Of wisdom three books / written originally in French by the Sieur de Charron ; with an account of the author, made English by George Stanhope ...

CHAP. XL. V. Presumption.

[unspec 1] WE are now come to the last, and most hide∣ous Line of the whole Picture; which makes up the other Branch of Pliny's Description; For this is indeed the Deformity of our Nature, the Bane of our Minds, the Source of the worst and most erroneous Opinions, both Publick and Private; and yet, as bad as it is, 'tis a Vice na∣tural to, and born with every Man. Now we shall do well to consider this Presumption in its seve∣ral Respects, above, below, upon the level, within, and without us. As the Object is God, and the

Celestial Bodies, Terrestrial Bodies, and Beasts; Man our Equal, and our own Selves: And the whole Matter will turn at last upon these Two Points, The setting too high an Estimate upon our Own, and too low upon Other Things; Every Man in this Sense deserving the Character given by our Blessed Saviour, of the Pharisees, They trusted in Them∣selves, and despised Others. A Word or two now up∣on each of the fore-mentioned Particulars.

[unspec 2] And First, with regard to Almighty God, (it is a horrible and melancholy Truth,* 1.1 but true it is, that) all Superstition and false Worship, the affected Excesses, and the Wilful Defects in our Religious Services, are entirely owing to the want of a sufficient Esteem and Reverence for God; the not being sensible what sort of Being He is, and entertaining such Opinions and Idea's of the Divine Nature, as are not sufficiently lofty, and pure, and refined. Now by saying sufficiently so, I would not be understood, that our Apprehensions should bear any proportion to the Essential Great∣ness of his Majesty; for God is Infinite, and ad∣mits of no proportion at all. Consequently there is no possibility in Nature, that our Conceptions should ever soar up to such a height and sufficiency as This; And therefore I mean that sufficiency only to be wanting, which Nature hath made us capa∣ble of, and Duty requires from us. We do not raise nor direct our Minds, nor dart our Thoughts strong, or high enough, when we form Notions of the Divinity: Alas! why do I say, not high and strong enough? when it is but too evident, and our Actions speak it out, that we entertain very feeble, and mean, and low Apprehensions of him. And we serve him indeed accordingly; we offer him Things most unworthy of him, and deal with him more basely and disrespectfully, than we pre∣tend, or dare, to do, with several of his Creatures.

We discourse, not of his Works only, (which yet command some Regard because they are His) but we talk of his Essence and Majesty, determine his Will, interpret his Judgments, pass Sentence upon the Dispensations of his Providence, and all this more peremptorily, more sawcily, than any Man of good Manners would take upon him to do, with the Counsels and Proceedings of his Prince. And yet every one thinks he may make bold with his God in Cases, where to use the same Freedoms with any Person of Honour, would be condemn∣ed for insufferable Rudeness and Contempt. A great many Men would reject such Service and Homage, and think themselves highly injured and affronted, if we should talk so manly of them, and make use of their Name upon such trifling Occasions, and in so contemptuous a manner as we do that of God. We undertake to manage him, go about to flatter and caress, to bend and bring him over, to bribe and to compound with him; nay, I might tremble to say it, some think even to brave and dare him, to snarle and grum∣ble, to take things ill, and be exceeding angry at him. Caesar had his Pilot hoist Sails boldly, and fear nothing tho' Winds and Seas, and Stars and Fate were against him, but buoy himself up with this Confidence, in opposition to all Difficulties, That He who had Caesar aboard, could not miscarry. Augustus, after having been Tempest-beaten at Sea, took upon him, to set Neptune at Definance, and by way of Revenge, ordered his Image to be taken away from among the rest of the Gods, and ex∣cluded the solemn Procession at the Ludi Circenses. Xerxes scourged the Seas, and sent a Challenge to Mount Athos. The Thracians, when it Thunders and Lightens, shoot Arrows up against Heaven, with all their Might, that by this means they may bring the Gods to Reason. And there goes a

Story of a certain Christian King, in a neighbour∣ing Country, whom when God had severely cha∣stized, he swore he would be revenged on him; and to make his Words good, commanded, That for Ten Years next ensuing, no Person within his Domini∣ons should dare to put up any Prayers to God, or make men∣tion of his Name any other way.

* 1.2Nought is too hard for Man. Grown Gians in Impiety, Our Impious Folly dares the Sky. We dare assault Jove's glorious Throne, Nor (still averse to his Command) Will we permit his lifted Hand To lay his Thunder down. Creech.

