even God himself the liberty of altering the Natural Course of Things as one of them speaks to this purpose And Jove himself cannot controul What doth from linked Causes roul 23. But the Epicureans attributed all to Fortune and no wonder that they which held the World was made by Chance by a casual Concourse of Attoms should also think that all things fell out by Chance But in both these Opinions Providence is shut out and no wonder then that both these Sects encountred St. Paul at Athens Act. 17.18 Certain Philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoicks encountred him 24. Life is Motion In him we live and move Acts 17. And all Motion is from some first Mover and tends to some period Dr. Charlton And the Womb and the Grave are the two terms of this Motion 25. To all rational Acts there are three things necessary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Consultation Will and Operation 26. Primi motus animi ab objectis sunt involuntarii Sen. de Ira. The first motions stirred up in the Soul by external Objects are involuntary And therefore not sinful say some Schoolmen 27. God's Praescience hath no influence upon Mens Actions as in Christ's sore-knowing Judas his betraying him and Peter's denying him As the Science of things past hath no Causality upon them so neither the Praescience of things to come And though the Will act freely yet God knows which way it will incline as in Adam's Will when it was in perfect liberty having a certain knowledg of Contingent actions but this Knowledge had no influence upon his Will 28. The Jews before they came out of Egypt began their Year in the Month Tisri because they judged the World was made in that Month. Afterwards they began it in Nisan in memory of their Redemption out of Egypt that Month. So the Seventh Day was appointed at first for a Sabbath in remembrance of the Creation and afterwards changed to the First Day in remembrance of our Redemption by Christ This Parallel is an Argument a probabili only 29. Enter not into the field of the fatherless for their Redeemer Heb. Goel is mighty saith Solomon Prov. 23.10 The Goel under the Law was to redeem Land and avenge Wrongs And God will be this Goel to the Fatherless 30. The Jews had a Custom in their Marriages that the Bridegroom took a Cake and broke it and put part of it into the Hand of the Bride to signifie their future eating and living together which they called Confarreatio or a Bride-Cake So Christ in his Institution of the Lord's Supper brake Bread and gave it to his Disciples as a Token of his marrying them to himself and his living and supping with them and they with him And the Mother of the Bridegroom they say was wont to put a Crown made of Roses Myrrh and Ivy upon his Head To which there is an allusion Cant. 3.11 Go forth ye Daughters of Jerusalem and behold King Solomon's Crown wherewith his Mother crowned him in the day of his Espousals c. Woems 31. Scrutator majestatis Dei opprimetur à gloriâ say Divines A Searcher into the Majesty of God will be overwhelmed with Glory Moses desired to see his glory God told him he could not see it and live But the Jewish Rabbins say That God granted his request when he was upon Mount Pisgah shewed him his Glory whereby he died and God kissed his Soul out of his Body as they speak 32. There is a Precious-Stone called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not consumed in the Fire And there is a Flower called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that will not wither To both which the Apostle alludes 1 Pet. 1.4 when he speaketh of the Inheritance in Heaven he saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It lasteth for ever 33. Aaron and Myriam murmured against Moses for marrying an Ethiopian Woman Numb 12.1 But Christ marries his Church to himself on Earth though it is black Cant. 1.4 Yea and poor also without Dowry as well as Beauty We bring nothing to him but receive all from him 34. It 's prophesied of Christ Psal 72.19 His name shall continue for ever Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filiabitur nomen ejus His Name shall be continued as a Father's Name is in his Children In his Seed and his Seeds Seed Isa 59.21 And if that he who was the First-born under the Law died without Seed who was a Type of Christ his next Brother was to marry his Wife to raise up Seed to him to make good the Type of Christ's not wanting a Seed to keep up his Name 35. The Jews had Pits belonging to their Prisons where was Mire and no Water To which the Prophet Zachary alludes chap. 9.11 As for thee also by the Blood of the Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the Pit where is