Argument into this form and the strength of it will be evident Those whom God employes to prophesie are Fellow servants But you and your brethren the Apostles as well as I God employes to prophesie therefore we are Fellow-servants St. John could make a doubt of nothing in this Argument but the Assumption whether he and the rest of the Apostles were sent to prophesie Yes sayes the Angel that you are for the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Hereby to me it seems apparent that the Testimony of Jesus here signifies that which the Apostles gave unto him and would you know why this is called the Testimony of Jesus not of the Apostleâ— concerning him then observe that this Testimony of Jesus may be considered two wayes viz. Strictly or Largely if abstractly or strictly in it self then it is little or nothing else but the Record they gave of Christ or the Doctrine they taught concerning him and this is said to be the Testimony of Jesus because he is the principal thing it treats of but if it be considered largely it comprehends not only the Doctrine of the Apostles concerning Christ but also the Strength Power and Authority whereby they taught it Thus considered it is the Testimony of Jesus not only because they gave it to him but also because they received it from him For he gave them not only Command to bear this witness of him i. e. to go into all the World and to preach the Gospel to every creature but also Strength and Power so to do for he first opened their Vnderstandings that they should understand the Scriptures and afterwards he eâ—dued them with Power from on high by sending the Promise of the Father i. e. the Spirit upon them to lead them into all Truth and enable them to speak it to all Nations whatsoever and this was done so effâ—ctually as that men of every Nation under Heaven heard them speak in their own Language and this surely in it self considered was no small matter of Testimony to our Jesus The Apostles we know were ignorant and unlearned men that understood but little of Scripture less of Foreign Languages yet hereby on a sudden they were enabled exquisitely to understand the one and to speak the other of all sorts and doth it not surpass the Power of Nature to make so stupendious a change as this was What Creatures can make Men Wise Holy and Learned in an instant It is a work of Wonder that falls within the compass of little less than Omnipotent Power and Wisdom Surely therefore the Author of it was God and if so then Jesus to whom the Apostles were thereby enabled to give Testimony was at least a Man approved of him On that account therefore their Doctrine or rather their Preaching or Promulgation of the Gospel by it may well be called the Testimony of Jesus And this Testimony of Jesus my Text tells us is the Spirit of Prophecy The truth and Essence of Prophecy saith Maimonides is nothing else but an Influence from God by the Mediation of the active Intellect operating first upon the Rational afterwards on the Imaginable Faculty This Definition is thought somewhat too scanty and obscure to express the nature of Prophecy in its full Latitude it is therefore conceived that by a little alteration of its Definition by another Rabbi we may have a more adequate and clear conception of its nature viz. that it is an Influence from God upon the Rational Faculty either by the Mediation of the Fancy or otherwise and by this Influence whether by the Ministry of an Angel or otherwise a man attains to such knowledge as by his Natural Abilities would be unattainable In these Definitions of Prophecy we have nothing at present to observe but that wherein they both do agree namely the general Nature of it which they make to consist in Influence from God Prophecy is not an Ignis fatuus of a disturbed Fancy but an Impression of Divine Light thence perhaps it was that in old time the Prophets were called Seers not because or at least not so Properly because of their Fore-sight of things Future as of their Visions those Images or Appearances of things as Visible which by Divine Influence were represented on the stage of their Fancy to the sight of their Understandings And afterwards the Prophets were called Men of God because God was pleased immediately to reveal himself unto them and so the word rendred Prophet denotes one that receives what he saith from God It seems then that all Prophecy truly so called hath its descent from Above it is not of any Private interpretation or rather of a mans own starting or suggestion for it comes not by the Will of Man but Holy Men of God did thereby speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost We Christians therefore believe the Holy Ghost spake by the Prophets and that Prophecy is a Gift of the Spirit For which cause no doubt it was that Justin Martyr intitles him the Spirit of Prophecy But when we consider that the Spirit of Prophecy as in my Text is affirmed of the Testimony of Jesus it seems most probable that it therein signifies not his Person but his Gift not his Essence or Subsistence but an Effect produced by him which is here called by his Name Thus the Spirit of a sound Mind the Spirit of Wisdom and Meckness the Spirit of Knowledge the Spirit of Grace and the Spirit of Prayer signifie Effects Works or Gifts which the Spirit of God produceth in the Souls of Men. So here in my Text the Spirit of Prophecy by an ordinary Metonymy of the Cause for the Effect is put for the Gift or Ability to prophesie which the Holy Ghost wrought in some of Gods Ministers This Gift the Angel had when he spake to St. John and so saith he had St. John too and the rest of the Apostles in their Testimony of Jesus i. e. in the Record they gave of Christ or in the promulgation of the Doctrine they taught concerning him from whence it apparently follows that the Angel here speaking and they were Fellow-servants But it is not this their Association with Angels which I now intend to discourse of but the Reason and Cause of it viz. their Gift of Prophecy It is we see here avouched by an Angel that the Apostles in the Promulgation of the Gospel were indued with the Gift of Prophecy or in short that they were Prophets and if they in their Testimony of Jesus were Prophets much more was He himself by whose Spirit they gave it to him a Prophet all then that remains for me to do will be to prove that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets Hereof methinks none can doubt but those that are slow of heart to believe the Holy Scriptures for therein we first find it fore-told to the Jews that God would raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto
