can admit of no demonstration but that of the Spirit and this indeed is made à posteriori yet not from the constant and ordinary Phaenomena of Nature but from things Novel and Anomalous such as Predictions and Miracles purposely designed for that end and this is the way of proving the Gospel to be Divine far more decent and proper than any other because it becomes the Majesty of God and conciliates Authority to his Word by making our Faith to stand not in the Wisdom of men but on the Power of God Now to shew that this Demonstration was abundantly made by the Spirit in Christ and his Apostles is the great design of this Treatise which being written on an occasion of a Command laid on me by your Lordship was by me humbly offered to the Honour of your Lordships view and having attained thereunto your Lordship it seems was pleased to condescend so far as to read over as much as your Lordships time would give leave and then to return it with many thanks to me for my good pains as your Lordship was pleased to call them wisely placed on so worthy a Theme together with such other expressions of your Lordships Approbation as neither I did expect nor as I fear doth the Treatise Dâ—serve But I submit to your Lordships Judgmâ—nt and had I not so done this Treatise had been buried in obscurity with its Author but having that encouragement I thought my self sufficiently armed against all elation or dejection of mind at the various censures that may possibly be passed upon it if it should come abroad because I neither know nor am like to mâ—et with any more able to judge of such matters or impartial in Judging than your Lordship Hereupon I gave my consent to its being made â—ublick and for its freer passage among men in this declining age of Christianity I am humbly bold to let the World know that your Lordship is thus far concerned therein and forasmuch as it contends for that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints which is at this day God be thanked most excellently established and most mercifully preserved in the Church of England whereof also your Lordship very deservedly is one of the Chief Ministers with all humble confidence I perswade my self that for so doing your Lordship will either not be offended at or will easily pardon Your Lordships very much obliged in all Duty and humble Observance W. H. TO THE READER IN this Treatise you will find Christ and his Apostles put together in one Proposition the meaning whereof is not either that our blessed Lord Jesus was no more nor no other than a Prophet or that the Humane Nature of Christ had no higher a degree than the Apostles had of immediate Illumination for being Hypostatically united to the Divine it is reasonable to believe it had such communications of Knowledge therefrom as are vouchsased to no other man whatever But the meaning is that the Eternal Son of God having graciously been pleased to take our Nature upon him made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law found it expedient in order to this end for him to execute the Office of a Prophet and to inspire his Apostles with the Spirit of Prophecy That so he did lies we know at the bottom of our Christian Faith whoever believes the Gospel to be of God doth in a sort suppose it and take it for granted for whatever Religion is Divine must needs be either Natural or Revealed if Revealed then the first Preachers of it were Prophets because Prophecy is the only way whereby revealed Truth either is or can be dispensed unto us for very evident it is that the Positive Truths of God besides or above what is Natural can no way be made known unto us but by a free influx of the Divine mind upon ours since therefore as all agree that though Christianity doth most highly befriend Natural Theology yet it self if it be of God is Revealed it must be concluded that Christ the Author of our Faith and his Apostles the first Preachers of it were Prophets Yet among the many good Books that have either heretofore or lately been written to prove the Truth of Christianity I have neither seen nor ever heard of any purposely written and directly designed to make good this Principle I could not but somewhat wonder at it and wish it were well done and this my desire did at length vent it self in a Sermon on the Text you find prefixed to this Treatise and this Sermon I resolved on an occasion given me by a Person of great Learning and Authority in the Church to transcribe and enlarge in that method which is there proposed and you will find here observed from this undertaking the slenderness of mine acquaintance with Oriental Language and Learning did a long time deterr me but considering that besides mine own satisfaction and diversion from less pleasing Imployments I wrote it only for his Lordships perusal who I knew had goodness enough to pardon my Defects as well as Learning to discover them I reassumed my former resolution and in order to the performance of it I looked more narrowly than formerly I had done into those Books which I had that were likely to acquaint me with the customs and methods of the Jews in the tryal of Prophets and by so doing have I hope found and pitched upon the principal Means and Methods observed by that People in that Affair and this way of procedure even before I had that Idea of it which you will find in this Treatise I did conjecture must needs be very rational because it was not only projected but practised and that as far as we find without controul for many Ages among God's peculiar People and that I was not mistaken in this Conjecture the fifth Chapter of this Treatise doth I hope make manifest by shewing the strength and force of the preceding Arguments to prove that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets Now if any man ask what degree of Prophecy it is which I ascribe unto them he may be pleased to know his curiosity exceeds mine yet for an answer I referr him to that Prophecy of Moses wherein he told the Jews that the Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Proâ—het from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me unto him shall you hearken This Prophecy I find by St. Peter applyed to our Blessed Saviour in particular and by St. Stephen to the Evangelical state in general and from thence perhaps we may gather not only that this Prediction did more especially pertain to the dayes of the Messias but also that it speaks not of one single Person only but of an Order of Prophets like unto Moses and therefore though it were most eminently fulfilled in Christ yet was it also accomplished in those that he sent as the Father had sent him viz. the Apostles Whether
