi-

nating operations of the eternal Logos.

The reafon St. Paul

Mmm2

460
*

OF
Jew and

NATURE
is,

IN A
God
is
*

Book VI.

gives for this do(5trme

rits,

that before
fouls, there

the Father of fpidifference betwixt

and the lover of

no

the

the Greek,' between the

members of
*

the vi-

fible
*

church and thofe that are not

[o; fince

the fame

God

is

the

Lord of all and rich to them

that call

upon him' not by

the words of the mouth, but by the inward cry of the heart;

whatever be their nation or

or Chriftian;

religion,

Jew

or Gentile,

Pagan
in

Mahometan
*

or heretic.
fhall the

The apoftle then procall

pofes a difficulty,
'

How

Pagans

upon him

w^hom they have not believed, and how

fhall

they believe in

'

him of whom they have not heard; and how fhall they hear without a preacher; for faith comes by hearing and hearing
by the word of God.' Vulgar
interpreters explain all this

of the external promulgation of the gofpel to the Jews: but it is manifeft that this cannot be the fenfe of the text, for in the
following verfe the great apoftle adds ;
*
*

Have they not heard?

all

yes verily; their found went forth unto

earth,

the ends of the

and

their

words unto the utmoft extremities of the

world.'

This, as

we fliall more fully demonftrate hereafter

is

in the fecond Part,

a pafTage taken

from the

pfalmifl:, where-

in the royal prophet fhews that

to
all

God

has manifefled himfelf

nature, or

nations, either

by the external voice of

and twenty years
falfe that

by

the inward infpiration of his eternal wifdom.

Now when St.

after

Paul wrote
our's death,

this epiftle four

it

our Savi^

was abfolutely

the external preachit

ing had been

to the ends
part of

made to all

the earth, and that

this

was gone forth

of the world; for to

very day the far greater

mankind

in the fcveral ages fince the

promulgation of
that

the gofpel, have not heard of it.

But Judaizing Chriilians

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
all

461

look upon the external favours granted

as the only faving graces, Interpret

to the vifible church,

of an outward converof Chrlftia-

fion to the facred worlliip

nity.

and

fpcculative belief

The apoftle

adds that

this do(5trine
*

of

unlverfal grace
I will

will irritate Judaizing minds.

*

Mofes

fays

of them,

provoke you to jealoufy by them that are no people, and by

a foolilh nation I will anger you.' This fublime doctrine of
left in

inward, faving graces granted to hidden fouls

foni

the bo-

of Paganifm,

idolatry, fuperftition,

and error will incenfc

the Pharifaical Chriftians as well as the Incredulous Jews,

when they
ter

hear that

God is found of them that afked

all

not afall

him, while he fays of the chofen nation that had

the

advantages of revealed religion, and to

bers of the vifible church
*
;

the corrupt

mem-

'

all

day long

have ftretched forth

my hands unto a difobedient and gainfaying people.'

In the eleventh chapter the apoftle unfolds the whole niy-

ftery
*

of unlverfal grace and redemption.

cafl:

God,

fays he, hath

not

away

his people;' tho' they

*

be no more members
as well

of the vifible church.

*

He is ftill
all

the

God of the Jews

as

of the Gentiles;' and

the pofterity of thofe incredueffe(n:s

lous crucifiers of Jefus are not excluded from the

his bounty,

of

nor from the operations of his internal graces,

tho' they are deprived

of the outward and acceffory means.

For

as

God

faid to Elias

of old v^hen the Jewifh church

*

fell

into an almoft unlverfal defection,

have referved to myfelP

that have not
is

hid and
'

unknown

'

feven thoufand

men

bow-

ed the knee before Baal.' Juft fo there

in all generations
*

at prefent

and has

been
*

remnant according

to the election

of grace/ that are chofen by the

internal, faving, fanc1:ifying

4^2
attraflions

OF

NATURE
rites,

IN A

Book VI.
their faithful

of the Father, the illuminations of the Son, and

the infpirations of the

Holy Ghoft, and not by

obfervation of the external

facraments and ordinances

of the evangelical law: for other wife grace would be no more

grace; that
is

independent of all the external privileges and

all

favours granted to the vifible church, and antecedent to

the merits, activities and co-operations of the creature.

The'

then the moft part of the Jews have not attained to the true
righteoufnefs of the law,

which comes only by

faving faith

vet the chofen faithful fouls

it;

among them have and will obtain

by previous, predeterminawhich render men
in the exa<5l

while the

reft are

blinded, not

ting, abfolute decrees

and

preteritions,

blind,
felves,

wicked and reprobate ; but becaufe they blinded them-

by

a falfe perfuafion

and confidence
up

ob-

fervation

of the ceremonial law, which

therefore
;'

gives not the true fpi-

rit;and
*

God gave them

to a fpiritual

flumber

and lethargy

or rather they have fallen into it by their vo-

luntary infidelity, obftinacy, and attachment to the letter of

the law; fo that

*

they have eyes to

fee'

the figure

'

without
to

knowing the

reality,

and ears to hear' externally but not

*

hear the voice within.

They
;

have not ftumbled that they

fhould

fall,'

as if

God had

denied them the graces neceftary

to prevent their defection

but he has permitted in the wife

courfe of his providence, yea and ordained that they fliould

ceafe to be the vifible church, the depofitaries
oracles,

of

his facred

and the guardians of the true

to excite the

faith.

By this

tranfpor-

tation

of the external means and graces from the Jews to the

is

Gentiles, God's defign

jealoufy, that they

Jews

to emulation

and

may amend and

reform.

Their

infidelity

Book VI.
is

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
a
'

4^3
world to

become
if

mean of

light

and

falvatlon to the Gentiles.

However
*

their rejedion be the reconciling the

God,' and the manifeihtion of divine truth to the Pagans,

what

fhall their reviving be,' or their return to the vifible

it

church?

muft be fomething more magnificent than what

promulgation of the gofpel; and the
efta-

happened

at the firft

blifhment of a

vifible

church among the Gentiles upon

:

this

corrupt, degraded earth

it

mud: be the glorious reign of the

Mefliah after the

refurrc<5lion,

when

the eleft both

among
till

the Jews and Gentiles fhall be gathered in from the four corners of the world, and reign with Chriil:
final reftitution
*

upon

earth,

the

of all things.

not to

boafl:'

of the

Take care then O Gentiles privileges jou now receive by becoming

*

members of the
* *

vifible

church:

the Jews were the natural

branches, you are as wild Olive-trees ; if God fpared not the

natural branches, take care
left

he

alfo fpare
fhall alfo

not you,
be cut

if you

do not continue
all

in goodnefs,

you

off,'

and

deprived of

the glorious advantages of the vifible church

and
*

if the

grafted in'

Jews abide not ftill in unbelief, they fliall be and become members not only of the vifible

church, but of the glorious church which Jefus Chriftis very

foon to come and eflablifh upon earth,

when
'

there will be
fhall

no

more any
ly;
*

fin or fuffering;

but

all

the

members

be ho-

and the whole without fpot or blemifh:

for I

would not

have you to be ignorant of

;

this myftery,'

of the glorious
till

kingdom
*

'

that blindnefs has

happened

to the Jews,

the

fulnefs

of the Gentiles fhould be

called' to the
'

fame exter-

nal graces and advantages: but at length the true Ifraelites fhall
*

be faved, and gathered

in'

from

all

the places and

'

countries

4(^4
*

OF NATURE IN A
fcattered;*
vifible

Book VI.

where they are now where

and become not members and

of a

church mixed with good and bad feed,but of a gloall fliall

rious church

be truly
it is

fan6tified,

their cor-

ruption totally extirpated ; fince

*

written

there fhall

come

outofZion a deliverer, that fhall turn away ungodhnefs from

Jacob, for this
is

my covenant with
men

them,

when

I will take
firft

away

their fins.'

This cannot be underflood of the

are mortal, they cannot

co-

ming

jfince while

become imfrom

peccable.

This is the glorious delivery of the

Ifraelites

the fpiritual Egypt, and their return to the true land of Ca-

naan promifed
promifed by
*

to

Abraham and

his feed,

when God will

This
is

re-

eftablifhthe earth in its primitive beauty.

all

the delivery

the prophets, and the burthen of their fong.

God's

gifts

and promifes are without repentance.'

He has

not, he cannot change his final defigns, nor be frufirated in

his ultimate end.

He faid to Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob,that he

a feed that

would

raife

themup

was

to inhabit the promifed

land forever and ever.

He did not underftand thereby a little

globe called Canaan; but the gloriAll his promifes recar-

canton of this
ous earth
gard

terrefirial

re-efiablifiied

and renewed.
obje61:s,

fpiritual

and eternal

and not temporal and

elefl

nal blefiings.

This glorious reign with the

lalt

upon the

earth renewed, will not however be the

fcene of provi-

dence, nor the total confummation of

all

things.

At

length

both Jews and Gentiles

red
'
,

ftiall

be recalled, redeemed and refto-

God concluded all in unbeHef, that he might have mercy upon all.' He fhut up all nations, all fouls, and all lap'

for

fed fpirits, in a ftate

of darknefs,
'

privation,

and banifiiment

from

lias

luminous prefcnce,

that he

might one day have

Book VI.
*

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
all.

4^5
ufe

mercy upon

O the depth of the riches both of the vvifof God/

dom and knowledge

who knows how to make

evil,
all

not only of phyfical

evil to

cure moral

but of unbelief,
lapfed be-

darknefs, and corruption itfeif to cure for ever

ings of their apoftacy, and confirm
'

them

againft a relapfe

His judgments are unfearchable and pad finding out. Weak fuperficial minds are fcandalized at the ftrange event of
man's
fall

and degradation

they cannot imagine

evil

how the leaft

fhadow of moral and phyfical

vernment of an
'

could happen under the go-

infinitely

powerful, wdfe and good Being.

But who hath known

his counfellor?*

mind of God, or who hath been Whatman is there upon earth that knows
the
all its

the plan of providence in

binations
in

extent?

all

the infinite

com-

by which he is one day to accompHfh his great end creating? how he will drav/ good out of evil, light out of This muit be
fo,

darknefs, order out of confufion?

God
to

Is

irreconcileable to fin, but not to the finner; he hates the crime

but he loves the criminal;

'

for of him, and by

him and

him

are all things;' all fouls

mufl:

by him a^lually, and

abandon

come from him originally, fubfilt return to him finally. He cannot

all fpirits

his rights over

them, and mufl draw

to

himfelf as their infinite center.

By

this univerfal reftitution

of all lapfed beings

'

he wall be for ever and ever

a6t

glorified y
far fupcri-

vea becaufe of this wonderful

of omnipotence
alone,

or to creation, glory belongs to

tures nothing but

him

and

to the crea-

fhame and confufion. They have been the only caufes of all the evil that happened, and God the only efficient caufe of all the good that can befall them in this life,
after this life,

and during

all eternity.

Nnn

466^

OF
five

NATURE

IN A

Book

VL
of

The

following chapters of the epiftleto the

Romans
any

contain nothing that wants explication; they are a chain

moral precepts and

inftru^lions, very intelligible without

commentary.

According

to this analyfis, the doctrine

all

of the

apolHe to the Romans, and confequently to

the Gentiles,

and the whole Pagan

after

w^orld that

was then, or that fhoiild hereto the four following forts

be converted, may be reduced

of principles.
1

Tho'

all

mankind were not equally members of the

of revealed
religion, yet

vl-

fible

church, and favoured with the fupernatural advantages

privileges

and

God

left

none of the
their hearts
all

Pagans without a tcftimony, and

law written in

and fupplied by
means.

his internal graces the w^ant

of

external

He

refufes thofe internal graces to

none of whatever
and

country, age or religion they be.

He fpeaks continually,
to
all

fpoke from the time of the

fall,

mortals, either

by the

voice of nature, that manifefts his

power and Godhead, or

wifdom; which has
to the ends

by

the internal whifpers

of

his eternal

been heard through all the earth, and

in Afia,

of the world

and Europe,

in Africa,
;

and America, from Eaft to

Weft, from North to South

partial refpefl

becaufe with
is

him

there

is

no

of perfons; and becaufe he

equally the

God

of the Jews and the Gentiles, of the members of the

vifible

church, and of thefe that are not, of Chriftians and Pagai:^.

2. It
is

vain and abfurd in the

to think that they are dearer

members of the vifible church to God, than the reft of manthe works of the law, and

kind, becaufe he has given

them external graces and fuccours.

t)y

To think that we can

a faithful obfervation

be faved

of the

rites,

ordinances and facraments

BookVI.
of revealed

RE-ESTABLISH'D state.
religion;
is

4^7
not by
fa-

a Judaical delufion; fince

it Is

the works of the law, but by faith alone that

we can be

ved; not by a fpeculative belief of the hiflorical fafts, andfu-

blime myfteries of revealed religion; for fo the devils believe

and tremble; but by an internal refignation of all our powers

to the faving operations
rify

of divine grace, which alone can pu-

and

fancftify

the foul.

The

promifes

made to Abraham,

and

to his feed

do not regard any temporal advantages or exhehimfelfwas not juflified by the works
to the ceremonial law; but

ternal graces; fince

of circumcifion and obedience

ly

on-

by

this faith,

hope, and love of God, antecedent to the

flcfli.

circumcifion of the

By the

true Ifraelites are not to be

nnderflood the members of the

vifible

church; but

all

thofe
cere-

who
to

imitate the divine virtues

of the patriarchs.

The

monial law and moral precepts of revealed religion ferve only

irritate

our cupidity, felf-love and paflions, when w^e are not

;

governed inwardly by the love of God

incline to

becaufe naturally

we

what

is

forbidden, and are impatient of every thing

that reftrains our freedom.

vice

The Jews
;

abufed

all this lip-fer-

and fpeculative knowledge and

fell

into infidelity, fupen-

flition, falfe worfliip,

and even

idolatry;

by mifunderlhnding

the true fenfe of all the fymbols, figures, >Qnd facrifices of the

Mofaical religion

as the

Pagans adulterated, miftook and derites,

graded

all

the fymbols and

emanations and traditions

of the
3.

patriarchal religion.

By an

eternal,

Immutable, and univerfal law,

fliall

God

has

decreed, that

none

enter Into the

kingdom of heaven
fuffer-

but thofe that are conformed to Jefus crucified, in his

ings, death

and

refurre<5lion.

This predeftination

is

not a

Nnn2

4^8

OF

NATURE
two great
fefts,

IN A

Book VL.
might
di-

free, arbitrary act

of foverelgnty; but a confequence of die

after the fall,

foreknowledge he had that mankind

vide themfelves into

by voluntary

free choice,

and unconftrained deliberation; and that the one by adhering to the evil principle, would form a fpiritual Babylon, and
could not be converted or reclaimed but by hell flames; and
that others might freely fubmit
rations.

and adhere to

his divine opepartial,

He

forefaw this not in abfolute, previous,

perfonal decrees and preteritions; but in the nature of free agents,

when

they

fell

from

their primitive pre-exifrent ftate.

He

faw the

different degrees

of

their corruption,
this life or in
all

how

far

each of them was to be reclaimed in

another;

and made

this

immutable, univerfal law, that

thofe

who

were to be chofen fhould be made conformable

begotten Son. This
is

to his only

the only predeftinationSt.Paul fpeaks

of in

this epiftle.

Thefe decrees made from the beginning of

chara<5lers.

the world do not regard individuals, nor particular perfons;

but their difpofitions and

The fcholaftic opinion

of a determinate number predeftinated or reje^lcd from alleternity, is neither founded in fcripture nor tradition. No general council ever decreed
that the that

by an

univerfal, irreformable a<.%

is

number of the cle6t and damned

it is

fo

immutably fix d

none can be added or diminifhed.

places of fcripture
cleft

On the contrary, in
who have

many
'

infinuated that thofe

been once

and chofen

be blotted out of the

may become unfaithful and book of YifeJ Our perfonal eledion

fouls
fidelity

and reprobation therefore depend upon our

or

refif-

tance to the divine attractions, illuminations, and infpirations.

4.

Tho'predcdination and ck<5tion to eternal glory require

Book VI.
and fuppofe and

R E-E STAB LI SH'D STATE.

neceflarily

4^9
to the

our

fidelity

and correfpondence

external graces divine operations; yet predeftination to the favours, by which men become members of the vifible

church,

is

antecedent to and independent of all merit and de-

merit in particular perfons and nations.

The Jews

were no

more holy than the

conducive to the

Gentiles.

God

diftributes thofe external

graces according as he fees that they

final

may be

mofl: ufeful

and

re-elbblifhment of

all

lapfed beings.

He

forms fome glorious, others inglorious

veffels,

both of

of clay the fame mafs; but the fouls contained in thefe veffels the apofUe deare equally dear to him. As a proof of this,
clares that the promifes

made

to

Abraham

will

be accom-.
fouls

plifhed in their full fenfc to the true eleft

all

and chofen

of

nations, at his fecond

coming; when the true

to the
fpirit,

Ifraelites

and children of Abraham according

cording to the
flelh, fhall

and not ac-

be gathered in from the four corthe glorious king-

ners of the world, and

made members of

dom
vine

of the MefTiah; and

in fine all beings fhall

be reftored

to their primitive pcrfeftion,

wifdom and love: fubfifh by God, fo all mufl return

center.

by the wonderful depths of dibecaufe as all comes from God and

to

him as

their fource

and

By the help of the analyfis given, and the principles thence

derived,
epiftle

we hope we have found out a true key to this fublimc learned and able to the Romans; and that fome more

foon give us a continued exaft commentary all upupon every chapter and verfe of it, fo as to convince

hand
right

will very

hitherto minds of the bkfphemous paraphrafcs made unupon it by the Prcdeflinarians. Thefe fatalift doctors not

470
minds,

OF
wrefl:

NATURE
unto their

IN A
deftruflion
is

Book VL
all
it

derflanding the fenfe of the fcriptures, their wavering and unftable

own

that St.