it was a more heinous sin to transgress them than the Written Law yea that whosoever dissents from his Teacher doth as much as if he dissented from the Divine Majesty and sinned against the Holy Ghost and for that Cause was guilty of Death viz. by the Scourge of Rebellion which was a sort of Punishment by cudgelling inflicted for the Breach and Contempt of Traditions Since I say they had these and many other such prodigiously wicked and cruel Inventions to uphold the Authority of their Traditions and Dictatorship it is no marvel if they proceeded against those that spake lightly of them as if Malice were the fittest Affection Vengeance and Cruelty the best Behaviour towards them Yet evident it is that Christ did not spare them but as the Prophets of old so did he detect the Hypocrisie and sharply reprove the faults of their Elders He did demonstrate the Vanity of their Righteousness and expose the cunning Wickedness of their Traditions He discovered the impiety of their Magisterial Dictates and freely unfolded the Mysteries of their Iniquity He pulled off the Guilding and Paint of their seeming Devotion and uncovered the Rottenness and Pâ—trefaction of their Hearts He despised the Pageants of a Pompous Formality and set at naught the Ceremonies of their External Performances without inward and real Goodness Though the People did rage and the Rulers take Councel together against him yet he did constantly affirm that God had sent him and as the Prophets before him so did he undauntedly shew the People their Transgressions and the House of Jacob their Sins And in so doing he strived to retrive the Law and the Prophets to rescue them from false Glosses and Misconstructions to discover the Insufficiency of Traditions and Pharisaical Righteousness to inculcate the necessity of Morality and so to reduce the Jews to the Practice of Piety in all Holiness of Living and Fervours of divine Worship in Spirit and in Truth without their numerous Ceremonies or at least their mighty Confidence in their Priviledges and Performances which both he and his Apostles taught them to place in our Lord Jesus a stumbling Block and Rock of Offence unto them and was not this a great and strange Undertaking Such as loudly speaks the Greatness of their Minds and the Bravery of their Courage Which was not in the least abated but rather increased by Opposition in their Lives it did assist them to bear all Sorts of Afflictions and to endure the rudest Contradictions of Sinners against them and at their Deaths it did not forsake them for though after some solemn Mockeries of Justice enough to move ones Indignation they were cruelly Murdered and barbarously Butchered yet their Patience and Charity those truest Signs of Mâ—gnanimity in Sufferings were conspicuous and admirable insomuch that They only of all Teachers may be compared with the Prophets or rather preferred before them for Fortitude Whereof also the Apostles gave abundant evidence among the Gentiles whom they found dead in Trespasses and sins prone to nothing so much as the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life i. e. Sensual Pleasures Riches and Honours these things they did not only love and live in but in a sort adore and deiâ—ie for not only Gods Creatures and Men that were famous in their Lives nor only the Fancies and Fictions of Poets but their own Lusts and Passions called by other names were also enrolled among their Gods Venus and Cupid Mars and Baccbus were the Names of deified Concupiscence Wrath and Drunkenness although they forbad these Vices and made Laws against them yet their Causes as Theodoret tells them they saluted as heavenly Gods and gave divine Worship unto them And was it not a sad and direful Apotheosis whereby Enmity against God was advanced to his Throne the grossest Superstition and Unâ—leanness established for Religion for in their Festivals and Solemn Ceremonies of divine Worship all manner of Vice and Wickedness was appointed to be committed such filthiness as the most salacious would almost blush at in a Closet was committed in open Pomp and Ostentation insomuch that almost all the Sacred Games but especially the Bacchanals were as one calls them the Cause and Seed-plots of the greatest Wickednesses If the Ethiopian may change his skin and the Leopard his as soon as those do good who are accustomed to do evil although their Religion teach them to do the one and eschew the other how hard is it for those to do good who have been not only accustomed but taught to do evil and that under pain of Transgression against Conscience or at least the Laws and Customs of their Country if they omit it Especially considering their most wicked and filthy Practice could plead Prescription in the Examples of their Fore-fathers and Noble Heroes yea also it had the Power and Policy the Stratagems and Devices of the Devil the Cunning Guile and Craft of his Agents the Force and Authority of Civil Powers to countenance and uphold it in despite of all Opposition Was it not then an hard thing for any much more for a few private men and strangers such as the Apostles to turn them from Darkness unto Light from the Power of Satan unto God yet they undertook to do it and pursued it all their dayes although they very well knew that not only Labours travels and hardships of divers kinds but also Bonds and Afflictions of all sorts and degrees stripes and Imprisonments yea and Death it self would abide them in so doing Yet none of these things could trouble their Minds nor discourage their Attempt nothing could make them retract their Resolution or abate their Endeavours as they were able to promote it which to me seems a demonstration of Prophetick Fortitude viz. that that same Courage and Magnanimity whereby the Prophets were acted in the discharge of their Office did assist them in promulgating the Gospel Of the Prophetick Riches of Christ and his Apostles Sect. 4. And as in Wisdom and Fortitude so also in the Riches of the Prophets i. e. in all Moral Vertues but especially Contentment Christ and his Apostles were equal yea superiours unto them Hereof we need no other demonstration than the designed End of their Doctrine which as we before saw was the Promotion and Establishment of the most Elevated Vertue and Immaculate Purity but if any farther proof of it be desired we may find it in St. Paul by whom we learn that the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which words are but a Periphrasis of the Gospel teacheth us that denying all ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live sobâ—rly righteously and godly in this present World To this end both the Precepts and Institutions the Promises and the Threats of the Gospel are so extraordinary subservient as that they loudly speak the Holiness as well as Wisdom of its first Teachers It is no way probable that Lovers of Vice should so
