disconsolate Disciples who had but lately sinfully forsaken him He giveth them no upbraiding words but meltingly saith to her Go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father to my God and your God He after this familiarly converseth with them and instructeth them in the things concerning the Kingdom of God He maketh an Vniversal Pardon or Act of Oblivion in a Covenant of Grace for all the world that will not reject it and appointeth Messengers to preach it unto all and what ever pains or suffering it cost them to go through all with patience and alacrity and to stick at nothing for the saving of mens souls He gave the holy Spirit miraculously to them to enable them to carry on this work and to leave upon record to the world the infallible narrative of his Life and Doctrine His Gospel is filled up with matter of consolation with the promises of mercy pardon and salvation the description of the priviledges of holy Souls justification adoption peace and joy and finally He governeth and defendeth his Church and pleadeth our cause and secureth our interest in Heaven according to the promises of this his word Thus is the Gospel the very Image of the Wisdom and Goodness of God And such a Doctrin from such a Person must needs be Divine 2. And the Method and Style of it is most excellent because most suitable to its holy ends not with the excellency of frothy wit which is but to express a wanton fancy and please the ears of aery persons who play with words when they should close with wisdom and heavenly light such excellency of speech must receive its estimate by its use and end But as the end is most Divine so the light that shineth in the Gospel is Heavenly and Divine the Method of the Books themselves is various according to the time and occasions of their writing the objections against them are to be answered by themselves anon But the Method of the whole Doctrin of Christianity set together is the most admirable and perfect in the world beginning with God in Unity of Essence proceeding to his Trinity of Essential Active Principles and of Persons and so to his Trinity of Works Creation Redemption and Regeneration and of Relations of God and Man accordingly and to the second Trinity of Relations as he is our Owner Ruler and Chief Good And hence it brancheth it self into a multitude of benefits flowing from all these Relations of God to Man and a multitude of answerable duties flowing from our Correlations to God and all in perfect method twisted and inoculated into each other making a kind of cirulation between Mercies and Duties as in mans body there is of the arterial and venal bloud and spirits till in the issue as all Mercy came from God and Duty subordinately from man so Mercy and Duty do terminate in the Everlasting Pleasure of God ultimately and man subordinately in that mutual love which is here begun and there is perfected This method you may somewhat perceive in the description of the Christian Religion before laid down 3. And the style also is suited to the end and matter not to the pleasing of curious ears but to the declaring of heavenly mysteries not to the conceits of Logicians who have put their understandings into the fetters of their own ill-devised notions and expect that all men that will be accounted wise should use the same notions which they have thus devised and about which they are utterly disagreed among themselves But in a Language suitable both to the subject and to the world of persons to whom this word is sent who are commonly ignorant and unlearned and dull That being the best Physick which is most suitable to the Patients temper and disease And though the particular Writers of the Sacred Scriptures have their several Styles yet is there in them all in common a Style which is spiritual powerfull and divine which beareth its testimony proportionably of that Spirit which is the common Author in them all But of this more among the Difficulties and Objections anon But for the discerning of all this Image of God in the Doctrine of Jesus Christ Reason will allow me to expect these necessary qualifications in him that must discern it 1. That before he come to supernatural Revelations he be not unacquainted with those natural Revelations which are antecedent and should be foreknown as I have in this book explained them with their evidence For there is no coming to the highest step of the Ladder without beginning at the lowest Men ignorant of things knowable by Natural Reason are unprepared for higher things 2. It is reasonably expected that he be one that is not treacherous and false to those Natural Truths which he hath received For how can he be expected to be impartial and faithfull in seeking after more Truth who is unfaithfull to that which he is convinced of or that he should receive that Truth which he doth not yet know who is false to that which he already knoweth Or that he should discern the evidence of extraordinary Revelation who opposeth with enmity the ordinary light or Law of Nature Or that God should vouchsafe his further light and conduct to that Man who willfully sinneth against him in despight of all his former teachings 3. It is requisite that he be one that is not a stranger to himself but acquainted with the case of his heart and life and know his sins and his corrupt inclinations and that guilt and disorder and misery in which his need of mercy doth consist For he is no fit Judge of the Prescripts of his Physician who knoweth not his own disease and temperature But of this more anon § 8. III. The third way of the Spirits witness to Jesus Christ is Concomitantly by the miraculous gifts and works of Himself and his Disciples which are a cogent Evidence of Gods attestation to the truth of his Doctrine § 9. By the Miracles of Christ I mean 1. His miraculous actions upon others 2. His miracles in his Death and Resurrection 3. His predictions The appearance of the Angel to Zachary and his dumbness his Prophesie and Elizabeth's with the Angels appearance to Mary the Angels appearance and Evangelizing to the Shepherds the Prophesie of Simeon and of Anna the Star and the testimony of the wise Men of the East the testimony of John Baptist that Christ should baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire and that he was the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World These and more such I pass by as presupposed At twelve years of age he disputed with the Doctors in the Temple to their admiration At his Baptism the Holy Ghost came down upon him in the likeness of a Dove and a voice from Heaven said Thou art my beloved Son in Thee I am well-pleased When he was baptized he fasted forty dayes and nights and
as nutriment bloud and spirits to the Will before it is truly made our own It expecteth I say not greater courtship but more cordial friendship than a transient salute before it will unveil its glory and illustrate beautifie and bless the soul It is food and Physick it will nourish and heal but not by a bare look or hear-say nor by the reading of the prescript Could I procure the Reader to do his part I doubt not but this Treatise will suffice on its part to bring in that light which the Sagae the Lemures and Daemones of Atheism Infidelity and Ungodliness will not be able to endure But I am far from expecting universal success no not if I brought a Book from Heaven The far greatest part have unprepared minds and will not come up to the price of truth And nothing is more sure than that recipitur ad modum recipientis Pro captu lectoris habent sua fata libelli These drones imagine that they are fit to judge of a Scripture-difficulty or of an argument concerning the mysteries of Religion before they know what it is to be a Man or understand the Alphabet of Nature even those points which supernatural Revelations presuppose such uncapableness in the Reader is as a great hinderance as the want of solid proof and evidence in the Writer Most men are drowned in filthy sensuality or worldly cares and their relish is vitiated by luscious vanities their reason is debased by subjection to the flesh and darkned and debilitated by long alienation from its proper work and yet they are so