Morning and travel over all the Nations of the Earth we should find but very few among the Reputed Sages of the Heathen World who did not acknowledge and maintain this great Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says * Lib. de Isâ—d Osir p. 369. Plutarch It is the Opinion of the most and wisest of them And just before more at large 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Tradition says he is very ancient deduc'd from the Eldest Theologists and Legislators to the Poets and Philosophers whose first Author cannot be found and yet hath gain'd firm and unshaken Belief not only in ordinary Discourses and Reports but hath likewise diffus'd it self into the Mysteries and Sacrifices both of Greeks and Barbarians The Truth of which Assertion we find amply confirm'd by the concurrent Testimony of Diogenes Laertius †Prooem ad vit Philosoph who tells of the Persian Magi that they acknowledg'd two distinct Principles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Good and a Bad Daemon and for the Confirmation of what he says quotes Eudoxus Hermippus Aristotle and Theopompus And the Egyptian Typho is in every ones mouth to whom they ascrib'd all that was evil as they did whatever was good to Isis and Osiris Neither did this Opinion confine it self within the narrower Limits of Egypt and Persia but like Nebuchadnezzar's Tree planted and rooted in the midst of the Earth it grew and was strong and the Boughs thereof reach'd unto Heaven and the Branches thereof to the end of all the Earth The Romans did not shake off its Leaves or cut off its Branches and the Graecians delighted themselves under the Shadow of it the latter as * Lib. de Isid Osirid p. 370. Plutarch witnesseth attributing what was good to Jupiter Olympius what was evil to Hades the former saith †Noct. Attic. l. 5. c. 12. A. Gellius sacrificing to Dijovis that he might do them good and appeasing his Anti-God Vejovis as he might do them no harm It must indeed be confess'd That this Opinion as 't is vulgarly understood how ancient and universal soever is diametrically opposite both to Scripture and Reason it setting up two contrary Principles equally invested with infinite Power and so by necessary Consequence destroying them both with many other Absurdities and Contradictions which this is not a proper time to enumerate Yet this doth not diminish one Ray from the Illustration it gives to my present purpose since it clearly and evidently demonstrates that the Heathen World did concur in the Testimony of a wicked Daemon which as Porphyry relates in the Close of his Letter to Anebo was vulgarly known by the name of the Deceiver But if we advance from the Ancient to the more Modern Philosophers we shall find that like the Sun the higher this Doctrine of Evil Spirits ascended the fairer and clearer it gradually shew'd it self and that breaking in some measure through those thick Mists of Error which had grievously over-run it since its first Rising it at length diffus'd again a true and genuine Light over the Minds of Men notwithstanding those little Spots which still appear'd in its Face PluPlutarch indeed seems not over-willing to embrace it yet he doubts he can give no good Account of those Phantasms or Apparitions which haunted the Excellent and Philosophical Dion and Brutus unless he receives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as * Prooem ad Vit. Dion he calls it that very ancient Tradition that there are certain impious and fascinating Daemons which envy good Men and withstand their Enterprises by creating Fears and Troubles to them that so they may hinder them in their pursuit of Vertue lest by continuing stedfast and unblameable in Good they should after Death be made Partakers of greater Felicity than they enjoy Not unlike to this is the Description which Jamblichus gives of them †De Myst Egypt sect 2. cap. 6. sect 4. cap. 13. Edit Oxon. who critically decyphering the different Apparitions of the Gods Archangels Angels and Daemons expresly asserts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the good Daemons do not administer to Mens Lusts or prompt them to any Impiety but that they are Evil Daemons who inflict Diseases upon their Bodies and enslave their Souls to Sensual Appetites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and depress and clip the Wings of them who generously aspire to the bright-shining Regions of Immortality These he ‖ Sect. 4. cap. 7. elsewhere extravagantly calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daemons essentially wicked who yet take upon them to be good and of a truly Divine Nature and do therefore command their Worshippers to be just and holy whilst in truth they have no care of Holiness and Vertue but do studiously contrive the Ruin of Mankind And in many other places of that admirable Book De Mysteriis Aegyptiorum he excellently describes the malignant Temper of these Evil Spirits so that tho' in the main he closely adheres to the Egyptian Theology yet here he exactly treads in the Steps of his Master Porphyry * Epist ad Anabon de Abstin l. 2. p. 