were then insisted on as Arguments or advantages of the Orthodox Party this was one that in the Orthodox Party where-ever it was Life was only to be expected and that all other Parties or Societies besides were in a state of Death This was granted on all sides So that the Topicks for managing the remaining disputes of those times if they were to prove their own Party true was either to infer that it was the true Party because Life was attainable in it or to prove the advantage of Life being attainable in it from the other proofs they had that their own was the Orthodox Party or if they were to confute their Adversaries either to prove that their way was wrong because Life was not attainable in the way observed by them or to prove that they were in a state of Death because their way of serving God was not such as had been appointed by him It had been easie to have shewn that all the Arguments produced by the Apostle upon this Subject are reducible to some of these Topicks not only in his Epistle but his Gospel also Where he makes use of the Authority of an Apostle there his own Testimony was a sufficient Argument because such a Person was indeed most competent for witnessing the Doctrine of his Master and because his Testimony was generally revered even by the seducers themselves as appears from their backwardness to appear publickly whilest any of the Apostles were living at least it was generally revered by those good well meaning persons who might otherwise have been in danger of being seduced by them But where he is more distrustful of his Authority either in regard of the perverseness of the persons he had to deal with or in regard of the peculiar Principles of the seducers who denied the Authority of his Master himself which must consequently overthrow all his credit as an Apostle which was only to bear witness to the Doctrine of his Master yet still the things he either says as an Apostle or proves as a Disputant belong to some of these Topicks § IX I am unwilling to run through the particulars for fear of being tedious The very design of all the Miracles he had spoken of in his Gospel himself expresly tells us was that they for whose use he wrote them (a) Joh. xx 30 31. might believe that Jesus was the Christ the Son of God and that believing they might have Life in his Name Where the name is taken the same way as formerly for that Party which owned him for the true Messias and the Son of God in opposition to those other Parties which then followed the Antichrists or false Christs who pretended to that name as well as he And we see that Life is immediately made a consequent to his being the true Christ and the true Son of God that he who really was so must give that Life to his followers And when he had thus proved the credit of his Master by credentials much greater than any of his rivals could pretend to from hence he proves his own credit as an Apostle (b) Joh. xxi 24 This is the Disciple who testifies concerning these things and who wrote these things and we know that his testimony is true And particularly he proves his own credibility from his presence at our Saviours Transfiguration (c) Joh. i. 14 which was at once an Argument of our Saviours being really such as he pretended to be when he was owned for such by God himself and of the credit of him as an Apostle who was made choice of as one of his Lords greatest favourites to be privy to his most secret concernments But most fully he insists on this in the beginning of this Epistle (d) 1 Joh. i. 1 2. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have beheld and our hands have handled of the word of Life And the Life was made manifest and we have seen it and bear witness and declare unto you the Eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us And immediately after he tells the reason why he so much urges his Testimony in this particular (e) Ver. 3. That which we have seen and heard that we declare unto you that ye might have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with us that is Communion or Participation rather than Fellowship as it is rendred in our English No doubt meaning in the first place that they should leave or avoid the external Communion of the Seducers and joyn in the Communion of the Orthodox Church and in order hereunto implying 2. That by doing so that is by being externally joyned to the Church they might expect to be made partakers of the benefits of the Churches Communion which was a very proper Argument to induce them to the external Communion and certainly 3. Including among those benefits of the Churches Communion that which he had before so particularly nay only mentioned that of Life And therefore seeing this Life was to be gained by keeping in the Churches Communion it plainly follows that till they had that Communion they must be supposed to want this Life and therefore to be in a state of Death § X I forbear to shew how this Exposition agrees with the Particulars of the Apostles management and with his reasonings also as a Disputant having thus shewn that himself owns it as his principal design both in his Epistle and his Gospel That which I shall now observe is that this is mentioned immediately before this whole passage concerning the sin unto Death (a) 1 Joh. v. 13 These things I have written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have Life Eternal And then follows the farther priviledg of those who enjoy this Life that they shall be heard in their Prayers but with the limitation of which I have already taken notice And therefore the Death mentioned on this occasion must in all likelihood be opposed to the Life here mentioned at the first occasion of introducing it Consequently whereunto the sin not unto Death will be such a sin as is consistent with their being in a state of spiritual Life And because they (b) Ver. 12. who have the Son have Life as the Apostle had told them immediately before and they who had Communion with that Party in which he endeavoured to confirm them had (c) Chap. i. 3 Communion also with the Father and the Son therefore none of those sins which did not cut them off from the Orthodox Party could be unto Death but were such for which their Prayers for forgiveness might be heard on the conditions of Repentance and amendment Nay on these terms he assures them of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a confidence of being heard in such Prayers And that they might not wonder that he now supposed even these persons capable of sinning though he
