Chap. VII.
1. The Mind of Man being not unfurnish'd of Innate Truth, that we are with confidence to attend to her naturall and unprejudic'd Dictates and Suggestions. 2. That some Notions and Truths are at least naturally and unavoidably assented unto by the Soul, whether she have of herself Actual Knowledge in her or not. 3. And that the Definition of a Being absolutely Perfect is such. 4. And that this absolutely Perfect Being is God, the Creator and Contriver of all things. 5. The certainty and settledness of this Idea.
1. And now we see so evidently the Soul is not unfurnished for the dictating of Truth unto us, I demand of any man, why under a pretence that she having nothing of her own, but may be moulded into an assent to any thing, or that she does arbitrariously and fortuitously compose the severall Impresses she receives from without, he will be still so squeamish or timorous as to be afraid to close with his own Faculties, and receive the Naturall Emanations of his own Mind, as faithfull Guides.
2. But is this seem, though it be not, too subtile which I contend for, viz. That the Soul hath actuall Knowledge in her self in that sense which I have explained; yet surely this at least will be confess'd to be true. That the nature of the Soul is such, that she will certainly and fully assent to some Conclusions, however she came to the knowledge of them, unlesse she doe manifest violence to her own Faculties. Which Truths must therefore be concluded not fortuitous or arbitrarious, but Natural to the Soul: such as I have already named, as, that Every finite number is either even or odde; if you adde equal to equal the wholes are equal: and such as are not so simple as these, but yet stick as close to the Soul once apprehended, as, that The three Angles in a Triangle are equal to two right ones; That there are just five regular Bodies, neither more nor less, and the like, which we will pronounce necessarily true according to the light of Nature.
3. Wherefore now to re-assume what we have for a while laid aside, the Idea of a Being absolutely Perfect above proposed; it being in such sort set forth that a man cannot rid his Minde of it, but he must needs acknowledge it to be indeed the Idea of such a Being, it will follow, that it is no arbitrarious nor fortuitous conceipt, but necessary, and therefore natural to the Soul at least, if not ever actually there.
Wherefore it is manifest, that we consulting with our own Natural light concerning the Notion of a Being absolutely Perfect, that this Oracle tells us, That it is A Spiritual substance, Eternal, Infinite in Essence and Goodness, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and of it self necessarily existent.
For this Answer is such, that if we understand the sense thereof, we cannot tell how to deny it, and therefore it is true according to the light of Nature.
4. But it is manifest that that which is Self-subsistent, infinitely Good, Omniscient and Omnipotent, is the Root and Original of all things. For Omnipotency signifies a power that can effect any thing that implies no contradiction to be effected; and Creation implies no contradiction: therefore this perfect Being can create all things. But if it found the Matter or other Substances existing aforehand of themselves, this Omnipotency and power of Creation will be in vain, nay, indeed, a full Omnipotency will not be in this absolute Omnipotent; which the free and unprejudic'd Faculties of the Minde of man do not admit of, but look upon as a Contradiction. Therefore the natural notion of a Being absolutely Perfect, implies that the same Being is Lord and Maker of all things. And according to Natural Light, that which is thus, is to be adored and worshipped of all that has the knowledge of it, with all humility and thankfulness: and what is this but to be acknowledged to be God?
5. Wherefore I conceive I have sufficiently demonstrated that the Notion or Idea of God' is as Natural, necessary and essential to the Soul of Man, as any other Notion or Idea whatsoever, and is no more arbitrarious or fictitious then the Notion of a Cube or Tetraedrum, or any other of the Regular Bodies in Geometry: which are not devised at our own pleasure (for such Figments and Chimaras are infinite,) but for these it is demonstrable that there can be no more then Five of them; which shews that their Notion is necessary, not an arbitranous compilement of what we please.
And thus having fully made good the Notion of God, What he is, I proceed now to the next Point, which is to prove That he is.