Paul fays of predeftination.

The error

ancient,

began are-

mong

the Pharifees, was fupported

by the Manicheans,

newed in the ninth century by Godefcalchus, crufhed and condemned by the church; then revived by Wicklif, and
Hufs, and at
ed that
St.
laft

by Calvin.

The

lafl:

four authors pretenddif-

Auguftin was the doctor and patron of their

mal fcheme. Some deny this, and endeavour

explications

to give plaufible

of many dark and uncautious exprefTions of that

great faint. Others go to another extremity,

and pretend with

father Harduin that

St.

all

the works that pafs under the

name of
a

Auguftin are entirely fuppofitious; and invented by the

Fatallfls in later ages.

Others fay that

;

St.

AugufHn was
folid;

man of a
more

bright, African imagination

that his genius

was
and

exteniive than profound,

more fliiningthan

that in the heat of difputes againfl: the Pelagians he dropt

now and
upon
all

then
Paul,

many unguarded maxims, and commentaries

which the Fatahfts have greedily embraced in

St.

ages.

Others go further, and pretend that thofe dange-

rous and uncautious exprefTions of St. Auguftin, came from

his having
ftill

retained a fecret

and undifcovered

tinfture

of

the

Manichean herefy which allows of two

eternal principles

of evil and good.

Now there

is

nothing that approaches nea-

rer to this odious herefy than that

of abfolute predetermina-

ting decrees, that render

fome men inevitably good, and that

conftitute others veftels of wrath even before their creation.

We

are very far

from going into any of thofe extremes or difparaas St.

ging the merit of fo great a light of the church

Auguftin

Book VI.
all

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
that if there be

471
in

we dare fay is,

any equivocal exprefllons

the works of that great faint which really favour the

llrous herefy

mon-

form them.

of the Predeftinarians, the church fhould reYea we add further that tho' the moft part of
all

the Latin church, and almofl:

the fchoolmen of

all fe6ts,

have adopted the dangerous fchemes of

infallible prefcience

or abfolute predeterminating decrees, yet no general council

ever erected into docftrines of faith a particular predeflination

and reprobation of

individuals

and therefore the Chriftian

church has always a fovercign, abfolute, unlimited right to

reform, rejed, and explode them and
all

others about prefci-

ence and predefHnation that tend, by inevitable confequences,

todeftroy God's goodnefs and

human

liberty.

We fhall now

examine what could have determined fo many great and pious men of all ages and nations to favour this monftrous herefy,

and

fataliU: dotflrine

of a particular predeftination and reproof this error was the falfe ideas

bation of individuals.
I
.

The firfl:

original fource

of prefcience.

Men
and

fancy that
virtues,

God

forefees all the

a<5l:ions,

pailions, crimes

good and bad

difpofitions

of free
all

agents as certainly, abfolutely, and infallibly future; that

the ideas, forms and modes of the

human mind, p aft,

prefent

and to come, co-exifted

that
this prefcience is

in
as

and with the eternal mind; and

necelfary to the perfection

of

God's underftanding,
gos.

as the generation

of his eternal Lodangerous, and

We have already confuted thofe

dire51:ly

falfe,

impious maxims, which tend

to Fatalifm, Spinofifm,

and the moft odious atheifm: for we have fhewn that the
fchoiaftic

dodrine of prefcience introduces

as great a fatality

472

OF

NATURE
of fin
is

IN A

Book

VL

into nature as the predeftlnarian herefy; that if this fatality

be once introduced, then men are no longer

be not
vice
free, the idea

free; that if they

impoffiblc; that if there be

no

nor

injuftice

among

finite beings,

then there can be no

fovereign juftice nor goodnefs, in the fupreme being; that if

God
by

be defpoiled of thefe two

attributes,

then

all

muft be

reduced to the idea of an infinitely powerful agent that aft?

necefTity
this
is

of nature without

defign, choice, or goodnefs;

all

and

pure Spinofifm.

Till therefore

the falfe fcho-

laflic

ideas about prefcience

be quite extirpated out of the

ChrilHan fchools,all attempts againfl the FataUfts predeftinarlan herefy will be fruitlefs.
2.

The

fecond fourceof all the

is

fatal

mlflakes of the Pre-

deftinarians

the falfe explications given of original fin.

all

Ac-

cording to the fchoolmen,

men became criminal, and one

fin

mafs of corruption, for the

of our two

firft

parents, to

whofe

fouls

we had no

relation,

and in whofe crime we had

ages before the immediate

nofliare; fince they lived

creation

many

and infufion of our

feleft

fouls into mortal bodies.

all

God
the

chofe of this mafs, a

fatal

number, and left

the

reft to

confequences of their corruption, by a

partial preteritiall

on, altogether deftruftive of his paternal love for has made.

that

he

From this odious fcheme flow'd another falfe tenet, that God rejefts, punifhes, hates, and damns whole races
of men, becaufc of the
their anceftors.
fins, perverfity,

and corruption of

This

is

abfolutely falfe and diametrically op-

pofite to the nature

fcriptures.
It
is

of God, and the doftrine of the holy

and temporal
the fin of the parents upon the chil-

true that as to external graces

favours

God may punifli

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
;

473

dren to the third and fourth generation

faid elfewhere, the natural

becaufe, as

we have
But
eter-

confequences of the crimes of our

evils that

anceflors,

may

be phyilcal

lad for feveral ages.

God

punifhes none in a future

ftate,
;

much

lefs

damns

nally for the fins of their fore-fathers

yea he never puniihes

the children for the crimes of their predeccflbrs, but in fo far

as they imitate

and contrail

guilt

of

their

own. Tho' then

and more uniall

the Jewifli nation was difperfed, and their ceremonial worfhip

changed into one more fimple, more

verfal,

ipiritual

yet this does not prove that

God abandoned

the

Jews, who have lived fince the crucifixon of our Saviour; and
hasrefufed them, becaufe of the fin of their anccftors,
ternal graces,
3.
all

in-

and paternal

love.

The

third fource
their

of all the miftakes of the Predeftinaimagining Judaically that all the pro-

rians,

comes from

mifes under the ancient and

new

law, regard an external conall

verfion to the vifiblc church, that

true fcriptures, churches

thofe

who

have not the

and facraments,
objc(5ls

are without the

vefFels

reach of his internal grace,

of his hatred, and

of wrath.
do(ftrine.

Nothing

is

more

falfe

and contrary
all

to St. Paul's

The

true veifels

of wrath are

thofe that have

not true faving faith and refignation to God's internal operations;

whether they be members of the vifible church or not.

The

true veffels

of mercy
,

are thofe

who are faithful to God's

celeflial infpirations

fupernatural influences and internal

graces; tho' they be left in the

Predeftinarians prepofTefTed

bofom of Pagan ifm. The with falfe and contrary tenets,

fancy that the rejection of the Jews, and the vocation of the
Gentiles to the outward knowledge and profeflion of Chri-

O 00

474

OF NATURE IN A
is

Book VI.

(Hanky, was the only fcope, end, and objefb of the divine oe-

conomy. This however

his great plan.
fect

but a fmall, accidental branch of

To eftablifli in
may

one or in many nations, a per-

form of outward worfhip; or the moft fublime fyftem of

be worthy of a great philofophcr or
but

fpeculative truths,
legiflator:

this

cannot be the ultimate end of God-man;

all

who knows
means
gents,
to

the impotence and infuiRciency of

truly

external

make men

good and happy.

He has far more

ali-

exalted views: to

watch continually over the hearts of free

their corruption without deftroying their

overcome

berty
rights

to ruin the idolatry

o[

felf-love,

which ufurps

all

the

of the Deity; to move

all

the inward fprings of human

to himfelf in all ages,
fouls, that arc

nature, change, transform,

and form

nations, and religions a chofen

number of eleft

truly converted, enlightned, purified

and fandified by

his di-

vine attracflions, illuminations, infpirations, and operations,

whatever be the prejudices of their education, the

infirmities

of their temper, or the darknefs with which they are furrounded.

This

is

work worthy of a God, and which none but

the formation of this fpiritual king'
his

God can operate. It Is dom of the MeiTiah by

upon the
heart, that
is

immediate action and operation

the true objeft of eternal wifdom and

providence ; and not revealing to them outward forms of worfhip,

and giving them fpeculative ideas of the divine nature.

all

ThePredeftinarians place

in converfion to

outward forms,
fall

ceremonies, and theoretical fyflems ; and fo muil

daifm, and interpret
cal, external fenfe as
all

into Ju-

the fcriptures in a

literal,

grammati-

the Jews did.

We have already (hewn that the cpifllc to the Romans fa-

Book VL

RE-ESTABLISHD STATE.
it is

475

vours none of thofe errors; and that

one of thefubllmeft

wrote by the apoftle of the Gentiles, and defign'd to fhew to

the

Romans and

all

the

Pagan world, thatChriftianity never

could adopt the wild error of the Pharifees,

who fancied

that

the Jews, or the members of the vifible church were the only favourites of heaven; and that all the Gentile nations with-

out the facred pale were accurfed of God.

This
bute to

of grace and predeftination which we attriSt. Paul does not favour in the leaft the herefy of the
do(5trine

Pelagians.

Thefe

fedaries denied the neceflity

of

all

fuper-

natural, internal graces; maintain'd that

man by

the pure

force of his natural powers could obtain eternal falvation

and

that the beatific vifion

was not

a pure

efFedof the divine,

In thefe three

gratuitous beneficence ; but due to our merits.

errors

more or

Icfs

mitigated, confifled alfo the error of the

Semi-pelagians,

who

denied not the necefTity of internal, fu-

pernatural graces, but they afHrmed that

man

could merit

them by the

firfl:

good motions of his

free will, without

any

preventing a6tion of God,

The herefy of the

Pelagians and

Semi-pelagians did not then confift in

this, that

both denied

a particular, perfonal predilccftion, or preterition

of individuals

from
le<5l:

all eternity,

by which only
fix'd

a determinate

number of eFatalifls

can be faved, and a

number of

reprobates to be in-

fallibly

damned. This wild,

tho' ancient idea

of the

in the fourth, or perhaps

only in the ninth century was ne-

ver adopted, nor eflablifhed by any irreformable decree of the

univerfal church.

Yea fuppofmg

that

fome

particular fathers,
this uncauti-

fchools, fynods, or even councils

had efpoufed

ous opinion, yet

it

ought to be looked upon

as a metaphyfi-

O 002

47<5
cal

OF NATURE IN A
its

Book VI.
of

refinement that docs not regard the depofitum of faith,

fimplicity, that obfcures all the plan

that rather fpoils

providence, and

fomay be

redreffed, exploded,

and
its

reje*5ted

by the
preme

univerfal church,

who

can

fet

bounds

to

own

fu-

authority.

COR.
Hence
there
is

I.

nothing in

St. Paul's epiftle to the

Romans,

that infinuates a particular, perfonal, partial, arbitrary predilection or preterition

of individuals

nothing that refembles

or favours the hypothcfes of the Arminians or Semi-pelagians; of the Molinifts or Congruifts

tination

who

fancy that predef-

and reprobation include

a fix'd, immutable, infallible

prefcience of future contingencies; that

all

God

decreed from

eternity to give efficacious graces only to a few,

all

and that

he refolved from

eternity to refufe thefe efficacious graces

to the mofl: part; that

he could have faved

all,

but that he

would not do
and

it,

for reafons incomprehenfible; that he renall,

ders falvation poffible to

butfure only to a

little

number;

in fine that the mofl: part

of lapfed beings will be for e-

ver unconvertible, and infernal pains eternal. All thefe poor

notions of the fchoolmen are equally repugnant to fcripture

and reafon,

defl:roy

human

liberty

and God's goodnefs,

facrifice,

artd

deny the
and

efficacy

of our Saviour's
attributes.

God's fmcerity,

all his

moral

COR.
Hence by

II.

the eleftor chofen fouls, are

mean tm fcripture

thofe heroic minds of all nations, ages and religions, thati-

mitate Jcfus Chriitinhis

ty

life,

death, and fufFerings, bypuri'

daily mortifi'

of

heart, crucifixion

of corrupt nature, and

Book

VL

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.

477

cation of the paflions, tho' they never heard of the external

hiflory of the gofpel; and that furrender themfelves to the

inward attractions of the Father, illuminations of the Son

and

infpirations

of the Holy Ghoft,

tho' they

do not

know
fliall

the fpeculative ideas of religion.

Thofe

are they that

one day be chofen

be exalted

to

fill

the places of fallen feraphims, and

to the higheft feats in heaven.

all

On

the contrary,

by

reprobates are meant

thofe

who reject the divine graces,

and by
a final impeni-

furrender themfelves voluntarily to the falfe love of fclf and

creatures, to their vices

and

paflions,

tence in fin and corruption, die in obfHnate, obdurate habits

of moral

evil,

which can be

extirpated

and deftroyed

only by infernal pains.

COR.
Hence according
originally dear to

III.

to St. Paul's do(5trinc,allmen

both Jews

and Gentiles, Pagans, Turks, and Chriflians

are equally

and

God; and predeflinated

to eternal happinefs.
>

All will at
that
is,

laft

be faved, but all will not be eleft chofen fouls

elevated to thrones, dominations,

and

principalities In

heaven.

The reprobates

will

be for ever and ever, even after

their re-eflablifhment far inferior to the ele<5l;not

by an

arbi-

trary decree

of God, but by the nature of things;

fince, as

we

have faid

elfe where (a),

the fame law of centripetal forces

Souls that

holds in the intellectual as in the material world.

return to their center the foonefl will for ever and ever ap-

proach nearer to

it,

than thofe that began

later,

and fo adand glory

vance far flower and

(a) Cor. 3 . of Prop.

later to perfection, happinefs

XXXIX.

478

OF NATURE IN A

Book VI.

LEMMA
The

OF

PROPOSITION LXL
made
againfl:

principal objeiflions

the plan of provievil,

dence becaufe of moral and phyfical

duced to four.

may be

re-

SCHOLIUM,
Bayle has colleded in
a country gentleman,
all

his di(5lionary

and

in his letters to

the obje<n:ions that incredulity can

form

againfl the plan

of providence, becaufe of the ftrange

evil

phoenomenon of moral and phyfical

ly powerful, wife,

that

is

own'd to have
infinite-

happen'd under the government of a Being fuppofed

and good, which could and fhould have

hinder'd this fatal event.

exaft analyfis of all thefe
ty

Now upon a
numerous

ft:ri(5t

examination and

difficulties

which the wit-

Bayle repeats, and prcfcnts, under a thoufand different

it

fhapes,

will

be found that they

i
.

may

all

be reduced to the

four following hypothefcs.

That

liberty is a free gift

which

God made

to his creatures,

and which

his infinite goodnefs

fhould have hinder'd him from beflowing upon them, fmce

he forefaw that they might and would abufc

it.

2.

That God
perma-

might have confirmed

nent
flate

finite

and

free intelligences in a
dire(51:,

of happincfs, by
effence.
3.

a conftant,

and uninterrup-

ted view
ral evil

of his
fin,

That God might have cured moevil

or

without employing phyfical

or fufFering as
evil are to

a remedy.
eternal, the

4.

In fine that moral and phyfical

be

damn'd unconvcrtibk, and

God

for ever unap-

peafcable.

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
of the preceeding

479

The
falfe,

defign

Work

was to lay down

fuch principles as prove thefe four hypothefes precarious and

yea plainly repugnant both to natural and revealed re-

ligion.

PROPOSITION
All the objections made
againfl:

LXL
are

the plan of proevil

,

vidence becaufe of moral and phyfical

founded upon

falfe

hypothefes that have no foun-

dation in reafon, nor fcripture.

DEMONSTRATION.
All the objections

made againft the plan of providence beupon the

fol-

caufe of moral and phyfical evil are founded

lowing hypothefes; that Hberty is a free gift which

to his creatures,

God made
have

and which

his infinite goodnefs fhould

hindered him from entrufting unto them, fince he forefaw

they would abufe

it

that

God

might have confirmed

flate

finite

and free

intelligences in a

permanent

of happinefs, by
effence; that

a conftant, direft,

and uninterrupted view of his

evil

God

might have cured moral

without employing phyfi-

cal evil as a

remedy

and

in fine that

moral and phyfical

it is

evil

are to be eternal

and undeflru(n:ible(a):

abfolutely falfe

that liberty

Is

a free gift

which God made

it is

to his creatures;

we
al,

have fhewn on the contrary that

infeparable

a neceffary, effentiit is

adjund of all

intelligent natures (b):

all finite

alfo

falfe that

God

could have confirmed

intelligences in
dire<5t

permanent
(a)

flate

of happinefs, by a conftant,
(b) Prop.

and un-

By the preceeding Lemma and its fchQlium.

XXXI.

48o

OF

NATURE

IN A

Book VI.
the

interrupted view of his cfTence ;

we have fhewn that fuch is

weaknefs of finite
this dire6l,

minds that they could not always fupport

immediate, uninterrupted view of the divine fplenlikewife falfe that

dors (a):
evil

it is

God

could have cured moral

the fole and only re-

without employing phyfical

in fine
it is

evil as

medy (b);

alfo falfe that infernal

punifhments are

to be eternal, the creature for ever unconvertible, and

God
are

unappeafeable (c): Therefore

all

theobjev^ions

made

againfl
evil,

the plan of providence, becaufe.ofmoral and phyfical

founded upon

falfe

hypothefes that have no foundation in

reafon or fcripture.

