Ufe {a) Man by hii Cunning and Subtilty, Sec] EkripUts i#l Man has but little Strength, Tet cattt by ^various Arts^ ^atne the nviUeJ} Cfeaiures In Sea, or Earth, or Mr.
And Antiphon: They us in Strength, *we them in Art, exceed.
Which affords us no bad Explication of G<f«<?/?j I. 26. and P/almYlll. 8 ^ He that defires a larger Difcourfe of this Matter, may look into Oppianus, in the Beginning of his "Vth Book of Fiftiing, and Ba-JiN Xth Homily, on the Six Days Creation. Origen in his IVth Book againft Celfus^ has thefe Words. •* And hence ** yoa may learn, for how ** great a Help our Undcr- ** Handing was given us, and " how far it exceeds all the '* Weapons of wild Beads; for " our Bodies are much weaker ** than thofepf other Creatures, *• and vaftly lefs than fome of ** them; yet by our Under- ** ftanding, we bring wild " Beads under our Power, *' and hunt huge Elephants: ** and thofe whofe Nature is " fuch, that they may be ta- " med, we make fubjeft to us j *' and thofe thatare of a diffe- " rent Nature, or the Taming ** of which, feems to be of no " Ufe to us, we manage thefe '* wild Beads with fuch Safety, *• that as we will, we keep *' them (hut up, or, if we want " their Fledi for Meat, we kill *' them, as we do other Crea- " tures that are not wild. *' Whence it appeafs, that the ** Creator made all livingCrea- " tures fubjea to Him, who is " endued with Reafon, and a ** Nature capable of under- " danding him." Claudius Neapolitanus, in Porphyry's Id Book, againd eating living Creatures, fpeaksthusconcerno ing Man. '* He is Lord over *• all Creatures void of Reafon, *' as God is over Man/* 1 88 Of the Truth of Book IV, Ule may be made of them all, which themfelves are ignorant of, that by viewing the Strudture and Situation of the Parts of their Bodies, and comr paring together their feveral Species and Kinds, he learns his own Excellency, and how much morq perfed and noble the frame of human Body is, than others; which, if rightly confidered, is fo far from inclining him to worlliip other Creatures, that he (hould rather think himfelf appointed their God in a manner, under the Supreme God.
Sect. VIL Againft the Worjhip given to thofe „;. ^ _Things which have no real Exijience.
We' read, that the Greeks and Latins^ and others likewife, worfhipped Things, which had no real Exiftence, but were only the Accidents of other Things. For, not to mention thofe outragious Things, {a) Fever, Impudence, and fuch like \ Health is nothing elfe, but a juft Temperature of the Parts of the Body -, and good Fortune, a Correfpondence of Events with the Wilhes of Men; And the AfFe6tions, fuch as Love, Fear, Anger, Hope, and the like, arifing from the Confideration of the Goodnefs or Badnefs, the Eafinefs or Difficulty of a Thing; are certain Motions, in that Part of the Mind, which is mod clofely connefted with the Body, by Means of the Blood •, and they have no Power of their own, but are fubjedl to the Command of the Will, which is Miftrefs of them, at leaft as far as refpeds their Continuance and Direction. So likewife the Virtues, which have diifercnt Names. Prudence, which confifts in the Choice of what is advantageous j Fortitude, in undergoing; [a) Fever, hnpudmce, ^ijuch like, &c ] See f«//j''s I1I4 Book of the La-AS.
Se(St.-7^^ the Chrifiian Religion. 1*89 dergoing Dangers -, Juftice, in abftaining from what is not our own; Temperance, in moderating Pleafure, and the like: There is alfo a certain Difpofi' tion or Inclination towards that which is right, which grows upon the Mind by long Exerciie; which, as it may be increafed, fo it may be diminifhed by Negled, nay, it may entirely be deftroyed in a Man. {a) And Honour, to which we read of Temples being dedicated, is only the Judgment of one concerning another, as endued with Virtue; which ofttn happens to the Bad, and not to the Good, thro' the natural Aptnefs of Mankind to miftake. {b) Since therefore thefe Things have no real Exiftence, and cannot be compared in Excellence, with thofe that have [a) And Honour^ to ivhich <ive read, &c ] Tully in the forertientioned Place; andZ/T/y, Book XXVII.