no water And the Prophet Jeremy was put into such a Pit where there was no Water but Mire and after he was drawn out of it he prayed Zedekiah he might not be sent again to the House of Jonathan where this Prison and Pit was lest he die there Jer. 37.20 38.6 But there is a worse Prison and Pit where there is eternal Death and not a drop of Water to cool the Tongue From which we should all pray Good Lord deliver us 36. Among the many Punishments the Jews inflicted on Malefactors they never used Banishment into a strange Countrey lest there they should forsake the True God and True Religion And when they punish'd by Scourging they had three Judges stood by to order it according to the strength of the Person to bear it more or fewer strokes at one time So doth God order and direct his Peoples Sufferings 37. Crescentibus delictis exasperantur paenae The encrease of Sin exasperates Punishment 38. Herod being a bad Man and fearing his death would not be lamented appointed his Guard as soon as he was dead to slay some of his chief Councellors that were most beloved of the People to cause a Lamentation at his death Men that do not live desired yet would die lamented Josephus 39. The Romans would put the Christians into the Skins of wild Beasts to make the Lions devour them So have evil Men in every Age put disguises upon good Men by Reproaches and Slanders that they might the more easily be destroyed 40. The Heathen-Philosophers not knowing the Scriptures knew not whence sprang the Corruption they discerned in Mens Nature some said from a malus Genius others from a bad Temperament and Constitution of Matter others from the bad Examples that one Man gave to another And it is not easie to Christians themselves to demonstrate how Original Sin is propagated into Mens Souls that are not by Generation but Infusion And the Schoolmen were divided about it Some said it was only Poena not Culpa A Punishment but no Fault Others That it was neither one nor the other Others That it might be punisht
Jesus propter Jesum was Austin's Complaint of old i.e. Few seek Christ for himself 21. Bellarmin affirmeth That Grace may be lost that is true veritate essentiae which is Grace essentially true but not veritate firmae soliditatis that is Confirmed Grace 22. Prima monachi virtus est contemnere hominum judicia The first virtue of a religious Man is to disregard the Judgments and Censures of Men. And if thou seekest Blessedness Disce contemnere contemni learn to despise and to be despised Hieron 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idleness is the Mother of Poverty Ignatius ad Smyrn 24. If we ask a Catechumen what it is to cat the Flesh and drink the Blood of Christ Nescit quid dicis he knows not what we say being not yet acquainted with the Mysteries of Christianity Aug. 25. Antaeus wrestling with Hercules got new strength by falling on the Earth So a Christian may renew his strength by falling at the Feet of God 26. O foelix culpa quae talem meruit redemptorem As one said of Adam's sin which occasion'd the coming of so great a Redeemer 27. Christ said of the Penny that was shewn him Whose Image and Superscription hath it They said Caesars Then render to Caesar the things that are Casar's So we may say of the Soul of Man 28. Vxor fulget radiis mariti is a Saying in the Civil Law The Wife shines with the beams of her Husband Much more is it true of Christ and the Church 29. Suetonius reports of Nero That he ran up and down in horror of Conscience saying Have I neither Friend nor Enemy that will slay me A just Judgment upon him for his persecuting and killing the Christians 30. Quis placere potest populo cui placet virtus He that is pleas'd with Vertue will hardly please the People 31. Maxima peccantium poena est peccatum Sin is its own greatest punishment 32. Vbi Deus ibi Coelum Where God is there is Heaven 33. O quot amores habent qui unum non habent How many Loves have they who want the Love of God! Aug. 34. We ought to love God not only merito suo but commodo nostro For our own good as well as God's deserving it 35. Schola Crucis Schola Lucis was a Saying of Luther The School of the Cross is a School of Light and Instruction 36. Where Gold grows no good Plant will prosper Grace will not thrive in a covetous Heart 37. Mors aurem vellens Vivite ait venio Death twitcheth Men by the Ear saying I come Live 38. Christus hominem portavit in coelum Deum misit in terras Christ carried up Humane Nature to Heaven and sent down God that is the Holy Ghost upon Earth 39. Si debeo totum me pro me facto quid pro me refecto said August If I owe my whole self to God for making me how much more for making me again 