meant by Zoroaster's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What kind of knowledge of God cannot be attain'd to in this life What meant by Flesh and Blood 1 Cor. 15. pag. 162. DISCOURSE VI. OF PROPHESIE CHap. I. That Prophesie is the way whereby Revealed Truth is dispensed and conveighed to us Man's Mind capable of conversing and being acquainted as well with Revealed or Positive Truth as with Naturall Truth Truths of Natural inscription may be excited in us and cleared to us by means of Propheticall Influence That the Scripture frequently accommodates it self to vulgar apprehension and speaks of things in the greatest way of condescension pag. 169. Chap. II. That the Prophetical Spirit did not alwaies manifest it self with the same clearness and evidence The Gradual difference of Divine illumination between Moses the Prophets and the Hagiographi A general survey of the Nature of Prophesie properly so called Of the joint impressions and operations of the Understanding and Phansie in Prophesie Of the four degrees of Prophesie The difference between a Vision and a Dream pag. 176. Chap. III. How the Prophetical Dreams did differ from all other kinds of Dreams recorded in Scripture This further illustrated out of several passages of Philo Judaeus pertinent to this purpose pag. 183. Ch. IV. A large account of the Difference between the true Prophetical Spirit and Enthusiastical impostures That the Pseudo-Prophetical Spirit is seated only in the Imaginative Powers and Faculties inferior to reason That Plato and other Wise men had a very low opinion of this Spirit and of the Gift of Divination and of Consulting the Oracles That the True Prophetical Spirit seats it self as well in the Rational Powers as in the Sensitive and that it never alienates the Mind but informs and enlightens it This further cleared by several Testimonies from Gentile and Christian Writers of old An Account of those Fears and Consternatioons which often seized upon the Prophets How the Prophets perceived when the Prophetical influx seized upon them The different Evidence Energy of the True false Prophetical Spirit p. 190. Chap. V. An Enquiry concerning the Immediate Efficient that represented the Prophetical Visions to the Phansie of the Prophet That these Representations were made in the Prophet's Phansie by some Angel This cleared by several passages out of the Jewish Monuments and by Testimonies of Scripture pag. 210. Chap. VI. The Second Enquiry What the meaning of those Actions is that are frequently attributed to the Prophets whether they were Real or only Imaginary and Scenical What Actions of the Prophets were only Imaginary and performed upon the Stage of Phansie What we are to think of several Actions and res gestae recorded of Hosea Jeremie Ezekiel in their Prophesies p. 220. Chap. VII Of that Degree of Divine inspiration properly call'd Ruach hakkodesh i. e. The Holy Spirit The Nature of it described out of Jewish Antiquities Wherein this Spiritus Sanctus differ'd from Prophesie strictly so call'd and from the Spirit of Holiness in purified Souls What Books of the Old Testament were ascribed by the Jews to Ruach hakkodesh Of the Urim and Thummim pag. 229. Chap. VIII Of the Dispositions antecedent and preparatory to Prophesie That the Qualifications which did fit a man for the Prophetical Spirit were such as these viz. Inward Piety True Wisdome a Pacate and Serene temper of Mind and a due chearfulness of Spirit in opposition to Vitiousness Mental crazedness and inconsistency unsubdued Passions black Melancholy and dull Sadness This illustrated by several Instances in Scripture That Musick was greatly advantageous to the Prophets and Holy men of God c. What is meant by Saul's Evil Spirit pag. 240. Chap. IX Of the Sons or Disciples of the Prophets An Account of several Schools of Prophetical Education as at Naioth in Rama at Jerusalem Jericho Gilgal c. Several passages in the Historical Books of Scripture pertinent to this Argument explained pag. 252. Chap. X. Of Bath Kol i. e. Filia Vocis That it succeeded in the room of Prophesie That it was by the Jews counted the Lowest degree of Revelation What places in the New Testament are to be understood of it pag. 257. Chap. XI Of the Highest Degree of Divine Inspiration viz. the Mosaical Four Differences between the Divine Revelations made to Moses and to the rest of the Prophets How the Doctrine of men Prophetically inspired is to approve it self by Miracles or by it's Reasonableness The Sympathy and Agreeableness between an Holy Mind and Divine Truth pag. 261. Chap. XII When the Prophetical Spirit ceased in the Jewish Church The Cessation of Prophesie noted as a famous Epocha by the Jews The restoring of the Prophetical Spirit by Christ. Some passages to this purpose in the New Testament explained When the Prophetical Spirit ceased in the Christian Church That it did not continue long proved by several Testimonies of the Antient Writers pag. 267. Chap. XIII Some Rules and Observations concerning Prophetical Writ in general pag. 272. DISCOURSE VII OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS Legal Evangelical CHap. I. The Introduction shewing What it is to have a right Knowledge of Divine Truth and What it is that is either Available or Prejudicial to the true Christian Knowledge and Life pag. 285. Chap. II. An Enquiry into that Jewish Notion of a Legal Righteousness which is opposed by S. Paul That their notion of it was such as this viz. That the Law externally dispensed to them though it were as a Dead letter merely without them and conjoined with the power of their own Free-will was sufficient to procure them Acceptance with God and to acquire Merit enough to purchase Eternal Life Perfection and Happiness That this their Notion had these two Grounds First An Opinion of their own Self-sufficiency and that their Free-will was so absolute and perfect as that they needed not that God should doe any thing for them but only furnish them with some Laws to exercise this Innate power about That they asserted such a Freedom of Will as might be to them a Foundation of Merit pag. 288. Chap. III. The Second ground of the Jewish Notion of a Legal Righteousness viz. That the Law delivered to them on Mount Sinai was a sufficient Dispensation from God and all that needed to be done by him to bring them to Perfection and Happiness and That the Scope of their Law was nothing but to afford them several ways and means of Merit The Opinion of the Jewish Writers concerning Merit and the Reward due to the Works of the Law Their distinguishing of men in order to Merit and Demerit into three sorts viz. Perfectly righteous Perfectly wicked and a middle sort betwixt these The Mercenary and Low Spirit of the Jewish Religion An Account of what the Cabbalists held in this Point of Legal Righteousness pag. 297. Chap. IV. The Second Enquiry Concerning the Evangelical Righteousness or the Righteousness of Faith and the true difference between the Law and the Gospel the Old