these qualifications as we have also seen took away all cause of suspition that the Prophets either were deceived or had a design to deceive others in their Prophecies And besides that either by Predictions or Miracles they gave such evidence of a Prophetick spirit as could possibly come from none but God and therefore in Motives of credibility a Word of Prophecy doth far exceed a Voice from Heaven because for ought we know the Prince of the power of the Air may deceive us with something like it or the pretended hearers of it were it may be themselves deceived or had a design to deceive others Since then Christ and his Apostles as we have largely proved were a sort of Prophets that most eminently had all the qualifications requisite to the spirit of Prophecy and both by Predictions and Miracles gave thâ— clearest evidence that ever the World had of it we have the highest reason whereof a Revelation is capable most firmly to believe the doctrine that they have taught us What though the mystery of Godliness be as without controversie it is very great yet the Theists of our Age have no reason on that account to disbelieve it for though peâ—haps it is reasonable to expect that our Religion should befriend our Reason yet not so far as to make it the Rule and measure of Divine Revelation the reason is because the divine Intellect is infinite and ours finite although therefore without an experiment or other demonsâ—ration there seems to be no obligation on us firmly to assâ—nt to any thing in Philosophy yet are we not permitted to be such Virtuosâ— in Religion The reason is because things in themselves uncapable of a demonstration are revealed with a command to beliâ—ve and we ought not to make them a râ—morâ— to our Belief for as after all our Searches into Nature and greatest Discoveries of things therein we are forced to confess there may be more in her dark bosome than we can discover and we on that account have no reason to deny the Being of Nature so also in things revealed if after all our hardest study we cannot comprehend them we thereupon have no reason to deny the Being of them because God who hath made may also reveal things that pass our Understanding if therefore there be evidence sufficient to convince the Understanding as in the case now before us there is that the Revelation came from God there is no reason on the account of its mysteries to reject it And indeed the mysteries of Christianity are so far from giving just occasion of Unbelief as that they are apt to strengthen our Faith in it for the Gospel teaching us to glorifie God in our Spirits as well as Bodies it is very reasonable and convenient that it should require us to honour Him by the Submission of our Understandings to indemonstrabâ—e Revelations as well as by the Obedience of our Hearts and Lives unto his Laws and therefore as it is fitting for us to obey the divine Law though our Wills reluct never so much against it so also is it for us to believe whatever God hath revealed thoughâ— never so improbable to our Understandings for unless we do so we shall undoubtedly fall short of our Duty which in this Case without dispute is to tread in the steps of our Father Abraham who gave Glory to God by being so strong in Faith as to believe that That was impossible in Nature and therefore incredible unto Reason If we will believe no more than what we can demonstrate to be true our Assent is not Faith but Science for it is not built upon the Foundation of Gods Testimony but on Demonstrations from the Nature of the things testified and so it honours not God at all because it receives not the Truth for His sake but Him for the Truths sake and so it pays no respect to his Word but only to our own Ratiocination But forasmuch as the mind assents to Testimony as well as Reason and the divine Prerogative extends it self to the whole Man that Religion that becomes God and it is suitable to Man must have somthing in it to exercise this his innate Power about and for this Cause the Mysteries of Christianity ought to be looked on as a Motive to believe rather than to reject it for were there no Mysteries in it we should have some Reason to entertain a Temptation to think that it is not of God because whatsoever else we are assured there is hath somthing in it that exceeds the reach of our Reason yea and Conjecture too for if we contemplate the Works of Creation things that we dayly see and handle which â—eem to lye level with our Understandings yet after our most accurate Researches into their nature we shall find that the most piercing Judgment or profoundest Reason is not able to solve all the Phaenomena or attain to a perfect knowledg of them And who is there that observes well the Dispensations of divine Providence but may therein find such Riddles as his Reason cannot unfold Such Mysteries as baffle his Understanding and confound his Curiosity in his enquiring after the cause of them The Ends and Reasons of Gods proceedings with Men although always most Just and Righteous yet very often are so secret and hidden as that they convince us his Judgments are unsearchable and his ways past finding out And from the Works of Creation and Providence results a Natural Religion the chief Principle whereof we know is That there is a Being Infinite in all Perfections this is the Dictate of Reason as well as Conscience yet Reason cannot fâ—thome the depth of it for it hath only a Negative conception of Infinity and whatever there is that it hath no Conception of doth undoubtedly surpass its reach and Comprehension so that Natural Theology as well as revealed hath its Mysteries if therefore Christianity had none how unlike would it be to all things else in the world that have God for their Authour How just a prejudice would this be to the reception of it as divine Truth and Revelation Who would believe it to be of God when he sees nothing that surpasseth Man in it How decent then and useful are the Mysteries of Christianity Since they make it like to all things else of Gods making they beautifie and adorn it with fairer Characters than otherwise it would have of Gods Image on it and the fairer the Characters of His Image are upon it the more Legible is his Truth in it for infiniteness of Truth is inseparable from right Reasons Idea of Deity and where there is infiniteness of Truth there is no possibility of a Lye Mistake or Deceit and where these are excluded there is no room for Hesitance or doubting but the strongest Reason imaginable to believe Since therefore our Chriâ—â—ian Faith hath the impression of Gods Image on it and the Word of Prophecy revealed it it is most highly reasonable to believe it Sect. 5.