(Jf) Since there/ore thefeThings have no real Exifience^ &c.] Perhaps fome may explain this Worfhip of the Heathens in this Manner; as to lay, that it was not fo much the Things, which were commonly fignified by thofe Words, that they worfhipped; as acertainDivIne Power, from which they flowed, or certain Ideas in the Divine Undetllanding. Thus they might be faid to worfliip a Fever y not the Difeafe itfelf, which is feated in the Human Body; but that Pow er, which is in God, of fending or abating a Fever; to worfhip Impudence, not that Vice which is feated in the Minds of Men; but the Will of God, which fometimes allows Men's Impudence to go on, which he can retrain and punifh: And the fame may be faid of the reft, as Love, Fear, Anger, Hope, which are PaJJions, which God can either excite or reftrain: or oi Virtues^ which are perfeCi in the Divine Nature, and of which we fee only fome faint Reiemblances in Men, arifmg from the Ideas of thofe Virtues which are molt compleat in God. And of Honour^ which does not confift fo much in the Efteem of Men, as in the Will of God, who would have V'ir« tue honourable amongil Men. But the Heathens thenilclves never interpreted this Matter thus, and it is abfurd to worfliip the Attributes and Ideas of God, as realPerfons, uttder obfcure Names, fuch as may deceive the common People. It is much more fjncere and honeit, to vvorlhip the Deity himfelf without any Perplexities. Le Chic, ipo Of the Truth of Book IV.
have a real Exiftence; nor have any Knowledge of our Prayers or Veneration of them, it is moft disagreeable to right Reafon, to worihip thenn as God 5 and He is rather to be worihipped upon their Account, who can give us them, and preferve them for us.
Sect, VIII. An Anfwer i^ the OhjeEiion of the Heathen^ taken from the Miracles done antongfi them.
The Heathens ufed to recommend their Religion by Miracles; but they were fuch as were liable to many Exceptions. For the wifefl Men amongft the Heathens themfelves, rejedled many of them, {a) as not Supported by the Teftimony of fufficient WitneiTes, (b) but plainly counterfeit: And thofe that feem to have been done, came to pafs in fome fecret Place, in the Night, before one or two Perfons, whofe Eyes might eafily be deceived with a falfe Appearance of Things, by the Cunning of the Priefts. There were fome, which only caufed the People, who did not underftand the Nature of Things, efpecially their occult Qualities [a) As not fupported by the &c.] It were much better to Tejiirnony, &€.] to Linjy, in acquiefce in this Anfwer, than the Beginning. " I do not to allow of their Miracles, or •' defign either to affirm or de- that fuch Things were done, •* ny thofe Things related be- as Men could not commonly •* fore, or upon the Building diftinguifh from Miracles; fuch " of the City; as fitter for as Oracles, Wonders, curing ** Poetick Fables, than the fm- of Difeafe?, which if they were ** cere Memorials of Affairs done, could fcarce be diftin- " that were tranfadled; Thus guiflied from true Miracles, at ** much muft be allowed An- ieall by the Comnon People.
*' tiquity, that by mixing Hu- See what i have faid upon this ** man Things with Divine, Matter in the Prolegoynena to •* the Original of Cities was my Ecclefiajiical HiJJory. Se£t.
•* rendred the more venerable.'" II. c. i. Le Clcrc, ^b) But plainly counterfeity Sedl. 8. the Chrijlian Religion. 'I91 ties to wonder at them; much in the fame Manner, as if any one lliould draw Iron with a Loadftone, before People, who knew nothing of it-, and it is related by many, (a) that thefe were the Arts in which Simon and Jpollonius Tyan^us were fo dvilfu}. I do not deny, but that fome greater than thefe were feen, which could not be the Effedl of natural Caufes, by human Power alone; but they were fuch as did not require a Power truly Divine, that is. Omnipotent; for thefe Spirits, who were inferior to God, and fuperior to Man, were fujEcient for thefe Things; becaufe by their Swiftnefs, Strength and Cunning, they could eafily remove diftant Things, and fo. to compound different Sorts of Things, as to produce Effe61:s, which lliould be very furprizing to Men. But the Spirits by whom this was effeded, were not good, and confequently neither was their Religion good; as is evident from what was faid before, and from this Confideration alfo, becaufe they faid that they were compelled {h) by certain Inchant- [a) That thefe ivere the Arts, ** afcribe the Caufes of them ti.z.'\ Tatian. *' There are '* to themfelves."
