or no this Collection be Logical it is not material to dispute because the Spirit of Prophecy not only in Christ but also in his Apostles doth it self declare the truth of it For easie it is to observe that those Prerogatives which the Jews ascribe to the Prophecy of Moses their Master are very discernable in theirs as will appear by a Transcript of them out of Maimonides who tells us 1 That all the other Prophets prophesied in a Dream or a Vision but Moses our Master beheld and stood while he was awake according to that that is said When Moses was gone into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to speak with him i. e. God then he heard the Voice of one speaking unto him which Text is so interpreted by the Jews as that it seems among the Talmudists it was a Rule that Moses had never any Prophecy in the Night i. e. in a Dream or Vision of the Night as the other Prophets had but when he was awake and in the full vigour of his Senses then the word of Prophecy came unto him 2 All the other Prophets prophesied by the help or ministery of an Angel and therefore whatever they saw they beheld it in Riddle and Similitude but Moses our Master prophesied without the intervention of an Angel as it is said With him will I speak mouth to mouth Thus again it is said The Lord spake unto Moses Face to Face it is also said The Similitude of the Lord shall he behold to shew not that there was any Similitude there but that he saw clearly without a Riddle or Parable which also the Law there testifies concerning him even apparently and not in dark speeches because he prophesied not in a Riddle but he perspicuously beheld the matter in Vision 3 All the other Prophets were horribly afraid and astonished and became faint but Moses our Master was not so and this the Scripture saith as a man speaketh to his Friend as if it had been said as one is not afraid to hear the speech of his Companion so could the mind of Moses our Master understand the words of Prophecy and remain in its perfect Constancy 4 None of the other Prophets could Prophesie when they would it was not so with Moses our Master but at what time soever he would he was cloathed with the Holy Spirit and Prophecy did abide upon him neither had he need to dispose or prepare his mind for it for he was alwayes disposed and in a readiness as a ministring Angel at what time therefore he would he could Prophesie according to that which is said Stand ye here that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you and herein his considence was placed in God as it is said Go say to them get you into your Tents but as for thee stand thou here by me Thus Maimonides concerning the difference between the Prophecy of Moses and of the other Prophets I will not pass my word how little soever it may signifie either for the truth of all that he saith or yet for its consistence either with the Holy Scripture or the Writings of other Hebrew Masters or of himself yet supposing it to be all true we may thence gather that in the Mosaical degree of Prophecy i. e. the highest among the Jews imagination had nothing to do Divine Truth was represented immediately to the Understanding the Characters of it were clearly and plainly written on the Mind it self and therein the Prophet might read it without the Hieroglyphicks of Material Phantasms a soft and gentle irradiation did so enlighten his Vnderstanding as that he might know the mind of God without either Study or Teaching from Men or Angels Dreams or Visions panick Fears or Passions and this degree of Prophecy was in him not as the transient Effect of a sudden act upon the Patient but rather as an Intellectual habit whose acts he might elicit when he pleased This is that degree of Prophecy which Maimonides and his Adherents attribute to Moses their Master and we Christians may do it I think with greater truth to Christ and his Apostles For certainly the Soul of our Saviour had whatever knowledge was convenient for it to have in order to his being able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him and forasmuch as even in the dayes of his Flesh he was as well as he now is the Captain of our Salvation it seems convenient for him even then to have had no less knowledge than that wherein it doth consist the reason is because that that is only in a possibility of being must be brought into actual Existence by that that actually is And forasmuch as men in this World being only in a possibility of attaining to the knowledge of the Blessed are and ever were to be actually brought unto it by the Man Christ Jesus it follows that He even in his staâ—e of Humiliation had that knowledge of Vision whereunto he then did and still doth conduct them and this Knowledge I suppose will be granted to exceed all that ever Moses or the Prophets or any other Mortals whatever either did or could attain to But we need not fly so high in Speculation because it was foretold of him that the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Knowledge should rest upon him These four saith Aquinas comprehend all things whatever can be known for the knowledge of things Divine and Immaterial pertains to the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and the knowledge of all Practical and Speculative Conclusions to the Spirit of Counsel and Knowledge Since therefore the Spirit of these things did in an extraordinary manner or rather without measure rest upon our Messias it is to be concluded that whatever Gifts the Holy Ghost doth embellish the Souls of men withal were most eminently shed forth on the Soul of our Lord Jesus and consequently that of Prophecy far beyond the degree of Moses or all other Mortals put together and if so it were then doubtless he could elicit the acts of a Prophetick Spirit without either previous Dispositions or Preparations Dreams or Visions Angels or Consternations and that when he would in a manner far superiour to that of Moses And then for the Apostles it seems not that the Spirit of Prophecy in them was in any point inferior to that of Moses but rather more excellent for the Spirit of Truth did guide them into all Truth and shew them things to come and this he did in such a manner as that they knew the mind of God without Dreams or Visions or Angels to teach them and the Knowledge they had of Divine Truth it is evident they received without those discomposures of Soul and terrible shakings of Body which usually befell the old Prophets Evident also it is by the Sermons and Discourses that they uttered upon all occasions that the Knowledge they had they could
far apart as that not only the Eâ—pressions which dropt from my Pen but sometimes also the very Argument of Discourse was utterly fled my Memory I cannot therefore but suspect there may be some ungrateful but I hope not nauseous repetitions in it and the truth is my design not being auram captare but if not to convince Gainsayers whereof I fear this Age hath more than some former have had yet to make the weak stedfast in Faith and joyful through Hope rooted in Charity and resolute in Obedience I was not very sollicitous to avoid them but my chief care was to speak as clearly and to argue as strongly as I could and if by so doing I have done any thing that may be not injurious but serviceable to the truth of the Gospel as it was received in the Primitive Church and that I have much reason to believe was as it still is in ours if I say I have cast but two mites into this Corban I trust that God and all good men will accept of it and therefore I think I need no Apology at least shall make none for writing this Treatise THE CONTENTS Chap. I. IT is certain the Mind doth assent and that to Testimony the Testimony of Jesus what why so called the Nature of Prophecy what the Spirit of Prophecy what that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets proved by Scripture the method of proving it otherwise proposed Chap. II. Of the Notion of a Prophet and that there were Prophets among the Jews The Notion of a Prophet deduced from the Definition of Prophecy assented to by Mr. Hobbs it is agreeable to Reason and all mâ—n receive it that Moses was a Prophet proved by the Testimony of Heathens He promised in his Law that there should be Prophets among the Jews proved by Deut. 18. 15. the certainty that there were so thence deduced Chap. III. The Tryal of Prophets among the Jews Of the Conditions on which men were admitted to a Tryal Sect. 1 These transcribâ—d out of Maimonides the first of them impertinent to our purpose the second excepted against the original of Oral Tradition the Improbability of it the Falshood of it Concerning Alterations to be made in the written Law of Moses it was not Immutable an Objection out of Maimonides another Objection Moses himself and the Prophets taught that it should be changed an Objection The Antecedents or Concomitants of a Prophetick Spirit Sect. 2 These reduced to six Heads the Jews Maxim That Prophecy resteth on none but the Wise the Strong and the Rich we Christians may well except against it is not Vniversally true by their own Concessions yet may it be admitted on two conditions the Prophets Wisdom consisted not in Humane Learning acquired by Study but in Prudence and Knowledge supernatural their Strength consisted in Courage or Fortitude and their Riches in Contentment and all Probity of Manners Of Prophetick Predictions Sect. 3 The Warrant the Jews had thereby to make tryal of mens Pretences to the Spirit of Prophecy the difficulty thereof from Jer. 18. 7 c. how unfolded the Jews sense of Jer. 23 28. the vanity of Astrology Of Miracles Sect. 4 The Jews were not to expect them from all the Prophets that Moses and other of the Prophets wrought Miracles to confirm their Prophecies is both denied and granted by Maimonides proved by Scripture Chap. IV. The Application of the foregoing Discourse to Christ and his Apostles Sect. 1 That they ought not to have been denied a fair Tryal the Jews only were obliged to observe the Letter of the Law of Moses yet Christ and his Apostles as to the design and meaning of it did most excellently establish it among the Gentiles demonstrated out of Maimonides and Abravanels account of it compared with Christian Doctrine they themselves conformed to the Letter of the Law of Moses and taught the Jews so to do Of their Wisdom Sect. 2 That Christ and his Apostles were men of excellent Intellectuals Supernatural Knowledge was more especially enquired after by the Jews in the Tryal of Prophets that Christ and his Apostles had such Knowledge in respect of the manner of it and also in respect of its degree or measure Christian Theology more excellent than that of the Jews and that in a threefold reference viz. 1 to Faith the object whereof is more clearly revealed by Chriâ—tianity than it was by Judaisme 2 to Hope 3 to Practice the burdensomness of the Jewish Religion the Excellency of the Moral Law which was fulfilled by Christ an Objection from the Impossibility of kâ—eping that Law so filled up proposed the mitigation of the Law by the Gospel in four particulars the motives we have to obey the Gospel the assistance it gives us in well-doing from all which the Excellency of Christianity to Judaisme is concluded much more doth it excell the Philosophy of the Gentiles and that in respect 1 of the General Nature 2 of the Object 3 of ehe End and Scope of Wisdom from all which the transcendent Wisdom of Christ and his Apostles is demonstrated Of their Fortitude Sect. 3 The great degeneracy â—f the Jews their preposterous Zeal for their Religion their Malice against all that observed not their Traditions Christ detected the shortness and vanity thereof the horridness of the Gentiles condition the Fortitude of the Apostles thence deduced Of the Prophetick Riches of Christ and his Apostles Sect. 4 That they were Rich proved by the designed End of their Doctrine by their deportment among men distinctly of our Saviour of the Apostles from the multitude of their Followers and from the silence of their Adversaries Of the Predictions of Christ and his Apostles Sect. 5 The Destruction of Jerusalem the Predictions of its fore-runners and of its approach and consummation all exactly accomplished the calling of the Gentiles foretold accomplished Errors and Divisions among Christians foretold and apparently accomplished yea the Means and manner of their Production viz. the Addiction and Designs the Artifices and Cunning of Seducers together with the nature of their Doctrine and speciousness of their Pretences all foretold and fulfilled proved at large Of the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles Sect. 6 That they really wrought many and great Miracles proved 1 by Reason 2 by Tradition of the Church the great Credibility of this Tradition 3 by the testimony of Adversaries of all sorts an Objection the Answer they were not done by Inchantment proved 1 by Reason 2 by the continuance of Miracles in the Church for several Ages attested by the Fathers the evident certainty both that Christ and his Apostles wrought Miracles and that not by Inchantment thence deduced an Objection out of Hobbs against the Credibility of Miracles Ans 1 that Miracles have been done may be believed upon testimony 2 it is needless to demand the doing of Miracles to prove that there have been some done 3 it is wicked and absurd so to do the Tradition of the Church
