wondrous Works of Christ to name Which no less Author than a God proclaim As with new Life informing Breathless Clay And who besides can of th' Amighty say He does or suffers Wonders without cause For no wise Maker of well-founded Laws Would without weighty Reason make them vain But then who can another Reason feign Than what our Saviour did himself declare That God thereby did Testimony bear Unto those sacred Doctrines which he taught By those that saw them what else could be thought They being such as we observ'd before As 't were a scandal to the God w'adore And impious to believe he would impose On Men so perfectly resign'd as those This was the cause why many of the Jews Who Moses for their constant Guide did chuse About that time when Jesus here did move Receiv'd him as a Master from above Such were the Nazarens and Ebio'nites Zealous Asserters of the Jewish Rites Christ's Miracles like Confirmation have VI. Christ's Resurrection prov'd by credible Testimonies From his return to Life out of the Grave This has not only been for Truth receiv'd But a chief Article to be believ'd By all who e're Christ'anity profest But it for certain needs must be confest All could not this matter of Faith have thought Unless the Men who first Christ's Doctrine taught Had full perswasi'on in their Hearers wrought But evidently this could ne're have been Without asserting what themselves had seen None moderately wise would e're have chose A Faith which to such Dangers did expose Unless they had affirm'd it's Truth who saw This great Foundation of the Christian Law But that it always was affirm'd is shown By other Writings fully as their own And as in Books as clearly 't is reveal'd They to five hundred Witnesses appeal'd Who saw our Saviour come to Life again But how durst any so appeal that feign And who could on such Multitudes prevail To cheat the World with a fictitious Tale Nay were the Twelve all who had this maintain'd They were enow full Credit to have gain'd For no Man would for nothing be a Knave Honours 't is sure thereby they could not have For those were at the absolute dispose Of Jews and Heathens who did them oppose Nor could they have by this encreast their store Thro' it they lost what they had gain'd before Nor could one benefit of Life invite To cheat the World with any cunning slight Their very preaching as full well they knew To Labours Hunger Thirst and Prisons drew Then Fame with their own Sect could never tempt Plain Men from all degrees of Pride exempt So many Inconveniencies to bear For the thin diet of that pop'ular Air Nor could they hope that Doctrine would succeed With Nature still intent upon it's need When all Authority on Earth oppos'd But as they with God's sacred Promise clos'd This may be added that whatever Fame They might propound by preaching up Christ's Name They had no expectation it could last For so with Clouds God's Purpose was o'recast They thought the World did to it's Period hast Which is in theirs and other Writings plain The sole Objection which can yet remain Is that they ly'd for their Religion's sake Which no Man that had duly weigh'd would make For either their Religion true they thought Or what they knew to be a Falshood taught But had they not believ'd it to be best They would not have forsaken all the rest Among which Safety lay and Honour too Nor had profest it barely as 't was true Unless they that Profession needful knew For nothing else could free them from the Guilt Of all the Blood through that Professi'on spilt But if they that believ'd not true alone But best and necess'ry for them to own After the Founders Death to be receiv'd This could not have obtain'd had he deceiv'd Declaring his own rising from the Dead No Men whose Understandings were not fled Finding their Expectations frustrate there Would to that Faith still holy Rev'rence bear Then all Religions chiefly Christ's deny To blemish sacred things with any Lie Religion therefore such an one besure Could never this officious Lie procure The Men besides were such as their worst Foes For nothing but simplicity expose Nor had such Wit enough so well to feign And who would do it for the sake of pain Which that Profession certainly would gain I'th'utmost Tortures Malice could invent Many for this out of the World were sent How much soever some might chuse to bear For an Opinion which they valu'd dear Who can imagine Men with Sense indu'd Not one alone but a great multitude Should make themselves subject to certain Woe For what themselves had known to be untrue But then their Lives and Writings which they left Shew that they were not of their Wits bereft What may confirm the Evidence of those Who the first Witnesses for Christ arose Serves for St. Paul as much who did declare That rapt above the Regions of the Air Whether with strengthned Rays of mortal sight Or meerly by an intellectu'al Light The Soul being sep'rate from the Body's Chain He saw where Christ does with his Father reign All that the Jews could teach he had acquir'd Nor greater honour need to have desir'd Than what he might expect in his old way When on the other side for this he lay Expos'd to th' utmost hatred of his Friends Nature depriv'd of all its darling ends Travels and Labours all his worldly Meed And a reproachful death was to succeed VII Answer to the Objection that Christ's Resurrection seems impossible VVho can assent to proofs so clear delay Unless that 't is impossible he say That is a contradiction does imply Which we of this may with good grounds deny At the same time to be alive and dead VVere contradicti'ous but when life is fled Back by the Pow'r that gave it to be brought Can never sure impossible be thought As Plato writes to Eris this befell Heracl'des this does of a VVoman tell Of one Herodotus does this relate And this says Plutarch was anothers fate VVhich shews that VVise-men thought that it might be If that 't was possible we then agree For Christ to breath again with living breath After its be'ng extinguisht once in death And that 't was so in fact 's so fully prov'd That his Resurrection evinces the Truth of his Doctrine That it the Jewish Rabbi Becai mov'd But as his Followers and others shew He held forth to the World a Doctrine new This must by needful Consequence be true Since he maintain'd 't was by divine Command For with God's Justice it can no way stand Or Goodness either to exalt so high One who in so momentous things would lie Had he been such an one who would believe That he the certain notice should receive Both when and how he should from Life retire And have his Reins new fill'd with active Fire Himself declaring that all this was wrought For Confirmat'ion
