Common-Wealths The Reverse of Fortunes the Religions Politicks and Governments of Foreign Nations by this we may consult what practices have Establish'd Kingdoms what Laws have render'd any particular Nation more Safe happy and Civiliz'd than its Neighbours and what has Contributed to the Weakness and Overthrow of Bodies-Politick and what has Facilitated its Rise and Settlement and in a Prospect of the whole a New Scheme may be drawn for future Ages to act by Longum iter per praecepta breve Essicax per exempla Wisdom got by Experience is usually very Expensive Tedious and Uncertain Several Experiences confirm ones Knowledge and a Man's Life is too little to make many in every Case But if he finds e'm faithfully done to his hands the labour is sav'd and he may grow wise at the expence of other Mens Studies It was Thales that said of History Nil Mortem à vita differre because the Life of the Deceased depends upon the remembrance of the Living Mr. Brathwait in his Nursery for Gentry says Wou'd you be enabled for Company no better Medium than Knowledge in History It wou'd be a dispraise to advance an Elogy upon this Study which reconciles all times but futurity renders all the spatious Globe of the Inhabited World common and familiar to a Man that never Travelled We may see all Asia Africa and America in England all the Confederate Countreys in ones Closet Encompass the World with Drake make New Discoveries with Columbus Visit the Grand Seignior in the Seraglio Converse with Seneca and Cato Consult with Alexander Caesar and Pompey In a word whatever Humanity has done that 's Noble Great and Surprizing either by Action or Suffering may by us be done over again in the Theory and if we have Souls capable of Transcribing the bravest Copies we may meet Instances worth our Emulation History is as by some called the World's Recorder and according to my Lord Montague we must confess That no wise Man can be an Experienc'd Statist that was not frequent in History Another tells us That to be acquainted with History purchases more wisdom than the Strictest Rules of Policy for that the first do furnish us with Instances as well as Rules and as it were personates the Rule drawing out more into full proportion History best suits the Solidest Heads Whence we find that Caesar made it his Comment We read that King Alphonsus by Reading Livy and Ferdinand of Sicily by Reading Quintus Curtius recovered their Health when all the Physical Doses they took prov'd ineffectual but whether 't is Friendly to the Body or not 't is not our business to determine Sure we are that 't is Friendly to the Mind cultivates and informs it in what is very agreeable to its Nature we mean Knowledge therein imitating its Divine Original History is the most admirable foundation for Politicks by this may be discovered all that 's necessary for a Kingdoms Safety and Peace the Stratagems of War an account of the Management of the deepest Plots and Contrivances and the carrying on such Measures for every Publick Affair whether in respect to Enemies or Allies as the deepest Heads have ever yet practis'd And as History is so useful to such as are intrusted with the Charge of Common-wealths so 't is not less necessary for the Settling and Establishment of the Christian Religion We find a Great part of the World Worship Inanimate Beings others Sacrifice to Devils others propagate a Worship made up of the most ridiculous Fables as the Turks c. and many that profess the Christian Religion are so far degenerated from the Native Simplicity and Purity of it as that 't is now another thing A Reasonable Creature born into the World and finding in himself a Principle of Adoration of some Vnknown Being can't forbear an Enquiry into Religion but when he finds so many Religions so great a Diversity of Divine Worship and every Party willing to believe themselves in the Right and condemning all the rest of Mankind that are not of their Opinion This is enough to surprize such a Person but at the same time he will make this necessary Consequence after a little thought and application of Mind Certain I am that there 's a God and as certain that this God ought to be Worshipped after such a manner as is most Suitable to his Nature and the quality of the Worshipper as to his Nature it 's too fine and Spiritual to be pleas'd with any Adoration but what is Spiritual and as for Man the Creature that is to pay this Homage and Adoration he is a Reasonable Being and therefore it 's also Necessary that the Worship he pays be the most reasonable and perfect that his Nature will admit of Now a Man needs not go out of himself to consult what Reason is he has no more to do than to see what Religion is most agreeable to his Reason and most worthy the Dignity of his Nature we speak here of unprejudic'd persons And then History will inform him what has been practis'd and shew him that Christianity is the most noble sincere and pure Religion in the World but in this we refer you to what we have already spoken upon the foregoing Subject of Divinity There only remains to inform our Reader That 't is not onely Books but Maps Monuments Bass-Reliefs Medals and all Antient Descriptions that mightily strengthen and confirm History therefore 't wou'd be very useful to read such Authors as have treated upon Medals c. In our Catalogue of Miscellanies especially the Iournal des Scavans there are several of them The following Catalogue will be of great use in this Study HISTORY CHardin's Voyages into Persia fol. Embassie of the Five Jesuits into Siam fol. Chaumont's Embassie into Siam fol. Cornellis's Historical and Geographical Memoirs of Morea Negrepont and the Maritime places unto Thessalonica Dapper's Description of Africk in fol. Tavernier 's Travels in fol. Leti Historia Genevrina in 5 Volumes in Twelves Mr. Amelot's History of the Government of Venice Ortelius Mercator Cambden's Britannia Caesar's Commentaries Philo-Judaeus Cornelius Tacitus fol. Daniel's History of England fol. Lord Bacon of Henry the 7 th History of the Roman Empire Livies History Elzevir's Edition with Notes Supplementum Livianum Johannis Florus in Usum Dephini Valerius Maximus Utropius Suetonius Tranquillus Justinus Historicus Thucidides Translated out of Greek by Hobbs Zenophon Herodotus Diodorus Siculus in fol. Sir William Temple's Memoirs Dagoraeus VVhear his Method of Reading Histories Burnet's History of the Reformation Bishop Abbot's brief Description of the World in Twelves Davilla's History of the Civil Wars of France fol. Guichardin's History of Italy fol. History of Ireland Amour's Historical Account of the Roman State c. fol. Blome's Britannia Baker's Chronicles of the Kings of England fol. Bacon's Resuscitatio fol. Caesar's Commentaries fol. Heylin's Cosmography fol. Herbert's Life and Reign of King Henry the Eighth fol. Howel's Institution of General History fol.