their fault if they do not receive benefit by them The Miracles of Christ and his Apostles are so sufficiently attested as that were it not for Prejudice or Laziness Inadvertence or one such Vice or other I verily think there neither is nor ever was any considering Man in the World but either he was or might thereby have been câ—nvinced of the Truth of their Doctrine and so blessed by the excellencies of their Religion as that his mind should no longer be blinded with Superstition or Fluctuate in Uncertainties but should know assuredly where to have the most perfecting Objects of all His faculties How great then I say is the goodness of these Miraclâ—s that confirm such a â—reasure unto us how plainly doth it shew their descent from the Essential and Eternal Goodness viz. God Himself For who but an Almighty Goodness can be Author of such Productions Such unparalleled Instances of Love and Kindness such inimitable Beneficence so Immense and immixt a Goodness from whom can it come but from God who is Love and Goodness it self In mine apprehension therefore the Goodness of these Miracles shew as plainly that they were the Works of God in Testimony to His Word as the Image and Superscription on the Money did that the Coin was Cesars Let 's then Lay all these things together viz That Christ and his Apoâ—â—les did take upon them the Office of Prophets and that having the Antecedents to or Concomitant Attendents on the Prophetick Spirit they therein neither were deceived nor had a design to deceive others and by their Predictions exactly accomplished it appears that they had such certain Fore-knowledge as no Man by any Art or Science whatever could possibly have of Gods Eternal Purpose concerning future Contingences And besides this Supernatural knowledge to confirm their Doctrine or Demonstrate their Mission from God to Teach it they wrought such Miracles as in the Truth and Reallity of their Nature and the incomparableness of their Number greatness and goodness did most Evidâ—ntly and Eminently appear to be the Works of God and consequently Christ and his Apostles who did them being Teachers of such an excellent Wisdom as the World knew not before were therein inspired by God and so Prophets CHAP. VI. Some Use that may be made of this Doctrine THUS have we passed through the several parts of the proposed Mâ—thod and in so doing have I hope found the Truth of our Assertion sufficiently evinced And if so it be then thence surely we may see the Divine Authority of Christian Religion and of the Holy Scripture the insufficiency of Humane Reason and the Reasonableness of Christian Faith Hope and Practice Sect. 1. 1. The Divine Authority of Christian Religion It is not of so base and low an Extraction as to spring from an Opinion of Ghosts or ignorance of second Causes Devotion towards what Men fear or the mistake of things Casual for Prognosticks but it is an Heaven-born thing it descends from the Father of Lights it derives its Pedigree from God Himself and hath the Image not only of his Wisdom and Goodness but likewise of his Dominion and Lordship instampt upon it in so much that it brings its own Obligation along with it and makes it not only convenient but nâ—cessary not only Prudence in us but Duty to receive it for Christ and his Apostles being Prophets did not only Teach it by Gods commandement and direrection but also in so doing they laid the highest Obligation that can be on all to receive it God we know is the Supreme Lord the Fountain of all just Authority is in Him as therefore Watâ—rs drink sweetest out of a Fountain so those Laws that come as the word of prophecy doth immediâ—tly from God have the highest Majestie and Authority Instampt upon them For this Cause the Jews when they were Assured of any mans Calling to the Prophetick Office thought Themselves obliged and bound to obey him in all things except Idolaâ—ry yea though he required the omission of the Affirmative or the doing of the Negative Precepts of their Law Notwithstanding their mighty zeal for their Law and the profound Reverence they had for Moses their Master yet they Judged it their indispensable Duty in all things to obey the Prophets and whosoever would not they held Worthy and Guilty of Death by the immediate hand of Heaven This is the opinion of their Wise men in the Talmud where they say in all things except Idolatry if a Prophet say unto thee transgress the Law thou shalt obey him and good Reason too for a Prophet being Gods spokes-man to the people his Herauld to Proclaim his Laws there is good Reason he should be heard and attended to whosoever else be neglected the Reason is because the word of Prophecy coming immediately from God is cloathed with his Authority and if where the word of a King is there be Power much more methinks is there where the Word of Him is by whom Kings Reign had not this been the dictate of Natural Reason Numa Pompilius and other antient Lawgivers among the Heathens had been very Foolish as well as False in pretending to have received their Laws from the gods but Mens Natural Reason telling them that the Highest Authority of Man is far inferior to that of God this Politick pretense was thought a very effectual Engine to make Men obedient to their Laws and this Engine we see was to stand upon the ground That God above all is to be obeyed Since then Christ and his Apostles were Prophets those are no good subjects unto God yea they are worse than Jews or Heathens that deny the Religion that they have Taught us to have Power of binding us to receive it Yet the Leviathan would have it in and of it self to have none for it faith expresly the Preceâ—ts Repent be Baptized keep the Commandements believe the Gospel come unto Me Sell all that Thou hast give it to the Poor and follow Me are not Commands but Invitations and Callings of Mâ—n to Christianity like that of Esay Ho every man that thirsteth come ye to the waters come and buy Wine and Milk without money The difference between Precepts and Commands especially in point of Obligation I am hardly so subtle as to understand I have Read indeed that the Jews put a difference between Laws Statutes and Judgments but hardly ever that either they oâ— the Gentiles found any between Precepts and Commands but this is a matter too trivial to be debated whether therefore it be a profound piâ—ce of Subtilty or a Contradiction I shall not now take upon Me to determine but letting it pass as a Specimen of that Extraordinary Wit which the Treatise of Humâ—ne Reason observes in that Author we shall enquire why he â—aith so viz. Why he â—aith that the Precepts of the Gospel or its callings of Men to Christianity have not the Obligations of Commands in them his Reasons are
