TWO DISCOURSES: THE First, showing how the Chief Criteria of Philosophical Truth, invented by Speculative men, more Eminently serve Divine Revelation, than either Philosophy or Natural Religion.  
THE Second, manifesting how all the Foundations of the Intellectual World, viz. Reason, Morality, Civil Government, and Religion, have been undermined by Popish Doctrines and Policies.  
By Tho. Mannyngham, M. A Fellow of New College in Oxford, and Rector of East-Tysted in Hantshire.  
LONDON, Printed for Will. Cademan, at the Pope's Head in the lower Walk of the New Exchange in the Strand, 1681.   

To my very Worthy and Ingenious Friend, Mr. Thomas Palmer, one of the Honourable Members of the last, and of this present House of COMMONS.  
Worthy Sir,  
I beg leave for these Discourses to appear under the Authority and Friendship of your Name, as containing in them some general Remarks and Hints in Learning, which I suppose, may not be altogether unsuitable to your Genius, to your natural Inclination for variety of Thought with some Decency of Epression. The greatest part of what I now present you, was the effort of my younger Years, and therefore may appear to some to contain more of the warmth of Temper and Imagination, than of the cooler serenity of Reason and Judgement; to discover rather a wild Range in Learning, an Innocent Revelling in Philosophy, than any mature Research into Principles, and the Cognisances of Truth; any complete Victory, and Final Triumph over Authors. But let the Opinions of Men be what they please, I hope they will not deter you from Patronising the success: Though in relation to this former Discourse, I may without much Vanity promise you some security, since it has been already approved by much better Judges, than perhaps are left to condemn it. I am now Sir retiring from the World, and that which always was its brightest Scene to me, your delightful Conversation; and am therefore willing to leave you, and perhaps a few more of my Friends, some little Image, some faint Remembrance of me, in the Essays of my younger Studies. I must confess, I have now another Taste of things than what I formerly had, partly my experience in the World, and partly the new Ferment of Humours in our Nation, having taken from me all the Remains of an Innocent Ambition. By the providence of God, and the free unconditionate generosity of that Noble and Loyal Patriot, Sir John Norton, I am comfortably placed in an agreeable station in the Church; and am now passionately desirous to collect myself, to be known to few, to be envied by none: If ever I had any esteem among some, either through chance or the Conspiracy of Friends, I should now be glad to have my Name as Friendly neglected, as it was first raised; for I always accounted a great Reputation, and a great Infamy to be equal Afflictions; and the unknown untalked of Man to be only Blest.  
Yet though I am entering into the solid Peace and Contentment of private life I leave you, Sir, engaged in the highest Sphere of Counsel and Action; but I leave you under a deep sense of the Interest and obligation of the best Religion in the World; a Religion, out of which no good and wise Subject of this Nation can be desirous to live, and in which even Repenting Atheists choose to Dye! I leave you also guarded with the Hereditary and chosen Principles of Loyalty and Honour, with all the Natural and Acquired Blessings of Temper and Improvement; especially, with that Law of Kindness in your Soul, legible even in the outward characters of your Composure, which will hardly ever suffer you to Err much, either in a Public or a Private Life; it being very difficult for a person of large Affections, of great Modesty in Conversation, of sharp and quick Reflections in solitary thought, ever to become Seditious in State, or Habitually lose in private Manners. And O! that such an amicable sweetness of Disposition, as gently reigns through all your Actions and designs, were every where mingled with the Policy of our Kingdom; and that the Wisdom of our great Assembly were every where tempered with such an Healing Meekness! then Peace and Love, and Union might distil like Balm upon our Nation, then might we speedily recover our Secular Glory to the Admiration and Terror of our Foreign Observers: then might we strike down our Errors in Religion, as the Priests did heretofore the Sacrifices at the Altar, not with the Hast and Fury of Anger and Revenge, but with that deliberate strength, that wise and solemn delay, which proceeded wholly from a Conviction and Sense of Duty, and Devotion, then might our Magistracy govern by Love, our Religion by Charity, and all our Policies unite into the Everlasting securities of Peace and Friendship, which is the hearty Prayer of him who desires to be known by no greater Title than that of,  
Your most Faithful and most Obedient Friend and Servant, Tho. Mannnygham.   

A DISCOURSE Concerning TRUTH.  
HE who has had the Curiosity to observe our Modern Scepticism, and been any thing acquainted with those loser Doctrines, which almost universally occur; (wherein restless Consciences have endeavoured with all the little Arts of specious Sophistry, to work out to themselves a Stupefaction rather than a Quiet, a Charm than a Satisfaction) may readily reflect how Natural Theology erected chief on Natural Philosophy, (the great Diana of this Mechanic age) is now become the only refuge of all those who pretend to establish their irreligion by Argument and Syllogism. For downright positive Atheism has found but very few serious and declared Abettors; has sometimes sprung from the fumes and madness of Wine, and Lust; has been the distemper of an Hour, the Paradox or Rant of heated Conversation, not an Opinion, or a morning thought; and for the most part, has been rather sworn up, than asserted.  
Christianity had that Serpent Philosophy to deal with in its very Cradle, and through all its strength of Centuries has received its fiercest assaults from that Monster. By vain Philosophy, so rigorously condemned in the Epistles; the Learned generally understand the Gnostick Theology composed for the most part of Pythagorean Principles; and that the Epicurean and Stoical Sects were as malicious as any in the Apostles times, the Disputes of St. Paul recordedin Acts 17. v. 18. sufficiently inform us. Not long after this, that Man whom Origen so rationally and so perspicuously answered, declaimed against the whole Bible with all the Artillery of invective Eloquence, and false reasonings, deduced from a commixture of Barbarian and Grecian Placits. Then Hierocles, Julian, etc. but particularly their Ancestor Porphyry (whom some of the Fathers counted it Religion to Curse) sought by all the darkest methods of Hell to lessen and destroy the Authority of the Holy Bible: For according to that imperfect account which we find of those fifteen Books he wrote against the Christians, he is recorded there to have jeered at it for a mean simplicity of Style, and for innumerable repugnancies; to have attributed its Prophecies to secret Combinations of Writers after the Fact, or accommodated them to other Persons and Circumstances; and to have ascribed all its Miracles to the force of Egyptian Magic, and the operation of Devils. Now all this was contrived in honour and vindication of the Platonic Philosophy so highly reverenced by the Sacred Order of the Alexandrian School. Yet all these men have spent their utmost Venom, done their worst, and the gates of Hell have not prevailed.  
For another succession of Gospel Adversaries, we may with Candour enough reckon Aquinas and the Schoolmen, who have most deplorably undermined the Scriptures with the Principles of Aristotle, and although accidentally, yet they have been as really pernicious as any we have hitherto named. Their intentions were doubtless innocent, but we can never sufficiently lament their intolerable Leisure, which occasioned them for want of better employ, to spin out all the strength of Divine Writings into nice and unprofitable Volumes. Whatever the advices of those Persons may seem to the contrary, who have spent so much time in those Studies already, that they are bound for their Reputation-sake, to recommend them to others; who tell us, those alone will make a man close and Argumentative, quick and sagacious in discovering the Point and Knot of the Controversy, which perhaps was tied only for the Trick-sake; who would have us lie seven or eight years in a dark room, that when we come abroad into the open day, we may think we see clearer; who though they themselves have miserably experimented the Cozenage, yet still cry up and maintain the prodigy, and to prevent a saucy precociousness in Learning, invite others to drudge in their methods, to be vigilant and attentive on subtle Entities, till they become like those deeper sort of Contemplators, who never fix their eyes more steadfastly than when they see nothing: notwithstanding, I say, all these large promises and encouragements for the reading of the Schoolmen, there are altogether as observant persons, who will not stick to affirm, that 'tis evidently owing to that Load and Corruption of our Libraries, that men are generally grown so lose and ambiguous in their Reasonings, that with little pains or art they can prove any thing, or nothing; and that most of those Religious Wars which at this day infest Christianity, are chief owing to that fatal invention of School-Divinity, that Gunpowder of Learning. All this would be most amazingly dreadful, but that there is somewhat worse to come.  