constituted of ignorance and pride that they can neither understand plain truth nor perceive that it is long of themselves that they understand it not And â—othfulness and sensuality have so far conquered humanity it self even the natural love of truth and of themselves that they will take up with what their play-fellows have taught them and venture their souls and their everlasting concernments â—nless they can secure them by an idle gamesome â—leshly life or grow wise by the short superficial studies of an alienated unwilling tired mind Unless the great things of God and Immortality will â—e savingly known by a few distracted thoughts of a discomposed mind or the rambling talk of their companions whose heads are as unfurnished and giddy as their own or by the cursory perusal of a few Books which cross not their carnal interest and humour in the midst of their more beloved employments and delights they will neither be solid Christians nor wise and honest men If God will be conversed with in the midst of their feasting cups and oaths in their pride and revelling and with their whores if he will be found of them that hate his holiness and all that love it and seriously obey him then God shall be their God and Christ shall be their Saviour and if this be the way they may become good Christians But if retired serious thoughts be necessary and an honest faithfulness to what they know they must be excused They that know that it is not an hours perusal of a book of Astronomy Geometry Musick Physick c. which will serve to make them skilful in these Arts do expect to attain far higher wisdom by inconsiderable industry and search and will not be wise unless they can be taught by vision in their dreams or in the crowd and noise of worldly business and of fleshly lusts I find that it is a difficult task which I have undertaken to be the instructer of such men if I be large and copious their laziness will not suffer them to read it if I be concise I cannot satisfie their expectations for they think nothing well proved if every objection be not answered which idle cavilling brains can bring Neither have they sufficient attentiveness for brevity nor will their ignorance allow them to understand it The contradicting vices of their minds do call for impossibilities for the cure Their Incapacity saith It must be a full explication or I cannot apprehend the sense or truth Their averseness and slothfulness saith It must be short or I shall be tired with it or cannot have while to read it I cannot answer both these expectations to the full but though the greatness of the matter have made the Book bigger than I intended the nauseating stomack of most Readers hath perswaded me to avoid unnecessary words and as big as the Book is I must tell the Reader that the style is so far from redundancies though some things be oft repeated that if he will not chew the particular words but swallow them whole and bestow his labour only on the Sentences I shall suppose that he hath not read the Book Ficinus very truly noteth that while children and youth are sufficiently conscious of their ignorance to keep in a learning course they may do well but when they first grow to a confidence of their own understandings and at ripeness of age imagine that their wits are ripe and think that their unfurnished minds because they have a natural quickness are competent judges of all that they read then they are most in danger of infidelity and of being undone for ever from 18 to 28 being the most perilous age But if God keep them as humble diligent learners till they have orderly gone through their course of studies and sanctifie their greener youthful knowledge they then grow up to be confirmed Christians Ficin de Verit. Rel. cap. 3. It is therefore the diligence and patience of the Reader which I still intreat and not his belief for I will beg nothing of his understanding but justice to the truth but supposing God's help do trust to the cogencie of evidence Yet I must tell you that I expect the Reader by the truths which he learneth should be able himself to answer an hundred trivial objections which are here passed by and that in particular textual difficulties he have recourse to Commentaries and Tractates on those subjects for this Book is long enough already He that will diligently consider the connection of the consequent Propositions to the Antecedent and will understand what he readeth as he goeth along will see that I give him sufficient proof of all which I desire him to assent to But I make no doubt but a hasty and half-witted Reader can find objections and words enough against the plainest truth here written and such as he thinks do need a particular answer When an understanding Reader would be offended with me if I should recite them I had more compassion on the sober Reader than for the humouring of every brainsick Sceptick to stand proving that two and two are four I write for such as are willing to be wise and happy and that at dearer rates than jesting For others I must leave them whether I will or no to be wise too late And for those capricious brains who deride our ordinary preaching as begging and supposing that which we do not prove
of pure complacencial Love in Prayer Praise or Contemplation he hath some measure of fruition even in via and a sensible foretaste of his future perfection according to the degree of this his Love There is a delight that cometh into the minde by the meer foresight and hope of what we shall be and have and do hereafter And this cometh by the Means of Promise and Evidence And there is also a Delight which cometh in upon the present exercise of Love it self on God as present when the soul in the contemplation of his infinite Goodness is wrapt up in the pleasures of his Love And this is a degree of fruition of our end before the perfect fruition of it And therefore take notice that there are these two wayes of our comfort in this life 1. Exploratio juris the tryall of our title 2. Exercitium amoris the feasting of the Soul in the exercises of Love § 21. 3. The final perfect act of Love will not be in via but when we have fully reacht our end § 22. This final act is not well expressed by the common word fruition because it intimateth that we are the finis cui our selves and that our own enjoyment of God as our felicity is the finis ultimatè ultimus which is not true § 23. Yet is fruition one ingredient into our End because our final act of Love is for our selves though not principally § 24. All the difficulties de fine hominis are best resolved by understanding that it is finis amantis and what that is The Nature of Love is an inclination or desire of Vnion or Adhaesion And therefore it includeth the felicity of the Lover together with the attractive excellency of the Object and is both gratia amantis amati simul But when the Lover is infinitely above the Object the Lover is the chief end for his own complacency though the Object have the benefit And when the Object is infinitely better than the Lover the Object must be incomparably the chief end cujus gratia potissimum though the Lover withall intend his felicity in fruition § 25. But if any soul be so far above self-love as to be drawn up in the fervours of Holy love in the meer contemplation of the infinite Object not thinking of its own felicity herein its felicity will be never the less for not intending or remembring it § 26. Therefore the final act of Love hath no fitter name than Love it self or delightfull adhaesion to God the infinite Good with full complacency in him § 27. Though God must be loved as our Benefactor yet the perfect goodness of his Will and Nature as standing above all our Interest or Benefits must be the principal reason and Object of our Love That we must love God more for Himself than for our selves is thus proved 1. That which is most Amiable must be most Loved But God is most amiable and not we our selves Therefore he must be Loved above our selves and consequently not for our selves but our selves for him The minor is soon proved That which is most Good is most Amiable But God is most good Ergo. And Goodness is the proper object of Love 2. That which the Soul most