was reckoned amongft the Wicked; and ivhen he bore the Punijhment of other Me^ns Crhnes^ he made him f elf a Petitioner for the Guilty. Which of the Kings or Prophets can be named, to whonix thefe Things will agree? Certainly none of them And as to what the modern Jews conceit, that the Hebrew People themfelves are here fpoken of, who being difperfed into all Nations, Ihould by their Example and Difcourfe make Profelytes -, this Senfe, in the (irft Place, is inconfiftent with many Teftimonies of the facrcd Writings, which declare, {a) that no Misfortunes fhould befai the Jews^ which, and much greater than which, they have; not deferved by their Adions. Further, the Order itfelf of the Prophetick Difcourfe, will not bear fuch an Interpretation. For the Prophet, or, which feems more agreeable to that Place, God fays, 'This Ei'il hath happened to him for the Sins of my People. Now Ifaial/s People, or God's People, are the Ilehrezv People •, wherefore he who is iaid by Ifaiah^ to have endured fuch grievous Things, cannot be the fame People. The ancient Hebrew Teachers more rightly confeiTcd, that thcfe Things were fpoken of the Mefiiah; which v/hcn fome of the latter fliw, (b) they imagined twoMefllahs; one of which they call the Son of Jofeph^ who endured many Evils, and a cruel Death; the other the Son of David, to whom all things fucceeded profperoufly j (c) tho' it is much eafier, and more agreeable {^a^ThatnoMisfortiinesfiiouJd {h) They imagined ti.wo Mefhefal the Jews, t^lc] This fial^s, &c.] See the lalmud, appears from thofc Places of entitled Succha, R. Solo:non, the Prophets cited above, and and R. David Kimchi, from Daniel W. and Nehemiah (c) Though it is viuch eafter IX. To which we may add, &c.] Which ^<^«;-^«;7^/fol lows, that hepf whom Ifaiah fpcaks, not in one Place onl/, on this was to pray to God for the Chap, of J/aiah. Heathens, which the Jewj do jiot '^O.
2 Of the Truth cf Book V.
able to the Writings of the Prophets, to acknowledge one, who arrived at his Kingdom through Adverfity and Death, which we beheve concerning Jefus^ and which the Thing itfelf fhews us to be true.
Sect. XX. And as though they were good Men who delivered him to Death.
Many are with-held from embracing the Doctrine of Jefus^ out of a prejudiced Notion they have entertained, of the Virtue and Goodnefs of their Forefathers, and efpecialiy of the Chief Priefls ♦, who condemned J ejus ^ and reje^iied his Doctrine, without any juft Reafon. But what fort of Perfons their Forefathers often were \ that they may not think I falfely flander them, let them hear in the very Words of their Law, and of the Prophets, by vvhom they are often called (^) Uncircumcifed in Ears and Heart \ {h) a People who honoured God with their Lips, and v/ith coftly Rites, but their Mind was far removed from him. It was their Forefathers {c) who were very near killing their Brother Jofeph^ and who a6i:ually fold him into Bondage; it was their Forefathers alfo, {d) who made Mofes^ their Captain and Deliverer, whom the Earth, Sea and Airobeyed, weary of his Life,by their continual Rebellions -, {e) who defpifed the Bread fent from Heaven j (/) who com.plained as if they were in [a)UnctrcumcifedinEarsa7id [d) Who made Mofes, &c.]
Heart, fee] Jeye??t. IV. 4. The Places are obferved before r VI. 20. in the lid Book.
[b) A People nvho honoured {e) Who defpifed the Bread, God nvith their Lips, &c.] &c ] Numb. XL 6.
Deut. XXXII. 5.6, 15, 28. (f) Who complained as if Ifdiah XXIX. 13. Amos V. /^fy <xt:ere in extreme Want, 21. EzeliielXVL 3. &c.] In the forecited Xlth (c) Who ivere very near kil- Chap, towards the End. ling their Br other, &C.] Genef XXXVIII.
