as convincing as the sight of our own Eyes Chap. V. The strength and force of the preceding Arguments 1 They remove all suspition that Christ and his Apostles were not Prophets for thereby it appears 1 that they pretended to the Spirit of Prophecy 2 that they therein were not deceived 3 they had no design to deceive others 2 they give positive evidence that they were Prophets 1 from their Fortitude 2 from their Wisdom 3 from their Predictions 4 from their Miracles here to shew the force of this Argument it is observed 1 that Christ and his Apostles wrought their Miracles on purpose to confirm their Doctrine 2 Miracles were alwayes lookâ—d on as demonstrative proofs of Divine Authority in them that did them 3 the Reasons for which the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles deserve to be so accounted 1 from their Nature 2 from their Number 3 from their Greatness 4 from their Goodness thereby they conferred on men 1 the goods of Fortune 2 of the Body 3 of the Soul Chap. VI. Some use that may be made of this Doctrine Of the Divine Authority of Christian Religion Sect. 1 This deduced therefrom the Leviathan denies it the first reason of this opinion answered the second reason answered The Divine Authority of Holy Scripture Sect. 2 Uncontrouled Tradition proves that the Books of the N. Testament were written by those men whose Names they bear and since they were Prophets the Old Testament also must needs be the word of Prophecy a Doubt about the Gospels of St. Mark and St. Luke and the Acts these Books had the approbation of the Apostles an Objection out of the Leviathan Object 2. Object 3. The Insufficiency of Humane Reason Sect. 3 The Treatise thereof ascribes as much thereunto as Pelagius did to free will it evacuates the necessity of our Saviours and his Apostles Prophetick Office the impiety of it Reason it self condemns it an Objection out of that Treatise The Reasonableness of the Christian Faith Sect. 4 The certainty of the word of Prophecy greater than that of a Voice from Heaven the Mysteries of Christianity do not make it incredible but are apt to strengthen our Faith The Reasonableness of Christian Hope Sect. 5 The nature of the Promises an Objection drawn from Experience another from the supposed impossibility of a General Resurrection The Reasonableness of Obedience Sect. 6 All acknowledge an obligation to obey God whence doth this obligation arise 1 not from our weakness 2 not from Gods sole irresistable Power the nature of Divine Sovereignty Gods right of it a view of our state by Nature the way that God hath chosen for our Redemption Christ conquered the Devil at all those weapons whereby he overcame our first Parents and their Posterity we are therefore his by right of Conquest Christ made satisfaction for us Christ now in Heaven is able to succour us when we are tempted a Question another Question the nature of an Obligation which is two-fold the Redemption of Christ obligeth us by both to keep his Commandments 1 by that of Authority 2 by that ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nature of it the Reasons of it 1 the benefit we receive by Redemption 2 the satisfactoriness of it to our Reason 3 the incomparable incouragement that it gives us to keep the Commandments the Conclusion REV. 19. 10. The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy CHAP. I. THat We have a power of Assenting is so manifest as that Scepticism it self cannot doubt it for that it is very apparently built on Assent to this Proposition There is nothing certain Who can be of that Perswasion without Assent It seems therefore certain that the Mind assents and this it doth to Testimony as well as Reason for the latter cannot be at least improved without the former because there is no Reasoning without Words and Words without Testimony signifie nothing Were it not for Testimony the wisest of Words and the most inarticulate of Sounds would be to us equally significant so that not only Religion but also all Arts and Sciences are beholding to Testimony they are if not founded on it yet unattainable without it It seems therefore those who â—raduce our Religion as fond Credulity because it depends on Testimony are therein very disingenuously Partial and irrational especially considering The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophâ—cy Which Words are an intire Proposition not so difficult but that it may be understood nor yet so plain but that both the Subject and the Predicate will need some Explication In order whereunto it will not be amiss to observe that in all probability the Testimony of Jesus is either that which he himself gave or else that which his Witnesses did bear of him of the former St. John speaks in his Gospel of the latter in his Revelations here in my Text which to me seems evident by the Scope and Design of the whole Verse the drift whereof is to prove that the Angel whose words they are to St. John was Fellow-servant with him and the rest of the Apostles St. John fell at the Angel's feet to Worship him but the Angel said unto him See thou do it not of which Prohibition he gives this reason because saith he I am thy fellow-servant and of thy Brethren that have the testimony of Jesus And who were they that had the testimony of Jesus Surely they were those whom Jesus himself had chosen to be his Witnesses viz. the Apostles Of these men then the Angel was Fellow-servant to prove that he was so he alledgeth my Text For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Which words can be no way Argumentative unless the Testimony of Jesus be understood to signifie not that which Jesus himself gave but that which his Apostles did give of him but being thus taken they import a two-fold Argument viz. ad hominem and ad rem St. John we know was as all the other Apostles a Jew by birth one of that Nation wherein it was a received opinion that there were ten degrees or Orders of Angels the lowest whereof were called Ischim by the Intervention and Ministry of this sort of Angels they say whether truly or falsly I affirm not that Prophecies were communicated unto Men. These Angels as we are told were chiefly employed to Prophesie and when the Spirit of Prophecy rested on any here on Earth his Soul was â—ixt with and advanced to this Order of Angels in Heaven and was enrolled among them If then this were a Vulgar opinion of the Jews at the time of St. John s Revelations it is apparent enough that my Text contains an Argument ad hominem But the truth is the force of the Angels Argument doth not lye so much in St. John's opinion as in his own employment at that time which was to prophesie concerning things pertaining to the Church of Christ as appears by the preceding Verses let 's then but cast the