Loveth it doth most devote it self to and adhere to and rest in But we must more devote our selves to God and adhere to him and rest in him than our selves Ergo we must Love him more 3. That which is an Absolute Good and is dependent on nothing must be absolutely loved for it self But such is God Ergo. And that which is only a derivative limited dependent Good and not made ultimately for it self is not to be loved ultimately for it self But such is man Ergo. 4. That which is the Fountain of all Goodness and Love must be the end of all But that is God and not Man Ergo. 5. To love God ultimately for our selves is to deifie our selves and take down God into the order of a Means that is of a Creature § 28. Having proved that God must be loved above our selves we need no other proof that not we but God must be our ultimate end § 29. Because we here see not God intuitively but in his Works we are bound with fervent desire to study and contemplate them and therein to feast our love in beholding and tasting of his Love and Goodness As a Man will look on the Picture the Letters the works of his absent Friend and retain the Image of him in his heart so God though not absent yet unseen expresseth himself to us in all his works that we may studiously there behold admire and love him § 30. Therefore Gods Works must be more valued and studied as they are the Glass representing the Image of his perfections and shewing us his chief essential amiableness than as they are beneficial and useful to us and so shew us only his benignity to us § 31. Yet must self-love and sense it self and the sensible sweetness and experience of Mercies be improved to our easier taste of God's essential Goodness and we must rise up from the lower to the higher object and this is our chief use of sensible benefits Doubtless as the Soul while it dwelleth with flesh doth receive its objects by the mediation of sense so God hath purposely put such variety of sensible delicacies into the creatures that by every sight and smell and hearing and touch and taste our souls might receive a report of the sweetness of God whose goodness all proceed from And therefore this is the life which we should labour in continually to see God's goodness in every lovely sight and to taste God's goodness in every pleasant taste and to smell it in every pleasant Odour and to hear it in every lovely word or sound that the motion may pass on clearly without stop from the senses to the mind and will and we may never be so blockish as to gaze on the glass and not see the Image in it or to gaze on the Image and never consider whose it is or to read the Book of the Creation and mark nothing but the words and letters and never mind the sense and meaning A Philosopher and yet an Atheist or ungodly is a monster one that most readeth the Book of Nature and least understandeth or feeleth the meaning of it § 32. Therefore God daily reneweth his mercies to us that the variety and freshness of them producing renewed delight may renew our lively feelings of his love and goodness and so may carry us on in love without cessations and declinings Our natures are so apt to lose the sense of a Good that is grown ordinary and common that God by our renewed necessities and the renewed supplies and variety of mercies doth cure this defect § 33. Those therefore that turn God's mercies to the gratifying of their sensitive appetites and lusts and forget him and offend him the more and love him
the rest would quickly detect it and be upon his head § 88. 9. Yea the many Sects and Contentions among Christians and the many Hereticks that were at enmity with them would certainly have detected any combination to corrupt the Scriptures § 89. 10. Some few Hereticks in the beginning did attempt to bring in the Gospel of Nicodemus and some other forged Writings and to have corrupted some parts of Scripture and the Churches presently cryed them down § 90. 11. Most Hereticks have pleaded these same Scriptures and denyed them not to be genuine Yea Julian Celsus Porphyry and other Heathens did not deny it but took it as a certain truth § 91. 12. The ancient Writers of the Church Clemens Ignatius Justin Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian Arnobius Athenagoras Lactantius Eusebius Nazianzene Nyssen Basil Chrysostom Epiphanius Hierom Augustine c. do all cite these Scriptures as we now have them in all things material § 92. 13. The Christian Emperours have inserted the mention of some passages in their Laws in the same words as they are in our Bibles § 93. 14. Several Councils have not only cited several passages out of them but pleaded them still as the Word of God and enumerated the particular Books which constitute the whole Systeme All this set together will tell any man of reason consideration and impartiality that we have much fuller certainty that these Scriptures are the same which the first Churches received from the Apostles than they can have that Virgil's Ovid's Cicero's or Plutarch's works are theirs or that the Statutes of this Land are currant Yea were it not lest I be too tedious I might distinctly shew you the forementioned threefold certainty of all this 1. A moral certainty of the strongest humane Faith 2. A natural certainty grounded upon Physical impossibilities of the contrary 3. And somewhat of a Divine supernatural attestation by the continued blessing of God on the Scriptures for the sanctifying of souls in every age And this bringeth me up to the last part of this Chapter I have all this while been shewing how the three first parts of the Spirits witness to Christ are made known to us viz. Prophecy the Holyness of the Doctrine and Miracles I come now in a word to the fourth § 94. IV. How may we certainly know the fourth part of the SPIRITS witness to Christ viz. The success of his doctrine in the Regeneration of his Disciples and the actual saving them from their sins Answ I shall answer this 1. As to the times past and 2. As to the present age § 95. 1. What men have been in times past we have but these three wayes to know 1. By the History of those ages 2. By their remaining works 3. By their successors in whom their belief and qualities are continued And 1. that there have been holy persons in all ages yea that all true Christians were such we have as good testimony as History can afford whether you will judge of them by their profession life or sufferings 2. Their remaining works are very great testimonies what a spirit of Holiness Charity and Justice doth breath in the writings of those holy men which are come to our hands Clemens Romanus Ignatius Cyprian Ephrem Syrus Macarius Augustine Gregory Nazianzene Gr. Nyssen Basil Ambrose Chrysostom Salvian Cassianus Bernard c. 3. Those that succeed them at this day in the serious profession of Christianity are a living history of the virtues of their ancestors § 96. 2. Of the sanctity of the Christians of this present age there is a double knowledge to be had 1. By them that are Regenerate themselves 2. By them that are not Between these wayes of knowledge the difference must be great § 97. 