Full text of "Essays on several important subjects in philosophy and religion"

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ESSAYS 

ON SEVERAL - 

Important Subjects 

. .. . V ( I N : :-: " : - : " fr 

PHILOSOPHY 

% -.*"/. AND .".::.. /_;" , 

RELIGION 



By JOSEPH GLANVILL, 

Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majefty, and 
Fellow of the 



Imprimatur, 

Martii 2.i6. Thomas 




LONDON, 

Printed by J. D. for John Baker, at the Three Pid- 

geons, and Henry M.ortlock&gt; at the Phoenix in 

St. Pauls Church- Yard, 1676. 



ESSAYS. 

&gt; viz.- , , . ;, 

I. Againft CONFIDENCE in PHI 

LOSOPHY. 

II. Of SCEPTICISM, and CERTAINTY. 

III. MODERN IMPROVEMENTS 

of Knowledg. 

IV. The USEFULNESS of P H I- 
LOSOPHYco THEOLOGY. 

V. The Agreement of REASON, and 

RELIGION. 

VI. Againft S A D D U C I S M in the nut 
ter of WITCHCRAFT. 

VII. ANTIFANATICK Tbeohge, and 
FREE &lt;Pbihfop1y. 



A ^ To 






ido rfo 



ID/ OVVHD vfd 



To the moft Honourable 

HENRY 

Lord Marquefs, and Earl of IF or- 
cefleY, Earl of (jlamor^an ; 

Lord HERBERT 

Of ChcpJloW, ^az)and 9 and (jome.&gt; 
Lord Prefident offiFales, fe 

Lord Lieutenant of the Counties of (jloceHer y 
Hereford, Mbnmoutb, and Briftol- y 

Knight of the moft Noble Order of the Cjaner, 

And one of the Lords of His Majefties moft 
Honourable Privy Council, &c. 

MT LORD, 

Lthough perhaps in ftridnefs of judg 
ing there is fomewhat of Impertinen- 
cy in fuch Addrefles 5 yet Cuftome 
hath obtained licence for us Writers thus to ex- 
prefs our acknowledgments of favours, and 
to give publick teftimonies to the Deferts of 
excellent Perfons : Your Lordfliip affords me 
plenty of fubjeft for both thefe, and I hum 
bly crave your leave to ufe the Liberty that is 

granted 




Tk Efijlle Dedicatory. \ 

granted without ceafure on fuch occafions, to 
declare part of my reientments of them, ant* 
There is nothing more iubftantial, or va 
luable in Greatnefs, than the power ic gives 
to oblige j for by doing benefits we in iome 
meal ure are like to Him^ who is the Lover of 
Men, and cauieth his Sun to fliine upon the 
good, and upon the evil : Nor doth God 
Himielf glory in the abiolutenefs of his Power, 
and uncontroulablenefs of his Soveraign Will, 
as he doth in the difplays of his Goodneis : 
This, my Lord, is the right, and honourable 
ufe of that Greatnefs he is pleafed to vouch- 
fafe unto Men , and this is that which makes 
it amiable, and truly illuftrious : Your Lord- 
{hip knows f/;# , and are as much by Nature 
as by Judgment, formed to live according to 
itich meaiures : And I think there was never 
Perfon of your Lordfhip s rank, whofe gene 
ral fafliion, and converfation was more iuited 
to the fweeteft and moft obliging Rules of 
living : For befides that your natural Genius 
hath nothing haughty, or rough in it, nothing 
but what is modeft, gentle^ and agreeable^ your 
Lordflhips whole deportment is fo affable, and 
condefcending, that the benignity of your tem 
per Teems to drive for fuperiority over the 
greataefs of your quality , which yet it no 

way 



?be Epiftle Dedicatory. 

way kjftnsy but ittuftrates. This is that which 
highly deierves, and commands the love, and 
venerations of all that have the honour, and 
happinefs to know you : And you may juftly 
challenge their devotion, and higheft efteem 
upon all other accounts that can give a great 
Perfon any title to them. For your immediate 
defcent is from a long mafculine line of great 
Nobles, and you are a Remainder of the ill u- 
ftrious Blood of the PLANTAGENETS. 
What your Family hath deferv d from the 
Crown, the vail fupplies afforded his late Ma- 
jefty by that Loyal Marquees, your Grand-Fa 
ther, and the iufferings of your Houfe for 
Him , do fufficiently declare to the World : 
But your Lordfliip hath no need that Argu 
ments of Honour, and refpedt fhould be fetcht 
from your Progenitors ; the higheft are due to 
your perfonal Vertues, and that way of living 
whereby you give example to Men of quality, 
and ftiew, how Honour, and Intereft is to oe 
upheld. For you jpend not your time, and 
Eftate in the Vanities and Vices of the Town, 
but live to your Country, and In it, after a 
fplendid, and moft honourable Fafliion, ob- 
ferving the Magnificence and Charity of the an 
cient Nobility, with all the Decency , and Im 
provements of latter Times. And perhaps your 
on : 3i 33 rbirh Lord- 



The Efiflle Dedicatory. 

Lordfliip s way is oue of the heft patterns tlie 
Age yields, ot a Regular greatncjs, in which 
grandeur is without Vanity and Koblcmfs with 
out Luxury, or Intemperance : Where we fee a 
Vaft Family without noije, or confufeon - and the 
greateft plenty, and freedom, without provoca 
tions to any Debauchery, orDiforder. So that 
your Lordfliip s cares, and thoughts are not 
taken up with the little defigns that uiually en 
tertain idle, or vainly imployed Men, but in 
the Service of your King, and Country, and 
conduct of your Affairs, with prudence and 
generofity - in which you not only ferve the 
prefent Age , but provide for the future. 
And , my Lord , among the acknowledg 
ments that are due to your Vertues, I cannot 
but obferve the care you take for the conftant, 
daily Worfliip of God in your Family, accord 
ing to the Proteftant Religion, profeftby the 
Church of England, and the example your Lord- 
fhip gives by your own attendance on it. This 
is the fureft Foundation of greatn,efs,yea tis the 
Crown, and luftre of it : And when all other 
magnificence is in the duft, and is fliriverd in 
to nothing, o* at the beft, into a cold, and 
faint remembrance , the effe&s of this will 
ilay by us, and be our happinefs for ever , And 
all other fplendors , in comparifon, are but 

like. 



Epijtte Dedicatory. 

like the fliining of rotten wood to the Glorys 
of the Sun,and Stars. This alfo is the beft fence 
and fecurity to our prefent comforts and injoy- 
ments, both in refpedof that temperance and 
fobriety it produccth, and chiefly on the ac 
count of the bleflfmg of the SupreamDo?wr ? who 
hath made it the promifes of this Life, as well 
as of that which ts to come : And therefore the 
wickednefs of thofe that take Liberty from 
their Riches and worldly greatnefs, to defie 
God, and defpife Religion, is as foolifli and 
improvident, as tis monftrous andunreafon- 
able: and thole brutifti Men do not render 
themfelves more hatefiil for their impiety, than 
they are defpicable for their folly. But I need 
not fay this to your Lordfliip, who are lenfi- 
ble of the abfurdities, and malignity of this 
vice, and give not the leaft countenance, or 
incouragement to it by your practice ^ being 
cautious to abftain from all expreiGTions, that 
grate on the Honour of God, as you are free 
from any that can give juft oflfence unto Men : 
For your Lordfliip is none of thofe that flioot 
the arrows of bitter words , and Jet their mouths 
agalnft the Heavens ^ but your difcourfe and 
converfation is adorn d with that modefty and 
decency that becomes a great Nobleman, and a 
good Chriftian. 

a My 



fbe Epiftk Dedicatory* 

My Lord, I have not given you thefe few 
juft acknowledgments, with defign to grati- 
jfie or pleafe your Lordflhip, I know I need 
your pardon for the trouble your modefty re 
ceives from them ; but I have done it for the 
fake of others , becaufe we live in an Age 
wherein there is fcarcity of fuch examples. 
I know tis ufually indecent to commend Per- 
fons to themfelves j but the cuftome of Dedi 
cations will excufe this, which even feverity 
and ill nature cannot impeach of flattery, or 
extravagance. 

And as I owe this Teftimony to the merits 
whereby you ferve and oblige the Age, fa 
I fhould acknowledg the Obligations your 
Lordfliip hath conferred on my felf : but this 
will be a great duty, and bufinefs of my Life ; 
for fuch empty expreffions as thefe verbal 
ones , are very unsuitable returns for real 
and great favours ; and if ever better acknow 
ledgments are in my power, I fhall ftill re 
member what I owe your Lordfhip. 

I now moft humbly prefent you with a 
Collection o fome EJJays upon -fubjedts of im 
portance* The defign of them is to lay a 
foundation for a good habit of thoughts, both 
r in tpbiiofophy, zn& Tbeology. They were fome of 
them written feveral years ago, and had trial 

f 



T7;e Epiftle Dedicatory. 

of the World in divers Editions: Now they 
come abroad together ( with tome things that 
are new ) reduced to fuch an Order, as is moft 
agreeable to my preient judgment. I could 
have added much upon (uch fertile, and ufeful 
Arguments ; but I am willing to believe,! have 
faid enough for the capable and ingenious, 
and I doubt too much for others. If your 
Lordftiip (hall pardon their imperfections, and 
accept of the devotion where-with they are 
offered you, it will be the greateft honour, and 
iatisfa&ion to &gt; 

3Wy Lordy 
four Lord/hips mo 



Moft obliged, andmoft intirely 



devoted. 









JOSEPH GLANVILL^ 



3 3H 

ifctf b&d I&gt;4 i ^ 






az 



The 



The PREFACE. 

f *a fcw3S8 iSre* 1 

.**LL.L* t?-^^. -.:*? . ,**t* /. :?... . 



* 

ISb*U*&gt;ttr9*l&gt;lttbtIi&lt;ad(r with watA fjim*lity\ ore- 
oufnefief Ptt/icitfg, but only give a britf account of the 
following Vifcourfij* Il$o& it Ml be nopl&ufMe fxwfs 
fir any of their Impcrfe&ions to xlltdg } that fame of them 
were written when I n\v veryyotutg i fnce they came abroad again 
in m dgcwhmin mate maturity of judgment it cxpetted: But the 
truth i* , I aw not grjwnfo much wifer yet y as to have alter* d any 
thing in the main of thofe con:eptions. If I hid thought it worth 
the while, I wight have been more exatt in new muddling^ and 
could perhaps have given jbem a turn that would have been mare 
agreeable to fome phancief, hut my Laz,W(f}-&gt; or my Judgment 
madt meth ml^there was no need of^that trouble. 

I he FIRST Effay agalnjt Confidence in Philofephy, it quit* 
clanged in the way of Writing, and in the Order. Myhought I, 
wMJotnewhatfitter d and tied in doing it &gt; and cwld not exprtff 
my fflf vpitb that eafe , freedom , and falyefs which pcflibiy I 
might have comtninded ajnidfreftj thoughts : Tet tit fo altered as 
io. be in a manner new. 

72v SEC..O N.D of .Sceptkirmjj^-CertainfyiWiif n?rmw fo 
I was warm in the Confideration of thofe matter r, for the fatvfa- 
&im of a particular Friend i what I fay WM enough for hti uj^ 
though the Subj?ft u capable of much more &gt; and 1 had inlarged on 
it) but that 1 am loth to ingage further in Phi ofophical Argu 
ments. I have annext fome of the things I faid to Mr, White, 
but the main of thii EJfiy w^ never extant before. 

T he THIRD of Modern Improvements, **# firft a Controverfie; 
I have here given it another fhape. As I never begun a ^tiarrel^ 
fo I never will continue any, when I can fairly let it fall. Tike 
Difcourfe was written violently again/I by one, who was wholly un 
concern* d*. The hitfr eft h$ pretended* was the defence of hi* Pa* 
culty againft a Pajftge, wherein he would have ms Jay, That the 
ancient Phyficians could not cure a Cut-finger , which I never 
affirm d, or thought. But that Perfon IA now fo well known, that 
l~needfay HO more of loim r er of that Conteft. Hvs Img ftudied y 
and triumphant Animadverlions have given. me no reafon-&gt; or oc* 
alter any thing in the treatife^ except fom? few Errors 

f 



The Prefaced 

, ovtrwbicb fa moft infitlted. He bath written d lr 
vers things agairift we fnce, but I have kept the promife I pub- 
lickly n*ade&gt; and have never read them* 

Bffides th vi Antagonist , tbe learned Dr. Meric Caiaubon, 
writ Kc/feflioH/ on ibis EJfay in a Letter to Dr. Peter Du Moulin, 
wbo it fiems bad prefinted it to bim. They were Primed in the 
year 1669* **d my Anfaer* foon after ready: But confldering 
thst tbe Voftor allow? d all tbut which WM my main defgn, and 
cnly opposed bit own tniflakes, andfitfticions^ Itbougbtfit tofup- 
prefs my TLcp y &gt; and w& tbe ratber filent becaufe not willittg to 
appear in a Controverfie witb a Perjon of Fame and Learning^ 
wjb bad treated me witb fo much Civility -, and in a way fo differ 
ent from tbjt of my other Affailants. 

I have further to advertife concerning thu Effty, 1 bat whereas 
T mention fiver al Difcourfis of Mr- Boyi s, of intended far tbe 
Public^ , tis likely tbjt fome of them by tbtf may be extant, 
though my privacy and retirement batb not afforded me tbt notice 
of thsir publication. 

The FOUR T H Efftyoftbe Ufefalnefs of Philofophy to Theo 
logy, KM Printed under tbe Title of Philofophii Pia. / was 
commanded to reprint it by a Perfin of Honour, and great ame^ 
for wbofe Learning and unhcrfil Accomplishments I bave higb 
and juft venerations, flw put into my tbotfgbts tbe dtfign of re- 
vifing of /owe of my other Writings, and bringing them together 
into a final! Collect ion, wbicb 1 bavs here dons* 

the Fi F T H of tbe Agreement of Reafhn ^ Religion./^ at 
frfi a Vifitation Sermon, twice Printed before &gt; 7 bave n-w only 
cafl it into tbe form of a Difcourfi. It contains tbe fubftance of 
many tbwgbtf and anxieties about that important matter, in a 
little compafs. My chief care WM to ftate-&gt; and reprefint tbe 
rvbole affair clearly i winch I thinl^I bsve done, ih? fabiett 
hath been written on by divers /mce, wbo fim; cf tbetn^ bave per- 
plext tbe matter again &gt; others bave aided no one thought. T hcy 
have written a great deal-&gt; Iwijhlcouldfay, to purpoie. Ikvto* 
this freedom it cjpible of a wrong interpretation-, but lam urged 
to it by a little vexation that tbe pretenders to fitch afabjeftfhould 
afford me no advantage for tbe improving my conceptions on it. 

The SIXTH Effiy WM one of tbsfirji writ ten, and printed four 
tiroes already. It (lands in this place becwfi itfo.ws *p rticx- 

lar- 



The Preface. 

far firvice Thilofiphy doth, in fecurin^ one of the out-works of 
Religion. Ihs Daemon of Tedworth that waf annext&gt; if ready 
to be ^Printed by it felf, with a further Confirmation of that cer 
tain, though much oppofcd Relation* Since the publijhing of tbefe 
Coniiderations there hath a thing been put out^ of the QuefHon 
of Witchcraft, denying there are Witches? upon fome of the weaj^ 
eft pretences I have urged .and difabled* Wbo ever reads tbi* Effay 
will fee that that Writer WM anfarfd before he gave bimfelf the 
trouble to be an Author on that Subject. 

The SEVENTH is entirely ntrv Tu a defcription of fitch a &lt;Je- 
mws in Theology and Philofophy, atlconfefi Imyfelflike; 
and I belie je fame others may. But I blame no Mans different 
fintimtntywbo allows the liberty of judging that himfelf takes. I 
have borrowed the countenance^ and colour of my Lord Bacons 
flory \ of which I have given the brief contents. I he EJJay it a 
mixture of an Idaea, and a difgttifid Hiftory* 

Reader, I have done now : But I make thee no -promifc that I 
ret! I not write again for J perceive that thofe promifes are bardty, 
kfpt To appear often in the Prtfs I know vf cenfurd &gt; but I fee 
not why that flmild be a fault, whil(l the Booty themfelves have 
not greater. If a Man write wcti, he may deferve excufe at leafl j 
if otherwife, by ufe he way mend &gt; or if there be no hopes of that \ 
his writing often # not worth objecting. Nor hath any one need to 
complain, (inceno ons # concerned about what another Print s-, fur 
ther than bimfelf pleafeth : And puce Men have the liberty to read 
cur Bookj&gt; or not : Metbinkj they might give us leave to write? or 
forbear, fbis I fay* becauje I know this ill-naturd \fttmour? put/ 
reflramt uptn the Pens of fome great Men i and tempts others to 
make promifes, and excufes, vfhich I tbink^do not become them* 
For my part I have of little leafitre to write Book,/ M other Men? 
for I have that to do which may be reckoned an Imployment i but 
every Man hath jome vacancies, and I love now and then in tbu 
manner to imploy mine. 3 7tf an innocent way of entertaining a 
Mtnsfelf-) to paint the image of hi* t bought s&gt; and no better a Wri 
ter tb jH my Jelf may happen to divert, if not to inftruft^ fome 
others by it. 



ERRATA. 



ERRATA 

** et****** 

The Reader is dcfired to take notice of the following Er-- 
rours of the Prefs, fome of which are fo near, in found, to 
the words of the Author, that they may eafily be miftaken 
for his. 






ESSAY. I. 



For. 


Read. 


Page, 


Line. 


BE/?compa&iefs 
The herb, and the 
fiower 
Before*/* our difcoveries 
All opinions 
Old Law, 
Heavens above,. &c. 
Other opinions 


Feaft compadnefs, 
Herb, and flower? 

Before #*, our difcoveries, 
All their opinions, 
Old Saw, 
Heavens above /V, 
Opinions, 
His fyings 


16 

26 
28 
28 
30 


2 



34 

XI 

^ 9 

3- 
ii 


Lt4 cV"v 


ESSAY. II. 

Rail againft. 
Boalts j 
f/illm 
Contain* and are 


43 
47. 
53 


4 
1(5 


Revile againft 
Boalfcofj 

Are certain 




\tttVf &lt;5t tf tW&\ ^ * ^~i 

ESSAY. HI. 


I taks twas 
ViruUrn 


I take it twas, 
Verulam 


34 

52. 


10 

14 
M 


UiV^ 

ESSAY. IV. 


Since then- 
Difference 
lumblines intermixtures 

fw$ 


Since them 
Deference (cures 
Jumolings and, intermk- 
Sitghted 


2^ 

34 


l&lt;5 
7 


ESSAY. V. 


"Their own intercft -| Their interefls I 28 j 8 


ESSAY. 



ESSAY. VI. 



For 


Read. 


Page. 


Line 


Streams 


SWAms 


r 4 


it 


from whatever 


What ever 


56 


17 


She apprending 


She apprehended ^6 


2Z 



ESSAY. VII, 



To them. All 


To them, All 


6 


15,14 


From /Ae World 
Such of them r/u/- 


From jour World 
Such of them as 



7 


37 

i 


T&lt;T)I that made 


That they made 


ii 


6 


Main rpor^s 


Main marks 


30 


33 


U) 


(*) 43 


3i 



Note, that the Sum of my Lord Bacons Atlant^ being the 
brief contents of his Story, printed in the beginning ol the 
jth EflTay, was intended as a Preface to it, and fhould have 
been in the Itxlick^ Charader * but the Printer hath not done 
that* nor made a fuftkient Break to diftinguifh my Lord 
Baconf Contents (ending Page 2. Line 12.; from the Au 
thors Story. 



Cffap i. 
ft Confidence in Philofophy, 

Matters of Speculation. 



ON E of the firft things to be done in order 
to the enlargement, andencreafeof Know- 
ledg, is to make Men fenfible, how imper- 
feft their Vnderftandings are in the prefect 
ft ate, and how lyable to deception : For 
hereby we are difpofed to more warinefs in 
our Enquiries, and taken off from bold and 
peremptory Conclufions, which are fome of the greateft hinde- 
ranees ot InteUeftptal improvements in the World. Therefore, 
by way of Introdu&ion to Philofephy and grounded Science, we 
muft endeavour firft to deftroy the confidence of Affertions^ and 
to eftablifti a prudent refervedneft and modefty in Opinions. In 
order to this, I (hall here fet down fome thoughts I have had 
on this Subjedfr. And in doing it, I fhall 

i. Offer fome confiderable Inftancef of Humane Ignorance 
and Deficiency^ even in the main, and moft ufual things in 
Nature. 2. I fhall enquire into the Caufes of our imperfettion 
in Knowledg, which will afford further evidence zn& proof of 
it: and 3. Add fome Striftures ag&inft Dogmatizing m Phi h- 
fopby, and all matters of uncertain Speculation. 

My Inftances (hall be drawn, i. From the N.iture of our 
Souls &gt; and 2. from the Conjlitution of our own&gt; and other 
Bodies. 

About the former I confider, That if Certainty were any 
where to be expe&ed, one would think it fhould be had in the 
Notices of our Souls, which are our true fclves, and whofe 
Sentiments we moft inwardly know : In things without us, 

B our 



nfl Confidence in Philofophy 5 ^(508^ I , 



our jhallownefs and ignorance-need not be matter of much won 
der, iince we cannot pry into the hidden things of Nature, 
nor obfcrve the riift Springs and Wheels that fee the reft in mo 
tion We fee but little parcels of the Works of God, and 
want Phenomena to make entire and fecure Hypothefes : But if 
that whereby we know other things, know not it felf\ If our 
Seuls ate ftrangers to things within tkem, which they have more 
advantage to undcrftand than they have in matters vt exter 
nal Nature &gt; I think then, that this firfl will be a cwpderable 
Inftance of the fiantnefs and imferf^im of our Knowledg. 

( i. ) I take notice therefore, That the Learned have ever 
been at great odds and uncertainty a 1 out the Nature of the 
Soul \ concerning which every Phitofopher ( almoft had a 
difinii Opinion : The Cbjld^ans held it a Venue without form i 
Xenocrates-) and the JEgyptians^ a moving Number i Parmeni- 
des, a compound of -Light and Varfytefs &gt; Hefiod and Anaxi- 
moulder^ a confidence ot Earth and PPatcr : Tybalts call d it a 
Nature without reft &gt; Heradides fuppofed it to be Li&bt &gt; Em- 
fedoclff to be Blood i Zeno&gt; the Quinlefrnce of the Elements. 
Galen, would have it to be an bet Complexion *&gt; Hippocrates^ a 
Spirit diffufed through the Body j Plato^ a filf-moving Subftance &gt; 
Arijlotle^ an Enteltchy^ or nobody knows what j and Kirn?, 
an heated and difywfed Air. 

Thus have fome of the greateft Men of antient times differed 
in one of the firfl Theories of Humane Nature which may well 
be reckoned an Argument of uncertainly and imperfection : 
And yet I account not the difficulties about this^ to be fo bope- 
Itfsy as they are in lejs noted Myfteries, The great occafion 
of this divcrfity, and thefe miftakes, is, That Men would 
form fome Imjge of the Soul in their Fancies, as they do in the 
contemplation of corporeal Objedts : But this is a wrong way 
of {peculating lmmatmals-&gt; which may be feen in their effeftj 
and attributes, by way of reflection ^ but if, like Children, we 
run behind the Glafs to look for them, we (hall mett nothing 
there but difeppointment. 

2. There hath been as much trouble and diverllty in enqui- 
ling into the Origine of the Soul^ as in fearching into the na 
ture of it : In the opinion of ibme learned Men, It was from 
the beginning of the World, created with the Heavens and 

Light ; 



I ^ And, MU:t(rs of Speculation , 

Light ; others have thought if an exfrad from the t)ttiverf*i 
Soul: Some fancied, it defcended from the Moon i others 
from the Stars, or vaft fpaces of the JEtker above the Planets &gt; 
feme teach, That God is the immediate Author of it i fome 
that it was made by Angels \ and fome by the Parents. Whe 
ther it he Created or traduced, hath been the great Ball of 
contention to the latter Ages, and after all the itir about ir, 
tis ftill as much a queftion as ever, and perhaps may fo con 
tinue till the great Day, that will put an end to all Differen 
ces and Difputes. The Patrons of ftjjiiiSiqji accufe their Ad- 
verfaries of affronting the Attributes of God and the Aflfrr- 
tors of Immediate Creation impeach them of violence to the 
nature of things : And while each of the Opinions (trongly 
oppofeth the other, and feebly defends it felf j fome take oc- 
calion thence to fay, That both are right in their Oppofitions, 
but both miftaken in their AiTertions. I (hall not iiir in the 
\Vatersthathavebtentroubledwithfomuchcontention : The 
Famous St. Auftin, and others of the celebrated Antients, have 
been content to (it down here in a profcft Neutrality, and I 
will not endeavour to urge Confeflions in things that will be 
acknowledged =&gt; but (hall note fome Difficulties, that are not fo 
ufually obferved, which perhaps have more darkutfs in them, 
than tbefe fo much controverted Dodtrines. 

I. I begin with the Vnion of the Soul and Body : In the 
Unions that we underftand, there is Hill, either fome fuitable- 
nejs and likenefs of Nature in the things united, or fqme mid 
dle, participating Being by which they are joyn d i but in this 
there is neither. The natures of Soul and Body, are at the 
mo(t extream diftance , and their efTemial Attributes moft op- 
pofite : To be impenetrable, difcerfible and unattive, is the 
nature of all Body and Mattery fuch : And the properties of 
a Spirit arethediredt contrary, to be penetrable, Mifcerpible, 
and felf-moiive : Yea, fo different they are in all things, that 
they feern to have nothing but Being, and the Tfranfcendental 
Attributes of tbit, in common : Nor is there any appearance 
of likencfl between them : For what hath Rarefaction* Om\ 
delation, Uivifwn, and the other properties and modes of 
Matter, to do with Apprebc nfwn, Judgment., and VifcJitrfr, 
which are the proper a&lt;fH of a Spiritual Being ? We cannot 

B 2 then 



Confidence in Philofophy, J5ft&$ i . 

then perceive any con^ruity, by which they are united : Nor 
can there be any middle fort of Nature that partakes of each, 
(as tis in fome U lions) their Attributes being fuch extreams : 
or, if there is any fuch Being, or any fuch poffi &gt;le, we know 
nothing of it, and tis utterly unconceivable. So that, what 
the Cement (hould be that unites Heaven and Earth, Light and 
Darknefs, viz. Natures of fo diverfe a make, and fuch di 
agreeing Attributes, is beyond the reach of any of our Facul 
ties : We can as eafily conceive how a thought {hould be uni 
ted to a Star ue,or a Sun-beam to a piece of Clay : how words 
{hould be frozen in the Air, (as fome fay they are in the remote 
North or how Light (hould be kept in a Box &gt; as we can ap 
prehend the manner of this ftrange Vnion* 

2. And we can give no better account how the Soul moves 
the Body. For whether we conceive it under the notion of a 
Pure Mind, and Knowledg, with Sir K. Digby &gt; or of a Think? 
ing Subjlance, with Ves Cartes* or of a penetrable, indijcer- 
pible, {elf-motive Being, with the Platoniftsi It will in all 
theft ways be unconceivable how it gives motion to una&ive 
matter : For how that {hould move a Body, whofe nature it is 
to fafs through all Bodies without the leaft jog or obftruttiofy 
would require fomething more than we know, to help us to 
conceive. Nor will jt avail to fay, that it moves the Body by 
its vehicle of corporeal Spirits j for {till the difficulty will be 
the fame, viz. How it moves them ? 

3. We know as little, How the Soul fo regularly diretts the 
Animal Spirits, and Inflruments of Motion which are in the 
Bodyi as to ftir any we have a will to move: For the paflages 
through which the Spirits are convey d, being Co numerous, 
and there being fo many others that crofs and branch from 
each of them, tis wonderful they {hould not lofe their way in 
fuch a Wildernefs: and I think the wit of Man cannot yet 
tell how they are diredted. That they are conducted by fome 
ktiuwing Guide, is evident from the fteadinefs and regularity of 
their motion : But what that {hould be, and tyw it doth it, we 
are yet to feck : That all he motions within us are not dire 
cted by the mecrmechanick frame of our Bodies, is clear from 
experience, by which we areaffured, that thofc we call Spon 
taneous ones, are under the Government of the Wi$ : at leaft 

the 



I . And, MAtters of Speculation; 

the determination of the Spirits fhto ftt$b or fuch palfages, is 
from the Soul, whatever we hdld of the conveyances after; 
and tbefe, I think, all the Phflofophy in the World cannot 
make out to be purely mechanical* But though this be gain d, 
that the Son/ is the -principle of Vireftion, yet the difficulty is 
no lefs than it was before : For unlefs we allow it a kind of 
inward fight of every Vein, Mufcle, Artery, and other Paf- 
fage of its own Body i of the exadr. lite and pofition of 
them, with their feveral Windings, %nd fecret Chanels, it 
will ftill be as unconceivable, how it (hould direct fuch intri 
cate Motions, as that one that was born blind (hould manage a 
Game at Chefs, ormarfhal an Army : And if the Soul have 
any fuch knowkdg, we are not aware of it &gt; nor do our minds 
attend it : Yea, we are fo far from this, That many times we 
obferve not any method in the outward performance, even 
in the greateft variety of interchangable motions, in which a 
fieady Direction is difficult, and a Mifcarriage eafie : As we 
fee an Artift will play on an Instrument of Mufick without 
minding it &gt; and the Tongue will nimbly run divifions in a 
Tune without miffing, when the Thoughts are engaged elfe- 
where : which effeds are to be afcribed to fome Jecret Art of 
the Soul ( if that dired ) to which we are altogether Gran 
gers. 

4. But betides the Difficulties that lie more deep * 5 we are at 
a lofs even in the knowledg of our Senfis^ that feem the moft 
plain and obvious of our Faculties. Our eyes that fee other 
things, fee not themfelves &gt; and the Inftruments of Kno&ledg 
are unknown. That the Soul is the percipient, which alone 
hath animadverpon and fenfe, properly fo call d &gt; and that the 
Body is only the receiver^ and conveyer of corporeal Motions, is 
as certain as Philofophy can make it. ^ Ariftotle himfelf teach- 
ethit in that Maxim, NSs q$ , vSs ocKa : And Plato af 
firms, That the Soul hath life and fence but that the Body in 
fhidtnefs of fpeaking, hath neither the one nor other : Upon 
which pofition all the Philofophy of Ves-Cartesfands : And 
it is fo clear, and fo acknowledg d a Truth, among all confi- 
deringMen, that I need not ftay to prove it : But yet, what 
are the InftrumeHts of fenfitive Percept ion, and particular con- 
vcrs of outward Motions to the feat of Senfe s is difficult to find &gt; 

and 



nft Confidence in Philofophy , ;6fifa I . 



and how the pure Mind can receive information from things 
that are not like it felf, nor the objects they reprefent, is, I 
think, not to be explain d. Whether Senfation be made by 
corporeal Emifliotts, and material Images &gt; or by Motions that 
are convey d to the common fenfe, I fhall not difpute : the 
latter having fo generally obtain d among the Philofophers: 
But, How the Soul by mutation, and motion in matter, a fub- 
llance of an other kind, fhould be excited to aftion i and how 
tbefe frould concern it, that is of fo divers a nature, is hardly 
to be conceiv d. For Eody cannot a6t on any thing, but by 
Motion , Motion cannot be receiv d but by Matter^ the Soul is 
altogether immaterial &gt; and therefore, how (hall we appre 
hend it to be fubjecl: to fitch Impreflions ? and yet Pain, and 
the unavoidablenefl of our Senfations evidently prove, That it 
is fubjeft to them. 

Beiides, How is it, and by what An doth the Soul read, 
That fuch an Image, or Motion in matter, ( whether that of 
her Vehicle, or ot the Brain, the cafe is the fame ; fignipfj 
fuch an Objett ? If there be any fuch Art, we conceive it not : 
and tis firange we fhould have a Knowledg that wedo not 
know. That by diverfity of Motions we fhould fpell out F/- 
guresi Viftances, Magnitude S) Colours; things not refentbled 
by them, wemuft afcribe to feme implicit inference-, and-de- 
dudticn 9 but what it flwuld be i and by what Mediums that 
Knowledg is advanced, is altogether unintelligible. For 
though the Soul may perceive Motions and Images by fimple 
Jenfe^ yet it feems unconceivable it fhould apprehend what 
they fgnifie^ and reprefent, but by fome fecret Art and way 
of inference : An illiterate Perfon may fee the Letters, as weil : 
as the moft Learned,but he knows not what they mean *, and 
an Infant hears the founds, and fees the motion of the Lips, 
but hath noconception cor.veyM to him, for want of know 
ing the figniiication of them : fuch would be our cafe, not- 
withftanding all the motions and impreffions made by exter 
nal things, if the Soul had not fome unknown way of lear 
ning by them the quality of the Objeds. For inftance, Ima 
ges and Motions have but very jmall room in the Brain, where 
they are receiv d, and yet they reprefent the greateft Magni 
tudes &gt; The Image, Figure, ( or what-ever elfe it may be 

call d ) 



i 4J Matters 0/ Speculation. 7 

call d) of an Hemifphcre of the Heavens, cannot have a 
Subjed larger than the pulp of a Walnut , and how can fuch 
petty Impvdfions, make known a Body of fo vafta widenefs, 
without fomt kind of Mathcmaticks in the oul : And except 
this be fuppos d, I cannot apprehend how DJ/fjwca mould be 
perceiv d &gt; but all Objcds would appear in a clutter. Nor 
will thePhilofophy of Ves-Cartes help us here j For the mo 
ving divers Filaments in the Brain, cannot make us perceive 
fuch modes as Diftances are, unlefs fomc fuch -Art and Infe 
rence be allow d, of which we underhand nothing. 

5. The Memory is a Faculty in us asobfiure, and perhaps as 
uniccountable as any thing in Nature It feems to be an Orga- 
nical Power, bccaufe Difeafes do often blot out its Idtas, 
and caufe Oblivion : But what the marks and impn (lions are 
by which the Soul remember/, is a queftion that hath not yet 
been very well refolv d. There are four principal Hypothc- 
fes by which aaaccount hath been attempted &gt; The Peripate 
tic^ the Cartefian, the Vigbtan, and the Hobbian* 

i. According to the PeripjtetickJSchov\s,Obje8/ are conferv d 
in the memory by certain Intentional Specie/ (as they call them) 
a fort of Beings, that have a necefTary deperdance upon their 
Subjedts &gt; but are not material in their formal Contfitution 
and Nature. I need not fay much againft thefe arbitrary pre 
carious Creatures, that have no foundation in any of our Fa 
culties : Or be that how it will,They are utterly umntelligible i 
neither bodily, nor fyiritual i neither produc d out of any 
thing, as the matter of their production i nor out of nothing, 
which were Creation, and not to be allow d to be in the power 
of every, or any finite Being. And though there were no 
fuch contradictions contrivance in the framing thefe Species, 
yet they could not fcrve any purpofe, as to the Memory, fince 
tis againft the nature of entanative ErTcdb, (uch as thcfc are, 
to ftib^rt but by the continual influence of their Caufes , and 
fo, if this were the true Solution, we could remember nothing 
longer than the Objed was in prefence. 

2. The account of Des-Cartes is to this purpofe , The Spi 
rits are fent about the Brain, to find the traces of the Ob 
jects we would call to mindi which Tracks confift in //;^, 
viz,-) That the Pore/ through which the Spirit/ that came from 

the 



tyunjl Confidence in Philofophy, &$&$ I V 

the Objetts pift, are more eafily optn dy and afford a more 
ready paflage to thofe others that feek to enter, whence ari- 
feth a ffiecial motion in the Glandule, which fignifies tbts to be 
that we would remember. 

But if our Remembrance arife from the eafie motion of the 
Spirits through the opened paflages (according to this Hypo- 
thefis) &gt; How then do we (o diftin&Iy remember fuch a varie 
ty of Objeds, whofe Images pafs the fame way &gt; And how 
the Dijhnces of Bodies that lie in a Line ? Why (hould not 
the impelPd Spirits find of for open pafTages, befides thofe made 
by the thing we would remember ? When there are fuch con 
tinual motions through the Brain from numerous other Ob- 
jedb &gt; Yea, in fuch a pervious fubftance as that is, why 
fhould not thofe fubtile Bodies meet, every where an eafie 
pafTage ? It feems to me that one might conceive as well, how 
every Grain of Corn in a Sieve (hould be often fhaken through 
the fame holes, as how the Spirits in the repeated adls of Me 
mory (hould dill go through the fame Pores : Nor can I well 
apprehend but that thofe fuppofed opeird pafftges, would in 
amort time be itoptup, either by the natural gravity of the 
parts, or the making new ones near thofe * or other alterati 
ons in the Brain. 

3. TheHypatbffstif S ^Kenelm Digby, is next, viz. That 
things are preferv d in the Memory by material Image f that 
flow from them,which having impin^d on the common fenfe, 
rebound thence into fome vacant Cells of the Brain, where 
they keep their ranks, and poftures, as they entred, till again 
they are itirr d, and then they appear to the Fancy as they 
were fir /I prefented. 

But how is it conceiveable, That thofe active Particles 
which have nothing to unite them, or to keep them in any 
order, yea which are continually juftled by the occur iion of 
other minute Bodies, (of which there mult needs be great 
it ore in this Rcpolitory ) {hould folong remain in the fame 
ftateand pollure ? And how is it that when we turn over 
thofe Idaea s that are in our memory, to look for any thing 
&gt;we would call to mind, we do not put all trie Images into a 
difordcrlv floating, and fo make a Chaos of confuiion there, 
where the exacfkft Order is required : And indeed according 

to 



; r And Matters of Speculation; 

to this account, I cannot fee but that our Memories would be 
more confufed than our Dreams : and I can as eafily conceive 
how an heap of Ants can be kept to regular and uniform Mo 
tions. 

4. Mr. Hobbs attempts another way i there is nothing in 
us, according to this Phiiofopher, but Mattered Motion: 
All Senfe isReaftion in Matter [ Leviatb. Chap. i. ~] the dea 
of that Motion, and Reaction, is Imagination j Chap. 2. 
And Memory is the fame thing, expreffing tbat decay. [ Ib. 
So that according to M. H". all our Perceptions are Motions, anc 
fo is Memory : Concerning which, I obferve but two things &gt; 

i. Neither the Brain, nor Spirits , nor any other material 
Subftance within the Head, can for any confiderable time con* 
ferve Motion. The Brain is fuch a clammy Confidence, that 
it can no more retain it than a Quagmire i The Spirits are 
more liquid than the Air, which receives every Motion, and 
lofeth it as loon : And if there were any otber corporeal part 
in us, as fitly temper d to keep Motion as could be wifht &gt; yet 
(2.)the Motions made in it would be quickly deadned by Coun* 
ter-Motionswnd fo we (hould never remember any thing, longer 
than till the next Impreffion : and it is utterly impoflible that 
fo many Motions (hould orderly fucceed one another,as things 
do in our Memories &gt; For they muft needs, ever and anon, 
thwart, interfere, and obftruft one another, and fo there 
would be nothing in our Memories, but Confufion and Di 
cord. 

Upon the whole we fee, that this feemingly plain Faculty, 
the Memory, is a Riddle alfo which we have not yet found the 
way to refolve. 

I might now add many other difficulties, concerning the 
Vnderftanding, Fancy, Will, and Affettions : But the Con- 
troverfies that concern thefe, are fo hotly managed by the di 
vided Schools, and fo voluminoufly handled by difputing 
Men, that I (hall not need infift on them : The only Diffi 
culties about the Will) its nature and manner of following the 
Vnderftanding, &c. have confounded thofe that have enquired 
into it v and (hewn us little elfe, but that our Minds are as 
blind, as that P acuity is faid to be by moft Philofophers. Thefe 
Controverfies, like (ome Rivers, the further they run, the 

C rnoic 



lnft Confidence In Philofophy, j0fTa i? 

more they are hid : And perhaps after all our Speculations and 
Difputes, we conceive leis of them now, than did the more 
plain, and timple Underftandings of former times. But whe 
ther we comprehend or not, is not my prefent bufinefs to en 
quire, fince I have confined my felf to an Account of fome 
great Myfkries, that do not make fuch a noife in the World : 
And having fpoken of fome that relate to our Souls &gt; I come 
now to fome others that concern 

II. BODIES:! begin with our Own &gt; which though 
we/*??, and feel, and have them neareft to us, yet their inward 
Conftitution and Frame, is hitherto an undifcovered Region : 
And the faying of the Kingly Prophet, that roe are wonderfully 
made, may well be underftood of that admiration, that is 
the Daughter of Ignorance. 

For, i. There hath no good account been yet given, how 
our Bodies are formed : That there is An in the contrivance of 
them, cannot be denied, even by thofe that are leaft beholden 
to Nature : and fo elegant is their compofure, that this very 
Contideration laved Galen from being an Atbeift : And I can 
not think that the branded Epicurus, Lucretius and their Fel 
lows were in earned, when they refolv d this Competition in 
to a fortuitous range of Atoms : Twere much lets abfurd to 
fuppofe, or fay, that a Watch, or other curious Automaton, 
did perform divers exaft and regular Motions, by chance than 
tis to affirm, or think, that this admirable Engine, an Humane 
Body, which hath fo many Parts, and Motions, that orderly 
cooperate for the good of the whole, was framed without the 
Art of fome knowing Agent : But who the skilful, particular 
Archeut mould be &gt; and by what InuTuments, and Art this Fa- 
brick is ere&ed, is ftill unknown. That God hath made us, 
and fafbiojid our Bodies in the nethermofl parts of the Earth, 
is undoubted ; But he is the .firft and univerfal Caufe, who 
tranfadts things in Nature by jecondary Agents, and net by 
his own immediate hand : (The fuppofal of this would deftroy 
all Pbilofopby, and enquiry after Caufes; So that He is flill 
fappofedi but the Query is of the next, and particular Ageat, 
that forms the Body in fo exquifite a manner j a Queftion that 
hath not yet been anfwered. Indeed by fome tis thought 
enough to fay 5 That it is done by the Plafiick, Faculty , and by 

others 



* r An& Matters of Speculation* it 

others tis believ d that the Soul is that that forms it. For the 
Plajlick, Faculty-* tis a big word, but it conveys nothing to 
the Mind : For it fignifies but this, that the Body is formed by 
a formative Power &gt; that is, tis done-) by a power of doing it. 
But the doubt remains Hill, what the Agent is that hath thu 
power? The other Opinion of the Platoniflt, hath two Bran 
ches : fome will have it to be the particular Soul, that fathions 
its own Body *, others fuppofe it to be the general Soul of the 
World : If the former be true, By what tyowledg doth it do 
it ? and how ? The means-* and manner are ftill occult, though 
that were granted. And for the other way, by a general Soul \ 
That is an obfcure Principle, of which we can know but lit 
tle &gt; and how that adts ( if we allow fuch a being ) whether 
by kpowledg, or without, the AfTertors of it may find difficulty 
to determine. The former makes it little lefs than God him- 
felf &gt; and flatter brings us back to Chance, or a Plaftick^ FJ- 
culty. There remains now but one account more, and that is 
the Mechanical i -viz* That it is done by meer Matter moved 
after fuch, or fuch a manner. Be that fo : It will yet be faid, 
that Matter cannot move it felf* the queftion is ftill of the Mi?- 
ver &gt; The Motions are orderly, and regular &gt; Query, Who 
guides ? Blind Matter may produce an elegant effedfr for once, 
by a great Chance * as the Painter accidentally gave the Grace 
to his Picture, by throwing his Pencil in rage, and diforder 
upon it &gt; But then conftant Uniformities, and Determinations 
to a Iqnd, can be no R.efults of unguided Motions. There is in 
deed a ^Mechanical Hypothecs to this purpofe , That the Bo 
dies of Animals and Vegetables are formed out of fuch particles 
of Matter, as by reafon of their Figures will not lie together, 
but in the order that is neceflary to make fuch a Body , and in 
that they naturally concur, and reft &gt; which feems to becon- 
firm d by the artificial Refurrettion of Plants^ which Chymifts 
fpeak, and by the regular Figures of Salts, and Minerals ? the 
hexagonal of Chryflal^ the Hemi-ftherical of the Fairy- Stone, 
and divers fuch like. And there is an experiment mentioned 
by approved Authors, that looks the fame way It is, That 
after a decodion of Herbs in a frofty Night, the (hape of the 
Plants will appear under the Ice in the Morning : which Ima 
ges are fuppoied to be made by the congregated Effluvia of the 

C 2 Plants 



inJt Confidence in Philbfophy, Jgffay iC 

Plants themfelves^ which loofly wandring up and down in 
the Water, at lad fettle in their natural place and order* and 
fo make up an appearance of the Herbs from whence they were 
emitted. This account I confefs hath fomething ingenious in 
it \ But it is no folurion of the Doubt. For how thofe hete- 
rogenous Atoms mould hit into their proper places, in the 
midft of fuch various and tumultuary Motions, will frill re 
main a queftion : Let the aptnefs of their Figures be granted, 
we (hall be yet to feek for fomething to guide their Motions : 
And let their natural Motion be what it will, gravity or levity* 
dinft or oblique, we cannot conceive how that fhould carry 
them into every particular place where they are to lie *, efpe- 
cially confidering they muft needs be fometimes diverted from 
their courfe by the occurfion of many other Particles. And 
as for the Regular Figures of many inaminate Bodies,that con. 
fideration doth but multiply the doubt. 

2. The union of the farts of Matter, is a thing a? difficult 
as any of the former : There is no account that I know, hath 
yet appear d worth confidering, but that of Ves-Cartes ; w*. 
That they are united by juxta-pofition, and reft. And if this 
be all, Why (houldnot a bag of Duft be of as firm a Confi- 
ftence, as Marble or Adamant ? Why may not a Bar of Iron 
be as eafily broken as a pipe of Glafs &gt; and the Egyptians Py 
ramids blown away, as (bon as thofe inverft otfes of (moke. 
The only reafon of difference pretended by fome, is, that the 
Parts of folid Bodies are held together by natural Hooty j and 
Jr&gt;0g,ones, by fuch Hooks as are more tough and firm : But 
how do the parts of thefe Hookj ftick together &gt; Either we 
muft fuppofe infinite of them holding each other j or come at 
laft to parts united by meer ]itxta-fofition&gt; and reft. The for- 
rner is very abfurd, for it will be neceflary, That there (hould 
be fame-y upon which the Cohesion of all the reft {hould de^ 
fend t otherwife, all will be an heap of Duft. But in favour 
of the Hypothefis of Des-Cartes, it may be faid, That the 
clofenefs and comfa&nefi of the parts refting together, makes 
the ftrengtb of the VMon : For, ( as that Philofofher faith ) 
Every thing-continues in the ft ate wherein it it? except fontething 
more forverful alter in and therefore the Parts that reft clofe to- 
gethor .will (b.continue 5 till they are parted by Tome other ftron- 



Matters of Speculation. 

ger Body : Now the more parts are pent together, the more able 
they will be for repftance ; and what hathbeir/cw^i#jf?/}, and 
by confequence fewer parts, will not be able to make any al 
teration in a Body that hath more. According to this Do- 
&lt;Srine, what is moft denfe, and leaft porouf, will be moft cohe 
rent, and leaft difcerpible &gt; which yet is contrary to experi 
ence. For we find the moft porous-&gt; fcongy Bodies, to be oft- 
times the moft tottgb of Confidence. We eafily break a Tube 
of Glafs or Chryftal &gt; when one of Elm, or Afli, will hardly 
be torn in pieces : and yet as the fans of the former are more, 
Co are they more at reft &gt; fince the liquid Juice diflfufed through 
the Wood is in continual agitation, which in Des-Cartes his 
Philofophy is the caufe of fluidity ; fo that according to his 
Principles, the dryeft Bodies mould be the moft frm &gt; when 
on the contrary, we find that a proportionate humidity contri 
butes much to the ftrength of the Vnion. (Sir 1C. Digby 
makes it the Cement it felf ) and the drinefsof many Bodies is 
the caufe of their fragility, as we fee tis infFbod, and Glafs, 
and divers other Things. 

3. We arc as much at a lofs about the compoftion of Bodies, 
whether it be out of Indivifibles, or out of parts always divi- 
fible : For though this queftion hath been attempted by the 
fubtileft Wits of all Philofophick Ages y yet after all their di* 
fflin&ions-, and Jhtfts, their new-invented words, and modes, 
their niceties and tricks of fitbtilty* the Matter ftands yet un* - 
refolv d. For da what they can, A&ual, Infinite extenfion 
every where Equality of all Bodies, Impoffibility of Motion, 
and a world more of the moft palpable Abfurdities, will 
prefs the AfTertors of Infinite Divisibility : Nor on the other 
fide, can it be avoided, but that all Motions would be equal in 
velocity : That the Lines drawn from fide to fide in a Pyramid, 
would have more Parts than the Bafts : That all Bodies would 
\xfoallowed up in a Point \ and many other Inconfiftencies 
will follow the Opinion of Indivisibles* But becaufe I have 
confined my felf to the Difficulties that are not fo ufually no- 
ted ,1 (hall not infift on tbefabut refer the Reader,that hath the 
humour, and leifure, to inquire into fuch Speculations, to 
Oviedoy Pontiut, Ariaga, Carelton, and other Jefuites, whofe 
management of this Controverfie, with equal force on either 

fide, , 



1 4 Againft Confidence in Philofophy , , 

fide, is a confiderable Argument of the unaccountablenefs of 
this Theory, and of the weakneis of our prefent Under- 
Handings. 

I might now take into confederation the Myfteries of Moti 
on-, Gravity, Light, Colours, Vipon, Sounds, and infinite fuch 
like, (things obvions, yet unknown) but I infift no further on 
Inftances, but defcend to the fecond thing I propounded to 
treat of, viz. 

II. The CAVSES of our Ignorance, * and Miftakes ; 
And in them we (hall find further evidence of the imperfection 
of our Knowledg. The Caufes to be confider d, are either, 
i. The Difficulties and "Depth of Science : Or, 2. The pre- 
fent temper of our Faculties. Science is the Knowledg of 
things in their Caufet &gt; and fo tis defined by the Pretenders to 
it. Let us now enquire a little into the difficulties of attain 
ing fuch Knowledg. 

i. We know no. Caufes by Simple Intuition, but by Confe- 
quencezndVeduttion , and there is nothing we foufually in 
fer from, as Concomitancy i for inftance, We always feel beat 
when we come near the Fire, and ft ill perceive Light when 
we fee the Sun &gt; and thence we conclude, that thefe are the 
Caufes refpedively of Heat, and Light , and fo in other things. 
But now in this way of inference there lies great uncertainty : 
For if we had never feen more Sun, or Stars, than we do in 
cloudy weather, and if the Day had always broke with a 
Wind, which had increaft and abated with the Light, we 
fhould have believed firmly that one of them had been the 
caufe of the otheriand fo Smoke had been undoubtedly thought 
the efficient of the Heat, if nothing elfe had appeared with it. 
But the Philofophy of Des-Cartes furnifheth us with a better 
Inftance &gt; All the World takes the Sun to be the Caufe of Day, 
from this Principle of Concomitance : But that Philofopher 
teacheth, That Light is caufed by the Conamen, or endeavour 
of the Matter of the Vortex to recede from the Centre of its 
Motion &gt; fo that were there none of that fluid JEther in the 
rnidft of our World, that makes up the Sun, yet the prejfure 
of the Clobuli ( as he calls thofe Particles ) upon our Eyes, 
would not be confiderably lefs : and fo according to this Hy- 
pothefis, there would be Light though there were no Sun, of 

Stars i 



i ^ Matter* */ Speculation? i 5 

Stars* and Evening, and Morning might naturally be J^r*, 
and ?i*to* *k Sif. Now I fay not that this Opinion is 
true and certain j but tis poflible, and I know no ablurdity in 
it , and confequently, our concluding a Caufality from Conco- 
mitancy, here, and in other Inftances may deceive us. 

2. Our left natural Knowledg is imperfett, in that, after all 
our confidence, Things flill are fojfible to be otherwife ; Our 
Demonstrations are raifed upon Principles of our own, not of 
Universal Nature , And, as my Lord Bacon notes, we judg 
from the analogy of our felves-&gt; not the Vniverfe : Now many 
things are certain, according to the Principles of one Man, 
that are abfurd in the apprehenfipns of many others : and 
fome appear imfoffible to the vulgar^ that are e afie to Men of 
more improved Understandings. That is extravagant in one 
Philofophy, which is a plain truth in another : and perhaps 
what is moft impoflible in the apprehenfions of Men &gt; may be 
otherwife in the Metaphyficks, and Phyftology of Angels. The 
fum is, We conclude this to be certain^ and that to be impofli 
ble from our own narrow Principles, and little Scheams of 
Opinion. And the beji Principles of natural Knowledg in 
the World, are but Hypotbefes, which may be^ and may be 
otherwise : So that though we may conclude many things upon 
fush.and fuch Suppofitions, yet ftill our Knowledg will be 
but fair, and hopeful Conjefture : And therefore we may af 
firm that things are this way, or that, according to the Phi- 
lofophy that we have efpoufed j but we ftrangely forget our 
felves when we plead a necefpty of their being fo in Nature, 
and an impoflibility of their being otherwife. The ways of 
God in Nature (as in Providence) are not as ours are : Nor are 
the Models that we frame any way commenfurate to the vaft- 
nefs and profundity of his Works i which have a deftb in them 
greater than the Well of Uemocritus* 

3. We cannot properly and perfectly know any thing in 
Mature without the knowledg of its firfl Cattfes, and the 
Springs of Natural Motions : And who hath any pretence to 
this ? Who can fay he hath feen Nature in its beginnings ? 
We know nothing but Ejft&s, nor can we judg at their im 
mediate Caufes, but by proportion to the things that do ap 
pear* which no doubt are very unlikf theKWj/wwof Nar 

ture. 



16 tyAinfl Confidence m PhilofopRy^ 

ture. We fee the^e is no refemblance between the See&lt;L&gt; and 
ti Hfr, and tk&lowre i between the pw, and the ^*- 
HI*/, The Egg, and the B*W that is hatcht of it &gt; And fince 
there is fo much diflimilitude between Caufe and Effett in the(e 
apparent things, we cannot think there is lefs between them 
and their firft&gt; and invifible Efficients : Now had not our 
Senfes afliired us of it, we fhould never have fufpedred that 
"Plants* or Animals did proceed from fuch unlikely Originals i 
never have imagined, that fuck Effetts mould have come from 
fttcb Caufis &gt; and we can conceive as little now of the nature 
and quality of the Caufes that are beyond the profped of our 
Senfes : We may frame Fancies and Conjectures of them, but 
to fay that the Principles of Nature are juft as our Pbilofopby 
makes them, is to fet bounds to Omnipotence, andtocircum- 
(cribe infinite Power, and Wifdom, by our narrow Thoughts 
and Opinions. 

4. Every thing in Nature hath relation to divers others i (b 
that no one Being can be perfectly known without the know- 
ledg of many more : Yea, every thing almoft hath relation 
to all things j and therefore he that talks of ftrift Science, pre 
tends to a kind of Omnifcience. All things are linkt together &gt; 
and every Motion depends upon many prerequired Motors &gt; 
fo that no one can be perfectly known fingly. We cannot 
( for inftance ) comprehend the caufe of any Motion in a 
Watch, unlefs we are acquainted with other dependent Moti 
ons &gt; and have infight into the whole mechanical contexture 
of it &gt; and we know not the moft contemptible Plant that 
grows in any perfection, and exa&nefs, until we underftand 
thofe other things that have relation to it j that is, almoft 
every thing in Nature. So that each Science borrows from 
all the reft, and we attain not any fingle one, without com 
prehending the whole Circle of Knowledg. 

I might fay much more on this Subject, but I may have 
further occafion of fpeaking to it, under the fecond GeneraJ, 
The Confideration 



II. Of the Imperfection of our prefent Faculties j and 
the malign Influence our Senfes and Affettions have upon our 
Minds. I begin with the S E NS E S j and (hall take no- 

notice, 



Matters of Speculation; 

tice, i. Of their Dulnefs &gt; and 2. of their liablenefs to Er- 
r0r and Mifttk** 

i. Our ?#/&lt;?/ are veryfiant and limited &gt; and the Operations 
of Naturej#n7 2 and various. They are only its grtfjpr Inftm- 
ments-,and ways of working that are/^/Jte the^r Threads, 
and immediate Actions are out of reach ; Yea&gt; it s greateft 
works are perform d by invifbl^ infinfible Agents. 

Now moft of our Conceptions are taken from the to/f^and 
we can fcarce judg of any thing but by the help of material I- 
mages,that arc thence convey d to us,T\KSeufej are theF0Hf#i 
of natural Knowledg , andthe/wr^ and beft Thilofofby is to 
be raifcd from the Pbwiomena-fis they prefent them to us : when 
we leave tbefe&nd retire to the abftratted notions of our minds, 
we build Caftles in the Air, and form Cbymerical Wwlds^ that 
have nothing real in them. And yet when we take our ac~ 
counts from thofe beft Informers, we can learn but very little 
from their Difcoveries. For we fee but thejhadowf) and 0wf- 
fdej of things 5 like the men in T/^fo / Den, who faw but the 
Images of external Objects, andbut/i? many as came in through 
the narrow entrance of their Cave. The World of God&gt; no 
doubt, is an other thing, than the World Qi Senfe is &gt; and we 
can judg but little of its amplitude and glory by the imperfedi 
Idea we have of it. From this narrownefs of our Senfes it is, 
that we have been (b long ignorant of a World of Animals that 
are with us, and about us, which now at laft the GlaJJef y that 
in part cure this imperfedtion,have difcover d &gt; and no doubt, 
there is yet a great variety of living Creatures that our beft In- 
flruments are too groflto difclofe : There is Prodigious finmefi y 
and fubtilty in the works of Nature, which are too thin for our 
SenfeS)\vith all the advantages Art can lend them ; And many, 
the greateft, and the beft of its Objects are fo remote that our 
Senfes reach them not by any Natural or Artificial helps : So 
that we cannot have other than ,/&&amp;lt;?** and confufed apprehenfions 
of thofe works of Nature : And I fometimes fear, that we 
fcarce yet fee any thing as it is* But this belongs to an other 
confideration, vi. 

2. Our Senfet extremely deceive HS in their rifwrtx, and in- 
formations^ I mean,they give occafion to our minds to deceive 
themfelves, Tfay indeed reprefent things trurfj as they tppiw 

D to 



1 8 Aguvfi Confidence in Philofophy 5 ^ff3^ i , 

to *J&fj,and in that there is no deception -* but iIien,we;Wg* the 
exterior Realities to he according to thofe appearances^ and fr 
is the Error and Mithke. But becaufe the 5fp/ afford the 
ground and occafwtt, and we naturally judg according to f^ir 
imprci Iions, therefore the fallacies and Deceits are imputed to 
*#&gt; mifwformations This I premife, to prevent a Philofo- 
phical milhke, but ihall retain the common way of fpeaking, 
and call thofe the errors of the tftfgjfft. That f&fp very fre 
quently mifreport things -to us, we are allured even from them- 
felves : aftraight ftick feerns crooked in the Water, and zfquare 
Towre round at a diftance &gt; All things are T?//0a&gt; to thofe that 
have the Jaundice^ and all Meats are bitter to the difaffctted 
Palate: To which vulgar Inftancesit will prefently be an- 
fwer d, that the Senfcs in thofe cafes, are not in their jujl cir- 
cumliaHces* but want the fit medium^ due diftance, and found 
difpofition : which we know very well, and learn there was 
fomewhat atnifs &gt; becaufe our Senfes reprefent thofe things o* 
therwife at othertimes : we fee the (tick isftraigbt when it is 
em of the Water &gt; and the Tower is fquare when we are near 
it, Objedrs have other Colours, and Meats other ta/r&lt;?/,when the 
Body, and its Senfes are in their ufual temper. In fitch cafes, 
Senfe rectifies its own miftakes, and many times one the errors 
of another j but it it did not do fo, we mould have been al- 
wayes deceived even in fj^Inftances : and there is no doubt, 
but that there are many other like deceptions^ in which we.have 
no contrary evidence from them to difabufe usjnot in the mat 
ters of common Life,but in things of remoter fpeculation, which 
this ftate feems not to be made for. The Senfes muft have their 
du& medium^ and dijlance, and temper i if any of tbcfe are a- 
mifs, they reprefent their Objeds otherwife to us than they 
are: Now thefe^ we may fuppofe. they generally have, in the 
neceffary matters of Life, if not to report things to us as they 
are in themfelves, yet to give them us/S, as may be for our 
accommodation, and advantage: But how are we aflar d, 
that they are thus rightly difpofed y in reference to things of 
Speculative Knowledg ? What medium-) what diftance, what 
temper is neceiTary to convey Obje&s to us juft/o, as they are 
in the realities of Nature ? I obierv d before that our Senfes 
are fhort, imperfett-, and uncommenfurate to the vaftnefs and 

pro- 



I , And. Matters &lt;?/ Speculation, 

profundity of things, and therefore cannot receive the jufl T- 
mages of them : and yet we judg all things according to thofe 
confufed, and imperfeft Idtas, which muit needs lead us into 
infinite errors, and miftakes. 

If I would play the SceptickJ^ere, I might add, That no one 
can be fure that any Objcdts appear in the fame manner to the 
Senfes of other men, as they do to his : Yea, it may feem pro 
bable, that they do not &gt; For though the Images-) Motions, (or 
whatever elfe is the caufe of Sence) maybe alikf as from therm 
yet the reprefentations may be much varied according to the na 
ture and quality of the recipient: we find things look other- 
wife to us through an C^/ic/^Tube, then they do when we 
view them at a ditfance with our naked eyes : the fame Ob- 
jedr appears red, when we look at it through a Glafs of that 
Colour, but green when we behold it through one of fitch 
a Tindture. Things &$motbermfy when the Eye is dijlorted, 
then they do, when it is in its natural, ordinary, pofture j and 
fome extraordinary alterations in the Brain double that to us, 
which is but zfmgle Objed: : Colours are different, according 
to different Lights, and Pofitions &gt; as tis in the necks of Doves, 
and folds of Scarlet : Thus difference in circumftances alters the 
fenjation i and why may we not fuppofe as much diverpty in the 
Senfes offeveral men, as there is in thofe accidents, in the per 
ceptions of one ? There is difference in the Organs of Senfe, and 
more in the temper and configuration of the invpard parts of the 
Brain,by which motions are convey d to the feat of Senfe&gt;inthe 
Nerve } s, Humours and/&gt;im/,in refped: of tenuity ^liquidity -^apti 
tude for motion,znd divers other circumftances of their nature i 
from which it feerns that great diverfity doth arife in the man 
ner of receiving the Images, and confequently in the per 
ceptions of their Objects. So then,though every man knows, 
bow things appear to himfelf, yet rvbat impreiftons they make 
upon the fo different Senies of another, be only k*tows certainly, 
that is confdous to them And though all men agree to call the 
i mfreffioH they feel from fitch, OT fitch an Object, by the fame 
name yet no one can affuredly tell but that the Sentiment may 
be different &gt; It may be one man hath the imprcflion of Green 
from that, which in another begets the Senfe of Ttllow \ and 
yet they both call itCra^, becaufe from their infancy they 

D 2 were 



2 o AgAinfl Confidence /* Philofophy, $$$&% i , 

were wont to join that word to that Sentiment) which fuch an 
Objed produc d in their particular Senfe &gt; though in feveral 
men it were a very divers one. Tfe I know fome will think 
hard to be understood j bat I cannot help that : Thofethat 
Confider will find it to be very plain, and therefore I fhall fpmd 
no- more words about it. 

The Sum is, Our Senfes are good Judges tf Appearances^ as 
they concern us : but how things are in themfclves, and how 
they are to others, it (hould feem, we cannot certainly learn 
from them : And therefore when we determine that they are, 
and muft be according to the reprefentations of our individual 
Senfes^we are very often groily deceiv d in fuch fentences j to 
which yet we are exceeding prone =&gt; and few but the moft exer* 
cifed minds, can avoid them. Of this Tie give a great Inftance 
or two.. 

i. It is almoft univerfally believM (at lead by the vulgar,) 
that the Earth refls on t\\z Centre of the World j and thofe an 
cient Philofophers have been extreamly hooted at,and derided, 
that have taught the contrary doctrine: For my part,I (hall af 
firm nothing of the main queftiombut this I fay,That the com* 
mon inducement to believe it ftands ftill, viz. the T-eftimony of 
Senfejs no argument of it: And whether the opinion of Pytha 
goras, CopernicttSi Det-Cartef^GaliUo^nd almoft all late Philofo 
phers, of the w0fw*ofthe Earth, be true, orfalfei the belief 
of its Reft, as far asitarifeth from the frifamd evidence of 
Seme, is an error. 

That there is fome common motion that makes the day,and 
night and the varieties offeafons,is very plain and fenfible, but 
whether the Earthy the Sun be the Body mov d, none of our 
Senfes can determine^ToSVtfp thcSunftandsftill dfoiaud noEye 
can perceive its Attnal motion. For though we find, that in 
a little time it hath changed its Pofithn, and refpett to us v yet 
whether that change be caufd by its translation from /, or ours 
from if, the Senje can never tell : and yet from thi*, and tbi* 
only, the greateft part of mankind believes its motion. On 
the other fide, The Handing ftill of the Earth is concluded the 
fame way &gt; and yet, though it did move, it would appear fixt 
to us as now it doth, fince we are carried with it, in a regular 
and mod fimcouife, in which cafe motion isnotptrceivdy as 

we 



i. AnA flatters of SpecaLiti-un.. 

we find fbmetimes in failing in aShip* when the S/:?J;T/ fccr^ 
to move, and not that* Littus, Camfiq\ recedunt. 

But I give another Inftance of a like deception i&gt; it is, 2. 
The tranflatint of our own pajfions to things without us : as we 
judg Light and Heat, and Cold&gt; to \&gt;z formally in the //, F/n&gt; 5 
and /4z&gt; j when as indeed they are but our own perceptions. As 
they are in thofe external Subjeds, they are nothing, bin fitch 
or fitch configurations and motions in rnatter&gt;but when theynwj^ 
on wx, they produce different fintiments, which we call frjf, 
and Light^dcc. This will appear to be true to any one that can 
freely and attentively coniider it and yet it will be thought fo 
ftrange and abfurd by the generality of men, that they will af- 
/oon believe with AnaxagorM, that Snow Is blackj as him that 
affirms, that the Fire is not formally hot j that is, that the very 
thing we/ff/ , and call Heat in our felves, is not jo in that body: 
when as there^ it is but a violent agitation of thefitbtile , and ^/i- 
z/i^ parts of matter, that in it felf is nothing lify what we 
perceive from it, and call Heat : That we are hot our felves, 
we feel i but that the Fire hath any fuch/0raM/ quality as is in 
our Senfe, no Senfe can inform us i and yet from its fuppofed 
evidence men generally fo conclude. Which is an other confi- 
derable Inftance of thefalfe judgments we make on the occafi- 
on of our Senfes. 

And now, It is not only common understandings that are a- 
bufed,and deceiv d by their Senfesj but even the moft advanc d 
Reafons are many times mifled by them: And fince we live 
the Life of Eeafls before we grow up to Men, and our minds 
are Paffive to the impreflions of Senfe, it cannot be, that our 
firft knowledg fhould be other, than heaps of Errour, and 
mifconception i which might be rectified by our after-judg 
ments-) but that tisanother unhappinefs of our natures, that 
thufc early impreflions ftick by us, and we are exeedingly apt 
pertinacioufly to adhere to them ; And though our improving 
underftandings do in part undeceive us, and deflroy (bine gr&f- 
fer errours i yet others are fo fallned, that they are never after 
removed, or dilTetled. So that we are not quite weaned from 
our Child- hood till we return to our fecond Infancy-* and even 
our Grey-Heads out-grow not thofe errors, which we learnt 
before the Alphabet. And therefore fince we contracted fo 

many 



2 ^ Ag&inft Confidence in Philofophy&gt; iSffSJJ i . 



many prejudices in our tender years, and thofc Errors have 
as plaufible an appearance, as ihe moft genuine truths, the 
belt way to attain true Knowledg is wfajfend the giving our 
confirm d afTent to thofe Receptions, till we have looked them 
over by an impartial inquiry , To reckon of them all as falfe, 
or uncertain, till we have examin d them by a/m-, and ttnpof- 
fefi Reafon ; and to admit nothing but what we clearly, and 
- di&Mt&lyptrceivt* This is the great Kte, in the excellent 
Method of Ves-Cartes j but the pradife of it requires fuch a 
clear, fedate zndintent mind, as is to befouled but in a very 
few rare tempers 5 and even in them, prejudices will creep in } 
and fpoil the perfection of their Knowledg. 

I might difcourfe next of thofe Errors that do arife from 
t\\e fallacies of our Imaginations^ whofe unwarrantable com 
petitions and applications, do very frequently abufe us : and in 
deed, the fieafon of the greateft part of mankind is nothing elfe 
but various Imagination , Yea, tis a hard matter for the beft 
zndfreefl minds to deliver themfelves from the Prejudices, of 
Phancy &gt; which, befides the numerous kiTer Errors they beiray 
us into,are great occafions particularly" of thofe many mitfakes 
we are guilty of in fpeculating Immaterial Natures 5 6c inquiring 
into the Attributes of God , and we are much entangled, and 
puzled by them, in all things we think, or fay about Infinity, 
Eternity and Immenfity,zud moft other of the fublime Theories 
both Gffb&fopbfr or Theology. But thefe all arife,either from 
the falfe Images of Senfe, and the undue compofitions, and 
wrong inferences that we raife from them j and therefore I 
(hall not need make this a diftind: head from the other&gt;of which 
I have juft treated. 

I come now, II. To confider the evil Influence our Affe- 
ftions have over our Understandings, by which they are 
great Reafons of our Ignorance, and Miftakes* Periit 
Judicium ubi res transit in affettttm. That Jupiter himfelf can 
not be Jf//,and in Loz/f,was a faying of the Ancients, and may 
be underftood in a larger Senfe then They meant. ?hat under- 
flanding only is capable of pafling a juft Sentence, that is, as 
^r/^/tffaithoftheLtfH s Ns ocvtu o^e|e6)s &gt; but where the 
Witt in&Pafiont have the cafting voice 5 the caufe of Truth is dcf- 



And Mi t rs of Speculation . 

perate. Now this is the prefait unhappy (hte of Man* our 
lower powers are gotten nppermo 1 ^ and we fee like Men on 
their Heads^ as Plato obferv d of old, I hjt on the right lwn, 
which indeed Is on the. left. The Woman in us Hill profecutes a 
deceipt like that begun in the Garden ^ and we are wedded to 
an Eve, as fatal as the Mother ofous Miferies. The Deceiver 
foon found this foft place inddam^nd Innocency it felf did not 
fecure him from tbis way of fedudion : We now fcarce fee any 
thing but through our pafiions,that arc wholly blind,and inca- 
pableiSo that the Monfters that (lory relates to have their Eyes 
in their Breafls^ are pictures of us in ouiinvifiblefehes* 

And now, all things being double-handed, and having af~ 
pearances both of 7r#f/;, and Falfljood^ the ingaged arfedtion 
magnifieth the/&#w of Truth ^nd makes the belov d opinion ap 
pear as certain. \ while the considerations on the otherfide being 
lejfcned and negleded, feemas nothing,though they are never 
fo weighty and con fider able. But I (hall be more particular 
in the account of thefe Deceptions. 

Our Affedtions ingage us. by our love toourfihes^ or o- 
tbers &gt; the former in the Infiance of, i. Natural dijpofition, 
2. Cuftom and Education-, and 3. Intereft : the latter, in our 
over- fond Reverence to 4. Antiquity and Authority. 

i. There is a certain congruity offome opinions to the parti 
cular tempers of fome men : For there is a complexion^ and tern- 
ferament in the mind&s well as in the body : And the dpdrrines 
that are fuited to the genius, andfpecial difpofitionof the 
undrrftanding, rind eafy welcom, and entertainment : where 
as, tbofithztarecppoftetoiti are rejected with an invincible 
contempt and hatred. On this account we find men taking 
in fome particular Opinions with ftrangc pleafure and fatisfa^ 
6tion, upon their fir ft propofals ; when they are incurably 
barred up againft others, that have the advantage of more 
feafon to recommend them. And I have obferv d often, 
that even fome Theories in Philofophy will not lie in 
. fome minds, that are other wife very capable and ingeni 
ous : of which I take this to be a confiderablc In (la nee, 
That divers learned men profefSjThty cannot conceive a Spirit 
(or any being ) without extern &gt; whereas others fay, They 
cannot conceive, but that whatever is extended is impenetrable, 

and 



2 4 l Agimfl Confidence in Philofophy, J6fla^ i V 

and confequently corporeal &gt; which divcrfity I think, I have 
rcafon to afcribe to fome difference in the natural temper of the 
mind. 

2. But another very fatal occafion of our miftakes, is the 
great prejudice of Cttftom and Education : which is fo unhap 
pily prevalent, that though the Soul were never fo truly 
ciy^Qovy^iiAfjwcr&ov (as the PhilofophercalPd itj an un 
written table in it felf } yet this doth very often fo fcribble on 
it, as to render it incapable of other impreifions : we judg all 
things by thofe Anticipations ; and condemn^or applaud them, 
as they dirTcr 5 or agree, with our rirft Opinions. Tis on this 
account that almolt every Country cenfures the Lan&gt;s&gt; Cuftorns^ 
and Dottrines of every other? as abjurd&gt; and unreasonable, and 
are conrirm d in their own follies beyond poffibility of con 
viction. Our firft Age is like the melted wax to the prepared 
Seal, that receives any impreflion , and we fuck in the opini 
ons of our Clime and Country, as we do the common Air, 
without thought,or choice \ and which is wor(e,we ufually fit 
down under tho(e Prejudices of Education and Cuftom ail our 
Lives after: For either we are loth to trouble our felves to ex 
amine the Doctrines we have long taken for granted,or we are 
(car d from inquiring into the things that Cuftom and com 
mon Belief have made Venerable and Sacred. We are taught 
to think, with the Hermit, that the Sun (nines no were but in 
our Cells,and that "truth and Certainty are confin d within that 
Belief,in which we were firft intruded. From whence we con- 
tradfr an obftinate adherence to the conceits in which we Were 
bred; and a refolv d contempt of all other Doctrines : So that 
what Aftrologers fay of our Fortune s^nd the events of common 
life, may as well be faid of the opinions of the moft, that they 
are written in their Stars, having as little freedom in them as 
the effects of Deftiny. And fince the Infufions of Education 
have fuch intereft in us, are fb often appeaPd to as the dictates 
ot Truth, and impartial Reafon , tis no wonder we are (b fre 
quently decciv d, and are fo imperfect in our Knowledg. An 
other caufe of which is, 

3. The power that Intereft hath over our Affections, and 
by them over our Judgments. When men are ingag d by 
tbif, they can find Truth any where i and what is thought conve 
nient 



Matters of Speculatioti^ 

nient to be true,will at lad be believed to befo. Facile credimus 
quod volumus. So that I do not think, that the learned A(- 
fertorsofvain, and falfe Religions, and Opinions, do always 
.profefs againfl their Confciences i rather their Intereft brings 
their Confciences to their Profeffion ; for this doth not only 
corrupt Mens Pra&ifejxit very often pervert their Minds alfo, 
and infenfibly miikad them into Errours. 

4. But our Affettions mifguide us by the reipedr we have to 
others^ as well as by that we bear to our felves : I mentioned 
The Inftancesof^f/i*y, and Authority* We look with a 
fuperftitious Reverence upon the accounts of pail Ages, and 
with a fuperciliousSeverity on the more deferving produces oi 
our own : a vanity that hath polled all times as well as ours \ 
and the golden Age \vzsneverprefent. For as an inconfidera- 
ble Weight by vertue of it s dillance from theCentre of the Bal- 
lance will out-weigh much heavier bodies that are nearer to iti 
fo the moil light, and vain things that are far off from the pre- 
ient Age,have more E(!eem&gt;and Veneration then the moil con* 
/iderable, and fubftantial that bear a modern date : and we ac 
count that -nothing worth, that is not fetcht from a far off j in 
which we very often deceive ou-r felves as that Mariner did, 
that brought home his Ship Fraught with common Pebbles 
from the Indies. We adhere to the Determinations of our Fa 
thers as if their Opinions were entail d on us&gt; and our Concep 
tions were ex Traduce. 

And thus while every Age is but an other (hew of the former^ 
tis no wonder that humane fcience is no more advanced a- 
bove it s ancient Stature: For while we look on fome admired 
Authors as the Oracles of all Knowledg, and fpend that time, 
and thofe pains in the Study and Defence of their Dodrrines, 
which (hould have been imploy d in the fearch of Truth, a nd 
Nature &gt; we mull needs ftint our own Improvements and hin 
der the Advancement of Science; Since while we are Slaves to 
the Opinions of thofe before us. Our Difcoveries, like water 
will not rife higher then their Fountains&gt;and while we think it 
fuch Preemption to endeavour beyond the Ancient s^ we fall 
fhort of Genuine Antiquity, Truth: unlefs we fuppofe them to 
have reach t perfection of Knowledg in fpight of their own ac 
knowledgments of Ignorance. 

E And 



1 6 Againjl Confidence in Philofophy 5 ^gff jg r . 

And now whereas it is obferv d, that the Mathematics and 
Mechanic^ Arts have confiderably advanced, and got the ftart 
of other Sciences-, this may be confidered as a chief caufc of 
it, That their Progrefs hath not been retarded by this reve 
rential awe of former Difcoveries : Twas never an Heretic to 
out-limn Afelles, or to out-work the Obelisks : GaliUw&gt; 
without a Crime, out- fiw all Antiquity, and was not afraid 
to believe his Eyes, in reverence to Ariftotle and Ptolorny. 5 Tis 
no difparagement to thofe famous Optick GlaiTes that the An 
cients never us d them ; nor are we jhy of their Informati 
ons, becaufe they were hid from Ages. We believe the polar 
vertue of the Loadftone, without a Certificate from the day.es 
of old, and do not confine our felves to the file condudl of 
the Stars, for fear of being wifer than our Fathers. Had 
Authority prevail d here, the fourth part of the Earth had been 
yet unknown? and Hercules Pillars had ftill been the Worlds 
Ne ultra : Seneca s Prophefie had been an unfulfird Prediction* 
and one Moity of our Globes an empty- Hemifihere. 

"Tistrue, we owe much reverence to the Ancients, and 
many thanks to them for their Helps and Difcoveries i but 
implicitly and fervilely to Cubrnit our Judgments to alirOpini- 
ons, isinconfifkat with that refpedfc that we may* and ought 
to have to the freedom of our our own Minds-, and the dignity- 
of Humane Nature. And indeed (as the great Lord ~Bacon 
hath obferv d ) we have a wrong apprehenfion of Antiquity, 
which in the common acception is but the nonage of the 
World. Antiquitas Jeculi eft juventtu Mundi : So that in thofe 
Appeals, we fetch our Knowledg from the Cradle, and the 
comparative infancy of days. Upon a true account, the pre* 
fent Age is the greateft Antiquity \ and if that muft govern 
and fway our Judgments, let multitude of days freak* If we 
would reverence the Ancients as we ought, we fhould do it by 
imitating their Example, which was not fupinely and fuper- 
ftitioufly to fit down in fond admiration of the Learning of 
thofe that were before them, but to examine their Writings, 
to avo : d their Miftakes, and to ufe their Difcoveries, in order 
to the further improvement of Knowledg : This they didiefpe- 
cially the Philofopher Ariftotle ufed the moft freedom in cen- 
furing and reproving the fuppofed Errors and Miftakes of the 

elder 



Mutters of Speculation/ 27 

elder Philofophers, of any that ever had that Name : And 
therefore there is the lefs reafon why Men (hould make his 
Writing 7Vxf4ry, and as it were infallible, without daring 
to ufe the liberty that he taught by his practice. 

It was from this (ervile humour of idolizing fome fortunate 
and famM Authors, that arofe that (illy vanity of impertinent 
Citations^ and alledging Authorities in things, that neither 
require nor deferve them. The Man, no doubt, thought 
the faying to be Learning, and an Elegancy, That Men have 
Beards, and that Women have none i when he had quoted Bezt 
for it : and that other aim d to be accounted no mean Clerk, 
that could fay, Pax res bona eft^ faith St. Auftin : This folly, 
as ridiculous as it is, was once very common among thofe that 
courted the reputation of being Learned i and it is not quite 
worn out of ufe yet among the Vulgar of Scholars, though 
all the wifer have outgrown, and do defpife it j And the reft 
will do the fame, when they come to coniider, how vain and 
inglorious it is, to have our Heads and Books laden, as Cardi 
nal Campew his Mules were, with old and ufelefs Luggage. 
And if the magnificence of many Pretenders to Knowledg 
were laid open, it would amount to no more, than the old 
Boots and Shooes of that proud and expos d Ambafladour. 
Methinks it is but a poor eafie Knowledg that can be learnt 
from an Index &gt; and a mean ambition to be rich in the In 
ventory of an others Treafure. Authorities alone make no 
number-) unlefs evidence of Reafon (land before them, and all 
the Ciphers of Arithmetic^ are no better than a fingle no 
thing. 

But I return to the confederation of Antiquity : If we im 
partially look into the Remains of ancient days, we mall find 
but little to juftifie our fo ilavifh a veneration of them : For 
if we take an account of the date of Science from the begin 
ning, and follow the Hiftory of it through the moft famous 
Times, we (hall find, that though it hath often changed its 
Channel, removing from one Nation to another yet it hath 
been neither much improved^ nor altred, but as Rivers arc in 
pafling through different Countries, viz. in Name, and Me 
thod : For the fucceding Times fubfcribing to, and copying 
out thofe that went before them, with little more than verbal 

E 2 Diver- 



28 tyrinft Confidence in PKilofophy, jgfTag rV 

Diverfity, Knowledg hath ftill been really the fame pcor and 
mean Thing, though it hath appeared In pompous Cloathing, 
and been dignified by the fervices of many great and renowned 
Names. The Grecian Learning was but a Tranfcript of the 
Chaldean and JEgyptian &gt; and the Roman of the Grecian : And 
though thofe former Days had, no doubt, many great Wits, 
and thofe that made noble Difcoveries &gt; yet we have reafon to 
think that the moft coniiderable and mod worthy of them, 
have peri&t and are forgotten. For as the forementroned 
great Man, the Lord Bacon hath obferv d, TZMK, as a River* 
brings down to us what is more light and fuperficial, while 
the Things that are more filid and fubftantial are funk and 
loft. 

And now after all tbu, it will be requisite for me to add, 
That I intend not thefe Remarquesin favour of any new Con- 
aits in Theology, to gain credit to fitch by difparaging Chrifti- 
an Antiquity : No, Here the old Paths are undoubtedly beft y 
quod verum id print : And I put as much difference between 
the pretended New Lights^ zndOldfruth) as I do between 
the S##and an evanid Meteor : Though I confefs in Pbilofo- 
fby I am a Seeder. Divine Truths were moft pure in their 
Beginnings &gt; they were born in the fulnef? of time *, and, (as 
fome fay the Sun was Created) in their Meridian Strength 
and Luftre : But the Beginnings of Pbilofopby were in a very 
obfcure Dawn^ and perhaps tis yet fcarce Morning with it. 
And therefore what we cannot find among former Inquirers, 
we are to (eek in the Attempts of more Modern Men-&gt; and in 
the Improvements of nearer Ages : And not be difcouraged 
&gt; by the Old aw^ Nil diRum quod non dittum priitf. For as 
to Knowledg, there is no doubt but there are many things new 
under the Sun, and tbi? Age hath fhewn many Novelties even 
in the Heavens above? 1 &c. 

I have thus (hewn thee How our Senfes and Affe&iont mif- 
lead our Undertiandings,and foare great occafions of our Ig 
norance and Errors 5 to which I may add, 

III. That the Undemanding more immediately contributes 
to its own Deceptions, through its "Precipitancy, and baft in 
concluding* Truth is not to be attained, without much cloje 

and ; 



I r dad Matters of Speculation^ 

and fevere inquiry : It is not a wide Superficies^ eafie to be 
feen, but like a Point or Line that requires Acntnefs and I?* 
fftffifltf todifcover it which is the more difficult, becaufe it 
is fo mingled with Appearances and fpecious Errors, like the 
Silver in Hiero s Crown of Gold &gt; or rather like the Grains 
of Gold in a M*ftof bafer Mettais y It requires much C^rr, 
and nice Obfervation to extrad and feparate the precious Oar 
fromfo much vile Mixture i fo that the Underftanding muft 
be patient, and n?&lt;*yy, and thoughtful in feeking Truth , It 
mutt gofkpby fkp, and look every way, and regard many 
Things: It muft dillruft Appearances, and befhy of AlTenf, 
and conilder again and again before it fixeth. This Method 
is necefTary to the attainment of Knowledg ^ but the Mind is 
generally indifpofed to fo much Labour and Caution. It is 
impatient of fufl&gt;enee? and precipitant in concluding &gt; averfeto 
deep Meditation, and ready to catch at every Appearance : 
And hence alfo it is that we embrace Shadows of Fancy and 
Opinion, and mifs of true and fubftantial Knowledg. 

Having now given Inftances of the Imperfection of our pre- 
fent Knowledg, and (hewn fome of its Caufes, which are fur 
ther evidence of it * I come to offer a few Considerations on 
the whole, fcgainft Dogmatizing^ and Confidence in uncertain 
Opinions. As, 

i- Confidence in Philofophy^ and Matters of Doubtful Spe 
culation betrays a groiTer, and more ftupid fort of Ignorance j 
For tis the firrt ftep of Knowledg to be fenfible that we want 
it : Themoft exercifed Underfiandings aremoftconfcious to 
their Imperfe&ions i and he that is ienfible of the frequent 
failings of his Judgment, will not lean with much truft, and 
aflurance on that which hath fo often deceived him, nor build 
the Caftle of his intetiettual Security in the Air of Opinions : 
But on the other fide, the fhallow, unthinking Vulgar, are 
fure of all things, and beftow their peremtory, full aflcnt on 
every flight appearance. Knowledg is always tnodeftznd wary \ 
but Ignorance is bold and prefuming, as Ariftotle hath obferv d 
of the confidence and forwardnefs of Youth. Thus thofe that 
have always Hv d at home, and have never feen any other 
Country, are confidently perfwaded that their own is the keft i 

whereas 



-Jig/a #p Confidence m Philofophy &gt; 

whereas they that have travel d, and obferv d other Places, 
fpeak more coldly and indifferently of their native Soils -, and 
fo thofe confined Underrtandings that never looked beyond the 
Opinions in which they were bred, are excedingly affur d of 
the Truth, and comparative excellency of their own Te 
nants , when as the larger Minds that have travaiPd the divers 
Climates of Opinions, and confider d the various Sentiments 
of inquiring Men, are more cautions in their Conclujions, and 
more fparing in pofitive Affirmations. And if the Dogma- 
tift could be pcrfwaded to weigh the Affearances of Truth 
and Reafon, that are in many **Jwr Opinions that he counts 
unreasonable and abfurd, this would be a means to allay, if not 
to cure his Confidence. 

2* Dogmatizing in things uncertain, doth commonly inha 
bit with untamed Pajfions, and is ufually maintain d upon the 
obftinacy of an ungoverd Spirit. For one of the firft Rules in 
the An of Self -Government, is, to be modeft in Opinions : 
And f&tf Wifdom makes Men confederate and wary, diftruftful 
of their own Powers, and jealous of their Thoughts : He 
that would rule himfelf, muft be circumfpett In his Actions, 
and he that would be fo, mult not be bafty, and over-confident 
in his ConclufionSt J Tis Pride, and Preemption of ones felf 
that caufeth fuch forwardnefs and aflurance } and where thole 
reign, there is neither Venue nor Reafon j No regular Govern 
ment, but a miferable Tyranny of Pajfion and Self-will. 

3. Confidence in Opinions, is the great difturber both of 
our own Peace, and of the quiet of other Men. He that &lt;*/- 
firms any thing boldly^ is thereby ingaged jgainft every one 
thatoppofethit , He is concerned, and undertakes for his Te- 
nent, and muft fight his way : He confronts every different 
Judgment 3 and quarrels all Diffenters He is angry that others 
dp not fee that, which he prefumcs is fo clear he clamours 
and reviles i He is ftill diluting, and ftill in a ftorm : He can 
not bear a Contraction^ nor fcarce a Sufience of Judgment. So 
that his Peace is at every ones Mercy, and whoever will crols 
his faying, throws him into the Fire, and deftroys his Quiet : 
And fuch a Man need not be more miferable. On this account 
the Stoicfy afTt&ed an indifferency and neutrality in all Things, 
as the only means to t^ freedom from Paffion and Vifturbance, 

which 



; r And Matters of Speculation; 3 Y 

which they fought : and if there be any repofe attainable by 
(he Methods of Reafon, there is nothing ib like to afford it, 
as unconcernment in doubtful Opinions. The contrary Zeal 
and affurance, as it robs every Man of his private happinefs, 
fb hath it deftroyed the Peace of Mankind : It hath nude the 
World an Aceldama, and a Babel. For tbii is the ground of 
all the Scbifmsi and ftrivwgs of Scdrs, that have till d our 
Air with Smoke and Darknefs j yea, and kindled the fierce 
Flames that have confumed us. Every vain Opiniator is as 
much aflitred as if he were infallible j His Opinions arc 
7V/J?/, certain Ttruthsy Fundamental Ones and the contrary 
Dodrrines Heretical and Abominable. Hence arife Dilutes, 
Hatreds, Separations^Wars, of which we have feen, and yet 
fee very much and God knows how much more we may : 
Of all which Mifchiefs here is the Gronnd, viz. Mens pre- 
fumptions of the certainty of their own Conceits and Ways : 
and could they but be induced to be modejt in them, and to 
look on them with the eye of lefs affurance, it would abate 
their Heats and Animofities^ and make way for Peace, and 
charitable Agreement in the things that are undoubtedly Irwf, 
and Good. 