The Church but with more living seed did fill And thus the more was scatterd more did spring If other Rites into the Scales we bring The Greeks and other Heathens us'd the most Of their admir'd Philosophers to boast Bate Socrates Gymnosophists a few Scarce others dying for their way can shew And who that thinks can well deny of these That in their Death 's the hope of praise did please They thought it glor'ous to survive in Fame And have Posterity their Deaths proclaim While many suff'ring for the Christi'an Name Were Men in Fortunes and Ambition low That such Men were their Neighbours scarce did know Women and tender Virgins gentle Youths With their last Blood bore witness to these Truths Who can believe of these a vain desire Or hope of lasting Fame to this should fire Besides our Martyrologies contain But a small part of those who thus were slain And rarely can the Jews a Martyr boast Beyond Antiochus his time at most Since Christ's Religion is for this the best Is it not to be chose before the rest When the vast Multitudes we duly weigh Who did their Lives for this Religion pay Each Sex each sort of Men in ev'ry Age We needs must think some pow'rful cause t' engage And what to so great constancy could move But Truth and th' holy Spirit from above If by the Arguments already brought In some Conviction is not wholly wrought Let them consider Proofs in sev'ral ways As is the nature of the thing one weighs One sort does with the Mathematicks suit Another when in Physicks we dispute One when for Action we would Counsel take Diff'rent when Fact does th' only question make And this is always yeilded by the Wise When no exception ' gainst the Witness lies And if we will not this for Proof admit We all the use of History must quit The most approved Med'cines we must loose That Piety too which does its self diffuse Where ever Parents are and Children known For want of Evidence must needs be gone It is the pleasure of the Pow'r most high The things wherein he 'd have our Faith to lie That our Obedience it's Reward may gain Should not appear so evidently plain As things which Sense or Demonstrati'on shew Yet as much Light should carry as is due For raising a most firm belief in those Who will not pertinaci'ously oppose Hence we the Gospel as a Touch-stone find To try and prove which is the upright Mind For since so many good so many wise Embrac'd so highly penal Verities It shews that other's Incredulitie Never from a defect of Proofs can be But that they would not have that pass for true Which their Affecti'ons did so much eschew That it was hard with a regardless Eye To suffer all that glitters here to lie Which needs must be if they for truth would hold All that has been concerning Jesus told And therefore would obey the Rules he gave An Evidence for this herein we have These many Histories for true receive Which they on bare Authority believe Of which no Foot-steps at this day are known As for the History of Christ are shown This in the Jews Confessi'ons we many trace And the Assemblies which these Truths embrace Of which some cause we cannot but assign Nor can't be any thing below divine No humane force could it so long maintain And such remote and spreading Conquests gain This could proceed from Miracles alone But if we are resolv'd them to disown That without them it should such force acquire Is what we ought much rather to admire LIB III. I. For the Authority of the Books of the New Covenant HE whom these Arguments or others move As true and best Christianity t' approve Would he the knowledg of it's Precepts gain Must search those sacred Scriptures which obtain The name of Testament or Cov'nant new Where we the whole of this Relig'ion view For this we should not scruple to receive What Christi'ans always hold that they believe To Men of ev'ry Sect we Credit pay As to the Books they shew us of their way And thus the Alcoran is justly thought To shew what Doctrines Mahomet has taught Since then the Truth of Christ's Religion 's known And that lies in the Books the Christi'ans own If any a more special Proof require We them t' admit this equal Rule desire That they who any Writing will oppose With which for sev'ral Ages Men did close Are bound those Arguments first to maintain Which may impeach the Credit that did gain Till which of full Authority it must remain The Books in which no Christians disagree II. That the Books which have any Authors Names to them were writ by them whose Names are prefixt To which some certain Names affixt we see To have been wrote by those whose Names they bear The Writers of succeeding times declare Thus Justin Irenaeus Clement shew With other Men of Ages that ensue That all the sacred Books were titled true Add farther as Tertullian does declare Some of th'Orig'inals in his time were fair And ev'ry Christian Church the same did own Ev'n before Councils to unite them known Nor did the Jews or Pagans ever doubt But they were theirs whose Names they bear