here the last words of their departing Prince believed verily they heard and saw the King himself committing at his last gasp Laodice and his Children to their Fidelity Hybreas the Oratour in lineaments of Face and whole Body was so peer'd by the sweeper of his School as the eyes of all Asia did as good as point him out for his Brother all the mark of difference betwixt them was the Oratour's fluent Tongue never was that of the Philosopher more seasonable then here Loquere ut te videam Speak that I may see thee The Proconsul of Sicily found a fellow of that Province so perfectly like himself as he could not imagine how that Oneness of shape should happen seeing his Father never came into that Island till the Sicilian quicken'd his fancy rub'd up his invention by telling him that his Father had often been at Rome By means of this coincidence of outward Features Speech Garb Port c. improved by the art of palliation and personating how many base fellows have insinuated themselves into noble Families and Estates they were never born to Equitius Firmianus of no better Bran then the Picene Smelt-mills ground made the people of Rome so verily believe he was the Son of T. Graccus as they prefer'd him to the Tribuneship Herophilus a Horse-leech by giving out himself to be the Grand-child of Caius Marius obtain'd that repute as many of the ancient Roman Plantations the fairest Corporations and almost all Societies within the Empire chuse him their Patron insomuch as he began to vie with Caesar in his greatest glory even after the Conquest of his Rival Pompey in the point of Popularity and concluded with an attempt after Caesar's murder to send the Senate after him The sacred Majesty of the great and fortunate Augustus could not shield it self from this kind of injury for a sawcy knave had the boldness to fain himself the Son of his Sister Octavia who had as he said for his exceeding deformity exposed him to a poor Woman and taken her child in exchange for her own Another had the face to assert himself the Son of Q. Sertorius and the luck to be believed notwithstanding that Sertorius his Lady could by no force be compell'd to own him any more than all the Arguments we could use from the Testimony of the Parish whence he was sent from his wanting an eye and his having all the other marks which her Child had would prevail with one of my reverend and religious Father's Parishioners to acknowledg a Child for hers which was sent to her out of Ireland where she had formerly lived with her Husband Trebellius Calca had so far insinuated into the People a belief that he was the Son of Clodius as Clodius his right heir had much ado to keep his Estate out of his clutches In Sulla's Dictatorship a rude Clown burst into the house of Cn. Asinius Dion and casting his Son out of doors took upon himself the name of Dion's Son and the possession of his goods which he kept till the Reign of Caesar. Smerdis the Magus might have passed still for Smerdis the Son of the great Cyrus had he not been detected by his Ear-mark That Jew of Sidon whom Josephus mentions antiq 17. 14. did so perfectly resemble Alexander the son of Herod whom his Father had slain as he perswaded all the Jews of Cyprus yea all that set eyes upon him every where who had seen the true Alexander and those most that had been best acquainted with him to believe that he was the very Alexander one of whom Celenus a Freeman of Augustus being sent by the Emperour to take a view of him though he had been the play-fellow and most familiar acquaintance of Alexander yet he could discern no difference betwixt him and this his Counterfeit nor had he been detected if the sagacious and Eagle-eyed Augustus had not perceived wanting in him that softness of Hand and grace of Body which to persons of noble extract and delicate breeding is hereditary Joseph Antiq. 17. 18. Bel. Jud. 2. 5. Examples are numberless of strange and base Slips that have been ingrafted into noble Families infinitely more Persons have been suborned than Religions and therefore if those presumptions which the Sceptick brings against our Religion be applyed to Politicks and 't is all the reason in the World that he should be forc'd to buy and sell by the same Bushel down goes Nobility and Gentry all distinction of Lines and Families and all possibility of making good our claims of Honour Patrimony or whatever we hold by our Birthright for upon his may-be-Principles wherewith he militates against the Faith divine he destroys all humane Faith turns the World into a Chaos and renders it disputable whether Augustus may not be a Baker's Son our most famous God-born Heroes the Sons of the Earth the most splendid Princes and illustrious Nobles the Off-spring of Grooms and Muleters I prostrate my self at the feet of his most sacred and serene Majesty the Princes of the Royal Blood and the rest of the honourable Nobility for their favourable Interpretation of this freedom of Speech To whom I will not make that Apology which St. Ambrose made for his to Valentinian lib. 5. Epist. 29. neque imperiale est libertatem dicendi negare neque sacerdotale quod sentiat non dicere neither would it sute my case with which St. Ambrose his sentiat will not comport for I speak not what I think but what the Atheist's Arguments against the Scriptures would tempt Men to think But this that my Parrhasie proceeds next to the service I owe to the Blessed Jesus and to the Souls for which he died from the regard I have of their Honours and that deep resentment of a design the Atheist is carrying on to disseize them of their most deserved and indubitable Birth-rights while he puts in these feeble Exceptions against the Legitimacy of the Gospel as may with far more colour be alledged against the Legitimacy of the most undoubted Heir apparent This Pillar and Foundation of Truth the Testimony of the Church primitive and Universal taken from eye-witnesses for Eusebius saith that Quadratus made proof to Adrian the Emperour of the truth of Christ's miraculous Cures from the testimony of many of those upon whom they were wrought who lived long after Christ's Ascention and numbers of them unto that very time when he wrote his Apology Eus. hist. 4. 3. This Pillar upon which these Sampson-wits are leaning with all their strength to pull it down cannot fall but all our Birth-rights fall with it as having nothing else to bear them up but Pegs fasten'd to those Pillars Stones built upon that Foundation the testimony of particular and private Christians which if it be exauctorised welcom that of Homer in its most levelling sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that of Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man shall know where to find Father or Mother we must draw lots for both
six her eye more narrowly upon Emergencies there as things of highest State-concern in respect of that then famous Eastern Prophecy of one to arise at that time in Judea who should be King of the Universe § 4. At that time when the Erection of an Universal Monarchy was according to that Prophecy expected appeared Persons of a more Lordly Spirit amongst the Romans than any former Age had brought forth Caesar and Pompey ' s Ambition sprung from this Prophecy The then greatest Spirits courted the Jews favour and used means that they might be that oriundus in Judaea § 5. The arts which the Roman Candidates for the Universal Monarchy used to bring the World into an opinion that they were designed by Heaven to something extraordinary Julius his Dream his cloven-footed Horse his Mules his Triton his pressing to have the Title of King because the Sybils had prophesied one at that time would be King of all the World The Fathers quotations of Sybils vindicated § 6. Augustus had his Education amongst the Velitri who had a Tradition of the tendency with the Eastern Prophecy that one of that City should obtain the Kingdom of the whole World The Roman Prodigy before his Birth His Mother Atia conceives him by Apollo Her Snake-mole Nero ' s Bracelet Atias Dream of her Entrals Nigidius his Prognostication The Prediction of the Thracian Priests His Fathers Vision Cicero ' s Dream § 7. Tiberius his Omens Scribonius ' s Prediction Livias crested Chick The Altars of the conquering Legions His Dye cast into Apon ' s Well Galba ' s Mock-prophecy § 8. Titus and Vespasian ' s Motto Amor deliciae in English the desire of the Nations The Prodigy of Mars his Oak The Gypsies Prediction Dirt cast by Caligula into his Shirt The Dog bringing a Man's hand The Oracle of the God of Carmel His curing the blind and Lame c. CHAP. X. The more open Practices of soaring Spirits in grasping at the Judean Crown their hopes to obtain it and as to some of them their Conceit of possessing it § 1. Cleopatra ' s Boon begg'd of M. Antony denyed Herod ' s Eye Blood-shot with looking at the Eastern Prophecy § 2. Vespasian jealous of Titus The Eastern Monarchy the Prize contended for by both Parties in the Jewish Wars Mild Vespasian cruel to David ' s Line § 3. Domitian jealous of Davids Progeny Genealogies Metius Pomposianus his Genesis and Globe his Discourse with Christ's Kindred about Christ's Kingdom Clancular Jews brought to light Trajan puts to death Simeon Bishop of Jerusalem for being of the Royal Line § 4. Glosses upon the Eastern Prophecy under Adrian involve the Empire in Blood Jewry in Desolation Fronto taxeth benumm'd Nerva for conniving at the Jew CHAP. XI St. Paul's Apology before Nero was in Answer to some Interrogatories put to him through the Suggestion of his Adversaries touching the matter of the Eastern Prophecy Ex. Gr. Is not this Jesus whom thou preachest to be risen again from the Dead that Jesus of Nazareth whom ye call King of the Jews § 1. Tertullus his Charge against St. Paul a Ring-leader of Nazarites Lysias his Interrogatory art not thou that Alexandrian Egyptian Nero put in hopes of that Kingdom which St. Paul preach'd Christ to have obtained Poppaea Nero's Minion Disciples slink away § 2. Why St. Paul stiles Nero a Lion of the Kingdom of God The Lions Courage quails at St. Paul's Apology Nero after that trusts more to his Art than Gypsies Prophecies § 3. St. Pauls Appearance within Nero ' s Quinquennium Pallas Foelix his Brother and Advocate out of Favour in Nero ' s third Festus hastens St. Paul ' s Mission to Rome the Jews his Trial. § 4. Nero not yet a Lion in Cruelty but in opinion Judah ' s Lion St. Paul ' s Doctrine tryed to the bottom before Nero desponds An Apology for this Pilgrimage through the Holy Age its Use. CHAP. XII As no Age was less like to be Cheated than that wherein the Apostles flourish'd so no Generation of Men was less like to put a Cheat upon the World than the Apostolick and Primitive Church § 1. The Apostles and Primitive Churches Veracity evinc'd by their chusing Death rather than an Officious Lye to save their lives Pliny ' s testimony of them § 2 3. They hide not their imperfections nor the Truth to please Parties or to avoid the Worlds taking offence The offence which Heathens took at some Gospel-passages § 4. All false Religions make lyes their Refuge Pagan Forgeries § 5. Papal Innovation founded on lying Legends Sir Thomas Moor upon St. Austin Gregory Turonensis and Simeon Metaphrastes devout Lyars The Story of the Baptist ' s Head BOOK II. THE ARGUMENT As they could not nor would not delude others so they were not themselves deluded persons or Men of crazy Intellects but propounded to the World a Religion so every way fitted to the Dictates of Common Reason of the most Refin'd Philosophy and of pre-existent Religion as it was impossible for them to have fram'd had they not been of perfect Memory and sound Minds THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. The Gospel's Correspondency with Vulgar Sentiments § 1. The Testimony of the Humane Soul untaught to the Truth of the Christian Creed in the Articles touching the Unity of the Godhead his Goodness Justice Mercy The Existence of wicked Spirits § 2. The Resurrection and Future Judgment Death formidable for its Consequence to evil Men No Fence against this Fear proved by Examples § 3. In hope of future Good the Soul secretly applauds her self after virtuous Acts. This makes the Flesh suffer patiently CHAP. II. Reason nonplus'd help'd by Religion acquiesceth in her Resolutions § 1. Man's Supremacy over the Creatures the Reason of it not cognoscible by Natural Light § 2. Yet generally challenged even over Spirits whom men command to do what themselves disgust § 3. The way of Creation a Mystery Reason puzzel'd to find it out can but conjecture § 4. Divine Revelations touching both acquiesc'd in as soon as communicated Scripture-Philosophy excels the Mechanick Plato's Commendation § 5. Nothing but the God of Order's Grant can secure States from Anarchical Parity and Club-law § 6. Heathens assented to the Reasons of both assigned by Scripture CHAP. III. Natural Conscience Ecchoes to Christian Morals § 1. A Dispraise to dispraise Virtue or praise Vice The Comicks Liberty restrained § 2. How the worst of Men became to be reputed Gods § 3. Men were deified for their Virtues Vice ungodded Gods § 4. Stage-Gods hissed at The Infamy of Players The Original of Mythology CHAP. IV. Christian Religion concords with the highest Philosophical Notions § 1. Divine Knowledge coâ—â—unicated from the Church to travelling Philosophers Our Religion elder than Heathenism by Heathens confession § 2. Christian Articles implied in Pagan Philosophy's Positions Man's happiness through Communion with God and Conformity unto God § 3. This Conformity and Communion effected by God-man God manifest in