was Ambassador to the Court of Swedland he notwithstanding doth advance divers things which are contrary to what Grotius saith himself in his Letters He saith for example that Grotius being vext because Cardinal Richelieu had cut off his Pension the first time he was in France and had caused him thus to leave it See not the Cardinal under this fine pretence that he helped not the Ambassadors It 's what Mr. Aubery calls an unconceivable stand or for a better expression a Dutch obstinacy which hindered his reconciliation with this potent Minister tho' he had a very great need of him for his service in his particular affairs so that he treated but with the subaltern Ministers Grotius saith on the contrary that he saw him pretty often and relates some discourses he had with him as may be seen in 1. p. letter 491 505 535. and elsewhere There is no great likelihood that Grotius gave the Chancellor of Swedeland long relations of any affairs which he had negotiated as he saith with the Cardinal himself if he had never seen him during his Residence in France as Mr. du Maurier assures But it seems this Author hath confounded the Cardinal of Richelieu with Cardinal Mazarin of whom Grotius thus speaketh in a Letter dated the 26th of September 1643. I have caused your Letters to be given to Cardinal Mazarin I shall not see him without an Order from our Queen because at his own house he gives not the hand to the Ambassadors of Crowned heads and being treated with the Title of Eminence he treats not again with that of Excellence pretending to be equal to Kings according to the Opinions of the Court of Rome and very difficultly yields precedency to Princes of the Blood Mr. du Maurier also says another thing which is not conformable to the Letters of Grotius viz. that the Ministers of Charenton who despised Grotius during the time he was but a private man in France used him quite another way when he was Ambassador of Swedland Having considered saith this Author that it would be a very great honour to them that an Ambassador of so considerable a Crown should be present at their Assemblies they sent unto him one of their Ministers with the Elders of the Consistory to pray him to honour their Sermons with his presence telling him that the very Lutherans were of late admitted to their Communion by an Act of the last Synod of Charenton hut he answered them haughtily that they having neglected him whilst he was a private man and a Refugee he would neglect them in his turn being Ambassador It 's very well known that the Ministers of Charenton endeavoured to draw Grotius to their Assemblies from the first time that he was in France but as we see nothing of it in these Letters we do not at all rely upon it It 's true some were deputed to Grotius as he says himself in the Letters 378. p. 1. 340 and 350. p. 2. but he refused not to go to the Sermons of Charenton after the manner which Mr. du Maurier saith he thus tells us himself he received the Deputies of Charenton Letter 350. p. 2. I have had this day at my House three Learned Reformed Ministers le Faucheur Minister of Montpellier and Mertrezat and Daille Ministers of this Church They desired me to join my self to their Communion and told me that what was in times past established at Alez and Charenton being changed by new rules wherein Lutherans are admitted to the Communion they hoped we should hold their Confession for a Christian Confession as they had the same opinion in respect to the Remonstrants that they remembred what I formerly writ against Sibrandus to wit that I should be very much surprized if the Reformed refused the Communion to Chrysostome and Melanchton if they came again into the World That they had read and approved my whole Book of the Truth of the Christian Religion and the admonition I gave at the end to Christians to bring them to an agreement I told'em I was satisfied with what they said being conformable to my maxims that the opinion of Melanchton had always extreamly pleased me and that I had sufficiently shewn it that as to what concerns Ecclesiastical Peace I knew well that it ought not to be troubled by a turbulent manner of acting That there should be free conferences amongst the learned They also said that they endeavoured to bring the Remonstrants of Holland into their Communion and that they had written about it to M. Rivet that they were become more prudent with time and that they hoped that the Dutch after having well examined their reasons would do somewhat in their favour After having said these things on each side I added that I was ready to testifie by the external signs the Communion of the Spirit in which I had always joined with them and that it was never my fault that it was not so that if I went into a Country where Lutherans knowing my opinions of the Eucharist would receive me into their Communion I would make no difficulty to communicate with them They approved this conduct Grotius seemed after this to be inclined to go to communicate at Charenton but there was an obstacle which never could be taken away that hindered him 't was that Grotius would have had a distinct place in the Temple and to be received there in the quality of Ambassador of Swedland which the Consistory of Charenton would not grant him Grotius complains thereof in these terms in Letter 358. I am surprized at the inconstancy of these people who having invited to their Communion the Lutherans say that they cannot receive an Ambassador of Swedland in the Quality of Ambassador because of the difference which is between the sentiments of that Kingdom and theirs Grotius notwithstanding in the Letters which we have cited praiseth the moderation of the Ministers of Charenton But here is a good character of Mr. Daille in Letter 232. p. 2. A Roman Catholick having put several questions to M. Daille in a Letter and amongst other things why the Reformed had condemned the Arminians he answered that seeing peace was oftentimes offered to the Lutherans who are of the same opinions it was not so much the Arminians who had been condemned as Arminianism I fear saith Grotius that those who are here stronger than they shall say one day that they drive not away the Calvinists but Calvinism which I pray God may not befal them M. du Maurier relates a pleasant History of a Lutheran Minister that Grotius had at his House whom he names Doctor Ambreus whereas Grotius complains of Brandanus Letter 840. p. 1.410 p. 2. He saith that this Ambreus instead of expounding purely and simply the Word of God flung himself into controversie with so much violence that his Sermons were full of invectives which Grotius being at last weary of exhorted him to expound the Gospel without wounding Christian Charity Upon which Doctor
