The excellency of theology compar'd with natural philosophy (as both are objects of men's study) / discours'd of in a letter to a friend by T.H.R.B.E. ... ; to which are annex'd some occasional thouhts about the excellency and grounds of the mechanical hypothesis / by the same author.

THE EXCELLENCY OF THEOLOGY: OR, The Preeminence of the Study of Divinity, above that of Na∣tural Philosophy. THE FIRST PART.

TO address my self then, without any farther Circumstance or Pre∣amble, to the things themselves, that I mainly intend in this Discourse, I consider in the General, That as there are scarce any Motives accounted fitter to engage a Rational man in a study, than That the Sub∣ject

is Noble, That 'tis his Duty to apply himself to it, and That his Pro∣ficiency in it will bring him great Advantages; So there is not any of these three Inducements, that does not concur in a very plentiful mea∣sure to recommend to us the Study of Theological Truths.

THE FIRST SECTION.

ANd first, The Excellency and Sublimity of the Object we are invited to contemplate, is such, that none that does truly acknow∣ledge a Deity can deny, but that there is no Speculation, whose Object is comparable in point of Nobleness, to the Nature and Attributes of God. The Souls of inquisitive men are com∣monly so curious, to learn the Nature and Condition of Spirits, as that the over-greedy desire to discover so much as That there are other Spiritual Substances besides the Souls of Men, has prevail'd with too many to try forbidden ways of attaining satisfa∣ction; and many have chosen rather to venture the putting themselves

within the power of Daemons, than remain ignorant whether or no there are any such Beings: As I have learn∣ed by the private acknowledgments made me of such unhappy (though not unsuccessful) Attempts, by di∣vers learned men (both of other Pro∣fessions, and that of Physick,) who themselves made them in differing places, and were persons neither Ti∣merous nor Superstitious: (But this onely upon the By.) And certainly that man must have as Wrong as Mean a Notion of the Deity, and must but very little consider the Nature and Attributes of that infinitely per∣fect Being, and as little the Nature and infirmities of Man, who can imagine the Divine Perfections to be Sub∣jects, whose investigation a man may (inculpably) despise, or be so much as fully sufficient for. Not onely the Scripture tells us, That his Greatness is incomprehensible, and his wisdom is inscrutable; That he humbles himself to look into (or upon) the Heavens and the Earth; and, That not onely this or that man, but all the Nations of the World are, in comparison of him, but like the small Drop of a Bucket, or the

smaller Dust of a Ballance: But even the Heathen Philosopher, who wrote that eloquent Book De Mundo, ascrib'd to Aristotle in his riper years, speaks of the Power, and Wisdom, and Amiableness of God, in terms little less lofty, though necessarily inferiour to so infinitely Sublime a Subject; which they that think they can, especially without Revelation, sufficiently un∣derstand, do very little understand themselves.

But perhaps your Friend will ob∣ject, That to the knowledge of God there needs no other then Natural Theology; and I readily confess, be∣ing warranted by an Apostle, that the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, was not unknown to the Heathen Philosophers; and that so much knowledge of God is attain∣able by the light of Nature, duly employ'd, as to encourage men to exercise themselves more than most of them do in that noblest of Studies, and render their being no Proficients in it, injurious to themselves as well as to their Maker. But notwithstanding this, as God knows Himself infinitely better then purblind Man knows Him, so the Informations He is

pleased to vouchsafe us, touching His own Nature and Attributes, are ex∣ceedingly preferable to any ac∣count, that we can give our selves of Him, without Him. And methinks, the differing Prospects we may have of Heaven, may not ill adumbrate to us the differing Discoveries that may be made of the Attributes of its Maker. For as, though a man may with his naked eye see Heaven to be a very glorious Object, enobled with radi∣ant Stars of several sorts; yet when his eye is assisted with a good Tele∣scope, he can not onely discover a number of Stars (Fix'd and Wan∣dring) which his naked eye would ne∣ver have shown him; but those Pla∣nets which he could see before, will appear to him much bigger, and more distinct: So, although bare Rea∣son well improv'd will suffice to make a man behold many glorious Attributes in the Deity; yet the same Reason, when assisted by Reve∣lation, may enable a man to discover far more Excellencies in God, and perceive them, he contemplated be∣fore, far greater and more distinctly. And to shew how much a dim Eye,

illuminated by the Scriptures, is able to discover of the Divine Perfections, and how unobvious they are to the most piercing Philosophical Eyes, that enjoy but the dim light of Na∣ture; we need but consider, how much more suitable Conceptions and Expressions concerning God are to be met with in the Writings of those Fishermen and others, that penn'd the New Testament, and those illiterate Christians that received it, than amongst the most Civiliz'd Nations of the World (such as anciently the Greeks and Romans, and now the Chi∣neses and East-Indians) and among the eminentest of the Wise-men and Philosophers themselves, (as Aristotle, Homer, Hesiod, Epicurus, and others.)

Besides that the Book of Scripture discloses to us much more of the At∣tributes of God, than the Book of Nature; there is another Object of our Study, for which we must be en∣tirely beholding to Theology: For though we may know something of the Nature of God by the Light of Reason, yet we must owe the know∣ledge of His Will, or Positive Laws, to His own Revelation. And we may

ghess, how curious great Princes and wise Men have been to inform them∣selves of the Constitutions esta∣blished by wise and eminent Legisla∣tors; partly by the frequent Travels of the Ancient Sages and Philoso∣phers into Forreign Countries, to ob∣serve their Laws and Government, as well as bring home their Learning; and partly by those Royal and Sum∣ptuous Expences, at which that Great and Learned Monarch Ptolomeus Phi∣ladelphus stuck not to procure an Authentick Copy of the Law of Mo∣ses, whom he considered but as an eminent Legislator. But certainly That, and other Laws recorded in the Bible, cannot but appear more noble and worthy Objects of Curiosity to us Christians, who know them to pro∣ceed from an Omniscient Deity, who being the Authour of Mankind, as well as of the rest of the Universe, cannot but have a far perfecter knowledge of the Nature of Man, than any other of the Law-givers, or all of them put together can be conceived to have had.

But there is a farther Discovery of Divine Matters, wherewith we are

also gratified by Theology: For be∣sides what the Scripture teaches us of the Nature and the Will of God, it contains divers Historical Accounts (if I may so call them) of His Thoughts and Actions. The Great Alexander thought himself nobly employ'd, when he read of the Grecian Actions in Homer's Verses; and, To know the Sentiments of great and wise Per∣sons, upon particular occasions, is a curiosity so laudable, and so worthy of▪ an Inquisitive Soul, that the Southern Queen has been more prais'd than admir'd, for coming from the re∣moter parts of the Earth, to hear the Wisdom of Solomon. Now the Scri∣pture does in many places give our Curiosity a nobler Employment, and thereby a higher Satisfaction, than the King of Macedon, or the Queen of Sheba could enjoy; for in many places it does, with great clearness and in∣genuity, give us accounts of what God Himself hath declar'd of His own Thoughts, of divers particular Persons and Things, and relates, what He that knows and commands all things, was pleas'd to say & do upon particular Oc∣casions. Of this sort of Passages are the

things recorded to have been said by God to Noah, about the sinful Worlds ruine, and that Just Man's preserva∣tion; and to Moses in the case of the Daughters of Zelophehad. And of this sort are the Conferences, menti∣oned to have pass'd betwixt God and Abimelech, concerning Abraham's Wife; betwixt God and Abraham touching the destruction of Sodom; betwixt God and Solomon, about that Kings happy choice; betwixt God and Jonah, about the Fate of the greatest City of the World: And above all these, those two strange and matchless Passages, the one in the first Book of Kings, touching the seducing Spirit that undertook to se∣duce Ahab's Prophets; and the other, that yet more wonderful Relation of what pas'd betwixt God and Satan, wherein the Deity vouchsafes not onely to Praise, but (if I may so speak with reverence) to Glory in a Mortal. And the being admitted to the knowledge of these Transactions of another World (if I may so call them) wherein God has been pleased to disclose himself so very much, is an advantage afforded us by the Scri∣pture,

of so noble a Nature, and so unattainable by the utmost improve∣ment we our selves can make of our own Reason, that, did the Scripture contain nothing else that were very Considerable, yet that Book would highly deserve our Curiosity and Gra∣titude.

And on this occasion, I must by no means leave unobserv'd another Advantage that we have from some Discourses made us in the Bible; since it too highly concerns us, not to be a very Great one; and it is, That the Scripture declares to us the Judgment, that God is pleas'd to make of some particular Men, upon the Estimate of their Life and De∣portment. For though Reason alone, and the Grounds of Religion in ge∣neral, may satisfie us in some mea∣sure, that God is Good and Merciful, and therefore 'tis likely he may Pardon the sins and frailties of Men, and ac∣cept of their Imperfect Services; yet, besides that we do not know, whe∣ther He will Pardon, unless we have His Promise of it; besides this (I say) though by vertue of general Revela∣tion, such as is pretended to in divers

Religions, we may be assured, that God will accept, forgive, and reward those that sincerely obey him, and per∣form the Conditions of the Covenant, whether it be Express, or Implicite, that he vouchsafes to make with them; yet since 'tis He that is the Judge of the Performance of the Con∣ditions, and of the sincerity of the Person; and since He is Omniscient, and a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and so may know more Ill of us, than even we know of our selves; a concerned Con∣science may rationally doubt, whether in Gods Estimate any particular man was so sincere as to be accepted. But when He Himself is pleas'd to give Elogiums (if I may with due respect so style them) to David, Job, Noah, Daniel, &c. whilst they were alive, and to others after they were dead, (and consequently having finished their Course, were pass'd into an Ir∣reversible state) we may learn with Comfort, both that the Performance of such an Obedience as God will ac∣cept, is a thing really Practicable by Men; and that even great sins and misdemeanors are not (if seasonably repented of) certain evidences, that a

man shall never be Happy in the fu∣ture Life. And it seems to be for such an use of consolation to Frail men (but not at all to encourage Licenti∣ous ones) that the Lapses of holy Per∣sons are so frequently recorded in the Scriptures. And bating those Divine Writings, I know no Books in the world, nor all of them put together, that can give a considering Christi∣an, who has due apprehensions of the Inexpressible Happiness or Misery of an Immortal state in Heaven or in Hell, so great and well grounded a Consolation, as may be deriv'd from three or four lines in St. John's Apo∣calypse, where he says, That he saw in Heaven a great multitude, not to be num∣bred, of all Nations, and Tribes, and Peo∣ple, and Tongues, standing before the Throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white Robes, with Palms (the Ensigns of Victory) in their hands; and the Praises of God and of the Lamb in their mouthes. For from thence we may learn, that Heaven is not reserv'd onely for Prophets, and Apostles, and Martyrs, and such extraordinary Per∣sons, whose Sanctity the Church ad∣mires, but that through Gods good∣ness,

multitudes of his more Imper∣fect Servants have access thither.

Though the Infinite Perfections and Prerogatives of the Deity be such, that Theology it self can no more than Philosophy afford us an∣other Object for our Studies, any thing near so Sublime and Excellent, as what it discloses to us of God; yet Di∣vinity favours us with some other Discoveries, namely, about Angels, the Universe, and our own Souls, which though they must needs be in∣feriour to the knowledge of God Himself, are, for the nobleness of their Objects, or for their Importance, highly preferable to any that Natu∣ral Philosophy has been able to af∣ford its Votaries.

But before I proceed to name any more particulars, disclos'd to us by Revelation, 'twill be requisite, for the prevention or removal of a Prejudice, to mind you, that we should not make our Estimates of the worth of the things we owe to Revelation, by the Impressions they are wont now to make upon Us Christians, who learned divers of them in our Catechisms, and perhaps have several times met

with most of the Rest in Sermons, or Theological Books. For 'tis not to be admir'd, that we should not be strongly affected at the mention of those Truths, which (how valuable soever in themselves) were for the most part taught us when we were either Children, or too Youthful to discern and prize their Excellency and Importance. So that though after∣wards they were presented to our ri∣per understanding, yet their being by that time become familiar, and our not remembring that we ignor'd them, kept them from making any vigo∣rous Impressions on Us. Whereas if the same things had been (with Cir∣cumstances evincing their Truth) discover'd to some Heathen Philoso∣pher, or other vertuous and inquisitive Man, who valu'd important Truths, and had nothing but his own Reason to attain them with, he would questi∣onless have receiv'd them with won∣der and joy. Which to induce us to suppose we have sundry Instances, both in the Records of the Primitive Times, and in the recent Relations of the Conversion of men to Christia∣nity among the People of China, Ja∣pan,

and other Literate Nations. For though bare Reason cannot discover these Truths, yet when Revelation has once sufficiently propos'd them to Her, she can readily embrace, and highly value divers of them; which being here intimated once for all, I now advance to name some of the Re∣velations themselves.

