did And this is not contrary to Reason For if according to Galen good Diet preserves Health and consequently prolongs Life may we not allow the same Efficacy nay greater to the wise Government of the Soul Now the Body receives Life from the Union of the Soul therefore if this be manag'd according to the Rules of true Holiness which are not prescrib'd by Galen or Hippocrates but which we learn from Heaven no Man can deny but it is most reasonable to expect long Life from a perseverance in that I remember that I have read of a certain Rabbi that wonder'd that Men should live so long in Babylon when 't is situated so low which Places Avicenna takes notice are very unhealthy but when he was inform'd that they often frequented the Synagogues he was very well satisfied The like I met with in Guemera de Tahanit c. 4. where some People asking how they might prolong their lives the wise Men answer'd that it might be done partly by a natural Cause and partly by a moral one viz. The fear of the Lord. I have read also of a Merchant who liv'd in the Island of Cyprus that order'd it to be proclaim'd that he had abundance of sweet Spices to sell that were excellent to preserve Life and when a great many People came to purchase them he pull'd out a Psalter out of his Bag and shew'd 'em the 34th Psalm where David says v. 13 14. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile by which he would intimate that Piety was the best Aromatick to procure long Life Besides the Meditation upon God's word is the means to prolong Life and restore the natural Heat This is strongly confirm'd by Solomon's Exhortation For that most wise King where he speaks about the Law says Length of Days is in her Right-hand and in her Left-hand Riches and Honour Prov. 3.16 Also Chap. 9.11 By me thy days shall be multiplied and in another place Chap. 3.8 It shall be health to my Navel and marrow to my Bones The Reason is because the Scripture saith Man shall not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord Deut. 83. From hence it appears that Men are nourish'd by Spiritual as well as Corporal Food And this I believe is the Reason why Solomon compares the Law of God to the Tree of Life Prov. 3.18 because as the Tree of Life which was in Paradise had such a Vertue that whoever tasted the Fruit of it grew young and vigorous again So the Law of God which is like the Tree of Life has the same effect In like manner if Adam had not sinn'd tho' his Body was compounded of a mixture of the four Elements he might have liv'd a great many Years longer and at last his Soul together with his Body might have been translated into Heaven as it happen'd to Enoch and Elias and all others would have enjoyed the like Privilege who had liv'd in perfect Obedience to the Law Hence the Rabbins believe that when the Law was given to Moses God plac'd the Israelites in the same State that Adam was in before the Fall But that happy Condition lasted not long by reason of their abominable Idolatry in worshipping the Calf Therefore David says Ps 82.7 8. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the most high But ye shall die like Men c. What I have mention'd already does notably illustrate and confirm that singular Example which is recorded in Guemera Jebamot c. 12. of a certain Family in Jerusalem out of which whosoever was born seldom liv'd above Eighteen years which thing being related to R. Johanan Ben Zachay and being ask'd what was the reason of it he bid them enquire if they were not of Eli's Posterity whom God had threaten'd saving 1 Sam. 2.33 All the increase of thing House shall die in the flower of their Age. And it was discover'd that they were deriv'd from him Upon which he admonish'd them that if they desir'd God would grant them longer Lives they should very diligently meditate upon his Law This wise Man's advice had its effect and experience shew'd it And our of gratitude the Family would ever after be call'd by his Name Our Rabbins likewise report that the Sabbath-day on which David died he was very intent in meditating on God's Law which when the Angel Samuel who is the common Executioner of Death perceiv'd he could not execute his Office Wherefore he contriv'd this Stratagem that a high Wind should vehemently shake the Trees that grew in David's Court that might occasion his coming abroad which it did but as he was going down some steps he miss'd one of them and fell down upon which the King being in a Consternation did not think upon God's Law so his Meditation ceasing his Life ceas'd also The Rabbins in this place are of opinion that David obtain'd such Favour from God by his Sanctity and his devout Hymns that Death could have had no Power over him if he had not committed Adultery and Murder Save only in the Matter of Uriah says the Scripture 1 Kings 15.5 This is enough to shew that our Life may be prolong'd by observing God's Laws and