the holy place every year with bloud of others For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the World But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation To which you may adde that of Peter For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God And 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous and he is a propitiation for our sins And if he was so in S. Iohn's time why not alwaies Furthermore Romans 5.6 For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly He saies not by the ungodly but for the ungodly which therefore cannot be allegorized but into Nonsense Like that verse 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Is any one reconciled by killing the Holy Life the Mystical Christ in him Wherefore it is plain that in S. Paul's time the Humane Person of Christ was the high Priest who was an Atonement with God by the sacrifice of himself And God has not declared any where that he has or ever will put him out of his Office till his coming again to Iudgement when he shall appear the second time without sin unto Salvation as you heard out of the Author to the Hebrews that is When he shall not bring his sin-offering with him viz. an earthly mortal body capable of Crucifixion but shall appear as a glorious Judge to complete Salvation to all them that truely believe in him and expect his joyful coming at what time he shall finish the Redemption of our Bodies and translate us to his everlasting Kingdome in Heaven 2. And that this Office of a Iudge is assured to his Humane person is plain from what we recited out of the Acts namely That God has given assurance to all men that he will judge the world by the man Jesus in that he has raised him so miraculously from the dead Which is that very Son of man that shall appear on his throne accompanied with his Angels Matth. 25. And assuredly none will deny but that he who sitteth at the right hand of God will come thence to judge the quick and the dead But it is this crucified Iesus that for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebr. 12.2 To which truth S. Peter also witnesseth in the Acts. Where that very Iesus whom the Jews delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate is said to be received into Heaven until the time of Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the World began This implies that at the utmost fulfilling of the Periods of time he will again appear and finish the Mysterie of Righteousness and perfect Salvation to his people at the last according as he has promised John 6. No man can come to me except the Father which has sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day Which certainly is to be understood of his Humane person forasmuch as for that very cause he has made him Judge of Life and Death as appears Chap. 5. ver 26. For as the Father hath life in himself so likewise he hath given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man Now when he saith No man can come to me except the Father draw him it is manifest that by the Father is meant the Eternal hidden Deity whose workings and preparations within every mans Soul fit him to join with Christ's humane person the visible Head of the Church of God otherwise if by Christ were here understood the Eternal Word it would not be good sense For that is that which draws not the thing drawn to in this place Again whereas he saies He will raise him up at the last day it is evident that it is not morally or mystically to be understood but literally otherwise it could not be defer'd till the last day but should be done in this Life Nor can it be understood of the day of the service of the Love For then the sense would be That they that believed on Christ some sixteen hundred years agoe should become Familists now or rather some others for them which Promises are insipid and ridiculous Wherefore it is this Son of man to whom God hath also given power to execute judgment And the very same certainly is he that is represented on the great white Throne from whose face the Earth and Heaven fled away Rev. 20. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in those Books according to their works And the Sea gave up the dead which were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works And Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire Hell i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here the Region of the dead and the whole frame and phrase of the matter here contain'd doth so plainly import that the Judgment is concerning those that are dead whether drowned in the Sea or buried in their Graves or in whatever other circumstances quitted this mortal life that this truth of Christ's visible coming to Judgment cannot be concealed or eluded by any Allegorical fetches whatsoever 3. Nor have our inconsiderate Adversaries any thing to alledge for their rebellious despising of the Humane person of Christ unless two or three grosly-mistaken places of Scripture Such as Hebr. 11. v. 26. where Moses is said to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Aegypt and Chap. 13. v. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Out of which passages they phansie to themselves such a Christ only as was as well in Moses's time as now and was ever the same from the beginning of the World and ever will be But they plainly in these Texts raise Mountains of Molehills For the simple and genuine sense of the former is nothing but this That Moses bare such reproaches as Christ and the firm professors of Christ bear which he uses as an argument of Patience to the Hebrews from the example of Moses unless you will interpret the place upon the supposition of Christ being the Prefect of Israel before his
lovely as he could in those notable ornaments of Wit and Manners and other more miraculous accomplishments that were found in that person But his constant devotions he did to the Sun though they shew him to be a very skilful and orthodox Hierophanta in the Pagan Superstition yet his ignorance in Philosophy demonstrates him no genuine Pythagorean but that he did craftily abuse that name and profession the better to promote his Heathenish design 6. It seems those Spirits that the Indian Magicians and Apollonius were acquainted withall were either very Envious or very Ignorant or at least Philostratus that wrote their Story For in the opening of their Mysteries such things fall from them as are inconsistent with the most Essential parts of Pythagoras his Philosophy and Truth it self But as for this of making the Sun the Supreme Numen these lapsed Spirits being haply as much concerned in the benefit of it as we Mortals as Homer intimates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He rose to shine to Gods as well as men it is not improbable but being fallen so low from the true God that themselves make this the Object of their Worship from whom they finde the most sensible good and are kept from that utter darkness that a sad fate at the long run may bring upon them 7. All which things considered we may well grant what Macrobius so industriously drives at That the worship of the Heathen was terminated in One Supreme Deity which the profounder Mystagogi conceiv'd to be the Sun and they were taught by the Clarian Oracle to call him Iao as if he were the true Iehovah CHAP. II. 1. That the above-said concession advantages the Pagans nothing for as much as there are more Suns then one 2. That not only Unity but the rest of the Divine Attributes are incompetible to the Sun 3. Of Cardan's attributing Understanding to the Sun 's light with a confutation of his fond opinion 4. Another sort of Apologizers for Paganism who pretend the Heathens worshipped One God to which they gave no name 5. A discovery out of their own Religion that this innominated Deity was not the True God but the Material world 1. BUT it is easily demonstrated that they get nothing by this grant For whereas they please themselves most of all in the Unity of this Numen there being as they fancy but one Sun in the world as the Latine word Sol implies and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek Nay Macrobius dotes so much on this Notion that he will not have him called Apollo Delphicus from the place of his worship but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an old Greek word which signifies Unus from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be derived quasi jam non unus yet the noble and free Spirit of Philosophy will not be carried captive with these cobweb-fetters of Superstition and verbal Criticism and therefore those that are more knowing in Nature boldly point us to as many Suns as there are discovered Fixed Stars in the Firmament as is to admiration made clear in that never-sufficiently-extolled Philosophy of Des-Cartes Then which if rightly understood there cannot be found a stronger bar against either the Folly of Paganism or the Profaneness of Atheism 2. But not only this obvious Attribute of Unity is wanting to this Pagan Deity but several others also that are as necessarily included in the Notion of a God such as are Sprituality Immensity Omnipotency Omnisciency and the like For the reflexion of his beams is a demonstration that Light is a Body and therefore unless all Bodies were Light or at least diaphanous he cannot be Immense but he must be excluded by other Bodies And hence he is not Omnipotent no not so much as in his most eminent Property For he cannot illuminate both sides of the Earth at once nor free his own face of those importunate spots that ever and anon lie upon it like filth or scum maugre all the power of his Divinity as Scheiner and Des-Cartes have diligently observed He is also so far from being Omniscient that he has no knowledge at all a Body being uncapable of Cogitation as the Cartesian School judiciously maintains and I have fully demonstrated in my Book Of the Immortality of the