as asserted by the Church in those writings which opposed Christian Religion § 1. Maker of Heaven and Earth § 2. His only Son § 3. Conceived by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary § 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate c. § 5. Rose again the third day § 6. Ascended into Heaven thence c. § 7. The Holy Ghost § 8. Holy Catholick Church c. CHAP. V. The Truth of the Gospel-History attested by Secular Writers § 1. Old Antagonists did not persist in the denial of any point of Gospel-History save that of Christs Resurrection and the manner of their denying it proves the Truth of it § 2. Josephus his Story of John Baptist accords with Gospel-History § 3. His Text in testimony of Jesus vindicated from the Exceptions of Vossius c. § 4. Josephus his date of Christs and the Baptists Story falls in with Gospel-Chronology § 5. The Stories of Herod Herodias Aretus Artabanus Philip Lysanias in Josephus Tacitus Suetonius timed to Sacred Chronology § 6. The Twin-Priesthood of Annas and Caiphas at Christs Baptism and Passion cleared § 7. The Date of Philip the Tetrarch his Death CHAP. VI. The Date of Christs Birth as it is asserted by the Church maintain'd by Scripture § 1. Christ homaged by the Magi early after his Birth § 2. Christ born and Baptized the same day of the year § 3. God would have the Church observe the day of Christs Birth The Priestly Courses the Character of it which from the first Institution by Solomon to the last and fatal year of the Second Temples standing were never interrupted § 4. The Calculation of these courses leads us to the Conception and Birth of the Baptist and our Saviour § 5. Christs Baptism and John's Ministry in the same year of Tiberius Reign point out the same thing Objections answered § 6. The taxing of all the world ill-confounded with that of Syria CHAP. VII Josephus his Suffrage to the Evangelists in the Substance of their History of Christ. § 1. He appropriates the Compellation Christ to our Jesus speaks of the Churches growth in a Gospel-stile § 2. Describes Christs Disciples by Evangelical Characters gives the Evangelists Reasons why others did not embrace the Gospel § 3. He peremptorily asserts Christs Miracles how he came to a certain information thereof Appion and Justus would have found it out if he had proceeded here upon presumptions and uncertainties § 4. He describes Christs Miracles after the Evangelical Model § 5. And affirms them to have been such as the Prophets had foretold The Touch-stone of Canonical History § 6. He asserts Christs Resurrection with all its Circumstances CHAP. VIII Josephus confirms St. Lukes History of Herod Agrippa § 1. He paints him in Evangelical Colours as the Jews favourite as a Prodigal as much in the Tyrians Debt and therefore displeased with them c. § 2. He Dates his Death according to St. Luke St. James Martyred in the third a Famine at Rome in the second and third In Judaea in the fourth of Claudius § 3. He describes his Death after St. Lukes Style Two Acclamations immediately after the second he was struck by a Messenger of Death an Owle § 4. Angels assume what form the divine mandat prescribes Evil Angels God's Messengers § 5. Herod the Great died of the like stroke Josephus gives the natural Symptoms of Agrippa's Disease § 6. A Digression touching St. Paul's Thorn in the Flesh. CHAP. IX Other Secular Witnesses to the Truth of Sacred History § 1. Phlegon of the Darkness and Earthquake at Christs Passion § 2. Thallus his mistaking that Darkness for an Eclipse § 3. The Records of Pagan Rome touching that and other Occurrences § 4. The Chronicles of Edessa though Apochryphal yet true Julian's Prohibition of the use of secular Books in Christian Schools his Testimony § 5. Moses his History of Joseph attested by Pagans § 6. His History of himself § 7. Of Noah Balaam c. avouched by Secular Writers CHAP. X. The Adversaries forced upon very great Disadvantages to their own Cause by reason that they could not for very shame resist the Evidences brought in defence of Sacred History § 1. Christ accused of working by the Prince of Devils that Accusation withdrawn in open Court and this Plea put in against him that he made himself a King and therefore was an Enemy to Caesar § 2. Pety Exceptions rebound upon the heads of their Framers § 3. The Modern Sceptick's half-reasons too young to grapple with old Prescription § 4. Christs Works Gods Seal to his Mission § 5. The present Age as able to judge of the Nature of those Works as that was wherein they were done § 6. Atheistical Exceptions against particular points of Religion an Hydra's head yet they all stand upon one neck and may be cut off at one blow by proving the Divine Original of Religion BOOK IV. THE ARGUMENT 4. The Divine Original of Sacred Writ is as demonstrable as the being of a God from the Infinity of Wisdom express'd in its Prophecies and of Power in its miracles THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. The Being of a Deity Demonstrated § 1. The Existence of a Deity demonstrable from the frame of the world the composition of humane bodies § 2. The Garden of the Earth did not fall by chance into so curious and well order'd knots The ingenuity of Birds sings the Wisdom of their Maker c. § 4. The Heavens declare the glory of God CHAP. II. The Author of Christian Religion hath stamp'd thereon no less manifest Prints of infinite Science than the Maker of the World hath left upon that his Workmanship § 1. Heathen Prophecies the Result of Ratiocination § 2. From general Hints which for mens torments God might permit the Devil to communicate § 3. The Ambiguity of Oracles on purpose to hide the Ignorance of them that gave them § 4. It was by chance they spake truth § 5. Scripture-Oracles distinct of pure Contingencies their Sence plain punctually fulfill'd CHAP. III. Instances of Prophecies fulfill'd whose Effects are permanent and obvious to the Atheists Eyes if he will but open them § 1. Predictions that Israel would reject their own Messia made by Jews Confession many hundreds of years before Christ. § 2. The Prophets foretell Gods Rejection of the Jews for their Rejection of his Son § 3. Texts proving a final Rejection Christs Blood calls down this vengeance § 4. These Menacies executed to the full Temple City and all vanish'd Spirit of Prophecy past from the Synagogue to the Church CHAP. IV. Gematrian Plaisters too narrow for the Sore § 1. The Ark. § 2. Holy Fire § 3. Urim and Thummim § 4. Spirit of Prophecy in the Second Temple § 5. Exorcisme and Bethesda's all-healing vertue the second Temples Dowry CHAP. V. The Jews rejected Messias to be called the God of the whole Earth and all other Gods eternally to be rejected § 1. The God of Israel every where worship'd where Christian Religion
fifteenth of Tiberius wherein our great High Priest was officiating in the Temple and within the Veil of his Flesh It is Doctor Lightfoot's Observation that St. John in that half hours silence alludes to the People waiting silently at the Door while the Priest was officiating in the holy place Peace was then continued for other thirty Years even unto the fourth of Nero It remains now that we prove that during that last thirty Years of silence the Line of the Gospel was drawn out not only through all the Earth the Land of Jury but to the ends of the World the utmost Bounds of the Roman Pale Would the Atheist for proof of this acquiess in sacred Testimony I would alledge that of St. Paul Ro. 15. 19. where he writes that in his own line he had proceeded from Jerusalem the Center round about unto Illyricum fully preaching the Gospel so as he had no place left in those parts over which the Line of some Apostle had not been sttretch'd And then leave him to compute though St. Paul labour'd more than they all and therefore must have twelve to one reckoned to his proportion how far the lines of all the rest were stretched out before the general Peace was broke seeing the single Line of one of them had reach'd so far in Nero's second Year as Doctor Lightfoot dates that Epistle But to deal with the Atheist at his own Weapon I shall urge him with the Testimony of Tacitus who having occasion thereof ministred to him from Nero's charging Christians with the setting Rome on fire speaks of our Religion as famously known and by multitudes embrac'd at Rome long before that bloody Edict in Nero's twelfth The common People saith he call them Christians from one Christ who in the Reign of Tiberius was put to death by Pontius Pilate Governour of Judaea whose Religion though by Edicts suppressed presently upon its appearance yet grew under those Weights and brake out again not in Judaea only where it had its Original i. e. the Center whence its Line was drawn but even in Rome it self having reached so far and got so many Proselytes as though the Vulgar looked upon Christians as Persons of an execrable Religion as Enemies to Humane Kind and deserving the Extremities of most inhumane Afflictions and Punishments yet there was none of them so hard hearted as not to relent to see such huge Multitudes of them led to the Slaughter grieving that so much humane though as they thought Malignant blood should be poured out Tacit. annal 15. 233. Ergo abolende rumori Nâ—ro subdidit reos quaesitissimis paenis affecit quos per stagitium risos vulgus Christiarios appellabat auctor ejus nominis Christus qui Tiberio imperitante per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus erat repressaque in praesens exitiabilis superstitio rursus erumpebat non modo per Judaeam originem ejus whence their Liâ—e went out sed per Urbem etiam Igitur primo correpti qui fatebantur deinde Ingens eorum multitudo haud perinde in crimine incendâ—â— quam odio humani generis connicti sunt unde quanquam adversus sontes novissima exempla meritos miseratio oriebatur Nay to that height was Christian Religion grown at Rome in the beginning of Nero's Reign as Suetonius Sueton. Nero 16. reckons his making Edicts for the suppressing of it among those Reformations he made at his coming to the Crown It will be in vain to urge to our Scepticks St. Paul's Testimony that the Gospel had got footing in Nero's Family yet it may perhaps seem to him less improbable that that Grain of Mustard-seed should sprought up in that barren Soil and malignant Influence if he be minded of the State of Affairs under Aurelian and that in spight of that Juncture our Religion so throve even in the Court as he suspects the Christian Party even among his Senators impeded the passing of the Decree for consulting the Sibylline Books when the Marcomanni invaded the Empire by that handsome Evasion that the Emperour was so valiant as he needed not consult the Gods which though Vopiscus interprets as a point of Flattery yet the Emperour laid it to another Father in that Letter he sent to the Senate to hasten their passing that Decree in these words transcribed by Vopiscus Miror vos sancti Patres tamdiu de aperiendis Sibyllinis dubitasse libris perinde quasi in Christianorum ecclesia non in Templo Deorum omnium tractaretis I wonder holy Fathers that you should be so long debating the question whether Sybill ' s Books in this Exigent should be consulted like as if you were handling this point in the Church of Christians and not in the Capitol the Temple of all the Gods If he had reason to suspect there was so great a Party in his Council of Christians so soon after the persecution raised by Valerianus as they might possibly impede the passing of that Decree what reason have we to conceive it unlikely that Christ should have his Church in Nero's House Vopiscus Aurelian And if notwithstanding the opposition it there found Christianity had gained that rooting in Rome it selfe as so huge a number dare seal the truth of it with their dearest Blood I dare refer it to all unbiassed Minds to think how it must spread in those parts of the Empire that were nearer Judaea as the main body of it was and less under inspection and then to pass their judgment whether Heathen History does not Eccho to that of the Apostle where he saith that not only the Christian Faith was known at Rome but the Faith of the Roman Christians was famous through the World at his writing his Epistle to them which bears date the second of Nero. CHAP. IX The Judean Stirs were the Empires Advantage against Surprisal § 1. Objections from the Commotions in Judea answered and retorted Those inconsiderable and not so great as that delicate and repining People would represent them § 2. The Stirs that were in Judea put the Ministers of State upon a more diligent enquiry into what there fell out whereby they got a more full information of the state of that great Controversie between the Jews and Christians § 3. The Judean Commotions drew the Imperial Eagle to fix her eye more narrowly upon Emergencies there as things of highest State-concern in respect of that then famous Eastern Prophecy of one to arise at that time in Judea who should be King of the Universe § 4. At that time when the Erection of an Universal Monarchy was according to that Prophecy expected appeared Persons of a more Lordly Spirit amongst the Romans than any former Age had brought forth Caesar and Pompey ' s Ambition sprung from this Prophecy The then greatest Spirits courted the Jews favour and used means that they might be that oriundus in Judaea § 5. The arts which the Roman Candidates for the Universal Monarchy used to bring the World into