Argument into this form and the strength of it will be evident Those whom God employes to prophesie are Fellow servants But you and your brethren the Apostles as well as I God employes to prophesie therefore we are Fellow-servants St. John could make a doubt of nothing in this Argument but the Assumption whether he and the rest of the Apostles were sent to prophesie Yes sayes the Angel that you are for the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Hereby to me it seems apparent that the Testimony of Jesus here signifies that which the Apostles gave unto him and would you know why this is called the Testimony of Jesus not of the Apostleâ— concerning him then observe that this Testimony of Jesus may be considered two wayes viz. Strictly or Largely if abstractly or strictly in it self then it is little or nothing else but the Record they gave of Christ or the Doctrine they taught concerning him and this is said to be the Testimony of Jesus because he is the principal thing it treats of but if it be considered largely it comprehends not only the Doctrine of the Apostles concerning Christ but also the Strength Power and Authority whereby they taught it Thus considered it is the Testimony of Jesus not only because they gave it to him but also because they received it from him For he gave them not only Command to bear this witness of him i. e. to go into all the World and to preach the Gospel to every creature but also Strength and Power so to do for he first opened their Vnderstandings that they should understand the Scriptures and afterwards he eâ—dued them with Power from on high by sending the Promise of the Father i. e. the Spirit upon them to lead them into all Truth and enable them to speak it to all Nations whatsoever and this was done so effâ—ctually as that men of every Nation under Heaven heard them speak in their own Language and this surely in it self considered was no small matter of Testimony to our Jesus The Apostles we know were ignorant and unlearned men that understood but little of Scripture less of Foreign Languages yet hereby on a sudden they were enabled exquisitely to understand the one and to speak the other of all sorts and doth it not surpass the Power of Nature to make so stupendious a change as this was What Creatures can make Men Wise Holy and Learned in an instant It is a work of Wonder that falls within the compass of little less than Omnipotent Power and Wisdom Surely therefore the Author of it was God and if so then Jesus to whom the Apostles were thereby enabled to give Testimony was at least a Man approved of him On that account therefore their Doctrine or rather their Preaching or Promulgation of the Gospel by it may well be called the Testimony of Jesus And this Testimony of Jesus my Text tells us is the Spirit of Prophecy The truth and Essence of Prophecy saith Maimonides is nothing else but an Influence from God by the Mediation of the active Intellect operating first upon the Rational afterwards on the Imaginable Faculty This Definition is thought somewhat too scanty and obscure to express the nature of Prophecy in its full Latitude it is therefore conceived that by a little alteration of its Definition by another Rabbi we may have a more adequate and clear conception of its nature viz. that it is an Influence from God upon the Rational Faculty either by the Mediation of the Fancy or otherwise and by this Influence whether by the Ministry of an Angel or otherwise a man attains to such knowledge as by his Natural Abilities would be unattainable In these Definitions of Prophecy we have nothing at present to observe but that wherein they both do agree namely the general Nature of it which they make to consist in Influence from God Prophecy is not an Ignis fatuus of a disturbed Fancy but an Impression of Divine Light thence perhaps it was that in old time the Prophets were called Seers not because or at least not so Properly because of their Fore-sight of things Future as of their Visions those Images or Appearances of things as Visible which by Divine Influence were represented on the stage of their Fancy to the sight of their Understandings And afterwards the Prophets were called Men of God because God was pleased immediately to reveal himself unto them and so the word rendred Prophet denotes one that receives what he saith from God It seems then that all Prophecy truly so called hath its descent from Above it is not of any Private interpretation or rather of a mans own starting or suggestion for it comes not by the Will of Man but Holy Men of God did thereby speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost We Christians therefore believe the Holy Ghost spake by the Prophets and that Prophecy is a Gift of the Spirit For which cause no doubt it was that Justin Martyr intitles him the Spirit of Prophecy But when we consider that the Spirit of Prophecy as in my Text is affirmed of the Testimony of Jesus it seems most probable that it therein signifies not his Person but his Gift not his Essence or Subsistence but an Effect produced by him which is here called by his Name Thus the Spirit of a sound Mind the Spirit of Wisdom and Meckness the Spirit of Knowledge the Spirit of Grace and the Spirit of Prayer signifie Effects Works or Gifts which the Spirit of God produceth in the Souls of Men. So here in my Text the Spirit of Prophecy by an ordinary Metonymy of the Cause for the Effect is put for the Gift or Ability to prophesie which the Holy Ghost wrought in some of Gods Ministers This Gift the Angel had when he spake to St. John and so saith he had St. John too and the rest of the Apostles in their Testimony of Jesus i. e. in the Record they gave of Christ or in the promulgation of the Doctrine they taught concerning him from whence it apparently follows that the Angel here speaking and they were Fellow-servants But it is not this their Association with Angels which I now intend to discourse of but the Reason and Cause of it viz. their Gift of Prophecy It is we see here avouched by an Angel that the Apostles in the Promulgation of the Gospel were indued with the Gift of Prophecy or in short that they were Prophets and if they in their Testimony of Jesus were Prophets much more was He himself by whose Spirit they gave it to him a Prophet all then that remains for me to do will be to prove that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets Hereof methinks none can doubt but those that are slow of heart to believe the Holy Scriptures for therein we first find it fore-told to the Jews that God would raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto
as convincing as the sight of our own Eyes Chap. V. The strength and force of the preceding Arguments 1 They remove all suspition that Christ and his Apostles were not Prophets for thereby it appears 1 that they pretended to the Spirit of Prophecy 2 that they therein were not deceived 3 they had no design to deceive others 2 they give positive evidence that they were Prophets 1 from their Fortitude 2 from their Wisdom 3 from their Predictions 4 from their Miracles here to shew the force of this Argument it is observed 1 that Christ and his Apostles wrought their Miracles on purpose to confirm their Doctrine 2 Miracles were alwayes lookâ—d on as demonstrative proofs of Divine Authority in them that did them 3 the Reasons for which the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles deserve to be so accounted 1 from their Nature 2 from their Number 3 from their Greatness 4 from their Goodness thereby they conferred on men 1 the goods of Fortune 2 of the Body 3 of the Soul Chap. VI. Some use that may be made of this Doctrine Of the Divine Authority of Christian Religion Sect. 1 This deduced therefrom the Leviathan denies it the first reason of this opinion answered the second reason answered The Divine Authority of Holy Scripture Sect. 2 Uncontrouled Tradition proves that the Books of the N. Testament were written by those men whose Names they bear and since they were Prophets the Old Testament also must needs be the word of Prophecy a Doubt about the Gospels of St. Mark and St. Luke and the Acts these Books had the approbation of the Apostles an Objection out of the Leviathan Object 2. Object 3. The Insufficiency of Humane Reason Sect. 3 The Treatise thereof ascribes as much thereunto as Pelagius did to free will it evacuates the necessity of our Saviours and his Apostles Prophetick Office the impiety of it Reason it self condemns it an Objection out of that Treatise The Reasonableness of the Christian Faith Sect. 4 The certainty of the word of Prophecy greater than that of a Voice from Heaven the Mysteries of Christianity do not make it incredible but are apt to strengthen our Faith The Reasonableness of Christian Hope Sect. 5 The nature of the Promises an Objection drawn from Experience another from the supposed impossibility of a General Resurrection The Reasonableness of Obedience Sect. 6 All acknowledge an obligation to obey God whence doth this obligation arise 1 not from our weakness 2 not from Gods sole irresistable Power the nature of Divine Sovereignty Gods right of it a view of our state by Nature the way that God hath chosen for our Redemption Christ conquered the Devil at all those weapons whereby he overcame our first Parents and their Posterity we are therefore his by right of Conquest Christ made satisfaction for us Christ now in Heaven is able to succour us when we are tempted a Question another Question the nature of an Obligation which is two-fold the Redemption of Christ obligeth us by both to keep his Commandments 1 by that of Authority 2 by that ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nature of it the Reasons of it 1 the benefit we receive by Redemption 2 the satisfactoriness of it to our Reason 3 the incomparable incouragement that it gives us to keep the Commandments the Conclusion REV. 19. 10. The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy CHAP. I. THat We have a power of Assenting is so manifest as that Scepticism it self cannot doubt it for that it is very apparently built on Assent to this Proposition There is nothing certain Who can be of that Perswasion without Assent It seems therefore certain that the Mind assents and this it doth to Testimony as well as Reason for the latter cannot be at least improved without the former because there is no Reasoning without Words and Words without Testimony signifie nothing Were it not for Testimony the wisest of Words and the most inarticulate of Sounds would be to us equally significant so that not only Religion but also all Arts and Sciences are beholding to Testimony they are if not founded on it yet unattainable without it It seems therefore those who â—raduce our Religion as fond Credulity because it depends on Testimony are therein very disingenuously Partial and irrational especially considering The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophâ—cy Which Words are an intire Proposition not so difficult but that it may be understood nor yet so plain but that both the Subject and the Predicate will need some Explication In order whereunto it will not be amiss to observe that in all probability the Testimony of Jesus is either that which he himself gave or else that which his Witnesses did bear of him of the former St. John speaks in his Gospel of the latter in his Revelations here in my Text which to me seems evident by the Scope and Design of the whole Verse the drift whereof is to prove that the Angel whose words they are to St. John was Fellow-servant with him and the rest of the Apostles St. John fell at the Angel's feet to Worship him but the Angel said unto him See thou do it not of which Prohibition he gives this reason because saith he I am thy fellow-servant and of thy Brethren that have the testimony of Jesus And who were they that had the testimony of Jesus Surely they were those whom Jesus himself had chosen to be his Witnesses viz. the Apostles Of these men then the Angel was Fellow-servant to prove that he was so he alledgeth my Text For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Which words can be no way Argumentative unless the Testimony of Jesus be understood to signifie not that which Jesus himself gave but that which his Apostles did give of him but being thus taken they import a two-fold Argument viz. ad hominem and ad rem St. John we know was as all the other Apostles a Jew by birth one of that Nation wherein it was a received opinion that there were ten degrees or Orders of Angels the lowest whereof were called Ischim by the Intervention and Ministry of this sort of Angels they say whether truly or falsly I affirm not that Prophecies were communicated unto Men. These Angels as we are told were chiefly employed to Prophesie and when the Spirit of Prophecy rested on any here on Earth his Soul was â—ixt with and advanced to this Order of Angels in Heaven and was enrolled among them If then this were a Vulgar opinion of the Jews at the time of St. John s Revelations it is apparent enough that my Text contains an Argument ad hominem But the truth is the force of the Angels Argument doth not lye so much in St. John's opinion as in his own employment at that time which was to prophesie concerning things pertaining to the Church of Christ as appears by the preceding Verses let 's then but cast the
