An account of Mr. Ferguson, his common-place-book in two letters.
         Glanvill, Joseph, 1636-1680.
      
       
         
           1675
        
      
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             An account of Mr. Ferguson, his common-place-book in two letters.
             Glanvill, Joseph, 1636-1680.
             Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707.
          
           [2], 35 p.
           
             Printed by Andrew Clark for Walter Kettilby ...,
             London :
             1675.
          
           
             Illustrated t.p.
             Attributed to Joseph Glanvill. Cf. BM.
             Item at reel 1669:29 identified as Wing F729 (number cancelled).
             Reproduction of original in Cambridge University Library and Bodleian Library.
             Mr. Glanvill his letter to Mr. Sherlock -- Mr. Sherlock his answer to Mr. Glanvill his letter.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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           Ferguson, Robert, d. 1714. -- Interest of reason in religion.
        
      
    
     
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           AN
           ACCOUNT
           OF
           Mr.
           FERGUSON
           HIS
           Common-Place-Book
           ,
           IN
           TWO
           LETTERS
           .
        
         
         
           LONDON
           :
        
         
           Printed
           by
           
             Andrew
             Clark
          
           ,
           for
           
             Walter
             Kettilby
          
           at
           the
           Bishops-Head
           in
           St.
           
           Paul's
           Church-Yard
           .
           1675.
           
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
         
           Mr.
           GLANVILL
           HIS
           LETTER
           TO
           Mr.
           SHERLOCK
           .
        
         
           
             
               SIR
               ,
            
          
           
             I
             Lately
             met
             with
             Mr.
             
             Ferguson's
             Book
             ,
             and
             was
             a
             little
             surprized
             to
             find
             my self
             by
             name
             concern'd
             in
             it
             ,
             as
             one
             of
             those
             that
             had
             been
             the
             occasion
             of
             his
             writing
             about
             the
             Interest
             of
             Reason
             in
             Religion
             .
             I
             had
             in
             my
             Discourse
             of
             Reason
             accus'd
             the
             Dissenters
             of
             decrying
             the
             sober
             use
             of
             our
             Faculties
             under
             the
             misapplied
             names
             of
             
               vain
               Philosophy
               ,
               carnal
               Reason
            
             ,
             and
             the
             wisdom
             of
             this
             World
             ;
             and
             some
             others
             whom
             he
             mentions
             ,
             had
             spoke
             to
             the
             like
             purpose
             :
             He
             therefore
             thought
             it
             
               necessary
               that
               they
               should
               vindicate
               themselves
               from
               those
               aspersions
               ,
               and
               endeavour
               to
               give
               a
               stop
               to
               those
               groundless
               ,
               and
               unjust
               clamours
               ,
            
             page
             9.
             
          
           
           
             Now
             whether
             those
             Accusations
             are
             just
             or
             not
             ,
             I
             appeal
             to
             any
             one
             that
             can
             remember
             but
             twenty
             years
             past
             ,
             and
             hath
             been
             in
             the
             least
             acquainted
             with
             the
             Preaching
             ,
             Writings
             ,
             and
             Discourses
             of
             those
             men
             in
             their
             times
             :
             How
             far
             they
             are
             reformed
             since
             ,
             I
             do
             not
             know
             ;
             but
             I
             have
             never
             heard
             of
             their
             Recantations
             ,
             nor
             have
             they
             taken
             any
             care
             to
             convince
             the
             world
             that
             their
             private
             Desks
             are
             more
             sober
             then
             their
             publick
             Pulpits
             were
             .
             On
             this
             occasion
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             I
             cannot
             but
             take
             notice
             ,
             how
             hard
             it
             is
             to
             deal
             with
             the
             people
             of
             this
             sort
             ,
             when
             we
             speak
             or
             write
             against
             their
             Opinions
             ,
             Practices
             ,
             and
             Declarations
             ,
             and
             those
             that
             have
             been
             most
             publick
             and
             notorious
             :
             If
             there
             happen
             to
             be
             two
             ,
             or
             three
             ,
             or
             some
             very
             few
             unknown
             persons
             ,
             of
             a
             little
             different
             temper
             ,
             they
             will
             be
             ready
             to
             flie
             upon
             us
             as
             false
             accusers
             ,
             and
             such
             as
             traduce
             the
             whole
             
               Party
               for
               the
               Extravagancies
               of
               a
               few
               .
            
             Thus
             you
             know
             it
             hath
             hapned
             to
             some
             excellent
             late
             Books
             ,
             that
             have
             given
             the
             most
             just
             ,
             and
             lively
             descriptions
             of
             the
             humour
             of
             Non-conformists
             ,
             which
             have
             been
             vilified
             and
             rayl'd
             at
             as
             slanderous
             Invectives
             and
             Abuses
             ;
             because
             some
             few
             that
             go
             with
             them
             ,
             are
             somewhat
             less
             foolish
             ,
             and
             extravagant
             then
             the
             rest
             :
             According
             to
             which
             Rule
             ,
             it
             will
             be
             untrue
             to
             say
             ,
             that
             Lions
             and
             Bears
             are
             wild
             and
             dangerous
             creatures
             ,
             because
             some
             of
             them
             have
             been
             tam'd
             and
             made
             gentle
             :
             and
             a
             man
             may
             not
             affirm
             the
             Crow
             is
             black
             ,
             because
             some
             are
             greyish
             :
             and
             now
             and
             then
             a
             Bird
             of
             that
             species
             by
             extraordinary
             accident
             may
             be
             white
             .
             If
             among
             the
             Dissenters
             there
             are
             so
             many
             sober
             Assertors
             of
             the
             necessity
             ,
             and
             usefulness
             of
             Reason
             in
             the
             affairs
             of
             Religion
             ,
             't
             is
             very
             much
             that
             they
             have
             not
             all
             this
             while
             stood
             up
             ,
             and
             reprov'd
             the
             dangerous
             Follies
             ,
             and
             Extravagancies
             of
             their
             Brethren
             that
             have
             opened
             the
             door
             to
             Atheism
             ,
             and
             Enthusiasm
             by
             their
             ignorant
             Railings
             against
             it
             .
             And
             since
             they
             have
             thought
             fit
             to
             be
             silent
             in
             this
             matter
             ,
             how
             should
             we
             know
             that
             there
             are
             men
             of
             such
             sober
             principles
             among
             them
             .
             The
             Declamations
             and
             violent
             Out-cries
             against
             Reason
             we
             have
             heard
             till
             our
             ears
             have
             tingled
             :
             but
             the
             justifications
             of
             the
             judgments
             of
             Reason
             in
             Religion
             have
             been
             such
             private
             whispers
             ,
             that
             hitherto
             we
             have
             heard
             little
             ,
             or
             nothing
             of
             them
             from
             these
             men
             :
             and
             I
             might
             ask
             Mr.
             F.
             how
             it
             comes
             about
             ,
             that
             persons
             so
             zealous
             against
             error
             ,
             who
             were
             still
             pelting
             each
             other
             both
             from
             Press
             and
             Pulpit
             upon
             every
             petty
             difference
             in
             opinion
             ,
             should
             let
             pass
             so
             many
             rude
             Defamations
             of
             our
             Faculties
             ,
             as
             they
             needs
             must
             frequently
             hear
             ,
             without
             
             the
             least
             reproof
             ,
             or
             opposition
             of
             them
             ,
             if
             so
             many
             have
             been
             so
             very
             Orthodox
             in
             this
             point
             ,
             as
             he
             would
             have
             us
             to
             believe
             ?
             But
             I
             say
             no
             more
             of
             that
             .
          
           
             The
             Author
             hath
             a
             double
             justification
             of
             his
             Party
             against
             our
             Charge
             .
             We
             have
             the
             first
             ,
             page
             7.
             
             
               They
               are
               a
               people
               ,
               so
               far
               as
               I
               know
               ,
               innocent
               of
               all
               undue
               reflections
               upon
               Reason
               .
            
             The
             other
             is
             ,
             I
             
               Robert
               Ferguson
            
             do
             acknowledge
             the
             use
             of
             Reason
             in
             Religion
             in
             274
             pages
             ;
             
               ergo
               ,
               Our
               late
               pretended
               Rational
               Divines
               do
               traduce
               the
               Non-conformists
               in
               suggesting
               that
               they
               are
               defamers
               of
               Reason
               ,
            
             page
             62.
             
             This
             is
             the
             sum
             and
             strength
             of
             the
             whole
             Discourse
             ,
             to
             which
             a
             short
             answer
             will
             suffice
             .
          
           
             For
             my
             part
             ,
             though
             I
             have
             been
             drawn
             into
             some
             Philosophical
             Controversies
             ,
             yet
             I
             never
             begun
             any
             ;
             and
             though
             I
             have
             received
             some
             publick
             Provocations
             to
             ingage
             in
             the
             Disputes
             of
             Religion
             ,
             yet
             hitherto
             my
             disinclination
             to
             them
             hath
             kept
             me
             unconcern'd
             :
             But
             notwithstanding
             this
             indisposition
             ,
             Mr.
             
             Ferguson's
             title
             ,
             and
             the
             mention
             he
             made
             of
             me
             ,
             as
             one
             of
             the
             occasions
             of
             his
             Book
             ,
             inclined
             me
             to
             look
             into
             his
             Discourse
             with
             design
             of
             further
             Vindication
             of
             our
             Faculties
             ,
             if
             that
             Essay
             had
             given
             me
             any
             reason
             for
             it
             :
             But
             I
             soon
             perceived
             that
             this
             supposed
             Adversary
             was
             a
             Friend
             ,
             and
             one
             that
             liked
             my
             Book
             so
             well
             ,
             as
             to
             borrow
             the
             main
             things
             of
             his
             from
             it
             ;
             though
             as
             he
             is
             pleased
             to
             say
             of
             
               Des
               Cartes
               ,
               He
               was
               not
               so
               ingenious
               to
               confess
               at
               whose
               Breasts
               he
               had
               suckt
               ,
               nor
               out
               of
               whose
               Garden
               he
               had
               gathered
               his
               best
               Flowers
               :
            
             And
             't
             was
             a
             little
             unkindly
             done
             of
             him
             to
             mention
             my
             Name
             where
             he
             supposed
             I
             had
             erred
             ;
             and
             to
             take
             no
             notice
             of
             it
             ,
             when
             he
             thought
             I
             had
             done
             so
             well
             as
             to
             deserve
             to
             be
             transcribed
             .
             Indeed
             he
             hath
             enlarged
             in
             the
             proof
             of
             some
             Principles
             of
             Religion
             by
             Reason
             ,
             in
             which
             he
             hath
             been
             more
             beholden
             to
             other
             men
             :
             But
             in
             the
             Notions
             that
             strictly
             appertain
             to
             the
             main
             state
             of
             the
             matter
             ,
             he
             hath
             been
             pleased
             to
             credit
             and
             enforce
             my
             Observations
             by
             the
             addition
             of
             his
             Suffrage
             and
             Authority
             .
             When
             I
             saw
             how
             Affairs
             went
             ,
             I
             left
             the
             close
             perusal
             of
             his
             Book
             ,
             and
             only
             cursorily
             skim'd
             over
             his
             Pages
             ,
             casting
             my
             eye
             here
             and
             there
             ,
             as
             it
             hapned
             ;
             and
             in
             that
             running
             reading
             I
             observ'd
             these
             following
             things
             and
             Expressions
             ,
             in
             which
             the
             Gentleman
             very
             kindly
             ,
             and
             to
             my
             great
             honour
             hath
             concur'd
             with
             me
             .
          
        
         
           
           
             
               
                 M.
                 Ferguson
                 .
              
               
                 Knowledge
                 then
                 (
                 viz.
                 in
                 the
                 state
                 of
                 Innocence
                 )
                 inhabited
                 our
                 minds
                 in
                 no
                 less
                 plenty
                 than
                 Light
                 doth
                 in
                 the
                 universal
                 Luminary
                 .
                 p.
                 18.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Jos.
                   Glanvill
                
                 .
              
               
                 Knowledge
                 dwelt
                 in
                 our
                 undepraved
                 natures
                 as
                 Light
                 in
                 the
                 Sun
                 ,
                 in
                 as
                 great
                 Plenty
                 as
                 Purity
                 .
                 
                   Vanity
                   of
                   Dogmatizing
                
                 .
                 p.
                 13.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 It
                 was
                 wonderfully
                 advantaged
                 by
                 a
                 delicate
                 and
                 apt
                 disposure
                 of
                 bodily
                 Organs
                 .
                 ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 Depending
                 on
                 the
                 delicacy
                 and
                 apt
                 disposure
                 of
                 the
                 Organs
                 .
                 
                   Van.
                   Dogm
                
                 .
                 p.
                 5.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 There
                 was
                 no
                 Jarring
                 in
                 our
                 humors
                 till
                 the
                 Fall
                 caused
                 them
                 .
                 p.
                 19.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 There
                 was
                 no
                 jarring
                 or
                 disharmony
                 in
                 the
                 faculties
                 till
                 sin
                 untuned
                 them
                 .
                 
                   Van.
                   Dogm
                
                 .
                 p.
                 4.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 Hindred
                 by
                 the
                 Distemperature
                 of
                 indisposed
                 Organs
                 .
                 ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 Hindred
                 in
                 its
                 actings
                 by
                 the
                 Distemperature
                 of
                 indisposed
                 Organs
                 .
                 
                   Van.
                   Dogm
                
                 .
                 ibid.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 
                   F.
                   takes
                   the
                   whole
                   substance
                   of
                   his
                   Discourse
                   about
                   the
                   Understanding
                   in
                   the
                   state
                   of
                   Innocence
                   ,
                   and
                   after
                   ,
                   under
                   the
                   Fall.
                
                 p.
                 18
                 ,
                 19.
                 
                   out
                   of
                   ▪
                
              
            
             
               
                 I.
                 G.
                 
                   in
                   his
                   Vanity
                   of
                   Dogmatizing
                
                 .
                 p.
                 4
                 ,
                 5
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 vast
                 Volumes
                 of
                 the
                 School-men
                 are
                 stuft
                 with
                 Peripatetical
                 Depravations
                 .
                 p.
                 246.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 The
                 Volumes
                 of
                 the
                 Schoolmen
                 are
                 deplorable
                 evidence
                 of
                 Peripatetical
                 Depravations
                 .
                 
                   Van.
                   Dogm
                
                 .
                 p.
                 166.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 Their
                 Scholastick
                 Controversies
                 are
                 resolved
                 into
                 the
                 Subtilties
                 of
                 his
                 (
                 
                 Aristotle's
                 )
                 Philosophy
                 .
                 ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 These
                 Scholastick
                 Controversies
                 are
                 ultimately
                 resolved
                 into
                 the
                 Subtilties
                 of
                 his
                 (
                 
                 Aristotle's
                 )
                 Philosophy
                 .
                 
