Monsieur PASCALL'S THOUGHTS Meditations and Prayers Touching Matters MORAL and DIVINE As they were found in his Papers after his Death Together with a DISCOURSE upon Monsieur Pascall's THOUGHTS Wherein is shewn what was his Design As also another DISCOURSE On the PROOFS of the Truth of the Books of Moses And a TREATISE Wherein is made appear that there are DEMONSTRATIONS of a different Nature but as certain as those of Geometry and that such may be given of the Christian Religion Done into English by Jos Walker Licensed by R. M. LONDON Printed for Jacob Tonson at the Judge's Head in Chancery-lane near Fleet-street 1688. TO THE HONOURABLE Robt. Boyle ESQUIRE A Member of the Royal Society Honoured Sir IT being my Fortune to Live some Years in a Port where your Immortal Brother for so his Deeds has made him the Earl of Orrery came to take Shipping for Ireland his Lordship was pleas'd to shew me a small Treatise writ I think by the Baron De Isola intimating it was worth Translating into English I on my part yielded a ready compliance and his Lordship was pleas'd to say it was done to his satisfaction The Approbation of so great a Judge incouraged me to set on farther Attempts of that kind so that hearing by a Judicious Person that Monsieur Pascall's Works would be well accepted I got one of the Books and have used my Endeavours about it and observing a Parity there is in some things betwixt your Honour and our Author I thought I could not commit the so much Admir'd and Esteem'd Monsieur Pascall and his Precious Remains into safer and better Hands than the Famous Master Boyle's nor recommend him to Travel the Kings Dominions under a better or safer Conduct than that of your Honours Favourable Approbation and Acceptance If the Translation has not the Advantages of Art and Elegancy it requir'd and deserves I cannot help it the Will must pass for the Deed much Silver cannot be expected out of a Lead Mine I have kept to the Authors Sense as near as I could and have given way that any one else might have perform'd it better if they pleas'd Monsieur Pascall was Nobly Descended and a great lover of Vertue and Learning from his Infancy Every body knows Sir you Eminently enjoy these Advantages He was call'd a Christian Philosopher and Mathematician who knows not but your Honour deserves these Epithets by the many Learned and Profound Treatises you have Compos'd He made all his Works and Actions of his Life tend to the Temporal and Eternal good of Men You have Employ'd your whole Life and Estate in Laborious Studying the abstrusest Recesses of Nature for the Glory of God of Religion and the good of Manking as appears by your Excellent Treatise of the Stile of the Holy Scritures c. Monsieur Pascall was Eminently Charitable Pious and Exemplary in his Morals hating and reproving Vice in himself and others wherein he surpast most of the Clergy These things Sir cannot be deny'd you to such a Degree that for disapproving Vice you acquir'd the Title of Lay-Bishop for those truly deserve double Honour who throughly Reform themselves and do sincerely reprove Sin and Vice impartially in all sorts of Persons whatsoever The Prophets Christ the Apostles and all Good Men have done so Those who are indifferent in this regard and that manage themselves and Interests with a kind of human Policy thinking thereby to scape in a whole Skin let such tremble for a Monsieur Pascall and a Master Boyle will Rise up in Judgment and condemn them such doings will not turn to Account in the End as appears by our next Neighbours sad Experience I observe and could Instance other particular Strains in Monsieur Pascall's and your Honours Works and Life which the World would be Proud to know but I hold my Hand and referr so weighty a Work to be perform'd by your Panegyrists It is very seldom such Vertues as were in him are found in those of the Communion wherein he Liv'd But when I consider and compare his Writings and Life with a Lord Treasurer Manchester a Master Herbert and many other Worthies that have liv'd and shin'd in the English Climate I will not presume but shall leave it to the Learned World to judge the apparent differences may be discern'd It is true Monsieur Pascall is Dead but his great Purity of Life and Zeal according to what he could discern through the Mists of Superstition and part of his Remains in this Treatise and you Illustrious Sir in the Numerous Issue you have enrich'd the World with I say the Pious and Learned Master Boyle and Monsieur Pascall in their Excellent Works do yet and Will for ever Live and Shine and speak aloud in the Temple of Fame and will be rever'd in the Memory of Good Men and thereby have acquir'd a Name better than of Sons and Daughters I know it is a common Practice to Expose Pieces as the Real Product of a Couper a Carrachio a Vandike c. and to impose on Men Spurious Brats for Legitimate Children because they may have some Features of their Parents I dare not assure the World that the Account here given us of Monsieur Pascall's Life and Works are a Lively and Perfect Representation of him on the contrary having seriously consider'd the Solidity and Design of his Book in most parts of it I am rather apt to believe there are many Strokes and Alterations made by other Hands through that which some call pia fraus that were never intended by him had he liv'd to have seen his own Works finish'd It is Recorded of Epaminondas that he earnestly desir'd he might obtain one of the Prizes at the Olympick Games that his Mother might partake with him the Pleasure of his Happiness What an exceeding great Contentment must it needs be to your Illustrious Relations to see you for so many years successively enjoy in the sight of all Europe greater Honours than that so Passionately desir'd by that Famous Graecian You were not Content to search into the Secrets and Nature of all things in the Elements over and under us but you at length lanched out into the Boundless Ocean not precipitately as it is said the Prince of the Ancient Philosophers did but by your Rare and Indefatigable Studies You I may say Inverted the Order for the Prophet made the Waters Potable by casting Salt into them whereas you make Salt Waters Sweet and Wholsom by taking the Fire and Salt out of them What Cause has all Europe to thank Heaven for the Blessing they do or may if they be not wanting to themselves receive by your Contriving and perfecting those Engines and Materials for making Salt 〈◊〉 water Fresh A Secret no less Profitable than Pleasant Almighty God was pleas'd you should discover and in this last Age of the World communicate to Men to refresh and Cherish them in their Sea Voyages with what Quantity of Wholsom Water they
this Law may be easily seen only by Reading it where it doth appear that all things are dispos'd with so much Wisdom Equity and Judgment that the Antientest Greek and Roman Legislators having some knowledge of it have form'd their principal Laws by it which appears by that they call their Laws the Twelve Tables and by the other Proofs mention'd by Josephus But this Law is at the same time the strictest â—nd most rigorous Law in the World obliging this People to keep them within bounds in observing a thousand particular laborious Duties under pain of Death so that it is as wonderful that it should always be kept for so many Ages by so head-strong and impatient a People as this whereas all other Nations chang'd their Laws from time to time although more easie to be kept 2. * This People is yet more admirable in their Sincerity They keep with great respect and fidelity the Book wherein Moses declares they have ever been ungrateful to God and saith that they will be so also after his Death but he calls Heaven and Earth to witness against them that he hath warn'd them of it that to conclude God growing displeas'd at them would disperse them over the Face of the Earth that as they provok'd him by Worshipping those which were not Gods he would provoke them by calling a Nation that was not his People nevertheless this Book that renders them so perverse they keep it as safe as their Life It is a sincerity that cannot be equall'd in the World nor has not its Root in Nature 3. * Moreover I do not find any cause