with them as may prevail with them for the actual performance of their Duty because the neglect of their Duty has a more immediate ill influence on the Publick than that of private Persons as they are for the actual performance of those who are under them and there are not more efficacious means for prevailing even on them for the performance of their Duty than these Solemnities which are made use of for the Obligation of private Christians and they who undervalue their Baptismal Obligations at their undertaking of Christianity cannot in any likelyhood be much awed by those which are used ordinarily at the susception of Government For no particular employments whatsoever for Gods Service can with any reason prevail with him who is not already effectually perswaded to be diligent in serving God in general seeing all particular obligations are only this general one reduced to practice in particulars and therefore can have no further force than what is derived from it But the actual performance of Duty by particular private Persons is a thing fit to be regarded by God as a Governour as well as that of Governours both as it is the primary end of all Government whatsoever that Duty should be performed and only a secondary one to make them satisfy the Publick for their neglect of it by their punishment And as none desires a secondary end but upon frustration of his hopes of that which is primary so it is much for the reputation of a Prudent Person to lay his designs so as that he may not frequently fail of his primary end or frequently be driven to make amends for its loss by that which is only secondary And as the Publick good is not possible to be promoted but by the good of the generality of particulars seeing the Publick is indeed nothing else but a complex of particulars And as indeed the principal Duties required from particular Persons by the Precepts of Christianity are likely to prove eminently serviceable for the good of others For indeed the great design of Christianity seems to be to animate us all with publick and Heroick Spirits nor are those indeed its principally-designed Duties which are commonly mistaken for such by Melancholy devout Persons the restraining of our Selves from all kind of Sin or the recollection and fervor of Spirit which is gotten by assiduity in Prayer and Meditation and the like exercises of Devotion no nor indeed any Personal accomplishment whatsoever any farther than that may make us useful for the Service of God and the good of others And accordingly our Saviour represents our Tryal at the day of Judgment Not to be how little mischief we have done but how much good Not how Zealous and Devout we were nay or how Sincere too but how charitable Not how good we have been our Selves but how good we have been to others Not whether we have prayed or fasted or addicted our Selves to Penitential exercises and mortifications but whether we have given meat to the hungry or drinks to the thirsty whether we have cloathed the naked or received Strangers into our houses whether we have visited the Sick and the Prisoners St. Matth. xxv 35 And the acceptable Fast described in Isaiah is not for a man to afflict his Soul for a day to bow down his head as a bulrush to spread sackcloath and ashes under him but to loose the bands of wickedness to undo the heavy burdens to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoak Is. lviii 6.7 to deal our bread to the hungry to bring the poor into our houses to cover the naked and not to hide our Selves from our own Flesh. And how innocent soever we may be yet if we do no good we may justly fear that sentence which shall be pronounced not only against the wicked and the evil St. Matth. xxv 26.30 but the idle and unprofitable Servant not only against him who had embezelled his Talent but against him also who had not improved it And therefore Daniel advises Nabuchadnezzar to break off his Sins by Righteousness Dan. iv 27 and his Iniquities not barely by forbearing them for the future but by shewing mercy to the poor and our Saviour tells us that if we give alms all things shall be pure unto us and that our Friends of the unrighteous Mammon are they who shall receive us into everlasting habitations St. Luk. xvi 9 Mic. vi 8 St. Jam. i. 27 This it is that God requires from us to do Justice and to love mercy to Men as well as to walk humbly with Him And this St. James makes the sum of pure and undefiled Religion to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction as well as to keep himself unspotted from the World § XVIII VERY many more proofs hereof might have been produced from the Old Testament but the New does principally abound with them Here it is that we are required not that every one should mind his own good Philip. ii 4 Rom. xii 15 but the good of one another that we must bear each others infirmities and sympathize in each others successes that we rejoyce with them that rejoyce and mourn with them that mourn And the Analogy betwixt the mistical Body of Christ and a natural humane Body is paralleled in this as in many other instances that as every Member in the natural Body is sensible of every thing that befalls the whole and it is an Argument that it does not partake of the common vital influence if it be not so so in the Body Mistical if one Member suffer that all the Members must suffer with it 1 Cor. xii 26 and if one be honoured all the others must rejoyce with it And it is a great part of the design of the first Epistle of St. John to ground all our comfort or discomfort on this one Trial of our Love to the Brethren 1 St. Joh. iv 20 So he that loves not his Brother whom he hath seen cannot love God whom he has not seen and he who does not relieve his Brother when he is able to do so cannot have the Love of God dwelling in him 1 St. Joh. iii. 17 And on the contrary it is an Argument with him that we are in a good condition not that we behave our Selves innocently or are frequent at Sermons or feel transports in our Devotions but that we love the Brethren 1 St. Joh. iii. 14 Ver. 19. and are ready to lay down our Lives for them Hereby it is that we know that we are passed from Death to Life that we are in the Truth and may assure our hearts before God Very much more might have been produced to this purpose but I should not have been willing at present to have said so much if I had not conceived it conveient to take this present occasion of recommending this Tryal of our Consciences rather by our usefullness in our generation than by
who made all who were not of their Sect to be of the World for that very reason because they were not of it their Sect which must therefore also hold proportionably here if the appropriation be made the same way to the Orthodox Church as those Seducers had made it to their own party And besides it appears from the constant adequate opposition between the Orthodox Society and the World which must therefore necessarily suppose all who are not of that Society to be therefore in the World because there is no third to which they may be supposed reducible And accordingly the false Prophets who are said to have gone (i) 1 Joh. ii 19 out of the visible Society of the Church are said to be gone (k) 1 Joh. iv 1 2 Joh. 7. into the World and Demas's forsaking St. Pauls company is ascribed to this that he (l) 2 Tim. iv 10 loved the present World And plainly St. John gives this as a reason why the seducers he there speaks of (m) 1 Joh. iv 5 spoke of the World and were heard by the World because they themselves were in the World a plain sign that he had concluded them to have been in the World for something antecedent to their worldly practices and interests This may suffice to shew that they who are out of the visible Communion of the Church are expresly excluded from the intercession of Christ. § VII But though this might have been sufficient to shew how little advantage they can have either from their own Prayers or the Prayers of any others made in their behalf because none can pretend to any hopes of acceptance otherwise than by virtue of his general intercession yet that our Brethren may understand how constant this Apostle is to the sense I have given of him I proceed further to shew that he allows no hopes of acceptance for any Prayers to be made by such Persons themselves whilest they continue in that separate Condition nor for any others in their behalf allowing only the exception now mentioned This appears from what the same Apostle discourses concerning (a) 1 Joh. v. ◠the Sin unto Death Therefore this sin is said to be of so heinous a nature as that Prayers made for any good things for Persons guilty of it whilst they continue guilty of it cannot hope to find acceptance For when he had told the Persons to whom he writes that this was their (b) V. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the condition of their confidence of shewing their faces before Christ when he should appear for the destruction of their enemies mentioned before Chap. ii 28 that if they would ask any thing from him he would hear them he expresly limits this general encouragement by telling them that what was to be thus asked by them must be asked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is commonly read or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Alexandrian MS. If this later reading be taken then the meaning will be that what they who were on Christs side in opposition to the Antichrists there discoursed of throughout that whole Epistle might alone expect to have their Prayers heard and none others For the phrase is not the same as in other places where such Prayers are spoken of as are offered for his sake or by vertue of his general Intercession That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does frequently signifie distribution of Parties This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies them of those Parties And the name of Christ is frequently taken for his Authority Thus it is said concerning the Heathens (c) Isa. lxiii 19 Thou never barest rule over them they were not called after thy name Where bearing Rule and being called after the name of their Ruler are taken for the same thing And thus the name of Christ is taken else-where for the external Profession of the Christian Religion So that according to this reading the sense will be that only they who take Christs part in opposition to all other Parties by an external Profession of his Doctrine and a visible acknowledgment of his Authority that is by owning those visible Governours who can prove their Authority derived from him can offer any Prayers to him with any confidence of a gracious acceptance which is the very thing I am immediately concerned to prove And indeed it is not possible to understand the owning it as a Party in opposition to all other Parties without external Communion with those who are of that Party and external Submission to the visible Government of it For whoever does disown a subordinate Governour who can make out his Commission cannot be supposed to own the supreme Governour from whom he derives his Commission § VIII If therefore to avoid this our adversaries be rather willing to adhere to the common reading at least thus much will be gained for our purpose that those Prayers only may expect to find acceptance which are according to the will of Christ and that therefore those Prayers which are discouraged are for that very reason to be presumed to be disagreeable to his Will And to know what they are on which the Apostles design is particularly bent we must have regard to that which follows And there we find the reason of this limitation and what Prayers they are which are agreeable to his Will and what are not so (d) Ver. 16. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and shall give him life to them that sin not unto death this is the Prayer supposed to be according to the will of Christ. There is a sin unto death I do not say that he shall pray for it This is the commonly received reading according to which the Prayer of others in behalf of the sinner is spoken of that that must not be put up for him who has sinned unto Death and consequently that being put up it must not expect acceptance because it is supposed disagreeable to the Will of God But the vulgar Latine (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veles in var. Lect. 5. vulgata editione collectis reading it in the third Person seems rather to refer it to the Prayer of the sinner himself that he must not expect to be heard so long as he continues in that state It remains therefore that I now enquire what this sin unto Death is that our Brethren may understand how nearly they are concerned in it And this will not be so difficult to know as it is commonly conceived if the former observation be remembred that it is the Apostles whole design in this Epistle to deal with whole Parties and to appropriate to the Orthodox Society what the Societies of Deceivers had been used to appropriate to themselves as signs that they were in the Right and as invitations and allurements to draw Disciples after them Now among other things that
had told them before that (d) Chap. iii. 9 he that is born of God sinneth not nay cannot sin he therefore adds that every unrighteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Hellenistical style is frequently taken for that eminent degree of Righteousness which the (e) Cicer. Off. L.i. Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is every failure of an eminent degree of Righteousness which might be very capable of befalling even Righteous Persons themselves but Righteous in an inferiour degree was sin and that by this means it came to be very possible that there might be a sin not unto Death Which exactly agrees with what he had said (f) Chap. i. 7 8 9 10. ii 1 2. before concerning these sins even of such Persons but especially where he said If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sins For that is certainly the ground of the * 1 Joh. v. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned here For Christ is by his Office an Advocate for all his Church but not for those who are out of it especially as their case stood then with them who maintained other false Christs in opposition to him § XI And so on the contrary considering also that (g) Chap. v. 12 he who has not the Son has not Life and he who has not Life is certainly in a state of Death therefore whatever sin does deprive of this Communion with the Son that must consequently be a sin unto Death It must be unto Death both as it self deprives of the principle of Life and as it makes all the other sins and lapses such a person may be guilty of unpardonable though he should amend them without a change of his state by depriving him of the benefit of Christs Intercession for him by vertue whereof alone he can expect that any Prayers himself can make for pardon can prove acceptable Now that such a Person cannot expect the Benefit of the Intercession of Christ I have already proved from the Doctrine of the same Apostle in his Gospel § XII And that they did not then think it lawful to pray for Persons out of the Churches Communion especially for such as had separated themselves from it for concerning such only the Apostle speaks and concerning such alone I desire to be understood nay that they thought such Prayers to be sins and so disagreeable to the will of God as was implied in the passage already mentioned appears plainly from the second Epistle where the Author charges them to whom he wrote that (h) 2 Joh. x. 11 if any came unto them and did not bring with him the Doctrine of the true Christ they should not receive him into their houses not give him the jus Hospitii which was then a part of Communion nay more than so should