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
And since such is the Reason that we have most firmly to believe the Doctrine that Christ and his Apostles have taught us such also we have most stedfastly to hope in the Promises that they have made us for Hope being the expectation and waiting of Faith ariseth out of it and hath itâ— growth with it although the Object of Hope be some difficultly attainable future good thing yet Faith receiving the promises of it puts us upon expecting and waiting for it if therefore it be reasonable for us to believe the Promises of the Gospel it is also Reasonable for us to hope for the Accomplishment of them The Hope of a Christian is not like our Golden Dreams which vanish when we awake but it is such an expectation of good things not seen as will indure the Test of the severest Reason for it is founded on the Promises of the Gospel and these Promises made by the Spirit of Prophecy in Christ and his Apostles are little or nothing else but Declarations of what God will do for the Good of Men and since they declare his purpose they open to us a part of that external Law which he himself hath set for himself to work by they therefore are and must needs be as immutable as that Law and that Law is as immutable as God himself because it is his external Wisdome and herein there can be no Variableness or Shaddow of turning because his Understanding is infinite On this account I suppose it is that St. Paul insinuates it as possible for God to deny Himself as to fail of performing his Promises in them therefore we may have Hope without despair and Confidence without diffidence But hereunto some perhaps suspend their Assent because as they think their Experience confutes the Christian Faith The Apostle teacheth us that Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that â—ow is and of that which is to come But we find that all things come alike to all there is no more care taken of the most Pious Christian than of the lewdest among men we cannot therefore believe the Promisâ—s of the Gospel or think it safe to put our trust in them if they deceive our expectation in things that fall within the compass of our Experience what Reason have we to give credit or to take heed unto them in those that do not If our expectations have been deceived it is most rational as well as pious to resolve the dâ—ceit not into Gods Promises but into our own Misunderstanding of them but such usually is the peevish Worldly-mindedness of those that are used to make such as this Objection as that they take the dirt of their own Ignorance and misapprehensions and throw it in the face of Gods Promises for very easy it is to observe that this and all such like Objections are founded upon an Opinion that Gods promises concerning the life that now is do import that those who perform the conditions of them shall enjoy such an uninterrupted Series of Worldly prosperity as that they shall not be afflicted like other Folk But this certainly is a great mistake for Afflictions and troubles are so inseparably Annexed to Christian Piety as that if any Man will come after Christ he must deny himself and take up his Cross and follow Him and unless he do so he cannot be His Disciple it seems therefore that those grim Duties of Self-denial and mature resolution of bearing the Cross are so essentially united to the other parts of Christianity as there 's no being a Good Christian without them impossible therefore it is that the promises of the Gospel should be designed to evacuate the Necessity or frustrate the Use of these Essential parts of Christianity And for this Cause it is most probable if not certain that the importance of its Promises concerning things Temporal is that they who seek those that are Eternal shall have no just cause of such destracting Cares about the things of this World as render them unable acceptably to mind the concerns of the other That this is the Design and Scope of them we have methinks a Demonstration in that grand Promise of our Saviour that all these things shall be added to them that seek first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness for being a part of his Sermon on the Mount wherein he gives his Disciples an abstract of Christian Philosophy it is to be looked on as a Standard whereby we are to take the measures of other Promises of the like nature in our Interpretations of them and if so then the Design and inâ—endment of them all must needs be not to raise our Hopes to an expectation of Freedom from Affliction but to keep our Souls from sinking into Dispondence and distrust of Gods Providence in providing for us for this manifestly is the Scope of our Saviours Promise now under Consideration and that being as ample as any or all the rest and pronounced by our Lords own Mouth when He was delivering the Sum and substance of his practical Doctrine may most justly be thought to shew us their importance And if it be granted so to do I dare Appeal to the experience of good Christians concerning the Truth of them what though they are sometimes reduced to such Straits and Difficulties as a Natural Man can see no way out of yet even then their Trust in the Promises does buoy up their Hope that they shall find away to escape and I dare I say appeal to their Experience whether or no divine Providence if on an Impartial Scrutiny they cannot find that they themselves have omitted the Conditions of the Promises have not so far fulfilled them as to let them see that God so cares for them as in due time to do it And if they cannot say but that though in this Sea of troubles Gods Promises of Temporal Blessings do not keep them from Storms yet they cast out such an Anchour oâ— Hope unto them as secures them from being overwhelmed with Billows of Sorrow or split upon the Rocks of Desparation it must be confessed that they sufficiently do the Work for which they are intended and if so they do there certainly is no Reason to stagger at the Promises of God through Unbelief but much rather to give Him Glory by being therein strong in Faith Especially considering moreover that the greatest Inducements we have to believe the Gospel viz the Miracles that were wrought to confirm it do also assure us of the Infallible Truth and Certainty of its Promises for Blessedness we know is the Sum and substance of all that they can Import or we can hope ro enjoy and that this we shall have if we be not offended in Christ is his own Inference from his Miracles and that the Premises will very well bear the Conclusion will be evident to any one who Impartially considers that the Miracles of Christ or at least some of them