1. As he that hath learning or love to his Parents or loyalty to his King or faithfulness to his friend may know that he hath it so may he that is renewed by the Spirit of God and hath a predominant love to God a heavenly minde and conversation a hatred of sin a delight in holiness a love to all men even his enemies a contempt of the World a mastery over his fleshly appetite sense and lusts a holy Government of his passions thoughts and tongue with a longing desire to be perfect in all this and a supporting hope to see Gods glory and enjoy him in the delights of Love and Praise for evermore § 98. This evidence of the Spirit of Sanctification in our selves is not the reason or motive of our first faith but of our confirmation and fuller assurance in believing afterwards For a man must in some sort believe in Christ before he can know that he is sanctifyed by him The rest of the motives are sufficient to begin the work of Faith and are the means which God ordinarily useth to that end § 99. It is Christs appointed Method that by learning of Him and using his appointed means Men be brought up to such a degree of Holyness as to be able to discern this witness in themselves and thence to grow up to full assurance of Faith and Hope Therefore if any one that hath heard the Gospel do want this inward assuring testimony it is because they have been false to the truth and means before revealed to them He that will but enquire into the Gospel and receive it and obey it so far as he hath reason to do it and not be false to his own Reason and Interest shall receive that renewing sanctifying Spirit which will be an abiding witness in himself But if he will reject known truth and refuse known duty and neglect the most reasonable means that are proposed to him he must blame himself if he continue in unbelief and want that evidence which others have Suppose that in a common Plague one Physician should be famed to be the only and infallible Curer of all that take his remedies and suppose many defame him and say He is but a Deceiver and others tell you He hath cured us and many thousands and we can easily convince you that his Remedies have nothing in them that is hurtfull and therefore you may safely try them especially having no other help He that will so far believe in him and trust him now as to try his Remedies may live but he that will not must blame none but himself if he die of his disease He that tryeth shall know by his own cure and experience that his Physician is no Deceiver And he that will not and yet complaineth that he wanteth that experimental knowledge doth but talk like a peevish self-destroyer § 100. 2. He that yet hath not the evidence of the Spirit of Regeneration in himself may yet be convinced that it is in others and thereby may know that Christ is indeed the Saviour of the World and no deceiver Even as in the aforesaid instance he that never tryed the Physician himself yet if he see thousands cured by him may know by that that
advantage of honour to his mercy and in the fullest demonstration of that love and goodness which may win our love And where will you find this done but in Jesus Christ alone 2. You must distinguish between Anger and Justice when God is said to be angry it meaneth no more but that he is displeased with sin and sinners and executeth his governing-justice on them 3. You must distinguish between sufferings in themselves considered and as in their signification and effects God loved not any mans pain and suffering and death as in it self considered and as evil to us no not of a sacrificed beast but he loveth the demonstration of his truth and justice and holiness and the vindication of his Laws from the contempt of sinners and the other good ends attained by this means and so as a means adapted to such ends he loveth the punishment of sin Object XV. It is a suspicious sign that he seeketh but to set up his name and get disciples that he maketh it so necessary to salvation to believe in him and not only to repent and turn to God Answ He maketh not believing in him necessary sub ratione finis as our holiness and love to God is but only sub ratione medii as a means to make us holy and work us up to the love of God He proclaimeth himself to be the Way the Truth and the Life by whom it is that we must come to the Father and that he will save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 Joh. 14.6 So that he commandeth Faith but as the bellows of Love to kindle in us the heavenly flames And I pray you how should he do this otherwise Can we learn of him if we take him for a deceiver Will we follow his example if we believe him not to be our pattern Will we obey him if we believe not that he is our Lord Will we be comforted by his gracious promises and covenant and come to God with ever the more boldness and hope of mercy if we believe not in his Sacrifice and Merits Shall we be comforted at death in hope that he will justifie us and receive our souls if we believe not that he liveth and will judge the world and is the Lord of life and glory Will you learn of Plato or Aristotle if you believe not that they are fit to be your Teachers Or will you take Physick of any Physician whom you trust not but take him for a deceiver Or will you go in the Vessel with a Pilot or serve in the Army under a Captain whom you cannot trust To believe in Christ which is made so necessary to our justification and salvation is not a dead opinion nor the joyning with a party that cryeth up his name But it is to become Christians indeed that is to take him unfeignedly for our Saviour and give up our selves to him by resolved consent or covenant to be saved by him from sin and punishment and reconciled to God and brought to perfect holiness and glory This is true justifying and saving faith And it is our own necessities that have made this faith so necessary as a means to our own salvation And shall we make it necessary for our selves and then quarrel with him for making it necessary in his Covenant Object XVI If Christ were the Son of God and his Apostles inspired by the holy Ghost and the Scriptures were God's Word they would excel all other men and writings in all true rational worth and excellency whereas Aristotle excelleth them in Logick and Philosophy and Cicero and Demosthenes in Oratory and Seneca in ingenious expressions of morality c. Answ You may as well argue that Aristotle was no wiser than a Minstrel because he could not fiddle so well nor than a Painter because he could not limn so well or than a harlot because he could not dress himself so neatly Means are to be estimated according to their fitness for their ends Christ himself excelled all mankind in all true perfections and yet it became him not to exercise all mens arts to shew that he excelleth them He came not into the world to teach men Architecture Navigation Medicine Astronomy Grammar Musick Logick Rhetorick c. and therefore shewed not his skill in these The world had sufficient helps and means for these in Nature It was to save men from sin and hell and bring them to pardon holiness and heaven that Christ was incarnate and that the Apostles were inspired and the Scriptures written and to be fitted to these ends is the excellency to be expected in them and in this they excell all persons and writings in the world As God doth not syllogize or know by our imperfect way of ratiocination but yet knoweth all things better than syllogizers do so Christ hath a more high and excellent kind of Logick and Oratory and a more apt and spiritual and powerful style than Aristotle Demosthenes Cicero or Seneca He shewed not that skill in methodical healing which Hippocrates and Galen shewed But he shewed more and better skill when he could heal with a word and raise the dead and had the power of life and death so did he bring more convincing evidence than Aristotle and perswaded more powerfully than Demosthenes or Cicero And though this kind of formal learning was below him and below the inspired messengers of his Gospel yet his inferiour servants an Aquinas a Scotus an Ockam a Scaliger a Ramus a Gassendus do match or excel the old Philosophers and abundance of Christians equalize or excel a Demosthenes or Cicero in the truest Oratory 2. His mercy had a general design for the salvation of all sorts and ranks of men and therefore was not to confine it self to a few trifling pedantick Logicians and Orators or those that had learned to speak in their new-made words and phrases but he must speak in the common Dialect of all those whom he would instruct and save As the Statutes of the land or the Books of Physick which are most excellent are written in a style which is fitted to the subject matter and to the Readers and not in Syllogisms or terms of Logick so was it more necessary that it should be with the doctrine of salvation The poor and unlearned were the greatest number of those that were to be converted and saved by the Gospel and still to use the holy Scriptures 3. There is greater exactness of true Logical method in some parts of the Scripture as e. g. in the Covenant of Faith the Lord's Prayer and the Decalogue than any is to be found in Aristotle or Cicero though men that understand them not do not observe it The particular Books of Scripture were written at several times and on several occasions and not as one methodical system though the Spirit that indited it hath made it indeed a methodical system agreeably to its design but if you saw the doctrines
