did And this is not contrary to Reason For if according to Galen good Diet preserves Health and consequently prolongs Life may we not allow the same Efficacy nay greater to the wise Government of the Soul Now the Body receives Life from the Union of the Soul therefore if this be manag'd according to the Rules of true Holiness which are not prescrib'd by Galen or Hippocrates but which we learn from Heaven no Man can deny but it is most reasonable to expect long Life from a perseverance in that I remember that I have read of a certain Rabbi that wonder'd that Men should live so long in Babylon when 't is situated so low which Places Avicenna takes notice are very unhealthy but when he was inform'd that they often frequented the Synagogues he was very well satisfied The like I met with in Guemera de Tahanit c. 4. where some People asking how they might prolong their lives the wise Men answer'd that it might be done partly by a natural Cause and partly by a moral one viz. The fear of the Lord. I have read also of a Merchant who liv'd in the Island of Cyprus that order'd it to be proclaim'd that he had abundance of sweet Spices to sell that were excellent to preserve Life and when a great many People came to purchase them he pull'd out a Psalter out of his Bag and shew'd 'em the 34th Psalm where David says v. 13 14. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile by which he would intimate that Piety was the best Aromatick to procure long Life Besides the Meditation upon God's word is the means to prolong Life and restore the natural Heat This is strongly confirm'd by Solomon's Exhortation For that most wise King where he speaks about the Law says Length of Days is in her Right-hand and in her Left-hand Riches and Honour Prov. 3.16 Also Chap. 9.11 By me thy days shall be multiplied and in another place Chap. 3.8 It shall be health to my Navel and marrow to my Bones The Reason is because the Scripture saith Man shall not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord Deut. 83. From hence it appears that Men are nourish'd by Spiritual as well as Corporal Food And this I believe is the Reason why Solomon compares the Law of God to the Tree of Life Prov. 3.18 because as the Tree of Life which was in Paradise had such a Vertue that whoever tasted the Fruit of it grew young and vigorous again So the Law of God which is like the Tree of Life has the same effect In like manner if Adam had not sinn'd tho' his Body was compounded of a mixture of the four Elements he might have liv'd a great many Years longer and at last his Soul together with his Body might have been translated into Heaven as it happen'd to Enoch and Elias and all others would have enjoyed the like Privilege who had liv'd in perfect Obedience to the Law Hence the Rabbins believe that when the Law was given to Moses God plac'd the Israelites in the same State that Adam was in before the Fall But that happy Condition lasted not long by reason of their abominable Idolatry in worshipping the Calf Therefore David says Ps 82.7 8. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the most high But ye shall die like Men c. What I have mention'd already does notably illustrate and confirm that singular Example which is recorded in Guemera Jebamot c. 12. of a certain Family in Jerusalem out of which whosoever was born seldom liv'd above Eighteen years which thing being related to R. Johanan Ben Zachay and being ask'd what was the reason of it he bid them enquire if they were not of Eli's Posterity whom God had threaten'd saving 1 Sam. 2.33 All the increase of thing House shall die in the flower of their Age. And it was discover'd that they were deriv'd from him Upon which he admonish'd them that if they desir'd God would grant them longer Lives they should very diligently meditate upon his Law This wise Man's advice had its effect and experience shew'd it And our of gratitude the Family would ever after be call'd by his Name Our Rabbins likewise report that the Sabbath-day on which David died he was very intent in meditating on God's Law which when the Angel Samuel who is the common Executioner of Death perceiv'd he could not execute his Office Wherefore he contriv'd this Stratagem that a high Wind should vehemently shake the Trees that grew in David's Court that might occasion his coming abroad which it did but as he was going down some steps he miss'd one of them and fell down upon which the King being in a Consternation did not think upon God's Law so his Meditation ceasing his Life ceas'd also The Rabbins in this place are of opinion that David obtain'd such Favour from God by his Sanctity and his devout Hymns that Death could have had no Power over him if he had not committed Adultery and Murder Save only in the Matter of Uriah says the Scripture 1 Kings 15.5 This is enough to shew that our Life may be prolong'd by observing God's Laws and meditating thereon so that if any one would perfectly and constantly observe the Law it is probable that like Elias he would never die For I believe this may be miraculously done two ways First by preserving the Radical Moisture in its due State Secondly by preserving the Vertue of our Food As to the First it is confirmed by the Example of Moses who liv'd forty Days in Mount Sinai without Meat or Drink then the Divine Law which was instead of Food preserv'd the Radical Moisture in its due Vigour and Strength The other is confirm'd by the Example of Elias for the Angel said unto him Arise and eat because the Journey is too great for thee 1 Kings 19.7 8. And in the next verse 't is added That he went in the strength of that meat 40 days and 40 nights For the vertue in the Meat was preserv'd as if he had but just eaten it so that he was not sensible of any Fatigue all those 40 days and Nights We must not forget the wonderfull Story of Elias and the Woman of Sarepta for we read how the Prophet said unto her 1 Kings 17.14 The Barrel of Meal shall not waste neither shall the Cruise of Oyl fail And so it came to pass for as much as was taken out one day was restor'd the next Thus the Radical Moisture which is like Oyl is miraculously preserv'd in its due quantity and quality by a constant Course of Piety I say miraculously because it can't be naturally And when I propos'd this Question to Zacuthus a very learned and worthy Physician among us he courteously answer'd in a particular Treatise that it