* ' certain Difeafes and Contra- {b) By certain Inchantments, '• rietiesof the Matter of v/hich &c.] Thus the Oracle oiHe- •* we are compounded; when cate in Porphyry, '" tjiefc^i^^ppen, the Damons '' T come^ Innjoked by ivell confulted Prayers, " ,, $uf^ as the Gods have to Mankind reveal' d.
lAnd' again, Why have you calVd the Goddefs Hecate Prom Heaven; and fore" d her by a Charm Divine; And ihsit df Jpo/lo in the fame Writer, Hear me, for I am forced to fpeak againfi my Will.
Thefe are the Rites of their not what Powers, as Arnohiue fecret Arts, by which they expreffes it, as if they compeladdrefs. themfelves to I know led them by Charms to be their Servants; ig2 Of the Truth of Book IV.
Inchantments againft their Will: And yet the wifeft Heathens agreed, that there could not poflibly be any fuch Force in Words; but that they could only periuade, and this according to the Manner of their Interpretation. And a further Sign of their Wickednefs is, that they would undertake many times {a) to entice fome to the Love of others, notwithftanding their own Endeavours againft it, either by falfe Promifes, or by doing them fome Hurt; {b) which Things were forbidden by human Laws, as Witchcraft. Neither ought any one to wonder, that the Supreme God fhould fufFer fome Miracles to be done by evil Spirits; becaufe they who were already fallen from the Worfhip of the true God, (c) deferved to be deluded by fuch Deceits. But this is an Argument of their Weaknefs, that their Works were not attended with any remarkable Good; for if any feemed to be called to Life again, they did not continue long in it, nor e>itcrcife the Functions of living Perfons. If at any time Servants; fo C/^;;»^w explains Chap. 17. of hrs Prgparat. and it. There is a Form of their Augupn, Book X. Ch. 1 1. of Threats in Jamhlichus, Book his City of God And the IV. Chap. 5,6, 7. of his E- fame Prophyry againft eating gyptian Myileries. I'he fame living Creatures, Book. II and we meet with in Luc an, Book Origen againft Celfusy Book IX, in the Words of Pompey VII.
the Lefs, and in Eufebius, out {b) Which things nuere forofPor/)/?')'ry, BookV. Chap. 10. hidden by human Laivs, &c ] of his Goipel Preparat. Other L. Ejufdem.,Se61. JdjeSlio D.
Forms of Threatnings. you ad Legem Corneliam de Sicariis have in Lucan, where he fpeaks b"' Venejicis. L. Jt quisfe^ qui o^ Erichthon; and in Papinius abortionis. D.depcenis. Paulus about Tirefias. Sententiaruniy lib. V. Tit.
{a\ To entice fame to the Love XXIII. of others, &c.] See the Phar- (r) Defewed to be deluded hy viaceutria ofTheocntuszwd Vir^ fuch Deceits, &c.] Deut. XIII.
gil, and the Confeflion of Por- 3. 2 1'hef, II. 9, lO. Ephef phyry in Euftbiusy Book V. II. 2, 3.
time, any thing proceeding from a Divine Power, appeared in the Sight of the Heathen -, yet it was not foretold, that it would come to pafs, in order to prove the truth of their Religion •, fo that nothing hinders but the Divine Power, might propofe to itfelffome other End, widely different from this. For inftance; fuppofe it true, that a blind Man was reftored to his Sight by Vefpafian •, it might be done, {a) to render him more venerable upon this Account; and that he might thereby the more eafily obtain the Roman Empire; and was therefore chofen by God, to be the Executioner of his Judgments upon thejews •, and other like Reafons there might be, for other Wonders, (^) which had no Relation at all to Religion.
Sect. IX. And from Oracles, And almoil all the fame things may be appUed, to folve that which they allege concerning Oracles -, efpecially what was before faid, that fuch Men deferved to be impofed upon, who defpifed that (^7) To render him more 've- *' viz. ina new and unthought tieralf/e, &€.] Tacitus^ Hift. *' of Prince; to which this W. *• Many Miracles were " was added.*' See the fame ** done, whereby the Favour -S'«^/(7/2m a little before, Chap.
*' of Heaven, and the good 5. Jofephus fiys of the fame ** Difpofition of the Gods to- VefpaJiav,?tQok III. Chap 27.