Egypt and his Servants Princes People to all the Arabians and Kings of the Land of UZ to the Kings of the Land of the Philistines Edom Moab Ammon the Kings of Tyre and Sidon and of the Isles beyond the Sea Dedan Tema Buz the Kings of Zimri of the Medes and Persians and all the Kings of the North and all these he said he made to drink of this Cup. And in this fashion Chap. 27. he is sent up down with Yokes to put upon the necks of several Kings all which can have no other sense then that which is meerly Imaginarie though we be not told that all this was acted only in a Vision for the nature of the thing would not permit any real performance thereof The like we must say of Ezekiel's res gestae his eating a roll given him of God Chap. 3. And Chap. 4. it's especially remarkable how ceremoniously all things are related concerning his taking a Tile and pourtraying the City of Jerusalem upon it his laying siege to it all which I suppose will be evident to have been meerly Dramatical if we carefully examine all things in it notwithstanding that God tells him he should in all this be a Signe to the people Which is not so to be understood as if they were to observe in such real actions in a sensible way what their own Fates should be for he is here commanded to lie continually before a Tile 390 days which is full 13 Months upon his left side and after that 40 more upon his right and to bake his bread that he should eat all this while with dung c. So Chap. 5. he is commanded to take a Barbers rasour and to shave his head and beard then to weigh his hair in a pair of Scales and divide it into three parts and after the days of his Siege should be fulfilled spoken of before then to burn a third part of it in the midst of the City and to smite about the other third with a knife and to scatter the other third to the wind All which as it is most unlikely in it self ever to have been really done so was it against the Law of the Priests to shave the corners of their heads and the corners of their beards as Maimonides observes But that Ezekiel himself was a Priest is manifest from Chap. 1. ver 3. Upon these passages of Ezekiel Maimonides hath thus soberly given his judgment More Nev. Part. 2. c. 46. Absit ut Deus Prophetas suos stultis vel ebriis similes reddat eósque stultorum aut furiosorum actiones facere jubeat praeterquam quòd praeceptum illud ultimum Legi repugnasset c. Far be it from God to render his Prophets like to fools and drunken men and to prescribe them the actions of fools and mad men besides that this last injunction would have been inconsistent with the Law for Ezekiel was a great Priest and therefore oblig'd to the observation of those two Negative precepts viz. of not shaving the corners of his head and corners of his beard And therefore this was done only in a Prophetical Vision The same sentence likewise he passeth upon that story of Esaiah Chap. 20. 3. his walking naked and bare-foot wherein Esaiah was no otherwise a Signe to Aegypt and Aethiopia or rather Arabia where he dwelt not and so could not more literally be a Type therein then Ezekiel was here to the Jews Again Chap. 12. we read of Ezekiel's removing his houshold-stuff in the night as a Type of the Captivitie and of his digging with his hands through the wall of his house and of the peoples coming to take notice of this strange action with many other uncouth ceremonies of the whole business which carry no shew of probabilitie and yet ver 6. God declares upon this to him I have set thee for a signe to the house of Israel and ver 9. Son of man hath not the house of Israel the rebellions house said unto thee What doest thou As if all this had been done really which indeed seems to be nothing else but a Prophetical Scheme Neither was the Prophet any real Signe but only Imaginary as having the Type of all those Fates symbolically represented in his phansie which were to befall the Jews which sense Kimchi a genuine Commentator follows with the others mentioned And it may be according to this same notion is that in Chap. 24. to be understood of the death of the Prophet's Wife with the manner of those funeral solemnities and obsequies which he performed for her But we shall proceed no farther in this Argument which I hope is by this time sufficiently cleared That we are not in any Prophetical narratives of this kind to understand any thing else but the History of the Visions themselves which appeared to them except we be led by some farther argument of the realitie of the thing in a way of sensible appearance to determine it to have been any sensible thing CHAP. VII Of that Degree of Divine inspiration properly call'd Ruach hakkodesh i. e. The Holy Spirit The Nature of it described out of Jewish Antiquities Wherein this Spiritus Sanctus differ'd from Prophesie strictly so call'd and from the Spirit of Holiness in purified Souls What Books of the Old Testament were ascribed by the Jews to Ruach hakkodesh Of the Urim and Thummim THus we have done with that part of Divine inspiration which was more Technically and properly by the Jews called Prophesie We shall now a little search into that which is Hagiographical or as they call it The Dictate of the Holy Spirit in which the Book of Psalms Job the works of Solomon and others are comprised This we find very appositely thus defined by Maimonides More Nev. Part. 2. c. 45. Cùm homo in se sentit rem vel facultatem quampiam exoriri super se quiescere quae eum impellit ad loquendum c. When a man perceives some Power to arise within him and rest upon him which urgeth him to speak so that he discourse concerning the Sciences or Arts and utter Psalms or Hymns or profitable and wholesome Rules of good living or matters Political and Civil or such as are Divine and that whilst he is waking and hath the ordinarie vigour and use of his Senses this is such a one of whom it 's said that He speaks by the Holy Spirit In this Definition we may seem to have the strain of the Book of Psalms Proverbs and Ecolesiastes fully decyphered to us In like manner we find this Degree of Inspiration described by R. Albo Maam. 3. c. 10. after he had set down the other Degrees superiour to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now to explain to you what is that other Doore of Divine influx through which none can enter by his own natural abilitie it is when a man utters words of Wisdome or Song or Divine praise in pure and elegant language besides his wont so that every one that knows