is so too The time of our Birth is doubtless uncertain for though the Talmudick Doctors do averr That the Foetus's of dumb Animals are form'd within a limitted time yet they do not own the same of young Children They make the time of Parturition threefold one at the ninth Month which is common and usual and this they will have meant by the word Conception which in the Hebrew contains the number 271 for there are so many days in nine Months The second time that a Woman is with Child is seven Months hence in the Jerusalem Targum upon these words Gen. 3.16 I will greatly multiply thy Sorrow and thy Conception c. the Commentators say That the word in multiplying according to the numerical Letters of the Hebrew makes up 212 days which are equivalent to seven Months agreeably to this the Philosophers Empedocles Plotinus and Macrobius say That a Child can't live that is born before the seventh Month. Some of the Rabbins are of an Opinion that every one of the seven Planets performs an Office in the Production of Children The third time of Parturition is extended to the 12th Month. Agellius B. 3. chap. 16. reports that a Woman was brought to Bed at Rome the 11th Month after her Husband's Decease The Emperor Adrian by the Consent of Physicians and Philosophers maintains that this thing is possible Bernard mentions a Woman which is scarce credible that was 16 Months with Child Thus we see that it is ordinary for Women to be with Child nine Months yet extraordinarily they may be Deliver'd before or after that time so the ordinary Term of Man's Life is 70 years yet very sew live so long Therefore the Term of our Life is not so precisely Fix'd but it may be chang'd SECT 2. Man's Life may be shortne'd several ways viz. by Divine Providence Chance or Nature These three Causes I put instead of the three fatal Sisters to whom the Heathens ascrib'd the Boundaries of Life Thus a Man's Life is shortn'd by Providence for Example when a Man is cut off from the People which Punishment the Scripture makes mention of and by which the Cabbalists Aramban and Isaac Abravanel affirm a Man's Life is taken away in the midst of his days and the Soul after its Separation from the Body is depriv'd of the sight of God Hence it is manifest that our Life may be shortn'd by Sin and prolong'd by Vertue But I shall Illustrate this Argument by some Examples The Rabbins say That Abraham liv'd 175 years which are five less than his Son Isaac because he should not see the Impiety of his Kinsman Esau Rachel also did not live out her days For that which proceeds out of a righteous Man's mouth is the same as if it came out of an Angels Jacob not knowing that she had stolen her Fathers Idols curs'd her saying With whom soever thou sindest thy Gods let him not live Gen. 31.32 So they say though Joseph liv'd 110 years yet he died before all his Brethren because he had exercis'd a great deal of Severity towards them Abijah is said to be slain by the Lord for the Sin by which he polluted himself saying Ye be a great multitude and there are with you Golden Calves which Jerobeam made you for Gods 2 Chron. 13.8 With this agrees what Isaiah says Chap. 6.5 Wee is me for I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips and an Angel came and touched his Lips with which he had offended with a Coal There are more clear Examples beside these in Saul and his Sons which the Scripture expresses after this manner 1 Chron. 10.13 14. So Saul died for his Transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which he kept not God smote Nabal with a sudden Death 1 Sam. 25.38 And it came to pass about ten days after that the Lord smote Nabal that he died Here the Jewish Doctors note that those were the ten days which are between the beginning of the Year and the Day of Expiation which we call penitential days because every one ought then to Examine his Life and consider what he has said or done amiss Jeremiah foretold the Death of Hananiah the false Prophet Chap. 28.16 This year shalt thou die because thou hast taught Rebellion against the Lord. But what shall we say of that vast multitude which perish'd in the Deluge of those that were consum'd in Sodom and Gomorrah of Korah Dathan and Abiram and their wicked Accomplices whom the Earth swallow'd up alive Of that grievous Plague which swept away so many Israelites in David's time Is it not manifest enough that their Lives were shorten'd by Divine Providence Pertinent to this are the words of David Psal 37.22 Such as be blessed of him shall inherit the Earth And they that be cursed of him shall be cut off and of Jeremiah Chap. 17.11 He that getteth Riches and not by Right shall leave them in the midst of his days which R. Kimchi expounding says He shall die before his time Job says Chap. 36.12 If they obey not they shall perish by the Sword And Solomon Eccl. 8.13 It shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his days Chap. 7.17 Be not overmuch wicked neither be thou foolish Why shouldst thou die before thy time Upon which places the Chaldee Paraphrast says They shall shorten their days because they shall die before their time comes to die Because God us'd to punish Sinners with untimely Death therefore David prays Psal 102.24 That God would not take him away in the midst of his days The Cabbalists upon that place of the Proverbs Chap. 13.23 There is that is destroyed for want of Judgment say That it is certain that Men often die before their time Hither may be referr'd those Persons that are punish'd for their Crimes as Joab Shimei and many more Concerning these Solomon observes Prov. 19.16 He that despiseth his ways shall die upon which words the Learned Aben Ezra comments Before his time because the Council shall put him to Death SECT 3. There is another way likewise by which Life may be shorten'd and that is by Chance or Fortune For this Reason R. Judah Levita upon those wards of Samuel Or he shall descend into the Battel and perish c. says That is an accidental Death And R. Joseph Albo affirms that it signifies a Death that happens by Chance and without any antecedent Offence and merely by the Power of a Celestial Sign But that I may explain this thing more clearly I shall shew what the Jews meant by Chance and Fortune And in the first place they usually distinguish between Fortune and Chance The latter of which they attribute to inanimate and insensible Creatures For instance if Tyles fall from a House when the Wind blows and kill a Man Here we have two things 1. A natural Cause for it is natural for the Wind to blow 2. That which may be