There is still another Philosophy behind, and that has opened another Gate in Hell, and sent forth a piece of the blackest Sophistry that the Infernal Synod can dictate. It's reputed Author, Benedictus de Spinoza; one who has run through a whole Amsterdam of Religions himself, and obliged that Athens of promiscuous Worship with one more of his own Invention. Where he has given them all the difficulties of Scripture-History and Chronology amassed and enhansed; all the Doubts and Controversies of Commentators positively determined on the worst side; a rhapsody of Illusions from Talmud and Alcoran; and a Feature of Deformity borrowed from every Heresy, Schism, and Sect.  
'Tis true indeed, he allows the Bible to be Divine Revelation, but with this Proviso, that the Philosopher's Reason is still a more infallible word of God; that its Prophecies were accommodated to Prejudice, Fancy, and Temper; Its Miracles the Wonders of the Ignorant; its whole end and scope Political, for the better security of Government; and its popular Doctrine intended only for the Herd to square their gross Obedience by: and all this, because there occur some Expressions in the Scriptures altogether unworthy (as he imagines) of those clear and evident discoveries of Nature lately found out and Demonstrated by the Divine Cartesius; whom he never mentions but with the greatest veneration imaginable, with all the Eulogies that the most ravished invention can suggest; whereas if at any time he confesses Christ, 'tis like the Devil in the Gospel, with Horror and Reluctance, and (like him too) he seems first Tormented to it.  
The Existence of a Deity against the Atheist, and the certainty of the Bible's Revelation against the Antiscripturist, have been in all Christian ages, but especially of late, so fully confirmed and established both from Pulpit and Press, through all the possibility of Reasoning, all the Amplitude of Topics, whether Theological, Metaphysical, Physical, Moral, or Mathematical, that were they handsomely collected and summed up, they would without Controversy make a Compendium of the properest Logic yet extant; and yet this Infamous Book presents our Reasoning Men with a farther scruple still, where freely granting the Revelation of the Scriptures, it notwithstanding concludes, that the holy Bible is only a popular System of Pious Political Errors; Regnum Devotionis, non Veritatis: Wherefore I shall endeavour at present only to make good this one Proposition, viz. That the chief Criteria or Canons of Philosophical Truth, which have been invented and allowed by speculative Men, are much more abundantly convincing when applied to matters of Divine Revelation.  
Now Philosophical Truth is capable of being considered but these two ways.  

I. In respect of its Traditional or Historical account.  
II. In respect of its accommodation to our Natural Faculties.   
I. In respect of its Traditional or Historical account.  
And here we have some late Authors very laborious in Transcriptions, who have not scrupled to make Philosophy co-incident with Revelation itself, deriving it in a continued Tradition from the Jewish Church, and thereby conceiving it no other than the remains of a primary Revelation. They make the business very short, telling us, that doubtless Adam was created with a perfect knowledge of Nature, and that from him this Knowledge was transmitted by Methusalem, to Noah, from Noah and his Sons and Nephews to the Chaldeans, from them to the Egyptians, from the Egyptians to the Phoenicians, from Phenicia it sailed into Greece, so to the Latins, and from thence 'twas propagated to these septentrional parts, where we have the Genealogy of Philosophy as clearly and succinctly delineated, as that of our King, from William the Conqueror.  
Now we cannot suppose that Adam transmitted that Knowledge of Nature, which he enjoyed during the state of his Innocency, and which he received either from immediate Infusion, or connate Ideas of things: Nay if he had, he would have given his Posterity a false Philosophy, since that whole Nature was afterwards forced to follow the Law of its Curse, since Thorns and Briars were not in the Scheme of Vegetables, and the Serpent was to be new studied again. But if he transmitted to us the Knowledge he had gathered from much Experience, and a long Life after his Fall, when perhaps his Faculties were not very much perfecter than ours, and stood in as great want of a Logic for their better information, I do not see any great benefit we could receive from such a Tradition; and all that the Asserters of this Opinion can make good will be only this, that we have received one more Curse from him than we thought of, and that he has propagated to his Posterity Sin, Death, and Philosophy.  
That the Egyptians, who were a mighty and ruling Nation, when the Israelites were but one chosen Family, should receive all their Wisdom and Learning from the Jewish Church, which as yet had not so much as any written Canon, any Law to walk by, but what it received either from the continual Ministry of Angels, or somewhat else both Sacred and Incommunicable to the Posterity of Cham, is more than our ordinary Historical probability will allow us to affirm. Neither is it less absurd to make Joseph the great Interpreter of Dreams, the same with Hermes Trismegistus, and to be their renowned Lawgiver, when as before his arrival thither, they lived in all pomp and Trading, Municipal Laws, and confluence of Merchants, nay, and he himself was but a part of the Ishmaelites Traffic, Gen. 37.36.  
The first rise and exercise of the Heathen Theology consisted only in some Mystical Rites, afterwards recited in Hymns and Musical Odes; and seeing the acknowledgement of a God is allowed to be Universal, and consequently Natural; why might not these Barbarous efforts in Religion wholly spring from the confused Notion of a Deity naturally inherent, without any particular derivation from the Jewish Church? The Grecians and Latins do indeed ascribe some advantages to the Phenitians, which Tacitus particularly mentions, viz. the Art of Navigation, and a few Letters; but that they held a general Mart of Learning, and transplanted Colonies of humane Sciences into Greece, Africa, Spain, and the chief parts of Europe, which border on the Mediterranean, is certainly no other than one of Mr. Bocharte's Learned Whimsies. We usually esteem our Trading Towns as Brutish a part of Mankind as any of their Brethren, where Gain and Covetousness seldom allow any Intervals for Meditation, any Leisure for deep thought; and we may easily believe the Maritine Phenicians to have had no better speculations than that of their Cynosura for the safer Conduct of a Cockboat; no other Society-Invention than that of a Royal die, which came neither from a Jewish Tradition, nor an Egyptian Hieroglyphic, but (as good Historians inform us) was happily hinted by the experimental Philosophy of a Dog.  
But grant these Eastern Nations to have excelled in some useful parts of the Mathematics, yet we may give a Natural account of the rise of those without having any recourse to the Jewish Church, since they may be probably supposed to have taken their Origin either from Necessity, or a commodious Situation, or both; so that the Egyptians Geometry might be owing to the inundations of Nile, which caused them often to Survey their confusion of Lands; the Serenity of the Air, and an undisturbed Horizon might invite the Chaldeans to look up, and by long observation understand the course of some few Constellations; and the compulsion of the Phoenicians or Canaanites unto the Coasts of the Mediterranean by the Sword of Joshua might force them to seek mercy on the Ocean, and drive them to the little Arts of ancient Navigation.  
Pythagoras, whose Life and Travels have administered much to this Fancy, is recorded by Porphyry to have brought nothing from the Hebrews but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the knowledge of Dreams, or of their Interpretation, which yet among them was never counted an Art, but an Inspiration. If the Jews were such diffusers of secular Learning, why are the wisest Men of their own Nation (such as Joseph, Moses, Solomon, and Daniel) charactered and deciphered to us in the Bible, with a comparison so advantageous to the Wisdom of other Nations; as that they were skilled in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians, that their Wisdom excelled all the Wisdom of the East Countries and of Babylon.  
Schools and Colleges we are taught they had, though not such as some of our European Seminaries for frivolous and Sophistical Education; but for the weighty instruction of the Sons of the Prophets, for the reading and interpreting of their Sacred Law. Grant that some of the more Mystical and Symbolical parts of the Allegorising Philosophy, or some of those Fables which the Poets borrowed from the Corruption of Tradition, were derived thence; must it needs follow that all the unmixed and Argumentizing Philosophy, all Arts and Sciences (the effects of Curiosity and accidental Emergency) must be brought from Canaan? If Plato at any time writes that he received a blind Notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, must they be presently no other than the hateful, and therefore concealed Hebrews, when as all the World besides was esteemed Barbarian to him.  
Now the great maintainers of this Hypothesis, whether Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius, or more modern Antiquaries, seem to have borrowed the hint chief from the eloquent Jew Josephus, who in his Treatise against Appion the Alexandrian Grammarian endeavours to prove together with the Antiquity the Universal Learning also of the Jews. Yet out of an Hereditary prejudice to the Heathen World, and a notorious National Pride, he may be thought to have exceeded the modesty of sober Argument on that subject, especially being so highly provoked by the jeers of Appion, who undertakes to prove them originally Egyptians, and that they were turned out thence with their Heliopolitan Moses, for an infamous Disease. With these most defamatory speeches Blaspheming his Nation, as his own words signify; this (I say) might exasperate him to an haughty derogation of all the Learning of the whole World besides, and to make their pompous and long celebrated Wisdom appear no other than some broken Light, some imperfect fragments derived from them.  
