This is the firft Principle: We muft attribute that to a thing which we clearly conceive to be con- tain'd in the Idea that reprefents it. We clearly apprehend rhere is more Magnitude in the Idea we ha.ve~o-f~~tbeWl)ole, than in that we have of its Part •,. that Poffible Exiftence is contain'd in the Idea of a Marble Mountain, Impoffible Exiftence in the Idea of a Mountain without a Valley, and Ne- cejjdry Exiftence in the Idea we have of G 0 D -, that is,- of a Being Infinitely Perfe£t. Therefore the IVhole is greater than its Part -, therefore a Marble Mountain is poffible to exift; therefore 'tis im- poflible for a Mountain without a Vale to exift \ therefore GOD, or Being Infinitely Perfect, necefla- rily~ exifts. It is vifible that thefe Conclusions are equally remote from the firft Principle of all the Sciences, and therefore are equally evident in themfelves; and fo 'tis as evident that GOD exifts, as that the Whole is bigger than its Part. But becaufe the Ideas of Infinite, of Perfections, of Necejfary Ex- iftence, are not fenfible, as are the Ideas of Whole and Part, Men fancy they have no Perception or what they have no Senfation; and though thefe Conclusions are equally evident in themfelves, yet they are not equally receiv'd.
There are Men who would fain perfuade us, that they have no Idea of an Infinitely Perfect Be- ing -, which makes me wonder how they came to anfwer pofitively to the Demand, Whether an Infinitely Perfect Being is round, or fquare,or the like: For they ought to fay, they didnotknow4 if it were true that they had no Idea of it.
There are another fort who acknowledge it is good Arguing to conclude, that GOD is not an Impoflible Being, from the Perception we have that the Idea of GO D involves no Contradiction, or Impoflible Exiftence; and they will not allow us to conclude in like manner, that GOD ne*- -ceiTarily exifts, from our conceiving NecefTary Exiftence to be included in the Idea we have of him.
Laftly, There are others who pretend, that this Proof of the Exiftence of a GOD is a Fallacy-, and the Argument is conclusive only on the Supposition of the Truth of GOD'S existing, as if we did not prove it. Our Proof is this: We are to attribute to a thing what we clearly conceive to be included in the Idea that reprefents it. This is the General Principle of all the Sciences. Ne- ceffary Exiftence is included in the Idea that reprefents a Being Infinitely Perfe£t. They willingly grant it •, and confequently we muft conclude, that an Infinitely Perfect Being exifts.. Allow'd, "fay they, on Supposition that this Being exifts.
But let us make a like Anfwer to a like Argument, that we may judge of the folidity of their Anfwer. A like Argument is this: We are to attribute to a thing what we clearly conceive to be included in the Idea that reprefents it. This is the Principle. We clearly conceive four Angl&s to be included in the Idea which reprefents a Square; or, we clearly conceive poflible Exiftence T t td •N to be included in the Idea of a Marble Tower. Therefore a Square has four Angles; therefore a Marble Tower is poffible. I fay thefe Conclufions are true, fuppofing a Square has four An- gles, and that a Marble Tower is poffible •, juft as they anfwer, That GOD exifts, fuppofing he exifts; that is, in fhort, that the Conclufions" of thefe Demonji rat ions are true, fuppofing they are true. 'Tis true, fhould I form fuch an Argument as this: We mull: attribute to a thing what we clear- ly conceive to be included in the Idea that reprefents it -, we clearly conceive neceifary Exiftence to be included in the Idea of a Body Infinitely Perfect: Therefore an Infinitely Perfect Body ex- ifts. Should I form fuch an Argument, I lay, I might reafonably be anfwer d, that it was inconclu- ding for the actual Exiftence of a Body Infinitely Perfect •, and that all it could inferr, was this, That fuppofing fuch a Body was in Being, it would have an independent Exiftence. The Reafon whereof is this, that the Idea of a Body Infinitely Perfect is a Fief ion of the Mind, or a compos'd Idea, and which confequently may be either falfe, or contradictory, as indeed it is. For we can- not clearly conceive a Body Infinitely Perfect, becaufe a Being particular and finite, as Body is, cannot be conceiv'd Univerfal and Infinite.
