quos tu fufpicis & veneraris ut Dominos, i. e. O that thou would'st be perfwad'ed to confult thine own Senfes, and 'to hear and fee them thine own felf. 'Thou shalt behold them to ftand un'der our Hands bound and trembling 'like Captive Slaves, whom thou ho'noureft and adoreft as thy Lords and 'Mafters. And a Min. Fælix appeals an ove to the Heathens themselves for the Truth of these things. He tells them, that their own Eyes had feen their greatest Gods caft out of the Bodies they had poffefs'd, by the ordinary Chriftians: That their own Ears had heard the fame Gods confefs that they were no Gods; no, not fo much as good Spirits, but Devils, wicked apoftate Angels, who made it their bufinefs to abuse the World, and to ensnare as great a part of Mankind as they could, into Ruin and Perdition. Juftin, M. Traneus, Lactantius, and Eufebius most justly, as well as triumphantly, enlarge upon the fame Point, which is acknowledg'd by that acute Philofopher and implacable Enemy to Christianity, b Porphyry himself; for, difcourfing of b vid. Euthat Plague which furioufly rag'd at Mef-feb. de fina in Sicily, where he dwelt, he is prep. Ev. forc'di.

lib. 5. cap.

4.

2

forc'd to own, that therefore Æsculapius could lend them no Affiftance, becaufe Jefus was Worfhipp'd in the World. How did he likewife give to thefe Babes and Sucklings a Mouth and Wisdom, which none of their Adverfaries was able to gain-fay? Tho' they openly declar'd to all the World, that a 1 Cor. 2. they came not da Teois av Ipwaims σoψίας λόγοις, with the Artifice of enticing Words, the exquifite and elaborate Schemes of fecular Wifdom, the probable and perfuafive Infinuations of Humane Eloquence, but in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity to call them off from the Idolatrous Rites and Customs of their Fore-fathers to ferve the Living God; yet where-ever they came they triumph'd over the Prejudices of Mens Minds, grappled fuccessfully with the ftubbornness of the Jew, and baf fled the fine Notions and Speculations of the Greek. So that not only the illiterate, mean, uuskilful, vulgar Me Lib 67. in Domit. p. chanicks, Women and Chil 766. f Ep. lib. 10. Ep. dren (as their Enemies moft 97.8 Lib. 5.p.356 h falfly and maliciously objected) 5. i Ecc. Hift. lib. 5. but also (as e Dion Caffius, f Pli cap. 21. k De Script. ny, Zazymus himself, h Tertul lian, i-Eufebius, and k Hierom af

e

Eccl. in Apoll.

fures

1

1

12.

affures us) Perfons moft confiderable
for their Learning and Quality; Con-
fuls, Senators, Prefidents of Provinces,
Orators, Criticks, Lawyers, Phy-
ficians, and Philofophers of all Sects
daily came over, and lifted themselves
by Troops under the Captain of our
Salvation. In a word, he sent forth
his most Holy Spirit, and renew'd the
Face of the Earth. He, like the anci
ent Conquerors, fo plentifully fcattered
his Largeffes among the People, and
fo enrich'd his Spouse, the Church, with
his manifold Gifts and Graces, givingi1 Cor.
to fome the word of Wisdom, to others
the word of Knowledge, to others
Faith, to others the gift of Healing, to
others the working of Miracles, to
others Prophefie, to others difcerning
of Spirits, to others divers kinds of
Tongues, to others the interpretation
of Tongues, that the Gentiles imme-
diately came to her Light, and all the
Nations of the World to rejoice in the
Brightness of her rifing. Hefterni fumus,
fays m one of the fore-cited Authors tom Tertull
the Roman Governors, & veftra omnia Apol.c.37.
implevimus, Urbes, Infulas, Caftella, Mu-
nicipia, Conciliabula, Caftra ipfa, Tribus,
Decurias, Palatium, Senatum, Forum, i. e.

We

n

Deo Inft.

من

'We are but of yesterdays ftanding, ' and yet we have fill'd all Places among you, your Cities, your Islands, your "Caftles, your Corporations, your Councils, your very Camps, your Tribes, your Companies, the Palace, 'the Senate, and your Courts of Ju'ftice. And a Lactantius, Ab ortu folis lib.5.c.13. ufque ad occafum, Lex Divina fufcepta eft, &omnis Sexus, omnis atas, & gens, Regio unitis ac paribus animis Deo ferviunt. From the rifing up of the Sun,to the going down of the fame, the Divine Law ' is receiv'd,and every Sex,every Age,and Nation, and Country, with one Mind and one Soul, bows down and ferves our God. And thus was fulfill'd that Prophesy of the Pfalmift in his Song of Loves. • The Virgins that be her Felo Pf. 45. lows fhall bear her Company, and fhall enter into the King's Palace. O Lord our Governour then, how excellent is thy Name in all the World, thou that haft fet thy Glory above the Heavens! How excellent is thy Name when Kings lay their Crowns at thy Feet, Queens are thine Hand-maids, and wash the Feet of thy Servants, and all the Virgins love thee! They come to thee from far, from the uttermoft parts of

the

the Earth,and flock like theDoves to the Windows. They remember thy Name from one Generation to another, and give Thanks unto thee World without end.

And indeed (now briefly to infer) how can we all but follow our afcending Lord with Shouts and Acclamations, with Songs and Allelujahs? With his own Right Hand, and with his Holy Arm hath he gotten to himself this Vitory. We (like Lot in the 14th of Genefis) were Prisoners of War, taken Captive by our Enemies, and held by them in Subjection. But he (like Abraham) fell upon the Victors, fmote them, and overcame them; refcu'd the Prifoners out of their Hands, took their Captivity Captive, and brought us back, not (as we deferved) in Chains and Fetters, nor to another ftate of Bondage and Slavery, but with infinite Tenderness and Compaffion into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God; caufing the Light of his glorious Gofpel to fhine throughout the World, and to guide our Feet into the way of Peace. But fince he has done these wonderful things for us,how can we (I fay)but fend