the Dovaniers themselves and that before he arrived at the Caucase there were no incouragements to go to Travel into these Countreys This Mountain is very famous the top is always covered with Snow and is inhabited and the passage over it is Eight Leagues all the rest of it abounds with Honey Corn Gum good Wines and Fruits Hogs and other great Cattle There are many Villages and most of the Inhabitants are Christians live after the Gregorian Rule and enjoy their ease Before we come to the Description of Georgia it is pleasant to see the Author meet his Comrade after a thousand troubles with the Riches that he brought out of Europe Georgia reached heretofore from Taunis and Erzorum to Tanais and was called Albanie but it is less now there are some that would have its Name derived from that of St. George the great Saint of all the Christians of the Gregorian-Order others will have it derived from the Inhabitants who were called Georgi by the Greeks which signifies Labourers it has but few Towns The Kingdom of Caket had many heretofore It is properly the antient Iberia that was ruined by the People of Mount Caucase and as it 's said by the Amazons The Author says he has seen none in Georgia that ever was in the Amazons Country but that he has heard much of them and has seen at the Princes Palace the Habit of a big Woman made of thick Woollen and of a particular form which they said was that of an Amazon killed near Caket in the last Wars The Sons of the Prince of Georgia understanding by Mr. Chardin what History says of the Amazons said that they were some of the wandring Scythians like the Turcomans and Arabians and have transferred the Soveraignty to their Wives as did the Achinese and that these Queens were served by some of their own sex that followed them every where after the manner that Georgia and its Inhabitants are spoken of here it would move one to apply to them the Proverb touching the Kingdom of Naples Il regno Neapolitano e un delicato paradiso Mahabitato da gli dianoli In effect Georgia is as fertile a Countrey as can be one may live there deliciously and cheap the Bread is as good as in any place of the World the Fruit is very excellent and of all sorts abundance of very good Cattle Fowl innumerable and incomparably good the wild Boar is as delicate there as in Colchis and there can no better thing be eaten than the Hogs which the common people feed on there is Fresh-water-fish and Sea-fish in great quantity and the best in the World For 8 Livres may be bought a Horse-load of the best Wine in the Country that is to say 300 pound weight All this resembles an Earthly Paradice but if we consider the Inhabitants they will be found like Devils only except that they are Civil Grave Moderate and very Fair The Author Remarks That he did not see one ugly Person of either Sex but Angelick Faces and that nothing can be Painted more Charming than the Georgines Nevertheless he adds that they all Paint they generally have a great deal of Natural Wit but being ill brought up they become very Ignorant and Vicious Cheats Knaves Traitors Ingratefull Proud and strangely Impudent in Lying Irreconcileable in their Hatreds Drunkards Usurers immodest to the highest Degree The Church-men drink as well as the rest and have with them handsome Slaves which they make their Concubines and what is the height of all Corruption none is scandalized because it is Authorized by the general custom The Author says that the Guardian of the Capucins told him that he heard it said by the Catholicks for so are called the Patriarchs of Georgia that whoever was not drunk at the Feast of Easter and Christmas c. does not pass for a good Christian and ought to be excommunicated The Women are neither less evil or vicious they have a great eagerness for Men and have a greater part in this Torrent of Immodesty than is to be found in any other part of the World Every one has liberty in Georgia to live according to his own Religion to discourse of it and maintain it There are there more Armenians than Georgians there are also Greeks Iews Turks Persians Indians Tartars Muscovites and Europians The Religion of the Georgians is much the same with theirs of Mingrelia but that they Fast more and have longer Prayers and look after their Churches better The greatest part live on remote and inaccessible Mountains they see them and salute them at the distance of three or four Leagues but hardly ever go thither and what is yet more ridiculous tho' the Prince is a Mahometan yet he fills all Benefices generally he places his Friends in them and it is his Brother that is Patriarch now without doubt it would be known how this Catholico first renounc'd Mahometanism and it is very pleasing to see how the Georgian Princes have become Mahometans and Subjects to the Emperor of Persia The Account is very distinct and in few words opens all the History of that Country from Ismael Sophi to this very time There we learn among other things that the Kings of Persia soon converted them by inflicting great Torments upon them that continued in Christianity and in giving great Advantages to such as abjured Iesus Christ and this was done with not so much Reluctancy as quitting the Protestant for Romish Religion but as there never was Country or Age wherein were not found some firm in the Religion that they believed good so there was a Princess of Georgia that neither Iron nor Fire could shake Abas the Great would not received the Lie but sent Orders to the Governour of Chiras to make her a Mahometan at any Price the Governour omitted nothing to overcome the constancy of this Princess he made her suffer 8 Years Martyrdom by so much the more cruel that he renewed her Torments every day she died at last upon Flaming Coals in the Year 1624. her Body was thrown to the Birds of the Air but the Augustins sent it secretly to the Prince her Son she was called Kelaâ—aâ—e and very few have imitated her The Princess of Georgia and great part of the Lords do now profess Mahometanism some to imploy themselves at the Persian Court others for Pensions and some that they might marry their Daughters to the King or make them enter into the Queen's Service The head City of Georgia is called Tifflis there are fourteen Churches which is much in a Country of so little Devotion but that is not the most surprizing It is more admirable that these People should be so much against the Building of Mosques the King of Persia their Soveraign could never compass the Building of one at Tifflis The People rise presently and being armed ruine the Work and abuse the workmen they thought to build one at the Fort to accustom the People to the sight of
made for Women against the Calumnies of Men By James Chausse Master of the Court-Rolls Printed at Paris sold by Samuel Parrier in the Pallace 1685. in Twelves and at Amsterdam by Peter Morteri I Have in the first Article of the last Month said that 100 Officious Writers might please themselves infinitely in imploying their Pens to the Glory of the Fair Sex He needs be no great Divine that says so and he must have but a little Memory and a very mean Knowledg of Books who without this Treatise is afraid of being deceived in judging as we do since so many have Written in favour of Women in all Countries and all Ages of the World We shall always find some who exercise themselves with pleasure upon this repeated Subject How many Books have we seen in favour of Women Those Written by Monks wou'd stock a Library even the Chief Magicians according to the Common Opinion have Written upon this Inviting Subject as appears by the Discourse of Agrippa De nobilitate praecellentia foeminei Sexus I know some have Writ against them but their number is inferiour to those who spoke in their Praise There are too many as well on the one side as the other but those who know how to Write being sensible of the trouble there is to keep the Mean more easily pardon the Extreams these Authors fall into 'T is very difficult to maintain Marriage without decrying Celebacy and speak for a single Life without bringing Marriage into Disgrace Therefore we ought to excuse those who cannot shun this Rock St. Ierom had so little power in this Affair that his Friends were forc'd to suppress some of his Books where under pretext of establishing Continency he entirely ruin'd the Doctrin of the Church concerning Marriage Some say that Mr. Chausse runs upon the different Rock when he says That Marriage is the only way to Paradise and 't is to rob himself of the greatest happiness and the most solid Blessings of