And first, as for Angels, I will not now question, whether bare Reason can arrive at so much as to assure us, That there are such Beings in Rerum Naturâ. For though Reason may as∣sure, that their Existence is not Im∣possible, and perhaps too not impro∣bable; yet I doubt, whether 'twere to meer Ratiocination, or clear Experi∣ence, or any thing else but Revela∣tion, convey'd to them by imperfect Tradition, that those Heathen Philo∣sophers, who believ'd that there were separate Spirits other than Humane, ow'd that perswasion. And particu∣larly as to Good Angels, I doubt, whe∣ther those Antient Sages had any co∣gent Reasons, or any convincing Hi∣storical Proofs, or, in short, any one unquestionable Evidence of any kind, to satisfie a wary person so much as of

the being (much less to give a farther account) of those Excellent Spirits. Whereas Theology is enabled by the Scripture to inform us, that not onely there are such Spirits, but a vast mul∣titude of them; That they were made by God and Christ, and are Immortal, and propagate not their Species; and that these Spirits have their chief Re∣sidence in Heaven, and enjoy the Vi∣sion of God, whom they constantly praise, and punctually obey, without having sinn'd against him; That also these Good Angels are very Intelli∣gent Beings, and of so great power, that One of them was able in a night to destroy a vast Army; That they have Degrees among themselves, are Enemies to the Devils, and fight against them; That they can assume Bodies shap'd like ours, and yet dis∣appear in a trice; That they are some∣times employ'd about Humane affairs, and that not onely for the welfare of Empires and Kingdomes, but to pro∣tect and rescue single Good men. And though they are wont to appear in a dazling Splendor, and an asto∣nishing Majesty, yet they are All of them ministring Spirits, employ'd for

the good of the designed Heirs of Sal∣vation. And they do not onely refuse mens Adoration, and admonish them to pay it unto God; but, as they are in a sense made by Jesus Christ, who was true Man as well as God; so they do not onely worship him, and call him simply, as his own Followers were were wont to do, The Lord, but stile themselves Fellow servants to his Disciples.

And as for the other Angels, though the Gentiles, as well Philo∣sophers as others, were commonly so far mistaken about them, as to adore them for true Gods, and yet many of them to doubt whether they were immortal; the Scripture informs us, that they are not Self-originated, but created Beings; That however a great part of Mankind worships them, they are wicked and impure Spirits, Enemies to Mankind, and Seducers of our first Parents to their Ruine; That though they beget and promote con∣fusion among men, yet they have some Order among themselves, as having one Chief, or Leader; That they are evil Spirits, not by Nature, but Apostacy; That their power is

very limited, insomuch that a Legion of them cannot invade so contempti∣ble a thing as a Herd of Swine, with∣out particular leave from God; That not onely Good Angels, but Good Men, may, by resisting them, put them to flight, and the sincere Chri∣stians that worsted them here, will be among those that shall judge them hereafter; That their being immortal, will make their misery so too; That they do themselves believe and trem∣ble at those Truths, they would per∣swade men to reject; and That they are so far from being able to confer that Happiness, which their Wor∣shippers expect from them, that them∣selves are wretched creatures, re∣serv'd in chains of darkness to the judg∣ment of the great Day; at which they shall be doom'd to suffer everlasting torments, in the company of those wicked men that they shall have pre∣vail'd on.

We may farther consider, That as to things Corporeal themselves, which the Naturalist challenges as his peculiar Theme, we may name par∣ticulars, and those of the most com∣prehensive nature, and greatest Im∣portance,

whose knowledge the Na∣turalist must owe to Theology. Of which Truths I shall content my self to give a few instances in the World it self, or the universal Aggregate of things Corporeal; that being look'd upon as the noblest and chiefest Ob∣ject, that the Physicks afford us to contemplate.

And first, Those that admit the Truths reveal'd by Theology, do generally allow, that God is not onely the Author, but Creator of the World. I am not ignorant of what Anaxagoras taught, of what he call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 — (and Tully mentions) in the production of the World; and that what many other Grecians afterwards taught of the Worlds Aeternity, is peculiarly due to Aristotle, who does little less then brag, that all the Philosophers that preceded him were of another mind. Nor will I here examine (which I else-where do) whether, and how far by Arguments meerly Physi∣cal, the Creation of the World may be evinc'd. But whether or no meer Natural Reason can reach so sublime a Truth; yet it seems not that it did actually, where it was not excited by

Revelation-Discovery. For though many of the antient Philosophers be∣liev'd the World to have had a Begin∣ning, yet they all took it for granted, that Matter had none; nor does any of them, that I know of, seem to have so much as imagin'd, that any Substance could be produced out of Nothing. Those that ascribe much more to God than Aristotle, make Him to have given Form onely, not Matter, to the World, and to have but contriv'd the pre-existent Matter into this orderly Systeme we call the Uni∣verse.

Next, whereas very many of the Philosophers that succeeded Aristotle, suppose the World to have been Aeternal; and those that believ'd it to have been produc'd, had not the confidence to pretend to the know∣ing how old it was; unless it were some extravagant ambitious People, such as those fabulous Chaldaeans, whose fond account reach'd up to 40000 or 50000 years: Theology teaches us, that the World is very far from being so old by 30 or 40 thousand years as they, and by very many Ages, as divers others have pre∣sum'd;

and does, from the Scripture, give us such an account of the age of the World, that it has set us certain Limits, within which so long a Du∣ration may be bounded, without mi∣staking in our Reckoning. Whereas Philosophy leaves us to the vastness of Indeterminate Duration, without any certain Limits at all.

The Time likewise, and the Order, and divers other Circumstances of the Manner, wherein the Fabrick of the World was compleated, we owe to Revelation; bare Reason being evi∣dently unable to inform us of Parti∣culars that preceded the Origine of the first Man; and though I do not think Religion so much concern'd, as many do, in their Opinion and Pra∣ctise, that would deduce particular Theorems of Natural Philosophy from this or that Expression of a Book, that seems rather design'd to instruct us about Spiritual than Cor∣poreal things. I see no just reason to embrace their Opinion, that would so turn the two first Chapters of Genesis into an Allegory, as to overthrow the Literal and Historical sense of them. And though I take the Scripture to

be mainly design'd to teach us nobler and better Truths, than those of Phi∣losophy; yet I am not forward to con∣demn those, who think the begin∣ning of Genesis contains divers parti∣culars, in reference to the Origine of things, which though not unwarily, or alone to be urg'd in Physicks, may yet afford very considerable Hints to an attentive and inquisitive Peruser.

And as for the Duration of the World, which was by the old Phi∣losophers held to be Interminable, and of which the Stoicks Opinion, that the World shall be destroyed by fire (which they held from the Jews) was Physically precarious; Theology teaches us expresly from Divine Re∣velation, that the present course of Nature shall not last always, but that one Day this world (or at least this Vortex of ours) shall either be Abolished by Annihilation, or (which seems far more probable) be Innovated, and, as it were, Transfi∣gur'd, and that by the Intervention of that Fire, which shall dissolve and destroy the present frame of Nature: So that either way, the present state of things (as well Naturall as Politi∣cal)

shall have an end.

And as Theology affords us these Informations about the Creatures in general; so touching the chiefest and noblest of the visible ones, Men, Re∣velation discovers very plainly divers very important things, where Reason must needs be in the dark.

And first, touching the Body of Man; The Epicureans attributed its Original, as that of all things else, to the Casual Concourse of Atoms; and the Stoicks absurdly and injuriously enough (but much more pardonably than their follower herein, Mr. Hobbs) would have Men to spring up like Mushrooms out of the ground; and whereas other Philosophers maintain conceits about it, too wild to be here recited; the Book of Genesis assures us, that the Body of Man was first form'd by God in a peculiar manner, of a Ter∣restrial Matter; and 'tis there de∣scribed, as having been perfected be∣fore the Soul was united to it. And as Theology thus teaches us, how the Body of Man had its first beginning; so it likewise assures us, what shall be∣come of the Body after death, though bare Natural Reason will scarce be

pretended to reach to so abstruse and difficult an Article as that of a Resur∣rection; which, when propos'd by St. Paul, produc'd among the Atheni∣an Philosophers nothing else but won∣der or laughter.

Not to mention, that Theology teaches us divers other things about the Origine and Condition of Mens Bodies; as, That all Mankind is the Off-spring of One Man and one Wo∣man; That the first Woman was not made of the same Matter, nor after the same Manner as the first Man, but was afterwards taken from his side; That both Adam and Eve were not, as many Epicureans and other Philoso∣phers fanci'd that the first men were, first Infants; whence they did, as we do, grow by degrees to be mature and compleat Humane Persons, but were made so all at once; and, That here∣after, as all mens Bodies shall rise again, so they shall all (or at least all those of the just) be kept from ever dying a second time.

And as for the Humane Soul, though I willingly grant, that much may be deduc'd from the Light of Reason onely, touching its Existence,

Properties, and Duration; yet Di∣vine Revelation teaches it us with more clearness, and with greater Au∣thority; as, sure, he that made our Souls, and upholds them, can best know what they are, and how long he will have them last. And as the Scri∣pture expresly teaches us, that the Ra∣tional Soul is distinct from the Body, as not being to be destroy'd by those very Enemies that kill the Body; so about the Origine of this Immortal Soul (about which Philosophers can give us but wide and precarious con∣jectures) Theology assures us, that the Soul of man had not such an Origina∣tion, as those of other Animals, but was Gods own immediate Workman∣ship, and was united to the Body al∣ready form'd: And yet not so united, but that upon their Divorce, she will survive, and pass into a state, in which Death shall have no power over her.

I expect you will here object, that for the knowledge of the Perpetual Duration of separate Souls, we need not be beholding to the Scripture, since the Immortality of the Soul may be sufficiently prov'd by the sole Light

of Nature, and particularly has been demonstrated by your great Des Car∣tes. But you must give me leave to tell you, that, besides that a matter of that weight and concernment cannot be too well prov'd, and consequently ought to procure a welcome for all good Mediums of Probation; besides this, I say, I doubt many Cartesians do, as well as others, mistake, both the difficulty under consideration, and the scope of Des Cartes's Discourse. For I grant, that by Natural Philosophy alone, the Immortality of the Soul may be prov'd against its usual Ene∣mies, Atheists and Epicureans. For the ground, upon which these men think it mortal, being, That 'tis not a true substance, but onely a modification of Body, which consequently must pe∣rish, when the frame or structure of the Body, whereto it belongs, is dissolv'd: Their ground being this, I say, if we can prove by some Intellectual Ope∣rations of the Rational Soul, which Matter, however modifi'd, cannot reach, That it is a Substance distinct from the Humane Body, there is no rea∣son, why the Dissolution of the Latter should infer the Destruction of the

Former, which is a simple Substance, and as real a Substance as Matter it self, which yet the Adversaries affirm to be Indestructible. But though by the Mental Operations of the Rational Soul, and perhaps by other Medi∣ums it may, against the Epicureans, and other meer Naturalists, who will not allow God to have any thing to do in the case, be prov'd to be Immor∣tal in the sense newly propos'd; yet the same Proofs will not evince, that absolutely it shall never cease to be▪ if we dispute with Philosophers, who admit, as the Cartesians and many others do, that God is the sole Crea∣tor and Preserver of all things. For how are we sure but that God may have so ordain'd, That, though the Soul of Man, by the continuance of his ordinary and upholding Concourse, may survive the Body, yet, as 'tis ge∣nerally believ'd, not to be created till it be just to be infus'd into the Body; so it shall be annihilated when it parts with the Body, God withdrawing at death that supporting influence, which alone kept it from relapsing to its first Nothing. Whence it may appear, that notwithstanding the Physical

proofs of the Spirituality and separa∣bleness of the Humane Soul, we are yet much beholding to Divine Reve∣lation for assuring us, that its Duration shall be endless. And now to make good what I was intimating above, concerning the Cartesians, and the scope of Des Cartes's Demonstration, I shall appeal to no other than his own Expressions to evince, that he con∣sider'd this matter for the main as we have done, and pretended to de∣monstrate, that the Soul is a Distinct Substance from the Body; but not that absolutely speaking it is Immor∣tal. Cur (answers that excellent Au∣thor) de immortalitate Animae nihil scripserim, jam dixi in Synopsi mearum Meditationum. Quod ejus ab omni cor∣pore distinctionem satis probaverim, supra ostendi. Quod vero additis, Ex distinctione Animae á corpore non sequi ejus Immortalitatem, quia nihilominus dici potest, illam à Deo talis naturae fa∣ctam esse, ut ejus Duratio simul cum Duratione vitae corporeae finiatur, fateor á me refelli non posse. Neque enim tan∣tum mihi assumo ut quicquam de iis quae à libera Dei voluntate dependent, hu∣manae rationis vi determinare aggrediar.

Docet Naturalis cognitio, &c. Sed si de absoluta Dei potestate quaeratur, an forte decreverit, ut humanae animae iis∣dem Temporibus esse desinant, quibus Corpora quae illis adjunxit; solius Dei est, respondere. And if he would not assume to demonstrate by Natural Reason, so much as the Existence of the Soul after death, unless upon a supposition; we may well presume, that he would less take upon him to determine, what shall be the condition of that Soul after it leaves the Body. And that you may not doubt of this, I will give you for it his own confes∣sion, as he freely writ it in a private Letter to that Admirable Lady, the Princess Elizabeth, first Daughter to Frederick King of Bohemia, who seems to have desir'd his Opinion on that important Question, about which he sends her this Answer, Pour ce qui, &c. i. e. As to the State of the Soul after this Life, my knowledge of it is far inferiour to that of Monsieur (he means Sir Kenelm) Digby. For, setting aside that which Religion teaches us of it, I confess, that by mee•• Natural Reason we may indeed make many conjectures to our own advantage, and

have fair Hopes, but not any Assurance: And accordingly in the next clause he gives the imprudence, of quitting what is certain for an uncertainty, as the cause why, according to Natural Reason, we are never to seek Death.

