Bodies and the Honour and Rewards of Good and Innocent Minds prove that Souls still subsist When Man is dissolved it is not probable that all things belonging to him go to their particular Kind except the Soul only You may observe that nothing is more like Death than Sleep but even in Sleep the Soul discovers its Divinity and never more than then for it hath a prospect of things to come the Soul being at that time more free than ever If these things be so reverence my Soul when I am dead and do according to my Commands But if these things be not so but the Soul perisheth with the Body yet reverence the Gods who are Immortal And a little after he saith Call all the Persians and my Fellow-Souldiers to my Funerals that they may congratulate with me * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I am got to a saâ—e Place and State wherein no Evil can befal me whether it shall be my lot to be with God or whether to be reduced to nothing A fair Speech indeed This was the faint Result of all the Knowledg which his Wise Tutor could let him have of another State He had not determined whether after Death he should be taken to the Gods or be annihilated Thus Philosophy as it was corrupted and depraved was unsteady and doubtful about a Future Life and Happiness Much less 2. Had they any notice of the Eternal Duration of them Those of them who held that the Soul was long-lived had no firm Apprehension of its being Immortal But especially the Stoicks failed here Zeno the Master of that Sect †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Laert in Zenone expresly asserted that the Soul remains aâ—ter Death but at length is corrupted The Generality of this Sect went so far as to say the Soul survives the Body a good while But if you ask How long They tell you 't is only till the Conflagration of the World Yet here they were divided for there were some among them who held that the weaker sort of Souls viz. of the unlearned perish with the Body but the stronger ones viz. of Wise Men hold out till the Conflagration And with this agrees that Account which ‖ Diu mansuros aiunt animos semper negant Tusc. Qu. l. 1. Cicero gives of them and Seneca relates the very same of this Sect of Philosophers But the certain Knowledg and Assurance of the Endless Duration of Souls and the Eternal Reward of Vertue is the Purchase only of Christ's Appearing who hath brought Life and Immortality i. e. Immortal Life to light by the Gospel There was but a faint shadow of it before the Discoveries were dark and obscure but by the arising of the Sun of Righteousness this Darkness is dispelled and we have gain'd a clear Manifestation of the Everlasting Subsistence of our Spirits in another World For Christ Jesus whose Soul was of the same nature with ours commended his into God's Hands and so did the Holy Martyr St. Stephen in imitation of Him which assures us that the Souls of the Righteous are taken into God's Custody at their departure out of the Body This together with the Resurrection of our Saviour and his ascending into Heaven gives us an absolute Assurance and Demonstration of our rising again and living immortally in another World 3. Their Philosophy proved Deceitful in not determining wherein the True Happiness of Man consisteth The Different Notions of the diverse Schools of Philosophy about the Chief Good proclaim aloud that they only guessed at it and were not able to tell wherein it was plac'd Their Mistakes were never so numerous and which is worse so dangerous as here It is of infinite Consequence to understand what is the Chief Felicity of Man what is the perfect State of Bliss what is the Principal and Last End of Man wherein there remains nothing further to be desired Now He only can acquaint us with our True Happiness who is the Author of it the Lord of Bliss and Glory who purchased Immortal Life for us and is Himself the True Soveraign Chief Good the Ultimate Object of our Wishes and Desires Studies and Endeavours the only Rest and Center of our Minds This is Life Eternal to know and in knowing to enjoy the only True God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent It is the Utmost Happiness of Man to have in the discharge of his proper Duty the Favour of God to know and love him and to be loved of him This is the highest Felicity our Nature is capable of and it is no where fully discovered but in the Holy Scriptures 4. Philosophy was mistaken and thereby proved Deceitful in not discovering the True Certain Way to this Happiness And indeed how could it It was impossible for the Philosophers to know how to regain the Favour of Heaven whilst they understood not how they lost it They could not come to the full understanding of the true Cause of the Degenerate Condition of Mankind Whence should they know that Man was at first created pure and holy spotless and innocent able to serve God with an unwearied Obedience and that he voluntarily abused his Power and Freedom and disobeyed the Command of his Maker and so by an Act of his own Will apostatized from God and plunged himself into unspeakable Misery They could not reach this by their Natural Light and Moral Reason The most Philosophical and Inquisitive Brains tho they have made some guesses about the Corruption of Mankind were not able to arrive to a clear account of this matter They were apprehensive that Nature was vitiated they perceived a strange Disorder a horrible