An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

An Introductory Discourse Of the Definition of Natural Theology, and its Certainty.

I. Why Natu∣ral Theo∣logy is set before the other parts of Philo∣sophy. SOME, it may be, will find it strange that I have given NATURAL THEO∣LOGY the precedence before other Parts of Philosophy, and that I betake my self to the demonstration of the Existence of GOD, and of his Perfections, before I have handled the Nature of Corporeal Things. But their Wonder will cease, if they consider how necessary Natural Theology is to other Disciplines, and of how great concern the knowledge of the Divine Existence is, for attaining a firm and evi∣dent Knowledge of all other Things. For seeing that GOD is the Author of the VVorld, and all things that are in it, and the Original of all Truth, the Knowledge of him is to be premised, of whom all Certainty and Truth of Science doth so closely depend, as that without it no Evidence or true Knowledge at all can be had. For since Science cannot be had but from First Causes, how will the same be attainable by us, if we do not know them? Seeing it is the Nature of First Principles to be Clear and Evident; and that the Knowledge of other things do so depend upon them, th••t tho' Principles may be known, tho' the things be unknown; yet the things themselves can never be known, except the Principles be known: Seeing therefore that GOD, the Author of All Created Beings, is (according to S. Austin) the Light of all things knowable, and the Good of all things to be done; we must Know him, before other Causalities can either have a Being, or be exactly known by us.

II. All Geome∣trical De∣monstrati∣ons derive their Evi∣dence from the Ex∣istence of GOD. Notwithstanding that Geometrical Demonstra∣tions be of that Evidence as to force our Assent, and being once clearly perceived, do no longer leave any place for doubting, as long as we attend to them; yet will they cease to appear such, if we be ignorant of the Existence of God. For how can we know, but that we are made with such Natures as to be deceived in those things that appear most evident to us? For we cannot be convinc'd to the contrary, except we first know God to Exist, and that He is the Fountain of all Truth, and hath not given us such Understandings, as to be deceived in the Judgment we make of things that we do most clearly and distinctly com∣prehend.

III. We cannot be certain that any Conclusions are true, but only so long as we do give heed to the Premisses. True it is, that our Mind is conscious to several Idea's in it self, in the Contemplation whereof it never finds it self deceived, as long as it neither affirms nor denies ought concerning them. It is certain also, that it finds in it self Common Notions, whence it frames several Demonstrations, which it persuades it self to be very true, as long as it gives heed to the Premisses from whence it deduceth its Demonstrations. But because it cannot con∣tinually give its attention to them, and often for∣gets them, it may afterwards easily come to doubt

of their certainty, if it have not a clear and distinct Conception of God, that is, except it be assured that God is True, and that it is repugnant to his Nature to be a Deceiver. For as Cartesius saith in his Fifth Meditation, Tho' I am of that Nature, that as long as I clearly and distinctly perceive any thing, I cannot but believe it true; yet because I am also of that Nature, as not to be able always to fix the intention of my Mind, upon one and the same thing, in order to my clear perceiving of the same; and that I oft call to Mind a Judgment I have made before, when I no longer attend to the Reasons, upon which I judged it to be such, other Reasons may be alledged, which might remove me from my Opinion, if I were Ignorant of the Existence of God; and consequently should never have any true or certain Science concerning things, but only Fleeting and Mutable Opinions.

IV. This con∣firmed by an Exam∣ple. Thus he who considers the Nature of a Trian∣gle, is indeed forced to conclude, that its Three Angles are equal to Two right ones, neither can he think otherwise as long as he attends to its Demon∣stration: But yet as soon as he turns the bent of his Mind from it, tho' he remembers that he hath clearly perceived it, yet he may easily que∣stion the truth of it, if the Existence of God be unknown to him.

V. An Objecti∣on taken from A∣theists. If it be said that Atheists, who deny the Exi∣stence of God, do notwithstanding clearly under∣stand general Axioms, such as these, Equal Quan∣tities added to Equal, make the whole Equal▪ Those things which agree in a Third, do agree amongst themselves; and such like: From which they easily Demonstrate, that the Three Angles of a right Angle, are Equal to Two right ones. And that it is a thing apparent to all that are skilled in the Principles of Geometry, that the Square of the Basis of a Triangle, is equal to the Square of the Sides: So that it is possible to have true knowledge, without supposing the knowledge of God.