meditating thereon so that if any one would perfectly and constantly observe the Law it is probable that like Elias he would never die For I believe this may be miraculously done two ways First by preserving the Radical Moisture in its due State Secondly by preserving the Vertue of our Food As to the First it is confirmed by the Example of Moses who liv'd forty Days in Mount Sinai without Meat or Drink then the Divine Law which was instead of Food preserv'd the Radical Moisture in its due Vigour and Strength The other is confirm'd by the Example of Elias for the Angel said unto him Arise and eat because the Journey is too great for thee 1 Kings 19.7 8. And in the next verse 't is added That he went in the strength of that meat 40 days and 40 nights For the vertue in the Meat was preserv'd as if he had but just eaten it so that he was not sensible of any Fatigue all those 40 days and Nights We must not forget the wonderfull Story of Elias and the Woman of Sarepta for we read how the Prophet said unto her 1 Kings 17.14 The Barrel of Meal shall not waste neither shall the Cruise of Oyl fail And so it came to pass for as much as was taken out one day was restor'd the next Thus the Radical Moisture which is like Oyl is miraculously preserv'd in its due quantity and quality by a constant Course of Piety I say miraculously because it can't be naturally And when I propos'd this Question to Zacuthus a very learned and worthy Physician among us he courteously answer'd in a particular Treatise that it
manifest by Experience that the Prophecies of Astrologers commonly correspond with the Events and that they have often foretold a short Life or a long one a happy or a miserable one Therefore these things are ordain'd by the Stars 2. Every one is sensible that the Generation and Corruption of all Sublunary things depend upon the Motion of the Heavens For we may discern as the Air is more tempestuous or calm so it insinuates it self into Men's Bodies and as it is attracted for respiration so it affects their minds Therefore without dispute the Heavens have some Power over humane Bodies 3. The third Reason is drawn from Authority For the Scripture speaks thus of the Sun and the Moon Gen. 1.18 And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the stars also Here R. Moses Gerundensis asks What is meant by that Dominion It is that Dominion says he which the Stars have over the Bodies of Men upon which they impress several Vertues according to their favourable or malevolent Aspect It is said in the Book of Judges Chap. 5.20 They fought from heaven the stars in their Courses fought against Sisera Likewise in Isaiah 47.13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy Counsels Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee Also Job says Chap. 3.3 Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night in which it was said There is a Man child conceived where he refers all his Evils to the time of his Conception or his Nativity From all these things the Vertues of the Stars are collected The Talmudists also in Tract Moed Katam cap. ult seem to entertain this Opinion For they say that Children Life and Food depend upon the Stars And in another place they affirm the same thing For there Vices and Vertues are attributed to the Efficacy of the Planets under which every Man is born and they take notice of Saturn Jupiter Mars c. In the same place it is disputed whether or no the Reason of these things is to be found out at the Birth or Conception here their Sentiments are plainly discovered to us Notwithstanding all this we must take notice that although this Opinion may be introduced among the Jews yet they unanimously consent that the Stars do only incline but not necessitate the Will and Choice of good Men. Bradâ—◠〈◊〉 behinat Olam an eminent Orator among them has these When says he You look towards Heaven and consider the Stars above never imagine or believe that they have any Power over the Will as the ancient Astrologers fansied for they have no Authority at all over those things that depend upon Free-will As to such things which are out of the Power of Man viz. Life Honour and Riches all agree That they who obey the Commandments of God are out of the reach of the Planets And R. Moses Gerund says That God is above all and can Act See Dispose of and Govern all things according to every ones Desert For this Reason the Talmudick Doctors in one place deny that there is a Planet belongs to Israel and in another affirm it Admitting a Distinction they are both true 〈◊〉 as Aben Ezra remarks upon Exd. chp 34. no Planet reigns over the Fews while they observe the Law but when they neglect it Likewise the Prophet Jeremy says Chap. 10.2 Be not dismayed at the Signs of Heaven for the Heathen are dismayed at them He that is desirous to know more of these things may consult the 18th Book chap. 2. of Josephus's Antiquities