not bid him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the usual Greek form of civil Salutation at their first meeting to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was answerable at their parting And that for this reason because he that should bid him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should thereby make himself a partaker of his evil deeds By which it appears that he who used only this civil Salutation to such a Person sinned in doing so and yet of all Prayers this seems to have had the least of a Prayer in it § XIII I dare not indeed altogether deny a possibility of pardon to be obtained for such Persons as are out of the Churches Communion upon their coming over to it and their prayers for Pardon For the same Apostle expresly tells us that Christ is the (a) 1 Joh. ii 1 Propitiation not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole world Where certainly the whole World opposed to us must imply those who are at present out of the Communion of the Church And seeing Christ is the Propitiation even for their sins also they also may expect to have their Prayers for pardon heard on his account upon condition of their repentance and entring into the Churches Communion And accordingly they are also mentioned in our Saviours Intercession where he also prays for them who should afterwards (b) Joh. xvii 20 believe on him on the Apostles Preaching And therefore also St. Paul exhorts that (c) 1 Tim. ii 1 Prayers c. should be offered for all men and says it is good and acceptable to God to do so for this reason because he wills (d) Ver. 3 4. that all men should be saved and come unto the knowledg of the Truth and that Christ has therefore also given himself (e) Ver. 6. a ransome for all So Cornelius's Prayers were heard (f) Act. x. 4 before his Baptism But all this might be true though all men were allowed only once the liberty of being admitted into the Church And it is certain that the case of Desertors is described in the Scriptures as much more desperate than it would have been if they had never been of the Communion deserted by them As all Persons who were out of the Communion of the Church were supposed to be under the power of the Devil and accordingly casting out of the Church is the same thing with (g) 1 Cor. v. 5 delivering over to Satan so our Saviour himself describes the condition of a Desertor to be so much worse than it was at his first reception and his last end to be so much worse than the first that if he had one Devil at his first reception he has (h) Matt. xii 43 44 45. Luk. xi 24 25 26. seven which is usually the number used in Scripture for perfection at his Desertion and those more wicked than that which first possessed him So also St. Peter (i) 2 Pet. ii 21 It had been better for them that they had not known the way of Righteousness than having known it to turn from the holy commandment which had been given them For it is happened to them according to the true Proverb The dog is returned to his own vomit and the sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire § XIV And particularly the Doctrine of the Epistle to the Hebrews is very severe in this case especially that passage in the tenth Chapter where having perswaded them not to (k) Heb. x. 25 forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some was He immediately gives this reason why they should not do so (l) V. 26 27. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation which should devour the adversaries Here by the connexion it is very plain that the forsaking of the Assemblies the visible Communion of the Church is the sin here spoken of which will also give light to other
external Profession of Christianity But that now there is no necessity of this seeing the several Parties are all agreed in this in the external Profession of the Christian Religion That indeed the Reasons here urged for shewing the danger of withdrawing from the publick Assemblies do only concern the Christian Religion in general not any particular Party of it in contradistinction to others That the Reason why Separaters were supposed to be in a state of Death was because such their separation divided them from Christ who is their Life That this derivation of Life was from Christ himself and Christ alone according to whatever Hypothesis we understand it whether of the Palestines or Hellenistical Jews For the Jews generally expected that the true Messias should be the Author of Life to them and accordingly it is urged by St. John not to discriminate one Christian Communion from another but to discriminate the Christian Communion from the Antichristian that is indeed the Professors of the true Christ from the Professors of those who falsely pretended to his name For certainly the Antichrists in St. John seem to be the same with the false Christs prophesied of by the true a Matt. xxiv 24 Mark xiii 22 Christ himself in the Gospel and concerning those our Saviour himself had warned them that they should pretended to be Christs themselves and therefore that they should b Matt. xxiv 5.23 Mark xiii 6.23 Luk. xvii 23 xxi 8 come in his name because they would take his name upon them And indeed the current of the reasoning of the whole Epistle does seem plainly to suppose this Notion § XXIII As to the Notion therefore of the ordinary Jews c Vid. Maimon in Chap. x. Sanhedr Edit Pocoâ—k p. 159. Coch in Exc. Gem. Sanhedr Cap. 11. p. 317. Buxtorf Syn. Jud. c. 50. in which they ascribed Life to the Messias all that they could mean by it could only be that portion in the first Resurrection in the times of the Messias when they should live long and happily in Earth but however should dye at length and possibly afterwards a Portion in the second Resurrection when they should not eat nor drink but enjoy pleasures wholly intellectual Though I cannot tell whether the ordinary Palestine Jews did believe any thing concerning the second Resurrection The Scribes pronouncing him blessed who should d Luk. xiv 15 eat bread in the Kingdom of God and the Sadduces Question concerning the Woman who had married seven Brethren e Matt. xxii 28 Mar. xii 23 Luk. xx 33 Whose wise she should be of them in the Resurrection seem to imply the state only of the first Resurrection And even this Notion we find to have been derived to the Primitive Christians no doubt from their former Sentiments concerning the Messiah then expected among the Jews and applied to our Saviour when they believed him to be the true Messias who had been promised to them But because the generality of those who were converted to the Christian Religion were of a more Philosophical genius and were better pleased with the Mystical than the Literal expositions of their Law as indeed being that which then had generally the greatest influence on their conversion therefore the Life likely to be expected by them and most likely to be valued by them was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only as that might signifie a Life during the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Messias who was to be the Prince of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the modern Jews make to be mortal himself but as it signifies a Life for ever For indeed the Doctrine then received concerning the Messias himself was that he should f Joh. xii 34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as not to die at all nay this was received as the sense of the