But the Idea of GOD, of Being in General, Unlimited, Infinite Being, is no Fiction of the Mind. 'Tis not a compos'd Idea that includes any Contradiction -, there is nothing more fimple, though it comprehends whatever is, or whatever may be. Now this Simple and Natural Idea of Being, or of Infinite, includes neceifary Exiftence: For 'tis evident that Being, ( I fay not this or that Be- ing) has its Exiftence of it lel'f •, and that Being connot be aQually inexiftent, fince 'tis impoffible and contradictory, that true Being fhould be without Exiftence. Tis poffible for Bodies not to be, becaufe they are fuch particular Beings, which participate of Being, and depend on it: But Being without Reftricf ion, is necefiary, independent, and derives what it is only from it felf; all that is, proceeds from it; and on that account it felf is, whatever is.- But- were there not any thing in par- ticular, this would be, becaufe it is from it felf-, and it could not be clearly, conceiv'd, as not Be- ing, were it not for our reprefenting it as Being in particular, or fuch a Being, and our confider- ing quite another Idea than belong'd to it. For thofe that perceive not that GOD is-, commonly confider not Being, but this or that Being, and confequently a Being that may or may not exift.
However, in order to make this Argument of the Exiftence of a GOD more diftin&ly con- ceiv'd, and to give a clearer Anfwer to fome Objections that might be made to it, we muft re- member that, in perceiving a created Being, we fee it not in it lelf, nor by it felf; but, as has been prov'd in the Third Book, by.the View of certain Perfections that are in GOD, reprefent- ing it. So that the ElTence of that Creature may be feen without feeing its Exiftence; we may fee in GOD what reprefents it, though it does not exift: And for that Reafon, neceifary Exi- ftence is not included in the Idea that reprefents it -, it not being neceifary that it exift, in order to our feeing it. But the Cafe is different with the Infinitely 'Perfect Being; we can't fee him but in himfelf: For nothing Finite can reprefent what's Infinite. GOD therefore cannot be feen, but he muft exift. The Efience of a Being Infinitely Perfect cannot be feen, without feeing its Exift- ence. We cannot fee it barely as a poffible Being; For what is there to contain it? Nor can we think of it but it muft exift.
But 'tis to no purpofe to offer thefe Demonftrations to the Common fort of People: Thefe are E)emonftrations which we call Perfonal, becaufe they convince not XJniverfally. If we would convince them, we muft apply fuch as are of a more fenfible Nature; and finely they are plenti- ful enough: For there is no Truth that has more Proofs than that of the Exiftence of a GOD. This we urg'd only to (hew, that Abftratf Truths, making little Impreffion on our Senfes, pais for Illufions and Chimera's: Whereas grofs and palpable Truths, that ftrike the Senfes, forcing the Soul to confider them, induces us to believe they have much Reality, becaufe ever fince the Fall they have made powerful Impreffions on our Mind.
For the fame Reafon 'tis never to be hop'd, that the Vulgar of Men will ever fubmit to that Demonftration, which proves Brutes to be infenfible, namely, that fince they are innocent, as all the World allows; and, I fuppole, if they were capable of Senfation, it might happen that under an Infinitely Juft and Omnipotent GOD, an Innocent Creature might fuller Pain; which is a Penalty, and the Punifhment of fome Sin. Men are commonly incapable of feeing the Evidence Oper. Perf. of this Axiom, Sub jujlo Deo, auifquam^ nifi mereatur, mifer ejfe non potefl; which St. Aufiin with a great deal of Reafon urges againft Julian, to prove Original Sin, and the Corruption of our Nature. Tfiey fancy there is nothing of Strength, or Truth in this, nor in many other Axi- oms, which prove that Beafts have no Senfation; becaufe, as has been faid, thefe Axioms are Abltract, have nothing fenfible or palpable in them, and make no Impreffion on the Senfes. Thofe fenfible Actions and Motions perform'd by Beafts for the Prefervation of their Life, though. * 1 [peak only probable Inducements, affect us more, and confequently weigh more with us to believe they ("common en&UIQ ^^ wnen we ftrike them, and they cry, than that abftract Reafon of Pure Intelletf^ opinion, though moft certain and evident in it felf: For 'tis plain, that molt Men have no other Reafon to which if, believe that Beafts have Souls, than the fenfible View of all thofe things they do for the Prefer- cki* ■ vati°n anc* Security of Life.
