then was the goodness of these Miracles how beneficial to their Bodies and obliging to ingenuous Spirits and that not of them only on whom they were wrought but of all their Friends yea of all in the like Condition throughout the Vicinage for they being no Select company but a Promiscuous Multitude of Foes as well as Friends on whom it pleased Christ and his Apostles to do these Miracles it was thereby made known unto all that all Men every where that were so or otherwise afflicted in Body might be relieved if either they themselves or others in their behalf would have made their due Addresses How Admirable then and Divine were these Miracles they did not only do good to the Bodies of many Thousands but proclaimed it to all that needed or desired it what a lively resemblance therefore were they of God whose mercy is over all his Works Nor was the goodness of these Miracles confined to Mens Bodies for doubtless their Souls were thereby instructed not only to make a better Use than formerly they had done of Gods Mercies but also in and by whom to seek for Salvation for thereby they might clearly perceive that He who did them or in whose Name they were done being a Teacher must needs be come from God and so had the Words of Eternal life abiding with him to whom then should they go but to Him for it But if they were so slow of understanding as not to get this good to their Souls by the Miracles wrought upon their Bodiâ—s yet doubtless there were some that did The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Catalogue of Miracles which our Saviour returned in Answer to St. John Baptists question were doubtless such poor as took the Stamp and received the impression of the Gospel and were thereby as really wrought upon transformed and altered in their Souls as the Blind or the Lame the Deaf or the Dead werein their Bodies The Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some it seems have here rendred Actively as if the meaning of our Saviours Words were that the poor Viz. his Apostles Preach the Gospel but this is so far from a Miracle as that it seems a Lesson too trivial for so great a Master as our Saviour so Solemnly to Teach or so great a Scholar as St. John so Solemnly to Learn as it is here proposed here therefore as well as else where it is to be taken passively and observable it is that Verbs passive often import a Real passion or true Change in the Person or thing spoken of as well as one meerly Grammatical thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one that not only is persuaded but also effectually wrought upon and corrupted by Seducers and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be tempted and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be offended signifie not barely to have a Temptation oâ— a Scandal cast before one but to be wrought upon by the Temptation and to be really discouraged in the ways of Godliness by the Scandal thus here the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Evangelized is not barely to have the Gospâ—l Preached to the Poor but moreover to be Really Wrought upon Transformed and Changed by the Preaching of it their Understandings were Englightned by the Gospel and their Hearts subdued unto it their Natures were renewed and their whole Souls or all their Faculties changed for the better by it and in them that our Saviour makes mention of this Châ—nge seems to have been made almost as suddâ—nly and conspicuously as that in Saul's heart after his Unction to be King over Israel as when Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilce called Peter and Andrew James and John and immediately upon His call they forsook their Ships and their Nets their Father and All and followed Him what a strange and wonderful Change was there on a Sudden wrought in them how else was it possible that by a Word or two speaking they should be prevailed with to quit their worldly Interests Relations and Callings to follow a private Person whom 't is likely they had not seen perhaps never so much as heard of before they therefore undoubtedly were Evangelized on a sudden and so I conceive were the poor our Saviour speaks of in His Answer to St. John's Question and if so they were then well may this be Ranked among Miracles for indeed it is the greatest in all the Catalogue If not in regard of its Advance above the Power of Nature yet of its Goodness to the Souls of them on whom 't was done for before it they seem if not to have been oppressed with the insupportable burdens of a Wounded Spirit yet to have walked in some Darkness as to their greatest i. e. Their Eternal concerns and to such benighted Souls what so good as Light to such lost wanderers what so welcome as a Guide for such dejected broken hearts what so proper as Comfort to wounded troubled Spirits what so gracious as Refreshment and what Light is there so clear as that of the Sun of Righteousness what Guide so sufficient as that of Christ his Precepts and Example what Comfort so great as that of his Promises and what Refreshment so reviving as that of his Spirit and these Goods of the Soul being Adapted to and sufficient for its faculties as large and capacious as they are ought in all Reason to be preferred as far before the Goods of the Body as that exceeds them If then the poor were Evangelized by our Saviours Miracles they thereby received the greatest good whereof in this life they were capable However though perhaps we have not Evidence enough to be confident that the poor our Saviour speaks of were suddenly and Miraculously Evangelized yet this we are or may be sufficiently assured of Namely that the Ultimate End and Scope of all His and his Apostles Miracles was that They and We should be so and since so it was they certainly wereas good and gracious to Mens Souls in their Tendâ—ncy as they were to their Bodies in the Performance the Reason hereof is because as hath already been in part and may hereafter more fully be Demonâ—â—rated Christianity affords such supplies for the Wants and objects for the Faculties of our Souls as are not to be found in any one or in all other Religions whatever Now to the end that our Wants might be supplyed thereby and our Souls possessed thereof Christ and his Apostles have abundantly confirmed it unto us by their Miracles How great then is their goodness nothing but the incapaciâ—y of the Subject hinders it from bearing a full proportion with the Power that did them For it extends it self to all Men every where throughout all generations Those that did or do live in the remotest Regions and that in these Latter Ages may have heard of Christ and his Miracles and the Design â—f them being confirming his Doctrine to convey the most excellent Religion into their Souls it is