Law no doubt according to the Mystical and Cabalistical sense of it which had been given of it by their sublimer Doctors Wherein are they also seconded by some of the modern g Vid. Coch in Sanhedr ubi suprà p. 365. Doctors themselves how consonantly to the sense of their Brethren I leave them to determine § XXIV Now according to these Philosophical Hellenistical Jews of the Dispersion who were influenced by the School of Alexandria this Notion of Life was properly to be expected only from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore St. John h 1 Joh. i. 1 calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Epistle and in his Gospel he tells us that i Joh. i. 4 in him that is in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was Life Which agrees exactly with the Philosophical Systemes of those times For 1. They granted a Mystical Life belonging to the Soul as well as a Natural one belonging to the Body and this opposed to a Mystical Death which was only capable of agreeing to immortal Beings And 2. As they made this Mystical Death to consist not in a cessation of Being but a separation from God so by the Rule of the same proportion they made the Life opposed to it to consist in an Vnion of the Soul with God who was thought to have the same influence in quickening the Soul as the Soul had for quickening the Body These two things are the express Doctrine of the Pythagoreans if a In Aur. Carm. Hierocles may be believed and of the b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trism Poem c. 1. Aegyptians if the counterfeit Trismegistus represent their Doctrine faithfully 3. The God with which the Soul was capable of being united immediately was not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was conceived to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having no certain seat in the Vniverse and therefore uncapable of being enjoyed by Mortals but by the mediation of the Son just as the Apostle tells us that he inhabits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the c 1 Tim. vi 16 Light unapproachable that no man hath d Joh. i. 18 seen God at any time that no man e 1 Tim. vi 16 either hath or can see him But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the resemblance of his Father the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Author to the f Heb. i. 3 Wised vii 22 Hebrews therefore in being joyned to him they were made capable of contemplating and enjoying the perfections of the Father as far as it was possible for a creature to do so And therefore g John i. 18· the only begotten Son is said to reveal him to us and we are said to see his glory in the face h 2 Cor. iv 6 of Jesus Christ and our Saviour himself tells St. Philip that he who had seen i Joh. xiv 9 him had seen the Father also And hence that Doctrine of the Philosophers and from them of Origen and the Alexandrians however mistaken by later Fathers that the Father was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sense that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was used against the Pyrrhonians not for an adequate comprehensive knowledg but for any that was certain And particularly 4. They held the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in Plato's Timaeus from whence the Daemons whom they supposed to be the immediate Authors of this inferiour World were supplied with the immortal seed which they were to infuse into those Beings who were to consist of a nature mixed of mortal and immortal So that by this means the immortal part even of the Soul of Man was thought derived from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And who can then think it strange that this Diviner kind of Life should be derived from him also Nay 5. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one of the benefits expressly ascribed to this God of the Vniverse So Pythagoras or whatever antient Pythagorean is the Author of that antient fragment quoted by the k Apud Justin. Martyr Paraen p. 18. Ed. Par. sed correctiùs apud Clem. Alexandr Protrep .. p. 47. Ed. Par. Fathers under his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may not mention later Testimonies And 6. They take the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the whole Archetypal World and the repository of all the Divine Ideas And they did not think its influence to be only as a Pattern for the Father to work by but ascribed the production also of the things to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self They allowed it the influence of a * Didym apud Euseb. Pr. Eu. L.xi. c. 23. Seal not only to represent but impress its own likeness And therefore as the Son is said to bear the character l Heb. i. 3 of the Father so we are said to bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the image not immediately of the Father but of the second m 1 Cor. xv 49 Adam who is the Son And therefore among other things derived from him this of Life is also reckoned That a Joh. v. 26 as the Father has Life in himself so has he given to the Son to have Life in himself And b Ver. 21. as the Father quickens so also the Son quickens whom he will And accordingly as these Philosophical Authors call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in regard of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we derive from him so for the same reason they call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of the Life which we derive from him also For in this Philosophical language this seems to be the true Importance of this term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the abstract Ideal perfections as they are in the Patterns in contradistinction to the like perfections as they are received by the Creatures Which if others had observed they would never have fallen into so strange misunderstandings concerning the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ascribed to Christ. For by it no more is meant than that beatified men are called c Proleg ad D. Stearne de Obst. Gods in the language of that same Philosophy so they are made Gods by participating immediately of the Deity of the Son But as the Sons Deity is not Archetypal in regard of the Father but of the Creatures so there will nothing hence follow so dangerous as these men apprehend who have not acquainted themselves with the Principles of this Philosophy as if he should therefore have his Deity uncommunicated from the Father Nay rather as the Creatures cannot be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the language of this Philosophy in regard of the Son because they are according to the Image of the Son so by the same Principles the Son cannot be called so because he is even as to his Divine Person the Image of the Father But this only by the way to shew the use of this same Philosophy for clearing this difficulty with which others have been so much perplexed 7. Therefore it is yet more particularly observable that by the whole Scheme of this Philosophy the recovery from a state of Death to this Divine Life must wholly depend on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this new Divine Life was recovered by the awakening of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by aspiring upwards which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much spoken of in this Philosophy by exercises of the intellectual operations and by disuse and dying to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But