Shatter but they were ignorant of the Original Spring and Source of it And thus not knowing the Cause of Human Corruption and Depravation it is no wonder that they light not on the Right Remedy of them In the Gospel alone is set forth the Way for the recovery of lapsed and degenerate Souls here is discovered the certain Method of obtaining the Pardon of our Sins and the Assurance of God's Favour and our Everlasting Welfare The Contrivance of Man's Redemption by the Blood of Jesus was too high a Flight for the most improved Reason and Light of Nature And when it was revealed to some of the most knowing Pagans they were loth to truckle to so low and mean a Dispensation as the Gospel which teacheth us to trust and rely upon another's Merits They all agreed in this * Unum bonum est quod beatae vitae causa firmamentum est sibi fidere Sen. Epist. 31. that there is this one good thing which is the Cause and Foundation of Happiness viz. a Man 's trusting to himself and resting upon what he can do by his own Power These lofty Sons of Reason counted it absurd to be beholden to another's Undertakings for their Felicity especially it sounded as the most ridiculous thing ever heard of to hope for Life and Happiness by the
ceased it follows that the Messias is come This is an unanswerable Conclusion and this is the grand thing I urge viz That from this Prophesie of the Seventy Weeks it is undeniably evident that the time of the Messias's Coming is past Yea whensoever you begin these Seventy Weeks it is plain that they 〈◊〉 expired That is enough to Baffle and Confute the Jews That is enough to prove that the Prophesie is fulfilled which is the Principal thing I designed The fifth Text enquired into viz. Matthew XXVII 5. He departed and went and hanged himself Compared with Acts I. 18. Falling head-long he burst asunder in the midst and all his Bowels gushed out WHen I take notice of the Dimensions of Iudas's Sin and Guilt when I consider what he was and what he did I am apt to think that his Punishment was answerable to his Horrid Fact Of all the Great and Notorious Sinners mentioned in the Bible or in any other History from the beginning of the World to this time there is none like him and therefore I am enclined to believe that as his Crime was unparallelled so the Recompense of it was of a resembling Nature Iudas the worst and vilest of Traytors became his own Executioner but not in a way that was Usual and Ordinary but such as was as Remarkable as his Damnable Treachery The Consideration of this hath invited me to enquire into the Manner of his Death and to find out of what Particular Kind it was whereby I hope to Reconcile these two places of Scripture which have not a little exercised the Brains of Interpreters because they seem to be Different if not Contrary Relations of the Fatal Exit of this Cursed Traytor and Apostate From St. Matthew we are ascertained that he went and hanged himself By St. Luke we are no less assured that he falling head-long burst asunder in the midst and all his Bowels gushed out Both these passages I will examine and compare together that by this means we may the better understand what Kind or rather Kinds of Death justly happened to this Execrable Wretch and also that hereby the Inconsistency of the Relations concerning the Death of Iudas may not be alledged among other things by Atheistical Men to disparage the Holy Scripture and the Authority of it First The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie to us that he choaked and stifled himself with immoderate Grief and Anguish of Mind as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes among the Best and most Authentick Wriâ—ers and there is the same signification of the simple Verbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the Laâ—in ango is derived and both of them from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suspiravit gemuit cum angore cordis with which the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangulavit suffocavit hath Affinity Here then in the first place we are told by the Evangelist that this Vile Wretch went and macerated himself with Grief and Melancholy which was partly mentioned before in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 3. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is post factum angi to be very much grieved and troubled in mind for what is done and the Devil who had entred into him followed this close and made it a Prologue to something more Tragical For though it was his own Act yet he was hurried to it by the special Instigation of the Devil who was now become his intimate Guest Such a Devilish Distemper but not in so great an Excess King Saul laboured under saith * Philocal Origen when he was forsaken of God This was the Evil Spirit that came upon him and strangely disturbed him in his Body insomuch that he seemed saith †Autiq. â—â—d l. 6. â— 9 Io sephus to be choaked and strangled ‖ Exercitat Sacr. in Mâ—t. 27. Heinsius with whom agree Grotius and Ham mond understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this sudden Suffocation Iudas was choaked or strangled i. e. saith he He was struck with a sudden Disease in his Throat he died of an Angina Squinancy or some such Violent Distemper that unavoidably stop'd his Breath so that being swell'd within by the Air or Spirits shut up he fell down and broke his Belly and the Bowels gushed out So this Excellent Critick He thinks Iudas expired as * A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sepâ—uagint 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 17 23. Achitophel is said by some of the Jews to have done viz. Of some Suffocating Disease that was bred by some great Grief of Mind which is implied say they in the word Chanak which is there used This Suffocation or Stifling of the Spirits is that Machanac which the Hebrew Doctors talk of viz. That sudden stopping of the Breath which is caused by an inward Oppression of the Mind that sudden Death which Iob was tempted to wish for Iob 7. 