about Julian confest in terms by no means dark That Peter Paul with Matthew Luke and Mark Were Authors of those Books which bear their Names Thus he but his own want of Wit proclaims Who doubts of what both Greeks and Romans thought T' have been by Homer or grave Virgil wrote More on that Evidence should we rely Which almost ev'ry Nation does supply III. The doubt remov'd from Books anciently doubted of Yet does the Volume now in use contain Books which at first did not like Credit gain Thus 't was with one which we St. Peter's call The same did those of James and Jude befal And thus with two which the like late consent From John the Elder sty'd supposes sent Th' Apocalyps as doubtful has been thought And the Epistle to the Hebrews wrote Howe'r that many Churches them receiv'd And sacred their Authority believ'd Appears in that Christi'ans who first did write Them as of such Authority do cite Which may in reason well be thought to shew Of some nothing at first some Churches knew Howe're the Truth being set in a clear light They did with others in their use unite Nor was there any cause in these to cheat For without them the System were compleat The self-same Doctrine they do but repeat IV. The Authority of such Books as have no Title prov'd from the quality of the Writers Nor should th'Epistle to the Hebrews wrote Or two reputed Johns be spurious thought Or the Apocalyps of doubtful Fame 'Twixt John th'Apostle and one of his Name The quality of Books is most esteem'd Some Histories have been authentick deem'd Whose Authors never did themselves declare Thus the Account o' th' Alexandrian War Does with a gen'ral Reputati'on pass
Since part of what he writes the Author plainly was So since the Authors of the Books we cite Liv'd in the very times of which they write And as they add themselves partakers were Of Gifts which fell to an Apostle's share It is enough our full belief to gain If any say these qualities they feign And to some Books fictiti'ous names did give They urge what none that think can e're believe As if who preach up Truth and Piety Should venture without any cause to lie Which not all good Men only would refuse But to forbid by Law the Romans chuse The Books which the new Cov'nant then V. That the Pen-men wrote the Truth because they had knowledg of the things which they wrote declare Were doubtless wrote by them whose Names they bear Or such at least as they themselves profess And what there is like reason to confess The things of which they wrote the Authors knew Nor could desire to mix what was untrue For Falshood we no other grounds receive Than Ign'rance or intention to deceive Matthew John Peter Jude were known of those Whom Christ t'attest his words and Actions chose And therefore needs must know the things they tell And this to James may be apply'd as well Be'ing an Apostle or to Christ of kin And Bishop of Jerusalem had bin Advanc'd by the Apostles to that See St. Paul from Error must have been as free When what he learn'd from Christ he did declare Being rapt above the Regions of the Air To him or Luke who always clos'd his side For what Christ did Faith ought not be deny'd That Luke did know 't is easy to suppose What of our Saviour's Life and Death he shows Being born hard by and having travell'd o're The places Christ had visited before And had Eye-witnesses of what he writes Often consulted as himself recites Many with whom he Friendship did contract Besides Apostles could attest the Fact Some whose Diseases at Christ's word had fled Who saw him living after being dead If Tac'itus and Suetoni'us are believ'd In things which happ'ned long before they liv'd Because they 're diligent Enquirers thought Rather should one esteem what Luke has wrote Of Mark a constant Fame is known to pass That he Companion to St. Peter was And what he wrote should have the like esteem As if St. Peter dictated to him And farther hardly any thing is there But what th'Apostles Writings do declare Nor could the Writer of the things (a) Apocal. reveal'd When God large folds of Providence unseal'd Have been impos'd upon in what he saw Or he who wrote (b) Author to the Hebrews to them o' th' Jewish Law In what he says from th' holy Spirit came Or the Apostles witnessing the same That they to cheat with Lies could not design VI. And because they would not lie Mention'd before we always should subjoin When we would reinforce that Law divine Which from our preaching King at first was spred With his return to life from being dead Who Witnesses of ill intent'ion blame The grounds of such their ill intent'ion name Here can be none If any say they feign That they the cause they manag'd might maintain For such a cause why should they so contend Which no advantage here could recommend Nor did they any dangers thereby shun For that alone they did all hazards run And as to wordly Goods were quite undone No Man can therefore think they chose this cause But in obedience to God's holy Laws Which would not have encourag'd Falsities Chiefly in that wherein Salvation lies So ill a charge these things with strength oppose The pious Doctrines which they did propose Their Lives unspotted and so free from blame That their worst foes their Ign'rance only name No proper Parent of invented tale To shew their faithfulness this should not fail That their own faults they leave upon record That all forsook and Peter thrice deni'd their Lord. But God himself did witness to them bear VIII A Confirmation of the Fidelity of the Authors from the Miracles they wrought Whilst he by Wonders did their Truth declare On which since they and all Men of their way Such mighty stress with such assurance lay And to the Publick Scrutiny advance The Times and Places ev'ry Circumstance The Magistrates concern'd did they so please The truth or falshood might have learnt