SCHOLIUM.
The famous
anfwer
arifing
all

Leibnitz a

German

philofopher pretends to
the plan of providence,

the objections

made againfl:

from the origin and duration of evil, by refining upon

it

the fcholaftic fcheme, and adding fome ftrokes to

to give a

thatfeem
All his

new light

to thofe myflerious obfcurlties. to be full

fyflem,

which fome think

of confafion and tedious

principles.
Is

intricacy, turns
I
.

upon

thefe

two great
the

As God

never a6ls without a reafon, fo he

'

never de-

termined but by the reafon of

'

befi:

and molt excellent

plan.'

Now God having forefeen from all eternity an infinumber of poflible

events, chofe

nitely infinite

one

fcrlcs

of

them,and decreed
that they

to place the creatures in fuch circumflances

ferles,

would freely but infallibly chufe this

it

becaufe

he forefaw that
ilation

would

contribute the moft to the manlfe-

of his

perfe<5tions

and fo form the

(b) Prop.

befi:

plan poflible.
LVIII.

(a) Cor. 2. of Prop.

XXXVIII.

XLIX.

(c) Prop.

Book VI.
^

RE-ESTABLISH'O STATE.
good and
evil, is

481

2.

Tho' moral and

phyfical evil enter Into this plan, yet

all

confidered, the univerfe mixed with

more

perfect than a world

where there

is

nothing but pure good,

and

perfecH: felicity, univerfal juftice,

and unmixed happinefs.

We
fatal

(hall

endeavour to fhew that both thefe branches of

falfe,

the Leibnitlan fcheme are

and attended with the moft

confequences.

I.

We grant that God

a(5ls

always by a reafon worthy of

plan, as

his perfections,

and that he chofe the moft excellent

end and defign
in creating.

to the ultimate

But we deny that

at this

he

fixed

and predetermined all the means to come

to create a

end.

His great plan was

tures,

world compofed of material picmoft proper to reprefent

his

and

Intelligent Images, the

perfe<5i:ions;

and

to render all Intelligences

happy by love and

by free

love.

Now to fuppofe all the actions of free creatures,

a plain contradiction, as

forefeen or predetermined, as infallibly future, certain and

inevitable,
ftrated.
is

we have

already

demonall

God chofe the moft excellent plan, and

Jie

forefaw

the

means by which
poflible,

could executeit; but he forefaw them

as future.

only as
lutely,

and not

He wills

the end abfb-

but he leaves the means to the unconftrain'd choice

creature.

of the

He

found

in the Inexhauftlble treafurcs

of
to-

his Infinite

power, wifdom, and goodnefs, wherewithall

obviate, or anfwer,

and remedy all evil events, whatever were

the free choice of the creature; and

certainly

knew how
It

to reclaim it

and

Infallibly,

but freely, tho'

ftiould deviate

from

any one

particular chain,

and

ferles

of means.

He
and

wljfhed

and defired that

teft

free creatures

would have followed the fhorand

feli-city;

and ftralghtelt road to

perfe<5tIon

if

they

ppp

482
had done
fo,

OF
there

NATURE
this ftraight

IN A

Book

VL

would have been no moral or

phyfical evil.

He
by

forefaw alfo the infinite curves that they could defcribe

deviating

from

road and Hne; and decreed,

feries

that without fixing

them

to

any

of actions and means^

of provi-

he would be

attentive to all equally; fo that at laft they could

not efcape him.

This

is

a far

more

extenfive plan

dence than the little narrow one of ftaking down the creature
to

one determinate,
an univerfal

inevitable feries

of means, which

efta-

blifhes

fatality in nature, as

we have
of a

fliewn ia

the fecond book.

2.

We grant

that, relatively to the nature

free being

that deviates

by choice from the great end of

evil

its

creation, the

permiilion of phyfical

for a time,

was the mofl perfect

is

plan
fin
:

becaufe as

we have fhewn,

fufFering

the only cure of

but

we deny that moral or

more

phyfical evil were neceffary to

the perfe6tion of the divine plan.

The univerfe would have

had never happened; and

been

far

perfeft if moral evil

if intelligences

had never finned.

The phenomenon of moit is

ral evil is a ftain,

blemifh and blot in the divine work;

foreign accident, that he neither forefaw nor foreordained as

inevitable.

He could not hinder it abfolutely without renderis

ing the creatures impeccable and infinite, which

impoffible

or without depriving
their effence.

them of freedom, which

all

is

delh'oying

He

did

he could to hinder
it

this fatal eventj

and feeing that he could not do he chofe rather to fuiFer moral

his eternal plan

without annihilating them,

for a time, than overturn

evil

by

this annihilation; becaufe

evil, light ou|:

he knew

how

to

draw good out of

of darknefs, and order out

already faid,
is

of confuflon.

This, as

we have

the higheft

Book VI.
effort

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
far fuperlor to creation.
evil is

483

of omnipotence

The plan then

of a world mixed with good and

only the beft upon the

fuppofition thatphyfical evil will fcrve one day to cure moral

evil,

that both will ceafe for ever,

and that univerfal order, and fufferings are

and harmony

are at length to be re-eftabliflied through the

diforder, fin

whole univerfe. For if evil and

and evil,
be
the moft

to be eternal, then to maintain that a world

is

mixed with good

perfe<n:, is to fay, that

God's work would

ftain

imperfe<ft if there
is,

were not in

it

an eternal

and

ble-

mifh; that

that
;

nally imperfe<fl

would be imperfea, if it were not eterwhich is a plain contradidion. All the anit

fwers that Leibnitz makes to Bayle's obje(5lions, turn

this

upon

one

idea, that the evils

whieh happen

are fuffered, al-

lowed, or permitted to procure the greateft of all goods. This is true only upon the fuppofition of a total re-eftablifhment:

but

'tis

falfe; if evil is

indedruaible, and the creature for ever

unconvertible.

p p 2

484

OF

NATURE

IN A

Book VL

GENERAL SCHOLIU M,
O R

Recapitulation

of

the whole Work.

In order to
clear light,

fet

the great truths hitherto demonflrated in a

and

give

them

their

due force, we

ihall

reduce

them to
I.

the twelve following articles.

eternal felf-exiftent, infinite being prefents

The

him-

felf to the

mind under the notion of a fimple,uncompoundedj

without difFufion of parts, without fuccef-

indivifible effence

flon of thoughts,

and without

divifion

of fubflance; yet he

contains neceffarily the three real

difl:in(5lions

of spirit

conceiving, idea conceived, and love proceeding FROM BOTH; which in the fupreme Infinite are not
three fimple attributes, or modes; but three
orfelf-confcious,
neceffary,
intelle(fl:ual
di{l:in6l

perfons,

agents.
a(5livity

The infinite

fpirit

by a

immanent, eternal

produces in himfclf his

confubitantial image equal to

him

in all his perfections, felf-

origination only excepted; and

from both proceed

difi:in<ft,

fclf-confcious, intelligent, aClive principle

of love, co-equal to
is

the Father and the Son, called the

true definition

Holy Ghoft. This

the

of God

in his eternal folitude, or according to

his abfolute effence diftinCt from* created nature.

II.

Tho'

the felf-fufficient Being might have been for e-

Book VI.
ver
perfect:

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
and happy
in the eternal generation

4^5 of the Word,

without

and
fo

in the everla(Hng procefTion

of the Holy

Spirit,

much as
;

thinking of any

finite ideas,

or creating any finite

fubftances

yet he was pleafed to conilder himfelf as repre-

fentable externally,

and thereby

to

form

freely in his divine

finite

underftanding, the archetypal ideas of all poffible

ings,

be-

which

are not diitind perfonatities, co-efTcntial forms,

or confubftantial modes of the Deity ; but free, arbitrary conceptions,

whofe exigence or non-exiftence neither

freely, or blot

increale
free-

nor diminifh the divine plenitude. As he produced them

ly,

fohe may forget them

them out of his di-

vine underftanding, without interefting his perfection, glory

or happinefs.

As

the creation of finite fubftances adds no-

thing to his infinite fubfl:ance,fo the production of finite ideas

adds nothing to the

infinite

knowledge of his confubflantial

Logos.
III.

The

effential love

God has

for his confubflantial

1-

mage, determined him

freely,

without any neceflity drawn

from

his perfe<5tion or happinefs, to create

finite fubflances,

from the begin-

ning of time,

anfwering to thofe numberhis indivifible efTence, but re-

lefs ideas, intirely diflinCt

from

prefentative

of his divine

perfections.

Now as God

can re^

prefent himfelf two ways, either

by

lively pi(5tures, or

by

li-

ving images; hence

material fubftances.

arifes

the diftinCtion of material and im-

The

former are extended,

pafTive,

un-

intelligent beings, that

have no knowledge of what pafTes in

them; that

aCl necefTarily

by an

exterior force

moving them,

and

that have neither reafon, volition, nor freedom.

Theo-

thers are unextended, adive, intelligent beings, that are ca-

486

OF

NATURE

IN A

Book

VL

pablc of knowing themfelves and their original, and endowed

with reafon, love and freedom.

IV.

God created his living images only to make them hapeternal contemplation

py in the
inherent

and love of his boundlefs per-

fecTtions.Butas they are not capable, becaufe of their natural,

finitiide to

fupport the continual, uninterrupted, dialfo glorious,

ret viev^s

of the divine fplendors, he produced

material pitftures; that fo the intelligent images might, during

thefe intervals

of

their eflcntial blifs, enjoy

an acceffory hap-

pinefs
it is

by contemplating
of

God in his

works.

For

this reafon

that all forts

created, unfallen fpirits are united to

ma-

terial, glorious, ethereal vehicles.

The

confubftantial

Logos

united himfclf alfo from the beginning of the world to a finite

nature compofed of foul and body, that fo he might convert

with created intelligences in a fenfible manner, be their conductor and guide, their model and high
prieft, lead

them into
all

the central depths of the Divinity, and from thence into

the immenfe regions of nature; fhew them by turns the beauties

of the

original

and the pi^ures, and teach them the ho-

mage
V.

finite

beings

owe

to the infinite.
to his lively picftures

God can

communicate

and

living

images a

real activity diftindt

from

his

own,

as well as a real

fubftance diftinCt from his

own; by which

thofe

two analophy-

gous, tho' very difHnd: fubflances

fically

may

aCt reciprocally,

Tho' we have no adequate ideas of this force, tho' we do not conceive the manand immediately upon each other.
ner
ly

we ought not to deny its cxiftencc, pureand only becaufe we do not conceive how it operates. By
it

how

a6ls

yet

virtue

of this

a<5tivity elTential

to fpirits, the living images are

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
is

4S7

capable of comparing, reafonlng, judging, preferring, and

thereby chufing freely. This liberty of choice

the nearefi:

imitation of the divine independency, and the greateft perfection

of finite

intelligences; becaufe

it

makes them capable of

contributing eternally to their

free love,

own

happinefs by love and

by

which
of

is

the fupreme felicity.

The

will

of

finite

intelligences

may be moved,
fprings,
*

inclined and freely determined

by two
*

forts

the perception of truth, and the

to

fenfation

of pleafure/ and confequently of tending

'

orac-

quiefcingin obje<5ls either from a fupernatural

love

of order,'

or by the

natural defire of happinefs; and therefore of fepa-

rating thefetwo loves, the love

of themfelves from the love of

order, and the love of the creatures

from the love of God;

images by omnipobut he accom-

which feparation
VI.

is

moral

evil

or

fin.

God does

not

ad upon

his living

tent, irrefiftible wills, that force their confent:

modates, proportions, and fubmits, fo to fpeak, the exercife of

his almighty

power

to their free natures.

He knows how to
:

accomplifh whatever he pleafes in heaven and upon earth; his

great ends can never be eternally fruftrated
fatal,

but there

is

no

unchangeable fucceflion of means, forefeen, foreordaifixed.

ned and
fible

He fees by one

unfuccefTive a6l,
wills:

all

thepof-

combinations of finite forces or

but he never fore-

fees

what he

leaves free as abfolutely, certainly,

and

infallib-

ly future.

He can forefee and foretell all the natural and

ne-

ceffary confequences

of the free determinations of intelle(5lual

agents; yet he never forefees thefe free determinations

felves

themevents,
to the

but

as

contingent and pofTible.

He

overrules
direcfts

all

by

his all

comprehenflve providence, and

them

488

OF

NATURE
mind from
all

IN A

Book VI.

accomplifhment of his
farily co-exifl: in his

final defigns;

but they do not necel^

eternity as prefent.
is

Thus

the clTential freedom of intelligent natures,

neither fetter'd

nor dedroyed by an
tion.

infallible prefcience, or fatal predeftina-

VII.
mages,
him.

The

only worfliip

God demands of his

and
all

intelligent i-

is

to love

him

for himfelf,

created beings for

He demands this

worfhip, not as an arbitrary homage

as the necelTary

due to his fovereign grandeur; but

their arriving at the

means of

fupreme

felicity

and perfection of their

natures; and from the conftant obfervation of this eternal,

immutable, and univcrfal law, flows naturally and necefTarily the

communication of God's luminous and beatifying

in"

fluences,
fpirits.

which make the fovereign happinefs of all created

fell freely

Two forts of intelligences

from the love

immutable

of eternal order, rebelled

againft the univerfal,

law, and fo rendered themfelves incapable of their original,

primitive happinefs in a pre-exiftent ftate, to wit, angelical
fpirits

and human

fouls.

The

former admitted from the be-

ginning to the
attribution,

beatific vifion, finned

by

fpiritual pride, felf-

and an over-weaning opinion of

fell

their

own

ex-

cellency: the later

from the love of

eternal order

by an

inordinate defire of knowledge, and an irregular love of pleafure.

Of the

former

fort the fcripture

mentions

feveral kinds,

fome that are fhut up

in the abyfs

of darknefs, and others

that are imprifoned in brutal machines.

forts

of degraded intelligences,

devils,

Thus there are three human fouls, and thofe

ftrictly

in brutal forms.

VIII. Tho'

God

has

no

vindidivc juftlce; tho'

Book

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.

489

Ipeaking, he can neither be honoured

by our vutues, nor

difhonoured by our crimes; yet according to the immutable

laws of eternal order, almighty wifdom cannot pardon
fin,

and

reftore lapfed beings,

without ihewing

at the

fame time
is

his infinite love

of juftice, purity and

could not do in a

holinefs.

This

what

omnipotence

itfelf

more

efFeclual

manner
in the
^

than by the incarnation of God-man;

who by

the fufFcrings

and agonies that the breach of eternal order produced

MefTiah, fhewed to cherubim s, feraphims, and
all

the hofts

of heaven, the
order.

infinite oppofition

of the

divine nature to difjuftice,

Thus he

"reconciled

mercy with

and God's

eternal abhorrence of fin with his paternal love

of the finner.

By this facrifice of the Lamb flain,

as

it

was

deftin'd

from the
all

foundation of the world, redemption was promifed to

the

human race that fliould imitate the love and obedience of this
divine Saviour, and co-operate with his grace,

which alone can

that
all

purify and reftore lapfed beings.

It

was then

nations

were given unto the Mefilah

the
evil principle,
laft

to fanclify

them, deftroy in them

reflore

renew in them the divine image, and

and
excluded from

them at

to their primitive happinefs

is

perfe(5tion.
all

IX. Huinan nature

at prefent

diate intercourfe v/ith the pure Divinity;

immeand God communiby

this di-

cates with lapfed beings

till

their refioration, only

vine Mediator; and vouchiafes to

them all favours and graces

fufferings

only in confideration of the merits and

High-prieft.
evil

of this great

As. this all-wife

is

Redeemer knew

that phyfical

or fuifering

the only cure of moral evil or fin, he apvifible

peared himfelf, under a

to our
firft

form, in his pre-exiftent

ftate,.

parents in paradife, and

condemned them with

aii

490

OF

NATURE

IN A

Book VI.
Thus

their degenerate race to a ftate

of purifying pains.

man was
fed,

banifhcd from his happy abode; the earth was curfruitlefs

became

and barren; and many other changes

happened

to our globe

which made it an
is

exile, a prifon,
flate

and

a valley of tears;
fuffer,

where all

adapted to the

of fouls that

and that

mufl:

be purified by their fuiferings.

X. During
nal, neceffary

this ftate

of expiation,

in

which man

Is

placed,

Prayer, Mortification, and Self-denyal, are the three inter-

and immediate means of purification; and the

the divine, moral, and fo-

continual practice of thefe three duties produce in the foul,

Faith,
<:ial

Hope, and Charity; with

all

virtues.

The

external, acceffory

and remoter means of

falvation are Scriptures,

Churches, and Sacraments; becaufe

they are helps, as ladders, and channels, for our afcent to

God, for conveying light to the mind, preferving unity, and awakening the fenfe of divine things by vifible figns, fymbols
and reprefentations.
ternal fuccours
to

However,

thefe particular favours, ex-

and fupernatural channels which

God

grants

fome nations, and refufes

bounty

to others, derogate nothing

from
their

his univerfal

to all the loft fons

of Adam: and
is

invincible ignorance of thofe

to their falvation.

outward

privileges

no obftacic

The almighty Father of fpirits, who loves all that he has made his only begotten Son who died for all the Holy Ghoft who refufes his preventing graces to none,
;

neglect nothing requifite to convert and transform the cor-

rupt and degenerate fons of

religions,

Adam

of all

nations, ages,
attractions.

and

by external fuccours, or inward

XI. All thofe

who furrender

themfelves freely to the pu-

rifying, enlightning, fandifying operations

of divine grac6

Book VI.
are the true

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
ele61:.

^<^i

All thofe that

perfifl:

obftinately In their

corruption are reprobate.

