308 STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS OF HUMAN REASON. the Stoics themselves, as well as meaner sects, talk ofmore gods than one continually. Andplease toremember, Sir, our present debate is about the bulk of the heathen world, and not about a few philosophers. How can the world find out so easily, that God is but one ? Loc. Well, what think ye then of another argument ? It is very evident, and reason assures us, that the Creator of all things is a being that bath all power, and wisdom, and goodness necessary to create and govern the universe : And ifone God has all this perfection ofwisdom, and power, and goodness,thenano- ther suchá being would be utterly needless and useless ; for one more, orone hundred more such beings, could have no more wisdom, power, or goodness than one. Now we can never suppose that a God is á useless or a needless being; and therefore there cannot be any more gods than one, because all the rest would be needless beings, and entirely useless ; for they would have nothing for them to do, which one could not 'do. PITH. I grant this argument is in itself convincingto a good reasoner > yet if these two are the easiest ways youcan think of to prove the unity of God, I doubt there are multitudes of crea- tures in the wild heathen world, that, with their utmost efforts of reason, would never of themselves arise to these sentiments, nor form these arguments: And if both of themwere put toge- ther, and proposed to heathens, I question whether they 'would make their way into every understanding among those wild and uncultivated herds of mankind, and convince them all, that there was but oneGod : Much less can I suppose, they would ever find out these arguments of themselves. The bulk of the hea- then world have generally believed and worshipped many gods, though many of them did confess that one was supreme; and almost every nation bath had its own God: And in direst oppo- sition to Dr. Clarke's-argument when they saw such a vast variety of parts in the universe, they commonly appropriated particular parts of the creation to particular gods; supposing them to have only the oversight of the affairs, if I may so speak, of their own province. As gross as this error is, yet it, is plain and certain matter of fact, that the heathens in ancient times, and in almost all nations, did argue thus, and do to this day. Be- sides, since there is such an innumerable and everlasting trainof wickedness and distresses, that is, moral and natural evils, among the children of men, theheathens might be ready to sup- pose as many amongst them have done, that there was some equally powerful principle of evil, as there is of good ; for man sustains as many sorrows, miseries, and mischiefs, as he enjoys comforts, and blessings. And since there are such infinitecala- mities in the world by storms, earthquakes, famines, plagues,
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