Patten, Thomas (1714-1790)

St. Peter's Christian apology as set forth in a sermon on I Pet. III. 15, 16. lately published at the request of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and other heads of houses, by Thomas Patten ... farther illustrated, and maintained against the misrepresentations and objections of the Rev. Mr. Ralph Heathcote ... By the author of the sermon.

Oxford

Printed at the Theatre for S. Parker and R. Clements; J. Rivington, Messrs. Rivington and Fletcher, London; and Messrs. Newton in Manchester

1756

"This heart is become a mere rasa tabula; you must help it to the [GREEK CHARACTERS], you must lay in it the foundation of natural religion, (i.e. "the dictates of common sense, for natural religion, according to Mr. H. is nothing else,) if you would raise the superstructure of revealed.""

His second observation standeth in some opposition to the former. When the principles of common sense and reason are there made the true foundation of the gospel, one would have thought this author supposed those principles to be naturally in the mind, as Mr. H. hath often pronounced them to be. But in this second observation they are, all on a sudden, vanished. Where now is his "religion of nature, written on the invisible tablet of every man's heart?" This heart is become a mere rasa tabula; you must help it to the [GREEK CHARACTERS], you must lay in it the foundation of natural religion, (i.e. "the dictates of common sense, for natural religion, according to Mr. H. is nothing else,) if you would raise the superstructure of revealed." When you have thus stored a man's mind with these dictates, these common notions, he will then proceed to apply them as a test of revelation. But you will never make him a Chris- [end page 59] tian unless you first make him a reasonable man. [...]
(pp. 59-60)

Writing::Tabula Rasa

Searching "tabula rasa" in ECCO

Blank Slate

10/12/2006