However since by the very confession of those, who would make out such a Traduction, it is now mixed and fermented with the vain additions and falsities of the ignorant Gentiles, as it appears but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, full of Horror and the misguidings of the Night, we cannot upon the account of Tradition or Revelation, be faithfully assured of any Truth, any Certainty in it.  
Now there are none of these imputations, which can be charged on the Holy Bible, especially on that necessary part, on which our Belief, and Practice, and our Salvation depends There's no obscurity, unless that which may arise from too great a Lustre; no dark Counsel from Delphos, whose interpretation still required another Oracle; but all its Doctrine is like Life and Light, nothing more Familiar and Domestic, and yet Mysterious too. What if the Revelations of St. John are still in some parts vailed, are the shadows in our Heavenly Landscape, yet we doubt not but the Ages to come will see them perfectly fulfilled into their true Shine and Perspicuity; and what we cannot here attain to will but make our Scene of Glory larger. Neither are the Holy Scriptures corrupted with any vain Additions; the Jews cannot fasten their Talmud, nor the Papists their Traditions; such are but Enchantments to Moses' Miracles, and can never imitate the finger of God. Neither could all the Armies, Emperors, or Persecutions, all the Policy & Malice of Earth and Hell destroy one Article, blot out one necessary Truth, but that same God, who first inspired them, has hitherto preserved them, and we may with all devout confidence expect, that his never-slumbring Providence will be their Eternal Massorah.  
Having done with the Historical account let us Secondly consider Philosophical Truth in an accommodation and conformity to our Natural Faculties; etc.  
I. To our Senses.  
Whose Testimony being managed by a superintendent Faculty is the most infallible certainty we can naturally have of sensible things: which (as to its Mode of Derivation) whether it proceeds from real Qualities inherent in the Objects, or Notions and Phantasms impressed on the Nerves and Brain, it matters not, since most men are sufficiently agreed in their Representations, or Relative Truth, our Organs and Objects being rightly disposed and circumstantiated. Neither is it to any purpose for any one to obtrude upon us the frequent illusions of Sight, since those very Fallacies (as they call them) constitute an Art, and are the grand Maxims of our Optics.  
Now although some have so deeply plunged into that degeneracy of Scepticism as to extract a Controversy from every Particle of the Universe, and make their own existence a Problem, yet has this been pointed at by the sober part of Mankind, as the extremity of Folly and forlorn Sottishness. The very Pyrrhonians were not guilty of this Excess, who never deny their assent to the Passions, and Representations of Sense, but doubted whether the Natures and Internal Verities of things were from thence, or by any other way sufficiently and infallibly known; which is convincingly manifest from their grand probability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bears no relation to the immediate appearances of Sense, but is wholly concerned in Discourse, Syllogism, and the Consequences of Science; and if at any time they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, indulge themselves a sportive Captiousness about the familiar Objects of Sense, 'twas not so much to affront Truth, as to persecute the haughty Dogmatist, and torture his surly positions; so that those few absurdities recorded of their great Master Pyrrho can be nothing but Fiction and Comedy: as that he disbelieved all his Senses, grew so callous and mortified with stupidity, as that he had taught his very Nerves and Fibres to deny themselves; so dead drunk with Apathy, as to lie in a Cart's way, and at another time most unmercifully to doubt whether his Friend was in the Ditch or no. These (I say) and such like extravagant Relations, which occur in his Life, can be no other than the Burlesque of his Opinion; like that of Epicurus', which from the pure abstracted Contemplations on Nature, joined with the most innocent delight of a Garden was by the viler Herd of that Sect corrupted into all gross Sensuality, and the debauches of a City.  
Diogenes Laertius affirms of Pyrrho, that his suspension proceeded from a noble Generosity of mind, and that in order for an undisturbed tranquillity of Life he introduced a polite Genteel Mode of Philosophising 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And if so, such a Scepticism as this would be the best breeding a Scholar could pretend to, 'twould redeem the Learned from that snarl of Education, which many have most unhappily contracted from their little Victories in Scholastic Contentions, whence they become angry and sick at every suspense of Judgement in another, so utterly impatient of contradiction and Argument, that they vilify and defame all Humane Nature, because the Age rebels against their Opinion. Whereas on the contrary the modest way of humbly proposing our probabilities, and allowing the same freedom to others, would render Conversation sweet and easy, all conferences pleasant, and be a great instrument of advancing true Friendship in the World. He that grows hot and turbid, that elbows in all his Philosophic Disputes, must needs be very proud of his own Sufficiencies, or very ignorant of the vanity of the Science he stickles for; and commonly the intemperate value of a speculation proceeds from the weakness of the Man; for he that is passionate for a particular System now, without doubt was so here-to fore for his Nuts, and is in all likelihood of still following his Temper, of being warm and obstinate in all the trivial concerns of Humane Society.  
Neither would this generous method only give us easier seasons, and softer moments of Converse, but also a freer range to Fancy, and a loss to new thought; since in matters wholly Philosophical (where Religion and Government are not concerned) Scepticism and Paradox may without Controversy be esteemed the purest Vehicles of Noble Wit, and unattempted Sense.  
It need not startle us that the Roman Writers do often insinuate a very contemptible regard for the Senses, since all that, is in order for the better colouring the contradictions of their Mass. Hence a late French Author in his Researches after Truth, having presented his Reader with a long tedious repetition of the invincible Illusions of the Senses (such as a stick half in the Water, and a square Tower at a distance) most triumphantly concludes, that they were given to Men, as they are to Brutes, only for the preservation of Life, not as the Ports of Merchandise and Science, but of Defence and Safety. As if our sight served us only for the conduct of our steps, or for securing us from a Precipice, whereas that almost unlimited Sense extends its Royalty through the whole Universe, purvey's for all the capacity of the Intellect, and points at what it cannot perfectly discover. For by the Visible things of the Creation, the great Invisibles are Collected. But we need not labour any longer in this point, since those persons, against whom our Discourse is chief directed, are so vigorous for the evidence of Sense, that they scarce allow any other, but make the most sublimated Knowledge a Tumult of Phantasms; all Thought, Local Motion; all Reason, Mechanism; and the whole Encyclopede of Arts and Sciences but a brisker Circulation of the Blood. How ridiculous soever this Opinion is, yet it sufficiently serves our purpose, as it establishes Sense to be an undoubted Criterion of Truth, as far as we contend, or within its proper Sphere.  
Let us now see the more abundant concern of this Criterion in matters of Revelation, which will presently appear, if we consider, that this was the first and is the last Evidence, of Divine Miracles, on which all revealed Religion is established; and that Tradition itself makes no Argument until 'tis ultimately resolved into the certainty of the Senses. Moses and our blessed Saviour made their constant appeal to them. What we have seen, and what we have heard was still the Apostles Logic, and an Appeal to Miracles, was the powerful Demonstration of the Spirit. How solicitous was our Saviour after his Resurrection to give the senses their full satisfaction? This made him condescend to heal St. Thomas' Infidelity with a touch, which immediately shed a strong Conviction through his Soul, that strait way broke forth into a glorious acknowledgement, My Lord, and my God Nay, at his Ascension he chose not to vanish or suddenly disappear, but gave the men of Galilee time to stand and gaze, submitted his Motion to the Scrutiny of their Eyes, whilst he was carried up into Heaven by Angels and Clouds in all the leisure of a Triumph.  
