The court of the Gentiles: or A discourse touching the original of human literature, both philologie and philosophie, from the Scriptures, and Jewish church in order to a demonstration, of 1. The perfection of Gods vvord, and church light. 2: The imperfection of natures light, and mischief of vain pholosophie. 3. The right use of human learning, and especially sound philosophie. / By T.G.

§. 3. * 1.1 But to come to a more rational eviction of our posi∣tion, we shall, though but cursorily, run through the whole se∣ries of the Worlds Creation, as delivered by Moses; and thence endeavor to shew how far Plato, and others endeavored to imi∣tate Moses herein. 1. Moses makes God to be the first cause or creator of all things, Gen. 1.1. God created. * 1.2 And the first piece of this Divine efficience is by Divines referred to the Divine I∣deas or Decrees, according to which original exemplar all things were made, as Gen. 1.31. very good: i.e. (saies Austin) confor∣mable to their original patterne in the Divine Decrees &c. In imi∣tation whereof Plato, in his Timaeus fol. 30. treating of Gods or∣derly and wise production of the Universe, sets forth these Decrees of God, under the notion of Ideas &c. He saies, there was an universal Idea beyond all things made, according to which they were all made. For he makes this first universal sovereigne Idea the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Exemplar, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 image of all things. This Idea, existing in the mind of God, he stiles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, indi∣visible or simple, and eternal; namely, an uniforme, and eternal exemplar, according to which the Universe was delineated or chalked forth. In which regard Plato called the world eternal, i.e. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because its great Exemplar, existing in the Di∣vine Ideas or Decrees, was eternal. Thus Plato, in his Parmeni∣des fol. 134. tels us,

That God, by virtue of these Divine Ideas, has a perfect knowledge of all things. Which Ideas (saies he) have their original, not in us, but in the absolute will and sove∣reigne pleasure of God: for otherwise God should not be our Lord, neither should he have the knowledge of human Affairs, which to grant is absurd &c.

All this answers fully to the Scriptures, and our Divines account of God's decrees. Hence Plato supposeth the Universe to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a living intelligible creature, i.e. as he himself addes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

by reason of Gods prevision. By which living intelligible world he seems to mean no other, than that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ex∣emplar and intelligible Image of all things existing in the mind of God, whereof he had before philosophized. This he cals else∣where his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ideal world, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, intelligible, self-living, alwaies living. From all which we may collect, what was Plato's genuine opinion touching these Ideas, which he makes to be

separate from matter, existing without their singulars, as certain universal exemplars of all things made &c.

And whence could such sublime distinct notices of God's Divine wisdom and Decrees enter into Plato's head, if not by some Tradition originally sacred, and Jewish? Of this see more what follows of Pythagorean and Platonick Philosophie, where we have treated more professedly of these Diviue Ideas: as Part. 2. Book 1. chap. of Pythagorean Philosophie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rational argu∣ments to prove the Pagans tra∣duced their sto∣ries of the worlds origine from Moses.
• * 1.2

  1 Plato's Ideas answerable to Moses, Gen. 1.31.