from others or at least such Doctrines as were but obscurely revealed to others by Holy Scriptures were plainly made known to them by Tradition But besides the Holy Scriptures and Tradition they or at least some of them pretended Revelation in behalf of their idle Fables as Irenaeus makes evident by the example of one Marcus and other Gnosticks who as they gave out did not only prophesie themselves but had power to communicate the gift thereof to others and accordingly as they boasted and their Disciples believed so they did to divers especially of the weaker Sex and by this pretence they deceived and drew many after them and no wonder if they did so for all men took Prophets to be holy Men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and who so profligate from all Religion as to think that they were such and yet refuse to be led by or partake of their Spirit by this pretence therefore how false and fabulous soever their Doctrine was the foundation of Faith in it and of Obedience to it was laid in the Consciences of men and this Foundation is of all others the most firm and immoveable able to bear whatever superstructure shall be laid upon it yea also and to beat off whatever assaults shall be made against it as appears by the improbability of some Doctrines and severity of some Orders still received and defended because at first founded on the credit of pretended Visions and Revelations all the difficulty was in the choice of the ground wherein to lay this Foundation the minds of men that were of sharp deep and strong Discourse were not apt to receive it but men of shallow apprehensions and weak intellectuals were fittest and most prepared for it this those builders of Babel the primitive Seducers seem wisely to have considered for S. Peter insinuates they were unstable Souls whom they beguiled and S. Paul more expresly saith they were the Simple whose hearts they deceived they crept into houses and led captive silly women laden with sins and led away with divers lusts thus those in the Apostles dayes and Irenaeus tells us of others who a little after them were most busie with women especially those that were of greatest Quality and most famous for worldly Grandieur and Riches these they most frequently sought to impose upon and allure by flatteries But lest their deceiveableness of unrighteousness viz. their Artifices of deceit should not be sufficient to secure the Foundation they came also as it was foretold they would with the working of Satan with all Power and Signes and lying Wonders for we read of Simon the Samaritan the Founder of Heresies and Father of Hereticks that he used Sorcery and bewitched the People of Samaria giving out that he himself was some great one to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest saying this man is the great Power of God Yet as great as he was he at length was in some measure subdued by a greater Power than his for he believed and was baptized yet his heart not being right in the Sight of God but supposing the Apostles to be greater Magicians than himself he greedily contended against them that he might seem more glorious than they to this end he desisted not from the study of Magick but made such farther progress in it as that he provoked many to amazement by it for Claudius Caesar erected a Statue in Honour of him for it After him the Carpocratians were much addicted to Magick and Inchantments that they might entice others to love them yea and they drew Devils to their assistance that by many Delusions it might be in their Power to be Lord and Master of whom they pleased Thus also it is reported of the before mentioned Marcus that he was a very great Proficient in Magical Imposture whereby he deceived many both Men and Women the like might I observe concerning others but this may suffice to shew that in this respect as well as others the primitive Seducers did exactly fulfill the Prophecies that went before of them and from thence it is easie to inferr that they who uttered them viz. Christ and his Apostles were Prophets because the only ordinary and certain Mark of a Prophetick Spirit viz. Predictions exactly accomplish'd is manifestly found in them But forasmuch as the Predictions of Christ and his Apostles concerning Seducers are of use not only to confirm the Faith but also to direct the Judgment in the choice of what Teachers men ought to follow and adhere to it would not be unuseful for us to make Trial of our Modern Teachers thereby which if we should do impartially I doubt not but we should find that the Copy which was set by the false Teachers in the Apostles times is too fairly transcribed by too many especially the Papists in ours and consequently we need not search the Records of Antiquity our own age will afford us too sure and sad accomplishment of these Predictions the demonstration hereof I did once intend but finding I should thereby grasp at matter more sit for a Volume than a Section I shall not so far digress but proceed to speak Sect. 6. Concerning the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles And here my business will be to prove that they really wrought many and great Miracles The Truth and certainty of which Proposition because Miracles were matters of Fact is most properly demonstrable only by Testimony yet Reason methinks proves it probable or somewhat more for granted it is on all sides that our Blessed Saviour himself in regard of his Manhood was but mean in the World his Parents were no Persons of Honour and he himself had but a mean Reception at his Birth nor was he by the Jews much set by in his Life He grew up as a root out of a dry Ground they thought there was no Form Comeliness or Beauty in him that they should desire him They would see no such blossomes in his Youth as promised any extraordinary Fruit in his riper age wherein also he was despised and rejected of men a man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief a Rock of Offence and Stone of Stumbling set at naught by the Master-Builders of Israel rejected by the chief of his own Nation pursued by his Enemies betrayed by one of his pretended Friends denyed by another and suspected by all pursued and apprehended bound and buffetted arraigned and spit on condemned and crucified by his own Country-men as one of the worst of Malefactors was this mans Name like to become great in Israel and famous among the Gentiles yet this was he that sent forth his Apostles and who were They why men as mean as himself persons of obscure Parentage of no Reputation for Wealth or Wisdom Honour or Authority in their own Country yea so far from it as that the chief of them was a Fisherman and others as rude and illiterate as the meanest