II. We will consider Philosophical Truth in an Accommodation to our Understandings.  
And this is the very definition of the Schools, viz. A Conformity of the Object with the Intellect. Here I dare not venture far. In this Science, or Mystery of Words, a very judicious Abstracter would find it a hard task to be any thing copious without falling upon an Infinite Collection, an Eternal Succession, or some such like contradictious & self-duelling terms. True metaphysics is still a Desideratum in Philosophy; for what we have hitherto received from the Scholasticks, Jesuits, and others, appears only like the Ghost and Phantasm of separated Reason and departed Sense. If we launch into the vast expansion of their pure Abstractions, we find but very little to terminate our Apprehensions, but our contemplating Heads seem presently to swim in an Infinite Vacuum, and all substantial thought by little and little to lessen, and pass away into a strange Transcendency. I could tell you of a Truth of the Object or Entity, a Truth of Appearance, another of Conception, and one more of the Intellect, and that without a Miracle, all these may be one, viz. an appearance or representation of the Object to the Intellect; I could tell you likewise that besides the Truth of apprehension, there is one of Judgement, another of Discourse, and these again either Mental or Verbal; I could tell you from the Lord Herbert, that there is an invincible Instinct of common Notions, the same that Aristotle before him called an Intelligence of Principles; that there are some Sacrosancta Principia (as the forementioned Person styles them) which inform us, that there is a God, that he ought to be Adored; but how, and in what manner, what will make our Worship acceptable, our Sacrifices, or our Prayers regarded, here his Instinct, Internal, External Sense, and Intellect, with all their Analogies, Conditions, and Consequences can give us no better direction than the Finger of a Mercurial Statue, when we are puzzling in a dark and crooked Alley. 'Tis not my business to give you a Censure of that Noble Man's Labours; Gassendus has done it already in an imperfect Epistle, wherein he has utterly renounced the Genius of his Nation, scarce allowing the Author one Epistolary Compliment; though 'tis to be presumed, that when the Lord Herbert sent him his Book, he expected he should have returned the Applauses of a Gentleman, and not the Animadversions of a Critic. Yet so it often happens, for another great Wit des Cartes met with the same Fate, and from the same hand too. He grew so confident and presumptuous of his Meditations, that he sent out sportive Challenges to invite Objections from all his Friends, till at last like one of his own Kings, he was quite baffled and slain amidst his very Tilts and Tournaments. After the Metaphysicians have quite tired themselves with their Divisions and subdivisions, they are so modest as not to make Humane Intellect the adequate measure of Truth, but ultimately resolve it into a Conformity with the Divine Understanding, which a Platonist would after this manner explain, That there is an Eternal mind, that comprehendeth the intelligible Natures and Ideas of all things, whether actually existing, or possibly only; that comprehends itself, and all the extent of its own power, together with an exemplar Platform of the whole World, according to which he produced the same. This being granted, we are as much in the dark as ever; for unless this eternal mind shall vouchsafe to acquaint us what is conformable to his Infinite unerring Understanding, we can have but little certainty of Truth.  
Now this is the peculiar Province of Revelation. And that it may appear how natural this Medium is, how suitable to the Universal consent of Mankind, you may please to reflect, that Revelation has been the true, or pretended foundation of all Knowledge whatsoever. No Religions, no Policies imposed upon the World without conferences and retirements with God and Angels. Not only Religions and Laws, but all Arts and Sciences, all noble Inventions have ever boasted of their Aegeria's, their assisting Daemons too.  
When the light of Nature, that first Revelation was distorted, and the unguided reason of the Idolatrous World had terminated all Divinity in the works of the Creation, than did God speak at sundry times, and in divers manners to the Fathers by the Prophets; When the Gentiles would not learn of the Kingdom of Israel, which was a constant visible demonstration of the Power, Providence, and Goodness of God, their Ignorance for some time was winked at, till at last God was pleased more fully to declare his Nature and Will by his Eternal Son, the brightness of his Father's Glory, and the express Image of his Person, who brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel. So that now the Bible is become the perfect Register even of Natural Religion too, since all those excellent truths,  the Heathen World faintly hinted at, rather wished than believed, whether they concern matters of Faith, or the Duties of Morality, are infallibly assured to us by the supernatural Declaration of that God, whose veracity is established by an infinite Knowledge, whereby he cannot be deceived himself, and an eternal holiness, whereby he can't deceive us. And to take away all complaints about Error, the obscurity of things, and the imperfectness of our finite Understandings (those bold Murmurs, which reverberate on Heaven and Providence itself) we are Promised and Assured that the Third Person in the Trinity will be with us to the end of the World to guide and direct us in all necessary Truth.  
But Thirdly, Cartesius goes farther than the Schoolmen. He uncatechizes himsef through a long series of Dubitation; invents an Art to stifle Education and Memory, strips himself of all his prejudices, only that he might put them on again in another dress, and present us with a nicer Recollection, a more splendid method of his Errors. For 'tis certain that most of them returned upon him again, not unlike to that which the Atomists observe, that if you grind any matter into too minute a dust, the little particles will cling again, and reunite by reason of a too exquisite separation. Wherefore after he had fancied the whole World a Faire-Land, Life a mere Dream, all Conscious and thinking Nature but the delusions of an evil Genius; after all this enchantment he can find nothing, that can ascertain to him any Truth but the Goodness of God, which will not suffer our faculties to be imposed upon in their clear and evident perceptions, so that that which can give the best account of the Goodness of God, justly claims the Advantage of this Criterion.  
And, that Revelation does so would be almost improper here to mention, but that the method of my Discourse requires it. I shall instance only in one thing, but that the greatest, the vast Astonishment of Heaven and Earth, viz. that of the Second Persons Incarnation, his taking our Humane Nature upon him, to Converse with us, to Die for us, for Us Sinners. A Mystery of Love, which gave the very Angels new Anthems, a new Scene of Knowledge, and consequently a new Heaven!  
Now I would not be thought to speak against all Philosophy, to declaim against all Learning, any more than he that Preaches against a full Table, or exhorts to Mortification, would be thought to make Starving Orthodox, and Self-murder a Gospel-Precept. For since Philosophy is by most men allowed to be the requisie improvement of our natural Faculties; since 'tis commendably made the great Employ and Study of our younger years, and the better Commerce of our more advanced Society; since exalted and almost meriting Charity hath built us Schools and Colleges for our pleasant Recess and Meditation, bequeathed us competent Revenues, for the easy maintenance and tranquillity of a Thinking Life, nobly endowed our Professors for more speedy advances in Arts and Sciences; and since Christian Commonwealths with their prudent Laws and Constitutions have established to us our Universities, certainly we ought not to entertain Philosophy with so cold a regard, as the Phanaticism of some, and the incapacity of others to attain so great an excellency, is ready to profane it with. But yet if we take a farther prospect, and view it in its ultimate tendencies we may with as equal reason blame its Adoration as its Contempt.  
Philosophy was intended, as our Colleges wherein 'tis taught, not to spend our our whole Age, 60 years and 10 in it, but to make it our passage to more solid attainments, to equippe ourselves for more substantial Knowledge. 'Tis but an Introduction, a Ministering Accomplishment for Divinity, and we are first taught the Elements of the World, that we may better understand the Sacred Character. 'Tis but a Jewish Canaan, Typical and significative of a more Spiritual Mansion, and may under a judicious Management serve to shadow out to us, though very imperfectly, the infinite Treasures of revealed Wisdom. So that the intent of my discourse was only to show, that whatever pretences Philosophy or natural Religion could make for Truth or Certainty, yet Revelation (there being such a thing granted by the Adversary) laid fuller and more abundant claim to all those Rules and Measures of Truth. But should I now reckon up all the incommunicable characters of Truth, to Revelation, it would require a Volumn. I will only mention some few, and those such as lie within the compass of Philosophical Reasonings, then answer an Objection or two of the Naturalist, and so conclude.  
Whatever Philosophy or Natural Religion can truly arrive to in its best progress of Reasoning, its highest exaltation, Revelation has all the benefit and evidence of that Light, besides a farther and infallible confirmation from Divine Testimony. Moreover, the excellency of the Object, peculiar to the matters of Revelation, gains a freer admittance, makes a stronger and more lasting impression on the understanding, than any other common Motive whatever. For no man needs any other Argument than his own Reflection to convince him, that Assent ariseth more properly from the excessive worth of the Object than from the dry evidence of Apprehension, and Perspicuity itself. And that because, however in Philosophy Truth and Goodness may seem distinct, yet in Divinity they are all one; and the most abstracted speculation there, has a constant Morality annexed to it, which always superadd's the Recommendation of the Affections too. And how magnificently soever men paraphrase on Reason, Intelligible Ideas, and Eternal Verities, they are our Passions, that must carry us to Heaven; our Repentance and our Devotion, our Love, our Fear, and our Hopes; and our Reason and our Faith, only as joined with these. 'Twas the zeal of the Affections, assisted by the Holy Spirit, that reconciled Martyrdoms, and rescued the Bible from the Dioclesian Flames. There each holy Martyr would freely part with his Life, but not his Bible. That Sacred Depositum was all his Wealth, his World, his Eternity. When his right hand was cut off, he seized it with his left; when that was gone too, he fastened on it with his Mouth, and amidst his Torments sang Hallelujahs out of it; when his breath could no longer articulate his devotions, his panting heart still retained it, and when the Tyrant grasped that, it fled away with his Soul. Now search all the Records, all the Catalogues of Stoics, those great Masters and Professors, of Death, and see if this can be paralleled. We have read indeed of a Philosopher, that offered up an Hecatomb for the invention of a Proposition, but he would never have Sacrificed himself for the Confirmation of it.  
