■ IbilcJ alodw »• oi aoioa Uiw «i3JniV/ ni, "- [a) For'^-thSti 'Uffiii^Ja ** rcrtntfrohiwhat it was begreater Change, &c J Set kl- ** Fore: according to luch Reafenui, in/, k^roponebatur. D " foninor, we ourfelves (hould Je Oficiis *' If any one fhoiild " be tlifferent from what we *' think that by altering the *• were a Year fince: Be- " Parts, any thing is jnaoe ttil^-' ** taibfe,' as'Philofophers fay, Seft. 10. the thripan RcligmL jcj greater change of its Particles in this Life: (a) Nay^'^ a Butterfly^'i ** thofe fmaill Parts, of whicli *' we confift, continually ^y ** off from our Bodies,' and ** other Foreign ones come in *' their room." And Seneca, Epirt. LVIir. "Our Bodies *' are in a continual Flux, like *' a River; all that we fee, ** runs away as Time does: ** None of thofe Things we " fee, are durable. I myfelf ** am changed, while I am '* fpeaking of their Change.", See Methodius^s excellent Dif- -^ fertation upon this Subjedt,- whofe Words Efiphantus has' preferved in his Confutation of ' the Origenifis, Numb. ^Al, XriJ, XVi;'XVII...vkm' fi. {a) Nay, a BiaierJ^y^r&Q.'lj). See OtjU in the laft Book of,jhis Metamorphcjis.
■ W'ild Moths (a I'hing by Countrymen ohfirnJ^d),,,., Betnvixt the Leaves in tender Threads iti'vol'v'd,.^^ y^ Transform their Shape into a ButHrfi^., - -, ' ^,,^:' WeTi^ay add fomethlng out of FHny\ Natural Hiftory, Book X Ch 5. concerning Frogs: He fays, ** For half a Year of **^ their Life, they are turned '1 into Mud, and cannot be *' Teen; and by the Waters in '* the Spring, thofe which ** were formerly bred, are bred **. again afrefh." And in the fame Book, ch. 9. ** The ♦* Cuckowfeems to be made of ** a Hawk, changing his Shape •• in the Time of Year." And Book XI. ch. 2<3., "There ** are who think, that fomc ** Creatures which are dead, " if they be kept in the Houfe *' in Winter, will come to " Life again, after the Sun *' Ihines hot upon them in the *' Spring, and they be kept ** warm all Day in Wood *^ Afhes.'* And again, ch. 23. fpeaking of Silk- Worms, " A- •* nother Original of them, M jnay h§ from a larger fort of ** Worm; whicli " (hooti forth ** a double Kind of Horns; •* thefe are called Canker- ** Worins, and afterwards be- '* come what they call the *' Humble Bee; from whence *' comes another fort of Infe<^, ** termed Netydalus, which in *'lix Months Time, turns into '* a Silk-Worm.'* And again, ch. 23. fpeaking of the Silk- Worniof Coo.f, hefays, "They *' were iirft fmall and naked ?* Butterflies," And ch. 26. Concerning the Grafhopper; *• It is firft a fmall Worm, but ** afterwards comes out of *' what they call Tettsgometra, " whofe Shell being broke, *" they fly away about Mid- ** drowned in Liquor, if they *' be buried in Afhes, return to *' Life again.'* And Ch. 32. Ivlany Infeds are bred in another Manner. '* And firft the *' Horfe Fly, out of the Dew: lo8, Of the Truth of Book II.
