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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44932	The spirit of prophecy a treatise to prove, by the wayes formerly in use among the Jews, in the tryal of pretenders to a prophetic spirit, that Christ and his Apostles were prophets : together with the divine authority of christian religion and the Holy Scriptures, the insufficiency of human reason, and the reasonableness of the christian faith, hope, and practice, deduced therefrom, and asserted against Mr. Hobbs, and the Treatise of Hvmane Reason / by W.H.	Hughes, William, b. 1624 or 5.	1679 (1679)	Wing H3346; ESTC R19799	183,906	298

endanger so great a loss for so small Pleasure or Profit as seem to be had thereby For in the Tract but now mentioned we find that those only of the Israelites who deny the Resurrection or the Descent of their Law from God or the Being of a Deitie or those that read Heretical Books or pretend to cure Diseases by Inchantment or expound the name Jehovah in the vulgar Language these I say and these only of all the Israelites should be excluded from eternal Life And were not the people very much obliged to their Rabbies for removing the Cherubims and flaming Sword which kept the Way of the Tree of Life against all other unhallowed Sinners yes verily that they were especially considering that if any of them were so ill-advised as to hazard this their Right to Heaven yet had they no cause to dispair of its recovery for either by Repentance in this life or by a twelve Months Penance in Purgatory and the Prayers of Survivors the Exemption might be taken ●ff and they recover their Portion in the World to come And what more likely than these Traditions to evacuate the Commandments When a Rewa●d is s●●ured to All who will work When Eternal Happiness is entailed upon All who will regard the Necessity of Holiness or take Care to follow it 'T is true indeed Antigonus Socensis forbad his Discipl●s to serve God on Condition of receiving Reward and required them to do it without any such Exp●ctation t is also true that for this he was applauded by divers of their Seraphick Rabbies yet the effect of it was fatal to the Truth in some and of no Force on the Practice of most of the Jews and for that Reason divers of their Wise men that liked his Opinion yet blamed the Publication of it they therefore thought it better to permit the vulgar to enjoy their Opinion that Good was to be done for Hope of a Reward and evil to be eschewed for fear of Punishm●nt But since they were assured of a Portion in Heaven they had not much Reason to fear the Torments of Hell For if their Traditions were true it was a very easie Matter for them to keep the Law the Pr●c●pts whereof they distinguished into two Sorts whereof they called the one Commands the other P●●hibitions The Commands they say a●e two hundr●d forty eight just so many as according to the Anatomy of the Rabbies there are Members in a mans Body but the Prohibitions are three hundred sixty five viz. as many as there are dayes in the Year or as they say there are Veins in the Body of a man and th●refore say th●y if any one Member of a mans Body doth every day fulfill one of the Commands and omit one of the things prohibited it will thence come to pass that not only the Decalogue but the whole Law of Moses shall be by them most excellently kept every Year throughout all Ages Though perhaps we Christians may laugh at and despise this their Obedience yet it seems they thereby did supererrogate as well as obey for Abravanel assures us it was an approved Opinion of their Wise men that Whosoever of the Israelites did any one Precept of the Law which is in his Power he should th●reby merit the chief Reward i. e. The Life of the World to come And what more apt than such a Perswasion to make men partial and languid in the Practice of Moral Vertue And so indeed we find them for the Religion of the most Devout and Strictest Sects among them did either degenerate into Formality or else evaporate in Hypocrisie It was dry and sapless dead and lifeless a meer Contexture of Ceremonies and External Performances a Sceleton or at best but a Carcass without any heat or Life of Divine Love in it a form of Godliness without the Power a shew of Piety a Device to seem religious without being so a meer bodily kind of Drudgery and Servility yet were they as confident of its Goodness and as fondly proud of the Advantages they thought they had thereby as if in very Deed it had b●en that which was required by God and confirmed by Miracles supported by Prophets and professed by their Forefathers throughout all preceding Generations and so obstinately did they adhere to it as that the severest calamities of War could not make them cease from it for Josephus reports that when Pompey was got into their City and Aristobulus his Faction had took Sanctuary in the Temple with a Resolution to defend it they would not oppose his raising of Bulwarks or Towers or planting his Engines against it on the Sabbath day because as they thought their Law allowed them not to