manifest by Experience that the Prophecies of Astrologers commonly correspond with the Events and that they have often foretold a short Life or a long one a happy or a miserable one Therefore these things are ordain'd by the Stars 2. Every one is sensible that the Generation and Corruption of all Sublunary things depend upon the Motion of the Heavens For we may discern as the Air is more tempestuous or calm so it insinuates it self into Men's Bodies and as it is attracted for respiration so it affects their minds Therefore without dispute the Heavens have some Power over humane Bodies 3. The third Reason is drawn from Authority For the Scripture speaks thus of the Sun and the Moon Gen. 1.18 And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the stars also Here R. Moses Gerundensis asks What is meant by that Dominion It is that Dominion says he which the Stars have over the Bodies of Men upon which they impress several Vertues according to their favourable or malevolent Aspect It is said in the Book of Judges Chap. 5.20 They fought from heaven the stars in their Courses fought against Sisera Likewise in Isaiah 47.13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy Counsels Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee Also Job says Chap. 3.3 Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night in which it was said There is a Man child conceived where he refers all his Evils to the time of his Conception or his Nativity From all these things the Vertues of the Stars are collected The Talmudists also in Tract Moed Katam cap. ult seem to entertain this Opinion For they say that Children Life and Food depend upon the Stars And in another place they affirm the same thing For there Vices and Vertues are attributed to the Efficacy of the Planets under which every Man is born and they take notice of Saturn Jupiter Mars c. In the same place it is disputed whether or no the Reason of these things is to be found out at the Birth or Conception here their Sentiments are plainly discovered to us Notwithstanding all this we must take notice that although this Opinion may be introduced among the Jews yet they unanimously consent that the Stars do only incline but not necessitate the Will and Choice of good Men. Bradâ—◠〈◊〉 behinat Olam an eminent Orator among them has these When says he You look towards Heaven and consider the Stars above never imagine or believe that they have any Power over the Will as the ancient Astrologers fansied for they have no Authority at all over those things that depend upon Free-will As to such things which are out of the Power of Man viz. Life Honour and Riches all agree That they who obey the Commandments of God are out of the reach of the Planets And R. Moses Gerund says That God is above all and can Act See Dispose of and Govern all things according to every ones Desert For this Reason the Talmudick Doctors in one place deny that there is a Planet belongs to Israel and in another affirm it Admitting a Distinction they are both true 〈◊〉 as Aben Ezra remarks upon Exd. chp 34. no Planet reigns over the Fews while they observe the Law but when they neglect it Likewise the Prophet Jeremy says Chap. 10.2 Be not dismayed at the Signs of Heaven for the Heathen are dismayed at them He that is desirous to know more of these things may consult the 18th Book chap. 2. of Josephus's Antiquities of the Jews For where he treats of the Sect of the Pharisees whose Opinion I confess I am of he subjoyns these words They ascribe all things that are acted to Fate but however they grant the Assent of Man's Will alledging that God uses this moderation that when all things are made by his Counsel yet Man hath the Liberty of embracing Vertue or Vice In another place B. 16. c. ult Discoursing of the unhappy Death of Alexander and Aristobulus the Sons of cruel Herod he says It is reasonable to doubt whether that Crime is to be charg'd upon the young Gentlemen by which they had long incurr'd their Father's Displeasure and Hatred or upon the old King's Cruelty and immoderate Desire of Glory and Sovereignty or upon Fortune whose Power the Reasons of the wisest Men cannot oppose Hence we are perswaded that she has settled before-hand all humane Actions which must necessarily come to pass and this is the Power which we call Fate because there is nothing but what it can accomplish So much for Josephus Here we may take notice that by Fate he means the Vertue or Influence of the Planets and he observes notwithstanding these Man has the Liberty to be vertuous or profligate and a little after that no humane Reasons can resist it's Power But Divine and Supernatural ones can such as servent Prayers Alms Deeds sincere Repentance and the like He that has a mind to see a more accurate Discourse upon this Subject may be satisfied by the famous and incomparable Gerard Jo. Vossius in the Second Book of his most Learned Treatise of Idolatry Now I have shew'd the Opinions of our Learned Doctors and of the Astrologers concerning the influence of the Planets I proceed to my Dispute about the Term of Life which according to some of the Jews is that which is determin'd by the influence of the Stars Thus R. Bahye very often says That a Man's Life is decreed by a Planet in reference to that of 1 Sam. 26.10 Or his day shall come But especially the ancient Doctors in Tanchuma are of this Opinion who by those words in Gen 1.14 and for days and years allegorically understand the days and years of a Man's Life which the Sun and Moon mutually govern Thus much for the Opinions of the Astrologers SECT 4. The Physicians are of another mind for they following Galen and Avicenna the chief of that Profession maintain that Life and the Preservation of a Man's Body consist in the Harmony and Proportion of the Qualities which result from the four Elements out of which it is compounded but especially in a due Proportion of heat and moisture So that a Man lives as long as the natural heat continues for being of a Fugitive Nature it consumes the Radical moisture and when that is dry'd up and the other extinct we die so Avicenna says It is impossible that we should die unless the Radical moisture is absorpt and the nutural heat consum'd According to this Opinion every ones Life depends upon a good Temperament and from thence Physicians can foretell the Dispositions and Manners of Children that are to be born not by gazing upon the Heavens as the Astrologers do but by observing the Fortune that attends the Mother while she is pregnant but principally that of