that sweet morsel of Judeas Crown under his Tongue which he had in his hope swallowed and must regorge if St. Paul carry the day would set his wits on work to seek evasions and starting-holes in every corner of his Apology in the whole Web of whose Discourse upon that subject how glad would his own dear interest have made him could he have found one Wemb through which he might have seen the least glimmering of a possibility that those emergencies in Judaea then under contest before him were not such as St. Paul reported them to be Can we think that Christian Apologist could satisfie Nero in that point as St. Jerome in the place forecited insinuates by his in prima satisfactione which he so much desired to disbelieve till he had throughly weighed and canvas'd all St. Paul's and his Adversaries Pleas and found the Apostle to be irrefragable Briefly To sum up the whole of this Argument A man may without any violent elevation of his mind fancy Judea that Navel of the Earth to have been a Stage erected for the Actors in the midst of the Theatre of the World and the Inhabitants of the Empire sitting in a round as spectators and observing what was there acted with the greatest silence imaginable We are made saith St. Paul a theatre to men and Angels What hinders but we may interpret that Text by Daniel 10. 13. the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia and Vers. 14. Michael one of the chief Princes and Chap. 12. 1. Michael the great Prince that standeth for the children of thy people and by Angels understand the Angel-presidents over Nations those Eyes of the Lord according to Mr. Mede that run through the Earth To be sure they might at that time have seen all the World sitting still and at rest yea themselves then resting from impeding withstanding opposing deteining one another in behalf of their several Jurisdictions and had leisure to sit down for company with their Pupils and fix their running Eyes upon that strange sight was a showing in Judaea upon that one Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands However this Text can imply no less than Action upon the Stage Tumultuations in Judea with silence among the Spectators Peace in all the World about and that Peace allowed the Empire without the least distraction to trie to the bottom the grounds of those Commotions and those grounds being of highest concern to the Spectators res tua tunc agitur It must needs be morally impossible that the Christian Church could by any the handsomest Legerdemain delude that Eagles Eye so fixedly pitch'd on these Occurrences and so steadily pearch'd upon that Olive-plant of an Universal Peace an attempt to cheat the Spectators in such a Juncture would have been such an Act quòd ipse Non sani esse hominis non sanus juret Orestes as he that had but half an Eye would swear to be the undertaking of scarce half-witted men I am now come to a Period of this tedious and toilsom Pilgrimage through the holy Age if I may call the Time so as well as the Place which Christ separated from all other Ages wherein to manifest himself in the flesh and divulge his Royal Law undertaken not out of curiosity to see Fashions but upon the same account which I have observed many of the Ancients to have travelled to the holy Land to inform themselves more explicitly in the Evangelical History to confirm themselves more feelingly by ocular Demonstration in the truth of that History or to delight their inamour'd Souls with the Contemplation of the places where the Blessed Jesus convers'd here he wept here he pray'd here he fasted this was the place of his Birth this of his Baptism this of his Transfiguration on this Hill he gave his Royal Law on this he foil'd the Tempter on this his sacred Feet printed their farewel-kiss to the Earth such Meditations could not but deeply affect confirm the Religious Pilgrim This put me upon enquiring whether the same Religious Use might not be made of travelling through the holy Age and this Enquiry upon making trial aiming at the informing my self as it were by ocular Inspection whether it was an Age likely to be imposed upon as our Modern Scepticks insinuate In which travel I have been forc'd to take Secular Writers for my Guides that I might frame my Journals in a Language which they whose couviction I endeavour profess themselves to understand and to take pleasure in the sound of entertaining my self with those hopes that Secular History as well as A Verse may take him whom a Sermon flies And turn delight into a sacrifice And that our great Criticks in Humanity may deign to peruse a Discourse that hath cost the Author so many weary steps and not think him immodest in this request that they would in order to their own satisfaction with him who for their sake hath travell'd over the Mountains of the Leopards that he might take and give them a prospect of that Age vouchsafe to take one view of it from Mount Sion and mark one Bulwark more it had against treacherous surprizals grounded upon the Candour and Integrity of its Assailants enough to have secur'd it had it not been intrench'd and without which all the Fortifications we have seen the remains of would be but so many Monuments of the Subtilty and Stratagems of the Conquerours It will therefore be necessary in order to a full sail Assurance of the truth of our general Proposition to turn our sail to this Wind our thoughts to this Observation CHAP. XII As no Age was less like to be Cheated than that wherein the Apostles flourish'd so no Generation of Men was less like to put a Cheat upon the World than the Apostolick and Primitive Church § 1. The Apostles and Primitive Churches Veracity evinc'd by their chusing Death rather than an Officious Lye to save their lives Pliny's testimony of them § 2 3. They hide not their imperfections nor the Truth to please Parties or to avoid the Worlds taking offence The offence which Heathens took at some Gospel-passages § 4. All false Religions make lyes their Refuge Pagan Forgeries § 5. Papal Innovation founded on lying Legends Sr. Thomas Moor upon St. Austin Gregory Turonensis and Simeon Metaphrastes devout Lyars The Story of the Baptist ' s Heod § 1. 1. THeir avowed Principles touching making a Lye though with an intention to serve God by it were That the Devil is the Father of it Joh. 8. 44. That whoso love or make a Lye shall be excluded Heaven and detruded into the society and torments of Devils Apocal. 22. 15. Now had Men of this Profession abused the World with false Stories in a matter of so high a concern as Religion it would have render'd them in the opinion of all men the veriest miscreants that ever liv'd would certainly have allayd that confidence they used in justifying the truth of their Reports to the faces of men
which forbids me to dissemble I am a Christian I cannot dissemble Cursed Sectarian Rebels the stain of the Christian Name You made Lyes your Refuge and were made up of nothing from Head to Heel but dissimulation steering your course by that more than Machiavilian Maxim Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare Blessed Charles the Glory of the truly Christian Religion Thou writes after the Copy which thy Master set thee in his own Blood who rather than he would dissemble or not bear witness to the Truth before Pilat would incurr the Rabbles clamorous Cry to have that holy and just One crucified Such such were thy Mothers Children among whom thou now triumphs Such assurance did the Apostolical Church the glorious Company of Martyrs give of their prizing Truth at that rate as they thought that it was to be bought but not sold upon any terms in their refusing to accept of deliverance from the the most tormenting pains that humane strength could inflict or devillish subtilty invent at the price of a Monasyllable-lye What reason then to suspect the Truth of that Testimony which men of such Principles and inconquerable Veracity have given to the Truth of Gospel-history or that they should put their heads together to compact a Fable so long-winded § 2. The Apostles Impartiality How groundless such a Suspicion is will more appear if we cast into the Scales the Consideration of the Apostles and Evangelists Impartiality in their delivering the whole Truth even those Passages in Christ's and the Churches Stories which they could not but foresee would be a derision and stumbling-block to inquisitive Adversaries and a disparagement in the opinion of the Vulgar to Christ and themselves Such as concern their own mean Extract their sordid and scandalous imployments before their Call St. Matthew a Publican a Trade filthy and sordid even in the repute of Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Artimedorus An honest Publican was so rare even at Rome it self as Sabinus for managing that Office uncorruptly had Statues erected to him with this Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the honest Publican Sueton. Vespas 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So many Publcans so many Harpies Theocritus being demanded what was the cruellest Beast answered of those on the Mountains the Bear and Lion of those in Cities Publicans and Sycophants But much more infamous among the Jews especially if those that undertook that Office were Jews insomuch as Tertullian de pudicitia cap. 9. to take off that aggravation of infamy from St. Matthew will by no means have him to have been a Jew But he is more tender of St. Matthew's crediâ—â— than St. Matthew himself is who writes himself a Jew-publican as St. Jerome proveth Ep. ad Damasum part 2. tract 1. epist. 15. Accusing himself saith Eusebius Hoc quidem nullus Evangelistarum indicavit non Coapostolus Johannes non Marcus non Lucas sed ipse Matthaeus suam ipsius vitam non dissimulans planéque ipse seipsum accusans Euseb. Evang. demon 3. 7. St. Peter James and John our Saviour's select Confidents and as it were the Squires of his Body were called from their Fisher-boats to be Fishers of men They stick'd not to repeat their own weaknesses and failings their presumptions diffidences forsaking forswearing their Master Their Ambition their carnal Conceptions of the Kingdom of the Messiah their dulness of mind to believe the Resurrection with all the aggravating Circumstances of their Lapses From all which the malicious and vafrous Celsus Orig. contrà Celsum lib. 2. calum 18 19. passim takes occasion to deride them to calumniate the blessed Jesus and to disparage the Christian Cause which as Origen replies they would never have administred occasion to the busie enemy to object had not love to Truth constrained them to communicate to the World the whole Truth even that that made towards the proving of Christ to be perfect Man as well as what demonstrated him to be God and that which spake themselves to be what they were by Grace and to do what they did not in their own Name or Strength of their own Vertues but in the Merits and Power of the Name of Christ a Conceit walked among the Jews that extraordinary Holiness might attain to Miraculous Workings Industry bringeth to Purity Purity to Cleanness Cleanness to Holiness Holiness to Humbleness Humbleness to Fear of Sin Fear of Sin to partaking of the Holy Ghost say their Rabbies Lightfoot harm an Christ. 33. But the Apostles derive not their Power of working Miracles by any such Pedigree they make themselves nothing that Christ might be all in all to them § 3. No partial Compliance Yea whereas in Cases of Fact and Practice as private men they might warp aside from the Truth of the Gospel and it would have been in such Cases a promoting of their private Interests either to have said nothing or to have divertised their Reports so as might have rendered the Business most plausible on their own Partie's side Yet we find that even where their particular Interests clash and interfere their Reports agree and are as full in what makes against as for that Party with whom themselves sided in that Case of Fact To instance in the Case of St. Peter and Paul mentioned Gal. 2. That Evangelist who convers'd with St. Peter and was appointed to be his Companion to the Circumcision Gal. 2. 9. St. John writes his Gospel so as it favours St. Paul's Case more than St. Peter's commemorating more at large than St. Luke Christs Intensions to cast off the Jewish Nation to abrogate the Ceremonial Law describing that Nation as a People not to be temporized with opening their Malice Pertinacy and insatiable Thirst after Christ's Blood extenuating the Sin of the Romans in putting him to Death in comparison of the Crime of the Jews in rejecting betraying delivering up and bartering away the Lord of Glory St. Matthew who wrote by St. Peter's Direction to the Hebraizing Jews writes as much in dis-favour of that Nation which St. Peter favour'd and sided with in his Contest with St. Paul as any other Evangelist reporting that John the Baptist warned them not to claim Propriety in nor Privilege from Abraham That Christ preferr'd believing Gentiles before mis-believing Jews to the Honour of being related to him in Consanguinity That Christ found more Faith in some Gentiles than he did in Israel That Christ should say that many should come from East and West and sit down with Abraham in the Kingdom of God and the Children of the Kingdom be thrust out That Christ urged the Law of Charity as vacating the Law of Cermonies even of Old in the case of David eating the Shew-bread And lastly Christs Doom upon such like as St. Peter temporized with to the scandalizing of believing Gentiles that is they that had swept the House and emitted the unclean Spirit by an accepting of Christ for a Messiah but did afterwards suffer him by their Judaizing to