wth ease This too th'assisting of Heav'n do's shew That many spake the Tongues they never knew And Pains fled suddenly in publick view Nor were they terrifi'd from what they prest To think the ruling Jews were foes profest Nor were the Romans less enclin'd to close With what might them for Novelties expose Nay Jews and Pagans of the Times most nigh That these had Wonders wrought durst not deny St. Peter's Mir'cles Phlegon does report An Annalist o' th' Emp'rour Adrian's Court And Christians pleading before any State Urge all these facts as being past debate That at the Tombs of Martyrs there remain'd A wondrous Pow'r they publickly maintain'd And that throughout some Ages it did last Which if untrue they might with shame be cast When they were put to justify their Cause Before Dispensers of the Civil Laws So frequent were the Prodigies there wrought Of them such uncontested Proofs were brought As even Porphiry himself confest With what 's already said we well might rest Yet there 's an heap of Arguments behind Which may commend those Books to 'a serious mind VIII The Truth of the Writings comfirm'd in that they contain many things which the Event has prov'd to be reveal'd from Heaven In them are many things plainly fore-shown Which no Man could by nat'ral skil have known Th' event declaring them for God alone As the (a) Mat. 13.33 c. John 12.32 large sudden-spreading of that way And that (b) Luke 1.33 Mat. 28.20 John 14.16 no Age should see its pow'r decay That it should (c) Mat. 21.43 c. be rejected by the Jews While Gentiles far remote obedience chuse That 't would the hatred of the (d) Mat. 10.17 Jews procure What Cru'lties for Christ's Name Men should endure The (e) Mat. 10.21.39 23.24 siege and dismal ruin to invade That (f) Mat. 23.37 38. Luk. 21.20 24. City where the Jews their Worship paid That there the Temple should be left forlorn With the (g) Mat. 23.35 c. Calamities still to be born Add here if God regard our mortal state Chiefly in what t' his Worship does relate He cannot suffer Errors to abound Where nothing but his Honour Men propound But for the sacred Books this proof supplys IX As also from the care becoming God in preventing supposititious Books That of all Christian Sects did e're arise Scarce any has been found that these denys Some the whole Volume for authentick take And they who doubts concerning any make Others receive which do with them agree When yet we such warm differences see That
universals which pretence Would bar ev'n God of his own Providence Nor can that Knowledg infinite be thought As God's is prov'd in what 's already brought Which does not take in all things singular If thus his Knowledg what impedes his care Since we in single things as such may view Their proper end and universal too 'T is own'd that Gen'rals through his care exist And they only in Singulars subsist If these for want of Providence expire The kinds of them we should in vain desire XI This prov'd from the preservation of Governments The special Influ'ence of a Pow'r above Kingdoms and Common-wealths continued prove A form of Government that first prevail'd Has not through many Tracts of Ages fail'd For this we might all Histories apply Where a Republick where a Monarchy All the Contrivances and Plots of Men If they unsettle bring the same agen So that against a long fixt Pow'r to fight Seems ev'n the Providence of Heaven to slight Tho Human Wisdom might preserve it long Yet the subjected Rabble are so strong Such the Vicisitudes of human things That none could fix them but the King of Kings But then this Providence chiefly appears When the Foundations of a State he tears This Cyrus Alexander Caesar too Tartarian Cingi and Namcaa shew These Men in things where Prudence has a share By far beyond its force successful are Nay the uncertainty of things below Unto their prosp'rous Fortunes seems to bow When like Events to the same constant end As 't were by a Conspiracy do tend They argue a direction from on high Sometimes a lucky size turns on the Die But if the same an hundred times you fling 'T is evident it from some Art must spring But Miracles afford the clearest sign XII From Miracles Of a presiding Providence Divine And the fore-knowledg of Futurity Of which we have such Proofs as none deny Since God is infinite in Pow'r and Skill Can any thing withhold his Sov'ragin Will From acting and imparting to Mankind What beyond Nature's course he has design'd That very Course he did at first ordain But if inferiour Minds to this attain Much more may God who suffers what they do If they do not his full intent pursue In Kingdoms constituted where we live Who made the Law can Dispensation give That Miracles have been we may believe XIII Specially among the Jews which have additional Credit from the continuance of their Religion If we the Story of the Jews receive Whence their Religion of such date we know Tho all things have conspir'd its overthrow It long has been depriv'd of humane Aid And ev'ry where a Scoff and By-word made Yet still continues when all others move Except the Christian which does that improve As soon as that Authority is gone Which forc'd or laid inviting Colours on Thus fell the Pagan Mahomet's does last Because it 's Empire's date not yet is past If any ask me what could be the cause Which gave such rooting to the Jewish Laws 'T is plain it was the Miracles were wrought When God himself did lead and for them fought And which were by a clear Tradition taught Which might be trac'd from Father unto Son Till they reacht Moses and the Son of Nun Who else can think such stubborn Men as they Would so severe a Ritual Law obey Or that a People evidently wise Would chuse with so much pain to circumcise Which other Nations needs must have contemn'd Nor could them in it self to God commend XIV By the Truth and