resist an Enemy upon the Sabbath day unless he were actually ●●ghting against them the most imminent and th●eatening Preparations for War were not in their Judgment sufficient to warrant their Work or Acts of Hostility on that day Yea such was their Zeal for their Tradi●iona●y Religion as that when the Romans had taken the Temple and were killing whomsoever they met therein yet it being one of their dayes of Fasting Survivors would not desist from the exercise of it neither the Fear of Death nor the Dreadful fight of dead and dying Multitudes could affright them from Acts of Divine Worship but judging it better to die than to forsake their Altars or omit any thing prescribed by their Laws they were ready to suffer whatever the Conquerours thought fit to inflict And again afterwards when Pontius Pilate had brought the Effigies of Caesar into the City they grew so troublesome with their Importunity to have it removed as that Pilate threatened them with Death if they would not depart and be quiet whereupon casting themselv●s down before him and making bare their Throats they say●d unto him they could sooner endure Death with Pleasure than dare to suffer the Wisdom of their Laws to be sc●ssed at Since then their Zeal for their Religion was thus preposterous and servent it seems to me more than probable that they were apt thereby to be transported into Fury and Madness at Reasons and D●monstrations made by private men of its Shortness and Vanity yea that they could not with Patience bear those that did but so much as gently suggest it as appears yet more probable by the Explication their Gemara giv●s of Epicures viz. That they are those who contemn the Disciples of their Wise men and for that cause if they are Israelites they shall lose their Portion in the World to come What then think ye thought they of those who had the courage to cast Contempt on the Dogmata and Traditions of the Wise men themselves were they not looked on as Blasphemers o● God and Enemies to the Law of Moses Yes doubtless that they were for since the Jews were thorowly instructed not only to attribute a Divine Original and Authority to the Traditions of their Elders but also to believe that

down from its first and proper state to another far inferior Hereby it is evident that the Light of Nature discovers our fallen condition Herein I say where can Reason without Revelation find a promise of eternal happiness made unto us The vast Volumes of the Creation do not afford it the Book of Nature doth not contain it Where then will it look for it or can it possibly find it Here then this supposed Infallible Guide is at a stand it cannot carry us one step farther it is at such a loss as that it cannot tell us what to do or which way to go that we may g●t within the compass of a Promise of Salvation without which we walk in darkness and at all adventures and so our wandrings are like to be very tedious and troublesome indeed But what if they be the matter is not much for those who commit themselves to the guidance of their own Vnderstandings if they do commit themselves wholly to it are as safe on the left hand as on the right as secure of happiness in their Errors as others are who are otherwise guided even in the Truth which they happen to fall into Behold h●re the power of Reason how broad it makes the way to Heaven and how wide its gate it throwes it open and takes it on every side no matter with what it approach●th it Error as well as Truth if it be the dictate of our own understanding will let us into it What scrupulous Coxcombs then are those who ask with the trembling Jaylour Sirs What must we do to be saved Can they not wholly commit themselves to their own Understandings and then they would be saved right or wrong What though we be Turks Jews Heathens or Atheists in our perswasion it is no matter if we therein wholly commit our selves to the guidance of our own Understandings we are as secure of happiness in our Errors as others are who are guided even in the Truths which they happen to fall into For there is no danger of perishing but from Disobedience without which every man may often err the Commandment of God being not to find out truth especially every particular one but to Endeavour the finding it He commands no more but to search and ye shall find sayes be not every particular Truth for experience teaches us that cannot be the interpretation but whether you find or no the Truth which you search for you shall find the Reward of searching which is Happiness So that if your Understanding search and you do commit your selves wholly to the guidance o● it there is no danger of perishing from disobedience to the Laws even of God himself much less from Errour Well little did we think what an amulet we carry about with us and little did we know till this Treatise told us that such is the force and virtue of our Understanding as that if it doth what it may the most venomous errour cannot hurt us if it doth but search we shall be sure to find the reward of searching which is Happiness This indeed is a very comfortable