But not to insist longer upon such prodigious Ex∣travagances, Does not the general Temper and Practice of Mankind justifie that Character given by Pliny; That no Creature is more miserable, and yet none more proud than Man? For, on the one hand, he forms to himself vast Conceits of the particular Love, and Regard, and tender Care God hath for him; thinks himself the chief, the only Fa∣vourite of Heaven; and yet this Darling serves him after a most unbecoming manner, and worse than the poorest and most despicable of all his Creatures. How then shall we reconcile these Extremes? How can a Life so wretched, a Homage so poor and base, meet and dwell together in same Person, with such glorious Notions of Himself, and a Pre∣ference so vastly great above all the Creation be∣sides?

Is not This to be an Angel and a Swine at once? And indeed Men, who entertain these Opi∣nions, and dishonour God, by living in a Disagree∣ment with them (as the generality of Mankind do) must be content to bear the Reproach of a great Philosopher to some Vicious and Hypocritical Chri∣stians; That they were the bravest Fellows in the World at talking, but the pitifullest and most contemptible Wretches in their Lives and Actions.

[unspec 3] We are apt to think our Selves of Moment, and great Consequence to God,* 1.3 to the World, and to Na∣ture in general. That all These are in great Pain and Anxiety upon our Account; That They only watch for our Safety and Preservation; and This makes us look upon Calamitous Accidents with Sur∣prise; but especially, to be perfectly astonish'd at Death, as if it were a most strange Thing how That should break in upon us, notwithstanding so many Guards that keep Centry about our Per∣sons, and are all (as we imagine) concern'd to se∣cure us from it. For this, among other Reasons, few People ever persuade themselves, that any Hour is their last; but almost every Body, suffers him∣self to be cheated with false Hopes, at the very Instant of expiring. And what is all This but Pre∣sumption? We think our selves too significant; and fondly fancy, that this whole Universe must bear a part in our Death; that some great and general Revolution will happen upon it; that all things decay in proportion with our own Bodies, and fail one another in the same Degrees They fail Us; That there is no avoiding it, but They must all undergo the same fatal Shock, the same Dissolution that We do. And in this Universal Delusion, Man∣kind live, like People upon the Water, who, when their own Vessel moves, seem to draw Houses, and Towns, and Heaven, and Earth along with them. No Body considers that he is single, and

but One; a very small and inconsiderable Part of the Creation: One out of many Millions, whom few have any Interest in, and perhaps fewer yet are the worse for losing; and the Matter is so far from every Body's going along with him, that scarce any Body will so much as miss him when he is gone; no more than a Grain of Sand diminishes the Sea-shore, or the falling of a Star, changes the Face of the Sky.

[unspec 4] Then again; Man pleases himself, that the Hea∣ven, the Stars, and all that Glorious Movement over our Heads, and indeed the whole Frame and Order of this Material World, was thus created and constituted merely for his Sake: As if that De∣scription of the Heathen were his due, That* 1.4 so many Gods were perpetually Ambitious, and contending about his single Person. And this is a very extrava∣gant Imagination indeed. He is lodged here in the last and lowest Story of the World, at a great di∣stance from the Aetherial Roof; a place, that in comparison of the purer Regions above us, may be call'd the Sink of the World, where all the Lees and Dregs settle, with Creatures of the meanest Condition, and liable to receive all those Evacua∣tions of Rain and Vapours, which fall down upon his Head; nay, from These he receives his very Subsistence; he lies open to Accidents, that beset and oppress him on every Side; and yet this poor Wretch looks upon himself as the Master and Com∣mander in Chief of the Universe. 'Tis true in∣deed, Almighty God hath given him a Dominion over some of his Fellow Creatures; and it is like∣wise true, that the rest over which he hath not the same Dominion, are contriv'd for his Mighty Benefit and Covenience; but it will not follow

