nothing wherein it is harder to impose upon them and wherein there is less occasion of Dispute So that when it is demonstrated to them that Christian Religion is inseparably join'd to Deeds the truth of which cannot justly be contested they must and ought submit to what it teacheth or that they abandon all Sincerity and right Reason If Moses for Instance was and that he wrote the Book that is attributed to him then the Jewish Religion is true If the Jewish Religion be True Jesus Christ is the Messias and if Jesus Christ be the Messias all must be believed that he said The Trinity the Incarnation Resurrection Ascension and all the Rest It is by this Divine chain of Truths God conducts Men to the true Faith and that they might shew there is nothing more reasonable than the submission they give to the most incomprehensible Mysteries very far from censuring them of Weakness and Imprudence And as this great Body of Christian Religion is compos'd of a great many different Parts which all tend to the same End and that it has subsisted Six thousand years it cannot but be by a Chain of infinite Truths that every Age has added a new Accumulation of Proofs and that at what Part soever one begins at what Point soever one apply themselves one still finds such a great abundance of Light that 't is impossible not to be convinc'd But one is so much the more obliged to apply themselves exactly to the seeking these Proofs God ordering it so that they should not consist in common Principles and so plain that they should presently be discover'd and that they should be alike seen of all Men. It is rather a heap of Circumstances that every body does not put together or don 't consider after the same manner which yet nevertheless are plain to the most ordinary Capacity when they ever so little open their Eyes and when they are all together produce a certainty if not greater at least more intimate and natural than that we have by speculative and abstracted Demonstrations because the manner of it is more proportion'd to the Mind of Man and that there 's no body but finds the Principles in themselves It is in this design that to give an Essay of the way that one should consider these Deeds which by their certainty do necessarily perswade that of our Religion we will make choice of the particular History of Moses and the Truth of his Books which serve as the Foundation of the Jewish Religion as this doth of the Christian according to St. Paul. I do not think my self bound presently to prove that if there was effectively a Man who lookt on himself to be sent on Gods part and that not desiring he should be believed on his bare Word or by Actions which are known to be but little above those of the power of Man has given for greater Evidence that wonderful Succession of Prodigies which is to be seen in the Pentateuch who was seen to have dispos'd of Life and Death to have Commanded the Elements and made the whole Frame of Nature stoop to his Orders I make no question I say but all the World will confess but this Man does best desérve to be believ'd of what he has writ concerning God in whose Name it was he wrought all these Wonders and that the Religion he Establish'd should be accounted as True and Divine The most obstinate Spirits will as 't were be at a loss under the weight of these Wonders and find no other means to satisfie the Inclination they have to Unbelief but to seek vain Reasons to question the Truth of these Miracles and of the Book which contains them But if they have any remains of Honesty and Sincerity left in them they cannot possibly proceed very far in these Doubtings and they will find them so dissipated by the abundance of Proofs which attend this History that they must be forc'd either to confess it to be true or be reduc'd to the dulness of those who to avoid believing what Religion Commands do rather chuse never to think at all of it For by what Suppositions do they think to shake the certainty of what is writ in these Books and put their Mind in a State of thinking that it all amounts to nothing Let them give all the scope they can to their Imagination and let it feed them with all the Chimera's it can they will never find any thing that has the least shadow of likelihood and which a Judgment never so little solid would not be asham'd to propose Will they say Moses never was and that all that is said of him is only a Fable invented at pleasure But let them consider that it is not Jews and Christians only that have been heard speak of this Moses seeing it is also known that Prophane Historians make mention of him and if that were not so let them also look on all the Histories in the World but as Fables seeing there is not one of them can be Credited if it were permitted to doubt that there was a Man called Moses who brought the Jews out of Aegypt after a long Captivity For all the Reasons whereby Men judge the truth of other Histories do equally appear in that of Moses For Instance we do not doubt but that there was an Alexander and a Cyrus because several Authors have writ of it and that no body ever thought of making any question of it neither has ever any body seriously question'd if there was a Moses It was constantly own'd and believ'd amongst a very Numerous People and by all those that knew them and that had any dealing with them without ever having been deny'd by any body But there is moreover this difference that Moses has particular Proofs and such as are not to be found in others for never was a Book preserv'd with so much Care and Affection as that which contains his History and nevertheless Men had never greater and more powerful Reasons to destroy the Truth of any Book if they could have found any colour for doing it than the Jews had in regard of this seeing that at once they might have freed themselves from a Law that was the most troublesom the most painful terrible and Injurious that could be to be observ'd so that one can see no Motive that should incline them to bear it but the firm perswasion of the Truth of it Incredulity not being able to subsist in this Chimera it must of necessity pass to some other and that for Example one must say That it is true there was a Man call'd Moses and that he was Chief of a great People he brought out of Aegypt but that he was a great Impostor which deceiv'd that People by false Miracles and forged all the Prodigies he Relates in his Book to subject them to the Law which he gave them and by that Law to himself in making them look upon it as come from Heaven and making
pleas'd to veil his Conduct and in such a manner to mingle Light with Obscurity that it should most depend on the Dispositions of the Heart to believe or to rest in Darkness So that those to whom he hides himself ought never to hope for any good till first they do as much as they can possible set themselves in the way of those that have found the Truth But they shall scarce give over counting for nought the Miserable Riches which some would deprive them of they will scarce begin to believe Poverty cannot be an Evil that Disgraces and Oppressions may be lookt upon as Good that nothing is to be shunn'd but offending God and nothing to be sought for but how to please him that all shall be clear to them and if there remains any Obscurity it will appear at least that it is only for those who desire to rest in it For Instance God was pleas'd to send his only Son into the World to save Men and at the same time to be a Stone of stumbling and an Object of contradiction to those who made themselves unworthy of so great a Blessing Could he have done any thing better than what he did to this End He was born of mean Parents he made him spend his Life without having wherein to lay his Head he only gave him the refuse of his People to be his Followers he would not that he should speak of any Sciences nor of any thing esteem'd great amongst Men he made him be thought a Deceiver he caus'd him to fall into the hands of his Enemies to be betray'd by one of his Disciples and forsaken by all the rest he made him tremble at the approach of Death which he sufferr'd publickly and as a Malefactor how could he better disguise him to those who only savour the things of Worldly Greatness and have no Eyes to behold true Wisdom But he also made him Command the Sea the Waves and the Wind yea he had also power over Devils and Death he made him know the inward Thoughts of those that spake with him he pour'd forth his Spirit upon him and put those things in his Mouth as could proceed from no other but God he made him speak the things of Heaven in such a manner as far surpasseth the reach of Men he was desirous to inform them the State of their Heart and how they might be deliver'd from their Miseries he made him live without the least appearance of Sin insomuch as his greatest Enemies had not the least pretext of accusing him he made him foretel his own Death and Resurrection and he raised him up out of the Grave What could there have been fitter to hinder him from being rejected by those who love true Greatness and Wisdom To conclude because all Ages and the whole Universe were concern'd in the same Conditions of Obscurity for some and of Light for others he would have his History and Life writ by none but his Disciples to render it suspicious to those who desir'd to be deceived and that it should be the most undoubted of all Histories that so they might be inexcusable For in a Word not to enter into this vast Field of Dispute if it be not true either the Apostles must be deceived or they must be Cheats and neither the one nor other is to be believ'd how could it be that they were deceiv'd those who said They were Eye Witnesses of the Life of Jesus Christ and also believ'd to be Chosen and endow'd with Gifts to that very End Could they be deceiv'd to know if they themselves healed the Sick if they raised the Dead What other or greater Sign could they have desired to be assur'd of knowing the Truth But if Jesus Christ made them believe during his Life how comes it to pass they were not better advis'd after his Death seeing they believ'd he was truly God that is Master of Life and Death For as for the Disciples of Mahomet who only call'd himself a Prophet it is plain they rested in Ignorance and Error after his Death and he was careful not to promise them to Rise again But it is not so of those of Jesus Christ they are far bolder accordingly they declare If he is not Risen all they did and said is in Vain It is thence they draw their greatest Comfort and Constancy and 't is very unlikely and even impossible but they believ'd at least that they saw him after his Death and they believ'd it with the greatest certainty could be in exposing themselves to all they sufferr'd and by reposing thereon the great Work wherein they had so happy success This being granted how can it be imagin'd they all believ'd so strongly a thing so difficult to be receiv'd and whereof the Eyes only can be the Judges Did they all dream it in one Night for they all declare they see him and we think they were all honest Men. Is it a Ghost that deceiv'd them for the space of Fourty Days or was it some Impostor that made them believe that he was the Man that Dy'd before their Eyes and whom they had laid in the Sepulcher and who afterwards found means to ascend up into Heaven in their sight This would be ridiculous to say and so much the more because 't is plainly seen by what we have left us of theirs that they were not so simple to believe That if Jesus Christ had been but a Common Man he could not have Raised himself from the Dead It would be altogether as Vain to say the Apostles were Deceivers and that after the Death of their Master they agreed amongst themselves to say he was Risen and should think all the World must take their Word for it For though it be said Men are Naturally Lyars it is not so in the Sense it is commonly taken It 's true they are born such inasmuch as they are born Enemies to God who is the Sovereign Truth and that their Heart is bent and prone to Vanity and Falshood which too often they look upon to be Real But else it is certain they Naturally love to speak Truth and it cannot well be otherwise the Natural Inclination tending to speak what one knows or at least what one believes that is what 's True in it self or in regard of him that speaks it Whereas for Lying there must be deliberation and design one must be at the trouble of inventing and it is seen such Men never Lye but for Interest or for Honour and then too because they cannot otherwise attain to it And they take great heed that what they say should seem probable and that the Falshood should not be discover'd especially if the Consequences are dangerous and if any should be found that Lye for Pleasure they never think but of enjoying it in the Moment not grounding any thing that 's Real upon their Lye. So that the Apostles could not possibly have any design of imposing upon Men in what they taught of