40. When the Grecians were once delivered by Flaminius in a great straight the Army shouted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Saviour A Saviour with so loud a cry that the Birds in the Air fell down astonisht How much more should we cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with highest Joy and Exaltation to Jesus Christ As when Tully found an Altar at Siracuse with this Inscription upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said he had not a Latin word to express the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tam magnum est quod uno verbo Latino exprimi non potest How much less can we with words express the greatness of the Salvation it self 41. The Angels sung at the World's Creation and when Christ came into the World to restore it 42. The Romans having built the Temple of Peace they consulted the Oracle of Apollo how long it should stand It was answered Till a Virgin shall bring forth a Son which they judging impossible thought it should stand for ever 43. The Scorpion hath that Oyl in his Body which will heal the Wound he giveth by his Sting So the Word of God will both wound and heal 44. The Egyptians worship'd the Crocodile out of fear because he did them hurt and they worship'd a certain Water-Rat call'd Ichneumon because it devour'd the young breed of the Crocodile 45. It 's said of the Dutch Peterent Coelum Belgae si navibus peti possit They are such Sailers that they would get to Heaven if they could come thither by Ships 46. Argoland King of Sargossa in Arragon seeing many poor People waiting for Alms at Charlemain's Table asked who they were They answered They were poor Christians And thereupon refused to be baptized saying He would not serve such a Master who maintained his Servants no better 47. De minutis non curat lex is a Rule in Law but not in God's Law which condemneth the least sin 48. It was an arrogant Saying of Zabarel about a Problem in Philosophy Hoc ego primus vidi I am the first that found this out Knowledge puffeth up 49. Naturalists say of the Cypress-Tree Pulchra est sublimis sed fructu caret It looks fair and grows high but wants Fruit. A fit Emblem of an Hypocrite 50. The King of Morocco reading St. Paul's Epistles said he liked them well but did not like Paul for changing his Religion To change from worse to better is no dishonour 51. Philosophers divide the Soul of Man into two parts the Sensitive part and the Rational part the one they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rational and Irrational part of Man 52. The Turks write upon the Cover of their Alchoran in Arabick words Nemo tangat cum nisi mundus Let no unclean Person touch it How much more respect should we have to the Bible the true Word of God 53. Benedictio ut ab homine est solum optativa à Deo operativa Men bless by wishing a Blessing but God by bestowing it 54. Sabina a Roman Matron being condemned to die for her Religion fell in travel and cried out And one said to her If you cry out thus now what will you do when you come to the Stake She answered Now I cry out because I feel the fruit of Sin but then I shall be in comfort as suffering and dying for my Saviour 55. Paulus Aemilius being to fight with Perses King of Macedonia would not give over sacrificing to Hercules till he saw some Tokens of Victory This may teach Christians to persevere in Prayer 56. It 's reported of Domitius Calderinus that he would usually say when he went to Mass Eamus ad communem errorem Let 's go to the Common Cheat. So Religion is upheld in many by Custom not by Principle 57. Valerius speaking of the City of Rome saith of it Omnia post religionem ponenda civitas nostra duxit Our City accounts all things to be subordinate to Religion And Numa is said to begin all he
unto the Chaldee Character 94. The Altar is call'd by Ezek. 43.15 Harel which signifies the Mountain of God because it was raised above the Earth Which Calvin thinks is the same that is called Ariel Isa 29.1 95. Philo tells us that there was a Solemn Festival kept every year in Egypt in remembrance of that great work of the Tranflation of the Old Testament into Greek by the Seventy 96. Jerom saith That in his time Quasi coeleste Tonitru audiri populum reboantem AMEN The People pronounced the word Amen with such a loud voice that it was like an heavenly thunder in the Congregation 97. Diodorus tells us of a City in Sicilia that was called Triocala because of the excellent Springs excellent Vines and excellent Rocks that were in it But Heaven may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where there are all excellent things Vbitotum est quod velis nihil est quod nolis All that