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
throughly acquainted with him knew well That as there was in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as'twas said of Solomon a largeness and vastness of Heart and Understanding so there was also in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free ingenuous noble Spirit most abhorrent of what was sordid and unworthy and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lxx. translate that Hebrew is the genuine product of Religion in that Soul where it is suffer'd to rule and as S. James speaks of Patience to have her perfect work The Style in this Tract may seem more rais'd and sublime then in the other which might be perhaps from the Nature and quality of the subject matter apt to heighten expressions but yet in this as in the other Tracts it is free from the Vanity of Affectation which a Mind truly ennobled by Religion cannot stoop to as counting it a Pedantick business and a certain argument of a Poorness and Weakness of Spirit in the either Writer or Speaker But if in this Tract the Style seem more magnificent yet in the Tenth and Last Discourse viz. Of a Christian's Conflicts and Conquests it is most familiar The Matter of it is very Useful and Practical for as it more fully and clearly acquaints a Christian with the more dangerous and unseen Methods of Satan's activity concerning which the Notions and Conceptions of many men are discovered here to be very short and imperfect so it also acquaints him with such Principles as are available to beget in him the greatest Courage Spirit and Resolution against the day of battel chasing away all lazy faintheartedness and despair of Victory This for the Matter The Style is as I said most familiar This Discourse was deliver'd in publick at Huntingdon where one of Queen's College is every year on March 25. to preach a Sermon against Witchcraft Diabolical Contracts c. I shall onely adde this That when he preach'd in lesser Country-Auditories particularly at Achurch near Oundle in Northamptonshire the place of his Nativity as it was his care to preach upon arguments of most practical concernment so was it also his Desire and Endeavour to accommodate his Expressions to ordinary vulgar Capacities being studious to be understood and not to be ignorantly wondred at by amuzing the People either with high unnecessary Speculations or with hard Words and vain Ostentations of Scholastick Learning the low design of some that by such arts would gain a poor respect to themselves for such and no better is all that stupid respect which is not founded upon Knowledg and Judgment He was studious I say there to speak unto men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edification and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what was significant and easie to be understood as the Apostle doth phrase it and to express his Mind in a way suitable to the apprehensions of Popular Auditories And as for the Discourses now published they also were delivered being College-Exercises in a way not less suitable to that Auditory and therefore it may not be thought strange if sometimes they seem for Matter and Style more remote from vulgar capacities Yet even in these Discourses what is most Practical is more easily intelligible by every honest-hearted Christian. And indeed that the whole might be made more familiar and easie and more accommodate to the use of any such I thought it would be very expedient as to cast the Discourses into Chapters so before every Chapter to propose to the Readers view the full Scope Sense and Strength of the principal Matters contained therein I could willingly have spared such a labour the greater when busied about the Notions and Conceptions of another and not our own if I had not conceived it to be greatly helpfull and beneficial to some Readers besides another advantage to them hereby viz. That they may the more easily find out and select any such particular Matters in these Discourses as they shall think most fit or desireable for their perusal Thus have I given the Reader some account of what seem'd fit to be observ'd concerning these Ten Discourses which now present themselves to his free and candid Judgment And now if in the reading of these Tracts enrich'd with Arguments of great variety there should occur any Passage wherein either He or I may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it need not be a matter of wonder for what Book besides that Book of Books the Bible has not something in it that speaks the Author Man It would not have displeased our Author in his life-time to have been thought less then Infallible He was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was no fond Self-admirer nor was he desirous that others should have his person his opinion and judgment in admiration he was far from the humour of Magisterial dictating to others not ambitious to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi as were and are the old the modern Pharisees nor of the number of those who are inwardly transported and tickled when others applaud their judgment and receive their Dictates with the greatest veneration and respect but