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
A The Mathematical or Afirologtcal Tate. Book I.maintaln'd by fome neoterick Chriftians ; the latter is the fate of theStoicks.Wherefore Fatalifts, that hold the necefllty of all human aftions and c-vents, may be reduced to thefe three heads : Firfi^ Such as aflerting the Deity,fuppofe it irrefpeftively to decree and determine all things, and therebymake all aftions neccdary to us ; which kind of fate, though philofophersand other ancient writers have not been altogether filent of it, yet it hasbeen principally maintained by fome neoterick Chriftians, contrary to theienie of the ancient church. Secondly, Such as fuppofe a Deity, that adingwifely, but neceffarily, did contrive the general frame of things in the world;from whence by a feries of caufes doth unavoidably refult whatfoever is nowdone in it. Which fate is a concatenation of caufes, all in themfelves necclTary,and is that, which was aflerted by the ancient Stoicks Zeno andChr\ftppus, whom the Jewifh EfTenes feemed to follow. And, lajlly, fuch ashold the material neceffity of all things without a Deity -, which fate Epicurus^calls T»ii/ Tuj (puiTiKm ilfAOipf^imv, ihe fate of the Naturalifis, that is, indeedthe Atheifts, the aflerters whereof may be called alio the Democritical Fata-Jifts. Which three opinions concerning fate are fo many feveral hypothcfesof the intelledual fyftem of the univerfe : all which we fhall here propole,endeavouring to fliew the falfenefs of them, and then fubftitute thetrue mundane fyftem in the room of them.II. The mathematical or aftrological fate fo much talked of, as it is athing no way confiderable for the grounds of it, fo whatfoever it be, it muftneeds fall under one or other of thofe two general heads in the Plothiicaldiftribution laft mentioned, fo as either to derive all things from one principle,or not. It feems to have had its firft emerfion amongft the Chaldamisfrom a certain kind of blind Polytheifm (which is but a better fort ofdilguifed Atheifm) but it was afterwards adopted and fondly nurfed by theStoicks, in a way of fubordination to their divine fate ; for Manilius, Firmicus,and other matters of that fe6t were great promoters of it. And therewas too much attributed to aftrology alfo by thofe, that were no Fatalifts, bothHeathen and Chriftian philofophers, fuch as were Plotinus, Origen, Simpliciusand others ; who though they did not make the ftars to neceffitate all humanaftions here below, they fuppofed, that divine providence (fore-knowing allthings) had contrived fuch a ftrange coincidence of the motions and configurationsof the heavenly bodies with fuch aftions here upon earth, as thatthe former might be prognofticks of the latter. Thus Origen * determines,that the ftars do not make but fignify -, and that the heavens are a kind ofdivine volume, in whofe characters they that are fkilled, may read or fpellout human events. To the fame purpofe Plotinus ', ^i^irM fj.h rxZra, iirlCoiTnpia TMi; o'Awv, TSXfi'/i^a.i Si h, aAAiiu ;^p£iav tw tb £if auras ixrzj'if yfXjji.iAa.roc,^KinQ]not,]v J/pa/^nAaTixJiv aSorov; x'jccyivtao'iinv rx fAiWovrx ix. tuv (^rifAxravKXTX TO avx^oyov fJH^oSifjovla; to (r»jU,aivo'|(xfvoV uinref a rif Aej/oi, etteiiW uvJ/riAojr.ij oTiwauM u 4"iA;£j Tiujtf wpa^eij- The motion of the ftars ivas intended for» Vide Epiftol. Epicuri ad Menecoeum apud II. c. VIII. §. V. p. 129.Diogen. Laertium, Lib. X. Segm. 134. p. 659. J Libi'ode Fato.Ennead. Ill Lib. I. c. VI.Edit. Meibomii.P-i^v Videasetiam Ennead. II. Lib. III. c L? Vide P. Dan. Huetium Origenianor. Lib, p. 137. & c. Vll. p. 140, 141.the