Future whether by Dreams or otherwise besides those of Prophecy are like to Chaff for as in that there may be some few grains of Wheat so say they perhaps there is in these some small measure of Truth mix'd with much more Mistake and Falshood but Prophecy is a thing pure having no more mixture than Wheat well winnowed hath with Chaff Hereby then they distinguished the Predictions of Prophets from those of Sooth-sayers Astrologers c. whose Prognostications were very much unlike the Predictions of true Prophets for of necessity saith mine Author they had falshood as well as truth in them this we alwayes see and they themselves that profess these Arts confirm it to us because they make it mattâ—r of glory to themselves that their Lies were not so many as anothers of the same Profession but that any one of them should speak truth in each of his Predictions is impossible nor indeed do the skilful therein arrogate that to themselves for when something comes to pass which looks but like an accomplishment they account thâ— Foreteller excellent and enroll him among men of illustrious Fame whom Histories celebrate and this is the sense of what Isaiah saith to Babylon Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the Monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee Let them try if they can foretell these things that thou mayest escape from them The challenge implies that they cannot and R. Albo it seems gives the reason of it viz. because all such Arts or whatsoever else some are pleased to call them are founded in Fancy they are Creatures of Imagination that have a Being in nothing but mens Conceits they are founded on no demonstrable Hypotheses and are therefore vanity as is also abundantly demonstrated by a Learned Writer of our own And truly the things from whence these Foretellers pretend to deduce their Judgments are certainly so remote intricate and various as that it seems impossible for any to arrive at perfect knowledge of them how then is it possible for their Prognostications to be certain Predictions they can be but Conjectures and Conjectures we know especially in such cases are very often wholly false very rarely if ever wholly true but the Promises of the Prophets saith our Author were very much otherwise viz. alwayes true but never false it cannot be found throughout all Ages that ever any thing either much or little of the Word of the Lord by the Prophets unless the Conditions were altered ever yet fell to the ground But the Predictions of Gods Prophets were fully answered by the Event and thereby the Jews knew that they were indued with the Spirit of Prophecy because such certain fore-knowledge of Future Contingences was no way attainable without it and for this cause 't is like it was that among all the ordinary means of trying Prophets this was accounted the most demonstrative Of Miracles Sect. 4. But besides these Ordinary the Jews had some Extraordinary means of discerning the truth of mens Pretensions to the Spirit of Prophecy viz. Miracles Not only the Vulgar but more than a few of the Better sort among the Jews wâ—re of opinion they were not to believe any Pretender to Prophecy till he had done a Miracle equal to some of those of Moses or had disturbed the ordinary course of Nature as Elijah did in raising the Widows Son but this rule saith Maimonides hath nothing of truth in it And indeed we are apt to think it hath not much the reason is because the Order of Prophets was at first founded by Miracles for evident it is that Moses the first of that Order was indued with a power of working Miracles on purpose to convince the Children of Israel that the Lord God of their Fathers had appeared unto him Yet that great R. Maimonides out of design I suppose to derogate from the belief of Chriâ—tianity was not ashamed to say The Israelites did not believe Moses our Master because of the Miracles he wrought And elsewhere he tells us that Elias Elisha and the rest of the Prophets did not their Miracles to confirm thâ—ir Prophecies but to supply their own and others necessity But it seems at another time he was of another mind for he expresly affirms that a Prophet may be sent to the common People or to the Inhabitants of a City or Kingdom to prepare and warn them what shall be done unto them or to dehort them from the wicked works that are in their hands but when God so sends him He gives him a Sign or a Wonder that the People may know God hath truly sent him And in the next Section he saith But we believe not every one that shews a Sign or doth a Miracle to be a Prophet unless from the beginning we have known him to be sit for Prophecy that in his Wisdome and his Works he hath excelled his Contemporaries and hath walked in the wayes of Prophecy in Holiness and separation from others then if such an one should come and do a Sign or a Wondâ—r and should sâ—y that God had sent him then it is commanded that we should hear him as it is said ye shall hear him These his concâ—ssions although they speak him somewhat unconstant to himself yet we have no great reason to thank him for because the evidence of Truth in Holy Scripture did extort them from him Thus the Prophet that was sent to Bethel gave them a Sign that his word was what the Lord had spoken Thus in the Fire-ordeal tryal between Elijah and the Prophets of Baal Elijah obtained Fire to fall upon the Sacrifice and consume it Thus also Elisha to demonstrate his calling to succeed Elijah divides the Waters of Jordan with Elijah's mantle by which Examples we learn that though among the Jews the ordinary Tryal of Prophets was made by Predictions yet in some cases extraordinary they were by Miracles to make proof of their Mission to teach and do what they did CHAP. IV. The Application of the fore-going Discourse to Christ and his Apostles Sect. 1. HAving thus cleared the Ground and laid the Foundation We are next to erect the Superstructure i. e. to shew that by all these means of Probation viz. both by the probable and demonstrative Arguments both Ordinary and Extraordinary it may be proved that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets We are to take them as they lye in order and so to begin with the Conditions whereon among the Jews Pretenders to Prophecy were admitted to a Tryal By what we have already discussed out of Maimonides it appears that Pretenders to Prophecy even in the Name of the Lord were not admitted to a Tryal but upon condition of conformity to the Law of Moses they were in no point allowed to teach a perpetual variation from it unless they gave as great or greater Evidence of Gods intention by them to change