                   V.
                   D
                
                 p.
                 167
              
            
          
           
             
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 
                   Speaking
                   of
                   the
                   Union
                   of
                   the
                   Soul
                   and
                   Body
                   saith
                   ,
                
                 —
                 How
                 this
                 can
                 be
                 is
                 a
                 Knot
                 too
                 hard
                 for
                 Human
                 Reason
                 to
                 untie
                 .
                 p.
                 490.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 
                   Saith
                   of
                   the
                   same
                
                 ,
                 —
                 It
                 is
                 a
                 Knot
                 too
                 hard
                 for
                 our
                 degraded
                 Intellects
                 to
                 untie
                 .
                 
                   Van.
                   Dog.
                   Ed.
                   2.
                   p.
                   15.
                   
                
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 How
                 a
                 pure
                 Spirit
                 should
                 be
                 cemented
                 to
                 an
                 earthly
                 clod
                 ,
                 —
                 is
                 a
                 Riddle
                 that
                 no
                 Hypothesis
                 of
                 Philosophy
                 can
                 resolve
                 us
                 about
                 .
                 p.
                 490.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 How
                 the
                 purer
                 Spirit
                 is
                 united
                 to
                 this
                 Clod
                 ,
                 —
                 is
                 a
                 Riddle
                 that
                 must
                 be
                 left
                 to
                 the
                 coming
                 of
                 
                   Elias
                   .
                   Van.
                   Dog.
                   Ed.
                   2.
                   ibid.
                   
                
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 To
                 affirm
                 it
                 ,
                 viz.
                 the
                 uniter
                 of
                 Soul
                 and
                 Body
                 to
                 be
                 of
                 a
                 middle
                 nature
                 partaking
                 of
                 the
                 affections
                 and
                 adjuncts
                 of
                 both
                 ,
                 is
                 that
                 which
                 our
                 reasonable
                 Faculties
                 will
                 never
                 allow
                 us
                 to
                 subscribe
                 to
                 .
                 ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 To
                 suppose
                 an
                 uniter
                 of
                 middle
                 constitution
                 that
                 should
                 partake
                 of
                 some
                 of
                 the
                 qualities
                 of
                 both
                 is
                 unwarranted
                 by
                 any
                 of
                 our
                 faculties
                 .
                 
                   Van.
                   Dogm
                
                 .
                 p.
                 21.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 How
                 that
                 which
                 penetrates
                 a
                 Body
                 without
                 giving
                 a
                 jog
                 to
                 ,
                 or
                 receiving
                 any
                 from
                 it
                 ,
                 should
                 either
                 impress
                 a
                 motion
                 upon
                 ,
                 or
                 receive
                 an
                 impression
                 from
                 it
                 ,
                 is
                 unconceivable
                 .
                 p.
                 496.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 How
                 that
                 which
                 penetrates
                 all
                 Bodies
                 without
                 the
                 least
                 jog
                 or
                 obstruction
                 ,
                 should
                 impress
                 a
                 motion
                 on
                 any
                 is
                 by
                 his
                 own
                 confession
                 alike
                 unconceivable
                 .
                 
                   Van.
                   Dogm
                   .
                   Ed.
                   2.
                
                 p.
                 17.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 
                   F.
                   treats
                   of
                   the
                   incomprehensibility
                   of
                   the
                   union
                   of
                   the
                   parts
                   of
                   matter
                   .
                
                 p.
                 483
                 ,
                 484
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
                   the
                   substance
                   of
                   all
                   which
                   is
                   taken
                   out
                   of
                
              
            
             
               
                 I.
                 G.
                 
                   in
                   his
                
                 Scepsis
                 Scientifica
                 ,
                 
                   p.
                   37
                   ,
                   38
                   ,
                   39.
                   and
                   his
                   Answer
                   to
                
                 White
                 ,
                 
                   p.
                   41
                   ,
                   42
                   ,
                   &c.
                   
                
              
            
          
           
             
             
               
                 M.
                 
                   F.
                   endeavours
                   to
                   shew
                   the
                   unconceivableness
                   of
                   the
                   union
                   of
                   the
                   Soul
                   and
                   Body
                   ,
                
                 p.
                 489
                 ,
                 490
                 ,
                 491
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
                   and
                   again
                
                 p.
                 495
                 ,
                 496.
                 
                   all
                   out
                   of
                
              
            
             
               
                 I.
                 G.
                 
                   in
                   his
                
                 Scepsis
                 Scientifica
                 .
                 
                   p.
                   15
                   ,
                   16.
                
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 reproach
                 which
                 Iulian
                 slanderously
                 fastned
                 upon
                 the
                 Primitive
                 Christians
                 ,
                 that
                 they
                 had
                 no
                 ground
                 for
                 their
                 Faith
                 ,
                 but
                 that
                 their
                 wisdom
                 was
                 only
                 to
                 believe
                 ,
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 .
                 p.
                 62.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 The
                 charge
                 of
                 Julian
                 the
                 Apostate
                 against
                 the
                 Primitive
                 Christians
                 ,
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 
                   That
                   their
                   wisdom
                   was
                   to
                   believe
                
                 ;
                 as
                 if
                 they
                 had
                 no
                 ground
                 for
                 their
                 Faith.
                 
                   Of
                   Reason
                
                 ,
                 p.
                 218.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 He
                 is
                 worse
                 than
                 an
                 Enthusiast
                 ,
                 who
                 affirms
                 ,
                 that
                 the
                 way
                 to
                 be
                 a
                 Christian
                 is
                 first
                 to
                 be
                 a
                 Brute
                 .
                 p.
                 20.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 
                   Saith
                   ,
                   that
                
                 in
                 the
                 Enthusiastick
                 Divinity
                 ,
                 —
                 The
                 way
                 to
                 be
                 a
                 Christian
                 is
                 first
                 to
                 be
                 a
                 Brute
                 .
                 
                   Of
                   Reason
                
                 ,
                 p.
                 223.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 Men
                 being
                 misled
                 by
                 their
                 senses
                 ,
                 affections
                 ,
                 interests
                 and
                 imaginations
                 do
                 many
                 times
                 mingle
                 errors
                 and
                 false
                 conceits
                 with
                 the
                 genuine
                 Dictates
                 of
                 their
                 minds
                 ,
                 and
                 then
                 appeal
                 to
                 them
                 as
                 the
                 principles
                 of
                 truth
                 and
                 reason
                 ,
                 when
                 they
                 are
                 indeed
                 nothing
                 else
                 but
                 the
                 vain
                 images
                 of
                 our
                 Fansies
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 conclusions
                 of
                 ignorance
                 and
                 mistake
                 .
                 p.
                 241.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 Liable
                 to
                 be
                 mis-led
                 by
                 our
                 senses
                 ,
                 and
                 affections
                 ,
                 and
                 interests
                 ,
                 and
                 imaginations
                 ,
                 so
                 that
                 we
                 many
                 times
                 mingle
                 errors
                 and
                 false
                 conceits
                 with
                 the
                 genuine
                 dictates
                 of
                 our
                 minds
                 ,
                 and
                 appeal
                 to
                 them
                 as
                 the
                 principles
                 of
                 truth
                 and
                 reason
                 ,
                 when
                 they
                 are
                 but
                 the
                 vain
                 images
                 of
                 our
                 Fansies
                 ,
                 or
                 the
                 false
                 conclusions
                 of
                 ignorance
                 and
                 mistake
                 .
                 
                   Of
                   Reason
                
                 ,
                 p.
                 196
                 ,
                 197.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 Whatsoever
                 is
                 proved
                 by
                 reason
                 we
                 are
                 firmly
                 to
                 believe
                 it
                 ,
                 though
                 there
                 be
                 many
                 things
                 in
                 the
                 theory
                 of
                 it
                 ,
                 that
                 are
                 wholly
                 unconceivable
                 .
                 p.
                 198.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   J.
                   G.
                
                 
              
               
                 What
                 is
                 —
                 clearly
                 proved
                 by
                 reason
                 ought
                 to
                 be
                 believed
                 ,
                 though
                 there
                 are
                 many
                 things
                 in
                 the
                 theory
                 and
                 manner
                 of
                 it
                 unconceivable
                 .
                 
                   Philosoph
                   .
                   Pia
                
                 ,
                 p.
                 82.
                 
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Thus
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             I
             have
             given
             you
             some
             Instances
             among
             many
             ,
             of
             the
             faithfulness
             of
             M.
             
             Ferguson's
             Memory
             ,
             or
             of
             his
             Phrase-Book
             :
             There
             is
             no
             doubt
             but
             they
             have
             furnished
             him
             as
             well
             out
             of
             other
             Writers
             ,
             but
             I
             have
             neither
             the
             humor
             nor
             the
             leisure
             to
             make
             further
             search
             after
             stoln
             Goods
             :
             Only
             I
             cannot
             but
             take
             notice
             to
             you
             that
             this
             is
             the
             Man
             that
             divers
             of
             his
             Party
             glory
             in
             ,
             as
             their
             elegant
             and
             rational
             Writer
             ,
             and
             urge
             him
             as
             a
             great
             proof
             of
             the
             partiality
             and
             injustice
             of
             those
             who
             will
             not
             allow
             Non-Conformists
             to
             write
             either
             good
             Sense
             or
             good
             Language
             ;
             If
             either
             of
             these
             be
             in
             his
             Book
             ,
             you
             may
             ghess
             by
             this
             Specimen
             how
             little
             Honour
             is
             reflected
             upon
             them
             from
             it
             :
             And
             if
             others
             would
             claim
             their
             Feathers
             ,
             as
             I
             have
             called
             for
             some
             of
             mine
             ,
             I
             believe
             ,
             he
             would
             have
             scarce
             enough
             left
             to
             cover
             theirs
             or
             his
             own
             nakedness
             .
          
           
             I
             remember
             such
             Discoveries
             were
             once
             made
             upon
             another
             Champion
             of
             the
             Cause
             ,
             M.
             Hickman
             ;
             who
             had
             also
             furnished
             his
             Pack
             with
             Lace
             and
             Ribband
             borrowed
             from
             his
             Neighbours
             Shops
             .
             'T
             is
             pity
             but
             these
             men
             had
             Judgments
             to
             choose
             ,
             for
             then
             they
             would
             put
             better
             Books
             into
             the
             hands
             of
             their
             Admirers
             .
             But
             when
             they
             take
             this
             Liberty
             ,
             I
             would
             advise
             them
             not
             to
             fall
             foul
             upon
             the
             Owners
             ,
             while
             they
             have
             their
             Goods
             in
             their
             hands
             ;
             nor
             to
             pick
             their
             Pockets
             then
             when
             they
             are
             confidently
             pleading
             their
             own
             Truth
             and
             Honesty
             against
             them
             :
             If
             this
             Gentleman
             had
             let
             me
             alone
             ,
             I
             had
             likely
             never
             known
             this
             quality
             of
             his
             ;
             but
             unluckily
             he
             hath
             detected
             himself
             ,
             as
             
             he
             did
             that
             warned
             his
             Chapman
             ,
             to
             whom
             he
             had
             sold
             a
             stoln
             Horse
             ,
             not
             to
             let
             him
             drink
             of
             such
             a
             Water
             ,
             which
             was
             in
             a
             Ground
             out
             of
             which
             he
             had
             taken
             him
             .
          
           
             Upon
             the
             whole
             matter
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             I
             desire
             you
             to
             deal
             gently
             with
             this
             Adversary
             ,
             lest
             unawares
             you
             should
             smite
             some
             of
             your
             Friends
             ,
             and
             among
             the
             rest
             ,
          
           
             
               Your
               affectionate
               Friend
               and
               Servant
               ,
               Ios.
               Glanvill
               .
            
          
        
      
       
         
         
           Mr.
           SHERLOCK
           HIS
           ANSWER
           TO
           Mr.
           GLANVILL
           HIS
           LETTER
           .
        
         
           
             
               SIR
               ,
            
          
           
             I
             Have
             received
             your
             Letter
             ,
             and
             thank
             you
             very
             heartily
             for
             it
             .
             I
             was
             much
             puzzled
             before
             to
             give
             an
             account
             of
             the
             inequality
             of
             M.
             
             Ferguson's
             Style
             and
             Reasoning
             :
             for
             his
             Words
             are
             sometimes
             proper
             and
             elegant
             ,
             his
             Arguments
             strong
             and
             weighty
             ,
             at
             other
             times
             his
             Phrase
             is
             barbarous
             and
             pedantick
             ,
             and
             his
             Reasonings
             childish
             :
             and
             I
             always
             observed
             that
             he
             writ
             best
             upon
             some
             trite
             and
             beaten
             Argument
             ,
             where
             he
             had
             no
             Adversary
             ;
             but
             take
             him
             out
             of
             the
             road
             of
             Common
             Places
             and
             Phrase-Books
             ,
             and
             he
             could
             neither
             write
             consistently
             with
             himself
             ,
             nor
             any
             thing
             to
             the
             purpose
             .
             This
             gave
             me
             a
             great
             suspicion
             of
             the
             man
             ,
             that
             he
             was
             a
             mere
             Collector
             ,
             and
             that
             his
             Book
             was
             made
             just
             as
             the
             
             Epicuraeans
             fansie
             the
             World
             was
             ,
             by
             the
             accidental
             Concourse
             of
             Atoms
             ,
             and
             may
             serve
             for
             a
             Confutation
             of
             that
             wild
             Hypothesis
             ;
             it
             being
             a
             plain
             Demonstration
             ,
             how
             impossible
             it
             is
             to
             make
             a
             good
             Book
             out
             of
             the
             best
             Common-Places
             and
             Collections
             ,
             unless
             a
             wise
             man
             have
             the
             composing
             of
             it
             .
          
           
             Upon
             the
             receipt
             of
             your
             Letter
             ,
             which
             made
             so
             pleasant
             a
             discovery
             of
             the
             man
             ,
             I
             had
             the
             Curiosity
             to
             enquire
             a
             little
             further
             ,
             and
             in
             requital
             of
             your
             kindness
             ,
             I
             have
             here
             sent
             you
             some
             of
             his
             gleanings
             from
             other
             Authors
             ,
             though
             so
             changed
             and
             transformed
             ,
             and
             found
             in
             such
             ill
             Company
             ,
             that
             I
             fear
             those
             worthy
             persons
             will
             be
             ashamed
             to
             own
             them
             .
          
           
             And
             because
             M.
             Ferg
             .
             with
             the
             usual
             confidence
             of
             a
             bold
             Scot
             ,
             pretends
             a
             very
             particular
             Friendship
             with
             that
             excellent
             Person
             ,
             Sir
             
               Charles
               Wolseley
            
             ,
             I
             shall
             first
             take
             notice
             how
             bold
             he
             has
             made
             with
             him
             ;
             which
             I
             suppose
             he
             did
             upon
             the
             Authority
             of
             that
             old
             Saying
             ,
             
               All
               things
               are
               common
               among
               Friends
            
             ;
             and
             therefore
             he
             might
             challenge
             as
             good
             a
             right
             to
             Sir
             Charles
             his
             Writings
             ,
             as
             himself
             .
          