Hobby-horse to take in Castles And withal call to mind that the Riches of Damascus and other Eastern Countreys of Arabia to which Damascus anciently belong'd are Gold and odoriferous Gumms Spices and Plants And then you may learn that at the wise men's presenting our Saviour with Gold Frankincense and Myrâ—h the â—abe Jesus received the Riches of Damascus before he could cry Father or Mother c. And whereas the Jews objected the impossibility of a Virgin-birth and therefore expounded Isai. to speak of a young woman Tertullian replies that that would have been no Sign for there is nothing more ordinary than for young women to bear children vide caetera loco citato By this Method of arguing the Jew was so baffled as he wav'd the dispute about Christ's Person and stood only upon a Dispute about his coming in St. Austin's time of which he gives this Reason Because he was so manifestly describ'd in their own Prophets that the Baptist sent to ask Christ art thou he that the Jews said tell us if thou beest the Christ and that to this day they look for just such an one as our Jesus Quomodo autem nobiscum non de Christo sed tantum de adventu ejus disceptarent nisi bene nossent eum in libris Prophetarum cur à Joanne quaeritur utrùm ipse sit Christus cur ipsi domino dicunt quamdiâ—s animam nostram tollis si es Christus die nobis palà m nisi quod hoc nomen in illa gente per illas literas scribatur expectabatur Aug. contra Faustum tom 3. lib. 12. cap. 44. So true is that of Tertullian Quid est autem signare prophetiam quoniam impleta est prophetia per adventum ejus ipse est signaculum omnium prophetarum related out of him by St. Hierom in Dan. vision 8. What 's meant by the sealing of Prophecy in Daniel but that all Prophecy is fulfil'd in Christ's coming he being the seal and full sum of all the Prophets Nay so perfectly did every Tenon of Evangelical History fit every Mortice of sacred Prophecy as the Pagan World saith St. Aug. epist. 59. Nam ipsa prophetia quid aliud nisi à nobis putaretur esse conficta si non de codicibus inimicorum probaretur might have thought the Apostles had forged the Old Testament-Oracles at their own fingers end were it not that they are safely kept in the Jews custody and to be found in the Archives of those grand adversaries to the Christian Name and therefore he imputes to a signally gracious Providence the making good upon that Nation that prophetick Prayer Psal. 58. 12. Slay them not lest they forget In God's preserving the Jews in the midst of those several Nations into which they are disperc'd a visibly distinct Body from the Natives with whom they neither mix in Marriage or Religion by means whereof the Church can no where want a Demonstration of the Truth they being her Library-keepers and carrying those Books after her whose Authority she urgeth for the defence of Christian Religion of whose quotations if Gentile Jew or weak Christian make any doubt he may step into their Synagogues and satisfie himself by enquiring of those that are our Enemies in their Hearts our Witnesses in their Books vide Aug. tom 4. pag. 509. de fide invisibilium Ergo occisi non sunt sed dispersi in libris suffragatores in cordibus bostes in codicibus testes c. § 2. As the Gospel exhibits the full accomplishment of former Prophecies so 't is absolutely impossible that the chief of those Prophecies can be fulfill'd upon any other Person than our Jesus to whom the Apostles apply them Such is that of old Jacob The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a law-giver from betwixt his feet until Shilo come and unto him be gathered the people or gentiles for the understanding of this Prophecy I shall borrow Light from the sagatious Mede in these Animad versions 1. Scepter is not to be restrained here to Kingly power but signifies any Power or Majesty of Government under what name or form soever whereof a Rod or Staff the word here translated Scepter was anciently the Ensign hence the Septuagint translates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there shall not fail a Ruler nor Juridicus a Lawgiver from betwixt his feet i. e. of Juda's Loyns it being the use of Scripture modestly to express the place of generation by Thigh or Feet upon the mistake of which Oriental Idiom grew the Fable of Bacchus being born of Jove's Thigh 2. Till Shilo come i. e. the Christ the Messiah as the Jews anciently acknowledged not only in their Talmud where Shilo is reckon'd among the Names of the Messiah but in all the three Targums or Paraphrases that of Jerusalem rendring it expresly until the time that King Messiah shall come that of Jonathan until Messiah come a little one of his sons applying it to David the least of Jessee's sons that of Onkelo's till Messiah come whose is the Kingdom 3. And to him the Gentiles shall be gather'd there is nothing in the Original to answer shall be and therefore the word until is common to this with the former Sentence namely thus The scepter shall not depart from Judah until Shilo come and the gathering of the people be to him Two things being here specified to come to pass before the Scepter depart from Judah or Judah cease to be God's Commonwealth 1. The coming of the Messiah or Christ into the World 2. The gathering of the People Nations or Gentiles to him 4. This Exposition as it clears the Text from those difficulties wherewith the Question of the Scepters departure is intangled and perplexed to the hardening of the Jew in his mis-belief so it clearly states the time of its Departure viz. at the Destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish State by Titus when both these things were come to pass Christ being come and the Gentiles converted unto his Obedience If it be objected that Christ was estated in his Kingdom over the Gentiles at his Resurrection actually enter'd upon the managing of it over the Gentiles at his calling of Cornelius formally rejected the Jews at St. Paul's turning from them to the Gentiles the Answer is easie plain and full 1. That by his resurrection God declared him to be that Person whom he had appointed to that Kingdom 2. His actual entring upon the Exercise of his Royal Power over the Gentiles in the Call of Cornelius was his taking livery and seisure and his rejecting the Jews after that as it is an argument that he first provided himself a People among the Gentiles before he outed the Jews so his calling of the one and rejecting of the other was not plenary but initiatory or in part the very Mystery that St. Paul speaks of Rom. 9. and 10. that blindness in part was hapned to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles should come in that so all
had been under the Empire of Darius And if they were at times permitted openly to live after their own Rites and Laws that was from the Kings bounty a precarious Right not from any Law imposed upon the Empire Hence Tacitus hist. l. 5. gives them this Character Judaei dum Assyrios penès Medósque Persas Oriens fuit vilissima pars servientium while the East was in the power of the Assirians Medes and Persians the Jews were the veriest slaves that the Empire had And therefore he that discourseth with a Jew on this Subject of their Scepter in that Notion and upon that Principle shall hardly be able to hold his own against him much less to convince him that the Scepter as to those Circumstances was not departed before the coming of the Blessed Jesus The granting of which to him in Jacob's sence wholly raseth the Foundation of our Religion and adminsters to the Jew an occasion of baffling and deriding us Nil aliud proficiunt nisi quod subsannandi materiam praebent Judaeis c. Calvin in Gen. 49. 10. This is that the Jews would have and therefore I wonder not to hear their Talmudists affirm that Judah's Septer departed in Herod the Great but that some learned men should upon their Authority be of that opinion and withal assert the Scepter 's departure to be a fore-runner of the Messias as Goodwin in his Antiquities l. 1. c. 1. Which Assertion as it directly oppugns the plain words of Jacobs Prophecy The Scepter shall not depart till c. So it gains the Jew time to suspend his belief that Shilo is come though it be never so manifest that the Scepter be departed For if Shilo be to come after that he may possibly come a thousand years hence for all that the Scepter departed a thousand and an half ago §3 That we may therefore beat the Jew from those Subterfuges that we have made him It will be necessary that we hold to that Exposition of Jacob's Prophecy which hath been premised viz. That the Tribe of Judah and those of Jacob's Posterity who in the defection of the ten Tribes from God and the house of David adhered to the Kingdom of Judah should continue one Body-politick govern'd by their own Municipal Laws of divine Institution as God's peculiar Lot till he should set his only begotten Son his King upon the holy hill of Sion and give him the Heathen for his inheritance Psal. 2. That God would not cast Judah off as he did the ten Tribes the Kingdom of Israel those of his Father's Children that would not bow to Judah's Scepter but cryed To thy tents O Israel look to thine own house David what portion have we in the son of Jesse dissolving their whole Body Politick and scattering it piece-meal over the face of the Earth writing them Loammi ye are not my people long before Shilo came That I say Judah should not thus be rejected till she had rejected her Messias and the Gentiles should be gather'd to him That for all their provoking of their God to Jealousie in the mean while by them that were not Gods he would not provoke them to Jealousie by them that were no people till that no people should become the people of Israel's God till then the Jews should be a Nation of Kings and Priests to God In order to his keeping of which Promise to the house of Judah though that Kingdom before the Babylonish Captivity had corrupted it self with abominable Idolatry more than the Kingdom of Israel yet God took not that advantage against them it pleased him in remembrance of his promise to Abraham and that the Line of our Saviour might be more discernable to purify them in the Babylonish Furnace from all Propensity to Heathenish Idolatry Insomuch as since then No torments have had the power to warp them in the least towards it Dr. Heilin's Judea Yea so far did this Zeal of theirs against the Gods of the Gentiles carry them when their zeal grew into dotage and became to be without knowledg as they would not acknowledg their own God manifest in the flesh upon this reason because he was given out to be the God not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles but at the hearing of it rend their Cloaths cast Dust in the Air and cry Away with the speaker from the Earth he is not fit to live Act. 22. 22. So that from thence forward Judah did never directly cast off the God of their Fathers nor in gross their Thearchy though they vacated many of the Moral Precepts by their Traditions and the whole Ceremonial Law in not looking to Christ the end and Substance of it Wherefore God continued their King and they stood in relation to him as his peculiar Inheritance till they refused the Scepter of his Son and by consequence his who had set him up King And then the Scepter departed by consent of both parties The Jews saying of the King's Son This man shall not reign over us and God upon this their rejectment of his Christ saying of them I will not feed you I will not be your shepherd the ancient compellation of Kings Thus the Angel comments upon Jacob's Prophecy Dan. 9. 26. After the threescore and two weeks Messiah shall be cut off and not for himself as Master Mede expounds that Text. That is not from life for that had been done before the end viz. in the middle of the last of those weeks but from reigning as their King cut off from sitting upon that Throne of the house of David by their refusing him to be theirs and his casting them off from being his God indeed had often before this sould them into the hands of their Enemies into the hand of Jabin Sisera Eglon and at last of Nebuchadnezzar but that was not an absolute sale but a Mortgage for years redeemable after the Assyrian had received his pay of them for the service he had done God against Tyre and other of his proscribed Rebels that being all the consideration mention'd in that Bargain wherein God did not pass away his Propriety in them but entred a Proviso of recovery in that command to Jeremiah's Unckle to preserve the Evidences in token that that Captivity should return Jer. 32. 7. The equity of which Proviso was grounded upon the insufficiency of that Consideration as to God's passing away his Right of Inheritance pleaded by the Church in that Captivity Psal. 44. Thou sellest thy people for nought and hast not encreased thy wealth by their price They were not sold absolutely for nought either in respect of their Demerits and Provocations or altogether in respect of Gods Truth for he thereby saved the credit of his promise to the King of Assyria that he should have his hire but comparatively they were sold for as good as nought in that God did not thereby increase his wealth add to the heap of the Riches of that Grace he had made over by
Parents as the Lybians did for the Father We must be baptized after the Marcionist's form in the Name of the unknown Father Irenae l. 1. c. 18. or each man know his own by presensation as Jarchus the Indian King did the Parents of Apollonius Philostratus lib. 3. de vita Apollonii Except being by this levelling Policy turn'd into Terrae silios we be resolv'd with those Earth-born Brethren in the Poet to destroy one another by endless contending Tantum irreligio potuit suadere malorum The irreligious imperswasibleness of the Sceptick which inclines him to cavil at the Churches Testimony to the Truth of Evangelical History and to question his own Christian-name will with more shew of reason induce the World into a disbelief of every man's Sir-name and bury all men's Birth-rights in the rubbish of buzzing Exceptions which strike their venomous Sting deeper into the sides of the State than the Church her Testimony being a better proof of the Gospel's Legitimacy than any man can produce of his own Audacter dico quòd sine fide neque infidelis vivit nam si ab insideli percunctari voluero quem patrem vel quam matrem habuerat protinùs respondebit illum atque illam quem si statim requiram utrùm noverit quando conceptus sit vel viderit quando natus nihil horum vel se nosse vel vidisse fatebitur c. Gregor Dialog l. 4. c. 4. I affirm confidently saith Gregory the great that the very Infidel himself doth not live without faith for if I ask an Infidel who is his Father or Mother he will forthwith answer such a man such a woman and if I then demand of him whether he knew when he was conceived or born he will confess that he knew neither of these but believes that he was begotten by that man whom he calls father of her whom be calls mother upon the account of probable Testimony In se spuit qui in caelum spuit he spits in his own face who spits in Heaven's face as Seneca of old observ'd consol ad Polyb. c. 21. and from him our Companella in his Atheismus triumphatus CHAP. II. The Suffrage of the Adversary to the Testimony of the Church § 1. Pagan Indictments shew what was found Christianity in Pagan Courts § 2. Christian Precepts and Examples civilized the Courts of Heathen Emperours § 3. Pliny ' s Information concerning Christians to Trajan § 4. What it was in Christians that Maximinus hated them for § 1. 