199. who tells us That there are a sort of Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a deceitful Nature who turn themselves into all Forms and Shapes the very Description that is given of them in Sacred Writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and taking upon themselves the Persons of good Daemons craftily insinuate into their unwary Worshippers that they are the Causes of all Good as well as of Evil whereas indeed they assist Men in nothing that is really Good but do only cheat delude and impose upon them whilst they feast their Nostrils with the Fumes of the Altar and make it their business to throw Rubbs in their ways who walk in the Paths of Vertue Proclus delivers the very same Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some I know would have these Earthly Daemons to be only good Spirits of an inferiour Order who constantly attended the Superiour Deities but if we consider that they took upon them these false Titles and personated their Superiours only that they might the better delude their Worshippers we must needs confess them to be of the other sort especially since the Philosopher * In A'cibiadem elsewhere fully explains himself and in a whole Chapter abundantly lays open the Malignity of these Spirits almost in the same Words as those Christian Writers †Apol. c. 22. Tertullian ‖ In Octavio Minut. Felix and ** De Idolorum Vanitate St. Cyprian have done In short ††De Abst l. 2. apud Iambl de Myst Egypt sect 1. c. 18. Porphyry distinguisheth the Daemons which the Graecians worshipped into Good and Bad the Former they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as though he had a mind to subvert the very Foundations of Ethnick Theology he no less dogmatically than truly asserts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which demand our Faith as well as those that call for our Practice in many places displaying themselves in such Capital Letters that he who runs may read them There are indeed in these Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some obscure Places and hard to be understood But these I conceive are not necessary to be understood For if they were our Heavenly Father had undoubtedly so deliver'd them that by his Blessing upon our honest Labour and Study we should at length certainly clearly and distinctly understand them But since as I humbly conceive they are not so deliver'd but after all our Pains and Industry lie securely envelop'd with their own Darkness we may safely conclude from the Goodness of our Maker that they are not necessary to be understood Nay I verily believe that such is the nature of some of these Places especially of some in St. John's Revelations that 't is prodigious Impertinence and unpardonable Vanity to determine peremptorily upon them They seem to be Prophecies which belong not to us but to our Children Not to the Present but Future Ages of the Church when they will all clear up and apparently unfold themselves in their utmost Completion Then at last will the Clouds all vanish and disappear and these places shine forth with untainted Lustre and Brightness Then will the Church behold with Joy and Transport the manifold Wisdom of God which for wise and great Ends is hid from these Ages and Generations and which therefore 't is no ways necessary we should understand Let others then if they dare venture curiously pry into these Recondite Points Let them continually rack and torture their Brains in the fruitless search after these hidden Mysteries till their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowledge falsly so call'd so swell add puff them up that they either wrest them to their own Perdition over-looking the plain self-evident places and by unwarrantable contradictory expositions of the obscure bringing in damnable Heresies and Corruptions into the Church or of all which this present Age is abundant proof they cause their own Heads to grow vertiginous and irrecoverably fall into the lamentable state of Delirancy and Madness But let us be sober and wise unto Salvation not impertinently prying into things beyond our reach but studying the things which make for Peace and things whereby we may edifie one another Let us meditate in the Law of the Lord not to gratifie our Curiosity but to meliorate our Lives not to encourage and patronize Divisions and Schism but to preserve Union and Concord in the Church of God Not to be litigious noisy and impertinent but holy and unblameable in all manner of Conversation The fourth and last thing to be advis'd 4. Study to live well or in all the Accidents and Emergencies of your Lives to keep a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Man This is the best and surest way to preserve your selves pure from all manner of Contagion For I can never entertain such unworthy Thoughts of my Blessed Maker as to think he will suffer an ingenuous Soul who makes it her Business sincerely to search after Truth and diligently to walk in the old Paths ever to die in any Damnable Error And if I am not unpardonably mistaken the Sacred Oracles do abundantly confirm me