wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

2o8 71/e grand Os^Bion againfi this Ideay Book LWhere he would coracicu*' it to be a thing utterly impoffible, for theDeity to animadvert, order and difpofe all things^ and be prefent everywhere in all thediftant places of the world at once ;. which could not bepretended of a multitude of coordinate gods, fharing the government of theworldamongft themj and therefore it muft needs be levelled againft a divinemonarchy, or one fingle, folitary fupreme Deity, ruling overall; As in.like manner, when he purfues the fame argument further in Cicerv^, to thispurpofe,that though fuch a thing were fuppofed to be poflible, yet it would.be notwithftanding abfolutdy inconfiftent with the happinefs of any being,,he (till proceeds upon the lame hypothefis of one fole and fingle Deity :Be Nat./.I. poris intermi[[o, verfari circum axem cctli admirabili celeritate? five in ipfo[Cap. XX.fftundo Deus inefi aliquis, qui regat, qui gube-rnet,. qui cur[us ajlrorum, mutationcsD. Sive ipfe mundus Lkus efi^. quid poiejl ejje minus quielum^ quam ntiUo punSo tem^^Tom°^X temporum, hominum commoda vitdfque tuealur •,. n^ ille eji implicatus moleftis*Gper.l negotiis (6 operofis.. Whether you will fuppofe the world itfelf to be a Godywhat can be more unquiet^ than without intermijjion perpetually to whirl roundupon the axis of the heaven with fuch admirable celerity ? or whether you will.imagine a God in the world diftinSi from it, who does govern and difpofe allthings., keep up the courfes of the jlars, the fucceffive changes of the feafons,.and orderly viciffitudes of things, and contemplating lands and feasy confervethe utilities and lives of nten •, certainly he muji fteeds be involved in much fo-Ucitous trouble and employment. For ^s Epicurus here fpeaks fingularly, fothe trouble of this theocracy could not be thought lb very great to a multiJtudeof coordinate Dtitiesy when parcelled out among them, butwould rather feem to be but a fportful and delightful divertifementto each of them. Wherefore it is manifeft, that fuch an idea of God,as- we have declared^ including unity, onelinefs and fingularity init, is a thing, which the ancient Atheifts, under the times of paganifm,were not unacquainted with, but principally direded theirforce againfl:. But this may feem to be anticipated in this place, becaufeit will fall in afterwards more opportunely to be difcourfed ofagain.XI. For this is that, which lies as- the grand prejudice and objeflion againfl:that idea of God, which we have propolcd, elTentially including //.s-^uo-iv,,fingularity or onelinefs in it, or the real exiftence of fuch a Deity, as isthe fole monarch of the univerfe ; becaufe all the nations of the worldheretofore (except a fmall and inconfiderable handful of the Jews) togetherwith their wifeft men, and greateft philofophers,. were generally lookedupon as polytheifts, that is, fuch as acknowledged and worlhipped a multiplicityof gods. Now one God, and many gods, being diredtly contradiftiousto one another^ it is therefore concluded from- hence,, that thisopinion of monarchy, or of one fupreme God, the maker and governour©f all, hath no foundation in nature, nor in the genuine idea's and prolepfesof men's minds, but is a mere artificial thing, owing its original whollyto private fancies and conceits, or to pofitive laws and inftitutions,,amongltJews, Chriftians, and Mahometans.Forr