           
             M.
             Ferg
             .
             among
             other
             things
             shews
             
               the
               Use
               and
               Serviceableness
               of
               Reason
               in
               proving
               the
               Divinity
               of
               the
               Scripture
               ,
            
             p.
             56
             ,
             &c.
             
             Sir
             Charles
             had
             done
             this
             before
             him
             ,
             and
             had
             managed
             that
             Argument
             like
             a
             Scholar
             and
             a
             Gentleman
             ,
             in
             his
             Book
             entituled
             ,
             
               The
               Reasonableness
               of
               Scripture-Belief
            
             ;
             from
             whence
             our
             Author
             has
             borrowed
             most
             of
             his
             best
             Arguments
             ,
             and
             many
             times
             his
             Words
             and
             Phrases
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 Ferguson
                 premises
                 ,
                 that
                 
                   the
                   Testimony
                   of
                   the
                   Holy
                   Ghost
                   in
                   the
                   Souls
                   and
                   Consciences
                   of
                   men
                   is
                   the
                   most
                   convincing
                   evidence
                   ,
                   that
                   such
                   men
                   can
                   have
                   of
                   its
                
                 (
                 the
                 Scriptures
                 )
                 Divinity
                 ,
                 but
                 yet
                 rejects
                 it
                 from
                 being
                 a
                 proof
                 
                 of
                 the
                 Scriptures
                 Divinity
                 to
                 others
                 .
                 Interest
                 of
                 Reason
                 ,
                 p.
                 57
              
            
             
               
               
                 Sir
                 Charles
                 likewise
                 tells
                 us
                 ,
                 
                   the
                   Testimony
                   of
                   the
                   Holy
                   Ghost
                   in
                   the
                
                 minds
                 
                   and
                   consciences
                   of
                   men
                
                 to
                 the
                 truth
                 of
                 the
                 Scriptures
                 (
                 though
                 it
                 be
                 the
                 
                   most
                   convincing
                   evidence
                
                 that
                 can
                 be
                 given
                 to
                 them
                 ,
                 &c.
                 )
                 't
                 is
                 not
                 to
                 be
                 urged
                 in
                 proof
                 
                 of
                 the
                 Scriptures
                 against
                 its
                 professed
                 Adversaries
                 .
                 
                   Scripture
                   belief
                   ,
                   p.
                   79
                
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Sir
             Charles
             assigns
             two
             reasons
             for
             this
             ;
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             has
             divided
             the
             second
             Reason
             into
             two
             ,
             and
             set
             the
             first
             Reason
             in
             the
             third
             place
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                
                 
              
               
                 1.
                 
                 The
                 Holy
                 Ghost
                 convinceth
                 no
                 man
                 as
                 to
                 the
                 belief
                 of
                 the
                 Scripture
                 ,
                 without
                 enlightning
                 his
                 mind
                 
                   in
                   the
                   grounds
                   and
                   reasons
                
                 upon
                 which
                 its
                 proceeding
                 from
                 God
                 is
                 evidenced
                 and
                 established
                 .
                 
                   There
                   is
                   no
                   conviction
                   begot
                   by
                   the
                   Holy
                   Ghost
                
                 in
                 the
                 hearts
                 of
                 men
                 ,
                 otherwise
                 than
                 by
                 rational
                 evidence
                 ,
                 
                   satisfying
                   our
                   understanding
                
                 ,
                 through
                 discovering
                 the
                 motives
                 and
                 inducements
                 
                   that
                   ascertain
                   the
                   truth
                   of
                   what
                
                 he
                 would
                 convince
                 us
                 of
                 ,
                 
                   Ibid.
                   p.
                
                 57
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Sir
                   Ch.
                   Wols
                
                 .
              
               
                 Second
                 Argument
                 the
                 latter
                 part
                 ▪
              
               
                 
                   The
                   Illuminations
                   of
                   the
                   Holy
                   Ghost
                
                 in
                 the
                 minds
                 of
                 men
                 are
                 no
                 other
                 way
                 to
                 be
                 conceived
                 of
                 ,
                 than
                 that
                 he
                 is
                 pleased
                 to
                 propose
                 
                   the
                   right
                   grounds
                   and
                   reasons
                   upon
                   which
                   things
                   are
                   to
                   be
                   believed
                   ,
                
                 and
                 
                   to
                   convince
                   and
                   satisfie
                   the
                   understanding
                   ,
                
                 that
                 they
                 are
                 so
                 ,
                 and
                 to
                 bring
                 men
                 to
                 acquiesce
                 in
                 conclusions
                 
                   by
                   ascertaining
                   them
                   of
                   the
                   truth
                
                 of
                 the
                 premises
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                
                 
              
               
                 2.
                 
                 No
                 mans
                 particular
                 assurance
                 obtained
                 thus
                 in
                 way
                 
                   of
                   Illumination
                   by
                   the
                   Holy
                   Ghost
                   ,
                
                 is
                 otherwise
                 urged
                 as
                 
                   an
                   argument
                   of
                   conviction
                   to
                   another
                   ,
                
                 than
                 
                   by
                   proposing
                   the
                   reasons
                
                 ,
                 which
                 our
                 Faith
                 is
                 erected
                 on
                 .
                 The
                 
                 way
                 of
                 such
                 
                   mens
                   evidence
                   is
                   communicable
                   to
                   none
                   ,
                
                 unless
                 they
                 could
                 kindle
                 the
                 same
                 rays
                 
                   in
                   the
                   breasts
                   of
                   others
                
                 ,
                 which
                 have
                 irradiated
                 their
                 own
                 ,
                 and
                 therefore
                 they
                 must
                 deal
                 with
                 others
                 by
                 producing
                 the
                 grounds
                 
                   of
                   their
                   conviction
                
                 ,
                 not
                 pleading
                 the
                 manner
                 of
                 it
                 ,
                 Ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
               
                 
                   Sir
                   Ch.
                   Wols
                
                 .
              
               
                 
                   The
                   beginning
                   of
                   the
                   second
                   Argument
                   .
                
              
               
                 Whatever
                 evidence
                 the
                 Holy
                 Ghost
                 gives
                 to
                 any
                 man
                 to
                 assure
                 him
                 of
                 the
                 truth
                 of
                 any
                 proposition
                 ,
                 that
                 evidence
                 ,
                 as
                 such
                 ,
                 can
                 never
                 go
                 beyond
                 
                   his
                   own
                   breast
                
                 ,
                 nor
                 can
                 I
                 ever
                 
                 prove
                 any
                 thing
                 by
                 it
                 ,
                 as
                 it
                 is
                 a
                 Divine
                 and
                 infallible
                 Evidence
                 ,
                 because
                 
                   such
                   evidence
                   is
                   no
                   way
                   communicable
                   to
                   another
                
                 but
                 in
                 an
                 ordinary
                 way
                 :
                 Nothing
                 is
                 visible
                 to
                 another
                 in
                 such
                 cases
                 ,
                 
                   but
                   the
                   reasons
                
                 I
                 can
                 produce
                 ,
                 the
                 Divine
                 Illumination
                 I
                 have
                 within
                 my self
                 
                   to
                   convince
                   me
                
                 ,
                 that
                 such
                 Reasons
                 are
                 cogent
                 and
                 prevailing
                 can
                 never
                 be
                 so
                 demonstrated
                 ,
                 as
                 to
                 convince
                 another
                 that
                 has
                 no
                 such
                 Illumination
                 ,
                 
                   Ibid.
                   p.
                   81
                
              
            
          
        
         
           
             I
             am
             now
             Sir
             perfectly
             satisfied
             of
             what
             great
             use
             that
             trick
             is
             of
             varying
             phrases
             ,
             which
             we
             learned
             at
             School
             ;
             for
             this
             has
             made
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             a
             famous
             Author
             ,
             who
             by
             the
             little
             arts
             of
             transplacing
             words
             ,
             of
             turning
             Nouns
             into
             Verbs
             ,
             or
             Verbs
             into
             Participles
             ,
             or
             converting
             a
             single
             word
             ,
             such
             as
             Illumination
             ,
             into
             the
             phrase
             of
             
               kindling
               Rayes
            
             ,
             can
             make
             other
             mens
             Writings
             his
             own
             .
             But
             to
             proceed
             ,
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 3.
                 
                 
                   The
                   Holy
                   Ghost
                   ,
                   as
                   a
                   distinct
                   person
                   in
                   the
                   Deity
                   is
                
                 not
                 a
                 Principle
                 demonstrable
                 by
                 reason
                 ,
                 &c.
                 to
                 prove
                 the
                 Divine
                 Authority
                 of
                 the
                 Scripture
                 by
                 the
                 Testimony
                 of
                 the
                 Holy
                 Ghost
                 ,
                 when
                 we
                 cannot
                 otherwise
                 prove
                 a
                 Holy
                 Ghost
                 ,
                 but
                 by
                 the
                 Testimony
                 of
                 the
                 
                 Scripture
                 ,
                 is
                 to
                 argue
                 circularly
                 and
                 absurdly
                 ,
                 Ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
               
                 Sir
                 Ch.
                 Wols
                 .
              
               
                 1
                 Argument
                 ,
                 
                   Because
                   the
                   Blessed
                   Spirit
                   it self
                
                 is
                 not
                 a
                 common
                 demonstrable
                 principle
                 amongst
                 mankind
                 ,
                 &c.
                 to
                 go
                 about
                 to
                 prove
                 the
                 Scriptures
                 by
                 any
                 evidence
                 arising
                 from
                 the
                 Holy
                 Ghost
                 must
                 needs
                 be
                 visibly
                 absurd
                 ,
                 because
                 there
                 is
                 no
                 other
                 
                 way
                 to
                 prove
                 that
                 there
                 is
                 any
                 such
                 being
                 as
                 the
                 Holy
                 Ghost
                 ,
                 but
                 by
                 the
                 Scriptures
                 themselves
                 ,
                 Ibid.
                 
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Master
             Ferguson
             having
             premised
             this
             ,
             proceeds
             to
             prove
             the
             Divine
             Authority
             of
             the
             Scriptures
             ;
             and
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 First
                 ,
                 To
                 justifie
                 the
                 necessity
                 of
                 some
                 supernatural
                 Revelation
                 in
                 order
                 to
                 the
                 conducting
                 us
                 in
                 Religion
                 ,
                 
                   Ibid.
                   p.
                
                 62
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Sir
                   Ch.
                   Wols
                
                 .
              
               
                 First
                 ,
                 I
                 will
                 endeavour
                 to
                 render
                 it
                 a
                 thing
                 reasonable
                 to
                 be
                 believed
                 that
                 there
                 should
                 be
                 some
                 supernatural
                 law
                 revealed
                 from
                 God
                 ,
                 and
                 given
                 to
                 mankind
                 ,
                 
                   &c.
                   
                   Ibid.
                   p.
                   86
                
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                
                 
              
               
                 His
                 first
                 argument
                 is
                 taken
                 from
                 the
                 imperfection
                 of
                 natural
                 light
                 ,
                 p.
                 64
              
            
             
               
                 This
                 is
                 largely
                 managed
                 by
                 Sir
                 
                   Charles
                   ,
                   p.
                   87
                   ,
                   &c.
                   
                
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 His
                 second
                 Argument
                 ,
                 That
                 the
                 Religion
                 of
                 men
                 at
                 present
                 towards
                 God
                 is
                 the
                 Religion
                 of
                 sinners
                 ,
                 &c.
                 but
                 natural
                 light
                 cannot
                 instruct
                 the
                 world
                 how
                 God
                 will
                 be
                 atoned
                 ,
                 Ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Sir
                   Ch.
                
                 
              
               
                 Mankind
                 in
                 every
                 age
                 have
                 applied
                 to
                 God
                 in
                 a
                 sense
                 of
                 sin
                 ,
                 and
                 of
                 guilt
                 contracted
                 by
                 it
                 ,
                 and
                 upon
                 that
                 account
                 have
                 adjudged
                 it
                 necessary
                 to
                 make
                 some
                 further
                 offering
                 to
                 God
                 for
                 their
                 sins
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
                 Now
                 the
                 reason
                 of
                 the
                 world
                 does
                 not
                 issue
                 it self
                 into
                 any
                 positive
                 certainly
                 about
                 such
                 things
                 ,
                 
                   &c.
                   
                   Ibid.
                   p.
                   133
                   ,
                   and
                   p.
                   145
                   ,
                   &c.
                   
                
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 Argument
                 3.
                 
                 All
                 mankind
                 hath
                 universally
                 consented
                 
                 in
                 this
                 ,
                 that
                 besides
                 the
                 light
                 of
                 reason
                 ,
                 there
                 ought
                 to
                 be
                 some
                 supernatural
                 Revelation
                 from
                 God
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
              
            
             
               
               
                 
                   Sir
                   Ch.
                
                 
              
               
                 Discourses
                 this
                 at
                 large
                 ,
                 
                   p.
                   123.
                   &c.
                
                 to
                 which
                 M.
                 Ferguson
                 
                 indeed
                 refers
                 his
                 Reader
                 :
                 as
                 also
                 to
                 
                   Camero
                   de
                   verbo
                   Dei
                
                 :
                 for
                 which
                 he
                 is
                 beholden
                 to
                 Sir
                 
                 Charles's
                 citation
                 of
                 him
                 in
                 the
                 same
                 place
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Master
             Ferguson's
             next
             undertaking
             is
             
               to
               make
               it
               appear
               ,
               that
               it
               is
               expedient
               ,
               that
               this
               Revelation
               should
               be
               some
               where
               or
               other
               consigned
               to
               writing
               ,
            
             ibid.
             p.
             68.
             
             This
             is
             but
             just
             mentioned
             by
             Sir
             
               Charles
               Wolseley
            
             ,
             and
             therefore
             he
             is
             forced
             to
             have
             recourse
             to
             some
             other
             ;
             and
             he
             has
             made
             a
             very
             good
             choice
             ,
             no
             less
             person
             than
             the
             Reverend
             Dean
             of
             Canterbury
             ,
             Dr.
             
               Tillotson
               ,
               in
               his
               Rule
               of
               Faith
               :
            
             where
             you
             may
             find
             the
             sum
             of
             all
             Master
             Ferguson's
             arguments
             upon
             this
             head
             ,
             which
             are
             of
             any
             force
             ;
             only
             sometimes
             to
             avoid
             those
             particular
             instances
             ,
             which
             the
             Dean
             gives
             ,
             he
             chuseth
             others
             with
             so
             little
             judgment
             ,
             that
             it
             would
             puzzle
             a
             very
             wise
             man
             to
             defend
             them
             :
             And
             it
             is
             pretty
             to
             observe
             how
             sometimes
             he
             varies
             phrases
             ,
             and
             sometimes
             retains
             the
             very
             same
             expressions
             ;
             as
             to
             give
             an
             instance
             of
             each
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                   p.
                