Antiquity of Moses his Story Moses his Sacred Writings where we find These Miracles to memory consign'd Not only this their lasting Credit gave That the Tradition which the Hebrews have Speaks him to be of God chose and inspir'd But that he his own Glory ne're desir'd Nor sought th' advantage of his Friends or Blood From hence is manifestly understood That his own Sins he never seeks to hide And the High-Priesthood to his Line deni'd As well as in chief Civil Pow'r to place Fixing them with the vulgar Levites Race Which shews he had no cause to falsify Nor did he use that Art becomes a Lie No varnish to set off a studi'ed Tale But Truth did with its native force prevail Consider further the unequall'd Age Of the known Writings of this Jewish Sage The Greeks to whom most own their Learning due Theirs from abroad most evidently drew And many Proofs 't was from the Hebrews shew The Attick Laws Roman sprang from thence From those which Moses taught did first commence And Men of other Rites full witness bear XV. By the testimony of the Gentiles Unto the Ancient Truths he does declare This th' old Phoenician Histories do shew As we in Sanchoniatho may view Indians Egyptians many of the Greeks Teach how the Chaos was to him that seeks How first the Animals and Man at last Man in an heav'nly mould divinely cast Out of the egg for so they call 't did haste That Man had giv'n him pow'r o're other things This among others Ovid sweetly sings And this from Grecian Poets he did take That God the World into its being spake The Platonists and Epicarmus thought And he who long before in Verses brought A rich Collection of what Orpheus taught That the bright Sun did not produce the heat But as it was ordain'd its lucid seat Empedocles confest Catullus too And Aratus did in their flights pursue A fixt abode above the starry Skys That there 's perpetual Light Homer descrys Milesian Thales out of ancient Lore That there 's a God whom nothing ever bore That th' Universe is fair as by him made That antecedent to the Light was Shade With this the Orphics Hesiod too delights And thence some Nations count the time by nights Wise Anaxag'ras in his search did find That all things came from a superior Mind Smooth Aratus that God the Stars did make That from his Breath all things their life did take Did Virgil after Grecian Poets say Hes'iod that Man was form'd from out the Clay Homer Callimachus that God is one And that all things proceed from him alone Maximus Tyr'ius strongly holds that this The uniform consent of Nations is That Honour which Latines and Greeks did shew To the seventh Day not here to name the Jew Which in unquestion'd Authors one observes The mem'ry of God's sev'n Days works preserves The Celticks this and this the Indian speaks Who portion out the Seasons into Weeks And this the Names which they assign'd each day That Men at first liv'd in a simple way Their Manners rude they naked to the Skin Is ev'n in some Egyptian Writers seen Th' Indians as Strabo shews did celebrate That Golden Age the Poets do relate Wild Indians did i'th'History agree Of Adam Eve the Serpent and the Tree If to Maimonides we Credit give Nay Witnesses who in our Age do live Affirm that Indian Pagans keep the same Their learned Brachmans
the Jews for what bore Daniel's name Did not oracular Predictions shew What Mexico should feel and rich Peru Which the relentless Spaniards should subdue To this those many Dreams we may refer Which to Events full Correspondence bear Events which they who dream't could ne're foreknow From any thing observable below These to ascribe unto some casual hit Or nat'ral cause can't thinking Men befit Of these Tertulli'an writing of the Soul Brings many Instances beyound controul Of Sp'irits assuming vehicles of Air Which Men not only did discern but hear Authors by no means credulous declare Such Spectres in America have been In Mexico and Sina often seen And those fire Ord'eals with old Germans known As in their Histories and Laws are known Prove an Almighty Power the just does own If less exertions of the Power Divine XVII The Objection that Miracles are not now seen answered For Miracles and Prophecies now shine The force of what is prov'd it can't impair Since 't is enough that once such things there were If they have been less frequent than before God in great Wisdom these his Works forbore Nor is it fit to violate the Laws Printed on Nature but for weighty cause As when the Jews in a small Corner clos'd Were to maintain a Worship all expos'd Or that the Truths in Christian Doctrine found Were to enlighten all the World around Such times are well becoming God to show That Nature 's but his Hand-maid here below XVIII And Wickedness obtains such licence Some question whether Providence presides Seeing how Sin flows in with mighty Tides As if 't would deluge all the World again Which Providence if any should restrain But th'answer's easy since Man's Will is free And God alone good by necessity To bridle and keep in our Sins by force Were to make Man no better than an Horse Bate that of freedom we are not bereft No proper means are unattempted left A Law is made our wild Desires to chain And none for want of Knowledg can complain Inward and outward Admonition's joyn'd And Threats and Promises to bend the Mind That very Wickedness that 's suffer'd here Has limits set by God's o're-ruling Care In vain it strives to swell beyond its bound To force th'enclosures of the sacred Ground His Church hem'd in with the tempestuous deep His Pow'r does from an Inundation keep Civil Societies his Influ'ence share Else the mad Multitude no Laws would bear And ev'n that Mischief which does license get Has some good end by his appointment set To punish or correct those Souls that stray Out of the Paths of Vertue 's narrow way Or else a glori'ous