But the Naturalist tells us, we have no sublime Notions of God in Scripture, and that the Israelites only knew his Name; whereas every Hebrew name of God is a pregnant Hieroglifick in his Theology, and that one word Jehova is a Body of Divinity. The Scriptures have acquainted us with so much of the Nature of God, as may sufficiently inspirit our Obedience; and those, who have pretended to farther discoveries, have only opened a way to Heresy, Enthusiasm, and even Atheism itself. And we have reason to fear that those curious and subtle Discourses of late about the Idea of a God, have done but little service to the Christian Religion. What the understanding in things of this Nature, like a clear Fountain, would naturally reflect as it maintains its ordinary Current, when once examined and stirred, either defaces or distorts; and I am apt to think, that the Divine Nature and its absolute Attributes are best known by the modest reflection of the first Thought. The most abstracting Metaphysitian, that studies them farther, does but think himself into amazement, and with the delaying Philosopher, only loses his God by a longer Procrastination. But still the same Adversary urges that 'tis strangely irrational to represent God Almighty with Passions and Senses, which the Scriptures every where allow. This is disingenuous Sophistry; for he that makes the Objection cannot be ignorant of the Figure. That men should quarrel with the condescensions of the Almighty! That when he is graciously pleased to speak to them, they should dispute the Nature of his Voice! when he says, he has compassion on'em, they should ask, where then are his Bowels! when he revokes a threatened Judgement, they should plead, He cannot! Divine Animal! wouldst thou be conversed with in the Language of Eternity? wouldst thou be treated with in the ineffable Dialect of Heaven? Alas! fond Creature, thou art Elemented and Organed for other Apprehensions, for a lower Commerce of perception: Such immediate displays of Divinity infinitely transcend the Analogy of thy Order, and the immoderate Glory of such a Revelation would but absorb thy Soul, and crack its Hypostasis: Thou canst not see God, and live.  
But still the Natural Philosophy in the Scripture can never be pardoned; either that, or De Cartes must be false. However Men may flatter themselves that they have Orbs and Circumvolutions of Souls Concentric to the Universe, yet we may very rationally believe, that an exact Knowledge of Nature was never designed Man on this side of Heaven; it may possibly be reserved for our Illuminated Faculties, and be an accessary of our Glorification. The Essences of things can be the Object of no other than a Divine Understanding, and he that made the World, can only have a perfect Knowledge of it. What if Divine Providence, as a peculiar privilege, granted to Adam and Solomon a considerable acquaintance with Nature, yet event hath shown, that there was a kind of Tetragrammaton in it, that it was thought a thing too Sacred to be communicated to Posterity, so that what they enjoyed was no Natural Acquisition, but a Gracious Gift, not so much Science as Vision.  
Though Cartesius in his account of Meteors has endeavoured with Epicurus to exclude the Deity from the middle Region, and to deliver us up to the Providence of an Atmosphere, yet God Almighty thought fit to manifest his Omnipotence to Job from that place rather than from the Heaven of Heavens. What is the end we propose of our inquiries into Nature? Is it to serve and gratify our Curiosity? That we will not own. Is it to plume our Pride? That we dare not own. Then it can be no other than to settle in us a due reverence and acknowledgement of the Wisdom, Power, and Goodness of God. Now all this is Pathetically secured to us in Scripture, since it may very effectually be obtained by an humble Meditation on the Existences of things, their more open Qualities, and their obvious Relations. The consideration of the substantial parts and uses of sensible Nature (the very Mode and Method of the Scripture's Philosophy) has, we know, in a mere Heathens Breast kindled Admiration into an Hymn; But I never yet read of any Anthems composed from the Contemplation of Atoms. Who can Spell the Divine Wisdom, Power, and Goodness out of the Principles of Des Cartes, where he gives us the Origen of all things in a Puppet-play, interprets all the works of God according to the bruit Laws of Mechanism, and allows no other Operations in Vital Nature, than what he finds paralleled in Germane Clockwork? Whereas, who can without holy Affections peruse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Majesty of Mose's account? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, where he describes the Original Fiat in a Phrase almost commensurate to the Dignity of the Creation, that some Rabbins have thought his very Style, as well as Sense to have been inspired.  
They are our too eager disquisitions after the Internal Verities of things that have led the Witty World into so large a Field of Scepticism. Men must be pressing and breaking into the Recesses of Nature, as that Conqueror heretofore into the Sanctum Sanctorum, then mistake the thing, return dissatisfied, cry all is Pageantry, and that we worship Clouds. I had rather read the Astonishments of Job, when God poses him through the whole Creation, than all the bold explications of Men and Daemons. I had rather consider the Rainbow as the Reflection of God's Mercy, than the Sun's Light; and when I call to mind, that Thunder throughout the Scriptures is styled his Mighty Voice, I'm satisfied at what I Tremble, and though this may debase my Philosophy, yet it heightens my Divinty.  
If any man is not yet satisfied what is Truth, let him but seriously reflect on his Deathbed, and the Day of Judgement, and then I'm persuaded he'll need no Answer; When the Gaiety of Fancy forsakes him, and the Prosperity of Invention gives no relish; when his Passions and Appetites grow languid from the impotence of Blood, and his Brain becomes too weak for the Image of the World, then will he call for a Portion of Scripture to ease his Conscience, a drop from the Fountain of Living Water to cool his tongue. Then set him on the highest Mountain of Metaphysics, and from thence give him the Ravishing Prospect of all the Kingdoms of Humane Learning, all the Glories of Philosophy, yet he will not Worship, not Idolise one glittering Notion, not part with one single Text for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. When the last Fire shall make Nature confess itself to be no God, the Sun and Moon be darkened, the Elements and Stars melt with fervent heat, and run together into one great Vortex of Confusion, and when the whole Volumn of the Creation shall be shrieveled up like a Scroll of Parchment, then shall the Holy Bible be opened, its everlasting Truths unfolded, and though Heaven and Earth pass away yet not one jota of that shall perish.  
Go now, and neglect Heaven, the receptacle of Angels and departed Souls, for the visible Heaven of Orbs and Planets, and lose the Beatific Vision for that through a Tube! Go, thou that hungerest after Humane Learning, go! make a vast Progress in specious Errors, and industriously acquire to thyself a deep-read Confusion of thought! lose all good Sense by a multiplicity of Languages, grow grey under a Mathematical Problem, and make thy Grave in the Dust of Geometry! let the reconciliation of the Chaldean Chronology, and the Egyptian Dinasties swallow up thy moments of Salvation! let the uncertainties of Prosane Authors attend thee on thy Deathbed, and with their restless Tumult add a Frenzy to thy Fever! then let thy Learned Ashes be kept in Urns, and thy great Name be read in Annals. Yet for all this know, O man, that Plato gave thee thy Pompous Thoughts, Aristotle thy Sagacity in Invention, and Euclid thy Mighty Demonstrations; In a word, that Heathens gave thee all thy Reason, and the Curse of Babel thy Languages to express it. Go therefore rather, and Captivate all thy Thoughts to the positions of Faith, thy whole Heart to the embracement of the Gospel, and let the frequent Meditation on Sin, Death, and Judgement macerate thy bold Naturals into an humble contrition of understanding.   

POPERY One great Cause of ATHEISM.  OMnis Haeresis cum ad Atheismum delapsa est, per sapientem Prophetam, quales in Italiâ fuêrunt Thomas, Dominicus, Scotus & alii, in Veritatis viam reducitur. Tho. Campanelle De Monarchiâ Hispan. Cap. 30. 
