I will conclude thefe Chriftian teftimonies with a paffage of Auguftin, not unfuitable to the bufinefs in hand.

q

VIII. Auguftin, in his discourse on John, has this very notable paffage, viz. That God is properly King of minds, or fouls; because when he is received in, he governeth by his divine power and spirit in the heart: therefore is not his kingdom after the manner of this world, but within:' and much to this purpose.

Again he diftinguifheth upon the word REASON: There is a fuperior and inferior reason,' faith he. The inferior is a mere rational creature, or that • understanding which diftinguisheth a man from a beast. But the fuperior reafon is a LIGHT, or, as it < were, a power in mankind, dictating, revealing, and enjoining divine, eternal and entirely good things as for example, when it fhall fay, This is fin, thou oughteft not to commit, but avoid it. Why? Because it offends God.'

Thus far of primitive Chriftian-divinity, from about 132 years after Chrift, to about 400 years after Chrift, by way of confirmation of that part of the Gentiledivinity, which might, with least credit, be embraced. For to cite never fo many primitive Chriftian authors to prove a God, holy life, and the immortality of the foul, the other points of Gentile-divinity, would look like labour in vain; fince none that believes them to have been Chriftian, ought to doubt of their holding fuch general truths: but the wonder is, to quote them in the language of the fo much, yet fo undeservedly, décried and abused Quakers, viz. That not only the best Gentiles, but most approved Chriftians of the primitive times, confefs to a divine light, principle, word, or fpirit in man, whose inspiration gives infallible understanding; and as man is guided by it, he fhall be recovered out of that dirt and mire fin hath

9 Lived about anno 393.

plunged

plunged him in; and it will free him from the fnares of pleasures, enlighten his eyes, infpire his foul, and lead him gently by the hand in the way of eternal righteousness, whofe reward from God will be immortal and eternal life.

CHAP. X.

The third part of Gentile-divinity, viz. that they were men of virtuous lives, and taught the indifpenfablenefs thereof to life eternal. Proved by numerous inftances.

T may now be time that I difpatch the other two

vour with all convenient brevity.

There are many inftances of their pious doctrine, and fingular examples of their virtue: I will inftance in a few, to convince, if I can, fuch as fcarcely believe any good of them, (and the rather, I fear, that they may charge the bad upon the light) that their doctrines and practice with refpect to good living, were and are very commendable, and approved of all good Chriftians.

I. Pittacus Mitilenæus," one of the feven wife men of Greece, as they were called; his apophthegms were these :

What thou takeft ill in thy neighbour, do not thyfelf. Reproach not the unhappy; for the hand ⚫ of God is on them. Reftore what is committed to thy trust. Bear with thy neighbour. Love thy

• neighbour. Reproach not thy friend, though he <recede from thee a little. Acquire honefty. Seek

'Lived about the year of the world 3313. Before Chrift about 630 years; which is 2330 years fince. Stob. 28.

obfequiousness. Love difcipline, temperance, pru¬ dence, truth, faith, experience, dexterity, fociety, diligence, oeconomy, and piety.' (a)

II. Chilon,' another of them; he was so just in all his actions, that in his old age he profeffed, ‹ He never had done any thing contrary to the confcience of an upright man; only that of one thing he was ⚫ doubtful: having given fentence against his friend, according to law, he advifed his friend to appeal from him (his judge); fo to preserve both his friend ' and the law.' Agellius relates it thus: When his life drew towards an end, ready to be feized by death, he spoke thus to his friends about him:' "My words and actions, in this long term of years, "have been almost all fuch as I need not repent of; "which, perhaps, you also know. Truly, even "this time, I am certain I never committed any thing, << the remembrance whereof begets any trouble in "me, unless this one thing only; which whether it "were done amifs or not, I am uncertain: I fat with " two others, as judge upon the life of my friend; "the law was fuch, as the perfon must of neceffity "be condemned, so that either my friend must lose "his life, or fome deceit be used towards the law: "revolving many things in my mind, for relief of a "condition fo defperate, I conceived that which I "put in practice to be of all others the most easy to "be borne: filently I condemned him, and perfuaded "those others who judged to abfolve him. Thus I "preferved in fo great a bufinefs the duty both of a judge and friend: but from the act I receive this

Lived at the fame time. Laert.

