is so too The time of our Birth is doubtless uncertain for though the Talmudick Doctors do averr That the Foetus's of dumb Animals are form'd within a limitted time yet they do not own the same of young Children They make the time of Parturition threefold one at the ninth Month which is common and usual and this they will have meant by the word Conception which in the Hebrew contains the number 271 for there are so many days in nine Months The second time that a Woman is with Child is seven Months hence in the Jerusalem Targum upon these words Gen. 3.16 I will greatly multiply thy Sorrow and thy Conception c. the Commentators say That the word in multiplying according to the numerical Letters of the Hebrew makes up 212 days which are equivalent to seven Months agreeably to this the Philosophers Empedocles Plotinus and Macrobius say That a Child can't live that is born before the seventh Month. Some of the Rabbins are of an Opinion that every one of the seven Planets performs an Office in the Production of Children The third time of Parturition is extended to the 12th Month. Agellius B. 3. chap. 16. reports that a Woman was brought to Bed at Rome the 11th Month after her Husband's Decease The Emperor Adrian by the Consent of Physicians and Philosophers maintains that this thing is possible Bernard mentions a Woman which is scarce credible that was 16 Months with Child Thus we see that it is ordinary for Women to be with Child nine Months yet extraordinarily they may be Deliver'd before or after that time so the ordinary Term of Man's Life is 70 years yet very sew live so long Therefore the Term of our Life is not so precisely Fix'd but it may be chang'd SECT 2. Man's Life may be shortne'd several ways viz. by Divine Providence Chance or Nature These three Causes I put instead of the three fatal Sisters to whom the Heathens ascrib'd the Boundaries of Life Thus a Man's Life is shortn'd by Providence for Example when a Man is cut off from the People which Punishment the Scripture makes mention of and by which the Cabbalists Aramban and Isaac Abravanel affirm a Man's Life is taken away in the midst of his days and the Soul after its Separation from the Body is depriv'd of the sight of God Hence it is manifest that our Life may be shortn'd by Sin and prolong'd by Vertue But I shall Illustrate this Argument by some Examples The Rabbins say That Abraham liv'd 175 years which are five less than his Son Isaac because he should not see the Impiety of his Kinsman Esau Rachel also did not live out her days For that which proceeds out of a righteous Man's mouth is the same as if it came out of an Angels Jacob not knowing that she had stolen her Fathers Idols curs'd her saying With whom soever thou sindest thy Gods let him not live Gen. 31.32 So they say though Joseph liv'd 110 years yet he died before all his Brethren because he had exercis'd a great deal of Severity towards them Abijah is said to be slain by the Lord for the Sin by which he polluted himself saying Ye be a great multitude and there are with you Golden Calves which Jerobeam made you for Gods 2 Chron. 13.8 With this agrees what Isaiah says Chap. 6.5 Wee is me for I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips and an Angel came and touched his Lips with which he had offended with a Coal There are more clear Examples beside these in Saul and his Sons which the Scripture expresses after this manner 1 Chron. 10.13 14. So Saul died for his Transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which he kept not God smote Nabal with a sudden Death 1 Sam. 25.38 And it came to pass about ten days after that the Lord smote Nabal that he died Here the Jewish Doctors note that those were the ten days which are between the beginning of the Year and the Day of Expiation which we call penitential days because every one ought then to Examine his Life and consider what he has said or done amiss Jeremiah foretold the Death of Hananiah the false Prophet Chap. 28.16 This year shalt thou die because thou hast taught Rebellion against the Lord. But what shall we say of that vast multitude which perish'd in the Deluge of those that were consum'd in Sodom and Gomorrah of Korah Dathan and Abiram and their wicked Accomplices whom the Earth swallow'd up alive Of that grievous Plague which swept away so many Israelites in David's time Is it not manifest enough that their Lives were shorten'd by Divine Providence Pertinent to this are the words of David Psal 37.22 Such as be blessed of him shall inherit the Earth And they that be cursed of him shall be cut off and of Jeremiah Chap. 17.11 He that getteth Riches and not by Right shall leave them in the midst of his days which R. Kimchi expounding says He shall die before his time Job says Chap. 36.12 If they obey not they shall perish by the Sword And Solomon Eccl. 8.13 It shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his days Chap. 7.17 Be not overmuch wicked neither be thou foolish Why shouldst thou die before thy time Upon which places the Chaldee Paraphrast says They shall shorten their days because they shall die before their time comes to die