15. My Soul saith he chooseth strangling i. e. In the heighth of my Temptations I could even desire to be utterly bereaved of Breath and Life by this Suffocating Melancholy which my Miseries bring me into This was Iudas's Distemper at present when he had reflected on what he had done he was swallowed up of Sorrow and Remorse he was oppressed with the Load of Guilt he laboured under the Pangs and Horrors of Conscience he was terrified with the Dismal Apprehensions of the Divine Nemesis and thereby his Spirits even stifled his Breath obstructed and himself in a manner * Strangulat inclusus dolor Ovid. Strangled and Suffocated I subscribe then to those Learned Criticks thus far that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant of a Melancholy Suffocation but I cannot go with them so far as to grant that this only is here meant and tha Iudas died of this Suffocation which is â—he thing that Heinsius and Grotius assert for as for our Learned Annotator he leaves them here and is inclinable to attribuâ—e Iudas's Death to something else as you shall hear presently And truly Grotius likewise though he follows Heinsius in his Interpretation that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant Grief of Mind adds this of his own that Iudas had a sudden dangerous Fall and therewith burst him self I grant that this Suffocation was a Preparatory Death this made way for the Halter and all that follow'd it But that which I assert here is That this Suffocation here spoken of was not to that Excess that he immediately died of it for it is Idle to think that this Suffocating Grief alone was the cause of his Death when we read of his falling down head-long and of all his Bowels gushing out These are never known to be Concomitants of that Distemper no History gives us any Instance of this Nature And therefore it is fond and groundless to imagine that this Suffocating Passion was his Fatal End that this was it which dispatched him What then did You will say I answer his hanging himself i. e. His Strangling
he could have granted her more * V. 38. He said Go and he sent her away for two Months And she went with her Companions and bewailed her Virginity on the Mountains And then the History immediately after this tells us That * V. 39. at the end of two Months she returned to her Father who did with her according to his Vow which he had vowed That is he ofâ—ered her up unto the Lord for a Burnt-offering for that was his Vow One would think now that there should be no Dispute whether Iephthah Sacrificed his Daughter for what reason can Men have to oppose the express words of the Text These are so plain that it cannot but create some wonder why Expositors should vary in the Interpretation of thâ—m Or suppose there be some Ambiguous Words in the Relation which seem to disagree with what is here said yet for that very reason because they are Doubtful and Ambiguous we are not to make use of them to confront a Plain Text. It is true it is added in the last mentioned Verse She knew no Man And indeed how could she when she was taken out of the Land of the Living Observe the Connection He did with his Daughter according to his Vow and she knew no Man That is She was so Unhappy as to leave the World in her Youth before she had the Knowledge of a Man Hereupon it immediately follows which verifies and confirms this Interpretation It was a custom in Israel that the Daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the Daughter of Jephthah four days in a year This doth not imply that she was Alive and that they went duly to give her a Visit in the Mountains No These words plainly relate the Behaviour of her Surviving Companions they brought it into a Custom and Constant Practice among the Daughters of Israel to go yearly and lament her Memory in that very place where she chose to bewail her Condition before her Death Or if they went to talk and confer as it may be rendred according to the Acception of the Hebrew word the Sense is the same for the meaning is not that they talked with Her but with one another they discoursed among themselves of that Deplorable Matter of that Unfortunate Occurrence I joyn both the Senses of the word together thus At that Anniversary Meeting they talked of and lamented they lamented and talked of the Sad Fate of that Royal Virgin who was snatched away in her Prime and denied the Blessing of Marriage and of bearing Children This was the Compliment of Condoleance which was performed upon her Death This is the plain History without wresting it and nothing is more clear from the whole than this that Iephthah slew his Daughter and offered her for a Burnt-offering and that it was the True and Real Import of his Vow that he would do so He vowed that he would Sacrifice to the Lord whatsoever he met coming out of his House He met his Daughter and accordingly he did with her according to his Vow i. e. he Sacrificed her The Famous ‖ Ioseph Ant. Iud. l. 5. c. 9. Jewish Historian gives his Suffrage to this and all the Old Iews were of the same Opinion expresly asserting that Iephthah vowed to Sacrifice his Daughter and that he did so This is the general Perswasion of the * Iustin Mart. Quaest. 