by such impression the act of the Will should necessarily follow then the power of deliberating and chusing which we feel c Eusebium vide praep Evang. 6.6 in our Souls had been given in vain then the equity of all Laws d Justin apol 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nisi il electione libera a facultatem habet humanum genus ut turpia fugiat honesta sumat in neutram partem ipse ascribenda actionis causa of rewards and punishments were taken away First because in that which is plainly inevitable there can be neither merit nor demerit neither praise nor dispraise And farther being there are some acts of an Evil Will if these come by a certain necessity from Heaven in as much as God hath given such a power to Heaven and Heavenly bodies it will now follow that God who is most perfectly good is the true cause e Contra quam dixit pluto de repub 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of moral evil and whereas by Law made he professes himself to hate sin the inevitable cause whereof he hath inserted in his Creatures by consequence he must will things contrary to each other the same thing to be and not to be and sin must be committed in that which one does by Divine impulse 'T is more probable which others say that by influx of the Stars the Air first and then our bodies are touched and imbibe certain qualities which often excite in the Soul correspondent appetitions by which the will is moved and many times prevailed with But this so granted maketh nothing to that question which we have in hand For Christian Religion because it very much wiâ—hdraws men from those things which are pleasing to the body could not have beginning from bodily affections and therefore not from the power of Stars which as we have said work not upon the Soul but by those affections The wisest of Astrologers exempt from the Law and Regiment of Stars such men as are truly wise f Ptol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potest vir sapiens multas astrorum efficientias avertere and Virtuous and such in truth were they who first took upon them the Religion of Christ as their life demonstrates And if we attribute also to erudition and good Letters any value against the inclination of the body there have been always among the Christians men of good note in this respect Lastly the effects of the Stars as the most skillful do acknowledge regard the several quartets of the World and are temporary But this Religion continnes now Sixteen hundred years not in one but in most distant parts of the World and under very diverse constellations XII Many points of Christianity approved by wise Pagans But Pagans have the less to oppose against Christian Religion because all the parts of it are of such integrity that by their proper light they do as it were convince the minds of all So that even among Pagans have not been wanting such as have said severally what our Religion hath all together Namely that Religion is not placed in rites a Menander Deo sacrifica semper ingenio probo Cic. Cultus deorum est optimus ut cos semper pura mente veneremur Persius compositum jus fasque animi c. but in the mind that he is an adulterer who hath had a desire b Intus adulter erit Ovid. to commit adulter that injury is not to be c Menander Ille vir virorum est optimus Qui melius aliis callet ferre injurias repay'd that one Wife d Vide Eurip. Andron is to be joyned with one man that the Covenant of Marriage ought to be e Val. Max. l. 2. c. l. perpetual that it is the duty of man to do good to f Homo sum humani nibil à me alienum arbitror Ter. every one specially to the needy that that we must abstain from g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pyth. swearing as much as we can that in food h Satis est populis fluviusque Ceresque Luc. and rayment we must be content with that which nature requires And if there be any thing in Christian Religion hard to be believed like things are found among the wisest of the Pagans as that of the immortality of Souls and that of a return of bodies to life again So Plato i Epist ad Dion taught by the Chaldeans distinguishes the Divine Nature into the Father the Fathers mind which he also stiled the offspring of God the maker of the World and the Spirit which contains all things That the Divine Nature may be united with the humane k Lib. 6. Julian so great an Enemy to Christians did believe and gave an Example in Esculapius whom he thought to have come from Heaven to teach men the Art of Physick The Cross of Christ offended many but what things do not the Pagan Authors say of their Gods that some were in service to Kings others thunder-struck others cut and wounded And the wisest of them affirmed Virtue is then most joy ous when 't is at the dearest rate Plato in his second De repub l Unde Cic. Bonus