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PHILOSOPHICAL  PRINCIPLES 


O  F 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED 


RELIGION 


PART    SECOND. 


B  Y 
THE    CHEVALIER    RAMSAY, 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  TRAVELS  OF  GYRUS. 


GLASGOW, 

Printed  and  sold  by  Robert  and  andrew  fovlis. 

mdccxlix. 


)!l 


PREFACE. 


IN  the  foregoing  part  of  this  Work,  we  have  aii- 
fwered  the  firft  objection  of  the  Atheifts,  Deills, 
Freethinkers,  and  minute  Philofophers  of  all  kinds, 
who  pretend,  tiiat  the  principal  doflrines  of  Re- 
veal'd  Rehgion  are  not  only  contradidlory  to  rea- 
fon,  but  altogether  repugnant  to  the  divine  perfec- 
tions. We  come  now  to  anfwer  the  fecond  objecti- 
on of  the  incredulous,  who  maintain,  that  the  facred 
myfteries  of  our  holy  faith  are  new  fi6lions  unheard 
of  by  the  philofophers  of  all  nations;  and  to  iliew, 
on  the  contrary,  that  Chriftianity  is  as  old  as  the 
creation. 

Since  the  refurre6lion  of  the  Sciences  in  Europe, 
and  the  ftudy  of  the  ancients,  feveral  great  and  lear- 
ned men  pretend  to  have  difcovered  many  veftigcs 
of  Re  veal'd  Religion  among  the  Pagans.  VofFius, 
Bochart,  Huet,  Kircher  and  Thomaffm,  Cud  worth. 
Gale,  Stanley,  and  Purchas  have  given  hints  on  this 
fubjc(5l,  which  have  put  men  upon  the  fcent  of  thefe 
curious  and  ufeful  refearches.  The  author  of  the 
Travjels  of  Cyrus,  has  endeavoured  to  digeft 

A2 


iv  PREFACE. 

them  into  a  regular  philofophical  fcheme  :but  with- 
out doing  injuftice  to  that  writer,  it  muft  be  allow'd, 
that  he  has  ftopt  in  a  fair  way,  and  has  not  puih'd 
his  difcoveries  fo  far  as  he  might  liave  done.  We 
hope  to  extend  our  views  mucli  farther  than  he,  and 
that  this  will  engage  others  to  go  much  farther  than 
we.  We  have  as  yet  difcover'd  only  the  coafts, 
fhoars,  and  frontiers  of  this  Newfoundland.  A  fe- 
rious,  exact,  and  profound  ftudy  of  the  ancients  will 
perhaps  excite  the  learned  men  of  the  prefent,  and 
following  ages,  to  enter  into  this  country,  and  to 
fearch  out  all  the  hidden  mines  it  contains. 

In  this  treatife  wc  have  colle(5led,  and  digefted  in- 
to one  body,  under  diHerent  heads,,  the  feiitiments 
of  the  antient  Hebrews,  Chinefc,  Indians,  Perfians, 
Egyptians,  Greeks  and  Romans,  concerning  the 
great  principles  of  Natural  and  Revcal'd  Religion. 
By  this  we  may  judge,  that  we  fliould,  no  doubt, 
find  veftiges  of  tbx  fame  truths  among  the  ancient 
Gauls,  Germans,  Britons,  and  all  other  nations,  if 
we  had  any  records  left  of  their  dodrines,  religion 
and  philofophy ;  for,  as  w^e  Ihall  Ihew,  all  flowed 
from  the  fame  fource. 

We  are  oblieed  for  all  the  difcoveries  in  the  Chi- 
nefe  mythology,  to  fcveral  learned  Europeans,  who 
have  lived  many  years  in  China,  ftudied  the  Ian- 


PREFACE.  V 

guage  of  the  country,  the  original/ canonical  books 
of  that  ancient  nation,  and  the  commentaries  made 
upon  them,  long  before  the  Chriftian  cera,  by  the 
Mandarines  and  fages  of  that  climate. 

In  Q-ivinean  account  of  the  fentiments  of  the  In- 
dians,  Perfians,  Egyptians,  Greeks,  and  Romans, 
we  have  faithfully  confulted  the  originals  and  the 
fragments  that  are  to  be  found  in  the  Greek,  or  La- 
tin authors,  whether  facred  or  profane,  Pagan  phi- 
lofophers,  or  primitive  Fathers;  as  alfo  the  quota- 
tions that  have  been  made  from  them  by  the  mo- 
dern critics,  whether  German,  BritlHi,  or  French: 
but  as  the  moil  skilful  grammarians,  who  under- 
ftand  perfectly  the  genius  of  the  Greek  and  Roman 
language,  do  not  always  comprehend  the  phllofo- 
phy  of  the  ancients;  they  fometimes  omit  very  im- 
portant ilrokes,  or  render  them  obfcurely;  for  this 
reafon,  we  have  not  always  trufied  to  their  tranfla- 
tions,  but  examined  the  fources. 

Amone  all  thefe  modern  critics,  there  is  none 
we  have  made  more  ufe  of  than  the  learned  D-r. 
CuDWORTH.  As  this  ereatman  had  not  a  fvftema- 
tic  genius,  his  work  is  a  confufcd  heap  of  pearls 
and  precious  ftones,  which  we  have  endeavour'd  to 
range  under  dificrent  heads,  and  digeft  all  into  a  re- 
gular fcheme. 


VI  PREFACE. 

We  have  alfo  examined  the  moft  intellieent  tra- 
vellers  into  Afia,  Africa  and  America;  becaufe  we 
fometimes  find  very  valuable  hints  of  the  divine 
philofophy,  in  the  popular  traditions  of  the  moft 
favage  countries. 

We  leave  to  others  the  care  of  delcribing  the 
laws,  arts,  and  faiences  of  the  ancients,  their  agri- 
culture, archlre6]:ure,  and  military  skill ;  their  aftro- 
nomlcal  obfervations,  geometrical  difcoveries,  and 
poetical  inventions; their  ftatues,  paintings,  gravings 
and  medals;  great  helps  maybe  found  in  fome  of 
thefe  curious  researches,  and  they  may  be  fome- 
times very  ufeful  in  the  divine  philofophy.  We  con- 
line  ourfelves  to  give  a  faithful  account  of  the  fub- 
limer  doclrine  of  the  ancients,  of  the  forms  of  their 
mind,  of  their  fyftem  of  God,  and  the  univ^erfe,  and 
of  the  moral  difpoiitions  and  fentiments  of  their 
heart.  This  fecond  part  of  our  Work  then  will  be 
properly  a  hiftory  of  the  human  mind  in  all  ages, 
nations,  and  religions,  concerning  the  moft  divine 
and  important  truths. 


7 

THE 

PHILOSOPHICAL  PRINCIPLES 

O  F 

NATURAL  AND  REVEALED! 

RELIGION. 

IN  TRODUCTION. 

WE  have  fhewn  In  the  firfl:  part  of  this  Work,  that  all 
the  great  principles  of  Natural  and  Revealed  Reli- 
gion may  be  reduced  to  fix  heads,  every  one  of  which  may  be 
fubdivided  into  three  parts,  or  ternaries.  ( i .)  The  cxiftence 
of  God,  whofe  effential  attributes  are  three,  and  can  be  but 
three,  power,  wifdom,  and  goodnefs.  (2.)  The  three  per- 
fons  in  the  Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit.  (3.)  The 
three  manlfeftations  of  the  Meffiah,  pre-cxiflent,  fuffering, 
and  triumphant.  (4)  The  three  Hates  of  human  nature,  ele- 
vated, fallen,  and  rc-efliablifhed.  (5.)  The  three  Hates  of  an- 
gelical nature, uncorrupted,  degraded,  and  reftored.  (6.)  The 
three  effential,  nccefTary  means  of  re-unlting  the  foul  to  God, 
prayer,  mortification,  and  fclf-denial.  This  facred  fexenary 
contains  the  whole  of  Natural  and  Revealed  Religion;  and 


S  INTRODUCTION. 

all  the  other  do6trines  of  faith  are  but  corollaries  from  thefe 
great  truths. 

Onrdefigii  in  this  fecoiid  partis  to  fliew,  that  the  fagesof 
all  nations,  ages  and  religions,  had  fome  ideas  of  thefe  fublime 
doclrines,  tho'  more  or  lefs  degraded,  adulterated,  and  ob- 
fcured;  and  that  thefe  fcattered  hints  and  vefliges  of  the  mod 
facrcd  and  exalted  truths  were  originally  rays  and  emanations 
ef  ancient  and  primitive  traditions,  handed  down  from  gene- 
ration to  generation,  fince  the  beginning  of  the  world,  or  at 
leafl:,  fince  the  fall  of  man  to  all  mankind.  Before  I  enter  in- 
to this  difcuflion,  it  is  fit  to  premife  thefe  remarks. 

1.  According  to  the  Mofaic  accounts  of  the  origin  and 
^propagation  of  mankind,  the  protoplad  had  a  perfe<5l  know- 
ledge of  all  the  great  principles  of  Natural  and  Revealed  Re- 
ligion. Adam  created  in  a  ftatc  of  innocence,  before  fin  and 
padion  had  darkened  his  underftanding,  who  converfed  with 
the  Logos  in  paradife  under  a  human  form,  muft  have  had  a 
perfe(5t  knowledge  of  the  Deity,  and  of  the  love  we  owed  to 
him.  Adam,  after  the  fall,  could  not  but  know  the  miferable 
ftate,  into  which  he  had  plunged  himfelf,  with  all  his  pofleri- 
ty.  Scripture  aflures  us,  and  all  divines  agree,  that  God,  after 
having  banifhed  him  from  paradife,  revealed  to  him  the  fa- 
crifice,  fufferings,  and  triumphs  of  the  Mefliah.  Thus  Adam 
muft  have  had  a  pcrfe<ft  knowledge  of  all  the  great  principles 
both  of  Natural  and  Revealed  Religion. 

2,  A  wife  and  holy  legiflator,  who  had  a  perfefl  know- 
ledge of  thofe  divine  truths,  muft  have  had  a  fincere  defire, 
and  neglefted  no  means,  to  tranfmit  this  knowledge  to  his 
pofterity.    Adam  became  penitent  after  his  fall,  fill'd  with  a 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

facred  horror  at  his  difobedience,  and  penetrated  with  grief 
for  the  mifery  in  which  he  and  all  his  polterity  were  involv'd, 
mufl  not  only  have  given  them  temporal  and  civil  laws,  to 
procure  the  peace  of  human  fociety,  during  this  life,  butfpi- 
ritual  divine  laws,  to  help  them  to  recover  their  primitive  hap- 
pinefs  in  the  next.  Yea,  he  mufl:  not  only  have  inftruded  his 
children  then  exiftent  in  thefefublime  truths,  but  have  given 
them  orders  to  tranfmit  the  fame  notions  to  their  pofterity. 
All  the  holy  patriarchs  mull:  have  done  the  fame,  from  gene- 
ration to  generation,  till  the  deluge;  when  Noah,  pofTefled 
with  the  fame  fpirit,  had,  no  doubt,  the  fame  care  to  hand 
down,  to  fucceeding  ages,  thofe  eflential  truths.  Now,  fince 
the  holy  patriarchs,  before  and  after  the  deluge,  could  and 
fhould  have  a6led  thus,  it  is  fure  they  did  fo. 

3.  It  is  no  ways  probable,  that  fuch  a  wife  man  as  Noah, 
who  was  intruded  by,  and  converfed  with  the  Logos,  would 
have  trufted  to  oral  tradition  alone,  for  the  prefervation  and 
tranfmiflion  of  thefe  divine  lights,  and  fublime  myfteries  of 
faith  to  his  pofterity,  and  all  the  nations  who  were  to  cover 
the  face  of  the  earth.  He,  no  doubt,  took  care  to  have  them 
wrote  in  fuch  chara6tcrs  as  were  then  in  ufe.  All  grant  that 
the  firft  way  of  writing  was  by  hieroglyphics.  Jofephus  the 
hiftorian  fays,  this  method  was  in  ufe  before  the  deluge,  and 
that  (a)  '  fomeof  the  fons  of  Seth  knowing  the  world  was  to 

*  perifh,  firft  by  water,  and  then  by  fire,  wrote  all  the  difco- 
'  veries  they  had  made  in  aftronomy,  upon  two  pillars,  one  of 

*  ftone  and  another  of  brick,  the  firft  to  refift  the  water;  and 
'  the  other  the  fire.'  He  even  pretends  that  the  one  of  ftone  re- 

(a)  Jofeph.  Antl<i.  lib.  i,  cap.  3. 

B 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

main'd  to  his  time.  If  there  be  any  thing  true  m  this  flory  of 
Jofephus,  it  is  probable,  that  he  miftook  the  myfteries  of  reli- 
on  wrote  by  fome  antidiluvian  father  upon  thefe  pillars,  for 
aftronomical  obfervations.  The  fir  ft  was  worthy  of  their  zeal, 
the  laft  fcarce  deferved  their  attention,  (a)  Moreover  Porphy- 
ry fpeaks  of  fome  very  ancient  pillars  preferv'd  in  the  ifland 
of  Crete,  upon  which  were  wrote  the  myfteries  of  religion, 
(b)  *  Laflantius  and  Theodoret  maintain,  that  Euchmerus, 

*  Sanchoniathon,  Herodotus,  Diodorus  of  Sicily,  and  many 

*  other  authors  had  profited  much  by  thefe  ancient  hierogly- 

*  phical  monuments  to  compofe  their  hiftories.'  (c)  Mane- 
tho,  in  a  fragment  preferv'd  to  us  by  Eufebius  and  Syncellus, 
fays,  *  that  the  fecond  Hermes  called  Trifmegiftes,  tranflated, 

*  or  rather  tranfcribed  in  vulgar  alphabetical  letters,  what  the 

*  firft  Hermes  had  wrote  in  hieroglyphical  charadlers,  upon 
'  pillars  of  ftone.'  (d)  AmmianusMarcellinusfays,  '  that  the 

*  ancients  forefeeing  a  future  deluge,   and  fearing  that  the 

*  myfteries  of  religion  fhould  be  loft  and  forgot,  cut  out  fevc- 

*  ral  caverns  in  great  rocks,  and  graved  thefe  myfteries  on  their 

*  walls  in  hieroglyphical  characters  which  were  the  figures  of 

*  animals.'  In  fine,  Jamblichus  adds,  (e)  '  If  you  propofe  any 

*  philofophical  queftion,  we  fhall  decide  it  to  you,  according  to 
«  the  ancient  pillars  of  Mercury,  which  Plato  and  Pythago- 

*  ras  before  him  read,  and  hence  compofed  their  philofophy.* 

4.  It  is  certain,  that  the  word  Hieroglyphics,  which  the 
Greeks  made  ufe  of  to  defign  thefe  fymbolical  characters,  fig- 

(a)  Porphyri.  lib.  ii.  de  Abftin.  (d)  Ammian.  Marcell.  lib.  xiii. 

(b)  Laftant.  Inftitut.  lib.  i.  et  Theodorct,  (e)  lamblic.  de  myft.  Aegypt.  edit, 
Sermo  fecund,  ad  Graecos.  Oxon.  1 67 8.  pag.  Jt 

(c)  Maneth.  apud  Eufeb.  et  Syncell, 


INTRODUCTION.  n 

nifies  a  facred  graving  or  fculpture,  becaufe  this  way  of  writing 
was  firfl:  confecrated  to  preferve  and  tranfmit  to  pofterity  fome 
idea  of  the  myfteries  of  religion.  The  firfl:  fages  of  the  mofl:  re- 
mote antiquity  made  ufe  of  fenfible  figns  and  images  to  repre- 
fent  intelle<5lual  and  fpiritual  truths.  All  the  different  parts  of 
nature  were  employ'd  in  this  facred  language;  the  fun,  the 
moon,  the  planets,  and  the  fixt  flrars.  As  the  heavens  are  a  con- 
tinual objed  ofour  view,  it  is  poffible  that  the  wife  men  among 
the  antidiluvian,  or  pofl:diluvian  patriarchs  gave  names  to  the 
luminous  bodies  that  flilne  there, relative  to  the  great  myfteries 
of  faith,  that  fo,  in  feeing  them  every  day  and  every  night, 
they  might  recall  to  our  mind,  the  remembrance  of  divine 
truths,  and  be  as  a  book  opened  to  the  view  of  all  mortals,  in 
which  they  might  read  at  all  times.  Nothing  was  more  pro- 
per to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  facred  truths,  and  tranfinit 
them  to  poflerity.  Hence  may  come  all  the  names  of  the  con- 
ftellations  which  defign  fome  property  or  event  attributed  to 
the  good  and  evil  principle;  as  the  Lyon,  which  was  one  of 
the  fymbols  of  the  Logos  humaniz'd,  whom  the  Hebrews 
called  the  Lyon  of  the  tribe  of  Judah ;  the  Ram  or  Lamb, 
the  Bull,  &c.  The  evil  principle  was  reprefented  by  the  Dra- 
gon, or  the  Serpent,  the  Scorpion,  the  Capricorn  or  wild 
goat,  &c.  We  dare  not  venture  to  explain  all  the  refl,  this  de- 
tail might  degenerate  into  fidion  and  wild  conjectures,  be- 
caufe we  have  loft  the  alphabet  of  this  hieroglyphlcal  lan- 
guage. Moreover,  the  figures  of  birds,  animals,  infects  and 
vegetables  were  alfo  employ'd  in  this  fymbolical  ftyle,  becaufe 
their  different  properties  and  natures  were  look'd  upon  as  em- 
blems, reprefentations  and  figures  of  the  qualities,  actions  and 

Bs 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

paflions,  of  the  attributes,  virtues  and  vices  of  intelligent  be- 
ings. The  fource  of  this  primitive  hieroglyphical  language 
feems  to  have  been  the  perfuafion  of  a  great  truth  which  we 
have  demonftrated  in  the  firft  part  of  this  work,  that  the  vi- 
fible  world  is  reprefentative  of  the  invifible;  that  the  proper- 
ties, forms,  and  motions  of  the  one  were  copies,  images,  and 
fhadows  of  the  attributes,  qualities  and  laws  of  the  other; 
and,  in  fine,  that  both  the  material  pictures  and  intelligent  i- 
mages  were,  in  their  primitive  original  ftate,  reprefentative  of 
their  common  archetype.  I  repeat  once  more,  that  as  we  have 
no  longer  any  relilh  for  this  fublime  analogical  philofophy, 
nor  any  knowledge  of  the  hieroglyphical  characters  which 
depended  upon  it,  we  cannot,  nor  dare  not  enter  into  a  par- 
ticular explication  of  all  the  fymbols  of  the  ancients.  What 
isfure  from  the  name  Hieroglyphics,  is,  that  this  ancient  way 
of  writing  was  at  firft  confecrated  to  the  expreffion  of  divine 
things. 

5.  All  religious  and  learned  nations  have  by  tradition  the 
Idea  of  a  great  Man  or  Legiflator,  who  was  the  firft  author 
of  thefe  facred  fymbols  and  hieroglyphics,  of  letters  and  fci- 
ences,  who  taught  them  their  original  laws,  facred  myiteries, 
and  religious  rites.  The  Chinefe  called  him  Fohi ;  the  Indi- 
ans, Zoroafter  j  the  Chaldeans,  Douvanai;  the  Egyptians, 
Thoyt;  the  Phenicians,  Taaut;  the  Latins,  Mercury;  the 
Greeks,  Hermes;  the  Arabians,  Adris  or  Edris;  the  Gauls, 
Teutatis.  Now,  upon  a  ftrift  examination  and  deep  enquiry 
it  will  be  found,  that  according  to  aftronomical  and  chrono- 
logical calculations,  all  thefe  men  Hved  fometime  before  the 
univerfal  deluge;  yea,  that  they  were  all  the  fame  man,  and 


INTRODUCTION.  i^ 

confequently  fome  antldiluvian  patriarch  whom  every  one- 
thought  to  be  of  his  own  nation,  becaufe  being  all  defcended 
from  him,  they  look  upon  him  to  be  their  forefather,  and  to 
belong  to  them  as  their  founder,  their  fage,  and  their  inftruc- 
tor;  juft  as  they,  who  look  from  the  circumference  to  the 
center,  believe  that  this  common  point  belongs  equally  ta 
them  all,  becaufe  their  view  terminates  there  by  Itreight  lines. 
Some  think  that  this  antidiluvian  patriarch  was  Enoch  him- 
felf.  Others  believe  that  It  was  Noah  the  reftorer  of  man- 
kind. Whatever  be  In  thefe  conjectures,  it  is  certain  from  the 
principles  laid  down,  that  the  antidiluvian  or  Noevlan  patri- 
archs ought  to  have  taken  fome  furer  meafures  for  tranfmit- 
ting  the  knovvledge  of  divine  truths  to  their  pofterity,  than  by 
oral  tradition,  and  confequently,  that  they  either  invented  or 
made  ufe  of  hieroglyphics  and  fymbols,  to  preferve  the  me- 
mory of  thefe  facred  truths;  fince  this  was  Inconteftably  the 
moft  ancient  manner  of  writing,  according  to  the  fentiment 
of  all  learned  men. 

6.  If  this  be  fb,  then  k  is  certain  that  according  as  the 
world  increafed  and  was  peopled  after  the  deluge,  the  fons  and 
grandchildren  of  Noah  who  had  heard  the  pious  Infl:ru(5tions 
of  their  common  father,  and  feen  the  terrible  judgments  of 
God  upon  the  world,  ought  to  have  been  very  careful  and  foli- 
cltous  to  preferve  thofe  facred  monuments  and  hicroglyphi- 
cal  records  of  religion,  which,  for  the  future,  we  fhall  call  the 
Enochian  or  Noevlan  fymbols.  Every  head  of  a  family  might 
have  had  them  copied,  and  carried  to  the  countiy  he  went 
to  inhabit  with  his  family.  Thus  the  fymbolical  chara<5ters, 
images  and  reprefentation^ of  divine  intclle(fiual  truths,  were- 


j^  INTRODUCTION. 

much  the  fame  in  all  nations.  Of  this  we  have  uncontcftable 
proofs,  fmce  the  fymbols  of  the  Chinefe  are  very  oft  the  fame 
with  thofe  wrote  upon  the  Egyptian  obelifks  yet  preferved: 
for  all  the  Chinefe  charafters  are  hieroglyphics.  We  find  al- 
fo,  that  the  Gauls,  Germans  and  Britains  long  before  they 
were  conquered  by  Julius  Caefar,had  much  the  fame  fymbo- 
lical  reprefentations  of  their  facred  myfteries  and  Deities,  as 
the  Egyptians,  Greeks  and  Romans.  Moreover,  it  is  certain, 
that  very  oft  there  is  a  great  refemblance  betwixt  the  Hebraic 
fymbols  and  the  Pagan  hieroglyphics,  as  will  be  feen  more 
fully  hereafter.  Wherefore,  we  may  reafonably  conclude, 
that  wherever  this  fimilitude  is  found,  the  fame  truths  are  in- 
dicated by  both ;  fuice  the  original  fource  of  tradition  was  the 
fame  to  all  nations.  The  moft  part  of  the  primitive  fathers 
of  the  church  taught  expresfly  that  many  of  the  Pagan  fym- 
bols, fables,  and  fentiments  were  relative  to,  and  reprefenta- 
tive  of  the  divine  myfteries  of  our  holy  religion,  which  the 
firil:  heathens  had  learned  from  the  ancient  tradition  of  the 
Noevian  patriarchs.  In  fucceeding  ages,  thefe  hieroglyphics 
were  craved  upon  diiferent  ftones,  metals,  medals,  urns,  obe* 
lifks  and  other  materials  expofed  to  public  view,  in  order  to 
recall  to  the  mind  the  remembrance  of  thefe  fublime  myfteri- 
ous  truths.  The  hieroglyphical  language  and  charaders  were 
at  firft  invented  not  to  render  religion  myfterious,  and  cover 
it  with  an  impenetrable  veil,  but,  on  the  contrary,  to  render 
its  fublime,  intellectual,  fpiritual  ideas  fenfible,  vifible  and  fa- 
miliar to  the  vulgar. 

7.  By  fucceffionof  time,  the  true  original  fenfe  of  the  fa- 
cred fymbols  and  hieroglyphics  was  forgot,  men  attach'd 


INTRODUCTION.  t^ 

tliemfelvcs  to  the  letter,  and  the  figns,  without  underflanding 
the  fpirit  and  the  thing  fignlfied.  Thus,  the  Pagans  fell  by 
degrees  into  grofs  idolatry  and  wild  fuperftition.  They  mif- 
took  the  original  for  the  picture;  the  images  of  the  fun,  moon, 
and  ftarsjofmenand  women,  of  animals,  plants,  and  reptiles, 
for  facred  and  divine  powers  refiding  in  thefe  vifible  creatures. 
Thus,  according  to  the  expreiTion  of  the  fublime  do6lor  of 
the  Gentiles  (a)  '  they  changed  the  glory  of  the  uncorrup- 

*  tible  God,  into  an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and 
'  to  birds,  and  four-footed  beafts  and  creeping  things.'  The 
Pagan  priefts  favoured  all  thefe  fuperititious  and  idolatrous  de- 
gradations, to  gain  money,  enchain  the  people,  and  inhancc 
their  facerdotal  power  and  prieflcraft.  The  poets  invented 
fables,  obfcured  all  a-new  by  their  w  ild  fictions,  and  degraded 
the  divine  nature  by  underdanding  and  interpreting  in  a  htc- 
ral  fenfe,  all  the  ancient  fymbols.  The  fabulous  age  begun 
among  the  Greeks,  but  all  the  wifer  nations  and  philofophers 
complain  of  the  abufe  they  made  of  the  facred  hieroglyphics, 
and  the  corruptions  they  introduced  into  religion.  '1  his  is 
plain  from  a  fragment  of  Porphyry  preferved  by  Eufebius 
(b).  *  The  way  of  the  Gods  is  ftecp  and  very  craggy,  fays  this 

*  Pagan  philofopher,  the  Barbarians  found  out  many  of  its 
'  paths,  but  the  Greeks  wander'd  from  them,  and  thofe  v/ho 

*  kept  theni  fpoil'd  them:  but  God  difcovcr'd  thefe  hidden 

<  ways  to  the  Egyptians,  the  Phenlcians  and  Chaldeans,  to 
«  the  Lydians  and  Hebrews.  For  this  reafon  Apollo  fays  in 
«  another  oracle  ;the  Chaldeans  alone  and  the  Hebrews  have 

<  got  wifdom,  purely  worfhipping  the  felf-begotten  King- 

(a)  Rom.  1,23.  (b)  Eufeb.  Praepar.  Evangel,  pag.  4 1 2. 


i5  INTRODUCTION. 

*  God/  It  was  then  in  this  little  corner  of  the  earth  called 
Greece  that  mythology  began.  The  Egyptians  look'd  up- 
on them  as  always  children,  notwithftanding  of  their  fine  i- 
magination,and  as  having  no  true  knowledge  of  divine  things. 
During  this  fabulous  humour  and  age,  the  facred,  ancient 
and  primitive  fymbols  were  degraded,  obfcured,  mifinterpre- 
ted,  difmember'd,  mangled  and  disfigured.  The  facred  be- 
came profane;  the  divine,  human;  and  the  moft  fublimc 
truths  were  turn'd  into  wild  fi6lions.  Time,  like  a  river,  car- 
ried aloft  fome  fuperficial,  light,  imaginary  ideas,  while  it 
funk  to  the  bottom  and  plunged  in  oblivion  the  moft  folid, 
weighty,  and  important  truths. 

8.  As  in  the  hieroglyphical  language  there  are  no  conju- 
gations, tenfes,  nor  modes,  the  future  was  oft  taken  for  the 
paft;  thus,  all  the  ancient  traditions  and  fymbols  that  exprefs'd 
our  Saviours  pre-exiftent,  fuffering  and  triumphant  ftate  were 
confounded  in  one,  and  interpreted  of  imaginary  heroes,  or 
conquerors  who  had  fignaliz'd  themfelves  in  different  coun- 
tries and  corners  of  the  earth.  When  the  ancient  hierogly- 
phics reprefented  the  Son  of  God,  the  eternal  Logos,  and  his 
pre-exiftent  humanity,  as  full  of  love  for  his  creatures,  as  pur- 
fuing  them  through  all  the  wild  mazes  of  error  and  vice  in  or- 
<ler  to  cure,  purify  and  reftore  them,  as  the  lover  of  fouls,  as 
jealous  of  their  heart,  as  fitting  upon  the  tops  of  high  moun- 
tains, at  the  gates  of  great  cities,  as  dcfcending  upon  earth 
under  a  corporeal  form,  as  diffufing  itfclf  through  all  nations 
to  make  men  friends  of  God;  they  reprefentthe  Deity  as  co- 
ming down  from  heaven  to  defiiower  virgins,  commit  rapes, 
adulteries,  and  incefts.  When  he  was  figured  in  thefe  ancient 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

lymbolsj  as  a  facrifice  to  expiate  the  fins  of  men,  as  fufFerlng 
the  mofl:  cruel  agonies,  torments  and  death;  they  invented 
the  different  ftories  of  the  murther  of  Ofiris,  the  death  of 
Adonis,  the  exile  of  Apollo,  and  a  thoufand  other  fictions, 
where  tho'  the  fund  bepreferv'd,  yetcircumftances  are  added, 
which  degrade  the  divine  nature.  When  the  God-Guide  and 
the  great  deliverer  was  reprefented  in  that  ancient  fymbolical 
language  as  a  conqueror,  as  the  Lord  of  Hofts,  as  a  ftrong 
and  powerful  King  who  combats  every  day  the  invifible 
powers  of  darknefs,  difpoflefles  them  of  their  fpoils,  and 
who  will  one  day  come  triumphant  upon  the  clouds,  full  of 
indignation,  to  deftroy  the  wicked,  and  banifli  all  moral  and 
phyfical  evil  from  the  earth;  they  confounded  the  invifible 
with  the  vifible,  the  future  with  the  paft,  and  forged  ftories 
of  the  robberies  and  ftealths  of  Mercury,  of  the  furies  of 
Bacchus,  the  labours  of  Hercules,  and  the  cruelties  of  Mars. 
Thus,  all  the  fublimefl:  truths  exprefled  by  the  fymbolical 
chara<5lers  were  changed  into  wild  fi6lions,  and  impious 
fables;  and  the  uncorruptible  God  was  changed  into  the  i- 
mage  of  corruptible  man. 

9.  From  thefe  falfe  explications  and  total  oblivion  of  the 
true  fenfe  of  the  original  hieroglyphics,  there  arofe  among 
the  Egyptians,  Greeks,  Romans,  and  perhaps  Pagans  of  all 
nations,  three  fort  of  Interpreters  of  thofe  facred  fymbols, 
hiftorical,  phyfiological,  and  theological.  All  of  thefe  feeing, 
that  the  fables  and  fi6tions  of  the  poets  could  not  be  undcr- 
ftood  in  a  literal  fenfe,  the  firft  imagined  they  were  allegories 
which  contained  the  true  hiftory  of  kings,  generals  and  heros 
who  had  lived  in  their  country.   The  fecond  finding  no  vef- 

PART  2.  C 


iS  INTRODUCTION. 

tlges  of  thefe  imaginary  events  in  the  trued  and  moft  ancient 
annals,  fancied  they  were  metaphorical  expreflions  of  the 
different  parts,  properties  and  phoenomena  of  nature.  The 
iafl:  more  profound  and  intelleflual  explained  all  thefe  fables 
and  fidions  of  foniething  more  divine  and  fublime.  What  de- 
ceived the  firfc  fort  of  interpreters  was  this;  as  Chriftians  take 
the  names  of  faints  at  baptifm,  fothe  Pagan  kings,  princes  and 
heroes  affumed  very  oft  the  names  of  their  Deities.  Thus,  the 
mythologies  were  filled  with  many  forts  of  Saturns,  Jupiters, 
Mercuries,  Apollos,  Gods  and  GoddefTes  of  all  kinds,  and 
nations.  The  hiflorians  v/ho  follow'd  the  fabulous  ages,  fer- 
vilely  copied  the  poets,  made  the  different  names  and  fymbols 
of  the  middle  God  fo  many  different  heros,  that  had  lived  in 
their  country  and  done  wonderful  fa^s  and  atchievements 
before  their  deification.  This  was  an  error  that  Plutarch  re- 
bukes in  Euhemerus  (a),  '  It  would  be  a  dangerous  miftake, 
«  fays  this  philofophical  hiftorian,  yea  a  manifeft  impiety  to 

*  interpret  v/hat  is  faid  of  the  Gods  as  Euhemerus  the  Mef- 
«  fenian  did,  who  applied  all  to  the  ancient  kings  and  gene- 

*  rals.  This  would  in  the  end  ferve  to  deflroy  religion,  and 
•^  eftrange  mens  minds  from  the  Deity.'  The  phyfiological 
niythologifls,  not  knowing  what  to  make  of  thefe  ancient 
jlymbols,  hieroglyphics  and  traditions,  and  finding  the  literal 
fenfe  altogether  incongruous,  ridiculous,  abfurd,  and  incom- 
patible with  the  divine  nature,  explain'd  all  the  fymbols,  al- 
legories and  fables  in  a  phyfical  manner,  and  look'd  upon 
ihem  as  emblems,  images,  and  reprefentations  of  material 
nature  and  its  different  parts,  qualities  and  operations,  Thus 

(a)  Plutarch,  de  Ifwj.  etOfirid,  pag.  308.  edit.  Lut.  Par,  foL 


INTRODUCTION.  v; 

Juno  was  look'd  upon  as  the  aether,  Jupiter  as  the  air,  Nep- 
tunas  the  fea,  Cybele  as  the  earth,  Vulcan  as  the  fire,  Apol- 
lo as  the  fun,  Phoebe  as  the  moon,  and  all  the  invifible 
powers,  perfections,  and  hypoftafes  of  the  divine  nature,  as 
fo  many  members  of  the  vifible  creation.  Thus,  the  original 
fenfe  was  intirely  perverted,  the  fign  became  the  thing  fgni- 
fied,  and  the  reality  was  look'd  upon  as  a  fymbol.  The  com- 
bats of  the  Gods  with  the  Titans,  and  all  that  was  faid  of  the 
fabulous  Deities  thus  transform'd,  crumbled,  and  diffolved 
into  different  parts  of  the  material  univerfe,  were  look'd  up- 
on as  fo  many  allegories  to  explain  the  different  changes,  ir- 
regularities, phoenomena  and  combats  of  the  elements.  This 
was  the  fenfe  given  to  the  ancient  f}aTibols  and  traditions  de- 
graded, difguifed  and  mixed  with  fables,  by  Anaximander, 
Democritus,  Epicurus,  Lucretius,  and  all  the  fe6lof  the  Ma- 
terialifts.  Nothing  is  more  contrary  to  the  primitive  defign 
of  the  fymbolical  language,  than  this  fy([em  of  the  phyfiolo- 
gical  interpreters.  Symbols  were  at  firft  invented,  as  we  have 
already  remark'd,  to  render  fpiritual  ideas  intelligible  by  fen- 
fible  images,  and  not  to  difguife  vifible  objects,  by  fpiritual 
metaphors,  which  would  have  rendered  the  moft  common, 
vulgar,  and  obvious  phoenomena  of  nature  altogether  enig- 
matical and  unintelligible.  This  metaphorical,  enigmatical 
language  is  quite  another  flyle,  than  the  hieroglyphical  one, 
whofe  firft  intention  was  to  give  a  lively  fenfe  of  divine  truths, 
and  not  to  cover,  vail  and  darken  them.  The  fource  of  this 
fyflem  was  impiety,  it's  confequences  wild  fiction,  and  its  end 
a  total  contempt  of  antiquity,  as  a  race  of  weak  mortals  with- 
out reafon,  elevation,  or  fentiment.    The  diviner  and  more 

C2 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

exalted  phllofophers  among  the  Pagans  who  were,  as  St.  JuA 
tin  Martyr  calls  them,  truly  infpired  by  the  Logos,  and  en- 
lightned  by  that  eternal  Wifdom,  which,  according  to  Solo- 
mon, diffufes  itfelf  through  all  nations,  and  makes  friends  of 
God  and  prophets,  faw  through  the  vail,  and  difcovered  in 
the  aneient  jfymbols  fome  faint  notices  of  fpiritual  truths. 
Such  were  Zoroafter  among  the  Perfians,  Trifmcgiftes  a- 
mong  the  Egyptians,  Pythagoras,  Socrates  and  Plato  among 
the  Greeks.  They  looked  upon  all  the  fymbolical  reprefen- 
tations,  and  hieroglyphics,  and  even  the  poetical  fictions  of 
the  ancients  as  reprefentative  of  fomething  intellectual  and  di- 
vine. They  defpifed  and  condemned  all  the  fabulous  dif- 
guifes  thatfervcd  to  degrade  the  divine  nature,  and  authorife 
vice;  yea,  perhaps  many  of  them  like  Socrates  fufFered  mar- 
tyrdom for  their  oppofition  to  idolatrous  practices,  inhuman 
facrifices,  and  fuperflitious  principles. 

10.  We  muft  not  however  thiak,  that  the  Pagans  alone 
were  guilty  of  thefe  degradations,  alterations  and  falfe  expli- 
cations of  the  facred  fymbols  and  ancient  traditions.  As  men 
are  much  the  fame  in  all  nations,  ages  and  religions,  and  that 
human  nature  is  an  inexhauftible  fource  of  ignorance,  felf- 
love  and  cupidity,  the  members  of  the  vifible  church  both 
Jewifh  and  Chriftian  fell  into  far  greater  tho'very  different 
abufes,  and  mi/interpretations  of  aneient  tradition,  than  the 
Pagans.  Tho'  the  Jews  had  a  law  written  not  in  a  hierogly- 
phical  ftyle,  but  in  vulgar  language,  yet  they  explain'd  all  the 
metaphorical  defcriptions  of  the  divine  nature  and  attributes 
in  a  literal-  fenfe,  and  form'd  to  themfelves  the  idea  of  a 
partial,  fantaftic,  furious,  wrathful  God  who  loved  one  nzr 


INTRODUCTION.  2r 

tion  only  and  hated  all  the  reft.  Becaufe  they  were  chofen  to 
be  the  depofitarlesof  thefacred  oracles,  and  had  the  external 
fneans  of  ialvation,  they  fancied  that  the  God  of  the  Ifrae- 
Ikes  was  not  the  God  of  the  Gentiles;  that  he  abandon'd  all 
other  nations  to  a  total  ignorance  of  his  efTcnce,  and  to  inevi* 
,  table  damnation.  They  interpreted  all  the  glorious  prophe- 
cies about  the  Mefliah  and  his  appearance  here  below,  of  a 
temporal  kingdom,  when  their  nation  fhould  be  exalted  abovs 
all  other  nations,  and  they  become  the  fole  favourites  of  hea- 
ven, yea,  the  conquerors  of  the  earth.  They  confounded 
the  fuffering  ftate  of  the  Meiliah  with  his  triumphant  reigiij 
and  fo  paved  the  way  for  cmcifying  the  Lord  of  Hfe.  Ths 
Chriftian  mythologies  and  fchoolmen  have  difguifed,  ob- 
fcured  and  adulterated  ail  the  principal- articles  of  faith  by 
their  wild  fictions  about  prefcience  and  predefHnation,  origi- 
nal (in  and  eternal  pains,  vindicflive  juftice  and  fatisfa(5lion  to 
appeafe  it;  the  impoffibility  of  falvation  out  of  the  facred  pale,' 
and  the  eternal  reprobation  of  the  Jews  and  Pagans  that  live 
and  die  in  an  invincible  ignorance  of  the  hiflorlcal  fa*5ls  of  the 
New  Teftament.  They  have  interpreted  dll  the  glorious  pro* 
mifes  about  the  reign  of  the  Meffiah  to  the  external  fplcndor 
of  the  Chrifrian  hierarchy;  changed  true,  faving,fupernatural 
faith  into  a  fpeculative  belief  of  the  divine  myfteries  which  the 
devils  believe  and  tremble;  fupernatural  hope  intoa iplritual 
concupifcence.and  pure  love  intoa  refined  felf  idolatry;  and,  in 
fine,  they  havefublHtuted  the  Judaical  pradiceand  obfcrvatioii 
of  the  external  means, in  place  of  true  prayer,  inward  mortifi^ 
cation  and  perfefl:  fclf- denial.  As  there  was  however,  in  alt 
ages  and  nations,  fincc-the  fall,  holy,  clcd:  fouls  among  th& 


2^  INTRODUCTION. 

Pagans  who  did  not  follow  the  grofs  corruptions  of  their 
falfe  religions,  fo  there  ever  was  and  will  be  faithful,  chofen 
fouls  among  the  Jews  and  Chriftians  who  have  not  adopted 
the  abufes  of  the  true  religion,  and  who  have  been  true  ado- 
rers in  fpirit  and  in  truth,  true  Ifraelites  and  children  of  Abra- 
ham, true  difciples  of  Jefus  crucified,  who  penetrated  the  fub- 
llme  fenfe  of  all  the  fymbols,  rites  and  facraments,  and  con- 
fequently,  who  never  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal,  nor  worfliip- 
ped  the  whore,  the  beaft  and  the  dragon. 

II.  The  literal  interpreters  of  the  Pagan  fymbols  and 
hieroglyphics,  religion  and  mythology,  among  the  moderns, 
have  afFe(5led  to  degrade  them,  and  thereby  to  reprefent  the 
Orientals  and  Egyptians,  whom  God  himfelf  commends 
in  fcripture  for  their  fuperior  knowledge,  as  alfo  the  Greeks 
and  Romans,  Avhofe  mathematical,  moral,  hiftorical,  poe- 
tical, and  mechanical  productions  are  ftill  the  objefts  of  our 
udmiratlon,  yea,  all  the  Pagan  nations,  whether  Europe- 
ans, Africans,  or  Americans,  as  men  who  had  no  juft  ideas  of 
the  Deity,  nor  of  religion  ;  who  believed  and  adored  as  my- 
fterious  the  groffeft,  mod  childifh,  and  moft  infipid  fables. 
This  mondrous  prejudice  came  originally  from  the  grofs 
ignorance,  religious  impofture,  and  falfe  zeal  of  the  Phari- 
faical  and  fataliftical  do6tors,  who  imagine  they  do  a  great 
deal  of  honour  to  revealedj'eligion  by  maintaining,  that  out 
of  the  vifible  church,  there  never  were  nor  can  be  any  di- 
vine lights,  faving  graces,  fupernatural  virtues,  nor  any  pof- 
fibility  of  falvation.  The  Atheifts,  Deifls,  and  Free-thinkers 
take  occafion  from  this  odious  error  to  laugh  at  all  religion, 
as  a  mere  invention  of  politicians  to  awe  the  multitude,  and 


INTRODUCTlONo  23 

a  trick  of  prieftcrafr  to  gain  money.  This  falfe  idea  of  the  li- 
teral mythologies  makes  the  ftudy  of  antiquity  a  childifh, 
trifling  amufement  fit  only  for  fchool-boys,  who  have  not  yet 
attain'd  rheageof  reafbn,  and  altogether  unworthy  of  our  at- 
tention and  refearch.  By  the  principles  above-mentioned, 
the  flrudy  of  antiquity,  of  the  mythology,  fymbols,  infcripti- 
ons,  medals,  gravings,  (tatues,  and  religion  of  the  Pagans  be* 
comes  ufeful,  agreeable,  and  worthy  of  the  moft  exalted  ge- 
niufes,  fince  this  ftudy  may  help  us  to  trace  down  from  the 
origin  of  the  world  to  this  day,  the  precious  veftiges  of  the 
moft  admirable  and  fublirae  truths.  Thus,  the  fubaltern  fci- 
ences  that  appear  trifling  curiofities  in  themfelves,  will  be- 
come fubfervient  to  the  principal  primitive  ones,  the  know-- 
ledge  of  God  and  the  human  mind. 

12.  We  mull,  however,  take  care  not  to  fall  into  the  fpu- 
rious  fyftem  of  fome modern  critics  who  imagine  that  all  the 
mythology  of  the  heathens  was  originally  derived  from  the 
Hebrew  writings,  and  is  relative  to  the  fa<51-s  and  hiftory  of 
that  nation:  that  Ofirk  and  Jupiter  were  Adam,  Ifis  and  Ju^ 
no  Eve,  Tubalcaia  Vulcan,  Bacchus,  Noah;  Apollo,  Ado-- 
nis,  Mythras,  Mars,  Mercury  and  Hercules  were  Abraham, 
Mofes,  Jofuah,  or  fome  oth^r  holy  patriarch  of  the  Hebrew 
nation,  and,  in  one  word,  that  all  the  heroes  of  the  Jews  are 
the  Gods  of  the  Gentiles.  This  is  the  f)'fl:em  of  Bochart, 
Vofllus,  Huet,  Thomaflln,  Gale,  and  almofl:  all  the  antiqua- 
rians of  the  laft  century ;  men  otherwife  of  great  learning,  but 
very  bad  philofophers.  This  imaginary  fyitem  appears  abfo- 
lutely  falfe  for  the  following  reafons;  (i.)  It  is  founded  up- 
on certain  forced  refemblaacesbetwixCthc  Jewifh  heroes  and 


24  INTRODUCTION. 

the  Pagan  Deities.  It  is  not  enough  to  prove  thatperfons  are 
the  fame,  becaufe  they  were  born  in  the  fame  country,  lived 
in  the  fame  time,  and  did  fome  a6lions  that  refemble  each  o- 
ther;  this  refemblance  may  be  found  between  the  great  he- 
roes of  all  nations  and  ages.  (2.)  If  there  be  any  reality  in 
thefe  fcanty  and  defe(5live  conje6lures,  it  muft  be  only  in  (6 
far,  as  thefe  Jewiih  heroes  themfelves  were  types  of  the  Mef- 
fiah  and  of  the  defireof  all  nations,  who  mufl:  have  heard  of 
his  coming  by  ancient  tradition,  fince  they  all  expefted  it. 
Now,  to  fay  that  the  heathen  Deities  were  only  types  of 
types,: is  very  improbable.  (3.)  The  Jews  were  generally  de- 
telled  from  the  beginning  by  the  Gentiles.  After  the  death 
of  Mofes,  the  former  made  war  upon  the  later,  were  the 
fcourge  of  their  neighbouring  nations,  fpared  neither  age  nor 
fex,  and  were  known  to  them  only  by  their  hoftillties,  and 
examples  of  terror.  It  is  no  ways  probable,  that  thofe  who 
efcaped  from  their  fword,  erefted  the  legiflator  of  the  Jews 
into  a  God,  and  paid  divine  homage  to  the  heroes  of  a  nati- 
on that  appeared  to  them  fo  fanguinary,  efpecially,  fince  it 
was  a  cudom  among  the  Pagans,  rather  to  charge  vi^ith  im- 
precations theindigenal  Gods  of  their  enemies,  than  to  make 
them  objci^l-s  of  their  adoration  and  worfhip.  (4.)  It  is  cer- 
tain that  the  Chinefe  who  never  fo  much  as  heard  of  the 
Jews  before  our  Saviour's  coming,  and  never  read  their  wri- 
tings, had  long  before  the  Chriftian  aera  original  books 
which  contain  the  fame  traditions  of  the  facred  Sexenary,  as 
•Ihall  fully  appear  hereafter.  Weniuft  therefore  afcend  high- 
er than  Mofes  and  the  Hebrew  nation,  to  explain  the  true 
origin  of  the  Pagan  univerfal  fymbols  and  principles  of  reli- 


INTRODUCTION.  25 

gion.  (5.)  In  fine,  there  is  nothing  in  the  perfons,  nor  hiflo- 
ry  of  the  Hebrew  patriarchs  fince  Mofes,  that  could  equally 
interefl:  all  nations;  whereas,  the  principal  do<5lrines  of  the 
facred  Sexenary  above-mentioned,  the  ancient  traditions  a- 
bout  the  divine  nature,  of  a  Son  of  God  who  was  to  come 
and  deliver  them  from  all  moral  and  phyfical  evil,  w^ho  was 
to  reftore  the  world  to  its  primitive  perfe(5i:ion  and  beauty, 
were  objects  that  interefted  equally  all  nations;  and  therefore, 
it  is  no  wonder,  if  fome  hints  and  veftiges  of  thefe  facred 
truths  be  found  in  all  their  mythologies  and  religions  tho' 
dilguifed,  degraded  and  adulterated. 

Thisfeems  to  be  a  more  rational  fyftem  of  antiquity,  than  • 
has  yet  appeared.  The  moft  part  of  its  branches  will  be  ful- 
ly illuftrated  in  the  following  {heets,  and  the  reft  will  appear 
convincing  to  thofe  who  have  carefully  perufed  and  been  per- 
fuaded  of  the  truth  of  the  foregoing  part.  As  thefe  twelve 
remarks  however,  may  appear  too  complicated  and  lefs  evi- 
dent to  novices  in  true  learning,  we  Ihall  reduce  them  to  the 
following  principles,  which  none  can  deny  who  have  a  true 
veneration  for  the  facred  oracles,  and  a  tolerable  knowledge 
of  antiquity. 

1.  Adam,  Noah,  all  the  antldlluvlan and  poft-dlluvlan pa- 
triarchs, knew  the  great  principles  of  Natural  and  Revealed 
Religion,  and  therefore  could  and  iliould  have  taken  allmea- 
fures  pofTible  to  tranfmit  this  faving  knowledge  to  their  pof- 
terlty. 

2.  It  would  have  been  unbecoming  the  prudence  and  fanc- 
tlty  of  thefe  holy  patriarchs,  not  to  have  chofen  fame  furer 
method  for  tranfmltting  thefe  facred  truths,  than  by  oral  tra- 

PART  2.  D 


26  INTRODUCTION. 

dition,  which  is  much  more  fubjetfl  to  falfification  than  writ* 
t€P.  tradition. 

3.  The  mofl:  ancient,  the  mofl  exprelTive  and  the  moft  pal- 
pable way  of  writing,  was  not  by  arbitrary  names,  and  alpha- 
betical letters,  but  by  fymbolical  gravings,  which  reprefented 
intellectual  ideas  by  corporeal  images ;  and  this  way  of  wri- 
ting  was  particularly  confecrated  to  the  ufe  and  tranfmiffion 
of  divine  things  to  pofterity,  as  the  word  hieroglyphic  indi- 
cates. 

4.  According  as  the  world  increafed  and  was  peopled  af- 
ter the  deluge,  the  fons  and  grandchildren  of  Noah  copied 
and  carried  thofe  facred  fymbols  of  religion  to  the  different 
places  of  the  earth  which  they  went  to  inhabit  with  their  fa- 
milies; thus,  thefe  fymbolical  characters  were  tranfported 
from  country  to  country,  over  all  the  face  of  our  terreftriai 
globe :  and  for  this  reafon  it  is,  that  the  fymbols,  images, 
idols,  ftatues,  reprefentations,  traditions,  fables,  and  mytho- 
logies about  the  Gods,  GoddefTes,  and  religion  are  much  the 
fame  in  all  nations. 

5.  By  {ucceflion  of  time,  the  true,  original  fenfe  of  the  fa- 
cred fymbols  and  hieroglyphics  was  forgot.  Men  attached 
themfelves  to  the  letter  and  to  figns,  without  underftanding 
the  fpirit  and  thing  fignified,  and  thus  fell  by  degrees  into  the 
groffeft  idolatry  and  wildeft  fuperilition.  They  explain'd  the 
facred  fymbols  according  to  their  fancy;  and  fo  turn'dall  the 
ancient  traditions  into  fables,  fi6lions  and  mythologies,where 
tho'  the  circumftances  were  different,  yet  the  fund  was  Itili 
the  fame. 

6.  Notwithflanding  of  thefe  degradations,  adulterations. 


INTRODUCTION,  2^ 

^ndtnifinterpretatlonsof  the  original  fymbolsand  traditions, 
there  ftill  remains  fome  hints,  rays,  and  veftigcs  of  divine 
truths,  and  efpecially  of  the  facred  Sexenary,  in  the  mytholo- 
gies, and  rehgions  of  all  nations  from  Eafl:  to  Weft,  from 
North  to  South,  in  Ada,  Europe,  Africa  and  America,  as 
will  fully  appear  from  the  following  colle(51ions. 

Thefe  fix  principles  will  appear  evident  to  every  one  who 
has  the  leaft  tafte  of  facred  and  profane  antiquity.  I  know  that 
Athelfts,  Delfts,  Free-thinkers  and  Minute-philofophers  of  all 
kinds  will  laugh  at  thofe  preliminary  principles,  becaufe  they 
have  a  perfedl  contempt  for  every  thing  that  fhows  the  leaft 
veneration  for  the  facred  oracles,  or  the  fa<n:s  contained  in 
them.  The  hiftories  of  Adam,  Enoch,  Noah  and  the  de- 
luge are,  according  to  them,  as  imaginary  as  the  fables  of 
Saturn,  Jupiter,  Bacchus  and  Deucalion.  But  if  it  can  be 
proven  from  the  records  of  the  ancients,  that  veftigcs  of  the 
moft  facred  truths  are  to  be  found  in  all  nations,  ages  and  re* 
ligions,then  I  maintain,  that  theMofaic  hiftory  of  the  origin 
and  propagation  of  mankind,  can  alone  give  a  reafonable  fo- 
lutlon  of  this  great  phenomenon  in  the  hiftory  of  the  human 
mind;  and  that  to  Imagine  this  fimllitude  and  harmony  of  prin- 
ciples, to  proceed  from  pure  hazard,  is  as  ridiculous  and  un- 
phllofophlcal,  as  to  pretend  all  things  to  have  been  form'd  by 
blind  chance  and  fortuitous  necefHty.  All  depends  then  up- 
on proving  this  uniformity  and  univerfallty  of  religious  fen- 
timents  In  all  places  and  times.  I  fhall  begin  firft  with  the 
moft  ancient  nations,  defcend  by  degrees,  and  range  my  quo- 
tations under  the  fix  capital  articles  already  mention'd. 


D2 


a8  OF  GOD'S  EXISTENCE 

C   H  A  P.    I. 

Of  God's  existence,  and  three  essential  at- 
tributes, POWER,  WISDOM  AND  GOODNESS. 


I  BEG  IN  firft  With  the  Hebrews,  who  may  be  jnftly  looked 
upon  as  one  of  the  moft  ancient  nations  in  the  world. 
Their  common  father  and  founder  was  Abraham,  who  lived 
about  four  hundred  years  after  the  univerfal  deluge.  From  this 
time  they  began  to  be  a  people  diftinguifhed  from  all  other 
nations,  and  became  very  numerous  long  before  the  legifla- 
tor  Mofes  delivered  them  from  their  captivity  in  Egypt,  above 
four  hundred  years  afterwards.  I  fliall  not  yet  examine,  prove, 
nor  fomuch  as  jfuppofe  the  divine  infpiration  of  their  facred 
books.  I  fhall  confider  them  only  as  a  colleclion  of  very  an- 
cient records,  their  legiflator  as  a  very  great  philofopher,  and 
their  principal  heroes  as  men  who  had  very  fubllme  ideas  of 
the  Deity. 

The  great  law-giver  of  the  Jews  begins  his  Cofmogony, 
or  hillory  of  the  origin  of  the  world,  by  reprefenting  God  as 
Tallying,  fo  to  fpeak,  out  of  his  fHll  eternity  to  create  the  hea- 
vens and  the  earth,  not  from  any  pre-exiftent  matter,  which 
was  the  fubjedt  of  his  operation,  but  as  giving  exigence  to 
what  bad  none  before.  *  In  the  beginning,'  fays  he  (a),  ^  God 

(a)  Cen.i.  %^ 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  29 

•  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth.'  In  the  beginning  of 
time,  when  fucceflion,  variation,  and  mutability  began,  God 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  intelligent  images  and  ma- 
terial pidures  reprefentative  of  his  divine  perfev5lions;  and 
therefore  the  former  were  all  life,  light,  and  love,  and  the  lat- 
ter all  active,  luminous,  and  beatifying.  Since  they  were  cre- 
ated, they  were  not  emanations  of  his  fubftance,  but  fimple 
efFe6ts  of  his  power,  their  matter  was  made,  as  well  as  their 
different  forms. 

In  another  place  (a)  Mofes  defines  this  Creator  of  all 
things,  THE  BEING  THAT  IS,  the  felf-exiftcnt  Being,  the 
Being  to  whofe  eiTence  exiftcnce  belongs,  whofe  exiftence  is 
neceffary  and  whofe  non-exiftence  is  impoffible.  We  have 
fhewn  in  the  firR  Part  that  this  felf-exiftence  exprelfcs,  fup* 
pofes  and  includes  all  other  perfeflions;  efpecially  eternity 
and  immenfity,  now  what  is  eternal  in  all  times  muft  be  im^ 
mutable,  and  what  is  immenfe  in  all  places  muft  be  unexten* 
ded,  and  therefore  is  incorporeal  and  fpiritual. 

Mofes,  In  his  fublime  anthem  (b),  reprefents  God  not  on- 
ly as  infinite  in  power,  in  ftrength,  in  dominio4i  and  empire, 
vrho  produced  the  world  from  nothing,  and  governs  it  by  gc^ 
neral  laws  of  unerring  wifdom,  but  as  the  fovereign  mafler  of 
nature  who  changes,  fufoends,  and  overturns-  thefe  general 
laws  when  he  pleafes,  to  produce  particular  effects  of  povvcrj 
wifdom,  and  goodncfs  by  wonders,  prodigies  and  rairaclesi 
With  the  fame  breath,  and  in  the  fame  divine  fong,  he  pro- 
claims God  to  be  not  only  the  Lord  glorious  in  might,  hut 
glorious  in  holinefs, merciful  and  gracious,  long-fufFcring  and 

(a)  Exod.  iii.  14,     (b)  Ibid.  cap.  xviii.  1 1 .  26, 


3G  OF   GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

abundant  in  goodncfs,  forgiving  iniquity,  tranfgrefllon  and 
fin  to  thofe  who  truly  repent,  who  turn  to  him,  who  hearken 
to  the  voice  of  eternal  wifdon:i,  who  defire  to  imitate  his  per- 
fections, and  to  follow  righteoufnefs,  juftice  and  truth ;  tho* 
in  other  places  he  declares  him  Irreconcileable  to  fin,  impuri- 
ty and  injufdce,  a  confuming  fire  that  mufl:  deftroy  it,  and  full 
of  indignation  till  it  be  quite  annihilated. 

The  fame  legiflator  knowing  the  abufes  which  the  nations 
had  already  made  of  the  hieroglyphical  fymbols,  and  fenfible 
images  of  intelle6lual  ideas,  forbids  the  Hebrews  to  reprefent 
the  pure  effence  of  the  Deity  by  any  thing  corporeal  (a),  by 
graven  images  or  ftatues,  or  any  thing  in  heaven,  upon  earth, 
or  in  the  fea,  thereby  to  accuftom  them  to  adore  in  fpirit  and 
in  truth  the  fupream  incorporeal  effence,  and  teach  them  the 
perfed  fpirituality  of  his  nature.  It  is  true  that  Mofes  fecnis 
to  contradi<n:  this  fublime  idea  of  the  incorporeity  of  the  di- 
vine  effence,  finceheflill  reprefents  the  Lord  God  as  appea- 
ring to  Adam  in  paradife,  to  the  patriarchs,  to  himfelf,  and 
to  the  prophets  under  a  vifible  form,  with  corporeal  mem- 
bers, and  a  human  fliape:  but  we  fhall  Ihew  hereafter,  that 
all  thefevifions  moit  real,  tho' fupernatural,  mufl  be  under- 
ftood  of  the  facred  pre-exiflent  humanity  to  which  the  Logos 
was  united  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  not  of  the 
in  vifible,  incomprehenfible,  unacceflible  effence  of  the  pure 
Deity,  which  no  man  can  fee  during  this  mortal  Hfe. 

Mofes  in  the  next  place  acquaints  the  Ifraelites,  that  the 
true  adoration  which  the  pure  Divinity  demands,  is  to  be  ho- 
ly (b)  as  God  is  holy,  and  that  this  holinefs  confifls  in  loving 

(a)  Exod.xx.  4,  j.  (b)  Levit.  ix.  2, 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  ^t 

the  invlfible  Deity  with  all  their  ftrength.  This  was  always 
the  eternal,  Immutable,  and  univerfal  law  of  all  intelligent 
natures.  For  this  reafon,  he  reduces  all  the  ftatutes,  precepts 
and  commandments  to  this  one  great  law,  (a)  '  and  now,  If- 

*  rael,  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee,  but  to 

*  love  him  and  to  ferve  him  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 
<  thy  foul  r 

The  book  of  Job,  which  is  thought  to  have  been  wrote 
by  Mofes,  is  full  of  the  fublim.efl:  ideas  of  the  divine  unity, 
immenfity,  and  fovereign  empire  over  all  the  creatures,  his 
power  in  producing,  his  wifdom  in  governing,  and  his  all- 
watchful  providence  in  preferving  all  things.  It  feems  to  have 
been  wrote,  not  only  to  give  the  Ifraelites  a  model  of  pati- 
ence and  fan^ity  in  the  perfon  of  Job,  during  their  flavcry  in 
Egypt,  but  alfo  to  fhew  that  God  had  chofen  elecT:  fouls, 
even  in  the  race  of  Efau,  and  in  the  bofom  of  Paganifin,  ido- 
latry and  fuperfHtion. 

As  Mofes  knew  that  man  was  compofcd  of  foul  and  body, 
and  that  he  wanted  external  figns  and  fymbols  to  excite  him 
to  fpiritual,  internal  adoration,  he  eftabliflied  a  public  wor- 
fhip  that  was  all  figurative  and  fymbolical.  Indrufted  by  the 
patriarchs  and  the  defcendants  of  Noah  in  all  the  great  prin- 
ciples of  Natural  and  Revealed  Religion,  in  the  Being  and 
Attributes  of  God,  in  the  fail  of  man,  in  the  future  advent  of 
the  Mefllah  in  his  fuffering  and  triumphant  flate,  in  the  true 
means  of  re-union  to  our  great  originaljlic  eftabhihed  a  pub- 
lic worihip,  that  was  reprefentative  of  thefe  falutary  truths 
and  divine  virtues.    All  the  neceffary  and  moft  vulgar  fune- 

(a)  Deuter.  vi.  5.  and  x.  12. 


32  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

tions  of  life  were  confecrated  by  a  divine  command,  and  fo 
became  a6l:s  of  religious  obedience.  The  external  worihip  of 
the  Jews  was  loaded  with  a  great  variety  and  multiplicity  of 
rites,  and  ordinances,  which  when  praftlfed  in  the  true  fpirit 
of  their  inftitution,  became  a  fort  of  continual  prayer,  their 
abftlnences  a  dally  mortification,  their  ablutions  and  purifi- 
cations, fymbols  of  that  perfed  purity  of  heart  neceflary  to 
■prepare  us  for  the  divine  union;  the  daily,  weekly,  monthly, 
and  yearly  fealls  and  facrifices,  were  emblems  and  fymbols 
either  of  the  great  Vi6llm  to  be  offered  up  for  the  fms  of  the 
world,  or  of  the  internal  facrificc  of  the  paflions,  fenfual  de- 
fires,  orfpiritual  vices,  which  muft  be  immolated  e're  we  can 
be  reunited  to  our  firft  Principle^  If  the  IfraeHtes  had  been 
faithful  to  this  great  plan,  they  would  have  become  a  nation 
of  true  philofophers  and  contcmplatives,  who  would  have 
walked  before  God,  and  foon  become  perfect,  like  the  patri- 
archs. They  would  have  placed  all  their  felicity  in  the  hopes 
of  a  better  life,  and  praflifed  all  the  moral  and  fociai  duties 
by  a  principle  of  divine  love. 

In  order  to  hinder  this  felecV,  chofen,  holy  nation  from  be- 
ing invaded,  fubduedjdeftroyed,  or  forced  to  fubmit  themfclves 
to  the  idolatrous  pradices,  wild  fuperftitions,  and  inhuman  fa- 
crifices of  other  nations,  this  great  law-giver  formed  his  coun- 
trymen to  the  art  of  war;  and  his  fucceffors,  Jofuah,  Gide- 
on, the  Judges,  David  and  Solomon  did  the  fame.  Thus,  tho' 
Mofes  had  wrought  no  miracles  to  prove  his  fupernatural 
mlfTion,  yet  he  ought  flill  to  be  looked  upon  as  a  great  philo- 
fopher,  and  a  divine  legiflator,  far  fuperior  to  thofe  whofe 
yiews  are  only  to  conquer  their  neighbouring  provinces  and 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  33 

nations,  difturb  the  peace  of  manldnd,  and  invade  the  rights, 
properties,  and  liberty  of  their  fellow-creatures.  The  view 
of  the  Hebrew  law-giver  was  to  form  a  nation  of  true  ado- 
rers of  the  fupream  God,  that  fhould  deftroy  idolatry,  en- 
lighten the  world,  fubje^l  all  nations  to  the  empire  of  the 
Moft  High,  and  to  make  them  at  once  happy  and  virtuous, 
wife  and  religious. 

7  his  view  of  theMcfaic  oeconomy,  inftitution  and  laws, 
is  fufficient  to  excite  our  admiration  and  efteem,  tho'  we 
fhould  confider  Mofes  only  as  a  fimple  philofopher  and  a  wife 
Icgiflator:  but  if  it  can  befhown,  that  he  proved  his  fuperna- 
tural  miffion  by  prodigies  which  furpafs  the  force  and  power 
of  human  nature;  that  they  wcrefo  public,  fo  univerfal,  and 
of  fuch  a  kind  that  they  could  not  be  impoftures,  nor  delu- 
fions  of  fenfe  ;  and  in  fine,  that  monuments  were  ere\5ledand 
feafts  inlHtuted  from  the  time  thefe  miracles  were  wrought, 
to  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of  them,  and  render  their  ve- 
racity unfufpe(fl:ed  to  all  generations ;  then  it  will  follow  evi- 
dently, that  the  plan  of  Revealed  Religion  is  altogether  wor- 
thy of  God,  that  his  defign  in  chufing  one  particular  nation 
of  whom  JefusChriftdefcended  according  to  the  flcfli,  was 
to  eftablifli  a  vifible  church  to  be  the  depofitary  of  his  facred 
oracles,  the  guardian  of  ancient  tradition,  and  the  regifter  of 
heaven  till  themyfteries  fhould  be  accomplifhed  and  the  pro- 
phecies fulfilled. 

All  the  fuccelTors  of  Mofcs,  the  good  princes,  kings  and 

prophets  of  the  Hebrew  nation  give  us  the  fame  exalted  ideas 

of  God  and  religion,  as  this  great  legiflator.      The  facred 

hymns  of  the  royal  prophet  David,  are  full  of  the  highefl: 

PART  2.  E 


34  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

ideas  and  noblcft  fentiments  of  the  divine  power,  wifdom, 
andgoodnefs;  of  adoration,  praife  and  thankfgiving,  of  fub- 
miflion  to  providence,  of  an  entire  rellgnation  to  his  will,  of 
faith,  truft  and  confidence  in  his  fuccours  and  graces,  of  hope, 
defire  and  expedation  of  his  glorious  reign,  of  the  raoft  pure, 
perfect,  and  ardent  love  of  the  creature  for  the  Creator;  of 
continual  prayer,  fuffering  and  felf-denial,  felf-annihilation, 
and  felf-diffidence.  He  reprefents  God  alternatively  as  all 
wrath,  vengeance,  hatred,  and  indignation  againft  fin,  and, 
at  the  fame  time,  as  all  love,  tendernefs,  and  compafTion  for 
the  finner,  full  of  patience,  long-fufFering,  and  mercy,  which 
will  one  day  triumph  over  all  his  w^orks,  deliver  us  from  all 
moral  and  phyfical  evil,  and  at  length  reflore  all  lapfed  be- 
ings to  their  primitive  purity,  perfeftion  and  happincfs,  as  fhall 
be  fully  proven  hereafter.  His  defign  indeed  in  thefe  divine 
anthems,  and  the  principal  end  of  his  fongs  feems  rather  to 
paint  forth  God's  moral  and  communicable  attributes,  than 
his  abfolute  and  incommunicable  perfedions;  yet  he  now 
and  then  defines  the  laft  by  the  fublimeft  metaphors,  and  i- 
mages.  Thus  he  expreffes  mod  nobly  the  incomprehenfibi- 
lity  of  the  divine  nature,  when  he  reprefents  God  as  furroun- 
ded  with  darknefs  impenetrable  to  mortal  eyes,    (a)  '  Dark- 

*  nefs  is  his  fecret  place,  and  thick  clouds  are  his  pavilion;' 
his  immenfity,  when  he  calls  *  the  highell:  heavens  his  throne, 

*  and  the  earth  his  footftool;  and  this  noble  image  is  again  re- 
peated by  the  prophet  Ifaiah  (b);  his  omniprefence,  when  he 
fays,  (c)  '  Whither  fhall  I  go  from  thy  fpirit,  or  whither  fhall 

*  I  fly  from  thy  prefence  ?    If  I  afcend  up  to  heaven  thou  art 

(a)  Pfalm  xviii.  1 1.     (b)  Ifaiah  Ixvi.  i .     (c)  pfalm  cxxxix.  7; 8,  ^,  lo,  &c. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  35 

*  there,  if  I  make  my  bed  In  hell,  behold  thou  art  there.    If 

*  I  take  the  wings  of  the  morning,  and  fly  to  the  nttermofl 

*  parts  of  the  fea,  even  there  fliall  thy  hand  lead  me,  and  thy 

*  right  hand  fhall  hold  me ;'  God's  omnifcience,  when  he 
fpeaks  thus,  (a)  *  Thou  underftandelt  my  thoughts  long  ere 

*  they  appear,  there  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue,  but  thou 

*  knoweftit  altogether.     Thou  art  acquainted  with  all  my 

*  ways,  fuch  knowledge  is  too  wonderful  for  me,  it  is  high, 

*  I  cannot  attain  to  it.' 

Solomon  his  fon  and  fucceffor  gives  a  very  noble  and  ex- 
tenfive  idea  of  the  divine  immenfity,  when  he  built  the  marr- 
nificent  temple  of  Jerufalem,  he  warns  the  people  not  to 
think  that  the  Divine  Nature  could  be  circumfcribed  by 
walls,    (b)  '  Behold  the  heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens 

*  cannot  contain  thee,  how  much  lefs  the  houfe  that  I  have 

*  built!'     The  prophet  Ifaiah  gives  us  alfo  the  fame  great 
ideas  of  the  divine  Infinity,  when  he  fays,  (c)  '  He  meaf.ires 

*  the  feas  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  and  the  heavens  with  a 

*  Ipan,  he  weighs  the  mountains  in  fcales,  and  the  hills  in  a 

*  ballance.    He  fits  upon  the  orb  of  the  earth,  and  looks  up- 

*  on  its  inhabitants  as  grafhoppers,  he  fpreads  out  the  hea- 

*  vens  as  a  curtain,  and  ftretches  them  out  as  a  tent  to  dwell 

*  in.'    The  book  called  the  Wifdom  of  Solomon  o-Ivcs  the 
moft  noble  definition  of  divine  Wifdom  in  thefc  words,    (d) 

*  Wifdom,  which  is  the  maker  of  all  things,  Inflrufled  me, 

*  for  in  her  is  an  undcrfi:anding  fpirit,  holy,  one,  manifold, 

*  fubtil,  lively,  clear,  undefiled,  plain,  innocent,  loving  what 

(a)  Pfalm  cxxxix.  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,6.  (c)  iHiiah  xl.  12,  22. 

(b)  I  Kings  viii,  27.  (d)  Wifdom  vii.  22,  22,  ^c, 

E2 


36  OF   GOD^s  EXISTENCE, 

*  is  good,  quick  and  irrefiftible,  kind  to  man,  peaceful,  ha- 

*  ving  all  power,  overfeeing  all  things,  penetrating  all  intel- 

*  ligentjpure  and  mod  fubtil  fpirits.  She  is  more  acflivethan 

*  motion,  and  pervades  all  things  becaufe  of  her  purity.    She 

*  is  an  emanation  of  the  divine  adivity,  and  a  pure  influence 
'  flowing  from  the  glory  of  the  Almighty,  the  brightnefs  of 

*  the  everlafting  light,  the  unfpotted  mirror  of  the  power  of 

*  God,  and,  the  image  of  his  goodnefs.'    Solomon  reprefents 

*  divineWifdom  (a)as  '  crying  upon  the  tops  of  high  moun- 
'  tains,  in  the  midft  of  high  ways,  and  at  the  gates  of  great 

*  cities,  to  excite  men  to  the  love  of  juftice.'     The  book  of 
Wifdom  reprefents  it  (b)  as  '  difTufrng  itfelf  thro'  all  nations 

*  to  make  men  friends  of  God  and  prophets,  as  a  God  who 

*  loves  all  that  he  has  made,  and  who  fpares  all,becaufc  he  is 

*  the  lover  of  fouls. 

In  fine,  all  the  prophets  reprefent  the  Divine  Nature  as  ali 
life,  light  and  love,  as  the  father  of  fpirits,  and  the  fpoufe  of 
fouls,  who  mourns  over  their  voluntary  corruption  and  dege- 
neracy, who  is  vexed  and  grieved  for  their  obflinacy;  who 
will  not  force  nor  deflroy  their  freedom,  but  who  defires 
their  felicity  with  as  much  ardor,  as  if  his  own  happlnefs  de- 
pended on  theirs.  Then  they  reprefent  him  as  all  holinefs, 
and  all  juflice,  irreconcilable  to  fm,  and  who  will  at  lafl:  total- 
ly confume,  and  annihilate  it  for  ever.  They  are  full  of  pre- 
diaions  either  of  the  fufFering  flate  of  the  Mefliah,  when  he 
fhall  appear  here  below  to  expiate  fm;  or  of  his  triumphant 
ftate,when  he  fhall  come  upon  the  clouds  to  exterminate  fin,to 
judge  the  world,  feparate  the  good  from  the  bad,  and  recom- 

(a)  Proverb,  viii.  i .  2;  5.  (b)  Wifdom  vii.  11,12. 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  37- 

penfe  or  punifh  every  one  according  to  their  merit  or  de- 
merit. Under  the  metaphors  and  allegories  of  the  dedruc- 
tion  of  Tyrus,  Babylon,  Egypt,  Moab,  and  all  the  other 
Gentile  nations,  as  alfo  of  the  ruin,  captivity,  mifery,  and 
difperfion  of  the  Jews,  thofe  divinely  infpired  men  reprefent 
the  punifhmentof  the  v^^icked  and  reprobate,  whether  they 
be  born  without,  or  within  the  pale  of  the  vifible  church. 
Under  the  fymbols  and  types  of  Ifrael  reftored,  the  glory 
of  mount  Zion,  and  the  re-building  of  Jerufalem,  they  fore- 
tell the  glorious  reign  of  the  Mefliah  upon  the  earth  re-efta- 
blifhed,  renewed,  and  reftored  to  its  primitive,  paradifiacal 
form,  where  he  will  converfe  with  the  elefl  under  a  vifible 
form  as  heretofore  in  paradife,'till  all  impure  and  reprobate 
fouls  be  entirely  purified,  vice  totally  exterminated,  and  all 
moral  evil  be  for  ever  confumed  by  infernal  punifhments  and 
hell-flames.  Then  thofe  holy  prophets  foretell  the  univerfal 
refloration  of  all  lapfed  beings,  and  the  laft  efforts  of  omni- 
potence, almighty  wifdom,  and  infinite  love  to  deliver  from 
corruption  and  mifery,  fin  and  fuffering,  all  degenerate  intel- 
ligences, of  all  nations,  ages  and  religions,  the  inhabitants  of 
Moab  and  Egypt,  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha,  of  Samaria  and 
Babylon,  as  well  as  of  Ifrael  and  Judah;  Pagans  and  infidels, 
as  well  as  believers  and  members  of  the  vifible  church;  of 
men  and  devils,  and  in  one  word,  of  all  fallen  and  rebellious 
fpirits.    *  Then  all  knees  fhall  bow  down  before  the  Lord, 

*  all  tongues  fliall  fing  his  mercies  for  ever,  and  all  fpirits  whe- 

*  ther  celeftial,  terreltrial  or  infernal  fliall  be  fubducd  by  love 

*  to  the  empire  of  the  Moft  High.' 

Whofocver  reads  the  fcripturcs,  with  this  key,  and  accor- 


38  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

ding  to  thefe  principles,  will  find  that,  as  St.  Paul  fays,  the 
promifes  made  to  Abraham  and  his  pofterity,  mufl:  not  beun- 
derftood  of  thofc  who  are  his  children  according  to  the  flefh, 
but  according  to  the  fpirit  by  a  faithful  imitation  of  his  divine 
virtues;  that  by  the  land  promifed  to  him  mufi:  not  be  meant 
a  little  canton  of  this  terreftrial  globe  but  a  heavenly  Cana- 
an, and  an  earth  reilored  to  its  primitive  paradifiacal  form; 
that  all  the  hiftorical  fafts  of  the  Old  Teftament  tho'  true  ac- 
cording to  the  letter,  yet  are  fymbolical  and  reprefentative  of 
fomething  higher  and  more  fpiritual;  that  the  bondage  of  the 
Ifraclites  in  Egypt,  their  paflTage  through  the  defert,  their 
combats  and  conquefts  ere  they  entered  into  the  holy  land; 
are  at  the  fame  time  figurative  of  the  ftate  of  fouls  here  be- 
low ;  that  all  the  prophecies  regard  either  the  fuifering  flate 
of  the  Mefliah  to  atone  for  fin,  or  his  triumphant,  glorious 
reign  upon  earth  renewed  with  his  eled,  or  the  total  reftitu- 
tion  of  all  lapfed  beings;  and  in  fine,  that  to  apply  all  thefe 
predictions  to  the  little  temporal,  tranfient  events,  civil  or  ec- 
clefiaflical  revolutions  that  happen  upon  our  inferior  globe, 
is  a  low  fcheme,  unworthy  of  the  exalted  plan  of  providence, 
whofe  ultimate  end  and  objeft  mud  be  fomething  internal, 
fpiritual  and  eternal. 

It  is  then  a  falfe  and  abfurd  error  of  the  predeftinarian  and 
fataliftical  doftors  to  maintain, that  thejewifh  difpenfation  was 
only  a  twilight  full  of  clouds,  and  darkncfs,  without  any  per- 
fect light,  or  cfEcacious  graces,  full  of  fhadows  and  figures 
without  any  reality,  all  fear  without  any  love.  Nothing  is 
more  injurious  to  the  Divine  Nature,  nor  more  deftrucHiive 
of  the  whole  analogy  of  faith.  The  only  difference  betwixt 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  3'; 

the  Old  and  new  difpenfatlon  is.  i .  That  the  rites,  ordinances, 
and  inftitutions  of  theMofaic  law  were  more  numerous,  and 
accommodated  to  the  genius,  circumftances  and  lifuation  of 
one  particular  people,  than  thofe  of  the  evangelical  law,  which 
are  fewer,  fimpler,  and  proportioned  to  all  nations;  tho'  both 
be  equally  figurative  and  fymbolical,  as  all  external  worfhip 
muft  be.  2.  That  under  the  old  law,  the  myllcries  which  re- 
gard the  fuffering  MeUiah  were  foretold  as  future,  whereas 
under  the  new  law,  they  are  preached  as  pad  and  accomplifli- 
ed.  3.  That  under  the  law,  the  facrifices  were  only  fymboli- 
cal and  reprefentative  of  the  great  victim  that  was  to  expiate  the 
fins  of  the  world  ;  whereas  under  thegofpcl,  the  facrifice  alrea- 
dy offered  up,  is  efficacious,  meritorious,  and  expiatory.  As  to 
the  moral  precepts  of  theMofaic  law,  they  were  all  branches, 
''emanations,  helps  or  means  to  fulfil  the  great  and  eternal  law 
of  love,  which  ever  was,  is,  and  will  be  the  fame  to  the  Jews, 
and  the  Gentiles,  to  the  Pagans  and  Chriftians,  and  to  all  fi- 
nite intelligences  fallen,  or  unfallen.  It  is  with  thcfe  difpofi- 
tions,  and  fentiments  that  we  ought  to  road  the  holy  fcrlp- 
tures ;  in  order  not  to  be  fcandalized  with  the  letter  that  kills, 
but  edified  with  the  fpirit  that  enlivens. 

After  having  examined  the  ideas  that  the  Hebrews  had  of 
the  Divine  Nature  and  Religion,  we  fhall  now  confider  the 
notices  that  the  Pagans  had  of  the  Deity. 

The  Chinefe  whofe  origin  goes  back  very  near  to  the 
times  of  the  deluge,  have  five  original  or  canonical  books  cal- 
led KING,  which  in  their  language  fignifics,  a  fublime,  facrcd, 
immutable  do«51rine  founded  upon  unfhaken  principles.  The 
names  of  thefe  books  are  Y-K I NG,  chu-king,  chi-king, 


40  OF   GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

TCHUNsioN,  and  liki.  Thefe  books  were  looked  upon 
as  of  a  very  remote  antiquity,  in  the  time  of  Confucius  who 
lived  about  fix  hundred  years  before  our  Saviour.  All  the  o- 
ther  books  of  any  note  in  China  are  commentaries  upon  thefe 
five;  and  thefe  five  canonical  books  are  honoured  in  that 
country  with  the  fame  veneration  we  pay  to  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures.  lihall  not  found  any  of  my  reafonings  upon  the  ex- 
plication of  the  hieroglyphical  Chinefc  chara<5lers,  in  which 
fome  Europeans  pretend  to  find  the  fublimeft  myfteries;  I 
fliall  quote  only  thefe  palTages  of  the  original  books,  about 
which  the  Chinefe interpreters  agree,  confine  myfelf  as  much 
as  poffible  to  the  commentaries  made  upon  thefe  facred  books 
before  the  coming  of  our  Saviour,  by  Confucius,  or  his  mod 
ancient  difciples,  and  mention  no  authors  later  than  the  twelfth 
century,  ere  Europeans  or  Chriftians  had  any  communica- 
tion with  China.  As  the  Chinefe  books  I  mention  are  alrea- 
dy brought  into  Europe,  and  lodged  in  feveral  great  libraries, 
thofe  who  underftand  the  language  may  afcertain  the  truth 
of  the  following  quotations. 

In  the  books  called  king,  God  is  named  Chang-ti, 
or  the  Sovereign  Emperor,  and  Tien  thefupream  Heaven, 
the  auguft  Heaven,  the  intelligent  Heaven,  the  felf-exiftent 
Unity,  who  is  prefent  every  where,  and  who  produced  all 
things  by  his  power.  Tehu-hi,  in  commenting  upon  thefe  ex- 
prclTions,  fays, '  The  fupreme  Unity  is  raoft  flmple  and  with- 

*  out  compofition.    He  lalts  from  all  eternity  without  inter- 

*  ruption.    He  Is  ancient  and  new;  he  is  the  fource  of  all  mo- 

*  tion  and  the  root  of  all  action.  If  you  afk  what  he  does,  he 

*  is  eternally  active.    If  you  would  know  where  he  is,  he  ex- 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  41 

*  ifts  everywhere  and  nourifhes  all  things.'  Kouan-y-antfee, a 
very  ancient  philofopher,in  commenting  upon  the  famefacred 
books,  fays,  '  Heaven  and  earth,  tho'  they  be  of  an  immenfe 

*  extent, have  figure,  colour, number  and  quantity.  I  conceive 

*  fomething  that  has  neither  colour,number,figure,nor  quan- 

*  tity ;  and  therefore  I.  fay  that  he  who  made  the  heavens  and 
^  the  earth  is  intelligent  and  eternal.    He  who  produced  all 

*  things  was  not  produced  himfelf,  he  who  deftroys  all  things 

*  is  indeftrucftible :  therefore  he  who  made  the  heavens  is 

*  not  the  heavens,  and  he  who  made  the  earth  is  not  the  earth; 
'  the  heavens  are  not  felf-exiftent  but  were  produced  by  ano- 

*  ther,  as  a  houfe  cannot  exift  by  itfelf,  unlcfs  it  be  made.* 
Herethen  is  a  plain  acknowledgment  of  two  great  truths  al- 
ready demonftrated  in  the  firtt  Part,  viz.  that  there  is  a  real 
di(Hn<5lion  betwixt  corporeal  and  intelligent  fubftances,  as  alfo 
betwixt  thefubflanceof  the  Creator  and  that  of  the  creature. 
Yntchin  adds,  *  If  there  were  nothing  in  nature  but  matter 

*  and  motion,  this  would  not  be  the  fovcreign  lord  and  intel- 
'  ligent  governor  of  all  things.'  Hoian-nantfee  fays,  *  If  you 

*  alk  me  whence  all  things  come,  I  will  anfwer,  that  all  was 

*  made  by  the  great  Unity,  which  is  the  origin  of  all  things, 
^  and  the  foverelgn  power  that  nothing  can  refift.  He  who 
'  knows  this  great  Unity  knows  all,  he  who  does  not  know 
'  him  knows  nothing.'  Liou-pouci  fays,  *  that  the  fupream 
'  Unity  comprehends  all  perfedions  in  a  fovereign  degree, we 

*  cannot  difcover  his  beginning  nor  his  end,  his  origin  nor 

*  his  bounds;  and  all  things. flow  from  him.' 

The  fame  books  of  King  call  God  Tao,  which  figniiics 
reafon,  law,  eternal  code;  Yen,  word  or  fpcech;  Tchinc- 
PART  2.  F 


42  OF  GOD^s  EXISTENCE, 

CHE,  fbvereign Truth.  The  philofopher  Laotfee,  in  com* 
menting  upon  thefepaflages,  fays,  '  that  reafon  which  can  be 
'  exprefled  is  not  the  eternal  reafon.  What  is  eternal  cannot 
'  be  changed.  He  was  before  the  heavens  and  the  earth,with- 

*  out  beginning.  He  will  lafV  after  the  world  without  end. 
'  He  cannot  be  comprehended  by  thought  nor  feen  by  the 

*  eye,  norexpreffed  bywords.'  Kouan-y-antfee  contempo- 
rary of  Laotfee,  in  commenting  upon  the  fame  paffages,  fays, 

*  If  there  were  no  eternal  reafon  we  could  not  think,  and 

*  what  cannot  be  conceived  or  exprelfed  is  this  fovereign  rea- 

*  fon.    The  fupream  reafon  is  not  heard  by  the  ear,  he  does 

*  not  ftrike  the  eyes,  he  cannot  be  expreffed  by  words.'  Hoi- 
an-nantfee  adds,  *  this  eternal  reafon  feeds  the  heavens,  and 

*  fupports  the  earth.  He  is  moft  high,  and  cannot  be  reached 
'  to;  moft  profound,  and  cannot  be  fathomed;  immenfe,  and 

*  cannot  be  meafured,  yet  he  exifts  entirely  every  where  in 

*  the  leaft  thing.'  Thofe  great  men  were  far  from  confoun- 
ding Infinite  Ipace  with  the  divine  immenfity.  The  fame  au- 
thor continues  thus,  *  It  is  this  almighty  reafon  which  pro- 

*  duced  the  mountains  and  the  abyfs,which  makes  the  animals 

*  walk,  the  birds  fly,  the  fun  fhine,  and  the  ftars  move.'  Pao- 
pout-fee  adds, '  this  fupream  reafon  encompaffes  heaven,  holds 

*  the  earth  in  his  hands,  is  ineffable  and  without  any  name. 

*  If  you  confider  his  fupream  incorporeity,  air  and  fhadows 

*  are  fomething  grofs,  and  material.    If  you  confider  his  ef- 

*  fence,  all  beings  are  nothings  before  him.'  What  would 
thefe  Chinefe  philofophers  fay,  if  they  heard  our  European 
do<rtors  maintain  that  God's  omniprefence  conftitutes  infinite 
fpace,  and  that  extenfion  and  thought  may  be  properties  of 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  43 

the  fame  fubftance.  To  be  fure  they  would  have  looked  up- 
on us,  as  an  ignorant,  barbarous  nation  that  have  not  yet 
learned  the  fir  ft  elements  of  wifdom. 

The  fame  facred,  original  books  reprefent  the  Chang- 
Ti,  or  fovereign  Lord,  as  juft  and  good,  full  of  mercy  and 
love  for  his  creatures,  they  fay  even  expresfly,  that  his  juftice 
is  love,  and  his  punifhments  mercies.  In  the  book  chi- 
KING  we  read  thefe  words;  *  Mankind  overwhelmed  with 

*  aifliftions  feem  to  doubt  of  providence,  but  when  the  hour 

*  of  executing  his  decrees  fhall  come,  none  can  refift  him.  He 

*  will  then  fhew,  that  when  he  punifhed,  he  was  juft  and 

*  good ;  and  that  he  never  a^led  by  vengeance,  nor  hatred.' 
This  is  a  far  more  noble  idea  of  vindidlive  juftice  than  what 
the  Chriftian  fchoolmen  give.  How  furprized  would  the  Chi- 
nefe,  who  underftand  this  divine  paflage,  be,  if  they  heard 
the  fataliftical  doctors  maintain  that  God  has  divided  man- 
kind into  two  maftes,  the  one  deftined  by  abfolute  decrees  to 
eternal  happinefs,  and  the  other  by  direct,  arbitrary  preteri- 
tions  abandoned  to  everlafting  mifery.  To  be  fure,  they  would 
fufpecl  that  thefe  pretended  divines  were  concealed  and  dlC- 
guifed  atheifts.  The  philofopher  Tehu-fongt-chinor  com- 
ments upon  the  foregoing  paflage  thus,  '  To  render  the  good 
«  happy  and  punifh  feverely  the  wicked  is  the  conftant  rule 

*  of  heaven.  If  we  do  not  fee  at  prefent  the  good  recompenfed, 

*  and  the  wicked  punifhed,  it  is  becaufe  the  decifive  hour  is 

*  not  yet  come.     Before  this  laft  moment  men  can,  fo  to 

*  fpeak,  vanquiih,  or  refift  heaven,  but  when  the  decree  fhall 
'  be  pronounced,  heaven  will  triumph.    When  Tien  pu- 

*  niihes,  he  feems  to  be  in  wrath,  but  juftice  demands  the  pu- 

F2 


44  OF   GOD^s  EXISTENCE, 

*  nifhmeritof  crime,  andjuftice  is  exempt  from  wrath  and 

*  hatred,  for  jufticeis  goodnefs.'  This  doMne  is  perfedly 
conform  to  that  of  Mofes  and  the  prophets,  who  ftill  repre- 
fent  God  as  a  jealous  God,  full  of  wrath  and  indignation  a- 
gainft  fin,  but  never  irreconcilable  to  the  finner,  fin ce  he  is 
the  lover  of  fouls,  and  the  father  of  fpirits,  full  of  mercy, 
long-ftifFering  and  patient,  forgiving  iniquities  and  blotting 
out.tranfgrefFions. 

Thus  the  ancient  Chinefe  books,  and  the  Chinefe  com- 
jnentators  who  underftand  thefe  original  traditions,  reprefent 
God  as  eternal,  incorporeal,  fovereignly  one,  and  fupream- 
ly  Intelligent,  thejuft  rewarder  of  the  good,  and  punifher  of 
the  bad,  whofc  jufrice  is  mercy,  and  whofe  punifhments  are 
cures,  • 

We  come  now  to  the  Indians.  As  none  of  their  ancient 
books  have  been  preferved,  or  at  lead  come  to  our  knowledge^ 
we  can  make  no  quotations  from  them.  We  muft  therefore 
content  ourfelves  with  what  we  find  in  the  ancient  fragments 
of  the  philofophers  of  other  nations,  or  in  the  extracts  made 
of  their  doctrine  by  modern  travellers.  ' 

Megafthenes,  in  his  third  book  of  the  Indian  hiflory^ 
writes  thus,  according  to  the  teftimony  of  Eufebius,  (a)  '  All 

*  that  was  faid  of  eternal  nature,  by  the  ancient  Greeks,  Is  al- 

*  fo  faid  by  the  philofophers  or  fages  of  other  nations,  as  by 
'  the  Bramins  of  India,  and  the  people  called  Jews  in  Syria.* 
The  fame  Eufebius  alTures  us  from  Numenius,  *  that  the  Bra- 

*  mins,  the  Jews,  the  Magi  and  the  Egyptians  had  all  the 

*  fame  notions  of  a  fupream  God.'   Eufebius  in  the  fame  place 

(a)  Eufeb.  Praep* Evang.  edilt,  Col.  1 688.  p.  4 10,  411,  41 2. 


^AND   ATTRIBUTES.  4s- 

Quotes  alfo  this  pafTage  from  Porphyry ;  *  The  brazen  way  to 

*  the  Gods  is  ileep  and  craggy.    The  Barbarians  found  out 
^  many  of  its  paths,  but  the  Greeks  wandered  from  them  and 

*  thofe  who  kept  them,  fpoiled  them  by  their  fi6tions.    God 

*  difcovcred  this  brazen  way  to  the  Chaldeans^  AlTyrians  and 

*  Hebrews,  as  ah'b  to  the  Egyptians,  Phoenicians  and  Ly- 

*  dians.' 

Thus  according  to  the  teftimony  of  the  ancients,  the  wii- 
dom  of  the  Indians,  Allyrians  and  Egyptians  is  compared  to 
that  of  the  Hebrews,  and  their  theology  faid  to  be  the  fame, 
which  is  no  ways  improbable,  fince  thefe  ancient  nations 
were  peopled  foon  after  the  deluge,  and  fo  had  the  Noevian 
traditions  yet  freihand  uncorrupted.  We  fhall  now  examine 
what  veftiges  of  facred  truths  are  to  be  found  in  the  extrafts 
made  by  modern  travellers  of  the  religion  of  the  Indians  from 
their  facred  book  called  the  Vedam  yet  extant,  and  other  au- 
thors. 

■  In  the  Vedam  (a^j  we  find  the  dodrine  of  one  fupreani 
God,  fuperior  to  all,  the  author  and  governor  of  the  univerfe. 
In  the  letters  wrote  by  the  Malabarians  (b)  to.  theDanifh  mif- 
fionaries,  among  many  others,  we  find  the  following  paffage, 

*  God  alone  rules  the  world,  and  all  that  is  therein:  'tis  he 

*  alone  who  rules  the  eight  hundred  and  forty  thoufand  kinds 
^  of  living  creatures;  but  becaufe  of  his  different  and  various 

*  appearances,  he  has  many  different  names.— Hence  we  fay, 
">  thatBiruma  creaLes,Wifchtnu  rules,Ifchuren  annihilates;  all 

*  which  different  exprcilions  denote  but  one  fupream  BeingV. 

(a)  Roger  fur  les  Braoiines.  Amfl.  1670.  p.  159. 
Cb)  Philips'  Malabarian  letters.  Lond.  J  7 1 7 .  letter  51, 


4t$  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

*  And  when  we  attribute  the  prote(5lion  of  towns  and  villages 
'  to  tutelar  Gods,  our  meaning  is,  that  the  great  God  does 

*  mediately  protect  towns  and  countries  by  his  vicegerents 

*  and  governors.    For  there  is  neither  government,  nor  the 
*'  leaft  motion  in  the  world,  without  the  will  of  the  firft  prime 

*  Caufe  orfupream  Being.  Indeed  there  are  many  Gods,  but 

*  they  of  themfelves  cannot  fo  much  as  move  a  ftraw  out  of 

*  its  place,  without  the  affiftance  of  the  prime  Caufe ;  there- 

*  fore  he  is  juftly  called  the  Lord  of  the  world,  for  it  is  his 

*  power  and  excellent  majefty  that  rules  all  things,  and  his 

*  power  is  infinite  and  incomprehenfible.' 

In  La  Q"oze  (a)  who  had  accefs  to  the  original  manu- 
fcripts  of  the  fame  miilionaries,  we  meet  with  this  paffage  ta- 
ken from  one  of  the  books  of  the  Bramins :  '  The  fupream 

*  Being  is  inviiible,  incomprehenfible,  immoveable,  and  with- 

*  out  figure,  or  outward  form.   No  man  hath  feen  him:  time 

*  hath  not  comprehended  him:  his  effence  fills  all  things; 

*  and  every  thing  is  derived  from  him.    All  power,  all  wif- 

*  dom,  all  knowledge,  all  holinefs,  and  all  truth  dwell  in  him. 

*  He  is  infinitely  good,  jufl:,  and  merciful.    He  hath  created 

*  all,  heprefervesall,  and  delights  to  dwell  among  men,  that 

*  he  may  condud  them  to  eternal  happinefs,  a  happinefs 

*  which  confifls  in  loving  and  ferving  him.*  In  another  trea- 
tife  (b)  of  the  Bramins,  entitled  TchivaVaikkium,  the  Dei- 
ty is  thus  defcribed:  *  The  Being  of  beings  is  the  only  God, 

*  eternal,  immenfe,  prefent  in  all  places,  who  has  neither 
'  end  nor  beginning,  and  who  comprehends  all  things. — — 

(a)HiftoiredeChrifUanirraedesIndes.  Haye  1724.  p.  452. 
(b)  Idem  p.  457. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  47 

*  There  is  no  God  but  him.    He  alone  is  Lord  of  all  things, 

*  and  will  be  fo  through  all  eternity. — O  God !  before  I  knew^ 

*  thee,  I  was  in  a  perpetual  agitation;  but  fince  I  knew  thee, 

*  and  have  been  recolle(5led  within  myfelf,  thou  art  all  my  de- 

*  fire.'  La  Croze  affures  us  that  thefe  fublime  ideas  of  the 
Deity  are  expresfly  contained  in  the  Vedam,  as  appears  from 
thofe  paflages  of  it  communicated  to  Ziegenbalg  by  the  Bra- 
mins  themfelvcs. 

The  Jefuit  miflionaries  give  us  pretty  much  the  fame  ac- 
count of  the  Indian  religion  with  thofe  of  the  Proteftants. 
In  an  Indian  book  (a)  called  Panjangan,  the  Divinity  is  thus 
addreffed  ;  *  I  adore  that  Being  who  is  fubje61  to  no  change 

*  or  difqulet;  that  Being  whofe  nature  is  indivifible ;  that  Be- 

*  ing  whofe  fimplicity  admits  of  no  compofition  of  qualities; 

*  that  Being  who  is  the  origin  and  caufe  of  all  beings,  and  who 
'  furpaffes  all  in  excellence;  that  Being,  who  is  the  fupport  of 

*  the  univerfe,  and  the  fource  of  triple  power.' 

The  Perfian  magi  or  philofophers  had  the  fame  ideas  of 
the  Deity  as  the  other  ancient  nations.  Zoroafler's  definiti- 
on of  God  has  been  preferved  to  us  by  Eufebius.  This  hif- 
torian  aflures  us,  that  he  had  read  the  following  words  in  a 
book  extant  in  his  time,  and  known  by  the  title  of  The  facred 
collection  of  thePcrfian  monuments,  (b)  *  God  is  the  firfl 

*  of  all  incorruptible  things,  eternal  and  unbegotten.    He  is 

*  not  compounded  of  parts,  there  is  nothing  equal  to  him, 

*  nor  Hke  him.   He  is  the  author  of  all  good,  and  entirely  dif- 

*  interefbed;'  and  therefore  his  defign  in  creating  could  not 

(a)  Lettrescdifiantes.  Paris  1732.  Recueil  10.  p.  15. 

(b)  Eufeb.  Prepar.  Evangel,  lib,  ii,  p.  42.  Edit.  Paris. 


48  OF   GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

be,  as  our  modern  doflors  feem  oft  to  infinuate,  to  augment 
his  cilory,  but  to  manifefl:  it  in  rendering  created  beings  per- 
fect and  happy,  all  life,  all  light,  and  all  love,  as  he  is  in  him- 
felf.  Zoroafter  continues;  *  God  is  the  moft  excellent  of  all 
'  excellent  beings,  and  the  mofl:  intelligent  of  all  intelligent 
'  natures,  the  father  of  equity,  the  parent  of  good  laws,  felf- 
'  inftructed,  felf-fufRcient,  the  firft  former  of  nature,  and  he 
'  has  the  head  of  a  Falcon/  This  laft  exprefTion  makes  Eu- 
febius  exclaim  againfl,  and  degrade  the  philofophy  of  Zoro- 
after. But  if  he  had  confulted  Plutarch  in  his  Ifis  and  Ofiris, 
he  would  have  been  undeceived.  This  philofophical  hiftori- 
an  affures  us,  that  the  ancient  hieroglyphic  by  which  the  ac- 
tivity and  intelligence  of  the  divine  nature  was  reprefented, 
was  a  hawk,  becaufe  of  the  velocity  of  its  flight  and  its  pier- 
cing ficrht.  Thus  the  infpired  Hebrews  themfelves  exprefs 
very  oft  intelleftual  qualities  by  fenfible  images.  Jacob  in 
his  laft  fpeech  to  his  children  calls  the  Meffiah,  the  Lyon  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah;  thus,  the  evangelifts  call  him  the  Lamb 
who  taketh  away  the  fins  of  the  world;  thus,  in  fine,  the 
fame  evangeliftsfay,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  appeared  in  the  form 
of  a  Dove.  Now  to  compare  the  Divine  Nature  to  a  lyon,  a 
Iamb,  or  a  dove,  is  as  impertinent  as  to  compare  God  to  a 
hawk,  unlefs  thefe  fimilitudes  be  underftood  in  a  figurative, 
fymbolical  and  metaphorical  fenfe.  The  Greeks  then,  if  they 
had  underftood  the  Perfian  phrafe  of  Zoroafter,  fhould  have 
tranflated  it  thus,  *  and  God  is  reprefented  by  a  hawk:'  for  it 
is  impofTible,  that  this  philofopher  could  imagine  the  Divine' 
Effence  had  the  form  of  a  volatile,  after  having  faid,  that  he 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  49 

Is  incorruptible,  eternal,  unbegotten,  and  uncompounded  of 
parts. 

According  to  Herodotus  (a)  '  the  ancient  Perfians  thought 
'  it  ridiculous  to  fancy,  like  the  Greeks,  that  the  Gods  have  a 

*  human  fhape,  or  derive  their  origin  from  men.  They  chufe 

*  thehighell:  mountains  for  the  place  of  their  facrifice.  They 

*  ufe  neither  libations,  nor  mufic,  nor  hallowed  bread;  but 
'  when  any  one  has  a  mind  to  facrifice, he  leads  the  vidtim  In- 
'  to  a  clean  place,  and  wearing  a  wreath  of  myrtle  about  his 

*  Tiara,  invokes  the  God  to  whom  he  intends  to  offer  it.  The 

*  priefl  Is  not  allowed  to  pray  for  his  -own  private  good,  but 

*  for  that  of  the  nation  in  general.' 

Strabo  gives  the  fame  account  as  Herodotus  of  the  ancient 
Perfians.  (b)  '  They  neither  ere(5led  ftatues  nor  altars,  they  fa- 
'  crificed  in  a  clean  place  and  upon  an  eminence,  where  they 

*  offered  up  a  victim  crowned.  When  the  prieft  had  cut  it  into 

*  fmall  pieces,  every  one  took  his  fhare,  faying  that  God  de- 
'  fires  nothing  but  the  foul  of  the  vidim.'  The  Orientals  full 
of  the  notion  that  brutal  forms  were  animated  by  degraded 
intelligences,  imagined  that  their  expiatory  pains  were  com- 
pleated  by  the  facrifice. 

Artabanus  the  Perfian,  in  his  conference  with  Themifto- 
cles  fpeaks  thus,  according  to  the  teflimony  of  Plutarch  ;  (c) 

*  Among  many  excellent  laws  of  ours,  the  mofl  beautiful  is 
'  this,  that  the  king  is  to  be  honoured  and  worfhipped  as  the 
'  image  of  God  who  preferveth  all  things.'^ 

Ofthanes  (d)  the  Perfian  philofopher,  who  attended  Xer- 

(a)  Herod.  Clio.  lib.  i.  pag.  56.  fedl.  131.  edit.  Francof.  1608.    (b)  Strabo 
lib.  XV.  p.  732.  edit.  Paris,     (c)  Plutarch  de  vita Themift.     (d)  See  Arnobius. 
PART  2,  G 


50  OF   GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

xes  in  his  European  expedition,  is  ranked  by  Arnobius  a- 
mong  the  chief  of  the  magi.  That  father  gives  him  a  great 
chara6ler  both  for  eloquence  and  adion,  and  fays  he  worfhip- 
ped  the  true  God  with  due  veneration,  and  entertained  juft 
notions  of  the  government  of  things. 

Porphyry  tells  us  that  Zoroafter  aflerted  the  being  of  end 
fupream  Deity.    *  Zoroafter  firft  of  all,  fays  Eubulus,  confe- 

*  crated  a  natural  cave  beautified  with  flowers  and  fountains' 

*  in  the  neighbouring  mountains  of  Perda,  to  the  honour  of 

*  Mithras  the  father  and  maker  of  the  univerfe.    This  cave 

*  was  to  him  an  image  of  the  world  created  by  Mithras.' 

The  modern  writers  among  the  Arabians  and  Perfians, 
who  have  preferved  to  us  v/hat  remains  of  the  ancient  doc- 
trine of  Zoroafter  among  the  Guebri  or  woriliippers  of  the. 
Fire,  maintain  that  the  firft  magi  admitted  only  one  eternal 
principle  of  all  things.  Abulfeda,  quoted  by  the  famous  Dr. 
Pocock,  fays,  that  according  to  the  primitive  doctrine  of  the 
Perfians  (a),  '  God  was  prior  to  both  light  and  darknefs,  and 
'  exifted  from  all  eternity  in  an  adorable  folitiide,  without  a- 
'  ny  companion  or  rival.'  Here  is  an  exprefs  declaration  of 
God's  eternity,  unity,  and  even  incorporeity;  iinceGodwas 
prior  to  light,  the  moft  refined  of  all  material  fubftancesr  Sa- 
rifthani,  another  Arabian  philofopher,  fays,  (b)  '  that  the 

*  firft  magi  did  not  look  upon  the  good  and  evil  principles  as 

*  cocternal.  They  thought  indeed  that  light  was  eternal,  but 
'  that  darknefs  was  produced  in  time  by  the  diiloyalty  of  Ah- 

*  riman  or  Arimanius  chief  of  the  Genii.'    Now  it  was  ufu- 

(a)  Pocock.  fpecil.  hiflor.  Ar^b.  p.  1 46*      (b)  Hyde  Rel.  ant.  Perfar.  cap.  is, 
p.  j6i.  8c  cap.  jixl.  p>  290^ 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  51 

al  among  the  ancients,  efpecially  among  the  Hebrews,  to  ex- 
prefs  the  intelligence  of  the  Divine  Nature  by  light.  We 
have  an  evident  proof  that  this  was  the  true  doftrine  of  the 
Perfian  magi  In  the  life  of  Pythagoras  by  Porphyry  (a). 

*  Pythagoras  learned  from  the  magi  that  God  whom  they 
'  called  Oromazis  was  as  to  corporeals  moft  like  to  llf^ht,  and 

*  as  to  incorporeals  to  truth.'  They  did  not  fay  that  God  was 
a  material  light,  but  that  if  his  elTence  could  be  compared  to 
any  thing  corporeal,  it  may  be  fymbolized  or  reprcfented  by 
that  of  light. 

The  fame  Sharifthani  tells  us,  (b)  *  that  God  who  made 

*  light  and  darknefs,  is  the  only  Creator  of  both.  He  has  no 

*  partner,  and  there  is  none  equal  to  him,  or  who  can  be 

*  compared  with  him.* 

In  Tabarl,  an  ancient  Perfian  hldorlan,  we  meet  with  the 
following  fpeech  of  Manugjahr  the  king  of  Media  to  his 
nobles  (c).  '  The  mod  holy  and  high  God  gave  me  this  klng- 
'  dom,  to  thank  and  praife  him,  to  preferve  the  (late,  to  ftu- 

*  dy  the  happincfs  of  my  fubje^ls,  and  execute  juflice  amono- 
«  my  people.    By  thefe  only,  fhall  God  the  greatefl:  and  beft 

*  of  beings  aggrandize  my  throne.   If  I  ungratefully  negle^l 

*  to  thank  and  praife  God,  he  will  take  my  kingdom  from 

*  me,  and  punifh  me  In  the  next  world.  Since  then,  the  hiah 

*  and  holy  God  hath  made  me  a  king,  and  given  me  a  klno-- 
'  dom,  I  fhall  never  deftroy  it.'  The  fame  king's  fecond 
fpeech  runs  thus  (d)  '  O  men,  there  is  one  Creator  and  Go- 
'  vernor  of  that  numerous  people  you  fee.    All  the  bleffings 

(a)  Porphyr.  vita  Pythag.  p.  191.     (b)  Hydede  Rel.  Vet.  Pers.  p.  299.  c.  22. 
(c)Idemc.  8.  p.  156.     (d)  Idem  c.  8.  p.  157. 

G2 


52  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

'  of  mankind  flow  from  him;  therefore  we  ought  to  ferve 
'  him,  to  thank  him  for  his  favours,  and  refign  ourfelves  to 
'  his  wilL  Whatever  exifts,  muft  exid;  and  nothing  is  wea- 
'  ker  than  the  creature :  for  when  the  creature  feeks  any  thing, 

*  it  finds  it  not.  Nothing  is  ftronger  than  the  Creator.  If  at 
'  any  time  he  feeks  the  creature,  he  immediately  has  it  in  his 

*  power.    Therefore  the  Creator  is  ftronger  than  any  crea- 

*  ture.    I  thank  God  who  from  his  goodnefs  gave  me  my 

*  kingdom,  and  implore  he  would  guide  me  in  the  right  way, 

*  and  fortify  my  heart  with  truth.  All  things  proceed  from 
'  him,  and  all  muft  return  to  him  again.' 

We  find  the  fame  dodrine  about  the  Deity  in  the  fpeech 
of  Lohrafp  the  king  of  Perfia  to  his  people,  as  contained  in 
Ahmed  Ibn  Jufuph  the  Arabian  hiflorian  (a).  '  All  you  who 
'  are  prefent,fear  the  Almighty  God,  the  moft  holy  and  glo- 
'  riousofall  Beings,  who  prepared  channels  for  the  fea,  efta- 
'  bliflied  the  mountains,  elevated  the  heavens,  and  planted  us 

*  on  the  the  fpacious  earth  amidll  the  fpheres.' 

We  fhall  conclude  with  a  pafFage  taken  from  the  intro- 
du<5lion  to  the  Perfian  book  called  Sad-der  (b)  '  In  the  name 
'  of  the  Lord  of  divine  elTence  and  attributes,  the  Lord  of  a- 

*  bundance,  and  the  God  of  life;  God  who  created  the  intel- 

*  le6l  and  the  mind,  God  who  framed  the  body  and  the  foul; 

*  the  Lord  of  exiftence  and  the  Lord  of  life,  the  only  God  in 
'  the  whole  world;  God  who  of  various  elements  made  the 
'  revolving  heaven,  and  the  fixed  earth.    He  hath  beautified 

*  heaven  with  the  embroidery  of  the  ftars,  and  raifed  the  orbs 

*  with  nine  ftories.    He  planted  the  earth  with  the  human 

(a)  Idem  c.  8.  p.  15S.  (b)  Idem  c.  33.  p.  396. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  53 

*  race,  and  illuminated  it  by  the  fun  and  moon.  He  made  the 

*  world  of  fubflance  and  accidents,  in  which  man  was  his 

*  chief  care. — Turn  not  away  from  red:itude  and  holinefsj 

*  for  there  is  nothing  elfe  in  the  religion  of  the  blefTed.' 

The  Egyptians  had  much  the  fame  ideas  of  the  fupream 
God,  as  the  Chinefe,  the  Indians,  the  Chaldeans  and  the 
Perfians.  Nothing  is  more  abfurd  than  the  notions  general- 
ly given  of  the  Egyptian  theology  (a).  *  It  is  hard  to  believe, 

*  fays  a  modern  author,  that  human  nature  could  ever  finkfo 
*■  low,  asto  adore  infects,  reptiles,  andplants  (which  they  fee 

*  produced,  growing  and  decaying  every  day)  without  afcri- 

*  bing  certain  divine  virtues  to  them,  or  confidering  them  as 
'  fymbols  of  fome  invlfible  power:  but  tho'  we  fhould  fup- 

*  pofe  that  there  are  fome  nations  In  the  world  funk  into  lo 

*  grofs  an  ignorance,  as  to  have  no  notion  of  a  Deity,  yet  it 

*  is  certain  that  Egypt  cannot  be  charged  with  fuch  a  degree 

*  of  ftupidity.    All  hiflorians,  as  well  facred  as  profane,  agree 

*  in  fpeaking  of  this  people  as  the  wifeft  of  all  nations.  One 
^  of  the  encomiums  that  the  Holy  Spirit  makes  of  Mofes,  Is 

*  that  he  was  learned  In  all  the  wifdom  of  the  Egyptians.*^ 
Moreover,  to  exprefs  the  tranfcendency  of  Solomon's  wIA 
dom,  the  writer  of  the  book  of  Kings  fays,  '  that  it  excelled 
'  not  only  the  wifdom  of  all  the  children  of  the  Eaft,  that  is, 

*  of  the  Perfian  magi  and  Chaldeans,  but  alfo  all  the  wifdom 
'  of  Egypt.'  Would  the  Holy  Spirit  have  fpoken  in  fuch  a 
manner  of  a  nation  fo  fenfelefs  as  to  worfhip  onions,  croco- 
diles and  the  moft  defpicable  reptiles.^ 

(a)  Difcourfe  upon  the  theology  of  the  ancients  at  the  end  of  the  Traveb  of 
Cyrus. 


54  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

This  great  principle  laid  down,  let  us  examine  impartially 
what  hints  and  fragments  of  the  Egyptian  philofophy  have 
been  preferved  by  the  Greeks  or  Latins,  Pagans  orChrifti- 
ans  now  extant,  (a)  Plutarch  in  his  treatife  of  Ifis  and  Ofi- 
ris  tells  us,  *  that  the  end  of  all  the  Egyptian  rites  and  myfte- 

*  ries,  was  the  knowledge  of  that  firft  God  who  is  the  Lord 

*  of  ail  things,  and  only  intelligible  by  the  mind ;  that  the 
^  theology  of  the  Egyptians  had  two  meanings,  the  one  ho- 
'  ly  and  fymbolical,  the  other  vulgar  and  literal,  and  confe- 
^  quently,  that  the  figures  of  animals  which  they  had  in  their 

*  temples,  and  which  they  feemed  to  adore,  were  only  fo  ma- 
'  ny  hieroglyphics  to  reprefent  the  divine  attributes.*  After 
'■  which  he  declares,  ^  that  the  firft  God  of  the  Egyptians  was 
'  a  hidden  Deity,  and  that  the  crocodile  was  one  of  his  fym- 

*  bols,  becaufe  this  animal  hid  in  the  water  fees  all  things,  and 
'  is  itfelfunfeen,  which  is  a  property  of  thefupream  God.' 

Origen,who  was  contemporary  with  Plutarch,  follows  the 
fame  principles  in  his  book  againft  Celfus  a  Pagan  philofo- 
pher  who  pretended  to  underftand  Chriftianity,  becaufe  he 
knew  fuperficially  fome  ceremonies  of  that  religion,  tho'  he 
had  never  entered  into  the  ipirit  of  it.  Now  Origen  exprefTes 
himfelf  in  this  manner; (a) '  The  Egyptian  philofophers  have 
'  fublime  ideas  of  the  Divine  Nature  which  they  keep  fecret, 

*  and  never  difcover  to  the  people,  but  under  a  vail  of  fables 

*  and  ailejTories.  Celfus  is  like  a  man  who  has  travelled  into 
^  that  country,  and  tho'  he  has  converfed  with  none  but  the 
'  ignorant  vulgar,  yet  takes  it  into  his  head,  that  he  under- 

*  itands  the  Egyptian  religion.     All  the  eaftern  nations,  the 
(a)  Plutarch  de  Ifid.  et  Ofirid.  p.  354.    (a)  Origen.  contra  Cdfum,  lib.  i.  p.  11. 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  5s 

*  PerfiaiiSj  the  Indians,  the  Syrians  conceal  facred  myfteries 

*  under  their  religious  fables.     The  wife  men  of  all  thefe  re- 

*  ligtons  fee  into  the  fenfe  and  true  meaning  of  them,  whilft 

*  the  vulgar  go  no  further  than  the  exterior  fymbol,  and  bark 

*  that  covers  them.'  Here  then  is  a  demonflratian  of  one  of 
the  great  principles  we  have  laid  down,  that  the  truly  wife  in 
all  religions  underftood  the  exterior  fymbols,  fables  and  hie- 
roglyphics in  a  quite  different  fenfe  from  the  ftupid,  vulgar 
and  impure  multitude  that  turned  all  into  idolatry  and  faper- 
ft!  tion. 

St.  Cyprian  fays,  (a)  *  that  Hermes  Trifmegiftus  acknow- 
ledged one  God  whom  he  confeifed  to  be  ineffable  and  in- 
efHmablc.'  Laclantius  maintains  (b)  that  *  Thoth  or  Her- 
'  mes,  a  mofl  ancient  philofopher,  inflrucced  in  all  kinds  of 

*  learning,  and  therefore  called  Trifmegifljwrote  many  books 
'  concerning  the  knowledge  of  divine  things,  wherein  he  af- 

*  ferts  the  majcfty  of  one  fupream  God,  calling  him,  as  we  do, 
'  God  and  Father;  and  left  any  one  fhould  afkhis  name,  he 

*  faid  that  he  vras  without  any  name,  that  is,  ineffable  and  in- 
'  comprehenfible.'  Juflin  Martyr  adds,  (c)  *  Ammon,inhis 
*■  books,  called  God  the  most  hidden;  and  Hermes 

*  plainly  declares,  that  it  is  hard  to  conceive  God,  but  im- 

*  pofliblc  to  exprefs  him.' 

Let  us  now  hear  the  teflimony  of  the  Pagan  wrFtcrs  who 
had  fludied  the  religion  of  the  Egyptians,  and  underflood  it 
perfe(5lly.  Tamblichus  is  one  of  the  chief  He  lived  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  third  century,  and  was  a  difeiple  of  the  famous- 

(a)  St.  Cyprian,  de  idol,  vanit.       (b)  Laft.  lib.  i.  p.  3 0.       (g)  Juftin  Martyr^ 
apol.  ad  Ant.  Pium. 


:56  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

Porphyry.  This  is  the  account  that  he  gives  of  the  Egyptian 
theology,  (a)  *  According  to  the  Egyptians  Eict on  or  the 
'  firfl:  God  exifted  in  his  Tolitary  Unity  before  all  beings.  He 

*  is  the  fountain  and  original  of  every  thing  that  either  has 
V  underftanding,  or  is  to  be  underftood.    He  is  the  firfl:  prin- 

*  ciplc  of  all  things,  felf-fufficient,  incomprehenfible  and  the 

*  father  of  all  eflences.'  The  fame  lamblichus  in  his  anfwer 
tp  an  epiflle  of  Porphyry's  wrote  to  Anebo,  an  Egyptian 
priefi,  gives  us  a  fummary  account  of  the  Egyptian  theology 
in  thefewordsi  *  God  who  is  the  Caufe  of  all  nature  and  of 

*  all  Its  powers,  is  feparated  from,  elevated  above,  and  ex- 

*  panded  over  all  the  powers  and  elements  of  the  world,  and 
^  tranfcending  the  fame,  yet  fo  as  to  be  immaterial,  incor- 

Vporeal,  fupernatural,   unmade,  indivifible,  ruling  over  all 

*  things  and  containing  all  in  himfelf.'  The  fame  lambli- 
chus adds;  *  that  as  the  Egyptian  hieroglyphic  for  material 

*  things  was  muddy  and  floating  water,  fo  they  pi^lured  God 
'  fitting  above  the  Lote-tree,  and  above  the  watry  mud; 

*  which  fignifies  the  tranfcendent  emincncy  of  the  Divine 

*  Nature  above  matter,  and  its  intellecflual  empire  over  the 

*  world,  becaufe  both  the  leaves  and  fruit  of  that  tree  are 
'  round,  reprefenting  the  motion  of  intelled.'  In  the  fame 
book,  he  anfwers  thus  to  the  Porphyrian  queries ;  '  Accor- 

*  ding  to  the  Egyptians,  before  all  entities  and  principles  there 
'  is  one  God,  who  is  in  order  of  nature  before  him  who  is 
'  called  the  Sovereign  Lord.  This  firfl:  God  is  immovable 
'  and  always  remaining,  in  the  folitude  of  his  own  Unity, 
'  there  being  nothing  intelligent,  nor  intelligible  complicated 

(a)  lambiic.  de  myft.  Aegypt.  p.  153.  edit.  Lugd,  1552. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  57 

with  him.  This  fubHme  idea  explains  the  diftirKflion  we  have 
made  in  the  firft  Part  betwixt  God  in  his  IHll  eternity,  abfo- 
lute  nature,  and  eternal  folitude,  and  God's  relative  attri- 
butes as  Creator,  betwixt  the  confubftantial  idea  and  the  ar- 
chetypal ideas ;  the  coeternal  Logos  and  the  intelligible  world. 
Proclus,  another  Platonic  difciple  of  the  Porphyrian  and 
Plotinian  fchool,-  fays,  that  (a)  '  according  to  the  tradition 
'  of  the  Egyptians  matter  was  not  unmade,  nor  felf-exiilent 

*  but  produced  by  the  Deity;  for,  adds  he,  the  divine  lambli- 
'  chus  hath  recorded,  that  Hermes  would  have  materiality  to 
'  have  been  produced  by  eflentiality  or  the  Being  to  whom 

*  elTence  belongs;  and  it  is  very  probable  from  hence,  that 

*  Plato  was  alfo  of  the  fame  opinion  concerning  matter,  be- 
'  caufe  he  is  fuppofed  to  have  followed  Hermes  and  the  Egyp- 
'  tian  philofophers.' 

We  fhall  conclude  here,  with  the  tclHmony  of  Damaf- 
cius  in  his  book  of  principles,  who  fpeaks  in  this  manner  of 
the  ancient  Egyptians.    '  The  Egyptian  philofophers  of  our 

*  times  have  declared  the  hidden  truth  of  their  theology,  and 

*  have  found  in  the  ancient  writings  of  their  fages  that  there 
'  was  but  one  principle  of  all  things,  praifed  under  the  name 
'  of  the  unknown  darknefs,  and  that  thrice  repeated.' 

I  fhall  not  quote  here  any  of  the  Trifmegiftic  books  now 
extant,  bccaufe  they  are  generally  looked  upon  as  fuppofitious, 
or  adulterated  by  thefirfl:  Chriftians,efpecially  thePoemander 
and  the  fermon  upon  the  mount,  which  are  of  a  far  later  date 
than  the  Afclepius  and  the  other  pieces  collected  and  printed 
by  Ficinus.  I  fhall  only  give  a  fhort  account  of  Dr.  Cudworth's 

(a)  Proclus  in  Timaeum,  p.  1 1 7. 
PART  2.  H 


sS  OF   GOD's  EXISTENCE, 

judicious  tho'  too  difFufe  and  fometlmes  confufed  reflecflions 
on  this  fubjecl.  i.  It  is  certain,  fays  he,  by  the  teftimony  of 
both  Pagans  and  Chriftians,  of  Plutarch  and  lamblichus, 
of  St.  Clemens  and  St.  Cyril  of  Alexandria,  that  there  were 
extant  in  their  times  many  Hermetic  books  believed  by  the 
Egyptians  themfelves  to  be  wrote  by  Hermes;  that  they 
were  kept  in  the  cuftody  of  their  priefts  as  precious  monu- 
ments of  antiquity;  that  many  very  ancient  commentaries 
upon  thcfe  original  books,  were  wrote  not  only  in  the  E- 
gyptianbut  in  the  Greek  language,  which  became  familiar 
to  the  learned  Egyptians,  from  the  Ptolemaic  kings  down- 
wards. 2.  Tho'  all  the  Trifmegiftic  books  now  extant  had 
been  forged,  or  at  leafl:  interpolated  by  Chriflians,  yet  this 
would  afford  no  inconfiderable  argument,  to  prove  that  the 
Egyptians  afferted  one  fupream  Deity,  and  many  other 
points  of  the  divine  philofophy;  bccaufe  every  impofture 
muft  have  fome  foundation  of  truth  to  ftand  upon,  and 
therefore  fuch  counterfeit  writings  mull  have  fomething  in 
them  truly  Egyptian,  otherwife  they  could  never  have  at 
firll  obtained,  nor  afterwards  maintained  their  credit.' 
We  may  fjperadd  to  thefe  remarks  of  the  learned  Doftor 
two  others;  I.  If  the  Chriftians  by  a  pious  fraud  counterfei- 
ted thefe  writings  to  pave  the  way  to  Chriftianity,  and  gain 
the  Pagan  philofophcrs,  this  proves  that  in  the  earlieft  times 
of  Chriftianity,  the  primitive  fathers  were  perfuaded,  that 
there  was  a  great  refemblance  betwixt  what  was  really  good 
and  true  in  the  Pagan  religions  and  the  Chriftian  doc- 
trines, and  confequently  that  both  flowed  from  the  fame 
original  ancient  tradition  coniinou  to  all  nations.    2»  Two 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  59 

fort  of  critics  deny  the  authority  not  only  of  the  Hermetic 
Egyptian  books,  but  alfo  of  the  Chaldaic,  Perfian  and  Or- 
phaic  oracles  preferved  to  this  day.  The  firft  fort  are  the 
incredulous  critics  fuch  as  Bayle;  the  others  are  the  gram- 
matical critics  fuch  as  Scaligcr  and  Cafaubon  ;  the  firft 
from  a  perverfe  oppofition  to,  the  laft  from  a  fuperftitious 
refpeft  for  the  holy  fcriptures,  and  both  from  a  profound 
ignorance  of  the  great  principles  of  the  divine  philofophy, 
pretend  that  the  forementioned  monuments  are  counterfeit, 
becaufe  they  fpeak  too  clearly  of  what  are  called  the  peculiar 
characleriftic  proper  doctrines  of  "Chriflianity:  but  we  ihall 
fhew  hereafter  that  this  is  no  proof,  fince  the  fame  hints  of 
thefe  fublimer  dogmata,  yea  much  clearer  ones,  are  to  be 
found  in  the  original  books  of  the  Chinefe  and  far  more  an- 
cient than  thofe  of  Chaldea,  Egypt,  Perfia  and  Greece. 

We  come  now  to  the  theology  of  the  Greeks  and  the  Ro- 
mans (a);  I  fhall  fometimes  make  ufe  of  the  words  and  re- 
marks of  the  author  of  Cyrus's  Travels,  and  fuperadd  many 
things  to  the  imperfect  fketch  he  has  given  us  of  the  Pagan 
theology.  It  is  manifefl:  from  the  Greek  monuments  them- 
felves,  that  the  moft  famous  philofophers  of  that  nation,  fuch 
as  Orpheus,  Lycurgus,  Solon,  Thales,  Pythagoras,  Plato  and 
many  others  travelled  into  Egypt  and  Afia  to  ftudy  wifdom. 
The  traces  of  the  Oriental  tradition  are  now  in  a  manner 
worn  out;  but  as  there  are  feveral  monuments  of  the  theolo- 
gy of  the  Greeks  ftill  preferved,  we  may  judge  of  the  mafters 
by  their  difciples. 

(a)  The  moft  part  of  the  quotations  from  the  Greek  and  Latin  poets  and  philofo- 
phers are  borrowed  from  Dr.  Gudworth's  fourth  chapter  of  the  Intelleflual  Syflem. 

H2 


^o  OF   GOD^s   EXISTENCE, 

Ere  I  fhew  that  notwithftanding  the  Polytheifni  which 
reigned  among  the  Pagans,  yet  they  acknowledged  only  one 
fupream  univerfal  Numen,  it  is  fit  to  premife,  that  they  dei- 
fied or  perfonified  four  fort  of  obje(fts.  i.  The  divine  attri- 
butes which  they  erected  into  different  and  feparate  Deities, 
as  Eternity,  Providence,  Wifdom  and  Love.  2.  Thejdifferent 
parts  of  Nature  which  they  looked  upon  as  images,  fymbols 
and  reprefentations  of  the  fupream  God.  Thus  the  fun  was 
called  Apollo,  the  moon  Phebe,  the  earth  Cybele,  and  the 
feas  Neptune,  the  ether  Jupiter,  the  air  Juno,  and  the  fire 
Vulcan.  3.  The  gifts  and  graces  of  the  fupream  God.  The 
three  divine  virtues,  faith,  hope  and  charity;  yea  the  focial 
ones,  piety,  truth,  juftice,  clemency;  as  alfo  the  gifts,  fa- 
vours and  benefits  of  God,  as  felicity,  abundance,  health, 
peace,  honour  and  liberty.  4.  They  deified  alfo  their  heroes 
and  great  men,  the  founders  of  empires,  their  legiflators,  con- 
querors, and  thofe  that  had  done  fignal  adions  of  benefi- 
cence to  mankind,  as  Caftor,  Pollux,  Quirinus  and  the  like. 
Notwithftanding  this  multiplicity  of  inferior  Gods,  they  ftill 
retained  the  notion  of  one  fupream  univerfal  Numen  whom 
they  called  the  Father  of  Gods  and  men. 

In  order  to  prove  this,  we  begin  firft  with  the  poets.  Tha* 
there  is  very  oft  a  great  jumble  and  confufion  in  their  ideas, 
wild  abfurdities  in  their  flections,  and  an  unexcufable  indecen- 
cy in  their  expreffions,  yet  they  all  acknowledged  one  God 
fuperior  to  all  the  reft.  This  will  appear  from  the  very  anci- 
ent traditions  we  ftill  have  of  the*  philofophy  of  Orpheus. 
Tho'  this  poet  was  not  the  author  of  the  works  that  go  un- 
der his  name,  yet  it  is  certain  that  they  are  older  than  Hero- 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  61 

dotus  and  Plato  and  were  in  great  efteem  among  the  Pagans, 
I  fhall  begin  with  the  abridgment  which  Timotheus  theCof- 
raographer  gives  us  of  the  docVrine  of  Orpheus.  This  abridg- 
ment is  preferved  in  Suidas,  Cedrenus,  Eufebius,  the  author 
of  the  Argonautica,  and  Prochis.  (a)  There  is  one  unknown 

*  Being  exalted  above,  and  prior  to  all  beings,    (b)  He  is  the 

*  author  of  all  things,  even  of  the  ether,  and  of  every  thing 

*  below  the  ether,    (c)  This  exalted  Being  is  Life,  Counfel, 

*  and  Light,  which  three  names  exprefs  only  one  and  the 

*  fame  power  that  drew  all  things  vifible  and  invifible  out  of 
'  nothing,  (d)  We  will  fing  that  eternal,  wife  and  all-perfeft 

*  Love  which  reduced  the  chaos  into  order.'  Hence  it  was, 
that  Ovid  the  copier  of  the  Greek  Theogonifts,  diftinguifhes 
betwixt  the  chaos  and  a  beneficent  God,  who  brought  it  out 
of  order  into  confufion.    (e)  ^  The  univerfe,  fays  Orpheus, 

*  was  produced  by  Jupiter,  the  empyreum,  the  deep  Tarta^ 

*  rus,  the  earth  and  the  ocean,  the  immortal  Gods  and  God^ 

*  defles,  all  that  is,  all  that  has  been,  and  that  iliall  be  was 

*  contained  originally  in  the  fruitful  bofom  of  Jupiter.    He 

*  is  the  firft  and  the  laft,  the  beginning  and  tke  end,  all  be- 

*  ings  derive  their  origin  from  him,  he  is  the  primitive  Father 

*  and  the  immortal  Virgin,  he  is  the  life,  the  caufe,  and  the 

*  energy  of  all. things.     There  is  but  one  only  Power,  one 

*  only  God,  and  one  fole  univerfal  King.' 

This  laft  paflagefeems  to  confound  the  fubftantial  emana- 
tions or  immanent  efFefts  of  the  divine  eifence,  with  the  free 
productions  or  emanant  effecfls  of  God's  power.  This  the  Pa-7 

(a)  Suidas  de  Orpli.  p.  350.    (b)  Cedrenus,  p.  47.      (c)  F-nfeb.  praep.  Evang, 
p.  340.     Cd)  Argonautica,  apud Steph.  p.  7 1 .     (c)  Proclus  in  Tiniaeura.  p.  95. 


62  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

gans  feem  to  do  frequently  for  want  of  clear  metaphyfical 
ideas.    The  primitive  traditions  began  to  be  corrupted,  adul- 
terated and  obfcured  by  the  Greeks  and  chiefly  the  poets ;  but 
this  is  no  proof  of  their  atheifm  or  denial  of  a  fupream  God, 
fince,aswe  havefhown  in  the  firft  Part,  the  notion  of  thefcho- 
laftics  who  maintain  that  the  archetypal  ideas  enter  neceffari- 
ly  in  to  the  generation  of  the  Logos,  is  a  far  more  fubtil  intro- 
dudion  to  atheifm  than  this  grofs  idea  of  the  Pagan  poets. 
It  is  not  atheifm  to  confound  the  eflence  of  the  creature  with 
that  of  the  Creator;  this  many  Orientals  do,  this  the  Stoics 
did,  this  even  fome  primitive  fathers  are  accufed  of:  but  true 
atheifm  confifls  in  denying  that  there  is  an  infinite  power  that 
produced  the  univerfe,  an  infinite  v^ifdom  that  governs  it,  and 
an  infinite  goodnels  that  directs  all  to  the  final  good  of  his 
creatures.    The  errors  that  tend  indirecflly  to  deflroy  the  di- 
vine attributes  are  not  proofs  of  atheifm,  otherwife  the  Pre- 
deflinarians  might  be  reputed  atheifls. 

It  is  true  that  St.  Juftin  Martyr,  Athenagoras  and  La6]:an- 
tius  affirm  that  Orpheus  afferted  three  hundred  and  fixty 
Gods,  declared  their  generations,  gave  them  names,  and  told 
what  was  done  by  each  of  them :  but  it  is  plain,  that  this  phi- 
lofophical  poet  underftood  by  this  multiplicity  only  the  infe- 
rior deities,  or  deified  heroes.  As  he  was  the  firfl  inventer  of  all 
the  religious  rites  and  mythical  theology  among  the  Greeks, 
he  fuppofed  a  God  for  every  day  of  the  year,  and  this  was  a  fort 
of  Pagan  kalender.  So  old  was  the  notion  in  all  religious  na- 
tions, that  calling  to  remembrance  every  day  fome  particular 
.  faint  or  divinized  hero,  whofe  virtues  were  to  be  imitated,  and 


0 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  63 

whofe  examples  animate  to  true  piety,  was  a  very  ufeful  prac- 
tice in  facred  worfhip. 