1. TUrn over the Examinations the Confessions of Christians in open Court before Pagan Tribunals where the same thing was done before the face of the Heathen World that was done at Baptism in the face of the Church Excepto martyrio ubi tota Baptismi sacramenta complentur Baptizandus confitetur fidem suam coram sacerdote interrogatus respondet hoe martyr coram persecutore facit ille post confessionem vel aspergitur vel intingitur hic vel aspergitur sanguine vel contingitur igne ille confitetur se mundi actibus renunciaturum hic ipsi renuntiat vitae For this cause the ancient Fathers believed Martyrdom to supply the want of Water-baptism because therein were performed all the Rites of Baptism the Martyr confessed before the Persecutor the same Faith which he that was to be baptized confessed before the Priest he after Confession was dipp'd or sprinkled with water the Martyr either sprinkled with blood or plung'd over head and ears in fire he promiseth that he will frsake the life of the World the Martyr renounceth life it self Gennadius de eccles dogmat in appendice ad 3. tom operum sancti Augustini pag. 384. Let us I say examine the Confessions of Martyrs and in them you may find the Substance of the Gospel peruse their Indictments against the Martyrs examine what Crimes they charged Confessors with what it was for which they raised against Christians those Out-cries Christiani ad Leones away with these fellows to the Lyons they are not fit to live they will not worship our Gods they will not sacrifice for the Emperour's health they worship for God one Jesus who was born in Judaea whom Pilate at the request of his own Nation put to death as an Impostor who gave his followers a Law destructive to humane Societies set up an unsociable an unpracticable Religion c. And there we meet with the Sum of Christian Religion St. James his Crime for which Ananas the younger the high Priest and a Saducee put him to death in the vacancy of a Governour betwixt Festus his death and the coming of Albinus was that being ask'd what he thought of Jesus that was crucified he answered why ask ye me of Jesus the Son of Man when as he sitteth at the right hand of the great Power in Heaven and his asserting the Resurrection as saith Aegesippus in Eusebius Ec. hist. 2. 3. which the story that Josephus gives of his death confirms not only telling us that the Jews imputed the Fall of Jerusalem to their sin in slaying that just Person but that the whole body of the religious Jews moved Albinus to put Ananas from the High-priesthood for imbrewing his hands in the blood of so just a man a title conferred upon him by that Party out of an Odium to the Sadducees and because he died in witnessing to those Articles of Christian Faith which oppose Saduceism upon the very same account that they sided with St. Paul The questions upon which Domitian examined the reputed Kinsfolks of our Lord were concerning Christ and his Kingdom in what manner and when and where it should appear to which they answered that it was not Worldly or Earthly but Celestial and Angelical that it should come at the consummation of the World when that he coming in glory shall judg the quick and the dead and reward every man according to his works Eus. ec hist. 3. 19. out of Aegesippus which story together with that of the noble Flavia's banishment for the same Doctrine he tells us he found recorded in the Pagan Histories of that Age. In the persecution of the Gallican Church under Antoninus Verus his bloody Lieutenants writ the cause of their process against those Christians to have been their professing Christ to be God their refusing to give divine Worship to any but God their believing the Resurrection their communicating in the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood In their solicitating them to renounce Christ to adore their Pagan Gods In their calumniateing them with Thiestian Banquets for which they had no ground but the confessions of some that fell under the weight of that intollerable Persecution informing their Examiners that in their sacred assemblies they ate and drank the Body and Blood of our Saviour in answer to which misprision the Martyrs would usually argue that it was extremely unlikely that they should devour Infants when their Religion did not suffer them to suck the blood of Beasts nor to
trust but love their Prince such singly as one of them Catilius Severus he stiles vir omnium doctissimus another Aelius Serenianus vir omnium sanctissimus another Quintillius Marcellus quo meliorem nè historia quidem continet another Fabius Sabinus Cato sui temporis c. And altogether such as gave occasion to the Senate after that by the overthrow of Maximinus the affairs of the Roman Empire were brought to that state wherein Alexander left them to congratulate the new Emperours Maximus and Balbinus with the wish of Scipio Affricanus ut in eo statu dii Rempublicam servarent in quo tunc esset quòd nullus melior inveniretur Julii Capitolini Max. Balbin That the Gods would preserve the Common-wealth in that State wherein it was there being no better imaginable than that which Alexander following those Evangelical Precepts which are at this day given out as the peculiar Doctrine of our Saviour had reduc'd it to for the publishing of which Maximinus hated and persecuted to death the Christian Doctors So that as our ruled Law-cases inform us what is Treason Felony c. So we may inform our selves of the great things of Christs Law by observing what Pagan Judges found to be Christianity and censur'd in them as criminal This is one most unsuspectfull way whereby it hath pleased God to hand down Religion to us upon which gracious Providence let me make these Reflections to enforce it upon our Minds 1. What we meet with in such Records is Christianity confest with a witness t is Christianity writ in the blood of the Professors of it It is Christs Name in Capitals superscribed over his Cross the truely venerable Relicks of Martyrs whose Tombs would speak were the Scriptures silent the preaching of the Cross by men not coming from the dead with it but what is more powerful going to death for it 2. As the Original Testimony of Christian Confessors is in this case very venerable so the Transcript of that Testimonie is very credible it being conveighed to us from them by the hands of most malicious enemies whose wrath the Lord so far restrain'd as to make the remainder of it praise him and serve his Church Had Rome Heathen not been more ingenious than Rome Papal she might either have thrown the Confessions of Martyrs into the fire with their Authors or have left them to Posterity so mangled and dis-figured as we should not have been able to have pick'd one word of the Gospel Religion out of them nor have known any whit better for what they suffer'd than we can now know out of Popish Records what Jerom of Prague John Huss Wickliff and the Waldenses suffer'd for scarce one of forty of those Articles they are charged with being to be found in their own Writings or the most authentick Histories of them This is one part of that Mystery of Iniquity to put Saints into Devils-hoods Fools-coats and Wild-beasts skins that they might have some colour for bayting them which was not working so early as Pagan persecution And through Gods thus restrayning the Heathens malice it comes to pass that we have a true account out of their own Court-rolls what they charged Christians with the Life-blood of the Gospel conveighed to us from the heart of the Martyrs by the hands of Persecutors CHAP. III. The Substance of Christian Religion as it stands now in the Gospel is to be found in the Books of its Adversaries § 1. The Effigies of the Gospel is hung out where it is proscribed § 2. Hierocles attempting to out-oye Jesus with Apollonius hath presented to the World the Sum of Evangelical History § 3. More Apes of Christ than Apollonius § 4. Christ's Doctrine may be traced out by the foot-steps of the Hunters who pursued it § 1. 2. THe Substance of the Gospel is delivered to us in the Polemical VVritings of such as did most hotly and cunningly oppose it As we may learn out of the Thomists confutations of them what are the opinions of the Scotists and out of the Scotists opposing of them what are the opinions of the Thomists bating their mistating the Question and their wresting the Terms of it to serve their own turn so we may gather the main Points of Christianity out of those Authors who set themselves to oppose it saving that here and there they pervert its sence to make it more odious The Effigies of the Gospel though bespattered with their dirty misinterpretations is hung forth there where it is proscribed in those Books where it is condemned I am perswaded by that little I have read and that much I have observed in that little reading looking that way that a man furnish'd with leisure and the conveniencie of Libraries might find out not only the general Sum of the Gospel but the Contents of every Book comprised in the undoubted Canon under the Rubbish of Pagan Controversies and Calumnies against the things therein specified The Roots of every material gospel-Gospel-truth that flower and blow within the Pale of Christ's inclosed Garden may be found if we dig there for them in the outward Court or VVaste that has been troden down of the Gentiles The Tables of Christ's Royal Law that hang out bare and to open view on the Pillars of the Church lie buried under the earth tepidae trepidae contradictiuneulae to use St. Austins phrase Of Pagan tepid and trepid Contradiction in the very Temple of the Idolaters in the strong holds of those that have captivated them but as the Philistines did the Ark till we fetch them thence Did we mistrust all the Copies of the Gospel in our own hands we might fetch an undoubted one out of the Enemies Tents and as intire as the Ark and its appurtenances were when David brought it back out of the Land of the Philistines not a Pin wanting in the Tabernacle not a tittle wanting in the Book of Testimony 1. We have a compleat History of the Miracles mentioned in the Gospel in those Pagan Writers whose drift is either to paralel or out-vye Christ and his Apostles in those mighty VVorks were done by them as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses by presenting to the fascinated eye of the mind shadows of those substantial VVonders which Christ and his Apostles wrought In their VVritings you may see the Star that guided the Wisemen to our Saviour hear the Angels singing his Genethliacum here you meet with Persons of mean Extract and Education arrived ex tempore to that height of knowledge as the greatest Philosophers have been silenc'd by them as the Scribes Pharisees and Lawyers were by Christ here you have produced Examples of men that have cured the blinde lame possest with a touch with a word with a nod that have raised the dead that have themselves been restored to life after they had been dead not only days but years have been taken up into the Clouds have obtained divine Honours Temples and the repute of Gods This is a
c. What a vast distance there is betwixt these and Scripture-prophecies is discovered in my fourth Book pag. 8. 3. As it imports his working of those Miracles which God hath set as a Seal to the Gospel It has already been shew'd what attempts the Heathen made to out-vye that point of the Church's Faith and the Operations of that Spirit recorded in our Scriptures by tbe impostures and shadows of Miracles wrought amongst them To which I shall here add the confession of Celsus in Origen 2. lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye believe he is the Son of God because he cured the lame and blind And that of Julian in Cyril lib. 6. except a man should reckon amongst great works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the curing of the lame and blind and the relieving them that were possess'd with Devils in Bethsaida and Bethanie What did Jesus do Here the most bitter Adversary of the Christian Cause bears witness that the Apostolical Church urged the World to a belief of the Gospel from the consideration of Christ's great works to wit his curing the lame blind possessed c. And makes open confession that Christ did do those great works which the Evangelists mention so that he hath nothing to say against the validity of the Churches Argument but only this That such works are not indications of a divine Power It is therefore incumbent upon him and his party to shew what other man did ever do such works or by what power less than divine they can be effected § 8. Article 9. The holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints How can you call your society Catholick either as to time since it was but erected the other day saith Celsus lib. 1. cal 19. or place seeing till of late it was shut up in Judaea a corner of Palestine lib. 4. 14. and since it peeped out into other parts of the World it s celebrated clandestinely and in holes lib. 1. cal 1. That so inconsiderable a part of Mankind as the Jews and Christians should boast themselves to be the whole Company of Mortals acceptable to the Gods is just as if a company of Bats and Emits or of Frogs and Worms should contend for preheminence in point of the Gods favour to them and say that they are the only creatures to which God vouchsafes to reveil his mind and that neglecting the whole World beside he only takes care of their welfare lib. 4. cal 11. Lastly how can your Church be Catholick in point of Doctrine seeing you dissent and rend your selves as a Sect from the Catholick Religion of the whole World lib. 8. cal 1. The truth is saith he lib. 1. 5. And are rent your selves into so many sects lib. 3. 