sense in many places 't is hoped a little regard to the connection or manner of the Expressions may rectify them PAge 7. line 12. for maintain read obtain P. 15. l. 1. f. Catallus r. Catullus P. 33. l. 13. f. Reins r. Veins P. 56. l. 12. f. sty'd r. styl'd P. 75. l. 7. f. Sov'raig r. Sov'raign P. 79. l. 5. f. compare r. compares P. 83. l. 28. f. conque'sts r. conquests P. 98. l. 8. f. di r. do ib. l. 14. r. Holocausts ib. l. 24. f. pleas'd r. pleass P. 99. l. 25. f. whem r. whom P. 105. in Marg. f. at an P. 106. l. 4. f. should r. would P. 117. l. 6. f. dissawde r. disswade P. 120. l. 12. f. stranger r. stronger P. 122. f. to r. t' P. 145. l. 2. f. Depository r. Repository P. 162. l. 17. f. Eclogues r. Expressions GROTIUS his Arguments for the Truth of Christian Religion rendred into plain English Verse THings visible declare a God unseen I. That there is a God Some things 't is obvious did in time begin And these could never their own Beings cause Nothing we 're sure could act before it was It 's rise from something else it then must draw Which holds as well in what we never saw From which things subject to our Senses came Till that we find which always was the same And this is God whatever be the Name A Being necessary to exist For else the World must have beginning mist This also the consent of Nations proves Where e're Barbarity Reason removes What only from Opinion rose we see Men often change nor in the same agree This Notion always in all places found Did even Aristotle's Doubts confound Some cause is needful then to be assign'd Which may extend alike to all Mankind And this God's Revelation must be thought Or a Tradition from first Parents taught If it's the first you grant the thing is sought But if the last in what 's of so much weight Why should first Parents propagate a Cheat If wheresoe're Humanity is known They the Idea of a Godhead own In places late found out and long ago Not only with the dull but witty too These would unmask it if it were design Nor could the others lay a Plot so fine If some in sev'ral Ages have appear'd Who seem'd as if no Godhead they rever'd 'T is an Objection nothing to be fear'd For few they 've been their Arguments but vain Such as a Proselyte could rarely gain 'T was not from Reason common to Mankind But some Disease or Folly of the Mind An affectation something new to show Like him that Blackness would ascribe to Snow Or no right Judgment could by such be past Be'ng like the Sick whose Mouths are out of taste And this the rather is to be believ'd Because from all th' Accounts we have receiv'd We find the best of Men were always those Who with the notion of a God did close That a dissent from what so long obtain'd Only with Minds deprav'd its credit gain'd Whose vic'ious Int'rests cann't a Godhead bear To pass right Judgment on their Actions here Ev'n hence is seen that whatsoer'e they fain Whether succession in an endless chain Or the wild Atoms undirected dance Or whatsoever Scheme they please t' advance The Difficulties all recur or more Than lay against what was receiv'd before Some seem to disbelieve a Deitie Because they cann't his Sacred Presence see But these if they can any thing descry Must ev'n the being of their Souls deny Which ne're were subject yet to mortal eye Nor ought ' gainst this Idea more to strive Because their shallow reas'nings cann't arrive To understand the Nature which they find For it belongs to the inferior kind Not fully to conceive of what 's above Beasts of Man's nature cann't fit Judges prove Less how the few first gave the many Law And by what methods kept the Rout in awe How Men could trace the flights o' th' starry host And round the dang'rous Deep in safety coast These things above their reach must be confest And Man as he excels the down-lookt Beast Should think that he who made him to excel Does in a distance far above him dwell And that there is an Excellence unknown Because it is superiour to his own Having thus found a Deity above II. That there is but one God Let 's try how we his Attributes can prove One Proof concerning them in this does lie That what he is is by necessity And this clearly infers the Unity For if we this extend to more than one We unto numbers infinite must run What does exist by necessary Law That Force must into act'ual being draw And this to single things must be apply'd But when we speak of gen'rals 't is deny'd Multiplications too of things we know From a fecundity of Causes flow And as the numbers of the Causes were So are th' effects more numerous or rare But nothing caus'd the Deity to be In diffe'rent things we differences see Th' Essence not Difference is needful here Nor does one sign of many Gods appear The Universe a single World is found One radiant Sun enlightens all around In ev'ry Man only one living Soul Is all in ev'ry part and in the whole Were there besides more than one Deity In Pow'r and Will all absolutely free How if th' Almighty Powers should disagree Should one be opposite to th 'others Will Each could not then its purposes fulfil But this is far below a Pow'r Divine III. That all Perfection is in God Next full Perfection in this God does shine Which cannot but from hence be understood That whatsoe're in things we find of good Or a beginning had or else had none What ne're began belongs to God alone That which began being from something drew And since from nothing nothing ever grew It follows what Perfections e're are seen In the Effects have in the Causes been And all must be from the first Cause deriv'd Which of Perfection ne're can be depriv'd What always was can no dependance bear Nor can an outward Cause its force impair Ne're from its self a diminution came For all things at their own Perfection aim IV. That God's Perfection is infinite To these Perfections of the Deity We cannot but ascribe Infinity For all the limits we in things explore Are that no Cause communicated more Or else the Subject could not hold the store But God could nothing take from any cause Since as we 've shew'd he necessar'ily was What acts more perfect is V. That God is eternal omnipotent omniscient and absolutely good than that which can't And things endu'd with Life than those which want What understands than that which nothing knows And what is good than what does that oppose These then we attribute to the most High Nor can the manner infinite deny His Life his Pow'r his Knowledg without end Nor does his Goodness one exception blend On what 's already