                 69.
                 
              
               
                 I
                 readily
                 acknowledge
                 ,
                 that
                 the
                 
                   Articles
                   and
                   Precepts
                   of
                   Religion
                
                 ,
                 may
                 in
                 some
                 cases
                 and
                 circumstances
                 be
                 safely
                 preserved
                 and
                 securely
                 conveyed
                 down
                 from
                 age
                 to
                 age
                 by
                 oral
                 Tradition
                 ;
                 namely
                 when
                 the
                 things
                 themselves
                 to
                 be
                 preserved
                 and
                 reported
                 are
                 few
                 ,
                 the
                 number
                 of
                 the
                 persons
                 to
                 be
                 instructed
                 in
                 them
                 small
                 ;
                 
                   the
                   age
                   of
                   those
                   to
                   whom
                   the
                   successive
                   communication
                   is
                   given
                   ,
                   lengthened
                
                 
                 
                   out
                   to
                   several
                   hundreds
                   of
                   years
                   ,
                
                 &c.
                 
              
            
             
               
               
                 
                   Dr.
                   Tillotson
                   ,
                   Rule
                   of
                   Faith
                   ,
                
                 p.
                 33.
                 
              
               
                 We
                 grant
                 that
                 oral
                 Tradition
                 in
                 some
                 circumstances
                 may
                 be
                 a
                 sufficient
                 way
                 of
                 conveying
                 a
                 Doctrine
                 ,
                 &c.
                 in
                 the
                 first
                 ages
                 of
                 the
                 world
                 ,
                 when
                 the
                 credenda
                 
                   or
                   Articles
                   of
                   Religion
                   ,
                   and
                   the
                
                 agenda
                 
                   or
                   precepts
                   of
                   it
                   were
                   but
                   few
                   ,
                
                 and
                 such
                 as
                 had
                 the
                 evidence
                 of
                 natural
                 light
                 ;
                 when
                 the
                 world
                 was
                 contracted
                 into
                 a
                 few
                 Families
                 in
                 comparison
                 ,
                 and
                 
                   the
                   age
                   of
                   man
                   was
                   ordinarily
                
                 
                 
                   extended
                   to
                   six
                   or
                   seven
                   hundred
                   years
                   ,
                
                 &c.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                   p.
                
                 71.
                 
              
               
                 I
                 shall
                 only
                 add
                 ,
                 that
                 the
                 tradition
                 of
                 the
                 one
                 true
                 God
                 ,
                 though
                 most
                 easie
                 to
                 have
                 been
                 preserved
                 ,
                 being
                 not
                 only
                 short
                 and
                 plain
                 ,
                 but
                 having
                 foundation
                 and
                 evidence
                 in
                 the
                 light
                 of
                 Nature
                 ,
                 was
                 nevertheless
                 soon
                 corrupted
                 and
                 defaced
                 by
                 the
                 worlds
                 lapsing
                 into
                 Polytheism
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Dr.
                   T.
                   Ibid.
                   p.
                   187.
                
                 
              
               
                 The
                 tradition
                 of
                 the
                 one
                 true
                 God
                 ,
                 which
                 was
                 the
                 easiest
                 to
                 be
                 preserved
                 of
                 any
                 Doctrine
                 in
                 the
                 world
                 ,
                 being
                 short
                 and
                 plain
                 ;
                 planted
                 in
                 every
                 mans
                 nature
                 ,
                 and
                 perfectly
                 suited
                 to
                 the
                 reason
                 of
                 mankind
                 ;
                 and
                 yet
                 this
                 tradition
                 not
                 having
                 past
                 through
                 many
                 hands
                 ,
                 &c.
                 was
                 so
                 defaced
                 and
                 corrupted
                 ,
                 that
                 the
                 world
                 did
                 lapse
                 into
                 Polytheism
                 and
                 Idolatry
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Where
             it
             is
             pleasant
             to
             observe
             ,
             how
             Master
             Ferguson
             by
             altering
             the
             expression
             a
             little
             ,
             unawares
             falls
             into
             non-sense
             ;
             that
             the
             tradition
             of
             the
             one
             true
             God
             was
             corrupted
             and
             defaced
             
               by
               the
               worlds
               lapsing
               into
               Polytheism
               :
            
             as
             if
             men
             first
             lapsed
             into
             Polytheism
             ,
             and
             this
             corrupted
             the
             tradition
             of
             one
             God
             :
             which
             is
             as
             much
             as
             to
             say
             ,
             that
             men
             worshipped
             a
             great
             many
             Gods
             ,
             while
             they
             believed
             there
             was
             but
             one
             ;
             and
             by
             this
             means
             in
             time
             forgot
             that
             there
             was
             but
             one
             God.
             And
             indeed
             our
             Author
             is
             oftentimes
             very
             unhappy
             at
             varying
             phrases
             ,
             and
             makes
             either
             wretched
             English
             ,
             or
             wretched
             sense
             of
             them
             .
          
           
             Master
             Ferguson's
             next
             undertaking
             is
             ,
             thirdly
             to
             prove
             ,
             
               that
               no
               written
               Records
               besides
               the
               Bible
               can
               lay
               claim
               to
               the
               priviledge
               of
               being
            
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             
               of
               Divine
               Inspiration
            
             :
             and
             here
             he
             considers
             the
             Ethnick
             Legislators
             ,
             Poets
             ,
             and
             Philosophers
             ;
             and
             especially
             the
             Alcoran
             ,
             page
             76
             ,
             &c.
             all
             which
             is
             done
             at
             large
             by
             Sir
             
               Charles
               Worsely
            
             ,
             page
             164
             ,
             &c.
             of
             which
             Master
             Ferguson
             has
             only
             given
             us
             a
             short
             and
             imperfect
             abstract
             .
          
           
             The
             same
             may
             be
             truly
             affirmed
             of
             
               those
               positive
               media
            
             (
             as
             he
             calls
             them
             )
             
               by
               which
               the
               Divine
               authority
               of
               the
               Scripture
               may
               be
               rationally
               
               demonstrated
               ,
            
             which
             indeed
             he
             has
             cast
             into
             a
             different
             method
             ;
             but
             as
             far
             as
             I
             observe
             ,
             has
             nothing
             but
             what
             is
             particularly
             discours'd
             by
             Sir
             Charles
             from
             page
             179.
             to
             the
             end
             of
             the
             Book
             .
          
           
             In
             one
             thing
             indeed
             Master
             Ferguson
             takes
             the
             confidence
             to
             differ
             from
             Sir
             Charles
             ,
             whether
             Miracles
             be
             always
             a
             certain
             demonstration
             of
             the
             truth
             of
             any
             Doctrine
             ?
             or
             whether
             God
             may
             ▪
             not
             sometimes
             permit
             Impostors
             to
             work
             Miracles
             for
             the
             tryal
             of
             our
             Faith
             ?
             This
             latter
             Sir
             Charles
             affirms
             ,
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             denies
             ;
             which
             is
             not
             civilly
             done
             to
             dispute
             such
             a
             nice
             point
             with
             his
             friend
             ,
             which
             he
             confesses
             is
             not
             very
             material
             ,
             when
             he
             had
             borrowed
             from
             him
             all
             his
             substantial
             and
             material
             notions
             .
             But
             the
             best
             of
             it
             is
             ,
             Sir
             Charles
             has
             no
             need
             to
             stand
             to
             his
             Courtesie
             in
             this
             matter
             ,
             and
             it
             is
             well
             for
             him
             he
             has
             not
             .
          
           
             And
             upon
             this
             occasion
             I
             cannot
             but
             take
             notice
             ,
             how
             Master
             Ferguson
             deals
             with
             
               Des
               Cartes
            
             ;
             he
             charges
             him
             with
             affirming
             ,
             
               Deum
               posse
               fallere
               ,
               si
               velit
               ,
            
             that
             God
             can
             deceive
             ,
             if
             he
             please
             .
             Now
             Sir
             you
             know
             very
             well
             upon
             what
             occasion
             
               Des
               Cartes
            
             said
             this
             ;
             it
             was
             when
             in
             order
             to
             free
             his
             mind
             from
             the
             prejudices
             of
             sense
             and
             education
             ,
             and
             popular
             opinions
             ,
             he
             set
             himself
             to
             doubt
             ,
             as
             far
             as
             possibly
             he
             could
             ,
             as
             long
             as
             there
             was
             the
             least
             imaginable
             pretence
             for
             doubting
             ;
             and
             therefore
             doubts
             whether
             there
             be
             a
             God
             ,
             or
             any
             thing
             else
             :
             and
             whether
             this
             God
             be
             not
             a
             deceiver
             ,
             &c.
             
             And
             Master
             Ferguson
             might
             as
             well
             challenge
             
               Des
               Cartes
            
             with
             denying
             that
             he
             himself
             had
             any
             body
             ,
             or
             that
             there
             were
             any
             external
             objects
             ,
             such
             as
             the
             Sun
             ,
             Moon
             ,
             and
             Stars
             ;
             as
             with
             affirming
             ,
             that
             God
             might
             deceive
             ,
             if
             he
             pleased
             ;
             for
             he
             says
             the
             one
             as
             much
             as
             the
             other
             ,
             while
             he
             was
             in
             this
             doubting
             humour
             ,
             and
             only
             upon
             a
             design
             to
             come
             to
             some
             first
             Principle
             ,
             which
             he
             could
             not
             doubt
             of
             ;
             and
             to
             lay
             the
             foundations
             of
             a
             more
             certain
             knowledge
             :
             and
             therefore
             he
             immediately
             adds
             ▪
             
               Et
               certe
               cum
               nullam
               occasionem
               habeam
               existimandi
               aliquem
               Deum
               esse
               deceptorent
               ,
               neo
               quidem
               adhuc
               satis
               sciam
               ,
               utrum
               sit
               aliquis
               Deus
               ,
               valde
               tenuis
               ,
               &
               ,
               ut
               ita
               loquar
               ,
               metaphysica
               dubitandi
               ratio
               est
               ,
               quae
               tantum
               ex
               ea
               opinione
               dependet
               ;
               ut
               autem
               etiam
               illa
               tolletur
               ,
               quamprimum
               occurret
               occasio
               ,
               examinare
               debeo
               ,
               an
               sit
               Deus
               ,
               &
               si
               sit
               ,
               an
               possit
               esse
               deceptor
               ,
               hac
               enim
               re
               ignorata
               ,
               non
               videor
               de
               ulla
               alia
               plane
               certus
               esse
               unquam
               posse
               ,
            
             Medit.
             Tertia
             .
             
               i.
               e.
            
             Since
             I
             have
             no
             occasion
             at
             all
             to
             think
             ,
             that
             God
             is
             a
             
             deceiver
             ;
             nor
             as
             yet
             am
             certain
             ,
             whether
             there
             be
             a
             God
             ,
             or
             not
             ,
             this
             opinion
             (
             of
             Gods
             power
             to
             deceive
             )
             is
             but
             a
             very
             slender
             and
             metaphysical
             reason
             of
             doubting
             :
             However
             that
             we
             may
             remove
             this
             too
             ,
             as
             soon
             as
             things
             are
             ripe
             for
             that
             inquiry
             ,
             we
             must
             examine
             whether
             there
             be
             a
             God
             ?
             and
             if
             there
             be
             one
             ,
             whether
             he
             can
             be
             a
             deceiver
             ?
             for
             while
             we
             are
             ignorant
             of
             this
             ,
             I
             cannot
             see
             how
             we
             can
             be
             throughly
             certain
             of
             an
             thing
             .
             And
             accordingly
             ,
             when
             in
             his
             method
             he
             had
             proved
             the
             being
             of
             God
             ,
             he
             proves
             too
             ,
             that
             he
             cannot
             deceive
             us
             ,
             and
             founds
             the
             truth
             and
             certainty
             of
             our
             faculties
             upon
             it
             .
             And
             in
             the
             second
             objections
             he
             is
             charged
             with
             asserting
             
               Deum
               non
               posse
               mentiri
               aut
               decipere
               ,
            
             that
             God
             cannot
             lye
             or
             deceive
             ;
             which
             they
             say
             is
             contrary
             to
             the
             opinion
             of
             many
             Schoolmen
             .
             And
             in
             his
             Answer
             to
             these
             Objections
             ,
             to
             which
             Master
             Ferguson
             refers
             us
             ,
             he
             owns
             the
             charge
             ,
             and
             defends
             himself
             from
             their
             exceptions
             .
             By
             this
             we
             may
             see
             ,
             how
             well
             skilled
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             is
             in
             
               Des
               Cartes
            
             his
             Philosophy
             ,
             or
             what
             a
             brow
             he
             has
             ,
             to
             charge
             that
             upon
             
               Des
               Cartes
            
             as
             his
             professed
             opinion
             ;
             the
             contrary
             of
             which
             he
             makes
             the
             ground
             of
             all
             certainty
             .
          
           
             Such
             another
             wise
             discourse
             he
             has
             ,
             page
             123.
             of
             Infallibility
             ;
             the
             result
             of
             which
             is
             ,
             that
             our
             Faith
             is
             infallible
             ,
             though
             we
             are
             not
             infallibly
             assured
             :
             but
             this
             is
             beyond
             my
             first
             design
             ,
             only
             I
             could
             not
             but
             take
             this
             occasion
             to
             show
             you
             ,
             what
             a
             man
             of
             reason
             this
             is
             ,
             when
             he
             argues
             at
             his
             own
             natural
             rate
             ,
             and
             dares
             forsake
             his
             Masters
             :
             and
             it
             were
             very
             easie
             to
             make
             it
             appear
             ,
             that
             he
             has
             not
             one
             good
             argument
             ,
             but
             what
             he
             has
             borrowed
             from
             some
             late
             Modern
             Authors
             ,
             who
             are
             far
             enough
             from
             being
             Fanaticks
             ;
             which
             is
             an
             excellent
             way
             of
             proving
             ,
             that
             Fanaticks
             are
             great
             friends
             to
             Reason
             .
          
           
             But
             to
             give
             you
             some
             few
             instances
             more
             of
             Mr.
             
             Ferguson's
             transcribing
             from
             Modern
             Authors
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 48.
                 
              
               
                 If
                 all
                 things
                 be
                 the
                 result
                 of
                 matter
                 ,
                 how
                 comes
                 a
                 
                   principle
                   of
                   reason
                
                 to
                 be
                 conveyed
                 
                 into
                 us
                 ,
                 by
                 
                   that
                   which
                   had
                   it
                   not
                   inherent
                   in
                   it self
                   .
                
              
            
             
               
               
                 Sir
                 C.
                 W.
                 The
                 unreasonableness
                 of
                 Atheism
                 ,
                 page
                 92.
                 