ille vir vexetur rapiatur damnetur c. prophetically saith To exhibite the Righteous man 't is requisite that his Virtue be spoiled of all ornaments that he be accounted by others wicked that he be mocked and at last Hanged And certainly to set forth an example of the highest Patience was otherwise impossible HVGO GROTIVS AGAINST JUDAISM I. Address to the Jews WE know the Jews are the progeny of a Rom. 9.10 11. Holymen whom God was wont to visit by his Prophets and his Angels Of this Nation was born the Messias and the first Doctors of Christian Religion theirs is the Tree into which we are inoculated they the keepers of Gods Oracles which we reverence much as they do and with St. Paul we send up sighs to God on their behalf praying for the speedy approach of that day when the b 2 Cor. 3.14 Vail being taken off which hangs before their eyes they shall with us clearly behold the c Rom. 3.27 completion of the Law and when according to the Old Prophecies we that are strangers shall every one lay hold upon the skirt of an Hebrew d Zach. 8.21 with this request that we may all joyn together in the Worship of that one God the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. II. Christs miracles cannot be denied by the Jews First then let not the Jews think that unjust in our Cause which they judge to be equal in their own If a Pagan ask Why they believe the miracles done by the hand of Moses they would say nothing else but this There hath been delivered down such a perpetual and constant report thereof amongst them that it could not but proceed from the Testimony of those who had seen the miracles namely that the Widdows Oyl a 2
compound things very different to the producing of astonishing effects Now that the Spirits by whom this was effected were not good Spirits and therefore that the Religion was not a good Religion as it appears by what we have said in another place so is it hence also manifest because they confessed themselves to be constrain'd a Apollo a pud Porphyrium Invitum me audi quando me lege ligasti against their Will by certain charms whenas among the wiâ—â—st even of the Pagans it is agreed that in Words is no such power but the power of perswasion only and that according to the manner of their signification This is also an argument of their wickedness that they did undertake to inveigle b Vid. pharmaceutriâ—m Theocriti Virgilii some persons into the love of others from whom they were of themselves averse herein injurious either in promising or effecting it being a thing forbidden c Paulus sent l. 5. tit 23. even by Humane Laws under the name of Witchcraft Neither may we wonder that the most High God suffer'd some marvellous things to be performed by wicked Spirits among them who having first forsaken the true God and his service had deserved to be given up to such a 2 Thes 2.9 delusions Their Impotency is farther prov'd by this That their Works brought with them no considerable benefit For if any seemed to be restored to Life they continued not long alive nor exercis'd the functions of the living And suppose any thing some time appeared in the sight of Pagans proceeding from a Power Divine yet was it not fore-said it should come to pass for the confirmation of their Religion but we may conceive the Divine operation proposed to it self far different causes For example Be it so that by Vespasian a blind man was made to see 't was done to this end that he being thereby more Venerable b Tac. Hist 4. Multa miracula evenere queis coelestis favor quaedam in Vespasianum inelinatio numinum ostenderetur might be the more easily advanced to the Roman Empire as a man chosen of God the Minister of his Judgments upon the Jews And the like causes of other Prodigies may have been where Religion was not at all concern'd IX Answer to the Objection of Oracles The same answer almost may serve for that which they object concerning Oracles chiefly what was said That those men deserv'd to be illuded who had contemn'd the notices which reason and most antient tradition doth suggest But farther the Words of their Oracles were usually ambiguous and such as easily receiv'd an Interpretation a cicero de Divinat 2. Vtrum corum accidisset inquit verum oraculum fuisset from whatsoever came to pass But in case any thing more definitely was foretold by them it is not necessary it should proceed from an omniscient Spirit when the things were such which might from natural causes pre-existing be foreseen as Physicians have predicted diseases or probably conjectur'd from the consideration of common events as we read it hath been often done b Cic. de seipso 1. Epist 6. Quo in bello nibil adversi accidit non praedicente me by Politicians Now if at any time God hath among Pagans used the service of some Prophets o foreshew things that