of all this Bible uno intuitu in a perfect scheme as it is truly intended by the Spirit of God if you saw all begin the Divine Unity and branch out it self into the Trinity and thence into the Trinity of Relations and Correlations and thence into the multiplied branches of Mercy and Precepts and all these accepted and improved in Duty and Gratitude by man and returned up in Love to the blessed Trinity and Unity again and all this in perfect order proportion and harmony you would see the most admirable perfect method that ever was set before you in the world The resemblance of it is in the circular motion of the humours and spirits in mans body which are delivered on from vessel to vessel and perfected in all their motions I know there are many systems and schemes attempted which shew not this but that is because the wisdom of this method is so exceeding great that it is yet but imperfectly understood for my own part I may say as those that have made some progress in Anatomy beyond their Ancestors that they have no thought that they have yet discovered all but rejoyce in what they have discovered which shewed them the hopes and possibility of more So I am far from a perfect comprehension of this wonderful method of Divinity but I have seen that which truly assureth me that it excelleth all the art of Philosophers and Orators and that it is really a most beautiful frame and harmonious consort and that more is within my prospect than I am yet come to 4. Moreover it is Christ who gave all men all the gifts they have to Logicians Orators Astronomers Grammarians Physicians and Musicians c. what ever gifts are suited to mens just ends and callings he bestoweth on them and to his Apostles he gave those gifts which were most suitable to their work I do not undervalue the gifts of Nature or Art in any I make it not with Aristotle an argument for the contempt of Musick Jovem neque canere neque cytharam pulsare but I may say that as God hath greater excellencies in himself so hath he greater gifts to give and such gifts as were fittest for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospel and first planting of the Churches he gave to the Apostles and such as were fit for the edifying of the Church he giveth to his Ministers ever since And such as were fit for the improvement of Nature in lower things he gave the Philosophers and Artists of the world Object XVII The Scripture hath many contradictions in it in points of History Chronology and other things Therefore it is not the word of God Answ Nothing but ignorance maketh men think so understand once the true meaning and allow for the errors of Printers Transcribers and Translators and there will no such thing be found Young Students in all Sciences think their books are full of contradictions which they can easily reconcile when they come to understand them Books that have been so oft translated into so many Languages and the Originals and Translations so oft transcribed may easily fall into some disagreement between the Original and Translations and the various Copies may have divers inconsiderable verbal differences But all the world must needs confess that in all these Books there is no contradiction in any point of Doctrine much less in such as our salvation resteth on There are two opinions among Christians about the Books of the holy Scripture the one is That the Scriptures are so entirely and perfectly the product of the Spirit 's Inspiration that there is no word in them which is not infallibly true The other is That the Spirit was promised and given to the Apostles to enable them to preach to the world the true Doctrine of the Gospel and to teach men to observe what ever Christ commanded and truly to deliver the History of his Life and Sufferings and Resurrection which they have done accordingly But not to make them perfect and indefectible in every word which they should speak or write no not about Sacred things but only in that which they delivered to the Church as necessary to salvation and as the Rule of Faith and Life but every Chronological and Historical narrative is not the Rule of Faith or Life I think that the first opinion is right and that no one errour or contradiction in any matter can be proved in the Scriptures yet all are agreed in this that it is so of Divine Inspiration as yet in the manner and method and style to partake of the various abilities of the Writers and consequently of their humane imperfections And that it is a meer mistake which Infidels deceive themselves by to think that the Writings cannot be of Divine Inspiration unless the Book in order and style and all other excellencies be as perfect as God himself could make it Though we should grant that it is less Logical than Aristotle and less Oratorical and Grammatical and exact in words than Demosthenes or Cicero it would be no disparagement to the certain truth of all that is in it It doth not follow that David must be the ablest man for strength nor that he must use the weapons which in themselves are most excellent if he be called of God to overcome Goliah but rather that it may be known that he is called of God he shall do it with less excellence of strength and weapons than other men and so there may be some real weakness not culpable in the Writings of the several Prophets and Apostles in point of style and method which shall shew the more that they are sent of God to do great things by little humane excellency of speech and yet that humane excellency be never the more to be disliked no more than a sword because David used but a sling and stone If Amos have one degree of parts and Jeremiah another and Isaiah another c. God doth not equal them all by Inspiration but only cause every man to speak his saving truth in their own language and dialect and style As the body of Adam was made of the common earth though God breathed into him a rational soul and so is the body of every Saint even such as may partake of the infirmities of parents so Scripture hath its style and language and methods so from God as we have our bodies even so that there may be in them the effects of humane imperfection and it is not so extraordinarily of God as the truth of the Doctrine is All is so from God as to be suitable to its proper ends but the body of Scripture is not so extraordinarily from him as the soul of it is as if it were the most excellent and exact in every kind of ornament and perfection The Truth and Goodness is the soul of the Scripture together with the power manifested in it and in these it doth indeed excel So that variety of gifts in the Prophets and
dividing it self from the rest causing schisme or contention in the Body or making a rent unnecessarily in any particular Church which is a part § 4. But when Parties and Sects do trouble the Church we must still hold to our meer Christianity and desire to be called by no other name than Christians with the Epithets of sincerity And if men will put the name of a Party or Sect upon us for holding to Christianity only against all corrupting Sects we must hold on our way and bear their obloquy § 5. What CHRISTIANITY is may be known 1. Most summarily in the Baptismal Covenant in which we are by solemnization made Christians in which renouncing the Flesh the World and the Devil we give up our selves devotedly to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifyer 2. By the ancient summary Rules of Faith Hope and Charity the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Decalogue 3. Integrally in the sacred Scriptures which are the Records of the Doctrine of Christ and the Holy Spirit § 6. But there are many circumstances of Religious Worship which Scripture doth not particularly determine of but only give general Rules for the determination of them as what Chapter shall be read what Text preached on what Translation used what Meeter or Tune of Psalms what time what place what Seat or Pulpit or Cup or other Vtensils what Vesture gesture c. whether we