The  generality  of  the  Greeks  looked  upon  Orpheus  not 
only  as  a  meer  poet  and  a  man  of  a  fine  imagination,  but  as  a 
profound  philofopher,  a  myftical  divine,  and  a  perfon  tran- 
fcendently  wife  and  holy.  They  fuppofed  all  his  fables  of  the 
Gods  to  be  deep  myfteries  and  allegories,  v/hich  had  a  hidden 
and  moft  fublime  fenfe.  Thus  Athenagoras  writes  that  he  was 
divinely  infpired,  and  did  more  truly  theologize  than  all  the 
other  Greeks.  Cclfus  adds,  that  he  was  unqueftionably  en- 
dued withaholyfpirir,and  that  as  well  as  Jefus  of  the  Chrifti- 
ans  he  died  a  violent  death,  to  render  teftimony  to  truth,  Pro- 
clus  in  his  theology  of  Plato  fays ;  ^  (a)  all  the  theology  among 

*  the  Greeks  is  the  offspring  ofthemy(l:icdo6lrine  of  Orpheus. 

*  Pythagoras  was  firft  taught  the  orgies  of  the  Gods  by  Aglao- 
'  phcmus.    Plato  next  received  a  perfect  knowledge  of  them 

*  from  the  Pythagorean  and  Orphic  writings.'  In  another 
place  he  adds:  '  the  Pythagoric  principles  are  the  fame  with 
'the  Orphic  traditions,  what  Orpheus  delivered  myftically 
'  in  hidden  allegories,  thofe  Pythagoras  learned  when  he  was 
'  initiated  in  the  Orphic  myfteries  by  Aglaophemus.'  Thus 
we  may  look  upon  the  Pythagoric,  the  Platonic,  and  the  Or- 
phic theology  as  the  fame. 

Homer  is  thought  to  have  followed  the  allegorical  theo- 
logy of  Orpheus,  and  to  have  borrowed  all  his  great  ideas 
from  him.  If  we  read  his  poems  with  attention,  we  will  find 
that  he  acknowledges  every  where  a  fupeam  God  whom  he 
calls  the  Father  and  the  fovereign  Lord  of  Gods  and  men,  the 
(a)  Procl.  thcol.  Platon.  ed.  Hamb,  1618.  p.  280  &  291. 


•64  OF   GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

-archlte<5l  of  the  world,  the  Prhice  and  Governor  of  the  uni- 
verfe,  the  firft  God,  the  God  by  way  of  eminence,  the  great 
:God,  and  the  higheft  of  all  the  Gods.  Ariftotle  fpeaks  thus 
of  Homer's  theology,  (b)  '  The  paternal  power  over  chil- 
^  dren  is  a  royal  authority,  wherefore  Homer  when  he  paints 

*  forth  Jupiter's  kingly  power  over  all,  calls  him  the  Father 

*  of  men  and  Gods;  for  he  who  is  a  king  by  nature  ought 

*  both  to  differ  from  his  fubje<5ts  and  be  of  the  fame  kind 
^'with  them,  as  he  who  begetteth  is  like  to  his  offspring/ 
Thus  Ariftotle  plainly  infinuates,  that  fuperior  fpirits  and  hu- 
man fouls  are  congenial  and  fimilar  to  the  Deity.  Plutarch 
•in  his  Platonic  queftions  fays,  that  (b)  *  Xenocrates  called 
•^  God  Hypaton  or  the  Moft  High,  but  that  Homer  long  be- 
'  fore  him  gave  God  the  fame  epithet,  to  fignify,  that  he  was 

*  the  Sovereign  of  all  fuperior  beings,  and  the  higheft  of  all 

*  powers.     Homer,  adds  he  in  another  place,  (c)  when  he 

*  calls  God  Hypaton  or  the  Moft  High,  denotes  his  power 

*  and  fovereignty,  but  when  he  names  him  Wiyi'^codcl,  he  ex- 

*  prcfles  his  wifdom  and  knowledge.'  Proclus  adds  (d)  '  Ho- 

*  mer  through  all  his  poetry,  praifes  Jupiter  as  the  higheft  of 
'  all  principalities,  the  Father  of  Gods  and  men,  and  the  uni- 

*  verfalreafon  of  all  the  demiurgical  powers. 

From  all  this  fome  conclude  with  great  reafon,  that  all 
that  Homer  fays  of  the  inferior  Deities  are  only  images  and 
allegories  to  exprefs  the  properties,  actions  and  proteftion  of 
fubordinate  Gods  or  fpirits  who  are  the  minifters  or  inftru- 
ments  of  the  fupream  God ;  that  the  Iliad  is  not  only  a  poli- 

(a)  Ariftot.  de  republ.  lib.  i.  c.  1 2.    (b)  Plutarch.  Pkton.  quaeft.    (c)  Putarch. 
de  Ifid.  et  Ofirid.     (d)  Proelus  in  Timaeum. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  6s 

deal  fable  to  rcprefent  the  fatal  confcquences  of  difcord  a- 
mong  the  little  chiefs  and  heads  of  Greece,  but  alfo  a  fublinie 
moral  allegory  to  fliew  the  contraft  of  pafBons  and  virtues  ani- 
mated and  excited  in  men  by  the  influence  of  infpiration  of 
good  and  evil  genii,  who  dwell  in  the  air,  the  earth  and  the 
heavens; and  in  fine,  that  the  Odyffey  is  an  allegory  to  rcpre- 
fent the  labours  and  toils,  hardfhips  and  combats  of  the  true 
hero  during  this  mortal  life,  ere  he  can  arrive  to  a  ftate  of  dei- 
fication. ^ 

Whatever  be  in  this,  it  is  certain  that  themofi:  learned  and 
famous  Pagans  looked  upon  Homer  as  a  great  divine,  and  a 
great  philofopher,  as  well  as  a  great  poet;  which  they  could 
not  have  done  unlefs  they  had  underftood  his  flights  and  fi Ali- 
ens allegorically:  for  furely  were  all  the  indecent  ideas  and 
defcriptions  he  gives  of  the  padions  and  vices  of  the  inferior 
Deities  underftood  by  them  in  a  literal  fenfe,  they  mult  have 
thought  him,  in  theology,  the  molt  ftupid  of  all  mortals.  It 
is  true  that  Plato  and  Philoftratus  condemn  Homer  for  having 
degraded  the  divine  nature  by  his  low  images,  and  for  repre- 
fenting  fpiritiial  virtues  and  intellecHiual  ideas  by  metaphors 
and  allegories  that  feem  to  authorize  and  recommend  vice:  but 
there  is  a  great  difference  betwixt  the  different  ages  wherein 
Homer  lived  and  thofe  of  Plato  and  Philoftratus.  In  Plato's 
time  mythology  was  quite  degenerated,  the  ancient  hierogly- 
phical,  fymbolical  and  allegorical  language  was  forgot.  Phi- 
loftratus was  a  nicer  fabulilt  and  grammarian  who  knew  little 
or  nothing  of  true  antiquity.  It  was  therefore  no  wonder  if 
thefe  two  authors  inveighed  againfl  a  language  that  was  un- 
derftood in  Homer's  time,  and  quite  forgot  in  theirs. 
PART  2.  I 


66  OF   GOD^s   EXISTENCE, 

•  It  is  a  very  odd  prefumptuous  idea  of  fome  moderns  to  ima-' 
gine,  that  before  the  age  of  Defcartes,  the  mofl  part  of  man- 
kind was  deprived  of  all  reafon,  that  men  of  the  greateft  wit, 
fublimeft  imagination  and  nobleft  fentiments  fuch  as  Homer, 
had  no  juft  ideas  of  God's  exiftence,  nature  and  attributes;  that 
the  nearer  we  afcend  to  the  origin  of  the  world,  the  more  we 
find  men  were  favages,  in  whom  reafon  was  not  yet  unfolded. 
This  wild  idea  came  from  a  fpirit  of  impiety  among  the  in- 
credulous Freethinkers,  as  the  ridiculous  opinion  that  the 
Pagans  had  no  fupernatural  lights,  nor  divine  virtues  came 
from,  a  fpirit  of  fuperftition-and  bigotry  among  thejudaizing 
doflors.  Thofe  two  oppofite  fefts  of  minute  philofophers, 
and  pharifaical  divines  join  thus  hand  in  hand  without  defign, 
in  order  to  deftroy  the  Mofaical  accounts  of  the  firft  origin 
and  propagation  of  mankind*  For,  to  repeat  it  once  more, 
this  {l^cred  hillory  alone  can  explain  how  the  great  principles 
of  Natural  and  Revealed  Religion  muH:  have  been  univcrfal 
to  wife  men  of  all  nations,  and  ages.  To  what  a  miferable 
pafs  muftChriftianitybeatlaft  reduced  if  the  incredulous  and 
the  believers  continue  thus  united  to  degrade,  extirpate  and 
deny  the  doctrine  of  univcrfal  tradition  and  grace  1 

Hefiod  thinks  as  Homer,  for  his  Theogonia  regards  on- 
ly the  generation  or  production  of  the  inferior  Gods,  and  not 
of  Jupiter,  or  the  fupream  God,  whom  he  calls  Zeus,  and  to 
whom  he  attributes  the  creation  of  all  things:  for  Mofcho- 
pulus,  a  very  ancient  fcholiaft,  in  commenting  upon  thefe 
pafTages  of  the  Theogonia  where  Hefiod  fays,  *  that  the  Gods 
'  and  men  were  made  from  the  fame  root  or  flock,  and  that 
'  firfl  of  all  a  golden  age  of  men  were  made  by  the  immortal 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  6y 

*  Gods/  affures  us  that  the  poet's  meaning  is,  *  that  Jupiter 

*  or  Zeus  alone  made  the  firll  golden  age  of  men,  as  may  be 

*  proved  from  other  places  of  the  fame  poet,  and  tho'  he 
^  fpeaks  of  the  Gods  in  general,  yet  doth  he  but  transfer 

*  that  which  was  the  work  of  one  to  *  the  Gods  of  the  fame 

*  kind.'  By  '■  the  Gods  of  the  fame  kind,'  is  not  to  beunder- 
ftood  the  inferior,  generated  Deities,  but  the  three  hypofta- 
fes  of  the  Divine  Nature,  which  the  Hebrews  themfelves 
ipeak  very  oft  of,  in  the  plural  number  Elochim,  and  of 
which  the  Orphic,  Egyptian,  Pythagoric,  Platonic,  Perfian 
and  Chinefe  theology  are  full,  as  v/e  fhall  fhew  hereafter. 
Proclus  alfo  afTures  us  that  *  Hefiod,  as  v/ell  as  Homer,  at- 

*  tribute  the  creation  of  all  things  to  Jupiter  the  felf-exiftent 
'  and  unmade  God,  by  whom  all  things,  and  all  men  were 

*  made,  and  not  by  chance.' 

The  tragic  and  lyric  poets  exprefs  themfelves  after  the 
fame  manner  as  the  Epic.  Pindar  calls  the  loud  founding 
Jupiter  (a)  *  the  moft  powerful  of  the  Gods,  the  Lord  of 
'  all  things,  the  firft  caufe,  the  great  artificer  and  framer  of 
'  the  univerfe.    (b)  It  was  this  fupream  God  whom  Chiron 

*  intruded  Achilles  to  honour  and  worfliip  tranfcendently 

*  above  all  the  other  Gods,  (c)  If  any  man  is  fo  foolifh  as  to 

*  imagine  any  of  his  a(5tions  can  be  concealed  from  God,  he 

*  is  greatly  deceived.'    The  fame  poet  reprefents  God  as  the 

*  author,  fource  and  caufe  of  all  good,  (d) '  Men  become  good 

*  and  wife  only  by  the  affiftance  of  the  Deity,  (e)  The  en- 
'  dowments  both  of  body  and  mind,  wifdom,  natural  flrength 

(a)  Pindar.  Nem.  od.  6.  (b) Ibid.  Pyth.  od.  6.     (c)  Olymp.  od.  I.     (d)  Ibid. 
'Od.9.     (e)PythiaQd.  i.  ' 


6B  OF   GOD^s   EXISTENCE, 

and  eloquence,  all  are  the  gift  of  the  Gods,    (f)  God  over- 

*  turns  the  proud  but  gives  immortal  glory  to  the  humble,  (g) 
'  We  are  beings  of  one  day,  to-day  we  are  fomcthing^  to- 

*  morrov^  nothing.     Man  is  the  dream  of  a  fhadov;^:  but 

*  when  God  emits  his  fplendors,  a  bright  light  and  fvveet  life 

*  attends  us.' 

Euripides  expresfly  acknowledges  the  dependence  of  all 
beings  upon  one  fole  principle  as  author  of  life  and  know- 
ledge, exiftence  and  rcafon.  (a)  '  O  Father  and  King,  of  Gods 

*  and  men,  why  do  we  miferable  mortals  fancy  that  we  know 

*  any  thing,  or  can  do  any  thing,  our  fate  depends  upon  thy 

*  will.'  The  fame  Euripides  fpeaks  thus  in  another  place  quo- 
ted by  Dr.Cudworth  (b).  '  Thou  felf-fprung  Being  which 

*  contains  all  things,  and  embraces  the  celeftial  fpheres,  tho' 

*  encompaffed  with  light,  yet  thou  art  furrounded  with  a  fha- 

*  dy  night.'  This  refembles  perfectly  the  image  of  the  Deity 
given  by  the  royal  prophet  David  when  he  fays,  that  tho'  God 
covers  himfelf  with  light  as  with  a  garment,  yet  he  is  farroun- 
ded  with  darknefs.  1  he  fame  tragedian  fays  in  another  place. 

*  I  offer  to  thee.  Lord  of  all,  libations  of  wine  and  a  fait  cake. 

*  Whatever  be  thy  name,  whether  that  of  Dis  or  Jupiter,  thou 

*  alone  holds  the  fublime  fcepter  among  the  Gods,  and  thou 

*  governs  the  terreftrial  kingdom.    Infufe  light  into  the  fouls 

*  of  men,  that  they  may  know  the  root  whence  all  evil  fprings, 

*  and  by  what  ficrifice  they  may  attain  to  a  true  reft  from 
'  their  labours.' 

Sophocles  reprefents  the  Deity  as  a  fovereign  Intelligence 

(f)  Ibid.  od-.  2.  Cg)Ibid.  od.  8.  (a)  Eurip.  Supplic.  a<ft.  3.V..734.  ed.  Csnttah^ 
(b)  Cudworth's  Intelle(ft.  fjftem  page  3 64=. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  ^9 

who  IS  the  wlfdom  and  the  eternal  la\vofaIlfpirks(a).  *  It  is 

*  not,  fays  he,  to  any  mortal  nature  that  laws  owe  their  ori^ 

*  gin,  they  come  from  above,  they  come  down  from  heaven 

*  itfelf,  Jupiter  Olyrapius  Is  alone  the.fatherof  them/ 

St.  Juftin  Martyr  quotes  from  Sophocles  the  following 
maxims  (b).    '  There  is  one  fovereign  power,  and  one  God 

*  who  created  the  heavens,  the  earth,  the  feas  and  the  force 
'  of  winds  ;  themoft  part  of  men -deprived  of  all  true  under^- 
*■  (landing  confecrate  to  him  ftatues  of  wood,  and  ftone,  ima- 
'  gcs  of  gold  and  ivory;  they  endeavour  to  appeafe  him  with 

*  facrifices,  to  folemnize  feftivals  in  his  honour,  and  fooll/hly 

*  fancy  that  by  this  they  are  pious/ 

,  The  fame  St.,  Juftin  Martyr  mentions  an  ancient  oracle 
of  the  Greeks  which  runs  thus  (c):  *  God  is  felf-oripinar 
'  ted,  thrice  great,  indivifibly  one,  omnipotent  and  Invifible, 

*  he  fees  all  things  and  can  be  perceived  by  none.' 

Aratus,  quoted  by  St.  Paul,  calls  God,  *  He  of  whom  all 

*  things  are  full,  who  penetrates  and  pervades  all  beings  eve- 

*  ry  where,  whofe  beneficence  we  all  conflantly  enjoy,  for 

*  we  are  his  offspring.  Therefore  he  Is  always  propitiated  and 
*' adored  as. the  flrft  and  the  laft.  Hail  unlverfal  Father,  the 
'  great  wonder  of  the  unlverfe,  and  the  great  Intereft  of  manr 

*  kind.'  Many  fuch  paffagcs  are  quoted  by  the  Greek  fathers 
from  Terpander,  Arlftophanes,  Menander,  Hermionax  and 
others.  We  might  multiply  volumes  on  this  fubjed.  We 
Ihall  therefore  fum  up  all  we  are  to  fay  of  the  Greek  poets  by 
this  alTertion  of  Dion  Chryfoftome  (d)  :  '  all  the  poets  univcr- 

(a)Sophoc.  in  Oedip.  tyran.  p.  33.  (b)  St.  Juft.  Martyr,  de  monarchia  Dei, 
p.  104.  (c)  St.  Juft.  Martyr,  exlwrt,  ad  Graecos;  p.  94.  (d)  Dio..  Chriibft. 
orat,  jixx\n.  p.-447. 


70  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

*  fally  without  exception  call  the  fir  ft  and  greatefl:  God,  the 
'  Father  and  King  of  all  the  rational  kind.  Agreeably  to  this 

*  idea  men  ercd  altars  to  Jupiter  King,  and  call  him  Father 
'  in  all  their  devotions.' 

Thus  we  have  fliown  that  tho'  the  Pagan  poets  perfonify 
very  oft  the  divine  attributes,  gifts,  graces,  and  virtues,  and 
ercft  them  into  feparate  Deities;  tho'  they  divinize  their  he- 
roes and  call  them  Gods;  tho'  they  deify  fometimes  the  dif- 
ferent parts  of  nature,  give  fpirit  to  bodies,  and  bodies  to  fpi- 
rits,  tho  they  exprefs  very  oft  the  properties  of  the  one  by  the 
qualities  of  the  other;  tho' all  this  occafions  a  jumble  of  images, 
an  apparent  abfurdity  in  their  fictions,  and  an  indecorum  in 
their  expreflions  which  feem  to  degrade,  humanize,  and  even 
corporalize  the  divine  eflence,  yet  they  all  agree  in  the  belief 
of  one  fupream,eternal,felf-exiflent,omniprefent, incorporeal, 
intelligent  principle,  whom  they  call  th^  great  God,  the  fu- 
pream  God, and  the  Father  of  Gods  and  men.  It  was  common 
to  all  the  ancients  both  facred  and  profane  to  reprefent  intel- 
leftual  ideas  and  perfe6lions  by  fenfible  images  and  operations. 
Thus  the  infpired  Hebrews  figurevery  oftthe  divine  attributes 
by  hands,  feet,  and  corporeal  members ;  yea  the  irreconcilable 
oppofition  of  the  Divine  Nature  to  fin  is  figured  by  anger, 
wrath,  hatred,  fury,  vengeance,  which  are  all  human  imper- 
feclions.  Such  is  the  ftyle  of  all  minds  exalted  by  a  natural 
or  fupernatural  enthufiafm,  when  they  endeavour  to  paint 
with  fire  and  life  pure  intelleftual  ideas,  and  to  render  them 
familiar  to  fouls  immerfed  In  matter.  The  minute  philofo- 
phers,  profoundly  ignorant  of  this  great  principle,  condemn 
.in  the  ancient  mythologifts  thefe  ftrong  metaphors,  allegori; 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  yi 

cal  images,  and  fymbolical  reprefentatlons.  The  pharlfaical 
doi5tors  as  ignorant  as  the  incredulous  Freethinkers  condemn 
by  a  notorious  injuftice  in  the  profane  authors,  what  they 
juftify  in  the  facred  oracles.  Both  thofefefls  tend  equally  to 
favour  incredulity  and  a  total  contempt  of  all  antiquity  both 
facred  and  profane. 

Let  us  pafs  from  the  Greek  poets  to  the  philofophers 
where  the  primitive  traditions  are  lefs  adulterated  and  lefs  dif- 
guifed. 

I  begin  with  Thales  the  Mllefian  chief  of  the  Ionic  fchoolj 
who  Hved  in  the  fiftieth  Olympiad,  about  fix  hundred  years 
before  the  Chriflian  aera.  We  have  none  of  his  books  now- 
left,  but  fome  of  his  maxims  have  been  tranfmitted  down  to 
us  by  the  mofl  venerable  writers  of  antiquity  both  facred  and 
profane  (a).  '  God,  according  to  this  philofopher,  is  the  mofl 
'  ancient  of  all  Beings,  he  is  the  author  of  the  univerfe  which 

*  is  full  of  wonders,  (b)  He  is  the  mind  which  brought  the 
*■  chaos  out  of  confufion  into  order,    (c)  He  is  without  be- 

*  ginning  and  without  end,  and  nothing  is  hid  from  him.  (d) 
'  Nothing  can  refiftthc  force  of  fate,  but  this  fate  is  nothing 
'  but  the  immutable  reafon  and  eternal  power  of  providence.' 
It  is  commonly  faid,  that  Thales  looked  upon  water  as  the 
firf}  principle  of  all  things:  but  here  there  was  a  double  mif- 
take  of  ignorant  hiftorians.  When  he  fpoke  thus,  it  is  plain 
that  he  talked  of  phyfical  principles  and  not  of  the  creating 
power.  Moreover,  what  they  tranflate  vv^ater,  may  be  ren- 
dered FLUID,  by  which  the  philofopher  perhaps  meant  the 

(a)  Diog.  Laert.  vita  Thalis.  lib.  i.    (b)  Cicer.  nat.  Deor.  lib,  J.    (c)  St.  C!cm. 
Alexand.  Stroraat.  lib.  v.     (d)  Stob,  eel.  phyfic.  c.  8^ 


7^  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

pure  ethereal  fluid  that  is  the  univerfal  fprlng  of  nature,  as 
has  been  fhewn  in  the  firft  Part. 

Pythagoras  who  lived  about  the  fixtieth  Olympiad  is  the 
'fecond  Greek  philofopher  after  Thales,  and  the  chief  of  the 
Italic  fchool.  Every  body  knows  the  abftinence,  fiience,  re- 
tirement,and  great  purity  of  morals  which  he  required  of  his 
difciples.  He  was  very  fenfible  that  the  human  mind  could 
^nevcr  attain  to  the  knowledge  of  divine  things  unlefs  the  heart 
was  purged  of  its  paflions.  Now  thefe  are  the  notions  which 
he  has  left  us  of  thefupream  God  whom  he  always  diftin- 
.guiflics  from  the  inferior  Deities,  fuperior  fpirits,  and  deified 
•heroes,    (a)  '  God  is  neither  the  obje6l  of  fenfe,  nor  fubje6t 

*  to  paflions,  but  altogether  invifible,  purely  intelligible,  and 
■'■  fupreamly  intelligent,     (b)  He  is  the  univerfal  fpirit  that 

*  pervades  and  diffufcs  himfclf  over  all  nature.    All  beings  re- 

*  Geive  their  life  from  him.    (c)  There  is  but  one  only  God, 

*  who  is  not,  as  fome  are  apt  to  imagine,  feated  above  the 

*  world,  beyond  the  orb  of  the  univerfe,  but  being  all  in 

*  himfclf,  and  exifting  only  in  his  own  effence,  he  fees  all  the 

*  beings  that  inhabit  his  immenfity.    He  is  the  fole  principle, 

*  the  light  of  heaven,  the  Father  of  all  fpirits,  the  author  of 
'  all  virtues,  the  reafon,  the  life  and  the  motion  of  all  beings. 

*  (d)  We  fee  plainly,  fays  St.  Cyril  of  Alexandria,  that  Py- 
'vthagoras  maintained  there  is  but  one  God,  the  original  and 
*■  caufe  of  ail  things,  who  enlightens  every  thing,  animates 

*  every  thing,  and  by  whom  all  things  were  brought  out  of 

*  non-entity  into  being.' 

(a)  Plutarch,  vita  Numae,   Diog.  Laert.  lib.xii.      (b)  Ladant.  lib.  v.  (c)  St., 
Jullin.  exhort,  ad  Graecos,  p.  i8.     (d)  St.  Cyril,  contra  Julian,  lib,  i.  p.  85.. 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  73 

After  Pythagoras  comes  Anaxagoras  of  the  Ionic  fe6l, 
torn  at  Clazomene,  and  mafter  to  Pericles  the  Athenian  he- 
ro, about  four  hundred  years  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour, 

*  This  philofopher  rejected  with  contempt  (a)  and  confuted 

*  with  great  ftrength  of  reafon  the  doctrine  of  thofe  who  held 

*  that  blind  neceflity  and  the  cafual  motions  of  matter  had 

*  produced  the  world,  and  endeavoured  to  prove  that  a  pure 

*  and  uncompounded  fpirit  prefides  over  the  univerfe.  Ac- 
cording to  Arillotle  the  force  of  Anaxagoras'  reafoning  was 
this :  (b)  *  the  idea  of  matter  not  including  that  of  aftive  force, 

*  motion  could  not  be  one  of  its  properties.    We  muft  there- 

*  fore  fcek  fomething  elfe  to  find  out  the  caufe  of  its  activity; 

*  this  active,  felf-moving  principle  he  called  Soul,  becaufe  it 

*  animates  the  univerfe ;  he  maintained  that  this  univerfal  prin- 

*  ciple  of  motion  was  alfo  a  thinking  principle  called  Ny^,  or 

*  Underftanding.   As  he  faw  nothing  in  matter  that  had  any 

*  refemblance  to  this  property,  he  inferred  that  there  was  in 

*  nature  another  fubftance  befides  matter.  He  added,  that  the 

*  foul  and  fpirit  were  one  and  the  fame  fubftanc  e  diftinguiflied 

*  only  by  its  different  operations,  and  that  of  all  elTences  it 
'  was  the  moft  fimple,  the  moft  pure,  and  the  moft  exempt 

*  from  all  mixture  and  compofition.'  (c)  This  philofopher  paf- 
fed  at  Athens  for  an  atheift,  becaufe  *  he  denied  that  the  liars 

*  and  planets  were  Gods,  and  maintained,  that  thefirft  were 
'  only  funs  and  the  laft  habitable  worlds.'  It  is  the  cuftom  of 
fuperftitious  minds  to  look  upon  all-men  as  atheifts  that  de- 

(a)  St.  Cyril,  contra  Jul.  lib.  i.     (b)  Ariftot.  de  anima  lib.  Z.  cap.  2.  p.  6; 9* 
edit.  Paris.  162$.     (c)  Plato  de  leg.  lib,  x. 

PART  2.  K 


74  OF   GOD^s  EXISTENCE, 

ny  the  vulgar  opinions  and  grofTer  abufes  introduced  Into  fa- 
cred  worfhip  by  prieftcraft. 

Socrates  follows  clofe  after  Anaxagoras,  being  only  thir- 
ty years  poflerlor  to  him.   According  to  St.  Juftui  Martyr,  he 
was  Inlplred  by  the  Logos,  and  verified  that  divine  maxim,, 
that  *  wifdom  dlffufes  itfeif  through  all  nations,  enters  into 
*  holy  fouls,  and  makes  them  friends  of  God  and  prophets/ 
According  to  the  teftimony  of  his  difciple  Xenophon,  he 
made  little  account  of  barren  fpcculations,  natural  fciences, 
hiftorical  fafis,  and  all  theprodu<ftlons  of  wit  and  imaginati- 
on.   His  great  fludy  was  to  know  himfelf,  to  live  from  with- 
in, to  fnun  all  amufemcnts,  and  public  focletics.     His  life 
feems  to  have  been  a  life  of  conihnt  contemplation,  abfti- 
nence  and  felf-denlal.     He  never  wrote  any  thing  himfelf, 
and  never  talked  of  himfelf  but  as  of  a  third  perfon.  He  went 
about  doing  good,  fearching  out  among  the  multitude  con- 
genial fouls  and  upright  minds  that  were  fufceptibleof  thefe 
practical  truths  that  purify  the  heart  from  all  falfe  defires,  in- 
clinations, and  paflions.  According  to  PlatOj  he  was  the  mo- 
del of  a  truly  juft  man  who  loved  virtue  for  itfeif,  and  not  for 
the  honours,  reputation  and  pleafures  that  oft  accompany  it. 
He  was  envied,  calum.niated  and  infulted  by  the  minute  phi- 
lofophers  and  flipcrficial  wits  of  the  age,  and  died  at  iafl:  a  mar- 
tyr for  truth.    From  all  which  it  appears,  that  St.  JulHn  had 
reafon  to  fay,  he  v/as  truly  a  Chriftlan,  and  taught  by  the  Lo- 
gos, tho'  he  pafTed  for  an  athcift  among  the  fuperftitious  A- 
thenians.   And  as  Plato  tells  us  in  his  dialogue  upon  holinefs, 
(b)  he  was  put  to  death  not  for  denying  that  there  were  iiife- 
(a)  Plato,  Eutyphro.  p.  5,  &  6. 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  75 

Tior  Gods,  but  for  declaring  hlmfelf  openly  againll:  the  poets, 
mythologies  and  priefts  whoafcribed  human  pafTions,  and  in- 
human vices  to  thefe  fubordinate  Deities.  It  is  true  that  be-- 
fore  his  death  he  ordered  a  cock  to  be  facrificed  to  Efculapi- 
us,  but  we  fhall  fliew  hereafter,  that  he  looked  upon  Efcula- 
pius  as  one  of  the  names  of  the  fupream  God,  or  rather  the 
fecond  hypoftafis  of  the  Orphic,  Pythagoric  Trinity;  and 
therefore  it  was  no  wonder  if  he  offered  vi6tlms  to  this  middle 
God. 

Socrates  however,whil{1:  he  fuppofed  feveral  inferior  Gods, 
admitted  all  the  while  but  only  one  eternal  principle.  Xeno- 
phon  has  left  us  an  excellent  abridgment  of  the  theology  of 
that  philofopher.  It  contains  the  converfation  of  Socrates 
with  Ariftodemus,  who  doubted  of  the  exigence  of  God.  So- 
crates makes  him  at  firfl:  take  notice  of  the  characters  of  diC- 
ifign,  art  and  wifdom  that  appear  all  over  the  univerfe,  and 
particularly  in  the  mechanifm  of  the  human  body,    (a)  *  Do 

*  you  believe,  fays  he  to  Ariftodemus,  that  you  are  the  only 

*  intelligent  being.     You  know  that  you  poflefs  but  a  Httle 

*  particle  of  that  matter  which  compofes  the  world,  a  (inall 

*  portion  of  that  water  which  moiftens  it,  afparkof  thatflame 

*  which  animates  it.    Is  underftanding  peculiar  to  you  alone? 

*  have  you  fo  engrofled  and  confined  it  to  yourfelf  that  it  is 

*  to  be  found  no  where  elfe?    Does  blind  chance  produce  e- 

*  very  thing,  and  is  there  no  fuch  thing  as  wifdom  befides 

*  what  you  have?'  Ariftodemus  having  replied,  that  he  did 
not  fee  that  wife  architeft  of  the  univerfe,  Socrates  anfwers 
him,  *  neither  do  you  fee  the  foul  which  governs  your  own 

(a)  Xenophont,  memor,  Socrat.  lib.  i-  p.  573.  ed.  Bafil.  1579. 


7^  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

*  body,  and  regulates  all  Its  motions;  yon  might  as  well  con.- 
'  elude,  that  you  do  nothing  yourfelf  with  defign  and  reafon, 

*  as  to  maintain  that  every  thing  is  done  by  blind  chance  in 

*  the  univerfe.'  Ariftodemus  acknowledging  at  lad  afupreani 
Being  is  Prill  in  doubt  as  to  providence,  not  being  able  to  com- 
prehend how  the  Deity -can  fee  every  thing  at  once.  Socrates 
replies,  '  If  the  fpirit  that  refides  in  your  body,  moves  and 
'  difpofes  it  at  its  pleafure,  why  fhould  not  that  fovereign  wif- 

*  dom  which  prefides  over  the  univerfe  be  able  likewife  to  re- 
^  gulate  and  order  every  thing  as  it  pleafes.  If  your  eye  can 
'  fee  objects  at  the  diftance  of  feveral  furlongs,  why  fhould 
^  not  the  eye  of  God  be  able  to  fee  every  thing  at  once?    IF 

*  your  foul  can  think  at  the  fame  time  upon  what  is  at  Athens, 
"  in  Egypt,  and  in  Sicily,  why  fhould  not  the  Divine  mind  be 

*  able  to  take  care  of  every  thing,  being  every  where  prefenS 

*  to  his  work.'  Socrates  perceiving  at  laft,  that  the  infidelity 
of  Arifl:odemus  did  not  arife  fo  much  from  his  mind,  as  from 
his  heart,  concludes  with  thefe  words,  '  O  Ariftodemus,  ap- 

*  ply  yourfelf  fincerely  to  worfhip  God,  he  will  enlighten  you, 
'  and  all  your  doubts  will  foon  be  removed.'  This  laft  pafTage 
expreffes  all  the  effential  part  of  practical  religion.  It  mani- 
fefts  a  full  perfwafion  that  God  alone  can  enlighten  the  foul 
by  his  fupernatural  influence ;  that  this  divine  light  is  only  to 
be  acquired  by  prayer,  and  that  God  omnlprefcnt  every  where 
hears  the  defire  of  upright  minds. 

Simmias  the  phllofopher  in  Plutarch,  when  he  explains 
what  is  meant  by  the  familiar  Genius  that  continually  infpi^ 
red  Socrates,  fays,  that  it  was  no  other  than  the  Divine  Spirit 
itfelfj  which  not  wanting  the  mediation  of  founds;  words,  or 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  77 

corporeal  organs  to  make  itfelf  undcrftood,  imparts  itfcif  to 
peaceful  minds  undifturbed  by  the  noife  of  fenfe  and  the  tu- 
mult of  paflions ;  that  the  foul  of  Socrates  detached  from,  and 
void  of  all  fenfual  appetites  was  continually  attentive  to  the 
celeftial  infpirations.  Thus  this  philofopher  is  reprefentcd  as 
living  perpetually  in  the  divine  prefence,  as  walking  before 
God,  and  becoming  pcrfec^l  hke  the  patriarchs. 

Xenophanes  the  Colophonlan,  the  head  of  the  Eleatic 
fe<5l,  fays  in  a  verfe  preferved  by  St.  Clemens  Alexandrinus ; 
(a) '  there  is  one  God  the  greateft  both  among  Gods  and  men, 
'  who  moveth  the  whole  world  without  any  labour  meerly  by 
'  mind.*  Simplicius,  in  his  commentary  upon  Ariftotle's  phy- 
fics,  fays,  (b)  *  Theophraftus  affirms  that  Xenophanes  the 
'  Colophonian,  mafter  to  Parmenides,  made  one  principle  of 

*  all  things,  which  is  neither  finite  nor  infinitely  extended^ 

*  neither  in  local  motion,  nor  in  reft,  a  folitary  Being  unmade, 
'  felf-originated,  the  beft  and  mofi:  powerful  of  all  things,  the 
'  fupream  Unity  which  prefides  and  rules  over  all  degrees  of 
'  entity.'  From  whence  it  is  evident,  that  Xenophanes  fup- 
pofed  God  to  be  incorporeal,  and  that  hlsimmenfity  was  not 
the  fame  with  infinite  fpace. 

Heraclitus,  whom  St.  Juflui  Martyr  looks  upon  to  have 
been  infpired  as  well  as  Socrates  by  the  Logos,  lived  in  a  con- 
tinual retreat,  contemplation,  and  penitence,  mournincr  over 
the  follies  of  mankind.  As  he  frequented  very  little  the 
temples,  and  lived  like  an  Afcetie,  he  was  accufed  of  impiety 
by  Euthyclcs,  and  the  faperditious  priefls  of  his  country.  To 

(a)  St.  Clem.  Strom,  quoted  by  Dr.  Cudworth;  p.  37  7 .    (b)  Simplicius  in  AriiL 
phyf.  p.  6;7. 


7S  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

jufiify  himfelf  he  writes  thus  to  Hermodorns:  '  (a)  O  yeiin- 
'  wife  and  unlearned,  teach  us  firfl:  what  God  is,  then  tell  us 

*  where  God  is,  that  fo  you  may  be  believed  in  accufing  me 

*  of  impiety  ?  Is  he  fhutup  in  the  walls  of  temples?  Is  this 
'  your  piety  to  place  God  in  the  dark,  or  to  make  him  a  ftony 
'  God  and  a  ftatue  ?     Know  you  not  that  God  is  not  made 

*  with  hands,  and  has  no  fupport  to  ftand  upon,  nor  can  be 

*  enlofed  within  walls.  The  whole  world  varied  with  plants, 

*  animals  and  ftars  is  his  temple.  Am  I  impious,  O  Euthycles, 

*  who  alone  know  what  God  is?  Is  there  no  God  without 
^  altars,  or  are  flones  the  only  proofs  of  his  exiftence?  No, 
'  his  own  works  give  teftimony  of  him,  and  principally  the 
'  fun.    Night  and  day  bear  witnefs  of  him,  the  fruitful  earth 

*  declares  his  might,  and  the  orb  of  the  moon  is  an  echo  of  his 
power.'  As  he  was  a  great  enemy  of  idols,  and  declaimed  con- 
tinually againft  the  horrid  abufes  of  the  fymbohcal,  hierogly- 
phical  language,  he  was  hated,  perfecuted  and  calumniated  as 
an  atheift.  This,  as  we  have  already  faid,  and  cannot  enough 
repeat,  was  ever  the  ftratagcm  of  priefts  of  all  religions,  ages, 
and  nations  to  brand  with  impiety  thofe  who  do  not  adopt  all 
their  wild  opinions  and  fuperftitious  practices. 

Parmenides,  difciple  of  Xenophanes,  called  God  one 
AND  ALL.  Some  think  moft  falfely,  that  Parmenides  con- 
founded Nature  with  God  by  this  exprcffion:  but  Simplicius 
who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  opinions  of  the  ancients, 
and  who  had  by  him  a  copy  of  Parmenides'  works,  fays, 

*  that  this  exprefTron  oneand  all  muft  not  be  underftood 
^  phyfically  but  metaphyfically,  becaufe  the  fupream,  intelli- 

(a)  SeeCudwortb,  pag.  379. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  79 

'  glble  foiirce  of  all  things,  of  mind  and  underftanding  con- 

*  tains  and  comprehends  In  himfclf  all  things  compendioufly 

*  and  by  way  of  unity.  This  was  the  Unity,  Monade  or  One 
'  BeincT  of  Parmenides  whom  he  called  indivifible  and  immu- 

*  table.'  Now  it  Is  impoffible,  that  what  is  immutable  and 
indivifible  can  be  material,  and  therefore,  the  meaning  of  Par- 
menides rauft  be,  that  God  unites  In  his  fupream  unity  not 
the  fubilances,  but  the  perfeclions,  ideas,  and  archetypes  of 
every  thing  exiftentin  an  immutable,  indivifible  manner.  Sim- 
plicius  has  preferved  to  us  fome  verfcs  of  Parmenides  which 
explain  fully  his  fenfe.  (a)  '  The  fupream  Deity,  fays  he.  Is 
'  one,  fingular,  Iblitary,  and  mod  fimple  Being,  unmade,  felf- 

*  originated,  and  necelTarily  exiilent,  whofe  duration  is  im- 

*  mutable,  remaining  always  In  himfelf  without  flux  or  fuc- 
'  ceilion.'  What  a  difference  is  there  betwixt  this  flill,  ftan- 
ding,  permanent  eternity,  and  the  flowing,  floating  fuccefli- 
on  of  fome  modern  Chriftian  philofophcrs,  who-  have  cor- 
rupted and  degraded  all  the  natural  and  fublime  ideas  we 
Hiould  have  of  immenfity  and  eternity!  they  confound  the 
one  with  infinite  fpace,  and  the  other  with  infinite  time,  and 
fo  open  the  fluices  to  the  Spinofian  fyitem. 

Dr.  Cudworth,  to  whom  we  owe  a  great  many  of  the  fore- 
going remarks,  has  demonilrated  that  Empedoclcs,Melilfus, 
Archytas,Onatus,  Ocellus,  TlmaeusLocrus^  A rcheiaus.  An- 
tifthcnes,  Diogenes  Syropenfis  and  Euclidcs  Megarcnfis,wcre 
all  true  ThcKls:  but  as  the  fcrapes  and  fragments  of  thefe 
authors,  which  have  been  preferved,  arc  only  repetitions  of 

Ca)SimpUc.inArift.  phyf.  fol.  7.  1 7.  31* 


So  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

what  has  been  already  faid,  we  proceed  to  Plato,  the  great 
light  of  Grce.ce. 

Plato,  difclple  to  Socrates,  lived  about  three  hundred  and 
fifty  years  before  the  Chriftian  aera.  We  dare  venture  to  fay 
that  tho'  his  works  be  wrote  by  way  of  dialogue,  and  feem  on- 
ly occafional  pieces  without  any  apparent  connexion,  geo- 
metrical gradation,  or  metaphyseal  prccifion,  yet  they  are  a 
treafure  of  all  the  great  principles  of  natural  and  even  revealed 
religion  handed  down  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  his 
days.  He  got  them  from  Socrates,  Socrates  from  Pythago- 
ras, Pythagoras  from  the  Egyptians,  the  Egyptians  from  Her- 
mes Trifmegiftus,  and  Trifmegiftus  from  the  fird:  Hermes, 
who  from  a  deep  and  ferious  enquiry  will  be  found  to  be  fome 
Noevian,  or  perhaps  antediluvian  patriarch.  Thus,  excep- 
ting the  imperfed:  mixtures  which  by  fuccefllon  of  time,  and 
the  weaknefs  infeparable  from  human  nature,  have  crept  into 
the  Platonic  philofophy,  this  great  man  may  be  looked  upon 
as  the  confervator  and  compiler  of  all  the  fcattered  rays,  and 
hints  of  divine  philofophy  that  have  been  tranfmitted  to  the 
Pagan  world  flnce  the  deluge. 

Plato  in  his  Timaeus  begins  by  diftinguifhing  the  Being 
which  was  eternally,  from  the  beings  which  were  made.  He 
calls  God  in  the  fequel  of  this  dialogue  *  the  archited  of  the 

*  world,  the  Father  of  the  univerfe,  the  Creator  of  Nature, 

*  the  God  over  all,  the  fovereign  Mind  which  orders  all  things 
'  and  penetrates  all  things,  the  fovereign  Beauty  and  the  fu- 

*  pream  Good.'  In  his  Sophift  he  defines  God,  *  the  felf-ori- 

*  ginatcd  efficient  caufe  which  makes  things  exift  that  had  no 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  Si 

*  being  before.'     In  his  Republic,  (a)  '  He  that  made  the 

*  heavens,  the  earth  and  the  Gods,  and  that  is  the  original 

*  life  and  force  of  all  things  in  heaven,  upon  earth,  and  un- 

*  der  the  earth,'  it  is  this  firft  principle  v^hich  he  calls  in  feve- 
ral  places  of  the  fame  book,  '  the  Being,  the  Unity,  and  the 

*  Good  by  excellence,  the  fame  in  the  intelligible  world  that 

*  the  fun  is  in  the  vifible  world.'  He  confiders  the  Deity  in  his 
eternal  folitude  before  the  producHiion  of  finite  beings,  and  fays 
frequently,  like  the  Egyptians,  that  this  firfl  Source  of  Deity 
is  furrounded  with  thick  darknefs  which  no  mortal  can  pene- 
trate, and  that  this  unacceflible  God  is  to  be  adored  only  by 
filencc.  He  afterwards  reprefents  to  us  this  firft  Being  as  fal- 
lying  out  of  his  Unity  to  confider  all  the  various  manners  by 
which  he  could  reprefent  himfelf  from  without,  and  thus  the 
ideal  world  was  formed  in  the  divine  undcrftandlns. 

Proclus,  in  commenting  upon  the  Platonic  Theology 
.fays,  *  the  divine  philofophy  of  Plato  dcfpifes  all  corporeal 

*  things  when  compared  with  what  is  intelleflual.    He  de- 

*  monftrates  that  mind  is  more  ancient  than  matter,  and  de- 
'  pends  upon  an  intelligent  hypoftafis,  that  Intelleft  was  the 

*  Caufeof  bodies,  and  the  Father  of  fpirits.'  In  another  place, 
the  fame  Proclus  adds  that  (b)  '  Plato  following  the  Pytha- 

*  goreans,  maintains  that  generated  things  are  many  and  va- 
'  rious,  but  there  is  one  fupream  Caufe  that  connects  and 

*  joins  all  the  fubordinate  caufes,  that  there  may  be  nothing 

*  in  vain  nor  acceffory  in  the  univerfe.    There  is  one  King, 

*  one  Caufe  and  one  Providence.   There  are  befides  many  a- 

(a)  Platon.JRepubl.  lib.  x.  &  xvlil.  (b)  Prodi  Theol.  Platon.  p.  5. 

Cb)  Pr,ocluslnTimaeura.  p.  80. 
PARI   2.  L 


\ 


82  OF   GOD's  EXISTENCE, 

<  gents,  different  caufes,  a  multiform  providence,  and  a  vari- 
^  ous  order;  but  in  all,  multiplicity  muft  adhere  to  unity,  va- 
'  riety  to  fimplicity,  what  is  multiform  to  what  is  uniform, 

*  and  different  particulars  to  one  univerfal,  thatfo  there  may 
'  be  a  golden  fcries  in  the  whole,  and  that  all  things  may  be 

*  regulated  with  order,proportion  and  harmony.'  It  was  then 
with  good  reafon  that  Numenius  the  Pythagorean  faid,  (a) 

*  What  is  Plato  but  Mofes  fpeaking  in  the  Attic  language  ?* 
Eufebius  adds,  that  Plato  (b)  '  agreeing  with  Mofes  teaches 
'  in  the  Timaeus,  that  as  there  is  but  one  heaven,  fo  there  is 
'  but  one  God;  for  that  which  contains  all  intelligibles  can 
'  never  be  fecond  to  any  thing.' 

Ariflotle,  Plato's  difciple  and  prince  of  the  Peripatetic 
philofophers,  was  one  of  thegreateft,  fubtilefl:,  andmoftuni- 
verfal  Genius's  of  his  age:  but  refolved  to  quit  his  mailer's 
footfteps,  he  defpifed  all  tradition  and  all  antiquity,  and  en- 
deavoured to  fpin  out  of  his  own  brains  a  perfect  fyftem  of 
truth.  Like  the  Arabian  philofophers  who  pretended  fince 
to  imitate  him,  like  the  Chriftian  fchoolmen  who  borrowed 
all  their  philofophy  from  the  Arabians,  and  like  fome  modern 
mctaphyficians  fuch  as  Defcartes,  Malebranch  and  Locke, 
w^ho  by  quite  different  fchemes  endeavour  to  explode  the  A- 
riftotelian,  Arabian  and  fcholaftic  philofophy;  juft  fo  Arif- 
totlefeems  to  have  quite  abandoned  the  ftudy  of  the  ancients 
and  applied  himfelf  only  to  a  fpeculative  combination  of  the 
natural  ideas  that  prcfent  themfelves  to  all  thinking  mieds, 
and  of  the  neceffary  confequences  that  flow  from  them.  By 
this  method  he  difcovered  fome  of  the  greatefl:  principles  of 

(a)  Eufeb.  praep,  Evang.  p.  410.  ed.  Colon,  1688.     (b)  Ibid.  p.  53(5* 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  83 

Natural  Religion  and  Moral  Philofophy ;  but  we  find  in  him 
few  or  no  veftiges  of  the  ancient,  Noevian,  Revealed  Religi- 
on, as  in  Plato,  Socrates,  Pythagoras,  and  in  the  Egyptian, 
Perfian,  and  Chinefe  philofophers. 

Ariftotle  in  his  metaphyfics  has  fomc  very  fublime  ideas  of 
God:  he  calls  him,  (a)  *  the  eternal  and  living  Being,  the 
«  moft  noble  of  all  Beings,  a  fubflrance  entirely  diftinfl  from 

*  matter,  without  extenfion,  without  divifion,  without  parts 

*  and  without  fucceflion,  who  underftands  every  thing  by 

*  one  fingle  a6t,  and  continuing  himfelf  immoveable  gives  mo- 

*  tion  to  all  things,  and  enjoys  in  himfelf  a  perfect  happinefs, 

*  as  knowing  and  contemplating  himfelf  with  infinite  plea- 

*  fure.'  In  another  place,  he  fay  that  (b)  *  God  is  a  fupream 
'  Intelligence  which  a(5ls  with  order,  proportion  and  defign, 
^  and  is  the  fourceof  all  that  is  good,  excellent  and  jufh'Elfe- 
where  he  fays,(c) '  the  firlt  principle  is  neither  the  fire,  nor  the 
^  earth,  nor  the  water,  nor  any  thing  that  is  the  obje6lof  fenfe; 

*  but  that  a  fpiritual  fubflance  is  the  caufe  of  the  univerfe  and 

*  the  fource  of  all  the  order,  and  all  the  beauties,  as  well  as  of 

*  all  the  motions  and  all  the  forms  which  we  fo  much  admire 

*  in  it.'  Befides  this  firft  and  eternal  fubftance,  he  acknow- 
ledges feveral  other  intelligent  Beings  that  are  the  minifters  of 
the  firfl  and  fupream  God.  (d)  *  There  is,fays  he,  but  one  on- 
'  ly  Mover,  and  feveral  inferior  Deities.    All  that  Is  added  a- 

*  bout  the  human  fhape  of  thofe  Deities,  is  nothing  elfc  but 

*  fiction,  invented  on  purpofe  to  inflru^  the  common  people, 

(a)  Ariftot.  Metaph.  lib.  xiv.  cap.  7.  pag.  1000.  (b)  Ibid.  Metaph.  lib.  xiv. 
cap.  10.  pag.  1005.  edit.  Paris.  1629.  (c)  Ibid.  Metaph.  lib,  i.  cap.  2.  p.  844. 
(d)  Ibid.  lib.  xiv,  cap.  8.  p.  1003. 

L2 


84  OF   GOD's  EXISTENCE, 

*■  and  engage  them  to  an  obfcrvance  of  good  laws:  all  miifl: 

*  be  reduced  to  one,  only  primitive  fubftance  which  governs 

*  in  fubordination  to  the  firft.    This  is  the  genuine  doftrine 

*  of  the  ancients  which  has  happily  efcaped  from  the  wreck  of 
'  truth,  amidft  the  rocks  of  vulgar  errors  and  poetic  fables/ 

We  come  now  to  the  Stoics.  Zeno,  Cleanthes,  Chryfip- 
pusand  all  their  difciples  believed  that  the  fupream,  felf-exif- 
tent,  eternal  Being  was  material;  that  his  efTence  was  a  pure 
aether  which  filled  all  by  local  difFufion;  that  whatever  was 
not  extended  was  nothing;  that  infinite  fpace  was  the  fame 
with  the  divine  immenfity ;  that  fpirit  is  but  body  rarified,  and 
body  fpirit  condenfcd  ;  that  intelligence  and  extenfion  may  be 
properties  of  the  fame  fubftance,  and  in  fine,  that  there  is,  and 
can  be  but  one  fort  of  fubftance  in  nature,  wliich  is  matter 
more  or  lefs  fubtilized.  Notvi'ithftanding  of  thofe  falfc,  ab- 
furd,  and  contradictory  ideas,  the  Stoics  were  very  far  from  be- 
ing atheifis.  They  acknowledged  only  one  fupream  God  who 
produced  all  things  by  his  power,  governs  all  things  by  his  wif- 
dom,and  beatifies  all  Beings  by  hisgoodnefs.They  endeavou- 
red to  prove  the  exiftence  of  this  one  God  whom  they  called 
Zeus,  Zen,  or  Jupiter,  by  feveral  arguments,  drawn  from  the 
orderly  fyfiem  of  the  world,  and  the  characters  of  wifdom  and 
defign  therein  remarked.  Hencethey  concluded,  (a)  '  that  it 

*  was  no  more  likely  that  the  world  could  have  been  made  by 

*  chance,  than  that  Homer's  Iliad  could  have  proceeded  from 

*  the  fortuitous  projection  of  innumerable  letters  thrown  at 
'  random  upon  the  ground.'  They  proved  alfo  the  exiftence 
of  an  all- perfect  Being  from  the  gradual  afccnt  and  fcale  oF 

(a)  See  Dr,  Cudworth's  Intelleift.  Syfteni;  p.  421.. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  85 

perfections  we  obferve  In  Nature.  There  mnO;  needs  there- 
fore, faid  they,  be  fome  moft  excellent  and  perfeiH:  Being  at 
tlie  head  of  all.  In  fine,  they  endeavoured  to  prove  the  exif- 
tence  of  a  God  from  this,  that  the  caufe  muft  be  more  per- 
fe<51:  than  the  efFe<n:;  and  that  the  whole  muft  contain  all  the 
perfeftlons  of  the  parts,  in  a  moft  tranfcendent  manner. 

We  come  now  to  the  later  philofophers  among  the  Greeks 
who  lived  after  the  times  of  Chriftianity.  It  is  certain  that 
all  of  them  whether  Pythagoreans,  Platonifts,  Peripatetics, 
or  Stoics  acknowledged  one  fupream  Deity,  tho'  they  admit- 
ted a  plurality  of  inferior  Gods> 

The  firft,  the  greateft  and  moft  moral  of  all  thefe  later 
philofophers  is  Hierocles,  who  wrote  towards  the  end  of  the 
fecond  century  a  commentary  upon  the  golden- verfes  of  Py- 
thagoras, which  is  a  colie(5tion  of  maxims  v/rote  by  Lyfis 
contemporary  with  and  difciple  of  Pythagoras.  Thofe  verfes 
are  one  of  the  moft  ancient  monuments  of  the  Pythagorean 
philofophy,  and  the  commentary  upon  them  may  be  called  a; 
divine  work.  There  the  author  gives  not  only  the  highcft 
idea  of  the  fupream  God,  but  of  internal  religion,  and  of  the 
true  adoration  in  fpirit,  as  we  ihall  fee  hereafter. 

Hierocles  begins  all  his  theology  by  diftinguifhing  betwixt 
the  fupream  God,  the  created  Gods,  and  the  deified  heroes. 
He  calls  the  firft  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  and  fpeaks 
thus,  (a)  '  We  can  only  difcover  the  true  grandeur  of  God, 

*  the  moft  excellent  artificer  and  maker  of  the  world  by  be- 

*  lieving  him  to  be  the  caufe  of  the  indeviating  intelligences,. 
'  whom  the  verfes  call  the  immortal  Gods,  becaufe  they 

Ca)  Hierocles.  ed.  Cantab.  1709.  p.  14, 


M  OF   GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

'  conftantly  and  uniformly  contemplate  God  the  Creator, 

*  have  their  thoughts  perpetually  intent  upon  his  goodnefs, 

*  and  receive  from  him  compleatly  and  invariably  being  and 

*  vi^ell-being,  as  his  living  images  void  of  paflion  and  evil.'  In 
another  place  he  calls  God,  (a)  *  the  firll:  fource  of  all  good, 
'  the  fountain  of  eternal  Nature,  the  everlafling  Caufe  not 
\  only  of  being,  but  of  w^ell-being,  who  diifufes  his  benefi- 

*  cence  thro'  the  whole  univerfe,  Hke  a  pure  and  intelle^ftual 

*  light.'  In  fine,  the  fcope,  end  and  defign  of  all  his  work, 
is  tofhew,  (b)  *  that  human  fouls  having  loft  their  wings  are 

*  fallen  into  a  ftate  of  corruption,  degradation  and  exile;  that 
'  they  can  never  re-afcend  to,  and  re-aflume  their  primitive 

*  ftate,  but  by  continual  prayer,  flying  all  terreftrial  obje<n:s, 

*  in  this  uncomfortable  abode,  and  even  facrificing  all  the 

*  moft  fpiritual  and  refined  pafHons,  which  hinder  the  wings 
'  of  the  foul  from  growing  again,  and  by  this  lofs  of  its  wings, 

*  it  is  deprived  of  an  age  of  blifs.'  We  fhall  fee  hereafter,  in 
treating  of  the  means  of  re-union,  all  the  fablimity  and  puri- 
ty of  the  maxims  contained  in  this  divine  author. 

Plutarch,  who  lived  much  about  the  fame  time,  contains 
this  admirable  pafTage  among  many  others,    (a)  *  Theanci- 

*  ents  gave  the  name  of  Gods  to  the  various  productions  of 

*  the  Deity;  care  fhould  be  taken  however,  not  to  transform, 
'  dilTolve  and  fcatter  the  divine  nature  into  rivers,  winds,  ve- 
'  getables  or  bodily  forms  and  motions.  This  would  be  as  ri- 

*  diculous  as  to  imagine  that  the  fails,  the  cables,  the  rigging, 
'  and  the  anchor  are  the  pilot;  or  that  the  thread,  thefhuttle, 

(a)  Hierocles  pag.  172.     (b)  Ibid,  pag,  186.     (c)  Plutarch,  de  Ifid.  &  Oflrid. 
P'''g-373;  374;  ^c- 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  8f 

*  and  the  woof  are  the  weaver.     Such  fenfelcfs  notions  are 

*  unworthy  of  the  heavenly  pxDwers,  whom  men  blafpheme 

*  when  they  give  the  name  of  Gods  to  beings  of  an  infenfible, 
'  inanimate  and  corruptible  nature.    Nothing  that  is  without 

*  a  foul,  nothing  that  is  material,  nothing  that  can  be  percci- 

*  ved  by  our  fenfes,  can  be  God.    Neither  muft  we  imagine 

*  that  there  are  different  Gods  according  to  the  different  coun- 
'  tries  of  Greeks  and  Barbarians,  northern  and  fouthern  na- 

*  tions.    As  the  Sun  is  common  to  all  the  world,  tho'  called 

*  by  different  names  in  different  places,  fo  there  is  but  one 

*  fole,  fupream  Mind  or  Reafon,  and  one  and  the  fame  Pro- 

*  vidence,  that  governs  the  world,  tho'  he  is  worfhipped  un- 
'  der  different  names,  and  has  appointed  fome  inferior  powers 

*  for  his  minifters,'  This  paffage  of  Plutarch's  fhews  plainly 
that  the  wifer  Pagans  were  rather  Polyonomifls  than  Poly- 
theifls,  and  that  it  is  as  unjufl  and  unreafonable  in  the  Chrif^ 
tian  priefls  to  call  them  Polytheifts,  as  it  would  be  in  the  Pa- 
gans to  call  the  Europeans  fo,  becaufe  the  French  call  him 
DiEU,  the  Englifli  God,  the  Italians  Dio,  &c.  Or  becaufe 
they  call  God  fometimes  Life,  lometimes  Light,  fometimes 
Love,  fometimes  Juflice,  Goodnefs,  Mercy,  do  they  erecfl  all 
thcfe  attributes  into  feparate  Gods  and  Deities?  We  have 
done  and  do  daily  the  fame  injuflice  to  the  Pagans,  and  all 
this  to  fhow  that  out  of  the  pale  of  the  vifible  church,  men 
never  had  any  jufl:  notions  of  a  Deity.  This  is  the  high  road 
to  the  darkeft  atheifm,oneof  whofe  fundamental  maxims  is, 
that  the  mofl  part  of  mankind  have  no  ideas  of  an  eternal  prin- 
ciple, that  it  is  the  particular  opinion  of  a  little  fec%  and  not. 
the  univerfal  fentimcnt  of  all  intelligent  minds. 


^SB  OP   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

Dion  Chryfoftome  Plutarch's  contemporary,  tho'  he  ac- 
Icnowledged  many  inferior  Gods,  yet  he  alTerts,  that  (a) 

*  there  is  an  opinion  common  to  all  the  human  kind  as  well 
'  Barbarians  as  Greeks;  that  it  is  naturally  implanted  in  them 

*  as  rational  Beings,  and  not  derived  from  any  mortal  teacher. 

*  This  opinion  is,  that  the  whole  world  is  under  the  kingly 

*  power  or  monarchy  of  one  fupream  God,  who  is  the  com- 

*  mon  Lord  of  Gods  and  men,  their  Governor  and  Father, 

*  -the  univerfal  Prefident  who  orders  and  governs  the  heavens 

*  and  the  earth  as  a  wife  pilot  doth  a  fhip.' 

Alcinous  who  is  fuppofed  to  have  lived  towards  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fecond  century,  fpeaks  thus:  (b)  '  Since  thefirft 
^  Mind  is  the  mofl:  beautiful,  he  muft  have  before  him  the 

*  mod  beautiful  objeft  of  contemplation:  but  there  is  nothing 

*  more  beautiful  than  himfelf,  he  mull  then  aKvays  contem- 

*  plate  himfelf,  and  this  energy  is  called  his  idea.     The  firft 
^  God  is  eternal,  inexpreifible,  felf-fufficient,  perfect  in  all 

*  times  and  in  all  places.    He  is  good  becaufe  he  does  good  to 

*  all,  and  is  the  caufe  of  all  good.    He  is  beautiful  becaufe  by 

*  nature  he  is  fuUnefs  and  order.     He  is  Truth  becaufe  he  is 

*  the  principle  of  all  Truth,  as  the  fun  is  the  fource  of  all  light. 

*  He  is  the  univerfal  Father  as  he  is  the  caufe  of  all  things, 

*  and  becaufe  he  adorns  the  celeftial  Mind  and  the  Soul  of 

*  the  world,  by  exciting  them  and  turning  them  to  himfelf  that 
-^  they  may  beautify  every  nature  in  the  univerfe.' 

Galen,  in  his  book  of  the  ufe  of  human  members,  fpeaks 
thus;  (e)  *  I  compofe  this  holy  oration  as  a  true  hymn  to  the 

(a)  Dio.  Chryfoft.  pag.  199,  200.  21O.  295.446.     (b)  AlcinouS;  c.  X.p.  23. 
(c)  Galen,  de  ufu  partium,  p.  402. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  89 

?  praife  of  him  that  made  us.    I  conceive  that  true  piety  and 

*  religion  towards  God,  does  not  confift  in  facrificing  many 

*  hecatombs,  nor  in  burning  much  incenfe,  but  in  this,  that 

*  I  fhould  firft  acknowledge  myfelf,  and  then  declare  to  o- 

*  thers,  how  great  his  power,  his  wifdom,  and  his  goodnefs 
'  are:  for  to  adorn  the  world  as  he  has  done,  envying  to  no- 

*  thing  that  good  which  it  is  capable  of,  is  a  demonflration 

*  of  the  moft  abfolute  goodnefs;  and  that  he  was  able  to  find 

*  out  how  all  things  ought  to  be  adorned  after  the  beft  man* 

*  ner,  is  a  fign  of  the  greateft  wifdom ;  and  laftly,  to  be  able 

*  to  effcd:  and  bring  to  pafs  all  thofe  things  which  he  had  thus 

*  decreed,  argues  an  infuperable  power.' 

Maximus  Tyrius  gives  us  this  noble  image  of  the  divine 
monarchy  in  the  end  of  his  firft  differtation.    *  Imagine  a 

*  great  and  powerful  Empire  In  which  all  confpire  freely  and 

*  with  one  confent  to  direct  their  actions  agreeably  to  the  will 

*  and  command  of  one  fupream  King  the  oldeft  and  the  beft. 

*  Then  fuppofc  that  the  bounds  of  this  empire  are  neither  the 

*  Halys  nor  the  Hellefpont,  the  Mcotian  lake  nor  the  flioars 

*  of  the  great  ocean,  but  the  heavens  above,  the  earth  below, 

*  and  the  boundlefs  expanfe.  Here  let  that  great  King  fit  im- 
'  moveable  in  himfelf,  prefent  every  where  tho'unextended, 
'  prefcribing  to  all  his  fubjefls  laws  in  which  confift  their  fe- 
'  curity  and  felicity.    Let  the  conforts  of  this  empire  be  in- 

*  numerable  invifible  and  vifible  Gods:  thefe  that  are  ncarcft 

*  him  and  immediately  attending  on  him  are  in  the  higheft 
■■*  royal  dignity,  feafting  as  it  were  at  the  fame  table  with  him) 
.?  others  are  minifters  and  attendants,  and  a  third  fort  arc 

*  inferior  to  them  both.    Thus  you  fee  how  the  order  ijnd 

PART  2.  M 


c?o  OF  GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

*  chain  of  this  government  defcends  by  fteps  and  degrees 

*  from  the  fupream  God  to  the  earth  and  men. 

The  fame  author  fays,  (a)  *  Amidft  fo  great  a  war,  conten- 

*  tion  and  difcord  of  opinions,  there  is  through  the  whole 

*  earth  anuniverfal  law  and  fentiment,  agreeing  that  there  is 

*  one  God,  the  King  and  Father  of  all  things,  and  many 

*  Gods  his  children  that  reign  with  him.    The  Greeks  and 

*  the  Barbarians  agree  in  this  doctrine,  he  that  inhabits  the 
'  continent  and  he  that  lives  by  the  fea,  the  wife  and  the  un- 

*  wife.   Now  do  you  imagine  that  Plato  would  oppofe  thefe 

*  fentiments,  and  not  agree  with  mankind  in  the  moft  beau- 

*  tiful  of  all  truths,  and  feel  with  them  the  truefl:  of  all  fenti- 
'  ments.  Whatis  that?  My  eye  fays  it  is  the  fun,  my  carfays 

*  it  is  thunder ;  but  what  are  all  thefe  things  really?  My  foul 
'  fays  that  they  are  the  works  of  God,  itdefires  the  artift  in 
'  difcovering  the  art.      Tho'  there  may  have  arifen  fince  the 

*  beginning  of  the  world  two  or  three  atheiftical,  low,  or  ftu- 
'  pid  men  that  wander  with  their  eyes,  are  deceived  by  their 
'  ears,  and  maimed  in  their  fouls,  irrational,  barren,  and  with- 

*  out  fruit,  like  a  lyon  without  courage,  or  a  bird  without 

*  wings;  yet  this  does  not  deftroy  the univerfal  fentiment  of 

*  mankind  concerning  the  Divinity.  Tho'  you  deny  his  good- 
'  nefs  asLeucippus,  tho' you  afcribe  human  paffions  to  him  as 

*  Democritus,  tho'  you  change  his  nature  as  Strato,  tho'  you 

*  make  him  a  God  of  pleafure  as  Epicurus,  tho'  you  deny  his 

*  exigence  as  Diagoras,  tho'  you  fay  you  know  not  what  he 
*-  is  as  Protagoras,  yet  you  cannot  dcltroy  in  yourfelf  nor  in 

*  them  the  natural  ideas  all  have  of  a  Deity,  for  they,  even 

(a)  Max.  Tyr.  edit.  Davifii.  Cantab,  c.  i.  p.  6. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  91 

*  they  know  and  fjjeak  of  God  againft  their  hiclinations.*  In 
another  place  he  fays,  (a)  '  The  Deity  is  invifible  to  the  eyes, 

inexpreffible  by  language,  impalpable  by  fenfe;  he  cannot 
be  heard  of  by  the  ear,  but  only  by  the  mod:  beautiful,  moft 
pure,  mofl:  intelleftual,  and  moft  ancient  powers  of  the  foul ; 
for  the  Deity  intirely  colle6led  into  himfelf  enters  into  a  re- 
collc6led  mind,  (b)  If  you  are  too  weak  at  prefent  for  the 
contemplation  of  the  Father  and  Creator;  letitfufficethee 
to  behold  his  works,  and  worfhip  his  offspring  that  are  ma- 
ny and  various,  not  as  the  Beotian  poet  fays,  for  there  arc 
not  only  thirty  thoufand  Gods,  the  fons  and  friends  of  the 
fupream  God,  but  an  infinite  number  repienifhing  both 
heaven  and  ether,  (c)  The  Father  and  Creator  of  all  Be- 
ings is  more  ancient  than  the  fun,  older  than  heaven,  grea- 
ter than  time  and  every  flowing  nature.  A  law-giver  with- 
out name,  inexpreflible  by  words,  invifible  to  the  eye.  In- 
capable to  comprehend  his  elTence  we  aflift  our  weaknefs 
by  words,  namcs,lymbols,  images  of  animals,  plants,  rivers, 
mountains,  fountains,  defiring  to  underftand  him.  'This  is 
a  plain  definition  of  the  ancient  hieroglyphical  language,  and 
a  plain  attempt  to  reduce  men  to  the  original  fenfe  of  it  with- 
out ftopping  at  the  fign  and  falling  into  idolatry. 

Ariftides  the  Adrianean  fophift  and  orator,  in  his  firft  ora- 
tion or  hymn  confecrated  to  Jupiter,  fpcaks  thus,  (d)  '  Jupi- 

*  ter  made  all  things,  and  all  things  that  exift  are  the  work  of 

*  Jupiter,  heavens  and  earth,  fea  and  rivers,  all  that  is  above 
'  and' all  that  is  below,  Gods  and  men,  every  thing  that  has 

(a)  Max.  Tyrius  c.  I .  p.  I  2.  (b)Ib,  p.  i6.  (c)  lb.  c.  3S.  p.  402. 

(d)  Ariflid.  orat.  i. 

M  2 


5)2  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

*  life,  whatfoever  is  perceivable  by  fenfe  or  by  mind.    Jupiter 

*  was  felf-exiftent.  He  was  not  educated  in  the  flowery,  odo- 

*  riferant  caves  of  Crete,  neither  was  Saturn  ever  about  to  de- 

*  vour  him,  nor  inflead  of  him  did  he  fwallow  down  a  ftone; 

*  for  Jupiter  was  never  in  danger  nor  will  he  ever  be  fo.  Nei- 

*  ther  is  there  any  thing  older  than  Jupiter,  no  more  than  there 

*  are  fons  older  than  their  parents,  or  works  than  their  artifi- 

*  cers.    He  is  the  firft,  the  oldeft,  and  the  parent  of  all  things, 

*  feif-originated,  nor  can  it  be  declared  when  he  was  made, 

*  for  he  was  from  the  beginning.  No  man  can  tell  the  time, 

*  fince  there  was  not  than  any  time,  and  nothing  clfe  befidcs 

*  him.'  Thus  we  fee  that  the  wifer  Pagans  were  far  from  un- 
derflanding  literally  the  fables  of  the  poets.  But  this,  prieft- 
craft  conceals  expresfly  from  children,  to  give  them  falfe  i- 
deas  of  the  Pagan  theology,  and  make  them  believe  that  out 
of  the  facred  pale,  there  never  was  any  true  lights,  virtues  nof 
graces. 

The  Emperor  Marcus  Antoninus  calls  God,  (a)  *  the  ol^ 

*  deft  of  all  the  Gods,  the  Nature  which  governs  all  things, 

*  the  mind  which  produced  and  pervades  the  fubftance  of  aH 

*  things;  the  fupream  reafon  which  orders  and  difpenfes  all 

*  according  to  appointed  periods,  and  the  intellectual  princi- 

*  pie  which  contains  the  whole.'     The  fame  emperor  fays, 

*  that  as  our  bodies  breathe  the  common  air,  fo  fliould  our 

*  fouls  fuck  and  draw  in  vital  breath  from  that  great  Mind 

*  which  comprehends  the  univcrfe,  becoming  as  it  were,  ond 

*  fpirit  with  him.'  In  other  places  the  fame  emperor  calls  God 

*  the  Mind  and  Underftanding  of  the  whole  world,  the  intel- 

(a)  Marc.  Ant.  lib,  v,  vi,  vii,  viii,  ix. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  93 

*  leclual  fountain  of  all  Beings,  one  God  through  all,  one  fub- 

*  ftance,  and  one  law.    Endeavour,  fays  he,  to  fecm  fair  and 

*  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  God,defire  to  be  pure  with  thy  pure 

*  felf  and  with  God.' 

Epi<5]:etus  and  his  true  difciples  fuch  as  Arrianus,  SImplici- 
us  and  many  other  Stoics  arc  full  of  fuch  noble  fentiments  of 
God;  they  were  fo  convinced  of  his  exiftence  and  omnipre- 
fence,  of  his  power,  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  that  it  never  en- 
tered into  their  heads  to  give  fpeculative  proofs  of  fuch  plain 
and  univerfal  truths.  It  is  true  indeed  that  they  called  him 
Nature,  and  Univerfal  Nature,  but  at  the  fame  time,  *  Crea- 

*  tor,  felf-exiilent,  the  law,  the  reafon,  and  the  light  of  all 
'  intelligent  beings,  the  author  of  all  good,  the  univerfal  Fa- 

*  ther  of  men  and  Gods,  to  whom  all  fubmiffion,  refignatl- 

*  on,  confidence,  thankfglving  and  internal  adoration  are  due.* 
As  we  fhall  fee  more  fully  hereafter  when  we  talk  of  the  pie- 
ty, devotion  and  moral  fentiments  of  the  ancients. 

Dr.  Cudworth  has  further  demonftrated  (a)  that  this  be- 
lief of  a  fupream,  felf-exiflent  Being,  was  not  only  the  fcnti- 
ment  of  the  wifer  Greek  philofophers,  fuch  as  Pythagoras, 
Socrates,  Plato,  Antlflhcnes,  Xenocrates,  Zeno,  Clcanthes, 
Chryfippus,  Scaevola  the  Roman  high-priefl:,  Varro,  Cicero 
and  Pliny,  but  alfo  of  the  poets;  to  this  purpofe  the  learned- 
Do^orquotesapairageofHermefianaxtheColophonianwhd 
declares,  '  that  Jupiter,  Pan,  Apollo,  Pluto,  Neptune, Mer- 
cury, Cupid,  Ncreus  and  Triton;  Proferpine,  Ceres,  Venus, 
Thctys,  Juno  and  Diana  were  all  but  one  and  the  fame  God 
under  diflerent  names.  We  may  then  lay  down  for  an  un- 
(a)  Cudworth's  Intelle<ftualSyftem,  page  45^4, 49 j.- 


94  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

contefted  fundamental  principle  of  the  Pagan  philofophy  and 
mythology,  that  notwithftanding  the  multiplicity  of  the  in- 
ferior Gods  allowed  by  the  Greeks,  yet  they  all  acknow- 
ledged one  fupream  univerfal  Numen,  who  was  called  by  dif- 
ferent names,  according  to  his  different  powers,  attributes 
and  efFe<5ls.    We  beg  this  principle  may  not  be  forgot. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  examine  the  theology  of  the  Ro- 
mans. Tho'  this  warlike,  political  people  was  lefs  addicted 
to  the  fublimer  fciences  than  the  Greeks,  Egyptians  and  Ori- 
entals, yet  all  their  wife  men  and  philofophers  had  the  fame 
notions  of  one  fupream  Deity. 

We  begin  with  Numa  fecond  king  of  the  Romans,  who 
lived  more  than  fix  hundred  years  before  our  Saviour.  This 
royal  philofopher  fays  expresfly,  (a)  *  that  the  firft  principle 

*  of  all  things  is  neither  fubjcfl  to  fenfe  nor  fufFering,  but  in- 
'  vifible,  uncorruptible,  and  conceivable  only  by  the  mind.' 
Plutarch  afTures  us,  (b)  '  that  as  the  ancient  Perfians,  fo  the 

*  Romans,  during  a  hundred  and  fixty  years,  had  no  images 

*  nor  ftatues  of  the  Deity  in  their  temples,  believing  that  it 

*  was  a  crime  to  reprefent  what  is  auguft  by  what  is  low,  and 

*  that  we  could  attain  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Deity  by  mind 

*  only.'  Numa  was  a  Sabin,  and  the  Sabins  pretended  to  be 
-a  colony  of  the  Lacedemonians.  Lycurgus  travelled  into  E- 
gypt,  and  there  he  learned  all  the  fame  notions  of  the  Deity 
that  were  familiar  to  the  Egyptians,  about  an  eternal,  un- 
made, felf-exiftent  Principle  of  all  things. 

Cicero  has  the  fame  notions  as  Numa.  This  Roman  con- 
ful  fays  In  his  book  of  Divination,  (a)  '  that  the  beauty  of 
(a)  Plutarch,  de  vita  Numae,     (c)  Ibid,     (d)  Cicero  de  Divin.  lib.  ii. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  ^5 

*  the  nnlverfe  and  the  order  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  compel 

*  us  to  confefs  that  there  is  fome  excellent  and  eternal  nature 

*  to  be  looked  to  and  admired  by  mankind.'  Tho'  he  de- 
claims againft  the  abufe  of  priefthood  and  prieftcraft  in  ma- 
ny places,  yet  he  fpeaks  thus;  (a)  *  Who  is  fo  mad  or  fhipid 

when  he  looks  up  to  the  heavens,  and  is  not  prefently  con- 
vinced that  there  are  Gods?  or  can  perfuade  himfelf  that 
thofe  things  which  are  made  with  fo  much  mind  and  wif- 
dom,  that  no  human  fkill  is  able  to  comprehend  the  artifice 
and  contrivance  of  them,  did  all  happen  by  chance,  (b) 
No,  no,  fays  he,  there  is,  there  is  certainly  a  divine  force 
in  the  world;  neither  is  it  reafonable  to  think  that  in  thcfe 
srofs  and  frail  bodies  of  ours,  there  fhould  be  fomethin<:y 
which  hath  life,  fenfe,  and  underftandlng,  and  yet  no  fjch 
thing  in  the  whole  univerfe:  if  men  will  conclude  that  there 
is  none  becaufe  they  do  not  fee  it,  they  muft  alfo  deny  the 
exigence  of  their  own  mind  which  they  do  not  fee,  tho'  it  is 
by  it  that  we  underftand,  forefee,and  order  all  that  we  do.'  In- 
his  Tufculan  queftions  he  fays;(c)  *  that  God  cannot  be  un- 
derltood  by  us  otherwife  than  as  a  free  mind,  difenga^ed  and 
feparated  from  all  mortal  concretion,  which  both  perceives 
and  moves  all  things,  (d)  Without  his  government,  neither 
any  family,  city,  nation,  nor  mankind  in  general,  nor  the 
whole  of  nature,  nor  the  univerfe  could  fiibfift:  for  this  alfo 
obeyeth  God:  the  feas  and  the  earth  are  fubjccTied  to  him, and 
the  life  of  man  is  difpofcd  of  by  the  commands  of  the  fu- 
prcam  law.  (e)  He  rules  over  all  mankind  and  forbids  them 

(a)  Cicero  Orat.  de  Harufp.      (b)  Orat.  pro  IMilone.      (c)  (^naeflion.  Tafcul. 
lib.  i.  &  Somn.  Scipion.     (d)  ibid.  lib.  i.     (c)  Ibid,  de  Diviu. 


q6  OF   god's  existence, 


/ 


*  to  depart  hence  without  his  leave.  He  is  the  fupream  God, 

*  Lord  and  Governor,  whofe  divine  power  all  things  obey. 

*  (a)  The  chief  and  principal  God  who  governs  the  whole 

*  world  in  the  fame  manner  as  an  human  foul  governs  thebo- 

*  dy  it  is  fet  over.'    In  another  place  he  adds ;  (b)  *  According 

*  to  the  opinion  of  the  wifeft  and  greateft  men,  the  law  is 

*  not  an  invention  of  human  underftanding,  nor  the  arbitra- 

*  ry  conftitution  of  men,  but  it  flows  from  the  eternal  Rea- 

*  fon  that  governs  the  univerfe.   Its  origin  is  as  ancient  as  the 

*  Divine  Intelle6l,  for  the  true,  the  primitive,  and  the  fupream 

*  law  is  nothing  elfe  but  the  fovereign  reafon  of  great  Jove.' 
In  another  place  he  fays;  (c)  '  This  law  is  eternal,  univerfal, 
'  immutable;  it  does  not  vary  according  to  times  and  places. 

*  It  is  not  different  now  from  what  it  was  formerly ;  the  fame 

*  immortal  law  is  a  rule  to  all  nations,  becaufe  It  has  no  other 

*  author,  but  the  one  only  God,  who  brought  it  forth,  and 

*  promulged  it.' 

Terentius  Varro  contemporary  with  Cicero,  had  the  fame 
thoughts  of  the  Deity.  We  have  no  works  left  of  him,  but 
fome  fragments  preferved  in  the  Latin  fathers  and  efpecially 
b_y  St  Auguftin,  (d)  *  According  to  the  literal  fenfe,  fays  Te- 

*  rentius  Varro,  the  poetical,  mythical  theology,  contains  ma- 
'  ny  things  contrary  to  the  dignity  and  nature  of  immortal 

*  beings.  It  derives  the  genealogy  of  one  God  from  the  head, 
'  another  from  the  thigh,  another  from  drops  of  blood.  Some 

*  arc  reprefented  as  thieves,  others  as  adulterers;  in  fine,  the 
'  poets  attribute  to  the  Gods  all  fort  of  defeats  that  are  inci- 

(a)  Cicero,  Somn.  Sclpion.     (b)  Ibid,  de  legib.  lib.  ii.     (c)  Fragm.  Reipub, 
Cicero,  apud  La(^an.  lib.  vi.  c.  8.      (d)  S.  Auguft.  de  civit.  Dei.  lib.  vi.  c  5. 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  c^y 

dent  not  only  to  men,  but  to  the  moll:  contemptible  men. 
Thefe  alone  underftand  what  God  is,who  believe  him  to  be 
a  foul  governing  the  world  with  activity  and  wifdom.' 

Seneca  the  Stoic  gives  us  the  fame  ideas,  '  (a)  It  is  oF 
very  little  confequence  by  what  name  you  call  the  firfl:  Na- 
ture and  the  divine  reafon  that  prefides  over  the  univerfe, 
and  fills  all  the  parts  of  it.  He  is  fHll  the  fame  God.  He  is 
called  Jupiter  Stator,  not  as  hiftorians  fay,  becaufe  he  ftopr 
the  Roman  armies  as  they  were  flying,but  becaufe  he  is  the 
conftant  fupportofall  beings.  They  may  call  him  Fate, 
becaufe  he  is  the  firfl:  caufe  upon  which  all  others  depend. 
We  Stoics  call  him  Father  Bacchus,  becaufe  he  is  the  uni- 
verfal  life  that  animates  Nature ;  Hercules,  becaufe  his 
power  is  invincible ;  Mercury,  becaufe  he  is  the  eternal  rea- 
fon, order  and  wifdom.  You  may  give  him  as  many  names 
as  you  pleafe,  provided  you  allow  but  one  fole  principle  e- 
very  where  prefent.Tn  another  place  he  fays. '  (b)  The  an- 
cients did  not  think  Jove  fuch  a  being  as  we  reprefent  him 
in  the  capitol  and  in  our  other  buildings:  but  by  Jove  they 
meant  the  guardian  and  governor  of  the  univerfe,  the  un- 
derftanding  and  the  mind,  the  mafl:er  and  the  architect  of 
this  great  machine.  All  names  belong  to  him.  You  are  not 
in  the  wrong,  if  you  call  him  Fate;  for  he  is  the  caufe  of 
caufes,  and  every  thing  depends  upon  him.  Would  you  call 
him  Providence,  you  fall  into  no  miftake,  it  is  by  his  wif- 
dom that  this  world  is  govern'd.  Would  you  call  him  Na- 
ture, you  would  not  offend  in  doing  fo,  it  is  from  him  that 

(a)  Seneca  de benef .  lib.  iv.  pag.  311.  edit.  Antwerp,  a  Lipfio  1632.     (b)  Id. 
Natural,  quaeftion.  lib.  ii.  pag.  7 1 5. 

PART  2.  N 


98  OF   GOD's  EXISTENCE, 

*  all  beings  derive  their  origin,  it  is  by  him,  that  they  live  and 

*  breath.  He  is  the  framer  and  former  of  the  univerfe,  the  go- 
'  vernor,  difpofer,  and  keeper  thereof,  the  artificer  and  Lord  of 

*  the  whole  mundane  fabric.  He  is  prefent  every  where,  and 
'  fuftaineth  himfclf  by  his  own  force,  and  his  power  extends 
'  to  all  things.    He  is  the  greateft  and  mofl:  powerful  God, 

*  the  God  of  Gods  upon  whom  are  fufpended  all  thefe  di- 

*  vine  powers,  whom  we  fingly  worfhip  and  adore.  In  fine,  he 

*  is  difFufed  thro'  all  things  great  and  fiiiall  "  with  equal  in- 
"  tention."  This  laft  expreilion  feems  at  firfl:  obfcure,  but 
when  explained  it  is  truly  profound,  and  fliows  that  in  this 
point,  Seneca  departed  from  the  falfe  notion  of  the  Stoics 
who  believed  the  divine  elTence  to  be  an  ethereal  fubftance. 
The  Pythagoreans,  Platonics,  and  Immaterialifts  diftinguifli- 
ed  two  manners  of  exifting,  the  one  by  Extention,  the  other 
by  Intention,  that  is,  not  by  a  local  difFu (ion  of  parts,  but  by 
a  total  prefence  of  God's  whole  indivifible  efTence  every 
where.  Thus  they  did  not  confound  the  divine  immenfity 
with  infinite  fpace.  Seneca  feems  to  have  adopted  this  fenti- 
ment.  Whatever  truth  there  be  in  this  favourable  conjec- 
ture, it  is  certain,  that  Seneca  demonftrates  by  thefe  two  paf- 
fages,  that  the  wife  Pagans  were  not  Polytheiih,  but  Polyo- 
nomifts,  that  they  did  not  believe  a  plurality  of  fupream  Gods, 
but  gave  the  one  God  only  different  names,  and  underftood 
by  all  thefe  names,  one  fole  principle  of  all  things  every 
where  prefent.  This,as  we  have  feen,was  the  do(5lrine  of  Plu- 
tarch, and  this,  as  we  fhall  Ihow  hereafter,  was  alfo  the  fun- 
damental do(^rine  of  all  the  wifer  Pagans  both  Greek  aad 
Latin;  Egyptian  and  Perfian. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  99 

Apuleius,  who  was  faid  to  work  miracles,  has  the  mofl: 
noble  notions  of  the  Deity,  of  the  love  we  owe  him,  and  of 
our  degradation.  All  his  fable  of  Pfyche  is  only  an  allegory 
to  exprefs  our  fall  from  a  pre-exiilent  ftate,  our  purification 
in  this  hfe,  and  our  return  to  the  celeftial  abodes,  as  ftiall  be 
explained  hereafter.  This  philofophcr  ftill  reprefents  God, 
(a)  *  as  the  highefl:  of  the  Gods,  who  not  only  knows  and 

*  fees  all  things  by  his  wifdom,  but  who  penetrates  and  com- 

*  prehends  within  himfclf  the  beginning,  the  middle  and  the 
'  end,  and  intimately  prefent  to  all  beings,  he  governs  them 

*  by  theuniverfal  care  of  his  providence.' 

We  come  now  to  the  Latin  poets.  Ovid  begins  his  me- 
tamorphofis  thus,  (b)  *  Before  there  was  a  fea  and  an  earth, 

*  before  there  was  any  heaven  to  cover  the  world,  univerfal 

*  nature  was  but  one  undigefted  fluggifh  mafs  called  a  chaos. 

*  The  feeds  of  all  things  jumbled  together  were  in  a  perpetual 

*  difcord,  till  a  beneficent  Deity  put  an  end  to  the  difference.' 
Thefe  words  fhow  plainly,  that  the  Latin  poet  makes  a  dif- 
tin6tion  betwixt  univerfal  nature,  and  that  God  who  by  his 
wifdom  and  beneficence  brought  it  out  of  confufion  into  or- 
der. 

Virgil  always  reprefents  Jupiter  as  omnipotent,  felf-be- 
gotten,  the  father  of  Gods  and  men;  and  follows  his  great 
model  Homer  in  diftinguifhing  betwixt  the  fupream  God  and 
the  inferior  deities. 

Plautus  introduceth  an  inferior  Deity  fpeaking  in  this 
manner,  (c)  *  I  am  an  inhabitant  of  the  celeflial  city,  of 
'  which  Jupiter  the  father  of  Gods  and  men  is  the  head.    He 

(a)  Apuleius.       (b)  Ovid  Metam.  lib.  i.  pag.  i .        (c)  Plaut.  Rudens. 

N   2 


100  OF   GOD's  EXISTENCE, 

'  commands  the  nations,  and  fends  ns  over  all  kingdoms  to 

*  take  an  account  of  the  conduct  and  actions,  the  piety  and 

*  virtue  of  men.    In  vain  do  mortals  endeavour  to  bribe  him 

*  vi^ith  their  oblations  and  facrifices.  They  lofe  their  pains, 
'  for  he  abhors  the  worfhip  of  the  impious.'  In  another  place 
he  fays,  (a)  '  I  come  by  the  order  of  Jupiter ;  my  name  is 

*  Mercury.  My  father  fent  me  hither  to  entreat  you,  becaufe 

*  he  knew  that  you  w^ould  do  what  was  commanded.'  He 
adds  in  another  place,  (b)  '  My  father  the  King  of  the  Gods 

*  is  the  author  of  all  thefe  benefits,  but  it  was  never  my  fa- 

*  ther's  cuftom  to  upbraid  the  good  with  his  bounty  to  them.* 

(c)  '  O  Mufe,  fays  Horace,  purfuantto  the  cuftom  of  our 

*  anceftors,  celebratethegreat  Jove  who  rules  over  Gods  and 
'  men,  the  earth,  the  feas,  and  the  whole  univerfe.  There  is 
'  nothing  greater  than  he,  nothing  that  is  like  him,  nothing 
'  that  Is  equal  to  him.' 

Lucan  has  a  moft  furprizing  paiTage  in  his  ninth  book, 
when  Cato,  after  crofling  the  deferts  of  Lybia,  arrives  at 
the  temple  of  Jupiter  Ammon,  Labienus  Is  for  perfuading 
him  to  confult  the  oracle.    Whereupon  Cato  anfwers,  (d) 

*  Why  do  you  Labienus  propofe  to  me  to  afk  the  oracle, 

*  whether  we  (hould  chufe  to  die  in  a  ftate  of  freedom,  with 

*  our  fwords  In  our  hands,  rather  than  fee  tyranny  enflave 
'  our  country  ?  whether  this  mortal  life  be  only  a  remora  to 
'  a  morelafting  one?  whether  violence  can  hurta  good'man? 
'  whether  virtue  does  not  make  us  fuperior  to  misfortunes? 

*  and  whether  true  glory  depends  upon  fuccefs?  we  know 

(a)  Id.    Amphytrion  lin.  i|.        (b)  Ibid.  lin.  44.     (c)  Horat.  ode    12. 
lib.  i.     (d)  Lucan.  lib.  ix.  5 66. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  loi 

*  thefe  things  already,  and  the  oracle  cannot  give  ns  clearer 
'  anfwers  than  what  God  makes  us  feel  every  moment  in  the 
'  bottom  of  our  heart.    We  are  all  united  to  the  Deity.    He 

*  has  no  need  of  words  to  convey  his  meaning  to  us,  and  he 
'  has  told  us  at  our  birth  every  thing  we  have  occafion  to 

*  know.    He  has  not  chofen  the  parched  fands  of  Lybia  to 

*  bury  truth  in  thefe  deferts,  that  it  might  be  underftood  on*- 
'  ly  by  a  fmall  number.  He  manifefts  himfelf  to  all  the  world, 
'  He  fills  all  places,  the  earth,  the  fea,  the  air,  and  the  heavens. 

*  Jupiter  is  wherc-everyou  look,  and  where-everyou  move. 
'  He  makes  his  particular  abode  in  the  foul  of  the  jufl:,  why 

*  then  fliould  we  feek  him  elfewherc  ? '  We  have  followed 
the  tranflation  of  a  modern  author,  (a)  who  has  rendered  the 
expreflion  '  Jupiter  eft  quodcunque  vides,'  by  the  words  Ju^ 
piter  is  where-ever  you  look,  becaufe  in  fome  manufcripts  we 
read  '  Jupitereftquocunque  vides.'  Suppofing  however,  that 
we  adhere  to  the  firft  reading,  this  paflTage  (hows  that  Lucan 
or  Cato,  tho'  they  join  with  the  Stoics  in  confounding  God 
and  nature,  yet  they  acknowledge  a  fovereign  Intelligence 
that  enlightens  all  mortals,  that  is  prefent  everywhere,  and 
that  makes  his  particular  abode  in  the  fouls  of  juft  men. 

Perfius  has  a  moft  admirable  paflage  that  runs  thus,  (b) 
'  O  great  Father  of  the  Gods^  puniih  criminals  no  otherwifs 

*  than  by  fhowing  them  the  beauty  of  virtue,  that  they  may 

*  languifh  with  defpair  for  having  abandoned  it.' 

Statius,  in  his  Thebaid,calls  Jupiter  the  chief  of  the  Gods, 
and  the  father  of  the  world,   (c)  He  reprcfents  him  in  awful 

(a)  The  theology  of  the  Pagans  at  the  end  of  Cyrus's  travels,     (b)  Perfius.  fat.  3'. 
lin.  35.     (c)Booki.Unei78. 


I02  OF   GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

niajefty  alTembring  the  Deities  in  the  innemiofl:  apartments 
of  heaven,  as  towering  above  all  the  reft,  and  fhaking  the  u- 
niverfe  with  a  ferene  countenance.  None  of  the  Gods  dare 
fit  down  in  his  prefence,  till  their  omnipotent  Father  give 
them  the  fignal  with  his  peaceful  hand.  When  he  orders 
tranquillity,  the  frighted  world  is  hufhed  in  filence.  WhcN 
he  fpeaks,  an  immutable  force  and  divine  energy  attend  his 
facred  words  and  the  Fates  obey  his  voice  (a). 

Manilius  extolls  Mercury  as  the  firft  who  taught  men  the 
knowledge  of  heaven,  and  the  ftars,  to  dlfplay  the  beauty  of 
the  univerfe,  and  fhow  how  venerable  the  Power  who  for- 
med it;  that  the  nations  might  feel  how  great  that  God  muft 
be,  who  ranged  heaven,  and  its  varying  fccnes  in  order,  and 
gave  Nature  all  her  force  (b).  Elfewhere,  he  dcfcrlbes  the 
Deity  as  animating  and  over-ruling  the  whole  world,    (c) 

*  This  vaft  fabric  of  the  world,  and  all  the  members  of  nature 

*  fo  different  in  their  figure,  the  air,  the  fire,  the  earth,  and 

*  the  level  fea,  are  ruled  by  the  force  of  the  divine  mind.   God 

*  breathes  within  them  in  a  facred  way,  and  fways  them  by 
'  filent  reafon.  To  their  numerous  parts,  he  gives  different 
'  law^s,  that  one  part  ftrengthning  and  fupporting  another, 

*  the  whole  univerfe  may  be  allied  by  its  different  forms.'  In 
another  place,  he  teaches  the  fame  truth,    (d)  *  I  wdll  fing  of 

*  God  who  prefides  over  nature  with  a  filent  underftanding, 
'  who  is  difFufed  through  the  heaven,  the  earth  and  fea;  and 
'  who  governs  the  vaft  univerfe  by  equal  laws.'  After  this,  he 
endeavours  to  prove,  that,  the  beautiful  and  orderly  appearan- 
ces of  nature,  without  the  all-wife  providence  of  the  Deity, 

(a) lb. line  196.     (b)  Book  1. 1.  33.     (c)lb,l.  247.         id)  Book  2.1.  60. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  103 

would  foon  be  changed,and  the  univerfe  immediately  fall  into 
the  iitmoftconfufion. 

The  Pharifaical  bigots,  more  dangerous  than  the  incre- 
dulous freethinkers,  will  perhaps  fay,  it  is  poffible,  that  the 
wifer  fort  of  philofophical  Pagans  might,  and  may  ftill,  have 
fome  ideas  of  a  Deity:  but  that  the  vulgar  had  no  fuch  noti- 
ons. To  prove  the  contrary,  we  need  only  quote  this  remar- 
kable paffage  of  MaximusTyrius.  (a)  ^  If  there  were  a  mee- 

*  ting  called  of  all  the  feveral  trades  and  profefFions,  a  painter, 

*  aftatuary,  a  poetandaphilofopher;  if  all  of  them  were  re- 
'  quired  to  declare  their  opinion  about  God,  do  you  think 

*  that  the  painter  would  fay  one  thing,  the  ftatuary  another, 
'  the  poet  another,  and  the  philofopher  another?  no,  nor  the 

*  Scythians  neither,  nor  the  Greeks,  nor  the  Hyperboreans. 

*  In  other  things  we  find  men  fpeaking  and  thinking  very  dif- 

*  cordantly  to  one  another.    Neverthelefs,  in  this  fo  great 

*  war,  contention  and  difcord,  you  may  find  every  where 

*  throughout  the  whole  world  one  uniform  law  and  opinion^, 

*  that  there  is  one  God,  the  king  and  father  of  all. 

Let  us  now  examine  what  the  holy  fcriptures  and  the  pri- 
mitive fathers  fay  of  the  Pagan  theology. 

St.  Peter  fays,  (b)  *  There  was  a  certain  man  in  Caefarea 

*  called  Cornelius,  a  centurion  of  the  Italian  band.  A  devout 

*  man  and  one  that  feared  God  with  all  his  houfe,  who  gave 

*  much  alms  to  the  people,  and  prayed  to  God  always. 'Some 
think  that  this  centurion  was  a  profcly  te  of  the  Jews,  and  that 
without  praftifing  the  Pagan  worfhip,  he  did  not  profcfs  the 
Jewifh  religion.    We  fhall  fhow  hereafter  that  this  a  pure 

(a)  M-axim.  Tyrius.  diiTert.  i.pag.  4.5.&C.  (b)  Afts.  ch.x.i.2.4.  34,  35-37' 


104  OF   GOD'S    EXISTENCE, 

fuppofitlon.  Cornelius  was  a  Gentile  in  the  fervice  of  the 
Romans,  and  therefore,  no  doubt,  frequented  their  temples, 
^Yas  prefent  at  their  public  worfhip,  feared  God  with  all  his 
family  ,and  lived  in  a  continual  practice  of  prayer  and  charity. 
He  had  a  fupernatural  vifion,  his  fuperior  faculties  were  ope- 
ned, he  faw  an  angel  of  God  who  faid  unto  him,  *  Thy 

*  prayers  and  thy  alms  are  come  up,  for  a  memorial,  before 

*  God.'  It  is  added,  that  St.  Peter  had  alfo  a  fupernatural  viii- 
on  to  undeceive  him  of  his  pharifaical  prejudices,  which 
taught,  that '  it  was  an  unlawful  thing  for  a  Jew,  to  have  any 
'  communion  with  the  Gentiles.'  Then  St.  Peter  opened 
his  mouth  and  faid, '  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  re- 

*  fpecler  of  perfons ;  but  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  him 
'  and  worketh  righteoufnefs  is  accepted  with  him.'  Yea  he 
boldly  aflures,  that  the  gift  of  the  holy  Spirit  may  be  poured 
forth  upon  many  Gentiles  yet  unbaptized:  for  he  adds, '  Can 
'  any  man  forbid  water,  that  thefe  fhould  not  be  baptized, 
'  who  have  received  the  holy  Spirit,  as  well  as  we.'  Can  there 
be  any  thing  more  clear,  more  exprefs,  more  convincing  than 
this  text  to  prove,that  many  Pagans  not  only  worfhipped  the 
fupream  God;  but  that  they  are  acceptable  to  him,  may  a- 
dore  him  in  fpirit  and  in  truth,  receive  the  gift  of  the  holy 
Spirit,  liave  fupernatural  revelations  and  vifions,  pray  conti- 
nually, and  be  filled  with  a  fpirit  of  charity,  tho'  they  be  born 
in  the  bofom  of  Paganifm,  live  and  die  out  of  the  facrcd  pale. 
Is  God's  arm  fhortned,  and  is  his  power  diminifhed?  may 
he  not  by  his  internal  univerfal  Grace  have  many  Cornelius's 
in  Africa,  Afia,  and  America  who  never  heard  of  the  hif- 
torical  fafis  of  the  Bible,  nor  of  the  vifible  church,  nor  of 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  105 

the  facramental  figns  and  fymbols?  many  Pagans  that  we 
have  cited,  might  then  have  been  in  the  ftatc  of  Cornelius  the 
Centurion,  fuch  as  Socrates,  Heraclitus,  Epicletus,  and  ma- 
ny others,  as  St.  Juftin  Martyr  afTures. 

St.  Paul,  in  his  epiftle  to  the  Romans,  teaches  the  fame 
do(5trine,  (a)  '  The  invifible  things  of  God  are  clearly  feen 

*  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  underftood  by  the 

*  things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead 

*  fo  that  the  Gentiles  are  without  excufe,  becaufe  knowing 
'  God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither  were  they 
'  thankful,  but  became  vain  in  their  imaginations.'  It  was 
not  then  ignorance,  that  was  the  fource  of  their  idolatry  and 
fuperftition ;  but  the  corruption  of  their  heart.  In  another 
place,  the  fame  apoftle  adds,  that  the  Gentiles  had  not  only 
juft  ideas  of  the  divine  Nature,  but  a  knowledge  of  the  mo- 
ral eternal  law,  that  will  accufe  or  excufe  them  at  the  laft  day. 
(b)  *  When  the  Gentiles  which  have  not  the  law,'  the  written 
law,  '  do  naturally,'  or  voluntarily,  *  the  things  contained  in 

*  the  law,  they  are  a  law  unto  themfelves,  which  fhews  the 

*  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  which  will  accufe  or 

*  excufe  them  in  the  day,when  God  fhall  judge  the  fecrets  of 

*  men  by  Jefus  Chrilt  according  to  the  Gofpel/  whofe  end, 
confummation  and  perfeftion  is  love,  prayer,  mortification, 
felf-denyal,  adoration  in  fpirit  and  truth.  Thefe  great  laws 
and  principles  are  writ  in  the  hearts  of  the  Pagans  by  the 
Light  that  enlightens  every  man  who  comes  into  the  world, 
by  the  holy  Spirit  who  refufcs  his  graces  to  none,  by  the  cen- 

(a)  Roman,  ch.  i.  18. 19.  20.21.       (b)  Roman,  ii.  14.  15.  16. 
PART  2.  O 


io6  OF   GOD'S   EXISTENCE, 

tral  attractions  of  the  Father,  who  defires  that  ^ill  mf"*"  "  M 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  truth,  and  be  faveJ.  '^  .e 

of  univcrfal  grace,  as  we  have  (hown  rife  wjierc,  aaa  vvill 
fliow  hereafter,  is  the  great  fco->e,  end,  and  cfTence  of  all  St. 
Pauls  epiftles.  If  he  be  alked,  how  he  poves  this  univeifaUty 
of  divine  internal  grace  to  thofethat  live  without  the  pale  of 
the  vifible  church.  He  willanfwer,  (a)  '  Glory,  honour  and 
'  peace  to  every  man  that  worketh  good,  to  the  Jew  firft,  and 

*  then  to  the  Gentile;  for  there  is  no  re{J3e(5]:  ofperfons  with 

*  God,  for  he  Is  the  God  of  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  the  God 

*  of  the  Jews.'  Can  there  be  any  thing  more  exprefs  to  fliew, 
that  the  Heathens  had  a  true  knowledge  of  the  Deity,  and 
of  the  moral  eternal  law  of  love.  After  fuch  plain  texts,  may 
not  the  Fataliftical  doctors,  who  deny  thefe  great  principles, 
beaccufed  of  error? 

St.  Paul  inculcates  and  repeats  the  fame  do6lrIne  In  the 
Acts  of  the  Apoflles,  when  he  was  at  Athens,  and  preached 
before  the  Areopagites.    (b)  '  Ye  men  of  Athens,'  fays  he, 

*  I  perceive  that  in  all  things  you  are  very  religious,  for  as  I 
'  pafied  by,  and  beheld  your  facred  monuments,  I  found  an 

^*  altar  with  this  infcriptlon.  To  the  unknown  God,  where- 
'  fore  I  declare  unto  you,  that  him  whom  you  worlhip  with- 

*  out  knowing  it,  is  the  God  that  made  the  world,  and  all 

*  things  therein,  feeing  that  he  is  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 

*  he  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands,  but  giveth  to 
^  all  life,  and  breath  and  all  things;  for  in  him  we  live,  and 

*  move  and  have  our  being.'    the  words  t^im^a.iy.Qvi(jriMc,^ 
(a)Roman.ch.ii.  IQ.  II.  andch.iii,  29.       (b)  Ads.ch.  xvii.  22.  23. 


AND   ATTRIBUTES.  107 

as  Dr.  Cudworth  very  well  remarks,  Jfhould  be  tranflated, 

*  more  than  ordinarily  religious'  and  not  fuperftitious;  now 
it  is  clear  from  this  text,  that  the  apofile  fays  exprefly,  that 
the  God  whom  the  Athenians  worfhipped  under  the  name 
of  the  unknown  God,  was  the  true  God,  the  creator  of 
the  heavens  and  the  earth.  He  does  not  fay,  that  he  was 
come  to  preach  to  them  the  exiftence  of  God,  of  whom  they 
had  no  idea,  but  to  inform  them  that  the  God  they  worship- 
ped under  the  name  of  unknown,  incomprehenfible,  and 
invifible,  was  the  only  true  God,  the  creator  of  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  the  fource  of  life,  light  and  love,  and  the  God 
of  the  Chriftians. 

The  primitive  fathers  thought  as  the  apoftles,  and  teach 
the  fame  dodrine.  Towards  thebeginningof  the  third  cen- 
tury,there  was  an  apocryphal  book  extant,  which  then  palTed 
under  the  name  of  St.  Peter,  and  fuppofed,  that  this  great  a- 
poftle,  as  well  as  St.  Paul,  had  preached  at  Athens.  St.  Cle- 
mens, in  fpeaking  of  this  book,  fays  exprefly,  (a)  *  St.  Peter 
'  in  his  preaching  at  Athens,  infinuates,  that  the  Greeks  had 
'  a  knowledge  of  the  Deity.  He  fuppofes  that  they  adore  the 

*  fame  God  as  we  do,  tho'  not  in  the  fame  manner.    He  does 

*  not  forbid  us  to  adore  the  fame  God,  as  the  Greeks ;  but  he 
'  forbids  us  to  adore  him  after  the  fame  way.'  It  is  furprizing 
that  the Predeftinarian  do<Stors  did  not  blot  thispaffage  out  of 
St.  Clement's  works. 

Arnobius  introduces  the  Heathens  complaining  thus  of 
the  injuflice  of  the  Chriftians,  (b)  '  'Tis  mere  calumny  to 

(a) St.  clem.  Alex.  lib.  vi.  pag.  63  j.       (b)  Aenob.  lib.  i,  pag.  19. 

O    2 


io8  OF  GOD'S  EXISTENCE, 

'  charge  us  with  fuch  a  crime,  as  the  denying  of  a  fupream 
'  God.  We  call  him  Jove,  the  fupreamly  great  and  fovereign- 

*  ly  Good.  We  dedicate  our  mofl  magnificent  ftru^lures,  and 

*  our  capitols  to  him,  to  fhow  that  we  exalt  him  above  all  the 

*  other  Deities.' 

(a)  *  The  Heathens,  fays  LaiHiantius,  who  admit  feveral 

*  Gods,  fay  neverthelefs,  that  thefe  fubordinate  deities,  tho' 

*  they  prefide  over  all  the  various  parts  of  the  univerfe,  do  it 

*  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  that  there  is  ftill  but  one  fole  ruler  and 

*  fupream  governor.    From  whence  it  follows,  that  all  o- 

*  ther  invifible  powers  are  not  properly  Gods,  but  minifters, 

*  and  deputies  of  the  one  great  and  almighty  God,  who  ap- 
'  pointed  them  executors  of  his  will  and  pleafure.' 

(c)  *  Eufebius  of  Cefarea  goes  further,  the  Heathens,  fays 

*  he,  own  that  there  is  but  one  only  God,  who  fills,  pervades, 
'  and  prefides  over  all  nature;  but  they  maintain,  that  as  he 
'  is  prefent  to  his  work,  only  in  an  incorporeal  and  invifible 

*  manner,  they  are  therefore  in  the  right  to  worfhip  him  in 
'  his  vifible  and  corporeal  effecHis.' 

Thus  we  have  endeavoured  to  prove,  by  the  teftimony  of 
the  Heathen  poets  and  philofophers,  by  the  do^rine  of  the 
apoftles,  andof  the  primitive  fathers,  that  the  Pagans  of  all 
nations,  ages  and  religions,  the  Chinefe,  the  Indians,  the 
Perfians,  the  Egyptians,  the  Greeks,  and  the  Romans  ac- 
knowledged one  fupream  Deity,  whofe  efTential  attributes  are 
infinite  power,  wifdom  and  goodnefs. 

We  might  now  proceed  to  fhow,  that  the  ancient  Gauls, 

(a)  LaiSant.  lib.  i.  pag.  i6.      (b)  Eufeb.  praep.  evang.  lib.  iii.  ch.  k.  pag.  105. 


AND  ATTRIBUTES.  109 

Britons  and  Germans  had  the  fame  notions  of  one  fupream 
God.  Nothing  is  more  admirable,  than  the  accounts  given 
us  of  the  Druids,  who  in  thefe  three  nations  worfhipped  the 
fame  God  under  the  name  of  Tau,  Taautes,  andTeutates, 
which  in  their  original  fenfe,  as  we  fhall  fhow  hereafter,  fig- 
nifyfome  attribute  of  the  fupream  eternal  mind.  As  thefe  an- 
cient people  defcended  from  Noah,  as  well  as  the  other  na- 
tions, the  traditions  on  this  head,  were,  no  doubt,  the  fame: 
but  as  they  wrote  nothing,  and  learned  all  by  heart  in  great 
fecret,  we  have  no  fure  monuments  left  of  their  religion,  and 
fhall  not  meddle  with  conjectures. 

We  might  pafs  to  the  modern  Pagans  that  live  this  very 
day,  and  fhow,  that  tho'the  Siamefe,  theGuineans,  the  Pe- 
ruvians, Mexicans,  and  other  inhabitants  of  Afia,  Africa,  and 
America  worfhip  inferior  Gods  and  heroes,  yet  all  the  ho- 
mage they  pay  to  thefe  fubaltern  deities,  is  relative  to  one  fu- 
pream God,whom  they  call  Parmiirer,PetIfro,VitzIIIputzI,&c. 
all  which  names  In  the  original  language,  exprefs  fome  attri- 
bute of  the  Deity.  Kertar  among  the  Indians  fignifies  (a)  he 
who  made  all  things.  Serjanhar,  the  creator  of  the  world. 
Pachacamach  among  the  Peruvians,  fignifys  the  fupream  be- 
ing, and  Viracocha,  God  the  creator.  Generally  fpeaking,  all 
the  American  nations  fedentary  or  wandring,  give  names  to 
God  that  are  very  energetical,  as  the  great  fplrit,  the  author 
and  mafter  of  Ufe,  the  fovereign  creator.  This  lall:  is  the 
name  given  by  the  Outaouaes  the  moft  favage  of  all  thefe  na- 
tions. 

(a)  See  father  Lafittau  moeurs  des  favages  pag.  1 24. 


no       OF  GOD*s  EXISTENCE,  Scc. 

It  fuffices  to  have  fhown,  that  fince  the  Chinefe,  the  In- 
dians, the  Perfians,  the  Egyptians,  the  Greeks,  and  the  Ro- 
mans hadfuchfublime  ideas  of  the  Deity,  there  is  no  doubt, 
but  the  other  ancient  and  modern  nations  had,  and  have  the 
fame  notions,  fmce  they  all  fpring  from  the  fame  fource. 
Let  us  next  examine,  if  there  be  any  remains,  and  traces  of 
the  fecond  Ternary  in  facred  and  profane  antiquity. 


Ill 


CHAP.    II. 
Of  the  Sacred  Trinity. 


\T /"E  have  fhown  in  the  firft  part  of  this  work,  that  tho' 
there  be  nothing  in  fublime  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
that  is  contradictory  to  reifon,  yet  that  it  is  undifcovcrable 
by  reafon;  and  therefore,  if  there  be  any  traces  of  this  fun- 
damental principle  of  the  divine  philofophy  among  the  anci- 
ents, they  muft  be  owing  to  fupernatural  revelation,  or  origi- 
nal tradition.   TheDeifts,  the  Soeinians,  the  Unitarians  and 
the  Freethinkers,  maintain,  that  the  doctrine  of  a  triplicity  in 
the  divine  nature  is  a  modern  fi(5tion,  of  which  there  are  no 
veftiges  in  facred  or  profane  antiquity.    Nothing  is  more 
falfe,  and  in  order,  to  prove  the  contrary,  we  lliall  begin  firO: 
with  the  Hebrews,   and  then  pafs  to  the  Gentiles.    It  is  cer- 
tain that  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old   Teflament  ac- 
knowledge  (i)  a  plurahty  in  the  divine  elTence;  (2)  that 
theyreftrain  this  plurality  to  a  trinity;  (a)  (3)that  they  talk  of 
three  difi:in6tperfons,  to  whom  divine  attributes  and  honours 
are  afcribed,  (4)  that  all  the  learned  Hebrews  uninfpired,  ac- 
knowledged this  triplicity  in  the  divine  nature;  and  in  fine, 
(5)  that  our  Saviour  and  his  dlfciples  did  not  look  upon  this 
as  a  new  doctrine. 

I.  Mofcs,  in  thirty  different  places  of  the  book  of  Gene- 

(a)  See  Dr.  Alix's  judgment  of  the  Jewifti  church  againfl:  the  Unitarians. 


112        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

fis,  makes  ufe  of  the  plural  Elohim  or  Gods,  inftead  of  the 
(ingular  Eloah  or  God.  Thus,  he  fays  m  the  very  firft  verfe 
of  his  divine  cofiiiogony,  (a)  '  In  the  beginning  Elohim,  the 

*  Gods  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,    (b)  Let  us  make 

*  man  after  our  own  image,   (c)  Adam  is  become  as  one  of 

*  us.   (d)  Let  us  go  down,  and  confound  their  language. 

*  (e)  When  the  Gods  caufed  me  to  wander  from  my  father's 

*  houfe.   (f )  Jacob  built  an  altar,  becaufe  there  the  Godsap- 

*  peared  to  him.'  Moreover,  there  are  more  than  a  hundred 
places  of  the  law,  where  we  meet  with  this  expreffion  Elohe- 
ka  the  Lord  thy  Gods.  Yea,  through  the  whole  courfe  of 
the  Old  Teftament,  God  fpeaks  of  himfelf,  or  is  fpoken  of, 
in  the  plural  number.  Thus,  Jofuah  fays,  (g)  *  You  cannot 
'  ferve  the  Lord,  for  he  is  the  holy  Gods ;'  and  Solomon 
adds,  (h)  *  Remember  thy  creators  in  the  days  of  thy  youth.' 
Thus,  the  plural  word  Elohim,  when  applied  to  God,  is 
made  ufe  of,  more  than  five  hundred  times  in  the  Hebrew 
text,  and  always  joined  with  nouns,  or  verbs  in  the  fingular 
number,  to  fignify  the  plurality  of  perfons,  and  unity  of  ef- 
fence. 

2.  It  is  certain,  that  holy  writ  reftrains  this  plurality  to  a 
trinity  of  hypoftafes,  orperfonalities,  that  fubfift  and  acl  in 
the  fame  indivifible  efTence,  as  if  they  were  three  diftin6t 
agents,  the  Father,  or  the  fupream  God,  the  Son  or 
Word  of  God,  and  the  Spirit  or  breath  of  his  mouth, 
becaufe  it  proceeds  from  the  Father  by  the  Son,  who  is  cal- 
led the  mouth  of  God.  Now  all  thefe  three  are  called  equal- 

(a)Gen.ch.i.  I.  (b)  lb.  26.  (c)Ib  ch.  Hi.  22.  (d)ch.xi.7.  (e)ch. 
XX.  1 3.  (f ) ch.  XXXV.  7.  (g)  Jofuah,  ch.  xxiv.  1 9.  (h)  Ecclefiaftes.  ch, 
xii.  !, 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  113 

ly  JEHOVAH,  the  Telf-exiilent,  or  the  eternal  Being. 
Thus,  the  Old  TeH-ament  afcrlbes  the  creation  of  the  world 
to  the  Word,  (a)  *  O  God  of  my  fathers  and  Lord  of  mercy 

*  who  hath  made  all  things  by  thy  Word,  (b)  I  called  upon 

*  God  the  Father  of  my  Lord,  (c)  What  is  God's  name,  and 

*  what  is  his  Son's  name,  if  thou  canfl:  tell,  (d)  Thine  almigh- 

*  ty  Word  leaptdown  from  heaven  out  of  thy  royal  throne.' 
The  holy  oracles  call  this  Word,  wifdom,  which  they  define 
thus  (e)  *  She  is  the  breath  of  the  power  of  God,  and  a  pure 

*  emanation  flowing  from  the  glory  of  the  Almighty.  She  is 
'  the  creator  of  all  things,  the  brlghtnefs  of  the  everlafting 

*  Light,  the  image  of  his  e(rence;and  the  unfpotted  mirrour 

*  of  his  power.'  Moreover,  the  Old  Teftament  mentions  a 
third  perfon  called  the  Spirit,  to  whom  all  the  divine  perfec- 
tions are  attributed,  and  quite  diftincH:  from  the  Son  or  Lo- 
gos, (f )  '  Thou  fent  forth  thy  Spirit,and  it  created  all  things. 

*  (g)  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  fhall  reft  upon  the  Mefliah.  (h) 

*  The  Lord  God  and  his  fpirit  hath  fent  me,'  fays  the  Logos, 
(i)  '  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  fhall  lift  up  a  flandard,  and  the 

*  Redeemer  fhall  come  into  Zion.(k)  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord 

*  Jehovah  is  upon  me,'faystheMefIiah,'  becaufe  the  Lord 

*  hath  anointed  me.'  In  fine,  the  learned  Dr.  Clarke,  whofe 
tcftimony  ought  not  to  be  fufpe(5led  in  this  matter,  has  produ- 
ced many  texts  in  his  '  Scripture-do(5lrinc,'  to  prove  that  the 
Spirit  is  a  different  perfonality  from  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
Of  thcfe  we  fhall  quote  fome  of  the  mofl:  remarkable. 

(a)  Wifdom.ch.xi.  I.  (b)  Ecclefiaftlcus.  ch.  xxv.  lo.  (c)Prov.  ch.  xxx,  4. 
(d)  Wifdom.  ch.xviii.  15..  (e)Ib.  ch.  vii.  25.  26.  (f)  Judith,  ch.  xvf.  14. 
(g)lfaiab.ch.xi.  1.2.  (h)  lb.  ch.  xlviii.  16.  (i)lb.  ch.  Ixi.  19.  2Q.  (k)cli. 
Ixi.  I. 

P.^RT  2.  P 


114        OF  THESACRED  TRINITY. 

(a)  '  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifrs 

*  unto  your  children;  how  much  more  ftiall  your  heavenly 

*  Father  give  the  holy  Spirit  to  them  that  afk  him?  (b)  And 

*  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  (hall  give  you  another  com- 

*  forter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  for  ever,  even  the  Spirit 

'  of  truth. -• (c)  The  holy  Ghoft,  whom  the  Father  will 

'  fend  in  my  name,  he  fhall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all 
'  things  tayour  remembrance,  whatfoever  I  have  faidunto 

*  you.    (d)  But  when  the  comforter  is  come,  whom  I  will 

*  fend  unto  you  from  theFather,even  the  Spirit  of  truth,which 

*  proceedeth  from  the  Father,  he  fhall  teftify  of  me.'  From 
thefe  paffages  it  plainly  appears,  that  the  holy  Spirit  is  a  dif- 
ferent perfonality  from  the  Father  ;  and  from  the  following, 
it  will  be  nojefs  evident,that  he  is  alfo  different  from  the  Son. 
(e)  '  And  Jefus  being  full  of  the  holy  Ghoft, ■  was  led  by 

*  the  fpirit  into  the  wildernefs.(f  )God  anointed  Jefus  of  Na- 

*  zareth  with  the  holy  Ghoft,  and  with  power.(g)  For  God 

*  giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  meafure  unto  him.  (h)  Behold,  my 

*  fervant  whom  I  have  chofen,my  beloved,  in  whom  my  foul 

*  is  well  pleafed :  I  will  put  my  fpirit  upon  him,  and  he  fhall 

*  fhow  judgment  to  the  Gentiles,    (i)  He  fhall  baptize  you 

*  with  the  holy  Ghoft.    (k)  The  holy  Ghoft  was  not  yet  gi- 

*  ven,  becaufe  that  Jefus  was  not  yet  glorified.  (l)When  the 
'  fpirit  of  truth  is  come,. he  fhall  glorify  me:  for  he  fhall 

*  receive  of  mine,  and  fhall  fhew  it  unto  you.  All  things  that 
'  the  Father  hath,  are  mine;  therefore  faid  I,  the  fpirit  fhall 

*  take  of  mine,  and  fhall  fhew  it  unto  you.'    Thus,  it  is  evi- 

(a)Lukech.xi.  13.  (b)  John  ch.  iv.  i6.  (c)Ib,  26.  (d)  lb.  ch.xv.  26. 
(e)  Lukech.lv.  i.  (f)  Ads  ch.  x.  38.  (g)  John  ch.iii.  34.  (h)  Matthew 
ch.  xii.  18.     0)  lb.  ch.  iii.  1 1 .  (k)  John  ch.vii.  39.  (1)  lb.  ch.xvi.  13. 14.  15. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  115 

*  dent,  that  the  Spirit  is  a  diftinftperfonality,  both  from  the 

*  Father  and  the  Son.' 

3.  Through  the  whole  books  of  Mofes,  and  the  prophets, 
we  ftill  fee  the  number  three  repeated,  and  obferved  in  beg- 
ging the  pardon  of  fins;  in  imploring  the  divine  favours;  in 
bleflings  conferred  upon  the  people;  and  in  thankfgivings 
returned  to  the  Almighty.All  this  fecms  defigned  to  call  con- 
tinually to  the  remembrance  of  thelfraelites,this  great  truth, 
that  there  are  three  from  whom  all  good  things  come,  that 
have  a  power  of  pardoning  fins,  and  that  are  the  obje^s  of 
adoration.  If  we  underftood  perfe(ftly  the  Hebrew  text,  we 
would  find  almofi:  in  every  page  of  the  Old  Teftament,  proofs 
of  a  triplicity  in  the  divine  nature  called  Jehovah  ab, 
or  the  felf-exiftent  Father;  Jehovah  el  or  the  the 
irradiator;  and  Jehovah  Ruach,  or  God  the  Spirit. 
The  Jews,  who  tranflated  the  facred  books  into  Greek,  un- 
der the  Ptolemaic  kings,  had  by  degrees,  itfeems,  forgot  the 
ancient  dodlrine  of  the  Patriarchs,and  fo  rendered  thefe  three 
different  names  by  the  two  words  Kv^io^  and  0£o$,  Lord  and 
God;  what  cxprcfies  God's  abfolute  elTcnce  and  immanent 
a6ls,  by  the  fame  two  words  that  may  alfo  fignify  his  relative 
attributes  and  emanant  a(5ls.  The  Jews,  after  our  Saviour's 
coming,  who  taught  the  primitive  fathers  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, were  alfo  ignorant  of  the  ancient  patriarchical  traditi- 
on, and  fo  did  not  undcrftand  the  meaning  of  the  three  Je- 
hovahs.  Thus,  the  Latin  fathers,  in  their  verfion,  tranflated 
the  Hebrew  words  Jehovah  ab,  Jehovah  el,  and  Je- 
hovah Ruach  by  the  words  Dominus  and  Deus,  as 
the  ancient  Jews  had  done  into  Greek,  by  the  words  Lord 

P    2 


ii6        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

and  God. A 11  other  Chriftian  nations  fince,  followed  their  ex- 
ample, and  made  ufe  only  in  their  difFerent  languages  of  two 
words  inftead  of  three,  to  exprefs  the  Hebrew  text;  thus,  the 
great  difl:in(ftion  of  a  triplicity  in  the  divine  nature  was  no 
more  perceived  in  the  tranflations.Thus,the  Sabelllans  of  old, 
and  the  Socinians  of  late,  by  pure  ignorance  of  the  original 
text  and  ancient  tradition,  reduced  the  three  hypoftafes  to 
three  fimple  attributes,  and  thefchoolmen  favoured  their  er- 
ror, by  making  ufe  of  the  equivocal  word  relations,  to 
exprefs  this  triplicity  in  the  divine  nature,  as  if  they  were  on- 
ly three  difFerent  manners  of  confidering  God  relatively  to 
the  creatures,  as  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Sangti- 
FiER,  and  no  wife  real  diftin<n:ions,  intellectual  agents,  and 
three  perfonalities  that  a<5l  and  fubfift  in  the  pure  and  abfo- 
luteefTenceof  God,  antecedently  to  all  his  emanant  efre(5ts. 
What  ob{curities,perplexities,and  degradations  have  not  thefe 
Chriftian  mythologifts,  and  fcholaltic  Fabulifts  introduced 
into  religion? 

4.  Left  theexprefllons  contained  in  the  facred  text  be  in- 
terpreted of  the  divine  attributes,  favours  and  graces,  and  not 
of  three  confubftantial  hypoftafes  and  perfonalities,  we  muft 
confult  the  do(5lrine  of  the  ancient  Jews  in  commenting  upon, 
and  paraphrafing  thefe  paffages.    (a)  '  Philo  acknowledges 

*  a  generation  in  God  from  all  eternity.    He  fays  in  many 

*  different  places,  that  God  begets  the  Word  in  himfelf;  that 
<  this  Word  is  wifdom;and  that  this  wifdomis  the  eternal  Son 

*  of  God;  that  God  is  called  the  God  of  Gods,  not  with  re- 

*  lation  to  created  intelligences,  whether  human,  angelical,  or 

(a)  See  Dr.  Alix  againftthe  Unitarians. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         117 

*■  feraphical,  but  in  relation  to  his  two  confubflantial  powers, 

*  which  are  notfimple  attributes,  but  eternal,  uncreated,  in- 

*  finite  principles  of  action,  reprefented  by  the  two  wings  of 

*  the  Cherubin  that  covered  the  tabernacle.'  Moreover,  Dr. 
Alix  has  {hown,that  the  Chaldee  paraphralts,  or  Targumifts, 
fpeak  in  the  fame  mannerasPhilo  '  They  afcribe  to  the  Word 
"  the  creation  of  the  world,  the  pardon  of  fin,  the  mediating 

*  betwixt  God  the  Father  and  the  creatures.  Yea,  theyattri- 

*  bute  all  the  other  perfonal  characHiers  of  ailing,  fpeaking, 

*  anfwering,  commanding,  giving  laws,  and  receiving fupream 

*  worfhip  and  adoration,  to  die  Son  and  holy  Ghoft,  whom 
'  they  call  very  oft  *'  the  two  hands  of  God."  Infine,  the 
cabbaliftical  Jews  that  are  of  a  later  date,  than  the  Targumifts, 
fpeak  in  the  fame  manner.    *  They  fix  the  number  of  three 

*  perfons  in  the  divine  effence ;  they  fpeak  of  the  emanation 

*  of  the  two  laft  from  the  firfl:,  and  fay,  that  the  third  proceeds^ 

*  from  the  firft  by  the  fecond.  They  call  the  firft  perfon  En- 

*  SOPH,  the  fecond Memr  A,  and  the  third  Binah.'  The 
cabbaliRical  Jews  were  called fo  from  the  Hebrew  word  ca- 
bal, which  fignifies  tradition,  becaufc  they  pretend  to  have 
collefted  into  one  body,  allthe  ancient  traditions  of  the  Jew- 
ifh  church.  Thefe  cabbalifts  are  properly  the  mythologifts- 
of  the  Hebrew  nationjand  therefore  their  theology  is  very  oft 
mixed  with,  and  difguifed  under  many  allegorical  images 
and  fables,  that  fcem  as  impertinent  as  thofe  of  the  Pagans, 
but  ftill  we  may  find  among  this  heap  of  mudd,  many  preci- 
ous pearls  which  feem  to  be  emanations  of  the  patriarchical, 
Noevian  tradition. 

5.  It  is  remarkable,  that  when  our  Saviour  and  the  apofi 


ii8        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

ties  deliver  the  doftrlne  of  the  Trinity  in  the  New  Tefta- 
ment,  they  fpeak  of  it  without  any  apology,  explication  or 
preamble,  as  a  doflrine  very  well  known,  and  believed,  not 
only  by  the  Jews,  but  alfo  by  the  Gentiles.   Now,  if  this  tri- 
plicity  in  the  divine  nature  had  not  been  commonly  received 
by  the  intelligent  of  all  nations  and  ages,  it  is  impofTible,  that 
our  Saviour  and  his  difciples  could  have  fpoke  of  it,  or  appli- 
ed it  without  preparing  their  auditors  to  receive  it,  as  a  nev/, 
unheard  of  Revelation.    On  the  contrary,  they  never  talked 
of  it  as  fuch.   They  fpeak  of  the  doctrine  of  redemption,  and 
of  our  Saviour's  expiatory  facrifice,  as  a  myftery  into  which 
the  angels  themfclves  dedre  to  pry.    Our  Saviour  bleffes  the 
Father,.vvho  had  revealed  the  more  internal,  fpiritual  precepts 
of  the  Evangelical  law  to  the  fmiple  and  pure  in  heart,  and 
concealed  them  from  the  wife  and  learned,  full  of  felf-love, 
vanity  and  pallion.    The  Apoftle  Paul  calls  Godlinefs,  or 
the  life  of  God  in  the  foul  of  man,  amyftery  which  he  difco- 
vers  only  to  the  perfect.    The  fame  apoftle  calls  the  wonder- 
ful conduift  of  grace  and  providence,  by  which  almighty  wif- 
dom  and  love  will  at  laft  convert  and  reftore  alllapfed  beings, 
an  unfearchable  depth  or  myftery;  but  neither  the  mafter, 
nor  the  difciples  talk  fo  of  the  Trinity.    They  (Ull  fpeak  of 
it,  as  an  ancient  doflrine  knov/n  to  all  nations,  and  therefore 
tranfmitted  from  generation  to  generation  by  an  uninterrup- 
ted tradition,  fmce  the  firft  origin  of  mankind.    This  will 
plainly  appear  to  all  thofe  who  read  the  New  Teftament  with 
intelligence  and  application.    How  oft  does  our  Saviour  call 
God  Father,   not  as  the  common  Father  of  fpirits,  but 
he  adds,  '  That  his  Father  and  he  are  one?'  In  other  places, 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         119 

he  oft  repeats,  that  after  his  exaltation, he  would  fend  the  holy 
Spirit  or  comforter.  St.  John  in  his  firft  catholic  epiftle 
fays,  without  any  preparatory  explication,  that  there  *  are 

*  three  that  bear  witnefs  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Son  and 

*  the  holy  Ghofl:.'  and  in  the  beginning  of  his  gofpel,  fays, 
that  xhe  Word  was  God,  and  yet,  that  the  Word  was  with 
God,  and  therefore,  as  we  have  fhown,  a  din:in61:  intellectu- 
al agent,  or  perfon.  When  the  Jews  accufe  our  Saviour  of 
blafphemy,  they  never  infinuate,  thatit  was  an  impious  doc- 
trine to  maintain,  that  God  had  a  fon,  or  that  the  MefTiah 
was  to  be  a  divine  perfon;  but  that  Jefus  Chriftblafphemed  in 
attributing  to  himfelf  this  title.  They  did  not  believe,  that 
he  was  the  MefTiah, becaufe  not  underftanding  the  Scriptures, 
they  fancied  that  the  great  Redeemer  of  Ifrael  was  to  be  a  tem- 
poral prince,  and  that  he  would  come  in  great  fplendour  and 
power  to  deliver  them  from  oppreflion,  and  fubjeft  all  other 
nations  to  theirs.  Would  it  have  been  worthy  of  divine  wif- 
dom  to  have  laid  a  fnare  for  his  creatures,  in  broaching  fuch 
a  new  unheard  of  article  of  faith,  as  that  of  a  Trinity,  with- 
out fo  much  as  preparing  the  minds  of  men  to  receive  it,  or  fay- 
ing any  the  leafl  word  to  prevent  their  being  fliockcd  by  it, 
their  fufpetfting  him  of  polytheifm,  and  thereby  degrading 
the  divine  Nature?  all  this  feems  to  fuppofe,  that  the  doctrine 
of  a  triplicity  in  the  divine  effence  was  an  ancient  univerfal 
tradition,  both  among  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles.  To  remove 
all  doubts  upon  this  important  fubjeft,  let  us  now  examine  the 
veftiges,  hints,  and  Iliadows  of  this  great  truth  preferved  a- 
mong  the  Pagans. 