4. We could allow your Religion to be acceptable to the God of Judaea and your Society upon that account in favour with that God But we cannot endure that pride that you will either be all or none that you applaud your selves as the All of the Universe which God respects and exclude all but your selves out of the divine favour that your Church should be the Catholick Receptacle of the whole Community of Saints and your Religion the Universal way of Soul-cure a thing never heard of before either among the Traditions of the Magi Gymnosophists or Philosophers this is that we cannot but with abhorrencie disgust That the Jews for Christian Religion is orignally Judaick that inconsiderable People and so much hated of the Gods as they cannot obtain of any of them so much room upon Earth as to dwell upon together should prescribe in matters of Religion to the whole World and not permit to other Nations their own as best for them but break the bond of universal Peace decry that National Independency which till this universal way of Salvation this common Faith was obtruded upon the whole World kept all Nations in a friendly Communion of heart in a charitable correspondency among themselves each one allowing other that Religion they esteem'd most convenient for themselves The Evangelical way of Salvation the Christian Faith and Christian Church are therefore called Common Universal and Catholick because it is that way of Salvation which God hath from the beginning propounded to all Mankind and been intirely embraced in all Ages and Places by all Persons who have preferr'd divine Revelations before their own Inventions who are therefore collectively stiled the Catholick Church 1. Celsus therefore equivocates in saying our Religion and Church were but erected the other day for though the Gospel as it is an History of the exhibition of the promised Seed could not commence before that Fulness of Time when Christ came into the World yet as it is the glad tydings of Salvation by that Seed it was preach'd in Paradise in which respect Jesus Christ is yesterday and to day the same Rock upon which the Church hath been built in all Ages 2. This Religion and Church was not shut up in Judaea a corner of the World but proclaim'd and establish'd in Eden first by God himself to and in the old World and next by Noah to and in the new World in the hearing and sight of all Mankind from whence as from the Center their Lines went to the utmost Circumference of suceeding Generations amongst whom whosoever retain'd the fear of God and wrought righteousness were accepted of God When indeed men grew weary of waiting for the Seed promis'd and became so vain in their Imaginations as to frame Gods and Saviours and Religions to themselves God preach'd the Gospel anew and repeated the old and Catholick Religion to his friend Abraham annexing thereto the Seal of Circumcision as a sign that the Seed was not yet come and that it was to come out of his Loyns by Isaac This was not only a peculiar Priviledge to his Posterity but a general advantage to the whole World For whither could men in common reason think themselves obliged to look when they found themselves at a loss in point of Religion but to Sem's Family to which they were directed by Noah's blessing the God of Sem And to which of Sem's stock could they repair but to Abraham whom Sem himself that King of Salem and Priest of the high God as some think had blessed in the name of that high God So that Abraham and his Seed by Isaac were Gods Standard bearers to lift up Christ as an Ensign to the Gentiles And to make these Standard-bearers higher by the head than all other Nations and the Ensign more conspicuous God lifted that People up above all others by signal favours while they walk'd in that way that he had appointed them punish'd them double to any other trangressors when they cast off the fear of Isaac he built his glorious Temple amongst them upon his own Hill adorn'd his Worship with such Ceremonies as at once rendred it august in the Eyes of Gentiles and instructive to their minds august as out-vying their Inventions in multitude
them Depths of Satan and the Church proved them to be such and rejected them as soon as ever they saw the light for spurious upon this Ground because they did not bear Correspondency to what the Prophets had fore-told Pope Leo rejected Apochryphal Miracles by this Rule that which the Prophets did not foretel should be done and the Gospel reports not to be done is spurious Quod Prophetia non cecinit quod Evangelica Veritas non praedicavit Leonis Epist. 50. Crab. con tom 1. pa. 715. per Prophetas per Evangelium Clem. Alex. Strom. 7. pag. 242. a. Sicut improbi pueri excludunt praeceptorem ita etiam hi haeretici arcent Prophetias à suâ Ecclesiâ Id. Ib. As naughty boys shut out their School-master saith Clem. Alexand. so those Hereticks exclude the Prophets from their Church whereas the full proof of a Truth is this that both the Prophets and Evangelists give their joynt Testimony to it And therefore he concludes that that Faith that is not cloven-foot'd that depends not on both Testaments the Prophesie of the Old the History of the New is unclean Id. Ib. 245. But of all other most Divinely Lactant. de Justicia l. 5. cap. 3. Disce igitur si tibi cordi est non idcirco à nobis deum creditum Christum quia mirabilia fecit sed quia vidimus in eo facta esse omnia quae nobis annunciata sunt vaticinio Prophetarum Fecit mirabilia magnum putassemus si non illa ipsa facturum Christum Prophetae omnes uno spiritu praedixissent Itaque Deum credimus non magis exfactis mirandis quam ex illa ipsa Cruce quam vos sicut canes lambitis quoniam simul illa praedicta est Learn therefore if thou hast a mind that we do not believe Christ to be God barely because he wrought wonders but because he wrought such wonders as the Prophets foretold should be wrought by the Messias at his coming He wrought wonders we should have thought that a great matter but that is nothing in comparison of this that those very works that Christ did all the Prophets with one breath did predeclare should be done by him We therefore believe Christ to be God not more upon the account of his admirable Facts than of that very Cross which ye doggs snarl at because that also amongst other things was foretold And yet more clearly That Christ saith Tertullian which Marcion describes out of the Gospel of St. Luke as he hath perverted chopt and changed it is not the true Christ for God's Christ is the Prophets Christs one that every where and in all things bears a resemblance of Prophecy Contra Marc. 4. 8. Caeterâ—m verus Christus Prophetarum erat Christus ubicunque secundùm Prophetas invenitur That which Petilian affirms of Christ cannot be true saith St. Austin contra literas Petiliani 3. 6. for whosoever I do not say of us men but of the holy Angels shall say any other things of Christ than what is foretold in the Old as well as reported in the New Testament let him be accursed The same Father contr Faustum Manichaeum lib. 12. hence concludes the Manichees Christ to be a Christ of their own invention because he was not talis qualem patres Hebraei prophetaverunt such an one as the Hebrew Prophets had described We will not believe saith he those Preachers who would deceive us with a Christ that not only is a counterfeit Christ but never was at all seeing we have the true Christ even him that was really described aforehand by the Prophets and preach'd by the Apostles who make proof of what they say of him out of the Law and Prophets The learned Chancellor of Paris in his Book de examine Doctrin 1. alledgeth this gloss upon the Text And there appeared with him Moses and Elias suspecta est omnis revelatio quam non confirmant Lex Prophetae cum Evangelia That is no true Picture of Christ which answers not the Model drawn by Moses and the Prophets The Law is the Touch-stone of the Gospel by which we may discriminate the good Money in the Apostles Scrip from the adulterate in the Cheaters Bag the Genuinness of their History while they make known unto us the Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus from all other the most cunningly-devised Fables that ever were invented of him Their drawing Christ after the Pattern they saw in the Holy Mount when Moses and Elias talked with him with those Rays of Glory those Emanations of such mighty VVorks as the Prophets speak off as they give the Platform and rude draught off when they speak of his Glory puts the matter out of all possibility of delusion beyond the Power of the subtilest Imposture to counterfeit and affords us if we attend to this sure Word of Prophecie as clear a Light to discern that the Description which the Evangelists make of Christs Acts and Person is a perfect representation of the Prototype and all Apochryphal Pieces that write not after that Copy therefore spurious Mis-representations as I could have to judge whether the Painter has hit it or mist it in drawing my Picture by comparing it with the Image in my Glass Briefly Josephus in this Character which he gives of Christ's Miracles that they were such as the Jewish Prophets had assigned in their Predictions to be performed by the Christ doth both discriminate Christ's Miracles in point of Excellency from all others for as the veriest Dunce may have conn'd some Lessons so by heart as to have them at his singers end that if he be left at liberty to read where he pleases one that hears him would think he reads perfectly when perhaps he scarce knows one Letter of the whole row and therefore the way of trying his sufficiency is to turn him to and make him read the Lessons which we prescribe him So the most sottish Wizzard if he may chuse what Pranks to play may shew one or two which may pass for Wonders But if you prescribe him what to do he forth with bewrays his inability nothing but Omnipotency could keep pace with the Prophets Prescriptions in working Miracles And also evinceth those of which the Evangelists make report to have been those very individual great VVorks of which Josephus writes seeing all these and these only of all those that either Christ hath been reported to do by apochryphal Authors or any man pretended to do in any other Name do manifestly bear the Impresses of this Character that they are such as the Prophets predicted should be performed by the Christ at his appearance § 6. Of all Christ's Miracles the greatest and of most use to the Christian as being the crowning and confirmation of all the rest was his Resurrection concerning which Josephus gives as full a Testimony to what the Evangelists deliver as he could have done had he been a fifth Evangelist for thus he writes Though Pilat upon the accusation of
and to prevent his being exalted above measure sent Satan to buffet him to infix some pungent Disease in his flesh Dr. Hammond on 1 Cor. 5. 5 reckons St. Paul's buffeting as an effect of God's delivering him unto Satan which caused the like pain as they feel that have a Thorn in their Body or a barbed Arrow stuck in their Flesh or a sharp stake run through their body upon which they are as it were spitted as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word that is here translated Thorn signifies or any other sharp-pointed thing stuck in Man's Body as the Learned Cameron having its derivation from a Verb that signifies to dig or make holes in or bore through a thing affine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pasor circumcirca scalpo the same from whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that kind of Worm that consumed Herod which makes me think St. Pau's Thorn might be a spice of his disease and to have been so apprehended by St. Paul himself as also to have been sent in his apprehension as Herod's was as a Judgement of God upon him for his priding himself in that glorious priviledge of being rapt up into the third Heaven Of which sin he suspected himself guilty not so much from any feelings of Prides working in his Soul as of these prickings and gnawings in his Flesh which resentment he could not have express in fitter terms than by the Metaphor of a pricking Thorn which as it creates the same kind of pain and shooting that Worms do so the Word which the Apostle uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes as near the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worm as to that other word signifying a Thorn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all three have their names from the sharpness of their heads or points which makes them apt to prick and pierce Or than by the Metaphor of Satans buffeting which as it implies the Vermination of the Ears of which both Pliny and Celsus affirm the cure to be very difficult Vessâ—i Etymolog and therefore might occasion St. Paul to suspect that he was punish'd in that Organ through which he had in his Extasie received unutterable words so it alludes to Herod's being smitten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the angel gave Herod a patt Or than by his more than importunate begging the removal of this Thorn his beseeching thrice speaks that veSpanâ—cy of desire to be quit of this affliction as is scarce consistent with that greatness of Christian Courage he shewed in bearing all other afflictions if he had not apprehended this to have had that poysonful sting of Pride complicated with it as its procuring Cause Hence signanter he prayes not that this thorn but that this thing might be taken away that is the Affliction with its Circumstances of his too much exaltation if he were as Satan suggested really guilty or if not his fear of it for that he was jealous of himself as faln into Herod's sin because he found himself in Herod's Disease and thought he read his sin in the judgement is yet more manifest by the answer that God return'd My grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weakness and St. Paul's triumph upon that Answer most gladly will I glory in my infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his now reading and repeating the gracious end of God in this Dispensation which answer of God is not a Promise but an adjudging the Victory to St. Paul the Spirits witness to his spirit that that favour which had rapt him up into the third Heaven had prevented his being lifted up above measure in the sence of that Priviledge and that by means of Gods sending Satan to inflict this Disease upon him in which weakness this tenderness of his heart exprest in this godly jealousie and the strength of his Faith exprest in his recumbency upon God not letting his hold go when Satan by these suggestions pull'd so hard were more glorious Effects of God's both Favour to him and grace in him than his preceding Rapture And St. Paul's Inference from this Answer speaks him to have learn'd by this what the purpose of God was in thus afflicting him which he knew not before vide Musculum in locum and to resolve that he would now to chuse be so far from fear of over doing it in boasting as he would glory more in this sickness than in his former exaltation as an occasion of bringing more Glory to God and an indication of a greater Vertue and Strength of Grace But I digress too far only I took occasion from the Parity of St. Paul's and Herod's Disease to vindicate this Text out of the bad handling of those who to the perdition of themselves and millions of their Disciples wrest it to a sence whereby it is given out to speak of Concupiscence or sinful Infirmities whereas it manifestly intends a bodily Disease except we will make God an Author of sin and his chosen Vessel to glory in his shame as themselves do in theirs I return to Josephus who witnesses a better Confession of the Christian Faith and gives a more honourable Testimony of Christ than they do in their Glosses and speaks more consonantly to the Apostolical sence in all those Texts of his we have conferr'd with the Sacred and in all the rest that any way concern the Emergencies specified in the Gospel the comparing of all which would tire my Reader and my self and one would think it should put Impudency her self to the blush to demand more Instances than have been produced or better Evidence for the proof of the Truth of Matters of Fact reported in the Gospel than the Testimony of such an Author yet that the Atheist may know the Church hath in this case more than one such VVitness I shall offer to Examination the Testimony of other Secular Records CHAP. IX Other Secular Witnesses to the Truth of Sacred History § 1 Phlegon of the Darkness and Earthquake at Christs Passion § 2. Thallus his mistaking that Darkness for an Eclipse § 3. The Records of Pagan Rome touching that and other Occurrences § 4. The Chronicles of Edessa though Apochryphall yet true Julian ' s Prohibition of the use of Secular Books in Christian Schools his Testimony § 5. Moses his History of Joseph attested by Pagans § 6. His History of himself § 7. Of Noah Balaam c. avouched by Secular Writers § 1. OF Phlegon a Pagan Writer under Adrian the Emperour who wrote 16 Books of Olympiads and therein the memorable Accidents that fell out in the space of 229 Olympiads He in his 13 or 14. Book affirms as he is quoted by St. Origen in Cels. l. 2. cal 8. 