:LORD, OR JEHOVAH, &C. 9t has Exiftence, and may be as juftly convinced of it as of the Exiftence of our own Spirits : But to fpecify the Jllode, or the Nature, of the one or the other, is abfo- lutely beyond us. The belt Account, which Plato, a Man of the molt enlarged and penetrating Genius, could give of the Godhead, was, That the Mind could neither comprehend, nor Language exprefs, him. We need not afcend to the Nature of Spirit for Proofs of human Incompetency to determine upon Effences ; for there is not a Particle of Matter, or the fimpleft Pro- perty in Nature, which does not exceed the Compre- henfion of our Faculties, and elude our utmoft Invefti- gation. And if the Wifdom of this World cannot de- fine the Effence of a Grain of Sand; how .shall the Wifdom of this World findout GOD, or Rudy the AL- MIGHTY to Perfetiion ? * " We may difcern, fays M. " Rollin (treating of the philofophical Opinions con- "` cerning the Deity), the Weaknefs of human Reafon, " and the vain Efforts that it makes alone, to raife it- " felf up to the exact Knowledge of a God truly hid- den, -j- and who dwells in inacceffible Light. What " Progrefs in this refpe& was proud Reafon capable of making, during above four Ages, in the belt Heads " of Greece, in the molt illuftrious of the Pagans for " their Learning, and. the Chiefs of their molt famous " Schools ? There is nothing fo abfurd, that has " not been advanced by fome Philofpher." t For the Juftice of this Remark, we need only recur to Tully's Books upon the Nature of the Gods. Thefe Circum- ftances, fo humiliating to the Pride of Man, Ihould at leaft teach him Modefty and Diffidence in every Specu- lation, which relates to the HIGH and LOFTY ONE that Inhabiteth Eternity ; and conftrain the Theifts or Deifts, Socinians, Unitarians, and all our rational Enquirers (as they {Vie themfelves), to ufe fome Caution and 4. job xi. 7. } Ifaiah xlv. lg. Ant. dn.{ andSciences, Vol. iii. p. 381, Moderation
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