This diftinclion of mankind into

adherence to the mo-

two

clajGTes

comes from

their voluntary,

tions

of

falfe felf-love,

or to the true love of God, and not or predeftination, or any partial

individuals.

from any
preterition

fatal prefcience

and reprobation of

After a certain
compleated,

period of time

when

the

number of
will

the

ele(n: is

a general conflagration will deftroy all the prcfent, imperfea:

forms of nature: our earth

paradifiacal beauty
rate the juft
ter into the
dies,
vil
;

be rcftored to
rife

its

primitive,
will fepafhall

the dead ihall

again

God

from the unjuft; and while the former

en-

kingdom of the

JNIefTiah

with their glorious bo-

the later fhall be fhut up in utter darknefs, with the dehis angels, there to

and

be purified for ages of ages, be-

caufe the corruption of their nature will be fo profound, and

fo inveterate, that
it

could not be totally extirpated but by

hell-torments, and infernal pains.

XII.

As God however cannot be

eternally fruftrated in

his defigns; as finite impotence, folly,

and malice cannot for

ever furmount infinite power, wifdom, and goodnefs; as the

facrificeof the
effecl:;

Lamb (lain

cannot be for ever void and of no

reprobate fouls and angels cannot be for ever inconver

tible,

nor

God

unappeafeable, nor moral and phyfical evil

undeftruaible.

All

ftains, blots,

and imperfeaions in the

for

work of infinite power, wifdom, and goodnefs muft be

ever wafhed out- otherwife

God would

not have an abfolute

laws

empire over the heart; he would not

aft according to the

of eternal wifdom he would not

;

love clfential wifdom, good-

nefs,

and

juftice.

Wherefore

infernal puniihments muft at

492
laft ccafe,

OF NATURE IN A
and all lapfed beings be
at

Book

VL

length pardoned and re-

eftablifhed in a

permanent

ftate

of happinefs and glory, never

more

to fall again.

This is the end and confummation of all

of all God's promifes and punifhments.
this

things, and the defign

If he does not accomphfh

lapfed beings,
it is

end fooner by converting

all

not becaufe he will not; but becaufe he

efficacious

cannot do

it

in a

permanent and

manner without
of
his

doing violence to their

liberty, deftroying their free natures,

and thereby
vvifdom,
love and

frullrating for ever the eternal dcfigns

which were

to

make

intellectual beings

happy by

by
is

free love, their

fupreme felicity.

This

the general plan of providence, and thefe are the

great principles
fcripture,

of natural and revealed

religion contained in

confirmed by reafon, and fcattered here and there

in the traditions

of all nations. As the Pagans adulterated the

religion,

maxims of the ancient patriarchal

to fable

and turned

all

in-

and idolatry, and

as the

Jews by attaching themfclves

fpirit

to the letter of the law, loft the

of the law, and

tranf-

formed
ftian

all

into fupcrftition

and outward form;

fo the Chri-

fchoolmcn have obfcured and degraded the facred docof

faith

trines

by

their falfe explications

and metaphyfical

fubtileties,

unknown from
eternal,
firft

the beginning.

The
was

true doc-

trines

of faith are

but thefe explications are modern.

all

During the
or at

ages of Chriftianity,

crofs,

pover-

ty,perfecution and martyrdom.

leaft

remain'd in

it,

but

None enter'd into the church, thofe who were refolvcd to imibap.tifm, to die

tate Jcfus crucified, to

be buried with him in

to the world, and to

wafh

their robes in the

blood of the

Lamb. Soon

after the converfion

of the

Roman emperors.

4^5 delivered from were perfecution: Chriftians the kings and princes that were converted to our holy faith rewarded liberally the pallors

BooK^n[.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.

of

fouls for their labours.

The
;

Chriftlan

world was divided into bilhoprics with

vaft revenues,

church-

men became rich, and lived in outward fplcndor men unmortified

and not

polTelTed with the fpirit

of

religion, afpired to

rich benefices rgreat

men and

lords entered into facred orders

without vocation

not to become phyficians of fouls, but to

enjoy opulent fortunes.

Then prelates and churchmen kept

became great
politicians,

courts, extended their dominions,

appearedat the head of armies, and united in the fame perfon

fpiritual

and temporal power.

cold.

Thus faith decay'd and

flill

chari-

ty

waxed

Tho'

there were

in every age great

men

and great

faints that cried

out againft thefe abufes, and tho'

the unlverfal church never authorized nor approved

a law, yet

them by
In-

many

particular paftors degenerated

by degrees
yea

to external Judalfm,

and Pharlfalcal

pra(n:ices;

fell at lafl,

about the ninth century, into great ignorance and fcandalous

fuperflitlon.

Towards the
jnfl:

eleventh or twelfth century, the fchoolmeii

In

awakened from the deep lethargy they had been

two or three ages before, adopted the

du-

ring

Ariflotelian philo-

fophy fpoiled by the Arabians; and brought by the JSIoores

into Spain
:

they confulted no. more the ancient traditions

whether facred or profane; they contented themfelves to

fpend the force of their minds in fubtlle reafonlngs; they

fpun out of their

own brains all the cobv/ebs of fcholaftic divibecame minute

in decidlnn-

nity, multiplied ufelefs queftions,

about metaphyfical quibbles, and thus fpoiled the fimplicity

4^4
of
faith,

OF

NATURE
many

IN A
Thus

Book

VL

degraded the majefly of divine truths, and obfcured

the Chriftian

the luminous principles of religion.

fchools were over-run with
fcicnce

abfurd tenets about preparadife, original (in,

and predeftination; creation and

and

falvation only in the

church; grace and liberty; vindic-

tive juftice

and infernal pains.

Thefe

fcholaftic opinions,

and wild explications of facred truths pafTed

fuccelTively Spain, Italy, France,

infenfibiy

from

fchool to fchool, and from nation to nation; and fo infc<5lcd

Germany, Great-Britain

and

all

the northern countries.

All this was foretold by our Saviour

the
'

when he
the
field

faid that in

lafl

times,
tares

the

enemy would fow in

np the

of the Lord,

many
them

among

the good wheat; but he forbids to root

tares, his fervants

out, left in gathering

pluck

up the wheat with them.'

Thefe

fpeculative, metaphyfical
iin,

errors about prefcience

and predeftination, original and

and

vindiftive juftice, creation

paradife, falvation not out

little

of

the facred pale, and eternal pains, do

or

no harm

to pure

and upright fouls, who do not fee their

fatal

confequences, or

who make a good

tares,
veft,

life

of them, from fimplicity of heart.

Our

Saviour refervcs to himfelf the only right of burning thofc

and reforming thofe abufesat the time of the great har-

when

the Jews and Gentiles ihall be converted,

when
then

there will be but one fliepherd and one fheepfold. It

that the
fire

is

of divine

light

and love

will

confume

in every

particular

member of the
all

myflical body, and in the Chriftian

church

in general, all the falfc fpeculative opinions,

and po-

pular errors,

the vices and immoralities,

all

the fuperftiti-

ons and fcandals that have grown up in the

field

of the Lord.

Book
all

VI.

RE-ESTABLISH'D STATE.
mourns
all

495
which
all

Till this great harvefl: Religion

like a dove, over

the fpeculative errors,

the corruptions and abufes

vail

obfcure her facred doctrines, which throw a

upon

the

oeconomy of providence, make

cold.

faith decay,

and charity wax

Our defign in this eflay was to remove the fcandals which make men contemn both natural and revealed religion; and
at the

fame time to fhew that the holy

fcriptures fo

much
give

dejfpifed

contain a moft rational and amiable fyftem of

theology and philofophy.

all

We

do not however pretend to

far lefs for arit

our fpeculations for demonftrations ;

ticles

of faith. In matters of fuch

a fublime nature,

would

be a fanatical prefumption to imagine that we have never mixed falfhoods with truth, imagination with reafon, probability with proofs, and folly with wifdom.
*
*

What

is

man

or the

fon of man that he fhould pretend thus to have

councils of the

fat in

the

Moft High, and to have fathomed the depths

Fallibility
is

of eternal wifdom.'
finite

an infeparable companion

of all

minds.

If we have therefore mixed the impure

if there

with the pure, and

be any opinions

in this eflay

found

contrary to reafon, fcriptures, or the analogy of faith, we heartily

fubmit them.

END OF THE SIXTH AND LAST BOOK.

APPENDIX
T
T H E

FOREGOING WORK
CONTAINING
A

REFUTATION
OF

THE FIRST BOOK

OF

PINOS A
BY
IS

S WHICH

ETHICS^

THE WHOLE STRUCTURE

UNDERMINED,

OF THE
S

PINO SI AN SYSTEM.
O R

T H

CONFUSION
O F

FINITEAND INFINITE.
SPINOSA^s DEFINITIONS.
I.

DEFINITION.
I underftand that

*
*

*D Y

Caufe of

itfelf,

whofe

elTence in-

-*^ eludes

exiftence, or that

whofe nature cannot be con-

ceived but as exifting.'

E X A
Splnofa's defign
folutely infinite

E N.

was not to deny the exlftence of an abthis abfolutc Infi-

Being; but to prove that

DEFINITIOI.
Per caufara
fui,

intelUgo id, cujus ef-

natura

non

poteft concipi, nifiexlftens

fentia involvit exiftentiam, five id cujus

r r

500
nite
is

APPENDIX,
the only fubftance exlftent, and that
all

other beings

arc only modes, inherencies, or hypoftafes

of that mfinite and axioms to

Being: wherefore he adapts

this

all

his definitions

fuppofed principle which he never proves.

definition contains the elementary feed
is

Thus his veof

all his CyC-

ry

firlt

tern; buthappilyit

altogether

falfc.

Causa

sui,orcaufe

of

itfelf, is

an obfcure term.

God

contains in himfelf fuch

is

infinite

perfedion as

may

prove to us that his exigence

neceflary, or that

no
;

will could either

this

have produced him,

a reafon

or can deilroy him

and
is

we may call

of necef-

fary exiftence; but he

not the caufc of his exigence: for a

caufe implies the idea of fomething prior at leaft in nature to

its efFe^fl.

Now

the divine efiTence cannot be faid to be prior

in nature to his exiftence.

He produces Indeed
own

in himfelf two

necelTary and confubftantial emanations; but he cannot there-

fore be called the caufe of his

exiftence; for otherwife

he would

exift

before he

exifts.

Spinofa's intention

was

to in-

finuate that
celTary

God
all

produces in himfelf by an immanent, ne-

adion

things as

modes of his fubftance; and thus

is

from the beginning he fuppofes the very thing he

prove,
II.
*

going to

DEFINITION.
its

That
finite,

thing

Is

called finite In

kind,

which can be

11-

mited by another of Its kind; for example, a body Is

faid to
;

be
Ea

becaufe

we may
D E
F
I

conceive another greater

I

fo

II.

res dicitur in fuo genere

finita

quae

tatio alia cogltatione term'uiatur. at

corpus

alia

ejufdem

naturae terminari potcft.

Ex-

non terminatur
corpore.

cogitatione, nee cogitatio

empli gratia, corpus dicitur finitum quia

aliud

femper majus

concipimus. Sic cogi-

APPENDIX.
*

501
is

thought

Is

terminated by thought; but thought

not

ter-

minated by body, nor body by thought.'

E X A

E N.

may be Hmited by a being of a fuperior kind, as well as by a being of its own kind. A being is limited not only when fomething of its kind may be added to it but alfo when it docs not contain all the realiThis
definition
is falfe,

for a thing

ties

conceivable or poflible. Spinofa begins here to confound

the ideas of Effence and Subdance.

An elTence is
mind
all

a general,

complex idea which reprefents

properties and attributes

to the

the qualities,

common to beings
and attributes.

of the fame kind.

A fubftance
but one
there

is

a particular being really exiftent,

which hath
there can be

thefe qualities, properties,

ideal effence

Thus

of all the beings of the fame kind; but

may be many different fubftances of the fame kind. The general idea of human nature is the fame for all men; but there may be many different human fubflances, that have the
fame
attributes.

Effences or ideas are Hmited in their kind

only by ideas or effences of a fuperior degree. But fubflanccs

are limited in their kind,

by other fubitances of the fame kind,

or genus, that are greater either in number, quantity, or qualities.

Thus

bodies are Hmited by other bodies which

they.

may be

more extended than

in general

But the

idea or effence'of matter

can be Hmited only by the idea of beings of a fu-

perior kind or degree,

and not by that of beings of the fame

degree.

Spinofa's defign in confounding thus the ideas

all

of of

effence and fubfhnce was to infinuate that

individuals

the fame kind are the fame individual fubflance; and that the
feveral finite beings are

not

diftin^t, feparate fubftances,

but

502

APPENDIX.
and extenfion. Thus
is

modes of the fame unlverfal fubftance, whofe properties are intelligence

in every definition

he

ftill

fup-

pofes

what he
reft

going to prove.
is

The
*

of Spinofa's definition

obfcure, captious,
*

and
not

equivocal.

If he means by this expreflion,

thought

is

terminated by body, nor body by thought,' that fpiritual

and corporeal beings cannot terminate each other by juxtapofition,

we grant

it.

If he means that intelligent beings have

to material ones, that in-

no

properties but

what are common

telligence

and extenfion are properties of the fame fubftance,

that all extended beings are intelligent,

and

all

intelligent be-

ings are extended,

we deny
III.

this.

Thus

again he fuppofes

what

is

in queftion.

DEFINITION.
which
exifts in itfelf,

'

By
is

fubftance, I underftand that

and
in

conceived by

itfelf;

that

is,

whofe idea does not ftand

it.*

need of another idea to conceive

E X A

E N.

This definition is equivocal and captious. If Spinofa means

by
'

exifting in

itfelf,'
is

that

whofe effence or
be, but

idea includes exif^

tence; then there

is

and can

onefuch fubftanccjwhich
is

the abfolutely infinite one: but this

;

not the true meaning

is

of the word for the true idea of fubftance is that which

foundation of modes
;

the

that

which may be conceived

as inde-

pendent of any other being of its kind; and not that which
cxilts in itfelf

and by itfelf, independent of any fuperlor caufe*

D E F
again what he fliould prove. III. I N I T I O
in fe

Thus Spinofa fuppofes

Per fubftantiam intelligo
eft, et

id,

quod

jus conceptus
rius rei a

non

indiget conceptu alte*

debet.

per

fe

concipitur; hoc

eft, id,

cu-

quo formari

APPENDIX.
IV.
*

503

DEFINITION.

By attribute

undcrftand that which the mind perceives

of afubftance,

as confHtuthigits eflence.'

E X A

E N.

This
falfe.

definition too
attribute
is

is

obfcure, equivocal or abfolutely

An

that

which

is

included in the idea of a

it,

fubftance,
it

which flows

neceffarily

from

afid

without which
perceive in a

cannot be conceived.

But

the attributes

we

fubflance do not always exprefs, as

we have ihewn,

the inti-

mate, adequate elTence of things. Spinofa feems to confound

the idea of attributes
this
is

known

to us with the real effence.

Now
at-

plainly unjufl:.

The

EiTence

is

that

from whence

tributes flow, but

one is not the other,

as the rivulets are

not

the fource, nor the rays the fun.

If this were otherwife, the

infer neceffarily the ade-

knowledge of the
the contrary.
fpirit,

attributes

would

quate knowledge of the effence; and

we

have demonflrated

Tho' we know the

attributes

of matter and
their intimate

yea of God himfelf, yet we do not

know

effence.

Moreover: beings may have the fame, that Is, perfectly like
or fimilar attributes and not be the fame individual fubflance.

Thus

all

material beings have the fame or fimilar attributes,

indlvifible fubflance.
all fi-

but they are not the fame individual and

Spinofa's defign in this definition
nite beings are

was

to infinuate that

only modes of the fame univerfal fubftancc

Thus he

ftili

fuppofes

what he
F
I

is

to prove.
I

D E
ieftus de fubflantia percipit,

N
e-

IV.

Per attributum Intelligo id quod

Intel-

jus ejOTenti^jn conftituens,

tanquam

504
*

APPENDIX.
V.

DEFINITION.
of a

By mode,
;

I underftand the affedtions or qualities

fubftance

or that which inheres in another, yet that

conceived.'

by

which

it is

E X A

E N.

This
fa's

definition

is

the moft captious and falfe of all Spinoare not that

definitions.

Modes

by which

a fubftance

is

conceived; for a fubftance

its

may

be conceived without any of

clear idea

particular

modes.

We have a

of matter,

tho'
it

it

be neither

triangular, circular,

nor

elliptical,

and

tho'

have

no particular figure, divifion, or motion. Neither is a mode that which inheres in another as the fchools fay. The true idea of modes refults from the idea of finite, which is fufceptible
of continual variations, augmentations and diminutions; and thefe changes are called modes. But thcfe modes are neither
conceived by the fimple idea of fubftance, nor is the fubftance

conceived by them; for

wc muft

conceive a changeing caufe

to conceive them, as well as a changeable fubftance in

which

they are produced.

The definitions of fubftance and mode given by the fchools

are the
firft

original feeds

of all Spinofifm.
*

If a fubftance, as

the fchoolmen fay, were

'

that

which

exifts in itfelf,

and by
Is

itfelf,'

then there would be but one fubftance, which

Being, the fupreme Infinite,
that

the

felf-exiftent
(idcs if a

God
;

himfelf.
is

Be-

mode were

which exifts

in another,

fupported

by another, and cannot fubfift without another then all finite

beings would be
Per

modes of God, fmce they all exift in, are fup-

DEFINITIO
modum
intelligo, fubftantiae afFec-

V.

etiam concipitur.

tioneS; five id

quod

in alio

eft,

per quod

APPENDIX.
VI.
*

505

ported by, and cannot fubfift without God. In this fenfe there

would be but one fubftance and all other things would be the modes of that only fubftance.

DEFINITION.
Being
:

By God

I underftand the abfolutely infinite

that

*is, a
*

fubftance compofed of infinite attributes, every one of

expreffes an eternal

which

and

infinite eftence/

E X A

E N.