VI. Answered. I Answer, That it cannot be denied, but that Atheists have a clear knowledge of Geometrical Demonstrations, and that they are so evident, as to force their assent: But yet this knowledge of theirs cannot be said to be true Science, founded upon certain Principles: Because no knowledge deserves the name of Science, that can in the least be called in doubt, and whose certainty doth not depend on an evident Principle. Now forasmuch as these Men are supposed to be Atheists, neither can they be certain that they are not mistaken in those very things, which they think themselves to have most clearly apprehended. And tho' it may be this doubtfulness do not trouble them at present, yet it may hereafter, upon their examining of the matter, or upon its being started by others; neither can they ever be secured from this Hesitation, without owning God to be ••he Author of their Being.

VII. Natural Theology influenceth all human Disciplines. NATURAL THEOLOGY Transcends all the Parts of Philosophy; and as the Sun, that Enlightens all the World, is diffused through all Arts, and Sciences: For who is there, that consi∣dering the Works of God as he ought, doth not ad∣mire his Power, Goodness and Wisdom, and is not raised thence to the Knowledge of Him? Do not the Earth, the VVater, Vegetables, Animals and Stars, all lead us to the Understanding of Him? For all things have relation to God, as to their First Principle, and proclain him to be the one Supream cause of their Being. For how is it possi∣ble for him, who attentively considers the Connex∣ion of Bodies, the Motion of the Stars, the Vicisi∣situde of Seasons, the Succession of Generations, the orderly Disposition of the Parts of the VVorld, not to discern the Wise Author and Orderer of all these?

VIII. The rest of Bodies proves an Intellectual Principle. Bodies have no power to move themselves; how can therefore their so orderly Motion be per∣form'd, but by some Intellectual Being, by which as their Effective Principle, they are disposed, and directed to their appointed end? Wherefore Lactan∣tius was of Opinion, that no Man could be so Ig∣norant or Savage, but that, lifting up his Eyes to Heaven, tho' he may not know by whose Pro∣vidence all these things are govern'd, yet must needs understand from the Motion, Disposition, Constancy, Usefulness, and Contemperation of things, that they are under a wise conduct; and that it is impossi∣ble, that what is so wonderfully framed and order∣ed, must be managed, by the highest Counsel and Wisdom.

IX. What Na∣tural Theo∣logy is. From what hath been said it appears what Na∣tural Theology is, viz. the Knowledge or Science of God. For Theology is divided into Natural and Su∣pernatural; Supernatural is called that which is fetched from Holy Scripture, and which, by the assistance of Supernatural Light, attains Divine Truths: Natural, is that, which declares and de∣monstrates the Existence and Attributes of God, from the Book of Nature, and from Principles, derived from the Light of Nature.

X. How useful the same is to Atheists and ungod∣ly M••n. Wherefore, this Natural Theology is very pro∣fitable for Unbelievers, and Wicked Persons, that are Theoretically so, who cannot be brought to any Religion, except it be first demonstrated to them, that God Exists. As also for those who are Practical Atheists, that is, who live, as if there were no God, no Providence, no Reward after this Life, nor any Punishment; for how will these be able to defend this their Opinion, after that they are once convinced, that there is a God, and that his Attributes, are not only shadowed out in all things throughout the whole VVorld, but besides are most clearly represented in their own Souls?

XI. The Cer∣tainty of Natural Theology. The Certainty of Natural Theology doth plainly appear, in that it is required to the laying of the Foundations of Human Disciplines, and in that without the knowledge of God, no solid Knowledge can be had of any thing whatsoever. He cannot be called a Philosopher, who is destitute of the knowledge of God, and who doth not worship him as he ought. Hence Des Cartes 1. Princ. Artic. 29. proves the certainty of the Natural Light given to him by God, by this Argument, because God is True, and that he is the Original and Principle of our Intellect.