9. That Christ foretold many things to come which accordingly fell out and from this his foreknowledge of Contingencies is forc'd there to confess that his Doctrine was super-humane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And mentions the Eclipse that happen'd at our Saviours Passion as the same Father
their own Prophets foretold they would make to that Question Listen in their Synagogues if thou canst hear the blessed Jesus named except it be in execrations spie if thou canst see the Symbol of his precious Death except it be in their barbarous representation thereof by some Crucified Christian Infant Observe if there be any Signs of their relenting for Murdering that holy and just One of their bitter mourning over their Fathers sin in choosing a Murderer before the Innocent Lamb of God If thou discernest one tear to trickle down from their eye while 't is fixt upon him except it flow from their spightful envy to see him exalted adored and worshipt of all people but themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor Pelus l. 4. ep 74. They are preserv'd alive that they may be vexed at the heart by beholding the glory of Christ shining every where Or be in revenge of that vengeance upon them by which Christ has paid himself for the Travel of his soul for that unthankful Nation and vindicated the honour of his Deity in the opinion of all men but themselves by which they that would not receive instruction are made an instruction to others and they who would not by all the plainest Demonstrations which Christ or his Apostle did lay before them be convinc'd are become a Demonstration to convince the World that that Jesus whom they slew and hanged upon a Tree is the very Christ For as their Fathers by condemning him so the Children of that stock of Abraham by persisting in their denial of him not knowing him nor the voyces of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day have been and are still fulfilling those Prophets as to this Point of their Prediction that that People should reject their own Messias Act. 13. 27. § 2. A second Branch of Prophecy whose Fruit hangs yet upon it whose Effect is still permanent to be seen felt and handled is that touching Gods Rejection of the Jews for their rejecting of his Son Of the truth of which that Nation is a manifest proof and stands as a Pillar of Salt to season all Ages with the belief of the Supernaturalness of those Revelations wherein that event was foretold And of the warrantableness of the Churches Application o◠them to the Blessed Jesus whereupon Celsus having excepted against that Opinion of the Christians That the Jews had moved Gods displeasure against them for their Crucifying and disowning Christ Origen replies What Is not the dispersion of their Nation the ruine of their Temple City c. sufficient indications of Gods rejecting that people I dare say they shall never be restored Origen contra Celsum l. 3. cal 10. I hope the English Atheist is not so much a French Gentleman as to take it in Dudgeon that I lay some grains of this Salt on his Trencher or rather advise him to help himself to some now that it stands at his Elbow for I fancy him yet in Belgium taking out the first Lesson touching the Jews disowning of Christ And now that he is amongst those Keepers of our Rolls those bearers of our Books let him search whether those Prophecies which foretell that upon that Nations refusing to accept their own Messias their Fathers God should wholly disown them be the inventions of Christians the pious frauds of our Church or the Responds of their own Prophets Ask a Jew of whom that Prophet of theirs whom for honours sake they call Angel Jeremy speaks chap. 6. I will bring evil upon this people because they have rejected the word of the Lord because they said we will not walk in the good way wherein they were promised to find rest for their souls because they would not hear the sound of the Trumpet that sound which the Gentiles would hear Hearken therefore hear ye Nations hear O earth I will bring evil upon this people reprobate Silver shall men call them because God hath rejected them Can the most obstinately blinded Jew shut his Eye so close as he shall not here see the glimmerings of those unwelcome Truths 1. That this is an Evil the Effects whereof should be so palpable as all Nations should so manifestly see the Marks of Gods rejecting them as the name whereby they should in common speech be called is reprobate Silver a refuse Nation a People cast off of God a name which God was angry with the Heathen for fastning upon them in the saddest dereliction of that people formerly That 2. The word for their rejecting whereof they were rejected of God The good old way for their refusing to walk wherein they were left out of the road of Mercy can be none other but that eternal Word who proclaimed himself to be the Way and offered Soul-rest to them would come to him is manifest For 1. This is absolutely and without compare the good old Way the saving Word that was chalk'd out that was Preach'd to Abraham before he was Circumcised 400 years before the good old Way of Moses was known Nay preach'd by Noah that Preacher of Righteousness by Faith many Generations before Abraham and by God himself in Paradise tendering Life through Faith in the Blood of the Womans Seed which was the only thing saving in all the After-dispensations of that Covenant of Grace 2. This is the only Word and Way which the Jews totally rejected the Word spoken by Moses and the Prophets their Fathers in some part for some time neglected but never totally renounc'd it and the Modern Jew does too tenaciously stick to the Letter of that Word and the external Form of that Way 3. The only Sound of the Trumpet which the Gentiles hearken to in order to their finding rest to their Souls is that sound of the Apostles which from Jerusalem is gone into all the Earth and to the uttermost parts of the World the sound of that Trumpet whereby Christ is Proclaimed the Word of God the everlasting Way of Salvation § 3. Ask a Jew whether the same Prophet chap. 16 and 17. threaten not a more dreadful Judgment then impending over that Nations head than the Northern Captivity to wit a dissipation into Strange lands that neither they nor their Fathers knew whereas Chaldaea and all the Nations into which they were carried Captive before their Crucifying the Lord of Life were their door Neighbours with whom they had Commerce where God would shew them no favour as he had done in all other Captivities but take away his peace from them even loving kindness and mercy where they should be hunted from every Mountain and Hill and Hole wherein not only all the Treasures of Gods Mountain in the Field the riches of that Covenant of Grace sometimes deposited with that faithless and fruitless People should be given as a spoile to the Gentiles But the holy Mountain her self discontinue from that heritage which God had given her and he burnt up and made desolate by a fire that should be kindled in Gods anger and burn
will have it commence at Constantine's Reign not considering that though the Revelation-prophecies have the Roman Empire for their Stage and therefore we cannot pitch upon a fitter time for the beginning of the Millenium than when the Laws of that Empire bound up Satan from cheating the World with Paganism it being the common notion of the World then when St. John gave out his Revelations that the bounds of the Empire were coincident with those of the habitable Earth Yet now the bounds of the Earth being found to be of a far larger extent we ought to stretch our conceptions touching the matters of those Prophesies that are yet infieri and current as the Reign of the Saints with Christ on the Earth is and shall be as long as the Earth is inhabited and as far as the earth is or shall be inhabited to an extent answerable to that of the things themselves And therefore are not to limit the Time of this Reign to any narrower compass of years than will be sufficient for the perfecting of the Call of that whole new-found World inhabited by the seed of Adam and within the bounds of that inheritance which was promis'd to Christ which as it cannot in reason be conceived to take up less time than will make the years since Satans binding so many more than a thousand as a child may count them to exceed that precise number so we cannot cast the call of those Nations into any other Epocha but that of St. John's thousand years for nothing is to intervene the expiring of that propheticall Millenium and the Day of general Judgment but that little space wherein Satan shall be let loose to deceive the Nations a very unmeet season for such a work and therefore I wonder that some very Learned and Judicious Persons should so soundly nap it here as to dream that Satan hath been let loose ever since the Turks took Constantinople when on the contrary God is making his Chain shorter than it was and not allowing him to Reign all over America as he did before Neither is he permitted so much as to tempt this upper Hemisphere to lick up its vomit of old Gentilism which is the only thing he is during the Millenium restrained from as Dr. Lightfoot well observes and the sad experience of all Ages demonstrates wherein he has been is and will be Persecuting the Womans Seed as far as his Instruments dare sowing his Tares among the good Seed deluding those that receive not the love of the Truth with as monstrous and damnable Errors as the Pagan Ages were given up to and tempting them to all the old Debaucheries and unnatural sins of that and the new invented ones of this Age which were not named among the Gentiles soliciting the Saints themselves and sometimes leading them captive to those sins they feel the bitterness of as long as they live Briefly he is bound up from being the God of the World as he was while he and his Angels were Worship'd as Gods but he is permitted still to play all other parts of a Devil in the World and will be till the Church exchanges the Armour of God for the Garment of Immortality so long as she stands having her Ioines girt about with Truth having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness and her feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace while she wears the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit while shee 's arm'd on the right hand and left while she stands thus in praecinctu upon her guard and is bid to stand so by the Captain of her Salvation which word of command she must be under till both Christ's and his Apostles Precepts be out of door we may be sure she has not only Flesh and Blood to wrestle with but Principalities and Powers the Rulers of the Darkness of this World and spiritual wickednesses in the Etherial places Besides that it will be unseasonable to assign that time for a season of grace to one half of the World wherein Satan is let loose to reinforce Paganism the shortness of that space of his loosing will not give room enough for the preaching of the Gospel to such multitudes of Nations and Languages It is an old Tradition of the Jews quoted by Dr. Lightfoot upon Rev. 20. That in the day when Judgment is upon the World and the holy blessed God sits upon the Throne of Judgment Satan who deceives high and low shall be found destroying high and low and taking away souls Methinks St. John in this Vision speaks to the heart of those Jews and Tertullian expounds this Text of the Revelation by that Tradition in his Treatises against the Manichees cap. 24. and de Anima cap. 35. and 38. where he hath this passage Post cujus regni mille annos intrà quam aetatem concluditur sanctorum resurrectio c. after the thousand years of which Reign of Christ within which age is included the Resurrection of the Saints c. I know Mr. Meed would have him to speak here of a Resurrection that shall be at the beginning of the Millenium but his prefixing before the mention of this Resurrection post cujus Regâ—i annos after the 1000. years of whose Reign seems to assign it to the latter end of the Millenium And Lactantius dates the loosing of Satan when the Millenium shall begin to end cùm caeperit terminari that is upon its expiring but within the compass of it at which time saith he the last wrath of God shall fall upon the Nations and when the 1000 years are fully compleat the World shall be renewed and the Heavens shall be rolled up and the Face of the Earth shall be changed at the very same time shall be the second and publick Resurrection of all men even of the unjust to eternal torments to wit such as have worship'd Gods made with hands and have either not known or denied the Lord of the World they and their Lord and his Angels and Ministers shall be apprehended and adjudged to punishment in the sight of the Holy Angels and just men Lactande divino praemio lib. 7. cap. 26. Having therefore these Authorities before me I hope the ingenious Reader will not reckon this Problem either a novelty or singularity CHAP. VIII That Satans loosing will not be till the Dawning of the day of Judgment Problematically discu'd § 1. Elect gather'd into the Air over the Valley of Jehoshaphat Chancells not all Eastward but all toward that Valley § 2. The Elect secur'd Satan re-enters and drives his old Demesne The wicked destroyed as Rebels actually in armes Believers tried as Citizens by the Books of Conscience and Book of Royal Law § 3. Gogg Rev. 20. a greater multitude than will meet before the day of Judgment When Prophesies are to be expounded Literally when Figuratively § 4. The Ottoman Army is not this Gogick § 5. The Fire of the last Conflagration carrieth