bounded his Curiosity to things Natural And he was often heard say that he added this Obligation to all the others he owed his Father who being himself very Pious and Religious he infus'd the same Thoughts into him from his Infancy laying him down this Maxim That whatever is the Object of Faith cannot be of Reason and much less can be Subject to Reason These Instructions being often inculcated by a Father whom he mightily esteem'd and in whom he saw there was much Knowledge accompany'd with a powerful way of Expression did so work on his Mind that what ever Discourse he heard made by Debauch'd Libertines he never was much concern'd at it and though he was very young he look'd upon them as Persons holding this wrong Principle That human Reason is above all things and as such who could not distinguish Nature from Faith. But to conclude having thus passed his Youth in Employments and Divertisements that seem'd harmless enough in the sight of Men God so wrought on him that he made him clearly perceive that Christian Religion obliges us to Live wholly to him and to make him our chief End and Object And this Truth appear'd so evident to him so profitable and so necessary that it made him resolve to sound a Retreat and by little and little withdraw himself from all Worldly concerns that he may thereunto the better and more effectually apply himself This Design of sequestring himself that he might lead a more Christian and Austere Life enter'd into his Mind in his younger Years and even then it inclin'd him to leave off his Study of Prophane Sciences that he might the better apply himself to those things that concerned his own Salvation and also that of other Men. But frequent Sicknesses whereto he was subject hindered for a time the executing his Designs until he came to be about Thirty years Old. It was about this time he began to set about it in good earnest and the better to effect it and at once to shake of all Impediments he remov'd his Habitation and afterwards went into the Country where he remain'd some time being come back he so well shew'd he intended to quit the World that at last the World forsook him In his retirement he fix'd the manner of his Living on two chief Maxims which was to renounce all Pleasure and Superfluity these things he had ever in view and he indeavour'd to persevere and perfect himself therein daily more and more It was his continual Practice of these two Maxims which made him shew so much Patience in all his Sickness and Sufferings by which he was scarce ever free from Pain all the Course of his Life it made him Exercise very strict and severe Mortifications on himself so that he refus'd not only to deny his Senses what might be pleasing to them but also would without difficulty or regret and with Pleasure take those things that were irksom to them whether it was Food or Physick this inclin'd him also daily to deny himself every thing that he suppos'd was not absolutely necessary as well in Apparel as Diet as also in Furniture and in all other things whatsoever and this inspir'd him with such a great Love of Poverty that it was always in his Thoughts and when he intended to undertake any thing he would presently consider if it might be consistent with a State of Poverty so that he had such a Tenderness and Compassion for the Poor that he never refused an Alms to any Poor body and many times he gave very considerably even out of that which he wanted for his own support this made him that he could not indure to study his own Conveniencies and that he often condemn'd this over great Curiosity and desire of excelling in all things as of being serv'd by the best Workmen in having always apparel of the best and most Fashionably made and a thousand other such things as are done without difficulty it being thought there is no hurt in it but he did not think so and to conclude it made him perform several other Remarkable Christian Exercises which I will not here relate to avoid Prolixity it being not my design to write a Life but to give some Ideas of Monsieur Pascall's Piety and Vertue to those that did not know him for as for those that did and were acquainted with him the last Years of his Life I do not pretend to inform such and make no question but they know very well that I pass over in silence many other things that might be here inserted Approbation of the Bishop of Amiens WE have Read the Posthumus Book of Monsieur Pascall which required the Authors care in finishing it although it contains but Fragments and seeds of Discourse yet therein may be perceiv'd great Curiosities and Beams of Sublime Light. The force and loftiness of the Thoughts do sometimes amaze the Mind but the more they are weigh'd the plainer they are seen to be drawn from the Philosophy and Theology of the Fathers A Work so imperfect fills us with Admiration and Grief that there is no other Hand that can finish these first Essays but that which knew how to ingrave so lively and great an Idea nor that can Comfort us for the Loss we suffer by his Death The World is oblig'd to the Persons that have preserv'd such Precious Remains although they are not fil'd and polish'd such as they are we make no doubt but they will be very useful to those that love the Truth and their own Salvation Given at Paris where we chanc'd to be about the Affairs of our Church the 1st of November 1669. Francis of Amiens Approbation of the Bishop of Cominges THese Thoughts of Monsieur Pascall shew the Beauty of his Wit the Solidity of his Piety and his Profound Learning they give so Excellent an Idea of Religion that without any great difficulty one submits to what is more abstruse in them They so fully teach the chief Points of Morality that they presently discover the Spring and Progress of our Disorders and the Means of avoiding them and they so savour of all other Sciences that it may easily be perceiv'd Monsieur Pascall was not ignorant of any Human Learning Although these Thoughts are only the first Lines of Reasonings he mus'd upon yet nevertheless they contain a great depth of Knowledge They are but Seeds yet they produce Fruit as soon as they are sown One Naturally finishes what this Learn'd Man intended to say and the Readers themselves become Authors in an Instant by making but a little serious Reflection Nothing therefore is fitter profitably and pleasantly to entertain the Mind than the Reading of these Essays how imperfect soever they at first seem to be and according to my Judgment the perfectest Productions that has for this long time appear'd do not better deserve to be Printed than this imperfect Book doth At Paris September 4th 1669. Gilbert Bishop of Cominges Approbation of Monsieur Camus Dr.
they saw this Confession of Faith they discover'd the defect of it which obliged them to go to Gaillion to speak with the Archbishop of Roüen who having examin'd Matters found the business of such importance that he sent a Commission to his Council and gave express order to Monsieur Du Bellay to make this Man to disown all the Points that he was accused of and not to hearken to any thing he should say till 't was communicated to those that had informed against him things were transacted accordingly and he appeared in the Archbishop's Court and retracted all his former Opinions and it might be believed 't was sincerely for he never shew'd any grudge against those that prosecuted him which shews that 't is like he was deceived himself by the false conclusions he drew from his false Principles and he was well assured that they had no Intent of hurting him nor other aim but to undeceive him by himself and hinder him from seducing young Scholars that had not been capable of distinguishing Truth from Error in those subtil questions So this Affair ended without Noise and my Brother continuing more and more the means to please God this Love of a Christian Life increased so much from the 24th year of his Age that it was conspicuous throughout the whole Family My Father himself not being ashamed to submit to his Sons instructions and from thenceforward imbraced a more exact manner of Life by the continual Exercise of Vertue until his Death which was very exemplary and as became a good Christian My Sister also who was endued with extraordinary Gifts of the Mind and that from her Infancy had acquired a Reputation that but very few attain unto was so wrought on by my Brothers Discourses that she resolved to part with all Worldly advantages she so much loved to consecrate her self wholly to Gods Service which she performed accordingly entring into a Nunnery where she so well improv'd the Talents God bestow'd on her that she was esteemed capable of the most difficult Imployments which she discharged with all Fidelity and departed this Life the 4th of October 1661. Aged 36. Years In the mean while my Brother whom God made the Instrument of all this good was agitated by continual Sicknesses which still increas'd upon him But now knowing no other Science but that of Holyness he found a great deal of difference betwixt this and those that had formerly taken up his Thoughts for whereas his sicknesses put a stop to the progress of the others this on the contrary made him the better in the same indispositions by the admirable Patience with which he bore all things and to shew it I will only relate one instance Amongst other inconveniencies he had that that he could not swallow any liquid thing unless 't were warm and not then neither but drop by drop and having besides a violent Head-ach and an excessive heat in the Bowels and other Distempers the Physicians order'd he should be purged every other day for three Months together so that he must take all this Physick warmed and drop by drop which was no small torture and grieved them that were about him yet he never seem'd to repine at it The continuance of this means with other helps procur'd him some ease but did not fully recover him so that the Physicians were of Opinion that perfectly to recover his health it was convenient he should lay apart all manner of Study and that he should seek occasions of recreating himself as much as he could My Brother was very loath to follow this advice because he thought there might be danger in it but at last he comply'd with it thinking he was bound to do what he could for the recovery of his health and he judged innocent Recreations could do him no harm and so he set out into the World and though by God's Mercy he ever shun'd all Vice nevertheless God having appointed him to a higher Degree of perfection he would not suffer him to remain in that course of Life and he made my Sister the Instrument for this purpose as he had formerly used my Brother as a means to call my Sister from the Pleasures she lived in in the World. She was at this time a Nun and lived so exemplary a Life that she was much esteemed by the whole House being in this Condition she was concern'd to see him to whom under God she was bound for the happiness she enjoy'd not to enjoy the like Graces and my Brother often visiting her she often spake to him and at length did it so effectually and obligingly that she perswaded him to what he had before perswaded her wholly to forsake the World so that he resolved with himself to forsake all Worldly Pleasures and Enjoyments and to omit all Superfluities of Life even to the indangering his Health thinking his Salvation was to be preferr'd before all things He was then about 30. years of Age and always sickly and 't was about that time he took up the course of Life that he continu'd till his Death The better to accomplish his Design and to break off all his former Customs he remov'd his Lodging and went to reside some time in the Country from whence being return'd he so plainly shew'd that he would quit the World that at last the World left him and be setled the manner of his living in this retirement upon those chief Maxims of denying himself all Pleasures and Superfluities and 't was in the Exercise thereof that he spent all the rest of his Days The better to attain his desire from thenceforwards he deny'd himself the Attendance of his Servants as much as he could possible he made his Bed himself he went to take his Dinner at the Kitchin and carry'd it to his Chamber and so return'd with it back again To conclude he made no use of his Servants but to dress his Meat to go of Errands and such other things as he could not well do himself he spent his whole time in Praying and Reading the Holy Scriptures and therein took unspeakable Pleasure he said the Holy Scripture was not a knowledge of the Brain but a knowledge of the Heart that was not to be attained but by those that were sincere and that it was obscurity to all others It was with this Frame of Mind that he read it disclaiming all the perfection of his own Wit and made so great progress therein that he had it all by heart so that no body could impose on him therein for when any would say 't is so or so he would answer positively That is of the Scripture or not and would presently turn to the place He also read all the Commentaries with great exactness for the respect to the Religion wherein he had been Educated from his Youth was now changed into an ardent Love for all the Truths of Faith whether it be for those that regard humility of Mind or those that regard our