Soul 3. But Cardan attributing Understanding to this Luminary writes more like a Priest of the Sun as indeed both himself and his Father have been suspected for Magicians then a man of Reason or a sound Philosopher But that the charge may not seem incredible I will produce his own words Cumque Sol luceat intellectu saies he qui ei est tanquam anima si ab eo secedere posset Intellectas non aliter luceret Sol quà m Terra That is And whereas the Sun shines by Understanding which is to him as a Soul if so be that Understanding should recede from him the Sun would shine no otherwise then the Earth In which he plainly makes Visible light and Intellect all one From whence yet it would follow That the Sun discerns nothing done in the dark and that therefore he is not Omniscient and that a Glow-worm or Rush-candle are better witnesses what is transacted in the Night then he can be For if Visible light and Intellect be all one every new-lighted Lamp or Taper will prove an Intelligence So vain is this Supposition that the Sun is the supreme Numen of the World 4. But there is another sort of Apologizers for Heathenism that frame their Defence more cautiously averring only in general That the various Rites done to Particular Deities were meant to One Supreme Cause of all things though they have the discretion not to venture to name him For the proof whereof they alledge First that when they invoked any particular Deity that was proper for them then to invoke the Priests afterwards added an invocation of all the Deities in general as Servius notes upon that of Virgil Diique Deaeque omnes studium quibus arva tueri Secondly that all the Deities were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is there were Altars that were consecrated to them all in general with such Inscriptions as these DIS DEABUSQE OMNIBUS and DIBUS DEABUSQE OMNIBUS and the like Thirdly that they had one common Feast for them all which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mr. Selden notes Lastly The Aegyptians a people more infamous for Polytheism and variety of Religions then any nation under the cope of Heaven yet their Priests are observed more compendiously to do their Ceremonies to certain Spheres or round Globes whereof there was one in every Temple but kept very close from the sight of the vulgar the Priests reserving the knowledge of the Unity of the Object of their worship as an Arcanum only belonging to themselves 5. But that This One Object of Worship was not the true God but the Material World the very figure they make use of does most naturally intimate and
of two flight shot but could not see the face of God by reason of the hot gleames and glorious raies that streamed from those veils of light But God laid his hand upon him to refresh him which felt exceeding cold 7. In this congress he received the Law from God and many wonderfull secrets but he glories most of all that in this night he had conferr'd upon him Five things which no man before or after ever had First That God then made him the first and most chief Creature in Heaven and in Earth Secondly That he should be the most excellent and most honourable amongst the Sons of Adam at the day of Iudgment Thirdly That he should be the general Redeemer of the World Fourthly That he should have the knowledge of all tongues Fifthly and lastly That he should be victorious and carry away the spoils of war 8. We see how high Mahomet has mounted himself how much Political craft is intermix'd with this fanatical figment For Enthusiastick madness as it is never disjoined from the highest kinde of pride even there where it seems to be most humble For the attributing nothing to it self but that all its knowledge and power is immediately from God is nothing else but an ostentation of an higher kind of Power and more infallible way of knowledge then other Mortals have of which this Vision of Mahomet's is a lively Representation so it has very often strange and unexpected fetches of fraud and guile in it such as would not easily come into the mind of an ordinary sober man Whereby an Enthusiast amongst rude people if he be not quite crackt but be of an active spirit and have opportunity offered him may doe wonderfull things in the world such as no sober man could ever atchieve or dare to attempt Such is the case of this Mahomet who in the midst of his fanatical madness wilde mirth insatiable lust and ambition Poetical raptures and Martial fury lai'd the foundation of that mighty Empire that all the world stands amazed at at this day The first step to which was that Enthusiastick phrensie that emboldened him either to think or at least to profess himself The Last and Greatest Prophet that ever God would send into the World For the bold inculcation of this seconded with many occasional fetches of wit to save himself when his impostures were discovered carried the business successfully with that rude nation he had to deal with 9. As for that Pride that accompanies Fanatical madness I must confess there were others had their minds set as high on that rack as he I mean David George he of Amsterdam the Peruvian Doctour and others who affected the same Title and Office with him and it may be being more throughly mad at least some of them did more firmly believe themselves to be That great Prophet God would send into the world then Mahomet did But Mahomet having a more governable Enthusiasm in him and a more Martial and Political Spirit and what is chiefest of all better opportunity of playing his game as having to deal with rude and illiterate people his success did not only exceed theirs but prov'd so admirable as it might have become a True Prophet indeed CHAP. X. 1. That Mahomet was no true Prophet discovered from his cruel and bloudy Precepts 2. From his insatiable Lust. 3. From his wildeness of Phansy and Ignorance in things What may possibly be the meaning of the black speck taken out of his Heart by the Angel Gabriel 4. His pretence to Miracles as his being overshadowed with a cloud when he drove his Masters Mules 5. A stock of a Tree cleaving it self to give way to the stumbling Prophet The cluttering of Trees together to keep off the Sun from him as also his dividing of the Moon 6. The matters hitherto recited concerning Mahomet taken out of Johannes Andreas the Son of Abdalla a Mahometane Priest a grave person and serious Christian. 1. BUT that he was not a true Prophet but a mere Political Enthusiast of a vafrous and versatil wit with a little smack of cracktness and Lunacy is very deprehensible as well from his Immorality as his Ignorance of things and the Wildness of his Phansy I shall give some few Instances of each And to the First I refer his Cruelty in giving Laws to butcher all men that would not presently turn to his Religion Which Precept is set down in the Alcoran as also in Zuna Occidite homines quousque omnes Mauri fiant And that they may act this Tragedy more zealously and not be affraid of being kill'd themselves he promised them so great a joy in that death besides their speedy entrance into Paradise and feasting it there with their Creatour that they would even willingly leave Paradise and come again into the flesh to be capable again of so great joy as that kinde of Death affords them 2. Besides that he was thus Cruel he was also insatiably Venereous as may be gathered by several acts of his as his taking away his servant Zeydin's wife from him whenas himself had no less then nine at home already of his own and Zeydin but this one In the book Azear and Assameil he is said to have fifteen wives and extolled for his virility in that he had to doe with them all in one hour He committed Adultery also with one Marina a Jewish girle which was given him of fifteen years of age and being caught in the act by Axa and Hafeza the two chiefest of his wives and chid for it he swore to them he would never meddle with her again but his Lust being stronger then the obligation of an oath his two wives found him at that unlawfull game once more whereupon Mahomet enlarged the Laws of Matrimony to save his own credit and made it lawfull for all his followers to have to do with their maid-servants He is said also when he had already seven wives to have married that Axa at six years of Age and to have lyen with her when she was but eight years old Finally at last he set no bounds to his lust but taught the people he might lie with whom he would though he kept them within a certain stint whereby he was not so kind as David George that permitted this freedom to all his followers as well as to himself 3. His Wildness of Phansy and Ignorance in things is evident in several passages as his making Mary the Mother of Iesus the Sister of Moses and Aaron in asserting the Stars to be hung in golden chains and that the biggest of them are no bigger then a great mountain in affirming that God has established the Earth on a Bulls horn and that the shaking of his head is the cause of Earthquakes This Mahomet delivers in the Book Zuna where also he teaches how when a man is buried two black Angels come unto him and force him to raise himself on his knees and to put on his