Sed. 20. the ChriJIian Rdiglon, 253 in extreme Want, when they could fcarce contain within them the Birds they had eaten. It was their Forefathers {a) who forfook the great and good King Davids to follow his rebellious Son: It was their Forefathers (h) who flew Zacharias^ the Son dijehoida^ in the moft Holy Place, making the very Prieft himfelf a Sacrifice of their Cruelty* {c) And as to the High Priefts, they were fuch as treacheroufly defigned the Death of Jeremiah^ and had effed:ed it, if they had not been hindered by the Authority of fome of the Rulers \ however, they extorted thus much, (d) that he fhould be held a Captive till the very Moment the City was taken. If any one think that they who lived in the Times of Jefus were better, Jofepbus can free them from this Miftake, who defcribes their moft horrid Crimes, and their Punifhments, which were heavier than any that were ever heard of; and yet, as he himfelf thinks, {e) beneath what they deferved. Neither are we to think better of the Council, efpecially when at that Time the Members of it were not admitted according to the ancient Cuftom by the Impofition of Hands, but were wont to be chofen (f) at the Will of great Men; as the Chief Priefts alfo were, whofe Dignity was not now perpetual, (g) but yearly, and oftentimes purchafed.
So So [a) Who forfook the great and mities, nor was there ever any good King Ddi^'id, &c.] 2 Sam. Age fo fruitful of all Kinds of XV. Wickednefs. The Jezvs {b) Who flen.v'L2.z\\.2x\z.%, &c.] brought greater Mifchiefs upon 2 C^row. XXIV. 21. themfelves, than the Romans {c) Andas to theHighPrirfs, did, who came to expiate &C.] Jer. XXVI. their Crimes.
[d) That he Jhould be held a (f) At the Will of great Men, Captive, &c.] Jer XXXVIII. &c.] Jofephus XIV. 9.
{^) Beneath nxihat they de- {g) But yearly ^ and oftentimes fervedy &c.] He fays, no other purchafed, &c.]7"^f//^«jXVlII.
City ever endured fuch Cala- 3, and 6.
2 54 0/ the Truth of Book V.
So that we ought not to wonder that Men fvvclled with Pride, whole Avarice and Ambition was infaciable, fhould be enraged at the Sight of a Man, who urged the mod Holy Precepts, and reproved their Lives by their Ditlercnce from his. Nor was he accufed of any Thing, but what the bed Men of old w^erc; (a) Thus Micaiah^ who lived in the Time of Jehofaphal\ was delivered to Prifon, for refoiutely afferting the Truth againft four hundred falfe Prophets, [b) Ah ah charged Elijah^ juft as the Chief Priefts did Je[us^ with being a Diflurberofthe Peace oi Ifrael. (c) And Jeremiah was accufed, as Jefiis was, of prophefying againft the Temple. To v/hich may be added, what the antient Hebrew Teachers {d) have left us in Writing, that in the Times of the MelTlah, Men would have the Impudence of Dogs, the Stubbornnefs of an Afs, and the Cruelty of a wild Beaft. And God himfelf, who faw long before, what fort of Men many of the Jeivs would be, in the Times of tha MefTiah j [a) Vms Micaiah, &c.] 2 Kings XXII (b) Ahah chargedW\y?itVy &C.] to Elijah^ Art not thou he that troubles Ifrael? And thus the High Priefts faid of Jefus. Luke XXII I. 2. We found this Man a Trcubler 0/ Ifrael.
(f) And Jeremiah ^':as accu/ed, &c.] Jer. Vll. 4. and following. XXVI. 6, 11.
[d] Have left us in Writings &c.] See the Talmud, concern • ing the Council; Kelmboth and Sota. R. Solomon on the forementioned Title, concerning the Council, c. Helech; and the Talmudy entitled concerning Veights. And alfo tlie Tradition of Rabbi Judahy in the Gemara^ on the fame Title, concerning the Council, c. Helech. ** At that time when the *' Son of Danjid fhall come, *' the Houfe that was appoint-** ed of God, (hall be made a *• Brothel-Houfe." See >r^-was a great Miftake, for the Maforeth was put inftead of the Getnara; for thefe Words are to be found in the Gemara^ ch. XL entitled concerning the Council. At that Time, ijohen the Son ofTi2M\(\f:>all come, the Houfe of AJfembling together^ 1);"DnnO, /W/l^ made A Brothcl-Houfe, £d. Cocceius^ Sea. 27. UCkrc.)
Seft. 20, 21. the Chrlftian Religion, 255 ' Mefiiah; foretold that they {a) who were not his People, ihould be admitted to be his People (b) and that out of every City and Village of \\\tjew5^ not above one or two fhould go up to the Holy Mountain; but that what was wanting in their Number, fliould be filled up by Strangers. And alfo {c) that the Mefliah fhould be the Deftrudion of the Hebrews \ but that this Stone which was reje6led by the Mafter-Builders, fhould be put in the Chief Place, to hold the whole Fabrick together.
