There is no natural religion

by William Blake

There is No Natural Religion [a]

Frontispiece (page 1). Copy G, c1

The Argument

Man has no notion of moral
fitness but from Education.
Naturally he is only a natu-
ral organ subject to Sense.

I
Man cannot naturally Per-
ceive, but through his natural
or bodily organs

II

Man by his reason-
ing power. can only
compare & judge of
what he has already
perceiv'd.

III
From a perception of
only 3 senses or 3 ele
-ments none could de-
-duce a fourth or fifth

IV

None could have other
than natural or organic
thoughts if he had none
but organic perceptions

V

Mans desires are
limited by his percepti
ons. none can de-
-sire what he has not
prceiv'd

VI

The desires & percepti-
-ons of man untaught by
any thing but organs of
sense, must be limited
to objects of sense.

There is No Natural Religion [b]

I

Man's percepti-
-ons are not bound
-ed by organs of
perception. he per-
-ceives more than
sense (tho' ever
so acute) can
discover

II

Reason or the ra-
-tio of all we have
already known is
not the same that
it shall be when
we know more

IV

The bounded is
loathed by its pos-
-sessor.The same
dull round even
of the univer[s]e, would
soon become a
mill with complica-
-ted wheels.

V

If the many bec-
-ome the same as
the few, when pos-
-sess'd, More! More!
is the cry of a mista-
-ken soul, less than
All cannot satisfy
Man

VI

If any could de-
-sire what he is in-
-capable of posses-
sing, despair must
be his eternal
lot

VII

The desire of
Man being Infi-
-nite the possession
is Infinite & him-
-self Infinite

Application

He who sees the In-
-finite in all things
sees God. He who
sees the Ratio only
sees himself only

Conclusion

If it were not for the
Poetic or Prophetic
character, the Philo-
-sophic& Experimen-
-tal would soon be
at the ratio of all
things, & stand still,
unable to do other
than repeat the same
dull round over a-
-gain

Therefore
God becomes as
we are, that we
may be as he
is