Because God us'd to punish Sinners with untimely Death therefore David prays Psal 102.24 That God would not take him away in the midst of his days The Cabbalists upon that place of the Proverbs Chap. 13.23 There is that is destroyed for want of Judgment say That it is certain that Men often die before their time Hither may be referr'd those Persons that are punish'd for their Crimes as Joab Shimei and many more Concerning these Solomon observes Prov. 19.16 He that despiseth his ways shall die upon which words the Learned Aben Ezra comments Before his time because the Council shall put him to Death SECT 3. There is another way likewise by which Life may be shorten'd and that is by Chance or Fortune For this Reason R. Judah Levita upon those wards of Samuel Or he shall descend into the Battel and perish c. says That is an accidental Death And R. Joseph Albo affirms that it signifies a Death that happens by Chance and without any antecedent Offence and merely by the Power of a Celestial Sign But that I may explain this thing more clearly I shall shew what the Jews meant by Chance and Fortune And in the first place they usually distinguish between Fortune and Chance The latter of which they attribute to inanimate and insensible Creatures For instance if Tyles fall from a House when the Wind blows and kill a Man Here we have two things 1. A natural Cause for it is natural for the Wind to blow 2. That which may be
these following Reasons 1. Because God promises long Life upon the Observation of some of his Commandments as Exod. 20.12 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the Land Deut. 4.40 and 32.47 Now if our days were decreed by God from all Eternity this Promise would be vain and no Body could exceed them much less can God deceive us Therefore it is in the Power of Man to make his Life long or short as I shall shew hereafter 2. We find several Persons earnestly desiring God to spare their Lives So Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.2 3. Then he turn'd his Face to the Wall and prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect Heart And David Ps 61. Cain being afraid of Death says Gen. 14.14 Every one that findeth me shall stay me There are others that have desir'd to die as Elies 1 Kings 19.4 It is enough now O Lord take away my Life for I am not better than my Fathers And Jonah Chap. 4.8 He fainted and wish'd in himself to die and said it is better for me to die than to live Now if the Term of Life was absolutely predestinated the Prayers of Hezekiah Cain and David were vain and those of Elias and Jonah superfluous Hence the Talmudists in Guemara Berachet say That if any one comes into a City and finds it in an uproar he may lift up his Voice and pray to God that he would avert that Evil from his Family Or if any one should desire after his Wife is with Child that it may be a Male certainly such Petitions are frivolous because when a thing is done it cannot be alter'd This we may apply to our present purpose for if all things were decreed from Eternity it is absurd to be sollicitous or careful about any thing 3. The truth of this Argument is mightily confirm'd by the words which God spake to Solomon 1 Kings 3.11 12 13 14. From whence it is evident that Solomon might ask for Life as a contingent thing and when God conferr'd on him Wisdom Riches and Honour he promis'd him Life too not absolutely but conditionally If thou wilt walk in my ways c. 4. If the Term of Life is unalterably setled no Man can prevent Death And yet we find God exhorting Man to beware of Dangers and the Occasions of Misfortunes Deut. 20.5 6 7. and in another place Chap. 22.8 When thou buildest a new House then thou shalt make a Battlement for thy Roof that thou bring not Blood upon thine House if any Man fall from thence Therefore it follows that the Term of Life is not fixed by an absolute Predestination 5. David himself says 1 Sam. 27.10 As the Lord liveth the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die or he shall descend into Battel and perish If by those words or his day shall come to die he understood the Day that was decreed by God it was superfluous to mention the three kinds of Death For which soever had happen'd it would have been appointed before-hand And if so it is plain those words were false for Saul might have been smitten by the Lord as well as slain in the Battel 6. There is not one place in the Old Testament which affirms this Predestination but we may only collect from the forecited Passages that there is a Term of Life which as I have explain'd it depends upon the Times the Heavens and the Constitution So Job says Chap. 14.5 Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass by which he means that all Men must die And David Ps 89.49 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death And in another Place 1 Chron. 