Sect. XXI. An Anp-juer to the Objeciion of the Chrijiians worjhipping many Gods, I T remains that we anfwer two Accufations, -which the Jews afiault the Dodrine and Worfhip of the Chriftians with. The firilis this; they affirm that we worlhip many Gods: But this is no more than an odious Explicatioa of a Do(5lrine which appears flrange to them. For there is no more Reafon why this fliould be objedled againft the Chriftians, (d) than againftPM<? the Jew^ who often affirms, that there (a) Who ivere not his Pio- (b) And that out of every City, &c.] Jerem. III. 14, 17. And 1/aiahLUL (c) That theMeffiahd^Quldbe the DeJl)u3ion,Sic,'] Ifcu VIII. 14. Pfalm CXVIII. 22.
(d) Than againjl Philo the Jew, &c.] Concerning the Sacrifices of Abel and Catii, ** When God, attended with " his two principal Powers, " Government and Goodneis; ** Himfelf, who is one only, ** being between them, he ** framed three Conceptions in *' thecontemplativeSouheach •' of which can by no Means ** be comprehended, for his *' Powers are unlimited, they ** each contain the Whole.'* Afterwards he calh Government, Po-wer; and Goodnefs he calls Beneficence; and fays, that they are not pronounced by a pious Mind, but kept in filent Secrecy. And the fame we find, in his Book of Cherubim. In the Ild Book of the Hufbandry of 'Noah, he mentions£;f///f«tip, \\\zGovcrning Poi.ver, the Merci/nlPo'zver. Maimonides, in the Beginning of his Book of Fundamentals, and after him Jcj'cph m:^?, di- Itinguifh 2 56 Of the Truth of Book V.
there are three Things in God; and he calls \^t Reafen (a) or Word of God, the Name cf Gody (<^)~the Maker of the World -, (c) not unbegotten, as is God the Father of all; nor yet begotten in like Manner as Men are: The fame is likewife called (i) the Angel, or the EmbafTador, who takes Care of the LFniverfe -, by Fbilo himfelf -, and by (e) Mofes the Son of fllnguifti in Co//y that %'jhich under jiandeth; that hy 'xvhich any thing is under fiood; and the XJnderJianding. We find fomething belonging to this Matter in Ahenejdrasy on Qcn. XVJIf. and Tvlaimonidcs''s Guide to the Doubting, Piiit I. ch. 68.
(a) Or Word of God, &c.] Jn his Allegories, and of the Confuilon of Tongues.
[b] The Maker of the World, &c.] In his Allegories: ' '■ His " V/ord, by making ufe of ** which, n.s of an Inilrument, ** he made the World." Concerning Cain. The Word of God ^j;as the Injirument, hy luhich it (the World) <was made. (The Word Ac^®^, might better be tranflated Reafony here mPhiloy as I have abundantly fhown in the Diflertation on the Beginning of St John. Le Clerc.)
(r) Not unhegotteuy as is Godt the Father of all, &c.] The Place is in the Book entitled, Whojha II inherit Divine Things. The fame Word is called by Phi/o, the Image of Cod, in his Book of Monarchy; and in that of Dreams fent by God; fometimes clintitivKjuc/y the Refemhlance, as in the Book, intitled, The Wicked hy Snares for the Righteous. Sometimes y^c/.caf\i]?t the Fornix as in Book II. of Agriculture;, Compare John I. Ueb. I. 3.
[d, The Angel y or the Amhaf fador, &c.] He calls him 'Ayfih-^y Angely in his Allegories, and in his Book of Cherubin ', ^ Apy^iiyfiA'^^, Archangel, in his Book entitled. Who f^nll inheritDi'vine goodThing^^ and in his Book of the Conffcrz of Tongues. And the fame is called Angely and T\'\T\^ Jehavahy by R. Samuel in Mechor Chaim.
