A treatise partly theological, and partly political containing some few discourses, to prove that the liberty of philosophizing (that is making use of natural reason) may be allow'd without any prejudice to piety, or to the peace of any common-wealth, and that the loss of public peace and religion it self must necessarily follow, where such a liberty of reasoning is taken away / translated out of Latin. Tractatus theologico-politicus. English Spinoza, Benedictus de, 1632-1677. 1689 Approx. 620 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 247 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A61130 Wing S4985 ESTC R21627 12567990 ocm 12567990 63390 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A61130) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 63390) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 703:27) A treatise partly theological, and partly political containing some few discourses, to prove that the liberty of philosophizing (that is making use of natural reason) may be allow'd without any prejudice to piety, or to the peace of any common-wealth, and that the loss of public peace and religion it self must necessarily follow, where such a liberty of reasoning is taken away / translated out of Latin. Tractatus theologico-politicus. English Spinoza, Benedictus de, 1632-1677. [34], 452 p. [s.n.], London : 1689. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Philosophy and religion. 2000-00 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2001-08 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2001-09 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2001-09 TCP Staff (Michigan) Text and markup reviewed and edited 2001-11 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A TREATISE PARTLY THEOLOGICAL , And Partly POLITICAL , Containing some few DISCOURSES , To prove that the Liberty of PHILOSOPHIZING ( that is Making Use of Natural Reason ) may be allow'd without any prejudice to Piety , or to the Peace of any Common-wealth ; And that the Loss of Public Peace and Religion it self must necessarily follow , where such a Liberty of Reasoning is taken away . John Epist. 1 st chap. 4 th v. 13 th . Hereby know we , that we dwell in God , and God in us , because he hath given us of his Spirit . Translated out of Latin. LONDON , Printed in the Year , 1689. THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER . THE Gentleman that turn'd the following Treatise Written Originally in Latin into English , did it at spare Hours , only to divert and please himself , and therefore cares not who is displeased with his having done it . There are certainly some , who will pass very severe Censures upon this Treatise ; but that will not at all concern the Translator , who is not bound to make good the Authors Opinions , being only obliged to justify , that the Version hath truly and faithfully ( tho' not every where Word for Word ) render'd the Authors Sense and Meaning . Religion and Government being the Subject Matter of the Book , 't is easy to guess what Sort of Men are like to decry it ; but let those who are angry and find fault with it answer it ; In the mean time the Crape Gown and the Long Robe are both defied to prove there are any Tenets in the whole Treatise , half so dangerous or destructive to the Peace and Welfare of human Society , as those Doctrins and Maxims are , which have of late Years been broached by time-serving Church-men and Mercenary Lawyers ; for which they justly deserve the hatred and contempt of all Mankind . Nothing more needs be said to any Reader , than to desire he will deliberately read the Book twice over , before he condemn or commend it , when that is done , whether he like or dislike the Treatise it self , or the Translation of it , shall be all one to him , who never valued himself upon other Peoples Opinions , nor did ever think any part of his Reputation depended upon the Iudgment of Fools or Knaves . THE PREFACE . WEre it in the Power of Men , to govern all their Affairs , by sure and infallible Councel ; or could Mankind always live in a constant course of Prosperity , there would be no such thing in the World as Superstition ; but because Men many times fall into straights , out of which no Councel can deliver them , and by immoderately coveting the uncertain Goods of Fortune , miserably Fluctuate between hope and fear ; those two Passions easily driving the doubtful mind of Man hither and thither , render it prone to believe any thing , whereas otherwise it is over Confident , Proud and Vain-glorious . And of this , tho' few know themselves , there is scarce any Body ignorant : Do we not daily see many weak Men during prosperity so wise in their own conceit , that they think Councel an Affront ; but in adversity when they know not which way to turn themselves , begging every Bodies Advice , and there is not any , be it never so vain , foolish and absurd , which they will not follow upon very light grounds , they will also hope the best , and presently again fear the worst , whatever happens during their fears which puts them in mind of any past good or evil , that they think Prognosticates good or bad Fortune , and tho' they be a hundred times deceived , count it a lucky or unlucky Omen . Whatever is strange and unwonted , begets their Wonder , and looking upon it as a prodigy , say it portends almighty God's Anger ; for the pacification whereof , Men given up to superstition , but Enemies to true Religion , think it horrible Impiety not to make Prayers and Oblations , and to that end fancying a Thousand things , as if nature it self were as perfectly distracted as they , make strange Interpretations of her Meaning . This then being the condition of Mankind , we find those Persons most addicted to all kind of superstition , who greedily desire those things with are uncertain , and every one of them ( especially when they are in danger and cannot help themselves ) with Vows and Womanish Tears imploring Divine Assistance ; calling reason ( because it cannot shew them a certain way to the vanities they desire ) Blind , and human Wisdom Folly ; but on the contrary , believe dreams , dotages of the Imagination and Childish Follies to be divine Oracles ; saying that God despiseth the Wisdom of the Wise , and hath not Written his Will in the mind of Man , but on the entrails of Beasts , and that Ideots , Lunaticks and Birds by divine inspiration and instinct , can foretel his Decrees , so mad hath Fear made Men. And as Superstition hath its Original from Fear ; so is it kept up and continued by it ; of which Truth if any Man desire ( beside what hath been said ) any particular Examples , let him read the 5 th Book and 4 th Decade of Quintus Curtius , where he will find Alexander the Great , applying himself to Diviners and Prophets , when he first began to doubt his Fortune at the Straights of Susa ; but after the Conquest of Darius , never more consulting them , till terrified with the revolt of the Bactrians , and with the Scythians provoking him to Battle when he lay wounded ; he returns again to the Folly of human Superstition , and commands Aristander , to whom he gave much credit , to inquire by Sacrifices , what was like to be the event of his Affairs , and to this purpose many Examples may be produced , all which would clearly shew , that Men are most troubled with Superstitious Fancies during their Fears ; and all those things which they have so vainly and religiously rever'd , are nothing but the false representations and dotages of a Mellancholly and timerous Mind . And Lastly , that they who pretend to prediction , are much in request with the common People , and most feared by Kings and Princes , when a Kingdom is in any great distress or calamity , but because these things are so vulgarly known , I pass them by . Fear then being the cause of Superstition , it clearly follows , that all Men are naturally inclin'd and subject to it ( whatever others say , who think it proceeds from a certain imperfect confused knowledg Men have of a Deity . ) It follows likewise , that Superstition must of necessity be very various and inconstant , because all ridiculous Follies of the Mind , Fits of Frenzy , yea Superstition it self , cannot be maintained , but by Hope , Hatred , Anger and Deceit ; it proceeding not from Reason but Passion , and that too very violent . As therefore Men easily fall into all sorts of Superstition , so on the contrary , it is very difficult to make them continue in any one kind ; because the common People being all times alike miserable , are never long quiet , but still most pleased with that which is new , and never yet deceived them ; which inconstancy , hath been the cause of many Tumults and cruel Wars , and as Quintus Curtius in his 4 th Book and 10 th Decad hath very well observed , nothing so absolutely governs the Multitude as Superstition . Whence it happens , that the common People under colour of Religion , are sometimes easily induced to adore their Kings , and at other times to curse and abhor them , as the common Plagues of Mankind : Therefore to avoid this mischeif , great Pains are taken to adorn and attire Religion ( whether true or false ) that it may appear very Grave and Solemn , and all Persons pay unto it the highest degree of respect and veneration . This hath so luckily succeeded amongst the. Turks , who count it a Crime so much as to dispute , and have their understandings possest with so many prejudices , that there is no place in their Minds left for Reason , no not so much as doubt . But if it be , as indeed it is , the great Arcanum and concern of Monarchical Government , to deceive the People , and to cover Fear by which they are kept in Subjection , under the specious name of Religion ; that so they may fight for Slavery as for their own Safety , and think it no Shame but their greatest Honour , to spend their Bloud and Lives for the Glory of one single Person ; so on the contrary , in a free Commonwealth , nothing can be more mischeivously devised or attempted , than to possess Mens Judgments which are free , with Prejudices ; or in any manner to restrain or compel them , it being utterly repugnant to Common Liberty : As for Seditions stir'd up under pretence of Religion , they arise from enacting Laws concerning things meerly speculative , and because Opinions are many times Condemned for Crimes , and the maintainers and followers of those Opinions , seldom Sacrific'd to the public Safety , but to the Hatred and Cruelty of their Adversaries : But if the Laws of Government , would take no Notice of Words , and only punish Mens Actions , there could never be any lawful pretence for such Seditions , nor could Controversies be turn'd into Quarrels . Seeing therefore that Men are seldom so happy to live in a Commonwealth , where every one is allowed the Liberty of Judging and Worshipping God according to his own Understanding , or where nothing is esteem'd dearer and sweeter then Liberty ; I thought my Undertaking would be neither unpleasing or unprofitable , if I could make it appear , that such a Liberty may be granted , without any danger to Religion , or the Peace of a Commonwealth ; but that all three must stand and fall together . And this is the chief thing , which in this Treatise I intended to demonstrate ; to which purpose I thought it necessary , in the first place , to mark out the chief Prejudices concerning Religion , I mean the Footsteps of Antient Servitude , and in the next place , those Prejudices which relate to the right of Sovereign Power ; which many with shameless boldness study to Usurp , and then to secure themselves , amuse the Minds of the Multitude still Subject to Superstition , with specious shews of Religion , that all may again run into Bondage . In what order I make these things manifest , I will presently in few words declare ; but first I will mention the Causes which moved me to write . I have often wonder'd , that Men who boast themselves Professors of the Christian Religion , which consists in Love , Peace , Moderation and Dealing uprightly with all Men , should so unjustly contend , and cruelly hate one another , by which their Faith is better known , then by the forenamed Vertues . There is now scarce any Man whatever he be , Christian , Iew , Turk or Heathen , that can be known by any thing but his habit and attire , by frequenting such a Church , by maintaining such an Opinion , or by being the sworn Disciple of such a Master ; but in all other things Mens Lives and Conversations are all alike : Searching into the Cause of this Evil , I found it proceeded from the common Peoples being perswaded , that a very great part of Religion , consisted in setting a very high value upon the Service , Dignities , Offices and Benefits of the Church , and in honouring Churchmen with all possible Reverence ; for so soon as this abuse crept into the Church , every Knave had a mind to be a Priest , and the desire of propagating Religion , degenerated into sordid Avarice and Ambition ; so that the Temple it self , was turn'd into a Theatre , where Ecclesiastical Doctors did not Preach , but like Orators harangued the People , not to instruct , but to be admired by them ; publicly reproaching their Adversaries , and venting such new fangled Doctrines , as they thought would best please the Multitude . From hence necessarily arose those great Contentions , Envy and inveterate Hatred , which no length of time could asswage . T is no wonder then , that of the primitive Religion , nothing remains but the external worship ; wherein the People seem rather to Flatter than Adore God ; Faith is become nothing but credulity and prejudice , such as turns rational Men into Brutes , by denying them the Liberty of their Judgment to distinguish Truth from Falshood , and such as seems purposely invented , totally to extinguish the Light of Human Understanding . Piety and Religion , O immortal God! now consist in absurd Mysteries , and they that contemn and reject Human Reason and Knowledge , as naturally depraved , they forsooth , which is strangely irrational , must pass for Men divinely illuminated . Truly if such Men had but one spark of Divine Light , they could not be so superciliously Mad , but would learn to Worship God with more Prudence , and instead of hating , as they now do , would love those that differ from them in Opinion ; and forbearing to prosecute them with so much enmity , would rather ( since they pretend to fear their Salvation , more then their own Fortune ) have pity and compassion upon them : Moreover , if such Men had any Divine Light , it would appear in their Doctrine . I confess they pretend , they can never enough admire the profound Mysteries of the Scripture , yet I cannot perceive they teach any thing , but the Speculations of Aristotle and Plato , to which , that they may not seem followers of the Gentiles , they have fitted and accomodated the Scripture ; and , as if it were not enough , for these Men to run mad with the Greeks , would have the very Prophets also to doat like themselves ; which clearly shews , they never saw the Divinity of the Scripture , no not so much as in a dream . By how much the more they admire the Mysteries of Scripture , so much the more they seem to flatter and sooth Scripture , rather than believe it ; of which likewise another Evidence is , that many Men ( as to the better understanding and finding out the true meaning of Scripture ) lay it down for a Principal and Fundamental position , that the Scripture is of divine inspiration , and in every part infallibly true ; which is the very thing that cannot be made out or proved by any other way , but a strict examination and right understanding thereof ; and do likewise establish it for a rule , that in interpreting Scripture , which needs no human Glosses , the Scripture it self is our best guide . When I seriously considered that natural reason was not only contemned , but also by many condemn'd , for the Fountain of Impiety , and human inventions past for divine Doctrins ; that Credulity was accounted Faith , and Philosophical Controversies were maintaned both in Church and State with so much animosity and heat of dispute ; from whence I perceived that not only cruel hatred and dissention ( by which Men are easily stir'd up to sedition ) but many other mischeifs ( too tedious to be here mentioned ) took their beginning ; I resolved diligently to examin the Scripture a new , with a free and unprejudiced mind , and neither to affirm any thing positively of it , or admit any thing to be it's Doctrine which was not clearly Demonstrated by it . Under this caution , I Composed a method of interpreting the Sacred Volums , and furnisht with it , I began in the first place to inquire , what Prophesy was ? why God revealed himself to the Prophets ? and whether they were acceptable to God , because they had sublime thoughts and notions of God and Nature , or only for their Piety ? These things being known , I could easily determin that the Authority of the Prophets , was of greatest weight in things relating to real vertue , and to the use and benefit of Life ; but in other matters , their opinions did very little concern us . This being likewise known , I further inquired , what it was for which the Iews were called Gods chosen People , and when I perceived , it was only because God chose out for them , a particular part and climate of the World , where they might live conveniently and securely ; I thereby also learnt , that the Laws revealed by God to Moses , were nothing else but the Statutes of that particular government of the Iews , and that none but the Iews , were bound to receive them ; yea that the very Jews themselves , were not bound by them any longer , then their Government continued . That I might know whether it can be concluded from Scripture , that the understanding of of Mankind is depraved by Nature , I inquired whether the Catholic Religion , or the Divine Law revealed to all Mankind by the Prophets and Apostles , were any other then that which natural Reason teacheth and Lastly , whether Miracles happen contrary to the order of Nature ? and whether they do more certainly and clearly prove the Being and Providence of God , then those things do , which we clearly and distinctly understand by their first Causes ? but when I could find nothing in whatever the Scripture expresly teacheth , disagreable or repugnant to human understanding , and when I likewise saw , that the Prophets taught nothing but what was plain , and might easily be understood , and that they adorn'd and confirm'd their Doctrin , with such a Style and such reasons , as they thought would most affect the minds of the multitude with Devotion towards God ; I was fully perswaded , that the Scripture left reason perfectly free , and had nothing to do with Philosophy ; but that each stood on its own basis . But that I might plainly demonstrate these things , and put an end to the whole matter , I shew which way the Scripture is to be interprepreted , and that all its knowledge of things Spiritual , is to be drawn from it self , and not from those things which we know by the light of nature . Then I pass on , to shew those prejudices which spring from thence , and that the common People ( addicted to Superstition , prizing the reliques of time above eternity ) do rather adore the Books of the Scripture , than the very word of God it self . After this I shew the revealed word of God , not to be any certain number of Books , but a simple knowledge of Gods will revealed to the Prophets ( that is ) to obey God with the whole heart , by practising Justice and Charity : I shew that the Scripture teacheth this , according to the capacity and opinions of those to whom the Prophets and Apostles were sent to Preach this Word , which they did , that Men without any reluctancy might cordially embrace it . The Fundamentals of Faith being discovered , I Lastly , conclude the object of revealed knowledge to be nothing else , but obedience , and so distinct from natural knowledge , as well in respect of its object , as its foundations and means ; that it hath nothing in common with it ; but each maintains its own proper dominion , without any mutual disagreement , and that neither ought to be subservient , or a hand-maid to the other . Moreover , because the dispositions of Men are very different , one being possest with this , and another with that opinion , and that which moveth one Man to Devotion , provokes another to Laughter ; every one ought to have the Liberty of his own judgment , and the Power of interpreting the Principles of Faith , according to his own reason ; and that no Mans Faith is to be justified or condemned , but only by his Works ; so that all Men may obey God with Freedom of mind , and only Righteousness and Charity be in esteem . After I have by these things , shewed the Liberty granted by God's revealed Law to all Men , I go on to the other part of the question , which is , that this Liberty may be allow'd , without any prejudice to the Peace of a Common-wealth , or to the Rights of the Supream Powers ; nor can it be taken away , without great detriment and danger , both to peace , and the whole republick . To demonstrate this , I begin from every Mans natural right , which reacheth so far as every Mans Desire and Power can extend it self , and no Man by the Law of Nature , is bound to live according to another Mans Will or Inclination ; but every Man is the assertor of his own Liberty . Further I shew , that no Man departs from this right , but he that transfers the Power of defending himself to another , and that he must necessarily and absolutely be the keeper of that right , upon whom every one hath devolved his own natural right of living as he pleaseth , together with the Power of Defending himself ; and from hence I prove , that they who are possest of the Supream Power , have right to all things within their Power , and that they only are the Protectors of Law and Liberty ; all other Men being obliged to Act , according to their determinations and Decrees ; but because no Body can so far deprive himself , of his Power of defending himself , as to cease from being a Man , I thence conclude , that no Man can be totally deprived of his natural right , but that Subjects do still retain by the Law of Nature , many things which cannot be taken from them , without very great danger to Government . Those things being granted to be their rights either by tacit implication , or by express agreement and stipulation made between them and their Governours . These things being considered , I passon to the Commonwealth of the Iews , which I fully enough describe , shewing upon what Reason , and by whose Decree , Religion first began to obtain the force of a Law ; touching upon some other things by the By , which seem worthy to be known . After this I shew that they who have the supreme Power , are not only Protectors and Interpreters of the Civil , but also of the Divine Law , and that in them only is the right of Judging , what is just or unjust , pious or impious . And then I conclude that that Right is best maintained , and the Government most safe , where every Man hath free liberty to think , and speak what he thinks . These are the things , Philosophical Reader , which I offer to thy examination ; believing they will be acceptable to thee , for the Excellency and Utility of the Subject , as well of the whole Book , as of every single Chapter , to which many things might be added ; but to this Preface , I do not intend the Dimensions of a Volum : the chief things in it , are sufficiently known to Philosophers , to others I care not to commend this Treatise , because I have not the least hope they will like it . I know how fast those Prejudices stick , which the mind of Man hath embraced under the form of Religion ; I known also , 't is as impossible to root out Superstition , as Fear out of the Minds of the common People , whose constancy is but contumacy , and are never to be govern'd by Reason , but always rashly praise or dispraise . The Vulgar therefore , and all of like Affections with them , I do not invite to read these things , I had rather they should contemn the Book , then be troublesome by making perverse Constructions of it , as they use to do of all other things ; not profiting themselves , but hindring others , who would reason more like Phylosophers , did they not think Reason ought to be but a Hand-maid to Divinity : To Men of that Opinion , I think this Work extreamly useful , but because many have neither mind or leisure to read these things , I am forced here , as well as in the end of the Treatise to declare ; I have written nothing which I do not willingly submit to the Examination and Judgment of the chief Rulers of my Country : For if they shall think any thing I say , repugnant to the Laws or public Peace of it , I willingly unsay and recant it . I know my self a Man Subject to Mistake , but I have taken the greatest Care I could , not to Err , and particularly , that whatever I write , may in all things be consonant to the Laws of my Country , and agreeable to Piety and good Manners . A TABLE Of the several CHAPTERS . CHAP. I. OF Prophesy . CHAP. II. Of Prophets . CHAP. III. Of the calling of the Jews , and whether the Gift of Prophesy were peculiar only to the Jews ? CHAP. IV. Of the Divine Law. CHAP. V. The reason why Ceremonies were instituted ? of the belief of Scripture-Histories , why and to whom it is necessary ? CHAP. VI. Of Miracles . CHAP. VII . Of the Interpretation of Scripture . CHAP. VIII . Sheweth that the Pentatenk , the Books of Joshua , Judges , Ruth , Samuel and the Kings , were not Written by the Persons whose Names they bear ; and then inquires , whether those Books were Written by several Persons , or by one only , and by whom ? CHAP. IX . Whether Hesdras did perfectly finish those Books ? and whether the Marginal Notes found in the Hebrew Copies , were but diverse readings ? CHAP. X. The rest of the Books of the Old Testament are examined in the same manner as the forementioned . CHAP. XI . Whether the Apostles Writ their Epistles as Apostles and Prophets , or only as Doctors and Teachers ? and what is the Office of an Apostle ? CHAP. XII . Of the true Original Hand Writing or Text of Scripture , why Scripture is called Holy ? and why the Word of God ? Lastly , that the Scripture so far as it contains the Word of God , is derived to us pure and uncorrupted . CHAP. XIII . What is Faith ? who are the faithful ? what are the Fundamentals of Faith ? Faith distinguisht from Philosophy . CHAP. XIV . Divinity no Hand-maid to Reason , nor Reason to Divinity ; upon what ground we believe the Authority of Sacred Scripture . CHAP. XV. How Commonwealths came to be founded , of every Mans Natural and Civil Right , of the Right of Supreme Powers . CHAP. XVI . No Man can transfer , or part with all his particular Right to the Supreme Power , nor is it necessary that he should : Of the Commonwealth of the Jews , what it was while Moses lived ? and what after his Death before they chose Kings ? and of the Excellency of it ; lastly , what were the Causes why so Divine a Commonwealth perished , and could not subsist without Seditions ? CHAP. XVII . Certain Political Maxims Collected out of the Commonwealth and Histories of the Jews . CHAP. XVIII . That Religion , and all things relating to it , are subject to no other Power , but that of the Supreme Magistrate ; that the external Form of Public Religious Worship , ought to be accommodated to the Peace of the Common-wealth , if we would rightly obey God. CHAP. XIX . That in a free Commonwealth , it is lawful for every Man to think as he pleaseth , and to speak what he thinks . CHAP. VIII . Sheweth that the Pentateuk , the Books of Joshua , Judges , Ruth , Samuel and the Kings , were not Written by the Persons whose Names they bear ; and then inquires , whether those Books were Written by several Persons , or by one only , and by whom ? CHAP. IX . Whether Hesdras did perfectly finish those Books ? and whether the Marginal Notes found in the Hebrew Copies , were but diverse readings ? CHAP. X. The rest of the Books of the Old Testament are examined in the same manner as the forementioned . CHAP. XI . Whether the Apostles Writ their Epistles as Apostles and Prophets , or only as Doctors and Teachers ? and what is the Office of an Apostle ? CHAP. XII . Of the true Original Hand Writing or Text of Scripture , why Scripture is called Holy ? and why the Word of God ? Lastly , that the Scripture so far as it contains the Word of God , is derived to us pure and uncorrupted . CHAP. XIII . Shews that Scripture teacheth nothing but what is very plain , intending nothing but Mens Obedience ; neither doth it teach or declare any other thing of the divine Nature , then what a Man may in a right Course of Life in some degree imitate . CHAP. XIV . What is Faith ? who are the faithful ? what are the Fundamentals of Faith ? Faith distinguisht from Philosophy . CHAP. XV. Divinity no Hand-maid to Reason , nor Reason to Divinity ; upon what ground we believe the Authority of Sacred Scripture . CHAP. XVI . How Commonwealths came to be founded , of every Mans Natural and Civil Right , of the Right of Supreme Powers . CHAP. XVII . No Man can transfer , or part with all his particular Right to the Supreme Power , nor is it necessary that he should : Of the Commonwealth of the Jews , what it was while Moses lived ? and what after his Death before they chose Kings ? and of the Excellency of it ; lastly , what were the Causes why so Divine a Commonwealth perished , and could not subsist without Seditions ? CHAP. XVIII . Certain Political Maxims Collected out of the Commonwealth and Histories of the Jews . CHAP. XIX . That Religion , and all things relating to it , are subject to no other Power , but that of the Supreme Magistrate ; that the external Form of Public Religious Worship , ought to be accommodated to the Peace of the Common-wealth , if we would rightly obey God. CHAP. XX. That in a free Commonwealth , it is lawful for every Man to think as he pleaseth , and to speak what he thinks . CHAP. I. Concerning Prophesy . PRophesy or Revelation is the true Knowledge of any thing revealed to Men by God ; and he is a Prophet , who declares and expounds those things which God hath revealed , to Persons that cannot have any certain knowledge of those Revelations , but must therefore only by mere Faith receive and embrace them . A Prophet was by the Iews called Nabi , ( that is ) an Orator or Interpreter ; as appears in the 7 th chap. of Exodus v. 1 st . And the Lord said unto Moses , see I have made thee a God to Pharaoh , and Aron thy Brother shall be thy Prophet , as if he should have said , Aron by Interpreting to Pharaoh , what thou say'st , shall Act the Part of a Prophet , and thou the Part of God. We will speak of Prophets in the next Chapter , but in this only of Prophesy . It follows from the definition which hath been given of it , that Natural knowledge may be called Prophesy ; for those things which we know by the light of nature , depend only upon the knowledge of God , and his Eternal decrees : but because this knowledge is natural to all Mankind , being founded upon Principles common to all Men ; 't is of no value with the vulgar , who always affecting things rare and out of their Road , despise the Gifts of Nature ; and therefore whereever mention is made of Prophetical knowledge , they totally exclude Natural , which may with as much right be called Divine , as the other whatever it be ; seeing the Nature of God of which we participate , and the decrees of God , dictate it unto us , neither doth Natural knowledge differ from that which Men call Divine , but only because Divine knowledge exceedeth the Limits of Natural ; and because the Laws of Humane Nature considered in themselves , cannot be the cause of Divine knowledge : but Natural knowledge in respect of the certainty which it includes , and in respect of the Fountain from whence it proceeds , namely from God himself , doth in no wise give place to Prophetical knowledge , unless some will think or rather dream , that the Prophets had Humane Bodies , but not Humane Souls , and therefore their perceptions and knowledge were of a quite different Nature from ours . But though natural knowledge be Divine , yet they that possess and propagate it , cannot be called Prophtes , because the things which they teach , may with equal certainty , and in as high a degree , be Apprehended and Embraced by others , as well as by themselves , and that too not by Faith only . Since therefore our Mind for no other reason , but only because it containeth in it self , the Nature of God , as its Object , and also participating thereof , is able to Form certain Notions which explicate the Nature of things , and teach us the use of Life , we may with reason conclude , that the Nature of Man's mind , being what 't is conceived to be , is the prime Cause of Divine Revelation , for all those things which we clearly and distinctly understand , the Idea of God ( as we have already shewn ) and Nature dictate to us , not in words , but in a much more excellent manner , and such as best suites with the Nature of the Mind , as every one finds by his own experience , who hath but tasted what certain knowledge is : but because my cheif purpose is to speak of those things which belong only to the Scripture , that little I have said of Natural knowledge shall suffice , and I now proceed to other causes and means , by which God reveals to Men , those things which do exceed , and also those which do not exceed the bounds of Natural knowledge , ( for nothing hinders but that those things which we know by the Light of Nature , God may by other ways , communicate to Men ) of which now I will more fully Treat . But whatsoever is said upon this Subject , ought to be fetcht only from Scripture ; for we can say no more of things that pass our understanding , then that which the Prophets have deliver'd to us , either by word or writing ; and because we have not any Prophets that I know in these our days , all that we have to do , is diligently to peruse the Sacred Volums which the Prophets have left us ; but still with this caution , that we determin nothing positively of things of this Nature , nor attribute any thing to the Prophets themselves , which they have not plainly spoken and taught . But it is in the first place to be observed , that the Iews never used to make mention of mediate and particular Causes , nor ever regarded them ; but for the promoting of Religion , Piety , and Devotion , had always recourse to God , ( for Example ) if they got Money by the Trade of Merchandizing , they said God gave it , if they earnestly desired to do any thing , they said God disposed their Hearts to it , if they seriously thought on any thing , they said it was declared to them by God ; so that every thing which the Scripture saith God declared to any one , is not to be taken for Prophesy and Supernatural knowledge , but that only which the Scripture expresly declares , or from the Circumstances of the narration , plainly appears to be Prophesy and Revelation : If then we run through all the Sacred Volums , we shall find , that all those things which God revealed to the Prophets , were revealed to them either by words , or by Figures and Signs , or else by both together , and that the words , and Signs , were either real and true , without the imagination of the hearing and seeing Prophet ; or but imaginary ( that is ) the fancy and imagination of the Prophet , even when he was awake , was so disposed , that he verily thought , he heard words , or saw and beheld some thing or sign . God in a true and real voice , revealed those Laws to Moses , which he prescribed to the Iews ; as appears by the 25 th chap. of Exod. v. 22. where he saith , And there will I meet with thee , and I will commune with thee from above the mercy Seat , from between thee two Cherubims which plainly shews , that God made use of some real voice , seeing Moses where-ever he pleased , found God ready to speak to him ; and that only this voice , by which the Law was Published , was a true and real voice , I will presently shew . One would think that the voice by which God called Samuel was real ; because in the first Book of Sam. the 3 d. chap. and last verse , it is said , The Lord appeared again in Shiloh , for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord , as if he had said , the appearance of God to Samuel , was nothing else , but Gods making known himself to him by word , or signifyed no more , then that Samuel heard God speaking : but because we are forced to distinguish between the Prophesy of Moses , and that of the other Prophets , it must be concluded , that the voice heard by Samuel , was but imaginary ; because it was like the voice of Ely , which he had so often heard , and therefore the sooner wrought upon his fancy ; for being thrice called , Samuel still thought it was by Ely , the voice which Abimelech heard was imaginary , for it said Gen. chap. 20. v. 6 , God said unto him in a Dream , and therefore Abimelech not waking , but in his sleep , ( the time when the fancy is naturally most apt to imagin things that are not ) might have a strong Impression of Gods Will upon his Imagination . It is the Opinion of some Iews , that the words of the Decalogue , were not vocally pronounced by God ; but that the Israelites only heard a noise , which did not articulately form words , but that the People during the noise , mentally understood the Laws of the Decalogue , which was once also my own Opinion , because I found the words of the Decalogue in Exodus , to differ from those of the Decalogue in Deutronomy : whence it might seem to follow , seeing God spake but once , that the Decalogue is not the very words of God , but only contains the Sence or signification of his Will. But unless we will wrest the Scripture , it must be granted , that the Israelites did hear a real and true voice ; for the 4 th vers . of the 5 th chap. of Deut. saith , The Lord talked with you Face to Face in the Mount , ( that is ) as two Men use Personally and Corporally , to communicate their conceptions one to another ; therefore it seems much more consonant to Scripture , that God did really create a voice , by which he revealed the Decalogue ; but the reason why the words of the two Decalogues vary , may be seen in the 8 th following Chapter of this Book ; yet that neither fully solves the doubt ; for it seems very Irrational , to conclude that any thing created by , and depending on , God as all other created Beings do , should be able to express or expound , the Essence or Existence of God Personally , viz. by saying in the first Person , I am the Lord thy God , though where a Man says with his Mouth , I understand , yet no Body thinks 't is the mouth of that Man , but his Mind that understands ; but because the mouth hath Reference to the Nature of the Man that said it , and the Person also to whom it was said knows what is the Nature of the Intellect , he easily understands the mind of the speaking Person , by a Comparative consideration of himself , but they who knew nothing of God , but his mere name , and desired him to speak that they might be certain of his Existence , how could they be satisfyed in their Request by any Creatures saying , I am thy God ; when that Creature which said so , did no more resemble God , nor belong to his Nature , then any other Creature did , what if God should have Framed the Lips of Moses , yea of any Beast ? to have articulatly pronounced and spoken those words , I am thy God doth it follow , that the Israelites should thereby have understood the Being and Existence of God ? Moreover , the Scripture seems plainly to declare , that God himself spoke , ( and for that end descended from Heaven down upon Mount Sinai ) and that not only the Iews heard him speak , but also the Nobles and Elders , as we read in the 24 th c. of Ex. Neither doth the Law revealed to Moses , to or from which , nothing was to be added or taken away , and was the Establisht Law of the Country , ever command that we should believe God to be Incorporeal , and to have no Shape or Figure ; but only that we should believe there is a God , and should Worship him only , and that the Iews might not depart from his Worship , he commanded that they should not fancy or make any likeness or Image of him ; for since they had never seen any likeness of God , they could make no Image which would Resemble God , but necessarily some other Creature which they had seen ; and so bestow the Worship and Honour of God upon that Creature . The Scripture expressly declares God to have Figure , and that Moses when he heard God speak , happened to see it , though indeed it was but his back parts ; in which there is a hidden Mistery , of which we will hereafter speak more at large . I will now go on to quote those places , which declare the means , whereby God hath revealed his Decrees to Men. That Revelation may happen only by Signs or Figures is plain by the 21 th chap. of the 1 st . Book of Chron. where God declared his Anger to David , by an Angel holding a drawn Sword in his hand , in like manner to Balaam , and though Maimonides and some others would have it thought , that in this Story and all others , which relate the appearing of Angels , as to Manoah , and to Abraham when he would have Sacrificed his Son ; the Apparitions were always in sleep , ( not that any Man broad waking is able to see an Angel ) yet they talk to no purpose , for they minded nothing else , but straining Scripture to countenance Aristotle's and their own idle Figments , than which nothing can be more ridiculous . God revealed to Ioseph , his future Dominion by Images , that were not real and external , but internal and depending only upon the Imagination of the Prophet . By Signs and Words God revealed to Iosua , that he would Fight for the Israelites , by shewing to him an Angel with a Sword in his hand , as Captain of the Host , and by words also , which Iosua heard from the Angel , it was represented to Isaiah by Figures chap. 6. That God's Providence would desert the People , by imagining the most holy God on a very high Throne , and the Israelites polluted and plunged in the filth of their Sins , and so at a great distance from God : by which signs he understood the present miserable state of the People ; but their future calamities were revealed to him by words spoken , as it were , by God himself . And of this kind , I could bring many Examples out of Sacred Writ , were they not so generally known to all ; but all these things are more clearly proved by the Text it self ; in the 12 th . Chap. Numb . v. 6 , 7. If there be a Prophet among you , I the Lord will make my self known to him in a Vision ( that is by signs and hieroglyphics ( but as for the Prophesy of Moses , it was vision without signs ) and will make my self known to him in a dream ( that is not in a true real voice and words . ) But to my Servant Moses not so , with him will I speak mouth to mouth , even apparently and not in dark Speeches , and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold ( that is ) beholding me as a Friend and Companion , speaks to me without fear , as it is in the 33. chap. of Exod. v. 11. Therefore without doubt the rest of the Prophets , did not hear a true and real voice , which yet more evidently appears out of the 34. chap. of Deu. v. 10. And there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses , whom the Lord knew face to face ; which must be understood by voice only , for Moses himself , as the 33. chap. of Exod. plainly declares , did never see God's Face . Beside these ways and means , I have mentioned , I find no other in Sacred Sripture , whereby God hath communicated himself to Men ; and therefore ( as I have already said ) no other are to be supposed or admitted , and though we may clearly understand , that God may immediately communicate himself to Men , for he without using any Corporeal Means doth communicate his Essence to our Minds ; yet that any man by the mind alone , should comprehend those things , which are not contained in the Principles of Natural Knowledge , nor can be deduced from them ; must necessarily argue , that that mans mind , is far more Noble and Excellent , then any Human Understanding ; Wherefore I believe , never any Man arrived to so great a degree of Perfection above others , beside Christ , to whom the purposes of God , for the Salvation of mankind , were immediately revealed . So that God did manifest himself to the Apostles , by the Mind of Christ , as he did before to Moses by an Aereal Voice , and therefore the Voice of Christ , like that which Moses heard , may be called the Voice of God. And in this Sense also we may say , the Wisdom of God viz. Wisdom more then Human , assumed Human Nature in Christ , and Christ was the Way to Salvation . But I think it necessary for me here to declare , that some things , which some Churches determine and maintain , concerning Christ , I do neither assert nor deny ; for I ingenuously confess , I do not understand them , those things which I have affirmed , I have collected out of the Scripture it self . I have no where read , that God appeared or spoke to Christ , but that God was revealed to the Apostles by Christ , who was the Way to Salvation . And lastly that the Old Law was not delivered immediately by God , but by an Angel. Wherefore if Moses spake to God Face to Face , as a Man useth to do with his Friend , ( that is by the mediation of two Bodies ) Christ communed with God mentally or Mind to Mind . I do therefore maintain , that beside Christ , no Man ever reeived any Revelation from God , but by the help of the Imagination , or by the help of Words or Signs , and therefore to Prophesy , there is not so much need of a perfect Understanding , as of a Lively Imagination , as shall be shown in the following Chapter , we are now to inquire what the Scripture means by the Spirit of God , infused into the Prophets , or the Prophets speaking by the Spirit of God ; to find out the meaning of these Phrases and Expressions , it is first necessary , to search what the Hebrew word Ruagh signifies , which the Vulgar interprets Spirit . The word Ruagh , in its Proper and Genuine Sense , signifies Wind , but is very frequently used , to signifie many other things , which nevertheless are derived from Wind : For sometimes it signifies Breath , Psal. 135. v. 17 th . Neither is there any Breath in their Mouths . Secondly it signifies Life or Respiration . 1 st . Book of Sam. chap. 30. v. 12. His Spirit came again to him , ( that is he breathed . ) Thirdly , it is taken for Courage and Strength , Iosu. chap. 11 th . v. 11 th . There was not a Man left to breath . Ezek. chap. 2. v. 2. And the Spirit ( that is Strength ) entered into me and set me upon my Feet . Fourthly , it is taken for Vertue and fitness , Iob. chap. 32. v. 8. There is a Spirit in Man , ( that is as appears in the following Verse . ) Wisdom and Understanding , but is not always to be found in the Aged , for I now find it depends upon the particular Qualification aud Capacity of a Man. So in the 27. chap. of Numb . v. 8. Take thee Iosua the Son of Nun , a Man in whom is the Spirit . Fifthly , It is taken for a Man's Opinion , Numb . chap. 14 v. 24. Because he had another Spirit with him . Proverbs chap. 1 st . v. 23. I will pour out my Spirit , ( that is my Mind ) unto you . And in this Sense . It is used to signifie the Will , Purpose , or Resolution , the Appetite , the Desire , and the Anger or Passion of the Mind : Ezek. chap. 1. v. 12. They went every one straight forward whether the Spirit , ( or their Will ) was to go , they went. Isaiah . chap. 30. v. 1. That take Councel but not of me , that cover with a Covering but not of my Spirit . Isai. chap. 29. v. 10. The Lord hath poured out upon you the Spirit , ( that is ) the desire of deep Sleep , Iudges chap. 8. v. 3. Then their Spirit ( that is Anger ) was abated towards him . Prov. chap. 16. v. 32. He that ruleth his Spirit , ( that is his Appetite ) is better then he that taketh a City . Prov. chap. 25. v. 28. He that hath no rule over his own Spirit , is like a City broken down . Isai. chap. 33. v. 11. Your Spirit ( in the English Translation Breath ) as Fire shall devour you . Moreover this Word Ruagh , as it fignifies the Mind , so doth it serve to express the Passions , and sometimes the gifts of the mind . A high Spirit signifies Pride , a lowly Spirit humilitly , an evil Spirit hatred and melancholly , a good Spirit kindness and benignity , the Spirit of jealousie , the Spirit of fornication , the Spirit of wisdom , council , fortitude , which because in Hebrew , Substantives are oftner used than Adjectives , signify a wise , prudent , valiant Mind . Sixthly , it signifies the life or soul , Eccles. chap. 3. v. ii . Spiritus idem est omnibus , The same breath is to all , and the Spirit returns to God that gave it . Lastly , it signisies the quarters of the World ( from whence the wind blows ) and likewise the sides of any thing which stands towards those quarters , as appears , Ezek. chap . 37. v. 9 . and chap. 42. v. 16,17,18,19 . &c. Now it is to be noted , that a thing is attributed to God , and said to be God's ; First , because it pertaineth to the Nature of God , and is as it were a part of God ; as when we say the Power of God , the Eyes of God. Secondly , when a thing is in the Power of God and Acts according to his Will and Pleasure ; so in Scripture the Heavens are called the Heavens of God , because they are his Chariot and place of Abode . Assyria is called the Scourge of God , and Nebuchadnezzer the Servant of God. Thirdly , when a thing is dedicated to God , as the Temple of God , the Nazarite of God , the Bread of God. Fourthly , that which hath been deliver'd by the Prophets , and not revealed by the Light of Nature , therefore the Law of Moses is called the Law of God. Fifthly , when any thing is superlatively exprest ; as the Mountains of God , ( that is ) the highest Hills ; the sleep of God that is deep sleep ; in this sence is to be understood the 11 th Verse of the 4 th Chap. of Amos , where God says , I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah , ( that is ) like that memorable overthrow : for seeing God himself speaks , it cannot otherwise be properly exprest , the Natural Knowledge of Solomon is called Divine , and the Knowledge of God , because it was so much above that which is common . The Psalms speak of the Cedars of God , to express their extraordinary height , in the First Book of Sam. Chap. 10. v. 7. it is said , The fear of the Lord fell on the People , which signifies a very great fear and in this sense , all things which exceeded the Capacity of the Iews , and whose natural Causes where not known to them , were always referr'd and attributed to God. Tempests were called Gods Chiding and Threatnings , Thunder and Lightning his Darts and Arrows , they thought God kept the Winds shut up in the Caverns of the Earth , which they called his Treasuries ; in which Opinion they differ'd from the Heathen , only by believing God , and not AEolus , to be their Ruler ; upon this ground Miracles are also called the Works of God , that is stupendious , wonderful works , tho' indeed all things in Nature are the Works of God , and only by Divine Power act and subsist ; in the same Sence the Psalmist calls the Miracles done in Egypt the Powers of God , because in the Iews greatest danger , they open'd a way to their safety and deliverance , when they least expected it , and were therefore so much admir'd by them . Seeing then the Works of Nature which are strange and unusual , are called the Works of God , and Trees of extraordinary height and magnitude , the Trees of God , it is no wonder that in Genesis , Men very Valiant and of great Stature , tho' impious Robbers and Fornicators , were called the Sons of God , the Ancient Heathen as well as the Iews , used to attribute to God , every thing in which any one excell'd other Men ; Pharaoh when he heard the Interpretation of his Dream said , that the Spirit of the Gods was in Ioseph , and Nebuchadnezzar said , the Spirit of the Holy Gods was in Daniel ; nothing was more frequent among the Latines , then to say things very curiously wrought , were done by a Divine Hand , which Expression if a Man would turn into Hebrew , he must say done by the Hand of God. By these places I have quoted , many other in Scripture where mention is made of the Spirit of God , may be easily understood and explained , the Spirit of God , and the Spirit of Iehovah , in some places signifie nothing but a vehement dry and destroying Wind , as Isa. Chap. 40. v. 7. The Grass withereth , the Flower fadeth , because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it . Also Gen. Chap. 1st . v. 2. and the Spirit of God ( that is a strong Wind ) moved upon the Waters . It also signifies a great Mind or Courage , the Courage of Gideon and Sampson , are stiled in Scripture the Spirit of God ( that is ) a bold daring Mind , ready to undertake and attempt any thing . So also any particular vertue or skill more then ordinary is in Scripture called the Spirit of God , Exod. Chap. 31. v. 3. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in Wisdom and Workmanship speaking of Bezaleel ; so Isa. Chap. 11. v. 2. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him , ( that is ) as the Prophet more fully explains himself , the Vertue of Wisdom , Councel and Might : in like manner Sauls Melancholy , is called an Evil Spirit of God , or from God , that is , deep Melancholy ; for Sauls Servants who called his Melancholy the Melancholy of God , were they that sent for Musick to recreate him , which shew'd that they did not think his Melancholy to be any more than Natural , sometimes by the Spirit of God is signified the Life of Man , Iob Chap. 27. v. 3. The Spirit of God is in my Nostrils alluding to what is said Gen. Chap. 2. v. 7. God breathed into Mans Nostrils the Breath of Life ; so Ezek. Chap. 37. v. 14. saith , Prophesying to the Dead , and I will put my Spirit in you , and ye shall live , that is I will restore Life to you , in the same Sense speaks , Iob Ch. 34. v. 14. If he gather unto himself his Spirit and his Breath ; so likewise is to be understood the 3 Verse of the 6 th Chap. of Gen. My Spirit also shall not always strive with Manfor that he also is flesh , ( that is ) Man hereafter shall do according to the dictates of his Flesh , and not of his Mind , which I gave him to discern Good from Evil , Psal. 51. v. 10 , 11. David says , Create in me a clean Heart O God , and renew a right Spirit within me , cast me not away out of thy presence , and take not thy Holy Spirit from me ; because it was believed , that Sins came only from the Flesh , and that the Soul or Mind did incline Men only to good : therefore the Psalmist implores Gods Assistance against his carnal Affections , and prays that his Mind or Soul which God gave him , may be preserved and kept by God , now because the Scripture describes God like a Man , and because the Common Peoples Capacity is weak doth attribute to God a Mind , affections of Mind , and likewise a Body and Breath , therefore the Spirit of God is many times in Scripture taken for the Will , the Mind , the Power , and the Breath of Gods Mouth , Isa. Chap. 40. v. 13. the Prophet saith , who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord ( that is ) who hath disposed the mind of God , to will any thing which he himself hath not determin'd . Likewise Chap. 63. v. 10. They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit . Hence it is , that sometimes 't is taken for the Law of Moses , because it doth as it were explain and unfold Gods Mind ; for Isa. in the 11 th V. of the 63. Ch. saith , where is he that put his Holy Spirit within him , ( that is ) the Law ; as is clearly Collected from the Context . Nehemiah Ch. 9. v. 20. saith , thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them , speaking of the time of the Law , Deut. Ch. 4. v. 6. Moses speaking of the Law saith , This is your wisdom and understanding , so David , Psal. 43. v. 11. saith , Thy good Spirit leadeth me into the Land of Vprightness , ( that is ) thy mind revealed to us , leadeth us into the right way , the Spirit of God also signifies the Breath of God , which is as improperly attributed to God as is Body or Mind , Psal. 33. v. 6. And all the Host of them by the breath of his Mouth , it signifies the power and might of God , Iob Chap. 33. v. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me ( that is ) the Power of God or rather his decree , for the Psalmist speaking poetically saith , by the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the Breath of his Mouth . Also Psal. 139. v. 7. It is said whether shall I go from thy Spirit , where Spirit signifies Gods Power and presence . Lastly , the Spirit of God is used in Scripture , to express the affections of Gods Mind , namely his Benignity Mercy , &c. Michah Chap. 2. v. 7. Is the Spirit of the Lord straightned , are these his doings ? so Zachary Chap. 4. v. 6. not by might not by power but by my Spirit , ( that is ) only by my Mercy , and in this Sense I think , ought to be understood the 12 th Verse of the 7 th Chapter of Zachary , They made their Hearts as an Adamant Stone , least they should hear the Law and the Words which the Lord of Hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets , where Spirit must signifie mercy , in this Sense speaketh also the Prophet Haggai Chap. 2. v. 5. Loe my Spirit , that is my Grace and Mercy remaineth among you , fear ye not ; Isa. Chap. 48. v. 16. It is said , the Lord and his Spirit hath sent me , there Spirit may be understood to signifie the Will and Mercy of God , or his mind revealed in the Law ; for the Prophet saith from the beginning ( that is when he first came to declare Gods Wrath and Judgments against them , he spake not in secret , from the time that it was published there was I , but now I am a Messenger of Joy sent by the Mercy of God to proclaim your restauration : it may also as I have already said be taken for the mind and will of God , revealed in the Law , ( that is ) he by the Command of the Law Levit. Chap. 19. v. 17. came to admonish them ; therefore under the same conditions and in the same manner , he warns as Moses did , and at last like Moses , ends with predicting their restauration , but in my Opinion the first Exposition seems the best . To return to what was first intended , by all these Quotations it is evident , that these following plain Phrases of Scripture . The Prophets had the Spirit of God. God poured out his Spirit upon Men. Men were filled with the Spirit of God , and with the Holy Ghost , signifie nothing more , then that the Prophets had some particular extraordinary Vertue above other Men , and were Persons very Eminent for their constant piety : Moreover , that they understood the Mind and Will of God ; for we have shewn , that the Spirit in the Hebrew Language , signifies both the mind and the purpose and resolutions of the mind ; yea the Law , because it makes known Gods Mind , is called the Spirit and Mind of God : so that the imagination of the Prophets , forasmuch as by it the decrees and purposes of God were revealed , may likewise be called the Mind of God , and the Prophets may be said to have the Spirit of God , now though the Mind and Will of God , be Written in our minds , and his Eternal purposes and decrees be Engraven on our Hearts ; and consequently ( to use the Scripture Phrase ) we also understand the Mind of God ; yet because natural Knowledge is common to all Men , it is very little esteem'd , and the Iews who valued themselves above all other Nations , extreamly despised it , because it was common to all Mankind . Lastly , the Prophets were said to have the Spirit of God , because Men were altogether ignorant of the Causes of Prophetical Knowledge , and did not only admire it , but as they did all other strange and unusual things , ascribed it to God as the immediate Author of it . We may then without any scruple affirm , that the Prophets did no other way understand the revelations of God , then by the help of imagination ; that is by the means of words or signs , and these either real or imaginary : for seeing we find in Scripture , no other means beside these , it is not lawful to suppose or fancy any other : but by what Laws and Rules of Nature it was done , I confess I am utterly ignorant . I might with others say , it was done by the Power of God ; but it would be little to the purpose , and no more then if I should by some unintelligible terms express the form of any thing , all things are done by the Power of God , for the Power of Nature is nothing but the Power of God , and 't is certain that we therefore do not understand the Power of God , because we are ignorant of natural Causes ; and we very foolishly have recourse to the Power of God , when we know not the natural Cause of any thing , ( that is ) when we are ignorant of Gods Power , but we have now no need of knowing the cause of prophetical Knowledge , for as I have already intimated , we only endeavour to find out what the Scripture teacheth us , that from thence as from the precepts of Nature we may know our Duty , but with the Causes of Scripture-Doctrines we have nothing to do . Seeing then the Prophets by the help of imagination , understood those things which God revealed , there is no doubt but they perceived many things , which were beyond the extent of natural understanding , for from words and signs many more Ideas may be formed , then can be only out of those Principles and Notions , upon which all our natural Knowledge is founded . Hence it is evident , why the Prophets perceived and declared all things parabolically and in dark Speeches , and exprest all spiritual things after a corporal manner , because that doth better sute with the nature of the imagination ; neither can we now wonder , why the Scripture or the Prophets , spake so improperly and obscurely of the Spirit or Mind of God , as Numb . Chap. 11. v. 17. I will come down and talk with thee there ; and I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee , and put it on them . Likewise in the 1 st Book of Kings chap. 22. v. 11. and Zedekiah the Son of Chenaanah made him Horns of Iron , and he said , thus saith the Lord , with these shalt thou push the Syrians till thou hast consumed them , Michah saw God sitting , Daniel saw him like an Old Man cloathed in white Garments , Ezekiel like fire , and they who were with Christ descending like a Dove , the Apostles like Cloven Tongues , and Paul before his Conversion like a great light , all which Visions , agree with those fancies and imaginations , which the vulgar have of God and of Spirits . Lastly , because the imagination is wandring and unconstant , Prophesy did not long continue with the Prophets , nor was it frequent but very rare , and as there were but very few that had it , so likewise 't was very seldom ; we are now to inquire , how the Prophets could be sure of those things , which they perceived only by the strength of imagination , and not by the certain Principles of mental Knowledge : but whatever may be said concerning this Particular , ought to be fetcht from Scripture , tho' ( as we have already confest ) we have no true knowledge of the thing , and cannot explain it by its first Causes ; however what the Scripture declareth concerning the truth and certainty of the Prophets . I will shew in the following Chapter , wherein I resolve to treat of Prophets . CHAP. II. Of Prophets . IT appears by the preceding Chapter , that the Prophets were not endued with perfection of mind above other Men ; but only with strength and vivacity of imagination , which Scripture-Histories abundantly testify : Solomon excell'd all others in Wisdom but not in the gift of Prophesy , Heman , Darda , Kalcoll , tho' Men very Wise , yet were no Prophets , when plain Countrymen who had no Learning , yea Women as Hagar , Abrahams Maid had that gift : which is agreeable both to Reason and Experience ; for they who most excel in fancy and imagination , are less apt to understand things clearly , and they that have excellent understandings , have their fancy and imagination not so strong , but better kept within compass , that it may not be confounded with the intellect : those Men therefore , who endeavor out of the Books of the Prophets , to find the true knowledge of Natural and Spiritual things , are extremely mistaken ; which I purpose to shew at large , because the Times , Philosophy , and the matter it self requires it . I will not at all value what superstition babbles to the contrary , which hates nothing more then such Men as live good Lives , and are lovers of true solid knowledge ; with shame be it spoken , 't is now come to that pass , that they who freely confess , they have no particular Idea of God , and only know him by created Beings ( of whose Causes they are Ignorant , ) are presently branded with the Name of Atheists . To proceed orderly in proving the Point ; I will shew , that there was a difference between the Prophets , not only in respect of imagination and temperament of Body , but also in respect of the Opinions wherewith they were prepossest ; so that they never became the more Learned by Prophesy ; which I will presently more fully make out , but I must first speak of the Prophets certainty , because it belongs to the Subject of this Chapter , and because it contributes somewhat to the Proof of what I design to demonstrate . Because simple imagination doth not in its own Nature include certainty , as every clear and distinct Idea doth ; there must necessarily some other thing accompany imagination , to make us sure of the things we imagin , and that is reasoning whence it follows , that Prophesy of it self , doth not include certainty ; because it depends only upon the imagination , and therefore the Prophets themselves , were not certain of what God revealed , by the Revelation it self , but by some sign ; as appears by Abraham Gen. chap. 15. v. 8. And he said , Lord God whereby shall I know that I shall Inherit it ? asking a Sign after he heard the promise : without doubt he believed God , and did not ask the sign that he might believe , but that he might be sure the promise came from God. The same thing more plainly appears by Gideon , Judges chap. 6. v. 17 , and he said unto him if I have found Grace in thy sight then shew me a Sign , that thou talkest with me . God said to Moses , let this be a sign unto thee , Ezechiah who well knew that Isaiah was a Prophet , asked a sign of him when he foretold his recovery ; which shews that the Prophets had always some sign , by which they were certain of the things they Prophetically imagined ; and therefore Moses Deut. chap. 18. v. 22. bids the People ask a sign of any that pretend to Prophesy , which sign was to be foretelling some future event . Prophesy therefore in this particular gives Place to Natural knowledge , which needs no sign , but in its own Nature includes certainty ; but the certainty of Prophesy , was not Mathematical , but only Moral , which also appears by Scripture Deut. chap. 13. Moses warneth the People , that if any Prophet should teach them to Worship any other God , tho' he confirmed his Doctrine by Signs and Miracles , yet the Prophet was to be put to death ; for Moses goes on and says that God did by Signs and Miracles prove the People , whether they loved the Lord with all their heart . Christ in like manner warneth his Disciples , telling them Math. chap. 24. v. 24. there should arise false Christs and false Prophets , and should shew great signs and wonders . Ezechiel chap. 14. v. 9. plainly declares that God sometimes deceives Men with false Revelations ; And if the Prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing , I the Lord have deceived that Prophet ; which Michaiah also testifies of the Prophets of Ahab , 1 st . Book of Kings chap. 22. v. 21. 