Endowment with Goods both of Wit and Fortune 3. Sequestration from the common and profane manner of living 4. Convenience of Place and that they make proper to their own land 5. Seasonableness of time because say they all times are not equally apt for the reception of Prophecy 6. Divine Disposition or the free Gift and Suggestion of God The neceâ—sity of all these is deservedly questioned not only by Christians but also by some of the Jews themselves insomuth that as far as I can find there is no one of them that hath spoken distinctly of them all as Requisites to Prophecy Yet one Maxim there is pertinent to this Subject whereunto they all seem to yield Assent and that is That Prophecy restâ—th on none but the Wise the Strong and the Rich. This saying among the Jews is perhaps thought worthy of all acceptation yet by some Christians it is estâ—â—med more woâ—thy of rejâ—ction not only because the Holy Ghost hath not tyed his Gifts to such requisites but also because it sâ—ems to savour of a design to kâ—ep Pâ—ople in unbâ—lief of Christianity Such we know is the mâ—lice of the Jews against the Son of God as that their Rabbies labour what they can to hinder the growth of our Christian Faith to that end they have taught such Principlâ—s and Magisterially dictated such Sayings and Rules to the People as are apt to prepossess their Minds and fortifie their unbelieving Hearts with such Prâ—judices as make them impregnable by all the Weapons and Strength of our Christian Warfare Such as these are those Fundamental Articles of their Faith concerning the Perpetuity and Immutability of the Law of Moses and the time of the coming of the Mâ—ssâ—as which Opinions seem formed almost on purpose to hinder the Faith of Christ and to stop its Course among Men. And in mine apprâ—hension the Rule now under debate may be thought like unto them for while men believe that Prophecy rests on none but the Wise the Strong and the Rich how hard is it for them to believe that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets The reason is because in their Birth and Bodies their Education and Fortunes thâ—re seems little or nothing that may dâ—nominate them so qualified but much otherwise For this reason were there no other we Christians have just cause to quâ—stion this Rule of their Rabbies but moreover we are sure that it is not universally true and indeed the Jews themselves confess as much for they except Moses and Samuel Amos and Jonas from it whereunto they might have added Deborah and Elisha whereof the former although a Prophetess yet being one of the Weaker Sex surely was not so strong as this Râ—le would have the Prophets and Elisha was called from following the Plough and so not likely to have been so Wise and Learned as this Rule pretâ—nds the Prophets should And then as for Riches we may well say with Vorstius there is nothing more foolish and unsavoury than to joyn mattâ—r of Money with the Prophetick Office or Spirit His reason is manifest because 't is certainly apparâ—nt that many if not most of the Prophets were sometimes reduced to such Poveâ—ty as that they endurâ—d hunger yea perhaps cold and nakedness thâ—ough their Want and pentoy yet still the Spirit of Prâ—phecy rested on them By these their concâ—ssions and Observations it plainly appears that this their Rule according to the most common acceptation of the words among the Vulgar is not universally true there is no indispensible necâ—ssity of those things which that seâ—ms to make requisite for the Râ—ception of Prophecy I am therefore inclined to think that that Opinion concerning the Election of Prophets which Mâ—imenides ascribes to the Vulgar is the onely true one namely that God chuseth and sends whom he pleases without regarding whether they be wise and learned ignorant young or old and if so then we may conclude with Hottinger that this Rule is not worth a nut-shell or else we must find out some sâ—nse wherein it may be admitted but admit it I think we may not unless it be on these two conditions 1. That the Prophet's Wisdom distinct from that they had by Revâ—lation be not thought alwayes to consist in humane Learning acquirâ—d by sâ—udy but in their natural Sagacity or Prudence improved by Experience or otherwise and that their Strength was not alwayes that of the Body but the Fortitude of the Mind and lastly that their Riches be not those of the World but of Virtue and probity of Manners 2. That these things even thus understood be not made necessary Antecedents of Prophecy but concomitant Attendants on it they are not necessary for the Gift of Prophecy but convenient for the Office of a Prophet In this sense and this only the Jews perhaps may justifie their Rule and we may allow it some measure of Admittance and in this sence we are not unwilling that the Spirit or Gift of Prophecy which we assert to have been in Christ and his Apostles should be tryed by it in order whereunto it will not be amiss to take a distinct Survey of the Prophets Wisdome Strength and Riches By the Prophets Wisdom Maimonides understands humane Learning and Knowledge acquired by Study This therefore saith he is our foundation without without Study and Perfection no man can Prophesie and that the possibility of it depends thereon But was Samuel perfect in his Childhood had Elisha and Amos been so studious as to arrive at Perfection before God took the one from holding the Plough and the other from following the Flock It seems not although therefore Maimonides was a Master-builder in Israel yet he laid his Foundation in the Sand otherwise it could not have been so easily shaken We are not of his mind that Fools and Sons of the Earth can possibly Prophesie no more than an Ass or a Frog or the possibility of Prophecy hath a dependance on Study and Perfection acquired by it We dare not so to limit the Almighty or set bounds to Omnipotence yet we think it becoming the excellency of Prophecy and convenient for the Office of a Prophet that the Person inspired should be one of no contemptible Natural Parts and Prudence Not that Natural Sagacity or any acquired Endowments could conduce by way of Efficiency to the Gift of Prophecy but yet they might and did by way of Anticipation although they were not absolutely needful in order to the Production or Reception of the Spirit of Prophecy yet they were convenient to anticipate and prevent the Prejudices which otherwise would arise against the Persons of the Prophets How hard a thing was it especially if their age were such as ours to make men believe that the God of Infinite Wisdome would Inspire men of shallow Intellectuals and incompetent Apprehensions Prophecy is one of the highest degrees of Perfection whereof in this Life our humane Nature is capable and how hardly are we perswaded
that so good and perfect a Gift should be congruously bestowed by the most Wise Disposer of all things But if they were so successful as to convince men of their Calling yet how could they perform their Office without Discretion and Prudence By their Office as we may gather from the use of their Scripture the Prophets were to teach reprove correct and instruct men in righteousness to declare what they ought to know and believe to convince them in Falshood and Error to reform and amend their Lives to build them up and carry them on unto Perfection in all Vertue and Holiness of living without Discretion and Prudence who were sufficient for these things Can Ignorance teach or Folly reprove Can Weakness of Judgment demolish the Strong Holds of Errour or discover the Fallacies of Falshood Can Shallow Apprehensions fathom the Depths of Sin or detect the Mysteries of Iniquity Can Ideots make men Wise or Fools Instruct others in Righteousness Yet so they must unless the rational Faculties of the People rather than of the Prophets were almost wholly absorpt by the Spirit of Prophecy and so their Wisdom and Holiness were increased by a strange antiperistasis of Folly and Ignorance than which there was nothing more unlikely and ridiculous It must therefore be granted to the Jews that Gods Prophets were though it may be not alwayes Learned in Languages Arts and Sciences c. yet Wise and Prudent Men and this their Prudence dwelt with such knowledge as was unattainable without Revelation and that in one or more of these three respects Either first in respect of the nature of the things known as in their Predictions of Future Contingences of which hereafter Or secondly in respect of the manner of their Knowledge my meaning is that those things which of their own nature were such as might have been known by the power of our Natural Abilities were sometimes made known to the Prophets by immediate Revelation Thus the Prophet Samuel knew where Sauls Asses were and thus Elisha knew whither his Servant Gehazi was gone and what he did when he followed Naaman and had overtook him In the Nature of the Things and the Measure of their Knowledge thâ—re was nothing Extraordinary but the Things themselves being remote from these Prophets and they not being informed by any Creature concerning them it is evident that the manner of their Knowleâ—ge or the means whereby they attained unto it were Supernatural Thirdly the Prophets knowledge of some things was Supernatural in respect of the Measure of it as is evident by their clearing up the Principles of Natural Theology and this they have done so successfully as that Tertullian offers to prove to the Gentiles that not only their Poets and their Sophisters drank out of the Prophets Fountain but also their Philosophers quenched the thirst of their Wit therefrom They all were Plagiaries and stole the choicest of their Notions from the Revelations made to the Prophets How partial then are we in counting the Philosophers Wise unless we also reckon that the Prophets did excell them in Wisdom if not in respect of that which they themselves acquired yet in respect of that which was revealed unto them And this their Wisdom was far more excellent than that of the Philosophers not only in respect of the Matter Manner or Measure of it but also in respect of the Effect or Operation of it in them and this brings me to the second thing enquired after by the Jews in the Tryal of Prophets â—amely their Strength or Fortitude So Servile and Pusillanimous were the Heathen Philosophers even Plato himself as that for fear of Men they concealed Truths of greatest importance Thus may men do by acquired Knowledge but not with Infused at least not so easily that which they get by Study they may stifle but what they have by Prophecy they can hardly conceal Is not my Word like as Fire saith the Lord and like an Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces The word of Prophâ—cy can hardly be imprisoned in Unrighteousness the Prophets must â—ither burn or break unless they utter it Hence no doubt it was that when the Prophet Jeremiah was so passionate and pettiâ—h as to say I will not make mention of the Lord nor speak any more in his Name he thought no doubt it had bâ—â—n in his power to have concealed Gods Word and he it seems resolved so to do but saith he his word was in mine heart as a burning Fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay Such was the strength of the Prophetick Impression and such the Energy of its Power in the Souls of the Prophets as that like a Fire burning in their bones it would force its way out or else consume them This I presume was a great cause of that admirable Fortitude and Magnanimity which made them despise the terrours of Men and the threats of wicked Princes neither the indocible temper of the People nor the ruggedness of their behaviour neither the power of Monarchs nor the menaces of Rulers could ever deterr them from uttering their Prophecies Of this we have a pregnant instance in Moses who with nothing but his Staff went boldly to Pharaoh and notwithstanding his Power and Tyranny undauntedly told him the Lord God of Israel would have him to let his People go And because Pharaoh hardned his heart and would not hearken Moses threatned him to his face that the Waters in the River should be turned into Bloud and that all his borders should be smitten with Frogs c. Thus did he prevail against a mighty King and retrieve a whole Nation out of bondage Nor was this Courage peculiar to the Mosaick dâ—gree of Prophecy but common therewith to others as appears by Nathan's application of his Parable to David Elijah's reprehension of Ahab Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel and the rest of the Prophets most Faithful and couragious discharge of their Office they all therein had and discovered such Prowess and Fortitude such Magnanimity and nobleness of Resolution as cannot be parallel'd by the Examples of the most heroick Teachers of Wisdom and Vertue among the Gentiles That therefore in respect of this their Fortitude and Courage in the Execution of their Office the Prophets were alwayes strong will easily be granted But that they were alwayes rich in respect of Worldly Wealth may justly be denied and since the Jews give us no reason for their confidence in Affirming it we need give them none for our denying it Yet since the Rabbies were oftentimes pleased to speak mystically in other things it is possible they did so in this and if they did so who knows but that the word rich may be taken in them as it once is in Solomon viz. for one that is rich not so much Money and Earthly Possessions as in Prudence and Moral Vertues Which Conjecture seems somewhat strengthened by
obediâ—nce to the Letter without conformity to the Scope of it as would even tempt one to think it was a part of their Office to contradict and null the Law of Moses An instance of this we have in Isaiah who brings in the Lord thus speaking to his formal People To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrisices unto me I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rams and the fat of sâ—d Beasts and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or os Lambs or of He-goats When you come to appâ—ar bâ—fore me who â—â—th required this at yâ—ur bâ—nd to treâ—d my Courts Bring no more vain oblâ—tions Incense is an abomination unto me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assembliâ—s I cannot away with it is iniquity even the Solemn meeting Your new Moons and your appâ—inted Feâ—sts my Soul hateth they aâ—e a trouble to me I am weary to bear them And elsewhere to express his detestation of their formal hypocrisie he tells them He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a Man he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck he that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines blood he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol But why so Were not Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings Oblations and Incense the New Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies and Solemn meetings some of Gods own Ordinances in the Law of Moses Yes but whence then was it that they were thus abominable and loathsom Why it arose from the Peoples neglect of and disrespect to the End and Scope of those Precepts they 't is true conformed themselves to the Letter of the Law but regarded not that real Holiness and Moral Goodness whereunto it tended Thence it was that not only Isaiah but others also of the Prophets reproved them as a Nation that did not rightcousness but forsook the Ordinance of their God even while they sought him daily and delighted to know his wayes even while they asked of him the Ordinances of Justice and took delight in approaching to God yet even then when they seemed to be most obedient because they neglected the Scope of the Law they chose their own wayes and their Soul delighted in their abominations And the Prophets we see did as sharply reprove them for it as if they had had no respect at all to the Law of their God among them whence 't is plain that they did prefer Obedience to the Intention of the Law far before that to the Letter of it the latter they looked on as a thing of no value yea detestable and odious without the former If then Christ and his Apostles did so likewise they were not for that cause worthy of Rejection but rather of all Acceptation because they thereby gave evidence of a truly Prophetick Spirit in them by making the Scope of the Law the Rule and Standard of their Doctrine they did most excellently fulâ—ill it and by so doing they cast a greater honour upon Moses and his Law than evâ—r they received from the greatest Bigots among the Jews for the Fame of the one and the Worth of the other is hereby pâ—â—pagated to all Nations How rash then and ignorant was their Zeal how absurd the fierceness of their Devotion in rejecting them especially considering 3. That as the Prophets of old so Christ and his Apostles were strict Observers of the Law even according to the Letter of it they were not only circumcised the eighth day but in their Lives they discharged the Obligations of their Circumcision by their literal Observance of the whole Law as well the Statutes as the Judgments of it i. e. those Precepts whose Reasons were not vulgarly known as well as those that were So that touching the Righteousness which is in the Law they were as blameless as any other Jews whatever yea though they did not put the necks of the Gentiles under the yoke of Literal obedience to the Law of Moses yet they never taught the Jews to withdraw theirs but rather to keep them under and submit unto it for Jesus spake to the multitude and to his Disciples saying the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Mosâ—s seat all therefore whatsoever thâ—y bid you observe that observe and do Nor did the Apostles ever teach them otherwise 't is true indeed it was once reported of St. Paul that he taught â—he Jews which were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to Circumcise tâ—eir Children neither to walk after tâ—e Customs the rest of the Apostles and Elders were so concerned at this News as that to wipe off the scandal they advised him by all means to purifie himself with four men that had the Nazarites vow upon them and to be at charges with them to provide such Sacrifices for them as the Law prescribed this they would have him to do that all might know that those things whereof they were informed concerning â—im were nothing but that he himself also walked orderly and kept the Law Thus careful were they that they thâ—mselves and others should keep the Law and give none offence by breaking it 'T is true indeed as touching the Gentiles which believed they wrote and concluded they were obliged to observe no such thing Nor had the Jews any reason to take it ill that they did so for Christ and they gave as great or greater evidence of Gods intention to accept the Gentiles without the Law as ever Moses gave of his Purpose to guide the Jews to Salvation by the Law That so they did is manifest by their Miracles which were so far froâ— being inferiour to those of Moses as that they did fâ—â—â—xceed them both in Number and Nature as we 〈◊〉 see hereafter And if so then thereby evident it was that they gave far greater Evidence of their Mission from God than Moses did of his How unreasonable than was it in the Jews to deny them Audience How brutish to reject them and barbarous to kill them for I know not what non-conformity to their Law Whereof by what we have 〈…〉 it appears they were only supposed and that very falâ—ly to be guilty they were so far from making void the Law as that they fulfilled it and that both according to the intention and the letter of it And this they constantly did by their Doctrine as well as Practice and therefore they deserved not to have been rejected as false Prophets but to be received as true which will yet farther appear if we consider the Antecedents or Concomitants of a Prophetick Spirit The first whereof is Wisdom Sect. 2. And these we have already granted were Wisdom Fortitude and Probity of Manners especially Contentment The Method proposed leads me to begin with the first of these viz. Wisdom which being an intellectual Virtue is without doubt in the preceeding rule of the Rabbins put to signifie those excellent endowments of mind whereof the Prophets usually
were Partakers and these 't is confessed were sometimes those useful Ornaments of Arts and Sciences but more frequently if not alwayes those of Intelligence and Prudence somewhat above the ordinary rate of others the Spirit of Prophecy seldom or never rested on any but those whose minds were very capable of first principles and able to guide their actions with Judgment and Discretion Now that Christ and his Apostles were so is a thing whereof it seems needless to make proof because among all the Enemies of Christianity I can find none that ever had the Impudence to say that its Founders were Fools but rather they acknowledg it is such a cunningly devised Fable or so subtil a Contrivance as that they are forced to confess the Authors of it were men of excellent Intellectuals Even Atheists themselves by saying that our Religion is an humane Invention allowed of and defended by Princes to keep men in Subjection do declare plainly that its Authors or first Founders who in all appearance were Christ and his Apostles were men of no shallow apprehension but rather of deep judgment and profound Ratiocination The whole Christian World must be thought to consist of these Fools if those that have given these Laws to it were not wise Yet evident it is whoever saith so deserves to be reckoned one of that number or worse However it seeâ—s the first Opponents of Christ and his Apostlâ—s although they were extreamly malicious yet were not so far transported with the madness of Pride as to say any such thing of them but contrariwise they admired and marvelled at them insomuch that not only the People were astonished at the Doctrine of Christ and his country-men at his Wisdom but also the very Doctors themselves at his Understandings and Answers when he was but twelve year old and afterwards being come to Maturity never man spake like this man Insomuch that the wicked Hearts of many among them prompted them to think he had a Devil but others said and gave a good reason for it too that his were not the words of one that had a devil if we lay both togethâ—r we may from thence gather that his discourse was extraordinary so far above the pitch of the hearers as that it gave Evidence of transcendent Wisdom in the Speaker Which also in some measure discovered it self in his Apostles for the Elders of Israel marvelled and Sergius Paulus a prudent man was astonished at what they heard from them and wise men we know use not to admire and marvel at the Rhapsodies of Fools if therefore the People or yet their Rulers were wise it must be concluded that Christ and his Apostles were such because in despite of Malice they were forced to admire them for so being But in this point the confessions of our modern Scoffers have given me a Supersedeas from the trouble of saying any more for though they will sometimes shoot their bolts at some Parts of our Religion divided from the rest