99. Tertull. cont Marc. 3. 4. Hieronym Epist. 34. ad Iulian. chrysost hom de Iephthâ Ambros. de Offic. Nazianâ— Orat. 6. de Maccab. Augustin de civ Dei l. 1. c. 21. Antient Fathers both Greek and Latin and their Agreement herein is very considerable A numerous Company of ‖ Luther Peter Marâ—r Salianus Serarius Menochius à Lapide Lud. Cappellus c. Moderns of great Learning and Judgment both of the Roman and Protestant Perswasion hold the same And our * Dr. Lightâ—oot in his Chronicle of the Tâ—nes of the Old Testament Great Christian Rabbi who had been once of another mind was induced by a farther Enquiry into the Reasons of this Opinion to change his thoughts and to declare expresly that Iephthah's performing of his Vow is to be understood in the plain and literal meaning of it viz. The real and actual Sacrificing of his Daughter The next Question is Whether Iephthah did well or ill in so doing Or which amounts to the same Whether it was lawful to Sacrifice his Daughter Some think and what will not they think that it was a Good and Lawful Deed and to this purpose they alledge Lev. 27. 28 29. Notwithstanding no devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord of all that he hath both of man and beast and of the field of his possession shall be sold or redeemed every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord. None devoted which shall be devoted of men shall be redeemed but shall surely be put to death Iephthah's Vow say they was of this sort and he could not possibly Redeem his Daughter but was necessitated to Sacrifice her That known Critick * Diatrib de Voto Iepht Lewis Cappel runs altogether upon this viz. That it was lawful by the Law of Cherem to Sacrifice this Innocent Maid But this Learned Man was never so overseen and mistaken as in this Cause for 't is certain that Cherem which is the word here used always signifies either Persons devoted to Slaughter destined to Death for their Execrable Wickedness as the Amalekites and those other People and Nations which the Israelites were commanded to put to death or it signifies Things destined to utter Destruction as Iericho and Ai c. with all the Substance that was found in them excepting some particular things which God ordered to be spared And these Things were thus destined for the sake of the Persons to whom they appertained who were extreamly Wicked and Abominable in the Eyes of God This is the true Notion of Cherem of which I shall give you a farther account in a following Discourse And as for the Law of Cherem which is set down in that forecited place in Leviticus it speaks only of that Irrevocable Vow of Destining Persons or Cities to utter Destruction as in Numb 21. 32. Deut. 13. 15. 25. 19. Iosh. 6. 17 18. 1 Sam. 15. 3. for their horrid Crimes and because indeed there was the particular command of God for it Now let any Man judge whether this hath any reference to Iephthah's Innocent and Harmless Daughter The Law saith no Person or thing devoted of Men i. e. by Men shall be redeemed but shall surely be put to Death or be destroyed But then let it be remembred that no Men can devote any Persons to Death unless they deserve it for their Excessive Impiety nor can they devote any Thing to Destruction unless it be on the account of such Persons This therefore doth no ways concern our present Business Iephthah could not lawfully Vow the Death of any one who deserved not to
Zeal for the Jews his Country-men and Kinsmen professes he could be content to be for their sakes * Rom. 9. 3. an Anathema from Christ i. e. to be separated from Christ's Church and the Communion of Saints He could even wish himself excommuâ—icated from the Assemblies of the Faithful if this might any ways redound to the good of his Brethren So here the least Punishment that can be inflicted on him who loves not the Lord Iesus Christ is that he be depriv'd of the Fellowship of the Church of which he professed himself to be a Member As he renounceth Christ so it is but just he should be cast off by the Church and debar'd of all Society with it So St. Chrysostom understands this place Let him be Anathema that is saith he * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoâ—il 16 in Epâ—st â—d Rom Let him be separated from all let him be estranged from all ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In loc Let him be a stranger to the common Body of the Church saith Theodoret. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iâ— Rom. 9 3. Anathema is Separation or Alienation saith Theophylact And indeed among Christian and Ecclesiastical Writers it hath this peculiar Denotation and is used to signifie Excommunication And as he deserves to be separated from the Church so likewise from Christ Himself Secondly therefore Let him be Anathema i. e. Let him be separated from Christ let him have no part in Iesus So indeed the Apostle's words before mentioned mâ—y be farther meant I could wish that my self were Anathema from Christ i. e. separated from Christ himself If it were pâ—ssible for it is but a Supposition and a strain of passionate Love and Indearment if it might any ways promote my Brethrens Welfare I could willingly be excluded from all Benefit by our Lord â—esus Christ. I could methinks endure any loss part with Gods Favour and my own Bliss for their sakes But what the Apostle here utters only in a high strain of Affection to express his Great Concern for his Kindred for you must look upon it as no oâ—her he most truly and directly wisheth and denounceth against all those that willfully and obstinately renounce Christ that fall from the Faith they once professed and abjure the Holy Jesus Let such a one never in this World enjoy his Favour or share in any Advantage by his Blessed Undertakings for Mankind 2. Let him be a Person Accursed of God and Men for that as I have shewed is contained in the Notion of Cherem and consequently of Anathema and thence among the Writers of the Church to Anathematize is to Curse or to denounce Accursed If any Man love not i. e. hate the Lord Iesus Christ it is a most equal Recompense of that his Hatred that he himself be detested and abhorred and that he be Cursed upon Earth If he calls Christ Anathema 1 Cor. 12. 3 i. e. looks upon him and speaks of him as an Abominable Execrable Person he certainly himself ought to be an Anathema an Execration a Malediction As he is justly banish'd from the Communion of the Church which we spoke of before so moreover he is to be delivered to Satan which in the Apostles times accompanied Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 20. This is a farther Punishment of the Apostate here spoken of He is to be accounted a Devoted Person he is to be consigned over to the Evil Spirit as a most Detestable and Cursed Wretch forsaken of God and destined to Destruction Which is the Third thing contained in this word Let him be Anathema i. e. let him be destroyed for that also is comprehended in the Notion of Cherem yea is the primary import of it as we have fully proved Now this Destruction includes in it both the Temporal and Eternal Punishment which are entailed on these cursed Miscreants the Haters of Christ. First it is probable the Apostle means here those Temporal Inflictions as Sicknesses Diseases and Torments of Body which attended Excommunication and Delivering to Satan in those days and which are called the Destruction of the Flesh 1 Cor. 5. 5. which also may be included in the Apostle's Wish before mentioned That himself were an Anathema from Christ i. e. That besides what hath been said before he might feel all those Corporal Punishments which usually were inflicted on Sinners when they were delivered to Satan I could be content saith he out of his Excess of Affection and Kindness to undergo all those Severities and outward Hardships of Body on condition that I might be really Beneficial to the Souls of my Brethren and reclaim them from their Unbelief and Impenitence This the Learned Dr. Hammond as well as Gâ—otius takes to be the Anathema of the Text which is before us it refers to the Primitive Discipline of Anathematizing or Excommunicating which was followed with most dismal Effects particularly with remarkable Judgments on their outward Man which are call'd by Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Plagues which the Devil inflicted Let these Execrable Sinners who renounce their Lord and Saviour be plagued with all those bodily Maladies being thrown out of the Communion of the Church and debar'd of Spiritual Benefits let them suffer all the Temporal Evils and Calamities of this Life Secondly A future Eternal Punishment in another World is here implied which makes this Denunciation of the Apostle to be most Astonishing and Dreadful If any Man love not the Lord Iesus Christ and persists in this vile Temper and Practice let a Curse pursue him into the next World to his Everlasting Perdition and Confusion This is the highest Sense of this Anathema this Cherem this is a devoting to Death and utter and final Destruction So then in brief the meaning of the words in their full Latitude is this If any Man love not the Lord Iesus Christ so as not to confess him but to renounce and deny him especially in time of Persecution as some at that time the Gnosticks saith our Annotator affirmed it lawful to do if any Man hate and vilifie the Lord Jesus Christ and disown and reject that Faith which he once embraced let his Reward be to be separated and cut off from Christ Jesus the Head and from his Body the Church let him be Accursed in Body and Soul and be given up to the Prince of Darkness and suffer all Evils in this World and in the next let him be destined to Eternal Misery and perish Everlastingly without remedy Thus Spiritual Temporal and Eternal Evils but more especially these last are comprehended in this Apostolical Execration therefore to this Anathema the Apostle adds Maran-atha which is thought by some to answer to the Third kind of Excommunication among the Jews the Severest and Dreadfullest of all which they stiled Shammatha a final Sâ—paration from the Church without hopes of returning And some that embrace this Opinion tell us that Maran atha is a Talmudick word and frequent in the