wondrous Works of Christ to name Which no less Author than a God proclaim As with new Life informing Breathless Clay And who besides can of th' Amighty say He does or suffers Wonders without cause For no wise Maker of well-founded Laws Would without weighty Reason make them vain But then who can another Reason feign Than what our Saviour did himself declare That God thereby did Testimony bear Unto those sacred Doctrines which he taught By those that saw them what else could be thought They being such as we observ'd before As 't were a scandal to the God w'adore And impious to believe he would impose On Men so perfectly resign'd as those This was the cause why many of the Jews Who Moses for their constant Guide did chuse About that time when Jesus here did move Receiv'd him as a Master from above Such were the Nazarens and Ebio'nites Zealous Asserters of the Jewish Rites Christ's Miracles like Confirmation have VI. Christ's Resurrection prov'd by credible Testimonies From his return to Life out of the Grave This has not only been for Truth receiv'd But a chief Article to be believ'd By all who e're Christ'anity profest But it for certain needs must be confest All could not this matter of Faith have thought Unless the Men who first Christ's Doctrine taught Had full perswasi'on in their Hearers wrought But evidently this could ne're have been Without asserting what themselves had seen None moderately wise would e're have chose A Faith which to such Dangers did expose Unless they had affirm'd it's Truth who saw This great Foundation of the Christian Law But that it always was affirm'd is shown By other Writings fully as their own And as in Books as clearly 't is reveal'd They to five hundred Witnesses appeal'd Who saw our Saviour come to Life again But how durst any so appeal that feign And who could on such Multitudes prevail To cheat the World with a fictitious Tale Nay were the Twelve all who had this maintain'd They were enow full Credit to have gain'd For no Man would for nothing be a Knave Honours 't is sure thereby they could not have For those were at the absolute dispose Of Jews and Heathens who did them oppose Nor could they have by this encreast their store Thro' it they lost what they had gain'd before Nor could one benefit of Life invite To cheat the World with any cunning slight Their very preaching as full well they knew To Labours Hunger Thirst and Prisons drew Then Fame with their own Sect could never tempt Plain Men from all degrees of Pride exempt So many Inconveniencies to bear For the thin diet of that pop'ular Air Nor could they hope that Doctrine would succeed With Nature still intent upon it's need When all Authority on Earth oppos'd But as they with God's sacred Promise clos'd This may be added that whatever Fame They might propound by preaching up Christ's Name They had no expectation it could last For so with Clouds God's Purpose was o'recast They thought the World did to it's Period hast Which is in theirs and other Writings plain The sole Objection which can yet remain Is that they ly'd for their Religion's sake Which no Man that had duly weigh'd would make For either their Religion true they thought Or what they knew to be a Falshood taught But had they not believ'd it to be best They would not have forsaken all the rest Among which Safety lay and Honour too Nor had profest it barely as 't was true Unless they that Profession needful knew For nothing else could free them from the Guilt Of all the Blood through that Professi'on spilt But if they that believ'd not true alone But best and necess'ry for them to own After the Founders Death to be receiv'd This could not have obtain'd had he deceiv'd Declaring his own rising from the Dead No Men whose Understandings were not fled Finding their Expectations frustrate there Would to that Faith still holy Rev'rence bear Then all Religions chiefly Christ's deny To blemish sacred things with any Lie Religion therefore such an one besure Could never this officious Lie procure The Men besides were such as their worst Foes For nothing but simplicity expose Nor had such Wit enough so well to feign And who would do it for the sake of pain Which that Profession certainly would gain I'th'utmost Tortures Malice could invent Many for this out of the World were sent How much soever some might chuse to bear For an Opinion which they valu'd dear Who can imagine Men with Sense indu'd Not one alone but a great multitude Should make themselves subject to certain Woe For what themselves had known to be untrue But then their Lives and Writings which they left Shew that they were not of their Wits bereft What may confirm the Evidence of those Who the first Witnesses for Christ arose Serves for St. Paul as much who did declare That rapt above the Regions of the Air Whether with strengthned Rays of mortal sight Or meerly by an intellectu'al Light The Soul being sep'rate from the Body's Chain He saw where Christ does with his Father reign All that the Jews could teach he had acquir'd Nor greater honour need to have desir'd Than what he might expect in his old way When on the other side for this he lay