4. Confidence in Opinions is ill Manners, and an affront to 
all that differ from us i For tlv^ Dogmatift chargeth every one 
with Ignorance and Ewr, that fubfcribes not his Saying^ In 
eflfed, he gives the lie to whofoever dares diflent from him ; 
and declares that his Judgment is fitteft to be the Intellectual 
Standard. This is that Spirit of Pride and TLudenefa that 
faith to every different Apprehender, Stand ojf, I am more 
Orthodox than thou art -, a Vanity that is worfe than any fimple 
Error. 

5. Dogmatizing^ and Confidence in doubtful Tenents, holds 
the Opiniator faft in his Mifconceits and Errors. For he that 
is confident of all things, is unavoidably deceiv d in moft i 
and he that affures himfelf he never errs, will always err : His 
Preemptions will defeat all attempts of better Information. 
We never feek for tbat which we think we have already, but 
rejedfc thofe Aids that make promife and offer of it. And he 
that huggsKtfflify and Faljhoody in the confidence of undoub- 
ted *!- ^ ^ Science, is commonly intra&able to the Me 
thods 



Jgaivft Confidence in Philofophy, ;6ffap I? 

thods that (hould re&itie his Judgment. Ignorance is far foo- 
ner cared, than falfe conceit of Knowledg : and he was a very 
wife Man that faid, T kr? # tfwr? 60/&gt; of &lt;* Fool y than of him 
that it wife in bu own Eyes. 

6. Dogmatizing (hews Poverty , and narrownefs of Spirit: 
There is no greater Vaffallage, than that of being enilaved to 
Opinions. The T&gt;ogmatiji is pent up in his Prifon, and fees 
no Light but what comes in at thofe Graces. He hath no li 
berty of Thoughts, no proftett of various Objetts : while the 
considerate and modeft Inquirer, hath a large Sphere of Motion, 
and the fatisfaclkm of more of en Light &gt; He fees far, and 
injoys the pleafure of furveying the diners Images of the Mind. 
But the Opiniator hath a poor forivefd Soul, that will but juft 
hold his little Set of Thoughts : His Appetite after Know- 
ledg, is fatisfied with his few tJWiifljromes, and neither knows 
nor thinks of any thing beyond his Cottage and his Rags. 

I might fay a great deal more to the fhame of this folly, 
but what I have writ will be enough for the Capable and Inge 
nious 5 and much lefs would have been too much for others. 

And now when I look back upon the main Subject of thefe 
Papers, it appears fo vajl to my Thoughts, that me-thinks I 
have drawn but a Cockle- jhsll of Water from the Ocean : What 
ever I look upon, within the Amflitude of Heaven and Earth 9 
is evidence of Humane Ignorance : For all things are a great 
Darfyieft to us, and we are fo to our felves : The plaiueft 
things are as obfcure-, as the moft confeffidly myfterious i and the 
Plant f we tread on are as much above us, as the Stars and Hea 
vens: The things that touch us, areas diftant from us as the 
Poles-) and we are as much Strangers to our fdves&gt; as to the 
People of the Indies. On review of which, me-thinks I 
could begin anew to reprefent rthe imperfection of our Know 
ledgi and the vanity of bold Opinions-, which the Dogmatics 
themfdves^&lt;?;M0#/?rtff*&gt;, while each Difputer is confident^ that 
the others confidence is vain, from which a third, with more 
reafoa, .may coriclude the fame of the confidence of both; 
And one would think there (hould need no more to bring thofe 
allured Men to modeft Acknowledgments, and .more becom- 
ruing Temper than thti&gt; That there, is nothing about which the 

Reafon 



* 4#d Matters of Speculation. 3 3 

Reafon of Man is capable of being employed, but hath been 
the Subjedl of Dilute-) and diverfi apprehenfion : So that the 
Lord Montaigne hath obferv d, Mankind is agreed in nothing^ 
vo not in ibis, Ibat tbe Htavens are over us ; Every 
rnoft differs from another, yea and every Mm from himfelf&gt; 
and yet every one is allured of his own Schemes of conje- 
dhire, though he cannot hold that AfTurance but by this proud 
Abfurdity? That be alone is in tbe rigbt y and all tbe reft of tbe 
World mistaken. I fay then, there being fo much to be pro 
duced both from the natural and moral World, to the jbame 
of boafling Ignorance -&gt; 1 cannot reckon of what I have faid 
but as an imperfeft Offer at a Subject, to which I could not do 
right, without difcourfing all Things : On which account I 
had refolvM once to fufFer this Trifle to pafs out of Print and 
Memory: But then conildering, that the Inftances I had gi 
ven of humane Ignorance were not only clear ones, but fucb 
alfo as are not ordinarily fufpeded i from whence to our fliort- 
nefsin other things, tis an eafie Inference i I was thence in 
duced to think it might be ufeful to promote that temper of 
Mind that is necefTiry to true Philofophy and right Know- 
Icdg. 



OF 



O F 



SCEPTICISM 

X " " AND --. : 

CERTAINTY. 



F * 



&lt;1 



a. 









O F 
SCEPTICISM and CERTAINTY: 

In a fliorf Reply 
To the Learned Mr. 



Tb 4 Friend. 



SIR, 



I Here fend you a Supplement to the former Effay. About 
two years after my Vanity of Dogmatizing was fir/i prin* 
fed, there appeared a Book written in Latin againft it, 
which had this Title, S C 1 RI y fivefcepties & fiepticorttm 
a jure Vifyutationti exclttpo. The Author was that Learned 
Man, who hath publifht fo many Writings, and is To highly 
celebrated by Sir Kenelm Digby v efpccially famous for his 
Trad de Mundo : He calls himfelf fometimes Thomas ex Al- 
bits Eaft Saxowtm , in other Writings, and particularly in tbu* 
Thomas Albius : His Englifh Name is IbomM jyhite, a Roman 
Catholick, and famed Writer for that Church, though cen- 
fured for fome of his Doctrines at Rome. I writ a civil An- 
fwer to his Book, which was annext to the Vanity of Dogma- 
tizing-&gt; reprinted 1665. 

That Anfwer was in Englifh, bccaufe the Difcourie it de 
fended was fo and I did not think the Matter worth the 
Univerfal Language : Befidcs, I was induced to reply in that 

Tongue^, 



37 



3 J (y Scepticifm and Certainty, ;Cflf3 2V 

Tongue, by the Example of a Noble Philofbpher, one of the 
great Ornaments of his Age,and Nation, who had then newly 
anfwcr d a Latin Book, written by one Liaffsagainft him, In 
Englifh. About the firtie time that my Reply was printed, 
his SClRI-.came forth again in our Language, whether 
tranflated by himfelf, or any Difciple of his, I do not know &gt; 
The Title was, An Exclttfwn of Sceptic^ from all title to 
Difpttte : being an Anfaer to the Vanity of Dogmatizing : by 
Thd* White. Now becaufe there was nothing of Reply -in 
that new Edition of his Book, I thought to have concerned 
my ftlf no more about it : but having made you a promife of 
fome Notes concerning Scepticifm and CertaintyJ. have thought 
fit to treat of thofe Matters by way of fuither Anfwer to 
that Learned M^n. 

He principally infill? on three things. ( i. ) The Charge 
of Scepticifm. ( 2. ) The Accoumtablenefsof thofe Philofo- 
phical Diffi.ulties I have mentioned, as tilings not yet refilv d. 
And, (3.) The Defence of Ariftotle. The firft is the Sub- 
j: -& for which I ftand irgag d to you i and the ficond belongs 
to it, and will be a very feafonable, if not neceflary Supple 
ment to the ElLy againd Confidence in Philofophy* But for 
the third-, I (hall refer you to what I have laid in my other 
Anfwer, and in my Letter concerning Ariftotle being not 
willing. to meddle any furthepin Affairs of that nature. 

I. The .charge of l r cnUidfnt feems to be -the main 
thing : For, bciidcs that Jt makes up the Title, the Author 
hith been plcasM to write a folcmn Warning to the Youth of 
the Univeriiues, on the occafion of my Book, which he calls 
Vkus Glanvillanum, in the firft page of his Preface &gt; and de 
clares this pretended Scepticifm of mine to be the occafion of 
his ingagemcnt, in the rirft paragraph of his Difcourfe. 

Now becau(e a great and celebrated Philofopher, with whom 
I am not fit to be nam d, is brought in as the Reviver of this 
d .adly Scepticifm, which I am fuppofed to endeavour to ad 
vance after him i I fhall repeat the whole PaiTage, that I may 
the rctter vindicate both him and my felf againft this Ob 
jection i and treat a little of this fo common Imputation, 
.which is almoft every where alledg d againft all Free Pbilojo- 

pbers, 



jSO&t 2 Pf Scepticifm a Certainty, 35 

fbcrsy who dare think or fay any thing that Arijhtlc hath not 
taught. The Learned Man O^jeds thus, p. i. 

c Scepticifm born of old by an linfucky rnifcarriage of Na- 

4 ture, for her own credit carried off the Tongues of the Elc- 

c quent, where it had long been fofter d and buried by the 

fteadinefs of Chriftian Faith &gt; this Monger fnatcht from the 

Teeth of Worms, and Infedts,. Peter Gaflendusy a Man of a 

moft piercing Sagacity, of neat and copious Eloquence, of 

moft plealing behaviour and wonderful diligence, by a kind 

of Magick, hath endeavour d to reficre agaia to Life. He, 

* a Perfon f which is the firangeft of all ) inofi tenacious of 
e Catholick Faith, and never fufpeited guilty of mifchievous 
c Tenents: whereas, yet, this Scepticifm. is the Mother of 
( infinite Errors, and all Hercfies, and that very fiducing Phi- 
lofopbyy and vain Fallacy which the Saints warned by the 
c Apoftles have taught us to beware of. Her this Man., other- 
c wife eminent, in his paradoxical Exercitations ^againfl the 
4 Ariftotelians, hath dared to txpofe, not vailed as before, 
c and wandring like a Quean in the dark, but bold-fac d, and 
c painted, to the Multitude, and Market-place. 

c By his example, the Author of the Vanity of Dogmati*; 

* z&gt;ing^ hath produc d her amongft us beauteouily trickt up, 
c innglim: He too a great Mailer of Wit and Eloquence &gt; ; 
nor indeed are valt Mifchiefs to be dreaded from vulgar. 
tf Heads. *fhis is tlw occafton of my tinder taking* 

This is the Charge &gt; but the flvere imputation is fwectned; 
by many very kind words of commendation, which arc mod 
juftly due to tKe renowned Gfifftndut) but given gratify and 
undefervedly to the Author of the Vanity of Dogmatizing.. 
Inanfwerto this charge, I (half fee down my Thoughts of. 
Scepticifm and Cer^ainty^ Subjects well worth coniidering. 

The word Scepticifm is derived from S^TTTD^/, which fig- 
nifies to [peculate y to lool^ about y to deliberate * An ancient 
Sed: of Philofophers were hence calPd ^.yjinn^oiy Sceptickj &gt; , 
as alfo zytTtintooiy Seekers* ATro^MTi^, Doubters &gt; and nug - 
^cV&oly PyrrbonianSy from Pj rr^the firft noted Author of this 
Seel:. This Pyrrba lived about the time of Alexander the 
Great, and was born at Eli* : He was at rirn; a Painter i fome 
fay an ill one j and yet he had better have fo continued, for 

his 



40 Of Scepticifm and Certainty. 1 1&te$ 2 . 

his Philofopby was worfe than his Painting. He feems to me, 
according to the account we have of him, to have been a g: ofs 
and humourfome Fanatick &gt; efpecially if that be tiuethatis 
related by Laertius, That he fhun d and heeded nothing, and 
..would not rtep.aiide out of the way for Waggons, Precipices, 
or Dogs&gt;fo that he was follow d and lookM alter like an Ideot, 
and a Chi!d,then whom his Adtions were more ftupid: Betides 
which teftimony, we have a worfe character of him from 
Arifiocles, Xpvjscv *& ) XT* eu^fcv ,z&gt;f. That he neither inven 
ted, nor writ any thing that was good, but railed both at Gods 
and Men. And yet it (hould feem, by the honour his Country 
did him, that he was not fo very a Sot as fome thought, and 
as divers PafTagesin the Story of his Life fpeak him : For he 
was made High PrieB, and great Immunities and Privikdges 
given to Philofopheis for his lake. But I have nothing to do 
with the Story of his Life : His Difciples were many, the 
moft eminent of them reckon d by Ltenius \ but none hath 
left fo exad: an account in writing of theSceptick^~Dotrinef, 
(if they maf be fo call d ) as Srxtus Empiricits* one much 
later than thofe Sedators of Pyrrho. The chief ground of 
Scepticifm he faith, is this, nocvn Koyoc \6y& &gt; J&lt;r(gH avr/M,a- 
TDC/, That every jreafon hath an equal one oppofite to it : So 
that they gave no aflent to any thing. They allow d Appea 
rances, but would not grant, that things reaVy are in themfelves 
as they appear to our Senfes : or that we can by our Reafons 
juds any thing truly, and certainly of them : That there is 
nothing fair or foul, juft or unjul}, nothing &lt;irue or real in 
anything^ as Lwtius fpeaks of the belief of Pyrrhj. And 
therefore their Phrates were, ^ /xorMov, that is, Not more 
this than that, la^c, j x la ^a &gt; perhaps, and not perhaps 
viz* perhaps it is, perhaps it is not. ETri^, I fufpend &gt; 
fc^v o/&, I determine nothing &gt; x#TaA&lt;x/i0a 6&gt;, I com 
prehend not. And for fear they fnould be Dogmatical, even 
inthefe Phrafes, Ewpericus faith, Tiiat they do only declare 
their prefent AiFcdtions, expreflinghow things appear to them, 
without deter-miningany thing, and even not determining (b 
much as this, I determine mtlring* 

Now betides the profiled Difciples of this Sedr, divers 
other ancient Philofophers fpoke doubtfully, and unrefolvcdly 

of 



. Of Scepticifm And Certainty, 

of things : and Cicero in LicttVtts faith thus of Embedocles ; 
Empedocles, ut ixterdum miln fttrere videatur, abjlruja effi em- 
via, ttihil ws ftntire^ mini cernere-) mini omnino qttjle fit puff; 
reperire. Sextus Empirictts mentions divers others, who it 
feems were thought to be Sceptickf, or very near them &gt; as 
Heraclitus, becaufe he taught that Contraries are in the fame 
thing: Dcmocritus^ for denying Hony to be fwect or bitter : 
The Syrenaic]^ Set, holding that only the Aflkdtions are com 
prehended : Protagoras, for making the Phenomena particular 
to every tingle Perfon. But all thefe he (hews to have been 
Affertorsi and very different from the Vyrrhovian Sed. He 
inquires alfo of the Academic}^ Philofophy, how it agreed 
with, or difagreed from the Sceptic^. Thefe Philofophers 
were reputed anciently, and by fome ever iince thought to be 
too much addi&ed to that way. But Sextus clears them from 
it, beginning with Plato the Founder of the firft School, of 
whom he faith, That though in his Gymnafticks&gt; where 50- 
crates is brought in deriding the Sophifts, he hath the Scep- 
tick, uncertain Character yet in declaring his Opinion, he 
was a Dogmatiji &lt;&gt; particularly in his Do&rines of 7&lt;e#, Pro- 
vidence, the preference of a Life o&gt;t Vertue : Which if Plato 
alTent to as cxiftent, he affirms dogmatically j if as probable-, 
he differs from the Sceptic^ in preferring one Opinion before 
another. Thofe of the New Academy fay all things are in- 
comprebenfible^ in which, faith Sextitf, they differ from us, be- 
caufe they affert ih n &gt; but we do not ^novp but that they may 
be comprehended. They differ alfo in afferting Good, and 
Evils, and that fome things are credible, others not; where 
as the Tyrrhenians count all to be equal. To this purpofe he 
fpeaks of them : But for the middle Academy founded by Ar- 
cefilaus hefaith, that that Philofopher 5 sl/r;ff**0;/, and theirs 
were almoft the fame, in that Arceflatts alferted nothing of 
the exiftencci or non- exigence of things, not preferring one 
Opinion before another, but in all things fitfpending. Which 
he did to make tryal of his Diiciples, whether they were 
capable of the Doftrine of P/..-f&lt;?, which he taught to his 
Friends. 

Thus that famous Sceptick doth honour to the memory of 
thofe Ancients, by endeavouring to take what he thought to 

G be 



Of Scepticifm^ Certainty. 

be credit from them 5 which indeed was ever a difgrace, and 
ought to be fo efteemed ftill. For thofe Pyrrhojtians^hzt were 
of the rishtlirain, feem to me to have been a fort of coned- 
ted Hnmorijh, that took a pride in being fingular, and ven 
ting ftrange things s oppofing all knowledg, that they might 
be thought to have the moil, and to have found OIK that uni- 
vcrfal ignorance, and uncertainty-) which others could not fee 
far enough to defcry. Which way of pretended Philofophy, 
as it gratified their pride, fo it ferv d their malice and ill- 
nature, which delights much in the Spirit of Contradiction, 
and contempt of other Men. This they fhew d in great de 
gree according to Laertiujj who faith, ivy Sits 3 Ws" Styfjux- 
TiMOij*. fcTrtlcpteJVOV &gt; They accounted all Fools that were not of 
their own Party. So that they were in no wife to be reckon d 
as Philofophers j avapSottv jji e5VTzx$ r& (pi Koawp&v ap&gt;^s , 
as Ariftocles fpeaks in Enfebius i For they pluckt up the Prin 
ciples of Philofophy by the Roots. And indeed their doubting 
and fufrettfion was not in order to the forming a fitrer Judg 
ment, but a refolution to fit down for ever in defpair of 
Knowledge And therefore they were very improperly cal I d 
WwnxAi, Seeker/, fince their great Principle was, that no 
thing was to be found. Upon the whole, it was not without 
caufc that Cicero, Ariflocles, and other fober Philofophers fpoke 
of their way as down-right madncfs and we have great rea- 
fon to believe fo of the Founder of the Sect, if that be true 
which is related by Laertiw, and others, of his warning a 
Sow, and running into theF0rw with a Spit of Meat in his 
hand after the Cook that had offended him a thing very un 
becoming the ProfefiTor of the fo much talkt of crnx^^iot, or 
freedom from difturbance. And his unconcernment another 
time was as fottifh, when he pad on, and would not help or 
take notice of his Friend Anaxarcbus, when he was fallen in 
to a Ditch \ which wzsbruitifb ftupidhy, rather than Pbilofo- 
fbical Indifference. And indeed this Seel: indeavoured to di 
vert themfdves of Humane Nature, as Pyrrbos anfwer im 
plied, when he was upbraided for avoiding a Dog, -viz- that 
twas hard wholly to put off Man * and fo they were deftru- 
ftive to the Societies, and all the Intereftsof Mankind : This 
I fay upon the fuppoficion that they were in earne/l, and be- 

luvd 



Sccpticifm &lt;^ Certainty. 45 

tbemfelves &gt; but I incline to think, that they were only 
hnmourfom, and conceited Fellows rather than I will fay that 
they were abfolutely diftra&ed. 

Thus you fee I could rwreagainft the Scep&gt;ickf-&gt; as well as n**~ 
my AntagonifU but letting further eei,fure of them pafs, I 
might take notice on this occafion, what odd extravagant Peo 
ple have of old had the name of Pbilofoph.rs^ as if tbofe Ages 
(as the Turks now) had a reverence for Madmen : For many 
of their Actions and Opinions were very wild freaks of Fancy 
and Humour, and would gain Men in thefe days fas foolifo 
and bad as they are) no better name, than that of Lunaticfy, 
or Bedlams. This will appear to any one that (hall imparti 
ally furvey the Hiftories of their Lives, if thole Accounts 
were true that are given of them. But indeed there is reafon 
enough to doubt that : For the Relations we have of old times 
areufually very fabulous and uncertain? and where theGmrz- 
ans were concern 5 d as much as any where, for they had the 
fame Character given them, that the Apoftle beftows upon the 
Cretians &gt; Gr*cia mendax. Which among other things 
(hews, how little reafon there is we fliould be fuperftitiouily 
fond of the broken, dubious, imperfect Remains of thofe days. 
But methinks thofe Philofophers mould be greater Men, than 
they were made in thofe Hitfories of their Lives and Doctrines, 
or elfe one may juftly wonder how their Names come down 
to us with fo much Renown and Glory. But to return to 
more particular Difcourfe of the Sceptickj* 

Befides Thofe anciently, that had that name without juft 
ground fometimes affixt on them, feveral worthy Moderns 
have fuffer d tinder the imputation : and indeed by fome all 
Men are accounted Scepticks, who dare difftnt from the Ari- 
flotelian Doctrines, and will not flavimly fubfcribe all the Te- 
nents of that Dittator in Pbilofopby, which they efteem the 
only true and certain Foundations of Knowledg : This lear 
ned Man feems to be one of tho(e, for the great Gaftcndiif is 
charged with (b much Scepticifm on this account, that he 
writ an Exercitation againft Arijhtle, p. 2. and tbofe that 
/light Ariftotle / Grounds (iaith our Author in his Preface to 
the Univertuiesj mujl of necefflty^ being always in queft of 
Principles, ever fall Jhort of Science. Arijiutlis Works it 

G 2 feems 



44 Of Scepticifm and Certainty. 

feems are (he infallibe Canon of Truth and Certainty \ in him 
are hid all the Treafures of natural Wifdom and Knowhdg v 
and there is no name given under Heaven, by which we can be 
faved from Scepticifin^ and tvcifaiYiug uncertainty ^ but;V. If 
this be fey all the modern Free Philofbphers mutt be Sceptickj, 
and there is no help : and the Author of the Vanity of Dogma-- 
tizing hath no way to cfftlpg the imputation * nor indeed, (if 
this be all) hath he any concern to avoid it. But the Learned 
Man may be remembred, that in one refpedt they are not 
Sceptic^ being confident in this belief, that the Principles of 
Ariftotle are not fucn Certainties, but that tis poffible, fucceed- 
ing Mankind may lometimeor other find error and imperfe&i- 
on in them i and difcover ( if it have not been done already ) 
that they are not the infallible Meafuresof Truth and Na 
ture. 

But theFrfePhilofepbersareby others accounted Sceptic^ 
from their way of enquiry, which is not to continue fiill po 
ring upon the Writings and Opinions of Philofophers, but to 
feek Truth in the Great Book of Nature 5 and in that fear^n to 
proceed with warinefs and circumfpedtion without toj/much 
fbrwardnefs in eftablifhing Maxims, and pofitive Doctrines : 
To propofe their Opinions as Hypotbejeu&gt; that may probably 
be the true accounts, without peremptorily affirming that they 
are. This, among others, hath been the way of thofe Great 
Men, the Lord Bacon* and Ves Cartes v and is now the me 
thod of the Royal Society of London, whofe Motto is, $allf 
US tn TtHerba. This is Scepticifm with foine and if it be fo 
indeed, tis fuch Scepticifm, as is the only way to fure and 
grounded Knowledge, to which confidence in uncertain Opi 
nions is the moft fatal Enemy. Nor doth the Learned Man 
accufe me of any more than f/;^,in his Preface,in which he thus 
fpeaks. c I am not angry with the Man, who with a great 
4 deal of Wr, and an unfordable ftream of Eloquence (ex- 
c ceffive courtefie) which will ripen with his years, profecutes 
c what he propofeth to himfelf, and takes for a truth, not 
6 without feme favour of modefty : For neither doth he de- 
c rogate from Faith the power of teaching its Tenents, nor 
c disclaim all hopes of attaining Science hereafter through a 

* laborious amafement of Experiments* Here I am ab- 

folv d 



V Of Scepticifm */wf Certainty. 45 

folv d from being a Sceptic^ in the ill fenfe j For I neither 
derogate from Faith, nor defpair of Science : and the Opini 
ons of thofe of that character are diredly deftru&ive of the 
one, and everlafting difcouragements of the other. Or, if 
I (hould affirm that 1 defpairof Science, ftri&ly and properly 
fo call d, in the Affairs of Philofophy and Nature, *If I 
fhould fay, we arc to expedt no more from our Experiments 
and Inquiries, than great likely hood, and fuch degrees of pro 
bability, as might deferve an hopeful afTent &gt; yet thus much of 
diffidence and uncertainty would not make me a Sceptic^* 
fince They taught, That no one thing was more probable than 
an other and fo with-held aiTent from all things. 

So that upon the whole I cannot but wonder, that this Phi- 
lofbpher, who feems to be fo concern d for the advancement 
of Knowledg, (hould oppofe me in a Deiign that hath the 
fame end : only we differ in the Means and Method i For 
he thinks it is beft promoted by perfwading, that Science is 
not Vncsrtainty \ and I fuppofe that Men need to be convinc d, 
that Uncertainties are not Science. Now the progrefs of Know 
ledg being ftopt by extreme Confidence on the one hand, and 
Diffidence on the other ; I think that both are neceflary,though 
perhaps one is more fcafonable : For to believe that every 
thing is certain, is as great a dilintereft to Science, as to con 
ceive that nothing is fo : Opinion of Fulnefs being,as my Lord 
Bacon notes, among the Caufes of Want. So that after all, 
we differ but in this, That the Learned Man thinks it more 
futable to the neccilities of the prefent Age, to deprefs Scep 
ticifm &gt; and it may be, I look on Dogmatizing-, and confident 
Belief as the more dangerous and common Evil : And in 
deed between the Slaves of Superftition and Enthufiafm, 
Education and Interefl, almoit all the World are Dogmatijh i 
while Scepticks are but fome more defperate Renegado s, 
t whofe Intellects are cither debauched by Vice, or turn d out 
of the way by the unreafbnable Confidence of vain Opiniators. 
In oppofing whofe Preemptions, I defigned alfo againft the 
neutrality of the Scepticks &gt; and did not conceited Sciolilts 
afcribe fomuch to their Opinions, there would be no need of 
5 C IE. I 3 S, or Pcrfwafives to eafie and peremptory Affents 
which indeed have more need of Reitraints than Incentives i 

fince 



4 &lt;5 Of Scepticifm awl Certainty. 

fince tis the nature of Man to be far more apt to confide in his 
Conceptions, than to diftruft them and tis a queftion whe 
ther there be any Scepticks in good earned. So that I am Co 
far from deferving Reproof from the Adverfaries of Intellc*- 
dual Diffidence, that were there reafon for either, I might 
expect Acknowledgments : For Confidence in Uncertainties is 
the greateft Enemy to what is certain , and were I a Sceptic^, 
I would plead for Dogmatizing &gt; the way to bring Men to 
flick to nothing, being confidently to perfwade them to fwal- 
low all things. For among a multitude of things carelefly 
rcceivM, many will be falfe, and many doubtful : and 
confcquently a mind not wholly ftupid will fome time or 
other find reafon to diftruft and reject fome of its Opinions : 
Upon review of which, perceiving it imbraced Falfhoods for 
great Certainties, and confided in them as much as in thofe 
it yet retains, it will be in great danger of Daggering in the 
reft, and difcarding all promifcuoully ; Whereas if a Man 
proportion the degree of his AfTcnt, to the degree of Evi- 
dence,being morefparing and referv d to the more difficult s and 
not throughly examin d Theories, and confident only of thofe 
that are diftin&ly and clearly apprehended i he ftands upon a 
firm bottom, and is not mov d by the winds of Fancy and 
Humour, which blow up and down the conceited Dogma- 
tifts : For the AfTent that is difficultly obtain d, and iparingly 
beftow d, is better eftablifh d and fixt, than that which hath 
been eaiie and precipitant. 

Upon the whole Matter it appears, that this Learned Perforr 
had no caufe to write againft me as a Sceptic^: And I fome- 
what the more wonder at it, becaufe I find fuch things attri 
buted ro thofe, he is pleas d to call by that name, that no way 
agree with the Way and Spirit cf thofe Philofcphers, whofe 
genius I recommend and deiire to imitate : On which account 
I thought he had fome other notion of Scepfick than was ufu- 
al j and cafting mine eye over his late Purgation prefented to 
the Cardinals of the Inqttifition-) I found that hit Sceftickj were 
fome of the Modern-, Peripatetical Difputers : Thefe, it feems 
by their many complaints againft his Writings, had obtain d a 
general condemnation of them from the Pope and Confiftory 
of Cardinals i whom therefore in his Appeal to the faid Car 
dinals 



2. Of Scepticifm and Certain ty. 47 

dinals he accufeth of Ignorance, Corruption of the Ariflote- 
lian Dodfrrines, and Tendency to Heretic and Athcifm : And 
that thefe are the Scepticks he means, appears from the Preface 
againtt me, and divers other PaiTages of his Book : So that 
3 ds yet more wonderful,that (jaffmdits, and the Author of the 
Vanity of Dogmatizing, (hould be calPd by a Name, which 
he beftows upon thoie of ib different a temper. 

And thus of that charge of Scepticifm^ with which he be 
gins as theoccafion of his writing : Having premifed which, 
he endeavours to lay the fare Foundations of Science, and to 
eftablim Certainty in Knowledg. But what-ever imperfedU- 
ons there are in that pretended demonftrat ion, I (hall not for 
thcprefent take notice of them ; but only obferve, that this 
Gentleman is the Author of that Science? Uemonftration^ and 
Self -evidence-) of which M. Sargeant, a late controvertial Wri 
ter for the Roman Church, makes iuch boaijf of i and here are 
his Grounds : Which thofe learned Men, that are concern d 
with him, may if they pkafe, when they have nothing elfe 
to do, examine. 

Having faid thus much of Scepticifin, and the Sceptic^ I 
(hall enquire a little into the matter of Certainty , a fubjedfr of 
both difficulty and importance. 

It is taken either ( i.) for a firm A (lent to any thing, of 
which there is no reafon of doubt &gt; and this may be calPd In 
dubitable Certainty &gt; or ( 2. ) for an abfolute Affurance, that 
things are as we conceive and affirm, and not poillble to be 
otherwife, and this is Infallible Certainty. 

In the firft of .thtfe DCS Cartes lays his Foundations : I 
cannot doubt, but Ithin^ though nothing {hould be as I con 
ceive &gt; and there I cannot fufpecl neither, but that I my felf&gt; 
ibat tbi^ &lt;*w* I am as fure that I have Idseas, and Concep 
tions of other things without me, as of God, Heaven, 
Earth, &c. Thus far that Philofopher is fafe, and our Affent 
isfulli and it is fo in this likewife, That we can compound &gt; 
or disjoin thofe Images by affirming, and denying and that 
we have a faculty of Reafomng*, and inferring one thing from 
another : So much as this we clearly perceive, and feel in our 
felves, whatever uncertainty there may be in other matters. 
To thefe we give a refolv d and firm Aflent, and we have not 

the 



4 S Of Scepticifm *nd Certainty. jtgffap 2 . 

the leaft reaion of doubt here. Befides which Principles we 
find others in our minds that are more general, and are us d 
andfuppofed by us in all our Affirmations and Rcafonings, 
to which we aflent as fully, fuch are thefe : Every thing if, or 
is not : A thing cannot be and not be^ in the fame refpetts ; No 
thing hath n0 Attributes : What we conceive to belong^ or not to 
belong to anything, w? can affirm, or deny of it* 

Thefe are the Principles of all Proportions, and Ratiocina 
tions whatsoever : and we aiTent to them fully, as foon as we 
underfland their meaning, to which I add this great one more, 
that our Vacuities are true, viz,* That what our underftand- 
ings declare of things clearly and diftinttly perceivd by us, is 
truly fo, and agreeing with the realities of things themfelves. 
This is a Principle that we believe firmly &gt; but cannot prove^ 
for all proof, and reafoning fuppbfeth it : And therefore I 
think Ties-Cartes is out in his method &gt; when from the Idea s 
he endeavours to prove that God is, and from his Exiftence 
that our Faculties are true : When as the truth of our Facttl- 
cies was prefuppofed to the proof of God s Exiftence &gt; yea, 
and to that of our own alfo. So that, that great Man feems 
to argue in a Circle. But to let that pa(s &gt; This we constantly 
afTent to without doubting, That our Faculties do not always 
delude us, That fheyare not mere Importers and Deceivers, 
but report things to us as they are, when they diftindly and 
clearly perceive them. And fo this may be reckon d one of 
the prime certain Principles, and the very Foundation of Cer 
tainty in the firft fenfe of it. 

Thefe and fuch like Principles refult out of the nature of 
our Minds : But, 

2. There are other Certainties arifing from the evidence of 
Senfe : As, That there is Matter, and Motion in the World : 
That Matter is extented dwifble and impenetrable : That Mo 
tion is dire fl, or oblique : That Matter, and Motion, are ca 
pable of great variety of Modifications and Changes* We 
learn that thefe-&gt; and many other fuch things are fo, from 
Senfe, and we nothing doubt here &gt; although the Theory and 
Speculative confideration of thofe Matters be full of difficulty, 
and feeming contradiction. In thefe our Affent is univerfal 
and indubitable : But in many particular cafes, we are not 

afiurej 



. Of Scepticifm and Certainty. 

aiTiired of the report of our Senfes &gt; yea, we dhTer.t from, 
and corredt rheir Informations, when they are not in their 
due Circumftancts, of right Diftoptim, Medium, Vijiance, 
and the like : and when they pronounce upon things which 
they cannot judg of : on which account, though our Senfes, 
and theS;.nftsot Mankind do reprtfent the Earth as quiefcent : 
Ycf. we cannot from thence have aflurance that it doth Rejl^ 
fince Senfe cannot judg of an even and regular Motion, whea 
if felf is 1 carried with themovent i fo that though it fhould 
be rrue that the Earth moves, yet to Senfe it would appear to 
rcll, as now it doth i as I have difcours d elfewhere. But 
when the Senf s are exercifed about their right Objects, and 
have the other Circumftances that are requitite, we then aiTcnt 
without doubting. And this fullnefs of aflfent is all the cer 
tainty we have, or can pretend to&gt; for after all, tis poilible 
our Senfes may be fo contrived, that things may not appear 
to us as they are : But we fear not this, and the bare poilibili- 
ty doth not move us. 

3. There are Certainties arifing from the feflimony of 
others. This in ordinary cafes is very doubtful, and fallaci 
ous, but again in fome it is indubitable. As when the Tefti- 
mony is general, both as to time and place uninterefled, full, 
plain, and conftant, in matters of Senfe and of ea fie Know- 
kdg : In fuch circumftances as thcfe, the evidence of Tefti- 
mony i* no more doubted, than the firft Principles of Reafbn 
or Senfe. Thus we believe, without the leaft fcruple about 
it, That there are fuch places as Reme^ and Conftantinople, and 
fuch Countries o Italy and Greece, though we never faw 
them &gt; and many other Hiftorical Matters,which our felves ne 
ver knew. The Foundation of which aiturance is this Prin 
ciple, That Mankind cannot be fttppofed to combine to deceive^ 
in tbittgs* wherein they can have no dcfign or intereft to do it. 
Though the thing have a remote poifibility, yet no Man in 
his Wits can believe it ever was, or will be fo : and therefore 
we aflcnt to fuch Teftimonies with the fame firmnefs, that we 
would to the cleareft Demonftrations in the World. 

The feconb fence of Certainty is that, which I call*d Or- 
tainty Infallible \ when we are a^urcd that tis impoffible 
things (hould be otherwife, than we conceive and affirm of 

H them ; 



Of Scepticifin and Certainty. jjgfla^ 2; 

them : This is a fort of Certainty, that humanely we cannot 
attain unto, for it may not be abfolutely impofiible, but that 
onr Faculties may be fo contrived, as^always to deceive us in 
the things which we judg mod certain and affined: This in 
deed we do not fufpedt, and we have no reafon to doit; 
which (hews that we are certain in the former Senfe : But we 
may not fay tis utterly impoflible &gt; and confequently we can 
not have the certainty of this latter fort : which perhaps is 
proper only to Him, who made all things what they are i and 
difcerns thtir true natures by an infallible and moft pcrfed 
knowledg. 

The fbm of which is, that though we a re certain of many 
things, yet that Certainty is no abfolute Infallibility j there flill 
remains the poilibility of our being miftaken in all matters of 
humane Belief and Inquiry .^ But this bare poffibiJityCas I faid; 
moves us not, nor doth it in the lead: weaken ourafltnt to 
thofe things, that we clearly and difiindrly perceive : but we 
believe with as much rirmntfs of aiTurance the Matters that 
our Faculties do fo report to us, as if there were no fuch poflibi* 
lity &gt; and of greater Certainty than this there is no reed. It 
is enough for us, that we have fuch Principles lodged in our 
minds, that we cannot but aiTent to \ and we tind nothing to 
give us occafion to^doubt of the truth of them. 

This is Humane Certainty, and let vain and affeded Scep- 
ticks talk what they will, they cannot in earneil doubt of 
thofe rirft Principles which I have mentioned. They are 
univerfal, and believM by all Mankind j every one knows, 
every one ufeth them : For though they do not lie in the 
minds of all Men in the formality of fuch Propofitions, yet 
they are imflicvly there &gt; and in the force and power of them 
every Man reafons, and adrs alfo. Thefe are the Seed of Rea 
fon, and all the Concjufions (at never fo great a diilance ) 
that are truly deduc d from thofe firft Certainties, are as true 
and certain as they are and both together make up what we 
call Retfov. So that this is not fo various and giddy a thing 
as Tome vain inconfiderafe Men talk &gt; but tis one Heady Cer 
tainty, and the fame all the World over. Fancies, Opini 
ons, and Humors, that rr.iftaken Men call Reafon, are infi- 
ly. divers, and fallacious &gt; But thofe Principles and Con- 

clulions 



1 , Of Scepticifm axd Certainty-. 

clunons that are clearly and diftinSly perceiv d by our minds i 
thofe that are imrndiatdy lodg d in them, and theconfequcn- 
ces tha/ truly arifc from *?/?, and the right informations of 
Sence , they arc one, and certain, without variety or deceit. 
Now all Men partake of Reafon in fome decree ( of the 
prime Principles at leaft, and the Faculty of deducing one 
thing from another) j But the moft ufe that little perverfly, 
and to their own deception, arguing from prejudices of Senfe, 
Imagination, andcuitomiry Tenents, and fo- rilling up their 
minds with falfe and deceitful Images, inftead of Truth and 
Reafon. Tis the office and bufinefs of Pbihfoply, to teach 
Men the right ufe of their Faculties, in order to the extending 
and inlarging of their Reafon s -, and one principal Rule it 
gives is, To be wary and diffident, not to be hady in our 
Conclu^ons, or over-confident of Opinions * but to be {pa 
ring of our aflent, and not to afford it but to things clearly 
and diftin&ly perceiv d : And this was the aim and deiign of 
that Difcourfe, which this Learned Man accufeth as fucha 
piece of Scepticifm, and difcouragement of Science. 

I have now faid what I intended concerning the firft thing, 
on which my AfTailant infifts, The charge of Scefticifm&gt; and I 
fuppofe I have fufficiently (hewn the injultice of it. 

I proceed to the feconU main Bufinefs of his Book, which is 
to give an account of thofe difficulties which I have mention d, 
as yet unrefoltfd: Concerning thofe I affirm not, that they are 
impoflible to be unridled, but that they have not been ex 
plain d by any yet extant Hyptfhefif v a fad Argument of in 
tellectual deficience, that after fo much talk of Science and 
endeavour after Knowledg &gt; we fhould be yet to feek, and that 
in thofe Matters which we have the greateft advantages to 
understand, But this learned Man thinks he can refolve them , 
and I have fo great a kindnefs for any ingenious attempts of 
this fort, and fo great a dcfire to be fatisfied about thofe Theo 
ries, that I am ready to entertain any good probability that 
{hall be offcr d, even by a profeft AntagonitU for Truth is 
welcome to me from any hand that brings it. I have therefore 
candidly, and impartially confider d this Gentleman s Soluti 
ons, but cannot (atisfie my felf with them. The Reafonsof 

Ha my 



j 2 Of Scepticifm an& Certainty, ^ffag 2 . 



my Diflitisfa&ions I (lull now give in an examination of his 
Accounts. 4 

He rakes occalion from my waving the difticuhiesofM*g- 
netifm, and the flux and reflux of the Sea, to give his folution 
of them -, But 1 am not concerned here, they are none or the 
things on which I inlifl, yea I profelTedly decline them &gt; and 
intimate that thefe are better known, than lefs-acknowledgM 
Myfterics i Des-Cartes his Hypothesis are fair and probable , 
but I think this Phiiofopher s Accounts very obnoxious, efpe- 
daily there where he makes fo conftant and regular an effect, 
as is the flux and reflux of the Sea to be caus d by fo uncer 
tain, and proverbially inconftant a thing as the Winds. But I 
fhall not trouble my felf to remarque on Matters, with which 
my Difcourfe hath nothing to do. My butiuefs is with the 
pretended Anfwers to the Difficulties I mention, as not well 
rcfolv d by any yet known Hypothetic : On which the Lear 
ned Man enters, Plea yh, and in order begins with thofe 
about the S O II L, in thefe worJs. 

I . In the third Chapter therefore of his m.i\} eloquent D?f- 
courfi) he objefls our Ignorance of that thing we ought to bs bejt 
* acquainted with^ viz. our own S V L S, p 30. 

This i do, and to the Difficulties 1 propound about the 
Origine of the Soul : It s Vmon with the Body : It s movwgof 
it, and direction of the S/&gt;iri// &gt; Thegeoeral, fhort Anfwer 
is, That to fafpoje the Soul a Subjrance^ that may be made, 
come^ and join d to another, a Subpjlence, thing, or Sttbftance^ 
is a mofl important Error in Phihfophy y of which, he faith, none 
can doubt) that is able to difcern the oppoption of one^ and ma 
ny, [_ ibid. ] The meaning of which muft be. That the Sotd 
u no dijlinft Subftance from the Body : And if fo, almoft all 
the World hath hitherto been milhken : For if we inquire i; - 
to the Philvfipby of the Soul, as high as any accounts are given 
of it, we (hall rind its real fubflantial diftinttion from the 
Body to have been the current belief of all Ages, notwith- 
(landing what this Gentleman farth, That none can doubt 
that this is an error In Pbilofophy-&gt; that knows the off option of 
we and many. For, 

( i. ) Thehigheft times 3 of whofe Dofbincs we have any 

JH.ftory, 



. Of Scepticifm *%d Certainty. 5 3 

Hiftory, bdiev d its Preexiflence &gt; and confequently that ir is 
a certain Sttb(lance-&gt; that might be made&gt; come&gt; and Is juind to 
another. Of this Tie fay a tew^things. 

If credit may be giv&lt;*i to the Chaldean Oracles, ( and per 
haps more is due to them than fome will allow^ Preexijhnce is 
of higheit Antiquity. We have that Dodhine plainly taught 
in thofe ancient Yerfcs : 



Ofortet te fejlittare ad Lucem, & patris 
Vnde miff* tibi fjl anima. 

And afterwards more clearly, 



av u*s o^Ttv, ov Tnv 
|W occp Ifs 



Quxre in awmjecanalem-) unde aut quo or dine 
Corpori infervieris in ordittem a quo ejfluxijti 
Rurfa reftitua. " -- 

And Iff Hut in his expofition of the Chaldean fheology^ tells us, 
That according to their Dodhine Souls defcended hither, V H 
SVo. 7TT?ccuK&lt;ny, I} 5io, j^iAH^iv 7rz&gt;tTg/Kla x &s TO K40/ir0a,j 
Tn^/ yeiov Xvi|iv, Either through the moultring of its Wings, 
or the will of the Father of Spirits, that they might adorn 
this Terretfrial State : And again Zoroafter, fpeaking of Hu 
mane Souls, faith they are fent down to Earth from Heaven, 

nCTT ^OUKV KTT ^^QJ-VO^V. 

2. frifmegijlut. { if thofe remains that bear his Name may 
be allow d ) is cxprefs in afllrting the Gme Doctrine : In his 
Minerva Mundi he brings in God thieatning thole he had 
placed in an happy condition of Lite and injoyment, with 
Bonds and Jmprijonment, in cafe of Difobedience i Aeor^uis, ^ 
&gt;w/va^!s iifuv T^vrradow : and they tran-fgrcding, he. adds, 
That he commande4 the Souls to be put into Bodies i 



54 Of Scepticifm and Certainty. *(t^ 1 . 



i\ cw[j&ntw&i : And in another place affigns 
this to r^ the caufe of their Imprifonment in Bodies , 



v _ 

He would have them acknow- 
ledg that they fuftain d that punifhment, and imprifonment in 
Bodies for the things they had done before they came into 
them. 

3. It was alfo the Opinion of the Ancient Jew$i That all 
Souls were at firft created together, and rciidcd in a place they 
call Goph, a Celeftial Region. And therefore tis fa id in the 
Mi/baa^ N&lt;m aderit film David.priufquam exhattft* fuerint urn- 
verfe Animx gut fun in Goph. So that they believ d all Gene 
rations onEarth to be fupplyed from that Promptuary ? and Ele 
ment of Souls in Heaven ; whence they fuppofed them to de- 
fcend by the North Pole, and to afcend by the South , whence 
the faying of theCabalifts, Magnus Aquilo Scatungo Anima- 
rum i From which Tradition tis like Homer had this No- 
tion, 



- AU6) 7* Oil 

Ai fjfyj 7To 

A/ 3 ocu ^^ cs voTDV im 



o 5b s t 



Janua duplex: 



H&lt;ec Boreatn Spetlans homines demittit : at iHa 
RfJpicicttJ Attftrum diyimor, invia prorfas 
Eft homing prtbetque mam immortalibus twit* 

4. *Tis notorioufly known, that Pythagoraf and nis - 
tors held the Dodhine of e franjaiigrati(w.) which fuppofeth 
Preexijicttce, and both, that the Soul is a Snbftaflce, which can 
come, and be joined to another thing. Some Pythagoreans 
write, that Pythagoras himfelf after 216 years franf animation 
returned to Life again. Now this Opinion being fo univerfa!- 
ly imputed to this Philofopher, and his School, I fhall not 
need to infift on it as far as it concerns them: but I take notice., 
that both Je&s, TerfiaKs^lndiavf, Arabians, and divers other 
Nations, &lt;&c. did of old, and do ftill hold the fame Dodhine. 

Manaflik 



2 . O/ Scepticifm And Certainty? 5 f 

Manaffek Ben Ifrael afcribes the Opinion of I ranfmigration 
to Abraham and theCabalifts teach,that every Soul isfucce 
lively join d to three Bodies : So the fame SouLthey fay,was in 
Adam, Vavid, and the Meffia &gt; and the fame in Seth, Shem, 
and Mofis, according to &. Simeon, who f as the Cabalills 
generally do ) Hops the courfe in the third Tranfmigrat:on : 
as is noted from him by a Learned Man of our own. There 
are at this day great Sects among the Indians of the Eaft, that 
retain this Dodhine of Tranfanimation, believing that the 
Souls of feme defcend again into Humane Bodies j but that 
others pafs into the Bodies of Bean s ; So did fome of the An 
cient Pythagoreans, who taught, that good Men returned to 
their former bit tied and happy Life , but that the wicked in 
their rirft Tranfmigration chang d their Sex i in the ftcond 
they defcended into Beafis : yea, fome fuppofed them at lail 
to go into Trees, and other Vegetables. 

Now all thefe commuted the great Error in Philof phy, of 
which I am accued, in fuppoiing the Soul to be a certain Sttb- 
jtance, which may direttly be made, come-, and be join d to anc- 
t&er thing * and {(^according to our Author, They could none 
of them difcern the off oft ion of one and many. 

But, (2.) This pretended important Error in Philcfophy 
of the Soul s being A Thing* and Sttbjlance* and one diftinfa 
from the Body, mult be held by all, that believe its natural Im 
mortality : for Separability is the greateit Argument of real 
diftinttion i efpecially that which the Schools call Mutual. 
Now the Soul s Immortality hath had a general Reception 
from the wifcr and better part of Mankind : The Egyptians^ 
Chaldeans, Afyr unt, Indians, ftifrrf, Greeks, and univerfa!- 
ly afl that had a name for Wifdom among the Ancients, be-- 
liev d it. And the fame hath been the apprehenfion of latter 
Ages. A Councel of the Church of Rome it felf hath denVd 
it, and recommended thedemonilratingof it to all Chriitian 
Philofophers. And if the Soul lives after the diflblution of 
the Body, tis certainly a Sublhnce diftindt from it j for no 
thing can fubfitt without it felf : and real feparability cannot 
confilt with Identity and Indift tnttion* 

3. The S./oWand Mvfihal Philofophy fuppofeth the Soul 
to be a Subftance that can.come^ and bt joined to another: For 

it 



j 6 Of Sccpticifm and Certainty. 

it tells us, That God breathed into Adam"*/ Noftrilstbe Breath 
cf Life &gt; by which generally is underftood his iofuiing a Soul 
into him : And all the Argumems.that are alledg d from Scrip 
ture to prove its immediate Creation* do ftrongly conclude it 
to be a diiiindl Snbltance from the Body. 

And, ( 4. ) The fame Dodhine is more than onceaffirm d 
by Arillotle himfelf, for fkirh he, At mTai 3 %" vSv Sd^giSw 
fcTraoic va/, Hi) erov efva; w vov, It remains that the Mind- 
( or s oul ) comes from without, and is only a Divine Thing, 
Again, e^i vSs ^OJ^/CDS, The Mind isfeptrate, Scc.^a thing 
apart from the Bo"dy. For elfewhere he faith, ^ ^ aura 
7y ivtpyiiq. ttto\&gt;am mtyuocnwh ivtp^fcfae , The Operations of 
the Body do not communicate with its (the SouPs) Ope 
rations. He calls it, &lt;j!&lt;x TIS, a SubftjHce-) or Sxbfiftence i 
for fuppolin* which I am reprehended by our Philofopher ; 
And affirms further, o 9 vSs 3&ffn^c1f TI ^ aTr^^s t^v i 
The Mind is a Divine and Impaflible Thing. It appears then 
from the Teilimonies (and I could alledg more, if there were 
occalion) that Ariftotle taught the real Diiiindion which I 
fuppofe, and (b, according to our Author, is one of them that 
undevftands not the oppofition of one and many* Yea, 

( 5- ) Our Philofopher s learned Friend and Admirer 
Sir Kenelm Digby^is another, for that ingenious Gentleman afc 
firms in his Immortality, That the Soul M a Subftance, and a 
Subftance befides the Bndy : and almoft all that Oifcourfc de 
pends on that fuppofal. 

C 6. ) This Author himfelf affirms a&lt; much in his Peripate- 
tical Inftittttions* as ever I fuppos d : For he faith&gt; [^ Tis 
moft evident, that the Mind is fomething of another kind 
from &lt;j)ttantity and Matter &gt; That tis a jubftantial Principle 
of Man, and m mods ot determinaticnot diviiibility, and that 
there is nothing common to Body and Spirit], Befides which 
in the fifth Book of the fame Inftitutions he difcourftth of 
the Soul s ftparation from the Body, and afTerts it to be evi- 
dent,that it perifheth not with it, becaufeit hath Actions that 
belong not to a ody, but hath of it felt the Nature of a Be 
ing : and its power of Exigence is not taken away,when the 
Body fails, the Soul being apart from, and befidesitv and 
that matter is not necdftry to the Soul s Exigence : Many 

other 



Pf Seepticifm and Certainty. 
other Expreflions there are in that Difccurfe to like pnrpofe, 
which fpeakthe Soul s Heal Viftinfiion from the Body, in as 
great variety of Phrafe, as Diverhty and DifHn&ion can be 
fpoken. But all this is forgotten, and now tis a mft impor 
tant Error in Pbilofipby to fuppofe the Soul to be a certain Siib- 
ftance, which may direftly be made, come, and be joined to ano 
ther &gt; and of this none can doubt that underftand the Oppofitbxof 
one and many. 

I think now by all this Vis pretty clear, that my fuppofi- 
tion of the Soul s being a diftintt Subftance from the Body, is 
not peccant, except all the wifer World, both Ancient and 
Modern, have been miftaken, and our Author himfelf. 

But befides all, ( 2. ) It feems to me evident even from 
the nature of the things, abftra&ing from Authority. And 
I think it appears, 

( i. ) From all the common Arguments that prove the 
Soul Immaterial For Perception, Perception of Spirituals * 
Vniverfals, Mathematical Lines, Points* Superficies, Conge- 
nit Notions, Logical, Metaphyfical, and Moral ; Self- reflection, 
Freedom, Indtfferency, and Vniverfality of A&ion : Thefe are 
all Properties not at all agreeing with Body or Matter, though 
of never fo pure and fimple a Nature : Nor is it conceivable 
how any of thefe (hould arife from Modifications of Quantity* 
being of a divers kind from all the Effedh and Phenomena of 
Motion* 

2. If the Soul be not a diftindl Subftance from the Body, 
5 tis then a certain Vijpofition and Modification of it \ which 
this Author in the tenth Leffon of his Institutions^ feems to in 
timate, faying, that fince the Soul if a certain Affe&ion . 

which u introduced, and expelfd by corporeal Aftiou Hence 

he inferrs fomcthing that is not for our purpofe to relate : 
And if fo, fince all diverfities in Matter arife from Motion 
and Pofition of Parts, every different Perception will require 
a diftint order and pofition of the Parts of the Matter per 
ceiving, which muft be obtain d by Motion : I demand then, 
when we pafs from one Conception to another, is the Motion 
(the caufe of this Diverfity) merely cafual i or directed by 
fome Adi of Knowledg &gt; The former I fuppo(e no Man in 
his wits will affirm, fince then all our Conceptions will be 

I nonfenfe 



5 8 Of Scepticifm And Certainty. j&fl&p 2. 



ivon-fenfe and confufion &gt; Chance being the Caufe of nothing 
that is orderly and regular : But if there be a knowledg in 
us cf that diredh the Motions that nuke every diilinft Con 
ception t I demand, concerning that Knowledg, whether it 
be in like manner directed by feme other i or is it the ErTedt 
of mereCafuil Motion ? If the former, we muft run up in 
infinitumm our inquiry &gt; and the latter admits the alledg d 
Abfurdities. There is no way then of defending the AlTer- 
tion of the Souls being Matter, or any modification of it, but 
by affirming with Mr. Hobbs, a certain connection between 
all our Thoughts, and a neceitary fate in all things, which 
whoever affirms, will find Difficulties enough in his AfTercion 
to bring him to mine, that there is a Vanity in Dogmatizing, 
and Confidence is unreafonable. 

I have infilled the longer on this,beciufe the diftivUhn of the 
50#/from the "Body is a very materialSubje6t,the proof of which 
is very feafonable for the prefent Age; and by it 1 have difabled 
our Author s pretended Solution of the three Difficulties I 
mention, viz. of the Origine of the Soul* its Vnionwith the 
Body, and its moving of it. Concerning which lad he adds, 

P. 33. fhat true it it, one animated Member mover another? 
but not that any Sub/lance, that vs a pure Soul, mov?s immedi 
ately any Member in which the Soul u $/. Which laft I know 
no Body that faith &gt; I cannot affirm the Soul moves any Mem 
ber immediately, but tis like it doth it by the Spirits its In- 
fintments* Much lefs did I ever fay, That the Soul moves 
any Member in which it n not : But the Seat of Scnfe, and 
Original of Animal Motion is in the Brain or Heart, or fome 
other main part (of which in particular I determine nothing). 
Thence the Soul fends its Influences to govern the Motions of 
the Body, through all which it is diffufed. Tis true, one 
animate Member moves another, but the Motion muft fome- 
where begin : In Actions purely Mechanical, it begins in ma 
terial Agents that work upon the Body, and its Parts : but in 
thofe that are immediately under our J^////, the Motion hath 
its beginning from the Soul moving firft fomething corporeal in 
us, by which other parts are rnov d. But our Author appeals 
to other Animals, in which, he faith, There s frankly denyed 
a Soul independent on the Body : But this Learned Man knows, 



. Of Scepticifrn rfW Certiintjs 

The Platonifts allign them Sow// immaterial B ir.g? divers 
from the Body &gt; and the Peripatetic^, fttbjiantial Farms di- 
ftindfr from Matter. DCS Cartes indeed thinks them to be 
pure Machines mov d altogether after the manner of a Clock 
or Engine j which if it (hould prove to be truly their cafe, 
yet have we no reafon to belkve it fo in our felves, iince we 
feel it other wife, viz. That we can move and flop many of 
our Motions upon the command and direction of the Will 
which Faculty belongs to fome Principle Immaterhl : And if 
this be always determin d by fomething Corporeal, and not 
in our own power, as he feems to intimate &gt; Farewel Liberty* 
and welcome 5^/^/Neceffity,and irrefijlible Fate in all things. 
For the other things that follow /&gt;*g. 35. in anfwer to the 
Doubts about Senfation, particularly our decerning Quanti- 
tier, Diflancef&gt; &c. Tis evident by what he fpeaks of de- 
montfrating thofe things by the Optickj, that he understands 
not the force of the Objection, and hath faid nothing that 
comes near it &gt; as will appear plainly to any capable Perfon, 
that will take the pains to compare what we both write. 

He comes next, p. 36. to my Difficulties about the Me 
mory i concerning which I fay not, ( as he fuggefts ) That 
tis impoflible to be explicated i but that none of the known Hy- 
potbefeis have yet explained it * which is fufficient for my ge 
neral conclufion of the prefent Imperfe&ion&Qd the Narrownefs 
of our Knowledg. But our Author thinks Sir #. Vigby s ac 
count to be the true Solution &gt; and anfwers to my Objection, 
that tis as conceivable how the Images^ and reprefentations 
of Objects in the Brain (hould keep their diftin& and orderly 
fituations, without confufion or diflipation ? as how the Rays 
of Light mould come in a direct Line to the Eye i or how the 
Atomical ^wj,that continually flow from all Bodies,fliould 
rind their way. To which I reply. 

(*i.) The multiplying Difficulties doth not folve any ; 
for fuppofing thefe to be unaccountable, or very hard to 
be explain d i yet this would only argue another defect 
in our Knowledg, and fo be a new evidence of the truth 
of ray general Conclufion. But, (2.) The proposed 
Inftances are not fo defperate : For i. fuppoting Light, 
with Des-Cartes (which is moft probable) to confiit in the 

I 2 contmen 



Of Scepticifm^d Certainty. 

cowmen of the ethereal Matter, receding from the Centre of 
its Motion , the dired tendency of it to the Eye is no difficul 
ty worth ccnfidering j or if the Rays be Atomical Streams, 
and Effluxes from the Sun, there is then nothing harder to be 
conceived in this Hypotheiis, than in the dired fpouting of 
\Vateroutof a Pipe &gt; nor anymore, than in the beating of 
the Waves againil the fide of a Ship, when it fwims in the 
Sea. And 2. for the other Inrtance of corporeal emifljons 
that find their way to the Bodies, with which they have inter- 
courfc it would require to be prov d, that the fecret Operati 
ons of Nature are performed by fuch material effluvia : Per 
haps tis more likely that thofe ftrange Effects are not Mecha 
nical, but Vital) effected by the continuity of the great Spi 
rit of Nature, which is difTus d through all things : or how 
ever, to fuppofe the Memory to be as clear and pJain as Magne- 
iifm* and Sympathies, will be no great Advantage to the be 
lief of the intelligiblenefs of it. 

There needs no more here &gt; only I take notice of the Charge, 

p. 41. in thefe words, I d remember the ingenious Author ^ 

that he mij^impofeth the third Opinion (whicb relijbetb nothing 
of Philojophy) upon Ariftotlc, who taught tfo Digbtan way. 
To which, I fay, ^if the Dodrine of Intentional Specks be 
not Arijlotle s, than the Univerfities of Europe ( who have 
taught this Opinion to be his ) have hitherto been miftaken &gt; 
and this AlTertion, that Ariftetle delivered the Digbzan Do- 
drine of Atomical Effluvia, will alter the whole Hypothecs &gt; 
dnd then there will be little or nothing of Ariftotle in his 
Schools. (2.) TheDigbtatty Atomical Opinion is notori- 
oufly known to have been the way of Democritus*, and Epicu- 
rut, which Ariftotle frequently and profeifedly oppofeth V 
That Vemocritus taught the Atomical f^ypothefis we have Ari- 
ftotle s affirmation to juftifie : &lt;^)aai y&gt; ( (peaking of Leqcip- 
pus and ~Democritus) &vcti Tti vrpSiix /^fJH^Sw, vrAn^f/ /^j 

onred^, /OWyOa J$ a^i/pTa. Dicptnt enim effe primes 

magnitudmes, mttltitudine quidem infinite y magnitudine vtro 

indivifibiles and as he goes on, T&T&V fl^rtrXoK*p, ^ -TTZ- 

ggti&lfti TivivTX. ytvvctcdw : Horum complexione^ & circum- 
plexu omnia gigni. And that theft folv d the way of Sonfati- 
on by mtttritl Images we have from Plutarch : 



2 . Of Scepticifm ^^ Certainty. 61 



- fc/&lt;TX,/&lt;7&;$ 

veiv : VemocrituS) Epicurus per Idolorttm ingnflus putarttnt 
vifivwn evtnire. This Hypothecs Ariftotle endeavours to con 
fute, (XTCTTCV 3 *9 Tt [M\ fcTCTgA$v M& cnro/wow &x 71 c$- 
SaiXybii c f p&lt; - Abjurdum etiam quod illi non vensrit in men- 
tern dubitare, cur oculttf vidit filttf, aliorum vero nullum qui- 
bus apparent id^la. And again, AHjw^n^/T- 3 itj o/ ?rAe(- 
jc/ - Dfmocritus & plurimi Pbyfiologorum^ qtticttnqtte loqitun- 
tur de fenfu, abfurdiffimum quiddam faciunt s ovnnia enim fen- 
fMlia tatfilia faciunt We fee then Ariftotle thought the 
Do&rine of Senfation by Corporeal Images abfurd in Democri- 
tus and Epicurus^ and therefoie he muft have much contradi- 
d:ed himfelf, if he taught the fame Dodhine with Sir K. "Dig- 
by about the Memory-) which was one with that of thofe An 
cients. And there is little doubt but that the Memory is exci 
ted to Adtion by the like Inftruments that the external Sen- 
fes are, confonantly to that of Plato in his Phtdo, ( (peaking 
of the Senfes) EX, TSrav 3 ^yvoiro ^VM/LWI, viz* That the 
Memory is begot of them : And the fame Ariftotle affirms al- 
inort in the fame words, ER judfyuZv cLo3v&lt;nw yivtfoti /uvwywi, 
The Memory is begot out of the Ssnfe. So that I think I am 
not miftaken in this matter j or if I am, I err with the great 
Body of his Senators. 

But whether the Doclrine of Intentional Species be Arifto- 
tle\ or not, tis no great matter, I make this no charge 
-againft him j And if it be not &#, tis however the common 
Tenent of his Schools, and fo tit to be confider d as an Hy- 
pothffis i which I have done, and (hewn it to be an infufEci- 
cnt account of the Memory. 

To the Difficulty I propofe about the Formation^ Animal/? 
our Author offers two Things &gt; The firft of them may de- 
ferve a word or two about it &gt; In his own words tis thus ex- 
preft. 

c Conceive the firft thus * Let s fay the Seed of a Plant, or 

* Animal^contains invisible parts of all the Animal s Members : 

* Thcfe let s fay fupplyed with moifture increafe, with fome 
4 flight mutation whereof the reafon may be eafily rendred 

* (for example that fome parts dryer and harder, others are 

* more throughly water d, and grow foft) and what great 

4 raattei 



6^ Of .Scepticifm and Certainty, 

* matter will be apprehended in the formation of living 
c things ? 

You may remember Sir, that once, when you and I were 
talking of the wonderful difcoveries of tbe .Microfiope, and 
the many compleat Animals it difclofeth, which lay hid from 
our unaided light, we fell thence into a difcourfc of the 
ftrange and incredible fubtilty of Nature in forming fomany 
diilindt. Parts, and Members, and Pailages in thole invifible 
Creatures &gt; and of the grofnefs of our Senfes in comparifou 
of the finenefs and tenuity of thofc works: I then made an offer 
to you of this Hypothecs of the Formation of Organic at Bo- 
. 4 dies,which I expreit to this erfcd : That tbe Seeds of things are 
- &gt; e#*fcwf, and are tbe things themfehes in little : having all that 
is in the compleated Body m fmatteft and invifible parts &gt; and fo 
generation is but accretidn-&gt; and growth to greater bulk^ and con- 
fijlence. To this purpofe our Author here fpeaks i and the 
Hypotheiis receives probability, and advantage from the late 
difcoveries of the ingenious Malpeghius^ and Dr. Grew in his 
Anatomy of Plants : Nor is it unlikely but that Vegetables are 
folded up in their Seeds \ and thatiheir Vegetation is only the 
expanding and unfolding of them. But in Animals the thing 
is of more difficult conception* fince the immediate matter off 
many, if not of moft, Generations is an homogeneous fluid. 
To which I know it will be faid, that the organised Body is 
in it, though it be fo (mall as to be invipble : But it is not ve 
ry probable, that an invifible Atome of a Creature fhould ex 
pand it felf into the vaftnefs of a Whale or Elephant &gt; or that 
the Original Bodies of thofe immenfe Creatures, fhould be 
undecernable by the acuteft fight, when the femind Body 
( if I may (b call it ) of very fmall Plants are plainly vifible. 
And! if this be fo, that the Seed of Animals adually contains 
- the formed Bodies of the Animals themfelves, thofe little Bo 
dies muft either be fuppofed created by God, in the form and 
confidence in which they are, from the foundation of the 
World j or they are produc d after, in an orderly courfe of 
Nature: If the former be faid, fome will be apt to ask, Whe 
ther this will not deftroy all Pbilofopby, being fo immediate a 
rec ourfe to Creation, and the infinite Power of God &gt; And 
the manner of thofe Formations is never the more intelligible 

for 



. Of Scepticifm and Certainty. 

for being refolv d into the immediate efficiency of incompre- 
henilble Power and Wifdom. But if they arc produc d in a 
natural way, we are then as much at a lofs to find by what 
Agent, and what direction thofe Corpufcles are fornVd, as 
we are to underftand the way and manner of if in greater Bo 
dies. Or, be they produc d how they will, by Creation* or 
Nature, yet ftill the Trouble and Doubts will be as many and 
great in the conception of their growth to their vifible BuJk, 
which we call their Generation : For ftill mutt be a Director 
of the Matter by which each part is increaft, that muft fepa- 
rate, difpofe, guide, and proportion it fo, as that i.o part 
may exceed, none may want: and fo the Queries, and Diffi 
culties, that concern the Generation of Organical Bodies, are 
unanfwered notwithstanding this Hypothefis. 

Our Author s ficond Solution concerns only the grofs and 
material Ingredients in the formation of Bodies, of which 
be pretends fome account. But this is nothing at al! to our bu- 
iinefs, which was to enquire after the Principle of Direction of 
thofe various and methodical Motions that are requifite to the 
formation of an Aniiml, or other Organical Body. And the 
Chymical ProcciTes, and Elementary Solutions of which he 
fpeaks ^.43. iignifie no more to the Matter, than if a Man 
fhould anfwer an enquiry about the Art and Method of the 
Motions of a Watch, by faying, They are performed by Steel, 
Iron, Brafs, or Silver, wherein the Matter of the Work in 
deed is declar d, but not the Artifice. 

The Learned Man comes next to the Solution of two diffi 
culties I propofe about Matter, the Vnion of its Parts, and the 
compofition of Quantity, p. 45. His anfwer in fhort is, That 
there are no attual parts in quantity before divifwn : Which if it 
be fo indeed, there is then no ground for the Queftions how 
they are united, or of wbtt compounded. But I (hall (hew &gt; 
j. That there are aftttal Parts j and, 2. That the Grounds of 
the contrary AiTertion are weak and infufficienr. 

i. The formal nature of Quantity is Extention, in the No 
tion of Arijlottfs Schools &gt; and divisibility in the Philofophy 
of Sir K. T)igby^ and our Author; both which fuppofe parts, 
and parts a&ual : for to be extended^ is to have partes extra 
panes (as the School Phrafe isj &gt; and if the Extension be a(Su- 

at 



Of Scepticifm and Certainty. 

al, the Parts muft be fo : for it is not conceivable how a thing 
can be extended but by parts, which are really diftiutl from 
one another, though not feparate : Nor can a thing be divi 
ded, except we fuppofe the Parts preexiftent in the diviiible 9 
for Divisibility is founded upon veal diftinttion, and tis impof- 
fible to divide that which is one without any diverfity.(2.;Ex- 
cept there are parts in Matter before Divifion, there are none at 
all : For after they are divided they are no parts, but have a 
compleatnefs and integrality of their own, efpecially if their 
Subject were an Homogeneous Body. (3.) If there are not 
actual Parts in Quantity, Contradictions may be verified de 
eodem in all the Circumftances, which the Metaphypckj teach 
to be innpoflible : For the fame Body may be feen, and not 
feen, black and white, hot and cold, moift and dry, and 
have all other the moft contrary Qualities. To this Sir K. 
Z)jg&y anfwer, Q c That it is not one part of the thing that 
c (hews it felf, and another that doth not, one that is hot, and 
c another cold, &c. But it is the fame thing, (hewing it felf 
according to one poffibility of Divifion, and not another. ] 
To this I fay firft, Thefe diftinft Poflibilities are founded up 
on diftindfc Actualities, which are the parts I would have ac- 
knowledg d : and fuch a capacity of receiving things fo diffe 
rent cannot be in the fame Subject without the fuppofal of 
parts actually diftind and divers. 2. The Subjects of thefe 
contrary Qualities are things aftual, whereas Poflibilitiet are 
but Metapbyfical Notions &gt; and thefe Subjects are diftinc;t, or 
Contradictions will be reconcil d : from which the Inference 
feems neceffary, that Quantity hath Parts, and Parts Actual i 
and diftindr. Podibilities will not falve the Bufinefs. And, 
3. why muft the common Speech of all Mankind be altered &gt; 
and what all the World calls Parts be calPd Pojibiihies of 
Divifion ? Which yet, if our Philoibpher will needs name (b, 
they be acknowledg d diftintt-&gt; and prov d aUual, or at leaft 
founded immediately upon things that are fo * my Queftions 
will as well proceed this way as in the common one, viz. How 
the things that anfwer to thefe diftinft Poflibilities are united, 
and of what compounded ? 

There is another Anfwer which I find in our Author s Pe- 
rifatetical Injlitutions &gt; the fum of which is, c That the 

c Con- 



Of Scepticifm And Certainty; if? 

* Contradi&ions have only a notional repugnance in the Sub- 

* ject as tis in our Under (landings i and fince the parts have a 
c diftinct Being in our underftanding, from thence tis that 
c they are capable to fuftain Contradictions ]. Which anCwer, 
if I underftand, I have reafon to wonder at, for certainly the 
Subject fuftains the Contradictories as it is in re &gt; and I never 
heard of a Notion^ black^ or white^ bdt or cotd&gt; but in a Me 
taphor : Tis the real Subftance is the Subject of thefe Con 
trarieties, which were impoflible, if it had not divers Realities 
aiifwering to the Qualities that fo denominate : and therefore 
tis not the Underftanding that makes the divers Subjects of 
thefe Accidents, as our Author fuggefts : but their being fuch 
is the ground that we fo apprehend them. This I think is 
enough to (hew that there are attttal Parts in &gt;uantity* To 
which I muft add, 

( 2. ) That the Grounds of Sir K&lt; Digby^ and our Author, 
on which they build their Paradox, are infufficient. The 
Reafons are *. ht antity is Divisibility &gt; 2 . Divisibility is Ca 
pacity of Divifwn 3 . What is only capable of diviiion, is 
not attuatiy divided ; 4 . Quantity is not attuatiy divided, and 
therefore hath no parts attttal. To which I fay, 

( i. ) That Quantity is divisibility^ is prefumed i but ex- 
tenfwn is before it, in Nature, and our Conception ? and it is 
the received Notion, though I think Impemtrability is the tru- 
-eft. ( 2. ) Divifwn fuppofeth Vnion, and Union parts United. 
( 3. ) What is only capable of Divifion in a mechanical Sen(e, 
may, and ought to be divided in a Metapbyfical : That.is, 
they ought to be divers in their Being, before they can be fe- 
parated, and diftinct in their Quantity &gt; for Separability muft 
fuppofe Diver fity. 

But, ( 2. ) It is pleaded againft Aftttal Parts in Quantity j 
that if we admit them, we cannot flop till we come down to 
Indivifibles i of which to fuppofe Quantity compounded, is 
faid to be abfurd and impoflible. In anfwcr to which, I grant 
the Inference, and have acknowledg d the Hypothecs of In- 
diviiibles to be full of feeming Inconfiikncies, as is the other 
atfo : and therefore I reckon both aruong the things that are 
unconceivable : of which there can be no greater Argument, 
than their having driven fucfy great and fagacious wits upon 

K an 



Of Scepticifm and Certainty, 

an AlTertion, that is contrary to our Senfes, and the appre- 
henfion of all the World : fhat there are HO parts in Quantity* 
And, (2.) Tisno good method of reafoning to deny what 
is plain and obvious, becaufe we cannot conceive what is ab- 
flrufeand difficult: To fay that Quantity hath no adtual 
Parts, contrary to the furTrage and fenies of Mankind, becaufa 
we cannot untie the Difficulties that ariie from its being com 
pounded of Indivipbles, a nice. and intricate Theory. 

Sir, I crave your pardon for thisSpinofe and dry, D/icourfe, 
which I could not wellavoid, it being one of the main things 
of Sir K. Digbfs and Mr. Ifhite s Philofofhy^ and pretended by 
the latter, as fucb a Solution of the Doubts I propounded, as 
renders them fcarce any Difficulties at all: For the other things 
he objects, they are fmaller Matters &gt; and if you have leifure 
for fuch Trifles, I refer you to the difcuffion of them in my 
larger Anfwer, annext to my Sceffis Sdentifica : in which al- 
fo you will find what concerns his juftification of Ariftotle and 
bis Philofefby. 

I am, Sir, 

Your affectionate Friend 
and Servant, 



O F 



MODERN IMPROVEMENTS 

o F 



Ufeftil tyo frledge. |f|i| 



in. 



K 2 



Cffap nr. || 
Modern Improvements 



o F 
mfefttl 



NOtwithftanding the {hew of Science that the World 
of Books makes, it muft be confeft by confiderate 
Men, that Knowledge is capable of far greater 
Heights and Improvements, than it hath yet at- 
tain d j and there is nothing hath ftinted its Growth, and 
hindred its Improvements more, than an over-fond, fuperftiti- 
ous Opinion of Arlflotle^ and the Ancients, by which it is 
prefumed that their Books are the Ne Vltras of Learning, 
and that little or nothing can be added to their difcoveries : So 
that hereby a ftop hath been put upon Inquiry, and Men have 
contented themfelves with ftudying their Writings, and difpu- 
ting about their Opinions, while they have not taken much 
notice of the great Book of Nature, or ufed any likely Endea 
vours for further acquaintance with it. fhk, whoever will 
confider, and fpeak impartially, muft confefs : and yet in 
fpight of the evil Influence of this Humour, there hav5 been 
fome in all Ages, who have freely fearch d into the Creatures 
of God as they are in bit World* without vainly fpending of 
their time in playing with thofe Images of them that the 
phanlies of Men have fram d in tMrs* And perhap^no Age 
hath been more happy in liberty of Enquiry, than this, in 

which 



Of the Modem Improvements 

which it hath pleafed God to excite a very vigorous and a&ive 
Spirit for the advancement of real and ufeful Learning. This 
every feniible Man (hould thrive, as he is able, to promote ; 
and I (hall now endeavour, as far as my weaknefs will per 
mit, to raife the capable and ingenious, from a dull and 
droufie acquiefcence in the difcoverics of former times, to a 
noble vigour in the purfuits of Knowleg : And thi* I (lull do, 
by representing the Incouragements we have to proceed, from 
the Helps and Advantages we enjoy, beyond thofe of remote 
Antiquity. In order to this I conllder, 

THat there are Two chief ways whereby Knowledg may be 
advanced* viz. ( i. ) By inlargingthe HI SPOILT of 
Things: And ( 2. ) By improving IN? E R CO V R SE 
and COMMUNICATIONS. 

The Hijlory of Nature is to be augmented, either by an 
invejligation of the Springs of Natural Motions,, or fuller. Ac 
counts of the gf offer and more palpable Phenomena. --For the 
fearching out the beginnings and depths of Things* and difco- 
vering the Intrigues of remoter Nature, there are THREE 
remarkable ARTS, and multitudes of excellent IN- 
S T R V M E N TS, which are great Advantages to thefe /j- 
$er Ages j but were either not at at all ktiowH) or but imfer- 
fifily, by Ariftotle and the Ancients. 

The ARTS in which I inftance, are Cbpmfffi p&gt; 9fna 
tom-p ,and the ^at6ematicfe0 : The INSlRV ME NTS* 
fuch as the ^iccofcope&gt; Eetefcopr, EDtrmomet?r 3 JSaro- 
tneter, and the ^ir-puwp r Some of which were jfir/f Inven 
ted* all of them exceedingly Improved by the ROYAL 
SOCIETY. 

To begin with the Confideration of the ARTS mention 
ed, I oblcrve, That thefe were very little cultivated or ufed 
in Ariftotle s Times, or in thafe following ones in which his 
Philofop by did molt obtain. 



For 



V tf ttfeful Knowledge. 

FOr the FIRST, CHTMIS tRl, it hath indeed a 
pretence to the great Hermes for its Author ( how /r/y, I 
will not difpute ) : From him tis faid to have come to the 
JElgyptianti and from tbttn to the Arabians : Among tbefe it 
was infinitely mingled with vanity and fuperftitijus Devices : 
But not at all in vfe with Ariftotle and his Senators. Nor 
doth if appear, that th? Grecians, or the diluting Ages, 
were converfant in thefe ujeful and lueiferous Procejfis, by 
which Nature is unwound, and refilv dinto the Rudiments ot 
ks Compofitio* , and by the violence of thofe Fm&gt;/ it is made 
confefs thofe /jfftf* parts, which, upon /(// provocation, it 
would not difckfi. Now, as we cannot underihnd the/r^ws 
of a Watchi without taking it into pieces * fo neither can Na 
ture be well tyf0z?tf, without a refoht ioti of it into its begin- 
mngs-) which certainly may be beft of all done by Cbymical 
Methods: By thofe Enquiries wonderful difcoverits are made 
of their Natures i and Experiments are found out, which are 
not only full of pleajant furprife and information* but of va 
luable ufe, efpeciallyin the Prattice of Pbyficfo For It directs 
Medicines left loatbfome and far more vigorous, and freeth the 
Spirits^ and pr^r parts, from the clogging and noxious Ap 
pendices of grojjer Matter, which not only binder and dtfible 
the Operation, but leave hurtful Itog/ in the Body behind 
them. I confe(s, that among the ^Egyptians and Arabians, 
the Paracelfians-t and fome other t^todernsy Cbymiftry was 
very pbantafticfa unintelligible, and delufive &gt; and the boafls, 
vanity, and canting of thofe Spagyrifts, brought a fcandal up 
on the /4rf, and expofed it to fufpicion and contempt : but its 
Jate Cultivators, and particularly the E. TA L S C I E- 
!fT, have refin d it from its drofs, and made it boneft, fiber, 
and intelligible, an excellent Interpreter to Philofipby, and 
help to common Life. For ^ry have laid afide the Cbryfopoie- 
tick^, the delufory Defigns, and z^^f?i transmutations, the K^c - 
crucian Vapours, Magical Charms, and Supercilious Suggefti- 
ons, and form d it into an Inftrument, to know the Depths 
and Efficacies of Nature. And this is no fmall advantage 
that we have above the old Pbilofopbers of the Notional Way. 
And we have another, 

II. In 



Of the Modern Improvements 

( II. ) In the Study, Vfe-, and vafl Improvements of A NA 
TO MT, which we find as needful to be known among /, as 
tis wonderful twas known fo little among the Ancients, whom 
a fond Suferftition deterr d from Diflettions. For the Anatomi 
zing the Bodies of M was counted barbarous znA^Mumane 
in elder times : And I obferve from a Learned Man of our 
own, That the Romans held it unlawfal to lool^ on the En 
trails. T ettullian feverely cenfures an inquifitive Phyfici- 
an of his time for this prattice, faying, That be bated Man, 
that be might know him. Yea, one of the Popes ( I take twas 
Boniface 8. ) threatens to Excommunicate thofe, that (hould do 
any thing of this (then) abominable nature. And Democri- 
tus was fain to excufe his Diflettion of Beafts, even to the 
great Hippocrates. Nor does it appear by any thing extant in 
the Writings of Galen, that that other Father of Phyficians 
ever made any Anatomy of humane Bodies. Thus fine and 
unacquainted was Antiquity with this excellent An, which is 
one of themoft ufifal in humane Life, and tends mightily to 
the evifcerating of Nature, andjjifclofure of the Springs of its 
Motion. But now in thefe. later Ages, Anatomy hath been a 
free and general Prattice j and particularly in tbis&gt; It hath re 
ceived wonderful Improvements from the Endeavours of feveral 
worthy Inquifitors, fome of them Ingenious Members of the 
ROTAL S C I E T T, as Sir George Em, Dr. Glitfrn, and 
Dr. Willis* I inftance in themoft remarkable of their Difco- 
veries briefly i And thofe I take notice of are, The Valves of the 
Veins, difcover d by Fabricius ab Aquapendenre j The Valve at 
the entrance of the gut Colon, found, as is generally thought, 
by Bauhinut s The Milkie Veins of the Mefintery, by Afdli- 
m ; The Receptacle of the Chyle, by Pecquet i The ~DuUus 
Vii fungi amis, by Jo. George Wirfung of Padua , The Ljw- 
pbatick^ Vffils, by Dr. Joliffe , Bartbolin, and Qlaus Rudbeck, i 
The internal Duttus Salivaris in the Maxillary Glandule^ by 
Dr. Wbanon-) and Dr. G/i/7o ; The external Duttus Salivaris 
in the conglomerated Parotis, The DttSus of the Cbeel^, The 
Glandules under the tongue^ Nofe, and Palate, The Veffels in 
thenamelefs Glandule -of the Ey?, and the *f ear -Glandule, by 
^9/rw^ i A new Artery, called Art ere a Broncbialis, by 
Ruyfcb* I add, the Origination of thofe Nerves, which 

were 



3* 

were of old fuppofed to arife out of the fubftance of the 
but are found by late Anatotnifts to proceed from the Medulla 
Oblongata. And though the Succtts Nutritius be not yet fully 
agreed upon by Phypcians, yet it hath fo much to fay for it 
felf, that it may not unreasonably be mentioned among, the 
New Inventions. 

But of all the Modern Vifcoveries* Wit and Industry have 
made in the Oecemomy of Humane Nature, che nobleft is that 
of the Circulation of the Blood, which was the Invention of 
ourdefervedly-famousHjrr^. 3 Tis true, the envy of mali 
cious Contemporaries, would have robb d him ot the glory 
of this Difcovery, and pretend it was known to Hippocrates^ 
PIato t Ariflotle, and others among the Ancients : But who- 
ever confiders the Exprcflions of thofe Authors, which are 
faid to refpedr the Circulation, will find, that thofe who form 
the Inference, do it by a faculty that makes all kjnd of Compofi- 
ti ons and Deductions, and the fame that aflifts the Enthujiafis 
of our days, to fee fo clearly all our Alterations of State and 
Religion, to the winuteft Particulars, in the Revelation of 
St. John. And perhaps it may be as well concluded from the 
firjl Chapter of Gtnefis, as from the Remains of thofe Anci 
ents* who, if they had known this great and general the dry, 
how chance they fpake no more of a thing, which no doubt 
they had frequent occafions to mention ? How came it to be 
loft without memory among their Followers, who were fuch 
fuperftithuf porers upon their Writings ? How chance it was 
not (hewn to be Jodg d in thofe Authors, before the days of 
Dr. Harvy, when Evvy had impregnated and determined the 
Imaginations of thofe, who were not willing any thing 
fhould be found anew, of which themfelves were not the 
Inventors ? But tis not only the remoteft Ancients, whom 
time hath confecrated, and diflance made venerable, whofe 
Aftes thofe fond Men would honour with this Difiovery : 
But even much later Authors have had the Glory faftned upon 
them. For the Invention is by fome afcribed to Paulus Vene- 
tits i by others, to Proffer Alftnus &gt; and a third fort give it to 
Andreas CtfalpinHf. For thefe, though either of them fhould 
be acknowledged to be the Author, it will make as much for 
the defign of my Difcourfe, as if Hjrvy had the credit ? and 

L there- 



Of t&e Modern Improvements ;I5C&{? 3. 

therefore here I am no otherwife concerned, but to have Ju- 
ftice for that Excellent Man : And the World hath now done 
right to his Memory, Death having overcome that Envy which 
dogs living Virtue to the Grave ? and his Name refts quietly in 
the Arms of Glory, while the Preteufwns of his Rivals are 
creeping into darknefs and oblivim* 

Thus, I have done with the Inflames of Anatomical Ad 
vancements, unlefs I fhould hitherto refer the late Noble 
Experiment of fransfttfon of the Blood horn one living Animal 
into another, which 1 think very fit to be mention ch and I 
iuppofe tis not improper for this place : Or however, I (hall 
rather venture the danger of impropriety and mijplacing^ than 
emit the taking notice of fo excellent a Difcovery, which no 
doubt futurel&gt;/grazfy and Practice, will improve to purpofes 
not yet thought of i and we have very great likelyhood of 
Ad vantages from it in prefent profpett. 

For it is concluded, That the greateft part of our Difeafes 
arife either from the fctrcity^ or malignant temper and corrup 
tion, of our Blood &gt; in which cafes Transfufion is an obvious 
Remedy and in the way of this Operation, the peccant flood 
may be drawn out,- without the danger of too much enfeebling 
Nature, which is the grand inconvenience of meer Phleboto 
mies. So that thit Experime nt may be of excellent ufe, when 
Cuflom and Acquaintance have hardned Men to permit the Pra 
ctice, in Pleurifies, Cancers, Leprofies, Madnefs^ Vlcers^ Small- 
Pox ^ "Dotage^ and all fuch-like Diftempers. And I know not 
why that of injetting prepared Medicines immediately into the 
Blood, may not be better and more efficacious, than the ordi 
nary courfe of Practice : Since this will prevent all the dan 
ger of fruftration from the loathings of the Stomachy and the 
difabling, clogging mixtures and alterations they meet with 
there , and in the Inteftines y in which no doubt much of the 
Spirit and Virtue is loft. But in the way of immediate inje- 
ftion&gt; they are kept intire, all thofe inconveniences are avoi 
ded, and the Operation is like to be more Jpeedyznd Juccesful. 
Both thefe noble Experiments are the late Inventions of the 
ROTAL SOCIEtT, who have attefted the reality of 
the former, that of Transfufwn of B/W, by numerous Tryals 

on 



on feveral forts of brute Animals. Indeed the Frtttcb made 
the Experiment firft upon humane Bodies-, of which we have 
a good account from Mottfi eur Demi* ; But it hath alfo fince 
been pra&iced with fair and encouraging fucccis, by our Phi- 
lojofhical Society. The other of fcjnSNtfi, if ir may he menti 
oned as a different Invention, was aHb the product of the 
fame Generous Inventors i though indeed more forward Fereig* 
ners have endeavoured to ufurp the credit of both. Thii latter 
likewife hath fucceeded to confiderable good tfFecfrs, in fome 
new Tryals that have been made of it in Dantzicl^, as appears 
in a Letter written from Dr. Fabritittf of that City, and prin 
ted in the Philofofbical franfattiovs. 