degenerate from all Vertue as to put no brand of Infamy upon Vice for of all the things in the World there is hardly any but That shameful at least not so apt to blast the Reputation of men and lessen their credit among others is it then likely the Apostles could have drawn the World after them by their Doctrine if they had been stained with moral Vices in their Practice Was the World so weary of it's old Religion as to change it for a new one taught them by a few persons that had neither any Authority from man to oblige them nor Eloquence to allure them and withal were so inconsistent with themselves as that their lives gave their mouths the Lye There is nothing more unlikely it is therefore beyond a Probability that the Apostles were burning and shining Lights in their lives as well as Doctrine Hereof methinks the silence of their Adversaries gives occasion of Confidence for the Heathens exclaimed against the Christians as their common Enemies that had a design to shake and unsettle all things both sacred and civil and to use their own Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All common calamities they accounted effects of the gods anger because of them the reason of it was because they believed in Christ whose coming had almost driven the Rabble of their gods out of the World nor was that all but they affirmed their Doctrine was apt to extinguish all Humanity and to introduce the grossest barbarity that could be and is it not remarkable that among all this a great deal more filth which they scraped together against Christianity they could find no dirt to cast at the Apostles yet surely so it was for 't is hard to find any of the Gentiles charging them with any Immorality except such as shamefully begs the Question or betrayes the slanderous humour of the Accuser Thus Hierocles if it be he of whom Lactantius saith he railed against the Disciples especially St. Paul and Peter as sowers of Deceit Whom also Porphyrius slaundered as if they contended each against other in a childish manner yea that Paul grew hot with envy at Peter's Vertues and writ those things vaingloriously which he either never did or if he did it was saâ—cily done of him and all this he gathers no man knows how from St. Pauls withstanding St. Peter to his Face but this is so frivolous and withal so groundless an Accusation as that it loudly speakes the Authors malice and the Apostles innocence in their case such accusations of Adversaries were much more demonstrative than the testimony of Friends that they were holy And if they were holy in their Lives then certainly they were contented with their present Portion they were so far satisfyed with what the time present did afford them as that they did not sinfully grieve at or labour after what it denyed them for contentment is at least an integral if not an essential part of Holiness if it be possible to be holy yet not intirely so without contentment you lose a limb if not the Life of Holiness without it Since therefore the Apostles were eminently holy it is more than probable that they were also contented Which likewise Lactantius proves not by consequence from their Holiness but by the cohererence of their Doctrine Such saith he is the Nature of Lies as that they cannot agree but the Tradition or Doctrine of the Apostles because it is true quadrates on every side and agrees with it self in all things and therefore it perswades because it is stayed up with constant reason they did not therefore devise this Religion for the sake of gain or any earthly convenience for both in their Precepts and their Practice they led such a life as was void of Pleasure and despised Profits they did not only dye for the Faith but they also both knew and foretold that so they should yea also that whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution Yet evident it is by their enterprize â—â—d travails that they forsook their Houses and Habitations their Estates and Callings their Kindred and Relations and whatsoever else had a subservience to Wealth Pleasure or Honour in the World and relyed wholly upon the immediate Provisions of Providence Think ye then that they did hunger after Riches or thirst after Pleasures It is evident they did not and therefore they were contented with their present Portion of earthly enjoyments and so were Rich in the sense before mentioned Thus have we passed through the prerequisites to Prophecy or rather the concomitant attendents on it and have found that in respect of them Christ and his Apostles as well as the foregoing Prophets were Wise Strong and Rich i. e. endowed with all those intellectual and moral Vertues which the Jews thought needful to expect in their Prophets the force hereof to prove that they also were such I reserve for another place where God willing I shall joyn it with that of the more demonstrative evidence of their prophetick Spirit and this is it that comes next to be considered Sect. 5. Of the predictions of Christ and his Apostles It was before observed that the evidence of a prophetick Spirit which the Jews esteemed certain and demonstrative was twofold viz. either ordinary or extraordinary each one evacuating the necessity of the other for when divine Providence afforded the ordinary marks of Prophecy the Jews had no more need of extraordinary than Elijah had the Ravens should feed him while he sat at his own Table in Gilead and when men made proof of the prophetick Spirit in them by the extraordinary signs of it the necessity of the ordinary was as eminently superseded as the same Prophets want of his ordinary provision was by the extraordinary Supply thereof at the brook Cherith Since therefore Christ and his Apostles did abundantly demonstrate their Mission from God by extraordinary proof of it as we shall see hereafter there certainly was the less need of the ordinary but God willing more abundantly to shew to the Heirs of his promise the unquestionable certainty of their Mission confirmed it by both our design it is to make it appear that he did so and our method requires us to begin with that which among the Jews by Gods appointment was ordinarily expected viz. predictions fully and exactly accomplished And surely those that are acquainted with matters of Fact and have read the New Testament cannot be ignorant that Christ and his Apostles gave this evidence of the prophetick Spirit in them as well as in any of the Jewish Prophets before them for the destruction of the Jews their City and the Temple we therein find by them so plainly fore-told and by divine wrath and vengeance so notoriously fulfilled as that all the World I presume knows it Yet since particular Demonstrations are far more convincing than general Assertions it will perhaps be worth the while to take a brief Survey of it as it lyes both