in my self When true Sanctity and Purity shall ground him in the knowledge of divine things then shall the inward Sciences that arise from the bottome of his own Soul display themselves which indeed are the onely true Sciences for the Soul runs not out of it self to behold Temperance and Justice abroad but it s own light sees them in the contemplation of its own Being and that divine essence which was before enshrined within it self I might after all this adde many more Reasons for a further confirmation of this present Thesis which are as numerous as the Soul's relations productions themselves are but to every one who is willing to doe his own Soul right this Evidence we have already brought in is more then sufficient CHAP. VIII An Appendix containing an Enquiry into the Sense and Opinion of Aristotle concerning the Immortality of the Soul That according to him the Rational Soul is separable from the Body and Immortall The true meaning of his Intellectus Agens and Patiens HAving done with the several Proofs of the Soul's Immortality that great Principle of Naturall Theology which if it be not entertain'd as a Communis Notitia as I doubt not but that it is by the Vulgar sort of men or as an Axiome or if you will a Theoreme of free and impartial Reason all endeavours in Religion will be very cool and languid it may not be amiss to enquire a little concerning His opinion whom so many take for the great Intelligencer of Nature and Omniscient Oracle of Truth though it be too manifest that he hath so defaced the sacred Monuments of the ancient Metaphysical Theology by his profane hands that it is hard to see that lovely face of Truth which was once engraven upon them as some of his own Interpreters have long agoe observed and so blurr'd those fair Copies of divine learning which he received from his Predecessours that his late Interpreters who make him their All are as little sometime acquainted with his meaning and design as they are with that Elder philosophy which he so corrupts which indeed is the true reason they are so ambiguous in determining his Opinion of the Soul's immortality which yet he often asserts and demonstrates in his Three Books de Anima We shall not here traverse this Notion through them all but onely briefly take notice of that which hath made his Expositours stumble so much in this point the main whereof is that Definition which he gives of the Soul wherein he seems to make it nothing else for the Genus of it but an Entelechia or Informative thing which spends all its virtue upon that Matter which it informs and cannot act any other way then meerly by information being indeed nothing else but some Material 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like an impression in wax which cannot subsist without it or else the result of it whence it is that he calls onely either Material Forms or the Functions and Operations of those Forms by this name But indeed he intended not this for a general Definition of the Soul of man and therefore after he had lai'd down this particular Definition of the Soul lib. 2. cap. 1. he tells us expresly That that which we call the Rational Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or separable from the Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is not the Entelech of any Body Which he laies down the demonstration of in several places of all those Three books by enquiring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he speaks lib. 1. cap. 1. whether the Soul hath any proper function or operation of its own or whether all be compounded and result from the Soul and Body together and in this inquirie finding that all Sensations and Passions arise as well from the Body as from the Soul and spring out of the conjunction of both of them which he therefore calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being begotten by the Soul upon the Body he concludes that all this savours of nothing else but a Mateterial nature inseparable from the Body But then finding acts of Mind and Understanding which cannot be propagated from Matter or causally depend upon the Body he resolves the Principles from whence they flow to be Immortal which he thus sets down lib. 2. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is Now as for the Mind and Theoreticall power it appears not viz. that they belong to that Soul which in the former Chapter was defined by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it seems to be another kind of Soul and that onely is separable from the Body as that which is Eternal and Immortal from that which is Corruptible But the other Powers or Parts of the Soul viz. the Vegetative and Sensitive are not separable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some think Where by these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some which he here refutes he manifestly means the Platonists and Pythagoreans who held that all kinds of Souls were immortal as well the Souls of beasts as of men whereas he upon that former enquirie concluded that nothing was immortal but that which is the Seat of Reason and Understanding and so his meaning is that this Rational Soul is altogether a distinct Essence from those other or else that glory which he makes account he reaps from his supposed victory over the other Sects of Philosophers will be much eclipsed seeing they themselves did not so much contend for that which he decries viz. an exercise of any such Informative faculties in a state of Separation neither doe we find them much more to reject one part of that complex Axiome of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is sensitive is not without the Body but the Intellect or Mind is separable then they doe the other The other difficulty which Aristotle's opinion seems to be clogg'd withall is that Conclusion which he laies down lib. 3. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commonly thus expounded Intellectus patiens est corruptibilis But all this difficulty will soon be cleared if once it may appear how ridiculous their conceit is that from that Chapter fetch that idle distinction of Intellectus Agens Patiens meaning by the Agens that which prepares phantasmes and exalts them into the nature of intelligible species and then propounds them to the Patiens to judge thereof whereas indeed he means nothing else by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but onely the Understanding in potentia and by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same in actu or in habitu as the Schoolmen are wont to phrase it and accordingly thus laies down his meaning and method of this notion In the preceding Chapter of that Book he disputes against Plato's Connate species as being afraid lest if the Soul should be prejudiced by any home-born notions it would not be indifferent to the entertaining of any other Truth Where by the way we may observe how unreasonable his Argument is for if the