this Life to forbear entring into the Matrimonial State But certainly when they only imputed these thoughts to him they forgot the Declaration which he made in these decisive Terms Nothing is better nor more excellent than Marriage except an absolute Continency There are some who indifferently regard the Disputes of these Authors and only divert themselves as if they saw different Persons acting a Comedy Yet there cannot be seen without some agreeable Sentiments two Books publish'd at Paris both at the same time each well arm'd with Approbation and Priviledge which maintains absolute Contraries upon the great Theme of Matrimony One of these Books is an Answer of Mr. Ferrand to his Apology for the Reformation the other is that of which we are going to speak Marriage is in it every where almost elevated to the highest point of perfection where Fidelity continues during this Life but in the other Book 't is to Virginity that this advantage is attributed and that in so violent a manner that if we follow'd the Maxims of the Author cited step by step we shou'd look upon Married Persons but as Vultures and Swine We ought certainly to remit something of each side and say that Celebacy and Marriage are speaking Morally in themselves neither good nor bad Those who remit nothing on the part of Marriage will immediately shew us how to prove the Excellency thereof by these three Reasons First Because it was God that Instituted Marriage in the Earthly Paradice during the State of Innocency Secondly There is nothing agrees better with Man than Marriage nor is more adapted to his Necessities Thirdly That Marriage is the most necessary thing in the World to maintain Society Wisdom and Chastity These three Proofs are clearly amplified these two Considerations annext First That Marriage is the most perfect Bond the sweetest and most beneficial of all humane Unions The Second That 't is the most legitimate and agreeable exercise and of the most absolute Authority in the World This he proves by most lively Descriptions and observes that this Union includes both Body and Souls that it represents the greatest Mysteries of Religion that 't is a Source of sweetness and infinite Consolations and which furnishes us with excellent Vertues as Patience Charity and a desire to improve our selves amongst the number of the Elect and Fellow-Citizens He adds that the Father of a Family is Master of a little State where he exercises the Function of a King Priest and Prophet It allows him a very lawful and priviledg'd satisfaction of that desire which rules in a Man He ends with this Consideration That in one sense nothing can be more excellent than Marriage since 't is an Universal Custom and the most general of all Societies in all times all places and all sorts of persons how different soever This seems to me a just Abridgment of the first part of the Work In the second is represented the Infamy of Incontinency considering three sorts of people that plunge themselves therein one by Inclination another by Habit and the last by both but with this difference that the first look upon Lasciviousness as their Sovereign good whereas the second continues there in spight of themselves being subjected to the force of Custom and Temper but the last look upon these Irregularities as an Innocent Gallantry The Author considers besides that four sorts of Importunities that of the Heart of the Eyes of the Mouth and that of the Hand he shews wherein they consist he proves 'em Criminal and gives the Reason why God hath so severely prohibited such things to Man as he was Naturally inclined to and why he tolerated Poligamy in the Ancient Patriarchs The Third Part contains the full End and chief Design of the Author for he writ this Book only to perswade the necessity of Marriage to a considerable Person whom he extreamly Honoured for his Merit and Family where in this place he displays all his force to represent to the life those Motives that ought to perswade People to Marry he immediately proposes this Principle there is nothing but Marriage that can naturally preserve Man from the guilt of unchastity and by consequence that 't is necessary for Salvation After that other Reasons seem Superfluouse Nevertheless the Author sticks not to this great Principle which he ought to make appear since he believes it is true but he brings many other Advantages with abundance of Truth he urges the unusefulness of Continency he says that the most Favourable Iudgments of the Wisest about a single life is that 't is a vertue neither good nor bad and that being without Action it is a kind of Vice He maintains that God made Two Sexes in Nature to shew they cannot subsist without being joyn'd together he sends us to learn of the Animals amongst which the Mutual love of Males for Females and Females for Males is common to every Individual after this he considers Men as Men in a State in a Family and in
full of such passages as intimate that God by an Almighty hand and by an invisible and internal Efficaciousness independent of External Circumstances Acts in the Depths of our Souls and that Grace penerates even into the deepest and most secret Faculties It wou'd follow from the System of these Gentlemen that the Progress of the Gospel and that of Philosophy is the same Philosophy perswades by a happy Concourse of Circumstances that is to say by its Eloquence turn of Wit Art of well managing its Dispositions according to the inclination of the Auditor and its Address which must give an Air of Evidence to all its Reasons These are not the methods of the Holy Ghost it s very true that Circumstances are not without their use but we ought not to give 'em any force which Necessitates or attribute to 'em an Irresistible Grace On the contrary a new Action of the Holy Ghost is displayd upon the Will and makes it feel a certain secret Charm at the sight of an Evangelick Object which begins to wean it from sensible things and disposes the Understanding to a favourable Judgment of Truth and Vertue In fine it causes preventing and over-ruling Grace upon the Will and God Seconds our Endeavours and places us in necessary Circumstances which also Act immediately upon the Heart We shall conclude with a proof which Mr. Iurieu here makes use of and which deserves our consideration He maintains that if a Concourse and Order of Circumstances is the only Source of Sanctification and if Grace depends upon the first admittance of the knowledge of the Truth then the greatest Wits ought to be the greatest Saints altho' says he Experience shews the contrary God hath not made choice of the greatest Scholars to be partakers of his greatest Graces the Church was first taken out of the Bosom of the Vulgar and the great Wits which are distinguisht in the World have not embrac'd Christianity We may ordinarily observe that those whom God hath endued with the most Elevated Devotion and Fervent Zeal are Common Persons However we find a few great Men who are as Examplary for their Piety as Merits Mr. Iurieu himself is an Example Nevertheless it is true this is a reproach which is always cast upon great Wits they often resemble Persons whose gust is too fine to abide any thing but Meats well seasoned Ignorance more surely finds Devotees Now if according to these Gentlemen the Understanding is the great Spring which Actuates all the Faculties of the Soul one might conclude from thence that those who have the most Light shou'd have more Zeal and certainty in Religion than meaner Spirits Wherefore adds Mr Iurieu we can by no means doubt that the Faith and Piety of these Devout Souls these who are Poor in Spirit was not produc'd by