{e) Mofes the Son of Nehemannus, &c.] The learned Mafius has tranflated his Words thus, on the Vth ch. of Jo^ pua, " That Angel, to fpeak ** the Truth, is the Angel, *' the Redeemer, of whom it •* is written; becaufemyName •* is in him. That Angel, I *' fay, who faid to Jacoby I ** am the God of Bethel; He ** of whom it is faid, And God ** called Molei out of the Bufb. ** And he is Called an Angel, " becaufe he governs the " World. For it is written, *' Jehovah, [that is the Lord ** God) brought us out of E- " gyp^ » ^"^ ^" other Places, ** he fent his Angel, and ** brought us out of F-.gypt z *♦ Befides Sedl. 2r. the Chnflian Religion, 257 o^Neh^manniis: (a) Or againfl the Cahalifts^ who diilinguilh God into three Lights, and fomeof them by the fame Names as the Chriftians do, of the Father, Son or Word, and Holy Ghoft. And to take that, which is chiefly allowed amongft all the Hebrews \ That Spirit by which the Prophets v/erc moved, is not any created Thing, and yet isdiftinguilhed from him that fent it; as likewife that which is {bj commonly called the Schechinab, Nowmany *' Befides it is written. And " the Angel of his Prefence " hath made chemlafe. Name- " \yy That Angel which is *• th? Prefence of Go J, con- *' cerning whom it is laid, my *' Prefence lliall go before, and *' I will caufe chce to reft. " Lalliy, this is that Angel of " whom the Prophet faid^ And " faddenly the Lord whom ye " fcek, fnall come into his *' l^emple, even the Angel of " the Covenant, whom ye de- " fire '* And again, other Words of the f-^me Pcrfon to this Purpofe: ** Confider di- *' ligenily what thofe Things ** jnean; for Mofes and the If- ** raeliies ahvays willied for the '* firft Angel; but they could *' not rightly underll:uid who *• he we\s. For they had it *' not from others, nor could '■' they arrive fully at it by *' propherick Knowledge Bat *' the Prefence of God, figni- *' fies God himfelf, as is con- *' fefled by all Interpreters; ** neither could any one un- *' derRand thofe Things by "Dreams, unlefs he were ** flcilled in.jthe Myfteries of '' My Prefence (hall go before, *• that is, the Angel of the ** Covenant whom ye defire, •• in whom my Prefence will *' be feen. Of whom it is ** faid, I will hear thee in aa ** acceptable Time; for my *' Name is in him, and I will ♦' make theeto reft j or I will ** caufe him to be kind and *' merciful to thee. Nor (hall *' he guide thee by a rigid '• Law, but kindly and g^nt- *' ly." Compare with this, what we find in ManaJ/es Concitiator, in the XlXth ^fj}. on Geneju. (The Name of this Rabbr^ Father, may better be pronounced Nachman. for ic is written ^r^ni* Nuhhman.)
(a] Or againjl the Cabalifts, &c.] See the Appendix to Schindler^s Hebrc^v Lexicon ^ in the Charadlers mx. And the Book called Schep-tal {?.ys, jnT.LD Sipetoih, ISumher in God does not dcftroy his Unity.
{h) Commouly:a!l£d theSchecKlnah, &c. ] And they diftinguifli it tVom the Floly Ghoft. See the "Jerufahm Gemara, entitled concerning Inllradions, ch S And the Babjlanij'b 258 Of the T^ruth of Book V.
{a) many of the Hebrews have this TraditioH, that that Divine Power which they call JVifdoniy fhould dwell in the MelTiah; {h) whence the Chaldee Paraphraft calls the Mefllah, the IVord of God; as the Mefliah is alfo called by David ^ and others, (c) by the venerable Name of God, (d) and alfo of Lord.
Sect. XXII. Jnd that human Nature is ivorjhipfed by them.
T o the other Objedlion they make againfl ns^ namely. That we give the Worfhip due to God, to a Being made by God; the Anfwer is ready: For we fay, that we pay no other Worfhip or Honour Babylonijh Gemara, entitled Jomach i. R Jonathan in his Preface to Ecka Rahthi fays, that the Schechinah remained three Years and a halfupori Mount Olivet, expeding the Converfion of the yewas; which is very true, if we apprehend him right.
[a) Many of the Hebrews have this Tradition, &c ] Rabbi Solomon, on Genefis XIX. 18. acknowledges, that God can take upon him human Nature, which he thinks was formerly done for a Time; to which agrees the Talmud, entitled Schebnoth and Sabbathoth.
{b) Whence the Chaldee Paraphraji. Sec ] As Ho/ea XIL (But they are miftaken who think that theCA^j/^/i-^Paraphraft means any Thing elfe by the Nameo/God, but God himfelf; as a very learned Man hath ftiewn, in the Balance 0/ Truth, publiflied in the Year 1700, a long Time after the Author *s Death. Le Clerc.)