** w^xdsFefpnJian, appeared." of the Wars of the Jewus; He had faid before in Hift. I. *' That God raifed him up to ** We believe that after pre- " the Government, and fore- •' vious good Luck, the Em- *' told him of the Scepter by *• pire was decreed loVeffaftan *' other Signs.'* *' and his Children, by the [b) Which had ro Relaticft, "■ iccret Law of Fate, and by Sec } Bat fee the Examinatioa •* Wonders and Oracles.'* Sue- of Miracles, feigned to be done fo-^ius ufhers in his Relation of in favour of Vefpajian and Arhe fame Miracles thus, Ch. 7. dyiany in my Ecclefiaftical *' There was a certain Autho- Hijiory Century II. 138th Year.
*■ riry and Majefty wanting, le Clerc.
O 1 94 Of the Truth of Book IV.
that Knowledge, which Reafon and ancient Tradition fuggefted to every Man. Moreover, the Words of the Oracles, {a) were for the moft part ambiguous, and fuch as might be interpreted of the Event, be it what it would. And if any thing was more particularly foretold by them, there is no Necefiity of its proceeding from an Omnifcient Being; becaufe either they were fuch as might be perceived beforehand, from natural Caufes then appearing, {b) as fome Phyficians foretel future Difeafes; or they might with Probability be conjedlured, from what we ufually fee come to pafs; which we read was often done (c) by thofe who were were [a) Were for the viojl part amhiauousy Sec.'] See the Flaceo of Ocnomaus, concerning this Subjedi, in Eufebius Book IV. 26. Hence Apollo was by the Greeks called Ae^.Ut.', Amhigu- 115. CicerOy in his fecond Book of Divination, fays, the Oracles of Apollo were ambignous and obfcure. Which focver cfthejn came to pafs ^ (fays he) the Oracle ivas true. (Perhaps many of the Oracles were counterfeited after' the Event: And there are many Reafons to fufped, that abundance of Frauds were iiied by Diviners; concerning which, D. de Fontenelle has wrote an excellent Book in French y which I refer you to, and what is fiid in Defence of It, Vol. Xlii of the Choice Library; and w hat Antony Van Dale iias wro'-e of this M'ltter above all oihcis, in his Book of Oracles.)
{b) Aifotne V'hxfi.iam forttd future Difeafes^ko.'] Chalcidius on Tim^us. " Men are fore- *' warned, either by the flying ** of Birds, or by Entrails, or *• by Oracles, fome propitious *' Demons foretelling, who ^^ knew all things that will " afterwards come to pafs: "juftas a Phyfician, accord- " ing to the Rules of Phyfick» " declares either Death or ** Health, and as Anaximander " and Pherecydes did an Earth- " quake." Pliny, Book II. Chap. 79.
[c) By thofe nvho rverefhilful in ci-vil Matters, &c ] See the Writers of the Life o'i Atticus. '• AplainEvidenceofthis thing, *' befides thofe Books wherein ** he [Cicero) mentions it ex- *' prefsly, (which are publifhed ** among the common People.) *' are fixteen Volumes of Ep- '* pi files fent to Aiticus^ fro:n " his Confuhlijp to the End of "his Days; which whoever " reads, will Hot think that *'he Sed. 9. the Chrijlian Religion, 195 were il^ilful in civil Matters. And if at any time, God made ufe of any of tliofe Works, done by the Diviners among the Heathen, to foretel fuch things, as could have no other real Foundation but the Will of God; it did not tend to confirm the Heathen Religion, but rather to overthrow it; fuch as thofe things we find {a) in Virgil\ fourth Eclogue, taken out of the Sibylline Verfes \ (b) in which.
which.
•^ he wants a complcat and *• regular Hiftory of thofe *' Times; there is fuch a full *' Defcription of the Inclina- *' tions of Princes, of the Vices ** of great Men, and of the ** Alterations in the Repub- *' lick, that there is nothing *' which is not laid open; fo *' that one would eafily be ** led to think Prudence to be '* a kind of Divination. For ** Cicero, did not only foretel " future things, that would ** happen in his own Life- *' time; but like a Diviner, de- *' clared tliofe alfo that came ** to pafs lately." Cicero affirms truly of himfelf, in his fixth Epiftle of his fixteenth Book. •' In that War, nothing hap- «' pened ill, which I did not *• foretel. Wherefore, fince I *' who am a publick Augur, ** like other Augurs and Aitro- " logers, by my former Pre- *• didlions, have coniirmed you " in the Authority of Augury *' and Divination j you ought *• to believe what I foretel. I *• do not make my Conjefture, *' from the flying of Birds, ** nor from the manner of " their Chirping, as our Art ** teaches us, no^ from the re- ** bounding of the Corn that ** falls from the Chickens *' Mouths, nor from Dreams; " but I have other Signs, '* which I obferve." Thus 5o/o« foretold, that great Calamities would come upon Athens, from Munichia. And Thales, that the Forum of the Milefii would one time be in a Place then defpifed. Plutarch in Solon.