an immediate Operation of the Holy Spirit which hath imprinted the Efficacy of its Grace in their Souls A Relation of the Inquisition at Goa At Leyden 1687. in 125. ALL the World knows in General what the Inquisition is some Books have given such descriptions of it and not exceeded the Truth that one cannot read without Horror and great Emotion 'T is even very surpizing to Reflect that Religion that ought to inspire its followers with Justice and Humanity can Authorise these Barbarous Formalities and horrible punishments which make this Tribunal so formidable But few men know the particulars of what passes for the Mysteries thereof are almost impenetrable This Author is one that informs us by his own Experience he is a Frenchman that relates this sorrowful Adventure who confesses 't is not without some regret that he makes it publick because the Inquisitor according to their General Custom had forced an Oath from him never to discover the Secret Some Pious Persons that were Timerous Strengthened his scruples till others of a better Judgment convinced him that the benefit of the publick Dispensed him from an Oath that was extorted by his Tormentors His Relation ought to be so much the less suspected as his delay shew'd he was not in hast to publish it since 't was above Eight Years after his return so that his resentment being lessen'd by time it has little or no part in his recital He tells us that being a Catholick and well Instructed in Divinity he had a great mind to go into the Indies which he prosecuted and Landed at Daman an East-India Town under the Dominion of the Portuguese which are the most Superstitious People living and the French Catholicks are Hereticks when compar'd to them They use to carry into their Assemblies the Image of some Saint and if there 's any one that will not give Alms he must at least kiss the Image Our Traveller not being able to contain himself at this sight from Laughing at them all the Devotees were Scandalized at him his refusal rendring his Faith suspicious some time after being at a Portuguese Gentlemans house who always had an Image in his Bed which he kissed with much Ardour our Author instructed him upon it and told him that the Hereticks Interpreted the worship of Images much to their disadvantage and therefore it wou'd be better to Moderate it It happened the same time that one of his Neighbours seeing a Crucifix at the head of his Bed piously advised him to cover this Image lest by chance he shou'd have some Amorous adventure in his Bed Upon which the Author had the Imprudence to Laugh the Scruple appearing to him so very pleasant and to make some profane Raileries upon the Holy Custom of the Women of that Country which wou'd not grant any Favours untill they had Lockt up their Chaplets and covered all the Images in their Chambers This multitude of Crimes made him to be taken notice of in the S. Office Besides he had another Misfortune for he made frequent Visits to a Lady which a Priest was in Love with that was Secretary to the Inquisition This Priest was very much disgusted at it and some appearances gave him great Disquiet this Jealousie animating his Zeal he rid himself of his Rival by casting him into the Inquisition The description he gives of his horrible Prison is capable to touch the hardest heart with Compassion The Stench and Darkness of it was so insupportable that Fifty Persons Strangled themselves with Despair He was afterwards removed to Goa where resides the greatest Tribunal of the Portuguese Inquisition in the Indies all the Favour that he found there was the choise of the lightest Chain of all the Criminals He had there the Mortification to see his Rival there who came to feed his Eyes with his unworthy Triumph As soon as ever he came he was despoiled of every thing that he had they shaved off all his Hair as is the Custom without Distinction of Sex when first they come into the Holy Prison of the S. Office The Sacraments are never Administred to any one there nor do they ever hear Mass There Reigns so
Wittichius his Collegue maintain'd the Divinity of the Holy Ghost against the same Sandius I believe that after having considered the proofs that M. Le Moyne brings there 's few Men will be so Opinionative as to maintain that the Fathers of the three first Ages were of Acius's Opinion for he relates many express and formal Passages wherein they maintained the Eternal Divinity of the Son of God He doubts not but what was said of Tiberius is true viz. That he proposed to the Senate the Apothesis of Iesus Christ or taking him into the number of the Gods Tertullian Eusebius and St. Chrysostom relate it but this last was deceived when he said the Senate of Rome placed Alexander in the number of the Gods it s very likely he took the Roman Senate for that of Aâ—hens The Author Corrects a passage of Perâ—â—ius's Translation of Iustin Martyr and which Cardinal Bellarmin made use of to prove the worship of Angels He shews that such a worship was not meant in this passage and that it must be pointed according as Christopher Langus and Sigismond Gelenus have pointed it He adds that in the time of this Father the worship of Angels was not practised amongst the Christians He very strictly examin's what was the true Opinion of Paulus Samosatus whereupon he takes occasion to explain the different Fortunes of the Term Homousian I shou'd be too tedious to give an account of the fine remarks he has made upon the Measure of the Encrease of Nile that was kept as a relick in the Temple of Serapis and which the Emperor Constantine carryed to the Church of Alexandria Mr. de Valois has happily corrected the Passage of Socrates where this Translation is Copi'd for whereas Christophorson and Musculus had translated it thus Constantine caused this measure to be removed to the Church of Alexandria his Translation says that this Emperor Commanded Alexander who was then Patriarch of Alexandria to place it in the Church But in remarking so exactly the Errors of others he did not observe he committed on himself when he said that Constantine at the same time caused the Images of the False Gods to be placed in the Church Which is the sense he gives to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Sozomon makes use of The Author shews how improbable it was that Christians shou'd put such abominable objects in so Sacred a place so that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signify eithe the Standard or Ancient Titles of the Town The Idolaters murmuring against this Translation Reported that Nile encreased more but that they were deceived For the People always imagin'd that upon the change of Religion wou'd follow strange marks of the wrath of Heaven they wish'd it out of spite and yet were afraid of it because of the unhappy effects it might produce and these two Passions made men very credulous we ought not however to think it strange that Providence very often makes use thereof The Christians had their part in the surprise if they believed that Nile was sensible of it when Iulian carryed back to the Temple of Serapis what Constantine had taken from thence The Conjectures of the Author are very fine upon the Reason which made Iosephus cite a Second Book of Ezekiel and upon the sense of a difficult passage of the First Book of the Maccabee's Chap. 3. vers 48. where according to some Versions it is That the Heathens sought Copies of the Law to Paint their Idols by in These conjectures are very learned as well as all that he says upon the Instruments of punishments c. used amongst the Romans from whence he takes occasion to explain many obscurities of the Ancient Authors He says