[c) By the 'venerable Name of God, &c.] Namely, mn^ fehovnh, Jonathan and Da- 'vid Kimchi on Jeremiah XXIII. 6. with which agrees Abba in Ecka Rabbathi, mxni^ mn^ Jeho^ah Sahaoth,ZachariahXlY. 16. The Talmud in Taanith (rom Jfaiah XXV. 9 faith, in that Time God, mn* Jehovah, ftiall be fhown, as ic were with the Finger.
{d) And alfo of Lord, &c.] CnbN Elohim, Pfal. XLV. 7. which Pfalwy the Chaldee Paraphraft there owns, treats of the Mefliah, as he did before in that PhiCe of Ifaiak now cited. Alfo'3n« JdQ?iai in Pfalm ex. which treats of the Mefliah, as 'will piefently appear.
Sed:. 22. the Chj'ijiiaii Religion, 259 nour to the Mefliah, {a) but what we are command" "id in Pfalm II. and CX. the former of which, wa^ fulfilled in David only in an incomplete Manner, and beiong'd more eminently to the MefTiah, {h) as David Kimchi., a great Enemy to the Chriftians, acknowledges; and the latter, cannot be explained of any other but the Meffiah. For the Fidtions of the latter Je''Ji'S •, fome oi Abraham^ fome o^ Bavidy and others of Hezekiah -, are very trifling. The Hebrew Infcription fliows us, that it was a Pfalm of David's own. Therefore what David fays was f aid to his Lord^ cannot agree to David himfelf, nor to Hezekiah, who was of the Pofterity of David^ and no Way more excellent than David. And Ahra* ham had not a more excellent Priefthood; nay, Melchifedec gave him his BleiTing, {c) as inferior to himifeif But both this, and that which is added, concerning (J) a Scepter's coming out of Sion^ and extending to the moft: diftant Places, plainly agrees to the McfTiah; (e) as is clear from thofe Places which, without doubt, fpeak of the MefTiah; neither did the ancient Hebrews and Paraphrails underftand them otherwife. Now that Jefus of Nazarethy was truly the Perfon, in whom thefe Things were fulfilled; I could believe upon the AfRrmatioa of his Difciples only, upon the Account of their great Honefty; in the fame Manner, as tlie Jews believe Mofes^ without any other Witnefs in thofe \ or: Things \ or: Things {a) But 'what ive are com- {c) Js inferior to himfelf jkt'^ fnanded^kc.'] The very learned And received the Ty the of hirn Rabbi Saadia explains thefe by a Sacerdotal Right, Gen» Places, and Zachariah IX. 9. XIV. 19, 20.
of the Mediah [d) A Scepter'' s coming oat of {b) As David Kimchi, &c ] Sion, &c.] Pfalm CX. 2^ This fame lid Pfalm is ex- [e] Ai is clear from thofe pounded of the Meffiah. by A- Pi'.ues, &c.] As GenefsXhlX, braharn Efdras, and R. JanU' vo. and thofe before cited oat than in Bereftth Rabba. gf the Prophets, 26o Of the Truth of Book V.
Things which he fays were delivered to him from God. (a) But there are very many and very ftrong Arguments befides this, of that exceeding Power which we affirm Jefus to have obtained. He himfelf was feen by many after he was reftored to Life: He was feen to be taken up into Heaven: Moreover Devils were caftout, and Difeafes healed, by his Name only; and the Gift of Tongues was given to hisDifciples •, which Things Jefus himfelf promifed, as Signs of his Kingdom. Add to this, that his Scepter, that is, the Word of the Gofpel, came out of Sion^ and, without any human AfTiftance, extended itfeif to the utmoft Limits of the Earth, by theDivine Power alone; andmadeNations and Kings fubjed: unto it, as the Pfalms exprcfsly foretold. The Cabaiiflical Jews {b) made the Son of Enoch a certain Middle Perfon betwixt God and Men, who had no Token of any fuch great Power. How much more reafonable then is it, for us to do it to him, who gave us fuch Inftrudiions ^. Neither does this at all tend to the lelTening of God the Father, (c) from whom this Power of Jefus was derived, {a) But there are very man)\ &c ] The Name which the &c 3 See them handled before Hebre^dos give him, is, "^iltOI^/O in the Second Book; and what Metator. So the Latins czW IS faid in the Beginning of this him, who prepares the Way Book. for the Kmg. Thus Lucan, {t) Made the Son o/' Enoch, j^i Barhinger, to the Hefperian fields, 1 boldly come.
