I have been the larger in proving an Immortal Life after this, because I find none doubt of the Authority of Scripture, but they doubt of the Immortality of the Soul too (among us.) This joined with the Evident Vanity of all other Religions, is an excellent medium to confirm us in the Christian Religion: For if we must be happy or miserable for ever, sure there is some true Religion teaching the way to Happiness. That all other Religions are false, any man that lives out of the dust and smoke of prejudice, may see with one eye. That there is a future Happiness or Misery, is evident to Nature, or else how would all Nations so universally acknowledge it? The Ancient Barbarians believed the Immortality of the Soul, as of the Getae Herodotus witnesseth, Lib. 4. And of the Egyptians, Diodorus Siculus, l. 1. Biblioth. numb. 93. The very Inhabitants of Guinea, Virginia, Guiana, Peru, China, Mexico, &c. do believe a happiness and misery hereafter. As Descrip. Reg. Afric. Guineae, cap. 21.44. Acosta, lib. 5. c. 7, 8. Hug. Linscot. part. 1. cap. 25. Jo. Lerius, cap. 16. Sir Walter Rawleigh, &c. witness. What Poet speaks not De Tartaro, Campis Elisiis, manibus? And Philosophers of best note, except Galen, Epicurus, Plinius, &c. As ⟨image 107⟩for Pythagoras, and his Master Pherecides, the Druids, the Indian Brachmanes, Socrates, Plato, Cicero, Seneca, they all acknowledge it. Lege Marsil, Ficinum de Immort. Animae. Yea, Aristotle himself as is evident, De anima, lib. 1. context. 65, 66. Lib. 2. context. 21. Lib. 3. context. 4, 6, 7, 19, 20.
I have been the larger in proving an Immortal Life after this, because I finde none doubt of the Authority of Scripture, but they doubt of the Immortality of the Soul too (among us.) This joyned with the Evident Vanity of all other Religions, is an excellent medium to confirm us in the Christian Religion: For if we must be happy or miserable for ever, sure there is some true Religion teaching the way to Happiness. That all other Religions are false, any man that lives out of the dust and smoke of prejudice, may see with one eye. That there is a future Happiness or Misery, is evident to Nature, or else how would all Nations so universally acknowledg it? The Ancient Barbarians beleeved the Immortality of the Soul, as of the Getae Herodotus witnesseth, Lib. 4. And of the Egyptians, Diodorus Siculus, l. 1. Biblioth. numb. 93. The very Inhabitants of Guiny, Virginia, Guiana, Peru, Chyna, Mexico, &c. do beleeve a happiness and misery hereafter. As Descrip. Reg. Afric. Guineae, cap. 21.44. Acosta, lib. 5. c. 7, 8. Hug. Linscot. part. 1. cap. 25. Jo. Lerius, cap. 16. Sir Walter Rawleigh, &c. witness. What Poet speaks not De Tartaro, Campis Elisiis, manibus? And Philosophers of best note, except Galen, Epicurus, Plinius, &c. As ⟨image 107⟩for Pythagoras, and his Master Pherecides, the Druides, the Indian Brachmanes, Socrates, Plato, Cicero, Seneca, they all acknowledg it. Lege Marsil, Ficinum de Immort. Animae. Yea, Aristotle himself as is evident, De anima, lib. 1. context. 65, 66. Lib. 2. context. 21. Lib. 3. context. 4, 6, 7, 19, 20.