29.15 Our days on Earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding As for Job's saying Chap. 14.5 The Number of his Months are with thee he means nothing else but God's Pre-science because God knew and fore-saw all things from Eternity BOOK II. Whether the Term of Life is alterable or unalterable SECT 1. HAVING in the former Book prov'd that there is a Term to every Man's Life I shall in the next place enquire whether this Term is so fix'd that it is impossible to exceed or prevent it or on the contrary whether it is mutable All the Jews unanimously consent that this Term is alterable though it depend upon the Planets the Constitution or the Variety of Times Hereupon R. Bahye says that there is a more Eminent Power above that of the Stars which orders things by Reward and Punishment The same is confirm'd by Aben Ezra upon Exod. Ch. 23. Where assigning the dependance of Life upon the Temper of the Body he says that the Natural Heat and Moisture of every one that serves God is augmented and then a Man exceeds the Term of Life Therefore according to this Opinion the Term of Life is alterable This is the Reason that Men take such Care to preserve their Health and when it is impair'd to recover it This makes them so often change the Air. This makes them drink those medicinal Potions that are to nauseous In a word this first makes Men study and then Practise Physick And indeed as it is very ridiculous to aspire to that Preferment which by no Pains or Industry can be procur'd so I think it exceeding simple to be careful about the Preservation of our Life when the Term is immutable and it cannot be prolong'd Nay it would be to no purpose for the Forth to bring forth Plants and Herbs by the Bounty of God for no other Design than the use of Physick But that we may establish this Opinion better let us consult the 3d Chap. of Eccl. and the 1st Verse In which place Solomon affirms That the Term of Life is alterable There is a time to be born and a time to die Here we see that our Birth and Death are parallell'd forasmuch as they have both a certain time Now if by the hour of Death that Term of Life is understood which is unalterably decreed by God then the same may be said of the hour of our Nativity But if this is granted the very Name of Nature is destroy'd for by this means we are oblig'd to acknowledge that God decreed the Birth of Abraham his long Life his Marriage which Sarah her Conception and Delivery of a Son which is absurd when common Experience makes it appear that these things depend upon Free-will If any one enquires how we must understand that there is some time of Life appointed Rabbi Solomon answers The time of our Formation is compleated in nine Months but that of Death alters according to the Diversity of the Age. And as I said before this is commonly the space of 70 years This being premised I conclude that the space of 70 years or rather the Term of Life is uncertain and mutable when the space of nine Months or the time of Pregnancy
Inquisition that Rack of Men's Consciences was first introduc'd into Spain in the Reign of Ferdinand the Fifth 1478. by the especial Procurement of Don Pedro Gonsales de Mendoza Cardinal and Archbishop of Sevil occasion'd by the Apostacy of the newly converted Jews and Moors who began to return to their old Superstition Now this in some respect had been practis'd before for in the fourth Council of Toledo A. D. 639. in the Reign of Sysenandus the Apostatizing Jews were compell'd to persevere in the Christian Religion lest the Name of Jesus might be blasphemed and the Faith which they had embraced might by that means become vile and contemptible This was ratified likewise by the eighth Council held at the same Place A. D. 671. when Recesuvindus Reign'd over the Goths After all these Iliads of Afflictions they remain at this Day scatter'd over the Face of the whole Earth and because they continue peaceable by the Connivance of our Laws they are not disturb'd And good reason for if as most learned Men agree they will all be converted to the Christian Religion no place can be more proper to promote this Conversion than a Christian Country But alas there are three Impediments to this especially in Foreign Parts 1. The Scandals of the Papists 2. The want of Means to instruct them And 3. The Punishment or Loss which by their Conversion they incurr As many Papists are converted to Judaism as Jews to Christianity Several of our Countrymen as Doctor Gouge Doctor Jessey c. have by their Conversation and Charity piously endeavour'd to begin this good Work But that which must be most effectual to the Proficiency and Accomplishment of it is by letting them see our good Works and then we may joyfully see them glorifiing not only our Father which is in Heaven but the Son and Holy Ghost too Let us not maliciously imagine that they have a natural unsavory Smell but let us be careful that our Sins do not stink in their Nostrils We ought not to mispend our Time in railing against the Jews but we must mortifie our Sins those more inveterate Murderers of the Lord of Life and Glory Our Sins daily spit upon him and bind him and load him with a Burden much heavier than that of the Cross Let us unanimously endeavour to advance the means of their Conversion as well as pray for it This I am sure was the devout Practice of the Christians in the Primitive Church for Clemens often takes notice of the