Vegetius.l^Qok \l fays. They rather call it A;V/«/ron iTlDICD were called Meiotores, Harbin- concerning which lee "John gers in the Camps ^ <^'jho ivent Buxtorfs Chaldee and Rabbibejore and chojc a Place fit for cal Lexicon.) the Camp. And thus Shidas: {c)Ft07n 'whom this Poxver, MzlctTM^f.^Harbinger, is a Sec] As himielf confefles, Mejfcvger, i>:ho is Jent before John V. 19,30,36,43. VJ.
Sed. 22,23. ^^'^^ Chrijlian Religion, 261 derived, {a) and to whom it will return, {!?) and whofe Honour it ferves.
Sect. XXIII. 'The Conclufion of this Part^ with a Prayer for the Jews.
It is not the Defign of thisTreatife, to examine more nicely into thele Things; nor had we treated of them at all, but to make it appear, that there is nothing in the Chriftian Religion, either impious or abfurd, which any Man can pretend againib embracing a Religion recommended by fo great Miracles, whofe Precepts are fo virtuous, and whofe Promifes are fo excellent. For he who has once embraced it, ought to confult thofe Books, which we have before fhewn to contain the Docflrines of the Chriftian Religion, for particular Qiieftions. V/hich that it may be done, let us befeech God, that he would enlighten the Minds of the Jews with his own Light, and render thofe Prayers effedtual, (c) which Chrift put up for them, when he hung upon the Crofs.
XX. 2 1. And the Apoftle to {a) And to ijohotn it ivill return, &c.] As the Apoftle confefles, i Cor. XV. 24.
[b) And nxihoje Honour it Jerques y &c.] John XIII. 31.
Therefore the Talmud, entftled. Concerning the Council, denies Jefus to be the Name of an Idol 'y feeing the Chriftians in honouring him have a Regard to God the Maker of the World [c] Which Chrift put up for them,$cQ,] Luke XXII I. 34.
BOOK VI the INSTEAD of a Preface to this Sixth Book, which is defigned agoinft the Mahometans •, \t relates the Judgments of God againil the Chriftians, down to the Original of Mahometanifm •, namely, {a) how that fincere and unfeigned Piety, which flourifhed amongft the Chriftians, who were moft grievoufly affiided and tormented; began by Degrees to abate; after Conjlantine and the following Emperors had made the Profefiion of the Chriftian Religion, not only fafe but honourable; but having as it were {h) thruft the World into the Church, firft, (c) the Chriftian Princes waged (rt) Ho'w that Jinc ere and unfeigned Piety ^ &c.j Ste Jm^nifinus Mai celliniisy at the End of the Twentylirll Book k.qx\-ctxmTigConJiantius: '* And a-*• bove all, he wa& very ready *' to take away what he had '• given; confounding theChri-** ftian Religion, which is per-" fe6l and fincere, with old *' Wives Fables -, by more in- *• tricately fearching into ** which, rather than feriouily •* fettling them, he caufed a f* great many Differences; •* which fpreading further, he ** kept up by quarrelling a- ** bout Words; that the Body *' of Prelates, who were the I* j)ublickPack-horiJes, running " here and there in Synods, ** as they call them, might *• cut the Nerves of their ** Carriage; by endeavouring " to make cvtry Rite con- *' formable to their own Opi- '* nion."
[b] ThruJ} the U-^orld into the Church, &c.] See what is < xcellently faid about this, in Chryfojiom's fecoiid Moral Difcourfe, on the XlJth Chapter of the 2 Cor. after ^ver. i o.