the Father For Hippocrates affirms That Children inherit the Vices and Temper of their Father so that a Phlegmatick or Cholerick Father begets a Phlegmatick or Cholerick Son besides says he The very shape of the Fathers is impress'd upon their Children So that all that are born in the Lake Moeotis have large and prominent Heads And Aristotle thinks that the Lameness of an Arm or Leg may be deriv'd upon the Child There is no necessity to assert with Theophrastus That the very Substance and every thing that belongs to the Child proceeds from the Body of the Father As the Head and Hands of the Child from the Head and Hands of the Father but it is enough to know that Children are like their Parents in their Countenance Actions Manners and what is strange in their Infirmities There are others that ascribe the good and bad Constitution to the Vertue of the Planets which Infants receive by means of the Air at the time of their Birth and in my Judgment it seems probable because the Sun moves the Elements from whence those four Qualities flow in which Life and the Preservation of the Body consist This Definition of the Term of Life pleases the Jewish Doctors very much The Learned Aben-Ezra declares his Approbation of it and expresses himself after this manner We know that there is a certain time appointed for every Man which lasts in Proportion to the quantity of natural heat and moisture and a little after he adds That this is the Term which David speaks of 1 Sam. 26.10 His day shall come R. Joel ben Sueb upon those words of David Psal 39.4 Lord make me to know my end c. comments thus My end according to my Constitution R. Isaac Abravanel upon the 38th Chapter of Isaiah says That a Man's Life is determin'd by his Constitution and the quantity of Radical moisture Thus we see that the Hebrew Doctors and other Authors understand by the Term of Life a certain Period which in one is shorter and in another longer according to their different Constitutions SECT 5. A great many Learned Jews generally consider this Term in respect of the Times R. Solomon Jarchi upon Eccl. 3.1 says The time to be born is nine Months and the hour of Death is uncertain For the understanding of this we must take notice That our Life is limited to several Times In the beginning of the world Men liv'd 700 800 or 900 years consisting of 12. Months as Josephus Lib. 1. Antiq. Lactan. Div. Instit 2. and Augustine de civ Dei l. 15. affirm Afterwards God reduc'd this Life to 120 years Gen. chap. 6.3 And the Lord said my Spirit shall not alway strive with Man for that he also is Flesh Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years I remember there are other expositions of this place but as two great Doctors observe they are foreign from the Text. God shorten'd Man's Life for his Sins judging it necessary to do so that he might awaken his Conscience by the Consideration of his short Life and that he might not have so many occasions to Sin As for Sem's living 500 years after the Deluge Arphaxad Salem and Heber above 400 and Abraham about 200 R. Isaac Abravanel makes this Answer It is not usual to leap from one Extream to another without observing a Medium so we must suppose that God would diminish Man's Life by degrees and bring it within the Compass of 120 years though scarce any by reason of their Carelessness in eating except Moses arriv'd to that Age For which Reason the Talmudists say That Moses is meant by the words For that he also is Flesh because the Hebrew numbers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 345. make up Moses Lastly God shorten'd the Life of Men in David's time upon which Account the wise Men in Gemara Yebamoth say that in his time the Years were shorter For thus it is written Psal 90.10 The days of our Years are Threescore Years and Ten c. Tho' the Inscription of this Psalm ascribes it to Moses yet they will have him to be another Prophet not the Law-giver or that David indicted it in Moses's Name But for all this Moses may be the Author for as much as he by his prophetick Spirit foretold how short Man's life should be Nevertheless Experience demonstrates that Man's life is more contracted and those Persons who attribute this Alteration to the Substance of our Food the Position of the Heavens c. are mistaken because as I told you before it was by a Divine Dispensation and this Reason Chrysostome Hom. 2. in Gen. Philo de Gigant Lactant. l. 2. c. 5. allow of What Pliny relates of Agarthonius Epimenides Pictoreus and others is not repugnant to our Assertion because he tells us the Year of the Arcadians was but three Months No doubt but some People computing after this manner have told us such strange Stories of old Men. Valer. Taren B. 6. makes mention of an old Man who at an hundred Years of Age chang'd his Teeth Skin Hairs and Nails and after that look'd very young and liv'd as long again A Frenchman nam'd John Estampis alias Joannes de Temporibus is reported by Paulus Aem. de rebus Franc. l. 5. to have liv'd 300 Years Cardan relates the same of a Turk and likewise of an Indian that liv'd 340 Years Though Nature has now and then her Monsters and Excesses yet we must not easily give credit to these things when they are chiefly founded upon humane Authority I do not believe that the Seres liv'd 200 Years as Strabo reports or that the Aethiopians live as long again as we do as Solinus imagines There is no doubt but some Countries are more healthful than others yet for all this difference of Climates which make our Life longer or shorter few People now-a-days exceed the Age of 120 Years Berosus extends it to 110 Solon to 84 and David to 70. and this is agreeable to what Trebellius says That