A Treatise of the Laws of Nature. Richard Cumberland
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I. Concerning the CITY, or KINGDOM, of GOD in the Rational World, and the Defects in HEATHEN DEISM.
II. Concerning the Imperfectness of the HEATHEN MORALITY; from both which, the Usefulness of REVELATION may appear.
LONDON:
Printed in the YEAR, MDCCXXVII.
Of the City, or Kingdom, of God in the Rational World, and the Defects in Heathen Deism
Man consider’d in his various Capacities.
“Know thy-self,” was certainly the Wisest of the Sayings of the seven Wise-Men of Greece; that Knowledge being the greatest Wisdom, as being the only Method, by which we are enabled to discharge those Duties and Obligations we lie under, and to obtain Happiness.
Man is consider’d, in a double Capacity, Natural and Political.
Man, in his natural Capacity, is compos’d of two Parts, Body and Mind.
His Body is consider’d, by the Anatomist, as it is an Organiz’d Body; and by the Physician, and Surgeon, as it is a Body liable to Distempers, that may be prevented, or remedied.
The Natural Philosopher, commonly so call’d, considers the Nature of the human Mind, and of its Faculties; of which the two Principal are the Understanding and the Will, the Object of the former being Truth; and of the latter, Good. Logick conducts our Understanding in the Search after, and Delivery of, Truth.1 Morality and Religion conduct our Will in the Pursuit of Good.
Man Political is consider’d, as a Member of Society.
The Societies are various, of which a Man may at the same Time be a Member, who may, therefore, be considered in as many various Political Lights.
Oeconomics regulate his Conduct, as Member of a Family; the Laws of his Country, as Member of the Common-Wealth; the Laws of Nature, as he is a Member of Human Society; and Religion, as he is a Member of a holy Society of rational Agents, with God at their Head, which constitute what we call a Church.
The Denyers of Providence, Atheists.
§II. Whoever does not consider himself, as Member of a Society, at whose Head God is, seems to me, to be truly an Atheist. For, whoever pretends to acknowledge a God, or universal Mind, considering him only Naturally, as the Soul of the World, and not Politically, as the supreme Governor there of, and so not acknowledging a Providence, (a particular Providence, for, without that, a general Providence is an unintelligible Notion;) as he cannot prove the Being of such a God, so neither does the Acknowledging him influence our Conduct, or answer any valuable Purpose in Life. If God were the Soul