I proceed now to my 7 H I R D Inflame of A R. 7*8, (if 
I may take leave to ufe the word in this large fenfe) which are 
Advantages for deep fearch into Nature, and have been confi- 
derably advanc d by the Induftry and culture of late Times, 
above their ancient Stature. And the Inftance was, 

CHI.) Thc^JMATHEMAflCKS. Thatthefeare 
mighty helps to Practical and Vfiful Knowledge, will be eafly 
confeft by all, that have not fo much ignorance as to render them 
incapable of information in thefe Matters : The Learned Ge 
rard Voflitts hath proved it by induction in Particulars : And 
yet it muft be acknowledged, that Ariftotle, and the disputing 
Pbilofopbers of his School, were not much addicted to thofc 
noble Inqmfitions : For Proclus the Commentator upon Euclide* 
though he gives a very particular Catalogue of the Elder Ma 
thematicians, yet hath not mentioned Ariflotle in that number : 
And though "Diogenes Laertius takes notice of a Book he in- 
fcribed Ma6n/&gt;u&gt;:77^v, another, ne^/ ^u3Vdc&lt;A(GH, and a Third, 
yet extant, ne^t OCTOTOV -ypa/u/uSv : Yet it appears not that 
thefe were things of very great value i and Ariftotlfs Meta- 
pbyfical procedure, even in Pbyfical Theories, the genius and 
humour of his Principles, and the airy contentions of his Sett, 
are great preemptions that this Pbilofopber was not very Ma- 
themttical: And his numerous fucceeding Followers, were 
certainly very little converfant in thofe Studies. I have el fe- 
where taken notice, that there is more publifh d by thofe 

L 2 ~Difputing 



Of the Modern Improvements JgQTa^ 3. 

iW V.n u fcme trifling Queftion about ens Rationis, 
an J t!K r M fm ci /?rfwj,than hath been written by their whole 
number upon all the ufcful parts of Matbtmtttuty and Mecba- 
nicks* It would require much ikill in thofe Sciences, to draw 
up the full Hiflory of their Advancements I hear a very accu 
rate Mathematician is upon it : And yet to fill up my Method, 
ri adventure at fome imperfedt Suggellions about the Inventi 
ons and Improvements of this kind : And I begin, 

(I.) With arftftnieticfc, which is the Handmaid to all 
the other parts of Mathematicks, this indeed Pythagoras is 
faid to have brought from the Phoenicians to the Grecians : but 
we hear no great matter of it till the days of Euclide &gt; not the 
Euclide that was the Contemporary of Plato, and Hearer of 
Socrates i but the famed Mathematician of that^Name, who 
was after Ariftotle, and at po years diftance from the former. 
Tthis is the firft Perfon among the Ancients, that is recorded by 
theexaft Voffius to have done any thing accurately in that 
Science* Atter him it was advanced by Diofhantus-&gt; methodi 
zed by Pfelltis, illuftrated among the Latins by L. Apukiut &gt; 
and in later times much promoted by Cardan^ Gemma rifms Y 
ILamus^ damns ^ and divers more modern Artifts , among 
whom I more efpecially take notice of that Ingenious Scotch* 
man the Lord Napier &gt; 

Who invented the &ogarit&mfi, which is a way of compu 
ting by Artificial Numbers, and avoiding the tedium of Mul 
tiplication and Divifion* For by this Method all thofe Operati 
ons are performed by Addition and Subjhattion-&gt; which in 
Natural Numbers were to be done thofe longer ways. This In 
vention is of great ufe in Affironomical Calculations, and it may 
be applied alfo to other Accompts. Befides this^ the fame 
Learned Lord found an eafie, certain, and compendious way 
of Accounting by Sticks-) called Rabdology = as alfo Computa 
tion by Napier s Bones : Both thefe have been brought to grea 
ter perfection by others, fince their firft Difcovery \ particu 
larly by Vrfinus and Kepler. 

To them I add the Decimal Arithmettcl^, which avoids the 
tedious way of computing by Vulgar Fractions in ordinary Ac* 

compts 5 . 



of Ufefrl Knowledge, 

compts, and Sexagenaries in Agronomy* exceedingly and late 
ly improved hy our famous Ougbtred, and Dr. Wattis a Mem 
ber of the 21 TA L S Cl E 1 T. If I fhould here iuh- 
join th? Helps this An hath had from the Works and Endea 
vours of AttQtoltM) Barlaam, MaxintHf Planttdes, N mwariusy 
Jiorentinus Bredonus, Pifanus-&gt; Orontius and in tbi* Age, 
fromthofeof Adnanus Romans, Hettijchitest Cataldus, Ma- 
lapartius-) Keplertts, Briggius-, Crttgerus-&gt; and a vail number 
xeckon d up by Vvfliuf^ I (hould be tedious on this Head 
and therefore 1 pafs lightly over it, and proceed, 

(II. ) ToJ3lgeb?a, of univerfal ufi in all the Mathemati 
cal Sciences) in Common Accompts-&gt; in Ajlronotny, in taking 
Diftancesmd Altitudes, in measuring plain and {olid Bodies, 
and other ufeful Operations. The n rlt noted Author in this 
Method was Diophanttis, who lived long iince* the times of 
Ariftotle, He, and thofe other Ancients that ufed it, perfor 
med their Algebraical Operations by Signs and Characters futed 
to the feveral Numbers-, and Powers of Numbers, which they 
had occaiion to ufe in folvivg Problems : But the later Mathe 
maticians have found a far more neat and eafie way, viz,, by 
theLemr/ of the Alphabet, by which we can folve divers Pro 
blems that were too hard for the Ancients^ as far as can be dif- 
covered by any of their remaining Works. For there were 
many affetted Mquations ( as they call them ) that did not 
equally afcend in the Scale of Powers, that could not be fiWd 
by the elder Methods &gt; whereas the acute Vieta* a Matbema- 
tician of this laft Age, affirms, he could refolve any Problem 
by his own Improvements. Befides him, our excellent Ough- 
tred another, lately mentioned, did much in this way. But 
Des-Cartes hath out- done both former and later Times, 
and carried Algebra to that height, that fome confidering Men 
think Humane Wit cannot advance it further. I will not fay. 
fo much, but no doubt he hath pei formed in it things defer- 
ving much acknowledgment, of which we (hall hear more ia 
another place. But I proceed, 

( HI. ) To the Confideration of dSeometrp, which is fo 
ufffitli Science^ that without it we cannot well 

under-- 



to Of the Modern Improvements jJBflfty 3. 

underhand the Artifice of the Omnifdent Architect in the com* 
pofure of the great World, -and o#r felvtf* E o x r E n- 
METPE V I, was the excellent faying of Plato \ and the 
Vniverfe muft be tytown by the Art whereby it was made. So 
that what Galileo notes of Arijhtle&gt; is a great fign of his de- 
feds, viz. That he reprehended his Venerable Matter for his 
Geometrical Sublimities, accufing him that he receded from the 
folid Methods of Pbilofophizing, through his too much indul 
ging that Study , W hich is fo far from being likely, thatG^o- 
metry is little lefs than neceffary to folid and real Pbilofopby. 
An d therefore Plato admitted none to his School, but thofe 
that were acquainted with that Science : Which practice the 
mentioned excellent Modern, notes to be diredrly oppofife to 
the Peripatetic!^ Genius , and fome he knew great Men of that 
way, dehorted their Difciples from it which he introduceth 
one applaudirig as a wife Counfel, fince Geometry would detedfc 
and fhame the futilities of that Notional way* But not to 
take too large a compafs, this is certain, That Geometry is a 
mod ufefxl and proper Help in the Affairs of Pbilofopby and 
Life. 3 Tis almoft as clear from thofe former intimations, that 
Ariflotle was not much enclined that way i and we know that 
his late Senators, have very feldome applied themfelves to 
Geometrical Uifquifitions. 

The Refult of which is, We muft exped the Advantages of 
this Science, from the declining of bis and their Empire i and 
I need not fay expeft it, they are both in prefent view. And 
if after this any do require accounts of the Improvements Geo^ 
metry hath received, fince the foundation of that tyranny by 
the Man of S t A G TR A, I (hall offer the beft I have * and 
though I am confcious that they will be fcant and defefiive, 
yet I hope fufficiem for my prefent purpofe. 

I note then from the celebrated Vofiits, That Emlide was 
the firft that brought Geometry into a Method^ and more accu 
rately demenftrated thofe Principles, which before were (bat 
tered among the Greeks and JEgyftitns&gt;&gt; and not fo cogently or 
carefully proved. And Procluf reckons this famous Man as 
the Compiler and Demenftrator^ not as the Inventor of the Ele 
ments &gt; and two of thefe Books (viz. 14, & 15. ) are afcri- 
bed to dpollonius Perg*tts&gt; who was his near eft Succeffor in 

fame 






rf u f e f Hl K*mkdg*. xx 

Fame tor Mathematical Abilities, fh n Geometrician improved 
the Science by four Books of Conic^s, publiuYd of old j and 
three more have been lately O n the year id&lt;5r. ) tranflated 
ut of an Arabic}^ Manuscript in the Duke of Tufeaufs Libra 
ry, and are now abroad. This Mannfirift Jacob Gol ius pro 
cured out of the E*/h Btfides which, */.?# Magnus Geometry 
as he was called, illuftrated Euclide by his Learned Commenta 
ry upon him. But Archimedes of Syracufe, was a Perfon of 
the greateft renown for Geometrical and Mechanical Perfor 
mances * concerning which, Pclybius, Valerius, Plutarch, 
Livy*, and others, have recorded prodigious things : This 
great Wh carried Geometry from general and /^ Speculation, 
to the #/? and &?/?* of Mankind &gt; whereas before him it was 
an ancient and perverfe Opinion, That /&// Knowledge ought 
not to be brought down to vulgar Service, but kept up in ab- 
ftraftive Contemplations : upon which fcore ArchytM and E- 
*/&lt;?.*/, thofe great Geometricians before Euclide, were feared 
from the Mechanical and Organical Methods, to the great hin- 
derance of beneficial Improvements in f/taf w*y. But the excel 
lent Syracufian underftood, that this Science is not debafid, but 
promoted and advanced by fuch Accommodations &gt; and evinc d 
the ufefulnefs and excellency vt Geometry, in his admirable ?&lt;*= 
r j/w propofed before King H/?r0# ( Pj&lt;n viribus datum pon- 
dns tollere ) Aos /uo/ TrS $ , K/VMOW rW ylo) ]. fbis Ma 
thematician flourim d 160 years after the time of Arijhtle,who 
hath the name of the moft Ancient that writ in Mechanic^/, 
though that Book of his be not mentioned, either by Archi 
medes, Atben&w, Hero, or Pappus, Mechanical Authors i 
and Cardan and Patricius affirm that Wor]^ to be none of Ari- 
ftotfs : Whofe ever it was, the Performance hath praife from 
the Learned) as explaining the general Cattfes of Mechanical 
Geometry. But Archimedes was more praftical and particu 
lar : And though Plutarch in the Life of Marcellus affirms he 
writ nothing* yet the contrary is abundantly proved by Ge- 
rardVoflius, who hath (hewn that the Books extant under his 
Name, that contain Co many great Maxims of Mecbanickj&gt; are 
genuine i and both Strabo and Pappur mention them as hli. 
The Deilgn of Archimedes, of combining Mechanifm and 
Geometric}^ Theory, was after happily promoted by Hero the. 

Elder, 



Of the MoJtr* Improvements 

Elder of Alexandria, who invented thofe ingenuous Automata, 
that move by Air and ZFfjv/ &gt; concerning which he writ a 
Book that wasTranflatedby ^TtderknsCmmMtdinuS) as alfo 
he did another T&gt;e Machine Belticii, by which he well impro 
ved Geometrick Mechanic^ And Pappus particularly cele 
brates his exarcnefs in folving the "Deliaick^ Problem, De Cuko 
duplicando, acknowledging that he took moft of his own 
Accounts about that Matter, from that exquipte Man. Next 
him, I mention Theodofius of Tripoli) who very much impro 
ved Geometry by his three Books Ve Figura Sphtrica, which 
afforded great affiftance to Ptolemy, Pappus, Proclus, and The- 
on, in their Mathematical Endeavours. Menelzus alfo, who 
lived in Trajan s time, contributed very much to the per- 
fifting the Do&rine of Sphtrickj, as Vitetiio well knew, who 
was famous for thofe things which he borrowed from that 
Author. The Performances alfo of Ctefibius, who lived in 
the time of Ptolomeus Pbyfcon, are much celebrated by Pliny. 
He invented many things in Hydraulicks-* and according to 
Atheneuf, he was the firft Contriver of Mufical Organs. Thefe 
were Mechanical : but Geminus Rhodius the Matter of Proclus 
Lycius, applyed Logicl^ to Geometry, out of particular Ele 
ments abftra6Hng tyniverfals. He demonflrated, That there 
are only Three fimilar Species of all Lines, viz. Right, Circu 
lar, and Cylindrical : And Perfeuf following his fteps, en- 
rich d Geometry with the Invention of three kjnds of Crooked 
Lines, the Parabole, Hyperbole, and Elipfls &gt; for which he ex- 
prefs d his extatick joy, as Thales, Pythagoras, and Archime 
des did upon like occafions, in a Sacrifice to the Gods. But to 
be briefer. Pappus improved the Sphxricks j Theon more me 
thodically digelkd the Elements of Euclide j Serenus Antinfin- 
fis difcover d, that the Setiion of a right Cylindre, is the fame 
with the Elipfis of a right Cone &gt; CP er ^ cus improved the Da- 
Brine of Triangles ; Ramus corrected and fapplied Euclide, 
where his Principles were defective i Maurolicus writ firft of 
Secant Lints &gt; Climus much illuftrated and promoted the Do* 
{trine of Tavgents, Secants, Triangles, Right Lines, and 
~Sphric\s, befides what he did hi his Comment upon Euclide, 
\ might mention with Thefe, the worthy Performances of 
Cufanus , Pitifcus ) Snetiitts 5 Ambrofws Rhodius , Kepler, 

FrancifcK/ 






3 tf UfeftU Knowledge] 

Francifcus a Scboten, and others, who contributed very emi 
nently to the Perfe&ions and Advancements of Geometry, and 
were late Men. 

But none have done in it like the Excellent Perfons whom 
I referve for my laft mention ; The chief are, Vieta.Ves-Gartes, 
and Dr. IPallit. 

To my account of whofe Performances, I muft premife, 
That no great things can be done in Geometry, without the 
Analytical Method &gt; And though fome Learned Men conceive 
the Ancients were acquainted with this way of refolving Pr&lt;?- 
blems, yet their skill in it went no higher than the ghtadraticl^ 
Order of Equations, which They demonflrated by Circles and 
Right Lines, which They call d LocaPlana: but they were 
able to do nothing in the Cubical Equations, or any of the 
Stfperiour Orders &gt; though they endeavour d to cover their de- 
fettsin this Art-, by recourfe ad Locos Solidos, (viT.Conic^ 
Seftions ) and Lineares, as they called them, fuch as the He 
lix, Conchoeides) and thole of like nature. But thofe tortous 
and curved Lines being defer ibed Mechanically by Compound 
Motions, the Problems refolvd by them, are performed Orga 
nically by the Hand and Eye, not Geometrically. 

This was the State of the Analytic^ Art, as long as Lear 
ning flouriuYd in Greece &gt; when That wasfubdued by the Bar 
barians, their Learning with their Country paflfed to the Ara 
bians, and alfo to the Perfians, as we have it from Hottin^er 
and EuUialdus : But thefc Succeflors of the Greekj did not ad- 
vance their Learning beyond the imperfeft Stature in which it 
was delivered to them. In that condition it remained till 
Cardan and fartaglia, who made fome fmall addition towards 
the perfection of it &gt; For they gave fome Rules for folving Cu 
bical ^Equations, which were certain in fome cafes, but not in 
all.Their Invention fome other Mathematical Men endeavoured 
to advance, laying down Rules for folving fome Cubic^ and 
"Biquadratic^ ^Equations i but could never find an univerfal 
way, that might reach all fuch : Yea indeed they utterly de- 
fp aired, and held it impoflible. At length appears Vieta, who 
by inventing the Method of Extracting Rootf in the moft nums- 
rous ^Equations, and by converting the Signs ufed by the An 
cients into Letters, brought Algebra to a very great perfeftiov, 

M as 



14 Of the Modern Improvements 

as I hive noted above j and by enriching the Analytical 
by the Accefiiens of his Exigetice Nmneroja, and Logiflice Sfe- 
ciofa&gt; he hath contributed infinite helps to Geometry. After 
him, divers other Learned Men polifht and Adorned his DiC- 
courfes among whom I mention chiefly our Country-men 
Harriot and Oughtred, who altred Viet^s Nites to advantage, 
and invented Canons to direct our Operations- in the Extracting 
of Roots, both in pure and adfifted jE(]tt;tions* 

But after thele had thus improved the Analytic!^ Arty and 
well affifted Geometry by it, JLenatus Vet-Cartes appeals who 
in a few Pages, opens a way to mighty Performances : He 
(hews us how all the Problems of Geometry rruy be brought to 
fuch terms, that we (hail need nothing to the Conjlrufc&lt;m and 
Vemonflration of them, but the knowledge of she length of 
certain right Lines &gt; and that, as all the Operations of Arith 
metic^ are performed by Addition* Subtraction, Multiplicati 
on, Divifion, and Extraction of Root s (which is a fptcies of 
Vivifwn). So in Geometry) for the preparation o Lines that 
they may be tyown&gt; nothing needs more to be done, than that 
others be added to them, or fubtratted from them &gt; or if the 
Line be fmgle? (which that it may be the better referred to 
Numbers, may be xalled Vnity ) and befide that&gt; two other 
Lines, that a Fourth be found which (hall have the fame pro 
portion to one of tbefi Lines* that the other hath to Vnity^ 
which is the fame with Multiplication ; or elfe, that by them 
a Fourth be found, which may have the fame proportion to one 
of them, which Vnity hath to the other, which is the fame 
withVivifwnj orlaftly, That there be found between Vnity^ 
and fbme other Right L ine, two or more mean Proportionals) 
which is the fame thing with the Extra&ion of Qtfadraticfand 
Cubick^ Roots* And that he may juftifie the introducing of 
*erms Arithmetical into Geometry^ he obferves, That the avoi 
ding thereof was an occafion of much perplexity and obfcurity 
in the Geometry of the Ancients &gt; of which he could give no 
other conjecture, but becaufe they did not.fufficiently under- 
ftand the affinity and cognation of thofe Sciences. But if I 
fhould intend an exaft Hijfary of all his Performances, I muft 
transcribe Him j for he hath faid fo much in lii tie, that tis 
impoffible to abridge thofe his clofe Cowpofures, I ihall there 
fore 



3 *f Mfcfyl Knowledge. 

fore only hint forhe principal things referring to his Writings 
for the reft. 

And I take notice firft, That he hath propofed znUxiver- 
fal Method for the Solution of all Problems not only thofe pro 
pounded in Right Lines, Plains, andSV/^/; but alfo all that 
are made in Angles,* thing of moft general Service in all parts 
of Mathematics. By It he refolves the famous Proportion in 
Papptt*, which was too hard for Eudide, Afollonm, and all 
* the Ancients. He difcourfes the nature of crooked Lines, and 
(hews which are fit to be ufed in Geometrical Demonjbations * 
Gives Rules for the place where to apply our felves in the T)e- 
monftration of any Problem and tells us. That a Problem after 
it is broughrtoan ^Equation, and reduced to its leajl terms, 
and the unknown Quantity is Quadratic]^, or of two Dimenfi- 
fions, that then it may be demon ftrated by a Right Line and 
Circles : but if the Equation, after it is reduced to its leaf 
Terms-, leave the unknown Quantity, Cubicf^ or Biquadratic^, 
it muft be demonft rated by fome one of the Conick^ Se&ions. 
Whereas again, if after the ^Equation reduced, the unknown 
Quantity remain of five or fix THrwnfionsi or more, in inpni- 
tum^ then the Demonftration muft be performed by Line 9 
more and more compound, according to the degree of Cotnpofi- 
tion in the unknown Quantity of the ^Equation. But becaufe 
the.way by Linesis ferplext and tedious, he gives T&tlsstQ re 
duce J&qnations of many VimenfiottS) to fewer. He (hews 
how to fill up Defettsy when any Terms are wanting in the 
JEquation \ how to convert the falfi Roots into true^ to avoid 
Fractions, andto/&lt;/pw JEquations. Hehzthdetnonftrated, by 
a Circle and Parabole, the famous Problems fb much agitated 
among the Ancients, viz. the fftfitfitn of an Angle, and the 
finding two mean Proportionals between two Lines given, with 
more brevity and expedition than any that went before him. 
And this (hall fufficeh/ way of intimation, concerning that 
Prince of Mathematividnsand Philosophers. 

Since him, others have improved this Method : ScJjoteniuf 
hath demonftrated the Loca Plana of Apollonitts : Hadderius 
hath added Inventions of ttfe and pleafant Speculation in his 
7r&lt;*# of Reduttiou of ^Equations. Florimundus de Eeaune 
hath writ ingenious and profitable things/ de Nttura & Limi- 

M 2 tibus 



^ # Of the Modern Improvements 



ffLquationum. But twould be ^ndleft to attempt full 
Accounts of the Modern Advancements of this Science, or in* 
deed thofe acceffions cf growth it hath had fince Vista. And 
whoever fhould go about it, muft reckon to begin anew as 
(bon as he hath finifh d what he intended, fince Geometry is 
improving daily. 

I (hall therefore add no more here, but only do right to an 
excellent Perfonof our own Nation, Dr. Wallit) a Member 
of the R TA L S C IE 2T, to whom Geometry is ex- 
eeedingly indebted for his rare Difcoveries in that Science. 
Particularly, he hath propounded a Method for the measuring 
of all kind of crooked Lines , which is highly ingenious \ and 
put an end to all future Attempts about Squaring the Circle* 
which hath -puzzled and befooled fo many Mathematicians) 
that have fpent their thoughts and time about it. This he hath 
brought to effed: as it near as can be done,and fhew d the exatt 
performance by rational Numbers impoflible : He hath propo- 
(ed excellent ways for the meafuring all kinds of Plaivs*, and 
all multangular and folid Bodies. But tis time now to pro 
ceed to the confideration of the next Mathematical Science* 
Viz. 

v 

( 4. ) Qffrononip, one of the grandefi and moft magnifique 
of all thofe that lie within the compafs of Natural Inquiry. \ 
fhall not look back to its beginning among the Chaldeans &lt;&gt; 
JEgyftianS) and eldeft Grecians, in which Times it was but 
rude and imperfeft, in comparifon to its modern Advancements.. 
For the great Men among the Greeks are taken much notice of, 
but for very ordinary and trite things in this Science : As 
Anaximander Mile/tits, for teaching, that the Earth WM Glo- 
bous, and the Cetitre of the World not bigger than the Sun : 
Anaximines for affirming, that the Moon Jhone but with a bor 
rowed Light y that the Sun and It were Eclipsed by the Earths 
interpofal ? and, that the Stars move round our Globe. And 
Pythagoras was the firji that noted the obliquity of the Eclip* 
ticl^ jft-w Philofopher indeed was a Perfon of a vaft reach, and 
faid things in Agronomy very agreeable to late Difcoveries : But 
Artftotle made very odd Schemes^ not at all corresponding with 
the Phenomena of the Heaven* * as appears from his Hypotbefis 

o 



of Uftful Knowledge. 17 

of Solid Orbf, Epicycle/, Excentrkkj&gt; Intelligences, and fuch 
other ill-contrived ^nancies. Befides which, if I (hould de- 
fcend to confider his now palpable Miftakes about the nature 
of Comets, the Galaxy^ the Sphere of fire under the Moon, 
and numerous other fuch, I (hould oblige my felf to a large 
ramble. Wherefore to be brief in thefe Notes, I obferve, 
That after Ariflotle, Aflronomy was cultivated and improved 
by Theopbraftitf, Aratus&gt; Ariftarcbuf Samiust Archimedes , Ge- 
minuty Menelaits-) Theon, Hipparcbitf, Claudius Ptolomxus^ and 
many others among the Greeks. 

Among later Authors, coniiderable things have been done 
in this way 6y both Latins and Arabians : To omit the latter^ 
I fhall give you feme particular Inftances of the other. 

Johannes de Sacro Bofco, ingeniously and methodically explai 
ned the Dottriue of the Sphere : Ihsbit frft found the Mono* 
of Trepidation : [Regiomontanus publifhed the firft Epbemeri" 
des ; and did excellent things in his theories of the Planets* 
Wernertts ftated the greateft Declination of the Sun- Albertits 
Pighiu* directed the way to find J&quinoxes and Solflices : Ba- 
erfws fram ed perpetual Tables of the Longitudes and Latitudes 
of the Planets : Copernicus reftored the Hypothecs of Pytbago- 
rat and ^Pbilolatts^ and gave far more neat and conpftem Ac 
counts of the Phenomena : Joachimtts made Ephemerides ac 
cording to the Copernican Dodrrine : Clavius invented a moil 
ufeful demonflrative Aftrolabe, and writ an exqttifite Comment 
upon Sacro Bofco. 

But I conclude the laft Century with the Noble Ticbo Brabe, 
who performed the great Work of reftoring the Ftx d Stars to 
their true places, the ajjignation of which before him, was ra 
ther by guefs, than any competent Rules y and the mifla^es here, 
were the very Root and Foundation of moft Errors in Aftrono- 
my. For which reafon it was, that Copernicus left that earneft 
advice to his Scholar Joachimus, that he fhould apply himfelf 
to the restitution of the Fix*d Stars for till this were done, 
there could be no hopes of attaining to the/r# places of the 
Planets^ nor doing any thing to purpofe in the whole Science. 
This ingaged the Noble lycbo to this Enterprifo, and he made 
it the Foundation of all the rert : The Method he ufed is de- 
fcribed by Gaflendus. By the help of this noble Performance. 

he. 



Of the Modern Improvements 

he reformed the elder Agronomical fables, both the 
and Copernican- And from his Ooiervations of the new Star 
of 1572, and fix others in his time, he afferted Comets info 
their place among Heavenly Bodies, (nattering all the Solid Orbs 
to pieces &gt; And he hath done it with fuch clear convittiGn, that 
even the Jefuits, whofe thraldom to the Church of JLome^ de 
ters them from doling with the Motion of Earth, confefs a ne- 
ceffity of repairing to ibme other HypotJrfs than that of Pto- 
lomy y zndAriftotle. I might add to this, That this generous 
Nobleman invented and framed fuch excellent Agronomical 
Inftruments, as were for ufe and convenience far beyond any of 
former Times : Himfclf hath a Treatife concerning them. He 
hath alfo made exquitite fables of the difference that Refr a- 
flions make in the appearance of the Stars, and done more 
great things for Aflrommical Improvement &gt; than many Ages 
that were before him ; for which reafon I could not pardon 
my felf in a curt mention of fo glorious an Advancer of this 
Science. 

The next Age after him, which is ours, hath made excel 
lent nfe of his Di/coverieS) and thofe of his lder^ the famed 
Copernicus &gt; and raifed Agronomy to the noblelt height and P?r- 
fefthn that evar yet it had among Men. It would take up a 
Volume todefcribe, as one ought, all the particular Difcove- 
ries : But my Defign will permit but a fhort mention : There- 
foVe briefly ^ I begin with GaliUo^ the reputed Author of the 
famous fclefeope &gt; but indeed the glory of the firfl Invention 
of that excellent Tfo, belongs to Jacobus Metius of Amfter- 
dam : but twas improved by the noble Galil*0i and he rirft ap 
plied it to the Stars ; by which incomparable Advantage, he 
difcovcred the Nature of the Galaxy) the 21 New Stars that 
compofe the W^H/0/jinthe Head of Orion^ the 36 that con- 
fpire to that other in Cancer, the Anjulx Saturni, the AffecU 
of Jupiter, of whofe Motions he compofed an Ephetneris. By 
thde Lunul\\s thought that Jttpiters diftance from the Earth 
may be determined, as alfo the-diftance of Meridians ^ which 
would be a thing of much ufe, fince this hath always been 
meafurcd by Lunar Eclipfes, that happen but once or twice a 
year i whereas opportunities of Calculating by the occultati- 
ons of thefe new Planets will be frequent, they recurring 

about 



1 " of Ufeful Knowledge. 

about 480 times in the year. Befides, (tohaften) Galileo 
difcovered the ftrange Pbafes of Saturn, one while ob-long, and 
then round &gt; the increment and decrement of Venus, like the 
Moon , the /?&lt;?*/ in the Sun, and its Revolution upon its own 
Axis &gt; the Moons libration, colk&ed. from the various pofition 
of its Macul&lt;e j and divers other wondaful and ufeful lUri- 
ties, that were Grangers to all Antiquity : Shortly after Gali- 
Uo, appears Cbriflopberus Schsiner, who by greater Ttekfcopes 
viewed the Sun with a curled and unequal Superficies, and in 
or near the Horizon of an Elliptical Figure. He found alfo, 
That tbjt fitppofed uniform Globe of Light, was of a different 
complexion in its feveral parts &gt; Tome brighter than the main 
Body, as the FacuU , others darker , as the iVfacuU. He made 
more than 2000 Obfirvations of them, and defcribed their 
Number, Magnitude, Situation, Figure, and Revolutions. 
Kepler is next to be mention d, who firil propofed the Ellipti 
cal Hypothecs, made very accurate and luciferous Obfervatiotts 
about the Motions of Mars, and writ an Ephume of the Co- 
-pernicau Aftronomy, in the cleareft and moil pcrfj icuoas Me 
thod, containing the Difcoveries of others, and divers confi- 
derable ones of his own &gt; not to mention his EpbemeridS)Zi\d 
Book about Comets. Ant. Maria Shirltus, with a new fele- 
fcope of a larger Diameter than ordinary, difcovered five other " 
Stars more remote from Jupiter than his Satellites, and a kind 
of vapid Atwofpbere about that Planet. Francifcuf Fontana- 
obferved the fame f *r,with nine others, never leaving it more 
than ten of its Diameters &gt; and in 163 6, and J 643 with 8. 
Anno 1545- with 5, 1646. with 7. on other days with 6\ va 
rying their diftances one to another, and not to be feen about 
&lt;JMars or Saturn, nor without extending the Telefcope more 
than was fitting for Fix*d Spars. Thefe Satellites are ob(er- 
ved to fuifera defection of their Light, when Jupiter inter- 
pofeth between f&wi and the Sun * whence it is inferr d, That 
they have their Light from It, and that Jupiter hath none of. 
his own to impirt to them. To be brief, Longomontanus de 
fcribed the World according to all the Hypotbefes of Ptolomyj 
Copernicus, and ficbo Brabe : Janfinius Elaete made far more 
perfed andexad Cotlejiial Globes than any were extant before^. 
GaJJendus writ judicioufly of the Stars about Jupiter? and of 

Mferovry 



Of the Modem Improvements 

Mercury in the 5, and gave the World moft excellent Aftro- 
nomieal Infthutions : Ifmael Buliialduf inrich d the Science 
with a new Method, to find and eafily compute the Paralaxes 
of Solar Elliffes : Hevelius drew a Graphical Dffcription of 
the Moon in all its Phafes, as it appear d in the Telefcope, ac 
curately delineating its Spotr, and (hewing the inequality and 
mount anous protuberances of its Surface, which lends Light 
to a great Theory. Both thefe laft named are Fellows of the 
ROTAL S C IE fl. Of the Selenography of Heveli- 
/, Hicciolus made an Improvement, both as to the Number, 
Figure, Magnitude, Site, Colour of the Macula, and the 
Eminencies, Profundities, and Afperities of the Lunar Super 
ficies. Martinus Honenfus found Mercury to have variety of 
Phafes, like the Moon i as, now Horned, then Gibbous, and 
at other times Round. But I conclude this Account with the 
moil Worthy and Learned Prelate Dr. Setb Ward, now Lord 
Bilhop of Sarum, who among his other excellent Performan 
ces in Agronomy, hath demonstratively proved the Elliptical 
Hypothefs t which is the moft plain and (tmple, and performed 
.by fewer Operations than either of the other. This indeed 
was frft difcours d of by Kepler, advanced by Eullialdus^ 
but demonflrated by this accomplijh d and venerable Bi(hop, an 
Honourable Member of the ROIAL SOCIEIT. 



I come next ( 5. ) To confider the flDptfcfeg, whofe Im 
provements are of great importance in the Matters of general 
Philofdphy and human? Life s fince the informations of Senfe 
are the ground of botbj and this Science rectifies and helps the 
nobleft of them. Concerning it, there was once a Book of 
Ariftotles extant, according to Laertius : but it hathfubmit- 
to 7iwf Since him, this Science hath been cultivated by 
Euclide, and the celebrated Archimedes, who is faid to have 
done ftrange things by it, upon the Ships of Marcellus* As 
Procltts who improved the Archimedian Artifices, deftroyed 
a Fleet by his Specula Vftoria, that befieged Conjlantinople. 
Ptolomy of Alexandria made confiderable Improvements of Op 
ticks &gt; and Alhazenus the Arabian, is famous for what he did 
in It. Ytom thefe, Vitellio drew hit, and advanced the Sci 
ence by his own Wit, and their Helps. Stevinus corrected 



Euclide* A lbjzen, and Vitellio, in fome fundamental Propo- 
fitions that were miftakes i and in their room fubftituted con- 
fiderable Inventions of his own. Roger "Bacon, our fam d Coun 
try-man (whom Pica* Mirandttla calls the Phoenix of his Age, 
and VvfliwS) one Learned to a Miracle} writ acutely of Offices. 
He was accufed of Magicl^ to Pope Clement iv. and thereup 
on imprifoned : But the Accufatian was founded on nothing 
but his skill in Mathematical and the ignorance of his Accu- 
fers. After tbefe* the Vioptricks were improved by Kepler, 
Gajfindut* Merfinnw* and the noble and incomparable Ves- 
Cartes* who hath faid the moft clear, ufeful* and improvable 
things about it, that ever were extant on the Subject. But 
nothing hath fo much advanc d the Science, as the invention 
of the telefcepe by Metiuf i and that other of the Microfc&pc, 
concerning which I have to fay in the following Inftances. I 
pafs therefore to the lafl I (hall mention in the Mathematical 
which is, 



f VI. ) dffeograp&p. In tlw the Ancients were exceedingly 

defective. And Ariftotle tyiew the World* by the fame Figure by 

which his Scholar conquered it. 3 Tis noted by the ingenious Va- 

reniuf) that the moft general and neceffary things in this Science 

were then unknown &gt; as, The Habitablenejs of the Torrid 

Zone i The flux and reflux of the Sea i The diverpty of 

Winds &gt; The Fo/jr Property of -the Magnet The &lt;r^ Dimen- 

fwn of the E^r/^. They wanted T)tfcriptions of remote Co- 

my concerning which both the Greeks and Romans had very 

fabulous Relations* They knew not that the E*r/& was ra- 

compajjed by the iS e^, and that it might be Sailed round. They 

were totally ignorant of America* and both the North and 

South parts of this Hemijphere &gt; yea, and underftood very lit 

tle of the remoter places of their own Afia : Japan* the jfo- 

z&gt;j /, the Philippic^** and Borneo* were either not at all tyown* 

or exceeding imperfettly of 0/*/ : But all *fo/J are familiar to 

the /tffttr 7/wf/ : ^Mexico and /Vr#, and the v^ Regions of 

thofe w/gJbj^ Empires* with the many Jjffc/ of the Great Sea are 

difclofed : The Frozen North* the Torrid Line* and formerly 

untyown South* are vifited* and by their numerous Inhabitants 

found not to be fo inbofpitable and unkind to Men, as 

N 



2-2T Of the Modern Improvements 

gutty believed. The Earth hath been rounded by Magellan, 
Drakf-&gt; and Candiflj : The great Motion of the Sea is vulgar, 
and its Varieties inquiring into every day : The diverflties of 
Winds ftated, and better underftood : The T reafure of bidden 
Vertues in the Loadftvne found and ufed. The Spicy IJlands 
of the Eaft) as alfo tbofe of the remote South and 2ST&lt;?rf, /&gt;&lt;?- 
quented^ and the knowledge of that P&lt;?0/&gt;/? and thofe Countries 
tranfmitted to us, with their Riches &gt; The moft diftant Parts 
being travell d and defcrib d. Our Navigation is far greater^ 
our Commerce is more general? our Charts more c*$, our 
G/0k.r more accurate-, our Travels more remote, our Reports 
more intelligent and /ztfmv and confequently our Geography 
far more perfett, than it was in the c/*&r Time/ of Polybius 
and Pcfiidonius) yea than in thofe of Ptolomy, Strabo, and 
Pomponius Mela, who lived among the C&fars. And if it 
was fo Jfc0r* hi the flourijhing Times of the Roman Empire^ 
how was it fe/0/v in the days of Ariftotle, and the Grecians .? 
We have an Inftance of it in the Great Macedonian, who 
thought the Bounds of his Conquefls to bd r the &/ of the World; 
when there were Nations enough beyond him to have eaten 
up the Conqueror with his proud and triumphant Armies. So 
that here alfo Modern Improvements have been great , and He 
will think fo, that (hall compare the Geographical Performances 
of Gemma Frifius&gt; Mercator, Ortelius^ Stevinus-) Berthts^ and 
Guil. Blaeu, with the beft Remains of the moft celebrated Geo 
graphers of the more ancient Ages. 



Thus I have touched upon fome of the Improvements of the 
AR*fS that fearch into the recejjes of Nature^ wich which 
latter Ages have afiifted Philofophical Inquiries. And in thefe I 
fee I have ftruck farther than I was aware into the account of 
thofe things alfo, which lead us to the grojftr Phenomena i 
and my Remarques about Geography are all of that nature. 
However I (hall not alter my Method ; but after I have dif- 
cours d the 3?iUrument8 I mentioned for Ufeful Knowledge, 
-Ifhallconfiderfomewhat of NAlVRAL HISlORT, 
which reports the Appearances^ and is fundamentally necefftry 
to all the Defigns of Science. As for the INSfRVMENfS 



rf tififit Knowledge: 

then, that are next, before I come to the Notes I intend con 
cerning them, I obferve, That 

The Phihfophy that muft iigmfie either for Light or Vfe, 
muft not be the worl^ of the Mind turned in upon it filf, 
and only converfing with its own Id&as &gt; but It muft be rai- 
fed from the Observations and Applications of $*/?, and take 
its Accounts from Things as they are in the fenpble World. 
The Illuftrious Lord Bacon hath noted this as the chief caufe 
of the unprofitablenefs of the former Methods of Knowledge, 
-viz* That they were but the Exercifis of the Mind, making 
Concluflons, and (pinning out Notions from its own native 
Store &gt; from which way of proceeding nothing but Difpute 
and Air could be expected. Twas the fault that Great Man 
found in the Ancients, That they flew prefently to general 
Propofitions, without (laying for a due information from Parti 
culars, and fo gradually advancing to Axioms : Whereas the 
Knowledge, from which any thing is to be hoped, muft be laid 
in Senfe, and raifed not only from fome few of its ordinary 
Informations; but Inflames muft be aggregated, compared, 
critically infpetted, and examined fingly* and in confort : In 
order to which Performances our Senfis muft be aided j for 
of themfelves they are too narrow for the vafinefs of things, 
and too fhort for deep Refiarches : They make us very defective 
and unaccttrate Reports, and many times very deceitful and 
fallacious ones : I fay therefore, they muft be affifted with /#- 
ftmmentS) that may flrengthen and reftifie their Operations. 
And in tbefe we have mighty advantages over Arijlotle and the 
Ancients i fo that much greater things may well be expedited 
from our Philofiphy-&gt; than could ever have been performed by 
theirs* though we (hould grant them all the fitperiority of Wit 
and Vnderftanding their fondeft Admirers would afcribe to 
thofe Sages : For a vpca\ hand can move more weight by the 
help of Springs, Wheels, Leavers* and other Mechanic^ Pow 
ers, than the jirongefl could do without them : And that we 
really have thefe Advantages,muft be (hewn by Ixftance: I men 
tioned Five that are considerable to that purpofe, which I took 
notice of among many others s and they were the 

Ktermometer, Barometer j 



N 2 (I.) The 



54 * Of the 

(I.) The ICelefcopt is the moft excellent Invention that 
ever was, for affifting the Eye in ra0ff Difcoveries. The *//*- 
]?*#&lt;:&lt;? of the Heavens is fo #*#, that our unaided Serfs can 
give us but extreamly imperfect Informations of that Upper 
World &gt; And the Speculations that Antiquity hath raifed upon 
them, have for the moft part been very mean, and very falfe : 
But thefe excellent Glaffes bring the Stars nearer to us, and 
acquaint us better with the immenfe territories of Light : 
They give us more PfcjWVlffcf, and *rfr Accounts &gt; difperfe 
the Jhadows and v&lt;ntt Images of the twilight of HJJ^ 5^wp, 
and make us a cfomr and /*rgf r profpett : By thefe Advanta 
ges they inlarge our thoughts-, and (hew us a more magnificent 
Reprejentationof theVniverfe: So that by them the Heavens 
are made more amply to declare the G/ory of GW, and we are 
help d to nobler y and better-grounded Theories : I have menti 
oned in my Account of the Advance of Aftronojny fome of 
the moft remarkable Discoveries that have been made by thefe 
fabes, which exceedingly tranfcend all the Imaginations of 
elder Times j and by the further improvement of them, other 
things may be difclofed as much beyond all ours. And the 
prefent Philofophers are fo far from detlring that Pofterity (hould 
fit down contented with their Difioveries and Hypothefes^ that 
they are continually follicitous for the gaining more helps to 
themfelves, and thofi that (hall follow, for a further progrefs 
into the knowledge of the Phnomena&gt; and more certain judg 
ments upon them. So that thefe Glaffes are exceedingly bet 
tered fince their Invention by Metius^ and application to the 
Heavens by GaliUo , and feveral ingenious Members of the 
K 1C A L SOClEtfTare now bufie about improving 
them to a greater height : What fuccefs and informations we 
may expedt. from the Advancements of this Inftrnment^ it 
would perhaps appear JLomamic}^ and ridiculous to fay ; As, 
no doubt, to have talk d of the Spots in the Sun&gt; and vaff in 
equalities in the Surface of the Moon&lt;&gt; and thofe other TelefcQ- 
pical Certainties^ before the Invention of that G/J//, would 
have been thought phantaftick^ and abfitrd: I dare not there 
fore mention our greateft hopes : but this I adventure, That 
3 tis not unlikely but Pofterity may by thofe fttbes., when they 

are. 



of Ufeful 

are brought to higher degrees of perfeftion&gt; find a fure way to 
determine thofe mighty hteftioHs-&gt; Whether the Earth move ? 
or, the Planets are inhabited .&lt;? And who knoweth which way 
the Conclusions may fall ? And tis probable enough, that ano 
ther thing will at laft be found out,in which this lower World 
is more immediately concerned, by felefcopical Obfervations, 
which is, the moft defired Invention of Longitudes upon 
which muft needs enfue yet greater Improvements of Naviga 
tion-, and perhaps the Difcovery of the North- Weft Paflage, 
and the yet unknown South : Whatever may be thought of 
thefe Expectations by vulgar and narrow Minds, whofe Theo 
ries and Hopes are conhVd by their Senfes, thofe that confider, 
that one Experiment difcovered to us the vaft America, will not 
defpair. -But tis time to pa(s from tins* to a fecond Modern 
Aid&gt; whereby our Sight is aflifted, which is, 

( II. ) The S^icrofcope * The Secrets of Nature are not in 
the greater MaJJes-&gt; but in thofe little Shreds and Springs^bich 
are too fubtile for the grofnefs of our unhelp d Senfes and by 
this Instrument our eyes are aflifted to look into the minutes and 
fitbtiltiesot things, to difcern the otherwife invifible Schema- 
tifins and Structures of Bodies, and have an advantage for the 
finding out of Original Motions &gt; To perceive the exattnefs 
and curiopty of Nature in all its Compofures j And from thence 
take fenfible Evidence of the Art and Wlfdom that is in its 
Contrivance* To difclofethe variety of living Creatures that 
are (hut up from our hare Senfes, and open a kind of other 
World unto us, which its littlenefs kept unknown : Thu In* 
ftrumeut hath been exceedingly improved of late, even to the 
magnifying of Qbjedh many thoufand times , and divers ufeful 
theories have been found and explicated by the notices it hath 
afforded as appears by the Microfcopical Writings of Dr.Power 
and Mr. Hookf, Members of the R T A L SOClEfT. 

But (HI.) The SLfcermometeC was another Inftrumeut I 
mentioned, which difcovers all the fmall unperceiv able varia 
tions in the heat or coldnefs of the Air, and exhibits many rare 
and luciferous Ph^nomena^ which may help to better Informa 
tions about thofe &lt;j)ualities, than yet we have any. And as 



Of the Modern Improvements 

to this, I obferve with the great Verulam, and the other Bacon 
the Illuftrious Mr. Boyle, That Heat and Cold are the right 
and left hand of Nature : The former is the great Ixfimment 
of moft of her Operations \ and the other hath its Intereft : 
And yetthcPhihfophyot Ariftotle hath neither */&lt;w, nor as 
much as attempted any thing toward the Difcovery of their 
Natures j but contented it felf with the jejune, vulgar, and 
general defer iption, That Heat tf a Duality that gather eth toge~ 
ther things of a like nature, and fevers thoft that are unlike &gt; 
and C&ld congregates both. But now if we will know any 
thing deeply in the "butinefs of JLarefattion and Condenfation, 
the Do&rine of Meteors* and other material Affairs of Na 
ture, other Accounts about thefe things muft be endeavoured 
and the bare informations of our Senfes are not exa& enough 
for this purpofe i for their Reports in this kind are various and 
uncertain* according to the temper and difpoption of our Bo 
dies, and feveral unobjerved accidental Mutations that happen 
in therm This Inftrument therefore hath been invented to fup- 
ply their Defers i and it gives far more conflant and accurate, 
though perhaps not always infallible Relations : but the jufteft 
are afforded by the Sealed thermometer. And befides the Vfes 
of this Inflrument I fuggefted, ic will help very much in fra 
ming the Hiftory of Weather, which may be applied to many 
excellent Purpofes of Philofophy, and Services of Life. 

But (IV.) The Barometer is another late Inflrument very 
helpful to Vfeful Knowledge : That there is gravity even in the 
Air it (elf, and that that Element is only comparatively light, is 
now made evident and palpable by Experience, though Arifto 
tle and his Schools held a different Theory : And by the help of 
Quickcfilver in a Tube, the way is found to meafure all the de 
grees of Comprejfion in the Atmofphere, and to eftimate exadrly 
any acceffion of weight, which the Air receives from Winds, 
Clouds, and Vapours : To have faid in Elder Times, That 
Mankind thould light upon an Invention whereby thofe Bo 
dies might be weighed, would certainly have appeared very 
wild and extravagant , and it will be fo accounted for fome 
time yet, till Men have been longer, and are better acquainted 
vr ith this Inflrument : For we have no reafon to believe it Ihould 

have 



of UfefulTLnowkdge: 

have better lucj^ than the Doftrine of the Circulation, the 
theory of Antipodes-) and all great Difcoveries in their firft 
Proposals: Tis impoilible to perfwade fome of the Indians 
that live near the btatf- of the Line, that there is any fuch 
thing as Ice in the World i but if you talk to them of Water 
made bard and confijlent by C&lt;?/^, they l laugh at you as a 0f0- 
rious Romancer : And thofe will appear as ridiculous among 
the moil of us, who mall affirm it poffible to determine any 
thing of the weight of the Wind or Ctouds : But Experience 
turns the laugh upon the confident incredulity of the Scoffer j 
and he that will not believe^ needs no more for his convibion-t 
than the labour of a ftyal j Let him then fill a 2fo of Glaft 
of fome Feet in length with gjuicj^fiher &gt; and having fea~ 
led one end, let him flop the other with his Finger, and - 
merge that which is fo jlop*d into a Veffel of Mercury r (he 7#f 
being perpendicularly eredted &gt; let him then fubtracj his Fin 
ger, and he will perceive the gtuic^flver to defcend from the 
Tube into the fuljaceat Veffel-&gt; till it comes to 29 Digits or 
thereabouts &gt; /k*v, after fome Vibrations^ it ordinarily /&lt;?// . 
The reafon that this remainder of the Mercury doth not de- 
fiendalfo) is, becaufe fuch a Mercurial Cylinder is juft equi- 
fonderant to ow of the incumbent Atmoffibere that leans upon 
the &gt;Hick;filver int\\zVeffel&gt; and fo hinders a further defcent. 
It is concluded therefore, That fuch a Cylinder of the Air as 
freffes^upon the Mercury in the FyjW, is of equal weight to 
about 2p Digits of that ponderous Body in the 7xcf. Thus it 
is when the Air is in its ordinary temper : But Vapours^ Winds^ 
and Clouds^ alter the Standard, fo that the QuickC filver (bme- 
times /?!//, fometimes np/ in the G/^/r, proportionably to 
the greater or left acceflion of gravity and compreflion the Air 
hath received from any of thofe alterations ; and the Degree 
of Increafe beyond the Standard is the meafure of the additio 
nal gravity. This Experiment was the Invention of Torrictfa 
lius^ and ufed to little more purpofe at firft, but to prove a 
Vacuums Nature j and the deferted part of the G/^/7-Tube 
was by many thought an abfolute void, which I, believe is a 
miftakc : But it hath been fince improved to this defign of 
weighing the degrees of compreflion in the Air&gt; a thing that 
may iignifie much&gt; in giving us to underftand its temper ir^ 

feveral 



Of the Modern Improvements 

feveral Places, on Hills and in Caves, in divers Regions and 
Climates, which may tend to the difclofing many excellent 
Theories and Helps in Humane Life. And the Air is fo C*/0- 
//cj^ a Body, and hath fo great an influence upon all others, and 
upon 0r.r, that the advantage of fuch an Inftmment, for the 
better acquainting us with its nature, mult needs be very conli- 
derable, atid a good Aid to general Pbilofopby. And who 
yet knows how far, and to what Discoveries this Invention 
may be improved &gt; The World a long time only rw^/j/ jfor &lt;/ 
upon the Wonders of the Loadflone, before its / was found 
for the advantage of Navigation &gt; and tis not impoffible, but 
that jfafre Tirw^x may derive fo much benefit one way or other 
from this Invention, as may equal its efteem totbatof the Com- 
fafs. The ROTAL SOCIETY by their Care and En- 
deavQurs in the ufing this Inftrument, give us hopes, that they 
will let none of its ufiful Applications to cfcape us : And I 
know not whether we may not mention it as the tirft great be 
nefit we have fromif, that it was an occafion of the Invention 
of Mr. Boyle s famous Pneumatic]^ Engine : And this is the 
other Inftrument I noted, and call d 



( V. ) The gtr^umpj concerning the ufifttlnefs of which, 
that excellent Perfon himfelf hath given the beft Accounts, 
in his Difcouife of Pbyfrco- Mechanical Experiments made in 
that Engine, by which he hath difcovcred and proved* rare 
and luciferoiu Theory, viz. the ElafticJ^ Power or Spring of the 
Air, and by tku, hath put to flight that odd Phancy of the 
Fuga Vacui \ and fhewn, that the flrange Effefts which ufe to 
be afcribed to that general and obfcure cattfe, do arife from the 
native felf-expanfion of the Air. The extent of which Ela- 
flical Expanfwn, he hath found divers ways to meafure by his 
Engine, which alfo difcovers the Influence the Air hath on 
Flame, Smoke, and Fire 5 That it hath none in Operations 
Magnetic al &gt; That it is probably much inter fperfed -in the Pore s 
of Water, and compreft by the incumbent Atmofpbere, even in 
thofe clofe retreats &gt; What Operation the exfitttion of the Air 
hath on other Liquors, asO//, Wine, Spirit of Vinegar, Mil\^, 
"&&&*&gt; Spirit of Vrine y Solution of Tartar, and Spirit of 
Wine j The gravity and expanfwn of the Air under Water &gt; 

The 



3 * nowege. 39 

The intereft the Air hath in the vibrations of Pendulums, and 
what it hath to do in the propagation of Sounds That Fumes 
and Vapours afcend by reafon of the gravity of the Ambient, 
and not from their 0w&gt;tf pofitive levity i The nature of Suftiott) 
the cjwp of Filtration, and the riling of J^ttr in Siphons 
The nature of Respiration, and the Lungs, illuftrated by tryals 
made on feveral kinds of Animals, and the intereft the Air 
hath in the Operations of C or o five Liquors : Tbefe, and many 
more fuch-like beneficial Obfervations and Difcovcries,hath that 
great MM made by the help of his Pneumatic}^ Engine &gt; and 
there is no doubt but more, and perhaps greater things will be 
difclofed by it, when future ingenuity and diligence hath im 
proved and perfected this Invention. ( For what great thing 
was abfolute and perfett in its firfl rife and beginning &gt; ) And 
tis like this Inftrttment hereafter will be ufed and applyed to 
things yet unthought of 5 for the advancement of Knowledge, 
and the conveniences of Life. 



THus I have performed the firft part of my promife&gt; by 
(hewing what Advantages the latter Ages, and particu 
larly \hz ROTAL SOCIElr have, for deep fearch 
into things both by arts and Jnftrumentg newly invented or 
improve^ above thofc enjoyed by Ariftotle, and the Ancient t. 
I am next, 

( II. ) To recount what Aids it hath received from our let 
ter acquaintance with the Phenomena. For tins I muft con- 
fider NATURAL HISTORY more particularly^ 
which is the Repoptory wherein thefe are lodg d : How this may 
be compiled in the belt order, and to the beft advantage, is moft 
judicioufly repreftnted by the Immortal Lord Bacon , and to 
(hew how highly It hath been advanced in modern times I 
need fay little more, than to* ama(s, in a brief RecoVefiion&gt; 
fome of the fnftances of newly-difcovered Phenomena, which 
are fcatter d under the Heads of the Arts and Inftruments I 
have difcours d, with the Addition of fome others : As, 

In the HEAVENS, tbofe of the Spots and T&gt;inetticl^ 
motion of the Sun* the mottntanotM protuberances and Jhadows 

O in 



jo Of the Modern Improvements 

. in the Body of the Moon 9 about nineteen Magnitudes more of 
fixed Stars, the LunuU of Jupiter, their mutual Eclipfittg 
one another, and if/ turning round upon its own ^## &gt; the 
King about Saturn, and its Jhadow upon the Body of */&gt;&lt;** 
the r*/?/ of Venus, the increment and decrement of 
among the Planets, the appearing and difappearitig of 
r/ 5 the Altitude of Comets, and nature of the F/J 
Lattea : By thefe Difcoveries, and more fuch, the Hiftery of 
the Heavens hath been reftified, and augmented by the Modern 
Advancers of Aftronomy, whom in their places I have cited. 
In the AIR* Its Spring, the more accurate Hiftory and Na 
ture of Winds and Meteors, and the probable height of the ^i- 
mofphere, have been added by the Lord BJC&lt;?, Des* Cartes, 
Mt.Beyle, and others. In the E ARTff, New Lands by 
Columbus, Magellan, and the reft of the Difcoverers j. and in 
thefe, ;wM? Plants, new Fruits, new Animals, new Minerals* 
and a kind of other World of Nature, from which *j* is fup- 
plied with numerous conveniences of Life, and many thoufand 
Families of our own little one are continually fed and main 
tained. In the WA fEILS, the great Motion of the Sea, 
unknown in elder , Times, and the particular Laws of flux 
and reflux in many places, are difcover d. The Hiftory of 
BATHES augmented by Savonarola, Bacciut, and B/J- 
cbeVus; of ME1ALS by Agricola* and the whole 5 1/ B- 
TERRANEOVS WORLD defcribed by the univer- 
fally Learned Kircber. The Hiftory. of PL ANfS much 
improved by Matthioluf, RueVius&gt; Bauhinus, and Gerard, be- 
ildes the late Account of English Vegetables publiuYd by 
Dr. Merret, a worthy Member of the ROTAL SOCIE- 
I T. And another excellent Virtuofo of the fame AlTembly, 
Mr. John Evelyn, hath very confiderably advanced the Hifto 
ryoi Fruit and For eft-Trees, by his Sylva and Pomona &gt; and 
greater things are expected from his Preparations for Zlyfium 
Britanicum, a noble Defign now under his hands : And cer 
tainly the inquifitive World is much indebted to this generous 
Gentleman for his very ingenious Performances in this kind, as 
alfo for thofe others of Sculpture, Pifture, Archite&ure, and 
the like practical ufeful things with which he"hathenrich d 
if. The Hiftory of A N I M A L S hath been much enlar 
ged 



? V u l e t ui 

ged by Gefaer, Rondektius, Aldrovandus, and more accurate 
ly inquir d into by the Micrographers : And the late Travel 
lers, who have given us Accounts of thofe remote parts of the 
Earth&gt; that have been lefs known to thefe, have defcribed 
great variety of Living Creatures, very different from the Ani 
mals of the nearer Regions \ among whom the ingenious Au 
thor of the Hiftory of the Caribbies defer ves to be mentioned 
as an Inftance. In our own BODIES Natural Hiftory 
hath found a rich heap of Materials in the above-mentioned 
Particulars of the Vent Lattet, the Vafa Lympbatica, the Val 
ves and Sinus of the Veins, the (everal new Pajfages and Glan 
dules, the Duttus Chyliferus, the Origination of the Nerves, 
the Circulation of the Blood, and the reft. And all the main 
Heads of Natural Hiftory have receiv d aids and increase from 
the famous Verulam, who led the way to fubftantial Wtfdom y 
and hath given mod excellent "Dire&ions for the Method of 
fuchan HIS 70 RT of N^ 



Thus I have difpatch d the FIRS ? Part of my Method 
propofed in the beginning i but ftand yet ingaged for the other &gt; 
which is to (hew, 

(IF.) That the later Ages have great Advantages, in re- 
fpe& of Opportunities and Helps for the Jpreading^ and com 
municating of Knowledge, and thereby of improving and en 
larging it. This I (hall demonftrate in three great Inftan- 
ces, viz* Dinting, the CompaC^ and the Inftitution of the 
Ifcopal ^ocietp. 

For the FIRST, Dinting It was, according to Poly- 
dore Pirgil) the Invention of John Cuthenberg of Mentz in 
Germany -, though others give the honour to one F/rof the 
fame City, and (bme to Laurentitts a Burger of Harlem. But 
whoever was the Author^ this is agreed, That this excellent 
Art was frfl prattifed about the year 1440, and was utterly 
unknown in Elder times &gt; at leaft in all the parts of the 
World that are on this fide the Kingdom of China, which 
they fay had it more early i but it fignifies not ( o our purpofc. 
Now by rcafon of the Ancients want of this Invention^ Copies 

O2 of 



3 a Of tfa Modem Improvements Jglfop ^ 

of excellent things could not be fo much difperfed, nor fo well 
freferv d either from the Corruptions of 3/wc, and Inter eft. 
The Charge of B00Jy was very great. Forgeries frequent^ and 
Mifiakgs of ffaxfcriberj numerous : They were quickly fwept 
away out of thofe few Libraries in which they were, by F/&gt;* 
and Violence^ or fpoiledby Dttft and Rottennefs* And in the 
abfence of this ^r-f, twas eafie enough for one Ariflotle to &lt;&- 
flroy the moft confiderable "Remains of the Ancients-&gt; that the 
power of his gr&lt;2* Scholar put into his hands which, 3 tis 
credibly reported of him, that he did, to procure more fame 
for his own Performances : as alfo to conceal his thefts, and / //- 
jurious dealings with thofe venerable Sages, whom he feems to 
take a great delight to contradict and expofe&s I have elfewhere 
proved. Button?, by this excellent Invention* the Knowledge 
that is lodged in Booly, is put beyond the danger of fuch Cor- 
rnptionS) Forgeries, or any fatal inconvenience : We commttni- 
cate upon eape terms at the re moteft diflance &gt; converge with the 
Wife Men that went before us, arid fecttrely convey down our 
Conceptions to the Ages that (hall follow. So that by this 
means Knowledge is advantagioufly fpread and improved i efpe- 
cially fince the Afliftance Modern Ingenuity hath brought us, in 
that other admirable Invention^ 



( 2. ) The CoWpaf^. How defective the Art of Naviga 
tion was in elder Times, when they failed by the obfervation of 
the Stars-, is eajte to be imagined : For in dark weather, when 
their Pleiades, Helice* and Cynofttra were hidden from them 
by the intervening Clouds* the Mariner was at a lofs for his 
Guide^ and expoied to the cafual conduct of the Winds and 
fides. For which reafon the Ancients feldom or never durft 
venture into the Oce*n, but fteer d along within fight of the 
fafer Shore. So that the Commerce and, Communications of 
ibofe Days were very narrow i Their famed Travels in comft- 
rifon were but domejhc^ j and a n?^/^ World was to /&m un 
known. But it hath been the happy priviledge of later Days 
to tind the way to apply the wonderful Venues of the Load 
ftoneto Navigations and by the direction of the Compaft we 
fccttrely commit our felves to the immenfe Ocean, and find our 
path in die v aft eft Wilderwfs of Waters* So that Commerce 

and 



tf ttfcfal Knowledge^. 

and friffique is infinitely improved* the other half of the Globe 
difclofed i and that on this fide the great Sea-, better under- 
ftood : The Religions , Laws^ Cuftoms-, and all the Rarities 
and Varieties of ^rf and Nature, which any the moft diftant 
Clime knows and enjoys, are laid open and made common &gt; 
and thereby the Hiftory of Nature is wonderfully inlarged&gt; and 
Knowledge is both propagated and improved. 

Who it was that j?r/f difcovered this excellent Myftery, is 
not certainly known : But one FlavittsGoia of Amalphvs in 
the Kingdom of Naples, is faid to be the Author &gt; and to have 
found this incomparable R*ri/j about 300 years ago. *Tis 
pity that one of the greatejl Benefattors to Mankind that ever 
was, fhould lie hid in fo neglitted an obfcurity* when the 
great frontiers of the World, who have vex d it by the Wars 
of the Hand, and of the Brain, have fo dear and fo precious 
a Memory. For my part I think there is more acknowledg 
ment due to the name of thisobfcure Fellow, that hath (carce 
any left, than to a thoufand Alexanders and C&lt;e/ir/, or to ten 
times the number of Ariftotle s and Aquinas s. And he really 
did more for the increafe of Knowledge^ and advantage of the 
World by this one Experiment , than the numerous fitbtile Dz- 
fputers that have lived ever lince the erettion of the Sc&w/ of 
Wrangling. 

And methinks it may not be improper for me here to take 
notice of that other great German Invention-* that ufeth to be 
mentioned in the Company, viz. That of dDutt pOtoOer and 
8rtilerp, which hath done its Service alfo for the help and 
propagation of Knowledge, as you will perceive when you (hall 
confider &gt; that by the afliftance of thefe terrible Engines of 
Death the great Jfrftern Indies were prefendy fubdued, 
which likely had not been fb eafily effected by the ancient and 
ordinary Methods of J^ir. 3 Twas this Ibundennd Lightning 
and the invisible Instruments of Rtiwe, that defhoyed the Cou 
rage of thofc numerow and &W)&gt; Pf0/&gt;/, took away the hearts 
of the jbongejl Refifters, and made them an eafy Prey to the 
Conquering Invaders. 

And now by the gaining that mighty Continent, and the 
numerous fruitful Ifles beyond the Atlantic^ we have ob 
tained: 



54 Pf the Modem Improvements 

tained a larger Field of Nature* and have thereby an advan 
tage for more Phenomena , and wore helps both for Knowledge, 
and for Li/*? &gt; which tis very like that future Ages will make 
better ufe of to fuch Purpofes, than thofe hitherto have done-\ 
and that Science alfo may at laft travel into thofe Parts, and in- 
rich fern with a more precious freafure than thatot its Golden 
Mines, is not improbable. And fo thefe Engines of Deftrtt- 
Uion, in a fenfi too are Inftruments of Knowledge. Of the 
firfl Author of *JW* Experiment we know no more, but that he 
was a German Mdnkjwho lighted on it by chance, when he was 
making fome Chymical T ryals with Nitre, near about the time 
of the Invention of the Compafs &gt; but his Name and other Cir- 
cumftances are loft. 

Now whoever confiders, with the Noble Virulam, how 
much the ftateof things in the World hath been altered and 
advanced by thefe THREE EXPERIMENTS alone, 
will conceive great hopes of Modern Experimental Attempts, 
from which greater Matters may be looked for, than thsfi 
which were the Inventions of Single Endeavour ers, orjthe.lte- 
//*/ of Chance. 

And of all the Combinations of Men that ever met for the 
Improvement of Science, there were never any whofe Deflgns 
were &*r /^, whofe Abilities were more promifmg, or 
whofe Covjlitution was more judicioujly or advantageuufly for 
med, than the R (7 T^L SOClEfT. 



n Noble Institution was the 2* HI K D Advantage I men 
tioned, that the Modern World hath for the Communication 
and Increafe of Knowledge. And here I find I am happily pre 
vented, and need net fay much about it i For the HI S TO 
RY of their Conftitution and Performances that is abroad, 
gives /o /!/ and /&lt;? accurate an Account of them and their 
Defigns, that perhaps it may be fuperfluous to do more in Tfof, 
than to recommend that excellent Difcourfe to the perufal of 
thofe that would be informed about thofe Matters &gt; which I 
do with fome more than ordinary zeal and concernment, both 
becaufe the Subjed: is one of the moft weighty, and confide- 
rable, that ever afforded Matter to a Philofophical Pen, and be 
caufe it is writ in a way of fo judicious a gravity, and fo pru 

dent 



3 &lt;f Uffful Knowledge. 

dent and modefl an expreffion, with fo much clearnefs of fenfe y 
and fuch a natural fluency of genuine Eloquence*, that I know 
it will both profit and entertain the Ingenious. And I fay 
further, That the Style of that Book hath all the Properties 
that can recommend any thing to an ingenious relijh : For tis 
manly-, and yet plain &gt; natural, and yet not carelefi ; The 
Epithets are genuine, the #W/ /&gt; roper and familiar, the /V 
fmooth and of middle proportion : It is not broken with 
of Ltffi/f , nor impertinent Dotations &gt; nor made barjh by 
words, or needlejs terms of ^r/ : Not rend red intricate 
by long Parentbefes, nor giiufy by flanting Metaphors , not 
f f /z 0flf by wzWe fetches and circumferences of Speech, nor ^r^ 
by too much cunnefs of Exprejfion : 3 Tis not /&lt;w/&gt; and unjoin- 
ted, rugged and uneven &gt; but as /w/z fe and as /#/ as Marble ; 
and briefly, avoids all the notorious defetJs y and wants none of 
the proper Ornaments of Language. In this excellent Htftory 
the Inquifitive may find what were the Reafbns of forming 
fuch a Combination as the R 1C A L S OCIE I* I, what is 
the Nature of that Constitution, what are their Veftgns) and 
w&jf fjEvy have done. For there is CoHeftion of (bine ( among 
numerous others that are in their Repofitory} of the Experi 
ment*) Obfervatiotts* and Ittftruments which they have inven 
ted and advanced for the improvement of real, ufefitl Know 
ledge, and a full vindication of the Defign, from the darj^ 
fffjficions and objections of jealoufie and ignorance. 

BUT that I may not wholly refer my Reader, which may 
look like a put-off, Tie here offer fomething concerning this 
Eftablifbment) as it is an Advantage for the communication and 
increafe of Science. I fay then, That it was obferved by the 
excellent Lord Bacon, and fome other ingenious Moderns, That 
Philofopby, which fliould be an Inflruwent to rvort{ with, to 
find out thofe Aids that Providence hath laid up in Nature to 
help us againft the Inconveniences of thvs State, and to make 
fuch applications of things as may tend to univerfal benefit &gt; I 
fay, They took notice, that infkad of fuch a Philofopby as tb^ 
That which had ufurp d the Name, and obtained in the Scboohj 
was but a combination of general theories) and Notions^ that 
were concluded rj/fr/y, without J#? information from parties 
and (pun out into unprofitable Niceties, that tend to o- 



Of the Modem Improvements 

thing but Difpute and 2Wj^, and were never like to advance 
any Wor\s for the benefit and ufe of Men. 

This being confidtr d, the deep and jndiciow Verulam made 
the complaint, repreferited the defefts and unprofitablenefs of 
the Notional way, -propofed another to reform and inlarge JC#w 
/f%e by Obfervatwn and Experiment, to examine and rm&gt;rJ 
Particulars, and fo to rife by degrees of Induction to general 
Proportions , and from */.?# to take direllion for wn? Inquiries, 
and wore Difcoveries, and other Axioms i that our Notions 
may have a Foundation upon which a /?//W Pbilofophy may be 
built, that may be jfzr/w, fitt, and clofe fym. andfuited to the 
Phenomena of things : So that Nature being kftown&gt; it may be 
mafter d, managed, and pJ in the Services of Humane 
Life. 

This was a mighty T&gt;efgn, groundedly laid, wifely exprefl, 
and happily recommended by the Glorious Author, who Jtfg&lt;*# 
#0%, and direfted with an incomparable condutt of ZFSr* and 
Judgment : But to the carrying of it on,It was neceflary there 
fhould be many Heads and many Hands, and fhofe formed in 
to an AffemUy, that might intercommunicate their Trj/^/x and 
Obfervations, that might joyntly work, and joyntly confider &gt; 
that fo the improvable and luciferotu Ybwomena, that lie feat-- 
ter d up and down in the Daft Campaign of Nature, might be 
aggrf gated *nd brought into a common Store. This the Great 
Man defjred, and form d a SOCIETY of Experimenters 
in a Romantic^ Model, but could do no more , His time was 
not ripe forfuch Performances. 

~ ffieje things therefore were confider d alfoby the later Vir- 
tuofi, who feveral of them join d together, and fet themfelves 
on work upon this grand Defign ^ in which they have been 
fo happy, as to obtain the Rsyal Countenance and Eflablijhment, 
to gather a great Body of generous Perfons of all Qualities and 
forts of Learning, to overcome the difficulties of the Inftitttti- 
on, and to make a very encouraging and hopeful progrefs in 
their purfuits: For the account of which Particulars, I refer 
to the Hiftory&nd only take notice. How ignorantly thofe rajh 
and inconf derate People talk, whofpeak of this AJfirbfy&stf 
they were a company of Men whofe only aim is to fet up fome 
new Theories and Notions in Philofophy &gt; whereas indeed. Their 



37 

firfl and cfc*&lt;/ Imployment is, carefully to fee^ and faithfully 
to refort how things are&lt;& /&lt;*#a j and they continually declare 
againft the eftablijhment of Theories, and Speculative Doftrines* 
which they note as one of the moil confiderable mi/carriages 
in the Pbihfopby of the Schools : And their butinefs is not to 
Difpute, but Wor\t* So that thofe others alfo that look on 
them as purfuing pbanjyful Vefigns, are as wide and ttnjuft in 
their ill-contriv j d Cenjure : Since Their Aims are to free Pbi- 
lofopby from the vain images, and Compofitions of Pbanfie, by 
making it palpable, and bringing it down to the plain Objefts 
of the SVft/?/ &gt; For thofe are the Faculties which they employ 
and appeal to, and complain that Knowledge hath too long ho- 
vet d in the Clouds of Imagination : So that methinks this ig 
norant Reproach is, as if thofe that doted on the Tales of the 
Fabulous Age^ mould clamour againft Plutarch and Tacitus as 
idle Romancers. For the main intention of this Society is to 
eredl a well grounded Natural Hiftory y which takes off the 
beats of wanton Phanfie, hinders its extravagant Excurfions^ and 
ties it down to fiber Realities* 

But we frequently hear an infulting Objection againft this 
Philofophical Society, in the Queition, JKLlljat (jabe tljep 
done ? 

To which I could anfwer in (hort, more than all the Philofo* 
pbers of the Notional way, fince Ariftotle opened his Shop in 
Greece : Which Saying may perhaps look to fome like a fond 
and bold Sentence : But whoever compares the Repofitcry of 
this Society^ with all the Volumes of pDifpUtecs, will mid it 
neither immodeft nor unjuft : And their Hiftory hath gi 
ven us Inftances fuftkient of their Experiments^ Obferva- 
tions-&gt; and Inflruments y to juftifie a bolder Affirmation. But 
I infift not on this : The thing I would have obferv d 
is, That thofe who make the captious Queftion, do not com 
prehend the vaftnefsolthe Work of this Ajfimbly^ot have fome 
pbantaflical Imaginations of it. They confider not that the 
Vefign is laid as low as the profoundeji Depths of Nature, and 
reacheth as bigb as the nppermoft Story of the Vniverfe j That 
it extends to all the Varieties of the great World&gt; and aims at 
the benefit of univerfal Mankind. For could they expe&lt;3: that 
fuch mighty Project as tbefe mould ripen in a moment .-? Can a 

P Cedar 



Of tfa Modem ImprivemeMts 

CeJar (hoot up out of the Earth like a "Blade of Gr*/} /&gt; or an 
Elephant grow to thet^Jte/rof his&/]^, as foon as a little 
/#/?# can be form d of a Jr0/&gt; of Ve TV ? 

W&lt;? &gt; The true knowledge of general Nature, like Nature it 
felf in its nobleft Composures, muft proceed flowly, by degrees 
almoft infenfible : and what 0f Age can do in fo immenfe an 
Undertaking as that, wherein all the Generations of Men are 
concerned, can be little more than to remove the Rubbi/h, lay 
in Materials, and put things in order for rhe Building. Our 
voor\ is to overcome Prejudices, to throw a fide what is ufelefs, 
and yeelds no advantage for Knowledge, or for Life &gt; To per- 
fwade Men that there is worthier Imployment for them&gt; than 
tying Knots in Bulrufhes , and that they may be better accom* 
modatedm a well- built Houfe, than in a C&lt;2/r7&lt;? in the Air : We 
muft feel^ and gather, obferve and examine, and /^j/ y in 
2fa#j^ for the Ages that come after. This is the bufinefs of the 
Experimental Pbilofophers \ and in thefe Defigns a progrefs 
hath been made fufficient to fatisfie fobt r expectations : But for 
thofe that look they (hould give them the Great Elixir, the Per- 
fetual Motion, the way to make Glafs malleable, and Man im 
mortal j or they will object that the Pbilofipbers have done 
nothing : for fucfi, I fay, their impertinent Taunts are no 
more to be regarded, than the chat of Ideots and Children. 

-n&gt;- 

But I think I am fallen into things of which t\\c Ingenious 
Hiftorian hath fornewhere given better accounts &gt; However I 
fhall briefly endeavour to (hew the injuflice of the Reproach 
of having done nothing, as tis applyed to the Royal Scociety, 
by a flngle Inftance in one of their Members^ who alone hath 
done enough to oblige all Mankind, and to credr an eternal 
Monument to his Memory. So that had this great Perfon lived 
in thote days, when Men deified their Eenefaftors, he could 
not have mifs d one of the firft places among their exalted 
Mortals: And every one will be con vinc d that this is not 
vainly faid, when -I have added. That I mean the Illuftriout 
Mr. BOYE-E, a Perfon by whofe proper Merits that noble 
Name is as much adorned, as by all the fplcndid titles that it 
xvears : And that this Honourable Gentlem in hath done fuch 
things for the benefit of the World, and iacreafe of Know- 



3 *f ttfeful Kntnledgi. 

) will eafily appear to thofe that converfe with Him in 
his excellent Writings. 

( i. ) In his Bool^ of the A I K&gt; we have a great improve 
ment of the Magdeburg Experiment, of emptying Glafs Veffeh 
by exfuftion of the Ait* to far greater degrees of evacuation^ 
cafe, and conveniences for #/ j as alfo an advance of /#&lt;** other 
famous one of Torricelliits, performed by the A T &lt;?H&gt; Engine, of 
which I havefaid fome things *&&amp;lt;?w, and call d the ^ZR- 
PVMP. By *&# Inftrume nt (as I have already intimated J 
the Nature, Spring, Expanfion, Prejfitre, and Weight of the 
^/&gt; &gt; the decreafe of hs /orc^ when dilated^ the Dottrine of a 
Vacuum, the Hcig^ of the Atmofyhere^ the theories of Kfj^i- 
r*tt 0} Sounds, Fluidity, Gravity, Heat, Flame, the Magnet y 
and feveral other //#/ and luciferous Matters, are eftimated, 
illuftrated, and explain d. 

And ( 2. ) The great Dodhine of the Weight and Spring 
of the Air is folidly vindicated and further ailerted by the 
Illuftrious^afJW, in another BOOK againit HOES and 
LINVS. 

(3.) In his PHTSIOLOGICAL and EXPE- 
K 7 MENTAL ESS ATS, he nobly encourageth and 
pcrfwades the making of Experiments, and collecting Obfer* 
vations) and gives the neceffary Cautions that are to be ufed in 
fuch Defgns* He imparts a very considerable luciferous Expe 
riment concerning the different -parts and redintegration of 
Salt-petre , whence he deiduceth, That Motion, Figure, and 
Difpofition of parts, may fuffice to produce all the fecondary 
Affettionsot Bodies; and conflquently, That there is no need 
of the fubftantial Forms and Dualities of the Schools. To 
this he adds a clofe Hiftory of Fluidity and Firmnffs, which 
tends mightily to the elucidating of thofe ufeful Vottrmes* 

(4.) In his SCEPTICAL CHTMIS? he cau 
tions againft the fitting down and acquicfcingin Cbytnical and 
Peripatetical Theories, which many do, to the great hinderance 
of the growth w& improvement of Knowledge. He therefore 
advifeth a more wary confederation and examcn of thofe Do- 
brines, before they are fubfcribed i and for that purpofe he 
affirts them with many very coniidtrAble Qbfervatiotu and E^:- 
ptritnents* 

P 2 (50 In 



40 Of tbt Modern Improvements jBff$ 3* 

f5.) In his VSEFVLNESS of EXPERI 
MENT* A L PHI LOS OP HI, he makes it appear how 
much that way tends to the advance of the Power and Empire 
of Man over the Creature j&gt; and the univerfal Benefit of the 
World 5 confirming and illuftrating his Difcourfe with innu 
merable new and ufeful Difcoveries. 

(6.} In his H/5T0RTof COL A he hath to won 
der cultivated that barren Subjedr, and improved it ( as is 
noted in the Pbilofophical *franfaftions } by near 200 choice 
Experiment j wd Observations. He hath there given an ac 
count of the defc&ivenefs of common Weather~Glaffes-&gt; the 
Advantages of the new Hermetical Thermometers, and an In 
quiry concerning the caufe of the Condenfation of the Air* and 
Ajcent of Water by Cold in the ordinary Weatber-wifers j All 
which afford valuable Confideratiens of Light and Z/J/f. But 
thefe are only Preliminaries : The main Difcourfe prefents us 
with an Account what Bodies are capable of freezing others, 
and what of being frozen* The ways to eftimate the degrees 
of coldnefs &gt; How to meafure the intenfenejs of Cold produced 
by Art) beyond that imploy d in ordinaty Freezing i In what 
proportion Water will be made to firing by Snow and Salt &gt; 
How to meafure the v change produc d in Water between the 
greateft heat of Summer, the firft degree of Winter-cold, and 
the higheft of Art &gt; How to difcover the differing degrees of 
Coldnefs in different Regions. A way of freezing without 
danger to the Vefltl. What may be the effefts of Cold) as to 
the preferving or deftroying the texture of Bodies. Whether 
fptcificj^ Virtues of Plants are loft through congelation^ and 
then thawing. Whether Electrical and Magnetic^ Vertues are 
altered by Cold? The exfanfwn and contraction of Bodies by 
freezing i how they are caufed, and how their quantity is to 
be meafured, The flrength of the expanfion of Water free- 
zing-) and an Inquiry into the Caufe of that prodigious force** 
The Sphere of Activity of Co/&lt;/. How far the Frofl. defcends 
in Earth and Water. Au Experiment (hewing whether Cold 
can ad through an hot medium. A way of accounting the 
foiidity of Ice y and the flrength of the adhefwn of its parts: 
What Liquors are its quic^eft Viffolvevts* An Experiment of 
hating a c0/&lt;^ Liquor wijth /&lt;;?. Tfcf/O an ^ niany more fuch 

iu- 



41 

inftructive and ufeful things, are contained in that excellent 
Difcourfe ; To which is annex d a very ingenious Examinati 
on and Difproof of the common obfcure Dodhine of Antife- 
riftafa and Mr. Hobbs his Notion of Cold. 

(7.) In his EXPERIMENTAL HISTORY 
ofCOLOVRS* he hath laid a foundation in 1 50 Experi 
ments at leaft, for grounded Theory about thefe Matters. He 
hath (hewn the grand miftake of the common belief, That 
Colours inhere in their Obje8s\\n& proved they depend upon the 
difpofition of the external parts, and the more inward texture 
or Bodies. He hath ftated and explained wherein the Difpa- 
rity confiits between the Real and Expbaticali explicated the 
Nature of Wbitenefs and Black^cfs t rectified fome Cbymical 
Principles , compounded Colours by trajedling the Solar Beams 
through tinged Glaffe/ , (hewed how by certain Tinftures it 
may be known, whether any Salt be acid or JulphureoHs* Hath 
proved, there is no neceflity of the Peripatetic^ F ORMS 
for the production of Colours^ by making Greenby nine kinds 
of mixtures &gt; compounded Colours real and phantaflical &gt; 
turned the Blew of Violets by acid Salts into a Red, and by the 
alcalizate into a Green &gt; and performed many other extraor 
dinary things on this Subjedr, for the advantage of Know 
ledge, and the ufes of Life. 

(8.) In his HTDROSTATIC AL PARA 
DOXES he (hew d, That the lower parts of Fluids are 
prefs d by the upper j That a lighter may gravitate upon one 
that is more ponderous ; That if a Body contiguous to if, be 
lower than the bigbeft level of the Water, the lower end of 
the Body will be prefs d upwards by the J^rtfr beneath &gt; That 
the n?e/gfo of an external Fluid fufficeth to raife the Water in 
Pumps i That the prejfitre of an external Fluid is able to keep 
an Heterogeneous Liquor fufpended at the fame height in (eve- 
ral P//w, though they are of different Diameters ; That a 
Body under Water, that hath its upper Surface parallel to the 
Horizon, the dired preffure it fuftains is no more than that of 
a Columns of Water, which hath the mentioned Horizontal 
Superficies for its Bafif And if the incumbent Water be con 
tained in Pipes open at both ends, the preiTure is to be eftima- 
ted by the weight of a Pillar of Water ^ whofe Bafis is equal to 

the. 



Of the Modern Itnprcvements ^ffa? 3. 

the lower Orifice of the Pife (parallel to the Horizon) and its 
height equal to a Perpendicular, reaching to the top of the JFj- 
ttr, though the F//-t be much inclined, irregularly fhaped, and 
in fome parts broader than the Orifice That a Body in a fluid 
(uftains a /tffoMi prejjttre from it, which increafeth in propor 
tion to the depth of the immcrft Body in the F//V &gt; That ^Tj 
*&lt;?r may be made to deprefs a Body //gtor than it felf i That a 
parcel of Of/ lighter than Water, may be kept from afcending 
in it &gt; That the caufe of the afceniion of Water in Syphdns, 
may be explained without the notion of abhorrence of a F&lt;ICH- 
#w &gt; That the heavieft Body known will not fink of it felf, 
without the afliftance of the weight of the Water upon it, 
when tis at a depth greater than twenty times its own thick? 
nefs, though it mil nearer the Surface. 

This is the fum of the general Contents of that Difconrfe, 
which contains things very ufeful to be known for the advan-. 
tage of Navigation, Salt-Work*-) Chymiftry, and other prafti- 
cal purpofcs. 

( 9. ) In his Book of the ORIGINE of FORMS 
and Qjl) A L 1 H E S-&gt; he delivers the minds of Men from 
$}) imaginary and ufelefs Notions of the Schools about them, 
which have no foundation in the nature of things, nor do any 
ways promote Knowledge, or help Mankind but very much 
diifervethofegreatlnterefis, by fetting the Undemanding at 
reft in general obfcttrities^ or imploying it in airy Nicities and 
Difputes-&gt; and fo hindring its purfuit of particular Caufes^ and 
Experimental Realities. In this Treatife he lays the Foundati 
ons and delivers the Principles of the Mechanic^ Philofophy? 
which he ftrengthneth and illuftrates by fcveral very pleafant 
and inftruftive Experiments. He (hews, That the moft ad 
mirable Things which have been taken for the Ejfeffs of fub- 
flantial Forms, and are uftd as proofs of the Notional Hypo- 
thefis, may be the refults of the meer texture and pofition of 
parts^ fince Art is abk to make Vitriol, as well as Nature \ 
and Bodies by humane sk$ may be produced, whofe fuppofed 
Forms have been dedroyed. He g ves many very ingenious 
inttances to prove, That the Mechanic}^ Motions and order of 
the Parts is fufficient to yeeldan account of the difference of 
Bodies, and their affe&ions, without having recourfe to the 
V i Forms 



* tf Mfifal Knowledge I 

Form} and Dualities of the Schools , as in the reftwation of 
Cantpbire to its former fmeti and nature, after its diffblutio* 
and feeming extinttion j in the changes of the c0/0r, confiflence^ 
fufiblenefs, and other Qualites of 5j/^r t and Copper, in the 
w&/ Phenomena of a certain anomalous Salt^ and ffo/J of the 
Sea-Salt** dried, powder d, and mix d with Aqua-Fonis &gt; 
and in the &lt;*/ Mirabilvs&gt; in the production of Silver out of 
Gold by his Men-trttttm Peracuium^ in the tranfmutation of 
IPater into E**r/& in a certain Dijiillation of Spirit of Wine* 
and 0*7 of Vitriol. I fay. This excellent Perfon hath by 
Experiments rare and #n? about thefe Subjects, made it evi 
dently appear. That the internal motion^ configuration, and 
poflttre of the ^r// 5 are *//that is neceffary for alterations and 
diversities of lW/&gt;/ &gt; and confequently, That fitbftantial 
Forms and rf^/ Dualities are needlefs and precarious Beings. 



Thefe are fome &r/V/ and general Hints of thofe great things 
this incomparable Perfon hath done for the information and fo- 
f/tf of Men ; and befides them, there are feveral others that 
He hath by him, and the Inquifitive expect, in which real 
Pbilofopby and the World are no lefs concern d. I received a 
late Account of them from an ingenious Friend of his, Mr. 01" 
denburgh, Secretary to the R A L S CIE??, who alfo 
renders himfelf a great Benefattor to Mankind^ by his affettio- 
nate care, and indefatigable diligence and endeavours, in the 
maintaining Pbilofopbical Intelligence, and promoting the De- 
figns and Interefts of profitable and general Philofophy. And 
tbefe being fome of the Noble ft and moft Pw^/zc^Imployments, 
in which the Services of generous Men can be ingaged, loudly 
call for their Aids and Affiftances, for the carrying on a Work^ 
of fo univerfal an importance. 

But I (hall have a titter place to fpeak of this, and therefore 
I return to the llluftrioM Perfon of whom I was difcourllng. 
And for Pbilofopbical News, and further evidence of the Obli 
gation the World hath to this Gentleman * I (hall here infert 
the Account of what he hath more, yet unpublffid, for its 
advantage and inftrudion. And I take the boldnefs to do it, 
becaufe himfelf hath been pleafed to quote and refer to thofe 
Difcourfes in his publifli d Writings , concerning which, 

M. 0V 



Of the Modem Improvements 

M. O s Account is mcr particular, and he received it from 
the Author. It fpeaks thus : 

( i. ) Another Seftion of the Vfefulnefs of Experimental 
Pbilofofby, as to the Empire of Ate ever mferiour Creatures j 
where he intends to prernife fome general Confederations about 
the Means whereby Experimental Philofophy may become nje- 
ful to Humane Life * proceeding thence to (hew, That the 
Empire of Man may be promoted by the Naturalifts skill in 
Chymijby, by his skill in Mechanic^ or the Application of Ma- 
tbematicty to Inftruments and Engines, i by his skill in Maths- 
ntaticty, both /&gt;r&lt;? and wwc* : That the GWj of Mankind 
may be much increafed by the Naturalifl s infight into Trades &gt; 
That the Natttralifl may much advantage Men, by exciting 
and aflifting.their curioflty todifcover, take notice, and make ufe 
of the home-bred Riches and Advantages of particular Coun 
tries, and to increafe their number, by transferring thither 
ihofe of others , That a ground of high expectation from Ex 
perimental Philosophy is given, by the happy Geuim of this pre- 
fent Age, and the pr&duttions of it &gt; That a ground of ex- 
peding confiderable things from Experimental Philosophy is 
given by thofe things which have been found out by illiterate 
Tradefaen, or lighted on by chance i That fome peculiar and 
concealed property of a natural thing, may inable the knowers 
. of it to perform, with eafe, things, that to others feem either 
not feasible, or not practicable without great difficulty j That 
by the knowledge and application of fome unobvious and unheeded 
Properties and Laws of natural things, divers Ejftfis maybe 
produced by other Means and Inftruments than thofe one 
would judge lively \ and even by juch, as if propofed, would 
be thought unlikely i That the knowledge of peculiar Qualities, 
or ufes of Pbyfcal things, may inable a Man to perform thofe 
thinspPbyfictltjh that feem to require Booty, and dexterity of 
hand proper to Artificers -, That the ujes ot fcarce one thing in 
Nature, to Humane Life, are yet thorowly under ftood &gt; That 
a great Inducement to hope for confiderable Matters from Ex 
perimental Phihfopby&gt; may be taken from the mutual afliftance 
that the Practical and Theories! part ofPhyfict^ may be brought 
to afford each other ; That we are not to make our Ejlintates 
&gt;f what may be hoped for hereafter, when Men (hall be affifted 

with 



3 tf ttftfol Knowledge. 45 

with the Hiftvry of Nature, a method of imploying it, 
and true Principles of Natural Philofophy, and ajjociated 
Endeavours, by what is already performed without any 
of thofc Affi.lances. (2.) He hath alfo in a manner pro- 
mifed Ejjays touching the concealments and difguifes of the 
Seeds of living Creatures. (30 An Appendix to the Pbyfico- 
Mecbmical Trcatife concerning the Air. ( 4. ) Something 
concerning Heat and Flame. (5.) The Sceptical Naturaliji, 
(hewing the imperfections of. Natural Philofopby as we yet have 
it. ( 6. ) A Difcourfe of improbable Truths. ( 7. ) The /w- 
duUion of Dualities by ^4rf. ( 8. ) Several ufefttl Series of 
Inquiries and "Directions of /;#, whereof divers are extant in 
the Philofopbical Tranfadrions &gt; as, (i.) General Heads for a 
Natural Hiftory of a Country fmall or graf, ( 2. ) Obferva- 
tions and Directions about the Barometer. ( 3 . ) Inquiries 
touching the &tt &gt; and, ( 4. ) About Mines. ( 5. ) &lt;j$ti&ries 
and Try*// propofed, for the improving of that Grj^ Expe 
riment^ for the transfttfing Blood out of one live Animal into 
another. ( 6.) Others for the rinding the Etfe&s of the R*- 
nfywg Engine exhaufted, ^Plants-, Seeds, and Eggs of ^/j^- 
Worms. Bcfides T ^, he hath a great many other unpublijhd 
Inquiries, and Series of Experiments and Obfervations of the 
moft confiderable parts of Natural Philofophy. As, ( i.) A- 
bout -precious Stones. (2.) Fermentation. C3) Hi?^ and 
7 lame. ( 4. ) An Account of a ra&gt; kind of Barofcope^ which 
he calls Statical, and the advantage it hath above the Mer 
curial. ( 5. ) A Zfep Experiment, (hewing how a confidera- 
ble degree of Cold may be fuddenly produced without the help 
of Snow, Ice, Hail, Wind, or Nitre, and that at any time 
of the year, viz* by SalArmoniacl^ ( 6. ) A way of pre- 
ferving Birds taken out of the Eggs, and other fmall F- 



tus^s. 