the Saints would have and nothing that they would not have 98. In the same place where Christ stood when he look't upon Jerusalem and wept over it did the Romans set up their Standard when they besieged Jerusalem as Josephus writes 99. Augustin saith of the rich Man in the Gospel who said he would pull down his Barus and build greater and then say to his Soul Eat drink and be merry that he had Animam Triticeain a Wheaten Soul The Soul is assimilatated to the Objects it most converseth with 100. Seneca saith of earthly things Ostendatus ista res non possidentur They are rather shew'd to us then possess'd by us The Second Century 1. MAjor sum ad majora natus quam ut mancipium sim Corporis mei I am greater and born to greater things than to be a Slave to my Body Seneca 2. He is a good Logician that offers up to God a reasonable Service A good Arithmetician who hath learned to number his dayes A good Orator who hath perswaded himself to be a good Christian Dr. Arrowsmith 3. When we come to the Creatures for satisfaction to our Souls may they not say to us as Jacob to Rachel Are we instead of God 4. The House built upon the Rock was assaulted every way yet it stood On the top with the rain at the sides with the Wind at the bottom with the Floods Mat. 7. The right Emblem of a sincere Christian who beareth up against all kinds of Temptations 5. Beza saith of a Sickness he had at Paris Morbus iste verae Sanitatis mihi principium fuit That Disease was the beginning of my true Health And Olevian to the same purpose of a Sickness he had said I have thereby manned more of Sin and the Majesty of God than I ever knew before As also Rivet said In the space of ten dayes since I kept my Bed I have learned more of true Divinity than in the whole course of my Life before 6. Semiramis ordered this to be written upon her Tomb. If any King stand in need of Money let him break open this Monument Hereupon Darius ransack't the Tom◠and found within another writing Hadst thou not been unsatiably covetous thou wouldst never have invaded thus the Monument of the dead And so went away ashamed 7. A great Commander in his violent thirst sold himself and his Army into the Enemies hand for a little water and then said O quantum ob quantillum How much have I parted with for a little May not those that sell their Souls for a little sensual pleasure much more say thus 8. The Apostle saith An Idol is nothing 1 Cor. 8.4 And yet the Ephesians cryed Great is Diana of the Ephesians Acts 19.34 Magnum nihil A great nothing So we may say of many other things that are great in Mens Opinions and nothing in themselves 9. He that is a Slave to the World is under Cham's Curse a Servant of Servants 10. Cujus anima in Oculis ejus est preciosa in Oculis ejus mundus est parvus was an usual saying among the Jews He in whose Eyes his Soul is precious in his eyes the World is little Again Pecuniam habes aut teipsum aut pecuniam vilem habeas necesse est He that overvalues his Money undervalues himself 11. Let us lay our Pipes to a running Spring and not to a broken Cistern if we would be supplyed 12. Plato being asked by one of his Scholars How long his Precepts were to be obey'd answered Until there come an Holy One by whom the Fountains of Truth shall be opened and whom all may safely follow Ficinus in Vita Platonis A seeming Prophecy of Christ 13. Seneca speaking of the Religious Rites of the Heathen Worship said Quae omnia sapiens observabit tanquam legibus jussa non tanquam dijs grata A wise Man will observe them rather as commanded by the Laws than acceptable to the Gods 14. Mr. Fox tells a Story of one Crow a Seaman who being Shipwrack'd lost all his Money and Goods but put his Bible about his Neck and swam with it to shore 15. Pascimur apertis exercemur obscuris Plain Truths feed us and obscure Mysteries in Religion exercise us 16. Antony the Monk when the Philosopher ask'd him where his Books were answer'd The Voluminous Books of the Creation 17. By the Light of Nature we may know there is a God 1. Respicicendo by looking back to the Creation which must have a beginning 2. Inspiciendo by looking into our own Consciences 3. Prospiciendo by looking forward to Rewards and Punishments which are not yet inflicted 4. Circumspiciendo by looking round about to the Works of Providence in the World 18. Licinus a Cruel Oppressor was buried in a stately Tomb wise Cato in a small one Pompey the great in none at all upon which an Atheistical Poet descants thus Marmoreo Licinus tumulo jacet Cato parvo Pompeius nullo Quis putet esse Deos Who can think there is a Deity when things fall out thus in the World 19. One Hermolaus being very inquisitive