thing or essence which is most necessary and of himselfe A thing is said to be necessary or of it selfe not considered in any other respect or notion but truly as it is according to its owne nature and existence now all particular things have such actuall existence and being But if so bee thou suppose or grant there are many Gods yet surely thou art not able to yeeld a reason why cach of them should of necessity have their being neither why any man should beleeve that there are in number rather two Gods than three or ten than five Besides the multiplication of those particular things that are of the same nature proceeds from the exuperancy and fruitfulnesse of the causes whence such things more or lesse are generated but of God there is neither beginning nor any cause Furthermore in all particular things there are certaine speciall and particular properties whereby the same things are severally distinguished Now to make such a distinction in God is altogether needlesse and impossible since that he is most necessary and simple by nature neither can any man perceive any signes or tokens of the plurality of Gods For this universall Sphere or circumference which wee behold makes up but one complete world wherein there is one most beautifull and glorious part the Sunne Likewise in man the little world there is but one speciall governing part to wit his soule or mind Againe suppose there were two or three Gods which being free and voluntary agents had power to will contrary things yet hereby one would be an obstacle or impediment to the other so that they could not actuate and bring to passe their different or contrary desires now to say that God who is an omnipotent power can be hindred were a great dishonour to his Majestie But let us proceed to some other of his attributes SECT III. That all perfection is in God THat all perfection and accomplishment is in God may bee thus demonstrated What perfection soever there is in all or any of the creatures the same either had a beginning or else it had no beginning To have no beginning is the property of God alone and whatsoever had beginning the same must needs bee said to have something that gave to it such being And further seeing that amongst the creatures there is nothing that can be generated of nothing it followes then that those perfections which appeare to bee in any effects were the reason why the cause thereof could produce any thing accordingly and so all are accomplisht in the first cause Neither must it be here imagined that the first cause can afterward bee deprived of it's perfection either by some other thing different from it selfe because that which is eternall hath no dependance upon any other thing neither can bee liable and subject unto their actions or of it selfe because every nature desires its owne perfection SECT IV. God is infinite ANd we may adde further that these perfections which are in God are in him after an eminent and infinite manner for the nature of every thing is said to bee finite and limited either for that the cause whence it proceeded hath communicated such a measure or degree of existence and no more thereunto or for that the same nature was not capable of any further perfection Now there is no creature that doth communicate any thing unto God neither is he capable of ought that any other thing can impart hee being as before we said altogether absolute entire and necessary of himselfe SECT V. That God is eternall omnipotent â—…sâ—… and absolutely good AGaine forasmuch as all things that have life are said to bee more perfect than those without life and those which haue motion than those which want it and those endued with understanding superiour to such creatures as lacke it and those which are good better than those that come short in goodnesse therefore from that which hath beene spoken it followes that all those attributes are in God and that after an infinite manner Thus is he infinite in life that is eternall infinite power that is omnipotent So likewise is he omniscient and good beyond all compare SECT VI. That God is the Author and cause of all things Furthermore it followes from that which hath bin spoken that what things soever subsist the same haue their originall and first being from God for we haue proued that that which is necessary of it selfe can bee but one whence we collect that all other things besides this had their originall from some what different from themselues Now such things as haue their beginning from another we haue seene before how that either in themselues or in their causes they proceeded from him which had no beginning that is from God Neither is this manifest by reason onely but also after some sort by very sense for if we consider the wonderfull frame and fashion of mans body both within and without and how that each part and parcell thereof hath its proper vse without the the care and helping hand