contrary to what he has pronounced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a week without any thing added to it does alwaies signifie a week of days unless in a Prophetical Scheme the Days of the week signifie Years as it does here in Daniel See Genes 29. v. 27 28. Exod. 34. v. 22. Levit. 12. v. 5. Numb 28. v. 26. Deut. 16. v. 9 10 16. 2 Chron. 8.13 Ierem. 5.24 In all these places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a week of days wihtout 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to it Nor is there any example where it has such an addition but these two produced by himself of which we have given an account Eighthly and lastly Mr. Mede's Synchronisms are apodictically true to any one that has but a competency of wit and patience to peruse them But according to these Synchronisms the continuance of the conculcation of the outward Court the mournful prophecies of the Witnesses the Woman in the Desart the ten-horned and two-horned Beasts the sealed Servants of the Lamb the Whore of Babylon the Succession of the first six Trumpets the continuance I say of all these is circumscribed within the space of Three years and an half if the 1260 days be but Days and not Years as Grotius would have it Which is a thing impossible especially if we consider that Beasts are in the Prophetical scheme of speech Polities or Kingdomes not Persons and therefore unconceivable to be so short-lived as to last but Three years and an half To which you may adde That the chief matters of the Apocalypse are comprehended within this Synchronisme and that it is a wonder that there is no mention of Years in all this Book saving of the Millennium but onely of Months or Days and half a day Which is a shrewd presumption that the computation of Years is hidden under these Terms where they signifie any definite time at all Wherefore I think it is as clear as the light that Days in Prophecy do sometimes signifie Years Nor see I any reason why Time may not as well as Things and Actions be figuratively expressed by the Prophets 3. The greatest cavils that can be made against Mr. Mede's way I conceive are either against his dividing the Apocalypse from the Fourth Chapter to the end of the Book into Two Systems of Prophetical Visions the one containing the Fate of the Empire the other of the Church and both beginning from one Epocha or else against his interpretation of the time of the killing of the two Witnesses or lastly against his making the Beast out of the bottomless pit chap. 11. the same with the Beast out of the sea chap. 13. The greatest thing objected against the first is That one of his chiefest marks of the beginning a new Series of Prophecies fails him For whereas he argues from chap. 10. vers 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a running over the same space of time again and that à carceribus ad metam and from v. 8. The voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again which he would parallel with chap. 1. v. 10. and with chap. 4. v. 1. the former whereof is the beginning of the Prophecy of the Seven Churches the latter of the Seven Seals It is objected against the second mark that it is defective in that this Voice is not joyned with the mentioning of a Trumpet as those two to which he would parallel it are I confess if the mention of a Trumpet had been here joyned the beginning of the Prophecy a-new had been notoriously plain and palpable Indeed too plain for a book of Prophecies that the Wisdome of God has used so much artifice to obscure But this half-indication was enough to such as God had made fit and thought the time seasonable to unriddle the mystery But methinks there are other indications of the beginning of a new Systeme of Prophecies that may in a good measure compensate the imperfectness of this I shall but briefly intimate them As First the extraordinary Majesty of that Angel that has this opened Book of Prophecies in his hand his description being not unlike that of his that had the sealed Book Revel chap. 4 and 5. And then Secondly this new Book of Prophecies seems naturally to imply a new Systeme of Prophecies distinct in kind as well as in volume the one suppose containing the Affairs of the Empire the other of the Church Which things though different in nature yet running parallel in time it is reasonable to conceive that the second Book of Prophecies reaches up to the same Epocha with the first Which in the Third place is further intimated by the oath of the Angel who swears there shall be no more time but that the Mysterie of God shall be finished at the sounding of the Seventh trump Which pronouncing that there will be no more time certainly is meant of the time and times and half a time which shall then be expired and which was pointed at by Daniel the servant and Prophet of God Which is the reason of the adding of those words as he has declared to his servants the Prophets And lastly that you may be still more sure that the Prophecy begins again from the first Epocha there is not onely this more light and general mention of the Seventh Trumpet which is the last period of the sealed Book but also a distribution of it into Seven thunders as there was of the Seventh seal into Seven trumpets And this mighty and illustrious Angel who though he be not one of the Seven properly so called and here is onely said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet he immediately succeeding the Sixth is in some sort the Seventh and may well sustain the person of the Seventh for this bout he seeming also to continue his roaring all the time the Seven thunders utter their voices The last of which it 's likely may be Thunder properly so called namely that final Conflagration of the world and the setting the earth on fire by Thunder and Lightning And surely when the Prophecies of the Seals have reached to this last Catastrophe he must be very scrupulous that will make any doubt but that the Prophecies of the opened Book begin again from the first Epocha of the Revelation To all which you may adde That Mr. Mede's Synchronisms do not depend upon this Hypothesis but on the contrary prove by undeniable evidence that it is more then an Hypothesis even a necessary Truth resulting from the demonstration of the said Synchronisms 4. As for the Three days and an half that the Witnesses are said to lye slain there are scarce any now so ignorant as not to be ashamed to conceit these days to be natural days and these Witnesses to be any two particular men But the Objection is against them that will acknowledge them to be three years and an half as Mr. Mede does how it can be
such lame imperfect nay as I said impossible Interpretations Wherefore the Vindication of the Method of Mr. Mede in interpreting this Book is really the rescuing of the Book it self into that power and use it ought to have in the Church For it is a standing Light to all Ages thereof and the greatest to the last Nor do those Expressions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all infringe the Truth we have declared or import that all the matters in the Apocalypse appertain to either the Destruction of Ierusalem or to Rome Heathen For as for the former it seems very needless to spend many Visions upon it our Saviour having prophesied of it so clearly before and with all usefull circumstances that could be desired How vain therefore is it to imagine so many Visions spent thereupon in this Book that are not only obscurer then our Saviour's Prophecie but so obscure that they are now not tolerably applicable to the known Events and therefore must be utterly useless to the Church because they could neither forewarn them of any thing before the Event nor be a Record of God's foresight and Providence after it And for the latter I say there are Visions plain and express enough concerning Heathen Rome and her bloudy persecuting the Church in the battel of Michael and the Dragon The first six Seals also appertain to that time while Rome was Heathen the Sixth whereof signifies the mighty change of things to the advantage of the Church the Empire becoming Christian. Wherefore there is no want of Visions for Heathen Rome nor any but what were very significant and usefull as all the six Seals and the Vision of Michael and the Dragon are Which encourage the Church to be patient under those Ten bloudy persecutions in assurance that at last they should have the victorie over their persecuting enemie And what could they desire more to be signified then this in such general Prophecies as these Nay I say further they might have counted the nearness of their deliverance by the posture of the Beasts that were the Praeco's of the four first Seals observing from what quarter such Emperours came as bore the greatest similitude with the Riders of the red black and pale Horses and when the Persecution was the highest their Hopes were the clearest and the Event nearest as appears from the easie meaning of the Fifth and Sixth Seal So that there are Visions enough concerning the Romane Empire while it was Pagan so far forth as it concerned the Church And why should there not be Visions that concern the Empire when it was turned Christian and Paganized again under Christianity and in this Apostasie cruelly oppressed and persecuted the true members of Christ Why should not this State of things be prophesied of as well as the former To this there are but these two Answers to be given Either that the Church is not apostatized or that those Phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do plainly signifie that the scope of the Apocalypse reaches not so far The former answer I could wish were solid but have no leisure here to dispute it The latter I conceive is very weak and unsatisfactory and from an inference as ridiculous as his would be that upon the report that such a Comedy or Tragedy was to be acted half a quarter of an houre hence which I think is very quickly should conclude that all the Acts and Scenes thereof would not be a quarter of an hour long And to make use of the suffrage of our very Adversaries Grotius himself interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the whole series of Visions but of some of them only and particularly of the Destruction of Ierusalem and othersome they are fain to expound of such Events as have hapned but two hundred years ago and of such as are not to come to pass before the End of the World Which is a demonstration of the insolidity of this Exception against Mr. Mede's method of interpreting this Book Whose meaning for the general we having cleared from all possible prejudices let us now consider the