Latter did exceed the Former as much almost as they did Nature 'T is true iudeed had Christ fallen short of Moses either in the Number or the Quality of his Miracles the Jews had not had sin at most not so great as They had but since He did among them the Works which no other Man did their unbelief could not be Imputed to any want of Rational evidence of Truth in him but to want of good Will to hatred in them and so must it be in us because the knowledge of his Miracles is as Infallibly transmitted to us by Tradition as it was to them by their Senses since therefore such were his Works and his promise to his Disciples of doing the same or greater was undoubtedly fulfilled in his Apostles we have abundant more reason to believe that He and they were Prophets than the Jews had to think so of Moses and his Successours In which persuasion we may be yet farther confirmed by considering That the Goodness of their Miracles did bear a full proportion with their Greatness 'T is true indeed they were not such as the Jews expected nor was it requisite that they should for they being Sick of their Fore-Fathers Disease whose Low and uninstructed minds could rise no higher in their Conceptions of the promised Messias than of a King exceeding all Mortals in the Majestick Goodliness of his presence and Lovelyness of his Personage in the Wisdom of his Conduct and Victorious valour of his Battels putting to flight the Armies of the Aliens and Restoring the Kingdom and Glory to Israel They I say being Sick of this Disease dreamed of and looked for Signs from Heaven unprofitable Amazements apt only to feed their Eyes and affect their Fancies with Strange Shews and Pompous representations but there being none such Fore-told by the Prophets Christ and his Apostles were no way obliged so to humour the Extravagance of their Fancies as to fulfill their ungrounded expectations And although Christ and his Apostles had as high an esteem for Moses as could be kept within the bounds of Sobriety and really did Him and his Law more honour than the most zealous Jews themselves yet did they not take his Miracles for Patterns of theirs for we find no such affrighting and hurtfull things as Serpents Rivers of Blood or Plagues among them but Christ being surety and his Apostles Witnesses of a better Testament their Miracles were as it was fit they should be of a more Benign and better Nature The Son of Man came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them and his Gospel brought glad Tidings of great Joy that should be to all Nations How Suitable then and Decent was it that the Seals and Confirmations of it should bear the Impressions not of Wrath and Judgment but of Mercy and Goodness and accordingly so we find did their Miracles for they were like a Flock of Sheep whereof there was none Barren among them but rather every one did bear Twins viz. Instruction or assurance of Salvation for the Souls of Men and Inestimable good and great benefit to their Bodies for very easy it is to discern that the Three sorts of good things viz. of Fortune Body and Soul which all Mankind by the light of Nature perceived requisite to Happiness were conferred by our Saviours Miracles The Goods of Fortune being not desireable in themselves but only in Order to those of the Body or the Soul we do not indeed find that Christ ever made the needy exceeding Rich in Worldly Wealth and Grandure yet his own and others necessities he somtimes supplyed by his Miracles Such was the Nobleness and Generosity of his Temper as that though he had no visible Estate nor any Imployment to get one yet He never was so burdensome as to ask a Gratitude from any to whom He had been a Benefactor by his Miracles but His necessities he supplyed by doing others Thus when Tribute was demanded he sent St. Peter a Fishing and made him so lucky an Angler as that he Caught a Fish with Money in its Mouth sufficient to pay the Pole-Tax both for his Master and Himself this shewed his Goodness as well as Loyalty for though this Money was sent to Rome with thâ— rest yet was there not a Penny the less Injury no Man was the poorer and Caesar was somwhat the Richer for him But the benefit of this Miracle was far Inferiour to that of others for we read that many Thousands of the people followed him into the Wilderness where they somtimes Fasted so long as that they were ready to Faint in this their necessitous condition although Jesus very well knew that the greater part of them had no sincere affection to him yet He had compassion on them and Fed at one time about Five Thousand at another Four besides Women and Children and Feed them he did not barely to the support of Nature but even to a Satiety for the Remains of his entertainment were far Greater than the Provision for them Twelve baskâ—ts full of fragments remained of five Barley loaves at one time and seven of seven and a few small Fishes at another and since the broken Meat was not lost it is most probable that many an hungry Bâ—lly besides was filled therewith however Manifest it is that these his plentiful entertainments in the Wilderness did no way lessen but rather increase Provisions in Adjacent Towns and Villages Nor did His bounty display it self only in Cases of necessity but also in matters of Delight and Decency for to grace the Marriage at Cana in Galilee He turned Water into Wine and that such as surpassed what ever they had had before in Goodness Thus did He in great mercy and compassion kindness and urbanity furnish many Thousands with the Goods of fortune and that without the least injury yea with advantage to others this was a sort of Bounty that far exceeds the Magnificence of the greatest Princes And yet this is but a small part of the goodness in the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles for the good they thereby did to mens Bodies was far more exceeding they Cast out Devils and cleansed Lepers they made the Deaf to hear and the Blind to see the Dumb to speak and the Lame to walk they Cured the Sick and Raised the Dead and what good so great as these to the Body what benefit could the torn and distorted Bodies of the possessed receive greater than the ejection of their Tormentors what so acceptable to poor Lepers as the cleansing of their loathsome and perhaps loathed Bodies what so gladsome to the Deaf as Hearing or so joyful to the Blind as Sight what so proper for the Lame as Strength or for the Dumb as Speech and what so beneficial to the Sick as Health or to the Dead as Life could each one of These afflicted have made his own Option it is great odds but He would have Chosen what they thereby gave him How transcendent