Thi* is the Account I received of that Noble Perfon s further 
Defigns for the advantage of Ufcful Knowledge i and though 
he hath not made an abfolute Promife of thofe Di(courfes to 
the Publique, yet he is known to have fuch, and thej are 
with probability expected, fince he is too generous to de 
tain from the capable and inquifitive thofe his excellent Difco- 
veries, which tend to the common Benefit. And thus I have 

faid 



Of the Modem Improvements ;0fliJ$) 3. 

faicl what may fuffice for genera! Information about the 
ROTAL S OCIE??, and the hopes we may juftly con- 
ctiveof ifai Constitution* And in what I have difcourfcd, I 
have not deviated from my ttndertajgitg&gt; which was to fhew 
the advantage that tbto latter Age hath, for the promotion and 
increafc of Knowledge y above thofe of former Times : For by 
defcribing the Reafons, Nature, and feme of the Effects of 
tbfc Eftablifhment, I have not obfittrely fuggefted the Helps 
that the World hath and may expedt from them, for thofe 
great and noble Pttrptfes and tis eafie to fee in the vcty frame 
of this Affembly, that they are fitted with Opportunities to 
colled: moft of the -considerable Notices? Observations , and Ex- 
ferlments-) that are fcattered up and down in the voids World \ 
and fo, to make a Bavk^ of all the Vfiful Knowledge that is 
among Men : For either by their whole Body, or fome or other 
of their p articular Members, they hold a Learned Correfpon- 
dence with the greateft Virtuofi of all the known Vniverfi, and 
have feveral-of their own Fellows abroad in Forreign Parts, by 
reafon of whofe Communications, they know moft of the va 
luable Rarities and Phenomena obferved by the curious in Na 
ture, and all considerable Attempts and Performances of Art, 
Ingenuity, and Experiment : To which confederation, if we 
add the inqniptivenefs of their Genius, and the way of their 
proceeding, by f articular and cautious Obfervation , the cold- 
nefi and fliinefs of their Affent, and the numbers of judicious 
Men that carefully examine their Reports &gt; I fay, If thefe Par 
ticulars be weighed, it will appear to the unprejudiced, That 
the World had never facb an advantage for the accumulating 
a Treafare of fubftantial Knowledge, as it hath by this Conftitu- 
lion : For fing/e Inquifitors can receive but fcant and narrow 
Informations, either from (heir own Experience, or Converfes v 
and tboje they have, are frequently very imperfeft, or very 
mifla^en : There is often either vanity or credulity, ignorance or 
defign in their Relations, which therefore are many times falfe 
in the main Matter, and oftner in the Circumjlance : So that 
the Hiftories of Nature we have bitberto had, have been but an 
beap and amaffment of Trutb and Faljhood, Vulgar tales, and 
Romantic^ Accounts i and tis not in the power of particular 
unaflociated Endeavours to afford us better: But now, the 

frame 



*f ttfiful 

frame of this Society fuggefts excellent ground to hope. from 
them /jcjvjmd vniverfal Relations, and the beft grounded 
and mofl ufeful Collection of the Aifairs of An and Nature* 
that ever yet was extant : And as they have peculiar Privi- 
ledges for the gathering the Materials of Knowledge* to They 
have the fame for the imfzrtment and diffufun of them. 

I mould now put an end to this Difcourfe, but that there is 
another common prejudice againtf the K T^ L 5 C / E- 
jTT,- and all thofe of that Genius, to which I mutt fpeak a 
little &gt; The Charge is, That they defpife the Ancients, and 
all old Learning, which have been venerable among the belt 
and wifeft of all Times. To this I fay, That thelModern, 
free Philofophers, are moft ready to do right to the Learned 
Ancients, by acknowledging their Wit, and all the. ufeful 
Theories, and Helps we have from them &gt; They read, and 
confider their Writings, and chear fully entertain any Notices, 
or Obfervations they have imparted to us : They have a re- 
fpedfr for their great names, and are ready to do honour to 
them : But yet they do not think that thofe, however vene 
rable Sages, fhould have an abfolute Empire over the Reafons 
of Mankind i nor dp they believe, That all the Riches of 
Nature were difcovered tofome fiw particular Men of former 
Times i and that there is nothing left for the benefit and grj- 
tification of after-Inquirers : No &gt; they know. There is an 
inexbauftible variety of freafitre which Providence hath lodged 
in Things, that to the Worlds end will atford fiejb Difiwe* 
riband luffice to reward the wgeniostt Indailry and Refearcbet 
of thofe that/oo)^ into the Works of God, and gj down to fee 
hi* Wonders in the Deep. This, no doubt, the wdcfty and 
jujlice of the Ancients themfelves would have confcfs d : But 
bcfidesthis, the Modern Experimenters think, That the Pbilo- 
fopbers of elder Times.thoiigh their Wits -were exccllent,yet the 
way they took was not like to bring much advantage to Know 
ledge, or any of the Vfes of humane Life i being far the molt 
part that of Notion and Vifpnte^ which lull runs round in a 
Labyrinth of Talk, , but advancetb nothing : And the unfruit- 
fulnefs of thofe difputing Met W/,which directly and by them 
felves never brought the World fo much practical, beneficial 

2 Know- 



Of the Modem Improvements 

Knowledge, as would help towards the Cure of a Cut Finger, 
or the Cooling of an Ho/ H^, is a palpable Argument, That 
they were fundamental Miftatyf) and that the Way was not 
right. 

For, as my Lord B jc0tf obferves well, Philofophy, as well as 
Fiif&) muft be /;?&gt;j& by its Worlds : And if the Moderns can 
not (hew more of the [F0rj^ of their Pbilofopby in /zx years, 
than the Peripatetic}^ can produce of fk/&gt;/, in the compafs 
of as many Ages, let them be loaded with all that Contempt 
which is ufually the reward of vain, and unprofitable Proje- 
8ors. I fay then the ^Modern Pbilofopbers arrogate nothing to 
their own Wit^ above that of the Ancients : but by the rea* 
fon of the thing* and material, fenfible Events, they find they 
have an advantage by their way. And a lame Child that/^/y 
treads the right Path) will at laft arrive to his Journeys end &gt; 
while the faift Footman that runs about in a Wood, will loft 
himfelf inhiswandrings* 

But notwithftanding all this, there are fomeof Opinion 
that Ariftotle had more advantages for Knowledge than the 
Moderns, becauie he had the Survey of all Afia, by thofe who 
at the charge of his great Scholar were imploy d to make Ex 
periments* This I have heard alledg d &gt; but I think this rea- 
fon is very defective, both in what it affirms, and in what it 
would infer. 

Forfirft, 3 Tis evident that Ariftotle and the Ancients did 
not know all A S I A i for that part which lay beyond the 
River, was in a manner a terra Incognita unto them : (b that 
they knew fcarceany thing of the Indies that lie on the other 
fide of Ganges, little or nothing of the vaft Kingdom of Chi 
na, nothing of Japan, or the numerous Oriental Iflands y be- 
lides the defedfrs in the ancient Geography, noted above i and 
thefe made a great, if not the bfft. part of Afta &gt; of which 
though Ariftotle might have beard, yet we have no fhadow of 
Reafon to believe that he had any Informations from thence. 
And then I confider, 

( 2. ) That the Account he had from the beft furvefd Re 
gions, were but from Ranters, Fowlers, Fijhermen, andfuch 
kind of Inquifitors, who were like enough tomakez;^ and 
miflaken Reports^ a-nd he was fain to depend upon the credit of- 

their ; 



Knowledge. 4P 

their Relations &gt; and therefore tis obferv d by Learned Men 
that his Hiflory of Animals contains many things that are 
frivoloM-&gt; and many that are palpably falfe. To which I 
add, 

( 3. ) The remarque of my Lord Bacon&gt; That though Ari- 
flotle made fome ufe of thofe Experiments &gt; and Obfervations he 
had from thofe Informers-* yet it was after he had concluded 
and decreed. For he did not ufe and imploy Experiments for 
the creeling of his theories : bat having arbitrarily pitch d his 
Theories, his manner was to force Experience to faffragatc, 
and yield countenance to his precarious Proportions. And on 
this account, the Great Man faith, he was lefs excufable than 
the Schoolmen^ who altogether quitted and neglected the way 
of particular Induftry and Experiment. Thus then Ariftotle 
neither knew all Afia^ nor had certain Relations of that part 
thereof, of which he had the beft Informations &gt; nor did he 
ufe thofe he had as he ought , which were enough to over 
throw the conceit of his Superlative Advantages. But I con* 
fider further, That though thefe things had been otherwife, 
and as much for the intereft of the fond Phanfy as could be 
wifli d, yet, 

C 2. ) The Inference muft fail, fince the latter Ages have a 
much larger World than Ariftotle s Afia &gt; We have Ameri 
ca^ and the many New Lands that are difcovered by Modern 
Navigators i we have larger and more perfett Geography even 
of the eld World, infinitely more acquaintance and better cor- 
refpondence in all -the parts of the Vniverfa by our general 
Traffique-t than the Ancients * whofe Commerce was narrow, 
and knowledge of remote Parts confided but in hearfays, and 
doubtful Humors- We te&gt;f befides, New Heavens as well as 
a New Eart^ a larger and truer profpect of the World above 
us. We have traveled thofe upper Regions by the help of our 
tubes ^ and made Discoveries more becoming (he Wifdom and 
Magnificence of our Creatour, and more agreeable to the ap 
pearances of things, than the arbitrary Phanfies and Conjt- 
drures of Arijlotle and his Schools. We have a greater World 
of Arts Inftrumentfi and Obfervations y as in all Particulars 
my Difcourfe hath made good. And what are Ariftotle s pe- 
ragraiions o Apa, to all theft .&lt;? To the great Wtftwn Indies &gt; 

to 



5 o Of the Modem Improvements Jg(TS $1 

to the fuller and clearer knowledge of the Ancient Lands \ to 
thofc nobler Accounts we have of the Heavens? and univerfal 
Nature &gt; to our vaft Improvements oF Cbymijiry, Anatomy^ 
Arithm?tick-&gt; Geometry, Aftronomy, Geography, Optickj, Na 
tural Hijlory, Navigation, and all things elfe of benefit and in- 
flruclion ? I fay, What are the gleanings of a few mercenary 
Hunters, Fowlers, and Pijhermen, over one part of A fia, to 
tbefe Advantages ? And what are the Reports of a few ordina 
ry Fellows, and the fryals of a fingle Per/on, to the learned 
Inquiries and Endeavours of many fagadeus inquisitive Ages, 
and the performances of a numerous Company ot deep, wary, 
diligent) and Eagle-ey*d Philojophers, who have the help of 
tbofe Obfervations, and the addition of an infinite number 
more? 

But my Defign is, by reprefenting the advantages and hope- 
fulnefsof the ModernW ay-&gt; to kindle an ardour towards the 
generous Experimental Refearcbes, to vindicate Pbilofopby from 
the imputation of being notional and unprofitable, and to keep 
Men from adhering to that which is /?, and hath been the 
occailon of the fiandal. And as for thofe that yet flick there, 
I have fome things to obferve concerning the Reafons of their 
Devotion to that airydifputative Pbilofipby, and their Enmity to 
the Practical* 

I confider then, That eafle Toutb in ^ts firfl Addreffes to 
Learning, is wholly pajjtve to the Difcipline and Inftruttions 
of its teachers, whole Documents are promifcuoufy received 
with ready fuhmiflion of Underftandlngs, that .implicitly d^ 
pend on their Aut bority. We fuck in the fir Q Rudiments as 
we do- the common Air [_fjcili haujlu~\ as my Lord Bacon cx- 
prcflethit, witbout discrimination vt election, of which indeed 
our tender and unexercifed Minds are not capable, And, I 
confefs, tis neceffary we fliould do fo i&gt; nor were there any 
hurt -in this innocent eafinefs, did not mod Men all their lives 
worfliip the firft thing they faw in the morning of their days, 
and ever after obilinately adhere to fhofe unexamined Recep 
tions : But this is the mifcbief, we infinitely believe every thing 
when we are Children i and moft examine little when they are 
Men y but fettle in their firft Jmprefflans, without giving thern- 

felves 



3 tf Mfefol Knowledge. 



(elvc the trouble to conpdtr and rmVn? them* And tbefe pre- 
juMcesi by onflow and long acquaintance with our Souls, gi^a 
mighty intereft.and (hut them up againft every thing that is di 
ferent from thofe Images of Education* This is a general fault 
and itifirmity of humme Nature^ and from hence it comes to 
pafs, that the tutour d Ywtb flides eafily into the belkf of the 
firft Principles of Philofophy, which they are taught, and are 
confirmed in them by their Exercifes and Difputes^ and Bookf 
and Converfes : By */??/&lt;? their Vnderftandings^ which before 
were JFfr/tt- P ape r, are ^^ and deeply tinftured by the colour 
they have imbibed* And theft iff ufitfrt infenlibly pafs as twere 
into the vziy fubftance of the Mind, and are appeaPd to, on 
all occafions, as unfbphifticated Truths. So that having (pent 
(bme time in learning and trimming thofe Notions, //jf 0-w/fc 
divert to Bufineff? or ef^r Studies, without troubling them- 
felves with any more Pbilofopbical Purfuits i but being fatisfi- 
ed with thofe Notices which their firft Education lodg d in 
their Minds, they feek no further^ nor do care to be wifer m 
thofe Matters, than they were in the dimming Infancy of their 
Knowledge. 

All this while no other bun is done^ but that Men thus are 
injurious to tbemfelves, and hinder their own Improvements : 
but tis much worfe when they fondly fix tbefe as the Pillars of 
Science^ and would have no body elfe go further than their 
lazineffot their cares will permit them to travel* but rail 
fpitefully at all Endeavours for the advancement of Pbilofi* 
pbic}{ Wiflom^ and will be angry with every one that hath 
outgrown his Cherry-ftones and Rattles &gt; fpeak evil at a venture 
of things they know not, and like Maflives-) are fiercer for 
being kept dark* Thefe are the great Enemies of the ufeful, 
experimental Methods of Pbilofipby : They take it ill that any 
thing (hould be accounted valuable, in which they are unin- 
ftrudred, being loth to learn in an Age wherein they expeclr 
to Diftate j and the Satyrift hath told them another reafon. 

- furpe putant farere minoribiu-&gt; & qu# 
Imberbes didicere, fenes perdenda fateri. 

This is much the cafe of many of the Peripatetic!^ T&gt;ifpu+ 

ters, 



Of the Modern Improvements 

They imployed their lounger Studies upon the Philofapby 
Q( Deputations and, it may be, gain d an ability to out- talk 
many of their Contemporaries in that w*y. ^They confirm 3 d 
themfelves in thefe Notions by inftrucling oih.-rs in them, and 
ppori ^/^Foundations have built the Reputation of being 

reat Scholars^ and mighty Difputants among their Admirers. 

o that we are not to wonder, if they are vehemently difpleas d 
With the ROTAL SOCIETY I, and Experimental Pbi- 
lofopbers, iince their Dcfigns take away the honour of their 
Craft^ and in this way, They are upon the fame level with 
thofe that are but beginning &gt; the thought of which muft needs 
be diftafteful to felf-offafd and imperious Minds. And yet, 
that it may not be thought I fpeak any of this out of envy to 
thvir Fame, I (hall do them all the right I can, by acknow 
ledging, 

That I take them for Perfons that underftand the ^nddi 
ties and Hwceities, the Prtcifiones formales and the Objettiva, 
the Homogeneities and Heterogeneities, the Catagorematice s and 
the Syncatagorematice s, the S implicit eSs, and the fecundum 
Quid s. 

They know, no doubt, .that irft Matter that is neither 
Quid) nor htale-&gt; nor Quantum &gt; and that wonderful Gre- 
mium materiti out of which Forms were educ d, that were 
never there. They can tell you fine things of the fiery Ele 
ment under the Moon, and the Epicycles of the Stars &gt; Can 
refolve all &lt;j)ueftioHs by tilt cmptndiow way of Formaliter^ 
Materialiter* Fundament aliier, and Eminenter i Tell the 
difference between )uodam modo^ and Modo quodam 5 and (hew 
the caufes of all things in Sympathy-, Anttyathy^ Combination 
of the Elements, and Influences of the Heavens. They fee 
clearly by their SpetfaclesiThzt the MiHge-way is but a Meteor, 
and Comets only kindled Vapours &lt;&gt; in fpite of the contrary in 
formation of the deceitful felefcopes* They can, no doubt, 
difpute roundly about the compaction of #114 ration^ and 
Vniverfals-) the Prgdications of Genus and Species, and the 
manner of their coyfirvation in Individuals of the number of 
the Predicament^ and T^to Being is in /fe, and wfo* in .ano 
ther *) of the inherence and propagation of Accidents-^ the rfij/ 
cflence of Tfalation*, the j^re 1 of T^i and &gt;uand0&gt; and a 

thoufand 



3 * e f ttfcful Knowledge. 5 3 

thoufand other Logical tricks about fluffing and ordering Pro- 
fsfitions and Forms of Syllogifa. 

They can difcourfe of the nakedncfi of Fir/? Matter, the 
Eduftion of Fonw/ out of its Bofow, (hew, that the ** of 
a B?*tfg is a Trinciple of it, how /br/w/ of Elements are rf- 
fra&d in iwiV^ B^V/ Dlfpute fubtilly about the Primum 
incipiens in Motion, the inftantaneotifnefi of Generation, the 
lilaxwiHin quod fie, and the Minimum quod non&gt; and infinite 
more of fuch wonderful, ufeful fignificant Speculations. 

And in the Mttap&yficfy, I acknowledge them in the words 
of the incomparable Droll &gt; 

2^ know what s what, and that s at high 
As Metapbjficj^ Wit can fly. 

Tbtfe, and other fuch Profundities, are fome of the main- 
things of that Pbilofjpby, for which Peripatetic^ Vijpttters are 
fo zealous. But for the Mechanic^, that attempts material 
and intelligible Accounts of things, and is in its grounds much 
ancienter than that of Ariftotle which they admire i for the 
Experimental Methods, and late Improvements of ufeftil 
Knowledge &gt; Many of the(e Men have a fufpicion, if not a 
contempt of them : Nor do they pretend any acquaintance 
with thofe Studies : For concluding that nothing more is to 
be known, than They learnt in the Circle of Difputations,. 
they fit down in the Opinion of the perfection of their 
Knowledge, without c aring to be inform d what the Inqur- 
fitive World is doing in this Age of Enquiry. . 

And on this oucafion, I obferve the incompetency of their 
Judgments, who are Enemies to the Real Experimental Pbilo- 
fopby, in that they do not ( as I intimated ) at al], or very lit" 
tie, underfland what they condemn. This I have fome reafon i 
to fay, fince in the whole compjff of my Acquaintance, which 
is not very narrun&gt;&gt; I profcfs I know not one who oppoieth the 
Modern way, that is not almoft totally .unacquainted with it. 
And on the other fide, upon the moft careful turn of my 
thoughts among my Pbilofipbical Friends, I cannot light on 
onsot all thofe, that are-/^r the Free and Experimental Pro-- 

R. cedure 3v 



54 Of the Modern Imprcvemettts ;0fljJt? J 

cedure, but who have been very well inftrudfred in the Peripa 
tetic^ DottrineS) which they have deferted, and moft of them 
much better than thofe who are yet zealous Contenders for 
them. 

And for my on?part, I muftconfefs, That while I was a 
Youth in the Univeriity, I was much delighted with thofe 
fubtilties that exercife the Brain in the Nicities of Notion and 
Dijlinflionf) and afford a great deal of idle Imployment for the 
Tongue in the Combates ot Difputation : In which I acknow 
ledge I was none of the moft backyard, but being highly plea- 
fed with thofe Engagements, I found as much diverfion in 
them, as in my deareft Recreations. But after I had (pent 
fome years in thofe Notional Studies, perhaps with as good 
fuccefs as fome others,! began to think C V 1 BO NO : and 
to confider what tbefe things would fignipe in the World of 
A&iona\\&T&gt;itfinejs&gt;&gt; I fay, I thought \ but I could find no en 
couragement t& proceed from the Anfwer my thoughts made 
-me : I ask d my felf, what Accounts I could give of the Works 
of God by my Philofophy, more than thofe that have none* 
and- found, that I could amaze zr\d all onifh Ignorance with JDz- 
ftinftions and Words of Art^but not fatisfie ingeniom Inquiry by 
,^ zr\y confiderable and material Refoltttiottf. I confider d I had 
got nothing all this while, but a certain readinefs in talking, 
and that about things which I could not ufe abroad, without 
being Pedantic}^ and ridiculous. I perceived that that Pbilo- 
fiphy aimed at wo more, than the inftntttittg Men in Notion and 
Difyute*, Thar its ~Defign was mean-, and its Principles at the 
beft uncertain and precarioitt i That f/.?^ did not agree among 
tbrmfefoefj nor at all with Nature. I examined the beft Re 
cords I could meet with about the Author of thofe current Hy- 
potbtfes, but could not be afiured that Ariflotle was be. I faw 
many Reaions to believe, that moft of the Booty that bear his 
Name, are none of bii ; -zn&thofe tbat are moft ftrongly prefu- 
med to be /(?, are mightily altered and corrupted by Tfrftl, 1^- 
mrance^ Carclejnefsaiid Defign. I perceived that the Commen 
tators and late D///&gt;#f?r/ had exceedingly difguifid ana changed 
the S?w/5 of thoic very Writings, and mads up a Pbilof&phy 
that was quite another thing from /te which */*?/? Books con 
tain. So that by f^/? means I was by degrees taken off from 

the 



of tlfeful Knowledge^ 

the implicit Veneration I had for that Learning, upon the ac 
count of the great Name of Ariftotie which it bore. And 
thus the great impediment was removed, and the prejudice of 
Education overcome , when I thought further, That ufeful 
Knowledge was to be look d for in God s great Booj^ the Vni~ 
verfe, and among thofe generous Men that had convers d with 
real Nature, undifguifid with Art and Notion. And ftill I faw 
more of the juflice of the excellent Putt s Cenfure of thofe No 
tional Philosophers, when he faith, 

; " _ tbeyftand -^ *% 

Locked up together hand in hand : 

Every one leads as be it ledj 

?he fame bare Path they tread-, 
And dance lity Fairies a phantaflicj^ Round &gt; 
But neither change their Motion, nor their Ground. 

From thu Pbilofopby therefore, and thefe Men, I diverted my 
Eyes and Hopes, and fixt them upon thofe Methods that I have 
recommended, which I am fure are liable to none of thofe 
Imputations. 

And here I think fit to add a Caution which I have given in 
another Difcourfe, and do it once more to prevent a dangerous 
mifunderltanding, -viz. And it is, That I have (aid nothing 
of this, to difcourage young Academians from applying them-- 
(elves to thofe fiift Studies, which are in ufe in the Vnivetpties. 
Their Statutes require Exercifes in that way of Learning &gt; and 
fomucb know ledge of if, as inables for thofe Duties-) is very 
fit* Nor do I deny, but that thofe Speculations raife, quickgrr, 
and whet the VnderftandiMg, and on that account may not be 
altogether unprofitable, with refpedt to the more ttfeful Inqui- 
ptions 5 provided it keep it felf from being nice, airy&gt; and 
addifted too much to general Notions. But thi* is the danger, 
and the greatefl part run upon the Rock. The hazard of 
which might in great meafure be avoided, if the Matbematickj 
and Natural Hiftory were mingled with thefe other Studies, 
which would indeed be excellent Preparatives and VifafituHs 
to future Improvements. And I add further, That the 
young Philofophers muft take care of looking on ^eir Syftetna- 

R 2 



Of tie Modern, &c. 

ticl^ Notions as the bounds and perfections of Knowledge &gt; nor 
make account to fix eternally upon tkofe Theories, as eftablijh d 
and infallible Certainties : But cbnfider tbtm in the wiw/f/J ^J$ 
of Hyfotbtfety and as * ^nrg; they are to take in their paffage to 
others that are more valuable and important* I fay, The Pfri- 
pateticl^ Studies thus temftfd, will not., I fuppofe, be ^/i/i/- 
/omf ^ by thofe who are for the Practical Methods i and ib the 
Vniverfity-Eftablifhtneuts can receive no prejudice from the 
Spirit that diilikes a perpetual acquiefcence in the Pbilofopby of 
the fn?/* Schools. 



THE 



The USEFULNESS 
O F 

Real Philofophy 

TO 

RELIGION. 



iv. 






iv.. ;v\ ;/ 

THE 

USEFULNESS 

jtj0Sl&^ o F^y / 7 :^: V &lt;V;; -.^ 

Real Pliilofopliy 

T O 

RELIGION. 



IT is the perverfe Opinion of hafty, inconfiderate Men, 
that the ftudyof Nature is prejudicial to the Intereftsof 
Religion And fome,who are more zealous than they arc 
wife, endeavour to render the Naturalift fufpedfred of 
holding fecret correlpondence with the Atheift : which things 
if really they were fo, twere fit that the Writings of Philofi- 
pbe.rs (hould be fent after the Books of curiom Arts, that were 
voted to Deftru&ion by Apoftolicl^ Authority and Zeal i and 
ibsn were they all laid together in a fired heap, and one Drop 
from rny Finger would quench the Flames, I would not let fall 
that Drop. But tis to be hoped there is no fuch guilt or dan 
ger in the ca(e we may fuppofe rather, that thofe unkind 
(urmifals concerning natural Wifdom, are theetfe&s offuper-. 

flitiouf 



the Ufefulnefs of Real Pbihfopfy 

ftitious Ignorance i yea, I doubt they are fome of the Reliques 
of that Barbarifm, that made Magick of Mathematical and 
Herefie of Greel^ and Hebrew. 

And now, were this groff conceit about the Knowledge of 
Niture only the fear and fancy of the meer vulgar, it were to 
be pardon d eafily, and lightly to be confider d &gt; but the worfi 
is, the infedtion of the weak jealoufie hath fpread it felf among 
fome of thofe whofi Lips Jhould prefme Knowledge j and there 
are, I doubt, diveis of the InftruSers of the People, who 
fhould endeavour to deliver them from the vain Images of Fan 
cy, that foment thofe fears in their own Imaginations, and 
theirs. For the fake offuch? and thofe others, who are ca 
pable of Convidlion, I (hall endeavour to juftitie fiber Inqui- 
fitions into God s Workj &gt; and to mew, that they are not only 
innocent^ but very ufefitl in moft of the Affairs wherein Religi 
on is concerned. This I mall do, for more clearnefs of proof, 
by a gradual motion of Difcourfe, from things that are plain, 
and acknowledg d ( which I mall touch briefly ) to the main 
Matter I would enforce : In this order &gt; 

C I. ) That God is to be fraifed for hu Wor\s. . 

(II. ) That his tybrks are to be ft tidied by thofe that would- 

fraife him for them. 
(IIL) That -the fludy of Nature, and God s Works^ is very &gt; 

ferviceMe to Religion. 
( IV. ) That the CMinifters and Profejjors of Religion ought* 

not to difcourage, but promote the knowledge of Nature, and 

the Wor]q of- its Author. 



THe FIPvST contains two things, viz,. That God is to b&- 
praifid ; and particularly fir hit Works. The former* 
is the conftant Voice of Scripture^ and Vniverfal Nature j He 
it worthy to be praifed, faith the Kingly Prophet, 2 Saw.22. 4. 
Greatly to be praifid, faith the fame Royal Saint, iCbron.16*- 
25. We are to offer him the Sacrifice of Praife, Hcb. 13. 1 5* 
And are encouraged to do fo, becaufe, It is good to fmg Praifes V 
and graft is comely for the upright, Pfala, 47. and ffalm, 33*^ 

To 



4- to 

To recite all the pirticular recommendations and commands of 
this duty, were endkfs, I only mention the next to my 
thoughts, and add, 

That Nature faith the fame i That Praife is the Tribute 
that is due to the Author of our Beings &gt; And we can offer 
him nothing left, and in a manner nothing elfe. All the 
World have been unanimous in ibis, and the rudcft part of 
Mankind, have owned the ducneis of Praife and devout Ac 
knowledgment. 

And (II.) the other Branch is as clear, That God if to be 
praifed particularly for \M Worlds &gt; For in tbefe we have very 
full difcoveries of his Perfections, and his Mercies, the moft 
proper Subjeds for our Praifes. But here I muft be more 
large, and therefore propofe the following things to be confi- 
der d. 

( i. ) When God himfelf would reprefent his own Magni 
ficence and Glory, he directs us to his Workj* He illuftrates 
his Greatnefs to Job, by inftancing the Wonders of his Crea 
tures : Among whom we are fent to the Earth and Ocean &gt; 
to the Clouds, and Rain &gt; to the Light, and heavenly influ 
ence , to Bebetmb, and Leviatban , to the Oftricb, and the 
Eagle &gt; and the other Furniture of Land, and Air, and Sear, 
in the four laft Chapters of that Book &gt; in all thefe are the 
marly of his Glory, and his Greatnefs, and they are no lefs jo 
of his Wifdom, and his Goodnefs ; For in Wifdom be batb made 
tbem all, Pfalm. 104. and the Eartb it full of bit goodnefs, 
Pfalm. 119- 54- 

And again ( 2. ) when devout and My Men would quicken 
their own Souls, and tbdfe of others, to praife him, they ufe 
the fame method, and fend abroad their Thoughts among 
the Creatures to gather inftances of acknowledgment. Thus 
Elibu in Job magnifieth his Power by the Lightning and Thun 
der, by the Snow and Rain, by the Whirlwinds of the North* 
and Cold of the South, and calls upon his afflicted Friend to 
remember to magnifie bit W orkjtbxt Men bebold &gt; and again bids 
him Hand (till, and coniider the wondrous Works of God, Job 
35, and 37 Chapters. And the Pfalmift upon the fame ac 
count urgcth his Soul to blefs his Maker for his Majefty, and 
Honour difclofed in the natural Wonders of the Heavens and 

S Eartb, 



the Ufefttlnefs of Rea/ Philofophy 

Earth, the Winds and Waters^ the Springs and Grafi&gt; the 
7m 1 / and Hi///, Pfalm. 104. throughout, and he gives par 
ticular thanks again, P/j/m. 135. for the difcoveries of the 
Divine Wifdom and Mercy in the /zw? inftances of his Provi 
dence and Power &gt; which he further celebrates by calling up* 
on the nobleft of inanimates to praife him, Pjal. 148. Praife 
him Sun and Moon, praife him ye Stars and Light i which 
Creatures of his, though they are not able to fing Hallelu 
jahs t and vocally to rehearfe his praife, yet they afford glorious 
Matter for grateful and triumphant Songs, and by their beau 
ty , and their order , excite thcfi that ftudy and obfirve them, 
to adore and glorifie their Maker. And therefore the Prophet 
runs on further into an aggregation of more Particulars, of 
Fire, and Hail-&gt; Storms-, and Vapours^ Mountains^ and Ce 
dars, Beafts, and F&lt;?#//, and creeping things j all which in 
the fame Divine Canticle are fummon d to praife him &gt; that is, 
we are required to ufe them as the Matter and Occafwns of Ho 
ly Eucharift and l&ankfglvfag* To thtfe I add, 

(2.) That God waspleafed to fanftifie a folemn Day for 
the celebration of his Works. He appointed a Sabbath for 
refl^ and contemplation to himfelf, and for praife and ackpow- 
ledgment to us &gt; and his making Heaven? and Earth, the Sea&gt; 
and all that in them #, is intimated as the reafon of theconfe^ 
cration of that Day \ which was obferved upon that account 
among the Jews* and the devout Cbriftianf of eldeft times 
kept the fame in memory of God s Creation, after the inm tu- 
tion of the other Sabbath. This I take to be enough for the 
firft Proposition, viz. That God M to be praijed for hit Works. 
Idefcend totheftcond, which is, 

( II. ) that hhWorkj are to be ftudied by thofe^ that would 
praife him for them. We are commanded to fmg Praifes with 
underflanding, Pfal. 40. 7. and the Offering he requires, is 
that of a reasonable fervice. His Jfarks receive but little glory 
from the rude wonder of the ignorant i and there is no wife 
Man that values the applaufes of a blind admiration. No one 
can give God the Glory of his Providence-, that lets the Parti 
culars of it pafs by him unobfervd* nor can he render due ac 
knowledgments to his Word, that doth not fearch the Scrip 
tures ;, 



to Religion. 

tares : Tis equally impofliblc to praifc the Almighty, as we 
ought, for his Works, while rve carelejly consider them. We 
are commanded to fearch for Wtfdom^ as for bidden Treafure i 
It lies nor expofed in the common ways \ and the chief won 
ders of Divine Art and Goodnefs are not on the furface of 
things layed open to every carelefs eye. The Tribute of praife 
that we owe our Maker, is not a formal flight confeflion that 
his Works are wonderful and glorious , but fuch an acknow 
ledgment as proceeds from deep Obfervation, and acquaintance 
with them. And though our profoundeft Study and Inqui 
ries cannot unfold all the Myfkries of Nature, yet do they 
flill difcover new Motives to devout admiration, and new Ob- 
jedls for our loudeft Praifes. Thus briefly of the fecond Pro- 
pofition alfo, viz. That God s Wor^s are to be ft tidied by tbofe 
tbzt would fraife him f&r them. From theft I now advance to 
the Third* which will require more thoughts, and it is this, 

( III. ) That the ftudy of Nature and God?s Worlds, if very 
ferviceable to Religion, We commonly believe that the glory 
of God is the end of this &gt; we lay tis his, and we know tis 
ours &gt; and the Divine Glory is writ upon the Creatures the 
more we ftudy them,the better we underftand thofe Characters, 
the better we read his Glory , and the more fit are we to cele* 
brate, and proclaim it. Thus the knowledge of God s W&rkj 
promotes the end of Religion. 

And it difpofeth us to it, by keeping the Soul under a conti 
nual fenfe of God. He that converfeth with his Works, 
finds in all things the clear ftamps of infinite Benignity and 
Wifdom , he perceives the Divine Art in all the turnings and 
varieties of Nature^ and Divine Goodnefs in that. He obferves 
Godm the colour of every Flower, in every fibre of a Plant^ in 
every f article of an Infeft^ in every drop of Dew. He meets 
tym in all things, and fees all things are/j^, and hath an ad* 
vantage hereby to be inftruded how to ufe them as our Makers, 
not ours, with reverence and thanksgiving^ with an eye to his 
Glory, and an aim at his Enjoyment. This is the tendency 
of the knowledge of Nature* if it be abufed to different and 
contrary Purpofes, natural Wifdom is not in fault, but he that 
turns this excellent Inftrument of Religion uponitfelf. But 

S 2 that 



the Ufefufoeft of Real Philofophy igflfatJ 4 



that better ufe may be made of it, and by fome #, will appear 
by confidering particularly how acquaintance with Nature 
affifts RELIGION againtt its greatcit Enemies, which 

are ^tyeifnt, &ao tictim, puperiwton, Cntbufiafm, and 
ttc Rumour of 



FOr the Fir/?, 9tl)0ifl!i, I reckon thus, The deeper infight 
any Man hath into .the Affairs of Nature, the more he 
difcovers of the accuratenefs, and Art that is in the contexture 
of things. For the Works of GW-are not like the companions 
of Fancy^ or the Tridy of Juglers, that will not bear a clear 
//g/tf, or ftri&fcrutiny &gt; but their exa&nefs receives advan 
tage from the (evereft infpedion &gt; and he admires moft, that 
tyowt moft &gt; fince the infides and remotc(l recedes of things 
have the cleared ftamps of inimitable Wifdom on them, and 
the Artifice is more in the Whed-wor^ than in the Cafe. For 
if we look upon any of the Works ot Nature through a Mzg- 
nifying Glafs that makes deep Difcoveries, we find ftill more 
beauty, and more uniformity of contrivance &gt; whereas if we 
furvey the moft curious piece of humane ingenuity by that 
Glafti it will difcover to us numerous Flaws, Deformities and 
Imperfittions in our moft Elegant Mechatticks : Hence I gather, 
That the jludy of God s Works-, (hewing us more of the riches* 
of Nature, opens thereby a fairer Profped of thofe Treafures 
of Wifdom that are lodged within it y and fo furnifheth us 
with deeper Senfes, and more Arguments, and clearer Con 
victions of the exifteme of an infinitely intelligent Being, 
that contrived it in fo harmonious and aftonijking an order. 

So that if any are fo brntiflt^ as not to acknowledge him up 
on the view of the meer external frame of the Univerfe, they 
rrmft yet fall down before the evidence, when Pbilofopby hath 
opened the Cabinet, and led them into the Jevpel-hmje^ and 
hewn them the furprizing variety that is there. Thus though 
the obvious Firmament, and the motions of the Sun and St#rs y 
the ordinary viciffitudes of Seafons, and productions of 
things, the vifible beauty of the great World, and the ap- 
f faring variety and fknes of thofe Parts that tnake up the lit 
tle 



to 

tie one in Man, could fcarce fecure Galen from the danger of 
being an Atbeift : Yet when he pryed further by Anatomical 
Enquiries, and faw the wonderful diverfity, aptnefs, and or- 
derof the minutelt Strings, Pipes, and Pajjagcs that are in the 
inward Fabrick i He could not abftain from the devoutnejs of 
an Anthem of Acknowledgment. And that the real know- 
ledge of Nature leads us by the hand to the confcdion of its 
Author, is taught us by the Holy Pen-man, who fuggdts that 
the viflble things of the Creation declare him- The Plebeian 
and obvious World no doubt doth y but the Philofifhical much 
more. So that whofoever faith, th at inquiry into Nature, and 
God s Worlds leads to any degree of Atbeifm, gives great 
ground of fufpicion that bimfelf is an Atheift i or that he is 
fl&j* d/j&w /tog that the Royal Pfalmilt calls him, that faith in. 
bis heart there it no God. For either he acknowledged* the Art 
and exattnefi of the Works of Nature , or he doth not &gt; if 
not, he dijparageth the Divine Architect, and difables the chief 
Argument of his exiflence : If he doth-, and yet affirms that 
the knowledge of it leads to Atbeifm, he far h he knows ^ 
n^ktf, and in effedt /&#, That the light of the or^r and me 
thod of a regular and beautiful contrivance tends to perfwade 
that Chance and Fortune was the Author. 

But I remember I have difcours d of this elfewhere, and 
what I have faid for Pbilofophy in general from its tendency to 
devout Acknowledgments, is not fo true of any as of the 
Experimental and Mechanic]^ For the Phyfiology of the mo 
dern Peripatetic]^ Schools creates Notions, and turns Nature 
into words of Jecond Intention, but difcovers little of its real 
beauty, and harmonious contrivance , fo that God hath no 
glory from it, nor Men any Argument of his Wtfdom or Exi 
gence. And for the Metaphyfical Proofs, they are for the moft 
part deep and nice, fubjedt to Evafwns and turns of Wit, and 
not fo generally perfwative, as tbvfi drawn from the plain and 
fenfible Topicks, which the Experimental Philofophy inlargeth 
and illutlrate?. 

This then gives the greatefl and fulleft alfurance of the Being 
of God, and acquaintance with this kind of Learning fur- 
nifheth us with the bsft Weapons to defend it. For the modem 
Atheifls are pretenders to the Mtcbanic}^ Principles, vi. thofe 

of 



8 the Ufcfulnep of Real Pkibfoply 

of meer Matter and Motion j and their pretenfions cannot be 
fhamcd or defeated by any fv well, as by tbofe who throughly 
underfland that wild Syfteme of Opinions fbeje indeed per 
ceive, that there is only Nature in fotne things that are taken 
to be fufeniatural and miraculo}U-&gt; and the Jhallow Naturalift 
fees no further, and therefore refts in Nature , But the true 
Philofopher (hews the vanity and unreafonabknefs of taking 
up fo Jhort &gt; and difcovers infinite Wtjdom at the end of the 
Chain of Cauf es* I fay, If we know no further than occult 
Qualities^ Elements, Heavenly Influences and Forms, we (hall 
never be able to difprove a Mechanic^ Atheift &gt; but the more 
we underihndof the Laws of Matter and Motion, the more 
(hall wedifcern the neceflity of a wife mind to order the blind 
and infenfible Matter, and to dirdi the original Motions ; 
without the covduttof which, the Vniverfe could have been 
nothing but a mighty Chaos, and mifhapen Mafsof everlafting 
Confufwns and Disorders. This of the FIRST, viz* That 
the knowledge of Nature ferves Religion againft Atbeifin j and 
that it doth alfo, 



(II.) A Gainft &a&&UCtftn. Tis well known that the 
ji\. S adduces denyed the exiftence of Spirits, and Im 
mortality of Souls j And the Herepe is fadly reviv d in our 
days. 

(i.3 What a Sf irit is i and whether there be Spirits, or 
not i are queftions that appertain to the difquifition of Philo- 
fophy. The Holy Scripture, that condefcends to the plain ca 
pacities of Men, ufeth the word Spirit ( commonly ) for the 
more fubtile and invifible Bodies, and twill be difficult from 
thence to fetch a demonftrative proof of Spirits, in the ftritt 
Notion. That there are Angels and Souls which are purer 
than thefe grofs Bodies, may no doubt be concluded from 
thence. But whether thefe are only a finer fort of Matter, or 
a different kind of Beings } cannot ( I think ) be determined 
by any thing deliver d in the Divine Oracles. The Inquiry 
therefore belongs to Yhilofopby, which, from divers Operations 
inour0B? Souls* concludes, That there is a fort of Beings 

which 



* * - 9 

which are not Matter or Body, viz. Beings, filf-motive, pene 
trable and indivifible ^ Attributes dire&ly contrary to thofe of 
Matter^ which is impenetrable, dh iftble, and veid of Self- 
motion. Ey thefe Properties, refpedively, the djlhitt nature 
of Spirit and Body is known , and by the Jame, that there are 
Spirits^ in thejfrt&eft fence, as well as corporeal Beings. 

Now by ftjtwg the N^tur^ and proving the Exigence of 
Spirits, a very confiderable fcrvice is done to Religion : For 
hereby our Notion of the adorable Deity is freed from al! ma 
terial grofnefs, in which way thofe mutt conceive him, that 
acknowledge nothing but Body in the World which certain 
ly is a very great dif-interelUo his Glory, and fuggefts very 
unbecoming thoughts of him. And by the due fetling the 
Notion of a Spirit, the conceit of the SouFs fraebtfthn, is 
overthrown, which either arifeth from far eft Sadducifnt^ or a 
defett in Philofophy. Hereby our Immortality is undermined, 
and dangeroufly expofed : But due Pbilofopbical Difquifition 
will fet us right in the Theory. 

For the former of the Errors mention d, viz* the Artbro- 
pomorpbite TtoftriHes, that make God himfelf a corporeal Sub- 
ftance; Thofs cannot be difproved, but by the U(e and Ap 
plication of the Principles of Pbilofopby Since let us bring 
what Arguments we can from the Scriptures, which (peak of 
the Perfettion, Infinity , Immenpty* Wi(dom, and other Attri 
butes of God 9 Ttbefe no doubt will be granted i but the Que 
ry will be, Whether all may not belong to a material Being i 
a queftion which Pbilofopby refolves } and there is no other 
way tofearch deep into this Matter, but by thofe~ Aids. 

So likewife as to the ftadvtSitfncfi the.50/; The Argu 
ments from Scripture againtt it are very general* yea many 
expreilions we rind tbere, feem at fir/I fight to look that way* 
And therefore this orher help, Pbilofopby., murt be ufed here 
alfo, and by the diftindfr reprefentation which it gives of the 
Nature of Spirit, and Matter, and of the Operations that ap 
pertain to each, this Error is effectually confuted , which it 
cannot be by any other proceeding. 

Thus Philofophy befriends us again ft S^c(/w, in thefirft 
Branch of it, as it explodes the being of Spirits. 

(20 The 



I o the llfefulnefs of Real Pbi/ofopfy jJEff^ 4. 

( 2. ) The other is, the denyal of the Immortality of onr 
Souls j The eftablifhment cf this likewife, the Students of 
Pbilofiphy and God s Worlds have attempted in all Ages, and 
they have prov d it by the Philofophical confederations of the 
nature of Stuff &gt; the quicknefs of Imagination i the fpiritua- 
lity of the Vnderftandmg* the freedom of the WW\ from 
thefe they infer, that the Soul is immaterial, and from tbeuce&gt; 
thatitisttj0rta/&gt; which Arguments are fomeof the molt 
demonftrative and cogent that the meer reafons of Men can ufe i 
but cannot be manag d, nor underftood, but by thofe that are 
intfrucled in PhilofQfhyznd Nature. 

I confefs there aie other Demonftrations of our Immortality ^ 
for the plain Underftandings that cannot reach thofe Heights. 
The Scripture gives clear evidence, and that of the Refurreclion 
of the Holy jft/5*f, is palpable i But yet the Philofophical 
Proofs are of great ufe, and ferve for the conviction of the 
Infidel^ to whom the other inducements are nothing , and the 
deeper knowledge of things is necefTary to defend this great 
Article of Religion againft fuch Men, fince the) 7 alledge a fort 
of Arguments to prove the Soul to be mortal-, that cannot be 
confuted but by a reafon inftru&ed in the Obfervations of Na 
ture. 

For the Modern Sadduce pretends, that all things we do, are 
performed by meer Matter and Motion * and confequently, 
that there is no fuch thing as an immaterial Being: fothat 
when our Bodies are diflolv d, the whole Man is deftroyed and 
loft for ever &gt; which difmal conclufion is true and certain-^ if 
there be nothing in us but Matter^ and the refults of Motion &gt; 
and thofe that converfe but little with Nature^ underftand lit 
tle what may be done by thefe j and fo cannot be fo well afTu- 
red that the Elevations &gt; Mixtures, and Combinations of. them 
cannot be at laft improved fo far, as to make a fenfible, rea- 
fining Being \ nor are they well able to difprove one, that af 
firms that they are attuatiy advanc d to that height : whereas 
he that hath much inquired into the Works of God and Na- 
tttre, gains a clear fight of what Matter can perform,and gets 
more and ftronger Arguments to convince him, that its Modi 
fications and Changes cannot amount to perception and fenfe &gt; 

fince 



to Religion. 

fince in all its Varieties-, and bigbefl Exaltations, he finds no 
Specimens of fttch Powers. 

And though, I confefs, that all Mecbanicl( Inquirers make 
not ibts ufe of their Inquifithnt and Uifcoveries &gt; yet that is not 
the fault of the Method, but of the Men &gt; and tbofi that have 
gone furthefl in that way, have receded molt from the Saddu- 
cean Doctrines. Among fuch, I fuppofe, I may be allowed 
to reckon the Noble Renatus Des- Cartes \ And his Metapby- 
fcks and Notions of Immaterial Beings, are removed to the I 
greateft diftance from all Corporeal Affections i which I menti-( 
on not to declare, or fignifie my adherence to thofe Principles \ 
but for an Inftance, to (hew, that acquaintance with Matter, 
and the fyowledge of its Operations, removes the Mind far off 
from the belief of thofe high Effects which fome afcribe to 
Corporeal Motions &gt; and from all fuppofitions of the Soul s be 
ing bodily and material. 

Thus Pbilofopby is an excellent Antidote againft Sadducifm, 
in both the Main Branches of it. But then I muft confefs 
alfb, that the Philofophy of the late Peripatetick^ Writers doth 
rather affift, than ovmbrow this dangerous Infidelity &gt; I mean, 
in what it teacheth concerning Subflantial Forms, which I 
fear tends to the difabling all Pbilofopbical Evidence of the Im 
mortality of Humane Souls. For thefe Peri pate ticks make 
their Forms, a kind of medium between Body and Spirit, viz.. 
Beings that are educed ( as they fpeak ) out of Matter i and 
are fo dependent on it, that they periflh utterly, or return into 
the bofom of the Matter, (as fome cant ) when they ceafe to in- 
form it : But yet they allow not that thofe Forms are materi 
al in their eflential Conftitution and Nature. 

This is the Peripatetick account of fubft ant ial Forms, and 
fitcb they affign to all Bodies, and teach, That the noblefl fort 
of them are fenfitive and perceptive, which are the Souls of 
Brutes. 

If this be fo, that Be */ / which are not Spirits, but cor 
ruptible dependants upon Matter, may be endowed with Ani- 
madverfion , and Senfe j what Arguments have we then to 
(hew, that they may not have Reafin alfo,- which is but an 
Improvement, and higher degree of fmple Perception ? Tis 
as hard to be apprehended how any of the nfults of Matter, 

T fhould 



i a ffo Ufefulnefs ofReatPht/ofoffy Jgflfcp 4; 

fhould perceive &gt; as how tlky^hould join their Perceptions into 
Reafinings j and the fame Propofitions that prove the poffibi- 
lity of one, prove both ; fo that thofe who affirm that Beafts 
alfo have their degrees of true Reafon, fpeak very confonantly 
to thofe Principles. And if fuch material, corruptible Forms as 
the Peripatetickj defcribe, are fufficient for all the A&ions and 
Perceptions of Eeafts, I know not which way to go about to 
demonflrate, that a more elevated fort of them may not fuffice 
for the reafonings of Men. To urge the Topicks of Proof, I 
mention d, from Ndtions^ Compofitions, Dedtt&ions, and the 
like, which are alledged to prove our Souls Immaterial &gt; I fay, 
to plead tbefe, will fignirie nothing but this, That Humane 
Souls are no -portions of Matter, nor corporeal in their formal 
EfTence &gt; But how will they evince, that they are not educed 
from it, that they depend not on Matter, and (hall not perijb, 
when their refpedive Bodies are diifolved. Certainly all thofe 
Arguments that are brought for our Immortality, are in tbit 
way clearly difabled. For all that we can fay, will prove but 
this, That the Soul is no Body, or pan of Matter , but this 
will amount to no evidence, if there are a middle kind of Ef- 
fences, that are not corporeal, and yet mortal* 

So that when I (ay, PbiloJ&phy ferves Religion againft Sad- 
diidfin, I would not be underftood to mean the Peripateticl^ 
Hypotbefex &gt; but ^tPhilofophy which is grounded upon ac 
quaintance with real Nature, "fbii, by leaving this whole 
unintelligible fort of Beings out of its Accounts, (as things 
for which there is no fhadow of ground from Reafon, or Na+ 
Wre, but good evidence of their non-exiftence from both ) 
difappoints the Sadduce of the advantage he hath from this 
needlefs and precarious Principle. And by diftributing Sub~ 
ftance into Body, and Spirit, without the admiffion of middle 
Natures, the Real Philofophy gives demonftrative force to 
thofe Arguments for our Immortality that prove our Souls 
are not Bodies &gt; and fo Sadducifm is ruined by it. 

Thefe things I have thought lit to advertife, not out of de- 
fign to cenfttre any particular way of Philofophy \ but for the 
fecurity of my Difcourfe. And though I have made a little 
bold with the Peripatetic]^ here, yet the great Name of Arifto- 
lie, to which they pretend, is not concerned &gt; for I am con- 



* TfeKgion. 

vinc d, that he taught no fuch Dodhine of fubftantial Form/, 
as his later Senators and Interpreters have imputed to Him &gt; 
who indeed have depraved, and corrupted h\sfenfe, (al- 
moft) in the whole Body of his Principles, and have pre- 
fented the World with their own Fancies, inftead of the ge 
nuine Opinions of that Pbilofopber* 
But I proceed, 



(III. )rT"*He Real Pkilofopby, that inquires into God s 
JL Werkf, aflifts Religion againft ^iiperffufon, ano 



ther of its fatal Enemies. That I may prove tbv, it muft be 
premifed, 

That Superftition confifts, either in beftowing Religious Va 
luation and Efteem on things, in which there is no good* or 
fearing thofe, in -which there is no bun : So that this Folly ex- 
prefleth it felf, one while in doting upon Opinions, as unda- 
mentals of Faith i and Idoliziug the little Model t of Fancy, 
for "Divine Inftitutions : And then it runs away afraid ot 
barmlefsy indifferent Appointments, and looks pale upon the 
appearance of any nfual Effedt of Nature* It tells ominous 
Stories of every Meteor of the Night i and makes fad Inter 
pretations of each unwonted Accident : All which are the Pro- 
duds of Ignorance^ and a narrow Mind i which defeat the 
Defign of Religion^ that would make us of a free, manly, 
and generous Spirit 5 and indeed reprefent Cbrijlianity as if it 
were a fond.fneaking^ weaJ^ zn&peevilb thing, that emafiulatts 
Mens Undcrftandings, making them amorous of toys, and 
keeping them under the fertility of cbildijb fears i fo that 
hereby it is expofed to thedijiruft of larger Minds, and to 
the fcorn of Atbeifts i fhefi and many more are the mifchiefs 
of Superftition^ as we have fadly feen and felt. 

Now againft this evil Spirit^ and its Influence^ the Real, 
Experimental Philofophy, is one of the bed Securities in the 
World. For by a generous and open Inquiry in the great 
Field of Nature, Mens minds are enlarged, and taken off 
from all fond adherences to their private Sentiments. They 
are taught by it, That Certainty is not in manytbingr, and 

T z that 



14 Th ttfefulnefsof Real Fhilofopfy 

that the molt valuable Knowledge is the f radicals By which 
means they will find themfdves difpofed to more indifferency 
towards thofe petty Notions-, in which they were before apt to 
place a great deal of Religion &gt; and to reckon, that all that 
will fignifie, lies in the few, certain* operative Principles of 
the Gofpel s and a Life fuitable to fuch a Faith *, not in do* 
ting upon J /?&lt;?#/, and Speculations that engender flrife: and 
thus the Modern, Experimental Pbilofopby of God s JPbrkj-&gt; is 
a Remedy againft the notional Superftition ( as I may call it) 
which bath been, and is fo fatal to Religion) and the peace of 
Mankind; 

Befides which, (by making the Soul great ) this Know 
ledge delivers it from fondnefs on finall Circumftances, and 
imaginary Models i and from little fcrupulofities about things 
indifferent, which ufually work difquiet in narrow and con* 
tracked Spirits : And I have known divers^ whom Pbilofopby^ 
and not Difputes, hath cured of this Malady. 

This we mayobferve, that thofe Remedies are thefo?/?, and 
moft effectual, that alter the temper and difpofition of the 
Mind ; For tis fuitablenefs to that, which makes the way to 
Mens Judgments,and fettles them in their Perfwafions. -There 
are few that hold their Opinions by Arguments^ and dry Rea- 
finings^ but by congruity to the Under/landing, and confe- 
quently by relijh in the Affections : So that feldom any thing 
cures our intefattual Difeafes, ( throughly ) but what chan 
ges tbefe. And I dare affirm, that the Frte y Experimental 
Pbilofophy will do this to purpofe, by giving the Mind another 
finttme, and introducing a founder Habit, which-by degrees 
will repel and caft out all Malignities &gt; and fettle it in nftrong 
and manly Temperament, that will matter and put to flight ail 
idle Dotages, and effeminate Pears. 

The Truth is, This World is a very Bedlam, and he that 
would cure Madmen, muft not attempt it by Reafoning-&gt; or 
indeavour to (hew the abfitrdity of their Conceits but iuch a 
courfe muft be taken,as may rettore the Mind to a rigbt Crafs 
md-tbat ( whea it is effected ) will reduce and, redlifie the 
extravagances of the diftemper d Brain, which Tliftutes and 
Oppoptions will but inflame and make worfe* Thus, for in- 
whenfrantick Peribns are fond of Feathers^ and migh 
tily 



* Religion. 15; 

tily taken with the employment of picking Straws, twould 
fignitie very little, toreprefent to them the vanity of the Ob- 
jeds of their Delights , and when the ^delancholi(l was afraid 
to fit down for fear of being broken, fuppoiing himfelf of 
Glafs, it had been to little purpofe to have declared to him 
the ridiculoufnefs of his Fears &gt; the difpofitwn of the Head 
was to be alter d^ before the particular Pbrenfa could be 
cured. 

3 Tis too evident how juft this is in the application to the 
prefent Age i Superfluous fondnefs, and fears are a real de 
gree of madneft. And though I cannot (ay that Pbilojopby 
muft be the only Catholic^ way of Cure, ( for of /&#, the far 
greateft part of Men is incapable ) yet tbh I do affirm, that 
tis a Remedy, for thofe that are ftrong enough to take it : and 
the reft muftbe helped by that* which changetb the Genius i 
and this cannot, ordinarily, be done by any thing that ef? 
pofetb the particular Fancy, , 

However I muft fay, ( 2. ) That the fort of Superftition 
which is yet behind in my account, and conilfts in the cauflefi 
fear of fbme Extraordinaries^ in Accident, or Nature, is di 
rectly cured by that Philofophy, which gives fair likely-hoods 
of their Caufes i and (hews that there is nothing in them /. 
pernatural* the Ifght of the day drives away Apparitions, 
and vain Images that fancy forms in obfcure (hades, and dark- 
nefs. Thus particularly the Modern Dodfrrinc of Comets, 
which have been always great Bugbears to the guilty, and //- 
morons World v hath refcued Philofophers from the trouble of 
dreadful Prefages, and the mifchievous Confequences that arife 
from thofe fuperftitioitt Abodings. For whatever the cajual 
Coincidences may be between thofe Phenomena, and the dire 
ful Events, that are fometimes obferved clofely to attend them, 
( which, as my Lord Bacon truly notes, are obferv d when 
they hit, not when they mifs ) I fay, notwithftanding thefe, 
the Real, Experimental Pbilofiphy makes it appear, that they 
are Heavenly Bodies, far above all the Regions of Vapours, in 
which we are not concerned &gt; and fo they are neither the 
?gnf, nor the Caufe / of our Mifibiefs* . 

; ixn viakv^&gt; iV. 3 - ^4- "*-- 

And 



The ttfefulneft of Real Philosophy 

And for the other little things, which afford Matt&gt; r for the 
tales about Prodigiesy and other ominous Appearing!!, the 
knowledge of Nature^ by exciting worthy and magnificent 
conceptions of the God of Nature j cures that blafpbemout 
abufi of the adorable Majefty, whereby foolifh Men attribute 
every trivial event that may ferve their turns againft thofe they 
hate, to his immediate^ extraordinary intetpofa}. For tis ig- 
0r ance of God and his IPbrkjy that difpofeth Men to abfard 
ridiculous Surmifesy uncharitable Cenfuresy feditious Machina 
tions &gt; and ( fo ) to Thoughts that are prejudicial to the Glo~ 
ry of Gody the Interefts of Religion, and the fecurityof Go 
vernment &gt; to that Juftice and Charity we owe to others* and 
to the happinefs that we feek our felves* To which I add, 

That tbu kind of Superftition is a relique of Pagan Igno 
rance, which made Men look on Thunder, Edipfesy Earth- 
qnatysy and all the more terrifying Phenomena of Nature, as 
the immediate Effects of Powers Supernatural i and to judge 
Events by flights of Birds, and garbages of Cattely by the 
accidental occurftons of this Creature, and the other, and al- 
tnoft every cafital occurrence. But thefe Particulars have been 
tnoft ingenioufly repre(ented, and reproved in a late very ele 
gant Difcourfe about Prodigies &gt; And though I do not acqui- 
cfce in the Defign of that excellently penn d Book, which is 
Vodifcredity and taty away all kftds of Prefages 5 Yet I-think 
it hath done rarely well, fo far as it dHcovers the folly and 
mifchiefs of that ignorant and fuperftitiow Spirit, that makes 
tvery thing a Prodigy. With fuch apprehenfions as theft*, the 
fytewledgeof Nature fills thofe Minds that are inftrudted in 
it. 

And there is no doubt, but that the Antipathy the Real 
Philofophy bears to all the kinds of Snperjiitiony is one caufe 
why zealous Ignorance brands thofe Refearches with the mark 
of Atbeifin and Irreligion. For fuperftitious Folly adopts thofe 
grouridlefs Trifles^ which Philofophy contemns and reproves, 
into the Family of Religion , and therefore reproacheth the 
Defpifers of them, as Enemies to the Faith and Power of God- 
linefs. 

So it fared withibme of thebraveft Spirits of ancient times, 
who have had blacl^ Charters fixt upon their great and 

worthy 



* ft Relight* 

worthy Names, only for their Oppo/itions of the foolifti 
Rites and Idolatries of the vulgar Heathen. We know the 
cafe of Socrate / : And (as to the intereft of their Names} 
ibat of Anaxagorofy theodorw^ Protagoras, and Epicurus, was 
much worfe j the cauflefs infamy coming down the Stream as 
far as the laft Ages. Since then, we know who was an Here 
tic^ for faying there were Antipodes &gt; and a Pope was taken 
for *. Conjurer for being a Mathematician* yea thofe noble 
Sciences were counted Diabolical &gt; and even the Sacred Lan 
guage could fcarce efcape the fufpicion. In later times Ga- 
UUo fell into the Inquifition for the Difcoveries of his iWf- 
feopes &gt; and Campanula could not endeavour to aflert, and 
vindicate the freedom of his Mind, without lofing that of his 
Perfon. 

I might come nearer to our own days, and knowledge : 
Gothic^ barbarity, and the Spirit of the Inquisition is not quite 
worn out of the Reformation &gt; Though indeed it ordinarily 
remains but among the fcum and dregs of Men : And no one 
is either Jefs Religious, or left Wife for being accounted an 
Atheiftby the common Rabble. But where-ever the know 
ledge of Nature, and God / Wwrk$ hath in any degree obtain d, 
thofe vile Super ftitiottf have been defpifed, and put to an infa 
mous flight. But to take another ftep&gt; 



(IV.) THe Real Philofopby, and knowledge of Cod s 

L 



ferves Religion againil CntlJUfiafm, ano 
ther dreadful Enemy. Now Enthufiafm is a falfe conceit of 
Inspiration i and all the bold and miftaken Pretendons to the 
Spirit^in our days, are of this fort. What particularly Religi 
on hath fuffer d from it, would be too long to reckon upon 
this occafion i It will be enough to fay, in an Age that hath 
fo much and fuch fad experience of it, That Enthufiafm hath 
introduced much phantaftry into Religion, and made way for 
all imaginable Follies, and even Atheifmit felf j which it hath 
done two ways. ( i. ) By crying up the Excejfetmd Dif- 
eafes of Imagination for the greateft height of Godlinefs i And 
( 2. ) By the difparagrmcnt of fiber Rtafon, as an Enemy to 

the- 



1 8 the Ufefotvtfs of Real Pli/ofopty 

the Principles of Faith. And Philofophy affifts Religion 
againft both thefe. 

FOR the firft in order i The real knowledge of Natffre 
deteds the dangerous impofture, by (hewing what ftrange 
things may be effected by no diviner acaufe than a flrong Fan 
cy impregnated by Heated Melancholy, For t\M fometimes 
warms the Brain to a degree that makes it very aftive and ima- 
ginative, full of odd Thoughts, and unexpected Suggeftions ,&gt; 
fo that if the Temper determine the Imagination to Religion, 
it flies at high things, at interpretations of dar]^ and Prophetic^ 
Scriptures &gt; at Predictions of future Events, and myfteriouf 
Difcoveries, which the Man exprefleth fluently and boldly, 
with a peculiar and pathetick Eloquence &gt; which pregnances 
being not ordinary-, but much beyond the ufual tone and tem 
per of the Enthttfiajl &gt; and he having heard great things of 
the Spirits immediate Motions and Infpirations, cannot well fail 
of believing himfelf infpired y and of infilling all the excxrf- 
ons of his Fancy to the immediate Aftings of the Holy Gheft : 
and thofe thoughts by the help of natural pride and felf-love y 
will work alfo exceedingly upon theheightned Affe&ions, and 
they upon the Body fo far, as to caft it fometimes into Rap* 
t^res-, Extafiej, and * Deliquittms of Senfe, in which every 
Dream is taken for a Prophefie&gt; every Image of the Fancy for a 
Vifani and all the glarings of the Imagination for new Lights 
and Revelations* 

Thus have our Modern Prophets been infpired by Temper 
and Imagination, and not by Defign only j For we may not 
think they are all Hypocrites and knowing Importers , No, 
they generally believe themfelves, and the ftrength of their 
highly invigorated Fancies (huts out the fober Light of Reafon 
that (hould difabu(e them, as Jleep doth that of our External 
Senfes in our Dreams. And the (illy People that under/rand 
not Nature , but are apt to take every thing that is -vehement to 
be f acred-, are eafily deceived info the belief of thofe Pretenfi- 
ons i and thus Difeafes have been worjbifd hvReligion* This 
account the Philofophy of Humane Nature gives of that&gt;. by 
which the World hath been fo miferably abufed. 

And when we caft our eyes abroad, we may plainly fee 
that thofe glorious things are no wo/v,than what hath been done 



by the ExtaticJ^ Priefts of the Heathen Oracles, and the Mad 
men of all Religions &gt; by Sybils, Lunaticks, Poets, Dreamers, 
and tranfported Perfons of all forts : And it may be obferv d 
daily to what degrees of elevation exctfs of drinking will 
heighten the Brain, making fome witty, nimble, and eloquent, 
much beyond the ordinary proportion of their Parts and In 
genuity j and inclining others to be hugely devout, who ufa- 
ally have no great fenfe of Religion &gt; As I knew one, who 
would pray rapturoufly when he was drttn^ but at other 
times was a moping Sot, and could fcarce fpeak lenfe. 

Thus alfo fome kinds of Madnefs, Difeafes, Accidents, Pe 
culiarities of temper, and other natural things that beat the 
Brain, fill Men with high furprizing Conceits about Religion, 
and furniui them with fervid Devotion, great readings of 
Expreffion, and unexpected applications of Scripture to their 
crafy Conceits*, I fay,the Experimental Pbilofopby of our Natures 
informs us, that all this is common in alienations, and fmgtt* 
Unties of Mind and Complexion- And they were remarkable 
in the Prophets of the Heathen, and the Prieft whom Saint Au- 
flin knew, that would whine himlelf into an Extafie j In the 
wonderful Difcourfes of the American Bifhop, that faid he 
was the Holy Ghofl, and the canting fluency of the German 
Enthufiafts, fome of whofe Imaginations were as wild and 
extravagant \ of fuch Inftances I might make up a much lar 
ger Catalogue, if I mould defcend to our DjmejiicJ^JLunatickj, 
but their temper is well known, and therefore I only add this 
more v 

That I have often met with a poor Woman in the North, 
whofe habitual conceit it was, That (he was Mother of God, 
and of all things living I was wont to perfonate a kind of 
complyance with her Fancy, and a modelt defire to be further 
informed about it &gt; which gentlenefs drew from her fo many 
odd fetches of Difcourfe, fuch applications of Scripture, and 
fuch wonderful references to Things, iu which ("he was ne 
ver inftru&ed, that look d like gleanings out of Hobbs and 
Epicurus, that I have been much amazed at her talk : And 
yet when I diverted her to any thing elfe of ordinary Matters, 
(he fpoke ufually with as much fobriety and cold di faction, 
as could well be expected from a Pcrfon of her Condition &gt; 

V nor 



2 o *he Ufeful&efs of Real Philofopky 4B03g 4 V 



nor did (he ufe to be extravagant in any thing, but about that 
particular Imagination &gt; which Inftance among many others 
I might produce, very much confirm? me in the truth of that 
Obfervation of thofe Philofophers who have given us the beft 
light into the Enthufiaftict^ Temper, -viz. that there is a fort of 
madnffs, which takes Men in feme par tic filar things when they 
are found in others : which one Propofition will afford a good 
account of many of the Phenomena of Enthzifiafa , and (hews 
that the Extravagant* among us may be really diftratted in the 
Affairs of Religion, though their Brains are untouc d in other 
Matters. 

Thus a Philofophical ufe of objervation, and the knowledge of 
Humane Nature by it, helps us to diftinguifh between the /- 
feCts of the adorable Spirit, and thofe of an hot diflemper d 
Fancy &lt;&gt; which is no fmall advantage for the fecuring the Pu 
rity, tionour, and all the interefts of Religion* 



But (2.) there is another mifchief of the 
Spirit behind, and that is its bringing Reafon into difgrace, 
and denying the ufe thereof in the Affairs of Faith and Reli 
gion : This is an evil that is the caufe of many more ; for it 
hath brought into the World all kinds of Phanta/try and Folly^ 
and expofed Religion to Contempt and Derifion, by making 
Madnffs and Difeafes Sacred : It leads Mens Minds into a 
maze of canfufed Imaginations, and betrays them into Bogs 
and Precipices, deprives them of their Light and their Guide, 
and lays them open to all the Deluiions of Satan, and their 
own diftemper d Brains : It takes Religion off from its Foun 
dations, and leaves the Iritereftof Eternity in Mens Souls, to 
Chance, and the Hits of Imagination ; teaching thofe that 
are deluded to lay the ftrefs of all upon Raptures, Heats, and 
Myfteriow Notions, while they forget] and fcorn the plain 
ChiiiUanity which is an imitation of Chrift in Charity, Hu~ 
mility, Juftice, and Purity , in the exercife of all Vertue, 
and command of our felves : It renders Men obnoxious to 
all the Temptations of Atheifm, and the blackeft Infidelity 
and makes it impollible to convince an Infidel, to fettle one 
that doubts, or to recover one that is fallen off from the Faith. 
Thefe Evils I am content only to name in this place, having 

repre- 



fa Religion* jj 

reprefented them more fully in another Difcourfe and the 
experience of our own Age may convince us, with a little 
coniideration upon it, That all thofe fatal Mifchiefs have been 
the Effects of the Contempt, and Difparageme.nt of 



But yet though I affirm tbfa I am not fo rafh, or fo unjuft 
as to believe, or fay, That this Spirit hath produced all thofe 
fad things in every one that fpeaks hotly^ and inconfiderately 
againft Reafon : I am far from the wildnefs of fuch a cenfure, 
faecaufe I know how much imprudent Zeal, cujhmary talk-* 
high Pretenfionf, and Juperftitiow Fears^ may work even upon 
boneft Minds) who many times hold bad things in the Prin 
ciple^ which they deny in the Practice? and fo are upright 
in their WiVs* while they are very much confafid, and mi- 
ftakgn in their Vnderftandingf* This I account to be the 
cafe of multitudes of pious People in reference to Re&- 
fon. They have heard hot-headed indifcreet Men declaim 
againft it, and many of them, whofe Opinions will not 
bear the Light, have an intereft to do fo j Their Pretenfi- 
ons were plaufible, and their Zeal great their Talk loud, and 
their Affirmations bold ; and the honeft well-meaning Folks 
are caught in their Affections &gt; and tbefe lead bad Principles 
into their Minds, which are neither difpofed, nor able to ex 
amine : So they believe and fpeak after their Teachers i and 
fay, That Reafon is a low&gt;&gt; dull thing, ignorant of the Spirit y 
and an Enemy to Faith and Religion i while in this they have 
no clear thoughts, nor yet any evil meaning i But let thefe 
Fancies fwim a-top in their Imaginations, and upon occalions 
they run out at the Tongues end, though they are not always 
improved to thofe deadly Practices. For Charity and Caution 
I have faid this &gt; but yet nothing hinders but that all the fore- 
cited Evils are juftly faid to be the "tendencies, and in too ma 
ny Inftances have been, and are the Erfects of this Spi 
rit. 

And now I doubt not but twill be granted readily by all 
conftdering Men, that whatever afliils Religion againft this de- 
jiruftive Enemy, doth it moft important fervice &gt; and this 
the Free and .Real Pbilofipby doth in a very eminent de 
gree. 

V 2 In 



a i * 0/^/**/&gt; / Real Mi/of*pfy COiEty 4- 1 

In order to the proof of this, we may confider what I in 
timated juft now, viz. That Men are led into, and kept in 
this Fancy of the Enmity of Reafon to Religion, chiefly by 
two things : 

( i.) By an implicit aflfent to the Syftemes and T)i8atetot 
thofe who fir(l intruded them ; And ( 2. ) By defedr in 
clearnefs of Thoughts, and the ability to date things diftinft* 
ly, and to tmdtrftajtd their Dependencies and Seque Is &gt; Both 
which Imperfections the Free Philofophy cures. 

For as to the F/r/h (i.) that Philofophy begins with tne 
inljrgementol the Mind, and attempts to free it from Prejudi 
ces and Pre-ingagements-t which fophifticate -and pervert our 
Judgments, and render us incapable of difcerning Things as 
they are. Modeft&gt; impartial enquiry is the Foundation of the 
real, experiment at way of Philofophy. Not that it teacbeth 
Scepticijm and Neutrality in all Things, but this Caution in 
our Diiquifitions, That we do not fuddenly give firm aflents 
to Things not well underftood or examined: which no doubt 
is very juft and fafe. But as to what concerns thofe, who 
through ignorance, or other occailons, are incapable of ma 
king due enquiry, I think they ought not to concern them- 
felves about Matters of Speculation at all i or at leaft not to 
affirm any thing fojttively about them. Tis enough for fucb 
to believe and pradiie the plain Duties of Religion, which 
are clear in the Holy Oracles, and with which they may be ac 
quainted without much fagacity^ or deep Judgment : For 
Matters of Theory, and difficult Enquiry, appertain not to 
the vulgar and lower rank of Underftandings : But for thofe 
who are capable of ft arch after Truth, and are provided with 
anvantages for it, Freedom of Judgment is necelTary in order 
to their fucccfs. With this, I faid, the Real Philofophy be 
gins -&gt; and in all its progreiTes dill more and more difpofeth 
the Mind to it, audfo delivers it from the vaffalageof Cufto- 
mary Sayings and Opinions. 

And now whoever is fo difpofed, will not be fo ready to 
believe that Reafon is an Enemy to Religion^ till he have confr- 
der d, and -examin d the Matter with an impartial Judgment : 
And I dare fay, whoever (hall do that, will want nothing to 
convince him, that fuch ajj Opinion is falfe and groundlefs, 

but 




to Religion, 2 5 

butc/wand diftintt Thoughts, and the knowledge of Con- 
(equence, with which Pbilofopby will furnifli him. 

This is the ficond way whereby it helps to overthrow this 
Principle of Entbttfiafa, viz. 

( 2. ) By teaching us to ft ate Matters clearly , and to draw 
out thofe conclufions that are lodged in them, For tis confit- 
fion of Notions* and a great deft ft in reafoning, that makes 
dark Zeal to rave fo furiottfly againft Reafon. Now Pbilofopby 
* s R ea fn metbodizSd-) and improved by Study., Obfervation, 
ancTExpmmettt j and whoever is addi&ed to tbtfe 9 is exerci- 
fed frequently in inquiry after the Gxtffes y Properties, and Re 
lations of Things, which will inure the Mind to great /#- 
tentmfs, and inable it to define and diftinguifa and infer right 
ly i And by thefe the Allegations againft Reafon will be made 
appear to be idle Sopbifms, that have no found fenfe or fub- 
ftance in them. 

And though the Difcourfes of fome, who have talk d much 
of Philofophy and Reafon, have been fometimes &0/Jand faw- 
cy, and oppofite to the Interefts of Religion : Yet true Pbilo 
fopby, and well managed Reafon, vindicate Religion from thofe 
abufes, and (hew, that there was Sopbiftry. and impoftttre in 
tkofe Pretenfions : So that tbey are no more to be blamed for 
the Infolencies and Riots of thofe that ufurp their Name, than 
Religion it feif is, for the Immoralities of fuch as cloath them- 
felves in the Garments of external Piety and Saintfhip. Thus 
of the fervices of Pbilofopby againft ENI HV S I A 
I come now to the laft Initance. 



(V.) ft 



34 Ike Mfefulwft of Real Philofopfy 



( V. ) TT helps Religien againft the Humour of 

JL By which I mean that evil Genius, that makes Men 
confident of uncertain Opinions , and clamoroufly contenti 
ous againft every different Judgment. This is that peftilent 
Spirit that turns Religion into Air of Notion, and makes it in 
tricate and uncertain i fubje6r to eternal Quarrels, and Ob 
noxious to Scefticlfm and Infidelity &gt; that which fupplants 
Charity, Modefty, Peace, and Meefyefs &gt; fubftituting in their 
room, Rage and Infolence^ Pride and Bitter* Zeal, Clamours 
and Vivifio aS) and all the Oppofites of the Spirit of Cbrifty 
and the Gofpel. So that, it def raves Religion, and makes its 
Sacred Name an Inftrummt to promote the Projects of the 
Kingdom of TJarkttefs j by envenoming Men one againft ano 
ther, and inflaming their Spirits, and crumbling them into 
Seels, and difturbing Societies &gt; and fo it hinders f he Progrefs 
of the GofpeL and lays it open to the fcorns of Unbelievers &gt; 
it turns Men from the defire of fraffifag? to the itch of talk? 
ing, and abufes them into this dangeroi^ ^cltef, That Godli- 
neft contlfts mou in their beloved OrtL- hxy-, than in a fiber 
Vertue^ and the exercife of Charity , it makes them fert and 
pragmatical} bufie about the Reformation of o^^r/, while they 
riegledt their ..&lt;w Spirits j fancying a perfection in the fluency 
of the "fongtfe, while f-he n?^ of Paffions have the Empire of 
their Souls* Theft are fome of the (ad Effeclrs of the Humour 
of Difputing, which hath done deplorabk execution upon 
Religion in all Places and Times* and therefore tis none of 
the leaft Services that can be afforded it, to deftroy this evil 
Genius -&gt; and there is nothing, meerly humane, that contri 
butes more towards the rooting of it out of the World, than 
the Free and Real Pbilofiphy. For, 

f i. ) An intimate Commerce with God s Worfy, gives us 
to fee the mighty Difficulties that are to be met in the fpecula- 
tionof them , and thereby Men are made kCstonfident of their 
Sentiments about Nature, and by many Confider ations and 
Obfervations of this kind, are at length brought to foch an 
habitual Modefty, that they are afraid to pafs bold Judgments 

upon 



* to 

upon thofe Opinions in Religion, of which there is no Infallible 
affurance. 

And (2.) By infrequent exercifes of our Minds, we 
come to be made fenfible how eafjly, and how oft we are de 
ceived, through the fallibility of Seafe, and Jhortnefs of our 
Understandings } by Education, Authority, Intereft, and our 
Affections &gt; and fo are difpofcd to a more -prudent coldneft 
and diffidence in things of doubtful Speculation, by which 
the Deputing Humour is deftroyed at the bottom. Btfides 
which, 

(5.) The Real Pbilofopby brings Men in love with the 
Practical Knowledge : The more we have imployed our felves 
in Notion and the jry, the more we fhall be acquiinted with the 
uncertainty of Speculation \ and our efteem, and love of 
Opinions will aliate, as that fenfe increafeth : By the fame 
degrees our refpedt and kind nefs for Operative knowledge will 
advance, and grow ? which difpofition will incline us al(b 
to havelefs regard to Nicities in Religion-) and teach us to lay 
out our chief Cares and Endeavours about Practical and cer 
tain Knowledge^ which will aflift and prolate our Vertue&gt; and 
our H*?pi,:efs i and incline us to imploy our fdves in living 
according to it i And this alfo will be an effectual means to 
deilroy the Humour of Contending. 

( 4, ) Pbitofiphy gives us a fight of the Caufesot our Intel- 
lettteal Diverfities i and fo leifens our expectation of an Agree 
ment, in Opinionfi and by this, it ducovers the mreafojiable- 
nefs of making confent in lefs certain Tenents, the condition 
of Charity and Vnion i and of being angry \ and dividing up 
on every difference of JudgmeKt\ By which the hurtful Ma 
lignities of Difputes are qualified, and the Difeafe it felf is 
undermined* 

( 5. ) It inclines Men to place the Ejfintial Principles of 
Religion only in the plain, and certain Articles. For Philo- 
fophers are difpofed to thinkj that Certainty is in a little room : 
And whoever believes fo, concerning the Tenents of theology, 
will not lay the main ftrefs upon any, but the clear acknow- 
ledg d Principles i by which prudent Caution he fcrvesall the 
important Concernments of Religion. He will not wrangle 
for every Conceit nor divide for every Difference &gt; but takes 

care 



the Ufsfulntjs of Real Pbibfopfy 

care to walk in the ways of Charity and Obedience * 9 And fo 
the Cfoircfc is fafe, and Schifms are prevented and cured. 

( 5O The Real Philofophy ends many Difputes y by taking 
Men off from unnecejfary Terms of ^rf, which very often are 
the chief occafions of the Contefts : If things were ftated in 
clear and f lain words, many Controverfies would be ended * 
and the Philofophy I am recommending, inclines Men to de 
fine with -thofe that are fimpleft and plainefl &gt; and thereby alfb 
it very much promotes the Interefts both of Truth and Peace. 

In fum, I lay, the Free and Real Philofophy makes Men 
deeply fenfible of the Infirmities of Humane Intellect, and our 
manifold hazards of miftakjng, and fo renders them wary and 
modeft, diffident of the certainty of their Conceptions, and 
averfe to the boldnefs of peremptory averting. So that the 
Philosopher thinly much, m& examines many things, feparates 
the Certainties from the Plausibilities, that which is prefamed 
from that which is proved \ the Images of Senje, Pbanfle, and 
Education, from the refults of genuine and impartial Reafon. 



Thus he doth before he dffents or Denies &gt; and *& he takes 
with him alfo a Wife ot his own Fallibility and Vefefls y 
and never concludes but upon refolution to alter his Mind 
upon contrary Evidence. Thus he conceives warily, and he 
ipeaks with as much caution and refe-rve, in the humble 
Forms of [So I thinly, and Z# my Opinion, and Perhaps tis 
fi*-~] with great difference to oppofite Perfwafion, candour 
to Diffenters-&gt; and calmftefr in Contradittiins, with r^Wi- 
nefs and defire to learn, and great delight in the Difcove- 
ties of Truth, and Detections of his awn Miftakes. When 
he argues he gives his Reafons without Pajjion, and Jhines with 
out fltming) Difcourfes without wrangling, and differs with 
out dividing- He catcheth not at -the Infirmities of his Op- 
psfite, but lays hold of his Strength, and weighs the Sub- 
fiance without blowing the dull in his eyes. He entertains 
what he finds reafonable, and Jltfpends his Judgment when he 
doth not clearly ttnderftand. This is the Spirit with which 
Men are4nfpired by the Philofophy I recommend. It makes 
them fo juft, as to allow that liberty of Judgment to other s^ 
which tkemfelves defire, and fo prevents all imperious Vitiates 
and Jmpofmgf, all Captions Barrels and Notional Wars. And 

that 



U Region. 

that this is the Philofophick^ Genius, may be (hewn i 
Inftance, the ROTAL SOCIETT, which is the 
Body of Praflical Phibfophcrs. In this A$mbly y though it 
be made up of all kinds of Diffusions, Profiflions, and Opi 
nions \ yet hath Pbilofopby fo rarely tcmper d the Constitution, 
that thofe that attend there, never fee the lead inclination to 
any unhandfome off option or uncivil reflexion, no bold obtrufl- 
ons or confident fayingf- The forbearing fuch RudenefTes is 
indeed a Law of that Society, and their Defigns and Methods 
of Inquiry, naturally form Men into the modeft temper, and 
fecure them from the danger of the Qttarrelfome Genius. This 
is palpable evidence of the faeet Humour, and ingenious ten 
dencies of the Free Pbilofophy &gt; and I believe twill be hard to 
(hew fuch another Example in any fo great a Body of differing 
Inclinations and Afprehenfwns* Thus the Experimental Lear 
ning rectifies the grand Abufe, which the Notional Know 
ledge hath (b long fofter d and promoted, to^he hinder ance of 
Science, the difturbance of the World, and the prejudice of 
the Chriftian Faith. And there is no doubt, but as it hath 
altered and reformed the Genim in Matters of Natural Re- 
Jearch and Inquiry , (b it will in its progrefs difpofe Mens Spi 
rits to more Calmnefs and Modefty, Charity and Prudence in 
the Differences of Religion, and even Silence Difputes there. 
For the free fenfiblt Knowledge tends to the altering the Cra 
ps of Mens Minds, and fo cures the Vifeafe at the Root &gt; and 
true Pbilofefby is a Specific^ againft Dijftttes and Vivifions. 

To confirm which we may obferve further, That where- 
ever t\fa fort of Knowledge prevails, the Contentious Divinity 
lofeth ground i and twill be hard to find any one of thofe 
Philofophers, that is a zealous Votary of a Sed : which re- 
fervednefs doth indeed give occafion to Sectaries, and Bigotts 
to accufe them of Atbeifm and Irreligion : But it really is no 
Argument of left Piety , but of more Confideration and 
Knowledge. And twould make much for the advantage of 
Religion, and their own, if thofe fierce Men would under- 
Hand, that Chriftianity mould teach them that* which they 
rail againft in the Philofophers. 

But now I muft expect to hear, 

X (I.) That 



2 S the Ufefufotfs ofRealPki/ofopfy Jgffep 4, 

f I. ) That Dilutes fcrve to difcover 7V0?& &gt; as~ latent Fire 
is excited, and difclofed by the coliifionof hard Bodies : So 
that the Pretence is, That Philofophy doth, on this account, 
rathei difltrve than promote the Interefts of Religion. 

To this, I Anftver, ( i.) That all the necejfary^ material 
Truths in Divjnity are already difcover d } arid we have no 
need of New Lights tbtre 5 the Ancicnteft are tmcfl and beft ; 
though in the difquifitions of Pbilofophy, there will be always 
occafions of proceeding. I add, (2.) Disputes are one of 
the worft ways to difcover fm-b v If new things were to be 
found out in Religion-* as well as Nature, they would fcarce 
be difclofed by this way of Enquiry. A calm Judgment, and 
diftintt Thoughts, and impartial Corifidenrion of many 
things, are neceJJ^ary for the finding truth &gt; which lies deep, 
and is mingled up and down with much Error &gt; and ffecious 
falfhood i and 3 cte hard, if not utterly impoffible, to prcferve 
any one of tbefe in the beat of Deputation : in fuch Occafions, 
the Mind is commonly difordered by Pajfion-) and the Thoughts 
are confufid y and our Conliderations tyed to tbofi things which 
give colour to our Opinions. We are biaft by our Affeftiont to 
wards our own Conceits j and our love to them is inflamed by 
oppofition -&gt; we are made incapable of entertaining the afliftance 
of our Oppofites Suggeflions by ftrong prejudice, and inclined 
to quarrel with every thing he faith by $igbt&gt; and defire of 
triumph : and tbefe are ill Circumftances for the difcovery of 
frutb : He is a wonderful Man indeed that can thread a Nee 
dle when he is at Cudgels in a crowd i and yet this is as eafie, 
as to find Truth in the hurry of Difputation. The Apoftle 
intimates, i e fim. 6. 5. That perverfe Difputers are deftitute 
of *frutb and tells us, That of the flrife of words come &* 
vy, railings, evil furmifmgs^ but no difcovery of unknown Ve 
rities* 

But ( II.) we are told, in favour of Difputes in Religion, 
That we are to centend earneftly for the Faith that was once de+ 
liveredto the Saints i and hereby Herefies are faid to be confu 
ted and overthrown ;. So that the difabling and fuppreffing of 

Difputes, 



to Religion. 

Difputes, feems to be a weakening, rather than any advantage 
to Religion, and the Concernments of it. 

To this, I fay, That by the Faith we are to contend for, I 
conceive, the Eflentlals, and certain Articles are meant \ Theje 
we may, and we ougbt^ to endeavour to defend and promote* 
as there is occafion j and we have feen, how the Real Pbilofo- 
pby will help our Reafons in that Service. But pioitt Conten 
tions Tor theje, are net the difputings of which I am now di 
courfing &gt; thofe are ftiff Contefts about uncertain Opinions : 
And fuch I dare very boldly fay, are no Contentions for the 
Faith, but the Inftruments of the greateft mifchiefs to it. As 
for thofe other Difputes that are ufed to convince Men of the 
Truths of the Gofpel, and the great Articles thereof i and for 
the difproving Infidelity and Herefie &gt; they are necefTary, and 
Philofopby is an excellent help in fitch Contefts. 

So that thofe other Objections pleadable from the neceffity 
of proving and trying our Faith, and convincing Heretic^* &gt; 
From the Example of our Saviour s difputing with the Doftors 
and the Sadduces and of St. Paul at Athens with the Jews ; 
Ibefe^ and fuch other little Cavils, can iignifie nothing to the 
difadvantage of what I have faid about the Humour of Difpu- 
tlngt in Matters of doubtful and uncertain Opinions againft 
which the Real Pbllofopby is an Antidote. 