Expos'd to th' utmost hatred of his Friends Nature depriv'd of all its darling ends Travels and Labours all his worldly Meed And a reproachful death was to succeed VII Answer to the Objection that Christ's Resurrection seems impossible VVho can assent to proofs so clear delay Unless that 't is impossible he say That is a contradiction does imply Which we of this may with good grounds deny At the same time to be alive and dead VVere contradicti'ous but when life is fled Back by the Pow'r that gave it to be brought Can never sure impossible be thought As Plato writes to Eris this befell Heracl'des this does of a VVoman tell Of one Herodotus does this relate And this says Plutarch was anothers fate VVhich shews that VVise-men thought that it might be If that 't was possible we then agree For Christ to breath again with living breath After its be'ng extinguisht once in death And that 't was so in fact 's so fully prov'd That his Resurrection evinces the Truth of his Doctrine That it the Jewish Rabbi Becai mov'd But as his Followers and others shew He held forth to the World a Doctrine new This must by needful Consequence be true Since he maintain'd 't was by divine Command For with God's Justice it can no way stand Or Goodness either to exalt so high One who in so momentous things would lie Had he been such an one who would believe That he the certain notice should receive Both when and how he should from Life retire And have his Reins new fill'd with active Fire Himself declaring that all this was wrought For Confirmat'ion
the Jews for what bore Daniel's name Did not oracular Predictions shew What Mexico should feel and rich Peru Which the relentless Spaniards should subdue To this those many Dreams we may refer Which to Events full Correspondence bear Events which they who dream't could ne're foreknow From any thing observable below These to ascribe unto some casual hit Or nat'ral cause can't thinking Men befit Of these Tertulli'an writing of the Soul Brings many Instances beyound controul Of Sp'irits assuming vehicles of Air Which Men not only did discern but hear Authors by no means credulous declare Such Spectres in America have been In Mexico and Sina often seen And those fire Ord'eals with old Germans known As in their Histories and Laws are known Prove an Almighty Power the just does own If less exertions of the Power Divine XVII The Objection that Miracles are not now seen answered For Miracles and Prophecies now shine The force of what is prov'd it can't impair Since 't is enough that once such things there were If they have been less frequent than before God in great Wisdom these his Works forbore Nor is it fit to violate the Laws Printed on Nature but for weighty cause As when the Jews in a small Corner clos'd Were to maintain a Worship all expos'd Or that the Truths in Christian Doctrine found Were to enlighten all the World around Such times are well becoming God to show That Nature 's but his Hand-maid here below XVIII And Wickedness obtains such licence Some question whether Providence presides Seeing how Sin flows in with mighty Tides As if 't would deluge all the World again Which Providence if any should restrain But th'answer's easy since Man's Will is free And God alone good by necessity To bridle and keep in our Sins by force Were to make Man no better than an Horse Bate that of freedom we are not bereft No proper means are unattempted left A Law is made our wild Desires to chain And none for want of Knowledg can complain Inward and outward Admonition's joyn'd And Threats and Promises to bend the Mind That very Wickedness that 's suffer'd here Has limits set by God's o're-ruling Care In vain it strives to swell beyond its bound To force th'enclosures of the sacred Ground His Church hem'd in with the tempestuous deep His Pow'r does from an Inundation keep Civil Societies his Influ'ence share Else the mad Multitude no Laws would bear And ev'n that Mischief which does license get Has some good end by his appointment set To punish or correct those Souls that stray Out of the Paths of Vertue 's narrow way Or else a glori'ous is Specimen to give How nobly the Adult in Vertue strive ' Gainst those Temptations which in Crouds arrive While Pati'ence does its perfect work maintain And constancy unto the last remain And they whose Punishment has been delay'd For this forbearance have large int'rest pay'd Thus they who disobey'd th' Almighty's Will Against their own his purposes fulfil If Wickedness unpunish'd long appear XIX That the Just are often opprest The weak still suffer'd Violence to bear In sorrow long to draw their hated Breath And die at last an ignominious Death As if their Innocence had no regard Man is not therefore from God's Care debarr'd For no Man knows how God exerts his Pow'r In inward Blessings th' ill can ne're devour Besides before was prov'd an Aid Divine Wherefore we with the wise in the belief should joyn That since God knows our Acti'ons and is just XX. This Argument is retorted to prove that Souls survive the Bodies Yet sometimes seems to authorize distrust A future Judgment needs must be behind Where Sinners their due Punishment may find And all egreg'ious Vertue here unblest Exalted to a state above the rest May meet full Recompence for all its Pain For this we must believe that Souls remain XXI Which is confirmed by Tradition When loosned from the Body's cumbrous Chain And this belief so general is known That we it's rise must from first Parents own This Homer sings in Verses ever new And this the Gauls as well as Grecians knew Their learned Druids this most fully taught And this the Brachmans with the Indians thought Aegyptian Thracian German Sages all Upon this Truth with one consent do fall For proof we might unquestion'd Authors call In Strabo Plutarch and Laertius