A26782:80
Considerations of the existence of God and of the immortality of the soul, with…
Considerations of the existence of God and of the immortality of the soul, with the recompenses of the future state for the cure of infidelity, the hectic evil of the times / by William Bates ...Considerations of the existence of God and of the immortality of the soul, with the recompences of the future state for the cure of infidelity, the hectick evil of the times / by William Bates ...
London: printed by J.D. for Brabazon Aylmer, 1676
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Since 'tis affirmed that the whole World doth not sink into this Oblivion at once, it must follow that in some vigorous parts the knowledge of Arts still remained, and from thence should be derived two other parts (that were ascending from their ignorance) as 'tis usual in the commerce of distant Regions. So that it will never fall out that Arts and ⟨p. 78⟩Sciences once invented should be totally lost. 'Tis true, some particular Nation, not by change of Nature, but humane accidents, may lose the Arts wherein it formerly flourished; as is eminently visible in the Greek, that is now far more ignorant and unpolished then in former ages. But this cannot with any pretence of Reason be said of the whole World. 'Tis evident therefore if the World were Eternal, it had always been most wise and civil, and that its gradual attaining the knowledge of things of public advantage is a sufficient conviction of its beginning in time, by the Counsel and Will of an Intellectual Agent.
2. Since 'tis affirmed that the whole World doth not sink into this Oblivion at once, it must follow that in some vigorous parts the knowledg of Arts still remain'd, and from thence should be derived two other parts (that were ascending from their ignorance) as 'tis usual in the commerce of distant Regions. So that it will never fall out that Arts and ⟨p. 78⟩Sciences once invented should be totally lost. 'Tis true, some particular Nation, not by change of Nature, but humane accidents, may lose the Arts wherein it formerly flourish'd; as is eminently visible in the Greek, that is now far more ignorant and unpolisht then in former ages. But this cannot with any pretence of Reason be said of the whole World. 'Tis evident therefore if the World were Eternal, it had always been most wise and civil, and that its gradual attaining the knowledg of things of publick advantage is a sufficient conviction of its beginning in time, by the Counsel and Will of an Intellectual Agent.
3. To the still voice of Reason, the loud voice of all Nations accords in confirming this Truth. The Civil, the Barbarous, those