important Usefulness thereof 2. In the first place therefore in my apprehension it is the clearest and plainest conviction that can be offered to the Understanding of a man That there is a special Providence over the Church of God and That there are Angels the Ministers of this Providence to consider how there has been the communication of Prophecies concerning the affairs of the Church and Family of God by the ministry of Angels appearing to his Servants the Prophets from Abraham's time the Father of the faithfull to this very age and onwards the truth of the Events plainly lying before our eyes either in things that still continue or are to be read in undoubted History Which is a sign that those Prophets who said they did commune with Angels did not commune with their own Fancies but had real conference with those Celestial Inhabitants As Abraham certainly had Gen. 18. where the Angel tells him That in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed namely by Christ who was of his seed Nor did Daniel when he was by the River Ulai talk with his own shadow as the truth of the Event proves but with an Angel As also Gabriel was who imparted to him the Prophecie of the Seventy weeks then which nothing can be more accurately answering to the Event To which you may add those Angels that appeared to him on the banks of the River Hiddekel the Event of whose predictions are partly come to pass and partly now fulfilling under the Time and Times and half a Time which also are almost expired and are the Period of the latter times pointed at by those numbers 1290 daies and 1335 daies mentioned by the Angel on the banks of the river Hiddekel as Mr. Mede has I think very solidly interpreted Which general intimations in Daniel's Prophecies are more particularly and more fully set out in the Apocalypse of S. Iohn who also plainly professeth himself to have had conference with Angels and his Visions suting the Events so punctually it is a demonstration of both the continued Providence of God over his Church and of the Existence of those Angelical Beings Which is the First great Fruit and Use of this Book of the Apocalypse that he that reads and rightly observes the exact applicableness of the Visions to the Event cannot doubt of the Existence of God and of his Holy Angels nor of his Special Providence over the Church I might add also nor of the Souls Immortality Christ appearing so plainly to Iohn and speaking to him in these words I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keys of hell and death that is of raising men at the last day c. To which you may
that are so transported and overcome with those Allusions and Allegorical Reflexions as such high Attainments that they think themselves illuminated above the capacities of all other Mortals being more pleased with the gaudy colours of the Rainbow then with the pure light which is reflected thence Which yet all true Christians plainly see and feel in the simplicity of its own nature without any such cloudy refractions and know that the rest is not the dictate of the Spirit but the mere service of Phansy lending its aid to the setting forth of divine Perceptions And yet this slight sallad is the chief food this pretended Prophet feeds his followers withall and the greatest demonstration of his being extraordinarily called and inspired 5. For as for Miracles he never did any as you may see in that Book of his Life entituled Mirabilia Dei where nothing miraculous is recorded unless a certain Prophetical Dream wherein he seemed to be frighted together with some devotional expressions after he awakened out of it as also a lucky escape out of the hands of his Persecutors who haply being not so vigilant as they might be the phrase of the story makes them struck with blindness and lastly his witty questions and answers to the Priest or Confessor when he was a child wherein he does so fully utter the chief of his Doctrine that he seems as wise at eight years old as ever he was since though he lived to a very considerable Age. But any one that has any insight in things may easily discern that the Discourse was never intended for a true History but a spiritual Romance So that as petty businesses as these are they have no assurance of their truth 6. Now for his Pretensions of being the most eminent Preacher of Perfection it is a mere Boast For whether he means by Perfection Love which is the perfection of the Law it cannot be more clearly and advantageously preached then it is in the New Testament by Christ and his Apostles And what Comparison is there betwixt such a Teacher of Love who being the declared Son of God by Signes and Miracles gave his life out of dear compassion to mankind and a soft Fellow that onely talks fine phrases to the World Or whether he pretend to a more general Perfection in the divine Graces or holy Life whose Root is true Faith in God and his Promises through Christ and the branches Charity Humility and Purity it shall appear anon that as for true Faith he is perfectly fallen from it and that he is as a dead tree pulled up from the root And for the present it is evident also out of his own writings not to charge him with accusations out of others that he is far from being perfect either in Charity Humility or Purity For what greater sign of Uncharitableness then to charge all men that are not of his Communialty to be of the Synagogue of Satan and children of the Devil and what greater Pride then to prefer himself before Abraham Moses and Christ and make as if he were God himself come to judge the World with his thousands of Saints and Seraphims And lastly what greater Symptoms of Lust Impurity then to be sunk down from all sense and presage of a life to come To say nothing of his complaints in his Glasse of Righteousness of such as came in to spy out their liberty and his lusty animations against Shamefacedness and Modesty in men and women and their shiness to such acts as ordinary Bashfulness is loath to name Which in my apprehension are very foul spots in that Glasse of his as if it had been breathed upon by the mouth of a menstruous Woman 7. But there is also a more subtil Uncleanness from which who is not free if he knew his own weakness he would be ashamed to profess himself perfect and that is the Impurity of the Astral Spirit in which is the Seat and Dominion of unruly Imagination Hence are our Sidereal or Planet-strucken Preachers and Prophets who being first blasted themselves blast all others that labour with the like impurity by their Fanatick Contagion Those in whom Mortification has not had its full work nor refined the Inmost of their natural Complexions are subject to be smitten and overcome by such Enthusiastick storms till a more perfect Purification commit them to the safe custody of the Intellectual Powers Wherefore let this pretended Prophet boast as much as he will of his glorious Resurrection from the dead it is manifest to the more perfect that he has not yet so much as passed through that Death that should have led him to the unshaken Kingdome of Truth and letten him in to the immovable Calmness and serene stilness of the Intellectual World where the Blasts and Blusters of the Astral Spirit cease and the Violence of Phansy perverts not the faithful representations of Eternal Reason For God is not in these fanatick Herricanoes no more then he was in the tempestuous Wind Earthquake or Fire that passed before the Prophet Elias But the Divine Truth is to be found in that still small voice which is the Echo of the Eternal Word not urg'd upon us by that furious Impulse of complexionall Imagination but descending from the Father of lights with whom there is no shadow of change This was an Attainment out of this Boasters reach of which he had not the least sense or presage and therefore was wholy given up to the hot scalding Impressions of misguided Phansy in his Astral Spirit Which being strangely raised and exalted in this false light has a power by words or writings to fire others and to intoxicate them with the same heat and noise in their enravished Imagination whereby that still and small voice of Incomplexionate Reason cannot be heard CHAP. XIV 1. That neither H. Nicolas nor his Doctrine was prophesied of in Holy Scripture That of the Angel preaching the Everlasting Gospel groundlesly applied to him 2. As also that place Iohn 1.21 of being That Prophet 3. His own mad Application of Acts 17. v. 31. to himself 4. Their Misapplication of 1 Cor. 13. v. 9 10. and Hebr. 6. v. 1 2. to the Doctrine of this new Prophet 5. Their arguing for the authority of the Service of the Love from the Series of Times and Dispensations with the Answer thereunto 6. That the Oeconomie of the Family of Love is quite contrary to the Reign of the Spirit 7. That the Author is not against the Regnum Spiritûs the Cabbalists also speak of but onely affirms that this Dispensation takes not away the Personal Offices of Christ nor the External comeliness of Divine Worship 8. That if this Regnum Spiritûs is to be promoted by the Ministry of some one Person more especially it follows not that it is H. Nicolas he being a mere mistaken Enthusiast or worse 1. AND therefore being blinded with the wind and dust of this Fanatick Tempest they are carried on