ANdthusIhavefliewn, under fi\je material Heads, That 
the knowledge of Nature, and the Worlds of God, pro 
motes the greateft hterefts of Religion &gt; and by the three laft 
it appears how fundamentally oppofite it is to all Scbifaand 
Fanaticifin, which are made up and occafioned by Superftiti- 
on-&gt; Enthufiafm, and ignorant-) perverfe ~Difput ings* So that for 
AtheiftS) and S adduces^ and Fanatickj-&gt; to deteft and inveigh 
againft Pbilofopby, is not at all ftrange i Tis no more than 
what may well be expected from Men of that fort &gt; Pbllofopby 
is their Enemy i and it concerns them to difparage and re- 
provcb it : But for the Sober and Religious to do any thing Co 
unadvifed, and fo prejudicial to Religion, is wonderful and 
deplorable : To (et thefe right in their Judgment about Pbilo- 
fopbical Inquiry into God s Wor^s^ is the Principal defign of 

X 2 tbefo 



the Ufefulnefs af Real ftibfopfy jgflag 4. 



thefe Papers-, and in order to the further promoting of it, I 
advance to the laft Head of Difcourft propofed, viz* 



( IV. ) ^T^Hat the Mwijlers and Profeffors of Religion ought 

JL 



not to difcourage^ but promote the knowledge of 
ture&gt; and the Wor}^ of its Author. 

ibis is the refult of the whole Matter, and follows evident 
ly upon it. And though it will not infer a neccflityof all 
Mens deep fearch into Nature, yet this it will, That no Friend 
or Servant of Religion (ho aid hinder or dif countenance fuch In 
quiries : And though moft private Chriflians, and fome pub 
lic^ Minifters, have neither kifure nor ability to look into 
Matters of natural Refearch and Inquifition &gt; yet they ought 
to think^ candidly, and mjh well to the endeavours of thofe that 
kave \ and tis a fin and a folly either in the one or other to 
cenfure, or difcourage thofe worthy Undertakings. So that I 
cannot without trouble, obferve how apt fome are^that pretend 
much to Kf//g*0H,and fome that minijhr in it,to load thofe that 
are ftudiottf of God j Works, with all the sdiotu Names that 
contemptandfpightcanfuggeftj The Irr/gwtf of which in 
jurious carriage, nothing can excufe but their ignorance i And 
Twill rather hope that they neither l^tovp what they fay^ nor 
what they do* than believe that they have any dired defign 
againft theG/oryof their Maker, or-againft any laudable en 
deavours to promote it. 

I know well what mifchief Prejudice will do, even upon 
Minds that other wife are very hweft, and intelligent enough* 
And there are many c0ww0w flanders, and fome plaufible Qb- 
je&ionsin the Mouths of the Zealous againft Philofiphy, which 
have begot an ill Opinion of it in well-meaning Men, who 
have never examined things with any depth of Inquiry. For 
the fake of fuch, I (hall produce the molt considerable Allega- 
tions of both forts, and I hope make fuch returns to them, as 
may be fufficient to fatisfie thofe whole Minds, are not barr d 
by Ob$inacy&gt; or Ignorance. 



t& Religion. 

I fpeak firfl of the bold and broad Slanders, among which, 
that 

( I. ) Of 3tbetftt1 is one of the moft ordinary &gt; But cer 
tainly tis one of the moft unjuft Accufations that Malice and 
Ignorance could have invented. This I need not be induftri- 
ous to prove here, having made it appear, that Philofophy is 
one of the beft Weapons in the World to defend Religion 
againft it i and my whole Difcourfc is a confutation of this 
envious and foolifh charge. 

Concerning it I take notice, That Philofipbical Men are 
ufually dealt with by the Zeahuf^ as the greateft Patrons of 
the Proteftant Caufe are by the Setts. For as the Bijbopf and 
other Learned Perfons, who hzvemoft ftrongty oppugned the 
Romijh Faith, have had the ill luck to be accufed of Popery 
themfelves &gt; in like manner it happens to the humbleft and 
deepeft Inquifitors into the Worlds of &lt;jW,who have the moft and 
fulleft Arguments of his Exigence, have raifed impregnable 
Ramparts, with much induftry and piouf pains againft the 
AtbeiftS) and are the only Men chat can with fucccfs ferve Re 
ligion againft the Godlefs Rout i Thefe, Superftitious Ignorance 
hath always made the loudeft out-cry againft, as if themfelves 
were guilty of that which they have molt happily oppugned and 
defeated. And the certain way to be efteemed an Atkeift by 
the fierce and ignorant ~Devotos-&gt; is to ftudy to lay the founda 
tions of Religion fure, and to be able to fpeak groundedly and 
to purpofe againft the defperate Caufe of the black^ Confpirators 
againft Heaven. And the greatert Men that have imploy d 
their Time and Thoughts this; way, have been felted with 
this D/rf, while they have been labouring in the Trenches, and 
indeavouring to fecure the Foundations of, the Holy Fa- 



But besides I obferve, That narrow, angry People take oc- 
cafion to charge the freer Spirits with Atbeifm, becaufe they 
move in a larger Circle, and have no fuch fond adherence to 
feme Ofinions which they adore and count Sacred- And for 
my own part, I confefs I have not Superftition enough in my 
Spirit or Nature, to incline me to doat upon all the Principles 
1 judge true, or to fpeak fo dogmatically about them as I per 

ceive 



3 ^ the Ufefulntfs of Real Fhilofophy 

ceivc confident and deputing Men are wont. But contenting 
tny felf, with a firm affent to the few practical Fundamentals 
of Faith, and having fix^d that end of the Compafs-&gt; I deiire 
to prefer ve my Liberty as to the reft, holding the other in fuch 
a pofture, as may be ready to draw thofe Lines, my Judg 
ment informed by the H?ly Oracles, the Articles of OUT Church, 
the Apprehensions of T?;/? Aniiq*fty\ and my particular Reafon, 
(hal! dired rne to defcribe. And when I do that, tis for tny 
felf) and my own faisfaiiion &gt; but am not concerned to im- 
pofe my Sentiments upon 0/Jtarr : nor do I care to endeavour 
the change of their Minds, though I judge them mistaken, as 
long as Vertue^ the Inierefts of Religion, the Peace of the 
World ani their own are not prejudiced by their Errors. By 
this wodk/fc indifference I fccure Charity for all the diversities of 
Rfftf/, and equally orTer my Wrienjhip and Converges to the fe- 
veral ?#/ and Perfwafions, that ftick to the /&gt;/**# Principles 
of the CJo/pe/ and a Venuous Life, .overlooking their particular 
fondnejfis and follies. This is the temfer of my Genius, and 
&lt;/^ fome ?^w/ People, who have more Heat than Light, are 
apt to call Scepticifin and c0W Neutrality : But that it deferves 
^^r Names, 1 have made appear in fome other Papers. 

True it is, That the Men of the meer Epicurean fort, Have 
left God, and Providence out of their Accounts j But other Pbi- 
lofophers have (hewn what F00// they are for doing /^and how 
ahfurd their pretended Philofophy is in fuppofing things to 
have been made and ordered by the cafital hits of Atoms, in a 
mighty Void. And though their general Dodtrine of Matter 
and Motion be exceeding ancient, and very accountable &gt; when 
we fuppofe Matter was at firft created by Almighty Power,and 
its Motions ordered, and directed by Omnijcient Wifclom &gt; Yet 
the fuppofal, that they are independent and eternal, is very 
precarious and unreafonable* And that all the regular Moti 
ons in Nature mould be from blind tumultuous jutiiLlings, in 
termixtures, is the moil unphiloJophicalYanfiQ, and ridiculous 
Dotage in the World , So that there is no reafon to accufe Phi 
lofophy of a Fauk, which Philofophy fufficiently fhames and 
reproves &gt; and yet I doubt too many have entertain d great 
prejudice againft it upon this fcore i and tis a particular 
brand upon fome of the modern Men, that they have revived 

the 



the Philofophy of Epicurus, which they tliink to be in its 
whole extent Atlmftical and Irreligious* 

To which I fay, that the Opinion of the World s being 
made by a fortuitous concurrence of Atoms , is impious and 
vile : And this thofe of Epicurus his Elder School taught : 
Whereas the late Reftorers of the Corpufcularian Hypothecs 
hate, and defpife the wicked and abfurd Dodhine i But tnus 
far they think the Atomical Pbilofophy reafonable^ viz. as it 
teacheth, that the Operations of Nature are performed by fub- 
tjle ft reams P/ minute Bodies ? and not by I know not what ima 
ginary Qualities and Forms : They think, "That the various 
Motions and Figures of the farts of Matter, are enough for all 
the Phenomena, and all the varieties, which with relation to 
our Senfes we call fuch, and fuch Qualities. But then they 
fuppofe, and teach, That God created Matter, and it the }u- 
freme Orderer of its Motions^ by which all thofe Diverfitiet 
are made : And hereby Piety ^ and the Faith of Providence is 
f ecu red. 

7#, as far as we know any thing of elder Times, was the 
ancient Philofophy of the World, and it doth not in the leaft 
interfere with any Principle of Religion. Thus far I dare fay I 
may undertake for mo ft of the Corpufcttlarian Thilofophers of 
our times, excepting thofe of M. Hobbes his way. 

And therefore I cannot but wonder at a late Reverend Au 
thor, who feems to conclude thofe M&lt;^t?ra Philofophers under 
the name and notion of fuch Somatifts, as are for meer Mat- 
ter and Motion^ and exclude immaterial Beings : whereas 
thofe Learned Men, though they own Matter and Motion as the 
material and formal cauics of the Phenomena ; They do yet 
acknowledge God s Efficiency, and Government of all Things, 
with as much fericufnefs , and contend for it with as much 
zeal, as any Philofophers or Divines whatfoever. And tis 
very hard that any number of Mtn (hould be expofed to the 
fufpicion of being Atheifts, for denying the Peripatetic}^ Qua 
lities and Forms &gt; and there is nothing elie overthrown by the 
Corpufcularian Dodhines, as they are managed by tbofe Phih- 
fiphers. So that methinks that Reverend Per ion hath not 
dealt fo /jir/ywith the great Names of Des-Cartes* m&Gaf- 
where he mentions them promifcuoufly with the 

meer. 



34 I*&lt;? ttfefulnefs of Real Pkilofopty 

meer Epicurean and Hobbian Somatifts, without any note to 
diftinguifh them from tbofi S adduces i For both thole celebra 
ted Men have laboured much in averting the Grand Articles of 
Religion againft the Infidel and Atheift* 

But ( 2. ) tis alledg d by fome, Philofophy difpofeth Men to 
defpife the Serif tttres &gt; or at leaft to neglett tbe ftudy of them &gt; 
and therefore is to be flighted, arfd exploded among Chrifti- 
ans. 

To this I fty&gt; That Philofophy if tbe knowledge of God s 
Works , and there is nothing in God*s Wor]^ that is contrary to 
Sit Words How then (hould the ftudy of the one incline Men 
to dtfyife the other ? Certainly had there been any fuch impi 
ous tendency in fearching into God s Works to the leffening of 
our value of the Scriptures, The Scripture it felf would never 
have recommended it fo much unto us &gt; Yea, this is fo far 
from being true , that on the contrary, the knowledge of God s 
Works tends in its proper nature to difpofe Men to love and 
veneration of the Scriptures &gt; For by familiarity with Nature* 
we are made fenfible of the Power, Wifdom&gt; and Goodnefs of 
God, fre(h Inftances of which we (hall find in all things i 
And tis one great dejign of the Scripture to promote the Glory 
of tbefe Attributes : How then can he, that is much affected 
with them,chufe but love, and efteem thofe Holy Records which 
fo glorioufly illuftrate the Perfections he admires? 

Befides, by inquiry into God s Wor^s, we difcover continu 
ally, how little we can comprehend of his Ways and Me- 
nagements -&gt; and he that is fenfible of tb x, will find himfelf 
more inclined to reverence the declarations of his Word, though 
they are beyond hit reach, and though he cannot fathom thofe My- 
fteries, he tf required to believe : Such a difppfition is neceiTary 
for the fecuring our Reverence to the Divine Oracles, and Phi- 
lefophy promotes it much. 

So that, though tis like enough, there may be thofe that 
fretend to Philofophy, who have lefs veneration and refpedl 
for the Scripture than they ought, yet that impious difeftecm 
of thofe facred Writings, is no effeft of their Pbilefophy, but 
of their corrupt and evil Inclinations: And to remove the 
icandal brought upon Natural Wifdom by thofe Pretenders, it 

may 



to Religion. 

may be obferved, that none are more earneft, or more frequent 
in the froof and recommendation of the Authority of Scripture^ 
than thofe of PbilofipbicAl Inclination and Genius, who by 
their publicly Capacity and Profeflion, have the beft oppor 
tunities to give teftimony to the Honour of that Divine 
Book. 



Bat to juftifie the imputarion of the diflervice 
doth Religion^ and the Scriptures, it may by Tome be plea 
ded, 

ThztPhilofopbyi viz. that which is called, the any, teach- 
eth Dodhines that are contrary to the Word of God j or at 
leift fuch as we have no ground from Scripture to believe* 
For inftance, That the Earth moves : and, That the Moon is of a 
ferreftrial Nature, and capable of Inhabitants : which Opi 
nions are prefumed to be zw/w#*,and Antijcriftural. 

Jn return to this, I fay, 

( i.) In the general &gt; Tis very true, that Philofophy 
teachcth many things which are not revealed in Scripture , for 
tins was not intended to inftrud Men in the Affairs of IV*- 
ittre &gt; but its Defign is, to dire Ci Mankind, and even thofe of 
the plaineft Underftandlngs, in Life- and Manners &gt; to pro- 
pofe to us the way of ijjffigcfit and the Principles that are 
neceffjry to guide us, in it j with the feveral Motives and In- 
couragetnents that are propsr to excite our Endeavouis, and to 
bear them up againtt all Difficulties and Temptations. This, 
fay, was the chief Deiign of that Divine Book &gt; and there 
fore tis accommodated, in the main, to the moft ordinary ca" 
parities, and fpeaks after our manner, fuitabfy to finfe-&gt; and 
vulgar Conception* Thus we tind that the Clouds, are called 
Heaven^ the Moon one of the greater Light /, and the Stars 
mentioned, as lefs con fider able : and the Stars alfo &gt; Gen, r. 
We read of the going down of the ##, and of the ends of 
the Earth-, and oT the Heavens &gt; and divers other fuch Ex- 
prdlions are in the Scriptures, which plainly fhew, That they 
do not concern themfelves to re&ihe the Miftakes of the 
Vulgar , in Philofyhical Theories but comply with their 

Y InhV 



\ r~" 

the Ufefulnefs ofRealPhi/ofopfy 

Infirmities, and (peak according as they underftand. So 
that, 

( 2. ) No fenent in Philofophy ought to be condemned 2 and 
exploded, becaufe there may be fomeoccafional Sayings in the 
Divine Oracles, which feem not to comport with it j And 
therefore the Problems mentioned, concerning the Motion of 
the. Earth i and Terreftrial Nature of the Moon, ought to be 
left to the VifquiptioHs of Philofophy : The Word of God de 
termines nothing about them i for thofe Exprefiions, concer 
ning the running of the Sun, and its (landing ftill, may very 
wellbe interpreted, as fpoken by way of accommodation to 
Senfe, and common apprehenfion *, as tis certain, that thofe 
of its going down, and running from one end of the Heavens 
to the other, and numerous refembling Sayings, are fo to be 
underftood. And when tis elfe-wherefaid, That the Foun 
dations of the Earth are fo fixt, that it cannot be moved at any 
time, or to that purpofe &gt; Tis fuppofed, by Learned Men, 
that nothing elfe is meant but this, That the Earth cannot be 
moved from its Centre, which is no prejudice to the Opinion of 
its being moved upon it. 

For the other Hypotkefis of the Moon s being a kind of 
Earth i the Scripture hath faid nothing of ic, on cither hand y 
nor can its filence be argumentative here, fince we know, 
That all Mankind believes many things, of which there is no 
mention there : As that there are fuch places as China, and 
America, That the Magnet attrafls Iron, and dire&s to the 
North, and that the Sea hath the motion of F/wx, and Reflux, 
with ten thoufand fuch other things difcovered by Experience* 
of which there is not the leaft hint in the Sacred Volume : 
And are not thefe to be believed, till they can be proved from 
Scripture ? This is ridiculoufly to abufe the Holy Oracles,znd 
to extend them beyond their proper Bulinefs and Defign. 

To argue againft this Suppofal, as fome do, by Queries, 
What Men are in that other Earth ? Whether fallen ? and how 
fawd? is very childifh and abfurd. He that holds the Opi 
nion, may confefs his ignorance in all thefe things, without 

any 



to Religion. 

any prejudice to his Hypotbefs of the Moorfs being habitable &gt; 
or the fuppofal of its being attuatiy inhabited. For that may 
be, though no living Man can tell the Nature and Condition of 
thole Creatures. 

But for my part, I afTert neither of thefe Paradoxes &gt; only 
I have thought fit to fpeak thus briefly about them, that they 
maybe left to the freedom of Pbilofopbical Inquiry, for the 
Scripture is not concerned in fuch Queries. And yet befides 
this, which might fuffice to vindicate the Neoteric^ Pbilofo* 
pby^ from the charge of being injuristts to the Scripture in fuch 
Inftances, I add, 

C 3. ) The Free Experimental Pbilofopby which I recom 
mend, doth not affirm either of thofe fo much dreaded Pro- 
portions : For neither of them hath fufficient evidence to war 
rant peremptory and dogmatical Aflertions : And therefore, 
though perhaps fome of thofe Philofopbers may think, they 
have great degrees of probability, and are fit for Pbilofopbical 
Confederation &gt; Yet there are none, ( that I know ) who 
look on them as Ce rtawtiej&nd pofitive Truths : Tis contrary 
to the G?nius of their way &gt; to dogmatize for things of fo 
great an uncertainty &gt; or to be confident againft them, where 
there wants full proof to afTure the Negative. But whether 
the one be true, or the other, Religion and the Scriptures are 
not at all concerned. 

Thus briefly of the Slanders that are affixt upon Pbilofopby^ 
viz* of its Tendency to Atheifn^ and difparagement of the 
Scriptures. The other lefTer ones arc anfwered in the difculfi- 
on of thefe. 



Y 2 BUT 



3 8 the Ufefulnefs of Real Philofopfy ftffty 4. 



BU T befides the foul and fltnderow Imputations, 
on Pbilofopby* there are Tome vulgar plausibilities pre 
tended i the chief of which I (hall now recite and anfwer 
Tisfaid, 

(I.) fbere v too much curiofity in thofe Inquiries i and 
Sf.Paul defired to know nothing hut Cbrift, and him cruci* 
fed. 

To which I anfwer, That what is blameable curiofity in 
things not wortb our pains , or forbidden our fcrutiny, is Du 
ty , and laudable endeavour in Matters that are weighty^ and 
permitted to our fearcb. So that no ill can juftly be faftned 
upon Philosophical Inquiptions into Nature, on this account, 
till it be firit proved, That a diligent obfervance of God s 
Goodnefs and Wisdom in his Works, in order to the ufing them 
to his Glory * and the benefit of the World, is either prohibited 
or impertinent. 

There is indeed fuch a depth in Nature, that it is never like 
to be throughly fathomed j and fuch a dartyefs upon fame of 
God s Workj, that they will not in this World be found out to 
Perfection : But however, we are not kept off by any exprelf- 
nefs of Prohibition *, Nature is no Holy Mount that ought not 
to be touched j yea, we are commanded, To fearch after Wi 
dom, and particularly after */;#, when we are fo frequently 
called upon to celebrate our Creator for his JPbrks and are en 
couraged by the fuccefs of many that have gone before For 
many jhall go to and /ro, and Science (hall be increased* So 
that our Iniquiries into Nature are not forbidden &gt; and he that 
faith they are frivolous, and of no /&lt;?, when the Art of the 
Omnifcient is the Obje8-,.ZQd his Glory, and the good of Men, 
the end, afperfeth both the Greater and the Creature, and con- 
tradidh his duty to both. 

As for the latter claufe of the Obje&ion, which urgeth that 
Speech of St. Paul, of his defiring to know nothing but Chrift 
and him crucified, i Cor. 2. 2. I return to it, That he that 
(hall ducly confider the Difcourfe of the Apoftle in the verfe 

before, 



** Religion. 

before, and thofe that fucceed, will perceive, That in this 
expreflion he only flights the a/ecled Eloquence of the Orators 
and Rhetoricians , He fpoke in flainmfs and fimplicity&gt; and 
not in thofe inticing words of Ma^s Wifdom, which he dtfired 
either not to kjiow at all, or not in comparifin with the plain 
Dodhinesof the Gofpel. Or-, if any (hould take the words 
in the largefl fenfe, then all forts of Humane -Learning, and 
all Arts and Trades are fet at nought by the Apoftle , And if 
/?, the meaning can be no more than tbu&gt; That he preferred the 
Knowledge of Chrift before tbefe &gt; For tis ridiculous to think, 
that he absolutely flighted all other Science. The Knowledge 
of Cbrift is indeed the chiefeft and moft valuable IVifdom, but 
the Knowledge of the Works of G*d hath its place alto, and 
ought not quite to be excluded and defpifed : Or, if Pbilofi- 
pby be to be flighted, by this Text, all other Knowledge what- 
foever muft be condemned by it. 
But it will.be urged, 



( 2. ) That there vi a -particular Caution given by the 
againfl Philofophy* Gol. 2. 8. Beware left any one Jfroil you 
threugh Phifafophy. 

To this I have faid elfewhere, That the Apoftle there means 
either the pretended Knowledge of the Gnofticks, the Genealo 
gies of the Jews, or the difpttting Learning of the Greeks &gt; 
and perhaps he might have a refpedt to all thofe forts of Sci 
ence falfly fo cali d. That the T&gt;i$uiing Philofophy of the 
Greeks is concerned in the Caution, will appear very probable, 
if we confider, That much of it was built on meer Nation* 
that occafioned divifion into manifold Setts? which managed 
their Matters by Sophiftry and Vifputatiwsy full of nicity and 
mazes of Wit &gt; and aimed at little* but the fride of myfteriout 
talk of things, that were not really underftood. Such a Pbi- 
lofopby the Apoftle might jttftly condemn-) and all Wife Men do 
the fame* becaufe tis very injurious to Religion^ Real Know 
ledge, and the Peace of Men. But what is this to that&gt; which 
modeftly inquires into the Creatures of God, as they are * That 
collects the Hiftory of his Workj* railing Observations from 
them for the Vifcovery of Caufes* and Invention /of Arts* and 
Helps for the benefit of Mankind &gt; What vanity , what pre^ 

judice 



40 The Ufefalvefs of Rtttl Pbilofopfy jjgflfop 4; 

judlce to Religion can be fuppofed in this .? Is this, think we, 
that Pbilofopby, (bat Wtfdom of tbu World, which the great 
Apoftle cenfures and condemns ? He is bold that faith it, 
fpeakf a thing be knows not* and might, if he pleated, know 
the contrary , Since the Method of Philofophy I vindicate, 
which proceeds by Obfervation and Experiment to Works, and 
ufes of Life, was not, if at all, the way of tbofe Times in 
which the Apoftles liv d, nor did it begin to mew it felf in 
many Ages after i and therefore cannot be concerned in 
St. Paul s Camion to his Colofflans &gt; nor in his fmartnefs againft 
worldly Wifdom elfewhere, tor by that we are to underftand 
the Fetches of Policy, the Nicities of Wit* and Strains of 
Rhetoric}^ that were then engaged againft the progrefs of the 
Gofpel : But what is all tbis to the Philofophy of God s Wor}^ \ 
which illttftrates the Divine Glory , and comments upon his Per- 
fettions, and promotes the great Vefgn of Cbriflianity, which 
\sdoing good i and in its /w/^r Nature tf^// to the diffofing 
of Mens Minds to Venue and Religion ? 

But C 3. ) 7f Pbilofopby be fo excetient an Infrrttment to Re- 
ligion , itmaybeaskt ( and the Queftion will have the force 
of an Objection ) why the Dij ctyles and firft Preachers of the 
Gffpel were not inftrutted in it , They were plain illiterate M^, 
altogether untcquaintedwvh tbofe Sublimities *, God cbofe the 
fwlifl) things of ibis World, to confound the wife. So that it 
Jeems he did not Skew t\m kind, of Wifoom that refpeft which ac 
cording to our Vijcmrfe u due unto it. 

I anfwer, That this choice the Divine Wifdom made of the 
Publifhers of the Glad Tydings of Salvation-* is no more pre 
judice or difcrcdie to Pbitofipby, than it is to other forts of 
Learning j and indeed tis none at all to any ; For the fpecial 
R-eafon* of God s making this Election teem fuch as thefe, 
viz. That his Power mrght more evidently appear in the won 
derful propagation of the Religion of Chrift Jefa, by fuch 
fcerningly unqualified InfUumems ; That the World might 
not fufptdl it to be the^ontrivance of Wit, Subtilty and Art&lt;&gt; 
when there was (b much plainnefs and ilmplicity in its firit 
Promoters : And perhaps too it was dorce in contempt of the 
vain and pretended knowledge of the Jews and Greeks, over 

which 



4 to egion, 41 

which the plainnefs of the Gofpel was made glorioufly to 
triumph. To which I add this &gt; It might be to (hew, That 
God values Simplicity and Integrity above all Natural Perfefti- 
onsy how excellent foever. So that there being fuch fpecial 
Reafons for the chufing plain Men to fee this grand Affair on 
foot in the World, it can be no difparagement to the Know 
ledge of Nature, that it was not begun by Philofophers. And 
to counter- argue this Topicl^-* we may conHder, That 

The Patriarchs, and Holy Men of Ancient Times that 
were moft in the Divine Favour, were well inftru&ed in the 
Knowledge of God s Worfy, and contributed to the good of 
Men by their ufeful Difcoveries and Inventions. Adam was 
acquainted with the Nature of the Creatures Noah a Planter 
of Vineyards &gt; Abraham (as Grotiuf collects from Ancient 
Hiftory ) a great Mylles in the Knowledge of the Stars. Ifaac 
prosperous in Georgicks. Jacob bleffed in his Philofophical Stra 
tagem of the fpeckled Rods. Mofls a great Man in all kinds 
of Natural Knowledge. Eezaleel and Aholiab, infpired in Ar- 
cbitefture. Solomon a deep Naturalift, and a Compofer of a vo 
luminous Hiflory of Plants. Daniel, Hananiah, Mijhael, and 
Azariab, skilled in all Learning and Wijdvm j Ten times bet* 
ter, faith the Text, than the Magicians and Aflrologers in 
Nebuchadnezzar s Realm : And to accumulate rio more In- 
ftances, the Philofepbers of the Eaft made the firft AddrciTes 
to the Infant Saviour. 



CO 



42 the llfefulxefs of Real Plitofopty 



WE fee upon the whole. That there -is no fhadow of 
Reafon why we mould difcourage or oppofe modcft 
Inquiries into the Works of Nature^ and whatsoever igno 
rant Zeal may prompt the common fort to, me-thinks thofe 
of generous Education mould not be of fo perverfe a frame : 
Efpecially it becomes not any that minifter at the Altar^ to do 
fo great a diiTervice to Religion, as to promote fo unjuft a 
Conceit as that of Pbilofophy s being an Enemy unto it. 

The Philofifbers were the Priejh among the Rgyftians^ and 
(everal other Nations in Ancient Times i and there was never 
more need that the Priejh (hould be.PbilofopherS) than in ours &gt; 
For we are liable every day to be called out to make good our 
Foundations again (\ the Atbeijl^ the Saddttce-, and Enthufiaft* 
And tis the Knowledge of God in his Worl^ that mulijurnim 
us with fome of themoft proper Weapons of Defence. Hard 
Names, and damni-ng Sentences i the Arrows of bitter words, 
and raging paflions, will not defeat thofe Sons of Ana^ thtfe 
are not iit Weapons for our Warfare, No } they muit be met 
by a Reafon inftrudled in the knowledge of Things, and 
fought in their own Quarters, and their Arms muft be turned 
upon themfeives , - This may be done, and the advantage is 
all ours. We have Steel and Brafs for our Defence, and they 
have little elfe than Twigs and 8ul!-ru(hes for the AlTauIt , we 
have Light, and rirm Ground, and they are loft in Smoak and 
Miffs &gt; They tread among Bogs and dangerous Fens, and reel 
near the Rocks and Steeps. And (hall we defplfe our Advan 
tages, and for fake them ? Shall we relinquish our Ground, 
and our Light, and muffle our felves up in darknefs ? Shall we 
give our Enemies the Weapon?, and all the odds, and fo en- 
Heavour to infure their Triumphs over us ? This is fottiftly to 
betray Religion and our felves. 

If this Difcourfe chance to meet with any that are guilty 
of thefe dangtrous Follies ; it will, I hope, convince them, 

That 



to Religion. 43 

That they have no reafon to be afraid of Hilofipty) or to de- 
fpife its Aids in the Concerns of Religion. And for thole 
who never yet thought of this part of Religion to glorifie God 
for his Work*, I wi(h it may awaken them to more attentive 
conGderation of the mfdom and goodnefs that is in them i 
and fo excite their pious acclamations. And to encourage them 
to it, I fhall adventure to add, 

That it teems very probable, that much of the Matter of 
thofe Hallelujah s and triumphant Songs,that (hall be the joyful 
entertainment of the Eleffed^ will be taken from the WQndert 
of God s Works i and who knows, but the contemplation of 
thefe, and God in them, fliall make up a good part of the im- 
ployment of thofe glorified Spirits i who will then have in 
conceivable advantages for the fearching into thofe EfFedts of 
Divine Wifdom and Power, beyond what are poflible for us 
Mortals to attain. And thofe Difcoveries which for ever they 
(hall make in that imtnenfe Treafure of Art, the Vniverfe, muft 
/needs fill their Souls every moment with pleafant aftonifh- 
ment, and inflame their hearts with the ardours of the high- 
eft Love and Devotion^ which will breathe forth in everlafting 
Thanksgivings. And thus the ftudy of God s Works joyncd 
with thofe pious Sentiments they deferve, is a kind of antici 
pation of Heaven &gt; And next after the contemplations of his 
Wordy and the wonders of his Mercy difcovered in our Re 
demption, it is one of the beftand nobleft Imployments \ the 
moft becoming a reafonable Creature, and fuch a one as is 
taught by the moft reafonable and excellent Religion in the 
World. 



THE 



T HE 

AGREEMENT 

o F 

Reafbn and Religion. 



v. 



Z 2 



v. 

THE 

AGREEMENT 

O F 

Reafon and Religion." - 

THere is not any thing that I know, which hath done 
more mifchief to Religion, than the difparaging of 
JHeafify under pretence of refpeft and favour to it: 
For hereby the very Foundations of Chriftian Faith 
have been undermin d, and the World prepared for Atheifm. 
And if Reafon nauft not be heard, the Being of a Gob and 
the Authority of Scripture, can neither be proved nor defen 
ded s and fo our Faith drops to the Ground like an Houfc that 
hath no Foundation ; 

By the fame way, thofe fickly Conceits, and Enthufiaftick 
Dreams, and unfound Dodhines that have poyfon d our Air, 
and infatuated the Minds of Men, and expos d Religion to 
the fcorn of Infidels, and divided the Church, and diftur- 
bed the Peace of Mankind, and inyolv d all the Nation in fo 
much Blood, and fo many Ruines &gt; I fay hereby, all thefe fa 
tal Follies, that have been the oceafions of fo many Mifchiefs, 
have been propagated and promoted. On which accounts I 
think I may affirm, with fome confidence, That here is the 
Spring-Head of oioft of the Watters of Bitternefs and 

Strife &gt; 



The Agreement of 

Strife ; And here the Fountain of the Great Deeps of Atheifm 
and Fanaticifai, that are broken up upon us. 

So that there cannot be a more feafonable Service done ei 
ther to Reafon or Religion, than to endeavour the flopping 
up this Source of Mifchiefs, by reprefenting the Friendmip 
and fair Agreement that is between them : For hereby Religion 
will be refcued from the impious accufation of its being 
grdundlefs and imaginary : And Reafon alfo defended againit 
the unjuli: Charge of its being prof bane and irreligious : This 
we have heard often from indifcreet and hot Men ; For, ha 
ving entertain d vain and unreafonable Dodrrines, which they 
had made an Intereft, and the Badges of a Party, and per 
ceiving that their Darling Opinions could not ftand, if Rea 
fon, their Enemy, were not difcredited i They fet up loud 
cries againft it, as the grand Adverfary of Free Grace and 
Faith &gt; and zealoufly endeavour d to run it down under the 
mifapplyed names of Vain Philofophy, Carnal ReafoniMg, and 
the Wifdom of this World &gt; and what have been the Eftcds of 
this proceeding, we have Teen and felt. 

So that, in my Judgment, it is the great duty of all fober 
and reafonablc Men, to rife up ( as they can ) againft this 
Spirit of Folly and Infatuation : And fomething I (hall at 
tempt now, by mewing, That Reafon is very ferviceable to 
Religion i and Iffeltjjion very friendly to Reafin. In order to 
which, I muft 

C i. ) State, what I mean by Religion ? and what by Rea 
fon .&lt;? For there is nothing in any Matter of Enquiry or Debate 
that can be difcover d, or determin d, till the Terms of the 
Queftion are explain d, and the Notions fettled. The want 
of this hath been the occafion of a great part of thofe Con- 
fufions we find in Difputes , and particularly moft of the 
Clamours that have been railed againft Reafon in the Affairs 
of Religion have fprung from it. For while ungrounded 
Opinions, and unreafonable Praifes are often calPd Religi 
on, on the one hand &gt; and vain Imaginations, and falfeCon- 
fequences areas frequently ftiled Reafon, on the other &gt; Tis 
no wonder that fuch a Religion difclaims the ufe of Reafon i 
or that fuch Reafon is oppoiite to Religion. Therefore, in 
order to my (hewing the Agreement between True Religion, 

and 



5&gt; Reafott and Religion. 

and the Genuine Reafon, I (hall, with all the cleamefs that I 
can, reprefent the juft meaning of the one, and of the 
other. 

For IReltgtOn firft &gt; It is taken either ftri&ly for the Wor- 
(hip of God &gt; or in a more comprehenfive fenfe, for the fitm 
of thofe Dunes we owe to Him : And this takes in the other, 
and agrees with the Notation of the Name, which imports 
Binding-, and implies Duty. Now all Duty is comprifed un 
der thefe two, viz* Worfhip and Vertue : Worfhip compre 
hends all Duties that immediately relate to God, as the Ob- 
jedrof them &gt; Vertue, all thofe that refpedfr our Neighbour 
and our Selves. So that Religion primarily, and mainly con- 
fids in Worty ip and Venue. 

But Duty cannot be performed without Knowledge^ and 
fame Principles there muft be to dired the Practice : and thofe 
that difcover the Duties, and guide Men in the performance 
of them, are calPd Principles of Religion. 
Thefe are of two forts &gt; 

Some ( i.) Fundamental and Eflenthl. 
Others (2.) Accdloryand Affitting. 

Fundamental is a Metaphor taken from the Foundation of a 
Building, upon which the Fabrick is erected, and without 
which it cannot ftand. So that Fundamental Principles are 
fuch, as are prefuppofed to the Duties of Religion ( one, or 
more ) and Jucb, as are abfolutely neceflary to the doing of 
them : of this fort I ihall mention three, viz. 

( I. ) the Being of God&gt; and the perfections of b vs Nature. 
The belief of thefe is neceflary to all the parts of Religion. 
He that comes unto God, in any way of Worfhip, or Ad- 
drefs, mnft kpon&gt; that he IA , and in fome meafure, what : 
Namely, he muft know, and own the commonly acknow- 
ledg d Attributes of his Being . 

2 . A fecond neceflary Principle is, The Providence of Ood y 
viz. the Knowledge, That he made us, and not we our 
felves i that he preferves us, and daily provides for us the 
ood thing? we enjoy : This is neceflary to the Duties of 

Prayer, 



Agreement of j&ftty jV 

Prayer, Praife, and Adoration: And if there be no Provi 
dence i Prayer, and Thanksgiving-, and other A&lt;fts of Wor- 
fhip, are in vain. 

3. A third Fundamental, is, Moral, Good, and Evil. With 
out this there can be no confejfion of Sin * no refpedt to Chari 
ty, Humility, Juftice, Purity, or the reft that we call Ver- 
tues. 

Thefe will be confes d to be Fundamentals of Religion : 
And I (hall not difpute how many more may be admitted into 
the number. Thefe we are fare are fuch, in the ftridfceft 
fenfe, for all Religion fuppvfeth, and ftands upon them : And 
they have been acknowledg d by Mankind in all Ages and Pla 
ces of the World. 

But befides thefe, there are other Principles of Religion, 
which are not in the fame degree of abfolute neceffity with the 
former, but yet are highly ferviceable, by way of incourage- 
ment and affiftance. I reckon four, viz* 

( i, ) That God will far don w tf we repent. ( 2. ) that he 
witiaflijl My if we endeavour. (3.) That he witi accept of 
Services that are imperfett) if they are fincere. ( 4. ) That be 
will righteoufly reward and ptenijh in another World. 

Thefe contain tfie Matter and Subftance of the Gofpel j 
more clearly and explicitly reveaPd to the Chriftian Church i 
but in fome meafure owned alfo by the Gentiles. So that I 
may reckon, that the Principles I have mention d, are the 
fum of the Religion of Mankind &gt; I mean, as to the Doctrinal 
Part of it: and the Duties recited before, are the Subftance 
of the Practical &gt; which primarily and moft efTentially is Reli 
gion. And Chriftianity takes in all thefe Duties, and all thefe 
Principles j advancing the Duties to higher degrees of Excel 
lency and Perfection &gt; incouraging them by new Motives and 
Afliftances &gt; and fuperadding two other InftanceSjB^z//,and 
the Lord s Supper. And for the Principles, it confirms thofc 
of Natural Religion i it explains them further, and difcovers 
fomc few new ones : And all thefe, both of the former and 
the latter fort, are contain d in the Creed. Here are all the 
Fundamentals of Religion &gt; and the main drifting Principles 
alfo. 

And 



5* Reafox and Religion. 

And though our Church require our alTcnt to more Propo- 
fitions &gt; yet thofe are only Articles of Communion^ not Do- 
dhines abfolutely necejfary to Salvation. And if we go be 
yond the Creed for the Eflentials of Faith i who can tell 
where we (hall Hop ? 

The fum is&gt; Religion primarily is Ditty &gt; And Duty is A r l 
that which God hath commanded to be done by his Word, or 
our Reafons *&gt; and we have the fubftance of thefe in the Com- 
matlDtnentfl : Religion alfo, in ^fecondary fenfe, confilts in 
fome Principles relating to the Worfhip of God, and of his 
Son, in the ways ot devout and vertuous living * and thefe 
are comprifed in that Summary of Belief, called the 



This I take to be Religion i and this Religion I fhall prove 
to be reafonable : But I cannot undertake for all the Opini 
ons fome Men are pleafed to call Orthodox &gt; nor for all thofe 
that by many private Perfons, and fome Churches, are ac 
counted eflential Articles of Faith and Salvation. Thus I 
have ftated what I mean by Religion. 

The OTHER thing to be determined, andfixt, is, the 
proper Notion of iKeafotK 

For this we may confider, that Reafon is fometimes taken 
for Reafon in the Faculty, which is the Vnderftanding i and at 
other times, for Reafon in the Objett, which confiiis in thofe 
Principles and Conclufionf-, by which the Undemanding is in- 
formed. This latter is meant in the Difpute concerning the 
Agreement or Difagreement of Reafon and Religion. And 
Reafon in this fenfe, is the fame with natural frutb, which I 
faid is made up of Principles and Conclufions. By the Prin 
ciples of Reafon we are not to underftand the Grounds of 
any Man s Pbilofopby i nor the Critical Rules of Syllogifm j 
but thofe imbred Fundamental Notices, that God hath implan 
ted in our Souls i (uch as arife not from external Objedrs, not 
particular Humours or Imaginations, but are immediately 
lodged in our Minds independent upon other Principles or 
Deductions commanding a fudden aflent j and acknow 
ledged by all fober Mankind. 

A a Of 



Yhz Agreement of 

Of this fort are thefe, 

"that God ii a Being of all Perfefiiox. 

lhat nothing bath no Attributes. 

that a ybixg cannot be, and not be* 

That the Whole vs greater than any of its Parts. 

Thefe, and fuch-like, are unto Vs^ what Intlin&s are to 
other Creatures. And thefe I call the Principles of Rea~- 
fon. 

The Conclusions are thofe other Notices that are inferred 
rightly from thefe 5 and by their help, from the Obfervations 
of Senfe &gt; And theremotejl of them that can be conceived, if 
it be duly inferred from the Principles of Reafon-&gt; or rightly 
circumftantiated Senfe^ is as well to be reckoned a Part and 
Branch of Reafon, as the more immediate Conclufions, that 
are Principles in refped of thofe diftant Truths. And thus I 
have given an account alfo of the proper Notion, and Nature 
of Reafon. 

1A M to fhew next, (2.) 2C{jat Religion fa reafonabfe* 
and this implies two things, viz. "fbat Reafon is a Friend 
fa Religion * and that Religion tf fo to Reafon. 

I begin with the FIRST: and here I might eafily (hew 
the great congruity that there is between that Light, and 
thofe Laws, that God hath placed in our Souls &gt; and the 
Duties of Religion, that by the expreflhefs of his written 
Word he requires from us 5 and demonftrate that Reafon 
teacheth All thofe, excepting only the two Positives, Baptifm 
and the Holy Eucharijl* But there is not fo much need of 
turning my Difcourfe that way and therefore I (hall confine 
it to the Principles of Religion, which are called j?att|)&gt; and 
prove that Reafon exceedingly befriends thefe. 

It dcth this ( I. ) By p^otHng feme of tbofe Principles i 
And (It) By DBfrmOmg all. For the clearing both } let us 
conlider, That the Principles of Religion are of two forts. 

Either (i.) Such as are prefuppofed to Faith, or fuch as 
(2.) are formal Articles of it. Of the firft arei The Being 
of a God &lt;&gt; and the Authority of the Scripture. And of the 
fccond, fucb as are exfrefly declared by "Divine Teftimony i as 

the 



And Religion ,, 

the Attributes of God j the Incarnation of his 0, and fuch 
like. 

( I. ) For the former, they are proved by Reafon &gt; and by 
Reafon only- The others we (hall contidcr after. 

( i. ) That the Being of a (W, the Foundation of all, is 
f roved by Reafon^ the Apoftle acknowledged, when he (kith, 
That what was to be known of God&gt; was martifeft &gt; and to the 
Heathen, Rom. i- ip. and he adds, flfr/] 20. That */?? invifi- 
lie Things from the Creation ef the World^ are dearly feen, be 
ing underftood by the Things that are made. And the Royal 
Pfalmift fpeaks to the like purpofe, Pfal. 19. The Heavens de 
clare the Glory of God-, and the Firmament jheweth h n "bandy- 
WQT]^. And again, Pfal. 148. 3. Praife him Sun and Moon, 
praife hint ye Start and Light &gt; which intimates, that thefe 
Works of his afford Matter to our Reafons for Religious Ac 
knowledgments. And Reafon proves the Existence of God, 
from the beauty , and order , and ends, and ufefulneff of the 
Creatures* for thefe aredemonftrative Arguments of the Be 
ing of a wife and omnipotent Mind, that hath framed all things 
fo regularly and exattty &gt; and that Mind is God. This Article 
then, Reafon proves, which was the tirft Branch of the Par 
ticular , and I add, that it is Reafon only that can do it &gt; 
which was the other. For there are but three things from 
whence the Exigence of any Being can be concluded, ws. 
Senfe, Revelation^ or Reafon. 

Senfe hath no more to do here, but to prefent Matter for 
our Reafons to work on i and Revelation fufpofeth the Being 
of a God, and cannot prove it &gt; for we can have no fecurity 
that the Revelation is true, till we are aflured it is from God, 
or from fome commiffioned by him. The knowledge of his 
Being therefore, muft precede our Faith in Revelation &gt; and 
fo cannot be deduced from it. So that only Reafon is left to 
allure us here. And thus Reafon lays the very Corner Stone 
of Religion. 

The next to this, is the other Principle mentioned, viz. 

(2.) The Divine Authority of Scripture : This alfo is to be 
proved by Reafon, and only by it. The great Argument for 
the truth of Scripture, is the Teftimony of the Spirit in the 
Miracles wrought by Chrift and his Apoftlcs : Our Saviour 

A a 2 himfelf 



8 Tike Agreement of jBtt&V 5 . 

him(elf ufeth this Argument to gain credit to his Doctrines, 
Believe me for the JFflfj/ fake , The IforkJ that I do bear tefli- 
mor.y of me \ and if I had not done among them the Wor]^s that 
no other Matt did, they had had m fitt* John 15. 24. And the 
A pottles continually urge that great Miracle, tftefafmrtftion 
of Chrift frcm the dead, for the convidlion both of the Jews 
and Gentiles, That he was the Son of God, and his Do&rlnts 
true. Now Miracles are an Argument to our Reafons, and 
we reafon from them thus : Miracles are God s Seal, and 
\ they are wrought by his Power, and he is true and good, and 
1 would not lend thefe to Impoftors to cheat and abufe Man 
kind : Therefore whoever works real Miracles for the confir 
mation of any Do&rine, it is to be believed, that he is taught 
of God, and commiflioned to teach us : And that Chri/t 
and his Apoftles did thofe things which are recorded of them, 
is Matter of Teftimony &gt; and Reafon clears the validity of thvt^ 
by the aggregation of multitudes of Circumftances, which 
(hew, That the firft Relators could not be deceived themfdves, 
and would not deceive us nor indeed could in the main Mat 
ters, if rheyhaddeiignedit. And the certainty of the con 
veyance of thofe things to us is evinced alfo by numerous 
convi&ive Reafons : So that the matter of Fad: is fecure \ and 
that fuch Doctrines were taught, as are afcribed to thofe Di 
vine Perfons &gt; and thofe Perfons infpired that penned them, 
are proved the fame way : And fo it follows from the whole, 
that the Gofpcl is the Word of God ; and the Old Teftament 
is confirmed by that. Thus Reafon proves the Divine Autho 
rity of Scripture and thofe other Arguments that ufe to be 
produced for it, from its Stile, and its influence upon the 
Souls of Men &gt; from the excellency of its Defign, and the 
Providence of God in preferving it &gt; are of the fame fort, 
though not of the fame Ihength. Reafon then proves the 
Scriptures, and this only \ for that they are from God, is not 
known immediately by Senfe and there is no diftinft Revela 
tion that is certain and infallible to affure us of it &gt; and fo 
Reafon only remains to demonftrate the Article. 

Thefe two great Truths, fhe Exigence of God, and Autho 
rity of Scripture^ are the firft in our Religion i and they are 
Gonclupons of Reafon, as well as Foundations of Faith. And* 

thus 



* Reason and Religion. 

thus briefly of thofe Principles of Pveligion that are 
/&gt;.i/^/untoiti we have feen how Reafon ferves for the Dt 
monftration of them. 

( II. ) I COME now to the other fort of principles, viz. 
thofe that are formally fi ; They are of two forts, nityt and 
pure : The mixt are thofe that are difcoverfd by Reafon, and f 
declared by Revelation alfo i and fo are Principles both of Rea 
fon, and Faith : Of this kind are the Attributes of God &gt; 
Moral goody and evil &gt; and the immortality of Humane Souls. 
The Principles of pure Faith, are fuch, as arc known only by - 
Divine Teftimony, as the Miraculous Conception) the Incarna 
tion* and the trinity. 

The firfl fort Reafon proves, as well as Scripture , this I 
fhew briefly in the In (lances mention d. 

( i. ) That the TDivine Attributes are revealed in the Holy 
Oracles, is very clear j and as plain it is that they are deduced 
from Reafon ; For tis a general Principle through the World, 
That God is a Being abfolutely perfeft &gt; And hence Reafon con 
cludes all the particular Attributes of his Nature i fince Wif- 
dom&gt; Goodnefs, Power, and the red, are Perfections-* and im 
ply nothing of imperfection or defect * and therefore ought 
to be afcribed to the infinitely perfect Being. 

( 2. ) That there is moral Good, and Evil* is difcoverable 
by Reafon, as well as Scripture. For thefe are Reaion s Max- .- 
ims j That every thing is made for an end i and every Thing vs 
dire&ed to its end by certain Rules : Thefe Rules, in Great u res 
cf understanding and choice, are Laws &gt; and the tranfgrdfing 
thefe, is Vice and Sin. 

( 3. ) The Immortality of our Souls is plain in Scripture j 
and Reafon proves it, by (hewing the fpirituality of our Na 
tures &gt; and that ir doth, from the nature of Semfe &gt; and our 
perception of Spiritual Beings i of Vniverfals, and of Logical^ 
Metapbyfical, and Mathematical Notions &gt; Frdm our compoun 
ding Propolitions, and drawing Conclufions from them , 
From the vaftttefs and quicknefs of our Imaginations y and liber 
ty of our WiUs *&gt; all which are beyond the Powers of Matter, 
and therefore argue a Being that is Spiritual, arid confequent- 



io lie Agreement -of Jgffay 5 . 

ly immortal ? which Inference, the Philofophy of Spirits 
proves. 

Alfo, the Moral Arguments of Reafon fiom the goodnefi 
of God y and his Jxftice in dilhibuting Rewards and Punifli- 
ments i the nature of Venue ^ and tendencies of Religious 
Appetites, conclude, I think, very hopefully, That there is a 
Z//&lt;? after *&#. Thus in (hortof the Principles I called mixt\- 
which Reafon demonftrates. 



BUT for the others, viz* ( 2. ) Thofe of pure ^ 
tiOJT, Reafon cannot prove them immediately ) nor is it to be 
expected that it (hould : For they are Matters of Teftimony \ 
and we are no more to look for immediate proof from Reafon 
of thofe things, than we are to expect, that abftraded Rea- 
fonjhqiild demonftrate, That there is fuch a place as China i 
or, j&at there was fuch a Man as Julius C&lt;efar : All that it 
can do here, is to aiTert and make good the credibility, and 
truth of the Teftimonies that relate fuch Matters : and that 
it doth in (heprefent cafe, proving the Authority of Scrip 
ture and thereby, in a remoter way, it demonftrates all the 
Myfteries of Faith, which the Divine Oracles immediately dif- 
cover. And it is no more difparagement to our Reafons, that 
they cannot evince thofe Sacred Articles by their own unaided 
force, than it is a difgrace unto them, that they cannot know 
that there are fuch things as Colours, without the help of our 
Eyes j or that there are Sounds, without the faculty of Hear 
ing. And if Reafon muft be called blind upon this account, 
becaufe it cannot know of it felf fuch things as belong to Te 
ftimony to difcover i the beft Eyes in the World may be fo ac 
counted, becaufe they cannot fee Sounds and the beft Pa 
late dull and dead, becaufe it cannot tafte the Sun- 
Beams. 

But though I have faid, That Reafon cannot of it felf im 
mediately prove the Truths of pure Revelation j Yet ( i.) it 
demonftrates the Divine Authority of the fefiimony that de 
clares them j and that way proves even tbefe Articles. If this 
be not enough, 

I add thefecond AfTertion,.(2. ) That Reafin DCftflDg all 

the 



f. Reafox and Religion. 1 i 

*fo Myfteries of Faith and Religion : And for th : s, I muft de- 
fire it be noted, That there are two ways whereby any thing 
may be defended, viz&gt;&gt; Either ( r. ) by (hewing the manner 
how the thing is \ Or, if that cannot be done, by (hewing 
C 2. ) That it ought to be believed-* though the manner of it be 
not known: Forinftance, if any one denies, That all forts of 
Creatures were in the Ar^ under pretence, that it "is impo 
fible they (hould be contained within fuch a fpace &gt; He that can 
(hew how this might be, by a diitind enumeration of the 
kinds of Animals, with due allowance for the unknown Spe 
cies, and a computation of the particular capacity of the Ark i 
he defends the Sacred Hiftory the fir ft way : But if another 
denies the conversion of Aaron s Rod into a Serpent, upon the 
fame account, of the wttonceivablenefs of the manner how it 
was done j this cannot indeed be defended the former vjj$y~ 
But then it may, by reprefenting that the Power of Go3- is 
infinite j and can eafily do what we cannot comprehend : and 
that we ought to believe upon the credit of the Tejlimdny, (that 
being well proved to us) though the manner of this miracu 
lous performance, and fuch others as it relates, be unkpwn. 
And as it is in this laft cafe, fo it is in all the Myikries ot Faith 1 
and Religion &gt; Reafon cannot defend them indeed the firft* I 
way : But it doth the fecond, by (hewing, That the Divine r 
Nature is infinite, and our Conceptions very (hallow and - 
finite j that tis therefore very unreasonable in us to indeavour 
to pry into the Secrets of his Being, and A.dions &gt; and to 
think that we can meafure and comprehend them : That we - 
know not the Effence and Ways of adting ot the -mo ft ordi 
nary and obvious Things of Nature, and therefore muft not 
expedt throughly to underftand the deeper Things of God &gt; 
That God hath revealed thofe Holy Myiteries unto us , and 
that tis the highert reafon in the World to believe, That what 
be faith u true, though we do not know how thefe things are* 
Thefe are all Confiderations of Reafon, and by the propofal 
of them, itfufficiently defends all the Myfteries that can be 
proved to be contained in the Sacred Volume 5 and (hews that 
they ought to be received by us, though they cannot be- com- 

Thus 



lie Agreement of lfat&gt; 5* 

Thus if any one fhould ask me. How the Divine Nature is 
united to the Humane ? and declare himfelf unwilling to be 
lieve the Article till he could be fatisfied, bow &gt; My anfwer 
would be in fhort, That I cannot tell &gt; and yet I believe it u 
fo ; and he ought to believe the fame^ upon the credit of the 
Teftimony, though we are both ignorant oi the Manner. In 
order to which I would foggeft, that we believe innumerable 
things upon the evidence of our Senfes* whofe Nature and 
Properties we do not know : How the parts of Matter cohere &gt; 
and how the Soul is united to the Body^ are Quellions we can* 
not anfwer &gt; and yet that fucb things are, we do not doubt : 
And why, faith Reafon^ (hould we not believe God s Revela 
tion of things we cannot comprehend &gt; as well as we do our 
Senfes about Matters as little underftood by us ? Tis no 
doubt reafonable that we fhould, and by proving if is fo&gt; Rea- 
fon defends z\\ the Propofitions of faith and Religion. And 
when feme of thefeare faid to be j^f Reafon, no more is 
meant, Than that Reafon cannot conceive bow thofe things 
are , and in that (enfe many of the Affairs of Nature are 
above it too. 

Thus I have (hewn how ferviccable Reafon is to Religion. 
I am next to prove, 

That (II.) ttellgfon befrienDS if : And here I offer fome 
Testimonies from the Holy Oracles to make that good i and 
in them we {hall fee, how God himfelf, and Cbrift&gt; and his 
Apoftlet, do own and acknowledge Reafon. 

I confider (j.) that God* Ifa. 1. 18. calls the rebellious 
Israelites to reafox with him i Come now, and let i% reafon toge 
ther, faith the Lord i and by Reafon he convinceth the People 
of the vanity of Idols, Ifa. 44. p. And he expoftulates with 
their Reafon^ Ezek. 18. 31. Wby will ye die* ye Houfe of 
Jfrael ? And Mich. 6.$* my People, what have I done unto 
tbee ? And wherein have I wearied tbee ? feftific againft me. 
He appeals unto their Reafons, to judge of his proceedings. 
Ifa. 5.3. And now, inhabitants of Jerufalem, and Men of 
Judah, judge I fray you between me and my vineyard ; are not 
my ways equal ? and are not your ways unequal? In this he 

inti- 



5 Rtafc* and Religion. 

intimates the competency of their Reafons, fo judge of the 
equity of kb Ways, and the iniquity of their own. 

And (2.) our Saviour commands the Difciples of the Pha- 
rifees,to give unto Ctfar the things that are CtfaSs, and to God 
the things that are God s &gt; implying the ability of their Reafons 
to diftinguifli between the things that belonged to God, and 
thofe that appertained to Ctfar. And he in divers places ar 
gues from the Principles and Topicks of Reafon : From that 
which we call, a majori ad minus-, from the greater to the /?/}, 
John 13. 14. He (hews it to be the duty of his Difciples, to 
ferve their Brethren in the meaneft Offices, and to wafli one 
another s feet, becaufe he had wafhed theirs, Verf. 1 4^ infor- 
cing it by this confideration of Reafon &gt; For the Servant if not 
greater than his Lord, Verf. 26* and ufeth the fame, John 15. 
20. to (hew, that they muft expedfr Perfection, becaufe He, 
their Lord, was perfecuted. And Luke 12. 23. He endea 
vours to take them off from carkingcare and follicitude about 
Meat and Raiment, by this confideration from Reafon, That 
the Life is more than Meat, and the Body than Raiment inti 
mating that God having given them the greater, there was no 
doubt but he would beftow the lefs, which was necclTary for 
the piefervation of it. To thefe Inftances, I add fome few 
from the Topick, a minori ad majus, from the lefs to the grea 
ter, in the arguings of our Saviour. Thus Mat. 7. i r. If ye 
being evil knonv how to give good Gifts to ymr Children, how 
much more fljall your father which if in Heaven give good Things 
to thofe that asl^ him ? The ground of the Confequence is this 
Principle of Reafon, *jfhat God is more benign and gracious, 
than the tendffeft and moft affettionate of our earthly Parents. So 
Luke 12.24. He argues, that God will provide for Vs, be 
caufe he doth for the Rxvens y fince we are better than they* 
How much more are ye better than the *Fowls .? Which arguing 
iuppofeth this Principle of Reafon x that that Wifdom & Good- 
nefs, which are indulgent to the viler Creatures, will not ne- 
gkdi the more excellent. He proceeds further in the fame Ar 
gument, by the confideration of God s clothing the Lillies, 
and makes the like inference from it, Verf. 2. If God fi 
clothe the Grajs^ bow much more wiH bs c othe you ? And Mat. 
12. He reafons that it was lawful for him to heal Q} the Sab- 

B b bath- 



14 ft* Agreement of 

bath-day, from the confideraiion of the general Meref that is 
due even to brute Creatures \ What Man Jhall there be among 
you that Jhall have one Sheep) and if it fall into a Pit on ths 
Sabbath- day^ will he not lay hold of it to lift it out ? How much 
wore tbfn if a MM better thjn a Sheep ? VerC 12. Thus out 
^- Saviour ufcd Arguments of Reafon. 

And ( 3. ) the ApojUestiid fo very frequently. S. Paul 
disproves Idolatry this way, AUs 17. 29. Forafmucb then &lt;#&gt; 
we are ths Off-faring of God^ vcs ought not to thinly that ths 
Gcd head It like ^lHto Gold, or Silver, or Stone graven by Art. 
And the fame Apcftle proves f he Rffitrreflion of the Dead by 
the mention of fcven grofs Abfurdities that wonld follow the 
dcnyal cf it, I Cor. i. 15. viz. If the Dead rife not&gt; Then 
i. Chrijl is not rifan And then 2 our Preaching is vain, and 
we falfe Apojlles , And if fo, 3. your Faith u vain i And 
then 4. you are not juftified^ but are in your fins j And hence 
it will follow 5. That thofe that are departed in the fame 
Faith are perifljed s And then 6 Faith in Chrifl proh ts only 
in ihvs Life \ And if fo, 7. we are of all Men the moil miff r a- 
ble&gt; Becaufe we fuflfer all things for this Faith i From ver.i$. 
to ver. 19* And the whole Chapter contains P hilofofhical 
ReafoniHgt either to prove or illufhate the Re fur re ft ion j or 
to (hew the difference of glorified Bodies from thefe. And 
S. Peter, in his fecond Efiftle^ Chap. 2. {hews, that finful 
Men mud expeft to be punifhed, becaufe God Jpared not the 
Angels that fell. Inftances of this would be endlefs i thefe 
may fuffice. And thus of the Second thing alfo, which I 
propofcd to make good, viz. that Religion it friendly to Rea- 
Jon i and that appears, in that God himfelf, ourSaviour, and 
his Apoftles own it v and ufe Arguments from it, even in Af 
fairs of Faith and Religion. 

BUt divers Objeftioxs are urged againft the ufe of Reafon fn 
Religion, from Serif ture, and other Confederations . The 
chief of them I (hall confider. briefly. 

From Scripture tis alledged, ( i. ) That God will deftroy 
tlie Wtfdom of the Wife, i Cor. j. ip. And ths World by Wif- 
dom knew not God^ verf. 2 r^ And not many wife Men after the 
fijh are called, verf, 2&lt;5 And God chafe the. fooliflj things of 



Reafo/t And Religion. 

thit World to confound the wife &gt; verf. 27. By which cxpreffions 
of #&gt;J/#9&gt; and wife* tis prefumed th^ffttmaneHeaf^n, and 
national Men, are meant. But thefe Interpreters miftake the 
Matter much, and as they are wont to do, put mere Arbitra 
ry Interpretations upon Scripture j For by Wifdom here, there 
is no caufe to understand the Reafon of Men *, but rather the 
traditions of the Jews &gt; the Philofophy of the Difputing 
Greeks &gt; and the worldly Policy of the Romaus-&gt; who were the 
v Ap^ov-3T&gt; TO &lt;uv@^, TheK/&lt;?r/of tint World: That the 
Jewijlj Learning in their Law is meant, the Apoftle intimates, 
when he asks in a way of Challenge, verf. 20. Where is the 
Scribe ? And the word r^/x/xxrm/s, fignifies one that was 
skill d in their Laws and Cuftoms. And that the Philofophy 
of the Greeks is to be underftood likewife, we. have ground to 
believe from the other Queflion in the fame Verfe &gt; Where is 
the Difpttter of thii World ? Which, though fome refer to the 
Doctors among the Jews alfo, yet, I humbly think, it may 
more properly be underftood of the Philofophers among the 
Grecians \ For the Apoftle writes to Greeks, and their Philo 
fophy was notorioufly contentious* And laftly, That the 
mrldly Policies of the Romans are included in this Wifdom of 
this World, which the Apoftle vilifies, there is caufe to think 
from the fixth Verfe of the fecond Chapter, where he faith, 
He fpake mt in the Wifdom of the Princes of thu World i And 
tis well known that Policy was their moft valued Wifdom i 

TLU regere imperio To govern the Nations, and promote 

the grandeur of their Empire, was tbe great defign and ftudy 
of thofe Princes of this World. Novv all thefc the Apoftle 
fets at nought in the beginning of this Epiftle i Becaufe they 
were very oppoilte to the fimplicity, and holinefs, felf-denial, 
and meeknefs of the Gofpel. But what is this to the difad- 
vantage of Reafon j to which thofe forts of Wifdom are as 
contrary, as they are to Religion ? And by this I am ena 
bled, 

( 2. ) To meet another Obje&ion urged from i Cor. 2. 14. 
But the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God&gt; 
for they are foolifljnefs unto him j neither can he kyow them, be- 
cau fe they are fpiritu ally difcerned. Hence the Enthuliaft ar 
gues the Univerfal Inability of Reafon in things of Religion &gt; 

Bb 2 and 



1 6 The Agreement of &ttty J . 



and its Antipathy to them : Whereas I can apprehend no more 
to be meant by the words, than this, viz.* That Jucb kind of 
natural Men as thofe Scribes, and Difpttters, and Politicians^ 
having their Minds depraved, and prepoffciTed with their own 
Wildom, vvere indifpofe&lt;] to receive tbit, that was fo contrary 
unto if. And they could not know thofe things of God&gt; be- 
caufe they were Spiritujl, and fo would require a Mind that 
was of a pure and fpiritxal frame, viz. free from rhaf earthly 
\Vifdomofall forts, which counts thofe things foolijhntfs-\ 
and which by God is counted fo it fdf \ i Or. 3. 19, which 
place 

(3. ) Is ufed as another Scripture againft Reafon. The 
Wifdom of thti World is foolijhnefs with God : But it can ilgni- 
ric nothing to that purpofe, to one that understands and confi- 
ders the Apoftle s meaning. What is meant by the mfdom 
of this World here, I have declared already \ And by the for 
mer part of my Difcouife it appears, that whatever is to be 
underftood by it, our Reafon cannot j fince that either proves, 
or defends all the Articles of Religion. 

(4. ) And when the fame Apoftleelfe where, viz. 2 Cor.i. 
12. faith, That thsy bad not tbe vr Cowerjation in flejbly Wif- 
dom i we cannot think he meant Humane Reafon by that &gt; 
for Reafon directs us to live in fimpticity, and godly fincerity, 
which he oppofeth to a life in flefhly Wifdom. By this there 
fore, no doubt, he means the Reafin of our Appetites* and 
?aflionS) which is but Senfe and Imagination^ ( for thefe blind 
Guides are the Directors of the Wicked ) but not the Reafon 
of ourM/W/, which is one of thofe Lights that illuminate 
the Gonfciences of good Men, and help to guide their Acti 
ons. And whereas tis ob}efted, 

(5.) From CoL 2. 8. Beware . h(l any fpoil you through 
Philofopby* I Anfwer, There is nothing can be made of that 
neither, for the di (grace of Reafon i for the Philofophy the 
A poftle cautions again ft, is the fame which he warns fimotby 
of, I Tim. I. 4. Neither give heed to Fables and endlefs Gene 
alogies that minifler Qvejlions , calling thefe, prophane, and 
vain bablings, and oppofitions of Science, falfly fo called^ 
i Tim. 6* 20. By all which, Learned Interpreters underftand 
the pretended Knowledge, of whioh the Gn9jlicks boafteJi 

which 



Kcapn and Religion. 17 

which confined in the fabulous Pedigrees of the Cods under the 
name of J&ones \ and it may be the Genealogies of which the 
Jews were fo fond &gt; and the difpnting Philojophy among the 
Creek/* which was properly, Science falfly Jo called^ and did 
minilter QueiHons, and endiefs Strife v I fay, tis very pro 
bable thefe might be comprehended alfo : But Reafon is no 
otherwise concerned in all this, but as condemning, and re 
proving thefe dangerous Follies. 

THUS we fee the Pretenfions from Scripture againft 
Reafon are vain. But there are otfcer ConffOeratfctlS by 

which it ufcth to be impugned, as, 

( i. ) OUR Reafon i$CO|Ticpt:eD, and therefore is not fit 
to meddle in Spirititjl Matters. 

To this I fay, That Reafon, as it Is taken for the Faculty 
of Underftanding, is very much weakened and impaired &gt; It 
fees but little, and that very dully, through a Glafs darkjy-, as 
the ApolHe faith, i Cor. 13. And it is very liable to be mi- 
fled by our Senfes, and Affections, and Interefts, and Imagi 
nations &gt; fo that we many times mingle Errors, and falfe 
Conceits, with the genuine Dictates of our Minds, and ap 
peal to them, as the Piinciplesof Truth and Reafon, when 
they are but the vain Images of our Phandes, or the falfe Con- 
clufions of Ignorance and Mifhke. If this be meant by the 
corruption of Reafon, I grant it &gt; and all that can be inferred 
from it will be &gt; 77;u* we ought not to be too bold and perempto- A 
ry in defining fpeculative^ and difficult matters \ efpeciatiy not 
thofe that relate to Religion^ nor to fet our Keafonings againft the 
T&gt;i8rinet of Faith and Revelation. But this is nothing to the 
difreputation of Reafon in the Object, z/fe; Thofe Principles 
of Tru h which are written upon our Souls &gt; or any Conclu- 
fions that are deduced from them : Thefe are the fame that 
they ever were, though we difcern them not fo clearly as the 
Innocent State did : They may be miftaken, but cannot be 
corrupted. And as our Underftandings, by reafon of their 
weaknefs, and liablenefs to Error, may take falthoods for 
(bme of thofe &gt; or infer falfly from thofe that are truly (uch ; 

fo 



;i8 the Agreement of 

fo we know, they do the fame by the Scriptures thetnfelves, 
viz. they very often mif-interpret, and very often draw per- 
verfe conclufions from them &gt; And yet we fay not, That the 
Word of God is corrupted, nor is the ufe ,of Scripture de- 
cryed becaufe of thofe abufes. But here advantage will be ta 
ken to object again, 

f 2) that fince our natural Vnderftandings are fo wea^ 
and fo liable u miflake^ they ought not to bs ufed in the Affain 
of Religion * and twill fignifie little to us that there are certain 
Principles of eternal TLeafony if we eitbsr perceive them not) or 
cannot ufe them. 

To this I Anfwer, That if on this account we muft re 
nounce the ufe of our natural Understandings, Scripture will 
beufelefsto usalfo &gt; For how can we know the meaning of 
the words that exprefs God s Mind unto us &gt; How can we 
compare one Scripture with another ? How can we draw any 
Confequence from it ? How apply general Propofitions to our 
own particular Cafes ? How tell what is to be taken in the Let 
ter ; what in the Myftery, what plainly &gt; whatin a Figure? 
"What according to (hid and rigorous Truth ? What by way 
of accommodation to our Apprehenfions ? I fay&gt; without the 
exrcile of our Underftandings, ufing the Principles of Rea- 
fon, none of thefe can be done, and without them Scripture 
will fignifie either nothing at all, or very little to us. And 
\vhat can Religion get this way ? This Inference therefore is 
abfurd and impious. All that can juftly be concluded from the 
weaknefs of our Under/landings, will be what 1 intimated 
before, that we ought to ulethem with .modefty aiid caution , 
not that we fhould renounce them. He is a Mad-man, who, 
becaufe his eyes are dim, will therefore put them cut. 
But it may be objected further, 

; -tttti :.5fn^i sf!&gt;. MS t : i3fiT ; 

(3.) Tfbat wbicb Men call Re afin H infinitely various , and 
that if reafonable to one-&gt; tvbicb if very irrational to another i 
Therefore E.eafon it not to be heard. And, I fay, Interpretati 
ons of Scripture are infinitely various, and one calls that 
Scriptural, which another calls Heretical i Shall we conclude 

There- 



Reafov and Religion. j p 

therefore, That Scripture n not to be beard ? Reafbn in it felf 
is the Hme all the World over, though Mens apprehentions ."* 
of it are various, as the Light of the Sun is one, though 
Coloin s are infinite : And where this is, it ought not to be 
denied, becaufe follies and falfhoods pretend relation to it , or 
call themfelves by that name. If fo, farewel Religion too. 



But ( 4. ) Hf Socinianifm to plead for Reafon in the 
of Faith and Rfligion- 

And I Anfvver, Tis grofs Phanaticifm to plead againft it. 
This Name is properly applicable to the Enemies of Reafon i 
But the other of Socinianifm is groundleily applyed to thofe 
that undertake for it \ and it abfurdly fuppofeth that Socinians 
are the only rational Men, when-as divers of their Do- 
dhints, fuchas, The Sle ep, and natural mortality of the Soul \ 
and utter extiHftion t and annihilation of the Wicked after the 
Day of Judgment^ are very obnoxious to Philofophy and 
Reafon. And the Sociniam can never be confuted in their 
other Opinions, without uilng Reafon 5o maintain the Senfe 
and Interpretation of thofe Scriptures that are alledged againft 
them. 3 Tis an eafie thing, we know, to give an ugly Name 
to ai.y thing we diOike ; and by this way the moft excellent 
and facred Things have been made contemptible and vile. I 
wifh fgch hafty Cenfurers would confider before they call 
Names &gt; that no "frutb it the n&gt;orfe y becaufe rajh Ignorance hath 
thrown dirt upon it. I need fay no more to thefe frivolous Ob- 
je&ions. Thofe that alledge Atbeijm^ and tendency to Infide 
lity againft the reverence and ufe of Reafon, aredifproved by 
my whole Difcourfe ; Which (hews that the Enemies of Rea 
fon moft ufually ferve the ends of the Infidel* and the Atheitf 5 
when as i due ufe of it deftroys the Pretentious of both. 



Notv 



2d Me Agreement of 



NOw from the foregoing .brief Difcourfe 1 (hall deduce 
fome Corollaries, that may be of ufe for the better uti- 
derftanding of the whole Matter. 

i. Reafoni* certain and infallible *&gt;&gt; This follows from the 
ftate I gave of the Nature and Notion of Reafon in the begin 
ning. It conflfts in Firft Principles, and the Conclufions that 
are raifed from them, and the ObTcr vat ions of Senfe. ; Now 
firft Principles are certain, or nothing canbefos for every 
poflible Conclufion muft be drawn from thofe, or by their 
help &gt; and every Article of Faith fuppofeth them : And for 
the Propositions that arife from thofe certain Principles, they 
are certain likewrfe &gt; For nothing can follow from Truth, but 
Truth in the longeft Series of Deduction. If Error creep in, 
there is ill confequence in the cafe. And the fort of Conclufi 
ons that arife from the Obfervations of Senfe, if the Senfe be 
rightly circumftantiated, and the Inference rightly made, are 
certain alfo. For if our Senfes in all their due Circumftances 
deceive us, All is a delufion, and we are fure of nothing: 
But we know, that firft Principles are certain, and that our 
Senfes do not deceive us, becaufe God, that beftotved them 
upon us, is True and Good : and we are as much afTured,that 
whatever we duly conclude from either of them, is certain &gt; 
becaufe whatever is drawn from any Principle, was virtually 
contained in it. 

( 2. ) I infer, T bat Reafon fr, in a fenfe, the Word of God, 
viz. That which he hath written upon our Minds and 
Hearts j as Scripture is that which is written in a Book. The 
former is the Word, whereby he hath fpoken to all Mankind i 
the latter is that whereby he hath declared his Will to the 
Church, and his peculiar People. Reafon is that Candle of 
the Lord, of which Solomon fpeaks, Prov. 20.17* *f bat Light &lt;&gt; 
whereby Chrift hath enligbtned every one that comet h into the 
World^ John i- p. And, that Law whereby the Consciences of 
the Heathen either accttje, or excufe one another^ Rom. 2. 15. 

So 



Reafift and Religion. 

So that Hierocles fpoke well, when he faid, T$ &lt;5p05) 
ndSto&Ki fy 0*3&gt; TOUTCV ^jt : To be perfwaded by God and 
right Reafon^ is me and the five thing. And Luther called 
Philofopfy, within its own bounds, the Truth of God* 

( 3. ) The belief of our Reafon is an Exercife of Faith ani 
Faith is an AH of Reafon* The former part is clear, from the 
laft Particular, and we believe our Reafons, becaufe we have 
them from God, who cannot miftake, and will not deceive. 
So that relying on them, in things clearly perceived, is truft 
in God s veracity and goodnefs, and that is an exercife of 
Faith. Thus Luke 12. The not belief of Reafon, that fug- 
gefts from God s clothing the Lillies-, that He will provide for 
us, is made by our Saviour a defect of Faith, Verf.2% ye 
of little Faith ! And for the other part, that Faith is an Adt 
of Reafon, that is evident alfb : For, *Tti the higheft Reajott 
to believe in God revealing 

( 4. ) No Principle of Reafon contradifts any Articles of 
Faith. This follows upon the whole. Faith befriends Rea 
fon &gt; and Reafon ferves Religion-) and therefore they cannot 
clam. They are both certain, both the Truths of God i and 
one Truth doth not interfere with another, T& a \n3et TOVTO 
GW&ch-i Td vsJap^ovTa, faith Ariftotle, Truth agrees with all 
things that are. Whatfoever contradicts Faith, isoppofiteto 
Reafon j for tis a Fundamental Principle of that, That God 
TA to be believed. Indeed fometimes there is a feeming contra 
diction between them ? But then either fomething is taken for 
Faith, that is but Phanfie &gt; or fomething for Reafon, that is 
butSophiftry &gt; or the fuppofed contradiction is an Error and 
Miftake, 

( 5. ) When any thing it pretended from ReafoH, againfl any 
Article of Faith^ we ought not to cut the Knot, by denying Rea- 
fon s but endeavour to untie it-, by anfaering the Argument , and 
*M certain it way be fairly anfrered. For all Hereticks argue 
either from falfe Principles, or fallaciouily conclude from true 
ones : So that our Faith is to be defended, not by declaiming 
againii Reafon, in fuch a cafe,, (which fhrengthens the Enemy, 

C c and, 



a a The Agreement of 

and, to the great prejudice of Religion, allows Reafon on his 
fide) j But we muft endeavour to defend it, either by difco* 
vering the falftiood of the Principles he ufeth in the name of 
Reafon i or the ill Confequence, which he calls Proof. 

( 6. ) When any thing u offered us for an Article of Faith that 
feems to contraditt Reafon y roe ought td fee that there be good caufe 
to believe that this is divinely revealed, and in the fenfe propoun 
ded. If it be, we may be allured from the former Apho- 
rifms, that the Contradiction is but an Appearance j and it 
may be difcovered to be fo. But if the Contradiction be real, 
This can be no Article of Revelation, or the Revelation hath 
not this fenfe. For God cannot be the Author of Contradi 
ctions i and we have feen, that Reafon, as well as Faith, is 
his. I mean, the Principles of Natural Truth, as well as thofe 
of Revelation. T&lt; -v^gv^j TOiyj Stecp&vei Tti aAn^s, faith 
Ariftoth) Truth is throughout contrary to falfhood j and what 
is true in Divinity, cannot be falfe in Reafon. Tis faid in 
deed in theTalmud, If two Rabbins differ in Contradictories, 
yet both have their Opinions from Mofes^ and from God. But 
we are not obliged to fuch an irrational kind of Faith And 
ought not to receive any thing as an Article of it, in a fenfe 
that palpably contradicts Reafon, no more than we may re* 
ceive any fenfe that contradicts the direct Scriptures. Faith 
and Reafon accord, as well as the OldTeftament^ and the 
New i and the Analogy of Reafon is to be heeded alto, becaufe 
even that is Divine and Sacred. 

( 7. ) There is nothing that God hath revealed to oblige wr 
Faith) but he hath given us reafon to believe that he hath revealed 
it. For though the thing be never fo clearly told me, if I 
have not reafon to think, that God is the Revealer of what is 
fo declared, I am not bound to believe it i except there be evi 
dence in the thing it felf. For tis not Faith, but vain creduli 
ty to believe everything that pretends to be from God. So 
that we ought to ask our felves a Reafon, why we believe 
the Scripture to be the Revelation of God s Will, and ought 
not to affent to any fenfe put upon it, till we have ground to 
think, that that fenfe is his mind ? I lay, we muft have ground, 

either 



Reafon and Religion. 23 

, cither from our particular Reafons, or the Authority of the 
Church j otherwikour Faith is vain Credulityjand not Faith 
in God. 

( 8. ) A Man may bold an erroneous Opinion from a miftaken 
fenfe of Scripture, and deny what is the truth of the Propoftion-, 
and what is the right meaning of the 2Vjtf, and yet not err i& 
Faith. For Faith is a belief of God revealing : And if God , 
have not fo revealed this, or that, as to give us certain ground / 
to believe this to be his fenfe, he hath not fufficiently revealed \ 
it to oblige our Faith. So that though I deny fuch, or fuch a 
fenfe, while I believe it is not from God &gt; his veracity and ; 
Authority is not concerned, fince I am ready however to give 
a chearful aflent to what-ever is clearly and fufficiently revea 
led. This Propofition follows from the former, and muft be 
underftood only of thofe Doclrines that are difficult, and ob- 
fcurely delivered : And that many things are fo delivered in 
Scripture, is certain &gt; For fome are only hinted, and fpoken 
occafionally &gt; fome figuratively, and by way of Parable, and 
Allegory fome according to Mens Conceptions &gt; and fome 
in Ambiguous and ^Enigmatical Phrafes &gt; which Obfcurities 
may occaiion miftake in thofc, who are very ready to believe 
what-ever God faith &gt; and when they do, I fhould be loth to 
(ay that fuch err in Faith*, Though thofe that wreft plain Texts 
to a compliance with their Interefts,and their Lufts i Though 
their Affections may bring their Judgments to vote with them, 
yet theirs is Error in Faith with a witnefs, and capable of no 
benefit from this Propofition. 

( p. ) In fearching after the fenfe of Scripture* we ought to 
confult the Principles of Reafon, as we do other Scriptures. For 
we have (hewn, That Reafon is another part of God s Word. % 
And though the Scripture be fufficient for its own end,yet Rea 
fon muft be prefuppofed unto it i for without this, Scripture 
cannot be ufed, nor compared, nor applied, nor undcrftood. 

( io.) "the EJJentialf of Religion are fo plainly revealed, 
that no Man can mifs them, that hath not a mighty corrupt bias in 
his Witt and Affettiws to infatuate and blind his Vndtrftanding. 

Cc 2 Thofe 



24 M* Agreement of 

Thofe EfTentials are contained in the "Decalogue and the Creed : 
Many fpeculative remoter Doctrines may be true, but not Fun 
damental. For tis not agreeable to the goodnefs or juftice of 
God, that Mens eternal Interefis fhould depend upon things 
that are difficult to be underftood, and eafily miftaken. If 
they did, No Man could be fecure, but that, do what he 
could, he fhouW perifli everlaftingly, for not believing, or be 
lieving amifs fome of thofe difficult Points, that are fuppofed 
neceflary to Salvation &gt; and all thofe that are ignorant,* and 
of weak underftanding, muft perifh without help, or they 
rnuft befaved by implicit Faith in unknown Fundamentals. 

THESE are fome Propofitions that follow from my Dif- 
courfe, and from one another. The better they are confider- 
ed* the more their force will be perceived \ and I think they 
may ferve for many very confiderable purpofes of Religion, 
Charity, and the peace of Mankind. 



A Nd now, as a Conclufion to the whole, I (hall add fome 
* ? * Confiderations of the dangerous tendency of the com 
mon practice (at leaft among the Seels) of declaiming againft 
Reafon as an Enemy to Religion. 

{ I. ) It tends to the introduction of Atheifm, Infidelity, and 
Sceptici Cm ^and bath already brought in a flood ofthefe upon us. For 
what advantage can the A.theift and Infidel expect greater than 
this, That Reafon is againft Religion ? What do they pretend ? 
What can they propofe more ? If fo, there will be no proving, 
That there is a God * or, That the Scripture is his Word i and 
then we believe gratis &gt; and our Faith hangs upon Humour and 
Imagination i and that Religion that depends upon a warm 
Phanfie^and an ungrounded belief, (lands but till a Difeafe, or a 
new Conceit alter the Scene of Imagination, and then down 
falls the Caftle, whofe Foundation was in the Air. Twas 
the charge of Julian the Apoftate againft the Primitive Chri- 
fiians s i^v va&gt; TO Tdgtveov iris 



That their Wiflom wot to believe ; as if they had no ground for 
their Faith. And thofe that renounce and decry Reafbn, ju- 
fUfie Julianva his Charge. If this be fo, Religion will have 

no 



* Reap* and. Religion. 2J 

no bottom, but the Phanfie of every one that profeffcth it ^ 
and how various and inconftant a thing Imagination is, every 
Man knows. Thefe are the Confequences of defamations of 
Reafon, on the pretended account of Religion &gt; and we have 
feen, in multitudes of deplorable Inftances, That they follow 
in pra&ice* as well as reafoning. Men of corrupt inclinati* 
ons fufpccl: that there is no Reafon for our Faith and Religi 
on, and fo are upon the borders of quitting it * And the E- 
tbufiafti that pretends to know Religion bed, tells them, that 
tfaefe Sufpicions are very true j and thence the Debauchee glad 
ly makes the defpsrate Conclufion : Or at leaft, when they -% 
hear that Reafon is uncertain, various, and fallacious, they de 
ny all credit to their Faculties, and become confounded Seep- 
ticks-&gt; that fettle in nothing. This I take to have been one of 
the greateft and moft deadly occafions of the Atheifm of our 
days &gt; and he that hath rejected Reafon, may be one when he 
pleafeth, and cannot reprehend, or reduce any one, that is fo 
already. 

( 2. ) The denial of Reafon in Religion, hath been the princi 
pal Engine that Heretickj and Enthufafts have ufed againfl the 
Faith j and that which lays w open to infinite follies and impo- 
ftures. Thus the Arrians quarrelled with o/uuoi^aioc^ becaufe it 
was deduced by cotifequence, but not exprelTed in Scripture. 
The Apotiinarijis would by no means allow of Reafon , And 
St. Anjiin faith of the Donati/is, that they did calumniate, and 
decry /* , to raife prejudice againft the Catholic}^ Faith i and 
elfewhere, Doftores veftri Hominem dialefticttm fugiendum po- 
tius*) & cavendum, quam referendum cenjuerunt. The Vbi- 
quttarians defend their Errors, by denying the judgmeni of 
Reafon j and the Macedonians would not have the Deity of 
the Holy Ghoft proved by Confequence. The later Entbufi* 
afls in Germany-, and other places, fet up loud and vehement 
out-cries againft Reafon i and the Lmatickj among us (that 
agree in nothing elfc) do yet fweetly accord in oppofing this 
Carnal Reafon i and this indeed is their common Intereft. The 
impoftures of Mens Phanfies muft not be feen in too much 
light &gt; and we cannot dream with our eyes open. Reafon 
would difcover the nakednefs of Sacred Whimfies, and the va 
nity of Myfterious Non-fenfei This would difparage the 

Darlings 



a 6 The Agreement of jS(fe^ 5 ; 

Darlings of the Brain, and cool the pleafant heats of kindled 
Imagination : And therefore Reafon muft bedecryed, becaufe 
an enemy to madnefs i and Phanfie fet up, under the Notion 
of Faith and Infpiration. Hence Men had got the trick to call 
every thing that was Confequent, and Reafonable, Vain Phi- 
lofophy 5 and every thing that was Sober, Carnal Reafoning. 
. Religion is fet fo far above Reafon, that at length it is put be 
yond Sobriety and Sen(e &gt; and then twas fit to be believed, 
when twas impoffible to be proved, *or underftood. The way 
to be a Chriftian, is firft to be a Brute and to be a true Belie- 
f ver, in this Divinity, is to be fit for Bedlam. Men have been 
taught to put out their eyes, that they might fee , and to 
hoodwink themfelves, that they might avoid the Precipices. 
\ Thus have all Extravagancies been brought into Religion, be- 
.yond the Imaginations of a Fever, and the Conceits of Mid 
night : Whatever is phanfied, is certain i and whatever is 
vehement, is Sacred &gt; every thing muft be believed, that is 
dream d &gt; and every thing that is abfurd, is a Myftery. And 
by this way, Men in our days have been prepared to f wallow 
every thing, every thing but what is fober : whatever is wild, 
will be fuck d in like the Air *, but what is reafonable, will be 
fled like Infection.- So that if a Man would recommend any 
Dodhine for his life, to thofe Enemies of Reafon, it muft be 
fomeodd non-fenfe, in the clothing of Imagination ; and he 
that can be the Author of a new kind of Madnefs, (hall lead, a 
Party. Thus hath Religion, by the difparagement of Rea 
fon, been made a Medley of Phantaftick Trafli, fpiritualized 
into an heap of Vapours, and formed into a Caftle of Clouds &gt; 
and expofcd to every Wind of Humour and Imagination. 

( 3. ) By the fame way great advantage is given to the Church 
of Rome : Which is well known by thofe that adhere unto it. 
And therefore Perronm* Gonterius, Armldus, Veronius y and 
other Jefuitos, have loudly declaimed againft Reafon i and the 
laft mentioned, Veromus, prefented the World with a Method 
to overthrow Hfmfc^f/meaning thofe of the Proteftant Faith) 
which promifed more than ordinary i And that was, to deny 
and renounce all Principles of Reafon in Affairs of Faith, ab- 
folutely and roundly and not to vouchfafe an Anfwer to any 
Argument againft Tranjubftantiation* or the other Articles of 

their 



5 Reafon and Religion. 2 7 

their new Faith *, but point-blank to deny whatever Reafon 
faith in fuch Matters. And he affirms, that even thefe Prin 
ciples of Reafon, viz. Non enw non funt Attributa \ owns 
quod eft) quando eft, necejp eft ejje i and fuch like) which are the 
Foundations of all Reafoning, are dangerous to the Catholic^ 
Faith, and therefore not to be heeded. This Man fpeaks out, 
and affirms directly and boldly, what the other Enemies of 
Reafbn mean, but wiH not own. This is a Method to de- 
ftroy Heretick* in earned 4 but themifchief is, allChriftians, 
and all other Religions, and all other Reafonings are cut off 
by the fame Sword. This Book and Method of Vervniw was 
kindly received by the Pope, priviledged by the King of Spain* 
approved by Cardinals, Archbijhofs, Bifbops, and all the Gallic}^ 
Clergy, as folid, and for the advantage of Souls j and the Sor- 
bone Vottors gave it their approbation, and recommended it as 
the only way to confute us, and all the other Adverfaries of 
their corrupted Faith and Religion. Did thefe know what 
they did &gt; And did they, think we, underftand the Intereft of 
the Roman Church ? If fo, we kindly ferve their ends, and 
promote their Defigns in the way, which they account beft, 
while we vilifie and difparage Reafon. If this be renounced 
in Matters of Religion, with what face can we ufe it againft 
the Dodhine of franfulftanttatwti or any other Points of the 
Roman Creed? Would it not be blamelefs and irreprovable for 
us to give up our Understandings implicitly to the Dilates 
and Declarations of that Church ? May we not follow blindly 
whatever the Infallible Man at Rome and his Councils fay &gt; And 
would it not be vain felf-contradi&ion to ufe Arguments 
againft their "Decrees, though they are never fo unreasonable &gt; 
Or to alledge Confequences from Scripture againft any of their 
Articles, though never fo contrary to the Holy Oracles ? How 
eafilymay they rejoyn, when we difpute againft them , You 
argue from Reafon, and by Confequences i But Reafon is dull 
and carnal, and an enemy to the things of the Spirit, and not 
to be heard in the high Matters of Religion ? And what can 
we fay next, if allow of the Accufation ? I fay, by this way, 
we perfectly difable, or grofly contradict our felves, in moft of 
ur Difputes againft the Romanics : And we are very difinge- 
nuousin our dealings, while we ufe Reafon againft them, and 

deny 



2 8 the Agreement: of 

deny it, when tis urged again ft our felves by another fort of 
Adverfaries* which implies, that when we fay, Reafon is not 
%&gt; be beard) we mean, tis not to be heard againfi us &gt; But it 
rni!& againfi the Church of Rome,ot any others we can oppugn 
by it. So that our denying Reafon in Religion is either very 
humourfom and partial, or tis a direct yielding up our Caufe 
to our Enemies i and doing that our felves, which is the on 
ly thing they defire,to undo us &gt; and to promote their own In- 
terefts upon our Ruines* 

And thus I have reprefented fome of the Mifchiefs that arife 
from the difparagement of Reafon &gt; we fee they are great ones, 
big of many others, and fuch as are deftiudHve to all Govern- 
ment,and all the Interefts of the fober part of Mankind. This 
is properly Fanaticifm^ and all that we call fb, grows upon it. 
Here the Enemies of our Church and Government began &gt; up 
on this they infilled (till, and filled their Books, and Pulpits, 
and private Corners, with thefe Castings. This was the En 
gine to overthrow all fober Principles, and Eftablifhments j 
with this the People were infatuated, and credit was reconci 
led to GMeriJh) and Folly* Euthufiafmjjznd vain Impuljes. 
This is the Food of Conventicles to this day j the root of their 
Matter, and the butden of their Preachments. Let Reafon be 
heard, and tie them to Senfe, and moft of their Holders-fink 
have no more to fay. Their fpirituality, for which they are 
admired, is befides Reafon, and againft it, rather than above 
it i And while this Principle of the enmity between Reafon 
and Religion ftands, the People will think them the more Spi 
ritual Preachers, becaufe they are the lefs reasonable : And 
while they are abufed by fuch a belief, twill be impoflible for 
fober Men to have any fuccefs in their endeavours to convince 
them. 