from hence, that the whole Creation had no o∣ther End than his Service; nor that those vast Globes of Light, and so many Pure Incorrupti∣ble Bodies, whose least Virtue is not distinctly known, and which he must be content to gaze at with Wonder and Astonishment, were fram'd and are continued in this Regularity and Perpetuity of Motion, for Man only. From hence, it is confest, this Indigent Wretch derives his Food, his Main∣tenance, and unspeakable Conveniences; The Rays, the Beauty, the Heat of the Sun, The Rain, and Dew, and other Distillations from Heaven cherish and sustain him; and This, no doubt, was one In∣tent of the bountiful God that made them. But shall we presume to determine from hence, that this was the Sole Intent and Use of them? Shall we call the Heavens and the Elements our Own, and pretend that Their Motions are only so many Tasks for Our Profit? This were, as if the Beg∣ger should call himself Proprietor of the Wealth out of which he is reliev'd; and the Benefits in this Case are so general, so far from being con∣fin'd to Man alone, that the meanest Fowl of the Air may as well make the same Pretensions; Nay, in some Sense, these Creatures may make them better; For Man, who receives Conveniences, hath some Inconveniences too from the Bodies above him; he hath none of them at his own Disposal, he cannot understand how far their Efficacy will extend; nor make any certain Conclusions, what will be hereafter; and this puts him into perpetual Un∣easinesses, and Fears and Amazements, lest these Bodies should not keep their Course, nor shed pro∣pitous Influences, but occasion Barren and sickly Seasons, and so every thing should prove Unkind∣ly and in Confusion; and under the Weight of these Apprehensions he lies and trembles, for what shall fall upon him from Those very Bodies, of

which he vainly thinks himself Lord and Master; Whereas Beasts, as they receive the same Advan∣tages of Life and Substance with our Selves, so they receive it without any Disturbance of Mind, or disquieting Presages of the Future; yea, and without any of those discontented Murmurs and Complaints at what is Past too, which restless and ungrateful Man is ever bewailing himself in. I conclude this Observation with that Passage of Seneca;* 1.5 We are not the Proper Cause of the World's enjoying the several Seasons, and their Vici ssitudes; Those Things are order'd by Laws peculiar to themselves, in the observance whereof the Will and Purposes of God are executed. We think too highly of our selves, if we suppose we are of such Worth and Consequence, that such and so many Glorious Motions should be contrived, merely for our sakes; nor is our Correspondence with Heaven so intimate, that all the use of the Stars should be to di∣rect, or to declare our Fortunes.

Note.

Some Persons, since the Improvement of Astronomy, have given us juster Notions of the Magnitude of these Heavenly Bodies; That seve∣ral of them equal, and some very much exceed the Proportion of this Earthly Globe; have en∣tertain'd Notions of a Plurality of Worlds, fur∣nish'd with Inhabitants, as different from Those we know, as the Regions they inhabit are. A Notion, which I only mention upon this Occa∣sion, to hint, that there may be many Uses un∣known to us, served by the Heavenly Bodies; And because the Opinion seems to carry no

Impiety at all in it, but pretends to consult the Glory of God, by exciting Men to a greater Admiration of his Infinite Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness, exerted in so much a greater Va∣riety of Creatures, than what we are or can be acquainted with, I thought it not amiss to in∣sert it here; though, as I said, 'tis a Notion on∣ly; and what, as we cannot have an absolute Certainty for, so we have none against it. If Reason give any Countenance to this Specu∣lation, Revelation no where forbids it. For Mo∣ses, who made it his Business to describe the World we inhabit, had no Reason to mention Others, in which we have no Concern; and his not mentioning Them, was agreable to the De∣sign of his History; but does not exclude the Reality or Possibility of any such other Systems, as were foreign to his Purpose, and so in no Degree necessary to be taken Notice of. The Reader, if he be desirous of farther Satisfaction in this Point, may please to consult the Eighth of Dr. Bentley's Excellent Sermons against A∣theism. p. 4, &c.

[unspec 5] As for the Things here below upon the Earth, that is,* 1.6 Beasts and all Living Creatures, Man looks upon them with Scorn and Contempt, as if they were of no Consideration at all. Forgetting, that they are form'd by the Hands of the same Almighty Artificer, and are reckoned among the Riches and Possessions of the same Lord; That the same Earth is our Common Mother, and that They and He, are of the same Family; and consequently ought not to be slighted and disdained, as if they were worthy no part of his Concern, nor bore any Relation at all to Him. Hence it is, that these Poor Creatures are so much abused; and treated with an Insolence and Cruelty, that flies back up∣on Their and Our Common Master; for it is

an Affront, and an Impiety, to deal thus by any Thing of His making, such as he does not only Own, but expresss a Tenderness for; thinks them worthy his own Care, and hath appointed cer∣tain Laws for their Benefit and Preservation; such as, tho' inferiour to Us in the most valuable Parts, yet he seems in some Things to have given the Ad∣vantage to; nay, such, as in several Instances, shame and reproach our Follies, and are therefore recommended in Scripture, as Masters for Man to be sent to School to. But This hath been already men∣tioned in another Chapter.