We  begin  firfl:  with  the  Chinefe ;  we  find  in  their  original, 


jizo        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

canonical,  and  ancient  books  thefe  fLirprlzing  pafTages.  In 
the  book  Tonchu  we  read  thcfc  words,  *  The  fource  and 

*  root  of  all  is  one.  This  felf-exiftent  unity  produces  neccf- 

*  farily  a  fecond ;  the  firft  and  fecond  by  their  union  produce 

*  a  third  ;in  fine,  thefe  three  produce  all.'  Lopi,in  commen- 
ting upon  thefe  paiTages,  fays,  '  That  thisunity  is  triple,  and 

*  this  triplicity  one.'  Laotfee,  in  his  fourteenth  chapter  cal- 
led TsANHUEN,  or  the  elogium  of  hidden  wifdom,  fays, 

*  He  that  produced  all,  and  is  himfelf  unproduced,  is  what 
•^  we  call  HI.  He  that  gives  light  and  knowledge  to  all  things, 

*  and  is  himfelf  invifible,  is  what  we  call  Yi.  He  that  is  pre- 
■*  fent  every  where,  and  animates  all  things,  tho'  we  do  not 
^  feel  him,  is  called  OUEI-    Thou  wilt  in  vain  interrogate 

*  fenfe  and  imagination  about  thefe  three,  for  they  can  make 

*  thee  no  anfwer.   Contemplate  by  the  pure  fpirit  alone,  and 

*  thou  wilt  comprehend,  that  thefe  three  united  are  but  one,' 
Li-YONG,  in  commenting  upon  this  paffage  of  Laotsee, 
'/ays,  *  HI,  YI,  oUEi  have  no  name,  colour,nor  figure.  They 

*  arc  united  in  the  fame  fpiritual  abyfs,  and  by  a  borrowed 

*  name  they  are  called  unity;  this  unity,  however,  is  not  a 

*  bare  unity,  but  an  unity  that  is  triple,  and  a  triplicity  that  is 

*  one.  Tofpeak  thus,  is  to  underhand  what  is  moft  excellent 

*  in  the  law  of  wifdom. 'The  book Sleeki  fays,  *  The  anci- 

*  ent  emperours  facrificed  every  three  years  follemnly  to  hira 
^  that  is  one  and  three.'  Choueven,  in  commenting  upon 
^the  hierogliphic  that  expreffes  unity,  fays  that '  In  the  begin- 

*  ning  the  fupream  reafon  fubfifted  in  a  triple  unity,  that  this 

*  unity  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth, fcparated  them  from 
^  each  .other,and  will  at  laft  convert  and  perfe(51:  all  things. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  121 

As  the  Chinefe  are  one  of  the  mofi:  ancient  people  that 
Inhabited  the  earth,  and  that  were  formed  into  a  regular  go- 
vernment foon  after  the  deluge,  it  is  no  wonder  we  find  a- 
mongthem  fuch  venerable  traces  of  the  Nocvian  tradition. 
The  nearer  we  approach  to  the  origin  of  the  world,  the  clea- 
rer is  this  tradition  concerning  a  triplicity  in  the  divine  effence. 
Wemufl:  not  then  befurprifed,  if  we  find  fome  veftigesof  the 
fame  truth  in  the  following  ages.  The  Chinefe  mythology, 
or  rather  theology,  is  a  key  to  all  the  others  lefs  ancient,  and 
moreobfcured  by  fuccellion  of  time.  If  we  find  fuch  clear 
veftiges  of  this  facred  truth  in  China,  fhould  we  be  aftoniihed 
to  difcover  the  fame  in  Perfia,  Chaldea,  Egypt  and  Greece? 

The  Perfian  Mythras  was  commonly  called  three-fold  or 
triple,  T^/7rXa(7/o$.  Thus  Dionyfius,  the  Pfeudo-areopagite 
fays,  (a)  '  The  Perfian  Magi  to  this  very  day  celebrate  afefti- 

*  val  folemnity  in  honour  of  the  triplafian  or  three-fold  My- 
'  thras.'  Plutarch  adds,  (b)  '  That  Oromafdcs  thrice  aug- 
'  mented  or  triplicated  himfelf.'  From  whence  it  appears, 
that  Mythras  or  Oromazis  were  one  and  the  fame  numen,  or 
different  names  to  exprefs  the  two  firft  hypoflafes  of  the  di- 
vine eiTence.The  third  was  called  Pfyche  by  the  Greeks,who 
tranflated  the  Zoroaflrian  tradition.  But  Herodotus  calls  this 
third  hypoflafis  Mythra,  and  maintains  it  is  the  fanie  with 
Urania.  In  a  Chaldalc  oracle  quoted  by  Proclus,  we  read 
thefe  words,  *  after  the  mind  of  the  father  I  Pfyche  dwell.' 
Now  the  mind  of  the  Father  as  Pfellus  informs  us,  is '  The 

*  fecond  God,  and  the  immediate  artificer  of  the  world.' 

(a)  See  Cudworth  intellcfl.  fyllem.  ch.  Iv.  pag,  288.       (b)  Plutarch,  de  Ifid. 
ct  Ofirid. 

PART  2,  O 


122        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

In  the  fame  magical  or  Zoroaftrian  oracles,  we  find  thefe 
words,  *  The  Father  or  firfl  Deity  perfected  ail  things,  and 

*  delivered  them  to  the  fecond  Mind,  who  is  that  whom  the 

*  nations  of  men  commonly  take  for  the  firft.'  Pfellus  glolTeth 
thus  upon  this  oracle, '  The  firft  Father  of  the  Triad,  having 

*  produced  the  whole  creation,  delivered  it  to  Mind  or  Intel- 
'  le6l,which  mind  the  whole  generation  of  mankind  common- 

*  ly  call  the  firfl:  God,being  ignorant  of  the  paternal  tranfcen- 

*  dency.'    Pfellus  takes  notice  of  the  difference  betwixt  this 
Chaldaic  theology,  and  that  of  the  ChrilHans.  *  The  Chrif^ 

*  tian  doctrine,  fays  he,  maintains,  that  the  firfl  mind  or  in- 
'  telle(5l,  being  the  Son  of  the  great  Father,  made  the  whole 

*  creation,  whereas,  according  to  the  Chaldaic  theology,  the 

*  firft  hypoflafis  of  the  divine  Triad  was  the  immediate  archi- 

*  teftof  the  world.'  He  pretends  that  the  Platonic  do<5lrine 
was  more  conform  to  that  of  the  Chriftian,  when  he  fays, 

*  The  Father  perfe^ed,  or  produced  freely  in  his  divine  un- 

*  derftanding  the  archetypal  ideas,  and  then  delivered  them 
'  to  the  fecond  God,  to  create  fubftances  anfwerable  to  thefe 

*  models.  Wherefore,  whatfoever  was  produced  by  the  fe- 
'  cond  God,  owes  its  original  to  the  highefl  Father,  accor- 
'  ding  to  its  intelligible  effence.  Moflof  men  take  this  fecond 

*  God  for  the  firfl,  looking  up  no  higher,  than  to  the  imme- 

*  diate  archited  of  the  world.' 

The  fame  Proclus  adds,  that  *  The  Chaldaic  phllofophy 

*  divinely  infpired  affirmeth  the  whole  world  to  have  been 

*  compleated  from  thefe  three  Zeus  or  Jupiter,  who  is  above 
'  the  Demlurgus  or  creator  of  the  world,  and  Pfyche  who  is 

*  under  this  mind  or  intellect  of  the  Father.'  To  thefe  tefli- 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         123 

monies  of  Proclus,  may  be  fuperadded  a  Chaldean  or  Perfian 
oracle  quoted  from  Damafcius  by  Patritius.    '  In  the  whole 

*  world  fhineth  forth  a  Triad  or  trinity,  which  is  a  perfe(5l 

*  monad  or  unity.' 

Thus  what  the  Chinefe  called  Hi,Yi,andouEi,  the  Per- 
fians  named  Oromazdes,  Mythras,  and  Mythra.  The  Chal- 
deans alfo  had  three  names,  which  the  Greeks  tranflatedby 
Zeus,  or  Life,  Demiurgus  or  intelle<5t,  Pfyche  or  the  ani- 
mator of  all  things. 

Since  we  find  in  thefe  fragments  called  the  Chaldaic  ora- 
cles fuch  precious  monuments  of  truth,  it  is  fit  to  fay  fome- 
thing  of  their  authenticity  and  antiquity.  It  is  certain,  that 
thefe  oracles  are  not  fo  modern  as  fome  would  fufpe<5l,  they 
being  quoted  by  Synefius,  Pfellus,Pletho,and  Porphyrins.  It 
is  true,that  tho'  Pfellus  affirms  they  contained  all  the  Chalde- 
an dogmata,  yet  he  does  not  pretend  that  thefe  very  Greek 
verfes  themfelves  were  fo  ancient.  Suidas  fays,  *  That  Julia- 
'  nusa  Chaldean,  in  the  time  of  Marcus  Antoninus  the  Em- 

*  perour,  compiled  and  wrote  the  Theurgic  and  Teleftic  ora- 

*  cles  in  Greek  verfe.'They  were  called  Theurgical  and  Tele- 
ftic, becaufe  they  contained  a  divine  doftrine,  that  ferved  to 
render  the  mind  perfed.  Now,  that  they  were  not  forged 
by  the  Chriftians,  as  fome  of  the  Sybillin  oracles  were, 
feems  probable  from  hence,  that  fo  many  Pagan  philofophers 
make  ufe  of  their  teftimonies,  and  lay  no  fmall  ftrefs  upon 
them.  Yea,  fuppofnig  them  to  have  been  forged,  or  inter- 
polated, yet  they  muft  contain  the  fubftanceof  the  Chalde- 
an or  Perfian  do6trine.For  as  we  have  already  remarked  after 
Dr.  Cud  worth,  there  muft  have  been  fome  refemblance  be- 

0.2 


124       OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

twixt  the  counterfeit  and  the  original  tradition,  other  wife  the 
impofture  would  have  been  fuperfluous,eafily  difcovered,  and 
early  rejected  by  fuch  learned  Pagans,  as  the  philofophers 
we  have  mentioned,  and  many  others  that  fpeak  of  thefe  tra- 
ditions, as  authentic  monuments  of  the  Chaldaic  and  Perfian 
theology.    Moreover,  if  the  principles  laid  down  be  true;  if 
the  Noevian  patriarchs  taught  the  great  myftery  of  the  Trini- 
ty to  their  children  ;  if  this  fublime  truth  was  tranfmitted  to 
their  pofterity  by  the  different  heads  of  the  families  that  peo- 
pled the  various  countries  of  the  earth  ;if  the  mod  ancient  of 
all  nations  the  Chinefe  have  fuch  plain  veftiges  of  this  facred 
truth  in  their  original  books,  is  itfurprifmg,  if  we  find  fome 
traces  of  the  fame  doftrine  among  the  Chaldeans  and  Perfi- 
ans,  both  defcended  from  the  fame  fource?  Why  fhould  we 
then  fufpecH:  the  fragments  of  the  Zoroaflrian  and  Chaldean 
theology  of  falfhood,  becaufe  we  find  in  them  the  following 
expreflions. 

'  The  paternal  monad  multiplying  its  felf  engendred  two. 

*  This  duality  fits  by  him,  and  fhines  in  all  the  intellectual 

*  tribes.    This  triad,  of  which  unity  is  the  principle,  mani- 

*  feflsits  felf  thro'  the  whole  univerfe.   In  this  fubfift  Force, 

*  Wifdom  and  Omnifcient  Truth  ;   which   compofed  the 

*  link  of  the  triad  long  before  the  exiflence  of  any  meafura- 

*  bleeffence,  whence  multiplicity  was  produced.  The  Father 

*  perfected  all  things,  and  gave  them  to  the  fccond  Mind  who 

*  unites  them  all  by  love,  and  by  this  Love,  all  things  fubfifl 

*  and  perfift  for  ever.' 

Thefc  expreffions  do  not  refemble  the  ftyle  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  Fathers,  neither  before,  nor  after  the  council  of  Nice. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         125 

The  ideas  are  the  fame,  but  the  turn  is  quite  different.  No- 
thing can  render  them  fufpe<n:ed  of  forgery,  but  incredulity 
that  defpifes  thefe  truths;  or  bigotry  that  denys  there  can  be 
any  divine  lights  out  of  the  vifible  church. 

We  may  fay  much  the  fame  thing  of  the  ancient  Sybillin 
oracles,  of  which  Virgil  has  preferved  to  us  a  wonderful 
fragment.  I  do  not  pretend  that  thefe  now  exiftent,  and  that 
pafs  under  that  name,  are  genuine,  but  thisimpofture  proves, 
that  there  muftbe  fome  fmiilitude  betwixt  the  counterfeit 
and  the  true.  What  the  poets  called  the  Sybills  were  nothing, 
but  the  ancient  traditions  handed  down  from  generation  to 
generation.  For  the  word  Cabal,  which  fignifys  in  Hebrew, 
Tradition,  might  have  been  read  Sybil  by  foreign  nations, 
as  well  as  Cabal,  becaufe  the  Hebrews  made  ufe,  for  the 
mofl:  part,  of  confonants  only,  and  fcldom  of  vowels.  The 
Mazoretic  points,  that  fupply  the  place  of  thefe  vowels,  were 
invented  long  after  the  difperfion  of  the  Jewifh  nation.  Thefe 
ancient  oral  traditions  were  at  lad:  collected  by  the  Greeks  or 
Romans  into  different  hymns  or  verfes,and  as  the  Greek  poets 
perfonifyed  every  thing,  they  fuppofed,that  thefe  verfes  were 
compofed  by  propheteifes  or  infpired  virgins  called  Sybills. 

We  come  now  to  the  Egyptians,  and  find  among  them 
fome  veffiges  of  the  fame  great  truth,  as  among  the  Hebrews, 
Chinefe,  Chaldeans  and  Perfians.  A  modern  French  au- 
thor has  advanced,  with  a  great  oftentation  of  learning,  that 
all  the  Egyptian  mythology,  religion  and  theogony  was  de- 
rived from  the  abufe  of  the  original,  fymbolical  hleroglyphi- 
cal  charafters,  and  thus  far  he  is  in  the  right.  He  pretends, 
that  he  is  the  firft  difcoverer  of  this  great  principle,  but  he  is 


126       OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

miftaken.  KircherjVofTius,  Cudworth,  father  LaFittau,  the 
authors  of  the  journals  of  Trevoux,  and  many  travellers  in- 
to China  had  this  idea  long  before  him.    His  fecond  princi- 
ple is  abfolutely  falfe,  and  abfurd,  not  to  fay  childifti  and  infi- 
pid.He  tortures  and  racks  his  brain  to  prove,that  all  the  Gods 
and  GoddefTes,  the  religious  rites  and  ceremonys,  the  fym- 
bolical  images,  and  hieroglyphical  chara<flers  of  Egypt  were 
in  their  original,  primitive  inftitution,  only  poft-figns,  to  ad- 
vertife  the  Egyptians,  of  the  inundations  of  the  Nile,  of  the 
feafons  of  agriculture,of  the  variations  of  their  climate,and  of 
all  the  different  labours  and  employments  of  their  hufband- 
men.    Had  this  author  been  acquainted  with  the  Chinefe, 
Indian,  Chaldean,  Perfian  and  Greek  mythology,  philofo- 
phy  and  religion,  he  would  never  have  fallen  into  this  low 
fcheme.    The  moft  part  of  the  ancient  and  oriental  nations 
were  very  little  taken  up  about  the  periodical  inundations  of 
the  Nile;  and  fome  of  them  did  not  fo  much  as  know,  that 
there  was  a  corner  in  the  world  called  Egypt.  It  is  reafonable 
to  believe,  that  the  theogony  of  their  Gods,  and  the  fource 
of  their  religious  myfteries  were  derived  from  more  fublime, 
more  fpiritual,  and  more  univerfal  objecls  that  interefted  e- 
qually  all  the  human  race,  as  fhall  be  unfolded  hereafter. 

If  this  good  author  had  followed  his  firft  principle,  and 
then  combined  it  with  the  analyfis  he  has  given  of  the  He- 
brew, Egyptian  and  Phenician  names  that  defign  the  Gods 
of  the  Gentiles,  he  would  foon  have  altered  his  thoughts: 
but  blinded,  it  feems,  by  his  prejudices,  he  was  refolved  to 
fhow,  that  the  Pagans  could  have  no  fublime,  intelleflual 
ideas,  becaufe  according  to  the  fundamental  maxim  of  a  nar- 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  127 

rowfcheme,  out  of  the  vifible  church,  there  never  was,  nor 
could  be,  any  fupernatural  graces,  virtues  nor  lights.  Thus, 
allthefymbols,  hieroglyphics,  Gods,  GoddefTes  and  mytho- 
logy of  the  Pagans,niuft  be  degraded  to  a  phyfiologicalfenfe, 
and  can  fignify  nothing  but  the  revolutions  of  the  planets,  the 
periodical  returns  of  the  fun, the  different  phafes  of  the  moon, 
the  various  combats  of  the  elements,or  fome  other  phenome- 
na of  nature,  whether  celeitial,  aerial  or  terreftrial.  We  have 
already  fhown,  that  this  fcheme  of  the  phyfiological  inter- 
preters of  fable,  came  originally  from  the  Atheiftical  matcri- 
alilts,  who  confounded  God  with  nature,  and  that  it  is  not 
only  improbable,  but  ridiculous;  we  fhall  fhow  by  the  fol- 
lowing fheets,that  it  is  diametrically  oppofite  to  the  fpirit  of 
antiquity,and  thefentlment  of  the  mod  learned  ancients.  We 
return  to  the  Egyptian  theology. 

In  the  Pamphylian  obelifk,  the  Deity  is  reprefented  by 
this  fymbol,  a  winged  globe  with  a  ferpent  coming  out  of  it. 
In  a  Chaldaic  fragment  imputed  to  Sanchoniathon,  we  find 
this  explication  of  that  hieroglyphic.    '  The  globe  fignifys 

*  the  firfl:  felf-exiflent  incomprehenfible  Deity  without  begin- 

*  ning  or  end.    The  ferpent,  the  divine  wifdom  and  creative 

*  power;  and  the  wings  fignify  that  aftive  fpirit  thatcherifheth 

*  and  enliveneth  all  things.'  (a)  The  pyramidal  obelifks  of  E- 
gypt,  with  three  different  faces  placed  before  the  temples, 
was,  according  to  the  Pagan  philofophers  a  fymbol  of  the 
Deity,  not  only  among  the  Egyptians,  but  alfo  among  the  A- 
mazons,  and  man}/  other  people  of  the  eaf^:.  A  Bramin  of 
'India,  according  to  father  Bouchet,  (b)  explained  this  fym- 

(a)  See  father  la  Fittau,  moeurs  des  fauvages.  pag.  149.        (b)  Lcttre  du  pere 


128        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

bol  ill  the  fame  [en^Cy  as  the  ancients.   *  We  muft,  faid  that 

*  Bramln,  believe  God  and  his  three  different  names,  which 
'  anfwer  to  his  three  principal  attributes,  to  be  reprefented 

*  in  fome  fenle,  by  thefe  triangular  pyramids  ereded  at  the 
'  entry  of  our  temples.' 

Whatever  be  in  this,  it  is  certain,  that  Jamblichus  gives 
us  this  account  of  the  Egyptian  theology,   (a)  '  Hermes  pla- 

*  ces  the  God  Emeph,  as  the  prince  and  ruler  over  all  the  ce- 

*  leftial  Gods  ;  the  Demiurgic  mind  and  prefident  of  truth, 

*  which  produced  all  things  with  wifdom.  Before  Emeph 
'  however  Hermes  places  one  indivifible  monad  called  Eic- 
'  TON,  in  whom  exifts  the  firfl:  intelligent  and  the  firfl:  intel- 

*  ligible,  and  who  can  be  adored  only  by  filence.  After  which 

*  two  EiCTON  and  Emeph  he  places  Ptha,  which  is  a 
'  Ipirit  that  animates  all  things  by  his  vivifying  flame.' 

Eufebius  informs  us  from  Porphyry,  that  the  Egyptians 
acknowledged  one  (b)  '  intelle^ual  Demiurgus  or  maker  of 

*  the  w^orld,  under  the  name  of  Emeph  or  Cneph,  whom 
'  they  reprefented  by  a  (latue  of  human  form  of  a  dark  fky- 

*  coloured  complexion,  holding  in  his  hand  a  girdle  and  a 

*  fcepter,  wearing  upon  his  head  a  princely  plume,  and  thruf- 

*  ting  forth  an  egg  out  of  his  mouth.  This  hieroglyphic  is 
'  thus  explained  by  the  fame  Porphyry,  God  is  reprefented 
'  with  a  dark  fky-coloured  complexion,  becaufe  the  wifdom 

*  that  made  the  world  is  not  eafy  to  be  found  out,  but  hidden 
'  and  incomprehenfible.  The  princely  form  fignifys,  that 
'  he  is  the  ruler  and  king  of  all  things.    The  feathers  upon 

Bouchet  a  Mr.  I'Eveque  d'Avranches.  (a)  Jambl.  de  Myft.  Egypt,  pag.153. 1  J4« 
edit.  Ludg.  1552..       (b)Eufebprep.  evang.  lib.  III.  cap.xi.pag.  115. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         129 

*  his  head  denote  his  intellectual  aclivity.    The  egg  thrufl:  out 

*  of  his  mouth  means  the  world  created  by  him.  From  this 
'  Emeph  was  faid  to  be  generated  another  God  whom  the 
'  Egyptians  called  Ptha.'  St.  Cyril  quotes  feveral  parages  out 
of  the  Hermaic  writings  extant  in  his  time,  to  prove,  that 
there  was  a  firft  and  fupream  God  fuperior  to  the  Demiurgic 
Mind,  (a)  '  The  Demiurgic  Word  or  Logos  is  the  firft  power 
'  after  the  fupream  Lord.   He  looks  out  from  him,  is  uncre- 

*  ated,  infinite  and  the  genuine  Son  of  the  firft  omniprefent 

*  eflTence.'  Conform  to  this  pafTage  of  St.Cyril's,  Jamblichus, 
in  fpeaking  of  the  myfterys  of  the  Egyptians,  fays,  (b)  *  Be- 
'  fore  finite  beings,  and  univerfal  caufes,  there  is  one  God 

*  who  is  ever  prior  to  the  firft  King.  He  remains  immoveable 

*  in  the  folitudeof  his  own  unity.  No  ideas  of  finite  are  mix- 

*  cd  with  him, nor  any  thing  elfe.'  What  a  difference  is  there 
betwixt  this  fublime  idea  of  God  in  his  folitude,  into  which 
not  only  no  finite  beings,  but  alfo,  no  finite  ideas  enter;  and 
the  dull  notion  of  the  fchoolmen,  who  make  the  knowledge, 
and  co-exiftencc  of  all  finite  ideas  as  effential  to  the  divine 
perfection,  as  the  contemplation  of  himfelf,  and  the  genera- 
tion of  the  Logos?  Porphyry  continues  thus,  *  He  is  feated 

*  as  the  exemplar  of  the  fecond  God,  for  there  is  fomething 
-'  greater  and  firft  the  fountain  of  all,  and  the  root  of  all  in- 

*  telligible  ideas.  From  this  one,  the  fecond  God  fhone  forth. 
'  This  one  is  felf- begotten,  the  God  of  Gods,  the  fuperef^ 
'  fential  monad,  and  the  firft  principle  of  all  beings.    Thefe 

(a)  St.  Cyril,  contra  Julian. lib.  i.  pag.  53.       (b)  Jambl.  deMyfter.  Egyptior. 
pag.  158.  ed.  Oxon.  1678. 

PART  2.  R 


130       OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

<  two  are  the  moft  ancient  principles  of  all,  whom  Hermes 
«  places  before  the  ethereal,  empyreal,  and  celeftial  Gods/ 

Here  then  is  a  full  acknowledgment  of  the  two  firfl:  hypo- 
ftafes  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  if  we  join  this  paflage  with 
thofe  quoted  above  from  Porphyry  and  the  fame  Jamblichiis, 
we  have  the  Ptha  or  the  third  hypoftafis,  and  fo  a  full  decla- 
ration of  the  Hermaic  trinity. 

Thus  the  Egyptians  called  EictoNjEmeph  and  Ptha 
what  the  Perfians  called  Oromafdes,  Mythras  and  Mythra; 
the  Chaldeans  Life,  Intelle(5l  and  Soul;  the  Chinefe  hi,  yi, 
OUEI;  the  Hebrews  ab,  el, and  Ruagh.  Thefe  three  hy- 
poftafesEicTON,  Emeph,  and  Ptha,  the  Egyptians,  ac- 
cording to  the  teftimony  of  Damafcius,  *  looked  upon  as  one 

*  efTence  incomprehenfible,  above  all  knowledge,  and  prai- 

*  fed  him  under  the  name  of  the  "  unknown  darknefs  thrice 
"  repeated."  This,  as  we  have  already  remarked,  was  ahb 
a  cuflom  among  the  Jews,  to  repeat  thrice  the  great  name  of 
Jehovah  in  all  their  public  worfhip,  doxologies,  andthankf- 
givings.  The  original  tradition  was  the  fame  in  both  nations, 
and  might  have  been  confirmed  among  the  Egyptians  by  the 
long  Itay  of  the  Hebrews  upon  the  borders  of  the  Nile. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  the  veftiges  we  find  of  a  triplicity 
in  the  divine  Nature  among  the  ancient  Greeks.  If  we  can 
prove  that  Orpheus,Pythagoras  and  Plato  had  the  fame  ideas 
of  the  Trinity,  as  the  Egyptians,  Chaldeans,  Perfians,  and 
Chinefe,  the  additional  teftimony  of  the  three  firft  will  con- 
firm the  dodrine  of  the  four  laft:  for  the  original  fource  of 
tradition  being  the  fame  in  all,  every  fucceeding  teftimony 
confirms  the  precedent,  and  forms  an  indilfolvible  chain. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  131 

We  begin  firfl:  with  Orpheus.  Damafcius  in  his  book  not 
yetpubliftied  concerning  The  pnnciples,gives  us  this  account 
of  the  Orphic  theology.  ^  Orpheus  introduced  a  triform 
*  Deity,  which  he  reprefented  by  a  dragon  having  the  heads 
'  of  a  bull  and  a  lyon;  and  in  the  raidfl:  the  face  of  a  God 
'  with  golden  wings  upon  his  ftioulders.'  Dr.  Cudworth  ac- 
cufes  Orpheus  of  a  monftrous  extravagancy  to  have  thus 
fymbolized  the  Deity:  but  that  great  man  had  foregot,  it 
feems,  that  thecherubin  wherein,  according  to  the  prophet 
Ezekiel,the  glory  of  God  redded,  and  from  whence  the  voice 
of  the  Lord  was  heard,  is  reprefented  by  the  prophet,  as  ha- 
ving four  faces,  that  of  a  man,  that  of  a  lyon,  that  of  a  bull, 
and  that  of  an  eagle.  There  is  a  great  parity  betwixt  the  Or- 
phic and  prophetic  fymbols.  The  bull,  the  lyon  and  the 
eagle  were  the  hieroglyphic  types  and  figns  of  the  three  ele- 
ments of  fire,  light  and  air,  and  thefe  three  elements  are  the 
three  emblems,  by  which  facred  writ  paints  forth  the  three 
hypoftafes  of  the  divine  Nature.  The  Father  is  called  in 
Scripture  a  confuming  fire.  The  Logos  el,  or  irradiator, 
and  the  light  of  the  world.  The  holy  Spirit,  air,  breath  or 
wind.  We  fhall  fhow  afterwards,  that  the  fourth  animal, 
which  in  the  cherubin  had  the  face  of  a  man,  and  in  the  Or- 
phic fymbol  the  face  of  a  God,  reprefcnts  the  facred  pre-ex- 
illcnt  humanity  of  the  McfUah,  received  into,  and  hypoftati- 
cally  united  with  the  divine  effence. 

St.  Juffm  Martyr,  in  his  exhortation  to  the  Greeks,  has 
prefcrved  to  us  this  wonderful  fragment  of  Orpheus,  where 
the  poet  fpeaks  thus   of   the  Logos.     ^  I  fwear  by   the 

R  a 


132        OF  THESACRED  TRINITY. 

'  word  of  the  Father,  v/hich  went  out  of  his  mouth,  and  be- 
'  came  his  counfeller,  when  he  created  the  world.'  Is  there 
any  thing  that  refembles  more  the  defcrlption  of  Solomon 
in  his  Proverbs,  when  he  fays,  (a)  '  The  Lord  poffefTed  me 

*  in  the  beginning  of  his  ways,  I  was  fet  up  from  everlaft- 

*  ing  before  his  works  of  old.     When  he  appointed  the 

*  foundations  of  the  earth,  when  he  prepared  the  heavens  I 
'  was  there.'  Now  if  St.  Juftin  had  forged,  or  adulterated 
thispaffage,  and  falfcly  attributed  it  to  Orpheus,  would  not 
the  Greeks  have  objefled  to  him  this  impofture? 

Moreover,  Suidas,  upon  the  word  Orpheus,  fays,  this 

philofophical  poet  declares,  (b)  *  That  the  higheft  of  all  be- 

'  *  ings  is  called  Light,  Counsel,  and  Life,  and  in  fine, 

*  that  thefe  three  names  exprefs  the  powers  of  the  fame  Dei- 

*  ty,  who  is  the  maker  of  all,  and  who  produceth  all  out  of 

*  nothing,  into  being  whether  vifiblc  or  invfible.'  Timothe- 
us  adds,  *  The  fame  Orpheus  declared,  that  all  things  were 

*  made  by  the  fame  Godhead  under  three  names  called  U- 

*  RANus,  Chronus  and  Phanes.'  Phanes,  according  to 
father  Kircher,  is  an  Egyptian  name  which  fignifys  Love, 
and  accordingly,  Proclus,  in  commenting  upon  Plato's  Ti- 
maeus,callsPH  ANEs  a€^o$'''E^o^foft  and  tender  Love,  which 
is  the  perfonal  character  of  the  third  hypoftafis. Conform  to 
this  Proclus  a (Tu res  us,  that  Amelius  the  Platonic,  who  was 
contemporary  with  Plotinus,  makes  (c) '  A  threefold  Demi- 

*  urgus,or  creator  of  the  world, three  minds  and  three  kings, 

*  him  that  is,  him  that  has,  and  him  that  beholds;  which 

(a)  Proverb,  ch.  viii.  22.  27.  29.         (b)  See  Cudworth.  «h.   iv.  pag.  300. 
(c)  Proclus  in  Tim.  pag.  93 . 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         133 

three  minds  differ  thus,  the  firft  is  elTentially  he  that  is; 
the  fecond  pofTefTesin  himfelf  Intelligence,  but  receives  all 
from  the  firft,  and  (6  is  fecond;  the  third  poffeffes  alfoin 

*  himfelf  intelligence,  but  hath  what  is  in  the  fecond  and 
<  looks  up  to  the  firft,  for  all  thefe  three  are  the  fame  effcnce 
«  with  their  conjoined  intelligibles.    Amelius  therefore  fup- 

*  pofes  thofe  three  minds  and  Demiurgic  principles  to  be  the 

*  fame  with  Plato's  three  kings,  and  with  Orpheus  his  trini- 

*  ty.'  Damafcius  alfo,  in  his  book  of  principles,  aftures  us, 
that  Orpheus  maintained  *  a  triform  Deity'.  Thus,  according 
toSuidas,  toTimotheus,  to  Proclus  and  to  Damafcius,  the 
fublime  poet  and  philofopher  Orpheus  looked  upon  the  tri- 
plicity  in  the  divine  Nature  not  as  three  diftindt  fubftances, 
n-or  independent  minds,  nor  fimple  attributes,  but  as  three 
intellectual  agents  or  beings  that  fubfift  and  ad  in  the  fime 
elfence.  It  is  therefore  no  wonder  if  Timotheus,  who  was 
a  Chriftian,affirmed,  that  (a)  *  Orpheus  long  ago  had  dccla- 
*•  red,  that  all  things  were  made  by  a  co-effential  Triad.' 

Pythagoras  had  the  fame  ideas  of  the  divine  Triad.  Since 
all  agree  that  he  borrowed- his  philofophy  from  Orpheus,  the 
Egyptians,  the  Perfian  Magi,  and  the  Chaldean  Sages,  his 
notions  of  a  triplicity  in  the  divine  Nature  muft  have  been 
the  fame.  For  this  reafon  we  conclude,  that  the  true  mea- 
ning of  this  great  maxim  of  the  Pythagoric  philofophy, 

*  God  is  a  monad  from  whom  proceeds  an  infinite  duality,' 
fignifys,  that  from  the  great  Unity,  monad,  or  fclf-exiftcnt 
mind,  proceed  two  other  hypoftafes,  infeparable  from  their 
ielf-originated  caufe.    Hence  Moderatus,  in  a  fragment  pre- 

(a)  Cedrenus  de  Timoth.  chronog.  See  Dr.  Cudworth  pag.  306. 


134        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

ferved  to  us  by  Simplicius,  fays,  (a)  *  according  to  the  Py- 

*  thagoreans,  the  firft  one,  monad  or  unity,  is  above  all  ef- 

*  fence ;  the  fecond  contains  all  ideas ;  and  the  third  which 
'  is  Pfycheor  foul  partaketh  of  both,  of  the  firft  unity  and 
'  of  the  ideas.'    Numenius,  according  to  Proclus,  (b)  fays, 

*  That  the  Pythagoreans  having  praifed  the  three  Gods, 
'  called  them  the  grand  Father,  the  Son  and  the  grand  Son, 
«  thereby  intimating,  that,  as  the  fecond  was  the  ofspring  of 
'  the  firft,  fo  the  third  proceeds  from  the  firft  by  the  fecond.' 
Jamblichus  adds,  according  to  the  teftimony  of  Proclus,  (c) 

*  That  there  were  three  Gods  alfo  praifed  by  the  Pythagore- 
'  ans.' 

It  is  true,  that  Pythagoras  did  not  only  call  the  fupream 
Deity  a  monad,  and  a  triad,  but  alfo  a  tetrad:  for  Tetra<flys, 
in  the  golden  verfes,  is  called  the  fountain  of  eternal  Nature, 
and  therefore  Hierocles,  in  commenting  upon  thefe  verfes, 
fays,  (d)  *  There  is  nothing  in  the  whole  world  which  doth 

*  not  depend  upon  the  Tetraclys,  as  its  root  and  principle. 

*  For  the  Tetrad  is  the  maker  of  all  things,  the  intelligible 

*  God,  the  caufe  and  Father  of  the  heavenly  and  fenfible 

*  God.'  The  latter  Pythagoreans  and  Platonifts  endeavour 
to  give  reafons  why  God  fhould  be  called  Tetras  or  Terrac- 
tys,  from  certain  imaginary  myfterys  contained  in  the  num- 
ber four.  Some  modern  critics  fancy,  that  the  Pythagorean 
Tetraftys  is  the  fame  with  the  Hebrew  name  Jehovah,  that 
conlifts  of  four  letters:  but  both  thefe  conje^ures  are  chime- 
rical and  trifling.    It  feems  lefs  hypothetical  and  imaginary 

(a)  Simplicius  in  Ariftot.  phyfic.  fol.  50.  (b)  Proclus  in  Timaeum.  pag.  93. 
(c)  Procli  theol.  Platon.  lib.  i.  cap.  V.  (d)'Hierocl.  aurea  carni.  pag.  1 68.  Can- 
tab. 1709. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  i^^ 

to  look  upon  the  word  Tetrad  as  originally  derived  from  the 
ancient  hieroglyphic  which  almoft  in  all  nations  was  the 
fymbol  of  the  Deity,  which  the  Hebrews  called  Cherubin, 
and  which  Orpheus  reprefents  alfo  under  a  quadruple  form. 
The  three  firft  denote  the  three  confubftantial  agents  or 
hypoftafes  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  the  fourth  having  the 
face  of  a  man  is  the  facred  humanity  of  the  Logos,  which 
Hierocles  calls  the  celeftial  and  vifible  God,  fon  of  the  firft 
caufe.  This  hie roglyphical  fymbol  called  Cherubin  wascop- 
pyed  by  the  Gentiles  and  called  Teraphim,  as  fhall  be  ex- 
plained hereafter. 

We  come  now  to  Plato,  and  that  we  may  not  attribute  a- 
ny  thing  to  our  perfonal  refearches,  we  fhall  give  here  an  ex- 
a6l  and  clear  abridgment  of  the  profound  and  judicious  re- 
marks, which  the  learned  Dr.  Cudworth  has  made  upon  that 
important  (ubjeft,  adding  now  and  then  fome  refle(5lions  and 
quotations  that  ferve  to  unfold  the  beautiful  fcheme  of  that 
admirable  author. 

Plato  always  diftinguifhes  betwixt  the  fupramundan 
and  mundan  Gods,  the  eternal  and  the  generated  Gods,  the 
intelligible  and  the  fenfible  Gods.  Thus,  tho'  he  fpeaks  in 
the  plural,  asMofes  and  the  Hebrews,  of  the  divine  elfence, 
yet  he  reftrains  this  plurality  to  three,  which  he  calls  Ag  a- 
THON  or  EN  ;  Nous  orLoGosjPsYCHE  or  Eros.  That 
is,  the  fupream  good  or  unity;  the  mind  or  word;  the  foul  or 
love.  Thefubitance  of  all  his  do6lrine  concerning  this  Triad, 
may  be  reduced  to  the  three  following  heads  or  principles. 

I.  Plato  did  not  underftand  by  thofe  three  diftincHiions  in 
the  Godhead,  three  fimple  attributes,  names,  modes  or  forms 


1^6       OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

of  the  Deity,  for  he  calls  them  not  only  three  prlnclples,three 
caufes,  three  agents,  three  kings,  but  alfo,  three  Gods,  the 
firft,  the  fecond  and  the  third,  which  fubfifl:  and  a6b  in  the  di- 
vine efience,  as  if  they  were  three  diftin6l  fubftances,  tho',  as 
we  fhallfee,  he  believed  them  to  be  one  monad.  Hence  Plo- 
tinus  one  of  Plato's  principal  difciples,  who  lived  in  the  third 
century  of  the  Chriftian  aera,  calls  this  triplicity  in  the  divine 
Nature  three  hypoftafes.   (a)  '  He  names  the  firO:  Uranus, 

*  the  fecond  Chronus,  the  third  Zeus.'  And  concludes  in 
this  manner,  *  Chronus  is  in  a  middle  degree  betwixt  his  Fa- 

*  ther  Uranus  and  his  Son  Zeus.'  In  another  place,  he 
ipeaks  thus  of  thefe  three  hypoftafes. 

(b)  *  The  greateft  of  all  things  after  the  moft  abfolutely 

*  perfed  being,  is  Mind  or  intellefl,  and  this  is  fecond  to  it, 

*  for  Mind  beholdcth  this  as  its  Father,  and  ftandeth  in  need 
'  of  nothing  elfe  befides  it,  whereas  the  firft  principle  ftan- 

*  deth  in  need  of  no  mind  nor  intelled,  w^hich  in  order  of 

*  Nature  is  pofterior  to  it,  as  is  alfo  Pfyche  its  felf  or  the  firft 

*  fouljfor  thisisalfo  Word  or  energy  of  the  mind  as  the  fecond 

*  principle  is  the  Word  or  energy  of  the  firft  Good.'  The 
fame  Plotinus  fays,  (c)  *  That  this  Pfyche  or  third  principle 

*  is  the  fame  with  Venus  or  Urania, which  was  begotten  from 

*  Chronus  or  Saturn,  that  is,  from  a  perfe(51:  mind  or  intelle<5l. 

*  This  heavenly  Venus  muft  needs  be  that  moft  divine  foul  or 

*  Pfyche,  which,  being  immediately  begotten  pure  from  what 
'  is  pure,  always  remains  above. 

2..  Tho'  Plato  and  his  difciples  called  thefe  three  divine 

(a)  Plotln.  Enn.  lib.  V. pag.  513.  554.      . (b)  Plotin.  Enn.  V.  lib.  i.     (c)  Id. 
Enn.  Ill.iib.  V.  cap.  2. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  137 

hypoftafes,  not  only  three  natures,  three  principles,  and  three 
caufes,  but  alfo  three  Gods,  yet  it  is  fure,  that  they  always 
fuppofed,  thefe  three  to  be  only  one  Deity  or  eJGTence.  This 
appears  evidently  from  Plato's  fecond  epiftle  to  Dionyfius, 
where  he  maintains,  that  thefe  three  hypoftafes  in  the  divine 
Nature  are  co-eternal,  confubftantial  and  uncreated.    '  The 

*  mind  of  man,  fays  this  great  philofopher,  has  an  anxious 

*  defire  to  know  what  this  Triad  is,  and  to  that  end,  looks 

*  upon  things  congenial  to  its  felf,  which  are  all  infuflicienr, 
'  imperfect  and  foreign,  but  in  that  King  of  all  things,  there 

*  is  nothing  of  this  kind,and  nothing  like  to  what  is  created.' 

3.  The  three  diftin(5lions  of  the  Platonic  trinity  are  not 
only  all  co-eternal,  but  alfo  neceffarily exiftent,  and  noways 
free  produ(5lions  of  the  divine  Will;  for  the  firft  of  them,  fay 
the  genuine  Platonifts,  can  no  more  exift  without  the  fecond, 
than  original  light  can  exift  without  its  fplendor.  Yea  there 
can  be  neither  more  of  them,  nor  fewer.  For,  fays  Plotinus, 
(a)  '  We  ought  not  to  maintain,  that  there  are  any  other 

*  principles  fave  thefe  three;  but  having  placed  firft  the  fimple 

*  good,  we  ought  to  fet  Mind  or  the  fupream  intelled  next 

*  after  him;  and  then  the  univerfal  foul  in  the  third  place. 
'  This  is  the  immutable  order,  neither  to  make  more  nor 

*  fewer  diftin(flions  in  thefovereign  intelligible,  for  he  that 

*  will  contract  the  number,  and  make  fewer  of  them,  muft  of 
^  neceflity  either  fuppofe  Soul  Ind  Mind  to  be  the  fame,  or 

*  elfe  JNlind,  and  the  firft  Good  identical;  but  we  have  de- 

*  monftrated  that  thefe  three  are  diftindl:  from  one  another.' 

Thus,  we  have  fhown,  that  the  Platonic,Pythagoric  and 

(a)  Plotin.Enn.  II. lib.  ix.  cap.  i.  et  6. 
PART  2.  S 


138        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

Orphic  fchools  were  full  of  this  great  idea  of  a  Triad  in  the 
divine  efTence.   We  might  multiply  innumerable  quotations 
on  this  head,  but  they  would  only  be  repetitions  of  what  has 
been  already  quoted  from  Hierocles,Porphyrius,  Jamblichus, 
Plotinus,  Proclus,  Numenius  andDamafcius.  ThePharifai- 
cal  bigots, and  the  incredulous  Freethinkers  endeavour  equal- 
ly to  defpife  and  difparage  thefe  venerable  channels,  and  de- 
pofitaries  of  the  ancient  philofophy  ;but  from  diiFerent  views ; 
the  fatahftical  do6tors  from  a  defign  to  prove,  that  out  of  the 
vifible  church  there  never  were  any  juft  ideas  of  the  facred 
Trinity;  and  the  minute  philofophers,  to  Ihow,  that  this 
great  truth  is  only  a  modern  whim  of  a  particular  fe^t,  un- 
known before  the  Chriflian  aera. 

We  muft  acknowledge  however,  that  there  is  a  great  dif- 
ference betwixt  the  Platonic  and  Chriftian  Trinity.    They 
both  allow  the  three  hypoftafes  to  be  confubflantial,  co-eter- 
nal,  and  necefTary:  but,  according  to  Plato's  philofophy, 
they  are  not  co-equal;  they  are  not  only  fubordinate  to  each 
other  by  way  of  felf-origination,  generation  and  procefRon, 
but  by  a  gradual  inferiority  and  inequality  of  perfection,  as 
the  image  is  inferior  to  the  original,  the  rays  to  the  light, 
and  the  ftreams  to  the  ocean.  This  Chriftians  cannot  allow, 
and  found  reafon  itfelf,  ought  to  difclaim  this  idea:    for, 
fince  the  divine  Nature  is  indivifible,  God  the  Father  or  the 
fource  and  fountain  of  the  Deity  cannot  communicate  him- 
fclf  to  thefecond  and  third  perfons  of  the  Trinity  by  parcels 
and  with  bounds  and  meafure.  Therefore,  all  the  three  muft 
have  the  fame  perfections  and  attributes,  and  fo  be  infinite  in 
all  fenfes.    It  is  no  wonder,  that  by  fucceflion  of  time,  the 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  139 

Greek  philofophers  departed  from  the  primitive  tradition,and 
erred  in  a  point  Co  delicate,  fo  profound,  and  fo  fublime. 

We  come  now  to  the  poets.  Since  the  philofophers  of 
all  nations  had  fuch  clear  notions  of  the  divine  Triad,  is  it 
any  wonder  the  poets  had  alfo  fome  ideas  of  this  great  truth? 
a  modern  author  has  advanced  a  very  beautiful  principle  in 
mythology,  (a)  it  is  this,  that  notwithftanding  the  innu- 
merable crowd  of  the  poetical  Gods  and  GoddefTes,  yet  all 
the  fuperior  Deities  of  the  Pagans  may  be  reduced  to  three, 
(i)  One  fupream  God  whom  they  confidered  as  the  fourc« 
and  fountain  of  the  Deity,  the  Father  of  Gods  and  men, 
the  omnipotent  King,  the  fovereign  Lord,  the  firfi:  God,  the 
highefl:  God  and  the  felf-originated  principle.  (2)  A  God- 
defs  his  wife,  daughter,  fifter  or  grandchild,  whom  they  re- 
prefented  as  the  principle  of  the  divine  Fecundity,  the  com- 
panion of  his  eternal  folitude,  the  immortal  Virgin  and  the 
Mother  of  nature.  (3)  A  middle  God  betwixt  the  two,  whom 
they  called  the  fon  of  Jupiter,  the  fecond  God,  the  leader, 
the  God  guide,  the  Demiurgus  or  creator  of  the  univerfe. 

If  it  could  be  demonftrated,  that  all  the  names  of  the  firfi: 
God  arefynonlmous  and  relative  to  the  firft  principle  of  the 
Deity ;  that  all  the  names  of  the  fecond  God  are  the  fame,and 
relative  to  the  Logos;  and  in  fine,  that  all  the  names  of  the 
GoddefTes  are  alfo  fynonlmous  and  relative  to  the  third  prin- 
ciple of  the  Orphic,  Pythagoric  and  Platonic  Trinity,  this 
would  be  a  beautiful  difcovery  in  mythology.  We  would  fain 
attempt  this,  but  we  dare  not  promife  it.  All  we  pretend,  is 
to  offer  feme  probable  conje6tures  on  this  important  fubje^l ; 
(a)  See  Ramfay's  Mythology  at  the  end  of  Cyrus's  Travels, 

S  z 


I40       OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

and  to  render  thefe  conje<n:ures  lefs  {uCpeOicd  of  fi^lon,  we 
fhall  lay  down  fome  preliminary  principles,  which  no  man 
truly  verfed  in  antiquity  can  deny. 

1.  We  have  already  demonftrated  that  according  to  the 
greateft  philofophers  among  the  Pagans,  and  even  many 
Chriftian  fathers,  the  fupream  univerfal  Numen  of  the  Hea- 
thens is  polyonomous,  and  that  they  made  ufe  of  feveral  dif- 
ferent names  to  exprefs  the  fame  eternal  mind  or  effence. 

2.  We  have  already  remarked,  that  the  Pythagoreans, 
having  praifed  the  three  Gods,  called  them  the  grand-father, 
thefon  and  the  grand-child,  thereby  intimating,  that  as  the 
fecond  was  the  ofspring  of  the  firft,  fo  the  third  proceeds 
from  the  firft,  by  the  fecond.  Now  if  this  principle  be  joi- 
ned with  the  firft,  it  will  be  found,  that  all  the  different  names 
of  the  fuperior  Gods  exprefs,  either  the  attributes  of  th^e 
great  Monad,  of  the  Son  of  God,  or  of  his  grand-daughter. 

3.  Notwithflanding  the  multiplicity  of  Gods,  which  we 
find  in  Homer,  yet,  according  to  the  teftimony  of  Philolaus 
the  Pythagorean,  in  the  Gorgias  (a)  '  Homer  was  looked  up- 
*  on  as  the  author  of  the  Ternary  hypoftafes  of  creators.' 
The  Pagans,  therefore,  looked  upon  all  his  Gods  as  reducible 
to  three,  Jupiter,  Mars,  and  Minerva,  and  all  the  other  Gods 
and  Goddeffes  werefynonimousor  polyonomous  expreflions 
of  thefe  three  principal  Deities. 

4.  The  reafon  why  the  Pagan  poets  called  the  Deity  fome- 
times  by  feminine,  and  fometimes  by  mafculine  names,feems 
to  arife  from  raifunderftanding  the  original  hieroglyphical 

(a)  Prod,  theoli  Platon.  pag.  13, 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         141 

fymbols,  which  reprefented  the  divine  attributes  and  hypof- 
tafes  by  the  figures  of  women,  as  well  as  by  thofe  of  men. 
As  the  Greek  poets  in  the  fabulous  ages  perfonified  all  thefe 
fymbols,  andere(5led  them  into  different  Deities,  hence  arofe 
the  notion  of  female  Gods  or  GoddefTes. 

Thefe  four  principles  premifed,  we  fhall  now  endeavour  to 
fhow,  that  all  the  different  names  of  the  fupream  Deities  may 
be  reduced  to  three  kinds,  which  exprefs  the  three  different 
chara^ers  of  the  facred  Triad. 

I.  There  is  among  the  Pagans  onefupream,unIverfal  Nu- 
men,  defignedby  the  different  names  of  Uranus,  Coelus,  Sa- 
turn, Jupiter  Olympian,  Janus,  and  Pan,  all  which  exprefs 
the  attributes,  properties  and  characters  of  the  firfl:  principle 
or  paternal  Monad.  Uranus,  as  we  have  feen,  was  the  name 
of  the  firft  principle  of  the  Orphic  Trinity.  Coelus  is  only  a 
Latin  tranflation  of  Uranus,  and  fo  is  perfectly  fynonimous. 
'^Ihe  word  Saturn  was  derived  from  the  Hetrurian  Sathur 
which  lignifys  hidden.  Wherefore,  he  was  called  by  the 
Romans  in  their  pontifical  books  Deus  Latius,  or  the 
hidden  God,  and  the  firfl  inhabitants  of  Italy  were  called  La- 
tins, or  worfhippers  of  the  hidden  God.  This  is  the  fame 
with  the  firfl  principle  of  the  Egyptian  Triad  called  AiMoun", 
which  fignifys  hidden,  or  Jupiter  Amnion.  Jupiter  is  vifibly 
derived  from  the  Hebrew  word  Jehovah,  which  was  read  dif- 
ferently Jehou  or  Jou  which  fignifys  the  being  that  is,  the 
felf-exiflent  being.  To  this  Jou  was  added  the  word  father, 
or  pater,  and  hence  came  the  Joupiter  or  Jupiter  of  the  Ro- 
mans. The  Greeks  tranflated  the  word  Jou  by  Zeus  from 
TjLOi  to  live.   This  word  Zeus  they  changed  into  Dios,  and 


J42        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

by  adding  ttoltyi^  called  the  fupream  God  Diofpiter,the  father 
of  life.  Janus  was  another  name  for  the  firfl:  principle,  as  he 
by  whom  all  beings  enter  into  exiftence.  The  Romans  firfl: 
invoked  him  in  all  their  facrifices  and  prayers,  and  he  was 
never  omitted,  whatfover  God  they  facrificed  unto.  Martial 
(a)  *  calls  him  the  creator  of  the  fair  and  beautiful  world/ 
and  Ovid  makes  this  God  fpeak  thus,    (b)  *  Whatever  thou 

*  fees,  heavens,  fea,airsand  earth  are  all  fhut  up  and  opened 

*  by  my  almighty  hand.    I  have  alone  the  government  and 

*  guardianfhip  of  the  whole  world.'    St.  Auguftin  affures  us, 
that  Janus  and  Jupiter  were  the  fame  God,  (c)  *  the  mind  of 
'  this  corporeal  world  which  animateth  and  filleth  the  whole 
'  bulk.'  Hence  the  conjecture  of  Salmafius  feems  probable, 
that  the  Romans  derived  their  Janus  from  Zanos  the  Etolian 
Jupiter.Others  derived  the  word  Janus  from  the  Hebrew  word 
Janah  Stabilire,  CoUocare,  Statuere,  the  founder,  former,  and 
placer  of  all  things.  Pan  was  another  name  of  the  firft  prin- 
ciple, or  univerfal  being,  as  the  Greek  word  implys.    If  we 
derive  it  from  the  Hebrew  word  Panim  Orphanim,  it  fignifys 
mafked,  hidden,  and  fo  is  the  fame  with  the  Etruvian  Saturn 
and  the  Egyptian  Amoun  or  Ei(5lon.   Socrates,  in  Plato's 
Phaedrus,  plainly  invokes  Pan  as  the  fupream  Numen.  The 
Arcadians  and  the  Greeks  originally  looked  upon  him  as  the 
univerfal  Harmoftes,  orHarmonizer  of  the  world,  who,  ac- 
cording to  the  expreffion  of  Orpheus,  *  plays  upon  the  uni- 
'  verfe  as  upon  a  mufical  inftrument,  who  framed  it  harmo- 
*  nioufly,  who  regulates  all  its  proportions,  and  preferves  it 

(a)  Martial.  Nitidique  fator  pulcherrimi  mundi.       (b)  Ovid,  Faftor.  lib,  I* 
Cc)St.  Auguftin.  deciv.  dei.  lib.  VII.  cap.  x.et  xi. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         143 

*  in  a  continual  tune  and  order.'   He  was  alfo  called  by  Or- 
pheus, *  theuniverfal  Paftor  and  fhepherd  of  mankind,  that 

*  feeds  and  nourifhes  all  beings  by  his  power  and  benefi- 

*  cence.'  Hence  came  all  the  fables  of  Pan  as  the  God  of 
fhepherds. 

2.  Befides  this  fupream  God  Father  of  gods  and  men,  the 
firfl:,  hidden,  celeftial,  and  univerfal  principle  or  hypoftafis, 
the  fource  and  fountain  of  the  Deity,  we  find  a  fecond  God 
called  the  God  guide,  Jupiter  the  leader,  Phoebus  or  Apollo, 
Neptune,  Pluto,  Mars,  Mercury,  and  Vulcan.  It  is  remar- 
kable, that  the  philofophers  of  all  the  ancient  nations  gave 
names  to  this  fecond  God  that  defign  his  pure  divinity,  fuch 
as  mind,  reafon,  word,  intelle6]:,  light;  but  the  poets  retain- 
ed the  ancient  names  that  regard  his  manifeftations  from 
without,and  hisfacred  humanity  united  to  the  divine  Nature. 
This  will  appear  from  the  following  analyfis  of  the  etymo- 
logys  of  the  names  given  to  the  fecond  God. 

Jupiter  condu(5tor  was  the  fon  of  Saturn  or  Uranus,  and 
therefore  different  from  Jupiter  Olympian.  He  was  the  fame 
as  Chronos,  the  fecond  perfon  of  the  Orphic  trinity.  The 
word  Chronos  in  the  original  Greek  may  fignify,  as  Dr. 
Cudvvorth  has  remarked,  eternity,  as  well  as  time.  This 
God  is  called  the  Nous  or  intellect  by  Plato,  the  fecond  hy- 
poftafis of  his  triad.  And  the  defcription  he  gives  of  this 
God-guide  in  the  Phaedrus,  is  very  remarkable.   *  Jupiter, 

*  fays  he,  the  great  leader  in  heaven,  animating  his  winged 

*  chariot,  marches  firft:  followed  by  all  the  inferior  Gods 

*  and  genii;  thus,  they  traverfe  the  heavens  admiring  the  in- 

*  finite  wonders  thereof.    But  when  they  go  to  the  great 


144       OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

*  banquet,  they  raife  themfelves  to  the  top  of  heaven  and 
'  mount  above  the  fpheres.  None  of  our  poets  ever  yet  fung, 
'  or  can  ling  that  fuperceleftial  place.It  is  there  that  fouls  con- 

*  template  with  the  eyes  of  theunderftanding  the  truly  exif- 

*  ting  elTence,  which  has  neither  colour  nor  figure,  nor  is  the 

*  obje^l  of  any  fenfe,  but  is  purely  intelligible.    There  they 

*  fee  virtue,  truth  and  juftice,  not  as  they  are  here  below,  but 

*  as  they  exifl:  in  him  who  is  Being  itfelf.  There  they  fatiate 
'  themfelves  with  that  fight,  till  they  are  no  longer  able  to 

*  bear  the  glory  of  it,  and  they  return  back  into  the  inward 

*  fphere  of  heaven,  where  they  feed  again  upon  nectar  and 

*  ambrofia.  fuch  is  the  life  of  the  Gods.'  Can  there  be  any 
thing  more  fublime  and  philofophical,  than  this  defcription 
Plato  gives  of  the  alternate  returns  of  our  fupream  and  accef- 
fory  felicity  in  the  celeftial  regions? 

Phoebus  was  another  name  of  the  fecond  hypoftads.Some 
derive  it  from  the  Hebrew  Pheob  which  is  compofcd  of 
Pheh  mouth  and  ob  effluence,  to  fignify  that  the  fecond 
principle  is  an  emanation  of  the  mouth  of  God  or  his  word. 
Others  derive  it  from  Ph  eh  mouth,  and  Boun  wife,  the  wife 
mouth  of  God;  and  fo  the  Word  is  called  in  Scripture.  As 
this  fecond  hypoftafis  of  the  facred  Triad  w^as  called  by  the 
Hebrews,  The  light  of  the  world,  and  the  fun  of  righteouf- 
nefs,  his  fymbol  v/as  the  material  fun.  The  Egyptians  called 
this  fecond  Hypoftafis  Ofiris  from  the  Hebrew  word  Oh  si 
ERETZ  the  Lord  of  the  earth;  and  according  to  Plutarch 
and  Macrobius,  '  the  God  King,  the  ruler  of  the  ftars,  the 

*  God-guide,  the  foul  of  the  world,  the  conductor  and  the 

*  infpedor,  and  fo  is  the  fame  with  Jupiter  the  condutflor. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         145 

The  orientals  called  him  Moloch  or  Molchom  the 
King.  The  Chaldeans  Baal,  or  Baal  Shemim  ^  The  Lord  of 
'  the  heavens.'  The  Philiftines  Marnas  the  Lord  of  men. 
The  Tyrians  Adonai or  Adonis, the fovereign Lord.The 
Syrians  Ad  ad  or  Achad  the  one,  the  monad,  the  unity, 
as  alfo  Atysthemofthigh.  The  Phenicians  Helion  which 
fignifys  the  fame  thing.  Hence  the  Greeks  Helios.  AUthefe 
different  names  fignify  fome  attribute  of  the  fecond  God. 
But  the  Pagans  in  latter  times  transferred  the  word  from  the 
archetype  to  the  image,  from  the  intellectual  idea  to  the  vi- 
fiblefymbol,  from  the  fun  of  righteoufnefs,  and  thefubftan- 
tial  light  of  the  invifible  world,  to  the  material  fun,  and  fo  fell 
into  idolatry. 

Neptune  is  another  name  of  the  middle  God,  and  may  be 
derived  from  the  Hebrew  words  Nepheth  emanation,  off- 
fpring,  and  Oni  grief,  afflicflion,  forrow,  thence  Neptoni,  or 
Neptune  the  fon  of  forrow,  much  the  fame  as  Benoni.  He 
is  faid  to  rule  over  the  feas,  the  ocean,  and  the  abyfs,  to  calm 
their  rage,  and  appeafe  their  waves.  Maximus  Tyrius  fays, 
(a)  *  Neptune  Is  thatfpirit  thatpafTes  thorough  the  feas  and 
*  caufes  its  motions  and  harmony.'  Balbus  and  Cotta  in  Ci- 
cero fay  much  the  fame,  and  (b)  *  That  we  rauft  defpife  the 
'  poetic  fables  and  look  upon  Neptune  as  a  mind  withun- 
'  derftanding  that  commands  the  feas. 

Pluto  may  alfo  be  derived  from  the  Hebrew  word  Peloutah 
or  Peloutoh  the  Deliverer.  Becaufe  it  is  he  that  delivers  from 
the  infernal  regions.  According  to  Plato,  (c)  '  This  God  is 

(a)  Max.  Tyr.  difTert.  xxx.       (b)  Cicer.  de  nat.  deor.  lib.  ii.  et  iii.      (c)  Plato 
in  Cratyl.  et  de  legib.  lib.  viii. 

PART  2.  '  T 


14.6        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

*  nothing  elfe,  but  a  name  for  that  part  of  divine  Providence 
«  which  detains  fouls  in  a  feparate  ftate,  not  by  neceHity,  but 

*  by  love  or  defire;  pure  fouls  are  ravifhed  with  the  delights 

*  they  enjoy  in  Elyfium,  and  thefe  that  are  not  Co,  defire  ta 

*  be  purified  and  prepared  for  this  felicity.'  It  is  certain,  that 
according  to  the  Pagan  theology,  Jupiter  and  his  two  bro- 
thers Neptune  and  Pluto  were  only  different  names  of  the 
fame  God,  or  the  fame  hypoftafis  of  the  Deity,  all  three  fons 
of  Saturn,  of  Uranus  or  the  firft  monad  and  fountain  of  the 
Deity.  Dr.  Cudworth  has  proven  this  clearly  (a)  from  Pau^ 
fanias  in  his  Corinthiacs,  and  from  that  paflage  of  Herme- 
fionax  quoted  above. 

Mars  was  another  name  of  the  middle  God.  It  is  derived 
from  the  Hebrew  word  Haretz  which  fignifys  the  powerful, 
the  formidable.  The  Syrians  foftned  the  word,and  pronoun- 
ced it  Hazes,  the  Gauls  Hezus.  The  Greeks  Ares  by  re- 
jecting the  afpiration,  theSabins  pronounced  it  with  a  ftrong 
one  Waretz  or  Warts,  and  the  Latins  Mars.  Thus 
the  fecond  principle  was  reprefented  as  a  conqueror,  the  God 
of  war  that  combats  and  deflroys  the  evil  principle. 

Mercury  is  another  name  of  the  middle  God ;  it  may  be 
derived  originally  from  the  two  words  Marah,  the  Lord,  and 
Kur,  the  fon.  God  the  fon,  or  from  Merchor,  Dominus 
Cordium,  the  God  of  hearts.  As  there  is  a  great  refemblance 
betwixt  the  Hebrew  word  Merchor  and  that  of  Marcol,  or 
Marcor  which  fignifys  merchandize,  the  later  Pagans  or 
Greeks  faid,  that  Mercury  was  the  God  of  the  merchants, 
which  is  a  pure  fport  of  words,  or  a  rebus.   Their  fabulous 

(a)  Dr.  Cudworth,  mtelle(a.  fyft.pag.  491,  492.  &c. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         147 

theology  is  very  oft  founded  upon  fuch  a  miftake  of  fimilar 
nouns.  He  was  called  by  the  Egyptians  Anubis,  from  the 
Hebrew  word  Hannobeach,  the  dog-ftar.  Taautes  which 
fignlfies  the  dog,  the  barker,  the  monitor,  and  the  dog  was 
in  the  ancient  hieroglyphlcal  language  thefymbol  of  fidelity. 
By  the  Greeks  Hermes  or  the  interpreter  of  the  Gods  and 
by  the  Latins  F  atum,  from  the  old  Latin  word  Fari  which 
fignifies  the  fame  thing  as  verbum,  fpeech  or  word,  and 
feems  to  be  a  literal  tranflation  of  the  Greek  word  Logos. 
The  ftatues  of  this  God,  in  all  different  country  s,  are  accom- 
panied with  the  attribute  or  fymbol  of  a  ferpent, which  figni* 
fied  in  the  hieroglyphlcal  ftyle,  life  or  wifdom. 

Vulcan  may  be  derived  from  Bul,  Colligens,  and  Chan 
re(5lus,  juftus,  firmus;  fo  thatBuLCHANor  Vulcan figniiies 
originally  Colle(5tor  juflorum,  he  that  affembles  or  gather* 
together  the  jufl  j  and  this  is  one  of  the  characters  of  the  Mef- 
fiah,  of  whom  it  is  faid,  that  he  will  gather  the  juH:  or  ele<^ 
from  the  four  corners  of  the  world.  He  was  called  by  the 
Greeks  Epheflus  from  Eph  father  and  Efta,  fire,  the  father 
of  the  fire,  or  fource  of  light  and  £0  is  the  fame  with  Apollo 
or  Phoebus.  He  was  called  Mulciber  from  Malac  or  Mul 
regere,andBer  or  Beer  fubterraneous,and  fo  is  the  fame  with 
Pluto.  The  later  Pagans  confounded  this  God  with  the  evil 
principle,  and  feigned  that  Juno  not  content  with  him  threv?" 
him  down  from  the  battlements  of  heaven,  and  that  by  this 
fall,  he  became  lame.  This  belongs  evidently  to  the  evil 
principlecalledby  the  Greeks  Diabolus,orl  he  thrown  down. 
It  is  no  wonder,  the  later  Pagans  gave  him  the  fame  name 
"with  the  middle  God,  (ince  the  Hebrews  themfelves  called 

T   2 


148        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

the  fallen  Cherubin  Lucifer,  which  is  one  of  the  names 

of  the  Logos. 

We  are  very  far  from  looking  upon  this  analyfis  of  the 
Hebrew  names  and  etymology s  as  demonftrations:  great  il- 
hifions  may  happen  by  fuch  conjectures,  and  many  critics 
have  gone  aftray  and  bewildered  themfelves  by  this  method. 
We  fhould  make  lefs  account  of  thefe  etymology  s,  if  our  rea- 
fonings  were  not  fupported  by  the  principles  already  laid 
down  in  the  introduction,  and  confirmed  by  many  remark- 
able circumftances  that  do  not  feem  to  be  the  effeds  of  fancy 
or  hazard.    Of  which  circumftances  wc  fhall  only  mention 
two.   The  firfl:  is,  that  in  the  mythologys  of  all  nations,  the 
fymhols  and  attributes  of  thefe  different  Gods  are  much  the 
fame.    The  fecond  is,  that  there  is  a  great  referablance  be- 
twixt the  combats  of  My  thras,  the  death  of  Oiiris,  Adonis, 
Atys,  the  exile  of  Apollo,  and  the  defcent  of  Vulcan,  as  we 
fhali  fee  more  fully,  when  we  talk  of  the  facred  humanity  of 
the  Logos,  and  his  fuffering  flate  here  below,  in  the  third 
chapter  following. 

3.  We  come  now  to  the  fix  female  Gods  or  Goddeffes, 
which  feem  to  be  only  different  names  to  exprefs  the  different 
attributes,  and  perfonal  characters  of  the  third  hypoflafis  of 
the  Deity.  This  third  hypoflafis  was  called  by  the  Hebrews 
*  The  mother  of  all  things,'  and  this  idea  is  fo  ancient,  that 
according  to  St.  Jerome,itwas  the  name  which  the  Nazarens 
gave  to  the  holy  Spirit.  This  third  hypoflafis  was  reprefen- 
ted  by  the  Pagans,  as  the  wife  or  fifler  of  Jupiter  the  God- 
guide,  of  Mars,  Apollo,  Mercury  and  all  the  other  Gods  of 
the  fecond  clafs,  and  therefore,  as  the  grand-daughter  of  U- 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  149 

nnus,  Saturn  or  the  fupream  Monad.  This  reprefentatlon  of 
the  Deity  as  of  two  fexes  feems,  as  we  have  already  faid,  to 
come  from  the  figures  of  women  that,  with  their  different 
fymbols,  were  employed  originally  in  the  hieroglyphical  lan- 
guage, to  exprefs  fome  attribute  or  hypoftafis  of  the  divine 
Nature,  and  fo  it  is  no  wonder,  when  the  thing  fignified  was 
forgot,  if  the  fign  was  ere(5ted  into  a  divine  power,  or  perfo- 
nified  as  a  female  Goddefs,  by  the  Greek  poets,  and  later  Pa- 
gans that  were  become  very  ignorant  of  the  original  primitive 
traditions. 

Apuleius  fays  expresfly,  that  (a)  *  Vefla  was  called  by  the 

*  Phrygians  Cybele  or  mother  of  the  Gods;  by  the  Attics, 

*  the  Cecropian  Minerva;  by  the  Cyprlols,  the  Paphian  Ve- 

*  nus;  by  the  Cretenfes,  Diana;  by  the  Sicilians,  Proferpi- 
'  na;  by  theEleufinians,  Ceres;  by  the  Egyptians  and  Ethi- 
'  opians,  the  Queen  Ifis;  by  other  nations,  Juno,  Bellona, 

*  Hecate.'  Thus,  according  to  Apuleius,  all  the  names  of 
the  Goddefles  exprefs  one  and  the  fame  Deity.  Let  us  now 
fee  if  the  original  etymologys,  fymbols  given  to,  and  fables 
made  of  thefeGoddeffes  have  any  relation  to  the  third  hypof- 
tafis  of  the  facred  Triad. 

We  begin  with  Juno.  Juno  called  by  the  poets  Amor  or  de- 
licium  JovIs,thelove  and  delight  of  Jupiter,anfvvers  very  well, 
as  Voflius  has  remarked,  to  the  divine  fpirit  who  is  called 
Love  in  the  facred  text.  Cicero  derives  the  word  Juno  from 
Juvando  to  help,  tofuccour:  but  fome  others  derive  It  rather 
from  JuNAH,  which  in  the  Chaldaicand  Hebrew  language 
fignifys  a  dove,  and  all  know  that  this  is  the  fymbol  made  ufs 
(a)  Apuleius.  roctamorph.  lib.  xiv 


150       OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

'of  in  the  facred  oracles, to  reprefent  the  holy  Spirit.  When  the 
evangehft  makes  ufe  of  this  fymbol,  he  does  it,  without  any 
preamble  or  explication,  as  an  ancient  hieroglyphic  which 
the  Hebrews  were  accuftomed  to. 

Vefta  was  another  name  of  the  third  hypoftafis  of  the  Pa- 
gan trinity.  It  comes  from  the  Chaldaic  word  Efta,  to  which 
the  Latins  added  V.  It  fignifys  originally  fire,  flame,  ano- 
ther fymbol  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  She  was  called  the  mother 
of  the  Gods,  Cybele,  which  comes  from  the  Hebrew  word 
Cephel  which  fignifys  conjun(5lion,  union,  love,  which  is 
ftill  theperfonal  chara<n:er  of  the  holy  Spirit,according  to  the 
facred  oracles.  She  was  alfo  called  Rhea,  from  Ruach  wind 
or  fpirit,  or  from  Rahah  the  nourifher,  and  fo  is  the  fame 
with  the  Jehovah  Ruach.  She  is  reprefented  as  in  love  with 
Atys,  which  fignifiesthe  moft  high,  and  he  is  called  foin  ail 
ancient  monument  mentioned  by  Gruter  (a). 

Minerva  from  Min,  Donum  the  gift  and  Ervah  Catara^la, 
emanation;  now  the  holy  Spirit  was  called  by  the  Hebrews 
the  gift  of  the  moft  high,  and  his  emanation.  The  fame 
Goddefs  was  called  Pallas  by  the  Greeks,  and  by  the 
Sabins  Pales,  both  derived  from  the  Hebrew  word  Pa- 
LAL  judicavit,  to  fignify,  that  fhe  is  the  fovereign  judge  of 
the  world.  She  is  alfo  called  Athena,  from  Athenah  con- 
junction, adhefionjpofleffion,  the  three  degrees  of  love.  Pro- 
clus  fays,  that  fhe  is  thus  defined  by  all  the  divines,  (b)  *  She 

*  was  brought  forth  from  the  head  of  her  father,  and  conti- 

*  nues  in  him.    Therefore,  Socrates,  in  the  Cratylus,  hath 

*  celebrated  her  under  the  name  of  Theonoe  or  God  know- 

(a)  MriTif!  Tuy  &UVTUV  Van  g  Ar7<8'  v^!ra.  See  GJruter.infcrlpt.  pag.  B2,       (b)  Pro- 
dus  in  Timaeum  ed.  Bafil.  1534.  pag-  5 1. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.  lyr 

*  Ing.  As  (be  comprehends  and  loves  the  Father's  wifdom, 
^  file  is  called  a  Philofopher,  and  the  Goddefs  of  wifdom.  As 

<  fhe  deftroys  and  fubdues  all  oppofition  to  the  divine  Na- 

*  ture,fhe  may  be  called  the  Goddefs  of  war,and  therefore,Ho- 

*  mer  fays,  that  putting  on  a  coat  of  mail,  flie  was  dreffed  for 

*  the  battle  in  the  armour  of  the  cloud-compelling  Jove.  She 

*  is  an  invincible  Goddefs,  and  fights  againfl  the  giants  with 
^  her  father,  flie  alone  brandifhes  his  fpear,  by  which  fhe 
^  vanquifhes  the  files  of  the  rebellious  Genii,  with  whom  fiie 

*  is  angry.    She  produces  all  virtues,  and  d^rts  into  fecond 

<  beings  intelligence  and  untainted  Hfe,  and  is  therefore  cal- 

*  led  the  virgin  Tritogenes.  She  makes  us  partake  of  undefi- 
'  led  wifdom,  fills  us  with  intelle(5tual  power,  grants  us  celeA 

*  tial  gifts,  extirpates  our  grofs  imaginations,  excites  in  us  pure 

*  and  unpolluted  thoughts,  reftores  every  particular  foul  to 

*  theuniverfal  reafon  of  the  father.'  How  ridiculous  were  it 
then,  to  look  upon  Minerva  as  derived  from  the  Hebrew 
word  Manor  which  fignifies  a  ihuttle,  and  upon  this  God- 
•defs  as  a  fyrabol  of  the  art  of  weaving.  This  ludicrous  idea 
of  a  modern  French  author  came  from  his  credulous  attach- 
ment to  thefablesof  thepoetSjWho  from  afimilitude  of  names 
and  falfe  etymology  of  the  word  Minerva,  fancied  it  was  de- 
rived from  Manor,  and  fo  made  Pallas  the  Goddefs  of  Wea- 
vers, and  the  rival  of  Arachne  ;  but  this  author  had  no  true 
principles  of  mythology. 

Ceres  is  another  name  for  Pfyche,or  the  third  hypoHafis 
of  the  Orphic  trinity.  It  comes  from  the  Hebrew  Keretz 
deftrudtion,  or  the  exterminating  fpirit,  fo  the  holy  Spirit  is 
tailed;  or  from  Cerefli  Solium,  throne,  the  manifeftation of 


152        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

the  divine  glory.    This  common  mother  of  all  things  is  faid 
to  go  about  mourning,  feeking  her  daughter  Proferpina  ra- 
vifhed  by  the  infernal  powers,  a  fit  emblem  of  the  grief  of  the 
holy  Spirit  for  the  depravation  of  human  nature  by  the  for- 
bidden fruit.    Hence  the  word  Perfephone,  which  the  La- 
tins called  Proferpina  may  be  derived  from  the  two  Hebrew 
words  Peri  fruit,  and  Saphan  loft,  v/andered,  ruined,  thus 
Perse PHONEH  fignifies  loft  by  thefruit,a compound  name 
that  exprefTes  very  well  the  ancient  tradition  concerning  the 
fall  of  man  and  its  caufe.    We  muft  however  remark  here,  to 
prevent  all  cavils ;  that  as  Pfyche  was  very  oft  taken  for  the 
human  foul  in  general,as  well  as  for  the  third  hypoftafis  of  the 
Orphic  trinity;  fo  Proferpina  was  alfo  taken  for  the  third  hy- 
poftafis of  the  facred  Triad,  as  well  as  for  human  nature  de- 
graded by  the  fruit.    Thus  Venus  was  alfo  taken  for  the  ce- 
leftial  Urania,  and  the  terreftrial  Aphrodite,  as  we  lliall  fee 
below.    The  daughter  was  called  a  Goddefs,  as  well  as  the 
mother.    As  in  the  Hebrew  language,  Elohim  was  given  to 
kings  and  princes,  as  well  as  to  the  facred  Ternary.    To  re- 
turn to  Ceres,  this  Goddefs  is  called  by  Balbus  in  Cicero  *  A 

*  mind  with  underftanding  that  pajGTes  thorough  the  earth, 

*  fruflifies  all  things,  and  produces  abundance.'  The  myfte- 
ries  or  ceremonies  of  Ceres  at  Eleufis  were  famous  in  anti- 
quity. They  all  fignify  or  indicate  the  means  of  purificati- 
on, initiation,  or  regeneration,  to  a  new  life  by  faftings, 
chaftity,confefIion,  abnegation,  and  a  total  detachment  from 
all  terreftrial  objeds,  as  we  fliall  fee  hereafter;  when  we  treat 
of  the  three  means  of  re-uniting  the  foul  to  God.  Whence 
I  conclude,  that  the  feafts  and  myfteries  of  Ceres  were  iu 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         153 

their  origin  inftituted  to  fignify  the  pure  operations  and  de- 
fcent  of  the  holy  Spirit  in  fouls  to  purify  and  regenerate  them, 
and  much  the  fame  as  the  Chriftian  Pentecofh 

Diana  was  another  name  for  the  Pfyche  or  third  hypof- 
tafis  of  the  Pagan  triad.  She  was  called  by  the  Syrians  and 
lonians  Dei,  which  fignifys  God's  felf-fufficiency.  As  alfo 
Deio,  Deione  and  by  the  Greeks  and  Romans  Diana. 
She  was  called  alfo  by  the  Latins  Deimeter  and  De me- 
ter, the  mother  of  the  Gods.  She  was  alfo  named  Arte- 
mifa,  from  the  compofition  of  the  two  Hebrew  words  Ar- 
tom,  divina  and  Eisha  Mulier,  the  divine  woman,  the 
Goddefs  by  excellence,  or  as  others,from  Ifhah  EiTe,  Effen- 
tia,  Virtus,  the  divine  Virtue.  Diana,  Phoebe,  Luna,  or  the 
moon,  were  as  Pfyche  taken  not  only  for  the  third  hypofta- 
fis,  but  alfo  for  intelleflual  nature  in  a  purifying  expiatory 
ftate.  Hence  in  the  facred  oracles,the  church  militant  is  repre- 
fented  as  a  woman  that  has  the  moon  under  her  feet.  In  fine 
Diana  was  called  Hecate  from  the  Phenician  word  Ac- 
hat a;  wife  to  Achad,  the  unity,  the  monad,  the  only; 
Phoebe  the  fifter  of  Phoebus  or  Apollon.  For  the  holy  Spi- 
rit, or  the  third  hypoftafis  is  very  oft  looked  upon,  as  the  wife 
ofthefecond  princlple,becaufe  it  is  the  objecft  of  his  love  and 
complacency,  or  as  his  fifter  becaufe  it  flows  from  the  fame 
fource  or  fountain  of  theDeity,or  in  fine  as  the  grand-daugh- 
ter of  the  firftGod,  becaufe  it  proceeds  from  the  Father  by 
the  Son.  All  thisTheogony  was  known  to  thefirft  patriarchs; 
tho'  by  fucceflion  of  time,  it  was  fpoiled,  adulterated  and 
mixed  with  fable  by  the  later  Pagans,  and  efpecially  by  the 
Greeks  thefe  great  corrupters  of  all  the  divine  philofophj. 
PART  2.  U 


154       OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

Venus  was  another  name  of  Pfyche.  She  is  called  Venos 
in  a  medal  of  Julia  Augufta.  (a)  It  comes  from  Vcnoth  or 
Benoth,  which  in  the  Phenician  language,  fignifys  a  virgin, 
and  therefore,  fhe  was  called  the  immortal  virgin.  She  was 
named  alfo  Urania,  the  heavenly.  Euripides,  in  a  fragment 
preferved  by  Stobaeus,  fpeaks  thus  of  her,  *  Do  you  not  fee 

*  how  great  a  God  this  Venus  is;  but  we  can  never  declare  her 

*  greatnefs,  normeafure  the  vaft  extent  of  her  goodnefs.This 
'  is  file  which  nourifheth  both  thee  and  me,  and  all  mortals. 
?  This  is  fhe  which  makes  heaven  and  earth  friendly  to  con- 
'  fpire  together.'Orpheus  calls  her '  the  eldefl  of  all  beings  and 
'  the  firft  begetter  of  all.'  Hence  fhe  was  called  by  the  ori- 
entals Mylitta,  Genitrix,  or  the  fruitful  mother  of  all  things. 
Herodotus  fays,  that  flie  is  the  fame  with  the  Perfian  My- 
thra,  or  third  hypoftafis  of  the  Zoroaftrian  triad.  Plato  calls 
her  '  the  firft  fair,  the  caufe  of  all  pulchritude,  order  and  har- 

*  mony  in  the  world.'  Paufanias  diftinguifhes  her  from  the 
vulgar  terreftrial  Venus,  and  fays  *  That  fhe  was  called  the 
'  heavenly ,becaufe  the  love  fhe  infpires  is  pure  and  free  from 
'  all  corporeal  affection.'  The  Greek  philofophers  called  her 
Venus  Apoftrophia;   and  the  Latins,    *  Venus  Verticor- 

*  dia,  a  pure  and  chaft  love  expulfive  of  all  unclean  lufts 
'  anddcfires.'   Valerius  Maximus  tells  us,  that  (b)  *  The 

*  Romans  conf  crated  a  ftatue  to  her,  to  the  end,  that  the 

*  minds  of  the  female  fex,  by  adoring  her,  might  be  con- 
'  verted  from  luft  and  wantonnefs  tochaftiry.'  The  Cypriols 
called  her  Venus  Aphrodite,  which  came  originally  from 
the  word  Pherudoth,  or  by  adding  the  article.  A,  Apheru- 

(a)  See  the  colle£Uon  ofmedals  by  Adolph.  Occq.  pag.  3  66.       (b)  Valer.  Max- 
lib.  VIII.  cap.  XV. 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         155 

doth,  Grana,  fru<flus,  the  fruits.  The  facred  oracles  repre- 
fent  the  third  hypoftafis  under  the  fymbol  of  a  tree,  the  tree 
of  life,  and  his  produflions,  operations,  gifts,  and  graces,  as 
the  fruits  of  the  holy  Spirit.  The  Greek  poets  imagining  that 
the  etymology  of  the  word  was  Aphros,which  in  their  tongue 
fignifys  Froth,  trumped  up  the  wild  fable  of  a  fecond  Venus 
that  fprung  from  the  froth  of  the  fea.  Thus,  as  we  have  fcen, 
their  mythology  is  very  oft  founded  upon  puns,  a  fenfclefs 
miftake  of  etymologies,  and  a  meer  refemblance  of  words. 

The  fame  Pfyche,  or  third  hypoftafis  of  the  Pagan  triad, 
was  called  by  the  Egyptians  Ids,  from  Ifhah  the  divine  vir- 
tue that  nouriflieth  and  animateth  all  things.  The  Syrians, 
Phenicians  and  other  orientals  defigned  the  fame  hypoftafis 
by  different  names  Baal Tis,  Belta,  Baaleth,  the 
wafe  of  Baal,  the  Lord ;  and  fo  fhe  was  the  fovereign  Lady, 
miftrefsandemprefsoftheuniverfe.  Baals  em  in  the  Queen 
of  heaven.  Malgheta  the  queen  by  excellence.  Am- 
monia, the  wife  of  Ammon,  Asteroth  or  Astarte 
the  wife  of  Aster  the  fliepherd.  The  queen  of  the  flocks, 
or  the  fhepherdefs,  bccaufe  the  celeftial  quires  are  reprefen- 
ted  as  a  flock  fed  by  the  Logos,  who  is  called  by  the  He- 
brews the  great  fhepherd,  the  paftor  of  fouls,  and  by  the  Pa- 
gans, the  great  Pan. 

From  this  identity  of  the  Pagan  GoddefTes  comes  that  re- 
femblance which  we  remark  in  their  mythologys.  Hence 
we  fee  the  fource  of  the  fimilitude  there  is  in  the  fable  of  the 
Egyptian  Ifis,  who  weeps  over  the  murther  of  Ofiris,  of  the 
Phrygian  Cybele  that  laments  the  death  of  Atys;  of  the 

U    2 


is(^        OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY. 

Phenlcian  Venus  that  deplores  the  (laughter  of  Thanmuz  or 
Adonis. 

All  thefe  GoddefTes  had  much  the  fame  attributes  and  or- 
naments, fo  that  the  etymologys  of  the  primitive  names,  and 
the  fimilitude  of  the  fables  andfymbols  feem  to  indicate,  that 
this  female  figure  in  the  hieroglyphical  language  was  defign- 
ed  originally  toreprefent  the  fame  univerfal  numen,  or  divine 
hypoftafis,   tho'  all  afterwards  was  degraded,  adulterated, 
disfigured,  difmembred,and  turned  into  wild  fables,  that  dif- 
honour  the  divine  Nature.    I  do  not  therefore  pretend,  that 
In  later  times,and  efpecially  after  the  fabulous  ages,  that  the- 
poets  had  any  ideas  of  a  triad,  when  they  talked  of  the  fu- 
pream  God  Jupiter,  of  the  Deities  his  fons,  and  the  Goddef- 
fes  his  grand-daughters:  all  I  pretend  is,  that  in  the  original 
inftitution  of  the  fymbolical  charafters,  this  threefold  diilmc- 
tion  might  have  been  invented  to  exprefs  the  ancient  traditi- 
on of  atripHcity  in  the  divine  Nature.    This  conjedure  is  fo 
much  the  more  probable,  that  we  find  fo  many  palpable  and 
clear  veftiges  of  this  truth  among  the  fages  and  philofophers 
of  all  nations.  I  do  not  however  give  thefe  conjectures  as  de- 
monftrations.  I  propofethem  only  as  fubje<5ts  of  refearch  and- 
refleflion  to  the  learned  that  underftand  the  true  principles  of 
facred  and  profane  antiquity  laid  down  in  the  introduflion. 

To  prevent  many  objections  that  may  be  made  againft 
this  great  principle,  it  is  fit  to  remark,  that  it  is  no  wonder,  if 
by  fuccefiionof  time,  the  Pagans,  having  no  written  revela- 
tion, and  no  vifible  church  authorized  by  heaven  to  be  the  de- 
pofitary,  guardian  and  interpreter  of  religious  tradition,  con- 
founded foraetimes  the  different fun<5tions,perfonal  characters^ 


OF  THE  SACRED  TRINITY.         157 

and  fpeclfic  operations  of  the  three  hypoftales,  attributed  to 
the  fupream  Father  what  belongs  to  the  middle  God,  to  the 
fecond  hypoftafis  what  belongs  to  the  third,  and  to  the  two 
laft,  what  is  peculiar  to  the  firft.    It  is  thus,  that  Ifis  and  Mi- 
nerva are  oft  taken  for  the  Logos,  or  fecond  hypofhfis  of  the- 
divine  triad,  Jupiter  Condu<ftor,  for  Jupiter  Olympian,  and 
Chronus,  for  Saturn,  or  Uranus.    1  his  is  not  all.    As  cre- 
ated fpirits  are  oft  called  the  fons  of  God,  both  by  the  He- 
brews and  Pagans,  the  names  of  the  fecond  hypoftafis  are  oft 
given  to  inferior  intelligences,  even  after  their  fall.    Thus, 
the  evil  principle  is  oft  called  Moloch,  Baal,  Lucifer,  Vulcan, 
Pluto,  tho'  all  thefe  names  belonged  originally  to  the  middle 
God.  Thus  alfo,  the  names  of  the  third  hypoftafis  or  female 
God  are  oft  given  to  intelle(ftual  nature  in  general,  as  off- 
fprings  and  images  of  the  divine  archetype,  and  even  to  hu- 
man fouls  degraded.Thus  the  created  is  oft  confounded  with 
the  uncreated,  what  is  made  with  what  was  generated,  and. 
the  daughter  with  the  mother;    the  emanation  with  the 
Iburce.  Hence  Pfyche,  Diana,  Proferpina,  Venus,  Ceres  are 
given  to  inferior  fpirits,  and  they  are  ere<5led  into  Goddeffes. 
Thefe  are  the  two  fources  of  great  confufion  in  the  mytho- 
logy of  the  Pagans,  and  of  a  great  perplexity  in  their  ideas, 
images,  and  expreflions:  but  ftill  the  great  diftinftion^s  of  a- 
God  the  Father,  a  God  the  fon,  and  a  Goddefs  the  grand- 
daughter remain  untouched. 

We  hope  that  the  combination  of  thefe  undoubted  fa(5ts, 
probable  conje<5l:ures,  and  clear  reafonings,  will  one  day  ex- 
cite fome  learned  men  to  demonftrate  more  evidently,  than 
we  have  done,  the  principles  laid  down;  and  draw  from 
thence  a  new  mythology  as  yet  unknown. 


158 


CHAP.    III. 

Of  the  three  manifestations  of  the  middle 

God. 


IT  is  a  very  juft  remark  of  a  modern  author,  that  (a)  *  The 
'  notion  of  a  fplrit  conftituted  by  the  fupream  God,  to 

*  be  the  head  and  guide  of  all  fpirits,  is  very  ancient.'  The 
Hebrew  do^lors,  before  the  coming  of  our  Savior  in  the 
flefh,  believed,  *  that  the  glorious  huuianity  of  the  Logos 
'  W3iS  created  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  appoin- 
'  ted  to  prefide  over  all  the  orders  of  intelligences/  This 
opinion  was  founded  upon  a  principle  demonftrated  in  the 
firftPart,  that  '  finite  natures  cannot  inceflantly  contemplate 

*  the  brightnefs  and  glories  of  the  divine  eflence;  that  they 

*  muft  neceflarily  fometimes  turn  off  their  view  from  the  di- 

*  reCt  dazling  contemplation  of  the  original,  and  adore  the 
'  creator  in  his  picStures  and  images;  that  at  fuch  times  there 

*  mult  be  an  head  to  lead  fpirits  thro'  all  the  immenfe  regions 

*  of  nature,  to  fliow  them  its  beauties  and  wonders,  and  the 
'  numberlefs  refemblances  betwixt  the  uncreated  archetype 

*  and  the  created  reprefentations.* 

(b)  Dr.  Alix  has  demonftrated  in  his  excellent  work  a- 
gainft  the  Unitarian  s ;  that  the  ancient  Jews  had  a  diiHn(5l  no- 

(a)  Ramfay's  difcourfe  upon  the  theology  of  the  Pagans,  pag.  15.  ed.  in  4tO 
Lond.  1730.         (b)  See  Dr.  Alix  againll  the  Unitarians* 


OF  THE  MIDDLE  GOD.  159 

tion  of  tbe  MeiTiah  as  a  divine  perfon,  the  Son  of  God,  and 
the  true  Jehovah.  It  is  alfo  certain  that  they  referred  all  the 
appearances  of  God,  of  the  angel  of  God,  and  of  the  angel 
of  the  covenant  under  a  human  form,  fpoken  of  in  the  books 
of  the  Old  Teftament,  to  the  facred  humanity  of  the  Logos 
which  was  created  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  Let  us 
examine  fome  of  thcfe  texts  fo  remarkable  in  themfelves,  and 
fo  much  negle6led  by  thofe  that  read  the  Scriptures  without 
intelligence. 

1.  It  was  the  glorious  humanity  of  the  Logos  that  appea- 
red to  our  firft  parents  in  Paradife.  For  it  is  faid,  (a)  *  That 
'  Adam  and  Eve  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God,  or  of  the 
'  Jehovah  El  walking  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day;' 
that  he  fpoke  to  them  with  an  audible  voice,that  he  pronoun- 
ced fentence  againft  them  under  a  vifible  form.  This  text  is 
a  fubjecl  of  raillery  to  the  incredulous,  and  of  imagination  to 
the  Allegorifts,  who  both  perceive  clearly,  that  thefe  expref- 
fions  cannot  be  meant  of  the  uncreated,  eternal,  infinite  ef- 
fence  which  filling  all  cannot  walk  in  a  garden,  nor  be  fhut 
up  in  a  human  form. 

2.  It  was  the  fame  facred  humanity  that(b)  appeared  to 
Noah  and  his  children;  and  that  under  a  fenfible  form,  and 
with  an  audible  voice  fpoke  to  that  holy  patriarch  and  com- 
manded him  to  build  the  ark:  for  it  is  faid,  that  God  tausht 
him  firfi:  the  form  of  the  ark,  with  all  its  dimenfions,  and  the 
materials  it  was  to  be  made  of;  when  it  was  finifhed,  that 
the  Lord  marked  to  liim  the  number  and  fpecies  of  the  ani- 
mals he  was  to  take  into  the  ark.    In  fine,  when  the  waters 

(a)  Gen.  c1i   "i!  R.  (b)  Gen.  ch.  vi.  tochap.  x. 


i6o  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

began  to  overflow  the  earth,  it  Is  faid,  that  the  Lord  himfelf 
fliut  up  Noah  and  his  family  in  the  ark.  All  thefe  fJDeeches, 
apparitions,  and  operations  indicate  a  corporeal  form  that 
was  the  organ  of  the  divinity.  All  the  ancient  Hebrevrs  be- 
lieved that  thefe  corporeal  appearances  and  a6tions  were  not 
performed  by  the  pure  intellectual  operation  and  infpiration 
of  the  incorporeal,  uncreated,  irivifible  cfTence;  but  by  the 
pre-exiftent  humanity  of  the  Logos.  The  fupcrnatural  in- 
fpiration of  the  omniprefent  mind  and  eternal  word  is  not  ac- 
companied with  corporeal  images,  fenfible  rep refen rations, 
and  material  founds.  It  is  a  central  intelle(n;ual  operation  of 
God  upon  the  foul,  that  enlightens  the  mind,  and  enflames 
the  heart  with  the  love  of  eternal  truths.  Whereas,  all  this 
detail  about  an  ark,  its  form,  bignefs,  and  materials  requires 
audible  founds,  and  avifible  Ihape  that  is  heard  and  feenby 
thefenfes. 

3.  It  was  the  fame  facred  humanity  of  the  Logos  that  ap- 
peared to  Abraham,  not  only  in  fupcrnatural  vifions,  but  un- 
der a  vifiblefhape  in  the  plains  of  Mamre.(c)  For  it  is  faid  in 
the  mod  exprefs  words,  '  That  the  Lord  the  Jehovah  el 
«  appeared  to  Abraham,  while  he  fat  at  the  door  of  his  tent; 
'  that  this  Lord  was  accompanied  with  two  angels;  that  fo 

*  foon  as  he  faw  them,  the  patriarch  ran  to  meet  them,bowed 

*  himfelf  down  to  the  ground  and  called  one  of  them  My 

*  Lord  and  My  God.'  It  is  added,  that  thefe  three  angels 
fat  down  under  the  tree,  and  eat  of  the  frugal  repaft,  Abra- 
ham had  prepared  for  them.  Some  fathers  thought  they  on- 
ly feemed  to  eat,  but  did  not  do  fo  really :  but  St.  Juftin,  Ter- 

(a)  Gen.  ch.  xviii. 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  i6i 

tullian,  and  St.  Auguftin  maintain,  that  they  really  eat  as  our 
Saviour  after  the  refurrection,  tho'  his  body  ftript  of  all  mor- 
tal qualities  wanted  then  no  nourifhment  to  fuftain  it.  It 
cannot  be  faid  without  blafphemy,  that  the  perfon  whom  A- 
braham  calls  Lord  was  an  angel  that  appeared  under  a  hu- 
man form,  for  this  fame  perfon  is  called  in  the  preceeding 
chapter  (a)  'The  almighty  God;'  and  in  the  following  con- 
text of  this  fame  chapter,  (b)  *  The  judge  of  all  the  earth.* 
The  perfon  then  that  appeared  to  Abraham,  was  at  the  fame 
time  human,fmce  he  eat,  drunk,  fpoke  and  did  all  the  funfli- 
onsof  a  created  vifible  nature;  and  alfo  divine,  fince  the  at- 
tributes of  the  Deity  are  afcribed  to  him. 

4.  The  fame  facred  humanity  of  the  Logos  appeared  tol- 
faac  in  the  land  of  the  Philin:ines,(c)fpoke  to  him  with  an  au- 
dible voice  and  renewed  the  promife  made  to  Abrahani  and 
his  pofterity.  The  fame  Logos  humanized  appeared  to  Ja- 
cob on  his  journey  to  Canaan  (d)  at  Mahanaim,  when  he 
called  the  name  of  the  place  Peniel,  becaufe  '  he  had  Ceen. 
*  God  face  to  face.'  Thofe  appearances  of  the  facred  huma- 
nity to  the  patriarchs  for  many  years  and  ages  after  the  deluge 
were  fo  frequent,that  the  facred  writers  make  no  preamble  to 
uflicrin  this  fublime  do<5trine.  Since  thofe  manifcflations  of 
the  Logos  humanized  werefo  common  before  the  law,  who 
dares  fay,  that  they  might  not  have  been  vouchfafed  both  be- 
fore and  under  the  law  to  holy  fouls  of  other  nations,  that 
were  not  of  the  race  of  Abraham  according  to  the  flefli?  and 
this  might  have  been  thefource,as  we  fhall  fee  afterwards,  of 

(a)  Gen.  ch.  xvii.  i .     (b)  Ibid.  ch.  xviii.  25,     (c) Gen.  cb.  XXvi.  2.  3 .  4.  Scc. 
(d)  Gen.  xxxii.  24.  and  30. 

PART  2.  X 


i62  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

the  mythology  of  the  Pagans  concerning  a  Deity  humanized, 
or  the  appearances  of  the  Gods  under  a  human  form. 

5.  It  was  the  fame  pre-exiftent  humanity  of  the  Logos 
that  appeared  to  Mofes  in  the  bufh,(a)  and  who  defines  hlm- 
felf,I  AM  THAT  I  AMjOr  the felf-exiftent  Being.  He  was  the 
fame  that  defcended  upon  mount  Sinai,  for  It  is  faid,  that  the 
Ifraelites  faw  the  Lord  defcend  upon  the  mount,  (b)  that 
God  fpoke  with  an  audible  voice ;  and  in  another  place,  (c) 

*  that  under  his  feet  there  was  a  brightnefs,  hke  that  of  a 

*  Saphire  fl:one,and  the  body  of  heaven  in  Its  fplendour.' Mo- 
fes then  faw  the  facred  humanity  as  the  Apoftles,  when  It 
was  transfigured  upon  mount  Tabor.    In  all  the  other  appa- 
ritions to  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob,  and  the  patriarchs, 
he  did  not  fhow  his  glory.   The  luminous  emanations  of  the 
celeftial  vehicle  were  fufpended,as  when  he  appeared  here  up- 
on earth  under  a  mortal  form.  It  is  further  added  in  the  fame 
chapter  of  Exodus,  (d)  that  when  Mofes  defircd  to  fee  God's 
glory,  or  his  pure  divinity,  the  Lord  anfwered  him,     *  that 
<  no  man  could  fee  this  and  live,  but  that  he  would  make  all 
'  his  goodnefs  pafs  before  him,  or  his  facred  humanity,'  for 
by  this  hypollatical  union  of  the  human  and  divine  Nature, 
the  incorporeal  elTence  declares  all  his  love  to  mankind.  It  is 
added,  that  God  promifed  to  Mofes  to  fhow  hini  his  '  lefTer 
*  part,'  for  fo  the  Hebrew  word  may  be  tranflated,  this  leffer 
part  is  alfo  called  in  the  fame  chapter,  his  '  back  parts,'  or 
what  is  behind,  or  below  God,  and  this  can  be  no  other, 
than  the  facred  humanity,  which  Is  faid  In  another  text  *to 

(a)  Exod.ch.ii'iv.  4.  and  14.     (b)  Exod.  ch.  xxiv.  v. 9. 10.     (c)  Exod.ch. 

xxiv.v.io.     (d)Exod.ch. xxxiii,  V.  18.  to  theend. 


OF   THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  163 

•  have  been  made  a  little  lower  than  the  Elohim/  as  we  Ihall 
fee  hereafter.  In  another  place  it  is  faid,  when  Mofes  ente- 
red (a)  into  the  tabernacle,  '  the  Lord  fpoke  with  hira  face 
'  to  face,  as  a  man  fpeaketh  to  his  friend.'  I  remark  once 
more,  that  as  the  particular  directions  given  to  Noah  about 
the  ark,  fuppofe  a  vifible,  human,  organized  body,  fo  does 
the  particular  detail  about  the  form  of  the  tabernacle,  facri- 
fices,  veilments,  and  all  the  precepts  of  the  ceremonial  law. 
Thefe  are  not,  and  cannot  be  the  objecfts  of  the  pure  intel- 
lectual operation  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  enlighten  and  fanCtify 
the  foul. 

6.  We  come  now  to  the  prophetical  vifions.  Micaiah,  In 
Ipeaking  to  Achab,  (b)  fays,  that  his  eyes  were  opened  to  fee 
into  the  invifible  world,  *  and  that  he  faw  the  Lord,  or  the  Lo- 

*  gos  fitting  upon  his  throne,  and  all  the  hoft  of  heaven  Itan- 
'  ding  by  him,upon  his  right  hand  and  upon  his  left.'  Here  Is 
a  vifible  human  form,finceit  is  defigned  as  fitting  upon  a  throne 
with  a  right  and  left  hand.  Here  the  fchoolmen  and  vulgar 
commentators  will  cry  out,  that  this  is  only  an  allegory,  and 
muft  be  underftood  fpiritually.  There  is  a  ftrange  repugnan- 
cy in  thefcheme  of  thefe  do<5tors,  or  Chriftian  mythologifts 
and  fabulilts.  Sometimes  they  ftick  to  the  letter  that  kills, and 
whatever  nonfenfe,  contradiction  and  abfurdity  there  be  in 
this  letter,  we  muft  not  depart  from  it.  At  other  times,  they 
abandon  entirely  the  letter,  and  allegorize  it,  without  any 
rcafon.  All  this  comes  from  their  having  no  juft  notions  of 
the  true  divine  philofophy.  The  heavens  where  the  facred 
humanity  of  the  Logos  refides,  is  always  rcprefcnted  by  the 

(a)  Exod.  ch.xxxiii.  910.     (b)I.Kingsch.  xxii.  19, 

X     2 


1^4  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

facred  oracles  as  a  definite  place  in  the  boundlefs  regions  of 
immenfity.  The  pure  uncreated  eflence  cannot  be  circum- 
fcribed;  it  is  equally  prefent  every  where.  But  the  Logos 
humanized  mull:  have  a  fixed  determinate  fpace  called  the 

*  heaven  of  heavens,'  and  '  the  higheft  heavens/  where  he  is 
encompaffed  with  angelical  natures  that,  according  to  all  the 
ancient  fathers,  to  the  great  plan  of  Providence,  and  to  all  the 
laws  of  the  invifible  vv^orld,  arc  united  to  ethereal,  celeftial  and 
immortal  vehicles,  fuch  as  w^e  fliall  have,  after  the  refurrec- 
tion.  Without  this  hypoftatical  union  of  the  Logos,  with  a 
human  nature,  and  of  all  intelledual  beings  with  fome  mate- 
rial vehicle,  to  fuppofe  heaven  confined  to  a  definite  fpace, 
would  be  mofl  abfurd  and  ridiculous,  fince  pure  fpirits  do  not 
fill  fpace  by  extenfion  of  parts.  To  this  purpofe,  Ifaiah  has 
fuch  another  vifion,  as  that  of  Micaiah;  for  he  fays,  (a)  *  In 

*  the  year  that  the  King  Uzziah  died,  I  faw  the  Lord  fitting 
^  upon  a  throne  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train  filled  the 
'  heavens.'  It  would  have  been  impious,  idolatrous  and  ab- 
furd to  have  thus  corporalized  the  Deity,  if  the  Logos  had 
not  been  embodied,  or  united  to  a  human  form,  long  before 
the  incarnation. 

7.  The  Prophet  Ezekiel  had  alfo  a  vifion  of  the  celeflial 
regions,  where  the  facred  humanity  refides  under  a  human 
form ;  (b)  '  And  it  came  to  pafs,'  fays  he,  '  in  the  fixth  year, 

*  in  the  fixth  month,  in  the  fifth  day  of  the  month,  as  I  fat 
<  in  mine  houfc,  and  the  elders  of  Judah  fat  before  me,  that 
^  the  povv^er  of  the  Lord  God  fell  there  upon  me.  Then  I 

*  beheld,  and  lo,  a  likenefs  as  the  appearance  of  aman,from 
(a)  Ifai.  ch.  vi.  I .         (b)  Ezek.  ch.  viii.  1.2. 


OF  THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  i6s 

*  the  appearance  of  his  loyns  even  downward, fire:  and  from 

*  his  loyns  even  upward,  the  appearance  of  brightnefs,  as  the 

*  colour  of  amber.'  This  was  the  appearance  of  his  glorious 
body  long  before  the  incarnation,  and  it  Is  much  the  fame, 
as  the  defcription  given  by  the  apoftles  and  the  evangelifts  of 
his  glorious  body  after  the  incarnation,    (a)  '  Six  days  after, 

*  Jefus  took  Peter,  James,  and  John  his  brother,  and  bring- 

*  ingthem  up  into  a  high  mountain  apart,  he  was  transfigu- 

*  red  before  them,  his  face  fhoneasthe  fun,  and  his  raymens 
'  was  white  as  the  light,    (b)  His  rayment  became  fhinlng, 

*  exceeding  white  as  fnow.    (c)  The  fafhion  of  his  counte- 

*  nance  was  altered,  and  his  rayment  became  white  and  glif- 

*  tcring.'  Thus  the  glory  of  his  facred  celeftial  vehicle  broke 
forth,  and  its  rays  flione  in  all  their  beauty,  tho'  an  hour  be- 
fore they  were  concentred  and  fufpended,and  he  appeared  like 
a  vulgar,  mortal  creature. 

8.  Thofe  manifcllations  of  theMcffiah  under  a  human 
form  were  vouchfafed  not  only  to  the  holy  patriarchs  and 
the  prophets,  but  even  to  the  worft  of  kings  and  idolaters. 
Nebuchadnezzar  faw  this  divine  form  walking  as  a  fourth  man 
in  the  furnace  with  the  three  children  that  were  thrown  into 
it,  for  after  having  interrogated  his  counfellers,  if  they  had 
not  cafl  three  men  bound  into  the  midll  of  the  fire,  '  he  was 

*  aftoniflicd,  rofe  up  in  hafle,  and  faid,Lo  I  fee  four  men  loofe 

*  walking  in  the  midfi:  of  the  fire,  and  the  form  of  the  fourth 

*  is  like  theSon  of  God.'   (d)  This  fecms  to  infinuate,  that 
he  had  feen  more  than  once  the  Son  of  God  under  a  human 

(a)Math.xvii.i.          (b)  Mark.  ch.  ix.  3.         (c)   Luke  ch.  ix.  29.         (d) 
Dan.ch.iii.  25. 


i66   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

form,  or  at  leaft,  that  he  and  all  his  counfellers  were  perfua- 
ded,  that  the  Son  of  God  appeared  fometimes  under  a  hu- 
man form,  that  diftinguifhed  him  from  all  others,  otherwife 
it  would  have  been  ridiculous  and  abfurd  in  him  to  havefaid, 
that  the  form  of  the  fourth  was  like  the  Son  of  God;  for  we 
never  compare  a  new  unknown  form  to  fomething  we  had 
no  idea,  fimilitude,  or  notion  of  before.  This  text  then  feems 
to  demonflrate,  that  not  only  the  Hebrews  but  the  Chal- 
deans, Babylonians  and  other  Pagans  had  a  notion,  or  at 
Icart  a  tradition,  that  the  Son  of  God  appeared  oft  to  mortals 
under  a  vifibleform,  and  this  was  thefourceofthatconftant 
doftrineof  all  mythologys,  that  the  Gods  defcen ding  from 
heaven  vifited  oft  mortals  under  a  human  fhape.    I  beg  my 
readers  may  be  attentive  to  this  remarkable  palTage.  It  is  the 
great  foundation  of  all  the  difcoveries  we  are  to  make  in  Pa- 
ganifm  concerning  the  middle  God  humanized.  Can  we  have 
a  purer  fource  for  the  antiquity  of  this  tradition  than  the  fa- 
cred  oracles  themfelves? 

^.  In  fine,  the  fame  glorious  body  which  the  prophets 
faw  in  a  pre-€xiftent  ftate  before  our  Saviour's  incarnation,the 
evangelifl:  faw  in  a  celeftial  vifion  after  his  exaltation.  The 
defcription  made  by  St.  John  in  his  revelations,  is  much  the 
fame,  as  that  made  by  the  prophets  in  their  fupernatural  vi- 
fions,  when  their  fuperior  faculties  were  opened  to  fee  into 
theinvifible  world,  where  the  facred  humanity  refides.  The 
evangelifl:  fays,  (a)  *  His  head  and  his  hair  were  white  as 
*  fnow,  his  eyes  as  a  flame  of  fire,  his  feet  like  fine  brafs, 
^  burnt  in  a  furnace,  and  his  countenance  as  the  fun  when  it 

(a)  Revekt.  ch.  i.   1 4.  1 5 .  1 6. 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  167 

*  fhlnes  in  its  ftrength.'  The  glorious  humanity  was  the  fame 
in  heaven  before  the  incarnation,  that  it  now  is,  and  will  be 
to  all  eternity;  the  fource  of  light  and  life  to  all  the  material 
pi<51:ures  in  a  glorified  ftate;  as  the  Logos  is  the  fource  of  life, 
light  and  love  to  all  the  intelligent  images  of  the  Deity.  Such 
is  the  wonderful  oeconomy  of  theinvifible  world,  according 
to  the  facred  oracles. 

It  is  a  conftant,  univerfal  opinion  of  all  the  primitive  fa- 
thers and  particularly  of  Tertuliian,  Origen,  St.  Juftin  Mar- 
tyr, St.  Ireneus,  St.  Cyprian,  St.  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  St. 
Hilary,  yea  all  the  fathers  of  the  council  of  Antioch,  that 
the  Word,  the  fecond  perfon  of  the  trinity,  the  Son  of  God, 
appeared  under  a  vifible  form  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world  to  the  patriarchs,  and  prophets;  moreover,  the  firfl: 
council  of  Syrmium  pronounced  anathema  againft  all  thoic 
who  fhould  fay  that  Abraham  and  the  patriarchs  did  not  fee 
the  Son,  the  only  begotten  Son,  or  fome  part  of  him,  which 
can  mean  nothing,  but  his  facred  humanity;  for  his  divinity 
is  invifible,  indivifible,  and  has  no  parts.  St.  Auguftin  was 
the  firll:  who  advanced,  that  all  thefe  appearances  were  made 
by  angels,  who  took  upon  them  fiftitious  bodys:  but  St. 
Athanafius  confutes  this  opinion,  (a)  and  fays  exprcsfly,  that 
the  fimple  ambaffadors  of  princes,  kings,  and  emperors  ne- 
ver arrogate  to  themfelves  the  names  and  titles  of  their  maf- 
ters.  St.  Auguftin  to  juftify  his  ftrange  idea  fays,  that  the 
Word  fpoke  in  and  by  the  angel,  but  why  have  recourfe  to 
fuch  a  figment  unknown  to  all  the  fathers  before  him,  fince 

(a)  St.  Athan.  orat.  iy.  contra  Ariaft.  pag.  467. 


i68   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

the  pre-exiftence  of  thefacred  humanity  explauis  all  fo  natu- 
rally? 

It  is  true,  that  the  fchoolmen  in  later  ages  trumped  up  a 
new  idea,  and  a  meer  fable,  from  a  perfedl  ignorance  of  an- 
cient tradition,  and  the  true  fenfe  of  the  Scriptures.  They 
quote  many  equivocal  dark  pafTages  of  the  fathers  to  prove 
that  the  bodily  form  attributed  to  the  Logos  in  the  Old  Tef- 
tament  was  not  a  real  body,  but  an  aereal  fantom,  which  he 
alTumed  at  pleafure.  This  wild  chimera  is  diametrically  op- 
pofite  to  many  exprefs  texts  of  the  New  Teftament. 

St.  John  the  Evangelift  has  prefervcd  to  us  this  prayer  of 
our  Saviour's  in  his  laft  fermon,(a)  *  And  now,0  Father,glo-> 

*  rify  me  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the 
'  world  was.'  The  glory  our  Saviour  prays  to  be  reftored  to, 
muft  be  underdood  of  that  of  his  human  nature:  for  the  eter- 
nal Logos  being  immutable  and  infinite  without  fucceflion, 
and  without  variation,  could  fufFer  no  diminution  in  his  glo- 
ry ,and  therefore  the  glory  our  Saviour  had  before  the  world 
began,  and  of  which  he  divefted  himfelf  at  his  incarnation, 
muft  relate  to  the  glory  of  his  pre-exiftent  humanity,  which, 
as  we  fhall  fee,was  the  firft-born  of  all  creatures. 

The  fame  evangelift  fays  in  another  place,  (b)  '  What 
'  if  you  fhall  fee  the  Son  of  man  afcend  up  where  he  was  be- 

*  fore,'  and  elfewhere,  (c)  *  No  man  hath  afcended  up  to 

*  heaven,  but  he  that  came  down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son 

*  of  man.'  It  is  plain,  that  thefe  texts  cannot  regard  the  eter- 
nal Logos,  or  the  divine  nature  of  our  Saviour,  which  being 

(a)  St.  John  Gofp.  ch.  xvii.  5.         (b)  St.  John  ch.  vi.  62.         Cc)St.  John 
ch.  iii.  13. 


OF   THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  169 

immenfe  and  omniprefent,  can  neither  move  to,  nor  defcend 
from  a  place,  and  therefore  they  muft  be  underflood  of  the 
facred  humanity  which  exifled  before  his  humiliation,  and 
incarnation  in  the  womb  of  the  blelTed  Virgin.  For 
this  reafon  it  is,  that  in  both  thefc  texts,  the  perfon  that 
afcends  to,  and  defcends  from  heaven,  is  defigned  by  his 
human,  and  not  his  divine  Nature.  .  He  Is  called  the  Son 
of  man.  Thefe  texts  mifunderdood  gave  occafion  to  the 
Socinians  to  invent  a  wild  fiction,  that  our  Saviour  after  his 
Incarnation  afcendcd  locally  to  heaven,  becaufe  they  thought 
with  reafon,  that  It  was  abfurd  to  explain  them  of  the  di- 
vine Nature,  whicli  can  neither  afcend  nor  defcend,  fince 
it  fills  all,  or  rather  Is  prefent  every  where,  according  to  the 
totality  of  its  nature. 

St.  Paul  the  Apoftle,  teaches  the  fame  doMne  with  the 
evangelifl:.  He  fays,  (a)  '  That  our  Saviour  being  in  the  form 

*  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  yet 

*  he  emptied  himfelf,  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  fervant, 

*  humbled  himfclf,and  became  obedient  unto  death.'  By  the 
form  of  God;  [J.oD(pyi  0^8,  is  meant  here  the  Logos,  who  is  the 
form,  the  idea,  the  confubfi:antial  Image  of  the  Father.  Our 
Saviour  is  faid  to  be  In  the  Logos,  becaufe  he  was  received 
into  the  uncreated  efifence,  hypoftatically  united  to  It,  and 
anointed  with  the  holy  Spirit  above  all  meafure  and  bounds, 
fothat  the  fullnefs  of  the  Godhead  dwelt  In  him  bodily.  It 
would  have  been  blafphemous  In  St.  Paul  to  fay,  that  the 
eternal  Word  thought  It  no  robbery  to  be  equal  to  God,  as 
if  he  were  not  God,  and  had  not  received  all  the  fubfi:ance 

(a)  Philip,  ch.  ii.  6. 

PART  2.  Y 


170   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

of  theFather.Noperfonis  faidtorob,or  ufurp  upon  the  rights 
of  another  by  equalling  himfelf  to  him,  but  he  that  is  inferi- 
or to  him  in  nature  and  dignity.  Now  to  fay,  that  the  Logos 
thought  it  no  robbery  to  equal  himfelf  to  God,  is  fuppofing 
that  the  Logos  is  by  nature  unequal  to  God.    Neither  can  it 
be  faid,  that  the  Logos  emptied,  or  humbled  himfelf.    All 
thofe  expreffions  of  felf- annihilation,  humiliation  and  evacu- 
ation, with  many  others  analogous  to  thefe,  cannot  be  ap- 
plyed  to  the  divine  nature,  which  is  immutable;  and  there- 
fore mufl:  be  underftood  of  our  Saviour's  pre-exiftent  humani- 
ty, which  being  united  hypoftatically  in  one  perfon  to  the 
confubftantial  image  of  the  Deity,  thought  it,   on  the  one 
hand,  no  robbery  to  equal  himfelf  to  God ;  and  yet  on  the  o- 
ther  hand,  humbled,  emptied  and  divefkd  himfelf  of  his  glo- 
ry, to  take  upon  him  the  form  of  a  fervant.    The  fame  perfon 
that  equals  himfelf  to  God  without  ufurpation,  and  yet  that 
humbles  and  empties  himfelf,  mufl:  contain  two  natures,  one 
that  is  infinite  and  unchangeable,  another  that  is  bounded  and 
mutable. 

Thelafl:  anddecifive  text  is  that  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Colof- 
fians,  who  fays,  in  fpeaking  of  our  Saviour,  (a)  '  That  he  is^ 

*  the  image  of  the  invifible  God,  and  the  firft- born  of  every 

*  creature.'  This  is  a  mofl:  perfed  definition  of  God-man, 
both  as  to  his  divine  and  human  nature.  In  the  following 
verfes,  St.  Paul  narrates  the  qualities  thatbelong  to  both.  As- 
image  of  the  invifible  God,  '  all  things  that  are  in  heaven,  or 
'  in  earth,  vifible  or  invifible,  whether  they  be  thrones  or 

*  dominations,  principalities  or  powers,  were  created  by  him 

(a)  ColofT.  ch.  i.  1 5.  to  22. 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  171 

*  and  for  him.    He  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things 

*  fubfilh'    Then  he  defcribes  the  qualities  of  his  human  na- 
ture.   As  the  firft-born  of  all  creatures,  *  He  is  the  head  of 

*  the  myftical  body  of  the  church  militant  and  triumphant, 

*  over  whom  God  gave  him  thepre-eminence,fuperiorityand 

*  government.    In  him  the  fuUnefs  of  the  Godhead  dwells, 

*  and  by  his  pacifying  blood,  God  reconciled  to  himfelf  all 

*  things,  whether  things  upon  earth,  or  in  heaven.'  Wemuft 
therefore  never  confound  the  attributes  of  his  divine,  with 
thofc  of  his  human  nature.  As  confubftantial  image  of  God 
he  created  all  things.  As  firft-born  of  all  the  creatures,  he 
governs  all  things.  Now,  can  Jefus  Chrift  be  called  the  firft- 
born  of  all  creatures,  if  he  never  exifted  till  the  time  of  his 
incarnation,  or  can  he  be  called  fuch  as  eternal  Logos?  Is 
his  generation  of  a  fimilar  nature  with  that  of  the  creatures, 
and  is  not  this  perfect  Arianifm  ?  To  fay  with  Phiioand  ma- 
ny modern  divines,  that  he  is  the  firft-born  of  all  creatures, 
becaufe  he  contained  the  archetypal  ideas  of  all  things,  is  a 
moft  forced  and  unnatural  explication  of  this  fublime  text. 
Can  the  mind  of  an  architect:  that  forms  and  contains  all  the 
models  of  his  works,  be  called  the  firft-born  and  cldeft  of  his 
productions.  The  ideas  themfelves  may  indeed  be  called  al- 
legorically  the  firft-born  of  the  architect,  but  not  the  mind 
that  contains  and  produces  them.  We  have  already  fhown 
in  the  firft  Part,  that  the  archetypal  ideas  of  finites,  and 
all  their  combinations  are  not  the  fame  with  the  confubftan- 
tial  idea  and  Logos ;  yea,  that  to  confound  them  into  one  is 
the  high  road  to  Spinofifm.    Moreover,  it  cannot  be  faid  ot 

Y   2 


172  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

the  Logos,  that  God  gave  him  the  pre-eminence,  fuperiorl- 
ty,  and  government  of  all  things,  for,  as  Logos  and  creator, 
he  is  naturally  and  eflentially  invelled  with  this  inherent  una- 
lienable right,  property  and  fovereignty.    The  Logos  is  al- 
ways called  in  Scripture  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  but 
not  the  firft-born  of  all  creatures.  Now  this  diftinflion  of  on- 
ly begotten  and  firft-born  indicates  the  effential  difference  be- 
twixt the  confubftantial  Logos,  and  the  pre-exiftent  humani- 
ty, Intimately  and  hypoftatically  united  in  God-man.    Our 
Saviour  then  cannot  be  called  in  any  fenfe,  the  firft-born  of 
the  creatures,unl€fs  we  fuppofe,  that  his  pre-exiftent  humani- 
ty was  the  firft  produ6lion  of  the  Almighty,  and  that  he  was 
conftituted  from  the  beginning  the  head, governour  and  high- 
prieft  of  all  intelligent  natures.    For  this  reafon  it  is,  that  the 
Pfalmift  fays  in  a  text  which  St.  Paul  explains  of  the  facred 
humanity,  (a)  '  Thou  madefthim  a  little  lower  than  the  Elo- 
^  him.*    (as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  and  not  angels)   '  Thou 
'"  crowned  ft  him  with  glory  and  honour;thou  gav'ft  him  domi- 
'  nion  over  all  the  works  of  thine  hands,  and  thou  haft  put 

*  all  things  under  his  feet.'  This  cannot  be  faid  of  the  Logos, 
for  he  was  generated  from  all  eternity  and  not  made  in  time, 
God  did  not  give  him  dominion  over  the  works  of  his  hands, 
nor  put  all  things  under  his  feet;  for,as  fovereign  Creator, all 
finite  natures  are,  and  were  ever  fubjecHicd  to  his  empire.  Our 
Saviour  then  can  *  be  faid  to  be  a  little  lower  than  the  Elo- 

*  him,'  only  becaufe  his  facred  humanity,  tho' exalted  above 
all  creatures,yet  being  a  creature,was  inferior  to  the  three  hy- 
poftafes  of  the  facred  Ternary,tho'  fublimely  exalted  and  hy- 

(a)  Pfalra.  viii.  5. 6.  compared  with  Hebr.  ch.  ii.  5. 6. 


OF  THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  173 

podatlcally  united  to  the  fecond  pcrfon.    It  Is  remarkable, 
that  the  Pfalmifl:  does  not  fay  in  the  future,  '  Thoa  wilt 

*  crown  him  with  glory  and  honour,  thou  wilt  give  him  do- 

*  minion  over  all  the  works  of  thine  hands,  thou  wilt  put  all 

*  things  under  his  feet:'  But  he  fays  in  the  preterit,  '  thou 

*  haft  already  done  fo/ 

If  the  fcholaftic  mythologifts,  thefe  degrad'ers  of  all  reli- 
gion, object  that  the  Meiliah  is  called  the  Lamb  flain  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world  ;  the  anfwer  is  eafy.  The  me- 
diation of  our  Saviour  was  from  the  beginning  of  this  worM 
corrupted,  fallen,  and  degenerated.  So  foon  as  man  finned, 
his  intercefiion  began;  he  offered  up  himfelf  as  a  vi(5lim  in 
the  ccleftial  regions,  he  interceded  for  his  brethcren,  amidft 
the  glories  of  heaven,  and  fitting  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  he  was  penetrated  with  grief  for  their  offence,  inter- 
ceded for  their  pardon,  and  offered  himfelf  up  for  the  expi- 
ation of  their  guilt. 

The  pre-exillence  of  the  facred  humanity  of  the  MeiTIah 
is  a  doctrine  yet  believed  and  retained  by  the  Rabbins,  as  an 
ancient  tradition  of  their  fore-fathers  from  the  days  of  Noah 
and  Mofes.  (a)  *  They  believe,  that  all  fpiritual  fubftances, 
'^  angels,  human  fouls  and  even  the  foul  of  the  Mefliah  were 

*  created  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  (b)They  believe, 

*  that  the  foul  of  the  Mefliah,  by  his  perfeverance  in  divine 

*  love,  came  to  a  ftri(5l  union  with  the  pure  Godhead,  and 

*  was  dcfervedly  advanced  to  be  the  king,  the  head,  and  the 

*  guide  of  all  fpirits.'  The  Helleniftic  Hebrews  call  this  union 
of  the  Mefliah  with  the  divinity  *  Hyper-azilutical,  which 

(a)  Vilio,  Ezekieh  Mercav.apud  Rittangel,  torn.  iii.  pag.  225  .(b)  Ibid,  pag.226 . 


174   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 
*  fignifys  fuper-fubflantlal/    The  Rabbins  or  Hebrew  my- 
thologifts  mix  here  their  fi(ftions,  as  the  Chriftian  fchoohnen, 
with  the  primitive  tradition,  for  (i)Itis  falfe,  that  human 
fouls  were  created  at  the  fame  time  with  celeftial  fpirits,fince 
the  laft  were  only  made  after  the  chaos  and  fall  of  angels.  (2) 
It  is  falfe,  that  the  facred  humanity  was  created  at  the  fame 
time  with  other  fpirits,  for  it  is  faid,  that  '  he  is  the  firfl-born 
'  of  all  creatures,'  and  therefore  exifted  before  any  finite  be- 
ing.   (3)  It  is  falfe,  that  the  foul  of  the  MefTiah  was  made  be- 
fore his  glorious  body,  fmce  the  Deity  united  itfelftothe 
whole  MefFiah,  or  human  nature  compofed  of  foul  and  bo- 
dy, and  not  to  a  part  of  it.  (4)  It  is  altogether  falfe  to  fay,that 
the  MefFiah  was  exalted  to  the  hypoflatical  union  by  way  of 
recompence  for  his  fidelity,  fmce  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
and  New  Teflament  call  the  MefTiah  from  the  beginning, 

*  The  Lord  God,  the  Jehovah  El,the  image  of  the  invifible 

*  God  and  the  firft-born  of  every  creature,'  and  therefore 
this  Hyper-azilutical  union  was  antecedent  to  all  merit  in 
the  facred  humanity.    It  was  then  the  mixtures,  adulterati- 
ons, and  corruptions  of  the  original  tradition,  concerning  our 
Saviour's  pre-exiflent  humanity,  invented  by  the  Rabbins, 
thatmade  the  Chriftian  doctors  look  upon  this  great  article  of 
faith  as  a  Jewifh  fi^llon.    Yea,  if  there  be  any  pafTages  in  the 
primitive  fathers  that  feem  tocontradi(5t  this  great  truth,they 
muft  come  from  the  excefllve  diffidence  which  thefe  holy 
men  had  of  the  Jewifh  traditions.    Our  Saviour  fays  in- 
deed, that  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  had  made  the  law  void 
by  their  traditions,  but  this  can  never  authorize  us  to  rejed: 
without  diftin^ion  all  the  traditions  of  the  Hebrew  dodprs; 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  175 

for  to  maintain  this,  is  opening  the  fluices  to  all  fort  of  incre- 
dulity. 

The  not  underftanding  this  fublime  truth  of  our  Saviour's 
pre-exiftent  humanity, was  the  fource  of  Arianifm  and  Nefto- 
rianifm  in  the  firll  ages  of  Chriflianity,  and  of  Socianifiii  and 
Unitarianifm  in  the  lafl:  ages.   The  fchoolmen,  in  the  thir- 
teenth century,  having  their  brains  filled  with  the  metaphyfi- 
cai  cobwebs  of  the  Ariftotelian  and  Arabian  philofophy, 
neither  ftudied  the  Scriptures  nor  the  fathers,  nor  the  tradi- 
tion of  the  ancients  whether  facred  or  profane.    By  this  pro- 
found ignorance,  they  confounded  feveral  texts  that  regard 
the  pre-exiftent  humanity  with  thefe  that  relate  to  the  eter- 
nal Logos,  and  fo  furnifhed  weapons  to  combat  the  hypofta- 
tic  union  and  divinity  of  our  Saviour.   There  is  no  poflibility 
of  reconciling  thefe  different  texts,  but  by  the  luminous  doc- 
trine above  mentioned. 

Thus  we  have  proven,  that  according  to  the  do<5lrine  of 
the  facred  oracles  and  ancient  Hebrews,  the  Logos  united 
himfelf  to  a  human  nature  from  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
and  that  he  would  have  done  fo,  tho'  man  and  angels  had 
never  finned.  This  was  the  firll:  manifeflation  of  the  Mefliah 
in  a  pre-exiflent  ftate. 

We  need  not  infift  much  to  prove,  that  according  to  the 
Chriflian  faith,  the  fame  Logos  became  incarnate  in  the 
womb  of  the  Virginjand  appeared  here  upon  earth  in  a  fufFe- 
ring  ftate,  to  expiate  the  fms  of  the  world.  This  is  the  fecond 
manifefbtion  of  the  MefFmh,  and  a  dodrine  contained  in  the 
creeds  and  fymbols  of  all  ChriiHan  churches  of  whatever 
communion,  the  Socinians  only  excepted.    We  have  fhown 


iy6  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

in  the  firft  Part,  how  the  fchoolmen  had  degraded  and  obfcii- 
red  this  facred  article  of  faith,  by  their  falfe  ideas  of  vindic- 
tive juflice,  fatisfa<^ion  and  fubftltution.  We  hope  thereby 
to  have  removed  all  the  difficulties  that  made  the  Socinians 
and  Freethinkers  blafpheme  againft  this  fublime  myftery  of 
our  Saviour's  incarnation,  which  is  the  fecond  manifeftation 
of  the  Mefliah. 

As  to  his  third  manifeftation  in  a  triumphant  (late,  to 
raife  the  dead,  judge  the  world,  renew  the  earth,  and  banifh 
from  it  all  moral  and  phyfical  evil,  this  alfo  is  a  plain  article  of 
the  Chriftian  faith,  which  all  communions  equally  adopt, 
without  excepting  the  Socinians  themfelves,  and  this  is  the 
third  manifcftation  of  the  Mefliah. 

We  proceed  now  to  examine,  if  there  be  any  veftiges  of 
thefe  three  Hates  of  the  middle  God  or  Meffiah  among  the 
Pagans;  and  we  begin  with  theChinefe,  the  moft  ancient  of 
all  nations  now  exiftent  under  a  regular  form  of  government, 
uninterrupted  almoft,  fmce  the  firfl:  times  after  the  univerfal 
deluge. 

Befides  the  fupream  God  called  Changti,  Tien  and  Yao, 
the  ancient  books  of  China  talk  of  a  minifter  of  the  fupream 
God,  whom  they  call  the  Holy  or  the  Saint  by  excellence. 
His  different  names  in  the  Chinefe  language  are  Ven- 
WANG,  or  the  prince  of  Peace;  Chingin,  the  divine  Man; 
Changgin,  God-man;  Tientsee,  fonofthe  fovereign 
Lord;  KiUNTSEE,  fon  of  the  King;  Ki  gin,  fon  of  heaven. 
The  original  books  talk  of  him,  as  reuniting  in  one  perfon 
all  the  divine  attributes  and  human  qualities.  In  the  book 
Y-King,  we  read  thefe  expreflions,  '  The  Saint  or  the  great 


OF  THE   MIDDLE  GOD.  177 

*  Man  reunites  all  the  virtues  of  heaven  and  earth.  The 
^  Sahit  made  the  heavens;  the  great  Man  created  the  nni- 

*  verfe.'  Tchingminghian,  in  commenthig  upon  thefe 
places,  fays,  *  Before  the  Saint  made  the  heavens,  Tien 

*  was  Lord;  when  the greatMan  made  the  heavens,  he  him- 

*  felf became  Lord.'    The  book  Chuking  fays,  'heaven 

*  helps  the  people  of  the  inferior  regions;  he  gives  them  a 

*  guide  and  a  teacher,  and  therefore  he  is  the  faithful  minif- 

*  ter  of  the  fupream  Lord,  who  gave  him  out  of  love  the 

*  whole  univerfe,  to  govern,  the  inftru^lions  of  the  Saint  are 

*  thefe  of  the  fupream  God  himfelf.  Tien  is  the  faint  with- 

*  out  a  voice;  the  Saint  is  Tien  fJDcaking  with  a  human 
'  voice.'  The  book  Lung  hong  adds,  *  The  heart  of  the 
'  fovereign  Lord  is  in  the  bread:  of  the  Saint,  the  counfels  and 
'  the  rebukes  of  heaven  are  in  the  mouth  of  the  Saint.' 
TcHoUANTSEE  fays,  *  That  the  Saint  contains  in  himfelf 

*  the  heaven  and  the  earth.    He  has  the  form  of  a  man,  but 

*  the  heaven  and  earth  are  reunited  in  him.'  The  commenta- 
tor adds '  Since  he  has  the  form  of  a  man  without  the  pafli- 
'  onsof  men,  he  is  Heaven-Man.'  The  book  Slang-fang 
afks,  *  what  has  the  great  Man  done? '  he  anfwers,  '  he  made 
'  the  heavens,  the  earth,  and  all  things.'  Koucikoutse 
fays  '  We  know  in  confulting  the  ancient  traditions,  that 
'  tho'  the  Saint  is  to  be  born  upon  earth,  yet  he  exiftcd  be- 

*  fore  any  thing  was  produced.'  All  thefe  paffages  Indicate 
the  pre-exiftent  date  of  the  Mefliah,  fince  they  agree,  that 
the  great  Man,the  Chin  gin,  or  divine  Man,  the  Chang- 
gin  or  God-man  produced  all  things,  and  exiited  before  all 
things.  Are  they  not  perfe^flly  fynonimous  to  that  exprefTioa 

PART  2.  Z 


178  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

of  the  Apoftle,  that  our  Saviour,  according  to  his  human  na- 
ture, was '  the  firft-born  of  all  creatures.' 