was looked on as a base and dishonest thing to be found guilty of it The being taken was criminal the not stealing cunningly was the thing that was faulty Lastly Lying had the Approbation of the Chief Philosopher among the Pagans It is lawful to Lie for the Good of the Common-wealth saith Socrates as he is quoted by his Scholar * De Repub l. 2. Plato Thus you see what were the Corrupt Ethicks of the Heathen World for tho many of these things which I have mentioned are repugnant to True Philosophy yet being maintain'd and sometimes practised by the Masters of Philosophy they are justly reckoned among the Deceits of Philosophy However if these latter Instances be not so home to the purpose it is certain that no Man can pronounce so concerning the others before-mentioned which were some of the chief Ingredients and Principles of the Gentile Philosophy But tho I have given you this Large Account of their Mistakes in Morality yet I will pursue this Matter a little farther and according to what I propounded shew you in the next place that the Philosophy the Apostle speaks of was Deceitful in that it was grosly mistaken about the Happiness of Man It was mistaken and consequently deceived Men as to this Grand Point 1. By not assuring them of a Future Life 2. By giving no notice of the Eternal Duration of it 3. By not determining wherein True Happiness consists 4. By not directing them to the Right Way to it 1. It deceived them by not assuring them of a Future Life The Future Existence of the Soul tho it was a Notion dictated by the Light of Nature and Reason and sometimes positively and plainly asserted by some of the Philosophers yet it was disputed and doubted of among them at other times by reason of false Principles which they had wilfully taken up and thereby clouded their Reasons and the Natural Dictates of their Minds as also because of Interest and Sensual Pleasure which stifled the Rational Actings of their Souls Upon these accounts a Future State was hardly believed by some of the Philsophers and wholly opposed by others The Epicureans as you have heard flatly denied it And it is no wonder seeing their Language was after this rate * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laâ—rt in Epicuro We can have no Notion of an Incorporeal Thing unless it be a Vacuum †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. They therefore that say the Soul is Incorporeal talk vainly and idlely ‖ De Placit Philosoph l. 4. Plutarch attests that Democritus held the Soul to be corruptible and that it perished together with the Body It is true the Pythagorâ—ans and Platonists asserted that the Soul went on Pilgrimage and flitted from one Man to another Yea they held that Mens Souls passed into Brutes as well as into other Men and he that was a Man a while ago is now an Ass a Wolf a Dog or some other Animal But this is vain Philosophy indeed and all that we can build upon it if it were true is this That the same Man is often begot and as often born and dieth Indeed Plato * In Phaedone seu de Animo brings in Socrates before his Death treating of the Immortality of the Soul he makes him speak some things that are Admirable Excellent and Divine but other things are Poor Mean and Frigid he presents him as dubious and uncertain wavering and inconsistent with himself That Socrates doubted of a Future State and the Soul's Immortality may be gathered from that Passage of his which Plato inserts †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Apologia Socratis If these things we speak of be true Again Socrates saith ‖ Ibid. One of these two is absolutely necessary either Death utterly deprives us of all Sense or we pass from hence to another place It seems he looked upon Death either as a Sound Sleep or a Long Journey but he could not certainly tell which Plutarch * De Consolatione ad Apollon had this very Notion of it and on that account concludes that Death is not Evil. After this wavering manner speaks the Great Roman Philosopher †Si supremus ille dies non extinctiâ—nem sed commutationem aâ—â—ert loci quid optabilius Si autem perimit ac delet omnino quid melius quà m in mediis vitae laboribus obdormiscere iâ—a conniventem somno consopiri sempiterno Cic. Tusc. Qu. l. 1. If the day of Death be accompanied with the Change of Place only and not an utter Extinction What can be more desirable than Death Or if it makes an end of us and quite annihilates us What is better than when we are wearied with the Labours of this Life to fall asleep and never to wake again In like manner Seneca ‖ Mors nos aut consumit aut emittit emissis meliora restant onere detracto consumptis nihil restat Epist. 24. Death doth either consume or sends us out of this World into another if the latter be true there are better things remain for us when we are sent out hence and have laid aside our Terrestrial Clog and Burden but if the former be true then there is nothing remaining for us being utterly consumed and consequently no Hurt can befal us that is our Comfort Again he thus faintly and ambiguously talks * Fortasse si modò sapientum vera fama est recipitque nos locus aliquis Epist. 