at all to question the truth of this Book which contains all these things for there is a great difference betwixt a Book made by a single Person and that he disperses amongst the People and a Book that is made by a whole People 4. * This is a Book made by Authors that were contemporaries any History that is not Contemporary is Suspitious as the Books of the Sybills Trismegistus and many others that have been cry'd up in the World and have been found false afterwards But 't is not so with Contemporary Authors §. IX Of the Injustice and Corruption of Man. 1. MAn is visibly made for thinking it is his greatest Merit and Dignity his whole Duty is to think as he ought the true method of thinking is to begin by ones self by ones Author and by ones latter End. Nevertheless what is it is thought of in the World Seldom of these things but of taking ones Pleasure of growing Rich of getting Reputation of becoming a King without thinking what 't is to be a King or to be a Man. 2. * The thought of Man is a thing admirable by Nature It must needs have very great faults to be undervalu'd yet it has such that nothing is more ridiculous How great is it by its Nature how despicable through its Defects 3. * If there be a God he it is that ought to be lov'd and not the Creatures The Reasoning of the Wicked in the Book of Wisdom is only grounded upon this That they perswade themselves there is no God this being granted say they let us enjoy the Creatures But had they known there is a God they would have concluded the quite contrary And it is the conclusion of the Wise There is a God let us not therefore enjoy the Creatures Then all that invites us to cleave to the Creature is Evil because it hinders us either from serving God if we do know him or to seek him if we do not â—now him Now we are full of Concupiscence â—hen we are full of Evil therefore we should â—bhor our selves and every thing that fastens to â—ught else but God only 4. * When we would think of God how maâ—y things do we find that would hinder us and â—hat tempt us to think of something else All â—his is Evil and even born with us 5. * It is not true that we are worthy others â—hould love us it is not just we should desire it were we born reasonable and with any degree of Knowledg of our selves and others we should not have this Inclination yet 't is born with us then are we born unjust Every one seeks-himself this is against all order we should be for the general to be for ones self is the beginning of all disorder in War Peace and Oeconomy c. 6. * If the Members of Societies Natural and Civil tend to the good of the Body the Societies themselves should tend to a more general Body 7. * Whoever hates not in himself this Self-love and this instinct of preferring himself above every thing is very blind seeing there is nothing more opposite to Justice and Truth for it is false that we deserve it and it is unjust and impossible to attain to it seeing all desire the same thing It is therefore an evident injustice that we are born in which we must free our selves from and yet we cannot divest 8. * Nevertheless no other Religion but the Christian ever observ'd this was a Sin nor that we were born in it nor that we were bound to resist it nor ever thought of prâ—scribing any Remedies 9. * There is an intestine War in Man betwixt Reason and the Passions he might enjoy some rest had he Reason and not Passions oâ— had he Passions and not Reason but having both the one and the other he cannot be without Wars not being able to have Peace with the one without having variance with the other so that he is always divided and contrary to himself If it be an Ignorance which is unnatural to live without searching what one is it is yet a far more terrible one to live ill in believing God All Men almost are in one or the other of these two Mistakes §. X. Jews 1. GOD intending to shew that he could form a People Holy with an inward Holiness and fill them with an Eternal Glory did accomplish in the things of Nature what he was to have done in those of Grace to the end it might be seen that he could do things invisible seeing he did those that were visible He sav'd his People from the Deluge in the Person of Noah he brought them out of the Loyns of Abraham he redeem'd them from their Enemies and brought them into a Land of Rest The design of God was not to save from the Deluge and cause a great People to proceed from Abraham only to bring them into a Land of Plenty but as Nature is a Symbol of Grace so these visible Miracles are Images of invisible ones that he design'd to do 2. * Another Reason why he made the Jewish Nation was that intending to wean his People from Carnal and Perishable things he would shew by so many Miracles that 't was not for want of Power 3. * This People was plung'd in these Earthly Thoughts that God lov'd their Faâ—her Abraham his Body and what should proceed
one thing to another unless it be to give it ease and that too at a convenient time and not otherwise for those that would give ease unseasonably do but cause trouble One is displeas'd and then regards nothing so hard it is to obtain any thing of Man but by Pleasure which is the Money for which we part with any thing 44. * Man is a lover of Malignity but 't is not against the Wicked but against the Happy proud and 't is to be deceiv'd to judge otherwise Martiall 's Epigram upon the Blind is naught for it don't Comfort them and only gives a Point to the Glory of the Author What is not for the Author is worth nothing Ambitiosa recidet ornamenta those that have human and tender Thoughts should be pleased and not those who are barbarous and inhumane §. XXXII PRAYER To desire of God the right use of Sickness I. LORD thy Spirit is so good and so sweet in all things and thou art so Merciful that not only the Prosperities but even the sufferings which befal the Elect are effects of thy Love give me Grace not to act as a Heathen in the State whereinto thy Justice has reduced me but that as a true Christian I may own thee for my Father and my God in what condition soever I am for the change of my Condition makes nothing to thee for thou art always the same though I am subject to change and thou art the same God when thou afflictest and punishest as when thou dost comfort and shew compassion II. Thou gavest me Health to serve thee and I have converted it to a prophane use now thou sendest me Sickness to correct me suffer me not to abuse it to provoke thee by my impatience I have not rightly improved my health and thou hast justly punish'd me suffer me not to slight thy Correction And seeing the Corruption of my Nature is such that it makes thy favours pernicious to me Grant O my God that thy powerful Grace may make thy Chastisements profitable to me If my Heart has been full of Love for the World whilst it had any vigour abate this vigour for my good and make me uncapable of enjoying the World whether it be through weakness of Body or through Zeal of Charity that I might enjoy thee only III. O God before whom I must give an exact account of all my Actions at the end of my Life and at the end of the World O God who sufferest the World and all things in the World to subsist only to exercise thine Elect or to punish Sinners O God who leavest impenitent Sinners in the delicious but Criminal use of the World O God who killest our Bodies and at the instant of Death separatest our Soul from all that it loved in the World O God who wilt take me away at the last moment of my Life from all those things I delighted in and whereon I set my Heart O God who at the last day wilt consume Heaven and Earth and all Creatures therein contained that all Men might see that 't is thou only that subsistest and that therefore thou only deservest to be loved because nothing is permanent but thou O God who wilt destroy all vain Idols and all these wicked Objects of our Passions I Praise thee my God and will Bless thee all the days of my Life inasmuch as thou hast been pleas'd to prevent this dreadful Day in my behalf by destroying as to me all things by the weakness wherein thou hast put me I Praise thee my God and will bless thy Name as long as I live in that thou hast been pleas'd to make me unable to enjoy the Pleasures