Nor do I wonder he should be of that mind. For all that meer Reason can demonstrate, may be reduced to these two things; One, that the Ra∣tional Soul, being an Incorporeal Sub∣stance, there is no necessity that it should perish with the Body; so that, if God have not otherwise appointed, the Soul may survive the Body, and last for ever: The other, that the Na∣ture of the Soul, according to Des Cartes, consisting in its being a Sub∣stance that thinks, we may conclude, that, though it be by death separate from the Body, it will nevertheless retain the power of thinking. But now, whether either of these two things, or both, be sufficient to endear the state of separation after death, to a considering man, I think may be justly question'd. For, Immortality or Perseverance in Duration, simply con∣sider'd, is rather a thing presuppos'd to, or a requisite of, Felicity, than a part

of it; and being in it self an adiapho∣rous thing, assumes the nature of the state or condition to which 'tis joyn'd, and does not make that state happy or miserable, but makes the possessors of it more happy or more miserable than otherwise they would be. And though some School-men, upon Aery Metaphysical Notions, would have men think it is more eligible to be wretched, than not to be at all; yet we may oppose to their speculative su∣btilties the sentiments of Mankind, and the far more considerable Testi∣mony of the Saviour of Mankind▪ who speaking of the Disciple that be∣tray'd him, says, That it had been good for that man if he had never been born. And Eternity is generally con∣ceived to aggravate no less the mise∣ries of Hell, than it heightens the joys of Heaven. And here we may consider, first, That meer Reason can∣not so much as assure us absolutely, that the Soul shall survive the Body: For the Truth of which we have not onely Cartesius's Confession, lately recited, but a probable Argument, drawn from the nature of the thing, since, as the Body and Soul were

brought together, not by any meer Physical Agents, and since their As∣sociation and Union whilst they con∣tinued together, was made upon Con∣ditions that depended solely upon Gods free and arbitrary Institution; so, for ought Reason can secure us of, one of the Conditions of that Asso∣ciation may be, That the Body and Soul should not survive each other. Secondly, supposing that the Soul be permitted to outlive the Body, meer Reason cannot inform us what will be∣come of her in her separate state, whe∣ther she will be vitally united to any other kind of Body or Vehicle; and if to some, of what kind that will be, and upon what terms the Union will be made. For possibly she may be united to an unorganiz'd, or very im∣perfectly organiz'd, Body, wherein she cannot exercise the same Functions she did in her Humane Body. As we see, that even in this Life the Souls of Natural Fools are united to Bodies, wherein they cannot discourse, or at least cannot Philosophize. And 'tis plain, that some Souls are introduc'd into Bodies, which, by reason of Pa∣ralytical and other Diseases, they are

unable to move, though that does not always hinder them from being obnoxious to feel pain. So that, for ought we naturally know, a Humane Soul, separated from the Body, may be united to such a portion of Matter, that she may neither have the power to move it, nor the advantage of re∣ceiving any agreeable Informations by its interventions, having upon the ac∣count of that Union no other sense than that of pain. But let us now con∣sider what will follow, if I should grant that the Soul will not be made miserable, by being thus wretchedly matched. Suppose we then, that she be left free to enjoy what belongs to her own nature: That being onely the Power of always thinking, it may well be doubted, whether th'exercise of that Power wil suffice to make her hap∣py. You will perchance easily believe, that I love as well as another to enter∣tain my self with my own thoughts, and to enjoy them undisturbed by visits, and other avocations; I would, onely accompanied by a Servant and a Book, go to dine at an Inn upon a Road, to enjoy my thoughts the more freely for that day. But yet, I think, the

most contemplative men would, at least in time, grow weary of think∣ing, if they received no supply of Ob∣jects from without, by Reading, See∣ing, or Conversing; and if they also wanted the opportunity of executing their thoughts, by moving the Mem∣bers of their Bodies, or of imparting them, either by Discoursing, or Writ∣ing of Books, or by making of Expe∣riments. On this occasion I remem∣ber, that I knew a Gentleman, who was, in Spain, for a State-crime, which yet he thought an Heroick action, kept close prisoner for a year in a place, where though he had allowed him a Diet not unfit for a Person of Note, as he was; yet he was not per∣mitted the benefit of any Light, either of the Day or Candles, and was not accosted by any humane creature, save at certain times by the Jaylor, that brought him meat and drink, but was strictly forbidden to converse with him. Now though this Gentleman by his discourse appear'd to be a man of a lively humour, yet being ask'd by me, how he could do to pass the time in that sad solitude, he confessed to me, that, though he had the liberty

of walking too and fro in his Prison, and though by often recalling into his mind all the adventures and other pas∣sages of his former life, and by several ways combining and diversifying his Thoughts, he endeavoured to give his mind as much variety of employ∣ment as he was able; yet that would not serve his turn, but he was of∣ten reduc'd, by drinking large draughts of Wine, and then casting himself upon his bed, to endeavour to drown that Melancholly, which the want of new objects cast him into. And I can easily admit, he found a great deal of difference between the sense he had of thinking when he was at liberty, and that which he had when he was confin'd to that employ∣ment, whose delightfulness, like fire, cannot last long, when it is, as his was, denied both fuel and vent. And, in a word, though I most readily grant, that Thinking interwoven with Con∣versation and Action, may be a very pleasant way of passing ones Time, yet Man being by nature a sociable crea∣ture, I fear, that alone would be a dry and wearisome Imployment to spend Eternity in.

Before I proceed to the next Se∣ction, I must not omit to take notice, That though the brevity I propos'd to my self, keeps me from discoursing of any Theological Subjects, save what I have touch'd upon about the Divine Attributes, and the things I have mention'd about the Universe in general, and the Humane Soul; yet there are divers other things, know∣able by the help of Revelation, and not without it, that are of so noble and sublime a Nature, that the greatest Wits may find their best Abilities both fully exercis'd, and highly gra∣tifi'd by making Enquiries into them. I shall not name for proof of this the Adorable Mystery of the Trinity, wherein 'tis acknowledg'd, that the most soaring Speculators are wont to be pos'd, or to loose themselves: But I shall rather mention the Redemption of Mankind, and the Decrees of God concerning Men. For though these seem to be less out of the Ken of our Natural Faculties; yet 'tis into some things that belong to the former of them, that the Scripture tells us, The Angels desire to pry; and 'twas the consideration of the latter of them,

that made one that had been caught up into the Mansion of the Angels, amazedly cry out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

Not are these the onely things that the Scripture it self terms Mysteries, though, for brevities sake, instead of specifying any of them, I shall con∣tent my self to represent to you in general; that, since Gods wisdom is boundless, it may, sure, have more ways than one to display it self. And though the material World be full of the Productions of his Wisdom; yet that hinders not but that the Scripture may be enobled with many excellent Im∣presses, and, as it were, Signatures of the same Attribute. For, as I was be∣ginning to say, it cannot but be high∣ly injurious to the Deity, in whom all other True Perfections, as well as Om∣niscience, are both united and tran∣scendent, to think, that he can con∣trive no ways to disclose his Perfe∣ctions, besides the ordering of Matter and Motion, and cannot otherwise de∣serve to be the Object of Mens stu∣dies, and their Admiration, than in the capacity of a Creator.

And I think, I might safely add, that besides these Grand and Myste∣rious

Points I came from mentioning, there are many other noble and im∣portant things, wherein unassisted Reason leaves us in the dark; which though not so clearly reveal'd in the Scripture, are yet in an inviting measure discover'd there, and conse∣quently deserve the indagation of a Curious and Philosophical Soul. Shall we not think it worth enquiring, whether the Satisfaction of Christ was necessary to appease the Justice of God, and purchase Redemption for Mankind? Or whether God, as Absolute and Supreme Governour of the World, might have freely re∣mitted the Penalties of sin? Shall we not think it worth the inquiring, up∣on what Account, and upon what Terms, the Justification of Men ••••¦wards God is transacted, especially considering how much it imports us to know, and how perplexedly a Do∣ctrine, not in it self abstruse, is wont to be delivered? Shall not we inquire, whether or no the Souls of Men, be∣fore they were united to their Bodies, pre-existed in a happier state, as many of the Ancient and Modern Jews and Platonists, and (besides Origen) some

Learned Men of our times do believe▪ And shall not we be curious to know, whether, when the Soul leaves the Bo∣dy, it do immediately pass to Heaven or Hell (as 'tis commonly believed,) or for want of Organs be laid, as it were, asleep in an insensible and un∣active state, till it recover the Body at the Resurrection? (as many Socinians and others maintain:) Or whether it be conveyed into secret Recesses, where, though it be in a good or bad condi∣tion, according to what it did in the Body, 'tis yet repriev'd from the flames of Hell, and restrain'd from the Beatifick Vision till the Day of Judgment? (which seems to have been the opinion of many, if not most of the Primitive Fathers and Christi∣ans.) Shall not we be curious to know, whether at that great Decretory Day, this vast Fabrick of the World, which all confess must have its frame quite shatter'd, shall be suffer'd to relapse into its first Nothing, (as several Di∣vines assert;) or shall be, after its Disso∣lution, renew'd to a better state, and, as it were, Transfigur'd? And shall not we inquire, whether or no in that fu∣ture state of things, which shall ne∣ver

have an end, we shall know one another? (as Adam, when he awak'd out of his profound sleep, knew Eve whom he never saw before;) and whe∣ther those Personal Friendships and Affections, we had for one another here, and the pathetick Consideration of the Relations (as of Father and Son, Husband and Wife, Chaste Mistris and Virtuous Lover, Prince and Sub∣ject,) on which many of them were grounded, shall continue? Or whe∣ther all those things, as antiquated and slight, shall be obliterated, and, as it were, swallowed up? (as the former Relation of a Cousin a great way off, is scarce at all consider'd, when the Persons come so to change their state, as to be united by the strict Bonds of Marriage.)

But 'twere tedious to propose all the other Points, whereof the Divine takes cognizance, that highly merit an inquisitive mans curiosity; and about which, all the Writings of the old Greek and other Heathen Philo∣sophers put together, will give us far less information, than the single Vo∣lume of Canonical Scripture. I foresee indeed, that it may nevertheless be

objected, that in some of these Inqui∣ries, Revelation incumbers Reason, by delivering things, which Reason is obliged to make its Hypothesis con∣sistent with. But, besides that this can∣not be so much as pretended of all; if you consider how much unassisted Reason leaves us in the dark about these matters, wherein she has not been able to frame so much as proba∣ble determinations, especially in com∣parison of those probabilities that Reason can deduce from what it finds one way or other delivered in the Scri∣pture: If you consider this, I say, you will, I presume, allow me to say, That the revealed Truths, which Reason is obliged to comply with, if they be burdens to it, are but such Burdens as Feathers are to a Hawk, which instead of hindring his flight by their weight, enable him to soar to∣ward Heaven, and take a larger pro∣spect of things, than, if he had not fea∣thers, he could possibly do.

And on this occasion, Sir, the grea∣ter Reverence I owe to the Scripture it self, than to its Expositors, prevails upon me to tell you freely, that you will not do right, either to Theology,

or (the greatest Repository of its Truths) the Bible; if you imagine that there are no considerable Addi∣tions to be made to the Theological Discoveries we have already, nor no clearer Expositions of many Texts of Scripture, or better Reflections on that matchless Book, than are to be met with in the generality of Com∣mentators, or of Preachers, without excepting the Antient Fathers them∣selves. For, there being in my opini∣on two things requisite, to qualifie a Commentator to do right to his Theme, a competency of Critical Knowledge, and a Concern for the Honour and Interest of Christianity in general, assisted by a good Judgment to discern and select those things that may most conduce to it; I doubt, there are not many Expositors, as they are call'd, of the Scripture, that are not deficient in the former or the latter of these particulars, and I wish there be not too many that are defective in both.

