i8o MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.]
ing better, afcribe to what they call knowledge, and wif- dom, and underftanding. You wonder, perhaps, to hear a man of pleafure, who diverts himfelf as I do, philofophize at this rate. But you fhould confider, that much is to be got by converfing with ingenious men, which is a fhort way to knowledge, that faves a man the drudgery of read- ing and thinking. And now we have granted to you tnat there is a God in this indifinite fenfe, I would fain fee what ufe you can make of this concefhon. You cannot argue from unknown attributes, or which is the fame thing, from attributes in an unknown fenfe. You cannot prove, that God is to be loved for his goodnefs, or feared for his juftice, or refpe&ed for his knowledge: all which confe- quences, we own, would follow from thofe attributes ad- mitted in an intelligible fenfe. But we deny, that thofe, or any other confequences, can be drawn from attributes admitted in no particular fenfe, or in a fenfe which none of us underftand. Since, therefore, nothing can be inferred from fuch an account of God, about confcience, or wor- ship, or religion, you may even make the beft of it: and, not to be lingular, we will ufe the name too, and fo at once there is an end of atheifm.
Euph.— - This account of a Deity is new to me. I do not like it, and therefore Ihall leave it to be maintained by thofe who do.
XIX. Cri.— It is not new to me. I remember, not long fince, to have heard a Minute Philofopher triumph Upon this very point; which put me on enquring what foundation there was for it, in the fathers, or fchoolmen. And, for ought that I can find, it owes it original to thofe writings, which have been publifhed under the name of Dionyfius the Arecpagite. The author of which, it muft be owned, hath written upon the Divine Attributes in a very lingular ftile. In his treat ife of the Celeftial Hierar- chy, * he faith, that God is feme thing above all eflence * De Kierarch CeeleiL c. a.
[Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER...;gi and life, uper pafan oufian kai zocn: and again, in his trea- tife of the Divine Names, f that he is above all wifdom, and underftanding, uper pafan fophian kaifune/in, ineffable and innominable, arretos kai dnonumos; the wifdom of God he terms an unreafonable, unintelligent, and foolifh wifdom; ton a/ogon kai anoun kai mor an fophian. But the reafon he gives, for expreffing himfelf in this ftrange manner, is, that the Divine Wifdom is the caufe of -all reafon, wifdom, and underftanding, and therein are con- tained the treafures of all wifdom and knowledge. He calls God uperfophos and uperzos: As if wifdom and life were words not worthy to exprefs the Divine Perfections: And he adds, that the attributes, unintelligent and unper- ceiving, mud be afcribed to the Divinity, not lot elleipfin by way of defect, but kath uperochen, by way of eminen- cy: which he explains, by our giving the name of dark- nefs to light inacceflible. And, notwithftanding the harfhnefs of his exprefhons in fome places, he affirms, over and over, in others, that God knows all things; not that he is beholden to the creatures for his knowledge, but by knowing himfelf, from whom they all derive their being, and in whom they are contained as in their caufe.
It was late before thefe writings appear to have been known in the world: And, although they obtained credit, during the age of the fchoolmen, yet fince critical learn- ing hath been cultivated, they have loft that credit, and are at this day given up for fpurious, as containing feve- ral evident marks of a much later date than the age of Di- onyfius. Upon the whole, although this method of grow- ing in expreffion, and dwindling in notion, of clearing up doubts by nonfenfe, and avoiding difficulties by running into affected contradictions, may perhaps proceed from a well- meant zeal; yet it appears not to be according to know- ledge, and, inftead of reconciling atheifts to truth, hath, f De Norn. Div. c. 7.
iS* MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.]