The foundations of the Intellectual World are these four.  
1. Reason. 2. Morality. 3. Civil Government. 4. Religion. And that each of these Pillars is removed, undermined, or out of course, either through the sly Machinations, or open assaults of our implacable enemies, the Papists; who either act themselves with declared Malignity, or put pernicious Engines into other men's hands, a little reflection on the several Heads may easily convince.  
The first Foundation which they have disordered is Reason in general.  
I presume there are very few ignorant how large a Dominion Scepticism has of late obtained among our inquisitive Athenians, and how speciously it has been introduced under the Titles of free Philosophy, and a liberty of Thinking; a vindication of Captived Truth, and an Advancement of Learning; a redeeming of Humane Reason from the Tyranny of Barbarous Terms, and the dotages of antiquated sense; And altho' at first sight there may seem little or no design of the Roman Party in introducing this variety of Models, and these disguises of Reasoning amongst us; because they have sometimes seemed to put a check to these attempts by their Inquisitions and Cenfures, and because they themselves have been unhappily baffled in many of their Doctrines, even according to these new Modes of Arguing, by those who have had skill enough to fix to themselves a system of solid Reason in spite of all their amazing Sophistry, and delusive Shapes; yet if we allow our thoughts a little Historical Range, we may still imagine that the Plot was laid long since, and that our Adversaries with a Spanish Providence did long ago contrive and plant that Malice, whose Maturity and happy growth they hoped their Posterity would one day enjoy; and this has been their acknowledged Design to some of our Travellers, to whom they have freely confessed that it has been their chief business to cherish the inquisitive humour of the Protestants with new Models, to dazzle their Curiosity with false Appearances, that they might crumble them into Sects, bring some to indifferency in Religion, others to Scepticism and downright Atheism; because, say they, the minds of Heretics must lie Fallow before we can sow our Seeds and Principles with success.  
Now it is well known how irreconcilable the first Reformers in Religion were to the Philosophy of Aristotle, with what bitterness of Style Luther, and Calvin and their respective Followers decried the Writings of the Schoolmen as the only support of the Roman Corruptions, insomuch that Bucer made it his constant challenge Tolle Thomam, & Ecclesiam Romanam subvertam.  
Beware of vain Philosophy was one of the chief Doctrines which rang through Heidelberg and Geneva, and the first Protestants were so scared with those Declamations against Worldly Wisdom, that they esteemed every Sentence, which was not Scripture-phrase to be mere Profanation; a Syllogism was the very Mystery of Iniquity, and School-distinctions as rank Magic, as Mathematics in the Tenth Century.  
Now things being brought to this height, and such Jealousies against Scholastic Learning being every where entertained, there could not be a more effectual way of bringing Philosophy into Credit again, (which Philosophy constitutes above half of the Religion of the Romish Church) than by the invention of Terms and Hypotheses somewhat destructive and repugnant to those of Aristotle, and by ordering it so; that those persons should appear no friends to the Roman Party, who were the first promoters of them; for by these means the inquisitive men in the Protestant Churches might with great safety to their Religion (as it then appeared to them) embrace and carry on the new discoveries of Italy and France, and introduce that Liberty of Philosophising which experience hath now shown to be the most destructive Instrument that could be thought of to unsettle all the true Principles of solid Reason, and to engage our half-taught Youth in wild Disputes, weak Cavils, and everlasting Scepticism.  
For now what hinders but that Transubstantiation (that distorted Anagram of Reason and Religion) may pass for true Gospel notwithstanding all the Remonstrances and contrary evidences of our Senses, which according to the Dubitations of Des Cartes are the most Fallible and deluding witnesses we can make use of, which mistake something in every Object they converse with, and occasion Error by their most material reports; tho' it must be confessed that many of the more ignorant Bigots in France were very Jealous of this man's writings even in respect of their Transubstantiation, and therefore they often advised him to lay in good 
* Vide Epist. Des Cartes l. 2. Ep. 3.4.53, 54, etc.  security in his new Method for the Philosophy of the Eucharist, and to be very cautious of maintaining any thing in prejudice of those Peripatetic Accidents which they had so long Adored, and which his Modifications might seem to cancel; and truly we may believe that his Metaphysical Doubtings have pretry well expiated for his other Innovations.  
But besides the Absurdities of Transubstantiation which Scepticism hath so much befriended, all the Rational motives of Credibility, and the truth of Moral Certainty are by the same means rendered precarious and weak, and Infallibility made to appear the only sure foundation of our Faith.  
For when the Protestants had asserted a moderate use of, and dependence on their Reason in Divine matters; when they had rescued themselves from the intolerable Bondage of a blind Obedience, and the unaccountable Conduct of an implicit Faith; What more expedient Artifice could the Politicians of Rome invent to weaken these proceed, than to render that strong Aid and support of our Religion the most uncertain and contemptible instrument we could make use of; or else to advance that inadequate Rule as the only Judge and Measure of all that is Divine? both which ways are equally destructive of that sobriety of its use which our Church maintains. And therefore we find how Eloquent and plausible they are in many of their Writings when they touch upon that Topic of renouncing our own Reason and Understanding; how they emblazon its Infirmities, Deceptions, false Inferences, and Judgements, making all the Faculties of Man, even after the best improvements of Art, of Virtue, and of Grace, a more deplorable Mass of Corruption, than the severest Calvinist, in his descriptions of Original Sin.  
And from such encouragements as these our Atheistical Wits have borrowed their Acuter Blasphemies against Humane Nature, improving the Notion, and growing Luxuriant in their Satyrs against the Noblest Workmanship in the visible Creation; whilst their best Panegyrics have been servilely employed on the Comparative Felicity of inferior Being's, on the Tranquillity of Beasts, and the unerring Instinct of sensitive Nature; endeavouring by these Poetic Frenzies to make vain and ridiculous the Conclusions of the Learned, the Experiences of the Prudent, and the Counsels of the Pious; for these revile of Wisdom, and Aged Dictates are the little Policies which take with the sensual and the debauched, with those who have such a superficial Knowledge of things as to think that none have more, and who love to measure all the Certainty and Evidence of Reason by their Schemes of Raillery and Illusion.  
But then there are some Contemplative Men, of more sullen Tempers than to be Jeered out of their Conceptions, and to have their Systems baffled by the Captious and frivolous Sceptic; such as out of a Pride of Dictating, and a supposed Superiority of Parts challenge Philosophy as their Province, cry up their own private Sentiments for established Actions, and explain Universal Nature according to their own individual Complexions; wherefore that there might be also an agreeable bait for the Confident and Dogmatical man, the Necessity and Power of Demonstration must be highly advanced by the Factors for Rome, and nothing less than self-evident Principles must justify our Adhesion to Religion: and to create a Reverence for Infallibility, and the particular Traditions of Rome, and also a Confusion and uncertainty in the Protestants Principles, the Philosophers and Disputers of the Age must be suborned to cry up Humane Reason, as the only Judge of Controversies, the only Tribunal of all Truth and Falsehood; whatsoever is above that must be either Phantasm or Contradiction, and all those Sublimities in Religion which cannot submit to the Rules of Syllogism, must be reproached as the Frenzies of an overheated Devotion, or the Visions of an Hermit's Cell, all the Pelagian and Socinian presumptions must be industriously encouraged to that Height, that the Protestants shall seem to have no Holy Ghost among them, no Mystery of the Trinity, unless they return to the Definitions and Authority of the Roman See.  
The Second Foundation of the Intellectual World which the Romanists have disturbed, is Morality.  
In Morality there are but these two general Considerations.  

I. The Nature of Good and Evil, of Justice and Equity.  
II. The Rules and Prescriptions to accommodate the mind of Man thereunto.   
As for the First, 'Tis well known how the Flatterers of the Roman Court, the Canonists, and all such as treat of the Power of the Pope, have with mighty Attributes, and a Divinity of Terms, made the Bishop of Rome the Arbitrarious Judge of all Good and Evil, the Infallible determiner of all Virtue and Vice, affirming that he can change the nature of Moral things according to his Pleasure; for so their more eminent Champion asserts, that if the Pope should mistake in commending Vices, and forbidding Virtues, the Church would be bound to believe those Vices to be good, and those Virtues to be evil, unless she would sin against Conscience, Bel. de Pontif. l. 4.6.5. Sect. 2. and though some of them plead the Impossibility of the Supposal, yet sad experience hath confirmed the matter, and clearly demonstrated how the Church of Rome in sundry instances has Canonised the broadest Impiety for Virtue, and Justice; nay, for that excess of Virtue which they call Merit.  
