The Court of the Gentiles Part 2, Book 3 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. A brief Abſtract of Plato's Moral, and Metaphyſical Philoſophie.
I. Plato's Moral Philoſophie: I. Ethicks; where 1. of the chiefeſt Good; 2. of Virtue; 3. of Sin; 4. of the Affections, and their Moderation; particularly the Affection of Love; the Virtue of Juſtice. II. Plato's Oeconomicks; where touching Imitation, Education. III. Plato's Politicks; where 1. of right Conſtitution, and Adminiſtration; 2. Laws, the Rule of ſuch Adminiſtration; 3. Magiſtrates, the Inſtruments of Adminiſtration according to Laws. II. Plato's Metaphyſicks; 1. of God, and his Eſſence; 2. his Attributes; 1. Ʋnitie; 2. Simplicitie; 3. Immutabilitie; 4. Eternitie; 5. Omnipreſence; 6. Juſtice; 7. Veracitie; 8. Puritie; 9. Bountie; 10. Omniſcience; 11. Incomprehenſibilitie; 12. the Divine Will the Cauſe of all things. 2. the Humane Soul, its Original, Immaterialitie, Capacitie, Immortalitie, &c.
§. 1. HAving diſpatcht Plato's Rational, and Natural Philoſophie;Plato's Moral and Metaphyſick Philoſophie. we ſhould now proceed to that which is Moral, and Supernatural; wherein indeed his excellence ſeems to conſiſt. But upon Reflection, conſidering that this undertakement would ſwell this diſcourſe before us, beyond the bounds of an Hiſtorie, and eſpecially make this third Book big, and bulkie, much beyond the proportion of the reſt: I have waved it at preſent, though not without ſome thoughts of reaſſuming the ſame, in an intended Syſteme of ſound Philoſophie. Only for the preſent take this abſtract Idea of Plato's Moral, and Supernatural Philoſophie. As for his Moral Philoſophie, it may, according to the different foreign, or regard it has to its object, be diſtributed into (1) Ethick, which reſpects perſonal Gubernation and Morals. (2) Oeconomick, which regards the Regiment of Families. (3) Politick, which comprehends the Government of Cities and Nations.
1 Plato's Ethicks. 1. Of the chiefeſt good.As for Plato's Ethicks, we find in him excellent Contemplations and Diſcourſes (1) of the chiefeſt Good, which he ſtiles (1) foreign, altogether true. (Rep. 9.) i. e. moſt real▪ ſubſtanti…l, and ſo…. (2) foreign, moſt proper, Rep. 9. (3) foreign, ſelf-ſufficient (4) foreign, …mply good. (5) foreign, the cauſe of all good (6) foreign, the moſt neceſſary good. (7. foreign, the ſupream idea of all good. (8) foreign, Infinite. (9) foreign, eternal, and mo… living. (10) foreign, uniform. (11) foreign, pure, immixed, without ſorrow. (12) foreign, opp…r…unc. (13) foreign, the Divine, and god-like good. All which contemplation of the chiefeſt Good, are applicable to none but God: neither may we preſume, that Plato could receive them any way, ſave only by ſome ſcriptural Tradition of God.
2. Of Virtue.§. 2. Plato Philoſophizeth very morally of Virtue, its Divine Infuſion, Nature, and Excellencie. (1) Touching the Divine Infuſion of Virtue, Plato Meno foreign, fol. 99. proves at large that Virtue came not by Inſtitution, but foreign, by a Divine Infuſion; which he proves from this, that God oft uſeth the moſt unkilful inſtruments in the production of Virtue. (2) As for the Nature of Virtue, Plato ſtiles it foreign, the Harmony of the ſ…ul; alſo foreign, the Muſick of the ſoul: And again, foreign, the ſymmetrie, and good order of the ſoul, whereby every facultie keeps its due place and motion: whence (3) follows the Excellence of Virtue; which Plato placeth in this; that it gives Health, Amplitude, Libertie, Nobilitie, Firmitude, and perfection unto the humane So…l.
8. Of Sin.§. 3. Plato Philoſophizeth very notably of Sin, both ingenite, and acquiſite. He makes ſin to be foreign, an exceſs, or tranſgreſſion of the Law: alſo foreign, an acting againſt right reaſon: whence he makes it to be foreign, (as Epinom. fol 978.) an irrational, confuſed, irregular motion, &c. And particularly, of irregular inordinate pleaſures, he proves, Repub. 9. That they are the greateſt Tyrants; for the more indulgent the mind is to them, the more tyrannick, and inſolent they are.
4. Of the Affections, their Temperance & Moderation.§. 4. Plato diſcourſeth even to admiration, of that Temperance, and moderation, which ought to be in the Affections, and ſenſitive appetite. He makes Temperance to conſiſt chiefly in foreign, a certain Symphonie, and Harmonie of the Affections, as Rep. 4. whence he makes the temperate man to be foreign, ſtronger than himſelf: whereas the intemperate man is foreign, weaker and worſe than himſelf, i. e. than his ſenſitive, animal part.