It is indeed a Doctrine commonly received, that the World was made for Man, and Man for God; which in some Sense is certainly true, and what I have said is no derogation from it. For, besides that In∣struction, which all the Creatures in general con∣tribute to, whether those, Above or Below us; Those useful Hints and Reflections they minister concerning Almighty God, Our Selves, and Our Duty: Some sort of Use, with regard to Profit, or Serviceableness, or Delight, may be drawn from every one of them in particular. From that Part Above us, which we have a less distinct Knowledge of, and which is not at all in our Disposal; This Firmament so nobly Vaulted, so richly deckt with Light, and all those rolling Fires above us; The Advantage Man receives from Them is That of Contemplation only. His Soul by These is raised and transported to admire and to love, to fear and to honour, and to pay most profound Reverence to the Almighty Master and Maker of so Glorious a Frame. In this respect it was no ill Remark of Anaxagoras, that Man was created to contemplate Hea∣ven; and some of the old Philosophers according∣ly gave him the Title of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. From the Creatures in this lower World, he reaps Advan∣tage and Assistance, receives great Supplies, and

Service properly so called. But for Men to per∣suade themselves, that God in making all these Things, had no other End in his Thoughts and Designs, but purely to consult the Convenience of Mankind; This is too great a Stretch upon the Do∣ctrine mentioned just now, and an Arrogance which I think may very deservedly be charged with all that Folly and Presumption I have laid upon it.

[unspec 6] The Last, but Principal Instance of this Pre∣sumption,* 1.7 hath Man for its Object; and this must be consider'd with regard to Himself, or to his Fel∣lows; Within, as to the forming of his Judgment and private Opinions; or Without, as those Senti∣ments are imparted by conversing with other Peo∣ple. And upon this Occasion we will insist upon Three Things, as so many Topicks in close con∣nexion and consequence upon one another;* 1.8 by which Mankind betray at once their great Weak∣ness and great Presumption; and in both, great Folly. The First of these consists in Believing and Disbe∣lieving. (I meddle not here with Religion, or Divine Faith, but desire my Reader to recollect what was said in the Preface,) Where Two contra∣ry Vices are observable, which are exceeding com∣mon in Humane Life.* 1.9 One of These, and the more general of the Two, is Levity and Credulity; that is, a Disposition to receive Things, and be per∣suaded too easily, upon the slightest Inducements; so that to gain our Assent, any the least Circum∣stance of Probability, or Pretence of Authority is sufficient. This is the effect of Easiness and Sim∣plicity in the worst Sense of the Word; a Softness and Weakness of Mind, such as we observe in mean Parts and Education, the Ignorant and Ef∣feminate, the Superstitious and Fanciful, Men of great Zeal, and little Judgment, which are all like Wax, always in a readiness to receive any new

Impression, and suffer Themselves to be led about by the Ears with every idle Story. Hence it is, that we see the greatest part of the World carry'd about with every blast of Opinion; and possessed with Notions, before either Age or Maturity of Judgment render them capable of choosing; and accordingly These Opinions are not the result of Consideration and Choice, but the Prepossessions of Time and Custom; the Rudiments of their Infancy, the Mode of their Country, or it may be, mere Chance, have taken fast hold of them; so fast, that they are inseparably wedded to, absolutely subdu'd and enslav'd by them; and no Arguments are able to loosen these Prejudices, and set their Minds at liberty from them.* 1.10 Some violent Gush of Wind drives them upon an Opinion, and there they cling, as if they were to save themselves from a Sterm, by keep∣ing close to that Rock. Thus indeed the World is ma∣nag'd; We take Things upon Trust, and depend upon other People.† 1.11 Each Man is willing to save himself the trouble of Examining; and had rather believe than judge: A Mistake that hath passed through many Hands successively, turns and tumbles us about at pleasure: And all this from a Custom of assenting too ea∣sily, which is exceeding dangerous and unfaithful. Now this Credulity, so common in the World, tho' it be really a very great Instance of Weakness, yet is it not without a large Mixture of Presumption too: For, to receive and stick by Opinions, and main∣tain them for certain Truths, without knowing any thing at all of the Matter, this is too much in all Conscience; and therefore some little Enquiry is