Moses which Promise Petrus Galatinus proves the ancient Jews themselves understood to speak of the Mâ—ssiah and in the Acts of the Apostles St. Peter affirms that our Jesus is that Prophet And Christ himself gave such evidence of it as that his Disciples thought him a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people i. e. that God did demonstrate and the People did confess that he was a great Prophet and that they did so is manifest for the Jews themselves whose hearts were not subdued to his Doctrine did yet believe that of a truth he was that Prophet that should come into the world The Samaritan woman also perceived that he was a Prophet and the men of Samaria believed and knew as much namely that indeed he was the Christ the Saviour of the World a part of whose Office as they thought was to tell them all things and so to be a Prophet And then for the Apostles we do not only read that God by his Spirit revealed things unto them but moreover we find it recorded that he did it in this manner Our blessed Lord Jesus Christ promised his Disciples to send them a Comforter and that when He the Spirit of Truth should come he would guide them into all Truth which it seems fell out accordingly for when the day of Pentecost was fully come the Aposâ—les were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty Wind and it filled all the House where they were sitting and there appeared to them cloven Tongues like as of Fire and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Nor did they then receive only the Gift of Tongues but that also of Prophecy For the promise of God by the Prophet Joel that He would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and that their Sons and Daughters should Prophesie c. The Importance of which Promise is that in the days a little before the Destruction of the Jewish Nation there should be so great and unusual an effusion of his Spirit upon Pâ—rsons of all sorts as that those who were not brought up in the Schools of Prophets should yet be indued with the Spirit or Gift of Prophecy This Prediction of Joel was fulfilled in the Apostles by the most auspicious Descent of the Holy Ghost upon them for St. Peter affirms this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel It seems then the Mystery of Christ which in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons of men as now it is was revealed unto his Holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit It is therefore manifest there can be no doubt made of our Assertion if the Holy Scripture be thought sufficient to prove it On this account I suppose it is that among those who believe the Scripture it seems an Hypothesis rather taken for granted than otherwise proved by any But because our Age is inquisitive and somewhat too apt to derogate from the Authority of the sacred Pandects because also since those parts thereof which make mention of Christ and his Apostles did drop from Their Mouths and Pens to alledge Texts from thence is but to produce their own Testimony concerning themselves and therefore whatever Truth there may be there certainly is but little Force in that way of arguing unless it be to those that already are well perswaded of their Authority For these Reasons I shall at present ascribe no more Authority to the Holy Scripture than is usually given to other Writings far inferiour and argue only from Reason and Testimony that cannot be suspected of Partiality by the help thereof together with Gods blessing I doubt not to prove these five Particulars 1. That the Notion of a Prophet is very agreeable to Reason 2. That there were Prophets among the Jews 3. That for the Tryal of Pretenders to the Gift of Prophecy they had certain Rules Notes and Signs whereby to judg of them 4. that if Christ and his Apostles be tryed thereby it will be found that they were Prophets 5. That this way of proving they were so is very sufficient and rational CHAP. II. Of the Notion of a Prophet and that there were Prophets among the Jews THE Notion of a Prophet may certainly best be learned from the Nature of Prophecy before defined from which Definitions of Prophecy we may gather this of a Prophet viz. that He is a person who by the Influence of God upon his Rational Faculty doth attain to such knowledge as by his Natural Abilities would in one respect or other be unattainable In which Description it concerns us at present to observe only that it is not Prediction but Influence from God which constitutes a Prophet at least such an one as we are now speaking of And that this is no new Notion adapted to our present Undertaking is evident enough by the words of a late Author whose Principles are thought most unluckily of any to undermine such Foundations as we are now laying yet he expresseth himself in these words Although there be many significations in Scripture of the word Prophet yet is that the most frequent in which it is taken for him to whom God speaketh immediately that which the Prophet is to say from him to some other man or to the People Gods speaking to men immediately he himself saith is to be interpreted that way whatsoever it be I suppose he means without the Ministry of man by which God makes them to understand his Will Hereby 't is evident that in his Judgment as well as ours a Prophet was a Person on whose Understanding God had immediate Influence how else is it possible he should make him immediately to understand his Will and sure it cannot seem strange to any that there have or might have been such men in the World the Power and Wisdom of God together with the Capacities of Mens Souls are enough to remove all suspition of Its impossibility He that made the Mind shall not He be able to teach men knowledge and he that was made on purpose to know God and give him the Glory of his Handy-work shall not he be thought capable of learning from such a Teacher There is therefore no show of Reason to doubt the Possibility of Prophecy especially considering that all sorts of men how wide soever their differences are in other matters do yet agree in this viz. that there are or have been such Prophets in the World This is so manifest and vulgarly known to be the Belief of Christians Jews and Turks as that among all that have heard of Christ Moses or Mahomet all necessity of proving it is perfectly fore-stalled and that the Heathens also were of the same opinion is evident by what they have reported of some of their Law-givers viz.