of Health and the Pleasures of the World and in that thou hast in some sort destroyed for my good the deceitful Idols which thou wilt absolutely destroy for the confusion of Sinners in the great Day of thy Wrath. Grant Lord that I may judge my self after this destruction which thou hast made in my regard to the end thou maist not judge me thy self after the general destruction which thou wilt make of my Life and of all the World For Lord as at the instant of my Death I shall find my self separated from the World stript of all things standing in thy Presence to answer thy Justice for all the Motions of my Heart grant that I may look on my self in this Sickness as in a kind of Death separate from the World depriv'd of all the Objects wherein I placed my delight standing in thy Presence to implore of thy Mercy the true Conversion of my Heart that so I may have and feel extraordinary Comfort that thou art pleased now to send me a kind of Death to exercise thy Mercy before thou sendest me Death effectively to exercise thy Judgment Grant therefore O my God that as thou hast anticipated my Death I may prevent the rigor of thy Sentence and that I may examine my self before thy Judgment that I may find Mercy in thy Presence IV. Grant O my God that I adore in silence the order of thy wonderful Providence in the conduct of my Life that thy Chastisements may comfort me and that having lived in the bitterness of my Sins during the time of Peace I may taste the Heavenly sweetness of thy Grace during the healthy Afflictions wherewith thou dost visit me But I acknowledge my God that my Heart is so hardned and full of Ideas Cares Molestations and Thoughts of this World that neither Sickness nor Health neither Discourse nor Books thy Holy Scriptures nor the Gospel neither Fasting Mortifications nor Works of Charity and Mercy nor Miracles nor the use of thy Sacraments nor all my indeavours nor those of all the World put together can contribute any thing towards my Conversion unless thou art pleas'd to accompany all these things with an extraordinary assistance of thy Grace Therefore my God I come unto thee Omnipotent God to demand that of thee which all Creatures together cannot give me I should not have the confidence to lift up my Voice unto thee if any body else could help me But O my God as the Conversion of my Heart which I beg of thee is a Work that surpasseth the strength of Nature I cannot but address my self to the Almighty Author and Master of Nature and of my Heart to whom should I cry Lord to whom should I go but to thee nothing but God can fill and satisfie my expectation It is God only that I seek for and that I desire and 't is to thee only O my God that I address my self that I might enjoy thee Open my Heart Lord enter into this Rebellious place which has been defil'd with Sin it keeps it in subjection enter thereinto as into the strong Mans House but first bind the strong Man that Rules in it and then take all the Riches therein Lord take my Affections which the World had stollen wilt thou accept this Treasure rather reassume it seeing
Indifferency if he has the least Spark of Reason and how stupid soever he has been coming to know himself he ought to consider whence he came and what shall become of him Monsieur Pascall having reduc'd him to this Condition of desiring to be inform'd of so weighty a Doubt in the first place he directs him to Philosophers and having there discover'd to him all that the greatest Philosophers of all manner of Sects have said of the State of Man he shews so many Defects so many Weaknesses Contradictions and Absurdities in what they have alledg'd that it is no hard matter for Men to judge that they cannot there find any safety Then he makes him reflect on the whole Universe and on all Ages and shews the many Religions that is Profess'd but at the same time he shews him by undeniable Arguments that all those Religions are compos'd but of Vanity and Folly of Errours and Extravagancies and that he cannot yet therein find any thing may satisfie him At length he makes him look on the Jews and in them he shews such extraordinary Circumstances that they easily Attract his Attention having shew'd what this People had that was Peculiar he particularly insists in mentioning an only Book whereby they are Govern'd and which contains both their History their Law and Religion One no sooner opens this Book but that one finds the World is the Work of God and that it is the same God who did make Man after his own Image and that he invested him with all Benefits of Body and Mind suitable to that State. Although there has been nothing yet that convinc'd him of this Truth yet it is very grateful to him and Reason alone suffices to shew that he finds more likelihood that God made Man and all things in the World than in all that Men have fansy'd by their own Imaginations What most puzzles him is That by the Description made of Man he is very uncapable of Possessing the Privileges that belonged to him when he first came out of the Hands of his Creator but he does not long continue in this Doubt for persisting to Read this same Book he therein finds that Man being Created by God in the State of Innocence and enjoying all manner of Perfection the first thing he did was to Rebel against his Maker and to employ all the Benefits he received to displease him Monsieur Pascall makes him understand this was the greatest Crime that could be in all its Circumstances it was punish'd not only in the First Man who thereby falling from his first State was plung'd in Misery in Weakness Errour and Ignorance but also all his Posterity are thereby Polluted and Corrupted to all ensuing Generations Then he shews him several places in this Book wherein he has discover'd this Truth he lets him see that there is scarce any more mention made of Man but in reference to this State of Weakness and Corruption that it is often repeated that all Flesh is Polluted that Men have given up themselves to their Lusts and that they are prone to Evil from their Birth He shews also that this first Fall is the Spring not only of what is most incomprehensible in the Nature of Man but also of a great many Effects that are without him and whereof the Cause is unknown to him To conclude he represents Man in such Lively Colours in this Book that he does not appear to differ from the first Original that he found out 'T is not enough to have shewn to this Man his State of Misery Monsieur Pascall shews him farther That in this same Book he shall find matter of Comfort and in Effect he shews him that 't is said that the Remedy is in the Hands of God that it is to him we must have Recourse to have the Helps we stand in need of that he will be intreated of us and that he will send a Saviour to Men that will pay a Ransom for them and that will restore them to Life and Happiness Having explain'd unto him a great many particular Remarks touching this Book and People he farther makes him consider that it is that alone that makes due mention of the Soveraign Being and that gives a Right Notion of a True Religion he represents the most sensible Marks which he referrs to those contain'd in this Book and he inclines him particularly to consider that it makes the Essence of true Worship consist in Loving and Adoring God which is a peculiar Character and that does visibly distinguish it from all other Religions whose falseness appears by want of this Essential Mark. Though Monsieur Pascall had led this Man on so far whom he intended insensibly to convince having not yet said any thing to him that might confirm him in the Truths that he discover'd to him nevertheless he put him in a State of receiving them with satisfaction provided he may be assur'd that he ought so to do and wished with all his Heart that they may be certain and well grounded seeing he therein found such great Benefit for his Repose and for satisfying his Doubts This is the State every Reasonable Man should be in if he duely consider'd the Consequences of the things Monsieur Pascall Treated of and it might justly be hoped that then he would soon submit to the Proofs that he after alledged to confirm the certainty of the weighty Truths which he asserted and which make