God is not a fubftance compofed

is

of infinite

attributes.

He

a fimple,

uncompounded

eflence, all

whofe

attributes are

reducibletothree,

POWER, WISDOM and goodness; life, LIGHT and LOVE; causality, truth and justice;
we have
already denionftrated.

as

All his incommunicable

attributes are reducible to

Infinite;

and exprefted by that of Abfolutc

perfe^ftions are reducible

and

all his

communicable

to three and can be only three.

Trinity exhaufts his eftence,

and a quaternity

is

impofiible. Spinofa adds in the explication

*

of this
'

definition, that
all

what

is

abfolutely infinite contains in

its

fubftance,

that exprefles eftence.'

If this were
all

fo,

the

divine nature
ties,

would contain numerically

is

beings,

all rcali-

and

all

eftcnces; this

Nature and not God: oratleaft

is

all

things

would be only modes of God; which

again beg-

ging the queftion. God, as

we have fhewn,

is

all being,
far lefs the

not

ALL beings;

a fingular, individual, indivifible Being,

and not an
univerfal

univerfal, general,

coUedive Being;
all

Suppofitum in which

particular beings inhere as

modes, hypoftafes, or
Per

pcrfonalities.
vr.
attributis,

DEFiNiTio
Deum
eft,

intelligo, ens abiblute infi-

finitis

quorum unumquodque
exprimit cllentiam.

nitum^hoc

fubftaatiam conftantem in-

aetcrnam

et infuiitain

Sff

5o6

APPENDIX.
VII.

DEFINITION.
which
exifts

'

That thing

Is

called free,
is

by the
by

fole necef^

fity

of its nature, and

determined to

a<5t

itfelf

alone.

That thing is called

manner.'

neceffary, or rather forced,

a(5l

which is de-

'

termined by another to exill and

in a certain determinate
>

E X A

E N.

This

definition

is

abfolutely falfe; for if this were true,

diiference betwixt free

where then would be the

fary exiftence, betwixt free
this definition,

and necef-

and neceffary
firft

acHrion.

To eftablifh
is

Spinofa muit

prove that freedom

an im-

poflible, contradi<^ory and abfurd idea; this

he does no where.

He may if he pleafes
it is

deny

liberty

and endeavour to prove that

a chimera; but to lay

down

this as a principle in a definiis

tion,

without any fhadovv of demonftration

a boldnefs

not

to fay an

impudence unworthy of
all

a philofopher.

He

con-

founds through
cefiity,

the courfe of his

work

fpontaneities, nevolition,

and freedom. Spontaneity is fimple

and may

be neceffary; thus we love

oufly, tho' neceffarily.
be,

good
will;

in
is

general

fpontane-

Freedom

what may be or may not

not only what we will

what we may will or not

it is

fpontaneoufly without any foreign outward conflraint, but

without any inherent neccHity of nature, and by pure choice.

NeceJflity
is

that

which cannot be otherwife than

it is,

what

flows from our nature inevitably and invincibly, fo that nothing can hinder
its

effed.

Spinofa boldly confounds thefe

VII.

DEFINITIO
Ea res libera
dlcitur,

quae ex

fola fuae

vel potlus coadla qtiae ab alio determinatur ad exlftendum et

naturae neceflitate cxiRit, et a

fe fola

ad

opcrandum

certa ac

agendum determinatur.

Neceflaria autem

detefminata ratione.

APPENDIX.
three ideas without giving the
leaft

507

reafon

why he
&c.

does

fo.

In confequence of thisfalfe, abfurd definition of liberty, Spinofa maintains that the foul
xxxiv.
is

intirely paflive,

fee

Prop,

VIII.
*

DEFINITION.
exiftence
itfclf,

By eternity I mean

as

flowing from the

is

idea of the thing eternal; for fuch an exiftence

concei-

*
*

ved as an eternal truth, like the effenceof that thing; and

therefore cannot be explained

by duration or
E N.

time, tho'

we

'

fuppofe

it

without beginning and without end.'

E X A

This

definition

is

alfo abfolutely unintelligible.

is

What
all e-

Spinofa feems to define,

nal exiftence.

necelTary exiftence, and not eterof,

God

thought

and

will'd freely

from

ternity the creation

of

finite

beings ; and yet their ideas and

their de-

exiftence are free,

finition,

and do not neceirarily flow from

Eternity
is

nor from that of God.

a duration that

has neither beginning nor end, and this duration

may be of
Spinofa's

two kinds; with, or without variation of modes.

exiftence,
is

defign in confounding thus eternal exiftence, with necefTary

to prove that
all

the ads of God's power, undere-

ftandlng and will, whether

immanent or emanant being

qually eternal, are equally necefTary.

finitions are

Thus
is

all

Spinofa's de-

pure fuppofitlons of what he

to prove.

DEFINITIO
Per aeternitatem intelligo ipfam exifIcntiam qiiatenus ex fola rei aeternaedennitione fequitur.
vit

viir.

cipitur, proptereaque per

duratlonem aut
tamctfi du-

tempiis explicari

non potcd,

Talis enim exiftentia

ratio principio et fine carere concipiatur,

aeterna Veritas, ficut rei eflentia con-

Sff2

5o8

APPENDIX.
SPINOSA's AXIOMS.
I.
*

AXIOM.
or in another.'

All that

exifts, exifts in itfelf,

E X A

E N.
itfelf,

If Spinofa means by exiftlng in then

it is

exifting

by

itfelf;

true, that all things are either felf-cxiftent, or profaid to

exifl:

duced by another: a thing may be

ther as an effect in
its

in or

by ano;

caufe or as a

mode in its fubftance now

*

as Spinofa denies that

one fubftance can produce another, he

exifting in another,'

underftands by this dark exprefllon,

that
all

things exilt in
is

God
II.

as

modes of

the divine eflence.

And this
*

again fuppofmg what was to be proved.

AXIOM.
itfelf,

That which cannot be conceived by

by another.'
E X A
xM

mull:

be con-

ceived

E N.
itfelf either as
is

A thing
Thus

may be

conceived by
it,

Independent

of any other caufe producing

independent of all other

that

as felf-exiftent; or as

effecfts

that flow

from the fame caufe.

infinite,

a finite fubftance, tho'

as

produced by the

may

be conceived
thing alfo
as a

independent of any other finite fubftance.

cither as
as

A
or

may be conceived by another

as a production

an

effeci:

mode,

of its power, or

an emanation

of its fubftance. Spinofa ftill confounds thefe two notions by

A X
Omnia quae
Id quod per
fant vcl in
I

A A

T.

fe vc-l in alio funt.

1

A X
fe

II.

non

poteft concipi, per aliud concipi debet.

APPENDIX.
an eternal
repetition

509

ofthe fame paralogifm, and of the fame

begging of the queftion.

III.
'

AXIOM.
the efFed follows neceffarily;
given,
it is

A determined caufe given,

if

and on the contrary,

no determined caufe be

impofFible the eiFe<n:can follow.'

E X A

M E

N.
it ficrnifies

This axiom

is

either abfolutely falfe or

nothin(T.

If there be any fuch thing

freely.

as a free caufe, the effect

firft,

happens

Spinofa therefore fhoulJ have proved

eftablillied
it

that there

can be no free caufe, before he

all

as

an axiom, that

determined caufes a6l neceflarily.

is

I grant indeed that a

effect,

thing

not truly a caufe,

all

till it

produce an

and in

this

fenfeitis true that

determined caufes are neceirarily caufes

their effecft; becaufc
at
it is

when
then

they

acfl

and produce

impof-

fible that a thing

this fignifies
is

can be and not be

the fame time: but

nothing to Spinofa's purpofe, unlefs he

^>rove that there

rily

and can be no power, but what

acV.
I

is

nccelfa-

determined or reduced into

IV.

A X

o M.

The knowledge of an

effed depends upon the

it.'

know-

'-

ledge of its caufe, and includes

E X A

E N*
that a thinois

This
an
effe6l

is

abfolutely

falfe,

for

we may know
it

without knowing the caufe whence

A X
I

proceeds.

Men

III.
eft

Ex

data caufa deterrainata, necellirlo

;

determinata caufa impc/Tibile

tus fequatur.

ut efFec-

fcquitur effcaiis

et contra,

fi

nulla detur

A X

IV.

Effech:s cognitio a cognltione caufae

dependet; et

eandem

involvlt.

'

510

APPENDIX*
certainly for

knew
.

many

ages that water rofe to certain

heights in a pump, without

afcent.
effect

knowing the
that this

true caufe

of

this

They knew in general

air

phenomenon was an
that the weight
it is

of fome was

caufe, tho' they did not

this particular caufe.

know

of the

Moreover,

abfolute-

ly falfe that the

knowledge of an
is

effed, fuppofes always that

we know how it
a thing
is

produced; for we may

know certainly that

efFe^fls

an

effect,

without knowing the manner of its prothat

all finite

ducflion.

Thus we know
is

fubflances are

of the

felf-exiftent fubflance; tho'

we do not know how

caufe producing.

the
Spiis

efFed produced

conneded with the

axiom was

nofa's defign in this

to infinuate that creation

impoiTible, becaufe

we do not know how God

V.

produces.

AXIOM.
common, cannot be under-

^
'

Things

that have nothing in

flood by each other; or the idea of the one does not include

the idea of the other.*

E X A

E N.
in

This

Is

again equivocal.

Things may have fomething

common,
the other.

tho' the Idea

of the one does not include the idea of

beings have fomething in

All

finite

common,

as

having either the fame attributes and modes, or as being effects

of the fame
;

common

caufe, or as reprefentatlve

of the

fame archetype tho' the idea of the one does not include that

of the other. Moreover,

it is

abfolutely falfe in

all fenfcs

that

becaufe the idea of one thing, does not include the idea of
another, therefore they have nothing in

common. The idea

A X
Quae
nihil

commune cum
fe

fe

invicem

V. pofTunt; five conceptus unius, alteiius

habent, etiam per

invicem

intelligi

non

conceptum non

involvit.

APPENDIX.
of a man does not include that of
his picture, yet tJicy

511
have

fomething in common, that in which they rcfemble each other.

The idea of one man does

not include the idea of ano-

ther; yet they have fomething in

foul

common, which

is

that

of

and body.

The idea of metals and plants

is

have fomething

in

common, which

their material

and vegetative nature;

that

and yet the idea of the one does not include

YI.
*

of the other.

AXIOM.
its obje<5l.'

A true idea fhould agree with

E X A

E N.
is

This axiom
to

is

juft;

but then great care

to be taken not

confound true

ideas with adequate ideas, or conformity

in his

with identity.

This Spinofa does frequently

demonall

ftrations, in order to

prove that our true ideas are

ade-

quate, and that the ideas and the objefts arc the fame.
A^II.
'

A X

o M.
non-exifl:ent,itsefrence

That which can be conceived as

E X A

'

does not include exigence.'

E N.

This axiom

is

certainly true, but

we muft

not thence inas exigent its

fer with Spinofa, that

what may be conceived

to fuppofe that

elTence includes cxiftence; that to fuppofe a being created,

which was not before, is

what

is falfe

may
all

be-

come

true; that exigence belongs to the nature

of

fub-

ftance;

and in one word that

all

that exifts, exilh neceflarily.

All this he advances without any fliadow of proof.

A

VI.

cum ideato convenire. A X I O M A VII. Quicquid ut non exidens poteft concipi, ejus effentia non involvit
Idea vera debet

exlflentiam.

512

APPENDIX.
all

Thus

Spinofa's definitions

and axioms are

falfe,

equi-

vocal, or eternal repetitions or infinuations

of the fame unde-

monftrable principle,
*

'

that

all

things are

modes of the fame

fubftance.'

We fhall now fee what fyftem can be built upon

fuch tottering foundations.

SPINOSA's PROPOSITIONS,
AND DEMONSTRATIONS.
P
'

ROP OSI T ION

I.

A fubftance
This
is

is

prior in nature to

its

modes/

DEMONSTRATION.
^

clear

from the
E

third

and
N.

fifth definitions.'

X A M E

This

is

a felf- evident propofition,

which wants no detill it

monftration, for a thing cannot be modified

exift;

fmce

nothing can have no properties.

P R
'

OPOS I T I ON

II.

Two fubfiances

that have diiferent attributes, have no-

'

thing in

common with each other.' DEMONSTRATION.

is

This

clear

from the
p

third definition, for every

itfclf,
I.

one of

'

thefe fubftance s fhould exift in

and be conceived by

R o

p.

Subftantia prior eft natura fuis afFectlonlbus.

DEMONSTRATIO.
Patet ex definitione tertia et quinta.

PROP.
Duae
Patet ex definitione tertia ; unaquaeque
<;nim in fe debet efle ct per

II.

fubftantiae dlverfa habentes attributa nihil inter le

commurie habent.

DEMONSTRATIO.
conceptus unius, conceptum alterius non
involvit.

k concipi, five

APPENDIX.
'

^13

itfelf ;

or the idea of the one docs not involve the idea ofthe

other.

E X A

E N.
is

The
that

proof of this propofition

founded upon

a falfe or
is

equivocal definition, and fo

is falfe.

fubftance

neither

which

exifts in itfelf,
itfelf without

nor by

itfelf,

nor which
is

may

be

conceived of

any other. This

true only

of

the felf-exiflent abfolutely infinite fubftance. fore fhould have proved that there can be
ces but this.

Spinofa there-

no other fubfbn-

Moreover; tho' two fubftances have not the fame attributes, yet one may produce the other, and fo they* may have immutable and neceffary relations as caufe and cffea. In
fine, tho'

fubflances have diftind attributes, yet as re-

ofthe fame archetype they may have fomething analogous. Thus tho' fpiritual and material fubftances havt not the fame attributes, yet they have fomething in
prefentative

common
follows

as reprefentative

ofthe fame

original.

From all this

'

it

nothing in comwith each other:' for they have neither common natures and properties ; nor are they caufes and effeas; nor archetypes or reprefentations, and fo have nothing fimilar: yea they are two chimeras; for two abfolute infinites are im-'
*

that this propofition taken in the fenfe Spinofa gives to the word Subfbnce is reducible to this; two felf-exiftent fub* fiances that have diiFercnt attributes, have

mon

pofiible.

PROPOSIT ION
'

III.

When things have

commune

nothing

in

common,

the one cannot

'

be the caufe ofthe other.'

Qiineres nihil
inter

k J^abent,

caium una aherius caufa

cfTe

non

poteft

Ttt

514
*

APPENDIX.
DEMONSTRATION.
If they have nothing in

common, they cannot be confifth

ceived

one by another, by the

axiom, and therefore

the one cannot be the caufe of the other,

by the fourth

axiom.'

E X A

E N.
fifth

This demonftration
axioms, which

is

founded upon the fourth and

we have

fliewn to be falfe or equivocal.

There
of the Be-

are no beings in nature but

either as fublhnces

what have fomething

of the fame

in

common,

of the fame nature, or

as efFecfls

fame

caufe, or as reprefentations

original.

fides Spinofa's conclufion does

not follow from the fourth

eiFecft

axiom: for tho' the knowledge of an

Jaiowledge of the caufe, yet
it

fuppofes

fome

does not fuppofe a

the caufe operates.

perfe(5l

knowledge of the manner

therefore
caufe

how

Tho*

we do

not conceive the connc(51ion betwixt the

yet
its

and the

effeft,

efficiency

is

not to be denied.

Thus we cannot deny a(5tive force, neither does Spinofa deny it, tho' we do not know how its effeOs are produced. Now as we do not deny moving force, becaufe we cannot conceive it, fo neither ought we to deny creating force becaufe v/e cannot conceive
it.

It

is

here that the fyliems of

Spinofa and Malebranche begin to refcmblc each other.

The

one denies creation

in the

firft

caufe,

and the other denies ac-

tion in fecond caufes ; becaufe they cannot conceive the man-

ner of their operation.

DEMONSTRATIO.
Si nihil

commune cum

fe

invicem ha

vicem

intelllgl pofTunt,

adeoque, per ax.

efle

bent, ergo per ax^ quintum nee per fe in

4tum, una aherius caufa

non

poteft.

appendix;
PROPOSITION
*

515

IV.

Two or

more

things really diftinguiflied, can be dldin-

'

guiflied only

by their different attributes or different modes.'

DEMONSTRATION.
<

All things,

by the
is,

fidl

axiom,

exift cither in

themfclves
fifth dcfi-

'

or in others, that
nition, there
is

according to the third and

'

nothing really exiflent but fubftances and

diflinguifhed

modes; therefore things can only be

fubftances (that
is,

by

their

according to the fourth definition, by

their attributes) or

by

their modes.'

E X A

E N.
firft

This demonftration

is

founded upon the

fifth definitions,

axiom, and
all

upon the
falfe that

third, fourth
faifc, it

and

which being
it is

equivocal or

muft be

Co too. Further,

abfolutely
attri-

fubibnccs can be dKHnguiflied only by their

butes and

by

their

modes.

There may be

a third diftinftion,
fcveral kinds arc

and that

is

by

their feparate exlfrence.

The
by

diftinguiflied

by the general
fpirits

different attributes that

differ

belong

to them.
tributes.

Thus

and bodies

their various at-

The particular fpecies of fubftances of the

by
their different

fame kind

are diftinguiflied

forms and modes.

Thus
diftin,:

wood

is

different

from gold by the

R O

different configuration

of its parts,
Dnae
fc

tho'

both be equally matter. Individuals arc

P
p.

IV.
vel

aut plnres res didindlae vel inter

rum,

ex

diverfitate

aifcdionnm.

diltlnguuntur ex diverfitate attributo-

DEMONSTRATIO.
Omnia quae
fnnt, vel in fe vel in alio

ergo extra intelleflum datur per quod plures res diftiingui poiTunt, praeter fubftantias (five

funt, per ax. 1.

hoc

eft:

per def, 3. et 5.

extra intelleftum nihil datur praeter Tubllantias

quod idem

eft,

per def. 4tam),

afFetitiones.
-

carundemque aiFcdioucs.