made into the Causes, and Reasons, and Conse∣quences, tho' none at all is made concerning the Truth of the Thing. We commonly ask, What account can be given of This? or What can be the manner of bringing That about? all along ta∣king the Mattr of Fact for granted, and that Things really are as they are represented; when there is nothing at all in it. We write Tracts, ma∣nage Arguments, engage in Disputes, enquire cu∣riously after Causes and Effects of a Thousand Things, which never had any Foundation in Na∣ture; and the whole Argument on both sides is false. One contends it is This way, another That way, and in truth it neither is, nor ever was Any way at all. How many Jests and Banters, preten∣ded Miracles, sham Visions, and counterfeit Reve∣lations, have crafty People imposed upon Ours, and some late Ages of the World? And why should a Man believe such Pretensions to Events, neither Humane nor Natural, when they may be confoun∣ded and disproved by Natural and Humane Me∣thods; when Reason can say nothing for them, and Revelation is so far from giving them Coun∣tenance, that it says a great deal against them? Truth and Falshood have Faces and Teatures alike; Their Mien, their Relish, their Motions resemble one another, and the same Eye judgeth of them both.* 1.12 Truth and Falshood (says one) border so close upon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 another, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wise Man should not trust him∣self upon the Brink of them, but move warily, for fear of sliding into the Wrong. No Man ought to be belie∣ved concerning Matters above the Power and Un∣derstanding of a Man; except he come with Au∣thority from above, and bring such Credentials a∣long with him, as are supernatural, and exceed the Operations of Humane Strength; and such no Te∣stimony

can be, but the Divine. But it is to God alone that this Prerogative of right belongs, To be believed in whatever he says, for this single Reason, because He says it.

The other Vice opposite to This, is a Stupid and Obstinate Raslmess, which condemns at all adven∣tures, and rejects every thing for false, which Men either do not understand, or are loath to believe; and therefroe will by no means have That true, which Interest or Inclination makes them wish may not be so. This is a Property more especially visi∣ble in such as abound in their own Sense, and think Themselves more capable and more judicious than their Neighbours; such as Pedantick Pretenders to Learning, Men addicted to Dispute, and Those that are violent in any Party, whether of Church or State. They fancy some little sharpness in their Wit, and that They see farther into Things than the generality of People do; and This, with a Byass of their own within, makes them forward and sierce; They take upon them to determine every thing with an Air of Authority, and expect, that their Sen∣tence should be receiv'd for Law. This Vice is yet worse and greater than the former; for it is the Extremity of Folly and Madness, to think we know the utmost Bounds of Possibilities; the secret Springs and full Extent of Nature; that We can comprehend the Operations of God, and pro∣nounce that He is able, and what He will please to do; To measure all Truth and Falshood by our own Capacities and Understanding; and yet This ought to be the Measure of True and False, to ju∣stifie the Confidence and the Fierceness, which these sorts of Men express in all their Disputes and Definitions of Things: For this is the Eternal Jar∣gon they run you down with, That's Nonsense, That's False, That's Impossible and Absurd. And yet how many Things are there, which for a time have been thought extremely ridiculous, and rejected as impos∣sible,

and afterwards have brought such Evidence of their Truth, that we have been forced to ac∣knowledge and yield to them; nay, and after These have been establish'd, we have by Them been led to the entertaining of Others yet more surprizing and odd than the former? and on the other hand, How many that have been received for Gospel, have in time lost all their Veneration and Credit, and been discovered to be mere Errors and Impo∣stures, and idle Fansies?

[unspec 8] The Second Instance of this kind, which indeed is an usual and a natural Consequence of the for∣mer, * 1.13 is the being positive and stiff in asserting or denying, approving or condemning, according as we have been led to entertain or reject Opinions, without sufficient Grounds for our Belief or Mi∣strust. This differs from the former only in de∣gree, excepting that it adds Peremptoriness and Ob∣stinacy to it, and so the Presumption is worse and more apparent. That Easiness and Credulity hardens in time, and by degrees degenerates into a Self-Conceit, and Positiveness, which no Arguments can conquer, no Persuasions move or correct. Nay, sometimes the Humour is carry'd on so far, that Men are more eager in asserting what they do not know, than what they do.* 1.14 Men persuade themselves more firmly of the things they least understand, and assent with greater readiness to Points dark and mysterious, that they may be thought to comprehend what really they do not, and from a natural eagerness of the Mind, that catches at every thing gree∣dily. It is counted a Reflection to be out at any Point that is started; or to yield a Dispute, in which a Man is once engaged; and therefore Men discourse with Resolution and Obstinacy, and great

Assurance, and come ready fixed and determined to maintain their Ground at any rate, how little soever they have to offer in defence of it. Now this exceeding Positiveness, and abounding in one's Own Sense, are commonly Signs of Brutality and Ignorance, attended with Arrogance and Folly.