MONTALTIUS Heu Satis dixi urgent Lacrymae Sileo Et qui bene precaberis bene tibi eveniat vivo mortuo Vixit An. 39. M. 2. Obiit an rep Sal. 1662. 14. Kal. Sept. Posuit A. P. D. C. Moerens Aurelian Canonista Cecidit Pascalis Heu Heu qualis Luctus Monsieur Pascall is bury'd at Paris in St. Stephen 's of the Mount being the Parish wherein he liv'd behind the great Altar on the right Hand near the Corner of the Pillar of the same Chapel The Epitaph is on the Ground but obliterated Monsieur PASCALL'S Thoughts and Reflections Upon Matters of RELIGION And also upon several other Subjects §. I. Against Atheism LET those that dispute against Religion at least first learn what Religion is before they strive against it If Religion did boast to have a clear sight of God and to behold him openly without a Veil then there might be some colour of disputing against it by saying there is nothing to be seen in the World that shews it with any great evidence But seeing that it declares on the contrary that Men are in ignorance and estranged from God that God has hid himself from their knowledg and 't is the Name he gives himself in the Scriptures Deus absconditus and to conclude that it equally endeavours to teach these two things that God has in the Church given sensible marks to make himself be known to those which sincerely seek him and nevertheless has so cover'd them that they shall not be known but only to those that seek him with all their heart what advantage then can they expect whilst continuing in a State of indifferency wherein they profess to seek the Truth they complain that nothing discovers it to them seeing this obscurity they are in and which they impute to the Church â—ot fully prove one of the main Arguments she holds without prejudicing the other and far from destroying does confirm her Doctrine To say any thing to purpose against it they should declare that they have used their utmost endeavours in trying all ways and even those things the Church offers as means of instruction but yet can find no satisfaction would they speak in this manner they would indeed dispute against one of these pretensions but I hope to make appear that no reasonable Person can say so and I dare avouch that none ever did It may easily be judged how those Persons act that are of this mind They think they have done enough for their information when they have spent a few hours in reading the Scriptures or that they have asked some questions of a Clergy Man concerning the true Religion which being done they boast that they have consulted Men and Books without any success But truly I cannot forbear saying what I have often said that this negligence is insupportable It is not the slight interest of some Stranger that is here in question it is our selves and our All that is here concern'd The Immortality of the Soul is a thing that so much regards and so deeply concerns us that we might have quite lost our Feeling not to be profoundly affected about it All our Thoughts and Actions should be so variously directed according to the Eternal rewards that are to be or not to be hoped for that 't is impossible to stir a right step without directing it by this Compass which must be our last Object Therefore our chiefest interest and duty is to inform our selves on this Subject whereupon depends our chiefest safety and amongst such as are not satisfy'd I make a great difference of those that use their best endeavour to be instructed and those that live carelesly and without thinking or troubling themselves about it I cannot but much pity those that sincerely groan under this doubt that look upon it as the greatest evil and that make it their greatest study and business to use all means possible to get out of it But for such as spend their time without ever thinking of their latter end and that because they have not in themselves knowledg sufficient to convince them neglect to seek any farther and to examine if this Opinion be of those which Men receive by meer credulity or of those which though obscure yet have a good and solid Foundation these I consider quite different This negligence in a business that concerns themselves their Eternity their All affects me more with indignation than compassion it astonishes and affrights me it is monstrous to me I do not say this through the pious Zeal of a spiritual Devotion on the contrary I pretend that Self-Love human Interest the purest light of Reason should inspire us with these Thoughts to know this we need only see what Persons of the meanest Capacities understand It needs no depth of knowledg to understand that in this Life no true solid satisfaction is to be had that our Pleasures are but Vanity that our Miseries are Infinite and that Death which threatens us every moment will in a few years it may be in a few days put us into an Eternal State of Happiness or Misery or of Annihilation betwixt us Heaven Hell or Annihilation there is nothing but Life which is the britlest thing in the World Heaven not being for those which doubt the Immortality of their Soul such can only expect Hell or to be reduc'd to nought There is nothing truer than this nor nothing more terrible let us carry it never so stout this is the end that attends the bravest life in the World. It is in vain to go about to divert their thoughts from this Eternity that waits for them as if they could destroy it in banishing it from their minds â— subsists in spight of them it comes on and Death that lets it in will infallibly in a short time reduce them to a necessity of being Eternally annihilated or miserable See here a doubt of terrible Consequence and it is certainly a very great Evil to be in this Doubt and it is an indispensible Duty to try if one be in it He that doubts and seeketh no Remedy is both unjust and miserable but if in this State he is quiet and satisfy'd let him boast of it and to conclude let him glory in it and let it be of such a State that he makes his Joy and Delight I have not Words to describe so extravagant a Creature How can it be possible to entertain such thoughts What Comfort can there be in expecting nothing but endless Miseries What cause of Joy can there be to see ones self involv'd in utter Darkness What Comfort can there be never to expect any deliverance Repose in this ignorance is a thing so Monstrous that the stupidity and extravagance of it must be shew'd to those that pass their time in it in shewing what is transacted in themselves to awaken them by the sight of their own Folly. For see here how those Men reason which choose to live in this ignorance of themselves and
without seeking for instruction I know not who sent me into the World nor what the World is nor what I am my self I am very ignorant of all things I know not what my Body is what my Sense nor what my Soul is and this very part of my self that thinks what I say and that reflects upon it and upon it self knows not it self any better than all the rest I behold the vast distances of the Universe that contains me and find my self confin'd to a Corner of this vast Body not knowing wherefore I am placed rather in this place than another nor why the little time alotted me to live is assign'd me at this Point rather than any other of that Eternity that has gone before or shall follow after me I see nothing but Infinities on all sides that swallow me up like an Atom and like a Shadow that remains but a Moment and passeth away All that I know is that I shall shortly die but what I know most of all is that I do not know Death it self which I cannot avoid As I know not whence I came so I know not whither I shall go and I only know that departing out of this World I shall fall Eternally either into the hands of an Angry God or into nothing not knowing which of these two Conditions I shall Eternally be reduc'd unto This is my State full oâ— Misery Weakness and Obscurity from all which shall I conclude that I ought to pass all the days of my Life without thinking of what shall befal me and that I need only follow my Inclinations without looking back or troubling my self in doing what may be to fall into Eternal Misery in case what is said be true probably I may find fome information of my doubts but I 'll not trouble my self nor take a step to seek it and despising those that give themselves this trouble I 'll go on without fear to try so great an Experiment and slide along to Death in the incertainty of the Eternity of my future Condition Undoubtedly it is an honour to Religion to have such unreasonable Men for its Enemies and their opposition is so inconsiderable that it serves on the contrary but to establish the chief Truths which it teacheth us for the Christian Faith tendeth principally to teach these two things the Corruption of Nature and Redemption by Jesus Christ now if they help not to shew the truth of Redemption by the Sanctity of their Lifes they do nevertheless admirably shew the Corruption of Nature by such unreasonable Opinions Nothing imports a Man so much as to know his own State nothing is of greater concernment to him than Eternity so that to see Men unconcern'd at the loss of their being and in the danger of an Eternity of Misery this is unnatural they are quite otherwise in regard of all things else they fear things of the least Moment they foresee them they are sensible of them and the same Man that passes away Days and Nights in vexation and grief for the loss of an Office or for some supposed loss of Honour is the same that knows he shall lose all by Death and yet nevertheless lives unconcern'd without fear or any trouble This strange insensibleness for things of the highest concern in a heart so sensible of the least Trifles is most Monstrous it is an Incomprehensible Riddle and Supernatural Stupidity A Man in a dark Dungeon expecting every moment when Sentence of Death shall pass upon him having but one hours time to know if it be past and also to try to have it revoked would act contrary to Natural Sense to pass that hour away not in informing himself if Sentence be past against him or not but in Sports and Pastimes This is the very State wherein those Persons are only with this difference that the dangers they are liable to are far more terrible than the bare loss of Life and transient punishment this Prisoner might apprehend nevertheless they run without fear upon the Precipice having willingly blinded their Eyes that they should not see their danger and scoff at those which warn them of it So that not only the Zeal of those that seek God doth evidently prove the truth of Religion but also the blindness of those