                 
                   The
                   casual
                   conjunction
                   of
                   these
                   atoms
                   could
                   not
                   make
                   the
                
                 
                 
                   world
                   ,
                   because
                   it
                   is
                   made
                
                 with
                 a
                 principle
                 of
                 Reason
                 ;
                 
                   and
                   they
                   could
                   not
                   have
                   induced
                
                 such
                 a
                 principle
                 by
                 chance
                 ,
                 unless
                 some
                 way
                 or
                 other
                 they
                 had
                 it
                 inherent
                 in
                 themselves
                 before
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 This
                 Hypothesis
                 supposeth
                 ,
                 that
                 to
                 have
                 been
                 the
                 
                   effect
                   of
                   chance
                   which
                   carries
                   in
                   it
                   the
                   characters
                   of
                   a
                   wise
                   contrivance
                   .
                
                 Ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Til.
                 Serm.
                 1.
                 p.
                 40.
                 
              
               
                 
                   Nothing
                   can
                   be
                   more
                   unreasonable
                   than
                   obstinately
                
                 to
                 impute
                 an
                 effect
                 to
                 chance
                 ,
                 which
                 carries
                 in
                 the
                 very
                 face
                 of
                 it
                 all
                 the
                 arguments
                 and
                 characters
                 of
                 a
                 wise
                 design
                 and
                 contrivance
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 If
                 the
                 fabrick
                 of
                 the
                 world
                 be
                 nothing
                 but
                 the
                 result
                 of
                 the
                 casual
                 meeting
                 ,
                 and
                 concatenation
                 of
                 Atoms
                 ,
                 how
                 comes
                 it
                 to
                 pass
                 ,
                 that
                 by
                 their
                 daily
                 motion
                 and
                 justling
                 one
                 another
                 ,
                 they
                 do
                 not
                 
                   dance
                   themselves
                   into
                   more
                   worlds
                
                 .
                 Ibid.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 Sir
                 Ch.
                 Ibid.
                 p.
                 91.
                 
              
               
                 
                   If
                   the
                
                 dancing
                 motion
                 
                   of
                   these
                   Atoms
                   in
                   this
                   fancied
                   space
                   did
                   by
                   chance
                
                 first
                 dance
                 the
                 world
                 into
                 
                   this
                   form
                
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
                   what
                   is
                   the
                   reason
                   these
                   Atoms
                   never
                   danced
                   themselves
                   into
                   any
                   thing
                   else
                   .
                
              
            
          
        
         
           
             You
             may
             see
             Sir
             ,
             what
             a
             youthful
             fancy
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             has
             to
             be
             so
             pleased
             with
             this
             metaphor
             of
             dancing
             ,
             which
             much
             better
             becomes
             a
             Gentleman
             than
             a
             Divine
             ;
             but
             yet
             I
             perceive
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             has
             so
             little
             skill
             in
             the
             thing
             ,
             that
             he
             spoils
             all
             these
             Metaphors
             ,
             if
             he
             attempts
             to
             vary
             the
             least
             word
             ;
             for
             I
             remember
             I
             have
             heard
             some
             say
             ,
             that
             justling
             is
             no
             very
             gentile
             way
             of
             dancing
             .
          
        
         
           
             
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 50.
                 
              
               
                 To
                 the
                 fortuitous
                 jumbles
                 of
                 blind
                 matter
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 
                 More
                 's
                 Antidote
                 ,
                 p.
                 42.
                 
              
               
                 From
                 a
                 blind
                 fortuitous
                 jumbling
                 of
                 the
                 parts
                 of
                 matter
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             And
             in
             the
             next
             words
             some
             body
             or
             other
             has
             put
             a
             trick
             on
             him
             :
             for
             thus
             he
             proceeds
             .
             The
             consideration
             of
             the
             Fabrick
             of
             things
             made
             Plato
             say
             ,
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             ,
             which
             I
             may
             english
             in
             the
             words
             of
             the
             Holy
             Ghost
             ,
             
               that
               all
               things
               are
               made
               in
               number
               ,
               weight
               ,
               and
               measure
               ,
            
             which
             are
             not
             the
             words
             of
             the
             Holy
             Ghost
             ,
             unless
             he
             will
             acknowledge
             the
             book
             of
             Wisdom
             to
             be
             Canonical
             Scripture
             :
             for
             there
             it
             is
             ,
             2
             Wisdom
             20.
             
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 51.
                 
              
               
                 What
                 convictions
                 are
                 we
                 furnished
                 with
                 of
                 the
                 Being
                 of
                 God
                 ,
                 from
                 
                   the
                   innate
                   harmony
                   that
                   is
                   in
                   the
                   several
                   parts
                   of
                   the
                   Creation
                   ,
                
                 and
                 the
                 convenient
                 disposure
                 of
                 all
                 the
                 Creatures
                 
                   to
                   a
                   subserviency
                   to
                   one
                   another
                   in
                   mutual
                   offices
                
                 ;
                 chance
                 cannot
                 have
                 linkt
                 one
                 thing
                 to
                 another
                 ,
                 
                   nor
                   can
                   contraries
                   combine
                   into
                   a
                   mutual
                   coalition
                   without
                   the
                   influence
                   of
                   a
                   supreme
                   Being
                   ,
                   who
                   overrules
                   them
                   .
                
              
            
             
               
                 Sir
                 Charles
                 ibid.
                 p.
                 42.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 natural
                 rectitude
                 and
                 innate
                 harmony
                 of
                 the
                 world
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 due
                 subordination
                 of
                 things
                 one
                 to
                 another
                 ,
                 and
                 to
                 the
                 whole
                 of
                 the
                 world
                 .
              
               
                 Direct
                 contraries
                 are
                 over-ruled
                 to
                 a
                 perfect
                 harmony
                 and
                 coalition
                 
                   in
                   the
                   propagation
                   of
                   the
                   world
                   ,
                
                 p.
                 87.
                 
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Here
             Mr.
             Ferg
             .
             has
             a
             little
             altered
             the
             phrase
             ,
             but
             much
             for
             the
             worse
             ;
             for
             
               to
               combine
               into
               a
               coalition
            
             ,
             I
             doubt
             is
             not
             good
             sense
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 52.
                 
              
               
                 Men
                 have
                 rather
                 chosen
                 to
                 worship
                 any
                 thing
                 for
                 a
                 God
                 ,
                 than
                 wholly
                 to
                 be
                 without
                 one
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Till
                 .
                 
                   Serm.
                   p.
                   55.
                
                 
              
               
                 Men
                 will
                 rather
                 have
                 any
                 God
                 than
                 none
                 ;
                 and
                 rather
                 than
                 want
                 a
                 Deity
                 will
                 worship
                 any
                 thing
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 53.
                 
              
               
                 For
                 not
                 onely
                 Cicero
                 tells
                 us
                 ,
                 that
                 there
                 is
                 nothing
                 so
                 absurd
                 ,
                 which
                 some
                 of
                 the
                 Philosophers
                 have
                 not
                 maintained
                 :
                 But
                 Aristotle
                 informs
                 us
                 ,
                 that
                 there
                 have
                 been
                 some
                 who
                 have
                 held
                 ,
                 That
                 a
                 thing
                 might
                 at
                 the
                 same
                 time
                 be
                 ,
                 and
                 not
                 be
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Sir
                 Charles
                 
                   ibid.
                   p.
                   74.
                
                 
              
               
                 Aristotle
                 tells
                 us
                 ,
                 that
                 there
                 were
                 some
                 that
                 affirmed
                 ,
                 A
                 thing
                 might
                 be
                 ,
                 and
                 might
                 not
                 be
                 at
                 the
                 same
                 time
                 ;
                 and
                 Cicero
                 has
                 long
                 since
                 told
                 us
                 ,
                 that
                 nothing
                 could
                 be
                 so
                 absurd
                 ,
                 that
                 had
                 not
                 some
                 Philosopher
                 for
                 its
                 Patron
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Now
             though
             these
             are
             very
             familiar
             sayings
             ,
             yet
             I
             have
             reason
             to
             think
             that
             Mr.
             Ferg
             .
             transcribed
             them
             out
             of
             Sir
             Charles
             ,
             because
             he
             has
             not
             given
             us
             the
             Latine
             and
             Greek
             of
             these
             sayings
             ,
             as
             Sir
             Charles
             has
             not
             ;
             which
             Mr.
             Ferg
             .
             never
             fails
             to
             do
             ,
             when
             he
             can
             come
             easily
             by
             it
             ,
             of
             which
             we
             have
             an
             instance
             or
             two
             in
             the
             same
             page
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 Ferg
                 .
                 ibid.
                 
              
               
                 Reason
                 becomes
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 infected
                 with
                 those
                 evil
                 opinions
                 that
                 proceed
                 from
                 lust
                 ;
                 when
                 men
                 are
                 once
                 sunk
                 into
                 the
                 greatest
                 sensualities
                 ,
                 their
                 reason
                 becomes
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 compliant
                 with
                 their
                 sensual
                 appetites
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Mr.
                 Smith's
                 
                   select
                   Discourses
                   ,
                   p.
                   15.
                
                 
              
               
                 That
                 reason
                 that
                 is
                 within
                 us
                 ,
                 as
                 Plotinus
                 hath
                 well
                 expressed
                 it
                 ,
                 becomes
                 more
                 and
                 more
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 it
                 will
                 be
                 infected
                 with
                 those
                 evil
                 opinions
                 that
                 arise
                 from
                 our
                 corporeal
                 life
                 .
                 Their
                 highest
                 reason
                 is
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 complying
                 with
                 their
                 senses
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 ibid.
                 
              
               
                 Besides
                 men
                 living
                 as
                 if
                 there
                 were
                 no
                 God
                 ,
                 can
                 make
                 no
                 apology
                 to
                 the
                 world
                 ,
                 but
                 
                 by
                 espousing
                 such
                 notions
                 ,
                 as
                 may
                 justifie
                 them
                 in
                 their
                 courses
                 .
              
            
             
               
               
                 Dr.
                 Till
                 .
                 
                   Serm.
                   p.
                   104.
                
                 
              
               
                 For
                 when
                 men
                 live
                 as
                 if
                 there
                 were
                 no
                 God
                 ,
                 it
                 becomes
                 expedient
                 for
                 them
                 ,
                 that
                 there
                 
                 should
                 be
                 none
                 .
                 —
                 Besides
                 ,
                 that
                 men
                 think
                 it
                 some
                 kind
                 of
                 apology
                 for
                 their
                 vices
                 ,
                 that
                 they
                 do
                 not
                 act
                 contrary
                 to
                 any
                 principle
                 they
                 profess
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 63.
                 
              
               
                 There
                 hath
                 been
                 no
                 Nation
                 so
                 savage
                 ,
                 nor
                 people
                 so
                 barbarous
                 ,
                 who
                 have
                 not
                 acknowledged
                 some
                 kind
                 of
                 external
                 Performances
                 necessary
                 for
                 the
                 expressing
                 of
                 the
                 inward
                 Sentiments
                 of
                 Devotion
                 and
                 Honour
                 ,
                 which
                 they
                 bear
                 to
                 the
                 Deity
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Amyrald
                 
                   of
                   Religion
                   ,
                   p.
                   2.
                
                 
              
               
                 There
                 is
                 no
                 Nation
                 so
                 savage
                 —
                 no
                 people
                 who
                 do
                 not
                 essay
                 by
                 some
                 kind
                 of
                 Performances
                 to
                 express
                 the
                 Sentiments
                 of
                 Devotion
                 and
                 Honour
                 they
                 bear
                 towards
                 him
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 132.
                 
              
               
                 Words
                 that
                 are
                 intelligible
                 ,
                 when
                 they
                 are
                 spoken
                 ,
                 are
                 as
                 intelligible
                 when
                 they
                 are
                 written
                 .
                 —
                 Now
                 as
                 God
                 can
                 speak
                 as
                 plainly
                 as
                 any
                 of
                 his
                 Creatures
                 can
                 ;
                 and
                 as
                 words
                 are
                 at
                 least
                 as
                 easie
                 to
                 be
                 understood
                 when
                 they
                 are
                 written
                 ,
                 as
                 when
                 they
                 are
                 spoken
                 ;
                 so
                 we
                 have
                 no
                 reason
                 to
                 think
                 ,
                 that
                 God
                 affects
                 obscurity
                 ,
                 or
                 envies
                 ,
                 that
                 men
                 should
                 understand
                 him
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Till
                 .
                 
                   Rule
                   of
                   Faith
                   ,
                   p.
                   66.
                   
                
              
               
                 First
                 ,
                 Whatever
                 can
                 be
                 spoken
                 in
                 plain
                 and
                 intelligible
                 words
                 ,
                 and
                 such
                 as
                 have
                 a
                 certain
                 sense
                 may
                 be
                 written
                 in
                 the
                 same
                 words
                 .
              
               
                 Secondly
                 ,
                 That
                 the
                 same
                 words
                 are
                 as
                 intelligible
                 ,
                 when
                 they
                 are
                 written
                 ,
                 as
                 when
                 they
                 are
                 spoken
                 .
              
               
                 Thirdly
                 ,
                 That
                 God
                 if
                 he
                 please
                 can
                 indite
                 a
                 Book
                 in
                 as
                 plain
                 words
                 as
                 any
                 of
                 his
                 Creatures
                 .
              
               
                 Fourthly
                 ,
                 That
                 we
                 have
                 no
                 reason
                 to
                 think
                 that
                 God
                 affects
                 obscurity
                 ,
                 and
                 envies
                 ,
                 that
                 men
                 should
                 understand
                 him
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 140.
                 
              
               
                 Nor
                 is
                 it
                 any
                 argument
                 ,
                 that
                 these
                 Texts
                 of
                 Scripture
                 are
                 not
                 easie
                 to
                 be
                 understood
                 ,
                 because
                 some
                 out
                 of
                 prejudice
                 or
                 perverseness
                 have
                 wrested
                 them
                 to
                 a
                 corrupt
                 sense
                 ;
                 seeing
                 God
                 did
                 not
                 endite
                 the
                 Bible
                 for
                 the
                 froward
                 or
                 captious
                 ,
                 but
                 for
                 such
                 who
                 will
                 read
                 it
                 with
                 a
                 free
                 and
                 unprejudiced
                 mind
                 ,
                 and
                 are
                 willing
                 to
                 come
                 to
                 the
                 knowledge
                 of
                 the
                 truth
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Till
                 .
                 
                   ibid.
                   p.
                   87.
                