in my Spirit in the midst of my body and the Visions of my head troubled me I came near to one of them that stood by and asked him the truth of all this so he told me and made me know the interpretation of the things But that the Talmudists do maintain True Prophesie to have been communicated by Angels we shall further confirm from one place which is in Gemara Beracoth cap. 9. where the Doctors are brought in comparing Two places of Scripture which seem contradictory One of them is Numb 12. 6. In a Dream will I speak unto him the other is Zech. 10. 2. They have told false dreams which they solve thus R. Rami said It is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will speak to him in a dream and again They have told false dreams Now there is no difficultie at all in this For the first sort of Dreams came by the hand of an Angel and the other by an evil Genius And this Opinion is generally followed by the rest of the Jewish writers Commentators and others who thus compound the difference between those two famous adversaries Nachman and Maimon by granting a twofold appearance of Angels the one Real and the other Imanarie And so they say this Real vision of Angels is a Degree inferior to the Prophetical vision of them As we are told by R. Jehudah in the Book Cosri where having disputed Maam. 3. what hallowed minds they ought to have who maintain commerce with the Deitie he thus goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man be very pious and be in those places where the Divine influence uses to manifest it self the Angels will accompanie him with their Real presence and he shall see them face to face yet in an inferiour way to that Vision of Angels which accompanies the Prophetical degree Under the Second temple according as men were more endowed with wisdom they beheld Apparitions and heard the Bath Col which is a degree of Sanctitie but yet inferior to the Prophetical To conclude R. Bechai makes it an Article of faith to believe the Existence of Angels for this reason that Angels were the furnishers of the Prophetical scene and therefore to denie them was to denie all Prophesie so he in Parasha Terumah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because saith he the Divine influx comes by the ministrie of Angels who order and dispose the word in the mouth of the Prophet according to the mind of God And if 〈◊〉 were not so there would be no Prophesie and if no Prophesie no Law So Jos. Albo we may remember defin'd Prophesie by the immediate orderers of it the Angels But it is best to consult the Scripture it self in this business which declares all that way by which it descended from God to the sons of men The first place which Maimon in More Nev. Part. 2. cap. 42. brings for confirmation of this opinion is that of Genesis 18. v. ◠with the exposition of R. Chija which he leaves as a great secret But that which is more for his and our purpose is Gen. 32. 24. where Jacob wrestled all night with the Angel for so that man was as Hosea tells us and verse 1. The Angels of God met Jacob. Neither doth this Interpretation of that Lucta between the Angel and Jacob to have been only in a Prophetical Vision at all prejudice the Historical truth of that Event of it which was Jacobs halting upon his thigh For that is no very unusual thing at other times to have some Real passions in our bodies represented to us in our dreams then when they first begin Another place is Jos. 5. 13. Joshua lifted up his eyes and looked and behold a man stood over against him Again Judges 5. 23. Deborah attributes the command she had to curse Meroz to an Angel Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the Lord which words Kimchi would have to be understood in a literal sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Deborah was a Prophetess and so spake according to Prophetical inspiration and so Rabbi Levi Ben Gersom also expounds it Onkelos and Rasi with less reason I think make this Angel to be none else but Baruch Though I am not ignorant that sometimes the Prophets themselves are called Angels of God and thence Malachie the last of them had his Name yet we have no such testimonie concerning Baruch that ever he was any Prophet but only a Judge or Commander of the militarie forces In the first Book of Kings chap. 19. ver 11 12. we have a large description of this Imaginarie appearance of Angels in the several modes of it Behold the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind rent the Mountains and brake in pieces the Rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind an earthquake and after the earthquake a fire c. All which Appearances Jonathan the Targumist expounds by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Armies of Angels which were attended with those terrible Phaenomena And the still voice in which the Lord was he renders answerably to the rest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice of Angels praising God in a gentle kind of Harmonie For though it be there said that the Lord was in the soft voice yet that Paraphrast seems to understand it only of his Embassador which in some other places of Scripture is very manifest as in 2 Kings chap. 1. ver 3 15 16. where verse 3. we find the Angel delivered to Elijah the Message to Ahaziah King of Israel who sent to Baal-Zebub the God of Ekron to enquire about his disease But the Angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite Arise goe up to meet the messengers of the King of Samaria and say unto them Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye goe to enquire of Baal-Zebub And verse the 16 we have all this message attributed to God himself by the Prophet as if he had received the dictate immediately from God himself And in Daniel the Apocalypse and Zacharie we find all things perpetually represented and interpreted by Angels And Abarbanel upon Zacharie 2. tells us that several Prophets had several Angels that delivered the heavenly Embassie to them for that every Prophet was not so well fitted to converse with any kind of Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Prophet was not in a fit capacity of receiving Prophetical influence from any Angel indifferentlie but according to the disposition of the Receiver the degree and quality of the Angel was accommodated But I shall not further pursue this Argument In the general that the Prophetical scene was perpetuallie ordered by some Angel I think it is evident from what hath been already said which I might further confirm from Ezekiel all whose Prophesies about the Temple are expresly attributed to a man as the Actor of them that is indeed an Angel for so they used constantly to appear to the Prophets in an