And hence it is, that the Idolisers of Monarchy with equal Flattery have attributed the same Prerogative to Temporal Princes, making their determinations a public Conscience, and their Edicts Eternal Truth: and generally all those Monstrous Opinions, and Injurious Absurdities concerning the Notion of Good, and Evil, which at this day disturb the World, have taken their Rise and Measures from the Controversies of Rome.  
But than Secondly, 'Tis deplorably manifest, with what Confusions, Obscurities, and Distortions they have darkened and peplexed the most natural and necessary Rules and prescriptions of Morality: and we have now many Volumes extant to maintain this Charge against them.  
The only natural Spring and Foundation of all the good Offices of Humanity is certainly Love, which is a constant thirst and endeavour of being largely beneficial, of extending all our Capacities, to the service of our Brethren: But now instead of this Divine Principle of all our Moral Actions, the Romanists introduce a Spirit of Cruelty, and Barbarous Dominion; their Doctrines and daily Practices contradict not only that especial Christian Precept of Universal Charity, but all the first tenderness of Natural Affection! they declare and prosecute Revenge and Murder, not only in respect of mere speculations, and undeterminable Modes, but even of thick and palpable Contradictions according to the clearest Northern Judgement we can make; which we must confess to be the only Luminary next to Revelation which in this Climate we are guided by. How unnecessary have they made the exercise of Virtue and an Holy Life by turning the absolute Commands of God into Counsel and Admonition, by distinguishing Christianity into an external Jewish Obedience, or a low Order or Precepts sufficient to secure Heaven, and a supererrogating perfection for those only who aspire to the upper Seats, and Dignities of Paradise: By Interpreting all the Additions to, and Completions of the Jewish Law to be only some more splendid Proposals and Recommendations of an higher Degree of Virtue, and by evacuating all the most excellent and necessary Morality of our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount, whilst they make it appear only an Heroical Platform of Counsels for the Melancholy and retired.  
What an encouragement have the Vicious from that unwarrantable distinction of Sins, into Mortal and Venial! especially when they make not only those sins Venial in their own Nature which proceed from Infirmity, Surreption, strong Passion, and Education, but the most dreadful Catalogue of Iniquity that can be thought on, such as Blasphemy, Profanation, Murder, Fornication, Perfidiousness, etc. with some little qualifications, must be summed up under that soft denomination.  
What a Shop of Authorized Licentiousness is their Casuistical Divinity! whereas Cases of Conscience at the best are but a Spurious sort of Divinity, for they being generally terminated on the lowest degree of goodness and Justice, are nothing thing but the Hospitals of Lazy and Infirm Nature, some Charitable Provisions in Religion for declining Virtue. But in this practical Divinity of the Romanists there is such a separation of Ends and Actions, such a Consecrating of Villainy by the Goodness, or rather the Interest of the Intention, and such compassionate Circumstances to be met with among their Doctors to render the most dreadful Transgressions slight and venial, to palliate and stupefy the most just Remorses of Presumptuous Sinners; such a Latititude of Uucleanness in their Cases on the seventh Commandment, where their determinations concerning Pleasure are many times as lose and Voluptuous as the Doctrines of Aristippus and Epicurus; in a word, there is such a general Politic compliance with all those Vicious Tempers by which that Faction is upheld, that if that be Christian Religion which they profess, than the Protestants have nothing but Honest Heathenism to govern their Lives and Actions by.  
The Third Pillar of the Intellectual World which the Romans have disordered, is Civil Government.  
And this of late hath been so common an Argument both from Pulpit and Press, and is so notoriously evident both from their Established Doctrines, and continual Practices, that a very few observations, and Remembrances may be thought sufficient to dispatch this Head.  
Wherefore we may compendiously reflect how the Romanists have been the great disturbers of Civil Government.  

I. By perplexing its true Notion, and fundamental Rise.  
II. By Weakening all its necessary and essential securities.   
I. By perplexing its true Notion and fundamental Rise.  
It is well known how the warm pretensions of Rome against the power of Princes in Ecclesiastical matters hath engaged its Champions on the diminution and vilifying even of their Temporal Jurisdiction too; and encouraged them to make all Civil Sovereignty precarious and depending, either on the Will of the Pope, that Monstrous head of Anrchy; or on the pleasure of the Multitude, that Monstrous Body of Confusion: whence their Political Writings are every where full of large Pleas for Rebellion, of specious Colours and Incitements for Ambitious and Aspiring Men; whilst instead of the Solemn Ordinance of God, the Natural, Jewish, and Christian Doctrine of Subjection, they have amused the World with groundless & imaginary forms of Empire, with subtle and pernicious Schemes of Strife, Pride, and eternal Discord: and we may with much certainty aver, that all those eager Contentions in our late dark Age, concerning Civil Authority, where and in whom the Supreme Power should be placed, what was its Original, its Nature, its Extent? how far Obedience was required, in what circumstances it ceased, when resistance became a Duty, and such like extravagancies of Stated madness, were nourished and maintained by Jesuitical Distinctions; particularly, that pretence of making use of the King's Authority against his Person, was a noted Stratagem in the Holy League of France.  
II. They have weakened all the necessary and essential Securities of Civil Government.  
All the Rational security that is in Government arises,  
I. From the Natural Conscience of Good and Evil, of Justice and Equity, seated in every Subject's Breast.  
II. From the Civil Conscience which is superinduced by the obligation of an Oath.  
As for the First Security which consists in Natural Conscience we have already instanced in our Topic of Morality how miserably the Romanists have undermined that Principle, by making it truckle to the determination and pleasure of their Pope. And although that which we call the Civil Conscience, which arises from the obligation of an Oath, depends chief on the Natural one, [for he who has not a primary Sense of good and evil as he stands in Relation to God, will have little regard to his Covenants with Man, when either his Interest, his Passion or his Humour shall solicit to the contrary] yet have they attempted by farther Evasions perfectly to destroy the whole design of an Oath, notwithstanding the Remonstrances of Natural Conscience; and that either in preventing its ever taking hold of men, by their Doctrine of Equivocation; or else in shifting off its Force and Authority by the Dispensations of their Popes. And is it not an amazing Subject to consider, that that Act which the Heathens had in such mighty Reverence, which Cicero calls a Religious Affirmation in the presence of God, the Divinity of Faith, which is taken with that dreadful Solemnity of calling on the Almighty to be an immediate Asserter of the Truth and an Avenger of the Perjury, and which God himself hath condescended to as a Security to his own Veracity, that I say this Compendium of Divine Worship should lay no more real Tie, and Restraint on Men, through the Distinctions, Reserves, and permissions of Rome; than the Dreams of Bondage, or the Imaginary Chains of Lovers! In a word, the whole civil Constitution of England, and of other Countries in our Circumstances is according to the Principles of the Romanists, no other than a Confederacy and an agreement of Robbers: for they hold that we have no King, no Subjects, no Parliament, no Laws, no Liberties, no Properties: and indeed none of the Rest, because not the last.  
That such are the Roman Principles, their continual Treasons and Conspiracies sufficiently evidence, especially this late Hellish Plot, the discovery and prevention of which hath in a manner engrossed the whole Wisdom and united Sagacity of successive Parliaments; and yet the Vein runs deep still, the amazement is still great even on the awakened Sense of the Nation. Surely our Enemies thought to entitle Heaven to their Plot, even by placing it so low; as those who dig beyond the Centre are said to dig upwards. The unfolding of this Conspiracy seems a business too unwieldy for the rashness of Hast, it requires the slow advances of working Engines, and a temperate Detection; that its pure, unmingled Malice may be drawn out with leisure and observation, and all Mankind may have a Calm and Judicious view of the whole Anatomy of its Discovery.  