far apart as that not only the Eâ—pressions which dropt from my Pen but sometimes also the very Argument of Discourse was utterly fled my Memory I cannot therefore but suspect there may be some ungrateful but I hope not nauseous repetitions in it and the truth is my design not being auram captare but if not to convince Gainsayers whereof I fear this Age hath more than some former have had yet to make the weak stedfast in Faith and joyful through Hope rooted in Charity and resolute in Obedience I was not very sollicitous to avoid them but my chief care was to speak as clearly and to argue as strongly as I could and if by so doing I have done any thing that may be not injurious but serviceable to the truth of the Gospel as it was received in the Primitive Church and that I have much reason to believe was as it still is in ours if I say I have cast but two mites into this Corban I trust that God and all good men will accept of it and therefore I think I need no Apology at least shall make none for writing this Treatise THE CONTENTS Chap. I. IT is certain the Mind doth assent and that to Testimony the Testimony of Jesus what why so called the Nature of Prophecy what the Spirit of Prophecy what that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets proved by Scripture the method of proving it otherwise proposed Chap. II. Of the Notion of a Prophet and that there were Prophets among the Jews The Notion of a Prophet deduced from the Definition of Prophecy assented to by Mr. Hobbs it is agreeable to Reason and all mâ—n receive it that Moses was a Prophet proved by the Testimony of Heathens He promised in his Law that there should be Prophets among the Jews proved by Deut. 18. 15. the certainty that there were so thence deduced Chap. III. The Tryal of Prophets among the Jews Of the Conditions on which men were admitted to a Tryal Sect. 1 These transcribâ—d out of Maimonides the first of them impertinent to our purpose the second excepted against the original of Oral Tradition the Improbability of it the Falshood of it Concerning Alterations to be made in the written Law of Moses it was not Immutable an Objection out of Maimonides another Objection Moses himself and the Prophets taught that it should be changed an Objection The Antecedents or Concomitants of a Prophetick Spirit Sect. 2 These reduced to six Heads the Jews Maxim That Prophecy resteth on none but the Wise the Strong and the Rich we Christians may well except against it is not Vniversally true by their own Concessions yet may it be admitted on two conditions the Prophets Wisdom consisted not in Humane Learning acquired by Study but in Prudence and Knowledge supernatural their Strength consisted in Courage or Fortitude and their Riches in Contentment and all Probity of Manners Of Prophetick Predictions Sect. 3 The Warrant the Jews had thereby to make tryal of mens Pretences to the Spirit of Prophecy the difficulty thereof from Jer. 18. 7 c. how unfolded the Jews sense of Jer. 23 28. the vanity of Astrology Of Miracles Sect. 4 The Jews were not to expect them from all the Prophets that Moses and other of the Prophets wrought Miracles to confirm their Prophecies is both denied and granted by Maimonides proved by Scripture Chap. IV. The Application of the foregoing Discourse to Christ and his Apostles Sect. 1 That they ought not to have been denied a fair Tryal the Jews only were obliged to observe the Letter of the Law of Moses yet Christ and his Apostles as to the design and meaning of it did most excellently establish it among the Gentiles demonstrated out of Maimonides and Abravanels account of it compared with Christian Doctrine they themselves conformed to the Letter of the Law of Moses and taught the Jews so to do Of their Wisdom Sect. 2 That Christ and his Apostles were men of excellent Intellectuals Supernatural Knowledge was more especially enquired after by the Jews in the Tryal of Prophets that Christ and his Apostles had such Knowledge in respect of the manner of it and also in respect of its degree or measure Christian Theology more excellent than that of the Jews and that in a threefold reference viz. 1 to Faith the object whereof is more clearly revealed by Chriâ—tianity than it was by Judaisme 2 to Hope 3 to Practice the burdensomness of the Jewish Religion the Excellency of the Moral Law which was fulfilled by Christ an Objection from the Impossibility of kâ—eping that Law so filled up proposed the mitigation of the Law by the Gospel in four particulars the motives we have to obey the Gospel the assistance it gives us in well-doing from all which the Excellency of Christianity to Judaisme is concluded much more doth it excell the Philosophy of the Gentiles and that in respect 1 of the General Nature 2 of the Object 3 of ehe End and Scope of Wisdom from all which the transcendent Wisdom of Christ and his Apostles is demonstrated Of their Fortitude Sect. 3 The great degeneracy â—f the Jews their preposterous Zeal for their Religion their Malice against all that observed not their Traditions Christ detected the shortness and vanity thereof the horridness of the Gentiles condition the Fortitude of the Apostles thence deduced Of the Prophetick Riches of Christ and his Apostles Sect. 4 That they were Rich proved by the designed End of their Doctrine by their deportment among men distinctly of our Saviour of the Apostles from the multitude of their Followers and from the silence of their Adversaries Of the Predictions of Christ and his Apostles Sect. 5 The Destruction of Jerusalem the Predictions of its fore-runners and of its approach and consummation all exactly accomplished the calling of the Gentiles foretold accomplished Errors and Divisions among Christians foretold and apparently accomplished yea the Means and manner of their Production viz. the Addiction and Designs the Artifices and Cunning of Seducers together with the nature of their Doctrine and speciousness of their Pretences all foretold and fulfilled proved at large Of the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles Sect. 6 That they really wrought many and great Miracles proved 1 by Reason 2 by Tradition of the Church the great Credibility of this Tradition 3 by the testimony of Adversaries of all sorts an Objection the Answer they were not done by Inchantment proved 1 by Reason 2 by the continuance of Miracles in the Church for several Ages attested by the Fathers the evident certainty both that Christ and his Apostles wrought Miracles and that not by Inchantment thence deduced an Objection out of Hobbs against the Credibility of Miracles Ans 1 that Miracles have been done may be believed upon testimony 2 it is needless to demand the doing of Miracles to prove that there have been some done 3 it is wicked and absurd so to do the Tradition of the Church