that the Wild-Hony which St. Iohn eat of in the Wilderness was not a kind of Manna or Concrete Dew but a true Hony made by Bees in the hollow places of some Trees as there are Ants in China and Tunquin which fly in great Companies upon the Trees and there make a kind of Wax or Gum whereof the Lacca so well known to the Dyers is made it is also the chief Ingredient of the Spanish Wax he confirms his Opinion by the History of Ionathan who found Honey in a Wood and refutes the Chymical Opinion of the Rabbi who pretended Ionathan only found Sugar there Upon which Mr. Le Moyne examines whether Sugar was in use amongst the Ancients and says That although they knew how to draw from certain Reeds a Juice very agreeable to the Taste yet they had not the Art of Taking Condensing Whitening and making it dry as we do now Lucan speaks of this Reed when he says Quique bibunt tenerâ dulces ab arundine Succos Eratosthenes speaks thereof also in the 15th Book of Strabo and plainly insinuates that they sometimes baked this Juice but 't was a preparation very different from ours Those that alledge this Verse of Stace Et quas praecoquit Ebufita Cannas to prove that the Antients made Sugar did not observe that it was corrupted and that instead of Cannas it must be read Caunus which was a kind of Figs that the Inhabitants of the Isle of Ebusus made very excellent by their manner of preparing them As for the Sugar Mambu and Tabaxir which the Antients had the knowledge of The Author shews 't was a kind of Gum which they made use of to sweeten their Medicines and that this Gum gathered together in the joints of certain Trees or else that 't was the dew which Coagulated upon the boughs He brings a passage of Pliny which Favours this opinion since in it one sees that Sugar is a Hony gathered upon Reeds white like Gum which may be reduced to Powder by the Teeth larger than a Hazle-Nut and which is used only in Medicins Arrian Seneca Galen and Theophrastus have spoken of Sugar either under its proper name or under that of the Hony of Canaan but the Idea they give us of it only resembles a thick juice either running from the Plant it self or taken from the Reed We must therefore conclude with the Author that the Ancients knew not the Sugar that we now have He very Learnedly examins the Reasons how the Rabbi come to commit that mistake and mentions amongst other things the Scripture observation That as soon as Ioanathan had taken of this Hony his Eyes were enlightned which had probably Contributed thereto for the Ancient Physicians ascribed to their Sugar a particular vertue of curing Eyes as may be seen in the second Book of Dioscâ—rdies Chap. 104. He afterwards speaks upon the Goat Azazel upon the dependences of this Mysterious Sacrifice upon Hysop Circumsicion c. To extract from which subjects all that Merits observation wou'd take up too great a part of this Volume I shall therefore content my self with relating these rich Treasures of Learning and with the Thoughts of St. Barnabas That the number of the 318 Persons that Abraham Circumcised in his
rational Person amongst 'em give in their answers to this question suppose this Sacred Wriâ— should be the Word of God What Testimonies Authorities Qualifications c. would be sufficient to fix an undoubted perswasion in you that it is the Word of God Certain we are that the answer would not come up to half the demonstration that we now have since we have the utmost Authority that Nature is capable to give nay the ordinary course of Nature very often inverted to confound the infidelity of such persons as question'd their own natural conclusions and the Author of Nature at once as if 't were his business to condescend and make new terms with his Creatures to keep his credit amongst ' em We cou'd if the shortness we have design'd this Discourse wou'd permit enlarge upon this Subject but 't is so well done to our hands by several late learned Divines that our Deists have nothing to object but a little Buffoonery Banter and Ridicule and 't is pitty to deny 'em the happiness they take in it or any other short liv'd Pleasure which must necessarily arise from their Principles which if it be not exactly the same with Post mortem nihil est ipsaque mors nihil Death it self is nothing and after death there 's nothing Yet 't is near akin to it for tho' they have not that Stoical Bravery to defie Death I wou'd say to dare to think of it like Men yet most of them have imbib'd Descartes's Principles unwillingly assur'd of the Existence of their Soul or some unknown Agent which works upon their Animal Spirits after some unintelligible dark manner and that it does not come under the common Notion of other Material Substances they are also certain that the Body rather depends upon it than it upon the Body to a demonstration and what is yet more disagreeable to 'em when they dare be guilty of thinking is that as an after State of the Soul has been the Universally receiv'd Opinion even amongst such as were unacquainted with no better Demonstration than the Dictates of their natural Light So they can't find out any Reasons against it so plausible as to escape their own Ridicule if offer'd by any body else and if there be any thing of an after-State to make an Eternal unknown Plunge into it must certainly be surprizing to such Persons as have no hope beyond this Life no proper claim to another but what their own Doubts and Fears may give 'em a Title to Mens habet attonitus furdo verbere caedit Fears not to be stifled since they arise from a Principle that depends not upon the Will no more than a Man's Shape or Species does But to leave this unhappy Subject and if possible to perswade a Retreat to some of that numerous Crowd that are about to list themselves into this unthinking Fraternity I wou'd propose Learning and Study to 'em and amongst all others that of the BIBLE Since it shews the most certain and secure way for such as expect a greater Happiness than is in sensible Objects A Happiness worthy the Dignity and Nature of Mankind in short such a Happiness as Man was Created for unless he himself frustrate his own End I have already made a short Comparison of the Sacred Writ with other moral Writings which appear but mean in respect of it Not that I wou'd deny a due value to others especially Divinity Books as Comments upon the Bible and distinct Treatises whose Subject in general is to remove all Obstructions of human Happiness as Prejudices Error c. and to prepare the Mind for a search after Truth In order to this great End it will not be amiss to subjoyn this following Catalogue which will be of great use to such as love this Study DIVINITY POol's Synopsis Criticorum and his other Works Dr. Hammond on the New Testament with all his other Works H. Grotius 's Commentary on the Old and New Testament and the rest of his Works Eusebius his Ecclesiastical History T. vet Biblia Sacra sive lib. Canonici priscae Judaeorum Ecclesiae a Deo traditi Latini recens ex Hebraeo facti brevibusque Scholiis illustrati ab Im. Tremelio Fr. Iunio Accesserunt libri qui vulgo dicuntur Apocr lat reddâ—ti notis quibusdam aucti a Fr. Iunio multi omnes quam ante emendata Ed. aucti locis innumeris quibus etiam Adjunximus N. T. lib. ex Sermone Syro ab eodem Trimel ex Graeco a T. Beza in lat vers notisque itidem illustratus Bp. Andrews Sermons c. The Works of the whole Duty of Man Dr. Hookers Ecclesiastical Policy Dr. Comber upon Liturgies Bishop Burnets Works Bish. Stillingfleets Works All the Fathers as St. Ambrose c. Mr. Leigh's Critica Sacra Dr. Lightfoots works Dr. Preston's works Riveti Controversia de Religione contra Papistas The History of