I doubt, a tendency to confirm them in their own per- fuafion. It mould feem, therefore, very weak and rafli in a chriftian to adopt this harm language of an apocry- phal writer, preferably to that of the holy fcriptures. I re- member, indeed, to have read of a certain philofopher, who lived fome centuries ago, that ufed to fay, if thefe fuppo- fed works of Dionyfms had been known to the primitive fathers, they would have furnifhed them admirable wea- pons againft the heretics, and would have faved a world of pains. But the event, fince this difcovery, hath by no means confirmed this opinion. It mull be owned, the celebrated Picus of Mirandula, among his nine hundred conclufions (which that prince, being very young, propo- fed to maintain by public difputation at Rome) hath this for one •, to wit, that it is more impoper to fay of God, he is an intellect, or intelligent Being, than to fay of a reafonable foul, that it is an angel: which doctrine, it feems, was not relifhed. And Picusy when he comes to defend it, fupports himfelf altogether by the example and authority of Dionyjius, and in effect explains it away into a mere verbal defence, affirming, that neither Diony- fius> nor himfelf, ever meant to deprive God of knowledge, or to deny that he knows all things: But that, as reafon is of kind peculiar to man, fo, by intellection, he underftands a kind of manner of knowing peculiar to an- gels: And that the knowledge, which is in God, is more above the intellection of angels, than angel is above man. He adds that, as his tenet confifts with admitting the mod perfect knowledge in God, fo he would by no means be underftood to exclude from the Deity intellection itfelf, taken in the common or general fenfe, but only that peculiar fort of intellection proper to angels, which he thinks ought not to be attributed to God, any more than human reafon. * Picus, therefore, though he fpeaks * Pic. Mirand, in Apolog. p. 155- Ed. Baf.
[Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 183 as the apocryphnl Dionyftus> yet, when he explains him- felf, it is evident he fpeaks like other men. And although the foremen tioned books of the Celeftial Hierarchy, and of the Divine Names, being attributed to a faint and martyr of the apoftolical age, were refpected by the fchoolmen \ yet it is certain they rejected, or foftened, his harfli ex- preffions, and explained away, or reduced, his doctrine to the received notions taken from Holy Scripture, and the light of nature.
XX. Thomas Aquinas expreffeth his fenfe of this point in the following manner. All perfections, faith he, deri- ved from God to the creatures, are in a certain higher fenfe, or (as the fchoolmen term it) eminently in God. Whene- ver, therefore, a name, borrowed from any perfection in the creature, is attributed to God, we muft exclude from its fignification every thing that belongs to the imperfect man- ner, wherein that attribute is found in the creature. Whence he concludes, that knowledge in God is not an habit, but a pure act.* And again, the fame doctor ob- ferves, that our intellect gets its notions of all forts of per- fections from the creatures, and that as it apprehends thofe perfections, fo it fignifies them by names. Therefore, faith he, in attributing thefe names to God, we are to confider two things j firft, the perfections themfelves, as goodnefs, life, and the like, which are properly in God; and, fecond- ly, the manner which is peculiar to the creature, and can- not, ftrictly and properly fpcaking, be faid to agree to the Creator.f And although Suarez, with other fchoolmen, teacheth, that the mind of man conceiveth knowledge and will to be in God, as faculties or operations, by analogy on- ly to created beings •, yet he gives it plainly as his opinion, that, when knowledge is faid not to be properly in God, it mad be underftood in a fenfe including imperfection, fuch i84 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.]
as difcurfive knowledge, or the like imperfect kind, found in the creatures: and that, none of thofe imperfections in" the knowledge of men or angels, belonging to knowledge as fuch, it will not thence follow, that knowledge, in its proper fenfe, may not be attributed to God: And of knowl- edge, taken in general, for the clear evident underftanding of all truth, he exprefsly affirms, that it is in God, and that this was never denied by any philofopher, who believed a God.* It was indeed a current opinion in the fchools, that even being itfelf mould be attributed analogically to God arid the creatures. That is, they held that God, the fupreme, independent, felf-originate caufe and fource of all beings, muft not be fupofed to exift in the fame fenfe with created beings, not that he exifts lefs truly or properly than they, but only becaufe he exifts in a more eminent and perfedt manner.