of his parents yea and that with such a grace as that the most excellent amongst Physicians and Philosophers could never sufficiently admire the same this verily shews the excellency of wisdome in the Author and workeman of nature concerning which matter Galen hath written well especially where he speakes of the vse of the eye and of the hand Yea more the very bodies of mute and bruit beasts doe testifie the same for their parts are not framed composed by the power and vertue of the matter whereof they consist but by some superiour and higher cause destinating them to a certaine end Neither is this plaine by man and beasts alone but also by plants and herbs as hath accurately beene observed by some Philosophers This further is excellently noted by Strabo concerning the scituation of the waters which if we consider the quality of their matter ought to be placed in the middle betweene the earth and the ayre whereas the same are now included and dispersed within the earth to the end they might bee be no hinderance either to the fruitfulnesse of the ground or to the life of man Now to propose that or any other end to any â—ction is the peculiar property of â—n understanding nature Neither are all things onely ordained for their proper ends but also for the good and benefit of the whole Vniverse as appeares particuâ—arly in the water but now mentioned which against its owne proper nature is moved upward that their should bee no gaping vacuity in the world which world is so composed that the parts thereof doe mutually sustaine and uphold one another Now it cannot possibly bee that this common end should bee thus intended together with an inclination of things thereunto but by the power and purpose of some inteligent nature whereunto the whole Vniverse is in subjection Moreouer amongst the beasts there are certaine actions obserued to be so regular and orderly done that it
was compassed about or when Christian Religion whereof by and by wee shall speake more particularly was by Gods decree to be published thorow out the whole world SECT XVIII And that now there is such liberty in offending SOme men there are who beholding the multitudes of iniquities which abound in the world are thereby moved to doubt of the divine providentiâ—â— a chiefe act whereof they thinke if there were any such Divine Providence should should have beene to bridle and restraine the wickednesse that so abounds But this is easily answered considering that wheâ—â— God had created man with freedome to doe good and evill reserving absolute and immutable goodnesse to himselfe it had not beene equity to have thwarted that liberty by putting a hinderance of coÌ„mitting evill actions Howbeit to keepe men from sin God useth every kind of meanes which is not repugnant to the liberty aforesaid Such is the ordeining and publishing of the Law together with inward and outward admonitions both by threats and promises Nor did ever the wit of malice and wickednesse prevaile to far amongst men that all kinde of government and knowledge of divine lawes was utterly oâ—t inguished or a bolished Neither may those delinquences which are permitted to be done amongst men be thought altogether â—â—fruitfullâ— Since that as before wee 〈◊〉 we toucht they may be vsed either for the punishment of leâ—d â—…ssors themselves or for the chastisment at of such as sometimes wander from the way of vertue or lastly to demonstrate some worthy parent of patience and câ—…cy namely in such as have made good proficiency in the schoole of piety and vertue Lastly even they who for some season have seemed to cloake and bidâ— their faults are met with ofâ—… a while and acâ—…ing to the will of God whom they prouoked by the wickednesse of â—…ons receive the due reward of punishment SECT XIX Insomuch that good men are oppressed BVt and if sometimes there seeme to bee no punishment at all inflicted upon prophane offendors and even some good men which may occasion the weake to bee offended are sort oppressed by the insolencies of the wicked who many times make them not onely to leader wear some and miserable life but also to undergoe a disgracefull death howbeit for all this it cannot bee denied that divine providence is extended unto humane affaires as before we have proved by sufficient and evident reasons but rather as the wisest sort of men have thought wee may conclude and argue thus SECT XX. The same argument is retorted to prove that the soule survives the body FOr asmuch as God hath an eye unto all mens actions and in himselfe is most just suffering such things to come to passe as we see they doe therefore wee â—ust expect that there will bee â—…e future judgement after this â—…e to the end such notorious â—…s may not remaine â—…punished nor well deserving 〈…〉 bee unrecompenced with due comfort and reward SECT XXI Which is proved by tradition FVrther to confirme this truth it must necessarily