63. Perhaps if the Report of Wise Men be true and if there be any such thing as a place hereafter to receive us c. Thus Antonine the Royal Philosopher cannot tell whether Death be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Extinction or a Translation whether it be an Annihilation or a Change of our Condition And many †Siquis modò extinctis sensus inest Val. Max. l. 4. c. 6. others have thus expressed their Doubtfulness about another Life But most remarkable is that Passage of Xenophon in the Life of Cyrus whom that Wise Historian represents as a Great Hero and Singular Pattern of Vertue We must expect therefore that he will make him speak like a Brave Prince furnished with true and sound Notions of things He tells us that this Great Man lying on his Death-bed and having certain Presages of his approaching Departure out of the World commanded his Courtiers to come to him and called his Sons and Friends together and spoke to them to this purpose ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Instit. Cyr. l. 8. You ought not to think you know certainly that I shall be nothing after I cease to live here For let me tell you the Soul whilst it is in this Mortal Body doth not live tho it gives Life to the Body but when it leaves the Body then it properly lives then it acts and is truly knowing and wise The Tortures and Punishments inflicted on Murderers by Souls thrust out of their
the Manifestation of the Son of God upon the Earth and to his Holy Institution which promotes Tender-heartedness and Pity and condemns whatever is Savage and Bloody But the Slaughter and Murder of Souls are the worst and highest Cruelty the Main Work and Business of that Implacable Enemy of Mankind Those Cursed Spirits being fallen themselves from God indeavour the Apostacy of all Mankind and this they do by drawing Men into Error and by tempting them to Sin and Wickedness They are as busy in debauching Mens Minds by Erroneous Opinions and False Doctrines as they are in any other Design and they get as much by it for by corrupting Mens Understandings and Notions they prepare the way for all other Mischiefs to ensue Heresies are of the Devil and lead to him and therefore Polycarp knew what he said when he call'd Marcion that Arch-Heretick the first-born of Satan But the inveigling to Practical Error which is no other than Vice gives him chiefly his Denomination of Tempter and consequently those who allure others to Vice those who entice them to Evil Courses are to be call'd by no softer Terms than those of Murderers and Devils for Tempting i. e. drawing others to Sin is properly the Work of the Devil this is that which he constantly practiseth and takes so much delight in But the Blessed Founder of Christianity is a Saviour and Lover of Souls who thus expostulated when he was on Earth What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul This Jesus was Loving and Kind-hearted and submitted to a painful and ignominious Death to give an undeniable Demonstration of his Compassion to the Souls of Men. He ascended the Cross and shed his Blood there to convince the World how Tender he was of their Immortal Concerns and Everlasting Welfare And let me speak a Great Word He would even now leave all his Glories and die once more for Man if it were necessary for the procuring of his Happiness Lastly Carnality Lewdness and Vncleanness may fitly be stiled the Devil's Works It is well known that these prevailed even in the most Solemn Rites and Devotions of the Pagans As the Poets represent the Gods Lewd and Lascivious so the most Serious Authors tell us of the Impure and Filthy Sacrifices the Villanous and Beastly Rites performed to them They relate the Obscene Feasts of Bacchus and Priapus of Flora and Venus and acquaint us that they kept their Lupercalia or Festivals of Pan in running up and down naked behaving themselves in that lewd manner which cannot be named without injuring chaste and modest Ears Of the Eleusinian Solemnities in Honour of Ceres and Proserpina we have some Account from * Adv. Valentin Tertullian and the Religious Ceremonies of Isis were as lewd and obscene saith †De Isid. Osir. l. 1. Plutarch It is certain that Lewdness and Wantonness were the very Ingredients of their Worship and their very Temples were Stews Arnobius makes it his Business in his fifth Book to shew how obscene and unchaste how immodest and shameless their Rites and Ceremonies their Stories and Relations of their Gods were In brief Vncleanness hath been so eminently confirmed to be the Work of the Devil that the Foul Fiends have sometimes assumed Bodies to act it in as ‖ S. Augustin de civ Dei lib. 15. Bodin contr Wier some have thought But Christ coming in the Flesh destroyed even the Deeds of the Flesh he chose to be born of a Pure Virgin that he might give a Pattern of Spotless Purity in the World and the Design of his Holy Institution was to Sanctify Mens Bodies and Souls and to fit them for the unstained Pleasures of another Life Thus I have finish'd my Task having largely and particularly shew'd you what the Works of the Devil are either such Works as are done by that Evil Spirit or such Vices and Practices in Men as more nearly approach to the Devilish Nature and Temper and I have at the same time proved that our Saviour and his Religion do overthrow and destroy these Works of the Infernal Spirit I will only add a Critical Remark on that manner of Expression in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he may loose our English Word it is likely coming from thence or dissolve c. for that is the exact rendring of the Word This supposes Bonds and Fetters We were in Durance and Captivity we were shut and lock'd up * Isa. 42. 