which seek him not and that live in this horrible negligence there must needs be a strange disorder in the Nature of Man to live in this state much more to boast of it For could they be fully assur'd that there was nothing to be fear'd after Death but to be reduc'd to nothing were not this a matter of sadness and despair rather than of boasting is it not therefore a very great folly having no certainty to boast of being in this doubt Nevertheless it is evident Man is so deprav'd that there is in his heart a kind of delight in this Condition This senseless rest betwixt the fear of Hell and annihilation is so pleasing that not only those which are truly in this unhappy State boast of it but also those which are not in it think it brave to seem to be in it For we see by experience that most of those which pretend to this State are of this latter sort that they are Persons which disguise themselves and are not such as they seem to be they are such as have heard that the gentile way of Living consists in appearing stout it is what they call casting off the yoke and must do it only in imitation of others But if they have ever so little common sense it is no difficult matter to let them see how much they are mistaken in seeking to get any credit by this way I say it is not the way to acquire credit amongst Persons that have a right Opinion of things and that know that the only way to succeed therein is to appear honest faithful iudicious and capable of being serviceable to friends for Men Naturally love those things which are useful to them now what benefit can it be to hear a Man say he has thrown off the yoke that there is no God that regards his Actions that he is absolute Master of himself and does not expect to be accountable to any one else Doth he thereby think Men â—hould put the more confidence in him and expect to receive Comfort Council or Help from him in any business that may befal us Doth â—e think it can be any Comfort to us to say that he thinks the Soul is but a little Wind or â—ir and to speak thus with confidence and a â—eeming satisfaction Is this a matter of sport is it â—ot rather a thing to be mentioned with sadness â—s the sadest thing in the World Would they seriously consider it they would â—nd this is so ill a Course so contrary to Reason â—o opposite to honesty and so very far distant from that Gentility they pretend to that nothing in the World does more gain them the hared and displeasure of Men and makes them
things in the World thereupon and you will find all things tend to the establishing these two Principles of Christian Religion 15. * If one does not know himself to be full of Pride Ambition Covetousness Weakness Misery and Injustice he must be very Blind And if in knowing it one desires not to be deliver'd from this State what can be thought of so unreasonable a Man Should not such a Religion then be highly esteem'd as does so well understand the Infirmities of Man and how earnest should our desires be for the truth of a Religion wherein such comfortable Remedies are to be found 16. * It is impossible to consider all the Proofs of Christian Religion altogether without being convinc'd of the force of it the which no Reasonable Man can contradict Consider its first Establishment that a Religion so opposite to Nature should settle it self so easily without any force or violence and yet so firmly that no Torments could hinder Martyrs from professing it and that all this should be effected not only without the assistance of any Prince but also in despight of all the Kings of the Earth that resisted it Consider the Holyness the Greatness and the Humility of a Christian Soul. The Antient Philosophers acquir'd a higher degree of Reputation than other Men by their orderly manner of Living and by certain Opinions that had some conformity to those of Christianity but they never looked upon that as Virtue which Christians call Humility they would even have thought it inconsistent with the other Virtues they made profession of It was only the Christian Religion that knew to unite things that till then appear'd so contrary and that first taught Men that Humility is so far from being inconsistent with other Virtues that without it all other Virtues are but Vices and Defects Consider the infinite Wonders of the Holy Scriptures which are Marvelous the greatness and sublimity more than Human of things which it contains the admirable simplicity of its Stile having nothing forc'd nor affected and that bears such a Character of Truth as cannot be disown'd nor gainsaid Consider the Person of Jesus Christ in particular whatever Opinion one has of him it cannot be deny'd but he was endeu'd with great and wonderful Wisdom of which he gave sufficient Testimonies in his Infancy before the Doctors of the Law nevertheless instead of improving those Tallents by Studdy and frequenting the Company of Learned Men he spent Thirty years of his Life in a Handy-craft Trade and a kind of retirement from the World and during the Three years of his Ministry he took into his Company and chose for his Apostles ordinary Persons without Learning or Reputation and incurr'd the hatred and displeasure of those that were esteem'd the Wise and Learned Men of the time a very strange conduct for one that intended to Establish a new Religion Take a serious view of the Apostles chosen by Jesus Christ those Persons who were ignorant and unlearn'd of a sudden were found sufficiently able to put to silence the Wisest Philosophers and Couragious enough to oppose the greatest Kings or Tyrants that resisted the Christian Religion which they taught and preached Then consider the wonderful Succession of Prophets which follow'd one another for near Two Thousand years and that in different manners all foretold even to the least Circumstances the Life and Death of Jesus Christ his Resurrection the Mission of the Apostles the Preaching of the Gospel the Conversion of the Gentiles and several other things touching the Establishment of the Christian Religion and the abolishing of the Law. Consider the admirable accomplishment of these Prophesies so fully and perfectly in the Person of Jesus Christ that it is impossible but to know him therein unless one will be wilfully ignorant Consider the State of the Jewish Nation before and after the coming of Jesus Christ their flourishing State before his coming and their miserable and wretched State after they had rejected him for to this day they continue without any Mark of Religion having neither Temples nor Sacrifices dispers'd over the face of the Earth and the scorn and refuse of all Nations Consider the Duration of Christian Religion having subsisted since the beginning of the World whether it be in the Saints under the Law who lived in expectation of Christ Jesus to come or in those that received and believed in him since his coming there being no other Religion that hath been perpetual which is the principle Mark of the true one To conclude let the Holiness of this Religion be consider'd its Doctrine giving an account of all things even of those that are most discordant in Man and all other particularities Supernatural and Divine that shine in all its parts After all which how can it any way be doubted that the Christian Religion is the only true Religion and whether there was ever any other that was like it §. III. The True Religion prov'd by the distances that are in Man and by Original Sin. 1. THe greatness and Miseries of Man are so visible that true Religion must needs teach us that there is in him some Principle of Greatness and at the same time some great depth of Misery True Religion must of necessity have a distinct knowledg of our Nature that is to say it must understand what it hath of Greatness and all it hath of Misery and the Cause both of the one and the other It must also know how to satisfie us of the strange distances that are therein to be seen if there is but one sole beginning of all things and but one end of all then True Religion must teach us to love and adore him only but finding our selves unable to Worship what we do not know and to love something besides our selves true Religion which instructs us in these Duties doth also inform us of our unability and also affords us necessary Remedies To make a Man happy Religion must teach him there is but one God that 't is our Duty to love him that 't is our perfect Happiness to be his and our greatest Misery to be separated from him this Religion should shew us that we are so full of ignorance that it hinders us from knowing and loving God so that our Duty obliging us to love God and our Corruptions hindering us shews that we are full of unholiness It must make us sensible of the a version we have to God and to our own welfare It must teach us the remedies and the means to obtain those Remedies Let a Man examin all the Religions in the World in this regard and see if there be any but the Christian Religion that answers these particulars Is it what the Philosophers taught who propos'd the good inherent in us to be the chiefest good Is this the chiefest good Have they discover'd the Remedy for our Sorrows to heal the presumption of Man is it to have equall'd him to God and those which have equall'd us with
taliter omni Nationi said David speaking of the Law But speaking of Jesus Christ it must be said fecit taliter omni Nationi Also it appertains to Jesus Christ to be Universal The Church offers Sacrifice but for Believers only Jesus Christ offered that of the Cross for all 13. * Let us then spread forth our Arms to our Redemer who having been promis'd Four thousand years at last came and suffer'd and dyed for us upon Earth in the time and in all the Circumstances as were foretold And waiting through Grace to dye in peace and hope of being Eternally united to him let us in the mean time live with comfort whether it be in enjoying the good things he shall be pleas'd to give us or in bearing the Evil things he is pleas'd to send on us for our good and that he has taught us to suffer by his Example §. XV. Jesus Christ prov'd by Prophesies 1. THe greatest Proofs of Jesus Christ are the Prophesies it is also what God most of all provided for the success that fulfill'd them is a Miracle that subsisting from the first begining continues to the end of the World. God raised up Prophets for the space of Sixteen hundred years and for Four hundred years after he dispersed these Prophesies with the Jews that carry'd them into all parts of the World see here the preparation of the birth of Jesus Christ whose Gospel being to be believed all the World over it was not only requisite there should be Prophesies that it might be believed but also that these Prophesies should be divulg'd through all the World that it might be believ'd by all Men. 2. * If any one Man should have writ a Book of Predictions of Jesus Christ for the time and manner and that Jesus Christ should come in the manner as was Prophesi'd it would shew a very great clearness But herein is more here is a Succession of Men for the space of Four thousand years that constantly and without any variation come one after another and foretell the same Event A whole Nation affirm it and which subsist Four thousand Years and that in a whole body give Testimony of the assurances they have of it from whence they cannot be diverted for any threats or punishments can be inflicted on them this is very considerable 3. * The time is foretold by the State of the â—ewish People by the State of the Gentiles by the State of the Temple by the number of Years 4. * The Prophets having given divers Signs that were to happen at the coming of the Messias it was requisite all these marks should be fulfill'd at the time and so it was necessary the Fourth Monarchy should succeed when Daniels seventy Weeks were accomplish'd that the Scepter should then depart from Judah and that the Messias should come And then did Jesus Christ appear who called himself the Messias 5. * It is foretold that in the Fourth Monarchy before the destruction of the second Temple before the power of the Jews was taken away and in Daniel's Seventieth Week the Gentiles should be instructed and brought to the knowledg of the same God ador'd by the Jews that those that lov'd him should be deliver'd