The  fame  books  talk  of  his  fufFering  ftate,  and  of  his  in- 
carnation here  below.    The  book  Chi  king  fays,  '  The 

*  Saint  is  the  beautiful  man  of  the  Weft.'  As  Jerufalem  and 
the  holy  Land  ly  weft  from  China,  this  ancient  tradition 
feems  to  relate  to  our  Saviour's  incarnation.  La  o  t  s  e  e  fays, 

*  Confucius  maintained,   that  the  Saint  was  to  come  from 

*  the  Weft;  and  that  upon  this  proverb,  the  Emperor  Han- 

*  M I N  G  T I  fent  to  the  Indies  to  carry  away  the  idol  F  S  E. 
The  book  Tchongyong,  wrote  by  the  nephew  of  Con- 
fucius, fays,  '  that  the  Saint  is  the  middle  betwixt  the  hea- 
'  ven  and  the  earth,  (that  is  the  Mediator)  that  he  alone  can 

*  convert  the  hearts,  and  that  he  is  the  beginning  and  the 

*  Lord  of  all  things.  How  fublime  are  the  ways  of  the  Saint, 
'  how  extenfive  is  his  do^lrine!  if  you  confider  his  iiiimenfi- 

*  ty,  he  nourifties  and  fupports  all  things.    If  you  regard  his 

*  fublimity,  he  touches  the  heavens.  We  expe(5l  this  great 
^  Man,  and  he  is  to  come  after  three  thoufand  years.'  This 
proves,  that  this  faying  was  pronounced  by  fome  patriarch 
that  lived  three  thoufand  years  before  the  Chriftian  aera,  and 
therefore  is  a  remnant  of  the  antidiluvian  tradition.  The 
book  Y-KiNG,  contains  thefe  wonderful  expreflions,  *  By 
'  the  juftice  of  the  Saint,  the  world  {hall  be  re-eftabliftied  in 
'  the  ways  of  righteoufnefs.  He  will  labour  and  fuiFer  much. 
^  He  muft  pafs  the  great  torrent,  whofe  waves  fiiall  enter  in- 
'  to  his  foul ;  but  he  alone  can  offer  up  to  the  Lord  a  facrifice 
*  worthy  of  him.'  Laotsee  fays,  that  the  Saint  pronoun- 
ced thefe  words,  *  He  that  takes  upon  him  the  filth  and  duft- 


OF  THE   MIDDLE  GOD.  i^p 

*  of  the  kingdom  fhall  be  the  King  of  the  univerfe.'  Tchou- 
ANTSEE  fays  more,  *  The  common  people  facrifice  their  Hfe 

*  to  gain  bread,  the  philofopher  to  acquire  reputation,  theno- 
'  bility  to  perpetuate  their  family.  The  Saint  dies  to  fave  the 
'  world.  He  does  not  feek  himfelf,  but  the  good  of  others. He 

*  enriches  others  and  impoverifes  himfelf,  that  is,  according 
'  to  IsE  MAKOUANG,  he  lofes  himfelf  to  fave  others.* 

The  fame  books  talk  of  the  triumphant  ftate  of  the  Mef- 
fiah,  who  is  tobanifhfin  and  fufferings;  and  to  reftore  ali 
things  to  their  primitive  perfeflion  and  felicity.  In  the  book 
Chuking,  we  find   thefe  words,  '  we  expecH:  our  King; 

*  when  he  comes,  he  will  deliver  us  from  all  our  miferys.  We 

*  expert  our  King;  when  he  comes,  he  will  reftore  us  to  a 

*  new  life.'  Mengtsee  adifciple  of  Confucius,  in  fpeak- 
ing  of  the  Saint,  fays,  '  That  the  people  expeded  him,  as 

*  the  dry  grafs  expe*5ts  the  clouds  and  the  rain  bow.'  For  this 
reafon,the  prophet  Daniel  calls  him  *  The  defire  of  nations.* 
Now  they  could  not  defire  what  they  had  not  the  lead  know- 
ledge of;  and  therefore,they  mufl:  have  had  fome  ideas  of  him. 
In  the  third  ode  of  the  book  Chiking,  we  read  thcfe 
words,  (a)  *  He  that  is  the  only  King  and  fovereign  Lord 
'  fees  two  fort  of  creatures,  or  nations  that  have  abandoned 

*  him ;  but  the  moft  high  will  not  for  ever  abandon  them.  He 

*  feeks  for  a  man  after  his  own  heart,  who  can  extend  his 

*  empire.    In  this  view,  he  turns  his  eyes  towards  the  Welt. 

*  It  is  there  that  he  fhall  dwell,  and  reign  with  this  new 

*  King.  The  Lord  will  reftore  men  to  theirprimitive  virtue. 

*  Heaven  has  given  itfelf  an  equal.WEKWANG,or  the  prince 

(a)  See  Father  du  Halde's  hiftory  of  China.     Vol.  II.  pjg.  309. 

Z     2 


i8o   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

'  of  Peace  alone  knows  how  to  love  his  brethren.  He  makes 

*  all  their  happlnefs,  and  all  their  glory.  The  Lord  has  in- 
'  riched  him  with  all  his  riches,  and  given  him  the  univerfe 

*  fora  recompence.    TheLordfaidto  Wenwang,  mount 

*  up  firit  to  the  facrcd  mountain,  in  order  to  draw  all  the 
'  world  after  thee.  See  thefe  rebels  that  do  not  obey  their 
\  fovereign,arm  thy  felf  with  my  wrath,difplay  thy  ftandards, 

*  range  thy  troops,  reftore  peace  every  where,  fix  the  happi- 

*  nefs  of  thy  empire.  Suddenly  Wenwang  gains  the  top 

*  of  the  mountain.  Rebellious  fpirits,  enter  into  your  caverns. 

*  This  is  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  where  you  cannot  be 

*  admitted. Thefe  living  fountains  are  the  pure  waters  where- 

*  in  the  fubjecls  of  Wenwang  are  to  quench  their  thirfl:. 

*  Wenwang  himfelf  has  chofen  this  mountain,  hehimfelf 

*  has  opened  the  clear  flreams.    It  is  hither  that  all  the  faith- 
'  ful  nations  muft  come.    It  is  here  that  all  the  kings  will 

*  meet.'  What  arefemblance  is  there  betwixt  thefe  ancient 
traditions,  and  the  words  of  the  prophet  Ifaiah,  who  ftillde- 
figns  the  ftatc  of  the  earth  renewed  and  reftored  after  the  lafl: 
day,  as  a  mountain,  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  the  moun- 
tain of  Zion?  The  Chinefe  explain  all  thefe  traditions  of  the 
glory  of  their  own  empire,  that  is  one  day  to  extend  over  the 
whole  face  of  the  earth ;  like  the  ancient  Jews,  they  look  up- 
on themfelves,  as  the  onlyele6l  nation;  for  this  reafon,  they 
will  have  no  commerce  with  other  nations,  whom  they  look 
upon  as  profane  and  wricked.  It  is  thus  alfo,  that  judaizing 
Chriftians,  the  Predeftinarian  figurifts,  and  the  fanatical  en- 
thufiafts  interpret  all  the  prophecys,  as  relative  to  their  own 
little  particular  fe<fls. 


OF  THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  182 

Thus  the  canonical  books  of  China  contain  many  fcatte- 
red  fragments  of  the  ancient  Noevian,  yea,  antidiluvian  tra- 
dition concerning  the  fublimeft  myfterys  of  faith.  Some  very 
learned  and  great  men  who  have  lived  twenty,  thirty  and  for- 
ty years  in  China,  fludied  the  language  of  the  country,  feen 
thefe  original  books,  and  read  the  ancient  commentarys  up- 
on them,  give  us  the  following  fyflem  of  thefe  Chinefe  mo- 
numents.  I .  They  pretend  to  demonflrate,  that  all  the  Chi- 
nefe characters  were  originally  hieroglyphics,  as  thofe  wrote 
upon  the  Egyptian  obelifks.    This  feems  fo  much  the  more 
probable,  that  there  is  very  oft  a  great  refemblancc  betwixt 
the  form  of  the  Egyptian  and  Chinefe  charaflers.   2.  Thefe 
ancient  monuments,  characters,  fymbols  and  hieroglyphics 
were  originally  wrote  upon  pillars,  or  tables  of  flone  and 
niettal,  by  fome  antidiluvian  patriarch  who  forefaw  the  uni- 
verfal  deluge,  who  knew  all  the  great  my fteries  of  religion, 
and  who  was  defirous  to  preferve  the  memory  of  thofe  facred 
truths  from  fliip wrack.    3.Thattho'  thofe  hieroglyphical 
monuments  may  have  been  adulterated,  interpolated  and  ill 
copied  in  fucceeding  ages,  yet  they  ftill  contain  many  veftiges 
of  the  mofl:  effential  do<5lrines  of  our  moil  holy  faith,  as  of 
God  and  his  three  elTential  attributes;  of  the  facred  Trinity ; 
of  the  pre-exiflence,  fuffering  and  triumph  of  the  MefIiah,of 
the  fall  of  angels  and  men  ;  and  of  the  true  means  of  reunion 
to  our  great  original.  4.  That  the  Chinefe,  quite  ignorant  of 
the  true  original  fenfe  of  thefe  facred  monuments,  fuppofc,. 
without  any  foundation,  that  thefe  books  were  wrote  for 
their  nation  only,  by  a  man  of  their  country  called  Foh  r, 
who  lived  fome  centurys  before  the  univerfal  deluge,  and 


i82    THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

whofe  antiquity  they  trace  up  to  the  times  of  that  holy  patri- 
arch, whom  the  Hebrews  called  Enoch.  5.  That  In  confe- 
quence  of  this  falfe  opinion  they  interpret  all  the  veftiges  of 
our  facred  myfteries  that  are  to  be  found  in  thefe  ancient  mo- 
numents, of  feveral  little  fi(^itious  events  that  happened,  or 
are  to  happen,  in  their  own  country.  Thus  all  the  names 
given  to  the  middle  God,  the  great  Hero,  the  Son  of  the 
Lord,  the  fon  of  heaven,  the  God-man  fuch  asWENWANG, 

ChINGINjChANGGIN,  TlENGIN,TlENTSEE,KlGIN, 

and  KiUNTSEE  are  transformed  into  the  names  of  feveral 
imaginary  heroes  and  emperors  that  reigned  in  their  coun- 
try, many  ages  before  the  creation  of  the  world.    Thus,  the 
Ef^yptians  confounded  the  different  names  and  the  reign  of 
the  pre-exiftent  humanity  in  a  glorious  ftate,  before  the  fall 
of  angels  or  men,  with  the  names  and  reigns  of  feveral  ima- 
ginary kings  andpontifes  that  they  fuppofed  to  have  lived  In 
Egypt,  long  before  the  fall  of  man;  and  this  age  was  called 
the  reign  of  the  Gods,  demi-gods,  and  heroes.    6.  That  as 
the  hicroglyphical  ftyle  and  language  had  no  conjugations, 
tcnfes,  nor  moods,  when  thefe  facred  fymbols  were  explained 
and  exprefTed  by  vulgar  alphabetical  charaflers,  the  future 
was  oft  taken  for  the  paft;  thus,  all  that  was  contained  in 
thefe  ancient  monuments  concerning  the  Mefliah  to  come, 
was  oft  looked  upon,  as  already  accomplifhed.    Thus  the 
pre-exiftent,  fufFeringand  triumphant  ftate  of  theMefIiah,of 
the  Hero,  or  Ching  i  N,  are  very  oft  confounded  in  one  by 
the  Chinefe  Mandarins,  and  interpreters  of  their  facred  mo- 
numents.   7.  The  fame  thing  that  happened  in  China  has 
happened  in  other  nations.  The  original  hieroglyphics  tran- 


OF   THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  183 

fported  from  nation  to  nation  were  by  fucceflion  of  time  falCc- 
lytranflated, adulterated,  or  mifunderftood,  and  the  truefenfe 
of  the  ancient  traditions,  being  at  laft  forgot,  every  nation  ex- 
plained them  differently  according  to  their  fancy,  and  applied 
them  as  fabulous  fafts  that  had  already  happened,  or  to  fic- 
titious heroes,  that  had  once  lived  in  their  own  country. 
Hence  arofe  all  the  different  mythologies  of  the  Eaftern  and 
Weftern,  of  the  Southern  and  Northern  nations,  where  the 
ground  and  canvafs  is  ftill  the  fame,  tho'  the  colourings  and 
ornaments  are  different. 

Ifthefefeven  principles  can  be  demonftrated,  or  at  lead 
proved  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  to  render  them  not  only  pofFible 
and  probable;  but  even,  as  unconteftable  as  any  matters  of 
faft  can  be,  then  we  fee,  how  fome  hints  and  veillges  of  the 
fame  divine  truths  may,  and  mufl:  be  found  in  all  learned  and 
religious  nations,  fince  they  are  fo  clear  in  the  ancient  monu- 
ments of  China. 

The  only  obje6lion  that  can  be  made,  is,  that  if  this  fyf- 
tem  be  true,  then  the  five  canonical  books  of  China  would 
contain  clearer  revelations  concerning  the  myfteries  of  our 
holy  religion,  than  the  Pentateuch,  or  the  five  canonical 
books  of  Mofes. 

1  he  learned  authors  of  the  fydem  propofed  anfwer  in  the 
firfl:  place,  that  the  Hebrew  characters  were  all  originally  hi- 
croglyphical,  of  which  we  have  loft  the  key ;  and  fo  all  our 
tranflations  are  very  imperfect.  This,  according  to  them,  is 
the  true  rcafon  why  many  paffages  of  Scripture,  taken  in  a  li- 
teral fenfe,  feem  fabulous,  frivolous,  indecent,  and  not  only 
unworthy  of  the  divine  attention  but  even  proper  to  authorize 


i84   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

vice.    Whatever  be  in  this;  it  is  certain,  that,  according  to 
the  do»5lrine  of  the  apoftles,  primitive  fathers  and  ableft  di- 
vines of  all  communions,  ages  and  countrys,  the  Old  Tefta- 
ment,  and  efpecially  the  Pentateuch,  has  a  double  fenfe, 
the  literal  and  allegorical.  The  facred  oracles  are  penned  with 
fuch  a  divine  art  and  fupernatural  wifdom,  that  at  the  fame 
time,   the  latter  indicates  the  outward  fa6ts  and  prodigies 
which  happened  upon  the  vidble  theatre  of  theworldjthefpiri- 
tual  fenfe  contains  all  the  myfleries  of  religion  and  providence 
In  the  invifible  world.    Thus,  St.  Paul  fays,  that  the  hidory 
of  Hagar  was  an  allegory ;  that  Melchifedec,  Abraham,Mo- 
fes,  Jcfhua,  David  and  all  the  patriarchs  were  types  of  the 
Meffiah;  that  all  the  rites,  ordinances,  and  facrifices  of  the  an- 
cient law  were  fymbolical,either  of  the  inward  ficrificeof  the 
pafTions,  or  of  thegreatfacrifice  of  the  Mediator;  and  in  fine, 
that  there  is  a  fpiritual  Egypt,  a  heavenly  Canaan  and  a  new 
Jerufalem  reprefented  by  the  terrellrial  Egypt,  Canaan  and 
Jerufalem.    Thus,  if  we  knew  the  true  meaning  of  the  He- 
braic hieroglyphics,and  the  etymologies  of  the  names  of  men 
and  places,  we  would  difcover  in  the  Scriptures  many  beau- 
ties, fublimities  and  depths  that  are  now  concealed;  and  be 
able  thus  to  flop  the  mouth  of  incredulity,and  remove  all  the 
fcandals  occafioned  by  the  letter  that  kills.    I  know  that  the 
Jewi(h  Cabbaliils,  the  predeftinarian  figurifts,  and  the  fana- 
tical enthufiafts  of  all  fe6ts  and  communions  have  much  abu- 
fed  this  great   truth:    but  the   abufes  made  of  a  principle 
are  not  fufficient  to  make  us  reje(51:  it.  To  befure  there  can  be 
•no  danger  of  admitting  the  allegorical  fenfe  of  Scripture,when 
our  interpretations  are  confined  to  illuflrate  fome  branch  of 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  185 

the  facred  fexenary,  are  conform  to  the  great  plan  of  Pro- 
vidence, to  the  analogy  of  faith  and  tend  vifibly  to  render 
God  amiable,  Providence  beautiful,  and  the  creatures  hap- 

py- 

The  defenders  of  the  Chinefe  monuments  anfwer  in  the 
fecond  place,  that  fince  the  antidiiuvian  and  Noevian  pa- 
triarchs were  fully  inftruded  in  our  facred  myfteries,  they 
fliould  have  tranfmitted  them  to  their  pofterity;and  fince  they 
could  and  fhould  have  done  it,  it  is  evident  that  they  really 
did  fo.  Thus  we  fee  why  the  mythologys  of  all  nations  agree 
In  the  fame  principal  ideas,  how  all  men  from  the  beginning 
niufl:  have  had  the  fame  great  principles  of  religion;  why 
thefe  traditions  are  clearer,  purer  and  more  intire  in  the  moil 
ancient  nations  that  firfl:  peopled  the  earth,  than  in  fucceeding 
gencrations;and  why  the  further  we  remove  from  the  fource, 
the  rivulets  are  more  impure  and  muddy.  In  thefe  laft  and 
dangerous  times,  wherein  charity  is  waxed  cold,  faith  almoll 
extinguiftiedjhope  expired,  and  incredulity  come  to  its  high- 
efi:  pitch,  perhaps  Providence  has  opened  a  communication 
to  China,  that  fo  we  might  find  vediges  of  our-facred  religion 
in  a  nation  which  had  no  communication  with  the  ancient 
Jews,  and  whofe  original  books,  yea,  the  principal  commen- 
tarys  upon  them  having  been  wrote  long  before  the  coming 
of  our  Saviour,  cannot  be  fufpeded  of  impofture. 

To  augment  the  force  of  this  proof,  and  carry  it  even  to  a 
demonllrationjet  us  continue  to  examine,if  there  be  any  fuch 
vcftiges  of  this  third  ternary,  or  three  manifeftations  of  the 
Mefliah  in  other  nations.  We  proceed  from  China  to  the 
Indies. 

PART  2.  A  a 


i86  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

All  the  ancient  writers  on  the  Indian  philofophy  are  now 
gone;  and  in  the  few  remains  of  antiquity  concerning  the 
Brachmans,  there  is  much  more  faid  of  their  life  and  man- 
ners, than  of  their  learning  and  knowledge.   But  their  philo- 
fophy fubfifts  at  this  very  day;  and  though  greatly  altered  by 
the  addition  of  new  fables,  yet  its  main  body  and  leading  prin* 
ciples  feem  ftill  the  fame.    In  feveral  parts  of  the  Eaftcrn 
world,   are  yet  to  be  found  the  defcendants  of  the  ancient 
Brachmans,  who  differ  from  the  reft  of  the  people  both  in 
their  manners  and  cuftoms,  docTtrine  and  language.    They 
preferve  among  them  a  fecret  fcience,  an  arcane  philofophy  ; 
and  hand  it  down  from  father  to  fon,  in  a  way  altogether  un- 
known to  the  vulgar.  Their  facred  books  faid  to  be  fent  from 
God  by  the  prophet  Drachma,  are  undoubtedly  very  ancient, 
and  wrote  in  a  language  peculiar  to  themfelves,  which  has 
greatly  contributed  to  their  prefervation.  All  the  modern  ac- 
counts of  them  arc  pretty  much  agreed, as  to  the  leading  ftrokcs 
of  their  religion ;  and  afford  us  hints  more  or  lefs  plain  of  the 
different  manifeftations  of  the  Meffiah.    According  to  the 
Danifh  miffionaries,  the  Gods  of  the  Malabarian  trinity  in 
India  are  Biruma,  Wifchtnu,  and  Ruddiren,  or  Ifuren.   (a) 
Wifchtnu  is  defcribed  by  thofe  Bramans  as  a  prote<5lor  and 
deliverer,  who  came  nine  times  into  this  world  to  redeem 
men  from  deftru(5lion,  and  reftore  them  again  to  purity.    In 
the  firft  of  the  thirty  four  conferences  between  the  fame  midi- 
onaries  and  the  Malabarian  Bramans,  translated  out  of  high 
Dutch  by  Phillips,  we  find  the  fame  triad  of  divinities  (b). 

(a)  An  account  of  the  religion  of  the  Malabarians,  in  feveral  letters  from  the 
mod  learned  Indians  to  the  Danifh  miHionaries.  By  Phillips. Lond.  1717.  Letter  I. 
page  3.  and  Letter  XX.  page  94.       (b)  London,   1719. 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  187 

There  the  fecond  of  themWifchtnu  isfaid  to  have  been  born 
a  man  among  the  Malabarians  to  fave  them;  and  has  at  dif- 
ferent times  undergone  a  vaft  variety  of  metamorphofes. 
Henry  Lord,  (a)  in  his  hiftory  of  the  Ced:  of  the  Banians,  ga- 
thered from  their  Bramans,  as  contained  in  the  book  of  their 
law  called  the  Shafter,mentions  their  trinity  under  the  names 
Bremaw,  Vyftney,  and  Ruddery;  and  fpeaks  of  feverai 
manifeftations  of  Vyftney  to  preferve,  fupport,  and  exalt 
fouls  to  happinefs.  When  we  confult  the  miflionaries  of  the 
Roman  church,  we  meet  with  the  fame  truths. (b)  '  Theln- 

*  dians  have  a  facrifice  called  Ekiam,   (it  is  the  moft  celebra- 

*  ted  of  all  thofe  in  India)  they  facrifice  a  ftieep,  and  repeat 
'  a  kind  of  prayer  with  a  loud  voice,  in  thefe  words.  When 
'  fhall  the  Saviour  be  born  ?  When  fhall  the  redeemer  ap- 
'  pear?'  at  the  fame  time  that  the  Bramins  teach  the  do6lrine 
of  the  trinity,  they  ftill  maintain  the  exiftence  of  one  fu- 
pream  Being,    (c)  '  The  three  principal  Gods  of  the  Indi- 

*  ansare  Bruma,  Vichnou,  and  Routren.    The  greater  part 

*  of  the  Gentiles  fay  they  are  three  different  divinities,  and  in 

*  reality  feparated.  But  many  of  the  Nianiguculs,  or  fpiritual 

*  men,airure  us,that  thefe  three  Gods  different  in  appearance, 

*  are  really  nothing  but  one  God.  When  this  God  creates, 
'  and  exerts  his  omnipotence,  he  is  called  Bruma;  when  he 
'  preferves  created  beings,  and  gives  proofs  of  his  goodnefs, 

*  he  is  called  Vichnou;   and  laftly,  when  he  deftroys  cities, 

*  chaftlfes  the  guilty,  and  makes  them  feel  the  effefts  of  his 

*  jufl:  refentment,  he  takes  the  name  of  Routren.'  They  tell 

(a)  London,   1630.  (b)  Lettres  edifiantes et  curieu(es,  ecrites  des  miflions 

etrangeres,  parquelques  mifljonaires  de  la  compagniede  Jcfus.  Recueil,  9.  Paris, 
1 7 30.  page  33.  (c)  lb.  pag.  50. 

Aa   z 


i88  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

us  that  one  of  thefe  Gods  frequently  made  his  appearance  on 
the  earth,    (a)  '  All  the  Indians  agree,  that  God  was  incar- 

*  nate  many  times;  and  moft  of  them  afcribe  thefe  incarnati- 
'  ons  to  Vichnoii  the  fecond  God  of  their  trinity.  According 

*  to  them,  this  God  was  never  incarnate,  but  in  quality  of  the 

*  Saviour  and  preferver  of  men.'    In  another  place,  the  mif- 
fionaries  attefl  the  fame  fa6l.    (b)  *  The  Indian  books  aflure 

*  us,  that  their  God  Vichnou  appeared  feveral  times  on  earth 

*  for  the  sood  of  men,  in  different  forms,  and  fometiraes  un- 

*  der  the  figure  of  a  man.'  This' God  is  alfo  reprefented  by 
them  as  their  teacher  and  inftruflor.    (c)  *  The  Votaries  of 

*  Vichnou  pretend,that  their  God  illuminates  the  fouls  of  his 

*  favourite  adorers  with  a  celeflial  light,  and  informs  them  of 

*  the  various  changes  that  have  befallen  them  in  the  bodies 

*  they  have  animated.'  (d)  Elfewhere  the  fame  Vichnou  is 
called  God  the  preferver  of  alt  beings.  We  find  the  follow- 
ing remarkable  pafTage,  in  an  Indian  book  named  Bartachaf- 
tram,  (e)  '  At  the  end  of  Caliougam,  a  Braman  called  Vich- 
'  nou  fhallbe  born  in  the  city  Shambelam.    He  (hall  under- 

*  fland  the  divine  writings,  and  all  the  fciences,   without 

*  fpending  any  more  time  to  learn  them,  than  is  fuiRcient  to 

*  pronounce  one  flngle  word.  Therefore,  they  fhall  give  him 

*  the  name  of  SarvaBaoumoudou(he  who  excellently  under- 
^'ftands  all  things).    This  Braman  Vichnou,  by  converfing 

*  with  thofe  of  his  own  race,  fhall  purge  the  earth  of  fmners, 

*  a  thing  impofTible  to  any  other,  buthimfelf :  he  fhall  make 

*  juflice  and  truth  reign  in  it,  offer  facrifice,  and  fubje6t  the 

(a)  Ib.pag.  52.  (b)  Id.  Rccuell,    10.  Paris,   1732.  pag.  404.  (c)Id. 

Kecueil  13.  Paris,  1718.  pag.  no.  (d)  lb.  pag.  128.  (e)  Id.  Recu«il 

21.  Paris,   i7  34-P^g-54- 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  189 

*  univerfe  to  the  Bramans.    When  he  arrives  at  old-age,  he 

*  fhall  retire  into  the  defart  to  fufFer  penance.    This  is  the  or- 
.  *  der  Vichnon  fliall  efhbiifli  among  men.    He  fhall  confirm 

*  the  Bramans  in  virtue  and  truth,  and  keep  the  four  tribes 

*  within  the  bounds  of  their  laws;  and  then  we  fhull  fee  the 

*  firit  age  appear  again.    That  fuprcam  King  fhall  render  fa- 

*  crifice  fo  common  among  all  the  nations,  that  the  very  de- 

*  farts  fhall  not  be  deprived  of  it.    The  Bramans  confirmed 

*  in  goodnefs  fhall  only  employ  themfelves  in  the  ceremonies 

*  of  religion  and  facrifices.  Mortification  fhall  flourifli  among 

*  them;  all  the  other  virtues  fhall  march  in  the  train  of  truth, 

*  and  the  light  of  the  divine  writings  fhall  be  diffufed  every 

*  where.  The  feafons  fhall  fucceedone  another  in  an  inva- 
'  riable  order;  and  the  rains,  in  their  proper  time,  deluge 

*  the  plains.    Autumn  in  its  turn  fhall  furnifli  great  plenty. 

*  Milk  fhall  flow  down  in  abundance  to  thofe  who  receive  it: 
'  the  earth,  as  in  the  firft  age,  fhall  be  inebriated  with  glad- 
'  nefs  and  profperity,  and  all  people  enjoy  ineffable  delights*' 
The  fame  doctrine  is  confirmed  to  us  by  Herbelot.  (a)  '  Bef*- 

*  chen,  fiys  he,  is  the  fecond  of  all  beings,  whom  God  crea- 

*  ted  before  the  world,  according  to  the  dod:rine  of  the  In- 
'  dian  Brachmans.    He  is  that  being  whofe  name  fignifies^^ 

*  exiflingin  all  things,  who  prcferves  the  world  in  its  prefent 
'  flate.    He  is  the  being  who  was  feveral  times  incarnate.  In 

*  his  firfl  incarnation,  he  afTumed  the  body  of  a  lion  ;  in  the 

*  fecond,  he  entered  into  that  of  a  man;  and  in  the  tenth) 

*  which  muft  be  the  lafl,  he  fhall  appear  Hke  a  warriour,  to 

*  deftroy  all  religions  contrary  to  that  of  the  Brachmans.  The 
Ca)  Bibliotheque  Orientak.  Paris  x  697.  pag.  203. 


ipo    THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

«  Chriftians,  and  particularly  the  miflionaries  who  have  got 
'  fome  knowledge  of  the  Indian  rellgionjafHrm  that  this  Bef- 

*  chen  is  the  fecond  perfon  of  the  adorable  trinity,  and  that 
'  the  Brachmansafcribe  to  him  qualities  in  fome  meafureap- 

*  plicable  to  our  Saviour  Jefus  Chrifl:.'  From  all  thefe  ac- 
counts, it  appears  evident,  that  Wifchtnu,  Vyfi:ney,Vichnou, 
and  Befchen  are  all  one  and  the  fame  God  manifefted  on  dif- 
ferent occafions  for  the  interefts  of  mankind. 

We  come  next  to  the  Chaldeans.   We  have  already  feen, 
that  Nebuchadnezzar  King  of  Babylon,  after  he  had  ordered 
the  three  children  to  be  thrown  into  the  furnaccjfaid,  that  he 
faw  a  fourth  man  walking  in  the  midfl:  of  the  flames,  who 
had  a  form  hke  that  of  the  Son  of  God.    It  is  true,  fome  fa- 
thers and  fchoolmen.  Ignorant  of  ancient  tradition  both  fa- 
cred  and  profane,  pretend,  that  Nebuchadnezzar  faidfo,be- 
caufe  he  thought  him  fome  fon  of  Jupiter:  but  by  this  fub- 
terfuge,  they  confirm  the  great  principle  we  pretend  to  de- 
monftrate.    The  notion  of  a  Son  of  God  that  was  to  defcend 
upon  earth,  and  that,  in  heaven  itfelf,  had  a  human  form, 
flowed  orisinallv  from  the  tradition  of  our  Saviour's  pre-exlf- 
tent  humanity,  and  fuffering  ftate.    For  this  reafon,  the  fame 
prophet  Daniel  calls  our  Saviour  *  the  defire  of  all  nations;' 
now,  as  they  could  not  defire  what  they  had  no  notion  of, 
they  muft  have  had  fome  idea  of  him,  fince  they  defired  him. 
Men  that  read  the  Scriptures  carelefly  fkip  over  fuch  energeti- 
cal expredions  as  this,  which  contain  more  than  numerous 
volumes. 

The  Perfians  had  alfo  the  fame  notion  of  a  God-man,un- 
der  the  name  of  Mythras.  Heis  reprefented  in  the  hierogly- 


OF   THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  ipi 

phical,  fymbolical  language  with  the  head  of  a  lion  and  the 
body  of  a  man,  having  four  wings,  two  of  which  mount  to- 
wards heaven,  and  two  defcend  towards  the  earth.  The 
lion  was  thefymbol  of  the  MefTiah  in  the  Hebrew  hierogly 
phics,  and   therefore,  Jacob,  in  blefling  his  fons,  fays,  (a) 

*  Judah,'  whom  all  grant  to  be  the  Mefhah,  '  thou  art  he 

*  whom  thy  brethren  fliallpraife,  thy  handfhall  be  upon  the 

*  neck  of  thine  enemies,  thy  father's  children  (hall  bow  down 

*  before  thee.    Judah  is  a  young  lion,  he  (looped  down,  he 

*  couched  as  a  lion,  and  as  an  old  lion,  who  fhall  roufc  him 

*  up?'  (b)  '  The  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,'  is  an  exprefhon 
made  ufe  of  in  the  Revelations,to  denote  the  Mefliah,  whofe 
invincible  force  will  at  lafl:  conquer  all  things.  The  wings 
of  Mythras,  by  two  of  which  he  mounts  to  heaven,  and  by 
two  of  which  he  defcends  to  the  earth,  may,  in  conformity 
to  the  other  fymbols,  fignify  his  double  nature,  human  and 
divine. 

In  another  fymbol,  a  ferpent  twines  about  the  body  of 
Mythras,  who  is  reprefcnted  with  keys  in  his  hand  (landing 
upon  the  globe  of  the  earth.  The  brazen  ferpent  elevated  in 
the  defert  was  an  Hebraic  fymbol  of  the  MefTiah,  and  this 
reptile  was  employed  in  all  nations  to  reprefent  both  the  true 
and  falfe  wifdom,  the  good  and  evil  principle.  The  Mythras 
(landing  upon  the  globe  of  the  earth  with  keys  in  his  hand  is 
another  fymbol,  very  like  that  ofthefacredoracles,(c)  where 
it  is  faid,  *  I  am  he  that  liveth  and  was  dead,  and  behold  I 

*  am  alive  for  evermore,   and  I  have  the  keys  of  hell  and 

*  death,  of  heaven  and  falvation.' 

(a)  Gen.  ch.  xllx.  8.9.   10.  (b)  Revel,  ch.  v.  5.         <c)  Revel,  ch.  i.  18. 


1^1   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

There  is  another  wonderful  hieroglyphical  ftone,  where 
we  fee  the  God  Mythrasreprefcnted  with  the  Tyara,  and  all 
the  other  attributes  of  a  high  prieft  facrificing  a  bull.    Over 
his  head  are  feven  ftars,  and  by  him  all  the  inftruments  of  fa- 
crifice.    Some  think  that  this  hieroglyphic  is  altogether  mo- 
ral, and  that  it  reprefents  the  facrifice  of  the  animal  man  fi- 
gured by  an  ox  or  a  bull;  and  that  this  facrifice  can  only  be 
made  by  the  middle  God,  one  of  whofe  {ymbols  in  Scripture, 
*  is  to  have  feven  ftars  in  his  hand(a).'    It  is  remarkable,  that 
in  all  the  hieroglyphical  ftoncs  of  Mythras,  there  are  always 
two  men  placed  upon  each  fide  of  the  God.    The  one  has  1 
torch  in  his  hand  that  flames  upwards,  while  the  torch  of 
the  other  flames  downwards,  to  reprefent  ccleftial  love  and 
impure  luft.    In  fome  ofthefe  ftones  and  medals,  it  is  not 
Mythras,  but  the  goddefs  Mythra  which  facritices  the  bull, 
and  we  have  fhown  that  Mythra  is  the  fame  with  Ifis,  Ura- 
nia, Minerva,  &c.  all  different  names  toexprefs  the  third  hy- 
poftafis  of  the  facred  Triad. 

In  another  hieroglyphical  ftone,  Mythras  as  high  priell 
is  reprefented  with  two  torches  in  his  hand.Out  of  his  mouth 
proceeds  not  a  floating  ribbon,  but  a  fort  of  fword,  or  war- 
like inftrument  that  reaches  down  to  a  flaming  altar  below  it. 
This  is  another  fymbol,  or  attribute  of  the  Mefliah  made  ufe 
of  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  (b) '  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  fliarp 
*  two-edged  fword.' 

If  we  thus  fuppofe  a  refemblance  betwixt  the  Mythraic 
or  Perfian  fymbols,  and  the  Hebraic  or  Chriftian  ones,  we 

(a)  Revel,  ch,  I.  5.  16.  andch,  iii.  i.  (b)  Revel,  ch.i.  16.  Ibid.  ch.  ii.  II. 

Heb.  ch.  iv.  1 2.  Ifaiah  ch.  }ilix,  2. 


OF   THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  193 

find  fomething  reafonable  in  them,  and  fomething  worthy  of 
the  wifdom  of  the  Eaft  fo  much  praifed  in  Scripture:  but 
when  we  apply  them  all  duely  to  the  material  fun,  and  its 
different  operations  and  influenccs,wefind  little  or  no  mean- 
ing in  them  at  all;  or  a  meaning  that  is  low,  pitiful  and  chil- 
difh.  Moreover,  it  is  very  odd  the  literal  mythologifts  fhould 
fancy,  that  the  greatell:  genius's  and  the  learnedefl:  nations  a- 
mong  the  ancients  fhould  have  been  fo  trifling  as  to  figure 
the  vifible  body  of  the  fun,  fo  confpicuous  in  itfelf,  by  dark, 
enigmatical  fymbols;  to  what  purpofe  difguife  thus  the  com- 
mon phenomena  of  nature,  of  the  fun's  rifing  and  fetting  by 
fuch  myflerious  riddles?  the  fource  of  this  miflake  came 
from  their  not  knowing,  that  the  fun  itfelf,  and  all  the  celcfti- 
al  bodys,  in  the  hieroglyphic  fl}'le,  are  but  images  of  fome- 
thing more  fpiritual ;  and  thus,  all  the  mentioned  emblems 
would  be  fymbols  of  other  fymbols,  which  is  diametrically 
oppofite  to  the  firft  intention  of  the  hieroglyphical  language, 
and  the  fpirit  of  the  ancients  who  invented  it. 

The  literal  or  material  mythologifts  pretend  in  vain  to  de- 
monfl:rate,that  the  ancient  Perflans  adored  the  material  fun, 
moon  and  fl:ars,becaufe  Herodotus  and  Strabofay  fo.  Thefe 
two  authors  were  very  bad  judges  of  the  true  fentiments  of 
the  Perflans,  and  of  the  fublime  fenfe  of  their  fymbols.  Yea,. 
which  is  more,  thefe  two  authors  contradiifl  themfelves  ia 
fpcaking  thus  of  the  Perflans.  They  both  fay,  as  we  have 
fecn,  *  that  the  ancient  Perfians  had  neither  ftatues  nor  tem- 
'  ples,nor  altars,becaufe  they  looked  upon  it  as  a  folly  to  have 

*  any  fuch  edifices. and  images,  and  think  it  ridiculous  to  fan- 

*  cy,  like  the  Greeks,  that  the  Gods  have  a  human  fliape.' 
PART  2.  Bb 


194  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

Now,  if  the  ancient  Perfians  believed  that  all  thefe  exterior 
fymbols,  and  reprefentations  were  ufelefs  in  divine  worfhip, 
becaufe  the  divinity  was  incorporeal,how  can  we  fuppofejthat 
they  adored  the  fun,  the  planets  and  the  fire,  as  the  ultimate 
and  fupream  objefts  of  their  worlhip  ?    Is  it  not  far  more  rea- 
fonable  to  conclude,  that  in  the  beginning,  thefe  celeftial  bo- 
dys  were  only  looked  upon  as  images  or  fymbols  of  the  Dei- 
ty,efpecially,  fmce  Zoroafter,  the  chief  of  the  Perfian  Magi, 
defines  God  in  fuch  a  fubHme  manner,as  we  have  feen.    The 
material  my  thologifts  laid  hold  upon  this  falfe  idea  of  Hero- 
<lotus  and  Strabo,of  Juftin,  Quintus  Curtius  and  fome  other 
hiftorians,  that  were  no  philofophers,  to  favour  the  opinion 
of  the  fataliftical  do(5tors  who  maintain,  that  fince  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world,  God  never  manifefted  himfelf,  nor  was 
known,  but  to  the  members  of  the  vifible  church  ;  and  that 
he  left  all  the  reft  of  mankind  in  a  total  ignorance  of  his  ex- 
iflence  and  attributes.  Such  a  monftrous  idea  of  God  is  the 
high  road  to  Atheifm  and  incredulity,and  tends  more  vifibly, 
thanPaganifm  itfelf,to  deftroy  all  amiable  ideas  of  the  God- 
head.   Since  we  have  fhown,  that  the  Chinefe  had  fuch  clear 
ideas  of  the  Deity,  and  of  the  middle  God,  why  may  not  the 
Perfians  have  had  the  fame  notions  from  the  oral  tradition 
of  the  Noevian  patriarchs, or  from  the  hieroglyphical  fymbols 
engraved  by  them,  and  tranfmitted  from  generation  to  gene- 
ration ? 

We  have  already  remarked,  and  we  repeat  it  again,  that 
nothing  is  more  proper  to  confute  this  idea  of  the  Pharifaical 
doctors,  Predeftinarian  fatalifts,  and  Judaizing  Chriftians, 
than  the  encomiums  made  in  the  facred  oracles  of  the  wif- 


OF   THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  195 

dom  ofthe  Orientals,  called  in  Scripture,  the  children  of  the 
Eafl.  Could  the  holy  Spirit  exalt  fo  much  the  wifdom  of  the 
Eaftern  nations,  if  they  adored  the  creatures  and  introduced 
into  their  worfhip  figns  and  fymbols  of  the  material  fun,  of 
its  operations  and  influences,  as  objects  of  adoration  ?  all; 
thefe  infipid  ideas  are  tricks  of  prieft-craft  to  perfwade  men, 
that  out  ofthe  vifible  church,  there  are,  and  can  be  no  lights, 
virtues,  nor  graces .  It  is  hoped,  that  the  learned  world  will 
foon  open  their  eyes,  and  fee  that  the  material  interpreters  of 
the  Pagan  religion,  have  degraded  It  as  much,  as  the  literal 
commentators  have  obfcured  the  facred  oracles,  by  adhering 
to  the  letter  that  kills. 

From  all  this,  we  may  (afely  conclude,  that  the  fymbols 
and  hieroglyphics  of  the  God  Mythras  were  reprefentative 
ofthe  Logos  humanized,  either  as  Lord  and  conqueror  that 
flibduesall  to  the  Father's  kingdom,or  as  the  fun  of  righteouf- 
nefs  that  enlightens  every  man  that  comes  into  the  world,  or 
as  fovereign  high  Prlelt  that  immolates  the  animal  man,  in 
order  to  transform  and  divinize  the  foul ;  according  to  that 
fine  expreffion  ofthe  Pythagoreans,  '  We  muft  firfl  ceafe  to 
*  bebeafls,andthen  become  Gods.' 

We  proceed  now  to  the  Egyptians,  and  hope  to  find  In 
their  fables, hieroglyphics,  and  monuments,  many  veftiges  of 
the  middle  God  humanIzed,orof  the  three  flates  ofthe  Mef^ 
fiah. 

Ofirls  is  reprefented  as  the  Son  ofthe  fupream  God,  to 
whom  he  gave  the  government  of  the  worlds,  long  before 
the  origin  of  Typhon  or  the  evil  principle.  During  the  hap- 
py reign  of  Ofiris,  all  is  faid  to  be  full  of  peace,  joy,  righte- 

Bb   2 


196  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

oufnefs  and  felicity,  exemptfrom  all  moral  and  phyfical  evil. 
In  this  ftate,  he  is  reprefented  with  all  the  fynibols  that 
denote  his  two  natures  human  and  divine.  Sometimes  with 
thehcad  of  a  hawk,  by  which,  as  we  have  feen,  the  Egypti- 
ans denoted  the  omnifcience  and  aftivity  of  the  divine  nature; 
at  other  times,he  is  reprefented  by  the  fun,which,  among  the 
Hebrews,  was  always  looked  upon  as  an  image,  fymbol,  and 
reprefentation  of  the  Logos  humanized;  who  is  therefore 
called  the  fun  of  righteoufnefs,  the  light  of  the  world,  and 
even  that  of  the  new  Jerufalem,  or  heaven.  Sometimes,  he  i.s 
reprefented  as  a  ferpent,  out  of  whofe  mouth  proceeds  the 
Mundane  egg,  which  fignifys  the  creating  power  of  the  fe- 
cond  principle  reprefented  by  the  Hebrews  as  a  brazen  fer- 
pent. All  this  feems  to  regard  the  pre-exiftent  ftate  of  the 
middle  God. 

During  the  reign  of  Ofiris,  the  Egyptian  tradition  fays, 
That  Typhon  revolted  againft  his  empire,  tore  the  body  of 
the  God  in  pieces,  mangled  his  limbs,  fcattered  them  about 
the  world,  and  filled  the  univerfe  with  rage  and  violence.  The 
death  of  Ofiris  was  annually  mourned  in  Egypt  for  many 
days,  and  afterwards  great  feftivals  were  celebrated  with  joy 
for  his  refurre<ftion.  At  thefe  anniverfary  feafts  of  the  death 
of  Ofiris,  which  were  celebrated  under  different  names  in  all 
-nations,  there  was  a  myfterious  box  carried  about  in  their 
procefTions,  which  contained  many  different  fymbols.  We 
cannot  now  explain  them  all,without  fL\llinginto  chimerical 
conje(5lures,becaufe  we  have  loft  the  true  meaning  of  the  hie- 
roglyphical  language;but  among  thefe  fymbols,there  are  three 
very  remarkable.    A  young  man,  a  ferpent,  and  a  fan  for 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  197 

cleanfing  of  wheat.  The  young  man  reprefented  the  great 
Ofiris  whom  they  called  the  deliverer,  the  conduftor,  the 
God-guide,  and  the  foul  of  the  world.  The  ferpent  fignifys 
life,and  was  in  all  nations  the  fymbol  of  the  middle  GodThe 
fan  was  a  fymbol  to  fhow,  that  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his 
floor,  gather  the  good  wheat  into  his  garner,  feparate  the 
true  feed  from  the  chaff.  This  fame  fymbol  is  made  ufe  of 
in  the  facred  oracles  (a).  The  bodyof  Ofiris  is  nature  which 
was  disfigured,fliattered,and  difmembred  by  the  evil  princi- 
ple. 7  hus  Nature  among  the  ancients,  pafles  for  the  body 
of  the  Deity,  his  fenfible  picture  or  manifeftation,  as  a  picture 
is  oft  called  theperfon  it  reprefents.The  God  Ofiris  is  alfo  ve- 
ry oft  reprefented  with  acrofsinhis  hand,  (b)  *  This  facred 
'  fymbol  was  common  in  all  the  Pagan  religions,  but  efpeci- 
'  ally  among  the  Egyptians.  It  was  engraved  upon  all  their 
'  monuments  and  obelifks,  we  fee  it  in  the  hands  of  Ofiris, 
'  Ifis  and  Orus,  hung  about  the  necks  of  the  God  Apis  and 

*  Jupiter  Ammon.    It  is  found  alfo  upon  the  Thyrfus  of 

*  Bacchus,aboutthe  neck  of  Veftals,  upon  the  facred  veffels, 

*  and  the  cymbals  of  the  Corybantes.lt  was  alfo  a  facred  fyrii- 
'  bol  among  the  Phenicians,  and  the  Goddefs  of  Syria  is  re- 

*  prefcntedas  holding  it  in  her  hand,  or  upon  her  fhoulder. 
'  Among  the  Chinefe  and  American  hieroglyphics,  this  fign 
/  is  a  fymbol  of  perfection,  as  alfo  among  the  Tartars.  Their 
'  Lama  or  high-priefl:  wears  this  facred  fymbol,  and  his  name 
Lama  in  the  language  of  Tartary  fignifys  a  crofs.'  Thefc 
ancient  cuftoms  of  nations  feem  to  come  from  the  primi- 

(a)  Math.  ch.  iii.  12.         (b)  Sec  father  LaEttau  in  his  manners  of  the  American 
favages.  pag.  441,  442.  &c. 


198   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

tlve  tradition  of  the  firfl:  men,  that  the  crofs  was  to  be  the 
means  of  falvation  to  mankind,  and  of  a  felicity  without  end. 
Hence  Socrates,  Sozomen,  Suidas  and  Ruffinus,  who  un- 
derftoodthe  hieroglyphical  language,maintain,  that  the  crofs 
was  a  fymbol  of  immortality.  All  this  (hows,  that  the  Egyp- 
tians as  well  as  the  Perfians,  Indians,  and  Chinefe  had  fome 
notions  of  the  fufFering  ftate  of  the  middle  God. 

In  fine,his  triumphant  ftate  is  reprefented  by  Ofiris  crow- 
ned, with  afceptre  in  his  hand,  to  fhow  his  total  vi<5tory  and 
final  conqueft  of  the  evil  principle. 

It  is  no  wonder,  that  we  find  fuch  hints  and  veftiges  of 
the  three  manifeftations  of  the  middle  God  among  the  Egyp- 
tians. Mizraim  their  common  father,  who  foon  after  the  de- 
luge peopled  that  country  and  called  it  by  his  name,  was 
grand-child  to  Noah  by  Cham.  He  (aw  the  holy  patriarch 
his  grand-father,  converfed  with  him  for  many  years,  and  fo 
was  neceffarily  inftru<5]:ed  by  him  concerning  all  the  great  my- 
fteries  of  religion.  He  might  therefore  have  tranfmitted  fome 
knowledge  of  them  by  oral  or  written  tradition,  that  is,  by 
hieroglyphical  charafters,  which  was  then  the  ufual  way  of 
writing  or  engraving  upon  ftones  and  mettals. 

All  the  fulfom  raillerys  therefore  of  the  literal  mytholo- 
gifts  againft  the  allegorical  fenfe  of  the  Egyptian  religion  and 
hierogl)'phics  are  groundlefs  and  infipid.  To  maintain  that 
the  firft  Egyptians  were  adorers  of  ferpents,  crocodiles, 
cats,  reptiles  and  infects,  becaufe  thefe  fymbols  aboun- 
ded in  their  temples,  is  as  ridiculous,  as  to  maintain,  that  the 
Hebrews  were  idolaters,  becaufe  they  bowed  down  before 
a  brazen  fcrpent  in  the  defert,  or  that  the  Chriftians  adore  a 


OF  THE  MIDDLE  GOD.  199 

pigeon,  becaufe  the  holy  Spirit  is  reprefented  in  Scripture  by 
this  fymbol.  It  is  true,  that  in  fucceeding  ages,  when  the 
true  fenfeof  thehieroglyphical  fymbols  was  forgot,  the  vul- 
gar Egyptians  looked  upon  the  animals  made  ufe  of  in  their 
fymbols,  as  facred,  and  having  forgot  the  fpirit,  adhered  to 
the  outward  fign;  and  fo  fell  into  the  groffeft  idolatry  and 
wildefi:  fuperftition.  This  however  cannot  be  true  of  the  firfl: 
Egyptians,  fince,as  we  have  already  faid,  the  holy  Spirit  com- 
mends them  for  their  fuperior  wifdom,  which  would  have 
been  ridiculous  and  impertinent,  if  this  nation  from  the  be- 
ginning had  interpreted  their  fymbols  in  the  low,  mean,  ab- 
furd,  idolatrous  fenfe  of  the  literal  mythologies.  If  the  mo- 
dern French  author,  whom  we  have  mentioned,  had  reflec- 
ted ferioufly  upon  this  paffage  of  Scripture,  and  thefe  elogi- 
ums  made  of  the  firft  Egyptians  by  the  holy  Spirit,he  would 
never  have  invented  his  groundlefs  fcheme  of  the  Egyptian 
mythology. 

The  author  of  Cyrus  travels  has  fliown,  that  the  Phcni- 
'cians  or  Tyrians  had  the  fame  notions  of  a  middle  God,  for 
befides  the  fupream  God,  whom  they  called  Bel,  which  ac- 
cording to  Selden,  is  one  of  the  Hebrew  names  given  to  Je- 
hovah, or  the  fupream  God,  they  had  alfo  the  notion  of  afe- 
cond  Deity  humanized;  whom  they  called  Thamnuz,Adon, 
Adonis,  which,  according  to  Hefychius,  (a)fignifys  Lord. 
The  death  of  Adonis  killed  by  a  wild  boar,  is  much  the  fame 
with  the  murther  of  Ofiris  flain  by  Typhon,  Solemn  days 
were  inftituted  by  thePhenicians  to  bewail  the  death  of  A- 
-donis,  and  afterwards  to  fmg  his  praifes,  as  rifen  again,    (b) 

(a)  See  Scldenus  de  dils  Syrls  cap.  viii.  de  Thamnuz.       (b)  Lucian.  de  dca  Sy- 
ria. Maciob.  faturnal.  I.  cap.  xxi. 


200   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

Luclanand  Macrobius  affurc  us,  '  That  all  the  people,  clad 

*  in  mourning,  went  in  procedion  to  a  cavern, where  the  image 

*  of  a  young  man  was  lying  upon  a  bed  of  flowers  and  herbs. 

*  Nine  days  were  fpent  in  prayers,  lamentations  and  faftings; 

*  after  which  the  public  forrow  was  changed  into  univerfal 

*  gladnefs.Songs  and  joy  fucceeded  to  weeping,and  the  whole 

*  alTembly  fung  facred  hymns  in  honour  of  Adonis  rifen 

*  from  the  dead,  and  reftored  to  life.'    Several  primitive  fa- 
thers mention  the  fame  rites,  fuch  as  St.  Jerom,  (a)  St.  Cy- 
ril and  Procopius.    Yea,  fome  of  them,  fuch  as  (b)  Julius 
Firmicus  pretend,  that  the  fable  of  Adonis  was  a  corruption 
of  an  old  tradition  concerning  a  fufFering  Mefliah,  and  apply 
the  Tyrian  ceremonies  to  our  myfteries.    Is  it  any  wonder, 
that  fuch  veftiges  fhould  be  found  among  a  people  that  de- 
fcended  immediately  from  Noah  by  Canaan  his  grand-fon? 
it  is  true,  this  tradition  was  foon  adulterated,  mixed  with  ido- 
latry, fuperftition,  and  even  abominations ;  fo  that  God,  by 
the  mouth  of  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  (c)  reproved  the  daugh- 
ters of  Ifrael  and  Judah,  for  adopting  them.   ThePharifaical 
do(5l:ors,  literal  mythologifts,  and  predeftinarian  fatalifts  ftill 
confound  the  abufes,  with  the  original  fources,  and  the  fabu- 
lous additions  with  the  primitive  traditions. 

We  come  now  to  the  mythology  of  the  Greeks,  which  w€ 
join  with  that  of  the  Romans,  becaufe  the  laft  borrowed  all 
from  the  firft.  Both  thefe  nations  bad,  from  the  remnants 
of  ancient  tradition  oral,  or  hieroglyphical,  the  idea  of  a  fon 
of  Jupiter,  who  was  to  defcend  from  heaven,  where  he  v^as 

(a)  St.  Hieron.  comment.  III.  in  Ezek.  vili.  St.  Cyril,  lib.  II.  corn,  in  Ifaiara. 
Procop.  comra.  in  ifaiam.  (b)  Jul,  firmicus  de  rayfter.  pag.  151.  (c)  Ezek. 
ch.viii.  14. 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  201 

for  many  ages  before,  the  God-guide  and  the  conducflor  of 
all  the  celefl:ialGenii,who  was  to  undergo  great  toils,labours, 
and  fufFerings  here  below,  and  atlaft  reftore  all  things  to  their 
primitive  perfection,  innocence  and  felicity.  It  is  true,  that 
the  lively  imagination  of  the  Greeks,  mixed  thefe  facred 
truths  with  many  indecent  fiflions,  and  miftook  the  different 
names  of  the  only  fon  of  Jupiter  for  different  Deities,  heroes, 
or  imaginary  princes  that  reigned  during  the  golden  age  and 
flnce  that  happy  time :  but  through  the  vail  of  thefe  fi6lions, 
errors  and  fuperftitions,  we  may  flill  difcover  the  fame  fund 
of  doftrine,  the  fame  great  principles  of  truth,  and  the  fame 
rays  of  Noevian  tradition. 

To  fhow,  that  what  I  have  to  fay  on  this  fubjeft,  Is  not 
an  efFe(5l  of  meer  imagination,  but  founded  upon  the  dodlrine 
of  the  mofl  celebrated  fathers,  I  fhall  premife  here  a  palTage 
of  St.  Juflin  Martyr,  which  I  lay  down  as  an  authentic  text 
and  warrant  for  all  that  I  ftiall  advance. 

This  learned  father  and  holy  Martyr,  In  writing  to  the 
Emperor  Antoninus  Pius  and  the  fenate,  exprefly  teaches, 
that  (a)  *  all  the  fables  made  of,  and  all  the  wonders  attribu- 

*  ted  to  Mercury,  Bacchus,  Hercules,  Perfeus,  Efculapius 

*  and  Bellerophon,  were  only  difguifes  of  fome  ancient  tra- 

*  ditions  concerning  the  Mefliah.'  Horace  and  Virgil  fay  the 
fame  of  Apollo,  or  the  fbn  of  Jupiter  who  was  to  reftorethe 
world  to  its  primitive  innocence.  We  fhall  fee  alfo,  that  Mars 
was  another  name  of  the  middle  God  humanized.  Here  then 
are  three  Gods,  Apollo,  Mars,and  Mercury  all  fons  of  Jupi- 
ter, as  alfo  five  demi-gods,  Bacchus,   Hercules,  Perfeus,  Ef- 

(a)  St.  JuIUn.  Martyr.  Apol.  fecunda  ad  Anton.  Piumpag.  6^ ,  94  &c. 

Cc 


202  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

culapius  and  Bellerophon,  which,  as  we  fliall  fhow,  are  only 
different  names  of  the  middle  God,  or  Meffiah;  and  their  fa- 
bles are  only  adulterations  of  what  ancient  tradition  faid  of 
his  fufferings  and  triumphs.  This  will  appear  more  than  a 
probable  conjefture,  from  the  following  analyfis  of  the  ety- 
mologies, fables  and  fymbols  of  thefe  eight  Gods  and  heroes. 
We  begin  firft  with  Apollo. 

Apollo,  according  to  Plutarch,  was  looked  upon  by  all 
the  Greeks,  as  the  fame  with  the  fun.   He  is  reprefented  with 
this  fymbol  over  his  head,  as  alfo  with  a  ferpent  by  him,  a 
crown  of  laurel,  a  lyre,  a  quiver,  a  bow,  and  a  tripus.    All 
thefe  fymbols  and  hieroglyphics  are  perfe<5]:ly  applicable  to 
the  middle  God  or  Meffiah  who  was  called  by   the  He- 
brews, The  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs,  the  Light  of  the  world, 
the  brazen  Serpent,  an  immortal  King  crowned  with  glo- 
ry, the  Reflorer  of  univerfal  peace,  joy  and  happinefs,  the 
fovereign  wifdom  author  of  all  prophefies.    The  quiver  and 
the  bow  defign  his  conqueft  over  the  evil  principle  called  the 
ferpent  Python,  and  therefore,  he  was  named  A-mXXucoi^j 
the  killer  or  deftroyer.    It  is  added  in  the  fable  made  of  this 
God,  and  reprefented  in  marbles  and  mettals,  that  Pan  taught 
him  mufic.    We  have  already  fhown,  that  Pan  is  an  univer- 
fal Numen,  and  the  fymbol  of  the  paternal  principle,  who 
taught  the  Meffiah  the  fecret  of  re-eftablifhing  one  day  uni- 
verfal harmony.    He  is  faid  to  have  been  banifhed  from  hea- 
ven, and  to  have  lived  for  many  years  upon  earth,  as  a  fhep- 
herd,  where  he  kept  the  flocks  of  Admetus  or  Adametus, 
which  may  be  derived  from  the  Hebrew  word  Ad  am  ah 
that  fignifys  human  nature  ;  and  fo  thq  flocks  of  Admetus 


OF  THE   MIDDLE  GOD.  203 

are  the  children  of  men.  Thus,  the  Mefliah  Is  reprefented 
in  Scripture,  as  a  fhepherd,  and  the  juft,  eled:,  or  chofen  fouls 
as  his  fheep,  and  flock;  during  this  exile,  he  is  faid  to  fall  in 
love  with  Daphne,which  may  be  derived  from  Dap  hen  Op- 
probrium,Infamia,Degradatio,  Corruptio,  and  fo  fignify  de- 
graded intelligences,  of  whom  he  is  enamoured,  and  that  he 
purfues  by  his  love,  while  they  fly  from  him.  It  is  farther  ad' 
dcd,  that  he  flew  the  fatyr,or  faun  Marifas  or  Marfyas,  which 
may  be  derived  from  the  Hebrew  words  Ma  Ri  Rebellio, 
and  Sas  Tinea  Blatta,  Moth,  InCeS:,  the  rebellious  infe^l 
who  difputed  with  him  in  niufic,  emblem  of  the  evil  principle 
"who  endeavoured  to  enchant  men  with  falfe  pleafure.  Ho- 
race feems  to  have  had  in  view  this  ancient  tradition  of  a  di- 
vine perfon,  that  was  to  come  down  from  heaven,  when  he 
fays,  (a)  '  divine  Apollo,  to  whom  the  great  Jupiter  has  gi- 

*  ven  thefundion  of  expiating  the  fins  of  the  world,  come 

*  at  laft,webegofthee,  furrounded  with  clouds.  Alas!  wars 

*  and  flaughter  have  too  long  defolated  the  earth.'  Virgil  had 
the  fame  ideas  of  a  divine  Apollo,  who  was  to  comedown 
from  heaven,  to  reftore  the  world  to  its  primitive  perfection 
and  happinefs.    (b)  '  The  laft  age  fung  by  the  Cumean  fybil 

*  is  come;  the  great  revolution  or  re-eftablifliment  is  at  hand. 

*  Juftice  is  going  to  return  upon  the  earth,  and  the  happy 

*  reign  of  Saturn  is  to  be  reftored.    A  divine  child  is  to  de- 

*  (cend  from  heaven.  So  foon  as  he  is  born,  the  Iron  age  will 

*  ceafe,andthe  Golden  age  will  be  renewed  over  all  the  earth. 

*  Be  favourable  to  him,  divine  Urania,  that  fo  thy  Apollo 

*  may  reign  every  where.   Under  his  empire,  all  remains  of 

<a)  Horat.ode  a  lib.  I.         (b)  Virg.  cclog.  IV, 

Cc   2 


04   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

vice  fhall  be  deftroyed,  and  the  earth  be  delivered  from  all 
fear  and  remorfes.  He  will  partake  of  the  divine  life,  fee 
the  heroes  affociated  with  the  Gods ;  and  they  fhall  fee  him 

governing  the  world  in  peace,  by  his  father's  virtue. 

Then  the  earth  fhall  produce  all  things,  of  its  own  accord; 
all  wars  fhall  ceafe,  and  everything  berertored  to  its  primi- 
tive felicity.    Beloved  offspring  of  the  Gods,  great  fon  of 
Jupiter,  fee  how  the  earth,  the  feas,  the  heavens  and  the 
whole  univerfe  rejoice  at  thy  coming.' 
Mars  is  another  name  of  the  middle  God  humanized. 
Some  derive  it  from  the  Hebrew  wordARi  a  lion.   Thus 
the  Ifraelites  called  the  MefTiah  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
dah.    It  may  alfo,  as  we  have  faid,  be  derived  from  the  He- 
brew word  Haritz  which  fignifys  the  Powerful,  or  the  For^ 
midable.    The  fabulifts  fay,  that  he  was  born  of  Juno,  who 
was  impregnated  by  the  fimple  touch  of  a  flower,  without  any 
human  commerce.  This  feems  to  be  a  difguife  and  adultera- 
tion of  the  ancient  tradition,  that  a  Virgin  was  to  conceive 
and  bring  forth  a  fon,  by  the  power  of  the  holy  Spirit  alone; 
for,  as  we  have  faid,  all  the  female  deities  were  fymbols  of 
the  third  hypoftafis.    The  poets  fay  alfo,  that  he  fell  in  love 
with  the  terredrial  Venus,  which  we  have  fhown  to  be  the 
fame  with  Pfyche  that  fignifys,  according  to  Apuleius,  *  de- 
'  graded  intelligences.'  This  Venus  was  ravifhed  by  Vulcan, 
and  married  to  him.    Now  Vulcan,  as  we  have  proven,  was 
not  only  the  name  of  the  fecond  hypoftafis,  but  alfo  that  of 
the  rebellious  Seraphim,  and  they  were  both  called  by  the 
fame  name  Lucifer.    Hence  arofe  the  confufion  of  their 
different  fables.    The  reft  of  the  fidion  is  altogether  ridicu- 


OF   THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  205 

lous,  and  a  pure  imagination  of  the  poets,  I  mean  that  of  the 
iron  net,which  Vulcan  made  and  caft  about  Mars  and  Venus, 
while  they  were  in  bed  together.  It  came,  no  doubt,  from 
the  mifunderftanding  of  fome  myftic  fymbols  in  the  hiero- 
glyphical  language.  We  dare  not  add  fable  to  fable,  other- 
wife  we  might  fay, that  the  myfterious  net  was  afymbol  of  the 
incarnation,  to  which  the  middle  God  fubjc6ted  himfelf,  to 
refcue  human  nature  from  the  evil  principle.  What  is  fure  is, 
that  Mars  was  always  reprefented  with  all  fort  of  warlike  in- 
ftruments,  and  called  the  God  of  War,  as  the  MefTiah  was 
called  by  the  Hebrew^s  the  God  of  hosts.  We  do  not 
venture  to  give  thefe  conjectures  for  demonftrations;  all  we 
pretend  is,  that  by  the  principles  laid  down  in  the  introdufli- 
on,  and  the  parallel  made  of  the  names,  fymbols  and  fables, 
others  more  fkilled  than  we,  may  perhaps  find  a  key  to  my- 
thology more  worthy  of  the  wifdom  oftheancients,thanthat 
which  degrades  them  to  the  loweft  ftupidity,equally  unworthy 
of  the  divine  nature,  and  all  fentiments  of  common  reafon. 
For  to  be  fure,human  reafon  was  never  fo  extin^l  in  any  rati- 
onal beings,  as  to  imagine,  that  the  Deity  was  fufceptible  o^ 
all  the  follys,  vices,  and  immoralities  which  the  letter  indi- 
cates. This  difparaging  idea  of  the  Pagans  is  raeer  prieft- 
craft,  and  impofture.  This  middle  God  was  adored  by  the 
ancient  Gauls  and  Bretons,  under  the  name  of  Efus,  long  be- 
fore they  were  conquered  by  the  Romans.  They  reprefen- 
ted him  as  a  warlike  God,  and  under  his  feet  feveral  monfters 
trodden  down  ;  as  alfo  with  the  fymbol  of  the  MeiTiah^orthe 
lion  deftroying  a  monftrous  animal,  which  reprefents  the  evil 
principle.    Such  a  fundamental  maxim  was  it  in  all  religions, 


ao6   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

to  expe^l  a  deliverer  and  a  conqueror  that  was  to  deftroy  all 
moral  and  phyfical  evil. 

Mercury  is  another  name  of  the  middle  God  humanized. 
He  is  called  Hermes  or  Interpreter  in  Greek,  The  Word,the 
univerfal  Teacher  of  men,  the  MelTenger  of  the  Gods,  and 
the  fon  of  the  great  Jupiter.  He  is  reprefented  with  the  Ca- 
duceusin  his  hand, which  istwoferpentsthat  twift  themfelves 
about  a  rod,  in  order  to  deftroy  each  other.  They  reprefent 
the  combat  of  the  good  and  evil  principle.  He  is  faid  to  re- 
condu(5l:  fouls  to  hell,  and  refcue  them  from  thence.  Hence 
Horace,  in  fpeaking  of  him,  fays,  *  Thou  recondu(5teft  pure 
'  fouls  to  joyful  habitations.  (a)Thou  governeft  intelligences 

*  ftript  of  matter  with  thy  golden  rod,  thou  art  equally  agree- 

*  able  to  the  fuperior  and  inferior  deities.*  The  compound 
■word  Repon  IS  looks,  as  if  the  poet  had  in  view  the  dodrine 
of  pre-exiftence.  In  another  ode,  the  fame  poet  reprefents 
Mercury,  as  the  great  deliverer,  (b)  *  Sonof  Maia,hafte,come 

*  down  upon  the  earth,  and  return  late  to  heaven,   rejoice 

*  thy  chofen  people  the  Romans,  and  let  not  our  vices  chafe 
'  thee  away  fwifter  than  the  wind,  but  triumph  here  below, 

*  and  delight  thyfelf  to  be  called  our  father  and  our  prince.' 
The  poet  applys  all  the  ancient  traditions  of  a  God-man  to 
the  Roman  nation,  and  its  univerfal  conquefts,  as  the  Jews 
did  what  was  faid  of  the  Mefliah,  to  their  temporal  glory  and 
empire  over  all  other  nations.  Mercury  is  faid  to  be  the  God 
of  merchants  and  robbers,  which,  as  we  have  remarked,  may 
come  from  a  falfe  etymology  of  the  Hebrew  word,  or,  as 

(a)  Horat.  ode.  IX.  lib.  i.  Tu  plas  laetis  anlmas  reponisfedibus.  &c.     (b)  He- 
rat, ode  II.  lib.  i.  Serus  in  caelum  redeas  &c. 


OF  THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  :Lor 

fome  think,  from  a  higher  fource.    The  Hebrews  very  oft 
reprefent  fallen  angels  by  the  titles  of  merchants  and  robbers. 
Thus,  Lucifer  is  faid  to  have  loft  himfelf  by  his  negotiations 
and  merchandizing,  and  the  devil  is  called  in  Scripture  the 
great  robber,  or  ufurper  of  the  divine  rights.  In  this  fenfe,the 
Mefliah  may  be  called  the  God  of  robbers  and  merchants,  as 
he  that  has  an  abfolute  empire  over  rebellious  Spirits.    This 
middle  God  was  alfo  adored  by  the  ancient  Gauls  and  Bre- 
tons,long  before  they  were  conquered  by  the  Romans.Thefe 
three  Gods  Apollo,  Mars  and  Mercury  were  looked  upon  as 
fupream,  and  therefore  placed  among  the  Dii  Confentesto 
defign  the  divine  nature  of  the  middle  God.    The  other  five 
were  called  only  demi-gods  or  heroes  divinized,  and  ^o  de- 
fign  more  immediately  the  human  nature  of  thefecond  hypo- 
ftafis  of  the  Pagan  triad. 

Hercules  comes  from  a  compofition  of  the  tvv^o  He- 
brew or  Syriac  words,  Her,  the  hero,  and  Keli  or  Kuli 
Armatura,  the  armed  hero,  which  is  the  name  the  Chinefe 
mythologifts  give  to  their  Tiengin  or  God-man.    The 
Phenicians  called  their  Hercules  Ben-alcum,   or  Ben- 
ALCMEN;  the  invincible  fon.  Hence  came  the  fi61ion  of  the 
Greeksjthathewasfonof  Algumene  or  ALCMENE.Thus 
many  of  the  Greek  fables  turn  upon  an  equivocal  interpre- 
tation of  fome  Pheniclan,  oriental  or  Egyptian  words,  which; 
they  did  not  underfhnd.    He  is  reprefented  fomctimes  as  a 
little  child,  that  in  his  cradle  crufhes  to  pieces  aferpent,  and 
bruifcs  its  head,  which  is  the  firft  predi(fl:ion  of  the  triumph 
of  the  Meffiah  mentioned  in  Scripture.    When  he  comes  ta 
a  perfe(5t  age,  he  is  reprefented,  as  cloathed  witli  the  fkin  of 


2o8  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

alien,  and  a  maffy  club  in  his  hand, walking  up  and  down  the 
earth,  to  banifh  from  it  all  monfters  and  crimes,  giants  and 
tyrants.    His  twelve  labours,  fo  much  talked  of,  were  in  the 
ancient,  primitive,  hieroglyphical  ftyle,  fo  many  emblems  of 
the  conquefts  of  the  great  Deliverer:  for  there  never  were  fuch 
real  beafts  and  animals,  as  the  Hydra  of  Lerna,  the  fiery  bull 
of  Marathon,  the  wild  boar  of  Erymanthus,  the  ravenous 
birds  Stymphalides,  the  monfter  Gorgon  with  three  heads, 
nor  the  dog  Cerberus  that  kept  the  gates  of  hell.  If  we  knew 
the  meaning  of  the  original  names,and  the  true  fenfe  of  thefe 
hieroglyphics,  we  would  fee  that  all  thefe  imaginary  animals 
are  only  different  figures,  types  and  fymbols  of  the  evil  prin- 
ciple; and  of  its  different  effccfts  and  operations.    This  feems 
clear  from  fome  other  of  the  fabulous  atchievments  attributed 
to  Hercules;  fuch  as  his  defcending  into  hell  torefcue  The- 
feus,  Pyrithous  and  many  other  heroes  therein  detained  ;  his 
flaying  the  dragon  that  kept  the  golden  apples  of  the  Hefpe- 
rian  gardens;  and  his  killing  the  great  robber  Cacus,  or  the 
wicked  one,  fon  of  Vulcan,  or  the  rebellious  fpirit  thrown 
down  headlong  from  heaven.    Thefe  three  laft  labours  of 
Hercules  are  keys  of  all  the  reft  to  intelligent  minds,  that 
havejuft  ideas  of  the  wifdom  of  the  ancients.  What  confirms 
thefe  conj enures  is,  that  he  is  reprefented  in  fome  medals, 
and  precious  ftones,  to  be  found  yet  in  the  clofet  of  the 
Great  Duke  of  Tufcany,  as  a  fhcpherd  that  carries  away  up- 
on his  fhoulders  lambs  refcucd  from  the  great  robber,  and 
from  ravenous  wolves.    At  other  times,  he  is  engraved  with 
the  morning  ftar  over  his  head,  or  therifing  fun,  while  Love 
takes  from  him  his  club,  as  become  ufelefs,  with  this  infcrip- 


OF  THE  MIDDLE   GOD.  209 

tion,  to  '  the  invincible  God.'  All  thefe  facred  fymbols  were 
prcfcrved  from  generation  to  generation,  and  tranfmitted 
from  the  earlieft  times  after  the  deluge,  to  the  G reeks,  whofe 
poets  coined  wild  fables  about  them,  that  had  no  relation  to 
their  original  fenfe,  and  applied  all  to  imaginary  heroes,  and 
fafls  that  never  exifted  nor  happened. 

Bacchus  was  another  name  of  the  middle  God, or  fon 
of  Jupiter  humanized.  He  is  reprefented  in  his  infancy,  as  a 
divine  child,  fitting  upon  a  celeltial  globe  full  of  ftars.  He  is 
called  the  God  of  Wine,  and  reprefented  with  a  grape  in  his 
hand.  This  is  alfo  one  of  the  fymbols  of  the  MelTiah,  for 
Jacob  in  his  lad  prophecy ,fays,  (a)  *  He  wafhed  his  garments 

*  in  wine  and  hiscloaths  in  the  blood  of  grapes.    He  {hall  be 

*  red  with  wine.'  In  other  places  of  Scripture,he  is  reprefen- 
ted as  drunk  with  the  wine  of  indignation  for  the  breach  of 
eternal  order.  The  prophet  Ifaiah  afked,  as  if  he  faw  our 
Saviour's  coming,  (b)  '  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom, 
'  with  dyed  garments  from  Bofrah?'    TheMeffiah  anfwers, 

*  This  is  he  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the 

*  greatncfs  of  his  ftrength ;  1  thatfpeak  in  righteoufnefs,migh- 

*  ty  to  fave.'    The  prophet  then  demands ;  *  Wherefore  art 

*  thou  red  in  thy  apparel,and  thy  garments  like  him  thattrca- 

*  deth  the  wine  fat? '  The  Meffiah  anfwers,  *  I  have  troden 

*  the  wine-prefs  alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with 

*  me,  for  I  will  tread  them  in  mine  anger,  and  trample  them 

*  in  my  fury ;  my  blood  fhall  be  fprinkled  upon  my  garments, 

*  and  1  will  ftain  all  my  raiment,  for  the  day  of  vengeance 
^  is  in  mine  heart,  and  the  year  of  my  redeemed  is  come.'  St* 

(a)  Gen.  xlix.  ii.  and  12.  (b)  Ifaiah.  ch.  Ixiii.  1.  2.  3.  4« 

PART  2.  Dd 


2IO  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

John,in  the  Revelations,continues  the  fame  allegory,  for  he 
fays,that  the  Logos  (a)  '  treadeth  the  wine-prefs  of  the  fierce- 
*  nefs  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God.'   This  ftate  of  the  Mefll- 
ah,  reprefented  by  the  Noevian  patriarchs,  in  the  hierogly- 
phical  ftyle,was  adulterated,  mifunderftood,  and  totally  disfi- 
gured by  the  Pagans,vvho  fuppofed  this  demi-god  drunk  with 
fury  and  furious  with  wine.    Bacchus  is  alfo  reprefented  as 
triumphing  over  tygers  and  monfters,  fubjefting  the  whole 
world  to  his  empire.  The  Thyrfus,which  is  a  military  inftru- 
ment  put  in  the  hands  of  this  God, has  very  oft  a  vifible  crofs 
put  upon  it.  The  ferpent  and  the  lion  are  his  fymbols,  as  well 
as  thofe  of  Mythras,  Apollo,  and  Ofiris.    At  other  times,he 
is  figured,  as  lying  in  a  tomb  with  a  Cornucopia  in  his  hand, 
to  ihow,  that  his  death  and  fufferings,  were  a  fource  of  uni- 
verfal  felicity  to  mankind.   Bacchus  was  faid  to  be  the  fon  of 
Jupiter  and  Semele.    Now  Semele  comes  from  the  oriental 
wordSEMELEH,  which  fignifys  the  Image,  or  the  refem- 
blance,and  the  Word  is  called  in  Scripture  the  perfe(5l  Image 
of  the  father.   The  Greeks,  not  underflanding  this  etymo- 
logy, feigned  Semele  to  be  a  woman,  and  perfonified  the 
word,  according  to  their  ufual  cuftom;  Bacchus  is  the  fame 
with  Ofiris,  and  in  the  feafts  of  Ofiris  he  was  reprefented  as  a 
child,  and  called  Ben  semele,  the  fon  or  perfeft  image  of 
the  father.    He  was  faid  to  have  been  fhut  up  in  the  thigh  or 
loins  of  Jupiter;   which  fable  came  from   not  underftan- 
ding  the  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  phrafe  that  exprelTes  the 
generative  power,  by  going  out  of  the  thigh,  or  loins  of  a  fa- 
ther. 'I  his  expreflion  is  frequent  in  Scripture.  He  was  called 

(a)  Revel,  ch.  xix.  13.  J 5.  Scc 


OF  THE  MIDDLE  GOD.  in 

Bacchus,  from  the  word  Bacchoth,Lamentari,  Lachrymari, 
to  fhow  his  fufFering  ftate.  Jag  from  Jehovah  the  Being 
that  is;HEVAN  and EvoHEjthe  Author  of  Lire;ELELEUs 
from  Eloah,  God  the  Powerful;  Ues  from  Uesgh  the 
Sire;  Attes  from  Atta  esch,  (a)  which  fignifys  Life 
comes  from  thee,Sourceof  life.  Sabasius  from  Jo  saboi, 
the  Lord  our  help.  Dionyfius  from  Jo  N  i  ss  r ,  or  with  a  dif- 
ferent accent,  Dio  Nr-ssi,  the  God-guide.  Is  it  pofllble, 
that  all  this  fimilitude  of  names,  fymbols,  and  fables  has  no 
relation  to  fomething  more  real  and  divine,  than  an  imagina- 
ry hero? 

Perfeus  Is  another  name  of  the  middle  God  humanized, 
according  to  St.  Juftin  Martyr,  who  fays  exprefly,  that  the 
fable  of  this  demi-God  is  only  a  degradation  and  alteration 
of  the  ancient  tradition  concerning  the  Melliah  mifunder- 
ftood  by  the  Greeks.  The  word  Perfeus  may  be  derived  from 
the  Hebrew  Per  esch  Eques,  a  horfeman  or  a  warriour, 
and  therefore  in  the  ancient  hieroglyphics,  he  was  engraved 
as  mounted  upon  Pcgafus,  or  a  winged  horfe.  Thus,  thefa- 
ered  humanity  is  oft  reprefented  in  Scripture,as  mounted  up- 
on a  red  or  winged  horfe.  (b)  He  is  faid  to  have  been  born  of 
the  virgin  Danac  by  the  defcent  of  Jupiter  in  a  golden  fliower. 
He  is  very  oft  painted  as  Mercury  with  wings  at  his  feet,  and 
we  have  already  fhown,  that  Mercury  was  one  of  the  names 
of  the  middle  God.  He  has  alfo,  for  one  of  his  attributes,  the 
Falcon,  which  was,  as  we  have  feen,  afymbol  of  the  Deity. 
Mounted  upon  his  winged  horfe  he  combated  and  defeated 

(a)  Strabo.  lib.  x.  Suidas  upon  the  word  Atys.  Bochart  Canaan,  lib.i.  cap.  17, 

(b)  Zachar.  ch.  i.  8. 

Dd  2 


212   THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS 

the  three  Gorgons  fromGoRGos,  the  crufhed,  or  Golgol 
broke  upon  the  wheel,tormented,condemned  to  punifliment, 
another  emblem  of  the  evil  principle.  It  is  faid  that  Minerva, 
or  the  third  hypoftafis  of  the  facred  Triad,  changed  the  hair 
of  thefe  three  fifters  intoferpents,becaufe  they  had  defiled  her 
temple.  The  fight  of  thefe  monfters  transformed  men  into 
ftones,  deprived  themof  reafon,  and  made  them  become  in- 
fenfible  to  all  the  charms  of  true  wifdom.  The  laft  atchicve- 
ment  of  Perfeus,  was  to  deliver  Andromeda  from  a  fea  mon- 
fter  ready  to  devour  her.  Andromeda  comes  from  the  Greek 
v/ord  Af^oofjLe^yi  Y  IK  IS  imperans,  which  is  thefamewith 
Pfyche,  and  fo  fignifys,  as  we  have  fhown,  fallen  Intelligen- 
ces, which  the  true  Perfeus  delivered  from  the  evil  principle, 
reprefented,  very  oft  in  Scripture,  as  Leviathan,  or  a  fea  mon- 
fter. 

The  fable  of  Bellerophon,  according  to  St.  Juftih,  was 
another  fymbol  of  the  MefTiah.  The  name  may  be  derived 
from  the  Hebrew  words  Belil  Pabulum  and  Rophen 
Sanans,  the  falutary  food,  the  living  bread,  and  this  is  one 
of  the  epithets  given  to  the  God-man  in  holy  Scripture.  O- 
thcrs  derive  the  word  from  the  Greek  (^"^Xy^u  (pioav, the  bring- 
er  of counfel,  the  great  Counseller  ;  and  thusthe 
facred  oracles  call  the  Melliah.  There  is  a  great  refemblance 
betwixt  the  fable  of  Perfeus  and  Bellerophon.  The  lafl:,  like 
thefirftjis  reprefented  as  mounting  a  winged  horfe  to  combate 
the  chimera,  that  was  compofed  of  the  head  of  a  lion,  the  bo- 
dy of  a  goat  and  the  tail  of  a  ferpent ;  all  fymbols  of  the  evil 
principle,  whofe  head  or  origin  was  divine,  but  by  his  fall, 
he  contracted  a  monftrous  ugly  form,  and  became  a  compo- 


OF   THE   MIDDLE   GOD.  2ig 

fitlon  of  impurity  and  falfliood  figured  by  the  goat  and  the 
fcrpent  in  the  hieroglyphical  language.  All  the  reft  of  his  (lo- 
ry is  fiction. 

Efculapius,  according  to  the  fame  St.  Juftin,  was  another 
type  of  the  McfFiah;  or  at  leaft,  the  fable  of  that  demi-god 
was  derived  originally  from  an  old  tradition  about  a  fon  of 
Jupiter,  that  was  to  become  incarnate  and  come  down  upon, 
earth,  to  cure  human  nature  of  all  its  difeafes  and  miferies. 
Conform  to  this  great  idea,  Julian  the  apoftate,  in  juftifying 
Paganifm,  fays,that  (a)'  Jupiter  the  firft  of  all  intelligiblesge- 

*  Derated  out  of  himfelf  Efculapius,  and  manifefted  him  here 
'  upon  earth,  by  the  generative  life  of  the  fun,  he  coming 
'  down  from  heaven  under  a  human  form,  firft  about  Epi- 

*  daurus,  and  from  thence  extending  his  falutary  virtue  ovec 

*  the  whole  earth.'  Efculapius  then  had  a  double  nature,  one 
divine,  that  was  generated  from  the  fubftance  of  Jupiter  the 
firft  of  all  intelligibles ;  and  another  human,  that  was  gene- 
rated by  the  prolific  power  of  the  fun.    The  word  Efculapius- 
may  be  derived  from  the  two  Hebrew  words  Eifch  and  Ca- 
leph,  the  dog-man,  and  fo  is  the  fame  with  Anubis,  the  faith- 
ful barker,  or  monitor.    He  is  reprcfented  with  a  fceptre  in 
his  hand,  to  fhow  his  kingly  power.    This  fceptre  is  oft  en- 
twifted  with  a  ferpent,  the  fymbol  of  wifdom.    He  is  called 
the  God  of  medicine,  which  is  alfo  a  title  of  th^Mefliah,  as 
phyfician  of  fouls.  The  cock  was  facrificed  to  him,  to  fliow 
all  watchful  Providence;  for  in  the  hieroglyphical  ftylc,  the 
cock  fignified  vigilance.    It  is  then  no  wonder,  if  the  great 
Socrates  dcfired  whendying,that  a  cock  might  be  facrificed  to. 

(a)  St.  Cyrill.  contra  Julian,  lib.  vi.pag.  aoOi 


1214  THE  THREE  MANIFESTATIONS  &c. 

Efculapius,  fince  he  looked  upon  him  as  the  middle  God  hu- 
manized, or  the  fecond  hypoftafis  of  the  divine  Triad. 

Thus,  in  conformity  to  the  great  principle  laid  down  by 
St.  Juftin  Martyr,  we  have  endeavoured  to  find  out  the  re- 
femblances  there  are,  betwixt  the  Greek  fables,  an<i  the  an- 
cient tradition  of  the  Mefliah,  handed  down  from  age  to  age, 
tho'  adulterated,  disfigured,  and  obfcured  by  fucceflion  of 
time.  I  fay  it  once  more.  Is  it  pofTible,  that  all  thefe  fmiili- 
tudes  in  the  etymologys,fymbols  and  fables  of  the  Pagan  my- 
thology, and  the  Hebraic  theology  have  no  foundation,  but 
pure  hazard,  or  that  the  paritys  we  have  found  can  be  meer 
fidtions  forced  and  accommodated  to  our  fyftem?  This  we 
leave  to  the  criticifm,  examination,  and  fevere  cenfureof  the 
learned,  without  daring  to  ere^t  our  conjefturesinto  proofs. 


21S 


CHAP.     IV. 

Of    the    three  States   of   Human   Nature 

degraded. 

WE  have  endeavoured  to  demonftrate  in  the  firft  part 
of  this  work,  that  the  original  producftlon  of  the  Al- 
mighty could  not  be  chaos,  darknefs,  and  confufion ;  that 
Nature  in  its  primitive  ftate  was  altogether  reprefentative  of 
the  divine  perfe^ions,  and  therefore,  entirely  exempt  from 
all  moral  and  phyfical  evil,  fin  and  fuffering.  We  Ihall  now 
fhow,  that  this  was  the  conflant  do<n:rine  of  all  antiquity, 
both  facred  and  profane.  We  begin  with  the  legiflator  of  the 
Jews.  But  before  we  attempt  an  explication  of  his  divine  cof- 
mogony,  we  muft  premife  the  following  remarks. 

I.  Several  great  men,both  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  Church, 
of  the  Roman  and  Proteftant  communion,  think  as  the  fa- 
mous Sir  Ifaac  Newton,  (a)  That  we  have  loft  fome  books 
wrote  by  the  patriarchs,  both  before  and  after  the  deluge, 
concerning  the  creation,  firft  origin  and  primitive  hiftory  of 
the  world;  and  that  the  book  of  Genefis  preferved  was  ra- 
ther a  fhort  extravSt,  than  an  exa(fl:  copy  of  thefe  original  patri- 
archal records.  It  is  certain,  as  Sir  Ilaac  remarks,  that  Scrip- 
ture mentions,  in  different  places,  fevcral  books  loft,  fuch.as 

*  the  book  of  the  generations  of  Adam:  thebookof  the  wars 

*  of  God;  Thebooks  of  Enoch.'    We  do  not  venture  to  de- 
(a)  See  Sir  Ifaac  Newton's  obfervations  upon  Daniel,  page.  4.5. 


2i6  OF  THE    THREE  STATES 

clde  fuch  an  important  queftion,  but  leave  it  to  the  deciflon 
of  the  learned. 

2.  If  there  be  any  truth  in  this  conjecflure,  we  muft  not 
be  furprized,  if  the  tranfitions  from  one  fubje(5t  to  another  be 
more  rapid  in  the  extracts  preferved5than  in  the  originals  that 
are  loft,  and  if  many  particular  circumftancesbeomitted,that 
would  have  been  very  ufeful  to  illuftratefeveral  curious  enqui- 
ries concerning  the  primitive  creation  and  fall  of  angels  and 
men,  tho'  they  were  not  abfolutely  neceffary  to  regulate  our 
faith.  Thefe  two  great  principles  fuppofed,  till  they  be  more 
fully  demonftrated,  we  come  now  to  the  paraphrafeof  the 
three  firft  chapters  of  Genefis. 

The  facred  hiftorian  Mofes  thus  begins  his  divine  cof- 
mogony.    '  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and 
*  the  earth.'    In  the  beginning,  that  is,  from  the  beginning 
of  time,  when  God,  fo  tofpeak,  fallied  out  of  his  ftill  eter- 
nity to  think  of  finite  beings,  and  to  create  fubftances  an- 
fwerable  to  his  archetypal  ideas.  *  He  made  the  heavens  and 
'  the  earth,'  that  is,  an  etherial  fluid,  and  folid  matter,  an 
immenfe  ocean  of  light  and  innumerable  fpheres  that  floated 
therein ;  or,asfome  primitive  fathers  very  wifely  maintained, 
the  intelligent  and  material  world,  the  living  images  and  the 
corporeal  picHiures:  for,  as  Mofes  fays  nothing  of  the  creation 
of  angels,  the  word  heavens  or  Shemim  may  (ignify,  not 
only  the  celeftial  fpheres;  but  alfo  theintelleftual  inhabitants 
of  thefe  etherial  abodes.    Whofoever  underftands  the  geni- 
us of  the  Hebrew  language  knows,  that  it  is  very  energetical 
and  Laconic;  and  that  it  very  oft  expreft  a  great  deal  in  one 
word.    Unlefs  then  we  fuppofe,  that  Mofes  contradicted  this 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  217 

great  principle  admitted  by  all  divines,  that  the  creation  is 
a  reprefentation  of  the  divine  perfeftions  from  without,  we 
muft  grant,  that  the  true  fenfc  of  this  firft  verfcis,  'In  the  be- 
'  ginning  of  time,  God  created  a  material  world  replcniftied 

*  with  intellectual  inhabitants;  innumerable  fphcres  of  vifible 
'  pi(5lures  and  living  images  that  were  exempt  from  all  moral 

*  and  phyfical  evil,  fin  and  fufFering,  and  altogether  repre- 

*  Tentative  of  the  divine  perfedlions.' 

Mofcs,  after  having  defined  the  primitive  pure  creation  of 
Nature,  in  thefirfl:  verfeofhis  divine  cofmogony,  paiTes  fud- 
denly  in  the  fecond,  to  defcribe  the  ftate  of  this  inferior 
fphere  after  the  fall  of  angels,  which  produced  diforder  and 
confufion  in  the  folar  fyltem.    *  And  the  earth,'  fays  he, 

*  was  without  form  and  void,  and  darknefs  was  upon  the  face 
'  of  the  deep.'  All  our  miftakes  on  this  head  come  from  a 
falfe  tranflation  of  the  words,  '  the  earth  was  without  form 

*  and  void,'  which  Ihould  be  rendered  thus;  'The  earth 
'  became  without  form  and  void,'  for  the  Hebrew  word 
Eithe,  which  we  tranflate  was,  (ignifys  equally  became. 
The  Hebrew  words  ToHUand  Bohu,  which  are  tranflated 

*  -without  form  and  void,'are  made  ufe  of  by  the  prophet  (a) 
Jeremiah,  to  denote  a  country  laid  wafte,  ruined,  and  rava- 
ged by  enemies.  Thus,  the  meaning  of  the  text  muft  be, '  But 

*  the  earth,  or  the  primitive  abode  of  rebellious  fpirits  became 
'  by  their  revolt  wafte,  ruined,  and  defolate,  a  chaos  without 

*  form,  void  of  light,  and  furrounded  with  darknefs,  becaufe 

(a)  Jerem.  ch.  iv.  13. 

PART  2.  Ee 


2i8         OF  THE  THREE  STATES 

'  all  communication  with  the  luminous  centre  was  flopped 

*  and  fufpended.' 

In  order  to  difllpate  the  chaos  and  confufion  introduced 
into  this  part  of  the  creation,  *  The  Spirit  of  God  fat  brood- 

*  inguponthefaceof  the  waters,'  that  is,the  Jehovah  Ru- 
ACH,  or  third  hypoftafis  of  the  Deity  emitted  his  divine  in- 
fluences into  the  centre  of  the  abyfs,  or  chaos,  to  reftore  life, 
light  and  order  to  the  dead,  dark,  and  difordercd  mafs.    The 
firft  day's  work  was  the  introduction  of  light  Into  the  fphere 
of  lapfed  intelligences:  The  Logos  acting  from  the  higheft 
heavens,  the  feat  or  abode  of  the  facred  humanity,  tranfmit- 
ted  light,  and,  by  his  all-vivifying  Spirit,  gave  motion  and 
life  to  the  dark  orb.    Thus,  he  feparated  '  the  light  from  the 
'  darknefs,'  the  fuperior  regions  from  the  inferior,  called  in 
Scripture  the  Deep,  or  the  Abyfs,  where  the  rebellious  chiefs 
were  fhut  up  in  perfect  obfcurity,  and  where  all  reprobate  fpi- 
rits  are  one  day  to  be  imprifoned.    This  infernal  region  is  al- 
fo  called  the  pit,  the  bottomlefs  pit,  the  Tophet,  the  lake  pre- 
pared from  the  beginning  of  the  world  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels.   We  fhall  fee  after  this,  that  all  the  rebellious  fpirits 
were  not  yet  fhut  up  therein;  but  that  many  of  them  were 
condemned  to  animate  brutal  forms,  even  in  Paradife,  after 
the  diflipation  of  the  chaos. 

The  fecond  day  the  firmament  was  formed,  or  theatmo- 
fphere  of  the  air,  by  the  action  of  the  ethereal  fluid,  or  lumi- 
nous principle  which  was  created  the  firft  day,before  the  pro- 
du^ion  of  the  fun  or  planets.  This  luminous  fluid  was  the 
univerfal  agent  and  primitive  fpring  of  nature,  and  has  conti- 
nued ever  fince  to  be  fo.    It  was,  as  we  have  feen  in  the  firft 


OF  HUMAN  NATURE.  zi^ 

Part,  an  image  or  reprefentatlon  of  the  uncreated  eflence,  as 
the  folid  and  tranfparent  bodys  were  in  the  primitive,  original 
ftate  of  the  creation^  emblems  or  fliadows  of  created  intelli- 
gences. This  ethereal  fluid  direcfted  by  laws  quite  unknown 
to  us,  and  perhaps  very  different  from  the  little  mechanical 
xules,  dbferved  here  below,  fince  a  ftate  of  degradation,  fepa- 
rated  the  liquids  upon  the  earth,  or  under  the  firmanient, 
•from  the  liquids  above  the  firmament,  or  atmofphere.  It  is 
added,  *  and  God  faid,  let  the  waters  under  the  heaven  be 

*  gathered  together  into  one, place,  and  let  the  dry-land  ap- 

*  pear,  and  the  gathering  together  of  the  waters  called  he 
'  feas/  Some  thhik  with  great  reafon,  that  in  the  paradifia- 
cal  earth,  the  feas  did  not  overflow  the  moft  confiderable 
part  of  the  earth,  as  now,  where  there  is  but  a  fmall  part  of 
dry-land  in  comparifon  of  the  great  ocean;  and  that  then  the 
feas,  or  gathering  together  of  the  waters  were  at  the  centre 
in  the  abyfs,  under  the  dry-land,  or  fhell  of  the  earth.  For 
this  reafon,  the  fountains  of  the  deep  are  faid  to  be  opened 
.at  the  deluge,  and  St.  John,  in  fpeaking  of  the  new  heavens 
and  the  new  earth  reftored  to  their  paradifiacal  form  after  the 
refurre<5lion,  fays,  *  That  there  was  no  fea  there.'  (a) 

Upon  the  third  day  was  performed  the  feparation  of  the 
terraqueous  folids,  infeparable  monads,  or  feminal  principles 
which  had  been  mixed  and  confounded  into  one  mafs,  du- 
ring the  chaos.  Thus  were  produced  herbs,  trees  and  all  fort 
of  vegetables  frudified  and  expanded  by  the  circulation 
of  the  aqueous  fluids,  that  infmuated  into  their  flender 
pipes  and  channels,  by  the  adion  of  the  ethereal  fluid, which, 

(a)  Revel,  ch.  xxi.  v.  i. 

E  C     2 


220  OF   THE  THREE  STATES 

as  we  have  faid,  is  the  fource  of  life,  light  and  motion  to  all 

folid  bodys. 

The  fourth  day's  work  was  the  formation  of  the  fim, 
moon,  and  planets.   Forby  the  Chubbim,  tranflated  ftars, 
are  to  be  underftood  the  wandering  ones,  and  not  the  fixed 
aftral  bodys,  which,  being  without  the  folar  fyftem,  had  fuf- 
fered  no  alteration  by  the  fall  of  angels.    To  fuppofe,  that 
Mofes  meant  by  the  Chubbim  the  fixed  ftars,  and  that  they 
were  raadeonly  tofparkle  to  us  in  a  dark  night,  is  fuppofing 
him  miferably  ignorant  of  the  yaft  extent  of  nature,  prepof- 
feffed  with  very  low  ideas  of  the  creation,  and  thereby  autho- 
rizing the  fulfom  railleries  of  the  incredulous,  who  cry  out 
with  reafon,  that  the  holy  Spirit  could  not  be  the  author  of 
the  childifh,  unphilofophical  fyflem,  which  the  fchoolmen 
attribute  to  Mofes.  All  theMofaical  defcription  muft  then  be 
explained  of  a  new  world  formed  in  the  folar  fyftern,  quite 
different  from  the  primitive,  original,  uncorrupted,  angelical 
creation-,  where,  according  to  the  exprefTion  of  Ecclefiafticus, 
'  The  works  of  God  never  ceafe  from  their  operations,  none 
'  of  them  hindreth  one  another,  nor  ever  difobey  his  word.* 
It  is  added, '  let  there  be  lights  in  the  firmament  of  the  heaven, 
*  to  divide  the  day  from  the  night;  and  let  them  be  for  figns 
'  apd  for  feafons,  and  for  days  and  for  years.'    This  vcrfe 
f^ems  to  indicate  the  revolutions  of  the  planets,  and  their  fa- 
tellites  in  elliptical  orbits  about  the  fun,  and  the  obliquity  of 
the  plan  of  the  ecliptic  to  that  of  the  equator,  which  produ- 
ced upon  the  terraqueous  globe,   the  alternate  returns  of 
day  and  night,  of  times  and  feafons,  months  and  years.    All 
thefe  variations,  however,  are  to  difappear  one  day.  after  the 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  22r 

general  re-eflablifliment  of  all  things,  as  we  fliall  {how  elfe- 
where.  Mofes,  after  having  mentioned  the  funcftion  of  the 
Chubbim,  or  planets,  proceeds  to  defcribe  the  creation  of 
the  fun  and  moon,  the  two  mofi:  confpicuous  luminarys  of 
this  terraqueous  abode.    '  And  God  made  two  great  lights, 

*  the  greater  light  to  rule  the  day,  and  the  lefTcr  light  to  rule 

*  the  night.'  Hence  fomc  conclude  with  reafon,  that  in  the 
paradifiacal  earth,  the  light  of  the  fun  and  moon  were  far 
greater  than  they  are  now.  The  prophet  Ifaiah  feems  to  ap- 
prove this  opinion,  when  he  fays,  that  in  the  paradifiacal 
earth  reftored  and  renewed  at  the  fecond.  coming,  (a)  'The 

*  light  of  the  fun  fhall  be  feven  times  greater  than  now  it  is; 

*  and,  that  the  light  of  the  moon  fiiall  be  as  the  light  of  the 
^  fun  now  is.'  This  opinion  feems  alfo  evident  from  theMo- 
faical  context.  Could  the  moon  be  faid  to  light  the  earth  in  a 
paradifiacal  ftate,  if  its  rays  had  then  been  fo  languid  and 
dim,asthey  noware;and  if  during  the  two  thirds  of  its  courfe, 
they  did  not  as  now  afl  at  all  upon  the  one  half  of  the  hcmi- 
lphere,and  were  fometimes  fcarce  able  to  penetrate  the  clouds 
and  thick atmofphere?  Thus,  God  would  have  created  a  noc- 
turnal lamp  or  light,  that  did  not  anfwer  his  end.  Moreo- 
ver, St.  John  fays,  in  the  defcription  he  gives  of  the  earth  re- 
newed, and  reftored  to  its  paradifiacal  form,  '  that  their  will 

*  be  no  night  nor  darkncfs  there,fuch  as  now;'  and  therefore 
there  was  none  in  its  primitive  ftate,  according  to  the  teftimo- 
ny  of  the  forecited  prophet,  who  fays,  that  the  light  of  the 
moon  fhall  be  then  as  great  as  that  of  the  fun  now  is. 

The  fifth  day's  work  was  the  produ6tion  of  animals  in  the 

(a)  Ifaiah  ch.  xxx.  v.  26.. 


222  OF  THE  THREE  STATES 

waters  and  in  the  air,  which  are  both  called  Mi  M  in  Hebrew, 
and  which ihould  betranflated  liquids.  Since  it  is  faid,  that 
the  waters  contained  the  feminal  molds  of  both  fifhes  and 
fowls,  of  reptiles  and  volatiles,  and  of  all  moving  animals 
that  have  living  fouls.  Now  we  know  by  philofophical  ob- 
fcrvation  and  experiments,  that  the  air,  as  well  as  the  waters, 
contain  thefe  primitive  feeds,  and  therefore  Mofes  calls  both 
MiM  or  liquids,  becaufe  they  are  really  fuch.  During  this 
day,the  univerfal  agent  of  nature, the  ethereal  fluid,dire(5tedby 
lihe  uncontroulablelaws  of  a  divine  mechanifm,  gathered  to- 
gether and  ranged  into  different  claffesthe  feminal  principles, 
and  elementary  feeds  of  birds,  fifhes,  and  beads  by  its  diffe- 
rent adlion  upon  the  homogeneousatoms,or  monads  of  all  the 
animal  kind,  which  had  been  difperfed,  mixed,  and  difUpated 
by  the  chaos,  fothat  their  congenialliquors  could  not  circu- 
late, flow  into,  nor  expand  them. 

The  fixth  day's  work  was  the  creation  of  man,  into  whom 
God  breathed  immediately  a  principle  of  Immortal 
I.IVES,  one  for  the  Hfe  of  the  foul,  another  for  that  of  the 
body.  The  chief  of  this  fpecies  contained  in  his  loins,  as 
well  as  all  other  animals,  the  feeds  or  moulds  of  all  his  pofte- 
rity.  It  is  added,  that  God  faid,  '  Let  us  make  man  in  our 
*  own  image,  after  our  own  likenefs.'  Myflerious  truth,little 
underftood  by  thefcholaftic  divines,thefe  Chriftian  mytholo- 
gifh,  who  have  degraded,  mifunderftood,  and  disfigured  fa- 
cred  tradition,  near  as  much  as  the  Pagan  fabulifts!  This  fi- 
milltude  to  God  denotes,  not  only  that  his  foul  was  made  a 
living  image  of  the  pure  incorporeal  effenceby  itsintellecftual 
facultys  of  activity,  intelligence, .and.i..avE;i.but 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  t2y 

even,  that  his  corporeal  e:{rence,  or  paradifiacal  vehicle  was 
formed  after  the  likenefs  of  the  facred  humanity  of  the  Lo' 
gos,  which  divine  humanity  was,  as  we  have  feen,  created 
from  the  beginning,,  an-d  is  the  '  firft-born  of  all  creatures.' 
It  is  added,  *  Co  God  created  man  in  his  own  image,  in  the 

*  image  of  God  created  he  him,  male  and  female  created  he 

*  them.'  The  woman  was  not  yet  made,  and  therefore  it  is 
firft  faid,  '  that  God  created  man '  in  the  fingular,  '  in  the 
'  image  of  God  created  he  him,'  ftill  in  the  fingular  to  fhow, 
that  God  created  at  firft  only  one  individual,  but  the  plural 
ifS  made  ufc  of  in  the  next  phrafe  of  the  fame  verfe,  to  fhow, 
that  this  one  individual  contained  in  himfelf  originally  the 
two  fexes,  or  both  the  principles  of  fecundity.  From  this  an- 
cient tradition  mifunderflood,  came  the  wild,  ridiculous  fa- 
ble of  the  Greeksjthat  man  was  at  firft  an  hermaphrodite,  in 
the  grofs  fcnie  reprefented  by  their  ftatues.  Thus,  the  Pa- 
gan my thologifts  miderftood  all  in  a  low,beaftkl,  brutal  man- 
ner; and  this  made  tlie  Chriftian  mythologifts  reject  the  an- 
cient tradition  as  a  fable.  Some  modern  Chrifti-an  fabulifts 
conclude  from  this  text,  that  Adam  engendred  in  Paradife, 
long  before  the  creation  of  the  woman,  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  planets,  and  a  numberlefs  multitude  of  men, that  were 
not  the  fons  of  Eve.  All  this,  tho'  poffible,  yet  appears  chi- 
merical,and  has  no  foundation  in  Scripture,  in  antiquity,  nor 
in  philofophy.  We  muft  guard  againft  all  thefe  ficHrions,  both> 
Pagan  and  Jewifh,  ancient  and  modern ;  and  admit  of  no  tra- 
ditions, but  what  are  conform  to  Scripture,  the  great  plan  of 
Providence,  and  the  analogy  of  faith  ;  and  therefore  we  have 
rejeded  all  otlier  pretended  traditions,  but  thefe  of  the  facred: 


224  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

fcxenary  already  mentioned,  and  to  be  explained  In  the  fol- 
lowing fheets.    Mofes  at  lafl:  thus  finijfhes  his  firft  chapter, 

*  And  God  faw  every  thing  that  he  had  made,  and  behold  it 

*  was  very  good.'  There  was  therefore  nothing  in  the  firfl 
produ<5lion  of  the  paradifiacal  world,  that  was  bad,  neither 
moral  nor  phyfical  evil ,  neither  fin  nor  fuifering. 

Thefe  are  the  fix  days  works,  the  generation  of  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  or  the  formation  of  the  folar  fyftem, 
after  the  chaos  and  confufion  introduced  into  material  nature 
by  the  fall  of  angels.  It  is  very  remarkable,  that  when  the 
Legiflator  of  the  Jews  fpeaks  of  the  firfl:  original  produ<n:ion 
of  angelical  nature,  as  it  came  pure  from  the  hands  of  God, 
he  expreffes  it  by  one  fentence,   *  In  the  beginning  God 

*  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,'to  fhow  that  this  firfl:  cre- 
ation was  an  infl:antaneous  t&S:  of  his  Almighty  Power; 
but  when  Mofes  defcribes  the  formation  of  the  '  Paradifia- 
'  cal  world'  in  the  folar  fyfl:em  after  the  chaos,  he  divides  it 
into  days  and  intervals,  to  fignify  that  it  was  not  an  immedi- 
ate momentary  efTecft  of  the  firfl  caufe,  but  produced  by  a 
fiicccflive  co-operation  of  fecond  caufes  and  natural  powers 
that  aft  by  gradation.  When  God  fallied  out  of  his  flill  eter- 
nity to  think  of,  and  produce  finite,  he  formed  the  idea  of 
the  archetypal  world,or  of  all  the  different  manners  by  which 
he  could  reprefent  himfelf  from  without.  T  hen  he  willed 
the  exiflence  of  beings  anfvverable  to  thefe  ideas,  and  by  one 
unfucceflivefimultancous  a6t,  innumerable  worlds  of  mate- 
rial pictures,  and  intelligent  images  were  produced:  for  when 
God  afts  alone,  independent  of  fecond  caufes,  all  fucceffion 
feems  incompatible  with  the  high  and  jufl  ideas  we  fhould 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  225 

have  of  his  omnipotence.  If  we  confider  this  great  principle, 
and  combine  it  with  another  already  dcmonftrated,  viz.  that 
tlic  produ6lions  of  a  God,  whofe  effence  is  life,  light  and 
love,  and  who  can  have  no  other  defign  in  creating,  but  to  re- 
prefent  himfelf  from  without,as  he  is  from  within,can  not  be 
darknefs,  confufion,  and  chaos;  the  reunion, I  fay,  of  thefe 
two  great  principles  feems  to  form  a  demonftration,that  there 
mufl:  be  an  eflential  difference  betwixt  the  primitive,  original, 
uncorrupted,  angelical  creation,  mentioned  in  the  firft  verfe 
of  the  firft  chapter  of  Genefis,  and  the  paradifiacal  world 
defcribed  in  the  following  verfes  of  the  fame  chapter. 

In  the  fecond  chapter,  Mofes  fays,  that  upon  the  feventh 
day  God  rcfted  from  all  the  works  that  he  had  made.This  muft 
not  be  underftood,  as  if  God,  whofe  infinite  a<5livity  does  not 
difturb  his  eternal  repofe,  totally  fufpended  all  fecundity 
from  without,  and  remained  for  ever  in  a  barren  inaction, 
inconfiftent  with  the  free  defigns  of  his  infinite  love.  His 
unbounded  power  may  difplay  itfelf  for  ever  and  everjin  crea- 
ting, and  multiplying  new  worlds  without  end,  as  we  have 
faid  in  the  firft  Part.  What  the  divine  Law-giver  of  the  Jews 
means  by  this  repofe  in  God,  is,  that  the  paradifiacal  world 
was  intirely  finifhed,  fitted  up  for  the  habitation  of  men,  and 
proportioned  to  the  nature  and  ufe  of  a  new  fpecies  of  beings, 
that  were  to  pafs  thro'  a  ftate  of  probation,  be  elevated  by 
degrees  to  a  higher  fclicity,and  fill  atlaft  the  places  of  the  fal- 
len angels. 

In  order  to  have  fome  idea  of  this  paradifiacal  earth,  we 
muft  confult  the  doftrine  of  the  prophets  and  apoftles,and  ex- 
plain Scripture  by  Scripturc.The  facred  oracles  always  repre- 
PART  2,  F  f 


226         OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

fent  to  us  the  ftate  of  the  earth,  after  our  Saviour's  fecond 
coming,  as  a  renovation,  a  re-eftablifhment,  and  a  reparati- 
on. Now  things  are  fald  to  be  renewed,  repaired,  and  re-e- 
ftablifliedjOnly  In  fo  far,  as  they  are  reftored  to  a  fir  ft  ftate  of 
perfe^^ion,  which  they  had  loft.  Hence  the  prophet  Ifaiah 
fays,  that  (a)  *  at  the  laft  day,  the  earth  fhall  reel  to  and  fro 

*  like  a  drunkard,  be  removed  like  a  cottage,  fall  and  not  rife 

*  again ;  and  that  (b)  God  will  then  create  new  heavens  and 
'  a  new  earth,  and  the  former  fhall  not  be  remembred,  nor 

*  called  Into  mind.'  St.  Peter  continues  the  fame  doi5trine,(c) 
'  The  day  of  the  Lord  will  come,In  which  the  heavens  fhall 

*  pafs  away  with  a  great  noife,  and  the  elements  fhall  melt 
'  with  fervent  heat,  neverthelefs,according  to  his  promife,we 

*  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  righteouf- 
'  nefs  dwells.'  The  Evangelift  St.  John  fumms  up  all  the 
do6lrinc  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament  In  thefe  words,  (d) 

*  I  faw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  for  the  firft  heaven 

*  and  the  firft  earth  were  pafTed  away;  I  John  faw  the  Holy 
'  City,  the  New  Jerufalem,  coming  down  from  God  out  of 
'  heaven,  having  thegloryof  God,  and  her  light  was  like  un- 

*  to  a  ftone  moft  precious,  clear  as  cryftal.'  Then  he  de- 
fcribes  this  New  Jerufalem,  as  all  luminous  and  tranfparent, 
'  becaufe  the  glory  of  God  enllghtned  it,  and  there  was  no 

*  night  there.' 

The  fchoolmen,iiot  underftanding  theScriptures,fpeakof 
the  paradifiacal  world,  as  a  ftate  little  different  from  the  pre- 
fent,  and  never  fo  much  as  hint  that  it  was  before  the  fall, 

(a)  Ifaiah.  ch.  xxiv.  20.         (b)  Id.  ch.  Ixv.  1 7.         (c)  II Peter  ch.  iii.    io» 
(d)  Revel,  xxi.  I.  2.  10,  1 1.  23.  25. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  227 

fuch  as  it  will  be  after  the  refurredlon.   For  this  reafon,  they 
rack  their  brains  to  find  out  the  place  where  Paradife  was 
fituated.   Some  have  placed  it  in  the  third  heavens,  others  in 
the  moon ;  others  in  the  middle  regions  of  the  air  above  the 
€arth ;  others  under  the  earth;  others  upon  the  globe  of  the 
earth ;    Some  in  the  North,  in  that  place  of  Tartary  where 
the  Cafpian  fea  now  flows;   fome  in  the  South,  where  is  the 
land  of  fire;  fome  in  theEaft,  on  the  borders  of  the  Ganges; 
or  in  the  ifle  of  Ceylan,  or  in  China;  fome  in  Africa,  under 
the  Equinoflial  Line;  others  in  Europe ;  the  moflpart  in  A- 
fiajtho'  they  do  not  know  where,  in  America,  Mefopotamia, 
Affyria,  Babylonia,  Arabia,  Perfia,  or  in  Paleftine.    All  ri- 
diculous fi(5tions  and  wild  conjectures,  which  fhow,  that  the 
Chrif]:ians  have  quite  forgot  their  religion,  as  the  Jews,  and 
degraded  the  ancient  tradition,  as  the  Pagans!   Thefe  odd 
figments,  difputes,  and  uncertainties,  have  given  occafion  to 
the  incredulous  to  look  upon  the  Mofaic  defcription  of  Pa- 
radife as  a  fi(5tion,like  that  oftheHefperian  garden. Could  men 
of  common  fenfe,that  rcfle<5ted  upon  the  curfe  that  happened 
to  the  earth  fince  the  fall,  which  changed  its  form,  and  upon 
the  deluge, which  opened  the  fountains  of  the  deep,  the  cata- 
racts of  heaven,  and  fhook  the  pillars  of  the  earth  to  their  ve- 
ry foundations,  imagine  to  find  out  the  feat  of  Paradife  in  any 
fpotof  our  disfigured,  altered  and  degraded  globe?  had  they 
confidcred  the  doftrine  of  the  prophets  and  the  apoiUes,  which 
flill  reprefent  the  earth  after  the  rcfurre(ftion,  as  a  rcfloration, 
a  renovation,  and  a  re-eltablifliment  of  all  things  to  their  pri- 
mitive form,  would  they  not  have  feen  that  during  the  flatc 
of  innocence,the  whole  earth  was  a  Paradife,exempt  from  all 

Ff  2 


228  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

moral  and  phyfical  evil,  tho'  far  inferior  to  the  primitive,  ori- 
ginal, uncorrupted  creation  before  the  fall  of  angels? 

We  do  not  however  deny,  that  in  a  primitive  ftate,  there 
was  one  particular  place  upon  earth  more  beautiful  than  the 
reft,  called  the  garden  of  delights,  or  the  garden  of  Eden, 
fmce  Mofes  fays  in  this  fecond  chapt-er,  '  And  the  Lord  plan- 

*  ted  a  garden  Eaft-ward  in  Eden,  and  there  he  put  the  man 
'  whom  he  had  formed.'  This  was  the  feat  and  the  proper 
abode  of  the  protoplaft,  of  the  head  and  chief  of  the  human 
race.  Some  think,  that  this  place  was  a  high  mountain  far 
exalted  above  all  the  other  hills,  or  eminences  of  our  terreftri- 
al  globe.  Their  conjecture  is  founded  upon  this,  that  in  the 
defcription  which  facred  writ  gives  us  of  the  earth  renewed, 
and  reftored  to  its  primitive  paradifiacal  form,  there  is  ftill  a 
particular  place  mentioned  as  the  immediate  feat  and  refidence 
of  the  Meiriah,which  is  called  (a)  *  The  Holy  Mountain,the 
'  mountain  of  the  Lord,  the  mountain  of  his  holinefs  and 

*  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth.    As  alfo,  the  mountain  of  Zion 

*  comely  for  its  fituation,  and  the  perfection  of  beauty.' 
The  prophet  Ifaiah  calls  it  '  The  mountain  of  the  Lord's 

*  houfe,  which  in  the  laft  days  fhall  be  eftablifhed  upon  the 

*  top  of  the  mountains,  and  exalted  above  all  the  hills;  and 

*  into  which  all  nations  fliall  flow.' 

To  return  to  the  Mofaic  narration,  this  divine  cofmogra- 
pher  adds,  '  That  God  made  every  tree  to  grow^  there  that  is 

*  pleafantto  the  fight,and  good  for  food,'efpecially  the  tree  of 
life  and  the  tree  ofknowledge,and  that  from  this  place  went 
forth  a  river,  to  water  the  garden,  and  then  divided  itfelf  into 

(a)  Pfalra.  xlxviii.i.  2.  Ibid,  pfalra.  1.  2. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  229 

four  branches  or  rivers.  What  a  ftrange  pother  have  not  the  cri- 
tics made,to  find  out  the  known  names  of  thefe  four  rivers  cal- 
led in  Hebrew Phison,  Gehon,  Hiddekel,  and  Phe- 
R  AD,which,according  to  the  genius  of  the  Hebrew  language, 
feem  all  metaphorical  names,expre{IIve  of  the  natural  qualities 
andpropertysof  thefe  paradifiacalriversIOne  of  the  ablefl:  and 
(a)  moft  learned  critics  of  the  age  imagines,  that  thefe  four 
rivers  are  the  Phafis,  the  Araxis,  the  Tygris,  and  the  Eu- 
phrates, andconfequently  that  Paradifeor  Eden  was  placed 
in  Colchis,  now  Mingrelia,  near  the  mountains  of  Turcoma- 
nia,  and  that  this  was  what  gave  rife  to  the  fable  of  the  Gol- 
den fleece.    Whatever  truth  there  be  in  this  conjeclure,  it  is 
certain,  that  by  the  alterations  which  happened  to  the  earth 
degraded  fince  the  fall,  and  diffolved  by  the  deluge,  there 
was,  and  could  be  no  refemblance  betwixt  this  climate,  that 
country,  and  thefe  rivers  as  they  now  are,and  what  they  were 
iii  a  paradifiacal  flate.  As  the  Mofaical  narration  is  rapid  and 
fhort,  the  beft  way  to  form  an  idea  ofParadife,  Is  to  adhere 
to  this  great  principle  already  mentioned,    that  Eden  was 
much  the  fame  before  the  fall,  as  it  will  be  after  the  refurrec- 
tion;  and  therefore  to  obfervethe  defcription  which  the  pro- 
phets and  apoftles  give  us  of  the  river  that  will  run  through 
it.    St.  John  gives  us  this  pompous  defcription  of  that  river, 
(b)  *  And  he  {hewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  Hfe,  clear 

*  as  cryftal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God,  and  of 

*  the  Lamb.   In  the  midft  of  the  llreet,  and  upon  each  fide 

*  of  the  river  was  the  tree  of  life,  which  bore  twelve  manner 

(a)  Father  Calmet  a  Benedi<Jtia  in  his  commentary  upon  this  text.         (b)  Re- 
vel, chap.  xxii.  i.  2.  3. 


230  OF  THE   THREE   STATES 

'  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every  month  ;  and  the  leaves 
'  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.'  This  rlvei^ 
then  in  paradife,  tho'  a  real  river,  yet  v^^as  altogether  myfte- 
rious,  emblematical  and  reprefentative  of  fpiritual  virtues,  as 
all  the  reft  of  the  creation,  and  endued  with  qualities  fuitable 
to  a  paradifiacal  (late. 

After  that  man  was  placed  in  this  garden  of  delights  to 
drefsit,  '  The  Lord  commanded  him  faying,  Of  every  tree  of 
'  the  garden,  thou  maycft  freely  eat,  but  of  the  tree  of  the 
'  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou  {halt  not  eat;  for  in  the 
*  day  thou  eatefl:  thereof,  thou  fhalt  furely  die/   "Wherefore, 
if  man  had  not  eaten  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  he  would  not 
have  died.    He  was  to  have  lived  immortal  in  Paradife,  and  to 
have  pafTe.d  a  time  of  probation  in  a  ftate  of  delights,  till,  be- 
ing confirmed  in  the  habits  of  pure  love,  he  was  elevated  to 
the  fupream  felicity  of  his  nature,  the  immediate  vifion  of  the 
divine  eflence.Till  then  he  enjoyed  only  the  acceflbry  happi- 
nefs  which  confided  in  the  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  pure 
uncorrupted  nature,  of  the  beauties  of  the  material  pi6tu res, 
and  the  fociety  of  the  living  images.   During  this  paradifiacal 
ftate,  the  facred  humanity  of  the  Logos  came  down  very  oft 
into  the  garden,  and  converfcd  wath  him  '  face  to  face,  as  a 
'  man  with  his  friend.' 

As  God  never  afis  by  arbitrary  wills,  that  have  no  foun- 
dation in  eternal  reafon ;  as  he  gives  no  pofitive  laws,  purely 
and  only  to  try  the  obedience  of  the  creature;  as  thefe  pofi- 
tive commands  are  always  means,  or  helps  to  procure  the 
obeyer's  felicity,  and  no  ways  fimple  precepts  to  fhow  the 
creatures  dependance  upon  and  fubmiflion  to  a  defpotic  Le- 


OF   HUMAN   NATURE.  231 

giflator ;  it  may  be  afked,  why  God  planted  the  forbidden  tree 
in  Eden,  if  it  was  noxious;  and  if  it  was  not  fo,  why  he  for- 
bid the  ufe  of  it.  As  Mofes  fays  nothing  on  this  head  to  fa- 
tisfy  the  curiofity  of  men,  it  feemsbold  to  enquire  into  what 
God  has  not  thought  fit  to  reveal:  but  becaufe  the  incredu^ 
lous  laugh  at  the  ftory  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  we  thought 
that  it  was  fit  to  hazard  fome  conje(5tures  upon  this  impor- 
tant fubjed,  which,  tho'  they  do  not  amount  to  proofs,  yet 
they  are  probable  conjcvflures. 

In  the  firft  chapter  of  Genefis,  God,  upon  the  immediate 
creation  of  man,  gave  him  an  unlimited  permillion  to  eat  of 
all  the  herbs  and  fruits  of  the  earth ;  for  God  then  faid,  '  Be- 

*  hold,  I  have  given  you  every  herb  bearing  feed,which  is  up- 

*  on  the  face  of  all  the  earth,  and  every  tree  in  which  there  is 
'  fruit  yielding  feed,  to  you  it  fhall  be  for  meat.'  Here  there 
isnoexclufion,  nor  exception  made  of  any  tree,  not  even  of 
the  tree  of  Knov/ledge,  nor  of  the  trees  in  the  garden  of  E- 
den,  which,  tho'  not  yet  planted  in  that  particular  fpot,  yet 
were  then  exiftent,  unlefs  we  fuppofe  a  new  creation  after 
the  fix  days  works.  Upon  thefirfl:  creation  of  man,  then,  the 
tree  of  knowledge  was  not  yet  forbidden.  This  is  another 
great  Mofaic  principle,  which  the  fchoolmen  have  no  idea  of. 
After  this,  the  fruit  of  this  tree  w^as  prohibited,  becaufe  the 
ufe  of  it  became  dangerous,  for,  as  we  have  faid,  God  never 
impofes  any  arbitrary  laws,which  have  no  reafon,  nor  foun- 
dation in  the  nature  of  things.  In  order  to  difcovcr  the  rea- 
fon of  this  prohibition,  we  muit  recal  an  ancient  tradition 
among  the  Jewspreferved  to  us  by  Jofephus  the  hiftorian,(a) 

(a)  Jofeph.  antiq.  lib.  i.  cap.  2. 


232  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

*  That  this  tree  opened  the  intelleclual  faculties,  and 
'  helghtned  its  natural  vigour.'  This  is  a  precious  monument 
of  antiquity,  which  ought  never  to  be  forgot.  Mofes  con- 
firms this  idea  in  the  third  chapter,  when  he  fays,  that  the  tree 
'  was  good  for  food, agreeable  to  the  tafl:e,pleafant  to  the  eyes, 

*  and  defirable  to  make  men  wife.'    It  was  a  real  tree  and  a 
real  fruit,  but  a  paradifiacal  one,  which  had  in  it  a  real  virtue, 
to  exalt  our  natural  powers,  quicken  our  imagination,  and 
invigorate  our  conception.    As  in  this  mortal,  degraded,  de- 
generate, enfeebled  ftate  of  nature,  generous  wines,and  fpiri- 
tous  liquors  contribute  very  oft,  not  only  to  renew  and  rein- 
force our  exhaufled  fpirits,  but  alfo  to  heighten  imagination, 
brighten  fancy,  and  poetical  enthufiafm;  fo  this  paradifiacal 
fruit  was  proper  to  exalt  the  intelleftual  faculties,  give  them 
a  more  lively  concep-tion,wind  up  the  imagination  to  the  high- 
eft  pitch,  and  thereby  fharpen  man's  curiofity  and  natural 
tdefire  of  knowledge.  Now,  as  the  eifentlal  duty  of  man  In  a 
paradifiacal  ftatewas  to  love  God,  which  is  the  eternal  law; 
to  live  continually  in  the  divine  prefence,  and  to  afpire  con- 
ftantly  to  the  immediate  vifion  of  the  pure  divinity,  not  yet 
allowed  him,  every  thing  that  employed,  and  abforbed  too 
much  his  intelle<5lual  powers  in  the  contemplation  and  love 
of  the   creatures,  was  highly  dangerous.    It  feems  then, 
that  man  by  the  frequent  ufe  of  this  tree  had  already  too 
much  exalted  his  relifh  of,  and  union  wath  material  objects. 
This  defire  of  enjoying  the  pleafures,  and  knowing  the  won- 
ders of  the  paradifiacal  world,had  too  much  engroffed  his  fa- 
culties, and  thereby  fufpended  in  him  the  lively  exercife  of 
faith,  hope  and  charity.  To  prevent  his  total  defedion,  God 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  233 

but  ofmercy  forbid  him  the  ufeof  this  fruit.  That  man's 
fuperior  faculties  were  thus  declining  ah*eady,  before  he  con- 
fummated  his  firft  difobedience,  fecms  clear  from  the  follow- 
ing context,  for  it  is  added, '  And  the  Lord  God  faid,  It  is  not 

*  good  that  man  fhould  be  alone ;'  therefore  there  was  in  him 
fome  beginning  of  declenfion  or  defe<5l  which  was  not  upon 
'his  firft  creation ;  for  it  is  faid,  that  God,  after  having  fini- 
ihed  the  fix  days  works,  pronounced  that  ^  all  that  he  had 

*  made  w^as  good,  yea  fuperlatively  good,'  he  here  fays,  that 

*  it  was  no  longer  good  that  man  fhould  be  alone;'  there 
is  then,  in  the  rapid  Mofaic  narration,  a  manifeft  interval  be> 
twixt  thcfe  two  times.  God's  defign  in  placing  man  thus  in 
Paradife  alone,  was  to  confirm  him  in  the  fixed  habits  of 
pure  love,  'ere  he  procreated  any  beings  of  his  kind,  thatfo 
they  might  be  born  and  come  Into  exiftence,  with  ftrong  ha- 
bits of  good;  but  man  beginning  already  to  decline  from  the 
laws  of  eternal  order,  God,  to  hinder  him  from  a  further  de- 
clenfion,  not  only  forbid  him  the  ufe  of  a  dangerous  fruit; 
but  gave  him  a  help  meet  for  him. 

This  was  the  fecond  remedy  defigned  to  hinder  man  from 
a  total  defe^lion.  God  divided  the  two  fexes,  and  made  the 
woman  of  man's  effence.  The  Chaldean  paraphraft,  accor- 
ding to  Maimonides  and  Grotius,  renders  the  Hebrew  word 
Zel  A  tranflated  a  rib,  by  a  Part.  The  Septuagint  docs  the 
fame  in  other  places  of  Scripture,  (a)  All  this  is  perfedly 
conform  to  what  was  faid  above,  that  man  was  at  firft  created 

*  male  and  female,'  with  the  principles  of  the  two  fexes  in 

(a)  The  Septuagint  tranflate  the  Hebrew  word  Zela  by  the  word  Mffc;.  Exod. 
xxxiv.  26.andch.xxxvi.  37. 

PART  2.  G  2 


234  OF  THE  THREE  STATES 
him.  Here  Zela  fignifys  the  Oviary,  where  the  animal 
molds  or  feeds  are  nourifhed  and  impregnated,  till  they  come 
to  life.  It  feems  then  by  the  Mofaic  narration,  Adam  lived 
fome  very  confiderable  time  in  Paradife  before  the  creation 
of  the  woman;  viz.  from  the  time  God  faid,  ^  that  all  he  had 
*  made  was  very  good,'  till  the  time  that  he  faid,  '  It  is  no 
'  longer  good  for  man  to  be  alone.*  Then  he  created  the 
woman  as  a  help  meet  for  him;  flic  was  to  be  a  kind  ofvifi- 
ble  Deity  and  monitor,  to  awaken  his  fiiperior  faculties,  re- 
mind him  of  his  duty,  hinder  him  from  being  too  much  im- 
merfedinthe  contemplation  and  love  of  the  beauties  of  na- 
ture, and  thereby  relaxing  his  fuperior  facukys  in  the  exer- 
cife  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity. 

It  is  evident  by  the  Mofaical  narration,  that  our  firft  pa* 
rents  were  endowed  in  Paradife  with  a  divine  fecundity  alto- 
gether conform  to  the  innocence  and  purity  of  their  para- 
difiacal  ftate ;  for  man  immediately  upon  his  creation  was 
ordered  to  '  be  fruitful  and  multiply,and  replenifh  the  earth;' 
and  tho'  we  do  not  fay  with  fome,  that  he  exerted  this  fecun- 
dity before  the  production  of  the  woman,  yet  there  is  no- 
thing in  the  facred  text  that  obliges  us  to  believe,  that  he 
never  did  fo  till  after  the  fall.  Is  it  probable,  that  our  firll:  pa- 
rents deferred  to  obey  the  firfl:  great  commandment,  till  they 
were  able  to  produce  nothing,but  an  impious,  corrupt,  curft 
and  perfidious  race?  it  is  therefore  next  to  a  demon ftration, 
that  in  this  happy  ftate,  they  procreated  all  the  human  race 
that  fell  afterwards  with  them,  and  that  were  condemned 
jQnce  to  pafs  thro*  a  ftate  of  fufierings  and  expiation.  This  is 
fo  much  the  more  plaufiblcj  not  to  fiy  evident,  that  we  have 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  235 

^emonftrated  elfcwhere,  that  under  the  government  of  an 
infinitely  good,  wife,  and  jnft  being,  no  creature  can  be  fub- 
je(fled  topunifhment,  but  what  has  demerited,  and  therefore 
mufl:  haveexifted.We  (hall  fhow  very  foon,that  all  antiquity, 
both  facred  and  profane,  is  full  of  this  great  idea  j  and  that  it 
was  aconftant  univerfal  opinion  of  all  nations,  times  and  re- 
ligions, that  Adam  and  Eve  procreated  all  the  human  race, 
during  a  ftate  of  innocence.  We  cannot  now  imagine,nor  com- 
prehend the  nature  of  this  divine  fecundity  in  our  unfallen 
firft  parents;  but  fure  it  was  conform  to  the  perfeclion  of 
their  exalted,  uncorrupted  nature.  Supernatural  charity  was 
the  fource,  meafure,  and  rule  of  their  chafi:  afre(ftIon  and 
pure  embraces.  They  procreated  in  this  immortal  ftate  from 
a  holy  defire  of  producing  numberlefs  living  images  of  the 
Deity,  capable  to  know  and  love  him. 

The  Scripture  fays  nothing  of  the  time  that  our  firfl:  pa- 
rents remained  thus  in  Paradife,  and  therefore,  it  was  bold, 
not  to  fay  impertinent,  and  even  Impudent  in  the  fchool- 
nien,  to  imagine,  that  Adam  and  Eve  lived  in  this  happy  ftate 
only  an  hour,  a  day,  a  month,  or  a  year.  All  thefe  old  wives 
fables  throw  a  vail  upon  the  whole  condu(ft  of  Providence, 
render  original  fin  inexplicable,  and  pave  the  way  to  incre- 
dulity. 

It  is  true,  that  in  the  rapid  narration  of  the  fall,  Mofes 
fays  nothing  exprefly  of  this  great,  ancient,and  luminous  doc- 
trine of  our  co-exiftence  with,  and  procreation  from  our  firll 
parents,  during  a  paradifiacai  ftate;  but  this  doflrlneis  infi- 
nuated,  inculcated,  and  evidently  fuppofed  in  many  places 

Gg  2 


236  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

of  Scripture,  and  more  particularly  in  the  fix  following  paf- 
fages. 

I.  The  holy  oracles  always  reprefent  Paradife  as  our  na- 
tive country,  and  our  prefent  life  as  an  exile.    Now  can  we 
be.faid  to  have  been  banifhed  from  a  place,in  which  we  never 
were?    This  argument  alone  would  fuiRce  to  convince  us  of 
pre-exiftence,  if  the  prejudices  of  infancy  infpired  by  the 
fchoolmen,  had  not  accuftomed  us  to  look  upon  thefe  cx- 
preflions  as  metaphorical,and  to  believe,  contrary  to  Scripture 
and  reafon,  that  we  were  exiled  from  a  happy  ftate,  only  for 
the  fault  and  perfonal  difobedicnce  of  our  firft  parents.  Atro- 
cious maxim  that  fullies  all  the  condu61:  of  Providence,  and 
that  fhocks  the  undcrftandings  of  the  mod  intelligent  chil- 
dren of  all  nations!    The  anfwers  ordinarily  made  to  them, 
throw  into  their  tender  minds,  the  feeds  of  a  lading  incredu- 
lity, and  of  this  I  could  give  many  fatal  examples,  if  this  were 
the  proper  place  for  it.    I  fhall  content  myfelf  to  mention 
one.  A  great  prince  of  a  neighbouring  nation  equally  admired 
•for  his  fuperior  genius,  univerfal  learning,  and  furprizing  ta- 
lents in  political  and  military  affairs,  but  who  lived  and  died 
in  the  moft  obllinate  incredulity,  being  one  day  afked,  after 
a,  long,  ferious,  and  familiar  convcrfation  with  a  friend,  what 
had  infpired  him  with  fuch  invincible  prejudices  againfl:  revea- 
led religion  ;  he  anfwered,  that  he  had  imbibed  them  early, 
yea,  from  his  childhood,  when  he  learned  his  catechifm.  He 
:faid,  that  his  preceptor  having  entertained  him  a  long  time 
with  the  ftory  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  and  the  imputation  of 
Adam's  {in   to  all  his  pofterity,   he  afked,  how  a  juft  and 
good  God  could  condemn  all  the  human  race  for  the  fault  of 


OF   HUMAN   NATURE.  237 

one  man,  to  whofe  crime  they  had  never  co-operated,  and 
whofe  perfon  they  had  never  feen.  The  tutor  embaraflcd, 
made  him  the  common,  childifh  anfwers  of  the  fchooLiien. 
Thefe  infipid  replys  augmenting,  rather  than  diminifhingthe 
difficulties,  '  my  tender  brain,'  continued  the  prince,  '  was 

*  flruck  with  horror  upon  every  new  repetition  of  that  infipid 

*  ftuiF;  asT  grew  up,  this  facred  horror  changed  by  degrees 

*  into  afhrewd  fufpicion,  and  turned  at  lafi:  into  a  total  con- 

*  tempt  of  a  religion, that  was  founded  upon  fuch  a  blafphe- 

*  mous  tenet.'  The  fame  prince  added,  that  puflicd  by  his  ge- 
neral curiofity  for  fciences  of  all  kinds, he  had  looked  into  the 
fcholaftic  theology,  and  that  he  had  never  found  any  books 
fo  proper  to  nourifhin  him  Deifm  and  incredulity,as  the  ac- 
counts they  give  of  religion.  I  d.efy  any  man  to  read  our  vul- 
gar catechifmSjOn  this  point,with  afprightly  fmart  fchool-boy, 
and  hint  to  him  its  abfurdity,  without  the  child's  being  flruck 
with  the  fame  imprefTions,  as  the  great  prince  mentioned. 

