And then, Aftra tenent cælefte folum, formæque Deorum. Ovid, Met. I. 73. Illa Deos omnes, longum enumerare, creavit, Says Ovid, Faft. IV. 95. fpeaking of Venus. **Cicero advanced fomewhat that was bold, and therefore qualified it with a penè videantur. "I know not what fome men may find in them"felves; but I muft freely acknowledge, that I "could never yet attain to that bold and hardy de gree of faith, as to believe any thing for this "reafon because it was impoffible. So that I am cc very far from being of his mind, that wanted, not 66 only more difficulties, but even impoffibilities, in the "Chriftian religion, to exercise his faith upon." The person whom Tillotson had in view, was the author of Religio Medici. But by impoffibilities, Sir Thomas Brown, as well as Tertullian, meant feeming, not real impoffibilities; and what he fays. fhould be looked upon as a verbum ardens, a rhetorical flourish, and a trial of skill with Tertullian; in which however he had little chance to come off fuperior. Both of them were lively and ingenious; but the African had a warmer complexion than the Briton. "Methinks there be not impoffibilities enough in religion, for an active faith.-I can answer all the objections of Satan and my rebellious reafon, Bb 3 " with "with that odd refolution I learned of Tertullian, "Certum eft, quia impoffibile eft.-I am thankful that I "lived not in the days of miracles, &c." Rel. Med. Tillotson, judging that the Papifts would make an ill use of this, and scuh paffages as this, in Proteftant writers, was willing to pass a gentle animadverfion upon it. Sir Kenelm Digby, a Roman Catholic, who criticises feveral things in the Religio Medici, yet gives his loud approbation to these pious fallies, "I am extremely pleased with him, when he faith, there are not impoffibilities enough in religion, for an active faith, &c." Extremely pleased, without queftion; and full of hopes, that this young author might at last unreafon himself into implicit belief; and go over to a church, which would feed his hungry faith with a fufficient quantity of impoffi bilities. Tendimus in Latium! * Amongst many things, which may be mentioned in favour of Tillotson, this fhould not be forgotten; that of those who have paffed their judgments upon him, there never was a fon of abfurdity who did not diflike, or a fenfible reader who did not approve his writings. If a perfon were to offer himself a candidate for honeft reputation, what could he wish and hope more, than to fhare Tillotson's fate; and to find the fame cen furers, furers, and the fame defenders? Yet it hath been faid of this great and good man, that his fpirits were in fome degree broken, and his health impaired, by the infults and calumnies of petulant adverfaries. If it be true, it is a melancholy instance of human infirmity, and a proof that a little Stoicifm and Socratifm is a defirable poffeffion. To forgive enemies, though difficult to many, was easy to him, affifted as he was by good-nature, and by religion: but to defpife their attacks, was a task rather too hard for his gentle temper and fenfibility; fo that, in this refpect, and under these disadvantages, he was not a match for men, who could neither blush nor feel. "A man's good name, fays he, is a tender thing; and a wound there finks deep into the spirit even of a wife and good man: and the more innocent any man is in this kind, the more fenfible he is of this hard ufage; because he never treats others fo, nor is he conscious to himself that he hath deserved it." Vol. II. Serm. XLII. Every thing, they say, hath two handles. When Socrates was under fentence of death, Xanthippé took on bitterly; and refufing comfort, cried, "O, my husband! what grieves me moft is, that these wicked judges fhould treat an innocent man thus, and condemn thee unjustly, and for nothing at all." “Wife!” said he, "why should that grieve thee? Hadft thou rather then, that they had condemned me justly?" SCRIPTURAL SCRIPTURAL ILLUSTRATIONS. THE reverence which the Jews had for their facred books, preferved those most ancient of all records, and along with them the knowledge of the Hebrew language. But the Chriftians, who had the fame veneration for the OLD TESTAMENT, have contributed, more than the Jews themfelves, to fecure and to explain those books, as they had indeed more advantages and greater helps. The Chriftians in ancient times collected and preferved the Greek verfions of thofe Scriptures, particularly that of the Septuagint, and tranflated the originals into Latin, They preferved copies of the works of Jofephus, which were little efteemed by the Jews-but which help to confirm and explain the facred books, and caft a light upon the Jewish hiftory: and Christian critics and commentators, fuch as Capellus, Bochart, Grotius, Le Clerc, Vitringa, and many others, have beyond meafure furpaffed the Jewish 5 Jewish Doctors in illustrating and defending the Holy Scriptures. The keys of learning are the learned languages, and a grammatical and critical fkill in them. We cannot at prefent want Greek commentaries * on the Scriptures, being so plentifully supplied with English ones. It was the study of the Scriptures which excited Christians from early times to the study of Chronology facred and fecular; and here much knowledge of biftory, and fome fkill in aftronomy, were needful. - The NEW TESTAMENT, being written in Greek, caused Chriftians to apply themselves also to the study of that moft copious and beautiful language. Christianity, at firft, and for a confiderable time, was violently oppofed and affaulted by the Jews and Gentiles. But this Evil was compenfated by many Advantages: It was oppofition which excited the Chriftians to juftify their own caufe, and to confute their adverfaries, the Jewish Doctors, and the learned Gentiles; to expofe the abfurdities of Jewish traditions, the weakness of Paganifm, and. the imperfections and infufficiency of Philofophy. Thick as autumnal leaves, that firow the brooks MILT. PAR. LOST. I. 302. We might add," and as foon withered." the |