a Butterfly is contained in a Worm; and the Sub-Itance of Herbs or of Wine, {a) m To me very little Thing, from whence they are again reftored to their true Bignefs. Certainly, fince thefe, and many other fuch like Suppofitions, may be made without any Abfijrdity; there is no Rcafon why the reftoring of a Body, after it is diffolved, (hould be reckoned amongft theThings that areimpoflible: Efpecially fince learned Men, {b) fuch as Zcroafter among the Chaldaans^ (c) almoft all the Stoicks, {a) and (^y.^buiJ ioiifii 3T3W ^bhoV/ sriJi^vo lU nora *' Tn the Beginnifi^ of the ** learnt it frorh tite Bnrhdnan ** Spring, it fticks to a Radi{h- ** Le.if, and being (tifFned *"by the Sun, it gathers into " Philofopby. that Men who '* lived Wickedly, Ihould be *' pvirified by Fire, which thfe the Bignefs of a Millet Out " Stale ksZ3.\\;c^ue: cr/,where- '* by they invtgjne every one *• (hall rife ji gain fuch an One "as he really is; thus they *• treat of the Refurre(^ioii.'* And Oriren, Book IV againft Ccljus, *' The Sfoids *' fay, that after a certain Pe-*' riod of Time, the Univerfe ** ihall be burnt, and after *' that (hall be a Renovation. *' in which all Things fiiall ''continue unch^nge-ible." And affer^vards: ** They have ** not the Name,Qf-tlie Refur- •* redion, but thV huv^ the *' "^i hing," Ori^en here adds the 'Egyptians. Chryftpbus concerning Providence, quoted by Laaantiusy Book VI of his Inttitutions, has thefe Words, ** Which being thas, there is *' evidently no Impoihbiiity, *,^ but that we alfo, when we "**' are dead, after a eertaiu Pe-•• riod of Time is pail, may *' be rtrilored again to the fame ** State ■ in which we now *' of thisjlpringsa fmall Worm, •^ and in three Days after, a •'Canker- Worm, which in • ** creafes in a few Days, hav- '♦ing ahaid Shell about it, ** and moves at the touch of '* a Spider; thi"^ Canker-worm, ** which they call a C hryfalis, ^*Avhen the Shell is broken, •* flies away a Bitterfl/.*' ' {a) ln.Jo77ie lery little Thing, K'c] If Grotiu's hzd lived tTll oor Days, he would have fpoke more fully^i fin^^e ft is evident that all Animals of whatever kincl, %ing from an Egg, in which they are formetl, as all Plants do from Seeds, tho\ never fo fmall. But this is nothing to the Refurre)i\ion, for "Bodies will not rife again out 'of fucli Principles. Le Clerc. "" (h) Suclj as Zoro^fter, ';Sjq.J {c]JImoJI all thtS^toicUM ] •f|(|^|^fV»r//r«/^ knew, havino; Sefl:. 9,10. the Ckriftlan Religion, 1 09 {a) and Theopofnpus among the Peripateticks, believed that it could be, and that it would be. i Sect. XT. 7'he exceeding Purity of its Precepts % with refpe5l to the Worjhip of God.
Y^' Another Thing, in which the Chriftian Religion exceeds all other Religions, that ever were, are, or can be imagined 5 is the exceeding Purity and Holinefs of its Precepts, both in thofe Things which concern the Worfhip of God, and aJfo irt all other Particulars. The Rites of the Heathens, almoft all over the World, were full of Cruelty; (b) as Porphyry has largely fhown •, and as we are convinced by thofe in our Age, who have failed to thofe Places. For it is an edablilhcd Principle, almoft every where, that the Gods are to be pacified with human Blood; which Cuflom neither the Greek Learning, nor the Roman Laws, abolifhed: As appears from what we read concerning {c) Sacrifices offered up to Bacchus Omefia^ amongft the Greeks \ concerning a Grecian Man and a Grecian Woman, and concerning W)^a Man and Womay look into Nathaniel Car- many Things, in his iVth apenter's XVIth Exercife pf gainft 7«//aK..\ Concerning whom, (ee Dio^e- tions them in his ^hemifiocks^ nes La'ertiui in the Beginning and alio Faufanias. The like of his Book. **' And Theopont- Rites of the Mf^«£ij;;/, P^//^- "relates, as the Opinion of F'noc^uefians, you have in the «* the Wife Men, that Men Hdratpry Difcourfe iu C/m^«/.