22 , 23. And tho' this shews Prophesy to be a thing somewhat doubtful and uncertain , yet it had a great deal of certainty in it , for God never deceiveth the Godly and Elect , but according to that saying in the 1 st . Book of Sam. chap. 24. v. 13. As saith the Proverb of the Ancients , wickedness proceedeth from the wicked , but my hand shall not be upon thee , and as it likewise appears by the History of Abigal and her discourse , God useth pious Persons as Instruments of his goodness , and wicked Men for Executioners of his wrath , this likewise is made Evident by the Case of the Prophet Michaiah , for tho' God had decreed Ahab should be deceived by the Prophets , he made use of false Prophets ; but to a good Prophet , revealed the Truth of what was to happen , and did not hinder the Prophet from foretelling the Truth ; but still the certainty of the Prophet was but Moral , because no Man can justify himself before God , nor boast that he is the Instrument of God , the Anger of God led David to Number the People , whose Piety the Scripture sufficiently declares , all Prophetical certainty was founded upon three Particulars . First the Prophets did as strongly , and with as much vivacity imagin the things revealed , as Men waking use to do the things they see ; Secondly the certainty of the Prophets was confirm'd by a Sign , and Thirdly because their Minds were continually inclin'd to Vertue and Justice , tho' the Scripture doth not always make mention of the sign , yet we ought to believe the Prophets still had a sign ; for the Scripture doth many times leave out circumstances and conditions , and relates things as supposed to be known . Moreover , it is to be granted , that the Prophets , who Prophesied nothing new , but what was contain'd in the Law of Moses , had no need of a sign ; ( for example , ) the Prophesy of Ieremy concerning the destruction of Ierusalem , needed no sign , because 't was confirm'd by the Prophesies of the rest of the Prophets , and by the threatnings of the Law ; but for the confirmation of Hananiahs Prophesy , who against all the Prophets foretold the sudden Restauration of the City , there was necessity of a sign , till the coming to pass of what he predicted should make it good , Ierem. chap. 28. v. 9 , 10. Seing then the certainty of Prophesy which depended upon signs , was not Mathematical ( that is such as necessarily follow'd from the thing apprehended or seen ) but only Moral ; and that signs were given to satisfy and convince the Prophet himself , it likewise follows , that signs were given according to the Opinion and Capacity of the Prophet ; so that the sign which made one Prophet confident and certain of his Prophesy , could not assure another , as the signs were different and various , so also Revelation it self did vary in every Prophet , according to the disposition of his imagination , the temper of his constitution , or the Opinions wherewith he was prepossest , ( for example ) if a Prophet were chearful and merry , to him were revealed Victories and Peace , which cause Mirth and Gladness ; such things using to take up the fancy of such Men , to a Man sad and melancholly were revealed Wars , Plagues and Evils to come ; if a Prophet were kind , merciful , chollerique or severe , accordingly were his Revelations : The fancy of the Prophet was also sometimes , the cause that Revelations differed in Stiles for if the Prophet were of an elegant and exalted fancy , the mind of God was made known to him in an eloquent lofty Stile , if the Prophets fancy were obscure and confused , so was in like manner his Revelation , when Revelations were made to a Country rustick , the signs represented were Oxen , Cows , &c. to a Souldier , Captains and Armies , to a Courtier , Palaces and regal Thrones . Lastly Prophesy varied according to the Opinions wherewith the Prophets were affected , Math. chap. 11. to the Magi addicted to Astrology , the Nativity of Christ was revealed by a Star appearing in the East , to the Dreamers or Prophets of Nebuchadnezzar was revealed the destruction of Ierusalem by inspecting the entrails of Beasts ; that King also understood it from Oracles and the Shooting of Arrows into the Air. To Prophets who believed Men had free Will , and Acted according to their will and choise , God revealed himself as indifferent , and ignorant of Mens future Actions , all which Particulars we will singly prove , by Places of Scripture . First it appears by the 2 d Book of Kings chap. 3. v. 15. that Elisha before he Prophesy'd to Iehoram , desired a Minstrel to Play before him , and that till he was pleased with the Music of the Instrument he could not , because he was Angry with the King , foretel what should happen ; they who are Angry with any Person , are apt and inclined to imagin Evil rather then good , but they are mistaken who say God is never revealed to Angry and Melancholly Persons ; for to Moses who was incensed against Pharaoh , without the help of any Musical Instrument , God revealed that miserable Plague of the death of their first born , Exod. chap. 11. God was revealed to Angry Cain , to angry and impatient Ezechiel was revealed the misery and obstinacy of the Iews , Ezek. chap. 3. v. 14. Ieremy sad and weary of his Life , Prophesy'd the Captivity of the Iews , so that Iosiah would not consult him , but sent to a Woman Hilkiah the Prophetess , to whose milder disposition the mercy of God was more likely to be revealed 2 d Book of the Chron. chap. 24. v. 22. Michiah never Prophesy'd any good to Ahab ( as did some other Prophets in the 1 st Book of the Kings chap. 20. v. 13. ) but all his Life time Prophesy'd Evil ; as plainly appears in the 1 st Book of the Kings , chap. 22. v. 8. and more plainly in the 2 d. Book of Chron. chap. 18. v. 7. the Prophets therefore in respect of the different temperament of their Body , inclined to some Revelations more then to others . The Stile also of Prophesy , differed according to the Eloquence of every Prophet ; the Prophesies of Ezekiel and Amos are Written in a lower and less Elegant Stile , then those of Isaiah and Nahum ; and if any who understand the Hebrew Tongue , desire to inquire narrowly into these things , let them compare some Chapters one with another of diverse Prophets upon the same Subject , and they shall find a great deal of difference in the Stile : compare the first Chapter of the Courtier Isaiah , from the 11 th vers . to the 20 th , with the 5 th chap. of the Herdsman Amos , from the 21 th to the 24 th verse , compare the Order and Reasons of the Prophesy of Ieremy , which he wrote chap. the 49 th at Edom ; with the Order and Reasons of Obadiah : compare the 40 th chap. of Isai. v. 19 , 20. and his 44 th chap. from verse the 8 th , with the 8 th chap. 6 th verse and the 13 th chap. 2 d. verse , of the Prophet Hosea , if all things be considered , it is very Evident that God had no peculiar Stile of speaking , but according to the Learning and Capacity of the Prophet , it was either Elegant , Concise , Sharp , Rude , Prolix or Obscure : Prophetical Representations and Hierogliphicks were various , tho' they signify'd the same thing : for the Glory of God leaving the Temple , was otherwise represented to Isaiah , then it was to Ezekiel ; the Rabbines would have both representations to be the same , and that Ezekiel being a Country Man , extraordinarily admired his own ; and therefore described it with all its Circumstances : but unless the Rabbines were assured by Faithful Tradition the thing was so indeed , we are not bound to believe them ; for Isaiah saw Seraphims with six Wings , and Ezekiel Beasts with four , Isaiah saw God clothed and sitting upon a Throne , Ezekiel saw him like Fire , both of them without doubt saw God as each was wont to imagin Representations also varyed , not only in their manner and form , but in their clearness and perspicuity ; for the Representations made to Zachary were so obscure , that they could not be understood by the Prophet himself without Explication , as appears by the Story ; and those of Daniel , tho' explain'd , were not understood by him , which happened not in Respect of the difficulty of the thing revealed ( for it concerned Human Affairs , which exceed not the bounds of Human Capacity but only as they are future ) but because Daniel was not so well able to Prophesy waking , as in his sleep ; which appears by his being so terrify'd in the beginning of the Revelation , that he was scarce able to stand , and therefore through weakness of imagination and want of strength , things were so obscurely Represented to him , that he could not understand them , tho' they were Expounded , and here it is to be observed , that the Wonders which Daniel heard were only imaginary , and therefore being at that time so much troubled , it is no wonder that he could not understand by words which he so confusedly and obscurely imagin'd , but they that say God would not clearly reveal the matter to Daniel , seem not to have read the words of the Angel , who said expresly , Dan. chap. 10. v. 14. Now am I come to make thee understand what shall befal thy People in the latter days , &c. those things therefore remain'd obscure , because at that time there was no Man found , who so much excell'd in the strength and Power of imagination , as to have a clearer Revelation made to him . Lastly the Prophets to whom it was revealed that God would take away Eliah , perswaded Elisha that he was only to be Translated to some other place , where he might be found by them ; which Evidently proves that they did not rightly understand Gods Revelation , there is no need of being larger upon these Particulars ; for nothing is more manifest in Scripture , then that God did bestow upon some Prophets , a much greater Portion of the Gift of Prophesy , then he did upon others ; but that Prophesy and Representations differ'd , according to the Opinions which the Prophets maintain'd , and that Prophets were prejudiced with different , yea contrary , Opinions ( I mean concerning things meerly Speculative ; but as to things relating to honesty and good manners , we ought to think otherwise ) I will more exactly and fully prove , because 't is a matter of greater moment , and from thence will conclude , that Prophesy never left the Prophets more Learned , but left them in the Opinions wherewith they were prepossest , and for that reason in things meerly Speculative , no Man is obliged to believe them . Many men have very unadvisedly perswaded themselves , that the Prophets knew all things , within the compass of Human Understanding , and tho' some places of Scripture tell us plainly , that the Prophets did not know some things ; yet they are rather willing to confess , they do not understand those places of Scripture , then yeild the Prophets were Ignorant of any thing ; or else they endeavour so to wrest the Words of Scripture , that they would have it say , that which it doth not mean. If either of these be lawful , then Farewel to all Scripture , for in vain do we endeavour to prove any thing by Scripture , if those things which are most clear in it , shall be reckon'd amongst those that are obscure and unintelligible , or else shall be interpreted as we please . ( For example ) nothing is more plain then that Iosuah , and perhaps he that wrote the Book of Iosuah , did belive ; that the Sun moved about the Earth , that the Earth had no motion , and that the Sun for some time stood still : Yet many because they will not allow of any mutation in the Heavens , so expound that Place , that it shall not seem to imply any such thing ; but others , who think themselves better Phylosophers , because they believe the Eatrh moves , and the Sun stands still , or at least moves not about the Earth , do with might and main , endeavour to wrest the Proof of their Opinion , out of the same Scripture against its plain Words : Indeed at these Men , I much wonder , is any Man obliged to believe , that Iosuah a Souldier was perfectly skill'd in Astronomy ? and that a Miracle could not be revealed to him , or that the Light of the Sun , could not remain longer above the Horizon then ordinary , unless Iosuah understood the Cause thereof ; both seem to me ridiculous , and I had rather plainly say , that Iosuah did not know the true Cause of that continuing Light , and that all the Army with him did think , that the Sun had adiuvrual motion about the Earth , and that it 's standing still that particular Day was the true Cause of its longer shining ; but did not understand , that the great abundance of Hail , which the 11 th . Verse of the 10 th . chap. of Iosuah says , was then in the Region of the Air , might cause a greater refraction of Light then ordinary , or some other thing of like Nature , which is not our Business here to inquire . In like manner according to the Capacity of Isaiah , a Sign was given by the Shadow 's going back upon the Dyal of Ahaz , because his Opinion was , that the Sun moved and not the Earth ; and for Parhelij perhaps , he never dreamt of any such thing , which we may without any scruple maintain , for the Sign might really happen , and be foretold to the King , though the Prophet were ignorant of the true Cause thereof : The same may be said of Solomon's Building , that if all the measures and Proportions of it were revealed by God , they were revealed according to Solomon's Capacity and Opinion , for seeing we are not bound to believe that Solomon was an exact Mathematician , we may lawfully affirm , that he knew not what proportion the Diameter of a Circle ought to bear to the Peripheria or Circumference , but thought with the common sort of Workmen , that it should be as three to one ; but if it be lawful to say , that we do not understand the Text in the 1 st . Book of Kings , chap. 7. v. 23. Truly I know not what we can understand from Scripture , since there the Building is simply and historically related ; if it be lawful to suppose the Scripture meant otherwise , but , for some Reason to us unknown , would write in that manner , what can follow but a total overthrow of all Scripture ? and then there is nothing so absurd or wicked , which Malice can invent , that may not under Scripture Authority be countenanced and committed ; but what we maintain savors not of Impiety , for Solomon , Isaiah , Ioshua &c. tho' Prophets , were Men subject to Human Infirmities . The drowning of all Mankind by a Deluge , was revealed to Noah according to his capacity , for he thought no Part of the World was inhabited but Palestine , and the Prophets without any prejudice to their Piety , might be , yea were Ignorant , not only of things of this Nature , but also , of Matters of greater consequence , for they discovered very little of the Divine Attributes , but had mean and Vulgar Opinions of God , to which their Revelations were accommodated ; as by many Testimonies of Scripture shall be proved , so that we may plainly see , they were not so much commended for the Excellencies and Sublimity of their Knowledge , as for their Piety and constancy of Mind . Adam was the first Man to whom God revealed himself : Yet he knew not that God was Omnipresent and Omniscient ; for he hid himself from God and endeavour'd to excuse his Sin to God , as if he had been before a Man ; therefore God was revealed to him according to his Opinion and Capacity , that is , as one who was not every where , and as one Ignorant of Adam's Sin ; For Adam heard , or seemed to hear God walking in the Garden , calling and asking Adam where art thou ? Asking likewise because Adam was ashamed , whether he had eaten of the forbidden Tree ? Adam therefore knew no other Attribute of God , then that he was the maker of all things . God was revealed to Cain according to his Capacity ( that is ) as one ignorant of Human Actions , nor did he need any higher Knowledge of God to repent of his Sin. To Laban God revealed himself , as the God of Abraham , because Laban believed that every Nation had a peculiar God , as appears Gen. chap. 31. v. 29. Where he saith to Iacob , the God of your Father spoke to me Yesternight . Abraham was ignorant of God's Vbiquity and Prescience ; for as soon as he heard the Sentence against Sodom , he prayed that God would not execute it , till he knew whether all deserved the Punishment , Gen. chap. 18 th . v. 24. Peradventure there may be found Fifty righteous within the City . Nor was God otherwise revealed to him , for in Abraham's imagination God said , verse . 21 th . I will go down now and see whether they have done according to the Cry of it , which is come unto me , and if not , I will know . God's Testimony of Abraham in Gen. chap. 12. v. 19. Speaks of nothing but Abraham's Obedience , and that he would command his Children , and his Houshold after him to keep the Way of the Lord , and to do Judgment and Justice ; but says nothing of any extraordinary knowledge or Conceptions , that he had of God. Moses did not perfectly know that God was Omniscient , and that Human Actions were govern'd by his Decrees ; for tho' God told him , Exod. chap. 3. v. 8. That the Israelites would hearken to his Voice , yet Moses doubted and said in the 1 st . verse of the 4 th . chapter . What if they will not believe me nor hearken to my Voice ? And therefore God was revealed to him , as indifferent and ignorant of Mens future Actions , for he gave unto him two Signs and said , Exod. chap. 4. v. 8 , 9. And if it shall come to pass they will not believe thee , nor hearken to the Voice of the first Sign , they will believe the Voice of the latter Sign , but if they will not believe the latter Sign , then take of the Water of the River &c. And indeed if a Man will without prejudice consider the Opinions of Moses , it will clearly appear , that Moses thought God a Being that always was , is , and ever shall be ; and therefore called him Iehovah , which in Hebrew expresseth those three times of existing ; but of his Nature he declared no more , then that he was very merciful , kind and very jealous , as appears in many Places of the Pentateuch . He believed and taught also , that this Being was so different from all other Beings , that he could not be exprest by the likeness of any other visible Thing ; that he was invisible , not because he thought beholding him was in it self impossible ; but only in respect of Human Frailty , he thought also that this Being was in regard of his own Power , single and but one , he allow'd that there were other Beings , which by the Order and Command of God , were God's Substitutes and Vicegerents ( that is ) Beings to whom God gave Power and Authority to govern Nations , to provide for and take care of them ; but Moses declared the Being , which the Iews were bound to worship , to be the most high God ( that is ) in the Hebrew Phrase , the God of all Gods ; therefore Moses in his Song , Exod. chap. 15. v. 11. saith , who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods ! and Iethro Exod. chap. 18. v. 11. saith , Now I know that the Lord is greater then all Gods ( that is ) I must acknowledge with Moses , that Iehovah is greater then all Gods , and of Singular Power : but whether Moses believed , that the Beings which were God's Vicegerents were created by God , may be doubted , since he said nothing ( that we know ) of their Creation or Original . Another of Moses's Doctrines was , that this being out of a Chaos , Gen. chap. 1 st . v. 2. brought this Visible World into Form and Order , furnished Nature with the Seeds of all things , and therefore hath absolute Power and Authority over all things , as it is Deut. chap. 10. v. 14 , 15. And by that absolute Power , chose the Iewish Nation for himself , and appointed a Particular Place of the Earth for their Habitation , Deut. chap. 4. v. 19. and chap. 32. v. 8. But other Nations and Countries , he left to the care of other Gods substituted by him , and therefore God was called the God of Israel , and the God of Ierusalem , 2 d. Book of Chron. chap. 32. v. 19. And other Gods were called the Gods of the Nations : For this Reason the Jews believed , that the Country which God chose for them , required a particular and different worship of God , from that of other Countries , nor would they suffer the worship of other Gods , or any worship proper to other Countries to be exercised amongst them , it was believed that the People whom the King of Assyria brought into the Country of the Iews , were devoured by Lyons , because they knew not the manner of the worship of the God of the Land , 2 d. Book of Kings chap. 17. v. 24 , 25. It is the Opinion of Aben Ezra , that Iacob upon this Ground , when he was about returning into his own Country , commanded his Sons to put away the Gods of the Land in which they were ; and prepare themselves for a new Way of Worship , Gen. chap. 35. v. 23. David told Saul , because he was by Persecution compell'd to forsake his Country , that he was driven out from the Inheritance of the Lord , and sent to serve other Gods 1 st . Book of Sam. chap. 26. v. 19. Lastly , Moses believed that God had his Habitation in the Heavens , Deut. chap. 33. v. 26 Which was a frequent Opinion among the Heathen . Now if we carefully observe the Revelations of Moses , we shall find them fitted and suited to those Conceptions and Opinions which he had of God : because he believed that God's Nature was Gracious , Merciful , Longsuffering &c. Therefore according to this Opinion , and these Attributes was God revealed to him , Exod. chap. 34. v. 6 , 7. Where it is declared why God appeared to him : also Exod. chap. 20. v. 4 , 5. In Exod. chap. 33. v. 18. We read that Moses desired to see God , but because Moses , as hath been already said , had formed in his imagination no Likeness or Figure of God , and as I have already shewed , God was not revealed to the Prophets , but according to the disposition of their Fancy and Imagination , therefore God appeared to him under no Image or Similitude , and the Reason of it was , because 't was repugnant and contrary to the imagination of Moses ; but other Prophets , Isaiah , Ezekiel and Daniel testify that they saw God. Moses was answered by God in the 20 th Verse of the 33. Chap. of Exod. thou canst not see my Face ; and because Moses believed that God was visible ( that is it imply'd no contradiction in the Divine Nature to be so ) else he had never made such a request , therefore God also answer'd , no Man shall see my Face and live , giving a Reason suitable to Moses's Opinion ; for God did not say that his Divine Nature was in it self invisible , and impossible to be seen ; as indeed it is , but that it could not be seen because of human Weakness and Frailty . After the Israelites had worshipt the Golden Calf , that God might reveal to Moses the Israelites should become like other Nations , God tells him , Exod. Chap. 33. v. 2 , 3. that he would send an Angel ( that is a Being ) who instead of the supreme Being , should take care of the Israelites ; but that he himself would be no more in the midst of them : and from this Moses was to conclude , that the Israelites were thenceforth not to be beloved by God any more then other Nations , who were committed to the care of Angels or other Beings , as appears by the 16 th Verse of the Chapter . Lastly , because Moses believed that God dwelt in Heaven , therefore was God revealed as descending from Heaven upon Mount Sinai , and Moses that he might speak with God ascended the Mount , which he needed not to have done , had he thought God to be in all places : The Israelites knew very little of God , tho' he was revealed to them ; as was sufficiently manifested , by their bestowing on a Calf , the Honour and Worship due to God ; and by saying to that Calf , these be thy Gods , O Israel , that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt . Nor is it to be believed , that Men accustomed to the Superstitions of Egypt , Ignorant and broken to the Yoke of a tedious Bondage , should have any right Understanding of God ; or that Moses should teach them any thing more , then a peculiar manner and way of living ; not instructing them as a Philosopher , to make living well their free and voluntary choice ; but as a Legislator compelling them by the Commands and Power of Law : So that a good Life , the Love and Service of God , was to them rather Servitude then true Liberty , or the Grace and Gift of God : for Moses Commanded them to love God and keep his Law ; that they might acknowledge their deliverance out of Egypt to be by God , he terrifyed them with threatnings in case they Transgrest the Law , and promis'd them many Blessings , if they carefully observed it ; So that he dealt with the Israelites , as Parents use to do with Children void of Reason , which is an Evidence , that they were ignorant , how Excellent a thing Vertue is , and what was true happiness . Ionas thought he could fly from the presence of God , which imply'd , that he also believed God had substituted other Powers , to take care of those Countries and Nations which were not within the Territories of Iudea , in all the Old Testament , we read of no Person who spoke so rationally of God as Solomon , who for natural Knowledge excell'd all the Men of his time , and therefore thought himself above the Law ( which was only given to those who wanted the dictates of Reason and natural Understanding ) and slighted the observance of those Laws , which particularly concern'd him as he was King , and consisted in three Particulars , as may be seen , Deut. Chap. 17. v. 16 , 17. he was indeed to blame in breaking those Laws , and did not do like a Philosopher , when he deliver'd himself up to pleasure and sensuality ; yet we read in Ecclesiastes , he declared all the Goods of Fortune to be Vanity , and that nothing is to be so highly prized as Wisdom and Understanding , and no punishment equal to a Mans being a Fool , Prov. Chap. 17. But let us return to the Prophets , of whose differing Opinions we have taken notice , the Rabbines who have left us the Books of the Prophets now extant , found the Opinions of Ezekiel so contrary to those of Moses , as may be seen in the Treatise of the Sabbath ( Chap. 1 st fol. 13. page 2 d. ) that they were near resolving not to receive the Book of Ezekiel for Canonical , and had conceal'd it , if a certain Person called Hananiah , had not undertaken to expound it , which some report he did with great Labour and Study ; so that 't is not certain whether it were a Commentary he wrote , and was perhaps lost , or that he changed and glossed upon Ezekiels words and discourses , according to his own fancy ; however it was , the 18 th Chapter of Ezekiel doth not seem to agree with the 34 Chap. of Exod. v. 7 ; nor with the 32 Chap. of Ieremy v. 18. Samuel believed that when God had decreed any thing , he never repented or changed that decree , 1 st Book of Sam. Chap. 14. v. 29 ; Saul when he repented of his Sin and desired to worship God ; Samuel told him God would not change his Decree , but the contrary was revealed to Ieremy , for when ever God decreed good or evil to any Nation , if Men became either better or worse , before the Execution of the Sentence , God did accordingly alter his decrees , Ierem. Chap. 18. v. 8 , 10. the Prophet Ioel beleived that God repented of the Evil which he at any time decreed , Io. Chap. 2. v. 13. in the 4 th Chap. of Gen. v. 7. it clearly appears , that it is in Mans Power to overcome Evil Temptations , and to live well by what God said to Cain , who notwithstanding as we find in Scripture and in Iosephus , never subdued his Passions , by the forecited Text in Ieremy , we may conclude that God changeth his purposes either of doing good or evil , according to Mens living well or wickedly ; yet on the contrary , St. Paul teacheth nothing more plainly , then that Men have no Power over themselves , against the Temptations and Lusts of the Flesh , but by the particular Mercy and Election of God ; as may be seen in the 9 th Chapter to the Romans from the 10 th Verse onward ; in the 3 d Chap. v. 3 d , where he asketh whether God be unrighteous in taking vengeance , he Corrects himself in speaking after that manner like a Man. From what hath been alledged , we have sufficiently proved what we proposed , namely that God fitted and suted his Revelations according to the Capacity and Opinions of the Prophets ; and that they might be and indeed were , ignorant of things meerly speculative , which did not pertain to Charity and a godly Life , that the Prophets were also of very different Opinions , and consequently in the Knowledge of Natural and Spiritual things , we are not to rely and ground our selves upon them : We conclude then , that we are not bound to believe any thing more from the Prophets , then the end and substance of what they revealed ; and that in other things , it is free for a Man to believe as he thinks best , ( for example ) Cains Revelation teacheth us , that God did admonish him to live well , which was the intent end , and substance of the Revelation ; but it doth not declare to us the freedom of Mans Will , or any other Philosophical Matter ; therefore tho' in the Words and Reasons of that Admonition , freedom of Will seem to be clearly asserted , yet 't is lawful to be of a contrary Opinion , since those Words and Reasons , were only applyed and suited to the Capacity of Cain . The Prophet Michaiahs Revelation only declared , what should be the Event of the Battle between Ahaband Aram ; and therefore we are only bound to believe that ; but whatever else was contain'd in that Revelation concerning the true and lying Spirit of God ; or concerning the Host of Heaven standing on each side of God , with other Circumstances in that Revelation ; they do not at all concern us , but every one may believe of them as he thinks most agreeable to Reason , the same may be said of the Reasons declared to Iob , for God's having absolute Power over all things , if it be true that they were a Revelation , and that he Writ as an Historian and not ( as some believe ) like a Poet : they were revealed according to Iobs Capacity , for his particular Conviction , but they were not intended as Universal Reasons to convince all Men ; nor are we to determin otherwise of the Reasons used by Christ , to convince the Pharisees of their Ignorance and Obstinacy , and to perswade his Disciples to live righteously ; all those Reasons were accommodated to the Opinions and Principles of the Persons to whom they were urged ( for example ) when Christ said to the Pharisees , Mat. Chap. 12 v. 26. If Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself , how then shall his Kingdom stand , here Christ convinceth the Pharisees , from their own Principles and Opinions , who said he cast out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of Devils ; but we ought not to conclude , that Christs Words are an absolute proof , that there are Devils and a Kingdom of Devils . So also when he said to his Disciples , Matth. Chap. 18. v. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little Ones , for I say unto you , that in Heaven their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven , by these Words Christ taught nothing more , then that they ought not to be proud , or despise any one , whatever else was faid , was only the better to perswade his Disciples , the same may be said of the Signs and Discourses of the Apostles ; nor need we say more of this Subject , because it would be extreamly tedious to Quote all those places of Scripture which are Writen only Ad hominem , or according to Mens Capacity ; and with a great prejudice to Philosophy , are maintain'd to be Divine Doctrines . 'T is sufficient to have mention'd these few general ones , the Curious Reader may himself examine the rest ; but seeing all those things which I have spoken concerning Prophets and Prophesy , do directly concern the thing I aimed at , which was to divide Philosophy from Theology ; yet because I have only touched upon the question generally , I will now in the following Chapter , inquire whether the Gift of Prophesy were peculiar only to the Iews , or common to all Nations ? And also what is to be understood by the calling of the Iews . CHAP. III. Of the calling of the Jews , and whether the Gift of Prophesy were peculiar only to the Jews . EVery Mans prosperity and true happiness consists only in the fruition of good , but not in the glory , that he alone and no other Person enjoys that good ; for whoever thinks himself the more happy , because it is well with him when it is not so with other Men ; or because he is more fortunate and prosperous then others , is ignorant what is true felicity and beatitude ; and the joy which ariseth from such a conceit is Childish , and savors of an envious Evil Mind ( for example ) Mans true beatitude and felicity , consists only in Wisdom and the knowledge of Truth , but not in his being wiser then other Men , or that other Men want true knowledge ; for that adds not at all to his Wisdom , which is his true happiness , he therefore that rejoyceth in being happyer then other Men , takes Pleasure in their misfortune , and is an envious Evil Man ; and he that is so , never knew true Wisdom or the Peace of a good Life ; seeing therefore , that the Scripture for the better perswading the Iews to obey the Law , saith Deut. chap. 10 v. 19. that God chose them above all People , and was nigher to them then to all other Nations Deut. chap. 4. v. 7. that he gave them Statutes and Laws more righteous and just , then he did to other Nations , as it is in the 8 th Verse of the same chap. and lastly , that God made himself more known to them then to other People , as it is in the 32 th verse of the 4 th chap. All this was spoken according to the capacity and understanding , of those that did not know what was true blessedness , as we have shewn in the foregoing Chapter , and as Moses himself , testifies in Deut. chap. 9. v. 6 , 7. for the Iews had not been less blessed , tho' God had equally called all Men to Salvation , nor had God been less gracious to them , tho' he had been as nigh to other Nations ; their Laws had not been less righteous , nor they less wise , tho' the same had been prescribed to all other People , and the Miracles done among them had not less declared Gods Power , tho' the like had been wrought for other Nations ; nor had the Iews been the less obliged to serve and Worship God , tho' God had equally given to all other Men the same Gifts which he bestow'd on them . God's saying to Solomon ( in the 1 st Book of Kings chap. 3. v. 12. ) that none after him should be ever like him for understanding , seems to be only a manner of speaking to declare the excellency of Solomons Wisdom ; what ever the words mean , yet we ought not to believe , that to increase Solomons happiness , God promis'd never to make any Man so wise as he ; for that would not at all have made Solomons Wisdom greater , neither would a wise King have given God the less thanks , tho' God had said , he would bestow as much Wisdom upon all other Men. But tho' we say , that Moses in the forecited places of the Pentateuch , spake according to the Capacity of the Iews ; yet we cannot deny but that God prescribed those Laws of the Pentateuch to the Iews only , that he spoke only to them , and that no other Nation ever saw such miracles as were wrought amongst them , all that I intend is , that Moses spake after such a manner , and made use of such arguments , the better to convince their Childish understandings , and bind them the faster to the service and worship of God. Lastly , we will shew , that the Iews did not excel other Nations in knowledge or Piety , but in some other thing ; or ( that I may with Scripture speak to their Capacity ) God did not make choise of the Iews above other Nations , that their knowledge might be more sublime , or their Lives more righteous then other Peopl's , but for another end and purpose ; and what that was , we will in order declare . But before I begin , I will in few words explain , what I mean in that which follows , by Gods disposing and direction , what by Gods external and internal assistance , what by Gods calling or Election . And Lastly , what I intend by fortune , I take Gods disposing or direction , to be the fixed order and immutable course of Nature , or the Concatenation of Natural things and causes ; for we have already shewn , that the universal Laws of Nature , whereby all things are done and determin'd , are nothing else but Gods eternal decrees , which imply eternal verity and necessity : therefore whether we say , that all things are done and brought to pass , according to the Laws of Nature , or by the ordination and decree of God , we say but one and the same thing ; because the Power of all Natural beings , is nothing else , but the Power of God by which all things were ordered and done , it therefore follows , that whatever Man , who is a part of Nature , doth for the preservation of his being , or whatever Nature without any indeavour of his , offers him for that end ; it is offered by the divine Power , operating either by human Nature , or by things without it : so that whatever human Nature can perform by its own Power for self preservation , that may be truly called Gods internal assistance , and that benefit and advantage which Man receives from the Power of external causes , may be justly termed Gods external help : which fully explains what is to be understood by Gods calling or Election ; for since no Man can do any thing but by the predeterminate order of Nature , that is according to Gods eternal direction and decree , it is a necessary consequence , that no Man chuseth for himself any way or manner of living , or effecteth any thing , but by the particular Will and Calling of God , who chose him before others , so to live , and so to Act. Lastly by fortune nothing else is to be understood , but Gods disposing and directing human Affairs , by external and unexpected Causes . These things premised , we return to our first purpose , of inquiring what it was , for which the Iews are said to be chosen by God before other Nations , and to make it out , I proceed in this manner . All those things which we can honestly and lawfully desire , may be referred to these three Heads . First , to know things by their first and immediate Causes . Secondly . to Master our Passion and affections , and acquire a constant habit of vertue , and Lastly , to live in Bodily health and safty . The means directly conducing to the two first of these heads , and which may be consider'd as prime and efficient causes ; are contained in human Nature ; so that the obtaining of them is within our Power , or cheifly depends upon the Laws only of human Nature : and therefore it must be concluded , that those gifts are not peculiar to any one Nation , but were always common to all Mankind , unless we can perswade our selves , that Nature first procreated diverse kinds of Men ; but the means which conduce to our living in health and safty , consist cheifly in things external , and are therefore called the gifts and goods of Fortune , because they depend upon the disposition of outward causes , of which we are altogether ignorant , so that in this particular , the Fool and the wise Man is alike happy or unhappy , yet as to secure living and to avoid the injuries both of Men and Beasts , human wisdom and diligence may contribute very much ; reason and experience teach us , that to live in safty , there is no way so ready and certain , as to form Societies Subject to Laws , to chuse a convenient part of the Earth for habitation , and to unite every individual Person 's strength , to preserve the whole Collective Body : but to the forming and preserving of Societies , no little wisdom and diligence is required ; and therefore that Society shall be more secure , more lasting , and less Subject to Fortune and Accidents , which is founded and ordered by prudent and careful Men ; and on the contrary , those Societies which are formed and govern'd by Men of gross and mean understandings , do for the most part depend upon Fortune , and are of no long continuance ; but where such a Society stands long , it owes its duration not to its own , but to some other conduct , and if it overcome great dangers , and the Affairs thereof prosper , it cannot but admire and adore Gods disposing and ordering things ( by external and hidden causes , when he doth not Act by human Nature and Understanding ) seeing whatever happens to such a Society of Men beyond their Expectation and Opinion , may be counted a Miracle . Nations therefore are distinguisht one from another , in respect of Society and Laws , under which they live and are govern'd ; so that the Iewish Nation was not chosen by God before others , in respect of their understanding and tranquility of mind , but in regard of their association and Fortune , by which they arriv'd to that government which lasted so many Years , it manifestly appears by Scripture , that the Iews excelled other Nations only in the prosperous management of those Affairs , which concern'd their Living Securely , and that they overcame great dangers only by Gods external Assistance ; but in other things they were but equal to other Nations , and God was alike good to all , it is evident as we have proved in the preceding Chapter , that the Iews as to their knowledge , had very vulgar Notions and thoughts of God ; and therefore as they were not chosen above others , upon the account of their knowledge ; so neither were they chosen in respect of their vertue and good Life , for in that they were but like other Nations , and but a very few of them were chosen ; their calling and election , consisted in the temporal felicity and advantages of their government , neither can we perceive , that God promis'd any more to the Patriarchs and their successors , yea by the Law , nothing else was promised for a reward to obedience , but the continual prosperity of their Government and some other benefits of this Life : in case of disobedience and breach of Covenant , they were threatned with the ruin of the Government , temporal misery and destruction , and no wonder ; for the end of all Society and Government , ( as hath been already and shall hereafter be more fully declared ) is to live in Happiness and Security . But Government cannot subsist without Laws which every Man must obey , for when the Members of a Society refuse to be govern'd by the Laws , in that very instant the Society is dissolved , and the Government destroyed , to the Commonwealth of the Iews , nothing else could be promised for the constant Observation of their Law , but the safety , benefits and conveniences of this Life , and for their Rebellion no other punishment was prophesy'd , but the destruction of their Government , the Miseries which would thereupon ensue , and perhaps some other Evils which might peculiarly happen to them from the ruin of their Government , which was singular and different from others , but of these things we need say no more at this time , I only add , that the Laws of the Old Testament , were revealed and prescribed only to the Iews , for when God called and chose them to a particular kind of Society and Government , they were necessarily to have singular Laws ; whether God prescribed peculiar Laws to other Nations , and revealed himself prophetically to their Law-givers , under those attributes which they in their imagination used to ascribe to God , I am not certain ; however it appears by Scripture , that other Nations had Governments and particular Laws by the external direction of God , to prove which I will only quote two places , Gen. chap. 14. v. 18 , 19 , 20. where it is said , that Melchisedech was King of Salem , and the priest of the most high God , and that he blessed Abraham , which ( as we may see Numb . chap. 6. v. 23. ) was the Priests Office , and Abraham the beloved of God gave to the High Priest the tenth part of all his booty ; which plainly proves , that before God founded the Iewish Nation , he constituted Kings and Priests in Ierusalem , and prescribed them Laws and Ceremonies : but whether he did it prophetically I cannot affirm , however I am perswaded , that Abraham while he continued there , liv'd religiously according to those Laws ; for Abraham received no particular Religious Rites from God , and yet it is said Gen. chap , 26. v. 5. that Abraham kept the Commandments , Statutes , and Laws of God , which must necessarily be those of King Melchisedch . Malachy chap. 1 st . v. 10 , 11. God there reproves the Iews saying , who is there even among you that would have shut the Doors for nought ? ( meaning of the Temple ) neither do ye kindle fire on my Altar for nought , I have no Pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts , neither will I accept an Offering at your hand , for from the Rising of the Sun to the going down of the same , my name shall be great among the Gentiles , and in every place incense shall be offered to my name , and a pure offering , for my name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of Hosts , which words sufficiently testify unless we wrest their sense , that at that time , the Iews were not more beloved of God then other Nations , that God was made known more to other Nations by Miracles , then he was at that time to the Iews who then without Miracles , recovered again in part their Government , and that other Nations had Religious Rites and Ceremonies , wherewith God was well pleased ; but these things I pass by , it being sufficient for my purpose to have shewn , that the Election of the Iews concerned nothing else , but the temporal well fare of their Bodies , their Liberty , Government , or the ways and means by which it was erected ; consequently their Laws as they were necessary to the Establishment of that particular kind of Government , and Lastly , the manner how those Laws were revealed : but as to all other things , wherein the Happyness of Man's Life consists , they were but equal to other Nations . Seeing then the Scripture Deut. chap. 4. v. 7. Saith , that no Nation had God so nigh unto them as the Iews . That must be understood only in Respect of the Government , and of that time only in which so many Miracles happened ; but in Respect of Knowledge and Vertue which is true Happyness , God ( as we have already proved ) was equally Gracious to all Men , which is evident in Scripture , for the Psalmist saith , Psal. 145. v. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him , to all them that call upon him in Truth : also in the same Psal. v. 9. The Lord is good to all , and his tender Mercies are over all his Works . Psal. 33. v. 15. He fashioneth Mens Hearts alike . The meaning of which Expression is , that God gives to all Mankind the same Intellect ; for among the Iews , as 't is well known , the Heart was believed to be the Seat of the Soul and Understanding . It appears Iob chap. 28. v. 28. That the Law prescribed by God to all Mankind , was to fear the Lord , depart from evil and to do well , and therefore Iob , tho' a Gentile , was very acceptable to God , and excell'd in Religion and Piety : Lastly , it is plain by the 4 th . chap. of Ionah . v. 21. That God was not only to the Iews , but to all Men , Gracious , Merciful , slow to Anger , and of great Kindness , which are the Words of Moses , Exod. chap. 34. v. 6. So that Ionah said , he fled to Tarshish , because he knew God being Merciful and Gracious , would pardon the Ninevites , who were Gentiles . We then conclude , seeing God is equally good to all Mankind , and that the Iews were only chosen by God in respect of their Society and Government ; that every particular Iew considered as a Person out of that Common-weath and Government , had no Gift of God above other Men , nor was there any difference between a Iew and a Gentile . If God be equally good and gracious to all Men , and that the Duty and Office of a Prophet , was not so much to instruct Men in the particular Laws of their Country , as to teach them the Way to good and Vertuous living ; there is no doubt but all Nations had their Prophets , and that the Gift of Prophesy was not peculiar to the Iews : which is proved by Profane , as well as by Sacred , Histories . Tho' in the Sacred Histories of the Old Testament , it doth not plainly appear , that other Nations had so many Prophets as the Iews , or that any Gentile Prophet was expresly sent by God to other Nations ; nothing is to be inferr'd from thence , because the Iews only took care , to write the History of their own Affairs , and not of other Nations . It is enough that in the Old Testament , we find that Gentiles , and Men uncircumcised as Noah , Enoch , Abimeleck , and Balaam did Prophesy ; and that also the Iewish Prophets , were not only sent by God to their own People , but likewise to other Nations . Ezekiel Prophesy'd to all the Nations known in his Time , and Obadiah , for ought we know , to none but the Edomites . Ionah was a Prophet chiefly to the Ninevites , Isaiah did not only lament and foretel the Calamities , and Prophesy the Restauration of the Iews , but also of other Nations , for he saith chap. 16. v. 9. Therefore will I bewail with the weeping of Iazer . In chap. 19. He first foretelleth the Calamities , and afterwards the Restauration of the Egyptians ; in the 19 , 20 , 21 , 25. Verses , he tells them God would send them a Saviour , and would deliver them , that God should be known to them , and that they should worship God by Sacrifices and Oblations ; and Lastly , he calls Egypt the Blessed People of God , all which is very worthy of our Observation . Lastly , Ieremy was not only a Prophet to the Iews , but was in Express Terms called the Prophet of the Nations . Ierem. chap. 1 st . v. 5. Before thou camest out of the Womb , I sanctify'd thee , and ordained thee a Prophet to the Nations . He Prophetically be wayl'd and foretold , the Restauration of other Nations , he saith , chap. 48. v. 31. Therefore will I howl for Moab , I will cry out for all Moab , and v. 36. Therefore my Heart shall sound for Moab like Pipes . And afterward foretels the Restauration of the Egyptians , the Amonites and Elamites . Without question other Nations had their Prophets as well as the Iews , tho' the Scripture mentions only Balaam , to whom was revealed what should befal other Nations , as well as the Iews ; Yet we are not to believe , that Balaam never Prophesy'd till he was sent for by Balaack ; it appears by the story , that he was Famous for Prophesy , and other Divine Endowments ; for Balaack said to him Numb . chap. 22. v. 6. I know , he whom thou blessest is blessed , and he whom thou cursest is cursed . So that he had the same Power and Vertue , which God Gen. chap. 12. v. 3. bestowed upon Abraham . Balaam also answers Balaack's Messengers , as one accustomed to Prophesy ; for he bid them stay all Night till the Word of God were revealed to him ; when he Prophesyed , ( that is ) made known what was truly the Mind and Will of God , he used to say these Words . He hath said , who heard the Words of God , and knew the. Knowledge of the most high , who saw the Vision of the Almighty salling into a Trance , but having his Eyes open . Lastly , after he had by Gods Command blessed the Israelites , he began as he was wont to Prophesy of other Nations , foretelling what should happen to them in time to come , all which fully proves , that he had been always a Prophet , or had often Prophesyed ; and what is further to be observed , that he likewise had that which made the Prophets certain of the truth of their Prophesy , namely an honest and good Mind , for he did not as Balaack thought , curse and bless whom he would , but only those that were to be blessed or curst as God pleased ; therefore he answered Balaack , if Balaack would give me his House full of Gold , I cannot go beyond the Commandment of the Lord , to do either good or bad of mine own Mind , but what the Lord saith that will I speak ; as for Gods being angry with him , it was no more then happen'd to Moses , when by Gods Command he went into Egypt , Exod. Chap. 4. v. 24. where it is said , the Lord met him and sought to kill him , his taking Mony to Prophesy was no more then was done by Samuel , 1 st Book of Sam. chap. 9. v. 7 , 8. St. Peter in his 2 d Epistle Chap. 2. v. 15 , 16. and Iude in the 11 th Verse of his Epistle tells us , in what Balaam sinned , but what saith the 20 th Verse of the 7 th Chap. of Ecclesiastes , No Man so just upon Earth who always doth good and never Sins : certainly the Prayers of Balaam were very prevalent , seeing 't is so often recorded in Scripture , that for a Testimony of God's Mercy to the Israelites , he refused to hear Balaam , and turned his Curses into a Blessing , as we may see , Deut. Chap. 23. v. 5. Iosh. Chap. 24. v. 10. and Neh. Chap. 13. v. 2. So that without question he was a Person very acceptable to God , who is never moved with the Prayers or Curses of wicked Men. Seeing therefore that Balaam was a true Prophet , and that notwithstanding , Ioshua Chap. 4. v. 22. calls him a Southsayer , yet that name was sometimes taken in a good Sense , and those that the Gentiles called Augurs or Diviners , were true Prophets , and those whom the Scripture Condemns for false Diviners , were they that deceived the Nations , as the false Prophets did the Iews , which clearly appears out of other places of Scripture . We therefore conclude that the Gift of Prophesy , was not peculiar to the Iews , but common to all Nations ; but the Pharisees zealously maintain the contrary , and say that the Iews only had that Divine Gift , and that other Nations did foretel future Events ( what will not Superstition invent ) by I know not what Diabolical Power and Arts : the place of greatest Authority in the Old Testament , which the Pharisees quote for the Confirmation of their Opinion , is Exod. Chap. 33. v. 16. where Moses saith to God , Wherein shall it be known here that I and thy People have found Grace in thy sight : is it not in that thou goest with us , so shall we be seperated I and thy People from all the People that are upon the face of the Earth . Hence the Pharisees infer that Moses Petitioned God , to be present with the Iews , that he would prophetically reveal himself to them , and that he would not grant that Favour to any other Nation , certainly it is very ridiculous to think , Moses envyed the presence of God to other Nations and People , or that he durst desire any such thing , but the truth of the Case was , that after Moses knew the obstinate disposition and Rebellious Mind of his Nation , he clearly saw that without very great Miracles , and the particular external Assistance of God , he should never perfect what he had begun ; but that they must all necessarily perish without such Assistance ; and therefore that it might appear God would preserve them , he prayed for that extraordinary external Aid from God , for he saith , Exod. Chap. 34. v. 9. If now I have found Grace in thy sight , O Lord , let my Lord I pray thee go among us for it is a stiffnecked People , the reason therefore why Moses desired that particular external help from God , was because the People were stubborn and disobedient , and that Moses desired no more then this external Assistance , appears evidently by Gods Answer , v. 10. of the same Chapter , Behold I make my Covenant before all thy People , I will do Miracles such as have not been done in all the Earth nor in any Nation : So that Moses here treateth of the Election of the Iews only in that Sense I have explain'd it , and requested no other thing of God , but I find another Text in Paul's Epistle to the Romans , Chap. 3. v. 12. which much more satisfies me , tho' he seem to be of a disserent Opinion from mine ; for he saith , what Advantages hath the Jew or what profit is there in Circumcision ? much every way , chiefly because unto them were Committed the Oracles of God. But if we carefully consider the Doctrine which Paul chiefly design'd to maintain , we shall find it so far from contradicting mine , that it perfectly agrees with it ; for he saith , v. 29 th . of the same Chap. Is he the God of the Jews only , is he not also of the Gentiles ? And chap. 2. v. 25 , 26. he saith , if the Circumcised break the Law , Circumcision is made Vncircumcision , and if the Vncircumcised keep the Righteousness of the Law , shall not his Vncircumcision be counted for Circumcision ? He further saith , v. 9. of the same Chapter , that both Iews and Gentiles were all under Sin , but there can be no Sin where there is no Commandment or Law. 'T is evident that the Law was absolutely reveal'd to all Mankind ( as I have already shewn by the 28 th . v. of the 28 th Chap. of Iob ) under which all Men lived ; namely that Universal Law which obligeth all Men to live a virtuous and good Life ; and not that particular Law , which was ordain'd for the Constitution and Advantage of any single Government , and was suited to the disposition of only one particular People . Lastly , Paul concludes , because God is the God of all Nations , that is equally good to all Mankind ; and because all were equally under the Law and Sin , therefore God sent Christ to all Nations , that he might free all from the Bondage of the Law , that for the future they might do well , not by the compulsion of Law , but by their own free will : So that Paul makes good my Doctrine to a tittle , by his saying that the Oracles of God were Committed to the Jews , we are to understand that the Laws which were given to other Nations , by Revelation and internal Communication to their Minds , were delivered to the Jews in Writing ; or we must say , ( that seeing Paul endeavour'd to confute that which only the Iews could Object ) he answer'd according to the understanding , and the then received Opinion of the Jews , the better to insinuate those things which he had partly heard and seen , because with the Grecians he became a Greek , and to the Jews a Jew . Nothing now remains , but answering the Objections of some Men , who perswade themselves that the Election of the Jews , was not temporal only , and in respect to their Government , but eternal : they say that the Jews after the loss of their Government , tho' so many Years dispersed and divided among all Nations , still survive and are yet in being , which never happen'd to any other Nation ; that the Scripture in many places seems to declare , that God chose them to be his People for ever , and that tho' they have lost their Government and Commonwealth , they are still Gods Elect : the places of Scripture which they think most clearly prove this eternal Election , are chiefly the 36. v. of the 31 Chapter of Jerem. where the Prophet testifies , that the Seed of Israel should continue Gods People for ever , by comparing them with the immutable and fixed order of Heaven and Nature . Thus saith the Lord 〈◊〉 giveth the Sun for a Light by Day , and the Ordinances of the Moon and Stars for a Light by Night , who divideth the Sea when the Waves thereof Roar ; if these Ordinances depart from before me , saith the Lord , then the Seed of Israel also shall cease from being a Nation before me for ever . The second place of Scripture is , Ezek. Chap. 20. from the 32. Verse onward , where God seemeth to declare , that tho' the Iews should willfully depart from his Worship , yet he would gather them again from all Countries where they should be scatter'd , and would lead them into the Wilderness of the People , as he did their Fathers into the Wilderness of Egypt , and after he had separated from them the Rebels and Transgressors , he would bring them into his Holy Mountain , where all the House of Israel should serve him , there are other places of Scripture cited by the Pharisees , but in answering these two , I think I shall clear all others , which will be easily done , after I have proved by Scripture , that Gods choice of the Iews was not eternal , but on the same Conditions that he before chose the Canaanites , who also , as we have shewn , had a High Priest , who Religiously Worshipt God , and yet were at last rejected by God for their Luxury , Sloth and Idolatry . Moses , Levit. chap. 18. v. 27 , 28. warneth the Israelites , that they should not pollute themselves with Incest and other Abominations , as did the Canaanites , least the Land spewed them out as it did the Nations before them , and Moses Deut. chap. 8. v. 19 , 20. in express Words threatens their total Destruction ; I testify against you this day , that ye shall surely perish as the Nations which the Lord destroyeth before your Face , so shall ye perish because ye would not be obedient unto the Voice of the Lord your God , and to this purpose , there are other places in the Law , which shew , that Gods Election of the Iews was not eternal , if therefore the Prophets foretold them , of a new everlasting Covenant of the Knowledge , Love and Favour of God , it is manifest that it was promised only to those , that were Pious , and feared God ; for in the forecited 20 th . Chapter of Ezek. it is expresly said , that God would separate from them the Rebellious and Transgressors , Zeph. chap. 3. v. 11 , 12. God , saith he , would take away out of the midst of them those that were Proud , and he would leave an Afflicted and Poor People , and because this Election was founded only upon Piety and real Vertue , it is not to be imagin'd , that it was promis'd to none but those that were Godly and Vertuous amongst the Iews exclusively to all other Nations ; but we ought to believe , that the true Prophets among the Heathen ( which we have shew'd all Nations had ) did likewise promise the same to their own People , and still comforted them with it , this eternal Covenant of the Knowledge and Love of God , is Universal as appears , Zeph. chap. 3. v. 10. from beyond the Rivers of AEthyopia my Suppliants even the Daughter of my dispersed shall bring my Offerings . So that in this particular , no difference is to be made between Iews and Gentiles , and therefore no other Election was peculiar to the Iews , but what I have declared ; the Prophets in their Prophesies of this Election , which only had respect to vertuous living , mingled many things concerning the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Temple , and rebuilding the City , and under those Figures according to the Custom and Nature of Prophesy , expounded things Spiritual , that they might likewise declare to the Iews whose Prophets they were , that Restauration of their Government and Temple , which they were to expect in the Reign of Cyrus . That the Iews should still remain without any Government after a dispersion of so many Years is no wonder , seeing they have separated themselves from all Nations , and incur'd their hatred not only by external Rites contrary to those of other Nations , but also by the sign of Circumcision , which they most religiously observe , that their being hated by other Nations contributes very much to their continuance , is proved by Experience . When the King of Spain heretofore compell'd the Iews to profess the Religion of that Kingdom , or else to quit the Country , many Iews turn'd Papists , and because those that changed their Religion became thereby capable of the same Priviledges and Honours which natural Spaniards enjoy'd , they were presently mixed with the Natives , and in a short time there remain'd none of the race : but the contrary happen'd in Portugal , where tho' the King forced them to profess the Religion of the Country , they still lived apart by themselves , because they were declared incapable of all Preferments . I am of Opinion , that only the sign of Circumcision may be able to perpetuate the Nation , and unless the Principles of their Religion Effeminate their Minds , they may one time or other when they see a fair opportunity , Re-establish their Government , and be again chosen by God. Of the like Case , the Chineses are a Famous Example , who Religiously preserve a particular lock of Hair upon their Heads , by which they distinguish themselves from other People , and have thereby preserved themselves so many thousand Years , that their Antiquity exceeds all other Nations , they have heretofore recovered their lost Empire , and without doubt will do so again , when the Courage of the Tartars , hath lain a while longer buried in Wealth , Luxury and Sloth . Lastly , if any Man upon what ground soever will maintain , that Gods Election of the Iews was eternal , I will not contradict him , provided he grant that their Election whether Temporal or Eternal , and as it was peculiar to the Iews , did only respect their Government and bodily Conveniences ( which alone may distinguish one Nation from another ) but that upon the account of Knowledge and Vertue , there is no Nation distinguisht from , nor any chosen by , God before another . CHAP. IV. Of the Divine Law. THE word Law taken absolutely , signifies , That , according to which every individual , or all , or some , of the individuals of the same Species , do Act by one and the same determinate Rule , and that Rule depends either upon the necessity of Nature , or the Will and Pleasure of Men : the Law which depends upon the necessity of Nature , is that which necessarily follows from the very Nature or Definition of any thing ; and the Law which depends upon the Pleasure of Men , and is more properly called Law , is that which Men for the greater safety and benefit of Life , or for other Causes do prescribe to themselves and others , ( for Example ) that all Bodies when they hit or dash against other less Bodies , do loose so much of their own Motion , as they impart to those other less Bodies , is the Universal Law of all Bodies , which follows from the necessity of Nature : so likewise when a Man remembers one thing , he is presently mindful of another like it , or as soon as he sees them together , is a Law which necessarily follows from Human Nature ; but that Men voluntarily part with , or are compell'd to part with that Right , which every one hath by Nature , and oblige themselves to a certain Rule and Manner of living , depends upon the Will and Pleasure of Men ; and tho' it be absolutely granted , that all things by the Universal Laws of Nature , are ordain'd to be , and Operate , according to a certain and determinate Rule ; yet I say those Laws do depend upon the Pleasure of Men. First , because Man as he is a great part of Nature makes and constitutes a part of the Power of Nature , and therefore those things which follow from the necessity of Human Nature ( that is from Nature it self as we conceive it regulated by Human Nature ) tho' they follow necessarily , yet they follow from Human Power ; wherefore the Sanction of those Laws may very well be said to depend upon the Will of Men , because it so depends upon the Power of Mans Mind , that the Mind of Man as it apprehends things under the Notion of true or false , may nevertheless be clearly understood , without those Universal Laws ; but not without the Law of necessity as I have defined it . Secondly , I have said those Universal Laws of nature , depend upon the Pleasure of Men , because we ought to define and explain things by their next and immediate causes , and that Universal consideration of Fate and the chaining together of causes , can no way help us in the forming and ordering our thoughts concerning particular things , ( that is ) we know not how things are ordered and tyed together , so that it is better , yea absolutely necessary , for the benefit of Life , to consider things as they are possible , and so much of Law consider'd absolutely . But because the name of Law , by Translation , is apply'd to natural things , and commonly by Law , nothing else is meant but a command , which Men may , or may not perform , so that it confines human Power to bounds and limits , beyond which it might go , and yet commands nothing which it is not able to do , therefore Law more particularly defined , is that rule and manner of living , which Men for some end prescribe to themselves or to others : but because very few know the true end of Laws , and Men being for the most part incapable of Understanding it , do not live according to the dictates of reason , therefore Law-givers , that they might equally bind all , have wisely establisht an end very different , from that which necessarily follows from the Nature of Laws ( namely ) by propounding to those who keep the Law , that which they most love , and by threatning the breakers of the Law , with that which they most fear ; and so endeavor , as far as 't is possible , to rule the multitude , as a Horse is govern'd with a Bridle ; so that Law in its common acceptation , is that rule of living , which by the Power of others is prescribed to Men , and consequently that they who obey Laws are said to live under Law , and may be called Servants or Subjects , he that giveth to every one his due because he is afraid of the gallows , is under the Power of another , and being compell'd by the fear of punishment to do what he doth , cannot be called just , but he that giveth to every one his due , because he knows the necessity and the true end and reason of Laws , what he doth is free and voluntary , and he may therefore be deservedly called a just Man : which I suppose to be St. Pauls meaning , when he said , they that lived under the Law could not be justify'd fy'd by the Law , for justice as it is commonly defined , is a constant Voluntary resolution of rendring to every Man that which is his due , and therefore Solomon Prov. chap. 20. v. 15. saith , it is joy to the just to do judgment but the wicked fear . Seeing then Law is nothing else but a rule of living , which Men for some end prescribe to themselves or to others , the Law may therefore be distinguisht into human and divine , by Mans Law we understand that rule of living which secures life and the weal public , but the Divine Law hath respect only to our cheifest good , that is the true knowledge and love of God : the reason why I call this Law Divine , is in respect of the Nature of our cheifest good , which I will with all possible brevity and plainess declare . Whereas our better part is our underderstanding , it is certain if we seek our own good , we ought cheifly to endeavour as much as is possible , the perfecting our intellect ; because in the perfection of that consists our cheifest happiness ; and since all our knowledge and certainty which removes all doubt , depends only upon the knowledge of God , because nothing can be , or be known without God , and because we may doubt of all things , while we have no clear and distinct Idea of God , it follows that our perfection , and cheifest happiness , depends only upon the knowledge of God. Moreover , since nothing can either exist , or be known , without God , it is certain that all things in Nature , in respect of their essence and perfection , do imply and express the Notion of God , and consequently the more we know natural things , the greater and more perfect knowledge we acquire of God ; because the knowledge of an effect by its Cause , is nothing else , but knowing the true Nature and Property of the cause ; so that by how much the more we know natural things , so much the more perfectly do we know the being of God , who is the cause of all things ; and all our knowledge ( that is ) our cheifest happiness , doth not only depend , upon , but wholly consists in , the knowledge of God : which consequence is made good , by a Mans becomming more or less perfect , according to the Nature and perfection of the thing he most loves , and so on the contrary . He therefore is most perfect , who pertakes most of the highest Beatitude , and who above all things , loves and is most delighted with the intellectual knowledge of God , who is the most perfect of all beings . Hitherto then our cheifest good and happiness , still returns into the knowledge of God , the end then of all human actions , so far as we have an Idea of him being God ; the means which this end requires , may be called the commands of God , because they are as it were prescribed by God existing in our minds ; and the rule of living which respecteth this end , may be called the divine Law ; but what those means are , and what that manner of living is which this end requires , how the best Goverments and Men in living one with another should pursue this end , is a Subject for moral Philosophy to handle , my present business is only to speak in general of the Law divine . If then the love of God be Man's cheifest felicity and beatitude , and the ultimate end and scope of all Mens actions ; it follows , that he only keeps Gods Law , whose care is to love God , not for fear of punishment , or for the love of any other thing , as Pleasure , Wealth , Fame , &c. but only because he knows God ; or because he knows that the knowledge and love of God is the cheifest good the ; summ then and cheif precept of the Divine Law , is to love God as our cheifest good , not as we have already said , for fear of some Evil or Punishment , nor for the love of any other thing in which we take delight . But tho' the Notion of a God dictate to us , that God is our cheifest good , and that the knowledge and love of God , is the end to which all our Actions ought to be directed ; yet the carnal Man cannot understand these things , and they seem vanity to him , because he hath too low and narrow a knowledge of God , and because also in this cheifest good which consists only in speculation and purity of the mind , he finds nothing that he can handle , eat , or wherewith to gratify the Flesh , with which he is most pleased : but they that know there is nothing more excellent then reason , and a clear understanding , will esteem them the most solid of all Pleasures . We have now shewn in what cheifly the Divine Law consists , and what are human Laws , namely all those which are directed to another end , unless they were establisht by divine Revelation ; for under this consideration , things also as we have already shewn , are attributed to God ; and in this sense the Law of Moses , tho' it were not Universal but accomodated to the disposition and preservation of one particular People , may be called the Law of God or the Divine Law ; seeing we believe it given by prophetical Revelation : So that now if we consider the natural Divine Law , as we have explain'd it , we shall find it to be Universal and common to all Mankind ; since we have derived it from human Nature in general . Secondly , that it doth not require the belief of Histories whatever they be , since this Divine natural Law , is understood only in consideration of human Nature , and we may as well conceive it in any other Man as in Adam , and as well in a Man who lives a solitary , as in one that leads a social Life , nor can the belief of Histories tho' true , give us the knowledge , or consequently the Love of God ; for the Love of God proceeds from the knowledge of God , and the knowledge of God , must be derived from common notions in themselves certain and known , so that the belief of History , is far from being a means absolutely necessary to the attainment of our cheifest good ; but tho' the belief of Histories cannot give us the knowledge and Love of God , yet we grant reading of them to be very useful in respect of civil Life , for the more we know and observe Mens manners and conditions , of which their Actions are the best evidence ; with the greater caution may we live amongst them , and the better may we suite our Lives and Actions to their dispositions so far as is reasonable . Thirdly , this natural Divine Law requires no Ceremonies , ( that is ) Actions in themselves indifferent , and are only good in respect of their institution , or because they represent some good necessary to our well being ; or rather Actions whereof our understanding doth not comprehend the reason ; for natural light requires nothing but what that light can attain to , and only that which it discovers to us can be our good and the way to our happiness : those which are good only by precept and institution , or because they are representatives of some good , they cannot perfect our understanding , they are but meer shadows , and and cannot be reckon'd amongst those Actions which are the Off-spring and Fruits of our knowledge and sound judgment ; which to prove more at large , is not here necessary . Fourthly , the highest reward of the Divine Law , is the Law it self ; namely to know God , and to love him freely and continually with the whole heart ; and the penalty of the Law , is the loss of that knowledge and love , the Bondage of the Flesh , and an inconstant Fluctuating Mind . These things thus considered , we are now to inquire first , whether by natural light , we can conceive and know God as a Law-giver and Prince prescribing Laws to Men ? Secondly , what the Scripture saith of this natural light and Law ? Thirdly to what end Ceremonies were instituted ? Fourthly , of what concern it is to know and believe the Sacred Histories . Of the two first particulars , we will treat in this , and of the two last in the following Chapter . What we are to conclude concerning the first particular , may be easily deduced from the Nature of Gods will , which is distinguisht from Gods knowledge , only in respect of our reason ( that is ) the will and knowledge of God , are in themselves one and the same thing , nor are they distinguisht but in reference to the thoughts we form of Gods knowledge ( for example ) when we consider that the Nature of a Triangle is from all eternity contain'd in the Divine Nature , as an eternal Truth , then we say God hath the Idea of a Triangle , or understandeth the Nature of a Triangle ; but when afterwards we consider that the Nature of a Triangle , is so contain'd in the Divine Nature not in respect of the necessity of the essence and Nature of a Triangle , but in respect only of the necessity of the divine nature , yea that the necessity of the essence and Properties of a Triangle as they are conceived to be eternal Verities depend only upon the necessity of the divine nature and knowledge of God , and not upon the nature of the Triangle , then that which we have called Gods knowledge we call Gods Will and decree , therefore in relation to God , we say one and the same thing when we say that God knew , or that God willed and decreed that three Angles of a Triangle , should be equal to two right Angles . Whence it follows that Gods affirmations and negations , must always imply eternal necessity and verity , if then ( for example ) God said to Adam , that he would not have him eat of the Tree of Good and Evil , it would imply a contradiction that Adam should be able to eat of it , and it was impossible that Adam should eat of it , if that divine decree did imply eternal verity and necessity , but because the Scripture saith , that God did command Adam , that he should not eat of that Tree , and yet notwithstanding he did eat of it , it must necessarily be said , that God only revealed to Adam the Evil that would follow upon it , but did not reveal the necessity of the Evil's following , whence it came to pass , that Adam understood that Revelation , not as an eternal verity and necessary Truth , but as a Law or Ordinance , upon which Gain or Loss was to follow , not in respect of the Necessity and Nature of the Action done , but only in respect of the Absolute Will and Command of a Prince . The Revelation therefore in respect of Adam only , and only for want of Knowledge in him , was a Law , and God a Law-giver and Prince . For the like defect of Knowledge , was the Decalogue a Law to the Iews , because they knew not the Being of God to be an Eternal Verity ; therefore , that which was revealed to them in the Decalogue , namely that there was a God , and that he only was to be worshiped , was received by them as a Law , but had God spoken to them immediately , and not by Corporeal means , they had taken it for an Eternal Verity and not for a Law , and what we say of Adam and the Israelites , may be said of all the Prophets , who writ Laws in the Name of God , that they did not rightly understand God's Decrees to be Eternal Verities . ( For Example ) Moses by Revelation or by Principles revealed to him , understood the means whereby the People of Israel might be best united , in a particular Place of the World , form a Common-wealth , and erect a Government , and also the best way to compel that People to obedience ; but yet he did not know , nor was it revealed to him , that those means , or that Way was best , neither that from the common Obedience of the People , in such a Climate of the World , that end would necessarily follow , to which those means were directed ; and therefore all those things were not understood by him as Eternal Verities , but as Precepts and Institutions , which he prescribed as the Laws of God , and this was the Reason , that he imagined God , was a Governour , a Lawgiver , a King merciful and Just , when all these are only the Atributes of Human Nature , and not any Part of the Divine Nature : but tho' we say this of the Prophets , who writ Laws in the Name of God , we ought not to say the same of Christ , for though he seemed to write Laws in the Name of God , we are to believe , that he understood things truly and perfectly , for Christ was not so much a Prophet , as he was the Mouth of God , for God by the Mind of Christ ( as we have shewn in the first Chapter ) did reveal some things to Mankind , as he did before by Angels , ( that is a Created Voice . ) And by Visions ; wherefore it would be altogether Irrational to think , that God accommodated his revelations to the Opinions of Christ , as that God fitted heretofore his revelations to the Opnions of the Visions , and of the Angels ( that is created Voices ) that he might communicate the things , which were to be revealed to the Prophets , then which nothing can be more absurd , especially since Christ was not sent to the Iews only , but to all Mankind : so that it was not sufficient his Mind should be fitted to the Opinion of the Iews , but to the Opinions and Documents general to all Mankind , that is those Notions which were common and True ; and from communicating himself immediately to Christ , or to his understanding , and not as he did to the Prophets by words and Signs , nothing else can be concluded , but that Christ did truly perceive and understand those things which were revealed ; for then a thing is clearly understood , when it is clearly and mentally perceived without the help of Words and Signs . Christ therefore understood things truly and plainly , and if ever he prescribed them as Laws , he did it because the People were ignorant and obstinate , and acting God's Part , applyed himself to the Nature and Dispofition of the People , and therefore tho' he spoke somewhat plainer then the rest of the Prophets , yet sometimes he spoke Obscurely and by Parables , especially when he spoke to them , to whom it was not given to know the Kingdom of Heaven , Mat. chap. 13. v. 11. But without doubt , all things which he taught those , to whom it was given to know the Misteries of the Kingdom of Heaven , he taught them as Eternal Verities , and did not prescribe them as Laws , and in this confideration , he freed them from the Bondage of the Law , and yet nevertheless did the more confirm it , and deeply ingrave it on their Hearts , which Paul seems to declare in the 7 th . chap. of his Epist. to the Romans , v. 6 th . But now we are delivered from the Law , that being dead wherein we were held , that we should serve in Newness of Spirit , and not in the Oldness of the Letter , and in chap. 3. v. 8. Therefore we conclude , that a Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law. But neither doth Paul speak very clearly , for he saith , Rom. chap. 3. v. 5. I speak as a Man , which he expresly saith , when he calls God just and righteous , and without doubt because of the Frailty of the Flesh , he supposeth Mercy , Grace and Anger to be in God , applying his Discourses to the understanding of the Common People as may be seen in his first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 3. v. 1 , 2. Brethren , I could not speak unto you as Spiritual , but as unto Carnal Men. Rom. chap. 8. v. 18. He declareth that the Mercy and Wrath of God doth not depend upon Mens Works , but on his own Will. Moreover no Man is justified by the Works of the Law , but only by Faith , Rom. chap. 3. v. 28. And by Faith nothing is meant , but a full consent of the Mind . Lastly , Paul declares that no Body is Blessed who hath not in him the Mind of Christ , Rom. chap. 8. v. 9. