6.

Ezek. viii.

is not very likely the prophet should be sent eighteen or twenty days' journey into an enemy's country for no other end;) so is Ezekiel's lying on one side for 390 Ezek. iv. 5, days, and shaving his head and beard, contrary to the law, as Maimonides observes; and his digging in the Ezek. v. 1. walls of the temple at Jerusalem, while he was in 8. Babylon; and many other things of a like nature, which are set forth with as punctual a narration of circumstances as this of Hosea; and yet they were only figurative expressions. We, that are accustomed to another way of learning, think these things strange; but this was a very common way in the elder times, and it is to this day much used in the eastern countries, to represent duties to some, under the parables of things as really done by others: as may be seen in Lockman and Perzoes; besides what Clemens Alexandrinus and others have said, concerning the antiquity and common use of this parabolical way of teaching.

I now come to your objections against the New Testament; but I find them so few, and those so slight and inconsiderable as to the end for which you produce them, that I may easily pass them over. To that about the continuance of miracles, I have already answered; and I find not one word in the places mentioned by you, which implies the necessity of the continuance of them in all ages of the Christian church. That place, Mark x. 29, 30, speaks of no more but such a recompense in this life as is consistent with persecution, and therefore must chiefly lie in inward contentment; which all wise men have valued above external accommodations: although withal, by the account St. Paul gives of himself and his brethren, God did abundantly provide for them 2 Cor. vi. one way or other. As having nothing, and yet enjoying all things; which amounts to a hundredfold in this life. But certainly you are the first man, who have ob

IO.

jected the obscurity of the book of Revelations against the authority of the scriptures; which is just as if one should object the quadrature of the circle against mathematical certainty. If we grant that there are some things in that mystical book we do not yet well understand, what then? Must neither that book, nor any other of the Bible, be of Divine revelation? I will not pursue the unreasonableness of this way of arguing so far as I might; but I leave yourself to consider of it, and of all that I have written, in order to your satisfaction. If you think fit to return an answer, I pray do it clearly and shortly, and with that freedom from passion which becomes so weighty a matter. And I beseech God to give you a right understanding in all things. I am,

SIR,

Your faithful servant.

June 11, 1675.

THE END.

INDEX OF AUTHORS

QUOTED IN THE

ORIGINES SACRÆ.

Arabica Scripturarum Versio i. Bernier ii. 454, 457.

Borrichius ii. 308, 312.
Boxhornius i. 70, 309.
Boyle's Sceptical Chem. ii. 10.
Experiments of Air ii. 476.
Fluidity and Firmness ii. 47.
Final Causes ii. 286, 416.
Origin of Forms ii. 443. Ve-
neration Man's Intellect owes
to God ii. 464, 470.

Brerewood ii. 195.

Busbequius ii. 197.

Buteo de Arca Noe ii. 159.

Buxtorfius ii. 197.

C.

Tusc. Quæst. ii. 267, ibid. 348,
356, 359, 364, 376. Academ.
Quæst. ii. 295, 348, 362. De
Finibus ii. 43, 49, 67, 295.
De Divinat. i. 49, 296, 312.
ii. 43, 334, 348. De Legibus
i. 494. ii. 359, 365, 376. Ad
Quint. ii. 342. De Fato ii. 51.
Fragment. i. 294.
Claudianus ii. 121.

Clemens Alexand. i. 4, 22, 27,
29, 71, 151, 153. ii. 199, 200,
266, 320.
Clutius ii. 296.

Cælius Rhodiginus i. 73, 149. ii. Columbus ii. 387, 391.

116, 344.

Cæsar (Julius) ii. 265.

Cæsalpinus (Andreas) ii. 292.
Callimachus ii. 212.

Calvinus i. 183. ii. 194.

Camerarius ii. 302.

Exot. i. 91, 93, 101.

Columella ii. 293.

Le Compte ii. 386, 402.
Concilium Toletan. i. 227.
Conon apud Photium i. 25.
Conquest de Canaries ii. 391.
Conringius i. III, 146.

Capelli (Jacob) Hist. Sacr. et Couplet ii. 384, 386, 401, 403.

Cardan ii. 292.

Carder (Pet.) ii. 392.
Caron ii. 383.

Cartesius i. 491. ii. 46, 58, 60,
405, 406, 407, 409, 430, 446,
452, &c. 474, &c.
Casaubonus (Isaac.) ad Athenæum
i. 58. Exercit. ad Baron. i. 64.
In Strab. i. 76, 151. Ad Theo.
phor. ii. 212.
Casaubonus (Meric.) Orig. of
temp. Evils ii. 113. de 4 Lin-
guis ii. 192. Diatrib. de Ling.
Hebr. ii. 193.
Cauche ii. 399.

Censorinus i. 109. ii. 56.

Champlain ii. 394.

Chaumont ii. 400.

Cuperus ii. 459.

S. Cyprianus i. 323.

S. Cyrillus c. Jul. ii. 200, 358.

D.

Van Dalen ii. 333.
Dampier ii. 392.
Dellon ii. 399.
Democritus ii. 321.
Denton ii. 396.

Diodorus Siculus i. 49, 51, 72,
91, 94, 108, 110, 111, 1.5,
121, 140, 149, 151, 153. ii. 6,
208, 209, 214, 250, 253, 260,
262, 265, 271, 277, 287, 378,
383.
Diogenes Laertius i. 59, 472. ii.
6, 8, 15, 30, 35, 55, 66, 91,
276, 364.

Dionysius Περιήγ. ii. 169.

Chalcidius in Timæum ii. 8, 9, Dionysius Halicarnass. i. 345. ii.

26, 27, 29, 31, 95, 97.

B. Chrysostomus i. 426.
Cicero de Nat. Deor. i. 14, 40,
298, 384, 446, 447, 471, 473,
482, 493. ii. 4, 15, 16, 24, 37,
39, 42, 67, 121, 204, 237,
256, 257, 261, 272, 283, 299,
317, 322, 358, 362, 364, 376,
ibid. De Oratore ii. 333, 342.

342.

E.

Edda Mythol. ii. 263.
Elmenhorstius ii. 212.
Empedocles Pythag. ii. 95.
Ent. Apolog. ii. 282, 290.
Epiphanius ii. 177.
Epicharmus ii. 266.
Estius ii. 77.

Gassendus i. 472, 497. ii. 39, 44, Jamblichus de Mysteriis i. 42. ii.