out the Priests by Sacrifices purged their Temples and the Magistrates their City It is also reported that some of the Epicureans being looked on as Inventors of an esseminate degenerate and filthy sort of Wisdom odious to the Gods were by a Law written in the vulgar Tongue driven out of Lyctos a City of Crete by which Law it was provided that if any one of them should presume to come thither he should be bound and put naked into a Cage near the Senate and be anointed with milk and hony for twenty dayes together that Bees and Flies the mean while might devour him but if he survived this Torment then was he cloathed in Womens apparel and cast headlong from a Rock By this their reproachful Severity they declared plainly what was the end of Philosophy or at least what they expected from it viz. that it should be so far from debauching Mens Manners as that it should purifie thâ—ir Souls and sublimate their Affections destroy their Vices and promote Vertue Senâ—ca therefore tells Lucilius that Wisdom forms the Mind and builds it disposeth the Life and rules the Actions shâ—ws what 's to be done and demonstrates what 's to be omitted it is to us as a Rudder to a Ship it directs the course of them that fluctuate and waver in uncertainties If then this be the designed Work and end of Wisdom there is no Doctrine in the World can lay so just a claim as that of Christ and his Apostles to that Title For the design of it is not to fill mens heads with Notions or to teach them Systems of Opinions but to furnish their Minds with incouragements to Vertue to mortifie their Passions and Self-wills in order to the Love of the Eternal Beauty and an Imitation of it that so in a sort they might anticipate Heaven by a Resemblance of God here on Earth for our Saviour hath taught us to be Perfect as our Father in Heaven is Perfect To this end both the Precepts and the Promises of the Gospel are so exquisitly adapted as that they do not only most effectually forestall all those Vices which the wisest of mens Laws and Instructions have but in vain attempted to destroy but they do also promote such exact and elevated Vertue as is apt to make us as like to our Maker as in this Life is possible For the exceeding great and precious Promises of the Gospel are given us to this end That by them we might be Partakers of the Divine Nature and the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned Faith unfeigned begets a good Conscience a good Conscience a pure Heart and a pure Heart Charity and Charity we know must needs be as one calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a likeness to God or resemblance of him for God is Love an Eternal and Immutable an Omniscient and Almighty Goodness to the Imitation hereof the Gospel doth allure and direct us to this end it is intended and designed its efficacy in order thereunto St. Paul insinuates when he calls it the Ministration of Righteousness and the Powâ—r of God unto Salvation It is a thing more Divine than any Demonstration it hath heat to quicken and enliven our Affections as well as Light to guide them It so forms Christ in the Souls of Believers as that it inclines them to say of him and his Word as the Priests of Mercury did in eating Sacrifices Truth is sweet and when once it is so and well digested it will so transform them by the renewing of their Minds as that they may prove what is that Good and Acceptable and Perfect Will of God And by so doing it will dispose them to such a chearful Compliance therewith as that they shall be Followers of God as dear Children And this as Seneca insinuates is the ultimate End and Design the utmost Scope and Tendency of Wisdom ut Dâ—um sequaris Since therefore the Gospel of Christ gives better Rules and affords greater Helps for so doing than any there are either in the Theology of the Jews or the Philosophy of the Gentiles most manifest it is that it doth most highly deserve not only to be called Wisdom but also to be accounted Supernatural and Divine because it excels all former Revelations of God as well as the Wisdom of men and it that be such excellent Wisdom most evident it is that Christ and his Apostles were most excellently Wise endued with a sort of Knowledg which was utterly unattainable without Inspiration of God because if otherwise it would have beâ—n impossible that they should havâ— been Authors of such an excellent Production Sect. 3. Of Christ and his Apostles Fortitude And that this their Wisdom dwelt with Fortitude i. e. such Courage and Magnanimity as the Prophets had in the diâ—charge of their Office is the next thing to be considered and demonstrated and this it may be from the greatness and strangeness of their Undertaking which we know was to reform the Jews and to convert the Gentiles In prosecution of this Design their Actions and their Sufferings declared the Greatness of their Minds For the Jews although They only of all people worship'd the true God and had the knowledge of his Laws yet were very corrupt and degenerate both in Doctrine and Practice which Corruption seems introduced by their Traditions the Spawn of that pretended Interpretation of their Law before-mentioned for in process of time the Comment made void the Text Traditions were so much regarded as that the Text was little minded the Commandments of Men were taught for Doctrine and the Commandments of God were made of none effect by their Traditions Not only their Faith was founded thereon but a Path was thereby paved for all Israelites though never so bad to go to Heaven in For so absurdly Partial and Indulgent were they to their own Nation as that it was a most Authentick Opinion of their Doctors that every Israelite shall have a portion in the World to come Whosoever believes the thirteen Fundamentals of the Jewish Law before-mentioned is admitted saith Maimonides into the number of Israelites and so surely he obtains as great a Right as any hath to receive Benefit by this their grand Charter for Heaven and this Right he holds unless he be so unhappy as to fall into the number of those that are exempted therefrom but there is no great danger of that because there were but six Sorts of Offences whereby the men of Israel might forfeit this their inestimable Priviledg and truly those Offences were such as they might easily withstand all Temptations to commit for one half of them concerned matters of Faith and therefore might be avoided with little Displeasure to the Flesh and less Intrenchment upon worldly Interests the other half concerned such petty trivial Matters of Practice as that no man well in his Wits would