■form'dfrlm Which from hence is fufficiently apparent, that moft People fancy there is no Soul in an Egg, the Egg, though the Tranfmutation of an Egg into a Chicken, * is infinitely harder than the bare Conler- though per-- vation of the Chicken when compleatly fbrnfd: For as greater Art is requir'd to fabrick a Watch haps it u out 0f a pjece of Iron, than to make it go when 'tis perfectly made-, fo a Soul fhould rather be mSrf /S^dmitted in tlie ^SS> *or the formation of the Chicken, than for making the Chicken live, Chap. XII. The Search after Truth., i6^ when entirely form'd. But Men don't fee with their eyes the admirable ConduO: that goes to the forming of a Chicken, as they ftill fenfibly obferve its method oflooking out what's neceffary to its own Prefervation. And therefore they are not difpos'd to believe there are Souls in Eggs, from any fenfible Impreflion of thofe Motions which are requifite to transform them into Chickens-, but they afcribe Souls to Animals, by reafon of the fenfible Impreflion they receive from the ex- ternal Attions thefe Animals perform for their vital Prefervation: though the Reafon I have here alledg'd, is ftronger for the Souls of Eggs than of Chickens.
This fecond Reafon, namely, that Matter is incapable of Senfation and Defire, is, without doubt, a Demonftration againft thofe who afcribe Senfe to Animals, whilft they confefs their Souls corporeal. But Men will rather eternally confound and perplex thefe Reafons, than acknowledge a thing repugnant to barely probable, but molt fenfible arid patbefick Arguments; and there is nd way fully to convince them, but by- oppofing other Senfible Proofs to theirs, and giving an ocular Demonftration, that all the Parts of Animals are mere Mcchanifn •, and that they may move with- out a Soul, by the bare Impreflion of Objefts, and their own particular Frame and Conft itution: as Monfieur Des Cartes has begun to do, in his Treatife concerning Man. For all the moft certain and evident Reafons -of the pure Intellect will never obviate the obfeure Proofs they have from the Senfes: and it were to expofe our felves to the Laughter of fuperficial and inattentive Perfons, to pretend to prove by Reafons fomewhat higher than ordinary, that Animals have no Senfe.
We rauft therefore well remember, that the ftrong Inclination we have for Divertifements,Plea~ fures, and in general, for whatever affe&s us, expofes us to a multitude of Errours^ becaufe our Capacity of Mind being limited, this Inclination conftantly difturbs Our Attention to the clear and diftinft Ideas of the Pure Underftanding, proper for the Diicovery of Truth, to apply it to the falfe, obfeure, and deceitful Ideas of the Senfes -, which influence the Will more by the Hope of Good, and Pie -afire; than they inform the Mind by their Light and Evidence..
CHAP. XII.
Of the EjfeSis which the Thoughts of future Happinefs and Mifery are ca-^ pable of producing in the Mind.
IF it often happens that little Pleafures and light Pains, which we actually feel, or even which we expeSr. to feel, ftrangely confound our Imagination, and difable us from judging on things by their true Ideas; we cannot imagine but the Expectation of Eternity muft needs work upon our Mind: But 'tis requifite to confider what it is capable of producing in't.
We muft in the firft place obferve, That the Hope of an Eternity of Pleafures, does not work lb ftrongly on our Minds, as the Fear of an Eternity of Torments: The Reafon is, Men love not Pleafure fo much as they hate Pain. Again -, by a Self-confcious Senfation which they have of their Corruptions, they know they are worthy of Hell: and they fee nothing in themfelves defer- ving of fo great Rewards, as is the participating the Felicity of God himfelf. They are fenfible as often as they «)///, and even fometimes againft their Will, that far from meriting Rewards, they deferve the greateft Punifliments; for their Confcience never quits them: But they are not fo conftantly convinced that GOD will manifeft his Mercy upon Sinners, after having fatisfy'd his Juftice upon his SON. So that even the Righteous have more lively Apprehenfwns of an Eter- nity of Torments, than Hopes of an Eternity of Pleafures. Therefore the profpecf of Punifhment works more upon them, than the profpeel of Reward. Here follows what it is capable of pro- ducing, not all alone, but as a principal Caufe.