bee admitted that the soules of mâ—n doe survive their bodies which being a most ancient tradition was derived from our very first parents for from whence else could it proceed almost unto all sorts specially unto the more civill and tractable kind of peâ—people as is plaine by Homoverses and by certaine Philosophers not onely of the Grecian but likewise the Druides 〈◊〉 France and Brachmans in Indâ—… and by those relations also which many writers have published concerning the Aegyptians and Thracians and Germans 〈◊〉 like manner touching Gods judgment to come after this life many things were extant as well among the Grecians as also among the Egyptians and Indians as wee learne out of Strabo Diogenes Laertius and Plutarch whereas to may bee added that old tradition of the consumption of the world by fire which was anciently found in Hystastis and 〈◊〉 Sybals and now also in Qvid 〈◊〉 Lucas Yea when the Caâ—aâ—… America and other forrain 〈…〉 were first discovered this 〈◊〉 opinion of the immortality 〈…〉 and the last iudgement was found among the inhaâ—… there SECT XXII Against which no contrary reason 〈◊〉 can be brought NEither can there any reason in nature â—ee giuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so ancient and common received 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 â—ything that wee can behold in this world comes to an end either by corruption through the opposition of some more forcible contrary agâ—nt as coldnesse in any subiect by reason of the more prevalent power and intension of heat or through the perishing of that subject where upon iâ— depends as the quantity of the glasse when the glasse is brokeâ— or through the defect and deâ—â—liction of the efficient cause 〈◊〉 light by the Sun-setting Noâ— none of all these can bee said 〈◊〉 happen unto the soule of man Not the first because there is nothing that is contrary to the soule nay it selfe is of such a peculiâ—â— nature that it is apt to receivâ— such things as are contrary betweene themselves at the samâ— time together that is after Spirituall and intellectuall manner Not the second for there is not any subiect whereon the nature of the soule hath any dependance if there were the same in all probability should bee some humane body but that this cannot be it is manifest because the powers and abilities of the bodies are wearied in their operations â—ut the activity of the soule is ever subiect to wearinesse likewise the powers of the body are â—â—paired and weakned by the â—â—dundancy or excesse of the obâ—â—ct as the sense of seeing by the â—ull splendor and bright face of â—he Sunnâ— but the more excelâ—ent objects that the Soule is conâ—ersant about as about universals and things abstracted from â—ensible and corrupt matter it â—eceives thereby the more perfeâ—tion Againe the powers that deâ—end upon the body are only busied about such things as are limited to particular time and â—lace according to the nature and property of the body it selfe but the minde hath a more noble object and ascends to the contemplation of that which is infinite and eternall wherefore then seeing that the soule depends not upon the body in it's operation much lesse doth it in its essence for wee danoor discorne the â—…ture of invisible things other wise than by their operatioâ— Neither is the third way of corruptionâ— incident to the sâ—… there being no efficicÌ„o cause frâ—â— which the soule can alwaies proceed Thus wee cannot say tâ—… parâ—ntiâ—re â—re â—inâ—â— that commoâ—… their children out-live them 〈…〉 if we will needs make some câ—… from which the soule proceed then wee can imagine no othâ—… save the universal cause of 〈◊〉 things which as in respect o◠〈…〉 power is never deficient so in respect of its will to bee defectiâ—… that is for the Almighty to 〈…〉 the ruine and destraction of tâ—… soule no man can ever be able 〈…〉 prove SECT XXIII Many reasons may bee alleaged for it NAY there are many strong arguments for
namely that prophecy in the fourth Ecloguâ— of Virgâ—â— taken out of the Sibyls verses where unwittingly the Poet sets out unto us the comming of Christ and his benefits So in the same Sibyls it is said that he was to be acknowledged for a King who should be our King indeed and should come out of the East and have dominion over all Wee read in Porphyry of the Oracle of Apollo which saith that other Gods are onely Aery Spirits but the God of the Hebrewes is only to be worshipped which saying if the worshippers of Apollo had obeyed then they had left off being his Disciples If they did not then they made their God a lyar Adde further if those Spirits had respected or intended the good of man-kinde above all they would have prescribed some course of life to bee observed and also promised some assurance of reward to them that live accordingly neither of which was ever done by them On the other side oftentimes in their verses wee