is Specimen to give How nobly the Adult in Vertue strive ' Gainst those Temptations which in Crouds arrive While Pati'ence does its perfect work maintain And constancy unto the last remain And they whose Punishment has been delay'd For this forbearance have large int'rest pay'd Thus they who disobey'd th' Almighty's Will Against their own his purposes fulfil If Wickedness unpunish'd long appear XIX That the Just are often opprest The weak still suffer'd Violence to bear In sorrow long to draw their hated Breath And die at last an ignominious Death As if their Innocence had no regard Man is not therefore from God's Care debarr'd For no Man knows how God exerts his Pow'r In inward Blessings th' ill can ne're devour Besides before was prov'd an Aid Divine Wherefore we with the wise in the belief should joyn That since God knows our Acti'ons and is just XX. This Argument is retorted to prove that Souls survive the Bodies Yet sometimes seems to authorize distrust A future Judgment needs must be behind Where Sinners their due Punishment may find And all egreg'ious Vertue here unblest Exalted to a state above the rest May meet full Recompence for all its Pain For this we must believe that Souls remain XXI Which is confirmed by Tradition When loosned from the Body's cumbrous Chain And this belief so general is known That we it's rise must from first Parents own This Homer sings in Verses ever new And this the Gauls as well as Grecians knew Their learned Druids this most fully taught And this the Brachmans with the Indians thought Aegyptian Thracian German Sages all Upon this Truth with one consent do fall For proof we might unquestion'd Authors call In Strabo Plutarch and Laertius see How the Aegyptians Indians too agree In the expecting of the Day of Doom After this Life is to its period come Histaspes and the ancient Sybills spake What Conflagrati'ons shall the World o're-take Ovid and Lucan both this thought pursue This at Siam the savage Ind'ians knew Of this Astronomers a Proof have found In that the Sun draws nigher to the ground Parts farthest off at first discov'ry prove That we can no where from these Truths remove Canaries yield this Fruit the Western Shoar Largely enriches with this Golden Oar. XXII Nothing in Reason against it Nor can one Argument in Nature found This old Tradition so extensive wound For if we any thing observe to fail 'T is either that what 's mighti'er does prevail In its own Nature contrary to that As Cold does through the force of Heat abate Or the removing that in which it stands As when a Glass is fallen from our hands And into several little peices broke The form is perisht which at first it took Or else 't was from deficience in the cause As Light does vanish when the Sun withdraws But none of these can of the Soul be said For nothing contrary to that was made In this does its peculiar b'eing delight Things to each other the most opposite At once it 's intellectu'al Pow'r receives This for the first The second who believes For on what Subject can the Soul depend If we for this the Body should commend How happens it that when the Body 's tyr'd The Soul to farther Action still is fir'd Without least lascitude from thence acquir'd An Object also that too much excels All the weak forces of the Body quels And thus the feeble Organs of our sight Cannot endure the Sun's prevailing Light The nobler Objects entertain the Mind Its force is stronger Pleasure more refin'd As when its Thoughts from matter it abstracts And about lofty Universals acts The Body's forces cannot but embrace Things which are circumscrib'd by time and place For that 's the Body's Nature while the Mind To what 's eternal and immense is joyn'd Since then the Body don't its Acti'ons give It 's Essence how can it from thence receive The Natures of the things we ne're discern We can but by their Operations learn Nor more to this can we ascribe the way Mention'd the last as reason of decay For no efficient cause we can invent Which failing all the reasoning Pow'r is spent For this the Parents you can ne're assign For then their Deaths would cut off all their Line No other cause 't is
seal Whereas we may with Justice them suspect Their Sages many as unprov'd reject Night and Retirement were for some the Scene To others but few Witnesses have been Such as with ease night swallow down a Cheat From subtle Priests well practis'd in Deceit Not knowing Nature many did admire And qualities occult their search did tire With admiration thus some Load-stones saw To its embrace the distant Iron draw Simon did in these Arts successful prove And thence did Apollonius wonder move Some things by such we must effected own Which have a Pow'r more than of Nature shown Or what Man could draw forth from that alone Yet these do not imply a Pow'r Divine To which we should Omnipotence assigne But intermedi'ate Spir'its for this suffice Higher than Men yet under Deities Who being very nimble strong and wise May bring together what remote does lie And thence compose things wondrous to the Eye But that these Spirits cannot good be thought Their Worship therefore bad before was taught And this against their Venerati'on Arms That Men pretend to force them down with Charms When yet the wisest Heathens own it plain That words the pow'r but of Perswasi'on gain And that according as their Sense we find This proof may of their pravity be joy'nd That oft they promiss'd him or her to move Against their Inclination unto Love Injuri'ous in the Promise or Command And Humane Laws such Acts with Sorc'ery brand Nor is it strange if he whom we adore With the Delusi'ons of ill Spirits bore To punish the who fell from him before But then this may their Impotence perswade That none had signal ben'fit by their Aid If any thence return'd to Life again They ne're were known in Life