up the ground of the Christian Religion which he design'd to teach To speak something briefly to those Proofs having shew'd in General that the Truths in Agitation were contain'd in a Book the certainty whereof no Man of Sense ever question'd he insisted particularly on the Books of Moses wherein these Truths are more especially to be found and he shew'd by a great many undeniable Circumstances that it was alike impossible that Moses should have Recorded Untruths or that the People to whom he committed them should suffer themselves to be Cheated had Moses a design to do so He spake also of all the Miracles that are mention'd in this Book and being of great concern to the Religion therein contain'd he made appear it was impossible but they must needs be true not only by the Authority of the Book wherein they are contain'd but also by the Circumstances wherewith they are attended and which render them Infallible He shew'd also how all Moses's Law was Figurative that all which hapned to the Jews was only the Figure of the Truths accomplish'd at the coming of the Messias and that the Veil that cover'd these Figures being taken off it was easie to see their accomplishment and full Consummation in regard of those that believed in Jesus Christ Monsieur Pascall afterwards undertook to prove the Truth of Religion by Prophecies and he inlarged very much on this Subject more than on any other having taken much pains therein and having particular Abilities to this purpose he explain'd them in a very full and clear manner
bounded his Curiosity to things Natural And he was often heard say that he added this Obligation to all the others he owed his Father who being himself very Pious and Religious he infus'd the same Thoughts into him from his Infancy laying him down this Maxim That whatever is the Object of Faith cannot be of Reason and much less can be Subject to Reason These Instructions being often inculcated by a Father whom he mightily esteem'd and in whom he saw there was much Knowledge accompany'd with a powerful way of Expression did so work on his Mind that what ever Discourse he heard made by Debauch'd Libertines he never was much concern'd at it and though he was very young he look'd upon them as Persons holding this wrong Principle That human Reason is above all things and as such who could not distinguish Nature from Faith. But to conclude having thus passed his Youth in Employments and Divertisements that seem'd harmless enough in the sight of Men God so wrought on him that he made him clearly perceive that Christian Religion obliges us to Live wholly to him and to make him our chief End and Object And this Truth appear'd so evident to him so profitable and so necessary that it made him resolve to sound a Retreat and by little and little withdraw himself from all Worldly concerns that he may thereunto the better and more effectually apply himself This Design of sequestring himself that he might lead a more Christian and Austere Life enter'd into his Mind in his younger Years and even then it inclin'd him to leave off his Study of Prophane Sciences that he might the better apply himself to those things that concerned his own Salvation and also that of other Men. But frequent Sicknesses whereto he was subject hindered for a time the executing his Designs until he came to be about Thirty years Old. It was about this time he began to set about it in good earnest and the better to effect it and at once to shake of all Impediments he remov'd his Habitation and afterwards went into the Country where he remain'd some time being come back he so well shew'd he intended to quit the World that at last the World forsook him In his retirement he fix'd the manner of his Living on two chief Maxims which was to renounce all Pleasure and Superfluity these things he had ever in view and he indeavour'd to persevere and perfect himself therein daily more and more It was his continual Practice of these two Maxims which made him shew so much Patience in all his Sickness and Sufferings by which he was scarce ever free from Pain all the Course of his Life it made him Exercise very strict and severe Mortifications on himself so that he refus'd not only to deny his Senses what might be pleasing to them but also would without difficulty or regret and with Pleasure take those things that were irksom to them whether it was Food or Physick this inclin'd him also daily to deny himself every thing that he suppos'd was not absolutely necessary as well in Apparel as Diet as also in Furniture and in all other things whatsoever and this inspir'd him with such a great Love of Poverty that it was always in his Thoughts and when he intended to undertake any thing he would presently consider if it might be consistent with a State of Poverty so that he had such a Tenderness and Compassion for the Poor that he never refused an Alms to any Poor body and many times he gave very considerably even out of that which he wanted for his own support this made him that he could not indure to study his own Conveniencies and that he often condemn'd this over great Curiosity and desire of excelling in all things as of being serv'd by the best Workmen in having always apparel of the best and most Fashionably made and a thousand other such things as are done without difficulty it being thought there is no hurt in it but he did not think so and to conclude it made him perform several other Remarkable Christian Exercises which I will not here relate to avoid Prolixity it being not my design to write a Life but to give some Ideas of Monsieur Pascall's Piety and Vertue to those that did not know him for as for those that did and were acquainted with him the last Years of his Life I do not pretend to inform such and make no question but they know very well that I pass over in silence many other things that might be here inserted Approbation of the Bishop of Amiens WE have Read the Posthumus Book of Monsieur Pascall which required the Authors care in finishing it although it contains but Fragments and seeds of Discourse yet therein may be perceiv'd great Curiosities and Beams of Sublime Light. The force and loftiness of the Thoughts do sometimes amaze the Mind but the more they are weigh'd the plainer they are seen to be drawn from the Philosophy and Theology of the Fathers A Work so imperfect fills us with Admiration and Grief that there is no other Hand that can finish these first Essays but that which knew how to ingrave so lively and great an Idea nor that can Comfort us for the Loss we suffer by his Death The World is oblig'd to the Persons that have preserv'd such Precious Remains although they are not fil'd and polish'd such as they are we make no doubt but they will be very useful to those that love the Truth and their own Salvation Given at Paris where we chanc'd to be about the Affairs of our Church the 1st of November 1669. Francis of Amiens Approbation of the Bishop of Cominges THese Thoughts of Monsieur Pascall shew the Beauty of his Wit the Solidity of his Piety and his Profound Learning they give so Excellent an Idea of Religion that without any great difficulty one submits to what is more abstruse in them They so fully teach the chief Points of Morality that they presently discover the Spring and Progress of our Disorders and the Means of avoiding them and they so savour of all other Sciences that it may easily be perceiv'd Monsieur Pascall was not ignorant of any Human Learning Although these Thoughts are only the first Lines of Reasonings he mus'd upon yet nevertheless they contain a great depth of Knowledge They are but Seeds yet they produce Fruit as soon as they are sown One Naturally finishes what this Learn'd Man intended to say and the Readers themselves become Authors in an Instant by making but a little serious Reflection Nothing therefore is fitter profitably and pleasantly to entertain the Mind than the Reading of these Essays how imperfect soever they at first seem to be and according to my Judgment the perfectest Productions that has for this long time appear'd do not better deserve to be Printed than this imperfect Book doth At Paris September 4th 1669. Gilbert Bishop of Cominges Approbation of Monsieur Camus Dr.