to know what Aristotle meant by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Definition of the Soul one well replyed to him O te infelicem qui de animâ desiniendâ magis quam salvandâ solicitus esse videaris Oh unhappy Man who seemest more solicitous for the Definition of thy Soul than the Salvation of it 20. I found these two Verses in a Christian Poet worthy to be remembered Alme Deus Mundus sine Causâ te odit amabas Tu sine causâ illum Quam bonus ultor eras The World hated God without cause and he loved the World without cause what a good Revenger is this 21. It was cruel Advice that the Cardinal gave to the Emperour Vtere jure tuo Caesar Sectumque Lutheri Ense rotâ ponto funibus igne neca Arise Caesar take thy Authority and destroy Luthers Sect by the Sword upon the Wheel in the Sea with Ropes and Fire 22. I have read of
as to be so 58. Dulcia non meruit qui non gustavit amara is an old Proverb He deserves not sweet whonever tasted of bitter 59. Scriptura quò magis legitur eò magis dulcescit Basil The more the Scripture is read the sweeter it is 60. Multò honestius est à veritate vinci quam Erroris trtumphos agere Dr. Tully It is more honourable to be Conquered by Truth than to triumph in Error 61. A natural Cannot will excuse a man but not a Moral As a man that hath Power to do this and that good and yet cannot obtain of himself to be willing to do it as to give Alms to the Poor to help a man in distress to hear the Word this is a moral Cannot 62. The Impotency that is come upon Man â—y the Fall is especially in his Will If he was able truly to will that which is good he would know more and live better If men â—ave no power to come to Christ except the Father draw them it is because they have â—ot power to be willing And the defect in â—ans Obedience ariseth from the defect of his Will And even in the regenerate the Will â—s sanctified but in part and so commands â—ot with that strength in the Soul as else it â—ould do Non ex toto imperat quia non ex â—to vult as Augustin speaks concerning the Will And when the Apostle Paul saith To â—ill is present with me but how to do I find not 〈◊〉 was chiefly because his Will was sanctified â—ut in part 63. The Law condemns men for every cannot in our Duty but the Gospel for our Wiâ—â— not And mans Conscience doth not condemâ— a man for his Natural but his Moral cannot which is the same with his will not Mr. Truman 64. There is both a good and an evil cannot A good cannot as in Joseph How can 〈◊〉 do this Wickedness and in the Apostle Paul We can do nothing against the Truth but for thâ— Truth And an evil cannot when a man cannot do good and cannot but do that which is evil Can a Black-moor change his skin Jer. 13.23 65. No man can be confuted of Error but by some Truth that he holds contrary to it 66. The Heathen were careful to preserw the Mysteries of their Religion wherein they worshipt their Gods from Prophanation Anâ— therefore appointed a Cryer to proclaim tâ— the People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy things are foâ— holy Persons And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prâ—cul hinc procul ite prophani Let prophane Persons be gone Although their gods were brâ— Idols and their Mysteries the Inventions oâ— men How much more should the Mysterieâ— of the true Religion in the Worship of thâ— true God and of his own Institution be kepâ— sacred 67. The Platonists say of the Soul of Man that it had lost its wings which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby it is fallen down to the Earth And Plato represents the present state of the Soul to a man fallen into a subterraneous Cave with his Back towards a Light set up behind him and so bound that he cannot turn his Face to the Light whereby he sees only the Shadows of things before him and takes them for Substances 68. De nihilo nihil in nihilum nil posse reverti was a famous Axiom among the old Philosophers Nothing can come out of nothing and nothing can turn to nothing 69. The Philosophers that held the Souls Immortality did generally hold its praeexistence And that neither the Souls of Men or Beasts are generated or corrupted but were all educed out of the first matter in the beginning of the Creation and pass'd out of one body into another 70. And some of them held the World to be a wise understanding Animal that Order'd and govern'd it self after the best Manner And this they call'd God And that the Chaos out of which this World was made was the ruins of a preceding World 71. The Epicurean Atheists argued against a Supreme Deity making the World because they said there were many Faults and Defects in the Creation As Lucretius saith