Prayers that were offer'd up for the Jews in the Easter-Week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. c. 12.14 Now this Time and this Country may afford us seasonable Opportunities for I am not a little satisfied that the Obstinacy and Stiffness they were once remarkable for are almost worn off One odd Fancy they still entertain which Menasseh Ben-Israel has strongly asserted in his Spes Israelis that is That the Ten Tribes which were lost are now behind the Caspian Mountains from whence they expect their Messias who with Fire and Sword shall subdue the World and restore their Temporal Kingdom The Tribes that now remain are of Judah and Benjamin most part of the former being settl'd in the East the latter in Germany Holland Italy and England He that desires to see the History of the Rites Customs and Manner of Life of the Modern Jews may read Leo Modena a Rabbin of Venice translated by Mr. Chilmead of Christ-Church in Oxon. 1650. I shall conclude with an Exhortation to the Jews besides my Prayers for them taken out of the 95th Psalm Harden not your Hearts as in the Provocation and as in the Day of Temptation in the Wilderness c. The Catalogue of the Works of Menasseh Ben-Israel which he presented to Mr. Paul Felgenhawer in the Year 1655. Hebraicé LIbri 4 de immortalitate animae Pene Rabba super Rabot antiquorum Rabbinorum Latinè Hispanicé Pars prima Conciliatoris Libri tres de Resurrectione Mortuorum Problemata de Creatione De Termino Vitae De fragilitate humana Spes Israelis Grammatica Hebraea cum novis observationibus Oratio gratulatoria ad Celsissimum Principem Auriacum Oratio panegyrica ad sereniss Reginam Sueciae Hispanicé Conciliatoris omnes partes Pentateuchus cum Margin notis Libri 5 de ritibus Ceremoniis Judaeorum Duobus Tomis Biblia Hispanica cum Commentariis De statua Nebuchadonosoris 12o. Libellus Anglicus De fidelitate utilitate Judaicae Gentis Sequuntu◠Libri parati ad Editionem De cultu Imaginum ipsiusmet Dei contra Pontificios Latiné 450 Conciones in Linguâ Lusitanicâ Loci communes omnium Midrasini sive Sententiae antiquorum Rabbinorum Hebraicé Bibliotheca Rabbinorum cum argumentis lib. quibus adduntur diversae impressiones ubi quando editae cum judicio meo de quolibet Phocilides ex Graeco in versum Hispanicum redditus Libri adhuc sub manibus versantes nondum perfecti Hist Judaica vel continuatio Hist F. Josephi ad haec usque tempora De divinitate legis Mosaicae De scientia Talmudistarum in omnibus facultatibus Hebraicé Nomenclator Heb Arab. De disciplinis Rabbin Philosophia Rabbinica Menasseh Ben-Israel OF THE Term of Life BOOK I. SECT 1. SOLOMON plainly declares that there is a certain Term or Time of Man's life appointed afore-hand Eccles 3.1 2. To every thing there is a Season and a Time to every Purpose under the Heaven A Time to be born and a Time to die c. For as he assigns a determined Time to all sublunary things so likewise does he attribute the same to Life and Death That Place of Job is remarkable Ch. 7.1 Is there not an appointed Time to Man upon Earth Most of the Hebrew Doctors upon this Place agree that the Time is fixed how long a Man shall live Job is more express in another Place Chap. 14.5 Seeing his days are determin'd the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass Here the Doctors are of the same Opinion This is likewise confirmed another way Moses saith Exod. 23.26 The number of thy days I will fulfil And David Ps 39.4 Lard make me to know mine end and the measure of my days and in the next Verse Behold thou hast made my days as an hand breadth Where R. Solomon comments As a thing that is measur'd with the hand so are the days of Man determin'd Solomon Eccl. 5.18 All the days of his Life which God giveth him Job 14.14 All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come From whence it is inferr'd that our Life consists of a certain number of days afore-appointed And because Life has such a Term to which as to a Goal Man bends his Course hereupon the Scripture makes use of this Phrase Gen. 47.29 And the Time drew nigh that Israel must die Deut. 31.14 And the Lord said unto Moses Behold thy days approach that thou must die 1
it is confirm'd by Experience for R. Aquiba's Daughter being almost stung to Death by a Serpent which the Astrologers had foretold was recover'd upon the Account of her generous Charity Hence comes the Rabbinical Proverb Whoever says I give this Money that my Children may live is perfectly just The meaning of which is though we owe our Life and Goods and all that we possess to God who gave them Nevertheless whosoever relieves a poor Man in expectation of obtaining God's Favour he ought not to be esteem'd simple but perfectly just So much for Alms. The next Remedy is fervent Prayer By this means Hezekiah prevail'd so much with God that he granted him a longer Life though he had determin'd his Death From hence comes that saying of the wise Men Though a Man sees a sharp Sword clapp'd to his Throat yet he must not despair of God's Mercy By which they understand that Prayer has such a Power that it can reverse the Sentence of Death which was pronounc'd by God