in Divinity of the Faculty of Paris Counsellor and Almoner in Ordinary to the King and Bishop of Grenoble â—T hapned to me in Examining this Work in the State it is in as it will almost to all those that will Read 〈◊〉 which is more than ever to lament the Loss of the â—uthor who only was able to finish what he so happily â—â—d begun To conclude if this Book imperfect as it is â—â—th nevertheless mightily work upon Reasonable Perâ—â—s and discover the Truth of Christian Religion to â—ose that Sincerely seek after it What would it not â—â—ve done if the Author had liv'd to have perfected it â—nd if these rough Diamonds do here and there cast â—â—th such shining Light what Mind would they not â—â—ve dazl'd if this Skilful Artist had liv'd to have â—â—lish'd and finish'd them Moreover had he liv'd his â—â—cond Thoughts had doubtless been more Methodical â—an the First which are made Publick in this Treaâ—â—e but they could not have been Wiser they might â—â—ve been better polish'd and cemented but they could â—â—t have been more Solid and Resplendent It is the Teâ—â—imony we give of this Work and that we find noâ—â—ing in it contrary to the Doctrine and Belief of the â—hurch At Paris 21st September 1669. Bish Le Camus Dr. of the Faculty of Divinity of Paris Counsellor and Almoner to the King. ADVERTISEMENT THe Thoughts contain'd in this Book having bâ— Writ and Compos'd by Monsieur Pascall in 〈◊〉 manner as hath been related in the Preface that to say just as they came in his Mind and with any continuance it cannot be expected much Order to be found in the Chapters of this Collection whâ— is compos'd for the most part of many Thoughts â—â—stinct the one from the other and that are â—â—ranged under the same Title but because they see to Treat near hand of the same Subject And thoâ— it be easie enough in Reading each Chapter to juâ—â— if it be a continuation of what preceeded or 〈◊〉 contains a New Thought nevertheless it was judgâ— the better to distinguish them to make some partâ—â—â—lar Mark. So that where at the beginning of â— Article this Mark * is seen it imports this â—â—ticle contains new Matter that relates not to 〈◊〉 went before but is distinct of it self and by 〈◊〉 same Rule it will be found that the Articles 〈◊〉 have not this Mark make but one Discourse 〈◊〉 were found in this Order in Monsieur Pascall's Oâ—â—ginals yet in some places the Articles being 〈◊〉 Two or Three of them are included in one Paragraph It hath also been thought convenient at the End â—â— these Thoughts to insert some Prayers Compos'd â—â— Monsieur Pascall during a great Sickness he had in 〈◊〉 younger years they have been Printed formerly twiâ—â— or thrice on imperfect Copies it being done withoâ—â— the knowledge of those that give this Impression to thâ— Publick THE LIFE OF MONSIEUR PASCALL Writ by Madam PERIER his Sister MY Brother was born at Clermont the 19th of June 1623. My Father's Name was Stephen Pascall President of the Court of Aids and my Mother was Antoinete Begon My Brother was no sooner of Age to be discoursed with but he gave pregnant Marks of an extraordinary Wit by the ingenious Replies he made to those that spake to him but much more by Questions he proposed on the Nature of sundry things to the admiration of those that heard him this hopeful Beginning was not without good ground for as he grew in Years and Stature so he increased in Wisdom and far surpassed what could be expected from one of his Age. My Mother departed this Life in the Year 1626. at which time my Brother was but Three years old My Father being left as 't were alone apply'd himself more closely in looking after his Family and having no other Son but this the quality of an only Son and the signs of a towardly Wit which he observ'd in this Child made him so much delight in him that he could not resolve to commit him to be educated by any body else and even then resolv'd to instruct him himself which he did My Brother never was bred up at any College nor had any other Master or Tutor but my Father In the Year 1631. my Father retired to Paris and took us all along with him and there made his Residence My Brother being about Eight years of Age found much benefit by this remove upon account of my Fathers design of educating him for 't is certain he could not have been so careful of him in the Country where the discharge of his Employment and the continual resort of Company that abounded at his House might have hinder'd him but at Paris he was free and at full liberty he made it his sole business and had all Books and helps that the care of so wise and affectionate a Father could procure His chief Maxim in the course of his Education was always to keep my Brother above his Work and 't was for this Reason he would not begin to teach him Latin till he was Twelve years old that so he might learn it with the greater ease and delight During this interval he left him not Idle but entertain'd him with all things whereof he found him capable He shew'd him in general what Languages were he shew'd him how they were reduced into Grammar by certain Rules that those Rules had Exceptions which were to be observ'd and that thereby the means was found out of making all Languages communicable from one Country to another This general Idea of things opened his Understanding and made him comprehend the Reason of Grammar Rules so that when he came to learn them he new the meaning of them and apply'd himself preisely to those things only which were most necessary to be learned After these general Notions my Father instructed him in other things he often discoursed him of the extraordinary effects of Nature as of Gun powder c. which are surprizing when one considers them My Brother was much pleas'd with this kind of Discourse but he was very curious to know the Reason of all things and as they are not always well known when my Father did not answer him or that he gave him those Answers that are commonly alledg'd which are for the most part but meer evasions he was not satisfied therewith for he had ever an admirable clearness of Judgment to discern things and it may be truly said That at all times and in all things Truth was the sole Object of his desire and nothing could satisfie him but the knowledge of it so that from his Childhood he could not submit to any thing but to what appeared to him plainly and evidently so that when Reasons were offer'd him that were not solid he sought out others himself and when he fixed on any thing he would not forsake it till he found some others that he liked better One time amongst others one chancing at Dinner to strike a China
the World. One has no need to turn about nor to give themselves any inconvenience there needs only to have a clear sight but it must be clear for the Principles are so fine and in such great number that 't is almost impossible but they will be lost now the omission of one Principle leads into Error So that one must be clear sighted to perceive all the Principles and then the Judgment sound not to reason on false Principles All Geometricians should then be Witty had they a clear sight for they don't Reason ill upon the Principles they know and the fine Wits would be Geometricians could they but turn their sight towards the unaccustomed Principles of Geometry The cause therefore that some great Wits are not Geometricians is that they can by no means turn themselves to the Principles of Geometry but the Reason that Geometricians are not subtil is because they don't see what is before them and that being accustom'd to the plain and clear Principles of Geometry and not to discourse till after they have seen and examin'd their Principles they are at a loss in matters of Wit after which manner Principles are not handled they can scarce be seen one understands rather than sees them it is very difficult to make them be understood by those that don't understand them of themselves They are things so nice and in such great number that one must have a clear and quick Sense to perceive them and yet not be able to shew them in order as in Geometry because one does not know the Principles and would be a thing impossible to undertake All at once one must see the thing at one view and not by a gradual Reasoning at least to a