the Mathematicians averr that an Age cannot be extended beyond 120 Years From all which we may conclude that the Term of Life is to be understood according to the Ages in which there are more or fewer Years SECT 6. These are the general Sentiments of the Hebrews concerning the Term of Life and these three Opinions in my judgment may be easily reconcil'd for there is no question but the heavenly Influences which are deriv'd upon Infants contribute much to their Constitutions which vary in several Ages Upon this Account the Learned Aben Ezra ascribes the length of Life sometimes to the Temper sometimes to the Planets because both Causes hold good And R. Mehiri in lib. Mehir Tehilot says There are two Causes of Man's life one in respect of Time which proceeds from the Spheres and the other is natural Heat which changes in several Ages After all the Jews do not believe that this Term is precisely and unalterably determin'd before-hand by Divine Providence for
these following Reasons 1. Because God promises long Life upon the Observation of some of his Commandments as Exod. 20.12 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the Land Deut. 4.40 and 32.47 Now if our days were decreed by God from all Eternity this Promise would be vain and no Body could exceed them much less can God deceive us Therefore it is in the Power of Man to make his Life long or short as I shall shew hereafter 2. We find several Persons earnestly desiring God to spare their Lives So Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.2 3. Then he turn'd his Face to the Wall and prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect Heart And David Ps 61. Cain being afraid of Death says Gen. 14.14 Every one that findeth me shall stay me There are others that have desir'd to die as Elies 1 Kings 19.4 It is enough now O Lord take away my Life for I am not better than my Fathers And Jonah Chap. 4.8 He fainted and wish'd in himself to die and said it is better for me to die than to live Now if the Term of Life was absolutely predestinated the Prayers of Hezekiah Cain and David were vain and those of Elias and Jonah superfluous Hence the Talmudists in Guemara Berachet say That if any one comes into a City and finds it in an uproar he may lift up his Voice and pray to God that he would avert that Evil from his Family Or if any one should desire after his Wife is with Child that it may be a Male certainly such Petitions are frivolous because when a thing is done it cannot be alter'd This we may apply to our present purpose for if all things were decreed from Eternity it is absurd to be sollicitous or careful about any thing 3. The truth of this Argument is mightily confirm'd by the words which God spake to Solomon 1 Kings 3.11 12 13 14. From whence it is evident that Solomon might ask for Life as a contingent thing and when God conferr'd on him Wisdom Riches and Honour he promis'd him Life too not absolutely but conditionally If thou wilt walk in my ways c. 4. If the Term of Life is unalterably setled no Man can prevent Death And yet we find God exhorting Man to beware of Dangers and the Occasions of Misfortunes Deut. 20.5 6 7. and in another place Chap. 22.8 When thou buildest a new House then thou shalt make a Battlement for thy Roof that thou bring not Blood upon thine House if any Man fall from thence Therefore it follows that the Term of Life is not fixed by an absolute Predestination 5. David himself says 1 Sam. 27.10 As the Lord liveth the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die or he shall descend into Battel and perish If by those words or his day shall come to die he understood the Day that was decreed by God it was superfluous to mention the three kinds of Death For which soever had happen'd it would have been appointed before-hand And if so it is plain those words were false for Saul might have been smitten by the Lord as well as slain in the Battel 6. There is not one place in the Old Testament which affirms this Predestination but we may only collect from the forecited Passages that there is a Term of Life which as I have explain'd it depends upon the Times the Heavens and the Constitution So Job says Chap. 14.5 Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass by which he means that all Men must die And David Ps 89.49 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death And in another Place 1 Chron. 29.15 Our days on Earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding As for Job's saying Chap. 14.5 The Number of his Months are with thee he means nothing else but God's Pre-science because God knew and fore-saw all things from Eternity BOOK II. Whether the Term of Life is alterable or unalterable SECT 1. HAVING in the former Book prov'd that there is a Term to every Man's Life I shall in the next place enquire whether this Term is so fix'd that it is impossible to exceed or prevent it or on the contrary whether it is mutable All the Jews unanimously consent that this Term is alterable though it depend upon the Planets the Constitution or the Variety of Times Hereupon R. Bahye says that there is a more Eminent Power above that of the Stars which orders things by Reward and Punishment The same is confirm'd by Aben Ezra upon Exod. Ch. 23. Where assigning the dependance of Life upon the Temper of the Body he says that the Natural Heat and Moisture of every one that serves God is augmented and then a Man exceeds the Term of Life Therefore according to this Opinion the Term of Life is alterable This is the Reason that Men take such Care to preserve their Health and when it is impair'd to recover it This makes them so often change the Air. This makes them drink those medicinal Potions that are to nauseous In a word this first makes Men study and then Practise Physick And indeed as it is very ridiculous to aspire to that Preferment which by no Pains or Industry can be procur'd so I think it exceeding simple to be careful about the Preservation of our Life when the Term is immutable and it cannot be prolong'd Nay it would be to no purpose for the Forth to bring forth Plants and Herbs by the Bounty of God for no other Design than the use of Physick But that we may establish this Opinion better let us consult the 3d Chap. of Eccl. and the 1st Verse In which place Solomon affirms