                 
              
               
                 And
                 what
                 if
                 some
                 out
                 of
                 prejudice
                 do
                 mistake
                 ,
                 or
                 out
                 of
                 perverseness
                 do
                 wrest
                 the
                 plainest
                 Texts
                 of
                 Scripture
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
                 Is
                 this
                 any
                 argument
                 that
                 those
                 Texts
                 are
                 not
                 sufficiently
                 plain
                 ?
                 Can
                 any
                 thing
                 be
                 spoken
                 or
                 written
                 in
                 words
                 so
                 clear
                 ,
                 which
                 a
                 perverse
                 or
                 prejudiced
                 mind
                 shall
                 not
                 be
                 able
                 to
                 vex
                 and
                 force
                 to
                 another
                 meaning
                 ?
                 God
                 did
                 not
                 write
                 the
                 Scriptures
                 for
                 the
                 froward
                 and
                 the
                 captious
                 ,
                 but
                 for
                 those
                 who
                 will
                 read
                 them
                 with
                 a
                 free
                 and
                 unprejudiced
                 mind
                 ,
                 and
                 are
                 willing
                 to
                 come
                 to
                 the
                 knowledge
                 of
                 the
                 truth
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 148.
                 
              
               
                 We
                 have
                 the
                 attestation
                 of
                 Reason
                 ,
                 which
                 tells
                 us
                 ,
                 that
                 nothing
                 is
                 well
                 known
                 ,
                 but
                 by
                 that
                 ,
                 which
                 hath
                 a
                 just
                 analogy
                 to
                 it
                 ,
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 every
                 thing
                 is
                 best
                 understood
                 by
                 that
                 which
                 bears
                 a
                 resemblance
                 of
                 it
                 ;
                 things
                 of
                 sense
                 and
                 life
                 are
                 onely
                 known
                 by
                 vital
                 and
                 sentient
                 faculties
                 .
              
               
                 As
                 the
                 eye
                 cannot
                 behold
                 the
                 Sun
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 
                 unless
                 it
                 have
                 some
                 resemblance
                 of
                 the
                 Sun
                 in
                 it self
                 ;
                 no
                 more
                 can
                 any
                 man
                 understand
                 the
                 things
                 of
                 God
                 in
                 a
                 due
                 manner
                 ,
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 unless
                 he
                 be
                 made
                 to
                 partake
                 of
                 the
                 Divine
                 Image
                 .
              
            
             
               
               
                 Mr.
                 Smith's
                 
                   select
                   Discourses
                   ,
                   p.
                   2.
                
                 
              
               
                 All
                 things
                 of
                 sense
                 and
                 life
                 are
                 best
                 known
                 by
                 sentient
                 and
                 vital
                 faculties
                 ,
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 every
                 thing
                 is
                 best
                 known
                 by
                 that
                 which
                 bears
                 a
                 just
                 resemblance
                 and
                 analogy
                 with
                 it
                 .
              
               
                 And
                 as
                 the
                 eye
                 cannot
                 behold
                 the
                 Sun
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 unless
                 it
                 be
                 Sun-like
                 ,
                 and
                 hath
                 the
                 form
                 and
                 resemblance
                 of
                 the
                 Sun
                 drawn
                 in
                 it
                 ;
                 so
                 neither
                 can
                 the
                 Soul
                 of
                 man
                 
                 behold
                 God
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 unless
                 it
                 be
                 God-like
                 ,
                 hath
                 God
                 formed
                 in
                 it
                 ,
                 and
                 be
                 made
                 partaker
                 of
                 the
                 Divine
                 Nature
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Where
             by
             the
             change
             of
             one
             little
             word
             he
             has
             spoiled
             all
             ;
             for
             it
             is
             true
             as
             Mr.
             Smith
             says
             ,
             that
             things
             of
             life
             and
             sense
             are
             best
             known
             by
             sentient
             and
             vital
             faculties
             ;
             but
             it
             is
             false
             to
             say
             as
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             does
             ,
             that
             they
             are
             onely
             known
             this
             way
             :
             for
             there
             is
             a
             Philosophical
             Knowledge
             of
             Sounds
             and
             Colours
             ,
             as
             well
             as
             a
             Sensitive
             Knowledge
             of
             them
             :
             And
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             acknowledges
             ,
             that
             a
             bad
             man
             may
             have
             a
             true
             knowledge
             of
             the
             meaning
             of
             Scripture
             ,
             though
             he
             have
             not
             a
             vital
             sense
             of
             Religion
             .
             So
             easily
             may
             an
             ignorant
             Scribler
             spoil
             the
             best
             Sayings
             of
             Wise
             men
             .
          
           
             Thus
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             it
             is
             pleasant
             to
             observe
             how
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             has
             borrowed
             all
             his
             Arguments
             ,
             that
             are
             worth
             any
             thing
             ,
             against
             Des-Cartes
             his
             Philosophy
             ,
             from
             Dr.
             More
             ,
             with
             a
             little
             variation
             ,
             that
             I
             have
             reason
             to
             think
             ,
             that
             he
             never
             read
             ten
             lines
             in
             Des-Cartes
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 Anonymous
                 Author
                 of
                 
                   Philosophia
                   Scripturae
                   interpres
                
                 after
                 all
                 his
                 operose
                 and
                 impertinent
                 wrangling
                 —
                 Only
                 instead
                 of
                 Reason
                 ,
                 we
                 have
                 Philosophy
                 advanced
                 to
                 a
                 Dictatorship
                 over
                 the
                 Word
                 of
                 God
                 ,
                 and
                 Des-Cartes
                 made
                 Master
                 of
                 the
                 Chair
                 .
                 158.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 More
                 's
                 
                   divine
                   Dialogues
                   1
                   part
                   ,
                   in
                   the
                   Preface
                   .
                
              
               
                 The
                 learned
                 Author
                 of
                 
                   Philosophia
                   Scripturae
                   Interpres
                
                 after
                 an
                 operose
                 ,
                 subtile
                 and
                 copious
                 endeavour
                 of
                 evincing
                 ,
                 that
                 Philosophy
                 is
                 the
                 best
                 interpreter
                 of
                 Scripture
                 ,
                 as
                 if
                 all
                 that
                 pains
                 had
                 been
                 intended
                 in
                 the
                 behalf
                 of
                 Des-Cartes
                 ,
                 to
                 set
                 him
                 in
                 the
                 infallible
                 Chair
                 .
                 —
              
            
          
           
             
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 249.
                 
              
               
                 Nor
                 will
                 I
                 press
                 his
                 (
                 Des-Cartes
                 )
                 discharging
                 all
                 spirits
                 from
                 place
                 ,
                 though
                 that
                 seems
                 consequentially
                 to
                 discharge
                 them
                 from
                 being
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 See
                 Dr.
                 
                 More
                 's
                 first
                 Dialogue
                 ,
                 p.
                 136.
                 &c.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 Nor
                 will
                 I
                 dwell
                 upon
                 his
                 disbanding
                 all
                 Final
                 Causes
                 out
                 of
                 the
                 precincts
                 of
                 Natural
                 Philosophy
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 More
                 
                   ibid.
                   Preface
                
                 .
              
               
                 A
                 third
                 property
                 of
                 his
                 Philosophy
                 is
                 a
                 seeming
                 modesty
                 in
                 declining
                 all
                 search
                 into
                 the
                 final
                 causes
                 of
                 the
                 Phaenomena
                 of
                 the
                 World.
                 —
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 ibid.
                 p.
                 250.
                 
              
               
                 His
                 attempting
                 to
                 prove
                 ,
                 that
                 all
                 the
                 Phaenomena
                 of
                 the
                 Universe
                 might
                 arise
                 out
                 of
                 matter
                 by
                 meer
                 mechanical
                 motion
                 ,
                 and
                 that
                 matter
                 alone
                 ,
                 supposing
                 such
                 a
                 degree
                 of
                 motion
                 communicated
                 to
                 it
                 —
                 could
                 have
                 produced
                 the
                 Sun
                 ,
                 Moon
                 ,
                 Stars
                 ,
                 Planets
                 ,
                 Animals
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 Bodies
                 of
                 Men
                 in
                 such
                 Organization
                 ,
                 Order
                 ,
                 Beauty
                 and
                 Harmony
                 ,
                 as
                 now
                 they
                 are
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 More
                 ibid.
                 
              
               
                 It
                 is
                 a
                 confessed
                 principle
                 with
                 him
                 ,
                 that
                 matter
                 alone
                 with
                 such
                 a
                 degree
                 of
                 motion
                 ,
                 as
                 is
                 supposed
                 now
                 in
                 the
                 Universe
                 ,
                 will
                 produce
                 all
                 the
                 Phaenomena
                 of
                 the
                 World
                 ,
                 Sun
                 ,
                 Moon
                 ,
                 and
                 Stars
                 ,
                 Air
                 ,
                 Water
                 ,
                 Earth
                 ,
                 Planets
                 ,
                 Animals
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 Bodies
                 of
                 men
                 ,
                 in
                 such
                 order
                 and
                 orginazation
                 ,
                 as
                 they
                 are
                 found
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 ibid
              
               
                 Neither
                 will
                 I
                 dwell
                 upon
                 his
                 notion
                 of
                 the
                 Conflict
                 between
                 the
                 Flesh
                 and
                 the
                 Spirit
                 ,
                 which
                 the
                 Scripture
                 so
                 emphatically
                 mentions
                 ;
                 namely
                 ,
                 that
                 it
                 is
                 nothing
                 but
                 the
                 repugnancy
                 of
                 those
                 motions
                 ,
                 
                 which
                 the
                 Body
                 by
                 its
                 Spirits
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 Soul
                 by
                 her
                 Will
                 endeavour
                 to
                 excite
                 at
                 the
                 same
                 time
                 in
                 the
                 
                   glandula
                   pinealis
                
                 ,
                 or
                 little
                 Kernel
                 ,
                 where
                 he
                 supposeth
                 the
                 Soul
                 to
                 be
                 harboured
                 and
                 seated
                 :
                 as
                 if
                 the
                 whole
                 conflict
                 which
                 the
                 Holy
                 Ghost
                 so
                 solemnly
                 describes
                 under
                 the
                 notion
                 of
                 a
                 war
                 betwixt
                 the
                 law
                 of
                 our
                 members
                 ,
                 &c.
                 were
                 nothing
                 else
                 ,
                 but
                 that
                 the
                 Kernel
                 in
                 the
                 midst
                 of
                 the
                 Brain
                 being
                 driven
                 on
                 one
                 side
                 by
                 the
                 Soul
                 ,
                 and
                 on
                 the
                 other
                 by
                 the
                 animal
                 Spirits
                 —
                 when
                 the
                 corporeal
                 Spirits
                 by
                 their
                 rude
                 joggings
                 of
                 the
                 glandulous
                 button
                 ,
                 endeavour
                 to
                 excite
                 in
                 the
                 Soul
                 a
                 desire
                 of
                 any
                 thing
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 Soul
                 repels
                 it
                 by
                 the
                 Will
                 she
                 hath
                 to
                 avoid
                 the
                 same
                 thing
                 ,
                 this
                 constitutes
                 the
                 war
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
              
            
             
               
               
                 Dr.
                 More
                 ibid.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 Combat
                 betwixt
                 the
                 superiour
                 and
                 inferiour
                 part
                 of
                 the
                 Soul
                 ,
                 the
                 Flesh
                 and
                 the
                 Spirit
                 ,
                 as
                 they
                 are
                 termed
                 in
                 Scripture
                 and
                 Divinity
                 ,
                 is
                 at
                 last
                 resolved
                 into
                 the
                 ridiculous
                 noddings
                 and
                 joggings
                 of
                 a
                 
                 small
                 glandulous
                 button
                 in
                 the
                 midst
                 of
                 the
                 Brain
                 ,
                 encountred
                 by
                 the
                 animal
                 Spirits
                 rudely
                 flurting
                 against
                 it
                 .
                 This
                 little
                 sprunt
                 Champion
                 called
                 the
                 Conarion
                 ,
                 within
                 which
                 the
                 Soul
                 is
                 entirely
                 cooped
                 up
                 ,
                 acts
                 the
                 part
                 of
                 the
                 Spirit
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 animal
                 Spirits
                 of
                 the
                 Flesh
                 ;
                 and
                 thus
                 by
                 the
                 Soul
                 thus
                 ingarrisoned
                 in
                 this
                 Pine-kernel
                 ,
                 and
                 bearing
                 her self
                 against
                 the
                 arietations
                 and
                 jurrings
                 of
                 the
                 Spirits
                 in
                 the
                 Ventricles
                 of
                 the
                 Brain
                 ,
                 must
                 that
                 solemn
                 Combat
                 be
                 performed
                 which
                 the
                 Holy
                 Ghost
                 calls
                 the
                 war
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Sometimes
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             our
             Author
             pretends
             to
             ancient
             Learning
             ,
             and
             to
             give
             an
             account
             of
             the
             original
             of
             Heresies
             from
             the
             Pagan
             Philosophy
             ;
             and
             for
             this
             he
             is
             beholden
             to
             Mr.
             Gale
             ,
             in
             his
             Preface
             to
             the
             Court
             of
             the
             Gentiles
             ,
             part
             2.
             which
             I
             shall
             give
             you
             a
             short
             view
             of
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                   p.
                
                 242.
                 
              
               
                 And
                 not
                 to
                 insist
                 on
                 the
                 ill
                 influence
                 that
                 the
                 Phoenician
                 
                 and
                 Chaldaick
                 Philosophy
                 had
                 on
                 the
                 Iudaick
                 Theology
                 ,
                 though
                 it
                 be
                 of
                 easie
                 proof
                 ,
                 that
                 their
                 Planetary
                 Deities
                 and
                 Teraphims
                 sprung
                 from
                 thence
                 ;
                 not
                 to
                 do
                 any
                 more
                 but
                 mention
                 ,
                 that
                 the
                 chief
                 errours
                 of
                 the
                 
                   Pharisees
                   ,
                   Sadducees
                
                 ,
                 and
                 Esseans
                 took
                 their
                 rise
                 from
                 the
                 Graecian
                 Philosophy
                 ,
                 their
                 Dogms
                 being
                 a
                 mixture
                 of
                 
                   Pythagorean
                   ,
                   Platonick
                   ,
                   Stoick
                
                 ,
                 and
                 Epicurean
                 Notions
                 .
              
            
             
               
               
                 Mr.
                 Gale
                 Pref.
                 
              
               
                 We
                 shall
                 begin
                 with
                 the
                 malignant
                 contagion
                 ,
                 which
                 the
                 
                 Judaick
                 Church
                 received
                 from
                 vain
                 Philosophy
                 :
                 So
                 long
                 as
                 the
                 Judaick
                 Theology
                 continuod
                 under
                 its
                 own
                 native
                 habit
                 —
                 it
                 retained
                 its
                 primitive
                 Purity
                 —
                 But
                 whence
                 sprung
                 this
                 (
                 declension
                 )
                 but
                 from
                 the
                 Phaenician
                 and
                 Chaldaick
                 Philosophy
                 ,
                 touching
                 Planetary
                 Deities
                 ,
                 and
                 Daemons
                 ,
                 called
                 by
                 the
                 
                   Phaenicians
                   Baalim
                
                 .
                 We
                 no
                 way
                 doubt
                 but
                 to
                 demonstrate
                 ,
                 that
                 the
                 main
                 errours
                 of
                 the
                 
                   Pharisees
                   ,
                   Sadducees
                
                 ,
                 and
                 other
                 Judaick
                 Hereticks
                 received
                 their
                 first
                 formation
                 ,
                 &c.
                 from
                 Graecian
                 Philosophy
                 ,
                 especially
                 the
                 Pythagorean
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 ibid.
                 