XXI. But to prevent any man's being led, by miftak- ing the fcholaftic ufe of the terms analogy and analogical^ into an opinion that we cannot frame, in any degree, a true and proper notion of attributes, applied by analogy, or, in the fchool phrafe, predicated analogically, it may not be amifs to inquire into the true fenfe and meaning of thofe words. Every one knows, that analogy is a Greek word, ufed by mathematicians, to fignify a fimilitude of proportions. For inftance, when we obferve that two is to fix, as three is to nine, this fimilitude, or equality of proportion, is termed analogy. And although propor- tion ftricUy fignifies the habitude, or relation, of one quantity to another, yet in a loofer and tranflated fenfe, it hath been applied to figriify every other habitude: And confequently the term, analogy, comes to fignify all fimi- litude of relations, ©r habitudes whatfoever. Hence, the Schoolmen telf us, there is analogy between intellect and * Suarez Difp. Me'taph. Tom. 2. Difp. 30.' Se<5t 15.
[Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. ig5 fight: forafmuch as intellect is to the mind, what fight is to the body? and that he who governs the ftate, is analo- gous to him who (tears- a (hip. Hence a prince is analo- gically (tiled a pilot, being to the flate as a pilot is to his vefiel.* For the farther clearing of this point, it is to be obferved, that a two-fold analogy is diftinguifhed by the fchoolmen, metaphorical and proper. Of the firft kind there are frequent inftances in holy fcripture, attributing human parts and paflions to God. When he is reprefent- ed as having a finger, an eye, or an ear: when he is faid to repent, to be angry, or grieved: every cne fees the an- alogy is merely metaphorical. Becaufe thofe parts and paflions, taken in the proper (ignification, mult in every degree necefTarily, and from the formal nature of the thing, include imperfection. When, therefore, it is faid, the fin- ger of God appears in this or that event, men of common fenfe mean no more, but that it is as truly afcribed to God, as the works wrought by human fingers are to man: and fo of the reft. But the cafe is different, when wifdom and knowledge are attributed to God. Paflions and fenfes, as fuch, imply defect: but in knowledge Amply, or as fuch, there is no defeat. Knowledge, therefore, in the proper formal meaning of the word, may be attributed to God proportionably, that is, preferving a proportion to the infinite nature of God. We may fay, therefore, that as God is infinitely above man, fo is the knowledge of God infinitely above the knowledge of man, and this iswhat Caje- tan calls Analogia proprie faEla. And after this fame analogy, we rnuft underitand all thofe attributes to belong to the Deity, which, inthemfelvesfimply, and as fuch, denote perfection. We may, therefore, confidently with what hath been premi- fed, affirm, that all forts of perfection, which we can con- ceive in a finite fpirit, are in God, but without any of that allay which is found in the creatures. This doctrine, • Vide Cajetau. dc Nona. Analog, c. 3.
z i86 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.]
therefore, of analogical perfections in God, or our know- ing God by analogy, feems very much mifunderftood, and mifapplied, by thofe who would infer from thence, that we cannot frame any direct or proper notion, though never fo inadequate, of knowledge or wifdom, as there are in the Deity; or underfland any more of them, than one born blind can of light and colours.
XXII. And now, gentlemen, it may be expected I mould afk your pardon, for having dwelt fo long on a point of metaphyfics, and introduced fuch unpoliflied and unfaftiionable writers, as the fchoolmen^ into good compa- ny: but as Lyficles gave the occafion, I leave him to an- fwer for it., Lys.— I never dreamed of this dry diflertation. Buf^ if I have been the occafion of difcufling thefe fcholaftic points, by my unlucky mentioning the fchoolmen, it was my firft fault of the kind, and I promife it (hall be the laft. The meddling with crabbed authors of any fort, is none of my tafte. I grant, one meets, now and then, with a good notion in what we call dry writers, fuch an one, for exam- ple, as this I was {peaking of, which I muft own (truck my fancy. But then, for thefe, we have fuch as Prodicus, or Diagorasy who look into obfolete books, and fave the reft of us that trouble.