finde some Kings commonded which were wicked men some champions extold and dignified with divine honour others allured to immodest and unlawfull love or to the receiving of filthy lucre and committing of murder as might bee shewne by many examples SECT X. Paganisme decayed of its owne accord so soone as humane aid ceased BEsides all that hath hitherto beene said Paganisme it selfe ministers to us a notable argument against it selfe namely because that wheresoever the same becomes destitute of humane help there straight way it comes to ruine as if the foundation thereof were quite overthrowne For if wee behold all the Kingdomes and states that are among Christians or Mahumetans wee shall finde no mention of Paganisme but in bookes Nay the histories of former times do shew that when the Emperours went about to uphold their Religion either by violence and persecution as did the first of them or by learning and subtilty as did Iulian yet notwithstanding it decayed daily not by any violent opposition nor by the brightnesse and splendor of Christianity for Jesus was accounted by the common sort onely a Carpenters sonne nor by the flourish of learning which they that taught the law of Christ used not nor by gifts rewards for they were poore nor by any soothing and slattering speeches for on the contrary they taught that all worldly coÌ„modity must be despised that all kind of adversity must be undergone for the Gospels sake See then how weake and impotent Paganisme was which by such meanes came to ruine Neither did the doctrine of Christ onely make the credulity of the Gentils to vanish but even bad Spirits came out of divers bodies at the name of Christ they became dumbe also and being demanded the reason of their silence they were compelled to say that they were able to do nothing where the name of Christ was called upon SECT XI Answer to the opinion of some that thinke the beginning and decay of Religions depend upon the efficacy of the starres THere were some Philosophers that did ascribe the beginning and decay of every Religion unto the starres But that which they professe themselves to know there in is taught with such variety and diversity in their Star-gazing science that a man can collect nothing from thence for certainty but onely this that there is no certainty at all therein I doe not here speake of such effects as have a necessary dependance upon naturall causes but of those that proceed from the will of man which of it selfe hath such liberty and freedome that no necessity or violence can be incident thereunto from without For if the assent or consent of the will did necessarily follow any outward impression then the power in our soule which wee may perceive it hath to consult and deliberate were given in vain Also the equity of all lawes of all rewards and punishments would be abolished seeing there can bee neither fault nor merit in that which is altogether necessary and inevitable Againe there are divers evill acts or effects of the will which if they proceeded of any necessity from the heavens then the same heavens and celestiall bodies must needs receive such efficacy from God so it would follow that God who is most perfectly good were the prime cause of that which is morally evill And seeing that in his law he prosesseth himselfe to abhor wickednesse which if hee implanted in the things themselves by such ineviâ—able power then hee might bee said to will two contraries to wit that the same thing should bee done and not bee done also a man should offend in any action hee did by divine instigation They speake more probably that say the influences of the stars doe first affect the ayre then our bodies with such qualities as often times doe excite and stirre up in the minde some desires or affections answerable thereunto and the will being allured or inticed by these motions doth oftentimes yeeld thereunto which though it be granted as it is credible for truth yet it makes nothing for the question wee havein hand For seeing that Christian Religion most of all with drawes men from those things which are pleasing unto the body it cannot therfore have its beginning from the assections of the body and consequently not from the influence of the starres which as but now we said have no power over the minde otherwise than by the medâ—ation of those affections The most prudent among Astrologers doe grant that wiâ—e and upright men are not under the dominion of the starres And such verily were they that first professed Christianity as their lives doe shew Or if there be any efficacy in learning and knowledge against the infection of the body even among Christians there were ever some that were excellent in this particular Besides as the most learned do confesse the effects of the Sâ—arres appertaine to certaine Climates of the world and are onely for a season but this Religion hath now continued above the space of