" iha!l live again, and beconie Jj) ^ Man andWoman a- "Immortal, and every Thing ntd^gfithp Gauls, &c.] Diony •* fliall continue what it is ** fius Malicamajfenfis tells us In [b] Js Porphyry, &c.] In his hj^ 111 Book, that it was a very aokprohibitingeatirgLiving ahtient Cuiloin,ih Italy ^ to fai»a ow a:ni\W w /.!.■< ";^ni/jA,H^ir)\ \\-^'v "^ crifice J lo Of the -^ruth tf Book II.
man amongfc th^ Gauls, that were facrificed to Jufiter Latialis. And the moft holy Myfteries both of Ctres and of Bacchus, were full of Lewdnefs; as was plain, when once the Secrets of their Religion began to be publickly difcovered; as is at large declared by (a) Clemens Alexandrinus^ (b) and Others. And there was fuch Sights fhown upon thofeDays, that were confecrated to the Honour of their Gods •, that {c) Cato was afhamed to be prefent, ^t them. In the Jewijh Religion indeed there was nothing unlawful or immoral; but to prevent that People, (d) who were prone to Idolatry, from revolting crifice Men. How long it remained, PJi72y fays, Bpok 3CXVIII. Ch i. •* Oar Age '^* hath feen in the Beaft Mar--** ket, a Grecian Man and:^ Woman fiain, or thofe of M,{qt(\c other Natipn with.*f whom they dealt,'* This ■(lluflom remained till yu/iin^ 2nd Tatian^s Time: ¥ot Ju- -pin in his III Apologetick, ad- ■dreiTes the Romans thus: •^That Idol which you wor- •• fhip; to whom not only the "**'Sk)od of irrational Creatures " is poured out, but alfo Hu- " man Blood; which Blood '*^ of Slain Men is poured out ** by the moft Noble and Emi- •^ nent Perfon among yoa." Jnd Tatian: / find among the Romans, that Jupiter Lntialis i>:as deli -^h fed ivith Hujnan ■Blood; and n.vith 'that njjhich flo'ws from Men that arefiain. Porphpy tells us, that thefe Rites remained till Adrians Time. That there was a very ancient Cuftom amongft the Gauh^ of offering Human Sacrifices, we learn from TuUy^i Oration in Defence of M Fanteius; and out of Plutarch, concerning Superftition. '¥iberiuf aboliflied it, as we find in Pliny, Book XXX Chap. i. See the fame Pliny there, concerning the Britons, and Dioft in Nero, and Solinus; alio Hey" moldus concerning the Scla'VO' nians. Book I. ch. 3 Porphyry in his fecond Book againft eating Living Creatures, fays that it remained till his Time, in Arcadia in Carthage^ and in the great City, that is Rome, where he inftances in the Rite of yupiter Latialis. \ '^^^ ^u,^ [a) Clem. Alexandrt»ui,ScC "] In his Hortatory Difcourfe.
(h) yind others, &c.] Efpecially Arnobius, [c) That Cato nvas ajhamed, &c.] See Martial in the Beginning of his Epigrams. Gel-I: us X I 5. and Valerius Maximus. Book XI. ch. 10.
[d] Who ^'ere prone to Idolatry, &c.] This is the Reafon given for fuch Precepts by Maimonides, yoking from the true Religion, it was burthened with many Precepts, concerning Things that were in themfelves neither good nor bad: Such as the Sacrifices of Bcafts, Circumcifion, ftridl Reft on the Sabbath Day, and the forbidding many forts of Meats •, fome of which the Mahometans have borrowed, and added tp them a Prohibition of Wine. But the Chriftian Rehgion teaches us to worfhip God, who is a moft holy Being, (a) with a pure Mind, (b) and with fuch Adlions, as are in their own Nature virtuous, if they had not been commanded. Thus it does not bid us to (c) circumcife our Flefh, but our Defires and Affections; not to abftain {d) from all forts of Works, but only from all fuch as are unlawful: Not to offer the Blood and Fat of Beafts in Sacrifice to God; but, if there be a juftOccafion, {e) to offer our own Blood for a Teftimony of the Truth; And (f) whatever Share of our Goods we give to the*Poor, we are to look upon as given to God: Not to forbear certain Kinds of Meat or Drink, {g) but to ufe both of them with fuch Temperance, as may moft fecure ^our Health •, (h) and fometimes by Fafting to render our Bodies more fubfervient to the Mind; that •it may with more Freedom advance itfelf towards higher A *i ihiii {a) mth a pure Minti, &c.] (f) Whatever Shari of our John IV. 24. Goods, &c.] Matth, VI. 4, &c.] Whence it is called a Heb, III. 6. reafonable Service, Rom. XII. (g) But to ufe both of them, [d) From all fortSy &c.] I [h] And fometimes by Tafting^ [f] To qfer our §v:n Blood, i Cer, VII. 5.