certain degree So that 't is seldom Geometricians are Witty or that the Witty are Geometricians because Geometricians will handle witty things Geometrically and thereby make themselves ridiculous going about to begin by Definitions and then afterwards by Principles which is not the manner of proceeding in this kind of Reasoning not but the mind doth it but it does it silently naturally and without Art the expression of it is beyond the power of Men and the knowledge of it belongs but to very few Refin'd Wits on the contrary being thus accustomed to judge at one view are so startled when there is laid before them Propositions that they don't understand and for the clearing of which they must pass through difficult Principles and Definitions that they were not wont to see so particularly that they are soon wearied and discouraged But false Wits are neither subtil nor Geometricians Geometricians that are only Geometricians are of a subtil Wit provided that all things are explain'd to them by Definitions and Principles else they are false and insupportable for they are not right but upon Principles well explain'd And the Witty that are nothing but Wits have not patience to descend to the first Principles of imaginary and speculative things which they never have seen in the World nor in Custom 3. * Death is more supportable when 't is not thought of than 't is to think of Death without peril 4. * Sometimes it happens that one takes such Examples to prove certain things that these very things may be taken to prove the Examples which yet nevertheless works its effect for one often thinks the difficulty is in what one would prove one finds the Example more clear so when one would represent a general one gives a particular Instance in some case but if one would shew a particular Case one begins by the general Rule One always finds the thing difficult that one would prove and that clear that one emploies to prove it for when one proposes a thing to prove it ones Imagination is taken up that the thing is obscure and on the contrary that that which is to prove it is clear and so 't is easily understood 5. * We think all Men conceive and feel after the same manner the Objects which present themselves to them but we are much mistaken for there is no Proof of this I find the same words are apply'd in the same occasions and when two Men for instance look upon Snow they both of them express the sight of this Obiect by the same Words in saying it is white and by this likeness of Application one draws a strong conjecture of a Conformity of Idea but this is not absolutely convincing although the greater odds is in the affirmative 6. * All our Reasoning tends only to submit to Knowledge But Fancy is like and contrary to Knowledge like because it doth not Reason contrary because false So that it is very difficult to distinguish betwixt these Contrarieties One says my Opinion is Fancy and that his Fancy is Knowledge and I say the same on my side there is need of a Rule Reason offers it self but it is pliable to every Sense and so there is none 7. * Those that judge of a work by Rule are like those that have a Watch in Comparison of those that have not One says We have been here two Hours another says 'T is but three quarters of an Hour I look on my Watch I say to one You are tired and to the other Your time passes away pleasantly for 't is an Hour and a half and I laugh at those that say that the time seems tedious and that I judge by Fancy they don't know that I judge by my Watch. 8. * There be some that speak well but don't write well it is that the place the support c. warms and draws from their Mind more than would probably be found there without those helps 9. * What there is of good in Montaigne's Book is not to be had without difficulty What there is of ill I mean except Conversation might have been corrected in a Moment had he but been warn'd that he wrote too many Stories and spoke too much of himself 10. * It is a great mischief to follow the exception instead of the Rule one must be severe and contrary to the exception Nevertheless it being certain there be exceptions from the Rule one must judge severely but withal justly 11. * It may be truly said in one sense that all the World is in a mistake for although the Opinion of the People is sound yet they are not so in the Brain because they think Truth is where it is not Truth is indeed in their Opinions but not in the part they think it is 12. * There are but few that are capable to invent there are very many that are not capable and therefore by consequence the greater number and 't is commonly seen they refuse to the inventors the Glory they deserve and that they seek by their Inventions if they go on resolutely and will have it and go to undervalue those that cannot invent all they get for their pains is That they are called by ridiculous Names and are termed Dreamers One must therefore take
things of the weightiest Consequence and that have been ever in force Besides it would be pleasant to see a Combination carry'd on betwixt Five or Six hundred thousand Men and that not one of them nor of their Posterity ever discover'd it For there was not one of those Miracles but that every one of all that People being all together in one Camp might have discover'd the fraud or that they might have avow'd as having seen them with their Eyes or being done in their Days or in the time of their Fathers What a difficult thing then would it have been to Moses to have gained so many People and especially a People so hard to govern And how could it be but there would have been found some heady Person or some Man of good Sense that would have opposed such a design Whoever would have attempted it must have but little experience of Men to believe but that there would soon have been as many Sectaries as Moses or at least but that he would have been desirous to have inform'd Posterity of this Deceit and might easily enough have done it Besides What could there have been fitter to have render'd the Jews ridiculous to all the World instead of admiring them and how blind must they have been not to see it For Instance What would the Aegyptians have said of all the Plagues Moses said he smote them with of the slaying their First born of the drowning Pharoah's Army in the Red-Sea And by what Complacency could all those other Nations whom he boasted to have overcome by such extraordinary ways could they have sufferr'd to pass for currant so many Fables unless they had been also of the Combination and as truly Enemies of the Glory which is ridiculously imagin'd the others sought after I grant Men may invent Fables yet they do not carry them thus far when they desire they should be believ'd and besides they take great heed to place their beginning a great way off and to hide it in the obscurity of past Ages But as it is not Mens scope to appear Ridiculous and Deceivers they never invent things that may be gainsaid by Witnesses that are living and by whole Nations that are concern'd in them For Example It would have been pleasant for the Moors when they return'd into Africa being expell'd by the Spaniards to have gone about to have made the World believ'd that they were brought over by Miracles like that of Moses and that after the Mediterranian Sea had divided it self to let them pass through it they saw it join together again and Drown an Army of I cannot tell how many thousand Men that pursu'd them yet the design would have been no less Extravagant in respect of the Jews for we must not look on those times though so remote and ignorant yet not to be so dark as they are represented Men heard and knew what past amongst each other they had the same Intrest and Passions we have they saw what they saw and knew what was needful to be known even as we do These two Hypothesies must then of necessity be laid aside neither was Moses an Impostor that deceiv'd the Jews nor were the Jews of intelligence with him There remains only to say Moses was not Author of the Book that goes under his Name or at least that it is but since his time that all the Miracles have been added to it that it contains this is the most Infidelity can Inspire but Reason will not suffer a Man of the least Sense to stop here If there