(a)" Thou therefore, which teacheft another, teacheft thou not "thyfelf?" Rom. ii. 21. Love thy neighbour as thyself; for "I am the Lord." Levit. xix. 18. Finally, brethren, whatfoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, juft, pure, "lovely, and of good report, think on these things." Phil. iv. 8. "trouble,

"trouble, (b) that I fear it is not free from perfi"dioufnefs and guilt, in the fame business, at the fame "time, and in a publick affair, to perfuade others contrary to what was in my own judgment beft." Doubtless a man of light, fight, and confcience.

Of his apophthegms, or fayings, thefe few are delivered to us by Laertius. He laid, Providence of future things, collected by reafon, is the virtue of a man.' (c) Being demanded, Wherein the learned differ from the unlearned? he answered, In a good hope.' When asked, What is hard? he faid, To • conceal fecrets, to difpofe of leifure well, and be able to bear an injury.' Therefore faid Chilon to his brother, I can bear injuries; thou canst not.'

III. The precepts of the feven fophifts of Greece, in general; Thales, Solon, Periander, Cleobulus, Chilon, Bias, and Pittacus (called the feven wife men) collected by Sofiades, who flourished above two thoufand years ago.

Follow God: obey the law: worship God: reverence thy parents: fuffer for juftice: know thyself: confider mortal things: refpect hofpitality: command thyself: honour Providence: ufe not fwearing: fpeak well of that which is good: difparage none: praise virtue: do what is juft: abftain from evil: instruct thy children: fear deceit: be a lover of wifdom: judge according to equity: curb thy tongue examine without corruption: : corruption: do that whereof thou shalt not repent: when thou haft finned, be penitent: confine thine eye: perfect quickly pursue what is profitable: be in childhood mo<deft, in youth temperate, in manhood juft, and in

(b)"The Gentiles who had not the law, became a law unto "themfelves, doing the things contained in the law; their con"sciences bearing witnefs, and their thoughts the mean while ac"cufing or excufing." Rom. ii. 14, 15.

(c)" To depart from evil is a good understanding." Job xxviii. 28." And the hypocrite's hope fhall perish." Job viii. 13."Why do you not rather take wrong?" 1 Cor. vi. 7.

A a 4

•old

old age prudent, that thou mayeft die untrou• bled. (d)

t

Thus far the wife men, who were therefore fo called, because of their extraordinary virtue; and truly deferved the name of chriftian and virtuous, more abundantly than they who bear it now.

IV. Pythagoras very truly tells us, The difcourfe of that philofopher is vain, by which no paffion of C a man is healed." And indeed, to what ferves their preaching, and hearing, and facraments, who are neither cured nor curing?

All which is determined to be done, should aim at, and tend to, the acknowledgment of the Deity."' Endeavour not to conceal thy faults with words, <but to amend them by reproof.'

This is the principle,' faith Pythagoras, and the whole life of men confifts in this, That they follow GOD; and this is the ground of right philofophy. (e)

Purity is acquired by expiations, and by refraining from murder and adultery, and all pollution. (f) We ought either to be filent, or fpeak things that are better than filence.'

Temper is the ftrength of the foul: for it is the light of the foul, clear from paffion. (g)

It is better to die, than to cloud the foul by intemperance or paffion.'

(d) Reader, thefe weighty fayings are very fcripture itself, and that as well of the New, as Old Teftament (so called) especially where Chrift faith, "Swear not at all," though spoke about feven hundred years before he came into the world.

(e) "Let us hear the conclufion of the whole matter: Fear God, "and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man,' Ecclef. xii. 13.

(f)" Pure religion and undefiled is, to keep himself unspotted from the world." Jam. i. 27.

(g) In this sense, I fear we may fay, that fome have no light in them,

Pythagoras