Surely our Natives without a Foreign degeneracy, without an Importation of Sin, could never have been guilty to such a Forlornness, could never have designed such contradictions to Religion and Nature; they could not without the aids of Spanish and Italian Malice have entailed Revenge upon Posterity, and bequeathed their Nephews the Reversion of Murder! This is Politic Offence to outsin Probability, to appear Innocent, by being to such excess, Inhuman.  
That such Religious Butcheries should be contrived against, so Just, so Merciful a King.  
For though his younger years came roughly on amidst the Rage and Fury of a Civil War; though He had been justly exasperated with the most Barbarous Murder of a Father; the best of Fathers; the best of Kings! that we had reason to expect his return like that of a Giant refreshed with Wine, full of indignation, Revenge, and Slaughter, yet has he ruled our Kingdom as some Angel is supposed to rule a Sphere; his Government has been as gentle as that of an Intelligence, and his Edicts as mild as the Laws of Reason. When he might have called down Fire from Heaven on his unnatural Subjects, he chose to send up Incense thither; and has not so much Punished as Atoned for their Rebellions. And behold! when he was labouring to unite all Europe, to soften the incomplyances of Armed Empires, and to reconcile the Jealousies of Power, that he himself should be made the public Mark, and the Cessation abroad only give leisure to the Treacheries of his own Court! whilst the Ambitious and the Cruel lie embosom'd in the Love and Security of their Slaves, are honoured with Panegyrics and Triumphal Arches; as if only an open War could Fence off secret Treasons, as the Plague is said to keep out all other Distempers; and that Clemency, that great property that distinguishes a King of Men from a King of Beasts, should render Loyalty Contemptible, and rob the Crown of its Prerogatives! yet so men have Murmured against Providence itself because of its Long-sufferings, and rashly pronounced there was no God, because he was so Merciful.  
But Heaven hath with repeated Miracles assured us, that our King is too Dear a pledge to be delivered over to the Fury of an Assassinate: He who was protected by the shade of an Oak, cannot be less secure under the Cover of the Almighty: so David could never have fallen by the Spear of Saul, for his preservation was upheld by Prophecy. Wherefore let the Mountains of Gilboah be fruitful, and the Inhabitants of the Isles rejoice, for behold our most Gracious Sovereign still lives! and may he live, to grow old in Empire, to bless his Nation with Aged Hands, to make his Council still wiser by the experience of his Dangers, and all Posterity amazed with the History of his protections.  
The last Pillar and Foundation of the Intellectual World, which the Romanists have disordered, is Religion.  
Having already manifested how the Romanists have corrupted Reason, defaced Morality, and undermined Government, our last Topic, Religion, (of which these three are no inconsiderable Branches) may seem in a great measure to have been already handled; but however there is a peculiar consideration reserved for this head which consists in charging them with those impious and intolerable Abuses which they have offered to Divine Revelation and the Holy Scriptures in general: For what Difficulties, Obscurities, and uncertainties have they ascribed to that Easy, Perspicuous, and Infallible Rule! that they might deter the Protestants from making it their Canon, and advance their own unwritten Traditions into its place? they esteem our Translated Bible to be only an Asylum for Heretics, and Schismatics, a Refuge for the Disobedient and Runagate, where they may shelter themselves under doubtful Texts, grow obstinate in their own Interpretations, and revile the Authority of the Catholic Church: It is reported that there was once held a Consult in Rome whether they should expunge all St. Paul's Epistles, as being the noted Mint of Separating Doctrines; nay, they account the whole Body of the Scriptures the most pernicious Engines that men could ever have been entrusted with: and he who seriously considers those Indignities and Invectives which they have cast upon those Sacred Volumes will be apt to believe that some of them at least are scarce agreed among themselves, whether their Original was from Heaven or from Hell.  
What Provocations, what Warrants are such hints as these to a vicious Age? What confidence and security will the Antiscripturist assume, when he shall reflect how those who pretend to have had the sole Custody of the Scripture-Canon, and to have been the great Guardians of Revelation ever since the Apostles times, shall be found to slight, Contemn, and Blaspheme those reverend Truths? what havoc of Christian Religion must that Man make in whom Original Sin shall chance to be improved and made, bold by Education, Custom, Habit, and the applause of Vice; be made powerful and Eloquent by the advantages of Wit and Parts; and especially when he shall have his Argument recommended to him by the Learning and Merits of a Cardinal, by the Authority of the Romans See!  
If we now look back and take a Survey of those Ruins which I have only pointed at, what a Landscape of Deformity will the Intellectual World appear? such a Confusion, such a Chaos as nothing but an Almighty Wisdom can bring it to the beauty of Order again, nothing but a Civil Creation can re-establish it: and although we cannot but acknowledge it a just Judgement of God upon us, yet I hope I have demonstrated how the Papists have been the immediate Executioners; as the Devil himself is said to be subservient to the ends of Providence in those very Actions wherein he intends nothing but his own Malice; and if ever we hope to settle the Foundations of the Intellectual World amongst us, we must with true Courage and Zeal, with Heart and Soul renounce all manner of Popery, not only that which is openly professed in their known and Common Doctrines, but also that which is secretly disguised in Sects and Factions.  
Yet let this dismal Survey which I have now given be no objection to the goodness of God and the Promises of Christ, for suffering the little Remnant of his Religion to be almost devoured and undermined by the Tyranny and Craft of Antichrist: whilst by the Coutroversies of the Church our Saviour only examines the soundness of our Faith, and by the Afflictions of it the Sincerity of our Love.  
For God be praised we have still some amongst us who can, and dare assert the just Prerogative of Reason, and maintain its ample subserviency to Religion, both to make void the necessity of an Infallible Chair, and to curb the extravagancies of Enthusiasm: the Clamours and Noises of Sceptical men, have only taught their Reason its surest guard, brought it out of its Eclipse, and awakened it into a fuller Orb of Evidence.  
Also the pure and immaculate Rules of Moral Righteousness still shine in our practical Divinity; where the Precepts of Christ are faithfully interpreted to their utmost Perfection, and their utmost perfection is made our Rule and Duty.  
Government has its peculiar Royalty in the Doctrines our Church, it has a Title in other Places, but a true Empire here, in our Constitutions though not in our Practices, Religion and Loyalty go hand in hand, Righteousness and Peace embrace each other. Here the true Church of Christ is our Established Centre, and Oh that the Civil Power were its just Circle of Defence.  
Here lastly Divine Revelation enjoys its full Splendour and Reverence, in its translated Form, 'tis a Pillar of Fire, a Cloud without any Darkness, the Immediate Presence of the Lord both to conduct us, and secure us Victory; by this alone we can hope to withstand the Fury of the Nations, the Gates of Hell, and Plots of Papists.  
FINIS   

Books Printed for, and sold by Wil Cadman, at the Pope's Head, in the lower walk of the New-Exchange in the Strand.  
Folio.  
AN Institution of General History or the history of the World, by Wil Howel, L L. D. in two Volumes.  
Historical Collections, or an exact Account of the Proceed of the four last Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth, of famous Memory.  
Pharamont, a Romance complete, in English.  
Clelia, a Romance, in English.  
Parthenissa, a Romance, in English.  
An Historical, Heroic Poem on the Life of the right Honourable Thomas, Earl of Ossery, (with his Picture neatly engraven on a Copper plate) written by Elkana Settle.  
Quarto.  
An Historical Relation of the first Discovery of the Isle of Madera.  
The Protestant Religion is a sure Foundation, etc. by the Right honourable, Charles, Earl of Denby.  
The Jesuits Policy to suppress Monarchy, by a Person of Honour.  
A Warning-piece for the unruly in two Visitation Sermons, at Preston, by Seth Bushel, D. D.  
The great efficacy and necessity of good example, especially in the Clergy, in a Visitation Sermon at Guildford by Tho Duncomb, D. D.  
A Sermon Preached before the King, by Miles Barns, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty.  
A Sermon Preached at the Assizes at Lancaster, by Henry Pigott, B. D.  
Two Discourses: the first showing how the chief Criteria of Philosophical Truth, invented by speculative men, more eminently serve Divine Revelation, than either Philosophy or Natural Religion.  
The Second, manifesting how all the Foundations of the Intellectual World, viz. Reason, Morality, Civil Government, and Religion, have been undermined by Popish Doctrines and Policies.  
The Temple of Death with other Poems by a Person of Honour.