utCh a p. I. The Opinion of a Fatefuperior to the Deity.the phyjical good of the whole ; but they afford alfo another ufe collaterally inorder to prognojiication, namely that tbey^ who arejkilled in the grammar of theheavens^ may be able from the feveral configurations of thejlars, as it wereletters, tofpell out future events, by making fuch analogical interpretatio>!s asthey ufe to do in augury : as when a bird flies high, to interpret this offanehigh and noble exploit. And Simplicius ' in like manner, Sv,u:pa-.J,- trn i\ £.'-5a.]iafnx^»(Tx f*i\i raf ruvii opi'ys^a.i i ruvie, c\ii/.(pa)i^' i\ Sex ra^f off^ja-iu «u'twi/.The fatal converjion of the heavens is made to correfpond with the produBion offouls into generation at fuch and fuch times, not neceffiiating them to will this orthat, but confpiring agreeably with fuch appetitesjind volitions of theirs. And thcfephilofophers were the rather inclinable to this perfuafion from a fuperllitiousconceit, which they had, that the ftars being animated, were intellectualbeings of a far higher rank than men. And fince God did not makethem, nor any thing elle in the world, fingly for themfclvcs alone, but alfoto contribute to the publick good of the univerfe, their phyfical influencefeeming inconfiderable, they knew not well what clfe could be worthy ofthem, unlefs it were to portend human events. This indeed is the bell:fenfe, that can be made of aftrological prognoftication •,it is a bufinefsthat ftands upon a very weak and tottering, if not impoflible foundation.III. There is another wiKl and extravagant conceit, which fome of the Paganshad, who though they verbally acknowledged a deity, yet fuppofeda certain fate fuperior to it, and not only to all their other petty Gods, butalfo to Jupiter himfclf To which purpofe is that of the Greek Poet, Latin'dby Cicero *, ^od fore paratum eft, id fummum exuperat Jovem ; andthat of Herodotus ', T>?ii iznre-juvjrv y-oipccv aSvjxtoi i^tv ccTropiyiirj x^ tw ©cU" Itis impofftble for God himfelf to avoid the definedfate : And Sixa^ 0;oj u-jyS/.r,; ,God himfelf is a fervant of neceffity. According to which conceit, Jupiterin Homer ' laments his condition, in that the fates having determined, thathis beloved Sarpedon fhould be flain by the fon of Mentetius, he was notable to withftand it. Though all thefe paflTages may not perhaps implymuch more than what the Stoical hypothefis it lelf imported ; for that did Lad. L. i.e.alfo' in fome fenfe make God himfelf a fervant to the neceffity of the mat- 1 1.ter, and to his own decrees, in that he could not have made the fmalleft Lucian.j.w'j-.thing in the world otherwife than now it is, much lefs was able to alter any '"'"''"^^"thing : according to that of Seneca ^, Eadem neceffttas 6f Decs alligo.t.Irrevocabilis divina pariter at que humana curfus vehit. Ille ipfe omnium conditorac reltor fcripjit quidem Fata, fed fequitur. Sempei' paret, femel jufft. Oneand the fame chain of neceffity ties God and men. The fame irrevocable and unalterablecourfe carries on divine and human things. The very maker and govcrnourof all things, that writ thefates, follows them. He did but once conmar.d,hut he always obeys. But if there were this further meaning in the p.iffagesbefore cited, that a neceffity without God, that was invincible by him,did' Comment, in Epicletum, c. I, p. z(J. E- < Vide Mcnandri 8c Philemonis rerq;)ias adir. Salmafii. Jo Clerico editas, p. 907.» De Diviinat. Lib. II. c.X. p. jii^J. E- » Iliad. 1. ,y.di'. Verburgii. ' De Providentia, c. V. p. 1 9 J. Edit Jo.» Lib. I. c. 91, p. 38. Ed. Gronovii. Fred. Gronovii.