all these things are most properly ascribed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to this Philosophy I need not instance in particulars because themselves make application this way as often as they speak concerning these matters § XXV And therefore if these Persons would ascribe the original of this Life to their Messias it was requisite that they should hold that as Messias he was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also And when I consider the several Arguments made use of by the Apostles for proving Christ to be the Messias from the old Testament it self from such Expositions as were not likely to have agreed to a pure Man according to the Principles of these Persons nay when I consider that Philo in his Mystical Allegories of the Scripture does expound some things of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostles do by way of Argument apply to Christ as acknowledged Characters of the true Messias with those Persons with whom they had to deal nay when I consider that all the Spiritual benefits which were expected from a spiritual Messias such as was most likely to have been owned by the Persons I am speaking of were not according to their other Principles capable of being expected from any but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say when I consider these things I cannot but think it very probable that these Persons did own indeed that the true Messias was to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence it will follow that in all regards true Life must be expected from the true Messias only so that they who are separated from the true Messias must for that very reason be supposed also from the true Life and therefore to be in a state of Death But then this state of Death being proved only from Principles proper to the true Messias will only by force of the consequence agree to Persons wholly separated even from the external Profession of him not to them who separate only from any one of the several Parties which all agree in Profession of him which is our Adversaries Case at present § XXVI In answer hereunto I confess I could be heartily willing that our Brethren could excuse themselves from the danger of their separate condition by this Apology which I have suggested in their behalf and I confess withall that there were peculiar aggravations in the circumstances of Apostates in the
I need not warn how much that School influenced the World in that age and how very likely it was therefore to be alluded to in the New Testament which supposed its Readers imbued with those Principles § XXII ACCORDING therefore to this Philosophy the return of the Soul to heaven from whence it came is called a new Birth So Porphyry tells us that the descent of the Soul into this World is represented by the Bees and Honey in Homer's description of the Antrum Nympharum as emblems of the first generation de Antr. Nymph p. 259 260. and yet withall that the Nectar the drink of the gods was made of honey to shew that this same resemblance very well fitted the return or second birth of the Soul also And in all likelihood it was from this signification of honey with the Mystical Philosophers that it was given by the Christians to new baptized Persons and that so early as that this Practice is mentioned in that very antient Epistle which is ascribed to Barnabas Vid Voss. Not. in Barnab Milk and Honey were both of them used to infants in their first birth and so were very fit according to the Mystical Philosophy which was of great use then for bringing many over to Christianity and so must needs have been supposed true by them who on this account received it where it was not corrected by express Revelation And by this passage of Porphiry it appears that these same Philosophers took it for a fit Symbol of the second birth also Nor did the Aegyptians only express this Notion of the Souls return to Heaven by the name of a second birth Tertullian uses also the word Regeneration concerning them and the worshippers of Mithras a Religion that then very much prevailed among the Mystical Philosophers Tertull. de Baptism c. 5. vid. etiam c. 40. and other celebrated Mysteries Viduis aquis sibi mentiuntur Nam sacris quibusdam per lavacrum initiantur Isidis alicujus aut Mithrae Ipsos etiam Deos suos Lavationibus efferunt Ceterùm villas domos templa totásque urbes aspergine circumlatae aquae expiant passim Certè Ludis Apollinaribus Eleusiniis so Rigaltius for Pelusis in other Editions and certainly much better tinguntur Idque se in Regenerationem impunitatem perjuriorum suorum agere praesumunt Where it is very remarkable that this Regeneration is ascribed to their very washing very agreeably to what Numenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antr Nimph. p. 256. Which is the more remarkable because several of the Fathers apply this passage in Genesis to the Spirit received in Baptism Tertul. de Baptism c. 4. Whence it seems very probable that Numenius as well as they had this Exposition from the Jewish Hellenistical Expositors tells us from Gen. i. 3 that the Spirit from which this new Life is derived is seated on the Waters And the same thing is said more particularly concerning the Aegyptian Mysteries by Apuleius Metam xi p. 267. Nam inferûm claustra salutis tutelam in manu Deae positam ipsámque traditionem ad instar voluntariae mortis this answers our dying in Baptism precariae salutis celebrari quippe cum transactis vitae temporibus jam in ipso vitae limine constitutos quîs tamen tuâ—ò possint magna Religionis committi silentia 1 Cor. iv 15 numen Deae soleat eligere suâ Providentiâ quodammodo renatos ad novae reponere rursus salutis curricula So Apuleius Accordingly he calls Mithras the Priest who had initiated him his Parent Complexus Mithram Sacerdotem meum jam Parentem p. 279. as St. Paul does for the same reason call himself the Father of those who had been converted by him And it was very agreeable for them to speak thus For as the Scripture speaks of the Life after conversion as a new Life so it does therein only allude to the style of the Philosophers who make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the a 2 Pet. i. â— escaping from the corruption of the World to be a recovery of a new Life So Plato himself b Et Porph. Antr. Nymph p. 256 257. applies the passage of Heraclitus that we live the death of those who are in the other world and die their Life And Hierocles c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocl in Aur. Carm. p. 13 4. makes the Souls of men to be mortal gods in opposition to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the Golden Verses for this very reason because they sometimes die that blessed Divine Life by falling away from God as they recover that Life again by returning back to him And Porphyry d de Antr. Nymph p. 264. speaking of Souls from the Slavery of their first Nativity says that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it might have been shewn that they also make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that winging of their minds the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call it in opposition to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which they are made capable of ascending upwards and consequently of escaping the load of their grosser vehicles and so of recovering this Divine Life And accordingly the very name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ascribed to him by Simplicius e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simpl. in sin Com. in Epicâ—et in that excellent Prayer of his with which he concludes his Commentary on Epictetus which is worth the Readers perusal for this purpose And that it is by the Spirit that this Government is administred appears from f Spiritu verò agitantur sive gubernantur omnes in mundo species unaquaeque secundùm naturam suam à Deo distributam sibi Trisn Asclep ex interp Apul. Apuleius § XXIII NOW then if we put the Principles of this Hypothesis together they will fully amount to the account the Scripture gives of Christ as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much of it at least as we are at present concerned for 1. The new Life will consist in conjunction with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom they also ascribe it as the Scripture does 2. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exerts his enlivening power in us by the Spirit as the Scripture tells us Christ does so that they who have not this Spirit cannot partake of this Life 3. The first infusion of the Spirit is that which first enables us to ascend and so to exercise any act of this new Life and therefore is most properly called the new birth and therefore they who have not yet received the Spirit as a principle of Regeneration cannot be supposed to have received it at all and therefore must be supposed destitute of it and by these Principles cannot be supposed capable of ascending into Heaven because this is the wing by which they are enabled to ascend thither 4. This infusion of the Spirit as a Principle of Regeneration was expected in those Baptisms which were
Persons as these should signifie a falshood so disparaging the means by which they had been expiated if there had been any such And either of these sufficiently serves my purpose either that there are no other means of applying this washing of the blood of Christ or of this Mystical Baptism of the Soul antecedently to the Baptism by Water or that at least there are no means whereby Persons concerned may be so well assured of this application as they can by Water-baptism This later if granted will make the Sacrament even the external Symbol of it as necessary to them as I am concerned it should be So much for the Graces of Baptism § XXXVI BUT besides these the priviledges of Baptism are also such as must needs suppose the Person who wants them in an unsalvable Condition Gal. iii. 27 As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Where we plainly see that Baptism is the means of putting on Christ and of being in him Which is very different from the Notions commonly received among our Non-conforming Brethren vid. 1 Cor. vi 3 And by the expression of being baptized into Christ it seems plainly to be implyed that by Baptism we come to belong to Christ as they who were baptized into Moses were by being so made Disciples of Moses 1 Cor. x. 2 and got an interest in the Polity established by him So also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body 1 Cor. xii 13 It is the Body of Christ he had been discoursing of And here he tells us that it is by partaking in one Spirit that we come to be reputed one body as we count all those members to belong to one natural body which all communicate in the same vital influences and that it is by that Spirit which we receive in our Baptism that we come to communicate in one Spirit For as I said before this Mystical Baptism being only called Baptism in a secondary regard as it has relation to the Baptism of Water no other reception of the Spirit can be so properly called a Baptism as this which accompanies the Baptism of Water The same Spirit when it is signified in relation to another way of receiving it is spoken of in the same Allegory to which it alludes As we are said to drink of it when it is spoken of as received in the Lords Supper where we drink the Element by which it is communicated to us as it follows immediately in the same verse So we are said to be buried and raised Rom. vi 4 Col. ii 12 and quickened with him in Baptism according to the nature of Mysteries which are supposed really to confer those Spiritual benefits which are signified by them And therefore as we do here signifie the Death and Resurrection of Christ so we are by this way of arguing made partakers also of the merits of his Death and Resurrection And if these be priviledges of Baptism I believe our dissenting Brethren themselves will not doubt but they are absolutely necessary to Salvation and that they who want them must also want necessaries for Salvation For they will not pretend that they who are not in Christ who have not put him on who are not of his Body nor partake of the influences of his Spirit who have not the merit of his Death and Resurrection are in a secure or comfortable condition And yet this is supposed to be the condition of unbaptized Persons when they are supposed to be first changed into a contrary condition by their Baptism Even this external Right which this external participation of the Water if it were not a means of conveying the blessings signified by it as certainly it is if the Sacrament be compleat according to the design of a Sacrament yet it is at least a means without which we cannot be so well assured of our Right § XXXVII TO these other Topicks may be also added those other passages of Scripture wherein our Salvation it self is expresly ascribed to our Baptism So St. Peter The like figure whereunto Baptism also now saveth us 1 Pet. iii. 21 not the putting off the filth of the flesh but the examination of a good conscience as to God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. So I think the Text may be translated more agreeably to the sence of the Original than as we have it in our common Translation By the examination of a good Conscience I only mean the solemn stipulation of Baptism Which as other stipulations also were in those times was transacted by way of Question and Answer and the great efficacy of Baptism was conceived to depend on the sincerity of the Answer made to the Ministers Interrogatories that is in their meaning heartily as they pretended Cyrill Hieros Catech. Now the comparison between Noah's being saved by the Ark and our being saved by Baptism seems to consist in this that as they who were in the Ark escaped out of the water by which all the rest perished who were not in it that Notion will very well agree to the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the like Phrase of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in St. Paul 1 Cor. iii. 15 so in Baptism when we rise out of the Water we escape out of that Mystical destruction which we suppose to have befallen the Enemies of our Salvation when we descended under it And this Salvation of Baptism is very properly ascribed to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. For as our going under the Water represents the Death and Burial of Christ and does not only represent it but apply it to us as if it were our own and as if we made one Person with him and by applying it to us produces in us a like Mystical Death to the Worldly Life as in this Mystical way of arguing from Archetypal to Ectypal Beings so frequently used in the Scripture in allusion to the Platonick Notions then received among the Hellenists the Archetypes are supposed to be not only like Copies in imitation whereof the resemblances in the Ectypa were made but as Seals to produce their own similitudes as Seals do by application to the wax in regard whereof we are said in Baptism to be dead with Christ and to be buried with him and to be planted with him Rom. vi 4 5. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the likeness of his Death So I say by the same way of arguing our rising out of the water represents the Resurrection of Christ and does not only represent but apply the merits and efficacy of his Resurrection to us so that it must produce in us a like signature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Platonical term first of a Mystical Resurrection from sin and a worldly Life and then of our corporal Resurrection from the grave And this consequence holds so firmly that if Christ himself be risen it is absolutely necessary that they rise also to whom