AGAINST 



Modern Sadducifm 



In the Matter of 

and 



Cffap vi. 



AG AINST 

I 

MODERN S A D D UC ISM 

In the Matter of 

and 



IF any thing were to be much admired in an Age of Won 
ders, not only of Nature, ( which is a conftant Prodigy) 
but of Men and Manners it would be to me matter of 
aftonilhment, that Men, otherwife witty and ingenious, 
are fallen into the Conceit that there s no fuch thing as a 
Witcb^ or Apparition^ but that thefe are the Creatures of Me- 
lancholly and Superftition, fofterM by Ignorance and Deilgn &gt; 
which, comparing the confidence of their disbelief, with the 
evidence of the things denied, and the weaknels of their 
Grounds, would almofl fuggeft, that themfelves are an Ar 
gument of what they deriy &gt; and that fb confident an Opinion 
could not be held upon fuch inducements, but by fbmc kind 
of Witchcraft, and Fafcination in the Fancy. And perhaps 
that evil Spirit, whofe Influences they will not allow in AdH- 
ons afcribed to fuch Caufes, hath a greater hand and intereft 
in their Prcpofition than they are aware of. For that fubtil 
Enemy of Mankind (face Providence will not permit him 
to mifchief u-s without our own concurrence) attempts that 
by ftratagcm and artitice, \v T hicli he could never cffedr by open 
ways of ading ^ and the fucccfs of all wiles depending upon 
their fccrccy, and concealment, his influence is never more 
dangerous than when his agency is leaft fnfpe&ed. In order 

Dd 2 there- 



lofophicAl Gottfiderations 

therefore to the carrying on the dark and hidden Dcfigns he 
manageth againft our Happinefs, and our Souls, he cannot 
expect to advantage himfelf more, than by infinuating a be 
lief That there Is no fuch thing of Himfelf, but that Fear and 
Fancy make Devils now, as they did Gods of old. Nor can 
he ever draw the afferit of Men to (b dangerous an Aflerdon, 
while the Handing fcnfible Evidences of his Exifience in his 
practices by and upon his Inllruments, are not difcrcdited and 
removed. 

3 Tis doubtlefs therefore the intereft of this Agent of Dark- 
nefs, to have the World believe, that the Notion they bare 
of Him, is but a Pbantbme and Conceit j and in order there 
unto. That the ftaries of Witcbes^ Apparitions^ and indeed 
every thing that brings tidings of another World, are but 
melancholick Dreams, and pious Romances. And when 
Men are arriv d thus far, to think there are no Diabolical Con- 
tradts or Apparitions, their belief that there are fuch Spirits, 
refts only upon their Faith, and reverence to the Divine Ora- 
eles &gt; which we have little reafbn to apprehend fb great in 
fuch AfTertors, as to command much from their alien t y efpe- 
cially in fuch things in which they have corrupt Interefts 
againft their evidence. So that he that thinks there is no 
Witch, believes a Devil gratis, or at leaft upon Inducements, 
which he is like to find himfelf difpofed to deny when he 
pleafeth. And when Men are arrived to this degree of Dif- 
tidence and Inrlddity, we are beholden to them if they be 
lieve either Angel, or Spirit, Refurredlion of the Body, or 
Immortality of Souls. Thefe things hang together in a 
Chain of Connexion., at Jeali in thefe Mens Hypothecs } and 
tis but an happy chance, if he that hath loll one Link, holds- 
another. So that the Vitals of Religion being fb much intc- 
retted in this Subjcdr, it will not be unnece/Tary imployment 
particularly to difcourfe it. 

And in order to the proof that there have been, and are 
unlawful Confederacies with evil Spirits, by vertue of which 
the hellifh Accomplices perform things above their natural 
Powers &gt; I muftpremife, that this being matter of Fad:, is 
only capable of the evidence of Authority and Senfc :. And* 
by both thefe, the being of Witches and Diabolical Contracts, 

is 



tgainft Modern SadducifaT. 

is moft abundantly confirm d. All Hiflories are full of the 
Exploits of thofe Inftruments of Darknefs, and the Teftimo- 
ny of all Ages, not only of the rude and barbarous, but of 
the molt civilii d and polifhM World, brings tidings of their 
ftrange performances. We have the Attdhtion of thoufands 
of Eye and Ear-witnefTes,and thofe not of the eafily deceiva- 
ble Vulgar only, but of wife and grave Difcerners -, and that, 
when no Intereft eould oblige them to agree together in a 
common Lye : I fay, we have the light of all thefe Circum- 
ftances to confirm us in the belief of things done by Perfons 
of ^tfpicable Power and Knowledge, beyond the reach of 
Ait, and ordinary Nature. Standing publick Records have 
been kept of thefe well-attefted Relations : and Epochal 
made of thole unwonted Events &gt; Laws in many Nations 
have been enacted againil thofe vile practices &gt; Thofe among 
the JCVPS^ and our own, are notorious: fuch Cafes have been 
often determined near us, by "Wife and Reverend Judges, up 
on clear and convidrive Evidence : and multitudes in our Na 
tion have fuffcred death for their vile Compacts with Apoilate 
Spirits. All thefe I might largely prove in their particular 
Inftances, but thai tis not needful, iince thofe that deny the 
being of Witches^ do it not out of ignorance of thefe Heads 
of Argument, of which probably they have heard a thou- 
fand times 5 But from an apprehcnilon that fuch a belief is ab- 
furd, and the things impoiiible. And upon thefe prefumpti- 
ons they contemn all Dunonftrations of this nature, and are. 
hardned againlt Convidion. And I think, thofe that can 
believe allHiiiories are Romances, that all the wifer World 
have agreed together to juggle Mankind into a common be 
lief of ungrounded Fables that the found Senfes of multi 
tudes together may deceive them &gt; and Laws are built upon, 
Cbymerzs ) that the graveil and wifeil Judges have been Mur 
derers &gt; and the fageit Perfons Fools, or deligning Impoftors : 
I fay, thofe that can believe this heap of Abfurdities, are 
either, more credulous than thofe whole credulity they repre 
hend V or elfe have fome extraordinary evidence of their Per- 
fwafion, viz. Ibxt tit abfurd and hnpoffible there fbould be & 
Witch or Apparition. And I am confident, were thofe little 
appearances removM, which Men have fortn d in their Fan 
cies 



Philosophical Confederations jCfia 6. 



cies againft the belief of fuch things i&gt; their own Evidence 
would make the way to Mens aflent, without any more Ar 
guments than what they know already to enforce it. There 
is nothing then neceflary to be done, in order to the efta- 
blifliing the belief I would reconcile to Mens minds, but to 
endeavour the removal of thofe Prejudices they have received 
againft it: the chief of which I fhall particularly deal with. 
And I begin with that bold AiTertion, That 

I. 

(10 *~T^He NO 710 N of a Spirit if impofible and contraditti- 
JL ous , and confeqmntly fo if that of Witches, the belief 
of which is founded on that Doctrine. 

To which Objection I Anfwer, 

.(i.) If the Notion of a Spirit be abfurd, as is pre 
tended, that of a GOD, and a SOllL diftincr from Mat 
ter, and Immortal, are likewife Abfurdities. And then, 
That the World was jumbled into this elegant and orderly Fa- 
brick by chance j and that our Souls are only parts of Mat 
ter, that came together we know not whence, nor how j 
and fhall again fhortly be diffolv d into thofe loofe Atoms that 
compound them &gt; That all our Conceptions are but the 
thrufting of one part of Matter againft another j and the 
Idea s of our Minds meer blind and cafual Motions : Thefe, 
and a thoufand more the groifeft Impoilibilities and Abfurdi 
ties (confequents of this Proportion, 7 bat the Notion of a -Spi 
rit is abfurd) will be fad Certainties and Demonftrations. 
And with fuch Affertors I would ceafe to dilcourfe about 
Witches and Apparitions^ and addrefs my felf to obtain their 
aflent to Truths infinitely more Sacred. 

And yet (2.) though it iliould be granted them, that a 
Subilance immaterial is as much a contradiction as they can 
fancy, yet.why Chould they not believe that the Air, and all 
the Regions above us, may have their invifible intellectual 
Agents of Nature like unto our Souls, be that what it will i 
and fome of them at leaft as much degenerate as the vileiT 
and moil mifchievous among Men. This Hyprtbefs will be 

enough 



Modern Sadducifm. 

enough to fecure the pofTibility of Witches and Apparitions. 
And that all the upper Stories of the Univerfe are furnifh d 
with Inhabitants, tis infinitely reafbnable to conclude from 
the Analogy of Nature &gt; Since we fee there* is nothing fo con 
temptible and vile in the World we relide in, but hath its li 
ving Creatures that dwell upon in the Earth, the Water, the 
inferiour Air &gt; the Bodies of Animals, the Fleili, the Skin, 
the Entrails &gt; the Leaves, the Roots, the Stalks of Vegeta 
bles &gt; yea, and all kind of Minerals in the Subterraneous Re 
gions : I fay, all thefe have their proper Inhabitants i yea, I 
luppofe this Rule may hold in all diitindt kinds of Bodies in 
the World, That they have their peculiar Animals. The cer 
tainty of which I believe the improvement of Microfcopical 
Obftrvations will difcover. From whence I infer, That 
fmce this little Spot is fo thickly peopled in every Atom of 
it, tis weaknefs to think that all the vafr fpaces above, and 
hollows under Ground, are deiert and uninhabited. And if 
both the fuperiour and lower Continents of the Univerfe have 
theirlnhabitants alio, tis exceedingly improbable, arguing 
from the fame Analogy, that they are all of the mecr feniible 
Nature, but that there are at lead fbme of the Rational and 
Intellectual Orders. Which fuppofed, there is good foun 
dation for the belief oi Witches, and Apparitions &gt; though 
the Notion of a Spirit fhould prove as abfurd and unphilofo- 
phical, as I judg the Denial of it. And fo this firfc Objecti 
on comes to nothing- i defcend then to the fecond frcptdiee, 
which may be thus formed in behalf of the Objeftors. 

I I. 

(II.) ^T^Here jre Aftions in moji of thofe Relations afiribed to 
j| tPitcbef., wbicb are ridiculQits and impojfibh in the na 
ture of things j fitch &e (i*) tbeir flying out of Windows, af- 
tertbey have ajiowted .themfdves, to remote places. (2.) Their 
transformation into Cats, Hares, and other Great wes. (3.) Ilmr 
feeling all the hurts in their own Bodies, winch they have received in 
tbnfe. (4,3 their raifrng Tempefts, by muttering fomz nonfmfi- 
cat words, or performing Ceremonies alike impertinent, M ridiculous. 
And (5.) their being Jiid^d in a- certain private place of their 

Bodies 



fkilofiphical ConfiderAtiOKs Cffa^ 6. 

"Bodies by a Familiar. *31jefe are prefttmed -to be attions inconfi- 
ftent with the nature of Spirits, and above the powers of thofe 
poor and mifer able Agents. And therefore the Objetthn fupfofetb 
them performed only by the Fancy i and that the whole myftery gf 
Witchcraft M but an iUufwn of crape Imagination* 

To this aggregate Objection I return, 
(i.) In the general : The more abfiird and unaccountable 
thefe Adrions feem, the greater conk r mat ions are they to me 
of the truth of thofe Relations, and the reality of what the 
Objecftors would dcftroy. For-thefe Circumlfances being ex 
ceeding unlikely, ( judging by the meafures of common be 
lief ) tis the greater probability they are not fictitious : For 
the contrivers of Fidtions ufe to form them to as near a con 
formity as they can to the moft unfufpedled Realities, endea 
vouring to make them look as like Truth, as is pofiible in the 
main Suppofals, though withal they make them fhrange in 
the Circumftance. None but a Fool, or Madman, would re 
late, with a purpofe of having it believed, that he faw in Jre- 
land^ Men with Horns on their Heads, and Eyes in their 
Breads i or, if any (nould be fb ridiculoufly vain, as to be fe- 
rious in fuch an incredible Romance, it cannot be fuppofed 
that all Travellers that come into thofe parts after him fhould 
tell the fame Story. There is a large Field in Fidion i and if 
all thofe Relations were Arbitrary Compofitions, doubtlels the 
firft Romancers would have framed them more agreeable to 
the common Dodrrine of Spirits -&gt; at leaft, after thefe fuppo 
fed Abfurdities had been a thoufand times laugh d at, People 
by this time would have learn d to correct thole obnoxious 
Extravagancies i and though they have not yet more Veracity 
than the Ages of Ignorance and Superftition, yet one would 
exped they (hould have got more Cunning. This flippos d 
Impoilibility then of thefe Performances, feems to me a pro 
bable Argument that they are not wilful, and dellgned For 
geries. And if they are Fancies, tis fbmewhat itrange, that 
Imagination,which is the moft various thing in all the World, 
fhould infinitely repeat the fame Conceits in all Times and 
Places. 

BUT 



agAinft Modern Sadducifm, 

.BUT again (2.) the ilrange Adions related of Witches, 
and prefumed to be impoilible, are not afcribed to their own 
Powers, but to the Agency of thofe wicked Confederates 
they itnploy: And to affirm that thole evil Spirits cannot do 
that, which we conceit impoffible, is boldly to Hint the pow 
ers of Creatures, whole Natures and Faculties we know notv 
and to meafure the world of Spirits by the narrow Rules of 
our own impotent Beings. We fee among our {elves the Per 
formances of fome out-go the Conceits and Poilibilities of 
others i&gt; and we know many things may be done by the Ma- 
thcmaticks, and Mechanick Artihce, which common Heads 
think impoflible to be erlcdcd by the honeft ways of Art and 
Nature. And doubtlefs, the fubtilties and powers of thofe 
mifchievous Fiends, are as much beyond the reach and acti 
vities of the moft knowing Agents among us, as theirs are 
beyond the wit and ability of the moft ruitick and illiterate. 
So that the utmoli that any Man s Reafon in the World can 
amount to in this particular, is only this, That he canqot con 
ceive how fuch things can be performed &gt; which only argues 
the weaknefs and imperfection of our Knowledg and Appre- 
henfions &gt; not the impoffibility of tho(e Performances : and 
we can no more from hence form an Argument againft them, 
than againft the moft ordinary EfTeds in Nature. We can 
not conceive how the Fcetw is form d in the Womb &gt; nor as 
much as how a Plant fprings from the Earth we tread on &gt; 
we know not how our Souls move the Body &gt; nor how theie 
diftant and extream Natures are united &gt; as I have fhewn elfe- 
where. And if we are ignorant of the moft obvious things 
about us, and the moft coniickrable within our felves, tis 
then no wonder that we know not the Conftitution and 
Powers of the Creatures, to whom we are fuch ftrangers. 
Briefly then, Matters of Fad well proved ought not to be 
denied, becaufe we cannot conceive how they can be perfor 
med. Nor is it a reaionable method of Inference, rirft to 
prefumethe thing impoflible, and thence to conclude that the 
Fad: cannot be proved : On the contrary, we fhould judg of 
the Adion by the Evidence, and not the Evidence by our 
Fancies about the Action. This is proudly to exalt our own 
Opinions above the cleareft Teftimonics, and moft ientlble r 

E e Demon- 



Philosophical Conversions iBflSp 6. 

Demonftrations of Fa&lt;5t : and To to give the Lye to all Man- 
km d, rather than difiruft the Conceits of our bold Imagina 
tions. But yet further, 

( 3.) I think there is nothing in the Inftances mentioned, 
but what may as well be accounted for by the Rules of Rea- 
fbn and Philofophy, as the ordinary Affairs ot Nature. For 
in reiblving Natural Yb^nometia^ we can only aflign the 
probable Caufcs, fhewing how things may be, not prefurntng 
how they are: And in the particulars under our Examen^ we 
may give an account how tis potfible, and not unlikely, that 
fuch things (though fbmcwhat varying from the common 
road of Nature) may be acfled. And if our narrow and con- 
tradled Minds can furnifh us with apprehenfioris of the way 
and manner of fuch Performances, (though perhaps not the 
true ones) tis an argument that fuch things may be effected 
by Creatures, whofe Powers and Knowledg are fb vaiily ex 
ceeding ours. I fhall endeavour therefore briefly to fuggeft 
fbme things that may render the poffibility of fuch perfor 
mances conceivable, in order to the removal of this Objecti 
on, that they are Contrjtdiftions; and impoffibk. 

For the rirft then, That the Confederate Spirit fhould tran 
port the Witch through the Air to the place of general Ren 
dezvous, there is no difficulty in conceiving it i&gt; and if that be 
true which great, Philofophers affirm, concerning the real fc- 
parability of the Soul from the Body without Death, there is 
yet lefs &gt; for then tis eaiie to apprehend, that the Soul, ha 
ving left its grofs and iluggifli Body behind it, and being 
doth d only with its immediate Vehicle of Air, or morefub- 
tile Matter, may be quickly conducted to any place, by thofe 
officious Spirits that attend it. And though I adventure to 
affirm nothing concerning the truth and certainty of this Sup- 
polltion, yet I mutt needs fay, it doth not fecm to me unrea- 
fbnable. Our experience of Apoplexies^ Epilepfw^ Extafies^ 
and the ftrange things Men report to have ieen during thofe 
T&gt;liqiiimnf^ look favourably upon this Conjecture j which 
feems to me to contradict no Principle of Reafbn or Philofo- 
phy, imce Death confifts not fo much in the adhaal leparation 
of Soul and Body, as in theindifpofitionand unritnefs of the 
Body for Vital Union, as an excellent Philofopher hath made 

good: 



Modern Sadducifm . 

good: On which Htfothefs, the Witch s anointing her felf 
before fhe takes her flight, may perhaps ferve to keep the Body 
tenaritable, and in fit difpofition to receive the Spirit at its re 
turn. Thefe things, I fay, we may conceive, though I af 
firm nothing about them i and there is not any thing in fuch 
Conceptions but what hath been own d by Men of Worth and 
Name, and may ieem fair and accountable enough to thofe 
who judg not altogether by cuftomary Opinions. There s a 
faying of the great Apoltle that feems to countenance this 
Platonic}^ Notion &gt; what is the meaning elfe of that Expref- 
fion, [Wljether in the Eodyjr out of the Body ^ I cannot teV] ex 
cept the Soul may be feparated from the Body without 
death ? Which if it be granted poflible, tis fufficient for my 
purpofe. And 

C 2. ) The Transformations of Witches into thefhapes of 
other Animals, upon the fame fuppofal is very conceivable, 
fince then tis eaile to apprehend, that the Power of Imagina 
tion may form thofe paifive and pliable Vehicles into thofe 
fhapes, with more eafe than the Fancy of the Mother can the 
iiubborn Matter of the Fcetw in the Womb, as we fee it fre 
quently doth in the Inilances that occur of Signatures, and 
monftrous Singularities &gt; and perhaps (bmetimes the confe 
derate Spirit puts tricks upon the Senfes of the Spectators, 
and thofe Shapes are only Illufions. 

But then (3.) when they feel the Hurts in their grofs 
Bodies, that they receive in their Aiery Vehicles, they mult 
be fuppofed to have been really prefent, at leait in thefe lat 
ter &gt; and tis no more difficult to apprehend how the hurts of 
thofe fhould be tranilated upon their other Bodies, than how 
Difeafes fhould be inrlidled by the Imagination, or how the 
Fancy of the Mother (hould wound the Fxtw^ asieveral cre 
dible Relations do attefL 

And (4O f r tnc ^ r railing Storms and Tempefis -, They 
do it not by their own, but by the power of thofe Evil Spi 
rits that reilde in the Air , and the Ceremonies that are ea- 
joyn d them, are doubtlefs nothing elfe but Entertainments 
tor their Imaginations, and likely defign d to perfwade them, 
that they do-thefe ftrange things themfelves. 

Ee 2 fLaftly) 



10 fhilofophicAl Confederations 

(Laftly, ) For their being fuck d by the Familiar, I fay, 
(i.) we know fb little of the nature of T&gt; Demons and Spirit^ 
that tis no wonder we cannot certainly divine the Reafbn of 
fo tfrange an Adion. And yet (2.) we may conjedure at 
fbme things that may render it lefs improbable 5 For fbme 
have thought that the Genii (whom both the Platonical and 
Gbriftian Antiquity thought embodied) are recreated by the 
Reeks and Vapours of Humane Blood, and the Spirits that 
proceed from them : Which fuppofal (if we allow them Bo 
dies) is not unlikely, every thing being refreih d and nou- 
rifh d by its Like. And that they are not perfedly abftrad 
from all Body and Matter, (beiides the Reverence we owe to 
the wifeit Antiquity) there are feveral confiderable Argu 
ments I could alledge to render exceeding probable. Which 
things fuppofed, the Devil s faking the Sorcertfl is no great 
wonder, nor difficult to be accounted for. Or perhaps 
(3.) this may be only a Diabolical Sacrament, and Ceremo 
ny to confirm the Hellifli Covenant. To which I add, 
f 4.)That the Familiar doth not only luck the Witch,but in the 
Adion infufeth fbme poifbnous Ferment into Her, which 
gives her Imagination and Spirits a Magical Tindure, where 
by they become milchicvouily influential &gt; and the word Ve- 
neflca intimates fome fuch Matter. Now that the Imagination 
hath a mighty power in Operation, is fcen in the juft-now 
mention d Signatures, and Difeafcs that it caufeth 5 and 
that the Fancy is modified by the Qualities of the Blood and 
Spirits, is too evident to need proof. Which things fuppo 
fed, tis plain to conceive that the Evil Spirit having breathed 
fbme vile Vapour into the Body of the Witch, it may taint 
Her Blood and Spirits with a noxious Quality, by which her 
infeded Imagination, heightned by Melancholy, and this 
vvorfe Caufe, may do much hurt upon Bodies that are ob 
noxious to fuch Influences. And tis very likely that this 
Ferment -difpofeth the Imagination of the Sorcerefs to caufe 
the mentioned &lt;x&lt;$oufe0ioc, or feparation of the Soul from the 
Body,and may perhaps keep the Body in fit temper for its re 
entry i as alfo it may facilitate transformation, which, it 
may be, could not be effeded by ordinary and unaffifted Ima 
gination, 

Thus 



6. ariv Modern Sadducifm, 1 1 



Thus we fee, tis not fb defperate to form an apprehenfion 
of the manner of thefe odd Performances &gt; and though they are 
not done the way I have defcrib d,yet what I have (aid may help 
us to a conceit of the PctTibility,which fufficeth for my purpofe. 
And though the Hyfotbifs I have gone upon will feem as un 
likely to fome, as the things they attempt to explain are to 
others j yet I muft defire their leave to fuggeir, that moft 
things feem improbable (efpecially to the conceited, and opi- 
nionative) at firft propofal : And many great Truths are 
flrange and odd, till Cuilom and Acquaintance have recon 
ciled them to our Fancies. And I le prefi&lt;me to add on this 
cccafion, (though I love not to be confident in affirming) 
that there is none of the Platonical Suppofals I have ufed, 
but what I could make appear to be indifferently fair and rea* 
fbnable. 

ILL 

(IIIO A Bother Prejudice againfl the being of Witches^ if, That 
jLiL tit very improbable that the Devil^ who is a Wife and 
Mighty Spirit^ foould be at the beck^ of a poor Hjg, and have 
fo little to do^ of tv attend the Errands and impotent Lufts of a 
filly old Woman. 

To which I might anfwer, (i.) That tis much more im 
probable that all the World fhould be dcceiv d in Matters of 
Fadr, and Circumftances of the cleareft Evidence and Con- 
vidHon i&gt; than that the Devil, who is wicked, (hould be alfb 
unwife and that He that perfwades all his Subjects and Ac 
complices out of their Wits, fhould himfelf aft like his own 
Temptations and Perfwafions. In brief, there is nothing 
more firange in this Objection, than that Wickednefs is Bafe- 
nefs and Servility \ and that the Devil is at leafure to ferve 
thofe whom he is at leafure to tempt, and indullrious to ru- 
ine. And (2.) I fee no neceffity to believe that the Devil is 
always the Witches Confederate \ but perhaps it may fitly be 
confidered, whether the Familiar be not fome departed Hu 
mane Spirit, forfaken of God and Goodnefs, and (wallowed 
up by x the unfatiable delire of Mifchicf and Revenge &gt; which 

polTibly 



Philosophical Con fide rat ions 

poflibly by the Laws, and capacity of its State, it cannot exe 
cute immediately. And why we fhould prefume that the De 
vil fhould have the liberty of wandering up and down the 
Earth and Air, when he is faid to be held in the Chains of 
Darknefs &gt; and yet that the feparated Souls of the Wicked 
of whom no fuch thing is affirm d in any Sacred Record 
fliould be thought fo imprifon d, that they cannot poilibly 
wag from the Place of their Confinement, I know no fhadow 
of Conjecture. This Conceit I m confident hath prejudic d 
many againft the belief of Witches and Apparitions, they 
not being able to conceive that the Devil fhouid be fo ludi 
crous, as Appearing Spirits are fometimes reported to be in 
their Frolicks &gt; and they prefume, that Souls departed never 
revifit the free and open Regions &gt; which confidence, I know 
nothing to juftifie : For fince good Men in their Hate -of fepa- 
ration are faid to be iar^jyeAo/, why the wicked may not be 
iuppofed to be i^oa/.xxjyes in the worft fenfe of the word, I 
know nothing to help me to imagine. And if it be fo fuppo- 
fed that the Imps of Witches are fometimes wicked Spirits 
of our own Kind and Nature, and polfibly the fame that have 
been Sorcerers and Witches in this Life : This Suppofal may 
give a fairer and more probable account of many of the Adi- 
ons of Sorcery and Witchcraft, than the other Hypotbefis^ 
that they are always Devils. And to this Conjecture, Fie ad- 
venture to fubjoin another, which alfb hath its probability., 
viz. (3.) That tis not impoflible but that the Familiars of 
Witches are a- vile kind of Spirits, of a very inferiour Con 
futation and Nature, and none of thofe that were once of the 
higheft Hierarchy^ now degenerated into the Spirits we call 
Devils. The common divifion of Spirits is in my Opinion 
much too general \ and why may we not think, there is as 
great a variety of Intellectual Creatures in the Inviflble 
World, as of Animals in the Vifible &gt; Andthat all the Supe- 
riour, yea, and Inferiour Regions, have their feveral kinds of 
Spirits differing in their natural Perfections j as well as in the 
Kinds and Degrees of their Depravities? Which if we fup- 
pofe, tis very probable that thofe of the bafeft and meaneft 
Orders are they, who Tubrnit to the mentioned Servilities : 

And 



. &gainft Modern Sadducifm. x ^ 

And thus the Sagefs,and grandeur of the Prince of Darknefs 
iieed not be brought in queftionon this Cccafion. 

I V. 

BVt (IV.) the Opinion of Witches feems to fome to accufe 
Providence &gt; and to Juggefi that it bath exfofed Innocents to 
the fury and mdice of revengeful Fiends i yea, and juppojetb thofe 
moft obnoxious, of whom we might mofl reasonably, exfecf a more 
/pedal care and protection 5 mofl of the cruel pra&ices. of thofe 
prefwnd Inftmments of Hell, being upon Children, who as they 
leafl d?ferve to be deferted, by that Provide/ice that faperintends all 
things, jo they tnvft need its Guardian Influence. 

To this Co fpecious an Objedion, I have thefe things to 
anfwcr. 

( i.) Providence is an unfathomable Depth-, and if we 
fhould not believe the Phenomena of our Senfes, before we 
can reconcile them to our Notions of Providence, we muft 
be groffcr Scepticks than ever yet were extant. The rniferics 
of the prcfent Life, the unequal diftributions of Good and 
Evil, the ignorance and barbarity of the greater! part of 
Mankind, the fatal difadvantages we are all under, and the 
hazard we run of being eternally miferable and undone &gt; 
thefe, I fay, are things that can hardly be made confiftent with 
that Wifdomand Goodnefs that we are fure hath made, and 
mingled it felf with all things. And yet we believe there is 
a beauty, and harmony, and goodnefs in that Providence, 
though we cannot unriddle it in particular Initances ? nor, by 
reafon of our ignorance and imperfection, clear it from con 
tradicting Appearances 5 and confequently, we ought not to 
deny the being of Witches and Apparitions, bccaufe they 
will create us fome difficulties in our Notions of Providence. 
(2.) Thofe that believe that Infants are Heirs of Hell, and 
Children of the Devil as foon as they are difclofed to the World, 
cannot certainly offer fuch an Objection &gt; for what is a little 
trifling pain of a moment, to thole eternal Tortures j to 
which, if they die as fbon as they arq born, according to the 
tenourof thisDoftrine, they are everlaflingly expofed ? But 

how- 



PhilofophicAl Confederations ;6ff3 6. 

however the cafe (lands as to that, tis certain, (3 .) That Pro 
vidence hath not fecur d them from other violences they are 
obnoxious to, from cruelty and accident 5 and yet we accufe 
It not, when a whole Townful of Innocents fall a Vidtim to 
the rage and ferity of barbarous Executioners in Wars and 
MafTacres. To which I add, (4.) That tis likely the mif- 
chief is not fo often done by the evil Spirit immediately, but 
by the malignant influence of the Sorcerefs, whofe power of 
hurting confifts in the fore-mention d Ferment, which is in- 
fufed into her by the Familiar. So that I am apt to think 
there may be a power of real Fafcination in the Witches Eyes 
and Imaginations, by which for the molt part (he adts upon 

tender Bodies. Nefcio quit teneros oculm -For the 

Peftilential Spirits being darted by a fpightful and vigorous 
Imagination from the Eye, and meeting with thofe that are 
weak and pailive in the Bodies which they enter, will not fail 
to infeft them with a noxious Quality, that makes dangerous 
and firange Alterations in the Perfon invaded by this poifonous 
Influence : which way of adi.ng by fubtil and inviilble In- 
Itruments, is ordinary and familiar in all natural Efficiencies,. 
And tis now pair queftion, that Nature for the moft partac/ts 
by liibtil Streams and Aforrhdias of Minute Particles, which 
pafs from one Body to another. Or however that be, this 
kind of Agency is as conceivable as any of thofe Qualities, 
which our Ignorance hath .called Sympathy and Antipathy-* 
the reality of which we doubt not, though the manner of 
Adiori be unknown. Yea, the thing I fpeak of is asealie to 
be apprehended, as how Infection (hould pas incertain tenu- 
ious Streams through the Air, from one Houfe to another &gt; 
or, as how the biting of a mad Dog (hould fill all the Blood 
and Spirits with a venomous and malign Ferment , the 
application of the Vertue doing the fame in our Cafe, as that 
of Contad: doth in this. Yea, fbme kinds of Fafcination are 
perform d in thisgrofler and more fenlible way,asby linking, 
giving Apples, and the like, by which the contagious Quali 
ty may be tranfmitted, as we fee Difeafes often are by the 
touch. Now in this way of con jedf ure, a good account may 
be given why Witches are iroft powerful upon Children and 
timerous Perfbns, viz. becaufe their Spirits and Imaginations 

being 



agaiv/l Modern Sadducifm. 15 

being weak and palTive, are not able to refill: the fatal Influ 
ence j whereas Men of bold Minds, who have plenty of 
nrong and vigorous Spirits are fecure from the Contagion &gt; 
as in peitilential Airs clean Bodies are not fo liable tolnfedion 
as other tempers. Thus we fee tis likely enough, that, very 
often, the Sorccrefs her felf doth the mifchieft and we know, 
de fafto^ that Providence doth not always fecure us from one 
anotbers Injuries -&gt; And yet I mull: confeis, that many times 
alfb the Evil Spirit is the Mifchievous Agent &gt; though this 
Confeflion draw on me another Objection, which I next 
propofe &gt; 

V. 

(V.) T T may bt faid^ that if Wicked Spirits can hurt Of by tbe 
JL 



Direftion^ and at the depre of a Witcb^ one. would 
tbey Jboitld have tbe fame power to do M injury without injUgation 
or compatt , and if tbis be granted^ *ti&lt;s a wonder that we are not 
always annoyed and infejhd by them. To which 

I Anfwer, (i.) That the Laws, Liberties, and Reftraints 
of the Inhabitants of the other World are to us utterly un 
known 5 and in this way, we can only argue our felves into 
confeiHons of our Ignorance, which every Man muft acknow 
ledge that is not as immodeii, as ignorant. It muft be gran 
ted by all that own the Being, Power, and Malice or" Evil 
Spirits, that the {ecurity we enjoy is wonderful, whether they 
aci by Witches or not &gt; and by what Laws they are kept from 
making us a Prey, to fpeak like Philoibphers, we cannot tell: 
Yea, why they thould be permitted to tempt and ruine us in 
our Souls, and reftrain d from touching or hurting us in our 
Bodies, is a My ftery not eafily accountable. But (2.) though 
we acknowledg their Power to vex and torment us in our Bo- 
dies aHb &gt; yet a reafon may be given why they are lefs frequent 
in this kind of mifchief, viz. becaufe their main Defigns are 
IcvelFd againft the intereftand happineft of our Souls, which 
they can bell: promote, when their Adrions are moil fly and 
fecret i whereas did they ordinarily perfecute Men in their 
Bodies, their Agency and wicked Influence would be difco- 

F f ver d, 



Philosophical Conversions *SflS}&gt; 6 . 

ver d, and make a mighty noife in the World, whereby Men 
would be awaken d to a fiitable and vigorous oppofition, by 
the ufe of fuch means as would engage Providence to refcue 
them from their rage and cruelties!) and at laft defeat them in 
their great purpofes of undoing us eternally. Thus we may 
conceive that the fecurity we enjoy may well enough cotifirt 
with the power and malice of thofe Evil Spirits &gt; and upon 
this account may fuppofe that Laws of their own may pro 
hibit their unKcenc d Injuries &gt; not from any goodnefs there 
is in their Conftitutions, but in order to the more fuccefsful 
carrying on the projedrs of the Dark Kingdom , as Generals 
forbid Plunder, not out of love to their Enemies, but in 
order to their own fuccefs. And hence (3.) we may 
fuppofe a Law of Permiifion to hurt us at the inftance of 
the Sorcerefs, may well liand with the polity of Hell, fince 
by gratifying the wicked Perfbn, they encourage her in 
malice and revenge, and promote thereby the main ends 
of their black Confederacy, which are to propagate Wick- 
ednefs, and to ruine us in our eternal Interefts. And yet 
( 4. ) tis clear to thofe that believe the Hi/lory of the 
Gofpel, that Wicked Spirits have vexed the Bodies of Men, 
without any inftigation that we read of? and at this day " tis 
very likely that many of the flrange Accidents and Difeafes 
that befal us, may be the infliction of Evil Spirits, prompted 
to hurt us only by the delight they take in mifchie So that 
we cannot argue the improbability of their hurting Children 
and others by Witches, from our own fecurity and freedom 
from the Effedts of their Malice, which perhaps we feel in 
more Inftancesthan we are aware of. 

VI. 

(VI.) A Nother Prejudice againft the belief of Witches, #, a 
jLJL frefumption upon the enormous force of Melancholly and 
Imagination 5 which without doubt can do wonderful Things^ and 
beget ftrange Perfoafwns &gt; and to thefe Caufes fome afcribe all the 
Effetts of Sorcery and Witchcraft, To which I reply briefly i 
and yet I hope Efficiently, 

(i.) That 



Modern Sa dducifiih T 7 

(i.) That to refblve all the clear Circumftances of Fa&lt;fr, 
which we rind in well-attefted, and confirm d Relations of 
this kind, into the power of deceivable Imagination, is to 
make Fancy the greater Prodigy &gt; and to fuppofe, that it can 
do ftranger Feats than are believed of any other kind of Fa 
cination* To think that Pins and Nails, for inftance, can, 
by the power of Imagination be convey d within the Skin &gt; 
or that Imagination fhould deceive fo many as have been 
Witneifes in Objects of Senfe, in all the Circumftances of 
Difcovery : This, I fay, is to be infinitely more credulous 
than the Aflertors of Sorcery, and Demoniack Contracts. 
By the fame reafon it may be believ d, that all the Battels 
and ilrange Events of the World, which our felves have not 
feen, are but Dreams and fond Imaginations, and like thofe 
that are fought in the Clouds, when the Brains of the delu 
ded Spectators are the only Theatre of thofe fancied Trani- 
adrions. And (2.) to deny evidence of Fad:, becaufe their 
Imagination may deceive the Relators, when we have no rea 
fon to think fb, but a bare prefumption, that there is no facb 
thing of is related, is quite to deftroy the Credit of all Humane 
Teitimony,and to make all Men liars in a larger (enfe than the 
Prophet concluded in his hafte. For not only the Melancholick 
and the Fanciful, but the Grave and the Sober, whofe Judge 
ments we have no reafon to fufpedt to be tainted by their Ima 
ginations, have from their own knowledge and experience 
made reports of this Nature. But to this it will poilibly be re- 
joyn d, and the Reply will be another prejudice againtf the 
belief for which I contend, viz. 

VII. 

(VII.) "T^Hat tit a fufyicioltt ciratmjlance that Witchcraft is 
A bttt a Fancy^ fmce the Perfons that are accitfed^ arc 
commonly poor and mifirable old Women^ rvbo are over-grown with 
difcontent and melancholy, which are very imaginative &gt; and the 
Perfons faid to be bewitctfd^ are for the moft part Children^ or 
People very weal^, who are eafily imfofed upon, and are apt to re 
ceive jlrong Imprejions from nothing : wbereM were there any fuch 

F f 2 thing 



i8 Philosophical ConfiderAtions ifSflsy 6. 



thing redly, Vtf not //%/y, but that the more cunning and fu 
Pejf erW0 /, who might the more faccefifutty carry on the mifibk- 
vows Difigns of the Vark^ Kingdom, Jhould be oftener engaged in 
thofc black^ Confederacies v and alfb one would expett Effefts of the 
Hellijh Combination upon others than the Innocent and the Ignorant. 

To which Objection it might perhaps be enough to return, 
( as hath been above fuggefkd ) that nothing can be conclu 
ded by this and fuch-like arguings, but that the policy and- 
menagesof the Inftruments of Darknefs are to us altogether 
unknown, and as much in the dark as their Natures j Man 
kind being no more acquainted with the Reafbns and Me 
thods of Adionin the other World, than poor Cottagers and 
Mechanicks are with the Intrigues of Government, andRea- 
fbns of State. Yea, peradventure (2.) tis one of the great 
Defigns, ( as tis certainly the Intereft ) of thofe wicked 
Agents and Machinators, induftrioufly to hide from us their 
influences and ways of adting, and to work, as near as is 
poffible, incognito , upon which fuppofal tis eafie to conceive 
a reafon, why they moft commonly work by, and upon the 
weak and ignorant, who can make no cunning Obfervati- 
ons, or tell credible- Tales to deted their Artifice. Befides 
(3. ) tis likely a ilrong Imagination, that cannot be weak- 
en d or difturb d by a bufie and fubtil Ratiocination, is a 
necefTary requifite to thofe wicked Performances i without 
doubt an heightned and obftinate Fancy hath a great in 
fluence upon impreilible Spirits i yea, and as I have con- 
jeclur d before, on the more paflive and fufceptible Bodies : 
And I am very apt to believe, that there are as real Com 
munications and Intercourfes between our Spirits, as there are 
between Material Agents j which fecret Influences, though 
they are unknown in their Nature, and ways of adting, yet 
they are fufficiently felt in their EfFeds : For Experience at- 
teffo, that fome by the very majefty and greatnefs of their 
Spirits, difcover d by nothing but a certain noble Air that ac 
companies them, will bear down others lefs great and gene 
rous, and make them fheak before them i and fome, by I 
know not what ftupifying vertue, will tie up the Tongue, 
and confine the Spirits of, thofe who arc otherwife brisk and 

voluble. 



6* A^v Modern Sadducifm. 



voluble. Which thing fuppofed, the influences of a Spirit 
pofTefs d of an active and enormous Imagination, may be 
malign and fatal where they cannot; be reliftedj efpecially 
when they are accompanied by thofe poifonous Reaks that 
the Evil Spirit breaths into the Sorcerefs, which likely are 
fhot out, and applyed by a Fancy heightned and prepared by 
Melancholy and Diiconten t. And thus we may conceive why 
the Melancholick and Envious are ufed upon fuch occafions, 
and for the fame reafbn the Ignorant, fince Knowledge checks 
and controuls Imagination &gt; and thofe that abound much in 
the Imaginative Faculties, do not ufually exceed in the Rati 
onal. .And perhaps (4.) the ~D*mon himfelf ufeth the Ima 
gination of the Witch fb qualified for his purpofe, even in 
thofe Actions of mifchief which are more properly his i for 
it is moft probable, that Spirits ad not upon Bodies immedi 
ately, and by their naked EfTence, but by means proportio 
nate and futable Inftruments that they ufe , upon which ac 
count likely tis fb ilrictly required, that the Sorcerefs (hould 
belive, that (b her Imagination might be more at the Devo 
tion of the mifchievous Agent : And for the fame reafbn alfb 
Ceremonies are ufed in Inchantments, viz. for the begetting 
this Diabolical Faith, and heightning the Fancy to a degree 
of ftrength and vigour fufficient to make it a rit Inftrument 
for the defign d performance. Thefe I think are Reafons of 
likelihood and probability, why the Hellifh Confederates are 
moftly the Ignorant and the Melancholick. 

VIII. 

CVIII.) ^T^He frequent Impoftttres that are met with in thx k{nd, 
Jl beget in fome a belief, that all fuch Relations are 
Forgeries and Tales } and if we urge the evidence of a Story for 
the belief of Witches or Apparitions, they will produce two Of 
fiemingly flrong and plaitftble, which Jhatt conclude in Mijlakg or 
Defign i inferring thence, that all others are of the fame quality 
and credit. But fuch Arguers may pleafc to confider, 

( i. ) Thata finglc Relation for an Affirmative, fufficient- 
Jy conh rmcd and attcftcd, is worth a thoufand Tales of for 

gery 



Philosophical Confident ions 

gery and impofture, from whence an Univerfal Negative can 
not be concluded. So that though all the Objector s Stories 
be true, and an hundred times as many more fuch Decepti 
ons j yet one Relation, wherein no fallacy or fraud could be 
fufpecled for our Affirmative, would fpoil any Conclufion 
could be erected on them. And 

(2.) It feems to me a belief fufficiently bold and preca 
rious, that all thefe Relations of Forgery and Miffoke fhould 
be certain, and not one among all thofe which acted the 
Affirmative Reality, with Circumihnces as good as could be 
expected or wifh d,(liould be true but all fabulous and vain. 
Certainly they have no reafbn to object Credulity to the Af- 
fertors of Sorcery and Witchcraft, that can fwallow fb large 
a Morfel. And I defire fuch Objectors to coniider, 

(3.3 Whether it be fair to infer, that becaufe there are 
fbme Cheats and Importers, that therefore there are no Rea 
lities. Indeed frequency of deceit and fallacy will warrant a 
greater care and caution in examining &gt; and fcrupulofity and 
ihinete of afTent to things whereing fraud hath been practi 
ced, or may in the leaft degree be fufpected : But, to con 
clude, becaufe that an old Woman s Fancy abufed her, or 
fbme knavifh Fellows put tricks upon the ignorant and timo 
rous, that therefore, whole Ailiies have been a thoufand times 
deceived in judgement upon Matters of Fact, and numbers 
of fbber Perfons have been forfworn in things wherein Per 
jury could not advantage them I fay, fuch Inferences are as 
void of Reafon, as they are of Charity and good Manners. 

IX. 

T* may be fuggefted further, That it cannot be imagined 
what defign the Dwil fljottld have in making thofe Jb- 
Icmn Compafffj jince Perfons of fitch debauched and irreclaimable 
Difyofitions as thofe with whom he If fnffofcd to confederate^ are 
pretty fecitrely his antecedently to thz Bargjin, and cannot be 
more fo by it, jince they cannot pit their Souls out of poffibility of 
1 he Divine Grace^ but by the Sin that it unpardonable j or if they 
could fo dijpofe and give away tbemfelver^ it will to fome feem 
very unlikely , that a great and mighty Spirit fliould oblige him- 

felf 



. Againfl Modern Sadducifm. 2 1 

felf to fitch ob finances, and k?ep fitch a-do to fecvre the Soul 
of a filly Body, which twere odds but it would he His, though 
He fut himfelf to no farther trouble than that of his ordinary 
Temptations. 

To which Suggeftions twere enough to fay, that tis fuf- 
ficient if the thing be well prov d, though theDefign be not 
known : and to argue negatively a fine, is very unconclufive 
in fuch Matters. The Laws and Affairs of the other World 
(as hath been intimated) are vaftly differing from thofe of 
our Regions, and therefore tis no wonder we cannot judge 
of their Dellgns, when we know nothing of their Menages, 
and fo little of their Natures. The ignorant looker-on can t 
imagine what the Limner means by thofe feemingly rude 
Lines and Scrawls which he intends for the Rudiments of a 
Picture &gt; and the Figures of Mathematick Operation are non- 
fenfe, and dafhes at a venture to one un-inftrudled in Mecha- 
nicks : We are in the dark to one anothers Purpofes and In- 
tendments i and there are a thoufand Intrigues in our little 
Matters, which will not prefently confefs their Defign, even 
to fagacious Inquifitors. And therefore tis folly and incogi- 
tancy to argue any thing one way or other from the defigns 
of a fort of Beings, with whom we fo little communicate* 
and polTibly we can no more aim, or guefs at their Projects 
andDefignments, than the gazing Beait can do at ours, when 
they fee the Traps and Gins that are laid for them, but un- 
derlland nothing what they mean. Thus in general. 

But I attempt fomething more particularly, in order to 
which I muft premiie, That the Devil is a name for a Body 
Politick, in which there are very different Orders and Degrees 
of Spirits, and perhaps in as much variety of place and Hate, 
as among our felves &gt; fo that tis not one and the fame Per- 
fon that makes all the Compacts with thofe abufed and fedu- 
ced Souls, but they are divers, and thofe tis like of the mean- 
eft and bafeft quality in the Kingdom of Darknefs &gt; which 
being fuppofed, I offer this account of the probable Defign 
of thofe wicked Agents, viz. That having none to rule or 
tyrannize over within the Circle of their own Nature and Go 
vernment, they affect a proud Empire over us (the defire of 

Dorni- 



2 2 Philofophical Confer At uns ;(& 6. 

Dominion and Authority being largely fpread through the 
whole circumference of degenerated Nature, efpecially among 
thofe, whofe pride was their original tranfgreliion) everyone 
of thefe then def ires to get ValTals to pay him homage, and 
to be employed like Slaves in the fervices of his Lutfs and 
Appetites &gt; to gratitie which defire, dislike it may be allow 
ed by the conftitution of their State and Government, that 
every wicked Spirit iliall have thofe Souls as his property, and 
particular Servants and Attendants, whom he can catch in 
iuch Compacts &gt; as thofe wild Beaits that we can take in 
hunting are ours, by the allowance of our Laws j and thofe 
Slaves that a Man hath purchased, are his peculiar Goods, and 
the Vaflals of his Will. Or rather thofe deluding Fiends 
are like the feducing Fellows we call Spirits^ who inveigle 
Children by their falie and flattering Promifcs, and carry them 
away to the Plantations of America^ to befervilely employed 
there in the Works of their Profit and Advantage. And as 
thofe bafe Agents will humour and flatter thelimple unwary 
Youth, till they are on Ship-board, and without the reach of 
thofe that might refcue them from their hands : In like man 
ner the more mifchievous Tempter ftudics to gratirie, pleale, 
and accommodate thofe he deals with in this kind, till 
Death hath lanch d them into the Deep, and they arepaflthe 
danger of Prayers, Repentance, and Endeavours &gt; and then 
He ufeth them as pleafeth Him. This account I think is not 
unreafonable, and twill fully anfwer the Objection. For 
though the Matter be not as I have conjedrurd, yet twill fug 
ged a way how it may be conceiv d, which dellroys the Pre 
tence, That the Delign is inconceivable. 

X. 

BVt ( X. ) we are ftiti liabk to be queftiond^ bow it comes 
about that tbofe frond and infolent Dejigners frjaice tn tb x 
kindu^on ft few, when one would expett, that they jhould be ft ill 
trading tbit way^ and every-wbcre be driving on the Projett^ wbicb 
tbe vileneft of Men makes Jo feifable&gt; and would Jo much ferve 
tbe intereft of tbeir Litjh. 

To 



ft Modern Saddticifin, 



To which, among other things, that might be fuggelkd, 
I return, 

( i. ) That we are never liable to be fo betrayed and abn- 
fed, till by our vile Difpofitions and Tendencies we have for 
feited the care and overiight of the better Spirits j who, though 
generally they are our guard and defence againft the malice 
and violence of Evil Angels, yet it may well enough be 
thought, that fbmetimes they may take their leave of fuch as 
are fwallowcd up by Malice, Envy, and dcfire of Revenge, 
qualities moil contrary to their Life and Nature i and leave 
them expofed to the invalion and follicitations of thofe 
Wicked Spirits, to whomitich hateful Attributes make them 
very futable. And if there be particular Guardian Angels, 
C as tis not abfurd to fancy ) it may then well be fuppofed, 
that no Man is obnoxious to thofe Projects and Attempts, but 
only fuch whofe vile and miichievous Natures have driven 
from them, their prote&ing Genius. Againft this derelidion 
"to the power of Evil Spirits, tis likely enough what fbme 
affirm, that the Royal Pfalmift directs that Prayer, Pfal. 71. 
p, 10. Cafl rm not off in the time of old Age j forfakg m? not 
when my flrength faileth. JFor - They that kgep my Soul &lt;pu- 
AacroDVT^s T) NfPxM M*, as the LXX and the Vulgar La 
tin, Qui cuftodiunt animam meam~j they takg counfel together^ 
faying-, God bath forfakgn him^ persecute him and takg him, for 
there vs none to deliver him. (2.) Tis very probable, that the 
fiate wherein they are, will not eafily permit palpablelnter- 
courfes between the bad Genii^ and Mankind, imce tis 
probable that their own Laws and Government do not al 
low their frequent excurfions into this World, Or, it may 
with as great likelyhood be fuppofed, that tis a very hard 
and painful thing for them, to force their thin and tenuious 
Bodies into a vifible confidence, and fuch Shapes as are ne- 
ceffary for their deflgns in their correfpondencies with Witcfas* 
For in this AcStion their Bodies mult needs be exceedingly 
comprefs d, which cartnot well be without a painful fenie. 
And this is perhaps a realbn why there are fo few Appariti 
ons, and why Appearing Spirits are commonly in fuch halt to 
begone, viz. that they may be deliu^r d from the unnatural 

G g preflbre 



Philosophical Confer aliens ^KlflJ? 6. 

preiTure of their tender Vehicles, which I confefs holds more 
in the Apparitions of Good, than of Evil Spirits j moil Re 
lations of this kind, deicribing their difcoverics of them- 
felvcs as verytranfient, (though for thofe the Holy Scripture 
records, there may be peculiar reafon why they are not Co) 
whereas the Wicked Ones are not altogether fo quick and 
hafiy. in their Vifits : The reafon of which probably is, the 
great fubtilty and tenuity of the Bodies of the former, which 
will require far greater degrees of compreffion^ and confi&gt; 
quently of pain, to make them vifible ? whereas the latter 
are more feculent and grofs, and fb nearer allied to palpable 
Confiftencies, and rr.ore ealjjy reduceable to Appearance and 
Viiibility. 

At this turn, Thave again made ufe of the Platonick Hy- 
pothefl?, That Spirits are embodied., upon which indeed a reat 
part of my Difcourfe is grounded : And therefore I hold my 
lelf obliged to a fhort account of that fuppofaJ. It feems 
then to me very probable from the Nature of Senfe, and Ana 
logy of Nature. For Ci.J we perceive in our felves, that 
all Senfe is caus d and excited by Motion made in Matter 5 
and when thofe Motions which convey fenfible Impreillons 
to the Brain, the Seat of Senfe, are intercepted, Senfe is loil : 
So that, if we fuppofe Spirits perfectly to be disjoin d from 
all Matter, tis not conceivable how they can hav: the fenfe 
of any thing v For how material Objects mould any way be 
perceiv d, or felt without Vital Union with Matter, tis not 
pofiible to imagine. Nor doth it (2.) fe^m futable to the 
Analogy of Nature," which ufeth not to make precipitious 
kaps from one thing to another, but ufually proceeds by or 
derly Heps and gradations : whereas were there no order of 
Beings between Us, (who are fb deeply plunged into the 
grofTeft Matter) ai, 1 pure, unbodied Spirits, twere a mighty 
jump in Nature. Si/ce then the greateft part of the World 
confitfs of the finer portions of Matter, and our own Souls 
are immediately united unto thefe, tis exceeding probable, 
that the nearer orders of Spirits are vitally join d to fuch Bo 
dies ) and fo, Nature by degrees afcending frill by the more 
rerin d and fubtile Matter, gets at lafl to the pure Noes or 
immaterial Minds, which the Platonifls made the higheft 

Order 



&gAinfl Modern Sadducifm* 2 y 

Order of Created Beings. But of this I have difcomfcd 
clfewhere, and have laid thus much of it at prefent, becaufe 
it will enable me to add another Reafbn of the unfrequencyof 
Apparitions and Compacts, viz. 

(3.) Becaufe tis very likely, that thcfe Regions are very 
unfutable, and difproportion d to the frame and temper of 
their Senfes and Bodies &gt; fb that perhaps the Courfer Spirits 
can no more bear the Air of our World, than Bats and Owls 
can the brighteit Beams of Day : Nor can the Purer and Bet 
ter any more endure the noyibm Steams, and poifonous Reeks 
of this Dunghil Earth, than the Delicate can bear a Confine 
ment in natty Dungeons, and the foul fqualid Caverns of 
uncomfortable Darknefs. So that tis no more wonder, that 
the better Spirits no oftner appear, than that Men are noti 
more frequently in the Dark Hollows under-ground. Nor 
is t any more ftrange that evil Spirits fb rarely viiit us, than 
that Fifties do not ordinarily fly in the Air, (as tis faid one 
fort of them doth) or that we fee not the Batt daily flutter 
ing in the Beams of the Sun. And now by the help of 
what I have fpoken under this Head, I am provided with 
fome things wherewith to difable another Objedion 5 which 
I thus propofe : 

XL 

CXlOTF there be fuck an intercourse between Evil Spirits and 
J[ the Wicked ) How conies it about that there it no corrc- 
fyondence between Good Angds^ and the Vertuom &gt; fmce without 
doubt tbefe are M defirous to prof agate the Spirit and Depgns of the 
Upper and better World, as thoje are to promote the Intcreft of the 
Kingdom of Darfyefl ? 

\Vhich way of arguing is ftill from our Ignorance of the 
State and Government of the other World, which mutt be 
confell, and may, without prejudice to the Propofition I de 
fend. But particularly, I fay, ( i.) That we have ground 
enough to believe, that Good Spirits do interpofe in, -yea, 
and govern our Affairs. For that there is a Providence reach 
ing from Heaven to Earth, is generally acknowledg d &gt; but 

G g 2 that 



Philosophical Confederations 

that thisfuppofeth all things to be ordered by the immediate 
influence, and interpofal of the Supreme Deity, fome think, 
is.notveryPhilofophicalto fuppofe* iince, if. we judge by the 
Analogy of the Natural World, all things we. fee are carri 
ed on by the Minifiery of Second Caulis,- and Intermediate 
Agents. And it doth not feem fb Magnificent and Becoming 
an appreheniion of the Supreme Atee//, to fancy his imme- 
diate Hand in every trivial Management. But tis exceeding 
likely to conjecture, that much of the Government of us, and 
our Affairs,- is committed to the better Spirits, with a due 
fubordination and fubferviency to the Will of the chief Re- 
dtor.of the Umverfe. And ? tis not abfiird to believe, that 
there is a Government that runs from Higheft to Loweft, the 
better and more perfec/t orders of Being ftill ruling the info- 
Uriour and lefs perfedr. So that feme one would rancy that 
perhaps the Angels may manage us, as we do the Creatures 
that God and Nature have placed under our Empire and Do 
minion. But however that is. That God rules the Lower 
World by the Minifrery of Angels, is very confpnant to the 
Sacred Oracles. Thus, Dent. 32*8, p. When the Moft High 
divided the Nations their Inheritance^ when he fefarated the Sons 
of Adam, he fet the- Bounds of the People, Kocr a^/Bj&cv iy- 
pA&gt;\&v eeS, according to the number of the Angels of God^ as the 
Septnagmt renders it &gt; the Authority of which Tranflation, 
is abundantly credited and ailerted, by its being quoted in the 
New- Teftament, without notice of the Hebrew Textv even 
there where it differs from it, as Learned Men h v ave obferv d. 
\Ve know alfo that Angels were very familiar with the .Pa 
triarchs of old j and Jacob s Ladder is a Myikry v which im 
ports their ininiilring in the Affairs of the Lower W T orld. 
Thus Orlgen and others underftand, that to be fpokenby the 
Presidential Angels, Jer. 51.5?. We would have healed Baby 
lon, but (he vs not healed : forfakg her, and ht us go. Like the 
Voice heard in the Temple before the taking of Jerufalem by 
7/&gt;#r, MiTO&xlty&jtf^ evreu^v. . And before Nebuchadnezzar- 
was fent to learn WifHom and Religion among the Beafts, 
He fees a Watcher^ according to the LXX, an Angel ^ and an 
Holy One come down from Heaven^ Dan. 4. 13. who pronoun- 
ceth the fad Decree againft Him, and calls it the Decree of the, 

JFatcbers* 



6. AgAinfl Modern Sadducifm. 27 

who very probably were the Guardian Genii of 
of Himfelf and his Kingdom. And that there are particular 
Angels that have the fpecial Rule and Government of parti 
cular Kingdoms, Provinces, Cities, yea and of Perfbns, I 
know nothing that can make improbable : The infrance is 
notorious in Vaniel, of the Angels of Perfia and Gr&cia^ that 
hindrcd the other that was engaged for the Concerns of Ju- 
da i yea, our Saviour himfelf tells us, that Children have : 
their Angels i and the Congregation of Difciplcs fuppofed that 
St.Ptferhad his: Which things, if they be granted, the good 
Spirits have not fo little to do with Us, and our Matters, as is 
generally believed. And perhaps it would not be abfurd, if 
we refcrr d many of the llrange Thwarts,, and unexpected 
Events, the Difappointments and lucky Coincidences, that be- 
falus, the unaccountable Fortunes and SuccelTis that attencT 
fbme lucky Men, and the unhappy Fates that dog others that 
feem born to be miferable &gt; the Fame and Favour that itill 
waits on- fbme without any conceivable Motive to allure it, 
and the general negledr of others more deferving, whofe 
worth is not acknowledged i I fay, thefe and fuch-like odd 
things, may with the greateft probability be refolv d into the 
Conduct and Menages of thofe Inviiible Supervifbrs, that pK&gt; 
fide over, and govern our Affairs. 

But if they fo far concern themfehw in oifr Mattery borv vs it 
that they appear not to maintain a vifble andconfift Comftondencc 
with fome of the better Mortals, who are moji fitted for their 
Communications and their Influence ? To which I have laid fbme 
things already, when I accounted for the unfrequency of Ap 
paritions * 5 and I now add what I intend for another return 
to the main Objection, viz. 

(2.) That the Apparition of Good Spirits is not needful * 
for the Defigns of the better World, what-ever fuch may be 
for the Intcrelt of the other. For we have had the Appear 
ance and Cohabitation of the Son of God j we hare Mvjes 
and the Prophets, and the continued Influence of the Spirit, 
the greateit. Arguments to flrengthen Faith, the moft power 
ful Motives to excite our Love, and the nobleft Encourage 
ments to quicken and raifc our Deilres and Hopes, any of 
which are more than the Apparition- of an Angel &gt; which 

woukV 



2& Pbilcfipbical Covjideraticns 

would indeed be a great gratification of the Animal Life, 
but twould render our Faith lefs noble -and lefs generous 
were it frequently fo atfifted : Eleffed are they that believe^ and 
yet have not feen. Befides which, the Good Angels have no 
fuch Ends to profecute, as the gaining any Vaffals to ferve 
them, they being Minifying Spirits for our good, aad no 
felWefigners for a proud and infblent Dominion over us. And 
it may be perhaps not impertinently added, That they are not 
always evil Spirits that appear, as is, I know not well upon 
what grounds 3 generally imagined i but that the extraordina 
ry detections of Murders, latent Treafures, falfitied and un- 
fulfiird Bequefts, which are fometimes made by Appariti 
ons, may be the courteous Difcoveries of the better, and 
more benign Genii. Yea- 3 tis not unlikely, that thofe War 
nings that the "World fometimes hath of approaching Judg 
ments and Calamities by Prodigies, and fundry odd Pbtnotne- 
*, are the kind Informations of fome of the Inhabitants of 
the Upper World. Thus was Jeritfahm forewarned before its 
facking by Antioclm^ by thofe Aiery Horfemen that were feen 
through all the City for almoft forty days together, 2 Mac. 5. 
2, 3. And the other Prodigious Portents that fore-ran its 
Deilru&ion by Titus : which I mention, becaufethey are no 
torious Inftances * And though, for mine own part, I fcorn 
the ordinary Tales of Prodigies, which proceed from fuper- 
Ititious Fears, and unacquaintance with Nature, and have been 
ufed to bad Purpofes by the Zealous and the Ignorant ? Yet 
I think that the Arguments that are brought by a late very In 
genious Author, to conclude againft fuch Warnings and Pre 
dictions in the whole kind, are fhort and inconfequent, and 
built upon too narrow Hypothefeit. For if it be fuppofcd,that 
there is a fort of Spirits over us, and about us, who can give 
a probable guefs at the more remarkable Futurities, I know 
not why it may not be conjedured,thatthekindnefs they have 
for us, arid the appetite of fore-telling ftrange things, and 
the putting the World upon expectation, which we find is 
very grateful to our own Natures, may not incline them alfo 
to give us fome general notice of thofe uncommon Events 
which they forefce. And I yet perceive no reafbn we have to 
fancy, that what-ever is done in this kind, muft needs be 

either 



6. dgainft Modern Sadducifm. 

either immediately from Heaven, or from the Angels, by ex 
traordinary Commifiion and Appointment. But it feems to 
me not unreafbnable to believe, that thofe officious Spirits 
that overfee bur Affairs, perceiving fome mighty and fad Al 
terations at hand, in which their Charge is much concerned, 
cannot chufe, by reafbn of their affection to us, but give us 
fome feafonable hints of thofe approaching Calamities i to 
which alfo their natural deiire to toretel ftrange things to come, 
may contribute to incline them. And by this Hypztbefif, the 
faireft Probabilities, and ftrongefl Ratiocinations againft Pro- 
digies, may be made unfervkeable. But this only by the 
way. 

I defire it may be confidercd further, 

(3.) That .God himfelf affords his Intimacies, and con- 
verfes to the better Souls, that are prepared for it , which is a 
prtviledge infinitely beyond Angelical Correfpondence. 

I confefs the proud and fantaftick Pretences of many of the 
conceited - Melancholifts in this Age, to Divine Communion, 
have prejudiced divers intelligent Perfonsagainft the belief of 
any fuch happy vouchfafement v fo that they conclude the- 
Dodrine of Immediate Communion with the Deity in this 
Life to be but an high flown Notion of warm Imagination, 
and over-luihious felf-flattery ? and I acknowledge I have my 
felf had tjioughtsof this nature, fuppofmg Communion with 
God to be nothing elfe but the. exercife of Vertue, and that 
Peace, and thofe Comforts which naturally refultfrom it. 

But I have confldered fince, that God s more near and im 
mediate imparting himfelf to the Soul that is prepared for 
that happinefs by Divine Love, Humility, and Refignation, 
in the way of a vital Touch and Senfe, is a thing poilible in 
it felf, and will be a great part of our Heaven v That Glory 
is begun in Grace, and God is pleafed to give fome excellent 
Souls the happy Ante-paft ; That Holy Men in ancient Times 
have fought and gloried in this Injoyment, and never com 
plain foTorely as when it was with-held, and interrupted i 
That the Expreffions of Scripture run infinitely this way, and 
the belt of Modern good Men, do from their own experience 
atteft it i That this fpiritualizeth Religion, and renders its 
Injoyments more comfortable and delicious &gt; That it keeps 

the 



Al Confederations $ty 6. 

the Soul under a vivid Senfe of God, and is a grand fecurity 
againfr Temptation That it holds it iteady amid the Flat 
teries of a Profperous State, -and gives it the moft grounded 
Anchorage, and fupport amid the Waves of an adverfe Con 
dition &gt; That tis the nobleft incouragement to veitue, and 
the biggcft afTurance of an happy Immortality j I fay, I con- 
fidered thefe weighty things, and wondred at the carelefnefs, 
and prejudice of Thoughts that occafion d my fufpeding the 
reality of fo glorious a Privilege i I law how little reafbn 
there is in denying Matters of inward Senfe, becaufe our 
felves do not feel them, or cannot form an apprehenfion of 
them in our Minds : I am convinced that things of guft and 
reliili muft be judg d by the fentient and vital Faculties, and 
not by the noetical Exercifes of fpeculative Under/landings. : 
- -And upon the whole, I believe infinitely that the Divine Spi 
rit affords its fenfible Prefence, and immediate Beatifick 
Touch to fome rare Souls, .who are diverted of carnal Self, 
and mundane Pleafures, abftra&ed from the Body by Prayer 
and Holy Meditation &gt; fpiritual in their Deiires, and calm in 
their Affections i&gt; devout. Lovers of God, and Vertue, and 
tenderly affectionate to all the World &gt; fincere in their Aims, 
and circumfpect in their A&ions i inlarged in their Souls, 
and clear in their Minds : Thefe I think are the difpofhions 
that are requiilte to lit us for Divine Communion ; and God 
tranfacts riot in this near way, but with prepared Spirits who 
are thus difpofed for the manifeftation of his Prefence, and 
his Influence : And fuch I believe he never fails to blefs with 
thefe happy foretafts of Glory. 

But for thofe that arePailionateand Conceited, Turbulent 
and Notional, Confident and Immodeft, Imperious and Ma- 
7 licious i That doat upon Trifles, and run fiercely in the ways 
of a Sect i that are lifted up in the apprehenfion of the glori 
ous Prerogatives of themfelves and their Party, and fcorn all 
the World befides &gt; P^or fuch, I fay, be their Pretenfions 
what they will, to Divine Communion, Illapfes, and Difco- 
veries, I believe them not ^ Their Fancies abufe them, or they 
would us. For what Communion hath Light with "Dark- 
nefs, or the Spirit of the Holy One with thofe, whofe Genius 
and Ways are fo unlike him : But the other excellent "Souls I 

defoibU 



agaixft Modern Sadducifm; 3 f. 

defcrib d, will as certainly be vifited by the Divine Prefence, 
andConverfe, as the Chryftaline Streams are with the Beams 
of Light, or the fitly prepared Earth, whofe Seed is in it fel 
will be adhiated by the Spirit of Nature. 

So that there is no reafon to Objed here the want of An 
gelical Communications, though there were none vouchfafed 
us, iince good Men enjoy the Divine, which are infinitely 
more (atisfa&ory and indearing. 

And now I may have leave to proceed to the next Objecti 
on, which may be made tofpeakthus: 

XII. 

(XII.) ^TpHe belief of Witches, and the wonderful things they 
JL are fa.id to perform by the help of the Confederate 
Daemon, weakens our Faith, and expofeth the World to Infidelity 
in the great Matters of out Religion. For if they by Diabolical 
Afliftance^ can inflift and cure Difeafes^ and do things fo much be 
yond the comprebenfwn of our Philofophy^ and acJivity of common 
Nature i What affurance can we have, that the Miracles that con 
firm our Goflel were not the Effects of a Compatt of like nature^ and 
that Devils were not cafl out by Beehebub ? If Evil Spirits can 
ajfume Bodies^ and render themfelves vifible in humane Likenefi &gt; 
What fecurity can we have of the reality of the Reforrettion of 
Chrifl .&lt;? And if, by their help^ Witches can enter Chambers invi- 
fbly through Key-holes^ and little unpercdved Crannies, and 
transform themfelves at pleasure &gt; What Arguments of Divinity 
are there in our Saviour s Jhewing himfelf in the midft of htf Dif- 
ciphs, when the Doors were Jhut, and his Transfiguration in the 
Mount ? Miracles are the great Inducements of Belief i and bow 
Jhall we dijiinguifh a Miracle from a Lying Wonder &gt; a Teftimony 
from Heaven^ from a Tr/cJ^ of the Angels of Hell i // 1 hey can 
perform things that aftonijb and confound our Reafbns, and are be 
yond all the Poffibilities of Humane Nature ? To this Objedlion 
I reply i 

( i.) The Wonders done by Confederacy with Wicked 
Spirits, cannot derive a fufpition upon the undoubted Mira 
cles that were wrought by the Author-and Proinulgers cfouv 

H h Religion, 



Philofophical Confer ations jCffSJ? 6. 

Religion, as if they were performed by Diabolical Compact, 
fmce their Spirit, Endeavours, and Defigns, were notori- 
oully contrary to all the Tendencies, Aims, and Interefts of 
the Kingdom of Darkneis. For, as to the Life and Temper 
of the BlefTed and Adorable JESllS, we know there was 
an incomparable fweetnefs in his Nature, Humility in his 
Manners, Calmnefs in his Temper, CompaiTion in his Mira 
cles, Modefty in his Expreffions, Holinefs in all his Actions, 
Hatred of Vice and Bafenefs, and Love to all the World &gt; 
all which are efTentially contrary to the Nature and ConiHtu- 
tion of Apoftate Spirits, who abound in Pride and Rancour, 
Infolence and Rudenefs, Tyranny and Bafenefs, Univerfal 
Malice, and Hatred of Men : And their Defigns are as oppo- 
fite, as their Spirit and their Genius. And now, Can the 
Sun borrow its Light from the Bottomlefs Abyfs ? Can Heat 
and Warmth flow in upon the World from the Regions of 
Snow and Ice ? Can Fire freeze, and Water burn ? Can Na 
tures, fo infinitely contrary, communicate, and jump in Pro 
jects, that are deflrudrive to each others known Interefts ? Is 
there anyBalfam in the Cockatrices Egg ? or, Can the Spirit 
of Life flow frorruhe Venom of the Afp ? Will the Prince 

c of Darkneis ftrengthen the Arm that is ftretcht out to pluck 
his Ufurp t Scepter, and his Spoils from him ? And will he 

. lend his Legions, to affift the Armies of his Enemy againft 

V him ? No, thefe are impoflible Suppofals j No intelligent 
Being will induftrioufly and knowingly contribute to the 
Contradiction of it sown Principles, the Defeature of itsPur- 
pofes, and the Ruine of its own deareft Interefts. There is 
no fear then, that our Faith fhould receive prejudice from 
the acknowledgement of the Being of Witches, and Power 
f Evil Spirits, fince tis not the doing wonderful things that 
is the only Evidence that the Holy JESllS was from God, 
and his Doctrine True j but the conjunction of other Cir- 
cumftances, the Holinefs of his Life, the Reafbnablenels of 
his Religion, and the Excellency of his Defigns, added cre- 

; dit to his Works, and flrengthned the great Conclufion, That 
be could be no other than the Son of Cod^ and Saviour of the 
World. But befides, I fay, 

(2.) That 



Modern Sadducifm. \ v 

(2.) That fince Infinite WifHom and Goodnefs rules the 
World, it cannot be conceiv d, that they fhould give up the 
greateft part of Men to unavoidable deception. And if Evil 
Angels, by their Confederates are permitted to perform fuch 
aftonifhing things, as leem Co evidently to carry God s Seal 
and Power with them, for the confirmation of Falfhoods, and 
gaining credit to Impofk&gt;rs,without any Counter-evidence to 
difabufe the World &gt; Mankind is expofed to fad and fatal De- 
lufion : And to fay that Providence will fuffer us to be decei 
ved in things of the greateft Concernment, when we ufe the 
beft of our Care and Endeavours to prevent it, istofpeak hard 
things of God * and in effect to affirm, That He hath no 
thing to do in the Government of the W T orld, or doth not 
concern himfelf in the Affairs of poor forlorn Men : And if 
the Providence and Goodnefs of God be not a fecurity unto 
us againfifuch Deceptions, we cannot be afTured, but that 
we are always abufed by thofe mifchievous Agents,in the Ob 
jects of plain Senfe, and in all the Matters of our daily Con- 
verfes. If One that pretends he is immediately fent from 
God, to overthrow the Ancient Fabrick of Eftabliftied Wor- 
fhip, and to erect a New Religion in His Name, fhall be 
born of .a Virgin, and honoured by a Miraculous Star i pro 
claimed by a Song of feeming Angels of Light, and Wor- 
fhipped by the Wife Sages of the World , Revered by thofe 
of the greateft Aulkrity, and admired by all for a Miracu 
lous Wifdom, beyond his Education and his Years : If He 
iliall feed Multitudes with almoft nothing, and faft himfelf 
beyond all the poflibilities of Nature : If He fhall be tranf- 
forrried into the appearance of extraordinory Glory, and con- 
verfe with departed Prophets in their vifible Forms : If He 
fhall Cure all Difeaies without Phyfick or Endeavour, and 
raife the Dead to Life after they have flunk in their Graves : 
If He fhall be honoured by Voices from Heaven, and attract 
the Univerfal Wonder of Princes and People : If he fhall al 
lay Tempefts with a Beck, and call out Devils with a Word : 
If he fhall foretel his own Death particularly, with its Tragi 
cal Circumftances, and his Refurrection after it : If the Veil 
of the moft famous Temple in the World fhall be Rent, and 
the Sun darkned at his Funeral : If He fhall, within the time 

Hh 2 fore- 



34 Philosophical Confederations ;Cflaj? 6. 

foretold, break the Bonds of Death, and lift up his Readout 
of the Grave : If Multitudes of other departed Souls fhall 
arife with Him, to attend at the Solemnity of his Refurre&i- 
on : If He fhall, after Death, vifibly Converfe, and Eat, and 
Drink with divers Perfons, who could noc be deceived in a 
Matter of clear Senfe, and afcend in Glory in the prefence of 
an aftonilht and admiring Multitude : I fay, if fuch a One as 
this fhould prove a Diabolical Impoftar, and Providence 
fhould permit him to be fb credited and acknowledged &gt; 
What poflibility were there then for us to be allured, that we 
are not always deceived ? yea, that our very Faculties were not 
given us only to delude and abufe us ? And if fb, the next 
Conclufion is, Tlwt there is no God that judgeth in the Earth i 
and the beft, and moft likely Hypothecs will be, that the World 
it given uf to the Government of the "Devil. But if there be a 
Providence that fupcrvifeth us, ("as nothing is more certain ) 
doubtlefs it will never fuffer poor helplefs Creatures to be ine 
vitably deceived, by the craft and fubtilty of their mifchie- 
vous Enemy,to their undoing &gt; but will without queftion take 
fuch care,that the Worlds wrought by Divine Power for the con 
firmation of Divine Truth, fhall have fuch vifible Marks and 
Signatures, if not in their Nature, yet in their Circumflan- 
ces, Ends, and Defigns, as (hall difcover whence they are, 
and fufficiently diftinguifh them from all Impoftures and De- 
lufions j And though wicked Spirits may perform fbme 
Orange things that may excite wonder for a while, yet He 
hath, and will fb provide, that they fhall be baffled and di 
credited i as we know it was in the Cafe of Mofes and the 
JEgyptian Magicians. 

Thefe things I count fufficient to be faid to this laft, and 
fhrewdeft Objection &gt; Though fbme, I under/land, except, 
that I have made it Wronger than the Anfwer I have applyed. 
That I have urged the Argument of Unbelievers home, and 
reprefented it in its full flrength, I fuppofe can be no matter 
of juft reproof j For to triumph over the weaknefs of a Caufe, 
and to over-look its ftrength, is the trick of fhallow and in- 
tercfTed Difputers, and the worft way to defend a Good 
Caufe, or confute a Bad One. I have therefore all along ur 
ged the mofl cogent Things I could think of, for the Intereft 

of 



Arin Modern Sadducifm. 



of the Obje&lt;ftors,becaufe I would not impofe upon my Reader 
or my (elf v and the flronger I make their Premifes, the more 
fhall I weaken their Conclufion,if I anfwer them &gt; which whe 
ther I have done, or not,I refer my felf to the Judgments of the 
Ingenious and Confiderate &gt; from whom I fhould be very glad 
to be informed in what particular Points my Difcourfe is de 
fective j General Charges are no Proofs, nor are they eafily ca 
pable of an Anfwer. Yet, to the mention d Exception, I fay, 

That thefirengthof the Objection is not my fault, for the 
Fxeafons alledg d i and for the fuppofed incompetency of my 
return, I propofe, that if the Circumftances of the Perfbns, 
Ends, and Iffues be the beft Notes of Diftin&ion between 
true Miracles and Forgeries, Divine and Diabolical Ones, I 
have then faid enough to fecure the Miracles of our Saviour^ 
and the Holy Men of Ancient Times. But if thefe Ob 
jectors think they can give us any better, or more infallible 
Criteria^ I defire them to weigh what I have offer d about 
Miracles in fome of the following Leaves, before they enter 
that Thought among their Certainties. And if their other 
Marks of Difference will hold, notwithftanding thole Allega 
tions, I fuppofe the inquifitive believing World would be 
glad to know them j and I Ihall have particular Obligations 
to the Difcoverer, for the ftrength with which he will thereby 
ailift my Anfwer. 

But till I fee that, I can fay nothing Wronger ? or if I faw 
it, which I fhall not in hafte expect, I (hould not be convin 
ced but that the Circumftances of Difference which I have 
noted, are abundantly fufficient to difarm the Objection &gt; 
and to (hew, that though Apparitions, Witchcraft, and Dia 
bolical Wonders are admitted : yet none of thcfe can fa/kn 
any Slur, or ground of dangerous Doubt upon the miraculous 
performances of the H. Jefiu and his Apoftles. If the diffa- 
tisfied can fhew it, I fhall yeeld my felf an humble Profe- 
lite to their Reafbns i but till I know them, the General Sug- 
gcfrion will not convince me. 

Now, beiides what I have directly faid to the Main Ob 
jection, I have this to add to the Objectors, That I could 
wifh they would take care of fuch Suggeltions &gt; which, if 
they overthrow not the Opinion they oppofe, will dangc- 

roufly 



2 5 Pbilofophical Confederations 

roufly affront the Religion they would feem to acknowledge. 
For he that faith, That if there are Witcbe^ there if no way t 
prove that Chrifl Jefiu TOCK not a Magician^ and Diabolical Im- 
poftor, puts a deadly Weapon into the hands of the Infidel, 
and is himfelf next door to the Sin againfl the Holy Ghofl : of 
which, in order to the perfwading greater tendernefs and 
caution in fuch Matters, I give this fhort account* 

THe Sin againfl: the Holy Ghoft is (aid to be Unpardona 
ble j by which fad Attribute, and the Difcourfe of our 
Saviour, Mat. 12. from the 22~to the 33 Vtrfe^ wemayun- 
derfhnd its Nature. In order to which we confider, That 
fince the Mercies of God, and the Merits of his Son, are in 
finite, there is nothing can make a Sin unpardonable, but 
what makes it incurable -&gt; and there is no Sin but what is cu 
rable by a ftrong Faith, and a vigorous Endeavour : For all 
thing/ are pofliblt to him that bdieveth. So that, That which 
makes a Sin incurable, muft be fomewhat that makes Faith 
impoflible, and obflru&s all means of Convi&ion. In order 
to the finding which, we muft confider the Ways and Me 
thods the Divine Goodnefs hath taken^ for the begetting 
Faith, and cure of Infidelity : which it attempted, firfl, by 
the Prophets, and Holy Men of Ancient Times, who, by 
the excellency of their Doclrine, the greatnefs of their Mira 
cles, and the holinefs of their Lives, endeavoured the Con- 
vidrion and Reformation of a flubborn and -unbelieving 
World. But though few believed their report, and Men 
would not be prevail d on by what they did, or what they 
faid i yet their Infidelity was not hitherto incurable, becaufe 
further means were provided in the Miniftry of John the Bap- 
*//?, whole Life was more fevere, whofe Doftrines were more 
plain, prelling and particular : and therefore twas poflible 
that He might have fucceeded. Yea, and where He failed, 
and could not open Mens Hearts and Eyes, the Effect was 
ftill in poilibility, and it might be expected from Him that 
came after, to whom the Prophets and John were but the 
Twilight and the Dawn. And though His miraculous Birth, 
the Song of Angels, the Journey of the Wife Men of the 
Eaft, and the correspondence of Prophefies, with the Cir- 

cumftances 



6. againft Modern Sadducifm. 37 

cumftances of the firft appearance of the Wonderful Infant: 
I fay, though thefe had not been taken notice of, yet was 
there a further p.tovifion made for the cure of Infidelity, in 
his afloniftiing Wifflom, and moft excellent Do&rines ? For, 
He fiakg of never Man did. And when thefe were defpifed 
and negledted, yet there were other Means towards Con- 
vidrion, and Cure of Unbelief, in thofe mighty Works that 
bore Teftimony of Him, and wore the evident Marks of Di 
vine Power in their Foreheads. But when after all, Thefe 
clear and unqueftionable Miracles which were wrought by 
the Spirit of God, and had eminently his Superfcription on 
them, fhall be afcribed to the Agency of Evil Spirits, and Di 
abolical Compact, as they were by the malicious and fpight- 
ful Pharifees i when thofe great and laft Teftimonies againft 
Infidelity, fhall be faid to be 6ut the Tricks of Sorcery, and 
Complotment with Hellifh Confederates &gt; ThisisBlafphemy 
inthehigheft, againft the Power and Spirit of God, and fuch 
as cuts off all means of Convi&ion, and puts the Unbeliever 
beyond all poflibilities of Cure. For Miracles are God s Seal, 
and the great and laft Evidence of the truth of any Doctrine. 
And though, while thefe are only disbelieved as to the Fadr, 
there remains a poflibility of Perfwafion &gt; yet, when the 
Fadt fhall be acknowledg d, but the Power Blafphemed, and 
the Effects of the Adorable Spirit maliciouily imputed to the 
Devils 3 fiich a Blafphemy, fuch an Infidelity is incurable, and 
confequently unpardonable. I fay, in fum, the Sin againft 
the Holy Ghoft feems to be a malicious imputation of the 
Miracles wrought by the Spirit of God in our Saviour to Sa- 
tanical Confederacy, and the Power of Apoftate Spirits i 
Then which, nothing is more blafphemous, and nothing is 
more like to provoke the Holy Spirit that is fo abufed to an 
Eternal Dereliction of fb Vile and fb Incurable an Unbelie 
ver. 

This account, as tis clear and reafbnable in it fclf, fb it is 
plainly lodg d in the mentioned Difcourfe of our Saviour. 
And moft of thofe that fpeak other things about it, feemto 
me to talk at random, and perfectly without Book. 



3 8 PAiUfofbical Go#fideraticn$ JEIT8JJ 6 . 



IHave thus endeavoured to remove the Main Prejudices 
againft the belief of Witches and Apparitions &gt; and Fme 
fure I have fuggefted much more againft what I defend, than 
ever I heard or faw in any that oppofed it, whole Difcourfes, 
for the moft part, have feemed to me infpired by a lofty (corn 
of common belief, and fome trivial Notions of Vulgar Phi- 
lofbphy. And in defpifing the Common Faith about Matters 
of Facl, and fondly adhering to it in things of Speculation, 
they very grollyand abfurdly miftake : For in things of Fa6r, 
the People are as much to be believ d, as the moft fubtilePhi- 
lofophers and Speculators &gt; fince here, Senfe is the Judge. 
But in Matters of Notion and Theory, They are not at all 
to be heeded, becaufe Reafo^i is to be Judge of thefe, and 
this they know not how to ufe. And yet thus it is with 
thofe wife Philofbphers, that will deny the plain Evidence of 
the Senfes of Mankind, becaufe they cannot reconcile Ap 
pearances to the fond Fancies of a Philofophy, which they 
lighted on in the High-way by Chance, and will adhere to at 
adventure. So that I profefs, for mine own part, I never 
yet heard any of the confident Declaimers againft Witchcraft 
and Apparitions, fpeak any thing that might move a Mind, 
in any degree inftructed in the generous kinds of Philofophy, 
and Nature of things. And for the Objedions I have reci 
ted, they are moft of them fuch as rofe out of mine own 
Thoughts, which I obliged to confider what might be to be 
faid upon this occafion. 

For though I have examined Scot s Difcovery^ fancying that 
there I fhould rind the ftrong Reafons of Mens disbelief in 
this Matter.: Yet I met not with any thing in that Farrago 
that was confiderable. For the Author doth little but tell 
odd Tales, and filly Legends, which he confutes and laughs 
at, and pretends this to be a Confutation of the Being of 
Witches and Apparitions. In all which, His Reafbnings are 
Trifling and Childifh &gt; and when He ventures at Philofophy, 
He is little better than abfurd : So that I fhould wonder much 
if any but Boys and Buffoons fhould imbibe Prejudices againft 
a Belief fo infinitely confirmed, from the loofe and impotent 
Suggeftions of fo weak a Difcourfer. 

But 



ft Modern SadducifinV 

But however obferving two things in that Difcourfe that 
would pretend to be more than ordinary Reafons, I fhall do 
them the civility to examine them. It is faid, 

(i )**T*H&lt;it de Goftel vs filent, of to the Being of Witches 
Jl and tis not likgly-, if there were fetch, but that our S.#- 
viour or hit Afoftles bad given intimations of their Exigence. The 
other is, 








(2.)"\ tirades are ceafed, and therefore the prodigious things 
J.VA afcribed to Witchcraft are fuffofed Dreams and 1m- 

f oft nref. 3 &&amp;gt;.. 

For Anfwcr to the Firft in order, I conllder, ( i.) That 
though the Hiltof y of the New leftament were granted to be 
fllent in the Bufmete of Witches and Compacts, yet the Re- 

Js of the Old have a frequent mention of them. The 
LurV, E#&lt;?d. 22.^18. againli permitting them to live, is fa 
mous. And ,we have another rejnarkable prohibition of them, 
Deut. ?8. jo, I I. There Jb all not be found among you any one, 
tbatmakgth htf Son or his T&gt; aught er pafi through the F ire^ or that 
ufeth IDivination^ or an Obferver of fimes^ or an Enchanter^ or a, 
Witcl^ or a Charmer^ or a Confulter rt&gt;itb Familiar-pmts, or, a 
Wizard^ or a Necromancer. Now this accumulation of Names, 
( {pine of which are of the fame fenfc and inifort) is a plain 
indication that the Hebrew Witch was one that pradifed by 
.compact with evil Spirits. And many of the fame Eipre 
lions are, .put togetjher in the Charge againft M*na$es^ 2 Ghron. 
33. viz. That he caufed his Children to pafl through the Vire^ob- 
Jen&gt;ed Times; Itfifl Incbantmmts, and. Witchcraft^ and dealfwitb 
familiar Spirits^ and with Wizards. So that though the Orb- 
ginal word which we 1 render .\Vi|ch and Witchcraft fliould, 
as our S adduces urge, fignifie only a Cheat t and a, Yoifoner &gt; yet 
iKofe.Qtbers.iinention d, plainly enough fpeak the ; thing,, and 
I havegiyen.an account in the former Confiderations,how a 
jWitch in .the common Notion is a Poifbaer. But why meer 
^oifoning ftiould have a diftincl: Law.againit it, -and not be 
concluded under the general one againit Murder j why meer 
Legerdemain and Cheating (liquid be fb fevcrely animadvert 

I i ted 



Philosophical ConfiderAtions jCCCSg 6. 

ted on, as to be reckoned with Inchantments, converfe with 
Devils, and Idolatrous Pra&ices : I believe the denyer of 
\Vitcheswill find it hard to give a reafon. To which I may 
add fome other Paflages of Scripture that yield fufficient evi 
dence in the Cafe. The Nations are forbid to hearken to the 
Diviners, Dreamers, Inchanters, and Sorcerers, jkr. 27. 9. 
The Cbaldfxnr are deeply threatned for their Sorceries and 
Inchantments, Ifa.^j,^. And we read that NebuckaJnez- 
%ar called the Magicians, Aftrologers, Sorcerers, and Chaldeans , 
to tell his Dream. My mention of which laft, minds me to 
lay, that lor ought I have to the contrary, there may be a 
(brt of Witches and Magicians that have no Familiars that 
they know 3 nor any exprefs Compadr with Apoftate Spirits* 
who yet may perhaps ad: ftrange things by Diabolick Aids, 
which they procure by the ufe of thofe Forms, and wicked 
Arts that the Devil did rirft impart to his Confederates : And 
we know not but the Laws of that Dark Kingdom may in- 
joyn a particular attendance upon all thofe that praftife their 
Myfkries, whether they know them to be theirs or not. For 
a great inrereft of their Empire may beferved by this Project, 
fince thofe that find fuch fuccefs in the unknown Conjurati 
ons, may by that be toll d on to more exprefs Tranfadions 
with thofe Fiends that have affifkd them incognito : Or, if 
they proceed not fb far, yet they run upon a Rock byadringin 
the Dark, and dealing in unknown and unwarranted Arts, 
in which the Effect is much beyond the proper efficiency of 
the things they ufe, and affords ground of more than fufpi- 
cion that fbme Evil Spirit is the Agent in thofe wondrous 
Performances. 

