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

Nonnt.^QThis Platonick Trinity^ not B o o k LWe fliall conclude here with confidente, that the Chriftian Trinity,though there be very much of myftery in it, yet is there nothing at all ofplain contradiftion to the undoubted principles of hunian reafon, that is,of impolFibility to be found therein, as the Atheitls would pretend, who crydown all for nonfenfe and abfolute impoflibility, which their dull ftupidicycannot reach to, or their infatuated minds eafily comprehend, and thereforeeven the Deity it felf. And it were to be wiflied, that fome Reiigionifts and-Trinitarians did not here fymbolize too much with them, in affefting to reprefcntthe myftery of the Chnftian Trinity as a thing directly contradictiousto alliuman reafon and underftanding j and that perhaps out of defi^nto make men furrender up themfelves and confciences, in a blind andimplicitfaith, wholly to their guidance ; as alfo to debauch tiieir underflandingsby this means, to the fwallowing dov/n of other opinions of theirs,plainly repugnant to human faculties. As who fliould fay, he that believesthe Trinity, (as we all muft do, if we will be Chriftians) (hould boggle atnothing in religion never after, nor fcrupuloufly chew or examine any thing •,as if there could be nothing more contradiftious, or impoflible to humanunderftanding propounded, than this article of the Chriftian faith.But, for the prcfent, we fball endeavour only to fhew, that the ChriftianTrinity (though a myftery, yet) is much more agreeable to reafon, than thatPlatonick, or Pfeudo-Platonick Trinity before defcribed ; and that in thofethree particulars then mentioned. For firft, when thofe Platonifts and Pythagoreansinterpret their third God, or lail hypoftafis of their trinity, to. beeither the world, or elfe a ^•^x^ tuoTfJuoc^ fuch an immediate foul thereof, as,too-ether with the world its body, make up one animal god ; as there isplainly too great a leap here betwixt their fecond and third hypoftafis, lb dotliey debafe the Deity therein too much, confound God and the creature together,laying a foundation, not only for cofmo-latry, or world-idolatry ingenera], but alfo for the grofleft and n:ioft fotdfli of all idolatries, the worfhipingof the inanimate parts of the world themfelves, in pretence as partsand members of this great mundane animal, and fenfible god.L- Z..C. IIt is true indeed, that Origen and fome others of the ancient ChriftianWriters have fuppofed, that God may be faid, in fome fcnfe, to be the foulof the world. Thus in that book Pevi Archxti, Sicut corpus ncftrum unuinex muliis memhris aptatum eji, t? ab una anima continetur^ ita & univerfummundum, velut animal quoddam immane, opinandum puto ; quod quqfi ab una anima,I'irtule Dei ac ratione tencatur. ^lod etiam a fanula Scripturd indicari arbitrorper illud, quod diSim eft per prophctam •, ceehm & terram egor.epleo, dicit Bominus? ^ caHwn mibi fcdes, terra autem fcabellum pedumjneorwn •, i£ quod Salvaior, cum ait, Non ejje jura^idum ncque per ccelutn^quia fides Dct eft, neque per terram, quia fcnbdlum pedum ejus. Sed tsfillud quod ait Paulus, ^oniam in ipfo vivimus tf movemur ^ fumus.^omcdo enim in Bco vivirniis, ^' movemur, ^ fumus, nifi quod in virtuiefud univerfum conftriwzit id continei mimdum ? As our o lun body is made