one thousand six hundred yeares and that not in one part onely but in the most remote places of the whole world such as are of a far different situation in respect of the starres SECT XII The chiefe poâ—nts of Christianity are approved of by the heathen and if there hee any thing hâ—t scarce seemes crediblos herein the like or worse is found among the Pagans LAstly this is an evidence which makes much against the Pagans so that they have little or nothing to object against Christian Religion namely because all the parts thereof are of such honesty and integrity that by their plainenesse and perspicuity they doe as it were convince the minds of the heathens themselves among whom divers did teach the same truths which generally our Religion admits of for sound and orthodox As to give some instances true Religion consists not in rites and ceremonies but in the worship of the minde and Spirit hee is an adulterer that hath but onely a desire to
the contrary â—…ly the dominion given to â—nto man over his own actions â—he naturall desire that is in him â—o be immortall the comfort oâ—…â—ood conscience for well done â—eeds though such were accomâ—anied with much difficulty â—nd on the contrary the sting of â—…gnawing conscience at the reâ—embrance of ungodly and â—…icked actions especially when â—he houre of death approacheth â—nto the wicked who doe then â—…eeme more sensible of an immiâ—…ent iudgement and this gnawing â—…orme of conscience the most â—…rophane wretches and wicked â—…yrants in the world could never â—tterly mortifiâ— and destroy in them no not then when they most of all desired as divers examples doe testifie SECT XXIIII Whence it followes that the eâ—â— of all shall bee mans happineâ—… after this life SEeing then the soule is of 〈…〉 nature that in it selfe hath 〈…〉 ground or cause of its owne corruption and seeing also thiâ— God by many signes and tokenâ—… hath declared that it is his wiâ—… the same soule should surviâ—… the body what more noble 〈…〉 can be propounded to man thaâ— the state of eternall happinesse which in effect is the same that Plato and the Pythagoreaâ—â— spake of saying that it were gooâ— for man if hee could become moâ—â— like unto God SECT XXV â—…hich to obtaine men must get the true Religion NOw what this happinesse is and how 't is to be attaineâ—â—…en may finde out by probable â—…iectures but if any thing coâ—cerning that matter bee revealed â—…y God in Scripture the same â—ust be held for a most certaine â—nd undoubted truth which â—nce that Religionâ—…emes â—…emes to pretend above others 〈◊〉 shall be examined in the next â—ooke whether or no men ought â—…o give credit thereunto and asâ—uredly build their faith theron The second Booke OF THE TRVNESSE OF Christian Religion SECT I. To prove the truth of Christian Religion IT is not our purpose in this second booke to handle all the points of Christianitie out after our hearty prayers made to Christ the King of Heaven that hee would grant us the assistance of his holy Spirit whereby we may be enabled for such a worke we shall endevour to make it appeare that Christian Religion is the most true and certaine Religion of all the rest namely as followeth SECT II. Here is showen that Iesus lived IT is a truth most sted fastly professed by all the Christianâ— that breath upon the face of the whole earth that Iesus of Nazreth then lived in Iudea wheâ— Tiberius was Emperour of the Romans which is acknowledged not onely by Christians but also by all the Iewes that ever lived heretofore or yet survive Nay the very Pagan writers thâ—… is such as are neither of the Iewish nor Christian Religion namely Suetonises Tacitus pliny the younger and many more after them doe testifie the same SECT III. And was put to an igâ—…ious death MOreover all bee it such a kinde of death might bee thought inglorious and dishonorable to their Lord and Master yet all Christians doe confesse that this same Iesis was crucified by Pontius Pilate governour of Iudea The Iewes also doe the â—ike though they cannot bee ignorant how that they become most odious to those Christiansâ—n â—n whose dominions they live because of this murder committed by Pilate whereof their ancestors were the chiefe authors as the heathenish writers have also recorded the same Yea these acts of Pilate were extant a long time after whereunto the Christians did sometimes make their appeale And further neither did Iulian himselfe nor any other adversaries of Christianity ever make doubt hereof So that hence it appeares that there was never any more true and certaine story than this which wee see may be confirmed not onely by the testimonies of some few men but also by the approbation of severall nations otherwise disagreeing and jarring among themselves SECT IV. Yet afterward was worshipped by by prudent and godly men ALL which though it was most true of Christs ignominious death yet wee see hoâ— that