Reason alone could not find it And unreasonable methinks it is that any Man much more a Christian should be shie of making this Confession For what an astonishment to Reason is it that a Person of the ever Blessed and Glorious Trinity should in a sort lessen Himself and lay aside his Glory leave his Heaven and come down to Earth take upon Him our Nature together with the Infirmities and Servile condition of it and herein should take incomparable pains in Preaching good Tidings to the meek and should send his Apostles by enducing them with Power from on High to do the like to all Nations and to confirm their Word with signs following and all this on little or no Necessity This is such a Kindness as no Romance ever fancved But since the measures of Friendship are usually taken not only from the good things it bestows but also from the need we have of them it is altogether unlikely that infinite Wisdome would be so lavish of its Favours to little or no purpose Into which absurdity if not Blasphemy we cannot avoid falling if we think our own Reason sufficient as this Treatise saith it is to carry us at last infallâ—bly to Eternal Happiness if this be true what need is there of Revelation What can that do more it can't surely carry us to Heaven before we come at the last here on Earth nor can the certainty of its doing it then be greater than Infallibility but all this we had before by our own Reason wherein then are we or can we be beholden to Revâ—lation thus manifestly doth this Opinion evacuate the necessity of Revelation and derogate extreamly from the Mercy and Goodness of God in Blessing the World with knowledge of his Gospel It imputes the folly of a needless Labour to the Son of God and vilisies the Gifts of the Holy Ghost that enabled his Apostles to Preach it to all Nations it sets at nought the Labours of Men in the Word and Doctrine and puffs up Sciolists with such a conceit of their own Reason as makes them swell and burstinto contempt of all supernatural Knowledge it opens a door to Divisions and leâ—s in the Wind of any false Doctrine that conceited Opinionists shall think reasonable Piety therefore and the love of Peace prompt us to abhor it and indeed Reason it self cannot chuse but speak against and condemn it For it must confess that Life and Immortality viz Eternal Happiness is brought to light through the Gospel without the Revelation thereof thereby Reason can but surmise and conjecture at it Contemplating the Works of Creation it finds that all Creatures besides what they are in themselves receive â—xternally some perfection from other things for there is not a Creature in the World but may be what it is not hence it is that there is a kind of appetite or desire in all things whereby they incline to somewhat which they are not that when they have attained it they may be perfecter than they are without it This inclination shews it self in no Creature more than Man who being capable of propends unto a perfection beyond all that in this life is attainable hence indeed Reason concludes that there is a state of Eternal Happiness provided for humane Nature but this its conclusion leaves the Mind altogether in the dark as to the nature of its beatifick Object The Objects provided for the satisfaction of other Creatures Reason by the information of the Senses for the most part perceives but what there is provided for its own it cannot conceive somewhat it seeketh but what that is it directly knoweth not but being verily perswaded that God hath made nothing in vain and perceiving that all attainments in this world will not satisfie the appetites of our reasonable Nature it concludes there is something else provided for iâ— that exceeds all things else that it knowes of in goodness but what that is it cannot tell Now from this its ignorance of the End ariseth so thick a cloud of darkness about the Means conducing to it as that it knows not what to do or which way to go to attain it All that it can possibly direct us to do is to work but when it well considers the happiness it seeks for it can give no account of its being attainable by our works for it being something beyond or above the power of Nature ordained in the Creation it cannot be the natural effect or product of our Works to imagine this is to think our works effectual beyond their proper strength and power yea it is to make God inferior in power unto men it gives them the rule over him and supposeth them able to attain to happiness whether he will give it them or no and so without a Metaphor to take the Kingdome of Heavâ—n by force and to commit a Rape upon the Almighty but this is so gross an absurdity as that every man's parâ—icular Reason abhors it the suprâ—me perfection of our Nature if any way attainable by our works must therefore be the reward of them but then Reason perceives that a Reward is two-fold viz. either of debt or of gift the former is such as is due to the Receiver upon the account of something that he of his own accord without any obligation on him hath done which in justice or equity is worthy of it But who so void of Reason as after a just and impartial examination of his works to think them worthy of Eternal Life humane Reason surely is not so silly as to think that they are so meritorious and beneficial unto God as to deserve it at his hands A Reward therefore Reason cannot conclude it to be of Debt but of Gift and this is such as may become due to the Receiver but not for the merit or by virtue of his Works but by the undeserved Promise of the Giver But without Revelation where will Humane Reason find a Promise of Eternal Happiness to Man in his present fallen Condition The Fall of Man is so discernable by the light of Nature as that scarce any sort of Philosophers was wholly ignorant of it but the Pythagoreans were more especially troubled about it There was a time saith Porphyrius when we were intellectual purged from the dreggs of Sense and Irrationality and so we still are in respect of our Essence but now by reason of our inability perpetually to converse with Intellectual and Eternal Objecâ—s and through our proneness to those of Sense we have wrapt and folded our selves up in them for the Soul not remaining in its primitive intellectual state all its powers being actuated by the Senses of the body are so hurt and maimed as that like ground not well manured they bring forth Tares instead of Corn although good seed be thrown into them and all this comes to pass through the Soul's improbitie which though it doth not corrupt the Essence of it yet it fetters it to that which is fading and draggs it