That the knowledge of at least Greek and Hebrew is requisite to him, that takes upon him to expound Wri∣tings penn'd Originally in those Lan∣guages,

if the nature of the thing did not manifest it, you might easily be perswaded to believe, by considering with what gross mistakes the Igno∣rance of Languages has oftentimes blemish'd not onely the Interpreta∣tions of the School-men and others, but even those of the Venerable Fa∣thers of the Church. For though ge∣nerally they were worthy men, and highly to be regarded, as the grand Witnesses of the Doctrines and Go∣vernment of the antient Churches; most of them very pious, many of them very eloquent, and some of them (especially the two Criticks, Origen and Jerom) very Learned; yet so few of the Greek Fathers were skill'd in Hebrew, and so few of the Latin Fa∣thers either in Hebrew or Greek, that many of their Homilies, and even Comments, leave hard Texts as ob∣scure as they found them; and, some∣times misled by bad Translations, they give them senses exceeding wide of the True: So that many times in their Writings they appear to be far better Divines then Commentators, and in an excellent Discourse upon a Text, you shall find but a very poor

Exposition of it. Many of their Elo∣quent and devout Sermons being much better Encomiasts of the Di∣vine Mysteries they treat of, than Unvailers. And though some Modern Translations deserve the Praise of be∣ing very useful, and less unaccurate than those which the Latine Fathers us'd; yet when I read the Scriptures (especially some Books of the Old Testament) in their Originals, I con∣fess I cannot but sometimes wonder, what came into the mind of some, even of our Modern Translators, that they should so much Mistake, and sometimes Injure certain Texts as they do; and I am prone to think, that there is scarce a Chapter in the Bible (especially that part of it which is written in Hebrew) that may not be better Translated, and Consequently more to the Credit of the Book it self.

This Credit it misses of, not onely by mens want of sufficient Skill in Critical Learning, but (to come to the second Member of our late Division) for want of their having Judgment enough to observe, and Concern enough to propose those things in the Scri∣pture,

and in Theology, that tend to the Reputation of either. For I fear there are too many, both Commenta∣tors and other Divines, that (though otherwise perhaps pious men) having espous'd a Church or Party, and an Aversion from all Dissenters, are so∣licitous when they peruse the Scri∣pture, to take notice chiefly, if not onely (I mean in points Speculative) of those things, that may either sug∣gest Arguments against their Adver∣saries, or Answers to their Objecti∣ons. But I meet with much fewer than I could wish, who make it their Business to search the Scriptures for those things (such as unheeded Pro∣phecies, over-look'd Mysteries, and strange Harmonies) which being clear∣ly and judiciously proposed, may make that Book appear worthy of the high extraction it challenges (and conse∣quently of the veneration of Consi∣dering men) and who are sollicitous to Discern and Make out, in the way of Governing and of Saving Men, re∣veal'd by God, so excellent an Oeco∣nomy, and such deep Contrivances, and wise Dispensations, as may bring credit to Religion, not so much as

'tis Roman, or Protestant, or Socinian, but as 'tis Christian. But (as I intima∣ted before) these good affections for the repute of Religion in general, are to be assisted by a deep Judgment. For men that want either That, or a good Stock of Critical Learning, may easily over-see the best Observations (which usually are not Obvious) or propose as Mysteries, things that are either not Grounded, or not Weigh∣ty enough; and so (notwithstanding their good meaning) may bring a Dis∣paragement upon what they desire to Recommend. And I am willing to grant, that 'tis rather for want of good Skill and good Judgment, than good Will, that there are so few that have been careful to do right to the Reputation of the Scripture, as well as to its Sense. And indeed when I con∣sider, how much more to the Advan∣tage of those Sacred Writings, and of Christian Theology in general, divers Texts have been explain'd and dis∣cours'd of by the Excellent Grotius, by Episcopius, Masius, Mr. Mede, and Sir Francis Bacon, and some other Late great Wits (to name now no Living ones) in their several kinds; than the

same places have been handled by vulgar Expositors, and other Divines: And when I remember too, that none of these newly named Worthies was at once a great Philosopher, and a great Critick; (the three first being not so well vers'd in Philosophical Learning, and the last being unacquainted with the Eastern Tongues:) I cannot but hope, that when it shall please God to stir up persons of a Philosophical Ge∣nius, well furnish'd with Critical Learning, and the Principles of true Philosophy, and shall give them a hearty Concern for the Advancement of his Truths; these men, by exer∣cising upon Theological matters, that Inquisitiveness and Sagacity that has made in our Age such a happy Progress in Philosophical ones, will make Ex∣plications and Discoveries, that will justifie more than I have said in praise of the study of our Religion and the Divine Books that contain the Arti∣cles of it. For these want not Excel∣lencies, but onely skilful Unvailers. And if I do not tell you, that you should no more measure the Wisdom of God couch'd in the Bible, by the Glosses or Systems of common Expo∣sitors

and Preachers, than Estimate the Wisdome he has express'd in the contrivance of the World by Magi∣rus's or Eustachius's Physicks; yet I shall not scruple to say, That you should as little think, that there are no more Mysteries in the Books of Scri∣pture, besides those that the School-Divines and Vulgar Commentators have taken notice of, and unfolded; as that there are no other Mysteries in the Book of Nature, than those which the same School-men (who have taken upon them to interpret Aristotle and Nature too) have ob∣serv'd and explain'd. All the fine things, that Poets, Orators, and even Lovers have Hyperbolically said in praise of the Beauty of Eyes, will no∣thing near so much recommend them to a Philosophers esteem, as the sight of one Eye skilfully dissected, or the unadorn'd Account given of its Stru∣cture, and the admirable uses of its several parts, in Scheiner's Oculus, and Des-Cartes's Excellent Dioptricks. And though I do not think my self bound to acquiesce in, and admire eve∣ry thing that is propos'd as Mysterious and Rare by many Interpreters and

Preachers; yet I think, I may safely compare several things in the Books we call the Scripture, to several others in that of Nature, in (at least) one re∣gard. For, though I do not believe all the Wonders, that Pliny, Aelian, Por∣ta, and other Writers of that stamp, relate of the Generation of Animals; yet by perusing such faithful and accu∣rate accounts, as sometimes Galen, De usu Partium, sometimes Vesalius, some∣times our Harvey (de Ovo) and our later Anatomists, and sometimes other true Naturalists, give of the Genera∣tion of Animals, and of the admirable Structure of their Bodies, especially those of Men, and such other parts of Zoology, as Pliny, and the other Writers I nam'd with him, could make nothing considerable of; by perusing these (I say) I receive more pleasure and sa∣tisfaction, and am induc'd more to ad∣mire the works of Nature, than by all their Romantic and Superficial Nar∣ratives. And thus (to apply this to our present Subject) a close and critical account of the more vail'd and preg∣nant parts of Scripture, and Theologi∣cal Matters, with such Reflections on them, as their Nature and Collation

would suggest to a Philosophical, as well as Critical, Speculator, would far better please a Rational Considerer, and give him a higher, as well as a better grounded, Veneration for the things explain'd, than a great many of those sleighter or ill-founded Re∣marks, wherewith the Expositions and Discourses of Superficial Writers, though never so florid or witty, gain the applause of the less discerning sort of men.

And here, on this occasion, I shall venture to add, that I despair not, but that a further use may be made of the Scripture, than either our Divines or Philosophers seem to have thought on. Some few Theologues indeed have got the name of Supralapsarians, for venturing to look back beyond the Fall of Adam for God's Decrees of Election and Reprobation. But, besides that their boldness has been dislik'd by the generality of Divines, as well as other Christians, the Object of their Speculation is much too narrow to be any thing near and adequate to such an Hypothesis as I mean. For me-thinks, that the Encyclopedia's and Pansophia's, that even men of an ele∣vated

Genius have aimed at, are not diffus'd enough to comprehend all that the Reason of a Man, improv'd by Philosophy, and elevated by the Revelations already extant in the Scri∣pture, may, by the help of free Rati∣ocination, and the hints contain'd in those pregnant. Writings (with those assistances of God's Spirit, which he is still ready to vouchsafe to them that duly seek them,) attain unto in this life. The Gospel com∣prises indeed, and unfolds the whole Mystery of Man's Redemption, as far forth as 'tis necessary to be known for our Salvation: And the Corpuscula∣riùm or Mechanical Philosophy, strives to deduce all the Phoenomena of Nature from Adiaphorous Matter, and Local Motion. But neither the Fundamental Doctrine of Christia∣nity, nor that of the Powers and Ef∣fects of Matter and Motion, seems to be more than an Epicycle (if I may so call it) of the Great and Universal System of God's Contrivances, and makes but a part of the more general Theory of things, knowable by the Light of Nature, improv'd by the In∣formation of the Scriptures: So that

both these Doctrines, though very general, in respect of the subordinate parts of Theology and Philosophy, seem to be but members of the Uni∣versal Hypothesis, whose Objects, I conceive, to be the Nature, Counsels, and Works of God, as far as they are discoverable by us (for I say not to us) in this Life.

For those, to whom God has vouchsafed the priviledge of mature Reason, seem not to enlarge their thoughts enough, if they think, that the Omniscient and Almighty God has bounded the Operations of his Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness, to the Exercise that may be given them for some Ages, by the Produ∣ction and Government of Matter and Motion, and of the Inhabitants of the Terrestrial Globe, which we know to be but a Physical Point in comparison of that Portion of Universal Matter, which we have already discover'd.

For I account, that there are four grand Communities of Creatures, whereof things meerly Corporeal make but one; the other three, differing from these, are distinct also from one another. Of the first sort are the Race

of Mankind, where Intellectual Beings are vitally associated with Gross and Organical Bodies. The second are Daemons, or evil Angels; and the third, good Angels; (whether in each of those two kinds of Spirits, the Rational Beings be perfectly free from all uni∣on with Matter, though never so fine and subtile; or whether they be united to Vehicles, not Gross, but Spirituous, and ordinarily invisible to Us.)

Nor may we think, because An∣gels and Devils are two names quick∣ly utter'd, and those Spirits are sel∣dome or never seen by us, there are therefore but few of them, and the Speculation of them is not conside∣rable. For, as their Excellency is great, (as we shall by and by shew) so for their number, they are represented in Scripture as an Heavenly Host, standing on the right and left hand of the Throne of God. And of the good Angels, our Saviour Speaks of having more than twelve Legions of them at his command. Nay, the Prophet Da∣niel saith, that to the Antient of days, no less than millions ministred unto him, and hundreds of millions stood before him. And of the evil Angels

the Gospel informs us, that enough to call them a Legion (which you know is usually reckon'd, at a moderate rate▪ to consist of betwixt six and seven thousand) possess'd one single man. For my part, when I consider, that matter, how vastly extended, and how curiously shap'd soever, is but a brute thing, that is onely capable of Local motion and its effects and consequents on other Bodies, or the Brain of man, without being capable of any True, or at least any Intellectual, Perception, or true Love or Hatred; and when I consider the Rational Soul as an im∣material and immortal Being, that bears the Image of its Divine Maker, being indow'd with a capacious Intel∣lect, and a Will that no Creature can force: I am by these Considerations dispos'd to think the Soul of Man a nobler and more valuable Being, than the whole Corporeal World; which though I readily acknowledge it to be admirably contriv'd, and worthy of the Almighty and Omniscient Au∣thor, yet it consists but of an Ag∣gregate of Portions of brute Matter, variously shap'd and connected by Local Motion (as Dow, and Roles,

and Loves, and Cakes, and Vermicel∣li, Wafers, and Pie-crust, are all of them diversified Meal;) but without any knowledge either of their own Nature, or of that of their Author, or of that of their Fellow-creatures. And as the Rational Soul is somewhat more noble and wonderful, than any thing meerly Corporeal, how vast soever it can be, and is of a more excellent Nature, than the curiousest piece of Mechanism in the world, the Humane Body; so to enquire what shall become of it, and what Fates it is like to un∣dergo hereafter, does better deserve a man's Curiosity, than to know what shall befall the Corporeal Universe, and might justly have been to Nebu∣chadnezzar a more desirable part of knowledge, than that he was so trou∣bled for want of, when it was adum∣brated to him in the mysterious Dream, that contain'd the Characters and Fates of the four Great Monar∣chies of the World. And as man is intrusted with a Will of his own, whereas all material things move onely as they are mov'd, and have no self-determining power, on whose account they can resist the Will of God; and

as also of Angels, at least some Or∣ders of them, are of a higher Quality (if I may so speak) than Humane Souls; so 'tis very probable, that in the Government of Angels, whether good or bad, that are Intellectual Vo∣luntary Agents, there is requir'd and employ'd far greater displays of Gods Wisdom, Power, and Goodness, than in the guidance of Adiaphorous Mat∣ter; and the method of God's Con∣duct in the Government of these, is a far nobler Object for men's Contem∣plation, than the Laws, according to which the parts of Matter hit against, and justle, one another, and the effects or results of such Motions.

