By Sir RICHARD BLACKMORE, Knt. M. D. AND FELLOW OF THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS IN LONDON. "6 'Principio cœlum, ac terras campófque liquentes, VIRG. B 1 PREF A CE. IT T has been the opinion of many perfons of great fenfe and learning, that the knowledge of a God, as well as fome other felf-evident and uncontested notions, is born with us, and exifts antecedent to any perception or operation of the mind. They exprefs themselves on this fubject in metaphorical terms, altogether unbecoming philofophical and judicious enqui ries, while they affert, that the knowledge of a God is interwoven with our conftitution, that it is written, engraven, stampt, and imprinted in clear and difcernible characters on the heart; in which manner of fpeech they affect to follow the great orator of the Romans. By these unartful phrafes they can mean nothing but this, that the propofition, THERE IS A GOD, is actually. exiftent in the mind, as foon as the mind has its being; and is not at firtt acquired, though it may be afterwards confirmed, by any act of reafon, by any argument or demonftration. I must confefs my inability to conceive this inbred knowledge, thefe original independent ideas, that owe not their being to the ope ration of the understanding, but are, I know not how, congenite and co-exiftent with it. For how a man can be faid to have knowledge before he knows, how ideas can exift in the mind without and before perception, I must own is too difficult for me to comprehend. That a man is horn with a faculty or capacity to know, though as yet without any actual knowledge; and that, as the eye has a native difpofition and aptitude to perceive the light, when fitly offered, though as yet it never exercised any acc of vision, and had no innate images in the womb; fo the mind is endued with a power and faculty to know and perceive the truth of this propofition, THERE IS A GOD, as soon as it shall be represented to it; all this is clear and intelligible; but any thing more is, as I have faid, above my reach. In this opinion, which I had many years ago entertained, I was afterwards'' confirmed by the famous author of the Effay of Human Underftanding. Nor can I fee, that by this doctrine the argument for the existence of a Deity, drawn from the general affent of all nations (excepting perhaps fome few, who are fo barbarous that they approach very near the condition of brute animals), is at all invalidated. For fuppofing there is no inbred knowledge of a God; yet if mankind generally affent to it, whether their belief proceeds from their reflection on themfélves, or on the vifible creation about them, it will be certainly true, that the exiftence of a Deity car-ries with it the cleareft and moft uncontrolable evidence; fince mankind fo readily and fo univerfally perceive and embrace it. It deferves confideration, that St. Paul upon this argument does not appeal to the the light within, or to any characters of the Divine Being originally engraven on the heart, but deduces the caufe from the effect, and from the creation infers the Creator. It is very probable that those who believe an innate idea of a Divine Being, unproduced by any operation of the mind, were led by this to another opinion, namely, that there never was in the world a real Atheift in belief and fpeculation, how many foever there may have been in life and practice. But, upon due examination, this opinion, I imagine, will not abide the tcft, which I fhall endeavour to make evident. But, before I enter upon this fubject, it feems proper to take notice of the apology, which feveral perfons of great learning and candour have made for many famous men, and great philofophers, unjustly accufed of impiety. Whoever fhall fet about to mend the world, and reform men's notions, as well as their manners, will certainly be the mark of much fcandal and reproach; and will effectually be convinced, that it is too poffibile the greatest lovers and benefactors of mankind may be reprefented by the multitude, whofe opinions they contradict, as the worst of men. The hardy undertakers, who express their zeal to rectify the fentiments of a prejudiced people in matters of religion, who labour to ftem the tide of popular error, and strike at the foundations of any ancient, eftablished fuperftition, muft themselves expect to be treated as pragmátical and infolent innovators, difturbers of the public peace, |