Upon this account, I fay, it is not to me unlikely but that 
the Devils may by their own Gonftitution be bound to attend 
upon all that ufe their Ceremonies and Forms, though igno- 
jantly, and without defign of EviU and fb Conjuration may 
Iiave been performed by thofe who are none of the Covenant- 
Sorcerers and Witches. Among thofe perhaps we may juftly 
reckon Balaam, and the Diviners, for Balaam, Moncsttshath 
undertaken to clear him from the Guilt of the greater Sorce 
ry. And the Diviners are ufually diftindtly mentioned from 
thofe that had Familiar Spirits. The ^w/ogew alfoof Elder 

Times, 



AgAtnfl Modern SadducifflU **:. 

Times, and thofe of Ours, I take to have been of this fort 
of Magician^ and feme of them, under the colour of that 
Myftical Science, worfe. And I queftion not, but that things 
are really done, and foretold by thofe pretended Artifls, that 
are much beyond the regular Poflibilities of their Artv which 
in this appears to be exceedingly uncertain and precarious, in 
that there are no lefs than fix ways of erecting a Scheme, in 
each of which the Prediction of Events (hall be different, and 
yet every one of them be juftifiable by the Rules of that pre 
tended Science. And the Principles they go upon, are found 
to be very Arbitrary, and Unphilofophical, not by the ordinary 
Declaimers againft it, but by the molt profound Inquirers in 
to things, who perfectly underftand the whole Myikry, and 
are the only competent Judges. 

Now thofe Myftical Students may in their firft Addreflesto 
this Science, have no other Defign, but the fatisfa&ion of 
their Curiofity to know remote and hidden things &gt; Yet that 
in the Progrefs being not fatisfied within the Bounds of their 
Art, doth many times tempt the Curious Inquirer to ufe 
worfe means of Information &gt; and no doubt thofe mifchie- 
vous Spirits that areas vigilant as the Beaftsof Prey, and 
watch all occafions to get us within their envious reach, are 
moreconftantAttenders, and careful Spies upon the Adions 
and Inclinations of fuch, whofe Genius and Defigns prepare 
them for their Temptations. 

So that I look on Judicial Aflrology as a fair Introduction to 
Sorcery and Witchcraft. And who knows but that it was rirft 
let on foot by Evil Spirits, as a Lure to draw the Curiofis in 
to thofe fnares that lie hid beyond it. And yet, I believe al- 
fo. It may be innocently enough ftudied by thofe that aim on 
ly to underftand what it is, and how far it will honeftly go v 
and are not willing to condemn any thing which they do not 
comprehend. But that they muft take care to keep themfelves 
within the Bounds of fober Enquiry,and not indulge irregular 
Sollicitudes about the knowledge of Things,which Providence 
hath thought rit to conceal from us &gt; Which who-ever doth, 
lays himfelf open to the Defigns and SollicKations of Wicked 
Spirits &gt; and I believe there are very few among fuch as have 
been addi&ed to thofe Arts of Wonder and Prediction, but 

li 2 have 



6, 

have found themfelves attaqued by fome unknown Sollici- 
tors, and inticcd by : them to the more dangerous A&ions and 
Correfpondencies. For as there are a fort of bafe and fordid 
Spirits that attend the Envy and Malice of the Ignorant and 
Viler fort of Perfons,and betray them into Compacts by Promi- 
fcs of Revenge &gt; So, no doubt, there are a kind of more 
Aiery and Speculative Fiends, of an higher rank and order 
than thofe wretched Imps, who apply themfelves to the Cu 
rious : and many times prevail with them by offers of the 
more Recondite Knowledge &gt; as we know it was in the firft 
Temptation. Yea, and fometimes they are fo cautious and 
wary in their Converfations with more refined Perfbns, that 
they never. offer to make any exprefs Covenants with them. 
To this purpofel have been informed, by a very Learned and 
Reverend Doctor, that one Mr. Edwards^ a Matter of Arts 
of Trin. Coll. in Cambridge, being reclaimed from Conjurati 
on, declared in his Repentance, that the T&gt;&lt;emon always ap 
peared to him like a Man of good fafhion, and never required 
any Compact from him. And no doubt. They fort them 
felves agreeably to the State, Port, and Genius of thofe 
with whom they converfe j Yea, tis like, as I conje6rured 5 
areafliftant fometimes to thofe, to whom they dare not fhew 
themfelves in any opennefs of appearance, left they fhquld 
fright them from thofe ways of Sin and Temptation. So 
that we fee, that Men may ad by Evil Spirits without know 
ing that they do fo. 

And polfibly Nebuchadnezzar s Wife Men might be of this 
fort of Magicians i which fuppofal I mention the rather, be- 
caufe it may ferve me againft fome things that may be obje- 
d:ed : For, it may be faid, If they had been in Confederacy 
"with Devils, it is not probable that Daniel would have been 
their Advocate, or in fuch inoffenfive terms have diftinguilht 
their skill from Divine Revelation , nor fhould hc,one would 
think, have accepted the Office of being Provoft over them. 
Thefe Circumftances may be fuppos d to intimate a probabi 
lity, that the Magi of Babylon were in no profefr Diabolical 
Complotment, and I grant it. Bat yet they might, and in 
all likelyhood did ufe the Arts and Methods of Action, which 
obtain Vemonaick^ Cooperation and Affiflanc^ though without 

their 



. tgtinft Modern Sadducifm. 43 

their privity, and fb they were a lefs criminal fort of Cnnju- 
rers , For thofe Arts were conveyed down along to them 
from- one hand to another, and the SuccefTbrs ftill took them 
up from thofe that preceded, without a Pbilofofbical Scrutiny 
or Examen. They few ftrange Things were done, and 
Events predicted by fuch Forms and iuch Words j how, they 
could not tell, nor tis like did not inquire, but contented 
themfelves with this general account, That twas by the 
power of their Arts, and were not ibllicitous for any better 
Reafon. This, I fay, was probably the cafe of moft of thofe 
Predictors &gt; though, it may be, others of them advanced 
further into the more defperate part of the Myftcry. And 
that fbme did immediately tranfadt with appearing Evil Spi 
rits in thofe times, is apparent enough, from exprefs menti 
on in the Scriptures I have alledg d. 

And the Story of the Witch of Endor^ i Sam. 28." is a re 
markable Demonftration of the Main Conclufioni which 
will appear, when we have confidered, and removed the 
fancy and glolTes of our Author about it, in his Difcwery : 
where to avoid this Evidence, he affirms, This Witch to be 
but a Co7ener, and the whole Tranfadrion a Cheat and Im- 
pofture, managed by her Self and a Confederate. And in 
order to the perfwading this, he tells a fine Tale, viz. That 
(he departed from Saul into her Clolet, " Where doubtlefs, 
" fays he, (he had a Familiar, fome kwd crafty Prieft, and 
" made Saul frand at the Door like a Fool, to hear the cozen- 
&lt;c ing Anfvvers. He faith, me there ufed the ordinary words 
" of Conjuration &gt; and after them, Samuel appears, whom 
" he affirms to be no other than either the Witch her {elf, or 
"her Confederate. By this pretty knack and contrivance, 
he thinks he hath difabled the Relation from iignifying to our 
purpofe. 

But the Difioverer might have confider d, that all this is an 
Invention, and without Book. For there is no mention of 
the Witch s Clofet, or her retiring into another Room, or her 
Confederate, or her Form of Conjuration i&gt; I (ay, nothing of 
all this is as much as intimated in A&Biflay l and if we may 
take this large liberty in the Interpretation of Scripture, there 
is fcarce a Story. in the Bible but may be made a Fallacy and 

Impoiture, 



Philosophical ConjiderAtiws 

Impofture, or any thing that we pleafe. Nor is this Fancy 
of his only Arbitrary, but indeed contrary to the Circum- 
ftances of the Text- For it fays, Saul perceived itrvx Samu 
el, and bowed bimfclfc and tbb Samuel truly foretold his ap 
proaching Fate, viz. That Ifrael (houldbe deliver d with him 
into the hands of the Philiftines &gt; and that on the morrow, He 
and his Sons Ihould be in the ftate of the Dead i which doubt- 
kfs is meant by the ExpreiTion, that [tbey Jhould be mtb 
him~] -&gt; Which contingent Particulars, how could the Coze 
ner and her Confederate fbretel, if there were nothing in it 
extraordinary and preternatural ? 

It hath indeed been a great Difpute atnong Interpreters, 
whether the real Samuel was raifed, or the Devil in his like- 
nefs ? Moil later Writers fuppofe it to have been an Evil Spi 
rit, upon the fuppofition that Good and Happy Souls can ne 
ver return hither from their Coeleftial Abodes and they are 
not certainly at the Beck and Call of an impious Hag. But 
then thofe of the other fide urge, that the Piety of the words 
that were fpokc, and the fcalbnable Reproof given to defpai- 
ring Saul^ are Indications ftifficient that they came not from 
Hell ? and efpccially they think the Prophefie of Circum- 
ftances very accidental to be an Argument, that it was not 
uttered by any of the Infernal Predidors. And for the fup- 
pofal that is the ground of that Interpretation, tis judged 
exceedingly precarious &gt; for who faith that happy departed 
Souls were never employed in any Minifteries here below ? 
And thofe Diflenters are ready to ask a Reafbn, Why they 
may not be fent in MerTages to Earth, as well as thofe of 
the Angelical Order ? They are nearer allyed to our Natures, 
and upon that account more intimately conccrn d in our Af 
fairs ) and the example of returning Lazarttf, is evidence of 
the thing de fafto. Befides which, that it was the Real Sa 
muel they think made probable by the Opinion of Jefa Sy- 
n/c, Ecclus.4^. 19, 20. who faith of him, That after blf 
death be propbefied and foewed tbe King hi* end : which alib is 
likely from the Circumilance of the Woman s Aftonifhment, 
and crying out when Ihe faw him, intimating her furprhe, 
in that the Power of God had over-ruled her Indian tments 
and fcnt another than ihe expend. And they conceive there 

is 



tf . Againft Modern Sadducifm. 45 

is no more incongruity in fuppofing God fhould fend Samuel 
to rebuke Saul for this his latl folly, an i to predidr his in- 
ftant rube, than in his interpofing Elix to t u MelTengers of 
AhaziM when he fent to Beelzebub. Now if it were the Real 
Samuel, as the Letter exprefleth, f and the obvious fenfe is 
to be followed when there is no cogent Reafon to decline it) 
he was not raifed by the Power of the Witches Inchantmcnts, 
but came on that occafion in a Divine Errand* But yet her 
Attempts and Endeavours to raife her Familiar Spirit/though 
at that time over-ruled J are Arguments that it had been her 
cuftom to do fb. Or if it were as the other iide concludes, 
the Devil in the (hape of Samuel, her Diabolical Confederacy 
is yet more palpable.. 



IHave now done with c&lt;tf, and his preemptions i and 
am apt to fancy, that there is nothing more needful to be 
faid to difcover the Difcoverer. But there is an Author infi 
nitely more valuable, that calls me to confider him, J Tis the 
great Epifcopiitf *, who, though he grants a fort of Witches 
and Magicians, yet denies Compacts. His Authority, I con- 
fefs, is confiderable, but let us weigh his Reafbns. 

His Firft is. That there is no Example of any of the Pro- 
phane Nations that were in fuch Compact &gt; whence he would 
infer, That there are no exprefs Covenants with Evil Spirits 
in particular Inftances. But I think that both Propofition and 
Confequence are very obnoxious. For that there were Nati 
ons that did adually worfhip the Devil, is plain enough in 
the Records of. Ancient Times i and fome (b read that place 
in the Pfalmt^ The Gods of the Heathen are Devils v and Satan 
we know is call d the God of tb x World. Yea, our Author 
fiimfHf confefTeth, that the Nation of the Jews were fb 
ftridtly prohibited Witchcraft, and all tranfadtion with Evil 
Spirits,becaufe of their pronenefs to worfhip them. But what 
need more ? There are at this day that pay Sacrifice 5 and all Sa 
cred Homage to the Wicked One in a viiible Appearance -&gt; and 
tis well known to thofe of our own that traffick, and refide 
in thofe Parts, that the Caribbians worfhip the Devil under 
the name of Maboya^ who frequently fhews himfelf, and tranf* 
with them i the like Travellers relate concerning divers 

other. 



Philosophical Gonfidcraticns jEffjg 6. 

other parts of the "Barbarous Indies : and tis confidently re 
ported by fober intelligent Men that have vifited thofe places, 
that moft of the Laplanders, and fome other Northern People, 
are Witches. So that tis plain that there are National Con 
federacies with Devils &gt; or, if there were none, I fee not how 
it could be inferr d thence, that there are no Perfonal Ones, 
no more, than that there were never any Dxmoniackj, be- 
caufe we know of no Nation univerfally poiTeffed j nor any 
Lmatickj in the World, becaufe there is no Country of Mad 
men. But our Author reafons again, 

(2. ) To this purpofei, " That the profligate Perfons,who 
" are obnoxious to thofe grofs Temptations, are fail enough 
" before &gt; and therefore fuch a Covenant were needlefs, and 
" of no avail to the Tempters Projeds. 

This Objection I have anfwered already, in my Remarques 
upon the IX Prejudice, and fay again here, that it the Defigns 
of thofe Evil Spirits were only in general to fecure wicked 
Men to the Dark Kingdom, it might better be pretended that 
we cannot give a Reaibn for their Temptations and Indea- 
vours in this kind , But it being likely, as I have conjedrur d, 
that each of thofe Infernal Tempters hath a particular pro 
perty in thofe he hath feduced and fecured by fuch Compacts, 
their refpedKve Pride, and tyrannical defire of Slaves, may 
reafonably be thought to ingage them in fuch Attempts, in 
which their fo peculiar Intereft is concerned. 

But I add what is more diredr, viz. That fuch defperate 
Sinners are made morefafe to the Infernal Kingdom at large, 
by fuch Hellifti Covenants arid Combinations &gt; fince thereby 
they confirm and harden their Hearts againft God, and put 
themfelves at greater diftance from his Grace, and his Spirit &gt; 
give the deepeft Wound to Confcience, and refblvc to wink 
againft all its Light and Convictions j throw a Bar in the 
way of their own Repentance, and lay a Train. for Defpair 
of Mercy : Thefe certainly are fure ways of being undone, 
and the Devil we fee, hath great Intcreii: in a Project, the 
fuccefs of which is (b attended. And we know he made the 
AfTault de fafto upon our Saviour, when he tempted him to 
fall down and worfliip. So that this Learned Author hath 
but little Reafon to objecl, 

C30 That 



Modern Sadducifm^ 47 

(3.) That to endeavour fuch an exprefs Covenant, is 
contrary to the Interefts.of Hell &gt; which indeed are this way 
fb mightily promoted. And whereas he fuggefts, that a 
thing fo horrid is like to frartle Confluence, and awaken the 
SouHo Confederation and Repentance ^ I Reply, That in 
deed confldering Man in the general, as a Rational Creature, 
acled by Hopes and Fears, and fenfible of the Joys and Mife- 
ries of another World, one would expcd it fliould be fb : 
But then, if we caft our Eyes upon Man as really he is, funk 
intoflefh, and prefent Senfe^ darkncd in his Mind, and go 
verned by his Imagination =, blinded by his Paffions, and bc- 
fotted by Sin and Folly &gt; hardned by evil Cuftoms, and hur 
ried away by the Torrent of his Inclinations and Deiires &gt; I 
fay, looking on Man in this miferable ftate of Evil, tis not 
incredible that he fhould be prevailed upon by the Tempter, 
and his own Lufts, to acl at a wonderful rate of Madnefs, and 
continue unconcerned and ftupid in it &gt; intent upon his pre- 
fent Satisfadions,without fenfe or confederation of the dread- 
fiilnefs and danger of his Conditions and by this, I am fur- 
nijfhed alfb to meet a fourth Objection of our Author s, 
viz. 

(4.) That tis not probable upon the Witches part, that 
they will be fb defperate to renounce God, and eternal Hap- 
pinefs, andfb, everlaftingly undo their Bodies and Souls, for 
a fhortand trivial Intereft i&gt; which way of arguing will only 
infer, That Mankind adls fbmetimcs at prodigious degrees 
of brutifhnefs j and actually we fee it in the Infhnces of eve 
ry day. There is not a Lull fb bafe and fb contemptible, but 
there are thofe continually in our Eyes, that feed it with the 
Sacrifice of their Eternity, and their Souls j and daring Sinners 
rufh upon the blacked Vilanies, with fo little remorfe or fenfe, 
as if it were their defign to prove, that they have nothing left 
them of that whereby they are Men. So that nought can be 
inferr dfrom this Argument, but that Humane Nature is in 
credibly degenerate i&gt; and the vilenefs and ftupidity of Men is 
really fb great, that things are cuftomary and common, which 
one could not think pcilible, if he did not hourly fee them. 
4nd if Men of Liberal Education, and Acute Reafbn, that, 
know their Duty and their Danger, are driven by their Appe- 

K k tites, 



48 -Ptrilofipbical Confederations jCflfgy 6, 

titcs, with their Eyes open, upon the moft fatal Rocks,, and 
make all the haftethey can from their God and their Happi- 
ncfs 5 If fuch can barter their Souls for Trifles, and fell Ever- 
Jailing for a Moment i (port upon the brink of a Precipice, 
and contemn all the Terrors of the future dreadful day &gt; why 
fhould it then be incredible, that a brutilh vile Perfon, fotted 
with Ignorance, and drunk with Malice, mindlefs of God, 
and unconcerned about a future Being, fhould be perfwa.ded 
to accept of prefent delightful Gratifications, without duly 
weighing the dcfperate Condition ? 

Thus, I fuppofe, I have anfwered alfb the Arguments of 
this Great Man, againft the Covenants of Witches &gt; and ilnce 
a Perfon of fuch Sagacity and Learning, hath no more to fay 
againft what I defend, and another of the fame Character, 
the ingenious Dr. P^r%r, who directed me to him, reckons 
thefe the ftrongeft things that can be objected in the Cafe, I 
begin to arrive to an higher degree of Confidence in this be 
lief , and am almoft inclined to fancy, that there is little more 
to be faid to purpofe, which may not by the improvement of 
my Confederations be caiily anfwered i and I am yet the more 
fortified in my Conceit, becaufe I have, fince the former Edi 
tion of this Book, {hit to feveral Acute and Ingenious Perfbns 
cf my Acquaintance, to beg their Objections, or thofe they 
have heard from others, againft my DHcourfe or Relations- 
that I might confidcr them in this : But I can procure none, 
fave only thofe fewlhavenowdifcufs d, moft of my Friends 
telling me,- That they have not met with any that need or 
defcrve my notice. 

Ey all this it is evident, that there w r ere Witches in Ancient 
Times under the Difpenfation of the Law \ and that there 
were fuch in the Times of the Gojpel alfo, will not be much 
more difficult to make good. I had a late occafion to fay 
fbmething about this, in a Letter to a Perfon of the higheft 
Honour,- from which I {hall now borrow feme things to my 
prefent purpofe. . 4 i 



ti Modern Sadducifm, 



i 



Say then, (II.) That there were Compads with Evil Spi 
rits in thofe times alfo, is rne-thinks intimated ftrongly, 
in that faying of the Jews concerning our Saviour, Ikat be 
cafl out "Devils by Beelzebub. In his return to which, he de 
nies not the Suppofition or poffibilityof the thing in general i 
but clears himfelf by an appeal to the Actions of their own 
Children, whom they would not tax fo feverely. And I can 
not very well underftand why thofe times (hould be privi- 
ledg d from Witchcraft and Diabolical Compacts, more than 
they were from Poffeflions, which we know were then more 
frequent (for ought appears to the contrary) than ever they 
were before or fince. But befides this, There are Intimati 
ons plain enough in the Apoftle s Writings of the Being of 
Sorcery and Witchcraft. St. Paul reckons Witchcraft next 
Idolatry, in his Catalogue of the W r orks of the Flefli, Gal. 
5. 20. and the Sorcerers are again joyn d with Idolaters, in 
that fad Denunciation, Rei&gt;. 21.8. And a little after, Rev. 22, 
15- they are reckon d again among Idolaters, Murderers, 
and thofe others that are without. And me-thinks the Story 
of Simon Magus , and his Diabolical Oppofitions of the Go- 
fpel in its beginnings, Ihould afford clear Conviction. To 
all which I add this more general Confederation, 

( 3 . ) That though the New Teframent had mention d no 
thing of this Matter, yet its filence in fuch Cafes is not Ar 
gumentative. Our Saviour fpake as he had occaiion, and the 
thoufandth part of what he did or faid is not Recorded , as 
one of his Hiilorians intimates. He faid nothing of thofe 
large unknown Traces of America i nor gave any intimations 
of as much as the Exiitence of that Numerous People i 
much lefs did he leave Inftructions about their Converlion. 
He gives no account of the Affairs and State of the other 
World, but only that general one, of the Happinefsof fome, 
and the Mifery of others. He made no difcovery of the M-rg- 
nalia of Art or Nature i no, not of thofe, whereby the pro 
pagation of the Gofpel might have been much advanced,^, 
the M)ftery of Printing^ and the Magnet j and yet no one ufeth 
his lilence inihefe Initances, as an Argument againft the Be 
ing of things, which are evident Objects of Sen(c, I con- 

Kk 2 fefs, 



Philosophical Confer a! ions JBf[&$ & 



fefs, the omiilion of Tome of thtfe particulars is pretty 
ftrange, and unaccountable, and concludes our ignorance cf 
the Reafbns and Menages of Providence i but I fuppofe no 
thing elfc. I thought, I needed here to have laid no more, 
but I confider, in confcquence of this Objection, it is pre 
tended &gt; That as Chrijl Jcfa drove the Devil from his Tem 
ples *nd his Altars, (2s is clear in the Ccffation of Oracles, 
which dwindled away, and at laft grew lilent ihortly upon 
his appearance) fo in like manner, tis (aid, that he banifht 
him from his lefUr holds in Sorcerers and Witches i which 
Argument is peccant, both in what it affirms, and in what it 
would infer. For, 

( i.) The coaiing of the H. Jefus did not expel the Devil 
from all the greater Places of his Residence and Worfhip j 
for a conlidcrable part of barbarous Mankind do him publick 
folemn Homage to this day : So that the very Foundation of 
the Pretence foils, and- the Conlequenc e without any more 
adoe comes to nothing. And yet bcfides, 

(2.) If there be any credit to be given to Ecclefiallick Hi- 
froiy, there were Perlbns pofiefTed with Devils fome Ages a- 
tcr thrill, whom the Difciples call out by Prayer, and the 
Invocation of his Name : So that Satan was not driven 
from his leffer Habitations, asfoon as~hewas forced from his 
more famous Abodes. And I fee no reaiOn 

( 3.) W hy, Though Divine Providence would not allow him 
publickly to abufe the Nations, whom he had deligned in a 
Ihort time after for Subjeds of his Son s Kingdom, and to 
Hand up in the Face of Religion in an open ajfront to the 
Divinity that planted it, to the great hindrance of the pro- 
grefs of the Gofpel, and diicouragcrnent of Chriftian Hopes &gt; 
liay, Though Providence would not allow this height of 
infolent Oppoiition i yet I fee not why we may not grant, 
that God however permitted the Devil to fneak into fome 
private skulking Holes, and to trade with the particular more 
devoted Vaffals of his wicked Empire : As we know that 
when our Saviour had chafed him from the Man that was poA 
felTed,he permitted his Retreat into the Herd of Swine. And 
I might add &gt;*V^ 

C40 That 



6. Againft Modern SadduciGm 5 

( 4. ) That tis but a bad way of arguing, to fa up fan 
cied Congruities againit plain Experience, as is evidently 
done by thofe Arguers, who, bccaufe they thirrk that Chriir 
chafed the Devil from all his high Places of Worihip when he 
came ? that tis therefore tit he fhould have forced him from 
all his other lefs notorious Haunts : and upon the imagina 
tion of a decency, which they frame, conclude a Fad, con 
trary to the greateft Evidence of which the thing is capable. 
And once more 

( 5. ) The confequence of this Imagined Decorum, if it 
be purfucd, would be this, that Satan ihould now be de 
prived of all the \Vaysand Tricks of Cozenage, whereby he 
aBufeth us i and Mankind iince the coming of Chriir, fliould 
have been iccure from all his Temptations &gt; for there is a 
greater congruity in believing, that, when he was forced from 
his haunts in Teazles and publick Flaces,he (hould be put al- 
fo from thole nearer ones, about us and within us in his dai 
ly temptations of univerfal Mankind) Then, that upon re- 
linquilhifig thofe, he fhould be made to leave all profeit Com 
munication and Corrcfpondcnce with thofe profligate Per- 
fons, whofe vilcnefs had fitted them for fuch Company. 

So that thefe Reaioners are very fair for the denial of all 
Internal Diabolical Temptations. And becaufe I durft not 
truft them. Fie crave leave here to add fomething concerning 
thofe. 

In order to which, that I may obtain the favour of thofe 
wary Perfons, who arc fo coy and ihy of their aflent, I grant 
That Men frequently, out of a ddire to excufe themfelves, 
lay their own guilt upon .the Devil, and charge him with 
things of which in carneft he is not guilry : For, I doubt not 
but every Wicked Man hath Devil enough in his own Nature 
to prompt, him to Evil, and- needs not another Tempter to 
incite him. But yet, that Satan endeavours. to further our 
wickcdncfs, and our ruin by his Inticcments, md.,gees upand 
dwn faking whom he may dwour^ is too evident in the Holy 
Oracles, to need my Endeavours particularly to make it 
good 5 Only thufe diffident Men cannot perhaps apprehend 
the manner of the Operation, and from thence are tempted 
to believe^ that there is really no fuch thing. Therefore I 

judge. 



Philosophical Confederations iBff^V 6. 

judge it reqiiifite to explain this, and tis not unfutable to 
my general Subjed. 

In order to it I confider, That Senfe is primarily caufed by 
Motion in the Organs, which by continuity is conveyed to 
the Brain, where Senfation is immediately performed &gt; and 
it is nothing elfe, but a Notice excited in the^Soul bytheim- 
pulfe of an External Objed i thus it is in ftmple outward 
Senfe : But Imagination, though caufed immediately by ma 
terial Motion alfb, yet it differs from the external Senfes in 
this, That tis not from an Imprefs diredly from without, 
but the Prime and Original Motion is from within our felves: 
Thus the Soul it felf fometimes ftrikes upon thofe Strings, 
whofe Motion begets fiich and fuch Phantafms = other- while, 
the loofe Spirits wandring up and down in the Brain, cafually 
hit upon fuch Filements and Strings, whofe Motion extitesa 
Conception, which we call a Fancy or Imagination &gt; and if 
the Evidence of the outward Senfes be fhut out by Sleep or 
Melancholly, in either cafe, we believe thofe Reprefentations 
to be real and external TranfacHons,when they are only with 
in our Heads &gt; Thus it is in Entbxfi (Cms and Dreams. And be- 
fides thefe Caufes of the Motion ; which ftir Imagination, 
there is little doubt," but that Spirits, Good or Bad, can fo 
move the Instruments of Senfe in the Brain, as to a wake fuch 
Imaginations as they have a mind to excite and the Imagi 
nation having a mighty influence upon the AffedHons, and 
they upon the Will and external Actions, tis very eafie to 
conceive how Good Angels may ftir us up to Religion and 
Vertue, and the Evil Ones tempt us to Lewdnefs and Vice, 
viz. by Reprefentments that they make upon the Stage of 
Imagination, which invite our Affedions, and allure, though 
they cannot compel our Wills. 

This I take to be an intelligible account of Temptations, 
and alfb of Angelical Incouragements and perhaps this is 
the only way of immediate Influence that the Spirits of the 
other World have upon us. And by it, tis eafie to give an 
account of Dre&lt;zms^ both Monitory and Temperamental^ En- 
tbufiafms, Fanatic^ Extafies, and the like, aslfuggeikd. 

This 



&gt;. agAinft Modern Sadducifm. 53 

This may fuffice for an Anfwer to the firft Pretence, viz. 
the filence of the Goftel in this Matter. I come to examine 
the other, That 

(2.3 \ Jf Trades are ceafl, thefore the prefitmed Asians of Witch- 
i. V L crafty are Tiaks and Itiufions^ 



To make a due return to this, we muft confider a great and 
difficult Problem, which is, What if a Heal Miracle / And for 
anfwer to this weighty Quefiion, I think, 

C i.) That it is not the ftrangenefs, or unaccountablenefs 
of the thing done fimply, from whence we are to conclude a 
Miracle. For then we are fo to account of all the Msgnalia of 
Nature, and all the Myfteries of thofe honeit Arts which we 
do not underftand. 

Nor (2.) is this the Criterion of a Miracle, That it is an 
Adtion or Event beyond all Natural Powers i. for we are igno 
rant of the Extent and Bounds of Nature s Sphere and Polli- 
bilities : And if this were the character and efTential Mark of 
a Miracle, we could not know what was fb &gt; except we could 
determine the extent of natural cavfaHtie^znd fix their Bounds, 
and be able to fay to Nature, Hitherto canfl tbou go and no fur 
ther j And he that makes this his meafure whereby to judge a 
Miracle, ishimfdf the greatetf Miracle of Knowledge or Im- 
modefty. Belides, though an ErTed: may tranfcend really all 
the Powers of mccr Nature &gt; yet there is a world of Spirits 
that muft be taken into our Account. And as to themalib I 
fay, 

( 3.) Every thing is not a Miracle that is done by Agents 
Supernatural. There is no doubt but that Evil Spirits can 
make wonderful Combinations of Natural Caufes, and per- - 
haps perform many things immediately which are prodigious, 
and bqo nd the longeft Line of Nature : but yet thcfe are not 
therefore to be called Miracles i for, theyarc Sacred Wonders^ 
and fuppofe the Power to be Divine. But how (hall the Power 
be known to be fo, when we fo little undcrftand the Capaci 
ties, and extent of the Abilities of Lower Agents ? The An 
fwer to this Queft ion will difcover the Criterion of Miracles^ 

which 



Configurations iSfTst 6 

which muft be fuppofed to have all the former Particulars i 
viz. They are unaccountable^ beyond the Powers of meer Nature^ 
and done by Agents Supernatural i And to thefe muft be fuper- 
added. 

(" 4. ) That they have peculiar Circumftances that {peak 
them of a Divine Original. Their media t: Authors declare 
them to be fb, and they are always Perfons of Simplicity, 
Truth, and Holihefs, void of Ambition, and all fecular De- 
flgns : They fcldom ufe Ceremonies, or Natural Applicati 
ons, and yet furmount all the Activities of known Nature : 
They work thofe wonders, not to raife admiration, or out of 
the vanity to be talkt of i but to fealandcontirmfbme Divine 
Doctrine or Commillion, in which the Good and Happinefs 
of the World is concern^, I fay, by fuch Circumstances as 
thefe, Wonderful Adrions are known to be from a Divine 
Caufe j and that makesanddiftinguifhetha Miracle. 

And thus I am prepared for an Anfwer to the Objection, 
to which I make this brief return, That though Witches by 
their Confederate Spirit do thofe odd and aftonifhing things 
we believe of them s yet are they no Miracles, there being 
evidence enough from the badnefs of their Lives, and the ri 
diculous Ceremonies^ot their Pertormances, from their malice 
and mifchievous Defigns, that the Power that works, and the 
end for which thofe things are done, is not Divine but Diabo 
lical. And by inigular Providence they are not ordinarily 
permitted, as much as to pretend to any new Sacred Difco- 
veries in Matters of Religion, or to adt any thing for confir 
mation of .Dodhinal Impoltures. So that whether Miracles 
are ceafed or not, thefe are none. And that fuch Miracles as 
are only Grange and unaccountable Performances, above the 
common Methods of Art or Nature, are not ceas d, we have 
a late great evidence in the famous G RE AT REX, con 
cerning whom it will not be impertinent to add the following 
account, which I had in a Letter from Dr. G. K. Lord Bifhop 
of Z&gt;. in the Kingdom of Inland, a Pcribn of finguhr Piety 
and Vertue, and a great Philofopher. He is pleafcd thus to 
write 4 

" The 



Modern Sadducifnu 



c; "TpHe great difcourfe now at the Coffee-Houfes.and every- 
cc i where, is about M. G. the famous Irijh Strokgr^ con- 
cc ccrning whom it is like you expert an account from me. 
cc He undergoes various Cenfures here, fome take him to be 
** a Conjurer^ and (bme an Imfoftor, but others again adore 
cc him as an Afoftle. I confefs, I think the Man is free from 
cc all Delign, of a very agreeable Convcrfation, not addifted 
" to any Vice, nor to any Seel: or Party &gt; but is, I believe, a 
cc fincere Proteflant. I was three weeks together with him at 
cc my Lord Conwayes^ and faw him, I think, lay his hands up- 
" on a thoufand Per(bns &gt; and really there is fomething in it 
"more than ordinary: but I am convinced it is not miracu- 
"lous. I have feen pains ftrangely fly before his hand til| he 
" hath chafed them out of the Body, Dimnefs cleared, and 
" Deafnefs cured by his Touch &gt; twenty Perfbns at feveral 
"times in Fits of the Falling-Sickle^ were in two or three 
" minutes brought to themfelves, fb as to tell where their 
" pain was &gt; and then he hath purfued it till he hath driven 
" it out at {bme extream part : Running Sores of the Kings- 
cc Evil dried up, and Kernels brought to a Suppuration by his 
"hand : grievous Sores of many months date, in few dayes 
" healed : Obftmciions, and S toff ings removed i Cancerous 
cc Knots in the Breaft difTolved, &c, 

" But yet I have many Reafons to perfwade me, that no- 
" thing of all this is Miraculous ^ He pretends not to give Te- 
cc flimony to any Dodtrine &gt; the manner of his Operation 
" (peaks it to be natural \ the Cure feldom fucceeds without 
cc reiterated Touches, his Patients often relapfe, he fails fre- 
" quently, he can do nothing where there is any decay in Na- 
" ture, and many Diftempers are not at all obedient to his 
" Touch. So that I confels, I refer all his Vertue to his 
" particular Temper and Complexion, and I take his Spi- 
" rits to be a kind of Elixir -, and Vniverfal Ferment j and that 
cc he cures ( as Dr, M. exprefleth it ) by a Sanative Contt- 
"gion. 

* x 

L 1 This 



56 fhilofipbicfil Confederations 

This, Sir, was the firft Account of the Healer I had -from 
that Reverend Perfon, which with me figniries more than 
the Attentions of multitudes of ordinary Reporters i and 
no doubt but it will do fo likewife with all that know that 
excellent Biihop s fingular integrity and Judgment. But be- 
fides this, upon my inquiry into iome other Particulars about 
this Matter, I received thefe further Informations from the 
fame Learned Hand. 

" As for M. G. what Opinion he hath of his own Gift, and 
cc how he came to know it ? I Anfwer, He hath a different ap- 
" prehenfion of it from yours and mine, and certainly be- 
" lieving it to be an immediate Gift from Heaven &gt; and tis no 
" wonder, for he is no Philofopher. And you will Wonder 
" lefs, when you hear how he came to know it, as I have of. 
cc ten received it from his own Mouth. About three or four 
cc years ago he had a firong impulfe upon his Spirit, that con- 
u tinually purfued him from what-ever he was about, at his 
"Bufinefs, or Devotion, alone, or in company, that (pake to 
" him by this inward Suggeftion, [-/ have given tbee the Gift of 
"Curing the Evil."] This Suggeftion was fo importunate,that 
"he complained to his Wife, That he thought he was haun 
ted : She apprehending it as an extravagancy of Fancy &gt; 
" but he told her he believed there was more in it, and was re- 
cc folved to try. He did not long want opportunity. There 
"was a Neighbour of his grievoully afflidred with the Kings- 
" Evil, He Itmked her, and the Effedl fucceeded. And for 
cc about a twelve-month together he pretended to cure no 
" other Diftemper. But then the Ague being very rife in the 
" Neighbourhood, the fame Impulfe after the fame manner 
" fpoke within him, Z have given tbee the Gift of curing the 
cc Agm , ] and meeting with Perfbns in their Fits, and taking 
&lt;c them by the Hand, or laying his Hand upon their Breads, 
cc the Ague left them. About half a year after the accuftomed 
"Impulfe became more general, and fuggefted to him, I 
"have given tbee the Gift of Healing -)"] and then he attempted 
"all Difeafes indifferently. And though he favv ftrange 

"Effe&s, 



agtinft Modern Sadducifm. 57 

" EfFeds, yet he doubted whether the Caufe were any Vertue 
" that came from him, or the Peoples fancy : To convince him 
"of his incredulity, as he lay one night in Bed, one of his 
" Hands was ffouck dead, and the ufual Jmpulfe fuggefted to 
" him to make tryal of his Vertue upon hiwfelf, which he 
"did, (broking it with his other hand, and then it immedi- 
" ately returned to its former liveliness. This was repeated 
" two or three Nights for Mornings) together. 

" This is his Relation, and I believe there isfb much fince-&gt; 
" rity in the Per(bn,that he tells no more than what he believes 
"to be true. To fay that this Impulfe too was but a refult 
" of his temper, and that it is but like Dreams that are ufual- 
"ly according to Mens Conttitutions, doth not feem a proba- 
" ble account of the Phenomenon. Perhaps fbme may think 
"it more likely, that fome Genius who underftood the Sana 
tive Vertue of his Complexion, and the readinefs of his 
" Mind, and ability of his Body to put it in execution, might 
" give him notice of that which otherwife might have been 
"for ever unknown to him, and fb the Gift of God had been 
" to no purpofe. 

This is my Learned and Reverend Friend s Relation : I 
(hall fay no more about it but this, That many of thofe Mat 
ters of Fadr, have been fince critically infpedred and examin 
ed by feveral fagacious and wary Perfbns of the Royal Society^ 
and other Very Learned and Judicious Men, whom we may 
fuppofe as unlikely to be deceived by a contrived Impofture, 
as any others whatfbever. 



LI 



5 8 Philosophical Contentions j6ff8{? 6. 



IHave now done with my Confiderttions on this Subject, 
which I could wifh were lefs feafonable and necefTary than 
I have tcaion to believe they are : But, alas ! we livej in an 
Age wherein Atbeifin is begun in Sadducifm : And thofethat 
dare not bluntly fay, T here if no God, content themfelves, for 
a fair flep and Introduction, to deny there are Spirits, or 
W itches. Which fort of Infidels, though they are not fb ordi 
nary among the meer Vulgar, yet are they numerous in a little 
higher rank of Understandings. And thole that know any 
thing of the World, know, That moll of the (mall Pretenders 
to W"it, are generally deriders of the belief of Witches and Ap 
paritions : Which were it only a flight, or mcer fpcculative 
Miibke, I fhould not trouble my felf or them about it. But 
I fear this Error hath a Core in it worfe than Heretic : And 
therefore how little fbcver I care what Men believe or teach 
in Matters of Opinion, I think I have reafbn to be conccrn d 
in an Affair, that toucheth fo near upon the greateft Intereils 
of Religion. And really I am aftoniflit fbmetimes to think 
into what a kind of Age we are fallen, in which fome of the 
greateft Impieties are accounted but Bgg/, and terrible Names^ 
Invifible Tittles, Piccadillo s, or Chimera s. The fad and 
greatelr Initances, are &? crilenge* ReielttOtJ, and t[(Li itcf) 3 
Craff. For the two former, there are a fort of Men ( that 
are far from being profeft Enemies to Religion ) who, I do 
not know, whether they own any fuch Vices. We find no 
mention of them in their moft particular Confeflions, nor 
have I obiervedthem in thofe Sermons that have contained 
the largefi Catalogues of the Sins of our Age and Nation. 
^were dangerous to fyeak^ of them as Sins, for fear who Jhould 
be found guilty. But my Birfinefs at prefent is not with thefe, 
but the other, (tJ{itcl)Ctf r , which I am fure was a Sin of 
Elder Times &gt; and how comes it about that our Age, which 
fb much out-does them in all other kinds of Wickednefs, 
Ihould be wholly innocent in this ? That there map kt Witches. 
and Apparitions in our days, notwithstanding the Objections 

of 



6. Againft Modern Sadducifm. 

of the Modern Sadduce^ I believe I have made appear in the 
foregoing Confederations &gt; in which I did not primarily intend 
dired:Pra&gt;/ 3 but Defence. 

Againft which if it (hould be Objected, That I have for 
the moil part ufed only Suppofals, and conjectural Things in 
the vindication of the Common Belief, and fpeak with no 
point-blank afTurance, in my particular Anfwers, as I do in 
the General Conclufion. I need only fry, That the Propofi- 
tion I defend is Matter of Facl, which the Disbelievers im- 
pugneby alledging. That it cannot be v or, it is not likgly: In 
return to which, if I (hew, how thole things may be, and 
probable, notwithstanding their Allegations, though I lay 
not down-right that they are in the particular way I offers 
yet tis enough for the Defign of Defence, though not for that 
of Proof: for when one faith a thing cannot be, and I tell 
him how poffihly it may, though I hit not the jutf manner of 
it, I yet defeat the Objection againft it, and make way for 
the evidence of the thing deFafto. 

But after all this, I muft confefs there is one Argument 
againft me, which is not to be dealt with, viz. A mighty Con 
fidence grounded upon nothing, that foaggers, and Httffr y 
and fwears there are no Witches. For fuch Philofophers as 
thefe, let them enjoy the Opinion of their own Superlative 
Judgments, and enter me in the firrt rank of Fools for credi 
ting my Senfes, and thofe of all the World, before their fworn 
Dilates. If they will believe in Scott ^ HMs, and Osborne^ 
and think them more infallible than the Sacred Oracles, the 
Hiitory of all Ages, and the full experience of our own, who 
can help it &gt; They mud not be contradicted, and they are re* 
folved not to be perfwaded. For this fort of Men, I never 
go about to convince them of any thing. If I can avoid it, 
Ithrow nothing before, them, leii they fhould turn again and 
rend me. Their Opinions came into their Heads by chance, 
when their little Reafbns had no notice of their entrance, 
and they muft be let alone to go out again of themfelves the 
fame way they entred. Therefore not to make much noife 
to difturb thefe infallible Hujfirs-^ (and they cannot hear a lit 
tle 



Philofophical Confederations filflJJ 5. 

tie for their own) I foftly ftep along, leaving them to believe 
what they think. 

I have only this further to add. That I appear thus much 
concerned for the juftirkation of the belief of fFttcbst, be- 
caufe it fuggeOs palpable and current Evidence of our Im 
mortality. For though we have reafbnable Evidence enough 
from the Attributes of God, the Phenomena of Providence, 
and the Nature of our Souls, to convince any, but thofe 
who will fhipidly believe, that they (hall die like Beafts,that 
they may live like them : Yet the Philofbphick Arguments 
that are produced for the Article, though very cogent, are 
many of them fpeculative and deep, requiring fo great an 
attention and fagacity, that they take no hold upon the 
whirling Spirits that are not ufed to Confider, nor upon the 
common fort that cannot reach fuch Heights : But they are 
both beft convinced by the Proofs that come neareft the 
Senfe, which indeed mike our Minds fulleft, and leave the 
moft Jailing Impreflions &gt; whereas high Speculations being 
more thin and fubtile, eafily Hide off, even from Under- 
ftandings that are moft capable to receive them. This is one 
of the Main Reafbns that engaged me on this Argument, be- 
caufe it affords confiderable Evidence of that great Truth, 
which every Chriftian ought to be fblicitous to have made 
good. 

And really if we compute like Men, and do not fuffer ou* 
felves to be abufed by the Flatteries of Senfe, and the deceit 
ful Gayeties that fteal us away from God, and from our 
(elves, there is nothing can render the thoughts of this odd 
Life tollerable, but the expectation of another : And Wife 
Men have faid, That they would not have a Moment, if they 
thought they were not to live again. This perhaps fome may 
take to be the difcontented Paradox of a Melancholick, vext 
and mean Condition, that is pinched by the ftraightnefs of 
Fortune, and envies the Heights of others Felicity and 
Grandeur &gt; But by that time thofe that judge fb, havefpent 
the Heats of Frolick Youth, and have paft over the feve 
rs! Stages of Vanity &gt; when they come to fit down, and 

make 



W/? Modern Sadducifm. 61 

make (bber reflexions upon their Pleafures and Purfuits, and 
fum up the Acco-mpt of all that is with them, and before 
them, I doubt not but their confidering Thoughts will make 
Solomon s Conclufion, and find, that tis but a inifery to live, 
if we were to live for nothing elie. ^So that if the content 
of the prefent Life were all I were to have for the hopes of 
Immortality, I fhould even upon that account be very unwil 
ling to believe that I was mortal : For certainly the Pleafures 
that refult from the Thoughts of another World in thofe, 
that not only fee it painted in their Imaginations, but feel it 
begun in their Souls, are as far beyond all the titillations of 
Senfe, as a real Ming Happinefs is beyond the delufive Ima 
ges of a Dream. And therefore they that think to fecure 
the injoyment of their Pleafures, by the infamy of our Na 
tures, in the overthrow of our future Hopes, indeavour to 
dammupthe Fountain of the fulJeft and cleaneft Delights j 
and feek for limped Waters in the Sinks and Puddles of the 
Streets. 

But this would afford Matter for another Difcourfe, into 
which I muft not digrefs, but here make an end of this. 



Anti- 



Anti-fanatical Religion, 
AND 

Free PliilofopKy. 

In a Continuation of the 

NEW ATLANTIS; 



vii. 



M m 



10 C 



.m lo nci: 



y;i 

VII. 



The Summc of : 

My Lord Bacons 



WE parted from Per//, with defign to pafs to China 
and Japan by the South Sea: and after we had 
been long driven up and down by contrary Winds, 
andwandred in the greateft Wildernefs of Waters 
in the World, without the leaft hopes of making any Land, 
in that immenfe undifcover d Abyls, that was beyond both 
the Old World, and the New &gt; it pleafed God to bring us 
into the Harbour of a moft Angelical Country, that lay hid in 
the greateft Ocean in the Univerfc. 

We found there a People of fingular Goodnefs and Huma 
nity, who received us with moft affectionate kindnefs, and 
provided for us with a Parent-like Care and Indulgence : We 
were lodg d in a fair Pile of Buildings, calPd the Strangers 
Houft) appointed tor fuch Occafions, and there we had all 
things, both for our Whole aad Sick, that belonged to Cha 
rity and Mercy. The Governor of that Houfe ( a mofl ob 
liging and benign Perfbn ) acquainted fbme of our number 
with divers remarkable Matters concerning the Kingdom of 
B E N S A L E M ( fo it was call d ) ^ Particularly, with the 
fhrange entrance and beginning of Chriftianity there, and the 
excellent Foundation of SOLOMON s Houie, a Royal 

M m 2 Society 



Society &e&ed for Enquiries into the Works of God : After 
we had been there a little while, one of the Fathers of that 
Houfe came to the Town where we were. He entred in 
State j and within few days having had notice of us, he or- 
der d that one of our Company (hould be brought to him : 
The reft chofeme to wait on the great Man, which I did, and 
was receiv d by him with much goodnefs &gt; He gave me a par 
ticular account of the Foundation of Solomon s Houfe^ and the 
State ofPbilofophy in Benfalem, granting permiilion it Ihould 
be declared to the World. Accordingly it was publifht by 
Verulamm, in his Hiftory call dthe NEW ATLANTIS; 
and thus far his Account went. 

But now I fhall enter upon a Relation of things, of which 
yet there hath been no News from Benfalem. 

On the third day after I had been with the Father of Solo- 
moJfs Houfe, a Servant came to me from the Governor of 
ours, jullas we had dined, to defire me to fpend the After 
noon with him : I received the invitation with a chearful re- 
fpedt, and went immediately with the Officer to attend his 
Lordfhip &gt; He led me through the Garden of our Houfe into 
another, the largeft and molt beautiful I ever faw &gt; It was en- 
compaft with a lofty Stone- Wall &gt; The Stone were blue, na 
turally fbreakt with green. It had Mounts, Grotto s, and 
Summer-Houfes, very pleafant and magnificent ^ The Walks 
were large, planted with Ever-greens, and the Fruit-Trees 
( of all forts that we have, and many that we have not ) fet 
in the old guincttncial. Lozenge Figures, after the manner of 
the ancient hanging Gardens of Babylon i&gt; It had WilderneiTes, 
Ponds, Aviaries, and all things elfe that can render fuch a 
place agreeable. I could have dwelt in this Paradife &gt; but the 
Servant led me on into afquare Cloylkr d Court,having hand- 
(bme Buildings on all fides, fenced on the South with a tall 
Grove of Cedar : The Cloyflers were paved with red and 
green .Marble, and fupported with polliiht Pillars of a fpeck- 
kd Stone, very clear andihining? Hence we went into a fair 
fpacious Hall adorned with large Maps of all forts j here were 
fome Servants decently clad, they were playing at Chefs j as 
fbon as I entred, they arofe, and faluted me very civilly with 



and Free fhilofipfy &c. 



a modeft fweetnefs in their looks, that feem d very obliging. 
My Guide conducted me up Stairs into a noble Gallery, hung 
with moft excellent Pictures of Famous Men, and Philofc- 
phers i and, at which I was much furpmed, of ibme that I 
had feen, He left me here, to give the Governor notice that I 
was come &gt; and prefently I faw him enter, with a mild chear- 
fulnefs, mixt with a manly gravity in his Countenance : He 
had on a long Robe of Purple Silk, and a kind of Turban 
on his Head of the fame colour, which had a Star of Gold 
wrought on it, worn juft before : Heimbraced me with much 
affe&ion, expreiTing great fatisfadtion in the opportunity of 
entertaining me alone : He enquired after the welfare of our 
People, and whether we wanted any Accommodation &gt; either 
for our Whole or Sick &gt; I bowed with a low reverence, and 
anfwer d, That we wanted nothing, but an occadon to fpeak 
our acknowledgments of the Bounty and Humanity of that 
blefTed Pkce -&gt; and particularly to exprefs how much we were 
oblidg d to his Lordihips generous favours : He replyed fmi- 
ling, That Complements were not in ufe in Benfalem , and 
taking me by the hand, he led me into an handfbme (quare 
Chamber wainfcotted with Cedar, which riird the Room with 
a very grateful odour : It was richly painted, gilt, and full of 
Infcriptions in Letters of Gold ; He fate him down on a Couch 
of Green Velvet, and made me take my place by him. 

After fbme more particular inquiry into the condition of 
our Sick, of whom I gave him an account, he told me, That 
the Father of Solomon s Houfi commanded him to acquaint me 
with the ftate of Religion in Benjalem, as himfelf had with the 
condition of Philofophy there i and that he would have done 
this too, but that the urgent Bufmefs of the Publick State, 
which lay upon him, would not afford him time &gt; I rofe u 
at thefe words, and anfwered with a low fubmiiiion, That! 
knew not in what terms to exprefs my ferife of the Father s 
Condefcention and Goodnefs 5 and that his excellent Relation 
of the tfate of Pbilofopbj^ and its ways of improvement in 
that Kingdom, had inrlamed me with defae to know what I 
might, concerning the Affairs of its Religion, iince the (b mi 
raculous plantation of Chritf ianity in it j And particularly, 
Whether it had kept its ancient Pttrity^ and Simplicity in that 

Realm =&gt; 



Jxti-fanatical Religion , iSffa^ 7 . 

Realm , which was loft in moft other places ? This Quefh on, 
replyed He, (making me fit down again by him) I fhall fully 
anfwer in the things I have to fay to you? and having paufed 
a little to fettle his Thoughts, he began his Narrative in this 
manner. 

AFTER the Converfion of this Land by the Evangelifm of 
St. Bartholomew, ( of which you have heard) Religion 
underwent fbme Revolutions, that I (hall not mention j But 
take my ground from the laft, which hapned no very long 
time fince : For the undemanding which, you muft know, 
That upon the South-Wetf of this place, in the unknown 
Ocean a]fo, lies an liland, famous for the rife it gave to a very 
fpreading Seel: in Religion : From this unfortunate Country, 
came certain Zealous Perfons hither, that pretended to extra 
ordinary Illuminations, and to more purity, ftriftneft, and Sfi 
rituality, than other Chriftians &gt; They taught, That our Rites 
and Government were Suferftitiout and Anti-chriftian *&gt; That we 
wanted Pure Ordinances, and GoJpel-JforJkip i That our Good 
JForks, and Chriltian Vcrtues, were nothing worth i That the 
left of our People were but Formalijh and meer moral Men &gt; 
That our Priefts were uninlightmd, Grangers to the Power of 
Godlineft, and Myfteries of Religion &gt; and that there was a ne- 
ceftity of a tborow Godly Reformation of our Government, and 
JForjhip. 

The Men at firft were only gazed upon by our People, as 
flrange Perfons &gt; But at length, by the vehemence of their 
Zeal, and glory of their Pretences, they began to make im- 
prcflion on (bine, who had more Affehion than Judgment : 
By them, and the continuance of their own reftlefs Importu 
nities, they wrought upon others i And in proceis of time 
and endeavour, through the fecret Judgment and Permiffion 
of God, prevail d fb far, that the great Body of the People, 
efpecially of thofe that were of warm and Entbufiaftick^ Tem 
pers, was leaven d (moreorlefs) with their Spirit and Do- 
brines. 

Here he ftopt a little, and then faid , Tis wonderful to 
confider how feme Ages and Times are difpos d to changes ^ 
fome to one fort of alteration, and fbme to another : In this 

Age, 



) &C, 

Age, one Se&lt;3: and Genius fpreads like Infedion, as if the 
publick Air were poifoned with it &gt; and again, in that thofe 
fame Dodrrines and Fancies will not thrive at all, but die in 
the hands of their Teachers &gt; while a contrary, or very dif 
ferent fort, flies and prevails mightily : There is fbmething 
extraordinary in this, the contemplation of which would be 
noble Exercife, but not for our prefent purpofe : Tis enough 
to note, That the Age at the coming of thofe Seducers hi 
ther, was inclined to Innovation, and to fuch particular forts 
of it : So that in few years the generality of the Zealous, and 
lefs considerate, were tainted with thofe new and gay Notions &gt; 
And ib polTell: they were with the conceit of the divinenefs and 
neceffity of their Fancies and Models, that they defpifed and 
vilified the Ecclefiaftical Government, and Governors, and ve 
hemently afTaulted our moft excellent SALOMONS, the 
King of this Realm, with continual Petitions and Addrefles, 
to eitablifh them by Law, and to change the whole Conftitu- 
tion of Religion, in complyance with tbeir Imaginations : 
But he was a Wife and Religious Prince &gt; He faw the folly and 
danger of fuch Alterations, and endeavoured, by all the ways 
of Lenity and Goodnefs, to allay the heat of their unreafo- 
nable Profecutions : But they being the more emboldned by 
this moderate Courfe, and provoked by the little inclination the 
good King fhew d to their New Models, broke out, after fbme 
lefs violent ftruglings, into down-right Rebellion, which af 
ter many Revolutions, too long to be mention d now, fuc- 
ceede fo far at laft, that the Pious Prince was depos d and 
murder d &gt; the Government ufurp d by the prevailing Ty 
rants : And, not to mention the difbrders of the Civil State 
that followed, the Ecchfaftical was moft mifcrable. For 
now, all the Sedls that have a Name in Hiftory in any part of 
the known World, ftarted up in this Church, as if they had 
all been tranfplanted hither : They arofe as it were out of 
the Earth, which feem d to bring forth nothing but Monfters, 
full grown at their Birth, with Weapons in their hands ready 
for Battel ^ and accordingly they fell one upon another with 
ibrange rage and rierceneis. For having torn and detfroyed 
the Ancient Dodrine and Government, every one contended 
$o fet up its own, and to have its beloved Opinions and Mo 
dels, 



ical Religiott, &lt;Effi8 7. 

dels entertain d and worfhip d, as the infallible Truths and 
Ways of God : So that all places were fill d with New Lights, 
and thofe Lights were fo many JSP?U-Fijfer, that put all into 
Combuftion. We faw nothing of Religion but glaring Ap 
pearances, and Contention about the Shells and Shadows of 
it. It feem d to run "out wholly into Chaff and Straw &gt; into 
Viftities and Vain Notions *, which were not only unprofitable, 
but dcllru&ive to Charity, Peace, and every pious Practice. 
All was Controverfie and DifTention, full of Animoiity and 
Bittcrnefs &gt; For though they agreed in {bme common Falfnoods 
and Follies, yet that made no Vnion &gt; every difTent in fmal left 
Matters was ground enough for a Quarrel and Separation. 
But tbefe things were common to them. 

All hated the former Conjlitutions -, All cried up their own 
Clan, as the only Saints, and People of God : All vilified Rea- 
fon as Carnal, and Incompetent, and an Enemy to the things 
of the Spirit: All had confident, falfe, and perverfe Notions 
of the Divine Attributes, and Counfels &gt; All decry d Vertue 
and Morality as a dull thing, that was nothing in the account 
of God. All filFd their Difcourfes with the words of Light, 
Faith, Grace, the Spirit &gt; and all talk d in fet Pbrafes, phan- 
cifully and ignorantly about them : All pretended to great 
Heights in Knowledge, though that conllfted in nothing but an / 
ability to repeat thofe Phrafes of their Seft, like Parrots : All 
talk d of fhcir extraordinary communion with God, their jj&gt; e- 
c usl Experiences, Illuminations, and Discoveries ? and according 
ly all demean d themfelves with much fawcineft and irreve 
rence towards God, and contempt of thofe that were not of 
the fame phantafticalFafhion : All were zealous in their pro 
per fet of Doftrines and Opinions 5 and all bitterly opposM 
and vilified every different Judgment. Theje are fbmeof the 
main things that made up the common Nature of the Parties: 
In particulars, as I have faid, they were infinitely at vari 
ance. 

While things were in this condition, (bme of our MirTio- 
naries in Forreign Parts returned, and among the other Books, 
and Rarities from ftfie World, they brought the Works of 
(ome of your Epifcopal Divines, and other Learned Men, 
particularly thofe of Hammondus, TaylorM, Grotiw, dec. Such 
. VW of 



ytfee. 

of them that were written in Englifh, they tranflated into 
Latin, the rather becaufe they judg d thofe Difcourfes very 
feafbnable and proper to obviate the Evil Genius of the un 
happy Age. As foon as they came abroad in the general Lan 
guage, they were read bythefober fort of our Divines with 
great approbation and acceptance &gt; and from them they had 
Light and Advantage for the detecting the Follies and Extra 
vagancies of the Times. 

For my part, I was then a Student in the Univerfity, and 
therefore fhall chufe to relate what effed: thofe Writings had 
there, and particularly upon divers of my mine own Ac 
quaintance, who are now very coniiderable in this Church, 
and have done great Service in it. 

It was one Advantage that the Young Academians had 
from that unhappy Seafon, that they were ftirr d up by the 
general Fermentation that was then in Mens Thoughts, and 
the vafl variety that was in their Opinions, to a great activity 
in the fearch of fober Principles, and Rules of Life. I fhall 
not undertake to defcribe the Spirit and Temper of all the 
Theologues and Students of .thofe Times, but Ihall give you 
an account of fome that I knew, who have been very ufeful to 
the Church in confuting and expofing the Fanatical Princi 
ples and Genius, and who derived much of their Spirit and 
Doctrines from thofe excellent Authors of your Country. 

Here I told the Governor that things had been lately alfb 
in our parts much after the manner he had defcribed the Con 
dition of theirs i and that therefore I was very defirous to 
know by what Ways and Dodhines the People were reduced 
to a better temper. I faid alfb, that I had relation to one of 
our Univerfities, and on that account likewife was fbllicitous 
to underltand how thofe Academical Divines were formed &gt; 
and what they did when they came abroad. 

He anfwer d, that he was ready to gratifie my deflres i but 
then, faid he, I would not have you think that I magnifie 
the Perfons I ihall defcribe to you, or their Learning and Per 
formances, above all our other Clergy : No, thanks be to 
God, we have numbers of Excellent Men, famous for their 
Piety, Learning, and Ufefulnefs in the Church : of whom, 
by reafon of my diftance : and conitant Imployments in this 

N n P^ce 3 



g Anti-fanatical Religion, SJTftV 7 

place, I have no perfonal knowledge , and therefore I choofe 
to fpeak only of thofethat were bred in the llniverfity about 
mine own Time 5 and the rather, that you may obferve 1 the 
Providence of God inraifing Men fo ferviceable to his Church 
in the very worft of Days. Having premised which, he fell 
immediately to an account of their Preparations in the Uni- 
verfity, and thence to a Relation of their Performances after. 
Of the former he fpokethus &gt; 

THofe Divines, of whom I have undertaken to fay fbme- 
thing, went through the ufual courfe of Studies in the 
llniverfity, with much applaufe and fuccefs : But did not 
think themfelves perfect, as fbon as they were acquainted 
with the knowledge contain d in Syftems : No, they paft 
from thofe Inftitutions, to converfe with the moft Ancient 
and Original Authors in all forts of profitable Learning. 
They begun at the top, with the Philofophers of the Eldeft 
Times, that were before the days of Arijiotle : They perufed 
the Hiftoms of their Lives and Dottrines, and then read all the 
remains of them that are extant : They confider d their Prin 
ciples, only as Hypothefelf, with Minds free and untainted : 
They ftudied,them to know the feveral Scheams of their Opi 
nions, without paffing Judgments yet, upon their Truth, or 
Falfhood. They read Plato, and conversed much with that 
Divine Philofbpher : They acquainted themfelves with An- 
flotle, his great Scholar ? and by his Original Writings, they 
found how much he had been mifreprefented and abufed by 
his Commentators, ( efpecially by thofe of later Times ) and 
faw how different a thing Ariftotelian Philofophy was in his 
own Works, from that which they had met in compendium?, 
and the Diluting Books that pretended to it : They made 
themielves intimate with Plutarch and Cicero : And dealt 
much with the other chief Writers, both Greekj and Romans : 
By which means, they were well inftruded in the Hiflory of 
Philofophy, and the various Thoughts and Opinions of the 
greateft Men among the Ancients. 

But yet, notwithstanding this Converfation with thofe 
Sages, They were not fb pedantically, and fuperftitioufly fond 
of Antiquity, as to fit down there in contempt of all later 

Helps 



ilofiphy, 

Helps and Advancements. They were fenfible, That Know 
ledge was ftill imperfect, and capable of further growth, and 
therefore they looked forward into the Modern? alfo, who 
about their time, had imployed themfelves in diicovering the 
Defedts of the Ancients, in reviving fome of their negledted 
Dodrines &gt; and advancing them by new Thoughts and Con 
ceptions : They read, and confider d all fats .of late Im 
provements in Anatomy, Mathematicfy, Natural H/flory, and 
Mechanickf-, and acquainted themfelves with the Experimental, 
Philofdphy of Solomon s Honfe, and the other Promoters of it. 
So that there was not any valuable Difcovery made, or No 
tion ftarted in any -part of Real Learning but they got confi- 
derable knowledge of it. And by this Vniverfal way of pro 
ceeding. They furnifrYd their Minds with great variety of 
Conceptions, and rendred themfelves more capable of judging 
of the Truth, or likelybood of any propos d Hypothecs. Nor 
.did they content themfelves with Reading, and the know 
ledge of Bookfi but join d Contemplation, and much thought- 
fulnefs with it : They exercifed their Minds upon what they 
read i They confi^er d, compar d, and inferr d : They had 
the felicity of clear and diftintt thinking, and had large com- 
pafs in their Thoughts. By reading they rendred their Un- 
derftandings full j and by Meditation they kept that fulnefs 
irom being diforderly and confused. 

Being thus prepared, They addreft themfelvcs to the more 
clofe, particular, and thorow ftudy of Divinity : They thought 
it not enough to read a few Syjhms, and bundles of Novel 
Opinions ? to underftand the current Orthodoxy of the Times, 
or to gain the faculty of (peaking to the People in the taking 
Tone and Phr^fe y ( things that made up the Divines of that 
Age ) : But enquired into tlie ilate of Religion in former 
days: They read the Hiftoriet of the Church, and applyed 
themfelves to a careful peruial .of the Fathers of the three firji 
Centuries : In them they looked for the Dodrrine a,nd Practi 
ces that w.ere in the beginning : They confkkr d, that Religi 
on was molt pay in thofe Primitive Times of Holinefi and 
Martyrdom &gt; arid that by knowing what was the belief and, 
ufi then, they might be enabled to judge better of -the 
more Modern Ways and Qpicions ; That though othw Know 

N n 2 ledge 



/jo Anti-fanatical Religion^ JBtfajJ 7 



ledge grew, and was much advanced by Time, yet Divinity 
was in its perfeftoon, in the days of the Apoftles, and nearefi 
Ages to them &gt; and had ftill been degenerating (more or lefs ) 
in following Times. That it was therefore beft to enquire 
after the old Ways, and to take the Meafures of Faith and 
Practice, from Primitive Doftrine and Vfage &gt; and accordingly 
they endeavoured to form theirs. They convers d with the 
Works of your Excellent Writers, whom I mention d, and 
other Learned Men, whom Providence raifed about that Sea- 
fon, to direct the World to thofe eldefl, ^Patterns. They 
read alfb the Hiftories, andobferv d the growth of Setts : They 
examin d the Books of the chief reputed Heretic}^, and con- 
fider d the Arguments where-with they endeavour d to efta- 
blifh their Opinions. They defcended even to the Wild 
Scribbles and Contentions of the feveral Parties in our di- 
fbra&ed Land &gt; They acquainted themfelves thoroughly with 
their Spirit, Principles, Phrafes, and ways of Reajoning j as 
judging, that none could deal effectually in the expofingand 
confuting any Sect, but thofe who well underftood it. Be- 
iides all this, They directed their Studies f many of them ) to 
the Jewijh Learning, That they might be inftrudted in the 
Rites, Opinions, and Ufages of that People, for the better 
undemanding of many things in the Scripture that relate un 
to them. They enquired into the Reafonableneft of the great 
Principles of Religion, and particularly of the Chriflian , and 
provided themfelves thereby to deal with dtheijh, Infidels, 
and Enthufiafts, with which that Age abounded. I could 
fay much more, but this is enough to (hew that thefe Men 
were qualified to do fomething in the World. 

Here I interrupted the Relation a little, and ftid, That 
it feemM to me that fuch Preparations fhould have taken 
up the better part of their Lives, and not have left much time 
for Adtion. He anfwer d, That "Diligence, Meditation, and 
a right Method of Studies would go very far, and do migh 
ty Matters in an indifferent Time . and that he who knew 
the Jhorteft cut, and went conftantly on, would pafs over a 
considerable Defart in a few days, while another that loy- 
ter d, or was ignorant of the way, might wander all his 
Life in it to little purpofe. That thofe Men took the di 

rect 



and Free Philofoph^ c. i j 

reftCourfe, and had the beft Guides, the choice Books of all 
forts -, one anothers excellent Company, and improving Con- 
verfe. That they fpent no unprofitable time, among the Vo 
luminous Triflers &gt; and in the confufed Rubbifhof Learning. 
That they went ftraighton towards their end, without diver 
ting to bie and impertinent Matters. They that made even 
their moft common Converfations to ferye them, in their ftu- 
dy of Humane Nature^ the Inclinations and Pafflons of Men : 
And even the wildnefl and humours of Setts afforded them in- 
ftrudion in the nature of Enthuftafm^ and Superftitions of all 
kinds. So that their Understandings and Obfervations were 
advanced far, while their years were not many &gt; and they had 
the happy Conjunction of the Judgment of Rife Age, with 
the vigour of Toteth. I bowed to declare my fatisfadtion, and 
He went on. 

IT will be time now-, after the Difcourfe of their Prepara 
tions, to let you know what they did j and what were the 
Effects of thefe fromijing beginnings. This I (hall do. By re- 
prefenting 

C i.) Some things that were more general. 

(2.) Their particular Endeavours in the Affairs of Reli 
gion. 

C 30 A more full account of their Genius, and Thoughts, 
in fbme main Parts of Learning. 

I BEGIN with their more General Attions and Declara 
tions of their Thoughts. 

ONe of the Srft things they did^ WSs, to deliver their 
own Minds (and to endeavour the fame for others) 
from the PrepoJJeffions^ zndPrejudices of Complex/on^ Education^ 
and implicit Authority ; AfTerting the Liberty of Enquiry, 
and thereby freeing their Reafons from a bafe and diilionoura- 
ble Servitude^ and vindicating this juft Right of Humane 
Nature. For though they knew, That Green loath., and Vul 
gar Inquirers, ought not pragmatically to call their Teachers 
to account for their Dodrines, or to venture upon deep Spe 
culations 



Jnti faMatical Religion^ jBflajJ 7. 

culations without affiftance &gt; Yet they thought, that Men 
who were bred in the way of Study, had firft fubmifly heard 
the Opinions of their Inrtru&ors, and been well acquainted 
with their Dictates, who were arriv d to maturity of lln- 
derftanding, and a good capacity to leek after Truth &gt; might 
at length be permitted to judge for themfdves &gt; that fo they 
might choofe^ like rsafonable Creatures, and not have their 
Principles brutijhly obtruded on them. This they law was a 
natural Right, and that the Tyrannical Cuftom of over-ruling 
and fupprclling it, had held the greateft part of Mankind in 
fatal Chains of Ignorance and Error. 

Here, I fay, They begun, and taught, That all lovers of 
Truth, whofe Judgements were competently matur d, ought 
to free their Minds from the Prejudices of Education, and 
ufurping Authorities &gt; that is, fb far, as not to conclude any 
thing certainly true, or talfe, meerly on the account of tbofe 
Imprejfions : But to try all things , as Scripture and Reafbn re 
quire, and incourage us &gt; and to fufpend the giving up our 
//*//, and refolv d affent to the Doctrines we have been taught, 
till we have impartially confider d and examin d them om 
felves. That in our Refearches, we ought to retain a Reve 
rence for Antiquity^ atid venerable Names , but not blindly to 
give up ourllnderftandings to them, agairifl clear Evidence of 
the Divine Oracles, or Impartial Reafbn. That when other 
Confederations, on both fides, were equal^ the Inducements 
of old Belief, and reverend Authorities ought to determine us 
to a probable afTent on that fide : But when God s Word, or 
our Faculties irood on the other^ we ought not to be en- 
clin d. 

Thus they modeftly afTerted the Liberty of Judgment^ and 
bounded it with fb much Caution, that no Prejudice could 
arife to Legal Eiiabliftiments from that freedom : For they 
allow d it not to immature Youth ^ or to illiterate or injudicious 
Men, who are not to be tmfled to conclude for them f elves in 
things of difficult Theory : But advifed fab, to fubmit to 
their Inihudtors, and fo pradrife the plain things they are 
taught, without bufie intermedling in Speculative Opinions, 
and things beyond their reach. Such a Liberty of judgment 
as this they taught, and fttcb was necefTary for the Age, in 

which 



which the Minds of Men were inthralPd by the Mailers of 
Sedts, and the Opinions then ftiPd Orthodox^ from which it 
was accounted Herefie and Damnatiott to recede. So that no 
thing could be done, to fet them at large from thofe vain 
Fancies and Ways, till they were perfwaded to examine them 
with freedom and indifference, and to conclude according to 
the Report of their Faculties. They knew, That Truth 
would have the advantage, could it but procure an impartial 
Tryal : That the Falfe Doctrines, and Fanatical Practices of 
the Times would be detected and fhani d, were it not for the 
fuperftitious firaightnefs that fuppreft all Enquiry , and that 
thofe Old Truths that were exploded with ib much abhorrence, 
would, in all likelyhood, gain upon the Judgments and AC- 
fents of all that were free, and durft to be inquifitive. On 
fuch accounts they preft the Liberty of Judgment &gt; and in a 
time when it was very feafonable, and no hurt could diredtly 
arife from it. Since 

(2.) They taught, and urged much modefty together with 
it j and allowed not Dogmatical Affirmations, but in things 
that were moil fundamental arid certain : They confider d, That 
our Underftandings,at beft,are very weak &gt; and that the fearch 
of Truth is difficult &gt; that we are very liable to be impofed on 
by our Complexions, Imaginations, Intereils, and Affecti 
ons. That whole Ages, and great Kingdoms, andChriitian 
Churches, and Learned Counfels, have joyn d in Common 
Errors* and obtruded falfe and abfurd Conceits upon the 
World with great feverity, and flaming 2eal * That much 
Folly, and great Non-fenfe have many times generally ob- 
tain d, and been held for certain, and Sacred 5 That all Man 
kind are pulled, and bafled in the difquifition of the feeming, 
flaineft^ and mofl obvious things i In the Objefts of Senfe^ and 
Motions of our own Souls: That (in earnejl) we cannot tell, 
How we fieak^ a IVord^ or move a Finger &lt;, How the Soul if uni 
ted to the Body , or the Parts of Bodies to one another &gt; how our 
own were framed at firft , or how afterwards they are nou- 
rifh d. That thefe nearcfl things, and a thoufand more, are 
hid from ourdeepeft Enquiries. 

Thus they conlider dotten, and iiird their Thoughts with 
q, great fcnfe of the narrowncfi of humane Capacity, and the 

Im- 



j 4 -Anti- fanatical Religion, ;6flS 7. 

Imperfe&ions of our largeft Knowledge*, which they ufed 
-not to any purpofes of unwarrantable Scepticifm^ or abfolute 
neutrality of Judgement, but to ingage their Minds to a 
greater warineft in Enquiry , and more fhinefs of A /Tent to 
things not very clear and evident &gt; to more refervedneft in their 
Affirmations, and more modefty in their Arguings. 

After this manner they pradifed themfelves, and thus they 
difcours d to others, and nothing could be more proper for 
thofe times, in which everyone (alraoft) was immoderately 
confident of his own way, and thereby rendred infoknt in his 
Dictates, and incurable in his Errors &gt; {cornful to oppofite 
Judgments, and ready to quarrel all Diflenters So that the 
\Vorld was hereby hll d with Animofity and Glamours &gt; 
whereas modefty in Opinions would have prevented thofe Mif- 
chiefs i and it was taught by thofe Men as thelikelyeft way of 
Cure. For there is no hopes, either of Truth or Peace, while 
every one of the divided, thinks himfelf infallible : But when 
they come to grant a poilibility of their being out in their 
Beloved Tenents, there is (bmething then to work upon to 
wards their better Information. 

But (3.) there was ftill lefs danger in the Liberty they 
promoted : for as tnuch as they pradttfed and perfwaded 
much frudence to be us d in the publiihing of their Tenents &gt; 
They allowed not any declaration of private Sentiments, when 
fuch a Declaration might tend to thediigrace or difTcttlement 
of Legal Appointments, or any Articles of the Eftabliftfd 
Religion 3 provided there were no Idolatry, or diredr Herejie 
in the things injoin d : . But believ d, and taught, That Men 
ought to content thcrnfelves with their own Satisfactions^ in 
the Suppofcd Truths they have difcover d, without clamo 
rous Diiputes, or Wranglings. And though in -the large 
compafs of Enquiry they took, and the Confiderations they 
had of all forts of Idga^s, that enter into the various Minds 
of thinking Men, it could not be^ but that they fhould havefe- 
veral Apprehensions, different from vulgar Thoughts &gt; Yet 
they were very cautious in difcovering their Conceptions 
among the illiterate and unqualified ? They had no delight 
infpeaking ilrange things, or in appearing to be lingularand 
extraordinary : They were not fb fond of their own Opinions, 

as 



? and Free Philofiphy^ &c. I J 

as to -think them necefTary for all others : Nor were they in- 
fedted with the Common Zeal, to fpread and propagate every 
Truth they thought they knew : No, they confidcr d, there 
were Truths which the World would not bear, and that (bme 
of the greateft would be receiv d here with the bittereft con 
tempt and derifion : So that to fublijh, would be but to expofe 
them to popular (corn, and themfelves alfo : Their main IJe- . 
iign was, to make Men good, not notional, and tyowing j and 1 
therefore, though they conceaVd no practical Verities that were 
proper and feafonable, yet they were fparing in their Specula- x 
tions, except where they tended to the neceflary vindication 
of the Honour of God, or the directing the Lives of Men : 
They fpoke of other Matters of Notion only among their 
tyiown Friends, and (uch as were well prepar d, able to exa 
mine, and difpos d to pardon or receive them : Among tbefe 
they difcours d the greateft.) freejl Speculations, with as much 
liberty in their Words, as in their "Thoughts \ and though they 
differed in many Notions, yet thofe Differences did nothing 
but ferve the pleafkrs of Converfation, and exercife of Rea- 
foning : They begot no estrangements or diitafts, no noife or 
trouble abroad. 

Such was the prudence that They pradHfed and taught &gt; 
and this alfo was very proper for thofe Times, when every 
Man vented his Conceits for Articles of Faith, and told his 
Dreams for Revelations, and then pretended he was extraor 
dinarily enlightned, and ilrove to make Profelites, and quar- 
refd with all that did not embrace his Fancies, and feparated 
from the Communion of the Church, and endeavour d to involve 
the World in Hurries and Diftradtions -&gt; and all t biff or the fake 
of a few fitttful, medlefl,finflefl Trifles : In /uch a timc,tbis $m- 
dent Spirit and Pradrice was llngularly feafonable and ufefitl. 

But though they were thus cauteom and wary about Theo 
ries more remote, and not necejfary , yet they were not altoge 
ther indifferent to what Men believed and thought : No, They 
were concern d, and. zealous againit the Fanatic!^ Conceits 
and Humours of the Age, which were the occafions of (b 
much Folly, Irregularity, and Difturbance : And my next 
Buiincis is to declare in {bme great Inftances^ how they de 
meaned Themfelves in oppofwg of dicta This was the fecon& 

O o thing 



1 6 Anti-fanatical Religion^ jSJT&tJ 7 

thing I undertook to relate, namely, Their particular endea 
vours in the Affairs of Religion. 

But before I fall on it ? I muft declare to you, That They 
had not any Religion different from that of other Catholic!^ 
Chriftians, but were faithful adherers to the old acknowledged 
Cbriftianity, as it was taught by the Church of Benfalem : 
To^ this Church they conformed heartily , though they were 
diftingmjhable from fbme others of her Sons, by the appli 
cation of their Genius and Endeavours : I have told you 
They grew up among the Sects &gt; They were Born and Bred 
in that Age, which they could not help =&gt; But as they order d 
the Matter, it was no hurt to the Church, or them, that they 
were educated in bad times : They had the occafion thence, of 
understanding the Genius, Humour, and Principles of the Par 
ties, which, thofe that flood always at diitance from them, 
could not fb thorowly and inwardly know : By that means 
they had great advantage for providing, and applying the Re- 
medies,and Confutations that were proper and effectual 5 And 
by daily Converfe, and near Obfervation, they ietled in their 
Minds a diflike of thofe ways, that was greater and jufter than 
the Antipathy of fbme others who faw only their out-fides, 
that in many things were jpeeious and plaufible. They fludied 
in the Places where -fome of the chief of the Seds govern d,. 
and thofe that were ripe for the Service, preach d publicly, as 
* other Academical Divines did. This they fcrupled not, be- 
caufe they were young, and had been under no explicit in- 
gagements to thofe Laws, that were then unhappily over 
ruled : But in thofe, and in their other Vniverfity-Exercifes, they 
much ferv d the Interert of the Church of Benfalem, by under 
mining the Ataxites, fib the Sectaries are here calPd ) and 
propagating the Anti-fanatical Dodlrines, which they had en- 
tertain d and improved : So that I cannot look upon that 
Spirit otherwife, than as an Antidote that Providence then fea- 
fonably provided againil: the deadly Infection of thofe days : 
On which account, they were by fome, calPd the Anti-fanites, 
becaufe of their peculiar oppofition of the Fans, or Fanites, 
( as the Ataxites were fometimes named ) : And though fbme 
Perfons thought fit to judge, and fpoke of Them as a mw 
Sort of T&gt;ivhw , Yet they were not to be Jo accounted, in 

any 



7 an( * -^^ Philofophy, &c . 1 -7 

any fenfe of difiaragement , imce the new Things they taught, 
were but contradictions of the e#&gt; Tilings that were introduced j 
and new Errors and Pretences, will occafion new ways of Op- 
pofition and Defence. 

I have now ( I doubt ) (aid the Governor, almoft tired 
you with prefacing, but thefe things were fit to be fremifed : I 
expreft my felf well-pleated, both with the Hitters he related,, 
and the order which he thought convenient to declare them 
in j and (b he proceeded to the fecond main Head j Their par 
ticular Principles and Practices. 

I MUST tell you then, faid He, fhff, That they took no. 
tice of the loud Out-cries and Declamations that were 
among all theSedts, againft Ucafon &gt; and obfervM, how by 
that means all Vanities and Phanatick^ Devices were brought 
into Religion : They faw, There was no likelyhood any Hop 
mould be put to thofe Extravagancies of Fanfk that were im 
pudently obtruding themfelves upon the World &gt; but by vin 
dicating and afferting the ufe of Reafon in Religion i&gt; and there 
fore, their private Difcourfes, and ^&//d^Exercifes ran much 
this way j to maintain the (bber ufe of our Faculties, and to 
expofe and ftiame all vain Enibxftafitts : And as Socrates of 
old, rirft began the Reformation of his Age, and reduced 
Men from the wildnefs of Fanfie, and Enthufiaftick^ 
with which they were overgrown, by pleading for 
and mewing the neceffity and Religion that there is in heark- 
ning to its Diclatcs &gt; So They, in order to the cure of the 
madnefi of their Age, were zealous to make Men lenfible &gt; 

That Reafon is a Branch and Beam of the Divine Wifdorrr&gt; 
T bat Light which he hath put into our Minds, and that Lnv 
which he hath writ upon our Hearts : That the Revelations 
of God in Scripture, do not contraditt what he hath engraven 
upon our Natures : That Faith it felf, is an Aft of Reafon^ 
and is built upon thefe two Reafonable Principles, T^hat there 
is a God ) and, That what he faith vs triie: That our Errone 
ous Deductions are not to be call d Reafon^ but Sophiflry^ Ig 
norance, and Miflake : That nothing can follow from Reafon^ 
but Reafon \ and that what fo follows, is as true and certain 
as Revelation : That God never difparageth Rcafon, in Scrip- 

O o 2 tare. 



1 8 *Anti fanatical Religion^ iBffcIt? 7. 

ture, but that the vain Pbilofopby^ and Wisdom of this World 
there fpoken againft, were Worldly Policies^ Jewifo Genealo 
gies^ Traditions^ and the Notional Pbilofopby of fbnre Gentiles : 
That Carnal Reafbn is the Reafbn of Appetite and Paffion , 
and not the Dictates of our Minds : That Reafbn proves feme 
Main and Fundamental Articles of Faitb^ and defends ati^ by 
" proving the Authority of Holy Scripture : That we have no 
caufe to take any thing for an Article of Faith,till we fee Rea 
fbn to believe that God faid ?&gt;, and in the fenfe wherein we 
receive fuch a Doctrine : That to decry, and difgrace Reafb^ 
is to ilrike upReligian by the Roots, and to prepare the World 
for Aflmfmr 

According to fitch Principles as thefi. They managed their 
Difcourfes about this Subjedt : They ftated the Notions of 
Faith and Reafon clearly., and endeavour d to deliver the 
Minds of Men from that confufednefi m thofe Matters, which 
blind Zeal had brought upon them &gt; that fo they might not 
call Vain Sopbiflry by the name of Humane Reafon^ and rail at 
fbif, for the fake of Fallacy, and the Imfoflitres of Ignorance 
and Fancy. Hereby they made fbme amends for the dange 
rous rafhnefsof thofe inconfiderate Men, who having heard 
others defame Reafon as an Enemy to Faith, fet up the fame 
Cry, and rilPd their Oratories with the terrible noifeof Carnal 
Reajon, Vain Philofopby^ and fuch other mifapplyed words of 
reproach, without having ever clearly or diliindly confider d 
what theyfaid, or whereof they affirm d : And this they did 
too at a time when the World wa^s porting a-pace into all 
kinds of madnefs &gt; as if they were afraid the half-diftrafted 
Religionifts would not run faft enough out of their Wits, 
without their Encouragement and AiMance: And as if 
their Defign had been to credit Phrenfie and Enthufiafm., and to 
difable all proof that could be brought againft them. This I 
believe many of thofe well-meaning Canters againft Reafbn 
did not think of, though what they did had a dired tenden 
cy that way : And accordingly it fucceeded 5 For the conceited 
People hearing much of Incomes^ Illuminations^ Communions, 
Lights, Difcoveries, Dealings, Manifeflations, and Impreffions^ 
as the Heights of Religion i and then, being told, thatit**- 
fon is a low. Carnal Tubing, and not to judge in thefe Spiritual 

Matters : 



and Free Philofoh &c. 



Matters &gt; That it is a Stranger to them, and at enmity with 
the Things of God: I fay, the People that were fo taught, 
could not chufebut betaken with the wild Exfiatical Enthitfi- 
afls, who made the great eft boafts of thefe glorious Priviledges i 
nor could they eafily avoid looking upon the glarings of their 
own Imaginations, and the warmths and impulfes of their Me 
lancholy, as "Divine Revelations, and lllapfes. To this dange 
rous pals thoufands were brought by fuch Preachments, and 
had fo well learn d to apply the Doctrines, they had been 
taught, that he that fhould endeavour to undeceive them, 
was lure to hear what an Enemy this Reafon, this Carnal Rea 
fon, this Vain Philofophy, was to Free Grace and Faith &gt; and 
how little able to judge of thofe Rich, thofe Precious, thofe 
Spiritual Enjoyments. 

3 Twas time now, in fuch an Age as th it, to aflert the fbber 
/e*of Reafon, and to refcue Religion by it. And They did 
this happily, and (named all falfe pretences to the Spirit, 
(hewing, 

That there was nothing but Nature and Complexion in the 
Illuminations, Incomes, Raptures, Prophefies, New Lights^ flu 
ency of Exprejfion, myfteriottjheft of Phrafe, and other wonder 
ful things of theE?ithttfiafls, which were ignorantly taken to 
be Divine Communications, to the great abufe of Religion, 
and the Souls of Men : Perceiving ( I fay ) that this dange 
rous Phanatick^ Spirit was the evil Genius of the Age, they 
bent, all their force againft it, and detected theimpoiture, and 
labour d zealoufly to difabufe the credulous People, who were 
exceeding apt to be taken with fuch glorious Nothings. (But 
of this, I (hall have another occafion to fpeak rnore.^ 



A 



Nd becaufe the wildneft of JLnthufiafm, and reproaches of 
Reafon, had expos d Chriftianity it felf to the Sufpicions 
of fome, and Contempts of others, as if it were a pre 
carious unreafonable thing, that depended only upon Mens 
Fancies j Therefore here They laboured alfo, with very pious 
pains, to demonftrate the fllnti) and .ftgafona 1 . lenefv of the 
CbttUsn Religion 5 The Bering of God , The Immortality of 
Humane Souls =&gt; And Authority of Scripture ) which they did 
with much Zeal, and much Judgment : And thefe Doctrines 



were 



2 Anti- fanatical Re/tgio^ ;(!& 7 . 

were too feafonable and necelTary in that Age, in which the 
moft glorious ProfefTors laid the whole flrefs of Religion up 
on Fancies, and thereby undermin d the Foundations of Faith, 
and Truth &gt; and by many Vanities, and endlefs Divifions, had 
made fomany Infidels, and unhappily difpos d fo many others 
to go the fame way : Againft thefe therefore They bent their 
faength, and refcued multitudes, efpecially thofe of the Bring 
ing Generation, from the hands, both of the Enthufiaft and 
the Infidel j Anfwering and dilcrediting all the mw Pretenfi- 
ons and Objections, both of the one and the other : And 
their Endeavours here were very needful, becaufe the Ancient 
Books of thofe kinds were defpis d and negleded by the con- 
cern d Parties &gt; and they were not fo fuitable to the Guize and 
Fafhion of our Age j and many Exceptions were ftarted a-new, 
and many other vain things boafted of, to which thofe elder 
Difcourfes did not apply their force : But thefe new Defenders 
of the Chriftian Truths met them all, and fpake the things 
that were fuitable, as well as thofe that were flrong and trm : 
By thefe means the reafbnable fobcr Spirit began to propa 
gate , and the Enthufiaft^ who took notice of it, and knew 
it would deilroy his Glorious Imaginations, rais d a loud cla 
mour againft thefe Merxas Socinians^ and advancers of Proud 
Keafon^ above Free Grace and Faith. 

From this envious and foolifh Charge, they fufficiently ju- 
ftiried themfelves by feveral Sermons, and publick Determi 
nations in their Academical Solemnities^ againft the chief 
Principles of S ocinianifin^ ilrenuoully aflerting the Deity of 
Cbrijl, and Immortality of Humane Souls, dec. and vigoroufly 
oppoiing the main Socinian T enents : In confequence of which, 
they fhew d the fiin and jafe ways to deilroy thofe Opinions, 
without hurting the Catholic^ Doctrines, which many had 
woitnded to do them ftigbt , and in this Defign fome of them 
appeared in publick with great fuccefs. 