out of them all as out of its elements compounded together For it is plain that he thought there was a kind of Prognostick virtue in Souls themselves which was in this manner to be excited which was the opinion of some Philosophers among which Plutarch laies down his sense in this manner according to the minds of many others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Soul doth not then first of all attain a Prophetical energie when it leaves the Body as a cloud but it now hath it already only she is blind of this Eye because of her concretion with this mortal body This Philosopher's opinion Maimonides was more then prone to however he would dissemble it and therefore he speaks of an impotency to Prophesie supposing all those Three qualifications named before as of the suspension of the act of some natural Facultie So Chap. 32. Meo judicio res hîc se habet sicut in Miraculis c. i. In my judgment saith he the matter here is just so as it is in Miracles and bears proportion with them For natural Reason requires that he who by his nature is apt to prophesie and is diligently taught and instructed and of fit age that such a one should prophesie but he that notwithstanding cannot doe so is like to one that cannot move his hand as Jeroboam or one that cannot see as those that could not see the Tents of the King of Syria as it is in the Story of Elisha And again Chap. 36. he further beats upon this String Si vir quidam ita comparatus fuerit nullum dubium est si facultas ejus Imaginatrix quae in summo gradu perfecta est Influentiam ab Intellectu secundùm perfectionem suam speculativam accipit laboraverit in operatione fuerit illum non nisi res divinas admirandas apprehensurum nihil praeter Deum ejus Angelos visurum nullius denique rei scientiam habiturum curaturum nisi earum quae verae sunt quae ad communem hominum spectant utilitatem This Opinion of Maimonides I find not any where entertained but only by the Author of the Book Cozri That which seems to have led him into this conceit was his mistaken sense it may be of some Passages in the story of the Kings that speak of the Schools of the Prophets and the like of which more hereafter But I know no Reason sufficient to infer any such thing as the Prophetical Spirit from the highest improvement of Natural or Moral endowments And I cannot but wonder how Maimonides could reconcile all this with the right Notion of Prophesie which must of necessity include a Divine inspiration and therefore may freely be bestowed by God where and upon whom he pleaseth Though indeed common Reason will teach us that it is not likely that God would extraordinarily inspire any men and send them thus specially authorized by himself to declare his mind authentically to them and dictate what his Truth was who were themselves vitious and of unhallowed lives and so indeed the Apostle Peter 2 Epist. Chap. I. tells us plainly They were holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Neither is it probable that those who were any way of crazed Minds or who were inwardly of inconsistent tempers by reason of any perturbation could be very fit for these Serene impressions A troubled Phansie could no more receive these Ideas of Divine Truth to be imprest upon it and clearly reflect them to the Understanding then a crack'd glass or troubled water can reflect sincerely any image to be made upon them And therefore the Hebrew Doctors universally agree in this Rule That the Spirit of Prophesie never rests upon any but a Holy and Wise man one whose passions are allay'd So the Talmud Masses Sanhedrin as it is quoted by R. Albo Maam. 3. c. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. The Spirit of prophesie never resides but upon a Man of Wisdome and Fortitude as also upon a rich and great man The two last qualifications in this rule Maimonides in his Fundamenta legis hath left out and indeed it is full enough without them But those other two qualifications of Wisdome and Fortitude are constantly lay'd down by them in this argument And so we find it ascribed to the Author of this Canon who is said to be R. Jochanan c. 4. Gem. Nedar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. R. Jochanan saies God doth not make his Shechina to reside upon any but a rich and humble man a man of fortitude all which we learn from the example of Moses our Master Where by Fortitude they mean nothing else but that Power whereby a good man subdues his Animal part for so I suppose I may safely translate that solution of theirs which I have sometime met with and I think in Pirke Avoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is the man of fortitude It is he that subdues his figmentum malum by which they meant nothing else but the Sensual or Animal part of which more in another Discourse And thus they give us another Rule as it were paraphrastical upon the former which I find Gem. Schab c. 2. where glancing at that contempt which the Wise man in Ecclesiastes cast upon Mirth and Laughter they distinguish of a twofold Mirth the one Divine the other Mundane and then sum up many of these Mundane and Terrene affections which this Holy Spirit will not reside with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine presence or Spiritus Sanctus doth not reside where there is grief and dull sadness laughter and lightness of behaviour impertinent talk or idle discourse but with due and innocuous chearfulness it loves to reside according to that which is written concerning Elisha Bring me now a Minstrel and it came to pass when the Minstrel played the hand of the Lord was upon him 2 Kings 3. Where we see that temper of Mind principally required by them is a free Chearfulness in opposition to all Griefs Anger or any other sad and Melancholy passions So Gem. Pesac c. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every man when he is in passion if he be a wise man his wisdom is taken from him if a Prophet his prophesie The first part of this Aphorism they there declare by the example of Moses who they say prophesied not in the wilderness after the return of the Spies that brought an ill report of the land of Canaan by reason of his Indignation against them And the last part from the example of the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 3. 15. of which more hereafter Thus in the Book Zohar wherein most of the ancient Jewish Traditions are recorded col 408. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold we plainly see that the divine presence doth not reside with Sadness but with Chearfulness If there be no Chearfulness it will not abide there as it is written concerning Elisha who said Give me now a Minstrell But from whence learn we that the Spirit