against him Therefore when David says Ps 107.6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he deliver'd them out of their distresses The Psalmist understands this of the time of the Aegyptian Captivity For the Israelites lifting up their minds to Heaven humbly pray'd that God would release them before the appointed time This is the chiefest Remedy the Jews make use of when they are dangerously sick And because the Prayers of many are usually more acceptable it is appointed that the Sick should be pray'd for in the Synagogues I have read of R. Hanina Ben Dossa a very pious Man who us'd to judge of the Life or Death of those Sick Persons that he pray'd for For says he if I pronounce my Prayer smoothly and easily it is a sign of its Acceptance and that the Person will recover but if it is in the least interrupted or I hesitate it is an infallible Token that he will die This did truly once happen to R. Gamaliel's Son who being very sick his Father sent two Servants to R. Hanina to desire him to pray to God for his recovery which when he had done he told the Messengers their Petition was heard and so dismiss'd them and after that the Fever abated and great hopes of his recovery appear'd The Scripture likewise informs us that the Widow of Sarepta's Son was recovered by the Prayers of Elias and that Elisha by his Prayers restor'd the Shunamite's Son to Life Therefore without doubt fervent Prayer is exceeding effectual for the preservation or recovery of Health The third Remedy is a Change of the Name And this is very common among the Jews when they are in great danger of their Lives and it is perform'd in the Synagogue with extraordinary Ceremony and they always add the Name to the word Life The reason of their doing it is this for say they though the Change of the Name does not alter the Substance yet notwithstanding it causes some variation in as much as every one is distinguish'd by his Name Besides they will have this signifie an affection of the mind and a resolution of amending their Life which was so bad before that they did not deserve to be heard by God Some are of opinion that when they change their Name they change their Fortune as appears in the Example of Abraham for he was not so rich when his Name was Abram as he was when he was call'd Abraham While he was Abram he was only the Father of Mesopotamia but when he was Abraham he was Father of the Kingdoms of the World So while his Wise was call'd Sarai she was only a private Mistress but when she took the Name of Sarah she was Mistress of the World In like manner Jacob after his Victory over the Edomites was call'd Israel in token of his future Conquests For while the Captivity continued the People were Jahacob i. e. trodden down by the Gentiles So Moses when he sent the Spies to Canaan chang'd the Name of Osca into Jeshua because fore-seeing by his prophetick Spirit Joshua's Success he said to him the Lord shall preserve thee from the Malice of the Spies No doubt but there are other proper Names in the Scripture which have a peculiar Signification So Esau said to his Brother Jacob thou art truly call'd Jacob that is a Deceiver for thou hast deceived me twice Gen. 26.36 So Abigail truly call'd her Husband Nabal that is a Fool 1 Sam. 25.25 Likewise Naomi Ruth's Mother-in-Law said call me not Naomi i. e pleasant call me Marah i. e. bitter for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Ruth c. 1.20 After the same manner sick People have great hopes of their recovery from the Etymology of Life if other means are us'd besides Lastly The fourth Remedy is a Change of Works This is last in order but ought to be our first Care For certainly the Repentance of our past Sins prevails much with God Nineveh was to have been overthrown within forty Days but upon their Repentance God turn'd the Evil from them So King Ahab upon his Repentance intreated God that he might not see the Evil in his Days Hence the Talmudists say that Repentance prolongeth Man's Life And in another place speaking of the Efficacy of Repentance they say that God by reason of it will revoke and alter his Sentence These are the four supernatural Means of recovering Health to which some add fasting whether it be by those of our own Family or the Poor whom we have oblig'd with our Alms. For when Haman threatned the Israelites with inhumane Usage Hester and Mordecai and all the Jews fasted very strictly Ezra also approv'd of it and frequently practis'd it And it is said to Daniel ch 10.12 From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy words were heard Here we must take notice that by a revocation of a Sentence or a Decree R. Joseph Albo does not mean a Divine Decree but a Celestial Sign And therefore when any great Misfortune is threatned to a Man by the influence of the Planets that danger says he is remov'd by vertuous Actions For instance by the Power of the Planets the Ship that a Man designs to go into will certainly be cast away Now God hinders this Man from his design by sickness or some other way in the mean time the Ship is lost and the Man escapes Aben Ezra is of this opinion for upon the 34th Ch. of Exod. he says Suppose by the influence of the Planets certain Ruine attends any City and the Inhabitants thereof by sincere Repentance appease God's Wrath what shall come to pass Shall they be involv'd in the common Destruction of the City No God shall put them in mind to go up into the Mountains and high Places that they may secure themselves After which the Fields shall be overflow'd with a mighty Torrent of Water and the City shall be destroy'd So
