more an Infant of days â—or an old Man that hath not fill'd his days For though this Dispensation be no exemption from Mortality though Christ's Reign doth not unthrone and depose the King of Terrors yet it wards off his fatal Blows for a long Season And perhaps some may reach the long Ages of those that lived before the Flood And this shall happen not only from the Nature of the thing it self but by the singular Favour of God For as before in a judicial way he sometimes short'ned Men's Lives so now in the way of a Blessing he is pleased to extend them to a great length Which perhaps is the meaning of what follows in the foresaid Chapter v. 22. As the days of a Tree a long-liv'd Tree are the days of my People But supposing that this is not the strict import of the Text which I submit to the Thoughts of the Judicious yet it is certain from the reason of the thing it self that those Happy Ages shall abound with all things that conduce to the Welfare and Happiness of the Body as well as of the Soul and consequently Longaevity shall be one of the Felicities of those times And I doubt not but it will be procured by a perfect Knowledge of the true Causes and Springs of Long Life and of the more immediate Sourses of Diseases For Natural Philosophy as well as all other Parts of True Philiosophy shall be then improved to the utmost and a Vertuoso shall be no Rarity Especially the Nature of all Vegetables and Minerals wherein are laid up the great Restoratives of Life shall by exquisite Experiments be laid open to the World And the use of all the Vessels in the body which now we have but an imperfect insight into and some of which we know nothing of shall be exactly discovered And whatever else relating either to Nature or Art or Morality shall be conducible to this great End before-mentioned shall not be wanting no not that which is the choicest and most sovereign Conserver of Life viz. a well-temper'd Joy and Chearfulness a ferene and placid Spirit than which nothing can be more serviceable to uphold and maintain the vital Congruity to nourish the Lamp of Life and to give a lasting Vivacity to Nature And from the several Particulars we may gather this also that there will be a greater Number of Persons upon the Earth in that Sabbatick Reign than there is now This follows from what hath been said concerning that Universal Peace that Extraordinary Measure of Bodily Health and Strength that Duration of Men's Lives which shall be the Blessing of those Days Upon the more Cessation of Wars and Slaughters of Pestilence and Famine c. which are wont so visibly to diminish the number of Mankind there must needs be a great length'ning out of Men's Lives there must be a vast Increase of the People of the World The whole Earth will be replenish'd and even crowded with Inhabitants This will make amends as I suggested before for the great multitudes of Men that have in several Ages perished and gone to the Infernal Regions For within the compass of this Happy Time wherein we suppose Mankind to be thus extremely multiplied and all of them excepting some very few to be holy and Religious Persons there will be a larger Stock of Inhabitants for Heaven than there was of those who in all the preceding Times of the World were thrust down to the contrary Place And thus which way soever we look this Blessed Dispensation shall be eminent for the Natural as well as the Moral and Religious Emendation of all Things for Temporal and Earthly Blessings as well as those that are Spiritual and Heavenly for the present bettering of the World and for the Provision it makes for the future Mankind being free'd from all Dangers Mischiefs and Troubles shall enjoy an undisturbed Peace Quiet and Repose with a Freedom from all Pain and Sickness And their Bodies shall be more vigorous and their Beauty more lasting than ever before Which shall be attended with all outward Conveniencies Comforts and Refreshments of what nature soever together with inward Peace Pleasure and Satisfaction There is one thing more I will venture to add as belonging I verily believe to this Happy State I have been describing There shall be a Peace not only between Rational Creatures and their Brethren but between these and the most Salvage Brutes i. e. those Brutes which heretofore were so For now the hurtful Disposition and cruel Nature of all such Animals shall be taken from them and they shall become mild and gentle tame and tractable This I take to be the meaning of that Prophecy Isai. 11. 6 7. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them And the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together And the Lion shall eat Straw like the Ox and the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice-den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain Which Words seem to me to be a clear Prediction concerning the peaceable Temper which even the fiercest of the Irrational Herd shall be endued with in the last Times of the World Their former Antipathies their pristine Enmities shall cease and they shall be restored to that harmlessness and Innocence which were at the first Creation I know these Words are generally by Commentators understood of that Inward Change which shall be made in Mens minds and hearts by the powerful Influence of the Gospel But I see little or no Foundation for this Interpretation for I go upon this ground which all sober Interpreters of Scripture acknowledge and own that there is no reason to fly to a Metaphorical and Mystical Sense of a Text when it appears that there is a Literal one So it is here there is no need of supposing any such thing as Metaphors and Allegories for the Words in themselves as interpreted according to the Letter are very plain and intelligible The Prophet here gives an Account of the Peaceable Kingdom of Christ and tells us that this among other things appertaining to it is part of it that there shall be a change in the Nature and Qualities of Brute Animals the Wolf Leopard Lion Bear â—erpent Adder shall be as tâ—me as Lambs Kids Calves they shall lie down and dwell and feed together they shall neither prey upon one another nor shall they be hurtful to Men. Nothing could be more plainly said to express the great Blessing and Privilege of those last Days when the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea which are the very next Words to those which I have set down and shew to what Period of Time they relate And that we
such an Act as is above natural Force and Abiliâ—y and is done wholly by virtue of an omnipotent Power There is a Physical Virtue and Agency given to all Creatures at their first Creation Their natural Properties and Affections are settled in them by God at first and according to these they constantly act except he who created them changes their course immediately influencing on them When the Creator thus alters their natural Course and Agency and when the Effects are contrary to their natural Power there is a Miracle wrought for Miracles are Actions that are against natural Efficiency This is opposed by Mr. Hobbs who holds that there are no real Miracles because all is by natural Causes only they seem to the Vulgar to proceed from extraordinary and supernatural Causes On this ground he endeavours to vilify the Miracles wrought by Christ. And Spinosa would fain thrust upon us this Proposition that whatsoever the Scripture affirms to have been done did necessarily come to pass according to the Laws of Nature and no otherwise and consequently that those things which go under the Name of Miracles have only natural Causes tho unknown to us And he conceits this to be a sufficient Reason of what he saith viz. that God and his Decrees are unchangeable and therefore the Laws of Nature can't be alter'd and so there are no Miracles because these are said to be Interruptions or Viâ—lations of the course of Nature But if the altering the course of Nature be contain'd in the divine Decrees as most sure it is then what will become of his Argument It is a mere Fallacy and contradicts several Discoveries which God hath made of himself and his doings in the sacred Writ where we find that there are such Actions as cannot be done by the mere Power and Energy of Men or Angels either good or bad or of any created Beings It is of the Essence of a Miracle to exceed all natural Power A Miracle always supposes the Virtue by which it is produced to be