tures as Gods, that he will rather look upon himfelf as conftituted by the moft High God, a kind of God over them.

SECT. VIL

Againft worshipping of things that are no Subftances.

E find alfo that the Grecians, Romans, and others, worshipped those things which have no fubfiftence, but are mere Accidents of other things.

For, to omit thofe uncouth Deities, the Fever, Dame Impudence, and the like, let us name the better fort: Such were Health, which is nothing but a right temperature of the parts of the body: Good Fortune, which is an event that is correfpondent to a Man's defire: The Affections alfo, fuch as love, fear, anger, hope, and the reft; which proceed from the confideration of fomething that is good or evil, eafie or difficult; are certain motions or paffions in that part of the mind which is united to the body, by the blood especially; not having any abfolute power of themselves, but are fubordinate hand-maids to the commands of the will, their Mistress, at least in their continuance and direction. Then for Vertues, whofe Names are divers; Prudence, in chufing what is profitable for us: Fortitude, in undertaking dangers: Juftice, in abftaining from that which is another Man's: Temperance, in the moderation of pleasures, &c. They are certain inclinations and propenfions in the mind unto that which is

Book IV. right, grown up by long exercife and practice; which, as they may be augmented in a Man; fo may they by neglect be diminished; nay, quite loft and abolished. As for Honour (whereunto we read there were Temples dedicated) it is other Mens judgment, or good opinion, concerning one whom they fuppofed endued with Vertue; which is often beftowed upon bad Men, as well as good, by the natural pronenefs there is in Men to err in their judgment.

These therefore having no fubfiftence, and therefore not to be compared, in dignity and worth, with things that do fubfift, nor having any understanding of Men's prayers or veneration, it is most abfurd and unreasonable to worhip them as Gods; when for this very thing He is to be worshipped, who can both give and preserve them.

SECT. VIII.

Answer to the Argument of the Gentiles taken from Miracles done among them.

TH

"HE Pagans, for the commendation of their Religion, are wont to alledge Miracles; but fuch as in many things may be excepted against. For the wifeft Men ainong the Pagans rejected many of these, as fupported by no teftimony of any credible witnefs; but plainly counterfeit and fabulous. Other Miracles which they faid were done, hapned in fome fecret place, in the night, before one or two, whofe eyes the craft of the Priests might eafily delude by falfe fhews

and

and appearances of things. And there are others which raised great admiration, and paffed for wonders, meerly because they met with thofe, who were ignorant of natural things; efpecially of hidden properties. As for inftance, fuch a thing might happen, if one should draw Iron with the Loadstone, among People who knew nothing of its vertue: in which arts Simon Magus and Apollonius, as many have recorded, were very skilful.

I do not deny, but fome things greater than these were feen, which by Man's power alone could not be drawn out of natural caufes; and yet did not need a power which was truly divine; that is omnipotent; but might be performed by Spirits that are placed between God and Men. Who by their celerity, efficacy, fubtilty and diligence, can easily carry things far distant from one place to another; and compound things that are very different; to the working of fuch effects as fhall ftrike Men with aftonishment. But that the Spirits, whereby this was effected, were not good; and therefore neither was the Religion good; appears already from what hath been faid before. And from hence alfo, that they faid they were compelled to do things, even against their wills, by the power of certain charms: when the wifeft of the Pagans agree that there can be no fuch vertue in words; but only a power of perfuafion, and that no other way than by their fignification.

And it is another token of their wickedness, that they undertook to allure and draw this or that body; though never fo backward to it, into the love of fuch or fuch a Perfon. Wherein they were injurious to them; either in their vain promises

I

Book IV. promises, or in effecting what they promised: for this alfo is forbidden by humane Laws, as a piece of Sorcery. Neither need any Man wonder why God fuffered fome marvels to be wrought by evil Spirits among the Gentiles, feeing they deferved to be cheated with fuch illufions, who fo long time had forfaken the worship of the true God.

Moreover this is an argument of their weaknefs and impotency, that their works never brought any confiderable good along with them. For if any feem'd to be call'd back to life after they were dead, they did not continue alive; neither could they exercise the functions of living Creatures. Or if it happened that any thing proceeding happily from a divine power, did appear to the Pagans; yet the fame was not foretold fhould come to pafs for the confirmation of their Religion, and therefore there might be other caufes, and far different Reasons, which the divine efficacy propounded to it self in the doing thofe things. As for example, if it was true, that Vefpafian reftored fight to one blind; this was done, that he being thereby made more venerable, might the more easily obtain the Roman Empire: to which he was chofen by God, that he might be a Minifter of his Judgments upon the Jews. More fuch like causes there may be of other wonders, which had no relation at all to their Religion.

SECT.

TH

SECT. IX.

And from Oracles.

HE very fame likewise, in a manner, may ferve for answer to that which they object concerning Oracles; especially what we have faid, that these Men did worthily deferve to be deluded; for contempt of that knowledge which reafon or ancient tradition fuggested to every one of them. Then again the words of the Oracles, for the most part were ambiguous, and might easily receive an interpretation, from any event whatsoever. Or if there was any thing more exprefly foretold by them, yet it is not necessary that it should proceed from an all-knowing mind: For it was either fuch a thing as might be forefeen by natural Causes then exifting, as fome Phyficians have foretold Diseases that are a coming; or else fome probable conjecture might be made by that which commonly falls out, and ufually comes to pass, as we read of fome Persons well skill'd in civil affairs, that have made notable gueffes at future events. Again fuppofe that amongst the Pagans, God fometimes used the miniftery of fome Prophets to foretel those things, which could have no certain canfe befides the will of God; yet this did not approve or confirm their heathenifh Religion, but rather overthrew it. Such for Inftance are thofe things, in the fourth Eclogue of Virgil, taken out of the Sibyls Verfes; where unwittingly the Poet gives us a lively defcription of the coming of Chrift, and his benefits. So in the fame Books of the Sibyls it was, I 2

that