much success in the Christian World and though I have faithfully and industriously discovered the matter unto you yet I must profess that I conceive it not in my power nor any ones else to prevent the sad effects thereof That can only be by a true and sincere Reformation of Heart and Minde into the ancient and Apostolick Life and Doctrine For there is nothing so recommendable to Mankinde as the Christian Faith in the native Plainness and Simplicity thereof nor any thing so horrible and detestable as that vizard that the Depravedness of Christendome has put upon it Which Face of things if it continue Atheism having seized on so great a Proportion it is prone to conjecture that what remains may be easily swallowed up of Familism or of some such parallel Plague of the Church and so the right Faith in Christ may quite be laid asleep never to awaken till there is no use thereof I mean till men be affrighted into a belief by an universal Thunder and Lightning from Heaven and the glorious Appearance of the Son of man in the Clouds to recompence the good and to adjudge the wicked to everlasting Fire For the Counsels of God as his Prophecies are two-handed and both of them in some cases have a meaning conditional But as I desire so I hope the best and it is a great ease to my minde that I have so freely declared what I conceive tends so much thereto BOOK VII CHAP. I. 1. That the Subject of the Third part of his Discourse is The Reality of the Christian Mystery 2. That the Reasonableness of Christian Religion and the constant Belief thereof by knowing and good men from the time it is said to have begun til now is a plain Argument of the Truth thereof to them that are not over-Sceptical 3. The Averseness of slight and inconsiderate Witts from all Arguments out of Prophecies with their chiefest Objections against the same 4. That the Prophecies of the Messias in the Old Testament were neither forged nor corrupted by the Jews 5. An Answer to their Objections concerning the Obscurity of Prophecies 6. As also to that from Free Will 7. That all Prophecies are not from the fortuitous heat of mens Phansies but by divine Revelation proved by undeniable Instances 8. A particular reason of true Prophets amongst the Iews with some Examples of true Prophecies in other places 9. A notable Prophecie acknowledged by Vaninus concerning Julius Caesar's being kill'd in the Senate 1. WE are come now to the Third Part of our Discourse wherein the doubtfull Dawnings of this great Mystery we are clearing up will break out into a fuller Light and the Progress of Truth will be like that of Righteousness that shineth more and more till perfect Day The Possible as also Reasonable Idea of Christianity which I have hitherto represented is but as the Seminal Forme of a Plant hid in the seed under ground but we shall now exhibit it as it were to sense shot up into open view and demonstrate That this Possible Idea has already arrived to a Real and actual Existence in the World Which being a matter of so great consequence we will not huddle it up at once nor yet make any steps more for pomp then for use and the fuller conviction of the Truth we are to prove 2. And truly the very first step I shall make or rather have partly made already I hope to any indifferent man will seem not a little considerable We have very amply and intelligibly declared how highly Reasonable the Frame of our Religion is how becoming and consistent all those things are that Christ is recorded to have done or suffered Add therefore to the Reasonableness of the thing it self the constant and perpetual Tradition thereof for true and that it has been so seriously believed in all Ages that as well the Learned as Unlearned as well the Noble as Ignoble have been ready nay have actually laid down their Lives for a witness thereof And methinks no man that is not over-Sceptical but this Consideration should fetch off his assent For the Fame of those things that are seriously reported and constantly believed by knowing and judicious men cannot rationally be called into question unless the things themselves affirmed seem unreasonable or else over-artificial and in too trim and cunning a dress of Reason That the things recorded are very Reasonable I have already demonstrated And how little of the cunning Artifice of either Logick or Rhetorick they partake of I dare appeal to any that peruse them Wherefore if any man persist in his Unbelief the impediment is not in the Mystery offered to him but in himself that has no desire it should be true either out of Pride as not being willing to find himself to have been ignorant hitherto of the true Religion or out of the love of either the Pleasures or Profits of this present World which the Belief of Christianity does naturally curb But we proceed to what is still more close and cogent That the Iews have for this many hundred years expected and do still expect him whom they call their Messias every one knows as also that this name Messias is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence our Religion is denominated Wherefore if I can prove That this Messias is already come and that Iesus whom we worship is that Christ I have then performed the Promise of the Third Part of my Discourse which is to prove That Christianity the Idea whereof I have hitherto described is not a mere Idea but a real Truth Which first I shall attempt from Prophecies after from History the comparing of both which together will be so strong an Argument that to the unprejudiced it cannot appear less then a perfect Demonstration 3. I know some are of so impatient and superficial a Spirit that they vilifie the very name or mention of Prophecies as arguments of no validity because they cannot find themselves at leisure to weigh the force of them But if they will rationally speak against them they must alledge some of these four Objections viz. That either they are often forged or at least corrupted by some wily Politicians to serve some State-design Or are so obscure that there is no certain sense or meaning of them Or if there be that it does not infallibly import that things thus predicted will surely come to pass there being so great dependance of the affairs of the World upon the actings of men Or lastly to strike home that there never was nor ever will be any Prophecies from any extraordinary Inspiration but that some men have very hot Phansies and their minds running on future things vent what they think and their Predictions like Dreams sometimes prove true sometimes false and that the report of those that have hapned true has begot that false perswasion of there being Prophets in the World 4. Such slight Considerations as these doe marvellously gratifie the Light-minded
Peace and Concord no not in Christendome it self neither in the Church nor State nor is Idolatry extirpated nor the Israelites replanted and setled in their own land all which things notwithstanding are foretold to come to pass in the dayes of the Messiah Whence say they it is plain he is not yet come But I briefly answer 1. That the Prophetical Promises of the coming of the Messiah were absolute as I have already noted the Extent of the Effect of his coming conditional men being free Agents and not fatal Actors in all things as the Iews themselves cannot deny 2. That the nature of the Gospel tends altogether to the accomplishing of those Promises of universal Peace and Righteousness and did begin fair in the first times of the Church as much as respects the Church it self 3. That whatever Relapse or Stop there has been things are not so hopeless but in time they may be amended and that they in those days when they are true Converts to Christ may if they will then desire it return to their own Land But after this serious conversion and real renovation of their Spirits into a true Christian state I cannot believe they will continue so childish as to value such things but will find themselves in the Spiritual Canaan already and on their march to that Ierusalem which is above the Mother of us all and that it will not be in the power of any but themselves to turn them out of the way 2. The other Objection or rather Evasion of that wholesome use that may be made of the Truth of the History of Christ is from that sort of Atheists that love to be thought Aristoteleans For there are two chief kinds of Atheisme Epicurean and Aristotelean The former denies all Incorporeal substance whatsoever and all Apparitions Miracles and Prophecies that imply the same Who are sufficiently confuted already by this undeniable declaration we have made The other are not against all Substances Incorporeal nor against Prophecies Apparitions and Miracles though of the highest nature insomuch that they will allow the History of Christ his Resurrection and Appearance after death the Prophecies concerning him and what not But they have forsooth this witty Subterfuge to save themselves from receiving any good therefrom in imagining that there is no such Particular Providence as we would inferre from hence because all this may be done by the Influence of the Celestial Bodies actuated by the Intelligences appertaining to each Sphere and deriving in a natural way from him that sits on the highest of the Orbs such influences as according to certain Periodical courses of Nature will produce new Law-givers induing them with a power of working Miracles assisting them by Apparitions and Visions of Angels making them seem to be where they are not and appear after they cease to be namely after their death when in the mean-time there be neither Angels nor Souls separate but all these things are the transient Effects of the power of the Heavens and Configuration of the Celestial bodies which slacks by degrees and so the Influence of the Starres failing one Religion decaies and another gets up Thus Iudaisme has given place to Christianity and Christianity in a great part of the World to Mahometisme being Establishments resulting from the mutable course of Nature not by the immediate finger of God who keeps his throne in the Eighth sphere and intermeddles not with humane Affairs in any particular way but onely aloof off hands down by the help and mediation of the Celestial Intelligences and power of the Starres some general casts of Providence upon the Generations of the Earth 3. A goodly speculation indeed and well befitting such two witty Fools in Philosophy as Pomponatius and Vaninus the latter of which seems not to give himself up to this fine figment altogether