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ , he is none of his ; by which Mind and Spirit , he may understand the Laws of God to be Eternal Verities . We conclude therefore , that God was described as a Prince and Law-giver , and stiled Just and Merciful , only in regard to the Capacity of the Vulgar , and their want of Knowledge , but that God from the necessity and perfection of his Nature , doth act and govern all things , and his Will and Decrees are Eternal Verities , and imply Eternal Necessity , which is the thing I purposed in the first Place to explain , and prove , passing now to the Second Particular , let us run through the whole Scripture , and see what it saith of this Natural Light and Divine Law. The first thing we meet with , is , the History of the first Man , where we are told , God commanded Adam , he should not eat of the Fruit of the Tree of good and evil , which seems to signify , that God commanded Adam , to do and seek after God , under the Notion of good , and not as it is contrary to evil : that is , to seek after good for good 's sake , and not for fear of evil ; for he that doth-good as we have already said , upon the account of knowing and loving what is good , doth it with a free and constant mind , but he that is compell'd by the fear of evil , is forced by punishment , acts like a Slave , and lives under the command of another ; and therefore that one thing which God commanded Adam , comprehends all the Divine Natural Law , and perfectly agrees with the Dictates of Natural Reason , now would it be a difficult matter from this very Principle , to unfold the whole History or Parable of the first Man ; but I pass it by , because I am not certain whether my Explication will agree with the Writers meaning , and because many will have the History to be no Parable , but a plain and simple Narration : it will therefore be better to make use of other Places of Scripture , those especially , of which he was Author , who in Strength of natural Knowledge exceeded the wisest of his Age , and whose sayings , the People counted as Sacred as they did those of the Prophets , I mean Solomon , whose Prophesy and Piety is not so much commended in Scripture , as his Wisdom and Prudence ; he in his Proverbs calls Human Understanding , the Fountain of Life , and placeth misfortune only in Folly ; for he saith , chap. 16. v. 22. Vnderstanding is a well-spring of Life to him that hath it , but the Punishment of Fools is their folly . Where we are to note , that by the word Life , in the Hebrew is signified , happy Life , as appears Deut. chap. 30. v. 10. I have set before thee Life and Death , Blessing and Cursing , therefore chuse Life . And he therefore deriveth the happiness of Life from Knowledge , and Punishment from the want of it , which exPresly agrees with what we observed in the fourth Place , concerning the Divine Natural Law : but that this Fountain of Life the Understanding , prescribeth Laws to the Wise , is proved by Prov. chap. 13. v. 14. The Law of the Wise is a Fountain of Life , that is as appears by the fore-cited Text , the Understanding and Knowledge . Moreover , chap. 3. v. 13. 'T is said in express Terms , that Uuderstanding and Wisdom make a man happy , and give him the true peace of mind . Happy is the Man tbat findeth Wisdom , and the Man that getteth Vnderstanding . And v. 16 , 17. Length of days is in her right Hand , and in her left Riches and Honour , her ways are ways of Righteousness , and all her Paths ( which Wisdom points out ) are Peace . In the Opinion of Solomon then , only Wise men live quietly and happily , not as the wicked , whose minds are disturbed and tost to and fro with contrary Passions and Affections : So that as Isaiah saith chap. 47. v. 20 , 21. The wicked are like the troubled Sea , that cannot rest , there is no Peace to the wicked . Lastly , in the Proverbs that which clearly confirms this Opinion , is what he saith , chap. 2. v. 3. If thou criest after Knowledge , and liftest up thy Voice for Vnderstanding , then v. 5. Thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord , and find the Knowledge of God. ( or rather the Love of God , for the Hebrew word Iadah signifies both , ) for Verse the 6 th . ( which observe well ) The Lord giveth Wisdom , out of his Mouth cometh Knowledge and Wisdom . Which words clearly declare , First , that only Understanding and Wisdom teach us to fear God Prudently , ( i e ) to serve him truly , and to worship him rightly . Next , that Wisdom and Knowledge flow from the Mouth of God , and are given by God ; that is , our Understanding and Wisdom depends upon , proceeds from , and is only perfected by , the Idea or Knowledge of God : Solomon goes on , and in the 9 th Verse shews , that in , and from , this Knowledge , is continued and derived the Science of true Morality and Policy ; Then shalt thou understand Righteousness , Iudgment and Equity , yea every good thing . And Verse the 10 th When Wisdom shall enter into thy Heart , and Knowledge is pleasant to thy Soul , Verse the 11 th . Discretion shall preserve thee , understanding shall keep thee . All which Expressions plainly agree with natural Knowledge , which teacheth us Morality and true Vertue ; after we have gained the Knowledge of things , and tasted the Excellency of Understanding . The Happiness and Tranquility , therefore of a Man , that improves his natural Reason and Knowledge , doth not in Solomon's Opinion chiefly depend upon Fortune ; ( that is God's external Assistance ) but upon his own internal Vertue and Faculties ( that is God's internal aid ) because by watching , working , and well considering , he preserveth himself . Lastly , that place of St. Paul. Rom. chap. 1 st . v. 20. Is very worthy of our Notice , where ( according to Tremelius's version of the Siriack Text ) he saith , The invisible things of God , from the Creation of the World , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his external Power and Godhead , so that they are without excuse . By which words he maketh it evident , that all men by the Light of natural Reason and Knowledge , may understand the Power of God , and his Eternal Divinity , by which they may be able to know and conjecture , what they are to seek and pursue , and what they are to avoid ; and so concludes , that all are without excuse , and cannot pretend Ignorance , which they might very vvell , if he spoke of Supernatural Knovvledge , and of the Bodily passion and resurrection of Christ ; therefore he goes on in the 24 th Verse and says , God gave them up to uncleanness , through the Lust of their own Hearts , describing to the end of the Chapter , the Vices of Ignorance ; which Vices , he declares to be the punishment of Ignorance , agreeing with that Proverb of Solomon mentioned Chap. 16. v. 22. The punishment of Fools is their folly . So that it is no wonder , Paul says evil doers are inexcusable , for as every Man sows , so shall he reap . Evil unless Wisdom prevent , necessarily brings forth evil ; the Scripture therefore expresly commends natural Knowledge , and the Divine Natural Law , so that I have done with what I intend to treat of in this Chapter . CHAP. V. The reason why Ceremonies were instituted ? to what end ? and tow hom the Belief of Scripture-Histories are necessary . ? IN the foregoing Chapter we have shewn , that the Divine Law , which makes Men happy , and teacheth the right way of Living , is Universal to all Mankind ; and we have so derived it from Human Nature , that it appears to be born with , and as it were engraved upon , the Mind and Heart of Man ; but because Ceremonies , those at least which we find in the Old Testament , were only instituted for the Iews ; and so fitted to their Government , that for the most part , they might be observed in their Public Assemblies , tho' not by every Individual Person ; it is manifest , that they did not belong to the Divine Law , nor contributed any thing to the making men happy or vertuous , but concerned only the Election of the Iews ( that is by what we have proved in the third Chapter ) the temporal happiness of the Body , and peace of their Government , and consequently could be of no longer use , than while their Government lasted . If those Ceremonies in the Old Testament , had any relation to God's Law , it was only because they were instituted by revelation , or upon revealed Principles ; but because the most solid reason prevails little with ordinary Church-men , I will make use of Scripture , to shew upon what account , and in what manner , Ceremonies were useful to the Establishment and Preservation of the Iewish Common-wealth . The Prophet Isaiah very plainly declares , that by the Divine Law is meant , that Universal Law which consists in living uprightly , not in Ceremonies , Chap. 1 st . v. 10. He calleth upon the People to hear the Law of God , but tells them in the following Verses , that God hated their Sacrifices and Oblations , their New Moons , their Feasts , and their Sabbaths , and in the 16. and 17. Verses declares , the Law it self to be comprehended in a few Particulars ; namely in cleansing the Heart , in constantly doing well , in relieving the Oppressed , and no less clear is that Place , in the 40 th Psal. v. 7 , 8. Sacrifice and Offering , thou didst not desire , mine Ears hast thou opened , burnt Offering and Sin Offering hast thou not required , Idelight to do thy Will O God , for thy Law is within my Heart : here David calls that the Law of God , which is written in his Heart or inward Parts , separated from Ceremonies , which not being in their own Nature good , are not written in our minds : beside these two Places , others may be found in Scripture , which testify the same thing , but there is no need of more Quotations . That Ceremonies conduce not to our true Happiness , but respect only the temporary Prosperity of Government , appears likewise by the Scripture , which for the Observation of Ceremonies , promised only bodily Benefits ; but for keeping the Universal Divine Law true Felicity : In the Books commonly called the five Books of Moses , nothing is promised , but temporal Prosperity , namely , Honour , Fame , Victory , Riches , Pleasures and Health ; and altho' in those five Books , are contained beside Ceremonies , many things that are Moral , yet they are not there contained as Moral Doctrines , and Universal instructions common to all , but as Commands and Precepts , fitted to the particular Capacity , and Genius of the Iewish Nation , and such as concern'd the prosperous State of that Government : ( for Example ) Moses did not teach the Iews as a Doctor and Prophet , but commanded them as a Lawgiver and Prince , that they should not kill or steal ; nor doth he prove this as Doctrine by Reason , but to his Commands adds Punishment , which according to the disposition of every Nation , as we find by Experience , may and ought to vary , the Commandment of not committing Adultery , respected only the Prosperity of the Commonwealth and its Government , for had it been a Moral Doctrine , which concern'd the Peace of the mind , as well as of the Commonwealth , and every particular Man's true felicity , it would have as much condemn'd the inward concupiscence of the Heart , as the outward act of Lust , as Christ did Math. Chap. 5. v. 28. Whose Doctrines were Universal , and therefore the reward which Christ promised , were Spiritual and not Corporal ; for Christ was sent not to ordain Laws , and Establish Government , but only to Preach and Teach the Universal Divine Law : and hereby we understand Christ did not Abrogate the Law of Moses , seeing he introduced no new Laws into the Iewish Commonwealth , but Preached only Moral Doctrines , which he distinguisht from the Laws of the Common-wealth , because the Pharisees were so Ignorant , that they thought every one lived Righteously who kept Moses Law , which ( as we have already said ) concern'd only that Commonwealth , and served rather to compel , then instruct the Iews . But let us now return to other places of Scripture , which for the observing of Ceremonies , promise nothing but bodily benefits , and for the keeping of the Universal Divine Law , true beat tude . In this point , none of all the Prophets speaks so plainly as Isaiah , Chap. 58. for after Condemning Hypocrisy , and commending Liberty and Charity towards themselves and their Neighbours , which are Vertues dictated to us by the Universal Divine Law , he saith , Verse the 8 th . Then shall thy Light break out as the Morning , and thy Health shall spring forth speedily , thy Righteousness shall go before thee , the Glory of the Lord shall be thy reward . Afterwards he commends to them the keeping of the Sabbath , and for their care in observing that , he promiseth , Verse the 24 th . Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord , and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth , and feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father for the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it : by which we plainly see , that the Prophet promised to the Practice of the Divine Natural Law , a spiritual Reward , a sound Mind in a healthful Body , and the Glory of God after Death ; but to the Observation of Ceremonies , nothing but the prosperous continuance of their Government , and bodily Happiness , in the 24 th . and 25 th . Psalms , no mention is made of Ceremonies , but only of moral Duties , because those Psalms treat of nothing but true Happiness and Beatitude , tho' Parabolically propounded ; for 't is certain that Gods Holy Hill , his Tabernacles , and dwelling in them , with other Blessings mentioned in those Psalms , could not litterally signify the Mountain of Ierusalem , or the Tabernacle of Moses , for they were inhabited by none but the Tribe of Levi , who Ministred in the Tabernacle and Temple . Moreover all those Sayings of Solomon , cited in the preceding Chapter , concerning the Excellency of Wisdom and Knowledge , promise true Felicity , because they teach us to know and fear God , that the Iews after the destruction of their Government , were not bound to the Observation and Practice of Ceremonies , is evident by the Prophet Ieremy , who foretelling the approaching destruction of the City of Ierusalem , Chap. 9. v. 23 , 24. declares that none are acceptable to God , but they that know him , and understand that he exerciseth loving Kindness , Judgment and Righteousness in the Earth , and that he will delight in none but those that know these things ; as if the Prophet had said , that after the destruction of the City , God would for the future require nothing else of the Iews , but the Observation of the Natural Law , Obligatory to all Mankind . The New Testament likewise proves the same thing , for it teacheth only Moral Doctrines , and promiseth to the Practice of them the Kingdom of Heaven ; the Apostles , after the Gospel began to be Preached to Nations that were not obliged to the Laws of the Iewish Commonwealth , quite left off Ceremonies , and if the Pharisees after the destruction of their Government , retained any , or the greatest part of them , it was more to oppose the Christians , then to please God ; for after the sacking of the City , when the Iews were carried Captives into Babilon , and were not ( for ought we know ) divided into Sects , they presently neglected Ceremonies , bid farewel to the whole Law of Moses , forgot the Laws of their own Country , as superfluous , and mixed themselves with the rest of the Nations , as appears out of Esdras and Nehemiah : therefore without doubt , the Iews after their Government was dissolved , were no more bound by Moses's Law , then they were before they became a Commonwealth , for while they lived among other Nations before their going out of Egypt , they had no peculiar Law , nor were obliged to any but the Natural Law ; observing also the Laws of the Country and the Nation where they lived , which were not repugnant to the Divine Natural Law ; the Patriarchs indeed offer'd Sacrifices to God , but that was because they were from their Infancy accustomed so to do , it being the Practice of all Men from the time of Enoch to offer Sacrifices , to incite and testify their Devotion : the Patriarchs therefore offered their Sacrifices , neither as Men Commanded by any Divine Precept , or Instructed by the Universal Law of Nature , but only because it was the Custom of that time , and if they did it by any Command , that Command was no other then that of the Commonwealth wherein they lived , and which ( as I have shewn in the 3 d. Chapter where I spoke of Melchisedek ) they were bound to obey . Having justified my Opinion by Scripture-Authority , I will next from general Principles very briefly shew , why Ceremonies were useful to Establish and Preserve the Iewish Commonwealth . Society is not only convenient , but absolutely necessary to living securely from the danger of Enemies , and likewise for the quicker and more easy dispatch of human labour and business ; for unless Men mutually assist one another , they must want both time and means ( so far as 't is possible ) to preserve themselves ; all Men are not equally fit for all things , nor is every one able to procure those things of which he singly stands in need ; no individual Person hath time or strength enough to Plow , Sow , Reap , Grind , Bake , Boyl , Weave , Knit , and do very many other things necessary to support Life , not mentioning Arts and Siences , which perfect and make human nature happy ; we see that those People who live Barbarously without any Policy , lead miserable bruitish lives , and do not come by those necessaries and sorry Houshold-stuff which they have , without helping one another ; if Men were so constituted by Nature , that they would desire nothing but what right reason dictates , Societies would need no Laws , and only to instruct Men in the precepts of Morality , would be sufficient to make them with a free and constant mind , do whatever should be for the public Good , but 't is far otherwise with human Nature , all men indeed seek their own Good and Advantage , not according to the Dictates of right Reason , but according to their own peculiar Lusts , and hurryed with the violence of their own Affections , without regard to any thing else , believe that to be good , which they ardently desire . This is the reason why no Society of Men can subsist without Government , Force and Laws to moderate and restrain unbridled Passions and Affections : but down right compulsion is intollerable to human Nature , and therefore Seneca , the Tragedian says , Empires maintain'd by force last but a little while ; mild Governments endure longest , what Men do out of fear they do against their Will , never considering the utility or necessity of what they do , but only take care to avoid capital Punishment ; yea , they can hardly refrain from rejoycing at the losses and misfortunes of their Rulers , and tho' they themselves suffer by it , cannot forbear wishing and doing them all the mischief they are able ; but above all things , Men are impatient of obeying , and being govern'd by their equals ; and lastly , nothing is more difficult than to deprive Men of that Liberty , which they once enjoy'd : From all which it follows , that all Societies , if it be possible , should be govern'd by their own general assemblies , that so no Body may be Subjected to his equal ; but where the reins of Government are in the hands of a few , or one single Person , there that single Person ought to have extraordinary qualifications above others , or at least , should endeavour to make the People think so , and in every government such Laws ought to be made , as are likely to incline Men to do their duty , not for fear of punishment but in hope of reward . Moreover , because obedience consists in executing the commands of those that rule , it follows , that in a Society where the ruling Power is in the Collective Body of the People , and Laws are made by general and common consent , there is no such thing as obedience , and tho' the Laws be increased or diminished , yet still the People remain free ; because they are not Subject to the Authority of another , but Act by their own voluntary universal agreement and consent : but 't is quite contrary , where a single Person governs ; for there all are Subject to whatever he commands , so that unless the People have been always educated under such absolute government , it will be very difficult for a Monarch , to make new Laws , or to take away any liberty from the People , which they have formerly enjoy'd . These things being thus generally considered , we now come to the Common-wealth of the Iews , who when they went first out of Egypt , were not obliged to the Laws of any other Nation , so that they might then constitute and enact what Laws and Statutes they pleased , and fix themselves and their government , in any part of the World they had a mind to possess ; but being a stupid People , and by long servitude depraved in their understanding , they were unfit to make good and prudent Laws , or to govern themselves by their own democratical Authority without a Superior , the Power of governing was therefore to be put into the hands of a single Person , who was to command the rest , and compel them by force , who was likewise to prescribe and interpret Laws : This Power Moses easily obtain'd , because he excell'd all others in divine Vertue and Power , which Power he perswaded the People by many Testimonies Exod. chap. 14. v. 31. and chap. 19. v. 9. was given him by God , being thus qualify'd he made and prescribed Laws to the People , but took special care , that the People might do their duty , not so much out of fear , as of their own free will , which he did upon two considerations ; First , because the Peoples obstinate and Rebellious Nature , would not endure continual compulsion . Secondly , because there was an approaching War , which was like to succeed better by encouraging , then by threatning the Soldiers , every one endeavoring by his valor rather to get Reputation , then avoid Punishment : for this reason also , Moses by Gods command , introduced Religion into the Common-wealth , that Devotion , more then fear , might incline them to obedience . Lastly , he obliged them by many benefits , which he promised they should receive from Heaven . The Laws which he establisht were not very severe , as will appear to any Man that considers , how many circumstances were required to the condemning of any offender ; that the People who could not govern themselves , might absolutely depend upon the verbal commands of the supream Magistrate , he did not permit them being accustomed to Bondage , to do any thing of their own accord ; but whatever they did , was to be done according to the prescript of the Law ; no Man could at his own Pleasure , Plow , Sow , or Reap ; no Man could eat what he pleased , nor could he cloth himself , shave his Head and Beard , or make merry , but according to certain Rules set down in the Law ; nor was this all , for they were to have upon the Posts of their Doors , upon their Hands and their Fore-heads , certain Signs which were to put them in continual mind of their obedience : the end and design then of Ceremonies , was that the People might do nothing by their own will and determination , but only by the command of another , and by continual Action and meditation confess , they were not Masters of themselves , but wholly Subjected to the will of another , by all which 't is evident , that Ceremonies conduce nothing to true felicity , and that those of the Old Testament , yea the whole Law of Moses , concerned only the government of the Iews , and consequently had respect to nothing more then Bodily conveniences ; as for Christian Ceremonies , namely Baptism , the Lords Supper , Holy-days , public Forms of Prayer , or any others common to Christianity ; if they were ever instituted by Christ , or his Apostles , ( which doth not clearly appear ) they were only appointed as marks and signs of the Universal Church , but not as things that contain any Sanctity in themselves , or contribute any thing to eternal happiness , and therefore being ordain'd , not in reference to government , but only in respect to mutual Society , he that liveth alone , or he that liveth under a government where the Christian Religion is forbidden , is not oblig'd to the Observation of these Ceremonies , and yet may live happily ; an example whereof we have in the Kingdom of Iapan , where the Hollanders by the command of their East-India Company , abstain from all outward Worship , and that their so doing is justifiable , I think is not difficult to prove from the Fundamental Principles of the New Testament . But I hasten to the Second particular which I purposed to treat of in this Chapter , namely , why believing the Histories contained in Scripture is necessary , and to find out this by Natural reason , I thus proceed . Whoever will perswade , or disswade Men to , or from , any thing , which is not in , or by it self known ; must deduce that thing from Principles generally granted and allowed , and must convince those Men either by reason or experience , that is , by things which Men by their Sences know to have happen'd in Nature , or else by maxims which the understanding can neither doubt or deny ; but unless experience be such as is clearly and distinctly understood , tho' it may convince a Man , yet it cannot equally affect the understanding , and disperse the Clouds thereof , as will that which is proved by intellectual Principles ( that is ) orderly deduced from Notions certain and intelligible , especially if the question be of any thing that is meerly Spiritual , and falls not under sense : but because to prove things only by intellectual Propositions , requires a long Chain of Notions , much Circumspection , Sharpness of Wit , and great Temper , all which are seldom found together ; therefore Men had rather be taught by experience , then put themselves to the trouble of linking together all their perceptions deduced from a few maxims : so that he that would teach a whole Nation , I need not say all mankind any particular doctrine , and would be clearly understood in all things by all Men , he must confirm his Doctrine by experience , and must accomodate his reasons and the definitions of what he teacheth , to the capacity of the vulgar , who make up the greatest part of Mankind , and must not think of giving such definitions as he thinks fittest , for tying his reasons together , because he would then write only to the Learned , and would be understood but by a very few . Seeing then the Scripture was revealed first , for the use and instruction of a whole Nation , and afterwards of all Mankind ; it was absolutely necessary , that the things therein contain'd , should be suited to the capacity of the common People , and confirm'd only by experience : to make my meaning yet more clear , I say that all things taught in Scripture , which are only Speculative , are cheifly these . First , that there is a God , or a being which made all things , and by infinite wisdom governeth and sustaineth all things , who taketh great care of Mankind , and particularly of those that live honestly and Religiously ; but for those that live wickedly , he separates them from the good , and afflicts them with greivous Punishments . But all those things the Scripture confirms only by experience , namely by the Histories which it recites , nor doth it plainly define any of these things , but fiteth all its reasonings and expressions , according to the capacity and understanding of the vulgar , and tho' experience can give a Man no true and plain knowledge of things , nor teach a Man what God is , in what manner he orders and upholdeth all things , or how he takes care of Mankind , yet it gives Men so much light and knowledge , as is sufficicient to Imprint in their Minds Piety and Obedience . So that now I think 't is very plain , to what Persons and for what reasons , the belief of Scripture Histories is necessary , that is to the common People , by whom things cannot be clearly and distinctly understood ; and whoever denies these Histories , because he neither believes the being or Providence of God , is impious ; but he that is ignorant of these Histories , and yet by natural reason concludes there is a God who made and preserveth all things , if he live a vertuous life , that Man is blest , yea more blessed then the vulgar , because beside the Truth of his Opinions , he hath a clear and distinct understanding . Lastly , he that is ignorant of Scripture History , and knows nothing of God by the light of natural reason , if he be not impious and obstinate , yet he may well be accounted a Beast rather then a Man , and to have no Gift of God in him : but 't is to be observed , that when we say the knowledge of Scripture History is very necessary for the common People , I do not mean all the Histories contain'd in the Bible , but only the cheif ; and those that give the clearest Evidence of the before mentioned Doctrins , and have the greatest influence upon the minds of Men ; for if all the Histories in the Scripture , were absolutely necessary to prove its Doctrine , and no conclusion could be made but from the consideration of all the Histories together contain'd in it , then the demonstration and proof of its Doctrine , would not only exceed the capacity of the vulgar , but the understanding of all Mankind ; for who could possibly retain and comprehend so great a Number of Histories , and so many circumstances and parts of Doctrine , as might be collected from so many and different Histories ; truly I cannot be perswaded that those Men , who left us the Scripture as we now have it , abounded with so much Wit , as to be able to find out such a demonstration of its Doctrine ; much less do I believe , that the Doctrine of the Scripture could not have been understood , unless we had been told of Isaacs strivings about the digging of Wells , of Achitophels , Council to Absalon , and the Civil Wars between the Children of Iudah and Israel , with other Chronicles of like kind ; or that the Iews who lived in the time of Moses , were not so capable of understanding the Doctrine of Scripture by Histories , as were the Iews who lived in the time of Esdras , of which more hereafter , the common People are therefore obliged to know only those Histories , which stir up their minds to Devotion , Piety and Obedience , but they are not competent Judges of those Histories , because they are more pleased with the narrations and the unexpected events of things , then with the Doctrine it self ; and for this reason beside the reading of Histories , they need Pastors and Ministers in the Church , to instruct their weak understanding . But not to digress from what we principally design'd to prove , we conclude that the belief of Histories whatever they be , doth not belong to the Divine Law , nor doth of it self make Men happy or blessed , nor are Histories profitable , except it be in point of Doctrine , which is the only thing that makes some Histories therefore contain'd in the Old and New Testament , excel those that are profane and common , and Scripture Histories mutually compared , are more excellent one then another , for sound and wholsom Doctrine . He then that reads Scripture Histories , and in all things gives intire credit to them , yet if he follow not their Doctrine and amend his Life , it is all one with him , as if he read the Alchoran , a Comedy , or any vulgar History ; but as we have already said , he that never heard of Scripture , if his Opinions be true , and his Life righteous , he is truly blessed , and the Spirit of Christ is in him : but the Iews are of a contrary Opinion , for they say , let a Mans Opinions be never so Orthodox , and his Life never so vertuous , yet if he be guided only by natural Light , and not by the Doctrins which are Prophetically revealed to Moses , he can never be blessed and happy , which Rabbi Maimonides boldly affirms in his Eighth Chapter and Second Law concerning Kings . He that receiveth the Seven Commandments and diligently performeth them , is one of the Pious among the Nations , and Heir of the World to come ( that is ) if he receive and Practise them , because God in his Law commanded and revealed them by Moses , and because those precepts were also given to the Sons of Noah : but if he Practise them by the guidance and dictates of natural reason , he is none of us , nor is he to be thought one of the Pious and Learned of the Nations . It was an opinion among the Iews , that God gave to Noah seven Commandments , and that all Nations were obliged to observe only those seven ; but that God gave many more Commandments to the Iews , that he might make them much happier then other Nations . Rabbi Ioseph the Son of Shem Tob in his Book called Kbod Elohim , or the Glory of God , likewise saith , that tho' Aristotle ( whose Book of Ethicks was in his opinion the best that ever was written ) had omitted nothing which belonged to that Subject , and he himself had diligently Practised all he Writ , yet he could not be saved , because he embraced those Doctrins he taught , as the dictates of reason , and not as divine and Prophetical Revelations . But these conceits are meer Fopperys , grounded neither upon reason or Scripture , and need no more confutation , then doth the opinion of some Men , who maintain that by natural light and reason , we cannot know any thing belonging to Salvation , a Tenet that cannot be rationally prov'd , by Men who do not allow themselves any reason but what is corrupted and depraved , and if they boast of any thing above reason , 't is meer Folly and far beneath reason , as sufficiently appears by their manner of living : so that of this we need say no more , I will only add this , that no Man can be known but by his works , and therefore they that abound in the Fruits of Love , joy , peace , long suffering , Gentleness , Goodness , Faith , Meekness , Temperance , &c. against whom saith Paul ( Galat. chap. 5. v. 22. ) there is no Law , whether they be taught by reason or Scripture , they are certainly taught of God , and are truly blessed . CHAP. VI. Of Miracles . AS Men use to call that knowledge Divine , which exceeds human capacity and understanding ; so when any thing is done in nature , of which the common People know not the cause , that they call the Work of God : for the vulgar believe Gods Power and Providence do most plainly appear , when they see any thing strange and unusual happen in nature , contrary to the customary opinion they have of Nature ; especially when that which happens , is for their benefit and advantage ; and they think the being of a God never more clearly proved , then when nature seems not to keep its constant course ; and therefore conclude , that those Men deny the Being and Providence of God , who endeavour to explain and understand what they call Miracles by their natural causes . They indeed think , that while Nature goes on in her wonted course , God doth nothing , and on the contrary , when God Acts , the Power of Nature and Natural Causes are idle and at a stand : so that they imagin two numerical distinct Powers , namely the Power of God , and the Power of Nature appointed and directed ( or as most Men now believe ) Created by God ; but what they mean by either , or what they understand by God and Nature , they know not , but fancy Gods Power to be like that of a great King. And the Power of Nature nothing but blind force and violence , the Common People therefore , call the extraordinary Works of Nature , Miracles , or the Works of God , and partly out of Devotion , partly out of a desire to contradict those that love the Study of Natural Sciences , they affect , being ignorant of Natural Causes , desiring to hear of things they do not know , and those things , which they least know , they most admire : by taking away Natural Causes , and by imagining things out of the order of Nature , they think God is most adored when all things are immediately referr'd to his Power and Will ; neither do they think the Power of God at any time so wonderful , as when according to their fancy , it conquers and subdues the Power of Nature . Which Opinion was first brought into the World by the Iews , who to convince the Heathen , that then Worshipt the Sun , Moon , the Earth , Water , Air , &c. told them their Gods were weak , inconstant , mutable , and subject to the Power of the invisible God ; whose Miracles they proclaim'd , and by them endeavour'd to prove , that the whole frame of Nature was by the Power of that God whom they worshipt , created chiefly for their good and benefit : with which Opinion Men were so pleas'd , that ever since they have not ceased to fain Miracles , that they may be thought better beloved by God then others ; and that the end and purpose of Gods making and preserving all things , was chiefly for their sakes . How arrogant is the foolish Vulgar who conceive nothing rightly of God or Nature , but confound the Ordinances of God , with the imaginations of Men , and think Nature so narrow , that they believe Man to be the principal part thereof . Having thus discovered the Opinions and Prejudices of the Common People concerning God and Nature , I will proceed in order , and shew first , that nothing can happen contrary to Nature , whose order and course , is eternal , constant and immutable , explaining also what is a Miracle . Secondly , that we cannot know the essence , existence nor consequently the providence of God by Miracles , but they more manifestly appear , in the constant and unchangeable order of Nature . Thirdly , I will prove by some Scripture Examples , that the Scripture it self , by the decrees , purposes and providence of God , means nothing else but that regular course of Nature , which necessarily follows from its eternal Laws . Lastly , I will shew , how Scripture Miracles are to be interpreted , and what we are principally to observe in the Relations we have of Miracles : all which particulars , are the subject of this present Chapter , and will be very useful to the design of this whole Treatise . The first Particular is proved , by what we have said in the 4 th Chapter Concerning the Divine Law , ( namely ) that whatsoever God willeth and decreeth , implyes eternal verity and necessity ; for the Knowledge of God is not distinguisht from his Will , and we say the same thing , when we say God willeth , and God knoweth any thing ; because by the same necessity , derived from the Nature and Perfection of God , whereby he knoweth any thing to be what it is , by the same necessity , must God will that thing to be what it is : but since nothing is necessarily true , but what is so by the Will and Decree of God ; it clearly follows , that the Universal Laws of Nature , are the very Ordinances of God , which flow from the necessity and perfection of his Divine Nature . Whatever therefore cometh to pass in Nature , which is repugnant to its Universal Laws , that must necessarily be contrary to the Decree and Knowledge of the Divine Nature ; or if any one conclude that God doth any thing against the Laws of Nature , he likewise must grant , that God Acts contrary to his own Nature , which is the greatest of all Absurdities . As therefore nothing happens in Nature , contrary to its Universal Laws , so neither doth any thing happen , which doth not agree with , and follow from them ; for whatever is done , is done by the Will and eternal Decree of God ( that is ) according to Laws and Rules , which imply eternal Verity and Necessity : and therefore tho' the Laws in which are contained eternal Verity and Necessity , be not known to us , yet Nature always observes them , and consequently keeps her constant and unchangeable course . No rational Man can believe the Power and Vertue of Nature to be limited , and its Laws confin'd to some particular Operations and Effects , and not fitted Universally to all ; for since the Power and Vertue of Nature , is the very Vertue and Power of God ; we ought to believe the Power of Nature infinite , and the Laws of Nature so general , that they extend themselves to all things , which fall under the comprehension of the Divine Knowledge : otherwise it must be granted , that God Created Nature so weak and impotent , and its Laws and Rules so defective , that to preserve and maintain Nature , he must upon every new occasion assist and succour it , that things may fall out according to his Will ; which is very irrational for any Man to suppose . If then nothing happens in Nature , which doth not follow from its Rules and Laws , that its Laws are extended to all things within the compass of Divine Knowledge , and that Nature keeps a fixed immutable and regular Course ; it is manifest that whatever Men call a Miracle , is only so in respect of their Opinions , and signifies nothing else but some work or thing done , of which we cannot discover the natural Cause , by an example of any thing that ordinarily happens like it ; at least the Person cannot , who relates or records the Miracle . I might call that a Miracle , whose cause cannot be made out from any natural Principles known by the Light of Nature ; but because Miracles were wrought according to the Capacity of the Vulgar , who knew not the principles of natural things , it is certain that the Antients counted that a Miracle , which they could not explain as the common People use to do natural things , namely , by recurring to their Memory , for bringing to mind some other thing of the like kind , which they did not admire : for the common People think , they very well understand a thing , when they do not admire it . By this Rule and no other , Men in old and later times , have judged of Miracles , and it is not to be doubted , but many things are related in Scripture for Miracles , whose causes might have been made manifest from the known principles of natural things , as we have hinted in our 2 d Chapter , where we spoke of the Suns standing still in the time of Ioshua , and its going backward in the time of Hezekiah on the Dyal of Ahaz , but of these things more at large , when I come to speak of the Interpretation of Miracles . I will now go on to prove the Second particular , namely that we cannot by miracles understand the Essence , Existence , or Providence of God , but that they are more clearly apprehended by us , in the fixed and immutable order of nature , which I thus prove . If the Existence of God be not of it self known to us , it must then be made out and concluded , from Notions whose verity is so firm and unshaken , that there cannot be a Power by which those Notions may be changed , at least , they ought to appear so to us at that time , when from them we conclude the existence of God , if we will have that existence to be indubitable : for if we could think those Notions mutable by any Power whatever it be ; then might we doubt of the Truth of those Notions , and consequently of our conclusion , namely God's Existence ; nor could we be certain of any thing , and seeing we cannot know what is congruous or contrary to Nature , but that which we prove to be congruous , or contrary to those Prime Notions ; if we could conceive any thing in Nature to be done , by any other Power whatever contrary to Nature , that must also be contrary to those first Notions , and so be rejected as absurd and against Reason ; or else we must doubt of our prime Notions , and consequently of God , and all things else . Miracles therefore in what manner soever we apprehend them , as they are understood to be Works contrary to the Order of Nature ; are far from proving God's existence , they rather bring it into Question , for without Miracles vve may be assur'd of it , namely , by knovving that all things observe the certain and immutable Order of Nature ; but granting that to be a miracle , vvhich cannot be explained and made knovvn by natural Causes , vve ought then either to conclude , that it hath natural Causes , but such as cannot be found out by Human Understanding , or that it hath no immediate Cause , but God or his Will ; but if all things which are effected by Natural Causes , are done only by the Power and Will of God , we must necessarily at last come to this , that whether a Miracle have natural Causes or not , it is a Work which cannot be manifested by a Natural Cause ( that is ) 't is a Work which exceeds Hnman Capacity , and from a Work that exceeds Human Understanding , we can understand and collect nothing : for whatever we clearly and distinctly understand , we do it by the thing it self , or some other ; and that which is clearly and distinctly understood by it self , ought to be perfectly known to us ; therefore by a miracle , or any Work exceeding Human Capacity , we cannot conceive God's Essence or Existence , nor can we absolutely understand any thing of God or Nature : but on the contrary , when we know all things to be ordained and establisht by God , and that the Operations of Nature ncessarily flow from the Essence of God , and that the Laws of Nature , are the Eternal Decrees and purposes of God ; it must necessarily be concluded , that we so much the better know God and his Will , by how much the better we understand and know Natural Things , how they depend in their first Cause , and how they operate according to the Eternal Laws of Nature : So that in Respect of our Understanding , with much more Reason are those Works to be called the Works of God and his Will , which we clearly and distinctly understand , then those of which we are totally ignorant , tho' they strangely effect our imagination , and cause our wonder ; because only those Works of Nature , which we clearly and distinctly know , render our Knowledge of God more sublime , and more evidently declare the Will and Decrees of God : So that those Men do but trifle , who , when they do not understand a thing , run presently to the Will of God , and ridiculously betray their own Ignorance , moreover , whatever we conclude from miracles , yet the Existence of God cannot in any manner be concluded from them ; for since a miracle is a limited Work , and expresseth only a certain and limited Power , we cannot from such an Effect , conclude the Existence of a Cause whose Power is infinite ; but only of a Cause whose Power at most , is greater then that Effect . I say at most , because from many concuring Causes , there may follow an effect , whose Vertue and Power may be less then all the Causes together , and yet much greater then the Power of any one of those Causes taken single ; but because the Laws of Nature . As we have already shewn , extend themselves to things Infinite , being conceived by us under a kind of Eternity , and Nature by them proceeds in a certain and unchangeable course ; so far do those Laws in some measure declare to us , the Eternity and Immutability of God ; and therefore we conclude that neither God's Being or Providence , can be known by miracles ; but may much better be concluded from the fixed and unalterable Course of Nature : I speak now of a miracle , as it is taken for a Work that is above Human Capacity , or believ'd to be so ; for as it is supposed to be a Work , that interrupts or perverts the Order of Nature , or is repugnant tc its Laws ; it is so far from giving us any Knowledge of God , that it takes away , that which we naturally have , and makes us doubt of God and all other things . Nor do I know any difference between a thing done contrary to Nature , and that which is done above Nature ( that is as some explain themselves ) a thing which is not done contrary to the Order of Nature , but yet is not effected and produced by Nature : for seeing a miracle is not wrought out of Nature , but within the Compass of it ; tho' it be concluded to be above Nature ; yet it must necessarily interrupt Natures Order , which , by the Decrees of God , we conceived to be fixed and immutable ; and therefore whatever is done in Nature , which doth not follow from the Rules of Nature , that must necessarily be repugnant to that Order , which God to all Eternity by Universal Laws establisht in Nature , and consequently , being against Nature , and its Laws , the believing it must bring all things into doubt , and lead us to Atheism , So that by what hath been said , I hope I have so proved the Second Particular , that we may again conclude a miracle , whether contrary to Nature or above it , to be a meer absurdity , and that by a miracle nothing can be understood in Scripture , but a Work of Nature , which is indeed above Human Understanding , or at least believed to be so . Before I proceed to the Third Particular , I resolve to prove from Scripture ; that we cannot know God by Miracles : indeed the Scripture doth no where Litterally say so , but we may conclude it from the 13. Chap. of Deut. Where Moses commands the People to put any Prophet to death , who went about to seduce them : And tho' the Sign , and the Wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee , an yet thou shalt not hearken to the Words of the Prophet , for the Lord your God proveth you ; that Prophet shall be put to death . From whence it clearly follows , that miracles might be done by false Prophets , and unless men were fortifyed with the true Knowledge and Love of God ; they might be induced by miracles to worship false Gods , as well as the true : Moses adds , because the Lord your God proveth you to know , whether you love him with all your Heart , and with all your Soul. The Israelites notwithstanding all their miracles , had no right Notions of God , which appears by Experience ; for in the Absence of Moses , they called upon Aron to make them visible Gods , who to their Eternal shame , made them after so many Miracles done , a Calf to represent God. Asaph , who had heard of so many miracles , yet doubted of God's Providence ; and had he not at last understood what was true Happiness , he had gone out of the right Way , Psalm . 73. Solomon also in whose time the Iews were in their highest Prosperity , believed that all things happened by chance , Eccles. Chap. 3. v. 19 , 20 , 21. and chap. 9. v. 2 , 3. The very Prophets themselves , knew not how to reconcile the Course of Nature and Human Eevents , with the Notions they had of God's Providence ; but to Wisemen whose Knowledge is not built on miracles , but upon clear and distinct conceptions , the thing is very evident , especially to those who place true Happiness in Vertue and Tranquility of Mind ; and study more to submit to Nature , then to make Nature obedient to them ; knowing certainly , that God directeth Nature as its own Universal Laws , and not as the particular Laws of Human Nature require ; and that God hath a care not only of Mankind , but of the whole Frame of Nature in general ; and it appears by Scripture , that miracles cannot teach us to know God or his Providence , tho' we find in Scripture that God wrought miracles to be known to Men. Exod. Chap. 10. v. 2. The wonders which he did in Egypt , were to convince the Israelites , that there was a God ; yet it doth not follow , that the miracles themselves taught them to know God , but only that the Iews were prepossest with such Opinions , that they would easily be perswaded by those Signs : for as I have already shewed in the Second Chapter , that the conceptions , which the Prophets had by Revelation , were not drawn from Universal and common Notions ; but from concessions sometimes absurd , and from the Opinions of those , to whom the Revelations were made ; and from theirs , whom the Holy Spirit would convince , as we have proved by many Examples , and the Testimony of Paul , who was to the Iews a Iew , and with the Grecians a Greek . But tho' those Miracles were sufficient to convince the Israelites , and the Egyptians , from their own Principles , that there was a God , yet they were not able to give them a right understanding and Idea of God ; they understood nothing more by them , then that there was a Power greater , then all other known Beings , and that that Power took a particular care of the Iews , whose Affairs were at that time , so prosperous above all other Nations ; but did not teach them , that God hath an equal care of all Mankind , which we know only by Philosophy or true Wisdom ; and therefore the Iews , and all that knew nothing of God's Providence , but from the different State of Human Affairs , and from the disparity of men's Fortunes , perswaded themselves , that the Iews were better beloved by God , then all other Nations ; tho' they did not excel any other People in Human perfection , as we have already declared in our Third Chapter . We now proceed to the Third Particular , that is to prove by Scripture , that the Commands and Decrees of God , and consequently his Providence , are indeed nothing else , but the regular Course of Nature ( that is ) when the Scripture saith , any thing was done by God , or the Will of God , nothing more is to be understood , then that it was done according to the Order and Rules of Nature , and not as the Vulgar imagine , that Nature was idle and ceased from Action , or that the Order of Nature , was for sometime interrupted . The Scripture doth not give us the true Knowledge of things , which do not concern its Doctrine , because , as we have already declared , it needless , it meddles not with demonstrating things by their natural Causes , nor with things that are meerly Speculative ; and therefore to prove by consequence , what we intend ; we will quote some Scripture Histories , whose Relations are fullest of Circumstances . In the first Book of Sam. Chap. 9. v. 15 , 16. It is said , that God told Samuel in his Ear , that he would send Saul to him ; and yet God did not send him , as Men use to send Messenger ; one to another , but this mission of God , was nothing but the Order and Course of Nature ; for Saul sought his Father's lost Asses , and thinking he should not find them ; by Advice of his Father's Servant , he went to the Prophet Samuel , to know if he could tell him where they were ; nor doth it appear any where in the whole Relation , that Saul had any particular Command from God , beside this natural Course to go to Samuel . Psal. 105. v. 24. 'T is said , that God turned the Heart of the Egyptians to hate the Israelites : which turning was Natural ; as appears by the first Chap. of Exodus , where very good Reasons are given , for the Egyptians keeping the Israelites in subjection . In the 9 th . Chap. of Gen. v. 13. God saith to Noah , that he would set his Bow in the Cloud ; which Action of God was nothing , but the Reflection and Refraction of the Sun-Beams , in the minute drops of Rain Water . Psal. 147. v. 18. The natural Operation , and warmth of the Wind , by which , Frost and Snow are melted , is called the Word of God ; and v. 15. the Wind is called the Commandment of God , Psal. 104. v. 4. The Wind and the Fire are called the Messengers and Ministers of God , and many other like places in Scripture clearly shew , that the Decree , the Command , the Saying and Word of God , are nothing else but the Operation and Order of Nature ; and without doubt many things which are related in Scripture , and attributed to God , naturally come to pass ; because it was not the intent of Scripture , to give us an account of things by their natural Causes ; but only to relate those things which strongly possess the imagination , and in such manner and stile , as was most likely to cause admiration and fill Mens minds with Devotion . If then we find in Scripture some things , of whose natural causes we are ignorant , or that seem to have happen'd against the order of nature ; we are not presently to doubt , but believe , that what did really happen , came to pass by the course of nature ; which is confirm'd by the many Circumstances that accompany'd miracles , tho' the Circumstances were not particularly related , or were at least poetically related : I say the Circumstances clearly prove , that the miracles required , and had natural causes . When the Egyptians were to be smitten with the Plague of boiles , Moses was to cast up and sprinkle Ashes into the Air , Exod. chap. 9. v. 10. The Locusts also by Gods natural command , namely by an East Wind blowing a whole Day and Night , covered the Land of Egypt , and left it again with a strong West Wind , Exod chap. 10. v. 13. 19. By the command of God , was a way made through the Sea for the Iews , by an East Wind that blew a whole Night Exod. chap. 14. v. 21. when the Prophet Elisha was to raise the Child , thought to be dead , he several times stretched himself upon the Body , till he grew warm and opened his Eyes , in the 2 d. Book of Kings chap. 4. v. 34,35 . so also in the 9 th . chap . of St. Iohns Gospel , some Circumstances are mentioned which Christ used , when he Cured the blind Man ; many other things are related in Scripture , which all declare that miracles require somewhat more then the absolute command of God ; and therefore tho' all the Circumstances of miracles and their natural causes , be not always particularly exprest ; yet we ought to believe , that miracles were not wrought without them . Which appears by the 14 th chap. of Exod. v. 27. where it is said , that only upon the stretching out of Moses's hand , the Sea returned again to its full strength , without making mention of any Wind ; yet in the 15 chap. of Exod. called Moses's Song v. 10. it is said , thou didst blow with thy Wind ( that is a strong Wind ) and the Sea covered them . So that this Circumstance was omitted in the Story , to make the miracle appear the greater : but some will urge , that we find many things in Scripture , which cannot in appearance be explain'd by natural causes ; as that the sins of Men may be the cause of the Earths Barrenness , and Mens Prayers the cause of its Fertility ; that Faith may give sight to the Blind , with other things of the like kind , recorded in the Old and New Testament : but to this I have already given Answer , in shewing that the Scripture , doth not give us the knowledge of things by their next immediate causes , but only relates things in that order , and expresseth them in such Words and Phrases , as are most likely to stir Men up , especially the multitude to Devotion ; and for that reason speaks many times very improperly of God , and the things it treats of , not so much to convince our reason , as to affect and possess our minds , and our imaginations ; if the Scripture should relate the destruction of any Empire , in the same manner that Historians and Politicians use to do , it would not at all affect the Common People , but when the overthrow of a Kingdom is poetically described , and declared to be the immediate Work of God's own hand , how strangely are Men moved with it ? When the Scripture saith , that for the Sins of Men , the Earth is barren , or that blind Men are restored to sight by Faith ; it signifies no more then do those other Sayings , that God is angry or grieved with our Sins , that he repents of the good he hath done , or intended , and that God by seeing a Sign called to mind his promise , all which Expressions are spoken poetically , or according to the Opinions and Prejudices of the Writer ; so that we absolutely conclude , that all things which the Scripture relates to have happen'd , did happen as all things do , according to the Laws of Nature ; and if in Scripture there be any thing recorded which by plain and evident Demonstration , may be proved to be repugnant to the Laws of Nature , or impossible to follow from them ; we ought to believe it was inserted by Sacrilegious Men ; for whatever is against Nature , is against Reason , and whatever is against Reason , ought to be rejected as absurd . Nothing now remains , but only to say somewhat of interpreting Miracles , or rather to recollect what hath been already said , and illustrate it by some Example , which is the fourth Particular I promis'd to treat of . That no body by mistaking a Miracle , may think there is something in Scripture which is contrary to the Light of Nature . It seldom happens that Men relate any thing that comes to pass so nakedly and truly , but that to their Relations they add somewhat of their own conceits ; yea when they see or hear any thing , unless they beware of their own preconceived Opinions , they will be so far prepossest , that they will never rightly understand what they see or hear , especially if what hath happen'd be above the Capacity of the Spectator or Relator , and it be for his advantage that the thing should happen in that very manner : hence it is that Men in their Histories and Chronicles , rather vent their own Opinions , then make faithful Relations , and one and the same Matter of Fact , related by two Men of different Opinions , shall be so diversly represented , that it shall seem two different Cases : so that oft times it is not very difficult , by the very Histories to discover what were the Opinions of the Historians : to Evidence this , I might cite many Philosophers , who have Written Histories of Nature , as well as Chronologeis , but I will make use of only one mention'd in Scripture , and leave the Reader to judge of the rest . In the time of Ioshua , when the Iews believed that the Sun was carryed about the Earth by a Dyurnal Motion , and that the Earth did not move at all , they fitted the Miracle which happen'd when they fought against the five Kings , according to this their preconceiv'd Opinion , and did not say simply , that the day was longer then ordinary , but that the Sun and Moon stood still , or ceased from motion ; which at that time served as a very good Argument to convince the Heathen , who Worshipped the Sun , that their God the Sun , was under the Power of another Deity , who could at his pleasure make him change his Course ; and therefore partly out of Religion , and partly from the Opinion wherewith they were prepossest , they apprehended and related the thing much otherwise then indeed it was ; therefore to explain Miracles and to understand by their relations , how things did truly and really happen , it is necessary to know the Opinions of those , who first reported the Miracles , or left them in Writing , and to distinguish their Opinions , from that which was represented to them by their Sences , else we may confound their Judgments and Opinions , with the Miracle it self : It is likewise necessary to know their Opinions , that we may not confound the things which really happen'd , with the things which were only imaginary , and but Prophetical Revelations ; for many things in Scripture are related and believed as things real , which were but representations and meer imaginations ; as that God the first and highest of all Beings , descended from Heaven , Exod. chap. 19. v. 18. Deut. chap. 5. v. 23. upon Mount Sinai , and that the Mountain smoaked because God came down upon it in the midst of Fire : we are likewise told of Eliahs going to Heaven in a Fiery Chariot , with Horses of Fire ; all which were but representations suted to the Opinions of them , who delivered to us those things for realities ; when in truth they were but meer representations ; whoever is but little wiser then the Multitude , knows that God hath neither Right or Left Hand , that he neither resteth nor moveth , that he is comprehensively in no place , but is infinite , and in him are contain'd all perfections . These things I say are known to Men , who judge of things by the perceptions of a pure understanding and not as their Fancy is affected by their outward Sences ; as is usual with the Vulgar , who believe God to be Corporeal , and imagining he Exerciseth Kingly Dominion , fancy his Throne to be in Heaven above the Stars , at no great distance from the Earth ; to which and the like Opinions many Cases in Scripture are Accommodated ; but yet ought not to be thought real by Wise Men. Truly to understand how Miracles happen'd , it concerns us to know the Phrases and Figures of the Hebrew Language ; for he that is not well acquainted with them , will take many things in Scripture for Miracles , which were never thought so by the Penmen of it ; so that he will not only be mistaken in the Things and Miracles that happen'd , but will be likewise ignorant what was the meaning of those by whom the Scripture was Originally Written ( for Example . ) The Prophet Zachary chap. 14. v. 7. speaking of a future War saith , but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord , nor Day nor Night , but it shall come to pass that at the Evening time , it shall be Light , in which words he seems to predict a great Miracle ; but they signify no more , then that a doubtful Battle should be fought , whereof the Success should be known only to God , but towards Evening the Iews should be Victorious . In the like Phrases and Expressions , the Prophets were wont to foretel and write the Victories and overthrows of the Nations , Isaiah . chap. 13. v. 10. declareth the destruction of Babylon in these words , the Stars of Heaven and the Constellations thereof shall not give their Light , the Sun shall be darkned in his going forth , and the Moon shall not cause her Light to shine , which no body believes did happen in the destruction of that Empire , nor that which the Prophet adds . v. 13. therefore will I shake the Heavens and the Earth shall remove out of her place . In like manner , Isaiah chap. 48. v. 21. they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts , he caused the Waters to flow out of the Rock , for them he clave the Rock also and the Waters gushed out ; by which words nothing more is meant , then that the Iews found Fountains in the deserts , by which they quenched their thirst ; for no such Miracles happen'd when by the consent of Cyrus they returned to Ierusalem , many expressions of like Nature , occur in the Scripture , and are only fashions of speaking amongst the Iewish Nation ; I need instance in no more , but let it be observed , that the Iews made use of such Phrases , not only for Ornament to their Language , but also to express their Devotion ; and therefore attributed all things to God ; so that the Scripture seems to relate nothing but Miracles , even when it speaks of things meerly natural . We are therefore to believe , that when the Scripture saith God hardened the Heart of Pharaoh , nothing more was signified , then that Pharoah was very obstinate and disobedient ; and when it is said , God opened the Windows of Heaven , nothing more is to be understood , then that there fell abundance of Rain : whoever then will but consider , that many things in Scripture are related very briefly , imperfectly , and without Circumstances , shall find nothing repugnant to natural Reason , but many things which seem very obscure , may with a little Meditation be explain'd and easily understood : so that I think I have sufficiently proved , what I intended : but before I put an end to this Chapter , I have thought fit to intimate , that in speaking of Miracles , I have taken a course different from that I made use of in treating of Prophesy ; for I declared nothing positively concerning Prophesy , but what I could conclude from fundamental Princiciples revealed in the Scripture ; but what I have said concerning Miracles , I have drawn from Principles known by the Light of Nature , which I did designedly , because I could not know wherein Prophesy consisted , nor could I aver any thing of it ( it being a meer Theological question exceeding human Capacity ) but what I could derive from revealed Principles ; so that I was forced to make a short Historical Collection of Prophesy , and from thence to form some Maxims which might instruct me , as far as 't was possible , in its Nature and Properties : but because that which we inquire concerning Miracles , namely , whether any thing in Nature can happen which is either contrary to its Laws , or doth not follow from them , is a Philosophical Subject , I thought it much better to clear the Question , by making use of Principles known by the Light of Nature , as those that are most obvious . I say I did it purposely , because I can also prove it from fundamental Principles of Scripture , which declareth that the course and order of nature in general , is constant and immutable , Ps. 148. v. 6 . he also establisht them for ever and ever , he hath made a decree which shall not pass , and Ierem. chap. 31. v. 35 , 36. thus saith the Lord who giveth the Sun for a Light by Day , and the Ordinances of the Moon and the Stars for a Light by Night , which divideth the Sea when the Waves thereof roar ; if these Ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord , then the Seed of Israel shall cease also from being a Nation before me for ever : the Philosopher in his Book of Ecclesiastes chap. 1. v. 10. saith , is there any thing whereof it may be said , see this is new , it hath been already of old time , which was before us , v. 11. he saith , there is no remembrance of former things , neither shall there be any remembrance of things to come with those that come after : by which words he means , that nothing happens which hath not happen'd before , tho' it be forgotten ; in the 3 d Chapter v. 11. he saith that God hath made every thing beautiful in its time , and v. 14. he saith whatever God doth , it shall be for ever , nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it , v. 15. that which hath been is now , and that which is to be , hath already been , which clearly declares , that Nature keeps a constant fixed and unchangeable course , that God in all Ages known and unknown , it still the same , that the Laws of Nature are so large and perfect , nothing can be added to , or taken from them , and lastly that there is nothing new in Miracles , but what seems so to Mans ignorance , these things are expresly declared in Scripture , but 't is no where said , that any thing happens in Nature , either contrary to its Laws , or not proceeding from them ; so that Miracles require Causes and Circumstances , and are not immediately wrought by I know not what Kingly and absolute Empire , which the Vulgar attribute to God ; but by his divine Power and Decree , manifested in the Laws and Order of Nature , and that Miracles may be wrought by seducing Impostures ; as appears , Deut. chap. 13. and Matth. chap. 24. v. 24. from whence it manifestly follows , that Miracles were things natural , and therefore ( to use Solomons expression ) are not to be