were nothing else to assure one that this Book is truly of Moses and that we have it just as he wrote it but only because it goes in his Name that this Book testifies that it has ever been attributed to him and that till this time none ever thought of saying the contrary this were sufficient cause not in Reason to doubt of it because we have no other assurance that the Books of past Ages are of Authors that they are attributed unto And let it not be alledg'd that there are Books which having for some time passed under the Name of certain Authors have at last been found to be but forgery for not to enter into this Query it is impossible this should happen to a Book of the greatest Importance to which the Authors Name is of great Moment and whereof in all Ages there has been so much care used to Examine the Original and Truth because Truth is of that Nature that all things agree therein and concur in Establishing it and that it is impossible that no Industry nor Cunning can find any thing that can contradict it on the contrary Untruth and Fraud at last discovers it self if one makes it ones indeavour to inquire into it because it cannot chuse but that a great many things will appear contrary to it and that notwithstanding all the Foresight and Skill those Deceivers have it is impossible let the Mind of Man be never so wary that one should perceive all Inconveniencies may occur and if one could foresee them how to frame ones self to adjust them For to conclude When to this purpose there might be certain Effects within the power of Men it is also as sure there are also a great many things without their reach they must be able to command the Time present and that to come alter the Course of all things and in a Word be Masters of Nature and of the Mind and Will of Men. So that it is evident we have incomparably more Proofs in behalf of the Books of Moses than there is for others These were deposited in the hands of some few Persons it was but few that were concern'd about them those that were seldom thought of them and when they did it was of no great importance But the Book we speak of is of quite another kind It was always in the Hands of a great People it was the continual Object of their Care and as it was the Ground of their Religion and of a Religion that hated Lying and Deceit how was it possible they would have sufferr'd to be impos'd upon in regard of the Name of the Author and that it should be alter'd by so many Fables Or how could all this be done and that they should never perceive it And who could have been so bold as to have attempted all this Let this continu'd Course of Miracles wrought in Aegypt and in the Wilderness be seriously consider'd and let one seriously judge if all those are things that can be foisted into a Book and made be accounted to pass for the Original This is the utmost could be done for some inconsiderable Book that was to be seen but by a few Persons and for some private Miracle that may be said was done but in presence of a few Witnesses And it is seen these things do not spread far nor do not continue any long time they scarce any sooner appear but they are opposed so far
as that they subsist no longer unless it be amongst some ignorant People who only taking things on the first Credit of them never trouble themselves in throughly searching into the Truth of Matters But there is nothing clear in the World if it be not that no such thing can happen for the Book we now speak of and describe I could as well say that it would be no hard matter now to Insert in the New Testament as long and considerable a History as that and how idle soever this Supposition seems I cannot tell but that 't was harder to do it in the Books of Moses seeing the Jews respected it as much every jot as we do our New Testament and that there was not one amongst them that had not a very particular Intrest to know what was contain'd in it were it only to preserve themselves from the Sentence of Death which without Remission they were to suffer if they omitted certain Rites they were to perform But what does absolutely prove the Vanity of this Supposition is that there is as it were two Histories of Moses one that was written in the Book that bears his Name the other which is as it were engrav'd in the Ceremonies and Laws observ'd by the Jews the Practice whereof is a pregnant Proof of the Book that enjoin'd them and also of what it contain'd of greatest importance For the greatest part of the most Wonderful Miracles were shewn by the Ceremonies and other things that served in the Worship of the Jewish Religion The Pot of Manna kept in the Ark was a Monument of Gods Miraculous feeding that People in the Wilderness Aaron's Rod that blossom'd was a Sign of the manner how God confirm'd the Priesthood to him and the Two Tables shew'd what 's related in Exodus touching the Establishing the Law. The Sacrifice of the Pascal Lamb the Ceremony of the Azymes and the appointing the Tribe of Levi for the Service of the Temple shew'd the Passage of the Angel the Death of the First born of the Aegyptians and the deliverance of the Children of Israel The Plates of Gold nail'd to the Altar was a Memorial of the Death of those unadvis'd Levites that disputed the Priest-hood with Aaron To conclude The Ark the Tabernacle the sundry Orders of Priests and Levites all the Ceremonies of Sacrifices and Washings all the Laws the appointing the Countries beyond Jordan to the Tribes of Reuben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasses The Cities of Refuge for Man slaiers I say all these things which it were no less absurd to deny than it were to say there were never any Jews have a necessary reference and dependance on the Books of Moses and do invincibly prove that they could not be writ since his Time. For to this purpose it must be either that all we have said has not also been settled but since Moses's time and after publishing the Books attributed to him or that being Established by Moses his Word and without any Book some should add these Books to the Ceremonies and Laws that were in use and added these Miracles the more to enjoin this People to the observation of this Law. But all this is so unlikely that there was never any Person known that durst seriously maintain any such thing How can it be said for Example that the Pentateuch was made and published a long time after Moses his Death and that it was the Cause of Establishing the Law and Worship of the Jewish Religion contain'd in it It may as well be said the Ark and the Tabernacle which are the Foundations of this Religion were not made neither but a long while after Moses and after the publishing of this Book Now this cannot possible be for all the Jews were perswaded their Ark and Tabernacle were made by Moses as this Book does mention and it cannot be conceiv'd by what Fancy they could be of this Opinion if they themselves had made them after they had seen and receiv'd this Book which had not been known till a long time after Moses his Death doubtless this would have been one of the Pleasantest things in the World and the most unparallel'd either that this Book being made of a sudden and in a readiness with this great number of Laws and Ceremonies as being already in use they afterwards came to be Establish'd or that being made by little and little and just as all those things were settled it had always as is said at the Palace Retroactive Effect to make each of these Establishments be attributed to Moses How also could this People who beginning to receive this Law had they at least known it had been untrue that it had been practis'd since Moses and that it had a constant Succession of Priests since Aaron could they have Universally perswaded themselves that what this Book Commanded had been always practis'd and that the Priests it Established had received their Ministry from Aaron by an uninterrupted Succession And how also upon this same Foundation could all the other Tribes and Families have sufferr'd the Tribe of Levi and the Sons of Aaron to usurp to themselves the Prerogatives belonging to the Priest-hood and to the Office of the High-Priest There is no less absurdity in the other Supposition which is That the Law being given by Moses his