fully and conformably to the ancient doctrine of Aristotle but having a great pique against Incorporeal Beings is desirous to lessen their number as much as he can and seems pleased that he has found out That one only Soul of the Heavens will serve as effectually to do all these things as the Aristotelean Intelligences and therefore ever anon doubts of those and establisheth this as the onely Intellectual or Immaterial Principle and highest Deity but such as acts no otherwise then in a natural way by Periodical Influences of the Heavenly Bodies Where you may observe the craft and subtility of the man what a care he has of his own safety and how he has imprisoned the Divinity in those upper rooms for fear of the worst that he may be as far out of his reach as the Earth is from the Moon So cautious a counseller in these matters is an evil and degenerate Conscience 4. This is the chiefest Arcanum that the Amphitheatrum and famed Dialogues of this stupendious Wit will afford who was so tickled and transported with a conceit of his own parts that in that latter Book he cannot refrain from writing down himself a very Good for wisdome and knowledge Whenas assuredly there was never any mans Pride and Conceitedness exceeded the proportion of his wit and parts so much as his For there is nothing considerable in him but what that odd and crooked Writer Hieronymus Cardanus had though more modestly vented to the world before onely Vaninus added thereto a more express tail of bold Impiety and Prophaneness 5. I have elsewhere intimated how the attributing such noble Events to the Power of the Starres is nothing but a rotten relick of the ancient Pagan Superstition and have in my Book Of the Immortality of the Soul plainly enough demonstrated that there is no such inherent Divinity in the Celestial Bodies as that ancient Superstition has avouched or modern Philosophasters would imagine And I shall here evidently prove against this great Pretender That his removal of the Deity at that distance from the Earth is impossible For there are scarce any now that have the face to profess themselves Philosophers but do as readily acknowledge the Motion of the Earth as they do the reality of the Antipodes or the Circulation of the Bloud I would aske then Vaninus but this one question Whether he will not admit that the Sun is in that Heaven where he imagins his Anima coeliâ— and whether this Heaven be not spred far beyond the Sun and be not also the Residence of this celestial Goddess of his There is none will stick to answer for him that it is doubtlesly so Wherefore I shall forthwith inferre that let his unskilful phansy conceit us at this moment in as low a part of the Universe as he will within the space of six months we shall be as far above or beyond the Sun as we are beneath him now and yet then phansy our selves as much beneath him as before Which plainly implies that our Earth and Moon swim in the liquid Heavens which being every where this Deity of Vaninus must be every
obliged the world so that all due homage and divine reverence to the Person of Christ must be laid aside and this bold Impostor silence the constant faith of Christians by his high pretensions of being the Head and Father of such a Family whose Inscription must be Love who with this Family of his is God and Christ and Cherubims and Seraphims Angels and Arch-Angels already busie in their office of judging the quick and the dead and gathering the elect from all the corners of the Earth 5. But in my apprehension at the very first sight he shews himself very injudicious if not malicious in making a difference betwixt the true Houshold of Faith and Family of Love besides his gross and impudent injustice in usurping that badge of honour to himself that was won by another in a field of bloud For as I was going to say what has this H. N. done to merit this title more then in scribling many fanatical Rhapsodies of unsound language abusively borrowed from the sacred Scriptures and in perverting the sense and supplanting the end by his wicked elusions and vain Allegorical evasions and so under pretense of beginning an higher dispensation of Righteousnes and Religion in the world then ever was yet treacherously introducing in stead of true Religion nothing but Sadducisme Epicurisme and Atheisme This voluminous Enthusiasme of his together with the gracing of the Family with the splendour of his crimson habiliments is all I find that can pretend to any contestation or competition with the true Master of Divine Love or to any obligation of his Followers 6. I must confess our Saviour compiled no Books it being a piece of Pedantry below so noble and Divine a person But that short Sentence which he writ with his own most precious bloud As I have loved you so love you one another is worth millions of Volumes though written with the truest and sincerest Eloquence that ever fell from the pen of an Oratour Nor did he wear any gay Clothes but when by force the abusive souldiers put a scarlet robe upon him indespight and mockery Nor was he resplendent in any colours but what was the die of his own bloud in his solemn and dreadful Passion when he was so cruelly scourged when out of agonie of mind he sweat drops of bloud when he was nailed to the Cross and the lance let bloud and water out of his side All which ineffable and unsupportable torments this innocent Lamb of God suffered for no demerit of his for what thank is it to suffer for a factious Impostor or open evil doer but out of mere compassion and hearty love to mankind that he might by this bitter Passion of his and the glorious consequences of it his Resurrection and Ascension gain us to God And now let all men judge if there can be possibly any Authour or pretended Instructer of the World in that holy and divine Love indeed comparable to the Lord Iesus who has given this unparallel'd demonstration of his love unto us CHAP. III. 1. The occasion of the Familists usurpation of the Title of Love 2. Earnest precepts out of the Apostles to follow Love and what kind of Love that is 3. That we cannot love God unless we love our neighbour also 4. An Exposition of the 5 and 6 verses of the 1 chapter of the 2 Epist. of S. Peter 5. Saint Paul's rapturous commendation of Charity 6. His accurate description thereof 7. That Love is the highest participation of the Divinity and that whereby we become the Sons of God And how injurious these Fanaticks are that rob the Church of Christ of this title to appropriate it to themselves 1. HEarken therefore to me yet that would follow after righteousness ye that seek the Lord Look unto the rock whence you were hewen and to the hole of the pit from whence you were digged Look upon him whom ye have pierced and whose bloud is the seed of the Church whose Spouse was taken out of his side as Eve out of the side of Adam Acknowledge your original and recount with your selves the price of your Redemption even the inestimable bloud of that immaculate Lamb Christ Jesus The sense whereof is the strongest cement imaginable to unite us to our Saviour and one unto another But the Church having been given up so long a time to bitter factions and persecutions to warre and bloudshed and all manner of enmity and hostility one against another it is no wonder if a stranger has invaded that Title which she may justly be thought to have either refused or forfeited For my own part I know not how to apologize for either the fond opinions or foul miscarriages of the Wilderness of Christendome But sure I am That the Banner over the true Spouse of Christ is Love That Love is the badge and cognoscence of all his faithful members by which they are known to be His living members indeed That Love and Peace is the last Legacy which was left to the disciples by their dying Lord and Master an inheritance entailed upon all the true sons of God for ever That Love is the fulfilling of the Law and has filled almost every page of the Gospel and all the Writings of the Apostles and when they speak of Faith it is none other Faith then that which worketh by Love 2. Out of the many repetitions and inculcations of this holy and heavenly Vertue I was a gleaning out some to present you withall for an evidence how serious the Gospel of Christ is and how sufficient in the urging of his indispensable duty We go on therefore and adde to what we have already cited these following places Galat. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love And if Circumcision be nothing without Faith working by Love what can Baptizing or Rebaptizing or any external ceremony be without this true Faith whose life and spirit is Love which the Apostle directs us to And after v. 13 14. For brethren ye have been called unto liberty only use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another For all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Where this Law of Love is so carefully described that the abuse of this Title to Lust and Libertinisme is plainly excluded against such as talk so much of Love and are but Libertines at the bottom Which caution also is very soberly and prudently put in by S. Iohn Ep. 1. chap. 5. v. 2. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his Commandements Which is a plain demonstration that that Love which Saint Iohn exhorts to so copiously in his Epistle is a Love purely divine and such as no man can be assured he doth practise unlesse he keep all the Commandements of God For even a carnall man may love the Children of