thought new or contrary to Nature , but have as neer an Alliance as is possible , to natural things , which may be easily made out by the Rules I have laid down , drawn from the Scripture : but tho' I say we are taught these things by Scripture , yet I do not mean , that the Scripture delivers them to us as Doctrines necessary to Salvation , but only that the Prophets received them as we do , and therefore 't is left to every Mans Liberty , to have such an Opinion of them , as is most likely to incline him most religiously and heartily to serve God , and of this mind was Iosephus , for he concludes his Second Book of Antiquities with these words ; Neither ought any Man to marvel , at this so wonderful discourse , that thorow the Red Sea a passage should be found , to save so many Persons in times past , and they rude and simple ; whether it were done by the Will of God , or that it chanced of it self ; since not long time ago God so thinking it good , the Sea of Pamphilia divided it self , to give way to Alexander King of Macedons Souldiers , having no other passage , to destroy the Empire of the Persians , and this all acknowledge , who have Written the Acts of Alexander , and therefore of these things let every one think as he pleaseth . Chap. VII . Of the Interpretation of Scripture . MOst Men acknowledge the Holy Scripture to be the Word of God , which teacheth Mankind the way to true Happiness and Salvation ; but this Opinion hath so little influence upon Mens Lives , that the common People take no care , to regulate theirs according to the Doctrines of Scripture ; and every Man believing himself divinely inspired , would under pretence of Religion , compel all others to be of his Opinion . We often see those whom we call Divines , very solicitous to father their own Fancies upon Scripture , and the Divine Authority thereof , making no scruple with great boldness to interpret it , and tell us what is the mind of the Holy Ghost . When they meet with any difficulties , they do not so much fear mistaking the Holy Spirits meaning , and the right way to Salvation ; as to be found guilty of Error , and by loosing their Authority to fall into contempt ; but if Men did heartily believe that which they profess concerning the Scriptures , they would lead other kind of Lives , there would not be half so much contention and hatred in the World as now there is ; nor would Men with so much Blind Zeal and boldness , venture upon expounding Scripture , and introduce so many novelties into Religion ; but on the contrary , would be very cautious of maintaining any thing for Scripture Doctrine , which is not manifestly contained in it , and the Men who have not been affraid to adulterate Scripture in so many places , would never have commited such impious Sacriledge . But ambition and wickedness have so far prevailed , that Religion doth now consist , not so much in obeying the dictates of the Holy Spirit , as in defending Mens own fantastical opinions ; Charity is now no part of Religion , but discord and implacable hatred pass under the masque of Godly Zeal . To these evils superstition hath joyned it self , teaching Men to despise reason and nature , and to admire and reverence that only which is repugnant to both ; 't is no wonder that Men to be thought the greater admirers of Scripture , should Study so to expound it , that it may seem contradictory both to nature and reason , and therefore dream of profound misteries hidden in it , which misteries ( that is their own obsurdities ) they labour and weary themselves to find out ; and neglecting things which are of most use , ascribe to the Holy Spirit , all the Dotages of their own imagination , and with much heat and passion , endeavor to defend their own idle conceits . Whatever is the result of Mens understanding , that Men endeavor to maintain by clear and pure reason , but all opinions derived from their passions and affections , must be defended by them to avoid these troubles , and to free our minds from all Theological prejudices , that we may not rashly receive the Foolish inventions of Men , for the Doctrins of God ; I will now treat of a right method of interpreting Scripture , of which method whoever is ignorant , he can never certainly know the true Sense and meaning , either of the Scripture or the Holy Ghost . I say in few Words , that the method of interpreting Scripture , doth not differ from the method of interpreting nature ; for as the method of explaining nature , cheifly consists in framing a History thereof , from whence , as from undeniable concessions , shall follow the definitions of natural things ; so likewise to expound Scripture , it is absolutely necessary to compose a true History thereof , that thence , as from sure Principles , we may by rational consequences collect the meaning of those who were Authors of the Scripture , that every one ( who admits of no other Principles or concessions in expounding Scripture , or in reasoning of the things therein contain'd , but such as are fetcht from the Scripture it self , or the History of it ) may proceed without danger of Erring , and be able to discourse and reason as securely of things which exceed human capacity , as of any thing we know by natural light . Now that it may evidently appear , that this is the only sure way , and agrees with the method of explaining nature , we are to observe , that the Scripture very often treats of things , that cannot be deduced from Principles known to us by natural light ; because Revelations make up the greatest part of Scripture History , which Principaly contains Miracles ; that is ( as we have already shew'd in the foregoing Chapter ) narrations of things not common or usual in nature , suted and fitted to the judgment and opinions of the Historians that wrote them : Revelations also as we have shew'd in the Second Chapter , were accomodated to the opinions of the Prophets , and exceed human capacity , wherefore the knowledge of all these things ( that is ) of almost every thing contained in Scripture , ought to be derived only from Scripture , as the knowledge of natural things ought to be from nature : as for moral Doctrins contained in the Bible , tho' they may be demonstrated from common and general Notions , yet it doth not appear by those Notions , that the Scripture teacheth those Doctrins ; nothing but the Scripture it self makes out that , and to give a clear demonstration of the Scripture's Divinity , we must from the Scripture it self , prove the Truth of the Moral Doctrins which it teacheth , because in that Truth only , the Divine Authority of Scripture appears ; for as we have already shewn , the certainty of the Prophets , consisted in their being just and vertuous , which to make us believe them , ought likewise appear to us . We have already shewn that Miracles cannot prove the Divine Nature of God , and that they might be wrought by false Prophets , the Divine Authority of Scripture appears then , in its teaching us what is true and real Vertue , and that can be proved only by Scripture it self , if not , we could not without a great deal of prejudice believe the Scriptures , and think them to be of divine inspiration : the Scripture indeed , doth not give us any definition of the things whereof it treats , so neither doth Nature ; and therefore as from several Actions of Nature , we make definitions of natural things ; in the same manner , from several narrations of all things contained in Scripture , are conclusions to be drawn . The general rule then of interpreting Scripture is , that we conclude nothing to be Doctrine , which doth not manifestly and clearly appear , from the History of Scripture ; what kind of History it ought to be , and what are the Principal things it ought to contain , comes now to be declared . First , it ought to contain the Nature and Proprieties of that Language in which the Books of Scripture were Originally Written , and which the Authors of those Books were wont to speak ; that so all the Senses which every Speech , according to the ordinary use of speaking will bear and admit , may be found out ; and because the Pen-Men both of the Old and New Testament were Iews , the knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue , is above all things necessary , to understand not only the Books of the Old Testament , which were Written in Hebrew , but also of the new ; for tho' some of the Books of the New Testament , were Published in other Languages , yet they are full of Hebrewisms . Secondly , The Sentences of every Book , ought to be Collected and reduced to Heads ; that so all that concern one and the same Subject , may be easily found , and all those which seem doubtful and obscure , or repugnant to one another , ought to be noted : I call those Speeches clear or obscure , whose Sense is easily or difficultly made out by the context , and not in respect of the Truth of those Speeches , easily or difficultly perceived by reason ; for only the Sense of what the Scripture saith , and not the verity is our business ; we are therefore to take special heed , that in searching out the Sense of Scripture , we do not suffer our reason , as it is founded upon the Principles of natural knowledge , to be prepossest with prejudice ; and likewise that we do not confound the true Sense of the words , with the verity of the matter ; for the true Sense is to be found out , only by the use of the Language , or by such a way of reasoning , as is grounded only upon Scripture . That all these things may be perfectly understood . Take this example for illustration ; These sayings of Moses God is Fire , and God is jealous how plain and clear are they , so long as we regard only the signification of the words , but in respect of reason and truth , how dark and obscure , yea tho' the litteral Sense of the words be contrary to natural reason , yet unless it contradict any fundamental Principles derived from Scripture , their litteral Sense is still to be retained , so on the contrary , if these sayings in their litteral construction , should be found repugnant to Principles deduced from Scripture , tho' they should be most agreeable to reason , yet they ought to be Metaphorically not litteraly understood . To know then whether Moses did , or did not believe God to be Fire , we ought not to conclude the one or the other , because the Opinion is either contrary or consonant to reason , but it must be gathered from some other of Moses own sayings ( for example ) because Moses in very many places hath plainly declared , that God is not like any visible thing , either in Heaven , Earth , or the Waters , we must conclude that either this saying , God is Fire , or else all his other sayings are to be Metaphorically interpreted , but because we ought as seldom as 't is possible , to depart from the litteral Sense , we must therefore inquire whether this saying God is Fire will admit of any other Sense beside the litteral , ( that is ) whether the word Fire signify any other thing beside natural Fire , and if in the Hebrew Tongue , it can never be found to signify any thing else , then this saying of Moses is no other way to be interpreted , tho' it be repugnant to reason : but on the other side all those other sayings of Moses , tho' consentaneous to reason , are to be conformable and accomodate to this ; but if the common use of the Language will not suffer this to be done , then those several sayings are Irreconcileable , and we are to suspend our judgment of them . But now because the Word Fire , is also taken for anger and jealousy , Iob. chap. 31. v. 12. these sayings of Moses are easily reconcileable , and we may lawfully conclude , that these two Sentences God is Fire , and God is jealous signify both the same thing . Moreover , because Moses plainly saith , God is jealous , and doth no where declare that God is free from all manner of passion and affections of the mind , we may conclude that Moses did think , or at least taught other Men to think , God was jealous , tho' we believe the opinion contrary to reason : for as we have already shewn , it is not lawful for us , to wrest the Sense and meaning of Scripture , according to the dictates of our reason or preconceived Opinions , because all our knowledge both of the Old and New Testament , must be derived only from themselves . Thirdly , This History of Scripture , ought to give such an account of the Books of the Prophets remaining with us , as may inform us , of the Lives , Manners and Studies of the Authors of every Book ; who the Person was , upon what occasion he wrote , in what time , to whom ; and in what Language , and Lastly , it ought to tell us , what was the Fortune of every Book , how it was first received , into whose hands it fell , how many various readings it had , how it came to be received for sacred and Canonical . And Lastly , how all the several Books came together into one Volume ; I say all these things this History of Scripture ought to contain . To know what Sentences of Scripture are to be taken for Laws and precepts , and what only for moral Doctrins , it is very expedient to know the Life , Manners , and Study of the Author ; beside we can with more ease know , the meaning of any Mans Words , when we know his genius , disposition and ingenuity . Moreover , that we may not confound Doctrins whose morality and Obligation is perpetual , with those that were but temporary , and of use only to some particular People ; it behoveth us to know , upon what occasion , at what time , to what Nation , in what Age , all these instructions were Written . Lastly , it is fit we should know , beside the Authority of every Book , whether the Books have been adulterated , or at least whether any Errors have crept into them , and whether they have been corrected by Learned and Faithful Men , all which things are absolutely necessary to be known , that we may not with Blind Zeal receive every thing obtruded upon us , but believe that only , which is certain , plain , and past all doubt . After we have such a History of Scripture , and have firmly resolved to conclude nothing to be the Doctrine of the Prophets , which doth not naturally follow , or may be clearly drawn from this History ; then it will be time to prepare our selves , to search out the meaning of the Prophets , and of the Holy Ghost ; which to do , the like method and order is required , that is to be used in interpreting nature by its own History ; for as in searching out natural things , we first endeavour to inquire concerning that which is Universal , and common to all nature , as Motion and Rest ; and the Laws and Rules of both , which nature always observes , and by which it continually Acts , and from these we afterwards by degrees proceed to other things less general ; so likewise from this History of Scripture , we are first to inquire after that which is most general , and is the Basis and Foundation of all Scripture , and is commended by all the Prophets , for the most profitable and perpetual Doctrine to Mankind ( for example ) that there is only one omnipotent God , who only is to be worshipt , who provideth for all , and loveth those best , who serve him and love their Neighbours as themselves , is a Doctrine every where so express and plain in Scripture , that no Body ever doubted the Sense and meaning thereof ; but what God is , why and in what manner he beholdeth and provideth for all things , the Scripture doth no where expresly and positively declare , nor teach it as an eternal Doctrine , but on the contrary , the Prophets as we have already shewn , did not agree amongst themselves concerning these things , and therefore in matters of like nature , we are not posi●ively to determin what is the Doctrine and meaning of the Holy Spirit , tho' it may be very well made out by natural knowledge . This general Doctrine of the Scripture , being rightly known , we are then to pass on to things less Universal , which concern the common use of Life , and which are derived like rivulets from this general Doctrine . Such are all the particular external Actions of real Vertue , which cannot be Practiced but as occasion is offer'd , and whatsoever in Scripture relating to them seems doubtful or obscure , must be explain'd and determin'd by the Universal Doctrine ; and for those things which seem contradictory one to another , we are to examin . Upon what occasion , at what time , and to whom they were written ( for example ) when Christ said , Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted . We know not who are the Mourners meant in this Text ; but because Christ afterwards , bids us take no thought for any thing , but seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof , which he commends to us as our cheifest good , Math. chap. 6. v. 33. therefore it follows , that the Mourners meant by Christ , must be those who lamented to see the Kingdom of God and its righteousness , so much neglected by Men ; for which no others could Mourn , but those whose affections were Heavenly , and contemned all things here below . So also when Christ said Math. chap. 5. v. 39. Whatsoever shall smite thee on the right Cheek , turn to him the other also , if he had spoken this as a Law-giver , by this command he had abrogated the Law of Moses , which he declareth in the 17 th verse , he came not to destroy , but fulfil : We are therefore to inquire , who said this , to whom , and when he said it . First , it was Christ that said it , not as a Law-giver who ordained Laws ; but as a teacher , who gave moral instructions , not so much to reprove their deeds , as to correct their thoughts : next he spoke it to Men opprest , who lived in a Common-wealth extreamly corrupted , where justice was neglected , and whose ruine and destruction was near at hand : this Doctrin of Christ , was likewise Preached by the Prophet Ieremy , before the first destruction of the City of Jerusalem , Lament . Chap. 3. v. 30. He giveth his Cheek to him that smiteth him . Wherefore seeing the Prophets did not teach this Doctrine , but in the time of oppression , nor was any where commanded by them as a Law ; and on the contrary Moses ( who did not write in times of oppression , but took care to establish a good Common-wealth ) tho' he condemned revenge , and the hating of our Neighbour , yet he commanded , that an Eye should be given for an Eye : hence it appears by the fundamental Principles of Scripture , that this Doctrine of Christ and Jeremy , for suffering Injuries and submitting to Wicked Men , ought to be practised only in times of oppression , and in Places where Justice is not so easily to be had ; but not in a good Common-Wealth , because in good Governments , where Justice is maintain'd , every Man is obliged if he will be Just , to require Satisfaction for Injuries before a Judge , Levit. Chap. 5. v. 1. Not upon the score of Hatred and Revenge , which are forbidden , Levit. Chap. 19. v. 17 , 18. But to preserve and maintain the Justice and Laws of a Man's Country , and that wicked Men may not get advantage , and thrive by their wickedness , all which is agreeable to Natural Reason : to this purpose , I could bring many more Examples , but these are sufficient to explain my meaning , and shew the usefulness of that method , which is the Subject of my present Discourse . But hitherto I have only shewn , the Way to find out the Sense of those Scripture Sentences , which concern the Use of Life ; and are therefore more easily understood ; because among the Penmen of the Bible , there never was any controversy about them ; but other passages in Scripture which concern Matters meerly Speculative , are not so plain and obvious , because the Way to them is very narrow ; for tho' in things meerly Speculative , the Prophets as we have already shewn , differ'd amongst themselves , and the narrations of things , were suited to the prejudice of every Age , yet it is not at all Lawful for us to determine , what was the meaning of one Prophet , by the clear Places of another ; unless it be evident to us , that they were both of one Opinion : how then the meaning of the Prophets , in such Cases is to be known by the History of Scripture , I will in few words declare ; we must in the first Place , begin with what is most general , and from those Sentences of Scripture , which are most plain and clear , inquire what is Prophesy or Revelation , and in what it chiefly consists . Next we ought to inquire , what a Miracle is , and after that of things usual and common ; this being done , we ought to consider the Opinions of every Prophet , and from them guess at the meaning of every Prophesy , History and Miracle : but what caution we are to use , that in these things we do not confound the Sense of the Prophets and Historians , with the meaning of the Holy Spirit , and the Truth of the Matter , I have already shewn in their proper Places . But this is to be noted concerning the meaning of Revelations , that this my method teacheth us , to find out only those things , which the Prophets heard or saw , and not what they signified and represented to us by Figures an Hierogliphicks ; of these things we can only make Conjectures , but cannot certainly derive them from the fundamental Principles of Scripture . Now though I have shewn the manner of interpreting Scripture , and proved it to be the sure way of finding out the Sense thereof ; yet indeed I confess those Men may have a more certain Knowledge of the true meaning of it ( if any such Men there be ) who have received a Traditional Explication thereof , made by the Prophets themselves ( which the Pharisees affirm they have ) or such as have a high Priest , who cannot err in expounding Scripture , and that the Roman Catholics boast of their Popes : but seeing we cannot be sure of such a Tradition , or the Authority of such a Priest or Pope , we cannot build upon either , because the Primitive Christians deny the one , and the most Antient Sects of the Iews the other . And if we consider the Series and Succession of Years , which the Pharisees received from their Rabbies , by which they carry their Tradition as high as Moses himself , we shall find it false , as I have proved in another place : such a Tradition therefore , ought to be much suspected , and tho' in our method , we are forced to suppose some kind of Iewish Tradition to be sincere and uncorrupt , namely , the Signification of words in the Hebrew Tongue , which we have received from the Iews , yet we need not much doubt this , tho' we very well may the other ; for it can be of no Advantage or Use to any Man , to change the Signification of any Word , tho' it often may be , to alter the Sense of a Speech . It is also very difficult to be done , for he that should endeavor to change the Sense of any Word , must necessarily construe all those Authors , who have written in that Tongue , and used that Word in its common acceptation , according to the Genuine Sense of every Author ; or else must falsify them with a great deal of Caution . The ignorant multitude as well as Learned Men , are the keepers of a Language , but the Learned only preserve the Sense of Speeches and Books , and consequently , tho' Learned men may change or corrupt the Sense of some scarce Book ; yet they cannot the Signification of Words : beside if any man had a mind to alter the Signification of a Word , to which he is accustomed , he cannot without a great deal of difficulty do it , either in speaking or writing . For these and other Reasons I am perswaded , it never yet came into any man's head to corrupt a Language , tho' many have perverted the Sense of a writer , either by changing or misinterpreting his sayings . If our method ( which layeth this for a ground , that the knowledge of Scripture , is to be drawn only from the Scripture ) be plain and true ; then where it is not able to give us the true Sense and Knowledge of Scripture , we may well despair of it : what difficulty there is of arriving by this method to the true Meaning and Knowledge of the Sacred Volumes , or what is further to be desired in it , I will now declare . The chiefest difficulty in this method is , that is requireth a perfect Knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue , but how is that to be had ? the Antient and most skilful Masters in the Hebrew Language , have left little to posterity of the Elements and Learning of it ; we have from them neither Dictionary , Grammar , or Rhetoric . The Iewish Nation hath lost all its Ornaments and Beauty ( which is no wonder having suffer'd so many Calamities and Persecutions ) and retains nothing but a few Fragments of their Language , and of a few Books , for all the names of Fruits Birds , Fishes , and many other things , by the Injury of time are lost . So that the Signification of many Names and Words , in the Old and New Testament , is unknown or very disputable . Seeing then all these things , and likewise a Dictionary of the Hebrew Phrases , and manners of speaking in the Hebrew Language , are very necessary to be had , because all the Forms of Speech peculiar to the Iewish Nation are forgotten and lost ; we cannot as we would find out all the Senses of every Sentence in Scripture , which according to the customary use of the Language it comprehends , and there are many Sayings in Scripture , tho' exprest in known words , whose Sense nevertheless is obscure and inscrutable , and as we have no perfect History of the Hebrew Tongue , so the Nature and Constitution of the Language is such , and so many Ambiguities spring from it ; that 't is impossible to frame such a method , as shall direct a Man to find out the true Sense of all that is said in Scripture : for beside the Causes of Doubt common to all other Languages , there are some others in this , from whence proceed many uncertainties , which causes here to specify , I think worth a Man's pains . First , Obscurity and ambiguity in Scripture , is caused sometimes by using the Letters of the same Organ one for another . The Iews divided all , the Letters of their Alphabet into five Classes or Forms , because there are five particular Parts or Instruments of the Mouth used in pronunciation : the Lips , the Tongue , the Teeth , the Palate , and the Throat ; for Example Alpha , Ghet , Hgain , He , are called Guttural Letters , and are without any difference known to us , taken one for another . El which signifies To , is often taken for Hgal , which signifies upon , and so interchangebly ; whence it cometh to pass , that all the Parts of a Speech are rendred doubtful , or are like words which have no Signification . The Second cause of ambiguity , is the divers and manifold Signification of conjunctions and Adverbs ; for example , Vau promiscuously serves to joyn and disjoyn , signifying And , but , because , indeed , otherwise , then , Ki hath seven or eight Significations , because , although , if , when , even , as , that , burning , and so almost all Particles . The Third cause of many Ambiguities is , because Verbs in the Indicative Mood , want the Present , the Preterimperfect , the Preterpluperfect and the Future tense , and others much used in other Languages . In the Imparative and Infinitive Mood , they want all the Tenses except the Present , and in the Subjunctive have none at all ; and tho' all these defects of Moods and Tenses , may with great Elegancy be supplyed , by Rules and Principles deduced from the Language ; yet they have been wholly neglected by the Antient Writers , who promiscuously used the Present and Preterperfect tenses for the Future ; and sometimes the Indicative Mood for the Imperative and Subjunctive ; which caused great Ambiguity in their Writings : beside these three great Causes of uncertainty in the Hebrew Language , there remain two other very observable , and both of very great moment . The first is , that the Iews made no use those Letters we call Vowels . The Second , that they never used in their Writings to distinguish their Words , or express their quantity , by any Marks or Signs ; and tho' both Vowels and Marks use to be supplyed by Points and Accents , yet we cannot trust to them , seeing they were invented , and brought into use by modern Men ; whose Authority is of no great Value . The Antients wrote without Points , that is without Vowels or Accents , as appears by many Testimonies , but some of later times brought in both , to interpret the Bible as they thought fit ; so that the Points and Accents , which we now have , are only Expositions of Men of the present Age , whom we ought not to reverence and believe above other Expositors : they that are Ignorant of this , know not the Reason , why the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews is to be excused , that in the 21 th . Verse of the 11 th . Chap. of that Epistle , he explains the Text in the 31 th . Verse of the 47 th . Chap. of Genesis quite otherwise , then it is in the pointed Hebrew Text ; as if the Apostle had been to learn the Sense of Scripture from the Punctists , in my Opinion the Punctists are mistaken ; that it may appear they are , and that the difference of the two interpretations , ariseth from the want of Vowels , I will give you both : The Punctists by their Points render the Text in Genesis thus , and Israel bowed himself Vppon ( or by changing hgain into Aleph , a Letter of the same Organ ) towards the Beds Head ; but the Author of the Epistle saith , Israel bowed himself leaning Vppon the top of his Staff , by reading Mateh , instead of the Word Mitah , which difference cometh only from the Vowels . Now seeing the forecited Chapter of Genesis , speaketh only of Iacob's Age , and not of his Sickness as doth the following Chapter , it is much more probable the Historian meant , that Iacob leaned Vppon the top of his Staff ( wherewith Men of very great Age use to support themselves ) and not that he did bow himself uppon or towards his Beds Head ; because in so rendring the Text , there is no need to suppose any interchange of Letters . By this Example , I have not only reconciled that Place in the Epistle to the Hebrews , with the Text in Genesis , but have also shewn how little credit is to be given to our new Points and Accents ; so that he who will interpret Scripture without prejudice , must with a great deal of doubting narrowly examin them . To return to our purpose , every one may easily conjecture , that from such a Nature and Constitution of the Hebrew Tongue , must proceed so many Ambiguities , that 't is impossible for any method to resolve them all ; and there is little hope it can be done , by the mutual comparing of one saying with another ( which we have declared to be a singular way of finding out the true , of many Senses , which every Sentence according to the common use of the Language , will bear and admit . ) Seeing this comparing of Places , cannot explain one another but by meer chance ; because no Prophet wrote with express Intention , to explain the Words of another Prophet or his own ; and also because we cannot know one Prophet's or Apostle's meaning by anothers , unless it be in things that concern the use of Life ; but not when they speak of things Speculative , and when they relate Miracles or Histories : moreover , I can give you many Instances of Speeches in Scripture , that are inexplicable , but at present I pass them by , and proceed to observe , what other difficulties yet remain , in this method of interpreting Scripture , and what is further to be wisht for in it . Another difficulty attends this method , because we have not such a History of all the Books of Scripture as is necessary ; for we know not the Authors , or rather the Pen-men of many of the Books ; at least we doubt of them , as I shall at large shew in the following Chapter ; neither do we know , upon what Occasion , or when those Books of whose Pen-men we doubt , were written , we are ignorant into what Hands all the Books fell , nor know we in whose Copies so many various Readings are found , and whether there be not some , which have more various Readings : what advantage it is to know all these things , I have briefly declared in its proper place ; but I have there purposely omitted some things , which come now to be considered , if we read any Book , that contains things incredible , unintelligible , or written in very obscure Terms , and know not who was its Author , or at what time or upon what occasion it was written ; in vain do we labour to find out the true Sense thereof , for none of these things being known , 't is impossible to understand , what the Author did or could mean : but when we are once satisfyed in these things , our Thoughts demine without prejudice , and give to the Author , or to him in whose Favour the Author writ , neither more or less then is his due ; nor do we think of any other things , then were or might be in the Author's mind , and such as the time and occasion requir'd : and this is apparent , for it often happens , when in divers Books , we read stories one like another , we pass different Judgments on them , according to the different Opinions we have of the Writers . I remember I have read in a certain Book , of a Man called Orlando furioso , who rid upon a winged Monster through the Air , into what Countries he pleas'd , and slew a great Number of Men and Giants , with abundance of other Fancies beyond all Reason and Sense . A story like this I have read in Ovid of Perseus , and another in the Book of Iudges and Kings of Sampson , who single and unarmed slew Thousands of Men , and of Eliah who with a Chariot and Horses of Fire , mounted up to Heaven ; these stories I say are like one another , yet we make different judgments of every one of them . The first Author wrote nothing but Fables , the Second matters Political , and the Third Sacred , and this for no other reason , but the different opinions we have of the writers . It is therefore evident , that the knowledge of those Authors , who have written things obscure and very difficult to be understood , is absolutely necessary to interpret their writings , and among several readings of obscure Histories , that we may chuse the true , 't is necessary to know in whose Copies those diverse readings are found , and whether many other readings have not been met with , amongst Men of greater Authority . Lastly , we meet with another difficulty in expounding some Books of Scripture , by not having those Books in the same Language wherein they were first written ; for 't is the common opinion , that the Gospel according to St. Mathew , and the Epistle to the Hebrews , were written in the Hebrew Tongue , which Copies are no where extant . In what Language the Book of Iob was written is a doubt , Abenezra in his Commentaries , affirms it was Translated out of some other Language into Hebrew , which is the cause of its obscurity : Of the Apocryphal Books I say nothing , because they are of little or no Authority . These are all the difficulties in this method of interpreting Scripture by such a History as might be had of it , of which I promised to give an account , and I think them so great , that I may boldly say , we cannot know the true sense of Scripture in many places , or at most , we can without any certainty but guess at it ; however this is to be observed , that all those difficulties can only hinder us , from knowing the mind of the Prophets in things imperceptible , which we can only imagin , but not in things intelligible , of which we may form clear conceptions : for things which in their own nature are easily conceived , can never be spoken so obscurely , but that they may be quickly understood , according to that usual saying a Word to the Wise. Euclyd who writ of nothing but what is very plain and obvious , is easily understood by every Body in any Language , and therefore to be sure of his Sense and meaning , there is no need of a perfect , but only a superficial knowledge of the Tongue wherein he wrote , nor of knowing his Life , Study , Manners , in what Language , when , or to whom he wrote , neither knowing the Fate of his Book , its various readings , or how it came to be generally received ; what I say of Euclyd , may be said of all Men , who have written of things in their own nature easy to be understood ; so that we conclude , the meaning of the Scripture , and the true Sense thereof , concerning moral Doctrins , may be easily attained , by such a History as might be composed of it : For all Lessons of true Piety , are given us in words of common and frequent use , and are therefore plain and easy to be understood ; and because our happiness and the peace of our Lives , consists in Tranquillity of Mind , which we find only in things which we clearly understand ; it evidently follows , that we may certainly find out the meaning of Scripture , in things necessary to happiness and Salvation ; and therefore we need not be so Sollicitous about other matters , which when they seem so difficult to our reason and understanding , have more curiosity in them then profit . I have now shewn what is the true method of explaining Scripture , and sully declared my opinion concerning it , I doubt not but every one sees , this method requires nothing more then natural reason , whose Nature and Vertue cheifly consists in deducing by right consequences , things obscure from known and indisputable concessions ; and tho' we grant , that this natural light is not sufficient to find out all things in Scripture , it is not from any defect in this natural light , but because the right way which it shews us , was never observed and troden by Men : So that in tract of time , it is become painful , and almost impossible to pass , as in my opinion manifestly appears by the difficulties I have mentioned . It now remains that I examin those Mens opinions , who are not of mine : the first to be considered is theirs , who positively affirm , that natural light is not sufficient to interpret Scripture , and that only Supernatural light can do it ; but what they mean by Supernatural light , I leave them to explain : I suppose they do but in obscure terms confess , that they are very doubtful of the true Sense of Scripture , for if we diligently consider their expositions , we shall find they contain nothing Supernatural ; yea they will appear to be meer conjectures , if they be compared with their explanations , who pretend to nothing more then what is natural ; they will be found like them to be human , long Studied and Elaborate . In maintaining that natural light is not able to explain Scripture they are mistaken , what we have said makes it clear , that the difficulty of expounding Scripture doth not arise from any defect of strength in natural light ; but only from Mens sloth ( I will not say malice ) who have neglected to Compose such a History of Scripture , as might have been framed of it ; and also because all Men ( if I be not deceived ) confess , that Supernatural light is a divine gift bestowed only upon believers ; but the Prophets and Apostles Preached not only to believers but to wicked unbelievers , who were notwithstanding their impiety and unbelief , capable of understanding the meaning of the Prophets ; otherwise they had Preached but to Children and Infants , and not to Men endued with reason : and Moses had in vain prescribed Laws , if his Laws were intelligible only to believers who needed no Law. Wherefore they that seek after supernatural light to understand the mind of the Prophets and Apostles , seem void even of natural light , and such I think are far from having that Heavenly Gift of light supernatural . Maimonides was not of these Mens Opinion , for he thought most places of Scripture would bear several , yea contrary Senses , and thought likewise , that we cannot be certain of the true Sense of any place , unless we know the place as we interpret it , to contain nothing but what is agreeable to reason , or not contrary to it ; for if in its litteral Sense it appear repugnant to reason , tho' the Sense appear clear , yet he thinks the place ought to be otherwise interpreted ; and this he plainly declares in the 25 th Chapter of his Book called More Nebuchin , where he saith know that I do not refuse to say the World is eternal because there are Texts in Scripture which say the World was created , for the Texts which declare the World was created , are not more then those that tell us God is Corporeal , neither are the ways of expounding those Texts , concerning the Creation of the World , Shut up or barred against us ; but we could as well explain them , as I did the other when I proved God to be incorporeal ; perhaps I could better and with more ease expound the Texts of the Worlds Creation , and maintain the World to be eternal , then I did those of Gods corporiety , when I proved God to be incorporeal ; but for two reasons I will not do it , or believe that the World is eternal : First because it is evident by a clear Demonstration , that God is not Corporeal , for all places of Scripture whose litteral Sense is repugnant to a Demonstration , require explication , because it is certain they ought not to be taken litterally , but the eternity of the World is not proved by any Demonstration , and therefore it is not necessary to offer violence to the Scripture , and wrest it by expositions , to maintain an opinion that is but probable , when we may with any reason maintain the contrary opinion . The second reason is , because believing God to be incorporeal , is not contrary to the Fundamentals of the Law , but to believe the eternity of the World , as Aristotle did , destroyeth the very Foundation of the Law. These are the Words of Maimonides , from which that manifestly follows which I said before : for if he were convinced by reason , that the World was eternal , he would not scruple to wrest the Scripture and make such expositions of it , as might support that opiuion ; and he would be presently certain , that the Scripture tho' it every where plainly say the contrary , did declare the World to be eternal , and consequently , could never be certain of the true Sense of Scripture , tho' never so plain ; so long as he doubted the Truth of the thing ; or that the Truth were not evident to him , for so long as the Truth of a thing is not apparent , we are so long ignorant whether the thing be agreeable or contrary to reason , and consequently , we know not whether the litteral Sense be true or false ; which opinion if it were true , I would absolutely grant , that some other light , beside what is natural , is necessary for us to interpret Scripture : for most of the things we meet with in it , cannot be deduced from Principles known by natural reason ( as we have already shewn ) and therefore the Truth of them cannot be made manifest , by the strength of natural reason ; and consequently the true Sense and meaning of the Scripture , cannot appear to us without some other light . Moreover , if this opinon were true , the common People who are ignorant of , or at least do not mind Demonstrations , would entertain no Scripture but what they received from the Authority or Testimony of Philosophers ; and consequently ought to suppose , Philosophers cannot Err in the interpretation of Scripture ; which truly would be a new Ecclesiastical Authority , and a kind of Priesthood which the vulgar would rather scorn then reverence . And tho' our method require the knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue , which the vulgar have no time to Study ; nothing can upon that Score be objected , for the common People of the Iews and Gentiles , to whom the Prophets and Apostles Preached , understood the Language of the Prophets and Apostles , and by it understood the meaning of the Prophets , tho' not the reasons of the things they Preached , which according to the opinion of Maimonides , they ought to have known , to make themselves capable of understanding the Prophets meaning . It doth not follow from the rule of our method , that the common People must necessarily rely upon the Testimony of interpreters , for I have given an instance of a People , that knew the Language of the Prophets and Apostles : but Maimonides can never shew me a common People , that knew the causes of things , which he says was the knowledge whereby the mind of the Prophets was to be understood , and as for the common People of these days , we have already shewn , that all things necessary to Salvation , tho' the reasons of them be not known , may be easily understood in any Language , because they are so common and ordinary , and for this knowledge the vulgar do not depend upon the Testimony of interpreters ; in other things they follow the Fortune of the Learned . But to return to a stricter examination of Maimonides opinion , first he supposeth that the Prophets did in all things agree one with another , and that they were most excellent Philosophers , because as he will have it , their conclusions were drawn from the Truth of things , but this I have proved in my Second Chapter to be false . Next he supposeth , that the Sense of Scripture cannot be made out by Scripture , for as much as it doth not Demonstrate any thing , nor doth it prove the things of which it Treats by definition and Primary Causes , wherefore according to the opinion of Maimonides , the true Sense of Scripture can neither appear or be deduced from Scripture : But I have likewise proved this to be false , in the present Chapter ; For I have made it appear , both from reason and examples , that the Sense of Scripture is found out only by Scripture , and to be derived thence , even when it speaks of things unknown to us by natural light . Lastly , Maimonides supposeth that it is Lawful for us , according to our preconceived opinions , to expound and wrest the Words of Scripture , and to deny or change the litteral Sense thereof be it never so express and plain ; which Liberty is Diametrically opposite , to what I have Demonstrated in this and other Chapters , and Savors of too much boldness : but should I grant him this Liberty , what advantage will he get by it ? none at all , for those things which cannot be Demonstrated , make up the greatest part of Scripture , we cannot by this way make out , nor by this rule expound or interpret them , when on the contrary by following our method , we may explain many things of this kind , and as we have already shewn , safely dispute of them , but those things which are in their own nature perceptible , their Sense is easily drawn from the context , and as Maimonides method is unprofitable , so it takes from the common People all certainty , which they , and all that follow any other method , can by diligent reading have of the Sense of Scripture ; and therefore we reject it as dangerous , useless , and absurd , as for the forementioned Tradition of the Pharisees , we know not that there is any such , and as for the Popes Authority , I for no other reason deny it , but because it wants clear Proof , for had they as much Scripture to shew for it , as heretofore the Iewish High Priests had for theirs , I should be as little concerned that some of the Popes of Rome , have been Hereticks and wicked Men , as that the High-Priests of the Iews were sometimes as bad , and yet by the command of Scripture , had still the Power of interpreting the Law ; as appears by the 17 chap. of Deut. v. 11 , 12. chap. 33. v. 10. and Mal. chap. 2. v. 7 , 8. But because the Popes can shew us no such Testimony , their Authority is very much to be doubted , and that no Man may deceive himself , and think that according to the example of the Iewish High-Priests , the Catholic Religion also wants a High Priest , it is to be observed , that the Laws of Moses were the public Laws of the Country , and needed a public Authority to maintain them ; for if every Man have a Liberty of interpreting the public Laws as he pleaseth , no Common-wealth can stand , but presently dissolves , and public Laws become private : but in Religion the Case is quite different ; for seeing Religion doth not so much consist in external Actions , as in Truth and Singleness of Heart , it is of no Public Power or Authority ; for Truth and Sincerity of mind is not infused by the command of Laws , or by public Authority , and no Man can be compell'd by force or by Laws , to be made holy , nothing but good brotherly Council , education , and a mans own free judgment can do that . Seeing then every Man hath right to think of Religion as he pleaseth , and it cannot be imagin'd any Man can part with this right ; it is in every Mans Power to judge of Religion , and consequently to expound and interpret it to himself ; for as the cheif Power of interpreting Laws , and judging of Public Matters , resides in the Magistrate upon no other account , but because they are public ; so likewise for the same reason , the Supream Authority of explaining and judging of Religion , is in every particular Person , because it is every private Mans right . The Authority then of the Iewish High-Priest to interpret Laws , is far from proving the Popes Authority to interpret Religion but rather the contrary that every particular Man hath right to do it ; So that it is evident our method of interpreting Scripture i. the best , for seeing the supream Power of interpreting it , ought to be that natural reason which is common to all Men , and not any Supernatural light or external Authority ; this method ought not be so difficult and abstruse , that none but acute Philosophers can make use of or Compose it , but it must be fitted and proportion'd , to Mens understanding and capacity , as I have proved mine to be , the difficulties that are in it , have proceeded from Mens sloth and negligence , not from the nature of the Method . CHAP. VIII . Sheweth that the Pentateuk , Books of Joshua , Judges , Ruth , Samuel , and the Kings , were not Written by the Persons whose Names they bear , and then inquires whether the Writers of all these Books were diverse Persons , or but one , and who ? IN the former Chapter , we have spoken of the Foundations and Principles of the Knowledge of the Scriptures ; and we have shewn them to be nothing else , but a true History of the Scripture , which History , tho' very necessary , the Antients neglected to compose , or at least if they Writ or left any by Tradition , it perished by the injury of time ; and consequently a great part of the Fundamentals and Principles of Scripture-knowledge was lost ; which loss however had been more tollerable , if Men of succeeding Ages had kept themselves within their true bounds , and had faithfully delivered to their Successors , those few Principles which they received or found out , and had not out of their own Brains forged new , whereby the History of Scripture is not only imperfect , but remains full of Errors , and the Foundations of Scripture Knowledge , are not only so few that a perfect History cannot be built on them , but they are also very faulty and defective . To rectify this , and remove the common prejudices in Divinity , is my purpose , but I fear I go about it too late , for things are now almost come to that heigth , Men in this point will endure no correction , but obstinately defend whatever they have embraced under the form of Religion ; Reason prevailing with very few , so universally have these prejudices spread themselves in the Minds of Men. I will nevertheless endeavour and try what I can do , because the business is not absolutely desperate : that I may in order shew what these prejudices are , I will begin with those which concern the Penmen of those Books that are accounted sacred , and first concerning the Writer of the five Books of Moses , commonly called the Pentateuk . Men have generally believed , that they were Written by Moses himself , and the Pharisees so stifly defended this Opinion , that they counted him a Heretic that thought otherwise : and for this Reason Aben Ezra a Person of an ingenuous disposition , and no mean Learning , being the first I read of who took notice of this mistake , durst not plainly declare his thoughts , but only hinted his Opinion in obscure Words , which I will not scruple to explain , and give you their naked meaning . Aben Ezra's Words in his comment upon Deutronomy are these . Beyond Iordan — Now thou mayest understand the Mistery of twelve and Moses also wrote the Law and the Cananite was then in the Land , in the Mount of the Lord shall it be seen , behold his Bedsted was a Bedsted of Iron then shalt thou know the Truth , by these few Words he shews and plainly declares , that it was not Moses , but some other Person that lived long after him , who wrote the Pentateuk ; and that Moses wrote some other Book , to make this appear his first Observation is , that the Preface of Deutronomy which begins thus , These be the words of Moses which he spake unto all Israel beyond Jordan , could not be Written by Moses who never passed Iordan . His second Observation is , that the Book which Moses wrote was fairly Copyed out in the compass of one Altar , as appears Deut. chap. 27. v. 5 , 8. Iosh. chap. 8. v. 31 , 32. which Altar the Rabbins declare , was made only of twelve Stones ; from whence it follows , that the Book which Moses Writ , was a Volume much less then the Pentateuk ; and this I think Aben Ezra meant by the mistery of twelve , unless perhaps he understood those twelve Curses which are in the forementioned 27 th Chapter of Deutronomy , which he might believe were not Written in the Book of the Law , and therefore beside the Writing of the Law , commanded the Levites to repeat those Curses , that they might by Oath bind the People to observe the Written Laws , or else perhaps he meant the last Chapter of Deutronomy , that speaks of Moses's Death ; which Chapter consists only of twelve Verses : but these and other things which are spoken only by guess , need not a more curious Examination . The third Observation is , that 't is said Deut. chap. 31. v. 9. Moses wrote this Law and delivered it , &c. which could not be the words of Moses , but of some other Person declaring what Moses did , and what he wrote . His fourth Observation is that place Gen. chap. 12. v. 6. where it is said , speaking of Abraham passing through Canaan , that the Cananite was then in the Land , which words must be Written after Moses's Death , when the Cananites were driven out , and did not possess the Land ; and this must likewise be the meaning of Aben Ezra's commenting upon this place in these words ; And the Cananite was then in the Land , it seems that Canaan Nephew to Noah , took that Land from some others who possessed it , if not , then there is a great mistery in the thing , whosoever understands it , let him be silent ( that is ) if Canaan invaded those Countries , then the meaning of those Words the Cananite was then in the Land , must be that there was a time past when the Land was inhabited by another Nation , but if Canaan were the first who lived in that Country ( as appears by the 10 th . Chap. of Gen. he was ) then the words must imply , that in the time of the Person , who wrote the Book of Genesis , the Cananites were not in the Land ; so that Moses could not be the Writer of it , because in his time the Cananites were still in the Possession of that Country ; and this is that Mistery , he would not have made public . His Fifth Observation is that which is in the 22 th chap. Gen. v. 14 where speaking of Mount Moriah , the Text saith , it is said to this day in the Mountain of the Lord shall it be seen : now it was not called the Mountain of the Lord , till after it was dedicated to the Building of the Temple , and this choice of the Mountain was not made in the time of Moses , who did not speak of any place chosen by God , but only foretels that God would in time to come , chuse a place which should bear Gods Name . His sixth Observation is what is said , Deut. chap. 3. speaking of Og King of Basan , these words are interposed , v. 11 th . for only Og King of Basan remained of the remnant of the Gyants behold his Bedsted was a Bedsted of Iron is it not in Rabbah of the Children of Ammon ? Nine Cubits was the length thereof , which Parenthesis clearly shews , that the Writer of these Books lived long after Moses , for this manner of speaking argues , that the Person related what past long ago , and to obtain credit , shewed some Antient Reliques . Without question this Bedsted , was first found in the time of David , who Conquered this City , as is declared in the 30 th Verse of the 12 Chap. of the second Book of Samuel and not only here , but a little after , the Historian , to Moses words adds these in the 14 th Verse , Jair the Son of Manasseh took all the Country of Argob unto the coasts of Jeshuri and Maachathi , and called them after his own name Bashan , Haveth , Jair , unto this day ; these Words I say were added by the Historian , to explain Moses's Words in the 13 th Verse , and the rest of Gilead and all Bashan being the Kingdom of Og , gave I unto the half Tribe of Manasseh , all the Region of Argob , with all Bashan which is called the Land of the Gyants , and therefore the Historian was forced to explain what those places were , which were antiently so called , and also to give a reason why in his time they were called by the name of Iair , who was of the Tribe of Iudah and not of Manasseh , as appears by the 2 d Chap. of the 1 st Book of the Chron. v. 21 , 22. We have now explained Aben Ezra's meaning , and also those places in the Pentateuk quoted by him , to make good his Opinion ; but indeed he hath not taken notice of all , nor of the principal places , for there are more of greater moment which I will now mention : First , the Writer of these Books doth not only speak of Moses in the third Person , but also testifies many things of him , namely God spake with Moses , God spake with him face to face , Moses was the meekest of all Men , Numb . chap. 12. v. 3. Now the Man Moses was very Meek above all Men upon the Face of the Earth , Moses was wroth with the Officers of the Host , Numb . chap. 31. v. 14. Moses the Man of God , Deut. chap. 33. v. 1. Moses the Servant of the Lord dyed , Deut. chap. 34. v. 5. And there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses . v. 10. but in Deutronomy where the Law which Moses wrote and declared to the People is set down , Moses speaketh and tells them what he did in the first Person , Deut. chap. 2. v. 1 , 17. The Lord spake unto me and I prayed unto the Lord , but then again after the Historian had repeated Moses's words , he goes on and again speaks in the third Person , declaring how Moses delivered to the People in Writing that Law which he had published . Lastly , the Historian relates , how Moses warned and admonished the People and ended his Life ; all which , namely the manner of speaking , the Testimony and Character given of Moses , with the context of the whole History , fully satisfy that the Books were not Written by Moses , but by some other Person . Secondly , it is to be observed , that this History doth not only relate , how Moses dyed , was buryed , and that the Iews Mourned thirty Days for him ; but making likewise a Comparison between him and all the other Prophets that lived after him , saith , he excelled them all , Deut. chap. 24. v. 10. and there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face . Which as it is a Testimony that Moses could not give of himself , so could no other Man who immediately followed him , but it must necessarily be one , who lived many Ages after him ; because he speaketh of the time past , saying there arose not a Prophet since , and of his Burial he saith , no Man knoweth of his Sepulchre unto this day . Thirdly , it is to be Noted , that the History calls some places by Names , which they had not in Moses's time , but by others given them long after , Gen. chap. 14. v. 14. it is said Abraham pursued his Enemies unto Dan , which name was never given to that City till long after the Death of Ioshua , as appears by Iudg. chap. 18. v. 29. and they called the Name of the City Dan , after the Name of Dan their Father who was Born unto Israel , how be it the Name of the City was Laish at the first . Fifthly , , it is to be observed , that the Histories are continued for a longer time then Moses lived ; for Exod. chap. 16. v. 35. it is said the Children of Israel did eat Manna forty Years until they came to the Borders of the Land of Canaan , namely till the time mentioned , Iosh. chap. 5. v. 12. In the Book of Gen. 36. v. 31. These are the Kings that Reigned in the Land of Edom before there reigned any King over the Children of Israel : the Historian without doubt there declareth , what Kings the Edomites had before David Conquer'd them , and set Governours over them ; as appears in the 2 d Book of Sam. chap. 6. v. 11 , 14. by all this it is as clear as day , that the Pentateuk was not Written by Moses , but by some other who lived many Ages after him . But let us consider the Books which Moses wrote , and are mention'd in the Pentateuk : First , it appears , Exod. chap. 17. v. 14. God commanded Moses to write the War against Amalek , but in what Book it doth not appear , Numb . chap. 21. v. 10. there is a Book mentioned called the Wars of the Lord , wherein without question Moses gave a full Relation of the War against Amalek , and also of all those Encampings or pitching their Tents , which the Author of the Pentateuk saith , Numb . chap. 33. v. 2. were described by Moses ; it likewise appears , Exod. 24. v. 4 , 7. that Moses wrote another Book , called the Book of the Covenant , which he read to the People when they first made a Covenant with the Lord , but this Book or Epistle contained very few things , the Laws only or Commands of God recited in Exod. from the 22 Verse of the 20. chap. to chap. 24. which no body will deny , who without partiality and with any sound Judgment reads that Chapter ; it is there declared , that as soon as Moses understood the Peoples readiness to enter into a Covenant with the Lord , he wrote the Oracles and Laws of God in a Book , and early in the Morning , certain Ceremonies being performed , he read to all the Congregation the Condition of the Covenant , which being read and understood by all the People , they with a general Consent obliged themselves to all that God Commanded ; so that considering the shortness of the time in which it was Written , and the manner of making the Covenant , the Book could contain no more then the few things I have mentioned . Lastly , it appears , that Moses in the fortieth Year after their going out of Egypt , explained all those Laws which he had prescribed , as may be seen , Deut. chap. 1. v. 5. and again obliged the People to the observance of them , Deut. chap. 29. v. 14. and then wrote a Book which contained those Laws so explain'd , and the New Covenant , Chap. 31. v. 9. which was called the Book of the Law of God , to which Ioshua made an Addition , by registring that agreement , whereby the People in his time , obliged themselves and entered a third time into Covenant with the Lord , Iosh. chap. 24. v. 25 , 26. but because we have no Book extant either of the Covenant of Moses or Ioshua , it must necessarily be granted , that the Book perished , unless we will be as mad as the Chaldee Paraphrast Ionatan , and wrest the Scripture as we please ; for he being prest with this difficulty , chose rather to corrupt the Scripture then confess his Ignorance ; for those words in the 26. v. of the 24. chap. of Iosh. Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the the Law of God , &c. he render'd thus in his Chaldee Translation . And Ioshua wrote these words , and kept them with the Book of the Law of God , there is no medling with Men , who will see nothing but what they list , is not this denying what is Scripture , and forging new at our pleasure ! We then conclude , that this Book of the Law of God , was not the Pentateuk , but quite another ; which the Author of the Pentateuk hath orderly interwoven with his work ; as appears by what hath been and shall be further said : where the forecited place in Deutronomy saith , that Moses wrote a Book of the Law , the Historian adds , that he delivered it to the Priests , and commanded them at certain set times to read it before all the People : which implyes that the Book must be much less then the Pentateuk , seeing at one meeting it might be read all over and understood by the People : nor can we here forbear to observe , that of all the Books Written by Moses , this only of the second Covenant and his Song ( which he afterwards Writ for all the People to Learn ) he commanded to be Religiously kept ; because the first Covenant obliged only those that were present , and the second not only all present but their posterity also , Deut. chap. 29. v. 14 , 15. He therefore commanded this Book of the second Covenant , to be carefully and Religiously preserved to future Ages , and also his Song ; because future Ages were chiefly concern'd in it . Seeing then it is not evident , that Moses ever writ any Books beside the Book of the Law and his Song , which he commanded to be kept , and that many things in the Pentateuk could not be Written by him ; I conclude that no Man can upon any good ground , but must altogether against reason , make Moses the Author of the Pentateuk but some body may perhaps here ask , whether Moses besides these Books did not write the Laws when they were first revealed to him ( that is ) whether in the space of forty Years , he did not set down in Writing any of those Laws which he prescribed , beside those few contain'd in the Book of the first Covenant : to this I answer , that tho' I should grant it to be very agreeable to reason , that Moses should commit to Writing , those Laws which he Communicated to the People , at the same time and place , when and where they were publisht ; yet I deny that it is lawful upon this Ground to affirm he did ; for I have already shewn , we ought in like Cases to determin nothing , but what is manifestly proved , either by Scripture it self , or by consequences drawn from the Principles of it , and not because a thing seems Consonant to Reason ; for Reason it self doth not oblige us to be possitive : It may be the Senate of Seventy Elders communicated to the People Moses's Edicts in writing , which were afterwards collected , by him that writ the Pentateuk , and were orderly inserted into the History of Moses's Life ; and so much for the five Books of Moses . It is now time to examin the rest , the Book of Ioshuah for like Reasons could not be written by Ioshua , it must be some other Person , that gives so good a Character of him in several places of that Book ; Iosh. Chap. 6. v. 27. The Lord was with Ioshua , and his Fame was noised throughout all the Country , that he omitted nothing , but did all that Moses commanded , Chap. 8. v. 35. Chap. 11. v. 15. That he waxed Old , called all the People together , and at last dyed . Moreover some things are related which happen'd after his Death ; namely , that the People continued to worship God as long as the Old men lived , who knew Ioshua . In the 16. Chap. v. 10. It is said , that Ephraim and Manasseh did not drive out the Cananites , that dwelt in Gezur , but the Cananites dwell among the Ephramites to this day , and serve under Tribute . Which is the same Expression we find in the first chap. of Iudges . v. 21. But the Iebuzites dwell with the Children of Benjamin in Ierusalem unto this day . Which manner of speaking implies , the Writer relates what was long ago past , as appears Iosh. Chap. 15. Verse the last , the Iebuzites dwell with the Children of Iudah unto this day . The same Expression is likewise used in the History of Kaleb , beginning at the 13 th . Verse of the said Chapter . The building of an Altar beyond Iordan , by the two Tribes and a half mention'd in the 22. Iosh. v. 10. In all Probability happen'd after Ioshuah's Death ; because in all that story , there is not so much as one word said of him ; but the People only deliberated to make War , sent Embassadors , received and approved the Answer which was returned . Lastly , it appears by the 14 th . Verse of the 10 th . Chap. That the Book of Ioshua was written many Ages after his Death , for the Text saith , and there was no day like that before or after it , that the Lord hearkened to the Voice of a Man : If then Ioshua writ any Book , it must be that of Iasher , mentioned in the same story v. the 13 th . As for the Book of Iudges , I believe no Man in his right Wits will think it written by the Iudges themselves , for the end of the History in the 2 d. Chap. clearly shews , it was all written by one single Person , who tells us in many places , that in those days there was no King in Israel ; which is an argument it was written in a Time when the People had Kings . Concerning the Books of Samuel there needs no deliberation , seeing the History is carried on so far beyond his death ; but however let this be observed , that this Book must be written many Ages after him , for the Hestorian in the 1 st . Book of Sam. Chap. 9. v. 9. saith , in a parenthesis . Before time in Israel , when a Man went to inquire of God , thus he spake , come let us go to the Seer , for he that is now called a Prophet , was before time called a Seer . The two Books of the Kings , as appears by the Books themselves , were collected out of what was written of the Reign of Solomon , see the 1 st . Book of Kings chap. 11. v. 5. And out of the Chronicles both of the Kings of Iudah and Israel , chap. 14. v. 19 , 29. The rest of the Acts of Ieroboam , how he warred , and how he reigned ; behold they are written in the Books of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah . We therefore conclude , that all the Books which we have named , were written long after the Matters of Fact happen'd which they relate : If we consider the Connexion and Subject of these Books , we shall quickly find , that they were all written by one and the same Historian , who designed to write the Antiquities of the Iews , from their first Original to the first destruction of Ierusalem ; for the Books are by connexion so linked together , that they seem to be but the single Narration of one Historian ; for as soon as he hath done with the Life of Moses , he begins the next Book with these words . Now after the Death of Moses the Servant of the Lord , it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Ioshuah . And ending the story of Ioshuah with his Death , he doth with the very same Transition and Conjunction , begin the Book of Iudges in these words . Now after the Death of Ioshuah , it came to pass that the Children of Israel asked the Lord : And to this Book of Iudges as an Appendix , he joyneth the Book of Ruth in these words . Now it came to pass in the days when the Iudges ruled , that there was a Famin in the Land. To which Book of Ruth , he doth in the same manner joyn the first Book of Samuel : that ended , with his wonted Transition , he goes on to the Second Book , and to this ( the History of David not being fully endded ) he joyns the first Book of Kings : then going on with David's History , addeth with his usual Connexion the Second Book . The context and Order of the Histories , likewise declare the Historian to be but one Person , who propounded to himself one certain end ; for he begins with the Original of the Iewish Nation , then in order shews upon what occasion and at what time Moses prescribed Laws , and Prophesyed many things to them ; afterward he relates how they invaded the Land of Promise , according to Moses's predictions , Deut. Chap. 7. And when they had possest it , how they would forsake God's Laws , Deut. Chap. 31. v. 16. And what evils should thereupon follow , verse . 