That the Term of Life is alterable There is a time to be born and a time to die Here we see that our Birth and Death are parallell'd forasmuch as they have both a certain time Now if by the hour of Death that Term of Life is understood which is unalterably decreed by God then the same may be said of the hour of our Nativity But if this is granted the very Name of Nature is destroy'd for by this means we are oblig'd to acknowledge that God decreed the Birth of Abraham his long Life his Marriage which Sarah her Conception and Delivery of a Son which is absurd when common Experience makes it appear that these things depend upon Free-will If any one enquires how we must understand that there is some time of Life appointed Rabbi Solomon answers The time of our Formation is compleated in nine Months but that of Death alters according to the Diversity of the Age. And as I said before this is commonly the space of 70 years This being premised I conclude that the space of 70 years or rather the Term of Life is uncertain and mutable when the space of nine Months or the time of Pregnancy
properly call'd Chance for it is casual indeed that a Tyle should drop off and kill any one Sometimes they use it more strictly and ascribe it to sensible and animate Creatures that Act by Instinct Fortune they call Hizdamen and will have it to belong only to Men or rational Creatures Though these two things do differ yet the difference is so small that they are both very often comprehended in the same Definition for according to some of the Rabbins Chance and Fortune are defin'd after this manner they are such things as come by accident not naturally or by Order and Design For Example if a Man by digging a Pit should find a Treasure That Claudius endeavouring to conceal himself should be discover'd by a Soldier and created Emperour That Caligula as Suetonius testifies walking out after Supper should be unexpectedly slain by the way These and such like things the Hebrews call Chance and Fortune from whence they that have good or bad Fortune are call'd fortunate or unfortunate Hereupon R. Judah Levita R. Isaac Arama and R. Solomon Jebet have divided all our Actions into four Classes viz. Divine natural casual and voluntary For all things that come to pass in the World proceed either from God's Providence Nature Chance or Man's Free-will This is certainly a very accurate and elegant Distinction The Hebrews likewise affirm That God often deserts Men for their Sins and Iniquities and then they are expos'd to Chance and Fortune this they prove out of Levit. chap. 26.27 28. i. e. as Abravanel and all others expound it If ye walk not constantly with me and uprightly then will I leave you that were before guarded by my Providence subject to the mis-chances and accidents of the World These things happen to those whom God forsakes as it is written Deut 31.18 I will surely hide my face in that day that is my Providence and my Favour Thereupon the Jews are wont to say That any Vice or Sin though not Mortal is enough to make a Man obnoxious to Chance which thing is confirm'd by them out of the Scriptures For Moses advertising the Israelites least they should be hurt by the destroying Angel speaks thus Exod. 12.22 None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning And in another place Deut. 20.5 What man is there that hath built a new house and hath not Dedicated it Let him go and return to his house lest he die in the battel Also 22.8 Thou shalt make a Battlement for thy Roof that thou being not Blood upon thy house From which places it appears that it is in Man's power to avoid Danger or run into it for as a King does not regard the Promotion or Advancement of a person that is not his Subject So neither has God a particular Care of those who neglect the obedience of his Laws but resigns them to the Scorn and Contempt of Fortune The same also is maintain'd by R. Levi Ben Gerson in his Milhamot à sem B. 4. c. 2. in these words It is not reasonable that we should allow such a Providence that makes it impossible that wicked Men should be capable of receiving that good which the Stars have ordain'd for them I only affirm That such People are liable to those mis-fortunes which the heavenly Signs incline them to and that God does not protect them from those Evils that the Planets have design'd For this Cause the Talmudists say A Man should never run into Danger and then desire a Miracle for his relief because he may be disappointed of that But here we must take notice That many things may seem to fall out by Chance and Fortune which nevertheless are order'd by the special Care and Direction of Providence And therefore the Rabbins commenting upon that Text in Exod. 21.13 If a Man lie not in wait but God deliver him into his hand say That God takes Opportunities as if it were by Chance to execute his Judgments which they illustrate by this Example Once upon a time there were two Murderers one had kill'd a Man by Chance and the other designedly but no body yet knew when they did it Now what does God do in this Case Does he suffer these Crimes to go unpunish'd No but behold God orders it so that both of them should come into the same Inn where he that slew the Man accidentally climbed up a Ladder and tumbling down kill'd the other but he that sell down recovering himself flew to a placo of Refuge that he might be secur'd from Prosecution and so both of them were punish'd There is another way by which Chance and Providence may concurr as in the Death of King Ahab for though it was foretold by the Prophet yet the Scripture records he was undesignedly slain by an Archer We conclude therefore that Mens Lives may be sometimes shorten'd by Chance or unexpected Events Souldiers are in the greatest Danger of these for as Solomon observes The Battel is not always to the strong Eccl. 9.11 so R. Bahye notes upon Deut. 20.5 Lest he die in the Battel i. e. says he before his time From whence it appears that he who dies in War dies before his time SECT 4. A Man's Life also may be shorten'd by natural means As 1st By an ill Habit of Body which often proceeds from the Parents for Hippocraetes says a Phlegmatick Father begets a Phlegmatick Son and a Colerick Father a Colerick Son 2d By unwholesome Air. 3d. By the disorders of our Affections