bare Word was preserv'd by the Jews for some time only by meer Tradition and that afterwards those that wrote it added thereunto all these Miracles for besides that it were already a kind of Miracle and hard to believe that this People should receive so severe and troublesom a Law as that was from a Man that had done nothing extraordinary How could it be that Moses who doubtless had the use of writing should have omitted so Essential a thing and should not leave in Writing a Law that contain'd so many Rights and Ceremonies and so many Directions that it was necessary to have it always in readiness not to fail in some part or other of it Also we are inform'd by this Book it self that Moses fail'd not herein Moses it is said wrote this Law and gave it to the Priests the Sons of Levy and command it should be Read every seventh year at the Feast of Tabernacles And it is there said in several places That God commanded Moses to Write what he commanded him on the Mountain If the Jews then had receiv'd this Law from him only by Word how then could they receive a Book that contain'd so gross and manifest a Lye and that had in it an Express Command from God wherein their Legislator had fail'd This same Command of Reading the Law every Seventh year at the Feast of Tabernacles as being given by Moses does shew also that it could not be chang'd nor alter'd for it was impossible but those alterations would have been discover'd and being so that they should be sufferr'd by a People so wedded to this Law and whose Love for it was grounded on the
Opinion they had of believing it to be Divine and Writ by Moses Moreover that these Miracles were of a very surprizing Nature being mention'd throughout the whole Book repeated in sundry places and involv'd in the Principal Events there would have been need to have made a new Book to have adjusted them and not barely to have alter'd one that had been received before We must therefore again return to this pretended Glory of the Nation and maintain that the Jews willingly sufferr'd this falsification and that they were even glad that all these Miracles were added to their Law and that the Story of them was written This might have some colour were the Question only of matter of Policy It might be well said to the Romans for Example that they descended from Aeneas and it may be the French will suffer it should be said they sprang from the Trojans These are things some People fansy might be and that no body is concern'd to oppose them and which do not thwart other things that have been a long while establish'd and are regarded as the most Considerable But as for the Jews those People so Zealous of their Religion so Faithful in their smallest Traditions and to whom Lying was so severely forbidden this Supposition is wholly unlikely and improbable For I do not believe that the boldness of denial can go so far as to deny all the Proofs of the Zeal the Jews had for their Religion seeing that even at this day they have so great a Veneration for their Law that for above Sixteen hundred years that they are dispers'd and that they see no Effect of what was promis'd them they still observe it with the same exactness as they did almost at first and still wait for the fulfilling of those Promises What appearance is there then that they would have sufferr'd those Books they look'd upon as the very Word of God to be stuft with such a horrible Number of Lyes in making themselves thereby unworthy his Protection and running the danger of being Convicted of Fraud by all their Neighbours Was not this to hazard losing all to gain nothing There needs no more than this to convince any Man of good Sense and Judgment But if one would further insist on the Love of the Jews for their Nation and pretend that the desire of making themselves be admir'd could induce them to commit this Fraud let us see if the quite contrary will not appear and if there be the least likelihood they could believe to be the more consider'd by the things related in this Book which appear so disgraceful to the Nation in general and if all things had been in favour of the Publick let us see if it be likely that private Persons and whole Families would therein willingly have sacrific'd themselves seeing especially nothing constrain'd them and that needing only to invent it was at their free Liberty to choose what way they pleas'd and to have sav'd every body without stirring up any to discover their Fraud Had he said nothing but what would have been for their Honour as those great Miracles that shew such a particular Protection of God over them had not that been sufficient without inventing so many things wherein so many People were concern'd to oppose them and others also that render that Nation so worthy of disgrace What is there for Example more wretched than the fear and murmuring of that People for the bitterness of the Waters and the want of Provisions and for the Thirst they sufferr'd at Riphidim They were scarce any sooner got out of Aegypt but they forgot all they would have the World think God did for them They think they are forsaken and betray'd saying That they had been brought out of a Country where they liv'd at their ease though they were Slaves in it that they should die in the Wilderness they doubt either of the power or protection of that God that had so wonderfully appear'd for them and are ready to Rebel against the Man that they believ'd was chosen of God to deliver them Is it not the greatest and shamefullest weakness that can be Is it not the height of Ingratitude both towards God and their Conductor What could their greatest Enemies have invented more shameful to them And who can imagin that to make them considerable to the World and be thought the People beloved of God they should have dreamt to display themselves so inconstant unfaithful and ignorant that for Fourty years that they said they were fed with Food come down from Heaven there scarce past a day but they were heard cry like Children and wish'd with Tears in their Eyes they were still Slaves in Aegypt that they might have their fill of Leeks and Onions One must Transcribe the whole Book of Moses to write all the Infidelities and Errors of this People for there is scarce any thing else to be seen in it They seem to have study'd to equal their Crimes with the Blessings God bestow'd on them There was scarce any one thing in which they Rebell'd not against their Leader and they were scarce free from one Punishment but that they diserv'd another so that nothing could hinder that head-strong People from falling frequently into the same Crimes nor the Example of the 25000 that the Sons of Levy slew by the Command of Moses for their Sin of Idolatry nor that Fire that destroyed near 15000 for their Insurrection nor that greivous Plague of Fiery Serpents nor the great Punishment infflicted by Moses for their Sinning with the Daughters of the Midianites which cost the Lives of most of the Princes and of 24000 of the People But to say all in a Word what can be seen more strange and shameful to them than the general Apostacy they fell into when Moses was on the Mount Sinai and that those Rebels made Aaron make them a Golden Calf and sacrific'd to it as to their God Let all these Circumstances be well consider'd and it will be seen that a People that is capable to fall therein is at the same time guilty of all Vices at once and especially of Folly and Extravagance They say they were brought out of the Land of their Enemies by the greatest and strangest Miracles that could be so that there is not a step of their Life wherein the wonderful Power and Goodness of God is not express'd towards them this God forgives all their Murmurrings and all their Incredulities instead of punishing their Distursts he bestows on them Meat and Drink where there never was any before and fully satisfies the meanest and lowest of their Desires Nevertheless whilst they knew their Deliverer and their Conductor was on the Mount with the same God receiving Orders for their Conduct a sudden and ridiculous Fear siezes them they are troubled at Moses his stay and without knowing why or wherefore require of Aaron a God to march before them they force him to make a Golden Calf which they set on