17. Next he declares how they would chuse Kings , Deut. Chap. 17. v. 14. Whose Affairs should succeed well or ill , according to the care they took in observing the Laws , Deut. Chap. 28. v. 36 , 68. And Lastly concludes with the ruin of their Government as Moses foretold : Of things which served litle to the Establishment of the Law , he said nothing , or else refers the Reader to other Authors ; so that all these Books conspire in this one thing , namely , the publishing the Prophesies and Edicts of Moses , and making them good by what after happen'd . The simplicity and plainness of the Subject of all the Books , the connexion of them , and their being written many Ages after the things done , is argument enough to perswade any Man , that they were all written by one Historian ; but who he was , I cannot evidently prove , I have some Reasons , and those of some weight , to think it was Esdras , seeing the Historian ( whom we now know to be one Person ) carries on the History as far as Iehoiachim's deliverance out of Prison ; and moreover adds , that he sate at the King's Table all his Life , which must be either the Table of King Iehoiachim , or of the Son of Nebuchadnezzar ( for the Sense is very dubious . ) It follows that it could not be any one before Esdras , the Scripture saith of Esdras , without mentioning any other Person , Ezra . Chap. 7. v. 10. That he had prepared his Heart to seek the Law of the Lord , to do it ; and Verse 6 th . That he was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses . So that I cannot conjecture any body but Esdras should write those Books : in the Testimony given of him , we find that he did not only seek the Law of God , but that he likewise explain'd it , Nehem. Chap. 8. v. 8. Where it is said , that they read in the Book of the Law of God distinctly , and gave the Sense thereof , and caused them to understand the Reading . Now because in the Book of Deutronomy , not only the Book of the Law of Moses ( at least a great part of it ) is contained , but also many things are inserted for the better explication thereof ; I conjecture , The Book of Deutronomy to be that Book of the Law of God , written , set forth , and expounded by Esdras , which they then read , and that many things are put in by Way of Parenthesis , more clearly to explain it . We gave you several instances , when I unfolded Aben-Ezras meaning , there are more of the like kind as appears , Deut. Chap. 2. v. 12. The Horites also dwelt in Seir before time , but the Children of Esau succeeded them , when they had destroyed them from before them , and dwelt in their stead , as Israel did unto the Land of his Possession , which the Lord gave unto them . This explains the 3 d. and 4 th . Verses of the same Chapter namely , that Mount Seir , which was the Inheritance of the Sons of Esau , was not found by them uninhabited ; but that they invaded the Horites , who first dwelt there ; and having subdued , destroyed them , as the Children of Israel did the Cananites after the Death of Moses : likewise in the 10 th . Chapter it is evident , that the 6 , 7 , 8 , and 9. verses are interposed by Way of Parenthesis with the Words of Moses ; for the 8 th . Verse which begins in these words , at that time the Lord separated the Tribe of Levi — must necessarily have reference to the 5 th . Verse , which speaks of Moses coming down from the Mount , and putting the Tables into the Ark ; and not to the death of Aron ( mentioned in the 6 th . Verse . ) Of which Esdras spake here for no other Reason , but because Moses in the story of the Golden Calf , which the People worshipt , said , in the 9 th . Chap. v. 20. That he prayed for Aron . The Historian goes on and declares , that God at that time , of which Moses speaks , chose for himself the Tribe of Levi , that he might shew the Cause of their Election , and also why the Levites had no Part or Inheritance with their Brethren : this done in the words of Moses , he follows the thred of the History . If we consider the Preface of the Book , and all the Places which speak of Moses in the Third Person , and many other things , which cannot now be known , which he added or exprest in other words , that they might be the better understood by those that lived in his time ; without doubt had we the very Book of the Law which Moses wrote , we should find that all the Commandments very much differ not only in words , but in Order , Matter and Sense . Compare the Decalogue of this Book with that in Exodus , where it is expresly set down , we shall find this to vary from that ; for the Fourth Commandment in Deutronomy is not only commanded in another Form ; but is enlarged , and the Reason of it likewise differs much from that in Exodus ; so that this as in other Places was done by Esdras , because he explained the Law of God to those that lived in his days ; and therefore 't is likely this was the Book of the Law of God , which he set forth and expounded , and I likewise believe it , the first of all those Books he wrote , because it contains the Laws of his Country , which the People extreamly wanted , and also because this Book is with no Antecedent Connexion joyned to another , but without any kind of reference begins thus . These be the Words of Moses . And after he finished this Book , and taught the People the Laws , I believe he applyed himself to compose the whole History of the Iewish Nation , from the Creation of the World to the first Destruction of the City Ierusalem ; inserting this Book of Deutronomy in its proper Place , and perhaps to the first five Books gave the Name of Moses , because his Life is the Principal Subject of them ; for the same reason , he called the Sixth Book by the Name of Ioshuah , the Seventh Iudges , the Eighth Ruth , the Ninth and perhaps the Tenth Samuel , the Eleventh and Twelfth Kings , but whether Esdras perfected them , as he desired with his own Hand , inquire in the next Chapter ? CHAP. IX . Whether Esdras perfected the Books , which we suppose he wrote ? and whether the Marginal Notes , which are found in the Hebrew Copies be divers readings ? HOW much the inquiry made in the former Chapter , concerning the Pen-Man of the Books therein mentioned , may conduce to the perfect understanding of them ; will be easily guess'd by those Places only , which we have quoted to make good our Opinion in this Point ; which places would otherwise have seemed very obscure : but beside the Writer , there are other things observable in the Books themselves , which Common Superstition will not suffer the vulgar to discern . The cheifest of them is , that Esdras ( whom I will suppose to be the Writer of the foresaid Books , till some body shew me another more likely to pen them ) did not with his own Hand perfect the Relations which the Books contain ; but did only collect the Histories out of several writers , and sometimes only copying them out , left them to Posterity neither examin'd nor put into any Order ; but what should hinder him from compleatly finishing his Work ( unless it were untimely death ) I cannot conjecture : we have indeed no Antient intire Iewish Histories ; but out of a few fragments left us it is evident , that Esdras as I have already said , gather'd his stories from several Writers , and left them very confused and imperfect . The History of Ezekiah , as it is found written from the Relation of Isaiah the Prophet , in the Second Book of Kings chap. 18. v. 17. is recorded in the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah ; and the story in the Chronicles , see Book the 2 d. Chap. 32. v. 32. We find related almost in the same words ( very few excepted ) as it is in the forenamed Chapter of the Book of Kings : from whence nothing else can be concluded , but that there were divers readings of Isaiah's Relation , unless some will also here dream of Misteries : Moreover , the last Chapter of this Book of the Kings , is contained in the last Chapter of the Prophet Ieremy , and we find likewise the 7 th . Chap. of the Second Book of Samuel , in the 17 th . Chap. of the first Book of Chronicles ; but the words in divers places so much changed , that it may be easily known , the two Chapters were taken out of two different Copies , of the History written by the Prophet Nathan . Lastly , The Genealogy of the Kings of Edom , which we have , Gen. Chap. 36. from v. 31 th . Is set down in the same words , in the 1 st . Chap. of the 1 st . Book of Chron. Beginning at the 43 th . Verse : Now tho' it be evident , that the Author of the Book of Chronicles , took the things which he related out of other Historians ; yet he had them not out of the Twelve Books , which we believe were written by Esdras ; and without doubt had we the Original Histories it would so appear : but because we have them not , let us examin the Histories as they now are , observing their Order and Connexion , their various Repetitions , and their disagreement in Calculation of Time , that we may judge of other things . Consider first , the History of Iudah and Thamar , Gen. Chap. 38. The Historian begins his Narration in these words . And it came to pass at that time , that Iudah went down from his Brethren : Which time , must necessarily have reference to some other time , of which he had immediately spoken before ; but to that time spoken of in the preceding Chapter of Genesis , it could have no Relation ; for from the time that Ioseph was carried into Egypt , until Iacob the Patriarch went down thither with all his Family , there passed but twenty two Years ; for Ioseph , when he was Sold by his Brethren , was but Seventeen Years Old , and when he was sent for out of Prison by Pharaoh but Thirty , to which , if the Seven Years of Plenty , and Two of Famin be added , they make up in all no more than Two and Twenty ; in which space of time , no Man can conceive so many things should happen ; namely , that Iudah should successively have three Sons , of which the Eldest should at a fit Age marry Thamar , and he dying the Second Brother should take her to Wife , who also dyed , and that sometime after this happen'd , Iudah himself should ignorantly lye with his own Daughter in-Law Thamar , and have two Children by her at one Birth ; whereof one likewise , should within the aforesaid time of two and twenty Years become a Father . Seeing then all these things cannot be referr'd to the time spoken of in Genesis , but must necessarily relate to some other time spoken of in some other Book , Esdras must therefore only Copy out this Story , and unexamin'd add it to others : but not only this Chapter , but likewise the whole Story of Ioseph and Iacob , must necessarily be taken out of several Historians , so little congruity is there in it , for the 48 th Chap. of Gen. tells us that when Ioseph brought his Father Iacob to Pharaoh , Iacob was an hundred and thirty Years Old , from which deduct twenty two which he passed in Mourning for the loss of Ioseph , and seventeen which was Ioseph's Age when he was Sold , with seven which he served for Rachel ; it will appear that he was fourscour and four Years Old when he Marryed Leah , and that on the other side , Dinah was scarce seven Years Old when she was Ravisht by Sechem ; and Simeon and Levi not fully eleven and twelve Years of Age , when they Assaulted the City of Sechem and put all the People of it to the Sword. There is no need of particularizing all things of this kind in the Pentateuk , if this only be consider'd , that in the five Books all the Precepts and Historical Relations are promiscuously set down , without any order , without any regard had to time , and that one and the same History is often , and sometimes diversly repeated ; it must be granted that all these things were confusedly gathered and laid together , that they might afterwards be examin'd and put into order , and not only those things which we find in the first five Books , but the rest of the Histories contain'd in the other seven , were also Collected in the same manner . Who doth not plainly see that in the 2 d Chapter of Iudges from the sixth Verse , a new Historian brought in , who had Written the Acts of Ioshua and his very Words used ? For after our Historian in the last Chapter of Ioshua , had spoken of his Death and Burial , and promis'd in the beginning of the Book of Iudges , to declare what happen'd after Ioshua's Death ; if he intended regularly to prosecute his own History , why doth he again in the 2 d Chapter of Iudges tell us what Joshua did , and speak again of his Death and Burial as he had before , the 17 and 18 chap. of the 1 st Book of Sam. are in all probability taken out of another Historian , who made the cause of David's frequenting Saul's Court , to be quite different from that spoken of in the 16. chap. of the same Book , for he did not understand that David by the Advice of Saul's Servants , was called to Court , as is declared in the said 16 th chap. but that his Father sending him to visit his Brethren in Saul's Camp , David by his Victory over Goliah became known to Saul , and afterward lived in his Court. I suspect the same thing of the 26 th chap. of the 1 st Book of Sam. and that the History of that Chapter and what is related in the 24 th chap. are one and the same ; but taken out of several Writers : but of this enough , I come now to examine the Computation of time . It is said in the 6 th chap. of the 1 st Book of Kings , that Solomon four hundred and fourscore Years after the Children of Israel came out of the Land of Egypt , and in the fourth Year of his own Reign , began to Build the House of the Lord , but from the Histories themselves we can make it appear it was a much longer time till the Temple was Built . Years For first Moses govern'd the People in the desert . 40 Joshua who lived a hundred and twenty by the Opinion of Josephus and others govern'd not above . 26 Kusan Risgataim kept the People in Bondage . 08 Othonyel the Son of Kenaz Judged . 40 Eglon the King of Moab kept the People in Bondage . 18 Ehud and Samger Judged . 80 Jachin King of Canaan kept the People under . 20 The People afterward had rest . 40 Were again in Subjection to Midian . 07 Were again at Liberty under Gideon . 40 Were under the Power of Abimelech . 03 Tola the Son of Puah Judged . 23 Jair Judged . 22 The People were again in Bondage to the Philistines and Ammonites . 18 Iephtah Judged . 06 Absan the Bethlemite Judged . 07 Elon the Zebulonite . 10 Abdon the Pirathonite . 08 The People again in Bondage to the Philistins . 40 Samson Judged . 20 Ely Judged . 40 The People in Bondage again to the Philistines till delivered by Samuel . 20 David Reigned . 40 Solomon before he began to Build Reigned . 04 All these Years added together make up the Number of 580. To which number are to be added , the Years of that Age wherein the Common-wealth of the Iews flourished after the Death of Ioshua , until it was subdued by Kusan Risgataim ; which I believe were many ; for I cannot be perswaded , that all the People who had seen the wonders of Joshua's time , should presently after his Death perish altogether ; neither that they who succeeded them , should at once bid farewel to all their Laws , and from a great deal of Vertue , fall in an instant into the depth of Wickedness and Folly : neither that Kusan Risgataim Conquer'd them at a blow ; but seeing all these things require almost an Age to bring them to pass , it is not to be doubted but the Scripture in the 2 d. 7 th . 9 th . and 10 th Chapters of the Book of Judges , doth comprize the Histories of many Years which it hath passed over in silence . We are moreover to add the Years which Samuel Judged , whose number we find not in Scripture , and the Years also of Saul's Reign , which are left out in the former Computation , because by his History 't is not evident how many he Reigned , indeed it is said in the 1 st Verse of the 13 th Chap. of the 1 st Book of Sam. that Saul Reigned two Years , but that Text is maimed , and we may from the History it self conclude his Reign was longer ; that the Text is defective , no Man who hath but the least Knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue can doubt , for it begins thus in the Latin Translation . Annum natus erat Saul cum regnavit & duos annos regnavit supra Israelem . Which in our English Bible is thus render'd . Saul Reigned one Year , and when he had Reigned two Years , &c. but who sees not , that the number of Years of Saul's Age when he began to Reign was omitted , and that the time of his Reign was more then two Years , any Man may gather from the History it self ; for in the 27 th Chap. of the same Book , Verse the 7 th . it is said that the time David dwelt in the Country of the Philistines , was a full Year and four Months ; so that by this Calculation all things else which passed in Sauls Reign , must happen in the space of eight Months , which no Man can believe : Iosephus in the end of his 6 th Book of Antiquities , hath thus corrected the Text. Saul while Samuel lived Reigned eighteen Years , and after Samuels Death two , but the Story in the 13 th chap. doth in no wise agree with what went before , for towards the end of the 7 th chap. v. 13. we are told , that the Philistines were so subdued by the Israelites , that they came no more into the Coasts of Israel and the Hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel ; and yet in the foresaid 13 th Chapter 't is said , that in Samuels Life time , the Philistins invaded the Israelites and reduced them to so great Misery and Poverty , that they wanted not only Arms to defend themselves , but also Smiths to make so much as a Sword or a Spear , that Man must take pains enough , who made it his business so to reconcile all the Histories of the first Book of Samuel , that they should not appear to be Written and put in order by one Historian : but I return to what I proposed , the Years of Sauls Reign ought to be added to the foregoing Computation ; now how many were the Years of the Israelites Anarchy , the Scripture doth not mention ; my meaning is , that the space of time is not certain , wherein those things happened , which are related from the 17 th Chapter of Iudges to the end of that Book ; so that no exact calculation can be made from the Histories themselves ; neither do they agree in any , but differ very much ; so that it must be granted they were collected from divers Writers , and were never examin'd or put into any order . There is no less disagreement in computation of time , between the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah , and the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel , for in the 2 d Book of Kings chap. 1 st v. 17. it is said , Jehoram the Son of Ahab King of Israel , began to Reign in the Second Year of the Reign of Jehoram the Son of Iehosaphat King of Judah , but in the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah , see the 2 d Book of Kings chap. 8. v. 16. it is said that Jehoram the Son of Iehosaphat King of Judah , began to Reign in the fifth Year of Jehoram the Son of Ahab King of Israel : he that will compare the Histories of the Books of Chronicles , with those in the Book of Kings , shall find many of the like differences , which I will not here particularly mention , nor trouble you with the shifts some Authors have used to reconcile them ; the Rabbines perfectly doat , and some Commentators that I have read , imposing upon us their own dreams and inventions , plainly corrupt the very Language it self ( for example ) in the 2 d Book of the Chronicles c. 22. v. 2. it is said Ahaziah wa● Forty and two Years Old when he began to Reign . Some would have these Years to commence not from Ahaziah's Nativity , but from the Reign of Omri , if they can prove this to be the meaning of the Author of the Book of Chronicles , I may in plain Terms say of him , that he knew not how to speak Sense . Commentators are full of the like conceits , wherein were there any Truth , a Man might pofitively aver , that the Ancient Hebrews did not understand their own Language , but were ignorant of all order in History , and that there is no rule or any reason to be observed in expounding Scripture ; but every Man may phancy and forge what he pleases . If any think I speak too generally and without ground , I intreat that Man to shew me any such certain order in these Histories , as Chronologers may without any gross mistakes follow , and that while he is endeavoring to explain and reconcile the Histories , he will so strictly observe the Pharses and Manners of speaking , the disposing and contexture of the Narrations , that another according to his explications , may in Writing imitate them , which if he can do , I will throw away my Pen and take him for an Oracle . I have been endeavoring but could never do any thing like it , I have Written nothing which I did not often and long meditate , and tho' from my Childhood , I have been Seasoned with the common and general opinions concerning Scripture , yet I could not possibly avoid confessing the things I have mentioned , but I will no longer detain the Reader concerning this particular , nor will I further provoke him to undertake , that which I think is not feasible ; I only made the proposal the better to explain my own meaning , and I now proceed to consider those things which concern the Fate or Fortune of the Books ; for we are to observe , that they have not been so carefully kept by posterity , as that no faults have crept into them : the Ancient Scribes have taken notice of many dubious readings , and many maimed Texts , and yet not of all ; but whether the faults which have crept into those Books , be of so great importance as to give the Reader much trouble , I will not dispute ; I believe they are not considerable to those that Read the Scripture with any Freedom of judgment , and I can positively affirm , that I never observed any Error or variety of Readings concerning mere precepts or instructions , which could render them doubtful or obscure ; but many will not allow of any faults at all in any thing throughout the whole Scripture , but peremptorily maintain , that God by a singular and special Providence , hath kept the Bible free from all corruptions or adulteration , and that the various Readings of it , comprehend profound misteries , and will have great Secrets lye hid , even in Asterisms , Spaces , Points and Accents : but whether this opinion proceed from folly , and the dotage of Devotion , or from their arrogance and malice , allowing none but themselves to know Gods Secrets I cannot tell ; of this I am sure , I never read any thing which came from such Men , that seem'd mysterious , but rather savor'd of Schoool-boy conceits . I have met with some trifling Cabbalists , whose Freaks and Folly a Man cannot chuse but admire . That faults have crept into the Scripture , no ingenuous Person can deny , who reads that Text I have already mention'd concerning Saul , in the 13 th chap. v. 1 st . of the 1 st Book of Samuel , and also that in the 2 d verse of the 6 th chap. of the 2 d Book of Sam. where it is said that David arose and went with all the People that were with him from Judah , to bring from thence the Ark of God. Who doth not see that the name of the place to which they went to fetch the Ark is lest our , viz. Kiriathjearim nor can any Man deny but that the Text in the 37 th verse of the 13 th chap. of the 2 d Book of Sam. is defective . But Absolon fled and went to Talmai the Son of Ammihud and mourn'd for his Son every day . It should have been , and David mourned for his Son every day , and therefore in our English Translation the Word David is put in , but is not in the Latin. There are other such faults which do not at present occur to my memory . That the marginal Notes found every where in the Hebrew Copies were dubious readings , no Man will doubt , who considers that many of them proceeded from the great likness , which some of the Hebrew Letters have one to another , namely , from the similitude which is between the Letter Kaf and Bet , the Letter Iod and Van , the Letter Dalet and Res ( for example ) in the 2 d Book of Sam. chap. 5. v. 24. it is said in the Latin Translation , in co tempore quo audies , the margent hath it Cum audies , and Iudges chap. 21. v. 22. the Latin Text is , & quando earum patres vel fratres in multitudine ( hoc est saepe ) ad nos venerint , into the margent is put ad litigandum : many different readings likewise come from the use of those Letters , whose sound or pronunciation is in reading scarcely perceived , and one is sometimes taken for another ( for example ) Levit. chap. 25. v. 29. it is Written in the Text , that if a House were sold which was in a City that had a Wall , the margent says that had not a Wall. But tho' these things are evident yet we will make answer to some arguments of the Pharises , who endeavor to perswade the World , that marginal Notes were by those that Copied out the Books of Scripture , purposely placed there to signify some great mystery : they ground their first argument which I think very slight , upon the common use of reading the Scripture , for say they , if these marginal Notes were used purposely to shew various readings , and such as could not be decided ; why then hath custom prevailed , still to retain the marginal Sense as always the best , and that it was fit the most genuine and approved Sense , should be exprest in the Text rather then in the margent . Their Second Argument which carries some countenance is this , errors and mistakes in Books say they , are not purposely put in , but happen by chance , now how comes it to pass that in all the first five Books , the Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nagnad which signifies in Latin Puella and in English a Girl or Young Maid , should contrary to the Rules of Grammar be Written in all places but one as a defective Word , without the Letter He , and yet in the margent be Written always right , did this happen by mistake , and was the Writer always so much in haste , that when he came to this word he constantly left out that Letter ? this defect might without any scruple have been easily mended and supplyed ? if then these various Readings did not happen by chance , and yet those evident Errors were left uncorrected , the first Writers must designedly do it , thereby to signify somewhat . But these Arguments are easily answer'd , that which is urged concerning Use and Custom , is not much to be minded . I know not how far Superstition might prevail , but sometimes both Readings or Senses might seem equally good and tollerable , and therefore that neither might be neglected or undervalued , they would have one written , and the other read ; they were afraid in a Matter of such consequence , to pass any positive Determination , least they might through uncertainty mistake , and take the wrong Reading for the true ; and therefore resolved not to prefer one before the other , which they must have done , if they had commanded that one only should be written and read : the Reason why the Marginal Notes are not written in the Text , is because some things , tho' they be rightly written , yet they would have them read as they were noted in the Margent ; and therefore they appointed the Bible to be generally read according to the Marginal Notes . Old Obsolete words out of use , which the good Manners of the present time would not permit to be publickly read , caused the Scribes to put things into the Margent , which they would have publickly read , Marginal Notes not being always dubious Readings , but contain'd sometimes Words and Expressions not in Use : the Antient Scribes being Men free from evil Meaning , exprest things in plain downright words without Courtly Epithites ; but after Naughtiness and Luxury began to Reign , those words which the Antients thought had no immodesty in them , began to be accounted Obscene ; yet there was no necessity upon this account to change the Text and Scripture it self , but for Decency's sake , they ordained that those words , which signify'd Coition and the Excrements , should be publickly read to the People with greater Modesty , as they were noted in the Margent . Lastly , whatever the reason be , why they read and interpreted the Text according to the Marginal Notes , yet it is not because those Marginal readings are always the truest interpretation ; for the Rabbines do not only differ in the Talmud from the Masorites , and have other Readings which they approve ; but some Notes are found in the Margent , which the common Use of the Language will not allow ( for example ) in the 2 d. Book of Sam. Chap. 14. v. 22. The Text saith , in that the King hath fulfilled the request of his Servant . Which the Latin Translation renders , quia effecit Rex secundum Sententiam servi sui , which construction is very regular , and agrees with that in the 16 th Verse of the same Chapter ; but the reading in the Margent , which is servi tui of thy servant , doth not agree with the Person of the Verb. So also in the last Verse of the 16 th Chapter of that Book , the written Text in the Latin Translation is , ut cum consultat ( id est consultatur ) verbum Dei. But in the Margent is added the Pronoun quis , for the Nomnative case to the Verb , which was not learnedly done ; for the common Custom of that Language was to use Verbs Impersonals , for the Third Person singular of Verbs Active , as is well known to Grammarians . In like manner we meet with many Marginal Notes , which ought to be preferr'd before the written reading of the Text. Now for the Pharisees Second Argument , it is easily answer'd by what hath been said , namely , that the Scribes , beside dubious Readings , noted obsolete words ; for without doubt as in other Languages , so in the Hebrew , later times antiquated and made useless many words , which were found in the Bible by later Writers , who as we have said , noted them in the Margent , that they might be read before the People in the Sense and Signification that was then in use : for this Reason the word Naghar is every where found noted in the Margent , because antiently it was of the common Gender , and signifyed the same that did the word Iuvenis amongst the Latins , so also the Metropolis of the Jews was wont to be called Jerusalem , and not Jerusalaim . I think the same of the Pronoun ipse and ipsa , he and she , because the later Writers have changed Vau into Iod ( which change in the Hebrew Tongue is frequent ) when they would signify the Feminine Gender ; but the antients never used to distinguish the Feminine from the Masculine Gender of this Pronoun but only by the Vowels . Moreover , the Anomaly or Irregularity of Verbs in former and later times was not the same ; and Lastly , The Antients made use of Paragogical ( that is ) additional Letters , as an Elegancy particular to their times ; all which I can prove by many examples , with which I will not at this time trouble the Reader , If any Man ask how I came to the Knowledge of these things , I answer , because I have found them in very Antient Copies of the Bible , tho' later Writers would not follow those Copies , which is the only cause that in other Languages almost lost , Obsolete words are still understood : but perhaps some will still object , and since I have declared , that the greatest Part of those Notes are not doubtful readings , will ask me first why of one Place , there are never found more then two readings ; why not sometimes three or more ? Secondly , seeing there are somethings in the written Text , so manifestly repugnant to the Rules of Grammar , which yet are rightly noted in the margent , it may be asked , how it is possible to believe that the Writers could make any doubt , which was the true Reading ? To this I answer , First , that there were more Readings then we find noted in our Copies ; for in the Talmud there are many noted , which are neglected by the Masorites , and in many places so much misliked by them ; that the Superstitious Corrector of the Bombergian Bibles , was forced to confess in his Preface , that he knew not how to reconcile them : he saith , here we know not what to answer more then we did , namely , that it was the Custom of the Talmudists to contradict the Masorites , and therefore we have not sufficient Ground to conclude , that of one Place there were never more then two readings , yet I easily grant , yea I believe , that there are not now to be found more then two Readings of one place and that for two Reasons . First , because that , from whence the variety of Readings proceeded , could not occasion more then two ; for we have shew'd , that the difference of Readings , arose from the Similitude , which was between some Letters , and still the doubt was no more but this , which of two Letters was to be written ? whether Bet or Kaf , Jod or Vau , Dalet or Res. Of which there was frequent use ; and therefore it often happen'd , that the Sense was tollerable with either : beside it was doubtful sometimes , whether a Syllable was long or short , whose quantity was to be determin'd by those Letters whose pronunciation was scarcely to be perceived : and Lastly , all marginal Notes were not dubious Readings , for as we have already said , many of them were put in for decency and modesty's sake ; and sometimes to explain Obsolete and Antiquated words . The Second Reason why I perswade my self that more then two Readings cannot be found of one Place , is , because I believe the Antient Scribes met with very few Originals ; perhaps not above two or three ; In the Treatise of the Scribes , chap. 6 th . There is mention made but of three , which they pretend were found in the Time of Esdras , and boast that the Notes were put in by him ; however it were , tho' they had three Original Copies , we may with reason imagine , that two of them might still agree in the same Place together : but every body may justly wonder , that only in three copies there should be found three divers Readings of one Place . How it came to pass , that after Esdras there should be so great a scarcity of copies , can be no great wonder to any Man , who will but read the first chapter of the first Book of Machabees ; or the Seventh Chapter of the Twelveth Book of Iosephus's Antiquities : yea 't is a Miracle , that after so great and continual a Persecution , they should be able , if we consider the story , to keep those few they had . We see then the Reasons why we no where meet with more then two dubious Readings , so that it can be no argument at all to conclude , that because there are no where more then two , therefore the Bible in those noted places was not written right , purposely to signify some Mistery . The Second Objection which saith , some things are so manifestly false written , that no body can deny it , and therefore those Errors ought to have been corrected rather in the Text , then noted in the margent is of no great weight ; nor am I obliged to know , what was the Reason they did not do it : perhaps it was beeause they were so honest , as to leave the Bible to posterity just as they found it , in the few Originals they met with ; and thought fit to note the disagreement between the Original Copies , rather as divers , then dubious Readings ; nor have I called them dubious , upon any other account , but because I cannot tell which of the two ought to be preferr'd . Lastly , The Scribes beside these dubious readings , ( by leaving a void space in the middle of Paragraphs ) have noted many defective places , the precise number of which spaces , the Masorites have observed to be twenty eight , I know not whether they believe there is likewise some mistery in that number , the Pharisees are very religious observers of this space ; there is an Example of one of them Gen. Chap. 4. v. 8. In the Latin Translation , 't is thus written , & dixit Cain Habeli Fratri suo , — & contigit dum erant in Campo ut Cain . So that where we expected to hear what it was Cain said to his Brother , there is only a void Space , of which spaces the Scribes have left Twenty eight , in many of which nothing would seem to be wanting , if there had not been such a void space left . CHAP. X. The rest of the Books of the Old Testament in like manner examined . OF the two Books of Chronicles , there is not much to be said worth a man's knowing , nor any thing that is certain ; more than that they were written long after Esdras ; and perhaps , after Iudas Maccabeus rebuilt the Temple : for in the 9 th . chap. of the first Book of Chron. the Historian tells us , what Families ( in the time of Esdras ) first inhabited Ierusalem , and in the 17 th . verse of that Chapter speaks of the Porters , whereof two are likewise named in the 19 th verse of the 11 th chapter of Nehemiah , which is a plain proof , that these Books were written after the City was rebuilt . Concerning the Writer , the Authority . Doctrine , and usefulness of the Books , I can say nothing ; but I very much wonder they should be esteem'd Sacred and Canonical , by those men who think the Book of Wisdom , Tobit , and others Apocriphal : It is not my purpose to magnify their Authority , seeing they are generally receiv'd for Canonical ; as they are I leave them . The Psalms were collected and divided into five Books , in the time of the Second Temple ; for the 88 th Psalm was by the testimony of Philo Iudaeus , published when King Iehoiachim was kept a Prisoner at Babylon ; and the 89 th Psalm , when he was set at liberty . I believe Philo would not have said it , had it not been the received Opinion of his time ; or had he not heard it from very credible persons . I believe the Proverbs of Solomon were collected much about the same time , or at least , in the days of King Iosiah ; because it is said , Prov. chap. 25. v. 1. These are the Pooverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah King of Judah copied out . But I cannot here forbear to take notice of the great boldness of the Rabbins , who would have excluded this Book and that of Ecclesiastes , out of the Sacred Canon , which had been certainly done , had they not met with some places which commend Moses Law ; 't is pity such things , so sacred and excellent , should lie at the mercy of such men ; we thank them for communicating them to us , but 't is a great doubt whether they have been faithfully deliver'd to posterity , which I will not here strictly examin , but proceed to the Books of the Prophets : Having seriously consider'd them , I plainly perceive , That the Prophesies contain'd in them , were collected out of other Books ; they are not set down in the order wherein they were deliver'd , nor written by the Prophets themselves ; neither are all recorded , but such as here and there could be found out : so that these Books are but meer fragments of the Prophets . Isaiah began to prophesy in the time of Vzziah King of Iudah as the Writer of the Book of Isaiah himself testifies in the 1 st . chap. and 1 st . verse ; and Isaiah did not Prophesy only in that King's Reign , but also wrote a History of all that King did ; as appears in the 2 d Book of Chron. chap. 26. v. 22. The rest of the Acts of Uzziah first and last , did Isaiah the Prophet the Son of Amos write ; which Book 't is pity we have not , those things which we have , as hath been already said , were copied out of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah and Israel : The Rabbins likewise declare , That Isaiah also prophesy'd in the time of Manasseh , by whom he was put to death ; and tho' in that they seem fabulous , yet they did not believe all his Prophesies were extant . The Prophesies of Ieremy which are Historically related , were pick'd up , and collected out of divers Chronologers ; for they are not only confusedly put together , without any regard had to time ; but the same History is also repeated in divers manners ; for the 21 th chap. contains the Prophesy , wherein Ieremy foretold King Zedekiah , who sent to consult him , That the City of Ierusalem should be destroy'd ; and for which Prophesy he was apprehended . Then after an abrupt breaking off from this History ; the 22 th chap. sets forth Ieremy's Declamation and Prophesy against King Iehoiachim , who reigned before Zedekiah , declaring Iehoiachim's Captivity . After this , the 25 th chap. declares those things which were before reveal'd to the Prophet , in the fourth year of King Iehoiachim , and without observing any order of time , goes on to heap together many Prophesies , till at length the 38 th chapter ( as if the fifteen intermediate chapters had been but a Parenthesis ) returns again to that spoken of in the 21 th chap. for the conjunction Then , wherewith the 38 th chapter begins , relates to the 8,9 , and 10 verses of the 21 th chap. and the relation given in this 38 th chap. of Ieremy's last apprehension , and being long kept in a Dungeon , is very different from that we have of it in the 37 th chap. So that it clearly appears , all these things were taken out of divers Historians , and no other excuse can be made for them . The rest of Ieremy's Prophesies contain'd in other Chapters , where he speaks in his own person , seem to be copied out of the Book which Baruch writ from Ieremy's own Mouth ; which Book ( as appears by the 2 d. verse of the 36 th chap. contain'd only those things which were reveal'd to the Prophet , from the time of Iosiah unto the fourth year of Iehoiachim , from which year the Book begins ; out of which Book also all those things seem to be copy'd , which are related from the 2 d verse of the 45 th chap. to the 49 th verse of the 51 th chap. That the Book of Ezekiel is likewise but a fragment , is manisest by the first verses thereof ; for who doth not take notice , that the Conjunction Now wherewith the Book begins , relates to somewhat that had been already said , and joins that , to what he had further to say ; not only the Conjunction , but the whole Contexture of what he spoke , implies and supposeth other things which had been before written ; for the Writer himself saith by way of Parenthesis , in the 3 d verse of the 1 st . chap. The word of the Lord came often to Ezekiel the Priest , the Son of Buzi in the land of the Chaldeans : as if he should say , That the words of Ezekiel which hitherto he had copied out , related to other things which were revealed to him before the present thirtieth year . Iosephus in his 10 th Book of Antiquities , chap. 9. declares , Ezekiel prophesy'd that Zedechiah would not see Babylon , which Prophesy doth not appear in the Book we have of Ezekiel ; but the 17 th . chap. foretels the contrary , that he was to be carry'd Captive thither . Whether Hoseah wrote any thing more than is in the Book which bears his name , I am not certain ; but I much wonder that we should have nothing more of his ; seeing by the persons testimony who wrote the Book called Hosea , that Prophet Prophesy'd no less than eighty four years , as appears by the 1 st verse of the 1 st chap. where the several Kings are named , in whose times he lived : in general , we know that the writers of the Books which we call the Prophets , did neither collect the Prophesies of all that were Prophets , nor all the Prophesies of those Prophets whose names we have ; for we have not any of the Prophesies of those Prophets who prophesy'd in the time of Manasseh , ( of which Prophets mention is made , tho' not by name , in the 2 d Book of Chron. chap. 33. v. 10 , 18 , 19. ) nor have we all the Prophesies of the twelve Prophets : We have none of Ionah's Prophesies , but those that concerned the Ninevites , tho' he also prophesy'd to Israel , as appears by the 25 th . verse of the 14 th chap. of the 2 d. Book of Kings . Of the Book of Iob , and of Iob himself , there hath been among Writers much dispute ; some think Moses wrote the Book of Iob , and that the whole story is nothing but a Parable , which is likewise a Tradition of the Rabbins in their Talmud , and favour'd by Maimonides in his Book still'd More Nebuchim : Others believe the History to be real and true , and that Iob lived in the time of Iacob , and married his Daughter Dinah ; but Aben Ezra , as I have already said , in his Commentaries on the Book of Iob saith , It was translated out of some other Language into the Hebrew ; which I could wish he had more clearly prov'd ; for then we might conclude , the Gentiles also had Books which were Sacred . I leave the thing still doubtful , and conjecture that Iob was some Gentile of great constancy of Mind , who at first was very prosperous , afterward very unfortunate , and in the end very happy : for in Ezechiel , chap. 14 v. 14. he is named with Noah and Daniel for a righteous man. The various Fortune , and constant Mind of Iob , gave many an occasion of disputing God's Providence , and to the Author of the Book , of composing a Dialogue , whereof the Subject and Stile seem to be a Man 's rather at ease , meditating in his Study , than sick on a Dunghill ; and I might with Aben Ezra believe , the Book to be translated out of another Language , because it seems to affect the Heathen Poesy ; the Father of the Gods being in the first Chapter brought in twice , calling a Council , and Momus , who is called Satan , answering God with great liberty ; but these are meer frivolous conjectures . The Book of Daniel without doubt from the 8 th Chapter thereof , contains the Writings of Daniel ; but from whence the first seven Chapters were copy'd , I know not ; we may suspect , that seeing all of them , but the first , were written in the Chaldee Language , they were taken out of that Nation 's Chronologies , of which could we be certain , it were a clear proof , that the Scripture is to be accounted Sacred , only in respect of the things contain'd in it , and not in respect of the Language , Words , or Stile wherein they are express'd ; and that all Books which declare and teach what is excellently good , in what Tongue , or by what Nation soever written , are equally Sacred : Let this , at least , be observ'd , that the Chapters which are written in Chaldee , are no less Sacred than any of the rest in the whole Bible . To this Book of Daniel , the first Book of Ezra is so annex'd , that it appears they were both written by one person , who relates what successively past amongst the Iews , from the first Captivity : And to this Book of Esdras , without doubt is joyn'd the Book of Hester , for the Conjunction wherewith the Book begins , can relate to no other Book , nor can it be thought the same Book which Mordecai wrote ; for he that writ the Book of Hester , saith in the 9 th chap. v. 20. that Mordecai wrote Letters , and declares what were their Contents : Moreover , the 31 th of the same Chapter tells us , That Queen Hester confirm'd by a Decree , all things concerning the Feast of Purim , or Lots ; and in the 32 th . verse 't is said , it was written in the Book ; that is , according to the Hebrew manner of speaking , in a Book which every one at that time knew ; which Book , with others , Aben Ezra says , was lost ; what else concerned Mordecai , the Historian in the 10 th chap. v. 2. saith , was written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia ; and therefore , without question this Book of Daniel , was written by the same person who wrote the Affairs of Daniel and Ezra ; and so also was the Book of Nehemiah called the Second Book of Ezra : so that we conclude , these four Books , namely , Daniel , Ezra , Hester , and Nehemiah , to be written by one Historian ; but who he was , I cannot so much as guess ; but that we may know whoever he were , from whence he had the knowledge of the things he relates , and from whence he copy'd them out ; we are to take notice , that the Governours and Princes of the Iews in the time of the Second Temple , as did their Kings in the time of the First , kept Scribes or Historiographers , who writ Annals , and recorded what past ; which Annals , or Chronologies , are every where cited in the Book of Kings ; but those of the Princes and Priests of the Second Temple , are quoted first in Nehemiah , chap. 12. v. 23. and also in the first Book of Machabes , chap. 16. v. 24. and no question this Book of Annals was that Book mention'd ( in the 32 th verse of the 9 th chap. of Hester ) in which the Decree of Queen Hester , and those things that concern'd Mordecai were written ; which Book we agree with Aben Ezra was lost ; and out of this Book of Annals , all things contain'd in the four Books we have last mention'd , were in all probability taken and copy'd ; for there is no other Book quoted by the writer of these four , nor do we know any other of publick Authority . That these four Books were not written either by Ezra or Nehemiah , appears by what is said in the 9 th and 10 th verses of the 12 th chap. of Nehem. where the Genealogy of the High-Priest Iesuah , is deriv'd down to Iaduah the sixth High-priest , who went to meet Alexander the Great , when he had almost conquer'd the Kingdom of Persia ; as appears in the 2 d. Book and 8 th chap. of Iosephus's Antiquities ; or as Philo Iudaeus saith in Libro temporum , the sixth and last High-priest under the Persian Monarchy ; which is likewise plainly declar'd in the 22 th verse of the aforesaid 12 th chap. of Nehem. where the Historian saith , The Levites in the days of Eliashib , Ioiada , Iohanan , and Iaduah , were recorded Priests to the Reign of Darius the Persian ; that is , in the Annals of that Government . And sure , no Man will believe , that Hezra or Nehemiah were so long liv'd , to survive fourteen Persian Kings ; for Cyrus the first King of Persia , was he that gave the Iews liberty to rebuild their Temple , and from him to Darius the fourteenth and last King of the Persians , are reckoned 230 years : therefore without all doubt , these four Books I have mention'd , were written long after Iudas Maccabeus restor'd the worship of the Temple ; and also , because at that time were spurious counterfeit Books of Daniel , Hesdras and Hester publish'd by some malicious persons , who were of the Sect of the Zadduces ; for the Pharisees would never own them : and tho' in the Book which we call the 4 th of Esdras there are some fabulous stories , which we also find in the Talmud ; yet they ought not to be fathered on the Pharisees ; for there is no Man of sense but believes those Tales were added by some trifling fellow , perhaps to render the Pharisaical Traditions ridiculous , or to make the people of that time believe , that the Prophesies of Daniel were fulfill'd , thereby to confirm them in their Religion , and in the midst of so many and great Calamities , to keep them from despair : But tho' these Books be of no great Antiquity , yet many faults ( I suppose , through haste in those who copy'd them out ) have crept into them ; for in these , as in the rest , are many Marginal Notes , ( of which we spake in the former Chapter ) and also some places for which no excuse can be made ; but if it be granted , that the Marginal Readings of these Books , be as the Pharisees would have it , as ancient as the Writers themselves , then it must necessarily follow , that the Scribes ( if they were more than one ) put these Notes into the Margent , because they did not find the Annals , from whence they copy'd out the Books perfectly written ; and tho' some faults be very plain and obvious , yet the Scribes would not be so bold to alter or mend the Writings of their Ancestors . Of this particular I have said enough , and I now pass on to shew those errors whereof no notice is taken in the Margent . I cannot tell how many I meet with in the 2 d chap of Ezra , for in the 64 th verse it is said , that the whole Congregation together , of those that went up out of Captivity to Ierusalem , was forty two thousand three hundred and threescore ; and yet if the particular numbers throughout the whole Chapter , be exactly summ'd up and added together , they make the total to be no more than twenty nine thousand eight hundred and eighteen ; so that there is an error in the total , or particular numbers . Now 't is most likely the total number was not mistaken , but set down right , because every one might keep that in memory , tho' he could not remember the particular numbers ; had there been any error or mistake in the total , every body would have known it , and it might have been easily mended , which is confirm'd by the 7 th chap. of Nehemiah , which tells us , that the whole number of them that came up from the Captivity , was the very same mention'd in the 2 d chap of Ezra ; but the particular numbers very much differ ; for some are more , and others less in Nehemiah , than they are in Ezra , and amount in all to thirty one thousand eighty nine ; so that there is no doubt , but that the errors as well in the Book of Ezra , as of Nehemiah , were in the particular numbers : Commentators rack their Wits and Inventions , to reconcile these apparent contradictions ; and while they adore the very Words and Letters of Scripture , do nothing , as we have already said , but expose the Writers of the Bible to Contempt ; as if they knew not how to speak , or put that which was spoken by them into any order ; yea , they do nothing but make that part of Scripture which is plain , obscure : For if every Man should take a liberty of explaining Scripture , as they do , we could not be sure of the true sense of any part thereof : I am perswaded , those Commentators themselves , tho' they with so much zeal excuse the Writers of the Old Testament , would count any other Man a ridiculous Historian , who should write as they have done ; and if they think him a Blasphemer , who says the Scripture is in some places faulty , what shall I say of those Men , who bely the Scripture , and so expose the holy Pen-men thereof , as if they knew not how to speak ; and deny the plain and clear sense of Scripture ? What in it can be plainer , than that Esdras and his fellow Priests in the second Chapter of that Book which is said to be his , took a particular account of all that went up to Ierusalem ; seeing the number of them is set down , who could not derive their Pedigree , as well as theirs that could ? And what is more clear , than that Nehemiah , as appears by the 7 th chap. and 5 th verse of that Book , only copy'd out the Register which Esdras had made ? Who ever makes any other Exposition thereof , denies the true sense of Scripture , and consequently , the Scripture it self . 'T is ridiculous Piety to pretend to rectify one place of Scripture by another , when plain places are darkened by obscure , and those that are right and true corrected and corrupted by those that are false and erroneous ; but God forbid I should call them Blasphemers , who have no malicious intentions , because there is no Man free from Error . Beside the Errors which are in the particular numbers , both of Esdras and Nehemiah's Genealogy , there are divers in the names of the Families , more in the very Pedigrees , in the Histories , and , I fear , likewise in the very Prophesies themselves ; for the Prophesie of Ieremy in the 22 th chap. against Iehoiachim , which says , He should be buried with the burial of an Ass , drawn and cast forth beyond the Gates of Ierusalem , doth not at all agree with the History of him in the last Chapter of the 2 d. Book of Kings ; no nor with what is related of him in the last Chapter of Ieremy ; especially , in the last Verse ; neither do I see any reason why Ieremy should tell King Zedechiah , that he should die in peace , Ierem. chap. 34. v. 5. who was taken Captive , and after he had seen his Children slain before his Face , had his own Eyes put out . If Prophesies may be interpreted according to events , the names of those two Kings seem to be mistaken one for the other , but that is too paridoxical to be maintain'd , and I had rather leave the point under an impossibility of being determin'd , seeing if there be any error in it , it must be the fault of the Historian , and not in the Original Copies from whence he wrote . Of any other Errors I will take no particular notice , seeing I cannot without troubling the Reader , because they have been already noted by others . Rabbi Solomon finding the manifest contradictions which are in the erroneous Genealogies , doth in his Commentaries on the 8 th chap. of the first Book of Chronicles , break out into these words , Esdras , ( whom he supposeth to have written the Chronicles ) called the Sons of Benjamin by wrong names , and deriv'd his Pedigree otherwise than we find it in the Book of Genesis , and describes the greatest part of the Cities of the Levites , otherwise than Joshua did , because he met with different Originals : And a little after saith , The Genealogy of Gibeon , and others , is twice and diversly repeated , because Esdras found different Registers of each . Genealogy ; and in copying them out , follow'd those whereof the greater number did agree ; but when the number of differing Genealogies was equal , he wrote after the Original of both : So that it appears by Rabbi Solomon's own confession , these Books were copied from uncertain , and imperfect Originals : The Commentators themselves , many times do nothing more than shew the causes of the errors , and I believe , that no person of any sound Judgment , can think that the Sacred Historians , did write purposely to contradict themselves : Perhaps it will be said , I go about to overthrow the Scripture , and give occasion to suspect , that it is every where faulty ; but I have prov'd the contrary , for I hereby vindicate the Scripture , and provide against the adulterating and corrupting thereof in those places which are clear and true . It doth not follow , that because some places are faulty , therefore all must be so : because every Book is in some places false , 't is no good ground to conclude it is no where true ; especially when the Stile of it is perspicuous , and the meaning of the Author perfectly known . So much for the Books of the Old Testament : Now by what hath been said , we may easily conclude , that before the time of Iudas Macch●b●us , no Books were esteemed Canonical , but those which we now have from the Pharisees of the Second Temple , ( who likewise instituted set forms of Prayer ) these Books being selected from many others , and only by their Decree receiv'd into the Canon : he therefore that will demonstrate the Authority of Holy Scripture , is bound to prove the Authority of every particular Book , the proving any one to be Divine , is not enough to prove the Divinity of all ; unless it be granted , that the Council of the Pharisees could not err , which is impossible for any Man to make good ; the reason which inclines me to believe , that none but the Pharisees chose the Books of the Old Testament , and made them Sacred by Canon ; is , because the last Chapter of Daniel declares , That there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead , which the Zadduces utterly deny'd . Moreover in the Treatise of the Sabbath , chap. 2. fol. 30. parag . the 2 d , Rabbi Iehuda says , The learned in the Law endeavour'd to suppress the Book of Ecclesiastes , because many expressions in it , were contrary ( which observe ) to the Books of the Law of Moses ; but the reason why it was not suppress'd , was , because it begun and ended according to the Law : A little after he saith , They would also have conceal'd the Book of Proverbs ; and lastly , in the first Chapter of the same Treatise , fol. 13 th , these are his words , Truly I name the Man for kindness sake , had it not been for Neguniah the Son of Hiskiah , the Book of Ezechiel had been absconded , because there are expressions in it repugnant to the words of the Law : By all which it is manifest , that the learned in the Law , held a Council to determin what Books should be receiv'd for Sacred , and what should be rejected , so that whoever will be sure of the Authority of all , must search into the Council , and know upon what ground and reason every Book was receiv'd . I should now examin the Books of the New Testament , but I hear it hath been already done by Men learned in the Sciences , and skilful in Tongues ; I am not Grecian good enough to undertake it , beside we want Original Copies of those Books which were written in Hebrew , and therefore I will not ingage my self in the business , but only observe some things which make to my main purpose , and that shall be the work of my next Chapter . CHAP. XI . Enquires whether the Apostles wrote their Epistles , as Apostles and Prophets , or only as Teachers ; and sheweth what is the Office of an Apostle . WHoever reads the New Testament , must be convinc'd , that the Apostles were Prophets , but because the Prophets , ( as I have shew'd in the end of the first Chapter ) did but seldom , and not always speak by Revelation ; it may very well be a Question , Whether the Apostles , like Moses , Ieremy , and others , did by express Command and Revelation write their Epislles as Prophets , or else , only as private Men and Teachers ; especially , because in the 1 st Epist. to the Corinthians , chap. 14. v. 6. Paul in express terms declares , there are two sorts of speaking , the one by Revelation , the other by Knowledge ; I say therefore , it may be doubted , whether the Apostles in their Writings did Prophesie or instruct Their Stile , if we mark it , is very far different from that us'd in Prophesie ; it was alway the custom of the Prophets to declare , That they spake by the Command of God , still beginning with expressions like these , So faith the Lord : The Lord of Hosts saith , The Word and Decree of the Lord ; which they did use not only in their publick Speeches , but also in their Letters or Writings , which contain'd Revelations ; as appears in the Letter written by Elijah the Prophet to King Iehoram , ( 2 d Book of Chron. chap 21. v 12. ) and there came a Writing to him from Elijah the Prophet saying , Thus saith the Lord God ; but in the Apostles Writings , we meet with no such expressions , but the clean contrary ; 1 st Epist . Corinth . chap. 7. v. 40. Paul says he speaks after his own Judgment : Yea , in many places we find expressions which argue a doubtful and uncertain mind ; as in the Epist. to the Rom. chap. 3. v. 28. Therefore we conclude : And Rom. chap. 8 v. 18. for I reckon , and many of the like kind . Beside these there are other manners of speaking , which do not at all savor of Prophetical Authority ; as in the 1 st Epist. Corinth , chap. 7. v. 6. But I speak this by permission , not of commandment : and in the 25. verse of the same chap. I give my Iudgment as a Man who hath obtain'd mercy of the Lord to be faithful ; and it is to be observ'd , That when Paul in this Chapter speaks , as if he did not know whether he had , or had not a command from the Lord for what he said , it is not to be understood of a Command from God by Revelation , but only , that he preach'd that Doctrine , which Christ the Lord taught his Disciples in the Mount. Moreover , if we observe in what manner the Apostles deliver the Doctrine of the Gospel in their Writings , we shall find it much different from the Prophets way of instructing ; for the Apostles are always found reasoning , insomuch that they seem rather to dispute than Prophesie . Prophesies contain nothing but positive Opinions and Decrees therefore God is always introduced , not arguing with Reason , but peremptorily commanding by the Power and Soveraignty of his Nature and Essence : Prophetieal Authority allows of no rational disputing ; for whoever will by reasoning confirm his Opinions , doth in so doing submit them to the Arbitrary Judgment of another ; as doth Paul reasoning in his 1 st . Epist . to the Corinth . chap. 10. v. 15. I speak as to wise men , judge ye what I say : And lastly , because the Prophets did not understand the things that were reveal'd to them by Reason and Natural Knowledge , as we have shewed in the first Chapter ; tho' some things in the Pentateuch , seem to be concluded and confirmed by Inference and Illation ; yet if we consider them , they cannot be taken for peremptory and decisive Arguments : ( For example ) when Moses said to the Israelites , Deut. chap. 21. v. 27. Behold , while I am yet alive with you this day , ye have been rebellious against the Lord , and how much more after my death . We are not here to think , that this was an Argument used to convince the Israelites by Reason , that they would certainly after Moses death depart from the worship of God , because the Argument had been false , as may be prov'd by Scripture ; for the people persevered constantly in it during the life of Ioshua and the Elders ; and afterwards also in the life time of Samuel , David , and Solomon : these words therefore of Moses , were but a moral manner of speaking , which he Rhetorically us'd , the more strongly to imagin and foretel , that peoples future defection ; the reason why I do not say , that Moses to make his Prediction true , spake these words of himself , and not by Revelation as a Prophet , is , because in the 21 verse of the same Chapter ; God reveals to Moses in other words , what the people would do ; so that there was no need of reasoning to make Moses surer of this Prediction and Decree ; but it was only necessary to give him a livelier representation thereof in his imagination , ( as I have shewed in the first Chapter ) which could be done no better way , than by imagining that the peoples present rebellious Humor , which he had so often try'd , would be the very same for the future ; so that we are not to think , Moses's Arguments which we meet with in the Petanteuch , to be drawn from the Repositories of Reason , but to be taken only for manners of speaking , whereby he did more lively imagin , and more effectually express God's Decrees . I will not deny , but that the Prophets might reason and argue by Revelation ; but that which I maintain , is , That the Prophets by how much more rational the Arguments were which they used , so much more natural did their Knowledge appear , which they had of things revealed , and that the Prophets knowledge was supernatural , chiefly appear'd in their speaking Dogmatically , Imperiously , and Sententiously ; so that Moses the chief Prophet , never made use of any Logical Argument , and I therefore conclude , Paul's long Deductions and Reasonings , which we find in his Epistle to the Romans , were never written by Supernatural Revelation , and the manner of speaking and arguing in the Writings of the Apostles , doth clearly shew , that they were not by Divine Revelation and Command , but were the dictates of their own natural Reason , and contain nothing but brotherly admonitions , full of gentleness and kindness , ( no evidence of Prophetical Authority ) such as is that excuse in the 15. chap. to the Rom. verse 15. Brethren I have written the more boldly unto you ; and this Opinion may with the greater confidence be maintain'd , because we no where read that the Apostles were commanded to Write , but only to Preach where ever they went , and to confirm their Doctrine by Signs ; for their Presence and Signs were absolutely requir'd to convert the Nations to Christianity , and confirm them in it ; as Paul himself in his Epist. to the Rom. chap. 1. v 11. expresly declares , I long to see you , that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift , to the end you may be establish'd : But here it may be objected , that if we allow the Apostles did not write as Prophets , then by the same reason it may be concluded , they did not preach as Prophets ; for when they went hither and thither to preach , they did it not by express Command , as did the Prophets in time past . We read in the Old Testament , Ionah went to Nineveh to preach , that he was expresly sent thither , and that which he was there to preach was reveal'd to him . We are told at large , that Moses was sent into Egypt by God , what he was commanded to say to the people of Israel , and to King Pharaoh , what Signs and Wonders also he was to do in their presence to make them believe . Isaiah , Ieremy , and Ezekiel were expresly commanded to preach to the Israelites . Lastly , the Prophets never preached any thing , but what the Scripture testifies they receiv'd from God , but of the Apostles we very seldom read any such thing , when they went hither and thither to preach ; but on the contrary , we find the Apostles according to their own Will and Inclination , chose what places they would preach in , as appears by that contention even to separation between Paul and Barnabas , Act. chap. 15. v. 39. and that the Apostles many times in vain attempted to go to some particular places , whereof we have instances in Paul himself , who says in his first Chapter to the Romans , v. 13. I would not have you ignorant , that oftentimes I purposed to come to you , but was let hitherto ; and chap. 15. v. 22. For which cause I have been often hindred from coming to you . And lastly , in the 16 th chap. 1 st Epist. to the Corinth . v. 12. he saith , As touching our brother Apollos , I greatly desir'd him to come unto you with the Brethren , but his Will was not at all to come at this time , but he will come when he shall have convenient time ; so that from such expressions as these , from the Apostles contention , and because when they went hither and thither to preach , the Scripture doth no where testify as it did of the Ancient Prophets , that they went by the express command of God ; we ought to conclude , that the Apostles did not preach as Prophets , but as Men who were only Teachers . But this Objection may be easily answered , if we take notice of the difference between the calling of Apostles in the New , and of Prophets in the Old Testament , for the Prophets were not called to Preach and Prophesie to all Nations in general , but only to some particular people , for which an Express and particular Command was necessary ; but the Apostles were called to preach to all Nations without exception , and to convert them to Christ , so that where-ever they went they executed his Commission ; nor was there any necessity before they went , that which they were to preach should be reveal'd to them , they being those Disciples to whom Christ said , Matth. chap. 10. v. 19 , 20. When they deliver you up , take no thought how or what ye shall speak , for it shall be given unto you in that same hour , what you shall speak : We therefore conclude , the Apostles had those things by particular Revelation , which they personally preach'd and confirm'd by Signs , but what they simply spake or writ without Signs to confirm it , that proceeded only from their Natural Reason and Knowledge , as you see in the forecited 14 th chap. of the 1 st Epist. to the Corinth . v. 6. That all their Epistles begin with the Declaration and Approbation of their Apostleship , makes nothing against me ; for on the Apostles , as I shall presently shew , was not only bestow'd the gift of Prophesie , but they had also Authority given them to teach and instruct : Upon this ground the Apostles began and wrote their Epistles with the declaration of their Apostleship , and perhaps to gain upon the Minds of their Readers , and to stir them up to Attention , did in the first place testify , That they were those Men , who by their Preaching , were known to all Believers ; and who , by such clear proofs had made it evident , they taught the true Religion , and right way to Salvation . What I find in these Epistles concerning the Call of the Apostles , and of the Divine and Holy Spirit wherewith they were inspir'd , relates only to their Preaching , except it be in those places , where by the Spirit of God , and the holy Spirit is meant only a sound right Judgment , and a pure sanctify'd Mind devoted to God , ( of which we have spoken in our first Chapter . ) For example , Paul , in 1 Corinth chap. 7. v. 40. saith , But she is happier if she so abide after my Iudgment , and I think also I have the Spirit of God ; where by the Spirit of God is understood his own Opinion , as the Context proves ; his meaning is , that in his Judgment and Opinion , the Widdow was happy who would not marry a second Husband , for he himself had resolv'd to live single , and therefore thought himself happy : Of this kind we find other expressions , which I think needless to mention : If then it pass for granted , That the Epistles of the Apostles were the dictates only of Natural Reason , how could the Apostles only by Natural Reason , teach those things which did not fall within the compass of it ? Consider what I have said in the seventh Chapter of this Treatise , concerning the Interpretation of Scripture , and we shall find no difficulty in the Question ; for tho' many things contain'd in the Bible , often surpass our Capacity and Understanding , yet we may safely dispute of them , provided we admit of no Principles but what are fetch'd from the Scripture ; and upon this ground the Apostles might conclude , collect , and as they pleas'd , teach many of those things which they had seen , heard , and were reveal'd to them . Tho' Religion , as it was preach'd by the Apostles , in barely publishing the History of Christ , is not to be comprehended by Natural Reason , yet the principal and chiefest part thereof , which consists , as doth the whole Doctrine of Christ , in moral Precepts and Instructions , every Man by Natural Light may attain : The Apostles did not stand in need of Supernatural Illumination , to fit and apply Religion which they had before confirm'd by Signs , to every Man 's ordinary Capacity , that it might be readily embraced ; nor was Supernatural Assistance necessary to mind Men of it , the design , and end of all the Epistles , is , to teach and admonish Men to live that kind of life , which every one of the Apostles judg'd best to confirm and establish them in Religion : and here we are to remember , what was said a little before , That the Apostles were not only enabled to preach the History of Christ , and confirm what they preach'd by Signs as Prophets ; but had also Power and Authority to admonish and instruct Men , in that way which every particular Apostle thought best ; both which gifts Paul mentions in his 2 d Epist. to Timothy chap. 1. v. 11. Whereunto I am appointed a Preacher , and an Apostle , and teacher of the Gentiles : Likewise in his 1 st Epist. to Timothy , chap. 2. v. 7. Whereunto I am ordain'd a Preacher , and an Apostle : ( I speak the truth in Christ , and lie not ) a teacher of the Gentiles in Faith and Verity ; which Texts clearly prove both his Offices of Apostle and Doctor , but his Authority to warn and instruct , whomsoever , and whensoever he pleas'd , he expresly declares in his Epistle to Philemon , verses the 8 th and 9 th , Tho' I might be much bold in Christ , to enjoyn thee that which is convenient , yet for loves sake I rather beseech thee , whence we are to note , that if those things which Paul was to command Philemon , had been receiv'd from God by Paul as a Prophet , and which , as a Prophet he ought to have commanded him ; then it had not been lawful for Paul , to change that Command of God into Intreaties ; it must therefore be necessarily understood , that Paul here speaks of the liberty of Warning and Admonishing , which he had as a Teacher , and not as a Prophet . Tho' it be not clearly prov'd , that every Apostle might chuse that way of teaching which he himself thought best , but only that they were both Prophets and Teachers by vertue of their Apostleship , yet Reason tells us , that whoever hath Power and Authority to teach , hath also Power and Liberty to chuse his own way of doing it ; but because it will be more satisfactory to prove by Scripture , that every Apostle chose his own particular way of teaching : Consider what Paul himself saith in his Epistle to the Romans , chap. 15. v. 20. So have I strived to preach the Gospel , not where Christ was named , lest I should build upon another mans foundation ; if every one of the Apostles made use of the same way of teaching , and all built Christian Religion upon the same Foundation , what reason had Paul to call those Foundations another Mans ? It must necessarily be concluded , that every one built Religion upon a several Foundation , and it was with the Apostles , as it is with other Doctors , who having a peculiar method of teaching , desire alway to teach those who are perfectly ignorant , and never learnt of any other Master . If we carefully read over the Epistles , we shall find that the Apostles did agree concerning Religion it self , but differ'd about its Foundations . To establish Men in Religion , and to prove that Salvation depended only upon the Grace and Mercy of God , Paul's Doctrine was , that no Man ought to boast of his Works , but only of his Faith ; and that no Man could be justify'd by Works , but only by Faith , ( Rom. chap. 3. v. 27 , 28. ) By Paul also was preached the whole Doctrine of Predestination ; but Iames on the other side , in his Epistle declares , that a Man is justify'd by Works , and not by Faith only , ( Iames chap. 2. v. 24. ) and in few words gives a brief account of Religion , not at all concerning himself with any of Paul's Disputations : Without doubt the Apostles building Religion upon several Foundations , hath been the original cause of all those Controversies and Schisms , wherewith the Church was in the Apostles time , hath been ever since , and for ever will be troubled ; unless Religion be purg'd and separated from all Philosophical Speculations , and reduced to those few and plain Doctrines which Christ taught his Followers , which was impossible to be done by the Apostles themselves ; because Men then knew not the Gospel , and because the novity of its Doctrine should not offend their Ears , they as near as possible , suited and fitted it to the Genius and Disposition of Men in that time , as appears by ( the 1 st Epist. to the Corinth . chap. 9. v. 19 , 20. ) and was built upon the most known Foundations , and receiv'd Principles of those times ; therefore none of the Apostles philosophiz'd so much as Paul , who was called to preach to the Gentiles ; the rest preaching to the Iews , who were despisers of Philosophy , likewise apply'd themselves to their Genius , ( see the Epist. to the Galath . chap. 2. from the 11 verse forward , ) and preach'd Religion strip'd naked from all Philosophical Speculations : How happy likewise would our times be , could we see Religion freed from all Superstition . CHAP. XII . Of the true Original Hand-writing of the Divine Law ; why Scripture is called Holy ? and why the Word of God ? Lastly , That the Scripture , as it contains the Word of God , is derived down to us pure and uncorrupted . THey that look upon the Bible , however it be , as a Letter sent from Heaven by God to Man , will certainly exclaim and say , I am guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost , in maintaining , that the Word of God is faulty , maimed , adulterated , and contradictory to it self ; that we have but fragments of it , and that the Original Writing of the Covenant which God made with the Iews perish'd ; but I doubt not , would they well consider the thing it self , they would cease their exclamations ; for Reason , as well as the Opinion of the Prophets and Apostles , plainly declares , That the Eternal Word and Covenant of God , and true Religion is written in Mens Hearts , ( that is ) imprinted by God upon the Mind and Understanding of mankind ; which is that true Hand-writing of God , which he sealed with the Idea of himself ; ( that is ) the Image of his own Divine Nature . Religion was first deliver'd to the Iews as a written Law , because they were at that time in their Understanding , little more than Children ; but afterwards Moses ( Deut. chap. 30. v. 6. ) and Ieremy ( chap. 31. v. 33. ) prophesied , that in time to come , God would write his Law in their Hearts ; so that the Iews , and , among them , chiefly the Zaduces , always contended for their Law written in Tables , which others did not , who had it engraven on their Hearts : He then that considers this , will find nothing in what I have said , contrary to God's word , or that will weaken Faith and Religion ; but rather , as I have shewed toward the end of the tenth Chapter , what will confirm and strengthen both . Had not that been my intention , I had been altogether silent upon this Subject , and to avoid disputes , would have freely granted , that there are deep Mysteries hidden in the Scripture : but because from thence hath sprung up intollerable Superstition , and many other mischievous inconveniences , of which I spake in the beginning of the seventh Chapter , I could not possibly pass them by : Religion needs not be attired with any Superstitious Ornaments , but rather loseth part of its Beauty and Lustre , when it is adorned with such Fopperies . But some will say , That tho' the Divine Law be written in Mens Hearts , yet nevertheless the Scripture is the word of God , and therefore 't is as unlawful to say of Scripture , as of the Word of God , that 't is maimed or corrupted . I on the other side fear such Men pretend too much Sanctity , and convert Religion into Superstition ; yea , that they worship Pictures and Images , ( that is ) Paper and Ink for the Word of God ; this I know , that I have said nothing misbecoming the Scripture or the Word of God ; and that I have laid down no Position , which I have not made good by clear Reason ; and therefore I may positively aver , that I have not publish'd any thing that is impious , or that savors of the least impiety : I confess , some prophane persons , to whom Religion is a burthen , may take a liberty of sinning , and without any reason indulging their sensual pleasure , may infer , that the Scripture is every where faulty and falsify'd , and consequently of no Authority ; to such Men nothing will be an answer , for according to the common saying , that which is never so well and truly spoken , may be abused by an ill and sinister Interpretation ; they that are lovers of their Pleasure , will take any occasion to do it ; and they who in time past had those Originals , the Ark of the Covenant , the Prophets and Apostles themselves , were not one jot the more obedient or the better for them , but all as well Iews as Gentiles were alike still the same , and Vertue in all Ages was a thing very rare : But to clear all Scruples , I will now shew upon what ground and reason , Scripture or any other mute thing , may be called Sacred or Holy ; next , what is indeed the Word of God , that it is not contained in a certain number of Books : And lastly , that as it contains those things which are necessary to Obedience and Salvation , it cannot be corrupted : By these particulars every one may easily judge , that I speak nothing against the Word of God , or give any occasion for Men to be wicked or ungodly . That is called Holy and Divine which is dedicated to Piety and the practice of Religion , and a thing continues Holy so long as Men make a Religious use thereof ; when Men cease to be Religious , that thing ceaseth to be Sacred , and when the thing is used to impious purposes , then that thing which was before Sacred , becomes unholy and prophane : ( For example ) the very place called by Iacob the Patriarch Beth-el , the House of God , because he there worship'd God reveal'd to him ; was afterwards called by the Prophets the House of Iniquity , Amos , chap. 5. v. 5. Hoshea , chap. 10. v. 5. because the Israelites , by the Command of Ieroboam , did there sacrifice to Idols . Another example will plainly prove the thing : Words have a certain signification , only by use and custom ; and if they be according to that use so disposed , that they move Men who read them to Devotion , then those words are esteemed Sacred ; and likewise the Book wherein they are written ; but if afterward it come to pass , that the use of those words is lost , and thereby the words become insignificant , and the Book wherein such words are , is quite neglected and laid aside , either through malice , or because Men have no need of it , then the words and the Book , as they are of no use , so have they no Sanctity in them . Lastly , If those words come to be otherwise construed , and Custom so far prevail , as to give them a clean contrary sense and signification , then the words and the Book which were before esteemed Sacred , may become filthy and profane ; whence it follows , that nothing can be absolutely either Sacred or Profane , but only in respect of Mans Mind or Understanding ; which clearly appears by many places of Scripture ; I will quote only one or two ; Ieremy ( chap. 7. v. 24. ) saith , the Iews did falsely call Solomon's Temple the Temple of God ; for as he further saith in that Chapter , the Name of God could remain in that Temple no longer than it was frequented by Men who worship'd him , and maintain'd Justice ; but when Murderers , Robbers , and Idolaters resorted to it , 't was then but a Den of Thieves . I have often wonder'd , that the Scripture no where declares what became of the Ark of the Covenant , certainly it was either lost or burnt with the Temple , tho' nothing was esteemed more Sacred and Venerable among the Iews . The Scripture then is Sacred , and its sayings Divine , so long as Men are thereby moved to Devotion ; but if the Scripture be quite neglected , as it was heretofore by the Iews , it is nothing but Paper and Ink , 't is then profaned , and left liable to Corruption ; and when it is corrupted and perisheth , it cannot be truly said the Word of God is corrupted and lost ; as in the Prophet Ieremy's time , it could not be truly said the Temple of God was burnt , which Ieremy himself declareth of the Law ; for chap. 8. v. 8. he reproves the Wicked in these words , How do ye say we are wise , and the Law of the Lord is with us ? Lo certainly in vain made he it , the Pen of the Scribes is in vain ; ( that is ) tho' ye have the Scripture , yet ye falsely say , you have the Law of God , since ye have made it of no effect : In like manner , when Moses brake the first Tables , it cannot be said , that in anger he cast the Law of God out of his Hands and brake it , no person ought to think so , he brake only the Stones , which , tho' before accounted Sacred , because upon them was engraven the Covenant by which the Iews bound themselves to obey God , yet afterward had not the least Sanctity in them , because the People by worshiping the Golden Calf , made that Covenant void : For the same cause the second Tables , with the Ark wherein they were kept , might likewise perish . 