could have no certain causes besides the Divine Will this pertaineth not to the confirming of the Pagan Religion but rather to its overthrow namely that passage extant in Virgils a Vide August de C. D. 10.27 fourth Eclog taken out of the Sibyllin Verses where he unwittingly presents to us the coming of Christ and his benenefits So 't was in the same Sibyllin Verses that He must be received for King b cicero meminis 2. de Divin who truly should be our King and That he should come from the East c Sueton. Vesp c. 4. Tacit. Hist 4. who should have Dominion over all things In Porphyrius the Oracle of d Vide August de C. D. 20.23 Apollo is read wherein he saith Other Gods are aiery Spirits The God of the Hebrews is alone to be Worshipped Which saying if Apollo's Worshippers obey they will then cease to worship him if not obey they accuse their God of a lye Add this also that if those Spirits had by their Oracles consulted the welfare of mankind they would above all things have proposed a General Rule of Life and given assurance of a reward for those that lived well They have done neither But contrarily e Vid. Euseb praep Evang. lib. 5.23 35. in their Verses Kings although wicked are often commended Divine Honours are decreed for Gamesters men enticed into Loves illegitimate to unjust Gain to Murther as might be demonstrated by many Examples X. Pagan Religion déstitute of Humane aid decayed Moreover Beside the Proofs already made the Pagan Religion affords us a great Argument against it self in that wheresoever it was destitute of humane strength it fell to the ground the prop being taken away upon which alone it stood For if you cast your eyes upon all the Kingdomes either of Christians or Mahumetans you shall no where see any memory of Paganism but in Books Yea you shall find in Histories that even in those times when Emperours used either force and punishments as the former did or Learning and Wit as Julian for the supporting of Pagan Religion nevertheless it decreased daily not by any force opposed not by nobleness of birth for JESUS was by the Vulgar call'd the Carpenters Son not by Flower of Learning the speech of the Christian Doctors was not adorned with it not by gifts for they were poor not by any assentation or allurements for they on the contrary declared that all Worldly advantages were to be despised and all adversities to be suffered for the Gospels sake Behold the imbecillity of Paganism pulled down and overthrown by no other Engines but these Nor did only the credulity of Pagans vanish at the appearance of Christs Doctrine but the Spirits also themselves at the Name of Christ departed out of bodies a Act. 5.16.8.7.16.18 held their Tongues and being asked the cause of their silence were forced to confess They had no power b Tert. Apol. vide Chrysost cont gent. where Christ was called upon XI The pretended efficacy of Stars There were Philosophers who ascribed as the rise so the fall oâ— every Religion to the Stars But the science of the Stars which they profess to have Learned is delivered under so disagreeing rules that nothing can be found certain therein but this that there is no a Vide Dissert in philocal origen certainty I speak not of those effects that follow naturally from necessary causes but of those which proceed from the Will of man which is endued with such liberty b Vide Alex. Aphrodis hac de re librum in it self that no necessity can be imposed on it from without For if
not troublesome unto them not known by any injury so that they an pretend no cause of War but Religion alone which is most of War but Religion alone which is most irreligious For the worship of God is no worship unless it proceed from a willing mind And the will is drawn by instruction and perswasion not by threats and violence He that is compelled to believe does not believe but only makes a show that he may escape pain And he that by sense or fear of punishment would extort assent thereby shews his distrust of Arguments But again themselves destroy this very pretence of Religion when they allow those whom they have subdued to use what Religion they will yea and some times openly acknowledge that Christians may be saved in their own Religion VIII Their precepts compared Compare we now the precepts together On the one side patience is commanded and benignity even to enemies on the other side revenge on this side perpetual fidelity of Marriage mutual toleration of manners on that license of a Vide Euthymium departing Here the Husband performs himself what he exacteth of the Wife and by his own example teacheth her to fasten love but upon one there came women b Azoara 3.8 9. after women new provocations unto Lust Here Religion is called inward to the heart that being cherisht therein it may bring forth Fruits profitable to