2.  T-'o  return  to  Scripture.  The  wife  man  fays,  in  fpcaking 
of  the  eternal  Logos,and  his  pre-exiftent  humanity,  (a)  'The 

*  Lord  poiTefled  me  from  the  beginning  of  his  ways,  before 

*  his  works  of  old ;  I  was  fet  up  from  everlafting,  from  the 
'  beginning  or  ever  the  earth  was.'  All  this  can  be  faid  only 
of  the  eternal  Logos.  But  what  follows,  may  be  applied  to 
the  pre-exiftent  humanity  of  the  Mefliah,  '  when  he  prepa- 
'  red  the  heavens  1  was  there,  when  he  encircled  the  face  of 

*  the  deep,  when  he  eflablifhed  the  clouds  above,  when  he 
«  appointed  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  then  I  was  by  him-, 
«  as  one  brought  up  with  him,  and  I  was  daily  his  delight,  rc- 

(a)  Proverbs  ch.  viii.  2.2.  to  3  3 . 


238  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

'  jolcing  always  before  him;  rejoicing  in  the  habitable  parts  of 
*  the  earth,  and  my  delights  were  with  thefons  of  men.'  It  is 
vifible,that  Solomon  fpeaks  here  of  a  time  foon  after  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world,  when  the  Logos,or  God-man,rejoiced  in  the 
habitable  parts  of  the  earth,  and  when  his  delights  were  with 
the  fons  of  men,  and  therefore,  of  a  time  when  the  earth  was 
inhabited  only  by  a  pure,innocentanduncorrupted  race.Can 
this  be  faid  after  the  fall, when  the  earth  wascurfed,and  all  the 
thoughts  of  man's  heart  were  become  evil,and  evil  continual- 
ly? It  is  only  a  profound  ignorance  of  the  ancient,  primitive 
tradition  of  Pre-exin:ence,thatcan  make  men  miftake  the  true 
fenfeofthis  fublime  text. 

3.  The  author  of  Ecclefiafticus  feems  alfo  to  Indicate  this 
paradifiacal,  pre-exiftent  (late,  when  after  having  defcribed, 
as  we  have  fhown  above,  the  nature  and  qualitys  of  the  firft, 
original,  and  uncorrupted  creation  before  the  chaos  and  the 
fall  of  angels,he  adds,  (a)  '  After  this,  the  Lord  looked  upon 

*  the  earth  and  filled  it  with  his  bleffings,  and  created  man 
'  upon  it.'  Here  the  words,  '  God  created  man,'  muftbe  un- 
derftood,  not  only  of  the  head  and  chief  of  our  fpecies,  but 
of  the  whole  collective  body  and  all  the  individuals;  for  it  is 
immediately  added  in  the  plural,  '  he  endowed  them  with 

*  ftrength  by  themfelves,  and  made  them  according  to  his 
'  image.    He  filled  them  with  the  knowledge  of  underftan- 

*  ding,  and  fliewed  them  good  and  evil.    He  fct  his  eye  upon 

*  their  hearts,  that  he  might  fhow  them  the  greatnefs  of  his 

*  works;  their  eyes  faw  the  majefty  of  his  glory,  and  their 

*  ears  heard  his  glorious  voice.'    Now,  it  cannot  be  faid  of 

(a)  Ecclefiafticus.  ch.  xvi.  29.  andch.  xvii.  i.  to  13. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  239 

men  In  a  degraded  ftate,  *  that  their  eyes  faw  the  majefty  of 
'  the  Lord,  and  that  their  ears  heard  the  glorious  voice  of 
'  the  Logos  humanized.'  Neither  is  there  any  reafon  to  con- 
fine the  plurals  THEM  and  THEIR  to  the  duality  of  our  two 
firft  parents,  fince,  as  we  have  fhown,  that  idea  obfcures  all 
the  condu(5lof  Providence,  and  renders  the  dotflrine  of  ori- 
ginal fin  Inexplicable.  It  was  then  abfurd  in  the  fchoolmen, 
to  force  the  natural  fenfe  of  the  words,  and  refi:rain  them  to 
a  duality,  in  order  to  favour  the  doflrlne  of  the  imputation 
of  original  fin.  I  leave  all  upright  minds  void  of  cavilling, 
judges  of  the  integrity  of  this  explication  ;  and  to  be  fure, 
nothing  but  the  prejudices  of  education  could  make  us  adopt 
any  other  Interpretation  of  this  plain,  palpable  text,  which 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  is  a  full  expofition  of  the  glo- 
rious Ihte  of  mankind  in  Paradife. 

4.  Our  Saviour  feems  to  approve  the  doctrine  of  pre-ex- 
iftence.  In  hisanfwer  to  the  difciples,  when  they  interrogate 
him  thus  about  the  man  born  blind,  (a)  '  Mafter,  who  did 

*  fin  ?  this  man,  or  his  parents,  that  he  was  born  blind.'  It 
is  clear,that  this  qucftion  would  have  been  ridiculous  and  im- 
pertinent, if  the  difciples  had  not  believed,  that  the  man  born 
blind  had  finned  before  his  corporeal  birth,  and  confequent- 
ly,  that  he  had  pre-exifted  in  another  flate,  long  'ere  he  was 
born  upon  earth.  Our  Saviour's  anfwer  is  remarkable,   *  nci- 

*  ther  hath  this  man  finned,  nor  his  parents;  but  that  the 

*  works  of  God  fiiould  be  made  manifefl  in  him.'  Jefus 
Chrift  could  not  mean  that  neither  this  man,  nor  his  parents 
liad  ever  committed  any  fin,  for  this  can  be  faid  of  no  mor- 

(a)  St.  John  Gofp.  ch.  ix.  a. 


240  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

tal:  but  the  meaning  is,  that  it  was  neither  for  the  fins  com- 
mitted by  this  man  in  a  ftate  of  pre-exiftence,  nor  for  thofe 
of  his  parents,  that  he  was  born  blind  ;  but  that  he  was  de- 
prived of  fight  from  his  birth,  by  a  particular  difpenfation  of 
Providence,  in  order  to  manifeftone  day,  the  power  of  God 
i-n  our  Saviour^  Our  Lord,  therefore,  far  from  blaming  and 
redrefling  this  error  in  his  difciples,  as  he  did  thefe  concer- 
ning his  temporal  kingdom,  anfwers  in  a  way  thatfeems  to 
fuppofe  with  them,  and  confirm  them  in  the  do(5lrine  of  pre- 
exiftence.  If  hehad looked  upon  this  opinion  as  a  capital  er- 
ror, would  it  have  been  confonant  to,  and  compatible  with 
his  eternal  wifdom  to  have  pad  it  over  fo  flightly,  and  tacite- 
iy  authorized  it  by  fucha  filence  ?  on  the  contrary,  does  not 
his  filence  manifeftly  indicate,  that  he  looked  upon  this  doc- 
trine, which  was  a  received  maxim  of  the  Jewifli  church,  as 
fliall  be  fhown  very  foon,  as  the  true  explication  of  original 
fm? 

5.  St.  Paul  fays,  in  fpeaking  of  the  origin  of  moral  and 
phyfical  evil,  (a)  '  By  one  man  fin  entered  into  the  world, 

*  and  death  by  fin;  and  deatli  pafTed  upon  all  men,  for  that 

*  all  have  finned:'  if  all  have  finned,  then  all  have  voluntari- 
ly co-operated  with  Adam  in  the  breach  of  the  eternal  law: 
for  where  there  is  no  deliberate  a 61  of  the  will,  there  can  be 
no  fin.  The  apofile  does  not  fay,  that  Adam's  fin  was  impu- 
ted to  all,  nor  that  in  confequence  of  Adam's  tranfgreflion,  all 
fouls  created  immediately  and  infufed  every  day  into  mortal 
bodys,  werefubje6ted  to  a  flate  offufFering:  but  that  all  have 
^nned  by  following  the  example  of  Adam,  who  firfi:  of  ail 

(a)  Rom.  ch.  V.  1 2.  .  ' 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  241 

fuccumbed  by  the  foUicltatlon  of  the  woman,  and  the  wo- 
man by  that  of  the  devil  to  the  temptation  of  fendble  plcafiirc, 
and  an  ambitious  defire  of  knowledge.  The  doctrine  of  im- 
putation, by  which  God  attributes  Adam's  fin,  to  his  inno- 
cent poflerity, without  their  co-operation, cannot  be  the  mea- 
ning of  St.  Paul;  for,  befides  that  this  doctrine,  as  we  have 
fhown,  is  altogether  incompatible  with  the  divine  perfecti- 
ons, the  apoftle  adds  in  the  fame  text,  (a)  *  For  as  by  one 

*  man's  difobedience,  many  were  made  finners,  Co  by  the 

*  obedien-ceof  one,  fliall  many  be  made  righteous.'  Now  it 
is  certain,  that  men  can  only  be  made  righteous  by  their  per- 
fonal,  deliberate  and  voluntary  co-operation  with  the  fpirit 
of  grace,  or  the  fecond  Adam.  Therefore,  according  to  the 
rules  of  parity  cftablifhed  here  by  St.  Paul,  all  became  finners 
by  a  voluntary,  dcliberate,perfonal  co-operation  with  the  dif- 
obedience of  the  firfl:  Adam.  I  do  not  fay  however,  that  all 
the  individuals  of  the  human  race  eat  of  the  forbidden  tree  in 
a  literal,  material  fenfe;  for  the  apofUe  affures  us  in  the  fame 
text,  (b)  *  that  all  did  not  fin  after  the  fimilitude  of  Adam's 

*  tranfgreflion.'  Eden  called  in  Scripture,  the  holy  mountain 
of  the  Lord,  was  properly  the  feat  and  abode  of  the  proto- 
plafl,  of  the  original  pair,  where  the  Logos  came  down 
and  converfed  with  them  under  a  vifible  form.  All  the  race 
of  men  pre-exiftent  with  them,  were  not  admitted  to  this  fa- 
cred  abode ;  it  could  not  have  contained  them ;  they  lived  in 
the  refl:  of  the  glorious  paradifiacal  earth  ;  but  by  the  temp- 
tation of  degraded  intelligences,  that  inhabited  our  terref- 
trial  globe,  they  all  fell  into  difobedience  againftthe  eternal 

(a)  Romans,  ch.  v.  19.         (b)  Rom.  ch.  v.  14. 
PART  2.  H  h 


242  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

law,  by  the  falfe  love  of  natural  knowledge  and  fenfibleplea- 
fure.  The  beautys  of  the  uncorrnpted  creation,  and  the  plea- 
fures  they  felt  in  the  enjoyment  of  paradifiacal  objedls,  fuf- 
pended  in  them  the  exercife  of  the  fupernatural  virtues  of 
faith,  hope,  and  charity.  This  is  original  fm,  not  imputed  to 
innocent  fouls  that  come  pure  out  of  the  hands  of  God,  when 
infufed  into  mortal  bodys: 'but  this  fin  was  really  committed 
in  a  pre-exiftent  ftate  by  all  the  individuals  of  the  human  race, 
that  are  now  condemned  to  the  fufFerings  and  miferys  of  a 
mortal  life.    The  meaning  then  of  thefe  words,  '  By  one 
'  man  fin  entered  into  the  world'  cannot  be,  that  for  the  fin 
of  one  man,  all  were  condemned,  far  lefs  that  this  fin  was 
imputed  to  all  Adam's  pofterity  tho'  guihlefs;  but  the  mea- 
ning is,  that  the  protoplafl:  firft,  as  head  of  this  hierarchy, 
like  Lucifer  chief  of  the  rebellious  angels,  gave  the  bad  ex* 
ample,  and  all  the  human  race  co-exiflent  with  him  in  Para- 
dife,  foon  imitated  his  crime,  not  by  the  fame  phyfical  a«rt, 
but  by  the  fame  moral  inordinate  principle. 

6.  In  fine,  St.  Paul  feems  to  confirm  the  fame  do^rine  in 
the  fame  epifHc,  when  he  fays,  (a)  '  For  the  children  being 

*  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  good  nor  evil,    it  was 

*  faid  unto  Rebecca,  Jacob  have  I  loved,  but  Efau  have  I  ha- 

*  ted.'  We  have  already  demonftrated  in  the  firft  Part,  that 
by  St.  Paul's  dotftrine,  and  the  whole  tenure  of  the  Scriptures, 
eleftion  and  reprobation  are  not  eftefts  of  God's  arbitrary 
defpotic  wills,  nor  a(5ts  of  his  abfolute  fovereignty;  but  that 
his  love  and  hatred  depend  upon  the  moral  difpofitions  of  the 
creature;  not  that  thefe  moral  difpofitions  arc  the  firft  caufes 

(a)  Romans. ch,  ix.  ix.  12. 13. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  243 

of  his  love,  which  is  purely  gratuitous  and  difinterefted,  but 
the  occafions  and  reafons  of  his  preference  of  one  of  them 
to  another.  All  this  has  been  fully  cleared  up  already,  and  the 
mouths  of  the  Predefiinarian  fataUfls  ftopt  by  reafon,  Scrip- 
ture, and  univerfal  tradition.  To  return  to  our  fubjecfl:;  fincc 
God  fays,  that  he  loved  Jacob  and  hated  Efau  'ere  they  were 
born,  and  before  they  had  done  good  or  evil  in  this  mortal 
life,  fmce  God's  love  and  hatred  depend  upon  the  moral  dif- 
pofitions  of  the  creature;  and  in  fine,  fince  there  can  be  no 
moral,  nor  immoral  difpofitions  in  the  creature,  before  its 
exiftence,  it  follows  clearly,  that  if  God  hated  Efau  type  of 
the  reprobate,and  loved  Jacob  type  of  the  ele(5l,  before  their 
natural  birth,  they  mufl  have  prc-exifted  in  another  flate. 
This  would  have  appeared  to  be  the  natural  fcnfe  of  the  text, 
if  prejudices  imbibed  from  ourinfancy  moreorlefs,  had  not 
blinded  the  minds  of  Chriflian  doctors  to  the  fame  degree,as 
Judaical  prejudices  darkened  thofe  of  the  ancient  Pharifees; 
fo  that  they  both  read  the  Scriptures  without  underflanding 
them. 

If  it  be  faid,  that  all  thefe  texts  are  obfcure';  that  pre-exif- 
tence  is  only  drawn  from  them  by  indu<5tion,  and  that  this 
opinion  is  not  revealed  in  Scripture  by  exprefs  words;  I  an- 
fvver,  that  the  doctrines  of  the  immateriality  and  immortality 
of  the  foul  are  no  where  revealed  expresfly  in  the  facred  ora- 
cles of  the  Old  or  New  Teftament;  but  becaufe  all  their  morals 
and  doctrines  are  founded  upon,  and  neceffarily  fuppofe  thefc 
great  truths :  therefore  they  are  as  clearly  revealed,  as  if  they 
were  literally  exprefTcd.We  may  fay  the  fame  of  pre-exiltence. 
This  doi5trine  is  no  where  expresfly  revealed,  as  an  article  of 

Hh  2 


244  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

faith,  but  it  is  evidently  fuppofed  in  the  Wifdom  of  SolomoiT, 
by  the  author  of  Ecclefiafticus,  by  our  Saviour's  filence,  by 
St.  Paul's  comparifon,  and  by  the  facred  do^lruie  of  original 
fin,  which  becomes  not  only  inexplicable,  but  abfurd,  repug- 
nant, andImpo{Iible,if  thatofpre-exiftence  be  not  true.  The 
holy  Scriptures  contain  all  the  neceffary  and  effential  truths 
of  religion,  and  all  the  great  principles  of  divine  wifdom,  that 
ferve  to  juftify  eternal  Providence; but  they  do  not  always  di- 
geft  thefe  fublime  truths  into  a  regular  philofophical  fcheme. 

Thus,we  have  endeavoured  to  demonftrate,  that  the  doc- 
trine of  pre-exiftence  is  perfedly  conform  to  that  of  the  holy 
Scriptures.  It  would  be  eafy  to  jQiow  this  luminous  do6lrine 
was  a  conftant,  univerfal,  ancient  tradition  of  the  Hebrew 
church  before  the  Incarnation,  and  that  for  this  reafon. 

(a)  Philo  fays,  *  Our  foul  having  loft  its  heavenly  manfi- 
*  on,  came  down  into  this  earthly  body  as  a  ftrange  place:' 
but  becaufe  little  account  is  now  made  of  the  Rabbinical  tra- 
ditions and  learning,  we  fhall  fuperfede  thefe  proofs. 

The  fchoolmen  will  here  cry  out,  that  this  doctrine  of 
pre-exiftence  was  condemned  by  the  fifth  general  council,  in 
the  fifth  century.  I  anfwer,  that  there  are  two  opinions  about 
pre-cxiftence,  of  which  one  is  highly  blameable,  and  has 
been  juflly  condemned:  but  the  ignorance  of  the  fchoolmen 
is  fo  great,  that  they  confound  the  two^  and  maintain  that 
both  were  equally  condemned,  becaufe  they  follow  each 
other,  and  never  afcend  to  the  true  fources  of  antiquity. 

The  firfl  opinion  is  that  of  the  Origenifts  and  Prifcillia- 
nifts.   It  fuppofes,  that  the  pre-exiflent  fouls  of  men  were 

(3)SeeCudwortb.  pag.  798. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  245 

No£^,  or  pure  fplrits,  divefted  of  all  matter;  that  they  were 
not  embodied,  till  they  became  cold  to  divine  love;  that  the 
material  world  was  created  only  for  the  punifhmentof  lapfed 
ipirits;  that  the  union  of  fouls  with  matter  is  Incompatible 
with  the  beatific  vifion  ;  that  this  fupream  felicity  of  our  na- 
ture confifts  in  having  no  bodies  to  animate;  that  pure  intel- 
ligences In  a  pre-exiftent  ftate  w^ere  a  portion  of  the  rebelli- 
ous angels;  that  having  lo(t  the  rellfli  of  the  divine  union, 
they  were  precipitated  into  the  bodies  of  planets,  and  men; 
and  that  they  can  never  be  totally  re-eil:ablifhed,  till  they  be- 
come again  pure  fpIrits,without  any  union  with  matter.  This 
abfurd  fyftem  deftroys  at  once  three  articles  of  faith ;  the  doc- 
trine of  the  creation  of  our  firfl:  parents  compofed  of  foul  and 
body  in  a  paradifiacal  flate,  after  the  fall  of  angels;  the  hy- 
poflatic  union  of  the  Word  v^ith  a  human  nature,that  Is  to  be 
eternal;  andtherefurre<5lion  of  our  glorious  bodies,  that  are 
to.  partake  of  our  everlalling  fehcity  in  heaven.  St.  Jerom^ 
St.  Gregory  of  NylTa,  St.  Auguftin,  and  St.  Cyril  of  Alex^ 
andria  attacked  and  confuted  this  opinion,  before  the  fifth 
general  council  held  at  Conftantlnople.  This  OEcumenIc 
council  pronounces  anathema  agalnft  all  thofe  who  maintain 
the  fabulous  doftrlne  of  pre-exiftencein  the  Origenian  fenfe. 
It  was  not  then  the  fimple  do^rine  of  pre-exiftence,  that  was 
condemned  by  the  council,  but  the  fidtltlous  mixtures,  and 
erroneous  difguifes,  by  which  this  ancient  tradition  had  been 
adulterated  by  the  Orlgenifts.  All  the  fathers  that  lived  af- 
ter the  fixth  century,  as  alfo  the  fecond  council  of  Prague, 
condemn  this  falfe  Idea  of  pre-exlftence^  in  the  fame  fenfe,  as 
the  Conftantinopolitan  fathers 


24<5  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

There  IS  a  fecond  opinion  about  pre-exiflence,  that  never 
was  condemned  by  the  church ;  it  fuppofcs,  that  all  the  indivi- 
duals of  the  human  fpecies  compofed  of  foul  and  body,  v^ere 
procreated  by  Adam  in  Paradife ;  that  they  all  co-operated  to 
his  difobedience,partook  of  his  crime,fmned  voluntarily  with 
him,  and  fo  were  juftly  puniihed  for  this  co-operation.  We 
havcfhown,  that  this  was  the  conflant  tradition  of  the  Jew- 
ifh  church;  and  confirmed  by  the  doclrine  of  the  Scriptures, 
both  Old  and  New.  (a)  This  opinion  of  prc-exiflence  was 
alfo  very  ancient  in  the  Chriftian  church,  'ere  the  Origenifts 
fpoiled  it  with  the  Pythagorean  and  Platonic  fi(^ions.  Cle- 
mens AlexandrinuSjOrigen's  maflier, taught  it  as  a  divine  tra- 
dition authorized  by  St.Paul  himfelf  in  the  above-mentioned 
text.  Yea,Ruffinus  in  his  letter  to  Anaftafius  fays,(b)  '  That 
*  this  opinion  was  common  among  the  primitive  fathers.'  It 
was  therefore  afupine  ignorance,in  the  fchoolmen,  to  trump 
up  the  pitiful  do6lrine  of  the  immediate  creation  of  fouls; 
which  degrades  all  the  divine  perfections,  and  renders  the 
facred  doflrine  of  original  fin  inexplicable  and  impodible. 

If  it  be  faid,  that  the  church  has  adopted  the  do6brine  of 
immediate  creation,  as  an  article  of  faith.  I  anfwer,  thattho' 
this  were  true,  as  it  is  not,  yet  this  immediate  creation  is  not 
to  be  underftood  in  the  fenfe  of  the  fchoolmen.  We  grant, 
in  oppofition  to  the  doftrineof  fpiritualgeneration,or  traduc- 
tion,that  all  fouls  were  immediately  created  when  infufed  in- 
to bodies,  and  infufed  when  created:  but  then  this  immedi^ 
ate  creation  and  infufion  of  fouls,mu(l:  be  underftood  of  their 

(a)  See  Cudworth's  intelled.fyft.  and  Dr,  Henry  More,  of  Immortality  book  II. 
ch.  xii.         (b)  See  Vind.  Auguft.  by  Card.  Korris. 


OF   HUMAN   NATURE.  247 

primitive,  paradifiacal,  immortal  bodies,  and  no  ways  of  their 
prefent,mortaI  and  corruptible  machines,  which  are  not  their 
true  bodies,  but  obfcure  prifonsin  which  they  are  confined, 
or  crufts  fuperinduced  by  the  fall.    God  having  given  to  our 
firft  parents,  a  pure,  unfpotted  fecundity,  while  in  a  ftate  of 
innocency,  he  created  fouls  immediately,  toinfufe  them  into 
paradifiacal  bodies,  and  fo  all  the  individuals  of  the  human 
fpecies  were  procreated  before  the  fall,  and  exifted  with  A- 
dam  in  Paradife.    There  is  nothing  in  the  fathers,  nor  coun- 
cils that  contradi6ts  this  doctrine;  yea  St.  Gregory  of  Nyffa 
feems  to  favour  it,  when  he  fays,  that  God  is  the  creator  of 
fouls,  in  the  fame  fenfe,  as  he  is  the  creator  of  bodies.  Now, 
as  the  organical  moulds  of  all  the  human  fpecies  were  for- 
med from  the  beginning,  and  fhut  up  in  Adam's  loyns,  Co 
were  their  immortal  fouls.    Thus,  the  fy  ftems  of  paradifiacal 
pre-exiftence,  and  immediate  creation  may  be  re-united,  the 
divine  wifdom,  equity ,and  goodnefs  jufiified,  and  original  fin 
iuminoufly  explained, without  adopting  either  the  Origenian 
errors,  or  the  fcholaftic  fidions. 

This  then  was  the  glorious  and  happy  ftate  wherein  men 
were  at  firfl:  created,  when  exempt  from  all  moral  and  phyfi- 
cal  evil,  fin  and  fufferings,  they  converfed  with  the  facred 
humanity  of  the  Logos;  when  they  faw  the  majefty  of  God 
humanizedjand  heard  with  their  ears  his  glorious  voice ;  when 
his  delights  were  with  the  fons  of  men;  when  he  lived  and' 
reigned  with  them  as  God-guide  and  leader,  pafi:or  and  in- 
fbudor.  After  that  the  Legiflator  of  the  Jews  had  rapidly 
defcribed  this  primitive,  pre-exiflent,  original  flate  of  men, 
he  proceeds  in  his  facred  cofmogony,to  explain  the  caufe  and 


248  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

fource  of  their  defejftion,  degradation  and  exile  from  this  hap- 
py abode,  which  is  the  fecond  ftate  of  nature. 

Mofes  begins  thus  his  third  chapter  of  Genefis.  *  Now 
'  the  fcrpent  was  the  mofi:  fubtle,'  or,  as  the  Septuagint  ren- 
ders the  Hebrew  word,the  010(1  intelligent,  *  of  all  the  beafts 

*  of  the  field;  and  he  faid  unto  the  woman,  What  hath  God 
'  laid,  you  fhall  noteat  of  every  tree  of  the  garden?'  wefhali 
fliow  afterwards,  that  by  this  ferpent  mufl:  be  underftood  a 
degraded,  fallen  intelligence,which  animated  the  creature  we 
now  call  a  ferpent.    Mofes  continues,  '  and  the  woman  faid 

*  unto  the  ferpent,  we  may  eat  of  the  fruit  of  all  the  trees  of 
'  the  garden,  but  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is  in  the  midO: 
'  of  the  garden,  God  hath  faid,  you  fhall  not  eat  of  it,  nei- 

*  ther  ihall  you  touch  it,  left  you  die.  And  the  ferpent  faid 
'  unto  the  woman,  you  fhall  not  furely  die;  for  God  doth 

*  know,  that  in  the  day  you  eat  thereof,  your  eyes  fliall  be 

*  opened,  and  ye  fhall  be  as  Gods.'  According  to  the  fchool- 
men,  the  devil  was  fet  loofe  from  the  abyfs,  by  an  exprcfs 
permiflion  of  heaven,  to  tempt  and  lay  a  fnare  for  our  in- 
nocent parents,  entered  into  the  body  of  a  ferpent,  and  made 
this  beaft  fpeak  and  reafon.  We  fhall  fhow  hereafter,  that 
this  Is  a  meer  fable,  more  ridiculous,  moreabfurd,  more  un- 
natural, and  more  incompatible  with  the  divine  perfc(5lions, 
than  any  fidlion  of  the  Pagan  mythology.  The  animal,  now 
called  a  ferpent,  was  a  paradifiacal  animal  united  to  a  degra- 
ded intelligence,  as  all  the  other  beafts  of  the  field  that  fpoke 
and  reafoned.  He  was  fubjefted  to  man  to  humble  his  pride. 
Weary  of  this  fubje(5lion,defirous  to  fhake  off  the  yoke,  and 
lender  human  kind  unfaithful  as  himfclf^hc  endeavoured  to 


OF'HUMAN  nature.  249 

feduce  EvCjto  tempt  her  by  the  irregular  defire  of  knowledge, 
and  the  inordinate  love  of  pleafure,  and  engaged  her  to  eat 
of  the  forbidden  fruit,which  had  in  it  a  natural  virtue  to  aug- 
ment our  intellccftual  powers,  and  heighten  our  fenfation  of 
material  objects,  for  It  is  added,  *  When  the  woman  faw  that 

*  the  tree  was  delightful  to  the  tafte,  pleafant  to  the  eyes,  and 
'  a  tree  to  be  defircd  to  make  men  wife,  fhe  took  of  the 

*  fruit  thereof  and  did  eat,  and  gave  alfo  unto  her  hufband, 
'  and  he  did  eat,  and  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew 

*  that  they  were  naked.'    It  was  not  the  fimple  difobediencc 
to  a  pofitive  or  arbitrary  command, that  was  the  fource  of  our 
firftparents  (in  and  mifery;  but  the  difpofitions  and  motives, 
by  which  they  eat  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  that  is,  an  inordi- 
nate ambition  of  natural  knowledge  and  pleafure.    This  by 
degrees  infeded  and  corrupted  their  fouls,  and  hurried  them 
at  lad:  into  a  formal  rebellion  and  contempt  of  the  divine 
command.    Mofes,  in  his  rapid  narration,  does  not  mention 
all  the  previous  fteps  they  made,  'ere  they  ccnfummated  their 
crime  ;nor  all  the  efforts  of  almighty  power,wifdom  and  good- 
nefs,  to  flop  their  total  defedion;  nor  all  the  effays  the  devil 
made,  to  feduce  them :  but  it  is  no  ways  reafonable  to  believe, 
that  this  dcfe<5tion  was  inftantaneous  ;and  that  two  creatures 
fo  perfe(fl  gave  all  of  a  fudden,  like  two  dupes,  into  the  fnarc 
of  the  evil  fpirit.    Their  defedlion  was  no  doubt  gradual,  as 
that  of  the  angels.    To  fuppofe  the  contrary,  is  to  throw  a 
vail  upon  all  the  condu<5t  of  Providence,  and  to  fancy  that 
God  is  upon  the  catch  to  furprife  his  creatures,  and  that  he 
remained  a  peaceful  fpeflator  of  their  beginning  declcnfion, 
without  making  any  efforts  to  prevent  their  total  defection. 

PART  2.  I  i 


250  OF  THE  THREE  STATES 

It  is  true,that  all  his  condua:,  with  intelligent  natures,is  regu- 
lated by  their  free  determinations,  that  he  never  forces  them 
by  omnipotent  wills,  that  he  proportions  and  even  fubmits, 
fo  to  fpeak,  his  aftion  in,  and  upon  them,  to  their  voluntary 
deliberations:  but  on  the  other  hand, it  is  alfo  certain,that  he 
refufes  them  no  fiiceours  neceffary  to  prevent  their  ruin.  We 
mufi:  then  fuppofe,  that  God  difplayed  to  men  in  a  primi- 
tive ftate,  as  to  the  fallen  angels,  all  the  efforts  of  his  power, 
all  the  treafures  of  his  wifdom,  all  the  charms  of  his  good- 
nefs,  to  hinder  their  total  apoftacy,  without  violating  their 
liberty.    Notwithftanding  all  thefe  efforts,  they  yielded  by 
degrees  to  the  weaknefs  infeparable  from  finite.    The  fhades 
and  gradations  of  their  fall  were  various,  and  all  this  required 
time  and  a  long  fucceffion  of  infidclitys,  tho'  not  mentioned 
in  the  rapid  Mofaical  narration,  which,  as  fome  think,  is  ra- 
ther anabridgement,than  a  full  detail  of  that  great  legiflator's 
original  w/itings.    To  look  therefore  upon  the  fin,  fall  and 
degradation  of  human  nature  in  a  paradifiacal  ftate,as  inflan- 
taneous,  is  the  high  road  to  incredulity,  and  diametrically 
©ppofite  to  all  the  ideas  we  ought  to  have  of  the  divine  good- 
nefs,  and  the  original  perfe(51:ion  in  which  he  created  us> 

Sofoonas  men  had  fatisfied  their  pafTion,  and  confumma- 
ted  their  crime,  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  that 
they  were  naked,  they  law  the  fatal  effefts  of  their  difobe- 
dience,  the  happy  ftate  they  had  abandoned,  the  mifcryinto 
which  they  had  freely  thrown  themfelves;  they  felt  too  late 
that  they  were  ftript  of  their  innocence,  and  that  they  had 
difobeyed  the  laws  of  eternal  order,  in  hearkning  to  the  evil 
principle.   Soon  after  their  crime,  '  They  heard  the  voice  of 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  251 

*  the  Lord  God  walking  in  thegarden,in  the  cool  of  the  day.* 
This  as  we  have  already  remarked,cannot  befaidof  thcpurc 
incorporeal  efTence,  who  being  infinite  and  immcnfe,  cannot 
move  from  one  place  to  another;  and  therefore  this  mufl:  be 
underftood  of  the  facred  humanity  who  appeared  to  them  un- 
der a  vifible  form,  not  only  then,  but  as  he  had  done,  it  feemj, 
many  times  before,  fmce  they  fhow  no  furprize  at  this  appa> 
rition,  and  therefore  wereaccuftomed  to  it.  So  foon  as  they 
heard  this  voice,  '  Adam  and  his  wife  hid  thcmfelves  from 

*  the  prefence  of  the  Lord  amongfl:  the  trees  of  the  garden.' 
They  could  not  be  fo  flupid  and  ignorant,  as  to  imagine,  that 
they  could  fhun  the  prefence  of  the  omniprefent  Being, 
whofe  efTence  is  immcnfe,  tho'  unextended,  and  therefore, 
this  muft  be  underflood  of  the  corporeal  vifible  appearance  of 
the  facred  humanity;  and  this  is  fo  much  the  more  evident, 
that  the  facred  humanity  fpoke  to  them  with  an  audible  arti- 
culate voice,  and  faid,  in  calling  upon  x\dam  by  his  name, 

*  where  art  thou?'  flruck  and  confounded  by  the  divine  pre- 
fence of  the  Logos  humanizedjthey  acknowledge  their  crime; 
but  to  excufe  themfelves,  the  man  accufes  the  woman,  and 
the  woman  throws  all  upon  the  ferpent. 

Then  God-man  pronounces  fentence  of  punifhment 
againft  them,  and  all  the  human  kind.  This  alone  is  fufHci- 
€nt  to  prove,  that  all  the  human  race  was  guilty,  and  that 
they  all  finned  voluntarily  and  deliberately,  and  therefore, 
that  all  pre-exiflcd  with  their  firfl  parents  in  a  paradifiacal 
ftate;  for,as  we  have  faid,  andean  never  enough  repeat,  God 
could  not  condemn  a  numberlefs  multitude  of  innocent  fouls 
for  the  fin  of  a  man  with  whom  they  had  no  relation^  for  a 

li    2 


252  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

crime' with  which  they  did  not  co-operate,  and  of  which 
they  were  altogether  ignorant,  as  not  yet  cxiftent.  Adam, 
according  to  the  ancient  tradition  of  the  Hebrews,  fignifys, 
not  only  the  chief  and  head  of  the  human  fpecies,but  alfo  the 
colleflive  body  and  all  the  individuals  of  our  kind.  All  the 
human  race  therefore,  co-exifled  with  Adam  in  Paradife,  fin- 
ned in,and  with  their  firfl:parents,and  co-operated  voluntarily 
with  their  difobedience,not  perhaps  by  the  fame  phyficalacH:, 
but  by  the  fame  moral  difpofitions,by  abandoning  themfelves 
to  the  irregular  love  of  knowledge  and  pleafure.  Hence  it  is, 
that  ever  fince,  the  two  great  fourccs  of  all  the  crimes  com- 
mitted upon  earth,  are  the  falfe  thirft  of  natural  knowledge, 
which  engenders  errors,  blafphemous  fchemes,  and  incredu- 
lity;  and  the  irregular  love  of  pleafure  which  begets  all  fort  of 
impure  defires,  grofs  vices,  and  monftrouspafllons. 

The  facred  humanity  begins  firft  with  the  ferpent  and 
fpeaks  to  him  thus.    '  Becaufe  thou  haft  done  this,  thou  art 

*  curfed  above  all  cattle,  and  above  every  beaft  of  the  field.' 
Therefore  all  the  brutal  fpecies  was  curfed,  for  the  ferpent 
could  not  be  curfed  in  a  higher  degree  than  his  fellow  ani' 
mals,  unlefs  they  had  been  curfed  in  a  lower  dcgree,andcon- 
fequently,  they  were  alfo  criminal.  As  the  word  m  a  n,  muft 
be  underftood,  in  a  collecftive  fenfe,  of  all  the  individuals  of 
the  human  kind,  fo  the  word  serf  ENT,muft  be  underftood, 
in  a  colle<n:ive  fenfe,  of  all  the  individuals  of  the  brutal  kind, 
that  is,  of  all  degraded  intelligences  that  imitated  the  exam- 
ple of  the  ferpent,  in  contributing  to  the  defc<5tion  and  temp- 
tation of  man.    '  Upon  thy  belly  flialt  thou  go,  and  duft 

*  ihalt  thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life.'    The  form  of  that 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  25J 

animal,  which  we  now  call  the  fcrpent,was  then  altered  from 
what  it  was,  in  Paradife;  and  inftead  of  living  upon  paradi- 
fiacal  fruit,  it  is  condemned  to  crawl  and  feed  upon  ail  the 
filth  and  purulent  matter  of  the  univerfe.    *  And  I  will  put 

*  enmit_y  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between    thy 

*  feed  and  her  feed;  it  fhall  bruife  thy  head,  and  thou  fhalt 

*  bruife  his  heel.'  The  evil  principle  is  oft  reprefented  in 
Scripture  by  hideous,  brutal  forms,  by  the  ferpent,  the  dra- 
gon, the  leviathan,  the  devouring,  roaring  lion,  not,  as  we 
fliall  fhow,  in  a  meerly  allegorical,  typical,  and  fymbolical 
fcnfe,  but  in  a  real,  phyflcal,  literal  one,  becaufe  thefe  brutal 
forms  are  intimately  united  to,  and  animated  by  degraded  in- 
telligences. H  his  text  therefore  was  looked  upon  by  all  the 
primitive  fathers,  as  a  clear  predidlion  of  the  fuffering  and' 
triumphant  ftate  of  the  Mefliah.  The  evil  principle  was  to 
bruife  the  heel,  the  inferior  part  of  the  facred  humanity; 
but  the  Deliverer  and  Conqueror  was  to  bruife  the  head  of 
the  ferpent,  that  is,  the  infernal  powers.  * 

Then  God-man  pronounces  fentence  agalnfl  Eve,  and  in: 
her,  againft  all  the  female  kind,  *  and  unto  the  woman  he 
'  faid,  I  will  greatly  multiply  thyforrows  in  thy  conception; 
'  in  forrow  flialt  thou  bring  forth  children,  and  thy  defire 

*  fliali  be  to  thy  hufband,and  he  fhall  rule  over  thee.'  Hence 
all  the  fathers  fay,  that  if  the  woman  had  never  finned,  fhe 
would  not  have  fuffered  in  child-birth;  as  fhe  would  have  con- 
ceived without  cupidity,  fo  fhe  would  have  been  delivered 
without  pain.  There  was  then  a  great  change  made  in  her 
natural  conftitution  and  corporeal  fabric,  for  if  it  had  been, 
fuch  as  it  now  is,  child-birth  without  anguifli,  pain  and  for- 


^J4  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

row  would  be  impofTible  without  a  miracle.  All  thefe  fine 
hints  In  the  rapid  narration  of  Mofes,  contain  wonderful 
truths,  which  common  divines  overlook  and  underhand  no- 
thing of. 

The  Logos  humanized  proceeds  next  to  pronounce  fen- 
tence  againfl:  the  man;  *  and  unto  Adam  he  faid,  Becaufe 

*  thou  haft  hearkened  unto  the  voice  of  thy  wife,  and  haft 

*  eaten  of  the  tree  which  I  commanded  thee  not  to  eat,  cur- 

*  fed  is  the  earth  for  thy  fake,'  or  becaufe  of  thee.   Theodo- 
"  tion  reads,  and  tranflates  this  text  thus ;  *  Curfedis  the  earth 

*  becaufe  of  thy  tranfgreflion.    In  forrow  (halt  thou  eat  of  it 

*  all  the  days  of  thy  Hfe:  thorns  and  thirties  fhall  it  bring 

*  forth,  in  thefweat  of  thy  face  fhalt  thou  eat  of  it,  till  thou 

*  return  to  the  ground,  whence  thou  was  taken.'    Since  all 
the  children  of  Adam  were  condemned  to  the  fame  labour, 
mifery  and  punifhment,  they  muft  all  have  been  perfonally 
guilty,  and  therefore  muft  have  pre-exifted.    By  the  reft  of 
the  curfe'is  expreffed  the  total  change,  deformity  and  fterili- 
ty  of  phyfical  nature  by  the  fall.  As  the  beauty s  of  the  mate- 
rial world  had  vitiated  and  feduced  human  fouls;  as  the  de- 
lights of  the  paradifiacal  ftate,  which  were  but  their  accelTory 
happinefs,  had  intoxicated  them,  and  made  them  forget  the 
fupream  felicity  of  their  natures,  it  was  neceftary,  in  order  to 
reclaim  themjto  caft  a  veil  upon  all  thcfe  ravifliing  and  beau- 
tiful fcenes.   7  he  divine  aftivity,  that  manifefted  itfelf  in  na- 
ture, did  not  change  all,  as  after  the  fall  of  angels,  into  aper- 
fc<5l  chaos,  but  it  was  greatly  fufpended,  and  by  this  fufpen- 
fion,  the  circulation  of  the  a(fiive  luminous  principle  was  in- 
terrupted, the  original  tranfparency  of  terreftrial  obje(n:s  was 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  255 

lofl:,  and  the  whole  of  matter,  in  the  region  which  man  in- 
habits, became  barren  and  opake,  full  of  contrary,  oppo- 
fite  and  felf-deftructive  elements.  The  fituation  of  the  earth 
was  changed  with  regard  to  celeftial  bodies,  and  their  influ- 
ences, irradiations,  and  fplendor  became  lefs  ftrong.  The 
feafons  were  altered,  and  all  the  changes  made  that  could 
produce  the  fterility  threatned  by  the  curfe.  Nature  in  thefe 
inferior  regions  was  no  longer  fuch  as  in  its  original  ftate,  a 
pi(5lure  of  the  divine  perfe(flions,it  became  a  prifon,  an  exile,a 
valley  of  tears,  and  a  place  of  punifhment,  wherein  all  is 
adapted  to  the  ftate  of  fouls  that  fuffer,  and  that  muft  be  pu- 
rified by  their  fufferings.  This  is  (a)  *  the  curfe  under  wliicli 

*  the  whole  creation  is  faid  to  knguidi  and  groan,  till  it  be 

*  delivered  from  the  bondage,  to  which  it  was  fubjeftcd  by 

*  the  fall,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  thefons  of  God.' 

After  man  had  reduced  himfclf  to  this  mifcrable  ftate,  the 
Lord  God  faid,  *  Alas !  Is  man  become  like  unto  us  by  know- 

*  ing  good  and  evil?'  Forfo  the  Hebrew  words  niay,  and 
ought  to  be  tranflated.  It  is,  as  if  the  Logos  had  faid,  I  made 
man  after  our  own  image  and  likenefs,  but  by  his  fatal  ambi^ 
tion  of  knowledge,  and  his  inordinate  love  of  pleafure,  how 
unlike  to  us  is  he  become!   God  continues,  '  And  now  left 

*  he  put  forth  his  hand  and  take  alfo  of  the  tree  of  life,  and 

*  cat  and  live  for  ever,  I  will  fend  him  forth  from  the  garden.' 
That  is,left  he  content  himfclf  with  the  accefFory  happinefs 
In  a  ftate  of  immortality  and  delights,  and  afpirc  no  longer 
to  the  fupream  felicity  of  his  nature,  which  is  the  immediate 
vifion  and  pure  love  of  God;  left  he  become  thus  immortal  ia 

(a)  Rom.  ch.  viii.  20.  21.  23. 


256  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

^aftate  of  degradation,  and  live  forever  therein,  Imuftfend 
him  out  ofParadife,  and  reduce  him  to  a  mortal  ftate,  where 
fufferings  and  phyfical  evil  {hall  cure  him  of  moral  evil,  and 
give  him  a  difgull:  at  the  ftate  he  has  brought  himfelf  to,  and 
make  him  feel  continually,  that  he  was  not  made  for  the 
enjoyment  and  love  of  the  creatures,  but  for  me  alone. 
Thus,  all  God's  punifliments  are  remedy s,  and  all  his  judg- 
ments, mcrcys. 

Mofes  concludes  his  narration  of  the  fall  by  thefe  words. 

*  The  Lord  God  drove  man  out  of  the  garden,  and  furroun- 

*  ded  Eden  with  cherubins  and  a  flaming  fword.'  The  word 
tranflated  Cherubin  may  be  rendered  Exterminating  Angels, 
and  the  words  flaming  fword  or  lahat  arab  fhould  be 
tranflated  devouring  flame.  If  we  retain  the  common 
tranflation  of  lahat  arab,  then  cherubins  with  their  fla- 
ming fwords,is  an  image,like  that  of  the  angel  whom  Balaam 
faw,  with  a  fword  drawn  in  his  hand,  or  that  of  the  extermi- 
nating angel  that  deftroyed  feventy  thoufand  Ifraelites,  after 
that  David  had  numbered  them ;  and  an  hundred  and  eighty 
Ave  thoufand  Affyrians  In  one  night.  The  cherubins  then 
with  flaming  fwords  fcnt  to  Eden  fignify,  that  God  abando- 
ned this  garden  ofpleafure  to  exterminating  angels  and  de- 
vouring flames,  in  order  to  deface  and  dcftroy  all  fliadow  and 
appearance  of  this  heautiful  abode,  which  had  been  the  pro- 
per refldence,  feat,  and  throne  ofourfirfl  parents  or  heads 
of  the  human  hierarchy,  during  their  ftate  of  innocence,  per- 
fec^tion  and  paradiflacal  glory.  Thus  the  earth  being  curfed, 
and  Eden  deftroyed,  our  terreftrial  globe  was  changed  into  a 
-dcfcrt,  an  exile,  a  prifon,  a  valley  of  tears  where  all  moral 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  257 

andphyfical  evil  abound,  and  this  is  the  fecond  flate  of  the 
world  orof  nature  lapfed  and  degraded. 

Let  us  now  fearch  the  Scriptures,  to  fee  if  we  can  find  any 
vefliges  of  the  third  ftate  of  the  world,  when  the  earth  (hall 
be  reftored,  renewed,  and  re-eftablifhed  in  its  primitive,  ori- 
ginal, paradifiacal  beauty.  The  prophefies  of  the  Old  and 
New  Teftament,  are  full  of  this  great  truth;  but  the  mofl: 
part  of  Divines  give  no  attention  to  them. 

We  begin  with  the  prophet  Ifaiah.  In  fpeaking  of  a  glo- 
rious ftate  of  the  earth,  which  is  to  happen  after  the  refurrec- 
tion,  the  laft  day,  and  final  judgment,  he  fays,  (a)  '  The 

*  Lord  will  comfort  Zion ;  he  will  comfort  all  her  wafte  pla- 

*  ces,  and  he  will  make  her  wildernefs  like  Eden,  and  her 

*  defert  like  the  garden  of  the  Lord.'  Ezekiel  adds,  (b) '  the 
'  earth  that  is  defolate,  will  become  like  the  garden  of  Eden.' 
Can  there  be  any  words  more  clear  and  exprefs  to  denote 
that  one  day  the  earth  is  to  be  reftored  to  its  primitive,original, 
paradifiacal  form?  The  fchoolmen,  thefe  ignorant  fabulifts, 
and  mythologifts,  not  underftanding  thefe  fublime  texts,  ex- 
plain all,  as  we  {hall  fee,  of  a  glorious  ftateof  the  hierarchy, 
which  is  to  happen  before  the  laft  day,  and  fo  fall  into 
Judaifm,  while  the  enthufiafts,  and  figurifts,  underftand  all 
in  an  allegorical,  fpiritual  fenfe,  without  any  relation  to 
this  glorious  renovation  of  the  earth.  But  to  confound  all 
their  miferablc  commentarys,  we  fhall  fee  by  the  follow- 
ing prophefys  that  they  can  neither  be  explained  of  a 
temporal  ftate  of  the  church  militant  here  below,    nor 

(a)  Ifaiah.  ch.  Ii.  3.  (b)Ezek.  ch.  xxxvii.  35. 

PART  2.  K  k 


2^B         OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

of  a  purely  celeftial  ftate  after  the  univerfal  reftitutioii  of  all 

things. 

In  the  firfl:  place,  the  ftate  of  the  earth  renewed  is  repre- 
fented  as  a  ftate  of  univerfal  peace,  that  is  to  la  ft  for  ever,  (a) 
'  And  it  fhall  come  to  pafs  in  the  laft  days,  that  the  nations 

•  fhall  beat  their  fwords  into  plow-ftiares,  and  their  fpears  in- 

*  to  pruning-hooks.    Nation  fhall  not  lift  up  fvvord  againft 

'  nation,  neither  fhall  they  learn  war  any  more.'   (b)  The 

prophet  Micah  repeats  the  fame  preditHiion,  almoft  in  the  fame 

words.    It  would  be  ridiculous,  to  apply  this  converfion  of 

iwords  into  plovv-fhares,  and  fpears  into  pruning-hooks,  ta 

a  purely  celeftial,  angelical  ftate.    It  is  plain,  that  by  thefe  nar 

tural  and  rural  images,  is  reprefented  a  ftate,  fuch  as  that  of 

Paradifc,  when  men  lived  in  perfect  innocence,  peace  and 

union;  and  amufed  themfelves  with  the  agreeable  exercifes 

of  agriculture  and  gardening.    For  fo  Mofes  reprcfents  the 

ftate  of  our  firft  parents  in  Paradife.    The  prophet  Ifaiah 

adds,  *  The  whole  earth  fhall  be  at  reft,  and  in  quiet;  and 

'  break  forth  with  finging.'    Have  we  ever  yet  fcen  a  time  iri 

the  church  militant,  offtich  univerfal  peace?  have  there  not 

been  as  many  wars  among  princes,  and  revolutions  in  em- 

pireSjfince  theIncarnation,as  before?  Thofeprediftions  then, 

have  not  been  yet  fulfilled  in  the  church  militant  upon 

earth,  and  cannot  regard  the  church  triumphant  in  heaven. 

2.  This  glorious  ftate  of  the  earth  in  the  laft  days,is  pain^ 
ted,  as  a  ftate  of  univerfal,  permanent  fan(fl:ity  and  know- 
ledge, (c)  *  The  earth  fhall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the 

(a)  Ifaiah.  ch.  ii.  4.         (b)  Micah.  ch.  iv.  i .  2. 3 .        (c)  Ifaiah.  ch.  xi.  9. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  1^9 

*  Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the  fea ;  (a)  and  God  will  deflroy 

*  the  covenng  cafl:  overall  people,  and  the  vail  that  Isfpread 

*  overall  nations;  and  the  reproach  of  his  people  fliall  be  ta- 

*  ken  away  from  all  the  earth,    (b)  The  glory  of  the  Lord 

*  fhall  be  revealed,  and  all  flcfh  fhall  fee  it.   (c)  They  fliall 

*  by  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God:  and  I  will  give 

*  them  one  heart,  and  one  way,  that  they  may  fear  me  for 
'  ever,  (d)  I  will  pom*  out  my  fpirit  upon  all  flefh.    (e)  After 

*  thefe  days,  faith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  in- 

*  ward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts :  and  they  fhall  teach' 

*  no  more  everyone  his  neighbour;  for  they  jfhall  know  me, 

*  from  the  lead  to  the  greateR.    (f )  Neither  fhall  they  defile 

*  themfelves  any  more  with  their  idols,  nor  with  their  detef- 

*  table  things,  nor  with  any  of  their  tranfgrellions;  but  I  will 
^  cleanfe  them,  fo  they  fhall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  theit" 

*  God.   They  fhall  have  one  fhepherd ;  they  fhall  alfo  walk 

*  in  my  judgments,  and  obferve  my  ftatutes  for  ever.'  There 
never  was  fuch  a  ftate  of  univerfal  fan<5lity  and  knowledge  in 
the  church  militant  upon  earth;  and  it  would  be  ridiculous^ 
to  explain  all  thefe  prophecys  of  the  church  triumphant  in 
heaven,  and  to  fay,  that  fouls,  admitted  to  the  beatific  vifion, 
fhall  no  more  defile  themfelves  with  Idols.  In  all  thefe  texts, 
there  is  ftill  mention  made  of  the  earth,  of  a  total  fan(5lificati- 
on  to  be  made  of  it;  allfeems  to  denote  a  middle  ftate  betwixt 
the  prefcnt  pollution,  corruption,  and  degradation  of  this 
terreftrialmanfion;  and  that  of  a  total,  univerfal  reftoratiorf 
of  all  things,  in  a  purely  angelica!,  celeftial,  ethereal  ftatei 

(a)  Ifaiah.  ch.  xxv.  7.  8.  (b)  Ibid.  ch.  xl.  5.  (c)  Jerem.  ch.  xxxii. 

5'8.  59.  (d)Joel.ch.ii.  28.       (e)  Jerem.  ch.xxxi.  33.  34.       (f)Ezekic]. 

ch.xxxvii.  23. 

Kk   2 


2($o  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

Now  this  middle  ftate,  betwixt  thefe  two  extreams,  can  be 
no  other,  than  the  paradifiacal  ftate  of  the  earth  renewed  and 
reftored  to  its  primitive  luftre  and  beauty. 

3.  In  fine,  this  ftate  of  the  earth  renewed  is  to  be  a  ftate 
of  univerfal,permanent  felicity,  where  there  (liall  be  no  more 
phyfical  evil,  nor  fufFering;  as  well  as  no  moral  evil,  nor 
corruption,    (a)  '  In  thefe  days,  God  will  fwallow  up  death 

*  in  victory,  and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe  away  all  tears  from 

*  their  faces,  and  the  rebuke,  or  punifhment  of  his  people 

*  ihall  he  take  away  from  all  the  earth,    (b)  The  wolf  fhall 

*  dwell  with  the  lamb,  the  leopard  ly  down  with  the  kid, and 

*  the  calf  with  the  young  lion;  and  a  little  child  fhall  govern 

*  them.    Theafp,  nor  the  cockatrice,  fliall  not  hurt  nor  de- 

*  ftroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain,faith  the  Lord.'  *  St.  Irenae- 
us  explains  this  text  of  the  re-eflablifhment  of  the  animal 
kind  to  their  paradifiacal  form,  when  deprived  of  all  their 
fierce  and  noxious  qualities,  they  fhall  be  fubjecfted  to  man, 
as  before  the  fall,    (c)  '  The  defert  fhall  rejoice,  and  blofTom 

*  as  the  rofe ;  the  parched  ground  fhall  become  a  pool,  and 

*  thethirfty  land  fprings  of  water.'  By  the  defert,  the  par- 
ched ground,  and  the  thirfty  land,  are  meant  here,  the 
whole  earth,  and  not  any  particular  fpot  of  it;  for  fuch  is 
our  terreftrial  globe  become,  fince  the  fall,  in  comparifon  of 
its  paradifiacal  beauty.  The  prophet  continues;  '  No  devou- 

*  ring  lion  fhall  be  there,  nor  any  ravenous  beaft  fhall  go  up 

*  thereon;  but  the  redeemed  fhall  walk  there;  and  the  ran- 

*  fomed  of  the  Lord  fhall  return,  and  come  to  Zion  with 

(a)  Ifaiah.  ch.  xxv.  8.  (b)  Ibid.  ch.  xi.  ^.  7.  8.  (c)  Ibid,  ch,  xxxv. 

X.  7 .  ^.  10.         *  S.  Irenaeus  contra  Haerefes.lib.  V.  cap.  xxxiii. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  261 

*  fongs,  and  everlafting  joy  upon  their  heads;  and  all  forrow 

*  and  fighing  fliall  fly  away.'  The  prophet  gives  ns  the  true 
reafon  of  this  wonderful  change,  in  thefe  words,   (a)  *  For 

*  I  will  create  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth:  and  the  former 

*  fhall  not  be  remembred,  nor  come  into  mind. '  He  is 
to  create,  or  to  make  anew,  or  to  re-efl-ablifh,  not  only  the 
earth,  but  the  heavens.  To  underftand  this,  we  mufl:  recall 
the  great  Mofaic  principle,that  the  pofition  of  the  earth  with 
regard  to  the  celeftial  bodies,was  changed  by  the  fall  of  man: 
and  upon  the  triumph  of  the  Mefliah,  or  his  fecond  coming, 
all  is  to  be  reftored  to  its  primitive,paradifiacal  form,  fituation 
and  fplendor,   (b)  '  Arife,  OJerufalem,  and  ftand  on  high, 

*  and  look  towards  theEafl,  and  behold  thy  children  gathe- 

*  red  from  the  Weft  unto  the  Eafl:,  or  rifing  fun,  by  the  word 

*  of  the  holy  One.    They  departed  from  thee,  led  away  by 

*  their  enemies;  but  God  bringeth  them  back  unto  thee,  ex- 

*  alted  with  glory;  for  God  hath  appointed,   that  every  high 

*  hill,  and  banks  that  have  lafted  long  fhould  becalt  down, 

*  and  valleys  filled  up,  to  make  even  the  ground,  that  Ifrael 

*  may  gofafelyin  the  glory  of  God;moreover,even  the  woods, 

*  and  every  fweet-fmelling  tree,  fhall  overfhadow  Ifrael  by 

*  the  commandment  of  God  ;  for  God  fliall  lead  Ifrael  with 

*  joy,inthelightof  his  glory,with  the  mercy  and  righteoufncfs 

*  that  cometh  from  him.  (c) Every  valley  fball  be  exalted,  and 

*  every  mountain  and  hill  fhall  be  made  low,  and  the  crook- 

*  cd  paths  fhall  be  made  flreight,  and  the  rough  places  plain; 

*  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  fhall  be  revealed,  and  all  tlcfh 

*  fliall  fee  it  together;  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  fpoken 
(a)  Ifaiah.  ch.  Ixv.i  7.     (b)  Barrach  ch.  v.,  J^6.  7.  ^c.  (c)  Ifaiah,  ch.  xl.4.  i. 


^S2  OF   THE  THREE  STATES 

*  it.'  St.  Irenaeus  fays,  that  thefe  two  lafl:  texts  cannot  bcun- 
derftood  of  a  purely  celeftial  ftatc ;  and  fo  muft  be  underftood 
of  a  paradlfiacal  one,  when  all  the  earth  was  but  one  plain 
furface  without  any  fuch  ragged,  craggy,  and  wild  inequali- 
tys,as  wc  now  fee,  which  feem  to  be  the  ruins  of  the  ancient 
world,  made  by  the  fall  and  the  deluge.    It  is  true,  that  fomc 
explain  thefe  texts,  in  a  purely  fpiritual  fenfe,  of  the  divine 
rectitude  and  purity ;  to  which,all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
fhall  be  reltorcd:  but  the  moral  fenfe  does  not  exclude  the 
phyfical;  fmce,in  the  earth  reftored,  the  laws  of  the  invifible 
and  vifible  world,    will  be  fimilar  and  analogous. 

The  New  Teftament  confirms  the  do6trine  of  the  Old. 
None  of  the  apoftles  and  difciples  looked  upon  our  Saviour's 
iirft  coming  and  fuffering  ftate,  as  an  accomplilhment  of  the 
prophefys.   On  the  contrary,   they  all  expe(n:ed  his  fecond 
coming,  as  the  completion  of  thefe  magnificent  promifes; 
yea,  they  feem  perfuaded,  that  his  fecond  advent  was  very 
near  at  hand,  and  to  happen  in  their  own  time.   They  arc 
full  of  thefe  exprelTions,  (a)  *  The  night  is  far  fpent,  the 
'  day  is  at  hand,   (b)  The  Lord  is  at  hand,  (c)  Exhort  one 
'  another;  and  fomuch  the  more,  as  the  day  is  approaching. 
<  (d)  The  judge  ftandeth  before  the  door,    (e)  The  end  of 
*  all  things  is  at  hand.'    (f)  In  fine,  St.  John  concludes  hi^ 
Revelations  thus,  '  furely  I  come  quickly.' Our  Saviour  him- 
felf  fecms  to  have  authorized  this  opinion,  among  the  difci- 
ples and  apofUes,  of  his  fudden  return  to  judge  the  world,  and 
triumph  over  all  his  enemies.    St.  Matthew  fays,  that  (g) 

(a)  Rom.  xili.  1^2.  (b)  Phil,  ch.iv,  5.  (c)  Heb.  ch.  x.  25.  (d)  James, 
ch.v.  9.  (e)I.  Pet.ch.  iv.  7.  (f)  Rev.  ch.  Jixii.  20.  (g)Matth.  ch.xxiv. 
•g.  compared wkhverfe 30.  31.  34. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  2% 

^  while  our  Saviour  fat  upon  the  mount  of  Olives,  the  difci- 

*  pies  came  unto  him  privately,  faying,  tell  us,  what  fhallbe 

*  the  fign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world?'  our 
Saviour  declares,thatlt  will  be  after  a  time  of  great  defolation, 
famine,  pefHlence,  earth-quakes,  perfecution  of  the  good, 
great  iniquity,  fpiritualdarknefs  and  incredulity,  abominati- 
on in  the  holy  place,  wars,  plagues,  and  tribulation  of  all 
kinds,  fuch  as  was  not  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  no, 
nor  ever  fhallbe;  afterwardshe  adds,  '  Then  allthe  tribesof 

*  the  earth  fhall  mounv  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^  "Soi^  of  iT^^n  coming  la 

*  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and  great  glory/  Our 
Saviour  concludes  alLby  this  faying,  '  This  generation  fhall 

*  not  pafs,tillall  thefe  things  be  fulfilled.'  St.  Peter  fays,  that 
fbme  took  occafion,  from  this  cxpreffion  of  our  Saviour,  to 
feoff,  and  fay,  (a)  *  where  Is   the  promife  of  our  Saviour's 

*  coming?  for,  lince  th^  fathers  fell  aflcep,  all  things  conti- 

*  nue,  as  they  were  from  tlie  beginning.'  The  apofHe's  an:- 
fvver  was;  *  Beloved,  be  not  ignorant  of  this,  diat  one  day, 

*  with  the  Lord,  is  as  a  thoufand  years ;  and  a  thoufand  years, 

*  as  one  day.'  God  docs  not  judge  of  time  and  duration,  as 
we  do;  and  what  we  think  very  long,  Is  buta  moment  before 
him.  Theapoflles  then,  were  in  a  continual  expeclation  of 
our  Saviour's  fecond  coming;  and  did  not  believe,  that  the 
magnificent  promifcs,  and  prophefiesof  theOld  Teftament, 
could  be  fulfilled,  during  this  mortal  ilate;  they  always  de- 
clare, like  the  prophets,  that  thefe  auguft  promifcs  are  to  be 
accompllfhed,  only  in  a  (late  of  the  earth  re-eftablifhcd  and- 
renewed,  after  a  fudden  and  general  conflagration,  yea,  a  to*- 

(a)  II.  Peter  ch,  Ui.  4. 


2^4  OF  THE  THREE  STATES 

tal  defl:ru6^1on  of  all  the  prefent  imperfe(^  forms,  and  defe^ls, 
mces  and  Irregularltys,  both  of  the  material  and  fpiritual 
•world,    (a)  *  The  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in  the 

*  night;  in  the  which,  the  heavens  fhall  pafs  away  with  a 
'  great  noife,  and  the  elements  Ihall  melt  away  with  a  fervent 

*  heat,  the  earth  alfo  and  the  works  that  are  therein  (hall  be 

*  burnt  np.   We  look  for,  and  hafteunto  the  coming  of  the 

*  day  of  the  Lord,  wherein  the  elements,  being  on  fire,  (hall 
'  be  difTolved.    Neverthelefs  we,  according  to  the  promife, 

*  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth  wherein  righteouf- 
'  nefs  dwells.'   (b)  St.  Paul  fays,  *that  the  earnefl:expe<flation 

*  of  the  creature  waiteth  for  the  manifeftation  of  the  fons  of 

*  God;becaufethe  creature  itfelf  alfo  fhall  be  delivered  from 

*  the  bondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
'  fonsofGod.'Lefl:menfancy,that  this  bondage  of  corruption 
regards  only  intelligent  beings,theapoftleadds,  'for  we  know, 

*  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth,  and  travellethin  pain  till 
'  now;  and  not  only  they,but  we  our  felves  groan  within  our 

*  felves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of 

*  the  body.'  It  is  then,  not  only  our  fpiritual  nature,  that  will 
be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  or  moral  evil; 
but  our  bodies  alfo,  that  will  be  fet  free  from  all  phyfical  fuf- 
-fering  and  evil.  St.  John  the  evangelift,  having  amply  de- 
fcribed  in  his  fupernatural  vifions,  the  plagues,  defolations 
and  forrows,  that  are  to  be  forerunners  of  this  fecond  co- 
ming, concludes  atlan:,with  a  defcription  of  the  glorious  ftate 
of  the  earth,  after  this  fecond  advent,  (c)  '  And  I  faw  anew 

(a)  II.  Peter  ch.  iii.  lo.  1 1 .  1 2.  &c.  (b)  Rom.  ch.  viii.  1 9.  20.  ^c.  (c)  Revel. 
ch,  xxi.from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  .  > 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  265 

*  heaven,  and  a  new  earth;  for  the  firft  heaven  and  the  firft 

*  earth  were  pa  fled  away.'  Then,  he  defcribes  the  earth  re- 
eftablifhed  to  its  primitive  paradifiacal  form,  as  all  luminous 
and  tranfparent.  The  images  he  makes  ufe  of  to  defcribe 
the  materials,  of  which  the  city  and  walls  of  the  new  Jerufa^ 
lem  are  to  be  compofed,  as  of  pure  gold  clear  likeglafs,  jaf- 
pers,  faphires,  emeralds,  and  all  fort  of  precious  ftones,  muft 
not  be  taken  in  a  literal,  grofs  fenfe;  neither  are  they  to  be 
underftood  altogether  in  a  fpiritualfenfe,  fince  material  na- 
ture is  not  to  be  defl:royed,but  repaired  and  re-efl:ablifhed;and 
rince,our  bodies  are  to  rife  again,  and  become  immortal,  glo- 
rious, celeftial,  and  endowed  with  all  the  qualities  proper  to 
fuch  a  ftate. 

Thefe  then  are  the  prophefys  of  the  Old  and  New  TeftaT 
ment,  concerning  the  glorious  reign  of  the  Mefliah.  Can 
any  one  fay,  that  thefe  magnificent  prediftions  have  been 
accompli{hed  fince  our  Saviour's  firfl:  coming?  There  was 
never  a  time  of  univerfal  peace,  knowledge,  holinefs,  and 
permanent  felicity.  Neither  can  thefe  predi(n:ions,  about  a 
new  Jerufalem,  and  a  new  earth,  be  underftood  of  a  purely 
celeftial  blefs,fince,as  we  havefaid,  many  of  thefe  predicflions 
and  promifes  indicate  events,  andcircumftances,  that  are  in- 
compatible with  fuch  an  angelical  ftate.  Thefe  fublime  pro- 
phefys therefore  muft  be  underftood  of  a  middle  ftate,  be- 
twixt that  of  the  church  militant  here  upon  earth,  and  that 
of  the  church  triumphant  in  heaven,  after  the  univerfal  refti- 
tutionofall  beings ;  and  confequently,  thefe  glorious  promif- 
fes  can  be  fulfilled  only  in  the  earth  renewed,  and  reftored  to 
its  primitive  paradifiacal  form. 

PART  2^  LI 


iU  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

The  Judaizing  Chriftians,  hierarchical  high-flyers,  and 
Pharifaical  doctors  fancy,that  all  thcfefublime  prophefies  of 
the  Old  Teftament,are  to  be  accomplifhed,  before  the  fecond 
coming;  when  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  jfhall  he  converted; 
when  all  fliall  profefs  the  Chriftian  do6lrine;  when  popes, 
prelates,  and  clergymen,  fliall  become  mafters  of  the  earth, 
and  trample  upon  the  necks  of  emperors,  kings  and  princes; 
when  Turks,  Jews  and  Pagans,  fliall  be  converted  to  the 
external  profefllon  of  Chriftianity;  when  there  fliall  be  but 
one  fliepherd,  and  one  flieepfold,  that  is,  one  univerfal  pon- 
tifex;  when  all  fliall  be  fubje(5ted  to  the  Papal  authority,  and 
Roman  communion.    The  fanatical  levellers  explain  all  of 
converfion  to  their  own  little  fefts  and  communions,  who 
pretend  to  have  reformed  and  reftored  the  church  to  its  pri- 
mitive purity.    To  interpret  the  glorious  prophefies  of  the 
Old  or  New  Teftamcnt,  of  any  event,  revolution,  or  change 
that  is  to  happen  before  the  lafl:  judgment,  the  great  confla- 
gration,and  the  renovation  of  the  earth,  is  manifeflly  contra- 
ry to  Scripture,  which  ftill  reprefents  the  times,  that  are  to 
precede  the  glorious  coming  of  our  Saviour,as  a  time  of  defo- 
lation,  plagues  and  difafters.    All  thefe  wild  explications  of 
the  literal,  Pharifaical,  Fataliftical  doftors,  and  figurifts,  de- 
grade the  facred  oracles,  are  unworthy  of  the  great  plan  of 
Providence,  and  far  below  the  dignity  of  God's  magnificent 
promifes.    Thus,  the  carnal  Jews  of  old  expected  a  temporal 
kingdom  of  the  Meflaah,  wherein  their  nation  fliould  be  exal- 
ted above  all  other  nations,  live  in  pomp  and  fplendor,  and 
be  the  darlings  of  the  moft  High ;  while  all  the  reft  of  man- 
kind fliould  be  their  flaves,  Thus,  the  Pagans  imagined,  that 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  267 

all  the  ancient  traditions  concerning  a  fon  of  Jupiter,  that 
was  to  dcfcend  from  heaven,  conquer  the  earth,  and  re-cfia- 
blifh  the  reign  of  Juftice,  was  to  be  underflood  of  fome  hero 
of  their  own  country,  that  was  to  fubjedt  the  world  to  its  em- 
pire.   Thus,  the  Chinefe  fancy,  that  the  Tiengin,  or  the 
hero  mentioned  in  their  ancient  books,  is  to  reign  in  their 
country,  and  bring  all  nations  under  the  yoke  of  the  Chi- 
nefe.   Thus,  Virgil  applies  to  Marcellus,and  Horace  to  Cae- 
far,  all  that  they  had  learned  from  ancient  tradition  about  the 
great  conqueror,  that  was  to  bring  back  Aftrea  to  the  earth. 
Thus,  no  doubt,  in  the  time  of  Cyrus,  Nebuchadnezzar, 
Xerxes,  Alexander,  and  of  all  the  conquerors  of  the  Eaft, 
there  were  flatterers,  that  applied  to  thefe  great  princes,  all 
that  had  been  tranfmitted  to  them,  by  a  confufed  oral  tradi- 
tion, concerning  the  great  univerfal  Monarch,  whofe  reign  is 
to  extend  over  all  nations. 

Some  allegorical  interpreters  of  Scripture,  feparating  the 
fpirit  from  the  letter,  and  rejecting  altogether  the  lafl:,  ex- 
plain all  the  auguft  promifes  and  prophefies  of  the  glorious 
kingdom,  of  a  purely  celeftial  ftate,  when  the  world  fhall 
be  reilored  to  the  fame  glory,  beauty  and  perfec^lion,  which 
it  had  before  the  fall  of  angels,  the  confufion  of  the  chaos, 
and  the  formation  of  the  paradifiacal  world.  But  they  err, 
not  underftanding  the  fcriptures,  which  fpeak  of  a  glorious 
reign  of  the  Melliah  upon  earth  with  the  ele<5l,  during  ma- 
ny ages  ;  after  which,  the  Son  will  deliver  up  the  kingdom 
to  the  Father,  as  welliall  fee  hereafter.  They  confound  this 
fublimedocflrinc  of  our  Saviour's  glorious  reign,  with  the  er- 
ror of  the  Millenarians,  who,  like  the  fchoolmcn,  and  other . 

LI  2 


268  OF  THE  THREE  STATES 

Judaizlng  Chriftians/mterpreted  all  the  prophefies  of  the  Old 
and  New  Teftament  concerning  this  glorious  reign,  of  a 
ftate,  that  was  to  happen  before  the  fecond  coming;  when 
Jefus  Chrifl:  fhould  reign  corporeally  upon  earth,  in  his  mor- 
tal body,  as  a  temporal  prince;  when  the  material  Jerufalem 
fhould  be  rebuilt;  and  when  the  ele6l  fhall  enjoy  a  fort  of  Ma- 
hometan paradife  here  below.   Thus,  the  Millenarians  de- 
graded and  corrupted  the  primitive  tradition,  which  is  far 
more  pure,  and  which,  as  (a)  St.  Irenaeus  has  preferved  it  to 
us,  after  Papias  difciple  to  St.  John  the  evangelifl:,  is  altoge- 
ther worthy  of  the  great  plan  of  eternal  wifdom  and  Provi- 
dence.   This  admirable  Saint  and  Martyr,  who  lived  fo  near 
to  the  times  of  the  apoltles,  who  converfed  with  a  difciple  of 
St.  John,  gives  many  reafons,  why  this  glorious  reign  of  the 
Me(riah,with  the  ele6l,  upon  the  earth  re-eftablifhed,  ought 
not  to  be  underftood  of  a  purely  celeftial,  and  angelical  ftate. 
Among  others,  this  is  a  very  remarkable  one,  that  the  pro- 
mifes  made  to  Abraham  and  the  patriarchs,  relate  vifibly  to 
a  terreftrial  habitation,  but  renewed,  reformed,  and  reftored 
to  its  paradifiacal  beauty,  (b)  *  And  the  Lord  faidunto  Abra- 

*  ham,  lift  up  now  thine  eyes,and  look  from  the  place  where 
'  thou  art,northward,and  fouthward,  and  eaftward,  and  weft- 

*  ward ;  for  all  the  earth  which  thou  feeit,  to  thee  will  I  give 
Mt,  and  to  thy  feed  for  ever.'  According  to  St.  Irenaeus,  this 
prophefy  was  never  fulfilled,  fince  Abraham  himfelf,  during 
all  his  pilgrimage  here  below,  never  pofTeiTed  a  foot  of  land, 
and  his  pofterity  according  to  the  flefli,were  always  faithlefs, 

(a)  S.  Iren.  contra  Haerefes.  lib.  V.  cap.  xxiet  xxxi,  fub  fine.^     (b)  Gen. 
ch.  xiii,  14.  15. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  269 

or  unhappy,  and  never  pofTefTed  but  a  fmall  point  of  the 
habitable  earth;  and  therefore,  this  promife,  and  all  the 
others,  where  mention  is  made  of  pofTefTing  the  earth,  and 
a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  which  is  a  Hebrew 
phrafe,  to  exprefs  the  greatell:  degree  of  plenty,  fertility,  and 
delights,  mufl:  not  be  underftood  of  theprefent  earth,  nor  of 
any  fpot  of  it;  but  of  the  earth  renewed,  re-eftablifhed  and 
reflored,  promifed  to  the  eleft,  who  are  to  reign  upon  it, 
with  the  Mefliah,  after  his  fecond  coming.  Moreover,  the 
fifth  commandment,  given  to  the  Ifraelites,  *  Honour  thy 

*  father  and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days  may  be  long  upon  the 

*  land,  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee,'  is  falfe,  if  the 
land,  here  fpoken  of,is  to  be  underftood  of  this  prefent  mor- 
tal life;  for  it  is  certain,  that  longevity  is  not  always  a  conie- 
quence,  norrecompenceof  virtue,  and  fubmiflion  to  parents. 

In  fine,  according  to  the  reafoning  of  St.  Irenacus,  if  all 
the  promifes  made  to  the  father  of  the  faithful,  to  the  patri- 
archs his  children,  and  to  all  the  ele6l  of  which  they  were 
chiefs,  models,  and  types,  are  to  be  underftood  of  this  pre- 
fent  earth,  and  of  a  little  fpot  of  it  called  Canaan,  then  all 
the  plan  of  Providence  is  low,  carnal,  defpicable,  terreftrial 
and  unworthy  of  eternal  wifdom,  goodnefs,  and  fan6lity, 
whofe  promifes  are  never  bounded  to  any  thing  finite,  nor  to 
perfonsof  any  one  nation  or  kindred,  according  to  the  flefh, 
but  eternal  and  fpiritual.  To  think  otherwife,  is  to  adhere  to 
the  letter  that  kills,without  knowing  the  fpirit  that  quickens. 

It  is  no  wonder,  that  the  fathers  of  the  primitive  church 
condemned,  in  a  public  council,  the  doMne  of  thcMillena- 
rians,  who  had  degraded,  difguifed,  and  disfigured  this  apof- 


270  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

tolic  tradition.  Thcfe  low,  material,  literal,  grofs  interpre- 
ters of  Scripture  reprefented  the  glorious  reign  of  the  Mef- 
fiah,  as  a  terreflrial  ilate,  a  temporal  government,  and  a  foit 
of  Mahometan  paradife.  They  confined  its  duration  literally 
to  the  fpace  of  a  thoufand  years,  tho'  this  be  expresfly  oppo- 
fite  to  the  Scriptures,  as  may  be  feen,  from  a  thorough  con- 
fideration  of  the  facred  text.  Tho'  it  be  dangerous  to  venture 
upon  any  particular  explication  of  the  myflerious  book  of 
the  Revelations,  or  to  pretend  to  penetrate  into  the  hidden 
fenfe  of  all  the  fublime  truths  therein  contained;  yet  the  laft 
chapters,about  the  glorious  ftate  of  the  ele(5l,  and  thepunifh- 
mentofthe  damned,  during  the  reign  of  the  Meffiah,  after 
the  day  of  judgment,  feem  pretty  clear,  and  contain  vifibly 
the  following  principles. 

I .  That  at  the  fecond  coming  of  our  Saviour,  the  devil 
will  be  enchained  for  a  certain  time,  (a)  *  And  I  faw  an  an- 
'  gel,'  fays  the  evangelifl:,  *  come  down  from  heaven,  having 

*  the  key  of  the  bottomlefs  pit,  and  a  great  chain  in  his 

*  hand;  and  he  laid  hold  on   the  dragon,  that  old  ferpent, 

*  which  is  the  devil  and  fatan,  and  bound  him  a  thoufand 

*  years,  caft  him  into  the  bottomlefs  pit,  {hut  him  up,  and 

*  kt  a  feal  upon  him,  that  he  fhould  deceive  the  nations  no 

*  more,  till  the  thoufand  years  fhould  be  fulfilled.'  All  thefe 
images  of  keys,  chains,  and  feals,  are,  no  doubt,  allegorical: 
but  the  truth  hereby  figured  is,  that  the  evil  principle  will  be 
enchained  after  our  Saviour's  fecond  coming;  fhutupin  the 
abyfs,  where  all  his  malice  concentred,and  turned  upon  him- 
felf  and  his  companions,  he  Vk'ill  no  longer  make  the  earth  a 

(a)  Revel,  ch.  xx.  i.  2.  3.. 


OF   HUMAN   NATURE.  271 

fcene  of  wickednefs  and  cruelty,  of  moral  and  phyfical  evil. 
It  is  added, that  during  thefe  thoufand  years,the  cle<51:  will  live 
and  reign  with  Chrift  upon  the  earth  re-efbblifhed.  *  They 
'  fhall  be  pricfls  of  God  and  of  Chrift,  and  fhall  reign  with 

*  him  a  thoufand  years.    The  reft  of  the  dead  will  not  rife, 

*  nor  live  again,  until  the  thoufand  years  be  finifhcd/ 

2.  It  is  expresfly  added,  that  when  the  thoufand  years  arc 
expired,  (a)  '  Satan  fhall  be  loofed  out  of  his  prifon,and  fhall 
'  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations  Gog  and  Magog,  which  are  in 

*  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  to  gather  them  together  to 

*  battle;  the  number  of  whom  is  as  thefand  of  thefea;  they 

*  willcompafs  the  camp  of  the  faints  about,  and  the  beloved 

*  city.'  It  is  certain,  that  this  cannot  be  underftood  of  a 
purely  ccleftial  ftate,  fmcethe  felicity  of  the  angels  can  never 
be  interrupted,  by  a  fecond  revolt  of  the  devils  in  heaven.  It 
would  be  far  more  abfurd  and  ridiculous,  to  explain  this  of 
any  event,  that  is  to  happen,  during  the  prefent  ftate  of  the 
earth ;  fince  it  is  expresfly  faid,that  this  prophecy  is  to  be  ful- 
filled, only  after  the  refurreflion  of  the  eled,  the  enchain- 
ment of  Satan,  and  the  glorious  reign  of  our  Saviour.  It  muft 
then  be  underftood,  ofthelaft  effort  of  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels, 'ere  they  be  totally  defeated.  The  nations  called  Gog 
and  Magog  numerous  as  thefand  of  thefea,  cannot  be  the 
reprobate,  finceitisfaid,  in  the  fame  text, '  that  thefe  are  not 

*  yet  to  rife  from  the  dead.'  Some  think,  that  by  Gog  and 
Magog  we  muft  not  underftand  any  beings  of  the  human 
fpccies,  but  two  forts  of  degraded  intelligences,  different 
from  the  infernal  fpirits  fhut  up  in  the  abyfs,  as  we  fhall 

(a)  Revel,  ch.  xx.  7.  8.  &c. 


272  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

explain  In  the  following  chapter.  It  is  added,  that  the  devil, 
with  all  his  forces,  will  be  defeated,  *  and  thrown  into  the 
'  lake  of  fire  and  brimftone  for  ages  of  ages,  with  the  beaft, 
'  the  falfe  prophet,  and  the  reprobate  who  are  to  rife  after 
'  the  thoufand  years,  to  be  judged: '  for,  it  is  faid,  that  '  the 

*  fea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it,  that  death  and  hell 

*  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them,  that  every  man 
«  was  judged  according  to  his  works;'  and  In  fine, '  that  death 
'  and  hell  were  caft  into  the  lake  of  fire.  This  is  the  fecond 
'  death.'  Here  then,  are  two  refurredions  mentioned,  the 
firft  is  that  of  the  ele(5l,  and  the  fecond,  that  of  the  repro- 
bate. 

3.  The  devils,  the  damned,  and  all  fort  of  degraded  Intel- 
ligences, diabolicaljhuman,  and  brutal  are  then  to  be  thrown 
into  the  abyfs  and  the  lake  of  fire,  till  they  be  totally  transfor- 
med and  purified,  and  till  all  their  inveterate  malice  and  cor- 
ruption be  altogether,  and  for  ever  eradicated,  deftroyed  and 
annihilated  by  the  moft  exquifite  torments.    During  this  in- 
terval of  the  divine  juftice,  our  Saviour  is  ftill  to  reign  upon 
earth,  with  the  faints.    For  St.  John,  in  the  two  following 
and  laft  chapters  of  his  divine  Revelations,  gives  us  a  defcrip- 
tion  of  the  paradifiacal  earth  reftored  to  its  primitive  perfec- 
tion and  beauty ;  tho'  the  heavens  fliall  be  diiTolved,   the  ele- 
ments melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  and  all  the  works 
therein  fhall  be  burnt  up,  yet  the  fubftance  of  matter  is  not 
to  be  deftroyed,  for  all  the  images  made  ufe  of  are  material. 
The  cvangelifl:  fays,  (a)  '  And  I  faw  a  new  heaven,  and  a 
*  new  earth ;  for  the  firfl  heaven,  and  the  firft  earth  were  paf- 

(a)  Revel,  ch.xxi.  i.  2. 3.  Scc^ 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  273 

*  fed  away,  and  there  was  no  more  fea.*  How  ridiculous 
would  it  be,  to  talk  of  a  fea  in  the  ccleflial  regions.  1  hen  he. 
continues,  *  andl  John  faw  the  holy  city,  the  new  Jcrufalem 

*  <:oming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride 

*  adorned  for  her  hufband.'  In  the  reft  of  the  chapter,  he  af- 
fures  us,  that  all  moral  and  phyfical  evil  is  to  be  deftroycd  up- 
on earth  renewed  and  re-eftablifhcd;  matter  is  not  to  be  anni- 
hilated, but  matter  is  to  lofe  all  its  irregular  forms,  all  is  to  be 
a  glorious,    luminous,  tranfparent  and  paradifiacal  matter. 

*  Then  there  will  be  no  need  of  the  fun,  nor  of  the  moon;  for 

*  the  glory  of  God  fhall  enlighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  fhall  be 
'  the  light  thereof.'  As  the  luminous  emanations  of  the  Lo-* 
gos,  arc  the  light  of  all  intelligences, fo  the  rays  of  his  glorious 
body  will  be  the  light  of  the  new  Jcrufalem.  He  does  not  fay, 
that  in  this  new  earth  reftorcd  to  its  primitive  paradifiacal 
form,  there  will  be  no  fun  nor  moon ;  for  there  v/erc  fuch  in 
Paradife,  according  to  the  folar  fyftem  defcribed  by  Mofes:- 
but  this  text  fecms  to  infinuatc,  that  the  place  and  feat  of  the 
divine  glory,  which  will  be  the  garden  of  Eden  renewed,  and 
which  is  called  every  where  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  the 
mountain  of  Zion,  the  holy  mountain,  the  new  Jcrufalem,' 
will,  during  the  reign  of  the  MefFiah,  be  illuminated  by  the 
immediate  prefence  of  thegloriousbody  of  the  Logos,  which 
being  material  and  corporeal,  mult  have  a  definite  place  to  re- 
fide  in.  This  does  not  prove,  that  in  the  renewed  ftate  of  th« 
earth,  thercftof  our  terreftrial  fpherc  will  not  be  cnlightned 
by  the  fun  and  by  the  moon;  but  all  fhall  be  foenlightned,  as 
that  there  fhall  be  no  night  there,no  viciffitudcs  of  feeble  light 
gnd  midnight  darknefs,  as  in  our  prefcnt  Itatci.for. then  the 

TART  2.  ^^m 


274  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

light  of  the  fun  will  be  feven  times  greater  than  now,  and  the 
light  of  the  moon,   as  that  of  the  fun. 

4.  It  is  no  where  revealed,  how  long  this  glorious  reign  Is 
to  laft;  and  to  confine  its  duration  to  a  thoufand  years,  is  dia- 
metrically oppofite  to  the  doftrine  of  the  evangelKl:  in  his  Re- 
velations, For  therein  we  fee,  that  firft  of  all,  the  elect  are  to 
rife  again,  and  to  reign  with  Chrift  upon  earth, during  a  thou- 
fand years,  while  the  devil  is  to  be  enchained,  and  thrown 
into  the  bottomlefs  pit.  Then,  he  is  to  be  let  loofe,  and  con- 
fpire  with  Gog  and  Magog,  to  make  war  upon  the  faints ;  and 
lafl:  of  all,  he  is  to  be  totally  defeated,  and  thrown,  with  all 
his  accomplices,  into  the  lake  of  fire  together  with  the  repro- 
bate, that  are  to  rife  again,  and  undergo  the  fame  infernal 
pains  for  ages  of  ages,  g/$  t5$  cucovcjh  rcoi/  alcovojv.  But,  as 
we  fhall  prove  in  the  following  chapter,  this  will  not  be  the 
end  and  confummation  of  all  things.  There  is  another  glori- 
ous and  univerfalfcene  of  eternal  love,  and  mercy  to  be  ma- 
nifefted. 

Thefe,  then,  are  the  three  ftates  of  the  earth  exalted,  fal- 
len, and  re-eftablifhed,  which  are  expresfly  revealed  in  Scrip- 
ture. Let  us  now  fee,  if  we  can  find  any  veftiges  of  thefe  fu- 
blime  truths  among  the  Pagans.  We  begin  firfl  with  the  Chi- 
nefe,  the  moft  ancient  of  all  nations. 

We  have  already  remarked,  that  according  to  the  prophe- 
tic ftyle  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  the  glorious  flate  of  the  earth, 
in  Its  primitive  paradiliacal  beauty,  is  reprefented  under  the 
allegory  of  a  facred  mountain.  This  fame  term  is  oft  made 
ufe  of  in  the  Chinefe  monuments.  We  find  thefe  admirable 
expreflions  in  an  ancient  book  called  Chanhaiking,  in 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  ly^ 

defcribing  the  mountain  Kouenlun,  which  was  the  mid-, 
die  of  the  world.    *  All  that  could  be  defired,  wondrous 

*  trees,  marvellous  fountains,  and  flowery  (hades  were  found 

*  upon  that  facrcd  hill,  or  hidden  garden.    This  mountain  is 

*  the  inferior  palace  of  the  fovereign  Lord,  and  the  animal 

*  Kaiming  guards  the  entry  of  it.' The  commentary  upon 
this  paffage,  calls  Kaiming,  a  celeftial  animal,  and  Pao- 
pouTSEE,a  SPIRITUAL  ANIMAL.  This  isconfotm  to  the 
Hebrew  prophetic  ftyle,  which  calls  the  heavenly  fpirits,  li- 
ving creatures,  or  animals;  and  thus,  the  Chinefe  tradition  is 
perfectly  conform  to  the  Mofaic  revelation,  which  teaches, 
that  theCherubins  with  flaming  fwords  were  fent  by  God, 
to  guard  the  entry  into  the  garden  of  Eden.  The  word  Ka  i^ 
MING  fignifys,  that  which  opens  the  underftanding.  Ano- 
ther author,  called  Hoi  A I  NANG  WANG,  in  fpeakingof  the 
firfl  earth,  fays,  *  This  delicious  garden,  refreflied  with  ze- 

*  phyrs,  and  planted  with  odoriferous  trees,  was  (ituated  in 

*  the  middle  of  the  mountain,  which  was  the  avenue  of  hea- 

*  ven.    1  he  waters  that  bedewed  it,  fiovv^ed  from  a  fource 

*  called  the  Fountain  of  Immortality.    He  that  drinks  of"  it, 

*  never  dies.   From  thence  flowed  four  rivers,  a  Golden 

*  RIVER,  betwixt  the  South  and  Eaft;  aRED  river,  be- 

*  twixt  the  North  and  Eaft;  a  Peaceful  streaivi,  be- 

*  twixtthe  South  andWeft;and  the  River  of  the  Lamb, 
'  betwixt  the  North  and  Wefl.   Thefe  magnificent  floods 

*  are  the  fplrltual  fountains  of  the  fovereign  Lord,  by  which 

*  he  heals  the  nations, and  frudtifys  all  things.'  What  a  won- 
derful rcfcmblance  is  there,  betwixt  this  ancient  tradition 
prefcrved  among  the  Chinefe,  and  the  four  rivers,   which, 

M  m    2 


TTjG  OF  THE   THREE   STATES 

according  to  theMofaic  defcriptlon,  flowed  from  Eden?  I 
do  not  know,  even,  if  the  four  names  given  to  the  four  rivers^ 
ofParadife,PHisoN,  Gehon,  Hiddekel  and  Pherad, 
may  not  be  literally  tranflated,  the  Golden  river;  the  Red  or 
fiery  river;  the  Peaceful  river;  and  the  river  of  the  Lamb. 
An  exad  analyfis  of  the  Hebrew  etymologies  will,  perhaps, 
confirm  this  idea.  The  fame  author  Hoi  ai  nang  wang 
adds,  '  If  you  double  the  height  of  the  mountain  Kouen- 

*  LUN,  it  will  become  the  fupream  heaven,  where  fpirits  live, 
*:  and  the  palace  of  the  great  Lord  and  fovereign  mafler.  An- 
other author  of  great  antiquity  called  Lopi  fays;  *  That 
'.  they  had  learned  from  their  anceflors,  that  there  is  really  a 

*  mountain  called  KouENLUN;butthat  hitherto,none  could 
*finditout.'  Tchouangtsee,  in  fpcaking  of  this  primi- 
tive ftate,  fays,  '  that  it  was  the  age  of  perfe^  virtue,   and 

*  that  all  places  were  equally  the  native  country  of  every  man. 
*:.  The  flocks  wandered  in  the  fields,  without  any  guide;  the 
'•birds  filled  all  with  their  melodious  voices;  the  fruits  grew 

*  of  their  own  accord.    Men  lived  with  the  beafts,  and  all 

*  creatures  were  members  of  the  fame  family.  Man,  entirely 

*  Ignorant  of  all  evil,  never  abandoned  virtue,  and  lived  in 

*  perfedl:  innocence,  with  fimplicity,  exempt  from  all  cupidi- 

*  ty.'    Hoainantsee  fays,  '  that  in  thefirftageof  perfecffe 

*  purity,  all  was  in  great  concord,  and  the  paflions  did  not 

*  occafion  theleaft  murmur.    Man  united  from  within  tofo- 

*  vereign  Reafon,  all  his  a<5lions  from  without  were  con  form 

*  to  fovereign  Juftice.    His  foul  far  from  all  diflimulation 

*  and  falfliood,  received  a  marvellous  felicity  from  heaven, 

*  and  the  pureft  delights  from  earth.  The  feafons  observed 


OF    HUMAN   NATURE.  277 

'  immutable  laws;  the  winds  and  rains  did  not  diflrurb  the 

*  earth;  the  fun  and  moon  filled  all  with  their  benign  influ- 

*  ences,  and  the  five  other  planets  never  turned  out  of  their 

*  courfes.'    The  book  Sleeki  adds,  '  thatin  this  firfl:  antl- 

*  quity  and  beginning  of  the  world,the  heavens  and  the  eartii 

*  correfponded  to  the  defires  of  men;  the  feafons  were  al- 

*  ways  temperate,  without  any  extreams,  and  man  was  cn- 

*  dowed  with  true  virtue.   Then  there  were  no  calamity^, 

*  ficknefs  nor  death;  and  this  was  called  the  great  time  of 

*  nature.' 

We  find,  in  the  fame  books,  feveral  vcdiges  of  the  fall  af 
man.    In  the  book  Chi  king,  it  is  faid,  '  Heaven  placed' 

*  mankind  upon  a  high  mountain,  but  Taiwang  made  it 

*  fruitlefs  by  his  fault.  VENWANG,or  theKing  of  Pcace,en- 

*  dcavoured  to  render  to  the  mountain  its  primitive  beauty: 

*  but  Taiwang  contradicted,  and  oppofcd  his  will.'  The^ 
fame  book  fays,  in  another  ode,  *  Why  did  Taiwang 

*  plunge  us  into  fo  many  miferys?  why  was  he  the  caufe  of 

*  our  being  banifhed  from  our  native  country?  he  overtur- 

*  ned  our  houfe,  he  filled  our  earth  with  thorns  and  briars^ 

*  and  he  faid, I  am  not  guilty,!  could  not  do  otherwife.'  The 
fame  book  adds,  (a)  '  Our  mifery  has  lafled  thefe  many  ages^; 

*  the  world  is  lolt ;  vice  overflows  all,  as  a  mortal  poifon.  We 

*  poffefTed  happy,fruitful  fields,  a  woman  robbed  us  of  them  ; 

*  all  was  fubjecledto  us,  a  woman  threw  us  into  flavery.  She 

*  hates  innocence,  and  loves  vice.   The  wife  hufband  raifed 

*  up  a  bulwark  of  walls.   The  woman,  by  an  ambitious  dc- 

*  fire  of  knowledge,  demolifhed  them.    Our  mifery  did  nolL 
■    (a)  See  Father  dii  Haldes  defcription  of  China,  vol,  II.  pag.  313. 


^i^  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

'  come  from  heaven;  but  from  a  woman.    She  loft  human 

*  kind;  flie  erred  firft,  and  then  finned.  She  kindled  thecon- 
'  fiagration,  that  augments  every  day.   Ah!  unhappy  Paos- 

*  SEE,  it  was  thou  that  kindled  the  fire,  that  confumes  us.' 
The  uitcrpreter  LoPi  fays,  *  After  that  nature  was  fpoiled 

*  and  degraded,  thebirdsof  the  air,  the  beafts  of  the  field,  the 

*  reptiles  and  the  ferpents  confpired  to  hurt  man;  after  that 

*  man  had  acquired  the  falfefcience,  all  the  creatures  became 


^  his  enemies.' 


Thefe  books  talk  of  the  renovation  of  the  earth  by  the 
Saint.  We  have  quoted  already,  in  the  foregoing  chapter, 
many  admirable  pafTages  on  this  head,  when  v/e  fpoke  of  the 
glorious  reign,  or  triumphant  ftate  of  the  Mefliah.  We  fhall 
content  ourfelves,  to  add  one  pafTage  more,  on  this  glorious 
reftitution  of  the  earth,  to  its  primitive  paradifiacal  form. 

*  The  Lord  looks  with  pleafure  upon  the  facred  mountain. 

*  It  is  the  abode  of  peace;  there  grow  none  of  the  trees  em- 

*  ployed  to  make  warlike  inftruments.    It  is  an  eternal  king* 

*  dom ;  it  is  the  work  of  the  moft  High.'  In  other  places  of 
thefe  facred  books,  it  is  faid,  '  that  the  kingdom  of  the  mid- 
'  die,  is  a  kingdom,where  the  holy  Son  of  heaven  is  to  reign. 

*  He  allows  no  wicked  men  to  enter  there;  but  he  banifhes 

*  them  into  the  dark  abodes  of  beafts  and  monfters.   The 

*  fubjects  of  that  kingdom  are  called  Tie  N-M  IN,  or  heavcn- 

*  ly  people;    Leang-min,  upright  people;    Tsee-iMin, 

*  people  of  the  Son,  becaufe  they  are  governed  by  the  holy 

*  Son  of  heaven,  who  perfects  them  from  within,  and  from 

*  without;  and  nouriflies  them  by  his  fupream  virtue  and  ce- 
^  leftial  doctrine,  fo  that  they  cry  out  vvdth  joy,  The  Son  of 


OF   HUMAN   NATURE.  275^ 

*  heaven  Is  truly  the  father  of  his  people,  and  the  Lord  of  the 

*  univerfe.' 

The  Chlnefe,  who  have  no  knowledge  of  the  fublime 
truths  of  our  holy  religion,  do  not  know  what  to  make  of 
all  thcfc  traditions,  about  a  pre-exifl:ent,paradi(iacal  (late;  and 
look  upon  them,  as  allegorical  images  of  different  revoluti- 
ons, that  happened  under  certain  imaginary  kings,empcrors, 
and  heroes  of  China,far  moreancient,than  the  world.  They 
apply  alfo  all  the  traditions,  about  the  glorious  kingdom  of 
theMefliah,  to  their  own  empire,  which  is  to  conquer  and 
fubdue  all  nations.  They  look  upon  themfelves,  as  the  cleft, 
chofen,  peculiar  favourites  of  heaven;  for  this  rcafon,  they 
will  have  no  commerce  with  other  nations;  and  look  upon 
all  the  reft  of  the  world,  as  profane,  wicked,  and  reprobate. 

We  findfome  veftiges  of  the  fame  great  truths  among  the 
Indians,  Perfians  and  all  the  other  oriental  nations;  tho'  the 
fall  of  man  and  that  of  angels  be  oft  confounded,  and  the 
three  ftatcs  of  the  earth,  in  particular,  with  that  of  degraded 
nature,  in  general.  We  have  but  few  traces  left  of  the  anci- 
ent theology  of  the  Gymnofophifts,  yetStrabo  has  preferved 
to  us  a  very  remarkable  one,  which  fuppofes  the  two  ftates  of 
the  world,  that  of  nature  in  Its  purity,  and  that  of  nature 
corrupted.  He  fays,  (a)  *  that  Oneficritus  being  fent  hy 
*  Alexander  the  Great,  to  inform  himfclfof  the  life,manners 

<  and  doctrine  of  the  Bramins,  or  GymnofophKb;  found  a 

<  Bramin  named  Calanus,  who  taught  him,  that  in  the  firft 
i  origin  of  the  world,  plenty  reigned  over  all  nature.    Milk, 

<  wine,  honey,  and  oil  flowed  from  fountains;  but  men  ha^- 
(a)  Strabo.  lib.  XV.  pag,  713.714.  edit.  Lutet.  Paiif.  1 620. 


28d  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

*  ving  made  an  ill  ufe  of  this  felicity,  Jupiter  deprived  theiii 
'  of  it,  and  condemned  them  to  labour,  for  the  fuflenance  of 

*  their  lives.'  The  Perfian  Magi,  who  followed  the  doctrine 
of  the  Indian  Gymnofophids  ;  and  were  but  defccndants  of 
the  fame  fchool,  maintained,  according  to  the  teftimony  of 
Plutarch,  that  (a)  '  the  Mundan  egg  was  at  fird  (hining,  and 

*  tranfparent;  that  at  length,  Arimanius  andhiscompanioMS 

*  broke  thorough  this  glorious  fhining  egg,  and  immediately 

*  evil  was  blended  and  confounded  with  good.    There  will, 

*  in  fine,  come  a  time  appointed  by  fate,  when  Arimanius 

*  will  be  banifhed  from  the  earth, which  will  change  its  form, 
'  become  plain  and  even.    Then  men  fliall  be  happy,  their 

*  bodies  become  tranfparent,  and  they  fliall  all  have  one  and 

*  the  fame  life,  language  and  government.'  The  Egyptians, 
maintained  the  fame  principles,  when  they  talk  of  the  firft 
happy  reign  of  Ofiris,  then  of  his  death;  and  lafl:  of  ail,  of 
his  triumphs.  The  eflential  ideas  are  the  fame,  tho'  thenames 
be  different. 

The  Greeks  and  Romans  had  the  fame  notions,  as  the 
Egyptians,  Perfian s,  Indians  and  all  the  orientals.  Heracli- 
tusfpeaks  thus,  '  My  foul  feems  to  vaticinate  and  prefage  its' 
'approaching  difmiflion  from  this  its  prifon ;  and  looking 

*  out,  as  it  were,  through  the  cracks  and  cranys  of  this  body,- 

*  to  remember  thefe  its  native  regions,  from  whence  defcen-' 

*  ding,  It  was  cl  oath  ed  with  this  flowing  mortalbody,  made 
*.  upofflegm,  choler,  blood,  nerves,  bones  and  flefli.'  The» 
philofophy  of  Plato,  as  v^e  have  fhown,  is  an  emanation  of 
the  Pythagorean  doftrine;  and  wc  know,  that  Py thagoras- 

(,Ti)Plntarcb.dcjrid,  etQfirid.pag.jyo.  .dii  .odflU3  (e) 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  281 

derived  his,  from  the  fages  of  Egypt,  the  Magi  of  Perfia,  and 
the  Indian  Gymnofophifls  whofe  fentlments  and  philofophy 
he  had  fludied.  We  may  therefore  look  upon  the  Platonic 
leheme,  as  the  quintefTence  of  all  the  oriental  learning  on  this 
important  fubjecfl.  This  philofopher  fpeaks  thus  of  the  primi- 
tive earth,  (a)  '  The  ethereal  earth,  the  firft  abode  of  fouls,  is 

*  placed  in  thepure regions  of  heaven,v\'herethe  ftars arefea- 

*  ted.  We  that  live  in  this  lov/  abyfs,  are  apt  to  fancy,  that  we 
'  are  in  a  high  place,  and  we  call  the  air  the  heavens;  jufl  like 

*  a  man,  that  from  the  bottom  of  the  fea,  fhould  vievi^  the  fun 

*  and  ftars  through  the  waters,  and  fancy  the  ocean  to  be 

*  the  firmament  itfelf.    But  if  we  had  wings  to  mount  on 

*  high,  we  (hould  fee,  that  there  is  the  true  heaven,  the  true 

*  light  and  the  true  earth.    As  in  the  fca,  every  thing  is  alte- 

*  red,  and  disfigured  by  thefalts  that  abound  in  it;  fo,  in  our 

*  prefcnt  earth,  every  thing  is  deformed,  corrupted  and  rui- 

*  nous,  when  compared  with  the  primitive  earth,  which  was 
'  immcnfe;  whereas  now,   we  know  and  inhabit,    only -a 

*  fmallpartofit.'  By  this,  Plato  and  the  ancients  feem  to  be- 
lieve, that  the  earth  we  now  inhabit,  is  only  a  fmall  portion 
of  a  luminous  ftar  detached  from  the  ethereal  regions,  and 
changed  into  a  dark,  opake,  grofs  planer.  In  the  fame  dia- 
logue, he  gives  us  this  pompous  defcription  of  that  ethereal 
earth,  of  which  ours  is  only  a  broken  cruft;  (b)  *  In  that 
'  ethereal  earth,  every  thing  was  beautiful,  harmonious  and 

*  tranfparent;  fruits  of  an  excellent  tafte  grew  there  naturally^ 

*  and  it  was  watered  with  rivers  of  neflar ;  there  men  breath- 

*  ed  the  light,  as  we  breathe  the  air;  and  they  drank  waters, 

(a)  Platon.  Phaedo.  pag.  81.82.         (b)  Platon.  Pbaedo. 
PART  2.  N  n 


282  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

*  that  were  purer  than  air  itfelf/  In  the  dialogue  called  Poli- 
ticus,  he  names  this  primitive  (hte  of  the  earth,  the  reign  of 
Saturn,  and  defcribes  it  in  this  manner,    (a)  '  God  was  then 

*  the  prince  and  common  father  of  all;  he  governed  the 

*  world  by  himfelf,  as  he  governs  it  now  by  inferior  deities. 

*  Rage  and  cruelty  did  not  then  prevail  upon  the  earth ;  war 

*  and  fedition  were  not  fomuch  as  known.  God  himfelf  took 

*  care  of  thefuftenance  of  mankind,  and  was  their  guardian 

*  and  fliepherd.  There  were  no  magiftrates,  nor  civil  polity,  as 

*  there  are  now.   All  men  were  governed  by  right  reafon  and 

*  the  love  of  order.    In  thefe  happy  days,  the  fertile  fields 

*  yielded  fruits  and  corn,  without  the  labour  of  tillage.  Man- 
'  kind  ftood  in  no  need  of  rayment  to  cover  their  bodies,  be- 

*  ing  troubled  with  no  inclemency  of  the  feafons,  and  they 

*  took  their  reft  upon  beds  of  turf  of  a  perpetual  verdure.' 

Plato,  in  other  places,  defcribes  the  manner  how  fouls 
fell  from  the  happy  ftate,  which  they  enjoyed  in  this  primi- 
tive, ethereal,  celeftial,  paradifiacal  earth.  He  imputes  their 
fall  (b)  '  to  their  neglecting  to  follow  the  God-guide  unto 
the  fupra-celcftial  place,  where  they  faw  truth  in  its  fource; 
to  their  taking  up  with  ne^ar  and  ambrofia,  (that  is,  with 
the  accefTory  felicity  to  be  found  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
material  pictures.)  Thus,  they  grew  heavy  and  fluggifh, 
broke  their  wings,  fell  down  upon  the  earth,  and  entered 
into  human  bodies  more  or  lefs  vile,  according  as  they  had 
been  more  or  lefs  elevated.  Souls  lefs  degraded  than  others, 
dwell  in  the  bodies  of  philofophers.  The  moft  defpicable 
of  all  dwell  in  the  bodies  of  tyrants,   and  evil  princes. 

(a)  Plat.  pol.  pag.  53  7.  558.     (b)  Platon.  Phaedrus.  pag.  1 223. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  283 

(a)  *  It  was  after  this  degradation  offpirlts,  that  Saturn,  the 

*  niafler  of  the  univerfejhaving  quitted  the  reins  of  his  empire, 

*  hidhimfelfin  an  inacceffibleretrcat.The  foundations  of  the 

*  world  were  fhaken  by  motions  contrary  to  its  firft  princi- 

*  pie,  and  lafl:  end  ;  and  it  loft  its  beauty  and  order.    Then  it 

*  was  that  good  and  evil  were  blended  together.' 

After  this,  Plato  dcfcribes  the  third  ftate  of  the  earth,  In 
the  cleareft  terms,  (b)  *  In  the  end,  left  the  world  fhould 
'  be  plunged  in  an  eternal  abyfs  of  confufion,  God  the  au- 

*  thor  of  the  primitive  order,  will  appear  again,  and  reaffume 

*  the  reins  of  empire.    Then  he  will  change,  amend,  embel- 

*  lifh  and  reftorethe  whole  frame  of  nature;  and  put  an  end 
'  to  decay  of  age,  difeafes  and  death.' 

It  is  not  only  the  philofophers,  but  even  the  poets  that 
have  prefcrved  to  us  the  noblefl:  ideas  of  thefe  three  ftates  of 
the  earth.  In  fpeaking  of  the  Golden  age  or  reign  of  Saturn, 
they  dcfcribe  it  to  us,  as  a  happy  ftate,  in  which  there  were 
neither  moral  nor  phyfical  evil,  neither  crimes  nor  fuiferlngs. 
Then  they  reprefcnt  the  Iron  age,  as  a  time,  when  vice  and 
calamities  began,  when  all  manner  of  miferys  came  forth  out 
of  Pandora's  box,  and  overflowed  the  face  of  the  earth;  at 
lafl,  they  fpeak  to  us  of  the  Golden  age  renewed,  as  a  time, 
when  Aflrea  is  to  return  upon  earth,  when  juflice,  peace,  and 
innocence  are  to  flourifli  again,  with  their  original  luflre ; 
and  when  every  thing  is  to  be  reflored  to  its  primitive  perfec- 
tion. 

Orpheus  the  mofl  ancient  of  all  the  Greeks,  fays,  In  a 

(a)  Platon.polit.  pag,538.     (b)Platon.polit.  pag.  539.61  Phaedr.pag.  1223. 

Nn   2 


284  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

fragment  preferved  to  us  by  Proclus,  (a)  *  Under  the  reign 

*  of  Saturn,  men  were  immortal,  lived  without  labour,  and 

*  in  a  perpetual  youth.'    The  fame  poetical  philofopher  fays, 
according  to  the  teftimony  of  Plato,  (b)  '  that  fouls  are  here 

*  in  a  ftate  of  punifhment  for  faults  committed  in  a  pre-exif- 

*  tent  life ;  their  body  being  a  prifon  to  them,  wherein  they 

*  are  kept  in  cuftody  till  their  debts  and  faults  be  expiated, 

*  and  this  body  is  therefore  called  Xw^otoc,  or  2>?iwa,  a  fepul- 

*  chre.' 

(c)  Hefiod,  fpeaking  of  this  primitive  earth,  fays,  *  The 
'  celeftial  Gods  formed  firda  golden  race  of  men,  who  lived 

*  like  Gods  under  the  reign  of  Saturn;  without  toil,  or  vexa- 
^  tion;  paflions,  or  vices.  They  poflefled  all  forts  of  good 
'  (both  moral  and  phyfical.)  The  fertile  earth,of  its  own  ac- 

*  cord,  brought  forth  all  kinds  of  fruits  in  variety  and  abun- 

*  dance;  they  enjoyed  in  pcrfe<ft tranquillity,  allimaginable 

*  pleafures,  according  to  their  wifh  and  choice.  Troublefome 

*  old  age  did  not  molefl:  them ;  dear  to  the  happy  Gods,  they 

*  pafled  their  peaceful  days  in  joys  and  delights,  feeding up- 

*  on  apples.  At  length,  they  were  tranflated  to  a  fuperior 
'  life,  as  in  a  fweet  fleep.' 

(d)  Lucretius  himfelf  had  fome  ideas  of  this  happy  (late. 
'  The  world,  fays  he,  in  its  firft  infancy,  fuffered  neither  ex- 

*  ceUive  colds,  nor  immoderate  heats,  nor  impetuous  winds; 
^  all  was  temperate,  and  a  perpetual  fpring  reigned  over  the 
^  face  of  the  whole  earth.' 

(e)  Ovid  is  very  full  on  this  head.    *  The  world  began  by 

(a)  Orph.  apud  Proclura.  theol.  Platon.  lib.  V.  cap.  x.       (b)  Platon.  Cratylus* 
pag.  400.  ed.  Steph.  (c)  Hefiod.  opera  et  dies  lin.  108.        (d)  Lucret.  lib.  V» 

lin.  698,         (e)  Ovid.  Metajnorph.  lib.  I. fab.  3. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  285 

*  a  Golden  age.    Men  then  obferved  the  principles  of  fide!  i- 

*  ty  and  juftice,  without  being  conftrained  by  penal  laws. 

*  Fear  was  not  the  motive  of  their  obedience ;  punifhments 

*  were  unknown.   Then  there  were  no  criminals  that  trem- 

*  bled  in  the  prefence  of  their  judges.    The  peace  and  fecuri- 

*  ty,  in  which  men  lived,  w^re  not  the  effecfts  of  force  and 

*  authority.    The  towns  without  walls  or  ditches  were  an  af- 

*  fiired  afylum  to  all  their  inhabitants.    1  rumpets,  helmets, 

*  fvvords  and  all  warlike  inftruments  were  then  unknown, 

*  and  armys  wereufelefs  to  afTure  a  Tweet  and  peaceful  life  to 
'  the  citizens.   The  earth,  untorn  by  the  plough,  furnifh- 

*  ed  all  forts  of  fruits,  to  the  inhabitants  thereof.  An  eternal 
'  fpring  reigned  over  all  the  globe.    The  foft  zephyrs  enllve- 

*  ned,  and  ripened  by  their  heat,  the  flowers  that  grew  of 
'  their  own  accord.    The  harveftfucceedcd,  without  any  ne- 

*  ceflity  of  tillage,  or  fowing.  Rivers  of  milk,  ne<5lar  and  ho- 

*  ney  flowed  every  where.' 

(a)  Virgil  fpeaks  much  after  the.  fame  manner  ;  *  under 

*  the  reign  of  Saturn,  before  that  of  Jupiter,  the  hufbandmen 

*  did  not  till  the  ground.    It  was  not  then  allowed  to  divide 

*  the  lands  in  portions,  and  fct  marks  to  diftinguifti  each 
«  man's  heritage.    All  was  in  common  to  all,  and  the  earth 

<  uncultivated  furnlftied  abundantly  of  its  own  accord,  with- 
«  out  any  tillage.    In  this  iirft  age  of  the  world,  there  were 

<  no  other  days,  butthofcofa  perpetual  fpring,  without  any 

<  fucceflion  of  feafons.The  fpring  reigned  overall  the  earth, 

<  and  the  fun  fliowed  no  other  weather  to  happy  men.    The 

(a)  Virgil.  Georg.Iib.  I.  1.  125.  ct  lib.  II.  336* 


iU  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

'  Eaft-wlnd  foftened  Its  murmurs,  not  to  excite  any  cold 
'  breezes:  fuch  were  the  happy  times  of  the  Golden  age.' 

According  to  thefe  two  poets,  the  fituation  and  influen- 
ces of  the  celeftlal  bodies,  mufl:  have  been  quite  different 
from  what  they  are  now,  with  regard  to  our  planet;  for 
othcrwife,  fpring  could  not  have  been  perpetual,  nor  could 
nature  have  produced  fpontaneoufly,  nor  could  all  have 
abounded  every  where,  with  the  moft  ufeful  and  delicious 
produ6lions,  poetically  expreffed  by  rivers  of  milk,  ne6tar,and 
honey.  It  was  much  after  the  fame  manner,  that  the  He- 
brews defigned  the  paradifiacal  Canaan,  or  the  earth  re-efta- 
biflied.    They  call  it  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey. 

(a)  Ovid,  Horace,  and  Juvenal  defcrlbe  the  degraded  ftate 
of  nature  by  the  moil:  odious  images,  and  in  the  moft  lively 
colours.  The  firO:,  like  Hefiod,  divides  this  (late  into  the 
rilver,the  brazen  and  the  iron  age,to  fignify  the  different  gra- 
dations of  corruption,  from  generation  to  generation;  and 
indeed,  nothing  is  more  natural,  than  to  believe,  that  men 
did  not  become  all  of  a  fudden  fo  corrupt,  as  they  are  now. 

Ovid  fays  nothing  of  the  renovation  of  the  Golden  age; 
but  Virgil  has  preferved  to  us  a  noble  monument  of  tradition, 
upon  this  glorious  reign  of  the  Meffiah,  which  he  calls  the 
return  of  Aftrea  upon  earth,    (b)  *  The  laft  age  foretold  by 

*  the  Sybils  is  near.  The  great  revolution  is  at  hand.   Aftrea 

*  is  ready  to  return  to  the  earth.    The  happy  reign  of  Saturn 

*  is  going  to  be  renewed.  A  child,  of  a  fuperior  order,  is  ve- 
'  ry  foon  to  defccnd  from  heaven  upon  earth.    At  his  birth, 

*  the  Iron  age  W\\\  ceafe,and  the  Golden  age  will  be  re-eftabll— 
(a)  Ovid.  Metamorph.  lib.  I.  fab,  4.5.6.  Juv.  Sat.  VI.  (b)  Virgil,  ecclog.  IV, 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  2S7 

*  fhed.    Crimes  will  be  banifhed,  and  the  world  be  delivered 

*  from  all  its  fears.    Then  the  earth  will  become  fruitful,  as 

*  at  fird,  and  produce  every  thing  every  where/  Virgil,  by 
meer  flattery,  applys  this  ancient  tradition,  about  the  Mefli- 
ah,  to  Marcellus  fon  of  0(ftavia,  nephew  and  adoptive  child 
of  Auguftus ;  and  fo  mixes  the  primitive  tradition,  with  fome 
images  that  degrade  it:  but  ftill  the  fubflance  is  prefcrved;  I 
mean  the  advent  of  a  Son  of  God;  that  was  to  come  down 
from  heaven,  and  deliver  the  earth  from  all  moral  and  phyfi- 
cal  evil. 

Seneca  the  tragedian  had  the  fame  ideas,  as  Virgil.  We 
change  the  order  of  his  narration,  but  preferve  all  his 
thoughts.  In  fpeaking  of  the  primitive  ftate  of  the  world,  he 
fays,  (a)  *  Then  virgin  JufHce,  fpoufe  of  the  great  God,  fent 

*  from  heaven,  with  holy  Fidelity,  governed  the  earth  with 

*  fweetnefs.    Mankind  knew  neither  wars,  nor  arms,  nor  the 

*  cruel  found  of  trumpets,  nor  fortified  citys.  The  high 
'  ways  were  open  to  all;  all  was  in  common  with  every  one. 

*  The  joyful  earth,  hke  a  tender  mother,  difclofed,  of  her 

*  own  accord,  her  fruitful  womb,  to  all  her  pious  children.' 
I'hen  the  poet  defcribes  the  ftate  of  degradation,  or  the  Iron 
age,  under  the  moft:  melancholy  images  of  rapine,  wars,  dif- 
cord,  paflions,  vices,  and  fufferings  of  all  kinds.  In  the  fame 
place,  hefpeaks  thus  of  the  third  ftate,  '  Hafte  and  come,  laft 

*  and  great  day,  when  the  heaven  fhall  fall  into  confufion, 

*  and  their  ruins  crufh  the  impious  fet  of  men,  in  order  to 
'  bring  forth  a  better  race;  fuch   as  they  were  heretofore, 

*  when  Saturn  reigned  over  the  beginning  world.' 

(a)Senec.  tragaed.  oaaviae.aft.  II.  385. 


288  OF   THE    THREE   STATES 

Thus,  all  the  Greek  and  Roman  poets  fpeak,  as  thelf 
philofophers:  thus,  all  the  fages  of  antiquity,  both  facred  and 
profane,  Jewifh  and  Pagan,  agree  in  the  fame  great  ideas, 
about  the  three  dates  of  the  earth  elevated,  fallen,  and  refto- 
red.    It  was  then  great  impudence,  folly,  or  ignorance  in  the 
ChriRian  mythologifls,  to  make  all  that  we  find  in  the  Pagan 
records,  about  the  Golden  age,  the  Iron  age,  and  the  return 
of  Aflrea,  pafs  for  meer  fiftions,  or  at  leaft,  for  degradations 
of  the  Scripture  doctrine.    On  the  contrary,  it  is  the  fcholaf- 
ticsand  Chriftian  fabulifts,  that  have  obfcured  and  adultera- 
ted the  Noevian  tradition,  and  the  trueScripture-dodrlne  of 
the  three  ftates  of  the  earth.    They  have  trumped  up  many 
wild  fi<5tions  on  this  head,  altogether  unknown  to  antiquity, 
both  facred  and  profane;  as  for  example,  that  the  primitive 
paradifiacal  fbte  was  enjoyed  only  by  the  original  pair  of 
the  human  fpecies ;  that  Paradife  was  confined  to  a  little  fpot 
of  the  earth  called  Eden  j  that  our  firft  parents  remained 
therein,  only  an  hour,  a  day,  a  month,  or  a  year;  that  the 
confritution  of  the  earth  in  general,  and  that  of  the  human 
body  in  particular,  was  much  the  fame,  as  now;  and  in  fine, 
that  all  the  human  race  forfeited  this  glorious  (late,  for  the 
fin  of  a  man  and  woman,  to  whom  their  fouls  have  no  more 
relation,  than  to  thatof  Nero  orMeffalina.  Fables,  that  have 
no  foundation  in  reafon.  Scripture,  nor  tradition. 

Before  we  end  this  article,  we  fhall  examine  what  were, 
are,  and  will  be,  the  nature  and  qualities  of  the  human  body, 
during  thefe  three  ftatcsof  the  earth  ;and  we  fhall  endeavour 
tofhow,  that,  according  to  the  do^lrineof  the  Scriptures,  and 
the  ancients,  our  corporeal  vehicle  was,  is,  and  will  be,  con- 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  ^^ 

form  to  the  reft  of  matter,  during  thcfe  three  periods  of  the 
paradifiacal,  degraded,  and  re-eftablifhed  earth.  In  order  to 
prepare  the  proofs  of  this  great  truth,  we  muft  recall  here 
two  principles  already  demonilrated. 

1 .  We  have  fhovvn  in  the  firft  Part,that  creation  is  a  repre- 
fentation  of  God  from  without;  that  he  can  reprefcnt  him- 
fclf  In  two  manners,  by  living  images  and  fimple  pictures;  and 
in  fine,  that  in  the  firft  conftitution  of  nature,  all  the  intelli- 
gent images  were  full  of  Life,  Light,  and  Love;  and  that  all 
the  material  pictures  were  luminous,  tranfparent  and  harmo- 
nious, without  any  moral,  or  phyfical  evil,  fin  or  fufFerings, 
Spiritual  or  corporeal  death,  darknefs,  or  dlfcord. 

2.  We  havcfhownin  this  chapter,  that,  according  to  the 
Mofaic  cofmogony ;  man  was  at  firft  created  in  a  ftate  of  im- 
mortality and  delights;  that  if  he  had  continued  in  that  happy 
ftate,  his  body  would  have  been  immortal;  that  its  qualitys 
then,  were  fuch  as  they  will  be  after  the  refurre6tion  ;  that 
by  the  curfe  introduced  into  nature,  fince  the  fall,  thephyfi- 
-cal  forms  of  the  material  pifturcs  were  changed,  as  well  as 
-the  moral  qualities  of  the  intelligent  images.  We  ftiall  now 
endeavour  to  lliow,  that,  according  to  the  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Teftament,  and  the  conftant  doctrine  of  both 
facred  and  profane  antiquity,  our  glorious  paradifiacal  bodys 
are,  during  this  mortal  degraded  ftate,  incruftated,  veiled,  and 
imprifoned  with  dark  cafes  of  grofs  flcfli. 

The  facred  oracles  ftill  reprefcnt  the  future  body  of  the 
righteous,  as  glorious,  fplendid,  lu<iiform  and  funlike.  (a) 
*  In  the  time  of  their  vifitation,'  fays  the  author  of  the  book 

(a)  Wifdom.  ch,  iii.  7, 

PART   2.  O  O 


290  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

of  wifdom,  *  The  righteous  fhall  fhine  forth,    (a)  *  They 

*  that  be  wife,'  fays  Daniel,  ^  fhall  fhine  as  the  brightnefs  of 
'  the  firmanent,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteoiifnefs, 
'  fhall  fhine  as  the  ftars  for  ever  and  ever.*  This  fpiritual 
body,  which  we  had  in  Paradife,  and  which  we  are  to  have 
after  the  refurreiftion,  is  what  the  ancient  Hebrews  called 
The  angelical  cloathing  of  the  foul,  and  eagles  wings.  Thus, 
we  read  in  the  Geniara  of  the  Sanhedrin,  (b)  '  If  you  afk, 

*  what  fhall  become  of  the  righteous,  when  God  fhall  re- 

*  new  the  world  ?  the  anfwer  is,  God  will  make  them  wings, 

*  like  eagles;  whereby  they  fhall  fly  upon  the  face  of  the 

*  waters,  in  the  air,  and  thro'  all  the  celeftial  regions,  like  the 

*  angels.' 

The  New  Tcflament  fpeaks,  like  the  Old:  St.  Matthew 
fays,  (c)  *  Then  fnall  the  righteous  fhine  forth  as  the  f  m,  in 
'  the  kingdom  of  their  Father.'  Thefcholaftic  myrhologills, 
underftanding  nothing  of  the  true  doftrine  of  our  glorious, 
paradifiacal  bodys  renewed  and  reflored  to  their  primitive 
form,  interpret  all  thefe  texts,  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Tef- 
tament,  in  an  allegorical  fcnfe,  of  the  beatitude  of  our  fpiritu- 
al part,  and  not  of  the  luminous,  glorious,  immortal  qualities 
of  our  material  vehicles,  before  the  fall  and  after  the  refur- 
re(5lion.  But  it  is  plain  that  the  Scriptures  unite  both,  and 
flill  join  the  future  felicity  of  fouls,  with  the  refurreftion  of 
their  glorious  bodies.  We  muft  not  feparate  what  God  has 
united. 

St.  Paul  preaches  this  do<5trine  in  many  different  places, 

(a)Dan.  XU.3.         (b)Ccinarach.xI.pag.  92.          (c)Matth.  chap.xiii.  43. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  291 

under  various,  beautiful  images.    In  his  epidle  to  the  Corin- 
thians, he  fays,  (a)  '  For  we  know,  that  if  this  earthly  taber- 

*  naclewere  diffolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  houfc 

*  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.  For  in  this 
'  we  groan,  earneftly  defiring  to  be  cloathed  upon  with  our 

*  houfe  that  is  from  heaven;  not  for  that  w-e  would  be  un- 

*  cloathed,'  (or  quite  (Iriped  naked  of  all  body)  '  butfo  cloa- 

*  thed  upon,  that  mortality  may  be  fwallowed  up  of  life.' 
Here  then,  is  an  earthly  tabernacle,  and  a  celeftlal  houfe,  or 
body,  which  is  to  fwallow  up  our  mortal  crufl,  or  dark  cafe 
of  flefh;  and  {o  to  become  vital  and  immortal.  Now,  as  we 
have  faid  oft  elfewhere,  we  are  to  be  reftorcd,  in  a  future  ftate, 
to  what  we  were  in  a  primitive  one;  for  what  never  was  be- 
fore, cannot  be  called  a  Reftoration.  The  fame  apoflle  fays, 
in  his  epilHe  to  the  Romans,  that,  (c)  *  the  whole  creation 

*  groans,  till  it  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption 

*  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  fons  of  God,  or  angels;  and 
'  that  we  ourfelves  groan,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  or  re- 

*  demotion  of  the  body.'  Here  then,  is  a  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion, under  which,  the  whole  of  nature  groans,  and  even  our 
bodys,  till  they  be  delivered  from  all  the  noxious  qualities 
contracted  by  the  fall,  andbecomelike  to  the  angels,  whom, 
we  fhall  fliow  in  the  next  chapter,  to  be  cloathed  upon  with 
glorious,  material,  immortal  vehicles. 

The  famcapoftle,  in  talking  of  the  doiftrine  of  the  rcfur- 
re(51:ion,  fpeaks  thus,  in  his  firft  epiftle  to  the  Corinthians, 
(c)  '  Some  will  fay.  How  are  the  dead  raifcd;  and  with  what 

(a)  II.  Corinth,  ch.  V.  I.  2.  3.  4.       (b)  Rom.  viii.  2  r.  2  2.  23.       (c)I.Coi. 
ch.  XV.  35.  to  the  end. 

Oo   2 


292  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

^  body  do  they  come?  Thou  fool^  that  which  thoufovven:  is^ 
^  notquickned  except  it  die;  and  that  body  which  thoufovv- 
'  eft,  is  not  the  body  that  fhall  be.  God  giveth  it  a  body  as  it 
'  pleafes  him,  and  to  every  feed  its  own  body.  There  are  ce- 
'  leftial  bodies,and  terreftrial  bodies;  the  glory  of  the  celcftial 
'  is  one,  and  the  glory  of  the  tcrrellrial  is  another.    So  alfo  is 

*  the  refurre6lion.  of  the  body,  it  is  fown  in  corruption,  it  is 
'  raifed  in  incorruption.  It  is  fown  in  diflionour,  it  is  raifed  in 
'  glory ;  it  is  fown  in  weaknefs,  it  is  raifed  in  power;  it  is  fown 

*  a  natural  body,  it  is  raifed  a  fpiritual  body..   There  is  a  na- 

*  tural  body  and  a  fpiritual  body.'    Thus,  the  apoftle  com- 
pares what  he  calls  the  celeftial,  glorious,  immortal,  incor- 
ruptible, Spiritual  body  to  the  seed;  and  what  he  calls  the 
"terreftrial,  inglorious,  mortal,  corruptible,  natural  body,  to 
the  hufk,  that  perifhes,  and  decays,  and  that  is  to  be  deftroy- 
cd  and  fwallowcd  up  by  life.    Hence,  he  adds  in  the  fiftieth 
verfe,  *  That  flefli  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
'  heaven;  neither  can  corruption  inherit  incorruption.'    As 
if  he  had  faid;  It  is  not  this  grofs,  dark,  corruptible  cafe  of 
flefh,  that  fhall  rile  again,  but  that  glorious  feed  ot  immorta- 
lity, that  is  imprifoned  in  this  mortal  hufk.    It  will  be  die 
fame  n^umerical,  celeftial,  fpiritual  body,  that  will  rife  again^ 
the  fame  immortal  feed,  the  fame  principle  of  life,  the  fame 
paradifiacal  body  we  had  in  our  pre-cxiftent  ftate,  before  it 
was  fhut  up,  imprifoned  and  cloathcd  upon  with  mortality, 
with  this  dark,  opake  cruft  of  flcfli,  that  decays  every  day,, 
and  changes  every  fevea  years.    St.  Paul  continues,  in  the 
fame  chapter,to  fpeak  thus.   *  Behold  I  fliow^  you  a  myftery^ 
'  we  fhall  not  all  fleep,  or  die,  but  we  fhall  be  changed,' 


OF    HUMAN    NATURE.  29,3 

transformed  into  a  ccleftial,  angelical  figure.   '  In  a  momenr, 

*  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  kit  trump,  the  dead  fliall     ^ 
'  be  raifed  incorruptible.   The  elements  fhall  melt  with  fcr- 

*  vent  heat.'  The  prefent  conftitution  of  natvirc  fhall  be  dif- 
folved,  and  we  fliall  be  changed;  they  that  are  alive  then,  up- 
on earth,  fhali  be  transformed,  their  mortal,  natural, tcrreltri- 
al  dark  cafe  fliall  become  immortal, fupernatural,  fpiritual,  lu- 
minous and  tranfparcnt,  '  for  this  corruptible  mufl  put  on 
'  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  mull:  put  on  immortality.' 
All  that  is  terreftrial,  diifoluble,  corruptible  and  carnal  mufl 
difappear,  be  diffolved,  be  deftroyed,  and  become  celefilal,  in- 
corruptible and  immortal. 

In  fine,  St.  Paul  diftinguiflies,  not  only,  betwixt  the  ce-- 
ieftial  body,  and  the  terreftrial  cruft;  but  alfo,  betwixt  the 
PURE  Spirit,  and  the  celefHal  vehicle;  the  firft  he  calls 
Pneuma,  and  the  lad  Psyche,  (a)  'The  word  of  God,' 
fays  he,  *  is  quick  and  powerful,  and  fharpcr  than  any  two- 
'  edged  fword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  afunder  of  the 
'  foul  and  fymt,''\vyj,<;  n  kclI  TcmJiuy.rc^,  Ani-mae  etSpiritus, 
the  foul  and  fpirit.  By  the  foul,  is  meant  here,  the  principle 
of  life  and  motion,  or  the  celcftial,  immortal  vehicle.  Thus, 
be  feems  to  fuppofe,  that  man  is  compofed  of  three  parts,  the 
pure  fpirit,  or  living  image  of  the  Deity  called  Tr^'sJfta;  the 
celeiHal  vehicle,  or  ■'\.u'^^yj ;  and  the  mortal  body,  or  au[j.a.. 

This  triple  dilHnction  of  Spirit,  Soul,  and  Body, 
feems  to  have  been  a  moft  ancient  do(5trinc,  common  to  all 
nations,  fromtheearlicft  times  of  the  w^orld.  We  have  alrea- 
dy fhown,  that  there  is  apcrfc(5t  affinity,  betwixt. the  Egyp-- 

(a)  Hebrews.  cli»  iv.  1 2i. 


^94  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

tlan  theology,  and  that  of  the  oriental  nations.  We  have  al- 
fo  fhown,  that  the  Greeks,  and  efpecially  Pythagoras,  So- 
crates, and  Plato  borrowed  all  their  philofophy  from  the  E- 
gyptians.  Now,  if  it  can  be  fliown,  that  this  was  the  doc- 
trine of  thcfe  lad  philofophers,  we  may  in  afcending  by  de- 
grees the  fird  ages  of  the  v/orld,  conclude,  that  St.  Paul's 
doctrine  was  that  of  the  Noevian  patriarchs;  becaufe  the  ori- 
entals and  Egyptians  defcended  originally  from  thefons  of 
Noah,  who  peopled  thefe  countrys.  Now,  it  is  plain  from 
the  Pythagoreans  and  Platonifts,  that  thefe  two  great  philo- 
fophers believed  man  compofed  of  three  parts.  Thus,  Neme- 
fiusfays,  (a)  *  1  here  are  fome,  among  others  Plotinus,  who 

*  are  of  opinion,  that  the  -^^oy^,  is  different  from  the  voo^, 

*  and  confequently  make  men  confifl:  of  three  parts,  (tco^jlol, 

*  ■^f^'Y^,  and  rou$;  whom  Appollinaris  Bifliop  of  Laodicea 

*  followed.' 

Porphyry  fays,  (b)  '  That  the  foul  is  never  quite  naked 

*  of  all  body  ;  but  has  dill  fome  corporeal  vehicle  joyned  with 

*  it,  agreeable  to  its  atftual  difpofition  ;  either  a  purer  or  im- 

*  purer  one:  but  that  upon  its  firfl:  quitting  this  grofs  earthy 

*  body,  the  fpiritual  body  which  accompanieth  it,  as  its  ve- 
'  hide,  mull:  needs  go  away  foul  and  incraffated  with  the 

*  grofs  vapours,  and  (teams  thereof,  till  the  foul  aftervv^ards, 
'  by  degrees,  purging  itfelf,  this  becometh  at  length  a  dry, 
'  pure  fplendor  which  hath  no  milty  obfcurity. 