obediâ—nce to the Letter without conformity to the Scope of it as would even tempt one to think it was a part of their Office to contradict and null the Law of Moses An instance of this we have in Isaiah who brings in the Lord thus speaking to his formal People To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrisices unto me I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rams and the fat of sâ—d Beasts and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or os Lambs or of He-goats When you come to appâ—ar bâ—fore me who â—â—th required this at yâ—ur bâ—nd to treâ—d my Courts Bring no more vain oblâ—tions Incense is an abomination unto me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assembliâ—s I cannot away with it is iniquity even the Solemn meeting Your new Moons and your appâ—inted Feâ—sts my Soul hateth they aâ—e a trouble to me I am weary to bear them And elsewhere to express his detestation of their formal hypocrisie he tells them He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a Man he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck he that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines blood he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol But why so Were not Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings Oblations and Incense the New Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies and Solemn meetings some of Gods own Ordinances in the Law of Moses Yes but whence then was it that they were thus abominable and loathsom Why it arose from the Peoples neglect of and disrespect to the End and Scope of those Precepts they 't is true conformed themselves to the Letter of the Law but regarded not that real Holiness and Moral Goodness whereunto it tended Thence it was that not only Isaiah but others also of the Prophets reproved them as a Nation that did not rightcousness but forsook the Ordinance of their God even while they sought him daily and delighted to know his wayes even while they asked of him the Ordinances of Justice and took delight in approaching to God yet even then when they seemed to be most obedient because they neglected the Scope of the Law they chose their own wayes and their Soul delighted in their abominations And the Prophets we see did as sharply reprove them for it as if they had had no respect at all to the Law of their God among them whence 't is plain that they did prefer Obedience to the Intention of the Law far before that to the Letter of it the latter they looked on as a thing of no value yea detestable and odious without the former If then Christ and his Apostles did so likewise they were not for that cause worthy of Rejection but rather of all Acceptation because they thereby gave evidence of a truly Prophetick Spirit in them by making the Scope of the Law the Rule and Standard of their Doctrine they did most excellently fulâ—ill it and by so doing they cast a greater honour upon Moses and his Law than evâ—r they received from the greatest Bigots among the Jews for the Fame of the one and the Worth of the other is hereby pâ—â—pagated to all Nations How rash then and ignorant was their Zeal how absurd the fierceness of their Devotion in rejecting them especially considering 3. That as the Prophets of old so Christ and his Apostles were strict Observers of the Law even according to the Letter of it they were not only circumcised the eighth day but in their Lives they discharged the Obligations of their Circumcision by their literal Observance of the whole Law as well the Statutes as the Judgments of it i. e. those Precepts whose Reasons were not vulgarly known as well as those that were So that touching the Righteousness which is in the Law they were as blameless as any other Jews whatever yea though they did not put the necks of the Gentiles under the yoke of Literal obedience to the Law of Moses yet they never taught the Jews to withdraw theirs but rather to keep them under and submit unto it for Jesus spake to the multitude and to his Disciples saying the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Mosâ—s seat all therefore whatsoever thâ—y bid you observe that observe and do Nor did the Apostles ever teach them otherwise 't is true indeed it was once reported of St. Paul that he taught â—he Jews which were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to Circumcise tâ—eir Children neither to walk after tâ—e Customs the rest of the Apostles and Elders were so concerned at this News as that to wipe off the scandal they advised him by all means to purifie himself with four men that had the Nazarites vow upon them and to be at charges with them to provide such Sacrifices for them as the Law prescribed this they would have him to do that all might know that those things whereof they were informed concerning â—im were nothing but that he himself also walked orderly and kept the Law Thus careful were they that they thâ—mselves and others should keep the Law and give none offence by breaking it 'T is true indeed as touching the Gentiles which believed they wrote and concluded they were obliged to observe no such thing Nor had the Jews any reason to take it ill that they did so for Christ and they gave as great or greater evidence of Gods intention to accept the Gentiles without the Law as ever Moses gave of his Purpose to guide the Jews to Salvation by the Law That so they did is manifest by their Miracles which were so far froâ— being inferiour to those of Moses as that they did fâ—â—â—xceed them both in Number and Nature as we 〈◊〉 see hereafter And if so then thereby evident it was that they gave far greater Evidence of their Mission from God than Moses did of his How unreasonable than was it in the Jews to deny them Audience How brutish to reject them and barbarous to kill them for I know not what non-conformity to their Law Whereof by what we have 〈…〉 it appears they were only supposed and that very falâ—ly to be guilty they were so far from making void the Law as that they fulfilled it and that both according to the intention and the letter of it And this they constantly did by their Doctrine as well as Practice and therefore they deserved not to have been rejected as false Prophets but to be received as true which will yet farther appear if we consider the Antecedents or Concomitants of a Prophetick Spirit The first whereof is Wisdom Sect. 2. And these we have already granted were Wisdom Fortitude and Probity of Manners especially Contentment The Method proposed leads me to begin with the first of these viz. Wisdom which being an intellectual Virtue is without doubt in the preceeding rule of the Rabbins put to signifie those excellent endowments of mind whereof the Prophets usually