see How the Aegyptians Indians too agree In the expecting of the Day of Doom After this Life is to its period come Histaspes and the ancient Sybills spake What Conflagrati'ons shall the World o're-take Ovid and Lucan both this thought pursue This at Siam the savage Ind'ians knew Of this Astronomers a Proof have found In that the Sun draws nigher to the ground Parts farthest off at first discov'ry prove That we can no where from these Truths remove Canaries yield this Fruit the Western Shoar Largely enriches with this Golden Oar. XXII Nothing in Reason against it Nor can one Argument in Nature found This old Tradition so extensive wound For if we any thing observe to fail 'T is either that what 's mighti'er does prevail In its own Nature contrary to that As Cold does through the force of Heat abate Or the removing that in which it stands As when a Glass is fallen from our hands And into several little peices broke The form is perisht which at first it took Or else 't was from deficience in the cause As Light does vanish when the Sun withdraws But none of these can of the Soul be said For nothing contrary to that was made In this does its peculiar b'eing delight Things to each other the most opposite At once it 's intellectu'al Pow'r receives This for the first The second who believes For on what Subject can the Soul depend If we for this the Body should commend How happens it that when the Body 's tyr'd The Soul to farther Action still is fir'd Without least lascitude from thence acquir'd An Object also that too much excels All the weak forces of the Body quels And thus the feeble Organs of our sight Cannot endure the Sun's prevailing Light The nobler Objects entertain the Mind Its force is stronger Pleasure more refin'd As when its Thoughts from matter it abstracts And about lofty Universals acts The Body's forces cannot but embrace Things which are circumscrib'd by time and place For that 's the Body's Nature while the Mind To what 's eternal and immense is joyn'd Since then the Body don't its Acti'ons give It 's Essence how can it from thence receive The Natures of the things we ne're discern We can but by their Operations learn Nor more to this can we ascribe the way Mention'd the last as reason of decay For no efficient cause we can invent Which failing all the reasoning Pow'r is spent For this the Parents you can ne're assign For then their Deaths would cut off all their Line No other cause 't is
seal Whereas we may with Justice them suspect Their Sages many as unprov'd reject Night and Retirement were for some the Scene To others but few Witnesses have been Such as with ease night swallow down a Cheat From subtle Priests well practis'd in Deceit Not knowing Nature many did admire And qualities occult their search did tire With admiration thus some Load-stones saw To its embrace the distant Iron draw Simon did in these Arts successful prove And thence did Apollonius wonder move Some things by such we must effected own Which have a Pow'r more than of Nature shown Or what Man could draw forth from that alone Yet these do not imply a Pow'r Divine To which we should Omnipotence assigne But intermedi'ate Spir'its for this suffice Higher than Men yet under Deities Who being very nimble strong and wise May bring together what remote does lie And thence compose things wondrous to the Eye But that these Spirits cannot good be thought Their Worship therefore bad before was taught And this against their Venerati'on Arms That Men pretend to force them down with Charms When yet the wisest Heathens own it plain That words the pow'r but of Perswasi'on gain And that according as their Sense we find This proof may of their pravity be joy'nd That oft they promiss'd him or her to move Against their Inclination unto Love Injuri'ous in the Promise or Command And Humane Laws such Acts with Sorc'ery brand Nor is it strange if he whom we adore With the Delusi'ons of ill Spirits bore To punish the who fell from him before But then this may their Impotence perswade That none had signal ben'fit by their Aid If any thence return'd to Life again They ne're were known in Life long to remain Nor could they act like those who Life enjoy'd If e're a Pow'r divine did seem imploy'd It never was foretold that this was done That Men might into that Religion run And nothing hinders but the Pow'r divine Might have what greatly differs in design As for Example If one should believe That to one blind Vespasian fight did give 'T was that he Reputation might acquire To gain that Pow'r to which he did aspire He being one whom God before did chuse To execute his Judgments on the Jews For other Prodigies like cause might be In which we nothing of Religion see IX And from Oracles What was before observ'd we may apply When on their Oracles they would rely Chiefly that God may Cheats on them permit Who nat'ral Light or old Tradition quit And generally 't was doubtful what was meant The words complying with what e're event If any thing more plainly was foretold A Pow'r divine for this we need not hold From nat'ral Causes known it might proceed Physicians thus known how Diseases breed Much comes from due observing what has past For which th'experienc'd need no Figure cast But if by Pagan Prophets e're was shown What had dependance on God's Will alone No cause of which besides that e're was known It was not to confirm one Pagan Rite But rather it against them all did fight Thus Virgil not discerning what was meant In his fourth Eclogue yet did represent What some old Sybils scatter'd leaves did shew Vid. Cic. de Divinatione lib. 2. Eum quem re verâ Regem habebamus appellandum quoque esse regem si salvi esse vellemus Of Christ and the great Benefits t' ensue Those Leaves to shelter noble Fruit were made While they an universal King did shade Whom