Divine 2. This is another property of a Miracle which follows necessarily on the former that it is Vnaccountable We cannot solve it we cannot shew any reason why it is so It is above our apprehension for it being a thing above natural Power it is impossible that natural Reason should tell how it is done A Miracle is such a work of which no Physical Cause can be assigned therefore it is no wonder that it is beyond our Conceptions and that we cannot apprehend how it is performed 3. It is also something done rarely and unusually It is a saying of the Rabbins and a true one A Miracle doth not happen every hour It is an uncommon thing and Rarity is of the nature of it For the design of a Miracle was to beget Faith by its being rare and therefore if you could suppose it to be perpetual the end of it would be lost which is to stir up Men to believe by the uncommonness of what is done Divine works that are done daily and ordinarily are not Miracles thus to justify Sinners to convert them to save them c. are not call'd Miracles So Gods preserving and upholding the World is the work of Divine Power only but it is not call'd a Miracle because it is every moment Pliny declares that it exceeds all Miracles that any one Day passes and all the World is not set on Fire because of the innumerable subterraneous fires and by reason of the infinite number of Stars and the vast heat in the Sun and the inbred fires in Clouds c. But this is no rarâ— and strange thing and therefore is no Miracle The gravity of bodies the strange Operation of the Loadstone the reciprocal motion of the Sea are Phaenomenâ— that depend as I apprehend on the particular and immediate influence of a supernatural cause and yet because they are common are not Miracles God the All-wise Governor of the World hath his usual and ordinary ways but these oftentimes are neglected and despised because they are common wherefore he thinks good to use another method he exertâ— other acts and these are unusual and extraordinary and excite a greater regard and reverence in Men and have the name of Miracles 4. It is the qualification of a Miraclâ— not only to be supernatural unaccountable and rare but also to be something visible at least very evident and discernible The Egyptians saw Moses's Miracles the Priests of Baal saw what Elijah did And whatever Miracles are really done are done in the sight of People or the effects of them are to be plainly seen The reason is because they are exhibited to the World on purpose that they may be observed and taken notice of Wherefore a Miracle is such a Divine Work as is evident and apparent and thence this kind of Operations are frequently call'd Signs i. e. outward and open representations of the Almighty Power of God 5. And lastly they deserve the name of Miracles because they stir up Mens minds to admire them they cause amazement and wonder they are such works of God as create astonishment in all that seriously consider them And this proves what I said before viz. that it is against the nature of a Miracle to be constant and lasting and always continuing for if it were so it would not be wondred at and then it would cease to be a Miracle These are the inseparable properties and qualification of true and real Miraclâ—s but the first is the main and the only essential one for some other things are unaccountable we being ignorant of the extent of Nature's Sphere and unusual and wonderful but they are not against and above the power of natural causes therefore they are not properly Miracles for a Miracle is a thing that cannot be done but by Supernatural and Divine strength Consequently a Miracle cannot be done by the Devil or any of his Ministers and Agents These indeed can do strange and wonderful things that is either such as are really so but then they rise only from occult natural causes and means or such that seem to be so they appear only and are not and then they are mere Jugglings and Tricks of Art Thus far evil Spirits and their Agents are able to go and no further they can counterfeit Miracles but they cannot work one true Miracle Thus the Egyptian Magicians did wonderful things they did not only make their Rods to appear like that of Mercury with Serpents twining about them but which is greater they by their Inchantments turned their Rods into Serpents or seem'd to do so That the worst Men may have power to work such signs and wonders is plain from Deut. 13. 1 2. And the reason why God suffers false Prophâ—ts to work those seeming Miracles is suggested in v. 3. The Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your Heart and with all your Soul It is to try Men
Sacred Trinity about the making of Man His Excellency What God's Image in Man is not What it is largely discours'd of The various Opinions concerning Paradise It is proved by sundry Arguments that it was in Babylon An account of its Four Rivers An Objection fully answered whereby the Author's Opinion concerning those Rivers is explain'd and establish'd The Employment of our First Parents in Paradise Besides the Law of Nature there were these positive Laws in the State of Primitive Integrity 1. That of Matrimony 2. That concerning Propagation 3. Observing the Sabbath or Seventh Day It is proved that Adam and Eve kept this Day 4. Abstaining from the Fruit of a certain Tree in the Garden of Eden An Account of the Tree of Lifâ— and the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil. The prohibiting of this latter shew'd in several Particulars to be Reasonable and Equitable 5. The Covenant of Works Not only the first Man and Woman but all their Race were under this First Dispensation Page 1 CHAP. II. The Nature of the Second General Dispensation The several particular Ingredients of the First Sin Its Aggravation from the Matter of it What kind of Creature the Serpent was whom the Devil made use of in seducing our first Parents It was not a firy flying Serpent but an ordinary one Wherein the Subtilty of this Animal consisted That Adam and Eve fell not on the same day in which they were made is proved from Scripture and Reason The dreadful Effects of the Fall which related to themselves Others which belong'd not only to them but to their whole Race Death was the Penal Consequence of the First Defection The Inward and Spiritual Evils that attended it are enumerated How Man became like the Beasts Eternal Death the Fruit of his Apostacy The Penalty insticted on the Serpent Not only our First Parents but all Mankind were under this Second Dispensation p. 49 CHAP. III. The Nature of the Third General Dispensation The first part of which is the Adamick State The early Promise concerning the Messias Gen. 3. 15. explain'd He was expected betimes The New Testament witnesses that he was to bruise the Serpent's Head Several positive Laws were under this Occonomy That of Oblations and Sacrifices is especially consider'd Eucharistical Sacrifices were part of the Law of Nature Expiatory and Bloody onec were not so Thence these latter were disapproved of by the wisest Heathens They are founded upon Divine Institution The Practice of Sacrificing among the Pagans was derived to them by Tradition from the Jews or the foregoing Patriarchs Whether sacrifices were prescribed before or after the Fall of our First Parents Concerning the Primitive Priesthood The Distinction of clean and unclean Animals was in respect of Sacrificing not Eating Gen. 4. 