yet they dare not say but that the Whole is so consistent with it self and subservient to the End whereunto they say it is designed as that thâ—y presume to disgrace it only with slie Insinuations that it savours more of Subtilty and Guile than of Honesty of Craft and Cunning than of the thing called Conscience Were this as great a Truth as it is a Slaunder yet this might we learn from it namely that the Author of our Faith and Founders of our Religion were very intelligent Persons men so far from Defects in their Understandings as that they had very large Intellectuals and comprehensive Capacities can Naturals befool the World and make it dance after their Pipe no surely it must therefore be concluded that Christ and his Apostles were men of Parts and Prudence of Profound Judgment and deep Intentions And in that Respect they were such as the preceeding Rule of the Rabbins style Wise But this sort of Wisdom not being peculiar to Prophets was not I suppose so much inquired after in the Trial of those that pretended to the gift of Prophecy as that that was supernatural namely that Knowledg which without Revelation was utterly unattainable and that in respect either of the Matter Manner or Measure of it That Knowledg ledg or Wisdom which in one or other of these respects was supernatural was I think principally enquired after in the Trial of Pretenders to Prophecy the Reason of this my Conjecture is not only because the Nature of the thing requires that it should be so but because the contumelious carriage of the Jews towards our blessed Saviour seems to intimate that it was so for when they had blind-folded him they stroke him on the face and asked him saying Prophesie who is it that smote thee It seems far more probable to me that this their usage of Christ should referr to a Custom of their own rather than to a sport called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Grecian Children or Blind-mans-buff among our own if this sport were of use among the Jews also yet I do not think their Malice was then so gamesome and childish it seems a more solemn jeer allusive to some Custom or Enquiry that wont to be made in the Trial of Prophets and if so it were then is it most probable that in this affair the Jews required evidence of some supernatural Knowledg in him that pretended to the Spirit of Prophecy and such Knowledg as this we have already observed the old Prophets had in respect either of the Matter Manner or Measure of their Knowledg and that Christ and his Apostles had so as well as they is the thing which we are now to demonstrate Fore-knowledge of future Contingencies the Jews very justly held to be Supernatural in respect of the Matter of it That Christ and his Apostles were endued therewith will hereafter appear by the account we are to give of their Predictions at present therefore I shall wave that and observe that they as well as the Prophets before them had a sort of knowledge which was truly Supernatural in respect of the Manner of it i. e. those things which of their own nature were such as might have been known by the power of mens Natural Faculties were sometimes made known to them by immediate Revelation as appears not only by Jesus his knowledge of Nathaneel and of all other men but also by the Discovery which the Apostles made of Ananias and Sapphira's sacriledge Neither in the Nature of the thing known nor yet in the Measure of their Knowledg does there seem any thing extraordinary yet not being informed concerning it 't is evident the manner of their Knowledg or the means whereby they attained to it were Supernatural they received it by Inspiration or Revelation of the Spirit and that 's the reason why St. Peter told Ananias that he had not lied unto Men but to the Holy Ghost i. e. to God himself But of
this I shall say no more because I would here speak somewhat largely of the third sort of Supernatural Knowledg viz. that that is so in respect of its Degree or Measure The Spirit of Prophecy did not only Reveal those things all knowledge whereof was utterly unattainable by the Light of Nature but moreover it did oft-times illustrate those things whereof men had some obscure Conceptions without it Thus the Being and Attributes of God although they may in some measure be understood by the things that are made yet much more clearly by those that are Revealed Now that Knowledge which doth clear up and elucidate the Principles of Natural Theology beyond the possibility of Study and Industry is that which I mean by Divine and Supernatural Knowledge in respect of its Degree or measure and this is that Knowledge which ought in all reason among the Jews to have been honoured with the name of Wisdom if they were so prodigal of that honourable Title as to bestow it on the puny Arts of Arithmetick Astrology and the like in Justice methinks they ought much rather to have given it to Theology and so indeed we find that they did for among them it was better known almost by no name than that of Divine Wisdome And well might it be so called because not only the Object but also the Teachers of it were Divine for they were the Men of God or the Prophets from whom they first learned it Probable therefore it is that in the Trial of Pretenders to the Gift of Prophecy especial sâ—arch was made after this Wisdom and for this cause it will now be my business to enquire whether or no on the account of this Wisdom Christ and his Apostles were not worthy to be thought wise this Question 't is true was denyed by many in the dayes of their Flesh and seems hardly believed by more than a few now in ours and among those that affirm it in their words there are many that deny it in their deeds as if there were Wisdom in the Profession but Foolishness in the Practice of our Religion I fear therefore it will be no needless or unseasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to demonstrate their superlative Wisdom in this kind Which it seems was so transcendent as that Justine Martyr after all his hard Study and Travel in almost all sorts of humane Learning found Christianity to be the only sure and useful Philosophy We cannot except against his Judgment as that of a Party because this was his Experience before his Conversion yet because those that are wise in their own eyes will not see with his we shall submit our cause to a Tryal at the bar of its Adversaries Jews and Heathens The Jews we know rested in the Law and made their boast of God that they knew his Will and approved the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law on this account they were confident that they were Guides of the Blind Lights of them which are in Darkness Instructers of the Foolish and Teachers of Babes And although their Theology was grievously corrupted by their Traditions yet those that were Learned in their Law were on that account so Conceited and Insolent as that they did almost wholly ingross the name of Wise men to themselves this they did with such a matchleâ—s Pride and Contempt of others as would even tempt one to think that at least in their opinion there was â—â—arce any Wisdom in any thing but Theology Methinks then if they had understood it they could not have been so disingenuously partial as to have denied the title of Wisdom to Christianity the reason is because it is a sort of Theology far more excellent than their own and that in a three-fold reference namely to our Faith our Hope and our Practice For The Object of Faith is more clearly revealed by Christ and his Apostles than by Moses and the Prophets For very evident it is that not only the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence the Person and Office of the Messiah are more fully discovered but also the very Attributes of God are most auspiciously asserted and illustrated by the Doctrine of the Gospel No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Our minds may apprehend God but our eyes cannot see him We can therefore have no knowledge of him but by Ratiocination or Revelation the former we have by the Light of Nature the latter by the Spirit of Prophecy which surely is apt and able to advance our knowledge above the highest pitch of meer Nature for to that end among the Jews it spake by the Prophets and after them by Christ and his Apostles for they have blessed the World with the greatest Illustration that ever yet was made of the Divine Attributes which it seems according to the Jews are distinguished into two sorts viz. Fundamental and Practical the former are those whose foundation is laid in the very Essence of God it self such as Power Wisdom Holiness c. the latter are such as have relation and reference to the Works of God in and about his Creatures such as Mercy Goodness Truth c. Whether this Distinction be Orthodox and Adaequate I will not now enquire but sure I am that Divine Attributes of both sorts are most evidently illustrated by the Gospel for its Doctrine doth not only teach us to bâ—lieve that God is Powerful Wise and Holy Merciful Just and true but the Work of Redemption therein made known doth demonstrate that he is so Where can we find so magnificent a demonstration of infinite Power and Wisdom as in the Incarnation of the Son of God and his Resurrection from the Dead wherein are Gods Holiness and Mercy his Justice and Goodness so conspicuous as in the Death and Sufferings of Christ and where do Divine Truth and Veracity shine so brightly as in the Completion of Prophecies in and by our Saviour from his Birth to his Burial yea from his Conception to his Ascension It seems then the Object of Faith as to the greatest part of it is not only more clearly revealed by Christ and his Apostles than by Moses and the Prophets but also that part thereof wherein they were most distinct and clear is illustriously demonstrated by the Gospel Nor have they therein provided worse for our Hope than they have for our Faith but as in the Object of that so also of this the Gospel far excels the Divinity of the Jews for their Master Moses in the Institution of their Religion either promised them nothing beyond the good things of this Life or if he did it was covered with such Clouds and wrapp'd up in such Obscurity as that none but the most piercing eyes could see it Thence it was that a great and learned part of his followers viz. the Sadduces did reject all hope
as makes us with David to have respect to All Gods Commandments and careful to keep them as well as we can Although for the Glory of God and Honour of his Laws for the patefaction of his most Holy Nature and most Just Dominion over us I say that although for these and such like great ends the Gospel hath made the most perfect unsinning Obedience to be our Duty yet not that but only sincere Obedience is indispensably necessary in order to our Salvation For Thirdly Those Sins which are really inavoidable the Gospel doth not impute to us for our Condemnation I would not be mistaken that that I say is that though according to the Rigour and Severity of the Law as a Covenant of Works the wages of every Sin be death yet such is the Mercy of God in the Gospel of Christ as that those Sins which to us are really and truly inavoidable shall not be imputed to us for our Condemnation Hereof one Reason is because the Gospel puts us into a state of Trial and Probation in this Life in reference to another after it Surely therefore there is no inavoidable guilt thereby charged upon us to our eternal Condemnation it is not imaginable it should so Tantaliâ—e us with hopes of Heaven in the Confines and Power of Hell However evident it is Fourthly That the Gospel doth promise that our known Sins as well as others how heinous soever they be either in their Nature or their Aggravations yet if they are timely retracted by true Repentance and Humiliation Contrition and Confession change of Mind and amendment of Life they shall be forgiven us No mans Sins are either so many in Number or so heinous in their Quality but on these terms they may be forgiven insomuch that to me it seems most probable that the Sin against the Holy Ghost is impardonable not for want of Grace in the Gospel but for want of repentance in the Sinner Let then our modern Scoffers add these things as they ought to that against which they level their Objection and then let them tell us what Impossibility there is in obeying the Gospel so far forth as is necessary to Salvation Is it impossible to do what we can or to repent when we have done amiss I suppose not espâ—cially