'T is no wonder then if none of those Originals are to be found , or that the like should befal the Books we have , when the very Original of Gods Law , the most Sacred of all things is utterly lost : Let Men then forbear to charge me with impiety , seeing I have spoken nothing against the Word of God , nor have any way profaned it ; if their anger be just , let it be vented against the people of old , whose wickedness prophaned and destroyed the Ark of God , the Temple , the Law , and all things else that were Sacred : If according to the 2 d Epist. to the Corinth . chap. 3. v. 3. The Epistle of Christ were written not with Ink , but with the Spirit of the living God , not in Tables of Stone , but in the fleshly Tables of the Heart : Let Men cease to adore the Letter , and not be so much concern'd for it . Having sufficiently explain'd the Holiness and Divinity of Scripture , let us now see what is properly meant by Debar Iehovah the word of God. Debar signifies Word , Speech , Decree , Thing ; now upon what grounds any thing in the Hebrew Language may be said to be God's , or have relation to God , I have shew'd in the first Chapter ; so that I need not repeat what I have there said , or in the sixth Chapter , what I have said of Miracles ; 't is evident what the Scripture means by the Word of God : To make the thing very clear , I need only declare , that when the Word of God is predicated of any Subject which is not God himself , it properly signifies that Divine Law , of which we treated in the fourth Chapter , namely , That Religion which is universal and common to all mankind , mention'd in Isaiah , chap. 1. v. 10. where the Prophet declares , That the right way of living , consisted in Charity , and in a sincere and pure Heart , which he calls the Law and Word of God : The Word of God is also taken Metaphorically , for the order or course of Nature , and Fate , ( because it follows and depends upon the Eternal Decree of the Divine Nature ) particularly for whatever the Prophets foresaw in this course of Nature ; because the Prophets understood future events , not by natural Causes , but thought them to be the Will and Decrees of God. Moreover , it is taken for that which any Prophet commanded or declared , because he knew it not by Natural Light , but by the singular Vertue and gift of Prophesie ; and more especially , because the Prophets ( as we have shewed in the fourth Chapter ) apprehended God under the notion of a Lawgiver ; for these three reasons then , the Scripture is called the Word of God , ( namely ) because it teacheth us true Religion , whereof God from all Eternity is the Author . Secondly , because it makes Prophesies to be God's Decrees : And lastly , because the Authors of those Prophesies , taught for the most part that which they did not know by Natural Reason , but by a faculty and gift peculiar only to them , and introduced God speaking as it were in them . Now tho' the Scripture contain many things which are meerly Historical , and may be unnderstood by Natural Knowledge , yet the Scripture is called the Word of God , in respect of those other particulars I have last mention'd ; so that now we plainly see , why God is called the Author of the Bible ; ( namely ) upon the account of teaching us what is true Religion , and not because it contains , and hath communicated to us such a certain number of Books . And hence we may also learn , that the Bible is divided into the Old and New Testament , because before the coming of Christ , the Prophets Preached Religion as the Law of their Country , and by force of the Covenant made in Moses's time ; but after Christ's coming , because the Apostles preached Religion upon Christ's account , as a Law universal to all mankind ; not that the Prophets and Apostles differ'd in Doctrine , or that the Books of either Testament , are the Deeds and Indentures of the Written Covenant ; nor , lastly , because Natural Religion which is universal , is new , unless it be in respect of those that knew it not , according to that saying of Iohn the Evangelist , chap. 1. v. 10. He was in the world and the world knew him not . If then we had not some of those Books which the Old and New Testament contain , yet we should not want God's Word , ( as it properly signifies true Religion ) for we do not think any part thereof is wanting , tho' we lack many of those other excellent Writings , namely , the Book of the Law , which was so Religiously kept in the Temple , as the Original wherein the Covenant was first written , with many other Books of the Wars and Records of time , from whence the Books of the Old and New Testament , which we now have , were transcribed and collected : And this is made good by many reasons ; first , because the Books of both Testaments were not written at one and the same time , for the use of all Ages ; but by chance for some particular people , and that as the Time and their particular Disposition requir'd , which plainly appears , by the calling of the Prophets , who are called to warn and reprove the ungodly of their own time , and also by the Writings of the Apostles . Secondly , Because understanding the Scripture , and the meaning of the Prophets , is one thing ; but to understand the Mind of God ( that is ) the real truth of things is another ; as appears by what hath been said in the second Chapter of Prophets ; which distinction likewise holds in Histories and Miracles , as we have shewed in the sixth Chapter : But in understanding places which treat of true Religion and real Vertue , no such distinction ought to be made . Thirdly , Because the Books of the Old Testament , were chosen out of many others , and were approved and joyned together by a Council of the Pharisees ; as we have declared in the tenth Chapter ; and for the Books of the New Testament , they were receiv'd into the Canon by the Decrees of certain Councils , when several other Books , by many accounted Sacred , were rejected as Spurious : These Councils both of Pharisees and Christians , were made up of Men , who were no Prophets , but only learned Doctors ; yet it must necessarily be granted , that in this choice they made the Word of God their Rule ; so that before they gave their Approbation to the Books , they ought to know what was the Word of God. Fourthly , Because as we have shewed in the preceding Chapter , the Apostles did not write as Prophets , but only as Teachers , and chose that way of instructing , which every one judged most easie for his Disciples ; from whence it follows , as we have concluded in the end of the said Chapter , that their Writings contain many things , whereof in Respect to Religion we have no absolute need . Fifthly and lastly , Because in the New Testament , there are four whom we call Evangelists ; but who believes it was God's express Will , that the History of Christ should be four times told and deliver'd to Men in Writing ? Tho' things may be contain'd in one , which are not in another , and that one helps to understand another ; we must not therefore conclude , that all things which the four declare , are absolutely necessary to be known , and that God made choice of them to write purposely , that the History of Christ might be the better understood ; for every one preach'd his own Gospel in several places , and every one wrote what he preach'd plainly , that he might the more faithfully relate the History of Iesus Christ , and not for any explanation to the rest . If by mutually comparing them together , they are somet●mes more easily and better understood , that happens by chance , and only in very few places , of which , tho' we were ignorant , the History notwithstanding would be very perspicuous , and Men nevertheless blessed and happy . Having shewed that the Scripture in respect of Religion only , and the universal Divine Law , is properly called Scripture : It now remains to prove , that in this respect , and as it is properly so call'd , it is neither maimed , faulty , or corrupted ; and here I call that thing faulty , maimed and corrupted , which is so falsely written and compos'd , that the true sense of the words , cannot either by the use of the Language , or by the Scripture it self be found out ; for I do not affirm , that the Scripture , as it contains the Divine Law , always observes the same letters , points , accents and words , ( I leave that to the Masorites who so superstitiously adore the Letter ) but only that the signification and sense ( in respect of which only , any Speech is to be called Divine ) is derived to us uncorrupted , tho' the words whereby that sense was signified , have been often changed ; that cannot , as we have said , detract from the Sacredness of Scripture , for it would not have been one jot less Divine , had it been written in other Words , or in any other Language . That we have received the Divine Law in this respect uncorrupted , no body can question , for by the Scripture it self , without any doubt or difficulty we perceive , that the summ thereof is to love God above all things , and our Neighbours as our selves . This cannot be adulterated , nor written by a too hasty erring Pen , for if the Scripture ever taught any other thing , it must necessarily teach all other things ; otherwise seeing this is the Foundation of all Religion , take away this Foundation , and the whole Fabrick falls to the ground ; and if this were not so , the Scripture were not Scripture , but quite another Book . It remains then without Controversie , this was always the Doctrine of Scripture , and consequently , that no error could creep into it to corrupt its Sense , which would have been quickly perceiv'd by every body , and who ever had gone about to corrupt it , his Malice would have presently appear'd : If then this Foundation be immoveable and incorruptible , the same must be concluded of other things , which indisputably follow from it , and which are also fundamentals ; as that God is , that he provides for all , that he is Omnipotent , and that he hath decreed it shall go well with Good , and ill with Wicked-men , and that our Salvation depends only upon his Grace and Mercy . These things the Scripture every where plainly teacheth , and ought always to teach , else all other things were vain and without any Foundation : 'T is as impossible to corrupt any other Moral Doctrines , which are built upon , and evidently follow from this Foundation ; namely , to do justice , to succour those that are in want and distress ; not to kill , not to covet , and none of these moral Precepts can be mis-interpreted or corrupted by malice , or obliterated by length of time : If any of these things should be blotted out , they would be again dictated to mankind , by the first general Foundation , and more especially by the Doctrine of Charity which is every where so much commended in the Old and New Testament : Should it be granted , that there is no wickedness which ever entred into the Heart of Man , which some person or other hath not committed , yet never was there any Man , who to excuse or justifie his Crimes , endeavour'd to blot out the Laws , or to preach Impiety for good and wholsome Doctrine . Tho' it be every Man's nature , whether King or Subject , when he hath done any thing that is evil , to palliate the fact with such Circumstances , as may make it appear as little as is possible dishonest or unjust . We therefore conclude , that the Universal Divine Law , which the Scripture teacheth , is deliver'd and derived to us pure and incorruptible . There are other things also , which have been faithfully deliver'd to us , namely , the general Collection of Scripture Histories , because they are universally known . The common people of the Iews , were wont to sing the Antiquities and Ancient Facts of their Nation , in Psalms or Songs . The principal things done by Christ and his Passion , were quickly publish'd through the whole Roman Empire , and therefore 't is impossible to believe , unless the greatest part of mankind should agree in that which is incredible , that the principal things in Scripture Histories should be deliver'd to posterity , otherwise than they were first receiv'd . Whatever then is adulterated or faulty , must happen only in this or that Circumstance of a Prophesie or History , the more to move people to Devotion , or in some Miracle to puzzle and nonplus Philosophers ; or lastly , in matters Speculative , after they were brought into Religion by Schismaticks , abusing Divine Authority to support their own inventions : But whether these things be or be not adulterated and corrupted , doth not at all concern Salvation , which I will expresly shew in the following Chapter , tho' I think enough hath been already said to prove it , in this , and the second Chapter . CHAP. XIII . Shews , that the Scripture teacheth nothing but what is very plain ; intending nothing but Mens Obedience ; neither doth it teach or declare any other thing of the Divine Nature , than what a Man may in a right course of life , in some degree imitate . WE have already declared in the second Chapter of this Treatise , that the Prophets did not so much excel in perfection of Mind and Understanding , as in a singular faculty and power of Imagination : That God revealed to them no deep points of Philosophy , but only things very plain and easie , condesending and applying himself to their Capacities , and preconceiv'd Opinions . We have in the fifth Chapter shewn , that the Scripture delivers and teacheth things in such a manner , as may render them most easie to be understood by every Man , and that it doth not prove , deduce , and link things together , by maxims and definitions , but only plainly relates and declares things ; and to make Men believe , confirms what it says by Experience , ( that is ) by Miracles and Histories ; making use of such a Stile , and such Expressions , as are most likely to move and prevail upon the Minds of the common people ; of which I have spoken in proving the third Particular of the sixth Chapter . Lastly , I have shew'd in the seventh Chapter , that the difficulty of understanding the Scripture , lies only in the Language wherein it was originally written , and not in the sublimity and abstruceness of the Subject whereof it treats ; and moreover , that the Prophets did not preach only to the Learned , but in general to all the Iews ; and that the Apostles preached the Doctrine of the Gospel , in Churches where there was a common and universal Assembly of all people : by all which it evidently appears , that Scripture Doctrine contains no high Speculations , nor Philosophical Arguments , but only things plain and intelligible by the meanest and dullest Capacities . I strangely admire the accuteness of those Men , who discover in the Scripture Mysteries so profound , that 't is impossible for the Tongue of Man to unfold them , and who have fill'd Religion with so many Philosophical Speculations , that they have turn'd the Church into an Academy , Religion into a Science , or rather into Wrangling and Dispute : But 't is no wonder that Men who boast of Supernatural Illumination should pretend to more than we find in Philosophers , who own they have no more than what is Natural . I would really admire those illuminated Men , could they teach us any new Speculations , or any thing that was not common and vulgar amongst the Heathen Philosophers , whom they call Blind : For if you inquire what are those profound Mysteries , these inspir'd Men perceive in Scripture , they can tell us of nothing beyond the idle fancies and conceits of Plato and Aristotle , which look more like the Dreams of Ideots than Discoveries made out of Scripture by Learned Men. I do not positively maintain , that nothing belongs to Scripture Doctrine , which is matter of meer Speculation , for in the preceding Chapter I have mentioned some fundamentals of Scripture that are so ; but my meaning is , they are very few and very plain ; what they are , and upon what reason determin'd to be so , I come now to shew , which will be easily done , after that we know the Scriptures chief design was not to teach Arts and Sciences , and that it requires from Men nothing but Obedience , condemning their Obstinacy , not their Ignorance : Moreover , because Obedience toward God , consists only in loving our Neighbour , ( for whoever loveth his Neighbour purposely to obey God , he , as Paul saith , Rom. chap. 13. v. 8. hath fulfilled the Law ) it follows , that no other Knowledge is commended in Scripture , but that which is necessary to all Men , that they may , according to this Precept of loving our Neighbour , obey God ; which Knowledge , if Men have not , they must necessarily be stubborn , or at least without the discipline of Obedience ; but all other Speculations which do not directly tend to this end , whether they concern the knowledge of God , or of natural things , they have nothing to do with Scripture , and are to be excluded out of revealed Religion . Now tho' these things be obvious to every Man , yet because upon this point depends the ending of all debate in Religion ; I will demonstrate and explain the thing as fully and clearly as is possible ; which to perform , we in the first place ought to prove , That an intellectual and accurate knowledge of God , is not a gift so common to all Believers as is Obedience . Secondly , That the Knowledge which God by his Prophets requir'd of all Men in general , and which every Man is oblig'd to have , is nothing else but the Knowledge of his Divine Justice and Love , both which particulars are evidently prov'd out of the Scripture it self , Exod. chap. 6. v. 3. God for an evidence of his particular favour to Moses , saith , I am the Lord , I appear'd unto Abraham , unto Isaac , and unto Jacob , by the name of God Almighty , but by my name Jehovah , was I not known to them ; for the better understanding of this Text , we are to observe , that Elsadai signifies in Hebrew , God alsufficient , because he giveth to every Man that which is sufficient for him ; and tho' Sadai of it self , be often taken for God , yet the word El , is always to be understood ; we are therefore to note , that in Scripture there is no other word to be found but Iehovah , that signifies God's absolute Being without any relation to things created , and therefore the Iews will have this to be God's proper Name , and all others to be Appellatives ; and indeed all the rest of God's Names , whether they be Substantives or Adjectives , are but Attributes given to God , as he is consider'd under a relation to his Creatures , or is made manifest by them : The word El , or by adding to it the Paragogical Letter He , Eloha signifies nothing else but Powerful , which is a title of Dignity or Excellency , as when we stile Paul an Apostle : Other Vertues of his Power , are exprest by saying the great God , God to be feared , the just , merciful God , &c. or to express them all at once , the plural number of this word El is often used in a singular signification . Seeing then God said to Moses he was not known to the Patriarchs by the Name of Iehovah , it follows , they knew no Name or Attribute of God that express'd his absolute Essence and Nature , but only his Works and his Promises , ( that is ) his Power as it was manifested by things visible ; and this God said to Moses , not to accuse the Patriarchs of Unbelief , but to magnify and commend their Faith and readiness to believe ; by which , tho' they had not so great a knowledge of God as Moses had , yet they firmly rely'd on his Promises ; not like Moses , who tho' he had sublimer Notions of God , doubted his Divine Promises , and told God , that instead of the Deliverance he had promised , he had brought the Children of Israel into a worse condition . If then God told Moses , that the Patriarchs knew not that singular and proper Name of God , to commend their Faith and simplicity of Heart , and to put Moses in mind of the particular Favour and Grace God had shewed him ; it clearly proves my first Position ; which is , That Men are not obliged by any express Command to know God's Attributes , it being a peculiar gift granted only to some Believers , which I need not prove by Scripture , since it is evident beyond all dispute , that every Man hath not an equal share of Divine Knowledge ; and that a Man is no more able by a Command to become Wise , than 't is in his own power to be , or live : Men , Women and Children may all , as they are commanded , obey , but never could a Command make any Man wise . If any Man say there is no need of understanding God's Attributes , but only of simply believing them , without any demonstration , he talks idly ; for invisible things , which are the objects only of the Mind , can only be seen by Demonstrations , ( that is ) firm convincing Arguments , and therefore what a Man only and barely hears of things invisible , never affects the Understanding , nor declares a Man's meaning any more , than do the words of a Parrot , or some artificial Engin , that speak without Understanding or Sense . But before I proceed further , I ought to give an account why 't is often said in Genesis , that the Patriarchs preached in the Name of Iehovah , which seems expresly to contradict what I have said . This is easily answer'd , if we consider what hath been said in the eighth Chapter , where we have proved , that the Writer of the Pentateuch did not call things and places by those very names which they had at the time of which the Writer speaketh , but by the names which they were known by , in the Writers own time ; therefore when 't is said in Genesis , that God was preached to the Patriarchs by the Name of Iehovah , it is not because God was known to them by that Name , but because to that Name of God , the Iews pay'd the highest Reverence and Veneration when Genesis was written : and this must necessarily be a true and clear Answer , because it is expresly said in the forecited text of Exodus , that God was not known to the Patriarchs by his Name Iehovah ; and because also in Exod. chap. 3. v. 13. Moses desired to know God's Name , which must have been known to him , had it been known to the Patriarchs before him . It must therefore be concluded , that the faithful Patriarchs were ignorant of this Name of God , and that the Knowledge of God is a Gift not a Command . It is now time to pass on to the proof of the second Particular , That God required from Men by his Prophets , no other Knowledge of himself , than the Knowledge of his Divine Justice and Love ; ( that is ) those Attributes which Men in a right course of living , may in some measure and degree imitate ; which the Prophet Ieremy in express words declares ; for chap. 20. v. 15 , 16. speaking of King Iosiah , he saith , Did not thy Father eat and drink , and do Iudgment and Iustice , and then it was well with him ; he judged the cause of the poor and the needy , then it was well with him ; is not this to know me , saith the Lord ? Nor are those words less clear , chap. 9. v. 24. Let him that glorieth glory in this , that he understandeth and knoweth me , that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness , Iudgment and Righteousness in the Earth , for in these things I delight , saith the Lord. We have a further proof , Exod. chap. 34. v. 6. where Moses desiring to see and know God , God revealeth no other Attributes to him , but such as declare his Divine Justice and Love. Lastly , How express in the point are the words of St. Iohn in the fourth Chapter of his first Epistle ; because no Man ever saw God , he maketh God known only by Love ; and concludes , that he knoweth God , and God dwelleth in him who hath Charity . We see then , that Moses , Ieremy , and Iohn comprize that Knowledge of God which every Man is bound to have , in that only wherein we say 't is comprehended ; namely , in believing , that God is superlatively just and merciful , and the only pattern of a good life : The Scripture doth no where give any express and positive definition of God neither doth it prescribe any other Attributes to be imitated and believed by us , but those we have named , nor are those expresly commended as Attributes ; so that from all these things we conclude , that the intellectual Knowledge of God , which considers God as he is in his own Nature and Essence , which Nature no Man can by any certain course of life imitate or take for his pattern , doth not at all teach a Man how to live well , neither doth it concern a Man's Faith or revealed Religion : So that a Man may be infinitely mistaken in it , and yet not offend God. Let us not wonder then , that God apply'd himself to the Imaginations and preconceived Opinions of the Prophets , and that faithful Believers had different Opinions of God , as by many Instances we have proved in the second Chapter ; nor let any Man wonder , that the Sacred Volumes do every where speak so improperly of God , ascribing to him Hands , Feet , Eyes , Ears , Mind , Local Motion , yea , Passions of the Mind , saying , he is Jealous , Merciful , &c. and sometimes set him out as a Judge sitting in Heaven on a Regal Throne , and Christ at his Right hand , all which is spoken according to the Capacity of the Vulgar , whom the Scripture intended to make Obedient , but not Learned . Of these things , whatever ordinary profest Divines , have by Reason and Natural Light discovered to be disagreeable to the Divine Nature , they will have Metaphorically Interpreted , but that which is above their Capacity must be taken Litterally . If all things of this kind we meet with in Scripture , must be taken and understood Metaphorically , then the Scripture was not written for the rude and ignorant common people , but for the Learned , and especially for Philosophers ; and if it should be sin piously and in simplicity of Heart , to believe those things of God , which the Sacred Volumes have in the Letter ascribed to him , the Prophets considering the weakness of the common people's Understanding , ought to have been very wary and careful , what Phrases and Expressions they used , and should have clearly and plainly , which is no where done , declared those Attributes of God which every Man is bound to believe : No Man ought to think , that Opinions considered absolutely in themselves , without respect to a Man's Works , have any Piety or Impiety in them , but a Man is said to be Godly or Ungodly in his Faith , in respect of those Opinions which incline him to Obedience , or those that encourage him to Sin and Disobedience ; so that if a Man , tho' he rightly and truly believe , be stubborn and disobedient , his Faith is evil ; and on the contrary , if a Man believe that which is false , and yet live well , his Faith is good ; for the true knowledge of God , is not a Precept , but a Divine Gift , and God never required from Men , any other Knowledge , than that of his Divine Love and Justice , which Knowledge is necessary only to Obedience , not to Science . CHAP. XIV . What is Faith. Who are Believers . The fundamentals of Faith stated . Faith distinguish'd from Philosophy or Reason . TO understand truly what Faith is , 't is very necessary to know , that the Scripture was fitted and accommodated not only to the Capacity of the Prophets , but also to the Understanding of the inconstant mutable vulgar people of the Iewish Nation , of which no person can be ignorant , that will but a little consider and observe the Scripture . He that will take all things which are promiscuously set down in Scripture , to be that universal positive Doctrine , whereby God is to be known , can never rightly discern what was suited to the Capacity of the Iews , but not being able to distinguish between Divine Doctrine , and the common peoples Opinions , must take human Fictions and Fancies for Heavenly Instructions , and consequently very much abuse the Sacred Scriptures Authority . Who doth not plainly see , that this is the cause we have so many Sectaries , who maintain their different and contrary Opinions to be all Doctrines and Principles of Faith , which they confirm by many Scripture proofs , so that 't is become a Dutch Proverb , Geen Ketter sonder letter , there is no Sectary or Heretick but hath a Text of Scripture to maintain his Opinion . The Sacred Books of Scripture were not all written by one person , nor for the people of one Age , but by divers persons of different dispositions , and for the people of several Ages distant in time from one another , almost two thousand years ; by some computations many more . We do not charge these Sectaries with impiety , for applying the words of Scripture to their own Opinions , as heretofore they were suited to Vulgar Capacities , it being lawful for every one to apply Scripture to his own Opinions , if he find himself thereby more inclin'd to obey God in those things which relate to Justice and Charity ; but we blame the Sectaries for not allowing other Men the same liberty they themselves take ; they count all Men , be they never so honest and vertuous , who are not of their Opinions , the Enemies of God , and persecute them as such ; but call those who are of their Mind , God's Elect , be they never so very Knaves ; which is the most pernicious wicked humour can possibly be in a Common-wealth . To make it clear then , how far in point of Faith , every Man may extend his liberty of thinking what he pleaseth , and upon whom we are to look as Believers , tho' they differ in Opinion ; I resolve to shew in this Chapter what Faith is , to declare what are the fundamentals of Faith , and to distinguish Faith from Reason or Philosophy , which is the chief design of the whole Treatise . To do these things in order , 't is necessary to put you in mind again , what is the Scriptures principal intention , for that will shew us the right Rule of determining what is Faith. We have told you in the preceding Chapter , that the chief design of Scripture is to teach Men Obedience , which no Man can deny ; for who doth not plainly see the Discipline of Obedience to be the main scope of the Old and New Testament ? The only End of both is to make Men obey God with all their Heart . I need not repeat what I have already told you , that Moses did not endeavour to convince the Israelites with Reason , but to bind and oblige them by a Covenant , by Oaths and Benefits ; he threatned those that broke the Law with punishment , and encouraged the observers of it with Rewards ; which were means not to increase Knowledge , but only to procure Obedience : The Doctrine of the Gospel , contains nothing but plain simple Faith , namely , to believe God , and to reverence and worship him , or which is the same thing , to obey him . There is no need of demonstrating a thing so evident , or of heaping up Texts of Scripture that commend Obedience , whereof there are many in both Testaments ; what a Man is to do to obey God , the Scripture in many places declares ; namely , that the whole Law consists in loving our Neighbour ; so that it must be granted , that he in the Judgment of the Law is obedient , who according to God's Command loveth his Neighbour as himself ; and that he on the contrary , who hateth his Neighbour , or cares not for him , is rebellious and disobedient . Lastly , it must be confest , that the Scripture was written and published , not only for the Wise and Learned , but for all people in general of all times : Hence then must it follow , that we are not commanded by Scripture to believe any thing else , but what is absolutely necessary to enable us to perform and obey this Commandment , so that this Precept is the only Rule of Catholick Faith , and by it only , all those fundamental Doctrines of Faith , which every one is oblig'd to believe , ought to be defined and determined ; which being clear and manifest , and that , from this Foundation only , all things ought to be rationally deduced and derived : Let any Man judge , whether the many Disputes and Dissentions sprung up in the Church , could have any other cause than those I mentioned in the beginning of the seventh Chapter , which force me here to shew from this Foundation I have laid , the manner and reason of stating and determining , what are the true Doctrines and Principles of Faith ; for unless I do this , and make it good by sure and certain Rules , I have indeed hitherto done very little , seeing otherwise every Man may introduce what he pleases , under pretence that 't is a necessary means to Obedience ; especially , when any thing comes into question concerning the Divine Attributes : To proceed orderly in making the thing clear and plain , I will begin with the definition of Faith , which according to the Foundation I have laid , ought to be thus defined . Faith , is to have such Thoughts or Opinions of God , as make a Man obey him ; where such thoughts are not , there is no Obedience , and where they are , Obedience necessarily follows such Opinions ; which definition is so clear , and evidently follows from what we have already demonstrated , that it needs no explication : What follows from this definition I will briefly shew ; first , that Faith of it self without Obedience , is not able to save a Man , as Iames saith , Chap. 2. 17. Faith without Works is dead ; which is the Subject of that whole Chapter . Secondly , That he who is truly obedient , must necessarily have Saving Faith ; for where ever there is Obedience , there , as I have said , must be Faith , which the same Apostle saith expresly in the 18 th verse of the said 2 d chap. Shew me thy Faith without thy Works , and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works ; and Iohn in his 1 st Epist. chap. 4. v. 78. Every one that loveth his Neighbour is born of God , and knoweth God , he that loveth not , knoweth not God , for God is love ; from whence it likewise follows , that we can judge no Man to be a Believer , or an Unbeliever , but by his Works , ( that is ) if his Works be good , tho' in his Opinions he dissent from other Believers , yet he is a Believer ; and if his Works be evil , tho' in words he agree with others that believe , he is an Infidel ; for where there is Obedience , there must necessarily be Faith , and Faith without Works is dead , which Iohn in chap. 4. 13. expresly declares , Hereby know we that we dwell in him , and he in us , because he hath given us of his Spirit , which Spirit is Love , for he said just before , God is Love ; and concludes from his own Principles , that he certainly hath the Spirit of God , who hath Love ; and because no Man ever saw God , he concludes , that no Man can have any sense or knowledge of God , but only by Love ; and that no Man can know any other Attribute of God but Love , by partaking of it ; which Reasons , if they do not absolutely convince , yet they sufficiently explain St. Iohn's meaning . What he saith in the 3 d and 4 th verses of his 2 d chap. in express words fully proves what we maintain ; And hereby , saith he , do we know that we know him , if we keep his Commandments ; he that saith I know him , and keepeth not his Commandments , is a liar , and the truth is not in him ; hence it again follows , that they are Antichrists , who persecute honest and just Men , that differ from them in Opinion , and do not maintain their Doctrines ; they that love Justice and Charity , are thereby only known to be Believers , and whoever persecutes such Believers is Antichrist . Lastly , it follows , that Faith doth not require Opinions that are in themselves true , but such only as are pious , and incline a Man's Heart to Obedience : There are many things that have not the least shadow of ●ruth in them , which a Man may believe , and yet be ignorant that they are false , otherwise he would necessarily be disobedient . How cometh it to pass , that he who is a lover of Justice , and studies to obey God , reverenceth that as Divine , which he knows is no way agreeable to the Divine Nature ? Men may err in the simplicity of their Hearts , and the Scripture , as I have already said , condemns stubbornness not ignorance , which follows from the very definition I have given of Faith ; every part thereof being derived from the general Foundation before mentioned , and from the main end and design of Scripture ; so that Faith doth not require from Men , Opinions absolutely true in themselves , but such only as are necessary to Obedience , and to confirm a Man in love towards his Neighbour ; by which Love , to use St. Iohn's expression , every Man is in God , and God in him . Seeing then every Man's Faith in respect of Obedience or Disobedience , and not in respect of truth or falshood , is to be esteemed good or evil ; and seeing Mens dispositions are so various , that none agree in all things , but are so diversly sway'd by Opinion , that what moves this Man to Devotion , begets in another Laughter and Contempt ; it f●llows , that to Universal Faith , only those Doctrines are necessary , concerning which , amongst honest Men there can be no dispute ; those things that are of such a nature , that one Man may account them Religious , and another Irreligious , are to be judged only by Works ; to Catholick Faith then those Doctrines only belong , which beget in a Man Obedience toward God , and of which , if a Man be ignorant , 't is impossible he should obey him ; in other things , every Man according to the knowledge he that of himself , may , to establish himself in the love of Justice , think what to him seemeth best , which will take away all occasions of Dispute and Controversie in the Church . Now I will not fear to name those Doctrines of Universal Faith , or those Fundamentals of Scripture that ( by what I have proved in these two last Chapters ) tend all to this ; that there is a Supreme Being that loveth Justice and Charity , to whom all that will be saved , must be obedient , and worship him , in the exercise of Justice and love towards their Neighbour , and from hence these several Positions clearly and easily follow . First , That there is a God , or Supreme Being , who is most just and merciful , by whose Example every Man ought to regulate his life ; he that knoweth not , or doth not believe that God is , cannot obey him , or acknowledge him to be his Judge . Secondly , That this God is one , which Opinion is absolutely necessary to make a Man adore , admire , and love God , for Devotion , Admiration , and Love , are caused by that excellency which is in one above all others . Thirdly , That he is every where present , or that all things are known to him , for if any thing were hidden from him , or if Man did not think that he seeth all things , we might doubt of his Equity and Justice , whereby he governeth all things . Fourthly , That he hath Supreme Power and Dominion over all things , that he doth nothing by compulsion , but of his own good Will and Pleasure ; all are bound to obey him , and he no body . Fifthly , That the worship of God , and obedience to him , consists only in Justice and Charity towards our Neighbours . Sixthly , that only they who obey God by such a course of life will be saved , and others who live Slaves to their Lusts and Pleasures will be condemned . If Men did not firmly believe this , there would be no reason why a Man should rather obey God than his own desires and pleasures . Seventhly and lastly , God pardoneth the sins of those that repent ; there is no Man living without sin , and therefore if this were not an Article of Faith , all would despair of Salvation , and there would be no reason to believe God merciful ; but he who stedfastly believes , that God , through Grace and Mercy , whereby he ordereth all things , pardoneth Men's offences , and is thereby more flamed with love towards God , he knoweth Christ according to the Spirit , and Christ is in him . Every one of these things is necessary to be known , that all Men without exception may obey God , according to the prescript of the Law which we have already explained . If you take away any of the aforesaid Positions or Doctrines , there can be no Obedience ; but what God , or what this exemplar of living well is ? Whether he be Fire , a Spirit , Light , Cogitation , &c. it concerns not our Faith , neither in what notion or respect he is an example for us to live by . Whether it be because he hath a just and merciful Mind , or because all things subsist and act by him , and consequently , we by and through him understand what is just and good ; it matters not what every Man thinks or concludes of these things , neither is Faith concerned , whether a Man believe that God is , in respect of his Power , Omnipresent ; or whether he govern all things by the freedom or necessity of his nature ; whether he prescribe Laws as a Prince , or teach Eternal Verities ; whether Men obey God as free agents , because they have freedom of Will , or because they are necessitated by God's Decrees ? Whether the reward of good Men , and the punishment of evil , be natural or supernatural ? Faith is not concerned how a Man understands these things , so long as he makes no conclusions whereby he may take a liberty of sinning , or lessen his Obedience to God : Of these Doctrines of Faith a Man may make such an interpretation , as is most likely to make him believe , and obey God chearfully without any reluctancy ; for as we have already shewn , Faith was heretofore revealed and written , according to the Capacity and Opinions of the Prophets and People of that time , so that now also , every Man is bound to apply his Faith to his own Reason , in such a manner as may make him without the least doubting or reluctancy believe ; for as we have proved , Faith rather requires Piety than Verity , and as Faith cannot be pious and saving , without Obedience , so nothing but Obedience makes a Man a faithful Believer ; his Faith is not best , who can give the best reasons for it , but he that hath done the most and greatest works of Justice and Charity . A Doctrine which must in all Mens Judgments be very wholsome and necessary in all Common-wealths , for taking away the causes of much wickedness and many troubles . Before I go further , by what hath been said , the Objections may be easily answered , which were mentioned in the first Chapter , where I treated of God's speaking to the Israelites from Mount Sinai ; for tho' that Voice which the Israelites heard , could not give that people any Philosophical or Mathematical certainty of God's Existence , yet it was sufficient to make them admire God , under that knowledge they before had of him , and incite them to Obedience towards him , which was all that God purposed and designed in that spectacle ; it was not God's intention at that time to teach them the true and real Attributes of his Essence , ( because he then revealed none to them ) but to break and subdue their rebellious and stubborn humor , and draw them to Obedience ; and therefore he did not set upon them with Arguments and Reason , but with Tempest , Noise , Thunder and Lightning , as is recorded , Exod. 20. 20. I am now to prove , that between Faith or Theology , and Philosophy , there is no commerce or affinity ; which no Man can deny , who knows how much the Foundation and End of these two faculties differ ; for the end and design of Philosophy , is Verity ; and the intention and end of Faith , is nothing but Obedience and Piety . The fundadamentals of Philosophy , are common notions which are to be drawn only from Nature it self , but the principles and fundamentals of Faith , are to be derived from Scripture-History , Scripture-Language , from the Scripture it self , and from Revelation ; as we have shewn in the 7 th Chapter : Faith therefore allows every Man such a freedom and liberty of Reasoning or Philosophizing , that he may think what he will of any thing , provided he do nothing that is wicked , and condemns only those for Hereticks and Schismaticks , who broach Doctrines that are the causes of disobedience , hatred , contention , and wrath ; esteeming only such to be Believers , who use their utmost endeavours to perswade and practise Justice and Charity . Lastly , Because what I have said in this and the former Chapter , was what I chiefly intended in the whole Treatise ; I earnestly request the Reader , before I proceed further , that he will again and again carefully read , and seriously consider , the Contents of these two Chapters , and that he will have Charity enough to believe , that I have written nothing with design to introduce new Doctrines ; but only to rectify what is amiss , which I hope e're long to see done . CHAP. XV. Theology or Divinity is no Handmaid to Reason , nor Reason to Divinity : Why we believe the Authority of the Holy Scripture . AMongst those that know not how to distinguish and divide Philosophy from Theology , there is very great dispute , whether the Scripture ought to be subservient to Reason , or Reason to Scripture , ( that is ) whether we are to judge of the Sense of Scripture by Reason ; or whether Reason ought to submit to Scripture ? The Scepticks , who deny the certainty of Reason , maintain one of these Opinions , and the Dogmatists , who judge all things by Reason , the other ; but both , as appears by what I have said , are extremely mistaken ; for whoever follows either of the two Opinions , must necessarily deprave either Reason or Scripture . We have shewn that the Scripture doth teach us no Philosophy , but only Piety , and all things contained in it , are fitted to the Capacity and Opinions of vulgar people : Whoever then goes about to apply it to Philosophy , must father upon the Prophets , many things whereof they did never so much as dream , and interpret that to be their meaning which never was . He , on the other side , who makes Reason or Philosophy a Handmaid to Divinity , will be necessitated to let the mistaken Opinions of old times pass for Divine Truths ; possessing and blinding his Understanding with Error and Prejudice , and both run mad together without Reason . The first among the Pharisees , who openly declared , that Scripture was to be accommodated to Reasons , was Maimonides , ( whose Opinion we have hinted and refuted in the 7 th Chapter ) but tho' this Author were of great Authority among the Pharisees , yet the greatest part of that Sect did not agree with him in this point , but generally maintained the Opinion of Rabbi Iehuda Alpakhar , who endeavouring to avoid the Error of Maimonides , fell into the clean contrary Opinion , holding that Reason ought to be a Handmaid to Scripture , and wholly subjected to it ; and would have nothing in Scripture metaphorically interpreted , because the literal sense was contrary and repugnant to Reason , but because it was so to the Scripture it self , ( that is ) to the positive Doctrines of Scripture , and laid it down for a general rule , that whatever the Scripture did in plain and express words affirm and teach , that upon the account of its Authority was to be admitted for Truth , if no other Position were found in the Bible , which did only consequentially , but not directly contradict it ; for there are some Scripture expressions , which seem to imply contradiction to what hath been positively and expresly declared , and therefore those places only are to be metaphorically taken : ( For example ) Deut. 6.4 . it is plainly and positively declared , That there is but one God , or that God is but one ; but there are many places where God speaking of himself , and the Prophets of God speak in the plural number , which manner of speaking supposeth and implies more God's than one , tho' that doth not clearly and directly appear to be the intention of the words : All those places therefore are to be metaphorically interpreted , not because it is repugnant to Reason , that there should be more Gods than one , but because the Scripture it self directly declares that there is but only one . So likewise , because the Scripture , Deut. 4. 15. doth in the Rabbi's Opinion directly declare , that God is Incorporeal , therefore upon the Authority only of this Text , and not upon any account of Reason , we are bound to believe God hath no Body , and consequently , all places of Scripture are to be metaphorically taken , which ascribe to God Hands , Feet , or which seem to suppose God Corporeal : This was the Opinion of this Author , whom I commend for explaining Scripture by Scripture , but I wonder that a rational Man should endeavour to destroy Reason : It is very true , that Scripture ought to be expounded by Scripture , so long as there is doubt of the sense of the words , or of the meaning of the Prophets ; but when we have found out the true sense , 't is absolutely necessary to make use of our Reason and Judgment , to gain our assent and consent to it ; for if we must submit to Scripture , tho' our Reason be not at all convinced by it , must we submit with Reason , or like blind Men without any Reason at all ? if we submit without Reason , we do it foolishly without Judgment ; if we submit with Reason , then 't is by the command and dictates of Reason , that we believe and embrace the Scripture , which we would not do , were it contrary to Reason . Who can in his Mind believe , or consent to any thing which his Reason flatly opposeth ? Denying a thing with a Man's Heart , is nothing else but the gainsaying and dissent of a Man's Reason . I extreamly wonder some Men should subject that excellent gift and Divine Light , Reason , to Dead Letters , which humane Malice may corrupt and mis-interpret , and yet account it no offence to speak unworthily against Reason and the Mind of Man , whereon God hath engraven his Word , saying , Our Reason is blinded and lost , but in the mean time declare , 't is abominable wickedness to think any such thing of the Letter , which they Idolize for the Word of God ; they account it great Piety in a Man , not to trust to his own Judgment and Reason , but great wickedness to doubt their fidelity , who communicated to us the Sacred Volumes . Certainly such Men's Folly exceeds their Piety : What troubles them ? What is it they fear ? Cannot Religion and Faith be defended unless Men be professedly ignorant , and bid Reason farewell ? they that think so , do rather fear than believe Scripture . God forbid that Religion should be a Servant to Reason , or Reason to Religion , both may with great Peace and Concord preserve their own proper Dominion , which I will presently prove , after I have a little examined the Tenet and Opinion of our Rabbin Alpakhar ; he , as I have said , would have us receive every thing for truth which the Scripture affirms , and reject every thing as false which the Scripture denies ; and maintains , that the Scripture doth no where in express words affirm or deny , any thing contrary to what in another place it hath positively affirmed or denied ; both which are very bold and rash Positions . I will not press him with what perhaps he never took notice of , that the Scripture contains several Books , that it was written by several Authors , in several Ages , for the use of divers people ; and seeing upon his own Authority only , he maintains , what neither Reason or Scripture ever said , he ought to shew , that all those places of Scripture , which do but by consequence contradict others , may from the nature of the Language , and in respect of the place , conveniently bear a metaphorical interpretation ; and he ought likewise to prove , That the Scripture is derived down to us , without any corruption or adulteration . To come close to the business , I ask him concerning his first Position , Whether we are bound to believe every thing to be true which the Scripture affirms ; and reject every thing as false which it denies , tho' both be contrary to our Reason ? If he answer that nothing can be found in Scripture contrary to Reason , I press him with this instance . In the Decalogue , Exod. 34. 14. Deut. 4. 24. and in other places , it is said , That G●d is Iealous ; but that such a passion as Jealousie should be in God is contrary to Reason : Now if there be other places in Scripture which suppose God not to be Jealous , they must be metaphorically interpreted , that they may not seem to suppose any such thing . The Scripture expresly saith , That God came down upon Mount Sinai , Exod. 19.20 . and ascribes to him other local motions , no where expresly declaring , that God is not moved ; so that all Men ought to believe it to be truth , and therefore that which Solomon saith of God in 1 Kings 8. 27. That he cannot be comprehended , or contained in any place , tho' it do not expresly but only consequentially declare , that God is not moved , ought to be in like manner metaphorically understood : The Heavens also must be taken for God's Throne and Habitation , because the Scripture declares positively they are . Many things of this kind , are said in Scripture , consonant to the Opinions of the Prophets and People , which Reason and Philosophy , but not Scripture say are false , all which according to the Rabbi's Opinion , who in such cases will allow no consulting with Reason , must pass for Truths . He affirms that which is not true , in saying that no one place of Scripture expresly and directly contradicts another , but only by consequence ; for Moses , Deut. 4. 24. expresly declares , That God is a consuming fire , and directly denies that God is like any visible thing , Deut. 4. 12. Now if the Rabbi will have this latter Text , not directly , but only by consequence to deny that God is Fire , and therefore must be so interpreted that it may not seem to deny it ; let him have his Will , and let us grant , that God is Fire ; or rather , not to be as mad as he , we will let this pass , and make use of another example : Samuel directly denies , that God ever repents of his Decrees , ( 1 Sam. 15. 29. ) but Ieremy on the contrary affirms , ( Chap. 18. v. 8 , 10. ) That God doth sometimes repent , both of the good and of the evil that he purposed and decreed . Do not these two Texts directly oppose one another ? Which of these two must be metaphorically interpreted ? both the Opinions are general , and contrary to each other ; what one directly affirms , the other positively denies , so that the Rabbi , by his own Rule , is bound to believe one and the same thing to be true and false : but what matter is it , tho' one place do not directly , but only by consequence contradict another ? If the consequence be clear , and the nature and circumstance of the place will admit of no Metaphorical Explication ; of which many are to be found in the Bible , we have spoke to them in the second Chapter , where we have shewn , that several Prophets had different Opinions , and particularly of those contradictions which I in the 9 th and 10 th Chapter have made appear to be in several of the Scripture Histories ; they need not be repeated , what I have said being sufficient to confute the Absurdities and Falsities which must necessarily follow from the Rabbi's Rule , and to shew how unadvisedly and grosly the Author is mistaken . The different Opinions of both Rabbies being confuted , I do again positively declare , That Divinity or Theology ought not to be a Servant to Reason , nor Reason to Theology , but both ought to maintain their own Dominion ; Reason ought to rule in things which relate to Wisdom and Truth , and Theology in matters which concern our Piety and Obedience : The power of Reason doth not so far extend it self , as to determin , that Men only by Obedience , without the true knowledge of things may be blessed and happy , but Theology dictates nothing else , and commands nothing but Obedience , not intending or being able to do any thing against Reason , as we have shewed in the preceding Chapter : Theology determins Doctrines of Faith , no further than is necessary to Obedience , but how those Doctrines are precisely in respect of Verity to be understood , it leaves Reason to resolve , which is the light of our Mind , and without which we see nothing but Dreams and Fancies . But here by Theology , I mean only Revelation , so far as it declares the scope and end to which the Scripture aims , ( namely , the reason and manner of living obediently , or the Doctrines of Faith and Piety . ) This is that which is properly the word of God , and doth not consist in a certain number of Books , as we have shewed in the 12 th Chapter : Theology taken in this sense , if we consider its Precepts and Instructions , perfectly agrees with Reason ; and if we consider its End and Design , in nothing contradicts it ; and therefore universally concerns all mankind . As for the whole Scripture in general , the sense thereof , as we have shewed in the 7 th . Chapter , is to be determined by Scripture History , and not by the History of Nature , which is the Foundation and proper Subject of Philosophy : Nor ought we to be troubled or concerned , if after we have found out the true sense of the Scripture , the Scripture in some places seem repugnant to Reason ; for whatever of that kind we meet with in the Bible , and of which Men may without any breach of Charity be ignorant , doth not at all concern Theology , or the Word of God ; and consequently , of such things , a Man may without sin think what he pleaseth , and therefore we positively conclude , that Reason is not to be accommodated to Scripture , nor Scripture to Reason . But seeing the fundamental point in Divinity , of Mens being saved only by Obedience , cannot be demonstrated by Reason to be true or false ; it may by way of Objection be then asked , Why then do we believe it ? If we do it blindly without Reason , we act like Fools without Judgment ; if on the other side , we say this Fundamental Tenet may be proved by Reason , then Divinity is a part of Philosophy , and cannot be sever'd from it . To this I answer , That I do clearly confess , this Fundamental Doctrine of Theology cannot be made out by Natural Reason , at least , no Man that I know hath ever done it ; therefore Revelation was absolutely necessary in the case , but yet we may make use of our Judgment and Reason , that what hath been revealed may with a moral certainty be believed by us ; I say with moral certainty , for it is not to be expected , that we can have any greater assurance than the Prophets themselves had , to whom the Revelation was first made , and who had no more than a moral certainty , as we have shewed in the second Chapter of this Treatise . They therefore are in a very great error , who endeavour to prove the Authority of Scripture by Mathematical Demonstration , for the Authority of the Bible depends upon the Authority of the Prophets , and consequently , can be proved by no stronger argument , than the Prophets made use of to perswade the people of theirs : Our certainty of the Scriptures Authority , can be grounded upon no other Foundation , than that whereon the Prophets founded their Certainty and Authority ; and we have already shewn the certainty of the Prophets , consisted in three particulars . First , In a clear and lively imagination . Secondly , In a Sign . Thirdly and principally , in a Mind inclined and devoted to Justice and Vertue : nor could they give any other evidences of their Authority , either to the people to whom they spake in their own persons by word of mouth ; nor can any other be given to us , to whom they speak by their Writings ; the lively imagination of the Prophets , was an Argument only to themselves , and therefore all our assurance concerning Revelation , doth and must consist only in the other two particulars , namely , in a Sign , and in the Doctrine . The eighteenth Chapter of Deuteronomy commands the people to obey that Prophet , who in the name of the Lord gave them a true Sign , but if he prophesied any thing that was false , tho' it were in the Name of the Lord , he was to be put to death ; as he was who endeavoured to seduce them from the true Religion , tho' he confirm'd his Prophesie with Signs and Miracles ; as appears in the 13 th Chapter of Deuteronomy ; whence it follows , that a true Prophet was to be known from a false , by his Doctrine and by a Miracle both together , for such a one only Moses declareth to be a true Prophet , and commanded the people to believe him , without any fear of being deceived : But he declared those to be false Prophets , and guilty of Death , who foretold any thing that was false ; tho' it were in the Name of God ; or he that preached false Gods , tho' he wrought true Miracles : We then are oblig'd to believe the Scripture , ( that is ) the Prophets , upon account only of their Doctrine confirm'd by Signs ; because we see the Prophets above all things commend Justice and Charity , and intended nothing else ; because with a sincere Mind without any guile or deceit , they declared that Men by Faith and Obedience should be made happy , and confirm'd this their Doctrines with Signs . We therefore conclude and perswade our selves , that when they prophesied , they did neither dote or speak unadvisedly ; in which Opinion we are the more confirm'd , when we consider , that all their Moral Doctrines , did perfectly agree with Reason ; for it is very observable , that the Word of God in the Prophets , is exactly consonant to the Word of God within us ; so that I say again , we are as much assured of these things by the Scripture , as the Iews were by the Prophets preaching to them viva voce ; for we have proved in the end of the second Chapter , that the Scripture as to its Doctrine and the principal Histories thereof , is derived down to us uncorrupted , and therefore this Fundamental Doctrine of Scripture and Theology , ought with good reason to be embraced by us , tho' it cannot be proved by Mathematical Demonstration . It is very great folly not to believe a thing which hath been confirmed by so many Testimonies of the Prophets , and which is so great a comfort to those who have but ordinary portions of Reason , which is so beneficial to the publick , and which may without any danger or loss be believed : We can give no reason for our doubting or unbelief , but our not having Mathematical Demonstration to prove it ; as if nothing could contribute to living vertuously and prudently , but that which is absolutely and apparently true , in which there is not the least shadow or doubt , and as if there were nothing of chance and uncertainty in our Actions : I confess , they who think Philosophy and Divinity contradictory one to another , and therefore conclude one of them ought to be dethroned and subjected to the other , do very well to build Divinity upon a sure Foundation , and endeavour by Infallible Demonstration to support it ; yet I cannot but condemn those that make use of Reason to destroy Reason , and by Certain Reason endeavour to prove there is no certainty in Reason ; while they are demonstrating the Verity and Authority of Theology , and strive to deprive Reason of its power ; they subject Theology to the Empire of Reason , and allow it no other splendor , than what it borrows from Natural Light : If they boast of relying upon the Internal Testimony of the Holy Spirit , and say they make use of Reason only to convert Infidels , we ought not to believe them , because 't is evident , that the Holy Spirit beareth witness to nothing but good Works , which Paul , Galath . 5. 