thorowout the remoâ—… parts of the world hee is worshipped as Lord and that not in our dayes onely but ever since the time that this was done to wit ever since the reigne of Nero the Emperour when many people that professed this worship of Christ and Christian Religion were for that cause tortured and put to death as Tacitus and others doe witnesse SECT V The cause whereof was for that in his life time there were miracles done by him NOw among such as professed Christianity there were many judicious learned men For to say nothing now of the Iewes there was Sergius governour of Cyprus Dionysius Areopagita Polycarpus Iustinus Irenaeus Athenagoras Origen Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus with divers others who almost all being broughtup in other religions neither could have any hopes of wealth or preferment in Christianity yet became worshippers of this man that died so ignominious a death and exhibited due honour to him as God no other reason whereof can bee given than this that moved them so to doe namely because they like prudent men in a matter of greatest moment by diligent inquiry found the truth and ground of that same which was bruted abroad concerning the miracles wrought by Christ as the healing of many that were sore diseased with his word onely the restoring of sight to him that was borne blinde the feeding of many thousands with some few Loaves of bread the restoring of some to life againe that were dead and many other such like wonderfull workes The truth whereof neither Celsus nor Iulian when they writ against Christians durst dare to deny but it was confessed both by them and also most plainly by the Hebrew doctors that were Authors of the Talmnd SECT VI. Which miracles were not wrought either by the helpe of nature or assistance of the devill but meerely by the divine power of God THat theft wondrous works were not wrought by any naturall power it is manifest because they were called wonders and miracles For it is not possible in nature that any grievous diseases and infirmities should bee cured meerely by a mans voice or by the vertue of a touch and that even upon a suddaine And it is likely if such works had beene done by the power of nature onely then the same would have beene made knowne and revealed either by those that were professed enemies of Christ while he lived upon earth or by those that have beene adversaries of his Gospell since his death By the same argument wee may prove that such workes came not to passe through the power and deceit of Sataâ— or by any diabolicall enchantments because they were done openly in the sight of all the people amongst whom divers of the learned sort did maligne and â—earâ— ill will unto Christ not without envy observing all that hee did Adde further that the same workes were often iterated and the effects thereof were not transitory but permaneant and durable All which being duly pondered it must
just cause to occasion was no better than plaine robbery or murder But if wee say they beleeved that this Religion was most true and the very best and altogether to be professed and that after the death of their Lord and Master why surely that could no way bee so if their Masters promise concerning his resurrection had deceived them and not proved true For that had beene enough to have un-faith't a sound Christian and made the foundation of his hope to have tottered Moreover all sorts of Religion specially Christianity altogether prohibits lying and bearing of false witnesse in divine things wherefore they could not for the love of Religion principally such a religion be induced to tell untruths Besides these men were of an upright conversation their life was spotlesse and unblameable even in the judgement of their adversaries and nothing could be objected against them save their honest simplicity which verely is not wont to use lying and dissimulation Nay there were none among these primitive Christians whereof wee speake who did not suffer grievous torments for professing that Iesus was risen and many of them were put unto most exquisite paines of death for bearing testimony of the same Now indeed it is possible for some man out of a wilfull pre-conceived opinion to endure such misery but it is utterly incredible and unlikely that any one much lesse so many should bee willing to suffer so great calamity for beleeving an untruth and that which they knew to bee such an untruth as the beleefe thereof could in no wise doe them any good Besides that these were not mad men both their conversation and their writings doe abundantly testifie Likewise what is spoken of them may also be said of Paul who openly taught that hee saw Christ sitting in heaven who also was not inferiour to any in the Iewish Religion nor might he have wanted dignities and preferments if hee would have followed the footsteps of his Fathers Whereas on the contrary by taking