and Compassion on us Afflictions and Temptations we know are often grievous unto us our Hearts are troubled and our Souls are sorrowful and sad under them Those good men that know our condition and love our persons especially if they are meerly related to us and have Afâ—â—ction suitable to that â—â—lation these men I say dâ— sympathiâ—e with us in soâ—e sort they feel what we â—ndâ—â—e and share with us in our sufferings And thus hath God provided that our Mediatour should to this end it behoâ—ed him in all things to be made like unot his brâ—thren by his Incarnation he was made like unto us in the parts and properties the faculties and affections the imperfections and infirmities of our Nature Sin only excepted The same affection therefore of Pity and Compassion which in us is natural was by him assumed together with the rest our sinless Nature and probable it is that this most sweet and indearing Affection was more tender in him than it is in us because it was pure and altogether unmixt with the leaven of Vice and so without any allay of Acerbity Envy or Cruelty whatsoever and besides that this affection he assumed to this very end that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining unto God i. e. that he might have compâ—ssion on us in our Miseries and Temptations and that out of this affection of Commiseration he might faithfully and sincerely mind our business in Heaven and get it done for us with God Almighty Now unto this his merciful and faithful High-Priesâ—hood he was Consecrated i. e. set apart or rendred more apt and fit by his Sufferings and Temptations and this is his Ability to succour them that are tempted But here the Inquisitive will certainly be ready to ask not only how the Sufferings and Temptations of Christ do conduce herâ—unto but also how it can be For their satisfaction therefore I shall so far enlarge this Digression as to return Answer to these two Questions 1 How do the Sufferings and Temptations of Christ conduce to his Ability to succour them that are tempted By way of Experiment Christ in the dayes of his flesh suffered as â—ight easily be demonstrated all those Evils which are common to all Mankind and was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Hereby then he did experimentally find and feel the very self-same kind of Sorrows and troubles griefs and pertuâ—bations which we endure under our sufferings and temptations Now then observe That not only the Divine but also the Humane Nature of Chriâ—t in Glory hath knowledge of all occurrences that in this life do befall us were it not so it would be impossible that he should be as the Apoâ—â—le saith he is touched with a feeling of our infirmities This he affiâ—ms not of the Divine Nature but of that that was tempted in all â—oints like as we are i e. of the humane and affirm iâ— he doth for our encouragement to hold fast our profession but an incouragement it cannot be unto us unless that he knowes all our infirmities bâ—cause if otherwise we not knowing which he knowes and which not should be utterly discouraged from seeking succour from him in any The conclusion therefore must be That he knows all our infirmities and temptations and together with this his knowledge it is more than probable that he hath an act of Memory whereby he calls to mind how he himself was affectâ—d under the same or the like Trials and Temptations here on Earth for surely it is not to be doubted but the memory â—f things done and indured in this World remain with him in Glory for if the immediate seat of Memory be the Soul herself and all the representations with their circumstances be reserved in her not in the spirits nor in any part of the body then surely it remains with the Souls of all men departed either into Hell or Heaven Son remember thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things said Abraham to Dives in Hell Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome said the good Thief to Christ on the Cross So that both in Heaven and in Hell there is a remembrance of things done in this life But to come nearer to the case in hand namely our Saviours remembrance Heaven of his Temptations and Sufferings here on Earth He himself said to St. John I am he that liveth and was dead He remembers then that he was dead and strange it is that he should remember his Death and forget the Temptations and Sufferings that brought him to it This cannot be By his remembrance then thereof he is able i. e. apt and inclined or affectionately disposed out of Compassion and Pity to succour them that are tempted for known it is sufficiently that there 's nothing in the World that doth so much move men to pity and compassion on others in misery as their own Mâ—mories that they themselves have suffered in the same or the like manner Hand ignara mali miseris succurrere disco said Dido to Aeneas I my self being not unacquainted with evil do now learn to succour those that are in misery Thus our Blessed Saviour having suffered in the dayes of his flesh and indured Temptations in all points like unto us He is able i. e. his Heart is fitted and disposed out of his own experience to pity and succour them that are tempted But how can this be The Humane Nature of Christ is now advanced unto Glory and made perfect in Bliss and Hâ—ppiness Surely therefore He is not now subject to Pity or Compassion for such we know is the nature of that affection as that in some sort it makes us share with others in their sufferings and to feel what they endure how then can it remain with Christ in Glory Can we throw sorrow into the regions of joy or grief into the place yea the very Fountain of gladness How can these things be This difficult Objection the Apostle foresaw and therefore by way of pre-occupation or prevention he said We have not an High-Priest which cannot i. e. We have one that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities And forasmuch as he hath said it by what we have already discoursed concerning the reasonableness of the Christian Faith it appears that we ought believe it although we cannot apprehend the manner of it yet even here our Reason is not at a loss for it tells us that since Chriâ—t even now in his state of Exalâ—ation is our merciful and faithful High-Priest he undoubtedly hath such Affections for us as are suitable to that Office and Relation to us and he being a Man yea the very same man that he was before his Exaltation Reason again tells us that he hath all those Affections which are essential to our Nature i e. the very same Affections that he had in the dayes of his