112 Of the Truth of Book 11.
higher Objeds. But the chief Part of Religion, is every where declared to confift in fuch {a) a godly Faith, by which we may be framed to fuch (h) a fmcere Obedience, as to {c) trull wholly upon God, and have (d) a firm Belief of his Promifcs -, {e) whence arifes Hope, (f) and a true Love, both of God and of our Neighbour, which caufes Obedience to his Commands j (g) not a fervile Obedience, proceeding from the Fear of Punifhmenr, {h) but becaufe it is well-pleafing to him, {i) and becaufe he is our Father, (^) and Rewarder, out of his exceeding Goodnefs towards us. (I) And we are commanded to pray, not to obtain Riches or Honours, and fuch other Things, which many have defired to their own Hurt; but, in the firit Place, f^r fuch Things as are for the Glory of •God i and fo much only for our feives, of thofe per iA able {^) A JincereOhedhnce, &c.] (To which we may add \ that tuk? XI. 28. 'John Xrif 7. v/e can eafiiy apprehend, that and the following VeiTcs; i his Precepts are moil worthy Cor. VIL 19. I Pet. L 2. of him, and fo exa^flly fuitcd (c) Truji nt-holly i/pon God, to our Nature, that better or 12. ceived by anyone; the.efore {d) A firm Belief of his Pro- v. e ought to render our fclves mifesy &c ] Rom. IV 20. 2 Obedient to Him, out of « Cor. yil. 1. GalAW. zq. gratefulSenfeof hisConrimands, [e) Whence arifes Hope, 6cc ] becaufe they are the beft ami Heh. VI. 2. Rom.Xlil. 24. n:oil excellent that can be J and 'XV. 4. this, though there were no ■ (f) AndatrneLovg.loth of Puniihment to be infiicled on God, &c.] Gal. V. 6. 1 T:hef the Djfobedient, befide the III. 6 Bafenefs of the Faft itfelf; {g\ Nat a fertile Obedience, this is to Obey God like Sons &c ] Rom V'lII. 15. and not like Servants. Le [h) But becaufe it is ik-cU- CI ere ) pleafing, ScQ.."^ Htb.Xli. 28. f/) And ixe are commanded (7) And hecaife he ii our Fu- to praj, ^C.J tvlat. VI. iO.
Sefl:. II, 12. the Chrijlia?! Religion. 113 perilhable things, as Nature requires, pcrrriitting the reft to Divine Providence -, being contented, which way foever they happen: But for thofe things that lead to Eternity, we are to pray with all Earneftnefs, viz. for Pardon of our paft Sins^ and for the Afliftance of the Spirit for the future j that being eftablifhed firmly againft all Threats and Temptations, we may continue on in a godly Courfe. This is the Worfliip of God required by the Chriflian Religion, than which certainly nothing can be conceived more worthy of him.
-Se CT. XII. Co7icerning thofe Duties of Humanity y /; which we ewe to our Neighbour^ though he has injured us.
The Duties towards our Neighbour, required of us, are alfo of the like fort. The Mahometan Religion, which was bred in Arms, breathes nothing elfe; and is propagated by fuch Means only* ia) Thus Arifiotle takes notice of, and blames the Laws of the Laconians^ (which were fo highly commended above any other in Greece., even by the Oracle q{ Apollo.,) becaufe they tended dircdtly to Force of Arms. But the fame Philofopher affirms, that War againft Barbarians was lawful: whereas the contrary is true amongft Men, who were *' lit VII. Chap. 14. Like ** Eftablinirnent tended to " unto thefeare Tome, whoaf- ** Power and Wa.r: Which ** terwards declared their Opi- "may eafily be confuted by *• nions in their Writings. For *' Reafon, and i? now con- " in praifmg the Government " futed by Faft *V Euripides *"■ of the Lacedfemovianiy they in Andromacha^ faid it before •' commend the Defi^n of the ArifiQtle.
If Jfar^ and Glory ^ And the Sm^ord, nvsre from the Spartans taken, ^here^i ^cthing excellent that nvoutd remain.
