men (like weeds in any, even the best soil) and overspread the earth, from neglect of good education; from ill conduct, ill custom, ill example; (it is the comparison of St. Chrysostom and of Plutarch.) It is favor therefore, I conceive, to their own habitual depravations of nature (or perhaps to some prejudicate opinions) which hath induced some men to make so disadvantageous a portraiture of human nature, in which nothing lightsome or handsome, no lines of candor or rectitude do appear, but all seems black and crooked; all is drawn over with dusky shades, and irregular features of base designfulness, and malicious cunning; of suspicion, malignity, rapacity; which character were it true, (in that general extent, and not proper only to some monsters among men,) we need not farther seek for hell, since as many men, so many fiends appear unto us. But so commodious living here; so many offices daily performed among men, of courtesy, mercy, and pity; so many constant observances of friendship and amity; so many instances of fidelity and gratitude; so much credit always (even among Pagans and Barbarians) preserved to justice and humanity, (humanity, that very name doth fairly argue for us,) do sufficiently confute those defamers and slanderers of mankind; do competently evidence that all good inclinations are not quite banished the world, nor quite razed out of man's soul; but that even herein human nature doth somewhat resemble its excellent original, the nature Divine.

Thus doth man's nature in its substance, as it were, its faculties, its manner of operation, resemble God: but we may farther observe, that as children are indeed in complexion and feature usually born somewhat like to their parents, but grow daily more like unto them, (those smaller lineaments continually with their bulk and stature increasing and becoming more discernible;) so is man improvable to more exact resemblance of God; his soul hath appetites and capacities, by which well guided and ordered, it soars and climbs continually in its affection and desire toward Divine perfection. Man hath an insatiable curiosity and greediness of knowlege, ('his eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor his ear filled with hearing;') he never rests content with, but in a manner despises the notions already acquired; always striving to enlarge and enrich

his mind with intellectual treasure. So doth he tend nearer to Divine omniscience.

And as his searches after truth, so his desires of good are in a manner boundless. No present, no definite good can long detain his liking, or fully content him he soon doth suck it dry, and leaves it insipid; then longs and hunts after fresh entertainments: he seems poor to himself in the greatest plenty, and straitened in the most ample condition. In short, he ever aspires to somewhat more great and high than what he enjoys; finding in himself a kind of infinite (at least indefinite) ambition and covetousness, a restless tendency after farther degrees of joy and happiness, so doth he shoot himself on toward that highest mark of Divine felicity.

Being sensible of his own mortal and transitory condition, he yet seeks to live for ever in his name and memory, labors to perform memorable actions, rears lasting monuments of his art and knowlege, of his wealth and power, of his bounty and munificence, by all means studying and striving to commend himself to the regard of posterity; thus affects he another sort of likeness unto God, even a kind of immortality and eternity.

If also, being through Divine grace awakened out of that drowsy state, (which naturally in great measure hath seized on all men,) he discovereth his moral or spiritual wants and imperfections; he is then apt to breathe and endeavor a nearer similitude to God, even in goodness, righteousness, and purity; to labor in getting continually his inclinations more rectified, and his passions better composed; in restraining, subduing, destroying inordinate self-love, with the sensuality, the perverseness, the pride, the malice growing from that evil root; in promoting all virtuous desires and affections, especially reverence toward God his father, and charity toward man his brother; neither then can he be at ease or well content, till he arrive in such dispositions of mind to that nearness of perfection which his capacities do admit. And a man thus qualified in degree, thus tending in desire toward higher perfection in goodness, is indeed the most lively image that can be framed of God; being, as St. Paul expresseth it, renewed to an acknowlegement (or better understanding of himself, of his Maker, of true good

ness) according to the image of him that made him.' I might also propound to your consideration that φίλτρον φυσικὸν τὸ TрÒS TOV KTίOαvra, (as one of our Fathers doth call it,) that 'natural proclivity observable in man to acknowlege and worship God;'* to embrace religion both in opinion and practice, and especially on all occasions of need or distress to have recourse unto him, as an argument of his relation to God. It is, we see, common in nature for all creatures to be readily acquainted with their parents, to run after them, to expect from them supply of wants, succor in straits, refuge and defence in dangers; from hence we may easily discern to what parent any child belongs and since there appears the like instinct and capacity innate to man, (and indeed to him alone, whence some philosophers thought good from this property to define man, a creature capable of religion ;) since he is apt to entertain notions of God, to bear in his mind awe and respect toward him; since he is ready in all his straits (when other helps and hopes fail him) to lift up his heart and voice toward Heaven for assistance; why may we not in like manner hence discern, and with like reason infer, that man is also in especial manner God's child and offspring?