very peevish and sowre disturb'd and out of order when any shall express themselves dissatisfied and otherwise minded or goe about modestly to discover their mistakes No he was truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Truth and of Peace and Charity He loved an ingenuous and sober Freedom of Spirit the generous Berean-like temper and practice agreeable to the * Apostle's prudent and faithful advice of proving all things and holding fast that which is good But to return It s possible that some Passages in these Tracts which seem dubious may upon a patient considering of them if the Reader be unprejudic'd one of a clear Mind Heart gain his assent and what upon the first reading seems obscure and less grateful may upon another view and further thoughts clear up and be thought worthy of all acceptation It is not with the fair Representations and Pictures of the Mind as with other Pictures these of the Mind shew best the nearer they are viewed and the longer the Intellectual Eye dwells upon them There is only one thing more which I ought not to forget to mind the Reader of and it is shortly this That he would please to remember that the now-published Tracts are Posthumous works and then affording that charity candour and fair respect which is commonly allowed to such works of Worthy men I nothing doubt but he will judge them too good to have been buried in obscurity although its likely if the Author himself had revis'd them in his life-time with an intent to present them to publick view they would have received from his happy hand some further polishing and enlargements He could have easily obliged the world with other Discourses of as valuable importance if he had liv'd and been so minded But it pleas'd the only-wise God in whose hand our breath is to call for him home to the Spirits of just
men made perfect after he had lent him to this unworthy world for about Five and thirty years A short life his was if we measure it by so many years but if we consider the great Ends of Life and Being in the world which he fulfill'd in his generation his great Accomplishments qualifying him for eminent Service and accompanied with as great a Readinesse to approve himself a good and faithful Servant to his gracious Lord and Master in heaven his life was not to be accounted short but long and we may justly say of him what is said by the Author of the Book of Wisdom concerning Enoch that great Exemplar of holiness and the shortest-liv'd of the Patriarchs before the flood for he lived but 365 years as many years as there are daies in one year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He being consummated in a short time fulfilled a long time For as the same Author doth well express it in some * preceding verses Honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time nor that which is measured by number of years But Wisdom is the gray hair unto men and an unspotted life is old age Thus much for the Papers now published There are some other pieces of this Author's both English and Latine which may make another considerable Volume especially if some papers of his in other hands can be retriv'd For my particular I shall wish and endeavour that not the least Fragment of his may be conceal'd which his Friends shall think worthy of publishing and I think all such Fragments being gathered up may fitly be brought together under the Title of Miscellanies If others who have any of his Papers shall please to communicate them I doubt not but that there will be found in some of his Friends a readiness to publish them with all due care and faithfulness Or if they shall think good to doe it themselves and publish them apart I would desire and hope that they would bestow that labour and diligence about the preparing them for publick view and use as may testifie their respect both to the Readers benefit and the honour of the Author's memory And now that this Volume is finished through the good guidance and assistance of God the Father of lights and the Father of mercies whose rich Goodness and Grace in enabling me both to will and to doe and to continue patiently in so doing notwithstanding the many tedious difficulties accompanying such kind of labour I desire humbly to acknowledge now that the severed Papers are brought together in this Collection to their due and proper places as it was said of the Bones scattered in the vally that they came together bone to his bone Ezek. 37. what remains but that the Lord of life he who giveth to all things life and breath be with all earnestness and humility implor'd That he would please to put breath into these otherwise dry Bones that they may live That besides this Paper-life which is all that Man can give to these Writings they may have a living Form and Vital Energy within us That the Practical Truths contained in these Discourses may not be unto us a Dead letter but Spirit and Life That He who teacheth us to profit would prosper these Papers for the attainment of all those good Ends to which they are designed That it would please the God of all grace to remove all darkness and prejudice from the Mind and Heart of any Reader and whatsoever would hinder the fair reception of Truth That the Reader may have an inward Practical and feeling knowledge of the Doctrine which is according to Godliness and live a life worthy of that Knowledge is the Prayer of His Servant in Christ Jesus JOHN WORTHINGTON Cambridge December 22. 