Of the "Truth of Book IL vi?ere defigned by Nature for Friend fliip andSockcy. (^) For what greater Iniquity can there he, than to puniih. fingle Murders \ but expofe. to publick View, in their Triumphs, whole Nations whomthey had (lain V as a glorious Exploit? And yet that moft celebrated City of Rome^ how did it procure that Title, but by Wars, and thofe {}) many times very lYnjuft; as they themfelves confefs concerning (^) the Wars againft Sardinia (d) and Cyprus? And in general, as the moft famous Compilers of Annals have related -, very many Nations did not account it infamous, (e) to commit Robberies out of *•" "-"'h':? ■ ' ' ■^•;^-':...[a] fvr n-vhat greater. Iniquity, 4c } To this Purpqfe is the 96thKpillle oi Seneca ^ and Anger; and the lid EpiUle of Cyprian, (6) Many time: ^jery unjuj}, .^iAi4^ Cyprus, cjc] Flo. ** great, >Vfl5.Uie Report, and * thftt very ji-iAly, of it& V,Rich«s J jthat though they ** were aPeOjpU thr*tconqucred . {e) To commit Robberies^ &C.J Thucydides, Book I. ** For- •* ^erly the Greeks ^ as well *• as the Barbarians^ whether *\ they lived on the Concinent ** near the Sea Ihore, or whe- •' thcr they inhabited the *' Jflands; after they began to ** hold Correfpondenge with *;Vone another by Sailing, fell */ to robbing, led on by great ** Men, either for the fake of 1 Gain ta themfelves, or to '•.procure Victuals for them " that wanted. And happen - " ing upon Cities which were ** not walled, but inhabited " like Villages, they plundered ** them, and the greateft Part ** n-.ade their Advantage of " them, being not afhamcd as " yet Sedl. 12. the Chriflian Religion. 1 1 5 their own Bounds, {a) Executing of Revenge, is by Ariftotk and Cicero^ made a Part of Virtue. (b) The Gladiators tearing one another to pieces, > was one of the publick Entertainments amongft the Higatheas v {c) and to «xpofe thgir Children,:v.::. otg 7i! t-i:.. Vv^d l^'vVvOV IO' v^D f o?^ was ** yet of doing thus, but ra- •• ther accounting it glorious. *• Thisis evidently the Pradice ** of fome that dwell upon the ** Continent now, who account ** it honourable to do thus; *' and amongll the ancient *' Poets, it is very frequent •* for them who met Sailors, ** to afk them if they were ** Pirates; knowing that they ** who were fo afked, would '* not difown it; nor they ** who afked them, think it '* any Reproach. Nay they '* robbed one another, upon ** the very Continent; and a * * great many of the Gneh, live *' now in this ancient manner, " at the 0%olan LocrianSj the ** jEtolians.^ the Acamantans, " and thofe of the adjoining *• Continent." The Queftion Thucydides here mentions, is in Homer'sOd:f.T. Upon which the Scholi^tTays, *' To plun- *• der, was not accounted in- ** famous, but glorious; by the '*- Ancients." Jttfitn, Book XLIII. Chap." 3. cOncefnitig the Phocenjtam. ''.They nbire more diligent '•«?- nccupyirg ' the Sea^ than the Lan^^ in Fijhtng^ and Trkdrng", -and 'very often theyfpehl ih'eir-Li^es tn plunder^ ing (whkh.arthat time was looked upon' as honourable). Concerning the Spairiards, fee PiutarS ki Marjui;• and Diadorouf. Book V. concerning the Tyrrhenians. Ser'viuf on the Vlllth and Xth jEneids, C^-far^ Tacitus^ and Saxo-Gramfnaticus, concerning the Ger» mans^ (a) Executing of Revenge^ &c ] AriJlotWs Ethics to A7chomachusy I V» II. Such an one feems to be no nvays affeSied or concerned^ not to revenge him^ felfy unlefs pro'voked \ but it Jhe'VJi a mean Spirit^ to bear contemptuous Treatment. And Tully, in his fecond Book of Invention, places Revenge amongll the Duties that belong to the Law of Nature: "Whereby either in our own •* Defence, or by way of Re- «<f venge, we keep off Force *' or Reproach." And to Atticus: *' I hate the Man, and •* will hate him: I wifh I ** could revenge myfelf upon ** him.*' And againft Antony: ** I would revenge every fingle " Crime, according to the ♦* Degree of Provocation in "each."