26. explain'd and a settled Church founded upon it Marrying with Infidels seems to be prohibited under this Dispensation The Rise of Polygamy The seven Precepts said to be given to the Sons of Adam and Noah The Improbability of this Jewish Tradition evinced from several Considerations The Mistakes of Volkelius and Episcopius concerning the Antediluvian Oeconomy p. 83 CHAP. IV. The Noachical Oeconomy The first Positive Law under it was about eating of Flesh. It is proved that this prevail'd nâ—â— till after the Flood Objections against it answer'd The Testimony of Pagans to confirm it The Reason of the Prohibition The second Positive Law was concerning not eating Flesh with the Blood The Reason of it The third Positive Law was concerning not shedding of Man's Blood With the Penalty of it And the Sanction of Magistracy Serâ—itude not introduced under this Dispensation The Longevity of the Patriarchs was common to all in those Times The Months and Years were of the same length then that they are now They were Solar not Lunar Years The Causes of the long Lives of those that lived before the Flood The Abrahamick Oeconomy With its several Steps and Advances The Nature of the Covenant made with Abraham Now the Faithful were separated and distinguish'd from the rest of the World Why they are called Hebrews The Nature and Design of Circumcision Vnder this Dispensation Altars were erected Tithes paid c. Of Polygamy and Concubines and other Vsages p. 112 CHAP. V. The Mosaick or Jewish Dispensation seems to be Preposterous The Law of Grace was veiled for a Season The Triple Law which this Oeconomy was famous for briefly display'd Four Reasons assigned why the World was so long without a Written Law The Ceremonial Law is part of this Dispensation The several things which are comprehended in it Oblations viz. of Inanimate things Sacrifices which were of Living Creatures An enumeration of those Sacrifices which were Set and Determined Others were Occasional viz. 1. Sin-Offerings 2. Trespass-Offerings 3. Peace-Offerings Some Remarks about Sacrifices The several Ends and Designs of this way of Worship How the Mosaick Sacrifices are said to Expiate It is largely proved that the guilt of all kinds of Sins whatsoever was Atoned by them The Objections to the contrary are answered The Principal End of the Judâ—ick Sacrifices was to typifie and represent the Sacrifiâ—e of Christ on the Cross. p. 145 CHAP. VI. The High-Priest's Office His peculiar Attire The Imployment and Apparel of the Pâ—iests The Levites particular Charge Whether they might sacrifice or no. Their Office in the Reigns of King David and King Solomon differ'd in some things from what it was before The ordinary and fixed Place of Worship and particularly of Sacrificing was the Tabernacle A particular Account of the three Divisions or Partitions of it viz. the Outward Court the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies with all things contain'd in them The Mystical and Spiritual meaning of the several Particulars The Travels and Removes of the Tabernacle and Ark. A distinct Account of the Parts of the Temple shewing wherein it differ'd from the Tabernacle Of the Fabrick it self and its Dimensions Houses and Chambers belonging to it The Sacraments appointed by the Ceremonial Law p. 173 CHAP. VII The Jewish Feasts Sabbaths New Moon Passover The Parallel between the Paschal Lamb and our Saâ—iour shew'd in several Particulars This Mystical Way approved of Christ celebrated not the Passover the same Evening that the Jews did but in the Evening before This represented in a Scheme The Feast of Pentecost The Feast of Tabernacles The Feast of Trumpets Of Expiation Other lesser Feasts not commanded in the Law but appointed by the Jewish Church Fasts kept tho not injoin'd by the Law The difference of Clean and Unclean Animals Why the latter were forbidden to be eaten The chief Reason of the prohibition was to prevent Idolatry Two Objections answer'd Vows proper to the Mosaick Dispensation They were either Personal or Real The Cherem p. 205 CHAP. VIII The Reasons of the Ceremonial Rites among the Jews They were to Try that People They were to Restrain them They were injoin'd in opposition to the Idolatrous Customs of the Heathens Several
and add what he thought was left out saith not one word concerning these Fourthly These Precepts are all of them the Laws of Nature or most easily reducible to them They are Prohibitions against Injustice Blasphemy Idolatry Uncleanness Bloodshed Rapine All which are general Dictates of Nature and Reason and written in man's Mind originally Therefore it may be remembâ—red that these Precepts obtain'd not only among the Hebrews but among all Nations whatsoever It is not likely then that God did orally deliver these to the Patriarchs before the Flood for in that early time of the World it was not requisite Tho afterwards some of thesâ— Precepts were given to Noah viz. after the corruption and gross degeneracy of the People of the Old World and when a New World of Men was to be set up And tho these and the like Precepts were made up afterward into Ten Commandments and given to the Iews i. e. when the World was more corrupted and the Dictates of Reason and Morality were almost lost and when it was as necessary to rouse mens Minds and to keep Religion from decaying and when God was erecting a New Oâ—conomy and chusing a peculiar People to himself tho in these Circumstances the giving of such Precepts was necessary yet now in the Patriarchs days there was no need of delivering them they having them fresh on their minds There is no ground then for us to credit the Hebrew Doctors when they tell us that those six Precepts were deliver'd solemnly to the Sons of Adam It is only a Tradition of the Iews and of what truth and reality their Traditions generally are is known to those who are sober and unprejudiced Persons they are usually mere Fancies and Conceits Dreams and Dotages Lies and Forgeries Thus you see how it went with the World from Adam to the Flood which is reckon'd to be about sixteen hundred Years You see how the State of Religion stood what Communications the World had from God And here by the way I cannot but take notice of the groundless assertion of that Socinian Writer who declares That before the Flood there was no General Precept given to Men by God they had only some Injunctions which appertain'd to certain particular Persons and particular Affairs Nor had they any general Promise made to them he saith Episcopius is more large telling us That they lived almost 2000 Years without any Law without any Promises without any Precepts from God And he further adds That the Religion from Adam to Abraham was merely Natural and had nothing but Right Reason for its Rule and Measure All which are mistaken Notions for from what hath been deliver'd concerning this Oeconomy before the Flood it is evident that there was a Divine Prâ—cept which was general concerning Sacrifices and there was a Promise and that a general one concerning the Blessed Seed and there were other Laws and Prescriptions besides those that were founded on mere Reason for it appears that this Antediluvian Dispensation was mixt partly guided by the Light and Law of Nature partly by Revelation Religion consisted both of Natural Principles and Positive Commands These were all along interwoven with one another Thus the Old World was govern'd In which Period there were these ten Patriarchs who were all long-liv'd but one Adam was the first who when Abel was dead begat Seth whose Son was Enosh who begat Cainan and he Mahalalel and this Iared whose Son was Enoch who was translated Then Methusalaâ— the longest liver of them all Adam and he took up all the time between the Creation and the Flood then Lamech not he of that Name who was of Cain's Race and Noah was the last of the ten Antediluvian Fathers CHAP. IV. The Noachical Oeconomy The first Positive Law under it was about eating of Flesh. It is proved that this prevail'd not till after the Flood Objections against it answer'd The Testimony of Pagans to confirm it The Reason of the Prohibition The second Positive Law was concerning not eating Flesh with the Blood The Reason of it The third Positive Law was concerning not shedding of Man's Blood With the Penalty of it And the Sanction of Magistracy Servitude not introduced under this Dispensation The Longevity of the Patriarchs was common to all in those Times The Months and Years were of the same length then that they are now They were Solar not Lunar Years The Causes of the long Lives of those that lived before the Flood The Abrahamick Oeconomy With its several Steps and Advances The Nature of the Covenant made with Abraham Now the Faithful were separated and distinguish'd from the rest of the World Why they are called Hebrews The Nature and Design of Circumcision Vnder this Dispensation Altars were erected Tithes paid c. Of Polygamy and Concubines and other Vsages THE Second Patriarchal Dispensation or the Noachical Oâ—conomy began in Noah's days and lasted till Abraham Immediately after the Flood the Covenant which was made with our first Parents was renewed to Noah the Law of Grace which had been given to them was now confirmed to this eminent Person and to the â—est of Mankind in him and the â—ow in the Cloud was made a Sign of the Covenant Gen. 9. 