while we have those Motives and Assistâ—nces which the Gospel gives us to keep the Commandments Since the nature of reasonable Creaâ—ures is to be drawn by the Alliciency of those Proâ—itâ—râ—icks that present themselves to it we may well wondâ—r at our own Disobedience For so many and so great are the Motives the Gospel gives to keep its Commandments as that there is no active Vertue in us but may receive the highest Incitement therefrom What entertainment so fit for the Mind as Truth and what Truth so sweet as that that is eternal What so desireable to the Will as Goodness And what Goodness so great as that that is Infinite And where can you find Eternal Truth and Infinite Goodness so clearly revealed as they are in the Gospel Where can the Affections have the like Motives to set us a doing Hath not the Rule of our Life the highest Majesty and Authority instamped on it Are we not promised the greatest Reward that can be desired in case we walk by it And are we not threatened with the greatest evil that can be feared in case we neglect it Are we not assured of a suâ—â—iciency of Temporal Blessings and Spiritual Graces in this World if we will seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness i. e for Glory and Honour and Immortality in the other Is it not then strange that being thus besieged with Motives to do well we should be so prone to do ill Although we know very well the Commandments are such as that it is not more our Duty than our Interest to do them we promote our own Good as much as Gods Glory by Obedience to them for they are apt not only to enlighten our Minds and perfect our Understandings to refine our Natures and sublimate our gross Affections to amend our Lives and purifie our Conversations but also to prâ—serve our Estates and advance our Fortunes to secure our Reputation and promote our Honour and that in all Conditions and Capacities whatever insomuch that their own Goodness might be their own Eternal obligation How admirable then are that Wisdom Justice and Goodness which impose them on us and require Obedience of us Especially considering the Assistance provided for us to have in well-doing and truly 't is more than a little we do or should receive in our Childhood by being brought up in the nurture and admoâ—ition of the Lord for a Child being led by little of it self but a Chain of Imaginations Education hath the force of a Natural Agent rather than a Moral hence it is that Children of the same Parents are sometimes like Lycurgus his Whelps of the same litter whereas one ran to his dish the other after the Hare because he had brought them up so to do which Experiment he made in the sight of his Subjects on purpose to teach them to train their Children in the way they should go and that when they were old they would not depart from it But if they do the Gospel hath sufficiently provided for their reduction for it doth not only encourage brotherly Admonition and oblige us to pray for each other but it hath also ordained a Sacred Function for the perâ—ecting of the Sâ—ints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now not only Men on Earth but also the Angels of Heaven are obliged to afford us their assistance Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation And besides the assistance of Angels we may have that of the Eternal Spirit also to help us For the Fathers of Flesh here on Earth are not so ready to give good Gifts unto their Children as our Heavenly Father is to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him and this it seems he doth so abundantly in the dayes of the Gospel as that it is called by his Name and the ministration of the Spirit and the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which makes men free from the Law of Sin and Death Whereby it seems that though the History and Outward Communicatioâ—s of the Gospel be to us in Scriptis yet we are not to look upon it as a meer piece of Book-learning but as a Vital quickening thing able to give Life to those that are Dead in Trespasses and Sins to beget them again in Christ Jesus and to form divine Goodness in the Souls of Men and by so doing to help their
an unreasonable Humour it importunes Almighty Power and Wisdom without any necessity to change the course of Nature or at least to act besides it and what affront more petulant and saucy can we easily offer to Divine Majesty It is also absurd as well as wicked for suppose a man in this Age should really work a Miracle if the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles may not be received on Testimony then neither may that how then shall the knowledge of it be conveyed to all that are concerned in it why they themselves must both see it done and use all means possible to consider whether it be such as no man can do the like by his Natural Power but that it requires the immediate hand of God It seems then if what one saith was confirmed by Miracles be of concern as Christian Religion is to all People in all Ages and places of the World there must be almost as many Miracles wrought to confirm this saying as there are single Persons how else should each Person concerned therein see one done and then Miracles would be no Wonders they would change their Nature and lose their Efficacy and besides that every one must then be a diligent searcher into Nature how else can he use all means possible to consider whether the pretended Miracle be such as no man can do the like by his Natural Power No saith the Author that is needless Herein also they must have recourse to Gods Lieutenant It seems then at last they must be assured by Testimony but why may not the Testimony or Tradition of the Holy Caâ—holick Church strengthened by the concessions and suffrages of its Enemies be believed as well as the word of Gods Lieutenant but I shall say no more hereby it is plain enough that this Author and his Followers seek not for Truth and Certainty but to palliate their Atheism or Infidelity And pity it is that their suggestions should disturb any ones reliance on the Pillar and ground of Truth the House and Church of the Living God by whose Testimony and Tradition we are so very well assured of the truth of our Saviour and his Apostles Miracles as that we have little or no reason to envy either the Jews or Gentiles whose eyes were blessed with the sight of them For to what purpose did their eyes then serve them Was it not to convey those their Credentials to their Understandings Yes doubtless they therein had little other benefit by the use of them And is not this abundantly supplied unto us by the Tradition of the Church Which if well considered will be found as incapable of Deception as our Senses For ought I know mine Eyes may as soon be deceived in an Object of Sight as the whole Church in this its Tradition however if Christ and his Apostles did not do Miracles it certainly is a Miracle that the World should receive their report without them and a lying Wonder much more incredible than what we plead for that the whole Church throughout all Ages should so confidently believe and teach that they did them Although therefore the sight of Miracles might perhaps make deeper Impressions on the Fancy and Affections yet the Tradition of the Church is full out as convincing to our Reason and Judgment that Christ and his Apostles wrought many and great Miracles CHAP. V. The Strength and Force of the Preceding Arguments NOthing now therefore râ—mains of my promise but the last Part which is to show that this way of proving Christ and his Apostles were Prophets is very sufficient and Rational And this it will appear to be on the account both of its Removal of all suspition that they were not and of its positive Evidence that they were All just Suspition that they were no Prophets must be Founded on a Probability either that they pretended not to the Spirit of Prophecy or if they did that they therein were deceived or else that they had a design to deceive others but by the preceding Arguments it is manifest that neither of these is true For 1. It is hardly possible for men to have the Antecedents or Concomitants and Consequents of Prophecy and to use them as they did â—n Order to the Propagation of Doctrine and yet not pretend to the Spirit of it Had their mouths been perfectly silent their Actions would have declared plainly to what they pretended Their Doctrine they Taught to be the Word of God and not of man In the Propagation of it they made Evidence of that Wisdome Fortitude and Vertue which attended the Prophets in the discharge of their Function and for the Demonstration of their Mission to Teach it they Foretold Future Contingences and wrought many and great Miracles And how could all this be without a pretense to the Spirit of Prophecy and the Office of Prophets and if this be Evident by their Actions without their Words much more so is it in conjunction with them for as a mans Actions may either Enervate or strengthen the credibility of his protestations and pretensions so his Words protestations or Declarations may very much Illustrate the purport of his Actions they remove all doubt that otherwise might be made concerning them Since then Christ and his Apostles did not only take upon them to do the Work of the prophetick Office but did also say that they were Prophets it is very Evident that they took themselves or at least pretended to be so 2. And that they were not deceived in taking themselves to be Prophets will hence also be Evident if we consider that this was hardly possible without Enthusiasme the Spirit of Divination or some such other Fantastick delusions but Enthusiasts or Diviners it is Evident they were not because they were wise Men of sound minds and discerning Intellects which were so great preservatives against the delusions of Enthusiasme and Divination as that in the Opinion of Plutarch prudence doth Repell and oftentimes Extinguish them hereof he insinuates a reason viz. Because Prudence doth cherish that modesty and sobriety which are destructive to those Calentures and Inâ—lammations which are requisite to the Being of them And these usually were therein so great and fervent as that during the prevalence of Enthusiasme or Divination Men had not the use of reason nor indeed could they because these things being in themselves such as partake not of reason they could rise no higher than the fancy where dwelling like storms and tempeâ—â—s in the middle Region of the Air they did disturb and disorder the Phantasmes and present them tumultuously to the Understanding and by so doing they did Eclipse its Light and hinder its influence in so much that either as Maimonides saith nothing of the rational Faculty could pass fâ—rth into Art or else at least it could pass no true Judgment on things so represented to it Hence no doubt it is that all sorts of Writers concerning them viz. Heathens and Jews as