Speculation but it falls out somewhat unluckily that He who acquainted us with it as it is to be feared spake without-book for the Promise is not made to searching but to seeking i. e. to Prayer and Devotion not to Study and Enquiry after Truth in Opinion It doth therefore give us no reason to think either that Happiness is the reward of such searching or that we shall ever find it thereby no though we commit our selves wholly to the guidance of our Understanding therein for if on those Terms men may attain to Salvation I cannot understand that St. Paul the Apostle was e're a whit securer of happiness than Saul the Persecutor for he verily thought with himself that he ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus This was the guidance of his Understanding and he wholly committed himself to it for even then he lived in all good Conscience Why then was not he as safe on the left hand as on the right i. e. while a Pesecutor as when an eminent Believer If he were why doth he magnifie the Mercy of God in his Conversion If he were not what reason have we to believe the now controverted and grand Assertion in this Treatise That therefore notwithstanding we conclude That since Christ and his Apostles were Prophets it is unreasonable to think our own Reason a sufficient Guide to Eternal Happiness Sect. 4. Hence also it follows That it is very reasonable for us to believe whatsoever Christ and his Apostles have undoubtedly taught us The reason of the consequence most manifestly is because they were Prophets and being Prophets they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and forasmuch as God cannot lye the truth of their doctrine must needs be beyond all question For such is the certainty of the Word of Prophecy as that St. Peter prefers it before the voice which he himself heard from Heaven when he was with Jesus in the holy Mount But can any thing be more sure than such a Voice No not in it self considered absolutely but unto us God is Truth and in him there is no Possibility of lying or Shadow of falshood all things therefore that come from him must needs be equally sure and certain infallible and true in themselves yet for all that one thing may have greater evidence of its descent and more apparent credentials of its Mission from him than another hath As for example St. John the Baptist and our Blessed Saviour were both sent from God but both did not give equal evidence of their Mission from him St. John did no Miracle but our Saviour wrought many and the Works that he did did bear witness of him that the Father sent him And as it is in Persons so may it be in several wayes of Revelation and so I conceive it is in those that now lye before us a Voice from Heaven and a Word of Prophecie The Question is not which is most true considered as in it self for so there can be no comparison between them but which of the two is most sure as to us i. e. which of them gives us the fairest Credentials of its coming from God St. Peter decides the question the Word of Prophecy And for this his decision he had the authority of the Jewes among whom it seems that in those dayes it was and perhaps still is a received Opinion That the Bath Kol filia vocis such as St. Peter speaks of was inferiour to the very lowest degree of Prophecy not in its truth as in it self considered but in motives of credibility to others hereof Maimonides insinuates this reason viz. because it may happen to such as are not prepared for Prophecy there were as we have shewed divers qualifications antecedently or concomitantly necessary to fit men for the Spirit of Prophecy and

Doctrine of the Antients to which is added a discourse of Physiognomy and Character of Countreys Written in French and now translated into Engli●h by J. G. Gent. of the Inner-Temple London the Second Edition Twelves 13. Lux Mathematica excussa Collisionibus J● Wallisii Tho. Hobbes multis sulgentissimis aucta radiis Authore R. R. Quarto 14. Principia Problema●a aliquot Geometrica ante desperata nunc breviter explicata demonstrata Autho. T. Hobbes 15. The American Physitian treating of all the Roots Herbs c. in America by W. H●ghes 16. The Great Law of Nature about Self-preservation vindicated against the abuses in Mr. Hobbes's Leviathan Twelves 17. Calliop●s Cabinet opened wherein all Gentlemen may be informed how to order themselves for Feasts Funerals and all Heroick meetings to know all degrees of Honour and how all degrees are to take place with a Dictionary for Herald-Terms Twelves 18. A Discourse of the Dukedome of Modena the Native Country of her Royal ●ighness the Dutchess of York Quarto 6 d. 19. Brevis Demonstra●io Proving the Truth and Excellency of the Christian Religion by Reason Recommended to all rational men by several eminent Divines in London Twelves 20. The Apophthegms or Witty Sentences of Sir Francis Bacon Price bound 6 d. 21. The Primitive Institution or a seasonable discourse of Catechizing wherein is shewed the Antiquity Benefits and Necessity thereof together with its suitablenss to heal the present distempers of the Church by