1659. In this Epistle pag. vii lin alt for mouth to mouth r. face to face The CONTENTS of the several DISCOURSES in this Volume DISCOURSE I. Of the true WAY or METHOD of attaining to DIVINE KNOWLEDGE SEct. I. That Divine things are to be understood rather by a Spiritual Sensation then a Verbal Description or mere Speculation Sin and Wickedness prejudicial to True Knowledge That Purity of Heart and Life as also an Ingenuous Freedome of Judgment are the best Grounds and Preparations for the Entertainment of Truth Page 1. Sect. II. An Objection against the Method of Knowing laid down in the former Section answered That Men generally notwithstanding their Apostasie are furnished with the Radical Principles of True Knowledge Men want not so much Means of knowing what they ought to doe as Wills to doe what they know Practical Knowledge differs from all other Knowledge and excells it pag. 13. Sect. III. Men may be considered in a Fourfold capacity in order to the perception of Divine things That the Best and most excellent Knowledge of Divine things belongs only to the true and sober Christian and that it is but in its infancy while he is in this Earthly Body pag. 17. DISCOURSE II. OF SUPERSTITION THE true Notion of Superstition well express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an over-timorous and dreadfull apprehension of the Deity A false Opinion of the Deity the true Cause and Rise of Superstition Superstition is most incident to such as Converse not with the Goodness of God or are conscious to themselves of their own unlikeness to him Right apprehensions of God beget in man a Nobleness and Freedome of Soul Superstition though it looks upon God as an angry Deity yet it counts him easily pleas'd with flattering Worship Apprehensions of a Deity and Guilt meeting together are apt to excite Fear Hypocrites to spare their Sins seek out waies to compound with God Servile and Superstitious Fear is encreased by Ignorance of the certain Causes of Terrible Effects in Nature c. as also by frightful Apparitions of Ghosts and Spectres A further Consideration of Superstition as a Composition of Fear and Flattery A fuller Definition of Superstition according to the Sense of the Ancients Superstition doth not alwaies appear in the same Form but passes from one Form to another and sometimes shrouds it self under Forms seemingly Spiritual and more refined pag. 25. DISCOURSE III. OF ATHEISM THat there is a near Affinity between Atheism Superstition That Superstition doth not only prepare the way for Atheism but promotes and strengthens it That Epicurism is but Atheism under a mask A Confutation of Epicurus his Master-notion together with some other pretences and Dogmata of his Sect. The true Knowledge of Nature is advantageous to Religion That Superstition is more tolerable then Atheism That Atheism is both ignoble and uncomfortable What low and unworthy notions the Epicureans had concerning Man's Happiness and what trouble they were put to How to define and Where to place true Happiness A true belief of a Deity supports the Soul with a present Tranquillity and future Hopes Were it not for a Deity the World would be unhabitable p. 41. DISCOURSE IV. OF
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
portion in the World to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this nowithstanding their Sins Now that Maxime of theirs All Israelites have a portion in the world to come is taken out of the Mishnah l. Sanhedr c. 11. where it is put down as the most Authentick opinion of the Jewish Doctors only some Few there are there recited who are excepted from this happiness otherwise their greatest Malefactors are not excepted from it for so Obadias de Bartenora unfoldeth their meaning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even such as are judged by the great Synedrium worthy of death for their wickednesse these have a portion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world to come I know here that the Notion of The World to come is differently represented by Nachmanides and Maimonides and their followers But whether Maimonides his sect or the other prevail in this point it is not much material as to our present business seeing both sides conclude that this Seculum futurum or World to come points out such a state of happiness as should not revolve or slide back again into Misery And by the way we may observe what a Lean and Spiritless Religion this of the Jews was and how it was nothing else but a Souleless and Liveless form of External performances which did little or nothing at all reach the Inward man being nothing but a mere Bodily kind of drudgery and servility and therefore our Saviour when he modells out Religion to them Matth. 