Though goodness and badness have many degrees, yet under some of those degrees do all men fall. Now I will show you that it could be neither of these. And first, Good men they could not be. For you might better say that Murderers, Traitors, Adulterers, Parricides, Sodomites, &c. were good men, rather then such. To devise Laws and father them upon God: to feign Miracles, and father them upon God: to set themselves up in the place of God: to say their word is the word of the Lord; to promise eternal salvation to those that obey them: to threat damnation to those that obey them not: to draw the world into a course so destructive to all their worldly happiness, upon a promise of happiness in another world, which they cannot give; to endeavour so egregiously to cozen all mankind; If all this, or any of this, be consistent with common honesty, nay if it be not as horrible wickedness as can be committed, then I confess I have lost my reason. Much less then could such a number of Good men in all ages, till ⟨p. 216⟩[…] were finished, be guilty of such unexpressible crimes. […] will it here be any evasion, to say, they were men of a […] temper, partly good, and partly bad: for these are not […] of a middle nature, nor such as will stand with any rem••nts of ingenuity or humanity. We have known wicked persons, too many, and too bad: yet where or when did we ever know any that attempted any so more-then-Hellish an enterprise? False Prophets have sent abroad indeed particular falsehoods: But who hath adventured upon such a system as this? *Mahomets example indeed comes nearest to such a villainy: Yet doth not be pretend to the hundred part so many Miracles, nor so great, as the Scripture relateth, nor doth pretend to be God, nor any more then a great Prophet: trusting more to his sword for success, then to the Authority or truth of his pretended Revelations. Not denying the truth of much of the Scriptures; but adding his Alcoran, partly drawn from Scripture, and partly fitted with fleshly liberties and promises to his own ends. And doth not every man among us take that act of Mahomet to be one of the vilest that the Sun hath seen? And judg of the man himself accordingly? So that I think it beyond doubt, that no one good man, much less so great a number as were the penmen of Scripture, could devise it of their own brain, and thrust it on the world.
Though goodness and badness have many degrees, yet under some of those degrees do all men fall. Now I will shew you that it could be neither of these. And first, Good men they could not be. For you might better say that Murderers, Traytors, Adulterers, Parricides, Sodomites, &c. were good men, rather then such. To devise Laws and father them upon God: to feign Miracles, and father them upon God: to set themselves up in the place of God: to say their word is the word of the Lord; to promise eternal salvation to those that obey them: to threat damnation to those that obey them not: to draw the world into a course so destructive to all their worldly happiness, upon a promise of happiness in another world, which they cannot give; to endeavor so egregiously to couzen all mankind; If all this, or any of this, be consistent with common honesty, nay if it be not as horrible wickedness as can be committed, then I confesse I have lost my reason. Much lesse then could such a number of Good men in all ages, till ⟨p. 216⟩〈…〉 were finished, be guilty of such unexpressible crimes. 〈…〉 will it here be any evasion, to say, they were men of a 〈…〉 temper, partly good, and partly bad: for these are not 〈…〉 of a middle nature, nor such as will stand with any rem••nts of ingenuity or humanity. We have known wicked persons, too many, and too bad: yet where or when did we ever know any that attempted any so more-then-Hellish an enterprize? False Prophets have sent abroad indeed particular falshoods: But who hath adventured upon such a systeme as this? *Mahomets example indeed comes neerest to such a villany: Yet doth not be pretend to the hundreth part so many Miracles, nor so great, as the Scripture relateth, nor doth pretend to be God, nor any more then a great Prophet: trusting more to his sword for successe, then to the Authority or truth of his pretended Revelations. Not denying the truth of much of the Scriptures; but adding his Alcoran, partly drawn from Scripture, and partly fitted with fleshly liberties and promises to his own ends. And doth not every man among us take that act of Mahomet to be one of the vilest that the Sun hath seen? And judg of the man himself accordingly? So that I think it beyond doubt, that no one good man, much lesse so great a number as were the penmen of Scripture, could devise it of their own brain, and thrust it on the world.
- *Mah•m•• was […] by the Arabian soldiers for their commander. In his Alcoran he confesseth himself to be a sinner, an Idolater, an Adulterer, given to Lechery; His Laws run thus. Avenge your selves of your enemies: Take as many wives as you can keep, and spare not: Kill the Infidels, he that fighteth lazily▪ shall be damned, and he that killeth most shall be in Paradise. He saith that Christ had the Spirit and Power of God; and the soul of God; and that he is Christs servant, See Alcoran Azoar 2.3.6. Also Azoar 18.4.11.13. He confesseth that Christ is the Spirit, and word, and messenger of God; that his doctrine i• perfect, that it enlighteneth the old Testament, and that he came to confirm it: yet denieth him to be God. Magnus fuit Sanctus, magnus Dei amicus, magnus propheta, &c. Vide Thom. Bradwardin. de Causa Dei, lib. 1. cap. 1. Corol. part 32.Mah•m•• was 〈…〉 by the Arabian soldiers for their commander. In his Alco•an he confesseth himself to be a sinner, an Idolater, an Adulterer, given to Lechery; His Laws run thus. Avenge your selves of your enemies: Take as many wives as you can keep, and spare not: Kill the Infidels, he that fighteth lazily▪ shall be damned, and he that killeth most shall be in Paradise. He saith that Christ had the Spirit and Power of God; and the soul of God; and that he is Christs servant, See Alcoran Azoar 2.3.6. Also Azoar 18.4.11.13. He confesseth that Christ is the Spirit, and word, and messenger of God; that his doctrine i• perfect, that it enlighteneth the old Testament, and that he came to confirm it: yet denyeth him to be God. Magnus fuit Sanctus, magnus Dei amicus, magnus propheta, &c. Vide Thom. Bradwardin. de Causa Dei, lib. 1. cap. 1. Corol. part 32.