9. It is to be believ'd that a farther discovery of the Mâ—ssias was made to Noah tho the Sacred History saith nothing of it But this is expresly recorded that this renewing and confirming of the Dispensation of Grace were accompanied with some positive Institutions and Laws which were an addition to those that were before given to Adam These are the things which make the difference between this and the former Oâ—conomy The first Positive Law was concerning â—ating of Flesh. Evâ—ry moving thing that liveth shall bâ— Meat for you Gen. 9. 3. The discrimination of Meats is taken away and Flesh is granted to be eaten and indeed there was a necessity of it at that time because the Fruits of the Earth were destroy'd by the Flood Before the Delugâ— there was not a liberty given to eat Flesh for they were limited by that Injunction in Gen. 1. 29. which appoints Herbs and Fruits to be their Meat God said Bâ—hâ—ld I have given you every Hâ—rb bearing Sâ—â—d which is upon the Face of all the Earth and every Tree in thâ— which is the Fruit of a Tree yielding Seed to you iâ— shall bâ— for Meat Here is the Lex Cibaria Man is confined as to his Diet Herbs and Fruits are appointed his Food and no other But now this Restraint is taken off by the same hand that laid it on and God permitâ— Noah and his Posterity to eat Flesh as well as Herbs But yet it is a Controversy among Writers whether eating of Flesh was granted just after the Flood and was altogether prohibited before The Hebrews generally say that the People before the Deluge fed only upon what the Earth produced and abstain'd from all living Creatures Most of the Christian Fathers hold
new whether they were Figs of the last years growth or of the present one why then did our Saviour curse it Some interpret the Words of the time of gathering of Figs but this makes the bearing of Figs and the gathering of them to be the same which is a straining of the words A learned Critick reads the Text thus Where was the time of Figs i. e. saith he there was the time in that place where Christ then was viz. near Ierusalem it was the Season of Figs and because this one particular Tree bore no Fruit when the rest did Christ deservedly curs'd it This Interpretation amounts to the same with what I before propounded but I cannot approve of the Alteration made in the Original An other late Critick comes somewhat nearer to this and by changing the Accent and doubling the Verb reads it thus where he was was the time of Figs. But I conceive this Learned Gentleman is a little too bold here as well as in some other places in his changing the Greek Text where there is no occassion for it and therefore I keep to the received reading which according to the Greek is exactly thus for it was not the time of Figs yet being redundant in our English Translation i. e. it was not the time of Figs with this Tree Tho according to the time of year other Fig-trees bore Fruit yet this degenerated from them and had no Fruit at all on it only Leaves whence our Saviour took occasion to curse it And this he did for the sake of the Iews that they might look on the Tree and be admonished that they might be sensible of the danger of their Vnfruitfulness at such a Season when the greatest furitfulness was required of them Or according to a worthy Person the meaning of Christ's cursing the Figtree was that the acceptable Fruit of everlasting Righteousness was not then found in the Judaical Dispensation this Tree did not bring forth such excellent Fruit but only the fair Figleaves of an external and ceremonial Righteousness and legal Morality Christ therefore came to exprobrate to them the want of more perfect Fruit and to put a Period to the Dispensation of the Jews so that it should quite wither away and be null'd Thus you see there is ground for what our Lord did which makes me a little wonder why that Learned Critick whom I named last and some other Expositors are so much concern'd at Christ's cursing the innocent Tree as they call it I do not see any cause why they should be so for if we could assign no Reason at all of this Action of our Saviour we ought to be fully satisfied with it because he was arbitrary as to this and all other Actions of the like nature by virtue of his Sovereign Power he could in these matters do as he pleas'd But we need not insist upon this because I have offer'd a sufficient Reason why he thought good to shew a Miracle on a fruitless Tree which had nothing but leaves to be destroy'd by his Curse As to the latter Instance viz. Christ's suffering the Gadarens Swine to be driven by the Devil into the Sea I answer 1. It was not so much our Saviour's Act as his Permission for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes imports 2. It was not done of his own accord but upon the importunate Outcry of the disturbed Friends whom Christ saw it was best to lodg in the Deep 3. The Persons who sustain'd this Loss deserved it as we may gather from their carriage towards our Blessed Lord. Here then was no unjust thing done by this miraculous Power of our Saviour nor was it a hurtful thing to punish Offenders according to their deserts But further it may be Objected If Christ design'd to benefit People by his Miracles why did he not do them when they most desired them as in the Case of Herod and when there was the greatest need of them as when our Saviour hung on the Cross For the first we read indeed that Herod was desirous to see Christ of a long season because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some Miracle done by him Luk. 23. 8. Yet when Christ came before him and was question'd by him he answer'd him nothing ver 9. he spake not one word he did not one Miracle The Reason was because Herod had sufficient opportunities before of hearing Christ's Sermons and seeing his Signs but he was negligent and careless yea he slighted and despised those things This is evident because otherwise he would have gone to our Saviour or sent for him and treated him with Respect and Reverence This great Man having thus neglected the Season of Grace he is justly debarr'd for the future by Christ himself Miracles are denied him after a wilful refusing both of them and other means As for what we read in Mat. 27. 42. that the chief Priests and Scribes declared they would believe in Christ if he would come down from the Cross and yet our Saviour would not gratifie them by his miraculous descending thence Here I have these three things to say 1. We may gather hence that Miracles are a certain and infallible Argument All Men are agreed to be concluded by this the Priests and Scribes declare that on these Terms they would believe in Christ and take him for the Messias they desire no better Proof than a Miracle 2. I say this Miracles the mighty and extraordinary Works of God are not lavishly to be thrown away The Persons had Miracles enough before but they disregarded them and the Author of them they must not therefore now when they think sit call for those divine Testimonies from Heaven It is not meet that Heaven should be thus at their beck and that Miracles must be done when they please 3. The main thing I offer is this that a greater Miracle than this which they now call for was shew'd within a little time afterwards for rising from the Dead was more than coming down from the Cross and yet they were not wrought upon by it So that if our Saviour had come down from the Cross they would not have believed which He who knew all things knew full well and therefore would not comply with their unreasonable desire We may then notwithstanding these Instances alledged assert that our Saviour intended the Good and Welfare of Men by the Signs and Wonders which he wrought and that all the exertments of his miraculous Power were for the Benefit and Advantage of the World which is one Difference between True and False Miracles Moreover if we inquire into the Persons who generally wrought these Miracles we shall be fully satisfied that they were True Not to speak now ofour Saviour the Apostles and Primitive Christians who were the mediate Authors of them were Men of great Simplicity they approved themselves to be void of all secular and 〈◊〉 deâ—igns much more of