[a] In VirgxY s fourth Ecloguet &c.] See Augupne\ City of God, Book X. Chap. 27.
[h] In nxihich, tho'' iinknoivn, &C.J It is now fulliciently evident, that all the Prophecies of the Sihylsy are either doubtful or forged; wherefore I would not have Virgil, an Interpreter of the Sibyl, be thought to have declared a kind of Prophecy, without any Delign; \iktCaiaphas, who was ignorant of what he prophefied; I know not what Sibyl, or rather Perfon, under the Difguife of fuch a one, predifted, that the Golden Age wasa coming; from theOpinion of thofe, who thought that there would be a Renovation of all things, and that the fame things would come to pafs again, bee what O 2 Grottus 196 Of the Truth of Book I?, which, though unknown to himfelf, he defcribes the Coming of Chrift, and the Benefits we fhould receive from him. Thus in the fame Sibyls^ that {a) he was to be acknowledged as King, who was to be truly our King; {b) wiio was to rife out of the Eafl, and be Lord of all things, (r) The Oracle Grotius has faid of this Matter, Book II. SeSi. 10. and the Notes upon that Place Where fore in this, the Sihy/wsLs not a Prophetefs, nor did Firgi/wr'ne thence any Prophecies ofChiifl; fee Ser'vz/'S upon the Place, and I/aac VoJJiiis\ Interpretation of that Eclogue. Le Clerc.
{a) He ^Jjas to le acknoivlcdged as King, &:c ] Cicero mentions him, in his lid Book of Divination.
[b) Who ni^a.t to rife out of the Eafiy &c ] Suttonius of Vefpafian, Chap. 4. Tacitus, Hilt. 4.
{c) The Oracle of Apollo, &c.] See A.gufiine of the City of God, Book XX. Chap. 23. and Eufebius's Preparat. Book IV. Chap. 4. And the fame Porphyry, in his Book of Oracles fays. The Go// (A polio) tefiifies that the Egyptians, Chaldaeans, Phoenicians. Lydlans tf;7(/ Hebrews, are they ivho ha've found out the Truth. He that wrote the Exhortation t® the Greeks, amongft the Works of Jnfin, quotes this Orac'.eo The Hebrews only and Chaldees are <v:ifef Who truly 'ujcrf^ib God the eternal King.
And this.
Who the firjl Mortal frrmdy and call' d him x^dam.
There are two Oracks of Cs/o's tion tranfcribed cut o{ Porconcerning Jefns, which Eufe- fhyry. hius in hi.5 Golpel Demonltra- Souls of their Bodies flript, immortal are. This <vjife Men kfiono j and that nuhich is endued With greatcfi Piety, excels the rcfi, *Ihe Souls oj pious Men to Heanjen afcend. Though ^various Torments do their Bodies njex.
'Die fame are mentioned by Augujline, Book XXIX. Chap. 23. of his City of God, out of the fjmie Porphyry -y where he bringi another Oiacle, in which Jpollo faid, that the Father whom the pious Hebre^vos worfhipped, was a Law 10 ail the Godin.
Seft. 9. the Chrijlian Religion. 197 cle diAfollo^ is to be feen {a) in Porphyry \ in which he fays, the other Gods were Aerial Spirits, and that the one God of the Hebrews was to be worfhipped: Which Words, if the Worfhippers of Apollo obeyed, they ceafed to be his Worfhippers; if they did not obey him, they accafed their God of a Lye. To which may be added, that if thefc Spirits would, in their Oracles, have confulted the Good of Mankind; they would above all things, have propofed to them a general Rule of Life, and aiTured them of a Reward, which they who fo lived might exped: But they did neither of them. On the contrary, {b) they many times, in their Verfes, applauded Kings, though never fo wicked 9 (c) decreed Divine Honours to Champions, {d) enticed Men to unlawful Embraces, {e) to purfue unj'uft Gain, C/) and to commit Murder j which may be evidenced by many Inftances.