as convincing as the sight of our own Eyes Chap. V. The strength and force of the preceding Arguments 1 They remove all suspition that Christ and his Apostles were not Prophets for thereby it appears 1 that they pretended to the Spirit of Prophecy 2 that they therein were not deceived 3 they had no design to deceive others 2 they give positive evidence that they were Prophets 1 from their Fortitude 2 from their Wisdom 3 from their Predictions 4 from their Miracles here to shew the force of this Argument it is observed 1 that Christ and his Apostles wrought their Miracles on purpose to confirm their Doctrine 2 Miracles were alwayes lookâ—d on as demonstrative proofs of Divine Authority in them that did them 3 the Reasons for which the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles deserve to be so accounted 1 from their Nature 2 from their Number 3 from their Greatness 4 from their Goodness thereby they conferred on men 1 the goods of Fortune 2 of the Body 3 of the Soul Chap. VI. Some use that may be made of this Doctrine Of the Divine Authority of Christian Religion Sect. 1 This deduced therefrom the Leviathan denies it the first reason of this opinion answered the second reason answered The Divine Authority of Holy Scripture Sect. 2 Uncontrouled Tradition proves that the Books of the N. Testament were written by those men whose Names they bear and since they were Prophets the Old Testament also must needs be the word of Prophecy a Doubt about the Gospels of St. Mark and St. Luke and the Acts these Books had the approbation of the Apostles an Objection out of the Leviathan Object 2. Object 3. The Insufficiency of Humane Reason Sect. 3 The Treatise thereof ascribes as much thereunto as Pelagius did to free will it evacuates the necessity of our Saviours and his Apostles Prophetick Office the impiety of it Reason it self condemns it an Objection out of that Treatise The Reasonableness of the Christian Faith Sect. 4 The certainty of the word of Prophecy greater than that of a Voice from Heaven the Mysteries of Christianity do not make it incredible but are apt to strengthen our Faith The Reasonableness of Christian Hope Sect. 5 The nature of the Promises an Objection drawn from Experience another from the supposed impossibility of a General Resurrection The Reasonableness of Obedience Sect. 6 All acknowledge an obligation to obey God whence doth this obligation arise 1 not from our weakness 2 not from Gods sole irresistable Power the nature of Divine Sovereignty Gods right of it a view of our state by Nature the way that God hath chosen for our Redemption Christ conquered the Devil at all those weapons whereby he overcame our first Parents and their Posterity we are therefore his by right of Conquest Christ made satisfaction for us Christ now in Heaven is able to succour us when we are tempted a Question another Question the nature of an Obligation which is two-fold the Redemption of Christ obligeth us by both to keep his Commandments 1 by that of Authority 2 by that ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nature of it the Reasons of it 1 the benefit we receive by Redemption 2 the satisfactoriness of it to our Reason 3 the incomparable incouragement that it gives us to keep the Commandments the Conclusion REV. 19. 10. The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy CHAP. I. THat We have a power of Assenting is so manifest as that Scepticism it self cannot doubt it for that it is very apparently built on Assent to this Proposition There is nothing certain Who can be of that Perswasion without Assent It seems therefore certain that the Mind assents and this it doth to Testimony as well as Reason for the latter cannot be at least improved without the former because there is no Reasoning without Words and Words without Testimony signifie nothing Were it not for Testimony the wisest of Words and the most inarticulate of Sounds would be to us equally significant so that not only Religion but also all Arts and Sciences are beholding to Testimony they are if not founded on it yet unattainable without it It seems therefore those who â—raduce our Religion as fond Credulity because it depends on Testimony are therein very disingenuously Partial and irrational especially considering The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophâ—cy Which Words are an intire Proposition not so difficult but that it may be understood nor yet so plain but that both the Subject and the Predicate will need some Explication In order whereunto it will not be amiss to observe that in all probability the Testimony of Jesus is either that which he himself gave or else that which his Witnesses did bear of him of the former St. John speaks in his Gospel of the latter in his Revelations here in my Text which to me seems evident by the Scope and Design of the whole Verse the drift whereof is to prove that the Angel whose words they are to St. John was Fellow-servant with him and the rest of the Apostles St. John fell at the Angel's feet to Worship him but the Angel said unto him See thou do it not of which Prohibition he gives this reason because saith he I am thy fellow-servant and of thy Brethren that have the testimony of Jesus And who were they that had the testimony of Jesus Surely they were those whom Jesus himself had chosen to be his Witnesses viz. the Apostles Of these men then the Angel was Fellow-servant to prove that he was so he alledgeth my Text For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Which words can be no way Argumentative unless the Testimony of Jesus be understood to signifie not that which Jesus himself gave but that which his Apostles did give of him but being thus taken they import a two-fold Argument viz. ad hominem and ad rem St. John we know was as all the other Apostles a Jew by birth one of that Nation wherein it was a received opinion that there were ten degrees or Orders of Angels the lowest whereof were called Ischim by the Intervention and Ministry of this sort of Angels they say whether truly or falsly I affirm not that Prophecies were communicated unto Men. These Angels as we are told were chiefly employed to Prophesie and when the Spirit of Prophecy rested on any here on Earth his Soul was â—ixt with and advanced to this Order of Angels in Heaven and was enrolled among them If then this were a Vulgar opinion of the Jews at the time of St. John s Revelations it is apparent enough that my Text contains an Argument ad hominem But the truth is the force of the Angels Argument doth not lye so much in St. John's opinion as in his own employment at that time which was to prophesie concerning things pertaining to the Church of Christ as appears by the preceding Verses let 's then but cast the