from their Enemies and fill'd with his Fear and Love. And it hapned that in the Fourth Monarchy before the destruction of the Temple c. the Gentiles in great multitudes Worshipped the true God and lived Angelical Lives Virgins consecrated their Lives to God renouncing their Pleasures What Plato could not perswade a few chosen Men to do a secret Virtue perswades a Hundred thousand ignorant Persons to do by the help of very few words What 's the meaning of all this It is what was Prophesi'd so long time before hand Effundam spiritum meum super omnem carnem All Men wallowed in Lust and Infidelity all the World became warm with Charity Princes renounce their greatness the Rich forsake their Riches Virgins suffer Martyrdom Children quit their Fathers Houses to live in Deserts Whence proceeds this Courage It is because the Messias is come these are the effects and marks of his coming For the space of Two thousand Years the God of the Jews was unknown to the infinite numbers of Gentiles and in the time foretold infinite numbers of Gentiles Adore this only true God. Idol Temples are destroy'd whole Kingdoms submit to the Cross What 's all this It is the Spirit of God that is powr'd forth on the whole Earth 6. * It is foretold the Messias should come and Establish a new Covenant that should make that of Egypt be forgotten that he would write his Law not on outward Tables but in the Heart that he would put his Fear which was but exteriour in the inward part of the Heart That the Jews should refuse Jesus Christ and that they should be forsaken of God because the chosen Vine yielded nothing but sower Grapes That the chosen People should be unbelieving ingrateful populum non credentem contradicâ—â—tem That God would strike them with blindness and that they should grope at Noon Day like the Blind That the Church should be little in the beginning but should increase afterwards It is Prophesi'd that in those days Idolatry should be destroy'd that the Messias should cause the Idols to fall and should bring Men to the true Worship of God. That the Temples of Idols should be destroy'd and that throughout the World they should offer him a pure Service and not Beasts That he should teach Men the perfect way That he should be King of Jews and Gentiles And there never came any Man before nor since that taught near so much as this 7. * So many Persons having foretold this coming Jesus Christ came saying Behold me this is the time He came telling Men they had no greater Enemies then themselves that 't is their Lusts that keep them from God that he came to deliver them and to give them his Grace to chuse to himself out of all Mankind a Holy Church that he came to bring into this Church Jews and Gentiles that he came to destroy the Idols of the one and the Superstition of the others What the Prophets foretold should come to pass I tell you my Apostles shall accomplish The Jews are on the point of being forsaken Jerusalem shall soon be destroy'd the Gentiles shall know the true God and my Apostles shall instruct them in the Worship of God when ye have slain the Heir of the Vineyard Afterwards his Apostles said to the Jews You are forsaken and to the Gentiles You shall enter into the knowledge of God. Unto this all Men have aversion by the Natural opposition of their Concupiscence This King of Jews and Gentiles is supressed by the one and the other and both conspire his Death All the Powers of the World conspire together against this Religion in its Infancy the Wise the Learned the Kings of the Earth some write others
that we never live and preparing our selves ever to be happy it is certain we never shall be so if we do not aspire to some other Happiness than what is to be enjoy'd in this Life 13. * Our imagination does so swell the time present by making such continual Reflections on it and does so much diminish Eternity for want of reflecting on it that we make a meer Nothing of Eternity and of Eternity Nothing And all this is so firmly rooted in us that all our Reason cannot hinder us from it 14. * Cromwell went about destroying all Christendom the Royal Family was ruin'd and his made great for ever had it not been for a little Grain of Sand that lighted in his Uratory Rome also was near trembling under him but this little Gravel that was nothing elsewhere lighting in this part it occasion'd his Death the fall of his Family and the Kings Restoration §. XXV Of the weakness of Man. 1. VVHat most of all surprises me is that all the World are not astonish'd at their own weakness one acts seriously and every one follows his own Course not because it is indeed good to follow it it being the Fashion but as if every body did certainly know they had found where Reason and Justice was Men find themselves deceiv'd every Moment and by a ridiculous Humility he thinks 't is his fault and not the fault of the Art Men always boast they have found It is requisite there should still be store of these Men in the World to shew that Men are capable of the most extravagant Opinions seeing he is capable to think he is not in this Natural inevitableness and that he is on the contrary naturally Wise 2. * The weakness of Mans Reason appears much more in those that have not the knowledg of it then in those that have 3. * If one be too Young one cannot judg aright if too Old the same If one thinks not enough if one thinks too much one grows giddy and cannot find the Truth If one considers ones Work as soon as ever 't is done one is too much conceited with it If too long after one cannot recollect it There is but just one indivisible point that is the true place of perceiving Pictures the others are too near too far too high too low Perspective assigns place in the Art of Painting But in Truth and Morality who is it that can assign a place 4. * This Mistress of Error called Fancy and Opinion is so much the greater cheat as that 't is not always the same for it would be an infallible Rule of Truth if it were infallible of lying but being for the most part false it gives no mark of its quality marking with the same Character things both true and false This boasting Authority Enemy of Reason that assumes to controul and domineer to shew how far it governs all things has establish'd a second Nature in Man It esteems some Rich some Poor some Happy some Miserable some Wise some Fools and nothing troubles us more than to see it fills its followers with a satisfaction greater and fuller then Reason does hers The High-minded by imagination pleasing themselves quite otherwise in themselves then the Wise and Prudent can reasonablly please themselves They behold People disdaining they dispute with confidence and heat the others with fear and mistrust And their confident Looks do oftentimes get them the Victory in the Opinion of the Hearers So much favour the conceited Wise do get with such as are Judges of the like Nature It cannot make Fools Wise it makes them content whereas Reason on the other side can only render her followers miserable the one loads them with Praises the other with Ignominy Who gives Reputation Who gives respect and veneration to Persons to Works to great Folks but Opinion How empty are all the Riches of the World without its Applause Opinion governs all things It determines Beauty Justice and Happiness which is all the World can afford I would willingly see the Italian Book whose Title I only know which its self alone is worth many Books Della Opinione Regina del Mondo I subscribe to it without knowing it excepting only the Evil if there be any in it 5. * One scarce sees any thing just or unjust but changes Quality in changing Clymate Three degrees of Elevation of the Pole overturn the Laws A Meridan decides all Controversie or a few Years the Possession Fundamental Laws do change Law has its bounds Pleasant Justice that a River or Mountain does limit Truth on this side the Pyrenean Hills Error on the other side 6. * The Art of subverting Kingdoms is to shake their establish'd Customs in searching them to the bottom therein to discover the defect of Justice and Authority It is necessary say some to have recourse to the Primitive and Fundamental Laws of the Country which an unjust Custom has abolish'd this is a sure way to ruin all Nevertheless the People listen to these Discourses they throw off the yoak as soon as they hear them and great Persons make advantage by their Ruin and by that of these curious inquirers into received Customs But by a contrary omission Men think to do by Justice any thing that is not without Example 7. * The greatest Philosopher in the World let him but walk on a Plank though larger than he usually walks upon if there be a Precipice under him though his Reason convince him that he is safe yet his Imagination would prevaricate Many cannot support the though◠of danger without sweating and turning pale I will not instance in all the effects Who don't know that there are some affrighted almost out of their Senses at the sight of Cats Rats the cranching of Char-coal 8. * Will you not say that the Venerable Magistrate whose Age imposeth silence and respect on all the People that governs himself by sublime pure Reason and judges things by the◠Nature without sticking at vain Circumstances which only influence the Imaginations of the weak See him enter into the place where he is to do Justice See him there ready to give Audience with exemplary Gravity Let the Advocate appear if Nature has given him a hoarse Voice and some odd Features and Looks that his Barber has not well trimm'd him or if by chance he be not exactly drest I dare lay a Wager the Judg loses his Gravity 9. * The Mind of the greatest Man in the World is not so steady but that he is subject to be troubled with the least noise that is made about him Less then the noise of a Canno◠shot is enough to affright him the noise of a Fane or Pully will disturb him Do not wonder if he don't discourse well at present a Fly buzzes at his Ears that 's sufficient to make him uncapable of good Counsel If you will that he should find the Truth drive away that Insect that holds his Reason in suspence and troubles this
not in it self and out of God but out of it self and in the very Will of God in the Justice of his Decree in the order of his Providence which is the true cause of it without which it had not arriv'd by whom alone it is come to pass and in the very manner that 't is hapned We should adore with an humble silence the impenetrable height of his Secrets We should adore the Holiness of his Decrees We should praise the Wisdom of his Providence and joining our Will unto Gods Will we should with him in him and for him desire the thing that he appointed in us and for us from all Eternity 2. * There is no Comfort to be found but in Truth only Doubtless Seneca and Socrates have nothing that can perswade or Comfort us on these occasions they were in the Ignorance that blinded all Men at first they thought Death was Natural to Man and all the Discourses they grounded upon this false Principle are so vain and empty that they only serve to shew in the general how weak Man is seeing the greatest Productions of the Wisest Men are so mean and childish It is not so of Jesus Christ it is not so of the Canonical Books of the Scriptures Truth is therein plainly discover'd and true Comfort is as Infallibly join'd thereunto as Error is infallibly separated from it Let us then consider Death in the Truth taught us by the Holy Ghost We have this admirable advantage to know that truly and effectively Death is a Punishment of Sin imposed upon Man to expiate his Crime necessary to Man to cleanse him from Sin it is that alone can deliver the Soul from the Lust of the Flesh which Saints are subject to while they live in this World. We know Life and the Life of Christians is a continual Sacrifice which cannot determine but in Death We know Jesus Christ coming into the World lookt on himself and offer'd himself to God as a true Sacrifice that his Birth his Life his Death Resurrection Ascension and his Session at the Right Hand of God are but one only Sacrifice we know what befel Jesus Christ must happen to all his Members Let us then consider Life as a Sacrifice and that the Evils of our Lives make no impression on the Minds of Christians but in measure as they