{a) In Porphyry, &c.] This is juftly enough faid upon Porphyry^ and thofe who are of the fame Opinion with him, concerning thofe Oracles; and may be brought as as Argument adhominem, as Logicians call it; but fmce it does not appear, that thefe Oracles were not feigned; nay there are very good Reafons to think they were fidlitious, they ought to be of no Weight amongft Chriflians. Le Clerc.
ij)) They many times in their Verfes^ &c.] See thofe alleged hyOenomaus, in Eujebius'% Gofpel Preparat. Book V. Chap.
(c) Decreed di<vine Honours to Champions^ &c.J See the fame Author, Chap. 32. of Cleomedes j which we find alfo in Origens 1 1 Id Book againft Celfus.
(d) Enticed Men to unlaivful Embraces^SiC. ] This was (hovvn before.
(e) To furfue unjuji Gain^ &c ] See Eufebius\ Gofpel Preparat. Book V. Chap.
(f) And to commit Murder, &c.] Oenomaus recites Oracles of this kind, which you may find in the forementioned Book of Eufebiiiiy Chap. 19. and 27, © SiCT, f 98 Of the Truth of Book IV.
Sect. X. The Heathen Religion rejeSfed^ hecaufeit failed of its own Accord, as foon as human Affifiance zvas wanting.
Besides thofe things already alleged, the Heathen Religion affords us a very ftrong Argunient againft itlelf, in that wherefoever human Force was wanting, it immediately fell, as if its only Support were then taken away. For if you turn your Eyes towards all the Chriftian or Mahometan Empires, you will find Heathenifm no where mentioned but in Books: Nay, Hiftory informs us, that in thofe times, when the Emperors made ufe of Force and Punifhment, as the firft Emperors did; or of Learning and Cunning, as 7^//^;^ did, to fupport the Heathen Religion; even then, it continually decreafed; no Force being made ufe of againft it, no Greatnefs of Family, (for it was commonly believed that Jefus was the Son of a Carpenter,) no Flourifh of Words, no Bribes, (for they were poor;) no Flattery, for they on the contrary defpifed all Advantages, and faid there was no Adverfity but they ought to undergo, upon Account of their Law. And now, how weak muflr the Heathen Religion be, to be overthrown by fuch weak Helps? Nor did the vain Creduhty of the Heathens, only vanifb. at this Doctrine, (a) but Spirits themfelves came out of Men, at the Name ot Chrift •, were filenced; and being afked the Reafon of their Silence, (Z*) were forced to own, that they could do nothing when Chrift was invoked, (^) Buf Spirits themfek'es Jpollo in Daphne. 7his Place, catne 07it cf Men,Scc.'] JclsN, Daphne, is filled njjith dead [b) Were forced to oucny Szc ] cles. Baby las and other Chri- T^r/«///'rt«, in his Apology See Itian Marcyrs died there. See alio Lucamg2imi\ falfcDiviners. Chryjofiom againft the Gentiles.
Sect.
Scdt. II. the Clmjlian RcUglon.
Sect. XL An Anfiver to thls^ that the Rife and Decay of Religion, is owing to the Stc/rs, There were fomc Philofophers, who afcribed, the Rife and Decay of all Religion, to the Stars. But this ftarry Science, which they profefs to know and underfland, is delivered in fuch different Rules, {a) that there is nothing certain to be found in it; but this one thing, that there is no Certainty in it, I do not fpeak of thofe Effedts, which naturally follow from neceffary Caufes; {h) but of fuch as proceed from the Will of Man, which is in its own Nature fo far free, as that no external Neceffity, can be laid upon it: For if the A6b of Willing, flowed from fuch a neceflary ImprefTion, {c) that Power which we experience in the Soul, of deliberating and chufing, would be given us to no Purpofe; {d) and the Juftice of all Laws, and of; Rewards and Punifhments, would be entirely taken away; becaufe there is neither Blame nor Defert due to that that {a) That there is nothing certain to be found in it^ &c.} See the excellent Differtation of Barde fanes the Syrian^ con« terning this Matter; which you may find in the Philocalia colledled from Origen, and in Eufehius'% Preparat. Book VI. Chap. lo.