long to remain Nor could they act like those who Life enjoy'd If e're a Pow'r divine did seem imploy'd It never was foretold that this was done That Men might into that Religion run And nothing hinders but the Pow'r divine Might have what greatly differs in design As for Example If one should believe That to one blind Vespasian fight did give 'T was that he Reputation might acquire To gain that Pow'r to which he did aspire He being one whom God before did chuse To execute his Judgments on the Jews For other Prodigies like cause might be In which we nothing of Religion see IX And from Oracles What was before observ'd we may apply When on their Oracles they would rely Chiefly that God may Cheats on them permit Who nat'ral Light or old Tradition quit And generally 't was doubtful what was meant The words complying with what e're event If any thing more plainly was foretold A Pow'r divine for this we need not hold From nat'ral Causes known it might proceed Physicians thus known how Diseases breed Much comes from due observing what has past For which th'experienc'd need no Figure cast But if by Pagan Prophets e're was shown What had dependance on God's Will alone No cause of which besides that e're was known It was not to confirm one Pagan Rite But rather it against them all did fight Thus Virgil not discerning what was meant In his fourth Eclogue yet did represent What some old Sybils scatter'd leaves did shew Vid. Cic. de Divinatione lib. 2. Eum quem re verâ Regem habebamus appellandum quoque esse regem si salvi esse vellemus Of Christ and the great Benefits t' ensue Those Leaves to shelter noble Fruit were made While they an universal King did shade Whom to obey if we 'd be happy they perswade That he who of this Pow'r should be possest Should make his Progress from the brightned East And Porphiry an Oracle does name Where th' Hebrew God Apollo does proclaim To be the only God the World should fear While others vanish'd into empty Air If this Apollo's Votaries obey'd Even his own Worship must aside be laid But if their Worship still they paid at large They'd their own Deity with falshood charge If by their Oracles these Spir'its design'd Any advantages to humane kind Some certain Rule of Life they needs must give In following which Men happily might live Yet they nor Rule nor Happiness propound With which their blind Devotos might be crow'd Nay on the contrary we 've often found They in their Verses worst of Kings did praise And Wrestlers unto sacred Honours raise Unto unlawful Loves they did incite And catching Wealth without regard to Right Encourag'd Slaughters and a vici'ous Train The bare reciting which our Leaves would strain This against Paganism strong proof supplies X. The Pagan Religion rejected because it fail'd of its self as soon as humane Aids were withdrawn That it on humane Force so much relies That whensoe're that was no on its side As if through that it stood it quickly dy'd But where Christi'anity or Turcism reign'd Only in story th'Ethnick Rites remain'd When yet Christianity was known to grow Ev'n with the Blood did from its Martyrs flow This Conquest 's gain'd in spite of all the Pow'rs Of the enrag'd and bloody Emperours Nor could learn'd Julian's Wit keep up their way But sensibly it fell into decay Nor Force nor high Descent against it brought A Carpenter the Founder's Father thought Nor did that way which made all others fail With flow'rs of Rhet'rick on Men's Minds prevail None of these Ornaments their Speech did grace Who first perswaded Men Christ to embrace Of Gifts they being poor made no pretence Nor mov'd by Flatteries to tender Sense Nay they declar'd that Pleasures they must shun And for that Law all worldly hazards run And this subdu'd not Paganism alone But ev'n the Spirits which did that Worship own Christ's Name of them Mens Bodies dispossest And their known Voices they at that comprest And being ask'd why then they silent were They were against themselves forc'd to declare That where Christ was invok'd their Pow'r dissolv'd to Air. XI An Answer to them who ascribe the rise and decay of Religion to the efficacy of the Stars Some hardly worth the labour to confute Unto the Influ'ence of Stars impute The rise and progress of Religious Rites But this their Science no known Rule unites And all the certainty which there is known Is that from Stars there 's nothing certain shown But none of those effects I here do mean Of which some necessary cause hath been According to the Law which Nature gave But what the Will of Man for causes have Which being of its self entirely free Can't from abroad receive necessity But if th'Impressi'on from without's so strong That the meere passive Will is forc'd along In vain was giv'n that grateful pow'r of Mind Which we in choice after consid'ring find The Equity of Laws could not but cease From all Rewards and Penalty's that frees For where the Act is necessary found What fault to punish Merit to be crown'd Besides some Acti'ons of the humane Will Justly deserve the Character of ill