of Conscience the advantage of an honourable and comfortable subsistence for those that labour in the word and doctrine that is to say he is obliged in all reason and conscience to continue it where it is and to raise it whereever it is wanting And I am very confident it is either gross Fanatical ignorance or the hidden malice of Satan against the kingdome of Christ acting either in profane and Atheistical persons or such as are not cordially Christians that suggests any thing to the contrary For the less any Religion is underpropped by External force the more able ought their Heads and Tongues to be that are only by their learning eloquence and innocency of life to support it And the present Ages having so much wit and so little sense of Piety he that will undertake to give a good account of his Religion and to answer all Opposers though the Scruples and Controversies be but concerning that which is plainly in the Scripture he ought to have leisure and vacancy from the affairs of the World to prepare himself and continue his dexterity in this kinde For that tedious buzz and noise of the Spirit has now I think made it self so ridiculous that no prudent man will listen to such lazy Impostures Every one is to give a reason of his faith but Priests or Ministers more punctually then any their Province being to make good every sentence of the Bible to a rational Enquirer into the Truth of those Oracles Who therefore can sufficiently attend these things and be to seek for bread for himself and his Family How unjust and sordid a temper therefore are those persons of that could be content to leave the Clergy to work for their living Any inferiour fellow may talk and prate phrases and make faces but when a sober man would be satisfied of the grounds from whence they speak we shall hear no news of any thing but the Spirit and railing against carnal Reason though it be no soft flesh but hard and penetrant steel and such as pierces them to the very heart for all their contempt and slighting of it 5. And verily while I consider the unreasonableness and ill consequence of this kinde of Enthusiasme I cannot but think the Vigilancy of the Christian Magistrate should extend to this also amongst other things to suppress and keep under all Sects and Religions that hold of so Fanatick a tenour that is to say that profess they believe against the Christian Faith from the illumination of such a Spirit as they can give no account of viz. such as does not illuminate their Reason whereby their doctrine may be accountable and intelligible to others but only heat them and make them furious against the Christian Church For besides the hazarding of making a whole Nation mad for seriously it is an infectious disease if not the very possession of the Devil there may some damnable plot lie under it against Christianity and the State For it is a more easie thing to heat the Phansies of the vulgar then to inform their Iudgements though this tends to sober edification that to confusion and destruction In brief there are these two very bad things in this resolving of matters into the immediate suggestion of the Spirit not acting upon our Understandings First it defaces and makes useless that part of the Image of God in us which we call Reason and secondly it takes away that special advantage that Christianity has above all other Religions that she dare appeal to so solid a Faculty And therefore he that takes away the use of Reason in Religion undermines Christianity and laies it as low as the basest Superstition that ever appeared in the World 6. Now therefore to return I say To talk at the rate of these blinde Illuminati that do not so much as pretend to any solid satisfaction in what they say requires no study nothing but heat and impudency and a careless insensibility of what they said last or whether one thing will hold with another But he that so speaks as ready to give a reason of what he delivers and indeed of all things that are already delivered in the Scriptures so plainly as that it appears what the meaning is for it is no prejudice that there be some depths beyond the present reach of men this man certainly ought not to be tied up to the cares of the world by being put to labour for his bread but ought to have a liberal certain and honourable allowance But to contemn the Christian Clergy or to endeavour to make them contemptible by impoverishing them and forcing them to base terms of living smels exceeding rank of Prophanenesse Atheisme and Infidelity and the railing at them and calling them Mercenary because they have a just maintenance allowed them is assuredly the voice of that envious Accuser of the brethren who by those villainous reproaches and calumnies would undermine and pull down the Kingdom of Christ in the world by striking at the necessary props and supporters of it the Ministry of the Gospel whose subsistence ought to be independent of the People that may reprove the more freely and that there may be no temptation to either unworthy connivances or to the sophisticating the doctrine of Christ by sweet poison to inveigle the rich and to untie their purse-strings what they thus pay being the price of their own Souls betraied into the hands of such canting Mountebanks 7. Fifthly The Christian Magistrate ought also to continue and erect where there wants publick Schools of Learning For the more knowing his Subjects are the more certainly will they keep to Christianity and the more easily will others come off to the same Faith Nothing comparable to this for the preventing all delusions and impostures in Religion Mahometisme could never have been set on foot but in a rude and illiterate Nation But Christianity got its first foot-hold in the most civilized parts of the world though persecuted and opposed Besides that it is a piece of unspeakable madness to think that any man can be a fit Interpreter of Scripture without that which some in contempt call Humane Learning as Logick or the known Principles of Reasoning I will adde Mathematicks and Philosophy and skill in Tongues and History no man without the knowledge of these can make good the Truth of those holy Oracles to knowing and understanding men And therefore they that decry these helps are either very ignorant or out of their wits or have a treacherous plot against the flourishing of Christianity and would bring in some Fanatick Religion or else are enemies to all Religion whatsoever 8. For tell me O ye high-flown Perfectionists and ye great boasters of the Light within you could the highest Perfection of your inward Light ever shew to you the Histories of past Ages the universal state of the World at present the knowledge of Arts and Tongues without some external helps of either Books or Teachers How then can you
the hearts of all true Believers And what we have said of additional Ceremonies there is the same reason of deductional Opinions they are to have their recommendation from their Use and Efficacy in promoting Life and Godliness in the Souls of men But their obtrusion is as unwarrantable as of the other if not more Forasmuch as Ceremonies are most-what indifferent Opinions never but determinately true or false or to be held so by them that either doubt or think the contrary Which therefore is a greater violence to ingenuous Natures As also the Usurpation greater to intrude into either the Prophetick or Legislative office of Christ then to affect to be onely the master of the Ceremonies and the Superstition alike since Superstition is nothing else but a fear and scrupulosity about such things as bear no estimate in the eyes of God as certainly neither of these do one way nor other neither Opinions that concern not Life and Godliness nor Ceremonies that are of an indifferent nature and may of themselves be either practised or omitted And therefore for men to be affected timorously and meticulously in these things it is a sign they understand not the royal Law of Christian Liberty and commit that which is the main vice included in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Superstition in that they phansy to themselves a pettish and captious Deity Whence it is manifest that the over-careful using or scrupulously omitting of indifferent Ceremonies as also over-much solicitude in the rejecting or embracing of useless and uncertain Opinions is no commendable Worship or Service but rather an implicite Reproach of the Holy Godhead they profess to adore THE END The CONTENTS PREFACE 1. THE Authors natural averseness from writing of Books fol. v 2. That there was a kind of necessity urged him to write what he has wrote hitherto ibid. 3. The occasion of writing his Psychozoia ibid. 4. As also of his Poem Of the Immortality of the Soul vi 5. His Satyricall Essays against Enthusiastick Philosophie ibid. 6. The great usefulness of his Enthusiasmus Triumphatus and of this present Treatise for suppressing Enthusiasme ibid. 7. The occasion and preparations to his writing his Antidote against Atheisme and his Threefold Cabbala vii 8. The urgent occasion of writing this present Treatise as also of his Discourse Of the Immortality of the Soul ibid. 9. His account of the Inscription of this present Treatise viii 10. His Apology for his so copiously describing the Animal Life x 11. And for his large Parallel betwixt Christ and Apollonius ibid. 12. The reason of his bringing also Mahomet upon the Stage and H. N. and of his so large Excursions and frequent Expostulations with the Quakers and Familists xi 13. That the wonderful hopes and expectations of the Religious of the Nation yea of the better-meaning Fanaticks themselves are more likely to be fulfilled by this happy restoring of the KING then by any other way imaginable xii 14. Wherein consists the very Essence and Substance of Antichristianisme xiii 15. That the Honour of beginning that pure and Apostolick Church that is so much expected seems to have been reserved by Providence for CHARLES the Second our gracious Soveraign with pregnant arguments of so glorious an hope ibid. 16. The reasons why he did not cast out of his Discourse what he had written concerning Quakerisme and Familisme notwithstandâ—ng the fear of these Sects may seem well blown over through the happy settlement of things by the seasonable return of our