as before we have fhewn concerning the immortality of Souls, and of the Resurrection of Bodies. Thus Plato, as he learned from the Chaldeans, distinguished the divine Nature into the Father; and the mind of the Father; (which he calls alfo the branch of God, the Maker of the World) and the Soul or Spirit, which keeps together and preferveth all things.

Julian, as great an enemy as he was of Chriftians, thought that the Divine Nature might be joined to the humane: and gave instance in Afculapius, whom he imagined to have defcended from Heaven, to the end he might teach Men the Art of Phyfick. The Crofs of Christ offendeth many: But what do not the Pagan Writers tell of their Gods? that fome of them waited upon Kings and Princes, others were Thunder-ftruck, others cut in funder. And the wifeft of them fay, that the more it cofts us to be honest, the more joy and delight it affords us.

To conclude, Plato in the fecond Book of his Commonwealth, as if he had been a Prophet, faith, for a Man to appear truly just and upright, it is requifite that his vertue be bereaved of all outward Ornaments; fo that he be by others accounted a wicked wretch, and fcoffed at, and laft of all hanged. And indeed that Chrift might be the Pattern of greatest Patience, could no otherwise be obtained.

The

The FIFTH BOOK

OF THE

TRUTH

OF

Christian Religion.

SECT. I.

A refutation of the Jews, beginning with a Speech unto them, or Prayer for them.

UST like that glimmering between light and darkness, which appears to those, who by little and little are endeavouring to get out of a dark Cave or Dungeon: fuch doth Judaifm prefent it felf to us (who are stepping out of the thick mift of Paganifm, of which we have been difcourfing) as a part and beginning of Truth. I request the Jews therefore not to be averfe to hear us.

We are not ignorant that they are the offSpring of holy Men, whom God was wont to vifit both by his Prophets, and by his Angels of this

Nation fprang our Meffias, and the first Doctors of Chriftianity: It is their Tree whereinto we are ingraffed: they are the keepers of God's Oracles, which we do reverence as much as they, and with St. Paul figh unto God for them, and pray that the day may quickly come, when the Veil being taken away which hangs over their Faces, they with us fhall fee the fulfilling of the Lam; And when (as it is in their Prophecies) every one of us that are ftrangers fhall lay hold on the Cloak of him that is an Hebrew, defiring that we may together with a pious confent worship the only true God, who is the God of Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob.

SECT. II.

The Jews ought to account the Miracles of Chrift fufficiently proved.

FIRST of all then, we must intreat them

not to think that to be unjuft in another Man's cafe, which they judge to be just and equitable in their own. If any Pagan demand of them why they believe that Miracles were wrought by Mofes, they can give no other Anfwer fave that there was always fo conftant a report thereof among their Nation, that it could not but proceed from the testimony of fuch as had feen the fame.

Thus that Widows Oyl was increased by Elisha that Naaman the Syrian was fuddenly cured of the Leprofie: that the Womans Son in whofe Houfe he lodged was restored to life,

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and

and other fuch like, are believed by the Jews for no other reason, than because witneffes of good credit have recorded to pofterity, that fuch things were done. And they believe Elias his taking up into Heaven, only for the fingle Teftimony of Elifha, as a Man beyond all exception. But we produce twelve witneffes, of unblameable life, to testifie that Chrift Afcended up into Heaven. And many more that faw him upon the Earth after his death. Which things if they be true, then neceffarily Chrift's Doctrine is true alfo; and indeed nothing at all can be alledged by the Jews for themselves, which by equal right, or more just title may not be applied to us alfo. But to omit further Teftimonies, it is the confeffion of the Authors of the Talmud, and other Jews themselves, that ftrange Wonders were wrought by Chrift; which ought to fuffice for this particular. For God cannot any way more effectually gain authority unto a Doctrine published by Man, than by the working of Miracles.

SECT. III.

And not believe that they were done by the help of Devils.

HESE Miracles of Chrift, fome faid, were done by the help of Devils. But this calumny hath been confuted before, when we fhewed, that wherefoever the Doctrine of Chrift was taught and known, there all power of the Devils was broken in pieces. Others reply, that Jefus learned Magick Arts in Egypt: but this

flander