It begets infinite Scruples in the Mind, and ftrengthens them in fuch a manner, that 'tis alrrioft impoflibleto get rid of them. It ftretches Faith, (as I may fo fpeak) as far as Prejudices, and makes Men pay that Worfhip which is due to GOD alone, to imaginary Powers. It obftinately fixes their Mind on vain or dangerous Superftitions -, and caufes them fervently and zealoufly to embrace Humane Traditions and Practices, needlefs to Salvation; few and PbanfiicA-like Devo- tions, which fervile Dread has invented. Finally., it flings fome Men into the darknefs of De- fpair •, fo that confufedly beholding Death as Nothing, they brutally wifti to perifh, that they may be freed of thofe dreadful Anxieties and Difquiets that torment and frighten them.
The Scrupulous and Super jiitious have commonly more of Charity than Self-love; but only Self- love poffeiTes the Defperate: for rightly to conceive it, a Man muft extremely love himfelf, who rather chufes no Being than an ill one. Women, Young People, and thofe of a weak and timo- rous Mind, are moft obnoxious to Scruples and Superftitions, and Men more liable to Defpair.
'Tis eafie to conceive the Reafons of all this: For the Idea of Eternity being manifeftly the greateft, moft terrible, and dreadful, of all thofe that aftonifh the Mind and ftrike the Imagina- tion, muft needs be attended with a large Retinue of additional Ideas, all which contribute to a wonderful effeft upon the Mind, by reafon of the Analogy they have to that great and terrible Idea of Eternity.
Whatever has any relation to Infinite, cannot be a little thing •, or if it be little in it felf, by that relation it grows fo vaft and immenfe, as not to be co'mpar'd with any thing Finite. There- fore whatever has, or is fancied to have any relation to that unavoidable Dilemma, concluding for an Eternity either of Torments or Delights; neceffarily difmays the Mirid, that's capable of any Reflexion or Thought, Wome% i^4 F. Malebranche Concerning Book IV.
Women, Young People, and feeble Minds, having, as I have formerly iaid, the Fibres of their Brain loft and pliable, receive very deep Traces, or Impreflions, from that two-edg'd Considera- tion; and when, through the plenty of their Spirits, they are more difpos'd to Senfation than juft Reflexion on things, they admit, through the Vivacity of their Imagination, a great number of fpurious Impreflions, and falfe acceffary Ideas, which have no natural Relation to the principal. Neverthelefs, that Relation, though imaginary, nourifh.es and confirms thofe fpurious Traces, and falfe acceffary Ideas which it has produced.
When Men are engag'd in a troublefome Law-fuit, which they don't underftand, and it take* up all their Thoughts; they commonly fall into needlefs Fears and Apprehenfions, that there are certain things prejudicial to their Caufe, which the Judges never think of, and which a Lawyer would not fear. The Succefs of the Affair is of fo great Concernment to them, that the Concuf- lion it produces in their Brain, fpreads and propagates it felf to diftant Traces, that have natural- ly no relati6n to it. 'Tis juft fo with the Scrupulous; they cauflefly fancy to themfelves Subjects of Fears and Difquiet-, and inftead of examining the Will of GOD in Holy Writ, and referring to Men of untainted Imagination, they coriftantly intend an Imaginary Law, which the diforderly motions of Fear have engraven in their Brain. And though they be inwardly convinc'd of their Infirmity, and that GOD requires not certain Duties they prefcribe themfelves, as being incon- fiftent with his Service; yet they cannot forbear preferring their Imagination to their Underftand- ing, and fubmitting rather to fome confus'd and terrifying Senfations, that throw them into Er- rour, than to the Evidence of Reafon, which brings them back to a good AlTurance, and reduces them into the right way of Salvation.