(c) The Chriftian Princes ivagedJVar, Sec ] It is a commendable Saying oiMarcian in ZonaraSy That a King ought not to take up Arms. Jo long as he t,^/r maintain Peace, Seft. I. the Chrijiimi Religion. 263 waged War without Meafure, even when they might have enjoyed Peace, {a) The Bifliops quarrelled (a) The Bijhopi quarrelled ivith each other^ &C.J Ammianus. Book XXVII. " The " cruel Seditions of the quar-** relfome People, which gave •• Rife to this Bafinefs, fright-** ed this iVIan alfo {l^iventiust *' chief Commiflioner of the *' Palace ) Damafus and Urfici-** nusy being above all reafona- *' ble Meafure, defirous of fei- •*' zing the Epifcopal Chair, ** contended with each other *' moll vehemently by different *' Interefts; their Accomplices ** on eachSidecarryingon their '* Differences as far as Death ** and Wounds; which Vinjen- ** tiuf not being able to correct •' or foften, being compelled by ^* a great Force, retired into *' the Suburbs; and Damafus *' overcame in the Contcft, the *' Party which favoured him, *' preffing hard. And it is evi- ** dent, that in the Palace of " of Sicininus^ where the Af- ** femblies of the Chriftians u- " fed to be, there were found " the dead Bodies of one hun- " dred thirty feven, ilain in *' one Day; and it was a long *' time before the enraged com- ** mon People could be appeaf- *' ed. Nor do I deny, when I " confider the City's Pomp, *' but that they who are defi- ** rous of fuch things, may law- ** fully contend, by Ilretching " their Lungs to the utmoft, in ** ordertoobtainwhat they aim ** at: Becaufe when they are *' arrived at it, they will be fo ** fecure, that they may enrich *• themfelves with the Gifts of *' Matrons, may fit and ride in *' their Chariots, be neatly ** dfeffed, have large Feafts *• provided, infomuchthattheir *' Banquets will exceed the *' Royal Tables; but fuch Per- ** fons might have been more " truly happy, if they had de- *• fpifed the Grandeur of the •* City, which flattered their ** Vices; and had lived after •* the Manner of fome of the *• Provincial Biftiops; whofe *♦ Sparingnefs in Eating and *' Drinking moderately, and ** Meanneis in Clothes, and ** Eyes fixed on the Ground *' continually,recommendthem ** as pure and modefl to the *' Deity, and to thofe that ** worfhiphim.'* And a little after; *' The chief Jullice, •* whilft he takes care of the ♦' Government in a higher " Degree; amongft other •' things, by manifold Ads of '* Integrity and Goodnefs, *' for which he has been fa- ** mous from the Beginning of ** his Youth, has obtained that *♦ which feldom happens; that «♦ at the fame time that he is *' feared, he does not lofe the ** Love of his Subjects; which *' is feldom very llrong to- *' wards thofe Judges they are ** afraid of. By whofe Au- ** thority and jult Determina- «' tions of Truth, the,^Tu- 264 Of the Truth of Book VI.
relied with each other moft bitterly, about the higheft Places: And, as of old, the [a) preferring the Tree of Knowledge to the Tree of Tife, was the Occafion of the greateft Evils; fo then nice Enquiries were efteemed more than Piety, (b) and Religion "malt, raifed by the Quarrels •• of the Chriftians, was ap- " peafed; and Urjiiinus being •* driven away, the Roman '* Subje6>s grew into a fiim *' Peace jointly, and with one ** Mind; which is the Glory •'of an eminent Ruler, regu- •'lating many and advaa- •* tagcoiJs things," This was that chief Juliice of whom yerom tells a Story, not unworthy to be mentioned here; to Vammachius, againfl the Errors of yohn of 'Jeriifalem. ** The chief Juflice, that died ** when he was defigned for "* Conful, ufed to fay jeftingly *' to the ho!y Pope Damafus; " Make me Biihop of the City *' of Rome, and I will be a ■'* Chrlftianimmediattly." S.-re alfo what the fame Ammimms fays, Book XV. The African Council did not without Reafon admonilh the Bifhop of the City of R.Qme thus: *' That •* we may not feem to bring '' the vain Arrogance of the •* Age, into the Church of '• Chrift, which affords the *^* Lighty of Simplicity, and the ** Day of Humility, to them ^* who defire to fee God " To which we may add, the noble F^piftles of the Roman Bifliop Gregory, truly ftiled the Book VI. 30. Book VJI. Indi£l. I. Epift. 30.
(a J Preferring the Tree of Kno~.jledge, &c.] Gsncfis 11. and III.
