this principle is of all others most clear and evident in itself, as being most deeply implanted in the reasonable nature, not acquired by use of sense or observation. The best method, in my opinion, to prevent atheism, or cure an atheist, would be to hold the mean betwixt the contemplative philosopher and the practical physician. I have heard of some so far overgrown with melancholy, that they would eat no meat; conceiting either they had no mouths, or that their teeth were as soft as butter. For a physician to have attempted removal of such fancies by force of reason, or importunate suggestion of contrary persuasions, had been cum ratione insanire, to have proved himself as mad as his patients were melancholy. The readiest way (as not long ago hath been experienced) to relieve parties thus affected, is, for a time rather to assent unto, than contradict them; that so, by promising a remedy to the supposed malady, an entrance may be made to purge the humour which breeds the false imagination. And he that would cure an ordinary atheist, should, as not soothe him in his impiety, so not directly or fiercely encounter him with syllogistical proofs, or discourses metaphysical, for so (ægrescit medendo) he will grow sicker by seeing the medicine; but labour rather, secretly to undermine the internal disposition whence such unhallowed imaginations spring. Atheism in grain is but a spiritual madness, arising from the abundance of such distemper in the soul, as in proportion answers to melancholy in the body. Would men look into their own hearts in time, before they be overshadowed with such grisly qualities, they might behold the image of God engraven in them, and, as it were, by an ocular demonstration be better informed in this point, than by the disputes of philosophers. CHAP. III. The Notion of the Deity or Divine Power is most natural unto all Men. How this Notion being most natural unto all, is eclipsed and defuced in many. 1. THAT the internal notion of powers divine which guide this visible work of nature, is most natural to mankind, needs no further proof than its own extent and universality. "This sure ground we have,” saith Tully," to believe there be gods, in that there is no nation so brutish or inhuman but is seasoned with some opinion of the gods. Many conceive amiss of them, (for so much bad custom in all like cases will effect,) yet all suppose a virtue or power divine; not drawn hereto by voices of others, or debatements: this is an opinion established not by civil laws or institutions. Now the free or unsolicited consent of all nations concerning any matter, is to be esteemed as the law of nature d" 2. This observation of times more ancient is fully 842 acquitted from the exception of modern atheists by the plentiful experiments of the age late past, wherein divers countries, peopled with inhabitants of different manners and education, have been discovered, the very best being more rude and barbarous than any nation known but by hearsay to the Romans. And yet, even in this refuse of barbarians, the very worst (such as for their rudeness and uncivility could hardly be discerned d Ut porro firmissimum hoc afferri videtur, cur deos esse credamus, quod nulla gens tam fera, nemo omnium tam sit immanis, cujus mentem non imbuerit deorum opinio:-multi de diis prava sentiunt; (id enim vitioso more effici solet) omnes tamen esse vim et naturam divi nam arbitrantur: nec vero id collocutio hominum, aut consen- from brute beasts) approve themselves to be of better lineage, (γένος ὑπάρχοντες τοῦ Θεοῦ,) in that they acknowledge gods, or superior powers, whom they honour with sacrifices and other rites, in testimony of their gratitude for benefits received from them as if the signification of man's obligements to an invisible power for his life, his health, his food, and other necessaries, or at least for privileges from disasters or mischances f, were as natural to him as fawnings, or like dumb signs of love unto their fosterers or cherishers, are to dogs, or other domestic and tame creatures. The civil wisdom which appears in Lycurgus' laws, Numa's institutions, with other like amongst the more civil sort of ancient heathens, may probably argue ability in them of framing many particular rites of religion, as politic sophisms, to retain the simple in awe and blind devotion to their hosts. Albeit, the invention of such false worships without imitation of some true pattern formerly known, would have been very hard, if not impossible, even unto these wise and prudent lawgivers. Nor could their artificial inventions have wrought so successfully upon their minds that were seduced by them, unless they had been naturally inclined unto the engrafted truth of the generals; under pretence of whose sovereign right these particulars were commended. But who would father the first e Acts xvii. 29. f Affluebat interea quotidie ex omnibus locis nova ejus gentis et copiosa multitudo, ut inusitatas nostrorum hominum barbam gestantium formas cultumque viserent fructus, pisces, aurum, panem, et alia alimenta, undique afferentes: ac simiarum more vestigia ritusque Christianorum imitantes: quoties hi ge nua flexerant, flectebant et illi: Christiani reverenter oculos in cœlum sustulerant, Indi pariter et ipsi tollebant. Denique quicquid ab Hispanis ad recitandum Ave Maria mane et vesperi convenientibus fieri soleret, itidem ab istis fiebat.-Benzonus in Descript. Americæ, lib. 4. cap. 8. pag. 35. notion of a Deity and religion upon policy, rather than nature, when it appears not universal only, but perpetual to the several generations of sundry people in whom no print of any policy, save merely natural, is now extant? 3. Some scruple notwithstanding may here be ministered to young students, from these or the like vagrant axioms, whose seat or proper subject is not so well known as they are frequent: 1. That the decrees or injunctions of nature cannot be prejudiced by custom or education : 2. That such general principles as by her light are clear can hardly be denied by any of her children. Whenas the experience of later times especially presents unto us a great many, (unto whom nature in distribution of her other gifts hath shewed herself no step-mother, but rather indulgent, as to her darlings,) all mightily oppugning this truth, which we that are (as they deem) of duller capacity in matters secular, devoutly obey as her undoubted law. But here we may well doubt, whether bad education or evil customs have not better enabled these men to strive against such practices as this dictate of nature prescribes, than utterly to disclaim all sense of her suggestions, or shake off all secret notions of her summons. However that be, (for we know our own hearts, not theirs, nor can we believe them that will not believe there is a God, albeit they would interpose an oath for our assurance one way or other,) this we know, that nothing can be more natural to man than reason. And yet how many have we seen, in whom 843 nature and art have done their parts, by too much study or intemperance become so utterly destitute of all use of reason or discretion, that such actions or demeanour as nature prescribes to all men as they are reasonable, have been more neglected by them than by brute beasts, yea ofttimes furiously inverted. 4. This instance amongst others may be our warrant for restraining the former axiom-that nature cannot be prejudiced by custom-to nature either altogether inanimate or merely sensitive, whose inclination is single, and but one way set: or if appliable to the reasonable or intellectual nature, whose propensions as they are many, so are they freely fashionable to divers means, and apt to be directed to contrary ends, it is true only of the general faculty or remote propensions, not of their actual promptness, use, or exercise. Many there be so extremely vicious, that their minds seem now, de facto, wholly bent to do others mischief: this notwithstanding proves not that nature hath sown no seeds of virtue in their souls, but rather their wilful suffering these to be choked and stifled, by cherishing contrary desires, or embracing pleasant allurements unto evil. If such blindness have by bad custom crept on some, that they cannot now discern any lineaments of God's image in their hearts; it will not hence follow that this light of nature, whereby they might have seen him, did never shine unto them, but rather that they have smothered it, because they loved the works of darkness better than the deeds of light, purposely obliterating all resemblances of him who is the avenger of evil, whose portraiture their first parents had blurred by imprinting his enemy's picture upon it. Nothing more easy than for others (so they will be observant) clearly to discern the live image, not of the old man, but of the old serpent, in such as cannot or will not see the image of God in themselves. 5. Besides this difference between the inclinations |