in this Persuasion Great peace says the * Psal 119. ver 105. Psalmist have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them and †Ver. 130. again When thy word goeth forth it giveth light and understanding unto the simple and ‖ Ver. 104. again Thro' thy Commandments I get understanding therefore I hate all evil ways And our ** Joh. 7.17 Lord himself If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God And as I am persuaded that 't is absolutely impossible for a devout well-meaning sincere and pious Soul ever to die in any damnable Error so on the other hand I conceive it almost as impossible for a Man who has cast off all Care of his Conscience to keep his Faith long pure and undefil'd †2 Tim. 1.19 20. St. Paul tells us of Hymeneus and Alexander that having put away their Conscience they miserably made Shipwrack of their Faith And 't is observable of the Learned Jews that when about three or fourscore Years before the Nativity of Christ they began to relax their Discipline and to dissolve into the loose and wanton Customs of their neighbouring Orientals they immediately betook themselves likewise to transform their Faith resolving the Commandments of God into their own Inventions and making his Word of none effect through their upstart Traditions You see they first defil'd their Conscience and then their Faith May then the God of all Grace who hath call'd us unto his Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus keep us stedfast in the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints and to that End stablish strengthen settle us in every good Word and Work To Him he Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Amen 1 PET. Ch. v. Ver. 8. Your Adversary the Devil as a Roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour WHether that ancient Opinion of the Heathens de invidiâ Daemonis had its Rise only from those grand Cheats and Delusions which the more inquisitive and searching Heads amongst them observ'd to be impos'd upon the World not only in their more common and ordinary ways of divination but likewise by the most celebrated Oracles themselves as * De Myst Aegypt Jamblichus argues or rather as the Learned †Orig. of Temp. Eo Casaubon contends borrow'd its Original from the History of the Fall of Man which the several Nations are suppos'd to have receiv'd by Tradition from the Sons of Noah and Plato more particularly from some Learned Jews in Egypt I shall not take upon me to determine My present Scope and Design being only to shew 1. That in the Confession of All as well Heathens as Christians there are a sort of wicked and malignant Daemons which are Enemies to mankind Express'd in these Words of my Text The Devil your Adversary 2. That these wicked and malignant Daemons are permitted to wander up and down in the Earth Express'd in these Words The Devil your Adversary walketh about 3. To lay open with what indefatigaable Pains and various Stratagems they seek to ruine Men and with what Cruelty they treat them when they are deliver'd up into their hands Express'd and imply'd in these words As a roaring Lyon he walketh about seeking whom he may devour 4. Though they have Malice enough to destroy us all yet that they cannot do us the least Mischief unless God permits them Express'd in these Words Seeking whom he may devour or may be permited to devour 1. In the Confession of All as well Heathens as Christians there are a sort of wicked and malignant Daemons which are Enemies to mankind Should we take the Wings of the
greater was his Mercy so unwilling was he that they should perish that he promis'd the interceeding Patriarch that if he cou'd find but ten Righteous Persons amongst them he would save them all But not to multiply Instances which are numberless the liveliest and most breathing Image of the Divine Mercy and Pity the most glorious and ravishing Displays of his unbounded Compassions appears in the wonderful Contrivance of our Restitution the mysterious and Costly Redemption of Lapsed Man This is an Instance of Love so astonishing and unfathomable as will afford new matter through all the Ages of Eternity for the Contemplation and Praises of the Saints and Angels in Heaven Since 't is a Province too great for any Created Being the Son of God himself before whose insupportable Glories the Seraphims veil their faces graciously descends from the Celestial Paradise into the Wilderness of this World to seek his straying Creatures to restore the lost sheep of the House of Israel and with his own Voice to call them back to himself the great Shepherd and Bishop of their Souls He comes in his Father's Name to proclaim Pardon and Forgiveness to all that return to him to demonstrate his infinite Tenderness and Compassion for every Soul of the Sons of Adam that notwithstanding all their Sins he would not have any of them perish not the greatest not the oldest not the most presumptuous of Sinners but that all should come to the Knowledge of the Truth and be sav'd This is his Business This his Errand This the great End and Design of his Coming which having finish'd