T^'ihil

earum
1 1

attributa,

carumquc

^r

5i6
<Tuiflied
tal

APPENDIX.
by
their feparate exiftence, for tho'

two pieces of me-

have the fame attributes, and tho' they

fnbfift feparately

may have the fame

modes, yet they

and independently one of

another, fo that the one

hilated.

may exift tho' the other were anniBeings therefore may be diftinguifhed either by their
modes, or their feparate exiftence.

attributes, their

Now be-

fore Spinofa can eftablifli his principle concerning the unity

of one only fubftance; he muft fliew

tions arc chimerical, that
all

that thefe three diftinc-

Beings of the fame kind are the

fame individual fublbnce; and that the diftincHiion hitherto received of genus, fpecies, and individual, is not founded in
reafon, or in nature.
P
'

This he proves no where.

ROPOS T
I

o N V.

There cannot be

in nature

two or more fubftances of

the fame nature or attribute.

DEMONSTRATION.
*

If there were

many

diftinft fubftances in nature,

they

muft be diftinguiihed cither by their

according to the fourth propofition.

attributes, or

modes,

They

are not diftin-

auifhed by their attributes, fmce they are of one

attribute or nature:
*

common

now

if

they be only diftinguiflied by

their

modes, they are not fubftantially diftind, fince by the

PROP.
In rerum natura

v.

non pofTunt

dari duae aut plures fubftantiae ejufdem naturae

five attributi.

DEMONSTRATIO.
SI

darcntur plures diftlndae, dcberent

butoruni, quia fupponuntur cjufJem cffc

inter fe dlftingui vel

ex

diverfitite attri-

naturae five attributi. At

fi

ex diverfitate
evini

butorum, vel ex
per prop. 4tam.

diverfitate afFetfiionum,

afFedionum tantum diftingiuintur,

fubftantia
fit

non ex

diverfitate attri-

prior fuis affeaionibws per

APPENDIX.
'

517

firft

propofition, a fubftance
afide,

is

prior to

its

modes; therefore
in itfelf,
^

'

by laying them
it

and confidering the fubftance

cannot be conceived as didind from another of the fame

nature.

Therefore there can be but one fubftance in cifame

attribute.

ture that has the

E X A

E N.
is

All the force of this demonftration

foregoing propofition, which

founded upon the

to be falfc; for

we have {hewn
by
diftinguifhed

tho' things be neither diftinguifhed

their

their attributes

nor by

modes, yet they

may be

by

their feparatc

and independent exiftence; the one may

thers are deftroyed.

exift,

while the o-

Spinofa will perhaps fay that fpacc and

matter are the fame, and no part of fpace can be deftroyed:

but 1 have (hewn the falfhood of this principle, and Spinofa

muft demonftrate the contrary, which he does no where.

Since he underftands by fubftance that which
this propofition
*

is

felf-exiftent,
;

is

then reducible to the following axiom

there cannot be in nature

ftances.'

two or more

fclf-exiftent fub-

P
*

ROPOS I T J ON

VI.

One

fubftance cannot produce another.'

DEMONSTRATION.
*

By

the foregoing propofition, there cannot be in nature

attribute, that
:

two fubftances that have the fame

hoc
eft,

is,
eft

which
per prop,
fed

prop, imam, depofitis ergo afteftionibus,

et in fe confiderata, ct

conclpl ab alia diftingui hoc

praeced.

per def. gtiam

non potcrunt

dari piurcs,

4tam, vere confiderata,

non

poterit

taiitum una.

PROP
Una
fubftantla

VI.

non

poteft produci ab alia fubftantia.

DEMONSTRATIO.
In rerum natura non pofTunt dari

dmc

fubftantjae

ej

iifdcm attribiiti per prop, pre-

5i8
have
*

APPENDIX.
ai>y thing in

common, by
E X

the 2d prop, and fo by the

other.'

third, the

one cannot be the caufeof the

A M E

N.

We have
them
is falfe.

already

5th propofitions,

fhcwn the falfhood of the 2d, 3d and and fo the demonftration founded upon

We have alfo demonftrated that as adive force,

wc
it.

or the power of producing modes, mull: be allowed, tho*

do not conceive

it;

fo creating force, or the

power of produnot conceive

'

cing fubftances, muft be allowed, tho'

Spinofa's propofition
'

we do

is

therefore reducible to this,

one

felf-

exiflent fubitance

cannot produce another

fclf-exiftent fub-

'

iknce.'

PROPOSITIOH
'

TII.

Exigence belongs to the nature of fubftance.'

DEMONSTRATION.
*

One

fubftance cannot produce another,

it

by the 6th prop.

eflence muft

therefore

muft be

its

own

caufe; that

is, its

neceffarily involve exiftence,

by the

firft

definition.'

E X A

E N.
firft

We have already fhewn

of the 6th prop, and

the falftiood of the

def.

and
it

fo the fcventh

muft be

falfe,

unlefs

be

reduced, according to the meaning Spinofa gives to the word

ccd.

hoc

eft

per prop. 2clam, quae aliquid habcnt.

prop, gtiam una alterius caufa edc neqiiit,

five

inter fe

commune

Adeoque per

una ab

alia

produci nequit.

PROP.
Ad
non

VII.
exiftere.

naturam fubftantiae pertinet

DEMONSTRATIO.
Subftantia
poteft produci ab alia,
erit itaque

necefTario cxiftentiam, five ad ejus natu-

pcr prop, preced.

eft

caufa

fiii,

id

ram

pertinet cxiftere.

per def, primam ipfius eflentia involvit

APPENDIX.
fubftance, to this axiom;
'
'

519

necefTary exiftence belongs to the

nature of the felf-exlftent fubftance.'

PROPOSITION
*

VIII.

All fubftance

is

neceflarily infinite.'

DEMONSTRATION.
'

There

is

but one fubftance In nature that can have the

fame

attribute,

by the 5th prop, now by the 7th,

to exift,
it

it

belongs
fi-

to the nature

of fubftance
it

muft therefore be

nite or infinite: if finite,

muft be bounded by fome other

fubftance of the fame kind, according to the

this

2d

defin.

and

'

bounding fubftance would

alfo exift neceffarily,

by the

'

feventh prop, and fo there would be

two fubftances of the

fame

attribute,

which

is

impoffible by the fifth propofition.'

E X A

E N.

The

force of this demonftration depends

upon the 5th

and 7th prop, which

are abfolutely falfe, unlefs reduced to

the above-mentioned axioms, and then the fenfe of this propofition will be;
* '

the felf-exiftent fubftance is neceffarily in-

finite.'

PROPOSITION
*

IX.

The more
has.'

reality that a fubftance has, the

more attributes

it

PROP
Omnis
Subftantia unius attributi,non nift unica
exiftit

VIIT.

fubftantia eft necefTario Infmita.

DEMONSTRATIO.
alia

ejufdem naturae, quae etiam necefTa-

^per prop. 5.) et ad ipfius naturam

rio debet cxiftere /-per prop. 7.)

adeoque

pcrtlnet exiftere (^pcr prop. 7,) erit ergo

ipfius
finita,

darcntur duae fubftantiae ejufdem attributi,

natura vel

finita vel infinita: at

non

quod

eft

abfurdum (per prop.

5.)

nam

per def. 7. debet terminarl ab

exiftet ergo infinita.

PROP.
Quo

IX.

plus realitatis aut efle, unaquaeque res habet, co plura attributa ipfi competunt.

520
This

APPENDIX.
DEMONSTRATION.
'

is

clear

from the fourth

definition.'

E X A

E N.

Can any

thing be

more
is

bold, than to give for a

demon-

fh'ation a definition that

falfe

and equivocal?
its

It is true that

the more reality a fubftance has, the greater

attributes arc

in quality, not in quantity: for if thefe attributes necefTarily

fuppofe negation,
infinite,

we ought
all

not to attribute them to abfolute

defe^l, privation

which excludes

and negation;
not abfolute-

otherwife
ly infinite.

God would

be thefum of all

finites,

This propofition therefore

to this,
its
*

if it fignifies

any

thing,

muft be reduced
*

that the

more
X.

perfect a fubftance

is,

the

more pcrfe<n:
P

attributes are.*

ROPOSI T ION

Every

attribute

of a fubftance may be conceived by

itfelf.'

DEMONSTRATION.
*

By

the fourth definition, an attribute

is

that

which the
its

mind conceives of a and therefore by the

by
itfelf.

fubftance, as conflituting
third definition
it

effence,

may

be conceived

<

Spinofa defines a

X A M E N. fubflance that which may be conceived

E

by

itfelf.

He

maintains by this prop, that an attribute

itfelf.

may

be conceived by

Thus he confotmds
DEMONSTRATIO.

the ideas of at-

Patet ex definitione quarta.

PROP.
Unumquodque unius
Attributum
eft id

X.

fubftantiae attributum per fe concipi dqbet.

DEMONSTRATIO.
quod
intelleftus

dc

conflituens, per def. 4tani, adeoque per

def. 3tiam per Ic concipi debet.

fubftantia percipit

tanquam ejus elTentiam

APPENDIX.
tribute

^21
fub-

and fubftance, and

Co there

may

be

many diftina

ftances,

fmce there may be many difHnft

P R

attributes.

OPOS I TION

XI.
attributes every

'

God, or

a Being

compofed of infinite

'

one of which exprefs an eternal and

necefTarily.'

infinite effence, exifts

'
'

If you deny

this,

DEMONSTRATION. conceive that God does not exift, thereexif-

'

by the feventh axiom his effence does not involve tcnce: but by the 7th propofition it belongs to the
fore
ofali fubftance to exift, therefore

nature

'

God

exifts neccifarily.'
.

E X A

E N.

Thus Spinofa
abfolute falfhood.

demonftrates thegreateft of all truths by an Moreover, it is abfurd to fay that God is

a Being compofed of infinite attributes: the divine attributes flow from the idea of his elTence, but they

do notcompofe
is

it.

In

fine, all that

we can

conceive of abfolute infinite

redu-

cible to that

of three confubllantial

demonflrated, and therefore

attributes^

God

is

diftinftions, as we have not compofed of infinite

r R o
Deus,
attributis
five fubftantia conilans infinitis

p.
et

xr.

aeternam exprlmit efTentlam, necelTario

quorum unumquodque infinitam

exiftit.

Si negas,

concipe

fi fieri

non

exiftere,

ergo per ax.

DEMONSTRATIO. Deum prop. 7niam hoc eft abfurdum. 7mum ejus ef- necelTario exiftit.
poteft,
;

Ergo Deus

fentia

non

involvit exiftentiani

atqui per

Uuu

522

APPENDIX.
PR OPOSI T I ON
XII.

We can conceive no attribute of a fubftance, from whence

follows that
it

it

can be divided.'

DEMONSTRATION.
*

The parts

in

which

a fubftance can

be divided retain the

nature of the fubftance or not. If they retain the nature

the fubftance, then
infinite,

of

by the 8th prop, every

part ought to be

and

fo

by the 6th prop, its own

caufe,

and by the

5th prop, have different attributes, and fo in one fubftance

there might be

'

many

fubftances

which

is

abfurd by the

'

5th prop.
ftancc

If they do not retain the nature of the fub-

by

this divifion,

then the divided fubftance would

ceafe to be,

which

is

impoffible by the 7th prop.

E X A

E N.
6th, 7th

This demonftratlon is founded upon the 5th,

8th propofitions, which being
P
*

and

all falfe, it

muft be

fo too.

ROPOSI T ION

XII

I,

The abfolutely infinite Subftanccis DEMONSTRATION.

divifible,

indivifible.'

If it were

the parts into which

P

it

could be di-

R O

XII.

Nullum

fubftantiae attributum poteft vere concipi,

ex quo fequatur fubftantiam

pofle dividi.

DEMONSTRATIO.
Partes enim in quas fubftantia divideretur, vel

5.) elt abfurdum. ... Si

fecundum, ergo

naturam
Si

fubftantiae retinebunt
turn (-per prop. 8.)

cum

tota fubftantia in aequales partes ef-

vel non.

primum,

fet divifa,

naturam fubftantiae amitteret

unaqaaeque pars
6.) caufa
fui,

erit infinita, et/-per

prop,

et efte defineret,

quod /per prop.

7.)

eft:

adeoque ex una fubftantia

abfurdum.

plures conftitui poterunt,

quod ^per prop.

PROP.

XIII.

Subftantia abfolute infinita eft indivifibifis.

APPENDIX.
*

523
infinite fub-

vided,

would

retain the nature

of the abfolutely

ftance or not.
ftances

If the

firft,

then there would be

many
fifth

fub-

of the fame nature, which is abfurd by the

pro-

pofition.
finite

If the fecond be affirmed, then the abfolutely in-

fubftance might ceafe to be,

which

is

abfurd by the

eleventh propofition.'

E X A

E N.

Thus
truth

Spinofa demonflrates again an eternal, immutable

this true propofiti*

by an abfolute falfhood; and from

on he draws the following corollary;

'

that

no

fubftance,

and confequently that no corporeal fubftance,

fubftance,
is

in fo far as a

divifible.'

In the fcholium of the fifteenth

'

propofition he reafons thus.

'

If corporeal fubftance could

be divided into parts really

diflin^t,

one of thefe and

parts

might

'

be annihilated while the others

fubfift,

fo there-might
elfe-

be

a void in nature; but this

we have

demonftrated
it

'

where

to be impoffible,
is

and therefore

is

plain that cor-

'

poreal fubftance

indivifible.

If it be afked,
?

why we

are

'

fo apt to divide quantity or extenfion

I anfvver, becaufe

we

conceive

it

in

two manners,

either

by imagination, or by
as fiintelligible ex-

pure

intellcft.

Imaginary extenfion may be conceived

nite, divifible

and compofcd of parts; but

DEMON STRATI O.
Si

enim

divifibllis eflet, partes in

quas

eft

abfurdum.

Si

feciindum ponatur, ergo

divlderetur vel naturam fubftantiae abfolute infinitae retinebunt vel

poterit fubftantia abfolute infinita definere efTe,

non.

Si pri-

quod /per prop, undecimam)

eft

mum, dabuntur

ergo plures fubftantiae e-

etiam abfurdum.

jufdem naturae, quod /per prop, jtam)

CORROLARIUM.
Ex his fequitur nullam fubftantiam,
et

ream, quatenus fubftantia

bilem.

eft,

efTe divif-

confcquenter nullam fubftantiam corpo-

U U 2

524
*

APPENDIX.
it is

tenfion,in fo far as
divifible.

a fubftance,

is

infinite,

one, and In-

This

will

be eafily underftood by thofc

who know
;

to diftinguifk betwixt imagination

and intelled

efpecially

when we confider
that
its

that matter

is

every where the fame, and

parts are only diftinguifhed

modally not

really.'

Thus
reduces

Spinofa, to avoid the imputation of corporaliz-

ing the Godhead, deftroys the very eifence of matter, and

all

to the idea
It
is

of an

infinite,

intelligible,

indivi-

fible extenfion.

true indeed that

when he
cannot be

talks

of mobe

tion,

he

contradi(5ts himfelf vifibly,

and feems

to infinuate
if matter

that bodies are really

indivifible; for fince

moved: but
it

this

has no real parts, the one cannot be

feparated from, nor tranlported

by the
of

other.

Spinofa had

not fufficiently digefled

this part

his fyftem.

He

had no

notion of the Malebranchian or Berkleyan fchemes, which

give a

mighty

light to his

dark principles.
aft

According to the
us;

former fcheme matter does not

to the latter there
rit.
is

upon

and according

no

third fubflance betwixt

God

and

fpi-

As

colours, tafles,

and

fmells are nothing real without

us,

but fenfations in us; fo figures, divifions and motions are

nothing real without us; but only fenfations excited in the

foul

by the

infinite, intelligible, indivifible,

unmoveable exfhows
itfelf

tenfion, that afts

upon us

efRcacioufly, and

to

us only by parcels.
divifions,

Thus we
is

imagine virtual points, figures,

and motions

in the divine immenfity, tho' there

be

really

none.

This

the ufe which the

modern

Spinofifts

have made of the Cartefian, Malebranchian, and Berkcleyan

maxims.

APPENDIX.
P
*

525

ROP O
is

S I

T ION XI

V^.

Befides

God

there

and can be no other fubftance con-

'^

ceivable.'

DEMONSTRATION.
*

God

Is

an abfolutely

infinite efTence

of which no

attri-

bute can be denied that exprefles the eiTence of fubftance,

by the fixth
but God,

definition

and he

necelTarily exifts

by the

ele-

'

venth propofition.
it

Now if there were any other fubftance

God
;

muft be explained by fome attribute of

and

fo there

would be two
is

fubftances having the fame attrififth

;

bute,
exift

which

abfurd by prop,

therefore there can

no fubftance befides God, nor confequently any other

E X A

be conceived.'

E N.

This great propofition

the whole fyftem
;

is

the effence, bafis, and fcope of

and

it is

founded upon a

falfe definition

of God, asif
*

no attribute could be denied of him

of fubftance,' and upon
'

that cx-

preftes the effence

moft ridiculous,

abfurd propofition,
*

that there cannot be in nature

that have the

two fub-

ftances

of thefame kind, and

fame

attributes.'

As
tern

the preceeding definitions, axioms, and propofitions

falfe,
all

have been proved equivocal, fophiftical or

the fyfis

founded on thefe muft

fall

to the ground.

It

there-

fore needlefs to continue

any

further, a particular confutatito

on of each

propofition.

