all Subftance, Man can only trace him in the human Mind, and the external Objects that furround him, the only Matter that Mind has to work upon. This is defign'd to obviate the Queftion of Why are thefe Things fo? And fupport Mr. Pope's great Argument, THAT WHATEVER IS, IS RIGHT. This, Mr. Warburton a Commentator on thefe Ethicks, fays has been mifunderftood; for (fays the Reverend Commentator) the dull Breath of Malice has attempted to defile its Purity, and by ftaining it with the black Imputation of FATALISM, to tarnish every Virtue it reflected-In the Name of PAUL, what ball deliver us from the Body of this Fate?-I answer, the Religion of JESUS. Thus far the learned Expofitor. It is known, that from the Beginning of Christianity, a great Body of the Profeffore of it have been Fatalifts, that as many Books have been wrote by. Chriftians on this Argument, as perhaps would take up a Man's Life-time to read; that St. Paul himself declares, whom he did foreknow, them he did predeftinate-and next Verfe, moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he also called: And whom he called, them he also justified: And whom he justified, them he alfo glorified: And in the next Chapter yet more fully for the Children not being yet born, neither having done either Good or Evil, that the Purpose of God according to Election might ftand, not of Works, but of him that calleth; it was faid the Elder shall ferve the Yonnger, as it is written, Jacob have I lov'd but Efau have I hated. For he faith to Mofes, I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy, and I will have Compaffion on whom I will have Compaffion-For the Scripture faith to Pharaoh, for this Caufe have I raifed thee up-Therefore hatb he Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he will he hardneth. X 4 . This This is the Religion of Jefus through that great Apoftle; this is the Weapon with which we are to overcome the Body of this Fate: Though Mr. Pope himfelf neither made or infinuated any fuch Reference; Mr. Pope fays: THE What can we reason but from what we know ? He does not feem here to beg any Affent from Faith, or expect that Grace muft be given to Nature to make his Philofophy understood and relifh'd, he has contracted 'tis true this Sentiment of St. Paul into a very narrow Compafs, and only says: Whatever is, is right. And that all Enquiry after Reasons why Things are form'd, difpos'd, and govern'd as they are, as it is vain, fo it is foolifh to attempt to know, what he declares to be out of the Extent of human Knowledge. Mr. Dryden fpeaks much after the fame Manner of the Shortness of all human Views, and the little that it is poffible for us to know. Some few, whofe Lamp fhone brighter, have been Leapt into Form (the noble Work of Chance ;) Thus Thus, anxious Thoughts in endless Circles roul, For what cou'd fathom GOD were more than he. If by this the two Poets mean, that what is hid from us, is hid from us at beft, and endeavour to perfwade us not to waste our Thought about Things out of our Reach, it is certainly an excellent Leffon, and condemns the ridiculous Pretenfions of all thofe who boaft of Difcoveries out of the Reach of the rational Faculties. In reas'ning Pride (my Friend) our Error lies; Afpiring to be Angels, Men rebel: And who but wishes to invert the Laws What would this Man? now upward will he foar, Say what their Ufe, had he the Pow'rs of all? Say, Say, what th' Advantage of fo fine an Eye? As in the foregoing Quotations, Mr. Pope difcourages Men from ftriving to know or act beyond Mankind, or defire other Powers than fuch as he is already bleft with, just so does Mr. Dryden : Thus Man with his own Strength to Heaven would And would not be oblig❜d to God for more. [foar, And as to any Thing farther, which is exprefs'd by the Defire of Thinking and acting beyond Mankind, Mr. Pope fays: Hope humbly then, . And Mr. Dryden in almoft the fame Terms, for I dare fay his Thoughts were exactly the fame, fays: Look humbly upward, &c. But Mr. Pope's Commentator understands, that the Design of the Efay on Man was to establish the Chriftian Faith in the World, aud not to treat of Philofophy merely as fuch; it has an Analogy with the Scriptures, and defeats all the Opinions of PhiJofophers, without any Manner of Distinction; for the zealous Expounder fays: 'Tis now no Time to ftand upon Ceremony, when THE WHOLE HEAD IS SICK, AND THE WHOLE HEART FAINT. The The general Scope of thefe Ethick Eflays is as Mr. Pope exprefly declares, to vindicate the Ways of God to Man, which to do he afferts, that whatever is, is right: All are but Parts of one ftupendous Whole: Ceafe then, nor ORDER Imperfection name: Our proper Blifs depends on what we blame. Know thy own Point. This juft, this kind Degree Of Blindness, Weaknefs, Heav'n beftows on thee. Submit-in this, or any other Sphere, 27 Secure to be as bleft as thou canst bear. And fpight of Pride, in erring Reafon's Spight, And tho' it does not appear so to us, the Reafon he gives |