5. he points them out to Something fuller of inward life and spirit and such a one as might make them Perfect as their Father in heaven is Perfect Such dull heavy-spirited Principles as this Talmudical doctrine we have quoted affordeth us is very like began to possess the Chair in Antigonus his time who therefore put in this Caution against part of it That God was not to be served so much upon the account of Merit and for hope of Wages as out of Love though his Disciples Sadoc and Baithus the founders of the sect of the Sadducees straining that sober Principle too far might more strengthen that Mercenary belief amongst the other Doctors which they had before entertained But before I leave this Argument it may not be amiss to examine also what the Cabbalistical Jewes thought concerning this matter in hand which in summe is this That the Law delivered upon Mount Sinai was a Device God had to knit and unite the Jews and the Shechinah or Divine presence together Therefore they are pleased to stile it in the Book Zohar which is one of the ancientest monuments we have of the Jewish learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Treasures of life And as if the living God could be united to the Souls of men by such a dead letter as this was as it is stiled by the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. they are pleased to make this External administration the great Vinculum Dei hominis And to this purpose R. Simeon ben Jochai the Compiler of the fore-quoted Book which is a mystical Comment upon the Pentateuch discourseth upon those words Deut. 30. 20. He is thy life and the length of thy days upon which he grounds this Observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Shechinah or Divine Presence is no where established but by the Mediation of the Law and a little after he thus magnifies the study of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever doth exercise himself in the Law doth merit the possession of the upper inheritance which is in the holy kingdome above and doth also merit the possession of an inheritance here below in this World Where by the way we may take notice that the ancient Jews looked upon the Inheritances of the land of Canaan as being Typical and significative of an higher inheritance in the kingdome of heaven both which they supposed to be the due rewards of mens works and therefore they talk so much in the same place of Guardian Angels which are continually passing to and fro between Heaven and Earth as the Heralds and Messengers of Mens good works to God in Heaven And further upon those words in Levit. 18. 5. Ye shall keep my statutes and judgments which if a man doe he shall live in them he tells us That the portion of Israel is meritorious because that the Holy Blessed One delighteth in them above all the Idolatrous Nations and out of his favour and goodness to them gave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the laws of Truth and planted amongst them the Tree of life and the Schechinah was with them Now what doth all this signifie Thus much That since the Israelites are signed with the Holy seale in their flesh they are thereby acknowledged for the Sons of God as on the contrary They that are not sealed with this mark in their flesh are not the Sons of God but are the children of uncleanness Wherefore it is not lawful to contract familiarity with them or to teach them the Words of the Law Which afterwards is urged further by another of their Masters Whosoever instructeth any uncircumcised person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though but in the least precepts of the Law doth the same as if he should destroy the World and deny the name of the Holy Blessed One. All which plainly amounts to thus much as we had before out of the Talmudists That the Law was given unto the Israelites for this purpose To enrich them with good works and to augment their Merits so to establish the foundations of Life Blessedness amongst them and to make it a Medium of the Union betwixt God and Men as R. Eliezer in the same Book speaketh of the near Union between these Three the Holy Blessed One the Law and Israel There is one Passage more in our fore-named Author R. Simeon ben Jochai at the end of Parashah Jethro which though it be more Mystical then the rest yet may be well worth our observing as more fully hinting the Perfection of the Law setting that forth as an absolute and complete Medium of rendring a man Perfect upon which R. Jos. Albo in his third Book de fundament is hath spent two or three Chapters Thus therefore as if the Law was the great Magazine and Store-house of Perfection our foresaid Author there telleth us That when the Israelites stood upon Mount Sinai they saw God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye to eye or face to face and understood all Secrets of the Law and all the arcana superna inferna c. and then he adds That the same day in which the Israelites stood upon Mount Sinai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all uncleanness passed away from them and all their Bodies did shine in brightness like to the Angels of heaven when they put on their bright shining Robes to fit themselves for the Embassy upon which they are sent by God their Lord. And a little after thus And when their uncleanness passed away from them the bodies of the