Chap. X. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. aSjB 



exift in tlie manner explaiaed by Ariftotle, that is, in the mind, aiid 

 .confequently have as real an exiftence as the mind itfelf. 



To argue that, if no fuch ideas exifted, there could be no truth, fci- 

 ence, demonftration, or reafoning of any kmd, will prove nothing to 

 the fceptic, who doubts of every thing, and would make us believe that 

 there is no fuch thing as truth or certainty. Neither would it con- 

 vince thofe philofophers, who do not believe in God, to fay, that, if the 

 univerfe be the production of wifdom and counfel, not of chajice and 

 material neceffity, there muft neceflarily exift ideas of the firft kind, 

 I mean the ideas in the Divine intellect ; and, if it be true, that we 

 have any participation of the Divine nature, there muft alfo be in our 

 minds (ome ideas refe nbling thefe. But I will argue from fads, that 

 cannot be contraverted by the greateft fceptic and moft confirmed un- 

 believer. 



When a human artift executes any piece of work, has he not the 

 idea of it in his mind before he executes it ? This, I think, cannot 

 be denied ; and, if fo, it is a clear proof that the firft kind of ideas I 

 mentioned is to be found even among us. Further, I afk, whether or 

 not the idea of the artift is not in the work that he has executed ? 

 And, I think, this queftion muft likewife be anfwered in the affirma- 

 tive, as it is the idea of the artift that gives the thing its formt and 

 makes it what it is ; and, if fo, we have likewife here the fecond kind 

 of ideas I mentioned, which exifts in the material fubftancc. I afk 

 further. Cannot we, by contemplating this piece of art, find out the i- 

 dea of the artift, and fo make it our own idea? If this neither cannot 

 be denied, then have we likewife here an example of the third kind 

 of ideas I mentioned, which, by us, are abftraded from material things, 

 and made the (;bjeds of the mind's contemj^lation, feparated from the 

 matter in which they exift. 



N n n 2 Let 