Having 



Free Philofophy, &c. 

HAvingthus aiTerted the Honour of our Facttlties^nd main- 
tain d the Fundamental Interefts of Religion, They took 
notice, what unworthy and dishonour able Opinions were pub- 
lifh d abroad concerning God, to the difparagement of all his 
Attributes, and difcouragement of vertuous Endeavours, and 
great trouble and dejection of many pious Minds 5 and there 
fore here they appear d alfb to affert and vindicate the j2Dibtne 
dSooOneffi and love of Men in its freedom and extent, again/I 
thole Doctrines, that made his Love, Fondnefl* and his Ju- 
ftice, Cruelty , and reprefented God, as the Eternal Hater of 
the fargreateft part of his reafonable Creatures, and the de- 
figner of their Ruine, for the exaltation of meer Power, and 
arbitrary WiU : Againft thefe fbwr and difinal Opinions They 
flood up itoutly, in a time when the Aflertors of the Divine 
Purity and Goodnefs, were perfecuted bitterly with nick 
names of Reproach, and popular Hatred. They gave fbber 
Accounts of the Nature of God, and his Attributes, datable 
to thofe Declarations of himfelf he hath made by the Scrip 
tures, and our Reafbns : They fhew d continually how im- 
poflible it was that Infinite Goodnefi fhould defign or delight in 
the mifery of his Creatures : That God never atts by meer ar 
bitrary Will, but by a WiU directed by the Perfections of his 
Nature : That to act arbitrarily is Imperfettion and Impotence : 
That he is tyed by the excellency of his Beeing, to the Laws 
of Right, and Juft, and that there are independent Relations of 
2ritt and Good among things, antecedent to all Will and Vn- 
demanding, which are indifpenfible and eternal : That Good- 
neft is the Fountain of all his Communications and Actions 
ad extra : That to glorifie God, is rightly to apprehend and 
celebrate his Perfections, by our Words, and by our Actions : 
That Goodnefi is the chief moral Perfection : That Power with 
out Goodnefs is 1$ranny\ and Wifdom without it, is but Craft 
and Subtilty &gt; and Juflice, Cruelty, when dtftitute of Good 
nefs : That God is not pleafed with our Praifes, otherwife 
than as they are the fuitable Actings of his Creatures, and 
tend to make them love him, in order to their being happy 
in him, 

By 



Anti- fanatic d Religion, f 7. 

By fuck Principles as T&e/e, which are wonderfully fertile, 
and big of many great Truths, they undermined, and from 
the bottom overthrew the fierce and churlifh Rfyrobatarian 
Doctrines &gt; And thofe Truths they proved from the Scripture, 
and the Nature of God, and TLeafon of things, with all poifible 
clearnefs, and firength of Evidence. 

OEferving further, That Faith was preached up as the 
whole of Religion \ and that reprefented varioufly^ban- 
taftickjy, and after an unintelligible manner, dreft up in Meta 
phors and Phrafes, and dangerous Notions, that prefcinded it 
from Good Wvrkg, and made them uimeceflary : Here they ap 
peared alfb, and detected the vanity and canting of this Airy 
Divinity &gt; Stating the Notion of Faith plainly and clearly, and 
Gripping it out of its Chymerical cloathing, Teaching, 

That Faith in the general is the Belief of a Proportion af 
firm* d &gt; and Divine Faith, the belief of a Divine Teftimony ^ and 
Evangelical, Saving Faith, fitch a "Belief as works on the Will and 
Affections, and produceth the Worlds of Righteoufnefi : So that 
the Faith that is (aid to juftifie, ( in the forenfcl^ fenfe ) is a 
complex thing, and takes in an Holy Life, and all the Graces of 
the Spirit, which are call d by f he name of Faith, becaufe that 
is the E-oot of all the reft. Thus they afferted the neceflity of 
a real, inward Righteoufnefs, againlt the Solifidian and Anti- 
nomian Herefies, which had poifbn d the whole Body of the 
then Current Zheology^ and was counted the only Spiritual 
Doffrine. 

In thofe days Men were taught, that we are jttftifi d only 
by the gimputeU i^rgbreoufner^ of Chrift, by which they 
faid, we are formally Righteous That Faith juftifi d only as 
it laid hold of that, ( as they phrafed it ) and that Inherent 
Righteoufnefi was to be renounced, and had nothing to do here. 
fhefe were the great dear Myfteries of their theology, that {ea- 
ibn d all their Doclrines and Inftrudions. which by this means * 
alfb were rendred exceedingly fanciful and dangerous : There 
fore in thif likewife, thofe Divines interpofed and demonftra- 
ted the vanity and mifcbief of fuch falfome and groundlefs 
Conceits i They ftated the true and warrantable fenfe in which 



ChriJPs Righteoufnefs is imputed, viz. Metonymically, and as 
to Ejfe&ri That is, That for the /^% of his Righteoufnefs, 
God was pleas d to pardon Penitents, and to deal with 
them upon their F*/ f&, and. fincere Obedience, as if they 
had been Righteous themfelves : Not as if he pad falfc, 
and millaken Judgements, and looked on Cbriji s .Rigbte- 
oufnefs as really and properly theirs * but that for bit iake 
He pardon d their tins, and accepted of their perfonal 
imperfett righteoufnefs, as if it had been perfett. They 
fhew d that this account was agreeable to Scripture, and the 
Analogy of found Faith, and Pra&ice , and that the other fenfe 
was no-where deliver d in the holy Oracles, but was a meer 
imagination contrary to the Attributes of God, and to the 
Do&rines, and defignsof the Gofpel, and exceedingly per 
nicious to Chriftian Life, and Vertue : They alledg d that 
Chriffs Righteoufnefs is no-where in Scripture (aid to be im- 
pnted : That he is no otherwife made Righteoufnefs to us then 
he is made Santtification, and Redemption &gt; that is, He is the 
great Author and procurer of them &gt; and that in that fenfe he 
is the Lord our Righteoufnefs. They took notice how that by 
this odd Fanatick principle, Perfonal Righteoufnefs was under- 
min d, and dilparaged i and one of the tirft things the people 
were taught, was, to renounce their own Righteoufnefs, with 
out reftricSion, or limitation, in which Counfel there is much 
Jbew of humility -&gt; but much non- fenfe and much danger, if it 
be not deliver 3 d,and taken in a cautious fenfe : For the Apoftles, 
and primitive Believers never renounced any Righteoufnefs, but 
that of the Mofaical difpenfation, in which fome of them had 
gloried much before their converfion j But after it, were con- 
vinc d, It was nothing worth, and counted it as drofs, and 
dung in rcCpc&o that Rigbteoufnefs that Chrift taught: They 
never diiparaged real, inward Righteoufnefs : Yea they took 
ground of confidence^ and rejoycing from it, viz. from the _/?;- 
plicity zndfincerity of their converfation, from their having a good 
C onfcience in all things i from their ftedfaji nefs amidft Tribula 
tions, m& patience in their Sufferings -&gt; and they plainly tell us, 
That Religion was doing Rigbteoufnefr, and coniiited fn vifiting 
the Widow and Father lefs, and being unjpotted with the World &gt; 
in denying all ungodlinefs^ and worldly lujh, and living fiberly, 

P p righteoujly, 



2 A + Anti-fanaticd Religion^ ffifl&tf 7. 

righteouflyjMd Godly* They warn us to beware of thofe deceivers 
that would perfwade a man may be righteous , without doing 
righteoufly b yea they declare the promifes to be entail d upon 
thofe, that by patient continuance in well-doing feek^for Glory, 
and Immortality. 

But faid He, I forget my felf, and run out too far into this 
Difcourfe, in which I fuppofe I need not inform you, the 
Scriptures being fo full in it. 

Here I took liberty to move a Queftion, and ask d him, 
Whether thofe Divines did teach, or allow Mens relying, and 
depending on their own inward Vertues, or outward Works? 
To this he faid, They had not the leaft imagination, that 
there was either Merit, or Perfection in our qualifications, or 
performances , but that in thofe rejpetts they renounc d their 
own rigbteoufneff, and obedience : That they acknowledged, 
and declared that our higheft, heft fervices could never define 
the divine notice, or acceptance by any worthinefs in them i 
But then, added He, They faid alfb, that CbrijFs obedience was 
Perfect, and Meritorious, and that God was fb well fatislied 
with it, that for Iwfakg he promifed to pardon the failings of 
our duties,and to accept of Sincerity inftead of Perfection : That 
on this account, ourjlorf, defective righteoufnefs wasreceiv d, 
as if it had been adxquate^ and compleat &gt; we being through 
Chrift, under a Covenant of Grace, and Pardon, and our obe 
dience not judg d according to firidr meafures, and proporti 
ons, but by the rules of mercy, and favour. Thus they fta ted 
that matter clearly, and ftruckat the root ofdntinomian follies, 
and impoftures. 

ANd becaufe Morality was defpifed by thofe elevated Fan- 
tafticks, that talk d (b much of Imputed Rigbteoufnefs , 
in the falfe fenfe &gt; and accounted by them, as adult, and low 
thing &gt; therefore thofe Divines labour d in the afTerting and 
vindicating of this : Teaching the mcejlty of Moral Vertues &gt; 
That Chriftianityis the higbeft improvement of them j That the 
njeer firft-t able Religion is nothing, without the works of the 
fecond ^ That Zeal, and Devoutnefs, and delight in Hearing, 
Prayer, and other externals of worfhip, may be in very evil 
inen : That Imitation, a nd Cuftom, and Pride, and Sel- 

love 



7* and Free fhilofophy, &c; 2 J 

Jove may produce thefe : That thefe are no more then the 
Forms ofGodlinefs : That the power of it confiils in fubduing 
felf-witi, and ruling our paffions, and moderating our appetites, 
and doing the worty of real Righteoufnefs towards God, and 
our Neighbour. 

And becaufe there was a Religion that had got into credit, 
that did not make Men better, but worfe in all relations, worfe 
Governours, and worfe Subjects, and worfe Parents, and 
worfe Neighbours &gt; more fower, and morofe, and fierce, and 
cenforious i Therefore, They preft Men to conlider, That the 
deflgn of Religion was to perfeft humane Nature j To reftore the 
empire of our minds over the will, and affections } To make 
them more temperate, and contented in reference to them- 
felves, and, more humble, meek, courteous, charitable and 
jull- towards others. On fuch things as thefe, performed f^n- 
cerely, by the ailillance, and encouragement of Faith in Chrifl, 
and from ^defire to be ruled by his Laws,they lay d the whole 
ftrefs. 

ANd being the Age was unhappily difpos d to place mnch 
Religion in their conceited Orthodoxy, and Syftems of 
Opinion, to the deftrudtion of Charity, and Peace 5 To the 
diffetlement of Religion, and great hinderance of real Godli- 
nefs : They therefore zealoufly decryed this fuperftition of 
Opinions, arid fmartly reproved Difputings, and eagernefs of con- 
teft about Notions, and lejfer Truths : Shewing the inconve- 
niencies, and mifchiefs of that fpirit, and it s inconfiitency 
with Charity, and the peace of Mankind : They perfwaded 
modeftly in all extraejjential Doctrines, and fttfyence of judge 
ment in things that were not abfolutely certain i and readinefs 
to pardon the miilakcs of thofe that differ from us in matters 
of {peculation. 

In order hereunto, They made this one of their main Do- 
dlrines &gt; That The principles which are neceffary to Salvation are. 
very few, and very plain, and generally actyowledgd among Chri- 
flians : This they taught, and were earnelHn it, becaufe they 
fawit would fccure Charity to diiTenters, and prevent all ve- 
hemencies of captious diipute, all {chifms, and unneceffary 
feparations, and many Wars, and Perfections upon the ac-p 

P p 2 count 



l jinti fanatical Re ligion^ JEfl&p 7 

count of Religion : For if the things in whrch Men differ, be 
not Religion, bt not Faith, and Fundamental &gt; If this be true, 
and this truth ackno wledg d, All thefe would want pretence i 
and fo Peace and Vnity would pofTefs the fpirits of Men. 
They faw that Religion, which was Jhakgn by drvifwns, and 
rendred fit/petted of uncertainty through the mixture of uncertain 
things, would ftand/a/e, and firm when twas lay d only upon 
the plain, infallible, undoubted propofitions : That holiriefs 
would thrive, when Mens leal was taken off from talking, 
and difputing againft others, and directed inwards to the go 
vernment of themfelves, and the reformation of their own 
hearts, and lives : That Papifm, which in thofe times ofdi- 
ilradtion began to fpread even here, would drop to the ground, 
if it were believed, That the neceffary principles of Religion were 
few, and plain, and thofe agreed on : For then there would 
be no need of an Infallible Interpreter, and Judge : I lay, They 
were fenfible, that all the great Interefts of Religion, and 
Mankind might be ferved by the acknowledgment of this one 
Reafbnable Principle &gt; which they (aw was the only way to 
bring us to ft ability, and confidence &gt; to Peace, and Vnion. 

In Confequence of this Spirit, and Dodrrine, they difcours d 
the things wherein they differ d from others, with mildnefs, 
and modefty, without anger, and damning fentences &gt; and 
afforded their converts to all forts of good Men, though they 
believ d them miftaken : They never expreil rage in their 
conventions, or difcourfes againii bare errours, and mi/lakes 
of judgment : But for the pride, and confidence, cenforhufnefs 
and groundlefs reparations, that are the frequent attendants 
of different opinions &gt; Ihefe fbmetimes mov d them to anger, 
and expreffion of juft refentment j becaufe they look d ori 
them as great Immoralities, and very pernicious fins : And on 
the occafionof thefe Spiritual vices, they were warmed with 
zeal, againft the Sectaries, and Bigots j for the taking down 
of whofe pride, and confidence, They thought it necefTary to 
detect the Impoftors, and to expofe their vanities &gt; which they 
did fiiccefsfftlly, and (hew d : 

That their Divinity confiiled moft in Pbrafes } and t their 
boafted jpirituality, in find affections : That their new lights 
were butfreakjfo fancies &gt; and old Herefies revived &gt; and the 

precious 



&gt;** Philofopfy, &c, 27 

precious Myfteries of their Theology, but conceited alfitrdities, 
and non-finfe ,in a fantaflick drefs : They happily drew the 
parallel between o#r Separates, and thofe antient 0e/, the 
Pharifees i and proved that the fame fpirit a&ed the Ataxites, 
that govern d thofe Jewifh Fanatickj : And becaufe their pre 
tences were taking zndjpecious, and had caught great num 
bers of the eafie, well meaning people ofBenfalem , Therefore, 
to difabufe them, theylabour d much to fhew thejhortneft of 
their kind of Godlinefs , and the danger of placing all Religion 
in Praying Hearing, Zeal, Rapture, Myfteries, and Opinions : 

Accordingly they declar d, and prov d, That i. Fluency, 
and Pathetic}^ eloquence infaddain Prayer may proceed, and 
doth, many time, from excited paffion, and warm imagination j 
from a peculiar temper, and heated melancholly : That theft 
are no iign that a man frays by the fpirit, nor do they argue 
him to be one jot the better, then thole that want the faculty, 
or any whit the more accepted of God for it : That to fray by 
the fiirit is to pray with Faith, T&gt;efire, and Love , and that a 
Man may pray by the $irit, and with a Form. 

2. That people may delight to hear from other caufes, 
then conference, and a defire to be directed in the govern 
ment of their Lives : That hearing is very grateful to fome, 
becaufe it feeds their opinions, and furnitheth their ton 
gues, and inables them to make a great fhew of extra 
ordinary Saint-fhip : They reprefented that meer animal Men, 
and fond lovers of themfelves may be much taken with 
hearing of the Gracious fromifes, and Glorious fr hi ledges of 
the Gofpel i when at the fame time, they are told they are 
all theirs, and theirs peculiarly, and excluftvely to the reft of 
Mankind : That pride, and vanity, and felf-love will recom 
mend, and indcat fifch preaching j That it is moft lufcious to 
fond, and conceited men, to hear ho w much better, and more 
precious they are then their Neighbours j how much dearer to 
God, and more favour d by him &gt; what an interefl they have 
in free, diftinguifhing Grace, and how very few have a (hare in 
it, belides themfelves : Ho w, their enemies are hated of God, 
and how fad a condition they are in, who diflfer from them 
in pradices, and opinions : To doat on fucb f reaching, and 

admiringly 



Jffti-faxatical Religion ^SffSp 7. 

admiringly to follow fuch Preachers, They fhew d, was but 
to be in love with flattery, and felf-deceit : That it was no fign 
ofGodlincfs, but an evident argument of pride, malice, and 
immoderate felhfhnefs , That theft are the true caufes of the 
zeal, and earnetfnefs of many after Sermons j and of the flea- 
fare that they have in hearing, though they would perfwade 
others, and believe themfelves, that the love of Religion, 
and fence of duty are the only motives that prevail with 
them. 

3. Concerning zeal. They taught &gt; That zealin it felf is 
indifferent, and made good, oibad, as it s objefts, and incentives 
are &gt; That meer education, and cuftom, natural confcience, 
and particular complexion, do fbmetimes make Men very 
zealous about things of Religion : That though the fervours 
of the Ataxites for their Doctrines, and ways, were not all 
feigned &gt; but real and fincere &gt; Yet their zeal was nothing 
worth, being but meer natural pajfion, kindled by a fond de 
light in their own felf chofen practices, and opinions &gt; That 
their coldnefs to the great known necefTary duties of Juftice, 
Charity, Obedience, Modeily, and Humility was an evident 
fign, that their beat for pretended Orthodox tenents, and modes 
of worihip, had nothing Divine in it : That true zeal begins 
at borne with felf -reformation &gt; and that where it was imployed 
altogether afeout amendments of external Religion, and pub- 
lick Government, it was pernicious, not only to the World, 
but to a Mans felf alfb. . ;--* 

4. And becaufe the heights of zeal ran up fometimes into 
raf lures, and exflacies, which were look d on as wonderful 
appearances of God in the thus tranfported perfbns i There 
fore, here alfb They undeceived the people ( as I faid in the 
general before ) by (hewing, 

That thefe alienations may becaufed naturally, by the power 
of zftrongfancy, working upon violent affeftions : That they 
together may, and do, oft, produce deliquiums of fenfe &gt; That 
the imjtyttiotion working then freely, and without contradicti 
on, ordifturbance from the external fenfes, .and being wholly 
imploy d about Religious matters may form to it felf ftrange 
Images of extraordinary apparitions of God, and Angels ^ of 

Voices, 



. and Free Philofopfy, &c. 

Voices^ and Revelations =&gt; which being forcibly impreft on the 
fancy, may beget a /zm/ belief m the exftatical! perfbn, that all 
fhefe were divine manifeftations^ and difcoveries ^ and To he 
confidently thinks himfelf a Prophet, and an infpired Man, 
and vents all his conceits for Serafhick^ truths, and holy Myfa- 
ries : And by the vehemency of his affirmations, andthetfrange 
effects of his ditfemper, others are perfwaded into the fame 
vain opinion of him, that he hath of himfelf, to the great 
disparagement of Religion, and deception of the fimple. 

This whole myftery o vanity, and delufion They lay d open 
to the World, and fhew d, that all was but a natural difeafe, 
and far enough from being facred, or fupernatural : That very 
evil Men, and even the Heathen Priefts have felt all thofe e 
fedb, and pretended to the fame wonders &gt; and were as much 
infpired, and divinely aclred, as thofe exftatical Dreamers : 

5. And whereas thofe high flown Enthufiaftr talk d much 
of myfleries &gt; and the Sedts, ( generally contending which 
mould out-do the other here ) made up their fcbemes of divi 
nity of abfurdities, and itrange, unintelligible fancies 5 and 
then counted their groundlefs belief of thofe wild freaks* ? a 
great fign and exercife of Faith, and Spirituality , The Divines 
( of whom I am fpeaking ) imploy d themfelves worthily to 
detedr this taking impofture alfb &gt; They gave the true fenfes in 
in which the Gojfel is a myftery, viz. AJecret, bid in the councils 
of God, and not difcoverable by reafon, or humane enquiries 
till he was pleafed, in the fulnefs of time, to unfold it clearly, 
and explicitly by his Son, and by his Spirit, who revealed the 
myftery that had been hid from ages : That Religion may yet 
be calPd a myftery, as it is an Art that hath difficulty in the pra- 
fticeof it : And though all it s main, neceffary Articles are af- 
ferted fb clearly, that they may be known by every fincere 
Inquirer, and in that refped have no darknefs, or obfcurity 
upon them &gt; Yet They afferted, that fome of thofe propoii- 
tions may be ftyled myjhrious being inconceiveable as to the man 
ner of them : Thus the Immaculate Conception of our Saviour, 
forinftance, is very plain as to the thing, being re veaPd clearly, 
That it was i Though umxplicabk, and unrcveal d as to the 
mode, How : They faid. That our Faith is not concern d in 

the 



jo Anti-fanatical Religion^ &lt;5Dfaj 7. 

the manner, .which way this, or that is, except where it is 
exprefsly, and plainly taught in Scripture &gt; but that the belief 
of the fimfle Article is fufficient : So that we are nqt to puzzle 
our felves with contradictions, and knots of fitbtilty, and fancy, 
and then call them by the name of myfteries : That to a/Fed: 
thefe is dangerous vanity, and to believe them, is fillinefs, and 
credulity : That by, and on the occafion of fuch pretended 
myfkries, The fimflicity of the Gofpel hath been detfroy d, 
the minds of Men infatuated, fober Chriftians defpis d, the 
peace of the Church difiurb d, the honour of Religion ex- 
pos d, the practice of holiness and vertue neglected, and the 
World difpos d to Infidelity, and Atheifm it feft 

6. And imce the being Orthodox in Do&rine, and found 
in their new conceited Faith, was in thofe times a great mat 
ter, and one mark^of Saint-jhif 5 as errour on the other hand 
was of unregeneracy, and Reprobation , They ihew d, Thatbarp 
knowledge of points of Vottrine was nothing worth, in com- 
parifon of Charity, Humility, and Meeknefs j That it did not 
fignify in the divine eikem without; thefe, and fuch other con 
comitant Graces: That a man was never the better for being in 
the Bright opinion, if he were frond, contentions, and ungover 
nable with it : Thar ignorance, and millake in leffer things 
when joyn d with modefty, and fubmiilion to God, and our 
Governours, was much to be prefer d before empty turbulent, 
and conceited Orthodoxy. That errors of judgment are truly 
infirmities, that will not be impttted, if there be no corrupt, 
and vicious mixture with them : That they are not hurt to 
him whom they do not (educe, and miflead &gt; nor do they 
make any alteration in our ftate : That God pardons them in 
us, and we ought to overlook and pafs them by in one ano 
ther. 

By fuch ways and reprefentations as thefe They difabPd the 
K*ft main w% wherby the fond Ataxites concluded themfelves to 
be the Godly , and defhroyM the chief grounds on which they 
built their froudeft. pretences. So that their wings being dipt, 
they came down to the ordinary level with other mortals i 
leaving the title of Godliness, and Saint-Jhif to be made out 
by quiet devotion, and felf-government, by Meek^iefs, and 

Charity, 



7 an&lt; * -fr** Philosophy, &c ; 3 x 

Chanty, Juftice, and Patience, Modefty, and Humility, Vniver- 
fal Obedience to G0&lt;// Commands, Reverence to Superiors, and 
Submiyion toGovernourf , and not by the other fantaftical, and 
cheap things, confining but of imaginations^ andphrafes, and 
myftical nothings. 

ANd for as much as each Se& confined the Church, Saint- 
Jhip, and Godlineft to it felf, and entaiPd the Promifes, 
and Priviledges of the Gofpel upon it s own People &gt; There 
fore here They Hood up, and reprov d the An ti-chritfian pride 
and vanity of that cruel, and un juft humour \ Shewing, That 
the Church conf lib of all thole that agree in the profeilion, and 
acknowledgment of the Scripture, and the firjt comprehen- 
iive, flain Creeds, however fcatter d through the World, 
and diftinguifti d by names of Nations, and Parties, under 
various degrees of light, and divers particular models, and 
forms of Worihip, as to circumftance, and order: That every 
lover of God, and of the Lord Jefus Chrift in fmcerity, whd 
lives according to the few, great acknowledg d Dodrrines, and 
Rules of avertuous and holy life, is a true Chriftian, and will 
be happy &gt; though he be ignorant of many points that fbme 
reckon for Articles of Faith, and err infome, which others 
account facred, and fundamental : By which Catholic}^ principle, 
foundation is lay d for univerfal Charity, and Union i&gt; and 
would Chriftian men be pcrfwaded to govern themfelves ac 
cording to it, all unncceffary Schi/ms, and Separations would 
be prevented, and thofe Hatreds, and Animofities cur d, that 
ariie from lefTcrdifagr cements. 

A Gain, whereas as the Ataxites had made Religion afanta- 
ftickj and unintelligible thing, ( as I have told you ) and 
drefHt up in an odd, mumming, and ridiculous difguife ? Thofe \ 
. Divines labour d much to reduce it to it s native plainnefs, and 
fmplicity ^ purging it from fenflefs pbrafis, conceited myjh- 
ries, andunnecefTarywordsof^^ ^ Laying down the genuine 
notions of Theology, and all things relating to Faith, or 
Prattice, with all poliible perfpicuity, and plainnefs : By which 
means many fcandals were remov d, and vain difputes di(cre- 

dited 3 



W *Anti fafldtical Religion iEfl&tf 7. 

dited, divifions ftop d, Religious pradice promoted, and the 
peace of the Church at laft eftabliffrd. They told the Ataxites 
that though they talk d much of clofmg with Chrifl, getting in 
to Chrifl, rolling upon Chrifl, relying upon Chrifl, and having an 
intereft in Chrifl &gt; and made filly people believe that there was 
fomething oI&gt;ivine Myftery, or extraordinary fiirituality under 
the found of thefe words &gt; That yet, in good earneft, either 
they underflood not what they faid, and mean d nothing at all 
by them &gt; -or elfe the fenfe of them was but believing drift s 
Dottrines, obeying b tf Laws, and depending upon bit Promifes &gt; 
plain, and known things : They fhew d that all the other 
fingular phrafes, which they us d, and which the people were 

(fo taken with, were either non-fenje, and falfehood , or but 
fbmevery common, and ordinary matter at the bottom : That 
they had generally filly, and fantaftick conceptions of Free 
Grace, Goffel-liberty, Saving knowledge, Pure Ordinances, The 
motions of the Spirit, Workings of Corruption, Powerful preach 
ing, Liberty of Confcience, Illuminations, and Indwellings : That 
their Admirers generally talk d thofe words by rote, with 
out knowing the meaning of them &gt; and that the Teachers 
themfelvcs underftood them in a falfe and erroneous feafe : 
That bating fuch words, and the talk of Outgoings, Incommings, 
Givings-in, ~Dawnings, Refinings, Withdrawing*, and other 
Metaphors, there was nothing extraordinary in their whole Di 
vinity, but the non-fenfe, and abfurdities of it : Thus They 
declar d freely againft the Gibberijh of that Age, and ftated the 
right Notion of thofe points of Religion, which the others 
had fb transformed, and abufed. 

Further : Whereas the Se&s kept up loud cryes againft the 
Church of Eenfalem, as guilty of Superflition, Will-worjhip, 
undue Impositions, and Perfection } They took them to task 
here alfb and declared, 

That Superflition in the propereft fenfe of.it, imports, An 
over-timer ous, and dreadful apprehenfion of God, which pre- 
ents him as rigid, and apt to be angry on the one hand , 
and as eafie to be pleas d with flattering devotions on the 
ether i fo that Suferffiition works two waves, viz. by be 
getting 



7* and Free Philofophy^ &c. 3 3 

getting /&/ of things, in which there is no hurt s and/W- 
;ze/&gt; of fuch, as have no good in them : on both which ac 
counts they declar d the Ataxites to be fbme of the moil 
fuperflitiom people in the World : They fhew d, That their 
dreadful notions of God, which reprefented him as one 
that by peremptory, unavoidable decrees had bound over the 
greateit part of men to everlafting Torments, without any 
confederation of their fm, only to (hew the abfolutenefs of his 
power, over them &gt; I fay, They declared that thofe ^c^thoughts 
of Him, were the Fountain of numerous luper/litions : That 
their caujlefs fears of the innocent Rites,znd ufages of the Church 
ofBenfalem, which were only matters of order, and decency, ap 
pointed by the Governors of the Church, and not pretending 
any thing, in particular, to divine Inftitution^ was very grofs, 
and iilly fuperftition : That they were very faperfiitious in being 
afraid, and bogling at prefcribed Forms of Prayer i kneeling at 
the holy Sacrament, the Crofs in Baptifm, and the like becom- 
ming, and decent Inftitutions : That twas Ignorance, and Su~ 
perflition to fly off with fuch dread from a fewinjoynM Cere 
monies, becaufe ( forfboth ) they were fymbolical, andfigni- 
ficant &gt; That the Ceremonies that are not Jo, are vain, and 
impertinent : That the Ruling Powers may appoint Jitcb, for 
the w^/einfiru^ion, and edification of the People, and for 
the more reverence, andfolemnityof Worfhip : That the cur 
rent principle among them, [_ That Nothing is to be done in the 
Worjbip of God, but rvbat is particularly commanded, and prefcri- 
bed in Scripture ~] is a foolilh, groundlefs conceit, and the oc- 
cafion of many Superftitions : That though tbfr is always pre 
tended, and laid, yet it was never proved : That to obferve 
the Church in fuch appointments, without any opinion of 
their antecedent neceffity, is a due adt of obedience to it i But to 
fly from them zsfinful, and Anti-chriftian, is great Snperftition. 

Theft things they declar d, and prov d againft the negative 
Superftitions of Tafle not^ Touch not, handle not : 

And They ihcw d alfb, how juftly chargeable the dtaxites 
were with many Poftive ones ? in that they doated upon little, 
needlefr, foolijb things, and lay d a great tfrcfs of Religion 
upon them : That the keeping fuch itir about pretended Or- 

tbodox 



-,A Anti-f watte d Religion, jEflf&J? 7. 

tbodox opinions, and the placing them in their Creeds^ among 
the molt facred and fundamental Dodrines, was a dangerous 
and mifchievous Superftition : That it was very fieftrftitious to 
dignify private conceits, or uncertain tenents^ with the ftyle of 
Goftel-light, GodsTrtttbs, precious Tmth^ and the like expre 
fions of admiration, and fondnefs : That to intitle the Spirit 
of God to the effefts of our imaginations, and the motions of 
natural pafltons^ was Superftition , and that Jo was the opini 
on of the neceflity, and Jpirituality offuddain conceived prayer : 
That there was much Superftition in their Idolizing their par 
ticular ways of Worfhip, and models of Difcipline, asthe^re 
Ordinances^ and Chrifts Government^ and Scripture Rules : And 
that in thefe, and many other refpeds they that talk d fo much 
againft Superftition^ were tliemfelves moftnotorioufly guilty of 
it. 

As to IVill-worJhi]) They taught, ( after your moft learned 
Hammondus ) That the Apoftle in the only place where it is 
mention d, Col. 2. doth not ipeak of it, in an evil fenfe ? But 
that Ci9$A06ffe0l(&tt imports a/ree, and ^inconftrain*d worfhip, 
which is the more acceptable for being fo : That Sacrifices be 
fore the Law j free-iy ill-offerings under it } The feafts of Pu- 
rimj and Dedication, Davids defign of building the Temple j 
the Aufterities of the Recbabites &gt; and St. Paul s refufwg hire, 
for his labour among the Corinthians, wereof^j^r^. That 
men are not to be blamed for Witi-vptfjhip^ except they would 
impofe it without Authority^ as neceffary. That when they thus 
teach for Dottrines their own traditions^ and grow Co proud, 
and conceited with themes to feparate, from the publick Com 
munion, upon the fancy that they are more pure^ and holy 
then others , That this their Will- worfhip is iinful, andPha- 
rifaical j ^Xvhich was the cafe of the Ataxites^ who therefore 
were Will-worfhippers in the evil fenfe i But the Anti-fanites 
fhewed, that the pious Inftitutions of juft Authority weie no 
way lyable to any fuch imputation : 

That fuch might impofe particular CircumftanceSj and De 
cencies, and that thoie Impofitions were no way contrary to 
Go/pel Liberty : That that was only Freedom from the Jewijk 
from the bondage of fin^ and power of Sathan : not Li 
berty 



, &c. 

from the Injunctions and Appointments of Civil, or 
fiajfical Governours : Thatd/, or the cfoe/ power of fibe/e, con- 
confilkd in fixing, and appointing circumstances of order, and 
decorum, that were left undetermined, and not prefcrib d in 
Scripture : That if they may uot do this, they are in a manner 
ufelefs : That the Church of Benfalem impos d nothing that 
was grievous, or prohibited : They minded the Ataxites that 
themfelves were great Impofers, That they impofed Oaths j 
and Ceremonies in that part of Religious Worfhip, zform of 
wards^ the lifting up of the hand *, and That they would have 
impos d numerous, doubtful, and falfe opinions, to have been 
fubfcrib d as a neceiTary Confejfion of F^Wr,making thereby their 
own private tenents of equal moment, and certainty with the 
great fundamental Articles, which is proper impofing upon the 
Conference : That they would not,by any means,allow Liberty 
of Confcience, when they were in power &gt; .that this then was 
the great Abomination, and the moft accurfed thing in the 
world : That they persecuted the Benjalemites for their Con- 
fciences with wonderful inhumanity That when other power 
is taken from them, they are grievous perfecutors with their 
Tongues, and are continually (hooting the Arrows of bitter, 
Icornful words againft all that are of different judgment. 

Thus Thofe Divines difabled all the charges, and pretences 
of the Fanites &gt; and turn d the points, and edge upon them 
felves. And they manag d their Rebukes of thefe felf-con- 
demn d men, with much judgment, and wit, without any 
thing of fiercenefs, or fcurrility : They ftiew d them the Im 
morality of their fpirit, and it s contradictions, and antipa 
thy to the genius, and temper of the Gofpel j and urged. 
That though they hated debauchery, and fome grofs Carnal 
fins, as the Pharij ees did the Publicans, Yet they were given 
up to many other forts of rvickgdnefs, to fpirit ual Pride, Malice, 
Envy, Avarice,Stubbornnefi, Difingermity, and Difobedience : That 
they harbour d, and kept warm thefe, under their pretences of 
Chrifls Righteoufnefs, and their fpecious forms of Godlinefi : 
That though they were always confefling fin, in the general, 
with much feeming remorce, and trouble of fpirit, yet they 
feldom, or never, made acknowledgements .of thefe. That 

though 



2 $ Anti-fAflAtlc&l Religion^ jEflijJJ 7. 

though they lov d to hear the fins of Vmnkennefs, and Prophane- 
nefi vehemently declaimed againft &gt; Yet they could not endure 
to have thefe throughly deteded, and reprov d : That even 
their own Teachers durft not touch here, and that when others 
did it, though without naming parties or pointing out perfons, 
they calPd it Railing and Perjecution and made no other ufe 
of thofe juft rebukes : That though they (hew d great feeming 
tendernefi of Confcience in other fmaller matters of Mint,Annife, 
and Cummin &lt;&gt; Yet they {eldom appeared fenfible, or troubl d at 
their tranfgreilions in thofe greater matters of the Law. 

ANd becaufe thefe people were always making complaints, 
and fad moans of their fins, without endeavouring to 
amend &gt; Thofe Divines represented to them, that fiich com 
plaints were but forms , and zfajbion that they followed : That 
fad looks, and whinings, were but a foen&gt; of Humility, and 
Repentance : That if they were feniible of their fins indeed, they 
would ufe the Grace of God to overcome them, till at laft they 
arriv d at victory &gt; and not ftill continue in a flate of whimpe 
ring, and complaining : That thefe men coufened themfelves 
into a falfe opinion of their penitence, and were perfwaded, 
that this was enough "without conqueil, and true reformation 
of heart, and life, that their remaining fins were but infirmi 
ties, and thejpots of Gods children, which were covered with 
Chrifts Pxighteoufnefs, and not feen in the Eled : By which 
they deluded themfelves into dangerous prefumption, and fe- 
curity. Thefe our Divines endeavour d to deftroy, and to pluck 
away the fig-leaves of all then falfe, and imperfett markj ofGod- 
linejs 5 and (hew d that their ufual complaints, were but like 
the noife of Parrots, without an inward fence j That when men 
were only fenfible, and fbrry, they were yet but under the Law, 
and aftate of bondage : That the Go/pel aims at Liberty, and 
Viftvryt and that we are but juft entred, and are yet very imper- 
fedl, till we haveattain d fome confidcrable meafureof/^: 
That the grwf mark of fmcerity, is, to be proceeding, and going 
forwards, and towards the conqmft of finful habits and incli 
nations : That we are not to look on thefe, as failings, and 
infirmities, and (b fit down contented with fome tears, and 

c^omary 



and Fm? fbilofipb^ &c. 3 7 

cuflpmary confeflions under the power of them : That Infir 
mities are but Jingle adis, zndfacb too as have not the BVJ/ in 
them : That God hath afforded us fufficiency of means, and 
helps enough to fubdue all the evils of our natures &gt; and that 
if we neglect to ufe thofe aids, and live at reft under any iinful 
appetites and pailions, we are Hypocrites, and our boafted 
Faith, and fpiritualities will fignify nothing to us. 

H Ere the Governour made a little Hop, and then (aid j I 
have run over thefe things as they otfer d themfelves to 
my mind &gt; I might have fet them in a better order, and have 
added many other particulars, but as to method, there is no 
great need of curiofity in it in fuch a relation : By the things I 
have told you, you may gather what was the Genius of thofe 
Divines in many others, which for brevity I omit. 

I faid, that though one might colledt the opinion of many 
matters more, by what he had been pleas d to reprefent to 
me j yet there were two things which I had a defire to be 
informed in further, viz* Their Notion of Free Grace &gt; and 
Juftification by Faith. 

Their Doftrines about thefe, anfwer d He, might in great 
part be gather d from fome of thofe principles I have menti- 
on d j but however I {hall gratify you with a fhort account of 
them: 

For JFree dDtacC, it was ever in the mouths of the Ataxites, 
and they feem d to be tranfported, and ravifli d in the admi 
ration of it : But their notion was very^erz/erje, and falfe : 
For they made it an arbitrary kindnefs, beftow d upon fbme 
very/ea? perfons, for no reafon in the world i Not for the fake 
of any vertue^ or divine qualifications^ but only for meer y un 
countable ?/#, and fleafure : And faid, That God from this 
Free Grace ( as they call d it ) chang d the hearts of the Elecl: 
by an immediate^ imfiftible power j and created Faith, and other 
Graces in them, in the fame way of omnipotent operation. 

Againft thefe dangerous conceits, they taught, That God 
loves Vmm, and Holimfs, and is no fond Rejpefter of Perfons : 
That tbvfe are the proper objeds of hislpecial kindne(s: That 
there was a general Grace which had appeared unto aU men, in 

the 



3 g dnti- fanatical Religio*} jSCfa}? 7. 

the light of R.eafin, the L^n?/ written upon our hearts, and 
common aids of the Sprit : That it s freedom, confiiled in 
it s univerfal diffufion through the world without let, or itnpe- 
diment &nd in the fpontaneity of it: This faid he may feem fome- 
what a hard word v but I have no plainer to exprefs the fulnefs 
of my fenfe by i and I never ufe a difficult terrn,when the thing 
can be fpoke as well in one that is more eifie and familiar. 
lanfwer d, that I underftoodit very well, and that he meant 
that Gods Grace was willing, and unforcd , flowing from the 
benignity of his nature &gt; ftill communicating it (elf to all Sub 
jects that were capable : You apprehend me right, continued 
the Governour, and tbwhe hath imparted himfelf to all Man 
kind : But then added He, There is a Grace, more/pedal., that 
concerns Cbriftians cnly^ without IM , the declaration of the 
Gofyel: and within us &gt; thofe divine vertues that are wrought 
by them,and therefore call d Graces : Repaid, The Gofpel per- 
fwadeth without force, and God works upon us by it, in away 
froper^ and/^^Wetoreaibnable Creatures, by our Rexfons, and 
Our Tntcrefts, by our Hopes , -and our Fears : affixing all good 
defires, and endeavours by the operation of his h 61y Spirit. 

This, (aid he, adrs as a General Caufe^ according to the difi 
ff option of the SnbjecJ t our endeavours would be weafand fruit- 
lefs without it i And yet, It never works alone by meer omnipo 
tence^ without our endeavours : They operate in conjunction., as 
the Sun^ and tnoyfture of the earth, and feminal principles do 
In the production of Plants^ and Flowers 5 each caufe doing 
what is proper to it: The Dictates of the Spirit are contained 
in the Gofpel., and the Spirit enligbtnetb^ andteacheth by that. 
And fo he came to the great Doctrine of 

^Unification by $ attf) : Here he call d to my mind what 
he had related before concerning Faitb^ and the falfe notions 
of it amongthe Fanites : and then (aid, 

purification is either taken for the making ttfjuft^or the dealing 
with us as if we were/z^: And that Faith is taken as zfmgle 
Grace, viz. The belief of the Gofpel i&gt; or complexly, as it compre 
hends all the reft^ viz. The wbole body of Holinefs. Having pre- 
tnis d which neceflary diftindtions, He told me, That Faith in 
the/wg/eacception of it 5 was the great injirument ofthe Gofpel, 

to 



Phtlofopfy, &c. 

to w% us jitfl &gt; and fo justified in the proper, Phyflcal fenfe S 
But that as it comprifeth the other Graces, it juitifies in 
the forenfick^ and lefs proper fenfe, ws. That God deals 
with the Faithful, namely thofe that are fincerely obedient 
to the Gofpel, as if they had been flrialy, and perfectly jitft^ and 
had fulfilled his Laws. By the help of which fhort," and plain 
Hate of the controverfie, methought I law clearly into the 
whole matter, and was free d from many perplexities, and 
confufions in which I was wont to be involv d. 

And being thus inform d of the principles of thofe Divines 
in thofe chief heads of Dodtrine, I had a curiofity to have an 
account of their mind, concerning the Form of Ecclejiaftical 
Government, about which there had been ib much llir in our 
European parts of Chriitendom, and therefore intreated hina 
to reprefent their opinion to me in this fobjecft : To which he 
anfwcr d me thus. 

The Antient Form &t Church Government in this liland ever 
lince the plantation of Chriflianity in it, hath been Epifeopal ; 
But of later years, it was very much hated, and oppofed by 
the Ataxites, who fet up new Modetis ( every feel: it s own 
fancy ) as the only divine Government, and Difcipline of 
Chritf j So that the Scriptures were rack d, and every little 
word, and point forc d, and many fubtilties of interpreta 
tion fuborn d to declare for the beloved imagination : and 
then the whimile was voted to be of divine right, and the only 
Scripture-Government ^ and the advancing of it, made no lefs 
then the Intereftof Gods Glory, and the promoting ofChrijls 
Kingdom. On the other fide,the antient Government was decry d 
ZSJkperftitioM, Church Tyranny, Humane Invention, a limb of Ant i- 
chrifl to be extirpated root^nd branch,by a th wow, Godly Reforma 
tion : In which delign ( as I told you ) they fucceededto the 
fubverfion both of the Civil, and Eccleiiaflical ftate : But 
when they had dejiroy\l, they knew not how to build , for 
they could never agree upon the Platform to be erected in the 
room ot that which they had fubverted : For every Sect was 
for fetting up it s oivn frame i and every one had a different 
Model from every other i and each was confident, that it s 
Form was Cfarijlt Inftitution, and fo by no means to be receded 

R r from. 



Anti fanatical Religion, 1B&1J? 7. 

from, in the leafi point : The effects of which were endlefs 
Animofities, Hatreds, and Struglings againft each other, and 
the greater! rage, and violence of them altogether, againtf the 
Church of Eenjalem, and all Epifiopal constitutions. 

Amidtf thefe Bandyings, fome Antifanatick^ Divines taught, 
That there was noreafon to think, that any particular Model 
was prefcrib d in Scripture, /&lt;?, as to be umltsrable, and uni- 
verfal : That it was necefTary there jhould be a Government in 
the Church &gt; That the Apoftles had appointed General Officers^ 
and General Rules, fuch as God s Glory, Edification, Devncy^ 
Order, avoidance of Offence, and the like &gt; but that it did not 
appear, they had determined the particular Circumftances, and 
Form : That there was no exprefs command of them &gt; and 
that the plea of Apoflolical example ( could it be made out ) 
would nor,hold for an univerfal Law to the Church in all ages, 
except where there was fome intrinfic}^ necefTary goodnefs in 
the things pracStifed &gt; or fome annext Precept to inforce it : 
That there was neither of thefe in the pre lent cafe j and there 
fore they urged, That the Form, and Circttmjiances of Govern- 
nmt^ was to be left to the Ruling Powers in the Church, to 
be order d by them fa as fhould feem beft to fuit with the 
General Rules , and Ends of Government. 

By the means of which Principles., Foundation was lay d 
for Peace, and Obedience j and that age was prepared for the 
reception of the old. Legal eftablifti d Government, when it 
fhould be reftored. Concerning This thole Divines taught, 

That it was of all the moil venerable Form, and greatly to 
be rever d for its Antiquity^ Vniverfality, and the Authority it 
had from Apojiotical Practice, and our Fundamental Laws : 
That on thefa and other accounts, it was infinitely tobepre- 
fer d, and chofen, before any new-fangled Model, upon the 
{core of which declarations, and difcourfes, in the Ataxites- 
times, great complaint was madebyrflem, among the foolifh 
Zealots of their party, that the Vniverfities, were over-run with 
a Prelatical fpiiit, than which, nothing was more odious in 
thole days : But the prudent men took no notice of their cla 
mours, but went on with the defign of prcpaga-ting fuehrer 
Principles, as tended to the healing of the Natioru When 

the 



7* anc ^ ^ ree fbilofiphy^ &c. 

the publick Governmental the Church wasreftor d ? They mofr 
chearfully put themfelves under it, and fubmitted to its Orders 
heartily, upon the belief of its being the moft Primitive, Ca- 
Prudent, Legal Government in the world. 



IHave now, faid the Governour, paft over the particulars, 
in which you defird to be intorm d &gt; much more might 
have been faid of them, but I know your own thoughts will 
improve thefe fuggeilions, which are enough to give light to 
the main Notions. I returned him my humble acknow-lege- 
ments for the care, and pains he had taken to latisfy, and 
inform me in thefe, and the other heads of thofe Mens Do- 
&lt;frrines. To which he anfwer d, That it was a great plea- 
fure, and (atisfadtion to him if he had given me any content 
by his relation &gt; and then wilPd me that if there were ought 
in the Theological part, that I had any query about, I would 
propofe it freely : For, faid he, we have a little time more to 
ipare in talking of this firfl General, if you have any curiofity 
to be informed further of any thing belonging to it. I an 
fwer d that he added to his favours by the liberty of Queitio- 
ning, he was pleafed to allow me, and that I had one thing 
more to defire a few words of, if he fo pleas d, which was, 
what Way of Preaching thofe Divines followed : This faid He, 
Ifhould have minded my felf, and am very glad you remem 
ber me of it. 

You iriuft know then, continued He, That there was not a 
greater diverfty in any thing in Eenfalem in the Age of 
which Inow-fpeak, than in the Modes of Preaching i of which 
amongft other evils, this was owe, and not the leajl, That the 
people diila/kd, and contemn d all the Doctrines, andlnfrru- 
dtions that were not deliver d after their own fafhion, though 
otherwife never fo fcafbnable, and wholefome &gt; and inordi 
nately admiring their own men, who fpoke in the Phrafa and 
Mode that they fancied, they vilified, and defpis d thofe others, 
that us d another method, though it were never fb folid, 
edifying,and ufeful. And indeed,things were come to that pafi 
iuBcnfalem^ that there was fcarce any other ufe made of Preach 
ing, but rt&gt; pals judgments upon the Preacher, and the Ser- 

R r 2 mon &gt; 



42 Anti-fanatical Religion^ 

mon &gt; which was not only undertaken by the people of Age, 
and Experience : or by thofe only of better education and 
more advanced knowledge &gt; But every Age, and every condi 
tion, was thought fit to judge here,, every Youth, and Ig 
norant j every Ruftick, and Mechanick would pafs abfblute, 
and definitive fentcnce in this matter. Accordingly the moft 
empty, and fantaftical Preachers were generally the moft po 
pular : And thofe that dealt moft in jingles, and chiming of 
words, in Metaphors, and vulgar f mi lit itdes, in Ftfflj^ d^Phrafes, 
and Fanciful fchemes of fpeech, fet off by pleafingfimlcs, and 
melting Tones , by l&tdt&jl and vehemency i fhefe were fure to be 
the taking) precious men, though their difcourfes were never fo 
trifling, arid ridiculous. But the Divines, whom I defcribe, 
were no admirers of this ill-gotten, and ill-grounded Fame : 
They had no ambition to be cry d up by the common Herd, 
nor any deiign to court their applaufes : They car d not for 
their favour, or kind thoughts further^ than thofe afforded 
advantage and opportunity for the doing of them good. 
"fb tf theyconfider d as the end of their Miniftry, and f/^-rhey 
made the Rule and Meafitre- of their Preaching i which I (hall 
defcribe to you under thefe following Characters. 

i. It was Plain both in oppofition to, Firlt, Obfcurity, and 
Secondly, djfeftation. Firii, They preach d no dbrk^ or ob* 
fcure notions i For though their thoughts were converfant 
about the deepcft Theories, both in Pbilofophy, and Religion, 
yet they knew, that fuck were not fit for Pulpits, or common 
hearers They had no defign to make them/elves admir d by 
foaring into the Glouds :. Their great aim was the edirica- 
tion, and inilrudtion of thofe to whom they fpoke r and there 
fore they were fo far from preaching the heights of /peculation, 
That they ufually avoided ( as much as they could ) all the 
Controverfies of Religion, in which the EJJentials of Faith, and 
Praftice were not concerned. Arid when either of thefe calPd 
for difcourfe of Dottrinal matters, their great care was to-be 
under/food. For fecondly, They did not involve their di- 
courfesin needhfi words o Art jx fitbtih diftinttions ^ but fpoke 
in the plainelr, and moft intelligible Terms : and diftinguifh d 
things in the molt eafieand familiar manner that the matter 

of 



and Free Philosophy &gt; &c. 

of difcourfe would bear. They took this for an eftabli/h tl 
Tvuh. That unwonted words were / to be us d,. either in 
Pulpits, or elfewhere, when common ones would as fitly se- 
prefect their meaning : and they always chofe fuch, as the 
cu/lom of fpeaking had rendred familiar in the Subjects on 
which they (poke, when thofe were proper, and exp reffrue. And 
though many forts of thoughts, and Subjects cannot be made 
obvious to the meer vulgar i yet they endeavour d to render 
fuch as were out of the common road of thinking, clear, and 
plain to thofe that are capable of the matters they were, to ex- 
prefs. Thirdly, They did not trouble their hearers with pre 
tended Myjieries : They led them not into the dark places of 
Daniel, and the Revelations : nor fed them thence with their 
own imaginations under pretence of fecret, and hidden Truths: 
No, they taught them from the plain Texts, and Doctrines 
of the Holy Writings : and gave them the fifteen w/VJ^of the 
"Word without any mixture of elaborate fancies, or myftical va 
nities. Fourthly, They flighted, and avoided all canting Fa- 
natickj brafis, which were fomuch the Mode of thofe times. 
ForTheyfaw, they did but pleafe with their found, without 
conveying any fenfe into the minds of thofe that were io much 
delighted with them. So that the .pretended plain preachingof 
thofe days, was really not at all underftood j nor as much as 
intelligible. Therefore inftead of fuch phrafes, They us d the 
moft proper, and natural expreilions, and fuch as moil eafily 
opened the mind to the things they taught. 

I do but flightly mention thefc particulars here, faid the 
Governour,becaufe I have fpoken of them before in my larger 
accounts of thefe men : And fo he went to the fecond thing 
mentioned, z/-. 

fX ) The plainnefs of their preaching, in oppofition to 
Affectation. Now the ufual affedations of Preachers, faid he, 
relate either to Learning, Wit, or Zeal &gt; from all which They 
were very free. For firfr, They afFedted not to oilentate 
Learning, by high-flown expreilions, or ends of Grecl^ and 
Latine : They did not fluff their Sermons with numerous, 
ncedlefs Dotations -&gt; or flourilh them with the names of great 
Authors : ways to he admired by the. Vulgar, and de^ifed.bj^ 

the. 



44 Anti-fan tiled Religion, JESTS!? 7. 

the Wife : No, their Learning was not (hewn in fuch cheap 
trifles as thefe, but it abundantly appear d to the intelligent, 
by the judgement and ftrengtb, the reafin, and clearnefs with 
which they fpoke. Secondly, They defpis d the fmall eiTays 
of appearing witty in their Sermons : They us d no jingling 
of words, nor inventions of fentences, n oodd fetches or obfcr- 
: vation,or nicenefs in laboured periods: They affected no gayneft 
of metapbors, orprettinefiotfimilitH Jes: no tricks to be plaid 
with the words of their Texts &gt; or any other of the conceited 
forts of fooling : but fpoke with firhitfkefa and gravity, as 
became the Oracles of God &gt; and fhew d their wit in thefinart- 
ncfs, and edge of the things they delivered, without vanity, or 
trifling. Thirdly, They did nut put on fantajiicxl Jhews, and 
appearances- of offered zeal : They us d no let 7 ones., or cla 
morous noife ) no violent, or Afijb adlions : They fpoke with 
a well-govern d affeftionateneff, and concerment j and Jucb as 
ftiew d they were in earnejl : and very fenfible of the weight of 
the affairs they were about : But without any thing of inde- 
cency, or extravagance. 

And now, faid He, after what I have men tion d under this 
firfl Head, I may fpare^my pains of fpeaking much under the 
reft that follow &gt; and therefore Ifhall be brief on them. 

( II. ) Thofe Divines were methodical in their preaching : 
not that they were nice, in running their Texts into all the 
minute divifwns of words j or formal in tying themfelves jufl 
to one order on all Subjects : But they divided their matter 
into the fubftanttal farts of Difcourfe i or refolv d it into fome 
main Proportion &gt; and fo treated of their fubjed: in the method 
that was natural to it, and moll beneficial for the people they 
were to inflrucft : They went not on in a cryptic!^ undifcover d 
order on the one hand, nor did they (pin out their matter 
into numerous,coincident particulars on the other : But made 
their Method very cafie, and obvious, and their Heads few, 
and very dijiinft , which is helpful both to the ttnderftandings, 
and memories of the hearers. 

( III. ) Their preaching was Practical : For though they 
taught all the great fubilantial principles of Religion i yet 
ftill they directed them to Praftice, and laid the main Itrefs on 

that 



and Free jPhilofoph^ &c. 

that. According to the faying of our BlefTed Lord, If ye 
tyow tbefe things, bleffed are ye if ye do them. They taught the 
true, practical Divinity, without whtmfies, and Romantic]^ 
foams &gt; and laid down the Rules of Life that are practicable, 
and fitch as fort with the plain Precepts of the Gofpel, and 
the condition, and poffibilities of humane nature : They fpoke 
here, as thofe that underftood the pajfions, appetites, and ways 
of men 5 and the courfe that was to be taken, to fet them in 
right order : They did not talk by roat out of Books, or En% 
tbttfiafiick^ experiences &gt; They did not diredl by Metaphors, and 
Phrafes, and unpraaicable fancies: But laid down the true, 
fober, rational, experimental method of action. 

C IV. ) Their way was earnefl and affectionate : They were 
rioted, or trifling, in matters of iuch vail conicquence: They 
did not invite with indifference i or reprove withfoftnefs } or di- 
ntt with negligence and unconcernmwt : But did all thefe, with a 
zeal, and warmth futable to fuch weighty occafions. But 
then, They endeavour d to excite mens affedlions, not by 
their finfes, and imaginations only , not, as I faid before, by 
meer empty noife, and Tones, and Gejhires, and Phrafes, and 
paiTionate outlays &gt; but by the weight of their fenfe, and the 
reafon of their -pcrfwapons, endeavouring by the undcrftandings^ 
to gain the affections -&gt; and fo to work on the will, and refoluti- 
ons. Such was Their way of Preaching, on which I might have 
much enlarged, but I give you only the brief Heads. 

Here I ask d him, what entertainment this their preaching 
met with in Benfalem ? He anfwer d, That for a long time it 
was but coldly received by the people, whofe imaginations, 
and humours us d to be fed upon AHufions, and Pbrafes, and 
Metaphors, and Opinions : And therefore, they hated found 
Doftrine, and diltafted the fmcere Word : Their pallates were 
(b vitiated by the fantaftical tood, to which they had been us d, 
that the fubjlantial and wholefome dyet would not down with 
them : So that thofe Divines were not at all popular at iirit, 
but the People generally ran after the ajfitted, fanciful men, 
who entertain 3 d their itching Ears with jingles, a-nd myftenes^ 
and new nothings. 

And after that many of theft Teachers had forfaken the 

public It 



Religion ^ iBtTS {? 7 . 

publick places of Worfhip, and in oppofition to the Autho 
rity of the Church, and Edicts of State, betook themfelves 
to holes and private corners, The bewitch d multitude fol 
lowed them into thofe places &gt; Their zeal, and admiration of 
their own Men being increafed, and heightned by the prohibiti 
on, and -rellraint that was upon them : For they doted on the 
fancies They taught i and could not endure (bund fenfe : But 
the Judicious of all forts, entertain d, and reliuYd the fobtr^ 
rniaffetted preaching of the Anti-fanatickf j And at length alfb, 
by time, and their approbation, and example, mofl of the well- 
meaning, mif-led people were recover d back to the Church of 
Benfalem, and brought to a relifh and liking of the plain way 
of Inftruction. 

And now laid He, I have done with what concerns the 
Theological Genius, and Principles of the men I undertook to 
defcribe, Tis too late for us at prefent to enter upon their way 
of P hi I oft f by and Learning : of this I have given fbme (hort 
hints, but I intend you a larger account at our next meeting , 
and if you are not tyred already with my difcourfe, that (hall 
be to morrow in the afternoon, which I hope I (hall have at 
liberty : If you will come hither at that time, you will find me 
ready to acquaiut you with what is further considerable in the 
Story of thofe Men. 

I thank d him, with a profound reverence for the fatisfadi- 
on and pleafure he had afforded me already in his Relation &gt; 
and for that further entertainment he waspleas d to defignfor 
me -&gt; faying, that I never counted time better fpent than that, 
which I had the honour to pafsin his InftrudHve Converfation, 
and on Subjects of fuch delight, and importance. And fo I 
took my leave for that night, and was conducted back by the 
fame MefTenger to my Lodgings. 



and Free Philofopty, &c . 47 



i 



Went the next day, at the appointed time, and found the 
_ Governour in the fame room. After fome Reflections on 
his paft Relation, and a few common matters of Dilcourfe 
( \vhich I need not remember ) He told me, He would ac 
quaint me now with fome things relating to the Opinion, and 
Genius of the fame Men, in feveral forts of Learning : of this, 
faid He, you heard fomewhat in the beginning, which will 
Ihorten this Account : lanfwer d, that I did well remember 
what was told me of their univerfal way of ftudy, and converfe 
with the beft Authors, both Antient, and Modern. I therefore 
(hall omit further difcourfeof that, faid He, and tell you their 
Opinion ( as far as I apprehend it ) of the feveral chief parts 
ofPbMofipby, and Learning. I begin with 

LOG1CK : As to ffcir,They oppos d not the ufual Syflemsof 
the Schools, as they were Exercifes, and Inftitutions for Toutb : 
But They did not like the formal Syllogiflical way among ma- 
turer Reafbners. They many of them more approv d of the 
Logick^ot Plato , which teacheth fir/1 to explain the Terms of the 
Queftion, and then to proceed by orderly Gradations from one 
propofltion to another, till we come to the thing we would 
prove. A method of Reafoningmore^/c/^ andc/o/e, and much 
le(s fubjedl tofallaciesjmd wandrings, than the way ofSyllogiJm. 

And to move the propofitions from whence a man would 
infer his conclufion, in the modeft^ Socratical way of &gt;ueftion\ 
Ii&gt;my judgment, is a very good, and advantageous method. 
For in tbi*, the occafions of paflion which are minitfred by po- 
fitive affertions, are taken away, and the Arguer is ingaged no 
further, then he thinks fit. He may break off when he pleafeth, 
without prejudice to his credit, which he hath not ingag d, 
by undertaking Dogmatical proof of any thing : And fo di- 
fputes may be brought to a fhort, and fair ilTue i and extra 
vagant heats may be avoided : for the Arguer may keep him- 
fdf uningaged, and fofee more clearly how to apply his force, 
and reftrain the difcourfe within the bounds of the fubjedr: 
whereas in the pofitive way of difputingby Syllopjm$fat are 
thefe contrary difadvantages : 

Sf Our 



Anti fanatical Religtw, 

Cur Reafons are led a great way about 5 Mens Hands are 
concerned for the credit of their afTertions, which they pofitive- 
ly undertake- to proves Ambiguous and Equivocal Terms fteal 
in, and infenfibly miilcad tlie Reafoners &gt; or diftinctions are 
applyed, which miilead them more &gt; The Difputer takes up 
one end, and runs away haftily in an oppofition of it, perhaps 
without clearly undemanding what it means, and without ob- 
ferving how this new purfuit works him off from the main bu- 
fmefss Hegoesonflill, andism llturn d out of his way more, 
and more, by him that he oppofeth : For if he feek occafion to 
evade the force of the Argument, he may do it well, andfalve 
his credit to, and the deceit (hall not eafily be perceiv d. In 
like manner the opponent for his part, may by Syllogifm draw 
his anfwerer,though a wary perfon,almoft whether he pleafeth, 
and impofe upon him by Terra/, and fallacious Contexture of 
words, although he be one that underftands confequence well, 
in plain reafbning : And fo in this way, men may talk endlefs- 
ly, but come to no refult &gt; and when they are weary of ram 
bling, they may fit down, if they pleafe, but be it when, and 
where they will, they know not how they came thither, nor 
what is become of the Queflion at firft debated. This is the 
ufualnTueof all Syllogijfical dilutes \ But in the Platonical^nd 
Socratical method, thefe extravagancies may eafily be avoided : 
which therefore I think to be the better way for men, that would 
rind truth,and inform one another : But for the Youth that would 
try their wits, and appear fubtile in arguing, Syllogifms may be 
proper for their purpofes. 

For PHYSIOLOGYvTheydidnotfitdown in any Sjftempx 
"Body of Principles , as certain and eftablffid : They confider d the 
incomprehenfible wifdom that is in the workj of Goethe difficulties* 
that occur in the feeming p/^e/J things &gt; the fcantnefs., of our 
largeft knowledge, and (hallownefs of our deepeft enquiries i 
of which I fpoke before : and therefore gave but timer OH f alTent 
to any notions in Natural Pbilofophy : They held no infallible 
Theory here : Nor would they allow any {peculations, or ac 
counts of Nature to be more then Hypotheftf, and probable con 
jecture : And thefe they taught were not to be rais d from ab- 
ftrafted notions^ and the unailifted operations of the mind, but 
to be collected leafurely from a careful obfervation of particulars : 

So 



7- anc * Free kilofopby^ &c. 

So that they thought, with much reafon, that the beft Foun 
dation for Natural Pbilofopby would be a good Hiftory o Nature : 
This they faw to be very defective in their Time,and that while 
it remained in that imperfection, the knowledge of Nature, 
and the ufe of it, would be very fcanty, and inconiiderable : 
But that from its inlargement^more^nd fkrer Light might be ex- 
pe#ed,and theufes of Life,and Empire of man over the Crea 
tures, might be greatly promoted, andadvanc d. ForThefe 
ends the Foundation of Solomon* sHoufe, about that time, was 
lai d j and Thfr divers of them thought the beft defign that 
ever was for increafing Natural Know ledge, and the advantages 
of Humane Life, and infinitely beyond all the diluting, notio 
nal ways, from which nothing could arife, butdijpute, and no 
tion : They confider d this method of joint endeavours, in fuch 
a royal, and noble AlTembly, about the Phenomena, and effects 
of Nature, to be the way to make Pbilofopby operative, and ttfi- 
ful : To take it off from fpending it s ftrength in forming vain 
Ideas of fancy, and wrangling endlelly about Chimeras i and 
to make an Inftmment ofAttion^ and profitable works. 

But notwithstanding tbif. They did not wholly flight Gem- 
ral Hypotbefes, and Philofbphical con jed:ures : No, Thcyen- 
quir d into all the coniiderable fpeculations, that are extant, 
both Antient^and Modern -* though they addicted not themfelves 
to any of the Sects of Philofbphers : They rejefted no probable 
Opinion with contempt -) nor entertained any, with fondnefl: 
They doated on none, becaufe they were Antient -, nor did they 
contemn any, becaufe they were new : But receiv d the likely- 
hoods of Truth, and Kno w ledge of anydate, from any hand, or 
in any dreft. 

Here lask d, whether thefe men were not enemies to Ari- 
ftotle, zndb tfPbilofopby? He anfwer d, That They gave that 
tefpe&to Artftotle, that was due to his antiquity, farts, andre- 
futation in the World : That they read his Books, and thought 
of well of him, as of fome others of the Pbilofopbers : That they 
gladly received any of the Truths, or Probabilities, that he 
taught : But then, That they did not make his Authority ab- 
fblute 5 or flaviftily fubmit their judgments to all his Dictates &gt; 
They did not reckon him infallible in Philofbphy j no nor yet 

S f 2 free 



^ Anti-fanatical Religion, jSffS JJ 7. 

free from many a&ual, great miftakes : They did not prefer his 
judgment before all the elder Philofophers, or thofe of his own 
timeNor did they think he was withoutE^/,or Super iors,both 
in Knowledge ,andVertue:They had not that partial, unjitft fond- 
nefs for him, that the Moores, and Monks, and fome other vain 
men had, to the prejudice, and difvalue of the Philofophers, 
that were before Him/rom whom he took moft of his Notions. 
He faid, That the Pbilofopby taught in fome common Schools,. 
for Ariftotle^s, was,a depravation., and corruption of it : That it 
.was but Monkery, and Moorijh Ignorance formed ^ into idle, 
and unintelligible whimjies. That the main Principles, Foun 
dation, and Soul of that Philosophy, Their firft matter, 
Subflantial Forms, and Qualities, were meer Imaginations, 
that had no ground either from Senfa or Reafoq : That they 
were utterly unaccountable in themfelves &gt; and ferved no pur- 
pofe of Knowledge or Life: Butrendred all the Philofophy 
that was built on them fantaftical, zndufelefi. 

On the other fide he faid, That the Corpufiular Pbilofopby was 
the eldeft, and moft accountable Dodrrine : That it was as ar*- 
tient ^Natural Pbilofopby it felf : That it was applicable to the 
Pbxnomena of Nature, and that it was very eafie, and intelligible.: 
Ih tf Theory, added he, thofe Philofbphers preferred much to 
the other of Dualities and Forms ^ whichincomparifon is novel. 

They examined the Philofophy of your Gaffendus, which re- 
ftor d, and amplified the Atomical Doctrine : And enquired 
into the Hypotbefes of that other great man of your World, Re- 
natus Defcartes i Both whofe works had been brought hither, 
by bur Miffionaries. This latter they confider d, and it udied 
much, and in him they found a prodigious wit, and clear 
thoughts, and a wonderfully ingenious Fabrick of Philofophy, 
which they thought to be the neateft Mzcbanical Syftem of 
things that had appeared in the World ? However, they adhe 
red not to it, as the certain Account of Nature j nor yielded 
their affent as to fofitive^ and eftzbliflfd Truth &gt; But entertain d 
what they thought probable, and freely diffin&d in other matters. 
Yeaf jmeof them, who thought highly of his Mechanical wit, 
and believ d he had carried matter and motion as far they 
could go &gt; declar d earaeftly againft the comphatneR, and per- 

ftliion 



Philofyhy, &c. 

/k7/0;zofhis Hypothecs &gt; and learnedly fhew d, That the M:- 
chantcal Principles tf/0/ze would not lalve the Phxnomena , and 
that his accounts though they were pretty, and ingeni 
ous, were yet fhort, defective, and unfatisfying , and in 
feme things not very agreeing, and confident. Thefe judg d 
that nothing could be done in Pbyfiology without admitting the 
Platonical Ac VJ TO/3f4a!&lt;K6i] and Spirit of Nature i and fb 
would have the Mechanical Principles aided by the Vital : But 
in thefe matters,othcrs of them had different thoughts &gt; though 
all agreed in the mi defty. ,and freedom of judgment and difcourfe. 
" As to MORAL PHILOSOPHY,They did by no means ap 
prove of the ContentiouSyDi fluting E^ d^that turn d that ufeful 
knowledge, into Syflems of unprofitable niceties, and notions i 
and made itf as,C/cer0 fpeaksjto be rather Ojhntatio Scienti^then 
Lex Vit : But they founded theirs ^ upon the excellent fyojv- 
ledge of Humane Nature and Pzffions : Into tbefe they inquir d 
much, and obferv"d the various inclinations, and workings of 
the Humours, and Appetites of Men &gt; efpccially they frudied 
tfjemfelves^ and entred into the recefles of their own fouls: Nor 
did they flop here, but formed their knowledge, and obfcrva- 
tions into folid Rules of Life, for the commanding of their pa- 
(Ions, and bounding their defires, and governing themfelves, 
by the Laws of Vertue and Prudence. Such were their Etb/cfy i 
and their Tempers, and Practices were fuitable. 

For though they were men of rais d underiian dings, and 
great learning &gt; Yet were they not, in. the leaft, haughty, or 
conceited &gt; but their behaviour was generally moft fvveet, and 
obliging : They cared for no mans wit, that wanted goodnefs^ 
and defpis d no mans weakriefs^ that had it : They hated the 
humour ofthofe learned men, who were ftately, and imfufng-^ 
and diflikM nothing more then Itt-rutire: whatever their own 
was by Birth and Tenjper, their care was to make itfweet, by 
Di&ipline and Ufage i and fo, exercis d their Moral Pinci- 
ples, and Rules upon themfelves : They were no admirers of 
Pop*t*rtty,\)ut pitied thofe that were at pains for Airand noife : 
They followed a fobtr, vertuous courfe, without flanting 
(hews, and pretenfions v and liv : .^ in an innocent, even cheer- 
fulncls, without rapture, on the one hand, or dejection, on 

the 



"Anti-fanAtical Religion^ &fliS( 7. 

the other : They were free in their Conventions, and not 
faperftitioufly fcrupulous about things that are,harmlefs and in 
different. But, faid the Governour i* I confidcr, I need not 
infitf thus on the defcription of their Moral Temper of Spirit , 
It may be colle&ed in thefe^ and many other particulars, from 
what hath been faid before : And therefore I now pafs imme 
diately to their 

METAPH YSICKS, About which, I muft firft tell you, That 
they had no opinion of thofe of the Peripatetic}^ Schools, which 
confifted of Logical niceties jind empty notions .fiat fophifticated 
mens reafons, and inclin d them to hover in abftra&ed gene 
rals, and to reft in meer Terms of Art , to the negled of the 
more material ratiotinations : Sjtch Metapbypckj were in ufe 
at that time in the Vniverfties ofBenfalem , and therefore out 
of refpedttothe Statutes of thofe Seats of Learning^ They did 
not profefTedly endeavour to expofe thofe ftudies : No, They 
were againft rude and violent Innovations j But yet as they had 
opportunity, they prudently advis d^fuch Youth as they knew, 
to take care that they did not dwell on thofe Aery Notions , or 
"reckon of them, las any part of that ftanding Knowledge^ which 
they were to ufe,through the courfe of their future lives : They 
-allowed them for exercife^ but cautionM againft the reception 
-of them, as Principles of 7n/f&, and Science. 

Here I ask d, whether Thofe men were again ft aU Meta- 
pbyfaks I* or what fort they allowed ? He made anfwer j 
That They were not againft all. But that 

1. Some of them counted, The explication of General T erms^ 
and notions of things to appertain to Metaphyficks -&gt; and this 
they reckon d to bemoft neceflary, and ufeful for the avoiding 
conf ufions, and miftakes in reasoning : So that they; never 
Centred into any Con troverfie, or Enquiry, without Gripping 
the words, and notions, they were to treat of, from zllfanta- 

ftry, and borrowed fenfes, and fixing them in their natural, and 
genuine acccption : Knowing, that moft difputes and errours 
in reafoning arife hommiftakgs offimple Terms. 

2. But then others of Them, who as highly efteem d of this 
c ourfe, judg d it to belong to Logick^ and that it was not to 
be brought under tbif fcience, the only objecl: of which, They 

made 



and jFVr* Philofopfy c. y 5 

made the Spiritual, and Immaterial World : And in this fort 
of Metapbyflcks, the Science of Spirits, they were not all of 
one Opinion &gt; For fome were for the Dgdhine of Plato, mak 
ing $&pint, extended, penetrable, indifcerpible, felf-motive fub- 
ftances : Whereas &lt;tf/:wj thought with Defcartes, that extention, 
motion, and the like Attributes, belonged only to Bodies, and 
had nothing to do with Spirits, which could be ^e/w ^ by no 
thing, but Wnklng, and the M?^/ of it. But this difference 
in Opinion produced no rudenefs, or heats of oppofition, only 
it gave exercife fome times, to their wits, in their private 
Philofophical entertainments. 

As for the Dodrrine of the common Schools offota in Toto 
Both fides efteem d it contradictions, and vain : And knew, that 
this was one great occafionof the Sadducifm, and disbelief of 
Spiritual Beings, which was fb much the Mode of that age. 

I faid, That I had heard fbmething of both thefe Dodrines i 
And that each of them leem d to me, to contain opinions that 
were very ftrange &gt; adding, that I deiir d to know, whether 
thofe Gentlemen entertain d the conceits, that the old Plato- 
nifls, and our Cartefians did, in their Hypothecs ? He ask d 
me what notions I meant i I anfwer d, That the Platonifts 
held, There was an Anima Mundi \ and the Prtexiftence of par- 
ticular Souls, things feemingly very uncouth, and abfurd. And 
the Cartefians, on the other fide, taught, That all things were 
Mechanical, but Humane thoughts, and operations &gt; and that i 
the Beafls were but meer Automata, and infenfible machins i 
which, faid I, feem very odd, and ridiculous fancies. 

As to thefe Opinions replyed he,They had different thoughts, 
as other Philofbphers have Some of them fuppoling that the 
Platonical Opinions are very n t to be admitted, to give aiTilhnce 
to the Mechanical Principles &gt; which they^ think very defective 
of themfelves. And Others judging, That the Czrtefun Hypo- 
tbefes ate probable, and Mecbanij m fufficientto account for the 
Phenomena i and that there is no need of introducing fo hope- 
lefs, and obfcure a Principle, as the Soul of the World. 

In the Matters, and M)fleries of Providence, They alfo take 
feveral ways of Opinion : But then, the difTenters to either 
judgment, do not condemn the oppoiite, as ridiculous, and 

abfurd ; 



5 A Jnti- fanatical Religio^^ ^SffS 7 . 

abfurd : Knowing, That there is a great appearance of truth 
in the contrary Dodtrine &gt; and no certainty in that, which they 
approve moil. 

As to the opinion of Prtexiflence of fouls : It hath faid He, 
been the Dodtrine of many of the wifefl men of eldeft times, 
both Gentiles^ Jews^ and Chriftians, and the almoft general be 
lief of the old Eaflern World : It contains no oppofition to any 
Article of Faith, and fome believe, It will give a very plaufi- 
ble, and fair folution of the main, and mol\ difficult things in 
Providence : On which accounts it ftiould not, I think, be rojhly^ 
condemn das abfurd &gt; but may very well deferve to be heard, 
and is very worthy to be examin d : Though, added He, I af- 
rirm nothing pofitively of it &gt; And I fiippofe many of the per- 
(bns I defcribe, were difpos d to //% thoughts with thefe, in re 
ference to that Hypotbefif. 

I pray d him to acquaint me with their Opinion of the 
MATHEMATICKS ? He Anfwered, That They were great 
valuers of tbofe Sciences j which they accounted excellent pre 
paratives^ and helps to all forts of Knowledge, and very fer- 
viceable^rfz c///#r/yin this., That they us dthe mind to ac/o/e 
way of reafoning^nd were a good Antidote againft the confus^d^ 
and wandring humour o Diffiuters : for which reafon, Some 
of them thought, it would be very well, If they were us d as 
the firft Inftitutions of the Academic}^ Youth &gt; judging, that 
tbefe Sciences would exercife the #v&gt;, zsmuch^ astheufual L&lt;7- 
gicks, at leait i and beget a much better habit in the mind, then 
thole content iom itudres. 

BeiidesThis, faid He, I cannot at prefent think of anything 
more, confiderable, concerning their inclinations, in meer Hu 
mane Knowledge : But as to their way of Learning^ as Divines, 
fbmething may be added, 

And with Relation to this I may lay, 

i . That they are not much taken with the School-men, but 
rather think, That thofe/?/^/7e, and Angelical Dodrors have 
done Religion no fmall difFervice, by the numerous diftutes^ 
niceties, and diftincnons they have rais d, about things, other- 
wife plain enough : By which, The natural^ and genuine con 
ceptions of mens minds are perverted, and the clear light of 

Reafon, 



7- an ree op^ &lt;% 5 

Reafon, and Truth intercepted, and obfcur d : And they 
judg d, There was lefs caufe in the latter ages to reckon of 
School-Divinity, ilnce the Peripateticl^Pbilofophy, on which it 
was grounded, grew every where into difcredit : So that they 
thought it not fifty to have Religion concern d, in that, which 
did .not truly help it &gt; and which was not now able to help it iel 

2. They did not admire many of the Commentator /, and Ea&gt; 
f of tors of the Scripture: For though they praifed thofe Induftri- 
ous Men for their Zealy&nd Devetionto the &0/y Writings : Yet 
they did not think much due to divers of their performances. 
For a conGdering Man could not but obferve, how they kept 
voluminous Ilir about the plain Places, which they never left, 
till they had made Obfiure^ while they let the difficult ones 
pafs without notice. Befides which, the manifold Imperti- 
nencies, Pbancies, Dilutes, Contradictions to one another, and 
the Scriptures, which were obfervable among thofe Writers, 
rendred divers of them of mean account in the Judgment of 
thofe Men. However they had a juft efteem of many of the 
Critical Interpret* r/, and particularly of thofe famous Lights of 
your end the World, well known to us alfo, Grotiut, and 
HammwdiH) whole learned workj and expoftions they beheld 
with great refpedr, and veneration. 

(3.) As for the A NT I EN? FATHERS* They 
valued thofe greatly of the/Fr/^oo, yea 500 years, who li 
ved before Chriiiianity was fo much mingled with Opinions, 
and corrupted by difputes i and the various devices of Men : 
Their works they reverenced, becaufe there was much holinefs, 
in thofe venerable perfons, and much fimplicity in their wri 
tings, and among others, there are two particular reafons, 
why they had tbofe /ages in fo much efteem. 

( i .) Bccaufe the Controverfies they handle, are moftly fuch, 
as Concern the miin things of Religion, in oppofuion to the 
Jen?/, Heathens, and fome grofs Heretickj-, who undermined 
the Foundations of Faith, and Life : Theje were undertakings 
worthy the zeal, and piins of thofe holy Ancients v who did 
not multiply unneceffary quarrels, and occafions of difpute? 
or mzkefpfCMlative opinions Articles of Faith, and fundamen 
tals of Religion, and prefently denounce thick^ Anathemas a* 
gainfi all ? that differed from them in lefler matters j But they 

T t ituck 



jjrtti fanatical Rel/gJWy jBffj^ 7. 

fiuck firmly to the/h?, /&gt;/af# things, and placed their Religi 
on principally in a holy Life, and lived in Charity, and Love* 
and frequent wnmunion : thsfe days, and thofe Men the Anr 
tifamtes celebrated much, and prayed, and endeavour d for 
the Rjejtatiration of fbriftiamty to that Primitive Temper : 

(z.j They reverenc d thofe Fathers &gt; becaufe living nearer 
the times of the Apoftks, they had more advantages to know 
their Do&rines, and Government, and Ufages, than the ages 
at a greater remove have: on which Accounts, They atte d 
more to their prattifes and opinions, then to thofe of fucceedmg 
times, when pride, ambition, covetoufmjs , and difputes had 
lead Men alkie into the various ways of fbancy, and fiiftion : 
Thefe then they accounted excellent witnejfis of Chriftianity, 
and our beii Interpreters ot it s Dettrines, and Conjiitutions 
though they did not make them Judges in affairs of Faith, 
and Religion &gt; or reckon all to bt infallible, that they did&gt; or 
JaiJ. Thus were they difpos d towards thefirft Fatherj. 

For Ihofe of the following ages They efteem d their piety, 
and zeal i and praifed God for the good they did in their Ge 
nerations &gt; and gave all due acknowledgments to their pious 
endeavours;, and were ready to imbrace their inftru&ions in 
the ways of Godliriefs, and Vertue and willing to receive 
the evidence of any truth from them : But They did not equal 
them in their eftimation with the Elder Fathers, no* fitperftiti- 
onfiy doat on all their fayings nor take them for the beft 
Guides in all the Doctrines of Religion. 

For thofe Fathers lived in the difputing ages, when pride, 
and intereft and prevailing faction had efpoufed ofiniont^ as ef. 
fewials of Faith, and made Men quarrel, and divide, and 
break the peace of the Church, of the World, for friflej; 
They much dii&r d from one another i and fome of them, 
at times , from themfelves i and many of them , in fome 
things, from Scripture, and Reafon, and mare primitive An 
tiquity : They difputed often with much eagernefs; and 
were very angry with each other about things of no great mo 
ment i and vented unfeemly paffions, and were too often very 
impatient of Contradiction, and different judgment. They, 
fome of them fpoke haftily, and determined too foon in a heat, 
againft me k,wd of oppofites rtnd then/orgot at another time,and 

affirm d 



7- anc * ^ rce Fhikfoffjy^ &c; 5 7 

affirm d the quite contrary, againft an other fort of Adversaries : 
They made too much of their opinions, and were many times 
too fevere to harmlefs dilTenters. Tbefe, and divers more fuch, 
were the weakneiTes of mauy&gt; of thofe Reverend Men : which 
I do not mention, faid He, to detract from their worth in 
other things, or to lelfen their juft honour and valuation : but 
to (hew you fome of the things, which, tis like, were the 
reafons, why thofe Divines did not efteemof the latter, as 
they did of the moft ancient Fathers. 

T hefe, and fuch like, I fay, I judg might be the reafons : 
But They themfelves were very cautious in faying any thing 
that might look like detractions, or difefteem of thofe venera 
ble Perfons : They contented themfelves to omit poring on 
fiich of them, as They thought there might be lefs caufe to ad 
mire, orlefsneed to ftudy , without difcovering their naked- 
nefs, and imperfections , or difcouraging others from follow 
ing their inclinations to converfe with them. Yea, they neg- 
ledfred not to read them themfelves. as they had time, and oc- 
cafion : But then, they read them not with defign to gather 
fine ftntences to adorn their difcourfes, nor to gain ^nthmties 
in fpeculative matters, to confirm their opinions : But to iw- 
prove their reafons-&gt; to get direttiott from their fions councelr % 
and to inform themfelves of the GeuiM^ Principles, and C- 
jiomes of the Times, in which they fucceillvely lived: That 
they might not be impofed on by the pretenders to Antiquity y 
who endeavour d to gain reverence to their Innovations, by prt&gt; v 
tence of ancient ufage : And this is enough of their Inclinati 
ons towards ttie ^ar-hers. oj 3 

1 liavc now, jfaid He, but a word to fpeak more, under 
this Head, and that (hall be briefly v 

(4.) About their opinion of the Rabinical Learning : Among 
the Authors of this fort, diverfe of than were very conver- 
fant : not out of any great efteem of the Men&gt; or their Lear 
ning ^ but from a detire to acquaint themfelves by Them, with 
ftie Dollrines, Te ftnftf fpeerhv -art&vultotorj ofth e Jews, nl 
order to their better under/landing of the Scriptures, and the 
defence of Chriflianlty, againft thofe enemies ot the Crofs. On 
thefe accounts, thcy^ u^dKhjp^ea^ng^hofe Writers, nor- 
withftanding the Ira-fh, and Wnky,-witH which their Books 

T t 2 were 



5 8 r jtnti-fa#atical Religion^ JBfTsjJ 7. 

were loaded, to be very ufeful for a Divine, and like to be of 
more behoof to him , than all the tedious volumes of the 
Schoolmen: And fome thought, it would not be amifs, if the 
Rabbins fucceeded in thofe places, which thofe other J)ottors y 
were leaving vacant. 

And now, faid He, 1 have alfo given you a Tafte of the 
Genius, and Humour of thofe Divines in feme chief parts of 
Learning ; And though I have mentioned only fome particular 
forts, yet I do not thereby exclude them from their (hare in 
the Languages, Hiftory^ and other kinds of knowledg ^ which 
I have omitted in this account, only, becaufe their fence of 
them, for the moft part, was common with the judgment, and 
opinion of other learned Men. 

I have reprefented to you their Genius and endeavours,not 
with defign (as I intimated before) to exalt,and magnifie them 
above the other Divines ofBenfalem&gt; but to fliew how the Pro 
vidence of God over-rul d thofe evil times, in which thofe Men 
were bred, and to raife a good and generous Spirit amid the 
extravagances of an unhappy age : and I have thus particular 
ly defcribed their Principles, and Practices, not to exclude 
other worthy, and Reverend Men ( with which, thanks be 
to God, this Church abounds ) from the fhare of acknow 
ments that are due to their pious, and excellent Labours, but 
becaufe thofe Perfons are better known to me, than any others 
of our Clergy. 

At this Period of his difcourfe, a Servant came in, and 
with low reverence, acquainted the Governor that fome Per 
fons of quality were come co ipeak witH him* Upon which, 
herifingup, told me, Hewasforry for this interruption, but 
hoped ere long, to have the freedom of another opportunity of 
onverfing with me* 



Books Publified bj Mr. Jofefi Glanvill. 

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T , n- 

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Catholic^ Cbarhjy recommended in a Sermon before the 
Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London. 
&F4 ft Sermon on the Kings Martyrdom. 
Lux Orient alui being a modeft Philofophical Enquiry into the Bofti inc 



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A Prefatory Anfwer to Mr. Hexry St 

A Further Account of Mr. StxMs. 

h Letter concern ing Ariftotle.^ 

An Apology for fomeof the Clergy who fuflfcr under fil(e, and fcanda- 
lous Reports, on the occasion ot tbe &be4rj*l Trtttfpr;fi& 

An Earnefi Invitation to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. 
~ Seafonable Refletfions and Di .courfes^ in order to the cure ot tlic Scoffinq 
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ESS AT S&lt;&gt; PhtlofofhicM+ and Theological. 



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Rational Account of the Grounds of Proteftant Religion , being 
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a Cort^rence,, $$c. from the pretended Anfwer of T. C. folto. 
Sermons preached upon feveral occasions, with a Difcourfe annexed con 
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Origines Sacr* , or a Rational Account of the Grounds of Cnriftian 
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An Aufwerto feverallate Treatifes occasioned by a Book entiruled, A 
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the hazard of Salvation in the communion of it, the firjtt Part, Qftavo. 

A fecond Difcourfe in vii dication of the Piotettant Grounds of Faith, 
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Guide in Controverlie, by R. H. Pnxeitancy without Principles, and 
Ileafon and Religion ^ or the ceitain Rule of Faith, by E. W. with a par 
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An Anfwer to Mr. Creffs Epiille Apolugetical to a Perfon of Honour, 
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The Rule of faith, or an Anfwer to the Ti eatife of Mr. y. S. entituled 
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Cradoc^ Qua.-tn^ a Book very ufetul for Families. 

The Remains of Sir Walter Rawlagh, mTwefaes. 

A Difcourfe of War and Peace, by Sir Robert Cotton-) in Octavo. 

The Moral Philofophy of the Stoicks^ In Ofla vo. 

Hoddtfs Arichmetick, Twelves. 

The Triumphs of Rome overdeipifed Proteftancy, O&**o. 

The Original of Kt mance&gt;, Qflavo. 

The Advice of Charles \\& Fifth,Emperor of Germany and King of Sp.*in\ 
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Obfen ations upon Military ?nd Political affairs, by the Ri^hr H 



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S raMfap. D. Dean of Cktcbtftfr, and one of his Ma jellies Chaplains 

in Ordinarv. 




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DUPORT inPfaltnos 4. 
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Bcveiidge Grammatical Orientalis. 8. 
Goie Nomenclator Gcegraph. 8. 
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Comenii Janua. 8 Lat. cum Ftgt/. 
Confeffio Fidei. 8. 
Doughtei Anakfta Sacra. 8. p. s. aa, 
Ignoramus. 12.. 
Voflii Elementa Rhetorica. 8. 
Elegant ias Poeticx. 12. 
Exaletation of Ale. 8. 
Comenii Veftibulum. 8. Lat. En& 
Paforis Lexicon. $ Gr. Lat. 
Quintiliani Orationes. 8. 
Glam il on the Sacrament. 1 2. 
Burroughs Remedy a-j 

gainit Grief. &gt; 1 2. bound together. 

Diieftions about Death i 

Emperor Auguftw&gt;\ fpeeches to the Married and Unmarried. 
Dr. Meggots Sermon before St. Pauls Scholars on St. Pauls day, 1^7^ 
AVifitation Sermon before the Lord Biihop of Ely, by Timctbj Parker*, 

at Leivis in Sttffex. 
Praeces fcholoe Paulina?. 8. Lat. Eng. 

Where arc Sold all fort of Forrcign Books and School-Books^ 



FINIS. 



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