hinder or accomplish this Sacrifice Let us call that only Evil which makes the Offering of God the Offering of the Devil but let us call that Good which makes the Offering of the Devil in Adam the Offering of God and by this Rule let us examine the Nature of Death To this purpose we must have recourse to the Person of Jesus Christ for as God regards not Man but by the Mediator Jesus Christ so also Men should neither regard themselves nor others but by Jesus Christ if we do not pass the middle we find in our selves only true Miseries or abominable Pleasures but if we consider all things in Jesus Christ we shall find all manner of Consolation Satisfaction and Edification Let us consider Death in Jesus Christ not out of Jesus Christ out of Christ it is horrible detestable and the horror of Nature In Jesus Christ it is quite another thing it is Amiable Holy and the Joy of the Faithful All is sweet in Jesus Christ even Death it self it is for this he suffered and dyed to Sanctifie Death by his Sufferings and as God and as Man he was Great in the highest Degree and mean in the lowest degree to the end to Sanctifie in himself all things Sin excepted and to be the Pattern of all Conditions To consider what Death is and to die in Christ Jesus one should see what place it has in the continual Sacrifice and to this effect observe that in the Sacrifices the chief thing was the Death of the Offering The Oblation and Sanctification that went before were the Dispositions but the Substance is the Death wherein by the loss of Life the Creature gives to God all Obedience it can in becoming nothing in the sight of his Majesty and in Adoring his Sovereign Being which subsists alone essentially It 's true there is yet something farther after the Death of the Offering without which his Death is of no value it is Gods accepting the Sacrifice it is what is mention'd in the Scriptures Et odoratus est Dominus odorem suavitatis It is this indeed that crowns the Oblation but it is rather an action of God towards the Creature than of the Creature towards God and it don't hinder but the last Action of the Creature is Death These things were accomplish'd in Jesus Christ coming into the World he Offerr'd himself Obtulit semetipsum per Spiritum Sanctum Ingrediens mundum dixit Hostiam oblationem noluisti tunc dixi Ecce venio In capite libri scriptum est de me ut faciam Deus voluntatem tuam He offer'd himself by the Holy Ghost entring into the World he said Lord Sacrifices and burnt Offering thou wouldst not a Body hast thou prepared me And I said Behold I come as it is written to do thy Will O God and thy Law is written within my Heart this is his Oblation his Sanctification followed immediately after his Oblation This Sacrifice continued all his Life and was finished by his Death It was necessary that by Sufferings he should enter into Glory and though he was the Son of God it was requisite he should learn Obedience In the Days of his Flesh having with strong cries and tears offer'd Prayers and Supplications to him that was able to deliver him from Death he was heard according to his Obedience to God his Father And God raised him from the Dead and sent him his Glory figur'd under the Law by the Fire of Heaven that came down upon the Sacrifices to burn and consume his Body and to make it live with the Life of Glory It is what Jesus Christ obtained and has accomplished by his Resurrection So that this Sacrifice being perfect by the Death of Jesus Christ and consummated by his Resurrection where the Figure of the Flesh of Sin was swallow'd up in Glory Jesus Christ fulfilled all things on his part and there only remained that the Sacrifice should be accepted of God and that as the Smoak ascended and carry'd the sweet savour to the Throne of God also Jesus Christ should in that perfect State of immolation be offer'd carry'd and received at the very Throne of God and this was accomplish'd in the Ascension wherein he rose up by his own Power and by the power of the Holy Ghost that compass'd him round about he was raised up as the Smoak of the Sacrifices which was the Figure of Jesus Christ was carry'd up by the Air that supported it which is the Figure of the Holy Ghost and in the Acts it is said expresly That he was received up into Heaven to assure us that this Holy Oblation accomplish'd
here on Earth was accepted and received of God in Heaven This is the State of things in our Blessed Lord Jesus now let us consider them in our selves When we are first admitted into the Church which is the World of the Faithful especially of the Elect wherein Jesus Christ entred from the Moment of his Incarnation by a peculiar Privilege belonging to the only Son of God we are Offered and Sanctified This Sacrifice continues through the whole course of Life and ends at Death wherein the Soul truly quitting all the Vices and love of the World with the Contagion wherewith it is infected during the course of this Life it finishes its Offering and is received into Bliss Let us not then grieve for the Death of Believers as Pagans do that have no hope When the Faithful depart this Life they are not lost We lost them upon a matter even from the moment they entred into the Church by Baptism from that instant they were Devoted to God their Life was Consecrated to God their Actions regarded the World only for God at their Death they were wholly freed from Sin and 't is then they were received of God and that their Sacrifice received its accomplishment and reward They did what they had Vowed they accomplish'd the Work God gave them to do they did the Work they were Created for the Will of God is fulfilled in them and their Will is swallow'd up into the Will of God Let not our Will separate what God has join'd together and let us stifle or restrain by understanding the Truth the instinct of corrupt and deprav'd Nature which only has false Glosses and that by its Illusions interrupts the Holiness of those Notions which the Truth of the Gospel doth inspire in us Let us not any longer consider Death like Pagans but like Christians that is to say with hope as St. Paul teacheth seeing it is the special Privilege of Christians Let us not consider a Body as a filthy Carrion for deluded Nature does so represent it to us but as the Living Temple of the Holy Ghost as Faith doth teach us For we know the Holy Ghost dwells in the Bodies of Saints till the Resurrection and that they shall be raised by the Power of the Spirit that resides in them to this effect This is the Opinion of some of the Fathers It was upon this account that the Eucharist was heretofore put in the Mouth of the Dead for knowing they were the Temple of the Holy Ghost it was thought convenient they should be united to this Holy Sacrament but the Church has changed this Custom not but the Bodies of Saints are decently buried but because the Eucharist being a Figure of the Bread of Life and for the Living it is not fit it should be given to the Dead Let us not look upon Believers departed in the Fear of God as ceasing to Live though Nature would suggest so but as beginning to live as Truth doth assure us Let us not look upon their Souls as lost and reduc'd to nothing but as vivified and united to the Sovereign Being and by hearkening to these Truths let us restrain the great Mistakes we are so inclin'd unto and those motions of horror which are so Natural to Men. 3. * God has Created Man with two Desires one for God the other for himself but with this restriction that the love for God should be infinite that is to say without any other end but God only and that the love for himself should be finite and referring to God Man in this State would not only love himself without Sin yea he could not but love himself without Sin. Since the Fall Man has lost the first of these Loves and the love of himself being only left in this great Soul capable of an infinite love this Self-love has extended it self and filled the space the Love of God had left and so he loves only himself and all things for himself that is to say Infinitely This is the Original of Self-love it was Natural to Adam and just in his Innocency but it became criminal and immoderate after his Fall This is the Spring of this Love and the cause of its defectiveness and of its excesses It is the same of the immoderate desire of Power of Sloath and of other things The Application is easie to be made upon account of the horror we have of Death This Fear was natural and just in Adam whilst Innocent because his Life being very pleasing to God it was the same to Man and Death would have been horrible because it would have put an end to a Life that was conformable to the Will of God. Since Man Sinned his Life is become depraved his Soul and Body Enemies to each other and both to God. This change having infected so Holy a Life the love of Life remains nevertheless and the fear of Death resting also what was just in Adam is unjust in us This is the Original of the horror of Death and the cause of its defectivenss Let us then clear the horror of Nature by the light of Grace The fear of Death is Natural but 't is in the State of Innocence because it could not enter into Paradise but in finishing an Innocent Life It was just to hate it when it could not happen but in separating a Holy Soul from a Holy Body but 't is just to love it when it separates a Holy Soul from an Impure Body it was just to shun it when it would have broke the Peace betwixt the Body and Soul but not when it calms the highest Dissention To conclude when it would have afflicted an Innocent Body when it would have depriv'd the Body of the liberty of honouring God when it would have separated from the Soul a Body that submitted to its desires when it had destroyed all the Good Man was capable of it was just to abhor it but when it puts an end to a wicked Life when it takes from the Body the liberty of Sinning when it delivers the Soul from a powerful Enemy that resists all the Motions to its Salvation it is very unjust to have the same Sentiments Let us not then quit this Love Nature has given us for Life seeing we have received it from God but let it be for the same Life for which God has given it to us and not for a contrary end And in consenting to the Love Adam had for his Life in Innocency and that Jesus Christ himself had for his let us strive to hate a Life contrary to that which Jesus Christ loved and fear only the Death that Jesus Christ feared which befals a Body well pleasing to God but not fear a Death that punishing a guilty Body and cleansing a Vicious Body should give us quite contrary desires if we have ever so little Faith Hope and Charity It is one of the chief Principles of Christianity that all that befel Jesus Christ should also be fulfill'd in the Body