              
               
                 Both
                 Irenaeus
                 and
                 Tertullian
                 affirm
                 the
                 errours
                 of
                 the
                 Gnosticks
                 to
                 have
                 sprung
                 from
                 the
                 Platonick
                 Idea's
                 ,
                 though
                 I
                 think
                 it
                 not
                 improbable
                 ,
                 that
                 both
                 their
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 &
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 took
                 their
                 birth
                 from
                 Pythagoreanism
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Gale.
                 
              
               
                 From
                 whence
                 borrowed
                 they
                 (
                 the
                 Gnosticks
                 )
                 their
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 —
                 but
                 from
                 the
                 Mythologick
                 and
                 Symbolick
                 Philosophy
                 of
                 the
                 Pythagoreans
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 243.
                 
              
               
                 Hierom
                 assureth
                 us
                 ,
                 that
                 Pelagius
                 suckt
                 all
                 his
                 Doctrines
                 from
                 the
                 Philosophy
                 of
                 Pythagoras
                 and
                 Zeno
                 ,
                 and
                 Iansenius
                 fully
                 proves
                 it
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Gale.
                 
              
               
                 Had
                 not
                 the
                 Pelagian
                 Heresie
                 the
                 same
                 pestiferous
                 root
                 :
                 this
                 is
                 incomparably
                 well
                 demonstrated
                 by
                 Jansenius
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
              
            
          
           
             
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 ibid.
                 
              
               
                 Nor
                 did
                 Samosatenus
                 and
                 Arrius
                 derive
                 their
                 blasphemous
                 opinions
                 concerning
                 the
                 Deity
                 of
                 Christ
                 ,
                 save
                 from
                 the
                 Platonick
                 Philosophy
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Gale.
                 
              
               
                 Where
                 had
                 
                   Paulus
                   Samosatenus
                
                 his
                 blasphemous
                 infusions
                 but
                 from
                 Plotinus
                 ?
                 And
                 did
                 not
                 Arrius
                 in
                 like
                 manner
                 derive
                 his
                 blasphemous
                 perswasions
                 touching
                 Christ
                 ,
                 from
                 the
                 same
                 poisoned
                 fountain
                 ?
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 It
                 was
                 not
                 therefore
                 without
                 cause
                 ,
                 that
                 Tertullian
                 stiled
                 the
                 Philosophers
                 the
                 Patriarks
                 of
                 Hereticks
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Gale.
                 
              
               
                 This
                 Tertullian
                 was
                 greatly
                 sensible
                 of
                 ,
                 and
                 therefore
                 stiles
                 the
                 Philosophers
                 the
                 Patriarks
                 of
                 Hereticks
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 245.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 Platonick
                 School
                 at
                 Alexandria
                 was
                 the
                 Seminary
                 of
                 the
                 chiefest
                 and
                 most
                 pestilent
                 errours
                 vented
                 in
                 the
                 Church
                 during
                 the
                 four
                 first
                 Centuries
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Gale.
                 
              
               
                 Vain
                 Philosophy
                 was
                 the
                 chief
                 Seminary
                 of
                 Errours
                 broached
                 in
                 the
                 four
                 first
                 Centuries
                 after
                 Christ.
                 —
                 Samosatenus
                 learnt
                 his
                 blasphemies
                 from
                 Plotinus
                 ,
                 successor
                 to
                 Ammonius
                 in
                 his
                 School
                 of
                 
                   Alexandria
                   ,
                   —
                   Origen
                
                 Scholar
                 to
                 Ammonius
                 in
                 his
                 School
                 of
                 Alexandria
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 243.
                 
              
               
                 Holstenius
                 hath
                 shown
                 us
                 ,
                 how
                 the
                 Manichean
                 Principles
                 were
                 framed
                 from
                 the
                 Pythagorean
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 
                   Plat.
                   Theology
                   ,
                   p.
                   89.
                
                 
              
               
                 Holstenius
                 hath
                 made
                 a
                 parallel
                 between
                 the
                 Pythagorean
                 and
                 Manichean
                 Principles
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 245.
                 
              
               
                 
                   Ioannes
                   Baptista
                   Crispus
                
                 hath
                 wrote
                 a
                 Discourse
                 of
                 
                 Plato's
                 Opinions
                 ,
                 and
                 hath
                 
                 at
                 the
                 end
                 of
                 every
                 Chapter
                 shown
                 ,
                 what
                 Heresies
                 sprung
                 from
                 each
                 .
              
            
             
               
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 ibid.
                 
              
               
                 
                   Johannes
                   Baptista
                   Crispus
                
                 in
                 his
                 discussing
                 of
                 
                 Plato's
                 opinions
                 ,
                 has
                 at
                 the
                 end
                 of
                 every
                 
                 Chapter
                 shewn
                 ,
                 what
                 Heresies
                 sprung
                 from
                 each
                 opinion
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 244.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 Popish
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 or
                 Saint-worship
                 ,
                 is
                 nothing
                 but
                 an
                 imitation
                 of
                 the
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 or
                 Daemon-worship
                 of
                 the
                 Pagan
                 Philosophers
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Gale
                   ibid.
                
                 
              
               
                 The
                 whole
                 Papal
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 or
                 Saint-worship
                 ,
                 is
                 but
                 an
                 imitation
                 of
                 the
                 Pagan
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 or
                 Daemon-worship
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 245.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 purity
                 and
                 simplicity
                 of
                 the
                 Gospel
                 was
                 no
                 less
                 corrupted
                 by
                 blending
                 the
                 Dogms
                 of
                 Aristotle
                 with
                 the
                 Articles
                 of
                 Faith
                 ,
                 than
                 it
                 had
                 been
                 by
                 mingling
                 the
                 Philosophy
                 of
                 Pythagoras
                 and
                 Plato
                 with
                 the
                 Doctrines
                 of
                 Christ.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 ibid.
                 
              
               
                 They
                 have
                 in
                 the
                 same
                 manner
                 corrupted
                 the
                 simplicity
                 and
                 purity
                 of
                 Christian
                 Religion
                 by
                 blending
                 the
                 Placits
                 of
                 Aristotle
                 with
                 the
                 Articles
                 of
                 Faith
                 ,
                 as
                 Manes
                 and
                 Valentinus
                 did
                 by
                 mingling
                 with
                 the
                 Christian
                 Faith
                 the
                 Philosophy
                 of
                 Plato
                 and
                 Pythagoras
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 247.
                 
              
               
                 Corrupted
                 into
                 an
                 artificial
                 kind
                 of
                 wrangling
                 ,
                 and
                 degererated
                 into
                 contentions
                 and
                 unprofitable
                 altercations
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Gale
                   ibid.
                
                 
              
               
                 Corrupted
                 into
                 an
                 artificial
                 kind
                 of
                 contentious
                 disputation
                 —
                 and
                 wrangling
                 dispute
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             I
             doubt
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             you
             already
             censure
             me
             for
             a
             very
             idle
             person
             ,
             who
             can
             spend
             my
             time
             in
             such
             an
             unprofitable
             pursuit
             of
             this
             Author
             ;
             and
             therefore
             though
             I
             can
             scarce
             open
             an
             English
             Author
             of
             any
             account
             ,
             without
             making
             some
             new
             discoveries
             of
             Mr.
             
             Ferguson's
             pilfering
             humour
             ,
             I
             shall
             now
             for
             a
             conclusion
             principally
             confine
             my self
             to
             his
             discourse
             of
             Metaphors
             ,
             Chap
             2.
             which
             he
             has
             almost
             intirely
             stole
             from
             Vossius
             and
             Glassius
             ,
             not
             excepting
             his
             Greek
             and
             Latine
             Citations
             ,
             with
             which
             he
             makes
             such
             a
             flourish
             and
             boast
             of
             Learning
             .
          
        
         
           
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 283.
                 
              
               
                 Origen
                 especially
                 seems
                 to
                 have
                 made
                 it
                 his
                 business
                 to
                 find
                 out
                 Mystical
                 and
                 Cabbalistical
                 Senses
                 in
                 the
                 plainest
                 parts
                 of
                 Scripture
                 ,
                 which
                 made
                 one
                 of
                 the
                 Ancients
                 themselves
                 say
                 of
                 him
                 ,
                 
                   Ingenii
                   lusus
                   pro
                   Dei
                   mysteriis
                   venditat
                
                 ;
                 he
                 obtrudes
                 the
                 sportings
                 of
                 his
                 fancy
                 for
                 religious
                 and
                 sacred
                 Mysteries
                 :
                 and
                 as
                 another
                 expresses
                 it
                 ,
                 
                   Ingenii
                   sui
                   acumina
                   putat
                   esse
                   Ecclesiae
                   .
                   Sacramenta
                   .
                
                 This
                 practice
                 of
                 some
                 Primitive
                 Writers
                 in
                 and
                 about
                 the
                 Scripture
                 influenced
                 Porphyrius
                 to
                 deride
                 the
                 Gospel
                 ,
                 as
                 containing
                 nothing
                 ▪
                 certain
                 in
                 it
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Glass
                 .
                 
                   Philologia
                   sacra
                   ,
                   p.
                   298.
                
                 
              
               
                 Intolerabilis
                 est
                 Origenis
                 —
                 audacia
                 ,
                 qui
                 omnia
                 omnino
                 quantumlibet
                 simplicitèr
                 dicta
                 in
                 allegorias
                 mutavit
                 ,
                 unde
                 Hieronimus
                 justisfimé
                 de
                 eo
                 conqueritur
                 ,
                 
                   Ingenium
                   suum
                   facit
                   Ecclesiae
                   Sacramentum
                
                 ;
                 &
                 alius
                 haud
                 ignobilis
                 pater
                 ,
                 Origines
                 
                   sui
                   ingenii
                   lusus
                   pro
                   Dei
                   mysteriis
                   venditar
                   .
                
              
               
                 At
                 que
                 haec
                 Scripturas
                 interpretandi
                 ,
                 vel
                 torquendi
                 potius
                 ratio
                 ▪
                 Porphyrium
                 induxit
                 olim
                 ,
                 ut
                 irrideret
                 Christianam
                 doctrinam
                 ,
                 &
                 scriberet
                 eam
                 nihil
                 habere
                 certi
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 298.
                 
              
               
                 This
                 may
                 serve
                 as
                 an
                 apology
                 for
                 
                 Aristotle's
                 confounding
                 Synechdoches
                 and
                 Allegories
                 with
                 Metaphors
                 :
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 .
                 Which
                 occasioned
                 Cicero
                 to
                 observe
                 ,
                 that
                 
                   Aristotle
                   ▪
                
                 used
                 the
                 term
                 Metaphor
                 in
                 a
                 larger
                 acceptation
                 
                 than
                 after-Rhetoricians
                 are
                 wont
                 to
                 take
                 it
                 .
              
            
             
               
               
                 Which
                 account
                 of
                 Cicero
                 and
                 Aristotle
                 ,
                 together
                 with
                 the
                 Greek
                 Quotation
                 ,
                 you
                 have
                 in
                 
                   Vossius
                   Instir.
                   Orat.
                   lib.
                   4.
                   p.
                   84.
                   
                
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                
                 Ibid.
                 
              
               
                 Terms
                 thus
                 applied
                 are
                 called
                 by
                 Hermogenes
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
              
            
             
               
               
                 
                   Glass
                   .
                   lib.
                   5.
                   p.
                   1045.
                   
                
              
               
                 Unde
                 Hermogeni
                 ,
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                
                 p.
                 301.
                 
              
               
                 In
                 every
                 Metaphor
                 three
                 things
                 are
                 carefully
                 to
                 be
                 attended
                 to
                 ,
                 the
                 original
                 and
                 proper
                 signification
                 of
                 the
                 word
                 ,
                 the
                 signification
                 to
                 which
                 it
                 is
                 transferred
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 similitude
                 ,
                 analogy
                 ,
                 and
                 proportion
                 ,
                 &c.
                 
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Voss.
                   ibid.
                   lib.
                   4.
                   p.
                   85.
                   
                
              
               
                 In
                 omni
                 metaphorâ
                 tria
                 requiruntur
                 ,
                 significatio
                 propria
                 ,
                 aliena
                 ,
                 &
                 similitudo
                 aut
                 proportio
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 Ibid.
                 
              
               
                 Christ
                 is
                 not
                 onely
                 metaphorically
                 stiled
                 a
                 Lion
                 ,
                 but
                 Tyrants
                 are
                 likewise
                 so
                 denominated
                 ,
                 whereas
                 cruelty
                 and
                 salvageness
                 are
                 the
                 reason
                 of
                 transferring
                 the
                 term
                 to
                 the
                 latter
                 ,
                 so
                 fortitude
                 and
                 victoriousness
                 are
                 the
                 grounds
                 of
                 applying
                 it
                 to
                 the
                 other
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Glass
                   .
                   ibid.
                   p.
                   1113.
                
                 
              
               
                 Leo
                 ad
                 Christum
                 significandum
                 transfertur
                 ,
                 &
                 ad
                 impios
                 &
                 tyrannos
                 ,
                 Christus
                 Leo
                 dicitur
                 ob
                 fortitudinem
                 &
                 victoriam
                 ,
                 tyranni
                 ob
                 atrocitatem
                 &
                 rapacitatem
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             His
             distinctions
             between
             a
             Metaphor
             and
             other
             Tropes
             and
             Parables
             are
             all
             taken
             out
             of
             Glassius
             and
             Vossius
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 305.
                 
              
               
                 By
                 a
                 Parable
                 I
                 mean
                 a
                 Symbolick
                 form
                 of
                 speech
                 ,
                 
                 where
                 by
                 a
                 well
                 appropriated
                 similitude
                 from
                 some
                 feigned
                 story
                 ,
                 some
                 moral
                 truth
                 is
                 insinuated
                 to
                 the
                 minds
                 of
                 men
                 to
                 make
                 it
                 the
                 better
                 apprehended
                 and
                 understood
                 .
              
            
             
               
               
                 Gale
                 
                   Court
                   of
                   the
                   Gentiles
                   ,
                   part
                   2.
                   p.
                   97.
                   cited
                   from
                
                 Diodate
                 .
              