shall use Notes for memory in preaching what method we shall preach in whether we shall pray in the same words often or in various with a book or without with many other In all which the People must have an obediential respect to the conduct of the lawfull Pastors of the Churches § 7. Differing opinions or practices about things indifferent no nor about the meer integrals of Religion which are not Essentials do not make men of different Religions or Churches universally considered § 8. Nothing will warrant us to separate from a Church as no Church but the want of something Essential to a Church § 9. The Essential or Constitutive parts of the Church Catholick or Vniversal are Christ the Head and all Christians as the Members § 10. All sincere and sanctified Christians are the members of the Church mystical invisible or regenerate And all Professors of sincere Christianity that is all Baptized persons not apostatised nor excommunicate are the members of the Church visible which is integrated of the particular Churches § 11. It is essential to particular political Churches that they be constituted of true Bishops or Pastors and of flocks of baptised or professed Christians Vnited in these Relations for holy communion in the worshipping of God and the promoting of the salvation of the several members § 12. It is essential to a true Bishop or Pastor of the Church to be in Office that is in Authority and Obligation appointed by Christ in subordination to him in the three parts of his Offices Prophetical Priestly and Kingly That is to teach the people to stand between them and God in Worship and to guide or or govern them by the Paternal exercise of the Keyes of his Church § 13. He that doth not nullifie or unchurch a Church may lawfully remove from one Church to another and make choice of the best and purest or that which is most suited to his own Edification if he be a Free-man § 14. But in case of such choice or personal removal the Interest of the whole Church or of Religion in common must be first taken into consideration by him that would rightly judge of the lawfulness of the fact § 15. If a Church which in all other respects is purest and best will impose any sin upon all that will have local communion with it though we must not separate from that Church as no Church yet must we not commit that sin but patiently suffer them to exclude us from their communion § 16. True Heresie that is an Error contradictory to an essential Article of the Christian Faith if it be seriously and really held so that the contrary truth is not held seriously and really doth nullifie the Christianity of him that holdeth it and the Church-state of that Congregation which so professeth it But so doth not that fundamental Error which is held but in words through ignorance thinking it may consist with the contrary truth while that truth is not denyed but held majore fide so that we have reason to believe that if they did discern the contradiction they would rather forsake the error than the truth But of this more elsewhere CHAP. XIV Consectary II. Of the true Interest of Christ and his Church and the Souls of Men Of the means to promote it and its Enemies and Impediments in the World SO great and common is the Enmity against Christianity in the World yea against the life and reality of it in all the Hypocrites of the Visible Church that the guilty will not bear the detection of their guilt And therefore the Reader must excuse me for passing over the one half of that which should be said upon this subject because they that need it cannot suffer it § 1. Every true Christian preferreth the Interest of Christ and of Religion before all worldly Interest of his own or any others For he that setteth himself or any thing above his God hath indeed no God For if he be not Maximus Sapientissimus Optimus Greatest Wisest and Best he is not God And if he be not really taken as such he is not taken for their God And he that hath no God hath no Religion And he that hath no Religion is no Christian And if he call himself a Christian he is an Hypocrite § 2. Though we must preferre the Interest of Christ and the Church above the Interest of our Souls yet must we never set them in competition or opposition but in a due conjunction though not in an equality I adde this to warn men of some common dangerous errors in this point some think that if they do but feel themselves more moved with another Ministers preaching or more edified with another way of Discipline they may presently withdraw themselves to that Minister or Discipline without regard to the Unity and good of the Church where they are or whatever publick evil follow it Whereas he that seemeth to deny even to his Soul some present edification for the publick good shall finde that even this will turn to his greater edification And some on the contrary extream have got a conceit that till they can finde that they can be content to be damned for Christ if God would so have it they are not sincere Which is a case that no Christian should put to his own heart being such as God never put to any man All the tryall that God putteth us to is but whether we can deny this transitory life and the vanities
to the cause in all the entities and motions in the world is undeniable Whatsoever any Being hath and hath not originally from it self or independently in it self it must needs have from another and that other cannot act beyond its power nor give that which it hath not either formally or eminently Therefore he that findeth in the world about him so much entity and motion so much Intellection Volition and Operation and so much Wisdom Goodness and Power must needs know that all these have some cause which formally or eminently or in a way of transcendency hath more it self than it giveth to others I measured my endeavours about this subject according as the occasions of my own soul had led me among all the temptations which have at any time assaulted me I have found those so contemptible and inconsiderable as to their strength which would have made me doubt of the being of a God that I am apt to think that it is so with others And therefore in the review of this discourse I find no reason to stand to answer any mans objections against the Being or essential Attributes or Properties of God And for the second point that we all owe to this God our absolute Resignation Obedience and Love and so that Holiness is naturally our duty it doth so naturally result from the Nature of God and Man compared that I can scarce think of any thing worthy of a confutation which can be said against it but that which denieth the Nature of God or Man and therefore is either confuted under the first head or is to be confuted under the third As for the fourth particular contained in the second Tome the truth of the Gospel I find not any reason to defend it more particularly nor to answer any more objections than I have done for in proving the truth I have proved all the contradictory assertions to be false and I have answered already the greatest objections and after this to answer every ignorant exception of unsatisfied persons against the several passages of the Scripture would be tedious and not necessary to the end of my design And indeed I perceive not that any considerable number are troubled with doubtings of the truth of the Christian faith in a prevalent degree who are well convinced of those antecedent verities of the Deity and of the natural obligation and necessity of Holiness and of the Immortality of the soul or of a future life of reward and punishment and that live in any reasonable conformity to these natural principles which they profess For when natural evidence hath sufficiently convinced a man that he is obliged to be holy in absolute obedience and love to his Creator through the hopes and fears of another life he is very much prepared to close with the design and doctrine of the Gospel which is so far from contradicting this that it doth but confirm it and shew us the way by which it may most certainly be brought to pass And therefore my observation and experiences constrain me to think that there is no point which I have insisted on which so