upon him the profession of Christianity hee became liable to the hatred and malignity of his kins-folkes and thereupon was to undertake hard labours dangerous and toilsome travels and last of all to undergoe a disgracefull death and torment SECT VIII Answer to the objection that the resurrection seemes impossible SVch and such testimonies no man can disprove or gainsay unlesse some will reply saying â—…ch a thing perhaps might be â—ut it seemes improbable or imâ—ossible and this as they say â—mplyes a contradiction Howbeit that cannot bee affirmed of his matter It might indeed if â—ne could say that one and the â—lfe same man lived and died at â—…e selfe same time But that a â—an may be restored from death 〈◊〉 life namely by the power and vertue of him who first gave life and being unto man I see no reason why it should be accounâ—ed for a thing impossible Neither hath it beene thought impossible by wise men Hence wee finde in Plato that the same thing happened to Eris an Armenian The like is related of a certaine woman by Heraclideâ— a Philosopher of Pontus of Aristoeus by Herodotus and of another by Plutarch all which whether true or false doe shew that in the opinion of learned and wise men the thing was conceived to be possible SECT IX The resurrection of Iesus being granted the truth of his doctrine is confirmed SInce then as hath beene showen it is not to bee thought a thing impossible for Christ to have beene restored to life againe seeing also that this very Christ as both his Countrimen and others doe confesse did publish and preach a new doctrine warranted by divine au it followes therefore that this â—…me doctrine must bee true and â—ertaine For it stands not with divine justice and wisdome to beautifie and adorne him after â—o excellent a manner who should utter an untruth in so â—…ighty abusinesse Specially considering that Christ a little before his death did foretell unto his Countrymen what death â—ee should dye and how hee should bee revived againe adâ—ing further that all these things should come to passe for the establishing and confirming the Truth of his doctrine Thus farre touching those arguments which are taken from â—…or of fact in the next place â—et us descend to such as are taken from the nature or quality of his doctrine SECT X. Christian Religion preferred before all others IT is a most certaine truth that either all kinde of divine worship whatsoever must be rejected and utterly banished from among men which impiety will never enter into the heart of any one that can beleeve there is a God that governes all things and with all considers how man is endued with excellency of understanding and liberty to chuse what is morally good or evill as also how that in himself there is matter both of reward and punishment or else this Religion is to bee admitted and approved of for the very best not only in regard of the outward testimonies of workes and miracles aforesaid but also in consideration of such inward and essential properties as are agreeing thereunto namely because there is not neither ever was there any other Religion in the whole world that can bee imagined more honourable for excellency of reward more absolute and perfect for precepts or more admirable for the manner accordding to which it was commanded to bee propagated and divulged SECT XI For excellency of reward FOr to begin with the reward that is at the end propounded to man which though it bee the last in fâ—…tion execution yet is it the first in his intention If wee consider the institution of the Iewish Religion by the hand of Moses and the plaine or expresse covenant of the Law wee shall finde nothing there promised save the welfare and happinesse of this life as namely a fruitful land abundance of corne and victuall victory over their enemies soundnesse of body length of daies the comfortable blessing of a hopefull issue and surviving posterity and the like For if there were any thing besides it was involved in darke shadowes requiring a leare wise understanding for the right manifestation and discreet apprehension thereof Which indeed was the cause why many in particular the Sadduces who professed themselves to bee followers and observers of Moses his law had no hope of enjoying any happinesse after this life As for the Grecians such as received their learning from the Chaldeans and Aegyptians what conceit or opinion soever they had of future wâ—l-fâ—rt and fâ—l city yet they spake thereof onely after a doubtfull and ambiguous manner as appeares by the disputations of Socrates in Tusties workes in Seneca and others And the arguments they produce for them are grounded vpon uncertainties proving no more the happines of a maâ— than of a beast Which while sâ—… of them observed it was no wonder if they imagined that soules were translated and conveyed from mentâ— beastâ— and againe from beasts into men But because this opinion