it as Moses at first did to establish it Whether or no Christ and his Apostles on the account hereof were justly denied the benefit of a fair Tryal we our selves may perceive by these following Observations 1. There are two things considerable in the Law of Moses viz. the External and the Internal parts of of it The former is the Letter or the Words whâ—rein it is expressed the latter is the Sense and Meaning the Scope Design and End of it the one is the Shell the other the Kernel in respect of the one it was Civil or Positive in respect of the other Natural As Positive it could oblige only that People to whom it was given and therefore the literal Observation of it among the Genâ—iles was no way necessary nor was it so esteemed by the Jews ' thâ—mselves as appears by the Proselytes of their Gates who were neither circumcised nor did they conform to the Rites and Ordinances of that Law according to the letter of it the seven Precepts of Noâ—h wâ—re thought sufficient for them they wâ—re obligâ—d to no more If thâ—n Christ and his Apostles in posed no more than these upon the Gentiles and disswaded not the Jews from literal Obedience to the Law of Moses they could not be judged false Prophets on the account of subverting it Next then observe 2. That Christ and his Apostles were so far from dâ—troying the Law as that they did most excellently fulfill and establish it among the Gentiles as to the Sense and Meaning the Scope Design and End of it What was natural in the Law saith Irenaeus the Lord bath extended and fulfilled And again All the Natural Precepts are common to us with them viz. the Jews among them they had their beginning and their rise among us they receive their increase and adimpletion so that the whole Law as to the End and Design of it if that be Moral and purely Natural is not only not Abolish'd but Extended and Improved by the Doctrine of Christ among us Gentiles In order to the demonstration hereof it will not be amiss to observe out of Mâ—imonides That the general intention of the Law is a double 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Well-being viz. of the Body and of tâ—e Soul all and every of the Precepts tends either to the one or to the other to demonstrate the truth whereof he reduceth the Precepts of their whole Law to 14 Classes and then renders the râ—asons of each one distinctly by which account of his we shall find that the designed end of the whole Law was to teach sound Doctrine a to establish Religion both the inward Grace b and the outward Exercise of it c and together herewith a great part of its design was to cohibit Idolatry d to extirpate Vice e to promote Vertue f especially Charity g and Justice both commutative h and distributive i. By the promotion of these things it taught and directed men towards the attainment of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Well-being both of Body and Soul whereunto it was ultimately designed and intended Now whâ—thâ—r or no Christ and his Apostles did not at least pretend by the same means to direct men to the obtainment of the same end I dare leave to any ingenuous Jâ—w to judge I am confidently perswaded that whoever doth impartially consider the nature of their Doctrine and the excellency of their Precepts will think it reasonable to conclude that the Gospel of Christ doth establish the Law of Moses as to the Scope and End of it but now mentioned For the foundations of that Law or the Articles of the Jewish Faith according to Abravanels recension of them are thirteen in number viz. the Existence and Unity the Spirituality Eternity and Omnisciâ—nce of God that He only is to be worshipped the Being of Prophecy and the Excellency of the Prophecy of Moses that his Law was from Heaven and was never to be extirpated Gods future Judgment the dayes of the Messias and the Resurrection of the Dead Now manifest it is that the Being and Attributes of God that He only is to be worshipped his fâ—ture Judgmâ—nt the dayes of the Messiah and the Resurrection of the Dead are more clearly revealed by the Gospel than they were by the Law yea the Being of Prophecy and the Precedence of Moses to all the other Prophets the descent of his Law from Heaven and its non-extirpation as to the End and Scope of it are at least as plainly asserted by Christ and his Apostles as ever they were by Moses or the succeeding Prophets the Jews therefore could not deny but that they taught sound Doctrine And then for the Religion that they have establishâ—d among us it apparently is as one saith An excellent endowment of mind continually flourishing from due Piety towards God with an ardent study of the Eternal Beauty and an imitation of it And this it is not only in the Inward Operations but also in the Outward Exercise of it for the Christian Worship of God tends to nothing so much as his Glory by making us like unto him It consists not in Mystical Oblations Sacrifices and Purifications but in Direct and strenuous Striving after that Holiness and Purity which perhaps was shadowed thereby that pure and Spiritual Devotion which was hardly discernable in the Carnal Ordinances of the Law is openly and clearly proposed unto us by the Institutions of the Gospel insomuch that among Christians there are hardly any so ignorant as not to know they ought to pursue it in all the parts of Divine Worship And together herewith it doth not only as the Law restrain men from Idolatry but it utterly destroyes it And what can be more effectual to extirpate Vice and promote Vertue than such a Religion And besides that the Gospel gives us the severest Precepts and strongest Motives that can be to avoid all Vice and Wickedness of Living and to follow Holiness in all manner of Conversation and above all things it asserts the highest necessity of Charity which will certainly uphold Justice and Equity and indeed the most elevated Vertue of all sorts Apparent therefore it is that the Gospel doth most highly establish the Law as to the general Intention of it viz. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Well-being both of the Souls and Bodies of men in their respective Societies What then though Christ and his Apostles were not so zealous for Obedience to the letter of the Law as to the End and Scope of it Were they therefore transgrâ—ssours of the Law No surely for they therein had the Example of the Prophets to warrant them in so being sor which of them was there that had not more regard to the Sense and Meaning than to the Letter of the Law of Mâ—sâ—s How severely did they reprehend the Moral Vices forbidden and constantly inculcate the Duties of Morality that lay hidden under it yea so contemptuously did they seem to speak of