Philoponus  fays,  (c)  '  That  the  foul  hath,  after  death,  a 
'  fpirituous,  aerial  body,  in  which  it  acteth,  and  which  fervcs 

(a)  Nemef.  de  nat.  Horn.  Graeco-Lat.  edit.  Oxon.  1671.  8vo.      (b)  Porphyr. 
vka  Pythag.pag.  77.  (c)  Philop.  proem,  in  Arid,  de  anima. 


OF   HUMAN   NATURE.  295 

*  as  Its  vehicle  and  fubjecfl.'   He  adds  further,  '  what  body  is 

*  that,  which  Is  joined  with  the  foul,  after  the  diflToIution  of 

*  this  terrcflrial  body  I  certainly  It  can  be  no  other,  than  a  fpi- 

*  ritual  body.  Now  the  ancients  affirmed,  that  this  Pneuma- 
^ticalbody,  was  not  organized;  but  did  the  whole  oFit,  in 

*  every  part,  exercifeall  the  fun«5tIons  of  fenfc,  the  foul  hca- 

*  ring,  feeing  and  perceiving  all  fenfibles  by  it  in  every  part. 
«  For  which  caufc,  Ariitotle  afHrmcth  in  his  metaphyfics, 

*  that  there  is  but  one  fenfe  and  one  fenfory.   By  this  one 

*  fenfory,  Ariflotle  means  the  fplritual,  fubtile,  and  acrcal  bo- 
'  dy,  in  which  the  fcnfitive  power  reildes,  and  immediately 
'  apprehends  through  the  whole  and  every  part  of  it  all  fcn- 

*  fiblcs,  fo  that  this  fubtile  vehicle  is  all  ear,  all  eye,  and  all 

*  taile.'    7  he  fame  philofopher  adds,  '  The  foul,  after  death, 

*  continueth  in  the  aerial  body,  till  being  fully  purged,  it  be 

*  carried  aloft  and  freed  from  all  irafcible  and  concupifclble 

*  paiFions,  and  then  doth  it  put  off,  by  a  fecond  death,  the 

*  aerial  body,  as  it  did  the  terreftrial ;  wherefore,  the  fame 

*  ancients  fay,  that  there  is  another  heavenly  body  always 

*  joined  with  the  foul,  which  is  immortal,  luminous,  and 
*fbrhke.' 

Proclus,  In  his  commentary  upon  Timaeus,   fays,  (a) 

*  Whilft  we  remain  above,  we  have  no  need  of  thefe  divided 

*  organs,  which  now  we  have  v/hen  we  defcend  into  mortal 

*  life:  but  the  uniform,  lucid,  or  fplendid  vehicle  is  fuffici- 

*  cntjthis  having  all  the  fenfes  united  in  every  part  of  it.'  The 
fame  author  fays  elfcwhere,  (b)  '  the  human  foul  hath  fuch 

*  an  ethereal  vehicle-  belonging  to  it,  as  Plato  himfelf  intl- 
(a)  Proclus  in  Timaeura  Platon.  pag.  1 64.         (b)  Id.  pag.  290,. 


296  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

'  mates,  when  he  fays,  that  the  Demlurgus  placed  firfl:  the 

'  foul  in  a  whiged  chariot.' 

Hierocles  alTiires  us,  that  this  docftrine  was  tranfmitted 
iiown  to  his  age,  from  the  highed  antiquity,  and  the  Chal- 
daic  philofophers:  for,  fays  he,  (a)  *  The  oracles  call  the  lu- 

*  minous,  ethereal  body,  the  thin  and  fubtile  vehicle,  orcha- 

*  riot  of  the  foul.'  By  the  oracles,  he  means  the  Chaldaic  phi- 
lofophers, wlio  called  the  luminous  vehicle,  the  plain  even 
furface.  '  Take  care  not  to  defile  the  fpirit,  nor  to  make  the 
^  plain  furface  deep,  hollow  and  unequal.'  Pfellus  gloffeth 
thus  upon  that  maxim  or  proverb.    '  The  Chaldaic  philofo- 

*  phers  called  the  luciforra,  pure,  and  pellucid  veRment  of 

*  the  foul,  the  even,  plain  furface.'  Hierocles  continues  thus, 
(b)  '  man  is  a  rational  foul,  with  a  congenial,  immortal  bo- 
'  dy.    This  was  the  docflrine  of  the  Pythagoreans,  which 

*  Plato  explained,  comparing  every  divine  and  human  foul 
■'  to  a  charioteer,  with  a  winged  chariot.    To  purify  this  hi- 

*  minous  body,  we  mufl:  lay  afide  the  pollutions  of  matter, 

*  betake  ourfclves  to  facred  purgations,  and  the  flrength  that 

*  joins  us  to  God,  and  excites  us  to  fly  from  this  mortal 

'  abode Since  our  luminous  body  is  joined  to  a  mor- 

^  tal  body,  we  ought  to  purge,  and  free  it  from  all  fympathy 

*  with  the  laH:, ....    The  purifications  of  the  rational  foul 

*  are  before  hand  of  fervice  to  the  luminous  body;  that  by 

*  them,  this  alio  becoming  winged,  it  may  not  be  hindred  in 
♦"its  journey  upwards The  *'  fplendid  luciform  body," 

(a)  Hierocles,  aureacarm.  Cantab,  an.  I703.pag.  213.  214.          (b)  Hierocles 
ibid-pag.  293. 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  i^y 

^  lyeth  in  this  mortal  body  of  ours  continually  infpiring  it 

*  with  life,  and  containing  the  harmony  thereof.' 

Suidas  tells  us  out  of  Ifidorus,  (a)  *  That,  according  to 

*  fome  philofophers,  the  foul  had  a  luminous  vehicle  called 

*  ftar-like,  fun-like,  and  immortal,  which  luciform  body  is 

*  nowfhut  up  within  this  terreftrial  body,  as  light  in  a  dark 

*  lanthorn.' 

Galen  fays,  (b)  *  The  foul  is  an  Immaterial  fubftance, 

*  which  has  a  luciform,  ethereal  body,  for  its  firfl:  vehicle, 

*  by  which,  as  a  medium,  It  communicates  with  the  grofs, 

*  terreftrial  body.  Now  this  lucid,  ethereal  body  is  extended 
'  throughout,  and  contained  in  the  brain,  from  which  life, 
'  and  fenfe  are  communicated  to  ail  the  members.' 

By  thefe  quotations  it  appears,  that  the  Platonifts,  Py- 
thagoreans, Egyptians,  Chaldeans,  and  all  the  Orientals  be- 
lieved, that  the  foul  had  an  ethereal,  aerial,  and  terreftrial 
veftment,  cloathing,  or  tabernacle  ;  that  they  put  ofFthelafl: 
by  natural  death;  thefecond  by  a  fupernatural  death  in  afe- 
parate  Oate ;  and  that  they  retained  the  lad  for  ever.  As  they 
were  fully  perfwadcd  of  the  doctrine  of  Pre-exIH:ence,that  all 
lapfed  fouls  fell  from  the  higheft  heavens,  and  that  this  fall 
was  gradual,  from  a  ccleftial  ftate  to  an  aerial,  and  thence  in- 
to a  terreflrial  one,  they  fancied  that  all  fouls  had  a  triple 
material  vehicle  conform  to  thefe  three  ftatcs.  All  this  pret- 
ty, ingenious  fiction  came,  from  their  not  underftanding  pcr- 
fedly,  or  their  having  adulterated,  the  true  Noevlan  traditi- 
on. The  facred  oracles  teach  us,  that  the  ethereal,  aerial 
and  terreftrial  body  are  all  effentially  the  fame  ;  but  with  dif- 

(a)  Suidas  in  verbo  hv^o'lSa,         (b)  Galen,  dogm.  Hippoc  et  Platon.  lib.  VII. 
PART   2,  Pp 


298  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

ferent  qualities  and  forms  according  to  the  different  flates  of 
the  foul.  The  terreftrial  body  is  that  mortal  hufk,  dark  cafe^ 
and  corruptible  cruft  we  have  contracted  fince  the  fall.  The 
aerial  is  the  paradiliacal  body  we  had  before  the  fail,  and 
which  we  ftiall  have  after  the  refurreftionjduring  the  glorious 
reign  of  the  Meffiah  upon  earth.  The  ethereal  body  is  that 
which  we  fhall  have,  upon  the  general  reditution  of  all  be- 
ings, and  when  all  lapfed  intelligences  fhall  become  perfe<5lly 
ifangelical,  both  as  to  their  fpiritual  qualitys  and  corporeal 
forms,  as  fhall  be  fhown  in  the  next  chapter. 

Our  grofs,  mortal,  fenfible  body  of  fiefh  and  blood  is 
ibmething  purely  accidental  to  our  nature;  it  is  always  flow- 
ing like  a  river.  It  never  continues  the  fame ;  it  pafTes  away 
by  infenfible  tranfpiration,  its  liquors  are  in  a  perpetual  flux 
and  circulation.  We  have  not  always  the  fame  numerical 
fluids,  norfolids  in  our  infancy,  manhood,  and  old  age.  It 
is  hot  then,thefe  grofs  elements  of  flefli  and  blood  that  are  ta 
rife  again,  but  that  glorious  feed  of  immortality  which  St. 
Paul  calls  the  Spiritual  Body. 

The  Pagan  philofophers,  as  we  have  feen,  believed  that 
the  ethereal  vehicle  followed  the  foul  into  another  life,  im- 
mediately after  death  ;  and  that  then  we  were  not  quite  frript 
naked  of  matter.  The  facred  oracles  teach  nothing  expresfly 
on  this  head;  they  feem  to  infinuate,  that  after  death,  human 
fouls  remain  in  a  feparate  flate,  detached  from  all  matter, 
purely  intellectual,  and  that  the  fpiritual  body,  the  immortal 
feed,  the  incorruptible  Monad  will,  for  reafons  known  to 
God,  be  fown  in  corruption,  remain  buried  after  death  in 
the  common  mafs  of  matter,  till  the  refdrrcClion;  when  the 


OF   HUMAN  NATURE.  299 

lace  of  the  earth  will  be  renewed  by  purifying  flames,  and  a 
general  conflagration,  which  will  purge  our  globe  of  all  that 
dark  and  earthly  drofs,  which  it  has  contra(51:ed  by  the  fall.  It 
Is  then,  that  thefe  expiatory  flames  will  change,  transform 
and  chryftalize  our  material  vehicles,  and  reflore  them  to 
their  primitive  paradiflacal  form,  to  live  and  reign  with  Jefus 
Chrift  upon  earth,  in  his  glorious  kingdom,  till  the  total  re- 
ftoration  of  all  things.    After  this  general  re-eftabliftiment 
of  all  lapfed  beings,  human  and  diabolical ;  our  material  ve- 
hicles will  be  transformed  anew  into  luminous  bodies,  flilne 
as  the  fun,  and  become  altogether  ifangelical,  or  like  to  the 
angels,  who  are  all  united  to  fome  fort  of  matter,  as  fliall  be 
ihown,  in  the  following  chapter. 


pp 


300 


CHAP.     V. 

Of    the   three  States    of    degraded 
Angelical  Nature. 


IN  order  to  difplay  the  whole  ofthe  beautiful  plan  of  Pro- 
vidence, it  is  not  fufficient,  to  fhow,  that  the  earth  in  par- 
ticular, will  be  reftored  to  its  primitive  paradifiacal  form.  We 
muft  further  prove,  that,  according  to  the  doftrlne  of  the 
ScriptureSjthe  whole  of  degraded  nature  is  to  be  re-eftablifhed 
in  its  original  luftre,  perfecftion  and  purity.    We  have  already 
Ihown  in  the  firfl  part  of  this  work,  (i)  That  God's  ultimate 
defign  in  creating,was  to  reprefent  himfelf  from  without, fuch 
as  he  is  from  within.   (2)  That  he  is  in  himfelf  all  life,  light 
and  love.    (3)  That  all  his  material  pictures  and  Hving  images 
muft,  upon  their  firft  creation,  have  been  reprefentative  of  his 
divine  perfedlions :  (4)  And  in  fine,  that  evil  whether  moral 
orphyfical  cannot  be  eternal ;  it  was  not  from  the  beginning, 
and  it  muft  end.    We  fhall  now  endeavour  to  fhow,  that  the 
angels  were  at  firft  created  in  a  moft  happy  ftatc ;  that  they 
fell  from  it  by  their  revolt;  and  that  after  ages  of  ages,  all 
lapfed  and  reprobate  fpirits  will  at  laft  be  reftored,  to  their 
primitive  perfe<^ion  and  felicity. 

We  have  hinted,  in  the  laft  chapter,  that,  according  to 
the  Mofaical  cofmogony,  chaos  and  darkncfs  could  not  be 
the  firft  produ(^ions  of  the  Almighty,  and  that  therefore, 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.      30:1 

there  is  a  great  difference  betwixt  the  original  primitive  crea*- 
tion,  as  it  came  pure  from  the  hands  of  God,  and  the  confufi*- 
on,diforder,and  deformity  introduced  into  the  folarfyftem  by 
the  fall  of  angels.  As  the  book  of  Genefis  is  probably,  but 
an  extracH:  and  abridgment  of  the  antidiluvian  and  Noeviaii 
traditions,  concerning  the  creation,  Mofes,  in  his  rapid  nar- 
ration, does  not  enter  into  any  full  defcription  ofthe  primi- 
tive ftate  of  the  angelical  w^orld,  nor  fo  much  as  mention  the 
fall  of  angels,  which  is  only  hinted  at,  by  a  tranfient  v/ord 
about  the  chaos.  Wemuft  therefore  fearch  the  Scriptures, 
to  fee,  if  we  can  find  any  texts,  to  fupply  the  want  of  the 
precious  monuments  that  are  lofl.  We  happily  find  in  the 
books  ofthe  Old  Teflament  three  texts,  that  v/ill  appear  ve- 
ry clear  and  decifive  to  any  man,  that  has  meditated,  digefled, 
and  adopted  the  four  principles  above-mentioned. 

I.  Job  feems  to  infinuate  the  glorious  happy  flate  of  the 
primitive  creation, when  he  makes  God  fpeak  thus  to  him  (a), 

*  Where  waft  thou,  when  I  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earths 

*  when  the  morning  flars  fang  together,  and  all  the  fons  of 

*  God  fhouted  for  joy?'The  Hebrew  words  tranflated,'  when 

*  I  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth,'  may  be  rendered,  'ere 
I  laid  the  foundations  ofthe  earth,  and  fo  means^  'ere  I  for- 
med the  paradifiacal  earth, or  if  we  preferve  the  adverb  Q.U  a  N- 
Do  WHEN,  then  the  meaning  is, '  when  I  created  tranfpa- 

*  rent,  fohd  matter.'  However  this  be,  it  is  certain,  that  this 
iiniverfal  jubilation  fuppofes  an  univerfal  felicity,  in  the  in- 
telligent images  of  the  Deity  called  'the  fons  of  God,  and  the- 

*  morning  ftars;' and  fiace,  by  the  fundamental  laws  of  crei- 

(a)  Job.  ch.  xxxviii.  4.  7» 


3t)2  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

tion,  there  was  a  perfe^l  analogy,  betwixt  the  material  pic- 
tures, and  the  living  images,  the  firft  production  of  the  cor- 
poreal world  muft  have  been  all  luminous,  glorious  and  repre- 
fentative  of  the  divine  perfecHiions. 

2.  The  author  of  Ecclefiafticus  feems  alfo  to  have  had  in 
view,  this  primitive,  original,  uncorrupted  creation,  when  he 
fays,  (a)  '  The  works  of  the  Lord  were  done  in  judgment 

*  from  the  beginning;  and  from  the  time  he  made  them,  he 

*  difpofed  all  the  parts  thereof.    He  garnifhed  his  works  for 

*  ever,  and  in  his  hand  are  the  chief  of  them  to  allgenerati- 

*  ons.   They  neither  labour  nor  are  weary,  nor  ceafe  from 

*  their  operations;  none  of  them  hindereth  another  and  they 

*  never  difobeyed  his  Word,  or  Logos.'  It  feems  infinuated 
by  this  text,  that  in  the  primitive,  original  (late  of  nature,  the 
produ(5lions  of  the  Almighty  were  free  from  all  moral  and 
phyfical  evil;  that  there  was  in  them,  no  contradi<ftory,  nor 
felf-deftru6tive  qualities,  fmce  none  of  them  hindreth  one 
another  in  their  operations,  andfince  none  of  them  difobey 
the  Word  of  God.  This  fure  cannot  be  a  defcription  of  the 
prefent  fbte  of  nature,  in  our  inferior  fphere,  fince  in  the 
phyfical,  we  fee  a  continual  combat  of  elements,  and  in  the 
moral,  an  univerfal  corruption. 

3.  The  Prophet  Ezekiel  defines  the  glorious  fiate  of  the 
angelical  world, and  the  fallen  cherubin,under  the  type  of  the 
King  of  Tyrus.  Tur,  or  Tyr,  in  the  Syriac  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, fignifys  a  mountain,  or  high  place.  Hence,  the  Greeks 
derived  the  word  Tvocrl^,  and  the  Latins  Tur R is,  a  tower, 
and  TuRGEo  to  fwell,  or  puif  up.    So  the  King  of  Tyrus 

(a)  Ecclefiafticus.  ch.  xvi.  26. 


OF   ANGELICAL   NATURE.       30J 

fignifys  the  King  of  Pride,  which  was  the  original  (In  of  the 
devils.    And  therefore,   Job  calls  the  devil,  (a)  *  The  king 

*  overall  the  children  of  pride.'  For  the  fame  reafon,  Ifaiah 
calls  the  apoftate  angels,  whom  God  is  to  dellroy,  and  caft 
one  day  into  the  prifon,  (b)  '  the  hofl:  of  the  high  ones  that 

*  are  on  high.'  Some  literal  interpreters  explain  this  text,  of 
the  King  of  Tyrus,  and  fo  tranflate  in  the  future  what  fnould 
be  rendered  by  the  preterit.  We  fhall  follow  the  Hebrew 
original,  and  the  Greek  verfion,  as  near  as  we  can.  The 
prophet  fpeaks  thus,  (c)  '  Thou  wall:  the  fummit  of  all  God's 

*  works,  full  ofwifdom  and  perfe6l  in  beauty.  Thou  lived  In- 

*  Eden  the  garden  of  God.  Every  precious  (lone  was  thy 
'  covering,  or  apparel.    All  melody  and  harmony  was  prepa- 

*  red  in  thee,  in  the  day  that  thou  wafl  created.    Thou  waft 

*  the  anointed  Cherub  that  protected  all  the  celeftial  quires, 

*  and  1  fet  thee  fo.  Thou  waft  upon  the  holy  mountain 
'  of  God.  Thou  walked  up  and  down  in  the  midfl:  of  the 
'  luminous   ftoncs.     Thou  waft  perfect  in    thy  ways,    in 

*  the  day  that  thou  waft  "created,  till  iniquity  was  found  in 

*  thee.'  How  ridiculous  is  it,  to  apply  thofe  expreffions  of 
protecling  Cherub  placed  in  the  garden  of  God,  cloathed 
with  glory,  filled  with  wifdom,  perfect  in  beauty  from  the 
day  thou  waft  created,  to  any  mortal,  terreftrial  king,  concei- 
ved in  iniquity,  brought  forth  in  fm,  and  infe<fl-ed  with  ori- 
ginal guilt.  In  this  text,  the  celeftial  abodes,  primitive  feat  of 
the  fallen  angels  are  defcribed,  under  corporeal  images,  as 
fhining  with  precious  ftoncs  ;  and  the  feraphic  fpirits  are  faid^ 
to  be  cloathed  with  thefe  luminous  garments,  by  which  is 

(a)  Job.  ch.  xli.  verfelaft.     (b)  ifaiah.  ch.  xxiv.  20.  to  the  end.     (c)  EzekleL. 
ch.  xxviii.  12.  to  20. 


304  OF  THE   THREE   STATES 

meant,  the  luciform,  glorious  body;  for,  as  we  fliall  fhow 
very  foon,  all  finite  fpirits,  celeiiial,  terreftrial  and  infernal, 
are,  fome  how,  or  other,  united  to  corporeal  vehicles,  accor- 
ding to  the  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures  and  primitive  fathers, 
yea,  all  antiquity,  both  facred  and  profane. 

The  moft  part  of  the  Jewifh  Rabbins,  Hebrew  Cabba- 
lifts  or  mythologifts,  fpcak  as  Job,  the  author  of  Ecclefiafti- 
cus,  and  the  Prophet  Ezckiel,  concerning  the  firO:  ftate  of 
the  angelical  world,  before  the  fall  of  rebellious  fcraphins ; 
ihey  laugh  at  the  Chrlftlan  fchoolmen,  who  pretend,  that 
the  {irlt  prodndion  of  the  Almighty  was  darknefs,  chaos  and 
confufion.  They  fpeak  of  Adam  kadmon,  or  the  primi- 
tive world,  as  all  luminous,  tranfparent  and  beautiful.  I 
could  multiply  volumes  on  this  head ;  but  as  the  Cabballits 
have  loll:  all  credit  among  the  learned,  becaufe  of  the  extra- 
vagant fi(fi:ions  mixed  In  their  mythologies,  I  fhall  fuperfede 
that  vain  oftcntatlon  of  learning;  and  hafte  to  the  fecond  ftatc 
of  the  angelical  world,  or  the  defection  of  rebellious  fpirits. 

It  is  a  common  opinion  among  men  of  all  countrys,  ages 
and  religions,  that  there  are  immortal  demons,  or  degraded 
fpirits,  that  rebelled  againfl:  heaven.  This  is  no  fpccliic,  pe- 
culiar tenet  of  Chrlftianlty  alone;  no  fecft,  communion,  nor 
party,  whether  Pagan,  Mahometan,  Jewlfn,  or  Chrlftian, 
doubt  of  this  great  truth;  fave  only  the  materlahfts, who  have 
Tio  notion  of  the  great  plan  of  Providence,  and  who,  like 
ignorant  fchool-boys,  fancy  that  nothing  is  real,  but  whatis 
extended,  palpable  and  material. 

Mofes,  in  his  cofmogony,  from  the  very  beginning  of  his 
third  chapter,  fuppofes,  that  the  devil  feduced  the  original 


OF  ANGELICAL   NATURE.      305 

pair  in  Paradife.  The  author  of  the  book  of  Job,  or  Mofcs 
himfclf,  reprefents  the  rebellious  angels,  as  going  to  and  fro 
upon  the  earth.  The  author  of  the  book  of  Kings  talks  of 
lying  fpirits,  that  go  about  to  feduce  and  deceive  wicked  prin- 
ces. The  prophets  paint  forth  the  fallen  angel,  under  vari- 
ous types ;  and  in  the  text  above-mentioned,  Ezekiel  fays  ex- 
presfly,  that  the  King  of  Tyrus  or  pride,   *  the  protecting 

*  Cherub  was  cafl:  out,  as  profane,  out  of  the  mountain  of 

*  God,  bccaufe  of  the  multitude  of  his  negociations,' or  con- 
fpiracies,  for  fo  the  Hebrew  word  may  be  tranflatcd.  *  Thy 

*  heart,  fays  the  prophet,  was  lifted  up,  becaufe  of  thy  beau- 

*  ty;  thou  corrupted  thy  wifdom,  becaufe  of  thy  brightnefs; 
'  and  therefore,  I  cafl  thee  down  to  inferior  places.'  All  the 
evangelifh  and  apoftles  fpeak,  in  the  fame  ftyle,  of  angelical 
fJDirits,  that  rebelled  againft  heaven ;  and  therefore  were  cafl: 
down  into  darknefs,  and  banifhed  from  the  beatific  vifion. 
This,  no  man  can  deny,  that  reads  the  Scriptures:  but  few 
remark,  that  thefe  facred  oracles  diftinguifh  betwixt  three 
fort  of  degraded  intelligences,  orlapfed  angels. 

I .  The  firfl:  are  thefe,  that  are  already  fhut  up  in  the  abyfs, 
and  that  were  fo  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  Thus  St. 
Peter  fays,  (a)  *  God  fpared  not  the  angels  that  finned,  but 

*  cafl:  them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into  chains  of 

*  darknefs,  to  be  referved  unto  judgment.'  St.  Jude  adds,(b) 
'  The  angels  which  kept  not  their  firft  efl:ate,  or  principa- 

*  lity ;  but  lofl  their  own  habitation,  he  hath  referved  in  ever- 

*  lafting  chains  of  darknefs,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great 

*  day.'  It  is  plain,  by  thefe  two  texts,  that  there  is  a  local,  de- 

(a)  ir.  Peter,  ch.  ii.  4.  (b)  Jude.  verfe  6. 

PART  2.  Q  q 


3o6  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

finite  fpace,  or,  at  leafl,  a  ftate  of  privation,  mifery  and  dark- 
nefs  called  in  Scripture,  the  Abyrs,the  Pit,  the  Deep,  where 
not  all,  but  many  of  the  rebellious  fpirits  are  referved  in  ever- 
lafting  chains,  and  darknefs,  till  the  judgment  of  the  lafl: 
day.    It  is  then,  that  their  torments  will  be  redoubled,  and 
that  they  will  be  thrown,  (a)  *  into  the  lake  of  fire, '  and 
abandoned  to  the  devouring  flames  of  divine  jufHce,  which 
will  penetrate  into  themoft  fecret  recelTes  of  their  eflence,  in 
order  to  extirpate,  transform,  and  annihilate  all  that  is  tain- 
ted, vicious,  and  radically  corrupted  in  their  natures.    Thus, 
their  phyfical  torments  will  augment,  while  their  moral  evil 
is  confumed.    This  does  not  hinder  but  at  prefent,  they  are 
cafl:  down  into  the  abyfs,  bound  with  chains  of  darknefs,  fhut 
up  with  gates  of  brafs,  and  thereby  debarred  from  all  com- 
merce with  any  other  fpecies  of  intelligent  natures.    This  is 
the  Pit,  in  which  they  are  enchained,  till  they  be  thrown  in- 
to the  Lake,  where  they  are  to  be  purified.    Thefe  two  pla- 
ces, tho'  metaphorically  reprefcnted  by  grofs,  corporeal  ima- 
ges, yet  mufl:  never  be  confounded.    They  denote  the  two 
different  flates  of  the  feraphic  chiefs,   that  rebelled  againfl 
the  moft  High.  The  Pit,  the  Deep,  the  Abyfs,  the  Prifon  ex- 
prefs  atotal  feparation  from  all  the  luminous,  beatifying  in- 
fluences of  God,  and  from  all  the  deledlable,  amufmgfenfa- 
tions  of  nature ;  and  a  total  privation  of  all  their  effential  and 
acceffory  felicity,  that  can  in  the  leafl  mitigate  their  mifery. 
'  The  lake  offire,  the  furnace  of  briaiftone,  the  TophetfuU 
*  of  flames,'  into  which  they  are  to  be  thrown  after  the  great 
day  of  judgment,  is  the  lafl  effort  of  eternal  juflice,  to  puri- 

(a)Rev.  ch.xx.  10. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       3^7 

fy  and  transform  them;  to  annihilate  moral  evil  by  phyfical 
torments.  In  the  firft  ftate,  they  feel  the  abfolutc  impotencCj 
inexprefTible  darknefs,  and  total  mifery  of  intelligent  beings, 
abandoned  to  their  own  folitary  eflence,  without  any  faluta- 
ry  communication  with  the  uncreated  Original,or  his  created 
reprefentations.  In  the  laft  ftate,  they  will  feel  the  efFe<^s 
of  fm-deftroying,  foul-purifying,  heart-transforming  juftice 
and  vengeance,  jealoufy  and  love,  (a)  *  which  is  ftrong  as 

*  death,  cruel  as  hell;  and  the  coals  thereof  as  the  coals  of 

*  fire,  which  have  a  moft  vehement  heat.'  When  we  have 
no  juft  ideas  of  the  great  plan  of  Providence,  many  expredi- 
ons  in  Scripture,  which  fignify  quite  different  ideas,  and 
flatcs,  appear  to  us  fynonimous  and  fuperfluous. 

2.  The  Scripture  fpeaks  of  another  fort  of  demons,  that 
are  not  ihut  up  in  the  abyfs,  and  that  wander  through  the 
air,  over  the  earth  and  in  the  feas,  to  execute  the  defigns  of 
eternal  Wifdom  and  JuiHce.  Job  contemporary  with  Mofes 
fays,  (b)  '  upon  a  day  when  the  fons  of  God  came  to  prefent 

*  themfelves  before  the  Lord,  Satan  came  alfo  among  them. 

*  And  the  Lord  faid  unto  Satan,  Whence  comeft  thou?  then 
'  Satan  anfwered  the  Lord,  and  faid,  From  going  to  and  fro 
'  upon  the  earth,  and  from  walking  up  and  down  therein.' 
This  myfterious  text,  tho'  figuratively  and  poetically  expref- 
fed,  yet  muft  not  be  underftood  in  a  purely  allegorical  fenfe. 
By  the  LoR  D,  in  the  Old  Teftament,  is  to  be  underftood  al- 
ways the  Logos  humanized,  the  fecond  perfon  of  the  trini- 
ty united  to  the  facred  pre-exiftent  humanity.    By  the  *  fons 

*  of  God,'  the  angels  cloathed  with  corporeal  vehicles,  who 

(a)  Cantic.  or  fongofSolomonch.viii.  6.  (b)  Job»ch.  i.  6.  7. 


3o8  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

ferve  as  his  miniftring  fpirlts,  and  are  fent  thro'  all  the  diffe- 
rent parts  of  the  material  univerfeto  execute  his  commands. 
They  are  faid  to  prefent  themfelves  before  the  Lord,  in  a 
local  definite  fpace,  where  the  facred  humanity  refides:  for 
thisPrefentation  cannot  be  underftood,  of  a  prefentation  be- 
fore the  pure  divinity,  which,  being  prefent  every  where, 
wants  no  definite  fpace  to  convocate  the  angels  before  him  ; 
nor  eould  thefe  celeftial  fpirits  be  faid  to  affemble  in  a  place, 
if  they  were  not  embodied,  as  we  fhall  foon  fee.  It  is  added, 
that  *  the  devil  came  alfo  among  them,  and  that  he  goes  to 

*  and  fro  upon  the  earth,'  and  therefore,  is  not  confined  and 
enchained  in  the  pit.  Moreover,  the  author  of  the  book  of 
Kings  (a)  reprefents  '  the  Lord  as  fitting  upon  his  throne, 

*  and  all  the  hoft  of  heaven  ftanding  by  him;  and  that  there 

*  came  forth  a  lying  fpirit  who  faid,   I  will  go  forth,   and  I 

*  will  be  a  lying  fpirit  in  the  mouth  of  all  Ahab's  prophets.' 
Thefe  lying,  deceitful,  degraded  fpirits  that  wander  in  the 
air,  and  over  the  earth  alfo,  are  called  by  the  Prophet  Ifaiah, 
(b) '  The  powers  of  the  air,   and  the  hofts  of  the  high  ones 

*  that  are  on  high.'  Such  are  the  laws  of  the  invifible  world, 
and  fuch  is  the  economy  of  the  Mefliah's  empire,  to  make  ufe 
of  both  good  and  bad  fpirits,  to  execute  his  dtfigns,  during 
the  reign  of  evil. 

The  New  Teftament  confirms  thedo(5lrine  of  the  old.  St. 
Matthew  the  evangelift  has  a  remarkable  text,  which  proves, 
that  all  the  devils  are  not  yet  fliut  up  in  hell,  fmce  they  enter 
very  oft  into  the  bodies  of  men.  He  fays,  that  the  devils  cry- 
ed  by  the  mouths  of  the  two  poffefled  men,  (c)  *  Jefus,  thou 
(a)  I.  Kings ch.  xxii.  21 .  22.  (b)  Ifai.  cK.  xxiv.  21.  (c)  St.  Mutth,  ch.  viii.  29. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      309 

*  Son  of  David,  art  thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  before 

*  the  time?'  The  evangcliftSt.Luke  adds,  (a)  *  and  the  de- 
'  vils  befought  him,  that  he  would  not  command  them  to  go 

*  into  the  deep.'  Here  then  are  devils,  that  are  not  yet  fhut 
np  in  the  deep,  in  the  pit,  in  the  abyfs,  and  bound  with 
chains  of  darknefs,  as  thefe  St.  Jude  and  St.  Peter  fpcak  of; 
lince  they  beg  our  Saviour,  not  to  torment  them  before  the 
time,  before  the  day  of  the  lafl:  judgment,  when  the  angel, 
which  St.  John  fpeaks  of  in  his  Revelations,  (b)  *  fhall  come 

*  down  from  heaven,  enchain  the  devil  and  fatan  the  old 

*  ferpent,  and  cafl:  him  with  all  his  accomplices  into  the  bot- 

*  tomlefs  pit,  and  fhut  him  up,  and  feta  feal  upon  him  that 

*  he  fhould  deceive  the  nations  no  more,  till  the  thoufand 

*  years  fhould  be  fulfilled.'  The  fame  St.  John  calls  the  de- 
vil, in  his  gofpel,  (c)  '  The  prince  of  this  world.'  St.  Pe- 
ter adds,  (d)  *  be  fobcr  and  vigilant,  becaufe  your  adverfary 

*  the  devil  walketh  about,  as  a  roaring  lion,  feeking  whom 

*  he  may  devour.'  St.  Paul  fays,  (e)  *  We  wreftle  notagainft 

*  flefh  and  blood,  but  againfl  principalities,  againfl:  powers, 

*  againfl  the  rulers  of  the  darknefs  of  this  world,,  and  againft 

*  fpiritual  wickednefs  in  high  places,  or  in  the  air,  andtherc- 
fore  he  calls  thedevil,in  another  place,'  (f )  '  The  prince  of 

*  the  powers  of  the  air,  that  now  worketh  in  the  children 
*-  of  difobedience.' 

This  is  the  confhntdo(5lrine  of  the  facred  oracles,  which 
can  alone  reveal  to  us  the  flate  and  laws  of  the  invlfible 
world.    Unlefs  we  attribute  omnipotence  and  omniprefcnce 

(a)  St.Lukech.  vili.  31.        (b)  Revel,  ch.  xx.  i.  2.3.        Cc)St.  John,  ch.xiiv 
31*       (d)l.Peterch.v.  8.       (e)  Ephefians.  ch.  vi.  12.       (f )  lb.  cli.  ii.  2. 


3IO  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

to  the  devils  in  hell,  or  fay,  without  any  reafon,  that  they 
are  unchained,  and  let  out  of  the  abyfs,  tofport  and  play  up- 
on earth  by  pofTeiTing,  and  tormenting  of  poor  mortals;  we 
mufl:  allow,  that  there  are  two  fort  of  evil  demons.  The  one 
fhut  up  in  the  abyfs,  and  others  that  are  not  yet  enchained. 
The  firft  are  the  feraphic  chiefs,  the  mod  obftinate  demons, 
the  moft  vicious,  perverfe,  cruel  fpirlts,  who  are  fhut  up  in 
chains  ofdarknefs,  and  there  referved  to  the  judgment  of  the 
laft  day,  becaufe  their  force  and  malice  is  fo  inveterate,  and 
fo  powerful,  that,  if  they  were  let  loofe,  they  would  foon  turn 
the  earth  into  a  chaos  or  hell.  Others  lefs  criminal  are  as 
yet  unchained,  to  execute  the  divine  commands.  They  have 
a  mighty  power  and  empire  in  all  the  fphere  of  degraded  na- 
ture; not  by  the  pure  arbitrary  inftitution  of  God,  as  the 
fchoolmen  fay;  but,  as  a  natural  and  neceffary  confequence 
of  the  laws  of  the  invifible  world ;  according  to  which,  good 
unites  to  the  good,  and  the  impure  with  what  is  impure,  as 
neceflarily,  as  heavy  bodys  fall  to  their  center,  and  lighter 
ones  rife  upw^ards.  Thefe  demons  are  not  infpired,  predefli- 
nated,  nor  excited  by  God  to  exert  their  cruelty  upon  men ; 
but  he  over-rules  and  dire<5ls  their  deliberate,  voluntary  ma- 
lice, to  purify  the  good,  to  humble,  punifh,  and  make  them 
fuffer:  not  to  tempt  and  feduce  the  bad,  but  to  manifeft,  di- 
rect and  govern  the  outward  eruptions  of  their  internal,  wil- 
ful depravity;  fo  that  at  prefent,  all  confplres  to  contribute 
atlaft  to  the  manifcftation  of  God's  ultimate  defigns,  the  fi- 
nal re-eibblifhment  of  all  lapfed  fpirits,  and  their  eternal 
horrour  for  all  the  moral  and  phyfical  evil,  to  which  they 
have  been  co-operators.    Here  we  may  cry  out  with  the 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       sir 

apoftle,  O  the  height!  depth  and  breadth  of  the  divine 
wifdom,  his  ways  are  unfearchable  and  paft  finding  out. 
Minute  philofophers,  little  freethinkers,  and  dull  materialifls 
that  believe  nothing  real,  but  what  is  extended,  that  the  uni- 
verfe  is  nothing  but  a  compound  of  atoms  jumbled  toge- 
ther by  fortuitous  chance ;  that  there  is  no  difference  be-? 
twixt  nature,  and  God;  the  uncreated  Intelligent  archite<n:, 
and  his  created  material  reprefentations,  can  have  no  Idea  of 
the  fublime  beautys,  order,  laws  and  flatutes  of  the  invlfible 
world;  of  the  different  flates  and  government  of  fallen  and 
unfallen  fpirits,  ofthemixtureof  good  and  evil  blended  toge- 
ther In  the  fphere  of  degraded  nature,  and  of  the  means  em- 
ployed by  Omnipotence,  to  reduce  all  to  order.  They  judge 
of  nature  by  a  fmall,  broken,  rufty,  fliattercd  wheel  or  chain, 
that  prefentsltfelf  to  their  narrow,bounded,poor,bIind  optic: 
they  muft  be  pitied  and  referred  to  another  life,  where  they 
will  be  undeceived  of  all  their  pitiful  fophifms.  Thefe  who 
know  both  facred  and  profane  antiquity  will  judge  other  wife, 
and  look  upon  all  the  objects  of  fenfc,  as  the  leaft  and  moit 
defpicable  portions  of  nature. 

3.  Befides  thefe  two  forts  of  degraded  intelligences,  holy 
Scripture  mentions  a  third  fpecies,  that  are  fhut  up  in,  and 
ferve  to  animate  brutal  forms.  This  Scripture-doiflrine  vv'ill 
at  firft  fight  appear  odd  to  thofe,  who  have  not  digefted  and 
incorporated  into  their  fubflance,  the  great  principles  laid 
down  in  the  firfl:  Part,  and  who  do  not  read  the  Scriptures 
with  intelligence.  We  fhall  endeavour  to  fearch  into  their 
true  meaning,  without  prejudice  or  prevention. 

Mofes,  in  the  hiftory  of  the  creation,  makes  ufe  of  the. 


312  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

fame  Hebrew  word  Nephesch,  tranflated  anima  vi- 
VENS,  LIVING  SOUL,  to  exprefs  the  principle  of  life  in 
beaftsand  mcn.NodlftirKftion  is  put  betwixt  the  Nephesch, 
which  is  faid,  in  the  firft  chapter  of  Genefis,  to  animate  fifh- 
cs,  fowls  and  animals;  and  the  Nephesch,  or  breath  of 
life,  which  God  is  faid,  in  the  fecond  chapter,  to  breathe  in- 
to man.  It  is  true,  that  the  animals  are  faid  already  to  pof- 
fefs  this  Nephesch, or  immaterial  principle,  whereas  God 
breathed  it  immediately  into  man,  as  anew  creation.  This 
makes  fome  think,  that  after  the  fall  of  angels,  they  were 
not  all  fhut  up  in  the  abyfs,  as  we  have  faid ;  but  that  fome  of 
them,  after  the  difTipation  of  the  chaos,  were  condemned  to 
animate  brutal  forms  in  Paradife,  pafs  thro'  a  ftate  of  proba- 
tion, which  is  always  the  ultimate  end  of  God's  puniihments, 
be  fubjefled  to  man,  who  had  a  fovereign  power  over  them, 
and  that  this  dominion  was  the  original  fource  of  their  envy 
again fl:  man. 

Mofes  confirms  anew  this  doiHirine,  in  the  third  chapter 
of  his  divine  cofmogony.  He  fays  expresfly,  when  he  begins 
the  narration  of  the  fall  of  man,  that  in  Paradife,  before  this 
fall,  the  ferpent  was  the  fubtileft,  or  as  the  Septuagint  renders 
the  Hebrew  word,  '  The  moft  intelligent  of  all  the  beafts  of 
*  the  field.'  Therefore,  all  the  beafts  were  then  intelligent, 
fince  whatls  now  the  ferpent,  was  the  moft  intelligent  of  all. 
This  animal  had  an  idea  of  God,  of  moral  good  and  evil;  he 
reafoned  and  he  fpoke.  All  grant,  that  this  ferpent  was  the 
devil  which  animated  this  beaft.  Hence  fome  conclude,  that 
numbers  of  fallen  fpirits  were  united  to  the  organized  bodies 
of  brutes ,  even  in  Paradife,  and  that  Adam  knew  perfe-flly 


OF   ANGELICAL   NATURE.      313 

their  efrcncejdifpofitions  and  characters, '  fince  he  gave  every 
'  one  of  them  names/  conform  to  their  different  natures. 
Mofes  ufhers  in  this  doctrine  of  beafh  that  fpokc,  reafoned, 
had  notions  of  God,  of  moral  good  and  evil,  by  no  pream- 
bulatory  excufe,  apology  or  explication.  He  fays  nothing,  to 
determine  ns  to  look  upon  all  this,  as  an  allegory,  or  meta- 
phor ;  becaufe  in  his  time,  it  was  a  received  do(51rine,  other- 
wife  it  would  have  been  incongruous  and  abfurd,  in  fuch  a 
great  legiflator,  to  mention  fuch  a  paradox  without  preparing 
themindsof  men  to  receive  it,  by  explaining  this  wonderful 
oeconomy  of  Providence.  Tobefure,  thisfyftem  is  far  more 
plaufible  and  reafonable,  than  to  fuppofc,  with  the  fcholaftic 
fabullfts,  that  God  opened  expresfly  the  gates  of  hell  by  a 
miracle,  rcftored  the  devils  there  enchained  to  their  perfect  li- 
berty, gave  full  fcope  to  their  Infernal  malice,  and  let  them 
out  of  their  dark  prifons,  to  feduceand  tempt  innocent  man. 
To  imagine,  that  God  thus  wrought  a  miracle,  to  lay  a  fnare 
for  his  harmlefs  creatures,  to  pervert,  corrupt,  and  render  his 
new  creation  wicked  and  miferable,  is  far  more  repugnant 
to  the  infinite  goodnefs  of  the  common  Father  of  fpirits, 
than  to  believe,  that  the  temptation  which  mined  the  human 
race,  happened  according  to  the  eftablifhed  lav^'S  of  nature, 
by  degraded  intelligences,  that  were  in  commerce  with  man, 
fubjected  to  his  empire,  and  that  lived  familiarly  with  him  In 
Paradlfe,  under  quite  different  forms,  than  they  now  have,  as 
appears  from  the  following  context. 

Mofes  adds,  that  when  God  pronounced  fentence  of  con- 
demnation againft  Adam,  he  inflicted  punifhment  upon  the 
ferpent,  and  all  the  beftial  kind,  as  upon  our  firft  parents,  and 
PART  2.  R  r 


314  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

all  the  human  race.  This  animal  was  condemned  to  lofe  its 
original  form,  crawl  upon  its  belly,  and  eat  the  duft  of  the 
earth,  all  the  days  of  its  life.  If  by  this  animal  is  to  be  un- 
derwood, the  devil  in  hell,  or  a  fallen  angel  entirely  feparated 
from  matter,how  could  that  criminal  fpirit  be  punifhed  by  the 
alteration  made  in  the  form  of  a  beaft,  with  which  he  has  no 
union,  and  to  which  he  had  no  relation  rthis  text  mui\  there- 
fore either  mean  nothing,or  it  muft  fignify,  thatthefe  fallen 
intelligences,  which  animated  the  bodies  of  beafts  in  Para- 
dife,  and  which  contributed  to  the  depravation  of  human 
fouls,  were  puniflied  and  degraded  anew.  1  heir  bodies  were 
envelopped  as  ours,  with  a  grofs,  opake,  mortal,  and  corrup- 
tible cafe,  their  fuperior  faculties  were  benummed,  and  they 
were  deprived  of  the  ufe  of  fpeech,  and  reafon,  which  they 
enjoyed  in  a  paradifiacal  itate. 

The  author  of  the  book  of  Job,  who  was  contemporary, 
with  Mofes,  or  perhaps,  Mofes  himfelf,  feems  to  teach  the 
fame  doctrine  ;  and  therefore  it  may  be  looked  upon  as  the 
univerfai  fcntiment  of  all  the  oriental  nations.  In  the  fourty 
firft  chapter  of  this  ancient  monument,  mention  is  made  of 
two  forts  of  beafts,  one  terreflrial,  and  another  aquatic.  The 
firll: is  called  Behemoth,  and  the laft  Leviathan.  Be- 
hemoth in  Hebrew  fignifys,  the  wild  beads  in  general. 
Some  beheve  it  is  the  elephant,  others  the  fea-horfe,  an  am- 
phibious animal  common  heretofore  in  the  river  Nile.Othcrs 
believe,  that  it  is  the  bull.  The  word  is  plural,  to  (how,  that 
no  particular  individual  bead  is  denoted  here,  but  the  whole 
fpecies.  Leviathan  may  be  derived  from  the  Arabic  word 
Levi,  which  fignifys  foiled,  coiled,  and  full  of  windings, 


OF   ANGELICAL   NATURE.       315 

TincI  in  a  metaphorical  fenfe,  deceitful,  the  great  impoftor, 
the  cheat  or  lyar;  and  the  Hebrew  word  Than  fignifys  an 
aquatic  animal,  or  a  fifli  of  the  fca.  Some  think,  that  this 
animal  is  the  whale:  but  the  Rabbins  and  the  Talmud  call  it 
the  crocodile.  Whatever  be  in  thefe  conjectures,  it  Is  certain, 
that  thcfacred  text  attributes  two  fort  of  qualities  to  thofe  ani^ 
mals.(i)  That  they  have  real, corporeal  members  and  forms ; 
flcfh,  blood,  and  bones.  (2)  It  attributes  to  thein  a  princi- 
ple of  thought  and  intelligence,  for  God  fays  of  the  Behe- 
moth, *  1  created  him  with  thee,'  or  as  fome  tranflate  the 
Hebrew  word,  *  like  unto  thee.  He  is  thechief  of  the  ways, 

*  or  works  ofGod;'  moreover,  the  fame  Job  fays  of  Levia- 
than, *  he  beholds  all  high  things.    He  is  the  king  over  all 

*  the  children  of  pride.'  Hence,  the  mod  part  of  interpreters 
look  upon  thefe  two  animals,  as  types,  and  fymbolsof  the 
devil,  and  maintain,  without  any  fliadowof  reafon,  that  the 
corporeal  forms,  members,  and  machines  attributed  to  thefe 
animals  are  purely  allegorical  and  figurative  of  the  fpiritual 
qualitys,  vices,  and  defects  of  degraded  intelligences.  Thus, 
the  Predeflinarian  Figurifts  abandon  the  letter,  and  fall  into 
a  contrary  extream  from  the  Literalifts,  who  reje(5t  the  fpiri- 
tual fen  fe.  Both  are  blameable.  The  two  fenfes  mud  never 
be  fcparated.  Without  deciding  what  are  the  two  animals 
called  Be HEiMOTH,  and  Leviathan,  we  think  that  it  is 
more  fafe,  and  more  refpec^ful  for  the  facred  text,  to  unite 
the  fpiritual  and  literal  fenfe,  to  maintain  the  truth  of  both, 
and  therefore  to  fay,  that  by  Behemoth  and  Levia- 
than are  meant,  two  fort  of  degraded  intelligences  and 
fallen  angels,  that  arc  really  united  to,  and  fliutupin  the  pri- 

Rr    2 


3i6  OF  THE   THREE   STATES 

fons  of  corporeal  machines,  and  brutal  forms.  That  they 
are  different  fpecies  of  devils,  feems  probable;  otherwife,  the 
defigning  them  by  different  names,  would  be  fuperfluous  and 
a  meer  tautology,  which  would  be  unworthy  of  eternal  wif- 
dom.  Thefe  two  fpecies  of  degraded  intelligences  imprifoned 
in  animal  machines,  are  the  mod  cruel,  the  mofl:  fierce,  and 
the  moft  powerful  of  all  the  brutal  kind. 

This  is  perfectly  conform  to  the  Mofaic  theology  already 
explained ;  but  we  fhould  fufpcfl,  and  doubt  of  our  interpre- 
tation, if  Solomon  did  not  teach  the  fame  doctrine  in  the 
mofl:  exprefs  words,  which  ignorant  commentators  interpret, 
as  a  difcourfe  of  the  wife-man  perfonating  an  impious  mind: 
but  the  truths  eftablifliedby  this  text  are  fo  great,fo  fublime,fo 
worthy  of  God,  fo  conform  to  the  analogy  of  faith,and  throw 
fuch  a  divine  light  upon  all  the  plan  of  Providence,  that  we 
cannot,  without  impiety,  attribute  them  to  an  incredulous 
freethinker,    (a)  '  I  have  learned '  fays  Solomon,  '  that  all 

*  the  works  of  God  will  be  eternal ; That  which  is  to 

*  come,  already  was ;  and  God  vi'ill  re-ellablifh  what  is  de- 

*  parted  from  him. '  Will  any  incredulous,  impious  mind 
grant  thefc  principles?  '  At  prefent  God  trys  the  children  of 
'  men, and  makes  them  like  to  beads;  for  that  which  befal- 

*  leth  the  fons  of  men,  befalleth  beafts,  even  one  thing  befal- 

*  leth  them.  As  the  one  dieth,  fo  dieth  the  other,  they  have 
"*  all  one  breath,  fpirit,  or  foul;  fo  that  man  has  no  pre-emi- 

*  nenceovcrabeafl:;they  are  both  equally  fubjedled  to  vanity.* 

This  text  tranflated  from  the  Vulgate  Latin,  the  Greek 
verfion,  and  the  Hebrew  text,  eflablifhes  clearly  the  follow- 

(a)Ecckfiaft.  ch.iii.  14  to  the  end. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.  317 
ing  principles,  i .  That  all  the  works  of  God  will  be  eternal; 
the  forms  may  perifh,  but  the  elTences  will  endure  for  ever. 

2.  That  all  beings,  who  have  departed  from  God,  will  atlaft 
be  re-eftabliflicd  in  their  original  primitive  Hate  of  perfection. 

3.  That,  as  the  fouls  of  men  are  degraded  intelligences  in  a 
fuffering  Itate,  fo  the  fouls  of  beads  are  the  fame:  *  they  arc 
'  both  equally  fubjefted  to  vanity,'  that  is,  according  to  the 
Scripture  ftylc,  to  corruption,  death,  mifery,  fufferings,  and 
tofomething  that  muft  evanifli.  Now,  could  beads  be  fubjccfl 
to  vanity,  if  they  had  no  fouls  at  all,  or  could  they  fuffcr,  if 
they  were  not  degraded?  it  is  thus,  and  thus  alone,  that  this 
text,  which  the  incredulous  abufe,  to  combate  the  immorta- 
lity and  immateriality  of  the  foul,  proves  both.  All  God's 
works  will  be  eternal,  all  lapfed  beings  will  be  re-efl:ablifhed» 
We  are  in  our  prefent  degraded  ftate,  but  beads  of  a  different 
kind,  when  wc  abandon  ourfelves  to  the  animal  life.  Thcfe 
three  fublime  truths  are  the  ultimate  end,  objed,  and  fumma- 
ry  of  the  wife-man's  difcourfc. 

Let  uspurfue  down  the  fame  tradition  from  age  to  age, 
from  Adam  to  Noah, from  Noah  to  Job,  from  Job  to  Mofcs, 
from  Mofes  to  Solomon,  and  from  Solomon  to  the  prophets. 
Ifaiah  feems  toinfinuate  the  famedodlrine  Vv'hen  he  fays,  (a) 

*  Theoxknoweth  his  owner;  and  theafs  his  maderscrib  ;  but 

*  Ifrael  doth  not  know,  my  people  doth  not  condder.'    The 
Prophet  Jeremiah  adds,  (a) '  The  dork  in  the  heaven  know^- 

*  eth  her  appointed  times  ;  the  turtle,  the  crane,  and  the  fwal- 

*  low  obferve  the  time  of  their  coming,  but  my  people  know 

*  not  the  judgment  of  the  Lord.'   If  the  prophets  believed,. 

(a)  Ifai.ch.  i.  3.     (a)  Jeremiah,  ch.  viii.  7. 


niB  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

that  the  beads  were  machines,  their  comparlfon  would  be  as 
ridiculous,  as  if  we  fhoiild  fay,  a  wind-mill  knows  its  owner, 
and  a  watch  its  mafter's  pocket.  If  it  be  faid,  that  the  prophets 
fpeak  thus,  to  accommodate  themfclves  to  the  vulgar  way  of 
talking.  This  proves  at  lead,  that  the  animation  of  brutal 
forms,  by  intelligent  fpiritual  fouls,  was  a  common,  univer- 
fal  maxim  in  their  times.  The  obftinate  Cartefians  will  fay, 
that  this  opinion  was  a  vulgar  prejudice,  to  which  the  infpi- 
red  writers  accommodated  themfelves,as  when  they  fay, '  that 
'  the  fun  ftoodftill.'  It  is  eafy  to  anfwer,  that  it  may  bede- 
monftrated,  that  the  annual  motion  of  the  fun  is  impoffible 
and  repugnant  in  the  prcfent  conftitution  of  nature,  but  no 
fuch  thing  can  be  faid  of  the  degradation,  and  imprifonment 
of  fallen  intelligences,  in  animal  machines.  The  fame  Carte- 
fians will  cry  out,that  they  themfelves,tho'  fully  perfwadedof 
the  mechanifmof  bealhjyct  fay  every  day;  '  My  dog  fuffers, 
*  my  cat  is  pleafed;'  by  which  they  mean  only,  that  thefe  ani- 
mals cry  and  leap,  as  if  they  had  the  fenfations  of  grief  and 
joy ;  and  therefore  that  all  that  is  meant  by  the  two  texts 
above-mentioned,is,  that  the  fowls  and  animals  atl,  as  if  they 
had  In  them,  a  principle  of  intelligence,  tho'they  really  have 
none.  But  how  do  they  prove  this?Itisa  nicer  gratuitous  fup- 
pofitlon;  which,  as  we  have  fhown  in  the  firft  Part,  has  no 
foundation  in  rcafon,nor  experience,in Scripture  nor  in  tradi- 
tion: yea,  that  it  is  diametrically  oppofitc  to  all  thcfe  four. 

'T  hcevangclKlsfeem  to  infinuate  the  fame  doftrine,  when 
they  fay,  (a)  That  the  devils,  whom  our  Saviour  call  out  of 
the  men  polTeded,  bcfonght  him  faying,  '  If  thou  caft  us  out, 

(a)  jMatth.  ch.viJi.  3 1,  compared  with  Luke  ch.viii.  32.33. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.       315^ 

*  fufFer  us  to  go  into  the  herd  oFfwine.'   It  is  added,   *  Then 

*  went  the  devils  out  of  the  man,  and  entered  into  the  fwine, 

*  and  the  beafts  ran  violently  dov;^n  a  fteep  place  into  the  lake, 

*  and  were  choaked.'    I  do  not  fay,  with  fome,  that  the  mea- 
ning of  this  text  is;  that  this  precipitation  of  the  fwine,  came 
from  a  mutual  combat,    betwixt  the  degraded  intelligences 
already  pofTcffed  of  thefe  brutal  forms,  and  the  devils  that 
went  out  of  the  men  difpoffefled,  and  who  defired  to  enter 
into  thefe  corporeal  moulds,  to  inform,  or  animate  thefe  ma- 
chines, and  thereby  enjoy  the  brutal  pleafures   natural   to 
fwine.  All  this  witty  fiction  appears  too  ludicrous,  for  a  com- 
mentary upon  the  facred  text.    The  true  meaning  may  be, 
that  the  devils  exorcized,delighting  in  malicCjand  being  flron- 
ger  and  more  powerful  than  the  degraded  intelligences  fliut 
up  in  thefe  corporeal  vehicles,  defired  to  torment  their  wea- 
ker companions,  to  chafe  them  from  their  natural  manfions, 
to  difengage  them  from  the  entanglement  of  matter,  and 
thereby  reduce  them  to  the  fame  ftateof  wandering,  fcnfibi- 
lity  and  mifery,  to  which  they  themfclves  are  condemned,  till 
they  be  fhut  up  at  the  laft  day, in  the  bottomlefs  pit.  As  thefe 
fuperior  cruel  devils  could  not,  however,  alter  the  order  of 
nature,  without  the  divine  permiffion,  they  afkcd  this  from 
the  great  Author  and  Mafterofnature;and  having  obtained  it, 
they  made  ufe  of  their  power,  only  to  torment  their  compa- 
nions, when  that  of  tormenting  men  was  forbid  them.  This 
is  a  motive  far  more  worthy  of  malicious  apodate  fplrits,  than 
to  fuppofe,  that  they  defired  to  enter  into  the  fwine,  only  to 
enjoy  brtrtal  pleafures.  According  to  the  principles  laid  down, 
this  text  becomes  intelligible,  and  contains  the  fublimeit 


320  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

ideas;  whereas,  without  thefe  principles,  itappears  to  the  In- 
credulous, mere  fiction  or  fable. 

The  fublime  apoftle  of  the  Gentiles  inlinuates  the  fame 
do6lrine  of  degraded  intelligences,  in  his  cpiftlc  to  the  Ro- 
mans, which,  when  compared  with  the  text  of  the  Eccle- 
fiafles  above  cited,  becomes  very  probable.  Solomon  fays, 
(a)  '  that  a  man  has  no  pre-eminence  over  a  beafl:,  becaufe 
'  both  are  equally  fubjefted  to  vanity.'   St.  Paul  fays,  '  that 

*  the  creatures  were  not  fubje<5led   to  vanity  willingly,  but 

*  becaufe  oC  him  that  fubjefted  the  fame  in  hope. '  Degra- 
ded intelligences  were  not  fubjected  to  vanity  by  choice; 
far  Icfs  by  a  defpotic  aft  of  abfolute  fovereignty,  but  un- 
willingly, contrary  to  God's  firft  defign,  by  force  and  nc- 
ccIFity,  yet  in  hope,  not  a  fruitlefs  hope,  but  a  fure  perfuafion 
and  full  convi(ftion,  that  phyfical  evil  is  the  only  cure  of  moral 
depravity.  *  By  the  creature  fubjeded  to  vanity,'  feems  to 
be  meant,  degraded  intelligences ;  fince  it  is  faid,  in  the  verfe 
immediately  preceeding,  '  for  the  earned:  expectation  of  the 

*  creature  waiteth  for  the  manifeftation  of  the  fons  of  God.* 
Can  machines  expe6l  and  defire  this  manifeftation:  if  it  be 
faid,  that  the  apoftle  fpeaks  metaphorically,  as  when  we  fay, 

*  the  dry  earth  experts  the  rain;'and  therefore,that  this  paftage 
muft  beunderftood  only  of  the  material  pictures,  of  the  refti- 
tution  of  the  earth  to  its  primitive  glorious  and  paradifiacal 
form;  lanfwer,  that  what  follows  cannot  be  faid  of  fimple 
matter  of  corporeal  beings,  and  pure  machines  viz. '  that  they 

*  will  be  delivered  one  day  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  fons 

*  of  God.'   The  material  pi(ftures  can  never  enjoy  the  privi- 

(a)  Eccief.  ch.  iii.  19.  (b)  Rom.  viii.  1 9.  20.  Sec. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      321 

ieges,  qualities,  and  perfections  of  the  intelligent  images, 
angelical  natures,  and  fons  of  God.  This  text  then,  mufl: 
regard  the  general  reftitution  of  alllapfed  fpirits,  that  will  be 
delivered  from  the  flavery  of  their  corruption,reftored  to  their 
primitive  flate  of  perfection,  before  they  rebelled,  and  were 
thrown  either  into  the  aerial  regions,  qrfhutup  in  terreftrial 
brutal  forms,  or  enchained  in  the  infernal  pit;  for  thefeare 
the  three  fort  of  angelical  natures,  that  were  degraded.  Left 
it  be  faid,  that  all  is  meant  of  the  human  race  in  general,  and 
more  efpecially  of  the  eleCl,  it  is  added,  that  *  the  whole  crea- 

*  tion,  *  the  whole  in  our  fphere,  or  folar  fyftem,  and  the 
whole  without  any  exception,  *  groaneth  and  travelleth  in 

*  pain  till  now,  and  not  only  they,  but  we  ourfelves,  who 

*  have  the  firft  fruits  of  the  (pirit,  even  we  groan,  waiting  for 
'  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body.'  Here 
then  are  Intelligences,  different  from  ours,  that  are  fubje<fted 
to  mifery  and  fufFering,  that  have  not  received  the  firft  fruits 
of  the  fpirit,  who  groan  and  travel  in  pain,  till  they  be  delive- 
red from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  and  who  are  at  lafi:  to  be 
re-cftabliihed  *  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  fons  of  God.* 
Men  alone,  during  this  ihte  of  vanity,  mifery,  and  corrupti- 
on, receive  the  fruits  of  the  fpirit,  the  divine  illuminations 
and  graces.  All  other  degraded  intelligences,  whether  aerial, 
terreftrial,  or  infernal  are  deprived  of  thefe  lights  and  moti- 
ons. Thefe  imprifoncd  in  brutal  forms  have  no  other  ideas, 
fentiments,  nordefires,  but  what  are  neceflary  to  the  confer- 
vation  of  the  machines,  which  they  animate.  We  have  al- 
ready fhown  in  the  firft  Part,  that,  as  God  by  his  divine,  vi- 
vifying adion  in  fpirits,may  fublimateand  exalt  theirnatures, 

PART  2.  Ss 


522  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

to  any  finite  degree  of  perfeftion  and  intelligence,  how  great 
foever;  fo  he  may,  by  the  fufpenfion  of  the  fame  activity,  re* 
duce  them  to  any  degree  of  ina<5tion,  and  infenfibility  how- 
low  foever.  Thus,  the  fouls  of  hearts  are  reduced  to  a  fort  of 
ftupidity  and  Infenfibility,  as  to  every  thing  that  does  not  ire* 
gard  their  prefent  ftate.  Their  fuperior  facultys  arc  laid  a* 
fleep.  They  cannot  go  beyond  the  term  of  action,  fenfation, 
or  reflexion,  to  which  Almighty  Power  has  flinted  them, 
Thefe  degraded  intelligences  receive  none  of  the  fruits  of  the 
divine  fpirit.  They  have  no  ideas,  nor  perceptions,  but  v^hat 
are  relative  to  the  confervation  of  that  parcel  of  matter,  to 
which  they  are  confined.  By  all  this,their  malice  is  enchain* 
tdf  and  their  inveterate  habits  of  evil  are  laid  afleep,  as  we 
have  already  remarked,  in  the  firft  Part. 

This  ancient  tradition  of  brutal  forms  animated  by  Intel- 
ligences that  reafoned,  and  fpoke  In  a  paradifiacal  fbte ;  and 
that  were  afterwards  deprived  of  fpecch,  for  co-operating  to 
man's  firft  difobedience,  was  a  common  doftrinein  the  Jcw- 
ifh  church ;  before  the  coming  of  our  Saviour.  Jofephus  the 
hiflorian  has  preferved  an  ample  monument,  and  teftimony 
of  this,  in  his  Antlquitys,  where  he  fays,  (a)  in  fpeaking  of 
Paradife,  '  The  hearts  lived  in  perfe<5l  concord  with  each 
'  other,  and  with  men.   They  were  of  the  fame  mind  and 

*  fpirit.    The  ferpent  lived  familiarly  with  our  firrt  parents  in 

*  Paradife,  but  envying  their  felicity,  he  endeavoured  by  his 

*  Ireafonings  to  perfuade  them  to  eat  of  the  forbidden  fruit; 
'  having  thus  deceived  the  woman,  God  deprived  the  ferpent 
'  of  fpeech."    The  fame  tradition  was  preferved  down  from 

(a)  Jofeph.  antiq.  lib.  I.  cap.  if. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.       3^3 

the  firH:  times  of  ChrifHanity,  and  was  believed  by  fomc  of 
the  moil  venerable  fathers  of  the  primitive  church.  Hence, 
St.  Bafil  fays,  after  having  defcribed  ail  the  bcaiuys  of  Pa^ 
radife,  (a)  '  Then  the  beafts  of  the  field,  and  the  fowls  of 

*  the  air  vi^ere  all  tame  and  mild.   They  heard  and  fpoke  fo 

*  as  to  be  underftood,  without  any  difficulty.  The  ferpent  had 

*  then  nothing  that  excited  horror,  but  mild  and  good  na- 

*  tured,  he  did  npt  then  crawl  upon  his  belly,  with  his  face 

*  bowed  down  to  the  earth,  in  a  favage  and  terrible  manner, 

*  but  walked  creeled  upon  his  feet.'  St.  Ephrem  was  of  the 
fame  opinion  with  Jofephus  and  St.  Bafil,  as  appears  from  ar> 
extract  made  from  a  commentary  of  his  by  Mofes  Barcepha^ 
bifhop  of  Beth-Raman  in  Syria,  who  lived  in  the  tea  thcen^ 
tury.  This  commentary  of  St.  Ephrem  tho'  now  loft,  yet  was 
extant  in  the  time  of  Barcepha,who  wrote  in  Syriac  a  treatife 
of  Paradife,  which  was  tranflated  into  Latin  by  Mafius. 
Barcepha  fays,  in  fpeaking  of  the  ferpent,  (b)  *  That  St. 

*  Ephrem  believed  that  the  ferpent  was  not  only  endued  with 

*  fpeech,  but  alfo  with  reafon  and  knowledge,  otherwife  God 

*  would  not  have  fpoke  to  him,  as  he  did.' 

It  is  eafy  to  fhow,  that  from  Eaft  to  Weft,  from  Nof th  tp 
South;  that  in  Europe,  Afia,  Africa  and  America ;  that  the 
Chlnefe,  the  Indians,the  Perfians,the  Egyptians,  the  Greek?, 
the  Romans,  the  Gauls,  the  Germans,  the  Britons;  theSar- 
matians,  the  Scythians,  the  Ethiopians,  the  Guineans,  the 
Mexicans,  the  Peruvians,  all  the  favage  and  politer  nations, 
believed  the  do6lrine  of  tranfmigration,  md  as  Nemefius 

(a)S.  BaGl.  ed.Parls.  17  21.  torn.  I.de  ftrufturahom.cap.iii.  deParadifo.  pag. 
349.  (b)  S.  Ephrem.  apud  Barcepluni;  deParadifp  cap,  *»y;i.  Par^  I. 

S  S    2 


324  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

fays,  (a)  '  That  all  thofe  who  maintain  the  foul  to  be  itit- 
*  mortal,  afferted  alfo  its  metempfychofis.'  I  could  multiply 
volumes  on  this  head,  to  fhow,  that  this  was  the  univerfalfen- 
timent  of  all  mankind  in  all  ages,  in  all  places,  and  in  all  reli* 
gions:  but  to  whatpurpofe  this  vain  oftentation  of  learning? 
thofe  who  are  not  capable  to  relifh  the  philofophical  proofs 
of  this  do(5trine,  given  in  the  firft  Part;  nor  the  teftimony  of 
the  holy  Scriptures  produced  in  this,  would  look  upon  all 
thefe  quotations  from  thePagans,as  rhaplbdys  of  idle  ficHiion. 
It  is  true  indeed,  that  this  Scripture-doftrine  of  degraded 
intelligences  was  disfigured  by  the  Greek  and  Latin  poets>, 
and  reduced  atlaft,  to  an  impious,  ridiculous  fable,  as  if  this 
tranfmigration  was  univerfal  in  all  fpirits,  and  eternal  in  all 
times.    They  imagined,  that  not  only  the  fouls  of  men,  but 
thofe  of  all  other  degraded  intelligences,  celeftial,  terreftrial, 
aerial  and  infernal  pafs  fucceffively  into  the  bodys  of  other 
men  and  other  beafts,  by  a  continual  circulation  without  end, 
during  all  the  periods  of  eternity  ;  that  the  celefiial  inhabi- 
tants themfelves,  after  having  tafted  for  many  ages  the  joys 
of  heaven,  become  difgufted  with  this  fupream  felicity,  dc- 
fire  to  enter  into  mortal  bodys,  and  fo  rowl  in  an  everlafting 
vicifTitude  of  blifs  and  mifery.    Yea,   fbme  of  the  modern 
Pythagorean  and  Platonic  philofophers  feem  to  authorize 
this  wild  opinion.   How  unworthy  is  this  idea  of  God ;  of  his 
great  defigns  in  creating  ;  of  the  original  grandeur  of  fpirits; 
andof  thefublime,  permanent  happinefs,  to  which  they  arc 
deftined  ?  Pythagoras  had  no  fuch  ideas,  and  Plato  his  dif- 
ciple  never  maintained  any  fuch  abfurdities.    They  both 
(a)  Nemefius de  nat,  Hamin .  ed.  Oxon.  1 67 1 , pag.  82* 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      325 

looked  upon  the  punifhment  of  degraded  intelligences,  as  a 
total,  final,  efficacious  cure,  in  order  to  a  general,  unlverfal, 
eternal,  unchangeable  re-eftablifhment,  as  we  will  fhow  ve- 
ry foon. 

It  is,  however,  againflrthis  impious  degradation  of  the  an- 
cient Mofaical  do(5lrine  of  tranfmigration,  that  the  fathers 
declaim  ;  and  it  is  this  alone,  which  the  councils  condemn, 
and  not  the  true  Scripture-dodrine  of  degraded  intelligence?, 
that  animate  brutal  forms;  which  regards  only  that  portion- 
of  angelical  fpirlts,  that  were  not  fhut  up  in  the  abyfs,  and 
that  are  quite  different  from  human  fouls.  This  the  fchool- 
men  confound,  as  they  do  almoft  every  where  the  ancient 
Noevian  tradition,  with  the  falfe  dilguifes  and  mixtures  of 
the  modern  Pagans.  This  great  principle  is  the  true  key,  by 
which  we  can  underftand  the  meaning  of  feveral  paffages  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  the  fenfe  of  many  fubiime  articles  of  faith. 
We  mufl:  never  confound  the  do<5lrine  itfelf,  with  the  expli- 
cations of  thefchoolmen;  nor  theabufes,  with  the  principles. 
Thus  only  we  can  fheltermany  do6lrines  of  faith,  from  the 
railleries  of  the  incredulous. 

We  come  now  to  the  third  f^ate  of  fallen  angels,  which  is 
their  total  and  final  re-eftablifhment.  Not  only  wicked  and 
reprobate  fouls  are  to  be  fubjefled,  purified  and  reflored ;  but 
the  devils  themfelves.  Then  will  be  the  end  and  confumma- 
tion  of  all  things;  the  full  completion  of  the  great  plan  of 
Providence;  which  cannot  be  boundedand  partial,  it  mufl  be 
extenfive  and  unlverfal;  it  muft  embrace  all  beings,  all  times,, 
and  all  places.    We  have  already  dcmonltratcd  this  in  the  firil 


325  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

Part  by  invincible  reafons ;  we  fhall  now  prove  it,  by  the  clea- 
reft  teftimonies  of  Scripture. 

(a)  The  Pfalm  fixty  eight  is  a  hymn,  which  the  church 
militant  was  ordered  to  fing  in  hopes  and  expeftation  of  the 
glorious  coming  of  the  MelTiah,  firft  to  reign  with  the  eleft 
upon  earth,  and  then  tofubdue  and  reftore  all  lapfed  beings. 
The  Judaizing  Chriftians,  not  underltanding  this  fublime 
do6trine,  apply  all  to  the  Uttle  events  that  happened  in  the 
Jewifh  church,  upon  the  deliverance  of  the  Ifraelites  from 
their  bondage  in  Egypt,  and  tathefe  that  happened  to  the 
Chriftian  hierarchy,  when  the  church  was  delivered,  upon 
the  converfion  of  the  Roman  Emperors,  from  perfecution. 
Hence,  they  have  oft  made  ufe  of  the  preterit,  inftead  of  the 
future.    The  hymn  begins  thus:  *  Let  God  arife,  let  his  ene- 

*  mies  be  fcattered,  let  them  that  hate  hini  fly  from  his  face, 

*  as  fmoke  is  driven  away  before  the  wind ;  as  wax  melts  be- 

*  fore  the  fire,  fo  fhall  the  wicked  perifti  at  the  coming  of  the 
^  Lord.'  All  this  can  be  faid  only  of  the  fecond  advent ,  and 
the  context  confirms  this  explication.  *  Sing  unto  God,  fing 

*  praifes  to  his  name,  extoll  him,  and  rejoice  before  him  that 

*  rides  upon  the  heavens  by  his  name  Jah,'  that  is,  his  eternal 
Word,  the  Jehovah  el,  or  the  Logos;  who  is  reprefen- 
ted  in  Scripture  at  the  laft  day,  as  riding  upon  the  clouds. 
■*  God  will  place  the  folitary,  in  his  holy  habitation.    He  will 

*  bring  out  thefe  that  were  bound  in  the  chains'  of  forrow, 
croflTes,  and  fufFerlngs:   *  but  the  rebellious  fliall  dwell  in  a 

*  dry  land.   O  Godi  when  thou  flialt  go  forth,  when  thou 

*  fhalt  march  through  the  wildernefs'  of  nature  degrad€d,ac- 

(a)  Pfalm  Ixviii.  from  verfe  i.  to  20. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       327- 

curfed  and  become  a  defert  fince  the  fall;  '  The  earth  fhall 

*  fliake,  the  heavens  a Ifo  fhall  drop,  even  Smaiitfelf  fliallbe 

*  moved,  at  the  prefence  of  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Ifrael.  The 

*  hill  of  God  is  a  high  hill,  that  God  defireth  to  dwell  in ; 
'  yca,the  Lord  will  dwell  in  it  for  ever.  The  chariots  of  God 

*  are  twenty  thoufand,  yea  many  thou  fan  ds  of  angels.    The 

*  Lord  is  among  them,  as  in  Sinai,  in  the  holy  place.'  All 
thofe  defcriptions  are  very  like  thefe  of  the  evangelifts  and 
apoftles,  when  they  talk  of  the  fecond  advent,  when  the  fa- 
cred  humanity  of  the  Logos  '  fhall  come  upon  the  clouds 

*  furrounded  with  angels;  when  the  elements  fhall  melt  with 

*  fervent  heat,  when  the  earth  fhall  be  difTolvedj'and  the  world 
be  confumed  by  a  general  conflagration.  Then  follows  a 
prophefy  of  the  general Teftitution;  *  Thou  haftafcended  on 

*  high,  thou  haft  led  captivity  captive,  thou  haft  received  gifts 

*  for  men,  yea  for  the  rebellious  alfo,  that  God  might  dwell 

*  among  them.'  Here,  thePfalmift  makes  a  vifible  diftiuifli- 
on,  betwixt  two  fort  of  captives,  whom  our  Saviour  is  to  de- 
liver. He  received  gifts  for  men,  that  were  captive,  that  is, 
for  the  ele<n:,who  are  called  the  firft  fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
then  for  the  rebellious,  or  reprobate  fpirits.  St.  John  makes 
nfeofthe  fameexpreflion,  infpeakingof  our  Saviour's  trium- 
phant ftate,  (a)  '  And  I,  when  I  am  lifted  up  from  the  earth, 

*  will  draw  all  men  unto  me.'  Here  is  no  exception.  St.  Paul 
alludes  to  the  fame  text  of  the  Pfalmift,  when  he  fays,  (b) 

*  That  OUT  Saviour  afcended  up  far  above  all  heavens,  that 

*  he  might  fill  all  things.'    Now,  can  he  fill  all  things,  if  the 
moft  part  of  lapfcd  beings  are  to  be  for  ever  void,  and  de- 

(a)  St.  John's  Gofpel.  ch. xii.  32.         (b)  Ephef.  ch.  iv.  8.  9.  i o.   , 


328         OF  THE  THREE  STATES 

prived  of  his  luminous,  fan(5i:ifying,  and  beatifying  influ- 
ences?   God  can  never  fill  all  things,  '  till  he  become  all  in 

*  all,'  by  the  confummation  of  all  things,  the  deftru6lion 
of  all  evil,  and  the  reftoration  of  all  beings:  vi'herefore,  in^ 
the  fame  Pfalm  above  cited,  God  is  called  the  '  God  of  falva- 

*  tion,   becaufe  unto  God  the  Lord  belong  the  iffues  of 

*  death;'  the  avenues  of  hell,  the  efcape  from  damnation, 
the  delivery  of  all  lapfed  intelligences. 

In  another  place,  the  royal  prophet  fays,  (a)  *  The  Lord 

*  is  merciful  and  gracious,  flow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in 

*  mercy.  He  will  not  always  chide,  nor  will  he  keep  his  an- 
'  ger  for  ever.'  Can  this  be  faid  of  a  being  that  abandons  the 
greateft  part  of  his  creatures  to  eternal  damnation  and  blaf- 
phemy?  it  is  true,  that  it  is  added  in  the  fubfequent  verfes, 

*  that  the  mercys  of  the  Lord  extend  only  to  thofe,  that  fear 

*  him,  keep  his  covenant,  and  remember  his  commandments.* 
This  we  grant;  fo  long  as  the  creature  is  inconvertible,  God 
will  be  unappeafable :  but  when  the  foul  repents,God  returns. 
Now,  we  have  already  demonftrated,  that  God  can  produce 
this  falutary  fear,  obedience  and  love  in  all  lapfed  beings, 
without  exception  ;and  fince  he  can  do  it,  he  will  do  it,  foon- 
er  or  later,  becaufe  he  is  all  Love,  and  all  Sanctity,  and  all 
Juftice,  and  fo  rauft  at  laft  deflroy  all  hatred,  all  corruption, 
and  all  injuftice.  Hence,  the  Pfalmift,  in  the  end  of  this  di- 
vine hymn,  invites  firfl  the  angelical  unfallen  fpirits  and  elect 
chofen  fouls  to  blefs  the  Lord,and  then  adds, '  blefs  the  Lord, 

*  all  his  works,  in  all  places  of  his  dominion.,'  as  having  fore- 

(aXPfalmciii.  8.9. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      3^9 

feen,  that  all  beings,  without  exception,  would  one  day  blefs 
the  Lord,  and  exalt  his  name  for  ever. 

There  arc  two  other  pfalms  very  remarkable,  which  lite- 
ral interpreters  explain  of  temporal  bleflings,  and  more  en- 
lightned  commentators,  of  fpiritual  graces:  but  when  nar- 
rowly confidered  and  examined,  according  to  the  true  fenfe 
of  the  Hebrew  text,  they  mud:  be  underftood  of  the  univcr- 
fal  extent  of  our  Saviour's  redemption,  and  of  a  general  deli- 
verance of  all  lapfed  beings.  Thefirftof  thefe  two  pfalms  be- 
gins thus,  (a)  '  Praifc  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good,  for  his  mer- 

*  cys  endure  for  ever.'  How  can  his  mercys  endure  for  ever, 
if  they  are  bounded  by  a  moment  of  time,  and  confined  to 
a  fmall  parcel  of  beings,  while  all  the  reft  are  eternally  mife- 
rable?  This  pfalm  fecms  to  be  a  declaration  of  all  the  mercys 
of  God  to  thofc  who  live  within  the  pale  of  the  vifible  church, 
under  the  allegory  of  the  miracles  wrought  in  Egypt,  to  de- 
liver the  Ifraehtes  from  their  temporal  bondage,  and  fo,  in  a 
fpiritual  fenfe,  regards  only  the  redemption  of  the  cleft,  and 
the  glorious  reign  of  the  MefTiah. 

The  following  pfalm  is  of  a  far  more  extenfive  nature, 
tind  relates  to  all  lapfed  and  reprobate  beings,  without  excep- 
tion. It  begins, much  in  the  fame  manner,  as  the  formcr,(b) 
'  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good,  for  his  mercys 

*  endure  forever.'  The  reft  of  this  fublime  hymn  is  an  expofi- 
tion  of  all  the  marvellous  fteps  of  divine  wifdom,  jiifHce  and 
goodnefs  to  punilli, purify,  and  rcftoreall  lapfed  beings, repre- 
fented  by  thofe*  that  fit  in  darknefs,and  in  the  fliadow  of  death; 
<  who  are  bound  in  affliftions  and  iron,  bccaufe  they  rebelled 

(a)  Pfalm.  cvi.  i .  (b)  Pfalm.  cvii  i . 

PART  2.  T  t 


3SO  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

*  againft  the  Word  of  God,  and  contemned  the  counfel  of 

*  the  Mofl  High ;'  thofe  In  fine,  *  who  go  down  into  the  deeps, 

*  and  into  the  abyfs,'  which,  in  facred  ftyle,  fignifys  always 
hell,  *  and  whofe  fouls  are  melted  with  trouble.'  The  Pfal- 
mifl:  crysout  in  feveral  places  of  this  facred  hymn  ;  *  O  that 

*  men  would  praife  the  Lord,  for  his  goodnefs,  and  for  his 
'  wonderful  works,  to  the  children  of  men.'  Can  the  com- 
mon acfts  of  Providence,  in  the  ordinary  courfe  of  life,  be 
called  the  wonderful  works,and  the  mighty  afts  of  the  Lord? 
The  royal  prophet,  forefeeing  the  glorious  redemption  of  all 
lapfed  beings,  foretells  it  as  prefent.    *  Then  they  cried  unto 

*  the  Lord  in  their  trouble,  and  he  faved  them  out  of  their 

*  diftreiTes ;  he  brought  them  out  of  darknefs,  and  the  fha- 

*  dow  of  death,and  broke  their  bands  afunder.  He  broke  the 

*  gates  of  brafs,  and  cut  the  bars  of  iron ;  he  made  the  ftorm 

*  a  calm,  fo  that  the  waves  became  ftill;  then  they  (hall  be 

*  glad  becaufe  they  are  quiet,  and  arrived  to  their  delired  ha- 

*  ven.'  If  this  were  to  be  meant,  only  of  a  deliverance  from 
common  fhipwrack,  which  the  mofl:  criminal  very  oftcfcape, 
as  well  as  the  good,  would  the  divine  prophet  add,  *  the 

*  righteous  fhall  fee  it,  and  rejoice;   and  all  iniquity  fhall 

*  flop  her  mouth,'  that  is,  blafphemy  and  defpair  fhall  no  lon- 
ger be  heard?  Then  the  royal  prophet  concludes  this  fublime 
hymn  with  thcfe  words;  *  who  is  wife  and  will  obferve,  even 

*  they  {hall  underftand  the  loving  kindnefs  of  the  Lord.' 
None  but  thofe  who  are  truly  wife,  who  are  enlightncd  from 
above,  and  who  have  jufl:  ideas  of  the  great  plan  of  Provi- 
dence, can  underfl:and  this  fublime  myfl:ery  of  univerfal  refti- 
tution.   All  thofe  who  are  refolved  to  flatter  their  pailions; 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       331 

that  fhun  vice  only  for  fear  of  punifliment,  that  have  no  re- 
lifti  of  the  pure  love  of  virtue,  muft  be  fhocked  with  this 
dodlrine,  and  it  is  fit  they  fliould  be  fo. 

In  many  other  places  of  thefe  divine  hymns,  the  prophe- 
tic Pfalmift  forefeeing  what  would  happen  one  day,invitesall 
nations,  all  tongues,  and  all  kindreds,  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth,and  all  its  inhabitants,  without  exception,  *  to  blefs  the 

*  Lord  and  fing  hispraifes,  bccaufe  his  mercys  have  prevailed 

*  over  ail  his  works.'  Now  can  his  mercys  prevail  over  all 
his  works,  if  the  moft  part  of  lapfcd  beings  are  to  be  for  ever 
and  ever  miferableblafpheraers,  obftinate  and  inconvertible? 

The  writings  of  the  other  prophets  abound  alfo  with  the 
fame  predidions,  concerning  the  univcrfal  re-eftablifhment 
of  all  beings.  The  evangelical  Prophet  Ifaiah  efpecially,  is 
full  ofthcfeglad  tidings.  In  fpeaking  of  what  is  to  happen 
at  the  laft  judgment,  he  fays,  (a)  *  The  earth  fhall  reel  to  and 

*  fro  like  a  drunkard,  and  fhall  be  removed  like  a  cottage, 

*  and  the  tranfgrcflion  thereof  fhall  be  heavy  upon  It,  and  it 

*  fliall  fall,  and  not  rife  again ;  and  it  (hall  come  to  pafs  that  in 

*  that  day,  the  Lord  fhall  punifli  the  hoftsof  the  high  ones 

*  that  are  on  high,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  upon  the  earth; 

*  and  they  fliall  be  gathered  together  as  prifoners  are  gathered^ 

*  in  the  pit,  and  fhall  be  fliut  up  in  the  prifon,  but  after  many 

*  days  they  fhall  be  vifited,  when  the  Lord  of  holh  fhall 

*  reign  in  mount  Zion,-  and  in  Jerufalem.   By  '  the  hofts  of 

*  the  high  ones  that  are  on  high,'  are  undcrflood  the  princes 
of  the  powers  of  the  air,  or  th-e  devils.  By  '  the  Jungs  of  the 

*  earth  upon  the  earth,'  are  meant  all  thofc  that  fhine,  cxccll 

(a)  Ifaiah.  ch.  xxiv.  20.  to  the  end. 

Tt     2 


332  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

and  abound  in  terreftrial  pleafures  and  delights.  By  the  vifit 
here  fpoken  of,  muft  be  meant,  a  vidt  of  mercy ;  for  after  the 
general  judgment  of  the  damned,  their  being  thrown  into 
the  pit,  {hut  up  in  the  prifon,  and  caft  into  the  lake  of  fire; 
this  vifit  cannot  be  a  new  vifitof  juftice,  unlefswe  fay,  that 
befides  hell,  there  is  fome  other  torment  for  the  damned. 
This  vifit  therefore  muft  be  a  vifit  of  mercy,  and  a  perfeft 
deliverance.  This  vifit  is  to  be  made,  when  the  Lord  of  hofts 
fhall  reign  on  mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerufalem  ;  that  is,  during 
the  reign  of  the  Mefllah,  in  his  glorious  kingdom  upon  the 
earth  reftored  and  re-eftablifhed.  '  By  many  days,'  may  be 
underftood,  many  ages,  many  thoufands  of  years,  yea,  ages 
of  ages,  cucoya,^  oucot'coy,  as  St.  John  fays  in  his  Revelations, 
in  fecula   feculorum ;   for,   according  to  the  Scripture  ftyle, 

*  a  thoufand  years  before  God  are  as  one  day /and  therefore, 
the  prophet  indicates  here,  that  the  univerfal  reftitution  will 
happen  only  after  a  long  period  of  duration,  but  hell  and 
death  muft  be  at  laft  fwallowed  up  in  victory. 

The  fame  prophet  fpeaks  thus  in  another  place,  (a)  '  The 

*  voice  of  the  Lord  that  cryethin  the  wildernefs,'  that  is,  in 
the  place  of  defolation  and  diftrefs,  in  the  defert  earth,  and 
all  the  fphere  of  degraded  intelligences;  ^  prepare  ye  the  way 

*  of  the  Lord;  make  ftreightin  the  defert  a  high  way  for  our 
'  God.    Every  valley  fhall  be  exalted,  and  every  mountain 

*  fhall  be  made  low;  and  the  crooked  paths  fhall  be  made 
<  ftreight,  and  the  rough  places  plain;  and  the  glory  of  the 

*  Lord  fhall  be  revealed,  and  all  flefh  fhall  fee  it  together ; 

*  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  fpokcn  it.'    This  text  can- 

<a)Ifai.ch.xl.  3.4.  J. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      333 

not  be  explained,  in  its  full  extent,  of  our  Saviour's  firft  co- 
ming, in  a  ftate  of  humiliation,  nor  even  of  his  fecond  ad- 
vent, to  reign  glorioufly  upon  earth ;  fince,  during  that  reign, 
the  reprobate  are  to  be  throv^n  into  the  lake,  and  therefore, 
the  glory  of  God  cannot  be  revealed  to  them ;  fince  the  glory 
of  God  is  no  other  than  the  nianifeftation  of  his  attributes, 
of  his  power  tofave,  ofhis  jufticeto  render  juft;  of  his  good- 
nefs  to  make  all  happy  ;  and  ofhis  wifdom  to  find  out  means 
to  accompli/h  his  great  end  in  creating.    Now  ^  this  glory  of 

*  God'  cannot  be  revealed  to  all  flefli,  and  to  all  creatures, 
without  exception, till  the  general  confummation  of  all  things, 
the  total  re-eftablifliment  of  all  beings,  and  the  perfe(ft  dc- 
flru^nion  of  all  moral  and  phyfical  evil. 

The  fame  prophet  fays  in  another  place,  (a)  *  Look  un- 

*  to  mc,  and  be  faved  all  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  for  I  am  God, 

*  and  there  is  none  elfe.    I  have  fworn  by  myfclf,  the  word 

*  is  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in  righteoufnefs,  and  fhall  not  re- 

*  turn,   That  unto  me  every  knee  fhall  bow,  every  tongue 

*  fliall  fwear;  furely,  fhall  every  one  fay,  Li  the  Lord  have  I 

*  righteoufiiefs  and  flrength ;  even  to  hini  fhall  men  come, 

*  and  all  that  are  incenfed  againft  him,  lliall  be  afliamed. ' 
Here  is  aperfe(ft  univerfality  without  exception,  for  it  were 
forcing  all  the  natural  fenfe  of  the  word&,  to  interpret  *  all  the 

*  ends  of  the  earth,  every  knee,  and  every  tongue'of  afmall, 
yea,  the  very  fmalleft  part  of  lapfed  beings.  T  his  bowing  of 
the  knee  cannot  be  underftood  of  a  forced  fubmiffion ;  fince, 
in  th'rs  fenfe,  alj  the  reprobate  and  the  damned  were  ever  fub- 
je<n:ed;  and  it  would  be  unfuitable  to  our  notions  of  God,  ta 

*(a)lfai.ch.xlv.  22.  23.  24. 


:3S4  OF  THE   THREE   STATES 

'  fuppofe  him  making  fuch  a  folemn  oath,  unlefs  this  bowing 
were  to  be  undcrftood  of  a  fubmifllon  of  love,  in  all  thofe, 
"who  are  rebellions  *  and  incenfed  agalnft  him ; '  who  are  to  be 
alhamed  of  their  long  refiflance,  and  therefore,  convinced 
of  their  crime,  which  can  never  be  the  cafe  of  obdurate  and 
impenitent  fouls;  of  reprobate  and  inconvertible  fpirits. 

The  fame  prophet  makes  God  fpeak  thus  in  another  text, 
(a)  '  I  will  not  contend  forever,   neither  will  I  be  always 

*  wroth  ;  for  I  am  the  father  of  fpirits,  and  it  is  I  that  created 

*  all  fouls ;'  as  the  Greek  and  Latin  verfions  render  the  ori- 
ginal Hebrew.  The  reafon  God  gives  here,  why  he  will  not 
contend  for  ever,  nor  be  always  wroth,  is  founded  upon  his 
being  the  father  of  fpirits,  and  the  creator  of  fouls.  This 
reafon  is  univerfal,  and  regards  all  intelligences  without  ex- 
ception, and,  therefore,  his  wTath  muft  ceafe  againft  all,  fince 
he  is  equally  the  father  of  all.  Can  a  Father  that  is  all  Love, 
immutable  in  goodnefs,  leave  his  children  for  ever  miferable, 
fince  he  created  them  only  to  make  them  happyfCan  a  tender 
father,  whofe  power  Is  equal  to  his  goodnefs,  be  eternally 
frudrated  in  the  defigns  of  his  love?  Can  a  father,  whofe  juf- 
lice  and  goodnefs  are  the  fame  perfection,  let  injuftice  and 
malice  for  ever  triumph,  tho'  he  hates  them,  and  defircs  their 
total  dcftruftion?  Neither  can  it  be  objected,  that  in  thefub- 
fequent  verfcs  of  the  fame  chapter,  it  is  added,  *  that  there 

*  is  no  peace  to  the  wicked.'  This  we  grant;  for  fo  long  as 
they  remain  in  their  wickednefs  and  rebellion,  they  mui\  be, 
as  the  fame  text  adds,  '  like  the  troubled  fea,  without  relt, 

"     (a)  Ifai.  cfi.  Ivii.  l6. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       ^3r5 

*  that  cafteth  up  mire  and  dirt.'  So  long  as  the  creature  is> 
iinconverted,  God  muft  be  unappeafed. 

The  prophet  Jeremiah  fpeaks  in  the  fame  ftyle,  (a)  God 
bids  him  '  take  the  wine  cup  of  his  fury,  and  make  all  nati- 

*  ons  drink  of  it/  He  declares  that  all  nations  fhall  drink  of 
it,  from  Eaft  to  Weft,  from  North  to  South  ;  but  that  he  will 
begin  fird  with  Jerufalem,or  the  members  of  the  vifible  church, 
and  then  the  fame  cup  of  God's  wrath  fhall  be  drunk  by  all 
nations,  and  that  upon  a  terrible  day,  (b)  *  the  day  of  the 

*  Lord  of  hods,  a  day  of  vengeance,  when  God  fliall  avenge 

*  himfelf  of  all  his  adverfarys ;  when  hisfword  fhall  devour, 

*  and  be  fatiatc,  and  be  drunk  with  their  blood.'  By  all  which 
cxpreflions  are  meant,  the  tribulations,  torments,  and  diffe- 
rent operations  of  divine  juftice,  to  purify  lapfed  beings:  but 
after  this  terrible  day,which  muft  be  the  day  of  judgment,it  is- 
faid  in  the  following  chapter,  (c)  *  that  God  will  not  only  re- 
'  call  the  Ifraelites,'  or  all  the  members  of  the  vifible  church 
from  their  captivity,  but  *  that  he  will  bring  again  the  capti- 

*  vity  of  Moab,  and  Edom  in  the  latter  days,'  or  the  moft 
Pagan  and  idolatrous  nations,  in  the  time  of  the  laft  re-efta- 
blifliment,  when  all  fhall  be  rcllored. 

The  prophet  Ezekiel,  filled  with  the  fame  fpirit,  inilnu- 
ates  and  paints  forth  the  fame  truth,undcr  different  allegorys.- 
Jerufalem,  and  by  it,  all  the  reprobate  members  of  the  vifi- 
ble church,  is  reprefented  as  an  adulterous  woman,  more  un- 
faithful, and  more  criminal,  than  her  fiftcrs  Sodom  and  Sa- 
maria, that  is,  the  moft  profligate  criminals,  and  themoft  er- 
roneous heretics.   After  the  moft  fevere  reproaches,  God  dc- 

(a)  Jercm.  ch.xxv.  15.  (b)  Ch.  xlvi.  10.  (c)  Ch.xlviit47.  andch.xHx.  39.. 


33^  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

clares  that  he  will  have  mercy  upon  all  the  three,  (a)  *  When 

*  I  fhall  bring  the  captivity  of  Sodom  and  her  daughters,  then 

*  I  v^ill  bring  again  the  captivity  of  thy  daughters  in  the  midft 

*  of  them.   When  thy  fifters  Sodom  and  her  daughters  fhall 

*  return  to  their  former  ftate,  then  thou  and  thy  daughters 

*  jQiall  return  to  your  former  ftate.*  One  muft  have  loft  all 
fenfe  and  judgment,  to  imagine,  that  by  this  former  ftate.  Is  to 
be  underftood  literally,  a  rebuilding  of  the  citys  of  Sodom, 
Samaria,  and  Jerufalem,  where  vice  abounded.  This  former 
ftate  muft  therefore  fignify,the  primitive  Innocence,in  which» 
all  finite  intelligences  were  at  firft  created  ;  and  to  which, 
they  are  at  laft  to  be  reftored. 

The  prophet  MIcah,  In  fpeaking  of  the  laft  day,  fays,  (b) 

*  who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquity,  and 

*  pafleth  by  the  tranfgreflion  of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage? 
^  he  retaineth  not  his  anger  for  ever,  becaufe  he  delights  in 

*  mercy ;  he  will  turn  again,  he  will  have  compallion  upon  us; 

*  he  will  fubdue  our  iniquitys,  and  caft  all  our  fins  into  the 

*  depth  of  thefea.'  The  Heathen  Is  called  the  Lord's  inheri- 
tance, (c) '  Aflc  of  me,'  fays  the  Father  to  the  Son, '  and  I  will 

*  give  thee  the  Heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  out- 

*  moft  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  poftefilon.'Can  we  doubt,but 
the  eternal  Word  made  this  requeft  to  the  Father ;  and  is  not 
Micah's  prophefy  an  accompllftimentof  his  requeft^  for  fin  cc 
God  retaineth  not  his  anger  for  ever,  fince  he  delights  in 
mercy,  he  muft  m  the  laft  day  pafs  by  the  tranfgreflion  of  the 
remnantof  our  Saviour's  heritage,  orthercft  of  lapfcd  beings, 
that  could  not  be  converted,  but  by  infernal  torments. 

(a)  Ezek.  ch.xvi.  5.3.  (b)Micah.  ch.vii.  18.  19.  (c)Pfal.  ii.  8. 


OF   ANGELICAL   NATURE.      337 

1  know,  that  thefchoolmen  and  the  vulgar  interpreters  ap- 
ply all  thefe  rubllmcprophefys  to  the  publication  of  the  GoC- 
pel  among  the  Gentiles,  and  the  converfion  of  the  Jews  In 
the  laft  times.  But  can  thefe  partial  events,  that  leave  the 
moll:  part  of  lapfed  beings  In  a  ftate  of  corruption  and  damna- 
tion, be  called  the  mighty  adtsand  wonderful  vi^orks  of  the 
Lord,  that  are  faid  to  be  univerfal,  internal  and  eternal?  by 
applying  ail  thefe  glorious,  magnificent  predi(5lions  to  fuch 
bounded,  tranficnt  events,  we  render  the  divine  oracles  hy- 
perbolical, exaggerating  and  too  emphatical  for  fuch  fmallef- 
fejfts,  that  do  not  anfwer  the  great  ideas  we  have  of  Infinite 
power, wifdom  and  goodnefs ;  and  fo  expofe  them  to  the  con- 
tempt of  the  incredulous. 

'Ere  I  quite  the  doiflrine  of  the  Old  Teflament,  I  muft  re- 
mark,that  this  univerfal  reftoration  of  all  beings  feems  to  have 
been  figured  by  the  jubilee  celebrated  every  fiftieth  year,  by 
the  Jews,  when  all  debts  were  remitted,  all  flavcs  fet  free,and 
every  man  returned  to  his  firft  polfeflion.   In  one  word,  this 
great  year,  was  a  time  of  univerfal  joy,  liberty,  and  happi- 
nefs.   We  have  already  remarked,  that  all  the  inftitutions  of 
the  Mofaical  law  were  reprefentative  of  fomething  fpiritual, 
Invifible,  and  eternal.    They  were  fhadows,  either  of  the 
great  facrifice  that  was  to  be  offered  up  for  the  atonement  of 
lin  ;  orof  the  total  redemption  of  all  finners,  or  of  the  purity 
ncccffary  to  merit  this  redemption.  All  the  ceremonies,  rites, 
fcafls,  falls,  facrificcs,  ablutions  and  purifications  were  fi- 
gures of  fomething  truly  divine,  and  far  fuperiour  to  the  little 
events  that  have  happened  or  could  happen  in  the  Jevvlfh  na- 
PART  2.  U  u 


338  OF  THE   THREE  STATES 

tion.   Without  this  great  principle,  the  Mofaical  law  is  un- 
worthy of  God. 

There  are  many  texts  of  the  New  Teftament  yet  more 
clear,  than  thofe  of  the  Old;  fo  that  the  Gofpel  is  a  commen- 
tary upon  the  law.   The  firft  and  principal  text  is  that  of  St. 
•Paul,  in  his  epiftle  to  the  Romans,   where,  after  he  has 
fhown  that  God  is  no  accepter  of  perfons,  that  he  is  equally 
the  God  of  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  that  he  has  given 
abundant  graces  to  both,  but  that  both  have  miferably  abu- 
fcdthem,  he  adds  thefe  words,  (a)  '  For  God  hath  fhut  them 
-*  all  up  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  have  mercy  upon  all.'  By 
fhutting  up  all  in  unbelief,  cannot  be  underftood,  that  God 
voluntarily  abandoned  all  nations,  both  Jew  and  Gentile,  to 
a  fpirit  of  incredulity;  but  that  as  a  punifhment  of  their  dlfo- 
bedience  in  a  ftateof  pre-exiftence,  he  let  all  lapfed  beings  fall 
intoa  ftate  of  darknefs,  and  unbelief;  he  judged  them  all  un- 
'worthy  of  his  beatific  prefence,  banifhed  them  from  it,  let 
them  feel  the  effects  of  this  long  exile,  that  fo  he  might  purify 
all  by  expiatory  pains  and  juftice,fmally  deliver  all  by  fa  ndlify- 
ing  love  and  mercy.  For  this  reafon,  theapoftle  crys  out  with 
cxtafy.    *  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom  and 

*  knowledge  of  God;  how  unfearchable  are  his  judgments,and 

*  his  wayspaft  finding  out!'  The  ways  God  has,  for  reclai- 
ming the  moft  obftinate  rebellious  creatures,arehidin  thetrea- 
fures  of  his  wifdom  and  knowledge;  they  are  impenetrable 
and  undifcoverable,  but  they  are  ceftain,  fure  and  infallible. 
The  apoflle  concludes,  by  giving  the  reafon  of  this  univerfal 
redemption,  *  for  from  God'  fays  he,  *  and  by  God,  and  to 

(a)  Rom.  ch.  xl.  32. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.       339 

*  God,are  all  things;'  from  him  all  fpirits  proceed,by  him  they 
fubfifl:,  and  to  him  they  mufi:  all  return.  Thus,  this  facred  and 
fublime  text,which  the  Predeftinarians  interpret  of  partial  de- 
crees, and  odious  preteritions,  is  a  full  declaration  of  the 
defigns  of  mercy  to  all  lapfed  intelligences. 

The  fame  apoftle  confirms  the  fame  doftrine,  in  his  firfl 
epiftle  to  the  Corinthians,  by  the  mofl:  exprefs  terms,  that  arc 
fubjecH:  to  no  equivocation,(a)  '  As  in  Adam  all  die,fo  in  Chrift 

*  fhall  all  be  made  alive ;  but  every  one  in  this  order;  firfl:  of  all, 

*  Chrifthimfelf  ihall  appear,aftcr wards  thofe  that  areChrift's, 

*  at  his  coming;lafl:  of  all,fhall  be  the  cnd,when  he  will  deliver 

*  up  the  kingdom  to  his  Father ;  for  he  mull  reign,  till  he  put 

*  all  his  enemies  under  his  feet ;  the  lail:  enemy  that  fhall  be 

*  deftroycdjs  death;and  when  all  things  fliall  be  fubdued  unto 

*  him,  then  fhall  the  Son  himfclf  be  fubje<5led  to  him,  that  put 

*  all  things  under  him,that  fo  God  may  be  all  in  all. 'This  text 
contains  three  remarkable  truths,  (i)  that,  as  in  Adam  all 
die,  without  exception,  fo  in  Chrift,  all  fhall  be  made  alive, 
without  exception.  Firft  theelecH:,  who  are  to  rife  again,  as 
we  have  fhown;  and  reign  with  Chriil:,  forages  of  ages,  in 
his  glorious  kingdom  upon  earth  renewed  and  reftored.  Af- 
terwards the  reprobate,  the  devils  and  all  lapfed  beings  that  - 
will  be  thrown  into  the  lake  of  fire,  are  to  be  totally  purified 
by  infernal  flames,  reformed,  transformed,  and  made  con- 
formable to  the  divine  image.  (2)  Death  is  to  be  de{lroyed,as 
the  laft  enemy.  This  is  faid  expresfly  of  a  death,  that  is  to 
fubfift,  after  the  refurre6lion  or  laft  coming;  and  fo  cannot 
be  undcrftood  of  the  firft  or  natural  death,  which,  in  Scrip- 

(a)  I.  Cor.  ch.  xv.  22.  to  29. 

UU     2 


340  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

ture,  is  never  called  God's  enemy,  but  his  inftrument;  and 
therefore,  this  text  muft  be  underftood  ofthefecond  death, 
the  fpiritual  death,  or  the  feparation  of  the  foul  from  God. 
(3)  There  will  be  an  end,  or  confummatron  of  all  things, 
when  the  Son,  by  whom  the  Father  now  governs  the  world, 
having  fubdued  all  lapfed  fpirits,  fhall  be  fubje«51:ed  himfelfto 
the  paternal  mind,that  fo  God  may  become  all  in  all. How  can 
God  become  all  in  all,  if  innumerable  myriads  of  rebellious 
fpirits  are  to  remain  in  their  revolt  and  blafphemy  for  ever? 
St.  Paul  inculcates  the  fame  dot^rine,  in  hisepiftle  to  the 
Ephefians,  (a)  '  God  having  made  known  to  us,  the  myfte- 
'  ry  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleafurc,  which  he 

*  purpofedin  himfelf  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, that 

*  in  thefulnefs  of  time,  he  might  gather  together  in  one,  all 

*  things  inChrift,  both  the  things  which  are  in  heaven,  and 

*  which  are  in  earth,  even  in  him.'    This  text,  by  which  the 
Predeftinarians  endeavour  to  prove  the  doftrine   of  partial 
decrees,  is  diametrically  oppofite  to  their  fchemc,  and  mud 
be  underdood  of  that  eternal  decree,  by  which  God  purpo- 
fed,  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  to  fave  all  lapfed  be- 
ings, in  cafe  they  fhould  by  their  free,  voluntary  choice,  fall 
into  defection,  to  reftore  them  to  their  primitive  perfection 
and  innocence,  and  reunite  them  all  in  Chrift,  in  the  ful- 
nefs  of  time,  thatis,  in  the  end,  when  Chrift  will  deliver  up 
the  kingdom  to  his  Father,  when  time  fhall  ceafe,  eternity 
begin,  and  God  become  all  in  all.    This  decree  and  purpofe, 
made  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  was  not  founded 
upon  an  infallible,  certain,  abfolute  prefcicnce,  that  a  great 

(a)  Ephef.  ch.  i.  9.  lO. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      341 

part  of  angelical  intelligences,  and  all  the  human  race,  would 
undoubtedly  rebell  againfl  eternal  order ;  but  this  purpofe 
was  conditional,  and  put  no  reftraint  upon  their  free  natures^ 
God  decreed,  that  in  cafe  they  fell  freely,  he  would  remedy 
this  d€fe(51:,  accomplifh  atlafl:  hi-s  great  defigns  in  creating,  and 
finally  reclaim,  re-eftablifh  and  re-unite  all  in  Chrifl:.  As  the 
eternal  Mind,  'ere  he  created  fpirits,  faw  that  they  were  free 
and  fallible,  and  all  the  pofTible  abufcs  they  might  make  of 
their  liberty,  he  provided  againfl:  the  total  fruftration  of  his 
great  defigns,that  fo  they  might  not  become  for  ever  abortive, 
and  formed  the  great  plan  of  redemption  of  all  beings  who 
fhould  fall  freely* 

The  fame  apoftle  of  the  Gentiles  preaches  the  fame  doc- 
trine to  the  Philippians,  when  he  fays,  (a)  '  God,  becaufe  of 

*  our  Saviour's  obedience,  humiliation,  and  fuffering,  hath 

*  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name,  which- is  above 

*  every  name,  that  fo  every  knee  may  bow  before  him,  of  all 

*  that  are  in  heaven,  of  all  that  are  upon  earth,  and  of  all  that 

*  are  in  hell,and  fhould  confefs,that  Jefus  Chri(l  is  the  Lord,. 

*  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.'  The  Greek  word  jcarot^ 
'^^oi'luu  fignifies  literally,  all  thefe  that  are  under  the  earth  : 
but  the  Latin  verfion  tranflates  this  word  infernum, 'thefe 

*  that  are  in  kell,'  becaufe  here  the  apoflle  fpeaks  of  a  rational 
confefIion,oran  aft  of  intelligent  beings, of  which,  we  know 
none  under  the  earth,  but  the  devils  and  the  damned.  It  is 
then  certain,  that  this  univerfal  genuflexion,  adoration,  and 
confeffion,  to  be  made  by  all  beings,  celeflial,  tcrreftrialand 
infernal,  could  not  be  to  the  glory  of  God,  if  it  were  to  be 

(a)  Philip,  ch.  ii.  S.  to  1 2. 


342  OF   THE  THREE  STATES 

made  by  fpirits,  that  are  to  blafpheme  for  ever  againft  the 

MoftHigh. 

That  none  of  the  Gentiles  might  be  ignorant  of  this  fa- 
cred  doftrine,  St.  Paul  teaches  it  again,  in  writing  to  theCol- 
loffians,  by  thefe  words,  (a)  '  For  it  pleafed  the  Father,  that 

*  in  him  fliould  all  fulncfs  dwell ;  and  having  made  peace 

*  through  the  blood  of  his  crofs,  by  him  to  reconcile  all 

*  things  to  himfelf,  by  him,  I  fay,  whether  they  be  things  in 

*  earth,  or  things  of  heaven.'  By  things  of  heaven,  that  arc 
to  be  reconciled  to  God,  mufi:  be  underftood,  the  fallen  an- 
gels, for  the  unfallen  ones  wanted  no  reconciliation.  The 
expredion  therefore  is  univerfal,ALL  THiNGs,and  includes 
all  fort  of  lapfed  beings,  whether  terredrial,  or  angelical,  that 
is,  men,  or  devils. 

In  fine,  that  this  doflrine  might  be  tranf-nltted  to  all  ge- 
nerations, St. Paul  orders  Timothy  to  preach  it  every  where, 
(b)  *  I  exhort  therefore,firn:  of  all,  that  fupplications,  prayers, 

*  intercefllons,  and  giving  of  thanks  be  made  for  all  men; 

*  for  kings,  and  for  all  that  are  in  authority ;  for  it  is  good 

*  and  acceptable  in  the  fight  of  God  our  Saviour;  who  will 

*  have  all  men  to  be  faved,  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
**  truth  ;  for  there  is  one  God,  and  one  Mediator  betwixt 
■'  God  and  men,  the  man  Chrift  Jefus,  who  gave  himfelf  a 

*  ranfom  for  all,  to  be  teftified  in  due  time.'  The  fcope  and 
fum  of  St.  Paul's  doflrine,  is,  that  Chriftians  ought  to  pray 
for  all  men,  without  exception,  for  the  Roman  Emperors, 
for  the  mofi:  idolatrous  princes,  for  the  greatefi:  perfecutors 
of  the  church,  becaufe  God  our  Saviour  loves  all,  died  for  all, 

(a)  ColofT.ch.  i.  I9.and20.         (b)I.Tim.ch.  ii.  i.  to  7. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       343 

and  will  have  all  to  be  faved.  Now,  can  God  will  fincerely 
the  falvation  of  all  men,  and  yet  the  mofi:  part  perifh  for  ever  ? 
Can  the  final  defigns  of  eternal  goodnefs,  and  the  abfolutc 
will  of  omnipotence  be  for  ever  frultratcd  and  baffled?  Can 
the  fufFerings,  and  expiatory  facrifice  of  the  MefTiah  be  for 
ever  void,  and  of  no  effe<51:,  with  regard  to  the  greateft  num- 
ber of  fallen  fpirits  r  Can  the  wonderful  plan  of  Providence, 
all  the  myfterys  of  our  redemption, all  the  merits  of  the  Lamb 
flain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world;  terminate  in  the  fal- 
vation of  a  little  portion  of  mankind  ?  No,  fays  the  apoftle, 
our  Saviour  gave  himfclf  a  ranfom  for  all;  and  this  fliall  be 
manifefted  in  due  time,  when  God  fhall  become  all  in  all. 

Thus,  the  Old  and  New  Teftament  are  full  of  pafTages^ 
thatinfinuate,  inculcate,  orexpresfly  teach,  the  comfortable 
do(ftrine  of  univerfal  reftitution.  In  order  to  feel  all  their 
force,  let  us  re-unite  them  in  one  continued  difcourfe.  I  fhall 
only  add  fome  fhort  explications  that  flow  from  the  fenfe  of 
tlie  context,  and  fervc  to  make  the  connexion. 

(a)  *  After  the  fecond  coming,  our  Saviour  will  afcend  on 

*  highjlead  captivity  captive, receive  gifts  for  the  elecft,  yea,  for 
'  the  rebellious,or  reprobate  airo,that  God  may  dwell  among 

*  them,  fill  all  things,  draw  all  unto  him,  and  fhow,  that  he 

*  is  the  God  of  falvation,  and,  that  to  him  belong  the  ifTues 

*  of  death,  or  the  avenues  of  hell,    (b)  The  Lord  is  merciful 
'  and  gracious,  flow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in  mercy,  he 

*  will  not  always  chide,  nor  keep  his  anger  for  ever,  (c)  O ! 
'  that  men  would  praife  the  Lord  for  his  goodnefs,  and  for 

*  his  wonderful  works  to  the  children  of  men  I  for  he  fatisfi- 
(a)  Pfalm.  Ixviii.  1 8.         (b)  Pfalra.  ciii.  8. 9.         (c)  Pfalm.  cvii.  8. 


344  OF  THE  THREE  STATES 

'  eth  the  longing  foul,  and  filleth  the  hungry  foul  with  good- 

*  nefs ;  fuch  as  fit  in  darknefs  and  in  the  fhadow  of  death, 
^  fuch  as  are  bound  in  affliction  and  iron,  becaufe  they  rebel- 

*  led  againft  the  Word  of  God,  and  contemned  the  counfel 

*  of  the  Moft  High;  fuch  as  go  down  to  hell,  and  whofe  foul 

*  is  melted  with  trouble.  They  will  at  lafl:  cry  to  the  Lord  in 

*  their  anguifh,  and  he  will  fave  them  out  of  their  diftrefs.  He 

*  will  bring  them  out  of  darknefs,  and  the  fliadow  of  death  ; 

*  he  will  break  their  bands  afunder;  he  will  fend  his  Word 

*  and  heal  them,  and  deliver  them  from  their  def1:ru<5tion. 

*  (a)  At  the  laft  day,  the  Lord  fliall  punifh  the  high  ones  that 

*  are  on  high,  the  princes  of  the  powers  of  the  air,  (or  the 
'  devils)  and  the  kings  of  the  earth,  (or  the  reprobate)  and 
'  they  fhall  be  gathered  together  as  prifoners,  thrown  into 
'  the  pit,  andfhut  up  in  the  prifon  ;  but  after  many  ages  they 

*  fhall  be  vifited,when  the  Lord  of  Hofts  fliall  reign  on  mount 
«  Sion  and  in  Jerufalem.   (b)  The  glory  of  the  Lord  fhall  be 

*  revealed,  and  all  flefli  fhall  fee  it  together;  for  the  mouth 

*  of  the  Lord  hath  fpoken  it;  the  everlafting  God,  the  Lord, 

<  the  creator  of  the  ends  of  the  earth,   never  faileth   nor  is 

*  weary  in  well-doing,    (c)  I  have  fworn  by  myfelf,  fays  he, 

<  TJie  word  is  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in  righteoufnefs  and 

<  flrength,  and  fhall  not  return;  That  unto  me  every  knee 
«  fhall  bow,  (by  a  fubmiffion  of  free  choice  and  love)  every 
«  tongue  fhall  fwear;  Surely,  fhall  everyone  fay,  in  the  Lord 

<  have  I  righteoufnefs  and  ftrength;  and  all  that  are  incenfed 

<  a^ainft  him  fhall  be  afhamed,  (oftheir  crimes)  and  return  to 

<  the  Lord,    (d)  I  will  not  contend  for  ever,  neither  will  I 
.(a)lfai.ch.xx,iv.2i.(b)lfai.ch.xl.  5.28.(c)irai.ch.  xlv.23.24.(d)ld.  ch,lvu.i6- 


OF   ANGELICAL   NATURE.      345 

*  be  always  wroth,forI  am  the  Father  of  rpirits,ancl  it  Is  I  that 

*  created  all  fouls.(a)  The  cup  of  God's  wrath  fhall  be  drunk 
'  by  all  nations,  upon  the  terrible  day,  the  day  of  the  Lord  of 
^  hon:s,(the  day  of  judgment)  a  day  of  vengeance,  when  God 

*  fhall  avenge  himfelf,  of  all  his  adverfarys,  when  his  fword 

*  fhall  devour,  and  be  fatiate,  and  be  drunk  with  their  blood: 

*  but  in  the  latter  days,  (in  the  fulnefs  of  time,  at  the  con- 

*  fummation  of  all  things)  God  will  recall  the  captivity  of 

*  Jacob,  (of  the  reprobate  members  of  the  vifible  church) 

*  and  alfo  ofMoabandElam,  (of  the  Heathens  and  idola- 

*  trous  nations)  (b)  when  I  fhall  bring  back  again  the  capti- 

*  vity  of  Jerufalem  and  her  daughters;  (of  all  the  profligate 
'  members  of  the  vifible  church)  then  1  fhall  bring  again  the 
<  captivity  of  Sodom  and  her  daughters;  (or  of  the  mod  fla- 
«  gitious  criminals)  and  the  captivity  of  Samaria  and  her 

*  daughters;  (or  of  the  mofl:  erroneous  hereticks)  when  thy 
'  fifters  Sodom  and  her  daughters,  fhall  return  to  their  pri- 
'  mitive  flate,  and  Samaria  and  her  daughters  fliall  return  to 
'their  original  flate,  then  Jerufalem  and  her  daughters  fhall 
^  return  to  their  firft  flate  of  purity  and  innocence,  (c)  Who 

*  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquitys  and  paf- 
'  fcth  by  the  tranfgrefhons  of  rhe  remnant  of  thy  heritage; 
■'  (of  the  Heathens  and  infidels).  Thou  will  not  retain  thy 
'  anger  forever,  becaufcthou  delightefl  in  mercy.' 

This  is  the  flyle  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  in  the  Old  Teflamcnt; 
but,  left  fome  of  thcfe  cxprefTions  fhould  fcem  obfcure,  am- 

(a)Jerem.ch.xxv.  15.  xlvi.  10.  28.  xlviii.  47.  cmdxlix.  39.  Cb)Ezek, 

ch.xvi.  53.54.  (c)Micahcb.vii.  18. 

TART    2.  X  X 


34^  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

biguons,and  equivocal,  wefhall  now  fhow,  howtheapofties 
explain,  and  unfold  the  doflrineof  the  prophets. 

(a)  *  God  hath  permitted  all  nations,  both  Jew  and  Gen- 
'  tile  to  be  fhut  up  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  have  mercy 

*  upon  all ;  (and  all  without  exception)  becaufe  from  him  all 

*  fpirits  proceed,  by  him  they  all  fubfift,  and  to  him  they  muft 
'  all  return,    (b)  As  in  Adam  all  die,fo  in  Chrill:,  fhall  all  be 

*  made  alive:  but  every  one  in  this  order,  firfl:  of  all,  Chrift 

*  himfelf  fhall  appear;  afterwards,  thefe  that  are  Chrid's,  at 

*  his  coming;  (when  the  eleft  fliall  rife  again  to  reign  with 

*  him  for  many  ages  in  his  glorious  kingdom  upon  earth  re- 

*  newed  andre-eftablifhed  to  its  paradifiacal  form)  laft  ofall, 
'  fliall  be  the  end  (or  the  confummationof  all  things);  when 

*  he  will  deliver  up  the  kingdom  to  his  Father,  for  he  muft 

*  reign  (his  glorious  kingdom  upon  earth  muft  laft)  till  he 

*  put  all  his  enemys  (things)  under  his  feet.  The  laft  enemy 

*  that  fhall  be  deftroyed  is  fpiritual  death,  and  when  all  beings 
'  fhall  be  fubdued  unto  him  (by  love),  then  fhall  the  Son 
'  himfelf  be  fubjefbed  to  him  that  put  all  things  under  him  ; 

*  that  fo  God  may  be  all  in  all.   (c)  God  has  made  known  to 

*  us  the  myftery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleafure, 

*  which  hepurpofedin  himfelf,  before  the  foundation  of  the 

*  world,  that  in  the  fullnefs  of  time,  he  might  re-unite  all 

*  beings  in  Chrift,  both  thefe  which  fell  from  heaven,  and 
'  thefe  that  fell  from  Paradife.  (d)  God,  becaufe  of  our  Savi- 

*  our's  obedience,  humiliation,  and  fufFering  hath  highly  ex- 

*  alted  him;  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every 

(a)  Rom.  ch.  xi.  32.         (b)  I.  Cor.  ch.  xv.  22.  to  29.  (c)  Ephef.  ch.  I. 

9.10.         (d)Philip.  ch.  xi.  8.to  12. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.       347 

*  name,  that  fo  every  knee  may  bow  before  him,  of  all  that 
«  are  in  heaven,  of  all  that  are  in  earth,  and  of  all  that  are  in 

*  hell,  and  fhould  confefs,  that  Jefus  Chrifl:  is  the  Lord  to 
«  the  glory  of  God  the  Father,  (a)  For  it  pleafed  the  Father, 

*  that  in  him  fhould  all  fulnefs  dwell;  and  having  made  peace 

*  through  the  blood  of  his  crofs,  by  him  to  reconcile  all 

*  things,  unto  himfelf,  by  him,  I  fay,  whether  they  be  things 

*  terrefirial,  or  infernal,    (b)  God  our  Saviour  will  have  all 

*  men  to  be  faved,  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  truth ; 

*  for  there  is  one  God,  and  one  Mediator  betwixt  God,  and 

*  men,  the  man  Chrift  Jefus,  who  gave  himfelf  a  ranfom  for 

*  all,  to  be  teflified  in  due  time,  when  God  fhall  become  all 

*  in  all.' 

Thefe  fixteen  texts  of  Scripture  can  never  be  explained  of 
an  external,  nor  even,  of  an  internal  converfion  oftheleaft, 
fmalleft,  and  moft  inconfiderable  part  of  lapfed  beings,  with- 
out doing  a  manifeft  violence  to  the  natural  fenfe  of  the 
words.  Here  Heave  it  to  the  judgment  of  all  honeft,  upright, 
unprejudiced  and  intelligent  minds,  if  the  Holy  Ghoft  could 
have  chofen  any  ftronger  and  more  nervous  exprellions,  to 
declare  the  luminous  doctrine  of  univerfal  redemption  and 
reftitution,  than  thefe  made  ufe  of  by  the  prophets  and  the 
apoftles,  in  the  fore-mentioned  paflages.  Now,  if  it  be  de- 
monflrated,  that  this  dodrine  is  not  only  confonant  to,  but  a 
neceflary  confequence  of  the  jull  ideas  we  fhould  have  of  the 
divine  attributes;  that  it  flops  the  mouths  of  the  incredulous, 
minute  philofophers,  and  that  it  throws  a  light  upon  all  the 
glorious  plan  of  Providence;  then  it  follows  plainly,  that  the 

(a)  Coloir.  ch.  i.  19.  20.         (b)I.  Timothy  ch.ii.  3.  4.  5. 

Xx   2 


348  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

univerfal  re-eftablifhment  of  all  lapfed  beings  is  an  elTential 
doftrine  both  of  natural  and  revealed  religion. 

I  conclude  all  I  have  to  fay  upon  the  Scripture-do(5lrine 
of  univerfal  reflitution,  by  this  one  remark.    The  facred  ora- 
cles call  the  Gofpel  '  glad  tidings  to  all  nations,'  now  if  the 
do6trine  of  eternal  pains  were  true,  this  expreffion  would  be 
ludicrous,infulting,illufory  and'falfc.  Forin  whatfer-'e  could 
the  Gofpel  be  called '  glad  tidings  to  all  nation  s/if  it  ati-noun^jed 
that  (alvation  belonged  only  to  thcfmallefl:  and  naoft  incon-  , 
fiderable  part  of  mankind;  and  that  all  the  reft  were  to  be 
for  ever  and  ever  miferable?  It  is,  as  if  a  tyrannical,  barbarous 
king  that  hated  his  fubje(5ls  and  thirfted  after  their  blood, 
jliould  fend  a  mefTenger  to  a  prifon,  who  was  to  enter  with 
ioy  painted  in  his  face,  and  with  all  demonftrations  of  glad- 
Defs,  triumph  and  tranfport  aiTure  them,  that  he  brings  all 
the  prifoners  glad  tidings,  and  after  that  he  had  abated  their 
mifery,  heightned  their  expeflations  and  cheared  up  their 
hearts  by  pleafant  hope,  hefhould  publifh,  with  a  loud  foun- 
ding trumpet,  that  his  mafter's  v/ill  was,  to  fave  three  or  four 
of  them,  and  that  all  the  reft,  were  condemned  to  the  moft 
exqui'fite  torments.Would  not  this  be  the  height  of  barbarity, 
and  the  moft  cruel  manner  of  infulting  thefe  poor  criminals? 
'I-hevery  thought  creates  horror,  and  I  cannot  but  repeat  it 
Qncemore,  The  do(5lrine  of  eternal  pains  feems  to  have  been 
hatched  expresfly  by  the  enemys  of  revealed  religion  to  ren- 
d.er  Chriftianity  odious. 

•  Here  I  fee  the  fchoolmen  and  Chriftian  mythologifts  fall 
iiito  a  kind  of  phrenetical  madnefs,  and  cry  out,  that  the  doc- 
tjriiie  of  univerfal  rcftitution  is  diametrically  oppofite  to  Scrip- 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.      349 

tnre,  which  afTures  us  in  feveral  places,  that '  the  torments  of 

*  the  devils  and  damned  are  to  be  eternal ;  that  in  the  lake,  pit, 

*  or  hell  the  worm  never  dies,  and  the  fire  is  never  quenched; 

*  that  the  devils  and  the  reprobate  will  be  cafl:  into  the  lake  of 
'  fire  and  brimftone,  where  they  will  be  tormented  for  ever 

*  and  ever.'  In  fine,  that  our  Saviour  himfelf  fays,  (a)  '  That 
'all  ma  Mier  of  fin  and  blafphcmy  againfl:  the  Father  and  the 

*  Son  fhall  be  forgiven  to  men ;  but  the  blafphemy  againft 

*  the  Holy  GholT:  fhall  not  be  forgiven,  neither  in  this  world, 

*  nor  in  the  world  to  come.' 

I  anfwer,  in  the  firfr  place,  that,  according  to  Scripturs 
flyle  and  common  language,the  words  *  for  ever  and  eternal' 
do  not  always  fignify  a  duration  without  end  ;  but  a  time  that 
lafts,  as  long  as  the  difpofitions,  and  nature  of  the  thing  fpoke 
of  endures.  Thus,  in  many  different  places  of  facred  writ, 
the  ceremonial  law  of  Mofes,  not  the  moral  precepts,  but 
the  external  rites  are  faid  to  be  eternal.  Thus,  in  civillaw, 
kings  are.faid  to  banifh  for  ever  their  rebellious  fubjeifts*. and 
fathers  to  difmherit  for  ever  their  profligate  fons:  but  every 
one  knows,  that  comminatory  pains  are  not  obligatory  upon 
Icgiflators;  that  they  have  always  a  right  to  pardon,  when 
the  reafon  of  the  penal  law  ceafes.  All  thefe  pafTages  then  of 
the  holy  Scripture,  wherein  tlie  pains  of  the  damned  are  faid 
to  be  eternal,  regard  only  the  natural  and  neceffary  confc' 
qucnces  of  our  rebellion;  fo  long  as  our  revolt  la (Is^our  mifery 
mufi:  lafl:  but  if  the  creature  ceafe  its  refiftance,  then  thefe 
punifhmentsmuftceafe.  Now,  fince  we  have  proven  in  ths 
firfl  Part;  that,  according  to  all  the  ideas,  we  have  of  thcnarf- 

Ca)  Matth.  ch.  xii.  31.32. 


350  OF   THE  THREE  STATES 

ture  of  God  and  the  creature,  the  one  cannot  be  unappeafa- 
ble,  nor  the  other  unconvertible;  it  follows  plainly,  that  the 
words  '  for  ever,  and  eternal,'  muft  not  be  underftood  here, 
of  a  duration  without  end.  The  univerfal  rule  of  interpreting 
Scripture,  is,  that  we  muft  depart  from  the  rigorous,  literal, 
grammatical  fenfe  of  the  words,  when  that  fenfe  contradi<5ls 
manifeftly  the  divine  attributes.  Now,  the  docftrine  of  eter- 
nal punifhments  is  altogether  incompatible  with  the  divine 
perfeOions;  with  his  infinite  power,  that  muft  have  at  laft 
an  abfolute  empire  over  all  beings  free  ornecelTary;  with 
the  divine  wifdom,  that  can  find  out  means  to  furmount  the 
refiftance  of  his  free  creatures,  without  violating  their  li- 
berty ;  with  the  divine  fan(5lity,  that  tends  necelTarily  to  re- 
eftablifh  order ;  with  the  divine  goodnefs,  that  made  intelli- 
gent beings  only  to  make  them  happy,  and  that  cannot  be 
eternally  fruftrated  in  his  defigns;  and  in  fine,  with  the  divine 
juftice,that  engages  him  neceflarily  to  put  an  end  toinjiiftice. 
When  God  therefore,  to  deter  men  from  fm,  threatens  that 
his  punifliments  will  be  eternal;  thofe  comminatory  pains 
are  not  obligatory,  as  his  remunerating  promifes.  He  referves 
to  himfelf  always  the  right  of  pardoning,  and  cannot  be  un- 
appeafable,fince  the  creature  is  not  inconvertible. 

I  anfwer,  in  the  fecond  place,  that  it  is  literally  and  exact- 
ly true,  *  that  in  hell  the  worm  never  dies,  and  the  fire  is  ne- 
*  ver  quenched ;'  the  remorfes,  agonysandhorrorsof  confci- 
ence  laft  as  long,  as  this  ftate  of  punifhment  ihall  laft;  but 
this  does  not  prove,  that  hell  will  laft  for  ever.  So  long  as 
reprobate  fpirits  remain  in  their  obduration,  impenitence,and 
corruption,  they  muft  be  necefTarily  tormented;  but  if  they 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.       351 

can  bcreclalmed,their  puniflimentmiift  ceafe.  Now,fince  we 
have  deraonftrated,  that  lapfJ:'d  beings  cannot  be  abfolutely 
inconvertible,  that  finite  impotence,  folly,  and  malice  cannot 
for  ever  furmount  infinite  povver^wifdom  and  goodnefs;  it  fol- 
lows necefTarily,  that  all  lapfed  beings  may  be  reclaimed,  and 
therefore  their  punilhments  cannot  be  eternal. 

I  anfwer,  in  the  third  place,  that  the  words  e/$  t8$  oda- 
v(Li  rciv  cuuvo)v,{h.o\\\6.  not  be  tranflated  by '  for  ever  and  ever,' 
but '  for  ages  of  ages,'  that  is,  fo  long  as  time  lafts ;  but  time 
will  not  lafl  eternally,  there  will  be  an  end, when  timefhall  be 
no  more,  when  eternity  will  begin,  and  when  God  (liall  be- 
come all  in  all,  as  we  have  fhown. 

In  fine,  fmce  the  holy  Ghoft  is  love,  and  effential  love, 
the  fin  again  ft  the  holy  Gfeoft,  muft  be  a  deliberate,  volunta- 
ry, obftinate,  conftant  refiftance  to  all  the  endearments,  at- 
tra<5lions  and  infpirations  of  love.  Now,  fo  long  as  this  re- 
fiftance lafts,  it  muft  be  punifhcd  in  this  world,  and  in  the 
world  to  come,  that  is,  during  all  the  time  of  the  glorious 
reign.  It  muft  be  extirpated  and  deftroyed  by  hell-flames, 
and  can  never  be  pardoned,  but  at  the  general  refHtution  of 
all  beings.  For  the  world  to  come,  does  not  fignify  here  eter- 
nity, but  that  interval  of  duration,  after  the  refurreftion 
which  is  to  laft  till  death  and  hell  be  fwallowed  up  in  vi<5lo- 
ry.  Love  covers  a  multitude  of  iniquitys,  and  expiates  all 
fins,  fo  that  God  leaves  them  in  perfe6l  oblivion,and  puniilies 
them  no  more-,  but  a  formal  oppofition  to,  and  refufal  of  all 
the  divine  fuccours,  makes  future  punifhments,  and  hell- 
flames,  in  the  world  to  come,  abfolutely  neceflary.  The 
fin  and  blafphemys  againft  the  Father  and  the  Son  may  come. 


352  OF  THE  THREE  STATES 

from  prejudice,  and  ignorance.   We  may,  as  the  Predeftina- 
rians,  attribute  to  God  the  Father  paflions,  partialitys  and 
imperfeftions,  incompatible   with  his  nature;  or^  with  the 
Arians,  deny  the  confubftantiality  of  the  Word  and  divinity 
of  the  Son,  and  fo  blafpheme  again  ft  thefe  twoperfons  of  the 
facred  trinity.    All  this  will  be  pardoned,  if  thefe  prejudices 
and  miftakes  do  not  deftroy  in  us  a  vital  principle  of  love.The 
falfe  and  blafphemous  ideas  of  God  and  Providence,  of  pre- 
fcience  and  predeftination,  of  original  fin  and  eternal  pains, 
of  vindictive  juftice  and  unappcafable  wrath,  may  be  pardo- 
ned and  expiated  in  this  life,  or  in  a  ftate  of  purification  after 
death:  but  final  impenitence,  the  dired,  refolute,  conftant 
rejection  of,  and  refiftance  to  all  the  efforts  and  foUicitations 
of  almighty  love,  during  this  ftate  of  probation  here  below, 
cannot  be  expiated,  extirpated  and  deftroyed,  but  by  infernal 
pains  and  hell  torments.    The  meaning  then  of  the  text  is, 
that  a  formal,  deUberate  refiftance  to  divine  love,  can  never 
be  totally  deftroyed,  but  by  hell  fires,  during  all  the  time  of 
the  glorious  reign, and  at  theend  of  the  world  to  come,  when 
all  beings  are  to  be  re-eftabliflied.   The  fin  againft  the  holy 
Ghoft  will  thus  be  punifiied  in  the  next  world;  but  it  may, 
and  muft  be  one  day  deftroyed,   furmounted  and  extirpated; 
otherwife,  God  would  be  for  ever  unappcafable,  the  crea- 
tures unconvertible,  and  the  evil  principle  indeftructible,  all 
which  are  impofilble  and  blafphemous  fuppofitions. 