well as Christians have observed that they were always accompanied with Alienations and Abreptions of mind But that the Testimony of Jesus was so in Christ and his Apostles who so absurd as well as impudent to affirm In pretending to the Spirit of Prophecy therein how then can it be Thought that they were deceived by Enthusiasme or the Spirit of Divination What madness or Phrensy What Alienations or Abreptions of mind can impartial Reason charge upon them where can we find such admirable Wisdom so becoming the Attributes of God and agreeable to the Reason of Man so Transcendent to others and Coherent with it self as in their Doctrine and where was Wisdom ever Taught with so great temper and Moderation calmness of Spirit and presence of mind as in their delivery of it What shadow than of Enthusiasme or of any other such Delusion can there be found in them and if not by such Delusion much less probable if possible is it they should have been deceived into a conceit that they were Prophets by the perswasions of others It seems noâ— in the power of any meerly by Moâ—al suasion as this was if any way because opposed by all the Powers and the fury of the people then in being to beat it into the heads of wise Men or the hearts of good ones so to believe that they themselves were Prophets as to Jeopard their lives in pursuit of the others suggestions and that under the Notion of Divine Revelations can Wisdom be seduced into such folly or Holiness be guilty of such lies and wickedness since therefore they were Wise Strong and Rich in contentment and all Vertue it is at least Morally impossible they should be so deceived by any such slie insinuations 3. Hence also it follows that they had no design to deceive others for how was it possible for wise Men that feared God and eschewed Evil ever to consent to and prosecute so wicked and improbable an undertaking It is no way likely that Men whose rejoycing was this the Testimony of their Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the grace of God they had had their Conversation in this world it is I say very unlikely if not impossible that such Men as these should be Impostors in the main Work of their lives had they bin Men of Artifice and fineness of Lewd lives and dissolute examples that followed cunningly devised Fables of Fleshly Wisdom it might have been suspected that they contrived a story but such was the plainness of their Speech and openness of their Carriage among Men as that they not only Preached but lived down deceit and forgery and was it possible for such Men to lay out their Lives against their Conscience and all in pursuance of a Cheat and to begin it at Jerusalem where if there had been any Fraud it best might and certainly would have been discovered Yea and there to be so confident and daring as to Challenge their enemies to convince them of Sin and Appeal to them concerning the Truth of what they avouched How Foolish and Mad had they been in so doing beyond all Example if they had not been far from a design of Threatning the World out of its Old Religion into a New One of their own devising But by the Wisdom and Prudence we before observed to be in them it appears without Shadow of probability that they would have Engaged in a design so dangerous in the attempt and so unlikely to take Effect unless they had had Divine Warrant and Command for it No prudent Man contented with his condition Studies his own death and Misery it is hope of obtaining some Good or avoiding some Evil which makes Men expose themselves to danger but Christ and his Apostles being stript of all manner of Defence and Succour from Wealth Friends or Honour whence could they hope for any such thing what Gain or Glory what Ease or Plâ—asure what Safety or any thing else that Allures the minds of Men were they like to get Yea rather what losses and poverty what infamy and disgrace what Hardships and Labours what Perils and Evils of all Sorts did they not Forâ—see were like to befal them in their Enterprize Yet were they not moved with Fear or diverted from it but all their days they pursued it even to the effusion of their Blood which one thing to an impartial considerer ought in all Reason to perswade him that since they were Wise and sober Men no ways misled by the Dâ—lusions of Enthusiasm or any other Phanaticism it was the force of Conviction and Energy of the Prophetick Spirit that wrought in them so mightily What else could possibly be the cause or reason of their admirable Fortitude and Magnanimity in the Propagation of the Gospel for how is it imaginable that Wise Sober and prudent Men whose understandings were perfected and advanced beyond examples both of Former and Latter Ages how I say can it be imagined that these Men continuing such should be so rash and Brutish as to live contradictious to the propensities of Nature and Injunctions of their own Doctrine among the Phaenomena of Nature there is none more manifest than that it dictates its own preservation so far as Lawfully it may and among the Articles of our Faith there is scarce any more plainly Taught us than that though Christ be over all God blessed for ever yet He was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Not that he so took the likeness of sinful flesh as if he had assumed only the Image not the Truth of a body but by the likeness of sinful flesh the Apostle is to be thought to mean that that very Flesh which Christ assumed although in Him it was innocent yet was it like to that which in us is sinful like it in the kind not in the Vice of Adam and consequently that it had all the Parts Properties and general Infirmities Sin only excepted of our mortal bodies surely therefore he had as we have a Natural appetite to Meat and Drink and other supports of human Nature in this its Estate of Mortality and imperfection and that his Apostles were men of the like necessities appetites and passions there is none that make a Question how then was it possible but that Nature should prompt them to put some esteem on those persons things and callings which were most likely to supply thâ—ir Natural nâ—cessities and there is nothing in their Doctrine that teacheth a neglect of them but much otherwise for it obligeth every man to abide in the same calling wherein he was called and prohibits those to eat that will not Work and declares that they walk disorderly and are therefore to be withdrawn from Now 't is no way probable that wise Men labouring under the natural necessities and common infirmitiesof human Nature should Abandon all their worldly interests and concerns disoblige their Friends and forsake their Callings throw away
the Staff of Life and neglect their own Bodies to promote a â—iction of their own or others fancies that if such could have assured them of nothing but contradicton and gainsaying yea the worst of usage from all sorts of men that were otherwise minded yet herein to take unparallel'd pains and travails to undergo the greatest miseries and perils tortures and death it self how wonderfull was their constancy how admirable their resolution whereunto can it rationally be imputed but to the Spirit of Prophecy Which being in their hearts as a burning fire shut up in their Bones made them weary with forbearing and unable to hold speaking Of which Spirit in them we are yet farther assur'd by the Nature of the Wisdom which was peculairly Theirs for we have found it to excell not only that of the Gentiles but of the Jews also and surely 't was impossible for them without Revelation to have Taught a sort of Wisdom more excellent than that that was revealed can Man be Wiser than his Maker or his Wisdom more excellent than that of his Creator That 's impossible Or is not the Foolishness of God iâ— I may so call the most imperfect of his Revelations wiser than Men Yes surely that it is Why else was it made known unto them since then the Wisdom discovered by Christ and his Apostles is more excellent than that Revealed by Moses and the Prophets they could not have attained unto it but by Revelation Whence else was it possible that these Men should have this Wisdom surely 't was neither from Themselves nor any other Creatures They themselves in the Eye of the World were very unlikely to be Authors of so Excellent a Production for they were ignorant and unlearned men their Education had not raised them above the Vulgar nor their Callings distinguish't them from the common sort For to say nothing of our Saviour his Apostles were Fishers Artificers and Rusâ—icks or such like unlearned men and were these Men likely of themselves to bless the World with a sort of Wisdom more excellent than that both of Jews and Gentiles no surely 't is therefore evident they had it not of themselves no nor yet of other Creatures either Men or Angels good or bad not from oâ—her good Men or Angels for these neither would â—or could without loss of their goodness devise a Religion and impose it on the World for Divine so Fathering their Lies on God himself much less could they have it from bad Men or yet from the Fiends of darkness it is utterly inconsistent with their Lusts and Interests to be Authors of so much Glory to God and Good to Men or of such Destruction to themselves and their Impiety as we find designed and effected by the Gospel of Christ and his Apostles If then these men had not this Wisdom from any Creatures we must conclude with St. Paul that God revealed it to them by his Spirit But that Christ and his Apostles were prophets we have yet greater evidence than that of the Antecedents or concomitant Attendants on the Spirit of Prophecy Namely that of their Predictions and Miracles That the exact accomplishment of Predictions concerniug future Contingencies were looked on as Infallible Proofs of a Prophetick Spirit and that Christ and his Apostles were Authors of such Predictions we have already seen All therefore that now remains will be to shew the reason of the Consequence viz. Why from thence we conclude them to be Prophets what strength or force is there in the accomplishment of such Predictions to shew that the Authors of them were Divinely inspired What cause or reason is there on that account to conclude that they were Prophets Hereto I Answer the reason is Because thereby it appears they were intrusted with some knowledge of Gods Secret purpose concerning future Contingents To discover the force of this Reason it will be needful to observe that Contingents are twofold viz. either such as happen as we call it by Chance Namely such as have their Being from the concourse of diverse natural causes in some sort hindering as well as helping one another or else such as come to pass according to the purpose and intention of some free Agent There is no natural nâ—â—â—ssity of their Production in such a manner the Ability of their cause might otherwise have produced its effect there is no necessary connection between them and the Series of natural causes their Being depends wholly as to their Contingency on the will either of God himself or of his reasonable Creatures These things are most properly contingent and if so then evident it is that the fore knowledge of them cannot come within the compasâ— of any art or Science whatever because all Arts and Sciences being habits of doing or demonstrating from things natural and necessary they neither do nor can reach those that have no necesary connection with them or dependance on them Yet by the Predictions concerning them evident it is that God foreknows them If not how could he foretell them I may therefore say with Tertullian that Gods foreknowledge hath as many and great Witnesses as he hath made Prophets Now this his foreknowledge must needs be though not the efficient yet the directive cause of all future contingents otherwise there would some things come to pass which neither of themselves nor yet by any superintendence of Providence would have any subservience to the Supream end of all things viz. The Glory of their Maker But this is absurd and unworthy of God For t is not credible that the infinitely Wise and Almighty Creator who at first made and still upholds all things in their Being and vertues for his own glory should suffer any thing to come to pass that neither of it self nor by his direction is subservient thereunto For Providence being the reason of the Order of things as well as the actual gubernation of them in reference to their end especially the last it must needs belong to the perfection of it to dirâ—ct all things as well contingents as others to the glory of God and for this cause 't is necessary that of all the contingencies within the vast Circuit of Possibility those that come to pass should be if not predefined i. e. absolutely willed yet as I may say pre-permitted i. e. in the prescience and eternal Order of all things in the Divine Intellect allowed to come to pass in their respective seasons Which 't is evident they cannot be without some secret purpose concerning them of which secret purpose it is as evident by the exact accomplishment of Predictions that the Prophets had some fore-knowledge but whence I pray had these men this knowledge Were their souls themselves without Revelation able to attain unto it No surely for though the mind of man walks in all the Paths of Arts and Sciences as well those that lye dâ—ep in reason as those that are usual and beaten and though it compasseth
