A treatise containing the originall of vnbeliefe, misbeliefe, or misperswasions concerning the veritie, vnitie, and attributes of the Deitie with directions for rectifying our beliefe or knowledge in the fore-mentioned points. By Thomas Iackson Dr. in Divinitie, vicar of Saint Nicholas Church in the famous towne of New-castle vpon Tine, and late fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford.

CHAP. III.

The Notion of the Deitie or divine power is most natu∣rall vnto all men. How this Notion being most natu∣rall vnto all, is eclipsed and defaced in many.

1. THat the internall notion of powers divine which guide this visible worke of na∣ture, is most naturall to mankinde, needes no further proofe then its owne extent and vniversalitie. * 1.1 This sure ground wee haue (sayth Tully) to beleeue there be Gods, in that there is no Nation so brutish or inhumaine, but is season'd with some opinion of the Gods. Many conceiue amisse of them (for so much, bad custome in all like cases, will effect) yet all sup∣pose a vertue or power divine; not drawne hereto by voy∣ces of others or debatements: This is an opinion established not by civill lawes or institutions. Now the free or vnsollici∣ted

consent of all Nations concerning any matter, is to be e∣steemed as the Law of Nature.

2. This observation of times more auncient is ful∣ly acquitted from the exception of moderne Atheists by the plentifull experiments of the age late past; wherein diverse Countries, peopled with inhabitants of different manners and education, haue beene dis∣covered, the very best being more rude and barbarous then any Nation knowne but by heare-say to the Ro∣manes. And yet, even in this refuse of Barbarians, the very worst, (such as for their rudenesse and vncivilitie could hardly be discerned from brute beasts) approue themselues to be of better linage (a 1.2 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) in that they acknowledge Gods or superior pow∣ers, whom they honour with sacrifices & other rites, in testimony of their gratitude for benefits received from them. As if the signification of Mans oblige∣ments to an invisible power for his life, his health, his food, and other necessaries; or, at least for privi∣ledges from disasters, or mischances, * 1.3 were as natu∣rall to him, as fawnings, or like dumbe signes of loue vnto their fosterers or cherishers, are to dogs, or other domesticke and tame creatures. The civill wisedome which appeares in Lycurgus Lawes, Numaes Instituti∣ons, with other like amongst the more civill sort of auncient Heathens, may probably argue abilitie in them of framing many particular rites of Religion, as politick Sophismes to retaine the simple in awe and

blind devotion to their Hests. Albeit, the invention of such false worships, without imitation of some true patterne formerly knowne, would haue beene very hard, if not impossible, even vnto these wise and pru∣dent Lawgivers. Nor could their artificiall inventions haue wrought so succesfully vpon their mindes that were seduced by them; vnlesse they had beene natu∣rally inclined vnto the ingrafted truth of the gene∣ralls; vnder pretence of whose soveraigne right these particulars were commended. But who would father the first Notion of a Deitie and Religion, vpon policie, rather than nature, when it appeares not vniversall onely, but perpetuall to the severall generations of sundry people in whom no print of any policie, saue meerly naturall, is now extant?

3. Some scruple notwithstanding may here be mi∣nistred to yong Students, from these or the like va∣grant Axioms, whose seate or proper subiect is not so well knowne as they are frequent. [1. That the decrees or iniunctions of Nature cannot be preiudiced by Custome or education. 2. That such generall principles as by her light are cleare, can hardly be denied by any of her children] When as the experience, of later times especially, pre∣sents vnto vs a great many, (vnto whom Nature in di∣stribution of her other gifts hath shewed her selfe no stepmother, but rather indulgent, as to her darlings,) all mightily oppugning this truth, which we that are (as they deeme) of duller capacitie in matters secular, devoutly obey as her vndoubted Law. But here we may well doubt whether bad education, or evill cu∣stomes, haue not better enabled these men to striue a∣gainst such practises as this Dictate of Nature pre∣scribes,

than vtterly to disclaime all sense of her sug∣gestions, or shake off all secret notions of her summons. How ever that be; (for we know our owne hearts not theirs, nor can we beleeue them, that will not beleeue there is a God, albeit they would interpose an oath for our assurance one way or other) this we know, that nothing can be more naturall to man than rea∣son. And yet, how many haue we seene, in whom nature and art haue done their parts, by too much studie or intemperance become so vtterly destitute of all vse of reason or discretion, that such actions or demeanure as nature prescribes to all men as they are reasonable, haue beene more neglected by them, than by brute beasts; yea oftimes furiously inverted.

4. This instance amongst others may be our war∣rant for restrayning the former Axiome [that Nature cannot be preiudiced by Custome] to nature, either alto∣gether inanimate or meerely sensitiue; whose inclina∣tion is single and but one way set: or if appliable to the reasonable or intellectuall nature, whose propen∣sions as they are many, so are they freely fashionable to diverse meanes, and apt to be directed to contrary ends; it is true onely of the generall facultie or re∣mote propensions, not of their actuall promptnesse, vse, or exercise. Many there be so extreamly vicious, that their mindes seeme now, de facto, wholly bent to doe others mischiefe: This notwithstanding prooues not that nature hath sowne no seeds of vertue in their soules, but rather their wilfull suffering these to be choaked and stifled, by cherishing contrary desires, or imbracing pleasant allurements vnto evill. If such blindnesse haue by bad custome crept on some, that

they cannot now discerne any lineaments of Gods image in their hearts: it will not hence follow that this light of nature whereby they might haue seene Him, did never shine vnto them, but rather that they haue smoothered it, because they loued the workes of darkenesse better then the deeds of light, purpose∣ly obliterating all resemblances of Him who is the a∣venger of evill, whose pourtraiture their first parents had blurred by imprinting his enemies picture vpon it. Nothing more easie than for others (so they will be observant) clearely to discerne the liue image, not of the old man, but of the old serpent, in such as cannot, or will not see the image of God in them∣selues.