The  fchoolmen,  defeated  by  Scripture  and  reafon,  have 
no  other  refource,  but  to  cry  out,  that  this  do<5lrine  is  diame- 
trically oppofite  to  the 'formal  decrees  of  the  univerfal  church 
in  all  times,  and  in  all  places.    This  is  abfolutely  falfe.    In 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      353 

the  a^ls  of  the  fifth  general  council,  no  mention  is  made  of 
the  doiflrine  of  univerfal  refHtution.   In  the  anathematifms, 
fubjoined  to  thefe  a6ls,  and  which  are  to  be  found  at  the  end 
of  the  difcourfe,  which  the  Emperor  Juftinian  fent  to  Menas 
Patriarch  of  Conftantinople,  the  true  do6lrine  of  univerfal 
reftitution  is  not  condemned,  but  only  the  adulterations,  fic- 
tions, and  errors  mixed  and  blended  with  this  ancient  doc- 
trine.   Thefe  falfe  mixtures  are,  that  by  the  final  confuni- 
mation  of  all  things,  our  Saviour's  glorious  body  is  to  be 
deftroyed,  as  well  as  ours;  that  all  material  nature  is  to 
be  annihilated,  and  that  nothing  is  to  remain  in  a  future 
ilate,  but  pure  fpirit.   Thefe  abfurd  errors  and  mixtures  have 
nothing  in  common,  with  the  pure  doflrine  of  RefHtution, 
which  we  have  explained,  and  which  the  church  never  con- 
demned.   On  the  contrary,  feveral  primitive  fathers,  fuch  as 
St.  Jerom,   and  St.  Auguftin,  after  having  ftrongly  com- 
bated this  doftrine,  fay,  that  they  will  no  longer  difpute  with 
the  merciful  docflors  who  maintain  it,  but  leave  all  to  thefe- 
cret  judgment  of  God,  whofe  ways  are  unfearchable  and  pafl 
finding  out;  and  fo  exhort  to  talk  cautioufly  of  this  opinion, 
left  it  flatter  the  pafllons;  and  encourage  vice  by  the  hopes  of 
impunity.  In  conformity  to  thefe  two  great  lights  of  the 
ChrliHan  church,  the  paftoral  body  never  condemned  the 
doflrine  of  rertitution,as  abfolutely  falfe,  and  impoiTible.  No 
general  council  ever  approved,  by  any  univerfal  decree,  thefe 
three  barbarous  impious,  manichean,tho'  fcholaftic  opinions, 
that  the  damned  are  inconvertible,God  unappeafablc,  and  evil 
inddtrucfliblc.   On  the  contrary,  we  fee,  that  in  two  of  the 
mod:  ancient  formularys  of  faith  called  the  apoftolic  and  Ni- 
PART -2.  Yy 


354  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

cene  creeds,  mention  is  made  of  eternal  life,  but  not 
one  word  faid  of  ETERNAL  death.* 

This  then  is  the  doflrine  of  the  holy  Scriptures  both  Old 
and  New,  of  Mofes,  the  prophets,  the  apoftles  and  primitive 
fathers,  concerning  the  three  ftates  of  degraded  nature  in  ge- 
neral, and  of  angelical  fpirits  that  fell.  Let  us  now  fee,  if  we 
can  find  any  velHges  of  thefe  great  truths  among  the  Pagans. 

We  begin  firft  with  the  Chinefe.  The  ancient  books  of 
that  nation  talk  tluis  of  the  angelical  fpirits:  in  the  book 
■Y-KING  we  read  thefe  words,  *  The  rebellious  and  perverfe 

*  dragon  fuffers  by  his  pride.    His  ambition  blinded  him,  he 
■*■  would  mount  up  to  heaven,  and  he  was  thrown  down  to 

*  the  earth.    At  firll-,  his  abode  was  in  the  high  places,  but 

*  he  forgot  himfelf,  he  hurt  himfelf,  and  he  loft  eternal  Hfe.' 
The  book  TcHUNsiou  adds,  *  In  themidft  of  the  night,the 

*  ftars  fell  from  heaven,  and  were  feen  no  more.'    Hoai- 
NANG-WANG  and  feveral  commentators  upon   him   fay, 

*  Under  the  reign  of  Y AG,  or  the  Moft  High,  ten  funs  were 

*  feen  in  heaven,  that  pretended  to  enlighten  by  their  own 
.'  light.   Yao  ordered  his  fon  Y  to  pierce  them  with  his  darts. 

*  Y  wounded  nine  of  them,  and  nine  ravens  that  dwelt  in 

*  them  had  their  wings  dipt.'  All  this  feems  to  be  allegorical, 
and  may  refer  to  the  nine  quires  of  angelical  fpirits,  of  which 
many  in  each  hierarchy  were  feduced  by  the  evil  principle. 
The  book  Chu-king  fays,  *  It  is  evident  by  the  ancient 
'  tradition  of  our  fathers,  that  Tc  H  i-y-cou,  or  the  Beauti- 
'  fuljbecame  deformed. Thisfon  of  heaven  was  the  firft  author 
•<  of  all  revolt;  but  his  rebellion  extended  at  length  to  all  na- 

♦  See  remarks  on  the  condemnation  of  0rigen;at  the  end  of  this  volume. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       355 

f  dons,  and  deluged  the  world  with  crimes.'  The  commen' 
tator  upon  this  pafTage  fays,  *  thatTcHi-Y-cou  is  called  the 

*  Red-king,  bccaufe  the  flames  of  the  Lord  furround  him.' 
Chan-kai-king  fays,  that  'Hoangti,  or  the  fovereign 

*  Lord  ordered  a  celeftial  fpirit  to  precipitate  Tghi-y-gou 

*  into  the  black  valley  of  miferys.'    The  other  commentators 
add,  *  that  Tghi-y-gou  raifed  a  great  dorm  to  rob  the  ce- 

*  leftial  army  of  all  light;  but  that  Hoangti  took  him  cap- 

*  tive,and  tycd  him  to  his  chariot.'  Lopi  adds,*  that  Tghi- 

*  Y-cou,  having  hatched  rebellion,  went  out  from  the  river 

*  ofthe  Lamb.'  'T  he  book  Koucil-sang  adds, '  the  great 

*  impollor  or  inventor  of  all  evil  Chong-ghong,  has  the 

*  face  of  a  man,the  body  of  a  ferpent,thehalr  red,and  thathe 

*  is  all  deceit  and  lies. 'Ho-  a  i- N  a  N  T-s  E  e  fays, that '  Ch  o  n g- 

*  chong,  difputed  empire  with  the  fovereign  Lord  of  the 

*  univerfe,  and  raging  with  fury,  heftruck  his  head  againfi:  a 
'  mountain.    Then  the  pillars  of  heaven  were  broken,  the 

*  earth  fubflded,  and  its  pofition  became  oblique;  Yao  preci- 

*  pitated  Chong-chong  into  the  lower  places,  and  the  re- 

*  gions  of  darknefs.' 

Thefe  two  paffages  infmuate  the  two  firfl:  flates  ofthe  an- 
gelical world;  the  fame  books  fpeak  very  oft  of  the  total  re- 
eftablifhmentof  thefe  rebellious  fpirits,  whom  the  hero,  the 
fon  of  heaven,  the  man-God  or  Chang-gin  is  to  fubdue 
and  to  fubje<n:  to  his  empire.  Li  thefe  fame  books,  it  is  afked 
frequently,  '  how  long  this  kingdom  of  the  fon  of  heaven  or 

*  KiGiN  is  to  laft.  Sometimes,  it  isanfwered,  ten  thoufand 
'  years;  fometimes,  that  it  will  have  no  end ;  and  fometimes, 
'  that  it  will  extend  to  all  places,  all  ages,  and  all  beings.'  Yea, 

Yy    2 


35^  OF  THE  THREE  STATES 
there  are  fome  places,  that  feeni  to  diftinguifli  betwixt  the 
kingdom  of  the  Ton  of  heaven,  or  Ch  ANG-GiN,and  the  em- 
pire of  the  father,  or  C  h  a  N  g  t  i .  The  firft  is  to  laft  only  a 
definite  time,  or  ten  thoufand  years,  and  the  lad:  is  to  be  eter- 
nal, and  extend  to  all  lapfed  beings. 

The  three  ftates  of  the  world  are  clearly  marked  In  the 
Vedam,which  is  the  facred  book  of  the  Indians,  and  contains 
a  fummary  of  the  ancient  traditions  of  the  Gymnofophifts. 
(a)  *  They  believe  that  fouls  are  eternal  emanations  of  the 

*  divine  eflence,  or  at  leaft,  that  they  were  produced  long  be* 

*  fore  the  formation  of  this  prefent  world;  that  they  were 
«  originally  in  a  Hate  of  purity,  but  that  having  finned,  they 

*  were  thrown  down  into  the  bodies  of  men  and  beafts,  ac- 

*  cording  to  their  refpe(5live  demerits,  fo  that  the  body  where 
'  the  foul  refides,  is  a  fort  of  dungeon  or  prifon.    In  fine, 

*  they  hold  that  after  a  certain  number  oftranfmigrations,all 

*  fouls  fhall  be  re-united  to  their  origin,  re-admitted  unto  the 

*  fociety  of  the  Gods,and  be  deified.'  All  the  Pagan  philofo- 
phers  Oriental,  Perfian,  Egyptian,  and  Greek,  efpecially  the 
Pythagoreans  and  Platonifts,  believed  the  doftrine  of  Pre- 
exiftencejbut  having  forgot  the  primitive,  Noevian  tradition, 
they  fancied  that  all  fpirits,  celeftial,  terreftrial  and  infernal 
were  of  the  fame  fpecies;  that  the  fouls  of  devils,  men  and 
beafts  had  all  been  originally  inhabitants  of  heaven ;  that 
fome  of  them  fell  into  human  bodies,  others  into  animal  ma- 
chines, and  others  into  fubterraneous  demoniacal  forms. 
Thus,  they  confounded  the  angelical  world  with  the  paradi- 
fiacal  ftate ;   departed  from  the  true  do(ftrine  of  the  anci- 

(a)  Abraham  Roger,  relig.  of  the  Bramins.part  II.chap.7 .  Kircher^Sina  il!i»ftrata. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.      357 

cnts ;  and  coined  many  wild  fidions  incompatible  with  the 
analogy  of  faith.  Amidfl:  all  thefe  alterations,  adulterations' 
and  difguifes,  the  fund  of  truth  was  (till  preferved. 

The  Perfians  had  the  fame  ideas  about  the  three  ftates  of 
degraded  nature  in  general.Plutarch  fays,  (a)  '  that,according 

*  to  the  Magi,  Oromazes  is  born  of  the  pureft.  light,  and  Ari- 

*  manius  of  darknefs.    They  continually  make  war  upon' 

*  each  other There  will  at  laft  come  a  time  appointed 

'  by  Fate,  when  Arimanius  will  be  entirely  deftroyed  and 

*  extirpated. '   Theopompus,    according  to  Plutarch,  adds^ 

*  the  Magi  believed  that  Oromazes  and  Arimanius  mufl:  make 

*  war  for  nine  thoufand  years;  the  one  deflroying  the  other's 

*  works,  till  at  laft,  Hades  or  hell  fhall be  no  more.    The 

*  God  who  made  all  things,  keeps  himfelf  concealed  till  that 

*  time;  an  interval  not  too  long  for  a  God ;  but  rather  like  a 
'  moment  of  fleep.'  Shariftani,  an  Arabian  phllofopher,  has 
prcferved  to  us  many  fragments  of  the  ancient  tradition  of 
Zoroafter.    This  author  aflures  us,  (b)  *  that  the  firft  Mac^i 

*  did  not  look  upon  the  principles  of  good  and  evil  as  co-eter- 

*  nal ;  but  believed,  that,  light  was  felf-originated,  and  that 

*  darknefs  was  produced  in  time.    They  account  thus  for  the 

*  origin  of  this  evil  principle.   Light  can  produce  nothing  but 

*  light,  andean  never  be  the  origin  of  evil.  How  then  was 
'  evil  produced?  Light  created  at  firft  feveral  belngs;all  of  them 
'  fpiritual,  luminous,  and  powerful ;  but  their  chief,  vvhofe 
'  name  was  Ahriman  or  Arimanius  had  an  evil  thought  con- 
«  trary  to  the  light.    He  doubted,  and  by  that  doubt,  he  be- 

(a)  Plutarch,  dc  Ifid.  et  Ofirid.  pag.  370.       (b)  Hyde,  Rel.  veter.  Tcrfar.  can. 


358  OF   THE  THREE  STATES 

*  came  dark.   From  hence  proceeded  all  evils,  diflenfion,  ma- 

*  lice,  and  every  thing  elfe  of  a  contrary  nature  to  light.'  The 
fame  Sharlftani  fays  in  another  place,  (a)  '  the  two  principles 

*  made  war  upon  one  another,  till  at  lad:  a  truce  was  conclu- 

*  ded,  upon  condition  that  the  lower  world  fhould  be  in  fub- 
'  jeftion  to  Arimanius,  for  feven  thoufand  years;  after  this 
'  fpace  of  time,he  is  to  furrender  back  the  world  to  the  Eighty 

*  or  God  of  light.' This  is  the  general  reftitution  of  all  things; 

The  Egyptians  had  much  the  fame  ideas  of  the  three 
ftates  of  degraded  intelligences,   (b)  *  They  talk  of  the  pre^ 

*  exiflent  ftate,  as  the  reign  of  Gods,  and  demi-Gods,  when 
'  all  were  happy.  Afterwards,  Typhon  revolted  againfl:  Ofi- 
'  risjtore  his  body  inpicces,mangled  his  limbs;  fcattered  them 

*  about,  and  filled  the  univerfe  with  rage  and  violence.'  Here 
is  the  degraded  ftate  of  nature,  or  of  the  material  world, 
called  by  the  Egyptians  The  body  of  the  Deity.  *  The  eter- 
'  nal  and  immortal  foul  of  Ofiris,  led  his  fon  Orus'  (or  the 
facred  humanity)  *  to  the  (hades  below,to  the  Hades,  where 
'  he  taught  him  how  to  fight  and  vanquifh  Typhon.   Orus 

*  returned  upon  the  earth, fought  and  defeated  Typhon,' (by 
hisfecond  advent)  '  but  he  did  not  kill  him;  he  only  bound 

*  him'  (during  the  glorious  reign)  '  and  took  away  his  power 
'  of  doing  mifchief.  The  wicked  one  made  his  efcape  after- 
?  wards,  and  was  going  to  throw  all  again  into  diforder.' 
(That  is,  after  the  thoufand  years  mentioned  by  St.  John 
in  his  Revelations.)  *  But  Orus  fought  him  in  two  bloody 

*  battels,  and  deftroyed  him  entirely.'  This  is  the  general 
reftitution  of  all  things,  when  hell  and  death  fhall  be  fwal- 

(a)  Hyde,  lb.  cap,  xxii.  pag.  294.         (b)  Plutarch,  de  Ifid.  et  Ofirid. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       Z59 

lowed  up  in  victory.  The  Egyptians,  ignorant  of  the  great 
plan  of  Providence,  and  not  underftanding  the  hieroglyphi- 
'eal  language,  which  has  no  tenfcs;  confounded  the  future 
.\vith  the  preterit,  and  looked  upon  thefe  events,  as  already 
pafl:.  Moreover,  they  mixed,  difguifed  and  adulterated  thefe 
•rays  and  emanations  of  the  ancient  Noevian  tradition,  with 
•inany  fablcs,that  obfcured  their  beauty:  butnotwiihftanding 
all  thefe  fophifticationSjthe  fubftance  of  the  Noevian  docftrine 
.was  ftill  preferved,  concerning  the  three  ftates  of  nature  exal- 
.tedj  fallen,  and  re-eftablifhed. 

We  come  now  to  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  begin 
with  Plato.  His  works  contain  the  whole  fyftem,  of  which, 
the  other  philofophers  give  only  hints.  In  order  to  under- 
ftandthe  following  quotations,  w^e  muft  not  forget,  that  the 
Pagan  philofophers  believed,  that  all  degraded  intelligences 
were  of  the  fame  fpecies,  whether  angelical,  terreftrial  or  in- 
fernal, human,  brutal,  or  diabolical.  Plato  fpeaks  thus,  in 
his  Timaeus,  of  the  firfl:  ftate  of  nature,    (a)  *  The  great  ar- 

*  chiteft  of  the  world  had  a  model,  by  which  he  pi'oduced 
'  every  thing,  and  this  model  is  himfelf.   As  he  is  good,  and 

*  as  what  is  good  has  not  the  leafi:  tincture  of  envy,  he  made 

*  all  things,  as  far  as  was  pofllble,  like  himfelf.  He  made  the 
'  world  perfect  in  the  whole  of  its  conilitution,  perfect  too  in 

*  all  the  various  parts  thatcompofe  it.    They  w^ere  fubjefl, 

*  neither  to  difeafes,  nor  decay  of  age.  The  Father  of  all 
'  things,  beholding  this  beautiful  image  of  himfelf,  took  a 

*  complacency  in  his  work,  and  this  complacency  raifed  in 

*  him,  a  defire  of  improving  it,  to  a  nearer  likenefs  to  its  mo- 

Ca)PlatOD.  Timaeus.  edit.  Steph. 


3^0  OF   THE  THREE  STATES 

*  del.'  The  fame  philofopher,  in  his  Phaedrus,  gives  ns  his 
notion  of  the  pleafures,  which  fpirits  enjoyed  in  their  pre-ex- 
iftent  ftate.    (a)  *  The  great  Jupiter  animating  his  winged 

*  chariot  matched  firft,  followed  by  all  the  inferior  gods,  and 
'  genii.    Thus  they  traverfed  the  heavens,  admiring  the  infi- 

*  nite  wonders  thereof.    Then  they  raifed  themfeives  to  the 

*  fummit  of  the  celefHal  regions,   and  mounted  above  the 

*  fpheres.   None  of  our  poets  ever  yet  fung,  or  can  fingthls 

*  fupra-celeftiai  place ;  it  is  there,  that  fouls  contemplate  with 

*  the  eyes  of  the  underftanding,  the  truly  exifting  effence, 
'  which  has  neither  colour  nor  figure,nor  is  the  object  of  any 
'  fenfe,  but  is  purely  intelligible.  There  they  fee  virtue,  truth 
'  and  juftice,  not  as  they  are  here  below ;  but  as  they  exift  in 

*  him,  who  is  Being  itfelf.    There  they  fatiate  themfeives 

*  with  that  fight,  till  they  are  no  longer  able  to  bear  the  glo- 

*  ry  of  it,  and  then  they  return  back  into  the  interior  parts 
'  of  heaven,  where  they  feed  upon  ne6tar  and  ambrofia.'  Is 
not  this  a  beautiful  definition,  and  explication  of  the  double 
felicity  of  intelligences  j  the  one  of  which  confifts  in  the  con- 
templation of  the  divine  eifence,  or  almighty  original;  and 
the  other,  in  the  knowledge,  admiration  and  enjoyment  of 
his  glorious  works,  and  created  reprefentations? 

In  other  places,  Plato  defcribes  the  manner  how  fouls  fell 
from  this  happy  ftate.    (b)  *  Every  foul,  which  follows  God 

*  faithfully  into  the  "  fupra-celeftial  place,"  preferves  itfelf 
^  pure  and  without  blemifh:  but  if  It  takes  up  with  ne61:ar  and 

*  ambrofia,'  (that  is,  with  the  acceffory  felicity  to  be  found 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  material  piftures)  '  and  doesnotat- 

(a)  Platon.  Phaedrus.  pag.  1216, 1222.  (b)  lb.  pag.  1223. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      3^1 

'  tend  upon  Jupiter's  chariot,  to  go  and  contemplate  truth,' 
(that  is,  if  it  forgets  its  fupream  felicity,  which  alone  confifb 
in  the  knowledge  and  vifion  of  the  great  original)  '  then  it 

*  grows  heavy  and  fiuggifti ;  it  breaks  its  wings ;  it  falls  upon 
'  the  earth,  and  enters  into  a  mortal  body,  moreorlefs  vile, 

*  according  as  it  has  been  more  orlefs  elevated.'  He  fays  in 
another  place,  (a)  *  that  it  was  after  this  degradation  of  fpi- 

*  rits,thatSaturn,or  the  great  Father  of  the  Gods,and  Mafl:er 

*  of  the  univerfe,  having  quitted  the  reins  of  his  empire,  hid 
^  himfelf  in  an  unaccefTible  retreat.    The  foundations  of  the 

*  world  were  fhaken  by  motions,  contrary  to  its  firft  princi- 

*  pic  and  lad  end;  it  lofl:  its  beauty  andluftre;  and  then  it  was, 

*  that  (^ood  and  evil  were  blended  together.' 

After  this,  Plato  defcribes  the  third  ftate  of  the  world  in 
the  cleared:  terms,  (b)  '  atlaft,lefl:  the  world  fhould  beplun- 

*  ged  in  an  eternal  abyfs  of  confufion,  God  the  author  of  the 

*  primitive  order  will  appear  again,  and  refume  the  reins  of 

*  empire.  Then  he  will  change,  amend,  embellilli  andreftorc 

*  the  whole  frame  of  nature.    After  ten  thoufand  years,  fouls 

*  will  be  reunited  to  their  origin.  During  that  fpace  of  time, 
'  their  wings  grow  again  and  are  renewed.' 

All  the  Greek  philofophers  before  Plato  and  Pythagoras, 
had  the  fame  ideas.  Orpheus  the  mofl:  ancient  of  all  the 
Greeks,  and  the  fomxe  of  their  theology,  fays,  according  to 
theteftimony  of  Plato,  (c)  '  that  the  foul  is  here  in  a  ftate  of 

*  punifliment,  for  faults  committed  inapre-exiftcntlife.  Its 
'  body  beinga  prifon  to  it,  wherein  it  is  kept  in  cuftody,  till 

(a)Pkton.polIt.  pag.  538.  (b)  Id.pag.  539,  et  Phaed.pag.  1 223.  (c)PJaton. 
Cratylus.  pag.  400.  ed.  Steph. 

PART  2.  Z  Z 


362  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

'  its  debts  be  payed,  and  Its  faults  be  expiated.  And  therefore 

*  it  is  called  Xwjua,  or  2>?//a,  a  fepulchre.'  Empedocles,  long 
after  Orphens,  had  the  fame  fentimcnts;  for  he  faid,  accor- 
ding to  Plutarch  and  Plotinus,  that  (a)  *  fouls  were  here  in 

*  a  lapfcd  (bte,  wanderers,  ftrangers  and  fugitives  from  God; 

*  that  having  finned  in  heaven,  they  fell  down  into  mortal  bo- 
'  dys.    That  the  evil  demons  or  lapfed  fpirits  are  punifhed 

*  for  the  faults  they  committed  In  a  former  ftate:  firft,  the 
*■  fun  precipitates  them  into  the  air;  the  air  calls  them  into  the 
*-deep  fea;  the  fea  vomits  them  up  upon  the  land;  and  from 
'  the  earth,  they  are  raifed  at  laft  to  heaven.   Thus,  they  are 

*  tranfported  from  one  place  to  another,  till  being  in  the  end 

*  puniflicd  and  purified, they  return  to  their  native  abode.'  All 
this  defcription  is  an  ingenious  allegory,  to  exprefs  the  diffe- 
rent gradations,  by  which  fpirits  fell  from  their  primitive  in- 
nocence; and  by  which,  they  mufl:  recover  It  again. 

The  Pythagoreans  had  the  fame  ideas,  as  the  Platonlfts, 
Egyptians,  and  Orientals,  according  to  the  teftimony  of  Hie- 
rocles.  He  fpeaks  thus,  in  his  commentary  upon  the  Golden 
verfes,  (b)  *  as  our  alienation  from  God ;  and  the  lofs  of  the 
'  wings  which  we  had  in  a  heavenly  ftate,  have  thrown  us 

*  down  into  this  region  of  death,  which  is  over-run  with  all 
'  manner  of  evils,  fo  the  revival  of  virtue  in  us,  makes  our 

*  wings  grow  again,  and  raifesus  up  to  the  manfions  of  life, 
'  where  true  good  is  to  be  found,  without  any  mixture  of 
'  evil.'-  Thefe  philofophers  were  very  far  from  thinking,  that 
hell  torments  were  to  be  eternal.    They  looked  upon  them 

(a)  Plutarch,  lib.  deexilio,  pag.  667.  et  delfid.et  Oflride  pag.  361.  Plot.  Enne- 
ad.  IV.  lib.  VIII.  cap.  i.  (b)  HierQC .  comment,  in  aurea  carm.pag.  1 8  7 .  cd.  Caa- 
«ab.  1709. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       363. 
as  neceflary  remedys.    (a)  '  The  judges  of  the  infernal  re- 

*  glons  corre<fl:  and  cure  the  foul,  by  prefcribing  punlfliments 

*  for  the  health  of  nature,  juftas  phyficians  heal  the  mofl:  in- 
'  veterate  ulcers  by  Incifions.   They  puniih  the  crime  in  or- 

*  der  to  extirpate  it;  they  do  not  annihilate  theeffence  of  the 

*  foul ;  but  bring  it  back  to  its  true  and  genuine  exigence;  by 

*  purifying  it  from  all  the  paflions  that  corrupt  it. 

The  Roman  philofophcrs  adopted  the  fame  do6lrineof  a 
|5re-exiftent,  degraded,  and  re-eftablifhed  ftate.  The  Orphic, 
Pythagorean,  and  Platonic  doctrine  about  the  defcent  and 
afcent,  firft-life,  fall,  and  rcftoration  of  fouls,  is  thus  explain- 
ed by  Macrobius  in  his  commentary  upon  Scipio's  dreara.(b) 

*  There  are  two  forts  of  deaths,  the  one  of  the  animated  ma- 

*  chine,  and  the  other  of  the  animating  principle.    The  one 

*  happens  when  the  foul  is  fepa rated  from  the  body;    the 

*  other,  when  the  foul  detaches  itfelf,  from  the  fimple  and  in- 

*  divifible  fountain  of  nature  and  falls  into  a  mortal  body. 
^  Hence  the  body  was  called  by  the  Greeks  AsfxcLi  or  the 

*  chain  ofthefoul;  as  aKoSS^ita.,  or  X>?]U(X,  the  tomb  of  the 

*  foul ;  and  by  Cicero  both  one  and  the  other,  being  the  pri- 

*  fon  in  which  the  foul  is  buried The  univerfc  is  divi- 

*  ded  into  two  parts ;    the  immoveable  fixed  heavens,  and 
^  the  fpherc  of  the  wandering  liars.   The  firlt  is  named  by 

*  fome,  the  ethcrial  earth,  and  the  primitive  abode  of  fouls, 

*  where  they  lived  happy  and  free  from  the  contagion  of  mat- 

*  tcr.    Souls,  who  from  this  high  place  and  perpetual  feat  of 

*  light, look  down  upon  earth  with  a  fecrct,  hidden  dcfire  and 
'  appetite,  are  drawn  downwards,  by  the  weight  of  their  ter* 

'  (a)  lb.  pag.  361.       (b)  Macrob. defomnio  Sclpion.lib.  I.cap.xi.  xii. 

Z  Z     2 


3^4  OF   THE   THREE  STATES 

*  reftrial  thoughts.    Their  fplrltual  nature,  however,  Is  not 

*  all  of  a  fudden  cloathed  upon  with  a  grofs,  clammy,  clayifh 

*  body ;  but  by  degrees  they  fall  into  the  planetary  regions, 
'  where  they  contract  in  each  fphere,  etherial  vehicles,or  ae- 

*  rial  cloathings,  till  they  be  infenfibly  reconciled  to  terreftri- 

*  al  bodies.    Thus,  they  undergo  feveral  different  deaths,  in 

*  pafling  through  different  planets,   till  they  fall  at  laft  into 
'  that  death,  which  upon  earth  is  called  life.  This  dying  flate 

*  of  the  foul  does  not  laft  always.    Its  tranfient  temporal  im- 

*  merfion  into  matter,  does  not  deprive  it  of  the  principle  of 

*  immortality:   for  fo  foon  as  it  deferves  to  be  purged  from 

*  the  contagion  of  vice,  itreturns  again  to  its  firll:  fhte,  and  is 

*  reftored  to  the  light  of  eternal  life.' 

Thus,  we  have  endeavoured  to  prove,  that  the  doflrine  of 
the  three  ftates  of  the  world  was  believed  by  the  Sages  of  all 
antiquity,  both  facred  and  profane,  Jewifh  and  Pagan;  by 
the  Chinefe,  the  Indians,  the  Perfians,  the  Egyptians,  the 
Greeks  and  the  Romans.  We  would,  no  doubt,  find  fome 
veftigesof  the  fame  truths  among  the  ancient  Gauls,  Britons, 
and  Germans,  if  we  had  any  remains  of  their  ancient  books. 
Before  we  conclude  this  chapter,  we  fhall  endeavour  to  fhow, 
that,  according  to  the  doMne  of  the  ancients,  all  finite  fpi- 
rits  are,  fome  how  or  another,  united  to  material  vehicles. 

We  have  already  proven,in  the  firft  Part  of  this  work,  that 
no  finite  fpirits,  how  exalted  fo  ever,  are  capable  to  fupport, 
with  a  direct,  immediate,  uninterrupted  view,  the  luminous 
fplendoursof  the  pure,  abfolute,  and  unvailed  eflence  of  the 
Deity;  that  they  are  obliged  fometimes,  becaufeof  the  effen- 
tial  weaknefs,  infeparable  from  finite,  to  cover  their  faces. 


OF   ANGELICAL  NATURE.      3^5 

and  turn  their  views  from  the  bright  Original,  to  contemplate 
the  great  archetype,  in  his  created  pi^flures,  images  and  re- 
prefentations;  that  it  was  for  this  reafon,  that  material  nature 
was  created,  and  that  all  fpirits  celeftial,  feraphic,  and  ange- 
lical are,  fome  how  or  another,  united  to  material,  luminous 
vehicles,  by  which  they  communicate  with  the  corporeal  pic- 
tures of  the  Deity.  This  do<5trine,founded  upon  the  fublimeft 
reafon,  is  perfectly  conform  to  Scripture,  to  the  tradition  of 
the  fatherSjand  to  that  of  all  antiquity , both  facred  and  profane. 
I  fliall  not  here  mention  the  expreflions  made  ufe  of  by 
the  prophets  and  apoftles,  who,  in  their  fupernatural  vifions, 
rcprefent  the  angels  under  vifible  corporeal  forms, as  Ipeaking 
with  tongues,  mounted  upon  white  and  red  horfes,  having 
keys  and  fealsin  their  hands.  I  know  that  all  thefe  corporeal 
images  and  phrafes,  are  allegorized  by  the  fchoolmen,  with- 
out any  folid  reafons,  or  for  very  abfurd  ones ;  as  we  fhall 
fliow  hereafter.  I  fhall  only  mention  three  great  principles 
contained  in  the  facred  oracles,  and  perfe^ftly  conform  to  the 
analogy  of  faith. 

1 .  It  is  plain,  that  the  angels  appeared  to  the  patriarchs  un- 
der human  and  corporeal  forms,  (a)  Now,  fince  we  have 
proven,  that  the  head  and  chief  of  all  principalities  and 
powers  had,  from  the  beginning,  a  celeftial,  glorious  body  or 
vehicle;  why  may  not  the  angelical  fpirits  have  one  too?  The 
laws  of  analogy  in  the  invifible  world,  feem  to  demand,  that 
all  fpirits  fhould  be  like  their  head,  ruler  and  model. 

2.  If  this  great  principle  be  combined  with  the  exprefs 
words  of  our  Saviour,  all  will  become  a  demonilration.   He 

(a)  Gen.  ch.  xviii.  2  ►  &Ci 


-^U  OF   THE  THREE   STATES 

fays,  (a)  '  they  whofliall  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  the 

*  world  to  come,  and  the  refurrcdion  of  the  dead, neither  ma- 

*  ry  nor  are  given  in  marriage;  neither  can  they  die  any 

*  more,  for  they  are  like  the  angels,  and  are  the  children  of 
'God,  being  the  children  of  the  refurreflion.'  If  the  angels 
were  utterly  devoid  of  all  bodies,  then  the  fouls  of  good  men, 
in  a  ftate  of  Reparation  from  sril  matter  after  death,  and  be- 
fore the  refurreclion,  would  be  rather  like  toangek,  than  af- 
ter the  refurreflion.  Thus,  the  reafoning  of  our  Saviour 
would  be  Inconfequential,  for  it  would  be  abfurd  to  compare 
fouls  re-united  to  their  gloriou^  bodies,  unto  pure  fpirits  fe- 
parated  from  all  matter. 

3.  Our  Saviour'^  faying  to  the  reprobate,  (b)  *  Go,yecur- 

*  fed,  into  everlafting  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  an- 

*  gels,'  feems  to  be  a  full  confirmation,  that  devils  are  embo- 
died: for  to  allegorize  this  fire  into  fimpleremorfeof  confci- 
ence,  would  be  denying  the  refurreflion  of  the  bodies  of  the 
damned,  and  exprefly  contrary  to  the  declaration  of  the  pro- 
phets and  apoflles,  who  fay  in  many  different  places,  that 
thefe  who  ileep  In  the  duft  of  the  earth,  fhall  awake,  fome  to 
everlailing  life,  and  others  to  everlading  fhame;  fome  fhall 
ihine,  as  the  brightnefs  of  the  fun,  and  others  be  thrown  in- 
to the  lake  of  fire.  Now,  to  fay  that  purely  incorporeal  fub- 
ftances,  feparate  from  all  bodies,  can  be  tormented  with  fire, 
is  to  expofe  the  whole  of  Scripture  to  the  fcorn  of  minute 
phllofophers.  It  is  true  indeed, that  God  might  communicate 
to  pure  fpirits  the  fame  painful  fenfations,  as  if  they  had  cor- 
.poreal  organs;  but  this  high-flown  Malebranchian  notion 

(a)  Luke.  ch.  xx.  35.  36.  (b)]Matth.  ch.  xsv.  41. 


OF   ANGELICAL   NATURE.       s^r 

can  never  deftroy  the  eftablifhed  do(flrineof  all  antiquity,  that 
in  hell  there  is  really  a  material  fire. 

Thefe  three  principles  founded  upon  the  moft  exprefs 
doMnes  of  faith,  prove  that  angelical  natures  both  good  and 
bad  are  united  to  material  vehicles.  This  was  the  fentiment 
of  many  of  the  primitive  fathers,  and  firfl:  of  Origen,  who 
was  very  far  from  confounding  the  ideas  of  material  and  im^ 
material  fubflancer  for  in  his  book  of  principles,  he  fays  ex- 
presfly,  (a)  *  that  angels,  thrones,  and  dominations,  powers, 
'  and  the  governors  of  the  darknefs  of  this  world,  yea,  every 

*  name  that  is  named  by  St.  Paul,  are  incorporeal  fubftances; 

*  tho'  they  are  not  bodies,  yet  they  ufe  bodies,  and  havecor- 

*  poreal  vehicles;  and  in  fine,  that  the  holy  Trinity  alone  is 

*  neither  body,  nor  in  body;  but  is  altogether  incorporeal.' 

Moreover,  St.  Bafil,  or  whoever  was  the  author  of  the 
commentary  upon  Ifaiah,  fays,  '  Sacrifices  are  of  no  fmall 

*  pleafureor  advantage  to  demons,  becaufe  the  blood  being 

*  evaporated  by  fire,  and  fo  attenuated,  is  taken  into  thefub- 

*  ftance  of  their  bodies,  the  whole  of  which  is  nourifhed  with 

*  vapours,  tho'  not  by  eating,  drinking,  and  fuch  like  organs, 

*  as  ours.'  The  reafoning  may  be  falfe,but  this  proves,  that  he 
believed,  that  the  demons  were  embodied. 

St.  Auguflin  fays  in  many  places,  (b)  '  that  the  bodies,  of 
'  good  men,  after  the  refurre<5tion,  fhall  be  ifangelical,  or 

*  like  to  thefe  of  angels.  In  other  places,  the  fame  faintfays, 

*  That  our  bodies,  after  the  refurreetion,  fhall  be  angehcat. 

*  bodies,fit  for  the  fociety  of  angels.'  Now  this  could  not  be, 

(a)  Origen.  uipl  ttp;(;«».pag.  147,         (b)  S.  Auguft  comment,  inpfalm.lxxx, 
pag.  145. 


368  OF   THE   THREE   STATES 

if  the  angels  were  ftript  of  all  matter,  and  purefpirlts:  for  a 
fpirit  embodied  cannot  be  proper  for  the  commerce  of  a  fpi- 
rit  altogether  incorporeal.  According  to  the  rules  of  analo- 
gy, fince  we  are  to  enter  into  the  fociety  of  angels,  we  muft 
have  a  nature  fimilar  to  theirs,  and  fince  all  blefTed  fouls  are 
united  to  matter,  there  is  no  reafon,  why  there  fhould  be  any 
exception  in  the  general  law,  where  the  fociety  is  to  be  mutu- 
al.  The  fame  St.  Auguftin  adds,  (a)  *  that  the  devils,  before 

*  their  tranfgrefTion,  had  celeftial  bodies,  as  angels  have,  yet 

*  might  thefe  afterwards,  by  way  of  puniiliment,  be  changed 

*  into  aerial  ones,  and  fuch  as  now  may  fufFer  fire.'  It  is  true, 
that  St.  Auguflin  afterwards  retraced  this  opinion:  but  he 
gives  no  folid  reafons  for  his  departing  from  this  ancient  tra- 
dition. It  is  no  wonder  that  fuch  a  lively  genius  fhewed  fome- 
times  a  fluctuation  in  his  opinions, 

Claudianus  Mammeritus  writing  againfl:  Faufl:us,who  de- 
nied the  immateriality  of  fpirits,  both  angelical  and  human, 
writes  thuS5(b)  ^  the  devil  confifteth  of  a  double  and  different 

*  fubftance;  corporeal  and  incorporeal.    It  is  manifefl  alfo, 

*  that  the  blefl:  angels,  are  of  a  twofold  fubftance.   They  are 

*  incorporeal  in  that  part  of  theirs,  wherein  Godis  vifible  to 

*  them,  and  corporeal  in  that  part,  wherein  themfelves  are 

*  vifible  to  men.' 

Fulgentius  writes  concerning  angels  in  this  manner,  (c) 

*  great  and  learned  men  aflirm  angels  to  confift  of  a  double 

*  fubftance,  that  is,  of  a  fpirit  incorporeal,  whereby  they 
'  contemplate  God;  and  of  a  corporeal  vehicle,  whereby  they 

(a)  Comment  in  Genef.  lib.  iii.  cap.s.  (b)  Gkud.  Mammer.  lib.  iil.       (c)  Ful- 
gent, de  trinlt.  lib.  iii. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       3^9 

'i^ecome  fometimes  viidble  to  men;  as  alfo,  that  they  have 

*  ethereal,  or  fiery  bodies;  but  devils  aerial.'  This  was  the 
opinion  alfo  of  John  Theflalonicenfis,  in  a  dialogue  of  his 
read  and  approved  of  in  the  feventh  council,  which  declares 
that  the  Catholic  church  acknowledges  angels  to  be  intellec- 
tual, tho'  not  altogether  incorporeal  and  invifible;  but  to 
have  certain  fubtile  bodies,  either  airy,  or  fiery. 

In  fine,  Pfellus,  who  was  a  curious  enquirer  into  the  na- 
ture of  fpirits,  declares  it  not  only  as  his  own  opinion,  but  as 
the  univerfal  fenfc  of  all  the  fathers,  (a)  *  that  the  demoniac 

*  and  angelic  beings  are  not  altogether  incorporeal  and  body- 

*  lefs ;  but  they  are  united  to  material  vehicles,  and  have  con- 

*  genial  bodies  belonging  to  them.  The  angelical  body  fends 

*  forth  rays  and  fplcndours,fuch  as  would  dazzle  mortal  eyes> 

*  and  cannot  be  born  by  them:  but  the  demoniac  body,  tho' 
^  itfeemsto  have  been  once  fuch  alfo,  fince  Ifaiah  calls  him 

*  that  fell  from  heaven,  Lucifer,  yet  it  is  now  dark  and 

*  obfcure,  foul  andfqualid,  and  grievous  to  behold,  it  being 

*  deprived  of  its  original  light,  and  beauty.' 

This  was  alfo  the  common  opinion  of  all  the  Pagan  philo- 
fophcrs,  both  Pythagorean  and  Platonic ;  and  therefore  of 
all  the  Pcrfians,  Indians,  Orientals  and  Egyptians,  from 
whom  the  Greeks  borrowed  their  philofophy.Hicroclcs  fays, 
(b)  '  every  hero  is  a  rational  foul  with  a  luminous  body.'  By' 
heroes,  this  author  means  the  celeftial  fpirits  that  never  fell.' 
Plato  alfo  compares  every  divine  foul  to  a  winged  chariot  and 
charioteer.  In  fine,  all  the  Pagan  philofophers  without  ex- 
ception, flill  reprefent  the  dcmi-gods,    heroes  and  inferior 

(a)  pfellus.  pag.  33.      (c)Hierocl.  aureacarm.  cd.  Cantab,  an.  1705  pag.  214^ 
PART   2.  Aa  a 


370  OF   THE  THREE  STATES 

deities,  that  is,  angelical  fpirits,  as  united  to  corporeal  forms, 
as  well  as  the  middle  God.  Thus  facred  and  profane  antiqui- 
ty agree  in  the  fame  univerfal  fentiment,  that  no  finite  fpirit  is 
altogether  feparated  from  fome  material  vehicle  or  other. 

I  grant  indeed,  that  the  fchoolmen  have  adopted  the  opi- 
nion of  thefe  vi^ho  maintain,  that  angels  are  altogether  incor- 
poreal. One  of  the  reafonsmay  be,  becaufe  they  adopted  in 
the  thirteenth  century  the  Ariftotellc  philofophy,  which 
maintained  the  doftrine  of  abftrad  intelligences  diverted  of 
all  matter,  and  admitted  only  the  fimple  and  unbodied  minds 
of  thefpurious  Platonifts,  as  the  chief  of  the  generated  and 
created  Gods. 

Moreover,  the  fchoolmen  miflook  an  expreffion  of  the 
ancients,  and  founded  all  their  do6lrine  upon  it.  It  was  ufual, 
according  to  the  teftimony  of  Pfelkis,  both  with  Chriftian 
and  Pagan  writers,  to  call  the  groffer  bodies,  corporeal;  and 
thofe  which  efcapeour  fight  and  touch,  incorporeal,  byrea- 
fon  of  their  fubtility.  Thus,  before  Pfellus  Joannes  Theffo- 
laniccnfis,  in  his  dialogue  approved  in  the  feventh  general 
council,  fays,  *  If  you  find  angels  or  demons  called  fometimes 

*  incorporeal,  you  mud:  underftand  this  in  rcfpeft  only  of 

*  the  tenuity  of  their  vehicles,  as  not  confifting  of  the  groifer 
'  elements, nor  being  fo  folid,as  thefe  we  are  now  imprifoned 
'  in.'  All  the  miftake  of  the  fchoolmen  is  then  founded  upon 
their  profound  ignorance  of  the  ftyle  of  the  ancients,  wha 
dilVmguilh  betwixt  folid  and  ethereal  matter,  call  the  one  bo- 
dies or  corporeal,  and  the  other  incorporeal,  or  pneumatical. 

1  he  fum  and  fubftance  of  the  great  principles  contained 
in  this  chapter,  may  be  reduced  to  thefe  three. 


OF  ANGELICAL  NATURE.       371 

I.  God,  long  before  the  creation  of  men  in  a  paradifiacal 
ftate,  produced  innumerable,  luminous,  glorious,  celeftial 
manfions,  replenifhed  with  myriads  of  angelical  beings,  that 
were,  like  men,  united  to  etherial  vehicles.  Thefe  feraphic 
fpirits  enjoyed  by  turns  the  beatific  viHon  of  the  pure  divini- 
ty, which  is  their  eflential  felicity,  and  the  delights  of  the  ma- 
terial world,  which  is  their  accelTory  happinefs. 

2.  All  the  angelical  natures,  who  were  inhabitants  of  the 
iolarlyftem,  fell  from  thisfublime  perfection,  not  Hkemen, 
by  abandoning  themfelves  to  fenfible  pleafure;  but  by  fpiri- 
tual  ambition,  felf- complacency,  and  an  over-weening  opini- 
on of  their  natural  excellency ;  and  fo  reduced  the  folar  lyf- 
tem  to  a  ftate  of  chaos,  and  confufion.  Some  of  the  mofl:  re- 
bellious v^^ere  fhut  up  in  chains  of  darknefs ;  others  wander  in 
the  air  to  accomplifh  the  defigns  of  eternal  Providence : 
others  are  imprifoned  in  brutal  forms.  All  of  them  are  in  a 
degraded  flatc,  more  or  lefs  miferable,  till  the  time  of  the 
lafl:  judgment,  when  they  fhall  be  thrown  into  the  lake  of 
fire,  with  the  reprobate,  there  to  be  tormented  for  ages  of 


ages. 


3.  By  thefe  infernal  pains  and  punifhments,  they  will  be 
entirely  purified,  fubdued  and  transformed.  Then  will  be  the 
end  and  confummation  of  all  things,  when  the  Son  will  deli- 
ver up  the  kingdom  to  the  Father ;  God  will  become  all  in  all; 
moral  and  phyfical  evil  will  be  deftroyed,  univerfal  harmony 
will  be  re-eftabUlhied ;  all  tongues  fhall  praife  the  Lord,  and 
ling  his  mercies  for  ever ;  all  fpirits  in  heaven,  on  earth  and 
under  the  earth  fhall  bow  their  knees  before  the  Lord,  by  a 
fubmiflion  of  love  and  obedience ;  death  and  hell  fliall  be 

Aaa    2 


372  OF    THE  STATES  OF   ANGEL.  NAT. 

fwallowed  up  in  vi<5tory,  and  through  the  whole  immehfity 
of  theuniverfe,  nothing  fhall  be  feen,  but  God  as  he  is;  and 
nature  as  reprefentative  of  him. 

We  murtthen,  never  confound  the  three  ftates  of  degra- 
ded angelical  natures  with  thefe  of  the  terreftrial  globe.  That 
is,  (i)  The  primitive  original  creation,  as  it  came  firft  out  of 
the  hands  of  God,  with  the  chaos  introduced  into  nature, 
by  the  fall  of  angels:  (2)  Nor  the  paradifiacal  earth  formed 
in  the  folar  fyftem,  after  the  diffipation  of  the  chaos,  with 
the  prefent  ftate  of  nature,  in  this  inferior  fphere,  fmce  the 
fall:  (3)  Nor  the  '  eternal  empire  of  the  Father' over  all  cre- 
ated intelligences  fallen  and  unfallen,    with  the  *  glorious 
*  reign  of  the  Son'  over  the  clecfl,  chofen  race  of  men,  during 
a  definite  fixed  period  of  duration.  The  confounding  of  thefe 
different  ideas  has  been  a  fource  of  innumerable  errors  ia 
theology.    We  fhall  now  examine  the  means  of  re-union  to 
our  great  Original,  and  the  extent  of  univerfal  Grace  to  pro- 
cure this  re-union  toall.the  lapfed  fons  of  Adaiu. 


373 


CHAP.     VI. 

Of    the    three  Internal,     Essential,    and 
Universal  Means  of  Re-union,   known  to 

MEN    of    all    ages,     NATIONS  AND    RELIGIONS. 


WE  have  already  fhown  in  the  firit  Part  of  this  v^ork, 
that  the  three  cfTential,  internal  and  immediate  means- 
of  re  nniting  lapfed  fouls  to  their  great  Original,are  by  prayer, 
mortification,  and  felf-denial.  We  have  alfo  fhown,  that,  in 
all  times,  all  places  and  all  circumftances.  Almighty  Provi- 
dence refufes  to  none  of  his  creatures,  fallen  or  unfallen,  all 
the  helps  and  means  neceffary  to  conduct  them  to  the  know- 
ledge and  enjoyment  of  their  ultimate  and  fupream  happinefs. 
We  fhall  now  examine,  what  is-  the  doctrine  of  the  holy 
Scriptures,  concerning  thefe  univerfal  graces  granted  to  all, 
and  then  unfold  the  veftiges  of  this  great  truth,  which  are  to 
be  found  among  the  Pagans. 

The  Old  Tcdament  is  fulLof  pafTages,  that  fhow  God's 
univerfal  love  for  all  his  creatures,  and  his  (incere  defire  to 
make  them  all  happy.  Wifdom  is  reprefented  by  Solomon^, 
(a)  ^  as  crying  upon  the  tops  of  high  mountains,  in  the  midft 

*  of  the  high  ways,  and  at  the  gates  of  the  great  cities.'    It  is 
faid  in  another  place,  that  (b)  '  Wifdom  remaining  immover- 

*  able  in  herfelf,  renews  all  things,    and  flowing  into  fouls. 

0*)  Prov.ch.  Yui,  i.  2. 3.         (h)  Wifdom.  ch.  vii.  27. 


374     OF   THE  THREE   UNIVERSAL 

*  throughout  all  nations,  makes  them  friends  of  God  and 

*  prophets.'   In  another  place,  it  is  faid,  (a)  '  Bccaufe  thou 

*  can(l:  do  all  things,  thou  hafl: mercy  upon  all;  thou  lovefl:  all 

*  the  things  that  are,  andabhorreft  nothing  which  thou  hafl: 

*  made;  for  never  couldftthou  have  made  any  thing,  if  thou 

*  hadft  hated  it;  but  thou  fparefl:  all,  for  they  are  thine.'  The 
fame  writer  fays,  (b)  *  Thine  incorruptible  fpirit  is  in  all 

*  fouls,  therefore  chafteneft  thou  them  by  little  and  little, 

*  who  oifend,  and  warnefl:  them  by  putting  them  in  rcmem- 

*  brance,  wherein  they  have  offended,   that,  leaving  their 

*  wickednefs,  they  may  believe  on  thee  ;  for  neither  is  there 

*  any  God  but  thou  that  careth  for  all;  thy  power  is  the  be- 

*  ginning  of  righteoufnefs,  and  becaufe  thou  art  the  Lord  of 
'  all,  it  maketh  thee  gracious  to  all.' 

Thereafons  for  univerfal  grace  are  founded  upon  motives, 
that  are  common  to  men  of  all  nations,  ages,  and  religions. 
Thefe  motives  are  the  divine  perfections,  infinite  power,  infi- 
nite wifdom,  and  infinite  goodnefs,  that  can  furmount  finite 
impotence,  folly,  and  malice.  God  has  mercy  upon  all,  be- 
caufe he  is  the  Lord  and  lover  of  fouls,  he  is  prefent  to  all, 
careth  for  all,  and  abhors  nothing  that  he  has  made.  Nov^, 
fince  both  thefe  that  are  members  of  the  vifible  church,  and 
thefe  that  are  not  fo,  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  the  Pagans  and 
Chriftians,  are  equally  creatures  of  God;  it  follows  necclTari- 
ly,  that  he  loves  all,  that  he  negle<5ls  none,  and  that  he  refu- 
fes  his  faving  graces  to  none  of  the  lapfed  fons  of  Adam.  Can 
the  Fatalifts  read  thefe  texts,  without  conceiving  a  fecret  dif- 
fidence of  their  fcheme  ? 

(a)  lb.  ch.  xi.  23.  24.  26.         (b)  lb.  ch.  xii.  I.  2.  13.  1 6. 


MEANS    OF    RE -UN  ION.       375 

This  clo(5lrineof  univerfal  grace,  given  to  all  men  without 
exception,  and  even  to  the  Heathens,  is  fully  taught  in  the 
book  of  Efdra-s,  (a)  '  I  Efdras  received  a  charge  of  the  Lord 

*  upon  mount  Horeb,that  I  fliould  go  unto  Ifrael ;  but  when. 

*  I  came  unto  them,  they  fet  me  at  nought,  and  defpifed  the 

*  commandment  of  the  Lord.    And  therefore  I  fay  unto  you, 
'  O  ye  Heathen,  that  hear  and  underftand,  he  fhall  give  you 

*  everlalting  reft;  for  he  is  nigh  at  hand,  that  fliall  come  in 

*  the  end  of  the  world.   Be  ready  to  the  reward  of  the  kinr^- 
'  dom,  for  the  everlafting  light  {hall  fliine  upon  you  forever 

*  more.  O!  receive  the  gift  that  is  given  you,  and  thank  him 

*  that  hath  called  you  to  the  heavenly  kingdom :  arife-up,and 

*  ftand,behold  the  number  of  thefc  that  are  to  he  fealed  in  the 

*  feaft  of  the  Lord.  Takealfo  thy  number,  O  Sion,  and  fliut 

*  up  thofe  of  thine,  that  are  cloathcd  in  white,  which  have 

*  fulfilled  the  law  of  the  Lord.' 

It  is  evident  by  this  text,  that  the  Heathens  and  the  Jews 
are  both  equally  called  to  the  heavenly  kingdom ;  to  be  fealed 
at  the  feafl:  of  the  Lamb ;  and  to  enjoy  everlafting  reft,  at  the 
end  of  the  world.  If  it  be  faid,  that  this  text  is  to  be  meant 
only  of  the  Gentiles,or  Heathen,  that  were  to  hear  the  exter- 
nal found  of  the  Gofpel,  and  become  members  of  the  vifi- 
ble  church,  upon  our  Saviour's  firft  coming;  this  is  plainly 
contradidlory  to  the  facred  text ;  for  it  is  clear,  that  the  call 
here  mentioned,  is  an  inward,  faving,  efficacious  call :  fincc 
the  prophet  fpeaks  here  of  the  Heathen  that  are  to  be  fealed 
at  the  feaft  of  the  Lord,that  are  to  receive  the  gift  of  the  king- 
dom, and  that  are  to  enjoy  everlafting  light.    Now,  this  can- 

(a) Efdras.  II.  ch.  ii.  33.  to  42. 


37^     OF  THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

not  be  faid  of  all  the  Gentiles,  to  whom  the  Gofpel  was 
preached.  It  is  then  abfurd  in  the  fchoolmen,  to  apply  this 
text  to  the  firft  coming,  and  to  the  external  vocation  o£  the 
Gentiles,  Inftead  of  explaining  it  of  the  fecond  advent,  and 
the  eternal  falvation  of  all  the  righteous  Heathens. 

The  New  Teftament  is  yet  more  exprefs  than  the  Old, 
npon  this  important  truth,    (a)  '  Our  Saviour  declares  ex- 

*  presfly,  that  at  the  laft  day,  many  fhall  come  from  the  Eafi: 

*  and  from  the  Weft,  from  the  North  and  from  the  South, 

*  andfhall  fit  down  with  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacobin  the 

*  kingdom  of  Heaven;  but  the  children  of  the  kingdom, fhall 
'  be  call:  -out  into  utter  darknefs.'  Here  then  is  a  diftindion 
made  betwixt  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  or  members  of 
the  vifible  church,  and  thcfe  that  are  not  Co.  In  the  lafl:  day, 
many  of  thefirfl:  are  to  be  caft  into  utter  darknefs,  and  many 
of  the  others  are  to  fit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  Heaven. 

The  next  text  is  contained  in  the  A<^s  of  the  Apoilles, 
when  St.  Peter  fays,  (b)  '  In  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no 

*  refpecter  ofperfons;  but  in  every  nation,  he  that  fcareth 

*  him,  and  worketh  righteoufnefs,  is  acceptable  to  him.'  The 
Centurion,  whom  St.  Peter  fpeaks  of,  was  a  Roman,  and 
confcquently  a  Pagan.  The  fchoolmcn  will  fay,  that  he  was 
not  an  idolater;  that  he  was  a  profelyte  of  the  Jews ;  that  he 
had  known  the  true  God  by  his  commerce  with  them  at  Cae- 
farea,  and  that  having  read  the  holy  Scriptures,  he  quit  with- 
out noife  the  fuperditious  worfhip  of  idols,  without  embra- 
cing openly  the  Jewilh  religion.    All  this  is  a  pure  romance, 

(a)  Matth.  ch.  viii.  1 1 . 1 2.  compared  with  Luke  ch.  xlii.  29..  (b)  Afls  ch. 

2C.1.2.3.15.  34-47- 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  377 

which  cannot  be  demonftrated ;  and  fecms  quite  contrary  to 
the  text;  for  when  the  holy  Ghoft  fays,  *  that  God  is  no  re- 

*  fpefler  of  perfons;  but  that  in  every  nation,  he  that  fears 
'  God,  and  worketh  righteoufnefs,  is  acceptable  to  him,'  he 
infinuates  plainly,  that  befides  the  Pagans  who  lived  in  Judea; 
there  might  have  been  many  *  that  lived  in  every  nation  who 

*  feared  God,  and  wrought  righteoufnefs;'  tho*  they  never 
heard  of  the  Jews,  nor  of  their  religion.  If  the  fchoolmen 
mean  by  the  word  Idolater,  one  that  did  not  beHeve  in  a  fu~ 
pream  Being,  that  payed  divine  worfhip  to  mortal  men, with- 
out any  relation  to  God;  and  that  offered  up  inhuman  and 
abominable  facrifices  to  devils,  we  grant  that  Cornelius  was 
not  an  idolater:  but  if  the  fchoolmen  pretend,  that  this  Ro- 
man Centurion  did  not  frequent  the  Pagan  temples;  was  not 
prefent  at  their  public  worfhip ;  and  did  not  prafVife  with  fim- 
plicity  of  heart,  the  religious  ceremonies  of  his  country,  by 
referring  them  all  to  thefupream,  or  to  the  inferior  deities 
and  heroes  whom  he  thought  friends  and  favourites  of  hea- 
ven, this  we  abfolutcly  deny,  and  they  mufl  prove  it.  What 
is  certain  is,  that  Cornelius,  before  his  converfion  andbap- 
tifm,  is  called  a  devout  man,  one  that  feared  God ;  that  gave 
much  alms  to  the  people,  that  prayed  always,  and  to  whom 
God  manifcfted  himfelf  by  fupernatural  vifions.  There  were, 
according  to  the  teflimony  of  Juffm  Martyr,  many  fuch  per- 
fons among  the  Pagans,  yea,  in  his  apology  for  the  Chriftian 
religion,  addrcfTcd  to  the  Roman  Emperor  and  fenate,  he 
fays  expresfly,  as  we  fhall  fee  more  fully  below,  that  fuch 
were  Job,  Naaman,  Pythagoras,  Socrates,,  Heraclitus,  the 
Eunuch  of  Candace,who  adored  the  fupream  God, and  look- 

PART  2.  Bb  b 


378     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

ed  upon  all  the  different  names  of  the  Pagan  deities,  as  at- 
tributeSjhypoftafeSjOr  friends  of  the  Eternal  Being.  It  is  fur- 
ther added,  that  St.  Peter  had  then  the  vulgar  prejudices  of 
the  Jews  againft  the  Gentiles,and  that  he  looked  upon  them, 
as  unclean,  with  whom  the  chofen  nation  could  have  no 
commerce.  To  undeceive  him  of  this  popular  error,  he  was 
ravifhed  in  fpirit,  had  a  fupernatural  vifion  of  a  mylterious 
fheet  let  down  from  heaven,  and  heard  a  celeftial  voice,  which 
faidtohim;  *  What  God  has  cleanfed  call  thou  not  impure;' 
whom  God  has  purified  by  his  internal  operation,  and  uni- 
verfal  grace,  do  not  call  that  man  impure,  tho'  he  was  born 
without  the  facred  pale.  St.  Peter  went  foon  after  to  the 
Centurion's  houfe  at  Caefarea,  and  in  prefence  of  many  Jews 
there  affembled  faid ;  ^  you  know  that  it  is  unlawful  for  a 

*  Jew  to  have  any  commerce  with  flrangers,  or  even  to  ap- 

*  proach  them:  but  God  has  fliown  me,  that  I  fliould  not 

*  call  any  man  common,  nor  unclean.'  The  Jews  prefcnt  at 
this  conference,  *  were  aftonifhed  to  fee,  that  the  gift  of  the 

*  holy  Ghofi:  w^as  poured  forth  among  the  Pagans.'  Then 
St.  Peter  faid,  '  Can  we  refufe  the  baptifm  of  water  to  thefe 
'  that  have  already  received  the  holy  Gholl:?'  Thus  we  fee, 
that  the  baptifm  of  the  Spirit  was  communicated  before  the 
baptifm  of  water;  and  that  before  the  outward  fymbol  was 
adminiftred,  the  inward  grace,  of  which  wateris  butafign, 
was  received. 

This  chapter  of  the  A6ls,  Is  not  one  fimple  text,  It  is  a 
whole  fyftem,  a  compleatbody  of  do6lrine,  to  fliow,  that  in 
all  nations,  ages,  and  religions,  God,  by  his  internal  opera- 
tion, and  univerfal  grace,  can  and  does  produce  holy  fouls. 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNION.      379 

that  are  agreeable  to  him ;  who  receive  the  baptlfiii  of  the 
Spirit,  tho'  not  that  of  water;  and  feel  the  purifying  opera- 
tions of  the  eternal  Logos,  tho'  they  have  not  any  fpecula- 
tive  knowledge  of  the  hiflorical  fa<5ls  that  relate  to  his  facred 
humanity.  This  fublime  do6lrine  will,  no  doubt,  fliock  Ju- 
daizing  Chriftians  of  the  beft  kind.  They  are  in  the  fame 
cafe,  as  St.  Peter,  'ere  he  was  enllghtned  from  above;  and 
they  will  perfift  in  their  error,  as  he,  till  they  be  undeceived 
by  a  fupernatnralvifion.  They  muft  be  pitied,  becaufeofthe 
fcandal  they  give  againfl:  Chriftianity ;  but  their  doiTtrine  mufl: 
be  fhunned,  as  the  high-road  to  incredulity. 

There  is  another  admirable  pafTage  in  Scripture,  concer- 
ning univerfal  grace;  it  is  not  one  fingle  text,  but  a  chain  of 
rcafonings  made  by  the  apoltle  of  the  Gentiles,  in  writing  to 
the  Romans  newly  converted,  (a)  *  The  wrath  of  God  is 

*  revealed  from  the  highefl:  heavens  upon  all  iniquity,  and  in- 

*  juftice,  in  all  thefe  who  retain  the  truth  of  God  captive  by 

*  unrighteoufnefs:  for  what  can  be  known  of  God,  was  mani- 

*  fcftcd  to  the  Gentiles  by  God  himfelf,   who  enlightned 

*  them.  His  invifibleperfeflions  arc  clearly  feen  by  the  vifible 

*  creation  ;yea5his  eternal  power  and  God- head  by  the  things 

*  that  are  made.  Wherefore  they  are  unexcufable,  becaufe  ha- 

*  ving  known  God,  they  did  not  glorify  him,  nor  were  they 

*  thankful:  but  becoming  vain  in  their  imaginations,  their 

*  foolifh  heart  was  darkened,  and  fancying  themfelves  wife, 

*  they  became  fo  ftupid,  as  to  change  the  glory  of  the  uncor^ 
'  ruptible  God,  into  an  image  made  like  a  corruptible  man  ; 

*  yea,  into  that  of  birds,  four-footed  bcalls,  and  creeping 

(a)  Rom.  ch.  i.  18  to  the  end. 

Bbb    2 


38o     OF   THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  things;  fo  that,  becaufe  of  the  kifts  of  theh'  own  hearts,  God 

*  gave  them  up  to  uncleannefs.'    Thus,  St.  Paul  declares  po- 
{itively,  that  the  Gentiles  fell  into  all  fort  of  idolatry,  not  be- 
caufe they  were  abandoned  by  God,  without  any  knowledge, 
but  becaufe  of  the  pride  of  their  vain  imagination.  Thefacred 
fymbols  defigned  at  firft  to  reprefentthe  divine  attributes,per- 
fe6lions,and  hypoftafes:  they  (Vopt  at  the  external  lign,  with- 
out rifing  up  to  the  thing  figniiied ;  and  fo  transformed  the  di- 
vine effence  into  the  image  of  volatiles,  animals,  and  reptiles, 
and  thus  fell  into  the  lowefl,  and  vilcft  idolatry,  in  order  to 
flatter  their  pallions;  and  therefore  God  gave  them  up  to  all 
the  vices  and  impurities,  that  are  the  natural  and  neceflfary 
confequences  of  their  free,  voluntary,   deliberate  choice  of 
evil,  and  obftinate  adherence  to  corruption.   The  Father  of 
fpirltSjthe  Redeemer  of  mankind,  the  Lover  of  fouls  refufes 
his  firft  graces  to  none,  enlightens  every  man  that  comes  in- 
to the  world,  and  prevents  all  the  loft  fons  of  Adam  by  his 
divine  Infpirations.   But  when  they  deliberately  rejeft  his  at- 
tractions, fhut  their  eyes  to  his  illuminations,  and  relift  all  his 
internal  motions,  he  withdraws  thefe  falutary  operations  as 
ufelefs,  and  proper  only  to  harden  their  hearts,  and  augment 
their  condemnation.    He  never  abandons  the  creatures,  till 
they  abandon  him;  and  becaufe  he  cannot  do  violence  to 
their  freedom,  without  deftroying  their  natures,  he  never  acfls 
upon  lapfed  intelligences  by  omnipotent  irrefiftible  wills.  For 
this  reafon  it  is,  that  he  allows  corrupt  reprobate  minds  to 
follow  the  deliberate  choice  and  voluntary  bent  of  their  own 
hearts,  till  they  die  impenitent;  knowing  that  it  is  impoflible 
to  reclaim  them  otherwife,  than  by  infernal  pains,  and  hell 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  3^1 

torments.  This  is  the  terrible  and  beautiful  fyflem  of  nature 
and  grace,  which  the  Predeftinarians  have  turned  into  parti- 
al preferences,  pretcritions,  and  fatalKHcal  decrees,  which 
render  vice  inevitable,  and  God  the  author  of  all  our  crimes, 
as  well  as  of  our  eternal  mifery. 

St.  Paul  goes  on,  in  the  fecond  chapter,  to  fliow,  that  not- 
with (landing  all  the  corruptions,  idolatries,  and  abominati- 
ons into  which  the  Pagans  fell,  yet  the  Jews  ought  not  to 
judge  them  as  intirely  forfaken  of  God,  without  any  law.  (a) 

*  God,'  fays  the  apoftlc,  '  will  render  to  every  man  accor- 

*  ding  to  his  deeds ;  life  eternal  to  thefe  who  by  a  patient con- 

*  tinuance  in  well-doing  afpire  to  glory,  honour  and  immor- 

*  tallty :  but  unto  them  who  are  contentious,  and  do  not  fur- 

*  render  themfelves  up  to  truth,  indignation  and  wrath,  tribu- 

*  lation  and  angulili  to  every  foul  that  doth  evil,  to  the  Jew 

*  firftand  then  totheGentile,becaufe  with  God  there  is  nore- 

*  fpe^tofperfons.'He  loves  all  his  creatures,he  hates  nothing 
that  he  has  made)  he  made  them  only  to  be  happy;  he  rc- 
je(5ts  none  but  thefe  that  defpifehis  graces  and  operations. He 
does  not  love  or  hate  them  according  to  partial  decrees,  and 
perfonal  preferences;  but  he  communicates  himfelf  to  them 
allproportionably  to  their  co-operation  and  correfpondence 
to  his  divine  a(5lion.  It  is  this  divine  action  that  produces  hi 
them  all  fupernatural good,  all  true  life,  light,  and  love:  but 
he  never  forces  their  liberty  by  irrefiftible  wills,  and  there- 
fore, the  dI(fm(5tion  betwixt  them  comes  from  their  own  vo- 
luntary adherence  to  falfe  felf-love,  or  the  true  love  of  God; 
He  does  not  doat  upon  them,  becaufe  they  arc  members  cF 

(a)  Rom.  ch.ii.  6.  to  the  end. 


382     OF  THE   THREE   UNIVERSAL 

the  vifible  church  ;  nor  judge  of  them  by  the  external  advan- 
tages, graces,  and  favours  that  he  grants  tofome,  and  refufes 
to  others.  *  For'  continues  he,  *  whofoever  have  finned  v^^ith- 

*  out  the  law,  fhall  perifh  without  the  law ;  and  whoever  have 

*  finned  under  the  law,  fhall  be  judged  by  the  law;  finceitis 

*  not  the  hearers  of  the  law,  but  the  doers  of  the  law  that 

*  fhall  be  julHficd,  Now,  when  the  Gentiles  who  have  not 
'  the  law,  do  naturally  thefe  things  which  are  commanded  by 

*  the  law  ;  they  are  a  law  to  themfelves,  (howing  that  the 

*  worksof  the  law  are  wrote  in  their  hearts,  fince  their  con- 

*  fcience  is  a  teftimony  to  them,  and  will  accufe  or  excufe 

*  them  in  the  lafl:  day,  when  God  fliall  judge  the  fecrets  of 
^  men,  according  to  the  Gofpel  of  JefusChrifl:'  that  is,  ac- 
cording to  the  eternal  law  of  love,  which  is  the  end,  confum- 
mation,  and  perfedion  of  the  law  and  the  prophets;  of  the 
Gofpcl  and  the  apoftles.  Here  then  is  a  law  written  in  the 
hearts  of  the  Pagans,  which  diflinguifhes  what  is  good  or 
bad, not  onlyin  their  anions,  but  in  their  thoughts,and  which 
will  accufe,  or  excufe  them,  in  the  lafr  day. 

After  this,  the  great  apoftle  of  the  Gentiles  addreffes  him- 
felf  to  the  Jews  thus,  *  If  thou  who  art  called  a  Jew,  and  reft- 

*  eft  in  the  law,  and  boafteft  of  God,  becaufe  thou  knoweft 
^  his  will,  art  inftru6ted  by  the  law  of  what  is  beft,  and  look- 

*  eft  upon  thyfclf  as  a  guide  of  the  blind,  a  light  to  thefe  that 
'  walk  in  darknefs,  an  inftru6lor  of  the  foolifli,  a  teacher  of 
^  babes,  becaufe  by  the  law  thou  haft  an  idea  of  fcience  and 
'  truth,  thou  boafteft  in  vain  of  the  law,  if  breaking  the  law, 
'  thou  difhonoureft  God.    Circumcifion  verily  profiteth,  if 

*  thou  keep  the  law,  but  if  thou  tranfgrefs  the  law,  thou  be- 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  383: 

*  comeft  therebynncircumcifed.If  therefore,  he  that  by  birth 

*  is  uncircumcifed,  obferve  the  rlghteoufnefs  of  the  law,  will 

*  not  he  be  look'd  upon  as  circumcifed,  and  judge  thee  that 

*  with  the  letter  and  with  circumcifion  tranfgrelTefl:  the  law? 

*  For  he  is  not  a  Jew  that  is  one  outwardly,  and  the  true  cir- 

*  cumcifion  is  not  that  of  the  flefh ;  but  the  Jew  is  he,  that  is 

*  fo  inwardly,  and  circumcifion  is  that  of  the  heart  in  fpirit, 

*  and  not  in  the  letter,  whofe  excellency  comes  not  from 
'  men,  but  from  God. '  Can  there  be  any  thing  more  ex- 
prefs  than  this  text,  to  prove,  that  the  true  circumcifion,  the 
true  Ifraclite,  the  true  eletfl:,  is  not  he  that  profeiTeth  the  law 
outwardly,  but  he  that  is  filled  with  the  fpirit  of  the  law,  by 
the  circumcifion  of  the  heart;  and  that  a  man  may  be  born 
uncircumcifed,  or  out  of  the  pale  of  the  vifible  church,  and 
yet  obferve,  by  the  internal  efficacy  of  univerfal  grace,  all  the 
rlghteoufnefs  of  the  law  ?  Now,  what  the  apoftle  fays  here  of 
outward  circumcifion,  and  the  literal  knowledge  of  the  Mo- 
faical  law,mufi:  be  true  of  baptifm,  and  the  ipeculative  know- 
ledge of  the  evangelical  law :  for  to  be  fure,  God's  power,  wif- 
dom,  and  goodnefs  are  not  more  barren,  nor  lef&extended 
under  the  new  law,  than  under  the  old. 

St.  Paul,  in  the  beginning  of  the  third  chapter,  makes  aa 
obje(5lion  againfl:  this  do(5lrine  of  univerfal  grace,  which  fcan-^ 
dalizedthe  Jews  then,  and  willfcandaHze  Judaizing  Chrilii- 
ans  now.    (a)  *  What  advantage  then  have  the  Jews  over  the 

*  GentileSjOr  what  profit  is  there  in  circumcifion? '  The  apof- 
tle anfwers;  '  much  every  way, becau feu n to  them  werecom- 

*  mitted  the  oracles  of  God.*    The  Jews  were  depofitarys  o^ 
(a)  Rom.  ch.  iii.  1.2. 


^84     OF   THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

all  thefacred  doctrines  of  faith ;  of  the  original  traditions  of 
the  patriarchs,  of  thegreatideas  wefliould  have  of  the  divine 
nature,  attributes  and  conducl.  They  were,  {o  to  fpeak,  the 
regiftcrs  of  heaven.  We  muft  fay  the  fame  of  the  ChrifHan 
church,  under  the  Gofpel.  All  other  nations  have  onlyim- 
perfe<n:  glimpfes,  rays  and  veftiges  of  true  wifdom,  and  of  the 
hidden  fcience  of  the  faints :  but  in  the  pale  of  the  vifible 
church,  and  in  the  facred  oracles  entrufted  to  its  confervati- 
on,  are  to  be  found,  the  intire  compleat  knowledge  of  God 
and  Providence;  of  man's  primitive  innocence,  and  prefent 
degradation;  of  the  ©economy  of  the  invifible  world;  of  God- 
man  head,  and  high  prieft  of  all  intelligent  natures;  of  the 
neccffity,  efEcacy,  and  extenfion  of  our  Saviour's  death  and 
fufFcrings ;  of  the  true  means  of  re-uniting  the  foul  to  God 
by  prayer,  mortification  and  felf-denial ;  of  the  divine  virtues, 
faith,  hope  and  charity,  which  cannot  be  produced  in  the 
foul,  but  by  the  immediate  operation  of  the  eternal  Word; 
of  the  fublime  happinefs  deftined  for  us  in  a  future  ll:ate;and 
of  the  reflitution  of  all  beings  to  their  primitive  innocence, 
purity,  order  and  perfection  ;  and  in  fine,  of  the  facred  fex- 
enary  fo  fublime,  fo  reafonablc,  fo  luminous  in  its  principles, 
fo  ancient  in  its  origin  and  fo  beautiful  in  its  confequences. 
Tho'  thefe  facred  truths  have  been  degraded,  altered,  obfcu- 
red  and  disfigured  by  the  fchoolmen,  or  the  Chriftian  my  tho- 
logiflsjand  tho'  fome  faint  vefliges  of  them,  may  be  difcovered 
in  the  tradition  of  all  nations,  yet  they  are  to  be  found  no 
where  pure,  intire,  and  uncorrupted  in  any  fyftem  of  philo- 
fophy,  in  any  plan  of  Paganifm,  in  any  ancient  books,  but 
in  thefacred  oracles  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament,  depo- 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  385 

lited  in,  cntruded  to,  and  preferved  by  the  true  Chriftian 
church,  whofe  advantages  and  privileges  are,  therefore,  far 
fuperior  to  thefe  of  any  other  communion.  God,  how^evcr, 
is  ftill  the  common  Father  of  fpirits,  and  has  left  no  nation 
without  an  inward  teftimony  wrote  in  their  hearts;  by  which 
they  may  know  and  praftife  the  eternal  law  of  love,  order, 
and  juftice,  prayer,  mortification  and  felf-denial,  fupernatii- 
ral  faith,  hope  and  charity  alone  necelTary  tofalvation. 

This  doctrine  is  further  explained,  in  the  tenth  chapter 
of  the  fame  epiftle  to  the  Romans,  which  the  fchoolmen  in- 
terpret in  favours  of  their  Judaical  prejudices,  tho'it  diame- 
trically combats  and  dcftroys  them  all.    St.  Paul  fays,  (a) 

*  There  is  no  difference  betwixt  the  Jew  and  the  Greek;  for 
'  God  is  the  God  of  all,  and  rich  to  them  that  call  upon  him. 

*  Whofoever  fhall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  fliall  be 

*  faved.'  This  falutary  calling  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
or  the  eternal  Word,  cannot  be  undcrfiood  of  the  outward 
bawling  of  the  lips  and  roaring  of  the  voice,  but  of  the  in- 
ward cry  of  the  heart,  which  is  true  faith.  This  true  faith 
may  beproduced  by  univerfal  grace,  and  the  inward  opera- 
tion of  the  holy  Ghofl:,  upon  both  Jew  and  Gentile,  lince 
God  is  the  God  of  all;  and  fince  there  is  no  difference  be- 
twixt the  Ifraelite  and  the  Greek,  thefe  within  and  thofe 
without  the  pale  of  the  vifible  church,  as  the  context  fully 
•declares:  for  the  apoftlc  adds,  '  How  then  fhall  they  call  up- 
'  on  him,  in  whom  they  have  not  believed ;  and  how  fhall 

*  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard ;  and  how 
'  fhall  they  hear  without  a  preacher;  fincc  faith  comes  by 

(a)Rom.x.  12.  13.  5cc. 

P  A  R  T   2.  dec 


386     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

«  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  Word  of  God?'  The  Judaical 
and  fataliftical  doctors  underftand  all  this  of  an  hifl:orical,fpe- 
culative  faith,  as  if  the  internal  divine  graces  and  operations 
were  confined  to  the  outward  ordinances,and  outward  helps 
of  churches,  Scriptures  and  facraments,  quite  contrary  to  the 
fequel  of  the  apoftle's  difcourfe,  who  adds ;  *  But  have  they 

*  not  heard?  Yes,'  anfwers  he  in  the  words  of  the  Pfalmift, 

*  The  found  of  their  voice  is  gone  forth  unto  all  the  ends  of 

*  the  earth.'  The  fchoolmen  interpret  this  fublime  text  of  the 
external  predication  of  the  Gofpel,  that  was  to  be  preached 
every  where  by  the  apoftles  and  their  fucceffors.  But  St.  Paul 
fpeaks  of  a  predication,  that  has  already  been,  and  that  was 
univerfal  overall  the  face  of  the  earth;  and  no  ways  of  a  pre- 
dication that  was  to  come,  and  that  has  not  yet  happened, 
but  in  fome  countrys,  and  only  in  certain  ages.    Moreover, 
it  is  plain,  that  the  great  apoftle  of  the  Gentiles  fpeaks  here 
of  that  true  living,  faving,  fupernatural  faith,  that  comes  by 
hearing  the  inward  voice  of  the  eternal  Word;  for  the  di- 
vine hymn  of  the  royal  Pfalmifl:  quoted  by  the  apoftle,  men- 
tions tw^o  ways,  by  which  God  manifefts  himfelf  to,  and  ope- 
rates in  all  creatures.    The  one,  by  the  wondrous  conftitu- 
tion  of  nature,  which  fhows  forth  the  divine  power  and  wif^ 
domfrom  without;  and  the  other,  by  the  vi^onderful  opera- 
tion of  internal  grace,  which  Ipeaks  continually  from  with- 
in. The  Pfalmift's  words  are  beautiful  and  fublime.  (a)  'The 

*  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  fhew- 

*  eth  the  work  of  his  hands.  Day  fpeaks  unto  day,  and  night 

*  unto  night  fheweth  knowledge.  There  is  no  tongue,  nor 

<a)  Pfalm,  xix.  i .  2 .  3 .  4.  to  8» 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNION.      387 

*  country  that  have  not  heard  their  fpeech ;  the  found  ofthelr 

*  voice  is  gone  forth  unto  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  un- 

*  to  the  end  of  the  v^orld.'  The  wonderful  works  of  themoH: 
High  are  then  the  apoftles,  the  meffengers,  and  the  heralds, 
that  the  royal  prophet  fpeaks  of.  Moreover,  he  talks  of  the 
internal  voice  of  the  divine,  purifying,  illuminating,  univer* 
fal  grace,  refufed  to  no  mortal;  and  this  grace  he  calls  the  law 
of  God;  the  eternal,  immutable  law  of  love,  heard  by  all  in- 
telligent natures,  that  open  their  intelle<5lual  ears  to  the  foft 
whilpers  of  its  divine  inlpiration.    '  The  law  of  the  Lord, 

*  that  is  perfe(ft,converts  the  foul;  the  teftimony  of  the  Lord, 

*  that  is  pure,  gives  wifdom  to  the  fimple,  the  ftatutes  of  the 

*  Lord,  that  are  upright,  rejoice  the  heart;  the  precept  of  the 

*  Lord, that  is  luminous,enlightens  the  eyes/  By  the  Lord, 
in  the  Old  Tcftament,  is  always  meant  the  eternal  Word,that 
enlightneth  every  man,  that  comes  into  the  world.  When 
we  underftand  and  compare  thefe  two  texts  of  the  Pfalmift, 
and  the  apoftlc,  it  is  plain  as  fun-fhine,  that  the  reafoning  of 
St.  Paul  may  beparaphrafed  thus. 

*  7  here  is  no  difFerence,before  God,  betwixt  the  Jew  and 

*  Gentile;  for  God  is  the  God  of  all.    He  is  the  Father  of 

*  fpirits,  theloverof  fouls;  he  defires  the  falvationof  all;  he 

*  makes  no  partial  preferences;  he  is  no  refpe61:er  of  per- 

*  fons;  Wifdom  crys  upon  the  tops  of  high  mountains,  in 

*  the  midft  of  high-ways;   at  the  gates  of  great  citys ;  re- 

*  maining  immoveable  in  herfelf,  flie  renews  all  things; 
'  and  flowing  into  fouls  thro'  all  nations^makcs  them  friends 

*  of  God  and  prophets.   She  enlightens  all  men  that  come 

*  into  the  world ;  flie  careth  for  all ;  fhe  healeth  all,  thac 

C  c  c    2 


388     OF  THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

'  call  upon  her.  Whofocver  fhall  call  upon  the  name  of 

*  the  Lord,  fhall  be  faved,  in  whatever  age,  country,  or  re- 

*  llgion;  for  in  every  nation,  hethat  fearcth  God,  and  work- 

*  eth  righteoufnefs,  is  acceptable  to  him.  How  fliall  the  Pa- 

*  gans,  Turks  and  Jews  call  upon  him,  in  whom  they  have 
'  not  believed;  and  how  fliall  they  believe  in  him,  of  whom 

*  they  have  not  heard ;  and  how  fliall  they  hear,  without  a 
'  preacher;  fince  faith  comes  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the 

*  word  of  God?  How  fliaUPagans,  Turks,  and  infidels  call 
'  upon  the  eternal  Logos;  if  they  have  no  ideas  of  him  ;  if 

*  they  never  heard  of  his  life,  death  and  crucifixion;  if  they 

*  have  never  had  any  meflengers  and  preachers,  to  announce 

*  to  them,  the  hiftorical  fa6ls  of  theGofpel;  for  hiftorical 
'  faith  comes  by  external  hearing,  and  this  outward  hearing 

depends  upon  reading  the  letter  of  the  law?  Miferable  jar- 

*  gon,'  adds  the  apoftle;  *  Have  not  the  Pagans  heard,notth^ 
'  external  voice  of  the  prophets  and  apoftles,  but  the  true 

internal  faving,  falutary  voice  of  the  eternal  Logos?  Yes, 
they  have,  for,  as  I  have  faid,  continues  St.  Paul ;  what  can 

*  be  known  of  God,  was  manifefted  to  the  Gentiles,  by  God 

*  himfelf,  who  enlightned  them.  His  invifible  perfections  are 

*  clearly  ^ccn  by  the  vifible  creation,  yea,  his  eternal  power 

*  and  Godhead,by  the  things  that  are  made.  Wherefore, they 

*  are  unexcufable,  becaufe  having  known  God,  they  did  not 
glorify  him,  love  him,  and  adore  him  alone.  This  doMne 
is  not  new;  the  royal  Pfalmifl  taught  it  long  before  me, 

'when  he  faid,  that  the  heavens  declare  God's  glory,  and  the 

*  firmament  fliows  the  work  of  his  hands.    There  is  no 

*  tongue,  nor  country,  that  have  not  heard  their  fpeceh ;  the 


MEANS   OF    RE-UNION.  389 

«  found  of  their  voice  is  gone  forth  unto  all  the  ends  of  the 
«  earth.    This  is  not  all,  adds  the  Pfalmifl :  befides  this  exter- 

*  nal  voice  and  predication  of  nature,  the  inward  voice  of  the 

*  eternal  Logos,  fpeaks  to  all  hearts,  converts  the  foul,  gives 
':  wifdom  to  the  fimple,  and  enlightens  the  eyes  of  every  man 

*  that  comes  into  the  world.  Whofoever  then,  calls  upon  the 

*  name  of  the  Lord,  upon  the  eternal  Word,  by  the  inward 

*  cry  of  the  heart,  which  is  true  faith,  fhall  be  faved  ;  what- 

*  ever  age,  nation  or  religion  he  be  of.  This  truefaving  faith 

*  comes  from  hearing  the  voice  of  the  eternal  Word,  who 

*  fpeaks  to  all  creatures,cither  by  the  vifible  works  of  the  crea- 

*  tion,  or  by  the  foft  whilpers  of  his  eternal  wifdom,  and  uni- 

*  verfal  grace.' 

I  conclude  by  a  textof  the  Revelations,  which  becomes 
intelligible  by  the  foregoing  pafTages.  The  evangelift  fpeaks  of 
an  angel,  that  is  to  be  fent  at  the  lafl  day,  with  the  feal  of  the 
living  God,  to  feal  the  fervants  of  God  on  their  fore-heads; 
after  he  had  fealed  an  hundred  and  fourty  four  thoufand  of 
all  the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Ifrael,  or  members  of  the  vi- 
fible church,   the  evangelifts  add,  (a)  '  After  this  I  beheld, 

*  and  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number,  of 
«  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people  and  tongues,  ftood 
'  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  cloathed  with 
'  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands.'  The  literal,  Ju- 
daical,  Fataliftical  do(5tors  fay,  that  this  text  relates  only  to 
the  Gentiles,  that  were  received  into  the  communion  of  the 
vifible  church:  but  this  is  diamelrically  oppofite  to  all  the 

^   texts  mentioned,  to  the  whole  fpirit  of  the  Old  and  New  Te- 

^a)  Revelat.  ch.  vii>  4,  and  9. 


390     OF  THE  THREE   UNIVERSAL 

{lament,  to  the  divine  attributes,  to  natural  and  revealed  re- 
ligion ;  yea,  to  the  exprefs  words  of  our  Saviour  himfelf  alrea- 
dy quoted,  where  he  fays,  that  *  at  the  laft  day,  many  fhall 

*  come  from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  and  fit  down  in 
^  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  while  the  children  of  the  king- 

*  dom  fhall  be  fhut  out.' 

All  our  difpute,  then,  with  the  Judaical  do(5tors,  may  be 
reduced  to  the  four  following  propofitions  and  queflions. 
I.  It  is  certain  that  without  prayer,  mortification,  and  fclf- 
denyal,  fupernatural  faith,  hope  and  charity,  none  can  be 
faved;   becaufe  thefe  are  the  immediate,  effential,  and  ne- 
cefTary  means  of  re-uniting  lapfed  beings  to  their  almighty 
Original:  butthe  queflion  is,if  God,  independent  of  all  out- 
ward means,  cannot  operate  thofe  divine  virtues  in  fouls,  to 
whom  he  has  not  thought  fit  to  communicate  the  letter  of 
the  law.  2.  It  is  certain,  that  there  is  no  name  under  heaven, 
by  whom  we  can  be  faved;  but  by  the  name  of  Jefus;  for 
whofe  merits  and  facrifice  alone,  God  a<5ls  in  and  upon  all 
lapfed  beings;  but  then  the  queflion  is;  ifallthtfe,  for  whom 
our  Saviour  died,  are  excluded  from  the  participation  of  his 
meritorious  facrifice,  unlefs  they  be  members  of  the  vifible 
church.    3.  It  is  certain,  that  the  privileges,,  helps  and  prero- 
gatives of  thofe  who  live  within  the  facred  pale,  are  far  fupe- 
riortothefc  of  Pagans,  Mahometans,  and  infidels:  butthe 
queflion  is,  if  the  true  converfion  of  the  heart  depends  fo  ef- 
fentially  upon  the  fpeculative  knowledge  of  the  underOan- 
ding,  that  the  one  cannot  be  without  the  other.   4.  In  fine, 
it  is  certain,  that  v/ithout  the  divine  grace,  and  operation  an- 
tecedent to  all  merit  and  co-operation  in  the  creature,  no  lap- 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  J91 

fed  being  can  be  reftored  to  its  primitive  perfcifHon,  and  pu- 
rity; biitthe  qucfllon  is,  if  by  virtue  of  divine  univerfal  grace; 
of  the  attraction  of  the  Father,  the  illumination  of  the 
Word,  and  the  infpiration  of  the  holy  Ghofl:,  there  are  not, 
in  ail  countrys,  religions  and  ages,  hidden  fouls,  who  have 
heard  the  voice  of  eternal  wifdom,  obeyed  that  pure,  pcrfecfl, 
upright,  luminous  law,  teftimony,  ftatuteand  precept  of  love 
that  converts  the  foul,  gives  wifdom  to  the  firaple,  rejoices 
the  heart,  and  enlightens  the  eyes;  who,  Hke  the  Centurion 
Cornelius,  fear  God,  work  righteoufnefs ;  give  alms;  pray 
continually;  who  have  received  the  baptifm  of  the  fpirit,. 
tho'  they  have  not  received  that  of  water;  who  are  con- 
tained in  the  myfterious  fheet;  whom  God  hath  cleanfed 
by  his  internal,  all-powerful,  univerfal  grace,  tho'  they  lived 
and  died  in  the  bofom  of  Paganifm;  who  are  to  come  at  the 
lafl:  day,  from  the  Eaft  and  from  the  Weft,  from  the  North; 
and  from  the  South,  from  China  and  Peru,  from  Lapland 
and  Guinea,  and  fit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  with 
Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob;  while  the  children  of  the  king- 
dom jQiall  be  fhut  up  in  utter  darknefs ;  and  in  fine,  who* 
are  to  be  fealcd  among  the  numberlefs  multitude  of  all  nati- 
ons, kindreds,  and  languages,  after  that  the  angel  hasma^rked; 
all  theele^fl  fouls  of  the  vifible  church. This  no  man  can  doubt 
of,  that  reads  and  underitands  the  texts  above-mentioned. 

Here  I  fee  the  Judaizing  Chriftians  and  the  Fataliftical 
dolors  fall  into  a  kind  of  frenzy,  and  cry  out  with  rage;. 
What?  Is  it  pofiible  that  men  of  all  fec^ls,  herefys  and  religi- 
ons, can  partake  of  the  efficacy  of  our  Saviour's  death  and  fuf- 
ferings;  that  fouls  loft  in  the  bofom  of  Paganifm,  andMalio^ 


392      OF   THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

•metifm,  can  partake  of  the  divine  illuminations;  and  in  fine, 
that  men  who  authorized  by  their  religion  the  mofl:  idola- 
trous, fuperftitious  rites,  the  moft  inhuman  facrifices,  and 
the  moft  immoral  practices,  can  be  faved  ?  I  anfwer  boldly, 
that,  according  to  the  dodlrine  of  the  Old  and  New  Tefta- 
ment,  and  feveral  primitive  fathers,   all  thefe  that  are  born, 
live,  and  die  in  ignorance  of  revealed  religion,  are  and  will  be 
faved,  if  they  are  faithful  to  the  internal  operations  of  divine " 
"race  refufed  to  none.  All  our  doubts  concerning  this  fublime 
do^lrine  will  quite  evanifh,  by  the  following  confiderations. 
I .  No  errors  of  the  underftanding  are  damnable,but  thefe 
which  deftroy  the  divine  life  in  the  foul,  and  which  hinder 
the  central  converfion  of  the  mind  to  its  firft  principle,  by  the 
cxercifeoffupernatural  faith,  hope,  and  charity  explained  in 
the  firft  Part,    All  other  fpeculative  notions,  how  foever  ab- 
furd  and  falfe,  concerning  the  nature  of  God;  his  attributes 
and  operations,  are  not  damnaljle,  tho'  they  may  be  dange- 
rous.   There  never  was  in  the  wifer  and  true  fyftem  of  Pa- 
ganifm,  any  errors  more  monftrous,  than  thefe  of  the  Prede- 
ftinarian  and  Fataliftical  do6lors,  concerning  prefcience  and 
reprobation;  irrcfiftible  grace,  and  free-will;  original  fin, 
\'indi(5livejufticeand  eternal  pains.  Thefe,  however,  are  not 
damnable;  tho'  their  confequences  be  pernicious  to  incre- 
dulous minds,  that  take  from  thence  occafion  to  difparage 
Chriftianlty;  yet,  as  thefe  confequences  are  not  perceived, 
nor  maintained  by  the  feftarys  of  this  wild  fyftem,  they  do 
•not  dcftroy  in  them,  the  true  love  of  God,  nor  the  prat^ice 
of  theneceffary,  immediate  and  effcntial  means  of  falvation-. 
Our  Saviour  fuffered  while  upon  earth,  feme  grofs,  fpccula- 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  393 

tive  errors  in  his  dlfclplcs,  who  thought,  till  the  defcent  of  the 
holy  Ghofl,  that  his  kingdom  was  to  be  temporal.  We  find 
in  the  firft  fathers,  both  Greek  and  Latin,  many  falfe  ideas, 
about  the  Millennium,  about  prcfcience  and  predelHnation, 
about  the  nature  of  the  foul  and  its  propagation,  all  which 
abfurd  ideas  were  believed  by  fome  members,  yea,  great  men 
of  the  church  in  primitive  ages;  becaufe  fhe  was  not  yet  be- 
come minute,  in  deciding  about  metaphyfical  queflions,  and 
fpeculative  explications  of  the  myfteries  of  faith.  Nothing  in- 
deed contributes  more  naturally  to  the  love  of  God, than  high 
and  noble  ideas  of  his  being  and  condu(5t:  but  the  internal 
operations  of  divine  grace  upon  the  heart,  which  God  alone 
demands,  are  independent  of  all  thefe  philofophical  (pecula- 
tions. It  is  not  the  theoretical  knowledge  of  the  fublime 
truths  of  the  Chriftian  religion, that  produce  the  love  of  God; 
nor  is  it  the  falfe,  lame,  and  imperfcift  Ideas,  we  have  of  thefe 
myfterles,  that  hinder  true  fupernatural  faith,  hope  and  love  ; 
nor  the  exercife  of  prayer,  mortification  and  felf-denial,alone 
neceffary  to  falvation.  To  convince  us  of  this  truth,  we  need 
but  confider  the  poor  ideas,  that  the  moft  part  of  peafants, 
craftefmen,  citizens,  and  even  men  of  fuperlor  birth,  in  all 
fecfts  of  Chrillianity,  have  of  the  trinity  and  incarnation,  of 
Paradifc  and  original  fin,  of  heaven  and  hell;  of  the  divine 
attributes  and  Providence.  What  a  flrange,  abfurd  and  inco- 
herent fcheme  would  they  give  of  thefe  myftcrys?  we  fay  the 
fame  of  the  errors  and  falfe  ideas  entertained  among  the  up- 
right, moral,  dcvoutPagans,  Turks,and  heretics.  God  over- 
looks all  thefe  imperfe^tlonSj  and  demands  only  the  heart. 
All  men  are  capable  of  love ;  and  love  is  the  end  and  confum- 
PART  2.  Dd  d 


394  OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 
mation  of  the  law.  God  operates  this  pure  love  in  all  fouk, 
that  hear  his  inward  infpiration,  whatever  be  the  errors  of 
their  underftanding;  providing  thefe  errors  do  not  deftroy  in 
them,  true,  vital,  faving  faith,  which  is  the  cry  of  the  foul  to 
God,  that  he  may  deftroy,  purify  and  deliver  it  from  its  cor- 
ruption ;  true  fupernatural  hope,  which  is  a  continual  afpi- 
ring  to  a  celeftial,  pure,  innocent  future  life,  where  all  is  con- 
form to  order  j  and  true  charity,  which  is  the  love  of  God  for 
himfelf,  and  of  all  things  for  him.  Now,  that  the  Pagans  felt 
the  necefTity,  and  had  the  knowledge  of  thefe  three  divine 
virtues,  we  fhall  very  foon  fhow. 

2.  Idolatry  flgnifies  properly  and  originally,  reprefenting 
invifible  beings  by  vlfible  images,  and  fpiritual  properties  by 
fenfible  pictures.  This  cannot  be  a  crime,  fince  God  himfelf 
has  done  fo,  in  creating,  which  is  efTentially  and  properly  a 
reprefentation  of  God  from  without,  by  fenfible  pi(5turesand 
images;  and  fince  he  allowed  corporeal  reprefentations  and 
hieroglyphics,  in  the  Jewilli  worfhip.  The  Iconoclaftic  Ma* 
hometan  averfion  for  all  images,  ftatues,  an-d  fimilltudes  of 
divine  things,  is  an  extravagant  weaknefs  unworthy  of  a  phi- 
lofopher.  True  criminal  idolatry,  is  loving  any  thing  more 
than  God, as  much  as  God;  and  without  any  relation  to  God. 
It  is  attributing  to  finite,  what  belongs  to  infinite;  it  is  ado- 
ring and  efieeming  the  creature  for  itfelf,  v/ithout  referring 
it  to  the  Creator;  it  is,  in  one  word,  attaching  OLU'felves  to 
the  image,  the  fhadow,  and  the  picfture,  without  rifmg  up  to 
the  original  archetype.  This  is  indeed  damnable,  and  this  fort 
of  idolatry  is  as  common  among  the  Chriftians,  as  among  the 
PaganSx.  All  principles  and  pra^iccs,  that  favour  this  ufurpa- 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNION.      395 

tion  upon  the  rights  of  the  drvinity,  are  pernicious  and  dam- 
nable: but  to  pay  fubordinate  homage  to  a  creature,  whom 
we  look  upon,  as  a  friend  of  God;  or  to  fhow  an  external 
refpeft  to  a  fign,  fymbol,  or  ftatue  that  calls  to  our  mind,  the 
•remembrance  of  God ;  Is  not  Idolatry,  even  tho'  we  be  mlfta- 
ken,  in  Imagining  thatperfon  or  thing  to  be  holy  and  facred. 
This  is  an  ignorance,  and  not  an  Impiety;  an  error  in  fa6l, 
and  not  In  right.    We  may  fay  the  fame  of  the  Pagan  fupcr- 
ftitions.   Superftition  Is  properly  adding  fome  external  figns, 
fymbols,  and  practices  to  facred  worfhip,  that  are  not  ordain- 
ed by  God.  If  thefe  fuperftltions  ferve  to  excite  divine  fenti- 
ments,  and  do  not  encourage  the  falfe  love  of  the  creatures, 
nor  contribute  to  favour  the  corruption  of  the  heart,   they 
are  innocent  miftakes,  and  no  ways  damnable  abufes.    Ori- 
gen,  Clemens  of  Alexandria,  St.  Juftin  Martyr,  and  many 
other  Chriftian  fathers,  as  well  as  feveral  Pagan  philofophers, 
fuch  as  Plutarch,   Hierocles,  Porphyry,  Jamblichus,  and 
Plotinus,  give  us  quite  other  ideas  of  the  Heathen  worfhip, 
than  fome  Greek  and  Latin  authors,  who  judged  of  things 
by  the  outfide,  as  men  of  wit,  and  imagination,  without  pe- 
netrating the  allegorical  fenfe  of  the  fymbols,  and  the  pri- 
mitive fourcc  of  their  inititution.  Superficial  wits  and  unen- 
iightned  minds,  to  favour  incrednlity,  may  fancy,  that  the 
Pagans  worfliipped  onions,  crocodiles,  ferpents,  beads  and 
■infcds;  but  the  truly  learned  know,  that  all  thefc  fenfiblere- 
prefentations  were  originally  fymbolical  and  hieroglyphical. 
Mankind  were  never  fo  fhipid,  ignorant  and  fenfclefs,  as  to 
look  upon  vegetables,  reptiles  and  infers,  that  are  born  and 
perifh  every  day,  as  the  fupream  uncreated  and  eternal  ef- 

Dd  d    2 


396     OF  THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

fence.  They  forgot,  indeed,  at  la  ft  the  thing  fignified,  and 
ftoptat  the  outward  image,  figure,  and  fhadow;  and  all  thefe 
who  did  fo,  were  true  idolaters;  but  who  dares  fay,  that  all 
the  Pagans,  without  exception,  fellinto  the  fame  crime?  we 
havefhown,  that  the  contrary  is  plain,  from  the  dodrine  of 
the  philofophers  and  wife  men  of  all  nations,  religions,  and 
ages;  asalfo,  that  all  the  different  names  of  the  Pagan  deities 
fignify  the  fame  invifible,  eternal,infinite  Being;  or  attributes 
powers,  and  hypoftafes  ofthefupream  Being;  and  in  fine, 
that  all  the  principal  rites,  fymbols,  ablutions,  purifications 
and  initiations  of  the  Pagan  worfhip,  were  originally  rays 
and  emanations  of  the  primitive,  ante-diluvian,  and  Noevian 
religion;tho'  in  progrefs  of  timeadulteratedjdegradedjandob- 
fcured.  Tho'  it  be  certain  then,  that  the  Pagan  worfhip  was 
full  of  material  idolatry,  yet  all  thofe  that  were  prefent  at  it, 
were  not  idolaters.  Thus,  Naaman  Prince  of  Aflyria  was 
allowed  by  the  prophet  Elifhah  to  go  to,  and  bend  down  in 
the  temple  of  Rimmon,  (a)  bccaufe  he  referred  to  the  God 
of  Ifracl  alone,  the  worfhip  he  performed  therein,  and  fo 
pra»^Hfed  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  Pagan  religion,  in  the  pri- 
mitive fpirit  of  their  original  inftitution.  Thus,  the  Roman 
Centurion  Cornelius  frequented  the  Pagan  temples,  and  was 
prefent  at  their  idolatrous  worfliip ;  but  in  llmplicity  of  heart, 
he  thought  them  of  divine  inftitution,  and  fo  referred  all  to 
the  fupream  God;  and  therefore,  even  before  his  converfion 
St.  Luke  fays,  that  he  was  a  devout  man,  fearing  God,  gi- 
ving much  alms  and  praying  continually.  Thus,  according 
to  St.  Auguftin,  Job  and  his  friends  were  chofcn  veflels,  tbo* 

(a)II.Kmgs.ch.  V.  j8.  19. 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  397 

they  were  not  outwardly  clrciimcifed,  and  in  communion 
with  the  Jewifli  church.  We  are  very  far,  then,  from  deny- 
ing, or  juftifying  the  idolatrous,  fuperftitious  praftices  that 
were  introduced  by  degrees  into  the  Pagan  worfhip.  All  we 
maintain  is,  that  fuch  is  the  almighty,  power  of  divine,  uni- 
verfal  grace,  that  it  preferved  all  the  upright  good  Pagans, 
that  followed  the  attractions  of  the  Father,  the  voice  of  eter- 
nal wifdom  and  the  infpirations  of  the  holy  Ghofl:,  pure  and 
imftained  from  the  contagion  of  their  country,  and  the  hor- 
rible abufes  introduced  into  their  religion.  Whoever  denies 
the  pofTibility  of  thefe  miracles,  denies  the  divine  omnipo- 
tence, wifdom  and  goodncfs,  contradicts  the  exprefs  texts  of 
Scripture  already  explained;  and  opens  the  fluices  to  the  mofl 
impious  incredulity,  by  making  God  partial,  and  fo  intirely 
dependent  upon  the  outward  means  eftabliihed,  that  he  can- 
not operate  without  them. 

3.  One  cannot  read,  without  horror,  the  inhuman  facri- 
fices  offered  up  to  Moloch  by  the  Canaanites,  to  Saturn  by 
the  Phenicians,  Carthaginians,  Africans  and  the  moft  pars 
of  the  ancient  Europeans,  efpecially  the  Gauls  and  Britons; 
to  Pachatamac  by  the  Peruvians,  to  Vitziliputzly  by  the 
Mexicans,  and  to  the  firft:  principle,  under  different  deno- 
jninations,  by  the  moft  part  of  the  Americans,  even  to  this 
day.  We  are  far  from  juflifying  thefe  horrid  abufes.  All  we 
pretend  is,  that  divine  grace  might,  and  may  preferve  fouls 
pure,  upright  and  unflained  amidft  thefe  execrable  abomina- 
tions. If  the  Pagans,  from  invincible  ignorance,  were  real- 
ly perfuaded,  that  thefe  facrifice^,  were  ordered  by  the  fur 
preara  God ;  that  the  privation  of  life,  was  falutary  to  the 


398     OF  THE   THREE   UNIVERSAL 

fouls  of  the  vi6lims,and  ufeful  to  all  their  family;or  nat'ion,they 
erred  in  believing  what  is  falfe,  but  their  fubmiffion  to  what 
they  thought  a  divine  commatid,   was  not  damnable.   I  do 
not  compare  the  odious  immolation  made  by  the  Canaanites 
of  their  eldefl:  fons,  and  mod  beloved  children  to  the  holy 
facrifice  offered  up  by  Abraham  of  his  only  fon  Tfaac,  after 
an  exprefs  command  of  God:  but  who  dares  fay,  that  it  is 
impoffible,  that  there  might  have  been,  among  the  Pagans, 
^fome  pious  fouls,  that  by  invincible  ignorance,  and  prejudice 
of  education,  acted  from  a  full  perfuafion,  that  the  fupream 
God  demanded  of  them  fuch  facrifices.  We  are  far  from  juf- 
tifying  thefe  lamentable  abufes,  and  horrid  praftices  fuppor- 
ted  and  encouraged  by  the  priefts,  who  are  generally  the 
fame  in  all  religions,  themoft  corrupt,  degenerate,  cruel,  and 
impious  fet  of  men:  but  frill  we  maintain,  that  omnipotent 
grace,  all  watchful  Providence,  and  the  univerfal  love  God 
has  for  all  fimple,  honefl:  and  upright  minds,  may  preferve 
them  fpotlefs  and  innocent^  amidft  all  the  dangers,  contagi- 
ons, corruptions,  and  abufes  introduced  into  their  refpeftive 
religions ;  infpire  them  to  make  a  right  ufe  of  thefe  injufHfi- 
able  principles;  and  dircvfl  their  minds  fo,  that  what  is  poi- 
fon  to  fome,  may  become  falutary  to  others.    Neither  can 
it  be  faid,  that  aflifHng  at  thefe  inhuman  facrifices,  renders 
men  neceifarily  cruel,  inhuman  and  barbarous;  and  that 
none  can  beprefent  at  them,  without  adopting  thefe  paflions 
and  fentiments.    When  the  Jews  believed  that  God  ordered 
their  Icgiilator  Mofes,  to  deftroy  whole  nations,  ravage  their 
countrys,  and  put  all  to  death  who  oppofed  their  conquefts, 
were  they  inhuman,  cruel,  and  void  of  all  fentiments  of  com* 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  399 

paflion?  we  grant  mofl:  willingly,  that  fuch  inhuman  facri/i- 
ces  tend  to  make  men  cruel,  barbarous  and  favage;  that  they 
are  in  themfelves,  horrible,  impious,  and  unworthy  of  the 
Deity ;  but  we  do  not  fpeakhere  of  the  natural  effects  of  this  . 
execrable  werfhip ;  butof  the  fupernatural  efFcels,  which  di- 
vine grace  may  produce  in  chofen  fouls,  who  aflift  at  them, 
from  a  falfe  perfuafion,  that  they  are  divinely  commanded. 
Thofe  fouls  may  be  in  the  fame  difpofitions,,  as  the  Jews, . 
when  they  became  the  exterminators  of  the  nations.  There 
IS,  I  grant,  no  comparifon  betwixt  the  Pagan  facrifices,  and 
the  Jewifh  flaughters;  becaufe  thefirfl:  were  encouraged  by  a 
falfe  idea,  that  thefc  facrifices  were  agreeable  to  the  Gods, 
whereas,  the  lafl:  were  pofitive  commands  of  God,  proven 
to  be  fuch  by  the  miraculous  power  entrufled  to  the  Jewifh 
heroes  that  executed  thefe  commands  of  the  father  of  {pirits, 
who  ordered  thefe  flaughters  and  defolations  of  countrys, 
not  from  the  little,  narrow,  bounded  defign  of  eOablifliing 
the  Jewifh  nation  in  thefe  defolate  countrys;  this  was  too 
low  a  view  for  almighty  wifdom  and  goodnefs ;  which  always 
aft  from  far  higher  and  nobler  principles;  God  makes  ufc 
very  oft  of  phyfical  evil,  fufferings  and  death  to  procure  mo- 
ral good,  eternal  happinefs,  and  everlafi:ing  hfe  to  thefe  that 
feem  his  vic'lims.  This  is  the  fublime  idea  we  ought  to  have 
of  the  conduft  of  Providence,  mentioned  in  Scripture,  with 
regard  to  the  nations  exterminated  by  the  Ifraelites.  Now, 
if  the  conviftion  was  equal  on  both  fides,  in  the  Hebrews 
and  the  Heathens;  the  lafl  that  afted  from  a  full,  tho'  falfe 
perfuafion  of  the  divine  order,  were  as  excufable  as  the  firff-. 
It  is  not  always  the  adion  that  makes  us  criminaJ.;  but  the 


400     OF   THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL. 

motive  by  which  we  a6l.  In  fine,  are  thefe  Pagan  facrifices 
more  odious  in  the  fight  of  God,  than  thefe  pra^tifed  every 
^^y?  t)y  Chriftian  princes  and  prieds,  who,  under  pretence 
of  religion,  converting  their  fubjefts,  and  fubduing  far  diftant 
nations  to  true  faith,  raife  armies,  and  ramble  from  one  he- 
mifphere  to  another,  to  deftroy  Turks,  Pagans  and  heretics, 
ravage  their  countrys,  enflave  their  perfons,  burn,  rack  and 
torture  their  bodies;  and  notwithftanding  of  all  thefe  barba- 
rities, preach,  that  they  are  agreeable  facrifices  to  the  God  of 
love  and  peace?  We  muft  not  be  ftartled  at  names,but  examine 
things.  Is  it  not  a  far  greater  inhumanity  to  facrifice  millions 
of  our  fellow  creatures,  in  religious  wars,  than  to  immolate 
Ibme  dozens  of  men  upon  an  altar?  the  only  difference  is, 
that  the  one  is  done  in  an  open  field,  with  military  weapons 
and  artillery;  and  the  others  in  a  temple,  with  a  facrificing 
knife;,and  facerdotallnflruments.  As  every  foldier  cannot  be 
accufed  of  inhumanity,  when  he  obeys  his  fovereign,  in  go- 
ing tofuch  religious,  impious  wars,  fo  neither  can  all  the  Pa- 
gans prefent  at  their  inhuman  facrifices,  be  accufed  of  appro- 
ving them.  The  ambitious  princes  and  butchering  prieds 
among  the  ChrifHans  and  Pagans,  that  authorize  fuch  acti- 
ons in  religion,  and  order  fuch  pra^lices  in  worfliip  ;mufi:  an- 
fwcr  for  it  one  day  before  the  great  tribunal:  but  the  inno- 
cent fouls  that  are  prefent  at  thefe  impious  immolations 
againft  their  wills,  or  from  a  falfe  perfuafion,  that  thefe  facri- 
fices are  ordered  by  God,  or  from  an  invincible  ignorance  of 
revealed  religion,  cannot  be  faid  to  authorize  them,  nor  will 
ihey  be  condemned  for  afilfting  at  them. 

4.  It  is  certain,  that  pure  and  upright  minds  could  not  be 


MEANS   OF    RE-UNION.  401 

prefent  at,  nor  partake  of  the  abominable  vices,  which  enter* 
edinto  the  Pagan  worfhip;  they  could  not  approve  the  im- 
purities committed  in  the  temples  of  Venus,  nor  the  revel- 
lings  prac^ifed  at  the  feafts  of  Bacchus ;  they  had,  no  doubt, 
a  facred  horror  at  all  thefe  deteftable  crimes  and  abufes.  They 
cried  out  againft  them,  yea,  fome  of  them  even  fuffered  mar- 
tyrdom to  reclaim  men  from  thefe  horrid  degradations.  Such 
was  Socrates ;  Dare  we  fay,  that  he  was  the  only  fage  among 
the  Pagans,  that  rebuked  and  reproved  the  fcandalous  abufes 
authorized  and  tolerated  by  the  Pagan  priefts?  Moreover, 
ought  we  to  look  upon  the  crimes  committed  by  the  Hea- 
thens upon  their  folemn  feftivals,  as  elfential  parts  of  their 
worfliip?   If  this   were  fo,   what  might  not  be  faid  agalnil: 
Chriltlanity?  Did  the  moll  holy  fouls  that  ever  were  among 
the  Chriftians,  approve  the  debaucheries  committed  in  the 
ancient,  nocturnal  pilgrimages  to  facred  wells,  monuments 
and  churches?  Do  pious  and  fober  Chriftians  juflify  theran- 
tings  and  excefles,  that  the  vulgar  fall  into,  upon  the  moft  fo- 
lemn feafts  and  holy-days  of  the  churchjin  all  feds  and  coun- 
try s  of  Chrlitcndom?  fhould  we  look  upon  thefe  abufes  and 
practices,  as  principles  of  the  Chriftian  religion?  Since  the 
different  feds  and  contending  parties  of  Chriftianity  revile, 
impeach,  and  accufe  each  other  with  the  highelt  injuftlce, 
and  endeavour  to  make  the  abufes  among  their  antagonlfts 
pafs  for  principles,  it  Is  poffible,  that  Chriftians  in  general 
may  have  judged  too  harfhiy  of  the  Pagan  practices,  and  en- 
deavoured to  make  them  pafs  for  articles  of  faith,  and  vices 
authorized  by  their  worfliip:  If  we  compare  the  abominations 
committed  at  the  feafts  of  Venus  and  Bacchus,  with  the  de- 
TART  2.  Eec 


402     OF  THE   THREE   UNIVERSAL 

baucheries  which  happen  upon  the  great  feftivals  of  the 
Chriftian  church,  we  will  find,  that  men  of  all  nations  and 
religions  are  much  the  fame;  but  mufl:  we  look  upon  thefe 
common  abufes,as  principles  of  the  primitive  Pagan  or  Chrif- 
tian  religion.    In  fine,  we  fliall  fuppofc,  that  the  natural  cu- 
pidity of  the  Pagans,  the  impious  trade  of  prieft-craft,  and 
the  falfe  politics  of  their  princes,  had  authorized  fiich  pra<n'i- 
ces;  that  the  ftupid  ignorance,  into  which  the  vulgar  Hea- 
thens fell,  about  the  true  fenfe  of  their  allegories,  made  them 
believe,  that  they  might  imitate  the  incefts,  vices  and  paflions,. 
which  the  poets  afcribed  to  the  Gods;  yet  this  does  not  prove, 
that  the  fame  God  who  preferved  Job,Naaman,  and  Corne- 
lius from  theinfedion  and  abufes  introduced  into  the  religi- 
on of  their  country,  tho'  they  were  not  members  of  the  Jew- 
ifli  church,  might  not,  and  cannot  to  this  day,  preferve  in- 
numerable others  from  the  fame  contagion,  tho'  they  be  not 
members  of  the  Chriftian  church.    Is  his  arm  fhortned,  and 
his  power  diminifhed?  It  is  to  thefe  unknown  fouls  hid  in  the 
bofom  of  Paganifm,  that  we  may  apply  thefe  words  of  the 
Pfalmifl:.    (a)  *  God  covers  them  under  the  fhadow  of  his 
'  wings;  his  truth  is  their  fhield,  and  their  buckler;  they  are 
^-  not  afraid  of  the  peftilence  (of  error)  that  walketh  in  dark- 

*  nefs;  nor  of  the  deftruftion   (of  impiety)  that  wafteth  at 

*  noon.  A  thoufand  fall  at  their  fide,  and  ten  thoufand  at 
'  their  right  hand, for  God  gives  his  angels  charge  over  them, 

*  to  guard  theiji  in  all  their  ways,  and  to  bear  them  on  their 
^  wings ;  left  they  dafh  their  foot  againft  a  ftone.  They 
'>  tread  upon  the  lions  (of  idolatry),  trample  upon  the  adders 

0i)PfaImxci.4.  to  14, 


MEANS    OF    RE -UN  ION.      403 

'*  (of  fuperftition),  and  the  dragons  (of  impurity).'  It  is  thus, 
that  amidll:  the  greatefl: pollutions,  they  remain  unpolluted; 
and  as  the  holy  and  piousminds  among  the  Chriftians  remain 
|)ure  and  unftained,  notwithftanding  of  the  fcandals,  impuri- 
ties, vices,  and  odious  crimes  that  prevail  very  oft  among 
popes,  prelates,  priefts  and  clergymen  of  all  fe<n:s,  denomina- 
tions and  communions;  fo  the  pious  and  upright  fouls,among 
the  Pagans,  are  preferved  pure  and  untainted,  notwithftan- 
ding  the  abufes  authorized  by  their  priefts  and  facrificers. 
This  is  one  of  the  miracles  of  Grace,  that  is  to  be  manifefled  at 
the  laft  day,  *  when  many  (hall  come  from  the  Eafl:,and  from 

*  the  Weft ;  from,  the  North,  and  from  the  South,  and  fit 

*  down  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  while  the  children  of  the 

*  kingdom  fhall  be  fhut  out,'  becaufe  of  their  real,  formal 
idolatry  and  impurity,  in  pr-eferring  the  creatures  to  Godjand 
loving  them  more  than  God,  tho'  thefe  nominal  children  of 
the  kingdom,  and  members  of  the  vifible  church  were  other- 
wife  fcrupulous  obfervers  of  all  the  ceremonies,  and  facra- 
ments  of  the  Mofaical  and  evangelical  law. 

5.  We  mufl:  always  diftinguifh,  betwixt  the  internal  ftate, 
fcntimcnts,  and  lights,  of  the  pure,  fimpler  upright  minds 
that  lived  and  died  in  the  womb  of  Paganifm,  and  the  fpccu- 
lative  fy items  of  religion,  given  by  the  incredulous  wits,  or 
the  credulous  priefts  among  the  Heathens.  Thefe  rwo  forts 
of  men  have,  without  any  connivance;  and  from  verydifie- 
rent  motives,  disfigured  religion,  and  given  very  falfe  notions 
of  it,  in  all  countries  and  ages.  What  itrange  ideas  would  an 
Indian,  or  a  Chinefe  philofopher  have  of  our  holy  religion, 
if  they  judged  by  the  fchemes  given  of  it  by  our  modern  frco 

Eee    2 


404     OF  THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

thinkers  and  Pharlfaical  do6tors  of  all  fe(fls :  According  to  the 
odious  and  too  vulgar  fyftem  of  thefe  incredulous  fcoffers, 
and  credulous  fcribblers,  *  The  God  of  the  Jews  is  a  moft 

*  cruel,unjuft,partial  and  fantaftical  being.  He  created,  about 

*  fix  thoufand  years  ago,   a  man  and  a  woman,  and  placed 

*  them  in  a  fine  garden  of  Afia,  of  which  there  are  no  re- 

*  mains.    This  garden  was  furnilhed  with  all  fort  of  trees, 

*  fountains,  and  flowers.    He  allowed  them  the  ufe  of  all  the 

*  fruits  of  this  beautiful  garden,  but  of  one  that  was  planted 

*  in  the  midft  thereof,  and  that  had  in  it  a  fecrct  virtue  of  pre- 

*  ferving  them  in  continual  health  and  vigour  of  body  and 

*  mind;  of  exalting  their  natural  powers,  and  making  them 
'  wife.    The  devil  entered  into  the  body  of  a  ferpent,  and  fol- 

*  licited  the  firft  woman,  to  cat  of  this  forbidden  fruit;  fhe 

*  engaged  her  hufband  to  do  the  fame.    To  punifh  this  flight 

*  curiofity,  and  natural  defire  of  life  and  knowledge,  God 

*  not  only  threw  our  firft  parents  out  of  Paradife,but  he  con- 
'  demncd  all  their  pofterity  to  temporal  mifery,  and  the  moft 

*  part  of  them  to  eternal  pains,  tho'  the  fouls  of  thefe  inno- 
'  cent  children  have  no  more  relation  to  thefe  of  Adam,  than 

*  to  thofe  of  Nero  and  Mahomet;   fince,  according  to  the 

*  fcholaftic  drivelers,  fabulifts  and  mythologies,  all  fouls  are 

*  created  pure,  and  infufed  immediately  into  mortal  botliesj 
'  fo  foon  as  the  foetus  is  formed.   To  accomplifh  the  barba- 

*  rous,  partial  decrees  of  predeftination  and  reprobation, God 

*  abandoned  all  nations  to  darknefs,  idolatry  and  fuperftiti- 

*  on,  without  any  faving  knowledge  orfalutary  graces;  un* 

*  lefs  it  was  one  particular  nation,  whom  he  chofe  as  his  pe- 

*  culiar  people.    This  chofen  iiation  was,  however;  the  mo(^ 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  405 

*  ftiipid,  ungrateful,  rebellious,  and  perfidious  of  all  nations. 
'  After  God  had  thus  kept  the  far  greatcftpart  of  all  the  hu- 
'  man  fpecies,  during  near  four  thoufand  years,  in  a  reprobate 
'  ftate,  he  changed  all  of  a  fudden,and  took  a  fancy  for  other 
'  nations,  befides  the  Jews.  Then  he  Tent  his  only  begotteii 

*  Son  to  the  world,under  a  human  form  to  appeafe  his  wrath, 
'  fatisfy  his  vindictive  julHce,  and  die  for  the  pardon  of  fin; 
'  Very  few  nations  have,  however,  heard  of  this  Gofpel,  and 

*  all  the  reft,  tho'  left  in  invincible  ignorance,  are  damned 

*  without  exception,  or  any  poffiblllty  of  remldion.  llie 
'  moft  of  thefc  who  have  heard  of  it,   have  changed  only 

*  fome  fpeculative  notions  about  God,  and  fome  external 
'  forms  in  worfhip ;  for  other\vife,the  bulk  of  Chriflians  have 
'  continued  as  corrupt,  as  the  reft  of  mankind,  in  their  mo- 
'  rals,yea,  fo  much  the  more  perverfe  and  criminal,  that  their 

*  lights  were  greater.  Unlefs  it  be  a  very  fmall/clca  number, 

*  all  other  Chrifl:ians,HkethePagans,will  be  for  ever  damned; 
'  the  great  facrifice  offered  up  for  them,  will  become  void  and 

*  of  no  effed.  God  will  delight  forever  in  their  torments  and 
'  blafphemies;  and  tho'  he  can  by  one  fiat,  change  their 

*  hearts,yet  they  will  remain  for  ever  unconverted  and  uncon- 

*  vertible,  becaufc  he  will  be  for  ever  unappcafable,  and  ir- 

*  reconcileable.lt  is  true,thatall  this  makes  God  odious,a  ha- 

*  ter  of  fouls,  rather  than  a  lover  of  them;  a  cruel,  vindiftive 

*  Tyrant,an  impotent,  or  a  wrathful  Demon,  rather  than  ark 

*  all-powerful,beneficentFather  offpiritsryetall  this  is  amy* 

*  ftery.    He  has  fecret  reafons  for  his  conducT:,  that  are  impe- 

*  netrable;  and  tho'  he  appears  unjull,  and  barbarous,  yet 
«  we  muft  believe  the  contrary,becaufe  what  is  injuilicCjCrimcj 


4o6     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

'  cruelty  and  the  blackeft  malice inus/is  in  him  juftice,mercy, 
*  and  fovereign  goodnefs.' 

Thus,  the  increduloas  freethinkers,  the  Judaizing  Chrif- 
tians,and  the  fataliftical  dodors  have  disfigured  and  difhonou- 
red  the  fublitne  myfteries  of  our  holy  faith;  thus,  they  have 
confounded  the  nature  of  good  and  evil;  transformed  the 
moft  monftrous  paflions  into  divine  attributes,  and  furpaffed 
the  Pagans  in  blafphemy,by  abfcribing  to  the  eternal  Nature 
as  perfedlions,  what  makes  the  mod  horrid  crimes  among 
men.  The  groffer  Pagans  contented  themfelves  to  divinize 
luftjincelt,  and  adultery ;  but  the  Predeftinarian  doctors  have 
divinized  Cruelty ,Wrath,Fury,Vengeance,and  all  the  black- 
eft  vices.  Is  it  any  w^onder,  if  the  fober  Deifts,  and  profound 
philofophers  rejeifl:  the  baflard  fchemes  of  Chriftianity,  as 
incompatible  with  the  divine  perfections?  It  is  much  in  the 
fame  nianner,that  the  incredulous  wits,  and  idolatrous  priefls., 
among  the  Pagans,  degraded,  adulterated,  and  transformed 
the  original  principles  and  emanations  of  the  antediluvian 
andNoevian  tradition:  but  there  were  ftill  among  them  ma- 
ny chofen  eleSi  fouls,  that  feparated  the  pure  from  the  im- 
pure, and  pra6lifed  the  ceremonies  of  their  external  worfhip, 
in  the  true  fpirit  of  their  primitive  infl:itution,by  the  pure  effi- 
cacy of  internal,  univcrfal  grace. 

6.  In  order  to  judge  of  the  miraculous  effeds  of  thefe  hid* 
den  operations  of  omnipotent,  all-comprehenfive  grace,  it 
would  be  neceffary  to  have  authentic  records  of  the  moral 
flateof  the  human  mind  in  all  ages  and  countrys,  fince  the 
fall :  but  we  have  few  or  none  of  fuch  monuments  left.  No 
hiftories  have  been  preferved  of  the  numberlcfs  nationSj  that 


MEANS    OF   RE -UN  ION.  407 

covered  the  face  of  the  earth;  unlefs  it  be  of  the  four  great 
empires,  which, however  extenfive,  yet  when  compared  with 
the  reft  of  the  habitable  world,  were  but  the  fmallcft  portion 
of  our  globe.  Among  thefe  numerous  nations,  w^hofe  names 
are  known  to  us,  we  havefcarce  a;ny  writings  preferved,  but 
of  the  Greeks  and  Romajis.  We  have  no  original  books 
left  of  the  AfTyrians,  Indians,  Medes,  Perfians,  Scythians, 
Egyptians,  Celtes,  Gauls,  and  Britons,  ancient  Europeans, 
Africans,  and  Americans.  Moreover,  the  hiftorians,  poets, 
orators,  philofophers,  and  learned  men  of  all  kinds,  are  not 
always  the  men  of  the  pureft  hearts  and  morals.  They  are, 
generally  fpeaking,  full  of  impure  paffions,  wild  imaginations, 
or  falfc  felf-love;  and  fo  are  not  flandards  by  which  we  ought 
to  judge  of  the  internal  difpofitions  of  fouls  hid  in  the  croud, 
who  cannot  exprefs,  far  Icfs  pen  their  inward  fentiments. 
'llio',  therefore,  we  had  preferved  all  the  niraierous  volumes 
loft  by  the  burning  of  the  ancient  librarys  mentioned  in  hif- 
tory,  yet  they  would  not  difcover  to  us  the  interior  moral 
ftate  of  thefe  pure,  upright,  and  flmple  minds  that  make  a 
good  ufeof  the  foeculative  errors,  material  idolatries,  and  fu- 
perftitious  rites,  to  which  they  are  expofed,  by  the  invincible 
ignorance  of  revealed  religion.  He,  that  is  the  fearcher  of 
hearts  and  tryer  of  reins;  He,  before  whom  all  things  are  na^ 
kedand  bare,has  declared  to  us,That  he  is'  the  lover  of  fouls; 

*  that  he  careth  for  all;  that  he  cureth  alt;  that  his  wifdoni 

*  flows  forth  into  all  nations,  and  makes  friends  of  God ;  that 

*  his  eternal.  Word  enlighterts  every  man  that  comes  into  the 

*  world;  that  the  Lamb  flain  from  the  foundation  of  the' 
*■  earth  died  to  fave  all ;  that  he  deflres  that  all  fliould  beJa- 


:p8  OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 
'  ved,  and  come  to  the  knowledge  of  truth ;  that  he  makes  no 
'  exception  of  perfons ;  that  he  is  equally  the  God  of  all,both 
*  Jews  and  Gentiles ;'  and  therefore,  that  he  denies  to  none 
the  eifential  means  of  falvation  ;  For,  othcrwife,  thefe  Scrip- 
tural declarations  of  his  univerfal  beneficence  would  be  hy- 
perbolical,fallacious,  and  illufory.  This  is  a  more  faithful  ac- 
count of  the  internal,  hidden,  moral  ftate  of  mankind;  than 
all  the  hiftoriesand  volumes  that  mortals  can  pen. 

To  prove  this  doctrine  by  authentic  fads,  almighty  Pro- 
vidence has  preferved  fuch  vcftiges  of  divine  light  and  virtue 
amon^  the  Pagans,  and  in  the  writing-s  that  have  been  faved 
from  the  fliipwrack  of  antiquity,  that  no  doubt  can  be  made 
of  the  boundlefs  extent  of  univerfal  grace.  This  we  fliall  de- 
raonftrate  from  fome  fragments  contained  in  the  Greek  and 
Latin  authors,  in  the  works  of  the  primitive  fathers  of  the 
church,  and  in  the  obfervations  made  by  fome  travellers  into 
Afia,  Africa  and  America. 

We  begin  fird:  with  the  Chlnefe.  Their  original  books 
fpeak  very  oft  of  the  three  necelTary  means  of  re-uniting  the 
foul  to  God  by  contemplation,  or  prayer ;  by  the  facrifice  of 
the  padions,  or  mortification ;  by  humility,  or  felf-denial.  In 
the  bookCHU-KiNG,  we  find  thefe  expreflions,  *  The  Ti- 
'  EN,  or  fovereign  Lord  of  heaven  produced  all  the  nations 

*  of  the  world,  and  reigns  over  them;  but  he  efteems  virtue 

*  alone.    He  makes  no  exception  of  perfons,  and  loves  them 

*  only  in  fo  far,  as  they  adore  him  attentively.    We  mufl  afk 

*  from  him  immortal  life,  he  hears  the  prayers  of  the  merci- 

*  ful,  but  he  deftroys  the  wicked.    Meng-tsee,  in  com- 
^  menting  upon  this  facredbook,faySjTruthJufliccand  Cha- 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  409 

*  rity  are  the  titles  which  make  us  approach  to  heaven,  and 

*  which  heaven  alone  confers.    To  watch  over  our  heart,  and 

*  to  nourlfh  our  minds,  is  the  true  worfhip  that  heaven  de- 

*  mands.'  We  find  in  thefame  bookCnu-KiNGjthefe  admi- 
rable maxims,  '  fovcrcign  perfe<n:Ion  confifts  In  being  rc-uni- 

*  ted  to  the  fupream  Unity.  The  foul  was  at  firfi:  all  luminous, 

*  but  It  was  obfcured  at  laft.    We  muft  labour  to  refiore  It  to 

*  its  primitive  light.  Now  it  Is  only  by  deftroying  all  falfe  de- 
'  fires  and  felf-love,  that  we  can  difcover  the  celeftlal  reafbn.' 
In  the  chapter  Ki  ang-hio  of  thefame  book  Chu-king, 
thefe  words  are  found,  (a)  '  What  is  called  reafon,  is  pro- 
'  pcrlyan  attribute  of  Tien,  or  of  the  fupream  God.    The 

*  talents  and  the  lights  which  he  communicates  to  men, are  a 
'  participation  of  this  reafon.   What  is  called  reafon  In  the 

*  Tien,  Is  in  man,  virtue;  and  when  he  reduces  It  into  prac- 

*  tice,  It  Is  called  jufticc.    Our  own  will  and  the  corruption 

*  of  the  heart  very  oft  darken  this  reafon  ;  when  it  is  once 

*  obfcured,  the  virtue  of  the  heart  Is  mixed  and  adulterated. 