( h ) And Religion 'ivas made an Art, &c.] See uhat w?s before quoted out of the 2 ill Book q{ A?nmianm. 1 he fame Hiftorian, Book XXII I. in the HiRory o^ Julian, ftys, *' And "' that his Difpofiticn of things *• might produce a more cer- " tain Effect, having admi'.ted •* the difagreeing Prelates of *' the Chriftians, together with *' the divided Multitude, into ** Palace; headmiOnifiied them '* that every one, laying afide '* their civil Difcords, fnould ** apply himfelf without Fear '* to his Religion; which he *' urged the moreearnel^ly, be- " caule Liberty is apt to in- ** creafe Diflenfions; that he *' might have the lefs reafon to \ ** fear the common People, ** when they were all of one ** Mind, knowing that no ** Beads are fo mifchievous ** to Mankind, as very many ** of the Chriftians were, ** who were fo outrageous a- " gainft one another." See alfo Procopiusy in the Ift of lii^ Gothicks, to be read with fome Abatement here, as in other Places. " Embafladors " came from Bjzantium, to ** the Seft. I. the Chrijiiaii Religion, 265 Religion was made an Art. The Confequence of which was, that after the Example of them (a) who built the Tower of BaheU their rafhly afeding Jvlatters, produced different Languages and Confufion above them; which the common People taking notice of, many times not knowing which way to turn themfelves, caft all the Blame upon the Sacred Writings, and began to avoid them, as if they were infeded. And Religion began every where to " the Bifhop of Rof;.'e. viz. Hy- ** pah us Bifhop o^Epbe/us, and *' lippi in Macedonia, concern- ** ing an Opinion, which was ** controverted amongft the ^* Chriftians; though I know *' what Oppofition they made, *' yet I am very unwilling to ** relate it. For I think it the «^ maddeft Folly, to fearch *' nicely into the Nature of *' God, and wherein it con- *' fills. For, as I conceive, ** Man cannot fully compre- ** hend human things, much *' lefs thofe that appertain to *' the Divine Nature. [ may *' therefore fecurely pafs by ** thefe things in Silence, and ** and not difturb what they ** reverence. As for myfelf, I *' can fay nothing more of *' God, but that he is every ** way good, and upholds all ** things by his Power i he that *' knows mere, whetlusr he be ^' a Prieft, or one of the com- •* jnon People, let him fpeak *' it." Gregorasy Book XII.
cites the Saying of Lyjis the Pythagorean, and afterwards of Syvejius'y TkattaikingPhilofophy among the Vulgar, nvas the Caufe of Mens fo much contemning di- 'vine things. So alfo Book the Xth, he much diiTuades Men from fuch Difputes j and fpeaking of the Latins of his time, he fays, " I blame and con-*' demn the Italians highly, *' becaufe they run into divine ** Matters with great Arro-*' gance " Afterwards he adds: " Amongrt them, the Mecha- *' nicks utter the Myfteries of ** Divinity, and they are all *' as eager of reafoning Syllo- *' giftically, as the Cattle are *' of Food and Grafs. Both *• they who doubt of what " they ought to believe right- ** ly, and they who know not ** what they ought to believe, ** nor what they fay they be- " lieve; thefe fill all the Thca- ** tres,f<3r//z;?j, and Walks, with *' their Divinity, and are not ** alhamed to make the Sun a *' Witnefs of their Impudence '* (a) Who built the Tower of Babel, &c.] Gen. XI. Mahomet often reproaches thefe Controverfies of the Chriftians, particularly in //2;c7flr<r,XXVl. XXXII.
266 Of the Triith of Book VL to be placed, not in Purity of Mind, but in Rites, as if Judaifm were brought back again; and in thofe things, which contained in them {a) more of bodily Exercife, than Improvement of the Mind; and alfo in a violent adhering to {b) the Party they had chofen; the final Event of which was, that there were every where a great many {c) Chriftians in Name, but very few in Reality. God did not overk)ok thefe Faults of his People •, but from the furtheft Corners (d) of Scythia, (e) and Germayty', poured vafl: Armies, like a Deluge upon the Chriftian World: And when the great Slaughter made by thefe, did not fuffice to reform thofe which remained; by the juft Permiffion of God, (f) Mahomet planted in Arabia dnevs^ Religion, dired;ly oppofite to the Chriftian Religion -, yet fuch as did in a good Meafure exprefs in Words, the Life of a great Part of the Chriftians. This Religion was firft embraced by the Saracens^ who revolted from the Emperor He^ radius ], whofe Arms quickly fubdued Arabia^ Syriay PaUJlifje, Egypt, Fer/ia-, and afterwards they invaded Africa^ and came over Sea into Spain. Rui[ JChe Power of the Saracens was derived to 'Ji\\:^i. others, {a) More of bodily Exercife^ {d)Of Scythia, &c.] Hunns, 23. lites and Turks.