videtur Porphyr ii de Abst. §. 6 15 16 17. Hierocl in Aur. Pythag. Carm. p. 26. none was better thought of by the Enemies of bloody Sacrifices which might extremely recommend it to the Primitive Converts to Christianity who had been so much beholden to those Writers in their Disputes both against the Jews and Heathens Which same observation might have been applyed to the use of Wine which was used for the same purpose from the same Antiquity and with the same general approbation in their Libations § XXX AND if one may believe the late Practices of the Jews to have been as ancient as they are pretended there would be an easie account of the same use of these Elements among the Jews to which they are applied by the Christians Besides the Postcoenium from whence many learned men conceive this Sacrament to have been borrowed besides the meat and drink offerings exactly answerable to the mola salsa and Libations of the Heathens I say besides these their other usages of Bread as they are described by Buxtorf are so like those of the Eucharistical Bread according to the design of the Christian Religion as that if they were ancient one would verily think that they must needs have been regarded in the institution of the Eucharist Synag Jud. c. 12. In him we find that in their ordinary meals bread is the first thing with which the Table is to be furnished and that it must receive a particular Benediction there mentioned by which we may understand that more than a civil use of it is intended that this Bread whether a whole loaf or a part only must be taken into the hands of the Master of the Family and that he must give it an incision exactly answerable to that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Consecration Goar in Miss S. Chrysost. n. 30. that he must not yet cut it thorough nay that it is a nefas to do so till the Consecration like the custom of the Pythagoraeans and the Primitive Christians already mentioned that after Consecration he must first break himself the piece where he had made the Incision and eat it in silence otherwise the Prayer of Consecration must be repeated by which we see what a sacred thing they make of it That afterwards it is he who breaks it to the rest of the company and lays it before them which they are to receive with their own hands as it was also the most antient practice to do so in the Lords Supper Cl. Alex. Strom. i. that the bread is consecrated by repeating a benediction over it exactly as the Evangelists and St. Paul are observed to express their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another In this benediction he covers the Bread with both his hands and they who are at the Table with him answer Amen which are the practices observed in the Eucharist and that antiently And as it should seem in regard of this sacred use of the Bread they are even to superstition scrupulous that no particles of the Bread be lost and pretend that there is an Angel appointed for this purpose whom they call Nabel whose Office it is to make him poor who is guilty of it I need not mention how careful our Saviour was that nothing should be lost Tertull. de Coron Mil. Orig. in Levit. It is also certain that the Primitive Christians were very scrupulous in this particular The like Solemnity is observed in blessing the Wine and that both before and after meal but especially after This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St Paul 1 Cor. x. 16 And to this the guests are also to answer Amen as before Methinks this gives an easie account why the Primitive Christians communicated every day in the ordinary Synaxes when so much of their Original from whence they derived their observation of this Sacrament was among them from whom they derived it thus constantly observed in their daily meals But besides this observation in their daily meals there is also much resemblance in their unleavened bread which they make against the Passeover The Sacredness and Solemnity in making blessing and distributing it Idem Buxtorf ibid. c. 17 18. and the several Cups of Wine which are to accompany it with the same ceremoniousness may be read in the place I only at present observe their substituting the several parts for the several orders represented in the whole For they make three cakes one to represent the Chief Priest the second the Tribe of Levi the third the whole People of Israel Which the several parties of Christians have seemed to imitate the Latines dividing it into three parts the Greeks into four Goar in Miss S. Chrysost. n. 163. the Muzarabes into nine according to the several orders they were pleased to represent § XXXI BUT that which is most essential both to the Mysteries and the Sacrament and wherein their being like is most remarkable for my purpose is that they are both designed principally and ultimately for the good of the Soul That the Mysteries were so is that which possibly our Brethren may be desirous to see proved So a De Mathem Platon c. 1. p. 18 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theou Smyrnaeus where he compares the design of the Platonick Philosophy with that of the received Mysteries he does it in five Particulars whereof the fifth is a familiarity with God and happiness So b In Bacchis Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this it is which Apuleius c Apul. Met. L.xi. calls the inexpressible pleausre which he enjoyed upon his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paucis dehinc ibidem commoratus diebus inexplicabili voluptate simulacri Divini fruebar irremunerabili quippe beneficio pigueratus For undoubtedly this pleasure could not have been from the bare Statues but from the Deities who were presentiated by them So also d In Ranâ—s Chor. Aristophanes expresses the happiness of initiated Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this happiness of the Soul designed in the Mysteries is yet more agreeable to that designed in the Sacrament because they were thought most peculiarly beneficial to it in the time of Death and in the state of Separation So it was believed among them on the credit of an e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Phaedon old Tradition that they who departed this life uninitiated should stick in the dirt as they expresâ—ed it but that they who departed purged and initiated should dwell with the Gods So f In Eleusin Aristides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And g In Fragm ap Stob. Serm. 119. Themistius alludes hereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