of the Jews For where he treats of the Sect of the Pharisees whose Opinion I confess I am of he subjoyns these words They ascribe all things that are acted to Fate but however they grant the Assent of Man's Will alledging that God uses this moderation that when all things are made by his Counsel yet Man hath the Liberty of embracing Vertue or Vice In another place B. 16. c. ult Discoursing of the unhappy Death of Alexander and Aristobulus the Sons of cruel Herod he says It is reasonable to doubt whether that Crime is to be charg'd upon the young Gentlemen by which they had long incurr'd their Father's Displeasure and Hatred or upon the old King's Cruelty and immoderate Desire of Glory and Sovereignty or upon Fortune whose Power the Reasons of the wisest Men cannot oppose Hence we are perswaded that she has settled before-hand all humane Actions which must necessarily come to pass and this is the Power which we call Fate because there is nothing but what it can accomplish So much for Josephus Here we may take notice that by Fate he means the Vertue or Influence of the Planets and he observes notwithstanding these Man has the Liberty to be vertuous or profligate and a little after that no humane Reasons can resist it's Power But Divine and Supernatural ones can such as servent Prayers Alms Deeds sincere Repentance and the like He that has a mind to see a more accurate Discourse upon this Subject may be satisfied by the famous and incomparable Gerard Jo. Vossius in the Second Book of his most Learned Treatise of Idolatry Now I have shew'd the Opinions of our Learned Doctors and of the Astrologers concerning the influence of the Planets I proceed to my Dispute about the Term of Life which according to some of the Jews is that which is determin'd by the influence of the Stars Thus R. Bahye very often says That a Man's Life is decreed by a Planet in reference to that of 1 Sam. 26.10 Or his day shall come But especially the ancient Doctors in Tanchuma are of this Opinion who by those words in Gen 1.14 and for days and years allegorically understand the days and years of a Man's Life which the Sun and Moon mutually govern Thus much for the Opinions of the Astrologers SECT 4. The Physicians are of another mind for they following Galen and Avicenna the chief of that Profession maintain that Life and the Preservation of a Man's Body consist in the Harmony and Proportion of the Qualities which result from the four Elements out of which it is compounded but especially in a due Proportion of heat and moisture So that a Man lives as long as the natural heat continues for being of a Fugitive Nature it consumes the Radical moisture and when that is dry'd up and the other extinct we die so Avicenna says It is impossible that we should die unless the Radical moisture is absorpt and the nutural heat consum'd According to this Opinion every ones Life depends upon a good Temperament and from thence Physicians can foretell the Dispositions and Manners of Children that are to be born not by gazing upon the Heavens as the Astrologers do but by observing the Fortune that attends the Mother while she is pregnant but principally that of
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
his Body was infirm from his Birth or a Pestilence or a Famine infest that part of the Country where he lives Here we may discern by what Causes Maimonides declares our Life may be shorten'd viz. by an ill Complexion by a loose Course of Living by Divine Providence by Plague or Famine I proceed now to shew that our Life may be prolong'd SECT 5. God in several places Promises long Life to good Men and those who obey his Laws as Exod. 20.12 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long in the Land Likewise in Deut. 17.20 and 22.7 and in Psal 91.16 With long Life will I satisfie him Prov. 28.16 He that hateth Covetousness shall prolong his days 9.11 for by me thy days shall be multiplied and the years of thy Life shall be increased And in many other places this Promise is expresly given by God to Holy and Religious Men. But for all this there is a great Dispute among our Doctors about the quality and form of this Promise R. Moses Gerund thinks 't is extended to old Age i. e. 70 or 80 years for which Reason upon those words Exod. chap. 23.26 He says the meaning is He shall not die in Battel or by Pestilence or by Change of Air but by old Age. R. David Kimchi is of the same Opinion and declares it upon that Text in 2 Sam. 7.12 When thy days be fulfill'd and thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers i. e. when thou art old and hast liv'd the longest time which is usually 70 years Therefore whenever that Expression of Augmentation occurs in Scripture we must understand some Infirmity or ill Temper from which a Man is deliver'd as in those Places Prov. 9.11 and 10.27 For if a Man keeps the Commandments of God though he should be