Sea and Land and finds out the Nature of things contained in them And then lifting it self up from things below it soars aloft and so the Air and its affections considered it flies higher even to the Skie and rides the Circuits of Heaven and bending its course with that of â— the Wandring and fixed Stars in their dance after the Musick of the Sphâ—res it follows the Love of Wisdom as its Leader And when it hath raised it self above every nature that is apt to move the Senses it is led with a desire of coming to that which Reason only can perceive and when in that it contemplates the Examples and fair Forms of those things which here fall under our Senses being as men inflamed with Fury even brought asleep by a kind of modest Drunkenness and filled with another desire and better Love it partakes of Divine Afflations thence its intelligence being raised to the Supream Globe of things perceived it seems to have arrived at the great and omnipotent King himself yet while it covets to see him the pure and immixed Raies of Divine light as of a Torrent are so poured forth as that through their Clarity and Brightness as if it were overspread with Darkness the very sharpness of its sight waxeth dull and dim Thus elegantly doth Platonizing Philo display the Powers of the Soul in reference to its attainment of knowledge and thereby we learn that though the mind of man be able to discern much of the nature of all Creatures yet when it pries into the secrets of their Maker it is struck with Blindness and can see nothing of them think ye then that Creatures of a far Inferior Nature are acquainted with them Hath the Eternal King Almighty constituted the Hosts of Heaven to be his Secretaries And are the Planets so treacherous as by their Conjunctions and Oppositions to reveal the Arcana Imperii to Astrologers Or is the Firmament so untrusty as by its spangles to make them known to Star-Gazers Or is the Moon so unfaithful as by her course or countenance to declare them to Monethly Prognosticators Or are they committed to the custody of Beasts that the Aruspices may read them in their Intrals Or are they so little set by as to be laid on the Wings put into the mouths or trampled under the Feet of Birds that the Augures might know them by their flying noise or sitting How fondly ridiculous is it to fansie that the Secrets of Heaven are intrusted with any of these things while they are hid from the mind of man Which as it far exceeds them in the nobleness of its Nature so also in dearness to its Maker For man in his Creation was allyed to God a Creature so neerly conjoyned unto him and so gracious with him as that in a sort all things else were prepared for him How strange then is it and incredible that they should be able to tell him such things as his most bountiful and indulgent Creator thought fit to conceal from him If then this be not likely it is certainly the dictate of Reason that that knowledge which at any time any man at first hath of them ought to be resolved into immediate Revelation and for that cause t is likely Predictions ever were and still deserve to be accounted Infallible Proofs of a Prophetick Spirit since then Christ and his Apostles were Authors of Predictions exactly accomplished it is not to be doubted but they were Prophets Hereof also we have yet another and greater Evidence viz. Their Miracles that they really wrought many and great miracles we have already asserted all therefore that now remains will be to shew the Force of that Argument In order whereunto it will not be amiss to observe 1. That Christ and his Apostles wrought their Miracles on purpose to confirm their Doctrine or their Mission from God to teach it 2. That Miracles were always looked on as undeniable or Demonstrative proofs of Divine Authority 3. The Reasons for which those of Christ and his Apostles deserve to be so accounted 1. That Christ and his Apostles wrought their Miracles on purpose to Confirm their Doctrine or Demonstrate their Mission from God to teach it 'T is true indeed each one of their Miracles considered singly and apart from the rest of its Fellows may seem to be wrought on some other occasion and to other purpose but considered in the whole and in conjunction with the rest it will be easy to observe that the Ultimate End Scope and Design of it was to Demonstrate the truth of their Doctrine and the reallity of their Mission from God to teach it Hereof methinks it is no trivial argument that may be drawn from the time of them and this was not before but presently after our Saviours Inauguration into his Office of Preaching the Gospel that He himself could have done and inabled others to do Miracles before that is firmly believed among Christians yet we find not that he did it till after his Baptism and Consecration to the Sacred and solemn Office of Preaching Hereof surely there can no Reason so probably be given as that because he wrought his Miracles to confirm his Doctrine But if this suffice not pray observe what he himself said to the Noble-man of Capernaum Except ye see signs and wonders yâ— will not believe whereby 't is plain not only that Miracles are great inducements of Assent but also that Christ wrought his on purpose to be so thence surâ—ly it was that he required belief if not on the Authority of his Word yet on the account of his Works If saith he to the Jews I do not the Works of my Father i. e. Such as God only can do namely Miracles then believe me not on this supposition he Christens Infidelity unblameable but again he saith if I do the Works of my Father though you believe not me i. e. My words for my sake yet believe the Works viz. The purport of them that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in Him viz. either by Identity of Nature or else at least by the Energy of his Spirit working in Me and most perfectly obeyed by me this it seems in his Judgment they might have known by the Works that he did for they being the Works that the Father had given him to finish they did bear witness of him that the Father had sent him And that He was the Christ the anointed of God as appeared by his doing them in his Name for 't is an astonishment to Reason a thing altogether incredible that God would give Power to an Impostor to do such works in his Name On this account it is most likely that our most Blessed Saviour upbraided the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not and said to his Disciples if I had not done among them the works which none other man did they had not had