And accordingly we find in Scri∣pture, that, whereas about the produ∣ction of the material World, and the setting of the frame of Nature, God employ'd onely a few commanding Words, which speedily had their full effects; to govern the Race of Mankind, even in order to their own Happiness, he employ'd not onely Laws and Commands, but Revelations, Mira∣cles, Promises, Threats, Exhortations, Mercies, Judgments, and divers other Methods and Means; and yet often∣times,

when he might well say, as he did once by his Prophet, What could I have done more to my Vineyard that I have not done it? he had just cause to expostulate as he did in the same place, Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? and to complain of men, as by that very Prophet he did even of Israel, I have spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people. But not to wander too far in this di∣gression; what we have said of Men, may render it probable, that the grand Attributes of God are more sig∣nally exercis'd, and made more con∣spicuous in the making and govern∣ing of each of the three Intellectual Communities, than in the framing and upholding the Community of meer bodily things. And since all Immate∣rial Substances are for that reason na∣turally Immortal, and the Universal Matter is believ'd so too, possibly those Revolutions, that will happen after the Day of Judgment, wherein though probably not the Matter, yet that state and constitution of it, on whose account it is This World, will be destroyed, and make way for quite

new Frames and Sets of things corpo∣real, and the Beings that compose each of these Intellectual Communi∣ties, will, in those numberless Ages they shall last, travel through I know not how many successive changes and adventures; perhaps, I say, these things will no less display, and bring glory, to the Divine Attributes, than the Contrivance of the world, and the Oeconomy of Man's Salvation, though these be (and that worthily) the Objects of the Naturalists and the Divines Contemplation. And there are some passages in the Prophetical part of the Scripture, and especially in the Book of the Apocalypse, which, as they seem to intimate, that as God will perform great and noble things, which Mechanical Philosophy never reach'd to, and which the generality of Divines seem not to have thought of; so divers of those great things may be, in some measure, discover'd by an attentive Searcher into the Scriptures, and that so much to the advantage of the devout Indagator, that St. John, near the beginning of his Revelations, pronounces them hap∣py, that read the matters contain'd in

this Prophecy, and ob∣serve the things writ∣ten therein. Which im∣plies, that by heedful comparing together the Indications couched in those Prophetick Writ∣ings, with Events and Occurrences in the Af∣fairs of the World, and the Church, we may discover much of the admirable Oeconomy of Providence in the Governing of both: And I am prone to think, the early discoveries of such great and im∣portant things, to be in Gods account no mean vouchsafements, not onely because of the title of Happy is here given to him that attains them, but because the two persons, to whom the great discoveries of this kind were made, I mean, the Prophet Daniel and St. John, the first is by the Angel said to be, on that account, a person highly favour'd; and the other is in the Gospel represented as our Saviour's beloved Disciple. And you will the more easily think the fore∣knowledge of the Divine Dispensa∣tions

gatherable from Scripture to be highly valuable, if you consider, that, according to St. Paul, those very An∣gels that are call'd Principalities and Powers in heavenly places, learnt by the Church some abstruse points of the ma∣nifold wisdom of God. But I must no longer indulge Speculations, that would carry my Curiosity beyond the bounds of time it self, and therefore beyond those that ought to be plac'd to this occasional excursion.

And yet, as on the one side, I shall not allow my self the presumption of framing conjectures about those re∣mote Dispensations, which will not, most of them, have a beginning be∣fore this world shall have an end; so on the other side I would not discou∣rage you, or any pious Inquirer, from endeavouring to advance in the know∣ledge of those Attributes of God, that may successfully be studied, with∣out prying into the Secrets of the fu∣ture.

And here, Sir, let me freely confess to you, that I am apt to think, that, if men were not wanting to Gods glo∣ry, and their own satisfaction, there would be far more Discoveries made,

than are yet attain'd to, of the Divine Attributes. When we consider the most simple or uncompounded Essence of God, we may easily be perswaded, that what belongs to Any of His At∣tributes (some of which thinking men generally admire) must be an Object of Enquiry exceeding Noble, and worthy of our knowledge. And yet the abstruseness of this knowledge is not in All particulars so invincible, but that I strongly hope, a Philosophi∣cal Eye, illustrated by the Revelations extant in the Scripture, may pierce a great deal farther than has yet been done, into those mysterious Subjects, which are too often (perhaps out of a mistaken Reverence) so poorly hand∣led by Divines and Schoolmen, that not onely what they have taught, is not worthy of God (for that's a ne∣cessary, and therefore excusable, defi∣ciency) but too frequently it is not worthy of Men, I mean, of Rational Creatures, that take upon them to treat of such high Points, and instruct others about them. And I question not but your Friend will the less scru∣ple at this, if he call to mind those new and handsome Notions about

some of the Attributes of God, that his Master Cartesius, though but mo∣derately vers'd in the Scriptures, has presented us with. Nor do I doubt but that a much greater progress might be made in the Discovery of Subjects, where, though we can never know all, we may still know farther, if Spe∣culative Genius's would propose to themselves particular Doubts and En∣quiries about particular Attributes, and frame and examine Hypotheses, establish Theorems, draw Corollaries; and (in short) apply to this study the same sagacity, affiduity, and atten∣tion of mind, which they often im∣ploy about Inquiries of a very much inferiour nature; insomuch as Des-Cartes (how profound a Geometrician soever he were) confesses in one of his Epistles, that he employ'd no less then six weeks to find the solution of a Pro∣blem or question of Pappus. And Pythagoras was so addicted to, and con∣cern'd for Geometrical Speculations, that when he had found that famous Proposition, which makes the 47th. in Euclid's I. Book, he is recorded to have offer'd a Hecatomb, to express his joy and gratitude for the Discovery:

which yet was but of one Property of one sort of Right-lin'd Triangles. And certainly if Christian Philoso∣phers did rightly estimate, how noble and fertile Subjects the Divine Attri∣butes are, they would find in them wherewithall to Exercise their best parts, as well as to Recompence the Imployment of them. But because what I would disswade, does not per∣haps proceed onely from Laziness, but from a Mistake; as if there were little to be known of so Incomprehensible an Object as God, save that in General all his Attributes are like himself, In∣finite, and consequently not to be ful∣ly Known by Humane Understand∣ings, because They are Finite; I shall add, that though it be true, that by Reason of God's Infinity, we cannot Comprehend him, that is, have a full and adequate knowledge of him; yet we may not onely know very many things concerning him, but, which is more, may make an Endless Progress in that Knowledge. As, no doubt, Pythagoras (newly mention'd) knew very well what a Triangle was, and was acquainted with divers of its Proper∣ties and Affections before he disco∣ver'd

that famous One. And though since him, Euclid, Archimedes, and other Geometricians have demon∣strated, I know not how many other Affections of the same Figure, yet they have not to this day Exhau∣sted the Subject: And possibly, I, (who pretend not to be a Mathema∣tician) may now and then in managing certain Aequations I had occasion for, have lighted upon some Theorems about Triangles, that occurr'd not to any of them. The Divine Attributes are such fruitful Themes, and so wor∣thy of our Admiration, that the whole Fabrick of the Universe, and all the Phenomena exhibited in it, are but Im∣perfect Expressions of Gods Wisdom, and some few of his other Attributes. And I do not much marvel, that the Angels themselves are represented in Scripture as imploy'd in Adoring God, and Admiring his Perfections. For even they being but Finite, can frame but inadequate Conceptions of Him; and consequently must En∣deavour by many of them to make amends for the Incompleatness of eve∣ry one of them; which yet they can never but Imperfectly do. And yet

Gods Infinity can but very impro∣perly be made a Discouragement of our Enquiries into his Nature and At∣tributes. For (not now to examine whether Infinity, though express'd by a Negative word, be not a Positive thing in God) we may, notwithstand∣ing his Infinity, discover as much of him as our Nature is capable of know∣ing: And what harm is it to him that is drinking in a River, that he cannot drink up all the water, if he have li∣berty fully to quench his thirst, and take in as much Liquor as his stomack can contain. Infinity therefore should not hinder us from a Generous Am∣bition to learn as much as we can of an Object, whose being Infinite does but make our knowledge of it the more noble and desirable, which in∣deed it is in such a degree, that we need not wonder that the Angels are represented as never weary of their Employment of contemplating and praising God. For, as I lately intima∣ted, that they can have but inadequate Idea's of those boundless Perfections, and by no number of those Idea's can arrive to make amends for the In∣compleatness of them; so it need not

seem strange that in fresh Discoveries of new Parts (if I may so call them) of the same Object, it being such a one, they should find nobler and hap∣pier Entertainments than any where else variety could afford them.

The second Section.

HAving thus taken notice of some Particulars of those many which may be employ'd to shew, how Noble the Objects are, that Theolo∣gy proposes to be contemplated; I now proceed to some Considerations that may make us sensible how great an Obligation there lies on us, to addict our selves to the study of them.

Yet of the Particulars whereon this Obligation may be grounded, I shall now name but two, they being indeed comprehensive ones, Obedience, and Gratitude.

And first let me represent, that it needs not, I suppose, be solicitously proved, That 'tis the Will and Com∣mand of God, that men should learn those Truths that he has been pleased

to teach, whether concerning his Na∣ture or Attributes, or the way where∣in he will be Served and Worshipped by Man. For if we had not Injuncti∣ons of Scripture to that purpose, yet your Friend is too Rational a Man to believe, that God would so solemnly cause his Truths to be published to Mankind, both by Preaching and Writing, without Intention to Oblige, those (at least) that have the capacity and opportunity to en∣quire into some of them; and if it ap∣pear to be His will, that a person so qualified, should search after the most important Truths that he hath re∣veal'd, it cannot but be their duty to do so. For though the nature of the thing it self did not lay any Obli∣gation on us, yet the Authority of Him that Commands it, would: since being the Supreme and Absolute Lord of all His Creatures, he has as well a full right to make what Laws he thinks fit, and enjoyn what service he thinks fit, as a power to punish those that either violate the one, or deny the other; and accordingly 'tis very observable, that before Adam fell, and had forfeited his happy state by

his own transgression, he not onely had a Law Impos'd upon him, but such a Law, as, being about a matter it self Indifferent (for so it was to eat or not to eat of the Tree of Life as well as of any other,) derived its whole power of obliging from the meer will and pleasure of the Law-giver. Whence we may learn, that Man is subject to the Laws of God, not as he is Ob∣noxious to him, but as he is a Rational Creature, and that the thing that is not a duty in its own nature, may be∣come an indispensible one barely by its being commanded. And indeed, if our first Parent in the state of Innocency and Happiness, wherein he tasted of Gods Bounty, without, as yet, stand∣ing in need of his Mercy, was most strictly obliged out of meer Obedience to conform to a Law, the matter of which was indifferent in it self; sure we, in our laps'd condition, must be un∣der a high Obligation to obey the de∣clared will of God, whereby we are enjoyned to study his Truths, and per∣form that which has so much of in∣trinsick Goodness in it, that it would be a duty, though it were not com∣manded; and has such Recompences

proposed to it, that it is not more a Duty, then it will be an Advan∣tage.

But it is not onely Obedience and Interest that should engage us to the study of Divine things, but Gratitude, and that exacted by so many impor∣tant Motives, that he who said, In∣gratum si dixeris, omnia dixeris, could not think Ingratitude so much worse than ordinary Vices, as a contempt of the Duty I am pressing, would be worse than an ordinary Ingratitude.

It were not difficult on this occasion to manifest, that we are extremely great Debtors unto God, both as he is the Authour and the Preserver of our very Beings; and as he (immedi∣ately or mediately) fills up the mea∣sure of those continual Benefits with all the Prerogatives and other Favours we do receive from him as Men; and the higher Blessings, which (if we are not wanting to our selves) we may receive from him as Christians.

But to shew, in how many Particu∣lars, and to how high a Degree, God is our Benefactor, were to lanch out into too Immense a Subject; which 'twere the less proper for me to do,

because I have in other Papers dis∣cours'd of those matters already. I will therefore single out a Motive of Gratitude, which will be peculiarly pertinent to our present purpose. For whereas your Friend does so highly value himself upon the Study of Na∣tural Philosophy, and despises not onely Divines, but States-men, and even the Learned'st Men in other parts of Philosophy and Knowledge, be∣cause they are not vers'd in Physicks; he ows to God that very Skill, among many other Vouchsafements. For it is God who made Man unlike the Horse and the Mule, who have no understand∣ing, and endow'd him with that noble power of Reason, by the exercise of which he attains to whatever know∣ledge he has of Natural things above the Beasts that perish. For, that may justly be applied to our other Acqui∣sitions, which Moses, by Gods ap∣pointment, told the Israelites con∣cerning the Acquists of Riches; where he bids the people beware, That when their Herds, and their Flocks, and other Treasures were multipli'd, their heart be not lifted up, and prompt them to say, My power, and the might

of my hand hath gotten me this wealth. But, (subjoyns that excellent Person, as well as Matchless Law-giver) Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. But to make Men Rational Creatures, is not all God has done towards the making them Philosophers. For, to the knowledge of particular things, Objects are as well requisite as Facul∣ties; and if we admit the probable Opinion of Divines, who teach us, that the Angels were created before the Material World, as being meant by those Sons of God, and Morning Stars, that with glad Songs and Ac∣clamations celebrated the Foundati∣ons of the Earth; we must allow, that there were many creatures endowed with at least as much Reason as your Friend, who yet were unacquainted with the Mysteries of Nature, since She her self had not yet receiv'd a Be∣ing. Wherefore God having as well made the World, as given Man the Faculties whereby he is enabled to contemplate it; Naturalists are as much obliged to God for their Know∣ledge, as we are for our Intelligence to those that write us Secrets in Cy∣phers,

and teach us the skill of de∣cyphering things so written; or to those who write what would fill a Page in the compass of a single Peny, and present us to boot a Microscope to en∣able us to read it. And as the Natura∣list hath peculiar Inducements to Gra∣titude for the Endowment of Know∣ledge; so Ingenuity lays this peculiar Obligation on him to express his Gra∣titude in the way I have been recom∣mending, That 'tis one of the ac∣ceptablest ways it can be express'd in; especially since by this way, Philoso∣phers may not onely exercise their own gratitude towards God, but procure him that of others. How pleasing mens hearty Praises are to God, may appear among other things, by what is said and done by that Royal Poet, whom God was pleased to declare a man after his own heart; for he intro∣duces God pronouncing, Whoso offereth Praise, glorifieth me; where the word our Interpreters render offereth, in the Hebrew signifies to Sacrifice; with which agrees, that else-where those that pay God their Praises, are said to Sacrifice to him the calves of their lips. And that excellent Person, to whom

God vouchsafed so particular a Te∣stimony, was so assiduous in this Exer∣cise, that the Book which we, follow∣ing the Greek, call Psalms, is, in the Original, from the things it most abounds with, called Sepher Tehillim, i. e. The Book of Praises. And to let you see, that many of his Praises were such, as the Naturalist may best give, he exclaims in one place, How manifold are thy works, O Lord? how wisely hast thou made them, (as Junius and Tre∣mellius render it, and the Hebrew will bear) and else-where, The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firma∣ment sheweth his handy-work, &c. Again, in another place, I will praise thee, because I am fearfully and won∣derfully made. Marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. And not content with many of the like Expressions, he does several times in a devout Transport, and Poetical strain, invite the Heavens, and the Stars, and the Earth, and the Seas, and all the other Inanimate Creatures, to joyn with him in the celebration of their common Maker. Which though it seem to be meerly a Poetical Scheme, yet in some sort it might be∣come

a Naturalist, who by making out the Power, Wisdom, and Good∣ness of the Creator, and by reflecting thence on those Particulars wherein those Attributes shine, may, by such a devout Consideration of the Crea∣tures, make them, in a sense, joyn with him in glorifying their Author.