to obey if we 'd be happy they perswade That he who of this Pow'r should be possest Should make his Progress from the brightned East And Porphiry an Oracle does name Where th' Hebrew God Apollo does proclaim To be the only God the World should fear While others vanish'd into empty Air If this Apollo's Votaries obey'd Even his own Worship must aside be laid But if their Worship still they paid at large They'd their own Deity with falshood charge If by their Oracles these Spir'its design'd Any advantages to humane kind Some certain Rule of Life they needs must give In following which Men happily might live Yet they nor Rule nor Happiness propound With which their blind Devotos might be crow'd Nay on the contrary we 've often found They in their Verses worst of Kings did praise And Wrestlers unto sacred Honours raise Unto unlawful Loves they did incite And catching Wealth without regard to Right Encourag'd Slaughters and a vici'ous Train The bare reciting which our Leaves would strain This against Paganism strong proof supplies X. The Pagan Religion rejected because it fail'd of its self as soon as humane Aids were withdrawn That it on humane Force so much relies That whensoe're that was no on its side As if through that it stood it quickly dy'd But where Christi'anity or Turcism reign'd Only in story th'Ethnick Rites remain'd When yet Christianity was known to grow Ev'n with the Blood did from its Martyrs flow This Conquest 's gain'd in spite of all the Pow'rs Of the enrag'd and bloody Emperours Nor could learn'd Julian's Wit keep up their way But sensibly it fell into decay Nor Force nor high Descent against it brought A Carpenter the Founder's Father thought Nor did that way which made all others fail With flow'rs of Rhet'rick on Men's Minds prevail None of these Ornaments their Speech did grace Who first perswaded Men Christ to embrace Of Gifts they being poor made no pretence Nor mov'd by Flatteries to tender Sense Nay they declar'd that Pleasures they must shun And for that Law all worldly hazards run And this subdu'd not Paganism alone But ev'n the Spirits which did that Worship own Christ's Name of them Mens Bodies dispossest And their known Voices they at that comprest And being ask'd why then they silent were They were against themselves forc'd to declare That where Christ was invok'd their Pow'r dissolv'd to Air. XI An Answer to them who ascribe the rise and decay of Religion to the efficacy of the Stars Some hardly worth the labour to confute Unto the Influ'ence of Stars impute The rise and progress of Religious Rites But this their Science no known Rule unites And all the certainty which there is known Is that from Stars there 's nothing certain shown But none of those effects I here do mean Of which some necessary cause hath been According to the Law which Nature gave But what the Will of Man for causes have Which being of its self entirely free Can't from abroad receive necessity But if th'Impressi'on from without's so strong That the meere passive Will is forc'd along In vain was giv'n that grateful pow'r of Mind Which we in choice after consid'ring find The Equity of Laws could not but cease From all Rewards and Penalty's that frees For where the Act is necessary found What fault to punish Merit to be crown'd Besides some Acti'ons of the humane Will Justly deserve the Character of ill
I laid ' That I should absolutely be obey'd ' So I their God my People they should prove ' And they to take the Paths I shew should love ' Thence all things should to their desires succeed Thus in the Prophet Hose we may read Hos 6.6 ' Beneficence does Sacrifice exceed ' Right thoughts of God before Burnt-Off'rings ' pleasd Thus where in Micah one the Question sees Mich. 6.6 7. What God displeas'd with us may reconcile Numbers of Rams or measures of rich Oil God thus is represented there ' I 'le tell ' What 's truly good and pleases me full well ' That you to ev'ry one render his due ' And unto all Bowels of Mercy shew ' While humbly before me your self you bear Which places if consider'd right declare That these things of themselves or i'th'first place As pleasing God we ought not to embrace But if the People by degrees were known As Superstition had upon them grown In them to place great part of Piety As if they slake the Wrath of the most High What wonder is' t if God did them remove Indiff'rent in themselves tho ill they prove Thus when the Brazen Serpent Moses rais'd Men as of Pow'r divine devoutly prais'd Good Hezekiah cast it to the ground And among them some Prophecies are found Fore-telling that these Rites should one day cease This from their Law we may collect with ease Where only Aaron's Race a Pow'r receive For off'ring these and while at home they live But then a (c) Psal 110. King is promiss'd far to reign ' Who should from Sion lead his humble Train ' And both a Priest and King always remain ' Resembling what Melchisedec was known And in Esaiah's Prophecy 't is shown ' That Men in (d) Esa 19.19 23. Egypt should an Altar view ' Where the Egyptians and Assyri'ans too ' Should joyn in Worship with the happy Jew Again ' (e) Esa 66.20 21. They whem vast distances divide ' Who have no common Language for their Guide ' Shall with the Isra'elites their Off'rings bring ' As Priests and Levites to th' eternal King This could not be till their Law were repeal'd Besides in (f) Mal. 1.10 11. Malachi it is reveal'd ' That God the Off'rings of the Jews did hate ' That East and West his Name should celebrate ' And Clouds of Incense should perfume the Skies ' As from pure hands it to his Throne did rise Dan. 9.27 Dani'el relating th'Angel Gabriel's words This Oracle concerning Christ records The Sacrifice and Off'ring he removes And God by Instances most real proves That all th' Oblations Moses had enjoyn'd Cannot