modo infidelibus nec Angelis vel bouis vel malis Aquinas sum pa. 3. q. 89. art 7 8. The Judgment of retribution appertains to all the judgment of discussion to believers only neither to Infidels nor Angels either good or bad The holiness of Elect Angels and the impiety of Devils and Infidels is so notorious as they need no discussion He that believes not is condemn'd already Et quoniam de his sententia in absolutionem and cannot be absolv'd and therefore they shall be destroyed from not judged before Christs presence saith Lactant. de divino praemio 7. 20. They shall not stand in judgment Psal. 1. that is of the general day saith Aben Ezra Nos juxta operum nostrorum mensuram judicabit illos verò non judicabit sed arguet condemnatos Jerom in Mic. c. 4. We shall be judged according to our works but Infidels God will not judge but take them up short as condemn'd already Ad judicium non veniunt nec Pagani nec Haeretici nec Judaei c. August Serm. 38. de Sanctis Neither Pagans nor Hereticks nor Jews come into judgment because it is written of them that they are already condemned Alii judicantur pereunt alii non judicantur pereunt alii judicantur regnant alii non judicantur regnant c. Greg. Mag. moral 26. Some are judged and perish viz. the Goats of the Flock some are not judged and perish viz. they that are not of the Flock some are judged and reign viz. the sheep of the Flock some are not judged and reign viz. the Guardians of the Flock Elect Angels c. Qui intrà Ecclesiam mali sunt judicandi sunt damnandi qui verò extrà Ecclesiam inveniendi sunt non sunt judicandi sed tantùm damnandi Isid. Hispal Sent. lib. 1. cap. 27. 3. After the Infidels are thus dispatcht of the method of Gods proceeding with whom I know no Text in the whole Book of God that purposely and plainly speaks but this of Rev. 20. the great white Throne shall be erected for the trial of such as have made Profession of worshipping the one God through the seed of the Woman or of embracing the Covenant of Grace in the various dispensations of it the whole Flock of Christ both Sheep and Goats who shall have allowed them the benefit of the Book the Book of the Covenant and be judged according to the Terms of the Covenant of Grace implied by the white Throne Fideles qui fuerunt saltem numero cives civitatis Dei judicabuntur ut cives Aquin. Sum. 3. q. 90. art 7. Believers who were at least in account the Citizens of the City of God shall be judged as Citizens In order to which Trial the Books are open'd the Books of every mans Conscience as many Books as there are Consciences so as every man shall be his own Judge as to matter of Fact accordingly as his own Conscience shall accuse or excuse St. Jerom in Daniel 7. The judgment shall be set and the books shall be open'd i. e. Conscientiae opera singulorum in utramque partem vel bona vel mala revelabuntur St. Austin de civitat 20. 14. That is Of the Conscience and the works of every man on both sides whether good or bad shall be reveiled Qua fiet ut cuique opera sua cuncta in memoriam revocentur mentis intuitu mirâ celeritate cernentur St. August Serm. 67. de tempore By which opening of the Books of conscience it shall come to pass that every man by the inspection of his mind shall by a strange celerity remember all his works and the Judge the testimony of Conscience standing by shall demand of every man an account of his Life Adstante conscientiae testimonio rationem vitae caeperit postulare Bonaventura Breviloq par 7. cap. 1. Fiet apertio Librorum scilicet Conscientiarum There shall be an opening of the Books to wit of every mans Conscience And for the Trial of Right another Book shall be open'd the Book of Life the Covenant of Grace wherein all mens names are writ by their Qualifications which will only be ponderated then that therein had salvation promis'd them and whosoever is not found to be qualified as that Book describes the Heirs of Life to be shall by the Angels of God after Christ has pronounced the comdemnatory Sentence upon them be gatherd out of Gods Kingdom as tares as things that offend and be cast into the Lake of Fire provided for the Devil and his Angels Hanc omnium revelationem comitatur separatio quae Mat. 25. 32. comparatur separationi pastoris segregantis oves ab haedis hanc separationem excipit sententiae dictio Vossii theses theol disp 15. Thes. 1. 2. 3. After this revelation follows the separation of the Sheep from the Goats and after this separation the Judge pronounceth Sentence § 3. These are my Conjectures as to the Order of Gods proceeding in the day of Judgment my Reasons for my placing the loosing of Satan and the Gogick war and the confusion of both Captain and Army betwixt the Resurrection and Judgment of the Elect or profest Believers I shall now tender before the Churches Tribunal to whose Sentence of approbation or reprobation I am indifferently willing to stand as one that espouses no other interest but that of truth 1. That this going out of Satan to deceive the Nations into an engagement against the holy City will not be till after the Resurrection of the just may be inferr'd from the numerousness of this Heathen-army for multitude as the Sand of the Sea large enough to march upon the breadth of the earth listed out of the four quarters of the earth such a multitude as doubtless shall never be seen together but when the Heathen shall be awaked and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat where God shall sit to judge all the Heathen round about even those multitudes of multitudes in the valley of decision Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whither the Heathen are to come and to gather themselves round about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the conduct of that mighty one whom the Lord will cause thither to come and there bring down Joel 3. 11 12 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Warriour shall be tamed 2. Indeed Prophetical terms are not to be stretcht always to the utmost extent of the letter nor in every word to be expounded according to the Literal sence for those burthenous words proceeding from the mouth of God like Bullets do often graze before they reach their utmost mark and spend not all their force where they first light and therefore though particular locall and indeterminate Judgments be denounc'd in words borrowed from and make as great a crack as the last to awaken us to repentance in order to the diverting or procrastinating of the effects yet when through our impenitency we provoke God to inflict them they are
the holiness of that Society whereof they are no Members nor the Efficacy of that Religion they either never came under the power of or have rejected the yoak of what must it be presum'd that the Sun shines not that its beams warm not because those men see not its Light are not refresh'd and vegetated with its Warmth who either shut their eyes or remove into a Clime it never visits Dr. Hammond An. in Heb. 4. 2. But the word that was heard did not profit those who were not by Faith joyned to them that obeyed it Shall we condemn the Seed because it thrives not to maturity of Fruit in the ground of a dishonest heart where either the fowles of the Air pick it up or it wants depth of earth or is choak'd with Thorns and Weeds Shall we question whether Christ be risen because men whose affections are so strongly set upon the earth as they cannot elevate them towards Heaven are not risen with him when we see such palpable Effects and Demonstrations of it in his raising those to a newness of Life who do not resist grieve or quench his Spirit but with an humble teachableness follow its conduct in that way of holiness his Word hath chalk'd out before us In order to our perseverance in this way and confirmation in our assurance that it will infallibly lead us to Peace here and eternal Glory hereafter I have undertaken this vindication of the Christian Faith against the prejudices which our modern either Scepticks or Atheists have taken up against it which as they took their rise from the Scandals which have been cast upon Religion by the woful miscarriages of men professing it in guile and hypocrisie so they must fall before a Spirit of Grace and Glory resting upon the embracers of it in Truth and Sincerity and shining out upon the World in their so peaceable humble meek and every way Christian deportment and men seeing their good works may glorifie their Father who is in Heaven and revere that Discipline as proceeding from that Father of Lights by whose influence the wildness of common Nature is abated and its vertuous Seeds so improved as to bring forth Fruit chearing the heart both of God and Man To which if thou beest instigated Christian Reader to aspire by the perusal of this Discourse and so become one of Christs Witnesses by sealing to the Truth of the Gospel by a Life answerable to its most holy just and yet easie Precepts thou wilt lay up for thy self a good Foundation for time to come and contribute towards the conviction of the Adversaries of the Christian Faith by an Argument so familiar as it incurrs into every mans sense and so strenuous as the most stubborn Atheist will not be able to resist it but be forc'd to confess the unreasonableness of his own Exceptions against a Religion that brings forth such Divine Effects Would we all study thus to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things such real exornations would render Religion more venerable in the eyes of the VVorld than all verbal Encomiums those whom the close fist of the most Logical Arguings cannot force the commanding beck of that open-handed Eloquence would allure to a silent admiring of that sacred Fountain whence they see such healing VVaters flow That this my Request to my Readers may take effect I shall back it with that Request to God which my Dear Mother the Holy Church of England hath put into her Childrens mouth More especially we pray for the good estate of the Catholick Church that it may be so guided and govern'd by thy good Spirit that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of Truth and hold the Faith in Unity of Spirit in the Bond of Peace and in Righteousness of Life And this we beg for Jesus Christ his Sake To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory world without end Amen FINIS To their old Cells and Altars the whole crew Of Guardian Gods Troy falling bid adieu While impious Caesar and his Godded rout Spurn Phoebus Tripos with insulting foot The learned Varro useth to expend So many hours in reading as we deem A winged minutes scantling can scarce lend It self unto his pen yet that doth seem To trust more notions to his sweating Page Than quickest eye can run o're in an Age. To my dark Cabin in the Stygean strand Dismiss me or if that be too much ease Send me to Phlegethon where I may stand Rather than here chin-high in fiery seas Haled from Styx to Thebes my ancient seat Had I my choice hard choice I would retreat If Heaven the fire and Earth the dam of things Had been from Ever whence is 't no Poet sings Of Wars more old than Troy of Floods than Noah Of Rapes than Jove and thousand wonders moe Had men nor hands to act nor hands to write During the seculum Prae-Adamite Had Nile for ages numberless no Reed Nor Bees Wax nor Trees Bark nor Hills a breed of Sheep nor Sheep a Skin nor Goose a Quill Nor Polypus his native Ink distil Or Man the Goose of all not wit to learn To make a Pen much less to guide a Stern Or build a Ship or break a Horse or bring The Oxe to th' yoke the Hawk to lure or string The warbling Lute or count the Stars by name Or other Arts whose birth we know by fame Whose growth we see come on with age We owe to thee great Caesar Triumphs many More Temples built and Temples that lay waste Repair'd more Cities Gods and Shews than any But most that thou hast taught Rome to be chaste Whom we invoke for Gods 't is Jove's decree Were Men of Bounty once and Gallantry But now with highest Deities attend On our affairs and us toth ' Gods commend The Father Word and Spirit God alone That Cotternal Three in one Thy will Theodames for Hecate Forc'd by thy charms dares not say nay Your Charms from me against my will commands These Responds I have said now loose my bands Judea worshippeth alone The God elsewhere unknown Him Pan men call Because he succours all They lay on tepid Altars Babes not born Of Mothers Wombs but from their Bellies torn Issa Bills sweeter than a Dove Issa's more blith than Mal or Siss No Pearls equal Issa's love What Issa's this Publius his Bitch Thus against Hercules vext the field to lose From wounded Hydra heads more fierce arose Who outstript all the Sophs in this Essay Quenching their Star-light with his Solar Ray.