There is commonly a good ftock of Vertue and Charity in Perfons tormented with Scruples, but not fo much in People devoted to certain Super -ft it ions; and whofe principal Employment is fome fewifh and Pharifaick Practices. GOD requires to be worfhip'd in Spirit and in Truth: He is not fatisfy'd with our making Faces, and paying external Ceremonies •, with our bending the Knee before him, and praifing him with a Lip-offering, when our Heart is far from him. If Men •are content with thefe exteriour Marks of Refpeft, 'tis becaufe they cannot fathom the depth of the Heart; for even they would be worfhip'd in Spirit and in Truth. GOD demands our Mind and our Heart, which as he has created, fo he preferves only for himfelf: But many there are, who, to their own misfortune, deny him thofe things which he has all manner of Right and Claim to. They harbour Idols in their Hearts, which they adore with a fpiritual and true Wor- ftiip, and to which they facrifice themfelves, and all they have. But becaufe the true GOD threatens, in the RecefTes of their Confcience, to punifh their exceflive Ingratitude with an Eter- nity of Torments, and yet they cannot think of quitting, their belov'd Idolatry; they therefore bethink themfelves of an external Performance of fome good Works. They berake themfelves to Tafiing, to Aim/giving, and Saying of Prayers, as they fee others do; and continue fome time in fuch like Exercifes: but whereas they are painful to thofe that have not Charity, they commonly 'forfake them, to fubftitute fome little PraUicks, and eafie Devotions, in their room; which ftriking in with Self-love, neceffarily, but infenfibly, fubvert the whole Syfiem of Morals which our LORD has left us. They are faithful, fervent, and zealous Defenders of thofe Humane Traditions which Un-enlightnedVeifons make them believe molt ufeful, and the frightful Idea of Eternity daily re- prefents,' as abfolutely necefTary to their Salvation.
It fares not fo with the Righteous: They hear no lefs than the Wicked the Menaces of their GOD; but the confus'd Noife of their Paffions does not deafen them to his Counfels. The falfe Glarings of Humane Traditions do not dazle them fo far, as to make them infenfible to the Light of Truth. They place their Confidence in the Promifes of CHRIST, and follow his Precepts; as knowing that the Promifes of Men are as vain as' their Counfels. However, it may be laid, that the Dread which the Idea of Eternity breeds in their Minds, fometimes effe&s fo great a Com- motion in their Imagination, that they date not abfolutely condemn thefe Humane Traditions -, and that fometimes they approve them by their Example, becaufe they have AfJieiv. ofWifdomin £ol,2. 23. JVill-zwrfhip and Humility, like thofe Pharifaick Traditions mention'd by St. Paul.
But that which more especially deferves to be confider'd in this place, and which does not fo much relate to Moral as Intellectual Diforder, is, that the fore-mention'd Fear ftretches the Faith as well as Zeal of thole it infefts, to things falfe, or unworthy the Holinefs of our Religion. There are many who believe, and that with a ftiff and obftinate Faith, That the Earth refts im- movably in the Centre of the World: That Brutes are fenfible of Real Pain: That Senfible Qua- lities are ftrew'd and diffus'd over Objects: That there are Forms or Real Accidents, diftinguifh'd. from Matter; and a world of the like falfe or uncertain Opinions, becaufe they conceit it would be repugnant to their Faith to deny them. They are frighted with the Expreflions of the Holy Scripture, which fpeaks to our Capacity, and confequently makes ufe of the received manners of Speech, without defign of making us Philofophers. They believe not only what'the Spirit of GOD means to teach them, but likewife all the Opinions of the Jews: They can't fee, for example* that Jofhua fpeaks before his Souldiers, as even Copernicus, GaliUus, and Des Cartes would fpeak to the Vulgar part of Men; and that though he had been of the Opinion of thefe Philofophers, he would not have commanded the Earth to fland ftill, fince he could not have manifefted to his Army, in words which they did not underftand, the Miracle G'OD fhew'd for his People. Don't thofe who believe the Sun immoveable, fay to their Servants, to their Friends, or to thofe who are of their Opinion, that The Sun Rifes and Sets? Do they affett to fpeak differently from others, whenever their chief Defign is not to Philofophize i Was Joflnta fo admirably vers'd in Aftronowy?