[unspec 9] The Third, which is a natural product of those Two, and the very Top and Extremity of Pre∣sumption, * 1.15 is, The persuading others, recommending and propagating our own Opinion; and This, not in a mild and gentle Method of fair Reasoning; but with Authority, and in a Dogmatical way; to impose it, as if they were oblig'd in Duty to believe us, and ought not to ask Questions, or doubt of any thing we say. Now what insupportable Tyranny and Usurpation is This? He that hath re∣ceiv'd an Opinion, reckons it a work of Charity to win others over, and convince as many as he can of it too; and for the better effecting this Cha∣ritable Design, he gives it all the Strength and Ad∣vantage he can; represents every thing in its best Light, and adds from his own Invention, as much more, as he thinks may be for his Purpose, to make amends for any Defect or Opposition, which he suspects may be met with, from the Apprehension of the Person he proposes the Matter to. And, ge∣nerally speaking, there is not any thing for which Men are more tenderly concern'd, than for the put∣ting about their Opinions, and gaining as many Proselytes as they can.* 1.16 No Man is content to be mi∣staken alone, but every one draws in others into the same Errour with himself. Nay, so zealous are Men in this Particular, that where ordinary means of Per∣suasion are found insufficient, the Defect is supply'd by Violence and Terrour, Sword, and Fire, and Faggot.

This is properly the Vice of Dogmatical and Am∣bitious People; such as aim at absolute Dominion, and would sain be governing and prescribing to all the World. And, for the facilitating this Design, and to captivate Men's Understandings, they make use of Two Artifices. The First is, to lay down some general Propositions, which are term'd Funda∣mental Principles; and such as must be presupposed and granted on all hands; and from These they tell you, you must be so far from departing, that you are not allow'd so much as to Dispute, or ad∣mit the least Doubt, whether they be true or not. Upon These they raise what Superstructure they please, and so bring the World over to their side; which hath been a very successful Cheat, in pro∣pagating many gross Errours, and giving Authori∣ty to Things absolutely false. And indeed the Fraud lies chiefly in Those Principles, which ought to be Truths Self-evident, and clear to every consider∣ing Man; but Some have been advanced for such, which upon strict examination will be found, not only as disputable, but as weak, as false, as any of the Conclusions endeavour'd to be drawn from them; and the Propositions contrary to These, carry at least the same Face of Probability, and have as much to say for themselves.

Some eminent Persons we know of late have ta∣ken upon them quite to alter and overthrow the established,* 1.17 and so long uncontested Principles and Rules of the Antients, in Astrology, Physick, Geome∣try, and concerning the Nature and Motion of the Winds. Now all the Propositions and Notions of Men are equal to be sure, and ought to have the same Authority with us, excepting only so far as Reason gives one the Advantage above another. Truth does not depend upon the Credit or Testimony of Man; nor are there any Propositions that com∣mand an absolute Assent, and whose Authority is

uncontestable, but what God hath been pleased to reveal; the rest are mere Vanity and Pretence, that challenge Assent so imperiously from us. Now these Gentlemen require us to take their Word, and swallow All they set before us, without chewing; not any Tryal or Examination is allow'd you, which is the greatest Injustice and Tyranny in the World. God (as was observed before) hath this Right incommunicable to any beside Himself, to command our Assent in all he says, upon this score merely, because he says it. Where, by God's saying it, is included the Message of all those that are sent, and attested by him, and not any immediate Revelation intended, and nothing else; for in op∣position to such Messengers, so commissioned and approv'd it is, that our Lord says, He that speaketh of himself is a Lyar.