Cri. — So you pin your faith upon them.
Lys. — It is only for fome odd opinions, and matters of fa£t, and critical points. Befides, we know the men to whom we give credit: they are judicious and honeft, and have no end to ferve but truth. And I am confident fome author or other has maintained the forementioned notion in the fame fenfe as Diagoras related it* Cri. — That may be. But it never was a received no- tion, and never will, fo long as men believe a God: the fame arguments that prove a firft caufe, proving an intelli- [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. i«7 gent caufe: intelligent, I fay, in the proper fenfe: wife and good, in the true and formal acceptation of the words. Otherwife it is evident, that every fyllogifm brought to prove thofe attributes, or (which is the fame thing) to prove the Being of a God, will be found to confift of four terms, and confequently can conclude nothing. But, for your part, Alciphron, you have been fully convinced, that God is a thinking intelligent Being, in the fame fenfe with other fpirits, though not in the fame imperfect manner or degree.
XXIII. Alc — And yet I am not without my fcruples: for, with knowledge you infer wifdom, and with wifdom goodnefs. Though I cannot fee that it is either wife, or good, to enact fuch laws as can never be obeyed.
Cm. — Doth any one find fault with the exa&nefs of geometrical rules, becaufe no one in practice can attain to it? the perfection of a rule is ufeful, even though it is not reached. Many may approach what all may fall fhort of.
Alc— But how is it poflible to conceive God fo good, and man fo wicked? It may, perhaps, with fome colour be alledged, that a little foft (hadowing of evils fets off the bright and luminous parts of the creation, and fo contri- butes to the beauty of the whole piece i but, for blots fo large and fo black, it is impoffible to account by that prin- ciple. That there mould be fo much vice, and fo little virtue upon earth, and that the laws of God's kingdom (hould be fo ill obferved by his fubje&s, is what can never be reconciled with that furpafTmg wifdom and goodnefs of the Supreme Monarch.
Euph. — Tell me, Alciphrony would you argue that a flate was ill adminftred, or judge of the manners of its citizens, by the difordcrs committed in the goal or dun- geon?
Alc— I would not.
iS8 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IVJ Eupk. — And, for ought we know, this fpot with the few finners on it, bears no greater proportion to the univerfe of intelligences, than a dungeon doth to a kingdom. It feems, we are led not only by revelation, but by common fenfe, obferving and inferring from the analogy of vifible tilings, to conclude there are innumerable orders of intelli- gent beings, more happy and more perfect than man: whofe life is but a fpan, and whofe place, this earthly globe, is but a point, in refpect of the whole fyftem of God's Creation. We are dazzled indeed with the glory and grandeur of things here below, becaufe we know no better. But I am apt to think, if we knew what it was to be an angel for one hour, we mould return to this world, though it were to fit on the brighteft throne in it, with vaftly more loathing and reluctance, than we would now defcend into a loathfome dungeon or fepulchre.
XXIV. Cri. — To me it feems natural, that fuch a weak, paffionate, and fhort-fight creature as man, mould be ever liable to fcrupies of one kind or other. But, as this fame creature is apt to be over-pofitive in judging, and over-hafty in concluding, it falls out, that thefe difficulties and fcrupies about God's conduct are made objections to his Being. And fo men come to argue from their own defects, againft the divine perfections. And, as the views and humours of men are different, and often oppofite, you may fometimes fee them deduce the fame atheiftical con- clufion from contrary premifes. I knew an inftance of this in two Minute Phiicfophersof my acquaintance, who ufed to argue each from his own temper againft a Provi- dence. One of them, a man of a choleric and vindictive fpirit, faid he cGuld not believe a Providence:.becruife London w&s not f wallowed up or confumed by fire- from heaven: the flreets being, as he faid, full of people, who fhew no other belief or worfhip of God, but perpetually [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. **9 praying that he would damn, rot, fink, and confound them. The other, being of an indolent and eafy temper, concluded there could be no fuch thing as a Providence: for that a Being of consummate wifdom muil needs employ himfelf better, than in minding the prayers, and actions, and little interefts of mankind.