and a debauch'd way of Living Hence Philo the Jew In his Book of the Creation of the World says That several sorts of Meat are apt to hurt and oppress the Stomach Chrysost in contra lux crap Orat against Luxury and Drunkenness says as a Ship that is over Laden will sink so a Man that eats too much hastens his Death The Physicians too are of Opinion that much Meat and of serveral sorts are prejudicial to the Body and shorten Life as it is reported that Vitellius and Julian eat Variety of Victuals often in a day Lastly A great many Infirmities which are the Cause of a short Life proceed from an ill Digestion these Infirmities the Talmudists say are 903 which are noted in those words of David Psal 68.20 The Issues of death We offend against the Rules of Health by the quantity and quality of our Food and in the time and manner of Eating Hence David says Psal 34.21 Evil shall slay the wicked i. e. Such Persons do as good as kill themselves and hither may be refer'd all that do so as Achitophel and others All these Causes of a short Life are best remark'd by Maimonides in Yada hazaka for in that Book where he had prescrib'd most useful Receipts for the Preservation of Health he adds this Whosoever observes these Rules which are laid down by me I dare avouch shall never be sick all his Life or want a Physician but die of mere old Age except
his Body was infirm from his Birth or a Pestilence or a Famine infest that part of the Country where he lives Here we may discern by what Causes Maimonides declares our Life may be shorten'd viz. by an ill Complexion by a loose Course of Living by Divine Providence by Plague or Famine I proceed now to shew that our Life may be prolong'd SECT 5. God in several places Promises long Life to good Men and those who obey his Laws as Exod. 20.12 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long in the Land Likewise in Deut. 17.20 and 22.7 and in Psal 91.16 With long Life will I satisfie him Prov. 28.16 He that hateth Covetousness shall prolong his days 9.11 for by me thy days shall be multiplied and the years of thy Life shall be increased And in many other places this Promise is expresly given by God to Holy and Religious Men. But for all this there is a great Dispute among our Doctors about the quality and form of this Promise R. Moses Gerund thinks 't is extended to old Age i. e. 70 or 80 years for which Reason upon those words Exod. chap. 23.26 He says the meaning is He shall not die in Battel or by Pestilence or by Change of Air but by old Age. R. David Kimchi is of the same Opinion and declares it upon that Text in 2 Sam. 7.12 When thy days be fulfill'd and thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers i. e. when thou art old and hast liv'd the longest time which is usually 70 years Therefore whenever that Expression of Augmentation occurs in Scripture we must understand some Infirmity or ill Temper from which a Man is deliver'd as in those Places Prov. 9.11 and 10.27 For if a Man keeps the Commandments of God though he should be very sick and weak yet God can recover him and prolong his days as may appear from the forecited Texts And if God doth grant it he is Happy and arrives to the Term of 70 or 80 years Hence R. Joel Ben Sueb in lib. Norah Thehilot upon those words of David Psal 61.6 says That David desires no more than the ordinary time of Life but R. Solomon is more exact and says David means by Generations 70 years for twice 35 years makes up two Generations or 70 years This was the Opinion of R. Aqutha before these two that by Vertue and good Actions Life was increased so Hezekiah liv'd 15 years longer upon the Account of his Repentance for he was but 29 years old then and had reign'd but 14 years Hereupon the Rabbins say That God's Augmentation is more than the Principal for all those computed together make up but 58 years so that he did not live to the ordinary Term of 70 years This indeed is a great Punishment but 't is such an one by which it may appear that those Persons may have the Grant of a longer Life who deserve it To these things belong that Saying of some of the Ancients That God has a particular regard for those who live justly and righteously for the sake of their good Deeds and therefore their Life is proportionable i. e. he daily encreases their Life Hence upon those words of Moses Deut. 31.2 They say Now my days are fulfill'd this day I was born and this day I shall die for Moses was born and dy'd upon the seventh day of the Month Adar So likewise the 365 years of Enoch which he liv'd upon Earth were proportion'd to the 365 days of a Solar year whose Age being as I may say proportion'd he was translated into Heaven After this manner God usually consummates and compleats the days of the Just Therefore David says Psal 37.18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright as if he took a particular Account of every day According to these Men the Reward of a long Life is nothing else but the Completion of 70 or 80 Years which some of them say no Body can exceed But there are other Men who dissent from these For R. Nissim R. Joseph Albo Isaac Abravanel and others believe that all the Promises of the Mosaick Law are Supernatural and for that Reason maintain that the Promise of long Life is not limited within the Compass of 70 or 80 Years and that a Man may live longer Hence a certain Rabbi says If a Man deserves it his two Generations shall be augmented if not they shall be diminish'd This opinion is most in vogue among the celebrated Authors Hereupon those Doctors who approve of the Sentiments of the Astrologers say that where-ever the word Augmentation occurs in the Scripture it is meant beyond the End determin'd by the Planets They who think the Term of Life depends upon the Constitution say that God by a certain Divine Power encreases the Radical Moisture Hence Aben Ezra remarks that our days are not appointed afore but are natural and that Nature is wonderfully enlarg'd by good Works The same thing is taken notice of by R. Mehir in lib. Urim Vetumim for this Reason says he the Recession of the Sun upon the Dial was given by God as a Token to Hezekiah of the Continuance of his Life because the Sun is the Fountain of all natural Heat upon this Account the Sun receeding and reâ—â—cting his Rays together