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

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

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

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Chap. IV. thing with <strong>the</strong> C<strong>of</strong>mogonta. 235leen fpoken by many men, concerning <strong>the</strong> gods <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> generation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tiniverfe,we be not able to difcourfe demonftratively concerning <strong>the</strong> fame., you oughtnot at <strong>all</strong> to wonder at it, or be difpleafed with uSy but on <strong>the</strong> contrary toreft well fat<strong>is</strong>fied with our perforrnance, if upon th<strong>is</strong> argument we do butdeliver probabilities. Where <strong>the</strong> gods are by Plato plainly referred toymTt; <strong>and</strong> not to o-Vi'a, to generation <strong>and</strong> not to eternal or immutableeflence, as <strong>the</strong>y are alfo joined with <strong>the</strong> generation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world,as being but a part <strong>the</strong>re<strong>of</strong>. Nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>is</strong> th<strong>is</strong> at <strong>all</strong> to be wondered at inPlato, fince firil <strong>the</strong> whole vifible world was no lels to him, than itwas to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r Pagans, a God ; he c<strong>all</strong>ing it ^sov e-Jh-ly-ovx, a happyGod, <strong>and</strong> before it was yet made, S-eov Uajj-evov, a God about to bemade. Not as if Plato accounted <strong>the</strong> fenflefs matter <strong>of</strong> th<strong>is</strong> corporealworld, whe<strong>the</strong>r as perfeftly dead <strong>and</strong> ftupid, or as endued with a plaf-'tick nature only, to be a God, (for no inanimate thing was a God toPlato) but becaufe he fupp<strong>of</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> world to be an animal, endued withan intelleflual foul, <strong>and</strong> indeed <strong>the</strong> beft <strong>of</strong> <strong>all</strong> animals compounded <strong>of</strong>foul <strong>and</strong> body, o'Vac c-'ju J")) -hxto. Xoyov tov cIkotx SiTxiynv, rovSt rov xoQfxov ^uoD Pag. 30.£'u,'Jyjp/ov hyuv Tt TYi aXjiSfw Six. Tvv Tou S-fou j/«u£(9jii TToowixv' J^Vhcrefore wB are thusaccording to probability to conclude, that th<strong>is</strong> world was re<strong>all</strong>y made by <strong>the</strong> providence<strong>of</strong> God an intelleEliial animal; whence from an animal forthwithit became a God. So that here we are to take notice <strong>of</strong> two gods in Plato,very different from one ano<strong>the</strong>r ; one a generated God, th<strong>is</strong> whole worldanimated, <strong>and</strong> ano<strong>the</strong>r that God, by whole provid>;nce th<strong>is</strong> world wasg>rne rated, <strong>and</strong> thus made an animal <strong>and</strong> a God ; which latter muft needsbe an unmade, felf-exiftent Deity, <strong>and</strong> not belong to J'weti; but to oi

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