Chap. IX.
1. The Existence of God argued from the Finall cause of the implantation of the Idea of God in the Soul. 2. An Evasion of the Argument, by supposing all things to be such as they are, by Chance. 3. That the Evasion is either impossible, or but barely possible, and therefore of no weight. 4. That we are not to attend to what is simply possible, but to what our Natural Faculties determine. 5. He urges therefore again the Final cause of the indeleble Idea or Image of God in the Soul, illustrating the force thereof from a Similitude. 6. That supposing God did Exist, he would have dealt no otherwise with us for the making himself known unto us then we are de facto dealt with; which therefore again argues that He doth Exist.
1. And hitherto I have argued from the naturall Notion or Idea of God as it respects that of which it is the Idea or Notion. I shall now try what advantage may be made of it from the respect it bears unto our Souls, the Subject thereof, wherein it does reside.
I demand therefore, who put this Indeleble Character of God upon our Souls? why, and to what purpose is it there?
2. Nor do not think to shuffle me off by saying, We must take things as we finde them, and not inquire of the finall Cause of any thing: for things are necessarily as they are of themselves, whose guidance and contrivance is from no Principle of Wisdome or Counsel, but every Substance is now and ever was of what nature and capacity it is found, having its Originall from none other then it self; and all those changes and varieties we see in the World are but the result of an Eternal Scuffle of coordinate Causes, bearing up as well as they can, to continue themselves in the present state they ever are; and acting and being acted upon by others, these varieties of things appear in the world, but every particular Substance with the Essential Properties thereof is self-originated, and independent of any other.
3. For to this I answer, That the very best that can be made of all this is but thus much. That it is merely and barely possible, nay, if we consult our own Faculties, and the Idea of God, utterly impossible: but admit it possible; this bare possibility is so laxe, so weak and so undeterminate a consideration, that it ought to have no power to move the Mind this way or that way that has any tolerable use of her own reason, more then the faint breathings of the loose Air have to shake a Mountain of brasse. For if bare possibility may at all intangle our assent or dissent in things, we cannot fully misbelieve the absurdest Fable in Æsop or Ovid, or the most ridiculous Figments that can be imagin'd; as suppose that Ears of Corn in the field hear the whistling of the wind and chirping of the Birds: that the stones in the street are grinded with pain when the Carts goe over them: that the Heliotrope eyes the Sun, and really sees him, as well as turns round about with him: that the Pulp of the Wall-nut, as bearing the signature of the Brain, is indued with Imagination and reason. I say, no man can fully mis-believe any of these fooleries, it bare Possibility may have the least power of turning the Scales this way or that way. For none of these, nor a thousand more such like as these, imply a perfect and palpable Contradiction, and therefore will put in for their right of being deemed possible.
4. But we are not to attend to what is simply possible, but to what our Natural Faculties do direct and determine us to. As for example, Suppose the question were, Whether the Stones in the street have sense or no; we are not to leave the point as indifferent, or that may beheld either way, because it is possible, and implies no palpable Contradiction, that they may have sense, and that a painfull sense too: but we are to consult with our Natural Faculties, and see whither they propend; and they do plainly determinate the controversy, by telling us that what has sense and is capable of pain ought to have also progressive Motion, to be able to avoid what is hurtfull and painfull, and we see it is so in all Beings that have any considerable share of Sense. And Aristotle, who was no doter on a Deity, yet frequently does assume this Principle, Ἡ φύσις οὐδὲν μάτην ποιεῖ, That Nature does nothing in vain. Which is either an acknowledgment of a God, or an appeal to our own Rationall Faculties, and I am indifferent which, for I have what I would out of either; for if we appeal to the naturall suggestions of our own Faculties, they will assuredly tell us There is a God.
5. I therefore again demand, and I desire to be answered without prejudice, or any restraint laid upon our Natural Faculties, To what purpose is this Indeleble Image or Idea of God in us, if there be no such thing as God existent in the world? or who seal'd so deep an impression of that Character upon our Minds?
If we were travelling in a desolate Wilderness, where we could discover neither Man nor House, and should meet with Herds of cattel or Flocks of Sheep upon whose bodies there were branded certain Marks or Letters, we should without any hesitancy conclude that these have all been under the hand of some man or other that has set his name upon them. And verily when we see writ in our Souls in such legible Characters the Name, or rather the Nature and Idea, of God, why should we be so slow and backward from making the like reasonable inference, Assuredly, he whose Character is signed upon our Souls has been here, and has thus marked us, that we and all may know to whom we belong, That it is he that has made us, and not we our selves; that we are his people, and the sheep of his Pasture. And it is evidently plain from the Idea of God, which includes Omnipotence in it, that we can be made from none other then he; as I have ** See the foregoing Chap. Sect. 7, 8, 9. before demonstrated. And therefore there was no better way then by sealing us with this Image to make us acknowledge our selves to be his, and to doe that Worship and Adoration to him that is due to our mighty Maker and Creator, that is, to our God.
Wherefore things complying thus naturally and easily together, according to the free Suggestions of our Naturall Faculties, it is as perverse and forced a businesse to suspend assent, as to doubt whether those Roman Urnes and Coins I spoke of, digg'd out of the Earth, be the works of Nature, or the Artifice of Men.
6. But if we cannot yet for all this give free assent to this Position, That God does Exist, let us at least have the Patience a while to suppose it. I demand therefore, supposing God did Exist, What can the Mind of Man imagine that this God should doe better or more effectuall for the making himself known to such a Creature as Man, indued with such and such Faculties, then we finde really already done? For God being a Spirit and Infinite, cannot ever make himself known Necessarily & Adequately by any appearance to our outward Senses. For if he should manifest himself in any outward figures or shapes, portending either love or wrath, terror or protection, our Faculties could not assure us that this were God, but some particular Genius, good or bad: and besides, such dazling and affrightfull externall forces are neither becoming the Divine Nature, nor suteable with the Condition of the Soul of Man, whose better Faculties and more free God meddles with, does not force nor amaze us by a more course and oppressing power upon our weak and brutish Senses. What remains therefore but that he should manifest himself to our Inward Man? And what way imaginable is more fit then the indeleble Impression of the Idea, of himself, which is (not Divine life and sense, for that's an higher prize laid up for them that can win it, but) a naturall representation of the Godhead, and a Notion of his Essence, whereby the Soul of Man could no otherwise conceive of him then as an Eternall Spirit, Infinite in Goodnesse, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Necessarily of himself Existent? But this, as I have fully proved, we finde de facto done in us. Wherefore we being every way dealt with as if there were a God Existing, and no Faculty discovering any thing to the contrary, what should hinder us from the concluding that he does really Exist?