Future whether by Dreams or otherwise besides those of Prophecy are like to Chaff for as in that there may be some few grains of Wheat so say they perhaps there is in these some small measure of Truth mix'd with much more Mistake and Falshood but Prophecy is a thing pure having no more mixture than Wheat well winnowed hath with Chaff Hereby then they distinguished the Predictions of Prophets from those of Sooth-sayers Astrologers c. whose Prognostications were very much unlike the Predictions of true Prophets for of necessity saith mine Author they had falshood as well as truth in them this we alwayes see and they themselves that profess these Arts confirm it to us because they make it mattâ—r of glory to themselves that their Lies were not so many as anothers of the same Profession but that any one of them should speak truth in each of his Predictions is impossible nor indeed do the skilful therein arrogate that to themselves for when something comes to pass which looks but like an accomplishment they account thâ— Foreteller excellent and enroll him among men of illustrious Fame whom Histories celebrate and this is the sense of what Isaiah saith to Babylon Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the Monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee Let them try if they can foretell these things that thou mayest escape from them The challenge implies that they cannot and R. Albo it seems gives the reason of it viz. because all such Arts or whatsoever else some are pleased to call them are founded in Fancy they are Creatures of Imagination that have a Being in nothing but mens Conceits they are founded on no demonstrable Hypotheses and are therefore vanity as is also abundantly demonstrated by a Learned Writer of our own And truly the things from whence these Foretellers pretend to deduce their Judgments are certainly so remote intricate and various as that it seems impossible for any to arrive at perfect knowledge of them how then is it possible for their Prognostications to be certain Predictions they can be but Conjectures and Conjectures we know especially in such cases are very often wholly false very rarely if ever wholly true but the Promises of the Prophets saith our Author were very much otherwise viz. alwayes true but never false it cannot be found throughout all Ages that ever any thing either much or little of the Word of the Lord by the Prophets unless the Conditions were altered ever yet fell to the ground But the Predictions of Gods Prophets were fully answered by the Event and thereby the Jews knew that they were indued with the Spirit of Prophecy because such certain fore-knowledge of Future Contingences was no way attainable without it and for this cause 't is like it was that among all the ordinary means of trying Prophets this was accounted the most demonstrative Of Miracles Sect. 4. But besides these Ordinary the Jews had some Extraordinary means of discerning the truth of mens Pretensions to the Spirit of Prophecy viz. Miracles Not only the Vulgar but more than a few of the Better sort among the Jews wâ—re of opinion they were not to believe any Pretender to Prophecy till he had done a Miracle equal to some of those of Moses or had disturbed the ordinary course of Nature as Elijah did in raising the Widows Son but this rule saith Maimonides hath nothing of truth in it And indeed we are apt to think it hath not much the reason is because the Order of Prophets was at first founded by Miracles for evident it is that Moses the first of that Order was indued with a power of working Miracles on purpose to convince the Children of Israel that the Lord God of their Fathers had appeared unto him Yet that great R. Maimonides out of design I suppose to derogate from the belief of Chriâ—tianity was not ashamed to say The Israelites did not believe Moses our Master because of the Miracles he wrought And elsewhere he tells us that Elias Elisha and the rest of the Prophets did not their Miracles to confirm thâ—ir Prophecies but to supply their own and others necessity But it seems at another time he was of another mind for he expresly affirms that a Prophet may be sent to the common People or to the Inhabitants of a City or Kingdom to prepare and warn them what shall be done unto them or to dehort them from the wicked works that are in their hands but when God so sends him He gives him a Sign or a Wonder that the People may know God hath truly sent him And in the next Section he saith But we believe not every one that shews a Sign or doth a Miracle to be a Prophet unless from the beginning we have known him to be sit for Prophecy that in his Wisdome and his Works he hath excelled his Contemporaries and hath walked in the wayes of Prophecy in Holiness and separation from others then if such an one should come and do a Sign or a Wondâ—r and should sâ—y that God had sent him then it is commanded that we should hear him as it is said ye shall hear him These his concâ—ssions although they speak him somewhat unconstant to himself yet we have no great reason to thank him for because the evidence of Truth in Holy Scripture did extort them from him Thus the Prophet that was sent to Bethel gave them a Sign that his word was what the Lord had spoken Thus in the Fire-ordeal tryal between Elijah and the Prophets of Baal Elijah obtained Fire to fall upon the Sacrifice and consume it Thus also Elisha to demonstrate his calling to succeed Elijah divides the Waters of Jordan with Elijah's mantle by which Examples we learn that though among the Jews the ordinary Tryal of Prophets was made by Predictions yet in some cases extraordinary they were by Miracles to make proof of their Mission to teach and do what they did CHAP. IV. The Application of the fore-going Discourse to Christ and his Apostles Sect. 1. HAving thus cleared the Ground and laid the Foundation We are next to erect the Superstructure i. e. to shew that by all these means of Probation viz. both by the probable and demonstrative Arguments both Ordinary and Extraordinary it may be proved that Christ and his Apostles were Prophets We are to take them as they lye in order and so to begin with the Conditions whereon among the Jews Pretenders to Prophecy were admitted to a Tryal By what we have already discussed out of Maimonides it appears that Pretenders to Prophecy even in the Name of the Lord were not admitted to a Tryal but upon condition of conformity to the Law of Moses they were in no point allowed to teach a perpetual variation from it unless they gave as great or greater Evidence of Gods intention by them to change
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