Prophesie and see all divine Truth that tends to the salvation of our Souls in the Divine light which alwaies shines in the Puritie Holiness of the New Creature and so need no further Miracle to confirm us in it And indeed that God-like glory and majesty which appears in the naked simplicitie of true Goodness will by its own Connateness and Sympathy with all saving Truth friendly entertain and embrace it CHAP. XII When the Prophetical Spirit ceased in the Jewish Church The Cessation of Prophesie noted as a famous Epocha by the Jews The restoring of the Prophetical Spirit by Christ. Some passages to this purpose in the New Testament explained When the Prophetical Spirit ceased in the Christian Church That it did not continue long proved by several Testimonies of the Antient Writers THus we have now done with all those sorts of Prophesie which we find any mention of And as a Coronis to this Discourse we shall farther enquire a little what Period of time it was in which this Prophetical Spirit ceased both in the Jewish and Christian Church In which business because the Scripture it self is in a manner silent we must appeal to such Histories as are like to be most Authentical in this business And first for the Period of time when it ceased in the Jewish I find our Christian writers differing Justin Martyr would needs perswade us that it was not till the Aera Christiana This he inculcates often in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There never ceased in your Nation either Prophet or Prince till Jesus Christ was both born and had suffered And so he often there tells us that John the Baptist was the last Prophet of the Jewish Church which conceit he seems to have made so much of as thinking to bring in our Saviour lumine Prophetico with the greater evidence of Divine authoritie as the promised Messiah into the world But Clemens Alexandrinus hath much trulier with the consent of all Jewish Antiquity resolved us that all Prophesie determin'd in Malachy in his Strom. lib. 1. where he numbers up all the Prophets of the Jews Thirty five in all and Malachy as the last Though indeed the Talmudists reckon up Fifty five Prophets and Prophetesses together Gem. Mass. Megil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rabbins say that there were 48 Prophets and 7 Prophetesses that did prophesie to the Iraelites Which after they had reckoned almost up they tell us that Malachy was the last of them and that he was contemporary with Mordecai Daniel Haggai Zacharie and some others whose Prophesies are not extant whom for their number sake they there reckon up who all prophesied in the second year of Darius But commonly they make only these Three Haggai Zacharie and Malachy to be the last of the Prophets and so call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Massec Sotah ch last where the Misnical Doctors tell us that from the time in which all the first Prophets expired the Urim and Thummim ceased and the Gemarists say that they are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the First Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opposition to Haggai Zacharie and Malachy which are the Last And so Maimon and Bartenor tell us that the Prophetae priores were so called because they prophesied in the times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the first Temple and the Posteriores because they prophesied in the time of the second Temple and when these later Prophets died then all Prophesie expired and there was left as they say only a Bath Kol to succeed some time in the room of it So we are told Gem. Sanhedrim c. 1. § 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Rabbins say that from that time the later Prophets died the Holy Spirit was taken away from Israel nevertheless they enjoyed the Filia vocis and this is repeated Massec Joma c. 1. Now all that time which the Spirit of Prophesie lasted among the Jews under the second Temple their Chronologie makes to be but Forty years So the Author of the Book Cosri Maam. 3. § 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. The continuance of Prophesie under the time of the second Temple was almost forty years And this R. Jehuda his Scholiast confirms out of an Historico-Cabbalistical Treatise of R. Abraham Ben Dior and a little after he tells us that after forty years their Sapientes were called Senators 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after forty years were pass'd all the Wise-men were called The Men of the great Synagogue And therefore the Author of that Book useth this Aera of the Cessation of Prophesie and so this is commonly noted as a famous Epocha among all their Chronologers as the Book Juchasin the Seder Olam Zuta as R. David Gantz hath summ'd them all up in his chronological History put forth lately by Vorstius The like may be observed from 1 Maccab. 9. 27. and chap. 4. 46. and chap. 14. 41. This Cessation of Prophesie determined as it were all that old Dispensation wherein God hath manifested himself to the Jews under the Law that so that growing old and thus wearing away they might expect that new Dispensation of the Messiah which had been promised so long before and which should again restore this Prophetical Spirit more abundantly And so this Interstitium of Prophesie is insinuated by Joel 2. in those words concerning the later times In those days shall your Sons and Daughters Prophesie c. And so S. Peter Acts 2. makes use of the place to take off that admiration which the Jews were possess'd withall to see so plentiful an effusion of the Prophetical Spirit again And therefore this Spirit of Prophesie is called the Testimonie of Jesus in the Apocalypse ch 19. According to this notion we must understand that passage in John 7. 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified To which that in Ephes. 4. He ascended up on high and gave gifts unto men plainly answers As likewise the Answer which the Christians at Ephesus made to Paul Acts 19. when he asked them whether they had received the Holy ghost That they knew not whether there was a Holy ghost that is whether there were any Extraordinary Spirit or Spirit of Prophesie restored again to the Church or not as hath been well observed of late by some learned men But enough of this We come now briefly to dispatch the second Enquiry viz. What time the Spirit of Prophesie which was again restored by our Saviour ceased in the Christian Church It may be thought that S. John was the last of Christian Prophets for that the Apocalypse is the latest dated of any Book which is received into the Canon of the New Testament But I know no place of Scripture that intimates any such thing as if the Spirit of Prophesie was so soon to expire And indeed if we may believe the Primitive Fathers it did not though it overliv'd S. John's time but a little