one thing to another unless it be to give it ease and that too at a convenient time and not otherwise for those that would give ease unseasonably do but cause trouble One is displeas'd and then regards nothing so hard it is to obtain any thing of Man but by Pleasure which is the Money for which we part with any thing 44. * Man is a lover of Malignity but 't is not against the Wicked but against the Happy proud and 't is to be deceiv'd to judge otherwise Martiall 's Epigram upon the Blind is naught for it don't Comfort them and only gives a Point to the Glory of the Author What is not for the Author is worth nothing Ambitiosa recidet ornamenta those that have human and tender Thoughts should be pleased and not those who are barbarous and inhumane §. XXXII PRAYER To desire of God the right use of Sickness I. LORD thy Spirit is so good and so sweet in all things and thou art so Merciful that not only the Prosperities but even the sufferings which befal the Elect are effects of thy Love give me Grace not to act as a Heathen in the State whereinto thy Justice has reduced me but that as a true Christian I may own thee for my Father and my God in what condition soever I am for the change of my Condition makes nothing to thee for thou art always the same though I am subject to change and thou art the same God when thou afflictest and punishest as when thou dost comfort and shew compassion II. Thou gavest me Health to serve thee and I have converted it to a prophane use now thou sendest me Sickness to correct me suffer me not to abuse it to provoke thee by my impatience I have not rightly improved my health and thou hast justly punish'd me suffer me not to slight thy Correction And seeing the Corruption of my Nature is such that it makes thy favours pernicious to me Grant O my God that thy powerful Grace may make thy Chastisements profitable to me If my Heart has been full of Love for the World whilst it had any vigour abate this vigour for my good and make me uncapable of enjoying the World whether it be through weakness of Body or through Zeal of Charity that I might enjoy thee only III. O God before whom I must give an exact account of all my Actions at the end of my Life and at the end of the World O God who sufferest the World and all things in the World to subsist only to exercise thine Elect or to punish Sinners O God who leavest impenitent Sinners in the delicious but Criminal use of the World O God who killest our Bodies and at the instant of Death separatest our Soul from all that it loved in the World O God who wilt take me away at the last moment of my Life from all those things I delighted in and whereon I set my Heart O God who at the last day wilt consume Heaven and Earth and all Creatures therein contained that all Men might see that 't is thou only that subsistest and that therefore thou only deservest to be loved because nothing is permanent but thou O God who wilt destroy all vain Idols and all these wicked Objects of our Passions I Praise thee my God and will Bless thee all the days of my Life inasmuch as thou hast been pleas'd to prevent this dreadful Day in my behalf by destroying as to me all things by the weakness wherein thou hast put me I Praise thee my God and will bless thy Name as long as I live in that thou hast been pleas'd to make me unable to enjoy the Pleasures of Health and the Pleasures of the World and in that thou hast in some sort destroyed for my good the deceitful Idols which thou wilt absolutely destroy for the confusion of Sinners in the great Day of thy Wrath. Grant Lord that I may judge my self after this destruction which thou hast made in my regard to the end thou maist not judge me thy self after the general destruction which thou wilt make of my Life and of all the World For Lord as at the instant of my Death I shall find my self separated from the World stript of all things standing in thy Presence to answer thy Justice for all the Motions of my Heart grant that I may look on my self in this Sickness as in a kind of Death separate from the World depriv'd of all the Objects wherein I placed my delight standing in thy Presence to implore of thy Mercy the true Conversion of my Heart that so I may have and feel extraordinary Comfort that thou art pleased now to send me a kind of Death to exercise thy Mercy before thou sendest me Death effectively to exercise thy Judgment Grant therefore O my God that as thou hast anticipated my Death I may prevent the rigor of thy Sentence and that I may examine my self before thy Judgment that I may find Mercy in thy Presence IV. Grant O my God that I adore in silence the order of thy wonderful Providence in the conduct of my Life that thy Chastisements may comfort me and that having lived in the bitterness of my Sins during the time of Peace I may taste the Heavenly sweetness of thy Grace during the healthy Afflictions wherewith thou dost visit me But I acknowledge my God that my Heart is so hardned and full of Ideas Cares Molestations and Thoughts of this World that neither Sickness nor Health neither Discourse nor Books thy Holy Scriptures nor the Gospel neither Fasting Mortifications nor Works of Charity and Mercy nor Miracles nor the use of thy Sacraments nor all my indeavours nor those of all the World put together can contribute any thing towards my Conversion unless thou art pleas'd to accompany all these things with an extraordinary assistance of thy Grace Therefore my God I come unto thee Omnipotent God to demand that of thee which all Creatures together cannot give me I should not have the confidence to lift up my Voice unto thee if any body else could help me But O my God as the Conversion of my Heart which I beg of thee is a Work that surpasseth the strength of Nature I cannot but address my self to the Almighty Author and Master of Nature and of my Heart to whom should I cry Lord to whom should I go but to thee nothing but God can fill and satisfie my expectation It is God only that I seek for and that I desire and 't is to thee only O my God that I address my self that I might enjoy thee Open my Heart Lord enter into this Rebellious place which has been defil'd with Sin it keeps it in subjection enter thereinto as into the strong Mans House but first bind the strong Man that Rules in it and then take all the Riches therein Lord take my Affections which the World had stollen wilt thou accept this Treasure rather reassume it seeing
its own sake nor for the sake of any thing it has for there is nothing in it but deserves thine Anger but for the Pains it endures which alone can be worthy of thy Favour Love my Sufferings Lord and let my Sorrows invite thee to visit me But to finish the preparation of thine abode Grant O my Saviour that if my body has that in common with thine that it suffers for mine Offences my Soul may also have that in common with thine too that it might be in sadness for the same Offences and that so I may suffer with thee and as thou didst in my Body and in my Soul for the Sins which I have committed XI Grant me the Grace Lord to join thy Consolations to my Sufferings that I may suffer as a Christian I don't desire to be free from Sufferings that 's the recompence of Saints but I desire not to be abandon'd to the Sorrows of Nature without the Comforts of thy Spirit for that 's the Malediction of Jews and Infidels I don't desire to have a fulness of Consolation without any Suffering for that 's the Life of Glory neither do I desire to be in a fullness of Evils without Comfort this is the State of Judaism But I desire Lord to feel altogether the sadness of Nature for my Sins and the Comforts of thy Spirit by thy Grace for that 's the true State of Christianity Let me not feel sadness without Consolation but let me feel sadness and Comfort both together that I may at length attain to feel only thy Consolations without any Grief For Lord thou didst let the World languish without consolation before the coming of thy only Son now thou comfortest and softenest the Sufferings of thy Children by the Grace of thy beloved Son and thou wilt fill with perfect Happiness thy Saints in the Glory of thine only Son These are the admirable steps by which thou conductest thy Works Thou hast drawn me out of the First make me to pass through the Second to arrive at the Third Lord it is what I heartily beg of thee XII Suffer not that I may be in that distance from thee that I may consider this Soul sorrowful unto Death and this Body pressed by Death for my Sins and not rejoice to suffer both in my Body and in my Soul For what is there more shameful and yet more common in Christians and even in my self than whilst thou didst sweat Blood to expiate our Offences we live in Pleasures That Christians who make Profession to belong to thee that those who by Baptism have renounced the World solemnly in the Face of the Church to Live and Die with thee that those that make Profession to believe the World Persecuted and Crucified thee that those that believe thou didst expose thy self to Gods anger and to the rage of Men to ransom them from their Sins that those I say that believe all these Truths that consider thy Body as the Sacrifice that was deliver'd for their Salvation that consider the Pleasures and Sins of the World as the only Subject of thy Sufferings and the World it self as thy Executioner yet should seek to Pamper their Body with these same Pleasures in this same World and that those that cannot without horror see a Man imbrace and cherish the Murderer of their Father that gave himself to Death to restore them to Life how they can live as I have done with full delight in the World which I very well know was the Murderer of him that I acknowledge to be my Father and my God and that gave himself to the Death for my Salvation and that bore in his Body the Punishment due to my Sins It is just Lord that thou shouldst put a stop to such Sinful Delights as those were wherein I rested under the Shadow of Death XIII Take therefore from me Lord the sorrow which Self-love might give me for my own Sufferings and by reason that Worldly things don't succeed according to the Inclinations of my Heart that tend not to thy Glory But be pleased to cast me into a sorrow conformable unto thine let my Sufferings in some measure pacifie thine Anger Make them be an occasion of my Conversion and Salvation Let me not henceforth desire Health nor Life but that I may employ and end them for thee and with thee and in thee I don't ask Health nor Sickness nor Life nor Death but that thou wouldest dispose of my Health and Sickness of my Life and Death for thy Glory and my Salvation and for the good of thy Church and Saints of which I hope by thy Grace to make a part Thou only knowest what is expedient for me thou art the absolute Disposer of all things do what seems good in thy sight Give unto me take away from me but conform my Will to thy Holy Will and that in an humble and perfect submission and Holy confidence I may prepare my self to receive the Decrees of thine Eternal Providence and that I may equally adore all things that proceed from thee XIV Grant O my God that in a constant Uniformity of Mind I may receive all sorts of Events because we don't know what to ask for and that I cannot desire one thing rather than another without Presumption and without making my self a Judge and liable to answer the consequences which in thy Wisdom thou hast justly hid from me Lord I know I know but one thing which is That 't is good to serve thee and that 't is ill to offend thee besides this I don't know which is worst or best in any thing I can't tell which is best for me Health or Sickness Riches or Poverty or any thing else in the World these things pass the Skill of Men and Angels to discern and are hid in the secrets of thy Providence which I humbly adore and will not presume to pry into XV. Grant therefore Lord that such as I am I may conform my self to thy Will and that being sick as I am I may glorifie thee in my Sufferings without them I cannot attain to Glory and thou thy self my Blessed Saviour wouldst not arrive thereunto by any other way It is by the marks of thy Sufferings that thou wert known to thy Disciples and it is by Sufferings that thou dost also know those that are thy Disciples acknowledge me therefore for thy Disciple in the Pains which I suffer both in my Body and Mind for the Offences which I have committed And because nothing is well pleasing to God but what is offerr'd up by thee conform my Will to thy Will and my Sufferrings to those which thou hast suffered grant that mine may become thine unite me unto thee fill me with thy self and thy Holy Spirit Enter into my Heart and Soul to bring thither my Sufferings and to continue to maintain in me what is yet behind to suffer of thy Passion which thou dost fulfil in thy Members until the full consummation of thy Body