accomplishment of these Predictions for the primitive Seducers were men of so profligate a Conscience and lewd an Addiction as that they served not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own Belly though they professed friendship yet they were enemies to the cross of Christ their God was their Belly their Glory was in their shame and they did mind earthly things Whereby it is plain they were as it was foretold they would be viz. Men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness And this their perverse Supposition did doubtless dispose them to make merchandise of other Christians insomuch that they sought not them but theirs not their spiritual Good and Welfare but their worldly Wealth and temporal Interests that so they might make advantage to themselves thereby This was their design In order hereunto they seem wisely to have considered that their Power being only perswasive not coercive it would be their best way to adapt a Religion to the Humours and Vices of men accordingly we find that the contemplative and studious they allured with great swelling Words of Vanity about no man knows what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ages which they divided into an Ogdoad a Decad and a Dodecad wherein there were as the Apostle saith Fables and endless Genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in Faith the Fiction of which Fables and Genealogies they stole out of Antiphanes his Theogony So likewise they did divers of their Precepts out of heathen Philosophy for their practical Divinity consisted in the Rudiments of the World the Commandments and Doctrines of men touch not 〈◊〉 not handle not Tertullian therefore saith of the Hereticks that they had brought forth a Stoical Platoniâ—al and Dialectical Christianity Herewith they entertained the studious but they being but few in number in comparison with the more ignorant and vicious they found it expedient to allow of the Vices as well as the Learning of the Gentiles and accordingly so they did for they held the use of all Lust indifferent and herein their Practice was agreeable to their Opinion for it is a Shame even to speak of those things which were done of them in secret and so infectiously wicked it seems they were as that they perswaded others to be as bad as themselves thence it was that the Ephesians were in some danger of being deceived with vain Words into an Opinion that Fornication and all Uncleanness Avarice and Filthiness obscene and foolish talking and jesting were things lawful or at most but venial Sins Yet for all this to allure the minds of the rigorous and austere they pretended to great Mortification and Severity of living other Christians indulged themselves the use of Marriage and all manner of Meats without distinction but these were more mortifyed than so they did forbid to marry and commanded to abstain from meats The Appetites of the Flesh were so hateful and impure in their Sight as that they thought marriage and the better â—orts of meats too great an Indulgence to them yâ—a such was their zeal against them as that some of them said marriage was of the Devil and many of them abstained from all living Creatures and by this pretence of perfect continence they seduced many And no wonder since they were such mortiâ—ied men who would not take them for Saints with these baits did these cunning Anglers fish for Christians from among the Gentiles almost of all Sorts and all Inclinations The Jewish Christians who were yet Zealous of the Law they enticed by asserting a necessity of Circumcision and keeping their Law For they taught the Brethren and said except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses and keep the Law ye cannot be saved By this part of their Doctrine they did conciliate the obstinate Jews and insinuate themselves into those that believed who partly for fear of Prosecution from their unbelieving Countrymen and partly out of Love to their old Religion were very apt to swallow their Poyson whereunto also they added several Ingredients of most damnable Heresie For even in St. John's time many deceivers were entered into the World who confessed not that Jesus Christ was come in the Flesh But because others thought he was they made an high Profession of him that by the sweetness of his Name they might reach out this their bitter poyson unto them Which Poyson they sweetened with Pretences it was very wholesome and useful to purge the Soul from the dreggs of Ignorance and Error to enlighten the Mind and inform the Understanding for their profane and vain Bablings they had the Confidence to call Science and to make Profession of it and from a pretended excellency of Knowledge they laid peculiar claim to the Title of Gnosticks knowing men as if none no not St. Paul or St. Peter or any other of the Apostles could plead an â—quality to the greatness of their Knowledg for they boasted that they knew more than all men else And Knowledge we know is a thing so inviting as that it hath no Enemies but the Ignorant and scarce any so sottish as not to desire it insomuch that it was a Temptation even to Eve in Innocence when doubtless her Knowledge was compleatly suted to her Innocence yet even then â—he judged the forbidden Fruit desireable because it would make one Wise We 'tis true have lost her Innocence but not the Desire after Knowledge no marvel then if with this pretence they allured many Especially considering that though their Wisdom was Earthly Sensual devilish yet they pretended it was from above it came not of Blood or of the Will of the Flesh or of the Will of Man but of God For as the Devil in tempting our blessed Saviour hid his Lies under Texts of Holy Scripture so saith Irenaeus do all Hereticks what though as Polycarp observed they wrested the Word of God according to their own Lusts yâ—t it appeared thereby they fathered their Lies upon the God of Truth from whom also as they pretended their Fables sometimes descended by Tradition and sometimes by Revelation When they were urged and baffled out of the Holy Scriptures they fell foul upon them and accused them of such depravations insufficiences varieties and obscurities as that the Truth could not therein be found by any that knew not Tradition and by Tradition they understood not as others did that which every where always and by all Christians is believed but a more secret delivery of Truth down from one to another not by Writing but by word of mouth Thus it seems they pretended to have received their Doctrine not from the Apostles but from the mouth of Christ himself and therefore in the Church of Corinth they were neither for Paul nor Apollo no nor yet for Cephas but for Christ as if Christ had transmitted such Doctrine to them as he withheld