the General Councils Dr. Sherlocks works Dr. Jeremy Taylors works Bishop Ushers works Jurieu's Accomplishment of Prophesies Dr. Barrows works Dupins Bibliotheque Altings works Episcopius his works Bishop Bramhalls works in four Tomes fol. Hales Remains in fol. Bishop Halls Contemplations upon the Remarkable Passages in the Life of the Holy Iesus fol. Latin Books in Divinity Bail summa Conciliorum omnium ordinata aucta illustrata ex Merlini Joveri Baronii Binnii Coriolani Sirmondi aliorumque Collectionibus ac Manuscriptis aliquot seu Collegium Synodicum in sex Classes distributum c. in fol. Beveregius Guil. Synodicon sive Pandectae Canonum S. S. Apostolorum Conciliorum ab Ecclesia Greca receptorum necnon Canonicarum S. S. Patrum Epistolarum una cum Scholiis antiquorum singulis eorum annexis scriptis aliis huc spectantibus c. Oxonii in fol. Bonacinae Martini Opera omnia in tres Tomos distributa c. fol. Lugd. Coccei Johannis Opera omnia octo voluminibus comprehensa c. Amstelodami in fol. Cassidori magni Aurelii Opera omnia in duos Tomos distributa c. Rothomagi fol. Grotii Hugonis Opera omnia Theologica in tres Tomos sed quatuor Volumina divisa c. Amstel fol. Haunaldi Christop Theologiae speculativae scholasticis Praelectionibus Exercitiis accommodatae Libri quatuor partibus summae divi Thomae respondentes c. Ingolst adii fol. Vossii Ger. Ioh. de Theologia Gentili Phisiologiâ Christianâ sive de Origine progressu Idololatriae deque naturae mirandis quibus homo adducitur ad Deum in fol. Bocharti Sam. Geographica Sacra c. in quart Cotelerius Ecclesiae Grecae monumenta c. in quart Kabbala denudata seu Doctrinae Hebraeorum transcendentalis c. 410. Sulsbach History HISTORY has been call'd by a great Man Speculum Mundi The Looking-Glass of the World It gives the best prospect into Humane Affairs and makes us familiar with the remotest Regions by this we safely sit in our Closets and view the horrid Devastations of Countreys Tumults Changes and Ruptures of
not necessary nor ordained by the Apostles and he gives many reasons to which he adds divers Examples in Ecclesiastical History by which one may see he believes it not necessary that there be an Union of Discipline amongst the Churches Upon this occasion he particularly makes use of the Epistles of St. Cyprian by which it appears according to Dr. Barrow that every Bishop lay under a double obligation whereof one regarded his Flock in particular the other the whole Church By the first he was obliged to take care that every thing be done in good order in his Church and that nothing should be done which was not for Edification and this should be endeavour'd by taking counsel of his Clergy and his People By the second he was obliged when the good of his Flock required it to confer with other Bishops touching the means of preserving Truth and Peace But in that time a Bishop knew not what it was to be hindered from acting according to the extent of his Power by appealing to a Superior Power to which he was obliged to give an account of the Administration of his Charge Bishops were then as Princes in their Jurisdictions but they omitted not to keep a certain Correspondence for the preserving an universal Peace Statutum est omnibus-nobis saith St. Cyprian ac aequum est pariter ac justum ut uniuscujusque causa illic audiatur ubi est Crimen admissum singulis Pastoribus portio Gregis sit adscripta quam regat unusquisque praepositus rationem actus sui Domino redditurus and elsewhere Qua in re nee nos cuiquam facimus nec Legem damus cum habeat in Ecclesiae administratione voluntate sui liberum arbitrium unusquisque praepositus rationem actus sui Domino redditurus Dr. Barrow shews after this the Inconveniencies which would attend the Government of the Christian Church if it should acknowledge one Visible Head A famous Divine of the Church of England having maintained the Unity of an Ecclesiastical Discipline so that all the Christian Churches ought to be according to him in the nature of a Confederacy which submits every Church in particular to an entire body if it is permitted so to speak Dr. Barrow believes he is obliged to refute this Tenet and to that end he hath drawn from his Works twelve proofs of this Opinion which that Divine has spread in divers places and which he proposed with great care altho' after a manner very obscure and intricate This last Author having objected for instance to those who believe not that the Unity of Discipline is necessary the Article of the Creed where 't is said I believe in the Holy Catholick or Vniversal Church and the Creed of Constantinople where 't is said The Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Dr. Barrow answers to this that this Article is not in the Abridgment of the Christian Faith which is found in St. Irenaeus Tertullian and St. Cyprian no more than in the Creed of the Council of Nice And 1. That it was not in the Apostles Creed which the Church of Rome makes use of but that it is added after the Times of Ruffinus and St. Augustine against the Heresies and Schisms which sprung up in the Christian Church 2. That it agrees with the Unity of the Catholick Church in many respects and that this is not the manner of Unity which is in Question and which is not decided in the Creed 3 'T is fairly supposed that the Unity which is spoken of in the Creed of Constantinople is that of outward Government 4. That one might reasonably think that the sense of this Article is no other than this That we make profession to remain stedfast in the body of Christians which are scatter'd throughout the whole World and which received the Faith the Discipline and the Manner of living Ordained by Iesus Christ and his Apostles that we are bound to be charitable to all good Christians with which we are ready to Communicate That we are willing to observe the Laws and Constitutions and Ioynt-Opinion of the Churches for the Conservation of Truth Order and Peace Lastly That we renounce all Heretick Doctrines all scandalous Practices and all manner of Factions 5. That it appears that this is the sense of this Article because that he hath put it in the Creed to preserve the Truth Discipline and Peace of the Church 6. That 't is not reasonable to explain this Article in any manner which agrees not with the Apostolick Times and Primitive Church for then there was no Union of Discipline amongst Christians like to what has been since As it was objected to Dr. Barrow that this opinion favours the Independants so afterwards he shews the difference between it and that of these Men after which he draws divers consequences from his own positions as That those who separate from the Communion of the Church in which they live that is established on good foundations are Guilty of Schism and ought to be Censured by and excluded from the Communion of all other Churches and they must not think themselves to be exempted from Error altho some other Church would receive them as a Subject cannot withdraw himself from the obedience of his natural Prince in putting himself under the Protection of another This also is defended by the Apostolick Canons which the antient Church hath observ'd with much Care as Dr. Barrow makes appear by many examples This is according to his opinion a means to extirpate Schisms and not that which is proposed by the Roman Church to wit to Establish a Political Vnion amongst divers Churches by which they are Subordinate to one only Every Church ought to suffer the others to enjoy in peace their Rights and Liberties and content it self to condemn dangerous errours and factions and to assist with Counsel the other Churches when they have need thereof The second Volume contains the explication of the Creed in 34 Sermons upon this Article I believe in the Holy Ghost The rest being briefly explained because that the Author has treated of 'em in other places of his Works marked in a little advertisment which is at the End of his Sermons These Sermons are not simple explications of the Letter of the Creed The Author hath explained the Articles as he had occasion by divers texts of Scripture treating of the matter that he found therein and the particular circumstances of each text He shews first how much doubting is necessary and on the contrary in the two following what Faith is Reasonable and Just. In the fourth and fifth he explains Justification by Faith He afterward proves in four Sermons successively the existence of a Deity by the Works of Creation by the order of the Body of Man consent of all Nations and by supernatural effects The tenth and two following treat of the Unity of God of his power and of the creation of the World In the 13th and to the 20th the Author