We fhall now proceed

fhew the

confequences Spinofa draws from the foregoing principles,

and expofe the monftrous impieties of

extent, not only as
it lies

his fyftem in all its

it

in his writings, but as

has been or

may

be improved by the modern Spinofifts, that

know how

526
to

A
a right ufe

I^

P E

N D

X.

make

of fcholaftic, Cartefian, Malebranchlanj

and Berkeleyan

principles.

THE SPINOSIAN SCHEME.

The great legiflator of BEING THAT IS, to fignify
I.

the Jews defines

that

God the

he

is

the only fubftance

truly exiftent

and that all other beings are only modes, forms

or emanations of the
tent,

great all. The

its

eternal, felf-exif-

fovercignly intelligent and infinitely adive fubftance,

may

be confidered either according to

effefls it

abfolute elTence, or

according to the
aftion.

produces

in itfelf,

by

its

immanent
ef-

When we
is

confider

God

according to his abfolute

fucceflion,

fcnce, there

in

him no time or

no meafure or

bounds, no numbers or multiplicity.

asacftlngin

When we confider him

different
arife

and upon himfelf to exprefs by infinitely

numberlcfs attributes, hence

modes,

his

the ideas of

time, meafare,

and number.
is

This

abfolute, a^live,

immenfe

effcnce of God
I
.

what

callNATURA naturans, orNaet

Undc

clare apparet

nos exiftentiam

menfura.

Tempus nempe ad
quantitatern
fieri

duratio-

fubftantiae toto genere a

tentia diverfam concipcre
tiifTerentia inter

modorum
;

exif-

nem, menfura ad

tali

modo
affe-

ex quo oritur

determinandam, ut quod
facile

potefl eas

aeternitatem et duratio-

imaginemur. Deinde ex eo quod

ncni. Perdurationem

enim modorum tan-

fediones fubftantiae, ab ipfa fubftantia

tum

exiftentiam explicare pofTumus. Sub-

paramus,

et ad claiTes ut eas facile

ima-

{tantiaevcrocxiftentiam per aeternitatem,

ginemur, redigimus, oritur numcrus.

quibus dare videre
eft,

Ex

hoc eft infinitamexiftendi

five eflendifrui-

menfurara, tem-

tionem.---Porro ex eo quod durationcm et

pus

et

numerum

nihil efte praeter cogi-

quantitatem pro

libitu

dcterminare poflu-

tandi,feu potiusimaginandi

modos.

Epift.

mus

ubi fcilicet banc a fubftantia abftrac-

xxix. p. 466, 467.

<

Per
id

naturam natuin fe eft,

et

tam concipimuSjCt illam amodo quaarebus acternis

fliiit

rantcm' intelligo

quod

Icparamus^oritur tempus

per

fe concipitur, five talia fubftantiae at-

APPENDIX.
ture producing;

527
what
All

and the confubftantial, eternal forms and

in

modes produced

and by

this

only fubftance,

is

I call

NATURA NATURATA,

or Nature produced.
as caufe

is

one

and the fame fubftance confidercd

or

ef^cS:,

produ-

cing or produced, foarce or emanation, attributes or modes.

2.

The fchoolmen

grant that the ideas or effences of

all

poflible finites are eternal, immutable,

and nccefTary

and
not

that they exided eternally, immutably and neceflarily in the

divine mind.
like the ideas
fugitive,

Now the ideas

of the

infinite effence, are

of finite; they are not

tranfient, variable

and

but unchangeable, permanent and eternal.

They

are not fubftances feparate

ties,

from God, but diftind pcrfonall-

coefTential
in, fubfifl:

forms and confubfbntial beings, which inby, depend

here

upon and flow from God's

allall

containing, all-producing effence.

As God

underftands

things neceffarily, fo he wills

trlbuta quae aeternam et infinltam cfTenti-

all

things neceffarily and pro-

anlmadverfum, qui dei intelle(5lum,voluntatem et potentiam

feruerunt.

am

exprimunt, hoc

eft

Deus, quatenus ut
<

unum

et

idem

efTe af-

cau(a conGderatur.
tern intelligo id

Per

naturatam' auneceflltate

Eth. pars ima. fchol. prop,

potentia five infinita
eft

omne quod ex
eft

17.

fumma Dei

Dei naturae,

five

uniuscujufque Dei at-

natura, infinita infinitismodis,hoc

om-

tributorum fequltur, hoc

omnes Dei

nia neceftario efHuxifTe afTero, vel

Temper

attributorummodos, quatenus confiderantur ut res quae in

eadem

necefTitate fequi,

eodem mode ac
et in aeter-

Deo

fimt, et quae fine

ex natura trianguli ab aeterno

Deo

nee

elTe

nee concipi poftunt,

Eth.
eft

num

fequltur ejus tres angulos aequari

rectis. Ibid, firhol.

pars prima, fcholium prop. 29.

Deus

duobus

prop. 17. Si-

omnium rerum
tranfiens.
2.

caufa

immanens non vero

quis ftatuit fubftantiam creari, fimul fta-

Ibid. prop. 18.

tuitideam fairim, faftam

eflc

veram, quo

Dei intelleflus quatenus Dei efTentiam

fane nihil abfurdius concipi poteft; adeo-

conftituere concipitur eft revera caufa re-

que fatendum

neceffario eft fubftantiae ex-

rum, tum earum

iftentiae
;

effentiae, turn
lis

earum ex-

iftentiam, ficut ct ejus eflentiam aetcrnani

elle veritatcm.

quod ab

videtur etiam fuilfe

Ibid- fchol.

2,

prop.

8-.

528
duces
all

APPENDIX.
things neceiTarily
:

for his power, will and under-

ftanding being his ciTcnce; if he could change his ideas, wills

or

a^fls

he might change his elTence.

We muft always rcafon

ofthefe three attributes according to the rules of analogy.

As

the a6ls of his underftanding are infinite, eternal and ne-

ceflary; fo the acts

of his

will

and power are

infinite, eternal

and neccffary.

As

his underftanding

cannot be augmented,

diminiflied or changed, fo neither can his will, or his

power

be augmented, impaired, or
nous, and a6tive effence

altered.

Thus

his infinite lumi-

knows all, wills all, and produces all by an equal ncceflity. There is however no blind fatality in God, becaufe all things flow from him by neceflity of nature in the fame fenfe that he underftands himfelf neceiTarily.
3.

God

contains infinite attributes of which every one de-

notes an eternal and infinite effence.

We have

no

diflinft i-

deas but of three of thefe attributes, infinite extenfion, infi-

Ex

necelTitate naturae divinae, infinita in-

explicare qua ratione ego fatalem

omni-

finitis

modis, hoc

eft

omnia quae fub

in-

um

rerura et adtionum necefTitatem ftatu-

telledlum infinitum cadere polTunt, fequi

dcbent. Ibid. prop. 16.

di philofophi

am. Nam Deum nullo modo fato fubjiOmnes quos vi- cio; fed omnia inevitabili neceffitate ex concedunt, nullum in Deo Dei natura fequi concipio, eodem modo,
ac

dari intelleflum potentia, fed tantum actu.

omnes concipiunt, ex
Deus feipfum

ipfius

Dei natu-

Cum

autem

et ejus intellectus et ejus

ra fequi ut

intelligat,

quod

voluntas ab ejufdem elTentia non diftin-

fane

nemo

negat, ex divina natura neet

guantur, ut etiam omnes concedant

quitur ergo ctiam

fe-

celllirio

fequi,

tamen nemo concipit

fed

quod

fi

Deus alium
et

in-

Deum
re.

fato aliquo coaftum,

omnino

tcUedtum adu habuiflet,

aliam volun-

libere tametfi neceflario feipfum intellige-

tatem, ejus etiam elTcntia alia neceflario

elTet,

Epift. 53. ad Oldenburg, p. 453.

3. Nihil in

ac proinde

fi

aliter res

quam jam
ejus eften-

natura clarius,

quamquod
aut

funt a

Deo

produftae efient, Dei intellec-

unumquodque ens fub

elTc liabeat,

aliquo attributo
rcalitatis

tus ejufque voluntas,

tia, alia efte

hoc

eft eft

deheat concipi, et quo plus

dcberct,

quod

abfurdum.
hie paucis

eo plura attributa quae et ne-

Ibid. fchol, prop. 33.

Volo

cellitatem five aeternitatcm et infinitatero

APPENDIX.
nite intelligence

529
extended Tub-

and

Infinite activity.

The

ftance, the thinking fubftance,

and the a<5live fubftance are one

In the fame man-

and the fame

this

fubflance,

which we conflder fometlmes under

attribute.

and fometlmes under that

ner a

mode of extenfion and

it

the idea of extenfion, are one

and the fame

hence
ideas

thing, but exprefTed in different

manners; and

was thatfomc ancient Hebrews

but

faid that

God,God's

and the objects of thefe ideas are the fame.

There

are

no
is

real beings

God

and his confubftantial modes,

Ideas,

liypoftafes, or perfonallties,

which we

call finite fplrlts.

fpirlts called

There
matter.

no

third fubftance betwixt

God
by

and

What we imagine

to be bodies are only different fenfations in us

infinite, intelligible

or perceptions produced

exten-

fion that affefts us differently.

Thus human
its
is

nature

is

not a

fubftance but an idea that has for

objeft a limited, detera part or idea

fcilicet ftatuunt

mined mode of Infinite extenfion: our foul

cxprimunt, habeat. Schol. prop. 10. Eth.
pars
I.

of

difTe vixlentur,

qui

Deum,

Porro oftendimus praeter Deura

Dei intelledum, refque ab

ipfo intelledl-as

nullam dari neque concipi poiTe fubftantiam ; atque hinc conclufimus fubftantiam

unum

et

idem

efte.

Eth. pars 2. fchol.

nihil funt nifi

prop. 7.

Res particulares

extenfam

unum ex
eft, five

infinitis

Dei

attributis

Dei attributorum

affedliones, five

modi,

efTe. Ibid, fchol.

prop. 15. Cogitatio attri-

quibus Dei attributa certo ac determinate

butum Dei

Deus
Deus

eft res

cogitans.

Ibid, pars 2. prop. i.

Extenfio attribueft

modo exprirauntur. Eth. pars i cor. prop. Ad effentiam hominis non pertinet 2 J.
.

tum Dei

eft,

five

res extenfa.
fiib-

efte fubftantiae

five lubftantia

formani

Ibid. prop. 2.
ftantia extenfa,
tia

Subftantia cogitans et

hominis non
10.

conftituit. Eth. pars 2. prop.

una eademque

eft fiibftan-

Qiiod afluale mentis humanae efte

quae jam fub hoc, jam

fie

fiab illo attri-

conftituit, nihil aliud eft

quam

idea rei aIbid,

bute concipitur;

etiam

modus extenres

licujus fingularis adlu exiftentis.

fionis et idea illiufinodi

eft,

una eademque

prop. II.

Hinc

fcquitur

mentcm humaDei.

fed

duobus modis expreffa. quod quiquafi per

nam partem

efte infiniti intellcdliis

dam Haebraeorum

nebulam

vi-

Schol. ejufdem prop. Objeftum ideae hu-

X XX

530

APPENDIX.
is

the divine intellect, and the objeft of this idea

particular

body, or a

4.

mode of the divine extenfion. Tho' God and Nature, the abfolute
and modes.

infinite

and

fi-

nite Beings,

be one and the fame fubftance, yet they

differ

elfentially as fubftance
fpirit

God

is

not compofcd of

and body,
a

as if his

mind were an

intelligent effcnce

and
In-

his

body

difl:in(5t

fubftance united in the fame perfon.

finite intelligence

and

infinite extenfion are equally attributes

of the fame

infinite efixmce.

God is not however intelligent as

As

finite fpirits are,

nor corporeal as we imagine bodies to be.

no

particular ideas, fenfations, errors, loves, hatreds, or paf-

fions belong to
ticular

nature producing, or God;

fo

nopar-

forms, figures, divifions, or motions belong to the

divine immenfity, or intelligible extenfion. Matter

and fpacc
indivi-

being the fame, and fpace being

fiblc,

infinite, eternal,

and

matter

is

the fame with the divine immenfity.

it

We may

indeed imagine in
ons, but
lours,
all

virtual points, divifions, figures, moti-

thefc qualities are fimple fenfations in us, as co-

tafi:cs

and founds; and nothing

conftitiientis eft corpus,

real in the divine ef-

manam mcntcm

re

praetcrqnam in nomine convenire pof-

five certus extenfionis

modus,

et nihil a-

funt.

Non aliter fcilicetquam inter fe

:

con-

Hud. Ibid. prop. 13.

4. Intelleflus

veniunt Canis lignum coelefte, et canis afive is finitus

fit,

aOu

G-

nimal latrans

Schol. prop. 17. Sunt qui

et

vc infinitus, ut et voluntas, cupidiias, a-

Deum
fingunt

inftar

hominis mente

corpore

mor, &c. ad naturae naturatam non vero ad naturam naturantem referri debent.

conftantem, atque paflionibus obnoxium

;

fed

quam longc
fiitis

hi a vera

Dei

Per intcllcctum enim non intelliglmusab-

cognitione aberrent,
ftratis conftat.

ex jam demon;

folutam cogitationem, fed certum tantum

Hos

mitto

modum

cogltandi: Eth. pars

i.

prop. 31.

qui naturam divinam aliquo

templati funt,

nam omnes modo con-

Intelletftus et

voluntas qui Dei efTcntiam

Deum

effe

corporeum ne-

conftituunt, a noftro intelleftuet voluntate toto coelo diffcrre debent,

gant

quod etiam optime probant ex eo,

intclligimus

nee in ulk

quod per corpus

quamcum-

APPENDIX.
fence that produces them, and which
rable,
Is

531

indivifiblc, unfiguit is

and unmoveable.

When we perceive bodies,

real,

not

created, inefficacious, unintelligent,

and unintelligible matter

thata6ts

upon

ns,

nor any

imaginary fubftance betwixt

God and fpiritthat is

the obje<5t of our perception. It is God's

intelligible elTence

luminous, efficacious, only intelligent and

that modifies us differently; and that being the only agent,

has the
us.

incommunicable power of ading in and upon Far be it then from me to confound God and nature,
fole,

finite

Beings with the abfolutely

infinite,

and what imaginaAll the

tion calls created matter, with intelligible extenfion.

changes and alterations, generations and corruptions that are fuppofed to flow from figure, motion and divifion, are pure
fenfatlons that

happen

in finite fpirits,

and do not

affedl the

eternal, infinite. Incorporeal caufe.

5.

The

eternal,

immanent, neceffary

aiftlvlty

of the
all

di-

vine effence in and

upon

itfclf produces in

nature

pofTible

forms, modes, and qualities, by immutable, eternal, and neceffary laws,

and by an uninterrupted chain of caufes and

et pro-

efdif-

que quantitatem longam, totam,

fundam, certa aliqua
figiira

mus,

et res ut in iefe perclpltur,

quod

terminatam,
fcilicet

ficillime fit; turn infinita,

indivifibilis et

quo

nihil abflirdius de

Deo, ente

unica reperietur: Epift. 29. p. 467.

At-

abfblute infinite, dici potefl:: Eth. pars i.

fchol. prop. 15.

tamen quod quidam putant, fyftema meurn eo inniti, quodDeus et natura, quam raafTam quandam five materiam

Quare

ii

prorfiis garri-

/per
corfint,

unt, ne dicam infaniunt, qui fijbftantiam

extenlam ex partibus,
invicem
putant

five corporibus

ab

poream intelliguntj ununi

tota errant via.
5.
fiiae

et

idem

realiter diftindtis
Si

conflatam

efl!e

Epift, 21. p. 449.

ad quantitatem prout

eft in

Ea

res libera dicitur,

quae ex Tola

imaginatione attendimus, quod faepiffime

et facilius
fit,

naturae neccflitate

exiftit, et a fe foi.

ea divifibilis, finita, ex par-

la

ad agendum detcrminatur: Eth. pars

t]bus conflata et multiplex reperietur. Sin

dcf. 7.
cl a

Deus ex folis

fuae naturae legibus,

ad eandem prout

eft

in intelledu attcnda-

nemine coadus

agit: Ibid,

prop. 17.

X X 2

532
fe(5ls,

APPENDIX.
which determine, move, and.produce each other from

cverlading to everlafting.

God by a
can

phyfical premotion, and

all

a predeterminating action produces

modalities.
lefs it

Beings and all-their

or aft im-

Nothing

finite

exift, fubfiri:, will,

be determined to
fo

exift, will,

and

aft

by another, and
to the
is
firft,

that

by another, and

on

tiU

we mount up

fole

and only

efficacious caufe.

Freedom

therefore

not a chi-

merical indifference, or capacity to aft or not to

aft, to will,

or not to will
fenfc
afts

but an exemption from

all conftraint.

In

this

God

is

the only free agent, becaufe he alone exifls and

by the

fole neceflity
will,

of his nature.

All other Beings ex-

ift, fubfiii:,

and

aft

by

his fovereign, abfolute,

call

unbounonly that

ded determination.
w^hofe neceffity

What we
is

contingent

is

we do not

difcover in the idea of

that

its

effence;

and what we
tence.
farily

call

Neceffary

whofe

idea includes exif-

Thus we

fay that the attributes

of God, flow necefand contingent;

detcrminatam habet ex-

from the idea of his eftcnce; but the modes by which

attributes are called free
elTe

he expreftes thefe
Hinc
fequitur folum
;

Deum

caufam

li-

etiam

finita eft et

beram

quia ex fola fuac natiirne nccefli-

iftentiam, et determinatur ad exiftendum

et

tateexiftitct agit: Cor. 2. cjufdem prop,

17.

operandnm

et fie in infinitum: Ibid.