In any other case, I dare say, your Friend is not so ill natur'd, but that he would think it an unkind piece of In∣gratitude, if some great and excellent Prince, having freely and transcen∣dently obliged him, he should not con∣cern himself to know what manner of Man his Benefactor is; and should not be solicitous to inform himself of those particulars, relating to the Per∣son and Affairs of that obliging Mo∣narch, which were not onely in them∣selves worthy of any mans Curiosity, but about which the Prince had so∣lemnly declar'd he was very desirous to have men Inquisitive. And sure 'tis very disingenious, to undervalue or neglect the knowledge of God Him∣self for a Knowledge which we can∣not attain without him, and by which he design'd to bring us to that study we neglect for it: which is not onely

not to use him as a Benefactor, but as if he meant to punish him (if I may so speak) for having oblieged us, since we so abuse some of his Favours, as to make them Inducements to our Un∣thankful Disregard of his Intentions in the rest. And this Ingratitude is the more culpable, because the Laws of Ingenuity, and of Justice it self, charge us to Glorifie the Maker of all things visible, not onely upon our own account, but upon that of all his other works. For by Gods endowing of none but Man here below with a Reasonable Soul, not onely he is the sole visible Being that can return Thanks and Praises in the World, and thereby is oblieged to do so, both for himself, and for the rest of the Crea∣tion; but 'tis for Mans advantage, that God has left no other visible Beings in the World, by which he can be studied and celebrated. For, Reason is such a Ray of Divinity, that, if God had vouchsafed it to other parts of the Universe besides Man, the absolute Empire of Man over the rest of the World must have been shar'd, or abridg'd. So that he, to whom it was equally easie to make Creatures Su∣perior

to Man (as the Scripture tells us of Legions, and Myriads of An∣gels) as to make them Inferiour to him, dealt so obligingly with Man∣kind, as rather to Trust (if I may so speak) our Ingenuity, whether he shall reap any Celebrations from the Crea∣tures we converse with, than Lessen our Empire over them, or our Prero∣gatives above them.

But I fear, that, notwithstanding all the Excellency of reveal'd Truths, and consequently of that onely Au∣thentic Repository of them, the Scri∣pture, you, as well as I, have met with some (for I hope there are not many) Virtuosi, that think to excuse the neglect of the study of it, by al∣ledging, that to them who are Lay∣men, not Ecclesiasticks, there is re∣quir'd to Salvation the Explicit knowledge but of very few Points, which are so plainly summ'd up in the Apostles Creed, and are so often and conspicuously set down in the Scri∣pture, that one needs not much search or study it to find them there.

In answer to this Allegation, I rea∣dily grant, that through the great goodness of God, who is willing to

have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of the Truth, that is necessa∣ry to be so, there are much fewer Ar∣ticles absolutely necessary to be by all men distinctly believed, than may be met with in divers long Confessions of Faith, some of which have, I fear, less promoted Knowledge than im∣pair'd Charity. But then it may be also consider'd, 1. That 'tis not so easie for a Rational Man, that will trouble himself to enquire no farther than the Apostles Creed, to satisfie himself upon good grounds, that all the Fun∣damental Articles of Christianity are contain'd in it. 2. That the Creed pro∣poses onely the Credenda, not the Agenda of Religion; whereas the Scri∣ptures were designed, not onely to teach us what Truths we are to be∣lieve, but by what Rules we are to live; the obedience to the Laws of Christianity being as necessary to Sal∣vation, as the belief of its Mysteries. 3. That besides the things which are absolutely necessary, there are several that are highly useful, to make us more clearly understand, and more ra∣tionally and firmly believe, and more steadily practise, the points that are

necessary. 4. And since, whether or no those words of our Saviour to the Jews, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be to be rendred in the Imperative or the Indicative Mode; St. Paul would have the word of Christ to dwell richly in us, (by which, whether he mean the holy Scriptures then extant, or the Do∣ctrine of Christ, is not here material;) thereby teaching us, that searching in∣to the matters of Religion may be∣come necessary as a Duty, though it were not otherwise necessary as a Means of attaining Salvation. And in∣deed 'tis far more pardonable to want or miss the knowledge of Truths, than to despise or neglect it. And the goodness of God to illiterate or mi∣staken persons, is to be suppos'd meant in pity to our Frailties, not to encourage our Laziness; nor is it ne∣cessary, that he that pardons those Seekers of his Truths that miss them, should excuse those Despisers that will not seek them.

But whether or no by this design'd neglect of Theology the persons, I deal with, do sufficiently consult their own safety, I doubt they will not much recommend their Ingenuity.

For to have received from God a great∣er measure of Intellectual Abilities than the generality of Christians, and yet willingly to come short of very many of them, in the knowledge of the Mysteries and other Truths of Christianity, which he often invites us, if not expresly commands, to search after, is a course that will not relish of over-much gratitude. Is it a piece of That, and of Ingenuity, to receive ones Understanding and ones Hopes of Eternal Felicity from the Goodness of God, without being sollicitous of what may be known of his Nature and Purposes by so excellent a way as his own Revelation of them? To dis∣pute anxiously about the Properties of an Atome, and be careless about the Inquiry into the Attributes of the great God, who formed all things; to investigate the spontaneous genera∣tion of such vile Creatures as Insects, than the Mysterious Generation of the Adorable Son of God; and, in a word, to be more concern'd to know every thing that makes a Corporeal part of the World, than the Divine and In∣corporeal Authour of the whole?

And then, is it not, think you, a

great piece of respect, that these men pay to those Truths, which God thought fit to send sometimes Pro∣phets and Apostles, sometimes An∣gels, and sometimes his onely Son himself to reveal, that such Truths are so little valued by them, that ra∣ther than take the pains to study them, they will implicitly, and at ad∣ventures believe, what that Society of Christians, they chance to be born and bred in, have (truly or falsly) de∣livered concerning them? And does it argue a due regard to points of Reli∣gion, that those, who would not believe a Proposition in Staticks, perhaps about a meer Point, the Centre of Gravity, or in Geometry, about the Properties of some nameless curve Line, or some such other things, (which to ignore, is usually not a ble∣mish, and about which, to be mista∣ken, is more usually without danger,) should yet take up the Articles of Faith, concerning matters of great and everlasting Consequence, upon the Authority of Men, Fallible as them∣selves, when satisfaction may be had without them from the Infallible Word of God? In this very unlike

those Bereans, whom the Evangelist honours with the Title of Noble, that when the Doctrines of the Gospel were proposed to them, they searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Again, if a man should refuse to learn to read any more, than just as much as may serve his turn, by inti∣tuling him to the benefit of the Cler∣gy, to save him from hanging, would these men think so small a measure of Literature, as he had acquir'd on such an account, could prove that man to be a Lover of Learning; and yet a neglecter of the study of all not ab∣solutely necessary-Divine Truths, during ones life, because the belief of the Articles of the Creed may make a shift to keep him from being doom'd to Hell for Ignorance after his death, will not by (what in a Learned man must be) so pitiful a degree of know∣ledge be much better intitled to that Ingenuous Love of God and his Truths, that becomes a Rational Crea∣ture and a Christian.

The antient Prophets, though ho∣nour'd by God with direct Illumina∣tions, were yet very solicitous to find

out and learn the very Circumstances of the Evangelical Dispensations, which yet they did not know. And some of the Gospel Mysteries are of so noble and excellent a nature, that the Angels themselves desire to look in∣to them. And though all the Evan∣gelical Truths are not precisely neces∣sary to be known, it may be both a Duty not to despise the study of them, and a Happiness to employ our selves about it. It was the earnest Prayer of a great King, and no less a Prophet, that his eyes might be opened to behold (not the obvious and necessary Truths, but) the wondrous things of Gods Law. He is pronounced Happy in the begin∣ning of the Apocalypse, that reads and observes the things contain'd in that dark and obscure part of Scripture. And 'tis not onely those Truths that make Articles of the Creed, but di∣vers other Doctrines of the Gospel, that Christ himself judged worthy to be concluded with this Epiphonema, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear; on which the excellent Grotius makes this just Paraphrase, Intellectus nobis à Deo potissimum datus est, ut eum in∣tendamus documentis ad pietatem perti∣nentibus

The third Section.

I Come now to our third and last In∣ducement to the study of Divine things, which consists in, and compri∣ses the Advantages of that study, which do as much surpass those of all other Contemplations, as Divine things transcend all other Objects. And indeed, the utility of this study is so pregnant a Motive, and contains in it so many Invitations, that your Friend must have as little sense of Interest as of Gratitude, if he can neglect such powerful and such ingaging Invita∣tions.

For, in the first place, Theological studies ought to be highly endeared to us by the Delightfulness of consider∣ing such noble and worthy Objects as are therein propos'd.

The famous Answer given by an excellent Philosopher, who being ask'd what he was born for, repli'd, To contemplate the Sun, may justly re∣commend their choice, who spend their time in contemplating the Ma∣ker

of the Sun, to whom that glorious Planet it self is but a shadow. And perhaps that Philosopher failed more in the Instance than in the Notion: For his Answer implies, That Man's End and Happiness consists in the ex∣ercise of his noblest Faculties on the noblest Objects. And surely the seat of Formal Happiness being the Soul, and that Happiness consequently con∣sisting in the Operations of her Facul∣ties; as the Supreme Faculty of the Mind is the Understanding, so the highest Pleasures may be expected from the due Exercise of it upon the sublimest and worthiest Objects. And therefore I wonder not, that though some of the School-men would assign the Will a larger share in Mans Feli∣city, than they will allow the Intel∣lect; yet the generality of them are quite of another mind, and ascribe the Preheminence in point of Felicity to the Superiour Faculty of the Soul. But, whether or no this Opinion be true in all Cases, it may at least be ad∣mitted in ours: For, the chief Ob∣jects of a Christian Philosophers Con∣templation, being as well the Infinite Goodness, as the other boundless Per∣fections

of God, they are naturally fitted to excite in his mind an ardent love of that adorable Being, and those other joyous Affections and virtuous Dispositions, that have made some men think Happiness chiefly seated in the Will. But having intimated thus much by the way, I pass on to add, That the contentment afforded by the assiduous discovery of God and Di∣vine Mysteries, has so much of affi∣nity with the Pleasures, that shall make up mens Blessedness in Heaven it self, that they seem rather to differ in Degree than in Kind. For, the happy state even of Angels is by our Saviour represented by this Imployment, that they continually see the face of his Fa∣ther who is in Heaven. And the same infallible Teacher, intending else∣where to express the Celestial Joys that are reserv'd for those, who for Their sake deny'd themselves sensual Pleasures, imploys the Vision of God as an Emphatical Periphrase of Felici∣ty, Blessed, said he, are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. And as Aristotle teaches, that the Soul doth after a sort become that which it Speculates, St. Paul and St. John assure us, that

God is a transforming Object, and that in Heaven we shall be like him, for (or, because) we shall see him as he is. And though I readily admit, that this Beatisick Vision of God, wherein the Understanding is the proper Instru∣ment, includes divers other things which will concur to the compleat Felicity of the future Life; yet I think, we may be allowed to argue, that that ravishing Contemplation of Divine Objects, will make no small part of that happy Estate, which in these Texts take its Denomination from it.