these Evangelists should write without their knowledge and approbation especially considering that Tertullian faith S. Marks Gospel may be affirmed to be St. Peters and St. Lukes the Apostolical Churches are wont to Ascribe unto St. Paul insomuch that St. Hierom it seems affirms that this is the Gospel which St. Paul calls His. What shadow of Probability had there been in these assertions if these Evangelists had not had at least the Approbation of these Apostles in their Writings and Approved it seems they were by St. John as well as them for Eusebius reporting the Tradition of the Church informs us that when the Writings of these Evangelists were come unto him He approved of them and gave them His testimony to their truth only â—e dâ—sired that in these Writings there â—ad been an account given of those things which Christ did when He first began to Preach And that that is said is true for it may be discâ—rned that these thrâ—â— Evangelists viz. St. Matthew St. Mark and St. Luke have committed to writing only thâ—se things which our Saviour did in the space of a year after the imprisonment and Captiâ—ity of St. John the Baptist They say therefâ—re that St. John the Apostle bath delivered in his Gospel the things which our Saviour did in that space of time which the former Evangelists â—ad passâ—d over in silence the time namely before the Imprisonment of the Baptist An Observation not unworthy of our Notice but at present we have no use for any part of it but only the beginning viz. That St. John the Apostle did not only approve of but added his Authority to the Gospels of St. Mark and St. Luke which testimony of Eusebius or rather of the Church by him is so much the more Credible because Justin Martyr in many places of his Works calls these as well as the other Gospels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commemorations or Narrations of the Apoâ—â—les but this they could not be unless as Tertullian faith the Evangelical instrument â—ad for its Authâ—rs the Apostles on whom the Lord imposed the Office of Promulgating the Gospel or if Apostolical men had any hand in it yet not alone but with the Apostles and after the Apostles because the Preaching of the Disciples might be suspected of vain Glory if it had not â—ad the Authority of the Masters yea of Christ who made the Apostles Masters to assist it And having the assistance of their Authority it is very evident that since they were Prophets the Truth and Authority of these Writings muâ—â— needs be Divine the Authors of them wrote as Origen faith by Inspiration and so clear hath this argument heretofore been thought by its own light as that among the Jews it was a Rule That of whomsoever a Prophet bears witness that he is a Prophâ—t he shall be received as a Prophet neither shall there any farther Trial be made of him Since then the Apostles were Prophets and did either write or approve of and Authorize all the Books of the New Testament wherein also they give Testimony to those of the Old that they are the Word of God we ought to acquiesce and ceasing from making a doubt of it should conclude that the Authority of the whole Bible is Divine But it is Manifest faith the Leviathan that none can know the Scriptures are Gods Word though all true Christians believe it but those to whom God Himself â—ath revealed it Supernaturally It is Manifest yes that it is very good But I pray what makes it so why the sole Authority of the Leviathan And let me tell you you will never be fit to be his Disciple unless he hath Power enough over you to make you think so for he is â—o Authâ—ntick a Teacher as that he often suggetts such Principles as this upon his bare Word and this you must take although perhaps you have good Reason to the contrary If you are so ill Natur'd as to deny him this little Postulatum you spoil all and leave no hope that ever you will be of his Opinion For an Instance of this you need not seek far there is one before you For what is knowledge but a firm certain and evident Assent to the Truth of a Proposition and our assent to that under debate viz. That the Holy Scriptures are the word of God seems to have all these degrees of perfection in it for it is firm because without Hesitation and doubting it is certain because Built upon such sure and solid Foundations as cannot be made unable to bear it and it is evident because it is evidently and plainly deduced from the next and immediate cause of any Scriptures being the Word of God Namely the Spirit of Prophecy But whether or no according to the strict and rigorous definitions of Philosophers it be Knowledge properly so called it is not material to enquire because it is not necessary that so it should be for as in all Arts and Sciences firm Assent to first Principles by what means soever it be attained is sufficient for Learners so here the chief design of Holy Scripture being to Teach us knowledge of things Supernatural and our Assent to the Divinity of its Authority being one of the first premises requisite to our attainment of that Knowledge it had need only to be firm because firmness of Assent thereunto is of it self sufficient to make us learn believe and obey the Scripture as the Word of God as is evident by the example of all those Pious and Good men who although illiterate do yet take heed thereunto as to the Rule that God hath given them both of their Faith and Practice this they do although they can give no other Reason why they think the Scriptures to be so than because they are generally received as such and Vogued to be the Word of God these Men it is confessed do not know but only believe that they are so yet their Faith being stedfast i. e. their Assent firm they we see do Learn Believe and Obey them as the Word of God But this is more than they need to do for He to whom God hath not Supernaturally revealed that they are his nor that those that published them were sent by Him is not obliged to obey them by any Authority but His whose commands have already the force of Laws that is to say by any other Authority than that of the Common Wealth residing in the Sovereign who only has the Legislative Power The Postulatum before mentioned was obtrudâ—d upon us because it was big with this Monster which the Leviathan hath Midwif'd into the World with its unhallowed Mouth against Heaven absolving as much as in that lies all Men living from Obedience to the Word of their Maker unless the Common wealth requires it This puts me in mind of the Roman Senates Decree and Tertullians irrision of it that unless God please Man he shall not