Nequaquam nobis divinitùs esse paratam Naturam rerum tantâ stat praedita Culpâ That Nature was not framed by a divine hand it is so fulâ— of Faults And they instance in poysonous Herbs and hurtfull Beasts and that a part of the World is not habitable Whereby they manifested their Ignorance and Arrogance both together 72. Yet these Philosophers held a multiplicity of aethereal gods and that they concerned not themselves with Mankind and that their Happiness lay in Omnium vocat tone munerum in a Freedom from all charge of Business as Judging it inconsistent with the Happiness of a Deity to be Curiosus rerum Inspector and Negotii plenus to be a curious Inspector and full of Business 73. They said that this notion of a Deity was injurious to Civil Government by setting up a Fear of God in mens Minds above the Fear of Princes And so Hobbs And it enslaved and debased men As the Epicurean Poet tells us of them who affirm any Deity ruling the World Efficiunt animos humiles formidine Divûm Depressosque premunt ad terram They debase and depress mens Minds by the Fear of a Deity and so deserved ill of Mankind 74. Aristotle said of Anaxagoras That he would never acknowledge that things were acted and moved by an Eternal Mind but when he could find out no other Cause to impute things to which forc'd him to acknowledge a Deity 75. The Philosophers speak much of Plastick Nature the forming Vertue that is in Nature which they say is as if the Stones and Timber had in themselves the Art of the Artificer to frame themselves into an House And we acknowledge with them such a Plastick Nature if they set it not up as God Whom we must acknowledge to be above Nature and that Natura naturans that giveth motion and Laws to Nature And therefore Aristotle doth well in joyning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together a Mind working with Nature 76. Those Philosophers that made things superiour as the Heavens the Souls of men and their very gods also such as they were to be formed out of Corporeal matter they Invert the System of the Universe saith Dr. Cudworth who treats largely of things of this Nature in his Intellectual System 77. It was a pretty Notion of some of the Heathen that Love and Chaos were the first Principles of all things Chaos was the matter and Love formed All things out of it And that Jupiter was turn'd all into Love when he made the World Pherecides Syrus The Creation sprang from Infinite Goodness and Love and all the Good of it is but the Heat of this Infinite eternal Fire of Love Baxter 78. Plato speaks more distinctly and truly That infinite Goodness infinite Wisdom and infinite active Power were the three Archical hypostases as he calls them
Christans called Decree and Providence whereupon saith Austin Sententiam teneant sed linguam corrigant Let them hold their Opinion but amend their Expressions 51. Malè vivitur si non de Deo benè creditur Men cannot live well unless they believe well concerning God 52. The Romans got their great Dominion by their Love of Liberty and Ambition of Preheminence saith the Historian 53. They placed the Temples of Honour and Vertue near together to shew that all true Honour ariseth from Vertue 54. It 's said of Cato Quò minus petebat gloriam eo magis eum sequebatur The less he affected Honour the more it followed him 55. Christ is said to come to perform the Promises to the Fathers but to shew Mercy to the Gentiles to whom the Promises were not made Rom. 15.8 9. 56. If the Heathen did great things out of love to their Countrey and the Christians do less for the heavenly Countrey Pudore pungantur said Austin Let them be prick'd with shame and if they do not less Superbiâ non extollantur Let them not be lifted up with pride for there is no proportion betwixt the one Countrey and the other 57. The Romans made Pleasure the end of Virtue which they represented in a Picture where they set Pleasure as a Lady sitting upon a Throne and all the Vertues attending and waiting upon her 58. If we must captivate our Reason to the Mysteries of Providence why not then to the Mysteries of the Gospel which the Socinianâ— deny 49. The best things the Heathen expected from their Gods were some temporal good as Wine from Bacchus Corn from Ceres good Voyages at Sea from Neptune Victory from Mars c. But not Eternal Life as Christians do from their God and Saviour anâ— all other good not from several Gods a they did but from the One Living and Truâ— God 60. The Creation is upheld as well by thâ— Blood of Christ as the Power of God bâ— the work of Redemption as well as Providence for if Justice had not been satisfied iâ— the Blood of Christ the World would havâ— bin