Law did pass The Word of God's his Name which Mah'met has Vary'd to Wisdom and the Filial Mind That he no Earthly Father had is joyn'd While Mahomet was got the common way As the most zealous of his Foll'wers say Long was rapaci'ous ever too inclin'd To sati'ate his warm lust with Woman-kind Mahomet owns Jesus t' ascend the Skies Under his Tomb himself a Relick lies Who cannot see which most we ought to prize Compare their Deeds ev'n Mahomet does own V. And of their Deeds That Christ t'endue the Blind with Sight was known To Cripples he the use of Feet did give And made the Dead with Breath recall'd to live Th' other for Miracles urges Alarms And thinks to prove his Mission by his Arms Yet they who after him his Rules imbibe What they call Miracles to him ascribe But either they from human Art might move As what is story'd of th'attendant Dove Or such as by no Witnesses they prove As that a Camel spake to him by Nights Or what against all Sense absurdly fights As that upon him part o'th'Moon was found Which he return'd to fill a starry round Who will not say that when Disputes arise That Law is to be chose where one descrys That clearest proof of sacred Sanction lies Let us observe what sort of Men were they Who first took up the one or t'other way Christi'ans the World Men fearing God VI. Of them who first receiv'd either Religion did know Of Innocence unsully'd from below And with God's Goodness how can it agree To suffer such to drown in Error 's Sea Cheated by Words of the most speci'ous shew Or Deeds seeming miraculous to view Who first for Mahomet their Notions chang'd Were Robbers even from Humanity estrang'd VII Of the means by which either Law was propagated Mark then the manner in which each was found To propagate the Rule he did propound Christ's was not spread by Miracles alone Grew by their Suff'rings who the Cross did own Neither of these Mahometans can boast Miracles wrought Lives for their Doctrines lost But their Religi'on with their Arms encreast A meer accessi'on unto them at best Their mighty Empire and in Wars success Their Teachers as the pow'rful Motives press Than which can nothing more fallacious be Them to oppose the Ethnick Rites we see Which Persi'ans Mecedoni'ans Romans spread Conquest attending where they Armies led Their thriving Limits stretch't out vastly far The Turks were oft improsperous in War By Sea and Land how often were they beat How forc'd in Spain to quit their ancient seat What is so mutable a doubtful Chance Which now the Good now does the Bad advance Can be no standard by which one may shew Which is the false Religion which the true And that the less since we can rarely find That they the Justice of their Arms will mind These often they injuriously extend Where they no Provocation can pretend Unless that they would strive this way t' enlarge The bounds of Truth committed to their charge Thus hood-wink'd Zeal should for those Deeds atone Than which nothing's more irreligi'ous known God's Worship in the Will is known to lie Which whoso forces takes away the Tie This may be wrought upon by gentle ways 'T is not of Will when one by force obeys Where ever Proselytes such means do gain 'T is not that they believe but poorly feign To shun the present or impending pain Who does by Violence Assent-compel Therein the weakness of his Cause does tell Yet they themselves take this pretence away For many People subject to their sway Have an Indulgence for their former way Nor do Mahometans scruple to own Men may be sav'd trusting in Christ alone Let 's next the Precepts mutually compare VIII Of the Precepts respectively One teaches greatest Injuries to bear And take our Enemies into our care Th' other usurps upon the Right divine Vengeance is mine c. While it Retaliation does enjoyn The Nuptial Band one renders ever fast And checks ev'ry occasi'on of distaste The other makes it but on pleasure last The Husband does what he would have his Wife Leading with her an undivided life By his Example teaches single Love More there allow'd to lust Incentives prove This calls Religi'on inward to the Mind That it may bring forth Fruits worthy Mankind That does its force in Circumcision spend With other things which to no good do tend This yeilds the temp'rate use of Meat and Wine There 't is prohibited to eat of Swine Wine too the Gift of God is there deny'd Tho thence provided Moderati'on guide Body and Mind are with fresh Spir'its supply'd No wonder if before the perfect Law Men Childish Rudiments as previous saw When from the Sun God did the Clouds withdraw And Men its open Glories might discern Prepost'rous 't were to Figures to return Since Christ's Religi'on Men must perfect own What ground for adding to it can be shown IX Answer to the Mahometans Objection against the Son of God Warmly Mahometans urge in dispute That to the Godhead we a Son impute When yet a Wife was never to him joyn'd As if the name of Son in God sublim'd Something far more divine we did not find Than th'acceptation when to Man confin'd Besides a Female partner of his Love Would much more worthy of the Godhead prove Than many things which Mahomet has told As that his Hand is beyond measure cold Experienc'd by himself who did it hold That in a Chair he 's carry'd up and down With other things which Reason must disown We who the Son of God blest Jesus call On an Idea no less sacred fall Than he where he the Word of God does name And as an Offspring from his Mind it came Add here the Spir'it supply'd a Father's force A Virgin bore him against Nature's course Him God did visibly to Heav'n translate These things does Mahomet himself relate All which evince that in peculiar way That he 's the Son of God we may and ought to say X. Many absurd things in the Mahometan Book Beyond due bounds it would this Treatise swell Did we of all those idle Fables tell Which in the Alchoran are known t' abound As that some Angels while the Cups went round And a fair Virgin sat attentive by Taught her a Song with which to mount the Sky That oft she thither went with this inspir'd At last unto an higher flight being fir'd There caught by God was turn'd to a fixt Star That this was Venus Pattern to the fair That while the World liv'd in a single House The Elephantine Dung brought forth a Mouse And that a Lions Breath produc'd a Cat Nor surely less ridiculous is that Where he of a scape-Ram does Wonders tell Hung in the middle between Heav'n and Hell Which carries on its back Death's murd'ring-stores And of excerning Banquets through the pores That each should have his Flocks of Women-kind For his continu'd lusts in Heav'n