\b) The Gladiators, &c.] See LaStantius, Book 11. and Tertnllian concerning Shews, Ch.
'{tf'Ahd td ^xpdfe' Their Children, &c.] See 'Jupn'% 11^ Apologenck, Chap. 9. and La6iantius\ Inftitution, Chap. 20. and Terence" s Hecyra, ir6 Of the Truth of Book IL was a daily Praclice. The Hebrews indeed, had a better Law, a more holy Difcipline-, but yet there were feme things overlooked or allowed in that People, whofe PafTion was ungovernable; {a) fuch as the giving up to their Power leven Nations, the' indeed they deferved it: With which they not being contented, {b) perfecuted with cruel Hatred, all that differed from them; {c) the Marks of which remain even to this Day, in their Prayers uttered againft Chriilians: And the Law itfelf allowed a Man {d) to revenge an Injury by the Punifhments of Retaliation, and that a Man-Oayer might be killed by the private Hand of the next Relation. But the Law of Chrift {e) forbids requiting any Injury that hath been done us, either by Word or Deed; left by imitating that Malice' we condemn in others, we fhould on the contrary^ approve it. It would have us do good in the iirR'. PlaG€j to thofe that are good -, and then to the bad alfo, (f) after the Example of God, from whom we receive Gifts in common with all other Men ', fuch as the Syp^,,)[,hg,,§;ar?|,,tli6. Ai% the" Winds, and the-Rain*^ ♦mUHO «v^"'Q.i'i^ x-^^'^i'^^swSittV.
{a) Such as fJ?esgfvhifyJi^i^^-^Aiti!^j^A^'^i^h^e<^ Ciys,th(y Exodus XXXlV^a^i xi^^a u>23iA are to be deitroyed, wiio do Deut. Vil. i,.^SV';vT.'^T ■i^*^^ 'i^ 'Jttot believe them. And it io a {b) PerfecittedTx-tthcncelHiT''. frequent Saying in the Mouths trcd^ Sec] R.Le'id Ben Gtr- of the jfeavs, Let all SeSUtrui fon rells ii'^, they \>i^xk Ko *tfi-^ fuddenly perijh. The like Saydeavour to injure ' the/« ar.y. ing, we ^w'is. \\\ "R, ifaac' i Bt- ■ manner of way. Bcchai_^iiy?^j refchith Rabba, and the 7'^;^ • that ^v'h\V •^'as tdkcirt'rdm'ciiem. mun in Bab^i Kama, and Baba put W»t'kt Ft race. In 'a -firlaH '\f) forhtdf requiting any ttt\ }^boV'0^'K^ntonh4S hhrga^ihk, ' (f) After the ExMmple ef Sect. XIII. About the ConJun5lion cf Male itnd Female.
The Conjundllonof Man and Woman, whereby Mankind is propagated, is a thing that highly deferves to be taken care of by Law j which that the Heathen negie(5led, is no wonder, when they relate {a) Stories of the Whoredoms and Adulteries of thofe Gods which they worftiipped. And which is worfe, {b) the Conjundlion of Males with one another, is defended by the Examples of their Gods: In the Number of which, Ganymedes of old, (r) and Antinous afterwards, were reckoned, upon this Account; which horrid Crime is alfo Who forces Virgins to his mipual Bed,^ ^^ ^^^^ \ -^ And murders his o^Mti Children pri<vatkf^'~i bnii tZDaiV-' // this to praSIife Virtue yon- enjoin t If Mortals Jtn^ you Gods renjenge the Wrong; And is it juji that you, nuho Laius prejcribe...-.\A u^s^^;. To all Mankind, Jhould li've by none yowfelt}t:,^.liV Au^'.
though it nxiill ne'ver be^ yet Imufi Jpeak; .".iVi^VA"^ 7/" Phqebus, Neptune, and the King of Gods f^. [ Should punijh all unlaiuful Marriages, ' Isone nxjould remain, to niusrjhip at their Shrinei.