this is that Appeal of Minutius Felix to other Heathens Most of you know that they themselves confess themselves Devils as oft as by the Torments of Adjuration or Flames of Devotion we cast them out of possession even Saturn Serapis and Jupiter himself and whatever other Devils ye worship being overcome with grief speak what they are neither lye they for the advantage of their Villany as they do to some especially of you that Patronize their Cause confessing the truth of themselves believe that they are Devils themselves being witnesses for being adjured by the true and only God they unwillingly either cling to the miserable bodies of the possessed or else they forthwith forsake them â—r else they vanish by degrees according to the Faith of the Patient or the Grace of the Physician About the same time Origen told Celsus that to that â—ry day Cures were wrought by the Name of Jesus And again afterwards he saith We can shew innumerable multitudes both of Greeks and Barbarians that confess the Faith of Jesus for the sake of which Faith some of them have received something miraculous the signs whereof they shew by Curing the Sick on whom they use no other means of Recovery but calling on the God of all and the Name of Jesus together with the History of him for by these means we our selves hâ—ve seen many rescued from grievous Evils Distractions and Madness and many other Diseases which neither Men nor Devils were able to cure And that the Christians of that Age wrought not these Cures by the Power of the Devil he farther yet makes evident by their Ejection of him wherever they found him the Power of Christ did so triumph over him as that almost the meanest Christians could dispossess him For More than a few of them were able to drive him away from them that suffered by him and that without any curious magical or poysonous thing but only by Prayer and pure Invocations such as a simple man may make For private Christians most frequently do it the Grace of Christ in his Word thereby discovering the contemptibleness and weaknâ—ss of the Devil 's that in order to their Ejection from the Soul and Body of a man there was no need so much as of a Wise man or one that was mighty in rational Demonstrations of the Faith To the same Purpose St. Cyprian wisheth that the Proconsul of Africa a great Persecutour of the Christians would hear and see the Devils whom he worshipt as Gods When saith he we adjure and vex them with spiritual Scourges and when by the torments of Words we cast them out of possessed Bodies when at the Word of Man by the Power of God as it were feeling Stripes and Scourges they cry out and groan and confess there is a Judgment to come Come and know that what we say is true And because thou sayest thou so worshipest the Gods either believe those whom thou dost worship or if thou wilt bâ—lieve thy self he that hath now besieged thy breast and blindâ—d thy mind with a night of Ignorance shall spâ—â—k iâ—â—hy hâ—â—ring concerning thy self thou shalt see that we are intreated by those of whom thou art afraid and adorest thou shalt see them sâ—and bound undâ—r our hands and tremble bâ—ing Captives whom thou dost honour and venâ—rate as Lords And after him Laâ—tantius testifyed that they fly from the Just and tremble because when they possess the Bodies of men and vex their Souls being by them adjured the Name of the true God chaseth them away For having heard it they tremble cry out and testifie that they are burnt and scourged and being asked who they are when when they came and how they entred into a man they confess being thus constrained and tortured by the vertue of Gods Name they are banished because of these lashes and threatnings they have alwayes hated holy and just men and because by themselves they cannot hurt them those whom they feel grievous to them they pursue with publick hatred and exercise Cruelty as violently as they can either that by grief they might diminish their Faith or if they cannot effect that that they might utterly take them from the Earth leâ—t they should survive to restrain their wickedness Now than this what is there more demonstrative that Christian Miracles were not wrought by the Power of Satan Since they bound and scourged him took him captive and thrâ—w him out of possession it is manifest the Power that did them was greater than his and contrary to it and can he give greater Power than he himself hath No surely Nor will he neither indeed can he change himself into an Angel of Light to destroy but only to uphold the Kingdom of darknâ—ss and if that be impossible much more so was it for him to have given Power to one that at the Invocation of his Name by others not only all Diseasâ—s should be healed but also he himself â—ormented and ejected This Power Arnobius observes that Jupiter Câ—pitolinus himself scarce granted to any Moral no not to his own chief Priâ—â—â— I wilâ— not demand saith he that he should râ—ise the Dead or restore light unto the Blind or give Strength and Beauty to the Lame and deformed but that either by the command of his Voice or touch of his Hand he should so much as supprâ—ss a Pimple a â—lâ—ft from the Nail or Wheal of the Skin And since so trivial a Power as this was not conferr'd by the chief of the Gods he might well as he doth with Confidence challenge the Gentiles to summon the most renowned Magicians from all Quarters to give to one of the people Power â—o make the Dumb to speak the Deaf to hear the born-blind to see to restore Sense and Motion to members long cold and withered Or if that be an hard matter such as they cannot give Power of doing unto others let them do it themselves and that with their Rites too whatever poysonous Herbs the Bosomes of the Earth do nourish whatever force there is in their rumbling of Words and the adjoyned Causality of Verses we envy it not let them gather it It liketh us to try and know whether they with their Gods can do that which Country Christians can by their naked commands And it seems by St. Austin that this Power of working Miracles continued in the Church though not so conspicuously a long time after for he testifies that even in his time viz. in the fourth Century Miracles were done in the name of Christ either by his Sacraments or by Prayers at the Monuments of his Saints And for Proof hereof he relates the stories of divers whereof he himself had been an Eye-witness Thus apparent it is and much more abundantly evident might it be made that the Disciples of Christ for several Ages after his Death wrought Miracles in his name and cast out Devils and surely these Miracles of theirs do conciliate Authority
