were led to say, (c) that Virtue was its own Reward, and that a wise Man was very happy, though in Phalaris’s Bull. But others disliked this, and not without Reason; for they saw very well, that Happiness, especially in the highest Degree (unless we regard only the Sound of Words, without any Meaning) could not (d) consist in that which is <104> attended with Danger, Loss, Torment, and Death: And therefore they placed the chief Good and End of Man, in sensual Pleasure. And this Opinion likewise was solidly confuted by very many, as a Thing which overthrew all Virtue, the Seeds of which are planted
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in the Mind; and degraded Man, who was made for nobler Purposes, to the Rank of Brute Creatures, who look no further than the Earth. In so many Doubts and Uncertainties did Mankind at that time wander, till Christ discovered the true Knowledge of their End, promising to his Disciples and Followers another Life after this, in which there should be no more Death, Pain, or Sorrow, but accompanied with the highest Joy; And this not only to one Part of Man, that is, his Soul, of whose Happiness after this Life there was some Hope, partly from Conjecture, and partly from Tradition; but also to the Body, and that very justly, that the Body which oftentimes ought to endure great Losses, Torments and Death, for the sake of the Divine Law, might not go without a Recompense. And the Joys which are promised, are not such mean Things (a) as those Feasts, which the duller Jews hoped for after this Life, (b) and the Embraces which the Mahometans promise to themselves; for these are only proper Remedies for the Mortality of this frail Life; the former for the Preservation of particular Animals, and the latter for the Continuance of their Species: But the Body will be in a perpetual Vigour, and its Brightness will exceed the Stars. The Mind will have a <105> Knowledge of God, and of Divine Providence, and of whatever is now hidden from it, without any Mistake: The Will will be calm, employed in Wonder and Praises, in beholding God; in a Word, all Things will be much greater and better, than can be conceived by comparing them with the greatest and best here.
Besides the Objection which we have now answered, it is commonly alledged, that the Bodies of Men, after their Dissolution, cannot be restored to the same Frame again; but this is said without the least
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Foundation. (a) For most Philosophers agree, that tho’ the Things be never so much changed, the Matter of them still remains capable of being formed into different Shapes; and who will affirm, that God does not know in what Places, tho’ never so far distant, the Parts of that Matter are, which goes to the making up of a humane <106> Body? Or, that he has not Power to bring them back, and reunite them? And do the same in the Universe, that we see Chymists do in their Furnaces and Vessels, collect those Particles which are of the same Kind, tho’ separated from one another. And there are Examples in Nature, which show, that though the Shape of Things be never so much changed, yet the Things themselves return to their original Form; as in Seeds of Trees and Plants. Neither is that Knot which is objected by so many, such as cannot be loosed; viz. concerning humane Bodies passing into Nourishment of wild Beasts and Cattle; who, after they are thus fed, are eaten again by Men. For the greatest Part of what is eaten by us, is not converted into any Part of our Body, but goes into Excrements or Superfluities, such as Spittle and Choler: And much of that which has Nourishment in it, is consumed by Diseases, internal Heat, and the ambient Air. Which being thus; God, who takes such Care of all Kinds even of dumb Creatures, may have such a particular Regard to humane Bodies, that if any Part of them should come to be Food for other Men, it should no more be converted into their Substance, than Poison or Physick is; and so much the rather, because human Flesh was not given to be Food for Men. And, if it were otherwise; and that something which does not belong to the latter Body, must be
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taken from it; this will not make it a different Body; (a) for there happens a <107> greater change of its Particles in this Life: (b) Nay, <108> a Butterfly is contained in a Worm; and the Substance of Herbs or of Wine, (c) in some very little Thing, from whence they are again restored to
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their true Bigness. Certainly, since these, and many other such like Suppositions, may be made without any Absurdity; there is no Reason why the restoring of a Body, after it is dissolved, should be reckoned amongst the Things that are impossible: Especially since learned Men, (a) such as Zoroaster among the Chaldaeans, (b) almost all the Stoicks, <109> (c) and Theopompus among the Peripateticks, believed that it could be, and that it would be.
Sect. XI. The exceeding Purity of its Precepts; with respect to the Worship of God.
Another Thing, in which the Christian Religion exceeds all other Religions, that ever were, are, or can be imagined; is the exceeding Purity and Holiness of its Precepts, both in those Things which concern the Worship of God, and also in all other Particulars. The Rites of the Heathens, almost all over the World, were full of Cruelty; (d) as Porphyry has largely shown; and as we are convinced by those in our Age, who have sailed to
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those Places. For it is an established Principle, almost every where, that the Gods are to be pacified with humane Blood; which Custom neither the Greek Learning, nor the Roman Laws, abolished: As appears from what we read concerning (a) Sacrifices offered up to Bacchus Omesta, amongst the Greeks; concerning a Grecian Man and a Grecian Woman, and concerning (b) a Man and Wo-<110>man amongst the Gauls, that were sacrificed to Jupiter Latialis. And the most holy Mysteries both of Ceres, and of Bacchus, were full of Lewdness; as was plain, when once the Secrets of their Religion began to be publickly discovered; as is at large declared by (c) Clemens Alexandrinus, (d) and others. And there was such Sights shown upon those Days, that were consecrated to the Honour of their Gods; that (e) Cato was ashamed to be present at them. In the Jewish Religion indeed there was nothing unlawful or immoral; but to prevent that People, (f) who were prone to Idolatry, from re-<111>volting from the
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true Religion, it was burthened with many Precepts, concerning Things that were in themselves neither good nor bad: Such as the Sacrifices of Beasts, Circumcision, strict Rest on the Sabbath Day, and the forbidding many sorts of Meats; some of which the Mahometans have borrowed, and added to them a Prohibition of Wine. But the Christian Religion teaches us to worship God, who is a most holy Being, (a) with a pure Mind, (b) and with such Actions as are in their own Nature virtuous, if they had not been commanded. Thus it does not bid us to (c) circumcise our Flesh, but our Desires and Affections; not to abstain (d) from all sorts of Works, but only from all such as are unlawful: Not to offer the Blood and Fat of Beasts in Sacrifice to God; but, if there be a just Occasion, (e) to offer our own Blood for a Testimony of the Truth; And (f) whatever Share of our Goods we give to the Poor, we are to look upon as given to God: Not to forbear certain Kinds of Meat or Drink, (g) but to use both of them with such Temperance as may most secure our Health; (h) and sometimes by Fasting to render our Bodies more subservient to the Mind, that it may with more Freedom advance it self towards <112> higher Objects. But the chief Part of Religion is every where declared to consist in such (i) a godly Faith, by which we may be framed to such (j) a sincere Obedience, as to (k) trust wholly upon God, and have (l) a firm Belief of his Promises; (m) whence arises Hope, (n) and a true Love both of God and of our
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Neighbour, which causes Obedience to his Commands; (a) not a servile Obedience proceeding from the Fear of Punishment, (b) but because it is well-pleasing to him, (c) and because he is our Father, (d) and Rewarder, out of his exceeding Goodness towards us. (e) And we are commanded to pray,