Alc — After all, if God have no paflions, how can it be true that vengeance is his? or how can he be faid to be jealous of his glory?
Cri. — We believe that God executes vengeance with- out revenge, and is jealous without weaknefs, juft as the mind of man fees without eyes, and apprehends without hands.
XXV. Alc. — To put a period to this difcourfe, we will grant, there is a God in this difpaffionate fenfe: but what then? What hath this to do with religion or divine worfhip? To what purpofe are all thefe prayers and prai- fes, and thankfgivings, and finging of pfalms, which the foolifh vulgar call ferving God? What fenfe, or ufe, or end is there in all thefe things?
Cri. — We worfhip God, we praife and pray to him, not becaufe we think that he is proud of our worfhip, or fond of our praife or prayers, and affected with them as mankind are: or that all our fervice can contribute in the leaft degree to his happinefs or good: but becaufe it is good for us, to be fo difpofed towards God: becaufe it is juft and right, and fuitable to the nature of things, and becoming the relation we ftand in to our Supreme Lord and Governor.
Alc. — If it be good for us to worfhip God, it mould feem that the chriftian religion, which pretends to teach men the knowledge and worfhip of God, was of fome ufe and benefit to mankind. ' Cri, — Doubtlefs.
ioe> MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.]
Alc. — If this can be made appear, I fliall own myfelf very much miftaken.
Cri.— It is now near dinner-time. Wherefore, if you pleafe, we will put an end to this converfation for the pre- fent, and to-morrow morning refume our fubje&s THE FIFTH DIALOGUE.
I. Minute Philofophers join in the Cry, and follow the Scent of others. II. Worjhip prefcribed by the Chriflian Religi- on fuitable to God and Man. III. Power and Influence of the Druids. IV. Excellency and Ufefulnefs of the Chriflian Religion. V. It ennobles Mankind, and makes them happy. VI. Religion neither Bigotry nor Superfli- tion. VII. Phyficians and Phyfic for the Soul. VIII. Characler of the Clergy. IX. Natural Religion and Hu- man Reafon not to be difparaged. X. Tendency and Ufe of the Gentile Religion. XL Good Effecls of Chrifliani- ty, XII. Englifhmen compared with ancient Greeks and Romans. XIII. The modem Practice of Duelling.
XIV. Characler of the old Romans, how to be formed.
XV. Genuine Fruits of the Gofpel. XVI. Wars and Factions not an effect of the Chriflian Religion. XVII. Civil Rage and Maffacres in Greece and Rome. XVIII. Virtue of ancient Greeks. XIX. Quarrels of Polemical Divines. XX. Tyranny, Ufur potion, Sophiflry of Ec- cleflaflics. XXI. The Univerflties cenfured. XXII. Di- vine Writings of a certain modern Critic. XXIII. Learn- ing the Effect of Religion. XXIV. Barbarifm of the Schools. XXV. Refloration of Learning and polite Arts, to whom owing. XXVI. Prejudice and Ingratitude of Minute Philofophers. XXVII. Their Pretenflons and Conduit inconflflent. XXVIII. Men and Brutes compar- ed with refpect to Religion. XXIX. Chriflianity the only Means to eflablijh Natural Religion. XXX. Free-think- ers miflake their Talents; have a flrong Imagination. XXXI. Tithes and Church-lands. XXXII. Men diflin- gui/hedfrom Human Creatures. XXXIII. Diflribution [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 193 of Mankind into Birds, Beajls, and FiJJjes. XXXIV.
Plea for Reafon allowed, but Unfair nefs Taxed. XXXV.