know that their Testimonies of him are Fabulous and Incredible as namely when they write that he perfectly understood Languages which he never learn'd that he cur'd all Diseases that he knew Mens Hearts and Thoughts and foresaw all Futurities They should not saith he have said so high things of him if they would have been believed they have outdone the thing they undertook for since they hold Apollonius to be no more than a Philosopher they had no Reason to ascribe such Great and Prodigious things to him Whereas it was reported that this Apollonius fetch'd a Woman to Life as she was carried to be buried Philostratus himself thinks she was not dead It is incredible even to him and therefore he only saith she seemed to be dead In brief Eusebius sheweth that most of the Prodigious and Portentous things related concerning this Man are Cheats and Forgeries and the rest are the effects of Magick and Witchcraâ—t Philostratus doth not deny that it was reported he studied Magick and to that purpose convers'd with the Egyptian Gymnosophists and Indian Bracmans in his Travels And tho he endeavours to disprove it yet there is enough in that very History to make it appear that Apollonius gave his mind to that sort of unlawful Study and was a great Wizard and Necromancer He was a Person so noted over all the Roman Empire for his Magical Enterprizes that Grotius and Hammond think These are spoken of in Rev. 13. 11. To his Magick we must impute not only all the great Wonders he did in his Life but what happen'd in the close of it for as those forenamed Authors write when he was arraigned before Domitian who hated him as much as Titus loved him he bragg'd that he was not to be hurt and that he was Immortal and soon after that he vanished in the midst of the Court to the amazement of the Emperour and the rest of his Judges Thus this great Sorcerer made his Exit Now from what I have laid down before it is evident that these strange and wonderful Actions of his were not True Miracles for I have proved such cannot be done by the help of Devils and Evil Spirits Diabolical Wonders are to magnifie the Author of them the Devil and to promote Superstition and Idolatry in the World as these did therefore they cannot be from God and consequently they are no Real Miracles for such are always exerted by a Divine Power Lastly we may from the foregoing Discourse judg of the Miracles which the Church of Rome pretends to There is great Reason to determine that they are so far from being True Miracles that they are downright Forgeries and Impostures For I. Some of them are no other than what Impostors in all Ages were permitted by God to do as appears from what hath been delivered 2. Many of them are only Seeming Wonders and such as Greek and Latin Historians are full of but never thought them to be the effects of Divine Power Valerius Maximus hath gathered some of them together 3. Many of the Popish Miracles are frivolous and impertinent vain trifling and ridiculous witness the fantastick and Romantick Stories of the Exploits of the Virgin Mary St. Francis St. Dominick and several others Any unprejudiced Person that reads them will say that they are unworthy of a Divine Author and therefore they must be excluded from the number of True Miracles Once upon a time when St. Francis was preaching in the fields there came an Ass and made some disturbance among his Auditors which caus'd St. Francis to speak thus to the Brute Brother Ass be quiet till I have ended my Sermon whereupon upon the Ass presently came and laid him down very peaceably at the Preacher's feet to tell the World they must all be such Asses and come and crouch to the Church of Rome and lie prostrate at the Priest's Feet 4. There is ground to believe that several of the Miracles of the Church of Rome are the effects of Diabolical Magick Platina and others who have writ the Popes Lives tell us very plainly that some of them studied and practised Magical Arts and were very great with the Devil or else some of them had never arrived to the Triple Crown Whilst that Church lays claim to Simon Peter they are no strangers to the Practices of Simon Magus It is well known that sundry of their Priests deal with the Diabolical Spirits and thence we may justly conclude that many of their pretended Miracles are Specimens of the Black Art 5. Let it be remembred that it is foretold in 2 Thess. 2. 9. that their Friend Antichrist shall do Miracles Such are theirs yea they are the very same and are permitted by God to be done among them for the same purpose viz. That they should believe a Lie i. e. their Religion and that they all might be damned who believe not the Truth i. e. the Christian Religion in its Simplicity and Purity 6. Seeing Miracles are for begetting Belief and they look upon us as Hereticks who with them are as bad as Infidels why do they not come among us and before our faces work Wonders and Miracles Let them not be done in Spain Portugal or Italy but openly here in England or in some other Protestant Country where we may behold what they do That Miracle-working faculty which operates only at so great a distance from us will gain little credit Or let not a sorry Friar but the Pope himself do some Great Miracle where he is Till then we have cause to look upon them as Counterfeits Again 7. This is to be thought of that their own Authors give them the Lie as for Example whereas they talk and write of Xaverius's Miracles in the Indies Acosta the Jesuit acknowledgeth that they did no Miracles there and he adds that there was no need of any Nay Xaverius himself in his Letters which he wrote concerning his Travels and Undertakings in these Parts makes no mention of them So some of the Miracles attributed to Ignatius Loiola are confess'd by those that write his Life to be uncertain and incredible and by others of the Roman Party they are said to be forg'd after his Death as Dr. Stillingfleet now Bishop shews in his Enthusiasm of the Church of Rome p. 118 c. And even St. Francis's Miracle of the Five Wounds imprinted on his Body was look'd upon as a Fable by Pope Gregory the Ninth We may then justly disbelieve the Stories of Ignatius and Xaverius and St. Francis's Miracles and of the rest of that Perswasion and be convinced that they were Falshoods to magnify the Cause and to extol their Church 8. Many of these Popish Miracles have been actually discovered to be Cheats It hath been manifestly proved and there are several Records of it extant that they were the mere contrivance of their Priests And such particularly were some of those Miracles which were pretended to be done by the Virgin Mary at
proved that several great Professors of the Imperial Law were well-willers to the Christian Institution and some of those Iuris sacerdotes as the Râ—man Law stiles them became Christian Priests I have already mentioned an early instance of a Convert of this rank I mean Zenas to whom we may now add Minutius Fâ—lix an eminent Roman Lawyer who afterwards turned Christian. And to him may be joyned Arnobius and Laâ—tantius his Scholar notable Rhetoricians all three witty and solid Defenders of Christianity against Paganism in which they had been bred up To whom may be added Iulius Firmicus a Pagan first and then gave his name to Christ and writ a Book of the Error of Prophane Religions Afterwards in the fourth Century we may reckon Gregory Bishop of Neocaesarea commonly call'd Thaumaturgus in the Catalogue of learned Pagans converted to the Christian Faith as also Nemesius a Philosopher in Gregory Nazianzen's time Hilary Bishop of Poictiers was a Heathen at first so was Victorinus a learned Rhetorician of Rome though an Africâ—â— by Birth but in his old Age he renounced the Pagan Religion and became a zealous Christian the manner of whose Conversion is set down by St. Augustin And in the fifth Century there was Synesius originally of Cyrene in Egypt first a Heathen Philosopher and afterwards a Christian and Bishop of Ptolemais in Africa known by his excellent Writings Sulpitius Severus a learned Frenchman of a noble Extraction and famous at the Bar forsook his Pagan Principles and Practices and betook himself to Christianity and was a zealous Defender of it and in part vindicated it with his eloquent Pen. All these great Scholars these Masters of Arts and Reason with many more besides in those first Ages of the Christian Church fell down before the Simplicity of the Gospel and were captivated by it These Persons of great Endowments and Acquirements and the most zealous admirers and followers of Paganism became greedy Proselytes to the Christian Faith which certainly is no small Demonstration of its wondrous