See this MaUer fiilly handfed '^1. {«),^»//Antinous^//^rwiJr^/, by Clemens y in "his hortatory &c.] Mentioned by Jujiin, Difcourfe; hy.Athenagor as, in his lid Apologetick; by Tatian, Amobius, Book IV. Clemens, in his hortatory Dif-Naz.ianzen, in his" Ift againft courfe; by Origen, in his li^ Julian,;^r}d Theadoreti^ J)ii' and VII Ith Books againft Cf/-courfe in..,. Jus ', by Eufebius, in his Ecclcl^l 7";^^ Co«;>;7^/<?« V iV/^/^/, fiaftical Hiflory, IV. 8. by &c.] See this alfo, in the ^heodoret,%.^\\di\i^K\'XQii:>Xi^ foremen tic ned Places of Clt- of thofe Times. mens and fhfodoret, I 3 1 18 Of the Truth op- Book IT.
often eftcemcd lawful amongft the Mahometans.y Cbinefe, and other Nations. The Greek Philofo- S" Ku-s feem to take great Pains (a) to put a virtuous Farhe upon a vicious thing The moft eminent of which fame Greek Philofophers, (^) recommending Intercourfe with Women •, what did they do elfe but turn a whole City into one common Stew, (c) when even Brute Creatures obferve foitie fort df Conjugal League? How much more reafonable is it then; that Man, who is the mod divine Creature, fhoiild not be born from an uncertain Original^ whereby the mutual Affcftions betwixt Parents and not only by Luci<in, in his little Book, concerning Love; butby Gregory N'asda^izen, Orat TH'. again ft 'Julian \ and by jE,lia$ Cretenjit, and Nontju^ upon ]b^. And alio by Curtly \n \i,\\ Vlth Book againft Ju 'ian; ' 'and by fhecdrrer, very largely, in his XHItri Book to the Greeks. I cannot on^ita Place of Phi/o^Sy who had a great Opinion of P/^to, out of his Book concerning a contemplative Life. ^* P/at6'sFeii\ is ** fpent alittoft whoHy upon '* Love, TioViyrily of Men cJa-*• ger after Women, and Wo-•* men eager afcCT'^fvlen; for * " *'Tuch 'Dtfires '-may "Idc* fatif-•* Ee'ti by the Law of Katurej ^'*^ but. of Men, aftW Men. ** differing fr6m therpfelves «• only in Age; and if any .' «* i:hmg be fpecioufly faid con- ■•* <erning Love and heavenly ** Venus, thofe Names areufed ** only for a Cover.** 2Vri»/- ferring the Chriltian. Wirdom to that of5<3^rtf/f/, adds, *' Not ** bringing in new Daemons, " b>ut driving out the old: ** not corrupting Youth, but ** iniiru6ling- them: in all the '* Goodneft of Modefty.'* si) Recoommetiding tb'! Inter* eourfe luith ff^omen^ &£ ] See P/at9t as in other Places, fo more p irticularly in his IVth Rcpublick.
(d f'f'h'n e'ven Brute Crea- /wr/r/,*&c] See Pliny, Book X- Chap '53. ** The Aftions ** of Doves ai'e mightily taken "hoticeofby thefe, upon the ** fame Account; their Culloms ^* are the farne. but the higheft "** degree of Modclly belongs ** fpecially to them j Aduhe- ** ries are not knoivn to cither " of them, they do not violate *' the Fidelity of -Wedlock.** Concerning the conjugal Chaftfty of Ring-I^oves, fee Porpfjyry, in his 1 1 Id Book againft eating living Creatures.