with him any acceptance find When more than sixteen hundred Years are gone Since Jews have had no Temple of their own No Altar or distinction of their Tribes That they may know to offer as their Law prescribes IX The difference of Meats Their Law forbidding Meats of sev'ral kinds No better grounds for its continuance finds For it is evident after the Flood No sort of Meat under Injuncti'on stood Noah and his had the free use of all Which as a Right unlimited did fall To Abram Isa'ac Jacob sprang from Sem As well as unto Japhet and bold Cham But when th' Egyptian Superstition spread O're Isr'ael's Seed thither to Bondage led Th'eating some Animals was then deny'd As thence were the Egypti'an Rites supply'd And thence they thought things future were descry'd Or else their Law with Types and Shadows dark Did by some Ani'mals certain Vices mark That this was not a gen'ral Rule design'd We in the instance of those Beasts may find Deut. 14.21 Which free from outward force their Breath resign'd Of these unlawful 't was for Jews to eat Which for Inhabitants was licenc'd Meat Such too who met with this Indulgence were As God himself commended to their care Nay the old Jewish Rabbies did maintain That when Messiah should begin his Reign He should this Prohibition quite remove And Swines Flesh should as clean as Bullocks prove And surely since it pleas'd the Pow'r Divine People of ev'ry Land in one to joyn A liberty in these beyond dispute More than restraint must such Communion suit Let us consider next their Holy Days X. And of Days They first were kept in the Almighty's praise For their deliverance from th' Egypti'an hand And leading to the promiss'd Sacred Land But Jeremy a time to come did shew Jer. 16.14 When new and greater benefits t' ensue Should so the memory of this surpass That Men should hardly menti'on that it was Besides as 't was with Off'rings so with these 'T was thought they God so in themselves did please That keeping them they might indulge their Ease Thence representing God Esaiah says I hate all your New Moons and Holy Days Issa 1.14 They 're such a burden as I cannot bear Most confident they of the Sabbath are They urge that Precept always ought to bind That 't was in Paradise Adam enjoyn'd To which I say with Rabbies on my side The Precepts teaching this we thus divide One is that we the Memory preserve Th' other the day religiously observe The first of these is to this day obey'd In grateful owning how the World was made Th' other requires from all those Works t' abstain Which on the common days full licence gain The first the Pious kept before the Law Obeying this Men Enoch Noah saw This Abram Isa'ac Jacob kept in Mind Whose Travels we at large recorded find With them this is not found a day of Rest As after leaving Egypt 't is exprest From that and the strange progress thro the Sea We th'Institution of the Sabbath see On (a) Viz. Of their Progress the first day their Thanks to God they sung And from that time the sacred Rest begun The first observance which is enter'd found Was (b) Ex. 16.26 when they heavenly Food took from the Ground And (c) Exod. 13.8 their deliv'rance from th' Egypti'an Land Is mention'd as the cause of this Command Care of those Servants too this Law exprest Whose cruel Masters would allow no rest Who sojourn'd there were to it likewise bound That the same face of Quiet might go round That this does not take other Nations in May be from hence most evidently seen That we in many places find it nam'd A (d) Exod. 13.9 Sign a Covenant God with Isra'el fram'd But that those Laws which did their Sanction gain In mem'ry of be'ing freed from Egypt's Chain Were not intended ever to remain Appears i'th'Promise we observ'd before Of greater benefits preserv'd in store Add to this farther If Sabbatick Rest As indispensable at first were prest All interfering Laws could not but fail When against this some Jewish Laws prevail Thus Circumcision on the Sabbath's good Beasts then were offer'd while their Temple stood It 's mutability their Doctors preach Who working on the Sabbath lawful teach If authoriz'd any Prophet's
Speech Joshu'ah's Command for taking Jerico They urge as what does such Commission show But that in the Messiah's promiss'd Reign There should no differences of days remain Some from that passage in Isaiah hold Issa 66.23 Where 't is concerning that blest time foretold ' That God's true Worship should be constant known ' From Sabbath unto Sabbath and from Moon to Moon Let 's come to Circumcision long in use XI And outward Circumcision Before that Law which Moses gave the Jews To Abram and his Seed this was enjoyn'd Yet this th'incepti'on of that Law we find Thus God to Abraham ' You and your Seed ' Vnto the Land of Cana'an shall succeed ' That Land where now a Pilgrim's Life you lead ' See that my Cov'nant you observe with care ' This is the Cov'nant I with you declare ' You and the Males which from your Loins descend ' Shall all be circumcis'd unto the end Before we shew'd that i'th'old Cov'nants room A new one common unto all should come And this distinctive mark then needs must cease Besides some Myst'ry in this Rite one sees And this their Prophets shew when they impart Precepts for Circumcisi'on of the Heart Which is in all our Saviour's Rules descry'd Besides the Promises to that apply'd Must needs be thought intended to relate Unto the prospect of a better State Eternal Life which Jesus shews us clear Till when it did only in Types appear That Promise top which did to Abram fall That many Nations him should Father call Seems to describe that happy time design'd When all the World should in one Faith be joyn'd Which to express the Gospel-state we find No wonder that the Shadows flee away At the desir'd approach of perfect Day That to this sign God did not