Gracious Soveraign to his Throne xiv 17. The reason of his opposing the Familists and Quakers above any other Sects xv 18. His excuse for being less accurate in the computation of Daniels weeks ibid. 19. As also for being less copious in the proving the expected restorement of the Church to her pristine purity together with a Description of the condition of those happy ages to come xvi 20. That this Discourse was mainly intended for the information of a Christian in his private capacities xvii 21. What points he had most probably touched upon if his design had urged him to speak any thing of Church-Government ibid. 22. A Description of such a Bishop as is impossible should be Antichristian xx 23. Why he omitted to treat of the Reasonableness of the Precepts of Christ. xxi 24. That the pains he took in writing this Treatise were especially intented for the Rationall and Ingenuous xxii 25. His Apology for the sharpness of his style in some places ibid. 26. An Objection against Mr. Mede's Apocalyptick Interpretations from the supposed sad condition of all Adherers to the Apostate Church with the Answer thereto ibid. 27. The Adversaries Reply to the foregoing Answer with a brief Attempt of satisfying the same xxv 28. An Apology for his free dislike of that abused Notion of Imputative Righteousness xxvi 29. His Defence for so expressly declaring himself for a duly-bounded liberty of Conscience xxvii BOOK I. CHAP. I. THe Four main Properties of a Mystery 2. The first Property Obscurity 3. The second Intelligibleness 4. The third Truth 5. The fourth Usefulness 6. A more full Description of the Nature of a Mystery 7. The distribution of the whole Treatise fol. 1. CHAP. II. 1. That it is fit that the Mystery of Christianity should be in some measure Obscure to exclude the Sensuall and Worldly 2. As also to defeat disobedient Learning and Industry 3. And for the pleasure and improvement of the godly and obedient 4. The high Gratifications of the Speculative Soul from the Obscurity of the Scriptures 3 CHAP. III. 1. The Obscurity of the Christian Mystery argued from the Effect as from the Iews rejecting their Messias 2. From the many Sects amongst Christians 3. Their difference in opinion concerning the Trinity 4. The Creation 5. The Soul of Man 6. The Person of Christ 7. And the Nature of Angels 5 CHAP. IV. 1. That the Triniâ—y was not brought out of Plato's School into the Church by the Fathers 2. A Description of the Platonick Trinity and of the difference of the Hypostases 3. A Description of their Union 4. And why they hold All a due Object of Adoration 5. The irrefutable Reasonableness of the Platonick Trinity and yet declined by the Fathers a Demonstration that the Trinity was not brought out of Plato's School into the Church 6. Which is further evidenced from the compliableness of the Notion of the Platonick Trinity with the Phrase and Expressions of Scripture 7. That if the Christian Trinity were from Plato it follows not that the Mystery is Pagan 8 9 10. The Trinity proved from Testimony of Holy Writ 7 CHAP. V. 1. That the natural sense of the First of S. Iohn does evidently witness the Divinity of Christ. 2. A more particular urging of the circumstances of that Chapter 3. That S. Iohn used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Iewish or Cabbalistical notion 4. The Trinity and the Divinity of Christ argued from Divine worship due
42. r. in time who pag. 242. l. 4. r. true in l. 7. r. needfull Before l. 8. r. Idea we pag. 349. l. 46. r. is built but. pag. 376. l. 37. r. dangerously as in Christianity pag. 379. l. 27. r. righteous As. pag. 426. l. 14. r. sindge pag. 491. l. 37. r. near two thirds pag. 525. l. 10. r. any other Religion In Printing PAg. 25. l. 23. for Souls and Spirits read Souls or Spirits p. 42. l. 10. Embraces r. Embracers p. 80. l. 38. Pan Lycaeus r. Pan Lycaeus p. 87. l. 30. That r. 3. That p. 188. l. 22. but not better dele not p. 190. l. 12. clap ' r. clap'd p. 224. l. 7. wery r. were p. 372. l. 2. glisning r. glinsening p. 309. l. 39. or men r. for men p. 339. l. 42. hat r. thaâ— p. 342. l. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 379. l. 34. whatsoever So r. whatsoever So. p. 412. l. 33. 7. r. 8. p. 470. l. 5. conveies read conveighs The Authors naturall averseness from writing of Books That there was a kinde of necessity urged him to write what he has wrote hitherto The occasion of writing his Psychozoia As also of his Poem Of the Immortality of the Soul His Satyrical Essays against Enthusiastick Philosophie The great usefulness of his Enthusiasmus Triumphatus and of this present Treatise for suppressing Enthusiasme The occasion and preparations to his writing his Antidore against Atheisme and his Threefold Cabbala The urgent occasion of writing this present Treatise as also of his Discourse Of the immortality of the Soul His account of the Inscription of this present Treatise Revelat. 14. His Apology for his so copiously describing the Animal Life And for his large Parallel betwixt Christ and Apollonius The reason of his bringing also Mahâ—â—et upon the Stage and H. N. and of his so large â—xcursions and frequent Expostulations with the Qâ—akers and Familists That the wonderful hopes and expectations of the Religious of the Nation yea of the better-meaning Fanaticks themselves are more likely to be fulfiâ—led by this happy restoring of the KING then by any other way imaginable Wherein consists the very Essence and Substance of Antichristianisme That the Honour of beginning that pure and Apostolick Church that is so much expected seems to have been reserved by Providence for CHARLES the Second our gracious Soveraign with pregnant arguments of so glâ—rious â—n hope The reasons why he did not cast out of his Discourse what he had written concerning Quakerisme and Familisme notwithstanding the fear of these Sects may seem well blown over through the happy settlement of things by the seasonable return of our Gracious Soveraign to his Throne The reason of his opposing the Familists and Quakers above any other Sects His excuse for being less accurate in the computation of Daniels weeks As also for being less copious in the proving the expected restorement of the Church to her pristine purity together with a Description of the condition of those happy ages to come That this Discourse was mainly intended for the information of a Christian in his private capacities What points he had most probably touched upon if his design had urged him to speak any thing of Church-Government Revelat. 13.11 A Description of such a Bishop as is impossible should be Antichristian Why he omitted to treat of the Reasonableness of the Precepts of Christ. That the pains he took in writing this Treatise were especially intended for the Rationall and Ingenuous His Apology for the sharpness of his style in some places An Objection against Mr. Mede 's Apocalyptick Interpretations from the supposed sad condition of all Adherers to the Apostate Church with the Answer thereto The Adversaries Reply to the foregoing Answer with a brief Attempt of satisfying the same An Apology for his free dislike of that abused Notion of Imputative Righteousness His Defence for so expresly declaring himself for a duly-bounded liberty of Conscience a The Word of God b The Divine Word c God d The First-born Son of God John 8.58 See further of this Subject book 9. c. 1. sect 6. and chap. 2. throughout Chap. 1. v. 12. Chap. 4. v. 8. 2 Cor. 5. Job 38.19 21. Heb. 12.9 * The Spirits of just men made perfect * He descended into Hell * Hades ordinarily translated Hell * He descended * To descend into Hell * For I will go down into the grave to my Son mourning * To Hâ—ll or Haâ—â—â— * Into an obscure and invisible whether the air or some subterraneous place * The invisibility and uncolouredness of the Air is called Hades or Hell * Hades * See my Treatise Of the Immortality of the Soul Book 2. chap. 2 4 5 6. * See my Treatise Of the Immortality of the Soul Book 2. chap. 7. sect 16 17 18. and chap. 8. throughout Book 2. chap. 17 18. * See The Immortality of the Soul Book 3. chap. 18. Lib. 1. Lib. 5. Psalm 147.10 11. Job 31.26 27 28. * a divine Man * a divine Daemon * a divine Angel * See further of this Book 8. chap. 11. * See Cabbala Philosophica on Gen. chap. 2 and 3. * The Natural Iupiter * i. e. The Natural Philosophers called the Sun the Minde or Soul of the world But the world is called Heaven which they name Iupiter * See book 5. chap. 16. sect 5. * See further of this Book 8. chap. 15. Rom. 1.19 20. Acts 17.30 * The inward Word * The outward Word or Speech 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Tim. 1.10 John 12.31 Lib. 1. * Adversus Valent cap. 1. * Therap l. 7. * In Protrepi See Purchaâ— his â—ilgrim Part 1. Book 1. Chap. 15. * i. e. That he burnt his own son offering him as an Holocaust according to the customes or superstiâ—ious rites of the Canaanites * The sacrifices of the dead Many Angels of God having to doe with women begot insolent and injurious children despisers of all goodness by reason of their confidence in their own strength Lib. 3. * The fabulos time * Heroical Ephes. 1.10 John 1. v. 32. Need Security or Confidence in Predestination or the Decrees of God and Hope of worldly honour and preferment Luk. 9.34 Mark 6.5 6 * Luk. 4.39 * in types * in words * It is for the same Author to restore what had perished who had made what before had no being 1 Cor. 12.3 John 7 3â— * See Book 7. chap. 17. sect 8. Lib. 1. Lib. 15. John 2.19 Matth. 12.39 40. Wisdom chap. 2.14 15. 1 Cor. 15.58 * See Book 7. chap. 4. * See my Discourse Of the Immortality of the Soul Book 2. chap. 8. * Mark 16.19 * See Book 3. Chap. 3. Matth. 20.22 Matth. 28. 18. See Book 3. ch 17. sect 4. Heb. 4.15 * See Book 4. Chap. 15. Sect. 6. Act. 7.56 Act. 9.4 * the moral meaning of a Fable * See Enthusiasmus Triumphatus sect 34. art 9. * See Iohan.