says That the Astrologers by looking upon the Stars can guess at a great many things that will come to pass in like manner God knows what will happen to Men by the Course of the Planets which he has ordain'd already Now when it is in Man's Power to avoid the influence of the Stars by his good or evil Actions He says that God fore-knows that Act or Motion of his Will and which way he designs to direct it Which Prescience he affirms necessitates no Body's Actions But this as the Author himself acknowledges is not a satisfactory Answer to the Question Wherefore R. Isaac Bar Seâ—at in my mind advances the clearest Solution God says he from Eternity order'd all the Affairs of the whole World and by his Divine Wisdom and Sagacity saw all the Effects that ever would be produc'd which tho' they may depend I speak of humane Actions upon Man's Free-will to exist or not to exist yet nevertheless God infallibly and certainly fore-saw and foreknew them Man does not act after this or that manner because God knew before-hand that he would but on the contrary because Man acts so and so therefore God knew it from Eternity This is the Opinion of R. Isaac Arama Justin Martyr Origen Damascene Chrysostom Hierom Augustine and Cyril This Solution I firmly embrace my self Here is the Case if a Person being plac'd upon an high Tower or Mountain sees one Man go from South to North another from North to South by this Act of Vision he does not necessitate the voluntary Motion of those Men so it is here For God's Eternity is correspondent to the distance of Places for he knew all things from Eternity as if they were but just done I will explain it by another Similitude let us suppose a Circle from whose Center may be drawn several Lines to the Circumference Now in respect of this Circumference we may consider a first and a last or a distance between these Lines which in respect of the Center is none at all so in reference to God there is no such thing as first and last past and future but all things are present to him And this I believe Mercurius Trismegistus means when he compares God to a Center and a Circumference in respect of his wonderful Prescience And if we reflect upon what Maimonides said before that our Knowledge is not like God's he means nothing else but that God knows things after a more excellent manner than Men do for he equally sees things that are past future and present but we only those that are present Therefore he says it is very difficult for a humane Understanding to comprehend the manner how God fore-knows things because his Knowledge is not distinct from his Essence SECT 12. Because the Authority of the Sacred Writings are to be preferr'd before all Reason and Experience I design for the Establishment of this Opinion to produce the Words which God spoke to Moses near the Time of his Death Exod. 31.16 And the Lord said unto Moses behold thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers and this People will rise up and go a whoring after the Gods of the Strangers of the Land whither they go to be amongst them and will forsake me and break my Covenant which I have made with them Here is a plain Instance of God's foreknowledge And that the People might never forget it he adds v. 19. Write ye this Song for you and teach it the Children of Israel c. That God's Prescience does not interfere with our Free-will or impose any Necessity upon it is plain from v. 21. For I know their Imagination which they go about even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware Behold how God's Prescience and Man's Free-will exactly agree together That the Will is not forc'd is manifest from the Punishments which are inshâ—ed on the Sinner v. 21. When many Evils and Troubles are befallen them That is a same us Saying of the Rabbins All things are seen and yet Liberty is granted To conclude I will now compendiously summ up what I have treated of in this Book 1. I have shew'd that our Life has a Term. 2. That this may be consider'd according to the Constitution of the Body or the Planets which variously act on the Body or as some will have it in general In respect of the present and the past Times 3. That the Term of Life is alterable 4. That man's Life may be contracted several ways viz by the Providence of God by Nature and by Chance 5. That our Life may be prolong'd by the Meditation on God's Law and the Observation of his Precepts one of which belongs to the Mind or Theory the other to the Will or Practice 6. That man may freely make use of Remedies and Physick when he is sick 7. That though God fore-knows future Contingencies Nevertheless every one may act virtuously or wickedly if he pleases FINIS