stint his Grace Appears in that his Favour did imbrace Abram and many who before him liv'd Before this Mark was in their Flesh receiv'd And while the Jews through the parch'd Desart came It was omitted without any blame XII And yet Jesus and his Apostles tolerated these Much they to Christ and his Apostles owe Who their discharge from this encumbrance show And this evinc'd by Gifts and Deeds so high As nothing short of Moses we descry Yet they who taught the Rule which we admire Did not their owning this great Boon require But in such things indulg'd them their own way So they on others did not th' Imposition lay This shews they without cause from Christ withdraw Upon pretence of their old Ritu'al Law The almost sole Objection they have brought Against the Miracles our Saviour wrought Being thus remov'd let 's other Mediums chuse Proper for the Conviction of the Jews In this Profession Jews and we unite XIII A Proof against the Jews from their confessing that at eximious Messias was promis'd That Men endu'd with the Prophetick Light Did the clear notice of One promis'd bring From whom much greater good to them should spring Then e're before from Heav'n did Men befal HIM the Messias all agree to call We that he has been here already say They yet expect him in a future day Let 's search those Books fairly this Doubt to end Which for Divine both sides alike commend (a) Ezek. 14.14 28.3 Ezekiel shews Daniel to be believ'd XIV 'T is shewn that he is already come from the presignification of the time He would not cheat nor could hav ' bin deceiv'd In what from Gabr'el he affirms receiv'd He (b) Dan. 9.25 from the Angel's dictating declares That there should not elapse five hundred years After the Edict publish'd to restore That City where the Jews all met t' adore But the Messias should on Earth be seen When now above two thousand there have been And yet the Jews expect him still to come Nor can they name another in his room To whom this circumstance of Time agrees And this their Rabby Nehumias sees Who fifty years e're the Messias's Reign Say's more than fifty years can't now to that remain Another Note we touch'd upon before Of having Pow'r from God all Nations o're When the Seleucan with the Lagian Line Ptolemy the Son of Lagus Should all Authority of Force resign The last in Cleopatra did expire Little before the World did Christ admire Dan. 9. In Daniel a third Note deserves regard Where from Prophetick Spirit 't is declar'd That after the Messias here injoy'd Jerusalem should wholly be destroy'd And this Josephus to his Age applies Haggai 2.2 A Passage of like sense in Haggai lies Zerubbabel Their Governour with the High-Priest we find After a great dejection shew'n of mind Seeing the Temple then but lately rais'd If with the first compar'd not to be prais'd Had hence their drooping hearts with spir'ts supply'd Such honour this shall crown as was the first deny'd Of Size Materials Art or Ornament 'T is plain by Story the could not be meant Besides the greatest Hebrew Rabbies hold The later was infer'our to the old Both for the Majesty and Light Divine Effusion too which with the first did shine Wherein the last should yet the first exceed We may of Sacred Revelation read Where God declares his Peace with That should rest By which his Grace and Favour is exprest Mal. 3.1 This we in Malachy at large may find ' Who comes to seal my Cov'nant with Mankind ' I send before The way he shall prepare ' And in the Temple suddenly appear ' Whom you expect to come your Hearts delight Under the second Temple he did write 'T is clear then while the second Temple stood The Jews were to expect this promis'd Good Which from Zerubb'bel to Vespasian's understood For 't was not wholly from its Ruine rais'd While Herod they who valu'd Grandeur prais'd By sev'ral parts they did compleat the pile Which the same Temple we may justly stile 'T is plain they then did for Messiah look From whence some blindly Herod for him took Some others some Judas the Gaulonite When Jesus liv'd who needs must be the right Some Jews perceiving how these Motives press XV. With an Answer to what is said of his coming being delay'd for the Sins of the People That the appointed time is past confess But think their Sins of it th'occasi'on were To wave how positive their Prophets are Without Condition tacitely imply'd How could the Advent be for these deny'd When Dani'el from a sacred impulse spake That Ruine should for these Jerusalem o're-take Soon after the Messiah's peaceful Reign Besides another cause of 's Advent's plain To be the Healing a corrupted Age And Men t' a better Rule of Life t' engage While for the past he did God's Wrath asswage In Zach'ry see a sacred Promise lie Zach. 12.10 13.1 That God with Grace would David's House supply From thence an open Fountain should appear Which from their Sins Jerusalem should clear The Jews besides a strong Traditi'on own That
possible to name Than th' universal whence at first things came Whose Pow'r we 're sure can no defici'ence know But that his Will 's deficient who can show That 't is the pleasure of the Deity Souls should in total Abolition lie XXIII Many Reasons make for it Nay th' Arguments o'th'other side are clear That Man o're his own Actions pow'r does bear And all the an'imal World his beck obeys That he his Mind to God's own Throne can raise And for his sake contemn all outward things That in his Soul a grateful thirst there springs Of an immortal State above the Earth And he diverts himself with solid Mirth While a good Consci'ence does supply the Feast With which he in each Circumstance is blest This comforts him to bear the heavi'est stroke Nor can the anchor of his hope be broke But then if he a wicked Life has led What gastly Horrors all his Thoughts o're-spread Death is the King of