Power and Energy Questionless it was one great and notable Miracle that Christianity was received in the World and was entertain'd by the Persons we have been speaking of who had by their Principles and Education the highest prejudices against it Râ—finus and Sozomen report that Alexander Archbishop of Constantinople being present at the Council of Nice with a word struck Philosophers dumb But that is a more notable Instance which we meet with in the foresaid Sozomen and in Socrates viz. that one Spyridion an old Disciple of Christ who had suffer'd under Dioclesian for his constant maintaining the Christian Faith and was grown lame and blind with his Sufferings and with his Age this weather-beaten Champion lived so long I cannot say as to see the great Convention at Nice but as to be present at it and particularly interested in the Debates of it More especially it was taken notice of how this tatter'd Confessor this almost Emerit and disabled Soldier of Christ rallied his Forces afresh and with a new and as it were a divinely inspired vigour ingaged the Enemies and Opposers of the Christian Faith that is some Captious Philosophers who came on purpose to shew their Parts and Wit at that great Assembly But this antient Worthy grappled with them with a marvellous and almost incredible Vivacity he beat back their Cavils he baffled their Sophistries he defended the Christian Cause and gain'd upon some of its very Adversaries to own the same And particularly when a famous Philosopher disturb'd the whole Council with his Disputes he only standing up and barely propounding the main Christian Truths to him and bidding him in the Name of Iesus attend to them made him become mute and leave off his Logick and wrangling and confess before them that he believ'd those things to be true and that there came Force and Virtue out of the Mouth of this aged Saint and Confessor which he was not able to resist Here was seen the Virtue and Power of the Christian Truth By its own native strength and efficacy it gain'd these mighty Conquests It pretended not to Mathematical Demonstration it boasted not of skill in Arts and Sciences and yet it baffled all these and confounded the wisest Philosophers and prevail'd upon the Men who were cried up for the most excellent Attainments This is wonderful indeed and therefore you read that when the Jewish Sanhedrim perceived that the Apostles were unlearned and ignorant Men they marvelled and well they might when they saw what was done by these silly illiterate folks void of all Arts and Imbellishments These sorry Creatures as they were then deemed by the wise Men prevail'd upon the World when it was most Learned and Improved as all History assures us it was at that time Not only some of the Rabbies of Ierusalem but the Philosophers of Rome and Athens sat at the feet of the despised Apostles who were Persons of mean education The most knowing and cultivated Spirits submitted to the Sermons of the Ignorant and Artless Which undoubtedly is a proof of the eminency of Christianity above all Philosophy Which made the Apostle not only start this Interrogatory Where is the Scribe i. e. the Man vers'd in the Iewish Law but demand likewise Where is the Wise i. e. where are the Professors of Arts and Sciences especially the Moral Philosophers the Dictators of Ethicks who were signally stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wise Men. Where is the Disputer of this World the natural Philosopher the Man of Physicks that acquaints himself with the Fabrick of this World Where is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Questionist the busie Diver into the profound Mysteries of Nature Or where is the Politician that great Searcher into the Intrigues of the World where are all these What have they done by all their Lectures Have they reformed Mens Lives as the Christians have done Do their Principles make such a Change in Mens Manners as the others have done Hath not the Gospel effected far greater things than all the Dictates of Philosophy ever did Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this World Yea it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching i. e. by that Ordinance of Preaching which by so many of the Learned and Wise Philosophers is reckon'd as Foolishness by this Method and Means it pleas'd the Divine Providence to save them that believe It is true the Greeks seek after Wisdom as the Apostle adds i. e. the Philosophers will have all proved by natural Causes they judg all by the Verdict of Reason and run all things up to the strict Laws of Nature therefore it is no wonder that the Doctrine of Christ was to these Greeks Foolishness But we saith the Apostle in behalf of himself and his fellow-Labourers in the Gospel preach Christ crucified to the Iews indeed a stumbling-block and to the Greeks foolishness but unto them that are call'd both Iews and
was ulcer'dâ— in his Bowels and pester'd with Worms which crawl'd out of his rotted flesh and in the midst of Conâ—ulsions and exquisite Torments over his whole Body ended his miserable Life to begin one more miserable Iudas who had been a seeming Friend but proved at last a real Adversary to the Christian Cause and perfidiously betray'd the Lord of Life â—as by Divine Vengeance punish'd with a triple Death as I have shew'd in the Exposition of Mat. 27. 5. The Sacred Records acquaint us that Elymas a Sorcerer who opposed the Christian Faith was struck blind by St. Paul Acts 13. 11. Clement the Roman Arnobius Epiphanius and others relate how Simon the Magician an Apostate from Christianity and one who openly defied that Religion afterwards was defeated in his bold Attempt of flying in the Air and was struck down to the ground by St. Peter Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee who beheaded Iohn Baptist and under whom Christ suffer'd Death was afterwards condemned by Caligula to perpetual Banishment where he died miserably Caiaphas was the same time disgracefully removed from the High Priest's Office and Ionathan was set in his Place Pilate who condemned our Saviour was accused at Rome put out of his Place and then banish'd to the Town of Lions and at length slew himself Herod Agrippa Nephew of Herod the Great who stretch'd forth his hands to vex certain of the Christian Church and particularly kill'd Iames the Brothâ—r of Iohn with the Sword and proceeded further to take Peter also and put him in Prison intending after Easter to bring him forth to the People to be executed as Iames was this execrable Man who thus thirsted after the Blood of the Christians and designed a plentifâ—l effusion of it was on a sudden cut off by the just hand of God and that in the midst of those prophane Apâ—plauses which he receiv'd from the People the Text saith he was eaten of Worms Acts 12. 23. It may be observed that most of the Roman Emperors and Tyrants who imbrued their hands in the Blood of Christiâ—ans died violent Deaths some of them laid hands on themselves and the rest in some other manner miserably closed their days Of the twelve first Roman Emperors there were but three that died natural Deaths and of the forty Pagan Emperors of Rome for so many were from Iulius Caesar to Constantine the Great there were few that died in their Beds See Lactantius de Mâ—rt Persecut who undertakes to shew that all the Eâ—mperors and Tyrants that persecuted the Christians â—had tragical ends by the visible hand of God upon them and he particularly recounts the Signal Iudgments which they were deservedly visited with And as for Iulian who was a Flatterer of the Christians and â—â—sed a way quite contrary to what the foregoing Caesarâ—s had done for by Bribes and Preferments he endeavour'd to pervert the Christians and at other times he attempted to jeer them out of their Religion this Man in the very beginning of his Reign was taken off in a very strange and surprizing manner He who vowed to sacrifice to his Gods the Blood of the Christians when he return'd in Triumph from his Persian Expedition as St. Ierom Theodoret and Orosius relate met with a bloody Stroke which defeated his purposes Whence the Truth of what a Christian told â—â—banius was manifest viz. that the Carpenter's Soâ—â— was making a Coffin for Iâ—lian Who gave him his wound is not known to any to this day said the Ecclesiastical Historian but as he adds whether it was a Man or an Angel that inflicted it it