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
down from its first and proper state to another far inferior Hereby it is evident that the Light of Nature discovers our fallen condition Herein I say where can Reason without Revelation find a promise of eternal happiness made unto us The vast Volumes of the Creation do not afford it the Book of Nature doth not contain it Where then will it look for it or can it possibly find it Here then this supposed Infallible Guide is at a stand it cannot carry us one step farther it is at such a loss as that it cannot tell us what to do or which way to go that we may gâ—t within the compass of a Promise of Salvation without which we walk in darkness and at all adventures and so our wandrings are like to be very tedious and troublesome indeed But what if they be the matter is not much for those who commit themselves to the guidance of their own Vnderstandings if they do commit themselves wholly to it are as safe on the left hand as on the right as secure of happiness in their Errors as others are who are otherwise guided even in the Truth which they happen to fall into Behold hâ—re the power of Reason how broad it makes the way to Heaven and how wide its gate it throwes it open and takes it on every side no matter with what it approachâ—th it Error as well as Truth if it be the dictate of our own understanding will let us into it What scrupulous Coxcombs then are those who ask with the trembling Jaylour Sirs What must we do to be saved Can they not wholly commit themselves to their own Understandings and then they would be saved right or wrong What though we be Turks Jews Heathens or Atheists in our perswasion it is no matter if we therein wholly commit our selves to the guidance of our own Understandings we are as secure of happiness in our Errors as others are who are guided even in the Truths which they happen to fall into For there is no danger of perishing but from Disobedience without which every man may often err the Commandment of God being not to find out truth especially every particular one but to Endeavour the finding it He commands no more but to search and ye shall find sayes be not every particular Truth for experience teaches us that cannot be the interpretation but whether you find or no the Truth which you search for you shall find the Reward of searching which is Happiness So that if your Understanding search and you do commit your selves wholly to the guidance oâ— it there is no danger of perishing from disobedience to the Laws even of God himself much less from Errour Well little did we think what an amulet we carry about with us and little did we know till this Treatise told us that such is the force and virtue of our Understanding as that if it doth what it may the most venomous errour cannot hurt us if it doth but search we shall be sure to find the reward of searching which is Happiness This indeed is a very comfortable Speculation but it falls out somewhat unluckily that He who acquainted us with it as it is to be feared spake without-book for the Promise is not made to searching but to seeking i. e. to Prayer and Devotion not to Study and Enquiry after Truth in Opinion It doth therefore give us no reason to think either that Happiness is the reward of such searching or that we shall ever find it thereby no though we commit our selves wholly to the guidance of our Understanding therein for if on those Terms men may attain to Salvation I cannot understand that St. Paul the Apostle was e're a whit securer of happiness than Saul the Persecutor for he verily thought with himself that he ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus This was the guidance of his Understanding and he wholly committed himself to it for even then he lived in all good Conscience Why then was not he as safe on the left hand as on the right i. e. while a Pesecutor as when an eminent Believer If he were why doth he magnifie the Mercy of God in his Conversion If he were not what reason have we to believe the now controverted and grand Assertion in this Treatise That therefore notwithstanding we conclude That since Christ and his Apostles were Prophets it is unreasonable to think our own Reason a sufficient Guide to Eternal Happiness Sect. 4. Hence also it follows That it is very reasonable for us to believe whatsoever Christ and his Apostles have undoubtedly taught us The reason of the consequence most manifestly is because they were Prophets and being Prophets they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and forasmuch as God cannot lye the truth of their doctrine must needs be beyond all question For such is the certainty of the Word of Prophecy as that St. Peter prefers it before the voice which he himself heard from Heaven when he was with Jesus in the holy Mount But can any thing be more sure than such a Voice No not in it self considered absolutely but unto us God is Truth and in him there is no Possibility of lying or Shadow of falshood all things therefore that come from him must needs be equally sure and certain infallible and true in themselves yet for all that one thing may have greater evidence of its descent and more apparent credentials of its Mission from him than another hath As for example St. John the Baptist and our Blessed Saviour were both sent from God but both did not give equal evidence of their Mission from him St. John did no Miracle but our Saviour wrought many and the Works that he did did bear witness of him that the Father sent him And as it is in Persons so may it be in several wayes of Revelation and so I conceive it is in those that now lye before us a Voice from Heaven and a Word of Prophecie The Question is not which is most true considered as in it self for so there can be no comparison between them but which of the two is most sure as to us i. e. which of them gives us the fairest Credentials of its coming from God St. Peter decides the question the Word of Prophecy And for this his decision he had the authority of the Jewes among whom it seems that in those dayes it was and perhaps still is a received Opinion That the Bath Kol filia vocis such as St. Peter speaks of was inferiour to the very lowest degree of Prophecy not in its truth as in it self considered but in motives of credibility to others hereof Maimonides insinuates this reason viz. because it may happen to such as are not prepared for Prophecy there were as we have shewed divers qualifications antecedently or concomitantly necessary to fit men for the Spirit of Prophecy and
