est Jo. Crellii Tractatus de Deo et ejus attributis; Racov. 1630. 4to. Sam. Crelli, Cogitationes de primo et secundo Adamo; s. de ratione salutis per illuin amissae, per hunc recuperata; Amst. 1700. 8vo. (Georgii Markos,) Summa universac theologiae, secundùm Unitarios; Claudiop. 1777. 8vo. See Archive for ancient and modern church history; (in German,) edited by C. F. Stäudlin and H. C. Tzschirner; vol. I. P. I. No. 3. The author of this piece, was supposed to be George Markos; but it was published from a manuscript work of Michael Lombardsz Abrahami, who was superintendent of the Unitarians in Transylvania, from A. D. 1737, to A. D. 1758. See the above named Archive, vol. IV. P. I.

PART II.

HISTORY OF PARTICULAR DOCTRINES.

CHAPTER I.

THE FOUNDATION OF RELIGION GENERALLY, AND ESPECIALLY OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.

Historians. J. Alb. Fabricii, Delectus argumentorum et syllabus scriptorum, qui veritatem religionis christ. adversus Atheos, Epicureos, Deistas s. Naturalistas, Idololatras, Judaeos et Muhammedanos, asseruerunt; Hamb. 1725. 4to. An appendix thereto, annexed to Jo. Ant. Trinius, Dictionary of Free-thinkers; (in German,) Lips. &c. 1758. 8vo. The history and spirit of scepticism, especially in regard to morals and religion; (in German,) by Ch. Fr. Stäudlin; Lips. 1794. II vol. 8vo.

SEC. 168. Doctrine concerning God.

The belief of a God was commonly, either assumed, or supported on the old and well known grounds, when des Cartes attempted to establish it with new arguments. Moreover the theologians were roused from their inactivity, and made sensible of the danger in which the foun

dation of their system stood, by the efforts of two persons. Thomas Hobbes (d. 1679) seemed, in general, to undermine religion; and to rank the Creator among sensative beings. Benedict Spinoza (d. 1677), in a more systematic manner, brought forward a connected and self-consistent pantheism. Among the numerous writers, who appeared against these two men, the most distinguished were Henry Morus (d. 1687), Ralph Cudworth (d.1688), and Samael Clarke (d. 1729). The philosophy of John Locke, which deduced all knowledge from experience, and which met great approbation in England, and was received also in France; contrary to the designs of its author, was so appllied, as to render all belief of supersensible truths, uncertain. Christian Wolf, endeavored to resist infidelity, by a more acute statement of the argument derived from the principle of causation; and Hermann Sam. Reimarus presented the argument in a more intelligible form, and defended it against the objections of Maupertuis. Also Moses Mendelsohn obtained high commendation, by the clearness with which he stated the evidence of the being of a God; and during the same time, essays proving the being of God, from the necessity of a first cause, became more numerous than

ever.

Notices. Thomas Hobbes, Elementa philosophica, de cive; Amstel. 1669. 12mo. Ejusd.Leviathan; London 1651. Bened. Spinoza, Tractatus theologico-politicus; Hamb. 1670. Bened. Spinoza, Opp. posthuma; Amst. 1677. 4to. Ejusd. Opera; curavit H. E. G. Paulus; Jenae 1802-3. II vol. 8vo. Ralph Cudworth, Intellectual system of the universe ; ex Anglico vertit et illustravit J. Laur. Moshemius; ed. 2. Lugd. Bat. 1773. II vol. 4to. Sam. Clarke, On the existence and attributes of God, the duties of natural religion, and the truth of the christian religion; (French from the English,) Amst. 1756. III vol. 8vo. Herm. Sam. Reimarus, Treatises on the principal truths of natural religion; with notes by J. A. H. Reimarus; (in German,) ed. 6. Hamb. 1791. Moses Mendelsohn's Morning hours; (in German,) vol. I.

Berlin 1785. (Examination of Mendelsohn's Morning hours; (in German,) by Lud. Hen. Jakob; Lips. 1786.) W. Derham's Physico-Theology; German from the English. Hainb. 1764. Ejusd. Astro-Theology; Hamb. 1765. Bernhard Nieuwetyt, Contemplations on the universe; (English from the Latin, III vol. 8vo.) German from the Latin, by I. A. Segner; Jena 1747. 4to. Charles Bonnet, Contemplations of nature; (English from the French.) German from the French, by J. Dan. Titius; ed. 4. Lips. 1783.

SEC. 169. More recent history of this doctrine.

The spread of a superficial French philosophy, which would admit nothing for true, beyond the reach of the senses; appeared to be even more dangerous to religious faith, than the artful scepticism, with which David Hume assailed it. Yet the last occasioned Immanuel Kant, to subject the whole subject of our knowledge of supersensible objects to a severer criticism; the result of which was, that he pronounced all theoretical proof of the being of God, inadequate; and allowed the practical evidence, to be the only valid evidence. Respecting this decision of Kant, the suspicion was early expressed, that it led, or might lead, to atheism; and the utterance of this suspicion became still louder, when G. Fichte would not admit a moral government of the world, and denied the existence and substance of God. The recent philosophy of Schelling, extols pantheism, though with some modifications, as the summit of all divine wisdom, and looks down with pity, on all who think otherwise.