is certain he was the Minister of the Divine Wilâ— And the desperate Behaviour of the perishing Emperor is mention'd by the same Writer viz. that he fiâ—l'd his hand with the Blood that issâ—ed from the Woâ—nd and threw it up into the Air with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Author tells us moreover that his Emâ—press a Pious and Religious Lady seeing him thus punish'd seasonably reminded him of his Guilt and plainly told him that he would not have known who it was he had so fiercely opposed unless this Stroks from God had been inflicted on him I might have observ'd before out of the Life of Constantine the Great that as soon as Maximian persecuted the Christâ—ians the Divine Vengeance seized him and his secâ—et Parts and his Bowels were ulcerated And there likewise we find the Emperor declaring that he had himself taken notice of the strange Exits of some that had troubl'd the People of God i. e. the Christians with their wicked Edicts l. 4. c. 12. I could go bacâ— and observe that Tertullian propounds to Scapula the African President several particular Exaâ—ples of the Mischiefs and Plagues that befel certain of his Predecessors and others that vex'd and disturb'd the Christians But among all the Iudgments of Gâ—od on the Enemies and Persecutors of Christianitâ— I may reckon his Vengeance on the Iewish People and Nation as the most observable and notorious According to our Saviour's Prediction they heard of Wâ—ars and rumours of Wars and soon felt them there was great distress in the Land and wrath upon this People they fell by the edg of the Sword c. Nero sent Vespasian to reduce these Rebels who for six Years together miserably destroy'd them and their Country with Sword and Fire Then upon Nero's Death Vesâ—asian who succeeded him sent his Son Titus thither who bent all the Force of the War against their Capital City and closely besieged it Yet as the Historian himself acknowledges this merciful Prince acted this Tragical Part unwillingly he all the while pitied the Iews and testifi'd it by his Tears he deferred from time to time the Destruction of Ierusalem and kept up the Siege the longer that the Iews might repent of their Doings and submit themselves to his Arms. But when he saw they were obstinate and would by no means make good use of his Forbearance he resolv'd to punish their Incorrigibleness and accordingly he fell upon them with an unusual severity and wofully sack'd and destroy'd the City and burnt both it and the Temple to the ground No less than eleven hundred thousand were kill'd by Fire Sword Famin and civil Discord in the time of the Siege and ninety seven thousand were taken Captives at the sacking of it there being then a vast confluence of Iews from all parts to celebrate the Passover for as this was the time when our Saviour was crucifi'd so at this very Season the Iews were remarkably punish'd for crucifying him An innumerable company of that miscreant Nation which sold Christ for thirty pieces of Silver were exposed to sale at a far cheaper Rate for as this Author affirms the Market ran so low that twenty Iews were sold for a penny The whole City and Temple were utterly demolish'd to the ground And this was done by him who was stiled the Darling and Delight of Mankind as if the Iews were
the Ear. If I would go abroad and observe what hath been found out for the Use and Benefit of Mans Life I might take notice of that so Pleasant and Profitable Commodity of Sugar For whereas former Ages knew the use of Honey only as the Universal Sweetner there is now discover'd a more convenient one by which a great part of our Food is made more delicious and many things in Physick are prepar'd and by which the whole work of Confectioning is maintain'd It is true Pliny speaks of Sugar Saccharum as it was taken out of the Canes and saith it was used in Medicines but it was rare and in small quantities and in Galen's time it was scarcely known and then it was used raw and indigested and was unserviceable to many Purposes But at last this useful Condiment was Boyl'd and Bak'd Dried and Condens'd and made up as now we see it This is an Invention not above 200 Years old And the first Confectionerâ— or Comfit-maker in England was one Baltazar Zanches a Spaniard A. D. 1596. I might mention the many Ingenious and Artificial Contrivances about Planting Agriculture ordering of Bees Architecture Painting which last is in some respects much better and more exact than it was of old as Monsieâ—r Perault hath shew'd And in several other things the Moderns have made great and worthy Improvements and very considerable Additions to what was before But I will confine my self to some of the Arts and Sciences and briefly recount some of the Improvements which have been made in them To begin with Medicks unto which Anatomy belongs it is true Pliny tells us that the Egyptian Kings caused Dead Bodies to be cut up to find out the Situation and Structure of the Parts of Man's Body and the Causes of Diseases But another tells us that Hierophilus was the first that Diffected the Bodies oâ— Men he was Contemporary with Phalaris and practis'd this on Malefactors that were sent to him out of the Prisons Democritus of old used Dissections by the same token that he was thought by the Abderites to be made for doing so i. e. for cutting up Cats and Dogs But it doth not appear that he or Hippocrates or Galen or any of the Famed Physicians open'd Humane Bodies But we have of late ventured to search frequently into these as well as those of Brutes and from both we have found out several things worth our search The Circulation of the Blood may justly pass for a New Invention even the Discovery of this Age for though some and even a Physician too have thought that Solomon meant this by the Wheel as the Cistern Eccl. 12. 6. Though Plato in his Timaeus seems to have had some knowledge of this according to others and though a late Writer before mentioned affirms very confidently that the Chinese were no Strangers to it above 4000 Years ago yet we are not certain that the Wise Man's Words are to be understood with reference to this thing and Plato's Words can much less be understood so and that Relation concerning the People of China as well as their extravagant Computation is disbelieved by most of the Learned Or say that this was not first found out by Dr. Harvey yet if we consider that he was the Person who so plainly Illustrated this matter and set down the true way and method of it and clearly demonstrated how this Operation in the Body is perform'd and fully answer'd all the Arguments and Objections which were brought against it we may justly stile him the first Inventor of it Not to speak of the Infusion or Injection of Blood into the Veins of Animals first used by Dr. Wren which afterwards was advanced into Transfusion and first practised by Dr. Lower I might mention several New Passages and Conveyances in the Body lately found out as the Valuae of the Veins by Fabricius ab Aquapendente the Lymphatick Vessels by Bartholine the Lacteal Veins dispers'd through the Mesentery by Asellius the Common Receptacle of the Chyle fastned to the Vertebrâ— of the Back a little above the Reins and the Lacteal Veins of the Breast or the Ductus Thoracicus which go from the Receptaculum to the Subclavian Veins found out by Pecquet Glisson hath nobly search'd into the Liver Wharton into the Glandules Willis hath discover'd several things in the Brain And what plenty of useful Inventions do we meet with in the Writings of Sylvius Bilsius De Graeff Diemerbroek Malpighius Vesâ—ingius Densingius Steno Highmore c. Indeed Physick and Anatomy have had the greatest Improvements of late of any Faculty whatsoever Medicks are exceedingly Cultivated the Nature of Diseases is more narrowly enquired into and understood the Signs and Symptoms of them are daily more manifested and the Therapeutick part is infinitely more inlarged and advanced by a mixing of Galenical and Chymical Medicines by the vast variety of Observations and Experiments and by the Skill and Sagacity of those that have lately labour'd in that Art so that this Age is grown Famous for Great and Wonderful Cures and the Health and Long Life of Man are marvellously promoted In Astronomy there are New Discoveries also The late Ages have been more knowing in the Heavens than those that went before Now we are acquainted with the Suns Spots