66 XOVUM ORGAXUM. 



and brought it into a scientific form, have proceeded to 

 mingle an undue proportion of the contentious and thorny 

 philosophy of Aristotle with the substance of religion. 



The fictions of those who have not feared to deduce and 

 confirm the truth of the Christian religion by the principles 

 and authority of philosophers, tend to the same end though 

 in a different manner. They celebrate the union of faith 

 and the senses as though it were legitimate, with great 

 pomp and solemnity, and gratify men s pleasing minds with 

 a variety, but, in the mean time, confound most improperly 

 things divine and human. Moreover, in these mixtures of 

 divinity and philosophy the received doctrines of the latter 

 are alone included, and any novelty, even though it be an 

 improvement, scarcely escapes banishment and extermina 

 tion. 



In short, you may find all access to any species of phi 

 losophy, however pure, intercepted by the ignorance of 

 divines. Some, in their simplicity, are apprehensive that 

 a too deep inquiry into nature may penetrate beyond the 

 proper bounds of decorum, transferring and absurdly ap 

 plying what is said of sacred mysteries in holy writ against 

 those who pry into divine secrets, to the mysteries of nature, 

 which are not forbidden by any prohibition. Others, with 

 more cunning, imagine and consider that if secondary 

 causes be unknown, every thing may more easily be re 

 ferred to the divine hand and wand ; a matter, as they 

 think, of the greatest consequence to religion, but which 

 can only really mean that God wishes to be gratified by 

 means of falsehood. Others fear from past example, lest 

 motion and change in philosophy should terminate in an 

 attack upon religion. Lastly, there are others who appear 

 anxious lest there should be something discovered in the 

 investigation of nature to overthrow, or at least shake, 

 religion, particularly among the unlearned. The two last 

 apprehensions appear to resemble animal instinct, as if 

 men were diffident, in the bottom of their minds, and secret 

 meditations, of the strength of religion, and the empire of 

 faith over the senses ; and therefore feared that some dan 

 ger awaited them from an inquiry into nature. But any 

 one who properly considers the subject, will find natural 

 philosophy to be after the word of God, the surest remedy 

 against superstition, and the most approved support of 

 faith. She is therefore rightly bestowed upon religion as 

 a most faithful attendant, for the one exhibits the will and 

 the other the power of God. Nor was he wrong who ob- 



