The true intellectual system of the universe: the first part; wherein all reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted. And its impossibility demonstrated / By R. Cudworth.

Cudworth, Ralph, 1617-1688.

Date:: 1678

Credit: The true intellectual system of the universe: the first part; wherein all reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted. And its impossibility demonstrated / By R. Cudworth. Source: Wellcome Collection.

968/1006 (page 950)

$imaginary thing and Non-Entity, ca” be onely | conceived by the Negation of Finite, as Nothing is, bythe Negation of Something. Az Inh- nite Being, Nothing but a Perfect Being, Such as never Was Not, and could produce all things Poffible , or Conceivable. Page 648,649 The Fourth Atheiftick Pretence againft the Idea of God 5 That it is an Arbitrarious Com- pilement of Contradi@tious Notions. Where Fir we deny not, but that as fome Religio- nifts Extend the Divine Powerto things Con- tradiGious, fo may otbers compound Contra- diGions together in the Natute of the Deity. But it does not follow from thence, thst Theolo- gy it felf is therefore ContradiCtious, no more then that Philofophy is fo, becaufe fome Phi- lofophers alfo bold ContradiGtious things: Or that Nothing is Abfolutely True, xeither in Divinity , #or Philofophy , bat all Seeming , and Phantaftical , eecording to the Protagorean Dodtrine. 649, 650 But though it be True, That whatfoever re- ally Implies a ConttadiGtion, és 4 Non-Entity 3 yet is this Rule Obnoxious to much Abufe, when whatfoever mens shallow Underftandings cannot reach to, is therefore prefently cried down by them, asan Impoltibility or Nothing. At when the Atheifts,and Materialifts, explode Incorpo- real Subftance upon this Pretence s or make it onely an Attribute of Honour, expreffing the Veneration of Mens Minds, but fignifying No- thing in Nature, wor baving any: Philofophick Truth. But the Atheifis trae meaning in this ObjeGion, and what kind of Contradictions they are, which they impute to all Theology , may appear from a Paffage of a Modern Writer: Namely, fuch as thefe, when God is faid to Per- ceive Senlible Things, aad yet to have no Or- gans of Senfe; as alfo to Underftand, and yet to have no Brains. ‘Ihe Un-difguifed meaning of the Writer, That Religion is not Philofophy, but Law , and all meer Arbitrary Conftitution; nor God a Subject of Philofophy, as all Real Things are ; be being no True Inhabitant of the World or Heaven , but onely of mens Brains and Phanciess and his Attributes fignifying neither True zor Falfe, nor any thing in Nature, bat onely mens Reverence and Devotion, towards felf 5 much lefs can the \dea of a Perfe@ Being, the moft Simple of all, This indeed Pregnant of many Attributes, which if ContradiCtious, would render the whole a Non-Entity 5 but all the Genuine Attributes of the Deity, as De- monftrable of a Verfe& Being, as the Properties of a Triangle, or a Square; and therefore can neither be ContradiGtious to it, nor one another; _ Page 652 Nay, the Genuine Attributes of the Deity, not onely not Conttadictious, but alfo all Ne- ceffarily Connected together. ibid. In Truth, All the Attributes of the Deity, but fo many Partial and Inadequate Concepti- ons of One and the Same Perfect Being, taken into our Minds, as it were, by Piece-meal; ibid. The Idea of God, neither FiGtitious, nor Fac- titious. Nothing Arbitrarious im it; but a mo(t Natural and Simple Idea, to which not the Leaft can be Added , nor any thing Detratied from it. Neverthelefs, may there be different Apprebenfions concerning God 3 every oue that hatha Notion of @ Perfect Being, not Under. ftanding all that Belongeth to it, no more then of a Triangle, or of ¢ Sphear. ibid. 653 Concluded therefore , That the Attributes of God,No Confounded Non-fenfe of Religioufly Aftonifhed Minds , buddling up together all Imaginable Attributes of Honour, Courtfhip, and Complement; but the Attributes of Ne~ ceffary Philofophick Truth: and fuch as do not onely {peak the Devotion of mens Hearts, but alfo declare the Real] Nature of the thing, Here the Wit of a Modern Atheiftick Writer, ill placed, (Though no doubt, but fome, either out of Superitition, or Ignorance, may Attribute fuch things to the Deity, as are Incongruous to its Nature.) Thus the Fourth Atheittick Pre- tence, againft the Idea of God, Confuted. 653, 6 In the next place, The Atheifts think sod felves concerned, togive an Account of this Un- queftionable Phenomenon; the General Perfua- fion of the Exiftence of @ God, in the Minds of men,and their Propentity toReligionswhence this Should come , if there were no Reall Obje& for itin Nature. And this they would doe by Ima God, uo matter what, foit be agreeable to Civil Law. But when men miftake Attributes of Honour , for Attributes of Philofophick Truth 5 that is, when they will fuppofe fuch a thing as a God Really to Exifts then is all Ab- furd Nonfenfe and Contradiction. God's Underftanding without Brains, xo Contradicti- on. 650, 651 Certain, That no Simple Idea, as of a Tri- angle, ora Square, can be Contradi@tious to # of Aftonifhed Minds, and partly to the Impo- fture of Politicians. Or. elfe to thefe Three Things ; To Mens Fear and to their Igno- rance of Caufes; and to the FiGion of Law- Makers and Civil Sovereigns. 654 The Firft of thefe Atheittick Origins of Reli- gion ; That Mankind byreafon of their Natural Imbecillity, are in continual Solicitude and Fear concerning Future Events, and their Good and Evil Fortune. And this Paffion of Fear raifes ae wfifts Inder fier Jag! the Crt and It Coro phere Natura Jovil fui, bat ont Mater f the | if te ( went Gan Gut The Relig from th Jayne Deity ap hyn noranc and Sp nall. Ricks, Prophe rous §i are not derfian But non of Atheif to the rales fram be jtion, of men thie N firmiti f Gh and Or Recomy fury YW Perf the Int Receine State i thir ap fin Ali theif Gods if Rel nd th,$