(b) But of fuch as proceed from the Will of Man, &c ] See Alexander Jphrodifaus'^s Book, concerning this Matter, (c) That Poiver nvhich <ive experience, &c.] See Eufebius\ Gofpel Preparat. Book VI. Chap. 6 (d) And the Juftice of all hawos, &c.] See Jufiins Apology II. *\ If Mankind *be " not endued with a Power ** of chafing freely; to avoid " that which is bad, and to ** comply with that which 13 *' good; the Caufe of either "of them cannot be faid to " be from himfelf '' See alfo what follows. And thus Tw tian; " the Freedom of the *' Will, confifts in this; that a ** wicked Man isjuftly punifh- ** ed, becaufe his Wickednefs *' is from himfelf; and a good ** Man is rewarded, becaufe *' he has not voluntarily tranf- "greiled the Will of God." To this may be added Chaletdius's Difputation concerning this Matter, in Timceus, P4 200 Of the Truth of Book IV.
that which is plainly unavoidable. Further, fince fome Adlions of the Will are evil: If they are caufed by a certain NecefTity of the Heavens, and becaufe God has given fuch a Power to the Heavens and the heavenly Bodies j it will follow, that God, who is perfectly good, {a) is the true Caufe of moral Evil; and at the fame Time that he profefles his utter Abhorrence of Wickednefs in his pofitive Law, He has planted the efficient and inevitable Caufe of it, in the Nature of Things -, therefore he wills two Things contrary to each other, viz, that the fame thing Ihould be, and not be; and that that fhould be a Sin, which is done by a Divine Impulfe, (h) It is faid by others, with a greater Shew of Probability; that firft the Air, and afterwards our Bodies, are afFedled by the Influence of the Stars, and fo imbibe certain Qualities, which for the moft Part, excite in the Soul Defires anfwerable to them •, that by thefe, the Will is enticed, and oftentimes yields to them. But, if this be granted, it makes nothing to the Qiieflion in hand. For the Religion of Chrift, could not pofTibly have its Rife from the AiTedions of the Body, nor confequently from the Power of the Stars; which, as was faid, a£t upon the Mind no otherwife than by fuch Affections •, becaufe this Religion, in the higheft Degree, draws Men off from thofe Things that delisht [aS Ji the true Caufe ofMo- greaterShe^ix^ofProhability^SiQ J rcl Evil, Sic.'] /^/^/o fpeaks But they Tpeak moll truly, who Sgainll this, in his lid Rcpub- deny any fuch Irfl,;encesatalJ; lick, T he Caufe ii from him that and acknowledge nothing elfe (hoofes, God is ngt the Cauje, in the Stars but Heat and Thus CJyaUidiui tranllates it in Light; to which we may add, Ttm^u!, which Juftin, in the their Weight resulting from forementioned Place, fays, a- their Bignefs; but thefe have, grces uith Mofes. properly fpeaking, no relaiion [b] It is faid by others 'ivi{h a to ihe Mind. Le C/erc, Seft. II, 12. the Chrifti an Religion. zoi delight the Body. The wifeft Aflrologers do (a) except truly knowing and good Men from the Law of the Stars; and fuch were they, who firft propofed the Chriftian Religion, as their Lives plainly fhow. And, if We allow a Power ia Learning and Knowledge, to hinder their Bodies from being thus infedted; there always were amongftChriftians fome, who might be commended upon this Account. Further, the EfFefts of the Stars, as the moft Learned confefs, refpedl only particular Parts of the World, and are temporary: But this Religion has continued already, for above fixteen hundred Years, not only in one, but in very diftant Parts of the World, and fuch as are under very different Pofitions of the Stars.
Sect. XII. 7'be principal 'Thifigs of the Chrifiian flehgion^ were approved of hy the wifeft Heathens: And if there he any Thing in it hard to be believed^ the like is to be found amongft the Heathen.