as it doth dispose us to Actions of an higher Nature than those of Brutes especially those of Religion is the form of our humane Nature This is it that doth constitute us Men and most of all distinguish us from other Animals And well may the honour of this distinction be cast upon Religion rather than Reason not only because it sets us farther off from Brutes than that doth without it but also because it is as inseparable from our Nature as that is for no Creature that knoweth it self to be so can be reasonable without owning it self obliged to love reverence and worship its Creator Hence I suppose it is that the Principles and Foundations of Religion viz. the Being of a Deity and of a future state or judgment are so firmly laid in all mankind and in no Creature below it as that the utmost endeavours that can be used are insufficient wholly to race them out or utterly to suppress their Energy Whence else is it that somtimes when there is no apparent danger professed Atheists are subject to fears as well as other Men or whence else is it that it is almost as easy to find a Nation without Souls as without all Religion these things would be unaccountable if Religion were not Essential to our Nature as well as Reason If then so it be manifest it is that a Religion we must have for we cannot be happy because our Souls will not be satisfyed without it and forasmuch as we aime at some good as our End in all our Actions and those of Religion are conversant not about the little low things of the World but about God himself and the things that are his it is also manifest that we can therein regularly aim at nothing less than some Good or Perfection which this World cannot afford and God only can give and what can this be but the supreme Bliss and Happiness whereof our Nature is capable This then is it which we except to obtain by Religion and difficult it is for the mind of Man to pitch upon a Religion which his own Reason will think in all points sufficient for this End for this it cannot judge any Religion to be unless it shews us a likely way to Happiness and removes the Impediments or obstructions that therein are unto it The way that to our Reason seems likely to lead us to Happiness must of necessity lie thorow Holiness the Reason is because perfect Righteousness and Integrity in all our Actions was the way that was made and ordained in our Creation and our Souls retain so much of their Primitive constitution as that though by our fall we are so bruised and maimed as that we cannot walk in it yet our Reason cannot fully assent to any way that leads not to it there is a kind of Reluctance in Reason against it our own Natural Conscience cannot be fully persuaded that Happiness can be attained without Holiness it is true indeed Men that live in Notorious Wickedness by the wind of Phanaticism may be blown up into an Opinion of their own Saintship and confidence of their Salvation but if the power of imagination did not suppress their Reason and put it to silence their own Conscience would soon tell them that they cannot advance towards Heaven by their verbal Religion while they go towards Hell by Wickedness of living the way therefore that seems likely unto Reason to carry us unto Happiness must guide us unto and keep us in the paths of Holiness yet withall if it deals impartially it will tell us that we cannot therein so walk as by walking to attain to that end of our journey because as we are thereby convinced we shall stumble into Sin and by so doing shall fall short of Eternal Glory for Eternal life as we have already said is so far from being a Reward that in Justice is due to our works as that we cannot Reasonably expect that God on whose very Being as well as Honour we have made most odious attempts by our Sins should ever be pleased without Atonement and Satisfaction either to give or again to profer it unto us And indeed should our own self-love flatter us into a firm perswasion that God is willing we should be saved yet if there be no way made for our Salvation but what was at first ordained in our Creation our Reason would teach us that we should be never the nigher for our Souls being fettered to That that is fading and inslaved to divers Lusts cannot possibly inable us therein to walk to Eternal Happiness but of necessity we should relapse into our former state of Nature since the Fall of our first Parents By this discourse then it appears that That Religion which we rationally make choice of to bring us to the supream End of our Being and Actions viz. Eternal Life and Glory must of necessity do these three things for us viz. First it must shew us a sufficient Atonement or Satisfaction made for our sins past present and to come Secondly it must lead us unto Vertue and all Holiness of living Thirdly it must dispose us so to follow it as that with God we may find acceptance Where then shall we find a Religion that upon a just and impartial examination may in reason be judged sufficient for these things Shall we seek it among the Gentiles Alas their Wisdome is but foolishness their knowledge of God but Ignorance their way of worship and exercise of Religion Profaneness their vertue unholiness and their strength Weakness in respect of that that is requisite for us And as for the atonements and Satisfactions they make to God for their offences who so weak sighted as not to see the shortness and vanity of their Sacrifices and Lustrations they exceed not the power of corrupted and enfeebled Nature which by these means strives to cast off the burdens of guilt that it groans under They are therefore at best but implorations of Mercy and so no Satisfactions to injured Justice in them therefore men can reasonably put no confidence Much more unlikely is it that our anxious Souls â—hould find rest among the Turks for their Alcoran which with profound revâ—rence they receive as the Rule of their Faiâ—h Hope and Practice is indeed and in truth but a Rhapsodie of non-sense and gibbrish filth and wickedness much more apt though blended with some sense and wholsome instruction to retain men in than to help them out of their Spiritual wants and Nâ—cessities And truly if we go to the Jews themselves we shall find that though thâ—ir Law by Gods appointment had a shadow of good things to come and their Prophets spake by inspiration of them yet the shadow was so dark and the Prophets prenotions of them so obscure as that men had need to be very sharp sighted and to lay their eyes very close to see through them But in the Redemption we have by Christ we may behold with open face as in a glass