should imagine such a thing can be but because they desire that it was and that 't is not in the power of Man to change the Heart it were to no purpose to trouble them with Arguments which yet might easily be done We shall rest satisfi'd in warning them of their Duty and what care they must take of giving any likelihood of colour to such Conjectures Let them in the first place tell us by what good fortune it was Moses lighted on so happy and ancient Foundations for his Enterprise because in all likelihood he would never have said to this People That he was sent to them by the God of their Fathers if he had not some Tradition that they came from Abraham and Jacob and that God had appear'd to them And where was it he found this Tradition How came this Opinion so Universal That there should one day be born a great King of the Tribe of Judah that he should Reign and also the care of so strictly obliging them in keeping their Genealogies for to know him How could this Moses or any one else imprint so strongly in the Mind of all the Jews such a firm expectation of the Messias that for these Sixteen hunder'd Years that they have been dispers'd and that they see no Effect of these Promises yet nevertheless they wait for it and expect the accomplishing it with an unparallell'd Patience and Fidelity How was it that so long a Succession of Kings and Great Men How did David and Solomon those People so Wise and Learned come to be so fully of this Judgment and from thence left us those Writings which appear so lofty and Divine and which yet otherwise would be but Dreams and Delusions How comes it to pass that all that is esteem'd abstracted Wisdom and Knowledge in the whole World should be grounded on so Eminent an Imposture And how comes it to pass that this suppos'd Fabrick of Lyes and Chimeras never yet contradicted it self Let any body shew us by what chance this Law invented by a private Man should at the same time be the only Law pleasing to God the only Law contrary to Mans Nature and the only Law that has ever subsisted How came it about that it was made with so much Skill that it subsists and was abolished and that as if there had been an Understanding betwixt Moses and Jesus Christ the latter were to annul the Religion of the former and that yet they grounded all they said on what it contains and thence draw their chiefest Proofs so that the Law seems to be only a Figure of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and that there need only be drawn a Curtain to find it How comes it to pass that since it is said The Clouds are scatter'd and the Husk which was nothing has left the inside and substance to be seen It happens that the Blessings promis'd to them which truly kept this Law seems to be wholly bestow'd on Christians which have imbrac'd this interiour part and who still continue as earnest as ever in their Profession By what Fate by what influence of the Stars does the Religion of this Man so unworthily Treated of the Jews which is prov'd so effectually to be nothing but their own How comes it to be so obstinately rejected by them to be received almost by all other Nations and spread over the face of the whole Universe And what should this invisible force mean that for these Sixteen hundered years keeping this People without a Leader without Arms Residence or Support that yet nevertheless they with so much exactness keep the Books that declare them Rebels and Enemies to God and that are undeniable Proofs for Christians whom they look on as their greatest Enemies Verily the Thoughts of going about to adjust so many Difficulties were enough to crack any Mans Brain that should attempt it and to spare the Pains of any one that should go about to try it they are freely warn'd that when they had accomplish'd the design of reconciling such an Abiss of Difficulties it were to do nothing at all and the Proofs of our Religion would not in the least be shaken For they must besides all this shew us that all these things was easie to be fore-shewn and that 't was very easie to Moses and the Prophets that follow'd these steps to foretel so long before-hand so many things both General and Particular the Coming of Jesus Christ the Conversion of the Gentiles the Destruction of the Jewish Nation and the State it is in and that also os marking the very Time and Circumstances of it It is here indeed all Suppositions fall short and that 't is to no purpose to torment ones self to make any Conjectures Men are not Prophets by Natural ways and as Nature is not subject to them to Work Miracles so neither is the Time to come known to them to make a History of it before-hand as may be seen in Daniel from Nebuchadnezzar's time that of the change of Monarchies that of Alexander's Successors and the time that was to the Birth of the Messias Neither is it by chance nor human Art that several Prophets and Esay in particular have spoke of Jesus Christ so clearly and describ'd so plainly so many Circumstances of his Birth Life and Death that they are no less his Historians than the very Evangelists themselves and that he should have this advantage above all Mankind that though his History was not writ till after his Death but by his Disciples only yet it was found done and spread abroad in the World several Ages before he appear'd that so there should not remain the least scruple of the Truth of it Who was it dictated to Moses what he said to the Jews when he was leaving them of what should befal them and of their Infidelities of the Captivity of Babylon and their return thence of the last Siege of Jerusalem wherein they should see themselves reduced to eat their Children and of their being scatter'd into all Nations when the time should be come and that they should Fall but that nevertheless God would still make them subsist least their Enemies should despise them and say They had ruin'd them To conclude that number of Men who succeeded one another for near Two thousand years to warn the Jewish Nation that the coming of him they expected was at hand that directly shews them the State the World shall then be in that foretels they shall not obey him and put him to Death and that for this Cause they shall fall into Miseries never to be repair'd Which tells them that the Gentiles to whom he was promis'd as well as to them should upon their refusal receive him Who is it said so precisely That from all parts of the World the People should come and submit themselves to his Law and in all this said nothing that was not punctually fulfill'd Where did they learn all this And how could they foresee it If what has
as that they subsist no longer unless it be amongst some ignorant People who only taking things on the first Credit of them never trouble themselves in throughly searching into the Truth of Matters But there is nothing clear in the World if it be not that no such thing can happen for the Book we now speak of and describe I could as well say that it would be no hard matter now to Insert in the New Testament as long and considerable a History as that and how idle soever this Supposition seems I cannot tell but that 't was harder to do it in the Books of Moses seeing the Jews respected it as much every jot as we do our New Testament and that there was not one amongst them that had not a very particular Intrest to know what was contain'd in it were it only to preserve themselves from the Sentence of Death which without Remission they were to suffer if they omitted certain Rites they were to perform But what does absolutely prove the Vanity of this Supposition is that there is as it were two Histories of Moses one that was written in the Book that bears his Name the other which is as it were engrav'd in the Ceremonies and Laws observ'd by the Jews the Practice whereof is a pregnant Proof of the Book that enjoin'd them and also of what it contain'd of greatest importance For the greatest part of the most Wonderful Miracles were shewn by the Ceremonies and other things that served in the Worship of the Jewish Religion The Pot of Manna kept in the Ark was a Monument of Gods Miraculous feeding that People in the Wilderness Aaron's Rod that blossom'd was a Sign of the manner how God confirm'd the Priesthood to him and the Two Tables shew'd what 's related in Exodus touching the Establishing the Law. The Sacrifice of the Pascal Lamb the Ceremony of the Azymes and the appointing the Tribe of Levi for the Service of the Temple shew'd the Passage of the Angel the Death of the First born of the Aegyptians and the deliverance of the Children of Israel The Plates of Gold nail'd to the Altar was a Memorial of the Death of those unadvis'd Levites that disputed the Priest-hood with Aaron To conclude The Ark the Tabernacle the sundry Orders of Priests and Levites all the Ceremonies of Sacrifices and Washings all the Laws the appointing the Countries beyond Jordan to the Tribes of Reuben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasses The Cities of Refuge for Man slaiers I say all these things which it were no less absurd to deny than it were to say there were never any Jews have a necessary reference and dependance on the Books of Moses and do invincibly prove that they could not be writ since his Time. For to this purpose it must be either that all we have said has not also been settled but since Moses's time and after publishing the Books attributed to him or that being Established by Moses his Word and without any Book some should add these Books to the Ceremonies and Laws that were in use and added these Miracles the more to enjoin this People to the observation of this Law. But all this is so unlikely that there was never any Person known that durst seriously maintain any such thing How can it be said for Example that the Pentateuch was made and published a long time after Moses his Death and that it was the Cause of Establishing the Law and Worship of the Jewish Religion contain'd in it It may as well be said the Ark and the Tabernacle which are the Foundations of this Religion were not made neither but a long while after Moses and after the publishing of this Book Now this cannot possible be for all the Jews were perswaded their Ark and Tabernacle were made by Moses as this Book does mention and it cannot be conceiv'd by what Fancy they could be of this Opinion if they themselves had made them after they had seen and receiv'd this Book which had not been known till a long time after Moses his Death doubtless this would have been one of the Pleasantest things in the World and the most unparallel'd either that this Book being made of a sudden and in a readiness with this great number of Laws and Ceremonies as being already in use they afterwards came to be Establish'd or that being made by little and little and just as all those things were settled it had always as is said at the Palace Retroactive Effect to make each of these Establishments be attributed to Moses How also could this People who beginning to receive this Law had they at least known it had been untrue that it had been practis'd since Moses and that it had a constant Succession of Priests since Aaron could they have Universally perswaded themselves that what this Book Commanded had been always practis'd and that the Priests it Established had received their Ministry from Aaron by an uninterrupted Succession And how also upon this same Foundation could all the other Tribes and Families have sufferr'd the Tribe of Levi and the Sons of Aaron to usurp to themselves the Prerogatives belonging to the Priest-hood and to the Office of the High-Priest There is no less absurdity in the other Supposition which is That the Law being given by Moses his bare Word was preserv'd by the Jews for some time only by meer Tradition and that afterwards those that wrote it added thereunto all these Miracles for besides that it were already a kind of Miracle and hard to believe that this People should receive so severe and troublesom a Law as that was from a Man that had done nothing extraordinary How could it be that Moses who doubtless had the use of writing should have omitted so Essential a thing and should not leave in Writing a Law that contain'd so many Rights and Ceremonies and so many Directions that it was necessary to have it always in readiness not to fail in some part or other of it Also we are inform'd by this Book it self that Moses fail'd not herein Moses it is said wrote this Law and gave it to the Priests the Sons of Levy and command it should be Read every seventh year at the Feast of Tabernacles And it is there said in several places That God commanded Moses to Write what he commanded him on the Mountain If the Jews then had receiv'd this Law from him only by Word how then could they receive a Book that contain'd so gross and manifest a Lye and that had in it an Express Command from God wherein their Legislator had fail'd This same Command of Reading the Law every Seventh year at the Feast of Tabernacles as being given by Moses does shew also that it could not be chang'd nor alter'd for it was impossible but those alterations would have been discover'd and being so that they should be sufferr'd by a People so wedded to this Law and whose Love for it was grounded on the