I might also adjoin that the very power of framing concep tions, although imperfect and inadequate, concerning God, is in itself a faculty so very spiritual and sublime, that it argues something divine in man's soul. That like is known by its like,' was an axiom among ancient philosophers; and that spiritual things are spiritually discerned, is the rule of a better master in wisdom than they; and beasts surely, because not endued with reason, have no conceptions concerning man's nature or the matters proper to him, (according to what rules, by what methods, to what purposes he doth act ;) so in likelihood should we not be able to apprehend and discourse about things appertaining to God, his nature, the methods and reasons of his proceedings; the notions of eternal truth, the indispensible laws of right, the natural differences of good and evil, with such like high objects of thought, except our souls had in

Orig. in Cels. Testimonium animæ naturaliter religiosa.Tertull.

them some sparks of divine understanding; some cognation with, and communication from, heaven.

I shall to these only subjoin one farther consideration worth attending to; that the wisest and most considerate men in several times, only by reflecting on their own minds, and observing in them what was most lovely and excellent, most pure and straight, have fallen on, and conspired in notions concerning God, very suitable to those which we believe taught us by revelation; although contrary to the prejudices of their education, and to popular conceits: many admirable passages to this purpose we may find dropped from the mouth of Socrates and the pen of Plato; in Cicero, in Epictetus, yea, in the least credulous or fanciful of men, Aristotle himself. Whence plainly enough we may collect how near affinity there is between God and us; how legible characters of the divinity are written on our souls; how easily we may know God, if we be not ignorant of ourselves; that we need not go far to fetch arguments to prove that God is, nor to find lessons to learn what he is; since we always carry both about us, or rather within us; since our souls could indeed come from no other than such a Being, whom they so resemble and represent.

I have indulged my thoughts somewhat freely in this speculation, yet I hope not altogether impertinently, for that (as I alleged) in the chief of God's works (observable by us) we may reasonably suppose that his glory doth chiefly shine; and will therefore be most discernible to us, if we open our eyes and apply our minds thereto.

II. Thus doth human nature, being in each singular man, show the existence of God, as its original author and pattern ; considering also men as related and combined together in society, some glimpse of a divine power and wisdom ordering them toward it, and preserving them in it, may be perceived. As in the world natural, the parts thereof are so fitted in varieties of size, of quality, of aptitude to motion, that all may stick together, (excluding chasms and varieties,) and all co-operate incessantly to the preservation of that common union and harmony which was there intended; so in the world political we may observe various propensions and aptitudes disposing men to collection and coherence and co-operation in society. They are apt

to flock together, not only from a kind of necessity, discovered by reason, for mutual help and defence; but from a natural love to company and conversation, with an aptness to delight therein, and from an inbred aversion to that solitude, wherein many great appetites natural to man must needs be stifled. They are also marvellously fitted to maintain intercourse not only by the principal guide thereof, reason, but by that great instrument of it, speech; whereby men impart, and, as it were, transfuse into one another, their inmost thoughts; which faculty doth evidently relate unto, and plainly shows men naturally designed for, society. In order thereto, men are also endued with several subordinate inclinations and qualifications (arising from different temper of body, or disposition of mind) requisite to cement society, and preserve it for a competent durance in peace and order; some few being made very sagacious and provident, and thence fit to direct others; very quick and active, thence able to execute; others of a high spirit and courage, thence affecting and disposed to command; most others being dull in conceit, or heavy of temper, or of a soft spirit, and thence apt to follow, content to rest in mean state, willing to obey. All these things being so ordered, that even contrarities of humor in men do serve to settle them in their due place and posture; to beget and preserve a peaceful union, and a decent harmony of action in society; which, supposing all men in ability and inclination more like or equal, (able to do, apt to affect the same things,) could hardly be; for then all men would be competitors and strugglers for the same thing, and so none would easily obtain, or peacefully enjoy it.

Now since it is plainly best for man to live thus in society, many great benefits thence accruing to him, (security to his life, safe enjoying the fruits of his industry, much ease by mutual assistance, much delight in conversation; all that civil people enjoy of convenience beyond barbarians and savages, or indeed above beasts,) that men are so disposed and suited thereto, is an argument of mighty wisdom and great goodness in that cause from whence all this proceeded; and such a cause is God.

Thus from the constitution of societies we may collect a provident care over human affairs; the same also may be reasonably