dasht in pieces by the Sin of Man Polhill 61. The Poets feigned of Saturn That hâ— devoured his own Children And this Satuâ— they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies time where by they meant that Time devours the thing brought forth by it 62. Austin reproves Seneca for conforming to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Heathen Worship though he did not approve of them in his Judgment and thought them not acceptable to their Gods but only because they were enjoyned by their Laws he being a famous Senator said Austin would comply with the common Practice though he did dislike it Colebat quod reprehendebat agebat quod arguebat adorabat quod culpabat He worship'd what he reproved and practised what he blamed c. De Civ Dei lib. 6. cap. 10. 63. Nulla major pejor est mors quam ubi mors non moritur That is the worst death where death ever liveth and never dies As in Hell 64. Austin commends Socrates above the other Philosophers because he sought by his wholsom Precepts to purge the Minds of Men had make them capable of Divine Contemplations and knowing all things in their first Original and their Manners vertuous whereas the other Philosophers busied themselves about abstruse Speculations into Natural Causes which tended little to purisie their Minds or regulate their Practice 65. The Heathen accounted their Daemons to be middle Deities betwixt Men and the Supream God carrying up their Prayers and Sacrifices to God and bringing dowâ— Rewards and divine Precepts unto Men aâ—â— the same that are called Baalim in Scripture of whom a Greek Author gives this Description 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Daemon is in a middle between Goâ— and Men. But there is but one Mediatoâ— betwixt God and Men the Man Christ Jesus to the Christians 66. Many of the Gods whom the Heatheâ— worshipt were dead Men of whom theâ— made Images and an Evil Spirit possessing them instead of their departed Souls broughâ— the Heathen to Worship them as Gods 67. The Stoicks would not have the thing of the World called Bona Good Things but only Commoda Things Commodious to Man as judging that only Bona Animi The good things of the Mind were worthy the name of being called good 68. Aristippus the Philosopher once being at Sea in company with a very bad Man and a Tempest arising Aristippus was afraid and the other Man not for which when some upbraided him he answered He had more reason to fear than the other Man because he had a more excellent Soul saying Se pre Aristippi animâ solicitum esse debere He ought to be solicitous for his Soul being of greater worth than the others was 69. Plotinus reckoned it a mercy of God to Mankind to make Man's Body Mortal Ne semper hujus vitae miseriis teneatur That he might not be always held in the miseries of this Life but Evil Spirits having aerial Bodies which are Immortal are said he thereby the more miserable 70. The Devils having great Knowledge but without Love are puft up with excessive Pride which makes them ambitious of Divine Worship from Men and to envy the Honour of God 71. To separate Friends is the work of the Devil but Christ's work is to reconcile Enemies Col. 1.21 72. All our righteousness cannot profit God he needs it no more than he did the Beasts offered to him in sacrifice And as he that drinks of a Spring profits not the Spring and he that seeth by the light of the Sun profits not the Sun but himself so our Righteousness may profit our selves but not God 73. Deus non vult sacrificium trucidati pecoris sed sacrificium contriti cordis The Sacrifice God takes pleasure in is not a slain Beast but a bleeding broken Heart Psal 50.17 74. Some do say though upon little ground That when Moses held up his Hand in Prayer upon the Hill and Joshua was fighting with Amaleck in the Valley that he held them up in the figure of a Cross and that made Joshua victorious We have the Story Exod. 17.11 but nothing of the Cross 75. What is the reason said Austin to the Philosophers that you will not be Christians but Quia Christus humilitèr venit in mundum vos superbi estis Christ came humbly into the World and ye are proud Not many wise men after the flesh c. are called 1 Cor. 1.26 76. Christ is called the Word Joh 1.1 and in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Platonists as Christians ac-acknowledge a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but speak nothing of the Word made Flesh because not known by Reason but Revelation 77. Austin makes the Image of the Trinity in Man to consist in these three things I am I know that I am and I love my self thus known 78. Coelestis civitas in eternitate Dei viget in veritate Dei