Reason alone could not find it And unreasonable methinks it is that any Man much more a Christian should be shie of making this Confession For what an astonishment to Reason is it that a Person of the ever Blessed and Glorious Trinity should in a sort lessen Himself and lay aside his Glory leave his Heaven and come down to Earth take upon Him our Nature together with the Infirmities and Servile condition of it and herein should take incomparable pains in Preaching good Tidings to the meek and should send his Apostles by enducing them with Power from on High to do the like to all Nations and to confirm their Word with signs following and all this on little or no Necessity This is such a Kindness as no Romance ever fancved But since the measures of Friendship are usually taken not only from the good things it bestows but also from the need we have of them it is altogether unlikely that infinite Wisdome would be so lavish of its Favours to little or no purpose Into which absurdity if not Blasphemy we cannot avoid falling if we think our own Reason sufficient as this Treatise saith it is to carry us at last infallâ—bly to Eternal Happiness if this be true what need is there of Revelation What can that do more it can't surely carry us to Heaven before we come at the last here on Earth nor can the certainty of its doing it then be greater than Infallibility but all this we had before by our own Reason wherein then are we or can we be beholden to Revâ—lation thus manifestly doth this Opinion evacuate the necessity of Revelation and derogate extreamly from the Mercy and Goodness of God in Blessing the World with knowledge of his Gospel It imputes the folly of a needless Labour to the Son of God and vilisies the Gifts of the Holy Ghost that enabled his Apostles to Preach it to all Nations it sets at nought the Labours of Men in the Word and Doctrine and puffs up Sciolists with such a conceit of their own Reason as makes them swell and burstinto contempt of all supernatural Knowledge it opens a door to Divisions and leâ—s in the Wind of any false Doctrine that conceited Opinionists shall think reasonable Piety therefore and the love of Peace prompt us to abhor it and indeed Reason it self cannot chuse but speak against and condemn it For it must confess that Life and Immortality viz Eternal Happiness is brought to light through the Gospel without the Revelation thereof thereby Reason can but surmise and conjecture at it Contemplating the Works of Creation it finds that all Creatures besides what they are in themselves receive â—xternally some perfection from other things for there is not a Creature in the World but may be what it is not hence it is that there is a kind of appetite or desire in all things whereby they incline to somewhat which they are not that when they have attained it they may be perfecter than they are without it This inclination shews it self in no Creature more than Man who being capable of propends unto a perfection beyond all that in this life is attainable hence indeed Reason concludes that there is a state of Eternal Happiness provided for humane Nature but this its conclusion leaves the Mind altogether in the dark as to the nature of its beatifick Object The Objects provided for the satisfaction of other Creatures Reason by the information of the Senses for the most part perceives but what there is provided for its own it cannot conceive somewhat it seeketh but what that is it directly knoweth not but being verily perswaded that God hath made nothing in vain and perceiving that all attainments in this world will not satisfie the appetites of our reasonable Nature it concludes there is something else provided for iâ— that exceeds all things else that it knowes of in goodness but what that is it cannot tell Now from this its ignorance of the End ariseth so thick a cloud of darkness about the Means conducing to it as that it knows not what to do or which way to go to attain it All that it can possibly direct us to do is to work but when it well considers the happiness it seeks for it can give no account of its being attainable by our works for it being something beyond or above the power of Nature ordained in the Creation it cannot be the natural effect or product of our Works to imagine this is to think our works effectual beyond their proper strength and power yea it is to make God inferior in power unto men it gives them the rule over him and supposeth them able to attain to happiness whether he will give it them or no and so without a Metaphor to take the Kingdome of Heavâ—n by force and to commit a Rape upon the Almighty but this is so gross an absurdity as that every man's parâ—icular Reason abhors it the suprâ—me perfection of our Nature if any way attainable by our works must therefore be the reward of them but then Reason perceives that a Reward is two-fold viz. either of debt or of gift the former is such as is due to the Receiver upon the account of something that he of his own accord without any obligation on him hath done which in justice or equity is worthy of it But who so void of Reason as after a just and impartial examination of his works to think them worthy of Eternal Life humane Reason surely is not so silly as to think that they are so meritorious and beneficial unto God as to deserve it at his hands A Reward therefore Reason cannot conclude it to be of Debt but of Gift and this is such as may become due to the Receiver but not for the merit or by virtue of his Works but by the undeserved Promise of the Giver But without Revelation where will Humane Reason find a Promise of Eternal Happiness to Man in his present fallen Condition The Fall of Man is so discernable by the light of Nature as that scarce any sort of Philosophers was wholly ignorant of it but the Pythagoreans were more especially troubled about it There was a time saith Porphyrius when we were intellectual purged from the dreggs of Sense and Irrationality and so we still are in respect of our Essence but now by reason of our inability perpetually to converse with Intellectual and Eternal Objecâ—s and through our proneness to those of Sense we have wrapt and folded our selves up in them for the Soul not remaining in its primitive intellectual state all its powers being actuated by the Senses of the body are so hurt and maimed as that like ground not well manured they bring forth Tares instead of Corn although good seed be thrown into them and all this comes to pass through the Soul's improbitie which though it doth not corrupt the Essence of it yet it fetters it to that which is fading and draggs it