proves the truth of the Christian Religion the falseness of Paganism and Mahometanism Imperfection of the Religion of the Jews and the excellency of that of Jesus Christ whom he shews in four large Sermons to be the true Messia Afterwards he explains all that is contained in the second article of the Creed In the two last he shews the Justice and certainty of a day of Judgment In fine the 34th treats all along of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost The third Volume contains 45 Sermons which treat mostly of Morals The three first are upon those texts of the Scripture which command us to do all in the Name of Jesus Christ and in Imitation of him The six following shew the Submission which we ought to have to the will of God and contentment of mind to which the Apostle gives so great praises The 10th and 11th treat of patience and joy the 12th and 13th on the study of a mans self the 14th and 15th of the thoughts of our latter end the 16th and 17 of the danger of deferring repentance the 18th and from thence to the 22th of the labours and employments of all sorts of persons of whatsoever condition they may be the 23d of the depth of the Judgment of the Almighty the four following of the obedience we owe to our spiritual Guide the 28th and the following to the 31st of self-love and its different kinds the 32d and unto the 35th to do nothing but what is honest in the eyes of the world the three following of the goodness of God and that he is no respecter of persons the 39th and unto the 42th of the Universality of Redemption and the three last of the birth and passion of Jesus Christ and of the gift of the Holy Ghost Besides what we have said of the method of Dr. Barrow which is that that is at this day observed by the most able Divines of the English Church 't will not be amiss to observe that by the application he hath made to the Mathematicks he has formed to himself a habit of writing very exactly avoiding unuseful digressions and making use of Solid proofs rather than Rhetorical figures according to the Custom of many Preachers who apply themselves rather to a plausible eloquence than the Solidity of sound reasons It was thought necessary to give this account lest the Publick should be displeased with the name of Sermon which was so dreadful for three Volumes in folio to contain nothing else Those who have been in England and have had any knowledge of the writings of the Divines of that Country know the esteem in which our Author is there but to satisfie in some manner those who understand not English I shall here give an extract of the 8th Sermon in the 2d Book where the Author proves the existence of God by the Consent of all Nations Lactantius After having cited many Heathen and Christian Authors against Atheism he brings the testimony of all People and Nations which agree almost in nothing but the belief of a Divinity Testimonium Populorum atque Gentium in Vna hac re non dissidentium this is of great force whether it be considered in it self or by the relation to its Original An Antient Philosopher ranged probable things in this order that which seems true to some learn'd persons is in some sort probable that which appears so to the greatest part or to all the Learned is most probable what is believed by most men both Learned and Ignorant is yet more likely but what all men consent to has the greatest probability of truth so that one must be very extravagantly obstinate to have the boldness to deny it there is no man in the World can by his reasons only ballance the constant authority of all men If any one by a Spirit of contradiction or otherwise should undertake to prove that Snow is black as did Anaxagoras or maintain motion impossible as Zeno did or that contradictory assertions may be true at the same time as Heraclitus did That there remains no other means to refute such a man because he hath rejected the most evident principles and opposes himself to the Universal consent of Mankind if he refuses such a concession all that we can do is to look upon him rather with pity than contempt We ought to have very convincing and clear reasons to resist the common suffrage of all men and accuse them equally of error To illustrate this still more or rather to demonstrate the Thesis upon which it is founded it is necessary to cite the testimonies of some Heathen Philosophers which cannot be suspected on this occasion The consent of all men saith Seneca is of very great weight to us 't is an argument a thing is true when it appears so to all the World thus we conclude there is a Divinity because that all men believe it there being no Nation however corrupted which denies it Cicero says the same thing in several places and observes further that many Nations had extravagant opinions of the Divinity yet they all agree in this that there is one eternal power on which all men have their dependance In violent disputes saith Maximus of Tyre in contestations and divers opinions which are amongst men one may see a Law and Doctrine equally established in all Nations that there is a God which is King and Father of all men and that there are many Gods Sons of this Supream Being which Reign with him This is confess'd by the Greeks and Barbarians the Inhabitants of all places both Learn'd and Ignorant There are many like Witnesses and if any Philosophers have contradicted this general consent they are so few in number that according to the foresaid Author they ought to be looked upon as Monsters as an Oxe without Horns and a Fowl without Wings If we should consider the Original of this common Opinion we should acknowledge it yet more solid for in fine this consent can proceed but from one of these four things Where there is a thought which is the result of a natural Instinct as the most evident principles of the Sciences and the desire we have to be happy as Cicero and many other Philosophers have declared Where we have a natural disposition to receive this Impression as our eyes are naturally disposed to see the Light as soon as it appears as Iulian himself said Where some strange reason that presents it self to the minds of men even the grossest and what depends chiefly upon common notions hath produced this consent as Plutarch has it Where in fine some ancient Tradition that came from the same source has spread this opinion through all the earth according to the thoughts of some others There can be no other way Imagined by which this opinion hath been received amongst all men who are so much inclined to judge diversly of the same thing now chuse which of these ways you will our reasons are equally strong and