mankind there it spends almost all its virtue in c Vide Barth Geor. de ritibus Turcarum circumcision and other things in themselves d Azoara 9. indiffererent Here a temporate use of meats and Wine is permitted there to eat of the Swine e 2.26 or drink of the f Vide Euthymium Grapes is forbidden although Wine is a great gift of God for the comfort of the mind and body being taken with moderation That such weak Rudinients as 't were for Children preceded the most perfect Law such as is Chrifts we do not wonder but to succeed after it and for us now to return to types and shadows is preposterous nor can any cause be given why another Religion after the Christian which is far the best of all should be now produced IX Objection touching the Son of God answered The Mahumetists say they are offended that we give God a Son when he uses not a Wife as if the name of Son in respect of God cannot have a more Divine signification But Mahumet himself ascribes many things to God not less unworthy then if he should be said to have a Wife namely that he has a cold hand a Cantacuz orat in Mahum 2.18 and he felt it to be so that he is carried in a Chair b Ibid. and such like As for us when we call Jesus the Son of God we signifie the same thing which he does when he stiles him the word of God for the word is after a sort c Vide Plat. in Conviv begotten of the mind add also that he was born of a Virgin the operation of God alone supplying the Fathers part that he was taken up into Heaven by the power of God which things being confest also by Mahumet declare that Jesus may and ought to be called the Son of God d Luc. 1.35 Jo. 10.36 In lib. doctrina Mahumetis Jesus inducitur deum suum patrem appellans by a cerrain singular right X. Absurd things in their Books But on the contrary in the Mahumetan writings it would be tedious to enumerate how many things there are remote from all truth of a Azoara 28.37 History how many altogether ridiculous Such is that Fable of a fair Woman b Cantacuz orat 2.15 whom the Angels overcome with Wine taught a charm to get up to Heaven and come down again But having got up very high God catcht her and fixt her there and this is the Star Venus Another is of a Mouse c Inlib doctr Mahum in Noabs Ark made of the Elephants Dung and a Cat d Ibid. of the Lyons breath And that 's a notable one e in fine dicti libri of death to be turned into a Ram and to be lodged in the middle space between Heaven and Hell And of f Exod. 1. dainty meats in the other life to be voided by sweat and of Companies of women to be assigned every one for his pleasure All which are of such a nature that they must needs be sotted by their own folly who can give any credit to such gross faults especially now the light of the Gospel shiues round about them CONCLUSION I address my self now leaving Aliens to Christians of all sorts and names beseeching them to lift up pure hands a Jam. 4.8 unto that God who hath made all things visible and invisible b Col. 1.26 out of nothing with a sure confidence that he takes care c I Pet. 5.7 of us that without his permission not a Sparrow d Mat. 10.29 falls and that they fear not those which can only hurt the body e 10.28 in comparison to him who hath equal power both over body and Soul Let them not trust in God the Father only but in Jesus f Jo. 14.2 seeing there is no other name g Act. 4.12 in earth which can save us This ye shall rightly do if you perswade your selves not they that call the one Father and the other Lord shall live for ever but they that compose their lives according to the will h Mat. 7.21 of God Farther I exhort you carefully to keep i 1 Tim. 6. 20. Institution of Christ as a most pretious treasure and to that end also read often the k 1 Cor. 4.16 Holy Scriptures where with no man can be deceived but he that first deceives himself For the writers of them were more faithful and more full of a Divine Afflatus than to deprive us l Vide Tert de praeser of necessary truth or to hide it under a Cloud but we must bring a mind disposed m Jo. 7.17 to obedience If we do so none of those things shall escape us which ought to be believed hoped for or performed n 2 Tim. 3.15.16 by us And by this means is the Holy Spirit nourished o 1.6 and raised in us who is given as the earnest p Eph. 1.14 of our future happiness Moreover I disswade all Christians from the imitation of Pagans First in the worship of false gods q 1 Cor. 8.5 which are nothing but vain names that wicked Spirits r 1 Cor. 10.20 use to avert us from the Service f Eph. 2.2 of the true God Wherefore we cannot partake of their Sacrifices so as withal to have a part in Christs Sacrifices Secondly in their licentious manner of living t Eph. 2.3 having no other Law but what is dictated by their own Lust from which it behoveth Christians to keep u