Terrors truly found And the last Judgment inwardly does wound Under the force of which great Tyrants groan And hardly dare they trust themselves alone Examples are too numerous to give Of those who under these Tormentors live XXIV Whence it follows that the end of Man should be Happness after this Life But if such be the nature of the Mind That of it's failing we no cause can find And God has pleas'd to give us many signs That when the Body moulders that still shines What nobler end can mortal Man propound Than that with Happ'iness this may be crown'd Hence Plata and the Pythagoreans taught Man should to imitate his God be brought What that Felicity and how attain'd May in some part by humane thought be gain'd But what God has discover'd in his Word XXV Which to obtain Men must search for the true Religion Must most of Truth and Certainty afford Which since the Christian Doctrine does hold forth Let us examine what belief 't is worth LIB II. THou blessed Jesus I. To prove the Truth of Christian Religion who in Heav'n dost reign Assist my Thoughts while in an humble strain The Truth and Certainty I represent Of that Religion for which thou wast sent That while Tiber'ius did the Empire sway II. Here is shewn that Jesus liv'd Jesus of Naz'areth did in Judah stay Not Christians only constantly profess Jewish and Pagan Authors do no less Sueton'ius Pliny Tac'itus have his Fame And numbers after them repeat the same And that this Jesus Pilate crucify'd Howe're reproachful Christians ne're deny'd Nay this the Jews ne're scruple to declare Tho great on that account their Suff'rings are Where e're disperst they among Christians live And Proofs beyond desire the Pagans give Who Pilate's Acts have down to us convey'd In whose Memorials this as chief is laid Julian and others who the most oppose That rule of life which blessed Jesus shows Concerning this did ne're one Question move This the most disagreeing People prove The Proofs so full no History has more III. Nevertheless was after his Death worshipp'd by Men of the greatest Wisdom Yet him most distant Realms as God adore And this appears not in our Age alone But we may trace it back unto his own And when at Rome fierce Nero did preside Many for that Profession bravely dy'd As Tacitus and sev'ral others tell IV. And of these Worsh'ppers many did excel In Judgment and improvements of the Mind Not here to name whom of the Jews we find Such Serg'ius was who did in Cyprus rule And Dionysius Head of a fam'd School That glorious ancient Martyr Polycarp Justin and Irenaeus Writers sharp Wise Athenagoras at Athens bred And Origin whose Learning far has spread With Alexandrian Clement many more Unto this suffering Lord like Rev'rence bore What with such thinking Men as these could sway Most of them bred in quite another way On such an Object of their Faith to call Of which there could be no other cause than that he wrought Miracles Where neither Honour could or Gain befal Were it not this that having us'd the care In things which of the chiefest moment are Fit for the wise trying the constant fame Which did his supernat'ral Works proclaim They found them such beyond the least dispute As did all vain Philosophy confute Diseases quitting the long ravag'd Field When nothing in all Nature help could yeild Sight giv'n to him who ne're could use an Eye That questionless miraclous supply Of thousands with created Loaves of Bread Repeated and thro' distant Regions spread And Life call'd back again after 't was fled Not here the numerous instances to name V. Which Miracles cannot be ascribed to Natural or Diabolical Efficacy but proceeded meerly from God Which had obtain'd such an unblemisht Fame That Celsus and ev'n Julian them confess And the learn'd Jewish Talmudists no less These they ne're scruple Prodigies to call And therein own them supernatural Long fixt Diseases yeilding at command Of the least motion of the Lip or Hand Argue a Pow'r which Nature must obey But if in this such Efficacy lay It no less strange appears that of all those Who Christ and his Religion did oppose None should the mighty Secret yet disclose And hence we with just reas'ning may collect That of Imposture none can these suspect Since they were publick and expos'd to sight Of Men who ' gainst Convicti'on us'd to fight And Men well conversant in ev'ry Art That nat'ral Wit or Study could impart And the like things repeated as was need Shew'd that these Works did not from chance proceed Besides th' effects were such as long did last When things by accident are quickly past These things with due Consideration weigh'd ' Gainst which the Jews have no Objections made Their Force from something more than humane had Which either a good Spirit was or bad The bad would never these great Truths attest By which their Empire here is so deprest And which prohibit their beloved Feast Deeds and Desires obscene Experience shows That Daemons all their Pomp and Worship lose Magick and all their other Arts held vain Where e're Christ'anity does footing gain Porphiry owns Christ's Advent did impair The Forces of those Princes of the Air. Who can think Evil Spirits so unwise Where there no Honour Advantage lies But great Disgrace and Detriment t' ensue Yet the same Acti'ons still they should pursue Less is it to be thought it should agree With the known Wisdom of the Deity And that extensive Goodness all Men see To suffer Men guilty of nothing ill Devoted absolutely to his Will Such as all grant the Prim'tive Christ'ians were To be trapan'd into a fatal Snare Men in their Lives unblam'd and suff'ring pain That they a faultless Conscience might maintain But if you say these Deeds must be assign'd Unto some good but secundary Mind Therein that they the Godhead pleas'd you own For all good Spirits look at that alone Not here those