down from its first and proper state to another far inferior Hereby it is evident that the Light of Nature discovers our fallen condition Herein I say where can Reason without Revelation find a promise of eternal happiness made unto us The vast Volumes of the Creation do not afford it the Book of Nature doth not contain it Where then will it look for it or can it possibly find it Here then this supposed Infallible Guide is at a stand it cannot carry us one step farther it is at such a loss as that it cannot tell us what to do or which way to go that we may gâ—t within the compass of a Promise of Salvation without which we walk in darkness and at all adventures and so our wandrings are like to be very tedious and troublesome indeed But what if they be the matter is not much for those who commit themselves to the guidance of their own Vnderstandings if they do commit themselves wholly to it are as safe on the left hand as on the right as secure of happiness in their Errors as others are who are otherwise guided even in the Truth which they happen to fall into Behold hâ—re the power of Reason how broad it makes the way to Heaven and how wide its gate it throwes it open and takes it on every side no matter with what it approachâ—th it Error as well as Truth if it be the dictate of our own understanding will let us into it What scrupulous Coxcombs then are those who ask with the trembling Jaylour Sirs What must we do to be saved Can they not wholly commit themselves to their own Understandings and then they would be saved right or wrong What though we be Turks Jews Heathens or Atheists in our perswasion it is no matter if we therein wholly commit our selves to the guidance of our own Understandings we are as secure of happiness in our Errors as others are who are guided even in the Truths which they happen to fall into For there is no danger of perishing but from Disobedience without which every man may often err the Commandment of God being not to find out truth especially every particular one but to Endeavour the finding it He commands no more but to search and ye shall find sayes be not every particular Truth for experience teaches us that cannot be the interpretation but whether you find or no the Truth which you search for you shall find the Reward of searching which is Happiness So that if your Understanding search and you do commit your selves wholly to the guidance oâ— it there is no danger of perishing from disobedience to the Laws even of God himself much less from Errour Well little did we think what an amulet we carry about with us and little did we know till this Treatise told us that such is the force and virtue of our Understanding as that if it doth what it may the most venomous errour cannot hurt us if it doth but search we shall be sure to find the reward of searching which is Happiness This indeed is a very comfortable Speculation but it falls out somewhat unluckily that He who acquainted us with it as it is to be feared spake without-book for the Promise is not made to searching but to seeking i. e. to Prayer and Devotion not to Study and Enquiry after Truth in Opinion It doth therefore give us no reason to think either that Happiness is the reward of such searching or that we shall ever find it thereby no though we commit our selves wholly to the guidance of our Understanding therein for if on those Terms men may attain to Salvation I cannot understand that St. Paul the Apostle was e're a whit securer of happiness than Saul the Persecutor for he verily thought with himself that he ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus This was the guidance of his Understanding and he wholly committed himself to it for even then he lived in all good Conscience Why then was not he as safe on the left hand as on the right i. e. while a Pesecutor as when an eminent Believer If he were why doth he magnifie the Mercy of God in his Conversion If he were not what reason have we to believe the now controverted and grand Assertion in this Treatise That therefore notwithstanding we conclude That since Christ and his Apostles were Prophets it is unreasonable to think our own Reason a sufficient Guide to Eternal Happiness Sect. 4. Hence also it follows That it is very reasonable for us to believe whatsoever Christ and his Apostles have undoubtedly taught us The reason of the consequence most manifestly is because they were Prophets and being Prophets they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and forasmuch as God cannot lye the truth of their doctrine must needs be beyond all question For such is the certainty of the Word of Prophecy as that St. Peter prefers it before the voice which he himself heard from Heaven when he was with Jesus in the holy Mount But can any thing be more sure than such a Voice No not in it self considered absolutely but unto us God is Truth and in him there is no Possibility of lying or Shadow of falshood all things therefore that come from him must needs be equally sure and certain infallible and true in themselves yet for all that one thing may have greater evidence of its descent and more apparent credentials of its Mission from him than another hath As for example St. John the Baptist and our Blessed Saviour were both sent from God but both did not give equal evidence of their Mission from him St. John did no Miracle but our Saviour wrought many and the Works that he did did bear witness of him that the Father sent him And as it is in Persons so may it be in several wayes of Revelation and so I conceive it is in those that now lye before us a Voice from Heaven and a Word of Prophecie The Question is not which is most true considered as in it self for so there can be no comparison between them but which of the two is most sure as to us i. e. which of them gives us the fairest Credentials of its coming from God St. Peter decides the question the Word of Prophecy And for this his decision he had the authority of the Jewes among whom it seems that in those dayes it was and perhaps still is a received Opinion That the Bath Kol filia vocis such as St. Peter speaks of was inferiour to the very lowest degree of Prophecy not in its truth as in it self considered but in motives of credibility to others hereof Maimonides insinuates this reason viz. because it may happen to such as are not prepared for Prophecy there were as we have shewed divers qualifications antecedently or concomitantly necessary to fit men for the Spirit of Prophecy and
