de Nat. Deor. lib. 2. Quis hunc hominem dixerit, qui cum tam certos cæli motus, tam ratos ade plac. phil. 1. 6. Os äv νοιαν ἔχον ἀπὸ τῶν φαινομένων stav, Tsians συμφωνίας ὄντας αἰτίες, και τις Tagasi VUXTα, χειμῶνά τε καὶ θέρος, ανατολάς τε καὶ δυσμάς. rable multitude of the Stars, the re- Matter Matter of the Universe, as the Former comprised all vifible Creatures in the World, that have Understanding or Sense or Vegetable Life. These two Arguments are the Voices of Nature, the unanimous Suffrages of all real Beings and Substances created, that are naturally knowable without Revelation. And if, Laftly, in the Third place, we can evince the Divine Exiftence from the Adjuncts and Circumftances of Human Life; if we find in all Ages, in all civilized Nations, an Universal Belief and Worship of a Divinity; if we find many unque. ftionable Records of Super-natural and Miraculous Effects; if we find many faithfull Relations of Prophecies punctually accomplished, of Prophecies fo well attefted, above the fufpicion of Falfhood, fo remote and particular and unlikely to come to pass, beyond the poffibility of good Guelfing or the mere Forefight of Human Wisdom; if we find a most warrantable tradition, that at fundry times and in divers manners God spake unto Mankind by his Prophets and by his Son and his Apoftles, who have deliver'd to us in Sacred Writings a clearer Revelation of his Divine Nature and Will: if, I fay, this Third Topick from Human Teftimony be found agreeable to the ftanding Vote and Atteftation of Nature, What further proofs can be demanded or defired? what fuller evidence can our Adversaries require, seeing all the Claffes Claffes of known Beings are fummoned to appear? Would they have us bring more Witnesses, than the All of the World? and will they not stand to the grand Verdict and Determination of the Univerfe? They are incurable Infidels, that perfift to deny a Deity; when all Creatures in the World, as well fpiritual as corporeal, all from Human Race: to the lowest of Infects, from the Cedar of Libanus: to the Mofs upon the Wall, from the vaft Globes of the Sun and Planets to the smallest Particles of Duft, do declare their abfolute dependance upon the firft Author and Fountain of all Being and Motion and Life, the only Eternal and Self-exiftent God; with whom inhabit all Majesty and Wisdom and Goodness for ever and ever. But before I enter upon this Argument from the Origin and Frame of the World; it will not be amiss to premise fome Particulars, that may ferve for an illustration of the Text, and be a proper Introduction to our Difcourfe thereupon. As the Apoftles, Barnabas and Paul, were preaching the Gospel at Lyftra a City of Lycaonia in Afia Ver. 8. the Lefs, among the rest of their Auditors there was a lame Cripple from his Birth, whom Paul commanded with a loud voice, To ftand upright on his feet; and immediately by a miraculous Energy he leaped and walked. Let us compare the prefent Cir. cumstances cumstances with those of my former Text, and observe the remarkable difference in the Apostle's proceedings. No queftion but there were several Cripples at Athens, fo very large and populous a City; and if that could be dubious,I might add,that the very Climate disposed the Inhabitants to impotency in the Feet. Atthide tentantur greffus, oculique in Achais Finibus... are the words of Lucretius; which 'tis probable he transcribed from Epicurus a Gargettian and Native of Athens, and therefore an unqueftionable Evidence in a matter of this nature. Neither is it likely, that all the Athenian Cripples fhould Ver. 17. escape the fight of St. Paul; seeing he disputed there in the Market daily with them that met him. How comes it to pass then, that we do not hear of a like Miracle in that City; which one would think might have greatly conduced to the Apoftle's design, and have converted, or at least confuted and put to filence the Epicureans and Stoicks? But it is not difficult to give an account of this feeming Disparity; if we attend to the Qualifications of the Lame perfon at Lyftra: whom Paul ftedfaftly beholding, and perceiving that he had Faith to be healed, faid with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. This is the neceffary Condition, that was always required by Luke 18. our Saviour and his Apostles. And Jefus faid unto 42. the blind man, Receive thy fight, thy Faith hath saved Ver. 9. thee; 58. thee; and to the Woman that had the Iflue of Blood, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy Faith hath 8.48. made thee whole, go in peace. 'Twas want of Faith in our Saviour's Countrymen, which hindr'd him from shedding among them the falutary Emanations of his Divine Vertue: And he did not many mighty Matt. 19. works there, because of their unbelief. There were many diseased persons in his own Country, but very few that were rightly difpofed for a fupernatural Cure. St. Mark hath a very obfervable Expreffion upon the fame occafion: And he could do no mighty Mark. 6.5. work there, save that he laid his hands upon a few fick folk, and healed them. Καὶ ἐκ ἠδύνατο ἐκεῖ ἐδεμίαν δύναμιν потол We read in St. Luke 5. 17. And the power (dúvajus) of the Lord was present to heal them. And, chap. 6. v. 19. And the whole multitude fought to touch him: for there went vertue (divas) out of him, and healed them all. Seeing then that dévaro and dúvajus are words of the fame Root and Signification; fhall we so interpret the Evangelift, as if our Saviour had not Power to work Miracles among his unbelieving Countrymen? This is the paffage, which that impious and impure Atheift Lucilio Vanino fingled out vanini Difor his Text in his pretended and mock Apology al. p. 439. for the Chriftian Religion; wickedly infinuating, as if the Prodigies of Chrift were mere Impostures and acted by Confederacy: and therefore where the Spectators B |