the Almighty and to establish an unbounded Tyranny in contradiction to the Will of God which is nothing else but the Issue and Efflux of his Eternal and Unbounded Goodness This is the very Heart of the old Adam that is within men This is the Hellish Spirit of Self-will it would solely prescribe laws to all things it would fain be the source and fountain of all affaires and events it would judge all things at its own Tribunal They in whose Spirits this Principle rules would have their own Fancies and Opinions their perverse and boisterous Wills to be the just Square and Measure of all Good and Evil these are the Plumb-lines they applie to all things to find out their Rectitude or Obliquity He that will not submit himself to nor comply with the Eternal and Uncreated Will but in stead of it endeavours to set up his own will makes himself the most real Idol in the world and exalts himself against all that is called God and ought to be worshipp'd To worship a graven Image or to make cakes burn incense to the Queen of heaven is not a worse Idolatry then it is for a man to set up Self-will to devote himself to the serving of it and to give up himself to a complyance with his own will as contrary to the Divine and Eternal Will When God made the World he did not make it merely for the exercise of his Almighty power and then throw it out of his hands and leave it alone to subsist by it self as a thing that had no further relation to him But he derived himself through the whole Creation so gathering and knitting up all the several pieces of it again that as the first production and the continued Subsistence of all things is from himself so the ultimate resolution and tendency of all things might be to him Now that which first endeavoured a Divorce between God and his Creation and to make a Conquest of it was that Diabolical Arrogancy and Self-will that crept up and wound it self Serpent-like into apostate Minds and Spirits This is the true strain of that Hellish nature to live independently of God and to derive the Principles from another Beginning and carry on the line of all motions and operations to another End then God himself by whom and to whom and for whom all things subsist From what hath been said concerning this powerful and dangerous Enemy that wars against our Souls and against the Divine Will may the Excellency and Noble Spirit of True Religion appear in that it tames the impetuousness and turbulency of this Self-will Then indeed does Religion perform the highest and bravest conquests then does it display the greatness of its strength and the excellency of its power when it overcomes this great Arimanius that hath so firmly seated himself in the very Centre of the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is the man of Courage and Valour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is he that subdues his Concupiscence his own Will it is a Jewish Maxime attributed to Ben Zoma and a most undoubted truth This was the grand Lesson that our great Lord Master came to teach us viz. To deny our own Wils neither was there any thing that he endeavor'd more to promote by his own Example as he tells us of himself I came down from heaven not to doe mine own will but the will of him that sent me and again Lo I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy will O God yea thy Law is within my heart and in his greatest agonies with a clear and chearful submission to the Divine will he often repeats it Not my will but thy will be done and so he hath taught us to pray and so to live This indeed is the true life and spirit of Religion this is Religion in its Meridian altitude its just dimensions A true Christian that hath power over his own Will may live nobly and happily and enjoy a perpetually-clear heaven within the Serenity of his own Mind When the Sea of this World is most rough and tempestuous about him then can he ride safely at Anchor within the haven by a sweet complyance of his will with God's Will He can look about him and with an even and indifferent Mind behold the World either to smile or frown upon him neither will he abate of the least of his Contentment for all the ill and unkind usage he meets withall in this life He that hath got the Mastery over his own Will feels no violence from without finds no contests within and like a strong man keeping his house he preserves all his Goods in safety and when God calls for him out of this state of Mortality he finds in himself a power to lay down his own life neither is it so much taken from him as quietly and freely surrendred up by him This is the highest piece of prowess the noblest atchievement by which a man becomes Lord over himself and the Master of his own Thoughts Motions and Purposes This is the Royal prerogative the high dignity conferred upon Good men by our Lord and Saviour whereby they overcoming this both His and their Enemy their Self-will and Passions are enabled to sit down with him in his Throne as he overcoming in another way is set down with his Father in his Throne as the phrase is Revelat. 3. Religion begets the most Heroick Free and Generous motions in the Minds of Good men There is no where so much of a truly Magnanimous and raised Spirit as in those who are best acquainted with the power of Religion Other men are Slaves and Captives to one Vanity or other but the truly Religious is above them all and able to command himself and all his Powers for God That bravery and gallantness which seems to be in the great Nimrods of this world is nothing else but the swelling of their own unbounded pride and vain-glory It hath been observed of the greatest Monarchs of the world that in the midst of their Triumphs they themselves have been led Captives to one Vice or another All the Gallantry and Puissance which the Bravest Spirits of the world boast of is but a poor confined thing and extends it self only to some Particular Cases and Circumstances But the Valour and Puissance of a Soul impregnated by Religion hath in a sort an Universal Extent as S. Paul speaks of himself I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me it is not determined to this or that Particular Object or Time or Place but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things whatsoever belong to a Creature fall under the level thereof Religion is by S. Paul described to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of power in opposition to the Spirit of fear 2 Tim. 1. as all Sin is by Simplicius wel described to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotency weakness Sin by its deadly infusions
