Event of the Siege of Jerusalem, after it was surrounded by the Chaldaeans; and Daniel (c) the Translation of the Empire from the Assyrians, to the Medes and Persians, and (d) from them to Alexander of Macedon, (e) whose Successors to part of his Kingdom should be the Posterity of Lagus and Seleucus, and what Evils the Hebrews should undergo from all these, particularly (f) the famous Antiochus, so very plainly, (g) that Porphyry, who compared the Graecian Histories extant in his Time with the Prophecies, could not make it out any other way, but by saying, that the Things ascribed to Daniel, were wrote after they came to pass; which is the same as if any one should deny that what is now extant under the Name of Virgil, and was always thought to be his, <73> was writ by him in Augustus’s Time. For there was never any more doubt amongst the Hebrews concerning the one, than there was amongst the Romans concerning the other. To all which may be added the many and express Oracles (h) amongst those
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of Mexico and Peru, which foretold the coming of the Spaniards into those Parts, and the Calamities that would follow.
(a) To this may be referred very many Dreams exactly agreeing with the Events, which both as to themselves and their Causes, were so utterly unknown to those that dreamed them, that they cannot without great Shamelessness be attributed to natural Causes; of which kind the best Writers afford us eminent Examples. (b) Tertullian has <74> made a Collection of them in his Book of the Soul; and (c) Ghosts have not only
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been seen, but also heard to speak, as we are told by those Historians who have been far from superstitious Credulity; and by Witnesses in our own Age, who lived in Sina, Mexico, and other Parts of America; neither ought we to pass by (a) that com-<75>mon Method of examining Persons Innocence by walking over red hot Plow-shares, viz. Fire Ordeal, mentioned in so many Histories of the German Nation, and in their very Laws.
SECT. XVIII. The Objection of Miracles not being seen now, answered.
Neither is there any Reason why any one should object against what has been said, because no such Miracles are now seen, nor no such Predictions heard. For it is sufficient to prove a Divine Providence, that there ever have been such. Which being once established, it will follow, that we ought to think God Almighty forbears them now, for as wise and prudent Reasons, as he before did them. Nor is it fit that the Laws given to the Universe for the natural Course of Things, and that what is future might be uncertain, should always, or without good Reason be suspended, but then only, when there was a sufficient Cause; as there was at that time when the Worship of the true God was banished almost out of the World,
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being confined only to a small Corner of it, viz. Judaea; and was to be defended from that Wickedness which surrounded it, by frequent Assistance. Or when the Christian Religion, con-<76>cerning which we shall afterwards particularly treat, was, by the Determination of God, to be spread all over the World.
SECT XIX. And of there being so much Wickedness.
Some Men are apt to doubt of a Divine Providence, because they see so much Wickedness practised, that the World is in a manner overwhelmed with it like a Deluge: Which they contend should be the Business of Divine Providence, if there were any, to hinder or suppress. But the Answer to such, is very easy. When God made Man a free agent, and at liberty to do well or ill, (reserving to himself alone a necessary and immutable Goodness) (a) it was not fit that he should put such a Restraint upon evil Actions, as was in-<77>consistent with this Liberty. But whatever Means of hindering them, were not repugnant to such Liberty; as establishing and promulging a Law, external and internal Warnings, together with Threatnings and Promises; none of these were neglected by God: Neither would he suffer the Effects of Wickedness to spread to the furthest;
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so that Government was never utterly subverted, nor the Knowledge of the Divine Laws entirely extinguished. And even those Crimes that were permitted, as we hinted before, were not without their Advantages, when made use of either to punish those who were equally wicked, or to chastise those who were slipt out of the way of Virtue, or else to procure some eminent Example of Patience and Constancy in those who had made a great Progress in Virtue. (a) Lastly, Even they themselves whose Crimes seemed to be overlooked for a time, were for the most part punished with a proportionable Punishment, that the Will of God might be executed against them, who acted contrary to his Will.
SECT. XX. And that so great, as to oppress good Men.
And if at any time Vice should go unpunished, or, which is wont to offend many weak Persons, some good Men, oppressed by the Fury of the Wicked, should not only lead a troublesome Life, but also undergo an infamous Death; we must not presently from hence conclude against a Divine Providence, which, as we have before ob-<78>served, is established by such strong Arguments; but rather, with the wisest Men, draw this following Inference:
SECT. XXI. This may be turned upon them, so as to prove that Souls survive Bodies.
That since God has a Regard to humane Actions, who is himself just; and yet these things come to pass in the mean time; we ought to expect a Judgment after this Life, lest either remarkable Wickedness should continue unpunished, or eminent Virtue go unrewarded and fail of Happiness.
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SECT. XXII. Which is confirmed by Tradition.
In (a) order to establish this, we must first shew that Souls remain after they are separated from their Bodies; which is a most ancient Tradition, derived from our first Parents (whence else could it come?) to almost all civilized People; as appears (b) from Homer’s Verses, (c) and from the Philosophers, not only the Greek, but also the ancient Gauls (d) which were called Druids, <79> (e) and the Indians called Brachmans, and from those Things which many Writers have related (f) concerning the Egyptians (g) and Thracians, and also of the Germans. And moreover concerning a Divine Judgment after this Life, we find many Things extant, not only
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among the Greeks, (a) but <80> also among the Egyptians (b) and Indians, as Strabo, Diogenes, Laertius, and (c) Plutarch tell us: To which we may add a Tradition that the World should be burnt, which was found of Old (d) in Hystaspes and the Sybils, and now also (e) in Ovid (f) and
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<81> Lucan, and amongst (a) the Indians in Siam; a Token of which, is the Sun’s approaching nearer to the Earth, (b) observed by Astronomers. So likewise upon the first going into the Canary Islands and America, and other distant Places, the same Opinion, concerning Souls and Judgment, was found there.