Res quae ad aliquid operandum deeft,

;

prop. 28. Dcus tamen non potefl proprie

dici caufa efTe reniota
nifi forte
iis

terminata
terminata
niinata

a Deo neceflario

fuit fie deeft

rerum fingularium,

et

quae a

Deo non

deter-

ea de caufa, ut fcilicet has ab

non

potcft feipfam ad
Ibid. prop. 26.

operandum
Res quae

quae ex abfoluta ejus natura fequuntur

determinare:

diftinguamus.

Deo

ad aliquid operandum dcterminata

Deo

funt, et a

Omnia enim quae funt, in Deo ita dependent ut fine

eft,

feipfam indcterminatam reddere

non

ipfo nee efte, nee concipi poftunt: Schol.

potcft: Ibid, prop. 27. Quaevis res quae

finita eft et

prop. 28.

Res voco contingcntes quate-

determinatam habet exiftenti-

nus ad earum folam eflentiam attendimus,

nihil inveninius

am, non

poteft cxifterc,
nifi

nequead operan-

quod earum exiftentiam quod ipfam

def. 3.

dum

determinari,

ad exiftendum et o-

neceftario ponat, vel

necefta-

perandumdeterminetur abaUacaura,quae

rio fecludat: Eth. pars 4.

In re-

APPENDIX.
becaiife

533 which muft

they do not flow immediately from the idea of his

effence, but

from

that
all,

of his unbounded
even
all

action,

necefTarily

produce

that

is

poflible.

Both how-

ever are equally inevitable and ncccffary, becaufe they both

flow from the neccflity of the divine nature, either as the

only

fubfl-ance, or as the

only agent.
all

Thus

there

is

in na-

ture nothing really contingent;

exift

things are determined to

and operate by the neceflity of the divine nature, nois,

thing could happen but what

nor happen in any other

manner
6.

or order but as

it is.

Men

imagine moft

fooliflily that

God

a(5ls

for

fome

end, as if he wanted or defired fomething that he does not

really poflefs.

Qnaccuftomed

to

Geometrical reafoning which

confiders only the effence of things, they imagined the doctrine

of

final caufes; as if

God
is

not being able to accomplifh

immediately and by himfelf, had chofen intermediate means

to

come at

his

end; which

deftroying the perfection of the.

is

divine nature.
rum

God's perfeflion

to be

meafured by his abHaec dodritollit

;

natura nullum datur contingens, fed

neceflitate naturae divinae de-

proprletates verfatur, aliam veritatis iior-

omnia ex

mam hominlbus oftcndiflet.

na de
fi

terminata funt ad exiftendum et operan-

finibus

Dei perfefllonem

nam-

dum
Deo

certo

modo
alio

Eth. pars

i.

prop, 29.

Deus propter finem

quo
caret

agit, aliquid necef-;

Res nuUo

modo, neque

alio ordine a

fario appetit

et

quamvis theofinem
faten-

produci potuerunt

quam produclae

log! et metaphyfici dilVmguant inter

funt; Ibid', prop. 33.

6.

indigentiae et finem alfimilationis

tur

Omnia quae

hie indicare fufcipio

tamen

Deum omnia

propter

fe

non

praejudicia, pendent ab hoc uno,

fcilicet

quod

propter res creandas egifTe.

celTario fateri coguntur,
ter

Adeoque neiis

communiter fupponunt homines,

ad certum aliquem finem
fuit caufa,

Deum

prop-

Deum omnia
dirigere.

quae media parare voluit,

caruilTe, eafibi

Quae fane unica

in

ut
la-

que cupivifTe
perfiiaferunt
fos
fieri,

Poftquam homines

Veritas

humanum genus
Mathefis quae

aeternum

omnia quae

fiunt propter ip--

teret, nifi

non

circa fines,

id in

unaquaque

re praecipuunv

fed tantum circa figurarnm eflentias et

judicaredcbuerunt,quodipfisutilifrimum;,

534
folute

APPENDIX,
power; which having no bounds, produces all poffible
;

.forms by necelTity of nature

tho' thefe

forms be contradic-

tory and mutually deftrudive of each other, yet they are

no

more

inconfiftent with the perfeclion

of the divine

clTence,

than contrary motions in bodies would be inconfiftent with

the nature of matter, if there were any fuch real fubftance exigent.

As

an infinite force, acting upon an infinite matter, du-

ring an infinite duration

would

necefi^arily produce allpofTible,

and

fo all contrary

forms;

in the
its

fame manner an
during
all

infinite

imderftanding acting upon

mufl: neceflarily

infinite ideas
all forts

eternity

produce in them,

of poffible percep-

tions

and inclinations.

What we call
all relative

therefore noxious or a-

greeable, laudable or contemptible, meritorious or finful, good

or

evil, jufl:

or unjuft, are

to finite,

and nothing

re-

al in abfolute Infinite;

whofe
is is

a(ftive

nature neceifarily obliges

him

to

produce

all

that

and that can be, yea all without exabfolutcly necefTary to the perfecti-

ception.

This

totality

on of the whole,
lity,

othcrvvifc

God would

not contain

all

rea-

and

fo could

not be

infinite.
tant aut ofFendunt
rae conducunt,

et

ilia

omnia

praeflantifTima aeftimari a

quod humanae
quod
ei

natii-

quibiis

optime afficiebantur.

Unde has

vel

repugnant
fibi

formare debebant notiones,quibus rerum

naturas cxpllcarent; fcilicet

Conftat igitur naturam finem nullum

bonum, ma-

praefixum habere,
nihil nifi

et

omncs

caulas finales

lum, ordinem, confuHonem, pulchritudi-

humana

elTe

figmenta.

Omnia
quia ex

ncm

et

deformitatem, et quia

fe liberas

enim, naturae aeterna quadamneceflitate,

cxidimant, inde hae notioncs ortae funt,

fcilicet

fummaque

perfe<5tione

procedunt

bus
:

et

vituperium, peccatum et

necelTitate naturae divinae,infinita infinitis

meritum
tantur:

fed ut mode dixi facile confunam rerum perfedlio ex fola eaeft

modis, hoc

eft

omnia quae fub

intel-

leftum finitum cadere poffunt, fequi de-

rum naturaetpotentia
propterca quod

aeftimanda; nee

bent: Append, ad
7.

i.

partem Eth. p. 33.

ideo res magis aut minus perfcdae funt,

Porro haec inevitabilis rerum ne-

hominum fcnfum

delec-

ceflitas,

neque leges dlvinas ncque huma-

APPENDIX.
".

^^j
r-iL":;

This docrrize docs

have cf vimie sad

d-::

iic^e^er i^ibrv the naiiml

tkas trc

rice.
:

VLtjc

In the lore

of God for hinifel^ and not for

bopecfirwanL TiusJovcflov^ lei%eafGod. God kwcslii'"'' aliovc, and die lopc that fini: doe of the infinite loTe, bv is

G\yl loves

faimfeii".

God
f-

therefore not to be c:

aihitmy jcd^e that

\litDeisi:

tfarea&cns pains
v:ird,

and pfooiifes rewards.

its

and lice

own

^wiiHiiniMC-

The kc
z,

loic

(^God pfodoce happincfe, as a neoeflaiy

andnotasan aibitiaiv icoompfnrr. Tiie^nc tied of God heget m^iy, vidch is not a pomi neffferyrnffiffgnfaioeof Tice. ItisGodakme tne to the good, and that refo^ the ^me pen had; not faj free choke and arhimiy decnoes, .._ be cmel and partial, but by the neccflaiy k^? cf his :-f-;:e feankSty, which obl^es him to pcodcce ::._:: :
.

grees-

God howeiTT is not the author c:

>:-

536

APPENDIX.
want
a caiife.

gation, a privation, a nothing; and fo does not

God is the

only

efficient caufe
is

of all that

is

real in the crimi-

nal a6l, becaufe he

ality or effence.

the total caufe of

all

that expreffes re-

But the defectuofity comes from the natures

which there
are infinite degrees.

of things
to afk

as finite, in

Now

why God did not make all things equally perfect, is to afk why the divine nature is neceffarily and infinitely productive? It is for the clay to afk the potter, why he made fome TcfTcls for honour and others for diflionour? it is to afk why
boundlefsa(5tivity
is

not bounded? So

vafl, fo

ample, fo fruit-

ful are the perfections

and powers of the divine nature, that

all

they extend to and comprehend necefTarily

in ^

degrees of Be-

from the hi^heft

to the loweft, the virtuous

and the

vi;

cious, the

good and the bad, the

perfeft

and the

defective

which
yet are
rSi

tho'
all

unequal and imperfect with regard to each other,

;

equal with relation to him neither of them honour

cupimus
;

qua

dele<5lari

fed ex eo folo

qui quaerunt cur

Deus orrmes homines

dudlu gu-

quod

Deum

novit; alioquin non tarn ipid

non
quia

ita creavit ut folo rationis

fum Deum, quam

cap. 4.

quod cupimus ama-

bernarentur; nihil aliud refpondeo^quam

ci

remus: Epid:. 49. etTraifl. Thcol. polit.

Statuo ergo
effe

non

defuit materia ad

omnia ex

Deum

abfolute et re-

fummo nimirum ad infimum

gradum creanda;
qucndo, quia
amplae fuerunt ut
ipfius

perfedtionis

vera caufam

omnium quae

elTentiam

vel magis proprie lo-

et realitatem habcant,
ilia fint.

quaecunque ctiam

naturae leges adeo

Vidcor mihl fuHicienter oftenerroris, fcele-

fufficerent

ad omnia

dille id

quod formam mali,

quae abinfinlto intelledu concipi polTunt

producenda: Eth. pars
i.

ris ponit,

non

in aliquo

quod eiTcntiam

append, p. 39.
alia

cxprimit confiftere ; ideoque dici non poffe,

Porro homines coram Deo, nulla

caufa funt excufabiles

de

Deum

ejus efTe caufam

Epift. 36. p.

quam

quia in ipfius
in poteftate
fecit, a-

512.

Mens quatenus
fibi

ratione utitur, hoc

intelli-

Dei poteftate funt, ut lutum

figuli, lia

tantum

utile judicat, quod ad

quae ex eadem maffa vafa

:

gendum conducat, illudvero malum,quod

impcdire poteft quo minus intelligamus:

ad decus, alia ad dedecus

Epift. 23.

p.

453.

prop. 26,

et 27.

Eth. pars 4.

lis

autem

APPENDIX.
nature,

537

or difhonour, pleafe or difpleafe, content or oiFend the divine

which is

impaffible.

Thus Ihave given an account of the Spinofian fyftem, in. Spinofa's own words; that fo there may be no doubt of his
fenfe, or

of

my

veracity.

I have

only mixed

now and

then

of the Predeftinarian theology, and Cartefian philofophy, which the modern Spinofifts make ufe of to ilftrokes
luftrate

fome

and

perfe<5l their mafter's

fcheme.

I fhali

now fhew

the original fources of this monftrous chimera.

I.

Spinofa derived his great and fundamental principle

flows from

God by way of emanation and not crea4:ion, from the Cabbalifts; who talk thus, the firfl caufe ENsopH, produced immediately from his own fubfhnce > the intelligible world called ad am kad mon, which contains all the productions of the firft caufe. God exprciTedin
that
all
'

'

this
tcrs

production

all

his

holy names, yea

all

the eternal let-

'

of thefe names, which are the innumerable forms of things. For as of letters are compofed words, fentencesand
difcourfes; fo all individuals, fpecies

and kinds are formed

;

from the

different compofition
attributes.

of the holy names that

is,

of the divine

The firft production or a d a M k a d

caufe

MON
fion

flowed from the

firft

by an extenfion or expan-

of the divine fubftance, and not by way of creation; fo that all particular Beings are fubftantial rays or emanations of the
firft

caufe.'

Thus
;

the Cabbaliftical

Enfoph

is

Spinofa's Nature producing

their

Adam kad mon his Nature

calls

produced; what they

call

the holy names, he calls attributes;

and what they

called the letters

of thefe names, he

the

Yyy

538
modes of
Orientals

APPENDIX.
thefe attributes.
fell into

The
who

Chinefe, and almofl:

all

the

the fame errors; and hence proceeded the

doflrine of the Pantheiils,

ture as the fame,

looked upon

God

and Na-

and the divine effence

as the foul

of the

world.
2. Spinofa

borrowed from

his mafter Defcartes that fpace

and matter were the fame, that

fible;

a void in nature

was impof-

and thence he concluded

juftly that infinite, eternal,

uncreated extenfion was an attribute of God; and with Malebranche, that

adive,

when we fee bodies, it is not unintelligent, uncreated matter we fee; but infinite, intelligent, and inwhich a^s upon us and modifies us diffeof matisufelefs, fuperfluous

telligible extenfion,

rently; and fo afferts with Berkeley that the creation

ter diflinct

from

God

and chimerical.

3. Spinofa

maintained with the fchoolmen that the knowthe

'

ledge of all
*

finite ideas enters neceffarily into

all

generation
thatllnce
fo

of the Logos;' that

that

is

in

God is God; and

are

all

ideas are neceffarily in

God, they

God; and

con-

fubftantlal forms, hypoftafes, or perfonalities

of the divine
all

nature.

He
is

holds again with the Predeftinarians, that

decrees,
effeft

things flow
creatures
/ical

from eternal
an immediate

and that

all

that

is

real in

of the divine
action.

will,

of his phy-

premotion and predeterminating

is

From whence
in fine that all

he concludes that there

in nature; that

but one agent, as but one fubftance

as

God is

all,

he does

all;

and

things are confubftantial ideas or

fubftance.
4.

modes of the fame

eternal

.He learned from the fame fchoolmen of

all

kinds, that

phyflcal and moral evil

would be

eternal

and

indeftru(ftible

APPENDIX.
chofe rather to attribute
ings,
this direful inequality
fin

539
betwixt beto the

blindly prepoJfTeflred and devoutly attached to this tenet, he

and the everlafHng duration of

and mifery
is

boundlefs extent of the divine power, that

neceffarily obli-

ged to produce beings of

all

polTible kinds, than free, arbi-

trary decrees; perfuaded that a

nature

is lefs

odious than a

God who ai5ls by neceffity of malicious God that renders beings

them
eternally wicked

for ever miferable, and leaves

berate choice.

by

deli-

From all

this

it

appears that Splnofa's monftrous fyftem

is

compofed of Cabbalifm, Cartefianifm,and Predeftinarianifm

differently conjoined

and interwoven. With regard

to ideas,
is

Malebranchifm

is

Spinofifm begun, and Spinofifm

Male-

branchifm confummated.
the Spinofian errors are

With regard to moral anions, not fo much abufes, as natural and

neceffary confcquences of the Predeftinarian fchenie. If this

befo, then

it is

pofTible that Spinofadid not think himfelf an

Atheift; his principles lead vlfibly to athelfmand immorality,

becaufe they defpoil the divine nature of his three relative attributes,

of creating energy, defigning wifdom, and paternal goodnefs of all power to produce fubftances diftind from his
;

own; of all end

happy.
ings, thefe

in a6llng,

and of

all defire

to

make

beings

Yea by denying all freedom and

fame principles render
and make
vice Inevitable.
athelft.

adivlty In finite beto

all efforts

become

vir-

tuous

ufelefs,

Yet

all this

does not

prove that Splnofa was an

ing that there
is

Atheifm

confifts in

deny-

an abfolutely

infinite, eternal, felf-exiftcnt

Being, whofe boundlefs power, underftanding and

duce, know, and govern
all

will,

pro-

things.

This Splnofa never de-

Yyy2

540
and

APPENDIX,
God
and nature; God's abfolutc
relative attributes
;

nied; but he confounded

the necefTary,

immanent generation

of the
verfe;
a(5tion

Word

with the free, emanant production of the uni-

and the eternal procelTion of the Holy Ghofl: with the of fecond
caufes. All thefe fatal errors,

which by

their

natural confequences degrade the divine eiTence, and fo lead

to athcifm, rcfult neccfTarily as

we have

fhevvn from Oriental,

ScholafHc, and Cartcfian principles; but as

we ought

not to

accufe thefe divines and philofophcrs ofatheifm, fo neither

ought we

to accufe Spinofa ofatheifm.

hofq^who have hitherto undertaken the confutation of

have not as yet fucceeded.
is

this philofophcr,

All that Bayle

fays againft Spinofa

unworthy of our

notice.

That

inge-

nious author fcarce ever dipt beyond the furface of things.

He never underftood the Spinofian fyftem, but being an enemy to all demonftration, he declared himfelf with as much zeal againft Spinofa, whom he looked upon as an atheift, as againft Malebranche whom he knew to be a believer. Father Lamy judges of Spinofa by the impious confequences
of his fyftem; and tho' thefe confequences be
juftly

drawn

from the Spinofian

principles, yet they

ought not

to be at-

tributed to their author, as really believed

by him; otherwife

the Predcftinarians muft be accufed ofatheifm, fmce the natural

and necefTary confequences of their fyftem tend to ren-

God author of fin, and fo deftroy all his moral attributes. The pious Poiret miftook alfo the Spinofian doftrine, when
der

he fuppofed that the fundamental idea of

that

this

fcheme was

God

is

only a metaphyficalabftraft idea of nature in ge-

APPENDIX.
neral,

541 and un-

and not

a true, real, phyfical Being, indivifible

divided, intelligent

and immenfe.
and confute

We
of
it

have endeavoured to difclofe the niyfterious jargon

this

dark fyftem, reprcfentit In

different

its

true light,

in

two

manners, by demonftrating truths diame-

trically oppofite to its principles,

and by proving that

all its

demonflrations are fophiftical.

We conclude with

this fole

remark, that
baniflied

till

Predeftlnarlan and Cartefian principles be

from the Chriftian fchools, Spinofifm can never be

folldly confuted.

END OF TH FIRST VOLUME.