covered with confufion. So happy an Advocate has our learned Civilian approved himself for the Caufe to which, by a double tye, he had devoted and engaged his miniftry. The length of these animadverfions hindered them from finding a place in the body of this volume, amongst other things of the like fort. Except for this, he had no claim to be distinguished from his fellows. I had a large choice before me: for who has not fignalized himself against the DIVINE LEGATION? Bigots, Hutchinfonians, Methodists, Anfwerers, Freethinkers, and Fanatics, have in their turns been all up in arms against it. Quid dicam? (to use the words of an honeft man in the fame circumstances) Commune fere hoc eorum fatum eft, quorum opera fupremum Numen uti vult in Ecclefia, ut MATURE infidiis, accufationibus et criminationibus appetantur. The fcene was opened by a false Zealot, and at present seems likely to be closed by a true Behmenist°. A natural and eafy progrefs, from knavery to madnefs, where the Impofture fails: as the progrefs is from madness to knavery, where it fucceeds. It was now time to fettle my accounts with them. To this end I applied to a learned perfon, who, in confideration of our friendship, hath been prevailed upon to undergo the drudgery of turning over this dirty heap, and marking what he imagined would in the least deserve, or could juftify any notice: for I would not have the reader conceive so miferably of me as to think I was ever disposed to look into them myself. He will find, as he goes along, both in the text and the notes, what was thought leaft unworthy of an answer. Nor let it give him Rev. Mr. William Law. top too much scandal that, in a work which I have now put into as good a condition for him as I was able, I have revived the memory of the numerous and grofs abfurdities of thefe writers, part of whom are dead, and the reft forgotten: For he will confider, that it may prove an useful barrier to the return of the like follies, in after times, against more fuccessful Inquirers into Truth. The feeds of Folly, as well as Wit, are connate with the mind and when, at any time, the teeming intellect gives promife of an unexpected harvest, the trash starts up with it, and is ever forward to wind itself about rifing Truth, and hinder its progrefs to maturity. Were it not for this, I hould refer the candid reader to what I take to be the best defence and fupport of the ARGUMENT OF THE DIVINE LEGATION, the fuccinct view of the whole and of all its parts, which he will find at the conclufion of the last of thefe Volumes. For as Lord Verulam fays excellently well, THE HARMO NY OF A SCIENCE, SUPPORTING EACH PART THE OTHER, IS, AND OUGHT TO BE, THE TRUE AND BRIEF CONFUTATION AND SUPPRESSION OF ALL THE SMALLER SORTS OF OBJECTIONS, CONTENTS CONTENT S THIRD VOLUM E. PR ROVES the high antiquity of the arts and SECT. I. Introduction, bewing that the universal Pretence to Revelation, proves the Truth of fome, and par- ticularly of the Jewish, p. 1-14. SECT. II. Enters on the third Propofition. Some general reflections on the high antiquity of Egypt; and of the equal extravagance of both parties in their at- tempts to advance or deprefs that antiquity, p. 14- 25. SECT. III. The high antiquity of Egypt proved from Scrip- And from the ancient Greek hiftorians, ture: VOL. III. Supported fupported and confirmed by Scripture. In the courfe The high antiquity of Egypt proved from their Hieroglyphics. Their nature, original, and various kinds, explained. Proved to be the original of the art of Onirocritics or interpretation of Dreams, and like- wife of Brute-worship. In this inquiry is contained the biftory of the various modes of information by Speech and Writing: And of the various modes of Sir Ifaac Newton's chronology of the Egyptian empire confuted, and shewn to contradict all facred and profane antiquity, and even the nature of things. In the courfe of this Dissertation the causes of that infinite confufion in the ancient Greek history and T BOOK IV. SECT. I. HE foregoing volume hath occafionally, and in the courfe of my main argument, fhewn the reader, that it was always the practice of mankind to listen to, and embrace fome pretended REVELATION; in neglect of what is called, in contradistinction to it, the RELIGION OF NATURE; that, I mean, which is only founded on our relation to the first Caufe; and deducible from the eternal reason of things*. 2 Σὺ δὲ τὸν λόγον ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀναλαβὼν τῆς δεισιδαίμονα. πλάνης, ἐπίσ σκεψαι τὴν διάπλωσιν. φύσει μὲν ἂν καὶ αὐτοδιδάκλοις ἐννοίαις, μᾶλλον δὲ Θεοδιδάκτοις, καλόν τι καὶ ὠφέλιμον τυ[χάνειν, τὸ σημαῖνον τὴν τοῦ θεῶ προσηγορίαν τε καὶ ἐσίαν. πάλες γὰρ ἄνθρωποι κοινοῖς λογισμοίς προειλής φεσαν, τὰ τῶν ὅλων Δημιεργό, τότο πάσῃ λογική και νοερά ψυχῇ, φυσικαῖς ἐννοίαις ὑποσπείραις. εἰ μὴν καὶ τῇ προαιρέσει τῇ κατὰ Ayo ixéxeno. Eufeb. Prap. Evang. 1. ii. c. 6. VOL. III. B If |