I have above intimated, that the Scripture attributes to the Angels themselves Transports of Wonder and Joy upon the Contemplation of God, and the Exercises they consider of his Wisdom, Justice, or some other of his Attributes. But least in referring you to the Angels, you should say, that I do in this Discourse lay aside the Person of a Naturalist, in favour of Divines; I will refer you to Des Cartes himself, whom I am sure your Friend will allow to have been a rigid Phi∣losopher, if ever there were any. Thus then speaks he in that Treatise, where

he thinks he imploys a more than Ma∣thematical Rigor; and where he was obliged to utter those (I had almost said Passionate) words, I am going to cite from him, onely by the Impres∣sions made on him by the transcen∣dent Excellency of the Ob••…••… he Contemplated; Sed priusquam (says he) hoc diligentius examinem, simulque in alias veritates quae inde colligi possunt, inquiram, placet hic aliquandiu in ipsius Dei contemplatione immorari, ejus at∣tributa apud me expendere, & immensi hujus Luminis pulchritudinem, quan∣tum caligantis Ingenii mei acies ferre poterit, intueri, admirari, adorare. Ut enim in hac sola Divinae Majestatis Contemplatione summam alterius vitae felicitatem ex consistere fide credimus; ita etiam jam ex eadem, licet multo minus perfecta, maximam, cujus in hac vita capaces simus, voluptatem, percipi posse experimur.

But as high a satisfaction as the stu∣dy of Divine things affords by the Nobleness of its Object, the Con∣tentment is not much Inferiour that accrues from the same study upon the score of the Sense of a mans having in it performed his Duty. To make

actions of this nature satisfactory to us, there is no need, that the things we are employ'd about, should in them∣selves be Excellent or Delightful; the inward gratulations of Conscience for having done our Duties is able to ••…••…d the bitterest Pills, and, like the Wood that grew by the Waters of Marah, to correct and sweeten that Liquor, which before was the most distastful. Those antient Pagan He∣roes, whose Vertues may make us blush, being guided but by natural Reason, and innate Principles of Mo∣ral Virtues, could find the most diffi∣cult and most troublesome Duties, upon the bare account of their being Duties, not onely Tolerable but Plea∣sant. And though to deny some Lusts be, in our Saviours esteem, no less uneasie, then for a man to pluck out his right eye, or cut off his right hand; yet even Ladies have with satisfaction chosen, not onely to deny themselves the greatest Pleasures of the Senses, but to Sacrifice the Seat of them, the Body it self, to preserve the Satisfa∣ction of being Chaste. Nor are they onely the Dictates of Obedience that we comply with in this study, but

those of Gratitude; and that is a Vertue that has so powerful an Ascen∣dant upon Ingenuous Minds, that those, whose Principles and Aims were not elevated by Religion, have, in acknowledgment to their Parents and their Countrey, courted the great∣est Hardships, and Hazards, and Suf∣ferings, as if they were as great De∣lights and Advantages. And a grate∣full Person spends no part of his Life to his greater satisfaction, than that which he ventures or imploys for those to whom he is oblieged for it; and oftentimes finds a greater Content∣ment even in the difficultest Acknow∣ledgments of a favour, than he did in Receiving of it.

Another Advantage, and that no mean one, that may accrue from the Contemplation of Theological Truths, is, the Improvement of the Contemplator himself in point of Pie∣ty and Virtue. For, as the Gospel is styl'd, The mystery of godliness; and St. Paul elsewhere calls what it teaches, The truth which is according to godliness, that is, a Doctrine fram'd and fitted to promote the Interest of Piety and Virtue in the World: so

this Character and Encomium be∣longs (though perhaps not equally) to the more Retir'd Truths disco∣ver'd by Speculation, as well as to those more Obvious ones, that are familiarly taught in Catechisms and Confessions of Faith. I would by no means lessen the Excellency and Pre∣rogatives of Fundamentals; but, since the grand and noblest Engagements to Piety and Virtue, are a high Ve∣neration for God and his Christ, and an ardent Love of them; I cannot but think, that those particular In∣quiries, that tend to make greater Dis∣coveries of the Attributes of God, of the Nature, and Offices, and Life of our Saviour, and of the Wisdom and Goodness they have display'd in the Contrivance and Effecting of Man's Redemption; do likewise tend to Increase our Admiration, and In∣flame our Love, for the Possessors of such Divine Excellencies, and the Authors of such invaluable Benefits. And as the Brazen Serpent, that was but a Type of one of the Gospel My∣steries, brought Recovery to those that look'd up to it; so the Myste∣ries themselves, being duly consider'd,

have had a very Sanative Influence on many that contemplated Them. Nor is it likely, that he that discerns more of the depth of Gods Wisdom and Goodness, should not, caeteris pa∣ribus, be more disposed than others to Admire him, to Love him, to Trust him, and so to resign up himself to be Governed by him: Which frame of mind both is it self a great Part of the Worship of God, and doth directly tend to the Production and Increase of those Vertues, without the practise of which, the Scripture plainly tells us, that we can neither Obey God, nor express our Love to him. And from this Bettering of the mind by the study of Theology, will flow (to add that upon the by) an∣other Benefit, namely, that by giving us a higher value for God and his Truths, it will endear Heaven to us, and so not onely assist us to come Thither, but heighten our Felicity There.

I know it may be said, that the Me∣lioration of the mind is but a Moral Advantage. But give me leave to Answer, that, besides that 'tis such a

Moral Advantage as supposes an In∣tellectual Improvement whose fruit it is, a Moral Benefit may be great enough, even in the Judgment of a meer Philosopher, and an Epicurean, to deserve as much study as Natural Philosophy it self. And that you may not think that I speak this onely, because I write in this Epistle as a Friend to Divines, I will tell you, that Epicurus himself, who has now adays so numerous a Sect of Naturalists to follow him, studied Physicks, and writ so many Treatises about them for this End, that by knowing the Natural Causes of Thunder, Lightning, and other dreadful Phaenomena, the Mind might be freed from the disquieting Apprehensions Men commonly had, that such strange and formidable things proceeded from some incensed Deity, and so might trouble the Mind, as well as the Air. This account I have been giving of Epicurus his Design, is but what seems plainly enough intimated by his own words, preserved us by Laertius, near the end of his Physiological Epistle to Herodotus, where recommending to

him the consideration of what he had delivered about Physical Principles in general, and Meteors in particular, he subjoyns, Si enim ab istis non discesseri∣mus, tum id unde oritur perturbatio, quodque metum ingerit, recta cum ra∣tione edisseremus, nosque ab ipsis exi∣memus. And to this in the close of his Meteorological Epistle to Pytho∣cles, his best Interpreter, Gassendus, makes him speak consonantly, in these words, Maxime veró dede teipsum spe∣culationi Principiorum, ex quibus con∣stant omnia, & Infinitatis Naturae, alio∣rumque his cohaerentium Insuper veró & Criteriorum, affectuumque animi, & scopum illius in quem ista edisserentes col∣lineavimus, attende, Tranquillitatem in∣telligo statum{que} mentis imperturbatum. But this is not all the Testimony I can give you from Epicurus himself to the same purpose, for among his Ra∣tae Sententiae, preserved us by Laer∣tius, (himself reputed an Epicurean) I find one that goes further; Si nihil (says he) conturbaret nos quod suspica∣mur, veremu que ex rebus sublimibus, neque item quod ex ipsa morte, ne quan∣do nimirum ad nos pertine at aliquid, ac

nosse praeterea possemus, qui Germani fines dolorum atque cupiditatum sint (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) nihil Physiologiâ indigeremus. Thus far the testimony of Epicurus, of whose mind though I am not at all, as to what he would intimate, That Physiology is either proper to free the Mind from the Belief of a Provident Deity, and the Souls Immortality, or fit for no other considerable purposes; yet this use we may well make of these Declarations, that, in Epicurus's opinion, a Moral Advantage that re∣lates to the Government of the Affe∣ctions, may deserve the pains of ma∣king Inquiries into Nature. And since it hence appears, that a meer Philosopher, who admitted no Pro∣vidence, may think it worth his pains, to search into the abstrusest parts of Physicks, and the difficultest Phaeno∣mena of Nature, onely to ease him∣self of one troublesome Affection, Fear; it need not be thought Unphi∣losophical, to prosecute a Study, that will not onely Restrain One undue Passion, but Advance All Vertues, and free us from all Servile Fears of

the Deity; and tend to give us a strong and well-grounded Hope in Him; and make us look upon Gods greatest Power, not with Terrour, but with Joy.

There is yet another Advantage belonging to the study of Divine Truths, which is too great to be here pretermitted. For whereas there is scarce any thing more incident to us whilst we inhabit our (Batté Chómer) Cottages of Clay, and dwell in this vale of tears, than Afflictions; it ought not a little to endear to us the newly mention'd Study, that it may be easily made to afford us very power∣ful Consolations in that otherwise un∣easie state.

I know it may be said, that the Speculations about which the Natu∣ralist is busied, are as well pleasing Diversions, as noble Imployments of the Mind. And I deny not that they are often so, when the Mind is not hinder'd from applying it self atten∣tively to them; so that Afflictions slight and short may well be weather'd out by these Philosophical Avoca∣tions; but the Greater and Sharper

sort of Afflictions, and the approaches of Death, require more powerful Re∣medies, than these Diversions can afford us. For in such cases, the Mind is wont to be too much dis∣compos'd, to apply the attention re∣quisite to the finding a pleasure in Physical Speculations; and in Sick∣nesses, the Soul is oftentimes as in∣dispos'd to relish the Pleasures of meerly Humane Studies, as the lan∣guishing Body is to relish those Meats, which at other times were delightful: And there are but few that can take any great pleasure to study the World, when they apprehend themselves to be upon the point of being driven out of it, and in danger of losing all their share in the Objects of their Contemplation. It will not much qualifie our Sense of the burning heat of a Feaver, or the painful gripes of the Cholick, to know, That the three Angles of a Triangle are equal to two Right ones; or that Heat is not a real Quality (as the Schools would have it,) but a Modification of the Motion of the Insensible parts of Matter; and Pain not a Distinct, In∣herent

Quality in the things that produce it, but an Affection of the Sentiment. The Naturalists Specu∣lations afford him no Consolations that are extraordinary in, or peculiar to, the state of Affliction; and the Avocations they present him with, do rather Amuse the mind from an Attention to lesser Evils, than bring it any Advantages to Remove or Compensate them▪ and so work rather in the nature of Opiates, than of true Cordials.

But now, if such a Person as Dr. N. falls into Adversity, the case is much otherwise; for we must consider, that when the study of Divine things is such as it ought to be, though, That in it self, or in the Nature of the Im∣ployment, be an act or exercise of Reason; yet being apply'd to, out of Obedience, and Gratitude, and Love to God, it is upon the account of its Motives, and its Aim, an act of Re∣ligion; and as it proceeds from Obe∣dience, and Thankfulness, and Love to God, so it is most acceptable to him; and upon the account of his own Appointment, as well as Good∣ness,

is a most proper and effectual means of obtaining his Favour; and then I presume, it will easily be grant∣ed, that he who is so happy as to en∣joy That, can scarce be made mi∣serable by Affliction. For not now to enter upon the Common-place of the Benefits of Afflictions to them that love God, and to them that are lov'd by him, it may suffice, that he who (as the Scripture speaks) knows our frame, and has promised those that are his, that they shall not be Over-burden'd, is dispos'd and wont to give his afflicted Servants, both extraordinary Comforts in Afflicti∣ons, and Comforts appropriated to that state. For though Natural Phi∣losophy be like its brightest Object, the Stars, which, however the Astro∣nomer can with pleasure Contem∣plate them, are unable, being meer Natural Agents, to afford him a kinder Influence than usual, in case he be cast upon his Bed of Languishing, or into Prison; yet the Almighty and Compassionate Maker of the Stars, being not onely a Voluntary, but the most Free, Agent, can suit

and proportion his Reliefs to our Ne∣cessities, and alleviate our heaviest Afflictions by such supporting Con∣solations, that not onely they can ne∣ver surmount our Patience, but are oftentimes unable so much as to hin∣der our Joy; and when Death, that King of Terrours, presents it self, whereas the meer Naturalist sadly ex∣pects to be depriv'd of the pleasure of his knowledge by losing those Senses and that World, which are the Instru∣ments and the Objects of it; and per∣haps (discovering beyond the Grave nothing but either a state of Eternal Destruction, or of Eternal Misery,) fears either to be Confin'd for ever to the Sepulchre, or expos'd to Tor∣ments that will make even such a Condition desirable; the pious Stu∣dent of Divine Truths, is not onely freed from the wracking Apprehen∣sions of having his Soul reduc'd to a state of Annihilation, or cast into Hell, but enjoys a comfortable ex∣pectation of finding far greater Sa∣tisfaction than ever in the Study he now rejoyces to have pursu'd; since the change, that is so justly formidable

to others, will but bring him much nearer to the Divine O••jects of his devout Curiosity, and strangely Ele∣vate and Inlarge his Faculties to ap∣prehend them.