very sick and weak yet God can recover him and prolong his days as may appear from the forecited Texts And if God doth grant it he is Happy and arrives to the Term of 70 or 80 years Hence R. Joel Ben Sueb in lib. Norah Thehilot upon those words of David Psal 61.6 says That David desires no more than the ordinary time of Life but R. Solomon is more exact and says David means by Generations 70 years for twice 35 years makes up two Generations or 70 years This was the Opinion of R. Aqutha before these two that by Vertue and good Actions Life was increased so Hezekiah liv'd 15 years longer upon the Account of his Repentance for he was but 29 years old then and had reign'd but 14 years Hereupon the Rabbins say That God's Augmentation is more than the Principal for all those computed together make up but 58 years so that he did not live to the ordinary Term of 70 years This indeed is a great Punishment but 't is such an one by which it may appear that those Persons may have the Grant of a longer Life who deserve it To these things belong that Saying of some of the Ancients That God has a particular regard for those who live justly and righteously for the sake of their good Deeds and therefore their Life is proportionable i. e. he daily encreases their Life Hence upon those words of Moses Deut. 31.2 They say Now my days are fulfill'd this day I was born and this day I shall die for Moses was born and dy'd upon the seventh day of the Month Adar So likewise the 365 years of Enoch which he liv'd upon Earth were proportion'd to the 365 days of a Solar year whose Age being as I may say proportion'd he was translated into Heaven After this manner God usually consummates and compleats the days of the Just Therefore David says Psal 37.18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright as if he took a particular Account of every day According to these Men the Reward of a long Life is nothing else but the Completion of 70 or 80 Years which some of them say no Body can exceed But there are other Men who dissent from these For R. Nissim R. Joseph Albo Isaac Abravanel and others believe that all the Promises of the Mosaick Law are Supernatural and for that Reason maintain that the Promise of long Life is not limited within the Compass of 70 or 80 Years and that a Man may live longer Hence a certain Rabbi says If a Man deserves it his two Generations shall be augmented if not they shall be diminish'd This opinion is most in vogue among the celebrated Authors Hereupon those Doctors who approve of the Sentiments of the Astrologers say that where-ever the word Augmentation occurs in the Scripture it is meant beyond the End determin'd by the Planets They who think the Term of Life depends upon the Constitution say that God by a certain Divine Power encreases the Radical Moisture Hence Aben Ezra remarks that our days are not appointed afore but are natural and that Nature is wonderfully enlarg'd by good Works The same thing is taken notice of by R. Mehir in lib. Urim Vetumim for this Reason says he the Recession of the Sun upon the Dial was given by God as a Token to Hezekiah of the Continuance of his Life because the Sun is the Fountain of all natural Heat upon this Account the Sun receeding and reâ—â—cting his Rays together with his natural Heat he that through Age had impair'd this might have it restor'd and as it were grow young again According to this Opinion which I think the best the prolongation of Life which God promised does exceed any Term whether Complexional Planetary or Secular SECT 6. In the next Place let us see how Vertue and Piety are the means to promote the Radical Moisture in Men. As the Happiness of the Soul consists in Goodness or in the Knowledge of Vertue and what is most commendable In like manner a Man's life is increased and renew'd by good Actions and Meditation on God's Law Now that Life is enlarg'd by Piety may be evinc'd by the words of Solomon Prov. 10.27 Here the Talmudists say this is evident from Experience The fear of the Lord prolongeth days He says this in respect of the first Temple which lasted not above 410 Years and under which there were not above 13 Priests And the years of the wicked shall be shorten'd He speaks this in reference to the second Temple which continued 420 and there were above 300 Priests under that by this number they mean a great many And they further add that they liv'd longer under the first Temple than they did under the second because they were more holy Furthermore our Doctors assert that there are 113 Bones and Nerves in a Man to which the 113 Precepts of the Law correspond Hence the Cabbalists say that Men by Religion and keeping God's Commandments not only purifie their Body so that of Terrestrial and Gross it becomes Celestial and Spiritual but even corroborate and augment the natural Heat so much that it sometimes becomes immortal as Enoch's and Elias's