*  When  the  Internal  virtues  are  no  more  pure,  we  foon  aban- 

*  don  juftlce  from  without;  wherefore,  the  truly  wife-man 

*  remains  within  himfelf,  and  piety  rules  all  his  conduct.' 
Here  then  Is  a  Hate  of  perpetual.  Inward  recolle(ftion.  In  the 
fame  book  of  Chu-king,  we  find  thefe  w^ords,  ^  To  fancy 
'  that  we  have  virtue,  is  to  have  very  little  of  It.  The  ftudy 
'  of  wifdom  confifts  In  being  very  humble,  as  If  we  were  In- 

*  capable  of  every  thing;  and  yet  be  ardent,  as'if  we  could 
<  do  all."  In  the  bookCniKiNG,  we  read  thefe  words,  *  The 

*  fovcrcign  Lord  faid  to  Venwang,  or  the  prince  of  Peace 

(a)  See  father  du  Haldes'  hiftorical  account  of  China  vol.  ii.  page  276.  Sic. 
PART  2.  Fff 


4IO     OF  THE   THREE   UNIVERSAL 

*  I  love  a  pure  and  fimple  virtue  like  thine.  It  makes  no  noife, 

*  it  does  not  dazzle  from  without.   It  is  not  forward,   nor 

*  proud.    In  feeing  thee,  one  would  fay,  that  thou  had  no 

*  light,  nor  knowledge;  but  to  conform  thyfelf  to  my  or- 

*  ders.  The  fupreamTiEN  hates  the  proud,  and  loves  the 
^  humble.    There  is  not  one  inftant,  wherein  I  cannot  of- 

*  fend  TiEN;  how  then  can  we  have  one  moment's  joy  in 
'  this  miferable  life?  the  augufl:  heaven  loves  only  thofe  who 
'  declare  themfelves  lovers  ofjuftice,  and  virtue.  Watch  con- 
^  tinually  over  the  leafl  things.  When  thou  art  in.  the  fecret 
'  of  thy  houle,  do  not  fay.  None  fee  me,  for  there  is  an  in- 
'  telligent  fpirit  that  fees  all.  Tien  pierces  into  the  bottom 

*  of  the  hearts,  as  light  into  a  dark  room.  We  muft  endea- 
'  vour  to  correfpond  to  his  lights,  as  a  mufical  inftrument  per- 
'  fe6lly  tuned.    We  muft  unite  ourfelves  to  him,  as  two  mar- 

*  bles,  that  feem  but  one.  We  mufl:  receive  from  his  hand, 
'  fo  foon,  as  he  opens  it.  He  enlightens  us  continually  ;  but 
'  by  our  diforderly  paflions,  we  fhut  up  the  entry  of  our 

*  fouls.  Tc  H  u  c  H I  ,in  commenting  upon  thefe  paffages,  fays, 
'  That  it  is  not  fufficient  to  regulate  the  outward  man,  but 

*  that  we  mufl:  watch  over  the  leafr  motions  of  the  inward 
'  man.'  Here  is  great  purity  of  heart,  fynonimous  to  inward 
recollection,  and  Chrifl:ian  vigilance.  A  commentator  upon 
TcHUCHi,  and  one  of  his  difciples  defines  thus  the  perfcvft 
fage,  '  He  is  full  of  fweetnefs  and  condefcenfion.  He  is  hum- 

*  ble,  and  ajways  ready  to  yield  to  others.  One  would  fay 
'  in  hearing  him,  that  he  knows  nothing  and  is  capable  of 

*  nothing.  The  fublimeft  virtues  are  founded  upon  humility; 
^  and  there  is  no  man  fo  enlightned,  as  he  that  believes  his 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNION.      411 

*  lights  very  bounded.'  The  book  TuHio  wrote  by  Con- 
fucius, and  commented  on  by  his  difciple  Tseng t-see, 
fpeaks  continually,  *  of  reftoring  in  us  that  primitive  light 

*  and  purity,  which  the  foul  received  from  heaven,  upon  its 

*  firfl:  creation,which  it  has  loft  by  fin, and  which  heaven  alone 

*  can  render  to  it,  by  its  internal  irradiations,and  influences/ 
The  canonical  books  of  China,  and  the  moft  ancient  com- 
mentators upon  them,  who  lived  long  before  the  Chriftian 
aera,  are  full  offuch  pafTages,  in  commendation  of  internal 
prayer,  purity  and  humility,  inward  recolle(5lion,  continual 
vigilance  and  true  fclf-denial. 

We  have  no  books  left  of  the  ancient  Indians,  Perfians, 
and  Egyptians;  yet  we  find  fome  fragments  of  their  moral 
do(5lrines  among  the  ancients. 

Strabo  gives  us  a  fine  defcription  of  the  Gymnofophifts 
taken  from  Megafthenes,  Nearchus,  Oneficritus,  Ariftobu- 
lus,  and  others,  (a)  *  There  are  two  kinds  of  philofophers 
'  among  the  Indians,  the  one  called  Brachmans,  and  the 
'  other  Germans.  The  Brachmans  excell,  and  their  dodlrines 
'  are  more  confiftent.    They  have  learned  men  to  take  a  care 

*  of  them  from  their  birth,  who  come  to  the  mother  and  in- 

*  fant  on  pretence  of  wifliing  happinefs  to  both ;  but  in  rea- 

*  lity  to  give  them  moral  precepts  for  temperance.  After  their 

*  birth,  different  teachers  fuccecd  one  another  in  the  care  of 

*  them,  and  ftlll  thofe  more  elegant,  as  they  advance  in  years. 

*  Thefe  philofophers  dwell  in  a  grove  with  a  fmall  inclofure 

*  before  the  city;  and  live  frugally,  lying  on  mats  and  fkins, 
<  abftaining  from  flefh  and  venereal  pleafures,  hearing  good 

(a)Strabo.  Lutet.  Par.  typ.  reg.  1620.  p. 7 12. 

Fff  2 


412     OF   THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  difcourfes,  and  communicating  them  to  all  willing  to  hear 

*  them.    The  hearer  mult  neither  fpeak,  nor  hawk,nay,  nor 

*  fpit;  elfe  he  is  for  that  day  excluded  the  meeting,  as  intem- 

*  perate.  Moftof  their  difcourfes  are  concerning  death.They 

*  imagine  this  prefent  life,  the  infancy,  as  it  were,  ofourbe- 
'  ing;  and  that  death  is  an  entry  to  a  truly  happy  life  for 

*  thofe  who  philofophize :  therefore  they  make  the  greatefl: 

*  preparation  for  it.  They  maintain  that  God  who  made  and 
'  governs  the  world,  pervades  the  whole.    Theycompofe  fa- 

*  bles,  like  Plato,  about  the  incorruptibility  of  the  foul,  and 

*  the  judgments  in  Hades, all  tending  to  piety  and  holinefs.' 

(a)  '  Among  the  Ba(n:rlans  and  Indians,  fays  Bardcfanes, 

*  there  are  many  thoufinds  of  thofe  called  Brachmans,  who, 

*  according  to  their  laws,  and  the  tradition  of  their  anceilors, 

*  neither  commit  murder,  nor  worfliip  images,  nor  eat  any 
'  animal  food.  T  hey  never  tafte  wine ;  nor  any  ilrong  drink; 

*  and  fhare  in  no  vice,  but  adhere  to  God.' 

According  to  Porphyry,  (b)  '  The  Gymnofophlfts  are 

*  compofed  of  two  fe<5ls,  the  Brachmans,  and  the  Samaneans. 
'  The  Brachmans  fucceed  one  another  by  birth,  in  their  di- 
'  vine  philofophy,  as  well  as  the  priefthood:  but  the  Sama- 
'  ncans  are  all  elefted,  and  conliftof  fuch  as  incline  to  philo- 

*  fophize  in  this  way.   Bardcfanes  the  Babylonian  fays,  the 

*  Brachmans  are  not  fubjeft  to  the  laws  of  the  ftate,  and  have 

*  no  commerce  with  others.  Some  of  thefe  philofophers 
t  dwell  on  the  mountains,  and  others  on  the  river  Ganges. 
<  Thofe  on  the  mountains  feed  on  fruit,  and  cows  milk  con- 
i  gealed  with  herbs ;  but  thefe  at  the  Ganges  live  on  fruit 

(a) Eufebij  praep  evang.  Paris  1628.  p.  275,         (b)  De  Abftinentia  lib.  4. 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  41^ 

only,  that  grows  in  great  plenty  along  the  river.  The  conn- 
try  almoft  always  produces  new  fruit  and  large  quantities 
of  wild  barley,  which  they  ufe  when  their  fruit  fails.  They 
reckon  it  the  utmoft  uncleannefs  and  impurity  to  tafleany 
other  thing,  or  fo  much  as  to  touch  any  animal  food.  This 
is  their  opinion.  They  worfliip  the  divinity,  and  ferve  him 
with  true  piety.  Each  in  his  own  apartment,  and  in  private 
by  himfelf,  fpends  the  mofl:  part  both  of  the  night  and  day 
in  prayers  and  hymns  to  the  Gods ;  for  the  Brachmans  can- 
not endure.to  live  in  common.  And  if  at  any  time  they  are 
obliged  to  It,  they  retire  afterwards,  and  fpeak  not  for  ma- 
ny days ;  and  fall:  very  frequently.  The  Samaneans,  we 
told,  are  elected.  When  any  one  is  to  be  lided  in  their  fo- 
ciety,  he  goes  to  the  governors  of  the  city,  or  village,  and 
ftrips  himfelf  of  all  his  wealth  and  poiTeflions.  He  fhavcs  all 
the  fuperfluous  ornaments  of  the  body,  puts  on  the  robe, 
and  immediately  departs  to  the  Samaneans,  without  fpeak- 
ing  either  to  his  wife  or  children,  if  he  has  any,  or  expref-' 
fmg  the  Icafl:  regard  for  them.  The  king  provides  his  chil- 
dren in  the  neceiTaries  of  life,  and  his  friends  take  a  care  of 
his  wife.  The  Samaneans  live  thus.  They  lodge  without 
the  city,  and  fpend  the  whole  day  in  difcourfing  about  the 
Deity.  They  have  houfes  and  temples  built  by  the  king, 
in  which  there  are  ftewards  who  receive  fome  allowance 
from  the  prince  to  entertain  all  thofe  who  refort  to  that 
place.  Their  food  is  barley,  bread,  fruit  and  pot-herbs. 
When  they  enter  the  houfe,  at  the  found  of  the  bell,  every 
body  elfe  departs,  and  the  Samaneans  pray.  After  prayers, 
the  bell  rings  a  fecond  time,  and  the  fervants  give  a  plate  of 


414     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  barley  to  each ;  for  two  of  them  never  eat  out  of  one  difh. 

*  They  give  a  few  pot-herbs,  or  a  little  fruit  to  him  v^^ho  de- 

*  fires  a  variety.    The  meal  is  foon  over,  and  each  returns  to 

*  his  own  apartment;  and  all  of  them  live  without  either 

*  riches  or  wives.    Both  they  and  the  Brachmans  are  held  in 

*  fo  great  a  veneration  by  the  reft  of  their  countrymen,  that 

*  the  king  himfelf  often  vifits  them,  afks  their  advice,  and  in- 

*  treats  their  prayers  in  every  publick  calamity.  Such  are  their 

*  views  of  death,  that  with  reluctance  they  endure  life,  as  a 

*  piece  of  neceflary  bondage  to  nature,  and  hafte  to  fet  the 
'  foul  at  liberty  from  the  body.    Nay  often,  when  in  good 

*  health,  and  no  evil  to  difturb  them,  they  depart  life,  adver- 

*  tifing  it  before  hand.   No  man  hinders  them,  but  all  reckon 

*  them  happyjand  fend  commiflions  along  with  them  to  their 
'  dead  friends.    So  ftrong  and  firm  is  their  belief  of  a  future 

*  life  for  the  foul,  where  they  fliall  enjoy  one  another.  After 

*  receiving  all  their  commands,  they  deliver  themfelves  to  the 

*  fire,  that  they  may  feparate  the  foul  as  pure  as  pofFible  from 

*  the  body,  and  expire  finging  hymns.    Their  old  friends  at- 

*  tend  them  to  death  with  more  eafe,  than  other  men  their 
'  fellow-citizens  to  a  long  journey.  They  deplore  their  own 
'  ftate  for  furviving  them,  and  deem  them  happy  in  their  im- 
'  mortality.' 

We  fliould  form  a  very  high  idea  of  the  fpirit  of  the  Brach- 
mans, and  the  genius  of  their  philofophy,  were  we  to  credit 
their  conferences  with  Alexander  the  King  of  Macedon,  as 
defcribed  by  Palladius,  St.  Ambrofe,  and  the  anonymous  au- 
thor on  that  fubjed.  Though  thefe  are'  all  romances,  yet  as 
they  agree  in  the  principal  fads,they  may  befuppofed  to  write 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  415 

in  charaifler,  and  to  reprefent  thefe  philofophers,  according 
to  the  notion  the  world  then  entertained  of  them,  (a)  '  The 

*  Bragmans,  fays  Palladius, renounce  fociety,not  from  choice 

*  like  the  monks,  but  by  the  orders  of  God.    They  dwell  by 

*  the  river  Ganges,  and  live  naked  following  nature.    They 

*  have  neither  beads,  inftruments  for  hufbandry,  houfes,  fire, 
'  bread,  wine,  clothes,  nor  any  thing  elfe  tending  either  to 
'  ufe  or  pieafure.    They  live  in  a  pleafant,  temperate,   and 

*  beautiful  climate.  They  know,  and  worfhip  God.  They 
'  pray  incelTantly,  but  cannot  reafon  accurately  concerning 

*  Providence.  In  prayer,  they  lift  their  eyes  to  heaven,  and 
'  difregard  the  ceremony  of  turning  to  the  EaPc.    They  feed 

*  on  acorns,  wild  herbs,  and  whatever  elfe  the  uncultivated 

*  earth  produces.  They  drink  water,  lodge  in  the  woods,  and 

*  make  their  bed  on  the  leaves.'  In  the  fame  treatife,  they  are 
reprefented  as  addrefling  Alexander  in  the  following  terms, 
making  their  own  life  a  contraft  to  his.    (b)  *  We  Bragmans 

*  ftrengthen  ourfelves,  by  quelling  the  diforders  within ;  we 

*  rcpofe  ourfelves  contemplating  the  woods  and  heaven;  we 

*  liften  to  the  melodious  accents  of  the  birds,  and  the  found- 

*  ing  flight  of  the  eagle;  we  clothe  ourfelves  with  leaves,  live 
'  in  the  open  air,  feed  on  fruits,  drink  water,  fing  hymns  to 

*  God,  acqulefce  in  whatever  happens,  and  hear  nothing  but 

*  what  profits  us.'  We  have  a  fpecimen  of  their  devotion  in 
that  fhorthymn  of  Dandamis  to  thefupream  Being,  (c) '  Im- 
'  mortal  Lord,  I  thank  thee  in  every  thing.  Thou  alone  ru- 

*  left  over  all,  and  richly  fupplieft  all  thy  creatures  with  food. 

(a)  Palladius  de  Gentlbus  Indiae  et  Bragmanibus  Lond.  1668.  P.  7.     (b)Iden)j 
p.  15.         (c)  Idem,  p.  39. 


4i6     OF  THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

'  Thou  haft  created  this  world,  and  ftill  fupporteft  it,  waiting 

*  for  the  fouls  thou  haft  fent  hither,  that  in  a  manner  worthy 

*  of  God,  thou  mayft  reward  the  virtuous,  and  punifli  the 

*  difobedient  to  thy  laws.  Every  juft  judgment  is  with  thee, 
^  and  at  thy  right  hand  is  life  eternal.   Thou  pitieft  all  men 

*  with  everlafting  goodnefs.' 

There  is,  perhaps,  no  part  of  learning  more  buried  In  the 
ruins  of  time,  and  more  difficult  to  be  dug  up  again,  than  the 
whole  of  the  Oriental  philofophy ;  but  cfpecially  that  of  the 
Magi.  The  only  remains  of  it  now  extant  have  been  tranf- 
mittedto  us  by  the  Greeks;  and  that  in  a  very  imperfect  and 
obfcure  way.  We  are  well  afTured,  that  Pythagoras,  and 
others  of  their  great  men,  borrowed  from  it  what  they  found 
for  their  purpofe;  but  havefo  mixed  it  with  their  own  philo- 
fophy, that  it  Is  often  ImpofTible  to  diftinguifli  between  them. 
(a)  Porphyry  fays  it  was  a  report  in  his  time,that '  Pythagoras 

*  had  receis'ed  what  concerns  the  worfliip  of  the  Gods,  and 
'  the  other  ftudies  relating  to  the  conduct  of  hfe  from  the 

*  Magi.'  (b)  The  fame  author  cites  Diogenes  as  aflerting  In 
-his  book  on  the  wonders  beyond  Thule,  that  *  Pythagoras 
'  eonverfcd  with  Zabratusand  other  Chaldeans  at  Babylon, 

*  who  purified  him  from  tlie  polkitions  of  his  former  life, 
'  and  taught  him  what  things  good  men  fhould  abftain  from. 
'  There  he  heard  difcourfes  concerning  nature,  and  the  firft 

*  principles  of  all  things.'    (c)  Jamblichus  fays,  '  He  fpent 

*  twelve  years  at  Babylon,  freely  converfing  with  the  Magi, 

*  was  InftruiHied  in  every  thing  venerable  among  them,  and 

(a)  Porphyrius  de  vita  Pythagorae,  Kufteri.       (b)  Idem  ibid.  p.  15.     (c)  Jam- 
blichus de  vita  Pythag.  Kufteri.  p.  15. 


MEANS   OF    RE-UNION.  417 

■*  learned  the  moft  perfed  worflilp  of  the  Gods.'  (a)  In  ano~ 
ther  place,  he  alleges,  that  Pythagoras  had  borrowed  his  di- 
vine phllorophy,and  the  worfliip  of  the  Gods,  from  the  Chal- 
deans and  the  Magi. 

Pliny  afcribes  to  Zoroafter  a  life  of  great  temperance  in 
the  deferts  for  twenty  years  (b).  Plutarch  informs  us  that  he 
taught  the  Perfians  to  offer  to  the  God  Oromafdes  fuch  fa- 
crifices  as  were  expreflive  of  prayer  and  thankfgiving,  (c).  Ac- 
cording to  Suidas,  the  Magi  among  the  Perfians  the  difciples 
of  Zoroafter  were  devoted  to  the  Itudy  of  philofophy,  and 
the  love  of  God.  Xenophon  fays  the  Magi  were  appointed 
by  Cyrus  to-fing  hymns  and  facrifice  to  the  Gods  every  day 
(d).  *  The  Magi,  fays  Clitarchus  in  Laertius,  fpend  their 

*  time  in  the  worfhip  of  the  Gods,  in  facrificing  and  prayer, 

*  as  if  they  alone  were  heard.    They  condemn  images,  and 

*  efpccially  thofe  people  who  fay  the  Gods  are  male  and  fe- 
'  male.  They  difcourfe  on  juftice'  (e).  Solion  afcribes  to 
them  a  hardy  and  frugal  life  (  f ).  Philo  fays  they  fearch  the 
works  of  nature  for  the  difcovery  of  truth,  and  are  gradually 
initiated  in  the  divine  virtues  (g).  We  are  told  by  Serinus  in 
Stobaeus,  that  the  kings  of  Perfia  difcourfed  of  '  piety  bc- 

*  fore  their  facrifices;  of  temperance,  before  drinking;  and 
'  of  valour,  when  about  to  war  (h).'  And  we  learn  from  Sui- 
das, that  no  man  could  be  initiated  in  the  worfhip  of  the  God 
Mithras,  till  he  had  given  the  ftrongefl:  evidences,  that  he  was 
holy,  and  fuperior  to  all  thepaffions. 

(a)  Id.  Ibid.  p.  127.  (b)  Plln.lib.  II.  c.  42.  (c)  Plutafch  de  ifid.  et  Ofirld. 
(d)  Xenophon  Cyrop.  lib.  8.  (e)  Laertius  de  vitis  pliilofoph.  edit.  Menag.  Am- 
ftel.  1692.P.  5.  (f)ldem,ibid.  (g)Philonis opera. Paris.  1640.  p.  876.  (h) 
Stobaeus  p.  294. 

PART2.  ^g§ 


4i8     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

The  Eaftern  nations  feem  to  have  been  much  more  fond 
of  concealing  their  knowledge,  than  the  Europeans.    How- 
far  this  was  owing  to  the  grave,  flow  genius  of  that  people, 
and  the  form  of  their  government, would  be  a  curious  enqui- 
ry.   It  is  very  certain,  that  the  methods  ufed  to  improve  the 
fciences,  and  hand  them  down  to  future  ages,  w^cre  pretty 
much  the  fame,  through  all  the  Eaft.    So  far  as  we  can  judge 
of  them,  both  from  their  ancient  and  modern  hiftory,  they 
have  been  every  way  more  uniform,  and  more  confident 
with  themfelves,  than  the  reft  of  the  world.    Moil  of  their 
learned  purfuits  were  rather  intended  to  preferve  the  doc- 
trines of  their  forefathers,  and  tranfmit  their  traditions  incor- 
rupted  through  the  pure  channel  of  the  initiated  to  the  lateft 
generations;  than  to  new-model  the  fciences  by  the  force  of 
genius,  or  refine  their  ancient  (lock.  Accordingly,  we  fee  the 
fciences  were  often  confined  to  certain  families;  and  not,  as 
in  Greece,  communicated  by  public  teachers  promifcuoufly 
to  every  hearer.  And  hence  it  is,  that  the  favourite  principles 
of  their  ancient  philofophy  as  defcribed  by  the  Greeks,  con- 
tinue to  prevail  in  moft  eaftern  countries  at  this  very  day. 
Hyde,  in  his  book  de  Religione  Veterum  Perfarum,  endea- 
vours to  fhow,  that  in  the  devoutefl  manner,  the  Perfians  ul- 
timately worfhipped  the  true  God  alone  as  the  all-powerful 
former  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  excelled  mofl  nations  of  the 
world  in  piety,  and  the  exercife  of  all  the  divine  virtues.    We 
may  form  an  idea  of  their  devotion,  from  the  introdu»5lion  to 
the  Perilan  book  called  Sad-der,  where  the  author  addreffes 
the  fupream  being  in  a  few  pious  foliloquies.    (a)  ^  O  God, 
(a)  Hyde  derelig.  Vet.  Perf,  cap.  33.  p.  397. 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNION.      419 

*  enlighten  my  heart ;  I  am  poor,  enrich  me.  I  am  fallen  in- 

*  to  a  corner  of  obfcurity,  and  funk  in  numbcrlcfs  evils  by 

*  vice.    Free  my  heart  from  impurity,  and  direct  me  in  my 

*  way.  Remove  evil  far  from  me,  and  irradiate  my  heart  and 

*  countenance  with  thy  light.  Let  not  vice  gain  the  afcendant 
'  over  my  body;  but  lead  me  by  the  hand,  O  my  Creator. 

*  Wean  my  heart  from  avarice  and  ambition ;  alTifl:  me  by 

*  thy  favour  and  beneficence.    Make  my  foul  capable  of  a 

*  fecret,and  open  the  gates  of  plenty  before  my  face.  O  God! 
'  thou  knowefl:  my  poverty:  I  am  ftill  in  the  net  of  vice  and 

*  impurity.    Rcfcue  me  from  the  fnares  of  thefe  furies;  for 

*  thou  cheriftiefl: and  forglvefl:  me.  O  God!  thou  areconfci- 
'  ous  of  what  I  do,  thou  knowefl:  my  affairs,  and  all  my  fe- 

*  crets.    I  have  girt  myfelf  in  the  way  of  thy  religion,   and 

*  broke  off  all  my  dcpcndance  on  the  creature.  I  will  truft  in 
'  thee,  O  thoumoftjull:.' 

The  Chaldean  oracles,  which  contain,  as  we  have  faid, 
fome  fragments  of  the  true  genuine  fentlments  of  the  Orien- 
tals, reprefcnt  piety  and  virtue,  as  the  only  proper  (leps  for 
the  foul's  afcent  to  her  ancient  abode,    (a)  '  Search  thou  the 

*  path  of  the  foul  whence  flie  came  ;  or  what  way,  after  fer- 

*  ving  the  body,  by  joining  work  with  facred  fpcech,  thou 

*  fhalt  raife  her  again  to  the  fame  (late  whence  fhe  fell.'  This 
oracle  is  thus  explained  by  Pletho  In  his  commentary.  *  The 
'  Magi  Zoroafler's  followers,  with  many  others,  believe  the 

*  immortality  of  the  human  foul,and  that  flie  defcended  from 

*  on  high  to  fcrve  a  mortal  body,  to  labour  with  It  for  fome 

*  time,  to  animate  and  adorn  it  as  much  as  fhe  can,  and  then 

(a)  Oracula  Magica  Zoroaftris  cum  fcholiis  Pkthonis  et  Pfelli,  (ludio  Opfopoei. 

Ggg   2 


420     OF  THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  return  again.  The  foul  when  above  has  feveral  abodes,  one 

*  himinous,  another  dark,  and  fome  filled  with  an  equal  mix- 

*  ture  of  light  and  darknefs.  Sometimes  fhe  fmks  into  the  bo- 

*  dy  from  the  luminous  abode,and  after  a  virtuous  behaviour, 
'  returns  again  to  the  fame  place;  but  if  evil,  fhe  retires  to  a 

*  worfe  place,  in  proportion  to  her  condu(fl:  in  life.  There- 
'  fore  the  oracle  fays,  "  Search  thou  the  path  of  the  foul,  " 
'  that  is,  the  way  that  the  foul  fell;  "  whence,  or  by  what 
*'  conduft, "  that  is,  of  life,  "  after  ferving  the  body,  thou 
*'  fhalt  raife  her  again  to  the  fame  (late,  whence  fhe  fell,"  that 
<  is,  in  the  fame  path,  "  by  joining  work  with  facred  fpecch." 

*  By  facred  fpecch,  he  means  piety;  and  by  work,  facrifice. 

*  The  oracle  then  fays,  that  piety  and  facrifice  are  nccefTary 

*  for  theafcent  of  the  foul.'  In  this  our  return  to  heaven,  the 
oracle  advifestolay  afide  all  anxious  pafTionate  concern  about 
life  and  death,  and  every  thing  elfe;  and  entirely  deliver  the 
foul  to  the  condud:  of  fupream  Wifdom.   '  Force  not  forth 

*  the  foul,  left  (he  depart  with  fome  incumbrance.'  Accor- 
ding to  Pfellus^  '  This  oracle  orders  man  not  to  concern 
'  himfclf  about  the  departure  of  the  foul,or  be  follicitous  hov/ 
'  fhe  leave  the  body;  but  to  yield  to  the  natural  law  of  difTo- 
'  luiion.    Anxiety  about  the  diffolution  of  the  body,  and  the 

*  departure  of  the  foul,  diverts  and  withdraws  the  intelle^ 

*  from  fuperior  concerns,  and  retards  the  perfe6l  purification 

*  of  the  foul.  Her  departure  is  not  abfolutely  frce,but  ftill  en- 

*  tangled  with  fome  fhare  of  paflion,  if  we  are  in  the  leaft 
'  concerned  about  our  feparation  at  the  approach  of  death. 
'  One  ought,fays  the  Chaldean,to  be  anxious  about  nothing, 

*  except  the  fuperior  illummations,  or  rather,  not  even  about 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  421 

*  thefe;  but  furrender  himfelf  to  the  angelical  and  divine 

*  powers  that  tranrport  us  to  heaven,  and  follow  God  his 

*  leader  without  care  or  thought,  after  filencing  the  fenfcs 

*  both  of  foul  and  body.'  At  the  fame  time,  the  oracle  en- 
joins us  a  fpeedy  return  to  our  celeftial  Parent.  '  Thou  mult 

*  haftc  to  the  light  and  fplcndors  of  the  Father,  whence  thy 
'  foul  was  fent  hither  clothed  with  much  intelligence.'  In  ex- 
plaining this,  Pletho  fays,  *  The  light  and  fplendors  of  the 
'  Father  are  the  luminous  place  of  the  foul,  whence  clothed 

*  with  much  intelligence  it  was  fent  hither.    We  muft  then 

*  hafte  back  again  to  this  light.'  It  v/as  underftood  in  the  fame 
fenfe  by  Pfellus.   *  Since  the  foul  came  dovi'n  from  God,  let 

*  it  return  to  him  again,  and  afcend  to  the  divine  light.    It 

*  came  hither  clothed  with  much  intelligence;  that  is,  v/hcn 
'  itdefcended  into  this  earth,  the  Creator  and  Father  implan- 

*  ted  in  it  fome  remembrance  of  a  more  divine  ftatc,  and  by 

*  this  it  afcends  thither  again.'  They  exprcsfly  declare  that  a 
true  union  with  God,  muft  arife  from  divelHng  the  foul  of 
every  thing  mortal.  '  The  human  foul  who  has  nothing  mor- 

*  tal  within  her,will  affedionately  embrace  God,and  be  whol^ 

*  ly  inebriated  with  him:  then  Ihe  boafls  of  her  union  with  the 

*  mortal  body.'    It  is  thus  paraphrafed  by  Pletho.  '  The  hu- 

*  man  foul  who  has  nothing  mortal  within  her,  by  a  ftrong 

*  union  will  affecflionately  embrace  God  her  perpetual  gover- 

*  nor,  and  refemble  him  as  much  as  fhe  can.    Then  flic  is  al<- 

*  together  inebriated  with  God,and  filled  with  divine  virtues. 

*  Though  then  chained  to  a  mortal  body,  yet  flie  boafls  of 

*  her  union  with  it,  that  is,  fhe  is  not  afhamcd,  but  rather  ela^ 

*  ted,  as  if  fhe  were  fo  far  fubfervient  to  the  univerfe,  as.  to 


422     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  unite  things  mortal  to  things  immortal  by  man,  and  thus 

*  harmonioufly  to  connect  the  whole'  Pfeilus  underftood  it 
in  the  fame  light.  '  The  foul,  fays  the  oracle,  embraces  God, 
^  that  is,  forces  the  divinefireintoherfelf  by  her  immortality 

*  and  purity.    Then  fheis  wholly  inebriated,  that  is,  filled 

*  with  afuperior  life  and  illumination,  and,  as  it  were,  tran- 

*  fportedoutof  herfelf.' 

The  modern  Perfians  and  Turks,  have  the  grandeft  and 
nobleft  ideas  about  internal  piety,  true  felf-denial,  and  felf- 
annihilation  before  God;  as  appears  from  the  following  ex- 
trads  outoffome  of  their  principal  writers,  as  tranflated  by 
Herbelot  in  his  Bibliotheque  Orientale. 

*  Prayer  conduds  us  the  half  of  the  way  to  God,  fading 
'  leads  to  the  very  gate  of  his  palace,  and  charity  gives  admif- 
'  fion  (a).    Thofe  who  perfevere  in  prayer,  are  truely  in  queft 

*  of  God  ;  and  fhall  infallibly  be  united  to  him.  This  is  to 
'  feek  his  face  (b).    But  he  from  whom  God  conceals  him- 

*  fclf,  can  have  no  knowledge  of  him.   Till  he  lift  the  veil 

*  that  covers  his  countenance,  no  creature  can  remove  it;  and 
'  though  the  whole  univcrfe  fhould  ferve  as  a  veil  to  hide  him, 

*  they  to  whom  he  unveils  himfelf  can  have  nothing  to  fear 
'*■  (c).    Thofc  who  fhall  perform  all  their  a<5lions  in  the  pre- 

*  fenceof  God,  thofe  who  are  conftant  in  prayer,  thofe  who 
^  beltow  their  goods  on  the  poor,  and  thofe  who  return  good 
■*  for  evil,  ihaJl  all  have  a  fure  abode  in  heaven  (d).  Afk  of 
^  God  neither  riches  nor  honours;  but  petition  him  forpuri- 

*  ty  of  mind,  that  thou  mayftfeek  nothing  but  him.  A  true 
^  purity  of  mind  makes  our  indifferent  adlions,  good;  and 

<a)  Abdalazl'2.     (b)  Abou- Jacob  Nehergionzi.     (c)Aboul-Hafran.     (d)Afou. 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  423 

*  without  it,  our  beft  atTtions  become  evil  (a).  No  company 
«  is  more  clofely  attached  to  us  than  felf-lovc;  it  almoft  never 

<  forfakes  us,  though  none  more  blind  and  ignorant  (c).   It 

<  is  eafier  to  rootout,and  carry  ofFa  mountain  with  the  point 
«  of  a  needle,  than  to  tear  away  pride,  and  vain-glory  from 
«  the  heart  of  man  (c).    The  fruit  of  temperance  and  of  ab- 

<  ftinence  from  w^orldly  things,is  the  peace  of  the  fouljas  hu- 
«  mility  is  thefourceof  love  to  God  and  benevolence  to  men 

<  (d).We  feck  the  world  to  acquire  one  of  thefe  three  things, 

<  honours,  riches,  or  pleafures.  But  he  who  hves  retired  from 

<  it,  acquires  honour;  he  who  is  content  with  what  he  has, 

<  is  rich;  and  he  who  defpifcs  the  w^orld,  and  is  no  way  con- 

*  cerned  with  it,  has  found  his  repofc.    All  the  things  that 

<  fubfift  in  the  world  can  only  make  a  noife,and  caufe  trouble. 

<  Fly  and  make  thy  retreat  into  the  kingdom  of  felf-annihila- 

*  tion,  and  there  thou  ihalt  find  reft.   Can  the  judicious  man 

*  be  fo  ignorant,  as  to  fpcnd  the  whole  of  life  in  a  ufclcfs  at- 

*  tachment  to  the  world  ?  fuppofe  thou  wert  pofFefTed  of 

<  whatever  the  world  has  mofl  grand,  fhall  it  not  one  day  eva- 
«  nilh?  And  fhall  not  that  fatal  day  declare  to  thee,  thatdufl 

<  and  afhes  is  thy  only  foundation,  and  thy  laft  abode.    Its 

*  beft  gifts  are  but  vanity,  and  the  mere  phantom  of  a  dream 

<  (e).    Affli6lion  from  the  hand  of  God  fhould  not  bear  the 

*  name.    Happy  is  that  affliction,  and  happy  he  who  endures 

*  it,  when  it  comes  from  on  high  (  f  ).  With  patience  bear 
«  poverty,  O  my  foul,  if  thou  expeCtell:  from  God  a  recom- 

*  pence  without  end.  Wait  inceffantly  at  the  gate  of  his  good 

(a)  Eftecamah.       (b)  Abou-Hamzah  al-Babell.     (c)  Abou-Hafchem.     (d)BLV- 
zurgi.     (e)Dunia.     (f)Cafchi< 


424      OF   THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  pleafure;  and  he  will  at  laft  open  to  thee  that  of  his  richeft 

*  treafures.  A  religious  poverty  is  the  privation  ofevery  thing, 

*  and  that  glorious  furrender  to  God,  with  which  he  favours 
'  the  moft  perfeft.    We  muft  be  robbed  of  all  our  goods,  and 

*  muft  annihilate  the  foul,  before  we  can  arrive  at  him  who 
'  alone  pofleffes  all  things  (a).  Thofe  who  regard  themfelves, 

*  and  Uve  for  themfelves,  are  always  in  danger  of  lofmg  them- 

*  felves  by  a  multiplicity  of  objects;  but  thofe  who  entirely 

*  forget  themfelves,  are  found  in  unity  with  God.    Boldly 

*  deftroy  whatever  is  afcribed  to  your  own  powers;  and  enter 

*  the  royal  path  of  felf-denial.    By  treading  in  this,  where  wc 

*  fee  nothing,  wc  at  laft  reach  that  facred  retreat,  where  wc 

<  behold  God  alone  (b).    The  faints  are  thofe  who  are  moft: 

*  united  to  God,  and  confequently  enjoy  his  intimate  pre- 

*  fence.    They  are  enemies  to  themfelves  in  this  life,  andbe- 

*  come  the  friends  of  God  in  the  next.   By  their  outward  be- 

*  haviour,  th-ey  lead  us  to  an  obfervance  of  the  law  ;  and  by 
'  their  inward  condu<n:  teach  us  felf-denial,  and  a  detach- 

*  ment  from  all  terreftrial  things.    They  began  their  career 

*  before  all  ages,  and  have  laboured  for  nothing,but  eternity. 
'  During  this  life,  they  never  forfook  the  gate  of  the  facred 

*  palace  of  the  divinity;  and  are  at  laft  entered  in.  They  have 

*  w  iped  out  of  their  heart  and  mind,  all  the  traces  of  pride 

*  and  hypocrify.    They  have  trod  in  all  the  paths  of  the  Dei- 
'  ty;  though,  from  weaknefs,  they  feemed  unable  to  w^alk. 

*  They  beheld  the  fccrcts  that  God  imparted  to  them,  and 

*  kept  a  religious  filence.  They  receive  two  beautiful  prcfents 

<  from  the  hand  of  God:  in  this  world,  they  underftand;  in 

<a)  Fakir.     (b)Fadhan. 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  425 

the  other,  they  comprehend:  In  this,  they  have  the  joy  of 
fighting  and  vi(5lory;  in  the  other,  the  light  of  glory  and  re- 
ward :  here  below,  they  pofTefs  purity  and  perfeverance; 
and  on  high,  they  enjoy  the  prefence  of  God,  and  his 
divine  efrence(a).  The  true  marks  of  the  good  man  in  this 
ftate,  are  tendernefs  of  heart,  hatred  of  the  world,  a  diftruf^ 
of  one's  felf,  and  of  the  creatures,  and  modefty :  on  the 
contrary,  the  marks  of  the  bad  man,  arehardnefs  of  heart, 
a  love  of  the  world,  a  great  confidence  in  himfelf  and  in 
the  creatures,and  impudence.  When  a  man  begins  to  learn, 
and  to  tafte  the  truths  of  God,  and  the  internal  life,  he  on- 
ly labours  to  recoiled  and  examine  his  heart:  but  when  he 
is  further  advanced,  and  moreinftruifted  in  the  fcience,  his 
own  heart  is  a  veil  that  hinders  him  to  fee. In  the  beginning, 
he  always  fees  God  in  his  own  heart ;  but  at  laft,  his  heart 
becomes  the  veil,  under  which  God  conceals  himfelf.  The 
eye  was  given  us  to  view  the  wonders  of  the  Deity's  power, 
and  the  ear  to  hear  the  inflrudions  of  his  wifdom.  The 
man  who  applies  not  his  eyes  and  ears  to  divine  truth,  be- 
comes blind  and  deaf,  or  rather  falls  into  a  ftate  that  is  far 
worfe.  The  ear  that  is  always  attentive  to  God,  never  hears 
a  voice  that  fpeaks  not  of  him.  The  eye  that  is  difpofed  to 
receive  his  light,  views  not  the  Icaft  atom,  but  as  a  mirrour 
to  reprefentits  bcfl:  Beloved.  This  friend  is  God,  whom  we 
cannot  dlfpofe  of  as  wepleafe,  when  we  have  once  loft  him 
by  the  bad  ufe  of  our  liberty  ;  nor  can  we  any  more  recover 
his  favour  by  our  own  ftrength,  when  deprived  of  it  by  our 
own  fault  (b).  Wemuft  abfolutely  renounce  an  attachment 

(a)  Aulia.     (b)  Cadha. 

PART  2.  Hhh 


426     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  to  our  own  light,  which  is  a  manifeft  impiety,  and  felf-ido 

*  latry:  fince  after  we  have  gone  the  round  of  all  other  be- 

*  ings,  we  fliall  find,  that  there  is  properly  no  other  true  light, 

*  but  God  alone  (a).    I  ferve  God  by  love,  and  I  cannot  but 

*  ferve  him.    We  mufl:  ferve  him  independent  of  all  fear  and 

*  hope,with  the  love  of  a  friend:  for  he  regards  us  with  the  pure 
'  love  of  benevolence  (b).  The  firfl:  mark  of  the  fervants  of 
'  God  is  patience,to  endure  with  compofure  the  affronts  and 

*  calamities  of  life.  The  fecond  is  juftice,to  be  fincere  in  their 

*  words,  and  ftraight  in  their  actions,  according  to  the  law 

*  they  profefs.    The  third  is  obedience,  to  obferve  the  com- 

*  mandments,  and  refpefl  the  word  of  God,  both  in  private 
'  and  public.  The  fourth  is  generofity,  liberally  to  diftribute 

*  the  goods  they  have  lawfully  acquired,  to  thofe  whodeferve 
«  them.    The  fifth  and  lafl:  is  prayer.    Thus  the  fervants  of 

*  God  mufl:  be  patient,  to  fupport  themfclves  under  the  ri- 
«  goursandaufteriticsof  life:juft,to  follow  exa6lly  the  path  of 

*  perfection,  to  which  they  are  called  by  the  will  of  God: 

*  obedient  in  the  ways  that  conduct  to  God,  that  they  may 

*  conflantly  walk  in  his  prefence  without  defe6l:  liberal,  to 

*  give  and  facrifice  to  God,  not  only  all  their  external  goods, 

*  but  the  ftrongeft  attachments  of  nature,  by  the  effects  of 

*  pure  love:  given  to  prayer,  that  they  may  implore  pardon 
'  for  their  leafi:  faults,  and  never  indulge  a  regard  for  any 
«  thing  elfe  than  God.  Hence  it  appears,  that  patience  which 
<  comprehends  repentance,is  the  firft  ftep  in  the  fpiritual  life: 
I  juftice  fucceeds,  and  begins  to  clothe  us  with  the  divine  vir- 
t  tues  and  perfe<5tions.   By  obedience  we  cut  off  all  our  ten- 

(a)  Din.     (b)  FodhaU. 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNION.      427 

*  dencles  to  corrupted  nature.    Generoflty  that  beflows  all, 

*  gives  us  what  perfecflion  is  neceflary  to  be  agreeable  in  the 

*  eyes  of  God:  and,  in  fine,  the  pardon  we  implore  for  our 

*  fmallefl:  crimes,  keeps  us  always  in  a  truehumility  of  mind. 

*  This  humility  muft  lead  us  to  an  annihilation  in  the  unity 

*  of  God.  Then  we  know  perfectly  that  we  are  nothing ;  and 

*  by  this  knowledge,  we  confefs  that  God  is  all.    The  mofl 
'  fublime  knowledge  of  God  can  never  arifein  our  fouls,  till 

*  all  the  ideas  we  have  of  ourfelves  and  our  powers,  are  anni- 

*  hilated  in  our  eyes.    The  rays  of  divine  light  can  only  pro- 
'  ceed  from  our  felf-denial  and  annihilation;  and  by  thefe 

*  rays  alone  is  the  heart  renewed,  and  the  afFeflions  changed 

*  (a).    1  have  given  thee,  O  God,  all  that  I  poiTefs,  and  have 

*  engaged  myfelf  to  be  thy  fervant.    But  though  I  have  made 

*  a  furrendcr  of  myfelf,  and  whatever  was  mofl:  dear,  I  de- 
'  clare  that  I  have  done  fo,  by  the  pure  motives  of  divine  love 

*  (b).    When  I  retire  into  myfelf,  I  fee  nothing  in  the  uni- 

*  vcrfe  more  vile  and  miferable;  but  when  I  afcend  to  thee, 

*  I  cannot  believe  there  is  any  thing  In  the  world,more  grand 
'  than  myfelf    In  the  firfl:fl:ate,  I  continue  dull  and  low;  in 

*  the  fecond,  I  become  inebriated  and  tranfported  (c).    Thy 

*  friend,  O  God,  has  no  view  to  any  other  advantage  in  this 

*  world,  than  to  praife  thee;  and  pretends  to  nothing  in  hea- 

<  ven,  but  the  enjoyment  of  thee  (d).  One  man  will  demand 
i  of  thee,  the  enjoyment  of  Paradife,  and  its  delights;  ano- 

<  ther,  a  deliverance  from  hell  and  its  pains:  for  me,  I  afk, 

<  neither  the  one,  nor  the  other.    My  fole  defire  is,  that  thy 

<  will  be  accomplifhed  in  me.    If  thou  flialt  be  pleafed  with 

(a)  Ebad.     (b)  Ahemed  Ben  Jahia.     (c)  Arefi.     (d)  Aulia. 

Hhh   2 


428     OF   THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

'  me,  both  in  this  world  and  the  next,  I  have  my  defire,  and 

*  refign  all  the  reft  into  thy  hands  (a).    Thou  menaceftme 

*  witli  a  reparation,  that  will  for  ever  deprive  me  of  thy  pre- 

*  fence.    Do  with  me  what  thou  pleafeft,  providing  I  am  not 

*  for  ever  deprived  of  thee.    There  is  no  polfon  more  bitter, 

*  none  more  mortal:  for  what  can  the  foul  do  that  is  feparated 

*  from  God,  butlanguifh  in  difquiet,  and  be  tormented  with 

<  a  perpetual  agitation  ?  A  hundred  thoufand  deaths  the  molt 
'  cruel  may  be  borne:  they  can  have  nothing  fo  terrible,as  the 

<  privation  of  thy  divine  countenance.    The  acuteft  maladies, 

*  nay  all  the  evils  of  a  whole  age  joined  together,  are  nothing 

*  to  me,  and  appear  incomparably  more  eafy,  to  be  borne, 
«  than  the  leaft  diftance  from  thee.    The  fmailefl:  fcparation 

*  from  thee  renders  our  land  barren,  infefls  and  drys  up  our 

*  waters;  what  then  would  it  be,  were  it  eternal?  without  it, 

*  the  fire  of  hell  could  not  burn;  and  by  it  only  is  it  made  fo 

*  ardent.  In  fine,  it  is  thy  prefence  alone  that  fupports  us, 
'  and  loads  us  with  every  good  thing;  and  thy  abfenceis  the 

*  caufeof  all  our  ills  (b).  The  man  never  dies,  O  God,  who 
'  lives  but  for  thee:  a  thoufand  times  happy  he  then,  whom 
'  thou  animateft  by  thy  fpirit'  (c). 

The  Egyptian  contemplatives  and  philofophcrs  had  alfo 
the  fame  ideas.  In  the  encomium  of  Bufiris,irocrates  praifes 
the  Egyptians  for  their  fuperiorfan(51ity ;  and  Herodotus  extolls 
them  as  far  more  addifled  to  the  worlhip  of  the  Deity,  than 
the  reft  of  mankind.  Hence  they  are  celebrated  by  the  oracle 
of  Apollo  as  the  firft  who  opened  up  the  fteep  and  difficult 

*  way  to  the  Gods  (d).    We  find  the  following  fentiments 
<a)Gennah.    (b)  Gehennini,  (c)Haiat.  (d)Eufeb.  Praep.evang.  lib.  9  c.io. 


MEANS  OF    RE-UNION.  42^ 

in  Jamblichus  who  gives  ns  a  long  detail  of  their  religious 
worfhip.  *  Illumination  by  prayer  difcovers  itfeif,  and  ope- 

*  rates  of  its  own  accord,  without  any  conftraint:  it  mani- 

*  fefts  it  felf  by  a  divine  energy  and  perfedion,  and  as  far  cx- 

*  cells  the  voluntary  motions  of  our  will,  as  the  divine  defire 

*  of  the  fupream  good,  furpafles  a  life  of  choice.    By  this 
'  defire,  the  Gods  plentifully  dart  forth  their  light,  arcbene- 

*  volent  and  propitious  to  their  votaries,  recall  their  fouls  to 
'  themfelves,  procure  them  an  union  with  themfelves,  accuf- 

*  torn  them  even  while  in  the  body  to  forfake  body,  and  lead 
'  them  around  their  eternal  and  intelligible  fource.    In  the 

*  contemplation  of  blefled  vifions,  the  foul  affumes  another 

*  life,operates  in  another  manner,  and  juftly  efteems  itfeif  no 

*  longer  man :  it  often  exchanges  its  own  life  for  the  mofl 

*  bleffed  operation  of  the  Gods  (a).  For  the  Gods  are  imme- 

*  diately  prefent  with,  and  united  to  all  thofe  who  make  the 

*  leaft  approaches  to  them  (b).    It  is  impoffible  to  difcourfe 

*  of  the  Gods  without  their  aid  ;  much  lefs  can  we  perform 

*  divine  works  without  them.    The  human  race  is  mean  and 

*  weak,  fees  but  a  fmall  way,  and  is  naturally  poirdTed  of  no- 

*  thingnefs.    There  is  one  remedy  for  its  inherent  error,  con- 

*  fulion  and  inconfuancy,  to  admit  as  much  of  the  divine  light 

*  as  pofFible.  He  who  fhutsout  this,  acls  the  fame  part  with 

*  thofe  who  produce  a  foul  from  inanimate  objects,  or  create 
'  intelle^l  from  things  void  of  underftanding:  for  without  a 

*  caufe,he  produces  divine  works,  from  things  not  divine  (c). 

*  God  is  all,  can  do  all,  hath  filled  all  with  himfelf,  and  he 

(a)  Jamblichus demyfter. Egypt,  edit.  Gale pag.  22.  (b)Ideiii;  pag.  27.    (c)  Ir 
dem,  pag.  84. 


430      OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  alone  is  worthy  of  regard,  dignity,  praife  and  divine  ho- 
'  nour.    Human  nature  is  deformed,  of  no  account,  and  a 

*  mere  trifle  when  compared  with  the  divinity  (a).  Man  con- 

*  templativeand  intelligent,  when  formerly  united  to  thevi- 

*  fion  of  the  Gods,  became  another  foul  fitted  for  the  human 

*  fliape,  and  thus  fell  under  the  chains  of  fate  and  neceflity. 

*  We  muft  confider  what  way  we  can  fet  ourfelves  at  liberty 

*  from  thefe  chains.    There  is  none  other  but  by  the  know- 

*  ledge  of  the  Gods.    The  idea  of  happinefs  is  the  knowledge 

*  of  what  is  good;  as  the  idea  of  evil  is  the  forgetfulnefs  of 

*  good  things.    The  one  is  the  knowledge  of  the  father;  the 

*  other  is  a  departure  from  him,  and  a  forgetfulnefs  of  the 

*  fuper-elTential,  felf-fufficient  Father  God.    The  one  pre- 

*  ferves  true  life,  leading  back  to  the  father  of  it;  the  other 

*  leads  man  downwards  to  inftability,  and  a  perpetual  flux. 

*  The  facred  and  divine  gift  of  happinefs,  is  called  the  gate 

*  to  the  Creator  of  the  univerfe,  the  court  and  refldence  of 

*  the  fupream  Good.   By  its  power,  it  firft  gives  a  degree  of 

<  fan^tity  to  the  foul  much  more  perfect  than  that  in  the  bo- 

*  dy;  and  then  difpofes  the  intelleft  for  the  participation  and 

*  vifion  of  the  fupream  Good,  and  frees  it  from  every  thing 

*  contrary  to  it,  and  unites  us  to  the  Gods  the  givers  of  all 
«  good.    After  it  has  united  the  foul  to  particular  parts  of  the 

*  univerfe,  and  to  the  univerfal  divine  powers  diffufed  through 

<  it,  then  it  introduceth  her  to,  and  placeth  her  in  the  univer- 
«  fal  Creator,  fets  her  free  of  all  matter,  and  unites  her  to  the 

<  eternal  Lx)gos  alone.  It  unites  the  foul  to  the  felf-begotten, 

<  felf-moved,  all-fuftaining,  intelledtual,  univerfally  adorning, 

(a)  Idem;pag.  8j. 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  4jr 

<  elevating  to  intelligible  truth,  felf-perfe6l,  the  forming,  and 
'  other  creating  powers  of  God ;  fo  that  the  foul  is  perfectly 

*  fixed  in  their  operations,   contemplations,   and  creating 

*  powers.   At  laft,  it  places  the  foul  in  the  univerfal  creating 

*  God.   This  is  the  end  of  the  facred  Egyptian  religion  (a).* 

We  come  now  to  the  ancient  Greeks,  and  efpecially  the 
Orphic,  Pythagorean,  Platonic,  and  Stoic  morality.  St.JuP 
tin  Martyr  has  preferved  to  us  a  moft  admirable  fragment  of 
Orpheus,  which  runs  thus,  (b)  *  Refpe^l  the  divine  Word, 

*  adhere  to  him  continually.    Adore  this  God  and  Sovereign 

*  of  the  world.'  Is  not  this  recommending  continual  prayer 
and  adoration  in  fpirit  and  in  truth  ? 

Hicrocles,  who  gives  us  an  abridgment  in  his  Golden  vcr- 
fes,not  only  of  thePythagoric,  but  of  the  Chaldalc,and  Ori- 
ental philofophy,  fpeaks  thus,  (c)  '  Phllofophy  is  the  purlfi- 
'  cation  and  perfecHiion  of  human  life.  It  is  purification  from 

*  fenfaal  folly,  and  the  mortal  body.  It  is  perfection,  becaufe- 

*  it  reftores  the  foul  to  its  primitive  happlnefs,  by  leading  It 

*  back  to  the  divine  image.    Thefe  are  bed  accomplifhcd  by 
'  virtue  and  truth,  the  one  banlfliing  the  excefs  of  paffions, 

*  the  other  procuring  the  divine  image,  to  thofe  who  are  can- 
'  didly  difpofed  to  receive  it.    We  muft  firfl  become  men  and 

*  then  Gods.    The  civil  virtues  render  a  man  good,  but  the 

*  knowledge  that  leads  up  to  divine  virtue  divinizes  him.  The 
'  death  of  a  rational  being  is  its  ignorance  of,  and  abfence 

*  from  God,  which  are  attended  with  an  unbounded  infur- 

*  re6tion  of  the  pafFions.    When  we  are  ignorant  of  what  is 

(a)  Idem  pag.  176.       (b)  S.  Juflin.  Martyr.cohort.  ad  Graecos  pag.  15,  edit, 
Lutet.Parif,i6i5.       (c)Hierocl.edit.  Cantab,  pag.  8;  lO;  16;  22. 


432     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

good,  we  become  necefTarily  flaves  to  what  is  bad ;  and  It  is 
impofTible  to  free  ourfelves  from  them,  otherwife  than  by 
converting  ourfelves  to  the  pure  fpirit,  and  to  God  by  recol- 
leftlon.'    Here  is  the  continual  neceflity  of  divine  grace  and 
fpiritual,  mental  prayer.    Hierocles  continues  thus,  '  Thou 
canfi:  not  honour  God  by  giving  any  thing  to  him,  but  by 
becoming  worthy  to  receive  from  him  ;  for,  as  the  Pytha- 
goreans fay  ,thou  wilt  honour  God  befl:,if  thou  refemble  him 
in  the  mind.  Whoever  honours  God,  as  a  being  that  needs 
any  thing  from  him,  forgets,  that  by  this,  he  fancys  himfelf 
fuperior  to  the  Deity.The  expence  of  offerings  is  no  honour 
to  God,  unlefs  they  are  offered  with  divine  fentiments.  The 
gifts  and  facrifices  <5f  the  foolifh,  are  but  fewel  for  the  fire  ; 
and  their  confecrations  an  occafion  of  facrilege:  but  the  di- 
vine infpirations,  when  fufficiently  attended  to,  unite  us  to 
God  ;for  what  is  like,muft  neceffarily  tend  to  Its  like. Hence, 
the  wife  man  alone  is  called  the  prieft,  and  the  beloved  of 
God,  who  alone  knows  how  to  pray:  for  he  alone  knows 
how  to  honour,  who,  firftofall,  offers  himfelf  a  facrifice, 
forms  his  foul  an  Image  of  theDeIty,and  prepares  his  intellect 
for  thereception  of  the  divine  light ....  God  has  not  upon 
earth  a  more  proper  habitation, than  a  pure  foul ;  and  Apollo 
fays,  I  rejoice  In  pious  mortals,  as  much  as  in  heaven.  The 
fame  Apollo  faid  of  old  to  one  that  facrlficed  hecatombs, 
but  not  with  a  pious  mind,  and  who  afked  the  God  how  he 
had  accepted  his  gifts.    "  The  barley  cake  of  the  famous 
'  Hermion,  was  more  acceptable  to  me  ; "  to  fliow,  that  he 
preferred  the  meaneft  offering  to  all  this  profufion,  becaufe 
It  was  lODt  adorned  with  apious  mind.  With  this,  ail  things 


MEANS  OF    RE-UNION.  433 

*  are  acceptable  to  God,  and  without  it  nothing  can  pleafc 

*  him.  That  man  is  truly  pious,\vho,with  divine  fcicnce,ofFers 

*  his  own  perfeflion,  as  the  bed  worfhip,  to  the  caufe  of  all 

*  good ;'  here  is  the  highefl:  aft  of  difappropriation, which  hin- 
ders us  from  falling  into  the  fin  of  the  devils,by  a  felf-compla- 
cency  in  our  own  virtues  and  perfections,  as  if  they  were  our 
own  produ<5lions  and  efforts.  Hierocles  fpeaks  thus  of  afflicHii- 
ons  and  crolfes,  (a)  ^  All  fuch  afflictions,  as  render  life  painful 

*  to  us, by  hurting  the  body  and  diminiftiing  our  fortune,  are 

*  effects  of  the  divine  judgment. We  ought  to  bear  them  with 

*  meeknefsjconfidering  their  caufes,  and,  as  much  as  poffible, 

*  converting  them  to  our  advantage.Thus,we  render  ourfelves 

*  worthy  of  the  divine  blefiings;  by  the  higheft  virtue;  but  if 

*  any  one  is  not  yet  capable  of  fuch  a  fublime  perfection,  let 

*  him  attain  to  political  ble(Iings,by  a  middle  virtue. . . .'  In  ano- 
ther place,  he  adds,  '  we  ought  to  bear  the  accidents  of  life 

*  with  meeknefs,  and  mitigate  them,  as  far  as  is  poffible,  by 

*  reafoning  about  their  caufes  with  unprejudiced  thoughts, 

*  perfuaded,  that  fmce  there  is  a  Providence,  the  good  man 

*  is  not  neglected,  tho'  he  carries  on  him  the  marks  of  the 

*  former  difpleafure  of  God.   For  by  the  pofTeffion  of  virtue, 

*  he  avoids  the  greateft  pain  of  afflictions,  and  finds  out  their 

*  cure,which  confiftsin  bearing  them  without  uncafinefs,  as 
'  the  beft  remedies.'  The  fame  author  exhorts  thus  to  an 
examination  oi'  confcience  every  morning  and  every  night, 
and  to  preferve  the  divine  prefence,during  all  the  day.(b)The 

*  Pythagorean  verfcs  order  us  every  day  to  examine,  judge 

*  and  pafs  fentence  upon  ourfelves,  that  by  perpetual  remem- 

(a)  Hierocl.pag.  90.  102.  &c.     (b)   Id.  pag.  154.  i|8.  160. 
PART  2,  lii 


434     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

«  brance,theunderfl:anding  may  bepreferved  free  from  error, 

<  and  that  each  night,  when  we  go  to  deep,  upon  finilhing  the 
<•  aclions  of  the  day,  we  may  bring  them  before  the  tribunal 
«  of  confcience,  and  make  the  examination  of  our  difpofiti- 

<  ons,  a  hymn  on  our  beds,  to  ahuighty  God.  Wherein  have 

<  I  trangrefled?  what  have  I  done?  what  part  of  my  duty  has- 

<  been  unperformed?  Thus,  fhall  we  regulate  our  life  by  the 

<  rules  given  us,  making  reafon  agree  with  the  pure  fpirit, 
«  and  the  judge  with  the  lawgiver.  God  has  appointed  this 
«  pure,  unbyafTed  reafon  as  our  guardian,  our  tutor,  and 
«  our  teacher  to  judge  every  day's  actions,  and  receive  fen- 

<  tence  of  approbation  or  condemnation  from  ourfelves* 
«  When  the  foul  reads  thus,  as  in  a  book  what  it  has  done^ 

<  and  judges  with  its  eyes  fixed  on  the  eternal  law,  as  an 

<  exemplar;  fuch  a  daily  examination  renders  thofe  who 
'  ufe  it,  images  of  the  divinity,  training  them  to  the  beauty  of 
'  virtue. ...  It  is  eafy  to  regulate  human  life  by  the  ufe  of 
'  right  reafon,  when  we  convert  ourfelves  intirely  to  contem- 
'  plation.'  The  fame  author  fpeaks  thus  of  the  internal  pu- 
lification  of  the  foul^  (a)  *  The  man  who  has  thus  feparated 
'  himfelf  from  a  brutal  life;  purified  himfelf,  as.  much  as 
^  is  pofTible,  from  the  excefs  of  paflions,  and  by  this  becomes 

*  a  man,  of  a  wild  beaft,  fhall  become  a  God  from  a  man,  as 

*  far  as  it  is  poflible  for  a  man  to  become  a  God. . . .  That 
^  we  may  have  all  the  pov/ers  of  the  rational  foul  intent  upon. 
«  the  precepts  of  virtu e,Pythagoras  requires  meditation  from 
«  that  part  of  us,  which  is  by  nature  fitted  for  contemplation  ; 
^labour  from  that •  part  which  prefervcs  and  pra(5tifes  the 

(a)  Ibid.  162. 170^  I73i- 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNION.      435 

*  things  meditated  upon,  and  love  from  that  part  which  is  a 
'  lover  of  beauty  ;  thatfo  from  all  thefe  three,  we  may  get  the 

*  pofTefFionof  what  is  really  good;  together  with  the  inviolable 
<  obfervation  of  the  eternal  law;  and  that  love  for  it  which  is 

*  congenial  to  us.  Thefe  are  attended  with  a  divine  hope  in- 
«  troducing  the  light  of  truth,  and  thefe  things  lead  us  in  the 

*  footfteps  of  divine  virtue,  make  us  refemble  God,  and  give 

*  us  a  true  knowledge  of  the  creatures.  Toconfiderall  things 

*  as  they  ly  in  God  the  Creator,  leads  us  to  the  fummit  of 

*  divine  fcience,  which  is  always  accompanyed  with  a  refeni- 

*  blance  to  God.'  Hierocles  fhows  afterwards,  that  all  thefe 
virtues  cannot  be  practifed,  nor  produced  by  our  own  efforts 
and  adivity,  for  he  adds,  '  Tho'  the  choice  of  virtue  is  in  our 

*  own  power,  yet  fince  we  have  this  very  power  of  chufing 

*  from  God,we  abfolutely  need  from  him  a  co-operation  and 
'  accomplifhment  of  our  defires.    Our  own  endeavours  re- 

*  femble  a  hand  ftretched  out  for  the  reception  of  virtue. 
'  What  is  done  by  God  in  us,  refembles  the  a<5lion  of  him 

*  that  gives ;  it  is  our  part  to  receive,  and  fearch  after  what  is 
'  beautiful; and  God's  to  difcover  to  the  right  enquirer.Now, 

*  prayer  is  the  medium  between  our  receiving  and  God's  gi- 

*  ving;  for  thus  we  adhere  to  the  caufe,  which  gives  both  be- 

*  ing  and  well-being.  How  can  one  receive  happinefs,  unlefs 

*  God  give  iL?    And  can  a  God  whofe  nature  is  bounty  give  it 

*  to  one,  who  has  his  defires  in  his  own  power,  and  yet  afks 

*  not?  That  we  may  not  make  our  prayer  by  the  mouth  on- 

*  ly ;  but  ftrengthen  it  by  avflion,  let  us  not  confide  in  our  own 
'  aOivity  alone;  but  by  action  pray  for  the  co-operation  of 

*  God,  and  adapt  prayer  to  a6tion,  as  the  form  to  the  fub- 

lii    2    ' 


43^     OF  THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

'  ftance.    The  fimple  knowledge  of  what  is  beautiful  is  not 

*  capable  to  fet  us  right,  without  the  operation  of  God.    We 

*  ought  not  to  fatisfy  ourfelves  with  the  bare  words  of  prayer, 

<  without  adding  fomething  to  procure  what  we  defire.Other- 
«  wife,  we  fhall  either  purfue  a  virtue  without  God,  or  a  pray- 
c  er  without  works.  The  one  of  thcfe,  as  it  is  without  God, 
«  deflroys  the  effence  of  virtue;  the  other,  as  it  is  indolent, 
s  takes  oiF  the  activity  of  prayer;  for  how  can  any  thing  be 

<  beautifuljthatis  not  done  according  to  the  divine  law?  And 
e  how  is  it  pofTible  for  that  which  is  done  according  to  this 
I  law,  not  to  want  God's  alTiftance?  For  virtue  is  the  image 
I  of  God  in  the  rational  foul :  now,  every  image  wants  an  ex- 
c  cmplar  for  itsprodu61:ion;and  we  cannot  acquire  this  image, 
I  unlefs  we  look  to  that  objecTt,  by  refembling  of  which,  we 
I  fhall  acquire  the  beautiful.  Thofe  that  afpire  after  a6live 
I  virtue  fhould  pray,  and  when  they  pray,  be  active  to  obtain 
t  what  they  pray  for.  They  fhould  do  this  by  looking  to 
i  what  is  Godlike  and  fhining,  and  vigoroufly  purfue  wif- 
i  dom,  at  the  fame  time,  adhering  to  the  firft  caufe  of  all' 
t  good.  This  Tetra6lys,  the  fountain  of  eternal  nature,is  the 
«■  eternal  caufe  of  all,  not  only  of  being,  but  of  well-being 

<  which  difFufes  its  native  goodnefs  thro'  the  whole  univerfe, 

*  like  a  pure  intelleflual  light,    (a)  There  is  nothing  in  life, 

*  which  does  notfurnifh  occafion  to  the  evil  of  the  inconfide- 

<  rate  man,  who  is  enclofed  all  around  with  vice  of  his  own 
( chufing.    By  not  looking  up  to  the  divine  light,  nor  incli- 

<  ning  to  hear  what  is  truly  good,  he  finks  into  mortal  pafli- 
«  ons,  and  is  toft  about  in  life,  as  in  a  tempeft.   The  only  de- 

(a)  Hierod.  ibid.  pag.  192.  X 9)4. 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  437 

livery  from  thefe  evils  is  a  converfion  to  God  by  opening 
the  eye  and  ear  of  the  foul,  for  the  reception  of  divine 
goodnefs.    In  this  alone  confifts  the  fafety  of  the  foul;  the 
purgation  from  mad  difcord,  and  the  revocation  of  our  ba- 
nifhmcnt  from  God.    (a)  We  can  only  cure  our  tendency 
downwards,  by  the  powers  that  lead  upwards;  by  a  ready 
fubmiflion  to  God,  by  a  total  converfion  to  the  divine  law, 
and  a  voluntary  fubjeflion  to  its  eternal  precepts.    He  that 
is  eager  for  true  happinefs,  muft  turn  to  God,  as  to  a  father, 
for  God  is  the  Creator  of  all,  but  the  Father  of  the  good, 
(b)  The  end  of  the  Pythagorean  difcipline  is  to  be  all  over 
wings,  for  the  reception  of  the  divine  good,  that  when  the 
time  of  death  comes,  we  may  leave  behind  us  upon  earth  the 
mortal  body,  and  putting  offits  nature,  become  champions 
in  the  combats  of  wifdom,  ready  girt  for  our  heavenly  jour- 
ney.   Then  we  are  reftored  to  our  primitive  ftate,  and  deifi- 
ed, as  far  as  it  is  pofiible  for  men  to  become  Gods.    This  is 
the  mod  beautiful  end.    This,  fays  Plato,  is  the  great  com- 
bat, the  great  hope,  the  mofl:  perfe(5t  fruit  of  philofophy. 
This  is  the  grcateft  work  of  the  myftic  art,  to  raife  and  fa- 
miliarize us  to  things  really  beautiful,  to  deliver  us  from  the 
labour  here  below ;  as  from  a  fubterranean  cave ;  to  exalt 
us  to  the  ethereal  fplendors,  and  fettle  us  in  the  iflands  of 
the  bleffed.   The  reward  of  deification  is  referved  to  thofe 
who  walk  by  fuch  precepts.    Themis  cannot  receive  into 
the  rank  of  the  G  ods  any  one  who  is  not  pofTcfTed  of  truth, 
and  virtue  in  his  foul,  and  of  purity  in  his  fpiritual  vehicle. 
^  He  that  becomes  thus  pure  is  reftored  to  all  his  ancient  pri? 

(a)  Ibid.  pag.  204.        (b)  Ibid.  pag.  226.. 


438     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

'  vileges ;  reinftated  In  his  primitive  condition,  fees  the  beau- 

*  ty  of  eternal  order,  and  difcovers  the  Creator  of  the  iini- 

*  verfe.  Having  at  lafl,  after  purification,  become  what  thefe 

*  heroes  always  were,  who  never  fall  Into  corruption,  he  is 
'  united  to  the  whole,  and  elevated  to  God  himfelf.' 

Heraclltus,  another  Heathen  philofopher,  who  lived  near 
500  years  before  the  Chrifllan  aera,  fpeaks  thus;  (a)  '  I  have 

*  alfo  had  my  difficult  labours  and  conflifts,  as  well  as  Her- 

*  cules;  I  have  conquered  pleafures;!  have  conquered  riches; 

*  I  have  conquered  ambition ;  I  have  fubdued  cowardice  and 

*  flattery:  neither  fear  nor  intemperance  can  controul  me; 
'  grief  and  anger  are  afraid  of  me  and  fly  away  from  me, 

*  Thefe  are  the  victories  for  which  I  am  to  be  crowned  not  by 

*  Euryftheus,but  as  being  made  mafter  of  myfelf  by  the  Gods, 

*  who  dwell  In  me.'  For  he  was  perfuaded  that  the  Gods 
dwelt  in  him  and  with  him.  Hence,  Ariftotle  recordeth  of 
him,  that  when  ibme  pafling  by  had  efpyed  him  fitting  in  a 
fmoaky  cottage,  he  befpoke  them  after  this  manner,  '  Come 

*  in,  I  pray,  for  here  the  Gods  dwell.'  The  fame  philofopher 
feemsalfo  to  have  lived  in  a  continual  exercife  of  fupernatural 
hope,  *  this  body  fhall  be  fatally  changed  to  fomething  elfc, 

*  but  my  foul  fliall  not  die  nor  perifti ;  but  being  an  Immortal 

*  thing,  fliail  fly  away  mounting  upwards  to  heaven.    Thefe 

*  ethereal  houfes  fliall  receive  me,  and  I  fliall  no  longer  con- 

*  verfe  with  men,  but  Gods.' 

In  the  collci^tlon  Stephanus  has  given  us  of  the  phllofo- 
phical  poets,we  find  this  hymn  of  Cleanthes  which  is  truly 
divine,   (b)  *  Hail !  great  king  and  Father  of  the  Gods,  who 

(a)  Heraclit.  epift.  ad  Hermadorum.  (b)  Cleanthes  apud  Stepban.  poem,  philofo- 
pbica.  See  Mr.  W-eft's  poetical  tranflatioO;  publifhedfince  the  author's  death. 


MEANS   OF   RE -UN  ION.  439 

'  haft  many  names,  but  art  one  fole  omnipotent  virtue,  Jupi- 

*  piter  author  of  nature  who  governelt  all  by  thy  wifdom.  Al- 

*  low  all  mortals  to  call  upon  thee,for  we  arc  all  thy  off-fpring, 

*  and  as  it  were,  the  image  and  echo  of  thy  eternal  voice  or 

*  Word.  I  will  fing  to  thee,and  exalt  thy  power  without  end. 

*  Thou  direfteft  all  by  an  unerring  law,  and  fo  collefleft  into 

*  one  all  good,  tho'  now  mixed  with  evil,  that  from  thence 
'  will  refultat  laft  an  eternal  and  univerfal  order.   Ah!  how 

*  miferable  are  we  to  be  ignorant  of  this  univerfal  law,which 
'  if  wc  obeyedjit  would  make  us  live  a  good  and  happy  life,and 
'  hinder  us  from  being  precipitated  into  all  fort  of  crimes  and 
'  paffions  ?  O  Jupiter,  give  us  wifdom,  and  take  away  the 

*  foolifh  mind  from  unhappy  mortals,  that  fo  they  may  fing 

*  thy  praifes;  for  no  greater  gift  can  be  beftowed  on  mor^ 

*  tals  nor  immortals,  than  to  fing  thy  immutable,  univerfal 

*  law  with  eternal  hymns.' 

Plato  is  full  of  the  fame  divine  maxims.  The  defign  of 
all  his  theology  is  to  give  us  noble  fentiments  of  the  Deity, 
to  fhow  us,  that  fouls  were  condemned  to  animate  mortal 
bodies,  only  in  order  to  expiate  faults  they  had  committed  in 
a  pre-exiftent  Ihtc,  and  in  fine,  to  teach,  that  religion  is  the 
only  way  toreftore  us  to  our  firft  glory,  and  perfeftion.  We 
fhallgive  here  afiiort  abridgment  of  his  principal  dialogues, 
wherein  he  fpeaks  of  prayer,  mortification  and  felf-denial,  of 
faith,  hope  and  love;  and  we  fhallfee,  that,  tho'  he  does  not 
make  ufe  of  the  fame  terms,  as  the  Gofpel,  yet  he  teaches 
the  fame  do(5i:rine,  as  Marfilius  Ficinus  long  ago  infinuated. 

In  hisfecond  Alciblades,  he  gives  us  the  nobleft  Ideas  of 
prayer.  *  He  calls  it  the  ardent  converfion  of  the  foul  toGoi!;,. 


440      OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL     . 

to  afk,  not  any  particular  good,  but  good  in  Itfelf,  the  gene- 
ral good,  the  univerfal  good,  the  fupream  good,  becaufe  we 
do  not  always  know  what  is  real  good,  and  oft  miftake  what 
Is  dangerousandperniciouSjforwhatisdefirablejand  eligible: 
whereforc,he  exhorts  Alcibiades  to  remain  in  quiet,and  in  fi- 
lence  before  the  Gods,andaik  them  nothing  in  particular, till 
they  have  diflipated  the  cloud  that  is  upon  his  eyes,  that  fo 
he  may  fee  by  their  light  what  is  to  be  defired  of  them;  and 
infpired  him  to  afk,  not  what  appears  good  to  him,  but  what 
is  really  fo  in  itfelf.'    In  the  Phaedrus,  he  gives  us  this  ex- 
cellent form  of  prayer. '  O  great  Pan,or  great  All, grant  that 
I  may  be  beautiful  from  within,  and  that  all  I  polTefs  from 
without,  may  be  a  help  to  my  internal  beauty.*    Can  there 
be  any  thing  liker  that  great  model  of  prayer  given  us  by  eter- 
nal Wifdom,  wherein  all  the  petitions  we  make,  are  for  gene- 
ral, eternal,  univerfal  goods,  and  not  for  any  thing  temporal, 
unlefs  it  be  ^  our  daily  bread,'  which  may  be  tranflated  '  fu- 

*  per-fubftantial  bread,'  and  [o  fignifys,  rather  the  fpiritual 
food  of  the  foul,  than  the  corporeal  nourifhmentof  thebody? 
Is  there  not  a  near  rcfemblance  betwixt  what  Plato  adds 
about  prayer,  and  what  St.  Paul  teaches,  when  he  fays, '  that 
'  we  do  not  know  how  to  pray,  but  the  holy  Ghoft  inter- 
'  ceeds  for  the  faints  with  groans  and  fighs  unutterable.'  Pla- 
to teaches  further,  in  the  fame  dialogue  called  thefecond  Al- 
cibiades, '  that  the  Gods  make  a  greater  account  of  a  pure 

*  heart,  than  of  pompous  facrifices ;  and  that  therefore  they 

*  preferred  the  fimple  worfhip  of  the  Lacedemonians,  to  the 

*  magnificent  temples,  vi<5lims,  and  offerings  of  the  Atheni- 

*  ans.'  Is  not  this  perfectly  conform  to  the  faying  of  the  pro- 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  441 

*  phcts  Ifaiah  and  Amos?  (a)  ^Towhatpurpofe  is  the  multi- 

*  tude  of  facrifices  unto  me?  faith  the  Lord:I  delight  not  in  the 

*  blood  of  bullocks  nor  of  lambs.  Bring  no  more  vain  oblati- 

*  ons,  incenfe  is  an  abomination  to  me.    Waftiye,  make  you 

*  clean,  put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings,  feekjuftice,  relieve 

*  the  opprefTed,  judge  the  fatherlefs,  plead  for  the  widow,  (b) 

*  1  hate,  I  dtfpife  your  feaft  days.   Tho'  ye  offer  me  burnt- 

*  offerings,  1  will  not  accept  of  them,  I  willnot  hear  the  me- 
'  lody  of  your  viols,  but  let  juftice  run  down  as  waters,  and 

*  righteoufnefs  as  a  mighty  ftream.'  There  is  the  worfhip  God 
demands.  1.  his  was  not  only  Plato's  way  of  thinking,  but 
of  all  the  wife  Pagans.  St.  Juftin  Martyr  quotes,  from  an 
ancient  Greek  poet  called  Philemon,  the  following  paffage, 
(c)  '  O  Pamphylus,  if  a  man  offers  up  a  great  number  of  vic- 
'  tims,  of  bulls  and  goats;  if  he  makes  magnificent  prefcnts 

*  to  the  temples,  robes  interwoven  with  gold  and  purple, 

*  gifts  of  precious  ftones  and  ivory,  and  thinks  thereby  to  ap- 

*  peafe  the  Gods,  he  is  miltaken  and  impofcd  upon  by  a  light, 

*  fuperficial  mind.    To  become  truly  good  and  agreeable  to 

*  God,  we  mud  abftain  from  all  luftful  paflions  and  all  man- 
'  ner  of  cupidity;  yea  not  covet  fo  much  as  a  needle  or  a  thread; 

*  for  God  prefent  every  where  fees  us.   The  bed  way  to  ap- 

*  peafe  the  Gods  is  to  become  juft  and  good.    We  need  not 

*  fear  the  thundering  Jove,if  we  preferve  a  pure  heart.' 

In  Plato's  dialogue  upon  temperance,his  dod:rine  amounts 
to  a  paraphrafe  upon  all  the  evangelical  maxims  concerning 
abnegation,  the  love  of  poverty,  perfect  detachment  from  all 

(a)lfalah.  i.  ii.  12.  13.   Sec.  (b)Amos.ch,  v.  21.  22.        (c)S.  Juft.  Je. 

monarchiaDei.  pag.  106. 

PART  ;:.  Kk  k 


442     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

terreftrial  obje<n:s,and  contempt  of  this  prefentlife.  The  fame 
ftrokes  and  many  others  of  that  kind  are  to  be  found  In  his 
dialogues  upon  the  juftman,  and  that  of  a  perfe(n:  repubHc, 
which  men  call  imaginary,  but  which  Marfilius  FIcinus  de- 
fines, a  defcrlption  of  the  celeftial  Jerufalem;  when  Jefus 
Chrift  fliall  reign  In  juftice  with  good  men  upon  earth  re- 
eftablifhed.  It  is  needlcfs  to  expe(51  fuch  a  republic  here  be- 
low, but  Plato  meant  to  give  the  model  of  that  divine  Ufe, 
which  fouls  fhall  enjoy  in  a  renewed  ftate  ;  when  we  fhall 
be  re-united,  as  he  fays  in  the  Phaedo,  '  to  the  good  and  per- 

*  fefl  Gods,  and  be  afTociated  with  better  men,  than  thefe  we 
'  live  with  upon  earth;  for  this  reafon,'fays  he,* Socrates  quit- 

*  ted  hfc  with  a  ferene  joy  and  a  noble  intrepidlty.'To  engage 
men  to  detach  themfelves  from  all  terreftrlal  obje(fl:s,he  teach- 
es in  the  fame  dialogue  called  Phaedo,  *  that  fouls  too  much 

*  given  to  bodily  plcafures  become  in  a  manner  befotted,  be- 

*  caufe  all  fenfuality  and  pafHon  caufe  the  foul  to  have  a 
'  ftronger  attachment  to  body,  make  her  fancy  that  flie  is  of 
'  the  fame  nature,  and  render  her  in  a  manner  corporeal;  fo 
'  that  being  opprefled  with  the  weight  of  her  corruption  and 

*  Impurity,(lie  becomes  thereby  difabled  to  reafcend  towards 
'  the  regions  of  purity,  and  re-unite  herfelf  to  her  firft  prin- 
^ciple.  Hence,'  fays  he  In  his  Cratylus,  *  the  difciples  of  Or- 
^  pheus  called  the  body  aprifon,  becaufe  the  foul  is  here  in  a 
'  [tate  of  exile  and  punifhment.'  Do  not  all  thefe  ideas  infpire 
a  true  contempt  of  life,  and  the  defire  of  abetter?  Is  not  this 
perfect  mortification,  and  a  pradVice  of  true  fupernatural 
hope  ? 

What  noble  ideas  does  he  give  us  of  divine  love,  or  the 


MEANS  OF    RE-UNION.  443 

love  of  the  fovereign  Beauty,  thro'  the  whole  courfeof  his 
writings  ?  In  the  Eutyphron,  he  defines  holinefs,  *  that  con- 

*  tinual  commerce  betwixt  God  and  the  foul,  by  which  it 

*  afks  and  renders  to  God  all  it  receives  from  him,  life,  rea- 

*  fon,  virtue,  and  all  good  things,retains  nothing  for  itfelf,but 

*  reftores  all  to  the  fovereign  owner.'  In  his  Philebus,he  pla- 

*  CCS  the  fovereign  good  in  a  refcmblance  to  the  divine  nature, 

*  which  can  flow  from  God  alone.    As  nothing  is  like  the 

*  fun,  but  by  the  folar  influences;  fo  nothing  can  refemble 

*  God,  but  by  an  emanation  of  the  divine  light  into  the  foul.' 
He  was  far,  then,  from  thinking,  that  man,  by  his  own  ac- 
tivitys  and  efforts  could  produce  this  divine  refemblance  in 
himfelf.  In  the  Hippias,  heihows,  that  '  the  fuprcam  beauty 
'  confifts  In  this  refemblance  to  the  divine  fun,  or  light  of  all 
'  intelligences.    In  hlsFeafl:,  he  maintains,  that  thefupream 

*  Beauty  ought  to  be  loved  for  itfelf,  that  it  is  thefource  and 

*  centre  of  all  beauty,  the  Creator,  the  Mafl:er,and  Conferva- 
'  tor  of  all  things;  that  it  has  no  perfect  fimilituds  with  any 

*  thing  we  behold  upon  earth,  or  in  the  heavens;  that  what 

*  ever  elfe  Is  beautiful,Is  only  fo,by  a  participation  of  its  beau- 

*  ty;  that  all  other  beauties  may  increafe,  decay,   change,  or 

*  perlfh,  but  this  is  ftill  the  fame  in  all  times,and  in  all  places ; 

*  that  it  is  by  carrying  our  thoughts  beyond  all  inferior  beau- 

*  ties,  that  we  at  length  reach  to  that  fupream  Beauty,  which 

*  is  fimple,pure,  uniform,  immutable,  without  colour,  figure, 

*  or  human  qualities.  And  in  fine,  that  this  fovereign  beauty 

*  is  incorporeal,  the  fplcndor  of  the  divine  Image,  and  God 
'  himfelf.'He  carrys  the  love  of  this  beauty  tothehighcfl:  pitch 
of  felf  oblivion;  for  he  adds  in  the  fame  Feaft,  that  this  love 

Kkk   2 


444     OF  THE  THREE  UNTIVERSAL 

of  the  fupream  beauty,  divinizes  man.  *  There  is  no  body  fa 

*  badjbut  love  can  make  a  God  of  him  by  virtue ;  fo  that  he  be- 

*  comes  Hke  to  the  fovereign  beauty.  And  as  Homer  fays,  a 
'  God  infpired  the  heroes  v^^ith  that  which  love  teaches  to  the 

*  lovers  that  it  forms,  to  die  for  what  they  love,as  Alceftis  died 

*  for  her  hufband.'  Thus,accordIng  to  Plato, what  makes  man 
a  God,is  to  prefer  others  to  himfelf,even  to  forget  hi mfelf,  fa- 
crificehimfelf,  and  count  himfelf  as  nothing.  Moreover,  in 
the  fame  dialogue,  he  fays,  *  That  by  contemplating  the  dif- 

*  ferent  degrees  of  tranficnt,variable  and  finite  beauty,  and  by 

*  carrying  our  thoughts  beyond  them  all,  the  foulatlaft  gets 

*  out  of  herfelf,  rifes  above  herfelf,  feparates  and  difengages 
'  herfelf  from  every  thing,  thatfhe  may  be  united  to  the  im- 

*  mutable  Beauty,  and  behold  him  with  that  eye  with  which 

*  alone  he  can  be  feen;  then  it  is,  that  fhe  brings  forth  not 
'  the  fliadows  of  virtue,  but  the  virtues  themfclves,  fhe  be- 

*  comes  immortal  and  the  friend  of  God.'  He  pufhes  this 
love  of  the  fovereign  beauty,  and  of  pure  virtue  for  itfelf  to 
the  highefl:  difmtereftednefs,for  he  fays  in  the  fecond  book  of 
his  dialogues  upon  a  true  republic,  '  As  the  moft  unjuft  of  all 
'  men  would  behe,who,whilehe  committed  all  fort  of  crimes, 

*  fhould  pafs  for  jufl,  and  enjoy  the  honours  of  virtue,  and 

*  pleafures  of  vice;  fo  the  perfectly  jud:  man  would  be  he,  who 
'  fhould  love  juftice  for  itfelf,  and  not  for  the  honours  and 

*  pleafures  which  accompany  it;  who  fhould  pafs  for  unjufl, 

*  while  he  praflifed  the  moft  exa(5t  juftice;  who  fhould  not 

*  fuflfer  himfelf  to  be  moved  by  ignominy,  din:refs,or  the  moft 

*  cruel  fufFerings,  but  fhould  continue  ftedfail:  in  the  love  of 

*  juflice,  not  becaufe  it  is  delightful,  but  becaufe  it  is  jufl. 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNIONT.      445 

Can  men  that  had  fuch  noble  ideas  of  the  moil:  divine  vir- 
tues, be  faid  to  belofl:  in  a  total  ignorance  of  God,  without 
any  fupernatural  lights?  Or  dare  we  fay,  that  they  had  no  in- 
ternal graces,  nor  fuccours  to  pra(5life  what  they  knew?  We 
muft  then  deny,  that  God  is  the  Father  of  fpirits,  that  he  de- 
fires  thefalvationof  all,that  Jefus  Chriftdicd  for  all,  and  will" 
at  laft  re-unite  all  in  one ;  and  in  fincy  that  the  holy  Ghofl:  re- 
fufes  his  graces  to  none;  tho'  thefe  three  articles  be  the  fub- 
fiance  of  the  doftrineof  the  NewTeftament  of  our  Saviour, 
and  his  apofrles,  as  we  have  already  demonftrated. 

Let  us  now  confult  the  Stoic  devotion  and  fentiments 
about  the  divine  virtues.  EpltHietus  thus  befpeaks  the  fu- 
preani  God.    (a)  '  Did  I  ever  complain  of  thy  government? 

*  I  was  fick,  when  thou  wouldfl:  have  me  fo;  others  are  the 

*  fame,  but  I  was  fo  willingly.  I  was  alfo  poor  at  thy  appoint- 
'  ment,  but  rejoicing.    I  never  bore  any  magiftracy,  nor  had 

*  any  dignity,  becaufe  thou  wouldfi:  not  have  me,  and  I  ne- 

*  ver  defired  it.    Didft  thou  ever  fee  me  the  more  dejected,  or 

*  melancholy  for  this  ?   Have  I  appeared  before  thee  at  any 

*  time  with  a  difcontcnted  countenance?  Was  I  not  always 

*  prepared  and  ready  for  whatfoever  thou  requiredft?    Wik 

*  thou  now  have  me  depart  from  this  feftival  folemnity  ?  I  am 

*  ready  to  go;  and  I  render  thee  all  thanks  for  that  thou  haft' 

*  honoured  me  fo  far,  as  to  let  me  keep  the  feaft  with  thee, 

*  and  behold  thy  v/orks,  and  obferve  the  oeconomy  of  the 
'  world.    Let  death  feize  upon  me  no  otherwifc  employed, 

*  than  thus  thinking  of,  writing  about,  acknowledging  thy 

*  goodnefs. '     He  likewife  exhorts  others  to  do  the  farae^ 

(a)  Epia» 


446     OF   THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

(a)  *  dare  to  lift  up  thine  eyes  to  God  and  fay,  Ufe  me  here- 

*  after  to  whatfoever  thou  pleafeft.    I  agree,  and  am  of  the 

*  fame  mind  with  thee,  indifferent  to  all  things.   I  refufe  no- 

*  thing  that  iliall  feem  good  to  thee.   Lead  me  where  thou 

*  pleafeft,  letmeafb  what  part  thou  wilt,  either  of  a  public, 

*  or  a  private  perfon  ;  of  a  rich  man,  or  a  beggar.    I  will  jufti- 

*  fy  thee,  as  to  all  things,  before  men.'    In  the  fame  chapter 
he  fays,  *  A  man  will  never  be  able  to  expell  grief,  fear,  de- 

*  fire,  envy,  and  all  other  paflions,  but  by  looking  to  God 

*  alone,  being  devoted  to  him,  and  obferving  his  command- 

*  ments.'    In  another  place,  he  fays,  (b)  '  My  defign  is  to 

*  render  men  free,  and  undifturbed,  always  looking  at  God, 
<  in  every  fmall,  as  well  as  in  every  great  matter.    Hercules 

*  called  Jupiter  his  Father,  and  did  every  thing  he  did,  in 

*  looking  up  to  this  fupream  God.'  He  fays  in  another  place, 
(c)  '  Had  we  underftanding,  what  fhould  we  do  elfe,  but 

*  both  publickly  and  privately  praife   God,   blefs   him  and 

*  return  thanks  unto  him.    Ought  not  they  who  dig,  plow, 

*  and  eat,continually  fing  to  God  fuch  a  hymn  as  this ;  Great 

*  is  that  God  who  gave  us  thefe  organs  to  cultivate  the  earth  : 

*  but  the  greateft  and  divinefl  hymn  of  all,  is  to  praife  God 

*  for  the  faculty  of  underflanding.    If  for  the  moft  part  men 

*  be  blinded,  ought  there  not  to  be  fome  one  who  performs 

*  this  oiRce,  and  fings  a  hymn  to  God  for  all.    If  I  were  a 

*  nightingale,  I  would  perform  the  office  of  a  nightingale,  or 

*  a  fwan,  that  of  a  fwan;  but  being  a  reafonable  creature,  I 

*  ought  to  celebrate  and  fing  aloud  the  pralfesof  God.*    The 
fame  Epi<5letus,In  the  time  of  temptatlonsjand  when  the  Ima- 

(a)Epi(ft.  lib.  11.  cap.  i6.   (b)Id.lib.  II. cap.  19.  et  lib.  III.  cap.  24.  (c)  Lib, 
I.  cap.  16. 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  447 

ginatlon  isaflaulted  with  impure  fancys,  exhorts  us  to  invoke 
the  fuprcam  God  alone,  (a)  '  This  is  a  great  confli(5l,  a  divine 

*  enterprize;  it  is  for  Liberty  and  for  a  Kingdom.   Now  re- 
'  member  the  fupream  God;  call  upon  him,  as  thy  helper  and 

*  afTillant,  jufl:  as  the  mariners  do  upon  Caftor  and  Pollux  in 

*  a  tempefl:.' 

The  works  of  the  Emperor  Marcus  Antoninus  are  full  of 
fuch  noble  and  divine  fentiments.  The  firft  book  is  an  ac- 
knowledgment he  makes,  to  all  the  perfons  to  whom  he  had 
the  greateft  obligations.    ^  I  learned,  fays  he,from  my  grand- 

*  father  Verus,fweetnefs  and  complaifance ;  from  my  father, 

*  modcfty  and  fortitude  of  mind ;  from  my  mother,piety  and 
'  hberality ;  not  only  never  to  do  any  harm  to  any  mortal, 
'  but  even,  notfo  much  as  to  have  the  leafl:  thougjht  of  it.  She 

*  taught  me  alfo  frugality,  and  to  fhun  all  fort  of  pomp,  and 

*  luxury.    I  learned  from  my  governor  to  be  patient  in  all 

*  fort  of  labours ;  to  be  content  with  little,  and  to  work  with 

*  my  own  hands;  from  Diognetus,  to  allow  men  to  Ipeak  of 

*  me  with  an  entire  freedom;  to  ly  upon  a  little  bed  of  wood 

*  covered  with  fkins,  and  to  imitate  in  every  thing  the  fimpli- 

*  city  and  poverty  of  the  Greek  philofophers;  from  Rufticus, 

*  to  reform  my  morals,  not  to  feek  to  be  admired  by  the  peo- 

*  pic  for  my  patience,  and  the  aufterity  of  my  life;  to  be  al- 

*  ways  ready  to  pardon  thofe  who  offend  me,  and  to  recon- 

*  cile  myfelf  to  them,  when  they  returned  to  me;  from  Apol- 

*  lonius  my  preceptor,to  preferve  a  perfect  equanimity  in  the 

*  fliarpeil:  pains,  upon  the  lofs  of  my  children,  and  in  the 

*  longeft  fickncfs.  The  life* of  my  father  Antoninus  Pius  w^as 

(a)  Id.  lib.  II.  cap.  18. 


44B     OF  THE   THREE   UNIVERSAL 

'  to  me  a  continual  lefTon  of  clemency  and  firmnefs.    He 

*  was  infenfible  to  vainglory,  and  all  that  men  call  honours. 
'  He  loved  perpetual  labour,  w2ls  equal  in  his  attachments, 

*  never  weary  of  his  friends,  nor  fafcinated  by  them.  What- 

*  everflatehewasinjhe  was  always  content  and  joyful.  Like 

*  a  man  detached  from  life,  he  had  very  little  care  of  his  per- 
'  ion,  and  neither  affefled,  nor  dcfpifed  a  graceful  air.  I  owe 

*  to  the  Gods  all  thofe  good  examples,  and  inftru(5tions,  yea, 

*  all  the  good  things  I  have  received,a  good  father,a  good  mo- 

*  ther,  good  preceptors,  good  friends,  and  good  fervants,  and 

*  cfpecially  to  have  given  me  the  grace  never  to  ojflpend,  nor 

*  difoblige  them;  tho'  I  have  been  fometimes  in  certain  dif- 

*  pofitions  to  have  done  fo,  if  the  occafion  had  prefented  it- 

*  fclf,  but  by  the  particular  bounty  of  the  Gods,  fuch  occa- 

*  fions  never  offered... .  It  was  not  the  fault  ot  the  Gods, 
'  nor  the  want  of  their  counfels  and  infpirations,  if  I  have 
'  not  followed  the  laws  and  diftates  of  pure  nature ;  it  is  my 

*  own  fault  only,  becaufe  I  did  not  obey  their  admonitions, 

*  orders,  and  precepts.'  We  mufl:  not  be  furprized  that  the 
Roman  Emperor  talks  here  of  the  Gods  in  the  plural.  We 
have  already  feen,  that  this  phrafe  was  common  with  the 
Pagans  and  the  Hebrews;  and  that  the  notion  of  a  Terna- 
ry in  the  divine  unity,  was  a  maxim  of  the  Pagan  religion, 
as  well  as  of  the  Jewifh;  and  therefore  an  emanation  of  the 
Noevian  tradition. 

In  the  fecond  book,  the  fame  Emperor  fays,  *  Every  thing 
*.  that  comes  from  the  Gods  carrys  with  it  the  marks  of  a 

*  Providence.  What  fome  impute  to  hazard  and  fortune 
•*  proceeds  from  the  order  of  eternal  nature,or  from  the  chain 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  449 

of  canfes  that  Providence  over-rules It  is  time  to 

know  of  what  world  thou  makefta  part ;  and  that  thou  art 

defccnded  from  that  Spirit  which  governs  the  univerfe 

Apply  thyfelf  at  every  moment  to  afl  as  a  man,  and  a  Ro- 
man, with  gravity,  fweetnefs,  freedom,  and  juftice;  and  to 
banifh  from  thee  all  other  thoughts.  Now  the  way  to  be- 
have thus,  is  to  do  every  action,  as  if  it  were  to  be  the  laft 
of  thy  life,  without  rafhnefs,  without  revolting  againftrea- 
fon,  without  diflimulation,  without  felf-love,  and  a  perfect 

fubmiflion  to  the  order  of  the  Gods Nothing  is  more 

miferable,  than  a  man  that  defires  to  know  all  the  myfte- 
rys  of  nature,  without  remembring  that  our  principal  ftudy 
ought  to  be,  to  know  that  portion  of  the  divinity  that  re- 
fidcs  within  us,  and  to  render  to  it  the  worfliip  that  is  due. 
Now  this  worfhip  confifls  in  keeping  it  void  of  all  pafTion, 
and  in  fubmitting  to  all  that  the  Gods  do:  for  what  the 
Gods  do,  merits  our  refpc6l,  becaufe  of  their  perfeftion. 
Life  is  a  continual  warfare,  and  a  journey  through  a  foreign 
land,  and  a  place  of  exile.  What  can  condu(5t  us  through 
fuch  a  hard  path?  Philofophy  alone.  This  philofophy  con- 
fifts  in  preferving  the  foul  entire  and  pure,  miftrefs  of  plea- 
fure  and  grief,  free  from  rafhnefs,  diflimulation,  and  wan- 
dring  from  truth.' 
In  the  third  book,  Marcus  Antoninus  lays  down  the  fol- 
lowing maxims.    '  A  man  that  does  not  defer  from  day  to 

*  day  to  become  perfect,  fliouldbe  looked  upon  as  thcprlell: 

*  and  minider  of  the  Gods,  always  fervingthe  deity  that  is 

*  confecratsd  within  him,  as  in  a  temple.  It  is  this  propitious 

*  deity  that  renders  him  unvanquifhed  by  pleafure,  invulne- 

PART2.  Lll 


450     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

rable  by  grief;  infenfible  to  injurys  and  violence,  inaccefll- 
ble  to  vice  and  all  irregular  defires.  It  is  this  deity  that 
makes  him  a  valiant  hero  in  the  greatcft  of  all  combats,  Co  as 
never  to  be  overcome  by  any  of  his  paflions,  and  that  gives 
him  true  righteoufnefs,  by  which  he  is  intirely  penetrated. 
It  is  that  indv^'elling  God, that  makes  him  receive  with  plea- 
fure,  whatever  happens  to  him  by  the  orders  of  Providence; 
that  occupy s  him  entirely;  and  that  leaves  him  no  time  to 
think  of  what  others  think,  fay,  or  do  ;  unlefs  it  be  when 
public  interefl-,  or  prefling  neceffity  require  it:  for  he  thinks 
only  of  what  belongs  to  him,  and  of  what  is  afllgned  to 

him  by  univerfal  nature If  thou  fees  nothing  more 

excellent  than  that  portion  of  the  Deity, which  has  his  tem- 
ple within  thee,  which  commands  all  thy  motions,  which 
examines  all  thy  thoughts,  which,  as  Socrates  fays,  delivers 
us  from  the  tyranny  of  paflions ;  and  which  infpires  a  con- 
ftant  fubmiflion  to  the  Gods:  if  all  other  things  appear  to 
thee  Httle  and  defpicabk,  do  not  yield  to  their  impreflions; 
for  if  once  thou  abandon  thyfclf  to  them,  thou  wilt  not  get 
eafily  free  from  their  tyranny.  Nothing  foreign  fhould  fe- 
parate  thee  from  thy  great  obje<5t,  which  is  in  the  inward 
temple  of  thy  heart,  neither  the  applaufes  of  the  multitude, 

nor  principalities,  nor  riches,  nor  pleafures The  true 

efTential  property  of  a  wife  and  good  mind,  is  to  love  and 
embrace  every  thing  that  happens  to  him  by  the  order  of 
Providence,  not  to  trouble  and  defile  by  a  croud  of  imagi- 
nations, the  fpirit  that  is  confecrated  in  his  heart,  as  in  a 
temple,  but  to  preferve  it  always  propitious,  to  obey  its  or- 


MEANS  OF    RE-UNION.  451 

*  ders,  as  thofe  oFa  God,  in  doing  nothing,  but  what  is  juft, 

*  and  faying  nothing,  but  what  is  true.' 

In  the  fourth  book  he  adds,  *  Every  thing  is  perfe6lly 

*  adapted  to  me,  which  is  well  fitted  for  thee.    O  univerfal 
'  Nature,  nothing  is  too  early  or  too  late  for  mc  that  is  fea- 

*  fonablefor  thee.  All  is  fruit  to  me  which  thy  feafons  bring 

*  forth.    O  eternal  Nature,  from  thee  are  all  things,  in  thee 

*  are  all  things,  to  thee  are  all  things.    O  beloved  city  of  Ce- 

*  crops,  fays  one,  and  will  you  not  fay,  O  beloved  city  of 

<  God?' 

In  the  fifth  book,  he  fays,  '  We  ought  to  live  with  the 

*  Gods.  Now  he  that  lives  thus,  is  fubmiflive  to  their  orders 
'  on  all  occafions,  and  iHll  ready  to  execute  the  commands 

*  of  that  genius,  which  God  has  given  to  every  one,  for  his 

*  guide  and  governor.    This  genius  is  a  part  of  our  eflence, 

*  it  is  no  other  than  Underllanding  and  Reafon. .  . .    Thou 

*  mult  foon  become  aflies  or  a  fkeleton,no  more  than  a  name, 

<  or  even  not  a  name  itfelf.  A  name  is  only  found  and  echo, 

*  The  things  efteemed  valuable  in  life,  are  empty,  full  of  cor- 

*  ruption.    Men  are  as  fnarling  little  dogs,  fometimes  laugh- 

*  ing,  and  fometimes  weeping.  Fidelity,  modefty,  jufticeand 

*  truth  are  gone  from  the  wide-travelled-earth  to  heaven. 
'  What  then  can  detain  thee  any  longer  here  below,  fince  all 

*  fenfible  things  are  changeable,  and  without  flability?  The 

*  fenfes  thcmfelves  are  dull,  blind  and  prone  to  error.    The 

*  animal  life  is  only  a  fubtile  vapour.  The  approbation  of  all 

*  mortal  beings  is  empty.  What  then  do  you  wait  for  in  tran- 

*  quillity,  for  extin<5lion  or  tranfplantation  ?  What  ought  to 

*  fufFice,till  that  time  come,  is  to  worfhip  the  Gods,  do  good 

LU    2 


452     OF  THE   THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  to  men,  bear  and  forbear  them,  and  remember,  that  what- 

*  ever  is  without  this  little  body  and  foul,is  not  thy  own.'  We 
mufi:  notthinkjthatby  the  alternative  of '  Extinction  or  tran- 

*  {plantation,' Antoninus  doubted  of  immortaUty;  on  the  con- 
trary, no  man  was  more  perfuaded  of  this,  than  he ;  for  he 
'  adds,  in  the  fame  book,  foon  after:    '  So  foon  as  the  foul 

*  gets  free  from  body  and  this  earthly  abode,  it  palles,  as  it 

*  were,  from  a  Cimmerian  darkncfs,  to  the  clear  aether,  free 

*  from  defires,  free  from  difeafes,  free  from  misfortunes.  It 

*  fees  truth  with  an  open  view,  lives  with  the  Gods  and  the 
'  children  of  the  Gods  above  the  higheft  fummit  of  heaven, 

*  and  ranked  among  the  army  of  the  Gods,  it  traverfes  the 

*  univerfe  under  Jove  their  leader  and  general.'  In  the  fame 
book,  this  Emperor  fhows  the  pureft  love  of  virtue,  by  the 
following  words,  '  there  are  fome,  when  they  do  any  good 

*  to  a  pcrfon,  fet  the  favour  down  to  his  account.  Another 
'  thinks  in  his  own  mind  of  the  perfon  obliged  as  a  debtor, 

*  and  fo  knows  what  he  has  done.    Another  is  beneficent, 

*  without  fo  much  as  fhowing  what  he  has  done,  like  the 

*  vine  bringing  forth  its  branches,  and  feeking  nothing  far- 
'  thcr,  after  it  has  produced  its  fruit.    Thus,  to  become  truly 

*  good,  we  ought  not  to  proclaim  it,  nor  fo  much  as  know  it. 

*  What  will  fome  fay  ?  One  muft  neceflarily  know  what  he 

*  does  himfelf ;  It  is  the  property  of  a  benevolent  being  to  be 
'  fenfiblewhen  he  a6ts  kindly;  and,  by  Jove,  to  defire  that 
'  the  perfon  who  is  kindly  ufed  fhould  be  fenfible  of  it.  What 

*  you  fay  is  true,  but  by  fuch  reafonings,  you  will  foon  be- 

*  come  of  the  number  of  thofe,  whom  I  firfl:  mentioned,  for 

*  they  alfo  are  feduced  by  plaufible  appearances  of  reafon./ 


MEANS   OF    RE-UNION.  453- 

Thls  pure  love  of  goodnefs  and  benevolence  excludes,  not 
only,  all  Ideas  of  recompence,  but  even  the  pleafure,  the  felf- 
complacency,  the  vanity,  pride,  felf-love  and  felf-attributlon 
we  find  in  refle(5ling  upon  our  own  virtues.  This  is  the  high- 
eft  degree  of  abnegation. 

In  thefixth  book,  he  fpeaks  thus,  *  Let  all  thy  joyarkf' 
'  peace  con fift  in  this  alone,  in  paffing  from  one  good  a(5lion 
'  to  another,  In  remembring  and  thinking  of  God  prefent 
'  every  where If  the  world  be  a  confufed  heap  of  parts, 

*  that  tend  to  difunion,  why  defire  to  ftayinit?  If  all  be  go- 

*  vcrned  by  Providence,  with  order  and  union,  I  adore  the 
'  author  of  my  being,  I  wait  upon  him  with  a  firm  affurance, 

*  and  I  place  all  my  confidence  in  him Call  upon  God 

*  in  all  thy  actions,  and  do  not  be  uneafy  for  the  time  thou 
'  employeftin  them.  Three  hours  of  life  fpent  thus,  are  fuf- 
'  ficient,  providing  we  pafs  them  In  this  divine  flate'. 

In  the  feventh  book, we  read  thefe  noble  maxims;  *  He  that* 

*  has  a  great  and  noble  foul,  who  thinks  of  eternity,  and  fees 
'  what  the  world  Is,  do  you  think  that  he  looks  upon  life  as- 

*  confiderable?No  furely.  Does  he  look  upon  death,as  a  great 

*  cvillBy  no  means God,  tho' Immortal,  Is  not  angry^ 

*  norpeevifh  infupporting  for  alongfucceflion  of  ages,an  Infi- 

*  nlte  number  of  wicked  men;  on  the  contraryjhe  takescareof 

*  them,  and  thou  that  art  mortal,  thou  art  weary  to  bear  with 

*  them,  tho'  thou  be  thyfelf  of  the  number  of  thefe  corrupr 

*  creatures.' 

In  the  eighth  book,  we  find  this  wonderful  maxim;  '  For- 
'  the  future,  we  fhould  breathe,  not  only  the  air  with  which' 

*  we  are  furrounded,  but  that  divine  fpirit  which  governs  and* 


454    'OF   THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

*  fills  all.    That  fupream  intelligence  prefent  every  where,  of- 

*  fers  itfelf  to  all  thofe  who  breath  after  it,  as  the  air  enters 

*  into  thefc  that  have  a  free  refpiration.' 

In  the  ninth  book,  he  adds;  *  Every  man  that  does  not 

*  look  with  an  indifferent  eye  upon  pain  andpleafure,  death 

*  and  life,  glory  and  ignominy,  is  manifeftly  impiou  s.* 

In  the  tenth  book,  he  fhows  a  wonderful  patience  and 

*  humility  by  the  following  exprefllons;  *  If  a  man  defpifes 

*  me,  it  is  his  bufmefs  to  fee,  why  he  does  fo  :  mine  is  to  take 

*  care  to  do  nothing  that  deferves  contempt.    If  he  hates  me, 

*  it  is  his  affair;  forme  I  will  ftili  have  the  fame  goodnefs 

*  and  benevolence  for  human  nature  in  general,  and  for  this 

*  man  in  particular;  and  I  will  be  always  ready  to  fhow  to 
'  him  his  faults,  without  any  reproaches,  nor  fhowing  any 

*  oftentation  of  patience,  but  with  fincerity  and  charity  as 

*  Phocion.    This  virtue  muft  come  from  God,  who  fees  the 

*  inmoft  centre  of  men,  and  trys  their  hearts,  and  who  knows 

*  that  the  truly  good  man  is  offended  with  nothing,and  com- 

*  plains  of  nothing.' 

In  the  twelfth  book,  he  teaches  the  highefl:  degree  of  re- 
collc6lion;  *  Thou  art  compofed  of  three  parts,  the  body, 

*  the  foul,  and  the  fpirit.   The  two  firfl:  belong  to  thee  only 
'  in  a  certain  degree  ;    the  third  is  what  properly  belongs  to 

*  thee,  it  is  Thyfelf.  If  thou  then  feparate  from  this  fupream 

*  part  or  fpirit  whatever  others  think  and  fay,  if  thou  forget 

*  what  thou  thyfelf  haft  faid  or  done,  all  that  thou  forfees  or 

*  fears;  all  the  motions  that  proceed  from  body,  all  that  is 
'  agitated  and  hurried  along  by  the  outward  whirl-pool  of 

*  life;  then  thy  pure  intelligence  attached  to  eternal  order, 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  455 

'  and  delivered  from  the  yoke  of  paflion,   may  live  from 

*  within,  forget  the  pa  ft,  not  think  of  future,  and  enjoy  the 

*  prefent  moment  in  folid  peace,  ftritft  intercourfe,  and  perfect 

*  union  with  God He  that  lives  thus,  concurrs  with 

*  God  to  the  fame  end,  regulates  all  his  wills  by  his,  and  is 

*  truly  governed  and  fupported  by  the  divine  fpirit.' 

Thus,  we  find  in  Marcus  Antoninus,  the  mofl:  noble 
maxims  and  principles  of  prayer,mortification  and  felf-denial,  . 
fubmiffion  to  God,  living  in  his  prefence,  detachment  from 
life,  hopes  of  a  better,  the  pureft  love  of  juftice  and  virtue, 
compafJion  for  human  nature,  forbearance  and  meeknefs, 
long-fufFering,  patience,  pardon  of  injurys,  and  all  the  di- 
vine virtues. 

Let  us  now  defcend  to  the  Pythagoreans  and  Platonifts 
after  Chriflianity.  What  noble  ideas  does  Porphyry  give  us 
of  prayer,  and  the  facrifice  God  demands  of  his  creatures? 
(a)  '  We  mult  neither  facrifice  nor  confecrate  any  fenfible 
'  thing  to  God  who  is  over  all.   Every  thing  material  is  im- 

*  pure  to  an  immaterial  being.  Reafon  alfo  whether  expreffcd 
'  by  words  or  latent  in  the  mind,  is  unworthy  of  fuch  a  be- 

*  ing,  when  it  is  polluted  by  any  paflion  of  the  foul.    Let  us 

*  then  adore  in  filence,  by  pure  thoughts  of  him,  by  union 

*  with  him,  and  a  refemblance  to  him.    The  molt  holy  facri' 
'  fice,  the  mofl:  perfe 61  hymn ;  the  true  falvation  of  the  foul  is 

*  to  offer  up  to  God  a  divine  and  unfpotted  life,  free  from  all 

*  paflions,  and  a  confl:ant  contemplation,    (b)  The  evil  genii 
'  attack  not  a  pure  foul,becaufe  it  is  unlike  to  them.   If  fome 

(a)  Porphyr.apud  Eufeb^praep.evang.ed» Colon  i688»  pag.  149.       (b)  idi. 
pag.  166. 


45^      OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

'  citys  think  it  necelTary  to  appeafeevil  demons,  that  is  no- 

'  thing  to  us.  Thefe  cities  do  fo,  becaufe  they  confider  riches, 

*  external  and  corporeal  advantages  as good,and  their  contra- 

*  -rys,  as  evil:  but  we  muft  ufe  our  utmoft  endeavours  to  want 

*  none  of  thofe  things,  and  ftudy  from  our  foul  to  refemble 
<  God  and  thofe  around  him,  by  a  freedom  from  all  paflions, 
'by  a  jufl:  knowledge  of  what  truly  is,  by  a  life  conform  to 

*  this  knowledge,  and  by  fliunning  all  fimilitude  to  bad  men 

*  and  evil  genii;  yea,  to  every  thing  that  delights  in  what  is 
«  material  and  mortal.  We  juftly  affert,  that  the  true  philofo- 
*!pher,  who  forfakes  all  external  things,  will  not  ftand  in 

*  need  to  confult  foothfayers,  nor  the  bowels  of  animals;  for 

*  he  abandons  all  external  things  by  a  perfect  abnegation.  He 

*  neither  enters  into  merchandizing,  nor  fervitude,  nor  ma- 

*  kkiCT  of  money,  nor  any  other  ambitious  purfuit.   Sooth- 

*  fayers  and  bowels  of  animals  cannot  difcover  to  him  any 
«  thing  about  what  is  the  only  objedt  of  his  defire.   He  by 

*  himfelf  approaches  God,  who  is  feated  in  his  true  bowels  or 

*  inmofl  centre  of  his  foul.    There  he  retires,  and  there  he 

*  receives  the  laws  of  eternal  life.'  (a)  *  One  therefore,'  fays 
Apollonius  Tyaneiis,   '  may  truly  worihip  the  Deity,  far 

*  above  all  other  mortals,  tho'-he  neither  facrifices  beafts,  nor 

*  kindles  fires, nor  confecrates  any  fenfible  thing  to  that  God, 
«  whom  we  call  the  Firft,  who  is  one  and  feparate  from  all, 
«  and  by  whom  only  we  can  know  the  reft;  for  he  itands  in 
«  need  of  nothing,  even  from  beings  fuperior  to  us.    Plants 

*  and  animals  are  pollution  when  compared  to  him.  The 
»  mofi:  agreeable  facrifice  is  to  offer  him  our  fuperior  reafon. 

Ca)  Apoll,  Tyan.  apud  Eufeb.  pag.  1 50. 


MEANS   OF   RE-UNION.  457 

*  I  do  not  mean  that  which  Is  expreiTed  by  the  lips;  but  the 

*  moft  beautiful  part  in  us,  the  pure  intelle<5l  that  (lands  in 
'  need  of  no  organs  to  make  itfelf  underftood  by  the  omnl- 

*  prefent  efTence.    Therefore,  we  muft  by  no  means  facrifice 

*  to  the  great  God,  who  is  overall.' 

By  thcfe  three  laft  palTages  quoted  from  Porphyry  and 
ApoUonius,  it  is  plain,  that  one  might  have  lived  in  the  bo- 
fom  of  Paganifm  without  partaking,  or  adopting  their  impi- 
bus,idolatrous,and  fuperftitious  worfhip.The  Pagans  left  eve- 
ry one  in  perfecH:  liberty  to  adore  God  after  his  own  manner. 
No  conftraint,  no  perfecution,  no  violence  was  done,  to  force 
men  to  uniformity  in  external  worfhip;  and  therefore,  thofe 
who  were  truly  inftru^ed  by  God,  were  not  obliged  to  be 
prefent  at  the  inhuman  facrlfices  made  by  the  priefts. 

What  fublime  ideas  of  prayer  does  Jamblichus  give  us  in 
the  following  words ;  (a)  *  If  you  think  it  impoflible,  that  an 

*  incorporeal  being  can  hear  without  an  external  fenfe;  and 

*  that  it  needs  ears  to  underfbnd  what  is  faid  by  us  in  prayer, 
'  you  forget  the  excellency  of  the  firft  Caufe,who  knows  and 

*  comprehends  all  things  in  himfelf.The  Gods  receive  prayer, 

*  neither  by  organs,  nor  powers;  but  they  contain  in  them- 

*  felves  the  efficacy  of  the  prayers  of  good  men,  as  infplring 

*  them,  and  effe^luating  what  they  demand;  for  the  good  are 

*  united  to,  and  dwell  in  the  Gods,  by  a  facred  purity.    By 

*  prayer  we  are  naturally  led  to  the  Being  we  fupplicatc,  ac- 

*  quire  a  (imilitude  to  him ;  and  by  degrees,  from  our  own 

*  imperfe<5tion  we  mount  to  the  divine  perfection,  (b)  '  There 

*  are  three  forts  of  prayer.    The  firft  collects  all  the  powers 

(a)  Jamblic.  de  Myft.  Egypdor,  pag.  26.     (b)  Jarablic.  pag.  141. 

PART  2.  Mmm 


458     OF  THE  THREE   UNIVERSAL 

'  of  the  foul,  and  leads  us  to  the  knowledge  and  fenfatlon  of 

*  what  is  divine.   The  fecond  produces  in  us  a  conformity  to 

*  the  divine  will;  calls  down  the  gifts  of  God  that  are  fent  be- 
'  fore  they  are  afked,  and  performs  the  whole  work  of  puri- 

*  fication,  before  we  think  of  it.  The  third  fort  of  prayer 
'  confifts  in  an  unexpreflible  union,  afcribes  all  power  to  the 

*  Gods,  and  makes  our  fouls  perfectly  reft  in  them.  The  firft 
^  enlightens,  the  fecond  purifys,  and  the  third  divinizes  the 
'  foul,  and  deftroys,  as  by  fire,  all  difemblance  to  the  divine 

*  Nature.  . .  .    Frequent  prayer  nouriflies  our  fuperior  part, 

*  renders  the  receptacle  of  the  foul  more  capacious  for  the 
'  Gods,  difclofes  divine  things  to  men,  accuftoms  them  to 
'  the  fplendors  of  intclleiflual  light,  gradually  perfe(5i:s  our 
'-  union  with  the  pure  fpirits,  till  it  lead  us  back  to  the  fupream 

*  God.  It  purges  away  every  thing  that  is  noxious  to  the  foul, 

*  diverts   the  ethereal  and  luminous  fpirit  of  whatever  tends 

*  to  corruption.    It  perfe6ts  good  hope,  augments  faith,  in- 

*  crcafes  divine  love,  and  inflames  whatever  is  celeftial  in  the 
'  foul.' 

Proclus  fpeaks  much  after  the  fame  manner,when  he  fays, 
that  (a)  '  prayer  properly  belongs  to  good  men,  becaufe  it  is 
'  an  union  to  the  divinity.  Like  loves  to  be  united  to  like, 
'  and  a  good  man  muft  refemble  the  Gods.    Thofe  that  ad- 

*  here  to  virtue,  are  confined  to  the  body.  They  fhould  then 
<■  continually  beg  the  Gods  for  a  tranfportation ;  as  children 

*  torn  from  the  bofom  of  a  tender  parent,  they  ought  to  pray 

*  for  a  return  to  their  true  fathers  the  Gods.    The  wife  men 

*  in  all  nations  exercifed  themfelves  in  prayer.    The  Brach- 

(a)  Proclus  in  TiraaeumPlaton.  edit.  Bafd.  1534  pag.  64.  65. 


MEANS    OF    RE-UNION.      459 

mans  among  the  Indians,  the  Magi  among  the  Perfians; 
and  the  greatefl:  divines  among  the  Greeks,    As  we  arc  a 
part  of  the  iiniverfe,  we  ought  to  pray  to  the  Caiife  of  the 
univerfe.    A  converfion  to  the  whole,  is  the  fafety  of  every 
particular  being.    If  thou  hafl:  virtue,  thou  mufl:  invoke  him 
who  hath  univerfal  virtue.    Prayer  is  the  converfion  of  the 
mind  to  the  eternal  Logos.    It  joins  the  fpiritof  the  Gods 
to  the  foul  of  thofe  who  pray.    Firfl:  of  ail,  a  knowledge  of 
the  divine  powers  mull  precede  a  true  and  perfect  prayer; 
far  we  cannot  truly  approach  them,  when  we  are  ignorant 
of  their  perfeftions.    Therefore  the  oracle  ordered,  "  thsit 
■  penetrating  thought  jfhould  have  the  firfl:  place  in  facred 
'  worfnip."  The  fecond  next  to  this,  is  a  refemblance  to  the 
divinity  in  all  manner  of  purity,  chaftlty,  and  order.    The 
third  is  union,  by  which  w^e  touch,  fo  to  fpeak,  the  divine 
eiTence  with  thefummit  of  the  foul.    This  union  with  the 
fupream  unity  fixes  the  foul  in  Goid,  and  renders  our  ope- 
ration the  fame  as  his.    By  this,  we  are  no  longer  our  own, 
but  the  Gods.    We  continue  in  the  divine  light,  and  are 
furrounded  by  it.    The  end  of  true  prayer  is  to  join  con- 
verfion with  perfeverance ;  replace  every  thing  in  the  fu- 
pream unity,  that  is  gone  out  from  it,  and  join  our  light  to 
the  light  of  the  Gods.  He  that  would  ftudy  prayer  in  a  ge- 
nuine manner,  muft  awaken  in  himfelf  jufl:  notions  of  the 
Gods,  andpra^ticethe  virtues  that  purify  from  corruption, 
fuch  as  faith,  hope,  truth,  love,  the  confl:ant  reception  of 
divine  light,  and  a  freedom  from  all  other  purfuits,  that  wc 
may  convcrfe   alone  with  God.     Should  one  attempt  to 
*  unite  himfelf  to  the  fupream  unity  by  multiplicity,  he  would 

M  m  m    2 


4^0     OF  THE  THREE  UNIVERSAL 

'  be  fruftrated  in  his  defign,  and  feparate  himfelf  from  the 

*  Gods.    As  it  is  impolTible  for  that  which  is,  to  converfe 

*  with  what  is  not,  fo  it  is  impoffible  for  us  to  be  united  to 

*  unity  by  multiphcity.  (a)  Nothing  imperfed  can  be  united 

*  to  the  All-perfe<ft.  The  foul  that  becomes  intelleflual,  and 
«  that  refembles,  in  all  its  powers,the  inhabitants  of  the  intel- 

*  ledual  world,  can  alone  approach  the  maker  of  the  uni- 

*  verfe.    By  this  approach  we  are  placed  at  the  gates  of  the 

*  Father.    This  is  the  true  difcovery  of  him,  to  be  united  to 

*  him,  to  converfe  with  him  alone,  and  abftra<5l  from  all  other 

*  operations  on  his  account.    When  the  foul  converfesthus 

*  with  God,  it  is  feafted  with  the  truth  of  what  truly  is.  And 
'  this  is  the  fupream  reward  of  fouls,  after  their  egrefs,  de- 

*  parture,  and  detachment  from  all  that  is  animal.  The  mind, 
'  the  Logos,  the  God-guide  lands  them  in  the  Father,  and 
^  fixes  them  untainted  in  the  creating  Principle;  joins  light 

*  to  light,  not  that  of  fcience,  but  a  knowledge  far  more  beau- 

*  tiful,  intellectual,  and  uniform.  It  is  impoffible  for  fouls, 
'  that  thus  find  out  God,  to  defcribe  him  to  others,  for  he  is 

*  not  found  out  by  reafon,  but  by  a  total  converfion  of  thfe 

*  mind  to  the  divine  light,  not  by  its  own  proper  aOivity,  but 

*  by  preferving  a  profound  filence.' 

Is  it  poflible  to  read  the  foregoing  paflages,  without  being 
convinced  that  God  is  equally  the  God  of  the  Jews  and  the 
Gentiles;  that  the  Pagans  have  a  law  writ  in  their  hearts, 
which  willexcufe,  or  accufe  them  at  the  lafl  day;  and  in  fine, 
with  St.  Peter,  that  God  is  no  refpe(5ter  ofperfons;  that 
in  all  nations  he  that  fears  God  and  works  righteoufnefs  is  ac- 

(a)  Procl.in  Timaeum  Platon.  pag.9a. 


MEANS  OF    RE-UNION.  4,61 

ceptable  to  him,  and  receives  his  divine  communications  and 
graces.  The  FatalifHcal  PredefHnarian  docftors  miiH:  be  arri- 
ved to  a  ftrange  pitch  of  fpiritual  blindnefs,and  obduration,to 
deny  thefe  great  truths,  which  are  plain,  from  the  nature  of 
God,  from  exprefs  revelation,  and  from  the  teftimony  of  the 
Pagans  of  all  times,  nations,  and  religions. 

CONCLUSION. 

Thus,  wehavefhown,  that  veftiges  of  the  moft  fublime 
truths  are  to  be  found  in  the  Sages  of  all  nations,times,and  re- 
ligions, both  facred  and  profane ;  and  that  thefe  veftiges  are 
emanations  of  the  antediluvian  and  Noevian  tradition,  more 
or  Icfs  difguifed  and  adulterated.   Thefe  fcattered  rays  do  not 
appear  in  all  their  fplendor  when  read  curforily  by  men  that 
have  no  knowledge  of  great  principles;  but  when  they  are 
concentred  and  re-united, they  form  a  perfe^  evidence.   The 
divine  philofophy,like  an  optical  cylinder  of  mettal,fets  right 
all  the  objects,  ranges  them  in  their  due  places,  and  erefls 
what  appears  to  the  naked  eye  a  confufed  heap  of  lines,  co- 
lours, and  figures,  into  regular  forms,  members  and  bodies. 
I  might  have  added  many  other  quotations,  yea,perhaps  fome 
more  pertinent,  clear,  and  demon ftrative,  than  thefe  I  have 
mentioned;  I  grant  even,  thatfbme  parts  of  this  Work  are 
not  fo  compleat,as  I  could  have  wifhed,  becaufe  my  time  and 
health  did  not  allow  me  to  make  further  refearches ;  but  I 
have  opened  the  road  and  paved  the  way  to  curious  fearch- 
ers  of  antiquity.  I  leave  to  them  the  pleafure  and  care  of  per- 
feding  this  Work,  which  may  be  further  improved,  than  I 


462  OF  THE  Universal  Means  of  Re-union. 

have,  or  can  do.  If  troth  be  difcovered,  it  is  no  matter  by 
whom.  All  I  pretend,  is  to  fet  men  upon  the  fcent  of  thefe 
fublime  truths  jthat  fo,  upright  minds  who  doubt  of  ChrifHa- 
nity  rather  from  prejudice  of  the  underftanding,  than  from 
pafTion  and  corruption  of  the  heart,  may  examine  feriouily, 
before  they  judge,  and  notrafhly  calumniate  that  with  which 
they  are  quite  unacquainted. 


THE        END. 


Remarks  aboutthe  Condemnation  of  Origen  in  the  fifth 
General  Council. 


IT  is  commonly  faid  by  the  fchoolmen  that  the  doflrine  of  Pre- exigence  and  reflitution  were 
condemned  by  the  fifth  General  Council  held  at  Conflantinople  during  the  reign  of  Jufti- 
nianus  in  the  6th  century,   an.  jys  :   but  there  are  more  than  one  reafon  to  doubt  of  this. 

1 .  We  have  not  the  true  genuine  decrees  pron  unced  againfl:  the  errors  of  Origen  by  that 
General  Council.  The  diverfity  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  different  copys  of  thefe  a£ls  fhow 
evidently  that  they  are  counterfeit.  It  is  thought  by  fome  that  Theodoras  of  Cappadocia  fiib- 
(Iraded  thele  acts,  beca;ife  he  was  a  great  Origenift,  but  there  is  no  reafon  to  believe  fo,  fince 
his  credit  was  very  much  diminifhed  at  the  court  of  Conflantinople  after  the  death  of  the  Era- 
prefs  Theodora  that  happened  five  years  before  ;  neither  is  it  reafonable  to  believe  that  Euty- 
chius  Patriarch  of  Conflantinople  deftroyed  thefe  acfls  as  having  been  (ecretly  an  Origenifl.  Could 
he  have  done  fuch  a  heinous  action  in  prefcnce  and  under  the  eyes  of  the  Empercr  fo  zealous 
againft  Origen  ?  It  is  therefore  probable, that  all  thefe  acts  concerning  Origen  are  quite  fifliti- 
ous,  and  according  to  the  fyftem  of  Father  Harduin  folded  into  the  acts  of  this  council  long 
after  by  the  monks  of  poflerior  centurys,  and  poffibly  by  the  Fataliftlcal  and  Prederiinarian 
do(nors  that  had  always  a  ftrong  inclination  to  disfigure  Chriftianity  by  their  odious  opinions, 
and  every  thing  that  could  attack  God's  moral  attributes. 

2.  In  the  treatise  attributed  to  the  Emperor  Juftinianus  which  he  fent  before  the  opening 
of  the  coxmcil  to  Mennas  Patriarch  of  Conflantinople,  wherein  that  prince  gives  a  fummary  of 
the  errors  of  Origen,  and  defircs  the  Patriarch  to  get  them  condemned,  it  is  plain  that  it  is 
not  the  do(ftrine  of  the  co-exiftence  of  all  the  fons  of  men  in  Paradife  with  our  firft  parents 
that  the  Emperor  defires  the  condemnation  of,  but  the  fable  of  the  Pythagoreans  and  Pla- 
tonifts  adopted  by  Origen,  about  the  pre -exiflence  of  fouls  in  the  celeftial  regions,  and  their 
defcent  into  mortal  bodys.  This  fable  of  the  Pythagoreans  and  Platonifls  is  quite  contrary  to 
Scripture, to  the  analogy  of  faithjand  to  feveral  doftrines  of  revealed  religion.  The  fame  thing 
is  true  of  the  letter  the  Emperor  wrote,  after  the  death  of  the  Patriarch  Mennas,  to  the  Gene- 
ral Council,  wherein  that  prince  demands  the  condemnation  of  the  prc-exiftence  of  fouls 
in  heaven  according  to  the  Pythagorean  and  Platonic  fenfe,  and  no  ways  the  co-exirtence  of 
all  the  human  fpeciesin  Paradife  above-mentioned.  At  the  end  of  this  letter,  the  Emperor  begs 
the  fathers  affembled  to  condemn  the  doctrine  of  prt-exiAence  as  he  has  explained,  and  if  they 
did  fo ,  they  did  very  well;  yea  there  is  no  reafon  to  doubt  of  their  obedience  to  fuch  a  juft  de- 
mand. 

3  .  It  is  faid  expresfly  in  the  fifteen  Canons  we  have  in  Greek, that  anathema  was  pronounced 
againft  the  doftrine  of  pre-exiftence,and  the  fabulous  opinion  of  the  rellitution  of  the  devils  and 
the  damned, that  flows  from  this  Pythagorean  fi(\ibn  of  Pre  exigence.  Now,  if  Origen  adopted 
the  Pythagorean  notion  of  reflitution,  he  was  highly  blameable,  fince  this  idea  of  reflitutioir 
fuppofes  that  all  union  of  matter  is  incompatible  with  the  beatific  vifion,  that  it  was  created  on- 
ly fertile  punifhment  of  lapfed  intelligences,  and  that  it  will  be  annihilated  after  the  general 
reilitution,  and  nothing  remain  but  pure  fpirit.  This  is  diametrically  oppofite  to  the  refurrec- 
tion  and  eternal  exiflence  of  our  glorious  bodies,  to  the  everlafling  exidence  of  our  "aviour's 
glorious  body, and  to  the  great  principle  of  Solomon  •  that  all  God's  works  will  be  eternal,'  that 
nothing  will  be  annihilated,  that  the  imperfe<ft  forms  will  change,  but  the  fubflance  remain  for 
ever. 

4.  This  is  not  all;  the  do<ftrinc  of  reftitution  as  taught  by  Pythagoras  and  riato,and  imputed 


to  Origen.is  altogether  unworthy  of  God.Tt  fuppofes  that  Touls  after  having  been  re-eftabltflicJ 
in  heaven.may  fall  again, and  fo  be  condemned  anew  to  animate  not  only  mortal.human  bodies, 
but  even  brutal  forms.  Thus  the  felicity  of  the  bleft  will  not  be  permanent,  inamifTiblc,  and 
undeftruftible,  they  cannot  be  confirmed  in  immutable  habits  of  good. 

IfOrigen  really  adopted  thcfe  fiftitious  degradations  of  the  ancient  Noevian  tradition  con- 
cerning pre-exiftence  and  reftitution,  made  by  the  Pagan  philofophers,  he  was  highly  blamc- 
able.and  no  doubt  the  fifth  Oecumenic  council  obeyed  the  defire  of  Jufllnianus ;  and  if  we  had 
thefe  afts,  we  would  perhaps  fee  that  thefe  falfe  difguifes  of  the  facrei  doftrines  of  prc-exiftence 
and  re-eftablifhment,have  no  relation  to  the  true  doftrincs  or  thefe  two  great  articles  explained. 

See  Father  Mix's  juftification  of  Origen.  Father  Lame.  Prolegom.  to  Origcn.  Huct's  proleg. 
Spond.  Father  Hsrduin's  V.  General  Conncil. 


Extra<flcd  from  Mr.  Dupin. 

In  5'4o.  The  fecret  averfion  Mennas  Patriarch  of  Conftantyiople  had  for  Theodorus  bifliop 
of  Cefarea  in  Cappadocia,  who  was  a  great  protedor  of  Or'gen,  prompted  him  to  excite  the 
Emperor  Juftin'anus  to  get  Origen  condemned,  both  as  to  his  writings  and  perfbn.  The  Em- 
peror overjoyed  to  meddle  in  ecclefiaftical  difputes,  ordered  a  mciTiorial  to  be  writ  in  his  name 
containing  the  errors  of  Origen,  and  fent  it  to  all  the  patriarchs.  This  memorial  attributes  to 
Origen  fix  errors,  (i)  Concerning  the  Trinity,  (2)  The  plurality  of  world£,(  3)  The  pre-exil^ 
tence  of  fouls,  (4)  The  animations  of  the  fun  and  (lars  and  planets,  (y)  The  round  form  of 
bodies  after  the  refurredion,  (6)  The  cefTation  of  infernal  pains.  After  the  Emperor  has  con- 
futed thefe  errors,  he  orders  Mennas  to  alTemble  all  the  bifhops  and  the  abbots  of  all  the  mo- 
naflerys  then  at  Conftantinople,  and  to  condemn  and  anathematize  both  the  errors  and  perfbn 
of  Origen.  The  Emperor  writes  at  the  fame  time  a  letter  to  the  bifhops  aflembled,  exhorting 
them  to  read  his  memorial  and  to  anathematize  Origen  .Mennas  obeyed.and  aflembled  the  bilhops 
in  5'40. thirteen  years  before  the  V. General  Council.  In  this  fynod,  Origen  and  his  errors  were 
condemned.  The  ads  of  this  particular  fynod  were  joined  with  thofe  of  the  general  council 
concerning  the  three  chapters,   and  fo  both  were  confounded. 

All  the  Greek  hiflorians,  the  VII  General  Council,  and  Sophronius  Patriarch  of  Conftanti- 
nople  in  a  letter  to  Scrgius  prefented  in  the  VI.  General  Council,  declare,  tha'  Origen  was  con- 
demned in  the  V. General  Council;  but,  as  we  have  not  the  ad\s  of  this  council  concerning  Ori- 
gen, but  only  thofe  of  the  fynod  in  ^40,  we  cannot  judge  of  the  terms  in  which  Origen  was 
condemned;  but  if  the  fynod  followed  the  orders  andmemorial  of  the  Emperor  Juflinian, Origen 
was  juflly  anathematized  for  having  adopted  thofe  errors  of  Pythagoras  and  Plato  about  prc- 
exiflence  and  the  reflitution,  which  are  diametrically  oppofite  and  deflru<flive  of  feveral  articles 
of  faith,  as  wc  have  fhown.  All  this,  however,  does  not  prove  that  the  V.  General  Council  con- 
demned thefe  do(flrines  in  the  fenfe  we  have  explained,  but  only  the  falfe  mixtures  of  the  Pa- 
gan philofophy  made  with  thefe  ancient  traditions. 


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