much calleth for my vindication as the third about the Life to come I know there is a sort of over-wise and over-doing Divines who will tell their followers in private where there is none to contradict them that the method of this Treatise is perverse as appealing too much to natural light and over-valuing humane reason and that I should have done no more but shortly tell men that All that which God speaketh in his word is true and that propria luce it is evident that the Scripture is the Word of God and that to all God's Elect he will give his Spirit to cause them to discern it and that this much alone had been better than all these disputes and reasons but these over-wise men who need themselves no reason for their Religion and judge accordingly of others and think that those men who rest not in the authority of Jesus Christ should rest in theirs are many of them so well acquainted with me as not to expect that I should trouble them in their way or reason against them who speak against reason even in the greatest matters which our reason is given us for As much as I am addicted to scribling I can quietly dismiss this sort of men and love their zeal without the labour of opening their ignorance My task therefore in this conclusion shall be only to defend the doctrine delivered in this fore-going Treatise of the Life to come or the Soul's Immortality against some who call themselves Philosophers For of men so called it is but a small part who at all gainsay this weighty truth The followers of Plato the Divine Philosopher with the Pythagoreans the Stoicks the Cynicks and divers other Sects are so much for it that indeed the most of them go too far and make the soul to be eternal both à parte arte and à parte post and Cicero doth conclude from its self-moving power that it is certainly eternal and divine Insomuch that not only Arnobius but many other ancient Christians write so much against Plato for holding the soul to be naturally immortal and assert themselves that it is of a middle nature between that which is naturally immortal and that which is meerly mortal that he that doth not well understand them may be scandalized at their expressions and think that he readeth the Philosopher defending the souls immortality and the Christian opposing it And though Aristotle's opinion be questioned by many yet Cicero who lived in time and places wherein he had better advantage than we to know his meaning doth frequently affirm that he was in the main of Plato's mind and that the Academicks Peripateticks and Stoicks differed more in words than sense chiding the Stoicks for their schism or separation in setting up a School or Sect as new which had almost nothing new but words Not only Fernelius de abditis rerum causis but many others have vindicated Aristotle however his obscurity hath given men occasion to keep up that controversie And if the book de Mundo be undoubtedly his I see no reason to make any more question of his meaning much less if that book be his which is entitled Mystica Aegypt Chald. Philos which Aben Ama Arabs translated out of Greek into Arabick which Franc. Roseus brought from Damascus and Moses Rovas Medicus Haebr translated into Italian and Pet. Nicol. Castelinus into Latine and Patricius thinketh Aristotle took from Plato's mouth It is only then the Epicureans and some novel Somatists that I have now to answer who think they have much to say against the separated subsistence and immortality of mans soul which I may reduce to these objections following I. Matter and Motion without any more may do all that which you ascribe to incorporeal substances or souls therefore you assert them without ground II. To confirm this
vis veritatis quae contra hominum ingenia calliditatem sole tiam contraque fictas omnium insidâ—as facile se per se ipsam defendat Cicer pâ—o Caelâ— Even between the carnal hypocritical nominal Christian and the true Christian as Gal. 4.29 As then he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now See her story in Fuller's Worthy's of England * Which Mr. Weld of New-England hath printed And upon Mr. Stubs his Extenuation in his Book for Sir Henry Vane against me in Letters since he hath fully confirmed The many Miracles mentioned by such credible persons as Augustine de Civit. Dei and other learned holy men deserve some credit sure Victor Uticensis telleth of many Confessors whose tongues were cut out by the Arrian Vandal Hunnerichus who spake freely without tongues And Aenaeas Gazaeus in a notable Treatise for the Immortality of the Soul saith the same and that he saw them himself and hath more such Wonders Ego novi multa bonorum virorum corpora quae etiam phalanges daemonum tantopere terretent quantopere ipsi vexabant hominem abs se captum atque obsessum itemque morbos innumeros quibus curandis ars medica non sufficeret ipsa facile curarent perpurgarent omninoque auferrent Id. ibid. page 411. B.P. Even Cicero speaking of some sacrilegious impious persons could observe Qui vero ex his omnium scelerum principes fuerunt praeter caeteros in omni Religione impii non solum vita cruciati vel cum cruciatu ut Lambinus atque dedecore verum etiam sepultura ac justis exequiis caruerunt Lib. 2. de leg p. 245. And to the objection that it oft falleth out otherwise and that the best suffer most he answereth Non recte existimamus quae poena sit divina opinionibus vulgi rapimur in errorem neâ—vera cernimus Morte aut dolore corporis aut luctu animi aut offenfione judicii hominum miserias ponderamus quae fateor humana esse multis bonis viris accidisse sceleris autem poena tristis praeter cos eventus qui sequuntur per se ipsa maxima est Videmus eos qui nisi odissent patriam nun quam inimici nobis fuissent ardentes cum cupiditate tum metu tum conscientia quid agâ—rent modo timentes vicissim contemnentes Religiones And he concludeth Duplicem poenam esse Divinam quod constaret ex vexandis vivorum animis eâ famâ mortuorum ut corum exitium judicio vivorum gaudio comprobetur Ibid. I desire the learned Reader to read the three Miracles which Aen. Gazaeus saith he saw with his own eyes in his Theophrast in Bib. Pat. Gr. To. 2. page 414 415. The first of an old man that raised one from the dead The second of a good man that when he was dying promised his Scholar that was blind that within seven days he should have his fight which accordingly came to pass The third of the Confessions before mentioned that by prayer could speak most articulately without tongues All these he professeth he saw with his own eyes And the rationality and piety of his writings maketh his testimony the more credible Lege Palladii Historiam Lausiac cap. 52. de Miraculo ab ipso viso Though I know that as Apparitions so Miracles are too oft counterfeit yet all that are recorded by the antient Doctors and Historians cannot be so thought especially when we have seen something like them Of the abundance of Witches at that time read Bishop Hall Sol. 15. p. 53 54. Read Edm. Bower of the Salisbury Witch Porphyry was so convinced of the truth of Daniel's Prophey that he is fain to say That it was written after the things were fulfilled saith Grot. Imòiâ— Petri miracula Phlegon Adriani Imperatoris libertus in Annalibus suis commemoravit inâ—uit Grotius de Verit. Rel. l. 3. Fuit vero prodigiorum apud sepulchra editorum tanta frequentia tot corum testes ut etiam Porphyrio ejus rei confessionem expresserit inquit Grot. l. 3. I know what a stir is made about Josephus testimony of Christ some accounting it currant and some as foisted in by some Christian but I doubt not to say that to those who well consider all the middle opinion of B. Usher will appear to be far the most probable viz. That the whole sentence is currant except those words This was Christ And that some Christian having wrote those words as expository in the margin of his book they afterward crept thence into the text Athenagoras tells M. Aurel. Antoninus the Emperour and L. Aur. Commodus to whom he wrote Nec dubito quin vos etiam doctissimi sapientissimi Principes historias scripta Moses Esaiae Hieremiae reliquorum Prophetarum aliqua ex parte cognoveritis Sed vobis relinquo qui libros novistis studiosius in illorum prophetias inquirere ac perpendere c. Apol. p. in B. p. 56 57. And it 's like that Antonine learned somewhat from the Scriptures as well as Severus if he so well knew them and thence received some of his wisdom and virtue Omnis credendi difficultas non temere ex futili nulliusque judidicii opinione nascitur sed ex valida causa verisimilitudine plurimum munita Tum enim incredulitas rationem justam habet quum ipsa res de qua non creditur quiddam incredibile continet Nam rebus quae dubitandi causam non habent non credere eorum est qui sano judicio in discutienda veritate minime utuntur Athenagor leg pag. 82. Si animus fit quinta illa non nominata magis quam intellecta natura multo integâ—iora puriora sunt ut à terra longissime se efferant Cicer. Tuscul Qu. l. 1. p. 223. Leg. Nazianz. Orat. 26. 