Sea and Land and finds out the Nature of things contained in them And then lifting it self up from things below it soars aloft and so the Air and its affections considered it flies higher even to the Skie and rides the Circuits of Heaven and bending its course with that of â— the Wandring and fixed Stars in their dance after the Musick of the Sphâ—res it follows the Love of Wisdom as its Leader And when it hath raised it self above every nature that is apt to move the Senses it is led with a desire of coming to that which Reason only can perceive and when in that it contemplates the Examples and fair Forms of those things which here fall under our Senses being as men inflamed with Fury even brought asleep by a kind of modest Drunkenness and filled with another desire and better Love it partakes of Divine Afflations thence its intelligence being raised to the Supream Globe of things perceived it seems to have arrived at the great and omnipotent King himself yet while it covets to see him the pure and immixed Raies of Divine light as of a Torrent are so poured forth as that through their Clarity and Brightness as if it were overspread with Darkness the very sharpness of its sight waxeth dull and dim Thus elegantly doth Platonizing Philo display the Powers of the Soul in reference to its attainment of knowledge and thereby we learn that though the mind of man be able to discern much of the nature of all Creatures yet when it pries into the secrets of their Maker it is struck with Blindness and can see nothing of them think ye then that Creatures of a far Inferior Nature are acquainted with them Hath the Eternal King Almighty constituted the Hosts of Heaven to be his Secretaries And are the Planets so treacherous as by their Conjunctions and Oppositions to reveal the Arcana Imperii to Astrologers Or is the Firmament so untrusty as by its spangles to make them known to Star-Gazers Or is the Moon so unfaithful as by her course or countenance to declare them to Monethly Prognosticators Or are they committed to the custody of Beasts that the Aruspices may read them in their Intrals Or are they so little set by as to be laid on the Wings put into the mouths or trampled under the Feet of Birds that the Augures might know them by their flying noise or sitting How fondly ridiculous is it to fansie that the Secrets of Heaven are intrusted with any of these things while they are hid from the mind of man Which as it far exceeds them in the nobleness of its Nature so also in dearness to its Maker For man in his Creation was allyed to God a Creature so neerly conjoyned unto him and so gracious with him as that in a sort all things else were prepared for him How strange then is it and incredible that they should be able to tell him such things as his most bountiful and indulgent Creator thought fit to conceal from him If then this be not likely it is certainly the dictate of Reason that that knowledge which at any time any man at first hath of them ought to be resolved into immediate Revelation and for that cause t is likely Predictions ever were and still deserve to be accounted Infallible Proofs of a Prophetick Spirit since then Christ and his Apostles were Authors of Predictions exactly accomplished it is not to be doubted but they were Prophets Hereof also we have yet another and greater Evidence viz. Their Miracles that they really wrought many and great miracles we have already asserted all therefore that now remains will be to shew the Force of that Argument In order whereunto it will not be amiss to observe 1. That Christ and his Apostles wrought their Miracles on purpose to confirm their Doctrine or their Mission from God to teach it 2. That Miracles were always looked on as undeniable or Demonstrative proofs of Divine Authority 3. The Reasons for which those of Christ and his Apostles deserve to be so accounted 1. That Christ and his Apostles wrought their Miracles on purpose to Confirm their Doctrine or Demonstrate their Mission from God to teach it 'T is true indeed each one of their Miracles considered singly and apart from the rest of its Fellows may seem to be wrought on some other occasion and to other purpose but considered in the whole and in conjunction with the rest it will be easy to observe that the Ultimate End Scope and Design of it was to Demonstrate the truth of their Doctrine and the reallity of their Mission from God to teach it Hereof methinks it is no trivial argument that may be drawn from the time of them and this was not before but presently after our Saviours Inauguration into his Office of Preaching the Gospel that He himself could have done and inabled others to do Miracles before that is firmly believed among Christians yet we find not that he did it till after his Baptism and Consecration to the Sacred and solemn Office of Preaching Hereof surely there can no Reason so probably be given as that because he wrought his Miracles to confirm his Doctrine But if this suffice not pray observe what he himself said to the Noble-man of Capernaum Except ye see signs and wonders yâ— will not believe whereby 't is plain not only that Miracles are great inducements of Assent but also that Christ wrought his on purpose to be so thence surâ—ly it was that he required belief if not on the Authority of his Word yet on the account of his Works If saith he to the Jews I do not the Works of my Father i. e. Such as God only can do namely Miracles then believe me not on this supposition he Christens Infidelity unblameable but again he saith if I do the Works of my Father though you believe not me i. e. My words for my sake yet believe the Works viz. The purport of them that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in Him viz. either by Identity of Nature or else at least by the Energy of his Spirit working in Me and most perfectly obeyed by me this it seems in his Judgment they might have known by the Works that he did for they being the Works that the Father had given him to finish they did bear witness of him that the Father had sent him And that He was the Christ the anointed of God as appeared by his doing them in his Name for 't is an astonishment to Reason a thing altogether incredible that God would give Power to an Impostor to do such works in his Name On this account it is most likely that our most Blessed Saviour upbraided the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not and said to his Disciples if I had not done among them the works which none other man did they had not had
alwayes impart they were cloathed with the Holy Spirit neither did they need to prepare themselves to prophesie but were alwayes disposed and in a readiness to deliver such Truths of God as could no way be known but by the free Influx of the Divine Mind upon theirs i. e. by Prophecy had not all this been true it would be very hard to conceive how without any premeditation they could possibly have had a Mouth and Wisdom which all their Adversaries were not able to gainsay nor resist had not the Divine Spirit been alwayes present with them it had been impossible for them on all occasions even before Kings and other Rulers so to speak as that all their Adversaries could not with any shew of truth make any opposition against it and had it not been true that so they did it is altogether unlikely that their Adversaries would have burst out into such Rage and Passion such Cruelty and Inhumanity as we find they often did against them it seems therefore the degree they had of Prophecy was no whit inserior to that of Moses But whether it were or no is a Question that I am not solicitous about From what I have discoursed concerning the Nature of Prophecy in general it may not obscurely be collected that if Christ and his Apostles were men who by immediate influence from God upon their Minds and Faculties did attain to such knowledge of his Mind as by their Natural Abilities would be unattainable it is as much as I mean and contend for in the word Prophet Now that such Knowledge they had together with Commission from God to teach it it is the primary design of this Treatise to prove Yet that is not mine ultimate aim therein but besides that I have done mine endeavour as much as I could within the bounds of the proposed method to conciliate our most excellent Religion to our Reason and to settle it as much as in me lies upon its true foundations In order to this end I have in the fourth Chapter discoursed somewhat more largely than perhaps otherwise was requisite about the transcendent Wisdom of Christianity and have added the sixth Chapter almost on purpose to shake the sandy Foundation of bare Humane Authority whereon Mr. Hobbs and his Complices would have it wholly to depend I do most freely acknowledge that the Authority of the Civil Magistrate is very great about matters of Religion and that the Church of God is exceedingly obliged to those Christian Princes who by good and wholsom Laws are become its Nursing Fathers yet can I not believe there is nothing of obligation in Christianity besides what it receives extrinsecally from the Laws of Civil Sovereigns the reasons the Leviathan gives of this position I endeavour to ansâ—er and expose To this undertaking it is I hope nothing but a just resenâ—ment of the Affronts Mr. Hobbs hath cast and Injuries he hath done to our Religion thereby I can hardly think any man worthy the name of a good Christian much less of a Minister of Christ that can read such pernicious Principles and perverse disputings against the Honour of his Religion without something of Indignation for to make Religion so to truckle under Civil Sovereigns as in and of it self to have nothing of obligation what is it less than to clip the wings of all true Devotion towards God and render it unable to fly higher than the Thrones and Scepters on Earth yea also and to null the Authority of the Lord that bought us For though all Power be given to him in Heaven and in Earth yet this opinion makes him so far from being the Prince of the Kings of the Earth as that he is at best but their Counsellour modestly proposing his Advice which it seems they are not bound to take because that neither he nor his Apostles had a Kingdom and so could make no Laws for which reason such as it is the Leviathan affirms that the Commands of the Gospel are but Precepts or Invitations of men to receive it and Invitations we know we may accept of or refuse as we think fit and yet without sin so that our Acceptance is an act of Civility rather than of Duty and our Refusal an act of Unkindness and not at all of Disobedience Had not Civil Sovereigns done Christianity the kindness to imbody it into their Laws we had been under no obligation to be Christians We might have been Turks or Jews Pagans or Atheists and yet without Sin and what would a Laodicean desire more How kindly doth it cajole his Lukewarmness and how fairly doth it promise him security from danger by being against Christ in his Heart and Life as long as he is with him in his Profession Thus doth it turn Christianity into Hypocrisie and makes us to serve God for fear of Men. But if we are not so berest of Reason as to think that God borrows his Authority from his Lieutenants then the Philosophical Rudiments of that Epiâ—urean whereof the Author of the late Reflexions on Philosophy saith Thomas Hobbs is one of the boldest of these last Ages have taken care to corrupt our Religion another way and that is by perswading us to think that the obligation of yielding God obedience lies upon us by reason of our weakness This converts Religion into Superstition for it makes us to serve God not out of love to his Goodness but only for fear of his Greatness if we could resist him and escape harmless it were no matter it seems if we did but since we cannot we must obey Thus are we dragged to Obedience by the force of meer Omnipotence and when we are so it is evident we are acted by such dreadful and terrible Apprehensions of the Deity as debauch our Religion and make it a meer slavery utterly inconsâ—stent with that Charity or Love of God without which the most liberal Alms-deeds and Martyrdom it self much less inferiour acts of Worsâ—â—p will find no Acceptance this therefore I look on as another most pernicious Principle and for that cause I have made a long digression to prove that Gods Dominion is not founded in his sole irresistable Power but that he hath a right to Rule us from his great Mercy and Goodnesâ— to us in his works of Creation Providence and Redemption and forasmuch as it is requisite for all Christians rightly to understand this latter which was at first made known unto us by the Spirit of Prophâ—â—y in Christ and his Apostles I have sâ—â—ar enlarged the Digression as to giâ—e an account of it that from thence we may see what obligations â—herefrom do arise upon us to keâ—p the Commâ—nds of the Gospel and therewâ—â—h I put an end to this Treatise Wherein perhaps the Reader may find a coinâ—idâ—nce of expression and it may be of Matter also if he be inquisitive after the occasion of it he may please to know that it was written temporibus successivis which often were so