§. 5. Plato Philoſophizeth very Divinely of Love, Particularly of Love.its ſoveraign Throne in, and Influence on the Soul, together with its proper Acts. This he diſcourſeth of at large in his foreign, which is wholly ſper… in the Explication of this ſoveraign Affection. And more particularly, Plato hath admirable diſcourſes of Amitie, or Friendſhip as in his Lyſis; where he profeſſedly ſets himſelf to Philoſophize on this Theme, which the Title of this Dialogiſm ſtiled, foreign, of friendſhip, plainly enough imports.
§. 6. Laſtly, Plato diſcourſeth moſt accurately of Juſtice, Of Juſtice▪in its Ʋniverſal Idea and Notion; eſpecially in his Repub. 4. where he explicates its nature, and influence in all affairs. So again in his de Leg. 12. We find many other great Ethick contemplation…, and characters, as in other his Dialogues.
§. 7. As for Plato's Oeconomicks, Plato's Oeconomicks.he philoſophizeth incomparably of Imitation; which he makes to be the moſt efficacious principle of paternal Government. So in his de Leg. 5. as elſe where, he demonſtrates, that the beſt inſtitution of youth is by example, & converſation. He treats alſo of Education more largely in his Repub. 4.7. De Leg. 1, 5, 7.
§. 8. But that which renders Plato moſt famous as to Morals, Plato's Politicks.is his Politick diſcourſes, which may be reduced to theſe three Heads, 1. Such as relate to the conſtitution, and due Adminiſtration of a Republick. 2. Such as treat of Laws both humane and Divine. 3. Such as give us the Character of a good Magiſtrate, to adminiſter according to ſuch Laws. Of each of theſe he philoſophizeth at large in his Books de Republica, and de Legibus, &c.
§. 9. Touching Plato's Metaphyſicks, or Supernatural Philoſophie, Plato's Metaphyſicks.we are not without great notices thereof, 1 He ſeems to have had great notions, or rather Traditions (originally Judaick) of Gods Eſſence, 1. Of God, his Eſſence, and 2. Attributes. 1. Ʋnitie.as deſcribed, Exod. 3.14. whom, in imitation of Moſes, he ſtiles foreign, &c. 2. His Attributes, and 1. his Ʋnitie; that there is one, and but one true God: he demonſtrates at large againſt the Atheiſts, and Polytheiſts of his Age, in his de Repub. 10. fol. 886. and that (1) From the nature of Viſibles, and the moſt harmonious varietie of Times. (2) From Ʋniverſal Conſent. (3) From Motion, and the firſt Motor, (4) From the Soul of the Ʋniverſe, or the providence of God Inſpiring, and animating all things, fol. 895. 1. From that great innate Idea of God in the ſoul, 899, &c. 2. Plato diſcourſeth very Divinely of the ſimplicitie of God, Of God's Simplicitie.whom he makes to be foreign, without mixture, and foreign, to remain ſimple in his own form. 3. He av…wedly owns Gods Immutabilitie.Gods Immutabilitie. So in his Parmenides, foreign, the one firſt Being is immobile, and the ſame. Again he ſaies, that God is foreign, &c. 4. Plato alſo demonſtrates the Eternitie of God.God's Eternitie. So Timaeo fol. 27. foreign, that which is alwayes the ſame, can have no beginning. The ſame he inſiſts on in his Phaedrus. 5. Plato Parmen. 1, 8. proves the omnipreſence of God,God's Omnipreſence. from his Simplicitie, and immenſitie: for that which has no bounds, cannot be confined. 6. Plato vindicates the Juſtice of God. God's Juſtice.Parmen. 134. With God there is the moſt exact Government, &c. So de Leg. 3. He ſaies, That Juſtice follows God, as the vindicator of his Law, ſo de Leg. 10. 7. He philoſophizeth alſo accurately of God's Fidelitie and Veracitie;Of God's Veracitie. he ſaith, God is foreign, Truth it ſelf, and foreign, the firſt Truth. 8. He greatly defends the puritie of God,God's Puritie. Rep. 2. foreign, &c. God can do no Evil, neither is he the Author of Evil. 9.God's Benignitie. God's Omniſcience. God's incomprehenſibilitie God's Will the cauſe of all things. He makes mention of the Benignitie of God, foreign, is not God good? &c. 10. He mentions alſo the Omniſcience of God, and demonſtrates the ſame at large, Parmen. fol. 134. &c. where he treats at large of Divine Ideas; as alſo in his Timaeus. 11. He diſcourſeth alſo of God's incomprehenſibilitie, Parmen. 134. foreign, &c. 12. He makes God's will to be the Original, Ʋniverſal, Soveraign, and firſt cauſe of all things, as alſo of their futurition, Repub. 6. foreign, &c. 13. Farther Plato treats largely, and accurately of the providence of God, of Religion, of the puritie and ſimplicitie of divine Worſhip, &c. Laſtly, Plato philoſophizeth very ſublimely of the Human Soul, 2. Of the Human Soul.its divine origination, immaterialitie, infinite capacitie, immortalitie, perfection, and Activity. Theſe, with many other Metaphyſick contemplations, Plato philoſophizeth much of, which greatly demonſtrate his acquaintance with, and derivations from Judaick Traditions, as it may hereafter farther appear.