Notices. Systeme de la nature, ou des loix du monde physique et du monde moral; par. M. Mirabaud; à Londres 1770. I vol. 8vo. also in German, 1783. (Observations sur le livre intitulé ; Systeme de la nature, &c. par. M. Jean de Castillon; Berlin 1771. Reflexions philosophiques sur le Systeme &c. par M. Holland; à Neufchatel. ed. 2. 1773.) David Hume, Dialogues concerning natural religion; Lond. 1779. in German, with a Dialogue on Atheisin, by Ern. Platner; Lips. 1781.

8vo. Immanuel Kant, Critique on pure reason; (in German,) ed. 3. Riga 1790. Ejusd. Critique on the judging power; (in German,) Berlin 1793. Ejusd. Religion within the boundaries of mere reason; (in German,) ed. 2. Konigsb. 1794. G. Ch. Storr's Remarks on the religious doctrines of Kant; a German translation by Süskind; Tub. 1794. (Schulze's) Some remarks on Kant's philosophichal religious doctrines; (in German,) Kiel. 1795. Theological contributions; (in German,) by J. Ch. Rud. Eckermann; vol. III. P. III. and vol. IV. (C. F. Stäudlin,) Prolusio, qua auctor ipse Philosophiae criticae a suspicione Atheismi vindicatur; Gott. 1799. 4to. On the ground of our belief of a divine government of the world; by Fichte; and Developement of the idea of religion; by Forberg; (both in German,) and both in Fichte's and Niethammer's Philosoph. Journal. A.'D. 1799. vol. II. p. 249 &c. Fr. W. I. Schelling's Bruno ; or on the divine, and the natural, first principle of things; (in German,) Berl. 1802. Ejusd. Philosophy and religion; (in Gerinan,) Tub. 1804. Ejusd. Philosophical writings; (Germ.) vol. I. Landshut 1809. p. 399–511. Fr. Henr. Jacobi, On divine things, and the revelation of them; (in German,) Lips. 1811. 8vo. Fr. W. I. Schelling, Monument of the Scripture concerning divine things, &c. (in German,) Tubing. 1812. 8vo.-Against Schelling: Fr. Gottl. Süskind, Examination of Schelling's doctrine, concerning God, creation of the world, freedom, moral good and evil; (in Germán,) Tubing, 1812. 8vo. The more ancient proofs of the being of God, were also brought forward again, in this period; in the following works:

(L. von Crell,) Pyrrho and Philalethes; or, does Scepticism lead to truth and calm decision? (in German, edited by Reinhard; ed. 3. Sulzbach 1813. 8vo. J. F. Abel's Detailed statement respecting the evidence of the being of God; (in German,) Heilbron 1817. 8vo. J.F. Dahlenburg, Philosophy and religion of nature; (in German,) Berlin 1797-98. III. Vol. 8vo.

SEC. 170. Doctrine of Providence..

The opposers of religion have always appealed to the

existence of evil and misery in the world, as a ground for questioning the wisdom, goodness, holiness, and rectitude of the government of the world. These doubts, the acute Peter Bayle strengthened, and declared to be not solvable by reason; and he found himself not satisfied with the arguments for the contrary, adduced by Jaquelot, William King, and John le Clerc. Hence Godfrey Wm. von Leibnitz was induced to write his Theodicée; which was received with peculiar satisfaction, and used abundantly by the theologians and philosophers of the Wolfian school. The later investigations on this subject, appear to aim less at justifying the existence of evil in the world, than at denying the fact that evil exists. At length Kant endeavored to show, that no attempt to evince the justice of God in the admission of evil, could succeed.

Notices. P. Bayle, Dictionaire historique critique; Art. Paulliciens, Manichéens. Reponse aux questions d'un Provincial. Jean le Clerc, Defense de la Providence, contre les Manichéens; in his Parrhesiana; T. I. p.303. Wm. King, De origine mali; Dubl. 1702. Bremae 1704. also in English, about 1730. Is. Jaquelot, Conformité de la foi avec la raison; Amst. 1705. 12mo. Essais de Theodicée sur la bonté de Dieu, la liberté de l'homme, et l'origine du mal; par M. Leibnitz ; Amst. 1710. 8vo. 1734. II vol. 8vo. in German, by Gottsched, 1744. 8vo. Ge. Bernh. Bilfinger, de origine et permissione mali; Tub 1724. On the Origin and design of evil; (in German, by Villaume,) Lips. 1784-87. III Vol. Adam Weishaupt, Apology for disagreeables and evils; (in German,) Francf. and Lips. 1790. II vol. J. G. C. Werdermann, New attempt of a Theodicée; (in German,) Lips. 1784. III vol. Essay of a history of opinions respecting fate and human freedom; Lips. 1793. On the permission of evil; in (Junge's) Philosoph. and theological papers; Vol. I. p. 35-152. On the failure of all philosophical attempts in Theodicée ;. (in German,) by Imm. Kant; in his Miscell. writings, vol. III. p. 145 &c.