5. Besides this difference betweene the inclinati∣ons of nature in man and in creatures inanimate or ir∣rationall; a difference there is, not much observed, but worthy of diligent observation, betweene com∣mon principles meerly speculatiue or abstract, and others practicall or morall. The latter may be in ma∣ny intensiuely more cleare than the former, as indeed they are more naturall in respect they are more deep∣ly implanted in the very soule, not let into the braine by externall senses, albeit even for this reason they are by many lesse regarded, as being more familiar then such speculatiue notions as these [every whole is greater than its part: twice two make foure, or such like,] of whose certaintie no man at any time can doubt, not that our nature as reasonable, is of it selfe more incli∣ned to abstract speculations, than to moralities, but that speculatiue notions are seated in the head or vt∣most confines of the soules regiment, as in an Acade∣mie

or Cloyster, priviledged from such tumultuous broiles as might divert our intentions from behol∣ding them, or retract our inclinations from adherence to their truth. On the contrary, such disturbances are most frequent in the Court or Pallace of this little Kingdome, wherein morall notions of God and good∣nesse haue their necessary abode, and these notions are, vpon this occasion, vsually either tainted with the contagion of such noysome lusts, or much weakned by the reluctation of such contrary desires as lodge in the same roome or closet with them.

6. Our readinesse, in heat of passion, or interposi∣tion of causes concerning our owne commodities, to recall religious motions, whose vndoubted truth and equitie, we could, in calme and sober thoughts, be well contented to seale (if need were) with our bloud, will easily induce mindes capable of any vi∣cissitude of quiet and retired cogitations, after tur∣balent and working fancies, to admit the former difference betweene dictates of nature seated in the braine, and others ingrafted in the heart, to be, for the manner of their severall evidences or perspicui∣ties, much what like the lightsomnesse of the inferi∣our and supreame region of the ayre. The Sunne-beames are sometimes more bright in this lowest part than in the vppermost, wherein they suffer no reflexion: yet are they in this lower often so eclipsed with clouds, with mists, or stormes, as he that did ne∣ver looke out of doores but in such dismall weather, might well imagine his day to be but night, in respect of that clearnesse he might perpetually behold, were his habitation aboue the clouds. The continuall

smoake of noysome lust, the steames of bloudy and revengefull thoughts, the vncessant exhalations of o∣ther vncleane and vast desires, which raigne in the Atheists heart, can never obscure the Mathematicall or Logicall notions of abstract truths in his braine: The principles of moralitie or religion, which Na∣ture hath planted in his heart and conscience, they quickly may, they alwayes doe, more or lesse eclipse, according to the strength and permanency of their infectious and incompatible qualities. Happy it is, that he can acknowledge, and somtimes magnifie, the light of nature in matters speculatiue, or concerning the body onely, and now and then bragge, as if he were her sonne elect, and others but reprobates, in comparison of that heroicall spirit she hath enabled him with in businesses of State or policie. For, who is this his Goddesse Nature? Can he tell vs? or what is her light that he should so much glory in it? Doth she not borrow it from the father of lights, whose ha∣bitation is in that radiant brightnesse which is inac∣cessable? Thus I suppose, such as dwell vnder the poles would commend the lightsomnesse of the ayre which they daily behold and hourely breath in, but deny that there were any such glorious body as the Sunne that did enlighten it; did it never come fur∣ther Northward than within three or foure degrees of Aries, or never moue farther Southward than within as many of Libra. Now as the onely way vt∣terly to disswade men from an opinion so palpably grosse, as, by the former supposition, might be con∣ceived, would be to remoue them out of their natiue clime into ours: so the best meanes an Atheist can vse

to refute his impious errors in denying there is a God, is, to relinquish his wonted courses in the wayes of darkenesse, and to haue his conversation, for a time at least, or vpon triall, with the sonnes of light. And to make this triall, he may perchance be sooner induced by discovering the severall heads or first ori∣ginalls of his sacrilegious misperswasions, more par∣ticularly.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vt porrò firmissimum hoc afferri videtur, cur deos esse cre∣damus, quòd nulla gens tam fera, ne∣mo omnium tam sit im∣manis, cuius mentem non imbuerit deorum opinio. Multi de diis praua sentiunt (id enim vitioso mo∣re effici solet) omnes tamen esse vim, & naturam diuinam arbitrantur. Nec verò id col∣••••cutio hominum, aut consensus efficit: non institutis opinio est confirmata, non legibus. Omni autem in re consensio omnium gentium lex natura putanda est. Tuscul: Quaest. Lib. 1••.
• a 1.2

  Act. 17.29
• * 1.3

  Affluebat intereā quo∣tidiè ex om∣nibus locis noua eius gentis, et co∣piosa multi∣tudo, vt inu∣fitatas no∣strorum ho∣minum bar∣bam gestan∣tium formas, cultum{que} viserent: fructus, pisces, aurum, panem, & alia alimenta, vndi{que} afferentes: ac simiaerum more vestigia ritus{que} Christianorum imitantes: quoties hi genua flexerant, flectebant & illi: Christiani reuerenter oculos in Coelum sustulerant, Indi pariter & ipsi tollebant. De∣ni{que} quicquid ab Hispanis ad recitandum Aue Maria mane, & vesperi conuenientibus fieri soleret, itidem ab istis fiebat. Benzonus in Descrip. America. lib. 4. cap. 8. pag. 35.