with his natural Heat he that through Age had impair'd this might have it restor'd and as it were grow young again According to this Opinion which I think the best the prolongation of Life which God promised does exceed any Term whether Complexional Planetary or Secular SECT 6. In the next Place let us see how Vertue and Piety are the means to promote the Radical Moisture in Men. As the Happiness of the Soul consists in Goodness or in the Knowledge of Vertue and what is most commendable In like manner a Man's life is increased and renew'd by good Actions and Meditation on God's Law Now that Life is enlarg'd by Piety may be evinc'd by the words of Solomon Prov. 10.27 Here the Talmudists say this is evident from Experience The fear of the Lord prolongeth days He says this in respect of the first Temple which lasted not above 410 Years and under which there were not above 13 Priests And the years of the wicked shall be shorten'd He speaks this in reference to the second Temple which continued 420 and there were above 300 Priests under that by this number they mean a great many And they further add that they liv'd longer under the first Temple than they did under the second because they were more holy Furthermore our Doctors assert that there are 113 Bones and Nerves in a Man to which the 113 Precepts of the Law correspond Hence the Cabbalists say that Men by Religion and keeping God's Commandments not only purifie their Body so that of Terrestrial and Gross it becomes Celestial and Spiritual but even corroborate and augment the natural Heat so much that it sometimes becomes immortal as Enoch's and Elias's
says That the Astrologers by looking upon the Stars can guess at a great many things that will come to pass in like manner God knows what will happen to Men by the Course of the Planets which he has ordain'd already Now when it is in Man's Power to avoid the influence of the Stars by his good or evil Actions He says that God fore-knows that Act or Motion of his Will and which way he designs to direct it Which Prescience he affirms necessitates no Body's Actions But this as the Author himself acknowledges is not a satisfactory Answer to the Question Wherefore R. Isaac Bar Seâ—at in my mind advances the clearest Solution God says he from Eternity order'd all the Affairs of the whole World and by his Divine Wisdom and Sagacity saw all the Effects that ever would be produc'd which tho' they may depend I speak of humane Actions upon Man's Free-will to exist or not to exist yet nevertheless God infallibly and certainly fore-saw and foreknew them Man does not act after this or that manner because God knew before-hand that he would but on the contrary because Man acts so and so therefore God knew it from Eternity This is the Opinion of R. Isaac Arama Justin Martyr Origen Damascene Chrysostom Hierom Augustine and Cyril This Solution I firmly embrace my self Here is the Case if a Person being plac'd upon an high Tower or Mountain sees one Man go from South to North another from North to South by this Act of Vision he does not necessitate the voluntary Motion of those Men so it is here For God's Eternity is correspondent to the distance of Places for he knew all things from Eternity as if they were but just done I will explain it by another Similitude let us suppose a Circle from whose Center may be drawn several Lines to the Circumference Now in respect of this Circumference we may consider a first and a last or a distance between these Lines which in respect of the Center is none at all so in reference to God there is no such thing as first and last past and future but all things are present to him And this I believe Mercurius Trismegistus means when he compares God to a Center and a Circumference in respect of his wonderful Prescience And if we reflect upon what Maimonides said before that our Knowledge is not like God's he means nothing else but that God knows things after a more excellent manner than Men do for he equally sees things that are past future and present but we only those that are present Therefore he says it is very difficult for a humane Understanding to comprehend the manner how God fore-knows things because his Knowledge is not distinct from his Essence SECT 12. Because the Authority of the Sacred Writings are to be preferr'd before all Reason and Experience I design for the Establishment of this Opinion to produce the Words which God spoke to Moses near the Time of his Death Exod. 31.16 And the Lord said unto Moses behold thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers and this People will rise up and go a whoring after the Gods of the Strangers of the Land whither they go to be amongst them and will forsake me and break my Covenant which I have made with them Here is a plain Instance of God's foreknowledge And that the People might never forget it he adds v. 19. Write ye this Song for you and teach it the Children of Israel c. That God's Prescience does not interfere with our Free-will or impose any Necessity upon it is plain from v. 21. For I know their Imagination which they go about even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware Behold how God's Prescience and Man's Free-will exactly agree together That the Will is not forc'd is manifest from the Punishments which are inshâ—ed on the Sinner v. 21. When many Evils and Troubles are befallen them That is a same us Saying of the Rabbins All things are seen and yet Liberty is granted To conclude I will now compendiously summ up what I have treated of in this Book 1. I have shew'd that our Life has a Term. 2. That this may be consider'd according to the Constitution of the Body or the Planets which variously act on the Body or as some will have it in general In respect of the present and the past Times 3. That the Term of Life is alterable 4. That man's Life may be contracted several ways viz by the Providence of God by Nature and by Chance 5. That our Life may be prolong'd by the Meditation on God's Law and the Observation of his Precepts one of which belongs to the Mind or Theory the other to the Will or Practice 6. That man may freely make use of Remedies and Physick when he is sick 7. That though God fore-knows future Contingencies Nevertheless every one may act virtuously or wickedly if he pleases FINIS