Childrfa is- deftroyedi The Uehrew Law. indeed' forbad all Uncleannefs, {a) but a Man was allowed to have more Wives than one, at a time, and the Hufb.and had a Power {h) to put away his Wife for any Caufe whatfoever; which is the Cuftom at this Day among the MahomUns: And fqrmerly the Greeks and Lati?ts took fo great a Liberty, that (c) the Laconians ^nd Catc^ permitted others to have their Wives for a time, ^ut the Law of Chrift, which is moft perfe6b, ftrikes at the very Root of Vice, and (d) accounts him guilty before God, (who can fee into, and judge the Hearts of Men,) that lulls after, though he has not committed, the Crime; or that attempts the Chaftity of any Woman, or looks upon her with fuch Defires. And becaufe all true Friend/hip is lading, and not to be broke; it would, with very good Reafon, have That to be fo [e) which contains the Union of their.Bodies, as well as tht Agreement of th^ir Minds_.; aiid which, without doubt, is more convenient for a right Education of their Children. Among the li^athe'ii.i" fpme few Nations were content with^ one 5Wifej:/.as.tI>e G^r.mam and Romans -y z^A in xix}^ othey 2itQ^(f) followed by ^cheChnltiians-: iNaroely, [i] To put awaj lHjMii/c,:-.,^f?^giLini\Oc(anttJ^^,., I20 Of the Truth of Book II.
that the Wife, having refigned herfelf entirely to her Hufband, may be {a) recompenfed with a like 'Return •, {b) that the Government of the Family may be better managed by one Governor, and that different Mothers might not bring a Diftur^ bance in amongft the Children. '^^ Sect. XiV. Jmfm^Ufe of tettf^^l'^Good^.
To come now to the Ufe of thofe things which are commonly called Goods ^ wp find Theft allowed by fome heathen Nations,, (<•) as the EgyptianSy (d) and Spartans -, and they who did not allow It in private Perfons, did fcarce any thing elfe in thepublick; as the Romans, of whom the Roman Orator faid, (^) if every one fhould have his Due reftored to him, they muft go back again to their Cottages. Indeed, there was no fuch thing amongft j^h&,H^brj6WS jrtait::t|^y.were permitted (f) to take 'i V -i' v; 'lo-.r^^D;., ^ Uiury (a) ■ Kecomptirfslmnth a likf~'^^ none of thefnTor an inhmate Returrti &c.] Saltufi well €X- *• Companion; but they are all preffes it in his Jugurthine ** equally efleemed of no Va- War. ** Amongft thofe that *' lue." Ammianus concerning *' have many ^^'ivcs, there is the Petfians, Book XXIII. By *' but little Affeftion, becaufe- weans a/ ^various Lujh, divided *' the Mind is diftrafted with Love gro-ivs faint. And Ciaw ** a Multitude, fo as to have dian^ in his Gildonick War.
'They have a ihoufand Marriagest For they regard no Tie>^ no f acred Pledge^ Euripidesj in his Andromacha, &c.] La^antiusia his Epirome, rightly apprehends and expref- Chap, i, cites the Words of fcs them both. ■ ^W/y to this Porpofe, out of (r)Ajthe\i^vpthn'i,^.^See his Iljd Republick. Diodorus Sicu/us's Hift. Book I. (/) To take Ufury of Strait- (d) And Spartan.s, dfTr.] bte ^en^ &C._J Diut. XXiI{. 1 9, Fluiarch in his Lyurgus.
Se6t. 14. the Chrijitan Religion, 121 Ufury of Strangers, that the Law might in fome Meafure be fitttd to their Difpofition; and therefore, amongll other things, (a) it promift d Riches to them that obeyed it. But the Chriftian Law not only forbids (i?) all kind of Injuftice, towards any Perfons; but alfo forbids us (r) fetting our Affedions upon perifhing things; becaufe our Mind is of fuch a Nature, that it cannot dihgently atterKl to the Care of two things, each of which requires the whole Man, arid which oftentimes draw him contrary ways: And befides, (d) Sollicitoufneft in procuring and preferring Riches, is attended with a certain Slavery and Uneafinefs, which fpoils that very Pleafure which is expected from Riches 5 (e) but Nature is fatisfied with a very few things, and thofe fuch, as can eafily be procured, without any great Labour or Charge. And, ifGod has granted us fomething beyond this, we are not commanded to call it into the Sea, (f) as fome Philofophers imprudently did; nor to kt it lie ufelefs by us, nor yet to lavifh it away: But out of it, to fupply the Wants of other M^n, {g) either by giving {b) or lending to thofe that afk it; (i) as becomes thofe who believe themfelves, hot to be Proprietors of thefe things, but only Stewards and Deputies of the Moft High God their Parent;