               
                 This
                 was
                 a
                 fashion
                 of
                 teaching
                 used
                 among
                 the
                 Iews
                 ,
                 followed
                 
                 by
                 our
                 Lord
                 ,
                 and
                 very
                 profitable
                 to
                 make
                 the
                 truth
                 understood
                 ,
                 and
                 to
                 insinuate
                 the
                 apprehension
                 thereof
                 into
                 the
                 minds
                 of
                 the
                 auditors
                 ,
                 by
                 a
                 well
                 appropriated
                 similitude
                 ,
                 taken
                 from
                 a
                 feigned
                 story
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             His
             discourse
             of
             Allegories
             ,
             which
             immediately
             follows
             ,
             is
             principally
             owing
             to
             Glassius
             ,
             p.
             1395.
             and
             whether
             he
             has
             not
             taken
             not
             onely
             his
             Notions
             ,
             but
             his
             Greek
             words
             and
             sayings
             concerning
             those
             descriptions
             of
             God
             which
             we
             call
             Anthropopathies
             ,
             from
             the
             same
             Author
             ,
             I
             will
             leave
             any
             man
             to
             judge
             who
             will
             compare
             them
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 315.
                 
              
               
                 Under
                 Metaphors
                 are
                 comprehended
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 in
                 which
                 humane
                 parts
                 ,
                 &c.
                 are
                 ascribed
                 to
                 God
                 ;
                 in
                 such
                 forms
                 of
                 speech
                 God
                 by
                 a
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 or
                 condescension
                 ,
                 declares
                 the
                 infinite
                 properties
                 of
                 his
                 nature
                 .
                 —
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 He
                 decyphers
                 what
                 himself
                 is
                 ,
                 and
                 doth
                 by
                 things
                 that
                 fall
                 under
                 our
                 apprehension
                 ;
                 and
                 what
                 is
                 thus
                 said
                 of
                 God
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 &
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 after
                 the
                 manner
                 of
                 men
                 ,
                 must
                 be
                 understood
                 of
                 him
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 in
                 a
                 way
                 suitable
                 to
                 the
                 Divine
                 Nature
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 
                   Glassius
                   p.
                   1116.
                
                 
              
               
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 est
                 metaphora
                 ,
                 qua
                 quod
                 creaturis
                 &
                 praesertim
                 homini
                 propriè
                 competit
                 ,
                 ad
                 Deum
                 transfertur
                 ,
                 vocatur
                 &
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 condescensio
                 —
                 v
                 —
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 &
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 quae
                 de
                 Deo
                 dicuntur
                 ,
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 
                   h.
                   est
                
                 ,
                 convenienter
                 Deo
                 intelligenda
                 sunt
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
           
             I
             confess
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             I
             am
             very
             sick
             of
             this
             undertaking
             ;
             for
             it
             is
             so
             far
             from
             being
             pleasant
             ,
             that
             it
             is
             grievous
             to
             me
             ,
             to
             write
             one
             line
             meerly
             to
             expose
             any
             man
             :
             but
             I
             thought
             it
             necessary
             to
             take
             down
             the
             confidence
             of
             this
             Author
             ,
             who
             makes
             a
             great
             shew
             of
             ancient
             and
             modern
             Learning
             ,
             by
             transcribing
             out
             of
             some
             late
             Writers
             ,
             whose
             credit
             and
             reputation
             at
             the
             same
             time
             he
             endeavours
             to
             undermine
             .
             I
             am
             glad
             to
             find
             ,
             that
             he
             reads
             so
             good
             Books
             ,
             which
             I
             doubt
             not
             ,
             but
             would
             make
             him
             wiser
             in
             time
             ,
             if
             he
             would
             consider
             ,
             as
             well
             as
             read
             :
             It
             is
             no
             fault
             indeed
             to
             use
             those
             arguments
             ,
             which
             have
             been
             used
             by
             other
             men
             ,
             and
             it
             is
             possible
             sometimes
             to
             hit
             upon
             the
             very
             same
             expressions
             ,
             or
             some
             very
             like
             ;
             but
             when
             a
             man
             shall
             run
             through
             a
             book
             ,
             and
             take
             the
             whole
             Series
             of
             Arguments
             ,
             without
             owning
             his
             Masters
             ;
             when
             he
             shall
             take
             out
             whole
             Sentences
             and
             Paragraphs
             out
             of
             so
             many
             Authors
             ,
             of
             so
             vastly
             different
             styles
             ,
             it
             plainly
             discovers
             an
             empty
             Head
             ,
             a
             barren
             Fancy
             ,
             and
             a
             vain-glorious
             Mind
             ▪
          
           
             It
             were
             easie
             to
             transcribe
             a
             great
             part
             of
             Glassius
             and
             Vossius
             ,
             concerning
             the
             nature
             and
             use
             of
             Metaphors
             and
             Allegories
             ,
             and
             the
             rules
             of
             expounding
             them
             ,
             which
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             has
             onely
             translated
             ,
             and
             from
             whence
             he
             has
             borrowed
             his
             Greek
             and
             Latine
             Citations
             ,
             out
             of
             ancient
             and
             modern
             Authors
             ,
             but
             I
             consider
             this
             would
             too
             much
             swell
             a
             Letter
             ,
             and
             you
             may
             do
             it
             your self
             if
             you
             have
             the
             curiosity
             :
             And
             therefore
             I
             shall
             onely
             farther
             observe
             ,
             that
             whereas
             this
             Author
             falls
             upon
             Dr.
             Parker
             at
             every
             turn
             ,
             and
             challenges
             ,
             and
             provokes
             and
             scorns
             him
             ;
             there
             is
             no
             Person
             whom
             he
             does
             so
             much
             Ape
             ,
             as
             the
             Doctor
             :
             He
             borrows
             divers
             of
             his
             expressions
             from
             him
             ,
             
               gawdy
               Metaphors
               ,
               phantastick
               Allegories
               ▪
               thwacking
               Contradictions
               ,
               rampant
               and
               empty
               Schemes
               of
               Speech
               ,
            
             and
             the
             like
             ;
             and
             many
             times
             transcribes
             whole
             Sentences
             and
             Paragraphs
             from
             him
             ,
             of
             which
             I
             have
             given
             some
             instances
             above
             ,
             and
             shall
             adde
             but
             two
             or
             three
             more
             here
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                
                 p.
                 133.
                 
              
               
                 Heraclitus
                 grew
                 famous
                 by
                 the
                 onely
                 obscurity
                 of
                 his
                 writings
                 .
                 It
                 is
                 said
                 of
                 
                   Aristotle
                   ▪
                
                 that
                 being
                 reproved
                 by
                 
                 Alexander
                 for
                 publishing
                 his
                 Acroamaticks
                 ,
                 he
                 should
                 make
                 this
                 reply
                 ,
                 that
                 they
                 were
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ▪
                 made
                 publick
                 ,
                 yet
                 they
                 were
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 ,
                 not
                 published
                 .
              
            
             
               
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 
                   Plat.
                   Theol.
                   p.
                   70.
                
                 
              
               
                 Neither
                 is
                 Heraclitus
                 his
                 name
                 
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                   〈◊〉
                
                 because
                 of
                 the
                 obscurity
                 of
                 his
                 writings
                 ,
                 less
                 famous
                 ;
                 and
                 no
                 less
                 common
                 is
                 
                 
                 Aristotle's
                 Epistle
                 
                 to
                 Alexander
                 ,
                 that
                 though
                 he
                 had
                 made
                 his
                 books
                 publick
                 ,
                 yet
                 he
                 had
                 not
                 published
                 them
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Where
             because
             he
             would
             not
             say
             the
             very
             same
             thing
             that
             the
             Dr.
             did
             ,
             he
             runs
             into
             a
             very
             ridiculous
             mistake
             .
             For
             though
             
               Heraclitus
               ▪
            
             his
             name
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             was
             famous
             ,
             because
             of
             the
             obscurity
             of
             his
             writings
             ,
             yet
             it
             is
             a
             wild
             conceit
             ,
             that
             the
             obscurity
             of
             his
             writings
             was
             the
             onely
             thing
             that
             made
             him
             famous
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 321.
                 
              
               
                 When
                 any
                 thing
                 is
                 manifested
                 by
                 a
                 Metaphor
                 ,
                 the
                 thing
                 it self
                 is
                 not
                 fully
                 expressed
                 ,
                 but
                 only
                 some
                 similitude
                 between
                 it
                 and
                 another
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 ibid.
                 p.
                 75.
                 
              
               
                 When
                 any
                 is
                 expressed
                 by
                 a
                 Metaphor
                 ,
                 the
                 thing
                 it self
                 is
                 not
                 expressed
                 ,
                 but
                 onely
                 some
                 similitude
                 observed
                 or
                 made
                 by
                 fancy
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 p.
                 323.
                 
              
               
                 For
                 men
                 to
                 discourse
                 in
                 metaphorical
                 terms
                 of
                 things
                 ,
                 whose
                 nature
                 and
                 properties
                 they
                 are
                 wholly
                 ignorant
                 of
                 ,
                 is
                 plainly
                 to
                 trifle
                 ;
                 seeing
                 while
                 we
                 know
                 not
                 the
                 true
                 
                 Idea's
                 of
                 things
                 ,
                 we
                 can
                 onely
                 imagine
                 some
                 resemblances
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 
                   Parker
                   ibid.
                
                 
              
               
                 To
                 discourse
                 of
                 the
                 nature
                 of
                 things
                 in
                 metaphorical
                 terms
                 ,
                 is
                 to
                 sport
                 and
                 trifle
                 ;
                 but
                 't
                 is
                 still
                 more
                 phantastick
                 ,
                 to
                 talk
                 metaphorically
                 of
                 those
                 things
                 ,
                 of
                 whose
                 
                 Idea's
                 we
                 are
                 utterly
                 ignorant
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             Nay
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             it
             is
             still
             more
             pleasant
             to
             observe
             ,
             that
             our
             Author
             cannot
             complement
             his
             Patron
             without
             imitating
             Dr.
             Parker
             :
             For
             whoever
             reads
             Mr.
             
             Ferguson's
             Dedication
             to
             Mr.
             Papilion
             ,
             and
             Dr.
             Parkers
             to
             Dr.
             Bathurst
             ,
             will
             ▪
             find
             that
             the
             manner
             of
             Address
             ,
             the
             Composition
             ,
             
             Complement
             ,
             and
             Fancy
             is
             Dr
             Parkers
             ,
             though
             Mr.
             Ferguson
             has
             a
             little
             varied
             the
             words
             .
          
        
         
           
             
               
                 M.
                 
                   F.
                   Ep.
                   dedic
                
                 .
              
               
                 Sir
                 ,
                 it
                 cost
                 me
                 no
                 long
                 deliberation
                 to
                 whom
                 I
                 should
                 direct
                 these
                 discourses
                 ,
                 the
                 obligations
                 I
                 am
                 under
                 to
                 you
                 ,
                 and
                 your
                 Family
                 ,
                 rendring
                 them
                 yours
                 by
                 the
                 title
                 of
                 a
                 just
                 debt
                 ,
                 the
                 interest
                 you
                 have
                 in
                 me
                 by
                 an
                 entail
                 of
                 peculiar
                 kindnesses
                 ,
                 gives
                 you
                 a
                 right
                 to
                 my
                 Studies
                 ,
                 and
                 the
                 fruits
                 of
                 them
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 
                   P.
                   Ded.
                   of
                   his
                
                 Plat.
                 Theol.
                 
              
               
                 Reverend
                 Sir
                 ,
              
               
                 I
                 shall
                 not
                 need
                 to
                 argue
                 the
                 decency
                 and
                 fitness
                 of
                 this
                 address
                 —
                 because
                 your
                 absolute
                 and
                 unalienable
                 right
                 to
                 all
                 the
                 fruits
                 of
                 my
                 Studies
                 ,
                 has
                 made
                 it
                 due
                 and
                 necessary
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 The
                 declining
                 the
                 imputation
                 of
                 ingratitude
                 is
                 my
                 plea
                 for
                 prefixing
                 your
                 name
                 to
                 these
                 Papers
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 .
              
               
                 I
                 cannot
                 alienate
                 any
                 thing
                 that
                 is
                 theirs
                 from
                 being
                 yours
                 ,
                 without
                 being
                 guilty
                 at
                 once
                 of
                 the
                 greatest
                 injustice
                 and
                 ingratitude
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 Though
                 the
                 concerning
                 you
                 in
                 their
                 behalf
                 may
                 seem
                 an
                 injury
                 ,
                 yet
                 not
                 to
                 have
                 done
                 it
                 ,
                 would
                 have
                 been
                 a
                 crime
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 .
              
               
                 So
                 that
                 if
                 to
                 present
                 you
                 with
                 so
                 mean
                 a
                 trifle
                 be
                 unhandsome
                 ,
                 yet
                 not
                 to
                 have
                 done
                 it
                 would
                 have
                 been
                 unjust
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 
                   M.
                   F.
                
                 
              
               
                 You
                 must
                 be
                 content
                 to
                 forgive
                 such
                 offences
                 ,
                 as
                 your self
                 have
                 made
                 the
                 result
                 and
                 effects
                 of
                 duty
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 .
              
               
                 Though
                 I
                 do
                 but
                 injure
                 your
                 name
                 by
                 concerning
                 its
                 Authority
                 in
                 behalf
                 of
                 so
                 worthless
                 a
                 trifle
                 ,
                 yet
                 an
                 injury
                 ,
                 that
                 is
                 the
                 result
                 of
                 duty
                 and
                 gratitude
                 ,
                 may
                 hope
                 for
                 not
                 onely
                 your
                 pardon
                 ,
                 but
                 (
                 Sir
                 ,
                 such
                 is
                 
                 your
                 candour
                 )
                 your
                 acceptance
                 too
                 .
              
            
          
           
             
               
                 M.
                 F.
                 
              
               
                 Were
                 there
                 any
                 indecency
                 in
                 this
                 address
                 ,
                 yet
                 the
                 laws
                 of
                 gratitude
                 supersede
                 those
                 of
                 congruity
                 .
              
            
             
               
                 Dr.
                 Parker
                 .
              
               
                 The
                 obligations
                 of
                 duty
                 cancel
                 all
                 the
                 laws
                 of
                 indecency
                 .
              
            
          
        
         
           
             This
             ,
             Sir
             ,
             I
             hope
             is
             enough
             to
             satisfie
             the
             world
             of
             Mr.
             
             Ferguson's
             great
             Learning
             ,
             and
             how
             he
             came
             by
             it
             :
             It
             had
             been
             very
             easie
             to
             have
             given
             many
             more
             instances
             of
             this
             nature
             ,
             but
             I
             took
             those
             which
             came
             first
             to
             hand
             :
             I
             need
             make
             no
             reflexions
             upon
             the
             whole
             ▪
             since
             you
             have
             done
             it
             so
             well
             already
             ;
             and
             therefore
             have
             no
             more
             to
             do
             ,
             but
             to
             subscribe
             my self
          
        
         
           
             Your
             very
             affectionate
             Friend
             and
             Brother
             ,
             VV.
             Sherlock
             .
          
        
      
    
     
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A70177-e2470
           
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             .
             Plut.
             in
             Alex.