i. e. the Filth and Scum which it sometimes contracts the Mountains and Shadows of the Moon the Lunulae or Satellites of Iupiter mutually Eclipsing one another and the Ansulae Saturni So that whereas heretofore there were but Seven Planets known now Six more are added 4. about Iupiter and 2. about Saturn We have found Mercury and Venus to be Horn'd and to be subject to the other Aspects of the Moon The Stars are grown into Suns in our Days for there are as many Suns as Fixed Lights and there is on difference between these and that Luminous Body which we call the Sun but that they are further off from us than this There are New Hypotheses of the Heavens and the Earth and of the Rest and Motion of either which if they be not adjusted to exact Truth yet serve to illustrate and better set forth the Doctrine of the Celestial Bodies and their various Phaenomena and thereby to lead us to admire the Wonders of the Creation and to extol and praise the Great and All-wise Contriver of this Mundane Fabrick Nor is Astronomy yet come to its Zenith to its Meridian We on good Grounds expect that by the benefit of the Optick Tubes and Telescopes which are every day growing more perfect we shall penetrate farther into the Nature of the Heavenly Bodies and have a more compleat insight into them And it is not to be doubted that we shall in time have a more correct Account of the Suns Course and consequently a Reformation of the Calender and then that Complaint will cease that the present Computation is not exactly agreeable to the Natural Motion of the Sun or Earth Arithmetick is mightily
perhaps may be the Meaning of 1 Cor. 6. 2. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World I offer it to be considered whether we may not interpret it thus Do you not know that there shall be a time when there shall be a Christian Magistracy in the World and that especially when Christianity is coming to its Height there shall be such Godly Rulers and Iudges as shall reform all Things that are amiss in the World And this great Sway and Authority shall make way even for their judging of Angels Afterwards v. 3. I am far from abetting in this Discourse the wild Fancy of those Enthusiastick Spirits who make the Reign of Christ on Earth inconsistent with that of Kings and Princes who at the same time that they set up King Iesus pull down all others Their Fifth-Monarchy brooks no Crowned Heads But they forget that in the same Place where the Evangelical Prophet saith Behold a King shall Reign in Righteousness meaning Christ and this Kingdom which I am now discoursing of he adds And Princes shall rule in iudgment Isa. 32. 1. Though it is said the Scepter shall depart from Iudah when Shiloh first comes yet neither then nor afterwards is it to be taken out of the Hands of Christian Princes Their Monarchy and Christ's Kingdom are not incompatible Yea I am so far from giving any Allowance to this sort of Men that I confidently aver Christ's Kingdom whereof I am speaking shall be set up and maintain'd by the Kings and Rulers of the Earth Christianity shall arrive to that excellent Pitch by the Assistance of the Civil Magistrate by the Incouragement which shall be given to it by the Secular Powers There is Ground for what I say for we are expresly told that those who formerly gave their Kingdom to the Beast shall afterwards hate the Whore and shall make her desolate c. Rev. 17. 16 17. These great Things shall be effected by Monarchs Princes and States entirely devoting themselves to the publick Good and Welfare and to the Glory of Him who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Builders of that Ierusalem shall hold the Trowel with one Hand and the Sword in the other They shall at the same time Rear this happy Structure and severely Punish those who endeavour to hinder them till at last by sharply Animadverting on all Wickednesses and Enormities these be driven out of the World and Universal Piety and Righteousness come in their room Again This great Work shall be promoted and advanced by the help of Spiritual Pastors and Teachers whose Care and Faithfulness whose Courage and Zeal are as requisite in this present Affair as that of the Civil Magistrate The Rulers and Guides of the Church shall then shew themselves true Lovers of Souls by not refusing any Labour of Love for their Peoples Good they shall preach the Word be instant in Season out of Season reprove rebuke exhort with all Long-suffering and Doctrine they shall Watch in all Things do the Work of true Evangelizers make full proof of their Ministry They shall discharge their Holy Function with all Mildness and Clemency with all Tenderness and Compassion and yet with all Fervency and Vigour They shall let all Men see that they make the Honour of God and the Saving of Mens Souls the Grand Design of their Ministry And it is not without great reason that I mention both these great Orders of Men Magistrates and Ministers for it is absolutely requisite that they go hand in hand towards the accomplishing that Great Work which I am discoursing of Moses and Aaron must befriend each other Zerubbabel and Ioshua must join in building the Temple The great Hinderance of the Improvement and Increase of Christianity hath been the disunion of these Two The Temporal Rulers and Spiritual Overseers have not concurr'd in the promoting the same Religious Designs The Secular and Ecclesiastical Powers have frequently been divided among themselves and thereby have retarded and impeded the Common Good But it shall not be so in those happy Times there shall be no disagreement between Ecclesiastical the State and Church no opposition between the State and Civil Laws The Spiritual and Secular Officers shall be so far from being an Impediment to one another in their particular Charges that they shall make it their Business to promote the respective Cause and Interest of each other If Phocas and Boniface held together and thereby wrought such horrid Mischiefs in the World it is certain we may experience as great and notable Effects of a contrary Nature from the unanimous Concurrence of pious Governours in the Church and Commonwealth When they mutually advise and consult with one another and act jointly for the Advancement of Religion and Godliness as in the Times of Constantine the Great Theodosius Valentinian Gratian when they strive with great Ambition and no other Ambition who shall be most serviceable and beneficial to the Christian Community this will be found to be the true Method for the propagating and establishing of Religion in the World And seeing Religion is the only unshaken and lasting Basis of Kingdoms it is the Concern of thâ—se Two Ranks of Persons to agree to advance this above all Things whatsoever They are to remember that even Civil Politicks are best guided by this Conduct and that if a Nation or Council exclude this in any of their Laws and Constitutions they can't be said to be Wise and Politick For what is disagreeable to Religion is unsafe dangerous and extremely Impolitick To be short all lies in Rulers both of Church and State both Spiritual and Civil These as I apprehend will be the special Instruments which God will imploy to work that happy and wonderful Change When God pleaseth to send such Princes and Leaders as Zerobbabel such Priests as Ioshua such Teachers and Scribes as Ezra the Building of the House of God will soon be finished Such Great and Noble Spirits being sâ—t on work will easily bring it to perfection The Gospel will be completely established Christianity will be universally propagated and Evangelical Righteousness will prevail every where in the World Yea All of us are capable of promoting this great Work more or less and therefore we ought to make it our Concern Our earnest and constant Prayer should be that this Kingdom may come and prevail and prosper that Antichristianism wheresoever it is and under what Shape and Guise soever it appears may be demolished and destroyed that the Infidelity of Iews and Pagans may have a period that Vice and Immorality Irreligion and Prophaneness may be trod down and that the Contrary may be set up and advanced in all the Regions of the World And we are obliged to set forward this blessed Design not only by our Devotions but our Endeavours and to hasten the actual Prevailing of it in our Lives and Practices that Iesus may be seen to Reign among Men and that Christianity may be