The Exiftence of G 0 D. The weight of this Argument is great : For that which is common to the whole fpecies, ~ and perpetual from itsfirfl JJ:ing through all its duration, !s the * Impreffion of Nature, Ch~p. 5· which in its Umverfal Prmctples either of the Underfrandmg, or the W11l, JS never i- de- ~ ceived. Thus the inclination to that good that is convenient to our faculties; the ap- prif!iordiD. Tc:rc. proving as mort jufi to do _to .another what w~ defi re in tl~e fame circ~mfiances ihould be ?Jtf:!;t_mn~ done to us, arc natural Prmctples, whofe reCbtude and ver_tty ar~ !o evtden~, t~at 1~0 Man n11mq_ui_n,n . ~~~~~~~t~~:tc~~~~ej~ ~o~dJ,ir~~ ~~o~~~tl~~n~~~ r!~r~~d!t;~~~*ti~~s ~~ri~~~~{yJ7ntl~~ ~~~~~~ ;~~2i~~£f~ things; ~hat the perfons weconverfe wit~ a~e phantoms,that t~e objects tha~ {\rike our Senf~s ~J:a/:11;11~;[,; are only {badows, that what appearswhtte IS black, that what IS felt as cold IS hot,that what IS ingmit 14m, 1t0n evident to all Mens minds is falfe, viz. that the whole is greater than a part. In iliort,the mofi ~mprefJ«m, non rational Difcourfes would have as little firmnefs and certainty, as the incoher:ntfancies of ~{;:;q;l{;~ one that is difrratl:ed, ordreams. We muftrenounceSenfe andReafon, havmg no a!fu- mmum, wmrance of fuch things as are clear,. and m~nifeft, but the infiinft of ~a t~1re t~at determin.es JZ':/':,,~~~::q; our a!fent. Now what account can be given of the [en[e of the Deitymdehbly * flamp d "m! Arnob. on theminds of Men ? From whence is it that of all their though ts, none is more evi- ~ R; if/ . dent than that of an eternal Being foveraign in. all perfefrions? And as 'tis impoffible to gms:~;1d~~: conceive a Circlewithout roundnefs. or a Body without Extenfion, or a Man without lx!mimtm, quod Reafon, fo 'tis not pofiible to conceive a God bu.t un_der t~e notion <?f a_Being abfol utely ~:~~~':n:nff': Perfect, and tlt~refore Eternal, and Independent m h1s Ex1ftence, wh1ch lS the firft of all pauonem q11.an· Perfetl:ions. If there be no God, from \~hence comes it t?at Nature has im~r.e0: fuch a ~:~uo~~;;:::t {hang belief of a Being not only fal fe but nnpoffibl e? . For 1f there be noGod, usm1poffi- omni11.n.z natura ~~~ ~~~rt~n~~~!d ~~d ~~:r;nj~~~n~i~~!~t~~~~d ~~: ~~~~:~~i~~~~ 0i~~e~~fp~b~~~2 ~f{~i.'~~~fi tradiction. We mufrtberefore conclude that the Author ofthe Humane Soul has fo 1w. Dc~r. fram'd it, that by the free ufe of its faculties it neceilarily comes to the _knowl edge of its :~~at';~;:::~~: Original. From hence 'tis univerfal and confl:ant. And can there be a teftimony ?f r.1on~~m Deo~11rn equal Anthorit~, , cl~arnefs and fincerity as this..of Nature, un~~rfrood in every Lan- '!,~~=~~~{::!!J;t gnage, and recetv d m evtry place; and where ttS mofr fimple, tiS mofi: the fame, and in mrnt ib11s, 11 t thT~0~~~~0~e~~;:~~i£fhis Argument there are feveral weak evafions. ~::~~;~!{ I. That the moll: Men are prall:ical Atheill:s, and Jive without God in the World. To this Ianfwer: - t. That Men deny God in their Works, is of no validity to di[prove the natural notiori of him; for by this confe!lion we mull: cancel almofl all the Law of Nature. How many notoriou(]y rebel againfl the infallible principles of common Rea[on? How many difhonour their Parents ? Yet there is no precept more clearly natural, and acknowledged by the rudell: Nations, than the obligation to the immediate Authors of our lives. How many by froud or rapine enrich their E!lates, or violate the honour of the Marriage-Bed, and do that to others they would not have done to themfelves? But though they contradill:the Law ofNature in their all:ions, can they abolifh it in their hearts? Can they make Con[cience dumb, that it fhall never reproach their impieties, becaufe they are deafto its voice ? 'Tis as impo!lible as to transform them[elves into another kind of' being, and become Brutes in nature, becaufe they refemble them in their difpoGtions and prall:ices. · 2. 'Tis [aid by the Patrons of impiety, that d1e difquiets of Confcieuce are impreilions from without, caufed by education or vain fears that arife from the dark. temper of the • At'''"~~., body, or the weakne[s of the mind, or from low ignorance of the *natural caufes of'' ·~'"• &. fuch things as afronitb Men:- As Eclipfes were formerly and ftill are terrible to fome Na- :;;~:::u::~g:~ tions, that look on them as prefages of great Calamities from angry Heaven. '" <r[otvm But the folly of the[e pretences will appearifwe conGder, f:'!:· L""" 1. That ful[e Princip'es inflilled by Parents and Mall:ers in our education, though fuongly believedwhile the Reverence of our inflrull:ers hinders a free inquiry, yet, when Reafon is difinrangled, it gets a clear viltory over them: But the terrors of the guilty Confcience cannot be entirely overcome: Fromwhence 'tis evident that the notion ofaGod has a foundation in humane Nature. · 2. Thefe fears are not the effell:s of Melancholly, for they often furprife Sinners of a briskSanguine temper, who try all the ways of mirth and jollity to bribe or flifle Confcie~ce, but in vain. . The fenCe of guilt imbitters their purell: Wines, a [ecret horrour i!i difcordant with thetr chearful Mufick; the wounded mind bleeds inward though tliey fear it never fa much. 3· This trouble does not fpring from a weak[crupulous mind : For the mofl inligh tned and ll:rongef\ fpirits, when under the convill:ion of guilt, cannot difput<: themfelves out Do of
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