these qualifications as we have also seen took away all cause of suspition that the Prophets either were deceived or had a design to deceive others in their Prophecies And besides that either by Predictions or Miracles they gave such evidence of a Prophetick spirit as could possibly come from none but God and therefore in Motives of credibility a Word of Prophecy doth far exceed a Voice from Heaven because for ought we know the Prince of the power of the Air may deceive us with something like it or the pretended hearers of it were it may be themselves deceived or had a design to deceive others Since then Christ and his Apostles as we have largely proved were a sort of Prophets that most eminently had all the qualifications requisite to the spirit of Prophecy and both by Predictions and Miracles gave thâ— clearest evidence that ever the World had of it we have the highest reason whereof a Revelation is capable most firmly to believe the doctrine that they have taught us What though the mystery of Godliness be as without controversie it is very great yet the Theists of our Age have no reason on that account to disbelieve it for though peâ—haps it is reasonable to expect that our Religion should befriend our Reason yet not so far as to make it the Rule and measure of Divine Revelation the reason is because the divine Intellect is infinite and ours finite although therefore without an experiment or other demonsâ—ration there seems to be no obligation on us firmly to assâ—nt to any thing in Philosophy yet are we not permitted to be such Virtuosâ— in Religion The reason is because things in themselves uncapable of a demonstration are revealed with a command to beliâ—ve and we ought not to make them a râ—morâ— to our Belief for as after all our Searches into Nature and greatest Discoveries of things therein we are forced to confess there may be more in her dark bosome than we can discover and we on that account have no reason to deny the Being of Nature so also in things revealed if after all our hardest study we cannot comprehend them we thereupon have no reason to deny the Being of them because God who hath made may also reveal things that pass our Understanding if therefore there be evidence sufficient to convince the Understanding as in the case now before us there is that the Revelation came from God there is no reason on the account of its mysteries to reject it And indeed the mysteries of Christianity are so far from giving just occasion of Unbelief as that they are apt to strengthen our Faith in it for the Gospel teaching us to glorifie God in our Spirits as well as Bodies it is very reasonable and convenient that it should require us to honour Him by the Submission of our Understandings to indemonstrabâ—e Revelations as well as by the Obedience of our Hearts and Lives unto his Laws and therefore as it is fitting for us to obey the divine Law though our Wills reluct never so much against it so also is it for us to believe whatever God hath revealed thoughâ— never so improbable to our Understandings for unless we do so we shall undoubtedly fall short of our Duty which in this Case without dispute is to tread in the steps of our Father Abraham who gave Glory to God by being so strong in Faith as to believe that That was impossible in Nature and therefore incredible unto Reason If we will believe no more than what we can demonstrate to be true our Assent is not Faith but Science for it is not built upon the Foundation of Gods Testimony but on Demonstrations from the Nature of the things testified and so it honours not God at all because it receives not the Truth for His sake but Him for the Truths sake and so it pays no respect to his Word but only to our own Ratiocination But forasmuch as the mind assents to Testimony as well as Reason and the divine Prerogative extends it self to the whole Man that Religion that becomes God and it is suitable to Man must have somthing in it to exercise this his innate Power about and for this Cause the Mysteries of Christianity ought to be looked on as a Motive to believe rather than to reject it for were there no Mysteries in it we should have some Reason to entertain a Temptation to think that it is not of God because whatsoever else we are assured there is hath somthing in it that exceeds the reach of our Reason yea and Conjecture too for if we contemplate the Works of Creation things that we dayly see and handle which â—eem to lye level with our Understandings yet after our most accurate Researches into their nature we shall find that the most piercing Judgment or profoundest Reason is not able to solve all the Phaenomena or attain to a perfect knowledg of them And who is there that observes well the Dispensations of divine Providence but may therein find such Riddles as his Reason cannot unfold Such Mysteries as baffle his Understanding and confound his Curiosity in his enquiring after the cause of them The Ends and Reasons of Gods proceedings with Men although always most Just and Righteous yet very often are so secret and hidden as that they convince us his Judgments are unsearchable and his ways past finding out And from the Works of Creation and Providence results a Natural Religion the chief Principle whereof we know is That there is a Being Infinite in all Perfections this is the Dictate of Reason as well as Conscience yet Reason cannot fâ—thome the depth of it for it hath only a Negative conception of Infinity and whatever there is that it hath no Conception of doth undoubtedly surpass its reach and Comprehension so that Natural Theology as well as revealed hath its Mysteries if therefore Christianity had none how unlike would it be to all things else in the world that have God for their Authour How just a prejudice would this be to the reception of it as divine Truth and Revelation Who would believe it to be of God when he sees nothing that surpasseth Man in it How decent then and useful are the Mysteries of Christianity Since they make it like to all things else of Gods making they beautifie and adorn it with fairer Characters than otherwise it would have of Gods Image on it and the fairer the Characters of His Image are upon it the more Legible is his Truth in it for infiniteness of Truth is inseparable from right Reasons Idea of Deity and where there is infiniteness of Truth there is no possibility of a Lye Mistake or Deceit and where these are excluded there is no room for Hesitance or doubting but the strongest Reason imaginable to believe Since therefore our Chriâ—â—ian Faith hath the impression of Gods Image on it and the Word of Prophecy revealed it it is most highly reasonable to believe it Sect. 5.