And this leads me to the mention of the last Advantage belonging to the study I would perswade you to; and indeed, the highest Advantage that can recommend Any Study, or invite Men to any Undertaking; for this is no less than the Everlasting fruition of the Divine Objects of our Studies hereafter, and the comfortable Expe∣ctation of it here. For the employing of ones time and parts, to admire the Nature and Providence of God, and contemplate the Divine Mysteries of Religion, as it is one of the chief of those Homages and Services, whereby we Venerate and Obey God; so it is one of those, to which he hath been pleased to apportion no less a Re∣compence, than (that which can have no greater) the Enjoyment of Himself. The Saints and Angels in Heaven have divers of them been employ'd to convey the Truths of Theology, and are sollicitous to look into those Sacred

Mysteries; and God hath been pleased to appoint, that those men who study the same Lessons that they do here, shall study them in their company here∣after. And doubtless, though Heaven abound with unexpressible Joys, yet it will be none of the least that shall make up the Happiness even of that Place, that the Knowledge of Divine things, that was here so zealously Pur∣su'd, shall there be compleatly At∣tain'd. For those things that do here most excite our Desires, and quicken the Curiosity and Industry of our Searches, will not onely there Conti∣nue, but be Improv'd to a far greater measure of Attractiveness and Influ∣ence. For all those Interests, and Pas∣sions, and Lusts, that here below ei∣ther hinder us from clearly Discern∣ing, or keep us from sufficiently Va∣luing, or divert us from attentively enough Considering, the Beauty and Harmony of Divine Truths, will there be either abolish'd, or transfigur'd: And as the Object will be Unveil'd; so our Eye will be Enlighten'd, that is, as God will there disclose those worthy Objects of the Angels Curiosity, so

he will Inlarge our Faculties, to en∣able us to gaze without being dazl'd upon those sublime and radiant Truths, whose Harmony as well as Splendor we shall be then qualifi'd to Discover, and consequently with Transports to Admire. And this Enlargement and Elevation of our Faculties, will, pro∣portionably to its own measure, In∣crease our Satisfaction at the Disco∣veries it will enable us to make. For Theology is like a Heaven, which wants not more Stars than appear in it, but we want Eyes, quick-sighted and piercing enough to reach them. And as the Milky Way, and other Whiter parts of the Firmament, have been full of Immortal Lights from the beginning, and our new Telescopes have not plac'd, but found them, there; so, when our Saviour, after his glorious Resurrection, instructed his Apostles to teach the Gospel, 'tis not said that he alter'd any thing in the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets, but onely open'd and enlarg'd their Intellects, that they might understand the Scriptures: And the Royal Prophet makes it his Prayer, That God would be pleased to

open his eyes, that he might see wonder∣ful things out of the Law; being (as was above intimated) so well satisfi'd, that the Word of God wanted not Ad∣mirable things, that he is onely solli∣citous for the Improvement of his own Eyes, that they might be quali∣fi'd to discern them.

I had almost forgotten one particu∣lar, about the Advantages of Theolo∣gical Studies, that is too considerable to be left unmention'd: For as great as I have represented the Benefits ac∣cruing from the Knowledge of Di∣vine Truths; yet to endear them to us, it may be safely added, that, to procure us these Benefits, the actual Attainment of that Knowledge is not always absolutely Necessary, but a hearty Endeavour after it may suffice to entitle Us to them. The patient Chymist, that consumes himself and his Estate in seeking after the Philo∣sophers Stone, if he miss of his Idoliz'd Elixir, had as good, nay better, have never sought it, and remains as poor in Effect, as he was rich in Expectation. The Husbandman that employs his Seed and Time, to obtain from the

Ground a plentiful Harvest, if, after all, an unkind Season happen, must see his toil made fruitless;

—longique perit labor irritus Anni.

Too many Patients, that have pun∣ctually done and suffer'd for Recove∣ry all that Physicians could prescribe, meet at last with Death in stead of Health. You know what entertain∣ment has been given by skilful Geo∣metricians to the laborious endea∣vours, even of such famous Writers as Scaliger, Longomontanus, and other Tetragonists; and that their Succes∣sor Mr. Hobbs, after all the ways he has taken, and those he has propos'd, to Square the Circle, and Double the Cube, by missing of his end, has, af∣ter his various attempts, come off, not onely with Disappointment, but with Disgrace. And (to give an In∣stance even in things Celestial) how much pains has been taken to find out Longitudes, and make Astrological Precictions with some certainty, which for want of coming up to what they aimed at, have been useless, if not

prejudicial to the Attempters.

But God (to speak with St. Paul on another occasion) that made the world, and all things therein, and is Lord of heaven and earth, seeks not our Ser∣vices, as though He needed any thing, seeing he giveth Life, and Breath, and all things: His Self-sufficiency and Bounty are such, that He seeks in our Obedience the Occasions of rewarding it, and prescribes us Services, because the Practise of them is not onely suta∣ble to our Rational Nature, but such as will prevail with his Justice, to let His Goodness make our Persons hap∣py. Agreeably to this Doctrine we find in the Scripture, that Abraham is said to have been justified by faith, when he offered his son Isaac upon the Altar, (though he did not Actually sacrifice him) because he endeavour'd to do so; although, God graciously accepting the Will for the Deed, ac∣cepted also of the bloud of a Ram in∣stead of Isaac's. And thus we know, that 'twas not David, but Solomon that built the Temple of Hierusalem, and yet God says to the former of those Kings (as we are told by the latter)

For asmuch as it was in thine heart to build an House for my name thou didst well in that it was in thine heart; not∣withstanding thou shalt not build the House, &c. And if we look to the other Circumstances of this Story, as they are delivered in the Second Book of Samuel, we shall find, that upon David's declaration of a design to build God an house, God himself vouchsafes to honour him, as he once did Moses, with the peculiar Title of His Servant; and commands the Pro∣phet to say to him, Also the Lord tells thee, that He will make Thee an House: To which is added one of the graci∣ousest Messages that God ever sent to any particular man. By which we may learn, that God approves and accepts even those Endeavours (of his Ser∣vants) if they be real and sincere, that never come to be actually accom∣plished: Good Designs and Endea∣vours are our part, but the events of those, as of all other things, are in the All-disposing hand of God, who, if we be not wanting to what lies in us, will not suffer us to be Losers by the de∣feating Dispositions of his Providence▪

but crown our endeavours either with Success, or with some other Recom∣pence, that will keep us from being Losers by missing of that. And in∣deed, if we consider the great Elogies that the Scripture, as well frequently as justly, gives God's Goodness (which it represents as Over, or as Above, all his Works) and that his purer eyes Punish, as well as See, the Murder and Adultery of the heart, when those Intentional sins are hinder'd from ad∣vancing into Actual ones; we can scarce doubt but He, whose Justice punishes sinful Aims, will allow his In∣finite Goodness to recompense pious Attempts: And therefore our Saviour pronounces them blessed, that hunger and thirst after righteousness, assuring Them that they shall be satisfi'd, and thereby sufficiently intimating to us, That an earnest Desire after a Spiritu∣al Grace (and such is the knowledge of Divine things) may entitle a man to the complete Possession of it, if not in This life, yet in the Next, where we shall not any more walk by Faith, but by Sight, and obtain as well a Knowledge as other Endowments,

befitting that Glorious state, wherein the Purchaser of it for Us, assures us, that we shall be [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] equal, or like to the Angels.

The Considerations, Sir, I have hi∣therto laid before you, to recommend the Study of Divine Truths, have, I hope, perswaded you, That 'tis on many accounts both noble and eligible in it self; and therefore I shall here conclude the First Part of this Dis∣course. And in regard that the Under∣valuation Physiophilus expresses for that excellent Imployment, seems to flow (chiefly at least) from his fondness and partiality for Natural Philosophy; it will next concern us to compare the study of Theology with that of Phy∣sicks, and show, that the Advantages which your Friend alledges in favour of the Latter, are partly much lessen'd by disadvantageous Circumstances, and partly much out-weigh'd by the Transcendent Excellencies of Theo∣logical Contemplations: The study whereof will thereby appear to be not onely Eligible in it self, but Preferri∣ble to its Rival. And I must give you warning to expect to find the Second

Part, which the making this Compa∣rison challenges to it self, a good deal more Prolix than the First; not onely because it often requires more trou∣ble, and more words to detect and dis∣prove an Errour, than to make out a Truth; but also because that divers things tending to the Credit of Divi∣nity, and which consequently might have been brought into the First Part of this Discourse, were thought more fit to be interwoven with other things, in the Answers made to the Objecti∣ons examin'd in the Second.

Notes

• Ps. 145.
• Ps. 147.5. Ps. 113.6.
• Isa. 40.15.
• Rom. j.19.
• Genes. vj.
• Numb. xxvij.7.
• Genes. xx.
• Genes. xviij. 1 Kings iij. Jonah iv.
• 1 Kings▪ xxij. from ver. 19. to ver. 24.
• Job j.6, 7, &c. Job ij.3.
• See Heb. v.9. Psal. ciij.17, 18.
• Acts j.21.
• 1 Joh. iij.20.
• Revel. vij.9.
• Matth. xxvj. 53. Dan. vij.10. Joh. j.3. Heb. j.7. Luke xx.35, 36. Col. j.16. Matth. xxiv.36. Mark xiij.32. Matth. xviij.10. Isa. vj.2, 3 Matth. vj.10. 2 Sam. xiv.20. Mark xiij.32. 2 King. xix.35. 1 Thess. iv.16. Jude ix. Dan. x.13, 21. Col. j.16. Revel. xij.7. Acts xij.7, 8, 9, 10. Dan. x.13. Acts xij.11. 2 Kings vj.17. Luke xxiv.4.
• Judg. xiij.6. Heb. j.14. Revel. xix.10. Revel. xxij.9.
• Matth. xxviij.6. Revel. xix.10.
• Joh. j.3 Coloss. j.16. Matth. viij.7. Luke iv.33. Joh. viij, 34. 1 Pet. v.8. 2 Cor. xj.3. Revel. xij.9. Revel. xij.7. Matth. xxv.41. 1 Joh. iij.8.
• Jude 6. Mark v.9, 10, 13.
• Jam. iv.7. 1 Pet. v.9.
• 1 Cor. vj.3. Matth. xxv.41. Jam. ij.19.
• 2 Pet. ij.4. Jude 6, 13. Matth. xxv.41.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Jam. iij.6.
• 2 Pet. iij.••, 10, 13.
• Gen. ij.7.
• Acts xxiv.15.
• Acts xvij.20, 32.
• Gen. ij. Acts xvij.26.
• Gen. ij.21, 22.
• Acts xxv.15. Luke xx.35, 36.
• Matth. x.28.
• Gen. ij 7. Zek. xij.1.
• Luke xx.35, 36. Matt. xxv.46.
• D••s Car∣tes Re∣sponsione ad Obje∣ctiones secundas, pag. m. 95.
• Mark xiv.21.
• 1 Pet. j.12.
• Rom. xj.33.
• Gen. ij.21, 22, 23.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Joh. v.39.
• Acts xx.27.
• Matth. xxvj.53.
• Dan. vij.10.
• Mark v.9. Luke viij.30.
• Dan. ij.31, 32, &c.
• Isa. v.4.
• Isa. lxv.2.
• Rev. j.3. To render the Original word (observe, or) watch, rather than keep, seems more congruous to the sense of the Text, and is a Criticism suggested to me by an emi∣nent Mathematician as well as Divine, who took notice, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is us'd by the Greeks as a term of Art, to express the Astrono∣mical Observation of Ecli∣pses, Planetary Conjuncti∣ons, Oppositions, and other Celestial Phaenomena.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ephis. iij.10▪
• Isa. vj.2, 3. Luke ij.13, 14. Revel. v.11, 12.
• Gen. ij.16, 17.
• Seraph. Love.
• Psal. xxxij.9.
• Deut. viij.10, 11, 12,
• 13, 14,
• 18,
• Job xxxviij.5, 6, 7.
• Psa. L.23.
• Hos. xiv.2.
• Psal. civ.24.
• Psal. xix.1.
• Psal. cxxxix.14.
• 1 Tim. ij.4.
• Joh. xiij.7. Heb. v.9.
• Joh. v.39. Search, or, You search the Scri∣ptures. Coloss. iij.16.
• Prov. xxvj.10.
• Acts xvij.11.
• 1 Pe••. j.10, 11.
• 1 Pet. j.••2.
• Psal. cxix.18.
• Revel. j.
• Matth. xj.15. Mark iv.••, 23. Luke viij.8.
• Matth. v.8.
• 1 Joh. iij.2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Medit. tertia sub finem.
• Exod. xv.25.
• Matth. v.29, 30.
• 1 Tim. iij.16.
• Tit. j.1.
• Numb. xxj.9.
• Diogenis Laertii libr. 10.
• Iob iv.19.
• Psal. ciij.14.
• 1 Cor. 10.13.
• Job xviij.14.
• Dan. ix.21, 22. Luke j.11, 26. Acts x.4, 5, 6. 1 Pet. j.12.
• Luke xxiv.45. Psal. cxix.18.
• Acts xvij.24, 25.
• Jam. ij.21.
• 2 Chron. vj.8, 9.
• 2 Sam. vij.
• ver. 5.
• ver. 11.
• Hab. j.13.
• Matth. v.6.
• 2 Cor. v.7.
• Luke xx.36.