7. in the Prison-house we were under the Power of Satan and Dominion of Sin but the Merciful Iesus came to rescue and redeem Mankind to knock off their Fetters and to set them at Liberty For this purpose the Son of God was manifested and for this only He came not as the Iews fondly imagined concerning their Messias to be a Great Earthly Monarch to wage War and to beat the Romans out of Iudea and to make his People Rich and Wealthy and to promote them to great Honours This alas was a poor Design and not worthy of the Messias but he came to effect a thing of greater Moment even of Universal Concern and that which is more Noble and Glorious than all Worldly Empire and Soveraignty He came to free his People from the Tyranny of Satan to vanquish the Prince of Darkness who had enslaved all Mankind Or this Word gives us a true Notion of our Saviour's Design thus The Devil had corrupted Man had been the great Instrument at first of depraving his very Nature and ever since he hath made it his Work to debauch Mens Minds and Manners and by all ways imaginable to render them like unto himself Hereupon the Son of God was sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might dissolve defeat undo these Works of the Devil This is the short and plain Account of the Grand End of Christ's being manifested in the World of his Incarnation Doctrine Life Sufferings Death and all his Undertakings whatsoever it was no other than this to undo to annul all that the Devil had done in the World Christ's task was to pull down what Satan had built up to untie to untwist all his Knots and Intrigues to baffle all his Plots and Contrivances to unravel the Inchantments of the Evil Spirit to break the Snares of Satan and to destroy the Destroyer FINIS ERRATA PAge 3. line 27. read Iunius P. 68. l. 22. prefix the Figure 7. P. 77. l. 10. r. in the Margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 118. towards the bottom the Parentheses are misplaced P. 127. l. 20. r. a Mem for a Teth. P. 171. l. 7. r. Nun for Caph. P. 217. l. 26. dele †P. 270. l. 8. after Writer add with others P. 272. l. 13. r. were P. 275. l. 2. after dieth make a Period P. 290. l. 13. r. signifies l. 24. for Arrows r. Rods l. 31. after Tribes add for it is certain that the Iews and other Nations mutually borrowed from one another P. 291. l. 3. after Israelites add as well as these aped them P. 318. l. 23. insert are P. 337. l. 15. r. Christianity's Books printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard THE Holy Bible containing the Old Testament and the New with Annotations and Parallel-Scriptures To which is annexed The Harmony of the Gospels as also a Reduction of the Jewish Weights Coins and Measures to our English Standards And a Table of the Promises in Scripture By Samuel Clarke Synodicon in Gallia Reformata Or the Acts Decisions Decrees and Canons of those famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France Wherein are contained 1. A most faithful and impartial History of the Rise Growth Perfection and Decay of the Reformation in that Kingdom with its fatal Catastrophe upon the Revocation of the Edict of Nants in the Year 1685. 2. The Confession of Faith and Discipline of those Churches 3. A Collection of Speeches Letters Sacred Politicks Cases of Conscience and Controversies in Divinity determined and resolved by those grave Assemblies 4. Many excellent Expedients for preventing and healing Schisms in the Churches and for re-uniting the dismembred Body of divided Protestants 5. The Laws Government and Maintenance of their Colledges Universities and Ministers together with their Exercise of Discipline upon Delinquent Ministers and Church-members 6. A Record of very many illustrious Events of Divine Providence relating to those Churches The whole collected and composed out of Original Manuscript Acts of those Renowned Synods A Work never before extant in any Language In two Volumes By Iohn Quick Books printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion and John Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Churchâ—Yard A Practical Exposition on the Ten Commandments with other Sermons By the Right Reverend Father in God Ezekiel Hopkins late Lord Bishop of London-Derry An Enquiry into the Constitution Discipline Unity and Worship of the Primitive Church that flourished within the first three hundred Years after Christ. Faithfully Collected out of the Extant Writings of those Ages By an impartial Hand In two Parts Books printed for John Everingham at the Star in Ludgate-street near the West end of St. Paul's Church-Yard MIscellaneous Essays By Monsieur St. Euremont Translated out of French With a Character by a Person of Honour here in England By Mr. Dryden The Divine Art of Prayer Containing the most proper Rules to pray well With divers Meditations and Prayers sutâ—ble to the Necessities of Christians useful in every Family To which are annexed seasonable Prayers for Souldiers both in their Majesties Army and Fleet. Monarchia Microcosmi The Origine Vicissitudes and Period of Vital Government in Man For a further Discovery of Diseases incident to Humane Nature By Everard Maynwaring M. D. Books printed for John Wyat. THE Christian Virtuoso shewing That by being addicted to Experimental Philosophy a Man is rather Assisted than Indisposed to be a Good Christian. By the Honourable Robert Boyle Esq Experimenta Observationes Physicae Wherein are briefly treated of several Subjects relating to Natural Philosophy in an experimental way To which is added A small Collection of strange Reports By the same Author