32. Magni autem est ingenii revocare mentem a sensibus cogitationem a consuetudine abducere Cicero Tuscul Qu. l. 1. p. 222. See Part 1. Chap. 5. Pardon the Repetitions here for the reasons after-mentioned See before in the Marg. of Chap. 5. Part 1. the Collection of Christoph Simpson of Trinity in Unity in the Harmony of Musical Concordance in The Division-Violist pag. 17. Read Campanella's Metaphysicks and his Atheismus triumphatus of this Richardus in Opuscul ad S. Bernard de appropriatis personarum inquit Quod Potentia Sapientia Bonitas sunt notissima quid sint apud nos qui ex visibilibus invisibilia Dei per ea quae facta sunt intellecta conspicimus Et quoniam in Elementis plantis brutis reperitur Potentia sine sapientia in Homine in Angelo reperitur Potentia sed non sine sapientia Et in Lucifero reperitur Potentia Sapientia sine Bonitate Charitate seâ— Bona Voluntate Sed in Homine bono bonoque in Angelo non datur Bona Voluntas nisi adsit Posse Scire Igitur
Drake We agree with you in Religion against the Portugals that we must not worship flocks and stones Fuller's Holy State in the Life of Sir Francis Drake out of a M.S. of one of his company What a scandal is such Worship against the Christian cause Act. 9.31 As for the grand controversie of per se aut per alium read Grotius de Imper. pag. 290 291. Nam illud quod quis per alium facit per se facere videtur ad eas duntaxat pertinet actiones quarum causa efficiens proxima à jure indefinita est Dr. Jer. Taylor of Repent â—ref I am sure we cannot give account of Souls of which we have no notice Leg. Athanas Patri Constantine de necessaria Episcop residentia Si vis Deorum speciem apprehendere proprietates Animae rationalis ultimae cogita oppositas in perfectione Diis attribue Jamblit de Myster per Ficiâ— * When Machumet had taken Constantinople and demanded of the Patriarch an account of the Christian saith Georg. Scholarius alias Gennadius then Patriarch wrote that brief summary which you may find in Mart. Crusius his Turco Graec. l. 2. Hist Eccles p. 10 c. which very well openeth the mystery of the Trinity and of Christianity with seven reasons of it Trâ— Platâ— and Aristotle were of one opinion abode the Soul Mirandula and Mars Ficinus upon Priscians â—heophrastus de Anima have largely laboured to evince Galen is known to speak many objections against Plato and the Soul's immortality but in other places he speaketh doubtfully And if really Neâ—esius had those words out of such a book of Galen as he citeth de Ani. c. 2. p. 481. he would then seem to have thought better of the Rational Soul Plotinus his last words were as Porphyry saith in his life I am now returning that which is Divine in us to that which is Divine in the Universe The Platonists opinion that the Soul is all the Man and that Animus cujusque is est quisque is incomparably more probable and of honester tendency than theirs that think the Body is all the Man Qui putant hominem esse ex Anima corporeque compositum consequenter utile à justo sejungunt Qui vero hominem esse animam conjungunt Proclus de Anim. doem per Ficin What then will they hold and do that think man is tantum corpus For as Proclus there saith and Cicero oft most Philosophers agree that vivere secundum suam naturam is man's great duty and felicity Therefore as men differ about man's Nature they will differ about his Duty and felicity They that think he is all Body will describe his work and his happiness accordingly a truth of sad and desperate consequence The truth is as Fire is per essentiam a moving enlightning heating substance so the soul is per essentiam a Life or Vital Principle and therefore as Porphyry argueth for the soul to die is for life it self to die or that which is per essentiam life to cease to be what it is Quibusdam qui ne ignem calere putant nisi cum manu contrectarint nihil credendum esse placet quod supra progredientem naturam videatur Multorum quoque studia tardantur quod id credere noluit quod minus sub â—orum cognitionem cadit quae errorum pravitas ex ingeniorum imbecilitate defluxit siquidem cum sensuum angustiae ex quibus hominem agnitio eruitur in externorum sensilium genere versentur satis notum esse debet his tanquam compedibus intelligentiae cursum retardari divinaque capessere nequire Paul Cartesâ—n 1 Sent. dis 9. p. 22. Read the Mystic Aegypt Chald. Philos to prove that souls are not corporeal and Nemesius and Mammertus If the soul be nothing but Matter and Motion then no man is the same this year as he was the last For Matter is in fluxu continuo as they object themselves anon We have not the same slesh and bloud to day which we lately had and the motion of this instant is not the same with the motion which succeedeth in the next So that no man's soul and consequently no man is long the same and so as I have said after Kings will lose their titles to their Crowns and all men to their lands as being not the same who were born heirs to them And there must be no rewards or punishments unless you will reward and punish one for another's faults And they need no more to fear the pain or death which will befall them than that which befall their neighbour because it is not the man that now is who must undergo it Nor should any man have a wife or child of his own one year together If they like not these consequents let them either prove that Identifying Matter and Motion are permanent or grant that some other permanent thing doth identifie the person See this as the argument of Ammonius and Numenias prest by Nemesius de Anim. c. 2. p. 477. Vid. Clean this argumenta pro animae corporeitate à Nemesio profligata ibid. p. 479 c. If the doctrine of Matter and Motion only were true there would never be any true miracles in the world but all things go on from motion to motion as the first touch did put them into a necessity whereas however the world hath been deluded by many fictions yet many certain miracles there have been Whether the removing of the mountain by saith mentioned by M. Paulus Venetus J. 1. cap. 18. be true or not and the non-dissolution of excommunicate bodies in Constantinople mentioned in Mart. Crusius his Hist Eccles Turco graec l. 2. with multitudes of the likes which most Historians have c. Yet certainly that there have been some such hath been fully proved unto many Those that fly to this ingenita dispositio vel pondus will in other words grant that Nature form or quality which they deny And those that grant nothing to move but former motion must needs make some degrees of motion daily to diminish in the World one thing or other still ceasing its motion and all motion within our knowledge having such constant impedition that before this time we may think all things would have stood still if their opinion were true If they say that the Sun or some superior Movers renew the motion of things inferior I grant it But that is because it hath a moving nature For if they say that the Sun it self hath not the least impedition to diminish the degrees of its motion they speak not only without any proof but contrary to our observation of all things known and to their own opinion who make the Air impeditive to other motions and the effluvia of other Globes to be impeditive to the Sun Sane ignis aër aqua terra suapte natura carent anima cuicunque horum adest anima hoc vita utitur peregrina Alia vero praeter haec nulla sunt corpora Plotin Ennead