Or Chap. XIII. The Search after Truth. i'6$ Or if he was, did his Souldiers underftand it > But were he and his Souidiers Aftronomers, could we think they would be playing the Pbilofopbers, when their Thoughts were intent on Fight- ing? Jojhua therefore muft have ipoke as he did, though both he and his Souldiers were of the fame Opinion that the beft Aftronomers hold now-a-days. And yet the Words of that great Ge- neral, Sun, ftand thouflill upon Gibeon •, and what is faid afterwards, that the Sun flood Hill ac- cording to his Command •, perfuade a great many, that the Opinion of the Earth's Motion is not only dangerous, but alfo abfolutely Heretical, and unwarrantable. They have heard that fome Devout Men, whom we are to treat with much Deference and Refpeft, have cenfur'd and con- demn'd it; and have fome confus'd Notion of what happen'd to a Famous * Aftronomer of our * Galilxus own Age, upon that occafion: All which leems fufficient to make them obftinately believe, that p»t into the Faith is concern'd in that Opinion. A certain confus'd Senfation, rais'd and encourag'd by a Mo- Inquifi&on tion of Fear, which yet they are fcarce aware of, throws them into Sufpicions of thofe who follow tl'mlngthe Reafon in things of Reafon's Jurifdi&ion. Hence they regard them as Hereticks, they hear them Earth but with Impatience, and Regret of Mind: and thefe their fecret Apprehenfions breed in them as mov'd. great a Reverence and Submiffion to thefe Opinions, and feveral others purely Philofopbical, as. to Truths that are ObjeQs of Faith.
CHAP. XIII.
I. Of the Third Natural Inclination \ viz. The Friendfliip we have for other Men. II. It makes us approve the Thoughts of our Friends, and deceive them by undue Praifes.
OF all our Inclinations taken in the general, and in the Senfe explain'd in the firft Chapter, there remains now to be fpoken to, only that which we have for thofe we live with, and for all the Objecfs round about us: of which I mall fay but little, fince it rather refpe£ts Morals and Politicks than our Subject. And whereas this Inclination is always accompany^d with the Paf- fwns, it might perhaps be more appofitly treated of in the next Book: ' But 'tis not of fo great concern, to be fo nicely methodical in this Cafe.
That we may rightly comprehend the Caufe and Effe&s of this Natural Inclination, it is re- f quifite to know, that GOD loves all his Works, and that he ftri&ly unites them to one another nf^f^ for their mutual Prefervation. For Loving incelfantly the Works he produces ( it being his Love t„"ai In%„ that produces them ) he alfo continually impreffes on our Heart a Love for his Works •, that is, nation, viz; he produces conftantly in our Heart a Love like his own. And to the intent the Natural Love we The Friend* have for our felves might not iwallow up, or too much infringe upon that which we have for ex-jf^ WJ teriour things; but on the contrary, that thefe two Loves which GOD puts in us, might cherifh ^herMeni and ftrengthen each other: he has lb artfully united us with all things about us, and elpecially with thofe Beings of the fame Species as our felves, that their Evils naturally afflict us, their Joy rejoyces us ^ their Rife, their Fall, or Diminution, feem to augment or diminifh refpe&ively our own Being. The new Honours of our Relations or Friends, the ffefh Achievements of thofe who have the neareft Engagements to us: The Conquefts and Victories of our Prince, and even the late Difcoveries of the New World, give, as it were, an additional gtowth to our Subjlance. Belonging to all thefe things, we rejoyce at their Grandure and Extent: We gladly would, that even the World was without Bounds; and that Notion of fome Pbilofopbers, that the Works of G 0 D are infinite, not only feems worthy of G 0 D, but moft agreeable to Man i, Who can con- ceive nothing nobler, than the being apart of Infinity h whilft as inconfiderable as he is in him- felf, he fancies he feels himfelf infinitely enlarged by an expanfion of Thought into the infinite Beings that furround him.