T H E R E is the Icfs Reafon for the Heathens to oppofe the Chriftian Religion; becaufe all the Parts gl: it are fo agreeable to the Rules of Virtue, that by their own Light they do in a Manner convince the Mind; infomuch that there have not been wanting fome amongft the Heathen, who have faid thofe Things fingly, which in our Rehgion, are all put together. For inftance (b) that Religion does not [a] Except truly knonvin^ and may ein)oid many Influences of ^ood Men, &c.] Thus Zoro- theRtars.
ailer. Do not increaje your Fate. {b)1 hat Religion does not con- With a clean Mind do Sacrifice to God, Not fo much neat in Cloaths. as pure in Heart.
a icero Cicero in his lid Book of the Nature of the Gods " The " beft Wor(hip of the Gods, •* v/hich is alio the moft inno- *' cent, the moll holy, and ** the moft full of Piety; is to •* reverence them always with ** a pure, fincere, uncorrupted •nth of Bock IV.
«' Mind and Expreffion.** And again in his lid Book of Laws. " The Law commands "us to approach the Gods " fmcerely; that is, with our ** Minds, which is all in alL*' Perjius, Sat. II.
^his let us offer to the Gods ('vjhtch hlear* i M<^ ffdla s Offspring canU^ ivith all their Coft.) Jujiiie and Right in all our fecret Thoughts^ An undiffemhled Virtue from the Breaji. Bring thefe, and ^o at you pleafe then facrijice.
Thefe Verfes feem to have rcfpeft to the Pythian Oracle, which we find in Porphyry^ lid Book againfl eating living Creatures; where any Fhing offered by a pious Man. is preferred to Hecatombs of another. In the fame Book Porfkyry has thefe Words to the like Purpofe. ** Now they e-•• fteem liim not fit to offer *• Sacrifice worthily, whofe ** Body is nor cloathed with a *' white and clean Garment; but they do not think it any great Matter, if fome go to Sacrifice, having their Bodies clean, and alfo their Garments, though their Minds be not void of Evil: As if God were not moft delighted v/ith the Purity of that which in us is moft Divine, and bears the neareft Refemblance to hin. For it is written in the Temple of Epidaurtis, Let all ivha come to offer at this Shrine Be Pure ', Jo mae coimnand.
•* Kow Purity confifts in Holy •* Thoughts." And a little after. *" No material Things •* ought to be offered or dedi- ** cated to God, who, as the " Wife Man faid, is above *' all; for every Thing mate- *•* rial, is impure to him who •* is immaterial; wherefore ** Words are not proper to ex- ** prefs ourfelves by to him, not *' even internal ones, if pol- *' luted by the PafTions of the "Mind:" And again: "For *' it ib not reafonable, that in ** thofe Temples which are *' dedicated to the Gods by *' Men, they fhould wear clean ** Shoes without any Spots; " and in the Temple of the *' Father, that is, in this World, '■^ not keep their inner Cloaths *• (which is the Body) neat, " and converfe with Purity in *' the Temple of their Father." Neither can I omit what follows out of the fame Book, *' Whoever is perfuaded, that *' the Gods have no need of *' thefe (Sacrifices) but look ** only Sed. 12. the Chrtjiian Religion. 203 not cohfift in Ceremonies, but is in the Mind; {a) that he who has it in his Heart to commit Adultery, is an Adulterer \ (J?) that we ought not to return an Injury • ** only to the Manners of thole " who approach them, efteem- *' ing right Notions of them •* and of Things; the beilSa- " crifices; how can fuch an ** one be otherwife than Sober, " Godly, and Righteous?" Where we find thefe three known Words of Paul, Tit. ir. 2. Sober ly'y Right eouJJy, and Godly. CharondaSj in his Preface to the Laws: *' Let *' your Mind be void of all ** Evil i for the Gods delight " not in the Sacrifices and Ex- *' pences of wicked Men, but " in the juft and virtuous Ac- *' tions of good Men. Seneca ^'- quoted by LaSiantius in his " Inftltations, Book XI. ch. ** 24. Would you conceive " God to be Great, Propitious, *' and tobe reverenced, as meek " in Majefty, as a Friend, and " always at hand? You muft: ** not worfhip him with Sa- " crifices, and abundance of ** blood, but with a pure *' mind, and an upright In- ** tention." To the fame fenfe is that of Dion Frufaenfis, Orat. 3. Thucjdides, Book L There is no other Fejii'val, but a Mafi's doing his Duty. Diogenes: Does not a good Man think e'very Day a Feftival?
{a) That he who has it in his Heart, &c.] Thus Onjid^ lie ivho forbears, only hecaufe forbid.
Does fin J his Bodys free, his Mind is flain'^d \ Here he alone, hid he an Adulterer,