22. therefore calls the fruits of the Holy Spirit , and the Holy Spirit is nothing else , but that Tranquility of Mind , and Peace of Conscience , which ariseth in us from doing good . But of the truth and certainty of things meerly speculative , no other Spirit but Reason beareth witness , Reason only can challenge the power of judging what is true , they that pretend to any other Spirit , whereby to make themselves certain what is true ; maintain that which is false , and are either prejudiced with their own Passions and Affections , or else fearing to be baffled and made ridiculous by Philosophers and Men of Reason , fly for Shelter and Sanctuary to that which is Sacred ; but what Altar can protect him , who offends the Sacred Majesty of Reason ? I need say no more to such Men , having I hope sufficiently proved , why Theology ought to be distinguish'd from Philosophy , and in what each of them chiefly consists ; that neither of them ought to be a Servant to the other , and that both of them may exercise their own peculiar power , without offending one another : Lastly , I have shew'd where there was occasion , what Absurdities , Mischiefs and Inconveniencies follow from Men's confounding these two faculties , not knowing how exactly to distinguish and divide one from the other . Before I proceed , I desire notice may be taken , that I declare the benefit and necessity of Sacred Scripture ; ( that is ) Revelation , to be exceeding great , for seeing we cannot by Natural Light , perceive that Simple Obedience is the way to Salvation , and that God's special Grace and Favour hath by Revelation only , and not by Reason , made it known unto us ; the Scripture must certainly be a great help and consolation to all mankind ; because tho' every Man may obey , yet in respect of the whole , there are very few , who by the dictates and conduct of Reason live vertuously , so that were it not for the Testimony of Scripture , we might doubt of most Men's Salvation . CHAP. XVI . Of founding Commonwealths . Of every Man's Natural and Civil Right . Of the Right of Supreme Powers . HItherto I have carefully endeavoured , to distinguish and divide Philosophy from Theology , and have shewed the liberty of reasoning which Theology allows every Man ; it is now time to enquire , how far this liberty of thinking and speaking a Man's Thoughts , may in the best governed Commonwealths extend it self . And that we may orderly examin the matter , we will discourse of the Foundations of Commonwealths , and in the first place , of every Man 's Natural Right , without any relation either to Government or Religion . By the Law and Institution of Nature , I mean nothing else , but those Rules of Nature , according to which every individual Being , is naturally appointed and ordained , in such a certain manner to be , and to act ; ( for Example ) Fishes are by Nature ordained to swim , and the greater to eat the less ; therefore by the Sovereign Right or Law of Nature , they possess and enjoy the Water , and the greater eat the less : For it is certain , that Nature considered absolutely hath Sovereign Right to all things within its own power ; ( that is ) the Right of Nature may extend it self , so far as its Power can extend ; for the Power of Nature , is the Power of God , who hath Sovereign Right to all things . But because the universal Power of the whole frame of Nature , is nothing else but the Power of every individual Being joyned together ; it follows , that every individual Being hath Sovereign Right to all things within the compass of its Power ; or the Right of every Individual may extend it self , so far as its determinate Power will reach : And because the supremest Law of Nature is , that every thing should endeavour as far as it is able , to preserve it self in that state wherein it is , without having regard to any thing else but it self ; it follows , that every individual Being , hath Sovereign Right to this self-preservation ; ( that is ) to continue its existence , and to operate as it was naturally ordained : And in this respect there is no difference between Men and other Individual Beings in Nature , nor between Men endued with Reason , and others who know not the use of it , nor between Fools and Men in their right Senses ; for what every thing doth by , and according to the Laws of its own Nature , that it hath in the highest degree right to do ; because it acteth as it was by Nature appointed , and can do nothing otherwise ; amongst Men therefore considered living only under the Power of Nature , he that knows not what Reason is , as well as he who knows not what Vertue is , hath as much right to live according to the Laws of his Appetite , as he who directeth his life by the Rules of Reason : My meaning is , That as a wise Man hath right to all things which Reason dictates , or that lives according to the Laws and Rules of Reason ; so likewise an ignorant or meer sensual Man , hath right to all things , whereto his Appetite leads him , or that liveth according to the Law of his Appetite , which is the same thing that Paul declares , who acknowledgeth that before the Law ( that is ) so long as Men were considered living in the State and under the Power of Nature , there was no sin . The Natural Right therefore of every Man , is determin'd not by Reason , but by Appetite and Power , for all Men are not naturally ordain'd , to act and operate according to the Rules and Laws of Reason ; but on the contrary , all Men are born actually ignorant of all things , and before they can know the right of living , and acquire the habit of Vertue , a great part of their Age , tho' they be well educated , is spent and passeth away ; yet in the mean time they are bound to live , and as much as in themselves lies , to preserve themselves by the impulse of their Appetite , seeing Nature hath given them nothing else wherewith to do it , and hath denied the actual use of right Reason ; so that they are no more obliged to live by the Rules of it , than a Cat is bound to live like a Lion ; whatsoever then every Man , as he is considered under the Power and Laws of Nature , shall either by the dictates of Right Reason , or by the impulse of his Appetite , think convenient and profitable for him ; that by the Law of Nature is lawful for him to desire , and either by force , deceit , intreaties , or any other way he thinks most easie to get it , and may consequently take any one for an Enemy , that endeavours to hinder him from having his desires . From whence it follows , that the Law and Institution os Nature , under which all Men are born , and for the most part live ; prohibits nothing but what no body desires , or is in no bodies power , nor doth it forbid , Contention , Hatred , Wrath , Deceit , or any thing absolutely to which a Man's Appetite inclines him : Nor is this any wonder , for Nature is not bounded and shut up within the Laws only of Human Reason , which designs and intends nothing but the real good and preservation of mankind , but acts according to an infinite number of other Laws and Rules , which regard the whole frame and eternal course of Nature , whereof Man is but a small Particle , and all Individual Beings are by the necessity and Laws of Nature only , ordained in such a certain manner to exist and operate ; so that if there be any thing in Nature , which seemeth to us absur'd , and rediculous , or evil , 't is because we know things only in part , and because we are for the most part ignorant of the Order , Course , and Coherence of Universal Nature , and would have all things directed and governed by our Reason ; when in the mean time , that which our Reason thinks evil , is not so in respect of the course and Laws of Universal Nature , but only in respect of the Laws of our particular Nature . But without doubt or dispute , 't is very much for Mens advantage , to live according to the Laws and Dictates of Reason , which , as I have said , intends nothing else but the real good of mankind ; and there is no body who doth not desire to live in safety and out of fear , which is impossible , so long as it is lawful for every Man to do what he lists ; and Reason hath no greater priviledge than Hatred or Anger . He that lives where there is continual Enmity , Hatred , Wrath , and Deceit , must live always in danger and fear , and therefore Men avoid them as much as they can : When we likewise consider , that Men live wretchedly and miserably without mutual Assistance and the conduct of Reason , as we have shewed in the fourth Chapter , it must clearly appear , that if Men will live securely without fear , there is an absolute necessity of uniting themselves and agreeing together , to transfer the Right which every particular Man hath by Nature to all things , upon the whole collective Body assembled and living together in Society , which Right is to be determined and directed , not by the strength and Appetite of every single person , but by the Power and Will of the whole assembled together , which would however be a vain attempt , if that Society would still follow the Dictates of sensual Appetite . By the impulse of sensual desire , every Man is carried a several way , and therefore they must stedfastly resolve , and firmly covenant to govern and direct all things , according to the dictates of Reason , ( which no Man will oppose that is not out of his Wits ) and must bridle all desires that are injurious to one another : They must do nothing to others , which they would not have done to themselves . And lastly , must defend one anothers Right , as they would their own : Why such an agreement ought to be entred into , and ought to stand firm and inviolable , is our next enquiry . It is the Universal Law of Human Nature , that no Man should quit or neglect any thing , which he thinks to be for his good , unless it be for the hope of a greater good ; ( that is ) every Man of two goods ought to chuse the greatest , and of two evils the least ; I mean , that which seemeth to the Chuser the greatest , or the least ; because things are not sometimes in themselves what we judge them to be : And this Law is so deeply engraven upon Human Nature , that it is to be reckoned amongst the Eternal Verities of which no Man can be ignorant . From this Law it necessarily follows , that no Man doth ever sincerely promise , to depart from that Right which he hath to all things , and faithfully keep his Promise , unless it be for fear of a greater evil , or for the hope of a greater good . Suppose a Thief force me to promise , that I will give him all my Goods when he pleaseth to have them ; now seeing , as I have already said , that my Natural Right is only limited and determined by my own Power , it is certain , that I may by falshood and deceit , free my self from this Thief , in promising what he demands , and by the law of Nature I may deceitfully make him such a Promise . Suppose likewise , that I have , without any fraudulent intention , promis'd a man not to taste Meat , Drink , or any other kind of Nourishment , for the space of twenty days ; afterwards I perceive what a foolish promise I have made , and that I cannot without the hazard of my life keep it ; in this Case , seeing I am by the Law of Nature obliged , of two evils to chuse the least , I may very lawfully break this promise , and do as if I had never made any ; and it is my natural right so to do : for whether I have in truth , or but in mine own Opinion made an ill promise ; yet since the evil is so great which I fear , I am authorised by the Law of Nature , to take any Course to avoid it : from whence we conclude , that no Promise or Covenant can have any obligatory Power , unless it be upon a consideration , that some advantage or benefit is to accrue by it ; take away the Consideration , and the Covenant becomes null and void . It is therefore perfect folly , to expect from any Person , the constant keeping and faithful performance of his Promise or Contract , unless at the same time things be so order'd , that he who keeps not his Covenant , shall lose much more than he can gain by the breach thereof ; which is a Consideration that ought first to take place in the founding of any Commonwealth : if all men would willingly submit to the conduct of Reason , and knew what was necessary and profitable for the Publick , every man would detest fraud and deceit ; and for the good and preservation of the Common-wealth , would above all things faithfully perform his Promises , which is the Common-wealth's only defence and security : but men are far from being guided by reason , every man is led away by his Pleasure and Lusts , and mens minds are often so possest with Covetousness , Glory , Envy , Anger , and other Passions , that they have no room left for Reason ; and therefore tho' men may promise , with external Signs of Faithfulness and Sincerity , and enter into Covenants to make good their Promises ; yet no man can be sure they will be made good , unless some benefit and advantage attend their performance ; seeing every man by the Law of Nature may deal deceitfully , and break his promise , in hopes of greater good , or for fear of greater evil : but because ( as we have already shewn ) natural right is determin'd by every man's particular power , it follows , that as much as every man either voluntarily , or by force transsers of his own Power upon another , from so much of his own right he parts with to another , and he hath Soveraign right over all , who hath the Supream Power , wherewith he may by Force and severe Punishment which is Universally feared , keep all in subjection ; which right he shall no longer retain , than he can preserve the power of doing what he will , otherwise he must reign precariously , and no man that is stronger than he , is bound to obey him . For this reason , without any repugnancy or resistance made by natural right , may a Society be formed , and Covenants faithfully kept , if every particular person do transfer all the Power which he hath , upon the Society ; which Society by that means will have the Soveraign right of nature to all things , ( that is ) will be possest with the Supream Power of Governing , which every one willingly or for fear of Punishment will be bound to obey . The Right or Power of such a Society , is called Democracy , which is a general Assembly of men , who in fellowship have Soveraign right to all things within their Power ; from whence it follows , that Supream Power is bound by no Law , but all ought to obey it in all things ; which obedience every one did in express words , or tacitly , and by implication promise , when he transfer'd all his own Power of defending himself , ( that is ) all his own natural right upon the Society : So that if any men intended to keep any thing to themselves , at the same time they ought to have provided , and taken care for the defence and safe keeping thereof ; but if they did not , nor could do it , without dividing , and consequently destroying the Government and Commonwealth , that ought to be accounted an absolute submission of themselves to the will of the Supream Power ; which being done absolutely , and not only upon necessity , but likewise for very good reasons , unless we will declare our selves Enemies to the Commonwealth , and act contrary to Reason , which perswades us to defend the Commonwealth with our utmost power ; we are bound to obey all the Commands of the Supream Power , be they never so absurd ; for even those , Reason commands us to obey , that of two evils we may chuse the least : Consider likewise , how easily every one may run into the danger , of submitting himself absolutely to the Will and Arbitrary Power of another ; for as we have shewn , Supream Powers have no longer right of commanding what they will , than they can keep that Power ; for as soon as they lose it , they lose likewise the right of commanding all things , and that right falls to him or them that can get and keep it ; therefore it very rarely happens , that Supream Powers command harsh and unreasonable things , for it very much concerns them to look to themselves , to keep their Power , to mind the publick good , and order all things by the Rules of Reason . No violent Governments , saith Seneca , ever stood long : It is observable that in Democratical Governments , severe and unreasonable Commands are never much to be feared ; for 't is almost impossible , that the major part of an Assembly , if it be great , should agree in that which is unreasonable and absurd ; the Foundation and End likewise of that Government , being only to avoid the mischiefs of boundless Appetite , and to keep Men as much as may be within the compass of Reason , that they may live together in Peace and Amity ; which Foundation once taken away , down falls the whole Fabrick , against which Ruin to provide , is the duty of the Supream Power : The Subjects part is to obey , and acknowledge nothing else to be right , but what is declared to be so by the Supream Power . But some may think , that by this Rule , I make Subjects Servants or Slaves , because they account him a Servant who acts by Command , and him free , who only obeys his own Will ; which is not absolutely true , for he that gives himself up to his own pleasure and desires , and neither sees or does what is for his own good , is indeed the greatest of Slaves ; and he only is free , who of his own accord lives according to the dictates of Reason . Acting by Command , which is Obedience , doth in some sort take away Liberty , but 't is the account upon which a Man acts , that makes him a Servant ; for if the end of the action be wholly and solely for the benefit of him that commands , without any advantage to the Agent , then the Agent is a Servant , and unprofitable to himself ; but in a Commonwealth or Government , where the welfare of all the People , and not of him that governs , is the principal and Supreme Law ; he that in all things obeys the Supreme Power , is not an unprofitable Servant to himself , but is to be counted a Subject , and therefore that Commonwealth is counted freest , where the Laws are sounded upon most Reason , for there every Man , when he will , may be free , in living with his own intire consent , according to the Rules of Reason : Tho' Children are bound to obey all the Command of their Parents , yet they are not Servants , for the Commands of Parents tend chiefly to the good of their Children , and therefore we acknowledge there is great difference between a Servant , a Son , and a Subject , who are thus defined . A Servant is he , who is bound to obey the Commands of his Master which respect only the Masters benefit . A Son is he , that by his Parents Command doth that which is for his own good : And a Subject is he , who by the Command of the Supreme Power , doth that which is for the good of the Publick , and consequently , as he is one of that Body , for his own benefit : By what I have said , I think I have clearly shewn , what is the Foundation of Democratical Government , of which , before all others , I chuse to treat , because it seems most natural , and comes nearest to that freedom and liberty which Nature allows every Man ; for in Democratical Government , no Man so transfers his own Natural Right to another , as for ever after to be excluded from consultation , but only transfers it upon the major part of the Society , of which he still makes one , and upon this all remain as they were before , in their natural estate , equal . Moreover , I purposely treated of this Government , because it best suited with my Intention , which was to speak of the benefit of Liberty in a Commonwealth : I will therefore have nothing to do with the Foundations of other Powers ; nor to know their Right , is it necessary to know whence they had , and often have their Original ; that is too manifest . From what I have declared , where ever the Supreme Power is , whether in one person , in few , or in all , 't is certain , that they have the Soveraign right of commanding what they will , and whoever either willingly or by compulsion transfers to another the Power of defending himself , he hath clearly parted with his Natural Right , and consequently must resolve to obey him that hath it in all things , which he continues obliged to do , as long as the King , the Nobles , or the People can preserve the Supreme Power which they received , which was the first Foundation of transferring Natural Right , of which I need say no more . The Foundations and Right of Government being laid open , it is easie to determine , what is private civil Right , what is Injury or Wrong ; what is Justice , what Injustice in a Civil State. Lastly , Who is a Confederate or Ally , who is an Enemy , and what is Treason . By private civil Right , no other thing can be understood , but every Man 's keeping and preserving himself in the state wherein he is ; which Liberty is limited and determined , by the Decrees and Dictates of the Supreme Power , and defended by the sole Authority thereof ; for after every one hath transferr'd to another , his right of living according to his own Will , which only bounded his own power ; I mean , his liberty of defending himself ; he is then obliged to live according to his Will , to whom he hath parted with that Liberty , and from him only must expect Protection . Injury or Wrong , is when a Citizen or Subject is compell'd to suffer loss or damage from another , contrary to Civil Right , and the Decrees of the Supreme Power ; for there can be no such thing as Wrong or Injury , any where but in a Civil State , nor can any wrong be done to Subjects by the Supreme Power , which may lawfully do whatever it pleaseth , and therefore hath place only amongst private persons , who by Law are obliged not to offend one another . Justice is a constant resolution of giving to every one , that which by the Law rightly interpreted belongs to him : Justice and Injustice , are sometimes called Equity and Iniquity , because they that are appointed to end Suits and Differences , are bound not to have any respect to persons , but to look upon all as equals , and equally to defend every Man's right ; neither envying the rich nor despising the poor . Confederates are Men of two Cities or Societies , who to avoid the danger and inconveniencies of War , or for any other advantage and benefit , mutually covenant not to offend or hurt one another ; but in case of necessity to assist and help one another , both preserving their own Power and Dominion . This League or Contract , will so long continue firm and binding , as the consideration of danger or profit upon which it was founded continues ; because no person covenants , or is oblig'd to perform his contracts , unless it be in hope of some good , or fear of some evil , which being the Foundation of all Contracts ; take away that Basis , Experience tells us , they all fall to the ground : For tho' divers Empires and Governments , do mutually covenant not to do any thing to the prejudice or hurt of one another , yet 't is always the endeavour of both , to hinder one another from growing too powerful ; neither do they believe one anothers promises , unless they be fully satisfied , that the End of their agreement be for the benefit of both ; nor is there any wrong in the case , for who but a Fool , ignorant of the right of Supreme Power , will give credit to the words or promises of him who having Supreme Power , hath right to do what he will , and who is obliged by no other Law , but the publick safety and benefit of the people under his Government ? we likewise observe , that Religion and Piety signify very little ; for who ever hath the Supreme Power , cannot without consequent mischief , keep his Promises which prove prejudicial and destructive to his People and Government ; or that he cannot perform them without breaking Faith with his Subjects ; by which Faith he is principally obliged , and which usually with Oaths he solemnly and religiously promiseth to keep . An Enemy is one that liveth out of the Commonwealth , and neither as a Confederate or Subject , will own its Power or Government ; for 't is not the hatred of a Commonwealth , but its Right and Power , which maketh a Man an Enemy ; for the Power of a Commonwealth over him , who will by no kind of Contract own its Power , is the same that it hath over him who doth it harm , because it hath right to compel him one way or other , to yield and submit to it , or confederate with it : Lastly , Treason in Subjects or Citizens , is only where they have by express or imply'd Contract , transferr'd all their right to the City or Commonwealth , and that Subject is counted guilty of Treason , who endeavours to usurp the right of the Supreme Power to himself , or transfer it upon another ; I say , he that but endeavours it , for if none were to be condemned till after the commission of the fact , the punishment would many times come too late ; therefore I say positively , he that by any means goes about to usurp , or take away the right of the Supreme Power , making no difference whether the Commonwealth shall be a gainer or loser by it , upon what account soever he attempted or did it , yet he hath committed Treason , and is justly condemned , which every one also acknowledgeth to be just in War ; for if a Souldier keep not his station , but without his General 's knowledge or command , assaults the Enemy , tho' he beat him , and did it very advisedly , yet doing it of his own head , he deserves death , having violated his own Oath and his Geneneral's Authority : Now tho' Subjects do not see that their case and a Souldiers is alike , yet in truth the reason is the same in both , sor seeing the Commonwealth ought to be governed , defended , and preserved , by the Counsel only of the Supreme Power , and all have absolutely covenanted that this right shall reside only in the Supreme Power ; if any Man shall at his own Will and Pleasure , without the knowledge of the Supreme Council , make any publick attempt , which would certainly prove very advantageous to the Commonwealth , yet having violated the right of the Supreme Power , he is lawfully and deservedly condemned . Now to clear all scruples , if any Man ask , Whether maintaining that a Man in his Natutural State hath Natural Right to live according to the Laws and Dictates of his own Appetite , be not flatly contrary to the revealed Law of God ? Seeing every Man , whether he have or have not the use of Reason , is equally obliged by God's Command to love his Neighbour as himself , and therefore we cannot , without being very injurious , do any harm to another and live according to our own Lusts. This Objection is easily answered ; for if we consider only the state of Nature ; that state , and Nature it self , were before there was any Religion ; for by Nature no Man knows that there is any obligation upon him to obey God , nor can he come to the knowledge of it by Reason ; but whoever knows it , must know it only by Revelation confirm'd with Signs ; and therefore , before Revelation no body was bound by the Divine Law , of which every Man must be necessarily ignorant . The state of Nature then , and the state of Religion , must not be confounded , but considered apart , and as we have proved by Paul's Authority , the state of Nature is understood to be without Religion , without Law , without sin or wrong doing . Nor do we consider the state of Nature as before , and without the revealed Law of God , in respect of Ignorance only ; but in respect also of that freedom and liberty in which all Men were born ; for if Men by Nature were bound by the Law of God , or if God's Law were by Nature a Law , there was no need of God's making a Covenant with Men , and obliging them by Oath and Contract . It must therefore be absolutely granted , that God's Law took place , from the time that Men by an express Covenant with God , promised to obey him in all things ; by which Covenant and Promise , they did as it were depart from their natural freedom , and transferr'd their natural right upon God ; in like manner as we have declared is done in a Civil State. But of this I will treat more at large in the following Chapter . It may by way of Objection be further demanded , how I can maintain , that Supreme Powers still retain their natural right of doing what they will ; when Supreme Powers as well as Subjects are bound by the Law of God ? To solve this difficulty , which doth not rise so much from the state , as from the right of Nature ; I say , that the same consideration which obligeth a Man in the state of Nature , to live according to the dictates of Reason ; obligeth him likewise to God's revealed Law , namely , because it is better and safer for him so to do : But however , if he will not , 't is still but at his own peril , and therefore he may live according to his own Will , and is not bound to live by any other Man's direction , or to acknowledge any mortal Man to be his Judge , or upon any religious account his Superiour . And this is the Right and Power which I say the Supreme Power still retains . Supreme Powers may consult Men , but are not bound to acknowledge any Man their Judge , nor any Man but themselves the Assertor or Protector of Religion , a Prophet only excepted ; who confirms his express Mission from God by undoubted Signs and Wonders ; and then neither , do Supreme Powers acknowledge Man but God to be their Judge ; but if the Supreme Power will not obey God in his revealed Law , 't is at their own peril , no Natural or Civil Right can resist them , for Civil Right depends upon the Decree and Will of the Supreme Power , and Natural Right depends upon the Laws of Nature , which do not respect Religion as it intends and designs the benefit of mankind only , but were fitted and accommodated to the order and course of Universal Nature , ( that is ) the Eternal Decree of God , whereof we are ignorant : And this is what others mean , who do not so clearly express themselves , when they say , that a Man may sin against the revealed Will of God , but not against his Eternal Decree , by which he predestinated and ordained all things : If any Man ask me , when the Supreme Power commands any thing against Religion , and the Obedience which we by express Covenant have promised to God , whether we ought to obey God or Man ? I answer very briefly , resolving to speak more fully of it in the following Chapter , That above all things we ought to obey God , when we have a certain and undubitable Revelation ; but because Men are usually very much mistaken in matters of Religion , and because of the diversity of their Dispositions , have great contests about their own Phancies , as we find by woful experience ; it is certain , that if no Man should be bound to obey the Supreme Power , in things which a Man thinks concern his Religion ; the Civil Right and Laws of the Commonwealth , would depend upon every particular Man's different Judgment and Affection ; for no Man would be bound by any publick Law , which he thought contrary to his Faith or Superstition ; and under this pretence every one would be at liberty to do what he pleased : For his reason therefore , Supreme Power , to whom by Divine and Natural Right , it belongs to preserve and protect the Laws of Government , ought to have the sole power of judging , determining , and establishing Religion ; and all Men are bound by their Faith and Allegiance , which God hath commanded should be kept , to obey all the Commands and Decrees of the Supreme Power which concern Religion ; but if they that have the Supreme Power be Heathen and Infidels , we must either make no agreement with them , or suffer all extremities if we do covenant with them , and transfer our Right and Power upon them ; seeing we thereby deprive our selves of defending Religion and our selves : We are bound to obey and keep Faith with them , and may be compell'd to it , unless it be where God by undoubted Revelation hath declared a person to be a Tyrant , or excepting the person by Name , hath promised his particular aid and assistance against him . We read , that of all the Iews which were in Babylon , there were only three young Men who were assured of God's particular assistance , that would not obey Nebuchadnezzar ; all the rest but Daniel , whom the King himself adored , were compell'd by the Law to obey him ; perhaps believing in their Minds , that by God's Decree they were delivered into that Kings Hands , and that by God's appointment he was to be King , and keep the Supreme Power . Eleazer , on the contrary , however it went with his Country , gave an Example of his constancy to his followers , and would rather endure all extremities than suffer their Right and Power to be transferr'd upon the Greeks , and tried all means possible to avoid being compell'd to embrace the Faith and Religion of the Heathen ; which is confirmed by daily experience . The Supreme Powers that profess Christian Religion , for the security of their Government , make no scruple of entring into Leagues and Covenants with Turks and Infidels , and command their Subjects who live amongst them , not to use any greater liberty in Religion , or any other Affairs , than the Articles of such Leagues , or the Country in which they live allow ; as appears by the Contract , which I have already told you , the Hollanders made with the people of Iapan . CHAP. XVII . 'T is neither necessary or possible , to transfer all things upon the Supreme Power : Of the Iews Commonwealth , what it was during the Life of Moses , and what after his death before they chose Kings , and of its Excellency : What were the Causes of the destruction of so divine a Commonwealth , and why it could not subsist without Sedition . THough much of what hath been said in the preceding Chapter , of the right of Supreme Powers , and transferring on them every Mans natural Rights , may upon serious consideration be very agreeable to Practice ; yet when all is done , many things will remain in theory only , and be found absolutely impracticable : For no Man can so far transfer his Power , and consequently his Right upon another , as to cease from being a Man ; nor was there ever any Supreme Power that could do all that it would : 'T is vain for Supreme Power to command a Subject to hate his Friend and love his Enemy ; or to command a Man not to be provoked with Reproach and Contempt , or not to desire to be freed from fear , and other things of the like kind , which necessarily follow from the Laws of Nature : this is made manifest by daily Experience ; for Men never so depart from their Right , or so transfer their Power upon others , but that they are still feared even by those to whom they have transfer'd it ; for Government is many times as much in danger of Subjects deprived of their Right , as it is of foreign Enemies ; and if Men could be so far divested of their Natural Right , as afterwards not to be able to do any thing but according to the Will and Pleasure of those that have the Supreme Power ; then indeed all sorts of Tyranny and Violence might without danger be practis'd on Subjects , which I believe cannot enter into any Mans thoughts ; so that it must be granted that every Man retains much of his own Right , which still depends upon no bodies will but his own . Now that it may be rightly understood how far the right of Government extends it self , it is to be observed , That the Power of Government doth not precisely consist in its being able to compel men by fear , but also in all other means whereby it is able to make men obey its Commands ; for 't is not the Reason of obeying ; but actual Obedience that makes a man a Subject . Upon what account soever a man resolves to perform the Commands of Supreme Power , whether for fear of punishment , for hope of benefit , for love of his Country , or any other affection ; yet still he acts by the Command of the Supreme Power , though it be upon deliberation with himself . It is not therefore to be concluded , That a man who doth any thing by his own counsel and deliberation , acts by his own Power , and not by the Authority of the Government ; for being obliged by love , or forced by fear , he still of his own accord acts to avoid some evil . Either there must be no such thing as Authority and Power over Subjects , unless it did necessarily extend it self to all things which make men upon deliberation submit to it ; and consequently whatever a Subject doth agreeable to the Commands of the Supreme Power , whether he do it for fear , love , ( or , which is more frequent ) for hope and fear together , or out of reverence , which is composed of fear and admiration , on , or for any other Reason ; yet he still acts not by his own Power , but by the Authority and Power of the Government : And hence it is very evident , that Obedience doth not so much respect external Actions , as the inward Consent and Submission of the Mind ; and he is most under the Power of another , who with a willing mind , deliberately resolves to execute all his Commands . That Power is always greatest , which reigns over the hearts of Subjects ; but if they should be accounted most powerful who are most feared , how potent must they be , who are govern'd by Tyrants , who commonly dread nothing so much as their own Subjects . Though there cannot be so great a Command over mens Minds , as there may be over their Tongues , yet the Minds of men are in some kind under the Dominion of Supreme Power , because it can several ways bring it so about , that a very great part of the People shall believe , love , and hate , whatever the Supreme Power pleaseth : And though this be not effected by the direct Commands of the Supreme Power , yet Experience tells us , 't is often done by the Authority ( that is ) by the direction of that Power : So that we may without any difficulty conceive , how men may believe , love , hate , despise , and be carried away with any other Passion , to which the Authority of the Supreme Power pleaseth to incline them . But though upon this very account we may conceive the Right and Power of Government to be very large , yet 't is impossible that any Dominion should be so great and absolute , that he or they who have it , should be able in all things to do what they please : therefore , as I have already said , it is not my intention to shew how to form a Government that shall be perpetual ; but my purpose is only to take notice of those things , which Moses by Divine Revelation declared were most likely to preserve and perpetuate a Commonwealth . We shall then see what those things are , which for the benefit and safety of a Commonwealth , are to be granted to Subjects by the Supream Power . Reason and Experience tell us , That the safety and preservation of Government , depends chiefly upon the fidelity of Subjects , and their Courage and Constancy in executing the Commands of the Supream Power ; but the way of teaching Subjects to be constantly faithful and couragious , is not so easily found out ; because Governours , as well as the governed , are Men , and not caring for Labour , are still prone to Lust. They think securing Government to be an impossible Work , who have tried the mutable Humours of the Multitude , which is never ruled by Reason , but by their own Passions and Affections , ready for all rash Attempts , easily debauched by Covetousness and Luxury ; every single man thinks he knows all things , and judgeth every thing to be just or unjust , right or wrong , as it makes for his profit or loss : Pride makes him scorn to be governed by his Equals , still envying another man's better Reputation or greater Fortune , which is never equal , desires and rejoyceth in his Neighbours Misfortunes . There is no need of more Instances ; all know how mens Minds are agitated and possest , and to what Mischeif men are hurried headlong , by dislike of their present Condition , by desire of Change , by Rage and contemptible Poverty . To prevent all these things , and to constitute a Government wherein there shall be no place left for fraud , and so to order all things , that all People , of what Disposition soever , shall prefer the publick good before their . own private benefit , is the great difficulty . The Necessity of preserving and securing Government , hath much busied mens heads ; but it hath been hitherto impossible , to put Supreme Power into a condition of being less in danger , or in less fear , of Subjects than of Enemies : Witness the Roman Commonwealth , never conquer'd by its own Enemies , but often opprest and overthrown by its own Citizens , and especially in that Civil War of Vespasian against Vitellius ; as may be seen in the Fourth Book of Tacitus , where he describes the miserable condition of the City of Rome . Alexander the Great ( saith Quintus Curtius , in the End of his Eighth Book ) did more fear the Fame of a Subject than an Enemy , because he was afraid his own People might ruine his Greatness . Distrusting his own Fate , he thus bespake his Friends : Let it be your care only to preserve me from the Treachery and Conspiracy of my own People , and then no hazards in the War shall put me in fear . Philip was more secure in the Front of Battel abroad , than in the Theatre at home ; he oft-times avoided the force of his Enemies , but he could not escape the violence of his own Friends ; and if you consider the End of other Kings , you shall number more that have been slain by their own Subjects , than by any Forreign Power ( See Quintus Curtius , lib. 9. § . 6. ) This was the Reason why Kings , who were Usurpers , to secure themselves and their Dominion , endeavour'd to perswade the People , they were descended from the Immortal Gods ; because they thought , if their Subjects did not take them for Men , like themselves , but believed them to be Gods , they would be the better contented to deliver themselves up to their Power and Government . Augustus perswaded the Romans , that he was descended from AEneas , the Son of Venus , one of their Deities ; he had Temples dedicated to him , and was worshipt by Flamens and Priests , in the same manner that other Gods were . Tacitus in his First Book of Annals , tells us , That Alexander would be saluted by the Name of Iupiter's Son , which was not Pride , but Design , as appears by the Answer he return'd to the invective Speech made by Hermolaus : ( In the Eighth Book and Eighth Section of Quintus Curtius ) Alexander speaks to this purpose : One thing is very ridiculous which Hermolaus requires , That I should not own Jupiter to be my Father , being so declared by his Oracle , as if the Answer of the Gods were in my Power ; he offer'd me the Name of his Son , which was very suitable to the Designs I am now about ; I wish the Indians would also believe me to be a God : Success in War depends much upon Fame , and that which is falsly believed , sometimes works the same effects which things do that are true . In which few words , he very artificially endeavours to continue People in their ignorance , and neatly insinuates the Design of his dissembling , which Cleo likewise did in his Oration , whereby he endeavour'd to perswade the Macedonians to sooth and flatter the King : for after he had with admiration spoken in praise of Alexander , and reckon'd up all his Merits , giving a colour of Truth to the Fraud , he shews the advantages gain'd by it , in words to this effect . The Persians are not only prudent , but pious in worshipping their Kings as Gods , because it was the Safety of Majesty ; and then concludes , That he himself would be the first , who at the King's entrance , would fall down upon the Earth , and worship him ; and that he thought the wisest amongst them would follow his Example : ( See Curtius in his Eighth Book , § . 8. ) But the Macedonians were wiser : Nor can any but meer Barbarians be so grosly cheated , and of Subjects , suffer themselves to be made Slaves , altogether unprofitable to themselves . Others have , with more ease , perswaded the World , That the Majesty of Kings is Sacred , that they are God's Vicegerents on Earth , ordained by God , and not establisht by the Votes and Consent of Men , but preserved and defended by the particular aid and protection of Divine Providence . This , and much more , have Monarchs devised to secure their Government , with which I will not meddle , but proceed to those things , which , for the preservation of Government , Divine Revelation taught Moses . We have already declared , in the Fifth Chapter , that after the Israelites went out of Egypt , they were not subject to the Laws or power of any other Nation ; but it was lawful for them to Institute what Laws , and possess what Lands they pleased ; for when they were freed from the intollerable bondage of the Egyptians , and were not bound by Covenant to any Mortal , they again recover'd their natural Right to all things which were in their Power , and every Man might freely resolve whether he would keep his natural Right , or part with , and transfer it to another . Being then in this natural State , by the Counsel of Moses , in whom all had a very great trust and confidence , they resolved to transfer their Power upon no mortal Man , but upon God only ; and without further delay promis'd , all with one Voice , to obey God in all things , and never to own any other Power , but such as God by Prophetical Revelation should institute and appoint . This Promise and Translation of their Right and Power upon God , was in the same manner that we have supposed it to be done in a common Society , when Men resolve to depart with their natural Right : For as it appears ( Exod. chap. 24. ver . 7. ) they freely without any Compulsion , not terrified with any threats , did by express Covenant and Oath , part with their natural Right , and transfer'd it upon God ; and that the Covenant might be firm and binding , without any suspicion of fraud , God Covenanted nothing with them till after they had made tryal of his wonderful Power ; by which they had already been , and were afterwards to be preserved ; ( see Exod. chap. 19. v. 4 , 5. ) for upon this very ground of believing , that the Power of God only could save them , they transfer'd all their Power of preserving themselves , and consequently all their Right upon God. The Government then of the Jews was only in God , and therefore by vertue of the Covenant was called the Kingdom of God ; God was rightful King of the Jews , and consequently the Enemies of that Government were Gods Enemies , and the Subjects of that Commonwealth , who went about to usurp that Government , were guilty of Treason against his Divine Majesty , and the Laws of that Common-wealth were the Laws and Commands of God : So that in this Commonwealth , Civil Right and Religion , which we have shewn consists only in Obedience towards God , were but one and the same thing : My meaning is , that the Doctrines of Religion were Laws and Commands ; Piety was Justice , and Impiety wrong and Injustice : he that forsook the publick Religion ceased to be a Subject , and upon that very account was thought an Enemy ; he that dy'd for Religion was thought to dye for his Country , and between Religion and Civil Right there was no difference . Upon this account this Government might very well be called Theocracy , seeing the Subjects thereof were bound by no Law but what was revealed by God. But these things were thus , more in opinion then reality , for the Jews did indeed still retain the Absolute Power of Government , as will appear by what shall be presently declared , namely by the Form and Rules whereby their Government was Administred , which is now my purpose to explain . Seeing the Jews did not transfer their Power upon any other Man , but all equally parted from it as is done in Democratical-government , and all cryed with one Voice , Whatsoever God himself ( without any other intermediate Person ) shall speak to us , that will we do ; it clearly appears by this Agreement , they all continued equal , and the Power and Right of consulting God , of receiving and interpreting Laws , was equal in them all , and the Administration of the Government was in the whole Congregation . Upon this ground all equally at first hearken'd what God would say , and what he would Command ; but in this first meeting they were so terrified , and heard God speaking with so muh astonishment , that every Man thought that day would be his last . Full of very great fear they came again to Moses , and said , We have heard Gods Voice out of the midst of the Fire : Now therefore why should we dye ? This great Fire will consume us , we shall dye if we hear the Voice of the Lord our God any more ; therefore go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say , and speake thou unto us , all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee , we will hear and do it . By saying this they clearly abolisht the first Covenant , and transfer'd upon Moses their own Right of consulting God , and interpreting his Laws and Decrees ; for here they did not as before , promise to obey all that God should say to them , but all that God should speak to Moses ; ( See Deut. c. 5. v. 25 , 26 , 28. ) so that now none but Moses , became the giver and interpreter of Gods Laws , and consequently was the Supreme Judg , over whom no Man had power ; he only was Gods Vicegerent among the Jews , in him resided the Supreme Majesty , seeing he only had the power of consulting God , of returning Gods Answers to the People , and compelling the People to obey them . I say he only , for if any Man , during the Life of Moses , had preached any thing in the name of God , though he were a true Prophet , yet he had been a guilty Usurper . ( see Numb . c. 11. v. 27 , 28. ) And here we ought to observe , that though the People chose Moses , yet they had not the power of Electing any Successor in his place ; for at that very time when they transfer'd their Right and Power of consulting God upon Moses , and promis'd to receive from him Gods answers , they lost all their power , and whoever Moses declared should be his Successor , him were they bound to accept as chosen by God himself ; and had Moses chosen one who was to have , as Moses himself had , the whole Administration of the Government ; namely , the Power of consulting God alone in his Tent , and consequently the Power of making and abrogating Laws ; of making War and Peace ; sending Embassadors ; appointing Judges ; chusing a Successor , and ordering all other things that belong to Supreme Power ; the Government had been perfectly Monarchical , and there had been no other difference between the Jewish and other Monarchies but this , that other Monarchies are or should be Govern'd according to Reason , by Gods Decree , of which the Monarch is ignorant ; but the Jewish Monarchy , by Gods Decree revealed only to the Monarch ; which difference doth not at all diminish , but increase the Monarchs Power and Dominion over all , but the condition of the Subjects in both Monarchies is the same : For the Subjects in both being ignorant of Gods Decree , do absolutely depend upon the Mouth of the Monarch , and he only is to declare what is right and what is wrong . And if the People believe that the Monarch is to command nothing but by the will of God revealed to him , in that very respect they are not the less , but the more subject to him . Now Moses did not chuse any such Successor , but left Successors , who were so to Administer the Government , that it could not be called Popular , Aristocratical , or Monarchical ; but rather Theocratical : For the Power of Interpreting Laws , and Communicating Gods Answers to the People , was in one Person , and the Right and Power of Administring the Government , according to the Laws already explain'd , and according to the Answers already made known , was in another . ( See Numb . c. 27. v. 21. ) But that these things may be clearly understood , I will , in order , declare in what manner the Government of the Jews was Administred . First , The People were commanded to build a House , which was to be God's , that is , the Palace of the Supreme Majesty of that Government ; and this was not to be built at any particular Persons cost , but the publick charge of all the People , that the House where Counsel was to be asked of God might be Publick and Common to all : The Levites were the Courtiers or Officers of this Divine Palace ; of these , the Chief next to God after the King , was chosen Aaron , the Brother of Moses , whose Legitimate Sons succeeded him : He , as next to God , was the chief Interpreter of the Divine Laws , return'd the Answers of the Divine Oracle , and made Supplications to God for the People ; had he herewith had the commanding Power , there had nothing wanted of his being an absolute Monarch ; but that Power he had not , and the whole Tribe of Levy was so far excluded from having any hand in the Administration of government , that they were not allow'd to possess , with the rest of the Tribes , any Lands in their own right , upon which they might live ; but were to be maintain'd and relieved by the rest of the People , as a Tribe dedicated to God. The Militia was chosen out of the rest of the twelve Tribes , they were commanded to invade the Country of the Canaanites to divide their Lands into twelve parts , and to distribute the parts amongst the Tribes by Lot. Ioshua was elected General and Chief Commander of the Militia , who only in future Affairs and Emergencies had the power of consulting God : not as Moses had alone in his Tent or in the Tabernacle , but by the High-Priest , to whom only God gave his Answers : The power of passing those Answers which were deliver'd to the High-Priest into Laws , and the power of compelling the People to obey them ; the Manner and Means of executing those Commands ; the choice of the Militia , or the choice of those that should chuse it ; of sending Embassadors in his own name ; the whole power of making and carrying on War , depended absolutely and solely upon the Will of Ioshua , into whose power and place no body did ever lawfully succeed , nor was there ever any other chosen , unless by God himself , the Peoples affairs not requiring any such choice ; but all matters of Peace and War were under the direction and government of the Princes of the Tribes . All from twenty years old to sixty were commanded to bear Arms ; the Army was formed only out of their own People , who did not swear Fidelity to the General or Chief-Priest , but to God and Religion , and were therefore called the Lords Host , and God , by the Jews , the Lord of Hosts : For this reason the Ark of the Covenant , upon which depended Victory or the loss of their Battels , was always carryed in the midst of the Army , that the People beholding as it were their King , might fight with their utmost courage and strength . From these Commands of Moses to his Successors , we conclude that he chose Administrators or Ministers of State , but none that had absolute Power ; for he gave to no body the sole power of Consulting God when he pleas'd , and consequently not the Authority which he himself had , of making and abrogating Laws ; of making War or Peace ; of chusing Officers for the Temple , or in any of the Cities ; all which do properly belong to him that hath Supreme Power . The Chief Priest indeed had power of interpreting the Laws , and returning Gods Answers to the People ; but not as Moses , when he pleas'd , but only when he was called upon by the General or Supreme Council to do it . On the other side , the General of the Army , and the Councils , could consult God when they pleas'd , but could not receive God's Answers from any but the High Priest ; and therefore what God said by the Mouth of the High Priest , was not a Law and Decree , as it was in the Mouth of Moses , but only Answers ; and when those Answers were received by Ioshua and the Council , then had they the force of Laws and Decrees . Moreover , the High Priest , who receiv'd Answers from God , had nothing to do with the Militia , nor had he any share in the Government ; and on the other side , they that were possest of Lands had no power to make Laws : The Chief Priest Aaron , and his Son Eleazer , were both chosen by Moses ; but when Moses was dead no man had the power of chusing the High Priest , but the Son still succeeded the Father . The General of the Army was also elected by Moses , not by the Power of the High Priest , but took upon him the Generalship or Supreme Power by vertue of that Authority which Moses gave him ; and therefore when Ioshua dyed , the High Priest chose no body into his place , nor did the Princes ask Council of God concerning a new General , but every one commanded the particular Militia of his own Tribe , and all the Princes , jointly together , had the same power over the whole Army that Ioshua had ; and it seems there was no need of a General , unless when they were to fight against an Enemy with joint Forces , of which there was constant occasion and necessity in Ioshua's time , when they had no fixed place of abode , and all things were in Common : But after all the Tribes were by right of Conquest possest of Lands , which they were commanded to keep and divide amongst themselves , and Property began ; then there was no more need of a General , because the several Tribes by that division , became not only fellow Subjects but Confederates ; they were in respect of God and Religion fellow-Subjects , but in respect of one Tribes power over another , no more than Confederates . In all particulars ( that of the Jews publick Temple excepted ) like the States of the seven United Provinces ; for the division of that which is common into parts , is nothing else but every Mans possessing his own part , and the rest quit the right which they had to it . Moses therefore chose the Princes of the Tribes , that after the Land and the Government was divided , every one might take care of his own part ; that is , that the Prince of every Tribe , should by the High Priest ask Council of God , concerning the Affairs of his own Tribe ; that he should command the Militia of his own Tribe ; build and fortifie Cities ; appoint Judges in every City ; fight against the Enemies of his own Tribe , and have the absolute Power of Peace and War within his own Tribe ; nor was he obliged to acknowledge any other Judge over him , but God , or a Prophet whom God should expresly send ; and if he departed from the Worship of God , the rest of the Tribes were to account him no Subject , but fight against him as a publick Enemy , that had violated the Faith of the Covenant made with God ; of which in Scripture we have several Examples . When Ioshua was dead , the Children of Israel , without any new General , asked Counsel of God , and when they understood that the Tribe of Iuda was first to assault the Enemy , Iuda agreed only with his Brother Simeon , to go up with united Forces , and fight the Enemies of both their Lots ; in which agreement none of the rest of the Tribes were comprehended . ( See Iudges c. 1. v. 1 , 2 , 3. ) But every Tribe , as that Chapter declares , fought separately against its own particular Enemy , and spared the Lives of whom they pleased , though they were commanded upon no terms to spare any , but to extirpate all ; for which Sin they were indeed reproved , but never called to account for it . When the Tribes made War one upon another , and medled with one anothers Affairs in assaulting the Benjamites , it was because they had justly offended the rest of the Tribes , by breaking the common Bond of Peace ; so that none of their Confederates could safely venture themselves amongst them . This was the reason the rest of the Tribes invaded the Benjamites in a hostile manner , and after the fighting of three several Battels having conquer'd them , by right of War put all Nocent and Innocent to the Sword , which they afterward repented too late . That which I have said of the Power of every particular Tribe , is by these Examples confirm'd : But some body will perhaps ask , who chose the Successor of the Prince of every particular Tribe ? I find nothing certain in Scripture concerning it , but seeing every Tribe was divided into Families , and the eldest were the Heads of every Family , I suppose of these Heads , the eldest did by Right succeed him that was Prince of these Seniors or Elders ; Moses chose the Seventy that were to assist him , who with him , were the supreme Council , and after the Death of Ioshua , had the Administration of the Government . By Elders , often in Scripture , and amongst the Iews , are meant Judges ; but this particular not being much to our purpose , it is sufficient that I have proved , no person after Moses's Death , executed all the Offices of Supreme Power ; for since all things did not depend upon the pleasure and will of one single person , nor upon the Decrees of the Council or People , but some things were done by one Tribe , others by another , by the equal Power , and joynt Authority of every one ; it evidently follows , that from the Death of Moses the Government was neither Monarchical , Aristocratical or Popular , but , as I have said , Theocratical : First , because the Temple was the Palace of the Government , and upon that account only all the Tribes were Fellow-Citizens . Secondly , Because all the Citizens or Subjects , were to swear Fidelity and Allegiance to God their Supreme Judge , to whom only they promised to yield Obedience . And lastly , Because the Chief Commander , or General , when there was occasion , was to be chosen by none but God , which Moses , in the Name of God , expresly prophesied to the People ( Deut. 17. 15. ) which likewise appears by the Election of Gideon , Sampson , and Samuel ; and therefore it is not to be doubted , but the rest of their faithful Captains were chosen in the same manner , though it be not set down in their History . These things being thus laid open , it is time to enquire , how this Con by poverty , sold his Land , when the Year of Iubilee came , it was e who did govern , as of those that were governed , that neither the Subjects should become Rebels , nor the Governours Tyrants . They that have Supreme Power , or the Administration of Government , when they wickedly oppress and abuse their Subjects , they still endeavour to make the People believe , that all their Actions are just and legal , which may be easily done , when the Interpretation of the Law depends only upon them . 'T is this that makes them take so much Liberty of doing what their Desires dictate , and think much of their Prerogative lost , when the power of interpreting the Laws is in any but themselves ; or when the Laws are so perspicuously and clearly interpreted , that there can be no doubt or dispute concerning them . The Iews therefore were very much secured against the Oppression and Injustice of their Princes , by Moses giving the power of interpreting the Laws to the Levites , ( Deut. chap. 21. v. 15. ) who had no administration or part in the Government with the rest ; but all their Honour and Fortune depended upon their truly and rightly interpreting the Law. Moreover , all the people were commanded once in every seven years , to assemble together in one place , where the High Priest read and expounded to them the Laws ; and likewise every particular person was obliged , constantly , with great care , to read over the Book of the Law : ( See Deut. chap. 21. v 9. and chap. 6. v. 7. ) The Princes and Rulers therefore , for their own sakes , were to take good heed , that they did all things according to the known Prescription and Rules of the Law , if they expected any Honour from the People , who would then reverence them as God's Ministers and Vicegerents ; otherwise they must expect the Universal Hatred of the People , which was a sort of Divine Vengeance . Another thing which very much bridled the Exorbitant Power and Lust of their Princes , was their Militia's being formed out of their own People , none from Twenty to Sixty excepted ; it not being in the Prince's Power to levy , or keep in Pay any Forreign Forces . This , I say , was a thing of great Consequence ; for Princes cannot possibly oppress their Subjects , without Forces in continual Pay ; and Princes fear nothing so much as the Power of their own armed Subjects , by whose Valour , Labour , and Expence of Blood , the Glory and Liberty of a Kingdom is purchast and secured . Therefore Alexander , when he was to fight a second Battel against Darius , hearing Parmenio give Advice which did not please him , Quintus Curtius , in his Fourth Book , says , Alexander would not check Parmenio again , though he had upbraided Alexander more bitterly than was expedient , but fell upon Polyperchon , who was of Parmenio's Opinion : Nor could Alexander oppress the Liberty of the Macedonians , which he most feared , till after he had , out of the Prisoners he took , formed Troops that out-numbred his own People ; that being done , he did what he pleas'd , being before restrain'd by the Liberty which the best of his own Subjects enjoy'd : And if this Liberty of Armed Subjects in other Governments , be a Bridle to Princes , who ascribe to themselves the Glory of all Victories , it was certainly a much greater Curb to the Princes of the Iewish Tribes , whose Soldiers fought not for the Glory of their Prince , but the Glory of God , and ventur'd no Battles till they received an Answer from God. What is more to be observed , is , That all the Princes of the Iews were associated and linked together by a Religious Covenant ; so that if any one forsook the publick Religion , and offer'd to violate every man's Divine Right , they might justly account him a publick Enemy , and destroy him . Thirdly , Another thing which kept the Iewish Princes within bounds , was the fear of a New Prophet ; For if any man of an unblameable Life and Conversation , could by some certain signs , prove himself a Prophet , that Prophet had presently Right to the supreme Power , in the same manner that Moses himself had by Revelation ; and not as the Princes who were to consult God by the High Priest : and without doubt such Prophets could easily make the Oppressed People of their Party , and by some little signs perswade them to what they pleas'd : But when Justice was duely administred , the Prince could make such timely provision , that the Prophet should so far submit to his Judgment , as to be strictly examined , whether his Life and Conversation were good ? Whether the signs of his Mission were true ? And lastly , Whether that which he prophesied in the Name of the Lord , were agreeable to the Religion and Laws of the Country ? If the Signs he gave failed , or if his Doctrine were new , he might by the Authority of the Prince , be justly condemn'd , or else approved and received . Fourthly , The Prince could not claim the Power of governing , upon the account of being more Nobly descended than others , but had Right to it only by Seniority of Age and Merit . Lastly , The Princes , and all the Army , had as much Reason to desire Peace as War ; for the Militia being composed only of Iewish Subjects , the same persons that were Soldiers , managed Affairs in times of Peace ; he that was a Commander in the Field , was in the Tribunal a Judge ; and he that was a General in the Camp , was a Prince in the City : Therefore none could desire War for Wars sake , but only to enjoy Peace , and to defend their Subjects Liberties . Perhaps the Prince abstain'd , as much as was possible , from Innovations , that he might not attend , and wait on the High Priest , which he might think beneath his Dignity . So much for the Reasons which kept the Princes within bounds . Let us now see what kept the People to their Duty . The Principles of the Government will make this clear ; for whosoever considers them , will find , they begot so much Affection in the Hearts of the People , that it was impossible any man should think of betraying or deserting his Countrey ; but must be so much affected with it , that he would suffer any Extremities , rather than be subject to any other Forreign Government : For after they transferr'd their Power upon God , acknowledging their Kingdom to be the Kingdom of God , and believed they only were the Children of God , and all other Nations God's Enemies , believing their mortal Hatred against them to be Piety : ( See Psal. 139. v. 21 , 22. ) They could abhor nothing more , than swearing Fidelity , and promising Obedience to Strangers ; nor could any thing be thought so execrable and abominable , as betraying their Countrey ; ( that is ) the Kingdom of that God they worship'd . It was counted an horrible Offence to go out of their Countrey to live , because they would not celebrate the Worship of God , to which they were strictly obliged , any where but in their own Land , which was therefore called , the Holy Land , and every part of the Earth beside , esteemed by them profane and unclean . Therefore David , being forced by Saul to fly his Country , complains in these words , ( 1 Sam. chap. 26. v. 19. ) If they be the children of men that have stirred thee up against me , cursed be they before the Lord ; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord , saying , go serve other Gods. This was the Reason ( which is very worthy Observation ) that no Iewish Subject was ever condemn'd to Banishment ; He that sins deserves to be punish't , but his punishment oughr not to be a sin . The Affection which the Iews had for their Countrey , was not simply Love , but Piety , which , with their Hatred to other Nations , was so augmented by their daily Worship , that it became natural to them ; for their daily Worship was not only different from , but absolutely contrary to that of all other Nations , and was the Reason they did not only live unmixt , but separate from them . Continual Reproach must necessarily beget perpetual Hatred , and there is no Hatred so great and lasting , as that which is grounded upon difference in Religion , and is believed to be pious : There was no Reason why their Hatred should decrease ; for all other Nations did as mortally hate them . Let Reason and Experience judge then , whether the Liberty of the Subject , Devotion towards their Countrey , Absolute Power over all Nations , against whom their Hatred was not only counted lawful , but pious ; Singularity of Religious Rites , and manner of living , were not powerful Arguments to perswade the Iews , with great Courage and Constancy of Mind , to suffer any thing for their Countrey ? For while Ierusalem stood , they would never endure any other Government ; therefore was it called , the Rebellious City , ( Ezra chap. 4. v. 12 , 15. ) The second Government ( which was scarce a shadow of the first , after the Priests had usurped the Power of the Princes ) was with great difficulty destroyed by the Romans , as Tacitus tells us , in the second Book of his History : Vespasian , saith he , put an end to the Iewish War , by the taking of the City Jerusalem , an hard and difficult work , because of the Peoples Disposition and Obstinacy in their Superstition , and because the besieged had Courage and Strength enough to suffer all Extremities . Beside all these things , which only Opinion made dear and valuable , there was another thing in this Government , which was a fingular and solid Argument to continue the People in their Obedience , and take from them all thoughts of deserting their Countrey ; and that was Profit , which is the Strength and Life of all Humane Actions . In this Particular , their Advantages were very considerable ; for Subjects had no where greater Right to any thing they possest . The Iewish Subjects had an equal portion of Land and Fields with the Prince ; and every one was an eternal Lord of his part ; for if any man , forced by poverty , sold his Land , when the Year of Iubilee came , it was to be intirely restored . There were likewise other Institutions of this kind ; so that a fixed Estate could never be perpetually alienated : Where could poverty be more tolerable , than in a Country where every man 's mutual Charity , was that part of his Religion whereby he hoped to purchase the Favour of God , who was his King : so that the Iews could never live well in any Country but their own , and out of it were sure to meet with Injury and Reproach . To keep them in their own Country from Civil War , and to take away the Causes of Contention , their being subject to no Equal , but only to God himself , contributed very much : so likewise did their mutual Love and Charity , which was not a little increased by the general Hatred all other Nations had against them . Another thing , which beyond all that I have mentioned , much contributed to keeping the people within the Limits of their Duty , was that strict Discipline of Obedience under which they were educated ; for they were to do nothing but according to positive prescriptions of Law ; they could not when they pleas'd , but only at certain times , and in certain Years plow , and that but with one sort of Cattel ; they had likewise prescribed Rules for sowing and reaping ; and indeed , ( as we have shewn in the Fifth Chapter , concerning the Use of Ceremonies ) their whole course of Life was but a continual practice of Obedience , so that being accustomed to it , it seemed rather Liberty than Servitude . This was the Reason they desired not what was forbidden , but that which was commanded . At certain times of the Year they were to give themselves up to Mirth , Pleasure and Ease ; not to indulge their own Appetites , but to serve God the more chearfully : Thrice in a Year they were God's Guests , ( see Deut. chap. 16. v. 16. ) Every Seventh day of the Week they were to cease from all kind of Labour , and take their rest ; at other set times , rejoicing ; honest Recreations and Feasting , were not only allow'd , but commanded , which above all things prevail upon mens Minds , especially that Joy which ariseth from Devotion , ( that is ) from Love and admiration together . Their Worship prescribed on Festival Days being short and various , kept them from loathing and weariness . To all this add the high Reverence and Veneration they had for the Temple , which was still preserved by the particular Worship they were to perform in it , and by many things they were to observe and do , before it was lawful for any one to enter into it : So that even now we cannot without great horror , read that abominable wicked act of Manasseh , who caused an Idol to be set up in the Temple . Nor was the Reverence much less which the People had for the Law , which was religiously kept in the Sanctuary ; so that no Rumors or Discontents among the People were here to be feared ; for no body could meddle or pass any Judgment in matters of Religion , but every man , without consulting Reason , was to do all things which God by his Answers in the Temple , or by the Laws already given , commanded them . It now then appears under what manner of Government the Iews lived , of which , I hope , I have given a very clear , though but brief Account . It now remains , that we enquire , Why the Iews did so often forsake the Law , why they were so often conquer'd , and why at last their Government was totally destroyed . Perhaps some will tell me , Their stubborn and rebellious Humour was the Cause ; That 's but a childish and frivolous Answer : Why was this Nation more rebellious than any other , was it their Natures ? Nature doth not make Nations , but only individual Persons , who are distinguish't and divided into Nations , by diversity of Language , Laws and Customs : From Laws and Customs every Nation acquires a particular Disposition , a particular Condition , and peculiar Prejudices and Opinions . If it must be granted , That the Iews were more stiff-necked and rebellious than any other Nation , it must be because they had Bad Laws and Evil Customs ; and it is a certain Truth , That if God had decreed their Government should have had a longer continuance , he would have given them other Laws and Statutes , and another Administration of Government . Therefore what can we say more , than that God was offended and angry with them , not only as Ieremy saith , from the building of their City , ( Ierem. chap. 32. v. 31. ) but from the very time he gave them their Laws , which Ezekiel testifies , ( chap. 20. v. 25. ) saying , I gave them statutes which were not good , and judgments whereby they should not live , and I polluted them in their own gifts , in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb , that is , the first-born , that I might make them desolate , to the end , that they might know I am the Lord. That these Words , and the Cause of their Destruction may be rightly understood , we are to take notice , That God's first Intention was to commit the Administration of all things pertaining to Religion , to the First-born ; not to the Levites , as appears , ( Numb . chap. 8. v. 17. ) where God says , all the first-born of the children of Israel are mine , I sanctified them for my self . But after all the People , the Levites only excepted , had worshipped the Golden Calf , they were defiled and rejected , and the Levites who sided with Moses , as appears , ( Exod. chap. 32. v. 20 , 27. ) were chosen into their room : ( Deut. chap. 10. v. 8. ) The Lord separated the tribe of Levi to stand before the Lord , to minister him , and to bless his Name . Which change , when I seriously consider , it makes me think of those Words in Tacitus : Illo tempore non fuisse Deo curae securitatem illorum , fuisse ultionem : At that time God took more care to be revenged upon them , than to preserve them . God was so extreamly incensed against them , that though Laws usually provide for the Safety , Honour and Security of People , yet the Laws which God gave the Iews , were with a purpose to punish , and be revenged upon them : so that their Laws were not Laws ; that is , the Peoples Safety , but their Plague and Pnnishment . Consider how many things the People were bound to give to the Priests and Levites , beside the Money that was to be pay'd for the Redemption of the First-born : Consider likewise , that the Levites were only permitted to come near whatever was accounted holy , which continually minded the People of their Uncleanness and Repudiation ; with which 't is very likely the Levites might often reproach them : for amongst so many thousand Levites , no question but there were some troublesome pragmatical Fellows , who provoked the People ; and the People on their part , to be quit with the Levites , narrowly watched and pryed into their Actions , who being but Men , were subject to many failings and miscarriages , which , as is usual , were charged upon the whole Function , and at last , especially when Provisions were dear , in all probability , the People grew weary of maintaining so many lazy , idle and hated persons , who were no Kin at all to them . No wonder then when the People were at ease , and publick Miracles ceased , if they who were in Authority became remiss , and the covetous incensed Minds of the People grew careless , and neglecting the Divine Worship , of which they began to be suspicious and ashamed , desired a new . 