and Love Secondly Of the Sense he felt of his loss Thirdly Of that Honour which he gave him or that Respect and Regard which he had unto him I shall speak a little of all these and then parallel our Case as well as I can to Both. 1. Observe Elijah's Eminency Superiority Dignity and Worth which is both signified in the word Father and also in the other Expressions the Chariot and Horsemen of Israel The Talmudists say of the word Abba which is near of kin as can be to this in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abba is a word of honour and glory even as Rabbi whence the Latine Abbas and our English Abbot have been derived to denote the greatest person in a Society And therefore whom he here calls Father is called verse 3 and 5. Master or Lord Know'st thou not that Jehovah will take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Lord or Master from thee today Elijah was the Head in the Body of the Prophets the Dux gregis a main leading man among the rest And this was by reason of his Wisdome Experience and gray-headed Understanding expressed in the word Father He was a Sage and grave person such an Head as was full of Prudence Skill Advice wherein were molded many sober and wise Resolutions many weighty and mature Determinations profound and deep Notions holy and pious Counsels for the teaching of rawer and greener heads He was one that did imitate God the Father of all and in some sort represent him here below being an Oracle among men And such Instruments God hath alwaies in the world Men of greater height and stature then others whom he sets up as torches on an hill to give light to all the Regions round about Men of publick and universal influence like the Sun it self which illuminates all and is not sparing of its beams Men whose Souls come into the world as the Chaldee Oracle speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clothed with a great deal of Mind more impregnated then others with Divine notions and having more teeming Wombs to inrich the world with the fruit of them Men of wide and capacious Souls that can grasp much and of inlarged open Hearts to give forth that freely unto men which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fatherly Mind as the same Oracle calls God hath given unto them that so in some sort they may become Fathers in the world in subordination to God The Sun of Righteousness Jesus Christ is described with seven stars in his right hand Revelat. 1. which were the Angels of the Churches Men its like who were adorn'd and beautified with more then ordinary brightness of Mind and Understanding and did sparkle with more then common heat of Love and Piety and did shine as Lights in the world in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Elijah was such an one and so was the other Elias John the Baptist a burning and a shining light and so also shall we find our Father that is deceased to have been 2. Take notice of the Care which Elijah took of Elisha and that first as a Master of his Scholar and secondly as a Father of his Son or if you will have both in one as a Fatherly Master Elisha calls him by this name of Father because he was his Scholar and they used commonly to give this title to their Masters or Teachers whence Pirke Avoth among the Jews Capitula Patrum is a Book that contains the wise Sayings Apophthegms of their Doctors And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament that which is received by Tradition from their Fathers signifies nothing else but what their Doctors and learned men in the Law delivered to them and therefore they are sometimes called the Traditions of the Elders Jubal is called the Father of such as handle the Harp Gen. 4. 21. which signifies the same with that which is said of his Brother verse 22. He was an Instructer of artificers in brass and Iron And hence Solomon saith so often My Son hear the instruction of a Father So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Father my Father in the Text is nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Master my Master Elijah taught and instructed him out of the Law but with such a care and Fatherly affection that Elisha was truly his Son as well as his Scholar one whom he loved and tendered whom he wrap'd as a child in his Mantle when he was following the plough whom he begot into another shape and made another man in whose heart he sowed the seeds of true righteousness and godliness that he might doe more good in the world For what God doth by Men that they many times are said to doe Hence the Apostles call Christians their little children and dear children whom they had travailed in birth withall till Christ was formed in them They lay in the Apostles wombs they brought them forth Christians and so were truly their Spiritual Fathers And we may still see such noble Souls which God continues amongst men whose mouths as Solomon saies are as a well of life whose lips feed many and whose tongues are as choice Silver Men that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common Fathers and will embrace every body as a Son so they be but willing to be taught that have the whole World for their School and are instilling wholesom notions and rectified apprehensions into mens Minds and implanting the Truth which is after Godliness in their hearts Men that in all meekness tenderness and Fatherly affection reprove those that oppose themselves that endeavour to bring them into their wombs that if it be possible they may beget the life of God and of his Son Christ in their Souls Men who cherish and foster the least gasping panting life that is in any Soul who endeavour to free this life from any obstructions that dull and oppress it and so in every sense prove themselves to be the true Fathers of the Church Common Fathers as before I expressed it neither bound up in themselves nor addicted to any particular Sect but minding the good of all Who think that they were not born for themselves nor to be linked to this or that Body or party of men but are to be perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect who doth good to all even to the evil and unthankful A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or natural affection there is in them which makes them think that every mans childe is their own and if they could hatch any heavenly life in them they would willingly cover them under their wings Such a person was S. Paul who went through fire and water had a pilgrimage through this world upon nothing but briers and thorns out of his great love that he bare to men The care of all the Churches lay upon him and no man could be weak but he was weak also no man was offended but