L. Addison D. D. 22. The present State of the Jews wherein is contained an exact Account of all their present Customes Secular and Religious To which is annexed a Discourse of the Mis●a Talm●d and Gemara by L. Addison D. D. 23. Homers Works Translated out of Greek into English by Tho. Hobbes of Mal●sbury 24. The Golden Rule of Arithmetick made more easie than is commonly found in our Books of Arithmetick by C. H. Octavo 25. A Supplement or 3 d. Volumn to Mr. Hobbes's Works in Qua. 26. The Grounds of Sovereignty and Greatness in Quarto 27. a●●ra Regis Or The present State of ●ondon containing the Antiquity Frame Walls River Bridge Gates Tower Cathedral Officers Courts Customes Franchises c. of that City Octavo price 1 s. 28. A Sermon preached at the Funeral of a sober Religious man found drowned in a Pit since revised and inlarged by the Author 29. A Visitation Sermon preached at Chichester by W Howell Qua. 30. The School of Righteousness A Sermon preached before the King by His Grace the present Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Quarto price 6 d. 31. The Circumcision of the Great Turk's Son and the Ceremony of the Marriage of his Daughter sent over by the English Ambassador's Secretary 32. Scarron's Comical Romance or A ●ace●ious History of a Company of Stage-Players interwoven with divers choice Novells rare Adventures and amorous Intrigues Written in French by the Famous and Witty Monsieur Scarron now done into Engli●h by J. B. Gent. Fol. 33. A Letter about Liberty and Necessity Written by Thomas Hobbes of Mal●sbury to the Duke of Newcastle with Observations on it by the Bishop of Ely 1678. 34. A Modest plea for the Clergy of the Church of England Wherein is considered the Original Antiquity Necessity together with the occasion they are so slighted and contemned Octa. 1678. 35. A Treatise of Wool and Cattle shewing how far they raise or abate the value of Lands in England Quarto 36. An excellent Rationable Discourse of the Lawfulness to take Use for money by the Learned Knight Sir Robert Filmer and published with a Preface to it by Sir Roger Twisden 1678. 37. The Wonders of the Peak in Darby-shire called the Devi●s-Arse of Peak in Latin and English Octavo 1678. 38. The Reflections upon Antient and Modern Philosophy Moral and Natural Treating of the Egyptians Arabians Grecians Romans English Germans French Spanish Italian c. Philosophers and their Philosophy with the use to be made of it 1678. 39. Decameron Physiologicum or ten Dialogues of Natural Philosophy by Tho. Hobbes of Malmsbury To which is added the proportion of Straight Line to half the Arc of a Quadrant by the same Author 1678. 40. Melpomene or the Muses Delight being new Poems and Songs Written by the great Wits of our present Age. 1678. 41. Clelia an Excellent new Romance in 5 Parts in Fol. Plays Printed for W. Crook 1. White Devil or Vittoria Coromb●na 2. The old Troop or Monsieur Raggou 3. Catalines Conspiracy by ● Johnson 4. Amorous Gallant or Love in Fashion 5. Mock Duellist or The French Vallett 6. Wrangling Lovers or The Invisible Mistress 7. Tom Essence or The modish Wife 8. French Conjurer 1678. 9. Witts led by the Nose or The Poets Revenge 1678. 10. Rival King or The Loves of Oroondates 1678. 11. Constant Nymph or Rambling Shepherd 1678. 12. Counterfeit Bridegroom or Defeated Widdow 1678. 13. Tunbridge Wells or A days Courtship 1678. 14. The Man of New-Market 1678. Books Printed for W. Crook this Year 1679. 1. The Confinement A Poem with Annotations upon it Octavo price 1 s. 2. Praxis Curiae Admiralitatis Angliae Author Francis● Clark Edit Secunda Twelves price bound 1 s. 3. Justifying of Faith or the Faith by which the Just do live To which is added a Discourse of the Excellency of the Common-Prayer Book Octavo price bound 1 s. 4. The first State of Mahumadisme or an Account of the Author and Doctrines of that Imposture Octavo price bound 2 ● FINIS 1 Cor. 1. 22. Rom. 1. 22. Mark 8. 11. Vi● Grot de V●rit Relig. lib. 2. §. 21 Col 1. 26. ● Cor. 2. 4 5. Deut. 18. 5. Act. 3. 22. Act. 7. 37. Joh. 20. 21. De fund L●g cap. 7. Numb 7. 89. Numb 12. 8. Exod. 33. 11. Numb 12. 8. Exod. 33. 1 ● Numb 9. 8. Deut. 5. 30 31. Heb. 2. 10 Isa 11. 2. 3 Q. 11. ● 1. Joh. 16. 13. Luk. 21. 14 15. Chap. 1. Rev. 1. 5. Part. 4. §. 9. Vid. Theodoret Ser. d● Fide p. 16 Joh. 3. 32 33. Acts 1. 8. R. M. Maimonides de fund Legis c. 2. Sect. 8. cum Vorstii not Idem c. 7. Sect. 2. Mar. 16. 15. Luke 24. 45. Act. 25. 6. More N●voc p. 2. cap. 36. Vid. Smiths Dis● of Prophecy cap. 2. Vid. Rob. Steph. Job Buxtorf Lex in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to let loose * Nic. Creed 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10. Apol. 2. Deut. 18. 18. De Arcanis cath verit l. 8. c. 7. Acts 3. 22. Luke 24. 19. Jo● 6. 14. J●● 4. 19. v. 42. v. 2● 1 Cor. 2. 10 Joh. 16. 7 13. Act. 2. 1. c. Joel 2. 28. Act. 2. 16. ●ph●s 3. 4 5. Hobb●s Leviat●an p. 3. ● 36. Luc. Flor. Clem. Alex. Stro. lib. 1. idem ibid. Alex. ab Alex. gen dier lib. 4. c. 17. id lib. 3. cap. 16. Plutarch de plac Phil. l. 5. c. 1. Maimon Mor. Nov●ch p. 3.