in all the Parts he undertook and to confirm our Faith seal'd his Letters of Invitation with his own Blood and being now to return to the Father he to the Everlasting Comfort and Joy of Repenting Sinners commands his Apostles to go forth and carry them into all Parts of the World Go * Mark 16.15 says he and Preach the Gospel these glad Tidings of Reconciliation and Peace between God and Man to every Creature And accordingly too St. †2 Cor. 5.19 Paul tells us that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing to them their trespasses and sins The whole Tenour and Design you see of the Evangelical Dispensation is to bring Sinners to their Saviour to call them off from all their vain Confidences to believe and trust only in the Son of God to beseech them to come to Christ that they may be refresh'd and find Rest unto their Souls And so I am brought to the Second Thing observable in the Text viz. the Person to whom the Invitation is made To Me that is to our only Saviour and Redeemer the Lord Christ Jesus 2. We are not then to unfold our Necessities or to present our Supplications and Prayers to Saints or Martyrs to Patriarchs Prophets or Apostles no not to the Blessed Virgin Mother her self The Votaries indeed of this Glorious Saint in the Romish Church are as a Learned * See a Discourse of the due Praise and Honour of the Virgin Mary intituled Speculum Beatae Virginis Author of our own has shewn at large sufficiently extravagant in the Honours they pay to her They exalt her above the Thrones even of Cherubim and Seraphim array her in the brightest Robes of Majesty and Honour and most religiously and devoutly Romance her into a Deity Nay this is not the Practice only of her private Authors but the more Authentick Voice likewise of her publick Offices in which they frequently invoke her by the paramount Titles of Mother of Mercy Mother of Grace Sweet Parent of Mercy Queen of Heaven the Gate of the Great King the only Hope of Sinners and their most gracious Lady Now these I say are Rants and Excesses indeed Excesses which questionless if known would put the Modesty of this Blessed Virgin to a much greater Blush than did the Appearance and Complement of the Angel Gabriel We confess her Privileges and Prerogatives are singularly great He that is Mighty hath magnify'd her and Blessed is her Name We acknowledge her a most happy Instrument of our Good and therefore shall her Memory be always Dear to us Dear and Honour'd throughout all Generations Dear and Reverenc'd but not worshipp'd and ador'd In a word Her according to her own Prediction will we ever call Blessed but only amongst Women To Her will we ascribe Glory Honour and Praise But to her Son alone with the Father and the Holy Spirit Power Might Majesty and Dominion For to speak a little closer to this Point if the Saints in Heaven This Blessed Virgin and the Rest have no constant Knowledge of our Affairs here below then 't is the Inference of every Elementary Logician and the Concession of the greatest Champions of their own Party that 't is altogether in vain and to no purpose to Pray to them Si non cognoscant nostras orationes videtur otiosum supervacaneum ad ipsos orare are * De Relig tom 2. l. 1. c. 10. Suarez his own Words But that the Saints in Heaven this Blessed Virgin and the Rest have no constant Knowledge of our Affairs here below and consequently that 't is altogether in vain and to no purpose to Pray to them is evident from that of the Prophet †Cap. 63. v. 16. Isaiah Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel knows us not For certainly if Abraham and Israel were ignorant and know nothing of the Affairs of that very People which descended from their own Loins then we have all the Reason in the World to conclude that the Saints in Heaven have no constant Knowledge of us and of our Affairs who are perfect Strangers to their Blood and Families Our Adversaries I know will be here ready to Object That Abraham and Israel were rightly said by the Prophet to be ignorant and to know nothing in his Time of the Affairs of Mankind and consequently that then indeed 't was but in vain and to no purpose to pray to them because before the Resurrection of our Lord the Patriarchs were not admitted into Heaven but lay only in Limbo the Retir'd and Secret Caverns of the Earth where they were utterly excluded from the Vision of God and likewise from all Traffick and Commerce with Men. But that now the case is quite alter'd with them that they are all translated from those Regions of Darkness that State of Expectation those Tabernacles of Hope into the inmost Court of Heaven the Kingdom of their Father the Land of Fruition where their Understandings are so widen'd and enlarg'd that they have a particular entire and perfect Knowledge of all things that are done both in Heaven and Earth and consequently of all the Circumstances Concerns Occurrences and Affairs of every Man's Life so that now they are become the proper Objects of our Devotion being both privy to all our Necessities and also as Fellow-Members of the same Mystical Body most willing and