Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/383

 Concerning our Acknowledgment of his reveal'd Will in the Scripture, I have already spoken. And our Obedience to the latter, consists chiefly of two Kinds; an humble Submission to Divine Prophecies, and a careful Observance of all remarkable Providences. In both which Experimental Philosophy may well be justify'd. It may perhaps correct some Excesses which are incident to them: But it declares no Enmity against the things themselves.

The Sum of all the whole Doctrine of Prophecies is this, that the great Creator of the World has the Prerogative of foreseeing, appointing, and predicting all future Events: That he has often, in former Ages, made use of this Power, by the Visions and Raptures of holy Men inspir'd from above; that his infinite Wisdom has still the like Ability to do the same, that whenever such Predictions are accompanied with undeniable Testimonies of their being sent from Heaven, they ought to be peferr'd [sic] before all humane Laws.

The true Foundation of divine Prodigies, is much of the same Nature with the other: It relies on these Suppositions, that all the Creatures are subject to God's Word, by which they were made; that he can alter their Courses, exalt or destroy their Natures, and move them to different Ends from their own, according to his Pleasure; that this he has often done heretofore; that still his Arm is not weakned, nor the same Omnipotence diminish'd; that still he may change the wonted Law of the Creation, and dispose of the Beings and Motions of all Things, without controul; and that when this is done, it is with a peculiar Design of punishing, or rewarding, or forewarning Mankind.

Rh