'T is likewise possible , that the Princes to keep the Commanding Power still in their own hands , might court the People to take part with them against the Priest , and bring in a new Religion . But had the duration and security of the Government been designed when it was first instituted , things might have gone well , if all the Tribes had had equal Honour and Power ; for who would have violated the Sacred Right of his Kindred ? They would rather for Piety and Religion's sake , have maintained their Parents , Brothers , and Kinsmen , seeing from them they were to receive the Interpretation of the Law , and the Divine Oracles . The Tribes would have been tied in a stricter Bond of Amity , if all had had equal Power of administring in the Temple ; at least , there had been less fear of Discord , if the Election of the Levites had not been grounded upon the Wrath and Vengeance of God : But , as I have already said , God was very angry with them , and that I may again use Ezekiel's Expression , he polluted them with their gifts , in the redemption of their first-born , that he might destroy them . This appears by their Histories ; for as soon as the People began to be idle in the Wilderness , many , not of the meanest sort , began to be offended with the Choice of this Tribe , believing that Moses did not act by God's Command , but did all things as he himself pleased ; because he made choice of his own Tribe above all the rest , and made a perpetual Settlement of the Priesthood upon his own Brother : So that a Tumult being rais'd , they tell Moses and Aaron , that all the Congregation were every one of them holy , and that they lifted themselves up above all the Congregation of the Lord. No Reason could appease them , but they were all miraculously destroy'd , which occasion'd a Universal Sedition amongst all the People , who believed that they who perished were not destroyed by God's Judgment , but by some Trick of Moses ; after which followed a great Plague , which made the People weary of their Lives . This was the end of the Sedition , but not the beginning of any Amity or Affection ; and God told Moses ( Deut. chap. 33. v. 21. ) that he knew the imagination the people went about , even before he had brought them into the Land which he sware : and Moses a little after , Verse 27. saith to the People , I know thy rebellion , and thy stiff neck ; behold while I am yet alive with you this day , ye have been rebellious against the Lord , and how much more after my death ? And , as all the World knows , so it happened ; great Changes , all manner of Licentiousness , Luxury and Idleness , made them grow daily worse and worse , till being often beaten by their Enemies , they brake their Holy Covenant , and desired a Mortal King. The Temple became his Palace , and the Tribes casting off the Divine Law and the Priesthood , his Subjects . The Electing of a King was a great occasion of new Seditions , to reign precariously , or suffer any Power to controll theirs , was intolerable to their Kings : They who from private Men were elected to the Throne , were contented with the Dignity conferr'd upon them ; but when their Sons came by Right of Succession to the Crown , they began by degrees to make Alterations , that the Supreme Power might reside only in them ; which Power they had not , so long as the Power of the Laws was not in their hands , but were interpreted and kept by the High Priest in the Sanctuary . So that the Kings were still subject to the Laws , and had not Authority enough to abrogate the Old , or make New. Moreover , the Levites had power to keep the Kings , as well as the Subjects , under the Notion of being profane persons , from medling with Sacred Matters . Lastly , Because all the power of their Kings depended upon the pleasure of any one who was accounted a Prophet ; of which they had an Example in Samuel , who with great Boldness and Liberty commanded Saul to do what he pleas'd , and for one Offence only transferr'd the Kingdom upon David , which indeed made the Government perfectly precarious . To avoid this , their Kings consecrated other Temples , that they might have no more need of consulting the Levites , and enquired after others to prophesie , in opposition to those who were accounted true Prophets : But yet they could never compass their Ends ; for the Prophets were still ready , watching their opportunity till a Successor came , and then the Prophets , by their Divine Power , did sometimes set up some Famous and Worthy Person , who being displeas'd with the King , did , under pretence of vindicating Religion , endeavour to usurp the Supreme Power , or some part thereof . But neither this way could the Prophets compass their Ends ; for though they took away the Tyrant , yet the Causes of Tyranny still remain'd , and they did , with a great Effusion of the Subjects Blood , only purchase another new Tyrant . So that there was no end of their Discords and Intestine Wars ; and the Causes of violating God's Law , were still the same ; which could never end but with the Total Destruction of the Common-Wealth . We have now seen how Religion began in the Iewish Common-Wealth , and how the Government might have been perpetual , if the Just Wrath of God would have permitted it to continue ; But because it would not , therefore it perished . I have here spoken only of their First Government , the Second being but a Shadow of their First , seeing they were still under the Power of the Persians . After they obtained their Liberty of Cyrus , the High Priests became their Princes , by usurping the Supreme Authority ; the Priests having as great a Mind to the Crown as to the Mitre . Of this Second Government I need say no more . Whether their First Government , as it was conceived Durable , or Religious , be a Pattern that may be followed , will appear in the next Chapter . For the Close of all , I desire it may be particularly observed , That by what hath been declared in this Chapter , it is evident , That Divine Right or Religion , had its Beginning and Rise from a Covenant or Contract ; without which there is no Right but that of Nature ; and therefore the Iews were not obliged by any Precept of Religion , to shew any Kindness towards any other Nations , who were not concerned in the Covenant , but only to those of their own Common-Wealth . CHAP. XVIII . Certain Political Maxims Collected from the Government and Histories of the Jews Commonwealth . THough the Government of the Jews , as it hath been describ'd in the preceding Chapter , might have been perpetual ; yet 't is an Example that cannot now be follow'd , nor is it advisable to put it in practice ; for if any Men would transfer their power upon God , they ought to do it as the Jews did , by an express Contract or Covenant ; so that not only the mind of them that transfer their power , but also the Will of God , upon whom the power is transfer'd ought to be known ; but God hath revealed by the Apostles , that the Covenant of God shall no more be written with Ink , nor in Tables of Stone , but shall by his Spirit be written in our Hearts . That form of Government , under which the Jews lived , might be very useful and convenient for them who lived alone , without any foreign Trade or Commerce , who kept themselves within their own Territories , and separated themselves from all the rest of the World ; but 't is in no wise fit for People that live by trading with others , and consequently it is to very few people that the Jewish government can be of any use or advantage ; but though it be a pattern that cannot be follow'd in all things , yet there were in it many things very worthy of our observation , and which are fit to be put in practice . Because my intention is not to treat expresly of Government , I will pass many things by , and only take notice of those that make for my purpose ; Namely , That it is not repugnant to the Kingdom of God , to make Majesty Elective ; that is , to chuse the Person or Persons who shall have the Supream Power of Government ; for after the Iews transferr'd their Power upon God , they delivered the Supream Power of Governing to Moses , who thereby had in God's Name , the sole Authority of making and abrogating Laws , of chusing sacred Ministers , and likewise the sole power of teaching , judging , and punishing : and though the Priests were Interpreters of the Law , yet they had no power at all to judge the People , nor to excommunicate any person ; for none could do that but the Judges and Princes , who were chosen out of the People , as appears ( Ioshua chap. 6. v. 26. ) where Ioshua adjured the people , not to rebuild Iericho ; ( Iudges chap. 21. v. 18. ) where the Elders of the Congregation appointed what Women the Benjamites should marry , to propagate their Tribe , and ( 1 Sam. chap. 14. v. 24. ) where Saul commanded the People not to eat any food till Evening . If we consider the Histories and Successes of the Iews , we shall find other things very well worth our Observation : First , That there were no different Sects of Religion amongst them , till after the Priests in the Second Government usurped the Supream Authority , and the Power of making Laws . To make their Authority lasting , they took upon them the Power which the Princes had , and at last , would be called Kings . The Reason is apparent ; for in the First Government , nothing was made Law by the High Priest , because he had no power of decreeing any thing ; his Business was only to return those Answers to the Princes and Council , which were given by God : So that at that time , their High Priests could not desire to make new Decrees , but only to do that which was their known Duty ; for they had no other way to preserve their Liberty against the Princes , but by keeping the Laws free from Violation and Corruption ; but after the Priests got power of medling with matters of Government , and of Priests became Princes , then every one , as well in Religion as other Affairs , would have all things determin'd by the Pontifical Authority , daily making Decrees , which they would have to be as Sacred as the Laws of Moses ; so that Religion degenerated into horrible Superstition ; the true Sense and Interpretation of the Law was corrupted , and the Priests , after the Restauration , attempting to get the Supream Power into their hands , to gain the People , so soothed and flatter'd them , that they approved of all they did , were it never so wicked , and made Interpretations of Scripture suitable to their Humours and Practices , which Malachy in express Words testifies , reproving the Priests of his own time in this manner , ( Mal. chap. 2. v. 7 , 8. ) The Priest's lips should preserve knowledge , and they should seek the law at his mouth ; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts : But ye are departed out of the way , ye have caused many to stumble at the law , ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi , saith the Lord of hosts . And so goes on in reproaching them with interpreting the Law as they pleased , with their respecting of persons , and taking no heed to walk in God's ways . It is certain , that though the Priests were never so cautious and wary , yet they were narrowly observed by the wiser sort , who taking notice of the Priests Boldness , declared , That the People were not bound to the Observation of any Laws , but those that were Written , and that all Decrees made by the Priests , which the deceived Pharisees ( chosen , as Iosephus tells us , out of the meanest of the People ) called , the Tradition of their Fathers , were not at all obligatory , nor to be obey'd . Without all doubt , the High Priest's flattering the People , the Corruption of Religion , and the Multiplication of Laws , became a great occasion of those Disputes and Controversies which could never be ended ; for when men in the heat of Superstition begin to quarrel , and supreme Magistrates on one side or other , concern themselves in the Dispute , the Controversie never ends , and there is a necessity of dividing into Sects . In the Second place , it may be observed , That the Prophets , who were but private persons , sometimes by the great Liberty they used , in admonishing , reproving , and reproaching the People , did rather provoke than make them better , who notwithstanding , would with much greater patience , receive correction and instruction from their Kings . Yea , the Prophets were sometimes intolerable to very pious good Kings , by arrogating a Power of judging what was well , and what ill done , and sometimes by reproving Kings to their faces , if they suffer'd any thing to be publickly or privately done , which was contrary to their Judgment . Asa , who was by the Testimony of Scripture , a good King , imprison'd Hanani the Prophet , ( see 2 Chron. chap. 16. ) for too boldly reproving and reproaching him , for the League he made with the King of Syria . Beside this Example , there are others , which shew , That the Liberty the Prophets took , did sometimes more hurt than good ; I need not instance the Civil Wars , which were occasioned by the Prophets pretending to the Supream Power . A Third thing fit to be observed , is , That during the time the People governed , there happened but one Civil War , which being ended , the Victors had so much compassion for the Conquer'd Party , that their whole care and study , was , how to restore them to their former Power and Dignity . But after the People , not accustomed to Kings , had changed the Form of their Government into Monarchy , there was no end of their Civil Wars ; they fought such fierce and bloody Battels , as almost exceed Belief ; for in one Battel ( which is hardly credible ) Fifty Thousand Israelites were slain by the men of Iudah , and in another , the Israelites slew a very great number , though not specified of the men of Iudah , took the King himself Prisoner , demolish'd a great part of the Walls of Ierusalem ; and , to shew , that the Rage of War hath no Moderation , they destroy'd the Temple , sack't the City , laden and glutted with the Spoils and Blood of their Brethren , taking Hostages , they leave the King in his almost ruin'd Kingdom , and more secured by the Weakness , than the Faith of the King of Iudah's Subjects , laid down their Arms. The men of Iudah in a few years after , recovering strength , come again into the Field , and fight another Battel , wherein the Israelites were again Victors , killing an Hundred and Twenty Thousand of the Men of Iudah , and carried away Captives Two Hundred Thousand of their Wives and Children , with a very great Booty ; so that consumed by these and other Battels , mention'd in Scripture , they at last fell a prey to their Enemies . Before they had Kings , they sometimes lived in perfect peace Forty Years together ; and once , which is scarce credible , Fourscore Years without any Forreign or Domestick War ; but after they were governed by Kings , and fought not for Peace and Liberty , but the Glory of their Monarch , we find them continually embroil'd , the Reign of Solomon only excepted , whose Wisdom and Vertue better appear'd in Peace than in War ; the desire of reigning at last became so excessive , that their Kings sometimes waded to the Throne in Blood. Lastly , During the Government of the People , the Laws remain'd in their first purity , and were constantly observed ; for before Kings came in , there were very few Prophets● but after the Election of Kings , the Prophets grew very numerous . We read , Obadiah hid at one time an Hundred in a Cave , to save their Lives . We likewise find , the People were often deceived with False Prophets ; the People , before Kings had the Government , being as there was occasion , sometimes haughty , and sometimes humble , did , when they were in Calamity , forsake their evil ways , sought God , restored the Laws , and by these means freed themselves from danger and distress ; but their Kings , whose haughty Minds cannot without shame stoop , obstinately persisted in their Sins and Vices , till the Commonwealth was utterly destroyed . By all this it clearly appears , First , How dangerous it is both to Religion and Government , to put the Power of making Laws and governing , into the hands of Priests , and that it is much safer to restrain them from medling in any Business , till their Counsel be ask'd , and to keep them from preaching and teaching New Doctrines and Opinions . Secondly , It is very dangerous to judge and determine of things meerly speculative by Scripture , or to make any Laws concerning Opinions , which are , or may be in themselves disputable . That Government is very Tyrannical , where Opinions are counted Crimes ; 't is a sign the angry Multitude are Masters . Pilate , to gratifie the incensed Pharisees , commanded Christ to be crucified : It was usual with the Pharisees , when they had a mind to put Worthy Persons out of their Places , and Offices of Dignity , to ask Questions concerning Religion ; this made them accuse the Sadduces of Impiety . According to the Example of the Pharisees , , base and abominable Hypocrites , under pretence of Zeal for Religion , persecute and traduce honest worthy vertuous men , whom for that Reason they envy , and by publickly inveighing against their Opinions , stir up the People against their Persons . This unworthy Practice , because it is cloaked with Religion , can hardly be restrained , where the Supreme Powers have introduced any Sect whereof they themselves were not Authors ; for then the Sectaries , not the Supream Powers , are accounted Interpreters of the Divine Law ; that is , the Supream Power makes Sectaries Interpreters of Scripture , and then the Magistrates Authority signifies little with the People , who have great Veneration for their Teachers , to whose Doctrine and Decisions they think even Kings ought to submit . To avoid all these Mischiefs , nothing can be safer for a Commonwealth , than to place all Religion and Piety only in Works ; that is , only in the Exercise of Justice and Charity ; and for Matters of Opinion , to leave every Man free to his own Judgment . But of this Particular more largely hereafter . Thirdly , We see how necessary it is , for the good both of Religion and Government , to fix the Right and Authority of determining even in things pertaining to God and Religion , and of judging what is right and what is wrong , in the Supream Powers ; for if the power of judging Mens Actions , could not without great danger to Religion and Government , be allow'd to the Prophets , much less ought it to be granted to Men , who can neither prophesie or do Miracles . But of this Particular I will speak expresly in the next Chapter . Fourthly , and lastly , We see how dangerous it is , for People never accustomed to Kingly Government , and have Laws accordingly framed , to chuse a Monarch ; for as the People cannot endure such a Government , so Kingly Authority cannot brook Laws , or any Rights and Priviledges of the People , Establish't by any others of less Authority ; and a King will have very little mind to maintain Laws , wherein the Peoples Interest was more intended and provided for than his own : for in maintaining such Laws , he will think himself rather the Peoples Servant than their Master . A New Monarch will make it his business to make New Laws , framing the Rules of Government to his own purpose , and will reduce the People to such a Condition , that they shall not be able , with as much ease , to unmake as make a King. But here I cannot pass by another Observation , which is , That it is a very dangerous thing to take away the Life of a King , though it be evident to all the World he is an Absolute Tyrant ; Because when a Nation is accustomed to Kingly Authority , and hath been governed only by it , they will scorn and contemn any Authority that is less ; and when they have taken away one Tyrant , they will be necessitated as heretofore the Prophets were , to chuse another in his room , who must be a Tyrant whether he will or no ; for how can he behold his Subjects Hands stain'd with Royal Blood , and approve the Fact , which was but a president , to shew how they might likewise deal with him ? If he will be a King , and will have the People acknowledge his Power , and not be his Judge , he must , unless he intend to reign precariously , first revenge the Death of his Predecessor , and make the People an Example , that they may not dare to commit the like Parricide upon him . But how can he revenge upon the People the Death of a Tyrant , unless he first defend the former Tyrant's Cause , approve his Actions , and consequently tread in his steps ? Hence it comes to pass , that people may indeed change , but never destroy a Tyrant , or turn ancient Monarchical Government into any other form . Of this the People of a Kingdom not far from us , have given the World a fatal Example , who under colour and form of Law and Justice , took away their King's Life ; and when he was gone , they could do no less than change the form of Government ; but after much Blood spilt , it came to this pass at last , that another person was set up , not by the Name of King ( as if all the Quarrel had been for nothing but a Name , ) who could not possibly stand , unless he destroyed the Royal Line , and all that were suspected to be the last King's Friends : He disturb'd the Quiet of Peace , which breeds Rumors , with new Wars , that thereby he might divert the Minds of the People from reflecting upon the King's Murder ; but the Nation at last finding they had done nothing for the publick good , by putting to Death their Lawful King , and by changing the Government , had brought themselves into a Condition worse than they were in before , they resolved to return from whence they had strayed ; nor were they quiet till they saw all things restor'd to their former state . Perhaps some will object the Example of the People of Rome , who with much ease rid themselves of a Tyrant ; but their Example , I think , makes good my Opinion ; for though the People of Rome could easily destroy a Tyrant , and change their form of Government , because the Power and Right of chusing a King and his Successor , was in the People ; and because the People ( amongst whom were many criminal and seditious persons ) were not accustomed to Kings , for of Six they kill'd Three , yet still they did nothing , but in the place of one Tyrant chuse many , who kept them always embroil'd in Foreign and Civil War , till the Government , under another Name , as it did lately in England , fell again to a Monarch ; but the States of Holland never , that we know , had Kings , but only Earls or Counts , upon whom the Supream Power was devolved : for the States , by their Declaration publisht in the time of the Earl of Leicester , make it evident , That they still reserved to themselves the Power and Authority of minding those Counts of their Duty , and likewise kept continually in their own hands the power of maintaining their own Authority , and defending their Subjects Liberty ; in case those Counts did at any time abuse their power , the States had still Authority to restrain and punish them , that they could do nothing without their Consent and Approbation . Whence it clearly follows , that the Right of Supream Power and Majesty always resided in the States , which Power the last Earl endeavouring to usurp , the States could not possibly be thought guilty of any Revolt or Rebellion , when they did only restore their almost lost Government to its Pristine State : These Examples fully prove , That ancient Forms of Government ought to be preserved , and cannot , without great danger of total ruine , be changed . CHAP. XIX . Religion , and all things pertaining to it , are subject to no other Power , but that of the Supream Magistrate . Publick External Forms of Religious Worship , ought to be accommodated to the Peace of the Commonwealth . WHen I said , That they only who have the Supream Power , have Right to all things , and that all things depend upon their Decrees , I meant things Sacred as well as Civil ; that is , Supream Magistrates are the Supream Heads , Judges , and Interpreters of all things both in Church and State , which is the particular Point I intended to treat of in this Chapter , because there are many , who will not allow Supream Civil Magistrates to have any power over things Sacred , nor will they own them to be Judges or Interpreters of God's Law , but with strange Boldness accuse and traduce them ; yea , sometimes ( as heretofore Ambrose did the Emperor Theodosius ) Excommunicate them out of the Church . But , as it will appear in the end of this Chapter , these Men have a mind to divide and share the Government , or get it wholly into their own hands . I will first shew , That Religion hath the Force of a Law , only from their Decrees who have the Supream Power ; and that all External Religious Worship , and Outward Practice of Piety , ought to be suited and accommodated to the Peace of the Common-wealth ; ( That is ) so ordered and regulated , as may make most for the Quiet thereof , and consequently ought to be determin'd and settled by the Supream Power , to whose Judgment in all Causes , Sacred and Civil , we ought to submit . But that I may not be mistaken , I speak only of the outward Worship and Exercise of Religion and Piety , and not of Piety it self , and the inward Worship of God , or of the Means whereby the Mind is internally disposed to worship God in sincerity : for the inward Worship of God , and Piety it self , is in every man 's own power , ( as we have shewn in the end of the Seventh Chapter ) which power no man can transfer upon another . It appears by the Fourteenth Chapter , what I mean by the Kingdom of God , where I shew , That he fulfilleth the Law of God , who exerciseth Justice and Charity , because God hath commanded it ; from whence it follows , That the Kingdom of God , is where Justice and Charity have the force of a Law and Precept . I think there is little difference , whether God teach us the Practice of Justice and Charity by Natural Light , or by Revelation , or whether God command it ; for it matters not how it was revealed , so as it obtain the Force of a Law , and become in the highest Degree obligatory to Men. If I then prove , That Justice and Charity cannot become a Law or Command , but by the Power and Command of the Supream Powers , it will be easily granted ( seeing Supream Power is always in the hands of the Supream Magistrates , ) that Religion becomes a binding Law , only by their Decrees , who have the Power of Government , and that God hath no peculiar Kingdom over Men , but by them who have the Supream Ruling Power . That the outward Practice of Justice and Charity becomes an obligatory Law by the Command of the Supream governing Power , appears by what I have said in the Fourteenth Chapter , where I have declared , That in the State of Nature , Reason cannot pretend to any greater power than Natural Appetite may ; and that they who live according to the Laws and Dictates of Natural Appetite , have as much Right to all things within their Power , as they that live according to the Rules of Reason : So that for this very Reason we cannot conceive , there can be in the State of Nature any sin , nor can we think God to be a Judge punishing sins , but all things carried on in their course , according to the Laws of Universal Nature ; to use Solomon's own Words , all things come alike to all , there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked , to the clean and to the unclean , no place being left for Justice and Charity . But that the Dictates of Reason ( that is , as I have shew'd in the Fourteenth Chapter , ) the Divine Law written in our hearts , might obtain the strength and force of a Law , it was necessary , that every man should part from his Natural Right , and transfer it either upon all , upon some , or upon one ; and that then we first came to know what was Justice and what Injustice , what Equity and what Iniquity : Justice therefore , and the Dictates of Right Reason , with Love to our Neighbour , becomes a Precept and obligatory Law , by the Power and Decrees of Supream Magistrates ; and because , as I have shew'd , the Kingdom of God consists in the power that Justice , Charity , and true Religion have over us , by becoming a Law to us ; therefore it follows , that God hath no peculiar Kingdom over Men , but by those who have the Supream Ruling Power . Whether we consider Religion revealed to us by natural or prophetical Light , the Demonstration is Universal , seeing Religion is the same , and equally revealed by God , which way soever it be supposed to come to our knowledge ; and therefore that Religion prophetically revealed , might obtain the force of a Law among the Iews , it was necessary every man should first part with his natural Right , and that all with one common consent , should resolve to obey and submit to all things which should by God be prophetically revealed to them ; just as People do in Democratical Government , where all with common consent resolve to live according to the Dictates of Reason ; and though the Iews did transfer their Power upon God , yet they did it more in opinion than reality ; for the Supream Power really and absolutely remained still in them till they transferr'd it upon Moses ; who was thenceforward an absolute King , and by him only God reigned over the Iews . Moreover , because Religion became a Law only by the Power of the Supream Government , Moses could punish none before the Covenant was made , because then no man had parted with his own Power and Right . They broke the Sabbath before the Covenant was made , and were not punished , as appears ( Exod. chap. v. 27. ) but after the Covenant , when every man had parted with his Natural Right , he that broke the Sabbath only by gathering sticks , was stoned , as appears ( Numb . chap. 15. v. 36. ) and the observation of the Sabbath when the People had parted with their Power , became a Law by the Command of the Supream Magistrate . Lastly , Upon this very ground also , when the Commonwealth and Government of the Iews was destroyed , Revealed Religion had no longer the Force of a Law ; for without doubt , as soon as the Iews transferr'd their Power upon the King of Babylon , the Covenant of the Kingdom of God , and the Obligation of the Divine Law ceased ; for as soon as they were Subjects to the King of Babylon , the Covenant whereby they promised to obey God in all things became void , and they could no longer perform it : From the time they were subjected to the King of Babylon , they were no longer in their own power ( as they were in the Desart and their own Country ) , but were in all things obliged to obey the King of Babylon ( as appears by what we have said in the Sixteen Chapter ) , and by what Ieremy saith ( Chap. 29. v. 7. ) Seek ye the peace of that City whither I have caused ye to be earried captives , and pray unto the Lord for it ; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace . They could not seek or provide for the peace of that City as Ministers of Government , because they were Captives ; and therefore they were to do it as Servants or Subjects , by keeping themselves free from Sedition , and by observing the Laws of the Government , though very different from those of their own Country : By which it is evident , that Religion among the Iews obtain'd the force of a Law by the Command of the Supream Power , which Power being destroyed , Religion was no more a Law or Command of that particular Government , but was to be accounted a general Dictate of Reason : I say , of Reason , because Catholick Religion was not yet known by Revelation ; we therefore conclude , that Religion , whether it be natural or revealed , acquires the Force of a Command only by the Decree of those who have the Supream Power ; and God hath no peculiar Kingdom over Men , but by the Supream Magistrate . And this is made more clear by what hath been said in the Fourteenth Chapter , where we have shewn , That all God's Decrees imply Eternal Verity and Necessity ; nor can we conceive God as a Prince or Lawgiver to Men ; therefore Divine Documents made known to us by the light of Nature , or revealed to us by the Prophets , have not the force of a Law immediately from God , but must necessarily receive it from those , or by their means , who have the Power of commanding and making Laws ; and by their means only we apprehend that God reigns over Men , and directs Humane Affairs according to Justice and Equity , which is also proved by Experience ; for we can find no Footsteps of Divine Justice , but where the just reign : otherwise ( to use Solomon's Expression once more , ) the like event is to the righteous and to the wicked , to the clean and to the unclean ; which made many doubt God's Providence , who believed , that God did immediately reign over Men , and made Universal Nature only for their use . Seeing then both Reason and Experience make it evident , that the power of the Divine Law depends upon the Decrees of the Supream Magistrate , it follows , that the Supream Powers are Interpreters of it . Upon what account we shall presently declare , but first we will shew , That the External Worship of God , and the Exercise of Piety , if we will rightly obey God , ought to be perform'd and regulated in such a manner , as may best suit with , and is most likely to preserve the Peace of the Commonwealth . Certainly a Man's Piety and Love to his Country ought to be very great ; for take away Government , farewel all hope of benefit or safety , all things are presently in a perillous Condition , and the Reign of Rage and Impiety fills all Peoples Minds with Terror and Confusion . Whence it must follow , that what good soever I do to my Neighbour , if it be destructive to the Commonwealth , may be counted Impiety ; and on the other side , any hurt done to my Neighbour for the preservation of the Commonwealth , ought to be accounted Charity ; ( for Example ) if a Man strive with me for my Coat , it is very great Charity in me to give him my Cloak also ; but where this may endanger the safety of Government , it is much greater Charity to bring that Man to Justice , though I know he will be condemn'd to death . Manlius Torquatus is celebrated in Story , for preferring the Peoples Publick Safety before his own Son's Life . If then Publick Safety be above all Laws , and all Laws , both Divine and Humane , have a special regard to it ; if it likewise be the Office and Duty only of the Supream Power , to determine what is for the Publick Safety of Government , and to command whatever it thinks is so , 't is a necessary consequence , that no body but the Supream Power ought to determine in what manner a Man ought to shew his Love to his Neighbour ; that is , in what manner he is bound to obey God. So that now we understand why , and upon what ground the Supream Powers are Arbiters and Interpreters of Religion , and that no body can rightly obey God , if he do not accommodate the Publick Practice of Piety whereto every man is obliged , to the publick benefit and peace of the Commonwealth , by observing all Commands of the Supream Powers ; for seeing we are all bound to practice Piety towards all men , none excepted , and to do no man any Injury , it follows , That it is not lawful for any man to do good to one , if thereby he hurt another ; much less if he thereby endanger the Commonwealth ; and no person can , according to God's Command , practice Charity towards his Neighbour , unless his Religion and Charity be so regulated , as to promote the Publick Good. Now no private man can know what is for the Publick Good , unless it be by the Decrees and Laws of the Supream Power , whose business it is to take care of the Commonwealth ; and therefore no man can rightly practice Piety , and obey God , unless he be obedient to the Decrees and Determinations of the Supream Power , which is verified by common practice : for it is not lawful for any Subject to help or assist any Man , whom the Supream Power hath judged worthy of Death , or declared to be a publick Enemy . Though the Iews were commanded to love their neighbours as themselves , ( Levit. chap. 19. v. 8. ) yet if any man had offended against the Commands of the Law , they were bound to make it known to the Judge , and in case he were condemned to Death , to kill him ( Deut. 13. 8 , 9. and 17. 7. ) That the Iews might preserve their Liberty , and keep their Lands in their own possession , it was necessary ( as we have shewn in the Seventeenth Chapter ) to accommodate their Religion to their Government , and separate themselves from other Nations . It was therefore said , Love thy neighbour , but hate thine enemy , ( Matth. chap. 15. v. 43. ) But after they lost their Government , and were carried away Captives to Babylon , then Ieremy bid them seek the peace of that City : And because Christ knew they were to be scattered and dispersed into all parts of the World , he taught them the Practice of Charity to all Mankind in general ; which evidently proves , That Religion was always accommodated to the publick benefit of the Common-wealth . If any man ask me , by what Right or Authority the Disciples of Christ , who were but private persons , could preach Religion ? I say , they did it by Vertue of that Power they received from Christ against unclean Spirits : ( See Matth. chap. 10. v. 1. ) I have in the end of my Sixteenth Chapter expresly declared , That all men are bound to keep Faith with a Tyrant , unless it be such a one against whom God hath by Revelation promis'd his particular assistance ; and therefore none can take Example from the Apostles , unless he have also power to do Miracles , which appears by what Christ said to his Disciples , ( Matth. chap. 10. v. 28. ) Fear not those who can kill the body . Had this been said generally to all men , Government would be to no purpose , and those Words of Solomon not at all to be regarded , ( Prov. chap. 24. v. 21. ) My son , fear God and the King. We must therefore conclude , That the Authority which Christ gave his Disciples , was in a particular manner given only to them , and ought not to be drawn into example by others . I value not the Reasons which are urged against this Opinion , by them that would have the Civil Power to be in the Civil Magistrate ; but all things pertaining to Religion in the Power of the Church ; their Reasons are so frivolous they need no refutation ; yet I cannot chuse but take notice , how mightily those men are deceived , who to maintain ( pardon the Expression ) their seditious Humour , urge the Authority of the High Priest among the Iews ; who , say they , was the sole Administrator of all things that were sacred and concern'd Religion : But those men may remember the High Priests received that Power from Moses , who , as we have proved , was the person that had the Supream Power , and by whose Command or Decree , the High Priest could at any time be divested and deprived of his Power ; for Moses did not only chuse Aaron , but also his Son Eleazer , and his Nephew Phineas , and gave them power to exercise the Pontifical Office ; and though the Priests always kept that power , yet nevertheless were they still but the Substitutes of Moses ; that is , of the Supream Power : for as we have made it appear , Moses chose no Successors , but so distributed all his own Offices , that they who came after him , seemed but such Deputies as administer the Government for absent , not deceased Kings . In the second Government the High Priests were indeed the Supream Magistrates , but that was after they had usurped the Regal Power ; but before that Usurpation , the Priests always depended upon the Decrees of the Supream Power , and their Kings had absolute power over all things pertaining to Religion ( as shall appear by what will be said towards the End of this Chapter . ) 'T is true their Kings could not personally officiate as a Priest in the Temple , because all men that could not derive their Pedigree from Aaron , were counted profane and unclean , which is now no Obstacle in a Christian Common-wealth ; for in these days , the Priesthood not being entailed upon any particular Family , but requiring only some particular Qualifications , Kings or Supream Magistrates , cannot be barred from medling with Matters belonging to Religion , upon any account of profaneness ; but all is in their power , and no body , but by their authority or allowance , hath any Right to officiate in the Church : for the Power of chusing Ministers , of setling the Church , of stating and determining the Doctrines thereof , prescribing Religious Rites and Ceremonies , judging of Mens Piety and Manners , the power of excommunicating and receiving again into the Church , and of providing for the poor , are all in the Supream Magistrate ; and these things are not only true , but likewise very necessary , not only for the good of Religion , but also for the safety of the Commonwealth ; for all men know , how much the People esteem and depend upon the Power and Authority of those , whose Function is accounted Sacred , they having an absolute Dominion over their Minds . He then that endeavours to deprive the Supream Magistrate of this Power , goes about to share and divide , or else usurp the Government ; from whence must necessarily arise such Contention and Discords , as were heretofore between the Kings and Iewish High Priests , which could never be appeased . If this Power be taken away from Supream Magistrates , how can they determine of Peace or War , or of any other Business , if they must be obliged to follow other Mens Opinions , by whom they are to be taught what is good or evil ? That Power is Supream , and there can be none greater , which hath the Right of declaring and determining what is Piety , what Impiety , and what in Religion is lawful or unlawful . All Ages have been sensible , how many Mischiefs such a Power in any but the Supream Magistrate , hath produced : I will give you but one Example : As soon as such a Power was granted to the Pope , or Bishop of Rome , by degrees he became Superiour to all Kings , and at last ascended to so high a pitch of earthly Dominion , that whatever Kings or Emperours have since done to lessen it , hath been to no purpose ; but they have rather much encreased it , and that which no Monarch ever effected by Fire and Sword , Church-men have been able to do only with their Pen ; which is a plain proof of the Pope's Power , and a convincing Argument to perswade Supream Powers , to keep that Authority he pretends to in their own hands . If we consider the Observations I have made in the preceding Chapter , we shall find , that the residing of this Power in the hands of Supream Magistrates , is very much for the Benefit and Advancement of Religion and Piety ; for as I have already declared , the Prophets themselves , though fill'd with Divine Power and Vertue , yet because they were but private men , the great Liberty they took in admonishing , reproving , and upbraiding the People , did rather provoke than amend them ; who notwithstanding patiently submitted to the Reproof and Chastisement of their Princes . Besides , Kings themselves , because they had not the power of judging and determining Matters of Religion , many times forsook the true Religion , and most of their People with them ; which hath likewise , upon the same account , often happen'd in Christian Governments . But here perhaps some will ask , if Supream Powers should chance to be wicked , who shall then have the Power and Authority of vindicating and maintaining Religion and Piety ? And who shall then be the Interpreters of it ? I ask them on the other side , What if Priests and Ecclesiasticks grow wicked and impious , must they continue Interpreters of Religion , and God's Word ? If they that have Supream Power should do whatever they please , whether they do , or do not meddle with Religion , all things without doubt , both Sacred and Civil , are like to be in a very ill Condition ; but in much worse , when private men shall seditiously pretend to a Divine Right , of defining and defending all chings which concern , or in any wise pertain to Religion . The denying of this Power to Supream Magistrates , must necessarily cause very ill Consequences ; for they will in all probability ( as did the Iewish Kings , who had not this Power absolutely ) grow wicked and ungodly , and from that which is but uncertain and contingent , will follow most certain Mischief and Ruin to the Government . If then we have any regard either to the Just Right of Supream Power , to the safety of Government , or the advancement of Religion and Piety , we must grant , that the regulating and determining all things concerning Religion , and the Worship of God , depends upon the Decrees of the Supream Power ; and that such only are Ministers of God's Word , who are authoriz'd by the Supream Magistrate , to teach and instruct the people in those principles of Religion and Piety , which they that have the Supream Power , think most likely to procure the publick Good of the Common-wealth . I have now no more to do , but to declare the Cause , why in Christian Governments there hath been so much dispute about this Power , when in the Iewish Commonwealth it never , that I know , came into controversie . It is little less than a Wonder , that a thing so necessary and profitable , should still be a Question , and the Subject of continual Cavil ; and that Supream Magistrates should never be able to exercise this Power , without contention , and without fear of danger and prejudice to Religion . If the Cause of this could not be found out , I would confess all I have said in this Chapter , to be meer Theoretical Speculative Notions , of no use ; but any person that will but look back , and consider the beginnings of Christian Religion , may easily discover the Cause of this Controversie . They that first taught Christian Religion , were not Kings , but private persons , who contrary to the Will and Commands of those in Supream Power , whose Subjects they were , preached in private Churches or Congregations , and instituted Forms of Worship , without any respect had , or account given to the Government ; and likewise regulated and determined all things relating to Religion . Though Christian Religion , after many years , began to be profest in Commonwealths , by those that had the Supream Power , yet the Ecclesiasticks , who instructed Emperours and Kings in the Christian Religion , were , without any difficulty , still acknowledged Teachers and Interpreters of God's Word , Pastors of the Church , and God's Ministers ; but that Christian Kings and Princes might not afterwards assume any such Authority to themselves , Churchmen very warily provided against it , by forbidding the Chief Ministers and the High Priest of the Church to marry , by multiplying the Doctrines and Tenets of Religion to a prodigious number , and by so confounding them with Philosophy , that it was absolutely necessary for the Chief Interpreter , and Judge of Religion , to be a Philosopher as well as a Divine , and to busie himself in unprofitable Speculations , fit only to take up private mens time , who have nothing else to do . But it was far otherwise in the Iewish Commonwealth ; for their Church began with their Government , and Moses , who was the Supream Magistrate , taught the people Religion , setled their Forms of Worship , and chose their Priests . This was that which made Kingly Authority so much esteemed by the People , and put the Right and Power of all things pertaining to Religion , into the hands of Supream Magistrates ; for though after the Death of Moses , no Man governed so absolutely as he did , yet the Right and Power of determining all things concerning Religion , as well as other Affairs , still remained , as we have already proved , in the Prince ; and the People , to be instructed in Religion and Piety , were no more bound to go to the High Priest , than they were to the Chief Iudge , ( Deut. chap. 17. v. 9 , 11 , 12 ) Thou shalt come to the Priests , the Levites , and to the Chief Iudge , that shall be in those days to enquire ; and he that will not hearken unto the Priest , or unto the Iudge , that man shall die . Though the Kings had not power equal to that of Moses , yet the Priests and Levites were appointed and ordered to do what the Kings thought fit ; for , as it appears in ( 1 Chron. chap. 28. v. 11 , 12. ) King David order'd how the Temple should be built , according to a Model he prescribed ; and as it appears in the 23 d Chapter of the same Book , David , out of all the Levites , chose twenty four thousand to set forward the building of the Temple , six thousand to be Officers and Iudges , four thousand to be Porters , and four thousand to praise the Lord upon musical Instruments : he likewise divided the Levites into companies , and set Rulers over them , which Companies were to serve and wait in their turns . For other particulars , I refer the Reader to the ( 28 th Chapter of the 2 d Book of Chron. v. 13. ) where it is said , That King Solomon commanded Offerings to be made according as Moses instituted : And ( ver . 14. ) it is said , That Solomon , according to the order of David his Father , appointed the Courses of the Priests and Levites to their Service and Charges ; and ( ver . 15. ) the Historian saith , They departed not from the Commandment of the King , given to the Priests and Levites , concerning any matter , or concerning the Treasures . By all which , & by other Histories of their Kings , it is evident , that the whole Exercise of Religion , and all the Service that concerned it , depended only upon their King's Command : And tho' their Kings had not , as Moses had , the Power of chusing the High-Priest , or of consulting God without him , or of condemning the Prophets that prophesy'd in their Reigns , the Prophets having power to chuse a new King , and to pardon any that had taken away a King's Life ; yet , I say , the Prophets themselves had no power to call any King to an account for breaking the Laws , or in any judicial manner and form to proceed against or condemn him . And therefore if there had been no Prophets who by particular Revelation could pardon the killing of a King , Kings in the Jewish Commonwealth must have had absolute Power over all things both Sacred and Civil , as Supreme Powers have in these our Days , who have no Prophets , nor are obliged to receive any ; being in no wise bound by the Laws of the Jews Commonwealth . And this Power , tho' our Kings marry , they absolutely have , and may keep , if they do not suffer Doctrines and Articles of Religion to be multiplied , or mingled and confounded with Arts and Sciences . CHAP. XX. In a Free Commonwealth it should be lawful for every Man to think what he will , and speak what he thinks . WEre it as easie to command Mens Minds , as it is their Tongues , all Supreme Powers would reign securely , and no Government would be Violent or Tyrannical : For then every Man would live according to the Will of those in Supreme Power , and would think every thing true or false , good or evil , just or unjust , according to their Determinations and Decrees . But it is impossible , as we have observed in the beginning of the 17 th Chapter , that any Man's Mind or Thoughts should be in another Man's power ; because no Man can transfer , or be compelled to transfer his natural Right of Reasoning and Judging of Things , upon any other Man : And therefore that Government is counted Tyrannical , which would reign over Mens Minds ; and Supreme Powers do their Subjects wrong , and deprive them of their just Right , when they command them to receive or reject , according to their Prescriptions , whatever they declare to be true or false ; and positively appoint what Opinions and Notions Men in their Devotions shall have of God ; which is a thing wholly in a Man 's own power , and from which no Man , tho' he would , can part . I confess , a Man's Judgment may be so many ways prepossest , that tho it be not directly and absolutely in another Man's power , yet it may have such a dependence on him , as to be thought very much at his dispose ; but in spite of all that Art can do , Men will abound in their own Sense , and there will for ever be as many diversities of Opinions , as there are of Palats : Tho' Moses , not by Craft , but by Divine Power , had so prepossest the Minds of his People , that they believed he said and did all things by Divine Inspiration ; yet he could not escape ill Reports and sinister Interpretations ; much less then can other Monarchs . Were the thing possible , it might rather be done in Monarchical , than in Democratical Government , which is managed by an Assembly of all , or the greatest part of the People ; and the Reason I think is obvious . Tho' Supreme Powers have right to all things , and are believed to be Interpreters both of Law and Religion ; yet they could never keep Men from judging of things according to their Reason and Capacities , nor from being this or that way affected . They may indeed account all men Enemies who do not in all things absolutely think as they do ; but we do not here dispute of their Power , but of what is most convenient and profitable . I grant , that Supreme Powers may Reign Tyrannically , and put Subjects to death for very slight Causes , if they please ; but all Men will deny that this can be done with Reason or Prudence , because it will prove dangerous and destructive to the Government : Yea , it may be denied that Supreme Magistrates have absolute Power , and consequently have not absolute Right to do such things as these ; because we have proved , that the Right of Supreme Magistrates is determined by their Power . If then no Man can part with this Liberty of Judging and Thinking what he will , but every Man by the Sovereign Right of Nature is Master of his own Thoughts . Supreme Powers in any Commonwealth can never hope for Success , in prescribing to Men of different Opinions , Limits and Rules for what they shall say : For if Wise-men cannot keep silence , much less can the ignorant Multitude hold their peace , it being all Mens Infirmity , tho' never so much Secresie be required , to make others privy to their Counsels : And therefore that Government is Violent , where every Man is deny'd the Liberty of saying and declaring what he thinks ; and that Government is moderate and well ordered , where such a Liberty is allow'd . 'T is true , and no Man can deny , but that Supreme Magistrates may be injur'd and offended by Words as well as Deeds ; and tho' it be impossible wholly to take away this Liberty from Subjects , yet , on the other side , it will be pernicious to put no Restraint upon it : So that now my Business is to shew , how far this Liberty , without any danger to the Peace of the Commonwealth , or prejudice to the Right of Supreme Power , may and ought to be allow'd ; which was , as I have hinted in the beginning of the 16 th Chapter , my chief Intention and Design . From the Fundamentals of Government which I have already explain'd , it clearly follows , That the ultimate End of Government is not to domineer , and keep Men in fear and Subjection ; but to free Men from Terror , that every Man may , as far as 't is possible , live securely ; that is , may still retain his natural Right of subsisting and acting without hurting himself , or any other person . I say , The End of Government is not to turn Rational Men into Beasts or walking Engines , but to suffer both their Souls and Bodies to do each their proper Duties , allowing them the free Use of Reason , that they may not by Hatred , Envy , Anger , or Deceit , become Enemies to one another : So that the End of Publick Government is indeed Liberty ; and to the forming of a Commonwealth , it is absolutely necessary , that the Power of making Laws and Decrees should be either in all , in some , or in one single Person : For seeing in every Man's Opinion , tho' it be free , there is difference and variety , and every Man is apt to believe that he knows all things ; 't is impossible to make them all of one mind , or to agree in their Discourse . So that they can never live peaceably , unless every one part with his power of doing what his own Mind prompts him to . But tho' every one part with the power of doing what he pleases , yet he doth not part with his power of Reasoning and Judging ; so that tho' he cannot without offence act or do any thing against the Decrees or Determinations of the Supreme Powers ; yet he may freely think , judge , and consequently speak ; provided in what he simply speaks or teacheth , there be Reason , and no crafty malicious Design , through Hatred or Revenge , to make , by vertue of his own Authority , Innovation in the Commonwealth . For example , If a Man think a particular Law contrary to right Reason , and therefore fit to be repealed ; yet if he submit his Opinion to the Judgment of the Supreme Power , ( whose Right it is to make and repeal Laws ) and in the mean time do nothing contrary to the Tenor of that Law , he deserves well of the Commonwealth ; as doth every good Subject : But if , on the contrary , he speak against that Law purposely to accuse the Magistrate of Injustice , and to render him odious to the People ; or if he seditiously endeavour to abrogate that Law , in spite of the Magistrate , he is a rebellious Disturber of the Publick Peace . We see then upon what ground every Man , without prejudice to the Peace of the Gommonwealth , or to the Right of Supreme Powers , may speak and teach what he thinks , if he leave them the power of regulating Mens Actions , and do nothing contrary to their Decrees , tho' he sometimes do contrary to that which in his own Opinion and Judgment he thinks to be good ; which notwithstanding he may with a good Conscience , yea ought to do , if he will be accounted a good Subject . For , as I have already shewn , Justice depends upon the Decrees of the Supreme Power , and no Man can be said to be Just , unless he live according to the known Laws . Piety , as I have declared in the preceding Chapter , chiefly consists in the practice of things which preserve the Peace and Tranquillity of the Commonwealth ; which cannot possibly be preserved , if every Man should live as he pleaseth : And therefore 't is Impiety in any Subject , to act contrary to the Decrees of the Supreme Power ; because , were it lawful for every Man so to do , the total Ruine of the Commonwealth must necessarily follow . No Man can be said to act against the Dictates of his own Reason , who submits to the Decrees of the Supreme Power ; because every Man by the persuasions of his own Reason resolved to part with his Right of Living according to his own Will : And this is proved by practice ; for in Councils compos'd of the Supreme or Subordinate Powers , it seldom happens that any thing is decreed or determin'd by the universal Consent and general Vote of all the Members ; yet the Results of those Counsels , whatever they be , are always accounted as much the Decrees of those who voted against , as of those that voted for them : So that by the very Principles of Government , we see , that without any wrong done to the Rights of Supreme Power , a Man may use the Liberty of his own Judgment : And 't is very easie from the Fundamentals of Government , to determine what Opinions in a Commonwealth are to be accounted Seditious ; namely , those which directly nullifie and destroy the Covenant , whereby every Man obliged himself to part with his Right of Living according to his own Will. For example , If any Man think the Supreme Power is subject to some other Power ; that a Man ought not to perform his Promises ; or , that it is lawful for every Man to live as he pleases : These , and the like Opinions , render a Man seditious , because they are directly repugnant to the foresaid Covenant ; not barely because they are his Judgment and Opinion , but because such Opinions have in them a great deal of Crime and Guilt : For even by so thinking , a Man tacitly breaks all the Bonds of that Fidelity which he promised to the Supreme Power . Therefore other Opinions , which contain no actual Breach of the Covenant , no Revenge , no Anger , &c. are not to be accounted Seditious , unless it be in a Commonwealth where Reason is depraved , and where ambitious and superstitious Men are grown to such a heighth , that they cannot endure those that are honest or ingenuous , but will have the People think their Authority greater than the Supreme Magistrate's . I do not deny , but that there may be some Opinions , which tho' they seem to intend nothing but simply to argue and judge , what is true , and what false ; yet they may be very maliciously propounded and divulged : Of these we spoke in the 15 th . Chapter , but so that Reason nevertheless should remain free . Lastly , If we seriously consider , that every Man's Fidelity to the Commonwealth , as his Faith towards God , ought to be judged and known only by his Works ; namely , by Charity towards his Neighbour ; we cannot doubt but that the best Commonwealths will give every Man the same Liberty of Reasoning , that they do of Believing . I confess , by such a Liberty some Inconveniences may sometimes happen : But what Wisdom and Prudence can prevent all Inconveniences ? He that by Laws thinks to prevent all , will sooner provoke then amend vicious Men. Inconveniences that cannot possibly be prevented or avoided , must be tolerated ; we must bear with them , tho' we suffer by them . Of how many Mischiefs are Luxury , Drunkenness , Envy , and Covetousness the Cause ? Yet these are tolerated , because tho' they be Vices , it is not in the power of Laws to restrain them . How much more then ought Liberty of Judgment to be allowed , which is truly a Vertue , and should not be supprest ? No Inconveniences can arise from it , which may not , as I will prove , be avoided by the Authority of the Supreme Magistrate . Beside , this Liberty is very necessary to the Advancement of Arts and Sciences , in which the greatest proficiency is made by those men who have their Judgments free from preoccupation . But suppose mens mouths may be stopt , and so awed , that they shall not dare to utter any thing against the Determinations of the Supreme Power ; yet 't is still impossible to keep them from thinking what they please ; and when men think ill of Magistrates , there breach of Faith soon follows ; and nothing is to be expected in such a Commonwealth , but abominable Flattery , Perfidy , and the destruction of all ingenious Arts. 'T is not so easie a matter to keep men from talking ; the greater care is taken to keep them silent , the more many times will they talk . Perhaps Covetous men , Flatterers , and mean-spirited People , who place their chiefest Felicity in filling their Bags and their Bellies , may hold their Peace ; but vertuous honest men , who have had Liberal Education , cannot be silent : Such is mens Nature , that nothing is a greater Vexation to them , than to see those Opinions , which they verily believe to be true , condemn'd ; and themselves accounted wicked and sinful , for doing that which they think is their Duty both towards God and Man. This makes them detest the Laws , and count any seditious Attempts against the Magistrate lawful and just . In Laws against Opinions , wicked men are seldom concern'd ; such Laws are commonly made , not to restrain bad , but to provoke good men ; and cannot be defended without a great deal of danger to the Government : Such Laws are likewise useless ; for men cannot obey Laws which condemn those Opinions they firmly believe to be true : And , on the other side , they who think those Opinions false , take the Laws that condemn them , to be be their Privileges ; wherein they so triumph , that afterward the Magistrate , if he would , is not able to repeal them . Lastly , The making of such Laws hath often caused great Schisms in the Church ; for if men did not hope with the general applause of the People to insult over their Adversaries , and get Preferment , by procuring the Magistrate to favour , and the Laws to countenance their Opinions , Learned Doctors would quickly leave their fierce Disputes , and bitter Contentions . Reason and daily Examples tell us , That Laws which command what every man must believe , and forbid speaking or writing against this or that Opinion , are commonly instituted to gratifie or give way to the Passions of those , who rather than endure a Baffle from ingenious men , will with their stern and morose Authority turn the Peoples Zeal into Fury , and hound them on upon whom they please . But would it not be much better , to suppress the Anger and Rage of the Multitude , rather than make Laws against men that love Vertue and Learning , and bring the Commonwealth into such a Condition , that honest harmless men cannot live in it ? What can be more mischievous to a Commonwealth , than to send Honest men like Rogues into Banishment , only because they are of this or that Opinion , and cannot dissemble ? Can any thing be more pernicious , than to treat Persons of a free ingenuous disposition like Enemies , and for no Crime or Wickedness put them to death , making the Scaffold , which frights none but Villains , a publick Theatre whereon innocent Persons give such Examples of Courage and Patience , as turn to the shame and reproach of the Supreme Magistrate's Majesty ? They that know themselves to be honest , never fear Punishment , as the wicked do ; neither will they by base whining Submissions and Recantations endeavour to avoid it : Their innocent Minds are not troubled with Guilt or Repentance ; they do not think it shameful , but glorious , to die for Liberty and a good Cause . To whom can their Death be a Terror ? The base ignorant Multitude know not why they suffer ; honest men are their Friends , and none but seditious Persons their Enemies ; and all but base Sycophants and Flatterers , are ready to follow their Example . That Faith and Honesty then may be in greater esteem , than Flattery and Dissimulation ; that Supreme Magistrates may keep their Power , and not be forced to yield to seditious Persons , Liberty of Judgment ought to be allowed , and men are so to be govern'd , that tho' they be of different and contrary Opinions , they may however live together in peace and amity . Without doubt this way of Governing is best , and subject to least Inconveniences , seeing it is most agreeable to Mens Nature : For in Democratical Government ( which comes nearest to the State of Nature ) all covenant to act , but not to reason and judge by common Consent ; my meaning is , because all men cannot think the same things , they have agreed to make that a binding Law which had most Voices , reserving still a Power of repealing that Law , when they thought fit . And therefore where there is least Liberty allow'd of Judging , there men are farthest from their natural State , and the Government is full of Force and Violence . To make it evident , that from this Liberty can arise no Inconveniences which the Supreme Magistrate may not with ease avoid , and keep men of contrary Opinions from hurting one another , I need not go far for Examples . The City of Amsterdam hath , to the wonder of all the World , and its own great advantage , tasted the Fruits and Benefit of this Liberty ; for in that flourishing Commonwealth and famous City , men of all Nations and Religions live together in peace ; and when they would trust any man with Goods or Money , they only desire to know whether he be rich or poor , or whether in his Dealing he be a man of his Word , or a cheating Knave ; they never enquire of what Religion or Sect he is , neither is that regarded in any Court of Justice ; there is no Sect so odious , but hath the Publick Magistrate's Protection , if they do no man wrong , live honestly , and give every one his Due . How great a Schism was there occasion'd not long since , by a Controversie in Religion , between the Remonstrants and Contra-remonstrants ? And it appeared by many Examples , that Laws made to take away Disputes concerning Religion , did much more provoke than pacifie People , and made some take the greater Liberty . Schisms proceed not from the study of Truth , that Fountain of Meekness and Moderation ; but from an imperious Humour of prescribing to others : And therefore they are rather to be counted Schismaticks , who damn other mens Writings , and stir up the waspish Multitude against them ; than those that write to Learned men , and call nothing but Reason to their aid : So that they are truly Disturbers of the Publick Peace , who in a Free Commonwealth would take away the Liberty of mens Judgments , which ought not to be supprest . We have now shewn , First , That 't is impossible to take away mens Liberty of speaking what they think : Secondly , That this Liberty may without prejudice to the Rights of Supreme Power be granted to every man , and that every man may use this Liberty , provided he design no Innovations in the Commonwealth , and act nothing against the known establish'd Laws thereof : Thirdly , That this Liberty , which every man may enjoy if he do not break the Publick Peace , can cause no Inconveniences which may not easily be restrained or remedied : Fourthly , That all men may make use of this Liberty without being guilty of any Impiety . Fifthly , That all Laws made concerning Opinions and Matters meerly speculative , are useless and unprofitable . Sixthly , and lastly , we have proved , That this Liberty may not only be allow'd , without any Danger to Publick Peace , Piety , and to the Right of Supreme Power ; but ought to be granted for the Preservation of all these : For where there are Endeavours to take away this Liberty , and men are arraigned only for Opinions , without examining whether they have any evil Intentions , there honest men are made Examples , and suffer a Martyrdom ; which doth not at all terrifie but irritates and moves the People to Pity and Revenge . Learning and Arts decay , Faith is corrupted , Flatterers and perfidious Persons are countenanced , Adversaries triumph in having their Will , and prevailing on the Supreme Powers to embrace their Doctrine , which at last inclines them not only to undervalue , but usurp their Authority , boasting they are God's Elect , that their Power is from God , but the Magistrate's Authority only from men , and consequently , the Magistrate's Power subordinate to theirs ; which absolutely destroys the very Being of all Commonwealths ; and therefore , as I shew'd in the 18 th . Chapter , a Commonwealths greatest Safety is to place Religion and Piety in the Practice of Justice and Charity , and to make things Sacred as much subject to Supreme Power , as things Civil , and to take cognizance of nothing but mens Actions , suffering every man to think what he will , and speak what he thinks . I have now in this Treatise done what I design'd ; and I do again sincerely profess , That I have written nothing which I do not freely submit to the Examination and Judgment of the Supreme Powers of my Country : If they think any thing I have said , be contrary to the Laws or Publick Safety thereof , I recant it . I know my self a man subject to Errors ; but my chiefest Care hath been to write nothing but what is consonant to Reason , to the Laws of my Country , and to the Rules of Piety and Good Manners . FINIS .