The Other Method, by which many have been drawn into Errours, is by counterfeiting this Seal from Heaven, pretending some new Miracle, or particular Inspiration, or strange Apparition, or the like; a Trick, which History tells us, hath been often play'd with great Dexterity and Success, by Princes, and Law-givers, and Generals of Armies. The first Persuasion taken from the Party concern'd, soon gets possession of the weaker sort; but this is so nice, so feeble, and so frail, that the least Mi∣stake, or Mismanagement would spoil and break all to pieces again: And wonderful it is to reflect, what famous Impressions have been owing to poor and frivolous Beginnings. But when this Impres∣sion comes abroad into the World, it grows to a prodigious Bulk, and stretches it self so, by the help of Time and Numbers, as to take in Men of bet∣ter Sense, and more discerning Judgments. For it is to no purpose then to kick against a general Be∣lief; a Man hath nothing left to do, but to come in, and make One. The strongest Evidence, and

most distinguishing Test of Truth, is the number of Believers, and the number of Years that have maintained it: And yet it is certain, that Fools are more than half the World in every Age. But, notwithstanding this disparity, it is a hard matter to fix in an Opinion, contrary to the general Sense of Mankind. The Fallacy however last-mention'd hath been abundantly seen in the many Juggles and Cheats which have astonish'd the Multitude, and been palmed upon them for new Miracles; but by some Accident or other, or by a nicer Observati∣on of some more jealous and acute than the rest, the whole Cheat hath been detected and exposed within a very little while; and yet These very Cheats, if they had gather'd Strength, and not been stifled in their Infancy, had done their Busi∣ness, and met with Wonder and Adoration every where. These Discoveries however of false Mira∣cles, and such as are taken upon Trust, are a greater Confirmation of the True, such as the Faith of Christians is built upon; which have neither want∣ed Time to ripen them, nor Curiosity of Enqui∣rers to detect them, nor the Malice of Enemies to pervert and overthrow them, nor the Byass of Wicked Inclinations to render Men averse from surrendring themselves up to the Doctrines con∣firmed by them. And yet in despite of all These, They did, and do, and will continue to prevail and triumph in the Minds of Men. And well it were, if better Care were taken to examine all Pretensions of this kind very nicely, that so the True might not suffer in their Reputation and Ef∣fect, for want of being distinguish'd from the False; and That poor Shift of profane Wretches might be exposed and beaten down, who take shelter in some such Discoveries as have been here mention'd, and, from a Few acknowledged Impostures, and some Others which look suspiciously, and perhaps, if

carefully traced up to their first Head, might have been found no better, endeavour to insinuate, that None ever were otherwise. It must be confest, in the mean while, that the Things these Tricks are contriv'd to support, and lead Men into, are a mortifying Consideration; the great Variety of contending Sects and Religions, and the infinite Superstitions still in use among some parts of Christendom, the Ceremonies, and corrupt Customs which are Relicks of Pagan Idolatry, and which there is no bringing the People off from. And now, by this whole Discourse, we see what precious Creatures we are, and what we are like to come to at last, when we blindly follow such blind Leaders.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Presumpti∣on in re∣spect of God.
• * 1.2

  Audax Iapeti genus —mdash; Nil mortalibus arduum. Coelum ipsum petimus stultitià, neque Per nostrum patimur seelus Iracunda Jovem ponere sulmina.

  HOrat. Lib. 1. Od. 3.
• * 1.3

  Nature.
• * 1.4

  Tot circa unum caput tumultuantes Deos.
• * 1.5

  Non nos causa mundo sumus, hypemem aestatem{que} referendi, suas ista leges habent quibus divina exercentur; nimis nos suspicimus, si digni nobis videmur, propter quos tanta moveantur. Non tanta coelo nobiscum societas est, ut nostro fato sit ille quoque siderum fulgor.
• * 1.6

  Animalt.
• * 1.7

  Man him∣self.
• * 1.8

  There De∣grees of Humane Presumpti∣on.
• * 1.9

  1. Belie∣ving and Misbelie∣ving.
• * 1.10

  Veluti tempestate delati ad quamcun{que} disciplinam, tanquam ad saxum adhaerescunt.
• † 1.11

  Unusquis{que} mavult credere quam judicare, versat nos & prae∣cipitat traditus per manus error; Ipsa consuotudo assentien∣di periculosa & lubrica.
• * 1.12

  Ita sunt sinitima salfa veris, ut in praecipitem locum non debe∣at se sapiens committere.
• * 1.13

  2. Ass••m∣ing and Cond••mn∣ing.
• * 1.14

  Majorem fidem homines adhibent iis quae non intelli∣gunt; cupiditate humani ingenii lubentius obscura cre∣••untur.
• * 1.15

  3. Per∣suading.
• * 1.16

  Nemo sibi tantum errat, sed aliis erroris causa & au∣thor est.
• * 1.17

  〈…〉〈…〉