accomplishment of these Predictions for the primitive Seducers were men of so profligate a Conscience and lewd an Addiction as that they served not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own Belly though they professed friendship yet they were enemies to the cross of Christ their God was their Belly their Glory was in their shame and they did mind earthly things Whereby it is plain they were as it was foretold they would be viz. Men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness And this their perverse Supposition did doubtless dispose them to make merchandise of other Christians insomuch that they sought not them but theirs not their spiritual Good and Welfare but their worldly Wealth and temporal Interests that so they might make advantage to themselves thereby This was their design In order hereunto they seem wisely to have considered that their Power being only perswasive not coercive it would be their best way to adapt a Religion to the Humours and Vices of men accordingly we find that the contemplative and studious they allured with great swelling Words of Vanity about no man knows what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ages which they divided into an Ogdoad a Decad and a Dodecad wherein there were as the Apostle saith Fables and endless Genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in Faith the Fiction of which Fables and Genealogies they stole out of Antiphanes his Theogony So likewise they did divers of their Precepts out of heathen Philosophy for their practical Divinity consisted in the Rudiments of the World the Commandments and Doctrines of men touch not 〈◊〉 not handle not Tertullian therefore saith of the Hereticks that they had brought forth a Stoical Platoniâ—al and Dialectical Christianity Herewith they entertained the studious but they being but few in number in comparison with the more ignorant and vicious they found it expedient to allow of the Vices as well as the Learning of the Gentiles and accordingly so they did for they held the use of all Lust indifferent and herein their Practice was agreeable to their Opinion for it is a Shame even to speak of those things which were done of them in secret and so infectiously wicked it seems they were as that they perswaded others to be as bad as themselves thence it was that the Ephesians were in some danger of being deceived with vain Words into an Opinion that Fornication and all Uncleanness Avarice and Filthiness obscene and foolish talking and jesting were things lawful or at most but venial Sins Yet for all this to allure the minds of the rigorous and austere they pretended to great Mortification and Severity of living other Christians indulged themselves the use of Marriage and all manner of Meats without distinction but these were more mortifyed than so they did forbid to marry and commanded to abstain from meats The Appetites of the Flesh were so hateful and impure in their Sight as that they thought marriage and the better â—orts of meats too great an Indulgence to them yâ—a such was their zeal against them as that some of them said marriage was of the Devil and many of them abstained from all living Creatures and by this pretence of perfect continence they seduced many And no wonder since they were such mortiâ—ied men who would not take them for Saints with these baits did these cunning Anglers fish for Christians from among the Gentiles almost of all Sorts and all Inclinations The Jewish Christians who were yet Zealous of the Law they enticed by asserting a necessity of Circumcision and keeping their Law For they taught the Brethren and said except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses and keep the Law ye cannot be saved By this part of their Doctrine they did conciliate the obstinate Jews and insinuate themselves into those that believed who partly for fear of Prosecution from their unbelieving Countrymen and partly out of Love to their old Religion were very apt to swallow their Poyson whereunto also they added several Ingredients of most damnable Heresie For even in St. John's time many deceivers were entered into the World who confessed not that Jesus Christ was come in the Flesh But because others thought he was they made an high Profession of him that by the sweetness of his Name they might reach out this their bitter poyson unto them Which Poyson they sweetened with Pretences it was very wholesome and useful to purge the Soul from the dreggs of Ignorance and Error to enlighten the Mind and inform the Understanding for their profane and vain Bablings they had the Confidence to call Science and to make Profession of it and from a pretended excellency of Knowledge they laid peculiar claim to the Title of Gnosticks knowing men as if none no not St. Paul or St. Peter or any other of the Apostles could plead an â—quality to the greatness of their Knowledg for they boasted that they knew more than all men else And Knowledge we know is a thing so inviting as that it hath no Enemies but the Ignorant and scarce any so sottish as not to desire it insomuch that it was a Temptation even to Eve in Innocence when doubtless her Knowledge was compleatly suted to her Innocence yet even then â—he judged the forbidden Fruit desireable because it would make one Wise We 'tis true have lost her Innocence but not the Desire after Knowledge no marvel then if with this pretence they allured many Especially considering that though their Wisdom was Earthly Sensual devilish yet they pretended it was from above it came not of Blood or of the Will of the Flesh or of the Will of Man but of God For as the Devil in tempting our blessed Saviour hid his Lies under Texts of Holy Scripture so saith Irenaeus do all Hereticks what though as Polycarp observed they wrested the Word of God according to their own Lusts yâ—t it appeared thereby they fathered their Lies upon the God of Truth from whom also as they pretended their Fables sometimes descended by Tradition and sometimes by Revelation When they were urged and baffled out of the Holy Scriptures they fell foul upon them and accused them of such depravations insufficiences varieties and obscurities as that the Truth could not therein be found by any that knew not Tradition and by Tradition they understood not as others did that which every where always and by all Christians is believed but a more secret delivery of Truth down from one to another not by Writing but by word of mouth Thus it seems they pretended to have received their Doctrine not from the Apostles but from the mouth of Christ himself and therefore in the Church of Corinth they were neither for Paul nor Apollo no nor yet for Cephas but for Christ as if Christ had transmitted such Doctrine to them as he withheld