did as far exceed the power of Nature as the Donation of Blessedness or any thing else contained in the Promises by them therefore it appears that all things requisite thereunto are in the Power of Him by whom or in whose Name they were done and the Goodness of his Miracles declare Him as Willing as Able to bestow them on us and where both Power and Will do concur to make men Blessed it is very evident there is no place left for Diffâ—â—ence or room for Despair Since then the Miracles of Christ do Demonstrate both his Ability and Willingness to make us Blessed and all the Promises of the Gospel do empty themselves into Blessedness it thence follows that on that account we may and in Reason we ought to have stâ—ong confidence in the Promises But here perhaps some will say no because the performance of them in Order to the acquisition of Blessednâ—ss includes a general Resurrection from the Dead whiâ—h is impossible because if some Men have not been nourished by feeding on the Flesh of others yet surely Fish eat Men and Men eat those Fish so that That which formerly was the Flesh of one Man is frequently taken into the substance of anothers body and because it cannot be that the same numerical matter should constitute divers bodies it seems impossible that these men should have a Resurrection Be it so that a general Resurrection seems incredible yet ought not that to prejudice our Hope any more than the Mysteries of Christianity do our Faith because that He who made and revealed things that pass our comprehension may propose the like to our Hope and forasmuch as it is our duty to honour him by the submission of our irascible faculties as well as rational it ought not to seem strange that so he should But why should it be thought impossible for God to raise the dead If the Loadstone can so extract the filings of Steel out of dust as that nothing thereof shall be lost why should it be thought impossible for God to gather together and raise up every the least Particle of each mans body wheresoever hid or intermingled with others and there is no fear of a Contention at thee Rsurrection among the Canibals or others for their respective bodies for it seems to me more than probable that Infinite Wisdom Power and Justice will so order the matter aâ— that humane flesh which men have devoured shall be as St. Austine faith restored unto them in whom it first began to be mans flesh and they from whose Bodies the restitution is made shall have no cause to be troubled at it for as the Imperfâ—ctions or the defects of strength and Nature in the bodies of Infants at their decease shall by the Almighty Power and Wisdom be supplyed at the Resurrection so may and so I believe shall theirs Nâ—r doth this Supply make them cease any more to be the same Bodies than the cure of an old Ulcer in the Leg makâ—s it cease to be the same Leg although in order thereunto the putrefied flesh be removed that sound may be restored In all this there is nothing impossible and since Christianity doth so clearly assert a future Resurrection and we have so much Reason to believe it it is not only possible but probable that so it shall be However since so it may be there is no truth or force in the Objection to make our Christian Hope unreasonable but since it grasps at nothing that is really impossible and withal is so well founded on Promises of whose Truth and certainty we are so abundantly assured it must be concluded to be very rational Sect. 6 Lastly since it is thus reasonable to believe the Doctrine and to hope in the Promises of Christianity it is also very reasonable for us to keep its Commandments Faith and Hope are so great Engines of Action as that in Natural and Civil affairs scarce any man omits doing of any thing whereby he believes and hopes to obtain some good or to avoid some evil and if in those Affairs all the World think it reasonable for Faith and Hope to set us on doing why is it not so also in Religious Since therefore in these affairs we have as we have seen very fair ground to plant these Engines on it is very reasonable to set them on work in keeping the Commandments And not for this cause only but especially because Christ and his Apostles who revealed them to us and imposed them on us being Prophets it is thence manifest that they have no less than divine Authority instampt upon them and so indisputably evident and transcendently great is this Authority as that the whole Earth Heathens and Turks as well as Jews and Christians acknowledge an obligation to obey it and since Gods Commands have so confessed an obligation in them it is certainly a part of the Synteresis or habit of prâ—ctical Principles wherewith Nature hath indued all mens Consciences that God is to be obeyed Since then because Christ and his Apostles were Prophets the Precepts of that Religion that they have taught us must needs be the Commands of God we are self-condemned Wretches perhaps worse than Infidels if we do not obey them But here to demonstrate at once both the nature and the greatness of our obligations to Obedience it will not be amiss though it may seem a Digression to enquire Whence our obligation to obey God doth arise If we consult the Philosophical Rudiments concerning Government and Civil Society for an Answer to this Question we shall there find it affirmed that the obligation of yielding God obâ—dience lyes on men by reason of their weakness If this shall seem hard to any man the Author in his Annotation desires him with a silent thought to consider if there were two Omnipotents whether were bound to obey And well may it seem hard since it admits of no proof without the supposition of an Impossibility viz. that there may be two Omnipotents which cannot be because the one is or it is not able to destroy the other if it be then the other is not Omnipotent because it is not able to resist it if it be not then is it not Omnipotent because there is something which it cannot do so that the Being of two Omnipotents is impossible Let a man therefore consider his arguing with never so silent a thought he shall find but little or no force in it And truly though our Saviour admonishing Paul who at that time was an enemy to the Church that he should not kick against the pricks seems to require obedience from him for this cause because he had not power enough to resist yet doth it not thence follow that his Weakness was the formal reason of his obligation to yield Obedience because there may be many motives to obey besides the basis and radix of our obligation so to do In the advice of a Friend there is no obligation at all