Freedom a Bleffing or Curfe, as it is ufed* XXXVI. Priejlcraft not the reigning EviL lW> E amufed ourfelves next day, every one to his fancy, till nine of the clock, when word was brought that the tea-table was (et in the library: which is a gallery on the ground floor, with an arched door at one end, opening into a walk of limes; where, as foon as we had drank tea, we were tempted by fine weather to take a walk, which led us to a fmall mount, of eafy afcent, on the top whereof we found a feat under a fpreading tree. Here we had a profpe£t, on one hand, of a narrow bay, or creek, of the fea, inclofed on either fide by a coaft beautified with rocks and woods, and green banks and farm-houfes. At the end of the bay was a fmall town, placed upon the flope of a hill, which, from the advantage of its fituation, made a confiderable figure. Several fifh- ing boats and lighters, gliding up and down on a furface as fmooth and bright as glafs, enlivened the profpe6t. On the other hand, we looked down on green paftures, flocks, and herds, balking beneath in fun-mine, while we, in our fuperior fituation, enjoyed the frefhnefs of air and fhade. Here we felt that fort of joyful inftincl:, which a rural fcene and fine weather infpire; and propofed no fmall pleafure, in refuming and continuing our conference, without interruption, till dinner: But we had hardly feated. ourfelves, and looked about us, when we faw a fox run by the foot of our mount into an adjacent thicket. A few minutes after, we heard a confufed noife of the opening of hounds, the winding of horns, and the roar ing of country fquires, While our attention was fuf- pended by this event, a fervant came running out of i94 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.]
breath, and told Crito, that his neighbor, Ctefippus, a fquirc of note, was fallen from his horfe attempting to leap over a hedge, and brought into the hall, where he lay for dead. Upon which we all rofe, and walked haf- tily to the houfe,' where we found Ctefippus juft come to himfelf,. in the midft of half a dozen fun-burnt fquires, in frocks and fhort wigs, and jockey-boots. Being afked how he did, he anfwered, it was only a broken rib.—. With fome difficulty Crito perfuaded him to lie on a bed till the chirurgeon came. Thefe fox-hunters having been up early at their fport, were eager for dinner, which was accordingly haftened. They paifed the afternoon in a loud ruftic mirth, gave proof of their religion and loyalty by the healths they drank, talked of hounds and horfes, and elections, and country affairs, till the chirurgeon, who had been employed about Ctefippus, defired he might be put into Crito 's coach, and fent home, having refufed to ftay all night. Our guefts being gone, we repofed ourfelves after the fatigue of this tumultuous vifit, and next morning aflembled again at tht feat of the mount. Now Lyfcles, being a nice man, and a bel efprit, had an infinite contempt for the rough manners and converfation of fox-hunters, and could not reflecl: with patience that he had loft, as he called it, fo many hours in their com- pany. I flattered myfelf, faid he, that there had been none of this fpecies remaining among us •, Strange that men mould be diverted with fuch uncouth noife and hurry, or find pleafure in the fociety of dogs and horfes! How much more elegant are the diverfions of the town! There leems, replied Euphranor, to be fome refemblance between fox-hunters and free-thinkers; the former exerting their animal faculties in purfuit of game, as you gentlemen em- ploy your intellectuals in the purfuit of truth. The kind of amufement is the fame, although the object be dif- erent.
[Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. i9S Lts.-^I had rather be compared' to any brute upon earth than a rational brute.
Cri. — You would then have been lefs difpleafed with my friend Pythocles, whom I have heard compare the com- mon fort of Minute Philosophers, not to the hunters, but the hounds. For, faid he, you fhall often fee among the dogs a loud babler, with a badnofe, lead the unfkilful part of the pack; who join all in his cry, without following any fcent of their own, any more than the herd of free- thinkers follow their own reafon.
II. But Pythocles was a blunt man, and mufl never have known fuch reafoners among them, as you gentlemen, who can fit fo long at an argument, difpute every inch of ground, and yet know when to make a reafonable con- ceiTion.
Lys.— I do not know how it came to pafs, but methinks Alciphron makes conceflions, for himfelf and me too. For my own part, I am not altogether of fuch a yielding tem- per: But yet I do not care to be fingular neither.