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A The Ma<strong>the</strong>matical or Afirologtcal Tate. Book I.maintaln'd by fome neoterick Chriftians ; <strong>the</strong> latter <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> fate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Stoicks.Wherefore Fatalifts, that hold <strong>the</strong> necefllty <strong>of</strong> <strong>all</strong> human aftions <strong>and</strong> c-vents, may be reduced to <strong>the</strong>fe three heads : Firfi^ Such as aflerting <strong>the</strong> Deity,fupp<strong>of</strong>e it irrefpeftively to decree <strong>and</strong> determine <strong>all</strong> things, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>rebymake <strong>all</strong> aftions neccdary to us ; which kind <strong>of</strong> fate, though phil<strong>of</strong>ophers<strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r ancient writers have not been altoge<strong>the</strong>r filent <strong>of</strong> it, yet it hasbeen princip<strong>all</strong>y maintained by fome neoterick Chriftians, contrary to <strong>the</strong>ienie <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ancient church. Secondly, Such as fupp<strong>of</strong>e a Deity, that adingwifely, but neceffarily, did contrive <strong>the</strong> general frame <strong>of</strong> things in <strong>the</strong> world;from whence by a feries <strong>of</strong> caufes doth unavoidably refult whatfoever <strong>is</strong> nowdone in it. Which fate <strong>is</strong> a concatenation <strong>of</strong> caufes, <strong>all</strong> in <strong>the</strong>mfelves necclTary,<strong>and</strong> <strong>is</strong> that, which was aflerted by <strong>the</strong> ancient Stoicks Zeno <strong>and</strong>Chr\ftppus, whom <strong>the</strong> Jewifh EfTenes feemed to follow. And, lajlly, fuch ashold <strong>the</strong> material neceffity <strong>of</strong> <strong>all</strong> things without a Deity -, which fate Epicurus^c<strong>all</strong>s T»ii/ Tuj (puiTiKm ilfAOipf^imv, ihe fate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Naturalif<strong>is</strong>, that <strong>is</strong>, indeed<strong>the</strong> A<strong>the</strong>ifts, <strong>the</strong> aflerters where<strong>of</strong> may be c<strong>all</strong>ed alio <strong>the</strong> Democritical Fata-Jifts. Which three opinions concerning fate are fo many feveral hypothcfes<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> intelledual fyftem <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> univerfe : <strong>all</strong> which we fh<strong>all</strong> here propole,endeavouring to fliew <strong>the</strong> falfenefs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>n fubftitute <strong>the</strong>true mundane fyftem in <strong>the</strong> room <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m.II. The ma<strong>the</strong>matical or aftrological fate fo much talked <strong>of</strong>, as it <strong>is</strong> athing no way confiderable for <strong>the</strong> grounds <strong>of</strong> it, fo whatfoever it be, it muftneeds f<strong>all</strong> under one or o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> th<strong>of</strong>e two general heads in <strong>the</strong> Plothiicaldiftribution laft mentioned, fo as ei<strong>the</strong>r to derive <strong>all</strong> things from one principle,or not. It feems to have had its firft emerfion amongft <strong>the</strong> Chaldam<strong>is</strong>from a certain kind <strong>of</strong> blind Poly<strong>the</strong>ifm (which <strong>is</strong> but a better fort <strong>of</strong>dilguifed A<strong>the</strong>ifm) but it was afterwards adopted <strong>and</strong> fondly nurfed by <strong>the</strong>Stoicks, in a way <strong>of</strong> fubordination to <strong>the</strong>ir divine fate ; for Manilius, Firmicus,<strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r matters <strong>of</strong> that fe6t were great promoters <strong>of</strong> it. And <strong>the</strong>rewas too much attributed to aftrology alfo by th<strong>of</strong>e, that were no Fatalifts, bothHea<strong>the</strong>n <strong>and</strong> Chriftian phil<strong>of</strong>ophers, fuch as were Plotinus, Origen, Simplicius<strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs ; who though <strong>the</strong>y did not make <strong>the</strong> ftars to neceffitate <strong>all</strong> humanaftions here below, <strong>the</strong>y fupp<strong>of</strong>ed, that divine providence (fore-knowing <strong>all</strong>things) had contrived fuch a ftrange coincidence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> motions <strong>and</strong> configurations<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> heavenly bodies with fuch aftions here upon earth, as that<strong>the</strong> former might be progn<strong>of</strong>ticks <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> latter. Thus Origen * determines,that <strong>the</strong> ftars do not make but fignify -, <strong>and</strong> that <strong>the</strong> heavens are a kind <strong>of</strong>divine volume, in wh<strong>of</strong>e characters <strong>the</strong>y that are fkilled, may read or fpellout human events. To <strong>the</strong> fame purp<strong>of</strong>e Plotinus ', ^i^irM fj.h rxZra, iirlCoiTnpia TMi; o'Awv, TSXfi'/i^a.i Si h, aAAiiu ;^p£iav tw tb £if auras ixrzj'if yfXjji.iAa.roc,^KinQ]not,]v J/pa/^nAaTixJiv aSorov; x'jccyivtao'iinv rx fAiWovrx ix. tuv (^rifAxravKXTX TO avx^oyov fJH^oSifjovla; to (r»jU,aivo'|(xfvoV uinref a rif Aej/oi, etteiiW uvJ/riAojr.ij oTiwauM u 4"iA;£j Tiujtf wpa^eij- The motion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ftars ivas intended for» Vide Epiftol. Epicuri ad Menecoeum apud II. c. VIII. §. V. p. 129.Diogen. Laertium, Lib. X. Segm. 134. p. 659. J Libi'ode Fato.Ennead. Ill Lib. I. c. VI.Edit. Meibomii.P-i^v Videasetiam Ennead. II. Lib. III. c L? Vide P. Dan. Huetium Origenianor. Lib, p. 137. & c. Vll. p. 140, 141.<strong>the</strong>
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